Over four decades ago, I met Cato Institute Chairman Bob Levy. Bob and I were both associated with a New York-based institutional research and trading firm. In recent years, Bob became chairman of the Cato Institute. Since then Debbie and I have become closely involved with Cato thanks to Bob and also to our friend and Cato co-founder Ed Crane.
Bob Levy was co-counsel in the landmark Supreme Court case, District of Columbia vs. Heller. In Cato’s most recent Quarterly Message on Liberty, Bob has provided a fact-filled, compelling argument for the Second Amendment. In my multi-part mini series, I want to share a few of Bob’s comments with you. The Supreme Court declared in both Heller and McDonald that the right to bear arms is considered a fundamental right.
Bob writes, “There were 13,000 people murdered with a weapon in 2011. Of those, 1,700 were killed with knives; 500 were killed with hammers, bats and clubs; and 728 by someone’s bare hands. How many of those were killed with rifles—not just assault rifles, but rifles of all types? Three hundred and twenty-three.”
Here Mr. Levy lays out all the numbers required to send state governors and legislatures up another path rather than regulating the sale of so-called assault rifles, magazines and ammunition. Such debate, never mind action, is nothing but shameful political posturing, unfortunately fueled by the recent travesties. This is an open and shut case for anyone with a lick of common sense.
