Saturday, May 01, 2004
Responsible Gun Ownership is Not Wrong...
...but misrepresentations and exaggerations of proposed Senate bills is.
Today I received a phone call from the NRA, which told me that a recent Senate Bill 1807, supported by Hillary Clinton and John McCain:
(1) Claimed that closing gun loopholes for sales at gun shows would end terrorism,
(2) Will inevitably lead to registration and confiscation "...like in Australia",
(3) Was going to result in the criminalization of firearm sales and exchanges between friends and family.
Here's the text of Senate Bill 1807. I couldn't find any mention of ending (or even battling) terrorism, nor any impending or suggested firearm confiscation, nor any sponsorship by Hillary Clinton. I'm wondering why the NRA is targeting only Hillary Clinton and John McCain on this issue, since there are at least a half dozen other senators that are co-sponsors with McCain. Possibly because Clinton's and McCain's names have been mentioned as possible vice-presidential candidates for John Kerry?
One comment made by the NRA membership salesperson was true: There is no "gun show" loophole. While a loophole allowing gun sales to literally anybody does exist, it would be misleading to call it a "gun show" loophole; since the loophole encompasses so much more than just gun shows, it would be like calling laws against steroid abuse "the professional baseball crackdown."
Florida's Gun Laws can be reviewed here. They are no stricter that the prevailing federal gun sale laws. In terms of private sales and transfers, a Floridian can sell, trade, or transfer a firearm (with no waiting period) to anybody age 18 or older. This transfer or sale can take place at a gun show, gun club, gun owner's home, gun owner's vehicle or watercraft, at an agreed public meeting place, friend's home, family member's home, yard of friend, automobile or watercraft of family member, garage of anybody willing to condone the sale or transfer, or in other words, just about anywhere. There is no law stating that my selling a handgun, as quick as possible, to a crazy rabid wife-beater, previously convicted of using a handgun to shoot his first wife, dishonorably discharged from the Army for too many "friendly fire" mishaps, who is visibly intoxicated, and possibly under the age of 18, is in any way illegal.
Surprised? Here's a quote from the Firearms Law Center on federal laws governing gun sales by private sellers:
"...private collectors or hobbyists may sell firearms without conducting background checks or documenting the transaction in any way. In addition, because federal law does not require private sellers to inspect a buyer's driver's license or any other identification, there is no obligation for such sellers to confirm that a buyer is of legal age to purchase a firearm. As a result, convicted felons, minors and other prohibited purchasers can easily buy guns from unlicensed sellers. Although this private sale loophole is frequently referred to as the "gun show" loophole (because of the particular problems associated with gun shows), it applies to all firearm sales, regardless of where they occur."
This is the loop-hole that Senate Bill 1807 is designed to close. The same one the NRA wants to keep open- a loophole making it easy for felons and minors to get hold of guns.
Aren't there some people who shouldn't be allowed to have guns? According to the NRA, apparently not.
...but misrepresentations and exaggerations of proposed Senate bills is.
Today I received a phone call from the NRA, which told me that a recent Senate Bill 1807, supported by Hillary Clinton and John McCain:
(1) Claimed that closing gun loopholes for sales at gun shows would end terrorism,
(2) Will inevitably lead to registration and confiscation "...like in Australia",
(3) Was going to result in the criminalization of firearm sales and exchanges between friends and family.
Here's the text of Senate Bill 1807. I couldn't find any mention of ending (or even battling) terrorism, nor any impending or suggested firearm confiscation, nor any sponsorship by Hillary Clinton. I'm wondering why the NRA is targeting only Hillary Clinton and John McCain on this issue, since there are at least a half dozen other senators that are co-sponsors with McCain. Possibly because Clinton's and McCain's names have been mentioned as possible vice-presidential candidates for John Kerry?
One comment made by the NRA membership salesperson was true: There is no "gun show" loophole. While a loophole allowing gun sales to literally anybody does exist, it would be misleading to call it a "gun show" loophole; since the loophole encompasses so much more than just gun shows, it would be like calling laws against steroid abuse "the professional baseball crackdown."
Florida's Gun Laws can be reviewed here. They are no stricter that the prevailing federal gun sale laws. In terms of private sales and transfers, a Floridian can sell, trade, or transfer a firearm (with no waiting period) to anybody age 18 or older. This transfer or sale can take place at a gun show, gun club, gun owner's home, gun owner's vehicle or watercraft, at an agreed public meeting place, friend's home, family member's home, yard of friend, automobile or watercraft of family member, garage of anybody willing to condone the sale or transfer, or in other words, just about anywhere. There is no law stating that my selling a handgun, as quick as possible, to a crazy rabid wife-beater, previously convicted of using a handgun to shoot his first wife, dishonorably discharged from the Army for too many "friendly fire" mishaps, who is visibly intoxicated, and possibly under the age of 18, is in any way illegal.
Surprised? Here's a quote from the Firearms Law Center on federal laws governing gun sales by private sellers:
"...private collectors or hobbyists may sell firearms without conducting background checks or documenting the transaction in any way. In addition, because federal law does not require private sellers to inspect a buyer's driver's license or any other identification, there is no obligation for such sellers to confirm that a buyer is of legal age to purchase a firearm. As a result, convicted felons, minors and other prohibited purchasers can easily buy guns from unlicensed sellers. Although this private sale loophole is frequently referred to as the "gun show" loophole (because of the particular problems associated with gun shows), it applies to all firearm sales, regardless of where they occur."
This is the loop-hole that Senate Bill 1807 is designed to close. The same one the NRA wants to keep open- a loophole making it easy for felons and minors to get hold of guns.
Aren't there some people who shouldn't be allowed to have guns? According to the NRA, apparently not.
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