Posted on 11/01/2001 2:26:08 AM PST by kattracks
(CNSNews.com) - An anti-gun senator has added a provision to the Defense Authorization Bill that would allow the federal government to confiscate antique military rifles and other military surplus items.
Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) added the provision, "...to ensure demilitarization of significant military equipment formerly owned by the Department of Defense," to S. 1438 while it was under review in the Senate Armed Services committee, of which he is chairman.
Although the proposal does not specifically mention firearms, Section 1062 makes it unlawful for any person to possess "significant military equipment formerly owned by the Department of Defense" unless the item in question has been "demilitarized."
The conditions under which a private citizen would be allowed to retain "demilitarized" equipment are that the item may not constitute a significant risk to public safety, not have a "uniquely military" purpose, and not have the "significant capability for use as a weapon."
Levin's office did not return a call requesting an explanation of the provision or his reasons for wanting it included in the bill.
Erich Pratt with Gun Owners of America (GOA) says that would include practically every surplus rifle or shotgun ever sold at auction by the Department of Defense (DOD).
He says GOA strongly opposes the provision even with the exceptions Levin has been forced to include due to opposition from pro-gun senators.
"Really the exceptions don't go far enough, and so, the government still (would) be authorized to...take people's firearms away from them," Pratt warned, "people who are law-abiding and have committed no crimes."
The bill does allow private owners to be compensated, but Pratt says the "meager stipend" would in no way compensate them for the personal, historic, or antique value of their firearms. Many antique military rifles, which are still fully functional weapons, are worth thousands of dollars.
The House version of the Defense Authorization Bill does not contain the Section 1062, so the bills were sent to a conference committee Wednesday for reconciliation. One observer attending that meeting said the provision was "dying a slow agonizing death, but the nails are not in the coffin yet" late Wednesday evening.
Pratt hopes Section 1062 is laid to rest in the committee, before it gives the federal government any ideas about confiscating weapons.
"We see this (proposing to confiscate firearms) as a very, very dangerous precedent," he said.
We also need to watch the people in Congress, for every one has his or her own private agenda or pet project, and will try and tack it onto any passing piece of legislation. These little riders will be small potatoes compared to the larger issue. One example is a rider on the Defense Appropriations Bill, giving the Secretary of Defense absolute authority to declare any former government property a "risk" to the U.S., and insist on its repossession or thorough "demilitarization." That means the only flying B-29, all the WW II fighters, and all other ex-military airplanes could be be chopped in half, and large holes bored in the engines, making them unflyable forever. This insanity was defeated as a House bill in the last year or two, but now it's back, attached to S.1438, buried deep in the legal language (see Section 1062).We in the aviation community look at and listen to a flying Mustang, and enjoy it. There are many who would ground all airplanes except airliners (some would ground those) oblivious of the consequences. To them, it's obvious, "We can't have civilians flying fighters around, can we?" Of course not! The average ignorant American will quickly agree, and there goes another small freedom.
*Sigh*
If a legitamate thief (as opposed to a depraved, deluded piker of a Congressman-imposter) demanded your money, and was satisfied when you surrendered to him only a wallet (carried exactly for this decoying purpose) while retaining a money belt full of cash have you committed a crime?
If I manipulate a grotesquely corrupted political system in order to install myself as one of your 'leaders' and then demand that you submit to legal fictions which are no more than naked tyranny, are you wrong to defy me?
If you don't know, or aren't sure, where you stand on these questions you'd better devote some time to thinking about them now.
Because later, when the crunch comes for you, it will be too late to improvise the correct reply (and preparations) in a convincing (and successful) manner.
. . .hope someone from Michigan can answer this. . .
Even Hitler, who was crazy or stoopid enough to invade Russia in the winter, wouldn't invade Switzerland with every household containing at least one automatic rifle and a man who knew how to shoot it, and a store of food and water for one year.
Yes, Michigan is heavy union, and lots of Democrat gun owners here. Not everyone in Michigan votes Democrat, however, some of us have brains and use them.
Time to break out the Tar & Feathers!!!
The important thing to do is to make sure that Congress is aware of this provision so that they can strike it.
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