Tom Diaz is an ass

Yep.

No doubt about it.

Of course, I do have to give the gun banning bigots some credit, they are universally against guns - whether for cops or just you and I.

But some experts say arming officers with rifles is a knee-jerk reaction.

''Because the bad guys have assault rifles, law enforcement officers should?'' asks Tom Diaz, senior policy analyst for the Violence Policy Center, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization that advocates gun control.

``I don't see the rationale behind that type of thinking. What's next? Cops in armored cars and tanks? This is moving toward the militarization of law enforcement.''

The rest of the article of course, requires a bit of fisking too. Its not SOOOO bad, but then, it leaves some to be desired.

''We're taking AK-47s off drug dealers,'' said Fort Lauderdale police range master Jim Decker, a former officer. ``Whatever [weapon] is out there, they're buying it.''

The AK-47 (for Avtomat Kalashnikova 1947) is a ubiquitous assault rifle that can be equipped with 30- or 40-round clips or a 75-round drum. The ammo can be easily purchased on the Internet.

At least that is a better, more complete, description of an AK than your likely to see most places. Of course, and in this regard its the cops fault for not being more accurate, most criminals aren't shooting things up with fully automatic AK-47s costing $10,000 and above each (for legal ones, illegal ones might be $50k here in the States).

Rather, they are probably using AK clones like the SAR and WASR. And, yes, you can purchase the ammo online. I prefer Ammoman, but Natchez has pretty good prices too. Don't forget Cabela's either.

God Bless America.

My second day on the road, I was getting shot at with a high-powered weapon, and I couldn't shoot back with my handgun,'' Decker said. ``And, what's worse, the bad guys are training themselves so they can shoot better.''

One survey, Decker said, showed that 79 percent of the people who killed officers practiced at the range at least once a month.

''They have them [rifles] and they know how to use them,'' he said.

So, does the Ft. Lauderdale Police Department think I shouldn't be able to go to the range? Sure sounds that way.

My advice to police range master Jim Decker is to make sure his officers actually get to the range more often. My experience has been that most cops shoot their gun once a year and barely know what they are doing with it.

Perhaps more training for cops is the answer, and not trying to weasel away more of our second amendment rights.

Thank goodness the National Association of Police Organizations agrees.

The National Association of Police Organizations, based in Washington, D.C., supports arming officers with high-powered rifles, saying the weapons are a tool, rarely used, but absolutely vital for the well-being of the public and for law enforcement.


'Whether the rifle is carried in the trunk of the patrol car or in the front seat, like gas masks and helmets, it's better for the officers' safety and the public safety that it's available should it be needed,'' NAPO director Bill Johnson said.

Yep, and you notice they didn't stay law abiding citizens should be disarmed.

Actually, ya know, it sort of sounds like NAPO and Tom Diaz The Ass are in a serious disagreement here.

I know which side I come down on. Which one do you??