Posted 10:57 pm Thursday, May 21, 2009
True Or False: Reports Of Gun Control More Fiction Than Fact Right Now
I wouldn't exactly say the e-mails show up like clockwork. Some days there will be one, some days there will be two, then there will be a couple of days of rest.
The e-mails usually indicate that the federal government is just outside my door, waiting to come in and take my guns. They have been coming since before last November's presidential election and have caused the price of guns to go up and ammunition to become scarce.
Just as when Bill Clinton was president, the election of Barack Obama has created fear among gun owners. With the Internet, these fears have spread like wildfire across the nation. And just like so much of the unfiltered "news" traveling the World Wide Web, they seem to carry only a grain of salt.
How do I know? I asked. I started by going to Sen. John Cornyn's office. Cornyn is a member of the Congressional Sportsman's Caucus, a group of congressmen and senators interested in the outdoors and thus interested in things that impact hunters and fishermen.
"We have seen a lot of those also, but, I don't think there is much going on right now," said Jessica Sandlin, a spokeswoman for Cornyn.
Ms. Sandlin agreed to check with the senator's legislative experts to see what, if any dubious gun bills are on the horizon. The result -- nothing. OK, two issues. One cleaning up something that started under the Bush administration.
One of those involved a recent vote to block a blanket gun ban in Washington D.C. The other was an amendment to require the Department of the Interior to recognize state concealed carry permits and other state gun laws on federal land, most notably national parks. That has been an issue since 2007.
"While both of these proposals may seem a bit in the weeds, they are both significant," Ms. Sandlin said. "In the Senate, until these two votes, we had not had a vote on anything gun-related in more than two years. ... And now in just a few months we have had two very successful votes.
We are not out of the woods, and those of us, like Cornyn, who stand up for our Second Amendment rights still need to be vigilant, but for the time being it looks as if the Senate is leaning right on this issue."
One reason may be because politicians are good at reading the numbers, and several recent polls have shown an increasing support for private gun ownership.
A CNN poll conducted in April indicated that 39 percent of Americans wanted stricter gun-control laws. That number is down from 50 percent in 2000.
Also, 46 percent said the gun laws should stay as they are, while 15 percent said they should be relaxed. That is up from just 9 percent in 2000.
Even assault weapons are more accepted. While three of four Americans once sought their ban, it is only one out of two today.
What pollsters did find is Americans want stricter enforcement of the laws already on the books when it comes to crime, not more laws.
Still, the e-mail warnings keep coming.
The three most common have been about three subjects, HR 45, (you know the one, it starts with "It Has Started"), the Department of Defense stopping its sell of used brass casings and soldiers being required to register their personal guns.
The three most common have been about three subjects, HR 45, (you know the one, it starts with "It Has Started"), the Department of Defense stopping its sell of used brass casings and soldiers being required to register their personal guns.
For the answer to these, I went to a Web site called snopes.com. Snopes wouldn't have been a very good neighbor in the old days because it takes rumors and checks them out, reporting whether they are true, false or a little of both.
The gun control rumors didn't fare very well.
For example, HR 45 is for real, but given little chance of advancing. According to Snopes, the legislature didn't even attract co-sponsors. It is being followed by the pro-gun groups, but with little concern.
For example, HR 45 is for real, but given little chance of advancing. According to Snopes, the legislature didn't even attract co-sponsors. It is being followed by the pro-gun groups, but with little concern.
By the way, the part about the mental exam, it doesn't exist in the real bill.
Then there is the DOD's order to stop selling spent military brass. That one was true, for about a week. Then it was rescinded.
Here is part of the problem with this story, however. The majority of the calibers used by the military aren't something used by hunters. On top of that, how many hunters buy reloads?
Also there was concern in this e-mail that stores like Wal-mart wouldn't have the brass to sell. Has anyone seen used brass or reloads for sale at Wal-mart or any other retailer recently? Two words, product liability.
And then there is the story about soldiers at Fort Campbell in Kentucky being told to register their private firearms. Again this one is partially true, or maybe true for a few minutes.
One commander did ask soldiers under his command to report gun ownership, but it was part of an effort to reduce a rising number of firearms accidents. However, after learning of the commander's action the Army recognized it as wrong and that order was also rescinded.
Here is the clue I got early. None of these issues set off alarms at the National Rifle Association or the Texas State Rifle Association or any other organization for or against guns. I also never saw anything in the mainstream press.
Does this mean hunters, competitive shooters and those who own guns for protection are safe? No. There is always going to be some elected official who will come up with a feel-good bill that won't do anything to stop crime, but will hamstring honest gun owners.
What this means, and I don't understand it, is that people are so gullible when it comes to things on the Internet, whether it be weird animals being shot or politics. The Internet isn't the public library. People are constantly putting out stuff for their own amusement or to push an agenda.
Oh, and one more thing. The price of ammunition is going up because of panic buying as much as anything. Stores are just now making orders for late summer and fall. The shortages and increased prices are coming as a result of people buying out of fear.
Quit it so I can buy my shells for dove season.
