Pro-2A Groups Swarm Maryland Gun Control Hearings

There’s an article out there detailing how gun control advocates are getting eight times as much press coverage as supporters of the second amendment. Point and case: while the rather tiny march organized by the optimistically named One Million Moms for Gun Control was covered by CNN despite barely filling a sidewalk, the massive turnout in Annapolis yesterday in support of gun rights went largely unnoticed. Well, by everyone except the Washington Times, that is . . .

Gov. Martin O’Malley that would ban assault weapons and require residents to obtain a license before purchasing handguns.

The Second Amendment advocates held a morning rally outside the State House to show their disapproval in advance of this afternoon’s Senate hearing on the legislation.

The Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee hearing began at 1 p.m. and was expected to stretch to at least 9 p.m., as more than 400 people were signed up to testify as of 3 p.m. Senate staff members said hundreds more were lined up outside the Senate legislative building, hoping to submit testimony.

“We have come to a point where hysteria is ruling the debate,” Tom Morris Jr., a gun-rights advocate and former correspondent for the TV series “America’s Most Wanted,” told the committee. “There’s so much in [the bill] that’s detached from reality.”

This has been happening all across the country. Meetings have been swarmed by people arguing to protect their right to keep and bear arms from government infringement, from the Newtown meetings to local rallies at state capitols. And while the effect this has had on the politicians has yet to be seen, there’s no doubt that it’s damned impressive to watch.

In fact, its up for debate whether these hearings will have any impact on the legislative agenda whatsoever. Call me cynical, but I see these as exercises in confirmation bias. In the minds of the pols, if tons of gun control advocates come out then obviously the population is clamoring for more restrictions and more gun control is the right thing to do. But if tons of gun rights “nut jobs” turn up, then obviously they’re trying to bully the politicians into promoting murder. Heads you win, tails I lose.

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