There’s a special kind of stupidity brewing in California’s legislature these days, and this time, it’s not about banning gas stoves or making sure criminals feel comfortable in your neighborhood. No, this time, they’ve set their sights on something even more dangerous — your right to defend yourself, your family, and your home.
For years now, plenty of states across America have passed Stand Your Ground laws. These laws do something pretty simple — they recognize that if someone breaks into your house and comes at you, you shouldn’t be legally required to run away before you’re allowed to defend yourself. That’s basic common sense. It’s the kind of thing any rational adult understands — except, apparently, the folks writing laws in California.
Because now, California lawmakers are pushing Assembly Bill 1333, a proposal that would essentially force you to retreat if you’re attacked outside your home — even if standing your ground and defending yourself would have been perfectly reasonable. The bill specifically removes legal protections for self-defense in cases where you could’ve avoided the conflict by running away.
Let’s break that down for a second. Imagine you’re walking to your car after dinner, and some thug decides tonight’s the night he wants your wallet, your car keys, or maybe just a shot at beating you senseless for fun. Under AB 1333, you would be legally required to figure out if there was a “completely safe” way to run before you could fight back. And if you don’t? Congratulations — you might be facing criminal charges yourself.
Now, if you’re like most gun owners (or frankly, most sane people), you’re probably asking: What if I can’t run? What if I’m older, slower, or have a bad knee? What if my attacker is faster, younger, and stronger? What if running just puts my back to him and gives him a free shot? According to California’s brain trust, that’s your problem.
Of course, the anti-gun lobby is absolutely drooling over this bill. Groups like Everytown for Gun Safety hate Stand Your Ground laws almost as much as they hate the idea of regular citizens owning guns at all. They call these laws “Shoot First” policies, and according to them, they give every American a “license to kill.” Never mind the fact that self-defense laws already require that you genuinely fear for your life or serious injury before you pull the trigger. Facts don’t matter to these people — narrative does.
Here’s what Monisha Henley, Everytown’s senior vice president for government affairs, had to say about California’s new plan:
“White supremacists and other extremists have hidden behind self-defense laws to fire a gun and turn any conflict into a death sentence. Now, lawmakers have an opportunity to help stop that and save lives.”
Let’s unpack that nonsense, shall we? According to Everytown, if you want to defend yourself, you’re not just a responsible gun owner — you’re probably a white supremacist looking for an excuse to shoot someone. This is the level of insanity gun owners are up against.
But here’s the good news — not everyone in California has lost their mind. There are still a few sane voices in the mix, including law enforcement officials who know exactly how dangerous this bill is.
Tehama County Sheriff Dave Kain didn’t mince words when he spoke to Action News Now about AB 1333. He called it “ridiculous” — and frankly, that’s putting it mildly.
“We are swinging so far outside the realm of what is reasonable by telling people now that under certain circumstances, they can’t protect themselves in their own home against a criminal element is probably one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard of,” Kain said.
He’s right. It’s one thing to talk about public safety — it’s another to tell law-abiding citizens they need to act like helpless victims while criminals run wild. And keep in mind, California already has layers of laws on the books to decide whether a shooting is justified. Prosecutors and DAs already investigate every self-defense case to figure out if deadly force was necessary. AB 1333 doesn’t improve that process — it just handcuffs the good guys.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco took things even further when speaking to the California Globe. He laid the blame squarely where it belongs — at the feet of Sacramento Democrats.
“Sacramento Democrats have spent the last 15 years tying the hands of law enforcement and coddling criminals, using and abusing ordinary Californians in their attempt to make criminals the real victims,” Bianco said. “Now, they’re actively trying to tie the hands of our residents, who have had to defend themselves against re-released career criminals far too often.”
That’s the truth no one in Sacramento wants to admit. California already has a criminal-first justice system. They cut prison sentences, release repeat offenders, and decriminalize things like theft until small businesses can’t survive. Now, they want to criminalize self-defense, too.
What AB 1333 really does is turn lawful gun owners into criminals — and criminals into victims. If a thug breaks into your house, the state wants you to retreat, not fight back. If someone attacks you on the street, you’re supposed to run — and if you don’t, you could be the one in handcuffs.
This isn’t about safety — it’s about control. It’s about disarming Americans, not just physically, but mentally and legally, too. Because when you’re afraid to stand your ground, you’re already halfway disarmed.
The committee is set to review AB 1333 on March 24th. If you live in California — or if you’re just tired of seeing this kind of lunacy spread across the country — now’s the time to speak up. Because if they can strip away your right to defend yourself in California, they’ll try to do it everywhere. And when criminals know the law is on their side, guess what happens next?
