Posted on 04/27/2007 9:22:47 AM PDT by Mobile Vulgus
Since the VT shootings in Blacksburg, Virginia, we have seen all manner of wild-eyed, anti-gunners come out of the woodwork to cynically use this crime as a chance to beat their gun grabbing drums. But, proposing that we send government Stormtroopers to smash down the doors of every home with a gun in it to confiscate their Constitutionally legal firearms is a step I haven't seen in a purportedly responsible newspaper. That is, until the Toledo Blade published a proposal for taking away our right to self-protection that included "Special squads of police" with unlimited powers to confiscate all guns. A hit squad that would traipse about the country invading homes at will and accosting peaceful citizens everywhere.
The author of this tyrannical proposal is Dan Simpson, who is described as "a retired Ambassador" and a "member of the editorial boards of The Blade and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. " He is a former US Ambassador to various African states... which can easily be read to mean one who thinks government knows best, darn the citizen's rights, apparently.
The piece that oozes from his pen seems overly long, the first half being an attempt by this anti-gun advocate to make it seem as if he really loves guns. After all, he played Cowboys and Indians as a kid and also had a Red Ryder BB gun. Then, later in life, carried a .357 as a "diplomat". But after the hard to believe disclaimers are dispensed with, Simpson launches into his gun banning proposal.
Now, how would one disarm the American population? First of all, federal or state laws would need to make it a crime punishable by a $1,000 fine and one year in prison per weapon to possess a firearm. The population would then be given three months to turn in their guns, without penalty.There is a major problem legally with this supposed diplomat's plans. He never once mentions that the 2nd Amendment is a Constitutional right of the people to keep and bear arms. His proposal is completely illegal according to the Constitution of the USA unless a Constitutional Convention is called to consider amending the law of the land. One would think that an "Ambassador" would be interested in little things like following the law... but apparently not Mr. Simpson.
Worse, and as mentioned, he wants to form a veritable Stormtrooper army that will maraud throughout the country.
The disarmament process would begin after the initial three-month amnesty. Special squads of police would be formed and trained to carry out the work. Then, on a random basis to permit no advance warning, city blocks and stretches of suburban and rural areas would be cordoned off and searches carried out in every business, dwelling, and empty building. All firearms would be seized. The owners of weapons found in the searches would be prosecuted: $1,000 and one year in prison for each firearm.Perhaps Mr. Simpson became too used to the despotic, all powerful leaders in the failed African states to which he was sent as Ambassador and their style of autocratic government made him envious. But whatever the case, Simpson truly has no grasp of the country in which he lives because he doesn't mention any of it. No mention of the Constitution, our history, world history and the despots who ruled with an iron fist over an unarmed populace, or the principles upon which this country was founded make even a tiny appearance in his piece. Just his desire to hand all power to his hand picked goon squad who will roam about the country attacking law abiding citizens.
... On the streets it would be a question of stop-and-search of anyone, even grandma with her walker, with the same penalties for "carrying."
The hit squad Simpson envisions isn't his only anti-gun measure, of course.
He proposes gun dealers still be "allowed" to sell guns but only to museums. He thinks hunters should still be allowed their gun but he has created his own ideas of a classified "hunting weapon" that will have to be locked up with the police except during "hunting season" -- a vague notion in Simpson's mind obviously. After all, "hunting seasons" are different all over the place and allow for hunting different types of game all year long. Obviously Simpson has no clue of what "hunting season" really means. His idea would necessitate a Federal Hunting law, and would take more power from the various states.
Speaking of hunters, Simpson appears to imagine that all hunters are mass murderers just waiting for their chance to kill all around them, too. But, that their murdering rampages might be a "lesser sort of issue."
There could conceivably also be a rash of score-settling during hunting season as people drew out their weapons, ostensibly to shoot squirrels and deer, and began eliminating various of their perceived two-footed enemies. Given the general nature of hunting weapons and the fact that such killings are frequently time-sensitive, that seems a lesser sort of issue.Simpson also seems to imagine that Mexico and Canada would rush into the gun selling business once we illegally outlaw them and send our Stormtrooping armies throughout the country to confiscate US citizen's firearms.
America's long land and sea borders present another kind of problem. It is easy to imagine mega-gun dealerships installing themselves in Mexico, and perhaps in more remote parts of the Canadian border area, to funnel guns into the United States. That would constitute a problem for American immigration authorities and the U.S. Coast Guard, but not an insurmountable one over time.Yet, both Mexico and Canada have stricter gun laws than do we, so how he imagines that they would suddenly both become the virtual WalMart of guns is hard to imagine.
All in all, Simpson has done nothing but reveal that he thinks he is smarter than everyone around him and that only HE should be allowed to make all the rules. He also imagines himself smarter than the Founders as well as more able than the Supreme Court to adjudicate what should be allowable under the US Constitution.
It is no wonder that this man doesn't understand America, he seems quite unlike one.
Another piece of his.
Dan Simpson: Invade Syria? Insane
"..As I suspected six months ago, U.S. military and Bush administration civilian officials confirmed last week that U.S. forces have invaded Syria and engaged in combat with Syrian forces...."
Come to my house first.
5.56mm
he needs a broader platform for his views.
What do our presidential candidates think of his proposal? Their responses would be interesting to say the least.
Usually people with this agenda are far cleverer than he is.
“Toledo Blade: ‘Special Squads of Police’ Should Disarm Americans”
People like this getting their way will turn otherwise law abiding citizens into copp killers.
Frightening to think that moonbats such as him have votes that cancel out the votes of real Americans. Makes you wonder where we’re headed.
He missed his calling.
He would have been well better served in 1939.
In Germany!
copp = cop
need more coffee
Clinton appointee.
This guy frankly sounds mentally unstable. The Second Amendment is hardly the only constitutionally enshrined right that would be trampled on under this bizarre proposal. We’d prevent a lot more deaths by taking the same approach to alcohol, so it’s hard to see why it’s guns that trigger his call for utter disregard of the Constitution. The editor who chose to publish this piece must be on our side, since it certainly promotes the idea that gun-banners aren’t playing with anywhere near a full deck.
OH MY LORD!
I read the column, my head exploded, and right now the folks in my office are cleaning my brains off their clothes.
Incredible. This isn’t out of the Onion? The only good part of this is that it’s an indicator of how far newspapers have sunk. They’re on par with the far-left fever swamp blogs.
I guess he wants squads of citizens to form and retaliate by assassinating his special squads of nazi stormtroopers.
Where does one find Police Officers foolhardy enough to enter dwellings where the inhabitants will fight to the death to avoid confiscation? They won't be dealing with street thugs who hold their pistols like cordless drills. They will be dealing with US Veterans and good ol' boys. Many of them have been shooting since before first grade.
As for me, I have more bullets than they can find officers. Oh and lots of other tricks I won't mention.
Re-read the article. Warner Todd Huston is writing about another nutcase named Dan Simpson who actually proposed this.
LOL! Yeah well, it'll take a very very "special" squad of Police to pull it off, and I doubt beyond their first adventure, that they'd be long on this earth. Come get some! Blackbird.
I think you missed something. The socialist, gun-grabbing idea is Dan Simpson’s. Warner Todd Huston was saying Simpson was an idiot.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.