The NRA Protects A Potential Serial Killer

[Judi Lynn]

Cliff SchecterBest-selling author, public-relations consultant, pundit, bon vivant
Posted: July 15, 2010 01:48 PM
The NRA Protects A Potential Serial Killer

What does the leadership of the National Rifle Association have to do to finally convince anyone paying attention that they are extremist, self-interested, and devoid of all principle? Here's an idea: they could blatantly lie about the law in an attempt to block authorities in Daytona Beach, Florida from accessing information that would help law enforcement catch a potential serial killer.

Oh wait, they've already done that.

You see, Daytona Beach police have determined through forensic evidence that the same kind of weapon was used to kill 3 women (and maybe a 4th) over the past few years, so they have taken what could be considered a logical next step. They didn't go on a fishing expedition (in fact this is exactly the way a gun dealer who cooperated put it), but asked gun dealers located in the specific counties where the homicides took place if they could see their records during a specific period of time (2004 & 2005), to determine who might have bought this weapon and used it to kill people.

Crazy, right?

And the key elements here are that the police have only "asked" for, not demanded the records, and they are only seeking to look at them, not copy them. But for those who run the NRA, who would consider a law disarming Ayman al-Zwahiri a ride along the slippery slope to a general handgun ban, this is just beyond the pale. So they trotted out one of their lobbyist friends in Tallahassee to lie about the law, to say what the police were doing was illegal--and of course launched the requisite faux-populist appeals to the same conspiratorial, anti-government, pearl-clutchers who Sarah Palin makes millions scaring the bejesus out of via rationality-challenged Facebook missives.

Good if you're a gun manufacturer or wealthy NRA lobbyist, not so much if one of these four women murdered was your daughter, sister or mother.

What's truly amazing, though, is how the Washington NRA leadership is always there for the worst among us. Do you want to continue to sell guns to criminals, terrorists, and those not of sound mind through the gun show loophole--unlike 69% of NRA members and 85% of non-NRA gun owners who support a simple background check at gun shows to prevent this insanity? No worries, NRA Executive VP Wayne LaPierre has got your back! Do you think it's a swell idea to sell guns & explosives to those being actively investigated by the FBI, TSA or DHS? Excellent! Top NRA lobbyist Chris Cox is there to ensure you can continue to hawk your wares to those who can't even get on airplanes because they are being investigated for being members of violent, terrorist organizations--something 82% of the NRA's own membership and 86% of non-NRA gun owners agree is just plain nuts.

More:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cliff-schecter/the-nra-protects-a-potent_b_647770.html

[X_Digger]

1. As I said in the cross-post..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=118x329692

How does he feel about library books?

Want to get the records of anyone who's checked out the anarchist's cookbook?

How about we deny the right to a jury for those on the 'supah sekrit terra' list? Or the right to remain silent?

Tripe and codswallop.

If the cops want a peek at the records, go before a judge and explain. The nice man or woman in a black robe will ask you questions, then tell you if you can go fishing.

That whole 'due process' thing just stumps some people.

[slackmaster]

2. If the police have adequate reason to look at those records, they should obtain...

...a search warrant, just as they do in every other kind of criminal investigation.

They can't go searching the garage of everyone who ever bought a gray Honda, if a gray Honda is implicated in a series of crimes. Checking the records of thousands or tens of thousands of people who bought a particular type of firearm would be the moral equivalent of that.

[GreenStormCloud]

3. Suppose the police want to look at medical records.

Suppose that the killer has left DNA at the scene that shows he has medical condition X which requires treatment. The police then begin to ask doctors for a list of people with medical condition X.

Are you cool with that?

[SteveM]

4. You and HuffPo should review the 4th & 5th Amendments. That is all.