Spring Break
Anti-gun, pot laws cause more problems
George Maynard
Issue date: 3/2/09 Section: Commentary
As Barack Obama continues to dismiss promises made on the campaign trail as "rhetoric" he used to get elected, the idea of bringing back the Clinton assault weapons ban has returned. Republicans and Democrats have united in opposition to this attack on the Second Amendment. Despite saying things like "Lawful gun owners have nothing to fear" and "I'm not going to take your guns away" repeatedly on the campaign trail, Obama now wants to do just that.
Last week, new U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said that the Obama administration would like to resurrect the assault weapons ban and make it permanent. Thankfully, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) have already said they would oppose any effort to reinstate the ban.
The stated purpose of bringing the ban back is to stop drug-related violence that is consuming Mexico. According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), approximately 90 percent of weapons used by Mexico's drug cartels come from the United States. Apparently, Holder believes that this means the guns are legally bought at gun shows and smuggled across the border. While this is sometimes the case (i.e. ATF's recent seizure of 38 semi-automatic AK-47s from a smuggler buying them at a gun show in Arizona), it certainly cannot be true all of the time. This is true for a very simple reason that so many gun-control advocates ignore; it is not legal to buy fully automatic weapons or hand grenades at gun shows or gun shops.
The extensive licensing and background checks necessary to obtain assault weapons are prohibitively expensive, and therefore the number of individuals who have legal permission to purchase automatic weapons is very low and easy to keep track of.
Keeping that in mind, it would require a gun dealer risking his license by breaking the law and bringing automatic weapons to a show, followed by someone else breaking the law and buying automatic weapons at the show, in order for Holder's assertion to be true. Why would people risk being detected by bringing their illicit transactions somewhere they will definitely be watched? That's like trying to sell illegal drugs from behind the counter in a pharmacy that is under surveillance by undercover police. It doesn't make sense.
Last week, new U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said that the Obama administration would like to resurrect the assault weapons ban and make it permanent. Thankfully, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) have already said they would oppose any effort to reinstate the ban.
The stated purpose of bringing the ban back is to stop drug-related violence that is consuming Mexico. According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), approximately 90 percent of weapons used by Mexico's drug cartels come from the United States. Apparently, Holder believes that this means the guns are legally bought at gun shows and smuggled across the border. While this is sometimes the case (i.e. ATF's recent seizure of 38 semi-automatic AK-47s from a smuggler buying them at a gun show in Arizona), it certainly cannot be true all of the time. This is true for a very simple reason that so many gun-control advocates ignore; it is not legal to buy fully automatic weapons or hand grenades at gun shows or gun shops.
The extensive licensing and background checks necessary to obtain assault weapons are prohibitively expensive, and therefore the number of individuals who have legal permission to purchase automatic weapons is very low and easy to keep track of.
Keeping that in mind, it would require a gun dealer risking his license by breaking the law and bringing automatic weapons to a show, followed by someone else breaking the law and buying automatic weapons at the show, in order for Holder's assertion to be true. Why would people risk being detected by bringing their illicit transactions somewhere they will definitely be watched? That's like trying to sell illegal drugs from behind the counter in a pharmacy that is under surveillance by undercover police. It doesn't make sense.
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