Antigun organizations have sent letters to Obama urging him to ban the Five-seveN

[General Geoff]

http://www.opposingviews.com/article...d-r-1258658558

WASHINGTON -- In a letter sent today to the White House, America’s six national gun violence prevention (GVP) organizations–the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Violence Policy Center, Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, Freedom States Alliance, Legal Community Against Violence, and States United to Prevent Gun Violence–as well as 21 state and regional GVP groups strongly urged President Barack Obama to use his executive powers to ban the import into the U.S. of the FN Herstal Five-seveN armor-piercing semiautomatic pistol.

[See http://www.vpc.org/obamaletter.pdf for a copy of the letter.]

A Five-seveN was used in the Fort Hood attack earlier this month that left 13 dead and 34 wounded. The Belgian-made weapon, widely available on the U.S. civilian market, is also a favorite of Mexican Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTOs), who refer to it as the “mata policia,” or “cop killer.”

In the letter, the 27 organizations state:

“While we urge you to join us in pushing for other much-needed policy changes to help reduce America’s epidemic of gun violence that were also relevant to the Fort Hood shooting, such as gaps in the federal background check system that allow suspected terrorists to legally buy guns and the ready availability of high-capacity magazines (including the 20-round magazines used by the Fort Hood shooter), preventing the importation of any more Five-seveN handguns is an important step that can be accomplished immediately through administrative action by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)–without the need for any action by Congress.

“Under longstanding federal law, ATF has the clear authority to prohibit the importation of any firearm or ammunition unless it is ‘generally recognized as particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes.’ This provision of the 1968 Gun Control Act has historically been used to exclude from import many non-sporting firearms, including so-called ‘Saturday Night Special’ handguns, ‘Street Sweeper’ shotguns, and many foreign-made assault weapons. The FN Five-seveN handgun is clearly the type of firearm to which Congress intended the import restrictions to apply.”

The letter details the fact that despite a voluntary agreement between FN Herstal and ATF to restrict the civilian sale of potentially armor-piercing ammunition for the pistol, “a quick search of the Internet identifies several sources for supposedly banned ammunition.”

Noting that when “the Five-SeveN’s availability is combined with the easy accessibility of complementary armor-piercing ammunition it becomes not only a direct threat to law enforcement, but a potential national security threat as well,” the organizations urge that the President “act today to prohibit the importation of the FN Five-seveN handgun as well as any 5.7X28mm ammunition that has armor-piercing capabilities….”

It's disgusting that they'd try to ban an inanimate object, but they've tried and succeeded before, so I've drafted up a letter to Obama himself. I'm gonna send it out tomorrow:

Dear Mr. President:

I am writing you as a concerned citizen who has just become aware that several organizations recently
sent you letters urging you to sign an executive order with the effect of banning the importation of the
FN Herstal Five-seveN pistol, which was used recently by the murderer at Fort Hood.

Please consider such a recommendation carefully, as banning an inanimate object will not bring back
those killed, nor will it prevent any tragedies in the future. The Five-seveN pistol does not have any
unique properties, and contrary to popular belief, it is not a preferred weapon of drug dealers, gang
members, or other criminals. It is in fact a fairly rare pistol because of its high retail cost and unique
ammunition.

I implore you, do not further abridge the freedoms of law abiding citizens who may wish to purchase
this pistol in the future, on account of one individual's misdeeds.

Sincerely,

[jcabin]

oh no! small rounds with blue tips and high capacity. BAN IT!!!

[Nevermore]

Feh. What the hell difference does it make what Mexican criminals like? What, we're supposed to give credence to what some punkass drug runners think about a gun instead of the federal agency responsible for making a determination about guns? If Mexican criminals are killing cops with it, it's because they're CRIMINALS.

When Hassan shot up troops at Ft. Hood it was because he is a CRIMINAL. The exact same thing would've resulted if he had been using an M9 or a 1911.

The ammo is already restricted to LEOs and military. If the SS190 rounds are available online, as they claim (I'd like to see a link to these so-called sites), then why don't they help the ATF shut them down and get those CRIMINALS off the street for selling ammo they shouldn't be.

Your letter should include, "Mr. President, this is one situation where you should NOT listen to your chief of staff, Mr. Emanuel, about "never let[ting] a perfectly good crisis go to waste". Using the tragic deaths of American servicemen and women to push a political agenda is a slap in the face of their service and sacrifice. The Office of the President ought to be above such polemic pandering."

[mcmcallister]

they tried to ban the gun in 05 and failed.....doesnt history repeat itself when people dont learn from it

[PocketProtector]

When Hassan shot up troops at Ft. Hood it was because he is a CRIMINAL.

A TERRORIST not a criminal

[cgbudde]

I would add the fact that it was the failure of federal agencies that allowed this terrorist to accomplish his mission.

[RXM]

"...armor-piercing ammunition it becomes not only a direct threat to law enforcement, but a potential national security threat as well."

Never knew a gun could be viewed as a threat to national security. I almost fell out of my chair laughing...

Additionally, going by their logic - only firearms with high-capacity magazines and armor-piercing ammunition would be considered a direct threat to law enforcement. So are they saying that if a firearm doesn't meet all three criteria...it is all good?

[VMJade]

Additionally, going by their logic - only firearms with high-capacity magazines and armor-piercing ammunition would be considered a direct threat to law enforcement. So are they saying that if a firearm doesn't meet all three criteria...it is all good?

That's actually a really interesting idea to play with- though I tend to wonder if it's not more likely that they're trying to set a precedent. Think about it- they ban the FiveSeven, citing the penetration capabilities of the round and the depth of the magazine.

Okay, we've got that. Anybody know another "Military-style" handgun that has a deep magazine and is said to over-penetrate? I'm looking directly at the wonder-nines and .38 supers. It's just another attempt at constructing a legislative slippery-slope.

These are the things that worry me- not the big anti pushes that we see coming, but the small ones that we laugh at their ignorance and assume it'll never pass because it's just so stupid.

[afrattner]

Those wankers should be banned from breathing

[GreatBarren]

PocketProtector

A TERRORIST not a criminal

Thank you if you didn't say it I would've.
He talked to terrorists and it wasn't just for "research"!