Chicago Sun-Times columnist claims that guns are more dangerous to kids than child porn.
Chicago Sun-Times columnist Neil Steinberg claimed that guns are more dangerous than child pornography in a column on Tuesday. Thus, he argued that they should be restricted as much or more strenuously than the sexual exploitation of minors.
Steinberg’s column is one of the latest opinion pieces pushing for gun control in response to the recent spate of school shootings, such as the one in Uvalde, Texas.
In his piece, Steinberg acknowledged that "Child pornography is among the most restricted material in our society" and of course mentioned why that’s the case. "Why does child pornography merit such a unique level of suppression? I’ll give you a hint: it’s called ‘child pornography.’ Children cannot consent to sexual acts with adults and are severely damaged by being forced to do so."
The author claimed that because "Child pornography hurts children… we fight it with all the legal might our nation can bring to bear, even if it infringes on fundamental freedoms." Prior to that statement, Steinberg cited the fact that "offensive artworks and obscene comedy sketches and extreme pornographic videos are also free speech and cannot be banned."
According to a liberal media columnist, guns are more dangerous to kids than child porn, so they should be restricted just as much or more.
His overarching point was that we restrict free speech to protect children. "To summarize: an essential part of the Constitution gives Americans a right, but that right is limited when the free exercise of it harms children."
He argued that by this same logic, we should limit guns. "So why all the trouble with guns? Why does a logic universally accepted regarding the First Amendment completely fall apart when we get to the Second? The harm to children from guns far exceeds the harm done by child pornography," he wrote.
Steinberg then cited a June 2 speech from President Biden, who claimed, "Over the last two decades, more … children have died from guns than on-duty police officers and active-duty military combined." The columnist called the president’s words an "understatement."
President Joe Biden is an ardent supporter of gun control legislation. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Tearing into the reasoning behind why conservatives protect gun rights, he continued, "The far right have a twisted logic about gun laws that goes like this: the Second Amendment is such an absolute value that even the most common-sense restriction — don’t sell assault rifles to teenagers — is a step toward the bogeyman of total confiscation."
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He then claimed that same logic could be used to advocate for the legality of child pornography. "Remember: by their reasoning, child pornography should be legal, out of respect for the First Amendment, with the harm it causes children shrugged off," he wrote.
A banner hangs at a memorial outside Robb Elementary School, the site of a recent Texas school shooting that has energized gun control activists in the media. (AP/Eric Gay)
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Steinberg then concluded his piece with an urgent appeal for gun control. "Among Republicans, 44% say schoolroom slaughters are the price we pay for living in a free society — ignoring that a) if kids are being regularly gunned down at school, then this isn’t a free society, and b) we already create all sorts of exceptions to our rights in order to preserve a sane and humane nation."
He ended on a quote from Supreme Court Justice, Robert H. Jackson, "who once wrote, the Bill of Rights is not a suicide pact."
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