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 Copyright ©2003-2008 Anthony Canales |
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 Anthony Canales is the President of the San Fernando Valley NRA Member’s Council. He works as a Quality Control Manager in Glendale, California. He is married with one son. The opinions expressed in 'News Briefs' belong soley to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Rifle Association of America or the NRA Members' Councils of California. |
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03-20-2008
12-31-2007 |
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August 19, 2004
"...California Penal Code Section
12275-12277
12275. This chapter shall be known as the
Roberti-Roos Assault Weapons Control Act
of
1989...
12276. As used in this chapter, '
assault weapon'
shall mean the following designated
semiautomatic
firearms:
(a) All of the following specified
rifles:
(1) All AK series including, but not
limited
to, the models identified as
follows:
(A) Made in China AK, AKM, AKS,
AK47,
AK47S, 56, 56S, 84S, and
86S
(B) Norinco 56, 56S, 84S, and
86S
(C) Poly Technologies AKS and
AK47
(D) MAADI AK47 and ARM...."
- Relevant
sections from the 1989
Roberti Roos "Assault
Weapons"
Ban, which makes it
illegal to
be in possession of
the listed
firearms if
unregistered before a
date long-ago, in a
galaxy far
far away.
To All,
One would think that given the current
acceptance of "state's rights" among those of a Left-Wing persuasion, the
pre-existence of a California State Ban on certain types of semiautomatic
rifles would insulate them from the repercussions of Federal Activities. But
then, no one has ever said that the gun confiscation movement makes sense:
A Rose By Any Other Name...:
KCBS/KCAL News in Los Angeles yesterday lent
coverage to a press conference by Mayor Hahn, Chief of Police Bratton, and
various souls sympathetic to the continuation of the Federal 1994 Ban on Flash
Suppressors, Folding Stocks, and Bayonet Lugs.
Earlier radio clips from KABC-790 AM radio
had Chief Bratton wondering as to why anyone would want or need such weapons,
a clear demonstration that the Chief was not in town during the Rodney King
riots of 1991 (Of course, Chief Bratton has also decided to not trust his
troops with possession of assault flashlights, a high-capacity variant of the
civilian MagLite, so his comments do remain in character.).
But those with Internet or TIVO access are
also treated to the comments of a Mr. Ruett Foster, whose happy family life
was decimated by the actions of murderers to whom Federal and State firearm
bans meant nothing more than hot air from "The Man".
On December 8, 1997, young Evan Foster was
shot by a criminal using a MAK-90 rifle, killing him instantly. Later
arrested, three "gangbangers" ended up convicted and sentenced for substantial
terms in jail, though they went out in style by being derisive to the Fosters
over their loss and pain.
Not so oddly enough, the near-moribund Million
Mom March has tried to latch on to their case with a last, Quixotic attempt
to resuscitate the Federal "moratorium" despite a record of ineffectiveness.
Yet with reports from the DOJ and the NIJ
substantiating what firearms activists have known all along, these so-called
"bans" have yet to show any effect on the actions of the criminal classes. In
fact, with the criminal classes being willing and able to smuggle in assault
weapons from such countries as the People's Republic of China (as
demonstrated during the Clinton Administration), the old adage about "...only
the criminals will have guns..." is very much applicable in a "ban"
environment.
Sadly, the case of Ruett and Rhonda Foster is
tangible evidence supporting this very point. As their own experience with the
murderers of their son points out, gang members and other criminals usually do
not show remorse nor comprehension of what they do. (Even their work with the
California Youth Authority seems to provide only sporadic results, which may
be yet another substantiation of the durability of criminal recidivism). Thus
the expectation that such criminals as these will bother to obey gun laws, let
alone both Biblical and secular proscriptions against homicide and assault, is
not a credible one.
This, in turn, leads us to the conundrum of
criminal activity. Any and all sorts of activities are made illegal by the
will of the people. Yet any number of bad guys are willing to break the law
for some perceived gain. Almost all gun control schemes adversely affect the
individual right to keep and bear arms. Yet they have also proved to be
ineffective in the war to reduce crime. What has proven to be effective is the
prosecution and long-term determinative detention of those willing to violate
the rules of God and Man. In fact firearms activists have long experience in
that as long as serious penalties for gun crime are prosecuted and applied,
the very least that happens is a reduction of recidivism by those incarcerated
criminals. Given this real world deterrent effect, perhaps the Fosters should
redirect their efforts towards Project Safe Neighborhood in lieu of the tired
policies of a failed social protest movement. At the least, criminals handled
under these last would not be able to "have a crack" at society's members
until well after the age when Ben Gay becomes a part of one's daily ablutions.
KCBS coverage may be found at:
Revenge of the Jedi:
Bookstores were able to release copies of a
book by John O'Neill and Jerome Corsi last Tuesday that will have an
interesting impact on the current Presidential Election environment.
Entitled " Unfit for Command- Swift Boat
Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry", it is a documented account as to why
most of John Kerry's squadron and division mates have decided to oppose the
Junior Senator from Massachusetts's run for the Oval Office.
Much of the coverage of the book, both pro and
con, has to do with disputes over how Kerry performed while on Pacific Fleet
duty, and especially while deployed with riverine forces in the Mekong Delta
during the December 1968-March 1969 period. Numerous veterans who served with
Kerry in Coastal Divisions 11 and 13 have commented on Kerry's ineffectiveness
as a commander, and having a possible penchant for "embellishing" after-action
reports to put himself in the best light. This last is at the heart as to
Swift Boat Veteran claims that these embellished reports led to his receipt of
medals that were possibly undeserved.
But barring a wider release of the
after-action reports from those Swift Boat Veterans in command of various
other Swift boats in the division, only documents currently released by the
Navy (either as a "pre-release" from the Kerry Campaign or under duress from a
Lamestream Media bent on damage control) are currently as evidence towards the
case as to whether Kerry "deserves" his medals or not. Given that the media
has somehow bypassed the now famous Form 180 process and obtained certain
military records of "Swiftee" Larry Thurlow (medal citations, which themselves
may be inaccurate), it could be that the only way the Swiftees can continue to
make their case is to produce contemporary after-action reports that are at
odds with "FOIA'ed" after-action reports in Kerry's own hand. Otherwise the
supporters of Kerry will use this one discrepancy to discredit the balance of
the entire case so well laid out with reference documents in the book. Given
also that the Navy itself would be in a "lose-lose" situation if such
documents saw the light of day without certain hoops being jumped through ( A
President Kerry would surely visit his wrath on his former service in one
scenario, and vengeful Dems in the Senate would be unforgiving, to say the
least, over a 2004 Bush victory, in another, that it should be easy to predict
the Naval Bureaucracy's actions on any additional "FOIA's" for Kerry-related
materials.).
On the other hand, "Unfit For Command" also
documents some of Kerry's antiwar activities subsequent to his return to the
U.S. in the 1969-1972 period. Included in these are Kerry's activities with
the antiwar group VietNam Veterans Against The War (VVAW), his testimony to
Senator Fullbright's committee on alleged atrocities by US military personnel,
his presence at two separate meetings (not one, as previously claimed by the
Kerry Campaign) of the Executive Committee of the VVAW where a plan advocating
the assassination of U.S. Senators was discussed, and possible negotiations
on two separate occasions with North Vietnamese delegates to the Paris Peace
Talks despite still being in the Naval Reserve (though on "inactive status")
at the time.
The issue of decorations awarded, but not
merited, most likely is of interest to the various veterans and their lobbying
groups out across the Fruited Plain. Of course, if that sound of chirping
crickets from today's VFW audience is of any indication, it could be that
Kerry is going to need another brand of mouthwash before he goes back into the
breach to face the American Legion later this month.
Likewise, any involvement whatsoever with a
"plan" to do in such Senators as John Tower of Texas, John Stennis of
Mississippi, and Strom Thurmond of South Carolina may constitute a faux
paus that not even his confreres in the World's Greatest
Deliberative Body may be able to countenance (It would not do for them to
forgive and forget this one-other radicals may just get some strange ideas).
Given that these are backed up not only by press reports, but by FBI
surveillance files, they may make Kerry wish for Well's Time Machine more than
for the Universal Lexis/Nexis delete key.
It is most uncertain as to whether the
American Voter wishes to re-enact the 1992 Election and put a 60's radical
into the Oval Office (One Clintonoid a century should be enough for any
long-suffering republic).
In fact, such analysts as John O'Donnell, of
#3-With-A-Brick MSNBC News, seem to think that stories such as these are not
seen nor heard by anyone, nor are they of consequence.
Given that Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Hugh
Hewitt, The Drudgereport, and the estimable Editorial Page of the Wall Street
Journal have given significant coverage of the Swift Boat Veteran's claims, it
could be that O'Donnell might just be a bit off on this latest
prognostication. Especially when Republicans can remember that release of
President Bush's having a past-but-ancient drunk driving arrest on his record,
in the last minutes of the 2000 campaign, and the adverse effect on undecided
voters it had over that last weekend of the campaign.
As such, it would seem that it is better for
the voter to "vet" this latest Kerry biographical input before he
theoretically gets a 4 year lease on 1600 Pennsylvania Ave (yecccch, what a
thought.). Given this, it would seem that all the Swift Boat Veterans for
Truth, from the "lowliest" swabbie to the most honored former POW, deserve
some sort of medal for charging into a political "kill zone" for the sake of
the country. With luck, the casualties will be few.
Story bases can be found at:
Respectfully,
Anthony Canales
SFVMC-NRA
Copyright 2004 Anthony Canales
All rights reserved.
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