BELLEVUE, WA – The Census Bureau has reported what amounts to a “domestic migration” from three large cities in three key states, and the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) blames much of this population flight on repressive gun laws.
The Associated Press reported Thursday that, according to the Census Bureau, states losing the most people are New York, California and Illinois.
“This is no mystery,” said SAF founder Alan Gottlieb. “Those states are infamous for their anti-gun attitudes. Countless times have we heard from people who have moved from those states because they wanted to escape the Draconian gun laws.
“The Census Bureau reports that New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles lost the most residents between 2000 and 2004,” Gottlieb continued. “Anti-gun politicians and their restrictive gun laws have made it virtually impossible for average law-abiding citizens to get a concealed pistol license in Los Angeles or New York City. In Chicago, you can’t own an unregistered handgun, and they no longer register handguns.
“Americans prefer to live where they can enjoy freedom and liberty, rather than depend upon an oppressive, disinterested municipal bureaucracy for their safety,” he said
“It’s not enough just to have a job anymore,” Gottlieb noted. “Americans are choosing to live where their families are secure and where sensible gun laws allow them to protect themselves and what’s theirs. They’re tired of being treated like criminals for exercising their civil right to own a gun. They’re tired of taking the rap for crimes they didn’t commit because gun-hating politicians are powerless against predatory thugs, or have sold out to political correctness, and refuse to crack down.
“They’re tired of being scapegoats for governments that do more harm than good,” he concluded. “They want to live where owning guns is respected rather than reviled, and where criminals think twice about attacking someone who may be ready and willing to fight back.”