It is possible that S. 2099 is a deliberate distraction from the many real threats to our fundamental, individual rights to self-defense against crime, tyranny, and genocide.  These real threats include, but are not limited to:

H.R. 45-Registers owners of handguns and semi-automatic firearms.  The bill appears to effectively ban access to or possession of any firearm by anyone under 18.  (See my post, “House Bill 45, the anti-gun rights campaign begins in ernest,” under the tag, “anti-gun Democrats,” 01-19-09.)

H.R. 2401-Transfers information from the notoriously innacurate no-fly lists to the National Instant Check System.  The late U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy was on a no-fly list. (See my post, “H.R. 2401: ‘No Fly, No Buy!’ ’Big Brother loves you,’ but isn’t good with names,” tagged “H.R 2401,” 08-14-09.)

H.R. 2159-Allows the Attorney General to strip you of your right to own a gun if you are “suspected” of being a terrorist.  This bill dovetails with H.R. 2401 above.  The AG thinks you are a terrorist, because you are a veteran, because you are against abortion, or because you oppose gun control.  Your name goes on the “no-fly” list as a suspected terrorist and immediately gets flagged on the NICS computer.  What was it that O’Henry said, “…beautiful and simple, as all truly great swindles are.”    

S. 843-Would almost certainly kill every gun show in the country by over-regulation.  As I read S. 843, in order to comply with the provisions of this act, a promoter would  need to register every single person in the show.  (I’m not an attorney.  I don’t even play one on TV.)  (See my post of 04-27-09, “S. 843 threatens your rights,” tagged “S. 843 (2009.”)

The so-called “CIFTA” Agreement, a “Convention” of the Organization of American States, endangers gun rights in this country on an on-going basis.  (See my post of 04-17-09, “OAS treaty threatens Second Amendment,” tagged “Foreign Influence.”)

Who could have perpetrated a hoax such as a 2009 version of S. 2099?  Oh, I don’t know, maybe the same folks who faked those fraudulent negative officer efficiency reports about President Bush. 

Advocates for individual rights in this country have already beaten back governmental threats to freedom this year.  Two of these threats were the attempted destruction of military surplus ammunition shell casings and an attempt by the Customs Service to declare knives that can be opened with one hand to be “switchblades.” (”Reports of military brass destruction could be bad news for reloaders and shooters,” 03-14-09, tagged “Another attack on gun owners?”) (’”Write Customs to stop proposed knife ruling,” 06-16-09, tagged “Knife Issues.”)

The real threats are real enough.  We can’t waste time and energy chasing after long-dead phantoms like 2099.  If you get an E-mail with this charade in it, reply to the sender that it is bogus.  Request that the sender forward your E-mail to everyone that got the fake message.  We can’t afford distractions from the vital business of defending our birthright of freedom.

Def Mech

Mr. Koh has reportedly said that a civil society can not exist in the presence of an armed civilian population.  Given the threats posed to the Second Amendment by Obama’s other appointees, proposed laws in the Democrat-controlled House and Senate, and the CIFTA Treaty, we simply don’t need another anti-gunner in high public office.  

Def Mech

As I read CIFTA, the U.S. Government would be pressured to outlaw ammunition reloading without a license.  A license could be required for the manufacture of grips, slings, sights, bipods, and recoil pads, which could be classified as “related materials,” which may be attached to a gun.

Under CIFTA, I believe the government, under the guise of “ensuring security” of affected items “in transit,” could set up highway inspection checkpoints and require permits for any movement of guns, ammunition or components, and grips, slings, sights, bipods and recoil pads.  Gun registration would be a real possibility with regard to the convention objective of “ensuring security.”

A good discussion of CIFTA can be found here.  There are news reports that the NRA “participated” in the OAS discussions of CIFTA.  The NRA denies participation in development of the treaty, but probably had some influence on U.S. negotiators.

Please contact your U.S. Senators and urge them to vigorously oppose ratification of this treaty.  With Justice Ginsberg and other Liberals talking about the desirability of having international laws and norms affect American policy, we don’t need this sort of foreign influence in our domestic discussions of our natural rights to armed self-defense against crime, tyranny, and genocide.

Def Mech