Homeland Security seeking to purchase 7,000 'assault rifles'
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is seeking to purchase up to 7,000 “personal defense weapons” (PDW) -- the same rifles called "assault weapons" when owned by civilians, The Blaze reported Saturday.
The initial request was posted last June, but just recently came to light, Jason Howerton wrote.
According to Steve McGough of RadioViceOnline.com, DHS said the "select-fire" weapons are “suitable for personal defense use in close quarters.” The weapons sought by the DHS would be capable of semi-automatic and automatic fire and would be equipped with high-capacity 30-round magazines, the same type some want to see banned for use by civilians.
New York state Sen. Greg Ball, a Republican, addressed the request in a press released earlier this week.
“Now the Department of Homeland Security even agrees that these modern sporting firearms, made illegal by Governor Cuomo, are suitable for self defense," he said.
On Thursday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced a sweeping gun control bill that would limit magazine capacity to ten rounds and ban the same basic weapon sought by Homeland Security.
"Critics of such a ban on semi-automatic rifles are already arguing that the government is showing its hypocrisy by essentially saying they are good 'personal defense' for them, but not for American citizens. When civilians own semi-automatic rifles, they somehow become 'assault weapons,'” Howerton wrote.
McGough also noted the hypocrisy in the government's request.
"If it is appropriate for law enforcement, why is it not appropriate for civilian use?" he asked, noting that select fire/automatic weapons "are generally not used in situations where you need accuracy; like for home defense."
Howerton says that while it's reasonable for Homeland Security to be armed with the tools it needs to keep Americans safe, some, like Sen. Feinstein, apparently do not think average citizens should be allowed to protect their families with the same kind of "personal defense" weapons.
Last Tuesday, two New York students scared off armed intruders with an empty AR-15 rifle.
http://www.examiner.com/article/homeland-security-seeking-to-purchase-7-000-assault-rifles