I like the one in the middle.
Of course if the cop's had them they would still still try to bust you for oh, say, farting in their general direction. Assult on a police officer ya know.
Posted on 09/19/2007 11:49:54 AM PDT by nin_kasi
Miami-Dade Officer Jose Somohano was shot and killed with a Mak-90 assault rifle three years to the day after the federal law prohibiting the sale of such weapons expired.
The International Association of Chiefs of Police issued a report at noon Wednesday calling for, among other things, a renewal of the ban, arguing that it helps keep police officers safe by reducing the ``firepower available to criminals.''
The report hits home for South Florida law enforcement officers, who have been facing an increasing number of these guns on the street since the ban expired. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez, a former police officer and police director, can't hide his anger when he talks about the fact that lawmakers let the ban expire.
''While I feel very strongly about the Second Amendment, I don't think that our founding fathers had AK-47s in mind,'' he said. ``There's absolutely no reason I can see having these weapons out on the street.''
His voice rising, he brings up Shawn LaBeet, the man who killed Somohano: ``This guy just went to a gun store with a fake ID and bought one.''
LaBeet bought nine guns in the past year, including the semiautomatic Mak-90, which is similar to an AK-47. The gun was covered under the assault weapons ban and was illegal to sell for 10 years until September 2004.
''It's one thing to talk philosophically about the right to bear arms and it's another to see what these assault rifles can do,'' Alvarez said.
Local police say the numbers of murders committed with assault weapons has been steadily rising since the ban expired on Sept. 13, 2004.
In the city of Miami, 20 percent of murders this year were committed with assault weapons, up from 4 percent in 2004.
Local law enforcement say there is little they can do besides ramp up their own arsenals. They're looking to Congress for an answer.
''This is not a local issue. It has local implications, obviously. A police officer was just killed here,'' said Miami Police Chief John Timoney, an ardent gun control advocate. ``The resolution of this is in the nation's capital. But there's no appetite to address that.''
Timoney recently decided to allow his officers to carry assault rifles. Miami-Dade police have plans to do the same, Alvarez said. And last year, the Broward Sheriff's Office allowed deputies to carry them.
''I would think that for all the departments to start changing their viewpoints on allowing officers to carry assault weapons tells you there are more of those out there,'' said Dick Brickman, president of the Broward Police Benevolent Association. ``What's the purpose of assault rifles? As far as we're concerned, an assault rifle is only going to hurt people.''
U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton, said he supports a new assault weapon ban and thinks there is pretty widespread support in Congress on the issue.
''It should be renewed. I think the majority of members of Congress would support it,'' he said. ``The president, in a very lukewarm way, has indicated that he would sign it but I'm not sure he really would.''
Klein said he thinks the tide is changing in public opinion, too.
''It doesn't take another law enforcement officer to be killed by assault weapons to persuade people that banning them is just common sense,'' he said.
A bill to renew the ban was introduced in Congress this year, but has not made it out of committee yet.
Your assault weapons haven’t killed anyone yet?! Take ‘em back, they must be defective. They are apparently incapable of performing their essential function.
You’re right but only until they try to disarm the wrong good guy. Then they will wish that they were only dealing with street thugs.
They don’t know who their friends are and that makes it hard for us to seem them (the police) as our friends.
IBrp again?
oh yes indeed...batting 1000 so far!
Better yet. Send them to me and I'll dispose of them ;~)
LOL
I have trained them to do what they were created to do when the time comes. They have killed lots of paper and pumpkins.
What is fascinating about miami politicians is how “set aside” intensive they are. Each group pushes their own quota scheme. The irony, for example, is the hispanics who demand hispanic minority set asides in a city where they are dominating.
This happens every election cycle in Miami with “magic” ak-47 turning up.
A LITTLE RESEARCH will reveal that AK-47s “magically” appeared even when there was the assault weapons ban. This is just democrats trying to make headway with the same old playbook.
The MAK-90 was NOT banned...they have thumbhole stocks! Dumb cop.
The International Association of Chiefs of Police issued a report at noon Wednesday calling for, among other things, a renewal of the ban, arguing that it helps keep police officers safe by reducing the “firepower available to criminals.’’
I’d treat this about the same as if the Joint Chiefs of Staff came out advocating a gun ban for the populace.
A cop in Phoenix was killed the other day by an illegal alien gangbanger from Mexico. I suppose the congressman would want to ban them too? (ya, right).
Police chiefs like the idea of limiting “civilians” to a .58 Springfield, as long as they can equip themselves with a phased-plasma rifle in the forty watt range.
Chief of Police is a political position, it's bad enough having American big city liberal Police Chiefs whining for more gun control, now the liberal press is bring in leftists worldwide.
No Thanks!
I’m glad you say that! Notice the title of “International”. Ie., the U.N. who desperately wants to disarm the US public.
Yep. All the more reason to protect the Right.
Local police say the numbers of murders committed with assault weapons has been steadily rising since the ban expired on Sept. 13, 2004.
How about the number of murders, period?
It would make sense for those bent on murder to use effective tools. Just wait until they discover other things...
In the city of Miami, 20 percent of murders this year were committed with assault weapons, up from 4 percent in 2004.
See above about effective tools.
This indicates to me an increasing number of criminals in that jurisdiction are not afraid of the police finding them with their favorite device, which indicates police, for whatever reason, are losing control. It also may indicate the influx of paramilitary/ex-military people from outside our borders who will naturally choose to utilize arms with which they are familliar.
It amy also indicate they brought their own, rather than hassle with buying them here...
Local law enforcement say there is little they can do besides ramp up their own arsenals.
Now we are getting to the crux of the matter. (Nobody wants to work traffic, they all want to dress like ninja overlords--more glamorous.. (/sarc)
The police are getting a wee tad militarized.
They're looking to Congress for an answer.
HELP U$ CONGRE$$, $END LOT$ OF $UPPORT $OON!
''This is not a local issue. It has local implications, obviously. A police officer was just killed here,'' said Miami Police Chief John Timoney, an ardent gun control advocate.
If the officer was killed there, I'd say it is local. Prayers up for the officer's family.
We have no 'assault weapon' crime wave here, you have it there, chief, and that makes it your local issue.
``The resolution of this is in the nation's capital.
We'll see how that court case comes out, if the SCOTUS hears it.
But there's no appetite to address that.''
Even the nimrods in Congres are wont to shoot themselves in the foot. Again.
Same ol' same ol'. Here we go again.
I always love how bans are equated with disarming criminals.
A ban is a legal device that does not magically cause guns to vanish, and only affects law-abiding types. In this respect, a ban is like a restraining order.
Since most criminals get guns via extra-legal channels anyway, bans don't concern them too much.
Be Ever Vigilant!!
***Police chiefs: Restore assault weapons ban***
Citizens: EFF YOU and the horse you rode in on!
***I don’t think that our founding fathers had AK-47s in mind,” he said.***
Nor high-speed automated printing presses, copying machines, fax machines, radio, TV or the Internet - does this mean that we allow the government to censor all communications other than those made within earshot or on hand-cranked, hand-inked presses? PUTZ!!
***His voice rising, he brings up Shawn LaBeet, the man who killed Somohano: “This guy just went to a gun store with a fake ID and bought one.” ***
Yeah, that’s the ticket: deprive all of the completely innocent, law-abiding, citizens of their right to purchase, own and maintain property that they pay for with their hard-earned money because of the multiple criminal actions of a sociopath. How about we strip Chief Timoney of his badge and gun, because some cop somewhere else in the country is power-hungry and shot some innocent kid? It’d make as much sense and be equally just.
***It’s one thing to talk philosophically about the right to bear arms and it’s another to see what these assault rifles can do,’’ Alvarez said.***
How about examing the very real effects that a LACK of assault rifles in the hands of the general populace has? I’ll start with the Nazi concentration camps, Soviet Gulags and their Chinese equivalents, move on to Pol Pot’s Cambodia and Idi Amin’s Uganda and end with Rwanda and Darfur. Governments with a monopoly of force (i.e. disarmed civilians) murdered well north of 100 million people in the 20th century. How many people did civilians with assault rifles kill in the same period? Add in every police state, corrupt dictatorship or theocracy. How many times has an armed citizenry imposed a dictatorship on the rest of the populace?
Check this out: “Why do they want our guns?” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j73SsNFgBO4
***The resolution of this is in the nation’s capital. But there’s no appetite to address that.***
You’re correct, chief, there IS a resolution to this in the nation’s capitol (and, unlike the idiot reporter who wrote this story and the editor that didn’t catch it, I can spell). It is just that it isn’t where you think: its in the Supreme Court, where the Heller case is up for Cert., and the Supreme’s finally have a case where there is little rational and legally-defensible alternative but to either let the pro-individual rights Circuit Court opinion stand, or to rule definitively that the 2nd Amendment protects the individual RKBA. Sorry, but you aren’t going to like that decision. No, correction: I’m not sorry - I’m going to have a party the night that decision comes down.
JACKASSES!!! You, Alvarez and Timoney, are EXACTLY the kind of paternalistic tyrant-wannabees that the 2nd Amendment was drafted and ratified to protect us against. Try this video clip on for size - it’ll tell you what the 2nd Amendment is all about, what “assault weapons” are for: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1yfRbU6HmU (the money quote begins at about 3:12 - video quality sucks, but the audio is good).
Can Alvarez be recalled? If not, I’ll settle for him being tarred and feathered, preferably right next to his rump-kissing lackey, Timoney.
Pamwe Chete..........
I like the one in the middle.
Of course if the cop's had them they would still still try to bust you for oh, say, farting in their general direction. Assult on a police officer ya know.
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