Kerry speaks for LEO's

[Tgace]

[font=verdana, arial, helvetica]Yesterday, 9/10, John Kerry in a speech in St. Louis is reported to have said, "Every law enforcement officer in America doesn't want us selling assault weapons in the streets of America."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/...4487581,00.html

Now I didnt personally hear the speech. But someone who did told me what he actually said was, "There is not a single police chief or law enforcement officer in this country who does not support the renewal of the assault weapons ban."[/font]



As an LEO, I can tell you that most of us (sans Chiefs/Commissioners etc. who are more politicians than cops) are against "gun" control and government lists of ownership. I am more for "people" control. A wise system of background checks, not inane laws about the cosmetics of a weapon.

 

[KenpoTex]

That's total bull****! I don't think I've ever met a LEO (except for they current county sheriff) who supported gun control, regardless of the type (AWB, "saturday night specials," concealed carry, etc.).

 

[punisher73]

The problem I have with the "Assault Weapon Ban" is most people who support it don't know guns and the argument I've heard from them is "People don't need machine guns", and then when it's explained to them that fully automatic weapons already were illegal for joe citizen to have, most of them wondered why they made such a big deal of it then.

I also work in LEO, and the vast majority I know DOES NOT support gun control. We support stricter and more severe penalties when guns are used by felons or in the commission of a crime.

 

[Flatlander]

[font=verdana, arial, helvetica]Yesterday, 9/10, John Kerry in a speech in St. Louis is reported to have said, "Every law enforcement officer in America doesn't want us selling assault weapons in the streets of America."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/...4487581,00.html

Now I didnt personally hear the speech. But someone who did told me what he actually said was, "There is not a single police chief or law enforcement officer in this country who does not support the renewal of the assault weapons ban."[/font]



As an LEO, I can tell you that most of us (sans Chiefs/Commissioners etc. who are more politicians than cops) are against "gun" control and government lists of ownership. I am more for "people" control. A wise system of background checks, not inane laws about the cosmetics of a weapon.

Though I agree with you all that it was a mistake for Kerry to make that assumptive leap, particularly in such a public speech, put in context, I agree with his message. He was, according to the link that Tom provided, talking about terrorism.

``In the al-Qaida manual on terror, they were telling people to go out and buy assault weapons, to come to America and buy assault weapons,'' Kerry said.

I believe he was referencing the need to disallow them that ability. However, I may be wrong.

 

[Tgace]

I believe he was referencing the need to disallow them that ability. However, I may be wrong.

That may be. But how do you do that without impacting on everybody?

 

[Flatlander]

That may be. But how do you do that without impacting on everybody?

Well, you probably can't. It comes down to making them available, or not. Tom, as you know, I'm Canadian. We are MUCH more restricted here than there.

 

[Tgace]

I keep forgetting that..... I live so close to the border that you all seem more like neighbors than a whole different country.

 

[Feisty Mouse]

We support stricter and more severe penalties when guns are used by felons or in the commission of a crime.

I'd go for that in a second.

I think this issue, like so many others, depends on the soundbite, or the title of the bill, versus the actual content. Which is a shame.

And I agree with flatlander - I think it was stumping for dealing with terrorism.

 

[Tgace]

I'd go for that in a second.

I think this issue, like so many others, depends on the soundbite, or the title of the bill, versus the actual content. Which is a shame.

And I agree with flatlander - I think it was stumping for dealing with terrorism.

The "Assault Weapons Ban" was a joke. Feel good legislation at its finest. The weapons used on the street are 99% (my estimate) crap, small caliber pocket guns that the BG isnt going to cry about if he has to toss it in the gutter. You are right on target though. Punish the illegal use severely and surely.

As to terrorists buying guns. Isnt limiting our gun rights out of fear right on par with all the foot stamping about the Patriot Act?

 

[Flatlander]

As to terrorists buying guns. Isnt limiting our gun rights out of fear right on par with all the foot stamping about the Patriot Act?

Great point Tom. Yes, I have to agree with that. Interesting insight. :asian:

 

[michaeledward]

Isnt limiting our gun rights out of fear right on par with all the foot stamping about the Patriot Act?

Interesting thought.
What books I read. What guns I own.
Search my house without my knowledge. What guns I can own.
Suspension of Habeus Corpus. What guns I can purchase.
Secrecy in Government. What guns I can possess.

I'm not sure.

 

[sifu nick]

As a Police Officer I don't like Kerry or any other candidate speaking on behalf of law enforcement as a whole. I say let the FOP or other larger Police unions speak on behalf of us. Kerry and Bush have no idea what Law Enforcement personnel really want. You know, the little things like better pay so we don't need part time jobs. Tougher enforcement of the laws already on the books through better and stricter prosecution. Better funding so that we won't be undermanned and under equipped like we always are. Little things like that.

 

[michaeledward]

This quote came from a CNN article:

National police organizations such as the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the International Brotherhood of Police Officers and the Fraternal Order of Police all support the renewal of the ban. President Bush has said he would sign such a bill if Congress passed it.

What of organizations such as:

• International Association of Cheifs of Police
• International Brotherhood of Police Officers
• Fraternal Order of Police

What are their positions on the expiration of the law?

http://www.theiacp.org/documents/index.cfm?fuseaction=document&document_id=604

Urgent Action Needed to Extend Assault Weapons Ban

Jennifer Boyter

On September 13, the federal ban on assault weapons, first passed in 1994, will expire unless Congress acts to reauthorize it.
Please contact your Members of Congress to urge them to support legislation to reauthorize the ban on assault weapons. We must make every effort to ensure that our elected officials understand that failure to reauthorize the assault weapons ban is a significant step back for law enforcement and public safety.

* * * * * * * * * * *

http://www.ibpo.org/press.html#johnkerry

He supports the reauthorization of the assault weapons ban and as president, will bring prosecutors into high-crime neighborhoods in an effort to reduce crime in the areas that need it the most.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

http://www.grandlodgefop.org/legislation/support.html

LEGISLATION SUPPORTED
by the Grand Lodge, Fraternal Order of Police

[font=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]H.R. 3831 (T. Davis, R-VA), the "Assault Weapons Ban Reauthorization Act," would reauthorize the Federal ban on certain types of assault weapons for an additional ten years;[/font]
​

Gee ... Maybe Kerry's statement is not so far out of line after all.

 

[Ronald R. Harbers]

"The beauty of the Second Amendment is that we won't need it until they try to take it".

Thomas Jefferson:armed: :drinkbeer

 

[OULobo]

Isnt limiting our gun rights out of fear right on par with all the foot stamping about the Patriot Act?

I for one see, the Pat. Act as the deciding factor for my vote in this election. I will vote against Bush for the sole reason that he instated it, enforces it, abuses and tries to expand it. I see the idea of gun rights limitation as associated and related to it, and as such I am also thourghly against gun rights limitation also. The problem is that to me the dismantling of the Pat. Act is primary and gun rights is secondary.

 

[loki09789]

The "Assault Weapons Ban" was a joke. Feel good legislation at its finest. The weapons used on the street are 99% (my estimate) crap, small caliber pocket guns that the BG isnt going to cry about if he has to toss it in the gutter. You are right on target though. Punish the illegal use severely and surely.

As to terrorists buying guns. Isnt limiting our gun rights out of fear right on par with all the foot stamping about the Patriot Act?

It is the same 'issue' solution as any policy...enforcement, coordinated cooperation and support.

Enforcement means that when LEO snag someone on the street for illegal possesion or trafficking....it sticks.

Coordinated cooperation has to happen between the Attorneys/court system and the LEO's or you get cops on the street that are not motivated to make such arrests because it will only get thrown out or something else will happen to basically make cops look useless or inaffective because they hook 'em but the courts release 'em.

SUPPORT! If it is such a concern, diverting money to support well staffed, well equipt and well trained officers to work at the first lines needs to happen. Too often the loudest criers are the ones who don't want to see tax increases (though I agree it shouldn't be unproductive increases) that need to fund better productivity on the sharp end. If you look at the LEO/Citizen ration for most departments it is near impossible to really push any enforcement incentive effectively.

 

[PeachMonkey]

And I agree with flatlander - I think it was stumping for dealing with terrorism.

And as with most ties of terrorism to policy issues, it's annoying and frustrating.

Terrorists don't need to go into gun shops in the United States to buy small arms -- they can buy fully automatic weapons of nearly any variety far cheaper, and get more potent stuff too. Heck, we gave many of those groups weapons when they fought the Soviet Union.

All the "assault weapons" ban does is limit the range of weapons law-abiding US citizens can buy.

 

[Cryozombie]

All the "assault weapons" ban does is limit the range of weapons law-abiding US citizens can buy.

Oh no... Dumber than that... it limits the "Cosmetic" features of the weapons law-abiding US citizens can buy... I THINK the only thing regarding the "Function" of the weapons in question is/was the capacity of the ammo magazines.

Lets face it... having the ban in place did nothing to stop me from purchasing an AK-47 with a 40 round pre-ban mag, but it sure made it illegal to put that druganov style stock on my .22 target rifle with that 10 round mag.

Go figure.

I cannot imagine that most LEO would want my Target rifle banned, but not my AK-47.

 

[Flatlander]

Ahhhhhh, you should probably just be locked up anyway. :rofl:

 

[Tgace]

Ahhhhhh, you should probably just be locked up anyway. :rofl:

We just take that as a given and move on from there.