The DeLeon "hearing." Photo courtesy of George S.
Readers will recall David Codrea's column, Will CA Senate ‘committee’ even mention Gunwalker in de León media stunt? You may also recall my call for Threepers to attend and ask questions. At least two did so.
David passes along Threeper George S.' tapes of the meeting and questions afterward: De León Mexican ‘gun flow’ meeting confirms predictions
In addition, we have this report from "Irregular LA Correspondent."
Putting on a show...
In summary, today's event was strictly a show to market De Leon's idea of ammunition ID checks (handgun only, mein Freund) and registration for any buyer in California and for other states to adopt or push federally. Does Senator Kevin De Leon not remember that California Bill, AB 962, his authored bill, was ruled unconstitutional? Yes he does, but that will not stop this show.
Let me set the stage for the event at the Ronald Reagan Building in downtown Los Angeles on October 25, 2011. The panel was held in the ground floor auditorium. I enter the room a quarter past 10 and to my ears' surprise the meeting is being conducted in... Spanish! The lead moderator/chairman/senator Kevin De Leon, later shifted back to English. Kevin De Leon sits at a black draped table, center stage, while his "guests" sit below stage, at tables I'd consider to be the orchestra
pit. While this arrangement was trying to mimic Congressional hearings, what it did was put the panelists out of the stage light, and their backs to the audience. It looked like De Leon enjoyed his superior position and role.
The auditorium looks to hold about 500 seats and the audience of 50-60 looks entirely Hispanic except for a camera guy or two and another Anglo. I assume De Leon had his followers attend his event. I presumed bused-in since they all stuck together after the show. Pardon my stereotyping but it really seemed like I was intruding in on a family reunion or such. Most were middle-aged family folk, the kind politicians need to show to viewers at home that he's a "trusted one". After kissing babies, having salt-of-the-earth people next to him really makes him
stand out. But I could feel the pride this community has for De Leon. He is a double for Erik Estrada and probably a Mexican version of Gov Perry. I hope that his followers can see through his suave exterior.
Just looking at the bigger picture, this meeting was trying to again push for failed policy with the same song of give up your liberties and you'll be more secure.
There was even the token 'crying baby' singing for the show. The women behind me gasped on cue every time De Leon decried a new statistic. If I had to drink a beer every time someone on the panel said assault weapon, I would be pronounced dead. After the show, the ushered audience awaited his multiple news interviews and they didn't seem troubled when De Leon sends one of his minions to talk to a reporter about how the NRA is terrible and nasty by helping criminals get guns and ammo.
To answer David Codrea's question "Will CA Senate ‘committee’ even mention "Gunwalker?" the answer is no [link1]. But it is a technical no. Because when it came time to explaining why BATFE Special Agent John A. Torres was not able to attend, the response (paraphrased) was someone [in ATF] told him not to come. So it was implied that Torres could not attend because his superiors feared something (wink, wink) might be [mis?]spoke. But Special Agent John Marsh of Bureau of Firearms in the California DOJ did show to help dramatize the (everyone tremble here)
"private party legal weapons sales" occurring just over the Nevada and Arizona borders. De Leon continued to interrupt Marsh's statements like a high school theater major reading his lines during the show, asking: 'is this legal?' and 'it's legal?'
It was odd how the panelists seems to know exactly what to talk about and what not to talk about. No one mentioned nor offered alternative strategies for managing the criminal element related to the drug-guns-money circle. These concepts were verboten. State Department's giving military weapons to Mexico and then said weapons and trained personnel actually being cartel was not addressed. Furthermore, the decriminalizing of marijuana, enlisting help from civilians, or helping to train and arm Mexican farmers/citizens all were subjects which were never addressed by this "panel". It really appeared that there was a "ban ammo sales" taking points memo before the show.
Of course LEO's were all too willing to announce the beauty of the kings clothes and how desperately they are in need of new threads themselves. Each parroted the terrible and soon to be tragic amount of ammunition running around in California, the rogue gun dealers willing to sell ammo to anyone including criminals and the ease to which one could go to neighboring states and buy said destructive, dangerous and deadly projectiles and projectile launchers. Each parrot pleaded from De Leon
for more laws and more money. Sheriff Lee "no CCW (or OC) for you" Baca, applauded California Governor Jerry Brown's signing of AB 144, the civilian ban on open carry in the state. While Mr. Baca came late and left early, he did manage to share the lighter side of himself, stating he once was a NRA member and was on the rifle and pistol team in the Marines. Understanding this background, one would expect Mr. Baca, to help create a win-win situation with law abiding gun owners, not support attacks on their constitution liberties. But we see Alan Greenspan's 1977 doctorate thesis [link 2] of a gold standard did not stand the scrutiny of the federal reserve when he took the job. What was Capt. David Myers, San Diego's Sheriff's Department, summary solution? To pass legislation that decriminalizes illegal border entry, herein crafted as "guest worker program" and to remove the nonviable border/virtual fence, so his team could focus on the hard crimes like the running of drugs, money and guns. Myers supports De Leon's push for ammo ID checks.
The event ending with multiple Spanish speaking reporters and their "investigative" reporters pressing De Leon for comments (in Spanish).
De Leon knows handgun ammo ID checks "are not a panacea" [quote] but understands the bigger mission of working under the radar [paraphrase].
Behind enemy lines,
-Irregular LA Correspondent
[link1]
http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-national/will-ca-senate-committee-even-mention-gunwalker-de-le-n-media-stunt
[link2]
http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/usnews/politics/3167-greenspans-implausible-denial
1 comment:
I am surprised that no one mentioned that Kevin DeLeon was born in Tiajuana, Mexico ( in an upper class neighborhood ). He has made a lot of noise about his college years .. "I am the only one in my family to graduate from college" .. BFD, I also am the only college graduate in my family => courtesy of the GI Bill.
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