Smart guns-Sleeping gun-owners!
By Jim Furno

An Act concerning the sale of handguns supplementing chapter 58 of title 2C of the New Jersey statutes and amending N.J.S. 2C:39-1 and N.J.S. 2C:58-2.

In December 2002, the "smart gun" bill was passed by the NJ legislature and was signed into law by Governor McGreevey. This law, in effect, gives New Jersey its second gun ban in twelve years. Yet, we were warned!

Over three years ago, the foremost New Jersey attorney in firearms law, Evan F. Nappen, wrote a very prophetic editorial in the Trentonian. This editorial was entitled "State's dumb smart-gun law". In this article he made some very important points about the then proposed "smart-gun bill" which apply to the recently passed "smart-gun" bill.

In those days the bill was called S113 and, of course, as with the current law, was sponsored by the NJ Senate's most vicious anti-gun owner legislator, Senator Richard Codey.

It is interesting to note that the emphasis of the "smart-gun" bill three years ago was the "personalized" handgun. The idea was that new technology would limit the operation of the gun to its authorized owner. Clever sponsors of the legislation like Senators Codey, Palaia and Inverso substituted the buzz word "childproof" for the more accurate term "personalized" guns. "Childproof " was used twelve times in the statement attached to the 2002 bill. These legislators learned their vocabulary well from the masters of verbal distortion like former presidents Bill and Hillary Clinton. Anytime Clinton or their minions wanted to "spin" issues and garner sympathy they would talk about the benefits to children or child safety. "How many times have we heard..."this is for the children ".

By the way, someone please prove to us that there is an epidemic of accidental shootings of children in New Jersey! And don't show us those distortions that count teen drug gangs being shot by the police or by each other or that count 19-22 year olds as children.

The original bill, S113, restricted the sales of antique handguns as well as modern handguns. In other words, when the law went into effect only guns "originally" built with "smart-gun" technology would be legal. It would not be legal to retrofit handguns with the "smart-gun" technology. Also it would not be practical with replicas and antiques. Plus you couldn't sell the non-smart guns to dealers because dealers, by this law were not allowed to handle, sell, buy, display, transport these guns etc. Again, another "smart"move (a divide and conquer move) by the Codey team this time exempted antique guns from the"smart-gun" restriction. Everything else stated above is now the law.

Essentially, the "Smart-gun law" is a handgun ban. In three years or when NJ Institute of Technology ascertains that such technology exists (which by the way is costing us taxpayers $1 million to fund), dealers under the law, are not allowed to handle or transfer any handguns but "smart-guns".What will citizens do, resort to "private sales"? You can bet the state will have something to say about that!

Law enforcement personnel are exempt from the law. Some may think that reasonable. But our attorney friend made a very interesting observation in the March, 1999 Trentonian editorial. He told us that approximately 50% of all police shot, are shot with their own handgun. Therefore wouldn't this smart gun technology be a lifesaver for law enforcement? Then why did the sponsors exempt them?

So here you have it...in effect a handgun ban in a few years! You will not be able to buy or sell any handgun except a "smart-gun" or an antique firearm. Oh yes...the Superintendent of State Police will draw up a "list" to determine what guns are "smart" and what guns dealers may sell.

What do we do now? Write, fax email your assemblyman or/and senator and let them know that you know how they voted on this issue. Thank them for voting against the bill; remind them politely , if they voted for the bill, that you will consider this the next time they are up for reelection. Remind your neighbors and your legislators, that in a time of state fiscal crisis, the McGreevey-Codey bunch threw away a million of your tax dollars.

You say..." what good will it do"! These legislators are made very uneasy when they are put on notice that the district voters are aware of their activities. They become very uncomfortable when they know they are being scrutinized. They are reminded that certain positions cost them voters. They will wonder if their vote hasn't started a recruitment of opposition. Not all state legislators are in politically safe districts.! Some of them will start walking on eggshells pertaining to gun issues. Right now, they are counting on your complacency.

Only when these Democrats,...and some Republicans...realize that there is a political price to pay will they have more respect and less contempt for you.

Jim Furno is a professional teacher and writer who lives in North Jersey and has been an ANJRPC member for many years. He was Assistant Editor and Editor of News and Briefs in the early 1990s. He is an NRA Certified Pistol, Safety and Personal Defense Instructor and Range Officer.

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