Posted on 06/26/2007 9:38:29 AM PDT by kiriath_jearim
With the recent terrorist scare at John F. Kennedy International Airport, and the potential permanent placement of a nine-story-high, 600-yard-long gas barge in the Long Island Sound, legislation to ban anti-armor sniper rifles was pushed by Assemblywoman Patricia Eddington right up to the end of the legislative session.
The bill (A.02772) sponsored by Eddington, D-Patchogue, would ban the use, sale or possession of .50-caliber sniper rifles as well as impose additional penalties for felonies committed with the weapons. It was passed by the Assembly nearly two months ago, but did not move in the Senate.
Sen. Eric T. Schneiderman, D-Manhattan, is sponsoring the bill in the Senate.
The guns are accurate up to 2,000 yards, according to a press release from Eddington, and can pierce armor plating and steel from that distance. They are capable of even taking down a plane or disabling a tank. Eddington is concerned the weapons could fall into the hands of terrorists and be used to destroy volatile targets such as the Broadwater Energy liquefied natural gas barge, that can soon become permanently docked in the Long Island Sound. The rounds fired by the sniper rifles are incendiary and could ignite the barge she said.
Nobody will ever know or see where it [a .50 caliber round] came from, Eddington said of the massive range of the weapon.
Four suspects are in custody for a plot to destroy fuel pipelines outside JFK and set off a chain reaction destroying the airport. This recent scare at JFK is another reason she cited as the need to take stronger measures against terrorists.
According to the Violence Policy Center, last year 10 foreign nationals were indicted by a federal grand jury for attempting to provide .50 caliber rifles to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia, a recognized terrorist organization identified by the State Department.
Recent incidents involving the sniper rifles were a May 16 standoff with a Connecticut man and an April incident where a .50 caliber sniper rifle was found along with other assault weapons, body armor, and armor piercing ammunition in the home of a Wisconsin man who was arrested on federal charges, according to a press release from Eddingtons office. Eddington said one response supporting the weapons was made by the National Rifle Association which said the rifle is too large and bulky to be used by a common criminal, however Eddington cites a Web site ad for the Runner XM-107, claiming it is the most innovative, unique, and novel firearm on todays market, and breaks down collapsing into a very small, inconspicuous package.
The NRA did not return calls for comment on the legislation.
Mark Hansen, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, R,C,I-Brunswick, said the chair of the Senate codes committee would be best to comment on the legislation, and did not offer the leaders personal view.
Craig Miller, who spoke on behalf of Sen. Dale Volker R,C-Depew, said the majority is opposed to such legislation.
There is no information we have seen that justifies banning .50 caliber sniper rifles, Miller said.
He said they are extremely expensive, and the normal street thug cannot afford the $2,000 to purchase one. The gun is specifically made for the high-end shooter. He also said the gun has never been used by a terrorist and is too large to realistically use for terrorist acts.
The idea of using a .50 caliber to take down a plane is ludicrous, Miller said.
You would need to set up a tri-pod to accurately fire the weapon, and the amount of time that would take would allow law enforcement to move on the shooter, he said.
Miller said the Senate majority does support harsher penalties for the use of illegal handguns, and that their conference would be the first to pass such legislation.
The legislation to ban .50 caliber sniper rifles was not passed this session, but Eddington is hopeful for its future.
When we have a Democratic Senate, in a year, and Senator Schneiderman is carrying the legislation, it will pass, she added. I have lots of patience.
Thanks for that site. I added it to my favorites.
But a search of the Joyce Foundation, Center and Sugarman didn’t turn up anything.
Taking down a plane, that I cant disagree with. They have been used in warfare on our planes, in order to take down enemy planes, course those were belt fed automatic .50 calibers. As for a tank, care to cite a few examples?
Eddington is concerned the weapons could fall into the hands of terrorists
Baloney. Eddington is concerned about LAW ABIDING CITIZENS owning them.
Eddington is concerned the weapons could fall into the hands of terrorists law abding citizens.
There, fixed for accuracy.
Note that Eddingotn is concerned that the weapons could fall into the hands of terrorists. Not HAVE fallen into the hands of terrorists. Out of the thousands of terrorists in the world today, out of all the terrorist attacks so far, why havent they used a .50 caliber? Whats stopped them so far?
When we have a Democratic Senate, in a year, and Senator Schneiderman is carrying the legislation, it will pass, she added. I have lots of patience.
This isn't your average barking moonbat on a freaked-out anti-gun jihad. This is not the emotional raving of the misled.
This is either the cold, calculating plan of someone who is so firmly ensconced in their delusions about doing "the right thing" that they are willing to wait, or it is the calm and calculating determination of someone who not only read the book by the guy who said "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." (Mao Tse Tung) but embraced the author's philosophies.
I would bet on the latter.
These people need to be removed from government, preferably through the electoral process. They need to be rooted out and sent home.
http://www.conservapedia.com/Main_Page For a source that has no use.
Search results From Conservapedia You searched for joyce foundation
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Showing below 0 results starting with #1.
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Maybe I should.
These wroms should be exposed.
Part of the problem is that these POSs accurately represent the views of the majority of their electorate. Most voters on Long Island don't deserve the freedoms that being US citizens afford them. The really should be Chinese or better still Cuban citizens. I'd settle for giving New York (city AND state) to Quebec though, much as I'd hate to mess up the Quebecios fun loving life style (the ones I know party HARD)
Yes.
Unless it’s suppressed...
Mike
This is it!
Such ignorance in reporting is utterly astounding. This is one of the costs of an all volunteer military. You get fools regurgitating neoCOM baloney.
Whats that?
That is any rifle that will project a bullet capable of piercing a Diet Coke Can.
What makes you think it's ignorance either on the part of the press or Eddington? See post 19.
THANKS! I had another good laugh when I watched it again.
Ah.
Now this fat man asks you: What is a diet coke? :-)
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