----- Original Message -----
From: richard burrell <miltrkr@concentric.net>
To: Military Vehicles List <mil-veh@skylee.com>
Sent: Sunday, August 20, 2000 2:41 PM
Subject: Re: [MV] Reply to Gordon
>
> hi TJ & list
> start collecting stamps, amass a great collection and then the
> government says "no no no...its now illegal to collect stamps outside
> the U.S. issues" or some bull like that where will it end
> Rich Burrell
=======================================================
The talk in the US about demilitarization AFTER the fact makes one pause for
thought. IT HAS HAPPENED IN CANADA ALREADY.
The following example is about guns BUT IS RELEVANT TO MILITARY VEHICLES.
In the 1970s in Canada I used to by deactivated machine guns (DEWAT)
without any paperwork or permits. These were released by our government.
They simply cut the Brens in half, removed the firing pins, and burned a
hole in the barrel. Stens were similar - a slash along the side, mess the
firing pin up, zap the chamber. Browning M2 and M3 HMGs simple had holes
zapped into them. Collectors rewelded them for display (e.g. on restored
military vehicles) and/or as cock and click (some similarity here with M151
MUTT cutting up and then rewelding stories).
*********************** Now, the Canadian government has changed the laws
and these same DEWATs must now (30 years later!) have many more destructive
actions taken - e.g. inserting a hardened steel pin into the chamber and
welding it, destroying auto selector mechanism, body welded shut to keep
bolt in, attaching magazine to gun permanently etc. etc.
********************************************
I used to joke that the Canadian government would one day ban 2 seater
sports cars (now I wonder about surplus jeeps!) because they are "unsafe and
have no practical use". Then they would tell owners that they could keep
them (famous Canadian "grandfather clause") but not sell them except to
people who already had some, or give them to museums, or have them
destroyed. They could NOT leave them to their sons and daughters unless
deactivated. They could keep them for as long as they lived but not take
them out of their garages. If they wished to take them out of their garages
to display, they would have to weld the engine crankshaft tight, weld the
wheels to that they could not move. They could sit in the car and make vroom
noises (with their mouth) and move the stick shift (ooops sorry, that is a
selctor device) and pedals. Oh yes, the muffler is a "silencer" (just ask
any Brit) so it has to be sliced open.
In Canada it used to be legal to collect full-autos guns by simply applying
for the appropriate licence. Then the government changed the laws.
Then it was legal to collect "converted automatics" (CA) that could only
fire semi-auto (e.g. Bren gun with welded selector switch). Then the
govenment changed the laws.
It was legal to collect semi-autos such as the FN and AR-15 and go target
shooting or hunting with them. Then the govenement changed the laws. A
friend of mine reluctantly deactivated the following: AR-15A2 heavy barrel,
Daewoo, AK-47, AR-10.
It was legal to collect replicas. We were told - these are non-guns, they
can never shoot anybody, so collect them instead. Then kids started pointing
these replicas at police and getting shot. Bleeding hearts complained. Then
the govenement changed the laws.
In Canada it was legal to own the well made S&W Detective Specials, Walther
PPK and Colt .32 Then the govenement changed the laws and now these have
been declared Saturday Night Specials (by virtue of their calibre and size).
In Canada a Bren or Sten mag (which every kid used to have) or a 20 round
magazine for an M16 or FN for example. Then the govenement changed the laws
and it is now a PROHIBITED WEAPON ! In Canada, mass murderers who abide by
our gun laws who use full or semi-automatic weapons have to reload after
five shots (exceptions are bolt actions such as Lee Enfield and M1 Garand
which only has 8 round clip. Oh, I think belt fed is excluded too).
One can only hope that they leave our MVs alone.
The moral? Don't collect anything. The government will tax it and later ban
it even years afterwards.
Postage stamps? Well, maybe someone will figure out that the old glue MAY be
carcinogenic and say that one may not collect mint stamps as they have the
POTENTIAL to be licked by some child (who would have to lick a million or so
to get any effect, but that is beside the point). Maybe someone will realize
that criminals are using valuable collector postage stamps to launder or
transfer vast amounts of money out of the USA (or where ever) and ban them.
Or one could use old stamps to forge a document - so old stamps would have
to be defaced to prevent this.
Gee, and you thought that only Texans were paranoid about 'big brother'
government!
The simple solution is to simply tell governments to stop making new laws.
We have more than enough thank you. Just leave us alone, and let us play
with our MVs.
In Vancouver, BC area we decided that we could not host another MVPA
convention. We would love to but the changed laws would make it a nightmare.
Collectors bringing restored vehicles in would have replica guns seized at
the border (I'm waiting for the first privately owned restored million
dollar warbird at a Canadian air show to have its replica guns seized).
Dealers who happened to leave a beat up old 20 round M16 mag in a junk box
of militaria or on a mannequin could be arrested and charged with possession
of a prohibited weapon.
Pity.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sat Sep 02 2000 - 09:32:31 PDT