At the risk of sounding patronizing, please permit me a minute of your
time.
Glenn's right - there IS no middle ground to speak of.
Let me tell you a little allegory based upon our experiences here in
Canada - and before some of you Yanks start scoffing, may I remind you
that up HERE, it is STILL legal to import military vehicles... :-)
Regarding the issue of gun control, which, frankly, I see as a key
indicator to the future of ALL military-related hobbies, the Word passed
by the government is this:
IN THE BEGINNING, there were classes of ownership for all weapons.
Rifles and shotguns were clear of any ownership restraints, and
ammunition for anything could be bought across the counter.
Pistols and revolvers required a license only, but one which could be
applied for and granted over a period of several weeks, through one's
local police department. In order to transport them to a range for
shooting, or to a show for display, one had to be a member of a
recognized club, and being so, was granted an annual permit to transport
and shoot/display accordingly. No problem so far, other than the
annoying bureaucracy one had to deal with.
THEN CAME RESTRICTIONS. All of a sudden, people who previously owned
centrefire rifles with barrels shorter than 18 inches found themselves
classed as 'handgun' owners. With no allowance for previous ownership of
same, all such owners were decreed immediately subject to arbitrary
registration, and if such was denied - for ANY reason, and NOT subject
to appeal - the weapon in question was subject to immediate siezure and
destruction, with the potential of criminal charges being laid for
possession of an 'Unregistered, Restricted Weapon'.
There were few in the Canadian firearms community who owned said
weapons, so little fuss was raised, and the government did what it
wanted to.
NEXT CAME LICENSING. It was thence decided amongst our august body of
decision-makers that ALL potential owners of firearms had to be licensed
in some way. As a result, we had the "Firearms Acquisition Certificate',
which one had to apply for and be accepted for, through your local
police department. "Fine", said most. "I have nothing to hide." It
permitted you to buy firearms and ammunition. You were satisfied.
This "FAC" began as a $10 dollar certificate granted for a period of
five years, AFTER a suitable police investigation of you and your
family. The trouble is, if your mom or dad, or uncle, or sister, had
EVER spent ANY time in the psychiatric wing of any hospital, you were
denied outright, and what firearms you DID have were subject to
confiscation, WITHOUT ANY REIMBURSEMENT, if the POLICE felt you might be
a threat. Wow... tough, but... OK. At least it might "limit" the
loonies...
Now, the problem is, if you live in a large urban area, your application
for said FAC will take from one to two years to process, because of
"backlog"...
AND THEN CAME CONFISCATION. Well, as you may have gathered by now, we
were on a downward spiral. And what, you ask, does this have to do with
MVs? Everything, friends, because what has happened here with firearms
can easily be transposed to MVs or anything else a recalcitrant
government doesn't like. Please read on...
Anyway, all of a sudden, it became law - by Order-in-Council, which is
in effect government edict, that henceforth, automatic weapons were not
to be owned by civilians. This, despite the fact that NOT ONE CRIME had
ever been committed with a legally-owned automatic weapon. Those owning
then legally as of 31 Dec 78 were permitted to keep them and trade
amongst themselves, but all such weapons can only be turned in for
destruction upon the legal owner's death. And there shalt be NO MORE.
That's fine, said the hunters, we don't care about those weird
machinegun guys anyway.
FURTHER... later, it was unilaterally decided that handguns having
barrel lengths of less than four inches were subject to immediate
confiscation and destruction, WITHOUT RECOMPENSE to their owners. Also,
certain long and short rifles and shotguns specified - by edict - by the
government. That's fine, said the target shooters, what the hell would
you want a 'Saturday Night Special', or a Franchi auto shotgun, for
anyway?
WE PROGRESS... at this point, we were "permitted" to own semi-automatic
conversions of various automatic weapons. These had to be converted in
such a fashion as to not be reconverted at any time in the future, and
were registered as were hanguns (with legal barrel lengths) and short
rifles (such as M-1 Carbines and AR-15s). This meant that we could take
a real Bren Gun (so converted, and with the requisite permits) to a
vehicle show to display on our Bren Gun Carrier. Or, we could shoot it
if we so chose (with the requisite transport permits to legal ranges).
Well, guess what? After twenty some years of going through the legal
rigamarole of getting the necessary permits to transport and display
automatic and restricted weapons at shows, we suddenly find that these
permits are 'not being issued any more'. Our last MV show request was at
the behest of the Canadian Armed Forces at an air force base... and the
police said "no". Apparently, up somewhat yonder, the decision has been
made to deny transport permits for anything except shooting and repairs.
No more shows. At this particular air show, conducted and hosted, I
repeat, by the Canadian Armed Forces, on an ACTIVE AIR BASE, we were
DENIED PERMISSION by the CIVIL AUTHORITY to transport and display WW2
weapons. Even with a letter of request from the authorizing body.
We are now reduced to using deactivated weapons for such displays. So
bet it, say the hunters and target shooters, those things should all be
in a museum anyway.
WHAT'S NEXT? You guys tell me. As I said in the beginning of this
diatribe, at least we can STILL import military vehicles.
Although I should ALSO mention that an acquaintance recently reported a
visit by the RCMP, who had received some information that his collection
of WW2 Canadian vehicles included an "antiaircraft gun'. He still has
it... but for how long? BTW, it's a LEGALLY deactivated, wheeled 40mm
Bofors.
And how long before they decide my partner in MLU has no right to his
rare (one of seven remaining in the world) G.M. Fox armoured car?
Regards weapons, we are now reduced to displaying deactivated weapons at
any show, be it private or public. When are we going to lose THAT
privilege too?Really soon, I bet.
And I should mention that our current laws permit police to enter your
residence AT ANY TIME, ON SUSPICION of the presence of "illegal"
weapons... without warrant... when will this be extended to suspicion of
ANY "wrongdoing" - as decreed by government order?
I have one thing to say to you Americans... if you 'let the camel's nose
under the tent', you deserve everything which comes to pass thereafter.
Be forewarned... they will just use each small victory over you to plan
another. Look at us. It happened here... pray, don't be so arrogant as
to suggest it won't happen there. Waco and a host of other incidents
suggest otherwise. Hell, at least OUR police don't go in shooting...
If they're trying to get you to 'compromise' on armour now, how long is
it before that goes, followed by something else? Forget the guns for a
second, we already KNOW what kind of fight that is... but if you jeep
guys sacrifice armour on your own altars, or you old WW2 armour guys for
the newer stuff, you WILL be next!
Sorry this sounds like it does. But hey, guys, we're only footsteps away
from you... and stuff like this rubs off... To me, it looks like you're
already heading down the same road. At least there are a whole lot more
you of than there were of us, and thus, if you do it right, you might be
able to make a difference. Don't damned well disappoint me!
Sincerely, but mightily pissed,
Geoff
-- Regards,Geoff Winnington-Ball MAPLE LEAF UP! ==> Zephyr, Ontario, Canada ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Maple Leaf Up - The Canadian Army Overseas in WW2 http://jump.to/mapleleafup ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Glenn Goodman wrote: > > Someone was trying to tell me about middle ground, or some such nonsense. I don't see any middle ground here. Subterfuge, half-truths and outright lies, but no middle ground. What will we do when it's decided all MVs should be banned? Someone will try it, if they haven't (or aren't) already. Be prepared. > > >>> Jon Shoop <shoop19@idt.net> 08/10/99 09:46AM >>> > See attached........it is happening to us........as well........
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