There has been a lot of talk recently about the DoD's decision to destroy spent cartridge cases, rather than selling them to ammunition manufacturers for "remanufacture" into inexpensive ammo. Just among Gun Rights Examiners, my National Gun Rights Examiner colleague got it started (and then expanded on it), I added a somewhat different perspective, and so did my colleagues in Atlanta and Seattle.
Apparently, though, the sleeping giant that is the gun owning public of this country can be woken, given sufficient provocation--because today, the DoD reversed (already) this badly flawed policy:
Dear MSSA Friends,
I just received a phone call from the office of U.S. Senator Tester of Montana to inform me that at 5:15 (EST) today a letter cosigned by Senator Tester (D-MT) and Senator Baucus (D-MT) was faxed to the Department of Defense asking DoD to reverse its new policy requiring destruction of fired military cartridge brass. At 5:30, I am told, Tester's office received a fax back from DoD saying that the brass destruction policy IS reversed.
Others report to me that they are already seeing evidence of this on the Websites of entities that liquidate surplus DoD commodities.
Our thanks go out to Senator Tester and Senator Baucus, and their staff, for getting on this problem promptly and making the reversal happen
Staff for Tester and Baucus promise they will get me the documentation for this reversal tomorrow morning. I'll forward that when I get it.
Georgia Arms has similarly triumphant news.
Dear Loyal Customers, Thanks to your voice, DOD has rescinded the order to mutilate all spent cases as of 4:30 pm on 3/17/09. We appreciate the time and effort that you expended, together we all made a difference. We will be posting the email we received from DOD as well as any additional information within the next 12-16 hours. Thanks so much and lets get to work!!! Georgia Arms
This, folks, is a triumph of good ol' fashioned grassroots activism--of large numbers of concerned citizens (with no small amount of leadership from the Montana Shooting Sports Association) becoming aware of an outrage, and putting the heat on the government to take a quick step back to correct the situation.
Now, give this some thought: the now defunct DoD regulation was indeed heinous, but there are all kinds of unconstitutional, ineffective, and evil gun laws (and directives, enforced without any kind of legislative authority) out there.
Imagine where gun rights would be today if every attack--past and present--on the Constitutionally guaranteed, fundamental human right of the individual to keep and bear arms met with that kind of groundswell of outraged indignation.
Check out other Gun Rights Examiners:
- Atlanta: Atlanta ammunition supply is severely constrained
- Austin: DC gun control and ‘Governor’ Fenty
- Charlotte: Is Obama trying to end armed airline pilot program?
- Cleveland: Armed citizens as first responders
- DC: DC City Council afflicted by pistolgriphobia
- Denver: Economics 101: guns and monkeymeat
- Los Angeles: Sovereignty in 2009
- Milwaukee: Help wanted- Pro-gun Wolves
- Minneapolis: 'From my cold dead hands' and gun-owner apathy
- National: Ammunition controversy shows failure of mainstream media to inform gun owners
- Seattle: Obama administration ‘supports’ 2nd Amendment, but takes steps to prevent its exercise
- Wisconsin: Why does your health data get reported
Comments
Makes me want to bake a cake. :) Thanks, Kurt.
I beg to differ. The DOD regulations requiring the demil of fired brass is by no means defunct. The waivers that exempt certain small arms calibers have simply been restored.
And what one hand gives the other can take away.
My undieing gratitude goes to Senators Baucus and Tester for their prompt action, but this is not a reason to let our guard down. The antis will be back before you know it with yet another back door attack on our rights.
The current administration is not gun friendly, and has sent up a number of trial balloons dealing with possible restrictions. Holder's "AWB" trail, changing the funding of the airline pilot's training funding, re-examining carry in National Parks, this destruction of fired cases proposal, plus ideas about using executive orders to stop the importation of particular guns, parts, and ammo (as did Bush I, Clinton, Bush II, etc.) Whether the issue is crime, suicide, accident, Mexico, PTSD, or whatever, all avenues are open and must be defended. The government (and that includes Dems and Reps with a few exceptions on each side) will take whatever is not defended. My reading is they will not push hard on things that are defended. They don't have to. Playing defense is an impossible long term job. It's the reason that terrorists will always have successes. The defenders must defend everything, 24/7/365. It only takes one breakdown for the other team to score.
On the RTKBA issue, we have scored lots of victories in the last ten years. In terms of our constitutional freedoms, we have lost much. (Remember that it's not about trusted governments abusing new rules and rulings. It's about untrusted ones. The Bushites opened some fourth amendment holes that the Obamaites will drive trains through.
Anyway, constant vigil is required, and be prepared to loose a few. The big winner is the NRA as they both keep up the guard, and build up the war chests in these scary times.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!