Best-selling thriller writer James Patterson enraged social media by questioning the Second Amendment permitting American’s to own assault rifles.
“I write about assault weapons more than I’d like to. I believe their place is in the hands of law officers and our military,” he tweeted on Friday. “I honestly don’t see why anyone else needs to have a machine gun.”
“I’m 99.999% sure that Tom Jefferson, Ben Franklin, Washington, and the Adams boys did not foresee assault rifles in the hands of farm boys back in the 18th century, when they were writing the Second Amendment,” he continued. “Muskets and flintlock pistols fired a single shot in about 20 seconds.”
“The vast majority of civilian gun owners do not own machine guns (fully automatic),” podcaster Jeff Charlse retorted. “They account for VERY few homicides especially in comparison to handguns and other weapons. Banning machine guns won’t save lives.”
I write about assault weapons more than I’d like to. I believe their place is in the hands of law officers and our military. I honestly don’t see why anyone else needs to have a machine gun. I’m 99.999% sure that Tom Jefferson, Ben Franklin, Washington, and the Adams boys did not…
— James Patterson (@JP_Books) November 3, 2023
“Besides, Gary Soneji and Kyle Craig killed way more people with other weapons than any civilian has killed with automatic guns,” he said in reference to fictional villains from Patterson’s “Alex Cross” novels.
Radio host Dana Loesch gave Patterson a history lesson about the founding fathers and guns.
“Well, you’re 99.999% wrong. The founders would’ve purchased repeating flintlocks for war except for price,” she told the “Kiss The Girls” author.
“Jefferson owned a Girandoni rifle later adopted by the Austrian military. The Puckle gun was considered the 1st machine gun & predates the Constitution,” Loesch continued. “You clearly don’t know the difference between a semi auto, select fire, or full auto capabilities.”
“To quote the great Jeff Lebowski, ‘that’s just like, your opinion man,'” she wrote in reference to the Coen bother’s 1998 cult-classic crime comedy.
Someone else argued that protection from the government was the main driver behind the Bill of Rights.
Remember when Bill Clinton LOST IT so badly on national TV after an NBC host asked him if he'd ever apologized personally to Monica Lewinsky, that his buddy James Patterson had to jump in to run cover?
Anyway, here's the clip Bill Clinton wishes never saw the light of day… pic.twitter.com/kUxhE1yN8b
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) November 3, 2023
“You need to understand is that the Bill of Rights, particularly 1A and 2A were not predicated on the technology of the time,” they replied.
“They are core principles that were established to protect against a tyrannical government. And I dare say if AR15’s existed in 1791 the core principles would be the same.”
While Jordan Schachtel noted that we already live in a future that necessitates gun ownership for protection.
“You’re wrong,” he commented on Patterson’s post. “Of course the Founders could perceive of a future in which guns get better. During their time, gun tech was rapidly improving.”
“Why do I need a rifle? See: Hamas paragliders/ infinite amount of circumstances in which a community may face multiple aggressors,” he added.
Others were quick to mock Patterson for bringing up the inevitable advancement of technology in the first place.
“Are you writing this with a quill,” someone questioned.
“Same with the Internet. Founding Fathers never could have imagined such a powerful tool,” another added.
“The internet only needs to be in the hands of the ruling class,” they said sarcastically. “There is just too much information and [exchange] of ideas…”
The shootings occurred less than 50 miles from where I live. I went to high school in Lisbon. It’s the rapid-fire killing machines, people. This is madness in the name of freedom. Stop electing apologists for murder.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) October 26, 2023
Horror author Stephen King railed against assault rifles in the wake of Maine’s mass shooting last week.
“It’s the rapid-fire killing machines, people,” King posted on social media. “This is madness in the name of freedom. Stop electing apologists for murder.”
US Army reservist Robert Card killed 18 people and wounded 13 others during a rampage in Lewiston, Maine, last Wednesday, despite warnings from the military branch and his family that he could “snap and commit a mass shooting.”
“THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN IN OTHER COUNTRIES,” King accused in a follow-up tweet on X, formerly Twitter.
The liberal “It” author has not been shy about speaking out against gun ownership in the past.
“It might be time to stop talking about Hunter Biden’s laptop and do something about America’s problem with gun violence,” King posted in May.