Last November, law enforcement in Reynosa, Mexico, just across the Rio Grande from Hidalgo, Texas, made this astonishing find: "500,000 rounds of ammunition, 300 assault rifles — mainly [AK-47s] and [AR-15s] — two grenade launchers, and 287 grenades," says Victor Trevino, the Mexican consul in Brownsville, Texas. "That's just in a single seizure."
What's Reported
None of these weapons has been traced yet. But a report released last month by the Government Accountability Office, based on traces done by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on crime guns recovered in Mexico in 2008, states that nearly 90 percent originated in the U.S. The report acknowledges the data are incomplete because Mexico doesn't submit all its confiscated weapons for electronic tracing.
I thought everybody was in agreement that the 90% figure is so high we shouldn't use it, even with that little qualifier about acknowledging "the data are incomplete." Maybe no one told the NPR folks.
The thrust of the article is that gun laws are so lax in America that it's very difficult for the ATF to do their job. Additional resources have been allocated to the border towns. Officials have created "gun-runner" task forces in Houston and south Texas dedicated to firearms trafficking.
We typically will see a straw purchaser go from gun shop to gun shop on the same day and be paid $50 a gun sometimes, buy 10 different guns, make $500 in one day," says Dewey Webb, the special agent in charge of the ATF field office in Houston.
Relaxed reporting requirements for arms purchases make it difficult for his agents. For instance, if you buy two handguns within five days, the dealer must report it to the ATF. But you can buy all the rifles you want, and the dealer doesn't have to report it.
Now, how does that work exactly? Can a person really go from shop to shop, submit to a background check in each one, and not raise any suspicion? How would a gun dealer know if his customer had bought other handguns earlier that day from other dealers? How is it different in Texas than, say, New Jersey? How do the Jersey gun dealers determine if a person is trying to violate the one-gun-a-month law, especially if that customer is shopping in different gun shops?
The idea that in the U.S. there are lax, sloppy and inconsistent gun laws, to me, is not in doubt, and this is at the heart of the matter. The only baffling part of the story is the closing remark where the author comments on Obama's reluctance.
Mexico has asked the U.S. not just to pursue gun traffickers on the border, but change the laws. But so far, the Obama administration has shown little interest in taking on the gun lobby.
What's your opinion? Is the Omama administration biding their time and still planning on keeping some of those campaign promises, you know the ones that sent the entire pro-gun world into a panic of buying guns last year? Or do you think since taking office the new President has realized this is a battle he cannot win and attempting to do so would be too costly?
What's your opinion?
Good, we have finally got you to realize that fully automatic AK-47s, AR-15s, grenades and grenade launchers are not coming from the US. That's progress!
ReplyDeleteAs to the statement of lax gun laws. I would say that we don't have lax gun laws, we have lax enforcement of the gun laws. Case in point:
"We typically will see a straw purchaser go from gun shop to gun shop on the same day and be paid $50 a gun sometimes, buy 10 different guns, make $500 in one day," says Dewey Webb, the special agent in charge of the ATF field office in Houston.
Straw purchases are illegal. Let's say it again: I-L-L-E-G-A-L. If they see someone doing 1 straw purchase, why are they not arresting them? Why let them go ahead and do 10 straw purchases?
The difference in New Jersey (if I remember their law correctly) is that you need a permit from the sheriff for each and every firearm you buy. Therefore, their one gun a month law is meaningless. If the sheriff wanted to limit you to 0 guns a month all he would have to do is not issue a permit.
What is the job of the ATF--I thought it was enforcing Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms laws--wouldn't lax laws be easier to enforce?
ReplyDeleteCurrent law is that approved NICS checks are destroyed after 24 hours. There is no limit on record retention of those NICS checks that say the buyer is a prohibited person for any reason.
ReplyDeleteSo no, one could not buy multiple guns at different shops within a 24 hour window and escape detection.
Also, anytime more than one firearm is purchased in a single transaction, BATFE is notified.
Obama is a smart politician, no quibbles there.
2010 is midterm election time and the congress won't do squat in terms of gun control. Then in 2012, Obama must face re-election and I have no doubt he wants to serve a 2nd term so he won't touch the issue until halfway through his 2nd term.
The "gun lobby" you see maligned in the news is more than the NRA and the manufacturers. If you do a little digging, you will find that America's 80 million lawful gun owners VOTE with astonishingly high numbers when compared to the population in general.
That's why we win. We go to the sites of the antis and present facts and logic. We donate our time and money to support those who support us. We're vocal, we vote and we're armed to the teeth.
If we we're only "10%" as violent as some in the media describe us, we would have killed off our opponents long ago and be done with it.
No, we prefer to send our enemies on their way with their heads hung in shame. That is the way of the peaceful warrior.
It takes longer, is harder and is generally not too pleasant, but you should thank your lucky stars that we don't decide to change our path.
kaveman said, "If we we're only "10%" as violent as some in the media describe us, we would have killed off our opponents long ago and be done with it."
ReplyDeleteSorry, I can't accept that "as violent as some in the media describe us."
For the most part gun control people and the media don't describe ALL of you as violent. Haven't you seen my many references to the famous 10%? I have no trouble placing you within the 90%.
I have no trouble placing you within the 90%.
ReplyDeleteSo are any of your commenters in the 10%? Surely there must be at least one. Why don't you name who it is? You are more than willing to condemn people for what they may possibly due in the future but have shown no sign or inclination as of yet. So call out the 10%.
Or are we to assume that another attribute of the 10% is that they don't comment on blogs?