Rhetoric, definitions, and words are very important in this Second Amendment arena of ours. We’re given statutory definitions of things according to Congress. As you know, there are forces out there who like to take definitions into their own hands. In certain regards they are technically right, but seemingly frame their explanations to be a little different than they actually are. A recent indictment our friends over at the ATF reported on seems to tap dance around the machinegun topic.
Earlier today, a federal grand jury in Brooklyn returned a two-count indictment charging Isaiah Dukes, aka “Lil Zay Osama,” with possession of a machinegun and possession of an unregistered firearm. Dukes is presently in state custody in Illinois on unrelated charges and will be arraigned in federal court in Brooklyn at a later date.
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“As alleged, Dukes brought a machinegun into our district, and then dangerously left it in the back of a rideshare,” stated U.S. Attorney Peace. “This office, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to work diligently to protect our communities from such dangerous weapons.”“Machineguns have been highly regulated in the United States since the 1930s and have been banned since 1986. Machineguns have no place on the streets of our communities. They are weapons intended to kill and injure with maximum effect, with the shooter often firing uncontrollably and indiscriminately. They pose a significant danger to both the public and law enforcement. Today’s indictment serves as an important reminder that machinegun conversion devices, such as switches, violate federal law, and that possession will not be tolerated. The men and women of ATF will continue to work with our partners to reduce the proliferation of these devices on our streets. Thanks to ATF NY’s Joint Firearms Task Force, ATF Chicago, NYPD and EDNY,” stated ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kalogiros.
It took us to get to the middle of this release before we were told the machinegun was a converted firearm. “Machinegun conversion devices, such as switches, violate federal law,” which firearms outfitted with them will meet the machinegun definition. Maybe I’m just splitting hairs here or am being ultra sensitive, but I offer up that it’d be more academically honest if they mentioned out the gate the machinegun was a firearm converted into one using a switch.
The constitutionality of the NFA is not being discussed here, but rather the continual smoke and mirrors we’re presented with. The release goes into great detail talking about the illegality of machineguns and how they’re “highly regulated,” but does not offer up there are legal machineguns out there. There are plenty lawful owners of machineguns.
As alleged in public filings, on Sept. 29, 2022, Dukes carried a loaded Glock pistol affixed with a switch — a device that when attached to the back of a handgun like a Glock converts the firearm into a fully automatic weapon. Law enforcement subsequently determined that the firearm can automatically fire more than one round with a single function of the trigger, rendering it a machinegun. Dukes was arrested after leaving the firearm in a rideshare vehicle that brought him from a luxury hotel in Manhattan to a recording studio in Queens.
If we go to the heart of the matter, this is not just about machineguns. Not in New York, New York at least. It’s about all guns. “Let me be clear: This behavior will not be tolerated here, and the NYPD vows to keep our streets safe from guns and anyone who unlawfully possesses them,” stated Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department. Caban infers that the streets are unsafe if there are guns – period. There’s no distinction between lawfully held guns. In his eyes there are “guns,” and “unlawfully possesse[d]” ones; all of which the streets need protection from.
Shockingly, a progressive government bureaucrat that’s still not on board with Bruen.
Who knows what Lil Zay Osama was up to with his Glock outfitted with a switch. He probably wasn’t carrying it to take it on a youth outdoors trip to teach marksmanship. He got busted because he left it in a livery. What we do know is there’s a psych-op going on and it has to do with words. Is this just laziness, shoddy reporting, and lack of oversight? Or is this a purposeful move to elicit extra fear with “maximum effect”? I tend to think it’s the latter.
