New Jersey Libertarian Party 
NJLP.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NJLP Statement on Recent Gun Violence and Proposed Gun Control Measures
New Jersey – June 2, 2022:
The New Jersey Libertarian Party joins the nation in mourning the innocent lives taken in the Uvalde tragedy. We recognize that children need to be better protected from gun violence in and out of schools. While mental health is a huge driving factor behind the gunman’s horrific actions, the heart of this tragedy stems from pure government incompetence and failure. The state failed to protect students that it forced to attend its school, leaving the door unlocked for the perpetrator to enter. Similar to the Parkland shooting, the police failed to enter the building to defend the children they swore an oath to protect. When brave parents attempted to rescue their own children, the cops held them back, sometimes using physical force, preventing lives from being saved. Any rational parent would immediately pull their child from a private organization that failed to protect their kid. But in the absence of school choice, many parents are stuck with one option and can only hope that their public school won’t be the next target.
If a private security agent did not even attempt to protect their clients they would be fired. Yet the US Supreme Court ruled that police have no duty to protect anyone (See DeShaney vs. Winnebago and Town of Castle Rock vs. Gonzales). So much for “protect and serve.” If anything is painfully clear from these tragedies, it is that qualified immunity must end so that police, like people in all other professions, can be held accountable for their actions and negligence. Judging by the utter lack of response from law enforcement officers in events like Parkland and Uvalde, the natural right for citizens to own firearms and defend themselves as they see fit has never been more important. Relying on the state to protect oneself or one’s children often produces negative results and less safety.
As you read this, Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada is currently working with the Canadian Parliament to ban the sale or transfer of any handguns and the US Congress is working on an “assault” weapons ban. Yet Mr.Trudeau and all of Congress will obviously continue to be protected by armed guards paid for by citizens. Gun-control advocates pretend that the proliferation of firearms is the only cause of gun violence and work to strip citizens of their natural right to self-defense, never missing a beat to exploit a tragedy and push an agenda. But the lessons of alcohol and drug prohibition are clear: banning something will not prevent people from obtaining it and morality cannot be legislated. Without firearms, citizens will always be left defenseless against criminals and relying on a police force with no duty to protect them.
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Contact: Michael Manieri / NJLP Vice President of Public Relations /
Paid for by NJLP