The U.S. Supreme Court turned down the National Association for Gun Rights and a firearms retailer&#8217;s Second Amendment emergency appeal on Wednesday to block Illinois&#8217; new gun control law.
&#8220;The application for a writ of injunction pending appeal presented to Justice Barrett and by her referred to the Court is denied,&#8221; the Court <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/051723zr_3314.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in an unsigned order with no dissents about the National Assn. for Gun Rights v. City of Naperville case.
Democratic Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illinois-becomes-9th-state-in-union-to-ban-dozens-of-firearms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Protect Illinois Communities Act</a>&#8221; in January, which immediately banned the manufacture or possession of dozens of rapid-fire rifles and pistols, .50-caliber guns, and some attachments.
Illinois enacted the legislation after the Highland Park July 4 parade mass shooting, in which a gunman killed seven victims and wounded dozens of others. The gunman used a Smith &amp; Wesson M&amp;P15 semi-automatic rifle he legally purchased in 2020 despite the alleged killer&#8217;s documented history of threatening and suicidal actions.
According to the bill, the law requires Illinoisans who already own such firearms to register them with the state no later than January 1, 2024. Gun makers can only sell firearms to suppliers in other states, and owners of the newly-banned guns in the state can still keep the devices on their private properties.
Illinois residents possessing unregistered firearms listed in the new law could face a misdemeanor charge on the first offense and a felony charge for subsequent offenses.
Robert Bevis, the owner of Law Weapons &amp; Supply gun store in Naperville, and the gun rights group challenged Naperville&#8217;s ordinance, arguing that it violates the Second Amendment.
&#8220;The challenged laws ban arms commonly possessed by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes,&#8221; lawyers for Bevis <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/22/22A948/264471/20230426135957029_Motion%20in%20S%20Ct.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals judges last month.
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Bevis&#8217; attorneys referenced a 2008 ruling by the Supreme Court on the landmark District of Columbia v. Heller case, which found that a categorical ban on arms held by law-abiding citizens is unconstitutional.
&#8220;One would suppose that the district court would apply the Heller test or, failing that, at least explain why it believed the test is not applicable,&#8221; the attorneys wrote. &#8220;The district court did neither. It erred when it simply ignored Heller&#8217;s central holding. Nowhere in its opinion does it apply, or even acknowledge, Heller&#8217;s holding in this regard.&#8221;
The National Association of Gun Rights echoed similar points in its application, citing the Supreme Court decision to strike down New York state&#8217;s concealed carry law in the New York State Rifle &amp; Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen case.
&#8220;This is an exceedingly simple case,&#8221; the group wrote. &#8220;The Second Amendment protects arms that are commonly possessed by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes, especially self-defense in the home. In the teeth of this Court&#8217;s precedents, the district court refused to address the evidence that the arms banned by the challenged laws are held by millions of law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes.&#8221;
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago will reportedly hear arguments on the case in June. For now, Illinois law will remain in place following the Supreme Court&#8217;s order.

US-NEWS-ILL-ASSAULTWEAPONS-BAN-2-TB

U.S. Supreme Court Turns Down Emergency Appeal To Block Illinois Gun Control Law

Gun Control

Illinois

J.B. Pritzker

Social Issues

Supreme Court

U.S.

Senator <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-senator-chris-murphy-claims-there-have-been-frank-camp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Murphy</a> (D-CT) claimed over the weekend that the American people would &#8220;revolt&#8221; if the United States Supreme Court continued to block new gun control laws.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-senator-chris-murphy-outlines-all-the-ways-some-gop-senators-are-cracking-on-gun-control" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Murphy</a> made the comments to NBC&#8217;s Chuck Todd during Sunday morning&#8217;s broadcast of &#8220;Meet the Press&#8221; — after which he dug in even further, going on to attack the credibility and legitimacy of the current court.
WATCH:
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Democrat Senator Chris Murphy: &quot;There&#39;s gonna be a popular revolt&quot; if the Supreme Court finds &quot;universal background checks&quot; or assault weapons bans are unconstitutional <a href="https://t.co/1bBZDmFFsd">pic.twitter.com/1bBZDmFFsd</a>
&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1657805899556061192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 14, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Murphy referenced a 2022 Supreme Court decision — authored by Clarence Thomas in the 6-3 majority — that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-scotus-strikes-down-new-york-concealed-carry-restrictions-restrictions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">struck down</a> New York&#8217;s restrictions on concealed carry, along with the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-judge-strikes-down-law-requiring-people-to-be-21-to-buy-handguns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more recent decision</a> from Virginia District Court Judge Robert Payne. Payne ruled that a ban on gun sales for 18-20-year-olds would effectively impose restrictions on certain citizens that &#8220;do not exist with other constitutional guarantees.&#8221;
Complaining that the courts had often halted any progress toward stricter gun control measures by interfering in anything legislators were able to get done, Murphy said, &#8220;If the Supreme Court eventually says that states or the Congress can’t pass universal background checks or can’t take these assault weapons off the streets, I think there’s going to be a popular revolt over that policy.&#8221;
The Connecticut Senator then turned his attack on the Supreme Court directly, adding, &#8220;A court that’s already pretty illegitimate, is going to be in full crisis mode.&#8221; He went on to promise that legislators would continue to &#8220;regulate who owns weapons and what kind of weapons are owned&#8221; — with or without pushback from the courts.
&#8220;We broke a 30 year logjam last year by passing the first major gun safety initiative. You’re seeing Republican states like Tennessee looking at red flag laws, Texas considering raising the age to buy assault weapons. I think our movement is in a position to win,&#8221; he told Todd during Sunday&#8217;s broadcast.

DHS Secretary Mayorkas Testifies In Senate Hearing

Democrat Senator Says People Will ‘Revolt’ If Supreme Court Blocks Gun Control

Democrat Senator Chris Murphy Says People Will 'Revolt' If Supreme Court Blocks Gun Control

Chris Murphy

Connecticut

Courts

Gun Laws

New Yorkers surrendered thousands of firearms to the State over the weekend in exchange for gift cards ranging from $25 to $500 at a statewide, no-questions-asked &#8220;landmark event&#8221; coordinated by the attorney general&#8217;s office.
New York State Attorney General Letitia James said officials collected more than 3,000 guns at nine buyback locations throughout the state, <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/3000-guns-surrendered-new-york-day-exchange-gift/story?id=98967589">ABC</a> reported. Authorities did not ask for any personal information of those giving up their guns, including names, addresses, or proof of ownership.
&#8220;Gun violence has caused so many avoidable tragedies and robbed us of so many innocent New Yorkers,&#8221; James said in a news release.
According to the news outlet, gun owners who turned in their firearms were awarded $500 gift cards for turning in rifles, handguns, and untraceable &#8220;ghost guns.&#8221; Additional handguns surrendered received an extra $150 gift card. Participants also received $25 and $75 cards for non-working, antique, or 3D-printed replica rifles and shotguns.
Syracuse authorities reported the crime rate skyrocketed up to 133% homicides in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the same time frame last year.
Residents in the central city of New York reportedly turned in 751 firearms.
&#8220;Every gun that we removed out of Syracuse homes and off the streets is a potential tragedy averted and another step in protecting communities throughout New York state,&#8221; James said.
At a news conference, Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh of the Independence Party of New York blamed the rise in crime on gun ownership expansion, condemning federal and state officials nationwide for &#8220;abdicating their responsibility&#8221; to sell and handle firearms safely.
&#8220;There are too many damn guns in this country. They&#8217;re everywhere. And we have too many states that are abdicating their responsibility to ensure that guns are being sold safely,&#8221; Walsh said at the news conference. &#8220;And our federal government is abdicating their responsibility to ensure that guns are being handled safely.&#8221;
Walsh said the authorities seized and removed 76 guns from the community this year compared to 55 at the same point in 2022.
Some 90% of the guns seized by police are from out of state, he said.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez told <a href="https://abc7ny.com/nyc-guns-brooklyn-gun-buyback/13196456/">local media</a> authorities received 90 guns. Other sites in the Bronx and at the Attorney General&#8217;s regional office in Suffolk County also collected firearms previously owned by residents exercising their constitutional rights.
Retired law enforcement from Newfane Arnie Jonathan reportedly exchanged his father&#8217;s gun at an event at St. John&#8217;s African Methodist Episcopal Church in Niagara Falls, which received 505 guns in three hours.
Jonathan told <a href="https://buffalonews.com/news/local/ny-attorney-generals-gun-buyback-event-recovers-500-guns-in-niagara-falls/article_b31b2bc4-e6a7-11ed-a335-ff8a0f34644d.html">local media</a> that he wasn&#8217;t sure if turning in a gun was &#8220;good or bad.&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;m between whether it&#8217;s good or bad,&#8221; Jonathan said. &#8220;These aren&#8217;t the people they need to worry about here. We&#8217;re just getting some gift cards that will make our lives a little bit easier next week.&#8221;
Jonathan added that those who turned in their firearm likely wouldn&#8217;t use them for violence, expressing further concern that some would regret their decision if they were in a dangerous situation.
&#8220;The scary part is that there&#8217;s this many people here right now,&#8221; he said. &#8220;You know how much there is out there that isn&#8217;t being turned in?&#8221;
Pew Research <a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2022/08/30/gun-buybacks-are-popular-but-are-they-effective">reported</a> cities across America have run gun buyback programs since the 1970s.

A gun buyback event held in Brooklyn

Guns For Gift Cards: New Yorkers Surrendered 3,000 Firearms To State Gov. For Cash

2nd Amendment

Gun Buybacks

Letitia James

New York

Colorado Democrat Governor Jared Polis signed four new gun control bills into law this week as the once-conservative state continues to march further Left.
The new laws include an expansion of the state&#8217;s red flag laws. Previously, a judge could only temporarily seize someone&#8217;s firearms if family members or law enforcement petitioned the court. With the new law, healthcare providers, district attorneys, and teachers can petition the court to take someone&#8217;s firearms away.
The other three laws <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/colorado-governor-signs-gun-control-bills-massacre-rcna82014" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increased</a> the age to purchase a firearm in the state to 21, requires a three-day waiting period after a firearm is purchased before it can be taken home, and makes it easier to sue the gun industry.
A proposal that would have banned the sale and transfer of semi-automatic firearms, but it was killed by state Democrats last week, PBS <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/semi-automatic-firearm-ban-fails-in-democrat-controlled-colorado" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
However, a fifth piece of legislation is expected to soon pass that would ban the creation and sale of so-called &#8220;ghost guns.&#8221;
Gun rights groups immediately filed lawsuits to reverse the increase in buying age and the three-day waiting period, the report said.
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The other pieces of legislation are also likely to face legal challenges in the near future.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Who wants one? Because we are ready! <a href="https://t.co/6svYkFYaJS">pic.twitter.com/6svYkFYaJS</a>
&mdash; Rocky Mountain Gun Owners (@RMGOColorado) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMGOColorado/status/1652329316603277313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The legislation faced pushback from Republicans across the state.
&#8220;This achieves nothing,&#8221; the Douglas County Republican Party said in a statement. &#8220;Criminals will still have guns and schools are still defenseless.&#8221;

US-POLITICS-HARRIS-CLIMATE

Colorado Democrat Governor Jared Polis Signs 4 New Gun Control Bills Into Law

Colorado

Gun Rights

Politics

Second Amendment

The public policy agency of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/southern-baptists" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Southern Baptist Convention</a> doubled down on their support for a so-called <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/gun-control" target="_blank" rel="noopener">red flag</a> law in <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a> despite many pastors and church members affirming that they do not support the move.
Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission President Brent Leatherwood sent a <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/religion/2023/04/17/southern-baptist-public-policy-backs-tennessee-gov-bill-lee-gun-proposal/70122387007/?fbclid=IwAR2vHqditHBaO8UwC1MQqg9wvkZyFIegcaFAPgFi31zgyKel_0zzvBmn0j4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> last week to state lawmakers in support of Tennessee Republican Governor Bill Lee’s proposed red flag statute, which would provide state officials additional powers to take firearms away from those deemed to be at risk to themselves or others. The proposal follows a transgender individual fatally shooting three children and three staff members at The Covenant School in Nashville, which three of Leatherwood’s own children attend.
The ERLC released an <a href="https://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/explainer-tennessee-governors-order-of-protection-proposal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explainer</a> on Friday insisting that the policy differs from a red flag law because only police can “file a petition before the court to have firearms confiscated” and because an individual can “only be dispossessed of the firearms” if he or she completes an entire court process. Neither clarification countered the fundamental objection to red flag laws which make the policies broadly <a href="https://www.thetrafalgargroup.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/COSA-RedFlag-Poll-Report-0621.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unpopular</a> among large majorities of Republicans and many independents: that government officials can abuse the authority granted by the statutes to deprive citizens of their means for self-defense, a concern which Second Amendment activists cited to The Daily Wire in multiple recent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gov-bill-lee-calls-on-legislature-to-pass-red-flag-law-signs-exec-order-intensifying-gun-background-checks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> on the Tennessee red flag proposal.
The explainer from the ERLC cited resolutions passed by attendees of the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the United States, at annual meetings in 2018 and 2022. The <a href="https://www.sbc.net/resource-library/resolutions/on-gun-violence-and-mass-shootings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">former</a> affirmed the solidarity of the denomination “with all those victimized by gun violence” while the <a href="https://www.sbc.net/resource-library/resolutions/on-the-imago-dei-and-the-helpful-content-submitted-in-several-resolutions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">latter</a> asked lawmakers to “minimize the threat of gun violence throughout our society” with “concrete steps.” Neither calls for the enactment of any specific law or statute regarding gun violence, much less any proposal resembling a red flag law.
Advocacy from the ERLC in favor of the red flag law proposal continued even after Tennessee House Republicans implied on Wednesday that they would oppose such a statute. “Any red flag law is a non-starter for House Republicans,” a <a href="https://twitter.com/tnhousegop/status/1648839020070174720" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> from the conference said. “Our caucus is focused on finding solutions that prevent dangerous individuals from harming the public and preserve the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. We have always been open to working with Governor Lee on measures that fit within that framework.”
Leatherwood <a href="https://twitter.com/LeatherwoodERLC/status/1648789967433244674" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invoked</a> the two resolutions passed by Southern Baptist Convention attendees on social media as he doubled down on his support for the red flag law. Another <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-southern-baptist-ethicist-claims-to-speak-for-denomination-as-he-supports-tennessee-red-flag-law" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from The Daily Wire published earlier this week noted how Leatherwood told lawmakers that “Southern Baptists comprise over one-fifth of the population of Tennessee,” an apparent attempt to leverage the size of the denomination in favor of the red flag proposal.
Creekside Fellowship Lead Pastor Drew Byers, whose congregation gathers in Castalian Springs, Tennessee, affirmed in an interview with The Daily Wire that the ERLC does not speak for the majority of Southern Baptists with respect to their stance on firearm restrictions. He noted the entity’s comparative silence on transgenderism as “more concerning” and contended that “after a transgender person shoots children at a school, the ideology that needs to be condemned is not gun culture.”
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“There are times when the ERLC does speak clearly on some issues,” he continued. “However, I think more often than not they advance the views of those in the organization rather than the views of those in the pew. No one from the ERLC has ever contacted me to ask my view on anything.”
Leatherwood and the ERLC appear to have remained silent when Lee recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-gov-signs-bills-protecting-children-from-sex-change-procedures-drag-shows" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved</a> bills which prohibit sex change procedures, hormone treatments, and puberty blockers for minors, as well as sexually explicit drag shows in public or near children. The Daily Wire has been unable to find public statements or court filings from the ERLC in favor of the laws and contacted the entity to confirm they did not publicly support the proposals.
ERLC Trustee Michael Guyer <a href="https://twitter.com/msguyer/status/1649088765317758977" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> via social media on Thursday that “the insinuation that ERLC is silent about the dangers of transgender ideology” is “simply false.” He likewise invoked the two Southern Baptist Convention resolutions as he addressed concern over the red flag proposal.
Southern Baptist denominational leaders have been repeatedly accused in recent years of supporting policy proposals which contradict the desires and beliefs of congregations. Former ERLC President Russell Moore asserted three years ago that ministers should <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-the-federal-government-used-evangelical-leaders-to-spread-covid-propaganda-to-churches" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prompt</a> church members to accept vaccination and wear masks. Leatherwood endorsed a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pro-life-lobbying-groups-issue-letter-against-charging-women-with-crimes-for-seeking-abortions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> last year alongside several dozen pro-life activists which opposed a bill in Louisiana that would have criminalized abortion for all parties involved, even though Southern Baptists had previously passed a <a href="https://www.sbc.net/resource-library/resolutions/on-abolishing-abortion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resolution</a> affirming that “the murder of preborn children is a crime against humanity that must be punished equally under the law.”

Church Steeple

Southern Baptist Ethics Arm Doubles Down On Support For Tennessee Red Flag Law Despite Pushback

Southern Baptist Leadership Doubles Down On Support For Red Flag Law Amid Pushback

Christianity

LGBTQ

Pastor

Religion

Southern Baptists

Tennessee

Transgender

The senior ethicist for the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/southern-baptists" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Southern Baptist Convention</a> threw the weight of the denomination behind a so-called <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/gun-control" target="_blank" rel="noopener">red flag</a> law in <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a>, even as rank-and-file <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/christianity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ministers</a> and congregants increasingly see denominational leadership’s values as contradictory to their own.
Brent Leatherwood, the president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, recently wrote a <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/religion/2023/04/17/southern-baptist-public-policy-backs-tennessee-gov-bill-lee-gun-proposal/70122387007/?fbclid=IwAR2vHqditHBaO8UwC1MQqg9wvkZyFIegcaFAPgFi31zgyKel_0zzvBmn0j4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> to state lawmakers in support of Tennessee Republican Governor Bill Lee’s proposed red flag laws, which would <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gov-bill-lee-calls-on-legislature-to-pass-red-flag-law-signs-exec-order-intensifying-gun-background-checks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">enable</a> the state government to take firearms away from those who are found to be at risk to themselves or others. The forthcoming legislation follows a self-described transgender individual fatally shooting three children and three staff members at The Covenant School in Nashville, which three of Leatherwood’s own children attend.
“What he outlined is a thoughtful approach to ensure we respect the constitutional rights of citizens while also helping to protect potential victims from dangerous individuals,” Leatherwood wrote in support of the proposal from Lee. “Allowing law enforcement to work with families in order to initiate action that involves full due process in the judicial system will ensure individuals who could cause great harm are temporarily kept from accessing weapons.”
Leatherwood invoked the command from Jesus to “love your neighbor as yourself” in his letter, cited biblical commands for civil government to oppose the “bad conduct” of wrongdoers, and noted that “Southern Baptists comprise over one-fifth of the population of Tennessee.”
Red flag laws nevertheless remain broadly <a href="https://www.thetrafalgargroup.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/COSA-RedFlag-Poll-Report-0621.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unpopular</a> among large majorities of Republicans and many independents, who fear that government officials can abuse the authority granted to them under the statutes. Opponents of red flag laws assert that they pose a threat to Second Amendment liberties and due process while failing to prevent criminal acts. The National Rifle Association and other advocacy organizations have publicly <a href="https://www.nraila.org/articles/20230418/tennessee-urgent-action-needed-oppose-red-flag-gun-confiscation-orders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opposed</a> the Lee proposal.
“Red flag gun confiscation would not have stopped the shooter. However, it will disarm perfectly sane, law-abiding people, resulting in more terrible deaths, not fewer,” Zach Lautenschlager, the former vice president of the National Association for Gun Rights, told The Daily Wire. “Tennessee already has laws which allow guns to be seized from people who are adjudicated a danger to themselves and to others. Red flag just removes due process, pure and simple.”
Lautenschlager, who was instrumental in enacting constitutional carry legislation across the country, noted that residents of other states have fallen victim to “a disgruntled neighbor or former coworker” submitting an anonymous tip to law enforcement, which results in the loss of their right to self-defense “without their knowledge and without any kind of hearing in which they can participate.”
Members of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, also known as the ERLC, have been accused in recent years of supporting policy proposals which contradict the desires of Southern Baptist congregations. Russell Moore, the former president of the ERLC, said three years ago that ministers should <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-the-federal-government-used-evangelical-leaders-to-spread-covid-propaganda-to-churches" target="_blank" rel="noopener">persuade</a> church members to accept COVID vaccination and wear masks. Leatherwood endorsed a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pro-life-lobbying-groups-issue-letter-against-charging-women-with-crimes-for-seeking-abortions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> last year alongside several dozen pro-life activists which opposed a bill in Louisiana that would have criminalized abortion for all parties involved, even though Southern Baptists passed a <a href="https://www.sbc.net/resource-library/resolutions/on-abolishing-abortion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resolution</a> affirming that “the murder of preborn children is a crime against humanity that must be punished equally under the law” the previous summer.
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“As an SBC pastor for the past nearly 16 years, I have never been contacted by anyone at the ERLC to share my thoughts on any of the issues they cover or agendas they push,” Scott Packett, the pastor of North Athens Baptist Church in Athens, Tennessee, told The Daily Wire. “For Mr. Leatherwood to assume that he speaks for all SBC pastors and churches is quite presumptuous.”
Packett added that he does not believe red flag laws will “stop these acts of terror” even though he sympathizes with Leatherwood and his family after the massacre at The Covenant School. “Guns do not kill people. Depraved human beings kill people,” he continued. “Giving the government power to limit our Second Amendment rights is not the answer. Look at other major cities and states where these laws are enforced: murderers will do whatever it takes to kill. Therefore, limiting access to guns for regular law-abiding citizens is never the solution.”
Leatherwood wrote in his letter to Tennessee lawmakers that “every life, without exception, is created with infinite worth in the eyes of our Lord because each one is made in His image.&#8221; Packett sees the claim as inconsistent with Leatherwood’s opposition to the bill in Louisiana, after which the ERLC told “churches like mine they want abortion to be unthinkable.”
Leatherwood and the ERLC appear to have remained silent when Lee recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-gov-signs-bills-protecting-children-from-sex-change-procedures-drag-shows" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved</a> bills which prohibit sex change procedures, hormone treatments, and puberty blockers for minors, as well as sexually explicit drag shows in public or near children. The Daily Wire was unable to find public statements or court filings from the ERLC in favor of the laws and contacted the entity to confirm they did not publicly support the proposals.

Top Southern Baptist Ethicist Claims To Speak For Denomination As He Supports Tennessee Red Flag Law

Top SBC Ethicist Claims To Speak For Denomination As He Supports Tennessee Gun Control Law

This article is adapted from today’s Morning Wire Afternoon Update. To listen to the podcast version, click <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/podcasts/morning-wire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
Trump Sues His Ex-Attorney For $500 Million
Former President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-sues-michael-cohen-for-500-million" target="_blank" rel="noopener">filed</a> a lawsuit today against his former attorney Michael Cohen, accusing him of betraying their attorney-client relationship. Trump is reportedly asking for more than $500 million in damages. The move comes after Cohen testified against Trump in the controversial criminal case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Indiana Plastics Fire
A massive <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/fire">fire</a> at a plastic recycling plant in Richmond, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/indiana">Indiana</a>, led to the evacuation of around 2,000 people from the surrounding area while clouds of toxic smoke billowed into the sky on Tuesday.
Authorities <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/definitely-toxic-massive-fire-at-indiana-plastic-recycling-facility-forces-thousands-to-evacuate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ordered</a> those who live within a half-mile radius of the factory to evacuate, with some finding refuge at a local church or nearby hotels. An Indiana State Fire Marshal said, “the smoke is definitely toxic” and “this fire is going to burn for a few days.” 
Officials also said that the facility where the fire started had received an “unsafe citation” and that its owner had allowed the building to be filled “wall to wall” with plastics, despite being warned “several times.”
Biden Electric Vehicle Overreach
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/environmental-protection-agency-epa">Environmental Protection Agency</a> proposed new <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/cars">vehicle</a> emissions standards on Wednesday that would aim to increase the adoption of <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/electric-vehicles">electric cars</a> and battle <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/climate-change">climate change</a>.
 The “more stringent” standards released by the agency would <a href="https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-04/lmdv-multi-pollutant-emissions-my-2027-nprm-2023-04.pdf">induce</a> a 56% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions for light-duty vehicles as well as a 44% decrease for medium-duty vehicles. Similar standards were <a href="https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-04/hd-ghg-veh-phase-3-nprm-2023-04.pdf">introduced</a> for heavy-duty vehicles. The regulations would seek to change market conditions such that electric vehicles constitute two-thirds of new sales for light-duty vehicles and nearly half of new sales for medium-duty vehicles by 2032.
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Senate Dems Demand DOJ Action Against Tennessee Republicans
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-senators-request-doj-investigation-into-expulsion-of-tn-reps-who-disrupted-floor-session-with-bullhorn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asking</a> the Department of Justice to “use all available legal authorities” to investigate whether federal statutes were violated after two Tennessee state representatives were expelled last week for leading a protest on the floor of the state Capitol. 
The letter also requested the Department “take all steps necessary to uphold the democratic integrity of our nation’s legislative bodies.”
Tennessee Gov Calls For Red Flag Laws
Tennessee Republican Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/bill-lee">Bill Lee</a> (R-TN) called for Tennessee&#8217;s Republican majority legislature to pass an extreme-risk gun law on Tuesday. Lee requested the action after signing an executive order strengthening the state&#8217;s background checks on firearm buyers. 
 The new gun control push comes two weeks after three children and three adults were murdered when a trans-identifying shooter gunned down students and staff at the Covenant Christian school in Nashville. 
Now, Lee is calling for so-called “red flag” laws that specifically target those deemed to have mental health issues, and allow a state court to issue an order for law enforcement to confiscate weapons from those ruled to be an extreme risk. Similar laws are on the books in 19 states, including Republican-led states Indiana and Florida. Opponents of red-flag laws say they could pose a threat to Second Amendment rights and due process.
Elon Musk Shreds The BBC
The BBC sat down with “Chief Twit” Elon Musk, asking the world’s richest man about reports that “hate speech” has been allowed to flourish on Twitter since purchasing the site. Here’s a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-elon-musk-shreds-bbc-reporter-who-claims-hate-speech-is-increasing-name-one-example" target="_blank" rel="noopener">piece of the interview</a>:
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BBC ‘journalism’ at its finest 🤦🏻‍♂️
BBC Journo: “There’s been a rise in hatful content on Twitter.”<a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a>: “Give me an example.” Journo: “I can’t.” Musk: “You just lied.” <a href="https://t.co/wOfzn5vGfJ">pic.twitter.com/wOfzn5vGfJ</a>
&mdash; Darren Grimes (@darrengrimes_) <a href="https://twitter.com/darrengrimes_/status/1646115621032325122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2023</a></blockquote>
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To listen to the audio version of this podcast, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/morning-wire/id1576594336" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>. And for more in-depth discussion of the biggest stories of the day, listen to the latest full episode of Morning Wire every morning.

Wednesday

Wednesday Afternoon Update: Trump Sues Ex-Attorney For Half A Billion, Massive Plastics Fire, Elon Musk Shreds The BBC

Wednesday Afternoon Update: Massive Plastics Fire, Elon Musk Shreds The BBC, Biden EV Overreach

Elon Musk

General

Joe Biden

Morning Wire

Podcast

Gov. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/bill-lee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bill Lee</a> (R-TN) called for Tennessee’s Republican-majority legislature to pass a red flag law Tuesday after signing an executive order strengthening the state’s background checks on firearm buyers.
The new push comes two weeks after three children and three adults were murdered at the Covenant School in Nashville when a trans-identifying shooter made her way into the Christian school and gunned down students and staff. Lee <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2023/04/11/tennessee-gov-bill-lee-calls-for-order-of-protection-law-on-guns/70102868007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> The Tennessean that he’s “asking the General Assembly to bring forward an order of protection law,” also known as a red flag law, which would enable the government to take firearms away from those who are found to be at risk to themselves or others.
“A new strong order of protection law will provide the broader population cover, safety, from those who are a danger to themselves or the population,” the governor said. “This is our moment to lead and to give the people of Tennessee what they deserve.”
Lee’s executive order creates a 72-hour period for any new criminal activity and court mental health information to be reported on the Tennessee Instant Check System, the background check system used by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). Under the order, the TBI is required to tell Lee&#8217;s office and the General Assembly within two months of &#8220;any barriers to complete, accurate, and timely reporting of information that is accessible in TICS,&#8221; The Tennesseean reported.
Red flag laws — which are on the books in 19 states, including Republican-led states Indiana and Florida — specifically target those deemed to have mental health issues, and allow a state court to issue an order for law enforcement to confiscate weapons from those ruled to be at risk. The 28-year-old Covenant School shooter, who stockpiled seven firearms, was receiving treatment for an “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nashville-shooter-was-receiving-treatment-for-emotional-disorder-police" target="_blank" rel="noopener">emotional disorder</a>,” according to Nashville police, and her parents did not want her to own guns.
Opponents of red flag laws argue that they pose a threat to Second Amendment rights and due process, and do not prevent criminal acts. Former National Rifle Association spokeswoman Dana Loesch told The Daily Wire, “Red flag laws are only about two things: removing your due process protections and seizing guns. The mental health of the individual in question is not treated. You’re declared guilty and penalized in an ex parte process, and after must pay to defend yourself before a judge. There is no evidence to support they reduce gun homicide. There already exist ways to have a dangerous individual adjudicated mentally unfit, or placed in temporary custody, due to the threat they pose either to themselves or others. Not exercising those options isn’t the same as no options existing.”
In a statement shared with The Daily Wire on Tuesday, Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton said that the House is “willing to work toward bipartisan solutions to protect all children at their schools, in their communities, and inside their homes” as long as any order of protection law has “a level of due process, protections from fraudulent claims, and a quick judicial hearing for individuals who pose imminent threats.”
“We all appreciate Gov. Lee’s leadership and his commitment to finding solutions to stop tragedies like the Covenant School shooting from two weeks ago,” Sexton added.
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When asked by The Daily Wire earlier this month about his position on a “red flag law,” Lee’s office said that it’s important to the governor to pursue solutions that will seek to protect both the lives and Constitutional rights of those in his state.
Earlier this month, Lee <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gov-bill-lee-to-propose-plan-to-put-armed-guard-in-every-tennessee-school" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposed</a> a plan to place an armed school resource officer (SRO) in every public school and provide funding for private schools to hire armed guards with the same level of training as those in public schools. Private schools would not be forced to join in on the program, The Tennessean reported.

Bill Lee

Gov. Bill Lee Calls On Legislature To Pass Red Flag Law, Signs Exec Order Strengthening Gun Background Checks

Nashville

School Shooting

Vice President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kamala-harris" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kamala Harris</a> will visit <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nashville" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nashville</a> Friday afternoon to meet with the two former <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a> Democrat state House lawmakers who were expelled on Thursday over their actions that included leading chants from the chamber, disrupting the floor session.
Harris joined a host of other Democrats in condemning the expulsion, including President Joe Biden, Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/j-b-pritzker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">J.B. Pritzker</a> (D-IL), and former President Barack Obama, who claimed that America was founded on &#8220;peaceful protest.&#8221;
“Six people, including three children, were killed last week in a school shooting in Nashville. How did Republican lawmakers in Tennessee respond? By expelling their colleagues who stood with Tennesseans and said enough is enough. This is undemocratic and dangerous,” Harris <a href="https://twitter.com/VP/status/1644310943050997761" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted</a> on Friday.
It is unclear if Harris will visit any of the families of the victims of the recent shooting at The Covenant School, a Christian school in Nashville, where a woman who identified as transgender murdered six people. The Daily Wire reached out to the White House for comment and attempted to reach the vice president’s media office by phone, but was told by a White House switchboard operator that the numbers for her office were not connecting.
Victims of the shooting <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/police-identify-victims-in-nashville-christian-school-shooting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">include</a> Evelyn Dieckhaus (9), Hallie Scruggs (9), William Kinney (9), Cynthia Peak (61), Katherine Koonce (60), and Mike Hill (61).
Harris will also use the trip as an opportunity to call for increased gun control. “While in Tennessee, the Vice President will make clear what happened in Nashville, continue to call on Congress to renew the assault weapons ban, and ensure that in Tennessee and across the nation, the voices of our young people are heard,&#8221; one White Official <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/kamala-harris-make-surprise-tennessee-visit-2-democrats-expelled-house" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Fox News.
On Thursday afternoon, Nashville Democrat Rep. Justin Jones <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-gop-expels-democrat-following-state-capitol-storming" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was expelled</a> from the House in a vote of 72-25 and Memphis Democrat Justin Pearson was expelled in a vote of 69-26. During debate on his expulsion, Jones admitted to sneaking a bullhorn into the chamber under his coat, after which he led chants with people sitting in the balcony.
A third Democrat, Knoxville Rep. Gloria Johnson, escaped expulsion by one vote. Throughout the day of the expulsion votes, leftist protesters, mainly younger people and women, chanted and screamed from outside the chamber, including things like “F*** you fascists.”
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Biden called the expulsion &#8220;shocking, undemocratic, and unprecedented” while J.B. Pritzker suggested racism was to blame.
Republican Majority Leader William Lamberth told The Daily Wire on Tuesday that the disruption from the Democratic lawmakers was unprecedented. “It’s never been that three state representatives attempted to incite a riot in the middle of the House floor. It’s dangerous, it’s inappropriate, and it silences the other 96 members,” he said.

Vice President Harris Speaks At Emily’s List Gala

Kamala Harris To Visit 2 Democrats Expelled From Tennessee State House, Push For Gun Control

Barack Obama

Executive

Kamala Harris

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — In a historic vote, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1680900610943000&amp;usg=AOvVaw29WVz6iPp6h8CpTNauEFeo">Tennessee</a> Republicans expelled two state House Democrats on Thursday over their actions during last week&#8217;s storming of the state capitol building by gun control activists, where Democrats led chants with a bullhorn and disrupted the floor session.
Nashville Democrat Rep. Justin Jones was expelled from the House in a vote of 72-25 and Memphis Democrat Justin Pearson was expelled in a vote of 69-26. Jones claimed that Republicans were leading an &#8220;assault&#8221; on democracy during his debate on his expulsion and claimed the world was &#8220;watching.&#8221; During debate, Jones admitted to sneaking a bullhorn into the chamber under his coat, after which he led chants with people sitting in the balcony.
After the expulsion of Pearson, observers in the gallery started screaming at Republicans with at least one protester shedding tears and screaming &#8220;shame.&#8221;
The votes on expulsion followed the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-gop-moves-to-expel-3-dems-who-joined-protesters-during-state-capitol-storming" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-gop-moves-to-expel-3-dems-who-joined-protesters-during-state-capitol-storming&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1680900610943000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0QKaRsF1Tetd3v887JV4tA">filing of resolutions</a> on Monday against Jones, Rep. Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville), and Pearson.
A vote to expel Johnson failed by one vote. Rep. Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood) said that the Democrats had tried to &#8220;shred the [state&#8217;s] constitution with a bullhorn&#8221; during debate on the resolutions. Johnson suggested that the reason she was not expelled might have been racially motivated. During his defense, Pearson also attempted to make the debate about race, suggesting that Tennessee Republicans were racist and invoking &#8220;black women who stood at the cross&#8221; when Jesus was crucified.
Democrats on the floor and protesters in the gallery were emotional as the vote unfolded. Some screamed that the Republicans were turning Tennessee into a &#8220;fascist state.&#8221; Metro Nashville Council will vote on Monday to choose a new representative for Jones&#8217; district.
The votes came as hundreds of left-wing protesters gathered in Nashville as rain sprinkled down early Thursday morning before the capitol building opened. One group of teachers pushed for gun control and another protested in favor of the Democrats facing disciplinary action.
Capacity was limited but protesters chanted anti-gun slogans and screamed &#8216;You are fascists!&#8221; outside the chamber. Others led chants against House Speaker Cameron Sexton and the Republican Party while cheering for the lawmakers facing discipline. When Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) spoke, the crowd outside the chamber screamed &#8220;F*** you, fascists!&#8221;
Demonstrators booed Republican lawmakers as they walked by. Many of the protesters appeared to be high school students and women.
Pearson and Jones both made brief appearances outside the chamber where they encouraged protesters. Jones told the crowd that the influence of the NRA needed to be shut out of Tennessee. The two Democrats appeared to enjoy the attention with both smiling and Pearson bowing to the crowd.
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Dem. Rep. Justin Pearson enjoying the crowd before expulsion vote, bows. <a href="https://t.co/JqIbiKLZdh">pic.twitter.com/JqIbiKLZdh</a>
&mdash; Leif Le Mahieu (@leif_lemahieu) <a href="https://twitter.com/leif_lemahieu/status/1644041887983210496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Sam, a protester from Hermitage, told The Daily Wire he was there to support Jones, his representative. He said that while he supported citizens owning handguns and had a concealed carry permit, he opposed civilians owning &#8220;assault rifles.&#8221;
Other protesters chanted pro-gun control slogans and declared the state House to be &#8220;Our House.&#8221; Protesters with The Equity Alliance led chants about &#8220;the Tennessee three&#8221; while other demonstrators had pro-abortion hats. Organizers passed out signs that read &#8220;fighting fascism is a moral obligation.&#8221;
The demonstrators also adopted the classic Christian song &#8220;I&#8217;m Going To Let It Shine,&#8221; but changed the lyrics to be about democracy.
Earlier in the day, as protesters screamed from outside, lawmakers passed a bill that improves funding for public and private schools. The three Democrats facing expulsion, alongside a fourth Democrat, were the only ones to vote against the bill.
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We just passed a comprehensive school safety bill, HB 322. *Requires all outer doors to be locked. *Conduct armed intruder drills. *Requires a threat assessment team. *Safety plans *Increased training for security. *Measures for new schools. More to come! <a href="https://t.co/5kAqB4DPWE">pic.twitter.com/5kAqB4DPWE</a>
&mdash; Rep. Jason Zachary (@JasonZacharyTN) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonZacharyTN/status/1643997537873920000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The three Democrats were also kicked off their committees by Sexton, who told The Daily Wire earlier this week that “their actions deserved to be disciplined, and what they did was a breach of House rules, they need to be held accountable.”
During a raucous protest against gun rights last Thursday, the three Democratic lawmakers went unrecognized to the “well,” where lawmakers speak on the House floor and took out a bullhorn and started leading the protesters in chants.
Lamberth, the Republican leader, told The Daily Wire that the disruption was unprecedented.
“It’s never been that three state representatives attempted to incite a riot in the middle of the House floor. It’s dangerous, it’s inappropriate, and it silences the other 96 members,” he said.
Sexton said that the lawmakers wanted to be arrested and wanted the attention for themselves, adding that the disruption was “planned.”
Tensions at the capitol have been high as Tennessee reels from the murder of six people at a Christian school in Nashville last week by a woman who identified as transgender. In response, Gov. Bill Lee has proposed providing funding for schools in Tennessee to have armed guards and reiterated support for a bill that would increase security measures at schools across the state.

Tennessee State Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson

Tennessee GOP Expels Two Democrats Following State Capitol Storming

Tennessee GOP Expels Democrat Following State Capitol Storming

Democrats

Republicans

&#8220;Rural mom&#8221; and &#8220;dirt road Democrat&#8221; Jess Piper took some serious backlash for her Friday claim that the AR-15 could not be effectively used for hunting.
Piper (@Piper4missouri), who is currently serving as the executive director of Blue Missouri, tweeted, &#8220;You don’t hunt game with an AR. It destroys the meat. The more you know &#8230;&#8221;
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You don’t hunt game with an AR. It destroys the meat. The more you know…
&mdash; Jess Piper (@piper4missouri) <a href="https://twitter.com/piper4missouri/status/1642220693898051584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Well, Hell, I&#8217;ve been doing it wrong all these years! Who knew! All I needed to do was consult with a non-hunting &#8216;pro&#8217; that thinks she knows everything. That&#8217;s an AR in the picture, not that you didn&#8217;t know that already being the pro that you are,&#8221; tweeted @MAC_arms, Indiana state director for Gun Owners of America — and he even provided a photo.
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Well Hell, I&#39;ve been doing it wrong all these years! Who knew! All I needed to do was consult with a non-hunting &quot;pro&quot; that thinks she knows everything. That&#39;s an AR in the picture, not that you didn&#39;t know that already being the pro that you are. <a href="https://t.co/5WvGLrTpt8">pic.twitter.com/5WvGLrTpt8</a>
&mdash; Military Arms (@MAC_Arms) <a href="https://twitter.com/MAC_Arms/status/1642325841165033473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2023</a></blockquote>
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A number pointed out that while some AR models are <a href="https://twitter.com/Tennessee_Mojo/status/1642532982249406466" target="_blank" rel="noopener">banned for big game hunting</a> in certain states, it&#8217;s not because the bullets do so much damage. Rather, it&#8217;s because they often don&#8217;t do enough — and it&#8217;s considered inhumane to wound the animal instead of killing it outright.
&#8220;I can’t tell if this is satire or not. You don’t hunt game (except smaller animals) because the bullet is to small to kill the animal reliably. You hunt with much larger rounds that can cause more damage,&#8221; Sara Hidden explained.
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I can’t tell if this is satire or not. You don’t hunt game (except smaller animals) because the bullet is to small to kill the animal reliably. You hunt with much larger rounds that can cause more damage.
&mdash; Sara Higdon (@SaraHigdon_) <a href="https://twitter.com/SaraHigdon_/status/1642309811952930821?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Most people don’t hunt &#8216;game&#8217; with an AR-15 because the caliber is too small and isn’t considered ethical in some states. Plenty can and do use an AR-10. Unless you are &#8216;hunting&#8217; tyrants. Then the caliber is less important than the range and barriers you need to defeat. &#8216;The more …&#8221; former FBI agent Kyle Seraphin added.
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Most people don’t hunt “game” with an AR-15 because the caliber is too small and isn’t considered ethical in some states. Plenty can and do use an AR-10. Unless you are “hunting” tyrants. Then the caliber is less important than the range and barriers you need to defeat. “The more… <a href="https://t.co/16JJGh0zEZ">https://t.co/16JJGh0zEZ</a>
&mdash; Kyle Seraphin (@KyleSeraphin) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyleSeraphin/status/1642720912402182148?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
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And others simply mocked her for her claim — which falls right in line with some of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-repeats-false-claim-about-ar-15-bullet-velocity-in-call-for-ban" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claims</a> President Joe Biden has made regarding the firearms <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/need-ar-15-look-bidens-inaccurate-remarks-firearms-2a-supporters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he&#8217;d like to see banned</a>. (&#8220;AR-15s just rip the body apart,&#8221; the president has said.)
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Video of a .223 round hitting a deer <a href="https://t.co/xKpu2S0sss">https://t.co/xKpu2S0sss</a> <a href="https://t.co/xahMHnHhJ9">pic.twitter.com/xahMHnHhJ9</a>
&mdash; Venn Master🟢🔴 (@AbeLopezAuthor) <a href="https://twitter.com/AbeLopezAuthor/status/1642712692728246275?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
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I love it when know-nothing anti-gun people repeat the entirely false thing they heard on “The View” one time <a href="https://t.co/KbVWfevLSY">https://t.co/KbVWfevLSY</a>
&mdash; Jason Howerton (@jason_howerton) <a href="https://twitter.com/jason_howerton/status/1642592209680715778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Twitter&#8217;s Community Notes even provided context via a TIME Magazine <a href="https://time.com/4390506/gun-control-ar-15-semiautomatic-rifles/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">article</a>, which confirmed that the AR-15 was regularly used by avid hunters for a variety of game animals, including but not limited to &#8220;feral goats, feral pigs, antelope jackrabbits, elk, coyote, and deer.&#8221;

Semiautomatic long gun

Missouri Democrat Dragged For Biden-Worthy Lie About AR-15s

Missouri

The annual <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/country-music" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Country</a> Music Television (CMT) Awards show Sunday night was infused with political messages from 29-year-old singer <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kelsea-ballerini-claims-her-marriage-ended-when-morgan-evans-wanted-kids-while-she-pursued-egg-freezing-route" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kelsea Ballerini</a>, who co-hosted the ceremony alongside musician Kane Brown.
Ballerini performed on stage with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/drag-queen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drag queens</a> from a reality TV show in an apparent rebuke of GOP-backed legislation. She also <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/country-music-artists-gun-control-870948/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seemed to push gun control</a> measures while invoking the recent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/graphic-bodycam-footage-shows-heroic-police-response-to-nashville-shooting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">school shooting</a> in Nashville, Tennessee, perpetrated by a former student, a 28-year-old woman who identified as a man.
&#8220;If you go down, i’m going down too // thank you to these iconic queens,&#8221; Ballerini said on Twitter, captioning a photo of the performance. The &#8220;Half of My Hometown&#8221; singer also thanked Country Music Television (CMT) &#8220;for celebrating love, self expression, and performance.&#8221;
A GOP-backed law in Tennessee would ban drag queen performances for children and in public spaces where they could be viewed by minors. The law was set to take effect at the beginning of April but has been temporarily <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/judge-halts-tennessees-drag-ban-law-rcna77743" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blocked</a> by a federal judge.
Ballerini was joined on stage by four drag queens from the reality TV series &#8220;RuPaul&#8217;s Drag Race&#8221; while performing her hit single &#8220;If You Go Down (I&#8217;m Going Down Too).&#8221;
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if you go down, i’m going down too 🏳️‍🌈 // thank you to these iconic queens and <a href="https://twitter.com/manilaluzon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@manilaluzon</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/kennedyddoftx?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kennedyddoftx</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/janjanjan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@janjanjan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TheOliviaLux?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheOliviaLux</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/CMT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CMT</a> for celebrating love, self expression, and performance.
📸 John Shearer <a href="https://twitter.com/GettyImages?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GettyImages</a> <a href="https://t.co/jZ3JTVI3ny">pic.twitter.com/jZ3JTVI3ny</a>
&mdash; Kelsea Ballerini (@KelseaBallerini) <a href="https://twitter.com/KelseaBallerini/status/1642740781482930176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Earlier in the show, the co-host invoked the recent school shooting in Nashville, which left six dead, including three nine-year-old students, and seemed to push gun control measures.
“On March 27, 2023, three 9-year-olds — Evelyn Dieckhaus, William Kinney, and Hallie Scruggs — along with Dr. Katherine Koonce, Cynthia Peak, and Mike Hill, walked into the Covenant School and didn&#8217;t walk out,” Ballerini <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/kelsea-ballerini-honors-nashville-shooting-victims-dances-with-drag-race-queens-shania-twain-champions-all-inclusive-country-music-at-2023-cmt-awards-053237106.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “The community of sorrow over this and the 130 mass shootings in the U.S. this year alone stretches from coast to coast.&#8221;
The singer said she witnessed a classmate, Ryan McDonald, be shot to death in her high school cafeteria.
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&#8220;Tonight&#8217;s broadcast is dedicated to the ever-growing list of family&#8217;s friends, survivors, witnesses, and responders whose lives continue to forever be changed by gun violence,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;I pray deeply that the closeness and the community that we feel through the next few hours of music can soon turn into action — like, real action — that moves us forward together to create change for the safety of our kids and our loved ones.&#8221;
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Listen to this exquisite statement at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CMTMusicAwards?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CMTMusicAwards</a> tonight by <a href="https://twitter.com/KelseaBallerini?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KelseaBallerini</a>, a fellow Nashvillian 🎸who used her platform beautifully 😭
 <a href="https://t.co/39CIzgwQ1s">pic.twitter.com/39CIzgwQ1s</a>
&mdash; Dr. Joy Henningsen (@JoyHenningsenMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoyHenningsenMD/status/1642696629508505602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Ballerini, who recently divorced after five years of marriage, revealed in February that the marriage ended over the couple&#8217;s disagreement on having children. The singer wanted to wait and freeze her eggs so she could continue her career at full speed, while her now ex-husband, Morgan Evans, wanted children right away, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kelsea-ballerini-claims-her-marriage-ended-when-morgan-evans-wanted-kids-while-she-pursued-egg-freezing-route" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported.
“That was something that we had talked about early on, and that was something that I was changing on,” she said. &#8220;&#8216;Cause he was ready. He was like, ‘I don’t want to be an old dad,’ is what he kept saying. And I was like, ‘I’m not there yet, and I can’t do that to save this and give you something that I’m not ready for.&#8217;”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-glitter-wears-off-country-singer-explains-reason-for-divorcing-husband-of-5-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘The Glitter Wears Off’: Country Singer Explains Reason For Divorcing Husband Of 5 Years</a>

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