Friday, May 25, 2012

Private Sellers at Gun Shows and Murderers Buying Guns

The Times Free Press reports

An affidavit filed by an undercover agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives details an undercover operation the agency conducted on Dawson months after the arrest of Jesse Mathews, who could face the death penalty if convicted in the killing of Sgt. Tim Chapin on April 1, 2011, during a botched robbery at the U.S. Money Shops on Brainerd Road.

Dawson admitted to investigators that he'd traded a firearm to Mathews at a local gun show before the shooting. An ATF investigator "advised Dawson he should seek a federal firearms license because of his apparent frequent and consistent firearms sales."
I'm confused about who's who in this story. One thing that's completely clear though, is there are criminals and there are hidden criminals, and they all have too much gun availability.

One of the best loved arguments of the gun-rights fanatics is that criminals will always get guns.  If we "close the gun show loophole," they'll just go elsewhere.

I don't think that's true, but even if it were, is that justification to make it easier for them to arm up?

This story highlights the fact that "private sellers" of guns are sometimes hidden criminals who flaunt the easily-circumvented laws about gun sales and background checks. This could be ended without any impact on the law-abiding.

Background checks on all gun sales should be combined with licensing of gun owners and registration of guns. Until that's implemented in all 50 States, we simply cannot be said to have gun control.

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.


9 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. It is just an incomplete sentence. My retarded what? My retarded cousin? What is my retarded cousin doing?

      Anyway, I like to comfort grammar Nazis by patting them on the back while saying, “there, they’re, their…”

      Delete
    2. No, the joke's on dustin, who, unfortunately probably still doesn't get it.

      Delete
  2. Jesse Mathews is the killer, Dawson was the weapons seller.

    This story is a prime example of gun control laws NOT working. It's already against the law to sell weapons as a business without a licence, but here we have a fella accused of doing just that, or was enticed to do just that by an overzealous ATF agent.

    What would force a criminal gun seller to comply with mandatory background checks when selling to a criminal buyer? Nothing. It's estimated that there are 270,000,000 firearms in the hands of the citizens of the US, it's too late for registration (and registration is a violation of federal law, unconstitutional, and against Congressional intent).

    The Supreme Court has already ruled that requiring a criminal to register a firearm would be a violation of his rights protected by the 5A, therefore registration would only apply to the law abiding.

    I have a better idea, do away with most of Title 1 and 2 of the Gun Control Act and actually put people in jail, for a long time, when they commit a violent crime with a firearm. Reclassify most drug crimes from violent to non-violent and kick out all of the inmates that are being held on marijuana charges to make room for the real violent criminals.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "What would force a criminal gun seller to comply with mandatory background checks when selling to a criminal buyer? Nothing."

      Agreed. The law I'd like to see wouldn't affect them. But how about the guys who are law-abiding but do that don't-ask-don't-tell kinda thing? Many of them would not do it.

      Delete
  3. Why in the heck would a criminal pay retail for a gun at a gun show when they can get one off the street for less than $100.00? Mike really expects us to believe that most retail sales at gun shows are to criminals who are too stupid to buy a stolen gun off the street? I'll admit that criminals are dumb but they aren't that dumb.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Scott, I don't think you're too street savvy.

      Whether or not you want to admit it or not, private sales from lawful gun owners is one of the ways guns flow into the criminal world.

      If there were a background check requirement many of those lawful gun owners would not do it.

      Delete