Hey, Mitt: Conserve THIS!

“I’m a conservative Republican, there’s no question about that,” he said. “I’m at a different place than the other two.”

What a total and shameless fraud:

Mitt Romney on Gun Control
* Will support assault weapons bill and Brady Bill. (Aug 1994)

Looks like the Republicans are doing their damnedest to field "Hillary in '08" candidates...

Shameless Plug: "Profiles in Apathy"

We have no shortage of expectations and strong opinions about what we want. But when it comes time to step up to the plate, things get awfully quiet.

"Profiles in Apathy" is my Rights Watch column for the Jan. 2007 (Good Lord, already?) issue of GUNS Magazine, on sale now at caring and engaged newsstands throughout the Republic.

This one fits into a broader ongoing effort I'm working on and have presented on occasion here at WarOnGuns, under the umbrella category "Escaping the Village." It concerns three grassroots efforts I've involved myself in over the years that could have made a difference:

• John Brantuk's run for the CA Assembly
• Russ Howard's persecution by the CA political establishment
• Brian Puckett's struggle to penetrate the mass media with a pro-2A message

Frustratingly, these fizzled out because gun owners didn't care enough to involve themselves and help those shouldering tremendous burdens--and what was being asked of them was minimal. This apathy, to me, is a greater enemy than fear, and unless this changes, the fear times will become inevitable.

I also want to make a point of clarification: My editor quotes me in the "Crossfire" (letters) section. I thought I was just giving him some information based on an email he sent me and didn't realize he would publish my response. My source for this should be mentioned and credited--I adapted it from my friend Brian Puckett's excellent "The Founders Intended for the Bill of Rights to Apply to the States."

Finally, as always, there's this month's contest: See page 100 to find out how you can win a Springfield ArmoryXD .45 ACP.

When Spuds Attack

A 43-year-old man was arrested and police seized nine improvised potato guns of various sizes...

"We haven’t found any damage or found anyone with injuries [but] the potential is obvious that someone could get hurt."

Getting hit by a potato would cause the same damage as a fast ball thrown by a major-league pitcher, said Sylven. Aiming a potato gun at someone can draw more serious charges than just firing it off a balcony, as this man is alleged to have done.

The answer is obvious.

Ban major league pitching.

The guy wasn't threatening anyone and didn't hurt anyone, so naturally they have to come in heavy on the force, haul him off, confiscate his property and leave him hanging with an expensive legal fight and potential criminal record. They couldn't just investigate the report and see for themselves no harm was being done--or caution him to move to a more appropriate area if there was any real danger. They couldn't just tell him it was pretty neat, and ask if they could fire a round or two.

We can't just mind our own business and have fun any more, can we?

We're the Only Ones Straw Purchasing Enough

A former West Tennessee sheriff was indicted Monday on federal charges of making bogus purchases of firearms, ammunition and other law enforcement supplies from a Kentucky gun store.

Somebody ought to sue the manufacturer!

[More from "The Only Ones" files...]

This Day in History: November 21

In what proved a fateful decision on this day in 1776, Continental Commander in Chief General George Washington writes to General Charles Lee in Westchester County, New York, to report the loss of Fort Lee, New Jersey, and to order Lee to bring his forces to New Jersey.