Ranb
25th April 2007, 07:03 PM
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070425/OPINION04/704250310
Dan Simpson, a retired diplomat, is a member of the editorial boards of The Blade and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He writes in part;
“Now, how would one disarm the American population? First of all, federal or state laws would need to make it a crime punishable by a $1,000 fine and one year in prison per weapon to possess a firearm. The population would then be given three months to turn in their guns, without penalty.
Hunters would be able to deposit their hunting weapons in a centrally located arsenal, heavily guarded, from which they would be able to withdraw them each hunting season upon presentation of a valid hunting license……When hunters submit a request for their weapons, federal, state, and local checks would be …..In the process, arsenal staff would take at least a quick look at each hunter to try to affirm that he was not obviously unhinged.
The disarmament process would begin after the initial three-month amnesty. Special squads of police would be formed and trained to carry out the work. Then, on a random basis to permit no advance warning, city blocks and stretches of suburban and rural areas would be cordoned off and searches carried out in every business, dwelling, and empty building. All firearms would be seized. The owners of weapons found in the searches would be prosecuted: $1,000 and one year in prison for each firearm.
Clearly, since such sweeps could not take place all across the country at the same time. But fairly quickly there would begin to be gun-swept, gun-free areas where there should be no firearms.”
Is it my imagination or does this sound like the beginnings of a police state? Dan Simpson is dreaming if he thinks any more than a small fraction of the firearms (registered and unregistered) could be confiscated this way.
He seems to think as little of the fourth amendment as he does the second amendment. I wonder if he would find a way to exclude the rich and powerful from these laws by issuing those “hard to get permits”, like those in Hawaii.
For those on this forum who support a total or near total ban on civilian owned firearms; would you support a law that makes you a felon if any firearm (that does not belong to you) was found in your home based on a random search?
Ranb
Dan Simpson, a retired diplomat, is a member of the editorial boards of The Blade and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He writes in part;
“Now, how would one disarm the American population? First of all, federal or state laws would need to make it a crime punishable by a $1,000 fine and one year in prison per weapon to possess a firearm. The population would then be given three months to turn in their guns, without penalty.
Hunters would be able to deposit their hunting weapons in a centrally located arsenal, heavily guarded, from which they would be able to withdraw them each hunting season upon presentation of a valid hunting license……When hunters submit a request for their weapons, federal, state, and local checks would be …..In the process, arsenal staff would take at least a quick look at each hunter to try to affirm that he was not obviously unhinged.
The disarmament process would begin after the initial three-month amnesty. Special squads of police would be formed and trained to carry out the work. Then, on a random basis to permit no advance warning, city blocks and stretches of suburban and rural areas would be cordoned off and searches carried out in every business, dwelling, and empty building. All firearms would be seized. The owners of weapons found in the searches would be prosecuted: $1,000 and one year in prison for each firearm.
Clearly, since such sweeps could not take place all across the country at the same time. But fairly quickly there would begin to be gun-swept, gun-free areas where there should be no firearms.”
Is it my imagination or does this sound like the beginnings of a police state? Dan Simpson is dreaming if he thinks any more than a small fraction of the firearms (registered and unregistered) could be confiscated this way.
He seems to think as little of the fourth amendment as he does the second amendment. I wonder if he would find a way to exclude the rich and powerful from these laws by issuing those “hard to get permits”, like those in Hawaii.
For those on this forum who support a total or near total ban on civilian owned firearms; would you support a law that makes you a felon if any firearm (that does not belong to you) was found in your home based on a random search?
Ranb