Bloomberg Internet Gun Sting a Scam as Usual

Authors Current Events Paul Helinski
This is a screen capture (click to enlarge) of the current GunsAmerica statitistics on Compete.com. Notice that despite our failure to sponsor a NASCAR team, and our failure to advertise in the myriad print magazines nobody under 65 reads anymore, there are no gun buying and selling websites with more unique visitors than us according to their calculations. By our estimation, using the industry standard Google Analytics, GunsAmerica has recently crossed the 3 million unique visitors per month threshhold. Yet GunsAmerica is not mentioned in the news story, nor has anyone from the media or law enforcement contacted us about the New York City sting operation. We are in regular contact with the US Department of Justice and for nearly 15 years have supported BATFE and all law enforcement, often calling on them to help us with scammers as well.

by Paul Helinski
Owner, GunsAmerica.com
Where America Buys and Sells Guns

We don’t do a lot of opinion pieces in the GunsAmerica Blog. This is the first one in fact. New York City’s mayor Bloomberg announced the results of a new sting conducted by his office today, focusing on internet gun sales. He is using the same tactics he has employed to go after legal gun sales at gun shows, implying that American gun owners are by nature dishonest and willing to break the law to sell their firearms. Would you break a federal law for $450, or even ten times that? Probably not. American gun owners are law abiding citizens and proud of our long history of supporting law enforcement and the laws as they are written, even if we disagree with them.

As usual, the facts are skewed all over the place, vague where Bloomberg chooses to be vague, and specific and factual where he has an anecdotal soundbyte or video clip he can play. Thankfully they do not appear to involve GunsAmerica sellers, but this is only the tip of the iceberg and if we don’t say something nobody will. Unfortunately Diane Sawyer and the talking heads at ABC News don’t question the sketchy report as usual, and we have received no questions from them, from law enforcement or from Mayor Bloomberg’s office to request for comments. CNN seems to have lost the picture of me from 1999, but you may remember that Chuck Schumer tried to regulate internet gun sales back then. The article is here, and they even brought me into a little secret CNN studio in Boston to do an interview. As I explained to Mr. Schumer back then, the gun grabbers just don’t have their facts straight. American gun owners by and large are overwhelmingly honest and law abiding. At least Schumer in 1999 wasn’t deliberately manipulating the facts for political gains.

I wonder why GunsAmerica is not mentioned? Could it be that Bloomberg targeted unknown, old, dead and dying websites that have no supervision over who comes and goes, then targeted specific ads that appear to have been placed by people who own but know little about guns? He does mention Craigslist, which of course has a NO GUNS POLICY, similar to Ebay, Amazon and other national online for-sale and auction websites. And the article does mention our only major competitor, Gunbroker, as if they are the Kleenex of internet gun sales, but according to Compete.com, it is GunsAmerica that has the most unique visitors looking for guns these days, even without a NASCAR sponsorship. Go figure.

Bloomberg says that the BATFE is not doing their job, be we know they are, and they do it well. We are generally in weekly contact with the US Department of Justice. They know we have a “no subpoena” policy and they ask us to investigate suspect accounts all the time. We have also been involved with several cases over the years involving state and local police agencies, mostly to catch scammers who never possessed any guns, and BATF (now E) has always know that we have an open policy with anything they need from us. Since the Patriot Act, several federal agencies, including BATFE, monitor GunsAmerica every day. Over 3 million people come and go from here every month (about twice what is shown on Compete, as measured by Google Analytics). Even though we don’t agree with all of the laws, we support law enforcement efforts to catch the actual bad guys. Bad guys make law abiding American gun owners look bad, and we want them in jail as quickly as possible.

Yet despite our almost 15 year record of complete cooperation with law enforcement, no calls or emails from Bloomberg. I wonder why?

I checked the Compete statistics on the website mentioned in the video and it is listed as having 60,000 unique visitors per month. Even if you double that, it is less than 1/10th of the traffic on either GunsAmerica or Gunbroker There are also no facts offered about us, them, or the other one or two online buying and selling and auction websites besides the two of us that have any internet traffic at all. They only list the claimed traffic numbers in Gunbroker press releases, but there are no anecdotal cases involving them in the video. We can’t speak for them of course, but this news report and the formal report of Bloomberg itself, which we have not seen, has clearly been gamed towards a specific goal, and the political motives are to take away our 2nd Amendment freedoms and put our guns in the hands of the politicians. GunsAmerica was started in 1997. It isn’t a new name on the scene.

I strongly urge you to speak to the mayor of your city if he or she is in Bloomberg’s mayor commission. There have to be some decent freedom loving Americans in that group. Ask them to hold Bloomberg accountable and release all of the data, not just what he chooses to cherry pick, so that we can see how law abiding America’s gun owners truly are. Bloomberg’s city has rampant gun violence because the law abiding people are not allowed to own guns, not because America’s law abiding gun owners are willing to break federal law for a few hundred bucks. In almost 15 years I have seen that this is not the case. We get emails from sellers nearly every day reporting buyers that request transfers with “no paperwork” and those buyers are immediately banned and their IP addresses recorded. How many of them were Bloomberg’s team?

As we all know, in-state gun sales do not require a background check between private sellers. This is the core of Bloomberg’s gun show slander. Now he is using it against the internet and against you, individual gun owners, buyers and sellers.

To be clear, a tighter internet for gun sales would help GunsAmerica, not hurt us. We would comply with whatever policies they would institute, and we most likely already do most of what they would require. By shutting down discussion board sales, local posting boards etc., the government would be funneling private gun sales into GunsAmerica. It would be a huge financial benefit for us, but at the cost of American 2nd Amendment freedom, WE AREN’T INTERESTED!

Gun freedom in America depends on the ability to buy and sell guns freely between individuals, not just licensed dealers. The Gun Control Act of 1968 should be abolished, and any further encroachment on our rights to buy and sell guns freely should be squashed. You don’t need a license to sell a car, a butcher knife, dangerous chemicals, even a switchblade where they are legal. All of these tools have been used by criminals and murderers to commit crimes and hurt and kill people. Guns are no different than any other potentially dangerous product if used in a criminal manner. Crimes are already illegal. Catch the bad guys! Don’t try to steal our 2nd Amendment freedom with poor excuses for violence in your city. It is locked down tighter than any city in America, yet you can’t control guns because you have disarmed the victims.

You should be ashamed of yourself Mayor Bloomberg. Get your own house in order. Law abiding American gun owners take care of our house just fine without you.

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  • Joe December 22, 2014, 1:34 pm

    I believe the whole gun control issue is just another distraction to keep attention away from the fact that corporations and the ultra rich have taken over the government of this country. The absolute worst thing happening is that because of corporate ownership of most of the media, we are being fed mis-information every day. Most people I talk to have their favorite CNN personality or show they really think is telling it like it is. But, they are corporate owned and censored as well. There is no way a good decision can be made having incorrect and incomplete information. There are other paths to gun control, and those paths are working well. What difference does it make if you have constitutional gun rights, when you can’t afford a decent place to live and the basics of life?? Everyone hates Obamacare, why?? Have you looked at national healthcare in European countries?? It works, and works well. Of course Europe is not the example they trot out when they try to convince you that it does not work, and it’s socialism. And of course, it’s NOT socialism when the tax payers are forced to bail out wall street crooks, right? Maybe I missed something, but exactly what has President Obama done to further restrict gun ownership?? He has not even re-instated the large clip ban. It seems that every gun owner is republican, have these gun owners really truly taken the time to look into the history of the republican party?? The republican party is the nemesis of the working American citizen.
    Don’t get me wrong, I not loving the Democrats either. Neither party works for the benefit of the American public. They work for the people who purchased the position for them. Healthcare, wages, taxes, and unchecked corporate greed are destroying gun ownership right faster than any gun ban ever could. WAKE UP PEOPLE. Because of corporate owned media the citizens in this country are playing the corporations game and accepting the game as their own. A fine example of this is that people in general accept that eyecare and dental care is SEPARATE from general healthcare!! How did that come about?? My guess is that when health insurance first began, people didn’t have eyes and teeth. Ask yourself, why is there never any real change for the better?? Democrat or Rebublican in office, no change, why?? It’s time for a party that represents the working citizen in America. I have a bone to pick with the NRA too. They always represent that they are the armed citizen ready to resist tyranny. The tyranny is already here, where is the NRA?? They are tunnlevisioned into gun rights only, that’s a serious flaw and a mistake. How many people are worried about buying guns when they are having a hard time keeping a functional roof over their heads?? Look out folks, gun control has come through the back door.
    I believe if you want to protest or campaign against the constitutional rights of your fellow Americans, they aught to hand you a ticket for a boat ride to another continent, where you’ll be much, much happier!
    ARREST AND JAIL THE THE WALL STREET CROOKS WHO STOLE TRILLION OF DOLLARS FROM AMERICAN CITIZENS.
    I

  • Dennis Siegler November 10, 2014, 10:25 am

    The only way out, that I see, is to repeal the Patriot act, and get rid of Dept of Homeland security. Issuing military grade weapons to local police departments is not the answer!
    The cops now look at the citizens that they are supposed protect & serve as the enemy.
    And getting the U.N. involved is no better! If I see a UN armored vehicles coming down my street, I’m shooting first, and deeming it as an act of war on their part!

  • Todd Jaffe November 3, 2014, 7:25 am

    Mayor Bloomberg is a sad soul. His goal to disarm America makes me believe he would have assisted the Nazis to disarm the Jews so they could then act without fear. He is no different than the people who turned in their neighbors or even friends for a loaf of bread or to protect themselves. He is on a political vendetta against gun owners, possibly because they tend to also be freedom loving and Bloomberg has become essentially a communist or worse, a monarchist. It is my genuine prayer that he will open his eyes and realize that the country that eliminates gun ownership eliminates freedom and ultimately ushers in another Nazi era. Is that what he truly wants? To be responsible for the death of millions. Before he resigned Eric Holder at one time admitted in veiled terms that he resented white Jewish rich people. Obama has shown evidence of being anti-Christian, anti-Jewish, pro-Muslim. The next time a Muslim Jihadist decides to shoot up a mall, does Bloomberg want the women and children undefended? And will he have his bodyguards give up their guns?

  • steve August 25, 2014, 12:37 pm

    I agree, real Americans do obey the law, but only the real law, the US Constitution. Marbury vs. Madison states that no “law” is law if it violates the US Constitution and can be ignored, common sense confirms this for me, not some people in black robes, but I do agree with them. As someone who believes in rule of law, not rule by arbitrary and capricious policy, I flat ignore codes, statutes, policies, etc that blatantly violate the basic human rights enumerated in the US Constitution.

    What made America great was that it was founded on one principle that other countries throughout history rejected; that all people are equal under the law. That is not so any longer. Law enforcers blatantly selectively “enforce” the “laws” now, this is irrefutable. Sadly it is unlikely to change anytime soon as the enforcers rarely get more than a paid vacation, aka suspension WITH pay, as a reward for their misconduct when it is actually noticed.

    At least we have firearms to keep it from getting as bad as it would if we didn’t.

  • riza iskandar July 24, 2012, 8:34 am

    any information about order pistol Glock 17?

  • danny January 16, 2012, 5:54 pm

    Anyone who has read the Second Ammendment knows that it was meant to allow American citizens to defend their homes AND themselves against acts of tyranny,criminals and foreign threats and as insurance policy to ensure that the Constitution is upheld..The Supreme Court in the late 1890’s issued one of the most detailed rulings on the Second Ammendment stating that “the citizens of the United States have the right to keep and bear arms EQUAL to those that might be used against them “In Defense of LIBERTY, not just for “self defense”..
    In the past 100+ years nearly every City and State has passed their own bills giving their respcetive Mayors/Governors the power to confiscate firearms in the event of a “state of emergency” like they did in Louisiana during Katrina..Whose firearms did they confiscate? LEGAL gun owners firearms..I’d lie to see them try to confiscate the nearly 80,000,000 LEGALLY OWNED firearms out there today..

  • Masteraceman January 10, 2012, 1:53 am

    Amen J Bruce Anderson, in America we are not free as we thought we were in the past. The two parties have joined in an unholy alliance to strip lawful citizens of the means both to defend themselves and resist oppression from WITHIN. Hold fast to your guns and your rights, both may soon be needed. I remain a truly patriotic American.

  • Dstiebs January 9, 2012, 11:31 pm

    I cringe when I see GOA tell us to look them up on Facebook. I quit Facebook after reading about how they allow the Government BATFE to look-up personal info on their users. After they read up on users comments they can get a good idea on a persons life-style. Why invite these intruders into our life. Sorry GOA but I will not see ya on Facebook.

  • Uncle Blue December 27, 2011, 2:18 pm

    I looked at Craigslist to see what all the excitement was about. Indeed I found guns… Paint ball guns, nail guns, guns for pressure washers and 17 antique firearms being sold for historical value, and possible 1 or 2 modern firearms for sale. After calling I could not tell you what condition they were in or even if the person selling was actually selling or it was just a scam… Shame on craigslist for allowing this epedimic to thrive.

  • s.p. December 19, 2011, 6:20 pm

    Hi guys I l was born and have lived in new york city all my life. I am 39 years old. I must leave this city and his high holy emperor lord bloomberg is hasting my departure. In new york everything is illegal you have no rights.The only thing bloomberg wants to be legal is gay marriage!so now that he has striped all rights away from newyorkers he wants to bully out of state gun owners with his multi billion dollar bank roll .Sorry bloomberg you liberal swine!Most real americans are sickened by your lame attempt to have a heavily edited news conference with liberal media asking softball questions! Bloomberg your city is a godforsaken hellhole with savages everywhere.If you want failing schools , filthy streets and diseased perverts on every corner move to bloombergs newyork! !Fix nyc bloomberg and stop trying to destroy the rest of the country!!!

  • L. Hendricks December 18, 2011, 9:11 pm

    Bloomberg?? No Blooming IDIOT. Law abiding gun owners are not the problem they are the solution..Criminals will always get guns from the black market.. This is where the real problem lies.

  • Terry December 17, 2011, 10:25 pm

    I would also like to respectfully request that Guns America inform their users of the NDAA, promptly, and with a call to action. Whether that be an online petition, or reaching out to the gun rights community encouraging their involvement with a mass action organized by another group (Occupy, Tea Party, etc) or organize your own action for your members, and anyone who feels strongly about protecting the 2nd Amendment. Thank you.

  • Terry December 17, 2011, 10:18 pm

    EVERYONE PLEASE READ: I understand we are all concerned with our 2nd Amendment right to bear arms, however this is not where the govt is currently focusing. Their plan is to first dismantle the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Amendments, outlawing free speech, right to trial, right to a redress of our grievances, etc with the National Defense Authorization Act Meaning if Obama signs it into law, we will literally be under martial rule. It will be illegal for us as American citizens to protest our government, giving elected officials no reason at all to represent us (as if they were right now). It is predicted of course that the 2nd Amendment is next on the chopping block, and there really won’t be a thing we can do about it with out risking possible indefinite detention without charge or trial for being ‘belligerent’. Occupy protesters have already been targeted as ‘low level terrorists’ even though they have taken no violent action. The police are confronting them with military equipment and training, and using excessive force against unarmed and non-threatening citizens. Now, you may not agree with Occupy and the 99% movement, but the NDAA is designed to squash any and ALL political dissent, so if you are going to stand up for something, you had better start now. By the time they get around to the 2nd Amendments you will have no rights to fight with, and yes THEY WILL MAKE FIRE ARMS ILLEGAL. Google HDAA for more info. PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG, THIS IS A CURRENT AND URGENT ISSUE.

  • Shaggbo December 17, 2011, 9:02 pm

    LMcIntyre has a point and it has already happened, several times. US Troops have been deployed against the citizens on several occasions.First and foremost, our own Civil War ( 650,000 deaths) ….. 1890 and 1973 Wounded Knee/ Lakota Sioux / 1943 and 1967 Detroit MI against the Blacks / 1932 Washington DC against WWI Vets ( Thank You FDR ) / Kent State University / There are other instances as well…. my fear is that our foreign brethren will at some point in history ( when the US is no longer totally feared but still hated), will act as we have in the past, and attack us for our handling of our own domestic issues( Thats what we did in Libya and Iraq etc. etc. etc. )…. The Japs would not come to our shores because they knew we were armed and very dangerous. We need to keep it that way.

  • Nuffsaid December 17, 2011, 8:49 pm

    Paul, very well put. It seems that the gungrabbers can’t write or say or do anything unless they come up with some off the wall story. It’s like ex-mayor Dailey in Chicago. He wants all the guns off the streets but when he retired went to the Chicago city counsel and asked for police protection. Which the fools gave in and gave to him. Keep up the great work “TIS OUR RIGHT TO BARE ARMS!!!!”

  • bluebourbon December 17, 2011, 1:31 pm

    Well done Paul. I’m so tired of hearing bilge from Bloomberg. The emotional hoplophobes refuse to accept numerous peer-reviewed statistical findings & logic. Not everyone needs to like guns, but they benefit every day from a lower violent crime rate in the U.S. as a correlated effect of an increase in gun ownership. I agree that allowing the sale of guns to known violent criminals is flat stupid, but calling the guns themselves illegal is almost as stupid. A getaway car in a bank robbery is not an illegal car, it’s just used for criminal purposes. The criminal is illegal. Thanks for the article.

  • James Brenner December 17, 2011, 1:17 pm

    Bloomberg obviously jockeying for position in the New World Order – maybe Gestapo Chief?

  • JJPusser December 17, 2011, 10:22 am

    Everybody agrees there should be Gun Regulation, bullet/gunpowder regulations, and some type of “competancy” test/evaluation for a person to own a gun, and gun components such as bullits and receivers, clips ect.

    So the arguments are over gun regulation details, application, and enforcement.
    I have noticed a common thread from anti regulation comments coparing the danger of “vehicles”.

    It has taken what, 100 years to “regulate” the affects of alchohol and drugs related to “misuse” of motor vehicles.

    Drink and drive laws are the only current model of legislation that attemps to determine and set the thresholds where a US citizen crosses the line of illegal behaviors. The laws attempt a difficult task to create a barrier of safety for the population at large. a very difficult task.

    A we know the Risk versus Regulation quotient has become stricter and stricter, using for the most part blood alchohol content as the supreme test of guilt.

    Even though we know that blood alchohol content is not accurate as to levels of sobriety and mental competance (driving skills) between different individuals.

    We know there are bad, negligent, careless, and thoughtless drivers who haven’t had a lick of alchohol or drugs. Let me add the catch all, Stupid, to describe the underlying cause of “vehicle harm” on our roadways.

    So if any of the commentors can make a better “regulation model” for guns speak up. Oh I didn’t think so.

    There is only one conclusion about the “anti – anti” commnetors so far, let’s live with gun violence as part of the right to own guns, and if you are a gun violence victim, Hey, that’s a risk with being born in acountry with a 2nd amendment.

  • Loren December 17, 2011, 8:29 am

    I did not read the article. I just what to say that guns are made for one thing, to kill. Thank god that is the case to be made for gun ownership. because that is exactly what you want to do when confronted with a deadly threat, kill something. Anyone who thinks we can all live safer without guns is a fool.

    • Paul December 18, 2011, 9:36 am

      Hi Loren,

      While I agree your general point of self defense, I take issue with “guns are made for one thing, to kill” and “exactly what you want to do when confronted with a deadly threat, kill something”

      There are many firearms that are intended and really only good for one thing … target practice. While I could use a kitchen knife, a baseball bat and many more items to kill, they are not made for that purpose. Because something can be used as a weapon does not mean it was made for that purpose nor that it makes an especially good tool for the purpose.

      Also, I would rather not just kill when confronted with a deadly threat. What I want to do is stop the threat! If killing in self defense is the only assurance of stopping that threat, I agree. The problem is the consequences after, even if adjudicated a ‘self defense’ action, the consequences are significant. (Do some reading on self defense shootings if you have not done so already)

      Most of the guns I have used for hunting, self defense and for competition are not especially useful for more than one application … Again, even a tree limb can be used to kill … Doesn’t mean it was made for the purpose.

      I cannot agree more with the statement that “Anyone who thinks we can all live safer without guns is a fool.” History is replete proof. (re: replete – Anyone want to borrow a dictionary?)

  • kevin December 17, 2011, 8:03 am

    Very factual blog. Thank you for taking the time and effort to write this. I deleted my bloomberg aps off my drod and iphone after reading this blog.

    I am lucky enough to live in Florida where we have a pro gun governor Rick Scott who just brought Colt to our state. He would be a great pro second amendment governor for you to write a blog about.

  • anthony December 17, 2011, 3:05 am

    Excellent arguement, I couldn’t have said it better myself! And you are 100% correct that taking guns away from the victims does nothing to affect gun control. Those who are committing crimes obviously don’t care about the law, so why would they care if new gun laws are put into place? The only ones who lose are the citizens who will obey the law, and they are not the ones we need to worry about!

  • Bill December 17, 2011, 2:25 am

    Bloomberg is just ignorant……he is also rich and powerful. He, however, does not have the right nor the power to intrude on my or anyone elses rights as Americans. I suggest they ban politicians after all they are much more dangerous than a loaded gun. Guns support our rights and freedoms. Guns keep us safe in our homes and guns give pause to those who would contemplate doing us harm. But no matter this wonderful country is home to millions of voting gun owners……..and they are ready to speak to political types through the ballot box.

  • will December 17, 2011, 12:07 am

    Bloomberg’s office conducted a sting … again? Why aren’t the NYC taxpayers knocking his door down for waste, fraud, and abuse of their tax dollars? That ‘man’ is the not the Mayor of the U.S. and using tax dollars to conduct these stings outside of his purview is wrong and probably illegal (didn’t the Governor of Virginia tell him to keep out?). Wait, I forgot for a second that he is a billionaire and buddies with the liberal Commander-in-Liar.

  • Tony December 16, 2011, 10:09 pm

    “Guns really are not part of the NYC ‘culture’”

    Neither is common sense, courtesy, public decency,……..the list goes on. Instead, NYC revels in liberalism and corruption at all levels.

    But that’s okay. As long as NYC keeps attracting liberals, they’ll stay out of Texas.

  • William Roy evans December 16, 2011, 10:00 pm

    Now I know why I thank god I live in the south, hell you can open carry in GA

  • Richard Morse December 16, 2011, 9:49 pm

    I live in Rowley, Massachusetts. I have a license to carry and “do” carry a couple of times a week just because I can. I have the ability to “choose” when and “if” I want to carry. That is my right. I don’t abuse it. Rowley has a large portion of it’s population in law enforcement or hunters and target shooters. Most of us have close by if we need them. Check our police records to see if we have all that gun crime stuff. I think not. Guns and good people make “safe” communities. Not control.

  • Publius2012 December 16, 2011, 8:47 pm

    Herr Bloomberg is a jack booted thug of the greatest magnitude. A socialist megalomaniac bent on taking the US Constitution and tossing it into the crapper to suit his whim. If you think Obama and Holder are evil incarnate regarding second amendment rights, Herr Bloomberg is the gluteus Maximus where they reside. He is willing to throw the constitution out and incorporate martial law and would if it were not for the fact that over 200 million people in the USA would make him into mincemeat if he tried. It is only the second amendment and the numbers of freedom loving gun owners that keep the likes of him, Obama, Holder, Reid, Pelosi, Feinstein, Boxer, Rangel and all the remaining hoplophobes at bay. If people like these are allowed to stay in power there just may have to be a second Revolution and they know that, why else would they be so committed to subvert the constitution.

  • Marcus Goeldner December 16, 2011, 5:39 pm

    Bloomberg is a complete ass and needs to be stopped. You’re only the mayor of the city of New York, Bloomberg, which, by the way is NOT actually the center of the universe and further more is NOTHING like the rest of this great country. I seem to recall that the state of Virginia slammed him good for his gun show shenanigans, yet he refuses to desist from his outrageous ploys. Here in San Diego we also have historically had some complete asses in local politics – in particular the anti-2nd amendment rights, power-abusing, Chicago style Sheriff Bill Kollender who ruled the roost out here for decades. After that jerk finally retired, we’re stuck with his hand-picked and appointed anti-gun, anti-freedom Sheriff Gore. The people of San Diego need to wake up and vote these idiots out of office! And Bloomberg, you need to mind your own damn business. If you want to continue to deny New Yorkers their constitutional rights, go right ahead and hopefully New Yorkers will get smart enough to vote you and your kind out of office. But keep your dirty hands off the rest of the country!

  • Kevin December 16, 2011, 4:13 pm

    NYC police carry sidearms. It’s rare that any carry anything else–an occasional sighting on subways or the financial district. I worked in NYC on 9/11/01–in the “zone”. For a period after the attack there were Guard members with such weapons and some police. No longer. People in my office (Long Island) and I go to NYC weekly and they all thought that the claim was ridiculous. I don’t want to disparage the article, but the claim detracts from the point, especially for people in NYC who may be inclined to disagree with you in the first instance. (Guns really are not part of the NYC ‘culture’).

    thanks for a great site.

    • Administrator December 16, 2011, 5:19 pm

      I guess you aren’t there for events. Bloomberg has declared that the NYPD is his army and fills the streets with his army whenever he wants.

  • Kevin December 16, 2011, 3:51 pm

    Good article. And I agree with most of it. But the comment that NYC ” . . . is the most controlled city in the world, with police carrying AR-15s on most corners” is a complete and utter misrepresentation.

    • Administrator December 16, 2011, 3:57 pm

      Every time I have been to manhattan it has been pretty close to that.

      • Eric December 16, 2011, 4:29 pm

        I think the only times I saw ARs or heavy guns on the street in the 10 years I lived there were:
        1. 9/11 and the week following when lower Manhattan was cordoned off. I think they were National Guard though. Our country was attacked and there were concerns about other attacks planned, so made sense to me.
        2. Visiting dignitaries en route to the U.N. or visits by Presidents (Clinton and W. both while I lived there had a secured route with barricades and an armed escort, plus rifle cover from building tops and security posted on corners) – that kind of thing does happen fairly often – I saw it 2 or 3 times, but that’s because it’s the President and the UN, and there are only so many routes through Manhattan to get there.
        3. SWAT team raid in progress in Brooklyn when I was on the way to the airport early one morning. Rude awakening for somebody!

  • SAMMY BELL December 16, 2011, 3:22 pm

    the so called mayor bloomberg along with barack obama he is the worst president that this country will ever see & hillary clinton are all blind idiots / when you disarm the citizens of the united states all hell is comming to breakfast / i own myself 127 rifles and 81 pistols out of the 127 rifles one is a barrett 50 caliber and a savage 338 lapua i have over 1 mile of protection before the bad guy gets to me to harm me or my family / like the old saying they will get my guns when they pry my cold dead fingers off of them / i think all of these gun grabbing turds are going to find out when they try and take our guns from us espically in the southern states they had better call ahead and alert all the hospitals in the area to make sure that they have a good supply of donor blood on hand and pleanty of doctors and nurses on standby would not hurt to have all of the ambulances full of gas also for these idiots that are stupid enough to try and go door to door to confinscate our weapons they are going to need a fast vehicle to get them medical care / then all of us law abiding usa rednecks that stand up for the second amendment and our freedom are going to sit back and watch the action take place / going to be one hell of a movie after it is all overwith / mayor bloomberg needs to get him a mistress on the side like most scumbag politicans in washington and new york have to play hide the weenie and keep himeself busy and leave the second amendment rights to the real men of america to uphold and handle – what a frigen joke and an idiot he is i bet he is so stupid that he does not even begin to know how to even shoot a gun / maby he needs to go hungry for a while when things get real bad in the usa and that looks like it is just around the corner if the little skunk remains president / there is an old saying never hide all your eggs in one basket the little skunk might find them

  • William crawford December 16, 2011, 3:21 pm

    Love the comments on this subject. All I can say is, I sure am glad I dont live in NY. Remember the movie Escape From New York. I think all the law abiding citizens should move from there and let BLOOMBERG have the state and the real criminals.

  • Eric December 16, 2011, 3:00 pm

    Having read your article and the report, I have to say, Bloomie is totally off his rocker. I understand how someone could logically come to the conclusion, but the facts don’t support it – as you say, they have tons of cops on the streets and super-strict gun laws, but most of the actual gun crime there occurs as a result of individuals who posessed the weapon illegally.

    One point to argue with you though – as someone who lived in NYC for over 10 years – there definitely isn’t “rampant” gun violence there. In fact, I never heard of a single incident when I lived there. The better question is, given that, why is it the mayor of NYC’s business what people in other cities and states do? None of the cases cited in his report have anything to do with New York. It’s hard to find stats on a city-by-city basis, but according to what I see New York State ranks around 25th of the 50 states in terms of violent crimes involving firearms, and of all the violent crimes reported, they have a relatively low % of them that involve firearms as compared to knives or whatever – but still a significant percentage and not too far off of average. As mentioned, you’ll notice that NONE of the actual cases in their report in which a gun was sold to an illegal buyer or was used in a crime occurred in New York. Any violent crime is too much, and the facts point to the fact that they still have their share (with and without guns) but on a comparitive basis, it’s hardly “rampant”.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_violence_in_the_United_States_by_state – you can do more research I’m sure, but just like people who are from TX, like me, don’t like to have our home state painted as the wild west, it isn’t fair to characterize NYC as a place where gun crime is rampant despite the gun laws. Gun violence exists despite the gun laws, just like everywhere, and that’s because criminals, by definition, don’t follow laws.

    It is sufficient to say however, that the gun laws seem to have only a negligible effect, if any on the choice of murder weapon, and that there’s little evidence to support the idea that gun regulations will cut down on murder overall. If someone attacks you with a knife, as a U.S. citizen you should be able to defend yourself with a gun. Murder is murder, and self-defense is self-defense. His report doesn’t support his case, the other statistics available don’t support his case, and given that NONE of the findings in the report have ANYTHING to do with citizen’s of NYC, the only explanation of his involvement is grandstanding to attract “liberal” voters (in NYC, liberal pretty much means fascist, from my experience, because it’s not about a willingness to change the world for the better, it’s about curtailing freedom – in this case of people who don’t even live in his jurisdiction, to avoid offending the elite’s naive sensibilities about what “better” is).

    By the way, take it as a compliment that you weren’t mentioned even if it’s only indirectly and obviously from a dubious source – the report says that they intentionally targeted online sites that had the least security or safeguards in place. That rules you out! The fact that they did mention gunbroker is odd though, because none of the actual “investigation” or “examples” they provided involve gunbroker any more than they involve Bloomberg.

  • Eric December 16, 2011, 2:28 pm

    By the way, here’s the formal report in case you still haven’t actually seen it. http://www.nyc.gov/html/cjc/downloads/pdf/nyc_pointclickfire.pdf

  • Nobody December 16, 2011, 2:03 pm

    I don’t take Bloomberg’s actions as personal or as an attack on our Constitution. I see it as a baldfaced advertisement, an excuse to get his name and face within the media and into our minds. He’s just been corrupted.

    So, what are we doing to overturn the century old Sullivan Act and lawfully compel NYC into shall-issue? I would like to visit, some day.

    • Eric December 16, 2011, 4:48 pm

      DingDingDing!!! The NRA should sue the City of New York based on District of Columbia v. Heller. The “may issue” vs. “shall issue” debate is over – NYC’s laws aren’t “reasonable regulation” and “may issue” is worse than a ban – it’s saying that they can decide whether or not to issue without even indicating what criteria they’re using to make that determination. I’m not a felon, I’m not insane, I’ve not been convicted of any gun related crime, I floss nightly – ask me whatever questions you have – then give me my damned CHL. I’m guessing the only reason nobody has really challenged the “may issue” vs. “shall issue” …um, issue, is you shouldn’t have to apply for a license in the first place. But “shall issue” would be a step in the right direction. The Sullivan Act (1910?) was put in place by corrupt politicians only to legalize discrimination against Italian immigrants by Irish Tammany Hall cops and to win a gang war of their own, because they “may” issue a license to an Irishman, but then again, they may decide not to issue one to an Italian, and didn’t have to explain the decision to anyone just a Yep! or a Nope! and that was that. Is that a law worth upholding? It’s still on the books, and they still only give licenses to people they decide are worthy of posession. Donald Trump and Howard Stern are more qualified to have a gun than I am? Give me a break (no offense Howard).

  • Fred December 16, 2011, 1:06 pm

    WHO KNOWS MORE ABOUT MANIPULATING RULES OF LAW THEN BLOOMBERG HIMSELF; AFTER ALL…. HOW MANY TERMS HAS HE BEEN MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY? HE’S A HYPOCRITICAL BASTARD AND SHOULD BE BANISHED FROM PLANET EARTH IF THAT WAS POSSIBLE!

  • Adam December 16, 2011, 12:48 pm

    In all honesty I think all politicians in general are dirty and focus on their own agendas the majority of the time. Bloomberg is just a lowly mayor not much of a person of power outside of New York City. He has an over inflated ego and acts like being mayor translates to being a person of power like a president, senator, or congressman. He is not and he has behaved in a way I doubt he will ever be anything more then a mayor since he acts like a little dictator. His antigun position is holding him back from advancing any farther then mayor. You can buy a gun out of a car trunk on the majority of the street corners in his kingdom. It’s that bad and he has done some good for the city but there have been many others that did way more then he has both good and bad. But the bottom line is his closed minded attitude and focus on gun controll. When he should be more focused on what is going on in his city not other places and jurisdictions. What has he done other the cry about gun controll?
    In all the places I have been his city is the only place with that many class 3 weapons issued to officers that are not swat team members. I am in south Florida and even in places here with a lot of felonies and gun crimes officers do carry AR15s in the trunk and out of site. The only officers with full auto are swat team members and officers that go through the paperwork and buy there own autos. But they ate issued the same guns that any legal gun owner can have.
    If Bloomberg was effective then why the need for officers patrolling with M4s on normal duty. I could see it around the UN and other high risk targets but crime has stayed the same and he is a slick questionable mayor who needs to do his job and not traveling the country graying up legal guns. Just because he is anti gun and has tight laws the trample the second amendment his position and lies have no place outside his kingdom. It’s not like his city is known as a safe city its improved but not by much and it was the mayors before him that cleaned up the city. Not him. With Bloomberg its always 9/11 or ban guns for every agenda. What’s next a ban on bb guns because they can break the skin? Or softair because they look real and some are full auto. If he actually tries that then he needs a padded room. He needs to get rid of the criminals not the guns. Just the thought of a possible gun does change the minds of some criminals. It’s the ones that use the guns only for crime and if they get caught with a gun then they should get 25 years on federal charges in my opinion. Punishing the population in entirety is wrong when most do nothing wrong creates enemies that don’t vote for him. Throwing the book at criminals that have and use a gun for criminal activity deserve to do hard time for their crime. If he did that he might get more support and not looked at like a nut or incompetent fool that has trampled the rights of millions.
    I wonder what would happen if somebody was a victim of gun crime sued him because they are not able to have a gun to protect themselves or their family and held him responsible. I know I would because as a law abiding citizen his bs violates my right to have guns and defend myself and family.
    Just my two cents.
    Adam

    • Eric December 16, 2011, 4:14 pm

      Mandatory registration of firearms went into effect in 1967 – and they only issued them to applicants who could justify their need for them. BB guns and airsoft guns are already illegal without a permit in NYC and have been since before Bloomberg

      New York City makes possession of any pistol or rifle or similar instrument in which the propelling force is a spring or air unlawful without a license. See New York City Administrative Code § 10-131(b) and New York City Administrative Code § 10-131(g)(1)(a).

  • rgppgr December 16, 2011, 12:42 pm

    Have you noticed the pictures of this dictator are shot from below. Maybe he knows if they were taken at a normal height he would be exposed as the Napoleon he is. Short people have…..

  • paulc December 16, 2011, 12:24 pm

    Mayor Bloomberg most probably has armed bodyguards wherever he goes.

    What hypocrisy!

  • papertiger December 16, 2011, 11:11 am

    you want to talk about gun control. they say large cities are a riot of problems due to gun control and all the gun wielders in the city doing all the crimes. all of us gun owners know better but the proof is in the politics. there was an article written on here a few months ago about Washington DC. it said they let the law drop for gun control in the dc providence. In the process the politicians cited how this would turn into an all out war and rampage in the streets, because anyone could have a gun in the city. Well the final result was that violent and gun based crimes in the washington DC area went down dramatically. proving if we are all on the same level then nobody has the ability to control another. We have enough issues in this country and citing false reports to show information that is inaccurate and provable against a person or persons is illegal. it is called slander. so stating that all of us who use this website to purchase guns are illegal anarchists who are trying to find way around the government by using the internet is slander towards us. so if the big guys here really want to make a stand for the little guy sue the bloomberg report for slander. i bet if you got the names of every gun owner in the usa cited them the report and asked for a signature 80% would follow you. that is a fight against the lies and slander without a blood bath. it is also following the forefathers way of thinking.

  • Lopaka Kanaka December 16, 2011, 11:01 am

    Thanks for all your great comments on what the Mayor, Senators, and other Washington BS are doing to take away our born rights as gun owners. I am glad we do not have laws like England, that take away every citizen that is a law biding gun owner in that country. We must all fight the duds in this country with our vote to stop them from taking away our guns. We must start from the top and get rid of all the men and women who are against our rights as law biding citizen who love are guns. Keep up the great information and get the word out to others who do not get this blog with the latest in Washington. NRA forever Life Time!

  • Bugsey December 16, 2011, 10:09 am

    The whole administration is a SCAM too, from Illinois to D.C.

  • charlie December 16, 2011, 9:13 am

    What a great RINO- he is so intelectually bankrupt, dishonest and lacking in integrity, but now to the good part- think back when the Muslims wanted to rebuild a Mosque (sp?) near ground zero- all the dishonorable mayor could do was spout the 1st amendment granted religious freedom- IT JUST AMAZES ME HOW those dumb nuts in New York, give us people like this, Schummer and Clinton, I for one say stop supporting (doing business in) Democratic run states, business associates and friends- THEY will not stop until we are all enslaved to their idiotic ways- or there is another “blood bath” to settle it. Because when we support them with our funds for business they ultimately turn around and use that money against us.

  • Lee Dial December 16, 2011, 8:35 am

    Thank you for such a great, heart felt, realistic rebuttal to Mayor Bloomberg’s idealist, socialist scam / sting. As a new Firearms Dealer, planning on the majority of sales through the Internet, I am grateful for the “Big Guys” helping defend the “Little guy”. I am also grateful as an american citizen, as too few of us are educated enough to understand that crime is committed by criminals, not guns or any other weapon. Vehicles in the hands of an untrained operator, improperly maintained, or operated by someone with criminal intent are at least as dangerous as any firearm being sold legally today. As you stated, it does not require a special license, in addition to a business license, to be able to sell a car, or Truck that when loaded to capacity could be 80,000 pounds legally or well over if permitted or illegal. Those of us that are licensed to drive such vehicle, know that if care is not taken properly, Trucks and all vehicles can become a lethal weapon. Wait, now Bloomberg will go after heavy trucks.

    • TommyToe December 17, 2011, 8:53 pm

      Just like our guns,they already have gone after the heavy trucks, my friend. Most of the regulations concerning that industry are ridiculous. And that doesn’t even count whats coming in the future regarding stipulations for driver’s health (against drivers, really). If a driver is overweight or has sleep apnea (which is 90% of them) they might as well be looking for a career change, if the commies in Washington have their way.
      And just like with firearms, it’s all in the name of “public safety.”
      Just my 2 cents. God Bless you, and America.

  • david r December 16, 2011, 8:31 am

    I don’t understand all the uproar over Mayor Bloomberg’s actions. The voters of New York City must support his take away the guns from the law biding city dwellers agenda. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t keep re-electing him. Hey, it must be working. New York City is a gun crime free zone, isn’t it? I have a great sugestion for the socialist mayor. Why not confiscate all the legally owned weapons, and hand them out to the criminals as they leave the prisons. That will never happen, why? Because socialists use the anti-crime propaganda. In order to conceal their true agenda. Gun control has nothing to do with controling crime, and everything to do with controling the population. Hmmm, ya know, I’m sure he’s considered my above suggestion. Why? Because in order to increase crime to a point where marshal law could be imposed. You know, toss out that pesky Constitution. The one that’s now little more than a nice old piece of parchment. I can see Bloomberg secretly arming felons. But, he’d better make sure he doesn’t get caught, like our lovable President and his Attorney General did. Make no mistake, our right to gun ownership is coming to an end. And believe it or not, both main stream political parties would love to see it. Why? Because in order to join and successfully compete in the new Global Economy. An economy consisting of third world, poverty and borderline poverty nations. This government, controlled by the national and international corporate sector. Has to signifigantly reduce the wages of the working, soon to be eliminated, middle class. Sooner or later, probably much later. That segment of the American people. Men and women who have the spirit of the founding fathers. Will be forced to either continue to starve, or react. Washington realizes this. That’s why, sometime in the near future, you’ll see the slow confiscation process begin. I imagine, in order to keep suspicion at a minimum. It will begin by randomly and over a large state by state area. Confiscate one or two gun owners at a time. When added to increased regulation provided through Presidential order and, or, congressional and senatorial legislation. Private gun ownership will slowly come to an end. Why? Because at least half the American people who are of voting age. Do not know, or care about what’s happening in this country. Add that population to the generations of welfare people. A segment that because of both political parties, has grown by leaps and bounds. The Repubs, in order to increase corporate America’s bottom line. For the Democratic, Socialist Party. Complete conrol over our lives, even to the point of deciding the approximate time of our death. (Obamacare) Well folks, time to face a harsh reality. America’s time, along with our liberty, is nearly over. The way of life we’ve enjoyed for so many decades, is also over. Socialism is the only game in town. And since the American voter hasn’t the caring or the brains to dump both parties. The fact remains that this once great nation has no future. Coming soon to your home. Socialism, and the new and improved, comprehensive, open borders, North American Alliance of States. And with it, a new flag, and poverty all around. That is, except for the ten percent, people like Bloomberg, and a number of certain individuals from past Republican and Democratic Socialist administrations. People who are responsible for its creation. 1930’s Germany had the Enabling Act. We have the Patriot Act. Check out the similarities.

  • L. Ellanson December 16, 2011, 8:16 am

    The worst combination in a politician: Ignorance, arrogance and emotion. Bloomberg, Schumer, Gillebrand, all embody these faults. They would serve the cause of public safety far better if they would look at criminal justice as just that- justice for the criminals and not the victims. Why don’t they just allow us the RIGHT to protect ourselves, go hunting, shoot in our family sports, instead of leaving us defenseless and purposeless. Oh wait…. They DO want us defenseless and purposeless! How else can their insipid egos be inflated?

    • J.D. December 16, 2011, 3:16 pm

      “Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.” – P.J. O’Rourke

  • LMcIntyre December 16, 2011, 8:11 am

    I think you’re all may be missing the point. Once law abiding citizens no longer have guns the government can do whatever they want without fear of much retribution. Look at the rest of the world. Protesters have little power to combat water cannons, tear gas, rubber bullets. The writing is on the wall. They are a patient lot. I predict that you will know when we are in real trouble when military troops are deployed within the US borders and told they have to protect the constitution from enemies foreign and DOMESTIC.

    • JFSohm December 16, 2011, 10:56 pm

      Heck, if you ask me, half the domestic enemies are already elected officials and appointed officials in federal service. Anyone who usurps or attempts to circumvent or manipulate the constitution should be held accountable. My favorite poster child at this time is Attorney General Eric Holder and his blatant perjury concerning Operation Fast and Furious. On top of this, his blatant failure to enforce the immigration laws already on the books and go on record that he wants to take Arizona on, regarding their new laws dealing with illegal aliens (I refuse to use the term “undocumented aliens”. If they want to come to America, let them do it the right way, not as a thief in the night.) Holder needs to be forced to resign and/or be held accountable for his actions. What a smug elitist he is.

    • Christina B December 18, 2011, 12:29 pm

      Done and done. I’ve read that the feds have recently (12/11) passed legislation that US Citizens can be detained indefinately without benefit of speedy judicial processing for being under suspicion of terrorism. Baby steps to our own destruction.

      • Ken June 13, 2012, 8:05 pm

        Couldn’t have said it better if I’d said it myself. I guess the “peace”officers get to decide what terror is.Self preservation restricted.That’s terroristic.

  • Graham Price December 16, 2011, 7:34 am

    I find it ironic these type of politicians canot see past there own unethical lives and pasts but can force uneducated choices on the people they are elected to protect and serve, i do not think the oaths went serve my own interests but then that is why america is over professional politicians.
    On a recent trip to England where they banned guns in private house holds and where armed and viciouse attacks are now common on the public the cry “KNIVES TAKE LIVES” was the buzz phrase. Again another high light that proves people will hurt each other no matter what we ban the tool is not at fault maybe ” ROCKS GIVE BAD KNOCKS WILL BE NEXT” by the way the bad boys still have guns.

    • Eric December 16, 2011, 4:18 pm

      Yep – in the UK apparently “glassing” (having a pint glass broken in your face) is a pretty common violent crime these days. People will assault people with whatever they can get their hands on. I have a friend in San Diego where gun laws are also strict, who recently witnessed a gang rock fight on her block. I guess guns are harder for kids to get there, but a well placed rock will do the same job. Maybe we should all walk everywhere to avoid car accidents.

  • bernard klem December 16, 2011, 6:24 am

    i guess mayor dinkins grand plan for stopping crime in n.y. didn’t work to well. no matter what this out of touch mayor does it’s doomed to fail. the criminal will always find a way.

    • Jimmy R December 16, 2011, 9:27 am

      Dinkins ! Now there’s a name from the past we all would rather forget…LOL As bad as BB is, what drives me nuts is how guys like him get re-elected. Look at his stance on smoking, who the he!! does he think he is? And he thinks he can take on guns too? I’ll agree that NY is probably one of the toughest cities for a mayor, so he should choose his battles wisely.

  • J. Bruce Anderson December 16, 2011, 5:25 am

    Beautifully written rebuttal to Bloomberg’s lies and to his brain-dead sycophants in the mass media! You have slaughtered their golden calf of deceit and shown them to be the new “socialist democrats” of the 21st century. The only thing stopping Obama, Bloomberg, Schumer, and the rest of their ‘ilk from seizing even more control over the American people is the fact that so many people own guns, know how to use them, and actually have read the Constitution.

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