Comments on: Our Sheriff’s Department is faithful to the Constitution

By: Jim Harville

Jim Harville — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 18:58:18 +0000

I cannot improve on the articulate and thoughtful comment of Teresa O., but I would like to add a few observations from my extensive, 40+ years experience with firearms of all types.

First, in terms of both tactical utility AND lethality, a true fully automatic (not semi) sub-machine gun (Uzi, Thompson, MP5, etc.), a semi-automatic service-type rifle (AR-15, semi-auto AK-47/74 clone, etc.), AND a pump action 12 gauge shotgun are virtually identical within the first 40 yards. All three are used rather interchangeably in both law enforcement and military environments within that range. A semi-auto SMG clone is substantially less effective than the shotgun, a full-auto service rifle (M16) slightly more.

The reasons that service rifles are beginning to see more use in law enforcement than shotguns have NOTHING to do with whether it is a semi-auto or not, or what magazine capacity it has, it has to do with the factors of precision, range, and recoil. Although devastatingly effective, buckshot spreads about 1 inch per yard of travel, and it becomes increasingly difficulty to ensure a shot that does not endanger bystanders. While this is a critical consideration for an officer or citizen, it is an advantage for the criminal or lunatic.

My point is that if you are SO CERTAIN that weapons in this class are TOO DANGEROUS for the average citizen, then you have a moral and intellectual obligation to ban ALL OF THEM! Never mind that rifles and shotguns of ALL types are used in less than 1 murder in 20, or that Semi-Auto Rifles are used in less than 1 in 100! Never mind that it is extremely rare for someone to be shot past 10 yards, much less 40! Never mind that many highly trained and experienced people still choose 7 shot .45 ACP pistols or 6 shot .357 Mag revolvers when they have the choice of any firearm ever invented.

The brutal fact is that more than 20 years after California passed an “assault weapon ban” you can go to your local gun store and buy a firearm that is EXACTLY IDENTICAL IN FORM, FUNCTION, AND CAPABILITY as the “banned” weapons!! By that measure, the California law can have NO effect on ANY current or potential crime trend! And now the Honorable Senator Feinstein wants to re-introduce this placebo to the national stage?

Also, do not get me started on the “10 rounds is OK, 11 is not” argument! I can destroy that myth inside of 5 minutes at any target range. When will the public realize that it does not matter how fast a gun fires or how often you take the couple of seconds to reload if there isn’t anyone (officer or citizen) with the means to shoot back?!

By: Richard

Richard — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 17:01:14 +0000

I remember in 2008 when Tony Diaz, a Yolo County sheriff’s deputy was ambushed and died in a hail of gunfire. His killer, Topete, was sentenced to death in February lat year.
“Topete took that cop on a chase down a deserted road so he could get him into a place of darkness where he could set up in the shadows and kill him with a AR-15 weapon of war,” empting a 20 round magazine on the officer hitting him several times. The fatal wound was in his chest, with others mostly around the neck and shoulders before the officer could return fire.

By: AR-15

AR-15 — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 16:53:50 +0000

Why is that weapon of war in civilian use and so easily acquired across the country? Why is it not restricted for military and law enforcement use only?
Not only is there no federal ban on assault weapons, the vast majority of states have no specific laws restricting these dangerous weapons or high-capacity magazines.
Yes, bad people could still get them on the black market. Yes, handguns kill far more people in America than weapons like the AR-15.
So what? Reasonable people can agree that such weapons can be restricted among civilians without threatening the Second Amendment rights of others.

By: Terry

Terry — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 01:07:56 +0000

So our Sheriff goes on the record and says he will ignore an executive order and firmly stands by everyone having access to assault weapons.

Gun control has never been about taking anyone’s guns. Why can’t people see that the NRA does not care about it’s members or gun safety? All the NRA cares about is letting the gun manufacturers make as much money as possible.

What is wrong with limiting clip sizes to 10 rounds and limiting access to military weapons? That has nothing to do with taking anyone’s guns. When will people stop blindly following the NRA and gun nuts like our Sheriff and support gun safety. People will always be able to have as many handguns, rifles and shotguns as they can afford. The current debate is not about taking those from anyone. The current debate by the Sheriff is that he will ignore any new laws and has no problem with everyone in the county owning assault weapons. He also is one of the easiest Sheriffs in the state to get a concealed weapons permit from. That does not make me feel safer at all!

By: Teresa O.

Teresa O. — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 22:36:36 +0000

Interesting that you would be so inflammatory as to state it is a “FACT” (emphasis added) that “many people…believe in an invisible army…”. We simply recognize there are criminals in society and in government, and will always be, as did our nation’s Founders, who established our 2nd Amendment protections. Morality or sanity can’t be legislated, but, individually and collectively we can work within our Constitutional rights (if upheld) to protect ourselves and others from “enemies within and without” our nation’s borders.

Though most of us want to live in peace with one another, there will always be people who are amoral sociopaths, psychotics, and those who think they have a “right” to steal from and harm others (whatever the causes of their perspectives may be). Also, there are those in government (and other areas of society) who believe they have a “right” to dictate to and control others through threatening coercion and/or unrighteous force.

It is not right that certain legislators (Feinstein, Biden, et al) would attempt to dictate to decent, sane people and gun manufacturers in our country, what they can do and how they can do it. It only causes greater black market manufacturing and distribution, and won’t stop criminals. And, the worst of it is, criminals will still have guns and ammunition and sane, law-abiding people won’t!

So, are you willing to let criminals do what they will always do, without allowing people to protect themselves against them?!