Woman buying gun = presumed guilty
Bob Ricker, the main employee of American Hunters and Shooters Association, was at a conference recently arguing that every young female who purchases guns legally should raise a red flag as being a criminal subject to federal prosecution and 10 years in prison.
That exact reason (and racism, apparently) is why the ATF is under investigation for its behavior at Richmond area gun shows:
John White, a former law enforcement officer who is now an FFL operating under the business name “The Gunsmith,” said female customers who approached his sales area at the Richmond shows were immediately targeted by the “undercover” officers.
“If a woman showed up at my table, she was surrounded by law enforcement,” White recalled. “If the lady walked off and suddenly stopped, they would have bumped into each other. Their surveillance methods were pitiful.
“Every woman that makes a purchase, every woman who comes to my table to buy a gun was automatically [treated as] a straw purchaser,” White said. (A “straw purchaser” is a person who can otherwise legally purchase a firearm, but who does so with the intent to illegally provide it to an ineligible buyer such as a convicted felon or an illegal alien. “Straw purchases” are illegal.)
March 14th, 2006 at 6:58 pm
Okay, I’m going to call Bullshit here. If you read the article Bitter is referencing, what Ricker actually said was:
”Clerks in gun stores need more training. If a 21-year-old woman comes in and wants to buy 10 .44-caliber Magnum handguns, a red flag should go up.”
That’s not anywhere close to:
“every young female who purchases guns legally should raise a red flag as being a criminal subject to federal prosecution and 10 years in prison.”
March 14th, 2006 at 10:15 pm
I don’t disagree but why put woman in the same category of the other criteria. And Ricker you would think would know that if you buy 3 or more handguns at once, your name gets sent to ATF.
March 14th, 2006 at 10:23 pm
I’m not saying Ricker is right.
But we can criticize him for what he actually says. We don’t have to completely mischaracterize what he says inorder to gin up faulty outrage.
March 14th, 2006 at 10:28 pm
I concur. But I find it odd he named women.
March 15th, 2006 at 2:38 am
[…] Now it seems that women are considered the wrong sort of people at gun shows and shops, by government agents. Skipped that sensitivity training eh lawman? […]
March 15th, 2006 at 2:47 am
I find it odd he named women too. Any mention of middle-eastern appearing men buying 10 .44-caliber Magnum handguns? Any mention of men with muslim sounding names buying 10 .44-caliber Magnum handguns? Did he wink in some coded manner to indicate black women only? Should we watch out for women at the 1st amendment shop (say Kinkos) buying 10 full color photocopies?
March 15th, 2006 at 10:29 am
Why? For one thing, women buy fewer guns than men, by a huge margin. For another, women are, on average, much weaker physically, making high-caliber purchases by women of average builds look more than a tad suspicious. I suppose if Ricker wanted to go all P.C. on us he could make a similar statement about large, strong men buying “wimmins guns,” but I’m not sure there is any gun so wimpy no man would want to use it. I enjoy plinking with my wife’s .22 myself, for instance. Besides, I suspect you could count on one hand all the straw purchases made by men with clean records to help their criminal lady friends score guns.
Personally, I think Ricker makes a decent point. Even if you object to it, Stormy’s basic point stands: there’s a huge gulf between a 21-year-old woman who comes in wanting to buy 10 .44 magnums and “every young female who purchases guns legally.” Shame on Bitter for suggesting otherwise. Perhaps she should consider renaming herself “Lying” or “Deceitful.”
March 15th, 2006 at 3:16 pm
Sayuncle said:
“if you buy 3 or more handguns at once, your name gets sent to ATF.”
When a person buys 2 or more handguns within 5 or fewer business days the FFL has to complete an ATF form for multiple sales. The form is sent to the ATF and chief local law enforment official in the specific area.
March 15th, 2006 at 3:21 pm
Ah, was unaware it was 2 or more and the day restriction. Thanks.
March 15th, 2006 at 10:47 pm
Oops! Wonder if that holds true in Colorado? A 22/45 for the wife (a birthday gift) and a 325PD for me, all within 5 days. Guess I’ll wait for another day or two before I go in to pick up the extra house gun we’ve decided on.