It happened today. One of my many e-mails contained two attachments. One was a form to register all of my "high capacity" firearm magazines, the other was to register any "assault weapons" I might possess. These two forms were provided by my gun club as a "value added membership perk". It happens to be the oldest Gun Club in these United States, and has many members from every walk of life you might imagine. Including a few barristers. The forms were sourced at the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection; Division of State Police. (An Affirmative action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer)
I admit, I stared at the "assault weapon" form for some time. It, form DPS-414-C (Rev 6/30/13), contains two rectangular boxes into which my right thumbprint must be imprinted. I not only need my signature to be witnessed by a notary public, I need to fingerprint myself, and make a good job of it. (No rolling of the thumb, not too much or too little ink, black ink please, not too much or too little pressure, and be sure the whirls are readily visible.)
The "high capacity" magazine form DESPP-0788-C (New 5/7/13), requires that I sign an affidavit to affirm that I was in possession of these "devices" before April 4, 2013, and then list each one, its designed caliber, capacity, manufacturer, and how many of the little buggers I own.
Well, I'm guil...ahem, I qualify to be required to fill out both of these forms. I own an "assault weapon" (actually a Beretta 9mm Carbine) purchased before 4, April, 2013, and I own various "high capacity" magazines (able to hold more than ten rounds of ammunition) also owned before 4, April, 2013.
The total tonnage of stupidity that comes out of our legislatures, local, state and federal would sink a heavy carrier. The above requirements were legislated and rammed through our state system because of the awful, awful, despicable, insane actions of a deranged 20 year old maniac.
Because "we must do something", they did something. Something that will unfortunately, not prevent unspeakable tragedies from happening again. Oh! that I wish it might.
Average citizens must now jump through a myriad of red tape hoops to become "legal" possessors of the two above mentioned, previously legal items. +10 round magazines, and any weapon that is semi-automatic, looks like it might be military, SWAT, Tactical, or have a pistol grip (there are many more characteristics that have been deemed "assault").
Just how many gangsta's and hoodlums do you suppose are downloading those forms? How many do you think are going to fingerprint themselves, or have their BFF help them keep their gold necklaces from smearing their right thumbprints? It is tough to print yourself while keeping your Glock 19 horizontal and fixed on your intended target or innocent bystander.
As you can tell by now, I'm just venting a bit here. I will get my forms in, I will comply with "authority" and do what a "law abiding" citizen is asked to do to comply with the new laws. However inane they may be. The laws were legally legislated, and signed into the books by the governor.
The legislation still remains to be litigated however, the constitutionality of these enactments is being questioned by a bunch of those aforementioned barristers. Besides, I have until January 1, 2014 to get my non-smeared thumbprints into some digital storage silo deep in the bowels of Wallingford, Connecticut. Now, where did I put my black stamp pad? How long does it take for that ink to wear off? Don't they have my prints already? I remember back in Boy Scouts we went to the police station...
