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Mexican President Calls for U.S. Gun Ban

While Mexico’s prohibitive gun laws prevent law-abiding citizens from having firearms for protection against criminals and dubious governments, Calderon recently spoke to a joint session of Congress and encouraged U.S. lawmakers to reinstate a federal ‘assault weapon’ ban.

"[I]f you do not regulate the sale of these weapons in the right way, nothing guarantees that criminals here in the United States with access to the same power of weapons will not decide to challenge American authorities and civilians," said Calderon.

The Mexican president also misinformed Congress, claiming that violence in Mexico rose significantly after the U.S. ban expired in 2004. In fact, Mexico's murder rate has been stable since 2003 and remains well below rates recorded previously. However, he did not explain why violent crime has declined significantly in the U.S. since the ban expired, or how a ban on flash suppressors and bayonet mounts relates to drug thugs in Mexico or anywhere else.

Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the National Rifle Association, explained that the argument to somehow aid Mexico by banning guns in the United States bizarre.

"It's a delusion to say that diminishing the Second Amendment in America is somehow going to stop these ruthless drug cartels in Mexico," said LaPierre.

Instead, LaPierre called for Justice Department officials to uphold existing laws and focus on increasing enforcement along the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border.

"The answer is to enforce the law on both sides of the border," LaPierre said. "I reject the notion that the reenactment of that ban would have any impact on the Mexican drug cartels."