Quote of the Day (Mike Kelly, on Luigi Mangione’s Alleged Weapon)

“[G]host guns represent a far different element in the overall gun debate. For starters, they have been used far too often by criminals. They are cheap and often without serial numbers and other identifying characteristics, making them almost impossible to trace. And because they were constructed primarily with plastic-like materials, they are often difficult to detect at security checkpoints in airports and at such mass public events as concerts. To put the dilemma another way: These are homemade guns. But they are hardly amateurish. They work — well.”—Columnist Mike Kelly, “Mangione Probably Used a Ghost Gun. Are We Outraged?”, The Record (Bergen County, NJ), Dec. 22, 2024

Quote of the Day (Mike Kelly, on a Consequence of Political Violence)

“[T]wo years ago… I reported that more than 75 members of Congress routinely wore bulletproof vests to public events. America took the news in stride. So did most of our public officials. Wearing a bulletproof vest is somewhat akin to wearing an American flag pin on your lapel.”—Columnist Mike Kelly, “After Shooting, Can Americans Stop Accepting Gun Violence?”, The Record (Bergen County, NJ), July 15, 2024