Orange Tips & Gang Signs

Do all pellet guns, etc., require an orange tip to be legal? We've had some comment on this. In fact we've addressed this before, but here's what the law says as we understand it. Comments welcome.

1. All airsoft guns must be sold with an orange tip. It's a federal law since 1992. These guns can't be transported across state lines legally without the tip.

2. Apparently it's legal to remove/paint the orange tip in Alabama, but not in Texas, New York, and several other states.

3. Previous blogs on airsoft weapons.

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We've also had questions on what actual gang signs are. Were the Muscle Shoals High School students using real gang signs? We think not, but what were they saying? We offer this interpretation:

1. Girl in blue on left: She has arthritis. We recommend meloxicam.

2. Second girl from left: She's simply defending her Second Amendment right to carry two "hand guns" or she really likes Annie Oakley.

3. Chad Holden: He's trying out for the title role in the re-make of Weekend at Bernie's.

4. Baby Face Nelson: Since his hands are inverted, those aren't peace signs; he's giving his audience a double dose of "up yours."

4. Girl second from right: It's obvious--she's a zombie. It's their natural stance.

5. Boy at far right. That's the most obvious of all. He's giving the Black Power salute, but odds are he couldn't tell you who Tommie Smith or John Carlos are or why they used such a salute.

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Anyone doing anything special around six this evening?

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Our sympathies to the family of Jason Shane Green. Jason lost his life earlier this week in an automobile accident. He will be missed by many including us who always looked forward to his comments.

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Shoalanda

Bowling & Airsoft: The Sports of Kings/Barry Lane

If you've watched much TV Land, you've probably seen the episode of Laverne & Shirley in which Squiggy (or was that Lenny?) declares, "Ah, bowling--the sport of kings." Apparently the late 1970s saw a new "sport" on the horizon. It came from Asia and it's called Airsoft. Let's just say that bowlers may have a right to be offended by our pairing their sport with Airsoft.

Acting on a total weapons ban, some Japanese companies began to produce versions of tactical weapons using what are commonly called BBs for ammunition. Others countries soon followed. After a reader informed us that Airsoft was not just one brand, but a generic name for weapons used in the sport of Airsoft, we found at least 15 companies that produce these watered down versions of high tech weaponry.

How common are Airsoft weapons? While illegal in Australia, Maylaysia, Korea, and some other countries, they're mainly legal in the United States. San Francisco, Washington, Chicago, New York City, and some smaller areas outlaw their purchase or use. No matter what the location in the U.S., all Airsoft guns are classified as illegal weapons if the orange tip has been removed or is painted over.

Can we definitely say Elijah Graham was holding an AK-47 assault rifle? No. We can definitely say that he was either pictured with an AK-47 or an illegal weapon.

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Last month, a Franklin County grand jury indicted Barry R. C. Lane for six counts of sodomy in connection with several incidents involving a young boy. The abuse began in 2004 and continued until last year. Lane quickly posted a 50K bond and returned to the free world. Unfortunately, this isn't such an unusual occurrence these days.

What is unusual is that 21 year-old Lane was already out on bail for similar crimes. From the July 20, 2011,  Franklin County Times:

A Russellville man was arrested Monday on sexually-related charges stemming from incidents that took place over a several-year period, officers said. Barry R.C. Lane, 21, 158 Franks Circle, Russellville, was charged with two counts of first-degree sodomy, second-degree possession of marijuana and another sexually-related charge. According to Franklin County Sheriff Shannon Oliver, the sheriff’s office received a report that Lane had sexually assaulted a female child under the age of 12. During the investigation, Oliver said Lane admitted to the sexual acts and said they were committed over the last several years and even as recently as last month. He is being held at the Franklin County Jail on a $50,000 bond.

Legally, Lane was entitled to the second bond; we do wish that the judicial powers that be in Franklin County had set the bond at a figure ensuring Lane would remain off the streets until his trial.

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Shoalanda