Ford, Carter, Clinton Urge President Bush to save AWB

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2004-07-06 07:12pm

To get our minds off Michael Moore, 9/11, Spinsanity, Iraq, etc, lets go
back to the good old days of GUN CONTROL! Yey!!11!!!!1Shife one one !

[url]hhttp://www.bradycampaign.org/press/release.php?release=569[/url]

Contact: Peter Hamm of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence United With the Million Mom March, 202-898-0792

WASHINGTON, July 6 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Former Presidents Ford, Carter and Clinton are urging President Bush to save the landmark 1994 federal Assault Weapons Act, which is set to expire Sept. 13 unless the President and Congress act.

Saying "at a time when terrorism continues to be a serious threat, it is even more imperative that we renew the Assault Weapons Act and limit access to military-style weapons and high-capacity ammunition clips." The former Presidents point out that there are few Congressional working days left before the ban expires, and urge President Bush "to make reauthorization of the Assault Weapons Act a top priority for your Administration and spur Congress to action."

The federal Assault Weapons Act bans the manufacture and sale Of military-style semiautomatic assault weapons, including the AK-47, Uzi and TEC-9, and expires on Sept. 13, 2004 unless renewed by President Bush and Congress. Renewal of the Act is supported by major law enforcement organizations and opposed by the National Rifle Association. According to ATF data, since the Act was passed in 1994, the incidence of assault weapon use in crime has dropped by 66 percent.

Former Presidents Reagan, Carter and Ford sent a similar letter to Congress in May 1994 urging Congress to pass the law.

The letter was sent to the White House today. The full text follows.

June 14, 2004

President George W. Bush

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear President Bush:

We are pleased that you support reauthorization of the federal Assault Weapons Act, which is scheduled to expire in September. Each of us, along with President Reagan, worked hard in support of this vital law, and it would be a grave mistake if it were allowed to sunset.

There continues to be strong support for this law among our nation's police officers who risk their lives every day to protect the public. That is because they remember the days, prior to the enactment of the law in 1994, when military-style, semiautomatic firearms had become the weapons of choice for gangs, drug traffickers, and paramilitary extremist groups. The firearm death rate soared as criminals used these weapons, outfitted with 20, 50 and even hundred round ammunition clips, to kill, maim, and terrorize. We cannot go back to those days.

At a time when terrorism continues to be a serious threat, it is even more imperative that we renew the Assault Weapons Act and limit access to military-style weapons and high-capacity ammunition clips. But with upcoming recesses, there are not many legislative days left for Congress to renew the law. We urge you to make reauthorization of the Assault Weapons Act a top priority for your Administration and spur Congress to action. If we can be of assistance to you in this regard, we are ready to do so.

Sincerely,

Gerald R. Ford

Bill Clinton

Jimmy Carter

Stupid bitches, there's no way Bush is signing this or even hinting at it,
this race is too damned close to call.

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2004-07-06 07:15pm

Bush was willing to renew the AWB with certain changes 2 years ago, but this close to election, Bush will fall in line with the Republican party to get votes.

This is actualy a good thing.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2004-07-06 07:33pm

Bush was willing to renew the AWB with certain changes 2 years ago, but this close to election, Bush will fall in line with the Republican party to get votes.

It's not just the Republicans. Gun control is dead for the now and for the foreseeable future; can you recall John Kerry talking about how we need more gun control laws in the last few months? Compare that to the 90s, when calls for more gun control legislation were a regular occurence.

This is probably bad politics on the part of the Dems, but oh well.

Ma Deuce · Post by **Ma Deuce** » 2004-07-06 08:20pm

Idiots. Don't they realize that an attempt to renew the ban in the Senate has already failed? (granted, it was a tack-on)...

TempestMagister · Post by **TempestMagister** » 2004-07-06 08:35pm

Their arguments also seem quite stupid. Doesn't the "retired presidents pack" realize that people as radical as terrorists can just get their weapons just as easily and more quitely from the black-market rather than Bob's local gun bazaar? I guess with two out of the three in that pack being former Democrats, maybe they are attempting to bring the old gun control debate as a Democratic issue, even if these letters are in dead hands.

Uraniun235 · Post by **Uraniun235** » 2004-07-06 11:51pm

Isn't this the law that just bans scary-looking guns?

Xenophobe3691 · Post by **Xenophobe3691** » 2004-07-07 12:19am

Uraniun235 wrote:Isn't this the law that just bans scary-looking guns?

Yeah. And I wanted an AK-47, too

Einhander Sn0m4n · Post by **Einhander Sn0m4n** » 2004-07-07 01:53am

Xenophobe3691 wrote:
Uraniun235 wrote:Isn't this the law that just bans scary-looking guns?
Yeah. And I wanted an AK-47, too

So do I.

BTW I hear that Mini-14s can be just as deadly as any AR15 and they're not banned. Oh well, Cap Hill has banned sillier things, like this cool drink that makes you feel good and lose control and this really kewl plant that is used for fiber production and is rumored to get you high when dried and smoked...

Glocksman · Post by **Glocksman** » 2004-07-07 02:49am

Xenophobe3691 wrote:
Uraniun235 wrote:Isn't this the law that just bans scary-looking guns?
Yeah. And I wanted an AK-47, too

Unless you live in one of the 'People's Republic' states such as Kalifornia, Maryland, or Massachusetts, you still can buy a semi auto AK (contrary to popular belief, the AWB has nothing to do with machine guns or full auto weapons).

It's just one that lacks the scary bayonet lug and flash supressor.
Like mine:

$350 at the local gunshop.
11 Bulgarian and Romanian 30 round mags for $7 each.
I still want a 75 round drum, but I can't justify the $80.

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2004-07-07 03:24am

Xenophobe3691 wrote:
Uraniun235 wrote:Isn't this the law that just bans scary-looking guns?
Yeah. And I wanted an AK-47, too

does this mean that the Steyr AUG should be legal as it looks Sci-fi rather then scary?

Ma Deuce · Post by **Ma Deuce** » 2004-07-07 03:43am

The Yosemite Bear wrote:does this mean that the Steyr AUG should be legal as it looks Sci-fi rather then scary?

So long as there are semi-auto only versions of the AUG available, I don't see why not. (In the US, automatic weapons have been essentially illegal for sale to civilians since 1934, and the death of the AWB would not make automatic weapons any easier to acquire)

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2004-07-07 10:51am

This is straight from the Brady Campiagn website.

The 1994 law also prohibits manufacturers from producing firearms with more than one of the following assault weapon features:

Rifles

Folding/telescoping stock
Protruding pistol grip
Bayonet mount
Threaded muzzle or flash suppressor
Grenade launcher

That is proof of how fucking stupid the AWB is.

Perinquus · Post by **Perinquus** » 2004-07-07 07:30pm

Alyeska wrote:This is straight from the Brady Campiagn website.

The 1994 law also prohibits manufacturers from producing firearms with more than one of the following assault weapon features:

Rifles

Folding/telescoping stock
Protruding pistol grip
Bayonet mount
Threaded muzzle or flash suppressor
Grenade launcher
That is proof of how fucking stupid the AWB is.

Not so fast. As a police officer, I have firsthand knowledge of how these things work on the street. It's a good thing we have the Assault Weapons Ban (that doesn't have anything to do with REAL assault weapons, of course, but that's beside the point), it put an end to that horrible, bloody spate of bayonet charges out on the street before the ban went into effect. It's vital to national security that we continue the ban, vital, do you hear!?! Three former presidents say it, so it must be true. If terrorists can go to any American gun shop and buy a semi-auto only rifle with a bayonet lug on it, God help us!

aerius · Post by **aerius** » 2004-07-07 09:00pm

Perinquus wrote:Not so fast. As a police officer, I have firsthand knowledge of how these things work on the street. It's a good thing we have the Assault Weapons Ban (that doesn't have anything to do with REAL assault weapons, of course, but that's beside the point), it put an end to that horrible, bloody spate of bayonet charges out on the street before the ban went into effect.

I take it you had a close encounter with the fellow pictured below?

Perinquus · Post by **Perinquus** » 2004-07-07 09:17pm

aerius wrote:
Perinquus wrote:Not so fast. As a police officer, I have firsthand knowledge of how these things work on the street. It's a good thing we have the Assault Weapons Ban (that doesn't have anything to do with REAL assault weapons, of course, but that's beside the point), it put an end to that horrible, bloody spate of bayonet charges out on the street before the ban went into effect.
I take it you had a close encounter with the fellow pictured below?

My God, I can practically hear duelling banjos playing in the background.

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2004-07-08 12:26am

"heh, now drop them pants boy"