Austin leftist under FBI surveillance: Incriminating gun and "quilt:"

[SteveM]

Austin leftist and activist Scott Crow has been for a number of years under FBI surveillance, often from cars parked outside his home. Crow, who works at Austin's Ecology Action (the place where folks can recycle non-compostables), has been involved in numerous causes which the FBI considers worthy of a "domestic terrorist" watch list. After retrieving heavily redacted files from the FBI, Crow discovered the agency was particularly interested in a quilt, spread upon his lawn, and in the vegetarian's purchase of a rifle:

"They (FBI) visited gun stores where he shopped for a rifle, noting dryly in one document that a vegan animal rights advocate like Mr. Crow made an unlikely hunter. (He says the weapon was for self-defense in a marginal neighborhood.)"

Two things here of note:

(1) There is the usual thin gruel of what constitutes "domestic terrorism;"
(2) The FBI would do well to learn some basic statistics about gun ownership: Less than 20% of gun owners hunt.

Of course, I did note that in the link's photo there is a particularly fierce-looking black cat.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/29/us/29surveillance.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

[spin]

1. A rifle may not be a good choice for self defense in his neighborhood ...

For at least three years, counterterrorism agents monitored the comings and goings at Scott Crow's home in Austin, Tex.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/29/us/29surveillance.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all

If he lived in a rural area, I can see the value of a rifle. However in the neighborhood where he lives a rifle may over penetrate and endanger his neighbors far more that a shotgun or a handgun.

[gejohnston]

2. true but

love the front yard. What are the odds that he is on Bush's bogus list that some here have learned to love?

[spin]

5. I noticed the solar panels on his roof ...

The odds are high that he is on the Bush list.

[friendly_iconoclast]

9. I wonder if the new fans of said list will decry Crow's purchase of a rifle?

Methinks not....

[Euromutt]

14. Depends on the rifle, and the choice of round

I seem to recall that there were some tests done about five years ago that concluded that a 55-grain .223/5.56mm bullet was less likely to overpenetrate than most handgun bullets. You need to be careful with shotguns as well, because you might not be aware that the shot used in "low recoil" rounds is hardened to compensate for the loss of penetration resulting from lower velocity.

[Callisto32]

16. Pistol caliber carbine?

They are a good choice for people who want a firearm with lower penetration but don't have the time or money to invest into becoming proficient with a handgun.

[ileus]

3. I recommend a SBR'd 5.7 AR for that neighborhood.

[Remmah2]

4. That might not be a black cat.

The FIB's may have mistaken it for a black panther.

[Union Scribe]

7. !

:D :thumbsup:

[SteveM]

8. Damn! Missed that one. nt

[friendly_iconoclast]

10. Well played, sir! <golf clap>

[Tejas]

15. FBI Possum, disguised as a cat.

Paid informant, probably wearing a wire.

[jmg257]

6. . nt

ahh never mind.

[Hoopla Phil]

11. Humm, so if the "terra watch list" had been incorporated into the NICS check,

would he have been able to purchase the rifle?

[Hoopla Phil]

12. What a giant wast of tax payer money.

[Marnie]

13. There are not very many people in Texas who don't own a gun.

At least a pistol.
I was born in Texas and lived there 64 years and would still be there if it were not for the need to earn a living.
I have used my pistol three times in those 64 years to end what I thought was a situation that was becoming very dangerous to me.

I never pointed it at any one, never pulled the trigger, just showed that I could defend myself. So yeah guns are probably used a couple of million times every year in this country for self defense in situations the pigletts in blue never hear about.


So now I guess I'll end up on the FBI list as a terrorist becasue I needed protect myself from people who actually were dangerous that the pigletts do nothing about.

Shit.