In a recent "commentary" posted on CNN.com, National Rifle Association Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre dismissed statements from U.S. and Mexican government officials that, based on firearms tracing data from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Mexico's drug cartels obtain 90 percent or more of their firearms from the United States.
In making his argument, LaPierre preaches to the choir in the apocalyptic tones familiar to anyone with even a passing acquaintance with the gun group's rhetoric: "gun abolitionists claim Mexican gun laws are so strict that our 'weak laws' (read: freedoms) are to blame for 'fueling the violence' in Mexico."
He then offers a series of unverifiable statements that define the term "argument by assertion." LaPierre's goal? To draw an opaque curtain across facts that have been repeatedly stated by both U.S. and Mexican government officials. He writes:
Well, to believe that...
You have to believe that Mexico's drug cartels, which possess the wealth and armies of nations, prefer American semiauto target and hunting rifles over fully automatic machine guns and any other military arms they want to crush opposition.You have to believe Mexican drug lords―who make Forbes magazine's list of billionaires―don't get large lots of weaponry on the transnational black market but instead choose to trifle with paperwork at U.S. gun stores...
Well, believe it Wayne. Illegal gun traffickers are more than happy to "trifle with paperwork at U.S. gun stores." A new study released today by my organization, the Violence Policy Center, looks at U.S. court records from southwestern states and clearly shows that illegal gun traffickers involved in smuggling firearms to Mexico seek semiautomatic assault weapons, armor-piercing handguns, and 50 caliber anti-armor sniper rifles from U.S. gun shops. Many of these guns are imported, underscoring the urgent need for the Obama Administration to use its executive powers to strictly enforce existing restrictions on the import of such non-sporting weapons--a ban (separate from the now-expired 1994 federal assault weapons ban) first imposed by the George H.W. Bush Administration, tightened up by the Clinton Administration, and left in ruins by the George W. Bush Administration. Where the Obama Administration will stand on this issue--which they could address today without Congressional action--remains to be seen. Of course, this is a case of "enforcing the gun laws on the books" that the NRA would rather ignore.
For the report, the Violence Policy Center worked to identify criminal cases alleging illegal gun trafficking to Mexico filed in U.S. federal courts in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas for the period February 2006 to February 2009. Reviewing government press releases, government statements, and local news coverage, the VPC was able to identify and obtain the court documents for 21 cases filed during this period. The information presented in the report regarding specific firearms was retrieved exclusively from facts specified by the United States government, primarily in criminal complaints and indictments. The VPC included every case it found, regardless of the type or number of weapons trafficked.
Looking at the set of guns specifically named in the documents, the study found:
o Traffickers seek out semiautomatic assault weapons (42 percent of guns named), armor-piercing handguns capable of penetrating the body armor worn by law enforcement (18 percent), and 50 caliber anti-armor sniper rifles (two percent). All of the armor-piercing handguns were FN Herstal Five-seveN pistols, known as the mata policia, or "cop killer" in Mexico.
o More than 90 percent of the 226 rifles named could be identified as semiautomatic assault rifles, primarily AK-47 and AR-15 variants.
o More than one-third of the guns obtained by traffickers were made by foreign manufacturers.
o At least 70,000 rounds of ammunition were directly involved in the cases.
So much for "trifling." But to the NRA, the best defense is an incendiary offense. How else can you defend military-bred guns used to kill law enforcement and public officials? Yet the NRA 's unsubstantiated claims--and let's remember, this is the organization that for years paid a spy to infiltrate the gun violence prevention movement, befriending the victims of gun violence for NRA money (but I'm sure they're trustworthy)--are allowed to gain a toehold because of the information vacuum created by a federal measure backed by the organization known as the Tiahrt Amendment. Up until 2003, comprehensive crime gun trace data was available under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This all changed with the Tiahrt Amendment (named after its sponsor, Kansas Representative Todd Tiahrt), a spending prohibition that bans the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives from releasing such information. Now, we don't even know the top crime gun in America. Bad for public safety. Good for the NRA, gunmakers, and criminals. Right now a battle is being fought to repeal the measure--an action endorsed by President Obama during the campaign.
So why are "Mexican drug lords who make Forbes magazine's list of billionaires" shopping in the U.S.A. Because they know a bargain when they see one.
James D. Zirin: Mexico -- Immigration Si; Corruption No
Mexico has a democratically elected government, and a relatively stable society, but the power of the drug cartels is formidable.
William Bradley: Obama and Mexico: Managing Incipient Chaos
Obama's measures will only manage the incipient chaos of Mexico's drug wars, not end it. Which has actually long been typical of America's policies with regard to Mexico.
Murray Fromson: Here We Go Again in Mexico
Until the widespread usage of drugs in the United States is curtailed sharply, there can be no realistic or substantive solution to the problem inside Mexico.
Josh Sugarmann: 90 Percent of Mexican Crime Guns Come From U.S., Says GAO
So much for NRA chief Wayne LaPierre's oft-repeated claim that Mexican gun traffickers don't bother to "trifle with paperwork at U.S. gun stores."
//signed//
A law enforcment officer
The NRA correctly objects to this factual mis-citation of data and Fox News reports it.
But then the NRA affirms in this article--without qualification--that: "Reporter after politician after news anchor just disregards the truth on this" because "The numbers are intentionally used to weaken the Second Amendment."
BUT IN THE VERY SAME ARTICLE THE NRA MIS-CITES DATA!
The NRA spokesman affirms: "It's estimated that over 100,000 soldiers deserted the army to work for the drug cartels"
Nope.
In January 2008, the Sedena reported that 100,000 soldiers deserted during the previous 7 years. While some of them quite probably did go to work for the cartels, the NRA is mis-citing the data in suggesting that ALL of them did.
Should we apply the NRA’s same logic and suppose that their mis-citation of the data was because they were intentionally disregarding the truth to push their political agenda?
Will Fox News correct this error?
http://www.radiotrece.com.mx/2008/01/22/admite-sedena-desercion-de-militares/
http://www.eleconomista.es/legislacion/noticias/374619/02/08/Narcotraficantes-intentaron-negociar-con-Ejercito-mexicano-cese-a-violencia.html
2008 /= 2009
100K /= 'all' of 150K.
The reality is that their AK-47's are coming from South and Central America and from corrupt military personnel. Until they provide the United States with serial numbers, I dont want to hear Mexico's complaints.
More misinformation from Josh.
Again, for the umpteenth time, the BATFE says that 90% OF THE FIREARMS THEY COULD TRACE came from the US. Not 90% of the illegal firearms in Mexico. That Josh is trying to say otherwise is completely dishonest.
"A new study released today by my organization, the Violence Policy Center, "
An organization which has been shown in the past that they are more thand willing to play slight of hand with statistics, such as including 18 to 24 year olds as "children".
"and left in ruins by the George W. Bush Administration"
Sure, blame Bush for Congress not renewing the law. More dishonesty from Josh.
"More than 90 percent of the 226 rifles named could be identified as semiautomatic assault rifles, primarily AK-47 and AR-15 variants. "
That would be a really neat trick since THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A SEMI-AUTIO ASSAULT RIFLE! Once again we see Josh trying to use the machine gun confusion tactic he outlined in his now famous 1988 memo.
"All of the armor-piercing handguns were FN Herstal Five-seveN pistols, known as the mata policia, or "cop killer" in Mexico. "
And the SS190 AP ammo IS NOT SOLD COMMERCIALLY IN THE US!
One of these days it will dawn on Josh that everything he writes further undermines his credibility.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2009/04/02/myth-percent-guns-mexico-fraction-number-claimed/
Josh: "A new study released today by my organization, the Violence Policy Center, looks at U.S. court records from southwestern states and clearly shows that illegal gun traffickers involved in smuggling firearms to Mexico seek semiautomatic assault weapons, armor-piercing handguns, and 50 caliber anti-armor sniper rifles from U.S. gun shops."
So let me get this straight. We should believe you because your own study backs up your own claim! Wow, what a surprise. That's like a robbery suspect telling the police "But officer, I could not have been at the scene of the crime because I wrote in my diary that I was somewhere else when the crime occured. That proves I'm right."
And as for who is to be considered "trustworthy", Josh clearly needs to be reminded that he's the one who leads an anti-gun group and has a Federal Firearms license.
Sorry Josh, but in order to be "armor piercing", that gun needs a special type of ammo that NOT available on the U. S. civilian market. The only way the cartel member could be getting that ammo is from sources in the police or military.
Use the monies saved to make mandatory programs for government subsidies (welfare, etc...) to take a drug test, your clean, you get it, your dirty, your put into recovery program just like in the Netherlands or Japan where no criminal record is given, but cold turkey withdrawal is frequently used! That would really take a bite out of recreational drug use don’t you agree! If you eliminate the money, how are the gangs going to thrive and survive in large numbers, the answer is they will not, please prove otherwise
As for any argument about morality, lol, the only thing the government cares about is not getting the tax revenue from the sale from the illicit drugs, please prove otherwise!
Let’s persecute the 1 million gang members and not the 90 million plus law abiding gun owners. Or is that too obtuse of a solution for the anti-s to buy into?
Finally some GOOD suggestions to remedy some bad problems.
You definitely have my vote whenever you decide to run for office.
Actually, let’s see a real apple to apple comparison of the facts and hard data, not some study funded by your center where you defined the "goal" of the study so that the data was manipulated to "support" your position. Let’s see a study done that would have an effect on eliminating overall violence. That study would be to gauge the effects of legalizing illicit drugs, thereby cutting off the main source of funding for the violent gangs. That same 1 million violent gang members in 2008 as reported by the USDOJ Gang Activity Report, Jan 13th, 2009 that identifies that 80% of all violent crime in the US is the result of gang activity. In 2007 that was 1.38 million violent crimes, so you have the opportunity to reduce violent crime by somewhere between 50-70% (690,000 to 1 million less violent crimes), just by eliminating the gangs main revenue source, just like the government did against the rum runners during prohibition in the 1930's.
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Mexico, the great socialistic paradise south of the US border wont post their real crime data so as not to scare off the tourists, lol!
Australia has increased both Violent crime reported rate and total and Canada has increased in total violent crime reported, during the same time frame (1997 - today) all info available in their government crime databases!
Oh yeah, the US totals on violent crime reported has declined before that time period and during that same time period both in rate and totals, this is also in the FBI database.
The only being or entity I know of capable of solving a problem by addressing the result is God. The government, Josh Sugarman and his cohorts are not God, so no hope of solving the problem the way they are going.
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