By Dave Workman
The political water boiled this week for the Democrat mayor of Grand Rapids, Michigan after he observed during a meeting Monday evening that gun owners should “be ashamed” to own a firearm.
His comments, captured on video, warped across social media.
While Mayor David LaGrand initially ducked for cover, telling Liberty Park Press through a spokesperson that he “respectfully declined to be interviewed,” he subsequently issued a statement to “clarify” his comments. However, his 197-word statement reads almost like a plea for sympathy and an attempt to deflect the controversy.
His initial remarks ignited a political firestorm in a state with more than 500,000 deer hunters and 845,000 active concealed pistol licenses.
“Nobody gardens with a gun, right? Nobody changes their tire with a gun.,” LaGrand stated. “What they’re for is killing human beings and so it’s really hard. I think as a community we have to start having some shaming around gun possession. I think if you’ve got a gun, you should be ashamed of yourself. I really do.
“Now, I’m sorry, that’s gonna be the soundbite of the night,” he continued, “and the NRA, the NRA is gonna be mad at me, but like, you know, I, I get that we got a Second Amendment, I get it. But, you know, you also should be ashamed of yourself if you smoke. That’s not against the law. I think if you own a gun, you should be ashamed of yourself, and you should really do some self-reflection. And I think that’s, I, I just see so much more harm just like cigarettes. I see so much harm, more harm done than benefit.”
Two days later, after at least one firearms journalist and local media pressed LaGrand’s office, he released this statement:
“I want to clarify my recent remarks regarding gun ownership to ensure my intent and perspective are clearly understood by the community,” LaGrand stated. “We must be willing to confront the reality of gun violence in our city, and I hope we can move forward together to find solutions that keep our families safe. As a former prosecutor, I saw firsthand that handguns are used disproportionately in the commission of crimes, domestic disputes and suicides, leading to devastating injuries and the tragic loss of life. Now, as Mayor, I continue to bear witness to the aftermath of that violence. I see the pain it causes families and the damage it inflicts on the fabric of our neighborhoods. I am fully aware that the Second Amendment and state law limit the policy options available to a municipal leader. I cannot legislate this pain away. Therefore, my comments were not a signal of impending policy, but an expression of personal frustration and deep sorrow. My goal was to shift our community conversation away from the status quo and toward a serious, honest dialogue and provide an opportunity for all of us to reflect on what truly responsible gun ownership looks like.”
It is not an apology to Michigan gun owners.
Local news outlets WXMI/Fox 17 and WZZM both have followed the controversy.
Liberty Park Press checked with the Michigan State Police on the number of currently active concealed pistol licenses in the state, learning there are currently 845,237 approved CPLs. In addition, there are more than a half-million deer hunters in the state and Michigan this year is getting $23,914,949 from the federal Pittman-Robertson federal aid to wildlife conservation program, funded by a special excise tax on firearms and ammunition. The state’s total revenue from fees paid for CPL applications came to $16,460,062.00, which is above the five-year average of $12,009,968.00.
Workman is editor-in-chief at TheGunMag.com
