It's a dark day in California

Well I'm sure you've all seen the news. Today California Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, signed two very controversial gun control bills despite the overwhelming argument against them. He signed Assembly Bill 1471, a firearms micro-stamping bill, and Assembly Bill 821 a lead ammunition ban bill.

If you're wondering what these do, hold on while I explain them.

First the simple one, the ban on lead ammunition. This bans the use of lead-based ammunition in the condor range in California. The claim is that condors are dropping dead from lead poisoning, but the scientific information doesn't support this. Currently the only alternative available is copper ammunition, which is going to be prohitively expensive for hunters to use. Furthermore, copper is a hard metal, and it's going to have sharp edges. If a condor eats one of these their insides are going to be sliced apart and the condors are going to bleed to death on the inside.

The firearms microstamping bill is much more complex, but to make a long story short it's another attempt at ballistic imaging to "try and stop crime". Trouble is this concept is severely flawed. The microstamping technology is unfounded, it doesn't even exist today but it was still passed and has to be implimented by 2010 if any new semi-automatic handguns can be sold in California.

The problem with enforcing technology that doesn't currently exist is that it might never exist. This could easily be the ground for banning all semi-automatic handgun sales in the state of California, since those in charge of developing technology could just stop one day and decide not to do it.

Even worse, even if the technology can be implimented in a practical manner, it can be easily defeated. The firing pin, which is engraved under this bill, is easily the most fragile part of the firearm and is prone to breaking and needing replacement. Under the microstamping bill you'd have to special order a new firing pin with the serial number of your gun on it, and use of any other firing pin would be a crime.

Also, defacing any identifying mark on a firearm is a serious felony. And since the firing pin becomes an identifying mark, even shooting your gun could become a felony since it's going to become defaced.

And if that doesn't irk you, then this certainly will: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=58130

"Mom" and "dad" along with "husband" and "wife" have been banned from all schools in California. Even worse girls will be FORCED to share their bathrooms and locker rooms with boys.

My advice to you is to write governor Schwarzenegger and vocally (but politely) voice your opposition and disappointment in his decision to declare war on the law-abiding gun owners, hunters and parents in California. Also remind him that you'll remember this when it comes time for reelection.