[Winchester 73]

This Socialist rag has gotten to the point of having no shame whatsoever.In today's editorial they blatantly state that VT killer Seung-Hui Cho used a high capacity assault weapon to kill 32 people.
So now a 22 Walther and a 9mm Glock have become assault weapons in the eyes of the Heralds editors.

http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/241397.html

On the same page anti-gun bigot Jim Morin, the Heralds cartoonist, has this view of the Second Amendment:
http://www.miamiherald.com/jim_morin/image_media/240883.html

[Zen21Tao]

Here is what I posted in their comments section:



(Quote)
Seung-Hui Cho used a high-capacity assault weapon to kill 32 people at Virginia Tech last April.
(End Quote)

This is an out right lie. Cho used a Walther P22 .22 caliber pisol and a Glock 19 9mm pistol. The P22 only had 10 round magazines but the Glock did have 15 round magazines. These are hardly the "assault weapons" this author tries to present them as.

(Quote)Shawn LaBeet used an AK-47 last week to outgun four Miami-Dade police officers, killing one and injuring three. These high-profile killings should be reason enough for Congress, now led by a slim Democrat majority, to try again to reinstate the ban -- or at least make it tougher to buy assault weapons.(End Quote)

1st of all, Leet did not obtain his weapon legally he used a stolen ID to misrepresent himself as someone else. As for the weapon itself, if it was a semi-auto AK-47 "look alike" that didn't have the flash surpessor, bayonet lug, or folding stock, then it WAS legal and widely available during the 94' ban. All the ban did was regulate these cosmetic features, not the weapons themselves. Besides, a National Institute of Justice study commissioned to determine the effectiveness of the ban found the ban irrelevant as before than and during the ban, so called "assault weapons" were used in less than 1% of all gun crimes. This weapon is hardly the "weapon of choice" for street gangs, as this story would have everyone believe.

This is simply another example of the anti-gun community seething at the mouth as they exploit the occurrence of a statistical rare event, which they try to capitalize on by misrepresenting it as a far more frequent event than it actually is.

[camacho]

Reichminister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, would be really proud of this article.

[feedthehogs]

One problem with harping on about cosmetic parts bans that make no difference in the fire power of a firearm is it only serves to educate the future bunch of anti gun legislative writers to ban the firearms themselves without regard to bayonets, flash hiders, pistol grips and what not.

This type of biased writing is not uncommon in social areas of the country such as Miami. It would be much more upsetting say if Guns and Ammo magazine came out with an article of the same.

After all sensationalism sells papers. And after the recent rash of police shootings in South Florida, the Herald is only trying to cash in on the hysteria while it is still fresh in peoples minds.

What better way to do this than to show a dead police officer on the ground with a blurb about the second amendment from a presidential candidate the Herald would never support. They were able to kill two birds with one picture.

Instead of coming up with ideas for societies problem of dealing with individuals of a criminal nature, they do the predictable and keep calling for a ban on firearms thinking that will stop humans killing humans.

[45Badger]

1st of all, Leet did not obtain his weapon legally he used a stolen ID to misrepresent himself as someone else. As for the weapon itself, if it was a semi-auto AK-47 "look alike" that didn't have the flash surpessor, bayonet lug, or folding stock, then it WAS legal and widely available during the 94' ban. All the ban did was regulate these cosmetic features, not the weapons themselves. Besides, a National Institute of Justice study commissioned to determine the effectiveness of the ban found the ban irrelevant as before than and during the ban, so called "assault weapons" were used in less than 1% of all gun crimes. This weapon is hardly the "weapon of choice" for street gangs, as this story would have everyone believe.

Spell-check is your friend:)

[Bazooka Joe71]

Here is the story:

Since Congress lifted a 10-year-old ban on assault weapons in 2004, the military-style rifles have become increasingly popular as a weapon of choice for criminals and people bent on violence. Seung-Hui Cho used a high-capacity assault weapon to kill 32 people at Virginia Tech last April. Shawn LaBeet used an AK-47 last week to outgun four Miami-Dade police officers, killing one and injuring three. These high-profile killings should be reason enough for Congress, now led by a slim Democrat majority, to try again to reinstate the ban -- or at least make it tougher to buy assault weapons.

Law-enforcement agencies around the country report that assault weapons are now being routinely used by gangs and in street crimes. The rapid-fire, high-powered rifles give criminals a decided advantage in any exchange of gunfire. In self defense, police departments in South Florida and throughout the country are adding assault weapons to their arsenals.

Since the ban was lifted, Congress has been reluctant to try again to outlaw assault weapons, in part, because of the strength in opposition of the National Rifle Association, and because of Americans' growing ambivalence about gun control. A Gallup Poll showed that the percentage of people who favor stricter gun-sale laws dropped from a high of 78 percent in 1990 to a low of 51 percent in 2002. The new Democrat majority in Congress, which includes some members from conservative pro-gun districts, may find it hard going to muster enough support for a renewal of the assault-weapon ban.

Nevertheless, murderous rampages like those committed by Shawn LaBeet and Seung-Hui Cho make it clear that doing nothing is not a viable option. Congress mustn't let criminals get the upper hand. Lawmakers should renew the fight to keep assault weapons out of the hands of determined killers.



Thats definately what you call an outright lie.

[Zen21Tao]

Spell-check is your friend:)

Thank you 45Badger for pointing out my spelling errors. I have a habit of submitting things before I have had a chance to properly review them for errors. This is most often the case when I'm posting a comment about something that has really "ruffled my feathers" (which seems to almost always involve tree-huggers and/or gun-grabbers). :D

[Mannlicher]

No surprise for me. I lived in Miami for years. The police chief, Timoney, is also a rabid yankee anti gunner. His son was/is a druggie though. Typical 'do as I say, not as I do' liberal.

[Dorryn]

If a .22 pistol has been upgraded to an "assault weapon", are my .40 cal's now upgraded to "machine pistols"? :D

[Stauble]

yeah i just left south florida a month ago...best move ive ever made..bunch of freakin commies

[damien]

Christ, at least they have concealed carry in Florida. I live in Illinois and I wish our commies were more like their commies.

[WuzYoungOnceToo]

I live in Illinois and I wish our commies were more like their commies.
But what about your Nazis? I hate Illinois Nazis.

[benEzra]

If a .22 pistol has been upgraded to an "assault weapon", are my .40 cal's now upgraded to "machine pistols"?
If they use double-column magazines, they are "machineguns" in the District of Columbia, by statute. Seriously.

[Black Adder LXX]

But what about your Nazis? I hate Illinois Nazis.

Lovin' the Blues Brothers quote...

[Black Adder LXX]

I see that facts have no place in this article. Fear-mongering seems to be welcome, however. Cho did not have assault weapons. The AK-47 used by Labeet was illegally purchased. That AK-47 copy he used was semi-automatic. If you want to look at some facts, let's look at the crime rates across the US that increase as legal citizens' rights to defend themselves is curtailed through ignorant and ineffective legislation.

This kind of irresponsible and deliberately false journalism is an affront to the law-abiding folks in this community. It also perfectly represents why I do not read the liberal tripe the Herald shovels out to the masses.

Jim Young-
Fort Lauderdale

[BitterBeerFace]

Here's my comment:

Misinformation and outright lies.

The VT killer did not use any "assault weapons". He used very common pistols used for target shooting, self-defence and law enforcement. If you want to redefine what "assault weapon" means that's a whole different discussion, but don't spread lies in an attempt to incite fear.

LaBeet illegally purchased weapons with false ID. It's interesting that there's no mention of all his previous criminal activity. Rather than enact more gun control, work on improving systems/background checks to catch criminals before they get weapons. "Gun control" only hurts law-biding citizens. Hardened criminals will still find a way to get weapons.

[JWarren]

When you wrote in the title line "Miami Herald," I really didn't have to read the article to know what they would say. They are about as bad as the LA Times.


-- John