I see Austin police chief Art Acevedo on TV tonight. He's at some kind of protest at the State Capitol, yelling into a microphone that we need universal background checks for guns. Besides the ridiculous logic (i.e. criminals don't give a f**k about background checks because they're, well, you know, criminals), should Art Acevedo be out there taking a political position while wearing his taxpayer paid-for uniform? I mean, he's an employee of the city of Austin. He's paid to catch criminals. Shouldn't he be spending his time concentrating on that, instead of telling the rest of us what we need? He's wearing a uniform that I paid for and using his office as a bully pulpit. That isn't his job. He's the most overtly political public employee in the City of Austin as far as I can tell. Hey Art! Shut up and do your job!
Acevedo should worry more about the criminals using the guns and not about background checks that criminals aren't going to do anyway. Papers, Papers please
Yeah, what's with all these law enforcement types seeking tools to prevent weapons from getting into the hands of the knuckleheads they arrest every day? Don't they know we should just arm everybody and then blast our way to a more peaceful society?
He's just pissing into the wind here in Texas, thank God! That stance would make him unpopular in most Texas cities, but in Austin.....well, keep it weird.
Croc So You and Art think universal background checks will stop people who want guns so they can commit the acts that might result in Art etc arresting them?
Crockett, You missed my point. If he wants to use his personal time to campaign for whatever, I've got no problem with that. I do have a problem with him doing it on my time when he should be doing what I'm paying him to do, which is to catch criminals.
Look, in this country there is no magic fix to gun violence, but background checks are a mitigating factor. Really intelligent crooks with criminal friends no doubt have a lot of routes to circumvent it. But go down to the courthouse on docket call day sometime. The folks getting arrested aren't the smart criminals. You don't have to be smart to take an easily obtained weapon and create a lot of mayhem.
That's fine with me, Crockett. If Art wants to get out there and protest, let him do so on his own time like everybody else. When he is in uniform he should be doing what we pay him to do, which is to solve crimes and lockup criminals.
Art should be worrying about how his officers like to use their weapons to shoot minorities. At least to shake off that perception if it is not fact.
BI, aren't you also paying Acevedo to prevent crimes? I think the gun enthusiasts need to pick their battles a little better. Numerous police chiefs (Ray Kelly of NY, etc.) have spoken up for closing some of the many glaring loopholes that the gun lobby created to keep sales high. I mean... he was speaking out for universal background checks? Is anyone other than the people who sell guns (and groups who are funded by companies that sell guns) against universal background checks?
So you think convicted felons ought to be able to get guns at gun shows? Of course you don't. I don't either, and like you, I'm a second-amendment supporting gun owner. Again, universal background checks really isn't a controversial idea. It's supported by 91% of Americans in a recent Gallup poll (January). Second of all, whether you like his position or not, it IS a law-enforcement issue, and it is his JOB to protect and serve. Suggesting that he "use his own time" is pretty silly. Do you want school officials to use their own time to talk about education? If Acevedo is wearing his uniform to weigh in on a creationism vs evolution debate, then you can get bent out of shape and start a thread calling him a douche. But calling a police chief a douche for suggesting that we should take very simple steps to keep guns away from felons? In the words of Lumbergh, "I'm gonna have to go ahead and sort of disagree with you there."
As police chief, is Acevedo every really "off-duty"? Is it the uniform part that bothers you? The uniform that he has to wear to numerous social and political functions even when he's not working? C'mon, he's pitching background checks. He's not arguing that the state should outlaw guns.
Off topic but I just came across this: "And for those whose memories fade, I want you to be reminded of the massive and deadly Japan tsunami. For it does not give notice and it is tragic and reckless for those who say 'You know what, the sequester has started and I feel pretty good' because you have not been hit by the tsunami. And It may come at a moment ... when we are away on work recess, or when the speaker has sent us home and we're not here working. And all of a sudden a great percentage of America will be walking around without benefits, without childcare, without teachers in our schools, and we’ll ask the question 'What happened?' It was a tsunami of the sequester." Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas)
Horn89, BI is right. It doesn't matter if gun control is a law enforcement issue, which it certainly can be construed as such. If Acevedo is engaging in political activism (and appearing at a protest certainly is political activism) on city time and in uniform, he is out of line, regardless of the issue and regardless of the merits of the issue. He could be showing up at a protest advocating Vermont-style legislation (repealing all firearm registration), and he'd be just as wrong. Would you want your kid's teacher to leave the classroom on school time and go protest for a teacher pay raise? I doubt it. Public employees have the right to take positions on issues and engage in activism. However, when they do it on government time and exploit their governmental office in the process, they are stepping over the line.
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