On the Schumer/Feinstein CCWs

Jim Kouri of the National Association of Chiefs of Police writes:

At the same time, there are outspoken opponents of gun ownership, such as Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Diane Feinstein (D-CA), who are carrying concealed weapons, according to WABC Radio's Mark Levin.

Naturally, I'm trying to track down as much information as I can about these claims, including who the permit-issuing authorities are.

I called Landmark Legal Foundation, which Mr. Levin heads, and spoke with Eric Christensen. Mr. Christensen called Mr. Levin and then called me back, telling me the information for Sen. Feinstein came from Wikipedia/Answers.com, and the Schumer information "was from a cop from New Jersey who called in to Mark's show."

I let Mr. Christensen know that any further information that becomes known on this will be appreciated, and will keep my eyes and ears open. I'll try to track down that Wikipedia link later today. If somebody gets to it sooner, please let me know.

UPDATE:

The Feinstein Wikipedia link, which doesn't appear to address this, is here, and the Answers.com link, which does, is here. The Feinstein information has been around for some time--I don't know if it is still current--I've also read claims that she now has a US Marshal's badge allowing her to carry anywhere, but only bring it up because it's on topic, not because I can prove it.

Bottom line--if these claims are true, there's not much specificity to them, and the tracks have been covered well, at least beyond my limited ability to investigate.

Well THIS Would Explain Quite a Bit

The NOPD may have padded the payroll.

[via SayUncle]

What the Hell is Wrong With People?

Some northwest Louisiana gun shops saw an increase in sales in the weeks following Hurricane Katrina and owners attribute it to New Orleans area residents planning to return home.

I just don't get it. Talk about making a bad situation worse! Don't they know that guns cause violence? Only the police are professional enough to carry guns, and they will give you all the protection you need.

No?

"We Want Your Visit to be Safe and Positive"

The propaganda the Bradys are disseminating at Florida airports to scare off tourists really does show how sick these people are.

Here's their main handout, urging visitors to "take sensible precautions" while promulgating their deranged fantasy that life's setbacks prompt normal people to respond with lethal force.

Another handout, "The Brady Backgrounder," says Florida is "LICENSING AND IMMUNIZING PARANOID VIOLENCE."

To prove their point, the following scenario is posited:

Imagine, if you will, the times in your life when you’ve been afraid of another human being: A motorist who threatened you on the highway, a group of teenagers who threatened you on a street corner, a homeless man who harassed you and called you names for refusing to give him spare change, a drunk in a bar who tries to pick a fight.

Now imagine that you killed all those people. Imagine that everyone killed all the people that ever gave them a nervous adrenalin rush.

Good Lord. That has to be one of the sicker fantasies I've seen. Whoever came up with it could use a mental health professional to get to the root of their neurotic distrust. And they call us paranoid?

Perhaps it would be helpful to remind visitors that being armed really does deter crime--as evidenced by all those tourists targeted a few years back because Florida citizens were--which influenced the predators to seek out easier prey.

Debatable -- Should You Have the Right to Carry a Gun?

It's not debatable at all. I have that right. No one else has any legitimate say in the matter.

But this is the kind of nonsense we've come to expect from Racine's Green Party Alderman Pete Karas, who is organizing a demonstration demanding his constituents be disarmed under force of arms--and he no doubt will have a gaggle of ninnies with him bleating in agreement.

Karas is the same anti-defense fanatic who doesn't want the cops handing out Eddie Eagle coloring books to kids because "by making kids aware of guns ... they may, in essence, be harming children, especially those who are contemplating juvenile suicide or juvenile homicide."

Rational guy, eh? What must that say of his constituents? Maybe anyone who voted for him is too dumb to be trusted with weapons.

Inmate Found Carrying Gun in Courthouse

[T]he county jail inmate and convicted felon hid a .38-caliber snub-nosed revolver with hollow-point bullets, the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office said...

"We're still investigating how he got the gun," Sheriff's Office spokesman Lt. Chuck Lesaltato said. "We're looking at the whole thing from the time he was arrested to the time he was arrested at the courthouse."

Government "authorities" are at it again, with the same non-proprietary competence we've all come to expect.

How does the cliché go? When guns are outlawed...

And it's not like finding someone in custody with a firearm hasn't happened before [warning--graphic video].

And before.

And before...

Desperate Bradys Resort to Insults

The Brady Center will be protesting Florida's new self defense law.

In a flier the group plans to pass out at Miami International Airport and possibly Orlando International Airport, tourists will be admonished to take precautions that include: "Do not argue unnecessarily with local people."

Can you believe the nerve? Trying to make people think Floridians are violent hotheads who will shoot people over disagreements?

These liars have been waving red flags at gun owners for years. Yet the instances of violence and criminality we see all seem to come from the anti-defense zealots--not from armed Bill of Rights advocates.

I can think of a few creative and funny ways to (peaceably) monkeywrench these dolts--but I have a feeling they're going to make fools of themselves just fine without any outside help at all.

Miers to Replace O'Connor?

Will Harriet Miers be Bush's pick for the Supreme Court?

God, I hope not.

She's a big proponent of "Project Safe Neighborhoods", so we know where she stands on "shall not be infringed."

Shoulder-to-shoulder with other supporters of the federal gun control program.

A Temporary Delay

House Majority Leader Tom Delay has temporarily stepped down from the leadership position following his indictment by a Texas grand jury on campaign finance conspiracy charges.

Rep. Roy Blunt of Missouri, the current Republican whip, will temporarily fill the leadership position.

This should not change much for gun owners. Delay has an A rating and Blunt has an A- rating from GOA.

Government Gun Control

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is joining the investigation of a state-run gun museum in Claremore... three cannons and about six-thousand guns are missing from the museum. Officials have said one gun from the museum was found at a crime scene in New York and another was found in Maine.

Sometimes I think if we just let the incompetent boobs run everything without opposition, we might actually end up with more freedom.

Homeowner Buys Gun After His Home Was Robbed In Montgomery

I guess it's better late than never.

Can you imagine watching intruders break into your home--and being helpless to protect your family?

I wonder if he's been sufficiently awakened to start helping in the fight to preserve rkba that's been going on while he slumbered?

The Braindead Tree

To some, who played cops and robbers and cowboys and Indians by the hour in their youth, this zero tolerance could seem like overreacting, but times are different now. An aggressive approach against weapons in school, real or toy, is a necessity in this age of violence.

More manipulated nonsense from those in charge. What are the chances inmates raised under this level of hysteria will grow into free citizens--jealous of their heritage of liberty and prepared to defend it?

What, the IRA HASN'T Disarmed?

"The more spotlight is put on this, the more we discover there is a cover-up.

"Part of the weapons that should have been decommissioned have disappeared and security forces admit they are probably in the hands of dissidents."

What a surprise.

Who could have imagined this might happen?

New Direction for Faulty Compass

P. Edwin Compass III has resigned.

Wonder if he'll be allowed to keep his guns?

Hessian Continues War on Guns/Reuters Continues War on Truth

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said on Friday that citizen patrols of his state's border with Mexico must be unarmed to avoid violence... Schwarzenegger had expressed support in April for the vigilantes, who began patrolling the U.S.-Mexican border in Arizona to draw attention to illegal immigration...

Arnhole's move doesn't surprise me--I would expect no less from a foreign national (he never gave up his Austrian citizenship--even though he swore an oath to renounce it when he "became" an American) who was the first governor to ban, among other things, politically incorrect caliber bolt action and semiauto rifles. I also expect California gun owners will roll over in fear and vote for him again because of the Democrats--again giving the Republicans carte blanche to continue their betrayals under the can't-prove it-by-me "lesser of two evils" doctrine. And I expect the major gun groups to continue giving the Hessian a pass--just like they did last time--and to withhold the truth from their members about their involvement with Arnold, as evidenced by this deleted page.

Also deleted for some (CYA) reason is Reuters' explanation for why they no longer use the word "terrorist" when describing head-sawing, civilian-bombing savages. I bring this up because "reporter" Jim Christie isn't shy about branding peaceable Americans who simply observe and report crimes to the authorities as "vigilantes." So much for Reuters' vaunted editorial pledge:

We do not take sides and attempt to reflect in our stories, pictures and video the views of all sides. We are not in the business of glorifying one side or another or of disseminating propaganda. Reuters journalists do not offer their own opinions or views.

Right.

[Liberty Belles]

Who Could Be Kookier Than Wendy?

Wendy Cukier, that is.

Cukier, president of the Toronto-based Coalition for Gun Control, says the long hours she's put in lobbying the government to bring in tougher gun laws have been therapeutic.

The Ryerson University professor says the 1989 Montreal massacre, in which 14 young female students were gunned down, prompted her to take up the cause.

Therapeutic for whom?

Seems to me if people are helpless and being slaughtered, the answer is to make them not helpless. And how will forcing those who don't engage in massacres into telling you what guns they own gonna help?

The Canadian government has spent [visualize Dr. Evil here] $2 BILLION Dollars on a gun registration boondoggle that most Canadians just ignore.

But apparently it's "therapeutic" for Wendy to know she's an apologist for coercing, criminalizing and destroying her countrymen if they don't bend to her sick will.

I guess the question is, how long are Canadians going to allow kooky broads like this any say at all when it comes to their rights?

Disasters, Unease Draw New Customers to Firearms

I suppose it's better late than never. And such trends--especially in "liberal" places like Oahu--gotta show the Bradys how irrelvant they are when TSHTF, which is a good thing.

But sometimes I feel like an alien in my own culture:

What is this permit you speak of?

Irish Republican Army Officially Disarms

I didn't believe it when the media first started making noises about it and I don't believe it now.

Bill St. Clair on Handgun Club of America

I wrote a letter last Thursday to HCA about their membership requirement that you promise to "observe all firearm laws." Josh Manheimer wrote back to me the same day saying that his editor agreed with me and that they would remove it from the pledge. They removed it. I joined.

Video: Only Following Orders

That excuse didn't work at Nuremberg.

It shouldn't work in America.

So much for taking an oath to defend the Constitution.

I love the way the "watchdog press" covers up for these stormtroopers--saying they're not using force when they clearly show them using force. And I love the way New Orleans officials are now saying they never issued any orders to confiscate firearms. If that's the case, this news clip is evidence of crimes being committed under color of authority.

But it is a new twist: I was only following orders that were never given.

The Eye of Sauron

Internet users hoping to protect their privacy by using anti-virus software, Web anonymizers, false identities and disabled cookies on their computer's Web browser have something new to worry about – a patent filed by the National Security Agency (NSA) for technology that will identify the physical location of any Web surfer.

But, hey, if you aren't doing anything wrong...

HCA Update Request

One of the frequent commenters to my original Handgun Club of America post recommends calling attention to the 35 comments it has generated to date. Because it is now buried by newer posts, he doesn't want to see the debate end because visitors don't know it's there.

I've done a few updates to this, including reporting that HCA has now added Second Amendment-related information to their site, but then regretfully relaying that in order to join, you must pledge to "observe all firearm laws."

Anyway, the comments range from spirited defenses of HCA by its officers and supporters, to spirited negative comments. Check them out and decide for yourself, and feel free to leave your own comments, criticisms and testimonials.

"Compliance With Gun Registry 'Virtually Nil'"

Canadian patriots are ingoring the edict to register their firearms.

The government is demonstrably unable to enforce a law defied by so many. It comes out looking like a bunch of impotent fools.

American gun owners could learn a lesson from our northern brothers.

American "gun rights leaders" could learn a lesson from "Jim Turnbull, president of the 5,000 member Canadian Unregistered Firearms Owners Association."

Lead us. Demand repeal of existing gun laws, not enforcement. Encourage defiance, not obedience.

GUNS EFAD Thread at THR

Author Matthew Bracken has started a thread over at The High Road about my review of "Enemies Foreign and Domestic" in the November issue of GUNS Magazine (on sale now, hint, hint).

One comment from "Sharps Shooter" made my day:

Quite the coincidence - I just read the review, not 5 minutes ago. I picked up the November issue of "GUNS" while in town earlier today. After reading the review, I decided "ENEMIES, FOREIGN and DOMESTIC" is going to be my next book purchase. I think the review is very positive and I'm looking forward to reading the book.

That kind of feedback really makes a difference, because the odds are, it's not a random isolated sentiment.

I remember after my GUNS review of "The Black Arrow" came out, Vin Suprynowicz wrote this to me:

I'm not sure how to deal with one $24 check that arrived here in the handwriting of an apparently very old fellow from Tennessee, made payable to "David Codrea" and itemized "for the Black Book."

Like "The Black Arrow," I can't recommend "Enemies Foreign and Domestic" highly enough. And while I'm not at liberty to post the entire review here due to copyright ownership, I can give an excerpt that I think summarizes the book's central thesis:

But back a man into a corner with other men—all proficient in modern weaponry, and all unbending believers in liberty—make it clear that you mean to destroy them, and a most dangerous type of resistance is born: a competent one.

Buy this book.

Check Out "The Gun Guy"

Ooops--wrong one!

This is the sheet-soaker who honored GunTruths.com with a "despicable five bullet rating" (5 out of 5 rounds!) a few years back. He accused us of "trivializing the holocaust, and equating gun control to the Nazi's extermination of the Jews, gypsies, gays, and political dissidents."

Don't tell him about JPFO or "Innocents Betrayed" or "'Gun Control': Gateway to Tyranny.". Don't tell him about "Registration: The Nazi Paradigm," or "The Darker Side of Gun Control." We mustn't upset his genocide-enabling ignorance.

Besides--who are you really inclined to believe--the leader of a Jewish civil rights group and an attorney/scholar who has argued cases before the Supreme Court, or some smarmy punk who anonymously belittles your right, and the right of those you love, to the means of self defense?

Another Question About the NOLA Restraining Order

Anybody seen the text of the complaint or the ruling?

I keep seeing it billed as a "Second Amendment victory."

Anybody know if the Second Amendment is even mentioned?

Be nice to get another individual rights ruling. Did we?

Turns Out What Yale Women Want...

...is a man.

Sorry, Jeff Mankoff.

Although editorialist Karen Stabiner might make a good match for you--that is, if she can ever stop seething with resentment against women who choose to be nurturing wives and mothers instead of indignant leftist harridans.

Whatever happened to a woman's right to choose? Or tolerance? Or diversity?

The truth is, and Stabiner's bitter words prove it, any deviation from the radical feminist agenda is viewed as a personal affront. Women are to be celebrated for their minds--paradoxically unless and until they disagree with the zealot orthodoxy, at which point they become deluded victims of patriarchal exploitation.

It's the same reason the left hates gun ownership: We've worked so hard to create a nanny state. How dare you ingrates reject it and pursue selfish individualism?

It's heartening to see this--perhaps the movement to suppress individuality will prove as effective as other efforts of the collective. Perhaps a critical mass of free-thinking individuals will always slip through the cracks--just enough to keep the embers of freedom glowing. That means there's still a chance for a genuine blaze to break out, maybe some day a genuine bonfire.

But for the short terms, it's nice to see a good portion of Yale women deciding that what they want is a man. I hope they also realize that real men don't need nannies.

The Responsibilities of Gun Ownership

Sailor Curt thinks one of them is activism. He just added a detailed comment to my original Handgun Club of America article that I think bears special consideration.

Incidentally, he has his own blog, Captain of a Crew of One (I'm the Captain of my ship, but I'm the only crew. All hands on deck!), recently added to the WoG blogroll.

Help Cure Hoplophobia

Another ally of those who fear armed citizens:

Stephen M. Ressa, 27, also told police he saw people with their hands in their pockets and thought they might be armed with guns...

So he plowed his car into them.

Thank goodness he was licensed and his deadly assault weapon was registered.

Wonder if the Million Moms will give him an Apple Pie Award?

Restraining Order Stops NO Gun Confiscations

The United States District Court for the Eastern District in Louisiana today sided with the National Rifle Association (NRA) and issued a restraining order to bar further gun confiscations from peaceable and law-abiding victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.

I do my share of letting people know when I disagree with NRA management. It wouldn't be fair to ignore when they do something good that deserves our support.

At the risk of appearing an ungrateful snot, I do have one question: How come the ILA press release doesn't mention SAF, which is claiming joint credit?

Yeah, Roberts Will Be a Strict Constructionist...

...maybe for the UN Charter.

For anyone who thinks this global government enthusiast will rule "the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed," well, I've got a broken levee in New Orleans I'd like to sell you.

Shameless Plug: Are You Connected?

The fact is, if you're a gun owner and you're not on the Internet, you are not informed, no matter how strong your opinions. You simply can't be.

I don't need to tell you that, because obviously you're reading this on your monitor. But not all subscribers to gun magazines have made the transition.

"Are You Connected" is my Rights Watch column for the November issue of GUNS Magazine, on sale now at well-connected newsstands throughout the Republic.

Also in this issue: My review of Matthew Bracken's thrilling liberty page-turner, "Enemies Foreign and Domestic." It's a good one and you should order your own copy.

BONUS: See page 68 of this issue to find out how you can win the ADCO Diamond Double 12-Gauge, 2 3/4" Side-by-Side, exposed hammer coach gun.

Sentry Gun

Texican Tattler links us to a Sentry Gun project.

The video had me laughing.

Another Editorial Sheet-Soaker

If concealed gun permit holders can't deal with this scrutiny, they should turn in their weapons

The way the Ohio law is written, Al-Jazeera reporters qualify as people who can demand CHL lists.

Oh well--submit for public licensure, expect public records. That collar isn't starting to chafe, is it?

As for the rhetorical question: Why should concealed gun permit holders fear the bad guys at all?

That assumes we're in agreement as to just who "the bad guys" are. The ones I fear are those who presume authority to issue licenses for sovereign individuals to exercise unalienable rights.

Pontificating Intellectual Moron Alert

Meet Jeff Mankoff, "a sixth-year Ph.D. student in the [Yale]History Department."

Jeff uses hyperbole to disinform and subvert.

Yes, Jefferson was against "sanctimonious" expressions of reverence for the Constitution. Who isn't against hypocrisy and false piety, at least among people who should be taken seriously?

But the prescription Mankoff implies is nothing short of unchecked legislative tyranny.

I guess he doesn't realize that when that happens, academics who aren't among the power-seizing revolutionaries are often among the first groups rounded up.

You'd think a history major would know that.

[KABA]

Liar, Liar

BRAIN-SCANNING techniques that test whether people are telling the truth could soon be sufficiently reliable to be used to interrogate criminals...The technique works by monitoring activity in the frontal lobes of the brain, which have to work harder than normal when giving answers that are not truthful. Rugen Gur, a colleague of Dr Langleben, said: “A lie is always more complicated than the truth. You think a bit more and fMRI picks that up.”

Well, I certainly see no potential for abuse here.

Wonder what would happen to the results if on every answer--even those you were telling the truth on--you'd do a math problem in your head before speaking?

Just When They Were Doing So Well...

Bill St. Clair tells us a condition of joining Handgun Club of America is pledging that you will "observe all firearm laws."

Heaven Forbid! More Trouble in Paradise

In "Trouble in Paradise," I wrote about how R-Ranch in the Sequoias is developing a set of "gun safety" rules. I posted an update in "A Gathering Storm."

Because I had not heard back, I wrote the entire Board. Responses from two (and unverified information I have says three are for a total ban) confirm my worst fears:

From one director:

This year (as part of the contention on the Ranch) one of the members had a 'concealed' automatic weapon (which he did not have a permit to carry). This disturbed some of our employees and they reported it to Management. This member was very vocal and noted that he has always carried a gun on the trail rides. Furthermore, it was his right and privilege to carry his weapon(s) at all times, anywhere on the Ranch and his interpretation of the law is that anyone over 18 has that right as well. You can imagine the can of worms that this opened. We've had people suggest that anyone over 18 should be able to wear holstered guns around the ranch. Heaven forbid!

[I've learned he was wearing a semiauto tucked into his belt because he didn't have his holster with him--the sheriff's deputy told him that was considered legally concealed but declined to make an arrest.]

From the president:

The mission as it started out was to prevent the open and unrestrained carrying of weapons on the ranch especially where children or others are frequently present. I do not believe it will benefit any of us at this point, to jump to any premature conclusions. The main point is everyone that comes to the ranch needs to be secure that they are safe and that no set of people can either intentionally or by accident compromise the safety of others.

Well, it's not my mission. And talk about intentionally compromising the safety of others...

Here's the ownership setup at R-Ranch. It's similar to joint ownership of common areas in a condominium:

This is not a time share. At R-Ranch no one person or family owns an individual lot. By subdividing ownership rather than land, owners enjoy the entire ranch whenever they wish and as often as they wish, without the constraints of timesharing. There are 2,500 shares, with undivided interest, buyers receive a grant deed at close of escrow.

The Ranch is surrounded by millions of acres of Sequoia National Forest, where open carry is legal--basically, the restrictions are you can't discharge a firearm "within 150 yards of a campground, trail, road, recreation area or across a body of water.}

Exempt from CA edicts against carrying loaded weapons in a public place are persons "carrying a firearm while at home or at his place of business, including temporary residences and campsites."

The bottom line: If the Board can enact a ban against carrying on Ranch property--complete with legal penalties, i.e., calling in the law to arrest violaters and/or via legally enforceable fines/property use restrictions, they are in effect implementing gun control backed by the force of law.

If they get away with it, every homeowner's association in the state of California will have a blueprint for enacting Wilmette-style gun bans and ignoring California's state preemption of firearms laws.

HCA Update

I caused a bit of discussion when I urged people to check out the Handgun Club of America.

Their website now addresses some of the concerns raised in that thread. They have added a page addressing their stand on the Second Amendment, a page of related quotes, and a thoughtful analysis on why rights aren't subject to licensing.

It appears these folks get it.

"The Only Reason You Have a Handgun is to Shoot Someone"

More anti-defense lunacy from north of the border.

No, it's not the only reason. But it certainly is one of them.

Toronto Mayor David Miller's solution?

"We know what works but we need the money to support it. We need the federal government to commit much more strongly to job training and funding actual employment for young people. That will require significant resources."

Spend money on government programs! What else would you expect from a bureaucrat and tyrant who wants to rule people and ensure that they're disarmed?

Is this where I launch into "Gee, Officer Krupke"?

I also like how the vacuous reporterette helps perpetuate hysteria using "straight news" catchphrases like "killings caused by firearms..."

And here I thought killings were caused by killers.

Excuse Me While I Whip This Out

I want my Twinkie.

What Would YOU Use on a T-Rex?

Comment poster Sean reminded me of something when, in response to The 2005 Hardyville Freedom Festival, he nominated "Jurassic Park 2 as the most asinine, corrupt, and contradictory movie [he's] ever seen."

In his musings about how totally ineffectual armed men were portrayed as being, he reminded me of a discussion that took place over a couple issues of my favorite gun magazine.

Andy Breglia shared his thoughts on which ammunition would be most effective against a T-Rex.

His conclusion: "[T]he .30-06 is a true do-all cartridge and, when loaded with the appropriate bullets, will take anything that walks on, or used to walk on, this planet."

The editor was skeptical, and countered "I believe the minimum T-Rex blaster would be an M2 .50 Browning Machine Gun mounted on something faster than a rex. Something with so little brain would take a lot of bleeding out or would need to have its pelvis shot to doll rags and fall before sinking his teeth or weight on you."

Breglia came back with "More Rex Whacks" in a later issue, leading the editor to speculate that "[a] brain shot would have that thing doin' the dead chicken dance all over you."

In fact, as evidenced by Mike the Headless Chicken, it might not even kill the thing.

I think it's an interesting discussion and would like to hear more opinions on this.

Which gun/ammo would be the best to use to effect a quick T-Rex kill, and why?

And we should probably eliminate long-range sniping, as that assumes the thing doesn't know you're there and is stationary. For the purposes of this exercise, let's assume it's a dynamic situation where you and the Rex are both aware of each other and facing off to kill or be killed.

They Never EVER Stop

Kevin gives a gungrabbing bedwetter electroshock therapy.

It won't cure the guy, but it sure is fun to watch it being administered.

Denver Argues to Become Constitution-Free Zone

[T]he Colorado Supreme Court...[will]hear arguments on the city of Denver's right to adopt stricter gun laws than the rest of the state. Assistant City Attorney David Broadwell will base his argument on the city's home-rule authority.

So Broadwell's arguing they can overturn the entire Bill of Rights if they want to?

Lord of War: "Anti-Gun Diatribe"

"War" is a film in which the story takes a backseat to the subject, the characters on-screen serving primarily as agents by which to deliver an anti-gun diatribe.

And of course the solution is to sign the UN small arms treaty.

Guns in the Workplace: An Enuretic's View

Someone who didn't know the basics of gun safety accidentally kills himself.

The conclusion? Obviously, guns don't belong in the workplace, and are more of a danger than a defense.

So why not ban guns in police stations?

Oh, because it's been well established that LEOs are better trained than us mere mortals.

So it's not like the answer just might be providing workplace defense training, is it?

Isn't Running From Predators What PREY Does?

"The scariest part is that you're removing the duty to retreat. That's really there to preserve life."

Unless by retreating instead of acting, you give the advantage to your attacker.

That's the problem with these dolts--they think one size fits all. They don't want people to consider that, just perhaps, the person on scene has a better grasp of what they neeed to do to preserve their safety than the MMM herd of inane cud-chewers. Not a one is qualified to offer tactical defense instruction, but the media presents them as authorities.

Freedom Films

Go vote in The 2005 Hardyville Freedom Film Festival.

I do have one beef--"The Iron Giant" is blatantly anti-hunting. Oh, shoot, I have other beefs--I don't see "The Scarlet Pimpernel." I don't see "Brazil."

I know what I don't see: I don't see the ability to cast write-in votes.

I also respectfully suggest one more category: Made for TV films. We shouldn't overlook this all-pervasive and important medium. After all, it probably has more daily influence on most Americans' lives than any other.

With that in mind, I nominate "Vanishing Point."

Oh, and I don't see a category for documentaries...Oh well, if it gets people thinking about liberty and maybe going out and renting something they haven't seen before...

I'll shut up now. This is still worthwhile and fun, despite my grousing.

[Via End the War on Freedom]

OK, You Can Stay

Just days since they were being urged, sometimes at gunpoint, to leave their homes, the hardy band of residents who sat tight in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina are now being encouraged to stay put and help to restart the city.

In a remarkable U-turn, the authorities - who had previously reviled, goaded and even threatened force against the few hundred remaining "holdouts" - are hailing them as examples of the indomitable spirit needed to rebuild the "Big Easy".

What the "authorities" won't tell us is what part citizens being armed played in this decision.

To Build a Fire

Apparently, you can start a fire with a soda can and a chocolate bar. I couldn't find anything debunking this on urban legends sites, and Tracker Trail seems pretty authoritative and credible.

Maybe I'll have a race with the boys this afternoon--although more than an hour polishing some damn can seems a bit of an investment--especially with the undone chores around this joint.

I'm not sure how useful this info will turn out to be. I can't recall ever being in a situation where I had a Coke and a candy bar (why does that remind me of a priest joke?) but not the means to make a fire--at least not in the wilderness.

[Thanks to Jim Peel.]

The Counter is Closed

Pity. Good site.

Perhaps Countertop will return some day. He offers us some hope:

"I expect that after a break I will return, refreshed and re-energized. When that time will be, I do not know."

It's not exactly like gun blogging is a profitable venture. The only reason I do it is to force myself to keep on top of issues and to write a little every day. I don't know if that will ever pay off enough to allow me to do it full time--I did get two checks in today's mail for articles sold, along with an impersonal form rejection letter that couldn't even say why my submission wasn't wanted. That's better than most days--two steps forward and only one step back.

We Don't Need No Stinkin' Posse Comitatus Act

"President Bush's push to give the military a bigger role in responding to major disasters like Hurricane Katrina could lead to a loosening of legal limits on the use of federal troops on U.S. soil."

Repeat after me: "Vote Freedom First"!

Now If I Could Just Find a Good Recipe For a Fetus Smoothie...

"A British newspaper said that a Chinese cosmetics company was using skin harvested from the corpses of executed convicts to develop beauty products for sale in Europe."

And remember, if you commit a felony in China--say, bringing in an unauthorized shipment of Bibles or the like, "conservative" justices Scalia and Thomas think your Second Amendment-recognized right should be terminated in the US.

[Story found via Hellblazer.]

Catching the Idiots

A reader writes to GUNS Magazine to take me to task over my May Rights Watch column.

Kevin Makes a Difference

Good job!

It's OK, He's a Cop

"Haymarket's acting police chief, Sgt. Gregory Breeden, got his gun back yesterday.

"Breeden had lost his right to carry a weapon two weeks ago after his wife accused him of breaking down their kitchen door with an ax and was granted a temporary restraining order. "

Who among us hasn't taken an ax (Stipulation, Your Honor--it was a sledgehammer) to a door from time to time?

The point here isn't to judge the guy's actions, though. We all know how restraining orders can be used as tools of vengeance, and how our rkba can be denied without any finding of guilt.

The point here is, if the guy wasn't a cop with connections, what do you think the chances for this outcome would have been?

GUNS Magazine: "The Black Arrow" Review

We hear the Second Amendment is the ultimate guarantor of liberty, but how many of us take those abstract words and comprehend their ultimate consequences? If the time comes when Americans must again take up arms against tyranny, how many will be able to set aside a lifetime of conditioning and initiate force against those in power?

This is the world of The Black Arrow, the first novel by syndicated columnist Vin Suprynowicz.

My review from the Sept. 2005 issue of GUNS is now online. Click here to read it.

It's For the Children

"The Dutch government plans to open an electronic file on every child at birth as a tool to spot and protect the troubled kids of the future.

"Beginning Jan. 1, 2007, all citizens will be tracked from cradle to grave in a single database — including health, education, family and police records — the health ministry said Tuesday."

Yeah, it's being done to everyone now so they can "protect the troubled kids of the future."

Right.

[Thanks to John Schaefer]

Cross-Dressing Robbers Killed During Shootout

Tell me this isn't a movie script waiting to happen.

LA Gun Sales Surge

Maybe some of these buyers will be curious enough to learn about the threat to their being able to own guns--and motivated enough to join with those trying to do something about that.

Nope, I Won't Be Seeing "The Lord of War"

"But nine out of 10 war victims are killed by guns. It's the AK-47 that's a weapon of mass destruction."

Yeah, this moron will be getting my money real quick.

High Praise for "The Black Arrow"...

...and a not-so-gentle verdict on Laissez Faire Books and their decision not to stock it.

"Don't Blame US"

"Canadians shouldn't blame their southern neighbour for the spike in gun-related violence in Toronto, says the U.S. ambassador in Ottawa."

Yeah--David Wilkins says we're doing everything we can.

First off, the bad guys are buying their guns illegally, he says, in violation of Canadian and US gun laws.

And because we've established that these laws are useless at stopping evil people from getting guns, but plenty good at harassing citizens, we've imported a BATFU field office. Plus we're going to bring in technology that costs a lot of money--but doesn't really tell us anything except who the last person in the chain of custody who obeyed the law was.

Good grief.

Bradys Celebrate Treason...

...at the French Embassy, naturally.

I remember posting on this earlier, and being surprised that humor columist Dave Barry was on the attendance list. I don't have time to look that up right now 'cause I'm on the road and doing a quick post...

Will get this blog back to normal day after tomorrow...

HCA Replies

Josh Manheimer of Handgun Club of America has commented on the concerns I posted. Others who vouch for the effort and Mr. Manheimer as being solidly pro-2A have also chimed in.

See their comments at the end of the linked piece.

I Can Post From the Hotel...

...so I'll be doing so as I can.

Wal-Mart Halts LA Gun Sales...

...and some folks feeling vulnerable right now aren't very happy about it.

"A Wal-Mart spokeswoman, Karen Burk, attributed the company's decision to pull guns from the shelves to 'some very fluid circumstances and changing situations...'"

What, fluid as in there's water all over the place and looters and rapists are running around victimizing people?

"Wal-Mart's decision to stop gun sales also earned it praise from several customers, who said police would protect them from any trouble.

"'Why can't we get along? This is a time of crisis,' said Mike White of Kenner, La. He said people who need guns for legitimate reasons, such as hunting, would not be buying now."

Mike White, I can't believe someone as idiotic as you're coming off even exists. I suspect you know better, and you're quoting from the playbook to advance your wretched, liberty-hating agenda.

Here's why we can't all get along, Rodney, I mean, Mike. Because you won't let us.

We're perfectly willing to leave you alone to live out your beliefs. Gungrabbers, on the other hand, rely on JBTs with "obey or die" edicts to force their will on those who believe and live differently.

So we'll get along, Mike, when you and your kind stop making war on us.

Claire Has a New Book Out

I haven't read it yet. Before visiting her site tonight, I hadn't even heard of it.

But some folks have established a track record that deserves our faith.

I'll bet it's excellent, as usual. I'll have to get a copy just so I can confirm my bias...:-)

Nice to See the NSSF...

...doing the Brady Center's work for them.

Pitchfork murder, anyone?

Outta Here...

...until Friday.

I may or may not be able to check in between now and then.

"One September Day..."

The Blognomicon has a picture series appropriate for today's date that you really ought to see.

Fathers Demanding Defenseless Families

Look, I'm a father myself.

I can't imagine what I'd do if something happened to one of my boys, I love them so damn much.

But when people manifest their grief destructively, they lose their claim to sympathy. These guys mean to leave people unable to protect their families. They mean for the state to have the monopoly of power.

Anybody who would embrace that solution was probably a fool before tragedy struck.

Citizen Militia Defends NO Neighborhood

"She said she still has 42 bullets to expend before she'll be forcibly evacuated."

Looks like that idiot P. Edwin Compass III has a math problem to solve.

Three cheers for the Algiers Point Militia!

[Thanks to Cornet Joyce II]

Check Out The Handgun Club of America!

Some of the gun blogs are mentioning a new group, Handgun Club of America, and encouraging us to check it out.

I just took a cursory glance at their site, and will need to learn more before I can recommend joining.

They say they’re not a “politically-charged grou[p] like the NRA and other firearm organizations.” Instead, they say they “are, if you will, a calm, rational alternative for the 60 million households who lawfully choose to own a handgun.”

Fine. Not everyone can be an activist. There is room for recreational/educational clubs, and they can do much good in promoting an interest in shooting handguns, which can result in an interest in defending the right to own one. But claiming to be a “calm, rational alternative” implies those fighting for the right to keep and bear arms are agitated (fair enough) and irrational (hey, wait a minute...).

This raises a flag for me. An unequivocal statement of support for the Second Amendment--along with some examples to demonstrate their understanding of "shall not be infringed"--would help alleviate concerns.

Just who is behind HCA? Who are the people who want us to send them money? A register.com WHOIS lookup identifies one Josh Manheimer of J.C. Manheimer & Company as the registrant—although it’s not clear if he’s the principal behind the effort or an agent of those who are. I’ve never heard of him—either in the gun rights community or as someone of note in the field of handgun expertise. A Google search on his name turns up nothing in terms of any kind of "street cred" in the firearms community—although I do note he raised $100 for Howard Dean in 2004.

Yeah, Dean used to have an NRA "A" rating (for what that's worth), but he's on record supporting the "assault weapon" ban, the Brady Bill, and ending the "gun show loophole." He also has no problem with states ignoring the Bill of Rights--at least as far as the Second Amendment goes. Manheimer's support--if he is a principal behind HCA as opposed to a paid pr guy-- raises another flag for me.

What Manheimer is is a direct mail copywriter, a pro at crafting words so that people in his target market will want to buy the product or service he has contracted to promote.

That's great. If you want to attract people, you have to know how to do it. His advertising expertise is impressive and the HCA site reflects this.

But that's all style--I have another concern--another flag--about substance: On their “Gun Safety Rules” page, HCA tells us to:

"Store firearms and ammunition separately. When cleaning a firearm, put ammunition in a separate room or locked up out of reach.

"Stored firearms should be unloaded to prevent accidents when removing from their storage location. Ammunition, especially while cleaning a firearm, should be stored separately."

Well, sorry, but if I do that, it becomes useless for emergency defense. This seems to be the same advice we get from Andrew McKelvey’s Americans for Gun Safety, which tells us to: “Keep your ammunition as safe and inaccessible as your firearms.”

And it's the same position adopted by the Brady Center, which has initiated a Legal Action Project because they say “a majority of gun owners living with children do not store their guns locked, unloaded, and separate from ammunition.”

We see that when applied uniformly in the real world, such one-size-fits-all policies can result in nasty, brutal things--like pitchfork murders--where minors couldn’t reach a gun to save their lives.

I think HCA needs to address this.

Bottom line: HCA may turn out to be a fine organization. Mr. Manheimer may turn out to be a handgun enthusiast who has created something that will benefit gun owners. He may turn out to be a hired marketing consultant for someone else.

But until we find out who is behind HCA and whether or not they really support the Second Amendment--and how they do so--I can’t recommend giving them any money. Some sport shooters almost got burned by the American Hunting and Shooting Association until some curious folks started checking up on them.

I'll go this far in joining the other gun bloggers who recommend checking out HCA:

Yes, by all means, do so.

The Lord of War

You've probably seen the commercials for the upcoming Nicholas Cage movie about an international arms dealer.

I'll probably see it--on the one hand, Cage is cool and the guns are cool, on the other, it will probably have no shortage of "evils that guns do" messages and may come up short on otherwise helpless people defending themselves from genocidal regimes.

Lion's Gate Films has set up a forum on their website. I literally don't have time to participate in forums, particularly one where much debate will be likely--but call it to the attention of the pro-2A community in case anyone has the time and inclination to make sure the truth doesn't get buried in the hype--for instance, one thread links to The Federation of American Scientists Arms Sales Monitoring Project, which is big on international agreements for global gun control. It might not hurt to have people on "our side" pointing out that tyanny can't be resisted if the people have nothing to resist with, that 100 million victims were murdered by their own governments in the last century, and stuff like that...plus a forum on a popular movie site ought to give some great exposure to activists who like to write.

I'd do it, but honest to God, my plate is beyond full.

Still MORE Proof...

...that only sworn officers of the law can be trusted with guns.

Heaven Forbid!

"Journalists in Michigan are reportedly being told by state legislators that bills introduced this week only relate to the use of deadly force in one's home, and don't create new legal justifications for expanded use of deadly force in public. That is not accurate," whines the Brady Center's Peter Hamm.

Heaven forbid you have the means and will to protect yourself or your loved ones if attacked in public! What kind of vigilante miscreant could even think of such a thing?

"Mothers Protest Against Gun Crimes"

I don't get it.

How can there be any "gun crimes" when guns have been effectively banned?

What, you mean gun control laws don't work?

Coming Soon to a Range Near You

"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Friday an agreement with an upstate New York gun club to keep its members from firing lead shot into nearby wetlands and water... the consent order...is part of a larger effort to educate owners and operators of outdoor shooting ranges on how to safely manage lead shot and bullets...The agency said it plans similar agreements with other shooting ranges to help keep lead from accumulating in soil and groundwater, where it poses a threat of lead poisoning to people."

Oh, boy--a new way to close down ranges! Well, is it an "order" or an "agreement"? Or is it kind of like those folks in New Orleans who "volunteered" to leave their homes and supplies, and surrender their guns after the SWAT teams showed up with M-16s and plastic cuffs?

It's nice to see the "pro-gun" Bush administration is on the same page about this as the Leonardo DiCaprio/Robert Redford-backed Natural Resources Defense Council.

Aren't you glad gun owners were seduced to "Vote Freedom First"? Because Lord knows what creative ways a Kerry administration would have used to harass gun owners.

"Treat Me With Benign Neglect" (Video)

The CNN busybody just doesn't get it. He thinks the police are "trying to talk sense" into folks when they order them to leave their property and surrender their means of self defense.

These residents show more liberty leadership than NRA management. And they don't even charge dues.

Michigan bills would allow residents to fatally shoot intruders

And your point is...?

"Rest Assured...

...NRA is monitoring this situation very closely and will address any activity by the government that unduly infringes upon the rights of lawful gun owners at the appropriate time."

Somehow I don't feel very assured.

And now is not the time to rest.

What more needs to be monitored? Confiscations are happening. They don't think that "unduly infringes"?

How could there be a more appropriate time than now?

FEMA Looting

We're from the government. We're here to help.

Sa-a-ay...nice gun you've got there...

Mexican Military Crosses Border

I guess we're supposed to be grateful, but do we really need foreign troops on US soil?

I'd like to see some questions answered:

• Are they armed?
• Do they have authority over Americans who don't want their help?
• Why have we placed ourselves in a position where we need their manpower?
• Why is it that an American citizen trying to bring a truck of relief supplies in will reportedly get turned away at gunpoint, but a Mexican soldier doing the same is hailed as a liberator?

Maybe they can help with the forced evacuations and weapons confiscations.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UPDATE: Looks like they're unarmed. Link courtesy of Texican Tattler.

UPDATE UPDATE: Gunner links to an account that says they are armed.

"Flood Survivors Expelled By Force"

"Police backed by troops have begun to use force to remove people from their homes in the city of New Orleans...Many are now going voluntarily - but others are being handcuffed and taken to evacuation centres, officials say."

I like the lapdog media's definition of going "voluntarily."

Let me get this straight--if you have prepared and stockpiled and made provisions for your own survival and defense, the government would rather disarm you and put you in an evacuation center.

Here's what reportedly happened when they did that last week, at the Superdome:

"We had three murders last night. We had a total of six rapes last night. We had the day before, I think, there were three or four murders. There were half-a-dozen rapes that night. We had one suicide last night. We had one military policeman shot."

Well, the school buses are flooded out--maybe the volunteer refugees could be transported in cattle cars.

Go Greyhound

And leave the driving to us.

Or not.

These are the incompetent kleptocrats who want to disarm us because we can't be trusted.

[Thanks to Jim Peel.]

Some Quick, Random Thoughts on the NO Gun Confiscations

• New Orleans is within the jurisdiction of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals--the court that said in Emerson that the Second Amendment is an individual right. No idea if that will factor into this at a later date.
• I wonder if cops who participated in the looting will be excluded from the confiscation parties. No, I really don't. Looks like some goons are gonna be adding to their throwaway collections--as well as getting nice inventories to sell to their gang buddies.
• The people who were prepared to hold out and defend their homes and lives, that is, the independent and self-sufficient, will now be coerced into becoming defenseless displaced dependents.
• The operative theme here: Let us save you or we'll kill you.
• So much for the gungrabbers saying we're paranoid for thinking registration will lead to confiscation.

UPDATE: I'm not sure what the NYT article was referring to--per NRA's site, there is no registration in Louisiana. Perhaps they meant those with permits for concealed handguns? Or perhaps they--or the police officials they spoke with--simply don't know what they're talking about.

Oh, Gee--What a Surprise

"Waters were receding across this flood-beaten city today as police officers began confiscating weapons, including legally registered firearms, from civilians in preparation for a mass forced evacuation of the residents still living here."

I nominate P. Edwin Compass III for Morlock of the Month.

This business of allowing private security to keep their arms strikes me as a clear abridgement of the equal protection guarantee--but then again, your life isn't as valuable as an NBC reporter's.

Expect the same thing when disaster strikes your town.

Squeeze, baby, squeeze.

[Thanks to Cornet Joyce II]

UPDATE: I'm not sure what the NYT article was referring to--per NRA's site, there is no registration in Louisiana. Perhaps they meant those with permits for concealed handguns? Or perhaps they--or the police officials they spoke with--simply don't know what they're talking about.

What, Hurricane Survivors Are Buying GUNS?

"It seems to matter little that the police have appealed for calm, and dismissed most of the reports of carjackings and armed robberies and other crimes as nothing more than rumour."

There, see? You don't need a gun. New Orleans is a model of lawfulness and order. You shouldn't believe all those nasty "rumours." The Financial Times said it, I believe it, that settles it.

Just one question: Would those be the same police that are in Aisle Three?

Yet ANOTHER Delay

Looks like the politicians up in Canada have bitten off more than the bureaucracy can chew.

Their Orwellian spinboob says the delay is to ensure the system is more "user-friendly."

Badaboom!

Looks like a leading contributor to the New Jersey political establishment just got popped on a gun charge.

That reminds me--I was gonna pick up that box set of "The Sopranos" DVDs...

"We Actually Saw the Police. They're in Aisle Three."

Amazing Facts links to a video of New Orleans cops looting Wal-Mart.

I guess if they get sent on that Vegas vacation, the hotels had better inventory their towels and ashtrays...

Funny Thing About Requiring Permission To Exercise Rights

They can get interrupted by things like weather and technical difficulties.

We're from the Government. We're Here to Help.

FEMA flies refugees to the wrong Charleston.

Your tax dollars at work.

This is like watching bad slapstick. All that's missing is the pie fight.

Bordering on Insane

I missed this story when it came out last week. I haven't seen it get much play elsewhere, either.

The Canadian border guards want to carry handguns, just like the police, and they've walked off the job to make that happen. While I'd feel more sympathy for them if they championed the right for citizens to carry as well, what they're up against provides a near-perfect example of official arrogance and stupidity. Either that, or something else.

An unnamed spokeshole for Public Security Minister Anne McLellan had this to say:

"Arrangements are made with police to ensure that when an armed presence is needed, the police can be contacted to work with the border agents to address a situation."

I can't believe anyone, even a government official, is that dumb. But why would anyone want to have unarmed border guards unless they didn't really want the border guarded?

[Hat tip to Liberty Belles]

Defending Liberty in the New World

Part Two is now posted on the Liberty Belles site.

Click here if you missed Part One.

Every Silver Lining's Got a Touch of Gray

Anti-gun pediatricians (are there any other kind?) are sounding the alarm about guns left unlocked and loaded in American homes.

Proving the pediatricians ivory tower fools is this AP story, which relates "The District may have a high number of gun related crimes, but a new report says the city has the lowest number of homes with loaded and unlocked guns."

Are congratulations in order, or what?

On Conferred Rights

Friend, attorney and Second Amendment activist Peter Mancus has turned up an interesting case in his research, Capen v. Foster, wherein it was declared:

"[I]n all cases where the constitution has conferred a political right or privilege, and where the constitution has not particularly designated the manner in which that right is to be exercised, it is clearly within the just and constitutional limits of the legislative power, to adopt any reasonable and uniform regulations, in regard to the time and mode of exercising that right, which are designed to secure and facilitate the exercise of such right, in a prompt, orderly, and convenient manner;"

"Now," Peter writes, "think in terms of the Second Amendment and how it ends, '...the right of the people to keep and bear arms, SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED.'

"My point(s): 1) The Second, by declaring that this is a right that belongs to the people which shall not be infringed, conferred a right which 'designated the manner in which that right is to be exercised,' namely, it may be exercised to the fullest, without regard to time and place and mode restrictions; and 2) Based on that, and a ton of Rules of Constitutional Construction, e.g., no word or phrase is surplusage and all words and phrases must be given full weight and read in context, etc, no legislature has any constitutionaly legitimate power to impose a prior restraint against the exercise of this right; 3) The Congress and State legislatures retain the legitimate power to punish a civil negligent or criminal abuse or misuse of this right but they cannot, per the US Supreme Court, treat 'the right of the people' and/or 'shall not be infringed' as meaningless verbiage that does not impose meaningful limits on Congress or the State legislatures; 4) The Framers put in the Bill only that which they deemed to be important--fundamental, foundational; 5) The Second guaranteess, or at least codifies, a fundamental right that has always been binding against Congress and the States, from the get go, period."

I think Peter is on to something. I did have one concern that I wrote back to him about and urged him to address:

Main Entry: con·fer
Pronunciation: k&n-'f&r
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): con·ferred; con·fer·ring
Etymology: Latin conferre to bring together, from com- + ferre to carry -- more at BEAR
transitive senses
1 : to bestow from or as if from a position of superiority (conferred an honorary degree on her) (knowing how to read was a gift conferred with manhood -- Murray Kempton)
2 : to give (as a property or characteristic) to someone or something (a reputation for power will confer power -- John Spanier)

This reflects all too typical judicial arrogance and/or total misunderstanding of the purpose of the Constitution, i.e., to define the delegated structure and powers of the national government, and of the nature of the Bill of Rights demanded by the anti-Federalists.

The Framers understood rights to be “unalienable,” and “endowed by our Creator.” If they are “conferred,” they are done so by “Nature’s God,” not by a government document.

The Framers understood and held “these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal,” which makes it impossible for one group to “confer” rights to another, as that, by definition, requires them to be bestowed from a position of superiority.

In fact, the view of government expressed here is exactly backward: Government is the servant. Government is conferred powers, bestowed from those in a position of superiority, i.e., the people.

So the Second Amendment does not confer to me any right to keep and bear arms—it merely articulates and recognizes that right, further stating it shall not be infringed. The limit is again on government, not on me.

So when you say: “The Second, by declaring that this is a right that belongs to the people which shall not be infringed, conferred a right which…” you are ceding this important concept to the enemy.

This is an important point and not mere quibbling over word choices. As you point out, “no word or phrase is surplusage and all words and phrases must be given full weight and read in context…”

I think your other points have much merit. I just think that this business of conferring rights also needs to be pointed out, and you shouldn’t fall into the trap of using “conferred” in your arguments, unless it is to point out the fallacy of the concept.

A Book Burning in Kanab

A high school football team posed for a fundraising calendar with weapons. The young men liked it, the coach liked it, the businesses that funded the calendar liked it, and the sheriff liked it so much he supplied the weapons.

A handful of local wimps didn't like it, so the principal caved and ordered the calendar's recall.

So much for the Founders' idea, that the militia would include young men. I guess it's better to let them reach military age ignorant of all things martial.

The recall of these calendars is nothing less than a good old fashioned Nazi book burning. So much for teaching the principles of freedom. The lesson here is the exact opposite: Ideas that make some uncomfortable must be suppressed and destroyed.

Hey, if there's no Second Amendment, why should there be a First?

This would be a great hot potato to throw the ACLU.

California Dreamin'

Perata’s snottiness explains much. It’s not about public safety — it’s about harassing gun owners and political opponents. That’s why we see endless proposals designed to infringe on the right of the people to keep and bear arms — something Attorney General Bill Lockyer denies exists.

"California Dreamin'," my September Rights Watch column for GUNS Magazine, is now online.

New Orleans: A Wakeup Call For California

"When politicians tell you that only law enforcement and police should own guns in today's 'modern society', tell them to go to hell... or New Orleans. There's no difference between either at this point in time."--Ralph Weller

What Kind of Example Are These People Setting for Our Children?

"I was standing on the front porch with a shotgun keeping an eye on things. I could hear people breaking into houses right around the corner. We knew. We knew we had to get out. There was no police presence. The people are just going crazy. There doesn't seem to be any authority at all...

"Earlier today, a man came up to me. I think he wanted the canoe. He saw I was armed and gave up.

"We happened to pass this mall and people were looting it.

"People told us the police went in there so they started shooting at the police. So the police left. They (looters) just set the place on fire. We saw it burning and we saw the fire department not even going near the place because the looters were going nuts."

The Brady Center, of course, knows better:

"Recent research has shown that most Americans feel less safe when others in the community acquire firearms: 71% of all Americans and 85% of non-gun owners came to this conclusion. Clearly, as the authors noted, 'the decision to own a firearm is more than solely a personal or a household issue - it affects others in the community as well.' The decision to allow citizens to carry firearms outside of their homes would arguably have an even more detrimental effect on feelings of safety.

"More importantly, one has to wonder what the National Rifle Association's mantra that 'an armed society is a polite society' is teaching our children. The rhetoric of the gun lobby suggests that only by carrying a weapon can one be safe in the United States. They claim that law enforcement cannot be trusted to protect society."

New Orleans Journal

Awesome and compelling commentary.

Thanks to McGath.

More "In Your FACE!" to CA Gun Owners

Mark Ridley-Thomas thinks we're not mature enough to select our own ammunition at gun stores.

Ridley-Thomas also promulgates a communist redistribution of wealth edict "that would impose a fee on ammunition to partially offset the financial costs incurred by firearm victims."

Along with then-mayor Tom Bradley, he told police to keep a low profile during the outbreak of the Los Angeles riots. Per former LAPD Assistant Chief Robert Vernon, "They listened to the politicians and those two quadrants of the city are where we had the trouble."

So he does what he can to disarm you, and then sets up conditions where you'd better be armed if you want to survive.

Let's see what Arnhole does with this one.

"Trade Your Gun for Cameras and Equipment"

Don't worry--this isn't another odious "gun buyback" program where some anti trades you merchandise gift certificates to "get guns off the street." It's an ad in the September 1955 issue of GUNS Magazine placed by the National Camera Exchange of Minneapolis, MN, which would sell you a gun as well (looks like they're out of the gun trading business--oh, that's right, the City of Minneapolis is currently harassing The Last Gunshop out of existence).

That's not all that's changed since this issue was printed.

Take a look back at a different time. Enjoy.

"Shoot to Kill"

That's what I'm hearing a lot of in regards to New Orleans looters.

Without getting into a debate on the many causes of the effects we are now seeing, I just want to point out one thing: A confrontation where looters or rioters are shot and killed by authorities could be the catalyst for riots in many other urban areas.

With each new report of lawlessness and violence, the potential for this seems more likely.

I hope that I'm wrong.

Good For Me, But Not For Thee

NBC News has sent private security personnel to the increasingly dicey Gulf Coast region to help keep its employees safe while covering the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

The private security officers, usually former soldiers or police, are licensed to carry firearms and are trained to keep the situation under control so that journalists can do their jobs safely.

Wait a minute...isn't NBC one of those "Publication and Media Outlets" listed as anti-gun on NRA's website?

And they've operated under the protection of armed guards before? And so have their competitors?

It seems when it comes to protecting their own elitist hindquarters, the Establishment media isn't really that anti-gun after all.

"Better Late Than Never," Indeed

An AP Katrina aftermath survival story, via Whose Paranoid:

"We had excellent plans. We had enough food for 10 days," said Peggy Hoffman, the home's executive director. "Now we'll have to equip our department heads with guns and teach them how to shoot."

An Open Plea to President Bush

I just received my "personal invitation" from the Second Amendment Foundation's Alan Gottlieb to attend the "20th annual Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC), which will be taking place September 23, 24 and 25, 2005 at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott in Los Angeles, California."

We're promised "Scheduled speakers this year include: myself, Joe Tartaro, Wayne LaPierre, Sandy Froman, John Lott, Massad Ayoob, Eugene Volokh, Larry Pratt, John Snyder, Joe Waldron, as well as staff from the Second Amendment Foundation, Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, National Rifle Association, National Shooting Sports Foundation, KeepAndBearArms.com, and Gun Owners of America. President George Bush has been invited as well. "

President Bush, I have never in my life begged anything from a public official.

Please attend this conference. PLEASE!

I'd pay good money to see all the nationally recognized "gun rights leaders" line up to get cavity searched for weapons--just so they can pay tribute to you for supporting their right to keep and bear arms.

Please?

Ann Coulter--Neocon Shill

"Conservative" columnist Ann Coulter disdains "...the (nonexistent) 'right to privacy.' "I know as much about the 'right to privacy' as I know about any other made-up, nonexistent right," she snickers to her readers. Yes, Ann, free people do indeed have a right to privacy. The lie you and other neocons perpetuate--that it is not specifically enumerated in the Bill of Rights so therefore doesn't exist--is an intentional bit of disinformation. In a real sense, this propaganda abets the state in its control over people's lives and freeedom. You know damn well the Constitution is not intended to enumerate all rights of free Americans, but to define the limits under which the national government can legitimately exercise power. You know damn well this was one of the concerns against adding a "Bill of Rights" to the Constitution--that people like you would construe it to mean only the rights mentioned must be recognized. And you know damn well that what you espouse would have been alien to the Framers, who wisely (in addition to Amendment IV) added:

Amendment IX The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. Amendment X The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

If the federal government has no authority "to deny or disparage" other rights, Ann, what makes you think you do? The argument that privacy is nowhere mentioned in the Constitution is hollow. The rebuttal ought to be "Exactly. So it follows the government has no authority to give itself privacy-invading powers that haven't been specifically delegated to it."

That's Why They Call It Global Gun "CONTROL"

Russia wants the UN to pass rules outlawing unauthorized use of Russian weapons designs. Russia hopes to piggyback this on a UN effort to limit the illegal distribution of assault rifles. It's all about money.

It's not about eliminating small arms--it's never been about that. It's about who controls, possesses and profits off them.

The do-gooder shills who get all the PR and tug at heartstrings with tales of woe are mere pawns. Their primary function--whether they realize it or not--is to keep the sheep distracted while the wolves sneak around the flank.

Pay no attention to the men behind the Iron Curtain.