We're the Only Ones Stunning (But Still on Active Duty) Enough

The judge ruled Hudec used his stun gun after the boy was strip-searched and while he was completely compliant during the Dec. 24, 2003, incident.

"It is a situation where an officer used a prohibited weapon simply to punish," said Kvill. "The action of Hudec was a shocking abuse of police powers."

Hudec, who remains on active duty, was charged following an internal police investigation.

"A shocking abuse of police powers." Good one!

I'm trying to figure out where I'll position this in the next "Only Ones" Carnival--not on the midway, definitely a sideshow, maybe we'll bill him as "The Amazing Electro"...

I've started getting some submissions, so the show will go on. If you want to participate and direct some traffic to your blog, the cut-off is tomorrow night.

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

The Heart of the Problem

Archye Leacock, executive director of the Institute for the Development of African American Youth, which administers Don't Fall Down in the Hood, said the heart of the problem of youth violence was lack of opportunities.

It couldn't have anything to do with the possibility that some of these young worthies are not only unemployable due to lack of skills and motivation, but would be downright scary and lethally dangerous liabilities to have anywhere around, could it Archye?

Rec centers? Ones that need to be open 24 hours? Is this where we bust into the chorus from "Gee, Officer Krupke"?

I'd ask where the hell their parents are, but that's pretty obvious.

It's also pretty obvious that imposing "gun control" on people who aren't out bustin' a cap --that would be you and me--will have no effect on urban youth violence other than ensuring a disarmed victim pool.

"Lack of opportunities." There are plenty of people in this world who have had less, and they haven't turned into sociopaths. Keep blaming everything but individuals refusing to accept personal responsibility for their freedom because they've fallen for the siren song of socialist policies and become addicts to them, Archye. That's "the heart of the problem," combined with false leaders keeping them from understanding this truth, like you.

"More Effective"

Canadians can be assured that its new government remains committed to making gun control more effective and it continues to develop measures that will prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands.

Those would be your hands, Canadian citizens...

Question for Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety: Come clean now, you had help coming up with your title from George Orwell, didn't you?

Shameless Plug: "In Search of the Second Amendment"

A growing body of serious research, led by eminent professors, historians, lawyers and Constitutional scholars, is providing overwhelming evidence that “the people” of the Second Amendment refers to you and me.

"In Search of the Second Amendment" is David Hardy's new documentary, and also the title of my Rights Watch column reviewing it for the March 2007 issue of GUNS Magazine, on sale now at truth-seeking newsstands throughout the Republic.

BONUS: See page 80 to find out how you can win a "Thompson/Center Encore Pro Hunter .50-caliber black powder rifle topped with a T/C 3-9X scope complete with hard case and a Katz Adventure Series 6 knife and leather sheath."

Hooray, You're Two!

WarOnGuns is, that is...

Actually, it's 2nd anniversary was yesterday, so I missed my own "birthday."

How pathetic is that?

This Day in History: January 31

On this day in 1752, future Patriot Gouverneur Morris is born to the wealthy Morris family of New York.

We're the Only Ones Blameless Enough

A Hunterdon County undersheriff yesterday pleaded guilty to two counts of official misconduct and admitted that his boss, Sheriff William Doyle, unlawfully lent him the gun that accidentally discharged in a crowded private health club last October.

Hey, if it's the gun that went off, why did the "Only One" run? I mean, how much clearer could the "authorized journalists" make it in assigning the blame?

• gun that went off

• the gun that accidentally discharged

• the weapon misfired

• "My cell phone exploded" [I love it!]
  

• when the gun discharged

• the gun went off

So why is the undersheriff in trouble when it's clearly the gun's fault? And nice, how he's turning on his boss to save his own hide. Lying, running away, ratting out...this guy has just exhibited the highest character standards through and through. I'm so glad New Jersey deems creatures like him more trustworthy with a firearm than its citizens.

Of course, one could make the point that any population dumb enough to vote for the current crop of New Jersey legislators is too dumb to own a gun...

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

PS: There haven't been many responses so far for the new "Only Ones Carnival"--I need submissions in by Thursday night if you want to participate...

The Elephant in Newhallville

A color graph dramatized the racial disparity in gun-related homicides in the state: while nine percent of the population is African American and ten percent is Latino, 61 percent of homicide victims in 2006 were black, and 15 percent were Latino.

I suppose it would raise all kinds of ugly accusations if someone were to sugggest graphing the race of the perpetrators of these homicides, so I guess it's less uncomfortable for everyone if we just blame the guns...

I've said it before, and I don't back down from it:

[W]e also can't forget to look at race--not as a cause of violent crime, but as an indicator of populations most directly affected by and responsive to a continuing history of destructive government policies.

Back to the Future

The COIL is composed of six interconnected modules, each as large as a sport utility vehicle turned on end. Each module weighs about 6,500 pounds and has 3,600 separate parts. When fired through a window in the aircraft’s nose turret, it produces enough energy in a 5-second burst to power a typical household for more than an hour.

I speculated about the COIL back in my July 2002 GUNS AND AMMO article,"Things to Come":

Calling it "America's laser of death," the UK's Daily Telegraph projects "the ability to vaporize enemy troops and vehicles Star Wars-style will take a few more years to develop."

Designed for deployment on AC-X "Son of Specter" aircraft gunships, we're told that "advances will be made and the power plant will shrink and one day it will dominate the battlefield." Hardly a small arm suitable for individual combatants? Just remember, not so long ago your pocket calculator would have filled a room, requiring programmers, technicians and keypunch operators...

And you can bet when that day comes, the following inscription will be prominently engraved on each unit:

"RESTRICTED FOR GOVERNMENT OR LAW ENFORCEMENT USE ONLY"

[Via John Schaefer]

A Dishonest Man

U.S. District Judge Jimm Larry Hendren is a dishonest man. Hendren practices dishonesty in the most devious and destructive form there is. Hendren lies for the State.

Don Bright shares some thoughts on the judge in the Wayne Fincher case.

An "Easy Sell-Out"

The Republican leading Rudy Giuliani's New Hampshire campaign said he thinks the 2008 presidential hopeful will be an "easy sell" - and that the ex-mayor "satisfied" him that he won't support federal assault-weapons bans, as he has in the past...

"People understand that Rudy had a commitment to protect New York against crime. That has no impact on hunting or gaming."

"Hunting or gaming." Right. You really "get it," Rudy. That's what those of us with the fire in our guts want to hear.

Let's see: John McCain hires former NRA-ILA head James Jay Baker, Mitt Romney does the shuck and jive on guns at the SHOT Show, and now Rudy tries to mask his anti-gun fascism with this tepid outreach.

Looks like Wayne Semprini won't be content until he extends his New Hampshire GOP losing streak to the national level. Looks like none of these "easy sell-outs" will be.

This Day in History: January 30

On this day in 1781, Maryland becomes the 13th and final state to ratify the Articles of Confederation, almost three years after the official deadline given by Congress of March 10, 1778.

The Florida Gun Permit Loophole

Hundreds of criminals were able to obtain concealed weapons permits in Florida because of loopholes, errors and miscommunication, a newspaper reported Sunday.

The "loophole"?

You have to go to the original hysterical article this one is based on to find it.

None of the people the media is shrieking about are convicted felons.

It doesn't matter if they were accused.

It doesn't matter if they were arrested, or how many times.

It doesn't matter if they were charged.

If they have not been convicted, even if a judge elected to "withhold" conviction based on a plea arrangement, you cannot then turn around and withhold their rights. These "authorized journalists" are bewailing nothing less than our inability to punish people who have not been legally proven guilty of felonies. And until that happens, regardless of circumstances, regardless of pleas, our system affords them a presumption of innocence, and places the burden on the state to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

If the government is not doing it's job, that's the part of the system you need to fix.

So the ABC headline "Fla. Gives Gun Permits to Felons" is a lie. That's right, a lie. Pleading guilty to a felony does not make you a felon. Being convicted of one does.

Even the original report admits, albeit it is buried deep in the story:

Convicted felons cannot get gun licenses under state and federal law.

No duh. Anybody starting to feel a bit...manipulated here?

And you'll notice in all the wailing and teeth-gnashing there are no claims of any resulting increase in homicides.

This is an ongoing miniseries. I just checked, and the latest installment is here. Nothing has changed in my assessment. This is still "a tale told by [idiots], full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."

We're the Only...

Hold on...

I'm saving this one for the new Carnival...

"My Gun Rap Shame"

HEARTS kid Lee Wallace has revealed he feared he'd lose everything when cops arrested him on gun charges last year.

Speaking for the first time since his conviction for possessing a loaded air gun, relieved Wallace thanked the club for standing by him.

And he told how senior players in the dressing room helped him through the shame by taking the mickey and giving him a nickname.

It's a shame he felt compelled to blubber pathetic apologies instead of standing up for his rights as a free man. The UK is becoming more and more like "A Clockwork Orange" every day, except the mass behavior conditioning is so effective they don't need the Ludovico technique.

And we're not all that far behind them.

Hungarian Goulash

The health ministry is planning to amend the law on carrying firearms: Everyone who keeps a gun at home would have to undergo psychological examinations at regular intervals. The planned amendments have been submitted to the authorities.

Being forced to go through this outrage would be enough to drive anybody a bit nuts.

Bill Brown Update: "Suspended"

Larry Rankin, passes on inside information that at least one person has dropped his CCW course in Santa Barbara because he was told the sheriff's department will not be issuing any more permits. Apparently, Sheriff Brown is also "considering" not renewing existing permits.

I wrote to the department to inquire and got this reply from their Office of Internal Affairs:

I've received your e-mail request concerning the renewal and application process relating to Conceal Weapons Permits. Normally I would forward you a packet containing all of the information you requested or call you and answer any questions you might have regarding this matter. However, a new Sheriff was recently elected and took office two weeks ago and he is in the process of reviewing the Department policy to evaluate what, if any changes he will be make to ensure that liability is kept to a minimum when dealing with Concealed Weapon's Permits. Until that time, the current policy is suspended. Hopefully, I can address this with a more definitive answer sometime at the end of February of 2007 after the Sheriff has had time to complete his revisions.

Certainly sounds like an "A" rating to me...

I will, of course, follow up on this "at the end of February."

[More on Bill Brown]

GUNS Magazine Review of "Domestic Enemies"

Matthew Bracken has posted my review of his latest book.

Déjà Vu

Instead of singing "O, say does that star-spangled banner", Senator Clinton sang, "o, say does our star-spangled banner."

Really?

This Day in History: January 29

Facing a surprise British counterassault in the bitter cold and with a snowstorm approaching, American commander Major General William Heath and his army of 6,000 abandon their siege on Fort Independence, in Bronx County, New York, on this day in 1777.

Sunday Sermon: The Holy City

This isn't gun-related, but it does give us a telling frame of reference on the mindset of overwhelmingly anti-gun "authorized journalists".

Google News Search, exact terms "holy city of":


Google News Search, exact terms "holy city of Bethlehem":



Isn't it revealing how hotbeds of Islamist hatred and violence are all acknowledged as "holy," yet what is arguably the holiest site in Christianity is not?

My own view is that places aren't holy, (some) people are, albeit admittedly imperfect. Still, what do you think this says about the worldview of those mass-feeding information to our countrymen?

Separate But Unequal

Fincher and other Militia of Washington County members were featured in a March 2006 front-page report in The Morning News, firing the weapons. That report, according to federal law enforcement officials, was what prompted them to begin investigating Fincher and the group.--The Morning News

So a couple pictures and some quotes in the local paper is enough to prod the feds into sticking an informant in the midst of citizens exercising their natural rights guaranteed by the Constitution?

That's quite different from the attitude they conveyed in regards to actor Mark Wahlberg*, where they said:

"Because you saw this individual possessing a gun in a movie trailer, it is not known whether or not this item meets this definition. The possibility exists that it could have been a movie prop and made to function as a real weapon through the use of special effects."

Wahlberg, you'll recall, "pled guilty to two counts of criminal contempt, each count carrying 'a maximum penalty of ten years in a house of correction or ten thousand dollars or both.' The Commonwealth's Sentencing Memorandum supported "the recommendation that the Defendant be sentenced to two years at the Deer Island House of Corrections, ninety days committed, with the balance suspended for two years."

As I wrote earlier, "Title I of the Gun Control Act of 1968 prohibits certain classes of persons from 'purchasing, receiving or transporting firearms or ammunition in interstate commerce.' Among these are persons 'convicted of or under indictment for a felony ... Such persons correspondingly are prohibited from purchasing or otherwise acquiring any firearm or ammunition which has been shipped in interstate commerce.'"

Hmmm...seems "interstate commerce" factored in the Fincher case as well...

And per 18 USC Chapter 44, Sec. 922, "Unlawful Acts":

It shall be unlawful for any person to sell or otherwise dispose of any firearm or ammunition to any person knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that such person - (1) is under indictment for, or has been convicted in any court of, a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year;

and

It shall be unlawful for any person...who has been convicted in any court of, a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year; to...possess in or affecting commerce, any firearm or ammunition; or to receive any firearm or ammunition which has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce.

Interstate commerce again--and it looks like it could trip up not just Pokey-Poke, but anyone who employs him and provides him with "any firearm."

Which brings us to my old pals on Calguns Forums, where a couple of interesting pictures were posted, along with a reference for the gunsmith who provided the studios with the weaponry used in them (via interstate commerce). Surely BATFU has enough to look into this--if they wanted to.

Now understand: The gunsmith is surely innocent of any infraction, as knowledge is a component of any violation. He is dealing with licensed armorers and completing all required transaction records in accordance with federal law--records BATFU has access to, so their earlier excuse rings hollow. But he would be able to verify whether or not the prop he supplied was a functional firearm--again, as would BATFU, with a simple phone call. Whether the studios that employ Mr. Wahlberg know of his criminal past becomes more problematic.

Also understand this: I would never report this to the feds, although I won't let the possibility that they lurk here from time to time inhibit what I have to say--as far as I'm concerned, Mr. Wahlberg should have exactly the same claim to the Second Amendment we all do, as should all others free to live outside of custodial restraint imposed via due process.

I merely point out that Mr. Fincher is no less deserving of the same freedom, and that the government has knowingly subjected him to a different standard of enforcement.

----------

*"I believe Charlton Heston is America's best villain because he loves guns so much. Maybe he should get the award for being president of the National Rifle Association."--Mark Wahlberg, MTV Movie Awards

[Thanks to TF for the picture link]

New WarOnGuns Poll: The Purpose of Government

See the left margin for the new poll, created from a suggestion posted by E. David Quammen. Regular correspondent Straightarrow also gave two ideas, that I'll be using in the coming weeks.

Here are the results of last week's poll:

Should Released Felons Get Their "Gun Rights" Back?

Free Wayne Webring Update

Blogonomicon, who did a great job setting everything up, reports our number is now at 22. Nice, especially considering the short time this has been in existence.

If you have a gun rights blog, we'd welcome your joining us.

[More about Wayne Fincher via WarOnGuns]

This Day in History: January 28

John Burgoyne, poet, playwright and British general, submits an ill-fated plan to the British government to isolate New England from the other colonies on this day in 1777.

Lola and the Moneygoround

They don't know the tune and they don't know the words

But they don't give a damn
--The Kinks, "The Moneygoround"
(Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One)

I don't care that Hillary's tone deaf. But she could at least learn the words to the national anthem.

It's "does that star-spangled banner," not "does our star-spangled banner."

Nobody expects her to know all four verses, but the first one? Come on. If she sang it more than when she's forced to because eyes are on her and an act is expected, this would never have happened.

The again, maybe it's a Freudian slip--when you're a collectivist at heart, everything is "ours." Except for the part the "more equal" don't share with the masses.

Fincher Challenges Indictment, Jurisdiction

Hollis Wayne Fincher is challenging the validity of the grand jury indictment that led to his conviction for illegally possessing machine guns.

I posted docket update links earlier this morning.

[More about Wayne Fincher via WarOnGuns]

Richard Esposito Reports

Richard Esposito reports that Mayor Bloomberg "said it was 'ideological nonsense' to suggest the ability of police to trace criminals' weapons would infringe on the Second Amendment right to bear arms."

Richard Esposito does NOT report on the opinions of experts with genuine credentials for original scholarship, who warn that gun registration enables confiscation.

Richard Esposito reports that "The head of the American Hunters and Shooters Association, Ray Schoenke" is a "gun rights advocate" who calls the NRA and others who don't agree with him "gun rights 'extremists'."

Richard Esposito does NOT report that AHSA has been widely discredited as a sham organization established by gun control advocates with close ties to retired BATFU careerists.

Richard Esposito reports "Each year 30,000 people are killed by guns in the United States."

Richard Esposito does not report that the FBI Supplementary Homicide Reports, 1976-2004, posted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, shows homicides, the excuse the mayors are using to justify their demand for gun owner information, account for only about a third of the number he faithfully parrots. And that "killed by guns" bit--nice manipulation of your readers , Richard. I'll bet most of them missed what you were doing.

Richard Esposito reports that he is a reporter.

Richard Esposito does not report that he is just another in a long line of agenda-driven editorial advocates for the police state, masking his bias and incompetence under the guise of straight news.

In other words, Richard Esposito is what we here at WarOnGuns refer to as an "authorized journalist," a creature who betrays the hallowed role of watchdog so vital to a free Republic and opts for the contemptible collar of the lapdog.

Time for Another "Only Ones" Carnival

Y'know, I really didn't set out to have "Only Ones" stories dominate today's postings. I never do.

But the tips, as well as results from my own headline searches, just keep coming in, and I find I only have time, space and inclination to post a fraction of them--I routinely see newslinks over at KABA and other places that I just can't get around to addressing.

A while back, WarOnGuns hosted an "Only Ones" Carnival, and I think it's time to hold one again.

The rules are simple:

• If you have a blog, post an "Only Ones" story and send me the link. Please include the words "Only Ones" in your blog post title.
• If you don't have a blog, send me the link to an "Only Ones" story you found in the news. Also tell me how you wish to be credited (name/nickname)

The new Carnival will be posted next Friday, Feb. 2, just in time to kick off a festive weekend. If you'd like to participate, you have until the Thursday evening cutoff to get in your entries. Send them to me at:
And remember:

The purpose of this feature has never been to bash cops. The only reason I do this is to amass a credible body of evidence to present when those who would deny our right to keep and bear arms use the argument that only the police are professional and trained enough to do so safely and responsibly. And it's also used to illustrate when those of official status, rank or privilege, both in law enforcement and in some other government position, get special breaks not available to we commoners, particularly when they're involved in gun-related incidents.

If you're new to "The Only Ones Files," I credit the title to Lee Paige, the DEA agent who shot himself in the foot in front of a classroom full of children immediately after telling them "I'm the only one in this room professional enough that I know of to carry this Glock .40."

We're the Only Ones in Public/Private Partnership Enough

The feds are investigating gun purchases made by Village of Montgomery police officers while longtime Officer in Charge Jack Byrnes Jr. was running the department, according to people familiar with the investigation.

Those people say that at least one federal law-enforcement agency is assembling a paper trail to track the movement of the guns — including documents pertaining to the private security business that is Byrnes' bread-and-butter.

In one case, a source said that the FBI received copies of handgun sale slips documenting purchases by Byrnes. Those records are normally kept by the state police Pistol Permit Bureau, which documents all legal handgun transactions in New York.

I wonder if the Montgomery "Only Ones" will let us ordinary citizens keep our own gun purchase records, away from the prying eyes of the state Pistol Permit Bureau?

[Via Declan]

Wayne Fincher Update: January 27

From Paul W. Davis:

Wayne Fincher's docket has been updated with the Motion to Arrest Judgement (Document 37) and the Memorandum Brief in Support Motion to Arrest Judgement (Document 38). The following are the links:

http://www.arkansasmilitia.com/raid/main.html

http://www.arkansasmilitia.com/raid/docket/37_MtnArrestJudgment.pdf

http://www.arkansasmilitia.com/raid/docket/38_BrfMtnArrestJudgment.pdf

[More about Wayne Fincher via WarOnGuns]

We're the Only Ones With a Top-Down Approach Enough

The City of Pensacola, Florida, is considering paying $35,000 to settle a claim filed by a female teenager who was forced to perform jumping jacks topless in front of a police officer to avoid arrest.

So why should the taxpayers, that is, the "Only One" victim pool, have to cough up the money when Shawn "Pantie" Shields is the one who made this mess? I think if the city were to require him to pay it off via a pledge-style fundraiser, I'd kick in a nickel per jumping jack. I'd even let him keep his shirt on, if for no other reason than to hide the lash marks.

[Via Bounty Hunter]

We're the Only Ones Carjacking Enough

If Prichard police catch you ridin' dirty -- carrying illegal guns or drugs in a car -- they will take your wheels, and you might just see the officer who busted you patrolling the streets in your former ride.

We're the "Only Ones" who can engage in outright armed theft, and our "authorized journalist" co-conspirators will help us paint you as the "dirty" ones.

[Via Tavis Steen]

This Day in History: January 27

On this day in 1785, the Georgia General Assembly incorporates the University of Georgia, the first state-funded institution of higher learning in the new republic.

I wonder if they would have approved of UGA's weapons policy?

Obviously We Need Club Control

Wildlife officials credited a woman with saving her husband's life by clubbing a mountain lion that attacked him while the couple were hiking in a California state park.

The poor cougar never stood a chance.

Looks like the authorities will need to update their posted rules. And yeah, I know that post was about a county park--so here are the rules for state parks:


Happy hiking!

[Via HZ]

Flurries in Hell

There has been some discussion over at Snowflakes in Hell, first concerning the Wayne Fincher case, and then about a letter to the judge that was posted here.

It may come as a surprise to everyone, but I find it hard to disagree with Sebastian's observations. Let me qualify what I mean.

I agree that the Fincher case is not the ideal one. If I thought getting arrested to make a Second Amendment claim was a winning strategy, I'd arrange it myself. You'll notice I haven't.

Be that as it may, Wayne Fincher is correct in principle and his prosecution is nothing short of an assault on all our freedoms--as well as a thinly-disguised warning from the Masters that they will countenance no deviation from their mandates. So while I would not have picked this case, the feds picked Mr. Fincher. The man is fighting for his life, and I can do no less than to support him in every way I can.

But here's where I depart from the Fincher critics-- there is no "right case." As I've observed before about SCOTUS and 2A:

They couldn't rule that 2A is an unalienable right, applicable to the states as well as the national government, that shall not be infringed, because that would erode the monopoly of power--and no "authority" gives that up unless forced to. And they dared not rule that there is no individual right, because that would provoke widespread defiance and disobedience that could well get out of hand.

My prediction (albeit it's more uncertain now that the Republicans have managed to give away both houses, and it looks like they're doing their best to lose the executive branch, so forget any change to the high court that doesn't move it to the left)--is the court will rule it an individual right, but so narrowly, and with such deference to "compelling state interest" and "reasonable restrictions" as to make very little difference in terms of hampering new legislation to outlaw "assault weapons" again, "close the gun show loophole," retain and share NICS data, etc., and of course, in terms of enforcing "existing gun laws."

As for Mr. Sawders' letter, again, I agree it would not be advisable to send such a missive if the goal was to persuade Judge Hendren to "do the right thing." What I reject is that anyone is capable of writing such a letter.

The judge has proven he is a creature who considers stare decisis the supreme law of the land. He will be guided on the sentencing by what the prosecution wants and what the guidelines and precedent say.

Now if the argument is such letters will make him mad and prompt him to levy an even harsher punishment, why, such a man who would punish a prisoner for the semntiments of a supporter would be a monster, not prone to reason or sympathy, and deserving of much more than strongly-worded correspondence.

There is no "right letter."

But what will such a harsh, accusatory letter accomplish? In my view, as a standalone, not a whole hell of a lot, except to give "civil authority" an indicator that they're crossing a line, and that people demanding their rights are seeing no recourse in "the legal system." In a way, such a letter does the judge a service by letting him know this in no uncertain terms, but, again, I would not argue that it won't make him dig in his heels, especially since it is not accompanied by probably more than a dozen other pleas.

The fault is ours. Gun owners could have their rights back today if we truly wanted them, but most don't, and those who do are so hopelessly outnumbered that the likely outcome of defiance is purposefully exemplified by the treatment of Wayne Fincher.

One last observation--a personal note to Sebastian concerning this admission:

I don'’t enjoy criticizing members of our own community, especially when I think their hearts are in the right place.

That's because you're a decent human being. But those of us out there offering our opinions need to expect that as a likely outcome, and when we believe someone is in error, we owe them, as well as those they influence, the benefit of our opposing views.

So again, it may surprise some to hear that admission coming from me. But I don't enjoy confronting someone whose heart is in the right place, either. Now the ones whose hearts are in the wrong place are another matter altogether...

Polling for the Poll

I'll be replacing the poll in the left margin over the weekend. If you have a suggestion for a poll you'd like to see, leave a comment below.

We're the Only Ones Breaking and Entering Enough

A 44-year-old Goose Creek police officer was arrested and charged with burglary Wednesday, authorities said...

Ellis is accused in a warrant of entering a Subway restaurant in Goose Creek around 2:50 a.m. Dec. 29 and breaking into a safe and cash register. The intruder was captured on video surveillance.

I checked the Subway Restaurant site for mention of this "Only One," but I guess they don't consider the incident "Buzzworthy."

I got this story from Cowboy Blob, who shares an interesting bit of additional information...

This Day in History: January 26

On this day in 1779, after the British capture of Savannah, Georgia, a group of Patriots meets at the city’s Burke County Jail to determine how they will deal with any possible defections from the Patriot cause. They were worried by a recent British offer of immunity to those who would affirm their loyalty to the British king.

GUNS Magazine, January 1957

We have often heard of persons who could do things in "less than no time," but to date we have never been permitted to observe any such performances.

The legendary (and I don't use the term cavalierly) Ed McGivern penned "My Challenge to Hollywood Hot Shots" with authority and wit when he was in his 80's (he actually died in 1957), and proposed a definitive test for some of the more fantastic quick draw claims being issued. I need to see if I can find out if anything ever resulted from his challenge.

Also in this issue:

• Confessions of a Rifle Expert
• Powerhouse of Automatic Pistols
• Kings Who Were Gun Collectors
• And much more, including the classic period ads.

The January 1957 issue of GUNS Magazine is now (finally!) online. (Posting was delayed due to everybody being preoccupied with the SHOT Show).

Pratt Warns Against NICS Expansion

The first major anti-gun bill of the new Pelosi-led Congress has already been introduced, and it could prove to be the most serious threat yet to Second Amendment Rights.

On the first full day of the new Congress, Rep. Carolyn McCarthy introduced H.R. 297, the most massive expansion of the Brady law since it passed in 1993. This is a bill that was quashed last year but under the new Pelosi House leadership, the Bill has a higher likelihood of getting passed this time.

Conducting Talk Show interviews on this topic is Larry Pratt, Executive Director of Gun Owners of America, the nation’s second largest gun group.

Naw. We got nothin' to worry about.

Right?

Oh, and Larry? All that talk about the dangers of expanding NICS? I know you know about this.

"End Restrictions on Restrictions"

Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor joined mayors from around the country in Washington to urge an end to federal restrictions on information that could help local police track illegal guns.

Do you think Kathy & Pals might be interested in NICS purchase information? All the new democrat majority would have to do is change the law to allow the feds to retain the data and share it. Any bets our kinder, gentler "collective rights" proponent (or the likely democrat successor in '08) wouldn't sign on to that under the doctrine of "compelling state interest"?

Seems to me I read somewhere once about a way to do background checks (unconstitutional prior restraints though they be) that wouldn't have put gun owners at such risk, but the major gun groups rejected having anything to do with it...

JR's Blog of the Week: Armed and Safe

This week's Blog of The Week is Armed and Safe...What I found was another very good pro-rights blog that is well written and worth your time.

Hear, hear!

Set Phasers on "Stun" or "Kill"?

The U.S. Defense Department on Wednesday unveiled what it called a revolutionary heat-beaming weapon that could be used to control mobs or repel foes in conflicts like Iraq and Afghanistan.

The so-called Active Denial System causes an intense burning sensation causing people to run for cover, but no lasting harm, officials said.

Right.

I wrote in "Things to Come," (GUNS AND AMMO magazine, July 2002) about a weapon under development that, per Wired.com, "releases two ultraviolet laser beams... that paralyz[e] the skeletal muscles of people and animals up to 2 kilometers away":

The non-lethality claim is also interesting, it's just not particularly believable. It's supposedly limited to wavelengths that can't damage eyes and internal organs, but are there any doubts that a "black" R&D project devoted to wave transmissions and frequency modulations won't develop a workaround? Assuming they haven't already?

And as I also asked in that article about another weapon:

Any bets on whether one of these babies will ever make it to the civilian market?

[Via John Schaefer]

This Day in History: January 25

On this day in 1776, the Continental Congress authorizes the first national Revolutionary War memorial in honor of Brigadier General Richard Montgomery, who had been killed during an assault on Quebec on December 31, 1775.

"It'll Be Like Dodge City!"

Kansas has recorded its first confirmed shooting involving a concealed-gun licensee since the state’s concealed-weapons law took effect this month.

Michael Mah, 57, shot an armed 17-year-old robbery suspect just before 9 p.m. Friday at a gas station in Topeka.

Blood on the streets, just as predicted! Are we sure it wasn't over a fender-bender?

Disturbing Details

Disturbing Details Released On Gun In School Incident

Like what? The gun has killed before? The gun was abused in its formative years? The gun was planning something really big?

I see disturbing details about a sociopathic little misfit. I infer disturbing details about "Only Ones" utterly incapable of doing anything but responding to school shootings until after the shots have been fired, and about school administrators totally unprepared to protect themselves, let alone their charges. I even see disturbing details about the "authorized journalists'" proclivity for tainting "news" headlines with fear and ignorance-based propaganda.

But I see no disturbing details about any guns here. Other than the fact that those who need them don't have them by law--and overwhelmingly prefer it that way.

We're the Only Ones With Our Culos in a Sling Enough

The police department has issued about 60 slingshots to officers in the violent border city of Tijuana, where soldiers confiscated police weapons two weeks ago on allegations of collusion with drug traffickers.

Maybe we can try this with our own Los Únicos...

[Via Kurt Hofmann]

One Step Further

From Charles H. Sawders:

David, don't have a clue if this does a damn thing but cause snide laughter amonst his staff, but here is my letter to my congressman. I will send the identical letter to my senator in just a few minutes. Might not be a bad idea to encourage those courageous enough to write the judge to do the same with their elected servants that mistakenly put this error on the bench.

I am forwarding to you the text of a letter I have mailed to U.S. District Court Judge Jimm Larry Hendren, who sits on the bench for the District of Western Arkansas.

I don't know what you know about the case of US v Fincher, and as a matter of importance the case itself is secondary to my concern. My primary concern is the betrayal of my country by the above named judge.

I am writing to encourage you to open an investigation into the appropriateness or lack of same in his rulings in the case. The letter is mostly self-explanatory, with the exceptions that I do not mention that the defense was forbidden to present its case to the jury, the defense was only allowed to speak to the judge in defense with the jury out of the room; also the jury was denied full instruction as to their duties and powers, which has been ruled upon numerous times. Judges are not legally required to inform a jury of its duty to judge the law, morality expects different behavior, nonetheless a judge is not bound by moral considerations. However, he did inform them only partially in a manner guaranteed to favor the prosecution.

Ergo, due to this one man who has violated his oath, violated his own stated opinion in a public courtroom, violated the jury, and The Constitution of the United States of America in multiple ways, the jury never heard the defense, never heard the Supreme Law of the Land, nor were they actually apprised of the actual unconstitutional law the defendant was charged with violating. Hendren, directed them to return a guilty verdict. Which by the way, when done in favor of the prosecution, has been considered to always be reversible error, reference Sullivan.

In light of what I deem to be a betrayal of my country at worst, and at best, if he is really that ignorant of the constitution and the law he should never sit a bench in any judicial setting. Hence, I implore you to look into this violation of all we Americans hold and have held dear since our founding, and proceed to explore the possibility of impeachment against this embarrassment to the adjudication of justice.

[More about Wayne Fincher via WarOnGuns]

This Day in History: January 24

On this day in 1781, Patriot commanders Lieutenant Colonel “Light Horse” Henry Lee and Brigadier General Francis “Swamp Fox” Marion of the South Carolina militia combine forces and conduct a raid on Georgetown, South Carolina, which is defended by 200 British soldiers.

"What Price Treason?"

Supporters of Wayne Fincher have asked that letters by sent to the "judge who tried Wayne and will do the sentencing. He needs to know how the citizens of Arkansas, and the United States (& those abroad who care) feel about this egregious case."

Here is one such letter that the author has graciously allowed me to post:

20 Jan 07

U.S. District Judge Jimm Larry Hendren

United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas

Sir:

As an American citizen who is deeply concerned about the state of liberty and the lack of rule of law in this land I have been following the Fincher case. This nation was wrested away from a ruling elite that ruled by whim and the myth of moral superiority of the highborn. Because of the reasons for our departure from our mother country we established the rule of law, not whim. Those rules reserved and guaranteed rights embodied in the Supreme Law of the Land , The Constitution of the United States of America. Government was guaranteed no rights in that document, but were granted certain powers in order that the state be able to honor its duty to the citizen in protecting the reserved and guaranteed rights bestowed by Nature and Nature's God upon the citizen.

Therefore, when I read that you had stated in public, on the record, that the Second Amendment guaranteed an individual right and not a collective right, I was pleased beyond measure. I thought to myself, "Finally an honest sitting judge, who will rule based on law." That thought did not sustain me long. For the very next day, after your meeting with representatives of the prosecution, you reversed yourself. Which brings me to some questions for later in this missive.

I know you did not attend and graduate law school without ever learning that the Constitution of the United States of America was and is the Supreme Law of the Land. Further, I contend that you could not have graduated law school without ever learning that the jury is charged with judging not only the facts of a case, but also the law under which charges are brought. Were you to try to deny having ever learned that, your already suspect integrity would be revealed by its absence.

I can believe that you graduated law school and never learned that the courtroom belongs to the jury, not the judge, not the state, not the prosecutor and not the defense. The jury owns the courtroom, they are the highest power in that room, at all times. As stated previously, I can believe you graduated without that ever being revealed to you by your instructors. Such is the nature of arrogance in many that attain offices of honor. Many believe that they are imbued with a moral and universal superiority that places them above others and often simply ignore the truth if it does not please them. The fallacy of the judge owning the courtroom is one such manifestation of this arrogance. So while I can believe you were never taught that in law school, simply because the fiction of a judge owning the courtroom must be protected if the abuse of juries and the jury system is to be sustained, I cannot understand how you were able to study law and the history of the law and not discover the truth on your own. I suspect that it is an ignorance of convenience on your part.

The judge is a referee. His job is to keep the proceedings fair and in the bounds of the law. The judge has a duty not to be an advocate. A duty you have miserably failed in Fincher.

It has been ruled and upheld many times that a judge is not required to inform a jury of its duty and right to judge the suitability of the law under the Constitution. While it may not be legally required of him, it is certainly a moral obligation if justice is to prevail in our nation. When a judge declines to apprise a jury of its entire duty, but deigns to apprise it partially of its duty, he has become an advocate, and has shown his disrespect for justice.

I could cite cases and rulings that uphold everything I have stated above. I could cite quotations and writings of founders and jurists who have stated in eloquent terms the principles you have violated. I could do that, but I believe it would be pointless. I do not believe I have engaged an honest and principled man who has a different point of view, or who only needs to see the proofs that he has ruled wrongly, to set his path aright. I believe I am addressing a man who already knows all the things I have addressed here. I believe that man knew he was wrong when he disallowed the jury in Fincher to hear what the law, especially the Supreme Law of the Land, had to say, before directing the jury to a guilty verdict.

So here are the questions for you I mentioned above.

What was your price? What was offered you in that meeting with representatives of the prosecution that seems to have caused a complete reversal of what you had stated only the day before? Was it reward? Was it threat if you did not cooperate?

To sum it up in one question, "What price treason?"

Absolutely sincerely,

Charles H. Sawders
Doddridge, Arkansas

Send your letter to:
U. S. District Judge
Jimm Larry Hendren, Chief Judge
P. O. Box 3487
Fayetteville, Arkansas 72702-3487

Shot Boy's Father Seeks Gun Control

The father of a two-year-old boy shot dead in his pushchair while on a family holiday joined hundreds of other campaigners as they marked moves to introduce international gun control measures.

I guess he doesn't think "Brian" had a big enough advantage.

"Brian, Please..."

Tragic Sharon Bell's killer shocked her with a stun gun before murdering her in a frenzied knife attack, a jury heard.

A harrowing recording of the hairdresser screaming in agony and pleading for her life was played at Newcastle Crown Court.

Do you think Brian would have been so merciless if instead of pleading with him to stop she was commanding him to keep away--or else she'd shoot?

On the Lighter Side

Official upset by gun lighter his son says he bought at fair...

All it would have taken was a wave of the sleek-looking replica, and a law-enforcement officer to mistake it for a weapon.

"Don't just stand there, idiot. Call a doctor. And then help me find my nose."

Forget Getting Guns Off the Streets--How About Getting Street Off Our Guns?

Mayor Street joins a group of 50 mayors in Washington today pushing for new strategies to stanch the flow of illegal guns into American cities.

With Pennsylvania hamstrung "with some of the most lax gun laws in all of the country," Street said, the mayors are pushing for "tougher laws to control illegal guns... . This is a national movement to deal with the proliferation of guns."

The coalition, known as Mayors Against Illegal Guns, formed last April in New York. In September, the coalition joined Street for a lobbying push in Harrisburg.

With President Bush to offer his State of the Union address tonight to a Congress now controlled by Democrats, Street said that he's hoping for a better gun-control environment.

He's got his wish. It's already started--despite the predictions by some that all those "gun-friendly Democrats" will keep it from happening.

This Day in History: January 23

On this day in 1775, London merchants petition Parliament for relief from the financial hardship put upon them by the curtailment of trade with the North American colonies.

We're the Only Ones Pole-Dancing Enough

The footage is shocking: A man lies screaming on the floor of a police station as officers sodomize him with a wooden pole.

Yeah, but come on--those are Egyptian "Only Ones."

That could never happen here.

Now Raise Your Right Hands...HIGHER!

This week, guns will be top of mind for many Athens middle schoolers.

For months, area students have been creating essays, raps and posters about guns, and this week, their efforts culminate with assemblies on the effects of guns and a pledge against gun violence.

See, you can't pray, because that might offend some student and make them feel singled out and embarrassed if they don't succumb to peer pressure and join in.

I'd be curious to hear how the pledge sounds in its original German...

We're the Only Ones in Fellowship with the Ring Enough

Montgomery police are investigating the weekend theft of an officer's department-issue weapon, and its possible connection to a robbery ring.

And look who took it: An Only Ones' Precioussss...

"But the System is Not Dead-on Accurate"

Sixteen cities across the country have installed ShotSpotter, a system of rooftop listening devices that triangulates the origin of gunshots and pinpoints, in seconds, the location on a map. This week, Boston introduces a plan to spend $1.5 million on the system...

But the system is not dead-on accurate, meaning police must be circumspect about how they use the new trove of data, warn civil liberty advocates. Data from ShotSpotter has not yet been challenged in court, and both the company and defense attorneys predict an eventual showdown.

That's why I'm waiting for someone to propose a new bill requiring all bullets be equipped with GPS transponders...along with mandatory shutoff switches on all firearms that the police can activate via radio signal from a safe distance, or maybe even deactivate them all by satellite signal in a time of emergency.

Hey, who could possibly be against that but someone up to no good?

We're the Только Ones Familicidal Enough

A Russian policeman used a gun and grenades against own family killing his wife and daughter before being shot dead by his son-in-law, the Interfax news agency reported on Monday.

"Only Ones" is same in Mother Russia as everywhere, tovarisch!

What Do You Call a "Gun Death Study" Put Out by the Antis?

Junk science.

WoG discussed the "study" here, and wondered if it would hold up to scrutiny.

It doesn't. The critique this post title links to demonstrates how "outcomes of the statistical analyses were ignored in the speculative comments made in the conclusions."

How convenient. How predictable. How "scientific."

So naturally, the "authorized journalists" have tripped all over themselves to bamboozle their readership into accepting validity of the first paper, and ignored this one. I've tried several different search terms to find this new analysis in any "news" accounts--so far, without "luck," as if that should be necessary.

[Via Anonymous]

This Day in History: January 22

Famed Tory outlaw Claudius Smith meets his end on the gallows on this day in 1779 in Goshen, New York. In the wake of his death, Patriot civilians hope for relief from guerilla warfare in upstate New York.

Today's "Standards"

An Orangevale youth who fatally shot a passing motorist with a hunting rifle had to write a 1,000 word essay on why he was sorry and will serve 30 days in juvenile hall.

And naturally, "As part of his sentence, the special education student also must spend 500 hours speaking to other youths on the dangers of guns."

Hey, ask the experts.

We're the Only Ones Sending Our Kids Off to School Packed Enough

Administrators at a Catholic school in Marrero had some tense moments Thursday morning after a student accidentally brought a police officer's service revolver to school.

Chief Deputy Newell Normand of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office said that a 5-year-old student at Immaculate Conception Elementary School had a .40-caliber handgun in a small bookbag.

Naturally, the Chief "Only One" won't disclose the mother's identity, nor does he "plan to make any arrests."

Any bets We the People would be afforded such courtesy?

This story nicely supplements two of today's earlier posts. First we have the Chicom corrections officer tragedy, and then we have the admittedly ignorant columnist proving just because you have a forum to express yourself, it doesn't mean you know what you're writing about.

Someone needs to ask reporter Allen Powell II about those standard issue .40 caliber "service revolvers."

A Primer in Pink

Personally, I'm what the Pink Pistols call a "gun bigot," someone who's not crazy about firearms, knows nothing about them, "may never have even fired one, certainly doesn't have any, [and] would gladly subject innocent people to defenselessness."

That admission is the first step toward a willingness to learn.

I don't think she would have been quite so receptive had her introduction to RKBA not come from a group that "liberals" feel a natural protective affinity for. And even if she still has strong reservations and probably won't be "cured," a lot of really good messages got disseminated in this story to her readership.

Good job, Mr. Spradlin.

"Marginally Effective at Best"

Todd Vandermyde, a Yorkville resident and legislative liaison for the National Rifle Association, said his group prefers a more "low-key" approach. He called Concealed Carry "marginally effective at best."

As opposed to "completely ineffective"?

We're the Only Ones Enforcing Gun Laws Enough

Such an example is the case of Andrea Parker, a Cook County correctional officer who was charged Wednesday with reckless conduct in the accidental shooting death of her 6-year-old grandson, Jaylen Parker.

This is why we need to keep guns out of the hands of ordinary Cook county serf...uh...citizens.

Don't worry, Chicom Sun Times, you and "The Only Ones" aren't the only ones who want to "enforce gun laws." For the kids, of course.

This Day in History: January 21

On this day 1738, Ethan Allen, future Revolutionary War hero and key founder of the Republic of Vermont, is born in Litchfield, Connecticut.

Of Course You Realize This Means War

Responding to questions from Sen. Arlen Specter at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Jan. 18, Gonzales argued that the Constitution doesn'’t explicitly bestow habeas corpus rights; it merely says when the so-called Great Writ can be suspended.

"There is no expressed grant of habeas in the Constitution; there's a prohibition against taking it away,"” Gonzales said.

Where this idiot thinks the right came from in order that it could be taken away is a mystery.

Still, why the hell not amputate another obsolete legal appendage from another time? We can toss it into the dumpster of history with all the other useless relics.

After all, there's no First Amendment any more, what with "Campaign Finance Reform," FCC censorship, proposals to force political commentators to register with the government they're supposed to be critical of, censorship of "adult content" (and lest you think the people of the Founding era only meant to protect political and religious freedom, follow the link on my Jan. 19 "This Day in History" post), "hate speech" edicts, restrictions on freedom of assembly, laws forbidding the public expression of religion, etc.

And it's not like there's any recognized Second Amendment. Hell, the Bush administration just issued new FAA regs where they openly declare it to be a "collective right," and federal prosecutors are doing their utmost to destroy Wayne Fincher, while a federal judge greases the skids. Hell, according to him, there's not even a Constitution--at least one you can mention in his courtroom.

It's not like there's any Fourth Amendment, what with warrantless searches--yeah, they're just against "terrorists," that is, until We the People who believe in the Citizen Militia of the Constitution are classified as such, as an Arizona representathing is proposing. Besides, who needs a warrant when you can simply phone in an anonymous tip to a snitch line claiming an enemy has a gun and the authorities need to respond NOW!

It's not like there's a Sixth Amendment, what with the trial by jury subverted via judicial instructions that the judge, not the jury, is the most powerful authority in the court. Oh, and the anonymous tipsters mentioned above? So much for your right to face your accuser.

The Fifth and Eighth Amendments? Don't worry, "waterboarding" and other delights are just for terrorists. You know, like those militia freaks I mentioned a couple paragraphs back. Now wear your dog collar, get back in that pyramid and smile...

Ninth and Tenth Amendments? Ha. The whole damned country is ramped up for the War on Drugs with federal authority nowhere delegated in the Constitution, along with the federal hand in everything from education to health care to labor laws to environmentalcase activism to...besides which, all the neocon establishment opinionmakers will tell you there is no right to privacy (back to Amendment IV, I see)...

The evisceration of the Bill of Rights is damned near complete. Rulers so treasonous they behave as if following a demonic playbook are so blatant in their tyranny it's a wonder their horns aren't visible.

Hush now. Nothing to see here. There will be no war, even though one has been declared on us that would have spurred our forebears to storm the citadel in fury. Most of our countrymen will never miss what they never knew they had--until, of course, it's too late.

Honey, get me a beer? Hey--it's Saturday. Is there anything good on tonight?

[Via John Perna. Also thanks to US Citizen for calling my attention to the "Minuteman" story]

This is Not America

Does the Bill of Rights still serve as a guarantee of God-given rights against arbitrary abuses of government power? Or is it just a 215-year-old piece of paper that can be disregarded at the whim the authorities?

Doug Newman illustrates "What the Hollis Wayne Fincher Case Means to You."

[More about Wayne Fincher via WarOnGuns]

New WarOnGuns Poll: Should Released Felons Get Their "Gun Rights" Back?

Your choices are:

__YES-They have paid their debt to society
__NO-They've proven they can't be trusted
__MAYBE-NO for violent crimes, YES for nonviolent or unconstitutional convictions like "gun law" violations
__If they're still violently dangerous, why are they being let go?

Take the new poll in the left margin of this page. This one is supposed to let you give multiple answers.

Many thanks to 1894C for suggesting this topic.

Here are the results of the last poll, "Wayne Fincher Should Receive :"

We're the Only Ones Understanding the Seriousness Enough

Seven weapons, including two submachine guns, were stolen last weekend from an FBI agent's vehicle in Southwest Washington, the agency said yesterday.

Also taken were ammunition, a police radio, bullet-resistant vests, body armor and photography equipment, the FBI said.

Well, the feds steal our weapons all the time--seems turnabout's fair play. At least the thieves didn't burn down their headquarters and massacre their women and children.

Their guy left that stuff in an unattended vehicle. I'm sure glad "The Only Ones" are so much more capable of keeping weapons out of "the wrong hands" than we ordinary mortals.

Oh, and WaPo "Authorized Journalists"--what was the agent's name again? I didn't quite catch that while you were acting in your capacity as government watchdog...

[Via Kurt Hofmann, who also titled this post, and K-Romulus]

Second Amendment Carnival VIII

Stan, over at Free Constitution, is once more "providing the best 2nd Amendment coverage the blogosphere has to offer." Go check it out.

The Next Waco?

There is a situation that is taking place in Concord, N.H. that merits the attention of all those concerned with the Rights of We The People.

E. David Quammen calls our attention to the plight of Ed Brown, a citizen in New Hampshire who is putting his life on the line to defy federal authority.

I've been following the thread over at The Claire Files on this to learn more.

A Woman's Touch

In order to right this perceived injustice they have decided to treat boys in school as if they were defective girls...

Another area of attack in the schools has been the zero tolerance of guns. Up to 25 or 30 years ago, kids took guns to school and left them in their cars or in cloak rooms. Now, boys have been suspended for using their thumb and forefinger to visualize their "Bang! Bang!" Classes of little children are led in chants of: "I will never use a gun." This dangerous fruit of feminism is both anti-gun and anti-self defense.

Kudos, Larry Pratt for not being afraid to dive into the roiling waters of political correctness. And applause for Kate O'Beirne--I'm going to buy her book today.

I've noticed women getting much more enthused about firearms and self defense when taught by other women--it's an approach and confidence thing that men are often insensitive to. That's why groups like Liberty Belles and Armed Females of America can be so important.

[Via Skip]

No Insult Meant to Whorehouses at Low Tide...

"Welcome to Chicago," says the cop played by Sean Connery to FBI agent Elliot Ness in the 1987 gangster-era film "The Untouchables."

"This town stinks like a whorehouse at low tide."

I.Carry.org presents a trifecta of corruption. These are the vile criminal plunderers who disarm you and me under force of law.


[Via HZ]

This Day in History: January 20

On this day in 1777, Brigadier General Philemon Dickinson leads 400 “raw” men from the New Jersey militia and 50 Pennsylvania riflemen under Captain Robert Durkee in an attack against a group of 500 British soldiers foraging for food led by Lieutenant Colonel Robert Abercromby near Van Nest’s Mills in Millstone, New Jersey.

Off to a Crawl

There wasn't exactly a rush of people in Platte County aiming to earn the right to start packing a concealed handgun during the first week of eligibility.

The Nebraska State Patrol issued one concealed carry permit to a Platte County applicant during the first week (Jan. 3) Nebraskans were eligible to apply, according to information released last week by the State Patrol.

Don't you just love the mentality that thinks we must "earn the right"?

I'd like to say this doesn't surprise me due to the "legal" infringements (oxymoron!) thrown in the way of a right that shouldn't require permitting, but the truth is, most of our countrymen just don't give a damn.

We can do our best to educate and inform, but I fear society as a whole is going to need to take a persuasive beating before people start to rouse from their apathetic slumber. We saw it in the LA riots, when potential gun buyers (no shortage of "antis" among them) were indignant to find out there was a waiting period, and oh, by the way, all "legal" sales had been suspended pending further notice.

Brady Paradise

The government management in the area said that anyone who is seen or caught carrying a gun will be shot. The order does not affect the government soldiers either in plain clothes or in uniform.

In fitting irony, the Somali national anthem is titled "Somalia, Wake Up."

Contra Costa Times Slimes Nugent

This would normally be the place we'd insert a smart-aleck remark about the celebrity in question ... if we weren't afraid the celebrity in question would hunt us down and kill us.

Ha ha. Witty "liberal." Ha ha.

What a lying punk.

"Down With Guns!"

"Up With Peace, Down With Guns," they chanted on Martin Luther King Jr. Day as Rockaway residents of all ages and community leaders marched to retake their streets and end the gun violence that claimed four young lives and brought 2006 to a bloody close.

You have to register to read the rest of the story, but somehow I don't think it will be worth the time to do so. I guess I'll never know if Miram Rosenberg reported on the elephant in the parade...

I guess chanting brainless slogans is just a whole lot easier than addressing difficult issues.

Two, Four, Six...

The tipster alerted cops about Bianchino through an anonymous program called "Gun Stop," in which people can confidentially inform the department about illegal guns and receive a reward of $1,000.

Charges are pending against Bianchino.

Well, I guess if they don't respect the Second Amendment (and possibly the Fourth--the story said nothing about a search warrant), there's no reason to expect anyone in government to give a damn about the Sixth:

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right...to be confronted with the witnesses against him...

And the Most Effective Use of Hysteria and Propaganda in a Headline Award Goes To...

'Toy' gun killed our tragic son

Bloody brilliant.

We're the Only Ones Rangy Enough

City officials could face a debate over gun rights after the police chief suspended the licenses of a shooting range at which a woman killed herself in October.

The issue is headed for the City Council, and possibly the courts, with the police chief asking for new regulations that would ban customers who don’t have a firearm identification card from entering the shooting range. A lawyer representing the range said yesterday that such a measure could force the business to close.

So if it's up to the "Only Ones" chief, novices, who don't have enough interest to procure a permit just to try something new, will never be introduced to the shooting sports, and importantly, to the safety training and familiarity with firearm handling they afford. That way, if they ever do come across a gun, they'll be completely untrained. Plus, there will be fewer in the general population "legally permitted" to keep and bear arms (talk about an oxymoron!)

This Day in History: January 19

On this day in 1764, the British Parliament expels John Wilkes from its ranks for his reputedly libelous, seditious and pornographic writings. Over the next 12 years, Wilkes' name became a byword for Parliamentary oppression both in Britain and in Britain's North American colonies.

School Safety for Hand Puppets

"The next thing we know," Kukla said, "he pulled multiple weapons out from under his clothes and out of his backpack"...

Her message -- along with that of four other speakers -- was: Make guns easier to track and harder to get for those who shouldn't have them...

"The question is whether you allow law-abiding citizens to defend themselves," Valone said.

Kukla disagreed.

Naturally. When you insist on being a pathetic and helpless herd animal, what would it say about your lack of courage and character to know there are others who refuse to be--what was the word Machiavelli used?--"contemptible."

How many "gun laws" did the assailant willfully ignore, and her solution is to enact even more? When it comes to school safety, brainless puppet Kukla makes about as much sense as Fran and Ollie.

And why would any responsible parent trust the lives of their children to her care?

We're the Only Ones Raging Against the Machine Enough

An off-duty Hollywood police officer has been charged with threatening a family with a gun in an act of road rage, authorities said.

We've been down this road before. What more proof do we need that only "The Only Ones" are trained, trustworthy and stable enough to bear arms?

Happy motoring!

We're the Only Ones Who Don't Need No Stinkin' Badges Enough

More than 3,600 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) or Homeland Security Department airport security uniforms and badges have been lost or stolen over the past five years, The Washington Times reports.

Fly the friendly skies--with "The Only Ones."


[Via Wm H]

A BIDS Clarification

I received the following clarifying points on the Blind Identification Database System (BIDS) from Russ Howard and Brian Puckett in response to my recent "Talkin' to America" interview with Aaron Zelman of JPFO:

From Russ Howard:

Good article in Guns Magazine - and JPFO interview. Thanks for bringing it up again when no one else will! A few key things I'd like to emphasize. Not that you don't already know...

1. The government doesn't need to establish a registration system. It already has one, with national lists. Private dealer lists are de facto national registration lists. In that regard, NICS is a dangerous red herring. Keeping names through NICS would be a convenience for the government over the existing national registration system, but the government can already get the names from dealers when it gets the will. Until dealer lists are discontinued and destroyed, we have national registration. If any group knows the historical danger of de facto registration via privately held state-mandated gun owner lists, it's JPFO.

2. Full implementation of BIDS implies timely destruction, soon after BIDS passes, of all private dealer records that identify gun buyers. Currently, dealers that go out of business are required to turn over their lists to the government. Waiting for a dealer to go out of business to require list destruction would be unreliable as the dealer would likely be bankrupt, dead, disabled, etc., and the lists of those dealers who don't go out of business would always be available for confiscation. As long as dealers keep gun buyer identifications, we have national registration. As Brian Puckett notes (see email below), "There is no point in keeping one branch of the government from compiling a list of gun owners if other branches are doing that exact thing". Likewise, there's no point eliminating lists directly held by the government without eliminating indirectly held lists that can become directly held at any time. It's lame to fight the former while ignoring the latter, perpetuating the myth that we don't already have registration.

3. In re: "We think just deleting GCA 68 entirely is preferable to gutting it via BIDS"... Of course, that's our preference too. Anyone who knows us should know if we could eliminate GCA 68 by snapping our fingers, it would be gone. We don't want to save GCA 68 with BIDS, we want to eviscerate it.

But just deleting GCA 68 is not going to happen - certainly not in one fell swoop. So why not at least use BIDS as a persuasive hammer to beat the enemy over the head, and use it to expose the key goal of those who push registration via background checks? A pro forma argument might go something like ...

"Registration does not have to be an intrinsic aspect of background checks. The law could be changed so that a dealer could check to make sure a buyer is not a violent criminal without the government ever knowing who is buying guns, and without the creation of lists of gun owners. If you want background checks for crime reduction rather than as a vehicle for registration for the purpose of eventual confiscation, and if there are viable ways for dealers to avoid selling to criminals without building de facto registration lists of decent citizens, then why insist on coupling background checks with registration? The anti-gun crowd insists on marrying background checks and registration because it's really about registration and confiscation for them, not crime control."

BIDS is not a compromise. It doesn't give up something in return for something else. It gives the enemies of freedom nothing, while taking a lot back.

BIDS isn't just incremental. It totally guts the most dangerous aspect of GCA 68, and it's self-reinforcing. It largely eliminates the gun grabbers' incentive to defend the surviving sections of GCA 68. It essentially repeals GCA 68, but the name would live on, like a hollow tree ready to fall over in a high wind.

From Brian Puckett:

[G]un buyer checks are not going to be repealed unless we have a change of government, or the Supreme Court starts adhering to the written constitution, or the public starts thinking its a good idea for paroled murderers to walk into stores and buy guns. This will not happen any time soon, if ever. BIDS will eliminate all the bad parts of background checks, since the government doesn't perform them and therefore doesn't know who's buying a gun. If the entire proposal is accepted, all dealer forms would be destroyed..., AND the government would destroy its ongoing compilation of gun owners via surrendered dealer form 4473's.

As noted in the proposal:

(a) Elimination of current records.

One purpose of BIDS is to eliminate possible gun owner registration via NICS background searches and associated records. If that goal is valid, then it makes no sense to continue other methods of gun owner registration. Therefore any requirement that dealers enter the names of gun buyers on firearm transaction records (such as BATF Form 4473, or state Dealers Record of Sale forms) should be halted. There is no point in keeping one branch of the government from compiling a list of gun owners if other branches are doing that exact thing.

In keeping with the overall goal of eliminating gun owner registries, ideally every gun owner's name would be deleted from every existing state and federal electronic registry, and from every paper record in federal, state, or private hands.

At a time when there are those in government coveting an expansion of NICS to include a full-blown database registry, it's not unfair to ask why the major gun groups--who have known about BIDS for years--refuse to explore its potential. If the only place you hear about it is via a humble blog like this, get ready for more infringements of your rights.