Is it time to replace the ATF?
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 7:12 pm
I read with some interest the recent stories about how "Operation Fast and Furious" is causing severe shakeups within the ATF. Of the numerous LEA established by our government, I can't recall any other single agency which has had more incidents of controversy, mismanagement, and abuse than ATF.
In the 70's I heard of several incidents where the ATF rousted patrons and vendors at gunshows. Making lists of those attending, taking photos and using intimidation tactics until the legal outcry forced them to back away. One could make the argument that with the implementation of the 1968 GCA, the ATF was going through growing pains and determining the limits of the new legislation.
Over the next 20 years, from time to time, stories would surface of high handed gun grabs from collectors and dealers who had made minor errors in their paperwork or had trespassed some obscure regulation. Many of these grabs were overturned by the courts, but at a tremendous cost to the victims.
Then comes the tragedy at Ruby Ridge. Although the ultimate authority involved was the FBI, the ATF originated the events leading up to the deaths of a 16 year old boy and his mother. I won't get into the faulty decisions and actions of virtually every agency and person involved, I will note that there is plenty of blame to go around. Then comes the fiasco at Waco with the Branch Davidians. Again, I do not point fingers to assign blame, the death toll speaks volumes all by itself. Now with Operation fast and furious, once again we have this agency involved in an operation which, for whatever reason, ended up being involved and is possibly partially responsible for multiple deaths, this time of law enforcement officers.
How can we have any confidence in this agency any more? The history of bad administration and faulty decision processes by those appointed to direct this agency overshadows the efforts of all the dedicated officers who put it on the line every day. They are all tarred with an undeserved label of being incompetent jack-booted stormtroopers. I don't have the answer on how to fix this problem, other than to say it desperately needs to be fixed. We don't need another batch of political hacks being dropped into positions they aren't qualified for. We don't need another coat of whitewash covering the mistakes of incompetent leaders. Perhaps eliminating the ATF and starting over from scratch, or simply seperating Alcohol and Tobacco from Firearms and creating a seperate agency is needed. Something certainly needs to change.....
In the 70's I heard of several incidents where the ATF rousted patrons and vendors at gunshows. Making lists of those attending, taking photos and using intimidation tactics until the legal outcry forced them to back away. One could make the argument that with the implementation of the 1968 GCA, the ATF was going through growing pains and determining the limits of the new legislation.
Over the next 20 years, from time to time, stories would surface of high handed gun grabs from collectors and dealers who had made minor errors in their paperwork or had trespassed some obscure regulation. Many of these grabs were overturned by the courts, but at a tremendous cost to the victims.
Then comes the tragedy at Ruby Ridge. Although the ultimate authority involved was the FBI, the ATF originated the events leading up to the deaths of a 16 year old boy and his mother. I won't get into the faulty decisions and actions of virtually every agency and person involved, I will note that there is plenty of blame to go around. Then comes the fiasco at Waco with the Branch Davidians. Again, I do not point fingers to assign blame, the death toll speaks volumes all by itself. Now with Operation fast and furious, once again we have this agency involved in an operation which, for whatever reason, ended up being involved and is possibly partially responsible for multiple deaths, this time of law enforcement officers.
How can we have any confidence in this agency any more? The history of bad administration and faulty decision processes by those appointed to direct this agency overshadows the efforts of all the dedicated officers who put it on the line every day. They are all tarred with an undeserved label of being incompetent jack-booted stormtroopers. I don't have the answer on how to fix this problem, other than to say it desperately needs to be fixed. We don't need another batch of political hacks being dropped into positions they aren't qualified for. We don't need another coat of whitewash covering the mistakes of incompetent leaders. Perhaps eliminating the ATF and starting over from scratch, or simply seperating Alcohol and Tobacco from Firearms and creating a seperate agency is needed. Something certainly needs to change.....
