<<<>>> AG dispatching Federal Agents near you!

[Tellurian]

<<<<WARNING>>>> AG dispatching Federal Agents near you!

<just came over the wire>
please post a follow up link when you see one!



WHY IS ASSCROFT DOING THIS?
BAD JU JU!

This doesn't make sense! Something is UP!

Attorney General John Ashcroft, left, accompanied by
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Director
Carl Truscott meets reporters at the ATF in Washington'
Thursday, June 24, 2004 to announce the Justice Department is
dispatching teams of federal agents to 15 cities struggling with
violent crime problems despite a dropping U.S. crime rate.

[Tellurian]

1. Don't tell me this is for Moore's movie ..F911!

Unbelievable!

[TNOE]

2. Sick and tired of

waiting for Martial Law in America is my guess. Need to up the stakes a little to see what they think they can get away with.

[The Spirit of JFK]

3. Settle down.... (w/follow up link)

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Violent-Crime-Cities.html

The 15 cities are Albuquerque, N.M.; Baltimore; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Tampa, Fla.; Miami; Richmond, Va.; Greensboro, N.C.; Tulsa, Okla.; Pittsburgh; Las Vegas; Columbus, Ohio; Philadelphia; Los Angeles; Tucson, Ariz.; and the Washington, D.C.-Northern Virginia region.

The article indicates that will "focus on prosecuting people for firearms violations, which often accompany gang activity, illegal drug organizations and organized crime groups."

Hmmm...the DC-Northern VA area? Organized crime groups, firearms violations... I can give them an address in DC where they can start.

On a more serious note...here in Boston murder (and other viloent crimes) rates are way up....and it's mostly organized gang activity. Why is it up? Because money and resources have been gutted ffrom local law enforcement in the name of "homeland security".

[indigobusiness]

5. Welcome to DU, Spirit of JFK

but settling down is not an option, at this point.

[The Spirit of JFK]

11. Absolutely True...

But, in my humble opinion, I don't think there is much of anything going on with this except possibly looking at where they are sending the agents (helping out swing voters?) or that they suddenly decide to do this now...and in an election year.

[JayS]

12. It looks like the program's rollout is speeding up. n/t

n/t

[indigobusiness]

15. You are probably right...pardon the expression.

but who can sleep with both eyes closed, given the current dynamic?

[Lori Price CLG]

29. Oh, I'll 'settle down' all right. Here is my response...

Arming the Left: Is the time now? --by Charles Southwell "As long as we pose no REAL threat to the powers-that-be, to what is shaping up into a dictatorship, we will continue to be ignored. Right now, we are ignored because we present no organized power to fight this onslaught of anti-democratic, totalitarian government that we are up against... "

Lori Price

[Slickriddles]

35. Political Power grows out of the barrel of a Gun - Mao Tse Tung

Thanks for the sentiment and the links. If DU weren't so white, people might grasp what these buzz words like gang-violence and drug related violence mean. The left already is ARMED. Black American Youth know all about the 2nd Ammendment. But here we don't recognize that BAY are part of our alliance. Anybody remember the BLACK PANTHERS??
Oh, the Feds are going into the ghetto to arrest and disarm African Americans, no biggie I'll just go down to Doyle's in JP and have myself a beer. :mad:

[WilliamPitt]

6. You're in Boston? Cheers!

:toast:

[The Spirit of JFK]

13. back at ya'

In JP, to be more precise.

I was going to introduce myself at the last DU get together in Cambridge but I had to go out of town at the last minute. Next time...

Now back to the Sox game...sigh.

[WilliamPitt]

19. Where in JP?

I was living down by Doyle's and Boston English for a while.

[The Spirit of JFK]

23. Mmmm...Doyle's.

I'm on the other side of South St...just a block from the Arboretum, but still only a 7 minute walk (straight shot) to Doyle's.

[merh]

8. It never fails, every time a Repug is prez . . .

the grants and federal funds to law enforcment are cut off drastically. When Dems are in office, they put money into local law enforcment. But try to get law enforcement people to recognize this trend is difficult.

[redqueen]

20. Oh I think they do recognize it

Kerry Endorsed by International Brotherhood of Police Officers
Only Major National Police Organization to Endorse Last Three Presidential Winners Backs Kerry in 2004
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2004_0514.html

[merh]

24. I am glad to see that! thanks for sharing!

[JayS]

27. This program provides an additional $901 million over three years.

[mongo]

10. They are most likely there to shut down business they don't like

The "tobacco accessory" (HEAD) shops and the porn stores. The Feds have already been going after the distributors and some stores in NC.

First they came for Tommy Chong, but I did nothing because I didn't own a factory that made bongs.

Then they came for Rob Black, but I did nothing because I didn't make adult entertainment.

Then they came for the records of abortion doctors, but I did nothing because I don't perform abortions.

Who's next?

[indigobusiness]

16. Welcome to DU, mongo

good point

[Slickriddles]

36. How Many African Americans in Those 15 Cities?? n/t

[evil_orange_cat]

4. link?

I'd like to read the whole story. ;)

[JayS]

7. Here is my post...that got no interest. *sniff*

This is gun control at its finest, in my opinion. It has worked well here so far.
*******************

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1844610


Gun program is working, officials say
BY TIM ELFRINK
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_np=0&u_pg=1636&u_sid=1129203



Statistics released Monday show that a federally funded program to reduce gun violence in Omaha is working, officials said, though similar figures also show an increase in gang violence last year.

Felony gun assaults have dropped by 38 percent since March 2003, while federal prosecution for gun crime increased by 70 percent, officials said at a press conference Monday.

The program, Project Safe Neighborhoods, in February 2003 began distributing federal funding to create community initiatives, fund police operations and raise awareness of the consequences of gun crime.

*SNIP*

"Looking at our numbers this year, the stats are saying to us that we're starting to make inroads into combating gang violence," Jeanette said. Project Safe Neighborhoods is effective because it encourages state and federal courts to cooperate to find long sentences for gun-related crimes, Heavican said.

*SNIP*

In many cases, state courts do not have minimum sentences they must apply to cases involving illegal gun use, but federal courts do. By allowing a federal court to prosecute such a crime, a longer sentence can more consistently be applied.

*SNIP*

***********************************************


From: http://www.psn.gov/About.asp?section=34
FAQs
Q: What is Project Safe Neighborhoods?

A: Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nation-wide commitment to reduce gun violence by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing those programs with additional tools necessary to be successful. The goal is to take a hard line against gun criminals through every available means in an effort to make our streets and communities safer. Project Safe Neighborhoods seeks to achieve heightened coordination among federal, state, and local law enforcement, with an emphasis on tactical intelligence gathering, more aggressive prosecutions, and enhanced accountability through performance measures. The offensive will be led by the newly appointed United States Attorney in each of the 94 federal judicial districts across America.

Q: How will Project Safe Neighborhoods be funded?

A: Project Safe Neighborhoods commits substantial resources -- $901 million over three years -- and state-of-the-art technology to address gun violence. This funding is being used to hire new federal and state prosecutors, support investigators, provide training, distribute gun lock safety kits, deter juvenile gun crime, and develop and promote community outreach efforts as well as to support other gun violence reduction strategies.

Q: How will each United States Attorney be involved in Project Safe Neighborhoods?

A: Each local program has been contoured to fit the unique gun crime problem in that district -- it is not a “one size fits all” program applied uniformly all across America. Each United States Attorney has convened all law enforcement participants in his or her community, has identified the most pressing crime problems, and is attacking those problems through aggressive prosecution and the use of newly developed gun intelligence-gathering systems.

Q: What is the difference between Project Safe Neighborhoods and programs like Project Exile?

A: Project Safe Neighborhoods expands on existing programs such as Project Exile (Richmond, VA) and Operation Ceasefire (Boston). Project Exile in Richmond focused gun prosecutions in federal court under federal law. Under Project Safe Neighborhoods, criminals who use guns will be prosecuted under federal, state, or local laws -- depending on where those laws are the toughest. Project Exile in Virginia coordinated resources statewide, while Project Safe Neighborhoods establishes a nation-wide network of programs linked by aggressive cooperation and information sharing.

[merh]

9. I wonder if the same guy responsible for the drop in terrorism

stats is responsible for these stats!

[JayS]

14. Fortunately the stats come from individual states, counties,...

...cities, and so forth. If the stats were coming from Washington I would not trust them any more than I would trust Jeffrey Dahmer with a corpse.

[merh]

17. You have such a way with words that your meaning

is readily grasped by the reader. Thanks for clarifying that for me.

[JayS]

21. Thanks! I try! :) n/t

n/t

[meisje]

18. Crime is way up in downtown Columbus!!!

Gang activity, Robberies, B&E's, Prostitution way way up!! I figure the nattional crime rates have been fudged like everything else.

[JayS]

22. It looks like your section of Ohio is mixing in other areas of...

...legal issues in with this law enforcement endeavor. From what I understand, it is not supposed to be this way. This program is about gun control, not morality patrol.

This is for your area:

http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/ohs/press.html

http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/ohs/

[JayS]

25. It looks like several areas are trying to mix the War On Drugs...

...in with this program. Not a good idea! I was told by a politician here, a Republican at that, that this would happen and would screw things up and that we cannot have both a drop in gun violence and an increase in the War On Drugs, as you can only have one or the other.

[JayS]

26. Bump...for something non-F911 related....

[DemBones DemBones]

28. Not going to New Orleans to arrest hookers this time?

I'm still laughing about that one. As I recall, they worked three or four months and found twelve hookers. :eyes:

[JayS]

30. Was that not a good use of our tax dollars?

[allalone]

31. I find this very disturbing

like they are moving into place for something. there will most likely be more "impact teams" as they are called to come.

[JayS]

32. It is just a new "brand" of gun control and not really a big...

...deal unless you are a gun toting felon; then you have something to worry about. I suspect that this will be more public before the election as a way to show that the current administration is not weak on crime...and they will be effective in this.

I was told early on that this program would fail to reduce gun violence once it began to incorporate non-gun issues, like drugs. This is already happening in some areas. You can have the War On Drugs in its current "warlike" form or you can have a low gun violence rate...but not both.

[givemebackmycountry]

33. Yeah right...

The article indicates that will "focus on prosecuting people for firearms violations, which often accompany gang activity, illegal drug organizations and organized crime groups."


Sure...that's why this rat bastard is about to let the ban on assualt weapons expire.

Turn in your fingernail clippers at the airport, but in October you'll be able to buy an AK-47 or a Tech-9 at a gun show.

The NRA has already said that they won't endorse Bush if he re-instates the assualt weapon ban before the election.

This guy needs to go.

[JayS]

34. Everything that the ban covers you can buy now, just without...

...some mostly cosmetic features. The whole Bush/NRA thing is just having a good time with the red herring that the AWB is.

We have had this law for almost a year now and it shows promise so far. Minor drug violations are supposed to go through a medical court now instead of a criminal one but both this, and the new gun control program, are getting some resistance from some politicians but the results speak for themselves.