Female Anti-gun journalist buys “AK-47”....The Monsters have arrived! - Page 1

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Female Anti-gun journalist buys “AK-47”....The Monsters have arrived! (Page 1 of 13)

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:16:53 PM EST

Ok, I am going to sacrifice my new login here at AR15.com for the cause. I am a long time lurker and I finally registered a week ago but have not had an opportunity to post anything. I read an article today from an undoubtedly anti-gun journalist so I am going to do something I have not seen done before. I am going to give this person my login and ask her to engage us in a discussion about “Assault Weapons”. I am going to email a link to this thread and the login info immediately upon posting and I will give her till midnight tomorrow EST (Wednesday, the 30th) to respond. If she does not respond by then, I will change the password and we can all flame away. I am hoping this will be both interesting and educational. I think we all agree that a big part of what drives anti-gunners is a lack of information. Perhaps we can change some minds. If not, at least we will know our enemy better.

Remember, I will NOT post again until midnight tomorrow so if there are posts, it will be her. Until then, lets keep the personal attacks directed at her to a minimum and limit our comments to what she has said in her article. I am sure she would like to read some of our arguments before she posts. Lets give her something to read that is productive. If she doesn’t respond then all is fair game and lets fill her mail box with more mail than she ever imagined.

Here is the text of her article:

Me & my AK-47

http://pittsburghlive.com/photos/2005-03-29/0329pmup-a.jpg

By Josie Roberts
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, March 29, 2005

A 20-something female walks into a gun shop, wearing a pink sweater and pearls, and asks to buy an AK-47. Half-dozen men, several in flannel, look up from the rows of gun displays.
They had holsters. She had heels.

I knew I looked out of place at a gun store, but I wanted to see how difficult it would be to buy an assault weapon in Pittsburgh, just days after Keith “Spud” Watts Jr. was murdered with an AK-47 knock-off outside Carrick High School.

I went alone to Firearms Unlimited in Bridgeville two days after the shooting.

I parked in back of the wooden-paneled shop, built into the side of a hill off Route 50 and rang the doorbell to gain entrance. Inside, it was packed. A hundred rifles lined the walls where glass cases of handguns didn’t.

Manager Randy Canella looked up from a sale and asked if I needed any help. “I’m looking for a long gun,” I said. “I want an AK-47.”

Canella took a drag of his cigarette.

“I have some in back,” he said. “I’ll be with you in a minute.” He brought out three models and set them on the counter. I stood with crossed arms while he explained the guns’ features, rotating them on their sides and pointing out the magazine. I tried not to flinch.

Canella finally asked, “Why do you want this gun?”

I answered, “Why not?”

The men in the store laughed, and I asked how to load the bullets.

The Romanian Century Arms, WASR-10, 7.62-x-39 mm rifle was the cheapest at $389.95, or $422.25 after tax. It was a clone, like most AK-47s in America. The first President Bush made it illegal to import the Russian and Chinese military models. The knock-offs look like AK-47s, fire like AK-47s and are very accurate at short distances. I said I’d take it.

Canella stopped me.

“I don’t mean to be nosy, but if you want a gun for self-protection, a shotgun would be better,” he said, assuming that’s the only reason for this blonde in a twin sweater set to need an AK-47. “It’s easier to load for people who aren’t familiar with firing a gun, and it does a lot of damage.”

“My dad recommended this model,” I said, searching for an excuse.

Except for a possible stray bullet in the chamber, I shouldn’t have been worried. In America, it’s legal to buy guns.

Even this one, a semiautomatic rifle developed for Soviets tank crews to kill from a mile away. Joe Dominick, Allegheny County’s chief deputy coroner, said shots from an AK-47 inflict trauma all over the body. The bullet can blow through several body parts, cutting through a hand to the torso through the other hand. And rarely is an AK-47 fired just once. At least eight shots were fired at Watts’ Geo Tracker.

Under Pennsylvania law, gun shops can sell a rifle to anybody 18 or older from any state with no criminal record. An AK-47 is a rifle, and I could purchase it on the spot. I didn’t need a reason or even a gun permit.

But there was a catch. As a new resident in Pennsylvania, I did not have a driver’s license from the state. I thought my U.S. passport would be sufficient to buy a rifle, but Canella disagreed. He wanted a government-issued photo ID with my present address and sent me across the street to the Driver’s License Center.

I waited four days for New York State to fax a transcript of my driving record to PennDOT. With my new driver’s license in hand, I went back to Firearms Unlimited last Tuesday. Cop cars blocked several stalls when I pulled into the parking lot. Three people were being questioned. A woman had her hands behind her back. A violent crime impact team from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms was investigating a possible straw purchase, when a person with a clean record buys firearms for convicted criminals. I left the engine running for a second and hesitated to unlock the doors. I was the only one not armed.

But I was here to pick up my AK-47. I sidestepped the commotion and climbed the rickety stairs to the entrance.

“I don’t have to sell anybody a gun I don’t want to, and I don’t have to have a reason,” Canella said when I got inside. “It’s more gut than anything else. It’s a major concern for us, and it’s a duty.”

He recognized me, “the AK-47 girl,” and tried to steer me toward the shotgun again. “If you were my wife, daughter or sister, I would tell you to get a shotgun, but if your mind’s made up, your mind’s made up,” he said. “It’s my job to advise, but you make the decision.”

I had to fill out a federal form with my basic information and answer 13 easy questions about whether or not I was a fugitive, had mental illnesses or was an illegal alien. The store called Instacheck, a state program that surveys police records, and assigned me an approval number within five minutes. Instacheck replaced the former, mandatory five-day waiting period and the state police have found approximately 60 percent of individuals trying to buy a gun can be approved instantly. Firearms Unlimited owner Robert Carola guessed that number is closer to 95 percent.

Police do not know how the gun used to kill Watts was obtained. Derwin Milligan, 17, of Climax Street in Beltzhoover has been charged with criminal homicide in the death, and is not old enough to purchase a firearm legally. The murder weapon has not been found yet, police said.

I did not buy any bullets. I did not want to have any rounds lying around when I didn’t even know how to load a gun; I told Canella I wanted to wait until after I took the gun safety course he recommended. He was proud. A poster on the entranceway advertises National Rifle Association training courses. I ripped off one of the slips of paper with the Web site address, www.safe-tee.net. Carola said he takes pride in selling guns to “upstanding citizens” for sport or self protection.

Firearms Unlimited followed all of the laws. Canella even cajoled me into a four-day wait period while I applied for the Pennsylvania driver’s license.

I had entered the store at 1:22 p.m. Store clerk Brandon Moore loaded the gun into my trunk at 2:22 p.m. The actual purchase took an hour because of cash register technicalities.

Six days after Watts was murdered, four days after I applied for a driver’s license, one hour after entering the store and five minutes after a criminal record check, I legally owned a semiautomatic AK-47-style rifle.

http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/trib/regional/s_318331.html

Here is a copy of my email to Ms. Roberts:

Dear Ms. Roberts,
I read with interest your article dated 3/29/05 about purchasing an “AK-47”. I am concerned at your lack of knowledge about “Assault Weapons” in general and would like to propose an exercise that you may or may not find interesting.
I am providing a link to a discussion forum I have recently joined and the particular thread about your article. It is one of (if not THE) largest gun discussion venues in the world today. I am also providing you with a login name and password in the hope that you might engage us in a discussion about firearms in general and “assault weapons” in particular. If you read my post, all will be explained.

It is my hope that your journalistic ethics would require you to engage others with differing views about something you have signed your name to. We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

CD-R

Login Name: CD-R
Password: XXXXX

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:19:52 PM EST

[#1]

With holding comments to see if journalist responds.

ETA:

Quoted:
Betcha she shoots it and is a convert!!!

We could only hope.

I really wish she would try shooting it before she judges it (or the people that buy them). Hell, she just might find it fun!

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:22:53 PM EST

[#2]

Waiting.....

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:23:02 PM EST

[#3]

Betcha that <woman> shoots it and is a convert!!! But I bet she doesnt realize that criminals dont legally own AKs... Thats why they are criminals..

Im going to shut up now.. But I bet that if she loads up a mag and sits it in a corner by itself, it wont shoot anyone..

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:23:27 PM EST

[#4]

I'd hit it.

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:23:36 PM EST

[#5]

Quoted:
With holding comments to see if journalist responds.

Yeah, I'll hold my breath too.

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:24:38 PM EST

[#6]

Tagged

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:25:05 PM EST

[#7]

I wonder why they didn't explain that an AK-47 was an NFA controlled weapon that would require months of waiting, fingerprinting, photos, a background check, law enforcement officer signature etc?
And explain that she was getting a "variation" or "version" that is different from an actual AK-47.

Maybe they did. Mentioning it would just cloud a very important, serious issue with facts though and we wouldn't want that in the media.

ETA: Oh, I see it says AK47-style rifle. Using the term style is the catch that lets the media say people can buy AK-47's easily when actually it's super hard. And she wouldn't know because she didn't.

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:26:19 PM EST

[#8]

This could be interesting!

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:27:15 PM EST

[#9]

Welcome to AR-15.com!

CRC

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:28:01 PM EST

[#10]

Where can I get some of those camo pants?

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:28:02 PM EST

[#11]

Quoted:
Betcha that <Removed> shoots it and is a convert!!! But I bet she doesnt realize that criminals dont legally own AKs... Thats why they are criminals..

Im going to shut up now.. But I bet that if she loads up a mag and sits it in a corner by itself, it wont shoot anyone..

That's the way to start a debate!

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:28:08 PM EST

[#12]

Lmao, a mile away. Any how we will wait and see.

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:28:11 PM EST

[#13]

<Removed. Do NOT make nasty posts of this type!>

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:28:42 PM EST

[#14]

nice grip!

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:28:57 PM EST

[#15]

Quoted:
I wonder why they didn't explain that an AK-47 was an NFA controlled weapon that would require months of waiting, fingerprinting, photos, a background check, law enforcement officer signature etc?
And explain that she was getting a "variation" or "version" that is different from an actual AK-47.

Maybe they did. Mentioning it would just cloud a very important, serious issue with facts though and we wouldn't want that in the media.

Not to mention $13k if you find a decent one.

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:29:17 PM EST

[#16]

I would hit that anti-gun wackjob..TWICE!!

She is hot.

Edit:well kinda hot,in a liberal journalistic kinda way.

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:30:10 PM EST

[#17]

Interesting ...

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:30:11 PM EST

[#18]

Quoted:
<Removed>

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:30:30 PM EST

[#19]

i must admit, i'm very curious. the agenda was quite heavily implied, but the reportage was surprisingly fair. (minus the glaring factual errors) provided that everyone stays open-minded, and on an even keel, this should be an interesting discussion.

i'll be at work wednesday evening, but i'll check in as soon as i return.

ETA: in the time lag between clicking on "reply" and then "submit", several responses appeared that make me pessimistic.

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:30:33 PM EST

[#20]

Being from the neck of the woods where this article is from, I would hope that the journalist will accept the invitation to openly talk about whatever questions she might have, and that *some* other folks on the board might follow the Golden Rule.

Ms. Roberts, should you happen across this thread, welcome, and how might we be of assistance?

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:30:42 PM EST

[#21]

Quoted:
I would hit that anti-gun wackjob..TWICE!!

She is hot.

Edit:well kinda hot,in a liberal journalistic kinda way.

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:30:48 PM EST

[#22]

Nice picture.

I hope that she shows up.

And I hope you horndogs can keep it civil.

For once.

Hey, do ya'll think that maybe we could try to keep it clean? Please?

We might be able to show her that we're not a buncha' knuckledragging inbred lowlifes looking to violate every law and kill all those who disagree.

Well, most of us, that is.

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:30:52 PM EST

[#23]

Quoted:

I didn’t need a reason or even a gun permit.

A "reason"????? Excuse me? Boy howdie, I'm having a bit of a control problem with not flaming on this "reason" bullshit.

As for "permit", last I checked, in the the free states, one doesn't need a "permit" to exercise a right.

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:31:10 PM EST

[#24]

Quoted:
Quoted:
I wonder why they didn't explain that an AK-47 was an NFA controlled weapon that would require months of waiting, fingerprinting, photos, a background check, law enforcement officer signature etc?
And explain that she was getting a "variation" or "version" that is different from an actual AK-47.

Maybe they did. Mentioning it would just cloud a very important, serious issue with facts though and we wouldn't want that in the media.

Not to mention $13k if you find a decent one.

Yeah, good point. After all the other steps, an actual AK-47 costs more than some cars.

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:31:16 PM EST

[#25]

i didn't think it was that bad of a article, i think the lady is a fool for buying a gun without any training and there is a huge difference between a Real AK vr a SAR.

but hey have fun

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:32:06 PM EST

[#26]

Quoted:
Nice picture.

I hope that she shows up.

And I hope you horndogs can keep it civil.

For once.

Yeah, no need to call names yet. Maybe she has been lied to all her life and now as part of the media she's just repeating the lies.

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:32:39 PM EST

[#27]

She should get a permit to express her opinions.

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:32:51 PM EST

[#28]

I think the gun shop owner and the actual purchase of a gun came across nicely. She as actually much more fair then other journalist that have reported on the subject a la CBS.

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:32:53 PM EST

[#29]

Quoted:
I would hit that anti-gun wackjob..TWICE!!

She is hot.

Edit:well kinda hot,in a liberal journalistic kinda way.

C'mon man, she aint that special. And I said aint too.

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:33:16 PM EST

[#30]

Canella took a drag of his cigarette.

Perchance, was it an evil cigarette?

And don't listen to that gun store guy, Christ! In terms of self-defense, the AK system has many things going for it over the shotgun he wanted to sell you. Plus, he smokes!

Of course, then you'd be known merely as "shotgun girl" - and if those ain't a dime a dozen...

Six days after Watts was murdered, four days after I applied for a driver’s license, one hour after entering the store and five minutes after a criminal record check, I legally owned a semiautomatic AK-47-style rifle.

You know you could have just skipped all that waiting with the Assault Weapons Ban sunsetting and all that.

All you have to do was go to any schoolyard, look for the ice cream truck, and ask for the waffle cone (wink, wink). Thank you Mr. Bush!

When can we expect 6 paragraphs on how it actually "feels" to shoot this bullet hose, this weapon of mass destruction and unspeakable power?

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:33:37 PM EST

[#31]

Even this one, a semiautomatic rifle developed for Soviets tank crews to kill from a mile away. Joe Dominick, Allegheny County’s chief deputy coroner, said shots from an AK-47 inflict trauma all over the body. The bullet can blow through several body parts, cutting through a hand to the torso through the other hand. And rarely is an AK-47 fired just once. At least eight shots were fired at Watts’ Geo Tracker.

Police do not know how the gun used to kill Watts was obtained. Derwin Milligan, 17, of Climax Street in Beltzhoover has been charged with criminal homicide in the death, and is not old enough to purchase a firearm legally. The murder weapon has not been found yet, police said.

Must have got her facts from the Brady Bunch. Kill from a mile away.

How do you like the way she "kind of" implied that the AK clone was used in the murder, yet police have not found the murder weapon yet?

If she ever has the guts to post here, I'm going to ask her to take the safety course, and then try to hit a 9 inch target at 300 yards. That should shut her up over that "mile kill" statement.

I bet she's going to make a good producer for CBS.

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:33:56 PM EST

[#32]

I would like to know where she got this "a semiautomatic rifle developed for Soviets tank crews to kill from a mile away".

What ever happened to research as it relates to jurnalism?

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:34:01 PM EST

[#33]

First order of business is to have someone teach her some firearm safety. Then take her out on a shoot. I love to take anti-gunners shooting...after the first few rounds they can really understand that what its all about. It's not about taking out a class full of kids or shooting people from the trunk of your car. Its about enjoying a hobby...one that just so happens to go bang.

Ms. AK47 girl you are welcome here and I am sure we will try to asnswer any questions you may have.
Tony

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:34:14 PM EST

[#34]

Quoted:
I'd hit it.

+1

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:34:27 PM EST

[#35]

tag

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:34:31 PM EST

[#36]

Quoted:
She should get a permit to express her opinions.

WHOA!!! Hang on there, buddy! That's a Constitutionally protected freedom!

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:34:39 PM EST

[#37]

Well, after reading her story, it sounds like all the proper procedures were followed to a tee...
No ID = No gun...
BATF task force shakin down a potential straw purchase...
Store owner suggesting something OTHER than an AK47...

She seemed pretty intent on owning an AK47...
I really think she'll be disappointed when she shoots it... My wife likes to shoot the AR15's, and hates the AK's due to the recoil and sloppy feel.

Edit to add:

She is a pretty good lookin gal, I think we can give her a little slack before burning her at the stake...

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:35:13 PM EST

[#38]

Quoted:
Quoted:
She should get a permit to express her opinions.

WHOA!!! Hang on there, buddy! That's a Constitutionally protected freedom!

LOL!!!

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:35:21 PM EST

[#39]

Even this one, a semiautomatic rifle developed for Soviets tank crews to kill from a mile away.

yeah, sounds like she really got her facts straight before she wrote that article.

Too bad she didn't ask the STORE OWNER who SOLD her the rifle about it...

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:35:24 PM EST

[#40]

Quoted:
Ok, I am going to sacrifice my new login here at AR15.com for the cause. I am a long time lurker and I finally registered a week ago but have not had an opportunity to post anything. I read an article today from an undoubtedly anti-gun journalist so I am going to do something I have not seen done before. I am going to give this person my login and ask her to engage us in a discussion about “Assault Weapons”. I am going to email a link to this thread and the login info immediately upon posting and I will give her till midnight tomorrow EST (Wednesday, the 30th) to respond. If she does not respond by then, I will change the password and we can all flame away. I am hoping this will be both interesting and educational. I think we all agree that a big part of what drives anti-gunners is a lack of information. Perhaps we can change some minds. If not, at least we will know our enemy better.

Remember, I will NOT post again until midnight tomorrow so if there are posts, it will be her. Until then, lets keep the personal attacks directed at her to a minimum and limit our comments to what she has said in her article. I am sure she would like to read some of our arguments before she posts. Lets give her something to read that is productive. If she doesn’t respond then all is fair game and lets fill her mail box with more mail than she ever imagined.

Here is the text of her article:

Me & my AK-47

pittsburghlive.com/photos/2005-03-29/0329pmup-a.jpg

By Josie Roberts
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, March 29, 2005

A 20-something female walks into a gun shop, wearing a pink sweater and pearls, and asks to buy an AK-47. Half-dozen men, several in flannel, look up from the rows of gun displays.
They had holsters. She had heels.

I knew I looked out of place at a gun store, but I wanted to see how difficult it would be to buy an assault weapon in Pittsburgh, just days after Keith “Spud” Watts Jr. was murdered with an AK-47 knock-off outside Carrick High School.

I went alone to Firearms Unlimited in Bridgeville two days after the shooting.

I parked in back of the wooden-paneled shop, built into the side of a hill off Route 50 and rang the doorbell to gain entrance. Inside, it was packed. A hundred rifles lined the walls where glass cases of handguns didn’t.

Manager Randy Canella looked up from a sale and asked if I needed any help. “I’m looking for a long gun,” I said. “I want an AK-47.”

Canella took a drag of his cigarette.

“I have some in back,” he said. “I’ll be with you in a minute.” He brought out three models and set them on the counter. I stood with crossed arms while he explained the guns’ features, rotating them on their sides and pointing out the magazine. I tried not to flinch.

Canella finally asked, “Why do you want this gun?”

I answered, “Why not?”

The men in the store laughed, and I asked how to load the bullets.

The Romanian Century Arms, WASR-10, 7.62-x-39 mm rifle was the cheapest at $389.95, or $422.25 after tax. It was a clone, like most AK-47s in America. The first President Bush made it illegal to import the Russian and Chinese military models. The knock-offs look like AK-47s, fire like AK-47s and are very accurate at short distances. I said I’d take it.

Canella stopped me.

“I don’t mean to be nosy, but if you want a gun for self-protection, a shotgun would be better,” he said, assuming that’s the only reason for this blonde in a twin sweater set to need an AK-47. “It’s easier to load for people who aren’t familiar with firing a gun, and it does a lot of damage.”

“My dad recommended this model,” I said, searching for an excuse.

Except for a possible stray bullet in the chamber, I shouldn’t have been worried. In America, it’s legal to buy guns.

Even this one, a semiautomatic rifle developed for Soviets tank crews to kill from a mile away. Joe Dominick, Allegheny County’s chief deputy coroner, said shots from an AK-47 inflict trauma all over the body. The bullet can blow through several body parts, cutting through a hand to the torso through the other hand. And rarely is an AK-47 fired just once. At least eight shots were fired at Watts’ Geo Tracker.

Under Pennsylvania law, gun shops can sell a rifle to anybody 18 or older from any state with no criminal record. An AK-47 is a rifle, and I could purchase it on the spot. I didn’t need a reason or even a gun permit.

But there was a catch. As a new resident in Pennsylvania, I did not have a driver’s license from the state. I thought my U.S. passport would be sufficient to buy a rifle, but Canella disagreed. He wanted a government-issued photo ID with my present address and sent me across the street to the Driver’s License Center.

I waited four days for New York State to fax a transcript of my driving record to PennDOT. With my new driver’s license in hand, I went back to Firearms Unlimited last Tuesday. Cop cars blocked several stalls when I pulled into the parking lot. Three people were being questioned. A woman had her hands behind her back. A violent crime impact team from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms was investigating a possible straw purchase, when a person with a clean record buys firearms for convicted criminals. I left the engine running for a second and hesitated to unlock the doors. I was the only one not armed.

But I was here to pick up my AK-47. I sidestepped the commotion and climbed the rickety stairs to the entrance.

“I don’t have to sell anybody a gun I don’t want to, and I don’t have to have a reason,” Canella said when I got inside. “It’s more gut than anything else. It’s a major concern for us, and it’s a duty.”

He recognized me, “the AK-47 girl,” and tried to steer me toward the shotgun again. “If you were my wife, daughter or sister, I would tell you to get a shotgun, but if your mind’s made up, your mind’s made up,” he said. “It’s my job to advise, but you make the decision.”

I had to fill out a federal form with my basic information and answer 13 easy questions about whether or not I was a fugitive, had mental illnesses or was an illegal alien. The store called Instacheck, a state program that surveys police records, and assigned me an approval number within five minutes. Instacheck replaced the former, mandatory five-day waiting period and the state police have found approximately 60 percent of individuals trying to buy a gun can be approved instantly. Firearms Unlimited owner Robert Carola guessed that number is closer to 95 percent.

Police do not know how the gun used to kill Watts was obtained. Derwin Milligan, 17, of Climax Street in Beltzhoover has been charged with criminal homicide in the death, and is not old enough to purchase a firearm legally. The murder weapon has not been found yet, police said.

I did not buy any bullets. I did not want to have any rounds lying around when I didn’t even know how to load a gun; I told Canella I wanted to wait until after I took the gun safety course he recommended. He was proud. A poster on the entranceway advertises National Rifle Association training courses. I ripped off one of the slips of paper with the Web site address, www.safe-tee.net. Carola said he takes pride in selling guns to “upstanding citizens” for sport or self protection.

Firearms Unlimited followed all of the laws. Canella even cajoled me into a four-day wait period while I applied for the Pennsylvania driver’s license.

I had entered the store at 1:22 p.m. Store clerk Brandon Moore loaded the gun into my trunk at 2:22 p.m. The actual purchase took an hour because of cash register technicalities.

Six days after Watts was murdered, four days after I applied for a driver’s license, one hour after entering the store and five minutes after a criminal record check, I legally owned a semiautomatic AK-47-style rifle.

http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/trib/regional/s_318331.html

Here is a copy of my email to Ms. Roberts:

Dear Ms. Roberts,
I read with interest your article dated 3/29/05 about purchasing an “AK-47”. I am concerned at your lack of knowledge about “Assault Weapons” in general and would like to propose an exercise that you may or may not find interesting.
I am providing a link to a discussion forum I have recently joined and the particular thread about your article. It is one of (if not THE) largest gun discussion venues in the world today. I am also providing you with a login name and password in the hope that you might engage us in a discussion about firearms in general and “assault weapons” in particular. If you read my post, all will be explained.

It is my hope that your journalistic ethics would require you to engage others with differing views about something you have signed your name to. We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

CD-R

Login Name: CD-R
Password: XXXXX

You might have considered sending her a link to the thread....

TRG

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:35:42 PM EST

[#41]

Another ignorant anti-gun ass.

I wonder if she stopped off to by a case of beer with her new license and took off in her 3500lb potential death machine car. Damn this shit is aggravating!

I've bought a lot of guns off of that guy, He's a good dealer. Always has cool military style weapons.

She didn't mention that you also have to be "Buzzed" in to get in the front door.

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:35:42 PM EST

[#42]

Quoted:
i must admit, i'm very curious. the agenda was quite heavily implied, but the reportage was surprisingly fair. (minus the glaring factual errors) provided that everyone stays open-minded, and on an even keel, this should be an interesting discussion.

She could have just as easily went out and bought a ~~deer~~ sniple rifle instead of a semi AK. She went out looking to stir up trouble.

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:36:05 PM EST

[#43]

Quoted:
Quoted:

I didn’t need a reason or even a gun permit.

A "reason"????? Excuse me? Boy howdie, I'm having a bit of a control problem with not flaming on this "reason" bullshit.

As for "permit", last I checked, in the the free states, one doesn't need a "permit" to exercise a right.

She had a reason, and that was to see how easy it was, so that is her first BS line right there. We all have reasons for everything we do. Heck a dog has a reason it takes a crap.

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:36:17 PM EST

[#44]

We don't need no stinkin facts...

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:36:26 PM EST

[#45]

tagged to see what happens

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:36:38 PM EST

[#46]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Betcha that bitch shoots it and is a convert!!! But I bet she doesnt realize that criminals dont legally own AKs... Thats why they are criminals..

Im going to shut up now.. But I bet that if she loads up a mag and sits it in a corner by itself, it wont shoot anyone..
That's the way to start a debate!

Agreed. Let us give this female the benefit of the doubt and refer to her as a lady....or at least woman.
Respect, when not expected, is often quite an influence.... Not that I know anything, since Im a southerner.

-HS

Posted: 3/29/2005 3:36:46 PM EST

[#47]

Hopefully she takes it out to shoot it.

She may or may not have a good head on her shoulders.

Other than the fact that she bought one of the shittiest-made AK knockoffs..

I figure she changes her tune the second she actually buys a couple hundred rounds and a couple mags, goes to the range, loads up, HOPEFULLY gets some instruction on how to actually use it..shoots it, takes it home, and spends the requisite time to clean the thing.

And then spends the time thinking that if any criminal goes through the legal hoops to buy one, it'll be instantly traceable back to them. There's a reason FFL's keep a book on all sales, and why all manufacturers record who bought what.

Gun laws ain't the answer; there's enough already....it's the criminals that flagrantly break the laws that are the problem. And by definition, a criminal isn't exactily bound by law.