SFC_Swede

Sir, I appreciate the response, and believe me, I or anyone in my circles have any ill will toward you hard working agents, or any LEO who is sticking his neck out to protect the American people for that matter. I also get your point on the whole "They're coming for us" thing, and normally I ignore it. Especially if theres a Congress/Administration I am at least mildly comfortable with. I'm not that good a writer, so maybe I was too vague or inconsistent, but we have your back sir as agents and appreciate the grueling hours and work that you put in to keep America safe. I feel its an extremely short sighted mistake to paint any agency, group, or community with a broad brush. I did counterdrug work with the DEA and Arkansas State Police back in 2000-2001, so I understand how perception isnt always reality and how you can become the boogieman over night. That said, the political/bureaucratic wing of your agency sometimes scares the bejeezus out of me. I agree and appreciate everything you put in your reply. I just hope the Constitution and our society are strong enough to allow our children to enjoy the freedoms we both have served and worked so hard to protect. Stay safe, and keep your powder dry. We ever meet up, the first beers on me. Be home in another 6 months.

John Boy, I've gotten word of who you are and Jumper is right. We disagree on this website but your service at Waco and elsewhere make you instantly credible so I will respect your views.

On the topic of enemies, ATF will always have its enemies. But the stronger enemy has emerged from within and as you know, the only way to chase the cockroaches out is shine a light on them. When your peers exposed themselves to speak out on Waco didn't you remain concealed and hidden giving a statement in shadows? John Dodson didn't. Vince Cefalu hasn't. Frank D'Alesio won't. Hiram Andres couldn't. Some of those who ATF attempted to destroy did what management wanted them to. Roll over, keep quiet, retire or wait for time to pass so they can return to good graces and have a new cushy job. Others have not. I'll come out an be honest, if not embarrassed. I'm not about to. I can't stand the heat. I am one of the ones silent in the shadows.

I understand you work with Dobyns on NIBIN (thank you Webmaster for taking up for my friends Jay and Vince). I think you should tell him to keep quiet and solve his problem "in house". I challenge you to have that conversation with him. Do you have any idea what ATF did to him? Even the slightest? The details of those events that most of ATF is aware of are those that have been spun out of HQ (take the credibility of the HQ sources for whatever you feel they are worth). The Dobyns debacle is one the great personal tragedies ever at ATF. No comparison to Ariel Rios, Waco or Brian Terry's murder but none-the-less a black eye on ATF for allowing what has happened to him. Very discouraging to anyone here who ever laid it on the line and of all people you know that.

Before I signed on to read today's banter I checked this site and found this posting. Read the comments and give Jay a call. http://blog.jaydobyn...?p=325#comments You complain about this website spinning inaccurate information. Pick up the phone and tell him you are defending the people that have permitted and continue for this to happen.

What is to be accomplished at CUATF? This is not my platform but change, hopefully. Accountability. That might be naive, maybe improbable, likely impossible. Do you want to sit back after what you have been through and cross your fingers that things will get better? ATF has declined since Waco. That is not good enough for a lot of people who view this agency as more than a regular paycheck. Is there anyone at ATF that you feel is going to step up and right the wrongs? I want to find the hope that you have somehow found. John Boy consider this. ATF has 5000 employees, maybe 2500 agents. Of those only a very small portion will stand up to the machine for good "survival instinct" reasons. So if this site is as you claim not accomplishing anything how do you account for over 150,000 viewings and thousands of postings? Your topic alone has almost 1,000 viewings since it was created 24 hours ago.

Lots of people are watching and most are not ATF personnel and the numbers confirm that. Are some ATF's enemies? Without a doubt. But are some oversight agencies, government watchdogs, independent bloggers, members of Congress and the Senate, the Attorney General's office, the White House, the State Department, Foreign governments, civilians. You bet they are. This site is causing change, they are just not doing it the way you want them to.

Again, give us an idea. You passed on the request to come to HQ.

Sir, I wouldn’t call those "enemies" as you listed as much as checks and balances. Your real enemies are the criminals who willfully break the existing laws. I for one want an ATF to keep criminal guns off the streets, and to enforce the rule of law. And I am sure the majority of those listed (at least I hope so) feel the same. Just because we may be strong 2nd Amendment proponent’s doesn’t mean we are naive on the threat of terrorism, and narco thugs operating within the border and want the agency killed. The issue with many of us is when the Agency is used for political purposes because the politicians know that perusing an antigun agenda on law abiding American's is a non winner for them at the ballot box. Instead of Congress and the Executive branch having the courage of their conviction to pass a law as laid out in the Constitution, they circumvent the system utilizing the bureaucracy. Case in point in an email I received from The National Association for Gun Rights yesterday: "With the tacit approval of the Obama Administration, the ATF hopes to use bureaucratic rule changes to ban the importation and sale of certain shotguns based on their twisted view of the “sporting purposes” clause in the 1968 Gun Control Act." I could go into the details, but you’re probably more familiar with the study than I am, but as I read it, my tactical shotguns are about to go the way of the Dodo. Its things like this that pit ordinary, law abiding, patriotic American’s against the ATF as an agency. Instead of enforcing law, its circumventing the legislative process, creating an edict against law abiding citizens and sticking good agents in the middle. If there is an illegal sale...I got that, and please throw the book at those involved, but good lord man....most of us are just trying to protect our homes and fmailies, just as I am sure you do.
I could be soup sandwich, and willing to listen to the others comments...but it’s my $.02.

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing" Edmund Burke

"We have openly reported to Senators Leahy, Feinstein, and others with documentation and proof of Waste, Fraud and Abuse, Gross mismanagement and Internal abuses and self promoting practices which have created an institutional air of fear and reprisal."

Sir, with all due respect, approaching Senators Leahy and Feinstein may have been part of the problem. It is this citizens honest opinion that neither of these two are interested in the Constitution or Rule of Law. Unless of course that rule of law agrees with them and their ideology. I also dont believe the Republican's have the cashews to go against this Administration or the DOJ either for political reasons. Time will tell.

I have a great deal of respect for LEO's who put themselves on the line as much or more than I do as a US Soldier. And I am thankful to see that steps are being taken from within to bring honor and fidelity to the ATF and restore its imagine in the eyes of the American people. We all took oaths to protect the Constitution of the United States and operate with the rule of law, and thanks to you folks a lot of false images of the agency are being dispelled. Best of luck.