Letter: Firearms pact penalizes only the innocent

Wednesday, May 3, 2000 | 9:46 a.m.

The most publicized provision of this agreement is the requirement for gun locking devices ("Excuse me, one moment, Mr. Robber, while I unlock my gun!"), but other provisions have greater potential for supporting federal surveillance of gun owners.

One of the most blatantly intrusive parts deals with ballistics imaging: "Manufacturers will fire all firearms before sale and will enter the digital image of the casings in a system compatible with the National Integrated Ballistics Identification Network and accessible to ATF. This will enable law enforcement to trace crime guns when only the bullets and casings are recovered."

We see. And if a hit man should pick up your shell casings from your target range and leave them at the scene of a murder, the ATF will come to the conclusion that .... Oh well, you don't mind answering a few questions downtown -- do you?

CHARLIE DELZOTTI

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