Editorial: States monopoly on Force

[NonConformist]

I thought this was a good read myself, w/ some valid points about the big picture on a few things-

A government monopoly on force . . . at the flick of a switch

June 5, 10:15 AMSt. Louis Gun Rights ExaminerKurt Hofmann

Two Texas Congressmen have proposed a rather high-tech solution to the problem of border security (or, more accurately, border insecurity)--EMP. That stands for electromagnetic pulse, a phenomenon by which electronic devices can be disabled at a distance. Here's the idea:

Republican Michael McCaul and Democrat Henry Cuellar want the border patrol to use portable EMP emitters to disable cars, boats or a host of other electronic items.
A suitcase-sized EMP could thwart smugglers trying to drive illegal drugs or immigrants into the United States, the lawmakers say.

Congressman Cuellar's website has more:

“The ability to stop vehicles of smugglers from a distance without making direct contact would give our Border Patrol agents a distinct advantage,” said Congressman McCaul. “It would allow them to stop vehicles they may otherwise not be able to catch and in some cases avoid dangerous pursuits. These are the types of tools we need.”

A useful tool for securing the border? Probably. And at some point, some large, well-heeled (I think these things are pretty pricey, at the moment) domestic police force is going to realize that they work just as well for stopping the vehicles of our own, homegrown criminals, and insist on adding them to the inventory.
Still don't see a problem, and wonder, perhaps, what's the gun rights connection?


One "gun control" measure sought by the forcible citizen disarmament advocates is "childproof" handguns (sometimes called, apparently without deliberate irony, "smart guns"). The idea is that these guns would somehow (methods vary) identify the gun owner--the only person "authorized" to fire the gun, and not fire if anyone else is holding the gun.


So far, New Jersey has passed a law requiring all handguns sold be equipped with this technology, as soon as it becomes available (yep--they're mandating technology that doesn't exist yet), and Washington D.C. will put the same requirement in place by next year--and I'm not sure that's even contingent on the technology's availability. We've discussed before the probability that if Chicago loses, as expected, the McDonald case this month, Mayor Daley will try to outdo D.C.'s oppressive gun laws, so it's a fairly safe bet that a "smart gun" technology mandate is in Chicago's future, too.


Furthermore, the Obama administration supports federal legislation mandating this technology (my emphasis added):

They support closing the gun show loophole and making guns in this country childproof.

That's from the "Urban Policy"section of "Change.gov"--the website set up by Obama and Biden after their electoral victory, but before the inauguration. It was also on the official White House website at one time, but shortly into the administration, all references to guns were quietly removed--curious, eh?


Any EMP device that could shut down a car or motorboat could also disable a so-called "smart gun." To accept a mandate for "smart guns," would be, in other words, to accept giving the government an "OFF" switch for the Second Amendment.


http://www.examiner.com/x-2581-St-Lo...ck-of-a-switch

[Dag]

okay...how in the hell did this article/ post go from EMP'ing of illegal border crossing vehicles to technologically-enabled hand guns??

anyhow... I have a solution to "child proof" guns...(and this worked for me when my dad told me about his guns):

(dad speaking) - "Boy, if I ever catch you f'ing with my guns...I will take a ball-peen hammer and break every one of your damn fingers!"

again...it worked for me...

[Master Chief]

Same thing that worked for me. He has a case, but its never locked. I never fuck with em.

[Dr. Madd]

I have a solution. Place a wall with guard towers a rifle shot's apart, and charge people to man the towers and shoot at anyone not on the main road between Mexico and America, through the customs gate.

[Dr. Madd]

You do know there is a sinister connection. If they make guns like this, and they give Law enforcement EMPs, the electronics inside the now "Childproof" guns could also be disabled and prevent anyone from using the guns.

[Nightfighter89]

Originally Posted by Dr. Madd

You do know there is a sinister connection. If they make guns like this, and they give Law enforcement EMPs, the electronics inside the now "Childproof" guns could also be disabled and prevent anyone from using the guns.

I don't think they would manage to ban classic guns though. They are so widespread that they would have to be grandfathered in.

As my dad once said: "If you're a cop, and they tell you to go around confiscating firearms of people in their homes, what are you going to tell them to do?"

[Dr. Madd]

Originally Posted by Nightfighter89

I don't think they would manage to ban classic guns though. They are so widespread that they would have to be grandfathered in.

As my dad once said: "If you're a cop, and they tell you to go around confiscating firearms of people in their homes, what are you going to tell them to do?"

Not a whole lot from behind cover, with bullets whizzing over your head, officer.

[Nightfighter89]

Originally Posted by Dr. Madd

Not a whole lot from behind cover, with bullets whizzing over your head, officer.

I was thinking more along the line of "Eat shit and die, monkeyfucker!"

[NonConformist]

I think to answer Dag, the logic is that once the emp technology id available, every LE agency will want it

Then factor in all the push for electronic guns by municipalities

ad them together and we have guns that can be disabled by LE at will

[Dr. Madd]

Originally Posted by NonConformist

I think to answer Dag, the logic is that once the emp technology id available, every LE agency will want it

Then factor in all the push for electronic guns by municipalities

ad them together and we have guns that can be disabled by LE at will

Precisely. Fortunately, no one I know who has an old gun will turn it in to be fucked up.

[Master Chief]

Could just surround the device on the gun in a Faraday cage.

[Dr. Madd]

Originally Posted by Master Chief

Could just surround the device on the gun in a Faraday cage.

A little bulky. Or a good gunsmith could snip the wires of the security measure and leave a dummy device in place.

[Nightfighter89]

Originally Posted by Dr. Madd

A little bulky. Or a good gunsmith could snip the wires of the security measure and leave a dummy device in place.

I can't imagine they would be terribly hard to bypass. I mean the system itself would surely be damned complicated but a gun is still a gun. The basic moving parts are unlikely to change.