Adam Probolsky Criticizes Irvine Mayor for Being Against Illegal Guns?

I was flipping through a copy of the Irvine World News for the high school football scores (so many of the kids I coached in Little League and Irvine Youth Basketball are seniors now; many still call me “coach” when they see me and I’m proud of their accomplishments), when I came across Adam Probolsky’s column.

homersimpsongunI’m still pretty upset that the OC Register is paying Adam to write a column that commits the weekly cardinal sin of being boring.  But this week, Adam let his partisan colors fly and added a short item criticizing Irvine Mayor Suhkee Kang for joining a group called “Mayors Against Illegal Guns.”

Adam writes: “As a life member of the National Rifle Association (NRA) I got an alert last week that Mayor Kang had joined an ultra-liberal anti-gun group (Mayors Against Illegal Guns) founded and funded by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The group claims to oppose “illegal guns” but really has a broad anti-Second Amendment agenda. It is unclear whether the group and/or the mayor have specific goals for restricting gun ownership in Irvine.”

Notice the code words of “ultra liberal” and “restricting gun ownership” while Adam’s own bio in the paper conveniently leaves out his affiliation with the OC GOP Central Committee and his ties with ultra-conservative right wing organizations.

Probolosky must still be smarting from having his CCW (concealed weapons) permit revoked by Sheriff Sandra Hutchens.  The Sheriff’s Department found that Probolsky didn’t meet the standard for needing a concealed weapons permit, originally issued by the convicted felon and disgraced ex-sheriff Mike Carona. So I have to believe criticism of Mayor Kang for joining this group is really tied to the fact Probolsky can’t carry a handgun around.  To me, having to have a gun just means your compensating for some other .. deficiency.

But the claim that the organization has an ultra-liberal anti-second amendment agenda seems a tad off base.  I encourage you to check out the group’s website here. The organization clearly seeks to protect the Second Amendment rights of sportsmen while trying to limit the illegal acquisition of guns and ban the use of illegal guns.  It’s a pro-law enforcement group as well, advocating legislation that strengthens penalties for crimes committed with an illegal weapon or illegally obtained weapon against police.

From the organization’s website: “Mayors Against Illegal Guns has worked with law enforcement and legislators to advance a simple but powerful idea: support for Second Amendment rights goes hand-in-hand with keeping illegal guns out of the hands of criminals. We are committed to this cause because as mayors, our highest responsibility is to enhance public safety. And that means enforcing the law and protecting the people we serve. That is what we stand for.”

Criticism against the group b y Pro-NRA advocates says the Mayors Group hasn’t defined what an illegal gun is.  These people, and Adam, have clearly missed the point.  Guns are certainly legal products which can use used illegally.  Guns can be easily purchased by totally legitimate people who then resell the weapon to someone who plans to use it in an illegal manner; this practice is called a straw purchase and its pretty widespread.

Being against illegal guns should really be a conservative position.  The National Rifle Association, of which Probolosky is a member, seems hell bent on protecting assault weapons and automatic weapons designed for one thing and one thing only — to kill people.  As a homeowner, businessowner and parent of kids in IUSD schools, I applaud the mayor for coming out strongly against illegal guns and the use of guns illegally in our city.  And his opposition to this organization reaffirms Sheriff Sandra Hutchens’ judgement in yanking Adam’s CCW.

I have to wonder what’s next here. Is Adam’s criticism of the Mayor an admission he owns some guns that could be considered illegal?    

Is Probolsky going to criticize progressive members of the Irvine city council as ultra-liberal for coming out against Illegal Drugs?  I mean, imagine if you will his reaction to an Irvine mayor criticizing our police force for arresting people caught coming out of a meth lab in Irvine.  What might Adam say to that?