Here's a post from Matt, as you read it you can tell how F'd up the whole issue got as it went along.
A Calguns Shoot and Q at Burro or Angeles is definitely in order. All my stuff is still in the LASD property lockup somewhere, but as soon as it's released I want to get back to the range. Don't want to get rusty! There is stuff I did not even get to shoot yet!
A side note on a more serious topic: Don't be too harsh on the DA's office. While all of my stuff was completely legal, from their point of view the DOJ, which is supposed to be responsible for interpreting the law (to at least some extent) was saying I had very illegal stuff. Stuff I went and posted pictures of on the internet. Stuff which reportedly terrified the more "progressive" students at my college, who happened to already be terrified by my libertarian ideas.
The fact is, it's very obvious that the DOJ is responsible for the entire situation by making it nearly impossible for anyone, even the DA, to figure out what is legal. This goes double for the cop or detective on the street that has to try and enforce this law along with 5,000 others. Sure in a perfect world they would at least know the laws they are arresting and prosecuting people for allegedly violating, but perfect it's not.
When it comes down to it, the DA (and deputies assistants ect.) and the Sheriff's Dept. really were caught up in the same mess as me. A mess created entirely by the DOJ FD (or whatever they are calling themselves these days). Once the situation got started, it was very difficult for anyone directly involved to back down. Pride and ego and all that. In other words, when the bandwagon started rolling lots of otherwise good folks jumped on blindly, and by the time they realized where it was headed it was too late to get off. Also, while it's not an excuse, consider that there was a very horrible and tragic incident that occurred on a college campus VERY shortly before I was arrested. Understandably folks wanted to do anything possible to prevent some sort of repeat, and so might have jumped without looking.
Now some things fall outside of this, like persons making slanderous statements in reference (which became libel in national newspapers, or were aired locally), certain civilian investigators for the DOD that somehow became confused about what is soldiers are supposed to be issued, certain ATF agent(s) that don't know a machine gun from a legal replica, and various persons that don't seem to interpret the words "handle" and "plate" the way I do. But none of those issues ever would have been issues if the DOJ FD agents had not been doing everything possible to prevent gun owners in this state from following the law.
Top person(s) there communicated with a radical anti civil liberties organization about which would be the most effective method(s) to deprive us, Californian gun owners, of our civil rights. In the long term they hoped to get legislation passed, or even quasi laws enforced, that would prevent us from owning OLRs. In the short term they hoped to use confusion and threats to prevent us from doing what was and is perfectly legal to do. They are bullies plain and simple. What (almost) happened to me is exactly what they wanted, a gun owner with OLRs gets publicly arrested, prosecuted and is unable to fight the system. They get to sit back and watch while the responsibility falls on the local DA, no risk to them.
Only they have failed, as they have since the beginning. Just as Calgunnners did not allow their threats, FUD and made up policies to stop lawful OLLs from entering this state and being built into legal and functional firearms, when I was down Calgunners did not let me stay down. And they lost. Instead of Californian gun owners being more reluctant to build OLLs, California DAs will be more reluctant to rely on the DOJ FUD.
Our community is stronger and more active than ever. It's a bit like when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, they though they would take the fight out of us, and instead they woke the real fight up.
And this fight is not over. Los Angeles is no place to fight in the court system over gun laws. The Right People will fight this fight, but we must pick out battles as well as the place and time. We are the underdog here, but we have far better minds on our side, and a far stronger will. The DOJ FD and its agents will be forced to defend themselves in court. And they will lose. Again.
Also, I know some of you want to know what my legal bill is (truth is I don't even know yet myself), I appreciate every cent I have received, but please don't forget we have other battles to fight. T&M has posted that they need money for legal action that will have even greater impact in the long run for everyone than my case (and that money is tax deductible!). So I would at least ask that you give at least as much to that fund as to help me, even if it means splitting what you would have donated. They need that money (experts, research, travel ect. isn't free) to fight for our rights. I don't think I'd be able to rest easy otherwise.
Thanks again, and keep your powder dry.
Matt Corwin
Blackwater OPS
