The situation in CT.

[Loren Littlejohn]

So roughly 50,000 people in CT have registered their "assault rifles" and "large capacity magazines."

I put that in quotes because those things mean different things state to state depending on who makes the rules. They are not universal terms. Here in NY it means any semi automatic sporting rifle with more than one inert evil feature such as a pistol grip, collapsing or folding stock, detachable magazine, flash hider, or bayonet lug. Rate of fire, how the gun looks, magazine capacity and size of the ammunition have nothing to do with it in legal terms. I have no idea what the new definition of an assault rifle is in CT.

The law they passed made it a felony not to do this after January 1st 2014. There is no grace period.

Well as a conservative estimate they are saying this represents AT MOST 15% of all guns that fall into this new law.

So there are approx 350,000 unregistered items belonging to who knows how many people who were not felons prior to January 1st but who now are through either non compliance or ignorance of the law. Registering now COULD result in arrest and charges.

 

[schwinginbatman]

So if what you're saying is right, the choices now are either have an illegal, unregistered gun or possibly get arrested. That's brilliant.

 

[TheWinterSnow]

Its worse than that, if you register and it falls under the law as illegal, they confiscate it. So it comes down to, register, and if it is now illegal, "relinquish" it or go to prison...for a firearm you legally purchased.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

That's my understanding, however I have read they have sent out letters.

They give the option of disabling the firearm, turning it into the police (I guess no questions asked?), remove it from the state (no idea what that means), or sell/relinquish to a licensed gun dealer.

The thing is, there is most definitely a group that is deliberately defying this law. I can't say or speculate how large because who knows really.

 

[TheWinterSnow]

That's my understanding, however I have read they have sent out letters.

They give the option of disabling the firearm, turning it into the police (I guess no questions asked?), remove it from the state (no idea what that means), or sell/relinquish to a licensed gun dealer.

The thing is, there is most definitely a group that is deliberately defying this law. I can't say or speculate how large because who knows really.

The estimation is that only 15% of the qualifying firearms were registered, that as many as 20,000 to 100,000 gun owners and 350,000 guns are left unregistered.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Right, but I would assume at least some of those 20,000 to 100,000 people had no idea this was coming down the pike. I'm positive there are some that are defying it, but I'm pretty sure there has to be some that just didn't know.

At least NY has a grace period. We are set for the registration thing sometime in either April or August, I don't remember which. But even if you don't, it's my understanding that at most the charge is minor and you just get something like a summons to comply within 14 days or something.

However there is most certainly a large group who will not comply here either.


I just pulled the stuff people deemed frightening off of my firearms. It changes nothing in terms of the lethality, but whatever helps the sheep sleep.

 

[schwinginbatman]

I'd imagine a lot of them don't know. If it wasn't heavily publicized and with messages sent directly to the owners, I'm not sure how they could find out. Most people don't really pay attention to that sort of thing.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

I almost missed the star tax exemption in NY (filed last day) because I just don't fallow local news that well, so yeah that's most likely.

 

[ArthurD]

I really don't understand some US laws... In my country respecting the "aquired right" and the "prefect juridic act" is a fundamental right.

 

[TheWinterSnow]

Most people don't really pay attention to that sort of thing.

James Madison said that the idea of a society harmonious to Natural Law is one that laws created by lawmakers are so self evident to everyone that has common sense would follow and understand regardless if it was a law and if the law was written in such a way that a person cannot understand or not willingly know that they are breaking said law is a bad law that should if knowingly be disobeyed.

Summarizing and paraphrasing, but this is coming from a federalists, the people that believed in strong government and were the era's progressives if you will.

You can't create a law that no one will know makes them a criminal, that's just bad law, and if you have to send out letters informing people of a new law that makes them overnight criminals if they don't comply means that they won't figure it out on their own accord of logic and reason and therefor, is "probably" a bad law.

 

[schwinginbatman]

James Madison said that the idea of a society harmonious to Natural Law is one that laws created by lawmakers are so self evident to everyone that has common sense would follow and understand regardless if it was a law and if the law was written in such a way that a person cannot understand or not willingly know that they are breaking said law is a bad law that should if knowingly be disobeyed.

Summarizing and paraphrasing, but this is coming from a federalists, the people that believed in strong government and were the era's progressives if you will.

You can't create a law that no one will know makes them a criminal, that's just bad law, and if you have to send out letters informing people of a new law that makes them overnight criminals if they don't comply means that they won't figure it out on their own accord of logic and reason and therefor, is "probably" a bad law.

Oh yeah, I totally agree it's a bad law. I mean, a law in which you have to register your weapon as an "assault weapon" just seems a bit dumb to me, but making it so that if you didn't happen to meet the deadline you became a criminal no matter what brings it to full on stupid.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

My measure of a bad law is quite a bit simpler.

If the law is addressing behavior that in no way effects anyone else, then the law is bad.

Pot laws are a good one. Smoking pot should be totally legal since nobody else is harmed or effected. Smoking pot and driving should be illegal because you are impaired and run the risk of crashing and killing someone.

Marriage equality is another one. Gay people should be treated under the law the same way as it in no way has any effect on anyone else.

Smoking cigs. Hey have at it, just don't screw with my air.

Seems pretty simple to me.

 

[scorpio01169]

Pot laws are a good one. Smoking pot should be totally legal since nobody else is harmed or effected.

Well not totally legal....Don't want kids doing it

Smoking pot and driving should be illegal because you are impaired and run the risk of crashing and killing someone.

agreed

Marriage equality is another one. Gay people should be treated under the law the same way as it in no way has any effect on anyone else.

Amen

Smoking cigs. Hey have at it, just don't screw with my air.

Again we don't want kids doing it....and yea I hate when people smoke right in front of the door of a businesses when there are designated areas for it.

 

[egan.]

This is a PR nightmare for the gun control crowd. You either refuse to enforce your own laws or you confirm the NRA fear mongering by arresting 50k citizens because they own guns.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Again we don't want kids doing it....and yea I hate when people smoke right in front of the door of a businesses when there are designated areas for it.

That ties into fucking with my air. But hey at least they are doing it outside.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

This is a PR nightmare for the gun control crowd. You either refuse to enforce your own laws or you confirm the NRA fear mongering by arresting 50k citizens because they own guns.

Or go try to take them. Yeah you are right.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

So I just read they have decided not to go try to confiscate firearms because the list includes individuals in law enforcement.

Dumbest fucking law ever.

 

[Fragle]

You US people should stop being married to your guns anyways....

 

[egan.]

For the record, only 35% of the US population owns guns, it's just that those that do tend to own more than one and there is certainly a vocal group of enthusiasts and collectors.
For those of us who favor reform of gun laws the last thing we want to do is confirm the fears of NRA members by having a state actually start seizing guns. It hardens the enthusiasts' position and makes it even harder to get things like waiting periods, registrations and background checks standardized.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

You US people should stop being married to your guns anyways....

I couldn't hear you over all this freedom.