Every state has all these little towns no one has ever heard of before unless they live in the area. New York is no different. On Long Island, there's a place called Babylon Village, a grandiose name for somewhere that's really just a suburb of New York City.
And just like the Big Apple, those in charge apparently have an issue with the right to keep and bear arms. In fact, that issue has led to them going way too far in addressing what they see as a problem.
You see, they've banned gun sales in the village.
Gun enthusiasts are questioning a new law banning the sale of firearms and ammunition in Babylon Village, saying the law is not needed to improve safety, despite village officials' claims.
The legislation, which took effect this month, prohibits the retail sale of “firearms, ammunition, fireworks or other explosives.” The law exempts two annual gun shows held at the American Legion hall in the village.
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“We just thought it was in the best interest to put something in place,” [Mayor Mary Adams] said. “Good people carry guns and so do bad people and I’m not going to take that chance … I’ve got to protect the kids and the families here.”
The problem is that a lot of people who live there aren't exactly thrilled with this. After all, good people do carry guns.
But in order to carry them, they have to be able to buy them. The courts have agreed that the right to keep and bear arms implies the right to purchase them in the first place. Otherwise, the right is kind of meaningless.
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Adams and other officials in Babylon Village have decided, however, to go against that.
While it's entirely possible for someone to travel to another city to purchase a firearm, no one should have to. Especially as not everyone can. Folks who don't have a car, which includes the poor and elderly.
Moreover, lawful gun sales don't negatively impact public safety. Criminals aren't going into gun stores, passing NICS checks, then purchasing the firearm in the first place. They're stealing guns, buying them off the black market, or via some other criminal means. Making it more difficult for residents to lawfully buy guns won't really hurt the people who represent a problem.
And it sounds like a lot of folks there agree.
Some of what they're trying to do mimics state law, which is dumb enough since local police can enforce state law, and a town can make any crime harsher than a misdemeanor anyway, which isn't a deterrent.
This is a case of anti-gun lawmakers trying to show they're anti-gun, but not having a big enough stage to do so.
In the process, they're about to get sued and they'll have as big of a stage as they want, only it'll result in them being slapped down for going way too far. You can't ban sales of a constitutionally protected item like a firearm and not get your hand slapped by the courts for overstepping your authority.
Even in New York state.
