Up until last week, I worked for the government. I was a bureaucrat. I
handled producer-tax paperwork involving tobacco companies. It wasn't an
exciting job, but it wasn't a bad one either.
Not too long ago, I was transferred out of the Tobacco division and into
Firearms. I was told that many Americans didn't like the ATF agents in the
Firearms Division. I assumed it was because individuals always complain
about paying taxes, while corporations know that complaining doesn't do any
good. I soon learned that paying taxes had nothing to do with why the public
didn't like us.
As an agent in the Firearms Division, I was ordered to entrap private
citizens at gun shows by offering them inflated prices for guns they had
just bought, and then arrest them for dealing without a license.
I was told to pose as a neophyte, ask about the mechanical differences
between semiautos and machine guns, and then arrest the person who talked to
me and charge him with "conspiring to violate federal firearms laws. "
I was given a machine gun, and told to intimidate family members when a
man's house was being raided with a blank warrant.
In April, I helped monitor illegal wiretaps on the phones of three dealers
in three midwestern states. The taps told us that all three dealers would be
out of town in mid-June. I was ordered to plant evidence which would result
in the three dealers being held without bail.
This was the last straw, for me and for most of the others involved in two
of the three raids. I and other agents stopped these two raids from ever
happening.
The third raid involved helicopters armed with belt-fed machine guns. Only
one of the agents on that raid was bothered by what he had been ordered to
do, but he was not a man to sit back and do nothing. This man, who was also
new to the Firearms Division, saw only one way to stop the assault on an
American citizen's home. When he told me what he was going to do, I knew it
was suicide and begged him to reconsider. He did what he thought was right.
He used his machine gun on the other helicopters before they reached the
house, then turned the gun on the inside of his own aircraft, shooting it
down also. He knowingly gave his life for what he believed in: Freedom.
I think of this young man who gave his life to defend your freedom. Then I
think of the successful, well-off, gun-owning citizens like yourselves who
have criticized the ATF for so long, and I am disgusted.
QUIT WHINING, people! You have bleated like a bunch of sheep for decades
now. "Our guns are our guarantee of freedom," you cry, but you'd never know
that from your actions. You outnumber your oppressors 500 to 1, yet you
continue to let them vote away your freedoms and march you off to prison.
You meekly submit time after time, letting people with GED certificates
consign you to the penitentiary because a piece of wood was too short or too
long, because a bullet was made of brass and not lead, because you owned
steel tubing or rubber washers, or because a barrel had threads on it.
You have complained about ATF agents for long enough. Stop it if you are
unwilling to be part of the solution. One agent has already given his life
for your freedom. There are several others who intend to stay alive as they
undertake the obligation you have shunned. Don't dishonor these men and
women with your petulant whimpering.
The following list of current Firearms Division agents and ATF informants
will be of interest to anyone who wants to keep track.


**excerpt from Unintended Consequences

Hoplite, seriously dude you need to stop doing this.

This isn't the first time either.  Hoplite, I like you and all, man, but this isn't cool, someone could really be freaking out right now all for nothing.

Foolish?  This coming from a guy who has made over 1100 posts and probably complains about the site speed but refuses to help out by paying $60 for a yearly membership.  
Call me what you like your opinion means nothing.

Good one Hop
- for all you out there who did not know what it was go and read it (Unintended Consequences )

I have read UC and enjoyed it. However, I understand it's pure fiction and not a "How to" book on how to turn back all the gun legislation.

For those of you that do, you really need to stop and think about how it was all carried out. First Henry Bowman gained access to a lap top with all the names and addresses of gov't agents. What are the chances of that ever really happening?

Second, he posted all this on the internet in gun forums such as this. How long do you think it would take to shut those sites down? Personally, I think the Avila's wouldn't even allowed something like that to be posted and I myself would lock it and move it to the Trash forum.

Third, you think all this public outrage against the sniper in MD is something, think about the outrage of the public if something like this were to really occur.

Fourth, unlike in the book, the Federal gov't would NOT negotiate. They'd be on all the news channels making every gun owner out to be a monster and the general public would turn on you. Without the support of the general public it's a lost caused. I will admit there was one exception to this in history. Anyone know what that event was?

Basically, it's a good book with lots of excellent history woven into fictional characters. Just remember that the main story line in this book is nothing but fiction!

Fearandloathing, I think maybe you were thinking of that trash called the Turner Diaries? Never read that book and never will.

Agree, it is a must read! In fact I have an extra copy I loan out. [:D]