Posted on 06/27/2005 9:52:14 AM PDT by neverdem
www.gunowners.org
Jun 2005
Thursday, June 23, 2005
Registration leads to confiscation. We all know that, and that is why GOA has vehemently opposed all attempts by government forces to compile or retain information pertaining to lawful firearms purchases.
But the United States Senate does not appear to see it that way. People on Capitol Hill seem to think that any "edge" in the war on terror is worth trampling on the rights of law-abiding Americans, no matter what the Constitution (and current law) happens to say.
At issue is a provision in the Patriot Act reauthorization bill (S. 1266) authored by Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS). Now, GOA has long opposed the vast majority of Patriot Act powers as being detrimental to freedom in general and dangerous to gun owners in the particular.
In short, Sen. Roberts' language would allow the FBI to seize ANY business records it believes would be relevant to an anti-terrorism investigation... without first seeking permission from any court in the land.
Gun sales are business transactions, and FFL holders must retain copies of the 4473 forms (yellow sheets) filled out on every gun sale. Thus, an anti-gun administration could easily determine that such records would be useful in the fight against terrorism, and demand them all. (In fact, shortly after 9/11, liberal Democrats in Washington were screaming for exactly that.)
It gets worse. It is conceivable that your local gun dealer would risk his license, his business, and lots of money to protect your privacy and refuse to turn over the records. But under this legislation, the Attorney General could order the dealer NOT TO TELL YOU WHAT IS GOING ON. So that dealer would be the ONLY person who could contest the action before your life is raked over the coals... and honestly, how many among us would risk everything rather than tell the feds who it was that stopped by to pick up a Glock a couple of months ago?
After having used an "administrative subpeona" (again, not subject to judicial review) to collect all gun purchase records across the country, your friendly anti-gun but oh-so-patriotic government would have brought about the gun owner's second-worst-case scenario: a national firearms registration list.
Registration leads to confiscation.
This monstrosity must be stopped. Please take the action requested below, and urge all freedom-loving Americans you know to do the same.
ACTION: Contact your United States senators. Politely but firmly demand that they oppose the bill to expand the Patriot Act (S. 1266), and specifically, its provision to allow "administrative subpoenas" of all gun records.
You can use the pre-written message below and send it as an e-mail by visiting the GOA Legislative Action Center at http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm (where phone and fax numbers are also available).
Dear Senator:
The Patriot Act expansion bill (S. 1266) would allow the United States government to seize every lawful gun sale record in the country... solely on the basis of a bureaucrat's determination that a national registry of gun owners would be useful in an anti-terrorism investigation.
Registration leads to confiscation.
Section 213 of the bill allows a designee of the Attorney General to issue "administrative subpoenas" for any business records which, in his opinion, are relevant to investigating terrorism. Even more ominous, the Attorney General could order gun dealers NOT to disclose the existence of the investigation to their customers, meaning that the dealer (rather than the gun purchaser) would be the only person who could contest this action. And why should he risk his livelihood on my behalf?
None of the above is subject to prior judicial review -- it is massive gun control by simple executive fiat.
I believe that a national gun registry is a step this country cannot afford to take, and one that the citizenry will not abide.
I would ask you, in the strongest terms, to oppose this Patriot Act "reform" bill outright, and especially its administrative subpoena provision.
Sincerely,
Defend The 2nd Amendment Through Creative Giving...
As we confront the challenges of the future, we know that the generosity of those who assist us will make all the difference in our success. That's why GOA seeks your long-term support.
Please call 703-321-8585 during regular business hours or e-mail goamail@gunowners.org to request information on how to keep control of your assets and make a gift at the same time through:
Requests for information are confidential and do not represent an obligation.
I asked once. It's company policy. A CYA manuever. It's also why I no longer buy my ammo there
Hmmmmm? I live in Idaho, no such practice here. Sounds like a state to state issue.
I'll never give up my guns. Any law that says I must is illegal.
I do not own a single gun that can be traced back to me. Have always had that practice, ever since they started requiring the so called background check. It doesn't take rocket science to get around their record keeping. The criminals do it all the time.
The Supreme Court would never allow this.
(rolling eyes)
Where is the NRA on this?
I live in Texas. Plenty of other places to buy ammo. That, and I'm getting in to reloading so it'll be even cheaper. ;-)
Roberts has always had RINO tendencies...
Duly noted.
I trust the government to always do the right thing.
WRONG-O!!
We ended up with Clinton because the Republican Party ran a weak candidate that couldn't EARN enough votes.
If a party runs a strong candidate it won't matter how many 'third parties' there are.
That must be a policy at WV Wal Marts, because I've bought ammo there for years--latest purchase just a few weeks ago, in fact--and they've never scanned my drivers license, though they have occasionally asked to see it to check my age.
I'm shocked.
But you'll all vote for them again next time, won't you?
I'm in NY, so I almost invariably vote on the line of the Conservative Party, the party where Rove gave his speech, and the dems went apoplectic.
Who are we kidding? You can wipe your a** with the Constitution, because it means nothing next to the War on Whatever We Want to Control Because It's for the Children Against the Terrorists.
The government is going after one "fruitloop" at a time, until there's no one who will dare to raise arms against them. "Reasonable" people aren't going to take arms against the government, we can't get the b***ards voted out because another will take their place, and you can't be sure that what they say to get elected has a damn thing to do with what they do when they get to Washington.
Kharaku pointed out that they're taking everything away--and I understand his use of hyperbole, but I'm not so sure it's hyperbole. They can take your house. They already take your money before you see it. And now, spying on you and counting your guns is supposed to be something called The PATRIOT Act?
Maybe a new Independence Day is called for. Since even DUers can see that the eminent domain is a nightmare waiting to happen, maybe this is the time for an economic strike--no one works for a day, no one spends money for a couple of days. Would that attract attention? Will the PTB listen then?
I don't know what there is to do--voting is no guarantee, and I really don't see a time when we're going to form a militia--not that we'll have guns to fight with, or the right to assemble to even discuss it.
It can only get worse if we don't take some kind of action.
The horse has already left the barn. I, a peaceful citizen with no criminal record, cannot legally buy a gun without the government's consent. Even if I could, I could not transport it with me either by hand or in a vehicle without the consent of various state governments, depending on where I travel.
Registration here is like recording the name of the deceased after he's already buried.
Writing an essay doesn't take growing any gonads. Halting the abuses of the BAT-FE'ers would be a modest, first step in actually growing gonads.
-Antifederalist No. 46 "WHERE THEN IS THE RESTRAINT?"
As for the diminishing BoR, this is what it was supposed to do......
It is therefore not only necessarily implied thereby, but positively expressed, that the different State Constitutions are repealed and entirely done away, so far as they are inconsistent with this, with the laws which shall be made in pursuance thereof, or with treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States. Of what avail will the Constitutions of the respective States be to preserve the rights of its citizens? Should they be pled, the answer would be, the Constitution of the United States, and the laws made in pursuance thereof, is the supreme law, and all legislatures and judicial officers, whether of the General or State governments, are bound by oath to support it. No privilege, reserved by the bills of rights, or secured by the State governments, can limit the power granted by this, or restrain any laws made in pursuance of it. It stands, therefore, on its own bottom, and must receive a construction by itself, without any reference to any other. And hence it was of the highest importance, that the most precise and express declarations and reservations of rights should have been made.
Especially all you "incorperation" nit wits.
CTA - covering their ass
A lot of people thought Putin was crazy to dare call the US on exactly how democractic we are when the world started grumbling about rights in Russia. Fact is he's just been following the US' lead in this kind of thing. The minute the US used terrorism as an excuse to expand rights of law enforcement having nothing to do with terrorism Putin chimed in with eliminating free election of governors, and enhancing the government's support of the Russian church at the expense of protestants and Islam.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.