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California legislator Ron Perata, now running for State Senate, invites
Olympian to move out of California if she wants to continue her sport
because
her competition pistol considered an illegal "assault weapon."
"It is sad that another Olympic prospect, Lauren Santibanez from San
Diego,
Calif., may never get the opportunity to experience that thrill, or even
get
to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Women's pistol team. Lauren's problem is
not
an inability to shoot straight, or lack of spending the countless hours
of
practice and participation in competition; her problem is a law
initiated by
California State Senator Don Perata, passed by the Legislature, and
signed by
Governor Davis. This law classified Lauren's Olympic target pistol as an
"assault weapon."
A mistake, an absurdity that should be rectified, what could the
legislature
have been thinking are the thoughts that go through one's mind when
hearing
of Lauren's predicament. But no, it's the law and Don Perata has no
remorse,
no second thoughts. His comment according to the San Diego Union-Tribune
was:
If Olympic shooting is her goal, Perata says, she should find a state
more
friendly to the sport, much like Olympic skiers go to Utah and Colorado
to
train. "She may be better off living in Texas," said Perata, who
reluctantly
indicated that some limited exemptions to the law might be made if there
were
compelling reasons.
Lauren is not a newcomer to the shooting sports. As early as almost five
years ago when she was 12 she was a silver medallist at the National
Junior
Olympic Championships in women's sport pistol shooting a 542 out of a
possible 600. Later that same year she won the Gold. She has been
consistently winning Junior National events in both the women's sport
pistol
and air pistol since those early days, but now she and her family are
forced
to make a decision regarding her sport and her state of residence.
The legal problem is that Lauren's Olympic Walther .22 caliber pistol
meets
one of the definitions of an "assault weapon" according to the new
California
law: a firearm with an ammunition magazine in front of the trigger.
Thus, her
gun and thousands of other competitive rifles and pistols across
California
have become illegal firearms requiring registration prior to Jan. 1,
2001.
Those who fail to register their "assault weapons" could be found guilty
of a
misdemeanor on first offense and a felony on subsequent offenses.
Lauren's case is further complicated by her age. As she is under 18 it
is
illegal under this same statute for Lauren to even handle the firearm.
Thus,
even if her father and coach, Sandy Santibanez, registers the gun as
his, she
cannot use it legally. "If I did (register the gun) then I would be an
adult
giving her an assault weapon," he said. "Suddenly we are both breaking
the
law."
The California law, which was aimed at firearms such as the TEC-9 and
gang
bangers, is now targeting firearms made specifically for Olympic
competition
and young athletes striving for Olympic gold. When told of the errors in
their legislation, the anti-gun politicians reveal their true objective:
get
rid of all guns, sporting purposes be damned."
The links to the story are:
http://www.uniontribune.com/news/utarchives/cgi/idoc.cgi?522571+unix++www.unio
ntrib.com..80+Union-Tribune+Union-Tribune+Library+Library++%28oly
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/bluesky_metaksa/20000921_xctme_politicall.shtml
California legislator Ron Perata, now running for State Senate, invites
Olympian to move out of California if she wants to continue her sport
because
her competition pistol considered an illegal "assault weapon."
"It is sad that another Olympic prospect, Lauren Santibanez from San
Diego,
Calif., may never get the opportunity to experience that thrill, or even
get
to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Women's pistol team. Lauren's problem is
not
an inability to shoot straight, or lack of spending the countless hours
of
practice and participation in competition; her problem is a law
initiated by
California State Senator Don Perata, passed by the Legislature, and
signed by
Governor Davis. This law classified Lauren's Olympic target pistol as an
"assault weapon."
A mistake, an absurdity that should be rectified, what could the
legislature
have been thinking are the thoughts that go through one's mind when
hearing
of Lauren's predicament. But no, it's the law and Don Perata has no
remorse,
no second thoughts. His comment according to the San Diego Union-Tribune
was:
If Olympic shooting is her goal, Perata says, she should find a state
more
friendly to the sport, much like Olympic skiers go to Utah and Colorado
to
train. "She may be better off living in Texas," said Perata, who
reluctantly
indicated that some limited exemptions to the law might be made if there
were
compelling reasons.
Lauren is not a newcomer to the shooting sports. As early as almost five
years ago when she was 12 she was a silver medallist at the National
Junior
Olympic Championships in women's sport pistol shooting a 542 out of a
possible 600. Later that same year she won the Gold. She has been
consistently winning Junior National events in both the women's sport
pistol
and air pistol since those early days, but now she and her family are
forced
to make a decision regarding her sport and her state of residence.
The legal problem is that Lauren's Olympic Walther .22 caliber pistol
meets
one of the definitions of an "assault weapon" according to the new
California
law: a firearm with an ammunition magazine in front of the trigger.
Thus, her
gun and thousands of other competitive rifles and pistols across
California
have become illegal firearms requiring registration prior to Jan. 1,
2001.
Those who fail to register their "assault weapons" could be found guilty
of a
misdemeanor on first offense and a felony on subsequent offenses.
Lauren's case is further complicated by her age. As she is under 18 it
is
illegal under this same statute for Lauren to even handle the firearm.
Thus,
even if her father and coach, Sandy Santibanez, registers the gun as
his, she
cannot use it legally. "If I did (register the gun) then I would be an
adult
giving her an assault weapon," he said. "Suddenly we are both breaking
the
law."
The California law, which was aimed at firearms such as the TEC-9 and
gang
bangers, is now targeting firearms made specifically for Olympic
competition
and young athletes striving for Olympic gold. When told of the errors in
their legislation, the anti-gun politicians reveal their true objective:
get
rid of all guns, sporting purposes be damned."
The links to the story are:
http://www.uniontribune.com/news/utarchives/cgi/idoc.cgi?522571+unix++www.unio
ntrib.com..80+Union-Tribune+Union-Tribune+Library+Library++%28oly
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/bluesky_metaksa/20000921_xctme_politicall.shtml
