ILLEGAL GUNS: CONGRESS' JOB

NEW YORK POST ^ | January 6, 2006 | CHARLES SCHUMER & HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON

[neverdem]

MURDERS like those of NYPD Det. Dillon Stewart and Det. Daniel Enchautegui remind us of the enormous sacrifice made by the brave men and women committed to protecting us and our communities. Whenever one of our courageous police officers is murdered, we are forced to reexamine whether we have done everything within our means to ensure the safety of those who risk their lives to protect us.

Sadly, Det. Stewart's shooting death brought home once again the deadly consequences of allowing stolen handguns to make their way into the wrong hands. Det. Stewart was killed when a suspect who had run a red light suddenly opened fire on his police car, hitting Stewart in the heart.

As is sadly too often the case, that gun had been obtained illegally in another state.

The gun had been stolen in Florida six years before killing Stewart, and had been used in another crime only six months before. Yet the theft was never reported to the National Tracing Center of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), which maintains a database that helps law enforcement trace and stop illegal-gun trafficking.

This is a tragic story that inspires anger, sadness and a sense of urgency. Law-enforcement agencies ought to have all the tools and resources they need to prevent such crimes. And Congress ought to stand squarely with police officers as they do the difficult and dangerous work of fighting gun crimes, tracking illegal weapons...

[neverdem]

For instance, if police report a stolen gun used in a crime in New York to the ATF, local law enforcement could learn where that gun was first sold, and whether other guns sold by the same dealer were used in other crimes in other states. This helps law enforcement identify sources of "crime guns" so that they can cut the supply off at the source.

How so?

[jammer]

Whenever one of our courageous police officers is murdered, we are forced to reexamine whether we have done everything within our means to ensure the safety of those who risk their lives to protect us.

No, you damned well don't. You do everything reasonable within the Constitution, but not everything within your means.

[Disambiguator]

I don't like the term "illegal guns", because any gun can be made illegal by statute (albeit unconstitutionally).

As far as cutting off the supply of "crime guns", that's almost impossible. Many of these are stolen from the legitimate owners, so they started life as "non-crime guns".

Maybe putting criminals in prison...naah.

[Puppage]

whether we have done everything within our means to ensure the safety of those who risk their lives to protect us

If you want a safe job....DON'T become a Police Officer!

[Spok]

"of allowing stolen handguns to make their way into the wrong hands."

This sounds like an enforcement, not a legislative, problem. New laws won't give teeth to old laws that are being broken.

[Fudd]

The gun had been stolen in Florida six years before killing Stewart, and had been used in another crime only six months before. Yet the theft was never reported to the National Tracing Center of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), which maintains a database that helps law enforcement trace and stop illegal-gun trafficking.

And somehow, the senators from New York would have us believe that having this gun's ID on a computer would have prevented this crime.

[TheDon]

Whenever one of our courageous police officers is murdered, we are forced to reexamine whether we have done everything within our means to ensure the safety of those who risk their lives to protect us.

One thing they could do is ensure each citizen has a firearm, ammunition and regular training in the use of the firearm.

[Lazamataz]

I don't have to read it. If it's authored by Chuckles Scumsucker (D -- NY), then I know it's wholly fabricated.

[ozzymandus]

How about identifying criminals and putting them in prison? Oh, wait, that would cost the RATS some votes.

[Rummyfan]

Illegal guns used by criminals in the commission of a crime. But I'm sure a few more laws on the books will correct this situation! And just what the heck is an illegal gun?

[TC Rider]

Worse, an obscure provision (surreptitiously passed into law in 2003 via an appropriations bill with little note or debate) requires that much of this vital gun tracing information — information that could save lives — be kept secret from the public and off-limits to police officers as they track guns used to kill police officers like Officer Stewart.

Somehow this legislation dodged notice by NY's pre-eminent Senators.

Any bets that the 'information' being kept secret is the NICS files that are deleted after 24 hours?

Hill and Chuck would love to archive that info into a defacto gun registration program.

[RicocheT]

"If you want a safe job....DON'T become a Police Officer!

Convience store clerk

Taxi driver

Hotel night clerk

Business man taking $ to night deposit

Jewlery store clerk

woman home alone

......(fill in the blank)

[DBrow]

How so?

Well, you find the dealer who sold the most "crime guns" in a given year, then shut them down.

Next year, a new dealer will have sold the most "crime guns", and you shut them down....

[Myrddin]

New York's incompetence in handling criminal behavior becomes an excuse for commies Schumer and Clinton to inflict gun grabbing laws on every other state via the federal government. Typical leftists blaming everyone else for their own problems and focusing blame on inanimate objects to protect the criminals who vote for them.

[TChris]

An interesting exercise I would like any reporter to try on a liberal politician. Ask them to name three issues Americans face which are none of Washington's concern. Which problems, Mrs. Clinton, are none of your business? Are there any?

[IGOTMINE]

Hillary signed on to this? She must think that gun control is a winning issue. Strange position for the "smartest woman in the world" to have.

[neverdem]

FReepmail me if you want on or off my New York ping list. I wonder if this will come back to bite New York's junior Senator. She must just love taking second billing to the senior Senator.

[Myrddin]

Well, you find the dealer who sold the most "crime guns" in a given year, then shut them down.

Next year, a new dealer will have sold the most "crime guns", and you shut them down....

See the pattern? There is always a #1 every year. Even if being #1 amounts to a single sale. Dumb approach. Put the damn criminals in jail. Any inanimate object can be used as a weapon.

[VeniVidiVici]

And somehow, the senators from New York would have us believe that having this gun's ID on a computer would have prevented this crime.

Yes. Their constituents are that stupid.

[5Madman2]

I didn't even need to go past the byline