Ravenwood - 11/23/04 07:00 AM
Tragically, five Wisconsin hunters were killed this weekend, and the Violence Policy Center couldn't be happier. It gives them perfect ammunition to advance their extremist anti-gun agenda.
And they didn't waste any time issuing their press release calling for re-activation of the 1994 Clinton Gun Ban (which didn't even include this type of rifle). Their headline trumpets "Armed Hunters No Match For SKS Assault Rifle". They also updated their SKS fact sheet in record time, to include this tragedy.
Aside from extremely bad taste, the VPC continues to spread the usual lies and misinformation about firearms.
- The SKS is not an assault rifle. It is a venerable and inexpensive semi-automatic rifle that is over 60 years old.
- They have claimed for years that SKS rifles are no good for hunting, yet here is a guy hunting with one.
- The hunter's rifles were most likely much more powerful than the weak (for a .30 caliber) 7.62x39mm SKS.
- The hunter's rifles were most likely unloaded. Hunters don't usually lock and load until they are in place and ready to wait for game to wander by.
- The hunters were probably caught completely by surprise, considering they were out there hunting and not likely thinking about self-defense.
(Hat tip to reader: Steve Scudder)
I'll post my comments first-
There is no such thing as a "semi-automatic assault rifle". That is a term made up by the anti-gun lobby to confuse and create fear.
So much for the VPC's asserion that the SKS is not suitable for hunting. There are many who use them (as well as rifles of similar design) to hunt. The AR-15 style rifle, in .308 caliber, is becoming popular for target shooting and medium sized game hunting (such as deer) as well.
The very first thing that I did upon hearing of this criminal act, perpetrated, allegedly, by Mr. Vang was to check the VPC website (http://vpc.org/) to see just how fast they would latch on to the story and spin it for their own agenda. No big surprise that they were first out of the chute with their inflammatory response.
The following is from an AOL news posting (http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20041121215609990011) :
Wisconsin Shocked by Hunting Rampage
Wounded Hunter Dies in Hospital, Raising Toll to Six
By JOSHUA FREED and ROBERT IMRIE, AP
"Asked to leave, the trespasser, wearing blaze-orange and carrying a semiautomatic assault rifle, opened fire on the hunters and didn't stop until his 20-round clip was empty, leaving five people dead and three wounded, authorities said. One of the injured hunters died Monday."
"Vang was carrying an SKS 7.62-mm caliber rifle, a cheap but powerful semiautomatic weapon, authorities said. "
"Mike Bartz, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource's regional warden supervisor for the area, said the SKS is legal for hunting in the state and has no restrictions. He said it is not uncommon to see hunters with the guns."
""We see more and more of them being used. They're a fairly cheap weapon. They fire a cartridge very similar to a .30-30, which is a very common weapon used for deer hunting," Bartz said."
Posted by: Steve Scudder at November 23, 2004 9:16 AMYeah, just love the VPC page talking about the SKS firing a "powerful cartridge" capable of penetrating police body armor. So what are all the other .30 cartridges (except the 30-30), "superpowerful" and capable of penetrating several armored cops standing in a row?
The Wisconsin incident is strange. When the heck do eight hunters go out in the field close enough together for one guy to shoot them all? I wonder if there's more to the story there?
And has anyone background-checked the shooter? Is he a mental patient who couldn't have bought any gun if the background checks worked? (Obviously, he SHOULD have been.) Is he actually a hunter, or an especially deranged PETA activist?
Posted by: markm at November 23, 2004 12:25 PM(c) Ravenwood and Associates, 1990 - 2014
