Doctors Take Aim at Guns
Watch out, soon the American mainstream media could be reporting the “expert” opinion of doctors on the issues of firearms. In a story from north of the border, CTV.ca offers:
“A group of emergency doctors, nurses and suicide prevention workers asked members of Parliament to vote against a federal bill that seeks to quash the long-gun registry. The group says a significant drop in gun-related suicide since 1995 is evidence the registry works and scrapping it would set them back years in suicide prevention.”
Neither the political motivation, nor the actual size of this “group” is ever actually mentioned, however the article suggests it is at least “61 organizations and medical professionals.” So again, we have to question the motivation, and according to the article the biggest concern is suicide, because a long gun (rifle, shotgun), would offer a far greater success than other methods, notably an overdose. We counter that a long gun would also be better for hunting and home defense than pills.
United States Department of Education Buys Shotguns
WLS News7 in Chicago is reporting that the United States Department of Education is filling its arsenal:
“On Monday, the US Department of Education began soliciting bids, not for books or laptops, but for guns, Remington shotguns decked out with all the combat trimmings, such as short barrels for concealment and modified sights.”
So are schools locking and loading? According to the investigation, this isn’t exactly the case:
“In an e-mail, a spokesperson told the I-Team that their special agents work waste and fraud cases involving education funds and programs, and they have full law enforcement authority and training, and they sometimes conduct search warrants and make arrests.”
While we agree that law enforcement should have adequate arms, it isn’t interesting that the Department of Education spent $35,000 on guns that are described by some as being fitted with “combat trimmings.” The shotguns in question are high quality as well as powerful:
“According to the bid solicitation, the department is purchasing 27 Remington Model 870 pump-action shotguns with 14-inch modified choke barrels. They are custom-made for law enforcement and have shorter barrels than required for purchase by private citizens.”
Let’s hope none of those guns aren’t mentioned in a future “Who Guards the Guards” post by us.
Sacramento Bee Offers Unfair Comparison
Writer Marcos Breton of The Sacramento Bee played the race card, keeps out a few key details and tries to show that 16-year old WHITE gun owner received better treatment than an adult BLACK teaching assistant. We’ve already covered how Gary Tudesko, a 16-year-old high school student was expelled for leaving two unloaded shotguns in his pickup truck, which was parked off the school campus. We haven’t heard much about James Marchbanks, a 35-year-old graduate teaching assistant at UC Davis, who allegedly told his drama students that he had a bomb that would go off after he left the room.
Breton tries to play up this story that Tudesko, despite being a sometimes unruly student, has gotten an easier time in the media, as well as support from the community, while Marchbanks had to spend four days in jail. Read more
