Friday, March 07, 2008

GUNS Magazine: March 1958

The realities are that firearms records give much comfort to the book-keeping personalities in government and law enforcement work, but are functionally of little use in most cases involving criminal uses of firearms. Guns employed by professional crooks are not registered to them. Factory records, although in some cases quite complete, show only the jobber to whom shipped, nothing more. Elements which make a conviction in any case, including those involving firearms, are far more concrete than the shadowy record of gun shipments which lead to a blind wall. The concept of firearms records for crime detection, while theoretically neat, in practice lacks merit. ["What's Happening on the Legal Front," pg. 8]
See, some people knew 50 years ago what a fraud the whole system was--and now, because they weren't listened to, the government is perpetuating the fraud as an excuse to close down gun dealers--all of which does nothing to fight violent crime.

The March 1958 issue of GUNS Magazine is now online. Even then they were at the forefront of informing their readers about regulatory threats to RKBA.

Also in this issue is a warm memorial tribute to the great Ed McGivern, a look at what Eli Whitney gave us besides the cotton gin, articles of interest to collectors, hunters and shooters, and of course, the classic period ads that are both fascinating and frustrating to look at--just remember--back then, a dollar was actually still worth about a dollar.

The Wrong Questions

Having a vested interest in the results can itself lead to an unethical abandonment of the scientific method. But the biggest problem with their “random” sample: None of the boys were active shooters. Aside from a bit of “don’t touch that” counseling, there’s no indication any of them were trained in proper firearms use, regularly participating in supervised shooting with responsible adults. Yet the fact that this, rather than ignorance, might prove the safest course was not even considered.
"The Wrong Questions," my Rights Watch column for the May 2008 (yes, really) issue of GUNS Magazine is now online.

The Chosen People

Who chose them?

Set, of course.I can't help but think of a T-shirt I saw a while back: "Campus Crusade for Cthulu: It Found Me"

Subsitute the chant "O-ba-ma!" with "Thul-sa-Doom!" It fits perfectly.

Friend Russ Howard sent this out the other day:

At first I thought Obama's slogan "Yes we can", was a vapid placebo, but a couple days ago it came to me what it means. We'll be hearing it a lot if Obama becomes President. While the use will always be generally similar, slight variants, emphasis, etc., will depend on the scenario. For example:

"Hey! You can't take 100% of my disposable income!"

"Yes we can."

Or,

"Hey, you can't take my guns!"

"Yes... We ... Can."

Suggested variations, depending on the situation,

* Sideways nod and raised eyebrows for emphasis

* "Oh ho ho ho, yes we can."...

* "Oh really?"...

* Dr. Evil pinkie on the corner of the mouth

etc.

Obama: The Little Commie Who Could.

Pfleger...Paging Snuffy Pfleger...

The stress of defending the pope has led to a number of casualties in the past, raising debate about whether the Swiss Guard and Gendarmerie are anachronisms.

A young Italian Gendarmerie cadet, Alessandro Benedetti, was found dead from gunshot wounds in an apparent suicide in September.

In 1998, Vatican City was rocked by the triple shooting deaths of Alois Estermann, the then-head of the Swiss Guard, together with his Venezuelan wife and a young Swiss Guard lance corporal, Cedric Tornay.

The Holy See blamed Mr. Tornay for shooting the other two before turning his gun on himself.
Shouldn't you be, like, outside protesting with a mob and threatening to "snuff out" Pope B-E-N-E-D-I-C-T or something...?

Just Who is Being "Indifferent" Here?

Appearing bright-eyed in a gold tie and dark suit, the tall blond gun seller comfortably deflected Ferguson's suggestions that he might intentionally violate the law.

His attorney, Richard Gardiner of Fairfax, Va., would often mock Ferguson's attempt to probe Horsley's intentions, aiming to steal Ferguson's thunder.

"Were you doing that because you didn't care about what the law was?" Gardiner asked Horsley, who answered "no."

"Were you doing that because you were disregarding the law?" he asked again. Again Horsley answered in the negative.
Ryan acquits himself well in spite of badgering by a US Attorney doing her level best to destroy his reputation and his family business.

Good grief, this entire fiasco is such an obviously overblown vendetta--let's just hope the judge sees through it--it's in his hands now.

I've talked to Ryan many times. This guy's a freakin' Norman Rockwell painting. He's like a boy scout, for cryin' out loud, the picture-perfect family man, responsible member of the community, just an all-around solid backbone-of-America citizen, and these...these power freaks are trying to paint him as some sort of shady slimeball intentionally loosing evil guns on the street. And because he didn't roll over and let them just crush him, they've pulled out all the stops.

I find it more than ironic that the operative word used in this story is "indifference." Especially when the people committing the offense of "deliberate indifference" are the ones who swore an oath to uphold the Constitution and who continue to willfully ignore it.

Count on this: If Teddy Kennedy and his partner in advocacy, the "Vote Freedom First President" get their way, Maximum Mike will give America's gun dealers more of the same. And then some.

I wonder what the government in general and BATFU in particular has spent so far on this? Oh well, it's not like it's their money, and they can always get more.

Illinois Continues War on Gun Owners

HB4357-- House Sponsors: Rep. Edward J. Acevedo, Elizabeth Hernandez, Maria Antonia Berrios, Luis Arroyo and Cynthia Soto
Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Provides that 90 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act, it is unlawful for any person within this State to knowingly manufacture, deliver, sell, purchase, or possess or cause to be manufactured, delivered, sold, purchased, or possessed a semi-automatic assault weapon, an assault weapon attachment, any .50 caliber rifle, or .50 caliber cartridge. Provides that beginning 90 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act, it is unlawful for any person within this State to knowingly manufacture, deliver, sell, purchase, or possess or cause to be manufactured, delivered, sold, purchased, or possessed a large capacity ammunition feeding device. Provides that these provisions do not apply to a person who possessed a prohibited weapon, device, or attachment before the effective date of this amendatory Act if the person has provided proof of ownership to the Department of State Police within 90 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act. Provides that on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act, such person may transfer such device only to an heir, an individual residing in another state maintaining that device in another state, or a dealer licensed as a federal firearms dealer. Specifies penalties for violations. Provides exemptions. Provides that the provisions of the Act are severable. Effective immediately.
HB4393-- House Sponsors: Rep. Luis Arroyo and Elizabeth Hernandez
Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Changes references in the statute on unlawful sale of firearms from "sell" or "give" to "transfer". Prohibits multiple sales of handguns within a 30-day period. Creates the offense of unlawful acquisition of handguns. Provides exemptions and affirmative defenses. Penalty is a Class A misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense.
Well, the resident Marxists have made their orders clear. So, Illinois gun owners--what are you gonna do about it? Each and every one of you, personally?

[Via HZ]

Pulling Down Their Briefs

What a cheap trick, using a double entendre to get you to notice something educational.

David E. Young has added two more critiques of pro-DC Heller briefs to the one we discussed earlier. This time, he takes on the City of Chicago and the Education Fund to Stop Gun Violence.

These deserve widespread visibility. I hope each one of you reads them and then tells others about them.

Just don't tell 'em it's good for them.

We're the Only Ones Having You Take the Fall for Us Enough

Amnesty International says at least 290 people died after being struck by police Tasers between 2001 and 2007. The concerns have prompted at least seven states to ban use of the weapons among the general public.

We're all clear on how this works, right? "The Only Ones" abuse them, so we need to make sure they have them and you don't.

Ingenious!

[Via ChareltonHest]

Another Cryptic Subterranean "Only Ones" Festival

Jay. Mac has sent me multiple "Only Ones" posts before. He's got another crop in, and it's a good one:

http://crypticsubterranean.blogspot.com/2008/03/call-who.html
A man's home was being burgled as he hid in it and he tried to call police for three hours; when he had no luck he was forced to phone a local politician who in turn called the Chief of Police and the Mayor. Only then did they dispatch help.

http://crypticsubterranean.blogspot.com/2008/03/chicagos-finest.html
A Chicago cop assaulted two other police officers and a paramedic after getting drunk while off-duty.

http://crypticsubterranean.blogspot.com/2008/03/strawberry-meth-hoax.html
Brit cop gets hoax email about non-existent drug and promptly sends a warning to local schools and families.

http://crypticsubterranean.blogspot.com/2008/03/only-ones-go-to-sea.html
The Coast Guard have been warned to behave more professionally following complaints about how they treat civilian sailors.

http://crypticsubterranean.blogspot.com/2008/03/wasting-police-time.html
A senior cop, in the running to take over London's Metropolitan Police, has ordered staff to monitor his Wikipedia page so that nothing negative appears on it.
"The Only Ones."

Better than us and don't you forget it.

This Day in History: March 7

These Informations alone, ought to suggest to you the Necessity that there is of having, as many of your Militia as possible, immediately embodied and held ready to act as occasion may require.