My guess is George Soros, who believes only governments should own guns.
Posted on 05/23/2004 10:51:56 PM PDT by Dan from Michigan
Not Your Grandfather's Rifle
5/21/2004
Feature Story
from the Joyce Foundation Newsletter
Unless Congress acts, the ban on military-style assault weapons will expire this September. But there's still time to strengthen protections against these dangerous weapons.
Ten years ago, Congress banned sale of AK-47s, Uzis, and other military-style assault weapons from the civilian market. Legislators reasoned that such weapons -- designed to accept a high-capacity ammunition magazine, with grips and other features enabling the shooter to spray an area with bullets -- had no legitimate sporting purpose and were too dangerous for civilian use. Law enforcement groups reported that criminals armed with assault weapons were outgunning the police. A more recent study by the Violence Policy Center shows that 20 percent of police killed in the line of duty between 1998 and 2001 fell victim to assault weapons.
Gun makers bitterly fought the 1994 ban. But over the years they have found simple ways to modify their guns to evade the provisions of the law. Now, even that flimsy protection may disappear. The assault weapons ban expires this September, and the House of Representatives seems poised to let it die without bringing the matter to a vote.
The Senate is on record as favoring the ban. In a complicated set of votes in early March, senators tacked extension of the assault weapons ban and another gun control measure onto a bill that would exempt gun manufacturers from civilian lawsuits. But the bill's sponsor objected to the amendments and killed the entire measure.
So it's back to square one for law enforcement, medical, and citizen groups who want the public to understand why it's so important to extend the ban and make it more difficult to evade. Members of Physicians for Social Responsibility, with support from a $100,000 Joyce grant, are getting the word out that the ban is in danger of expiring. The group is organizing events on the 13th of each month, leading up to the September 13 expiration date, to keep the issue before the minds of lawmakers and the public.
Another group, Doctors Against Handgun Injury, won a resolution from the American Medical Association urging that the ban be renewed and strengthened, and secured support for a strong ban from 11 other national medical societies, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Physicians, and the American College of Surgeons.
At the state level, Iowans for the Prevention of Gun Violence is collecting endorsements from police chiefs and holding press conferences to help the public and legislators understand what's at stake and why the ban needs to be strengthened. Supporting the work is a two-year, $250,000 Joyce grant. Says John Johnson, the group's head: "We're doing everything we can to increase awareness in the media and among the general public that the ban will expire in September, that the current law hasn't worked the way it was intended to, and that Congress needs to renew and strengthen the ban."
The Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence is organizing as well. The Council's head, Thom Mannard, cites polls in Illinois and nationally showing strong public support for keeping assault weapons off the street, including a November 2003 NBC/Wall Street Journal finding that 78 percent of Americans support the ban. A survey released in April by the child advocacy group Voices for Illinois Children found that 72-75 percent of Illinois voters favor extending the ban and strengthening its provisions.
Like their counterparts in Iowa, Illinois law enforcement groups such as the Fraternal Order of Police and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police have called for extending and strengthening the ban. The On-Target Coalition, organized by the Council, brings together law enforcement, medical, religious, and other groups, all of whom are getting the message out about the need to strengthen protections to keep military-style assault weapons off the streets.
""We're doing everything we can to increase awareness in the media and among the general public that the ban will expire in September, that the current law hasn't worked the way it was intended to, and that Congress needs to renew and strengthen the ban." "
In other words, it failed but they're damned and determined to try it again. Just like every single time socialist policies come up.
"All of this AWB talk is screwing up my buying habits. I need some new mags for the Glock, but I can definitely wait for September if it means that hi-cap mags will be back and available at a reasonable price. Decisions, decisions."
If the ban is extended, watch the prices skyrocket hardcore.
My guess is George Soros, who believes only governments should own guns.
THE JOYCE FOUNDATION was established in 1948 by Beatrice Joyce Kean of Chicago. The Joyce family wealth came from the lumber industry (Tremont Lumber Company), including family-owned timberlands, plywood and sawmills, and wholesale and retail building material distribution facilities which were located in the state of Louisiana and the Midwest.
Projects: The foundation emphasizes environmental, campaign-reform, and gun control issues, with education and culture programs.
BTTT !! Post # 11
This is clearly and demonstrably true.
Well, no they didn't. They ban the manufacture of certain rifles and ammo magazines, but the law didn't take a single gun off the streets. And guns nearly identical to the banned ones have been for sale all the while.
If crime with "assault weapons" is down, it certainly has nothing to do with the ban.
I'm not interested in a rifle that has legitimate sporting uses. I want a weapon that is equal or better in firepower to what I may be up against in a home invasion, or a few other senarios I can think of.
I don't hunt, I just see a breakdown in this country of law and order, and the lack of raising kids to be law abiding citizens (thank you liberals). I'd rather be judged by 12 then carried by 6.
I can understand the police concern about having to confront semi-auto weapons, but that doesn't give them a right to go around my 2nd amendment rights. They won't be able to protect me the moment I need it. The supreme court has said they have no responsibility to do so either. My safety rests with me, and no one else.
I could not have said it better.
well... that is certainly ONE way to summarize that contentious session. Has about as much to do with reality as Clinton does with virtue. Some Senators tacking on a rider does not equate to The (WHOLE) Senate endorsing the AWB... not even close.
Thanks. Home grown lefties.
They know most Americans are waking up, and are opposed to gun control, so they have to resort to outright lies in the hopes of advancing their seditious agenda.
However, none of the elites in either party like us peasants having guns, so I suspect that they will try to slip the AWB ban through before September.
If they fail at that effort, they will likely do so after the election if Bush loses or if the RATS regain one of both houses of Congress.
Folks need to prepare themselves financially to buy up some stuff between September and November, if the ban does expire.
And they need to prepare themselves mentally just in case the rats and rinos pass something far worse than the AWB after the elections.
And this is my rifle (well one of them :)) :
Although mine has a slightly different receiver and is fitted with a telescopic sight, which I guess makes it an evil assault sniper rifle. :)
Go ahead, if you really need them. When the ban expires (confidence, confidence), there will be a glut of Glock mag springs and followers to create normal-capacity magazines from the current crop of restricted mags on sale now. ;)
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