“If any American, going into the November elections, had any doubt that Barack Obama and the Democratic Party leaders hate guns and have contempt for the Second Amendment, this is proof.” Oh please. While you can understand the Gun Owners of America’s hysteria (hint: it’s good for business), the blocked sale of 857,470 U.S.-made, South Korean-stored M1 semi-automatic rifles is not an attack on Americans’ constitutional right to bear arms. It’s diplo-political wrangle involving greed, greed and a bit more greed . . .
Someone in Korea wants to dump these Col War-era lend-lease guns on the American market to make some money. Someone in the U.S. doesn’t want nearly a million surplus rifles dumped into the American market ’cause it’s bad for business. The Obama administration is caught in the middle. Clearly, the GOA doesn’t get it, to the point of unintended irony.
Suffice it to say that this is just another reiteration of the same anti-gun political theatre. And the cheers coming from anti-gunners like Dennis Henigan of the Brady Campaign are ample proof of that.
You can understand the underlying assumption: if the Brady Campaign is for something, it must be bad. You know: the enemy of my enemy is my friend. But accusing Obama’s Boyz of anti-gun-rights-oriented political theater when your entire existence is based on pro-gun-rights-oriented political theater is a bit much.
The problem with the GOA’s focus on this “issue” is that it isn’t one. Sure, “According to Hillary Clinton’s State Department, this action was taken because the M1’s ‘could potentially be exploited… for illicit purposes.'” They’ve got to say something. But there are plenty of guns for sale in the U.S., and most gun owners don’t want an old M1—even if it’s dead cheap.
By taking on the Obama Administration for blocking the importation of thousands of crates of old guns, the GOA is squandering its political capital. It’s best to choose your battles, and let sleeping dogs lie. Lest they be eaten.
So, if Obama's admin is "caught in the middle", why did they duck left instead of right? I mean, why not cozy up to the Koreans even if it screwed local gun interests by supplying the market with cheap guns? They could have gone either way, but they chose to block instead of pass. I'm not ready to get all hysterical, but the indications are this admin is anti-gun and just doesn't want to admit it. Most Dems have figured out that being openly anti-gun is a problem at the voting booth (the one with live people voting – I don't know where the dead stand on the issue). I think GOA is closer to the mark (if a little more drama queen about it) than you are. Just my opinion, of course.
As far as flooding the market, I think lots of dealers would like a spike in business right now. Getting ahold of affordable M1's to sale would be in their best interests. I looked at surplus rifles last month and was heavily disappointed by what was available.
And count me as one American gun owner that would like – no, LOVE – to get a hold of a good shooter quality M1 on the cheap.
I used to have a re-imported M1 Garand, and I wouldn't wait in line to buy another. If mine was any example, war-weary 70-year old reimports are a good source of receivers, trigger groups, magazine followers and operating rods for custom-built Garands. But not much more.
I tend to agree with Dodgerman – I personally can’t afford a comparable new semi-automatic rifle (or bolt-action) with similar stopping power, and a pistol just wouldn’t have the flexibility (Most of us can’t take a pistol hunting, and a pistol is among the last weapons I want to face a bear down with). “The right to keep and bear” isn’t a right unless those of us who are not rich enough to buy a nice new $2,400 Rifle can obtain a reasonable rifle for the defense of our selves, families and homes, along with the ability to hunt should we need to do so… Chris may have had a terrible experience with a “war-weary” M1, but my friend (who bought his in the 1990’s) liked his M1 when it arrived in very good condition, and I still remember very much wanting my girlfriend’s father’s Garand when he passed away (my girlfriend said to give it to her sister & brother-in-law). That M1 had been well taken-care of, too, so not all of those being sold are “War-Weary”. Michael
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