In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.
Anti uses 9/11 to further agenda,E-Mail your disapproval
Josey1
Member Posts: 9,598 ✭✭
E.J. Montini, resident whiner at the Arizona Republic, reaches into the rubble of the World Trade Center to try to rekindle an attack on gun shows. He accuses American gun owners of arming terrorists. His e-mail address appears at the end of the article.
Terrorist guns being supplied by U.S. patriots Oct. 09, 2001 Gun shows across the nation are filled with people who would describe themselves as patriotic Americans. So why are they selling weapons to terrorists?Proof of the gunrunning surfaced at a trial in Michigan last month, but a conviction on Sept. 10 was buried in the rubble of the World Trade Center. Only now is it being dug out and reported. There have been a few recent articles and columns about the problem of unregulated gun sales. A few politicians have heard the news and are hoping to do something about it.One of them is Deb Gullett, a Republican state legislator in Phoenix."When I first heard about the Michigan case, it scared me," she said. "But the solution is fairly clear."The day before the attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., one man was convicted and another acquitted of weapons and conspiracy charges. According to news reports, the men purchased shotguns, ammunition, assault weapon parts, flash suppressors and other items with the idea of shipping them to the terrorist Hezbollah organization in Lebanon. Had it not been for a police informant, they might have gotten away with it.This is because their transactions were made at a gun show from unlicensed dealers. In Michigan, as in Arizona, state law does not require background checks between a private seller and a buyer.Arizona State Sen. Harry Mitchell, a Democrat, and Rep. Gullett tried to close a similar loophole in Arizona law last year, but failed. They introduced a bill to require background checks for anyone purchasing weapons at gun shows and swap meets."The legislation would not have stopped a single law-abiding citizen from obtaining a firearm," Gullett told me. "Given the current situation, and our need to be vigilant at home, I would hope that we could revisit this issue at the Legislature and try to correct it. It's too important to ignore. Particularly now."Last year federal investigators found Arizona gun shows to be one of the easiest and most accessible places for criminals to purchase weapons. After what we've already been through, it's almost too cruel to imaging terrorists enjoying the same ease in shopping for guns.A little over a year ago, authorities in Florida arrested suspected members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army who had been hoarding weapons purchased at gun shows and gun shops in that state.One of the suspects later told police that getting guns in America was easy and boasted, "We have nothing like this at home."Neither should we. Not anymore.On a national level, Arizona Sen. John McCain and Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman have tried to get a bill closing the loophole through Congress. They haven't succeeded yet."We don't want to make it difficult for reputable people to get weapons," Gullett said. "But we should make it more difficult for people who are not reputable. That's what I believe we should try to accomplish."Gullett is hoping law enforcement agencies around the state will support closing the loophole during the next legislative session. She also is open to putting the issue to a statewide vote through a ballot proposition.On Monday, President Bush swore in former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge as the director of the Office of Homeland Security. It's a big country, and Ridge will have lots on his mind.Gun show loopholes are something he shouldn't have to deal with. Not if states like ours recognize that "homeland security" begins at home.Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-8978 http://arizonarepublic.com/arizona/articles/1009montini09.html [This message has been edited by Josey1 (edited 10-10-2001).]
Terrorist guns being supplied by U.S. patriots Oct. 09, 2001 Gun shows across the nation are filled with people who would describe themselves as patriotic Americans. So why are they selling weapons to terrorists?Proof of the gunrunning surfaced at a trial in Michigan last month, but a conviction on Sept. 10 was buried in the rubble of the World Trade Center. Only now is it being dug out and reported. There have been a few recent articles and columns about the problem of unregulated gun sales. A few politicians have heard the news and are hoping to do something about it.One of them is Deb Gullett, a Republican state legislator in Phoenix."When I first heard about the Michigan case, it scared me," she said. "But the solution is fairly clear."The day before the attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., one man was convicted and another acquitted of weapons and conspiracy charges. According to news reports, the men purchased shotguns, ammunition, assault weapon parts, flash suppressors and other items with the idea of shipping them to the terrorist Hezbollah organization in Lebanon. Had it not been for a police informant, they might have gotten away with it.This is because their transactions were made at a gun show from unlicensed dealers. In Michigan, as in Arizona, state law does not require background checks between a private seller and a buyer.Arizona State Sen. Harry Mitchell, a Democrat, and Rep. Gullett tried to close a similar loophole in Arizona law last year, but failed. They introduced a bill to require background checks for anyone purchasing weapons at gun shows and swap meets."The legislation would not have stopped a single law-abiding citizen from obtaining a firearm," Gullett told me. "Given the current situation, and our need to be vigilant at home, I would hope that we could revisit this issue at the Legislature and try to correct it. It's too important to ignore. Particularly now."Last year federal investigators found Arizona gun shows to be one of the easiest and most accessible places for criminals to purchase weapons. After what we've already been through, it's almost too cruel to imaging terrorists enjoying the same ease in shopping for guns.A little over a year ago, authorities in Florida arrested suspected members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army who had been hoarding weapons purchased at gun shows and gun shops in that state.One of the suspects later told police that getting guns in America was easy and boasted, "We have nothing like this at home."Neither should we. Not anymore.On a national level, Arizona Sen. John McCain and Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman have tried to get a bill closing the loophole through Congress. They haven't succeeded yet."We don't want to make it difficult for reputable people to get weapons," Gullett said. "But we should make it more difficult for people who are not reputable. That's what I believe we should try to accomplish."Gullett is hoping law enforcement agencies around the state will support closing the loophole during the next legislative session. She also is open to putting the issue to a statewide vote through a ballot proposition.On Monday, President Bush swore in former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge as the director of the Office of Homeland Security. It's a big country, and Ridge will have lots on his mind.Gun show loopholes are something he shouldn't have to deal with. Not if states like ours recognize that "homeland security" begins at home.Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-8978 http://arizonarepublic.com/arizona/articles/1009montini09.html [This message has been edited by Josey1 (edited 10-10-2001).]