The
federal government has, over the decades increasingly passed
legislation that puts it in control of the people and many laws and
regulations counter the fundamental freedom of choice that the
Founders encouraged, but did not mention it specifically when putting
together what became known as the Bill of Rights,
the first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States.
Progress
has been made in the protection of rights clearly established in the
Second Amendment, but there are laws and regulations that should not
have passed by federal and state government. Recently, Wisconsin did
away with the useless draconian law that forbade hunting with a
crossbow, despite allowing bow hunting during prescribed season.
Hunting permits make sense because it limits hunting to a season and
is tailored toward the population of hunted animals. It prevents like
what happened in Wisconsin when turkeys became extinct in certain
areas because of open hunting, and hunting itself prevents
overpopulation of animals that creates a problem concerning disease
and starvation for lack of food.
The
National Firearms Act
(NFA) of 1934 was the beginning of regulation and control of
so-called silencers,
as well as firearms that fired automatically, as machine
guns.
According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
(ATF)
…
its underlying purpose was to curtail, if not prohibit, transactions in NFA firearms.
But
just as silencers are not really 'silent', but suppress noise – the
law was based on myth and emotional conception. The correct term,
therefore, is suppressor.
…
A suppressor, sound suppressor, or silencer is a device attached to or part of the barrel of a firearm or air gun which reduces the amount of noise and visible muzzle flash generated by firing. Suppressors are typically constructed of a metal cylinder with internal mechanisms to reduce the sound of firing by slowing the escaping propellant gas and sometimes by reducing the velocity of the bullet.[1][2]
Depending
where you live, suppressors are either banned from civilian use
and/or hunting – and all require a federal 'stamp' that costs $200,
a myriad of paperwork, fingerprinting and other bureaucratic hoops to
jump through.
The
NFA also included a ban on shotguns and rifles having a barrel less
than 18 inches in length.
While
the act was updated in 1968 because part of it was found
unconstitutional, the NFA remains in terms of its $200 tax and myriad
of paperwork involved. The penalty of getting caught with a
suppressor without aforementioned tax stamp is as severe as if
someone committed a crime of violence. The same goes for a dealer or
manufacturer who sells a suppressor to an unlicensed individual. It
is all because in 1934 there was an organized crime problem and many
gangsters used automatic weapons and some, apparently also used
suppressors. For the same reason switchblades (also referred to as
'stiletto') were banned by the federal government in the Switchblade Act,
recently changed
by the Obama administration.
Hollywood
had a big factor in the passing of the law and the public acceptance
of that NFA regulation. The Dillinger-Nelson gang used silencers and
the FBI provided a database of facts that led toward the passing of
the NFA. Unfortunately, the FBI has not updated their reports on the
statistics of “silencers”, suppressors being used in crimes. And
just as many gun control laws, it does not prevent criminals from
obtaining or using them.
Hollywood
has become a big factor in many negative political movements that
include changing our country from a constitutional republic to an
American version of socialist/communist state. Indeed, Hollywood's
populace have a history of socialism and communist support brought
out by Joseph McCarty
and carried too far by a congressional committee in the government
agenda to eradicate communists from the political field and
subversive organizations. Hollywood's artistic population are
anti-gun and side with politicians intending to alter or erase the
Second Amendment; but constantly produce films of violence. Hollywood
has a responsibility to ensure that their films are viewed as
entertainment and acting out fictional and non-fictional stories that
influence youth and the naïve. [See Bibliography]
 |
| Hiram Maxim |
The
concept
of a silenced or suppressed firearm to reduce sound levels was
invented by Hiram P. Maxim in 1909.
In
2011, the American
Suppressor Association (ASA) was formed to back manufacturers and
dealers to convince legislators to change the NFA when it comes to
suppressors. They do not mind that automatic firearms, like machine
guns, are regulated strictly – but there is no sense in not
allowing suppressors to be sold as accessories to lawful public
customers without all the paperwork and fees. The Facebook
page of ASA has a map depicting states that allow use of suppressors
by citizens in varying degrees.
Hunters
like firearms with noise suppression, especially those using hunting
dogs. To date, there isn't any product to protect a hunting dog's
hearing. In addition, when hunting and target shooting, it is more of
a pleasant experience with less noise. National Park and Forest
Rangers say it will increase the possibility of poaching, hunting out
of season and without a hunting permit. If that were true, bows would
be outlawed because they are completely silent.
With
more manufacturers and dealers selling (registered) suppressors there
has been an increase (and backlog). It means it takes longer to get
approval. With 45,000 applications, that is $9 million of tax revenue
for the government.
If
you intend to purchase a suppressor and apply, make sure you are
aware of laws of your state. You may legally own and use a
suppressor, but some states will not allow using one for hunting.
Until
the regulation is changed, for every suppressor you have for
individual firearms in your collection, you must file and pay $200
for each suppressor. That is the ridiculous part of the regulation
that needs to be changed. Another thing is that a person cannot
bequeath or pass on a silencer, like some firearms in some states and
in some cases.
Bureaucracy
needs to be limited in government, especially the federal, and ensure
that legislation and regulations are common sense, constitutional,
and for a logical reason. Too many laws. So many that even the
legislators cannot keep up with them. It is time that we have
legislators who are aware that it is not the quantity of legislation
passed that is important, but the quality of legislation and that it
complies with the articles and amendments of the US Constitution.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
HOLLYWOOD AND COMMUNISM/SOCIALISM [Discover the Networks]
ATF Update [Ammoland]
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