ATF Agents Seize Toys Guns in Tacoma
The Seattle Times reports that “U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Port of Tacoma seized a shipment of 30 toy M-4 automatic rifles that had arrived on Oct. 20 in a 40-foot ocean container.” [That’s a pretty small ocean.] For one thing, the plastic weapons lacked the required orange-blaze tip denoting play value. For another . . . “Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) tested the files and determined they were tooled to shoot plastic balls. However, ATF also found that the internal components could easily be refitted with original machine gun components, making the rifles capable of firing live ammunition. ATF lab results indicated the rifle to be a WE-Tech, Model AWSS M4CQBR, Airsoft M-4 copy.” Ah.
Editorial: Colorado State University Gun Ban Doesn’t Go Far Enough
Yesterday, Colorado State University’s Board of Directors decided to ban guns on campus. Although the edict follows hard on the heels of the recent tragedy in Alabama, CSU’s campus-wide firearms ban is not in sync with Colorado’s prevailing political climate, which places few legal or practical restrictions on gun owners. Nor does it jibe with 2008’s District of Colombia v. Heller, wherein the highest court in the land ruled that the Second amendment trumps local legislation. While “pro-gun” groups both within and without CSU are sure to legally challenge the ban, the real problem with the CSU gun ban is that it doesn’t go far enough. It fails to answer the question underlying the Board’s decision: how do we make college campuses safer? Banning guns is not the answer. Nor is carrying guns.
Colorado State University Bans Guns at Fort Collins and Pueblo Campuses
The Coloradoan.com reports that Colorado State University’s Board of Governors have pulled the trigger on the contentious gun ban for its Fort Collins and Pueblo campuses. The prohibition—which includes all firearms owned by students, faculty, staff or visitors—goes into effect on August first. Violators (and their guns) will be barred from CSU; gun-toting students face automatic expulsion. The ban—which doesn’t include weapons used for academic, military and law-enforcement purposes or carried by someone who’s proved (to someone) that they are in imminent danger—extends an existing stricture against firearms in University residence halls. With the Supreme Court set to rule on Chicago’s ability to abrogate resident’s Second amendment rights, it’s only a matter of time (minutes really) before the CSU ban comes under legal assault.
TWHN BS: What We Have to Do Edition
Today’s TWHN BS comes to us from The San Francisco Chronicle. In a gun-control-by-the-numbers article, the paper ticks off the usual boxes: tragic anecdote, gang violence, resolute gun control advocate, new plans to control guns. Are we there yet? Not quite. Oakland Police Chief (and mayoral candidate) Anthony Batts steps up to the proverbial plate with a CSI-style strategy to close the so-called “Gun Show Loophole.” Tony wants to deploy DNA testing to trace guns “back to the point of origin . . . to identify and prosecute the people illegally transporting them from gun shows outside the state.” ‘Cause those in-state shows are good for business? Anyway, in closing, Chief Batts seems attempts to appear tough on crime without drawing fire from the NRA—or anyone else.
Until someone comes up with a way to remove the violence from people’s hearts, it is incumbent on the elected leaders in a civilized society to legally remove the guns from the hands of those who would use them to harm others.
On that we can all agree. Provided you define “legally,” make an exception for self-defense and figure out a way to know what’s in a man’s heart.
Irresponsible Gun Owner of the Day: Former New Jersey Nets Player Jayson Williams
And so we launch a new series, highlighting careless gun owners who bring disgrace to those who understand that responsibilities and rights must be joined at the proverbial hip. That total commitment to gun safety is a prerequisite for anyone seeking to keep or carry a weapon. Today, The Gazette helps us see some major league stupidity in action, and learn that the wheels of justice grind slow, but they grind exceedingly fine. “Former New Jersey Nets all-star basketball player Jayson Williams is expected to accept an 18-month prison sentence in a Somerset County Courthouse this morning — eight years and nine days after the shooting death of a limousine drive at Williams’ former mansion. . . .”
Question of the Day: How Do You Say Hello to a Home Invader?
I’m researching “How to Defend Your Home with a Shotgun.” One of the issues that gives me pause: what, if anything, do you say to the perp when you know your home has been invaded? On one hand, calling out a warning is a pretty dumb thing to do—revealing your location and (perhaps) your state of readiness to someone who’s a deadly threat to you and/or your family. (Whether or not you should rack a pump shotgun as an auditory deterrent poses the same sort of conundrum.) On the other hand, a jury might like to hear that you warned an invader before shooting him or her. There are two variations here. In the first, the invader is not within range. In other words, you can them a chance to escape. In the second, they’re right on top of you, when you can least afford any sort of tactical delay. In that case, you could issue a warning and fire more or less simultaneously. You know, in theory. One shotgun guru suggests calling out “Police stop!”—and later claim you said “Please stop!” At the same time, what are you going to do if the invader DOES stop? For a frightened homeowner, a standoff is a tactical nightmare. But not for the invader. Your thoughts?
Wheeling & Dealing at Gun Shows
Gun shows are one part trade show, one part swap meet, one part bazaar, and one part Americana. (Seriously; can you imagine a gun show anywhere else on the planet?) Gun shows offer everything from firearms and ammo to knives, jewelry, cookware, clothing, accessories and food. You’ll see booths from sporting goods stores, mom ‘n pop vendors, collectors and nomadic retailers, hopping from one gun show to the next. There are tables, as far as the eye can see, filled with every kind of gun you can imagine, from vintage rifles to derringers to 50 cal. Army surplus semi-auto monsters. So, are gun shows the best place to buy a gun? Uh, no.
Google AdSense: No Guns Allowed
Hello Robert,
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reviewing your application, we’re unable to accept you into Google AdSense
at this time.
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allow at this time. Please review our policies
(https://www.google.com/adsense/policies?hl=en_US) for a complete list of
site content not allowed on webpage
[NB: Make the jump for Google’s bullet points—sorry, “list” of unacceptable content.
TWHN BS: Non-Policeman Know Thyself Edition
Another new feature: Truer Words Have Never Been Spoken (TWHN BS). In this category, The Truth About Guns (TTAG) unearths gun-related comments that uncover the truth within truth (TM). Feel free to submit suggestions via the contact button over there on the right hand side of the home page.