Posted on 07/16/2004 11:56:12 PM PDT by neverdem
Few Americans favor a return to the day when military-style assault weapons like AK-47's, Uzis and Tec-9 pistols could be manufactured and sold in this country, making them readily available for use by gangs and drug traffickers engaged in violent crime. Yet President Bush has still not made any effort to stop the 10-year-old federal ban on assault weapons from expiring on Sept. 13.
Seeking to prod the White House into action, two Democratic senators, Dianne Feinstein of California and Charles Schumer of New York, released a letter this week that was signed by Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton and urged Mr. Bush to take a forceful role in rallying Congress to save the law. At a time when terrorism is a serious threat, the former presidents wrote, it is even more imperative to renew the ban, the Assault Weapons Act, and limit access to military-style weapons and high-capacity ammunition clips.
It seems doubtful that Mr. Bush will heed his predecessors' message. His zeal for fighting terrorism and crime appears not to extend to risking the wrath of pro-gun extremists who are vehemently opposed to the renewal of this proven public safety measure, even though it has led to a sharp drop in the use of assault weapons in crime. The weapons ban also has support from every major law enforcement group in the country.
To fuzz up the issue and soften his political image, Mr. Bush continues to pay lip service to backing the reauthorization of the gun restrictions, which he endorsed as a presidential candidate in 2000. In reality, he knows that he is dooming the assault weapons ban by refusing to instruct the Republican Congressional leaders to get a renewal bill to his desk, pronto.
I support the second ammendment, but it is not my one hot button issue. (I don't have any gun rights left to protect, I live in NJ) That said, my understanding was that the AWB affected only guns that had a certain 'look' but were functionally semi-auto. Clearly, the weapons listed at the start of this scare mongering article were full auto capable. Does the NYT need to issue a retraction?
---Few Americans favor a return to the day when military-style assault weapons like AK-47's, Uzis and Tec-9 pistols could be manufactured and sold in this country---
I do. I'll have a SIG 226 with hi-cap mags so fast it will curl Feinstein's hair and cause Schumer to speak in tongues.
aah, the New York Slimes at its best (worst) trying to disarm Americans by the old scare tactics.
The AWB will sunset and we will see bayonet lugs, flash supressors and pistol grips return on rifles, and we will be able to legally remove the 10 round restrictor plugs from our pistol magazines.
I'm glad GWB is ignoring this, he promised in 200 that he would sign it if it reached his desk. Thank God Tom Delay will never bring it to the floor for debate :-)
A Tec-9 is not designed for full auto fire. If somebody attempted to make it full auto, they could pull the trigger and it would not stop firing until all the ammo is spent. Releasing the trigger would have no effect. I would't want a gun that I could not turn off.
The AWB banned weapons with bayonets, flash suppressors and pistol grips. The same weapon without a stabbing stick was still legal. The same weapon without a flash suppressor was still legal. The same weapon with a thumbhole stock was still legal.
The NYT need to hire a firearms expert to advise ignorant and biased writers of their mistakes.
It reminds me of the movie Iron Eagle. They should have hired a technical consultant before they filmed that cr&p.
Mine is a fun toy. It works everytime. But, it would be the last weapon I would pick up if I needed a weapon in a pinch.
dude where do live that you cant have 30-50 round mags for your rifles? That must suck....
Threads can be used to add attachments, such as noise suppressors.
California. But nationally 10 rounds have been mandated for pistols because of this AWB. That'll be history in September and plentiful cheap 15 round mags will make full size pistols interesting again.
Oh, and I'll be out of California because the moving truck just hauled my stuff off to Montana!
kinda thought it was CA. This is actually amusing. My girl for 9 years, She had to split back to CA to take care of her mom this last week. I didnt follow and she is gone. There is no way I could live there :o) She asked me to move to Ventura.
HA
Re: The NYT need to hire a firearms expert to advise ignorant and biased writers of their mistakes.
Send a letter to the editor by e-mailing letters@nytimes.com or faxing (212)556-3622.
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Someone has a pic of Chuck with the muzzle pointing at himself. If only he was so stupid.
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