Conyers Calls for Sniper Rifle Probe (Suprise!)

(AP) ^

[Dallas]

WASHINGTON --

The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee called on federal officials Thursday to investigate the marketing of sniper rifles, saying the weapons "pose a real danger to the civilian population."

The request from Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., came as the Washington metropolitan area was being terrorized by a string of nine shootings, including seven deaths, by what police believe to be an elusive gunman. Each of the victims was hit by a single bullet fired from a distance, using a military-style rifle or hunting rifle.

Conyers wants the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the marketing of military rifles to the American public. "There is no legitimate purpose for a military rifle than to make war," Conyers said. "There is no reason these rifles should be marketed to civilians."

Conyers complained that ads for military style rifles boast of being able to shoot down airplanes and helicopters, and shooting through armored vehicles. "Sniper rifles pose a real danger to the civilian population," he said.

The FTC opened an investigation into the marketing of violent movies, music and video games to children after a series of school shootings, including the Littleton, Colo., massacre at Columbine High School in which two students killed 13 people before committing suicide, Conyers said.

The FTC said it would consider the request.

[America's Resolve]

This is stupid. What's a 'sniper rifle'? Any rifle with a scope on it? EVERY rifle above a shotgun for real hunting has a scope on it.

Moronic, Idotic, Imbicilic DemocRATS

[MJY1288]

"Sniper Rifle" What an idiot Conyers is. Doesn't that moron understand that a "Sniper Rifle" has never harmed a single soul. He needs to Probe the "Sniper"

Liberals will never get it. It's like trying to blame the Penis for the rape

[Landru]

"The request from Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich."

Sweet Jesus.
The man's dumber than your average 'Rat.

...& twice as dumb as a rock.

[dirtboy]

This is stupid. What's a 'sniper rifle'? Any rifle with a scope on it? EVERY rifle above a shotgun for real hunting has a scope on it.

The gun grabbers are energized by the smell of blood. And, true to form, they are exploiting tragedy to push their agenda. EVERY RIFLE IS A SNIPER RIFLE. The Brady Center for Gun Confiscation said that this episode was justification for re-authorizing the ban on so-called Assault Rifles, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE SHOOTER IS ONLY FIRING ONE SHOT. The guy could have just as easily used an old single-shot .270 (if there is such a beast), but don't let the media and the gun-grabbers allow facts to get in the way of their agendas...

[dirtboy]

EVERY rifle above a shotgun for real hunting has a scope on it.

And a modestly skilled marksman could accomplish these hienous murders with a 30-30 with iron sights. But the agenda is about the weapons, not the perp. Which tells a thinking person all he needs to know about what the Brady Center is all about.

[shrinkermd]

From the US Bureau of Justice, BJS Data Report, 1989 (page 20) At current homicide rates, the lifetime chance of being a murder victim is --

1 in 30 for black males

1 in 179 for white males

1 in 132 for black females

1 in 495 for white females

[Dallas]

Do a FR search on "Conyers" and you'll gag at how many probes this SOB asks for....

[Renegade]

You mean Conyers IS stupid don't you ???

[TheDon]

What's Conyers background in law enforcement? Or is he just grandstanding for political purposes? :^)

[wimpycat]

I was thinking the same thing as I read this thread. Conyers wants to probe everything...except anything having to do with Democrat corruption and subterfuge.

Somebody on the Judiciary Committee ought to tell Conyers exactly where he can stick his probe.

[RightOnline]

Fercryinoutloud...................Conyers gives idiocy a bad name.

[Landru]

This Conyers guy elevates the term, "Uselful Idiot" a full quantum level.
The white 'Rats must be L(t)AO at this baffoon.
"Racism" perpetrated by today's 'Rat party is the very essence of what makes 'em work; while, they're pointing fingers & screaming...yea, "RACISM!" >?<

Things are that screwed-up, alright.

...now just go a head & try telling that to a 'Rat, eh?

[glc1173@aol.com]

"This is stupid. What's a 'sniper rifle'? Any rifle with a scope on it?" (AP)

Carlos Hathcock did just fine with an ordinary .30-06 Winchester Model 70 - basically a deer rifle rebarreled with a heavy barrel. Marine "sniper rifle" of today is basically a Remington 700 Varmint Special in .308 with a good scope.

Either liberals don't know what a "sniper rifle" is - or really want a "slippery slope" as we've long said.

Scandals of antigun politicians - from Kalifornia to Manhattan!

[Vidalia]

Conyers lives in the past and his mental acuity is dwindling.

He had no idea about Dallas and JFK, but now, nearly 30 years later he cares about the capacity of any rifle to be used as a "sniper rifle".

Conyers obviously hasn't a clue about the English language either.

Here's a little help:

Sniper - A marksman who shoots at people from a concealed place.
Rifle - A shoulder weapon with a long barrel and a rifled bore.

The sniper/shooter is the peacetime criminal; the "rifle" is merely the tool of choice of mayhem. The idiocy of his argument (and the secret of the push against the Second Amendment) is that any rifle, regardless of barrel length, may be outfitted to use for sniping, from the Cal .22 short to any big game gun, some of which will literally stop a Volkswagen .

Fit any weapon (properly) with an inexpensive scope and you have a weaponthat is only dangerous in the hands of an idiot or crazed maniac.

Maybe Conyers, as a child (or even as an adult) was taken on a "Snipe Hunt" , never recovered from the personal and emotional humiliation unlike normal folk, and has vowed revenge ever since to anything spelled "s-n-i-p-e"...

[Nebr FAL owner]

Nothing idiotic about it the b*stard wants to to get ANY & ALL guns out of the hands of the PEASENTS,SERFS,& SLAVES for the simple reason if you can't fight back you can't revolt.

[IronJack]

That won't take long. There is no such thing as a "sniper rilfe." It, like so many other firearm boogeymen, is a media fiction.

[IronJack]

There definitely is no such thing as a sniper rilfe. Neither is there such a thing as a sniper RIFLE. At least, as marketed commercially.

[rockfish59]

Ted is coming for your guns!

[Dan from Michigan]

Can this ASS finally retire.

[Dallas]

He'll only leave feet-first on a stretcher....

[Draakan]

"Conyers Calls for Sniper Probe"

If this is not politicizing these useless murders, then I don't not what is! This socialist is a complete idiot

[Cindy]

CRIME CONTROL; NOT GUN CONTROL is a thought completely lost on Conyers and the rest of the politically correct, anti-traditional values, anti-common sense DnC crowd.

[RebelDawg]

Conyers needs to do some more research. .223s are not sniper rifles DOH!

[Dave in Eugene of all places]

Yeah we should talk about this.
These sniper/assault/whatever weapons are a danger to civilians (actually, everyone), when they are allowed into the wrong hands.

"In the wrong hands" being the key phrase here.

I don't know if statistics have ever been gathered, but just what do you suppose the numbers would tell in a comarison of the number of innocents killed by armed government employees (a class that virtually nobody in the political establishment seeks to disarm) to the numbers of those killed by the general population of civillian gunowners? I might be all wet, but I have a pretty good guess of who would come out smelling better here.

How about the felony conviction rates of the same two groups? Which class do you suppose stands a greater chance of having one in their lifetime?

Those oughta be some interesting things to talk about, if you're seriously interested in finding ways to improve the overall safety of American citizens.

Dave in Eugene

[ozzymandus]

Conyers is a lifelong communist, exploiting murders to push his political adgenda to disarm law-abiding Americans. May he burn in hell.

[Zon]

The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee called on federal officials Thursday to investigate the marketing of sniper rifles, saying the weapons "pose a real danger to the civilian population."

Such irrationality that our taxes dollars are wasted on. Does Conyers not know that guns are inanimate objects and cannot kill people -- that it is people that kill people?

Come out John Conyers, step into the debate in an open public forum. Step out from behind your protective media shield. I'm just a working-class man. Surely with your great intellect you have nothing to fret over. ...Or do you?

"There is no legitimate purpose for a military rifle than to make war," Conyers said.

Target shooting, hunting and home protection. There's no legitimate purpose for irrational politicians that demonstrate that they don't comprehend that guns -- inanimate objects that they are -- cannot hurt people. Only people can chose to hurt people. In this case it is you John Conyers that has chosen to harm people by becoming an irrational politician.

 "There is no reason these rifles should be marketed to civilians."

The reason is that there is market demand for them. Again, John Conyers, you demonstrate your incompetence. Worse, it is irrationality and incompetence such as yours that us working-class men and woman are forced at the barrel of a gun to pay your salary. Forced to pay your salary so that you and your cronies in congress can continue creating 3,000 new laws and regulations each year.

As if somehow people and society could not continue to prosper without those 3,000 new laws this year and 3,000 new laws next year, year after year. How is that us working-class men and women were able to increase prosperity and well being for years and decades prior without this year's new laws, yet suddenly you and your cronies proclaim that we working-class men and women will run headlong into destruction without you and your cronies creating all those new laws.

War of Two Worlds
Value Creators versus Value Destroyers

The first thing civilization must have is business/science. It's what the family needs so that its members can live creative, productive, happy lives. Business/science can survive, even thrive without government/bureaucracy.

Government/bureaucracy cannot survive without business/science. In general, business/science and family is the host and government/bureaucracy is a parasite.

Keep valid government services that protect individual rights and property. ...Military defense, FBI, CIA, police and courts. With the rest of government striped away those few valid services would be several fold more efficient and effective than they are today. 

Underwriters Laboratory is a private sector business that has to compete in a capitalist market. Underwriters laboratory is a good example of success where government fails.

Any government agency that is a value to people and society -- which there are but a few -- could much more effectively serve people by being in the private sector where competition demands maximum performance.

Wake up! They are the parasites. We are the host. We don't need them. They need us.

[TexasGunRunner]

What classic tripe!

1) there is no record of any crime ever having been committed using a .50 BMG rifle.

2) the current "sniping" going on is using a .223 Remington, one of the weakest centerfire cartridges in existence. Contrary to published reports, it is not "high power."

3) There is no such thing as a "military rifle." There is no such thing as an "assault rifle" (more properly known as 'homeland defense rifles' - HDR). Rifles are tools and any rifle can be used in a number of ways. Typical rifle systems used by the military and police for sniper and counter-sniper roles are in fact scoped bolt-action or semi-auto rifles with flat shooting rounds (.308 Winchester or the small varmint rounds). They also happen to be perfect candidates for deer hunting or varmint hunting (which is a lot like sniping).

4)Nothing I have read so far indicates if they know whether it is bolt-action, semi-auto, or some other type of rifle. Given the range and accuracy, it is probably scoped, but there is no way for them to know until they see the rifle. They can't tell what color it is either. For all they know, it could be a hot-pink Armalite or a purple polka-dotted white plastic stock on a Browning A-bolt. It could even be a Ruger single-shot.

5) Talk to somebody who fought in World War II, like Guadacanal or the Phillipines. They will tell you the truth about whether rifles can knock down low-level slow flying airplanes or not. They can't unless they get an incredibly lucky one in a trillion shot. The same is true for armored vehicles. Any soldier who served at the Battle of the Bulge will tell you how easy it was to knock out tanks with their Garand, BAR, or M1903 "sniper rifles."

6)If the Congressman isn't smart enough to tell the difference between a parody ad on the internet (.50BMG for under $30 joke ad by Birdman) and a real ad, then his family should seek a comptency hearing because he is not fit to manage anyone's affairs.

7)If there is such a danger, then Conyers should tell us the technical difference between a scoped deer rifle (.270, .308, or .30-06) and any sub-.50BMG "sniper system" he is scared of and why it is more lethal or more dangerous.

[Vidalia]

"The guy could have just as easily used an old single-shot .270 (if there is such a beast),..."BB There are many such beasts alongwith the .243 and many others.

If any of this pervert's are not custom made, then the cops and the thousands of alphabet agents may not have a clue, and will again grab at straws...

[alaskanfan]

How in the hell does this guy (Conyers) keep getting re-elected????

[c-b 1]

Maybe Conyers is not as stupid as we think, he in typical Communist fashion is exploiting tragic events, using them to frame the debate. What is or is not a sniper rifle is irrellevant, he is using these events to villify "sniper rifles" leaving the descripton open ended, so anything can fall into the category.

[Vidalia]

PUT DOWN THAT AXE to grind, Dave in EUGENE, for several small furry animals with picts are running away.

Some day Sid will let you know what the answer is...

[FlyVet]

He forgot to blame the NRA.

[river rat]

"How in the hell does this guy (Conyers) keep getting re-elected????"

He lives in a district populated with a sufficient number of people too stupid to recognize the stupidity of Conyers. They also lack any self respect -- to allow themselves to be represented by such a incompetent clymer.
Semper Fi

[Redbob]

"Conyers said. 'There is no reason these rifles should be marketed to civilians.'"

Politicians like Conyers are EXACTLY why rifles like these should be in civilian hands.
But various statements by Patrick Henry put it so much more eloquently than I could.

[Destructor]

These stupid Dimocrats never learn. Every time they bring up Gun Control as an issue they pay for it dearly at the polls! Here we are again just in time for the election. Have at it you idiots! It's always fun to watch the results of this campaign!!

[Redbob]

Actually, the statistics HAVE been gathered.
See the Dept. of Justice study on the effectiveness of the "assault weapon" ban on reducing crime.
It's on their website.

Says the "ban" took "assault weapons" off the streets simply because it made them so highly collectible!
But no measurable effect on crime.

Talk about yer unintended consequences...

[Redbob]

"How in the hell does this guy (Conyers) keep getting re-elected????"

Two reasons:
(a) He is of the same ethnicity as the majority of voters in his district; and
(B)They are even farther down the bell curve than he is.

How's THAT for euphemism?

[Lazamataz]

In other words, he wants to ban absolutely every firearm in the world.

• 50 Caliber rifle? Sniper rifle. Banned.
• Semiautomatic rifle? Sniper rifle. Banned.
• Pump action rifle? Sniper rifle. Banned.
• Bolt action rifle? Sniper rifle. Banned.
• Breechloading rifle? Sniper rifle. Banned.
• Singe shot rifle? Sniper rifle. Banned.
• Pistol with long barrel? Sniper rifle. Banned.
• Shotgun? Sniper rifle. Banned.

[johnny7]

Conyers is a true marxist.

He's got a bill out there for his “reparations”.

Seems his pension isn't good enough.

A .223 is a varmint rifle... plain and simple. Conyers wants you to turn in your weapons and trust the thugs who threaten you.

What a floating turd!

[Lazamataz]

Conyers is a lifelong communist

And if you go up and ask him, he'll proudly tell you that.

[Lazamataz]

Carlos Hathcock did just fine with an ordinary .30-06 Winchester Model 70 - basically a deer rifle rebarreled with a heavy barrel.

In Conyer's ideal world?

Banned.

[junta]

It is a medical fact that Black men are highly succeptable to the effects of dementia more so than any other demographic group. This factoid might have some bearing on the story.

[FreedomPoster]

The one good thing about this is that maybe all those deer hunters, who never thought the gun grabbers would come for their deer rifles, will wake up and strongly support the NRA, GOA, JPFO, and pro-gun politicians.

Another comment - do these politicians not realize they are playing with fire? Do they really want to create a situation where some significant percentage (which is anything above .1%) of the hunters in America become anti-government snipers?

[J. L. Chamberlain]

Um John, would my .54 cal cap and ball bench rifle w/peep sights be considered a "sniper rifle"? It's lethal out to 225 yards in the right hands. Gonna ban that?

J

[Lazamataz]

Um John, would my .54 cal cap and ball bench rifle w/peep sights be considered a "sniper rifle"? It's lethal out to 225 yards in the right hands. Gonna ban that?

Of course. Your rifle is just what he has in mind when he says we need to ban sniper rifles.

[J. L. Chamberlain]

Ya well, FMCDH!

I have this delicious image in my head of Conyers leading a band of BATF thugs around the primitive camp at the NMLRA nationals, searching for the evil "sniper rifles". I can just see the piss streaming down their legs as they pass by folks armed with every form of weapon. 10 inch Bowie knives, tomahawks, pistols in their belts and large caliber rifles cradled in their arms.

Molon Labe, Conyers!

J

[Dave in Eugene of all places]

Don't really have an axe to grind here, I've just observed that there is a segment of society that's having a way above average incidence of shooting folks who oughn't be shot, and otherwise getting in trouble with the law. There are probably a number of factors that contribute to this, and I don't think an especially bad sort of charachter is drawn to the occupation so much as things within that segment of society affect one after he or she enters it. Power corrupts, and that power has been in a long period of expansion, and I think, whether or not that power is particularly desired by an individual, it still corrupts.

I've been thinking long and hard about the trouble with cops these days, and this is the short $.02 worth of this amateur's philosophy, YMMV.

I have friends who have the endless, glamorless, thankless job, as it's been called by a guy who used to play one on TV, and I see that they do get jaded. I do my part in my personal relationships with them, and try to bring in the often forgotten perspective in a non confrontational way, but this is the internet, where we are nameless and faceless (some hereabouts know exactly who I am, you don't), where we are supposed to be able to just say what we want without bothering with all the niceties, and can thereby have a more blunt conversation that will deal more directly with cause and affect.

(Who the heck is Sid, and what is he doing to those furry animals?)

Dave in Eugene