http://www.sierratimes.com/02/09/25/sheriff.htm

FAIR USE:

Gun Control and Hypocrites
By Sheriff Michael E. Cook
Published 09. 24. 02 at 22:20 Sierra Time
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It seems that every week something happens to cause me concern. This past week has not been an exception and two things came to my attention. First, I got an e-mail from my friends at the Fifty Caliber Shooting Policy Institute. It seems that the City of Los Angeles in California is attempting to pass an ordinance making possession of .50 caliber BMG firearms illegal. The BMG stands for Browning Machine Gun.

For those readers who don’t know, this is a large cartridge of ammo that is very much like the .30-06 cartridge on steroids. The cartridge was used by the military for a large machine gun as was the .30-06 cartridge. There are many large rifles (not machine guns) being made to fire this cartridge just like the ones made for the .30-06, and they are sold to those who like to shoot this rifle. Many of the people in the sport shooting world like the challenge of shooting long distance with this rifle. There are many clubs organized around this caliber gun and shoot it for fun, just like many people who shoot the large black powder cannons of history in clubs and while doing reenactment’s. It’s no different than clubs formed to play gulf or bowl.

So why would the city of Los Angeles want to stop this? These weapons are high priced and I don’t know of one crime in which they have been used. So what is the big fear? Again, people in elected office are wasting the taxpayers time and money for nothing. The people should ask their city council what part of the Second Amendment in the Constitution they don’t understand? I see nothing in there that says you have the right to keep and bear arms, except for the .50 BMG or any other kind.

Now on to the other little item that bugged me this week. I was talking to some friends and they told me something that bothered me a great deal. This is the second year they have gone hunting. The hunting season is one week away for rifle deer season in Oregon. They have made it a family activity and their two children are also involved. This is a good thing and I hope every family is doing the same. They were invited to join some other friends of mine who have been camping and hunting as a group for many years. Last year they went with them and had a great time. This year, however, they were invited back as long as they didn’t bring the children. They were told that the rest of the group didn’t want children around camp as it upsets their vacation and hunting trip.

The problem is that these are the same people who sit around and complain that they are losing their hunting privileges and the opportunity to go out and enjoy the tradition and heritage of hunting. Well, one of the reasons we are loosing that tradition is because people like this are not teaching the young people to learn and enjoy this tradition and heritage. Fewer people are doing it, and before long we will be such a small and old group that the whole hunting tradition and life style will be gone forever.

So, to those people I say, the next time you lose some hunting season or hunting area just look into the mirror and you will know who to blame. Quit being hypocrites and start to teach the young people the values and tradition of hunting. We must pass on the heritage to keep our life style alive and active in America.

God Bless America
Michael E. Cook. Coos County Sheriff, Retired.