Posted on 11/18/2002 10:23:46 AM PST by Tree of Liberty
A few days ago, my undersheriff received a call from a television station … they wanted me to comment on some video taken at a gun show recently held here. Apparently, while under cover, they videotaped the sale of a rifle by a private person, to the undercover reporter. It sounded like they wanted me to watch the video, and then wring my hands that something like this could happen. Hmm. It sounded interesting.
At the appointed time, they arrived, all the way from Seattle. I guess it isn’t news that one of the largest gun shows in the state is held in King County. As they set the equipment up, the reporter began by looking at me with a wrinkled, almost pained look, and said “Sheriff, (that’s me) we came down and secretly videotaped a gun purchase between our reporter and a private person at the gun show in Centralia … are you concerned about that?”
“Let me be sure I understand what we have here,” I replied. “You have a video, of a lawful transaction, by law-abiding citizens, and wonder if that concerns me?”
Nope.
“But Sheriff, he bought the rifle in five minutes! He didn’t have to fill out any paperwork! Surely that is a concern.”
Once again, looking very thoughtful, I said, it was not. The lawful acts by citizens should not be an issue with the police. We don’t make the laws, we deal with crime.
By now the tape is rolling, and he has re-asked the question, and I have generally restated the answer. I used an analogy for him. If a car is speeding along a road, at 50 mph and the posted speed is 50 mph, it may be troubling, and yes an accident could occur, but it wasn’t a crime I could do anything about.
He went on. “Sheriff, there is pending legislation which would close the gun show loophole. Would you support this kind of legislation?”
I told him I have not seen the legislation, but doubt it would be of any real value. The fact is, there are many laws, state and federal on the books but they haven’t been enforced for years. In fact, they are looking for ways to reduce sentences which will increase crime
But I don’t believe restricting law-abiding citizens’ ownership of firearms does anything but make them easier victims. If it was as easy as passing laws, then there would be no crime. But it isn’t. Law-abiding people are law-abiding because they follow the law.
Lawbreakers don’t care what the law is, and will find a way to get guns and gun shows are only a tiny piece of all this. If tomorrow there were no more gun shows, the reduction in crime would be so insignificant it wouldn’t register. But put crooks who use guns in jail for a long time, and see what happens. It works and works every time it is tried.
It was pretty clear I wasn’t behaving the way he wanted. We talked about crime statistics and how they can be used to make a point on either side of the argument. ( I forgot to ask about the gun shop in Tacoma that was found wanting more than a year ago … and nothing was done.) In the end, he asked me if there was anything else I’d like to add or was concerned about?
“Yes” I said “there was this one thing I was deeply troubled by … something so concerning to me it made me shake.” He leaned forward and asked “what was that?” I said “Now, there is a liberal reporter with a gun.”
•••
John McCroskey is Lewis County sheriff.
johnhome98532@yahoo.com
BTW I scrolled this thread pretty fast but does anyone wonder why, if the purchase had been a crime at all, would the presstitute and his gang of camermen be "above the law".......? This POS's mindset was that as long as he was videotaping it his participation in what he "thought" was a crime never even entered in his mind the possibility of jail .
That IMO is the real scary part of this issue. The noooooze presstitutes were in their warped little pea brains committing a crime and taping it for profit on their disinformational film at 11 show................Who is the real criminal here ?
Stay Safe !!
I would have said, "Hell yes, that bothers me. Just what do you think you're doing filming people going about legal business? You're lucky they don't sue your a$$e$ off for implying, on the air, that they're doing something illegal".
Interesting angle. It really shows their blatant arrogance.
The Sherrif should have said, "Yes, it bothers me, but thanks for bringing me the evidence on tape. You're under arrest." - And slapped the cuffs on him. I'd love to see THAT on the 6 o'clock news!
Another point to make: the more useless(*) laws are passed, the more time will be spent enforcing useless laws and the less time will be spent enforcing useful ones.
(*)Useless for the stated purpose. Gun-control laws are often politically very useful for their sponsors. For example, in "may issue" states, police chiefs may receive contributions to their re-election campaigns by those seeking to curry favor and receive carry licenses. If licenses were "shall issue", that source of re-election cash would vanish.
I really love his response...“Now, there is a liberal reporter with a gun.”
Oh, the horror... the HORROR!!
I still relish the moment when I threatened to knock a field reporter on his ass down a stair case - and watching the cameraman shut off his camera and move down and out of the way.
GREAT indeed;-)
Stay Safe T-Bob !
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