The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE or ATF) have begun showing up on the door step of lawful gun owners in the southwest border states, asking to see their guns, record the serial numbers, and explain why they have bought the guns, according to information received by the NRA.
Michael Bane reported hearing the same kinds of stories from his listeners on his June 24 podcast.
According to the NRA, “agents have asked to enter these people’s homes, and requested serial numbers of all firearms the members possess.” The ATF agents claim that they “were making inquiries based on the number of firearms these NRA members had recently bought, and in some cases the agents said they were asking because the members had bought types of guns that are frequently recovered in Mexico.”
The NRA is also reporting that “some of the agents have used heavy-handed tactics. One reportedly demanded that a gun owner return home early from a business trip, while another threatened to “report” an NRA member as “refusing to cooperate.”
In March, I reported on the government’s use of “stimulus” funding to send GRITs (no really, that’s what they call them: Gun Running Interdiction Teams) to the southwest border to interdict gun smuggling. I suggested that the goverment’s likely course of action was to use the agents to go after gun dealers, and use technical violations to fine, harass, and shut down legitimate businesses.
I did not think the ATF would go directly to the individual citizen, simply because of the logistical considerations. How many citizens can you call on when you only have a few hundred agents? But, fear is a powerful tool, and perhaps I underestimated the government’s willingness to use it.
In an April 28, 2009 press release, the ATF stated:
The ATF Office of Strategic Intelligence and Information, using intelligence from trace data, has created numerous investigative leads. This initiative will focus on increasing: the number of firearms trafficking investigations opened/closed during this period; the number of defendants referred for prosecution; and the number of firearms and other evidence recovered.
Notice there is nothing about “solving crimes” in their stated goals. Opening and closing cases, referring people for prosecution, and seizing firearms does not mean they are solving crimes or capturing smugglers.
Simply showing up on the door step of any citizen who recently bought a firearm, creates the stat of opening an investigation. If you made the mistake of putting a lower (!) capacity, US-made magazine on your SKS, then you get federally prosecuted, which looks good for their statistics. Of course, neither of these things actually reduced crime or smuggling, but that’s not the goal.
Other articles that will amaze you:
- Watch the Mexico Border: Gun Control is Coming
- New York Governor Wants More Gun Control: Patterson Targets Law Abiding Gun Owners and Dealers
- Illinois Gun Owners: Your Action is Needed Today!
- Montana Firearms Freedom Act: Montana Moves Toward Independence From Federal Gun Control Laws
- Politicians Lie Again: Guns In Mexico Not From USA
What we need is more informed citizens. They need to learn the laws and assert their rights, and never allow law enforcent to seacrh anything you have unless they have a search warrant signed by the judge. If while searching your property they find the smallest violation it can cost you a ton of money and possibbly time in jail. This can happen even if your violation is by accident.
Also, never give your guns up! I will never allow any law enforcement to take my firearms for any reason. For I know I am not a dangerous felon. Law enforcement officers took the guns of those in New Orleans after the flood. These people were left with no way to protect their property. The only people who had guns were the gangs and criminals. They had free run to loot New Orleans. They would loot properties even when owners were present.
Protect our rights! Also, write your congressmen every month, even if it is to tell them they are doing a good job. That way they know you are watchiung them. Also, write other congressmen, big business does. Whay can’t we? But the best abd easiest way is to call them. Calls get respect. If the congressman’s office is so busy answering the phone that they can do nothinh else, the people get noticed.
It is through ignorance and not being involved that people lose their freedoms and rights. I feel these rights are mine, given by God. I will never allow any govenment to take them, no matter what laws they create. When guns become outlawed, I become an outlaw!
Thanks for stopping by and contributing to the discussion.
The only thing I would suggest you reconsider is “I will never allow any law enforcement to take my firearms for any reason. For I know I am not a dangerous felon.”
You may know you are a good guy, but a cop probably does not. There are times it is reasonable to relinquish your firearm temporarily to a law enforcement officer who is acting in good faith. No, I am not talking about a Katrina type situation. I’m talking about a much more likely issue.
For example, police respond to a criminal complaint (let’s say a robbery) in which a person who generally matches your description is seen fleeing from the scene in a car like yours in the direction you are heading. It is perfectly lawful for a police officer to stop and detain you for a brief period of time to determine if you are the suspect that just committed the crime. During that detention, it is lawful for the officers to disarm you, and your failure to do so presents a situation in which a reasonable person would be forced to conclude you were a threat to the officers. Things do not go well for you there.
I understand the sentiment, but I hope you have some flexibility in your thinking to allow for situations that may come up.
Thanks again for stopping by.
Richard