Libertad Cercenada

El alcalde de Nueva York, Michael Bloomberg, ha propuesto un sistema por el cual los criminales que hayan cometido ofensas con armas tendrán que registrarse con la policia y actualizar sus direcciones cada vez que se muden. Bloomberg también va a encabezar un movimiento contra el tráfico ilegal de armas a Nueva York, tanto el estado como la ciudad. Como si fuera poco, Bloomberg quiere enjuiciar a los vendedores de armas por negligencia (que raro, nadie enjuicia a Ford o a Toyota si alguien comete un crimen con un uno de sus productos).

Los liberales ya lo hemos dicho muchas veces: que la libertad de armas favorece grandemente al ciudadano mientras que su prohibición hace que solo los criminales las puedan obtener en el mercado negro.

Bloomberg waded into another battle as he outlined his plan to crack down on guns -- to "root out and punish these criminals and stop the flow of illegal guns into our city." His police department is still mourning the recent shooting deaths of two officers, and the families of several slain officers were in the audience Thursday.

The mayor described new tactics including a gun offender registration system, similar to one required for sex criminals, in which gun offenders would have to register and update their addresses with law enforcement. Bloomberg also said he would lobby to make criminal possession of a loaded gun a felony with a minimum prison sentence of 31/2 years. Both proposals would have to be pushed through the state Legislature.

Bloomberg admitted his hands are partially tied because so many of the city's illegal guns come from other states. He warned that the city will begin to go after gun dealers with lawsuits to "hold them accountable for the terrible damage their guns cause."