I’m not really a gun guy. I’ve shot guns a few times with my father, but I don’t own one, I probably never will, and I’m generally disturbed by the rollback of Arizona laws restricting guns in public places. Still, I’d really rather New York City stay out of our business here in Arizona, even if they’re working toward a goal I might agree with.
GunShowUndercover.com has three seemingly edited YouTube clips and a report from an operation described by the site:
New York City’s investigation documented gun sales at the Crossroads of the West Gun Show at the Arizona State Fairgrounds in Phoenix on January 22 – 23, 2011. The City organized a team of undercover investigators, most of whom have prior law enforcement experience. Investigators used sophisticated video and audio recording devices. Cameras were concealed and had lenses no larger than the tip of a ballpoint pen. On Saturday, January 22, investigators observed sellers, and purchases were made on Sunday, January 23.
The first video (above) shows what is apparently a completely legal transaction that could have occurred in a number of places in the United States. A guy goes to a gun show and buys gun from a private seller, but because the gun is of the same sort Jared Loughner used, we’re supposed to be shocked and dismayed, I suppose. In two other videos, a different “investigator” purchases a gun and in the middle of the transaction mutters something about not being able to pass a background check. In one of the two videos, I could barely hear him make the disqualifying statement and in the other, the salesman is clearly hard of hearing. There were clearly a lot of vendors at the gun show…did the investigators pick these two guys because they seem least likely to notice or care? Did any vendors refuse to sell them a gun? There’s a lot of questions left unanswered.
In the end, however, you’d think the government of New York City would have better things to do than run stings on Arizona gun shows, especially since Loughner bought his gun from a chain store and the legality of his purchases were never in question. There are certainly questions to be asked about gun culture in Arizona, but anyone who knows our state knows it won’t be the mayor of New York City who drives the conversation.
This article appears in Jan 27 – Feb 2, 2011.
Doesn’t bother me that NYC is concerned with guns in AZ. It’s along the same lines as me, an Arizonan, being concerned about the rewriting of history texts in Texas, or Kansas school board shenanigans, or pesticides in California. We are one country, right?
Lax laws in one state effect all states. Arizona is a major supplier of guns recovered from crime scenes in California, and one of the major suppliers of guns used in the Mexican cartel wars — which has cost a horrendous toll of life there, and one of many causes of instability fueling illegal immigration. As for NYC, most of the guns recovered from crime scenes there are from the “Iron Pipeline” along the East Coast, being supplied by mid-Atlantic and Southern states with more lax gun laws. http://www.tracetheguns.org
I have relatives in rural America who are gun owners. I’ve visited them, and I understand why they own guns. However they are smarter than gun show organizers, in that anyone in their family who is new to guns goes through safety training. And here is my problem with gun discussions today: Guns are dangerous, and everybody knows this. As a civilized people we don’t ask people to be responsible with their dangerous possessions, we demand it. Car owners don’t have a choice about taking driver and safety tests in order to obtain a driver’s license and they don’t get to say they want a car without a serial number. There are rules for driving in school zones and it crowded urban environments. Even with these rules (laws), people still have car accidents, but we don’t run around saying that the laws are therefore useless. 2nd amendment types should grow up and take responsibility for their weaponry, and quit acting like clueless, slacker teenagers: Everyone who wants to own a gun should have to take and pass a safety class. Guns should not be worn into classrooms or daycare centers or places of business where the business owners state that guns are not allowed inside. (Recall that in the old West, tavern owners and others required a weapons check at the door. This was considered good policy.) There should be appropriate rules for crowded environments and parents should be held responsible for their children’s access to and behavior around guns. If we are going to exercise our right to own dangerous items, we should be grown up about it.
Bloomberg is just trying to win votes by capitalizing on Gabrielle Giffords incident .Which in itself is immoral to use a insane act of 1 against the society as a whole. Journalistic sensationalism seems to be his way.
Boycott all of Bloomberg and his holdings , do not do business with them.
remember WE the People made this country , not Bloomberg.
I hope the citizens of NYC are aware that they are funding this.
Why do you care who sponsored this investigation? They uncovered illegal activity, and Arizonans should be embarrassed. Sure, it was politically motivated, but that doesn’t make what the seller did legal. The gun seller sold a gun to someone who told him he couldn’t pass the background test. This is against the law. If you think it shouldn’t be the law, and that criminals and the mentally ill should have guns, well then you’re either a mentally ill criminal yourself, or you should work to have the law changed. Hell, let’s let anyone buy a gun, let’s put them in vending machines! On the other hand, if you think it is a good law, then you should support it being enforced better. Clearly the ‘private seller’ is also happy he doesn’t have to do background checks, so maybe the ‘private seller’ nonsense needs to go too. To own a gun you should have to have a license, issued by the state, requiring a safety class and a periodic background check. We do it with cars, why on Earth don’t we do it with guns.
Pardon me JSR,
If i read the same qarticle you did it said…”The first video (above) shows what is apparently a completely legal transaction that could have occurred in a number of places in the United States.” The second video mentioned stated that the “buyer” mumbled the disclosure…” Editing the videos and presnting what you like is yellow journalism..but I am shocked that any institution in NY would stoopop to this level. From my opoint of view they (NY City and the reporting papaers) have lost credibilty and have done more harm than good in the heartland. The world does not revolve around Cenrtral Park. Maybe your world does, bnut the rest of us march to a different drummer. I promise that you can *** up your city all you want, just dont “spread the wealth” to others. Let the congregation say AMEN!
on me JSR,
If i read the same qarticle you did it said…”The first video (above) shows what is apparently a completely legal transaction that could have occurred in a number of places in the United States.” The second video mentioned stated that the “buyer” mumbled the disclosure…” Editing the videos and presnting what you like is yellow journalism..but I am shocked that any institution in NY would stoopop to this level. From my opoint of view they (NY City and the reporting papaers) have lost credibilty and have done more harm than good in the heartland. The world does not revolve around Cenrtral Park. Maybe your world does, bnut the rest of us march to a different drummer. I promise that you can *** up your city all you want, just dont “spread the wealth” to others. Let the congregation say AMEN!