And there you were, thinking that micro-stamping was the be-all, end-all of the government’s attempts to keep track of personal firearms. Nope. It’s micro-tracking. The latest affront to gun rights and privacy is on the table, again, courtesy of the Big Brothers in the Bay State. State Senator Andrew Petruccelli has re-introduced a bill calling for a commission to study GPS tracking for firearms. I’ve belled the Senator’s office. No joy. He might call back. He might not. The text of the bill reads as follows . . .
The Global Positioning System Locators in Firearms Study Commission shall consist of 7 members; the House of Representatives Chair on Public Safety and Homeland Security, the Senate Chair on Public Safety and Homeland Security, one member of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, appointed by the Secretary of the Executive Office and Public Safety and Security, one designee from the Gun Owners’ Action League (“GOAL”), one Chief of Police from a city or town, appointed by the Governor, one designee from the City of Boston Mayor’s Office, appointed by the Mayor of Boston, one designee appointed by the Boston City Council.
The commission shall report to the general court the results of its investigation and study, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry such recommendations into effect by filing the same with the clerk of the senate before the bill filing deadline for the 2013-2014 general court session.
I called the aforementioned Gun Owners’ Action League and spoke to Executive Director Jim Wallace about their participation on the commission. “That’s news to me,” Wallace told TTAG. “Petruccelli never talked to us about it.” So what of the idea itself? “It’s ridiculous. Why does the government need to know where I am or a piece of my property?”
I guess that means he won’t be participating? “That’s up to our Executive Board,” Wallace said. “But I don’t want to go on that commission. . . It’s just another example of Massachusetts out of control gun laws. Twelve years ago we had 1.5 million guns owners. Today that’s down to about 230 thousand. Gun crime has risen 200 percent.”
If you really want to have fun, suggest RFID, which they they probably think can be read from space. It’s real advantages are that it is completely unpowered, works at no more than 20 feet, and does nothing but say “this is a gun here.”
Pingback: Cold Fury » “Twelve years ago we had 1.5 million guns owners. Today that’s down to about 230 thousand. Gun crime has risen 200 percent. What else do you need to know?””
How about embedding a chip in all politicians, SEIU employees and cops.
That way we’ll know whom they are screwing and where to deliver the donuts.
As a former MA LTC-A holder, I’d like to know the number of LICENSED guns used annually to commit crimes in the Commonwealth of MA. Note that, in the manner of the former Soviet Union and Nazi Germany, EVERY legally purchased or transferred handgun in the State of MA is already registered with the State. While the State hasn’t the foggiest idea which gangbangers or criminals are carrying what, they DO know about every legal gun.
My guess is that the number approximates ZERO. As in NONE of the small (and dwindling) number of individuals in MA who have the rare privilege of legally owning handguns there actually use them to rob or shoot anyone in a given year.
Even if that number does exceed zero, I’d bet any amount of money that more individuals are stabbed to death every year in MA than shot with legally owned guns. Maybe we need GPS devices installed into knives!
As to the merits of this idea, since NO handgun manufacturer is going to comply with this asinine theory of inserting (expensive and easily disabled) tracking chips into their product, the net effect of any regulation requiring them would be a de-facto ban on all new guns into MA.
Which is probably the REAL point of this pilot study.
And the chance to have nice lunches on my dime.
Here’s my answer to all of this: vote with your feet, and let the state implode on its own.
Texas is hiring.
^^^
seems like a good idea, but then you’ll have what is going on in southern NH right now. all the liberal idiots from MA moved to nashua b/c they didn’t want to pay sales or income taxes but they bring their foolish ideas with them, hence why it’s been leaning liberal in the last few elections.
are you sure you want that in texas? you have enough problems with the mexicans who are still butthurt over having their asses handed to them back in the 1830′s and think that texas, along with CA, NM, AZ, CO, and UT belong to them…
The implant will be in those who insist on confounding their government by owning the means to irritate them. The user grabs the gun and the signal is sent. Batteries will be in the device that goes into the user. Don’t want to comply? Well, then, don’t defy. OR GO GET ACTIVE AND AT LEAST VOTE…
Pingback: SayUncle » MA: Putting GPS devices in guns
Pingback: Sunday Wrap-Up « Countenance Blog
Vibration and shock coupled with gun oil would break those chips rather quickly I would think, or they may just fall out. Power management is another big problem and metal gun cases or being in the glove box would block the signal. This sounds like just another government money pit. It would be funny seeing how they try and enforce this when it can not be implemented in any workable way.
I predict that as soon a smart criminal swaps GPS units or GPS ID’s between his gun and a gun belonging
to some lead anti-gunner, and then goes and commits one heckofa crime spree,
they’ll overturn this stoopid rule in a heartbeat.
Whaddya think ?
Why can’t they just leave justice alone ?
Pingback: One small freedom at a time
Pingback: Dear Massachusetts: Bite me! « The Daley Gator