Posted on 10/25/2002 7:35:27 AM PDT by white trash redneck
An underground "sniper subculture" is brewing in the United States thanks to the aggressive marketing of so-called sniper rifles by gun manufacturers and lax gun-control regulations, according to a gun-control advocacy group.
The Violence Policy Center held a press briefing on the purported sniper subculture Thursday, only hours after police apprehended two suspects with alleged connections to the deaths of 10 people in the Washington, D.C., area. The group claims it warned of such an episode more than three years ago in its "One Shot, One Kill" report.
Tom Diaz, the group's senior policy analyst, warned that more incidents, similar to the shootings in the last three weeks, could happen unless federal and state lawmakers curb the sale of some long-guns and place new restrictions on shooting schools that teach individuals how to use firearms.
"From everything we see about the growth of books, the growth of websites, the apparent commercial success of these schools, we believe this subculture is growing," he said.
The resources available to gun owners, Diaz said, illustrate the ease with which anyone could carry out shootings similar to those in the Washington region.
"I don't know what their [snipers'] background or motivation are, but I know what they have been doing is exactly what you can learn from these books or at these schools," he said.
Police arrested John Allen Muhammad and John Lee Malvo on federal firearms charges early Thursday morning. Authorities have not yet conclusively connected the pair to the shootings.
Joe Waldron, the executive director of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, said Diaz is using the shootings to advance his political agenda.
"This is another attempt by the Violence Policy Center to exploit tragedy and select buzz words that appeal to people's emotions," Waldron said. "In this case, they're saying it's the sniper subculture. Are there people who pay attention to those things? Yeah, but I don't believe it exists as an identifiable subculture."
But Diaz said one has to look no further than bookstores and the Internet to find evidence of the trend. While he does think it is appropriate to regulate schools that train gun owners, he shied away from any government interference with gun publications.
"I don't advocate for any restriction on the books and videos," Diaz said. "If people think it's morally a good thing to put these things out and if Amazon and Barnes & Noble are comfortable selling books that show how to shoot down helicopters and kill other human beings, then so be it."
He was not as lenient, though, when it came to what he termed "sniper schools," training centers that teach long-range shooting, located throughout the United States. While he said some limit training to police or military officers, others invite anyone seeking instruction to attend.
"Police and military snipers are well-screened," he said. "We have no bone to pick with them. They have an honorable and necessary profession, but we're concerned about the bleed-over into the civilian world."
Waldron said the facilities Diaz referred to have done a good job teaching people how to properly and appropriately use firearms. He added that training schools require background checks before any student is allowed to participate.
In addition, Diaz said the federal government should enact stricter gun-control measures. Tougher restrictions must be placed on so-called sniper rifles, such as the .50, .308, and .223 calibers, he said.
"The .50 caliber semi-automatic rifle, under federal law, is less regulated than a handgun," Diaz said. "That type of rifle ought to be brought under the National Firearms Act, a law that regulates machine guns."
Erich Pratt, spokesman for Gun Owners of America, said such a move would be unwarranted since those rifles are primarily used for hunting. He said the .50 caliber rifle is an "extremely big and bulky" firearm and he was unaware if one had ever been used to commit a crime.
According to a November 2001 Bureau of Justice Statistics report, rifles of all calibers were used in 1.3 percent of the crimes committed by felons currently serving sentences in state or federal prisons. The report did not specify the caliber of weapons used by the offenders.
Pratt echoed Waldron's concern that Diaz was merely using the recent spate of shootings to capitalize on efforts to impose greater restrictions on Second Amendment rights of citizens.
"They jump on every chance the can to demonize gun owners and firearms," Pratt said. "There have been 10 tragic murders in the last few weeks, but in that same time there have been thousands of self-defense cases [with firearms] that haven't grabbed the headlines."
When they start to come for the guns, they will be correct.
"I don't know what their [snipers'] background or motivation are, but I know what they have been doing is exactly what you can learn from these books or at these schools," he said.
An honest culture in government would be good. You should prove that you understand the U.S. constitution -- "..the right to keep and bare arms shall not be infringed". You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. High ranking government officials -- politicians and bureaucrats -- are a prime example. They all take an oath to uphold the constitution but fail to uphold it in practice.
Politics suck -- politics suck objectivity out and insert irrationality in
Sometimes a small error will be compounded over and over until it becomes a massive problem.
In mid-term and presidential elections tens-of-millions of people vote for the lesser of evils despite that it still begets evil. How can so many people thinking they're right be so wrong?
Wishfull thinking. I have been around these type of people a long time. They either believe "I got my gun and I aint gonna let anyone take it away (so I don't have to get involved" or "my hunting guns are protected under the constitution, why does anyone need those assault guns anyways?" Some are just plain cowards. Their reason for not getting involved: "I don't want to get on some gubmint list"
These types are either very ignorant or just cowards (or just "sorry people" as we say here in the South.) In the past, I have worked the NRA table at many gun shows. I know of what I speak.
By the time that sort thing starts, my family and I will have taken to the field with specific objectives in mind.
It's amusing to consider that these anti-self defense fascists don't seem to understand is that anything is a weapon.
I agree. I also think that we should be able to defend ourselves from the organized gangs of criminals as well as the random unorganized ones.
Organized gangs of criminals can be identified by several characteristics. They all dress alike - frequently wearing face masks so as to avoid being identified with their evil deeds. The have their "colors" that they wear (in some cases sets of initials). They get extremely vengeful when one of their own is wounded or killed. They make a great effort to track down anyone who injures one of the gang. Their attitude is one of "them" and "us" They view anyone not in their gang as a potential source of trouble or as a potential victim to be extorted. They enjoy bullying maiming and killing people, but are cowards at heart. Organized criminal gangs are frequently armed with the latest in modern automatic weaponry purchased with the money extorted from non gang members. They extort money from people for "protection" but in reality give no protection. These are just a few of the more obvious characteristics of organized criminal gangs. I'm sure people here can think of more.
Not everyone would see that as an illogical response to folks who are trying to deprive us of our Constitutional freedoms...
I suspect that many people with similar skills and equipment have similar lists of objectives. Anyway, one can hope.
It's amusing to consider that these anti-self defense fascists don't seem to understand is that anything is a weapon.
These f'ing morons seem to have forgotten (or never learned) that murder was a very common event prior to the invention of firearms, or even cross-bows. The first recorded murder was committed with a rock - are they going to outlaw those? Guns don't cause murder, any more than automobiles cause drunk driving accidents.
Also, they seem to be unaware that laws never stopped criminals from committing crimes-Hell, the very definition of a criminal is someone who doesn't obey the law! I'll bet that, like now, the murderers in the pre-gun era didn't give a rat's hindquarters that murder was against the law of their particular jurisdiction at the time; if all guns somehow magically disappeared, murder (and other crimes of violence) would still occur (and maybe in greater numbers, as criminals wouldn't have to worry about being shot by those much less physically capable than themselves).
I know that I am preaching to the choir, but one just sometimes has to get this type of thing off one's chest. Boy, I can't wait for my next argument with a lieberal!
wish i had the $$$$$,that a "big 50" costs, though.
LIBS=LIARS!
free dixie,sw
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