<story><title>ATF uses rogue tactics in storefront stings across nation</title><url>http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/watchdogreports/atf-uses-rogue-tactics-in-storefront-stings-across-the-nation-b99146765z1-234916641.html</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>DanielBMarkham</author><text>I don&amp;#x27;t own a gun, but let&amp;#x27;s assume I become a gun enthusiast and decide to go buy &amp;quot;something cool&amp;quot;&lt;p&gt;I go to my local gun store, which is actually a front for the ATF. In my mind, looks like a bunch of seedy characters, but i assume they&amp;#x27;re trustworthy because, natch, they have a license from the ATF.&lt;p&gt;I strike up a conversation with the bearded, scraggly guy behind the counter. What would I like? I don&amp;#x27;t know. How about a shotgun? As we talk, he talks more and more about &amp;quot;cool&amp;quot; guns. Perhaps sawed-off barrels, or big loads. At some point, we cross the line between talking about legal guns and illegal guns.&lt;p&gt;Now here&amp;#x27;s the thing: beats the shit out of me where we crossed that line. I&amp;#x27;m trusting the guy behind the counter to be a reliable guide to what can be bought or sold. From the ATF standpoint, however, I am fully aware of the intricacies of firearm law and am now soliciting them to commit a crime.&lt;p&gt;A few months go by. Then the ATF comes knocking at my door with a warrant, a hi-res video, and I go to jail. Perhaps for many years.&lt;p&gt;Now we can argue whether they would actually prosecute or not, or what any sane prosecutor would ask for solicitation, but the fact of the matter is, in the ATF&amp;#x27;s view, I&amp;#x27;m a hardened gun criminal. It&amp;#x27;ll go on my record, and this will become part of the intelligence files at ATF.&lt;p&gt;If you can&amp;#x27;t see what&amp;#x27;s wrong with this picture, you&amp;#x27;ve lost your moral compass.</text></comment>
<story><title>ATF uses rogue tactics in storefront stings across nation</title><url>http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/watchdogreports/atf-uses-rogue-tactics-in-storefront-stings-across-the-nation-b99146765z1-234916641.html</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>logfromblammo</author><text>Cue the libertarian versus non-libertarian mudwrestling.&lt;p&gt;It has become increasingly clear to me that the ills of the U.S. pogroms against some recreational drugs are due in no small part to the conversion of the criminal justice system to a for-profit industry.  As long as the jobs and budgets are tied to the number of criminals processed rather than the peace and order produced, cop cadres will titrate the frequency and severity of their enforcement actions with the aim to ensure for themselves steady jobs and pensions.&lt;p&gt;There is a positive feedback loop in there somewhere that must be broken before it destroys the concept of justice completely.</text></comment>