The media's error-filled assault on 'assault weapons'

By Bob McNitt

Each time I read or hear the general media referring to "assault firearms," I cringe. Why? Because many of them have little or no idea of what they're talking about. The term "assault weapon" is an arbitrary (and politicized) phrase used all too often by the media to describe a collection of semi-automatic firearms that outwardly only "appear similar" to those used by the military but are not alike in actuality.
On April 18, 2007 in an interview, Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (NY), sponsor of the bill "Assault Weapons Ban and Law Enforcement Protection Act of 2007" spoke on the Virginia Tech massacre and her proposed reauthorization of the Assault Weapons Ban. Asked to explain the need to regulate barrel shrouds, one of the many provisions of the Act, she responded that more importantly the legislation would ban large capacity "clips" used in the Virginia Tech massacre and that the class of guns chosen were those used by gangs and police killers. However, she apparently either never learned the facts or else was highly uninformed about the very firearms she was trying to ban.
The Virginia Tech shooter did not have high capacity magazines. They were of the legal, 10-round variety. After admitting that she did not know what a barrel shroud was, an item which she was so adamant to see banned, McCarthy ventured a guess, "I believe it is a shoulder thing that goes up". Actually a barrel shroud is a ventilated covering attached to the barrel of a firearm that partially or completely encircles the barrel, preventing burns when the barrel gets hot from rapid or fully automatic firing.
The misleading phrase "assault weapons" has been used primarily in relation to a specific expired gun law that was commonly known as the "Assault Weapons Ban", "Clinton gun ban", or "1994 crime bill." On March 2, 2004, following the bill's sunset date, it was voted down 8-90. It's worthwhile to note that The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studied the "assault weapon" ban as well as other gun control schemes, and found "insufficient evidence to determine the effectiveness of any of the firearms laws reviewed for preventing violence.
It is a common misconception that the assault weapons ban restricted weapons capable of fully automatic fire, such as true assault rifles and machine guns. Fully automatic weapons were unaffected by the ban, although they have been primarily banned and heavily restricted by permit since the National Firearms Act of 1934. Most of these firearms being described as "assault weapons" have physical appearances similar to their military look-alikes, but there the similarity ends.
Some may have certain features, such as a folding or pistol-grip stock, barrel shroud, or the ability to accept a detachable magazine of a capacity larger than ten rounds. The term "assault weapon" has often been erroneously compared to machinegun-like rifles, which are illegal to own or buy without a special Federal permit. Many states and localities still carelessly use the term assault weapon with a variety of variations because the firearm "looks" like a military model. But in truth, they are functionally and basically the same as the popular but "more traditional looking" firearms used by hunters and target shooters.
The glaring difference that separates a true assault firearm from those being called assault firearms is an assault firearm is truly fully automatic, meaning it fires much like a machinegun, spewing out bullets in rapid succession as long as the trigger is held down. Semi automatics require the trigger be pulled to fire each individual shot, one at a time. Those being mistakenly lumped with true fully automatic firearms is like saying VW Beatles race in the Daytona 500.
The history of popular hunting rifles and their origins -- from the WWI 1903 Springfield bolt-action rifle to today's AR-platform rifles -- illustrates how for more than 100 years rifles used by the military that possess battlefield requirements of accuracy, ruggedness and reliability became, understandably, popular civilian sporting rifles. Thus, today's AR-15-style modern sporting rifles are just another step in the evolution of the tools hunters and target shooters use to enjoy their activities. None are fully automatic, meaning that a single round is fired each time the trigger is pulled, just like all repeating guns currently in use by civilians.
In the 1860s the Henry Rifle used the lever-action and the new cartridge technology to allow highly accurate, powerful, rapid-firing guns. The Henry gave birth to the 1873 Winchester, "the gun that won the West." Lever actions then became very popular with civilian shooters and hunters and have remained popular ever since. Then in WWII and the Korean War the M-1 Garand military semi-auto spawned several models of semi-automatic civilian sporting rifles. The Vietnam War saw the emergence of the M14, AK-47, M16 and subsequent M-16 series, which are the forerunners of the civilian "AR-15 type" semi-auto designed rifles now being mistakenly called "assault rifles," but which are increasingly becoming popular as hunting and target shooting tools.
When I see the media and many politicians feeding the public such incorrect and erroneous information, it makes me wonder just how reliable the rest of what they tell us is? I'm also reminded of a classic Mark Twain (aka Samuel Clemens) quote: "If you don't read the newspaper, you are uninformed; if you do read the newspaper, you are misinformed."
How easily can misinformation or incorrect information to a news-dependent public result in asinine new laws passed by politicians? In Great Britain, the news media did such a disservice that a ban on ownership of handguns was introduced in 1997 as a result of the Dunblane massacre. The use of handguns in crime rose by 40 per cent in the two years after the weapons were banned. Now there's a movement to ban knives because Murders and other homicides involving knives are up 10 per cent, and attempted murders up 8 per cent on top of a huge increase in knife robberies. Boy Scouts in the UK may be banned from carrying knives as the law on carrying knives in public is so ambiguous.
It's a good thing the media doesn't turn its attention to the number of erroneous stories and misinformation that are often reported by some. That might just put many of them right next to the tabloids in super markets.

DEC's "New" Videos Carefully Avoid Hunting

The Top Brass in the Department of Environmental Conservation can certainly talk the talk, but when do they ever walk the walk? Case in point is the new Web TV which only has one segment out of 63 that is about hunting. That's less than 2%.

All the hollow claims out of Albany (or maybe New York City?) that the DEC was promoting hunting and trying to entice more youths into the sportsmen/women folds certainly isn't evident in the playlist being trotted out on the DEC web site. It bothers me to no end that increasingly, the DEC seems to be telling hunters "give us your money, but don't expect us to use it to improve game/wildlife habitat. Fishing and non-consumptive outdoor activities are more important."

Does Any Politician From Downstate Have a Clue?

I'll make this short and sweet ... are there two entirely different New Yorks, one north of Westchester County and one south of it? It certainly seems increasingly so. I'm not especially referring to the fact that one tends to be more rural or suburban while the other is mega-urban. What I am pointing out is the vast differences in attitudes that affect the entire state, not just one or the other. Now, the majority of the entire state being run by downstate, apparently those of us residing north and west of Westchester no longer are expected to have a voice in the state politics.

The current bevy of gun control bills being ushered through the legislature has become the poster boy for this separation of power. The package of gun control bills (aka "the Terrible Thirteen") were almost entirely spawned by downstate politicians who seemingly based their thinking on what's good for mega-urban areas is good for every area. Even the terminology in some of the bills show how little they understand the very subject their bill is targeting. Take for example the micro stamping bill which would require every semi-auto handgun to have a firing pin that would leave a distinctive mark on every shell casing fired from it. Experts simply say this is impractical and ineffective, and has never been a successful tool in solving gun-related crimes but would only increased the production cost immeasureably. Crooks would only need to remove the pin marking from their gun, or else use a revolver that leaves no spent casings.

New York already has the most strict firearms laws in the nation, few of which have stopped some street crook, druggie or gang member from getting illegal guns on the black market and using them in their crimminal pursuits. Adding more won't stop that, but it will certainly raise hell with law-abiding citizens all over the state.

DHS's Report Profiles Potential Domestic Terrorists

In a report released on April 7, 2009, the Dept. of Homeland Security gave a rather detailed profile of what it apparently may now consider falling under the heading of "potential domestic terrorists." Even to the casual reader, the wording could be construed to include tens of millions of otherwise law-abiding patriotic American citizens. You may get the impression that the government is actually becoming fearful of the very citizens it is sworn to represent and protect. Here are some of the more questionable clauses from the document.

"The possible passage of new restrictions on firearms and the return of military veterans facing significant challenges reintegrating into their communities could lead to the potential emergence of terrorist groups or lone wolf extremists capable of carrying out violent attacks.

Proposed imposition of firearms restrictions and weapons bans likely would attract new members into the ranks of rightwing extremist groups, as well as potentially spur some of them to begin planning and training for violence against the government. The high volume of purchases and stockpiling of weapons and ammunition by rightwing extremists in anticipation
of restrictions and bans in some parts of the country continue to be a primary concern to law enforcement.

Returning veterans possess combat skills and experience that are attractive to rightwing extremists. DHS/I&A is concerned that rightwing extremists will attempt to recruit and radicalize returning veterans in order to boost their violent capabilities.

Many rightwing extremist groups perceive recent gun control legislation as a threat to their right to bear arms and in response have increased weapons and ammunition stockpiling, as well as renewed participation in paramilitary training exercises. Such activity, combined with a heightened level of extremist paranoia, has the potential to facilitate criminal activity and violence"

Read The Entire DHS Report

The rise and fall of wildlife habitat and hunting in NYS

By Bob McNitt

It seems New Year's is often a time that many of us reflect on events of the past year and sometimes beyond. After all, history is the yard-stick reminder of where we've been, where we currently are, and where we might be heading. As a sportsmen and outdoor enthusiast, I tend to reminisce about the many changes that have occurred in our outdoor environment, and especially as they relate to wildlife, habitat and hunting opportunities, all of which have gone through major changes over the years. So I've pieced together a short overview of these from 1900 to the present.

1900-1930
The height of agriculture in the state as an abundance of small farms were present throughout New York, with the exception of the Adirondacks' rugged lands. There was an abundance of small game on the farmlands, with rabbit, squirrel and grouse being the most common. Deer were primarily confined to the Adirondacks.
1930-1940
These were the heydays of small game and upland hunting in the state. Thanks to the wonderful habitat created by the checkerboard maze of small family-run farms, species such as cottontail rabbit, gray squirrel, ruffed grouse, woodcock and pheasant were abundant, widespread and readily accessible. Deer were just beginning to show up in many areas of the state, having spread from their previous ranges in the Adirondacks and Pennsylvania.
1940-1950
Small game, and especially upland species such as grouse, pheasant and rabbit were still in abundance and widespread. However, deer were becoming more plentiful and widespread. Snowshoe rabbits (varying hare) were extremely plentiful in the numerous state forest plantations planted by the old Civilian Conservation Corps of the post-Depression era. A new predator, nicknamed the "brush wolf" (or "coydog") was expanding in the northern half of the state. It was to eventually be officially called the "Eastern Coyote."
1950-1970
Perhaps the best era for hunting in the state since all game species, both big and small, were in relative abundance, as well as widespread access was available in most agricultural areas. Large numbers of pheasants were being reared and released by both the State and private organizations such as sportsmen clubs and the 4-H. Deer had become so common the state held a special "Doe Day" on the last day of the regular deer season in many areas of the state. Farming technique changes began to negatively impact the once numerous family-run small farms, and an expansion of rural residential and commercial developments began to appear on the abandoned farmlands
1970-1990
In 1971 the NYS Conservation Department was replace by a much larger and complex agency called the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), which would be responsible for managing all aspects of the environment in addition to natural resources. It would be funded by the General Fund, but the money from all sporting license sales and appropriate gear taxes (Pittman-Robertson and Dingall-Johnson Acts) would be in a special Conservation Fund, dedicated to natural resources development and management. Thanks to the abandonment of farmland, emerging growth provided the perfect habitat for deer, whose numbers rapidly climbed during this period. A new Wild Turkey Restoration Program was also proving highly successful, and turkey hunting was just beginning to catch on. Conversely, pheasant, rabbit and hare numbers began to decrease as the once numerous low-growth habitat on abandoned farmlands grew and matured. This was also especially true in the state forest evergreen plantations as the dense maturing trees blocked sunlight from reaching ground-level flora.
1990-Present
Rapid residential and commercial development spread rapidly throughout the state, replacing natural habitat and creating abundant fringe areas that deer found attractive. The result was a steady change in where deer densities were the highest, moving from woodlands and farmlands to developed areas where hunting was either impractical or prohibited. Changes in land ownership philosophies also resulted in a decrease in private land accessible to hunters. This, along with a decline in small game numbers, especially upland species, caused overall hunter numbers to decline. However, deer and turkey hunting remained strong for several years after the decline began.
After years of refusal, the legislature finally lowered the minimum age to hunt big game to 14. This resulted in a spike in licenses and hunters, as an additional 15,000 young hunters joined the hunting fraternity. But the ink was barely dry on the new law when Governor Paterson announced that by executive decision he was closing the state's lone remaining pheasant farm (Reynolds, near Ithaca) and doing away with the entire state pheasant program as a budget cutting measure, despite the entire program being paid from sporting license money.
The Future
With the state facing a huge budget deficit, the axing of the pheasant program (despite it shearing basically nothing off the budget deficit) is a rather strong indication of the budget-cutting priorities of the current administration, which is very "environmentally oriented." Also, the amount of attention given to wildlife habitat management and improvement by the DEC has steadily been declining for many years. As such I fully expect the biggest losers in the budget trimming will involve fish, wildlife and habitat programs. Not a very rosy picture for hunting or the sportsmen/women and other outdoor enthusiasts of New York.