Desertdog
Member
http://www.sierratimes.com/06/07/26/Jennifer.htm
Confiscations in California
Jennifer Freeman
In 1989, California was the first state in the nation to enact a ban on a specific list of semi-automatic rifles dubbed "Assault Weapons." In 1999, the ban was expanded to include a wider array of semi-automatic rifles. Rifles that possess certain cosmetic features such as a folding stock, pistol grip, or heat suppressor were deemed "Assault Weapons." In order to gain public support for these bans, the California legislature and other anti-gun groups and individuals created a image that the rifles to be banned were more dangerous than ordinary rifles and that the only reason for the existence of such rifles was to commit violent acts on human beings. To this day, many Californians, including those in the media, are under the false impression that an "Assault Weapon" is a fully automatic machine gun. This was a deliberate, yet successful, act of deception orchestrated against the people of California. "Assault Weapons" are not in the same class as fully automatic machine guns which are subject to a separate set of laws altogether. Rather, an "Assault Weapon" is a semi-automatic rifle that fires one round of ammunition for every pull of the trigger but also contains certain cosmetic features which have no bearing on the practical functionality of the firearm. These types of firearms have been commercially available since 1896. In 2000, the State of California banned the sale of AK and AR-15 rifles, regardless of whether or not they possessed the features required to fall under the "Assault Weapons" ban. People who owned so-called "Assault Weapons" prior to the ban were allowed to keep their firearms as ex-post facto laws prevent such things as retroactive gun banning. The State of California, however, required that anyone who had such a rifle prior to the ban undergo a special registration with the California Department of Justice. This presented a moral dilemma for many California gun owners for the following reasons:
* The registration requirement is a blatant violation of the Second Amendment and is therefore null and void;
* Compliance with the new law could lead to additional gun bans and abuses of gun rights;
* Registration means that the Department of Justice keeps a list of certain gun owners and the semi-automatic rifles that have been otherwise banned;
* Firearm registration leads to confiscation.
On July 16, 2006, the Fifty Caliber Institute reported that the Los Angeles County Gun Task Force in CA has begun serving search warrants on residents in that county who are suspected of holding un-registered "Assault Rifles" including 50 BMG target rifles. The task force has confiscated and issued felony charges on at least one individual who was deemed to be out of compliance. If convicted on a felony, that individual will never be allowed to legally own any firearms for the rest of his life.
It is unclear how the Los Angeles County Gun Task Force obtained information that would constitute cause for a search warrant. If the gun owner did not register with the State, how did the County know what firearms were in his possession?
Gun owners across the country should pay close attention to this issue. The County of Los Angeles is taking an offensive position against firearm owners while simultaneously ignoring other laws such as illegal immigration and the myriad of crimes associated with it. The people of California must appeal to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the national media. It is obvious that there will be no assistance whatsoever by working within the system of Los Angeles County. Without a public outcry and national awareness, there is no telling how many cities will adopt a similar policy.
Jennifer Freeman is Executive Director and co-founder of Liberty Belles, a grass-roots organization dedicated to restoring and preserving the Second Amendment.
http://www.libertybelles.org
[email protected]
Confiscations in California
Jennifer Freeman
In 1989, California was the first state in the nation to enact a ban on a specific list of semi-automatic rifles dubbed "Assault Weapons." In 1999, the ban was expanded to include a wider array of semi-automatic rifles. Rifles that possess certain cosmetic features such as a folding stock, pistol grip, or heat suppressor were deemed "Assault Weapons." In order to gain public support for these bans, the California legislature and other anti-gun groups and individuals created a image that the rifles to be banned were more dangerous than ordinary rifles and that the only reason for the existence of such rifles was to commit violent acts on human beings. To this day, many Californians, including those in the media, are under the false impression that an "Assault Weapon" is a fully automatic machine gun. This was a deliberate, yet successful, act of deception orchestrated against the people of California. "Assault Weapons" are not in the same class as fully automatic machine guns which are subject to a separate set of laws altogether. Rather, an "Assault Weapon" is a semi-automatic rifle that fires one round of ammunition for every pull of the trigger but also contains certain cosmetic features which have no bearing on the practical functionality of the firearm. These types of firearms have been commercially available since 1896. In 2000, the State of California banned the sale of AK and AR-15 rifles, regardless of whether or not they possessed the features required to fall under the "Assault Weapons" ban. People who owned so-called "Assault Weapons" prior to the ban were allowed to keep their firearms as ex-post facto laws prevent such things as retroactive gun banning. The State of California, however, required that anyone who had such a rifle prior to the ban undergo a special registration with the California Department of Justice. This presented a moral dilemma for many California gun owners for the following reasons:
* The registration requirement is a blatant violation of the Second Amendment and is therefore null and void;
* Compliance with the new law could lead to additional gun bans and abuses of gun rights;
* Registration means that the Department of Justice keeps a list of certain gun owners and the semi-automatic rifles that have been otherwise banned;
* Firearm registration leads to confiscation.
On July 16, 2006, the Fifty Caliber Institute reported that the Los Angeles County Gun Task Force in CA has begun serving search warrants on residents in that county who are suspected of holding un-registered "Assault Rifles" including 50 BMG target rifles. The task force has confiscated and issued felony charges on at least one individual who was deemed to be out of compliance. If convicted on a felony, that individual will never be allowed to legally own any firearms for the rest of his life.
It is unclear how the Los Angeles County Gun Task Force obtained information that would constitute cause for a search warrant. If the gun owner did not register with the State, how did the County know what firearms were in his possession?
Gun owners across the country should pay close attention to this issue. The County of Los Angeles is taking an offensive position against firearm owners while simultaneously ignoring other laws such as illegal immigration and the myriad of crimes associated with it. The people of California must appeal to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the national media. It is obvious that there will be no assistance whatsoever by working within the system of Los Angeles County. Without a public outcry and national awareness, there is no telling how many cities will adopt a similar policy.
Jennifer Freeman is Executive Director and co-founder of Liberty Belles, a grass-roots organization dedicated to restoring and preserving the Second Amendment.
http://www.libertybelles.org
[email protected]
