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Amidst the many acts of courage and kindness we witnessed during Hell in Los Angelesthe darker side of human nature also emerged as the number of robberies increased. Unfortunately, in vehemently anti-gun California, homeowners are left with few options for self-defense.
The police have already charged more than 20 people with robbery. One dangerous couple went so far as to dress up as firefighters to help themselves to the valuables of victims whose homes were abandoned or destroyed.
ROBBERS PRESENT AS FIREFIGHTERS, UTILITY WORKERS SEARCH ABANDONED HOUSES
Obviously, with the winds still whipping deadly wildfires around Tinseltown, all resources, including the police, are stretched to the limit, giving hard-hearted thieves an environment rich with targets for their crimes.
One thing these Los Angeles robbers can count on is that if they happen upon a homeowner in the middle of their robbery, there’s little chance that person will point a gun at them.
A firefighter jumps a fence while battling the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (Ethan Swope/AP)
In the free state of Florida, where the Second Amendment that protects the right to bear arms is respected, not insulted, would-be robbers, after a hurricane for example, know that stealing from the wrong house could be a death sentence.
They know because Governor Ron DeSantis told them so after Hurricane Milton damaged thousands of homes last year.
“If you go into someone’s house after the storm has passed, you think you’re going to be able to commit crimes, you’re going to get into really serious trouble.” DeSantis promised, adding, “And frankly, you don’t know what’s behind that door in a Second Amendment state.”
Hear, hear.
There are really two ways that the unarmed people of Los Angeles are at risk because of the Golden State’s draconian gun laws. The first is that individuals are unable to protect themselves and their property, but the second, perhaps worse, is that criminals are well aware of this.
When we think about the reasons why we have the second amendment, it is often pointed out that it is for self-defense, but also to check the power of the government. But in California we also see a third reason, which is exactly this kind of emergency.
Florida’s Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd has a warning for looters trying to take advantage of areas affected by Hurricane Milton. (Fox News Digital)
Angelenos don’t need guns to overthrow their government, at least not yet, but they do need them to hold the fort, or house, so to speak, while the government pours all its resources into disaster management.
In fact, when you look at gun ownership rates by state, rural states like Montana have the most guns per capita. This is precisely because, while in the city state protection in the form of the police is always a few minutes away, in rural areas it is often not.
This is exactly where the residents of Los Angeles find themselves today. City and state governments are overburdened, people need to protect themselves, and myopic anti-gun policies are preventing them from doing so.
This is why we’re seeing reports of some rich people in LA paying for private insurance to protect their homes, which I guess is great if you’re a millionaire, but if you’re not, it makes you even more vulnerable.
Frankly, in many cases, all it takes to dissuade would-be robbers from rolling the dice with their lives is a handful of openly armed neighborhood men patrolling their neighborhood.
But California’s progressive leadership, which, by the way, also has armed security at taxpayer expense, will not allow the average Joe to protect his family with his own gun.
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Progressive gun policies like California’s, like many other progressive policies, aim to make citizens weaker, more vulnerable, and more dependent on the state. This is on open and clear display in LA today.
Let’s hope that when this emergency passes, Californians will realize how important their gun rights really are and demand their restoration. Meanwhile, thousands upon thousands are simply helpless.
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Los Angeles County District Attorney Nate Hochman was elected to be tougher on crime. Here’s his first chance. If the city does not allow its citizens to protect themselves, then the punishment for robbery must be massive, like years in prison.
But frankly, it is not and will never be an adequate substitute for an armed population, which is exactly what the Founding Fathers understood when they affirmed our God-given right to bear arms.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE DAVID MARCUS
