Posted on 09/14/2004 1:38:35 PM PDT by TexKat
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Breaking with Republican lawmakers who oppose gun control and a Hollywood film career filled with gun play, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed a bill banning .50-caliber BMG rifles, an aide said on Tuesday.
The large-caliber, high-powered rifle is used by the military and police to shoot at long-range targets, including ones more than a mile away.
Civilian owners of the weapon typically use the rifle at firing-ranges and for big-game hunting, but with armor-piercing ammunition the rifle can penetrate concrete shelters and lightly armored vehicles.
Critics of the rifle argue there is no reasonable civilian use for the weapon. They say it could be used by terrorists to shoot at oil refineries and airplanes, or by snipers against people. Gun rights advocates maintain the weapon has not been used in a crime in California.
Despite his gun-toting film career, Schwarzenegger is in favor of some gun controls, including the 10-year federal ban that expired on Monday on certain semiautomatic firearms known as "assault weapons," said his spokeswoman Terri Carbaugh.
"He's committed to keeping the public and law enforcement as safe as possible," said Carbaugh. "This lines up with his philosophy that reasonable gun control measures are necessary to accomplish that objective."
was that the one in Alaska where the crab pot rigger went over board on one wave and went back on board on the next wave? freaky video, it was like the sea spat him out!
The "base" you speak of voted for McClintock anyway, and they were a$$whomped 48-13 by the Governator last October.
Politically speaking, Arnold owes the McClintock base nothing.
He is a RINO.
I don't think he's a turncoat because he was never on our side to begin with.
I'm a Republican. Next time I vote for Governor I am going to vote for Tom McClintock, the Republican.
Arnold is a social liberal. He is anti-gun and pro gay rights. Did you expect someone different? I didn't.
"Critics of the rifle argue there is no reasonable civilian use for the weapon."
Except as the framers of the constitution intended for citizens to prevent usurpation of freedom by the government.
But that's okay because he's a Republican. If he was a Democrat, then he'd be an Enemy of the Second Amendment. I'll sleep better knowing my rights are being stolen by my "friends."
I challenge anyone to show me one crime committed with a .50 cal anything..!!
We shall see , how this plays out.
FRegards,
They're only known that way because we've let the gun-haters define the rhetoric. There is no such thing as a semi-automatic assault rifle. By definition, assault rifles are at least selectively automatic or burst-fire.
This simply tends to disarm the law-abiding--tilting the essential ratio between the armed defenders of California society and its various classes of enemy, more against the safety of the law-abiding.
And see, generally, The Right To Keep & Bear Arms.
William Flax
The ultimate girly man.
Don't need one of them .50 cal. thangs anyway.
SACRAMENTO (AP) — Authorities intercepted a letter bound for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that had been rigged to ignite when opened, one of 19 such letters sent to governors around the country since last week. Three of the letters found earlier caught fire, but no one has been injured.
The letter to Schwarzenegger was spotted Monday by screeners who routinely inspect letters intended for the governor and other members of the state's executive branch at a California Highway Patrol center in West Sacramento, CHP spokesman Tom Marshall said.
Schwarzenegger's office had no comment Tuesday.
Letters to other states postmarked from Las Vegas have featured a return address from Nevada's maximum-security Ely State Prison. Authorities said they were interviewing correctional officers and inmates at the prison and have narrowed their investigation to "a person of interest."
Marshall said authorities initially decided "because of the security issue" not to announce the interception. But the CHP confirmed the letter Tuesday after receiving numerous calls asking about bombs and terrorist materials allegedly intended for the governor.
Other governors targeted so far include those in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.
In addition to the 13 Republican and six Democratic governors, Nevada's corrections director received a booby-trapped letter.
U.S. Postal officials said sending a letter intended to harm the recipient is a federal felony, with a possible prison sentence up to 20 years.
They've pretty well figured out that these letter bombs came from inmates at some prison that is evidently being run by the prisoners.
Yes; one.
Asshole on the armored bulldozer in Colorado.
Equally sensible question is, "How many crimes have been comitted using a privately owned backhoe?"
Maybe I shouldn't be allowed to have my 42" evirofreak-killer assault-bar & chain on my felling saw, either.
BTW do they make hi-cap mags for the .50? Just curious....
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