Anderson Cooper/CNN blog on PA CCW

[K-Romulus]

I just saw a gun blog posting about the Oct. 5 CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360" segment on Philadelphia's homicides this year. The Newsbusters website has a writeup on how awful the CNN broadcast was: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/brad-w...ol-philadelphia-blames-concealed-carry-murder

On Thursday's "Anderson Cooper 360," CNN's Randi Kaye filed a story in which she promoted gun control as a solution for Philadelphia's crime problems, as she pushed the argument that the city's high rate of gun violence was the result of Pennsylvania state lawmakers voting to loosen gun laws in the 1990s. And, as if criminals would bother to apply for a permit to legally carry a concealed weapon, Kaye further suggested that the availability of concealed carry permits has contributed to the city's problems. Kaye: "In 1995 there were fewer than 800 applications for concealed weapons here. 'Keeping Them Honest,' we checked, and today there are 29,000 permits to carry. And it's against the law for police to ask anyone why they want one. One law enforcement source told me permits to carry are being passed out like candy." A blog posting on the show's Web site based on this story can be seen here. (Transcript follows) (transcript continues at the NewsBusters webpage)

The Anderson Coooper 360 blog posting on their Philly story is here:http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/and.../2007/10/philly-gunning-for-more-control.html

Excerpt of further BS at the Cooper 360 blog:

If I was a Philadelphia resident, I could walk into any gun shop in the city and buy 50, 100, even 1,000 guns, just like that. All they would do is run an instant background check, and assuming my record was clean, I'd walk out with all that firepower.

There's no waiting period, no rules on who I can and can't sell those weapons to. In fact, state law says I don't even have to get a license for the guns or register them.

Could this be contributing to the gun violence in Philadelphia?

There is a comments section for story feedback. It is moderated, with 26 comments so far running about 50/50 in support of or opposed to gun control and Philly getting to make it's own gun laws. This BS should definitely be countered.

Facts to "Keep Them Honest" :

#1 - PA has handgun sales registration and background checks on all handguns sold in the state, even secondary sales unless between immediate family members (father/son/wife/daughter).

#2 - PA CCW permit holders are not committing crimes in Phila., or anywhere else.

#3 - the ban on so-called "assault weapons" has nothing to do with crime since rifles are less likely to be used in crime or homicides than knives or fists.

#4 - Philly's problems are due to poor policing, not state gun laws. The laws have been the same for the past 10 years. Even today, the Phila PD is catching heat because it's high number of police shootings are being blamed on POOR MANAGEMENT: http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20071010_High_rate_of_shootings_by_Philly_cops.html

 

[gunsmith]

I can't watch Unperson Pooper without getting really sick

A lot of people are completely fooled by his hogwash.

Good post.

 

[grimjaw]

If I was a Philadelphia resident, I could walk into any gun shop in the city and buy 50, 100, even 1,000 guns, just like that.

I had no idea that Pennsylvania residents were so affluent. I'll have to consider moving.

jm

 

[everallm]

I was under the impression that if an individual purchased more than a small number of firearms in one hit (I believe 5), the ATF has to be informed and can make a decision to visit the individual.

If so, I imagine anyone buying the magical 50 - 1000 weapons would get a LOT of scrutiny.

Anyone with more detail on this?

 

[mnw42]

Grrr.....

All of the guns I've bought in the last few years I call my "Rendell" guns. I go the idea from a guy on the range who calls his Colt HBAR and Government Model "Florieo" guns.

There was a similar thread not that long ago here

Here's my post in that thread:

I live in Lower Bucks County about 10 min. from the Philadelphia City limits; so I hear about this all the time. Just a couple of points that I've heard from talking to an ADA in the city I know and a few others:

1) Philly is the drug HUB of the east. A very large percentage come through Philadelphia for re-distribution. This is one of the reasons we had a problem with biker gangs in SE PA and South Jersey a few years ago.

2) The vast majority of guns taken are small .38s, Glocks, and Sigs in 9mm and .40 S&W. As a general rule rifles cant be well hidden and thugs tend to use what the local PD uses.

3) Almost none of those arrested legally obtained their weapons and none had a valid carry permit

4) When they show a captured "gun cache" on the news it is typically they same kinds of guns. Rarely is an AK on the table, but SKSs do show up more often. There is often an illegally sawed-off shotgun.

The city council had passed a number of bills and resolutions; all of which are non binding or have been ruled invalid by the courts.

As a bonus the state constitution (1968) states in section 21:

The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned.

Corresponding provisions of prior Constitutions:
Constitution of 1776, Dec. of Rights, Cl. XIII.
Constitution of 1790, Art. IX, Sec. 21 (Verbatim).
Constitution of 1838, Art. IX, Sec. 21 (Verbatim).
Constitution of 1874, Art. I, Sec. 21 (Verbatim).

That seems pretty clear doesn't it?

I added some emphasis this time around.

Another note involves PA politics and demographics. In short they can be summed up one way: "Pennsylvania has Philadelphia at one end, Pittsburgh at the other and Alabama in the middle." (Forgive me, I can't remember who said that.) There has been a slight demographic shift that has been caused by people from NJ and NY moving into the Philly suburbs in order to enjoy the good schools and lower taxes.

Many of the Democrats in our State House are fairly 'conservative' with the obvious exception of those coming from Philly and Pittsburgh. I have serious doubts that Rendell would have won his first term had Schweiker decided to run. Rendell rode the popularity he had in the city into the suburban counties and won against a less than ideal candidate. Schweiker, being from Levittown and humbler beginnings, would have nullified his advantage in Bucks Co. at the very least and possibly cost him the election. Additionally, the recent 'D' additions to the state legislature came from rural counties that road in on other external factors. These new members came from areas with strong hunting and shooting traditions and will not rock the boat with the draconian legislation that Philly wants. The first day of deer season is a school holiday in many districts.

Rendell knows this and I doubt that he will do more than pontificate and make publicly, but not seriously push, demands for serious new laws for this reason.

Our Jr. senator (Casey D-PA) won his election due, in part, to his name, anger at Sen. Santorm, and anger with national issues.

I'm not saying that we won't have to be vigilant in PA. We are not, however, NY, NY, or CA.

Crime is rarely random and never perpetrated by those who follow laws anyway.

 

[K-Romulus]

mnw42: thanks for the info. My search-fu is weak.

 

[devilc]

You COULD purchase 50 handguns IF the PA background check system was actually working when you went to purchase them. . . .
The best way to deny a right is to make it administratively impossible to take advantage of it.
The delays and frequent outages of the "instant' records checks are defacto waiting periods.

For the record - Philadelphia is NOT a part of PA. . . . this is a common misconception, perhaps due to the quality of public education. . .