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| − | The '''Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives''' (ATF, BATF, or BATFE) is a [[law enforcement]] agency within the United States [[Department of Justice]] mandated to enforce [[federal]] criminal laws concerning the unlawful use, manufacture, and possession of [[firearm]]s and explosives, as well as acts of [[arson]] and [[bomb]]ings, and illegal trafficking of [[alcoholic drinks|alcohol]] and [[tobacco]] products. The ATF also regulates the firearms and explosives industries via licensing. | + | The '''Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives''' (ATF or BATFE) is a [[law enforcement]] agency within the United States [[Department of Justice]] mandated to enforce [[federal]] criminal laws concerning the unlawful use, manufacture, and possession of [[firearm]]s and explosives, as well as acts of [[arson]] and [[bomb]]ings, and illegal trafficking of [[alcoholic drinks|alcohol]] and [[tobacco]] products. The ATF also regulates the firearms and explosives industries via licensing. The agency was formerly the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in the Department of Treasury, but was renamed when moved to the Department of Justice on January 17, 2003.<ref>Title XI of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, Public Law 107-296.</ref> |
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| − | They were formerly known as the [[Department of the Treasury]] BATF, but are now the BATFE(xplosives) of the DOJ. Now they are a "real" [[:Category:List of Law Enforcement Agencies|law enforcement agency]] instead of mere [[tax]] collectors like the [[IRS]].
| + | The ATF works directly, and through partnerships with local law enforcement agencies to investigate and reduce crime.<ref>[http://www.atf.gov/about/mission.htm Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ]</ref> The ATF employs approximately 5000 people across America and has a budget of nearly 1 billion dollars. Since 2001 the ATF has trained almost 6000 bomb technicians and investigators. |
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| − | The ATF works directly, and through partnerships with local [[law enforcement]] agencies to investigate and reduce crime.<ref>[http://www.atf.gov/about/mission.htm Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ] </ref> The ATF employs approximately 5000 people across America and has a budget of nearly 1 billion dollars. Since 2001 the ATF has trained almost 6000 bomb technicians and investigators. | + | The ATF was severely criticized in the 1990s following several botched investigations and high-profile shootings and deaths, including the Waco Siege of the [[Branch Davidians]] in [[Waco]], [[Texas]]. During the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations, the ATF conducted "[[Operation Fast and Furious]]" which involved selling rifles to Mexican [[drug cartels]]. A gun sold through the operation was later used to kill a US agent, and others were associated with various murders in Arizona and Mexico. |
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| − | ==Conservative Veterans, Gun Enthusiasts See Police State Behaviors== | + | ==See also== |
| − | Many [[Conservative]] [[veteran]]s, [[American]] [[Oath Keepers|Oath Keeper]] [[Patriot]]s, [[gun enthusiast]]s and [[:Category:Survivalists|preppers]] see the BATFE's behaviors since the [[Waco]] and [[Ruby Ridge]] [[tyranny|tyrannical]] episodes as [[police state]] behaviors.
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| − | The ATF was severely criticized in the 1990's following several botched investigations and high profile shootings and "accidental" deaths, including the Waco Siege of the [[Branch Davidians]] in [[Waco]], [[Texas]]. During the [[George W. Bush]] and [[Barack Obama]] administrations, the ATF conducted "[[Operation Fast and Furious]]" which involved selling [[AR-15]] and other [[assault rifle]]s to [[Mexico|Mexican]] [[drug cartels]]. A gun sold through the operation was later used to murder a US agent, and others were associated with various murders in [[Arizona]] and Mexico.
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| − | ===Malum In Se (Evil in Itself) versus Malum Prohibitum (Wrong Prohibited)===
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| − | While conservatives never advocate committing [[crime]]s which are ''[[mala in se]]'' (i.e. "evil in themselves"), [[freedom]]-loving Americans should routinely challenge all ''[[mala prohibita]]'' (wrongs, though not evil, yet prohibited). A conservative [[gun enthusiast]] can think of no better example of such "victimless crime" legislation more deserving of our contempt that [[interstate commerce]] [[gun control]] regulations of the BATF, [[Obama Administration]] [[Executive Order]]s, and [[Eric Holder]]'s BATF orders. While it is never "evil in itself" (''[[malum in se]]'') for a peaceable American to buy a [[gun]] across [[State]] lines (just like a bottle of [[beer]]), [[Congress]] has deemed such a "wrong prohibited" (''[[malum prohibitum]]'') with [[felony]] [[prison]] sentences and large [[fine]]s (see [[MSSA v. Holder]]). As [[Emerson]] wrote: "Every actual State is [[corruption|corrupt]]. Good men must not obey the laws too well."
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| − | ==See Also==
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| − | * [[MSSA v. Holder]]: [[Montana]] and [[Second Amendment Foundation]] versus [[Eric Holder] over [[intrastate]] gun commerce
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| | * [[Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau]] in the U.S. Department of Treasury | | * [[Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau]] in the U.S. Department of Treasury |
| − | * [[Second Amendment|Second Amendment Defenders]]: [[National Rifle Association]], [[Gun Owners of America]], [[Second Amendment Foundation]]
| + | ==External links== |
| − | * [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] ([[FBI]])
| + | * [http://www.atf.gov Official ATF.gov website] |
| − | * [[Drug Enforcement Administration]] ([[DEA]])
| + | * [http://www.atf.gov/regulations-rulings/ ATF Regulations] |
| − | * [[Immigration and Customs Enforcement]] (ICE)
| + | * [http://www.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/cfrassemble.cgi?title=200327 (Search ATF Regulations)] |
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| − | ==Bibliography - Further Reading==
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| − | * [[Boston T. Party|Party, Boston T.]], [[Boston's Gun Bible]]. [[Wyoming]] [[American Redoubt]] [[Javelin Press]], 2008. Contains several chapters related to the BATF, with many references and discussions of the BATF, Waco and Ruby Ridge.
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| − | * [[Boston T. Party|Party, Boston T.]], [[Molon Labe!]]. [[Wyoming]] [[American Redoubt]] [[Javelin Press]], 30 January 2004, 454 pp (first edition, paperback), ISBN 1-888766-07-7 - Conservative [[Christian]] [[Libertarian]] [[dystopian]] fiction novel entirely based around the issue of [[States' rights]] and the [[Tenth Amendment]]'s connection with the [[Second Amendment]] right to [[firearms|armed]] [[citizen]] defense against federal [[tyranny]]. Contains several chapters related to the BATF, with many references and discussions of the BATF, Waco and Ruby Ridge.
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| − | * {{cite book|first=Jim|last=Moore|title=Very Special Agents: The Inside Story of America's Most Controversial Law Enforcement Agency--the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms|origyear=1997|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=b-UVWCzpD5YC&pg=PA306&lpg=PA306&dq=(%22John+Magaw%22++OR+%22John+W.+Magaw%22+OR+%22J+W+Magaw%22+OR+%22Magaw,+John%22)+1935&source=bl&ots=aMUMhJ1X3a&sig=458yNpr9pbNmORjJ7R4ruagyveE&hl=en&ei=SFH7Sd2gN5LyMtX5oLUE&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4|year=2001|publisher=University of Illinois Press|accessdate=2009-05-01|isbn=978-0-252-07025-9 |pages=306–307|edition=reprint, illustrated}}
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| − | ==External Links== | + | |
| − | * [http://www.atf.gov official website] | + | |
| − | * [http://www.atf.gov/regulations-rulings/ ATF Regulations] [http://www.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/cfrassemble.cgi?title=200327 (Search ATF Regulations)] | + | |
| − | * [http://thefederalregister.com/b.p/agency/Alcohol,_Tobacco,_Firearms,_and_Explosives_Bureau/ Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, And Explosives Bureau Meeting Notices and Rule Changes] from The [[Federal Register]] [http://thefederalregister.com/rss/agency/Alcohol,_Tobacco,_Firearms,_and_Explosives_Bureau/ RSS Feed]
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| − | * [http://www.state.gov/m/ds/ U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service] (DSS)
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| − | * [http://openregs.com/agencies/view/132/bureau_of_alcohol_tobacco_firearms_and_explosives Proposed and finalized federal regulations from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives]
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| − | * [http://www.insigniaspoliciales.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1225/ ATF Badge]
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| | ==References== | | ==References== |
| | <references/> | | <references/> |
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| − | [[Category : United States Department of Justice]] | + | [[Category:United States Department of Justice]] |
| − | [[Category : List of Law Enforcement Agencies]] | + | [[Category:Law Enforcement Agencies]] |
| − | [[Category : Anti Second Amendment]] | + | [[Category:Systems of Support]] |
| − | [[Category : Firearms]]
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| − | [[Category : Police State]]
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The ATF works directly, and through partnerships with local law enforcement agencies to investigate and reduce crime.[2] The ATF employs approximately 5000 people across America and has a budget of nearly 1 billion dollars. Since 2001 the ATF has trained almost 6000 bomb technicians and investigators.
The ATF was severely criticized in the 1990s following several botched investigations and high-profile shootings and deaths, including the Waco Siege of the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas. During the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations, the ATF conducted "Operation Fast and Furious" which involved selling rifles to Mexican drug cartels. A gun sold through the operation was later used to kill a US agent, and others were associated with various murders in Arizona and Mexico.
