Gun round up
The VPC has kicked in to full blown hysteria mode on SKS rifles:
SKS assault rifles like the one reported by police to have been used in an ambush shooting on Sunday, January 9, to murder one police officer and critically wound another in Ceres, CA, are a primary threat to law enforcement, the Violence Policy Center (VPC) reported today. In 2004 at least six law enforcement officers were slain by SKSs. In the wake of the shooting, the VPC called on President George W. Bush to use the Administration’s executive authority over firearm imports to ban the import of all foreign-made assault rifles. Such an action would not require Congressional approval. The Bush Administration has specifically authorized the importation of SKS assault rifles made in Albania and the former Yugoslavia.
The VPC notes the SKS was not covered by the recently expired assault weapons ban and say that is why the ban should not only be renewed but strengthened. As a side note, I have been trying to find executive order in the Constitution. It’s not there in case you wanted to know.
Meanwhile, a local shooting involves and SKS rifle as well. The press keeps calling it a cheap AK47 knock off, which is not the case. Of course, the press still thinks Chai Vang used an SKS when he used a Saiga (which actually is an AK47 knock off).
A Murfreesboro paper has an article on Ronnie Barrett who said the 60 Minutes piece on 50 calibers misleads:
“I fear Diaz played ’60 Minutes’ right down where he wanted them,” said Barrett. “The effect the segment had is it left people thinking there is a dangerous gun out there that legislation needs to be done against.”
In defense of the legality of his product, Barrett cited the media war waged in the 1980s by anti-gun activists bent on banning “Saturday Night Specials,” another term for small, easily concealed pistols. When that failed, they attempted to ban assault-style rifles, which held up in the courts but expired in 2004. Now they have a new target, he said, a rifle that has made headlines for its effectiveness and versatility in Iraq and other combat theaters.
“There’s other cartridges that would blast through half-inch steel plate,” Barrett said, referring to the ability of his rifles to punch through armor at long distances. “What they didn’t tell you on the ’60 Minutes’ interview is there are cartridges right on the heels of the .50-caliber.”
Michael Bane is all over the 60 Minutes piece. Just keep scrolling.
Also, here’s Alexander Hamilton on gun control.
January 12th, 2005 at 10:36 am
The VPC plays a pair of 10s with A,Q, and J.
Not a bad hand.
January 12th, 2005 at 12:35 pm
Also, I like this quote from Hamilton:
Thus, the “well regulated militia” is one that exhibits “uniformity in…organization and discipline.”
January 12th, 2005 at 12:47 pm
An executive order doesn’t have the force of law and gives rise to zero legal obligations. All it does is to command an agency of the federal government to undertake a certain action (the agencies are part of the executive branch, hence the name executive order).
In this case, what VPC wants the president to do is most likely order the Department of Commerce or Department of Treasury to not process importation permits.