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Assaulting our liberties.(Between The Lines)
ITEM: Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry rebuked President Bush on Monday for letting a ban on assault weapons expire, reported Reuters for September 13. The senator said in part: "So, tomorrow for the first time in 10 years when a killer walks into a gun shop, when a terrorist goes to a gun show somewhere in America, when they want to purchase an AK-47 or some other military assault weapon, they're going to hear one word: 'sure.'"
ITEM: Following the expiration of the federal assault weapons ban, contended the Associated Press on September 12, "manufacturers look for a boom in business as people buy up previously banned weapons like AK-47s, Uzis and TEC-9s...."
BETWEEN THE LINES: The arguments for extending the so-called assault weapons ban were as specious as those used when it was implemented: cosmetic, symbolic and blatantly fraudulent. The real target remains the constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) admitted as much when the ban was instituted, saying: "If I could have gotten 51 votes in the Senate of the United States for an outright ban, picking up every one of them, Mr. and Mrs. America turn them all in, I would have done it." Another gun-control advocate, Washington Post columnist Charles Krauthammer, acknowledged in 1996 that the only real justification for such a move was "not to reduce crime but to desensitize the public to the regulation of weapons in preparation for their ultimate confiscation."
The ban was helped by propaganda that purposely confused frilly automatic weapons with semi-automatics and made bogus claims about their use by criminals. The legislation was aimed at 19 specific military-style semi-automatic weapons--which fire only one bullet per trigger pull--and ammunition magazines capable of carrying 10 or more rounds. It prohibited the production (not existing ownership) of such weapons, including those that had more than one demonized feature such as a bayonet lug, pistol grip or flash suppressor. ...
- Post-Debate Hoopla Pushes President Bush and John Kerry onto This Week's List;...
- Press release article from: PR Newswire October 5, 2004 700+ words
...cabinet meetings; George Bush cartoons; John Kerry's senate attendance; John Kerry tan; Bush and education; polls on Bush and Kerry; John Kerry and assault weapons. Other Notes of Interest: Hurricanes...
- Assault weapons ban may soon end.
- Newspaper article from: Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service Montgomery, Dave August 5, 2004 700+ words
...Republicans of putting "assault weapons back on the street...market were exempted. Assault weapons are generally defined...semi-automatic assault weapons." Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, portraying himself...
- Let's take a deep breath in the `assault weapons' ban dispute.(Knight Ridder...
- Newspaper article from: Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service Labbe, J.R. August 12, 2004 700+ words
...expiration of the federal "assault weapons" ban. Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry is all for extending...A tidal wave of assault weapons will soon legally flood...checking on what the "assault weapons" ban did and did not...
- Assault-weapons ban set to expire; Senate will not consider a renewal, Frist...
- Newspaper article from: The Washington Times September 9, 2004 700+ words
...WASHINGTON TIMES The assault-weapons ban, passed 10 years...Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, supports renewal...control - and the assault-weapons ban in particular...Republican, said the assault-weapons ban, which expires...
- Democrats may use assault weapons ban against Bush, GOP.
- Newspaper article from: Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL) July 29, 2004 700+ words
...ban on semiautomatic assault weapons. "Our policy was...street and to take assault weapons off the street _ and...Democrats hope to use the assault weapons issue against President...presidential nominee John Kerry supports extending...
- IBPO Endorses John Kerry for President; Says 2000 Choice George Bush Has Turned...
- Press release article from: PR Newswire May 14, 2004 700+ words
...re going to do." John Kerry has a record of standing...the current ban on assault weapons and is a national leader...the war on terror. "John Kerry will give law enforcement...reauthorization of the assault weapons ban and as president...
- To Restore Sanity on Gun Issue, Brady Campaign, Million Mom March Endorse John...
- Press release article from: PR Newswire October 1, 2004 700+ words
...promise to renew the Assault Weapons Ban. Instead of renewing...other hand, Senator John Kerry has consistently supported...need military-style assault weapons, and that measures...to vote for Senator John Kerry. "Mr. Bush should...
- Bush or Kerry: any difference for America's states and cities?(George W....
- Newspaper article from: Nation's Cities Weekly Peirce, Neal September 27, 2004 700+ words
...George Bush term portend for them? How would they fare if John Kerry's challenge succeeded? There's a facile but misleading...A sample list runs from community policing and the lapsed assault weapons ban to federal aid to faith-based social programs, stem...
Source: HighBeam Research, Assaulting our liberties.(Between The Lines)