Gun laws a minefield for military (California Bans Guns in Military!)

The Orange County Register ^ | 02/09/2003 | Gordon Dillow

[groanup]

As thousands of U.S. military personnel in California deploy to the Persian Gulf in preparation for war, some of them are having a serious problem.

They can't get guns.

Oh sure, the military provides them with an array of weapons: M-16s, grenade launchers, squad automatic weapons and so on. They're heavily armed.

[groanup]

Excuse me. My hair's on fire and I've got to go put it out.

[Coleus]

ping

[Cicero]

It says you need to be a police officer to buy a gun.

The State Attorney General's office says they can't make exceptions.

Suppose they deputize these guys? I don't know if that would do it, but it's a possibility.

Either that, or tie Gray Davis to a long pole, and hold it out ahead of them as they advance toward the enemy, as a kind of decoy or distraction.

[Coleus]

ping

[stevem]

If I felt I needed such things, I think I would have been tempted to get whatever I needed in some other state. Furthermore, most of these guys knew they were on there way long before 10 days prior to deployment. Still, California is a sorry State of affairs. I'm still mystified as to why anyone would live there voluntarily.

[ARepublicanForAllReasons]

Even if he wanted to, the attorney general can't waive any of the statutory restrictions on gun sales - not even for guys headed off to war.

California flakiness trumps national defense and Constitutional rights. If this law were challanged in a test case, think of the positive publicity, regardless of the courts decision. These gun laws are killing our people, and situation illustrates that truth better than any comparison of crime statistics could.

[blackdog]

I want to know who is responsible for arresting all the policemen on the day they retire? After all, from that day forward they are felons.....Illegal weapons, illegal high capacity magazines, illegal ammunition, all on the day they retire.

[FreedomCalls]

If I felt I needed such things, I think I would have been tempted to get whatever I needed in some other state.

Purchasing a handgun in a state that you are not a resident of is a felony under current state and federal law. These guys are resident in California. They have no other choice.

[janetgreen]

All the gang members and the Hollywood crowd have guns here in CA, but for us ordinary taxpaying and law-abiding citizens it's a no-no unless it's registered. Doesn't make much sense to me.

[Just another Joe]

Although law enforcement personnel are exempted from many of the restrictions on purchasing firearms

Ah yes, special rules for the elite.
Don't bother me peon, can't you see I'm special.

[blackdog]

The state attorney general should be informed that he is not enforcing gun laws on a few hundred felons each week. How would that go over at a press conference?

[Just another Joe]

Purchasing a handgun in a state that you are not a resident of is a felony under current state and federal law.

WHOA, say WHAT?
That's one I haven't heard of yet.
What law(s) are you going by?
Not ragging you, I really want to know.

[Walkingfeather]

SOLUTION: Indian lands are not subject to California Law. Just open gun stores on indian land.... which any land bought by a tribe is considered indian land in California.

[Paleo Conservative]

We ought to get a bill, it would only need to be about a paragraph long exempting all military personnell ordered to potential combat zones to be exempt from all state and federal firearm waiting periods. Such a bill could be written overnight by Republicans in the House and Senate leadership. The next morning both the House and Senate would be introduce the bill. Yes, the DemocRATS in the Senate could threaten to filibuster the bill, but they be really stupid to do so. I certainly would hate to have to defend trying to kill that bill, especially on CSPAN.

[sit-rep]

lol...

[groanup]

How do any of us feel knowing that it is highly probable that one of our twenty-year old heroes will die because of this?

I will in all likelyhood lose some sleep over this tonight.

[blackdog]

You don't solve a problem by creating a new exempt class. What will you do when those guys leave the military and hence become defacto felons under california gun laws? This just points out the stupidity of most legislation in this country. Legislatures should be barred from making a new law until they repeal ten existing ones.

[da_toolman]

SOLUTION: Indian lands are not subject to California Law. Just open gun stores on indian land.... which any land bought by a tribe is considered indian land in California.

Nah, just find out where all the gang bangers get theirs and shop there.

[groanup]

"Legislatures should be barred from making a new law until they repeal ten existing ones"

Twenty. Amen and amen.

[blackdog]

A twenty year old cannot buy a handgun or the ammunnition anyway, so don't lose sleep over those injustices. Come to think of it....Issuing a sidearm to a soldier is a felony too if he/she is under 21.