If a society’s body of laws is an expression of its priorities, then the gun-control craze has left ours deeply messed up, at least in New York. For there, according to Steve McGough at Radio Vice Online, “common sense gun legislation” has made possession of a high capacity magazine (more than 10 rounds) into a Class D “violent felony,” while possession of a magazine containing 8-10 rounds is a Class A misdemeanor. (Originally he thought the 8-10 round magazines would be treated the same as those holding over 10 rounds, but he learned differently and has revised his article accordingly.)
That means owning a magazine with more than 10 rounds is worse than any of the following in New York: criminally negligent homicide, third degree rape, persistent sexual abuse, incitement to riot, or possessing an obscene performance by a child. McGough has a complete list of offenses less serious than holding a demonic high-capacity magazine in his article.
He’s also got a theory as to why the offense was made so absurdly serious: “You’ll be shocked, but this is part of the game. With the threat of a class D felony, legislators and prosecutors will figure those arrested on the charges will take a misdemeanor plea instead of going to court to fight. They want to discourage the creation of a Supreme Court test case.”
