Super Soakers and Overlords

"Officer Safety Bulletin for the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office (training Bulletin # TB-09-003. Dated Feb 23rd, 2009.)

On Feb 22nd, 2009 a patrol Deputy came across the above child’s super soaker. However what was found inside the power soaker was a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun. Both the shotgun and the water soaker were fully functional."

Last night, one of my friends in law enforcement, a good and honorable man, showed me a bulletin concerning a Mossberg 500 shotgun that was "concealed" within a Super Soaker water gun. We talked about the firearm a bit, and I listened as Micheal told me the pistol grip on the shotgun obviously made it illegal as it "altered" the weapon.

Surprised, I asked if altered weapons were illegal. The response I received was predictable and sad as he answered in the affirmative. I pointed out that the pistol grip depicted on the shotgun was a standard Mossberg less than lethal pistol grip, that a Hasbro Super Soaker grip would not even bolt up to the receiver. Michael refused to believe this and continued to argue that the pistol grip must be a Super Soaker grip and therefore the gun was illegal, even if it met the 26 inch OAL and 18 inch barrel standard.

I saw that Michael would not be swayed from his belief. Perhaps he was correct. So I asked...... If my daughter wanted a pink AR15, and I swapped out the stock, foregrip, and a few other choice items for hot pink accessories, would I then be a felon under the same "no altered guns" statute?

"No," Michael replied, "It's all about intent. It's the intent that matters......." Throughout our conversation Michael kept repeating "I can see where you are going with this."

What a sad state of affairs, when we, as a nation, in the interest of public safety, are willing to let the agents of our government arrest and prosecute people not for what they do, but for what we believe they intend to do. What a pathetic people we are that we would abdicate our rights as Americans to chose to act as we desire, within the reasonable framework of a civilized society. We have chosen to let others think for us, to tell us how to act, what to do, and indeed how to think. The sad thing is, these "overlords" believe they have a divine right to take on this responsibility.

Michael, you thought you knew where I was going with this. No you did not. You had no idea.

Several weeks ago, I wrote that I would attend a civilian police academy. I would take a look at things from the other side of the badge. I have done that, and I am pretty close to the end of the curriculum. I had planned to blog during that time, but my regular readers no doubt noticed that my writing dropped off drastically. There is a reason for that.

The more a man thinks and learns, the less he should open his own pie hole. He should take the time to digest and integrate the new information into his own life experience and perceptions. I have done this, and as I near the completion of the course, I find it increasingly difficult. Last night, Michael mused "You've been through how many weeks of the academy and you haven't learned any more than that?"

No, Michael, I have learned a lot. I just might not have learned what you expected me to.

This morning, I go to the range to shoot under the direction of police firearms instructors. I understand that there may be classmates who have never held a gun before present. I am aware too, that each instructor knows me personally, knows my track record and experience level with a pistol. It will be interesting to see whether they take the opportunity to act as my overlord, or whether they approach me as a citizen who desires to see both sides of the coin. The learning experience continues.........