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Complaint to court about blogging "harrassment"
David Codrea has an interesting post on the latest developments in BATFE's attempt to revoke the FFL license of Red's Trading Post. BATFE has complained in a motion that people have taken pictures of their inspectors during an inspection, and mentioned blog posts. Note these are not enforcement agents, who might go undercover and have legitimate concerns about having their images taken, but inspections people, who audit records.
PS--word is that the photographer(s) are locals who don't appreciate the move to revoke their FFL's license one bit.
· BATFE
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Maybe we could organize this whereby people with free time on their hands could be all PETA like and waiting in gun stores to ask ATF inspectors embarassing questions and take their photos and so on. These could then be posted online in a great Wall of Shame.
This would all be first amendment protected activity unless the agents were doing something secret or undercover, which they surely aren't.
BATFE apparently feels that first amendment rights don't apply to gun shops (or gun owners).
This agency would be a laughingstock if it didn't have, literally, a license to kill. A bull in the china shop of the Bill of Rights.
Congress, are you listening? Shut it down. Aside from the three people who comprise VPC, America will be grateful.
Mark:
The BATF *IS* a laughingstock amoung federal LEOs. It's where you go when no one else will touch you.
I'll have to go all Harry Truman on the BATFE here...if they can't stand the heat, they should stay the hell out of the kitchen.
Good on the ID citizens who are sticking up for their gun store, and it will help Red's pay legal bills if we all shop there more often.
Hmmm, I haven't bought anything there in a couple of months, so, like the "Rolling Gnome", I'm on my waaaaaaay...redstradingpost-dot-com
Yeah, but if you're not careful how you go about it, they'll slap an "interfering with an official law enforcement investigation" charge on your or something...
Yeah, or some other horse-hockey about recording someone without their consent. LEOs don't like it when you film their shenanigans. It makes them look less heroic than the public images they like and can control - you know, like appearing in uniform at a police officer's or fireman's funeral or something.
I'll plagarize a perfect comment:" Criminals hate to be caught in the act of a crime and the BATFE are a band of jackbooted, counterdicting, lying,lowlife criminals that should be hung from the nearest tree and left there until their flesh rots off least that way the wildlife will have some food if it doesn't poison them." I never said that. But I wish I did.
like appearing in uniform at a police officer's or fireman's funeral
Why did God create police officers?
Because even firefighters need heroes.
"Why did God create police officers?
Because even firefighters need heroes."
I don't think so. Firefighters do a tougher more dangerous job and they do it without all the whining and lying.
ATF is a very diverse agency. The agent with the bubble wrapped hair do looks like she's shoplifting.
http://blog.nola.com/times-picayune/2007/05/east_jefferson_bureau_federal.html
Apparently you have never done the work of a police officer. Have you ever taken a bullet in the line of duty when called on to serve and protect? Have you ever dealt with a gang member on the street at one in the morning as his possee is gathering around you? Hopefully you will never have to rely on someone to serve and protect you!
In regards to filming then you can say you are doing it for THEIR protection. So in essence you are helping them by keeping an accurate record just in-case some "subject" I mean citizen tries to frame those upstanding public servants.
In support of Mr. Horsley, I suggest a gathering of "porcupines" aroung the Trading Post. [The porcuping is Dr. Vieira's symbol of invincibility in defense.] It is perfectly lawful for Americans to assemble peacefully. And, it is lawful to do it ARMED.
As far as I'm concerned, if Ryan calls us together, we show up. If we don't make a stand now, after Ruby Ridge, Waco, and the murder to Pat Tillman, we are cowards and deserve the coming conglagration. "No greater love has any man than to lay down his life for his friends."
Let's do this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is up to us to police the police. If we do not police the police they become our masters rather then our servents.
inaction creates a police state.
we have more laws governing citizens and less laws governing enforcment agencies.
you must beacome the Tyranny Response Team
YOU acting as an individual must donate to the NRA to keep us from beacoming a police state.
Never forgett the atrocities of New Orleans after hurricane katrina by officers "just following orders"
I am a federal inspector. I write people up when they violate regulations, which can cause them to be demoted, miss bonuses, or maybe lose their jobs.
I have my full name on my uniform shirt, my office address on my business card, and I'm listed in the telephone book. I don't feel threatened by anyone - they can take all the pictures of me they want and often folks get right on the phone when I show up to announce my presence. I see these folks in the stores all the time and never have any trouble.
I just do my job in a matter of fact fashion, remaining polite and fair to everyone. Those I inspect seem to act in a like fashion. You see, I view my mission as to induce others to follow the law, not to make their lives miserable.
If an inspector feels threatened by someone taking photos, or typing on a computer, they do not have the right mental make up for their job. They really need to do something else for a living.
Of course they are worried. Gun owners are dangerous nuts, don't you know?