-> SNETNEWS Mailing List Close the Gun Show Loophole? by Jeff Elkins http://www.lewrockwell.com/elkins/elkins16.html Have you ever been to a weekend gun show? The ones I’ve attended have a county fair atmosphere, lacking only Ferris wheels and 4H farm animals on display – otherwise, they have the cotton candy, hot dogs, and large crowds required for such an event. They are largely family affairs as well. It’s not uncommon to see the picnic tables scattered throughout the area where I attend filled with families enjoying a basket of home-made goodies packed by Mom for the outing, little tykes chasing each other playing tag, and Dad discussing the available bargains for sale. Federally licensed firearms dealers are actually a minority of the vendors on hand. In addition to firearms, you’ll see tee-shirts, books, reloading supplies, knives, balloons, hunting supplies, foods, and many other various and sundry items for sale as well. Firearms dealers are unfortunately a diminishing breed, mainly due to the onerous constraints placed on them by government regulations. You’ll also occasionally see a humble table with a private individual selling his gun collection, or perhaps even a widow selling her deceased husband’s hunting rifle and bedside pistol. It’s a scene that could have well been the subject of a Norman Rockwell painting, but the picture drawn by our State/Media opinion conglomerate is considerably uglier. What they would have you believe is that these bucolic slices of Americana are instead brooding centers of violence and evil, haunted by criminals and misfits; armed militia dressed in camouflage, shopping for tools to assist in government overthrow; and furtive thugs seeking weapons denied them by a benevolent State. The venerable weekend gun show is under an assault so grave I doubt it will survive much longer. The newest attack comes in the form of a Senate bill introduced by champions of freedom, Senators John McCain and Joseph Lieberman. "With rights come responsibilities…. Our bill will stop criminals from evading background checks at guns shows. Despite the tragic lessons we have learned, it is still far too easy for a convicted felon to buy firearms at a gun show. We also feel that this is a reasonable approach to the gun show loophole. This is clearly, clearly something that must be closed if we are going to keep guns out of the hands of criminals," said John McCain (R-Ariz.). "We all agree that the laws on the books should be enforced and we all agree that convicted felons shouldn’t be able to get guns. The bill we are introducing today would write both of those principles into law. There is nothing in this proposal that compromises at all the rights of law-abiding citizens to buy and possess firearms. We have the right to own guns, but we have the responsibility not to sell guns to criminals," said Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.). The McCain-Lieberman bill requires background checks on all firearms transactions at any public event, gun show, or otherwise, where a minimum of 75 guns are available for sale. The bill, co-sponsored by Senators Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) and Charles Schumer (D-NY) would also impose three-day waiting periods on gun show purchases to allow time for background checks. The assault on gun shows is twofold in nature. Firearms are truly implements of freedom, anywhere they are celebrated is sufficient cause for loathing and hatred by agents of the State; hence gun shows are a priori, evil gatherings that must be opposed, demonized, and eventually outlawed. More insidious, the demonization of gun shows hides two agenda items dear to the hearts of all statists: the eventual outlawing by federal law of private weapons transfers between individuals at any time and the holy grail of gun-grabbers: a federal registry containing details on all weapons ownership by law-abiding citizens. Unfortunately, private transfer of firearms are already forbidden in several states. In those locales you can no longer easily leave a valued hunting rifle to a favorite nephew in your will; instead the weapon must pass through the hands of a federal firearms licensee who will perform the requisite background check; then, if the state approves, with payment of a fee, that nephew can take possession of the rifle. The weapon is now de facto registered; it’s location is on file in paperwork maintained by the FFL who processed the transfer, open for examination by BATF agents at any time, and ready for eventual entry into the upcoming federal database of gun owners. Federalization of this blatantly unconstitutional practice will only speed the day when you will no longer be able to own a weapon. Like all the other "common sense" gun laws, both those on the books and those proposed, the only purpose of the McCain-Lieberman bill is to make you a slave. May 26, 2001 -> To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?b1ddDh.b18SeS Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
