I was the person who called Vizzard a gun control flunky. In retrospect, I should not have used the word flunky, which is insulting and not germane to the debate. So I withdraw that term unreservedly and apologize to Mr. Vizzard should he ever read this.
However, I will stand by the assertion that he is a gun control advocate. He is a rarity, an informed and knowledgeable gun control advocate, probably because of his career in the ATF. His performance in the PBS ballistic fingerprinting debate was fair and accurate - but it is something that should be expected and demanded of everyone.
I live in a state that is laying off teachers because of budget shortfalls and enacts this kind of lunacy. http://www.direct-action.org/mspscan3.pdf Now it wants to ban all semiautomatics and register all in civilian’s possession. When I ask legislators where will you get the funds for this I get the deer in the headlight look.
Doesn't the ballistic fingerprint change over time? Or hell, you can do a quick little job on your barrel and change the ballistics of the round. The ballistic database would be worthless.
You can't change your fingerprints, unless you burn your fingers off. But you can change the barrel of your gun quite easily.
I made mention of that fact above, Dave. For semi-auto pistols, changing the "fingerprint" is as simple as swapping barrels and slides, because the characteristic markings are left by those pieces, but the frame of the gun is the part that carries the serial number. With revolvers it's more difficult, but with revolvers you don't get cartridge cases left at the scene.
If you don't want to leave any possibly traceable ballistic evidence at the scene at all, use a sawed-off double-barreled shotgun.
Ballistic data analysis of evidence left at the scene of a crime is a useful tool. Attempting to "fingerprint" every gun in the U.S., or just every new gun, or even just every new handgun is a boondoggle that would make Canada's simple registration fiasco pale by comparison.
Anyone who works for the fucking BATFE is a gun control flunky.
End of story.
Note:
All avatars and any images or other media embedded in comments were hosted on the JS-Kit website and have been lost;
references to haloscan comments have been partially automatically remapped, but accuracy is not guaranteed and corrections are solicited.
If you notice any problems with this page or wish to have your home page link updated, please contact John Hardin <jhardin@impsec.org>
JS-Kit/Echo comments for article at http://smallestminority.blogspot.com/2004/02/spin-spin-spin-couple-of-posts-down-is.html (7 comments)
Tentative mapping of comments to original article, corrections solicited.
I was the person who called Vizzard a gun control flunky. In retrospect, I should not have used the word flunky, which is insulting and not germane to the debate. So I withdraw that term unreservedly and apologize to Mr. Vizzard should he ever read this.
However, I will stand by the assertion that he is a gun control advocate. He is a rarity, an informed and knowledgeable gun control advocate, probably because of his career in the ATF. His performance in the PBS ballistic fingerprinting debate was fair and accurate - but it is something that should be expected and demanded of everyone.
This is a review of Mr. Vizzard's book by Dave Kopel:
http://www.nationalreview.com/weekend/books/books-kopel110301.shtml
Thanks, Kevin. That's a very interesting review, and much in keeping with the impression I got from the NewsHour transcript.
I live in a state that is laying off teachers because of budget shortfalls and enacts this kind of lunacy. http://www.direct-action.org/mspscan3.pdf Now it wants to ban all semiautomatics and register all in civilian’s possession. When I ask legislators where will you get the funds for this I get the deer in the headlight look.
JS: Thanks. Your link is a different source for the last fingerprinting report referenced in my post.
Doesn't the ballistic fingerprint change over time? Or hell, you can do a quick little job on your barrel and change the ballistics of the round. The ballistic database would be worthless.
You can't change your fingerprints, unless you burn your fingers off. But you can change the barrel of your gun quite easily.
I made mention of that fact above, Dave. For semi-auto pistols, changing the "fingerprint" is as simple as swapping barrels and slides, because the characteristic markings are left by those pieces, but the frame of the gun is the part that carries the serial number. With revolvers it's more difficult, but with revolvers you don't get cartridge cases left at the scene.
If you don't want to leave any possibly traceable ballistic evidence at the scene at all, use a sawed-off double-barreled shotgun.
Ballistic data analysis of evidence left at the scene of a crime is a useful tool. Attempting to "fingerprint" every gun in the U.S., or just every new gun, or even just every new handgun is a boondoggle that would make Canada's simple registration fiasco pale by comparison.
Anyone who works for the fucking BATFE is a gun control flunky.
End of story.
Note: All avatars and any images or other media embedded in comments were hosted on the JS-Kit website and have been lost; references to haloscan comments have been partially automatically remapped, but accuracy is not guaranteed and corrections are solicited.
If you notice any problems with this page or wish to have your home page link updated, please contact John Hardin <jhardin@impsec.org>