A fundamental problem with red flag laws

Pratt on TexasThe primary thing you need to understand about so-called red flag laws related to firearms possession is the problem with the term red flag.

Listener Carlos Leal wrote: “Pratt, you still have to explain this “Red-Flag” because so many people do not understand that Red-Flag Laws are only a ploy to ultimately confiscate-ALL-WEAPONS FROM THE AMERICAN PUBLIC…”

According to dictionaries red flag means “the emblem of socialist revolution” but the definitions we should focus upon are “a warning signal” and “something that demands immediate action.”

In any group of people who share cultural, religious, and social values you’ll find it easy to establish a large majority consensus on what are red flags for given things such as someone who might be troubled enough to commit violence against others. I did not say those agreed red flags would be correct but such would be easy to agree upon.

Red flags will always be defined from the outlook of the persons making the decision as to what are warning signs and will be governed by their world view, not yours.

When elitists of the American Medical Association and a host of other credential bearing and bestowing groups hold views akin to the simple ownership of a firearm being a sign of illness, calling the possession of guns a “public health crisis,” it becomes clear that nationwide there is little chance that government can select meaningful red flags which trigger action that will respect the people’s right to keep and bear arms.

Red flags will always be defined from the outlook of the persons making the decision as to what are warning signs and will be governed by their world view, not yours.

When you consider that, along with how many believe that even being comfortable around guns is a dangerous psychosis, it is clear that any red flag laws designed to disarm people will be abused by many, if not most, to achieve a political end as opposed to improving public safety.

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