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“Would You Take Away Guns From Law-Abiding Citizens?” Readers' Poll In American COP Magazine
American Cop Magazine ^ | June 2012 | Roy Huntington

Posted on 07/01/2012 8:25:31 PM PDT by DogByte6RER

“Would You Take Away Guns From Law-Abiding Citizens?” Open Poll Causes Stir In American COP Magazine

Will You Do It?

Photobucket

I’ve known anti-gun cops, who seriously said things like, ‘They have no right to own a gun, it’s my job to protect them. If they have guns, it’s just a danger to me!’

I ike to think my “real” job is as the editor of our sister publication, American Handgunner magazine. A publisher wears many hats, but what I really like to do is write, edit and interact with readers. What I’ve never forgotten is we, you and I, are the same — I just happen to have this job. I spent a long time as a cop in San Diego, and an even longer lifetime so far as a shooter and gun owner. I (and parent company FMG) feel strongly about the right of law-abiding Americans to own firearms, for any reason they like; from hunting, plinking, collecting, reloading, you-name-it. But most assuredly, we believe Americans have the right to own firearms for personal protection. This brings me to a sore subject for many Handgunner readers.

I get regular reader mail asking essentially the same question: “Roy, as a former cop, do you think today’s younger cops would actually try to take guns away from law-abiding citizens, if they were told to do so by their leaders?” Keep in mind, real people and regular people just like us — not crazies — seriously worry about this.

Since I’ve sort of “crossed-over” both sides of the fence being both a law enforcer and law-abiding citizen gun owner, I can see what they’re talking about. I’ve known anti-gun cops, who seriously said things like, “They have no right to own a gun, it’s my job to protect them. If they have guns, it’s just a danger to me!” You might know someone like that too. And certainly, there are politicians out there who think the same way; and those very politicians often appoint police chiefs. Since sheriffs are elected, they can serve as a bit of a buffer on this topic. They more readily serve their voting constituent than the politically appointed chief does.

So, I’ll be blunt and ask you: Would you personally, go out and confiscate firearms from law abiding citizens — even if it goes against your personal opinion regarding the constitutional rights of citizens — and do it on the order of an administrative leader of your agency? Would you put your foot down and say, “No, that’s not legal, it’s not right, and I won’t do it” — all the while risking being disciplined or fired? Or would you simply do your duty, as it were? “I was only following orders!” And, if you don’t think it can happen, just look at New Orleans after the hurricane, when the city cops did that very thing. They also lost a lawsuit brought by the NRA in the aftermath. It was found the city of New Orleans did not have the right to confiscate firearms in the “interest of public safety.”

I was asked to write about this a long while ago, back when I was still a cop. I wrote the article and stated: I would not do it and, yes, I’d risk the consequences. I signed my name to the article, and my agency knew it. I also said I didn’t feel the vast majority of my LE peers would participate if they felt they were given an unlawful order to confiscate guns. But today? I honestly don’t know what would happen. What’s your opinion? You tell me.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Government; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: banglist; chicagopolice; chicagoway; cops; followingorders; gunconfiscation; leo; policestate; secondamendment; unlawfulorder
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To: Travis McGee
I don’t believe the anti-gun-cop response is legit: I think it’s troll bait. I ain’t biting.
Either troll bait or a sarcastic post the purpose of which is to get us all to think about what is going on in the minds of at least some anti-gun cops.

But anyway, I agree with you, it's some kind of put-up job. Not that there are no cops who think this way, just that there are none who are stupid enough to admit it so openly and brazenly. It reads like a nazi screed and everyone knows that, including the person who wrote it.

41 posted on 07/02/2012 3:15:17 AM PDT by samtheman (The Trillion Dollar ObamaCareTax definitely is a tax; just ask the US Supreme Court.)
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To: DogByte6RER

Please come to my house first, please, please.

Like you, I have a gun.

Like you, I will not surrender my gun to anybody. I will use my gun to protect my life and my liberty, please keep that in mind when you come for my gun.

You won’t get to keep your gun when I take from your cold dead hand, as you can take mine when I am dead.

The Constitution is not a living document. It means what it says. A group of extremely intelligent men, whose equal we have not seen in over 200 years, went to a great deal of trouble to craft it just the way it is. If you believe you are anywhere near as intelligent as they were, feel free to explain to me what my Constitution really means, but you will have to demonstrate how smart you are before I take your word over say, Ben Franklin or Thomas Jefferson.

I don’t really give a sh*t about your comfort zone, you come to my door to assault me or my liberty and you die like a dog. F*UCK YOUR ORDERS!!


42 posted on 07/02/2012 3:24:26 AM PDT by Rearden (Deo Vindice)
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To: samtheman

I’m betting you never met a NYC cop. Omar is unusual only because he can write a complete sentence.


43 posted on 07/02/2012 3:51:38 AM PDT by muir_redwoods (Legalize Freedom!!)
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To: Eagles6

I have relatives in western Pennsylvania who are armed to the teeth, yet none of them own an automatic pistol, just revolvers. State law sez you can’t hunt & carry a selfloader of any length.

IMO, the big-city politics of Philadelphia own the rest of a mostly rural state. Not the only state where this is true, though.

This is one of the scarier threads I have read.


44 posted on 07/02/2012 4:25:36 AM PDT by elcid1970 (Nuke Mecca now. Death to Islam means freedom for all mankind. Deus vult!")
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To: voicereason
The reference to the book “Uninented Consequences” is a great one. I’m not sure if it is still in print, but it was pretty well written and definitely presented some plausible scenarios.
According to the publisher, Accurate Press, it is out of print. They say the next printing is "going to be softcover and will probably be priced at $28.95 and $6 shipping."

The problem is, that notice has been there for years and the paperback release hasn't happened. Used hardcovers show up in amazon and/or ebay, but for an aweful lot of money -- rarity value I guess.


45 posted on 07/02/2012 4:46:20 AM PDT by Peet (Everything has an end -- only the sausage has two.)
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To: Eagles6

Firearms data bases are a simple fact of life today. Anytime the powers that be want a list, they can just data mine for folks who have purchased ammo or gun accessories with a credit card in the past ten years. Bingo. You have bought some 5.56 ammo and mags? It’s not a secret, not to LE.


46 posted on 07/02/2012 4:46:45 AM PDT by Travis McGee (www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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To: Despot of the Delta

They don’t want to be “target practice”. That is a terrible response. On the flip side I would gladly be target practice, and willing to die and kill for freedom for my posterity. There will be a day when our local cops confiscate firearms. I just hope there are enough people left to resist.


47 posted on 07/02/2012 4:51:18 AM PDT by st.eqed
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To: DogByte6RER

You are the first line of defence when it comes to protecting your family and property, the cops show up after the fact with pad and pen when the damage is done. So protecting us in this situtation is an impossibility. The politician will never be able to or refuse to control illegal guns so they placate thier constituants with the a false notion by putting all gun owners legal and illegal into one basket thier by pushing thier gun control agenda and more so to protect themselves and thier position in government, control the masses and make you believe they are really doing something for society by protectin you and your family. You can’t blame the cops for being concerned Im sure thye much rather have no guns and fell safer but once again the politician will force the issue with his or her own agenda and force t


48 posted on 07/02/2012 4:52:12 AM PDT by ronnie raygun (B B)
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To: harpseal; TexasCowboy; nunya bidness; AAABEST; Travis McGee; Squantos; wku man; SLB; ...
Click the Gadsden flag for pro-gun resources!
49 posted on 07/02/2012 5:15:00 AM PDT by Joe Brower (Sheep have three speeds: "graze", "stampede" and "cower".)
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To: JRandomFreeper
If the flag goes up, guess who I'm hunting.

A point to remember is that in a crisis the only purpose of your civilian weapon is to procure a better weapon. There IS a source of military-grade weaponry in most American communities. You have correctly identified it.

50 posted on 07/02/2012 6:02:26 AM PDT by jboot (Galt by default.)
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To: nonsporting

Lots of stuff will munch Kevlar, at least right up to Level IV or Level III with rigid trauma plates, two options that are expensive, heavy and uncommon. But Kevlar is a good reason to upgrade from a pistol of shottie to a battle rifle, preferably one where the caliber begins with “.3”.


51 posted on 07/02/2012 6:11:22 AM PDT by jboot (Galt by default.)
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To: DogByte6RER
In all fairness, Omar is the only poster over there who said "I would definitely do it." Two or three of the other guys lawyered their responses enough to make me think that they would too, but the vast majority said "no way."

Then again, when push comes to shove, and their jobs are on the line (or worse), who knows what they would do. I fear we will all be sorely tested soon.

52 posted on 07/02/2012 6:24:32 AM PDT by jboot (Galt by default.)
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To: DogByte6RER

That guy is asking for the Bowman solution to be implemented by a BUNCH of people.

Hey, LEOjerk - we’ll hide them and then come after YOU, individually and personally, and on OUR terms.


53 posted on 07/02/2012 6:27:48 AM PDT by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter knows whom he's working for)
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To: Travis McGee

I am not worried about individual cops, most couldn’t care less, but their superiors have political leanings of gun confiscation and the average cop wants to keep his job.


54 posted on 07/02/2012 6:34:51 AM PDT by CodeToad (Homosexuals are homophobes. They insist on being called 'gay' instead.)
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To: DogByte6RER

Odds are any person with those beliefs already has said them to his neighbors. He’s a dead man in their eyes.


55 posted on 07/02/2012 6:40:41 AM PDT by CodeToad (Homosexuals are homophobes. They insist on being called 'gay' instead.)
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To: Travis McGee
I wouldn't bet my life on that.

Someone is doing all these no-knock raids and targeted attacks against "gun nuts".

56 posted on 07/02/2012 7:09:29 AM PDT by Dead Corpse (I will not comply.)
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To: DogByte6RER

Wrong question to ask

Ask

“If ordered and you were told if you don’t carry out the order you will be terminated and all your benefits and pension will be forfeited and we will hire goons who will to replace you “

Then see what kind of reply they get


57 posted on 07/02/2012 7:16:15 AM PDT by uncbob
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To: FredZarguna

Well...spoof or not, your posting probably just pinged a few metering devices to the redline at the NSA or some such spook ops. Hope you don’t have the antimatter stored over a certain super volcanic caldera!


58 posted on 07/02/2012 7:46:34 AM PDT by mdmathis6 (Not left wing! Not right wing! But....CHRIST WING!)
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To: Ken H
Do the police currently enforce RKBA infringements in jurisdictions with anti-gun laws, or do they stand up for our rights and defend the Second Amendment?

Would you expect them to do any diffrently if gun confiscation were ordered?

Exactly! The vast majority would go right along with it.  Sadly, the vast majority of sheeple would also go right along. Anyone who seriously doubts this is kidding themselves.

59 posted on 07/02/2012 7:52:59 AM PDT by zeugma (Those of us who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living.)
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To: elcid1970
Actually I live in SW PA and we consider Philthadelphia to be part of NJ.

You are correct that self loaders are illegal for hunting but there are plenty in this part of the state and a well handled revolver or bolt action is...well..

That said, we now have a Republican governor and we are working on the database issue.

60 posted on 07/02/2012 8:17:26 AM PDT by Eagles6
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