Gunning for trouble in Maryland

The Washington Times ^ | 09OCT2002 | unsigned editorial

[ArrogantBustard]

Maryland's Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, has been hinting that restrictions on firearms ownership might have prevented the recent string of shootings that have terrorized the region and left at least six people dead. Although careful not to appear to be making political hay of the carnage, Mrs. Townsend nonetheless quipped not-so-elliptically the other day that there must be a new debate "about how best to protect our citizens," and that existing gun control laws "save lives."

[ArrogantBustard]

She has, for example, acidly criticized her Republican opponent in the race, Rep. Robert L. Ehrlich, for his recent suggestions that gun control laws be evaluated on their merits — and if they aren't doing anything to curb the criminal misuse of firearms, but rather subjecting peaceable citizens to endless ukase, revoke them.

But that would make sense, which is far too much for Kookie Katie to comprehend...

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Click to download poster in PDF format

[ArrogantBustard]

ping

[ottersnot]

Big NRA membership bump.

[stevio]

Truth Bump.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Mrs. Townsend nonetheless quipped not-so-elliptically that .... existing gun control laws "save lives."

22,000 gun laws failed to prevent this one.

[Phantom Lord]

But just one more would have. Geez, havent you been paying attention?

[justshe]

A Strong Kick To The Finish! (Leave The Left Behind)
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[hgro]

A typical Kennedy spawn makes a typical Kennedy statement, saying nothing and exhibiting the family degeneration since old Joe, the CROOK, foisted his scurvy progeny upon America. What a travesty!!

[leadpenny]

There is this:

ACTION NEEDED: Maryland Area Freepers, Help Defeat Kathleen Kennedy Townsend

Hope something can be put together for the 16th.

[sauropod]

Gun Rights Bump!

I read this yesterday. 'Pod

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

Thanks for the Ping. I'll be at the Pooks Hill Marriot on the !6th hope many others can join in the Freepin' Fun.

Maybe we can score a football!

[cogitator]

The person responsible for the recent spate of killings probably did not buy his weapon over-the-counter. It's doubtful he patiently filled out the reams of paperwork required of law-abiding gun purchasers. No background check would have impeded his dastardly agenda.

Just as a note, the Post has an editorial today indicating how easy it would be to purchase a weapon of the type used in these killings. For example, it could have been purchased at a gun show in Virginia with no background check at all.

"One Shot, One Kill"

[ArrogantBustard]

This from the Washington Pest editorial:

According to Tom Diaz, senior policy analyst at the Violence Policy Center, one of the most lethal types is the sniper rifle, designed and manufactured for the purpose of killing human beings at more than five times the range at which hunters shoot deer.

Ladies & gentlemen, I ask you what's the difference between a Remington 700 sniper rifle and a Remington 700 deer rifle? Ans: Nothing whatsoever. We've been predicting for years that "deadly, precision long range scoped sniper rifles" would be next...

[cogitator]

Ladies & gentlemen, I ask you what's the difference between a Remington 700 sniper rifle and a Remington 700 deer rifle? Ans: Nothing whatsoever. We've been predicting for years that "deadly, precision long range scoped sniper rifles" would be next...

Can I ask a stupid question? On what basis can Diaz make the statement that the sniper rifle is "designed and manufactured for the purpose of killing human beings at more than five times the range at which hunters shoot deer"? My ignorant guess is that "most" deer rifles don't have the sophisticated optics of a sniper rifle. Is that anywhere close, do you think?

[ArrogantBustard]

US military snipers train to engage targets at ranges exceeding 1000 yards. They do so with what amounts to a jazzed up Remington Model 700 bolt action rifle. You can go to your local Wal*Mart and buy a .308 caliber Remington 700. Mount a decent scope on it, and you have a weapon which an expert rifleman can use to reliably hit man-sized (or deer sized) targets at ranges 'way beyond 500 yards. Most deer ar probably shot at nearer 100 yards because a) most hunters aren't that great of marksmen and b) in the woods, they don't need to be. But the bottom line, IMO, is that there is no meaningful difference between a military sniper's rifle and Joe Sixpack's deer rifle. The sniper's weapon is simply more refined. (And the sniper is a much better shot.)

AB

[cogitator]

Thanks for the answer. Mr. Diaz needs to refine his
terms, but probably not for media consumption.

[lodwick]

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[jonascord]

To a socialist, elitist gun-grabber, a 'sniper rifle' is anything with a telescopic sight. Since he "knows" from TV that you can't miss with a telescopic sight, and that 'anyone' can hit a .50 cent piece at 400 yards, in a rainstorm, and a single .30 cal. bullet can destroy a sandbagged position, (re: Saving Private Ryan, Enemy At The Gates)wouldn't you fear it? It's especially troubling for democrat polititians, since what if all the hunters started to hunt crooks? The democrat voter base would dwindle...

[Mustard]

Let's not forget Charles Whitman who on Monday August 1, 1966 climbed the tower at the U of Texas and killed 16 people and wounded 33 others with a Remington Model 700 6mm with a 4x Leopold scope and a bare (unscoped) .30 M-1 carbine. Two of Whitman's shots approached 1000 yards. Whitman was a former US Marine who had fired "expert" at rapid fire distance. He was not a marine "sniper" he was just an ordinary marine "rifleman."

An ordinary rifle in the hands of a good shooter. If Whitman would have had better weapons there would have been over 40 dead that day. As one Texas Ranger was quoted as saying that fateful day: "That ain't just shootin', that's a marine shootin'."

I make these points (as did you)to illustrate that it is not the weapon but more the shooter. So far the Maryland shooter has not displayed a great skill at shooting. I don't believe any of the shots were farther than 200 yards. What the Maryland shooter has displayed is a cunning for escape and evasion and a steady hand while holding the sights on flesh and pulling the trigger.

Mustard
(forming a counter sniper team in Anne Arundel County Maryland)