Gun shop blocks Mark Kelly’s right to buy AR-15, citing political ‘intent’

[phantom power]

Silly liberal astronaut -- only conservative wingnuts get to make political statements with firearms!

The owner of a gun shop in Tucson, Arizona on Monday refused to hand over an AR-15 military-style rifle that Mark Kelly purchased in order to demonstrate how easy it was to obtain assault weapons.

In a statement posted to Facebook, Diamondback Police Supply owner Doug MacKinlay said that he was blocking the former astronaut’s Second Amendment right because he questioned the political “intent” behind the purchase.

“While I support and respect Mark Kelly’s 2nd Amendment rights to purchase, possess, and use firearms in a safe and responsible manner, his recent statements to the media made it clear that his intent in purchasing the Sig Sauer M400 5.56mm rifle from us was for reasons other then for his personal use,” MacKinlay wrote.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/03/26/gun-shop-blocks-mark-kellys-right-to-buy-ar-15-citing-political-intent/

[Fawke Em]

1. Um... his purchasing the gun to show how easy it is to

get IS his personal use of the weapon.

I'd rather he use it as a learning tool about the lack of regulations on these types of firearms than for him to shoot up a school or a theater.

[gopiscrap]

2. Amen to that!

[phantom power]

4. it's important to understand how conservative wingnuts think...

the word salad that comes out of their mouths only makes sense when you understand the unspoken subtext, which is: they don't believe rights, or entitlements, are for anybody except other white conservative wingnuts.

These guys are upset because Kelly isn't in their conservative wingnut club, and we can't have guns in the hands of people who aren't in the club, you know.

It's kind of like how this protester isn't actually upset about government "in" medicaid, he is upset about the idea of medicaid being used by poor brown people, who certainly aren't in the white conservative wingnut club:

[Fawke Em]

20. Looks to me like he doesn't like "govment"

in Medicade.

Whatever "govment" and "Medicade" are.

[Junkdrawer]

10. The only legitimate use for firearms is to ameliorate paranoia....

Oh..and you can also shoot animals if you're old fashioned.

[atreides1]

3. Who gets to define "personal use"?

If I purchase a weapon and put over my mantle, it's personal use...if I use it for target shooting or hunting, that's also personal.

So, Captain Kelly wanting to use a weapon that he legally purchased under Arizona law to prove a point is also personal use.

But the seller has arbitrarily decided something that gun rights advocates have accused the government of attempting...hypocrite much Mr. MacKinlay.

[alcibiades_mystery]

5. So much for an absolute right

"We reserve the right to refuse service..."

"No shirt, no shoes, no political agreement, no service."

Once again, the gunners show us exactly what kinds of assholes they are. They can't help themselves.

[phantom power]

8. some people are more equal than others

[ellisonz]

15. Woah - shades of Animal Farm.

[Javaman]

6. When the owner of the gun shop was interviewed he stated...

"Waaaaaa? that guns fer shootin'! not fer talkin'!"

[sarisataka]

7. If the only reason to deny the purchase

is 'political intent' then that is an extremely poor and hypocritical reason. The denial is done with 'political intent'

If allowing the purchase to proceed, knowing he is going to pass the rifle on to the police, is a straw purchase under state or federal law (I have heard both yes and no, if it would be a straw purchase) then he is right to deny the sale and should say so.

[One of Many]

12. "Political intent" never mentioned aside from the story in the OP

The article above is misleading, this is the full statement from the store's FB page.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Diamondback-Police-Supply/143341839017998

==========================================

Statement of Douglas MacKinlay, Owner/President, Diamondback Police Supply Co., Inc.

“While I support and respect Mark Kelly’s 2nd Amendment rights to purchase, possess, and use firearms in a safe and responsible manner, his recent statements to the media made it clear that his intent in purchasing the Sig Sauer M400 5.56mm rifle from us was for reasons other then for his personal use. In light of this fact, I determined that it was in my company’s best interest to terminate this transaction prior to his returning to my store to complete the Federal From 4473 and NICS background check required of Mr. Kelly before he could take possession this firearm. A full refund was sent to Mr. Kelly, via express mail, on Thursday of last week.
The Sig Sauer rifle will be donated to the Arizona Tactical Officers Association where it will be raffled off to generate funds the association can use to purchase much needed tactical equipment for the organization’s members. The A.T.O. A. represents the SWAT and Special Response officers of the state’s law enforcement community who regularly place their lives on the line to protect the residents of this state.

Additionally, Diamondback Police Supply will make a $1295.00 contribution (the selling price of the M400 rifle) to the Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program that teaches children, in pre-K through 3rd grade, four important steps to take if they find a gun. The emphasis of the program is on child safety, something that is important to all of us and at the core of the current debate on gun control,” stated Douglas MacKinlay, Owner/President, Diamondback Police Supply Co., Inc.

==========================================

The statement never mentions "political" intent at all.

[sarisataka]

17. It appears then that the FFL is in error

reading over the 4473, Mr. Kelly would be the "actual transferee/buyer" under the definitions of the form. His intent to pass the rifle on to police would be considered a gift, and as long as the police officer receiving the gun is not a prohibited person, it would not be defined as a straw purchase.

Bad call by the shop- though the donations are nice. Rather than a raffle, it would make more sense to pass the rifle to a PD that is strapped for cash to add to the SWAT team.

[krispos42]

9. Bullshit excuse.

Sell him the gun. comply with the federal and state laws. what's the big deal?

[Blue_Tires]

11. Just when I thought I'd seen the most surreal of RW hypocrisy...

I'm tempted to open up my own gun shop just so I can NOT sell to the redneck nutbar loons, since they aren't the "right kind of people"...God, the local whining and tears would overflow the Grand Canyon...

[itsrobert]

13. So the gun shop owner, stops Kelly's 2nd Admendment right to stop Kelly's 1st Admendment right?

And I thought it was the liberals trampling on the constitution?

[ellisonz]

16. DURN LIBRULS!!!

[EC]

14. does the law in Arizonia

say that the shop holder can deny a purchase if he believes the gun is going to be misused? If not then he has no reason to deny a puchase. Is the gun paid for? Because he talks about donating it for a raffle, so was it paid for?

[spanone]

18. so store owners can deny your second amendment rights?

[Zoeisright]

19. Fucking hypocrite.

Fuck you, MacKinlay.