Gun Industry Ex-Official Describes Bond of Silence

The New York Times ^ | 2/4/2003 | Fox Butterfield

[dirtboy]

The meeting was opposed by the National Rifle Association, and Mr. Ricker said in his affidavit that pressure from the rifle association led the gun industry to disband his organization in favor of the more conservative National Shooting Sports Foundation.

Mr. Ricker can't POSSIBLY have an axe to grind here ... nah...

[coloradan]

Yet another article that abuses the word "loophole" by claiming thing specifically spelled out in law that limit government power are "loopholes".

This article also claims the NRA is "a bunch of right-wing wackos." LOL!

[xsrdx]

Complete Fiction Bang!

[trebb]

And booze is sold to minors, along with cigarettes. Prescription drugs are sold or prescribed improperly. Heck, lots of stuff is handled improperly, but the usual solution is to go after the offenders, not the manufacturers.

[RS]

Until he starts naming names and producing evidence, he is just another player on the liberal talk show circuit.

[coloradan]

I would like to see the right start talking about "closing the partial-birth abortion 'loophole'" in order to get the left to stop using the word 'loophole' in this way.

[outpost44]

"Mr. Ricker, a moderate in an industry dominated by hard-liners,"

Kinda like saying: "Cal Thomas, a moderate among an industry of left-wing extremists". Yet you will never read THAT in the lame-stream press.

[Mr. K]

what a dickhead- how can gun manufacturers 'police' dealers...?

If I sell computer services to people, I cant go to their location and watch what they do with it.. I have to WORK on new stuff if I want to put food on my table... sheesh...

MANUFACTURERS are NOT regulating authorities for their customers. If someone can legally buy from you then that is all you can know.

If you HEAR of some bad behavior, all you can do is report it. I am not buying this 'bond of silence' crapola- this bone head sounds like a liberal, and therefore must be a liar.

[meatloaf]

I wish this was complete fiction. The ATF is limited to one inspection a year UNLESS they're investigating a criminal action, have a warrant, etc. The number of ATF inspectors has always been around 200. That means whether the number of FFLs was 200,000 or around the current 100,000, the number was the same.

You can do the math and see it's impossible for the ATF to inspect all the FFLs in one year. This is the ATF's fault plain and simple. It has nothing to do with the NRA or the firearms industry. The ATF is not doing their job.

[xsrdx]

The ATF is not doing their job

I don't disagree, but nobody really wants a bigger or more intrusive ATF.

The "fiction" I was referring to is the articles implication that gun manufacturers have some knowledge of, or control over what FFL dealers and distributors do with the guns they buy.

Individuals are responsible for the guns on the black market - not dealers, not gun shows, and not manufacturers.

[Denver Ditdat]

I would like to see the right start talking about "closing the partial-birth abortion 'loophole'" in order to get the left to stop using the word 'loophole' in this way.

Fantastic idea BUMP.

[meatloaf]

I don't have a problem with the ATF doing their job inspecting FFLs. I think that would make a difference in how many firearms are diverted from legal channels into the black market.

I don't think that's a job the ATF finds real exciting. Examining millions of forms each year at dealers doesn't get the ATF the front page publicity for the congressional show and tells at budget time.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

A friend of the Clintons.

[Teacher317]

Did he just watch "Liberty Stands Still" or something? That was a central theme.

(Utterly horrid movie. Wesley Snipes covers virtually every anti-gun and evil-right-wing stereotype and conspiracy theory possible... every bit of the movie's story takes place in a single block of a city park... and they don't even have the guts to show Linda Fiorentino's nude scene!)

[dbwz]

bookmarking bump

[Ches]

I wonder what they have on him? Looks like another person has fallen "victim" to the PC crowd.

We won't prosecute you if you do this for us. Like a drug dealer getting a "get out of jail free" card for turning other people in.

[an amused spectator]

Fox Butterfield of the New York Times. 'Nuff said.

[Living Stone]

Sure they are doing thier job. Trampling the Constitution.

Working to destroy the Second amendment.

What part of "shall not be infringed" don't you understand?

[absalom01]

Well, it's clear that there's an axe being ground, but that won't matter much when this goes to trial this spring. Remember this, and watch the news in April and May: this is California, and the plaintifs may well prevail given our jury pool. Appeals are guaranteed if that happens, but this is an enormously dangerous lawsuit, which has the potential to have impacts all across the country.