So Saturday afternoon, with my butt dragging from a 4+ hour belt test for my Krav Maga, I did an interview with Ailsa (pronounced roughly as "Elsa") Chang of National Public Radio out of Washington D.C. The interview has been posted at NPR here. I had talked with a very sweet producer the day before I had the impression the interview would have to do with President-elect Trump's comments about ending gun free zones in some areas through executive actions. In the end, the whole interview had to do with National Reciprocity – or the recognition of all concealed carry licenses with full faith and credit in all fifty states (fifty-seven if you're an Obama follower) just as we do with driver's licenses.
Here's the first part of the interview transcript:
AILSA CHANG, HOST:
Next, we're going to hear from someone who wants to see gun rights expanded in the next administration. John Boch is a co-chair of President-elect Trump's Second Amendment Coalition. He joins us on the line from his home in Bloomington, Ill. Thanks so much for being with us.
JOHN BOCH: Thanks for having me.
CHANG: So I understand you want to see a federal law on gun reciprocity, which means allowing people with concealed carry permits to cross state lines with their guns. Why is this a top issue for you?
BOCH: Well, it's a top issue for me because, as it is currently in America, there's a patchwork of laws across the land and you have to do a lot of research ahead of time to make sure that you're legal if you're carrying your concealed firearm across state lines. If we had national reciprocity, our concealed carry licenses would be recognized with full faith and credit just as our driver's licenses are to current Americas. And so we want to see that expanded to the concealed carry licenses as well across the nation so I can go to New York City or to Los Angeles and not have to do a mountain of research and maybe find out that my carry license is not recognized in one state versus another.
CHANG: Are there specific things that the Obama administration did that you would like to see undone?
BOCH: Basically, every executive order that Obama issued on firearms I would like to see rescinded. Frankly, I'd like to see a lot of executive orders that, you know, the two Bush presidents put forth relating to guns and Bill Clinton, I'd like to see those struck as well.
Not surprisingly, probably 80% of the interview ended up on the cutting room floor. Sadly, and I guess I shouldn't be surprised, the best answer to an out of the blue "gotcha" question she threw at me got left behind as well. Paraphrasing:
Q: Some people say this is a private property rights issue in that some people may not want people bringing their guns onto their property through this National Reciprocity scheme.
A: Well, ma'am, sixty years ago some people used that same argument to support their opposition to allowing blacks into their businesses. That's just wrong. It's discriminatory, just as discrimination has happened in our nation's history with "No Jews" signs, or "No Irish". Gun control is racist, classist and sexist. I don't support those things and I don't think most Americans support them either.
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