Feds ready to seize more (Gibson) guitars at concerts

[Afghan Dave]

The US’s fourth branch of government, the bureaucracy, is at it again.  For some reason, the US Fish and Wildlife Service sees it necessary to use American taxpayer dollars to focus on a tariff law violation concerning wood.  They are so determined to eradicate illegal wood that they are even considering threatening this year’s summer concerts.  Among some of the notable names of rock stars that might be affected: Sheryl Crow, Van Halen, and especially Ted Nugent are on the roster.

The target is the world renowned Gibson Guitars; the ones that the titans of rock will be playing this summer.  Of course, this isn’t the first time that the Feds have come to blows with this delinquent guitar manufacturer.  On August 25th, 2011 the US Fish and Wildlife Service raided the Memphis and Nashville Gibson factories with astonishing force and guns drawn: as if they were expecting return fire.

This year, the Feds must really be itching for a fight.  Apparently, they intend to play ball on the away field, and raid 2012 summer concerts.  Of course, their track record suggests that guns will be drawn for these raids too.  These reports have many Americans dumbfounded that this could even be happening in the country where rock was invented.  Anthony Martin of Examiner.com writes,

    If the feds raid summer concerts, major disruptions will ensue which will impact the fans who paid hefty ticket fees to see their favorite musicians such as Sheryl Crow, Ted Nugent, and Paul McCartney, all of whom use Gibson guitars.

Ted Nugent will not go quietly, as he has already been very vocal on the subject.  He was in fact so vocal, that this rock rebel came under the hawk eye of the Secret Service for his comments on HumanEvents.com:

    I am the Great White Buffalo and I play an American-made Gibson guitar that can blow your head clean off at 100 paces. Now if we can just blow the head clean off the Fedzilla beast in November, this sort of government abuse will come to an end, of that I am certain.

However, elected officials are stepping up, very concerned about the actions of those who were not elected.  R-TN Senator Lamar Alexander said, “I don’t want the musicians from Nashville who are flying to Canada to perform this summer to worry about the government seizing their guitars…” He goes on to say that, “…Sen. Wyden and I are going to make it absolutely clear. We hope to get a clear ruling within a few weeks, and if we can’t get a clear ruling, we’ll introduce legislation to change the Lacey Act.”

The law, to which the senator was referring, is 112 years old and was originally written to establish trade regulations for bird feathers.  In 2008, however, it was changed to protect wood, and the Feds have most certainly laid down the law with a display of force.  Of course, what happened in 2011 is only scenery for the onlooker; people want to know why.  Why would Obama and Eric Holder’s Justice Department go after Gibson?  Martin further states:

    First, the Obama Administration has a history of harassing non-union companies and even unionized companies that move their operations to right-to-work states. Second, Gibson’s closest competitor, Martin Guitars, is operated by a major Democrat-supporter and uses wood from the same sources as Gibson. But Martin has never been harassed.

It seems as if the Feds would simply like to do away with Gibson Guitars for their crimes against wood.  To them, international law takes priority over Constitution law, and this is becoming more and more apparent as their encroachments against liberty become more and more blatant.  Then again, perhaps they would just rather see Ted Nugent play a guitar that is made in China.

http://www.ijreview.com/2012/05/5881-out-of-control-feds-ready-to-seize-more-guitars-at-concerts/

[Elliot]

I would rather see Ted Nugent play a guitar made in China.  If only to piss him off big time - and preferably one of the ones made about 40 years ago that fell apart after 2 strums. 

[AndyR]

What a load of old @rse...

Apparently it's only guitars made since 2008 - or is that guitars made with wood sourced (suspiciously) since 2008?

Sounds to me like there's some folks having wa-ay too much fun doing their jobs.

I must cancel my up-and-coming sell-out tour of the States immediately, either that or leave my Gibsons at home and take some nice Japanese-made instruments instead :lol:

[gwEm]

Sounds like an April Fool. But it seems from some digging online that its entirely serious.

[Afghan Dave]

Sounds like an April Fool. But it seems from some digging online that its entirely serious.

Thought that myself so I did a little check before posting and yup, it seems the story is legit!

[AndyR]

Yep, I'd already been reading about it elsewhere for a day or so.

The politicians thinking there might be a bit of a problem of this nature was not news to me, but the idea that the Feds really are getting tooled up to grab stuff off musicians (rather than various people fearing they might) was...

I suppose that bit might still be media/politicians talking it up, and there aren't really a bunch of G-Men cleaning and polishing their pump-action shotguns even as we speak... :lol:

[Philly Q]

It's all so stupid.

OK, if there's an issue about the source of the timber do what you have to do, put a stop to it.

But seizing guitars off musicians, or even unsold ones which are still in shops or warehouses?  It's not only petty, it must also be costly in terms of the resources needed to make the seizures.  Just leave it you gun-toting macho idiots.  :roll:

[Dmoney]

"It seems as if the Feds would simply like to do away with Gibson Guitars for their crimes against wood"

This explains it then. The 'Feds' all play guitar and they didn't like the Firewood X either!

[nfe]

All these articles are unreadable due to the absurd level of knee-jerk politicising. I mean look at this websites main page. All hysterical bullshit.

The first paragraph of their headline article (even ignoring the appalling prose) :lol:

Obama just has not seemed to grasp the whole concept behind the Constitution. He continues to act like it is just an antiquated document that should not be taken so seriously. His family may not have taught young Barack about the value and importance of the creation American freedom, and maybe because they could not totally understand it being from Kenya, but the documents written in the 1700’s were not taken lightly and were written to protect Americans in the future for centuries to come.

Gods I'm glad I don't have to deal with an insufferable US press daily. Give it five years, mind.

[Loomer]

I'm pretty sure Obama has absolutely nothing to do with this at all. I seriously doubt Obama is even aware of this matter at all, given all the other mountains of bullshitee the poor sod has to deal with. It's waaaay too small a matter in the grand scheme of things to be overseen by a president, that much should be glaringly obvious to anyone with even half a brain.

However, much of the American press does not seem to possess even that.

[MDV]

that much should be glaringly obvious to anyone with even half a brain.

However, much of the American press does not seem to possess even that.

I'm fairly sure this is because the american press is drawn from and caters to the american population.

I saw some fox news once. It was like 24 with half-arsed statistics. It made the sun look erudite and civilised.

[TheyCallMeVolume]

What a load of old @rse...

Apparently it's only guitars made since 2008 - or is that guitars made with wood sourced (suspiciously) since 2008?

Sounds to me like there's some folks having wa-ay too much fun doing their jobs.

I must cancel my up-and-coming sell-out tour of the States immediately, either that or leave my Gibsons at home and take some nice Japanese-made instruments instead :lol:

I love this. lol