Saturday, March 31, 2007

I Think, Therefore I Am?

It looks like Fits has evidently mistaken me for someone with a brain. He ought to talk to my cubs, who are certain they know better than me every time I tell them "No."

I tracked "The Thinking Blogger Award" back to it's source and exploring around the site found this post, with an Indian Superman/Spiderwoman song and dance video, quite possibly the most profoundly absurd sensory input one can experience without being on drugs. The Turkish Superman clip is pretty bizarre, too, from the 3rd-grade opening graphics, right down to the fact that the guy just seems to show up scowling at people and then starts hitting them--really hard. I don't think it occurred to the Turks that Kryptonian is an Armenian name. It's hard to believe filmmaking can be this bad.

But I digress. Thanks, Fits, I appreciate the compliment. As for naming others, if you're in my primary blogroll, consider yourself tagged.

We're the Only Ones Pleading Enough

A former Milwaukee police officer already convicted of calling in a bomb threat to his former district station pleads guilty to federal gun charges...

Bartlett also has been charged with seven other people with federal civil rights charges in connection with the beating of Frank Jude Junior.

Jude has said a group of white men who identified themselves as off-duty Milwaukee police officers kicked and punched him, put a knife to his throat and jammed a pen in his ears as he begged for mercy in 2004.

Sounds like this pleading "Only One" deserves the same kind of mercy he gives out.

If I Was Saxon

NWOBHM legends Saxon have been busy boys...they are releasing new single "If I Was You" from their latest album "The Inner Sanctum". The single, which is to be released on April 16, has a an anti-gun crime theme, with profits from the single to be split between the The Non Violence Foundation and the Gun Control Network charities.
I found the lyrics and a link to an audio sampling to the track in question here.
Stoke The Fire Feel The Heat
Your Chance To Burn Out On The Streets
Smash And Grab On The Run
Play The Game With A Loaded Gun
The Litle Bird Has Left His Nest
He Feeds No More On Mothers Breast
On Your Own You Take The Choice
Listen To Your Inner Voice

Maybe I'm just too much of a Philistine to appreciate the artistry and profound philosophical maturity these guys think they possess, but for some reason, all I can think about is a scene from the original Star Trek, where the landing party is confronted in the opening scene by witches chanting a warning.

"Spock? Comment?" Kirk asks.

"Very bad poetry, Captain."

And for the record, guys, birds aren't mammals.

English metal bands. Is there anything they don't know?

[Via 45superman]

State Security

(Scroll down to last story)
The House Executive Committee debated a series of gun control bills last week. A gentleman asked to testify about one of them. As he came up to the witness table, he dumped a bunch of gun parts on it, startling several lawmakers and spectators in the hearing room. The state spent millions of dollars to beef up security details and install metal detectors in the Capitol after a security guard was shot to death ... and then a guy walks into a hearing room with a satchel full of gun parts?
Good for him. The chambers may not have been evacuated, but I'll bet a few bladders were.

Don'tcha just love the arrogant assumption on the part of spokesthing Dave Druker?
There was nothing there that was a threat to the public.
Why would you automatically assume a functional firearm to be a threat, Dave?

First-person details are posted at ICarry.

[Via HZ]

This Day in History: March 31

The Boston Port Act is an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain (citation 14 Geo. III. c. 19) which became law on March 31, 1774, is one of the measures (variously called the Intolerable Acts, the Punitive Acts or the Coercive Acts) that were designed to secure Great Britain's jurisdictions over her American dominions.

Friday, March 30, 2007

We're the Only Ones Not Reckless Enough

The judge overseeing the case, Gustin L. Reichbach, displays portraits of the civil rights figures Paul Robeson and Nelson Mandela on his courtroom walls.

Pointing to those portraits and speaking in passionate tones, Mr. Ricco compared Lieutenant Walton Tuesday to the heroes of the civil rights struggle. Invoking his client’s public service, he said, “This is not a reckless person you’re talking about here.”

Yeah, you shoot an unarmed man multiple times because he stood up to your thug bullying and you're some kind of damned civil rights hero. And woe unto any New Yorker who dares lift a finger against an anointed "Only One."

Don't worry overmuch, Shamik. Your esteemed judge has pointedly displayed portraits of black communists on his walls (and leave it to the "authorized journalists" at The New York Times to refer to these subversive apologists for totalitarianism as "heroes of the civil rights struggle"). You couldn't ask for a better set up than that.

[Via Declan]

Red's Trading Post Videos

They've posted two new video ads defending themselves against BATFU harassment.

Ryan Horsley's got guts and he's articulate. He's defending a way of life and a fixture in his community from destructive invading parasites, and he shouldn't have to stand alone.

We gun owners are quick to pass judgment on dealers who don't stand up to intimidation, like those who caved in to Bloomberg's lawsuits. We need to be equally as quick to support those who refuse to roll over. This guy goes one step further and swings back defiantly.

WarOnGuns
will definitely keep an eye on further developments.

[Via chareltonhest]

We're the Only Ones Gaming Enough

Police who have raided vice-ridden Mexico City neighborhoods in a push against drug violence hope to take guns off the streets by offering to swap them for computers and Xbox video game consoles.
Tell you what, Chief Ortega: Turn your Los Unicos into virtual first-person shooters and then we'll talk.

[Via 45superman]

We're the Only Ones Tipped Enough

The program, a partnership between Crime Stoppers and law enforcement agencies, will offer a $500 reward when an anonymous tip leads to the arrest of a person in possession of an illegal firearm...

Initial rewards in the fund will be paid through the sale of candies, confections and other items bought by prisoners in the Marion County Jail.

So if I want to get rid of a rival gang member, all I need to do is phone in an anonymous tip and let "The Only Ones" do my dirty work for me? Or if I'm a cop and I don't really have enough probable cause to stop and search someone, I can do the same? Nice end run around the Constitution, that one!

How fitting that this criminal activity will be financed by criminals--oh, and also prisoners...

[Via Armed and Christian]

Destroy All Monsters!

If Godzilla were a sportsman, the .50-caliber sniper rifle would be his instrument.

This is a weapon that can shoot down airplanes or helicopters from more than a mile away.

I'd settle for him just stepping on your lying punk newspaper. Liberty was supposed to be safeguarded by a free press dedicated to exposing government abuses that threatened it. Instead, the "authorized journalists" have partnered with tyranny, becoming propagandists and co-conspirators in the enslavement of their countrymen.

That's a much more fearsome monster than a mere 300-foot lizard.

[Via HZ]

This Day in History: March 30

Hoping to keep the New England colonies dependent on the British, King George III formally endorses the New England Restraining Act on this day in 1775. The New England Restraining Act required New England colonies to trade exclusively with Great Britain as of July 1. An additional rule would come into effect on July 20, banning colonists from fishing in the North Atlantic.

Thursday, March 29, 2007

If Ye Love Wealth...

Republican ex-mayor of New York City Rudolph Giuliani won backing for his 2008 presidential bid from billionaire publisher Steve Forbes, who will also help lead his campaign, Giuliani's team said.

Forbes, editor-in-chief of Forbes Magazine which publishes an annual list of the world's richest people, will act as co-chair on the national campaign and as senior policy advisor to Giuliani, who is favorite to win his party's nomination for the presidency early next year.

Sorry, Steve. Back when you were campaigning, you touted yourself as a friend of gun owners.

You've just shown us you consider us unimportant and expendable if abandoning us will help advance your true priorities.

It's a false alternative, people. We don't need to choose between between guns or the economy. Prosperity comes from freedom. It always has.

An Idea Worth Exploring

The local market should bury the paper by boycotting any advertiser.

E David Quammen articulates an idea I agree with, although I would suggest a nuance to the strategy: If you try to boycott all advertisers, the amount of supporters will be so diffused that most businesses won't be affected--if even aware of it. Face it, we've seen how most gun owners are unwilling to lift a finger and get involved, generally the same ones who bluster about "cold dead hands."

Pick ONE advertiser, a major one like a local car dealer, and first ask them to contact the paper and let it know they don't appreciate its editorial positions dragging them into the middle of a controversy with their customers--that's not why they advertise. For leverage to encourage them to do the right thing, you might want to tell them you are also asking their main competitor to do the same thing. And you never know--the owner might be a gun owner who is just as PO'd as you, so give them a chance to partner with you first by keeping things polite.

I would think a campaign involving a targeted local business getting a hundred or so letters and phone calls might actually produce some results. And if the business is unwilling to contact the paper and threaten to pull its advertising, then would be the time to escalate to the boycott stage.

What this needs to work is for one local gun rights activist to become the leader and coordinator. Start a blog. Hold a meeting with local gun owners. Recruit support from local gun shops, ranges, clubs--and if any advertise in the paper, perhaps they should become the first business approached, especially if they don't wish to involve themselves. As for membership, it would seem the paper has provided us with a great starter list...

Wayne Fincher Update: March 29

From Wayne Fincher's daughter:

Dad saw the Probation Officer today. Don't know the results yet. The probation officer said that dad would be getting some time. She doesn't know how much as of yet. The lawyer is wanting everyone that wants to, to write letters about dad about his character. All the good things about dad. Please send them to the lawyer so she can review them and present them to the judge during the sentencing. Her address is Shannon L. Blatt 19 Court Street PO BOX 1825 Fort Smith, Ark 72902-1825 If you have already sent please send another one so the lawyer can present it to the judge. Only nice ones please. We thank you for all the help that everyone has done, all the radio programs, phone calls, letters, money,all the internet sites and all the prayers.etc. Everyone keep praying that somehow the judge will give him a light sentence or time served or no time at all. Thanks for everything. Please pass this message on to everyone you know or that knows dad. His sentencing will be 6 to 8 weeks.

Spanking Darren

What a self serving, smug little essay. Too bad your arguments are both disingenuous and puerile. First you start off with the tired old, "He must be compensating for something" gag. Grow up. If you want to be taken seriously as a writer, leave the childish insults at the door.

The Real Gun Guys expose a non-man for the bedwetting little punk dweeb that he is.

I kinda like childish insults once in a while...

We're the Only Ones Leaving "Some Type of Evidence" Enough

According to sources, the officer recently made a traffic stop and asked a male occupant to get out of the vehicle.

Police sources tell NBC 10 News the male officer at some point engaged in a sex act with a male occupant of that vehicle.

Police sources also say the male occupant later reported the incident to police and gave them some type of evidence.
I don't even want to imagine what that "evidence" must have been...

[Via Tavis]

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

We're the Only Ones Kidding Around Enough

"It was learned through our investigation that the young girl, when she was 14 years of age, and the officer was 36 years of age, was raped three different times"...
I am reminded of the line from "Airplane," recalled from imperfect memory:

How was I supposed to know she was only 14? Besides, she wanted it. They ALL want it. Every one of them. All the time...
Hey, at least she's the minimum age required to get a My Space account...

[Via Tavis]

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

We're the Only Ones Who Can't Take "No" for an Answer Enough

A former State College police officer was sentenced to serve two years probation Tuesday after pleading guilty to repeatedly vandalizing an ex-girlfriend's vehicle...

In exchange for the guilty pleas, Madeira withdrew a stalking charge against the 18-year veteran police officer and recommended that Chiston serve two years of probation with no jail time.

I guess he wasn't the " Only One" for her...

[Via Nathaniel]

This Day in History: March 29

On this day in 1776, General George Washington appoints Major General Israel Putnam commander of the troops in New York. In his new capacity, Putnam was expected to execute plans for the defense of New York City and its waterways.

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

And the Christian Trejbal Award Goes To...

..."Criminal Justice" reporter Mike McWilliams, Publisher Mike Beck, and News Editor Teresa Thorpe of The Iowa City Press Citizen, for irresponsibly, and with hatred aforethought, printing the names and addresses of Johnson county concealed weapon permit holders (I'll not directly link to that list here).

Must a person who got their CCW because they have cause to fear someone finding them get hurt or killed before "authorized journalists" are held accountable for their actions?

CCW holders aren't the only people with addresses that can be posted, but I don't fight that way.

[Via Tavis]

Sounding Off on Bill Brown

My philosophy is to issue CCWs sparingly, according to our policy, if there is a valid reason.

And you're the sole arbiter of what's valid, right, Sheriff?

This is the text version of the "web paper" story I linked to earlier.

I registered and added this comment:
I guess the real question here–and it flat out baffles me that no one from the media has looked into this–is why did NRA endorse Brown for sheriff and give him their coveted “A” rating, which is supposed to be reserved for 2nd Amendment champions? Why did they mail postcards to their members and supporters informing them of this? Why did they encourage their members to support Brown? How many members donated time and money to the Brown campaign based on this endorsement? How many voted for Brown and encouraged their gun owner friends to do so as well?

And most importantly, now that Brown’s philosophy has been revealed in practice (and to my knowledge, he never hid it to begin with or changed positions after elected–in other words, he has always been publicly pretty consistent in his opposition to concealed carry), why is NRA now silent on this, ignoring long time members who ask them to explain themselves?

I’d like to attribute this to a political mistake, but anyone with just a little knowledge about the Association’s past practices can tell you this is not the first time “A” ratings have been awarded to undeserving candidates–and not the first time questions about this practice have been ignored.

So how about it, Daily Sound–are you going to call NRA and ask them for the record why they endorsed Brown? If not, why not?

Feel free to add your own comments to their site--maybe if enough people show interest and lead them by the nose to a story, the "authorized journalists" will ask a pointed question or two.

More on Bill Brown

[Via Larry Rankin and Russ Howard]

Ah, But There's the Rub

"Who knows what the intention of the individual was?" Irvine said.

Irvine said if Higgins had a concealed-weapons permit, he would not have been arrested.

Well you have a gun, Lieutenant. Who knows what your intentions are?

Oh, but I forget. You're an "Only One." You're more trained, competent, smart, loyal, trustworthy, brave, kind, reverent and clean than the rest of us unwashed masses.

Just tell us one thing, though: How the hell does someone without special connections get a permit in LA County?

Teaching Credentials

Mrs Mitchell travels the country educating people about the dangers of firearms and imitation weapons.
Doesn't "educating people" presume the educator knows what the hell she's talking about?

Baby One More Time

The undercover officer, a retired policeman, ran out of the Hollywood church, aimed his weapon and shouted: "Get out of your car, get down."

He then handcuffed the photographer and accused him of trying to run over a traffic policeman before eventually releasing him.

So it was church security and not Britney's personal bodyguard?

My favorite line from the story:
This is a church, not a concert.

I find this whole episode particularly hypocritical, because it occurred at the Bel Air Presbyterian Church.

Why?

Because of this:
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has a thirty year history of support for gun control legislation.

Unauthorized Journalists Need Not Apply

Parliament rejected his application for accreditation, saying he and other bloggers do not meet the legal definition of a journalist.
And we've seen time and again here at WarOnGuns how only "Authorized Journalists" can be relied on to give us complete, fair and balanced coverage while holding governments' feet to the fire.

We're the Only Ones Who Give a Hoot and Don't Pollute Enough

The acting police chief and three officers in a small resort town on Fire Island were indicted Tuesday in the beating of a vacationer who had been picked up for littering.

The victim was beaten so severely he suffered severe internal injuries, including a ruptured bladder that required 10 days in a hospital...

The Ocean Beach police department, which has 2 full-time members and 24 part-time members, had been the subject of a county grand jury probe since December.

Last week, five former police officers claimed they were wrongfully fired by Hesse, who they said associated with a drug dealer, had sex in department headquarters and covered up cases of brutality.

Well I know where I'm planning my next vacation. Tourism "Only Ones" style!

Let's see, "Things to Do on Fire Island"...

Hemorrhage...

[Via Declan]

This Day in History: March 28

Upset by the Boston Tea Party and other blatant acts of destruction of British property by American colonists, the British Parliament enacts the Coercive Acts, to the outrage of American Patriots, on this day in 1774.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

We're the Only Ones Having a Night on the Town Enough

Authorities are investigating claims that six off-duty Chicago police officers were captured on video assaulting four men in a bar, the second report of police involved in an assault to surface in a week.

Yep, Daley's Finest have proven once again they should be "The Only Ones" armed. No doubt about it.

[Via Cryptic Subterranean]

The Best Poll Ever

I've been doing weekly polls for a few months now here at WarOnGuns, trying my best to come up with entries that are interesting, relevant, meaningful...

These folks here just blew away my paltry attempts with their poll--it's not enough to make me give up trying, but I honestly don't think anything I come up with will ever top this.

The poll is about halfway down the page. So far, hardly anybody has taken it.

Let's change that.

And kudos to Kelly and Joe. I'm still laughing here.

We're the Only Ones Pointing Enough

An Omaha police officer has been fired for allegedly waving a gun at a man and his pregnant wife in traffic...

DeWitt denied involvement in the July 17 incident, but a police investigation determined that he had lied during his interview with internal affairs.

"The Only Ones" are capable of lying, too? Maybe they really are no better than everybody else...

UPDATE: As pointed out in comments, the link has been deactivated by the paper.

Here is another article on this topic from another source.

We're the Only Ones Clean Enough

A retired Jersey City police officer apparently accidentally shot and killed himself yesterday morning while cleaning his gun at the city's emergency services unit, city officials said.
I weighed whether or not I wanted to post this--I'm not insensitive to the fact that real people are suffering a grievous loss right now. That said, the whole purpose of "The Only Ones" is to demonstrate that police and the politically connected do not automatically possess superior qualifications over the rest of us simply by virtue of employment or connections.

A Change of Heart?

There’s been a change of heart from Governor Bredesen about what is being called the Katrina Gun Bill.

I'd be interested to see just what doors the "minor language changes to the bill" open...

The Right Place

"A seaside town centre is not the place to put a gun shop. Many believe this is entirely the wrong place to sell guns. This is not the right place for it."
So where would "the right place" be?
"I don't believe people should be selling guns anywhere..."
Just so we're clear on this.

We're the Only Ones Behind the Bench Enough

A Circuit Court judge pulled a handgun in his courtroom after a man jumped a railing and punched a handcuffed defendant accused of molesting his son...

Duval County Public Defender Bill White questioned the safety of allowing judges to carry guns. He said he plans to talk to the chief judge about disarming the judges.

It's tough taking a side on this one. Yeah, I don't want judges to be "Only Ones." By the same token, the thought of indignant Billy boy here soiling himself and trying to strip an elite of power is kind of satisfying.

Oops, I Did it Again...


Britney Spears' weekend trip to church sparked controversy yesterday when a security guard pulled a gun on a photographer...

The paparazzo was detained and later released.

And the bodyguard wasn't arrested?

What's a gun control-endorsing celebrity doing with an armed escort, anyway? Nice double standard, Britney.

A Tangled Webb

Here are Google News links about the aide to Sen. Jim Webb who was arrested for carrying a loaded handgun into a Senate office building.

Some are pointing out the hypocrisy of politicians having guns while DC residents may not. True enough. I need to find Webb's position on gun rights for District residents before adding my two cents. I understand he's generally considered a "pro-gun Democrat," whatever that ultimately means.

This Day in History: March 27

Future President Thomas Jefferson is elected to the second Continental Congress on this day in 1775. Jefferson, a Virginia delegate, quickly established himself in the Continental Congress with the publication of his paper entitled “A Summary View of the Rights of British America.” Throughout the next year, Jefferson published several more papers, most notably “Drafts and Notes on the Virginia Constitution.”

Monday, March 26, 2007

Lessons Learned

Very early on, a rational discussion of this issue became all but impossible.
Yeah, people tend to react that way when they're attacked out of the blue for no reason other than you don't like them.

If you want a rational discussion, start one.

If you pick a fight and then get your sorry butt kicked, whining about being the injured party only trying to do a public good not only rings hollow, it sounds pathetic, self-serving and untrue.

[Via Say Uncle]

What Nichole Believes

I don't believe that citizens need to carry handguns for any reason, nor should they be allowed to.

So, Nichole, how many men like me are you willing to have imprisoned or killed to enforce what you "believe"?

Go read what I told Sallie, Nichole. Or better yet, just go.

We're the Only Ones Implementing Enough

THE National Police has arrested 1,258 persons and seized 1,269 firearms, hand grenades and other deadly weapons since it started implementing the Commission on Elections-imposed nationwide gun ban since Jan. 14, official reports said.
You know, the ban that "The Only Ones" are exempt from...

The Best Interests of Everyone

It is in the best interests of everyone that a firearm be safely stored, unloaded and locked up, especially when children live in or visit the home.

"Everyone" would include intruders.

I'm sorry for this lady's loss. Her story is tragic. But it does not make her an expert on gun safety. If she was, she'd know there is no one-size-fits-all panacea that works for" everyone," and that is appropriate at all times and for all circumstances.

We're the Only Ones Sealed Enough

Lawyers for the city, responding to a request to unseal records of police surveillance leading up to the 2004 Republican convention in New York, say that the documents should remain secret because the news media will “fixate upon and sensationalize them,” hurting the city’s ability to defend itself in lawsuits over mass arrests.

Because if we can't spy on you and operate in secret, we might be held accountable to following some rules. As we've tried to show by example, such as by demanding unlimited access to records from, say, out of state gun shops, we're "The Only Ones" who make the rules. It's you non-"Only Ones" who are supposed to follow them...

[Via Tavis]

This Day in History: March 26

The Provincial Congress of South Carolina approves a new constitution and government on this day in 1776. The legislature renames itself the General Assembly of South Carolina and elects John Rutledge as president, Henry Laurens as vice president and William Henry Drayton as chief justice.

Sunday, March 25, 2007

New WarOnGuns Poll: The Ratings Game

Over the past months we've been discussing Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown, who is revoking previously-issued CCW permits despite being endorsed and given an "A" rating by NRA-PVF.

I generally avoid two-question polls, but in this case, a pretty direct question is involved that doesn't require nuanced response choices. See the left margin and take the new poll.

Here are the results of last week's poll (click on image to enlarge). Those of you who pledged to get a copy of "In Search of the Second Amendment": what's keeping you? Here's a link to order it. Go. Those who have no intention of doing so, I don't get it, but sadly, I'm not surprised.

"A Longtime Gun-Rights Advocate"

[T]hey have support from Councilman Robbie Waters, formerly a sheriff and city homicide detective. A longtime gun-rights advocate, Waters says he thinks the measures wouldn't "weaken people's legitimate rights," but they would help police stem gun violence.

So, being required to submit a thumbprint and have my personal information recorded before being allowed to purchase ammunition doesn't infringe on my unalienable right to keep and bear arms, Councilthing? And as far as reporting goes, have you told everyone that criminals--you know, the ones who actually engage in that "gun violence" you say will be stemmed--would be exempt, because that would violate their right against self-incrimination?

How the SacBee figures this statist tool for a "gun-rights advocate" goes beyond Orwellian. The "authorized journalists" wouldn't be lying to us (again), would they?

By the way, Robbie--nice office.

Cancer in the Cantons

Pacifists and centre-left parties want voters to have the final say on breaking with a long-standing Swiss tradition of storing personal army rifles and pistols at home.
Right, and we all know what a sterling record commies have whenever they gain power over disarmed populaces.

Insidious traitors are determined to destroy human liberty from within, under the banner of progressiveness. They do it here and abroad with impunity because there is no personal cost.

What they fail to realize is a record has been created and they can't take it back. None of us involved in political advocacy can.

The time may come when I am required to pay for my words and beliefs. If the situation is reversed, I have to wonder how motivated I'd be to intercede on behalf of those who would rather see me destroyed than armed.

Do as We Say, Not as We Do

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) personnel are processing thousands of firearms and more than a million rounds of ammunition following Thursday's arrest of two Southern California men on charges of selling firearms illegally from a Compton gun dealer, Los Angeles ATF Special Agent in Charge John A. announced today.

John A. What? Does the guy have a last name, or did someone just negligently fill out the paperwork for the press release and then not check it before filing?

What would you BATFUers do to a gun dealer who neglected to fill in a last name?

Uh-huh. I thought so.

Ya gotta wonder why the agency feels the need to issue press releases. As I recall, glory hounding is what got them in the Waco mindset.

I Actually Called in Sick to Finish it

Unintended Consequences truly is required reading for gun owners, and for people who take their liberty and freedoms seriously. (I know I just said "required reading" and I mean it. THIS MEANS YOU!) (No, seriously, buy it now!)

ExistingThing reviews a book.

I think he likes it.

Rearming the Big Easy

People across New Orleans are arming themselves — not only against the possibility of another storm bringing anarchy, but against the violence that has engulfed the metropolitan area in the 19 months since Katrina, making New Orleans the nation's murder capital.

Good. I just hope they never let anyone disarm them again the next time.

I do have a beef with this. Vivian admits she's a new gun owner. I doubt the AP photographer knows much about them. I know her finger's off the trigger, but especially considering the inexperience of all involved, this story's feature photo belongs over at Xavier's.

I also gotta wonder how many of these new gun evangelicals will continue to support politicians that hate RKBA.

[Via Cousin G]

This Day in History: March 25

On this day in 1774, British Parliament passes the Boston Port Act, closing the port of Boston and demanding that the city’s residents pay for the nearly $1 million worth (in today’s money) of tea dumped into Boston Harbor during the “Boston Tea Party” of December 16, 1773.

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Wayne Fincher Update: A Plea for Help

Wayne Fincher's daughter tells me he needs legal help. The court-appointed defense attorney advises him he is looking at prison time. No doubt--the federal government has done its utmost to assure exactly that outcome.

Frankly, I'm at a bit of a loss--unless a legal foundation steps forward to give him pro bono representation, lawyers are generally in it for the money. I've sent a donation to his defense fund, but not unsurprisingly, most gun owners have not and will not, as we seem determined to hang separately.

Can I at least get the regulars here to spread the word and try to locate the legal counsel needed? At a minimum, will you forward this link to other gun owners, post it to forums?

And finally, helpful suggestions will be appreciated in the "Comments" section to this post.

VA Bill Makes Illegal Gun Sales...uhh...Illegal

The bill, sponsored by Del. Scott Lingamfelter, R-Prince William County, prohibits anyone but law enforcement officers from trying to make an illegal gun purchase from a firearms dealer.

So it's OK if "The Only Ones" do it?

I need someone who's more of a policy wonk than me to explain this, but there is an exception for "A private security company licensed to do business within the Commonwealth," so Bloomberg's Mintz Group co-conspirators may just need to get a business license to operate in The Old Dominion--assuming they don't have one already.

I would have thought that, state law notwithstanding, these stings--if they actually involved "illegal purchases"--would violate GCA '68 and various aspects US Code, both for the individual who lied on the Form 4473, and for the recipient/"prohibited person". Why Bloomberg & Co. aren't currently under indictment is beyond me--or would be if I didn't know how "The Only Ones" operate.

We're the Only Ones Political Enough

The Commission on Elections granted gun ban exemptions to at least 8,000 politicians, GMANews.TV learned on Saturday from Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer.

We're "The Only Ones" and you're not! And there's not a goddamn thing you can do about it!

Arms are for Shackles

This is no backwoods survivalist talking, just an African American who grew up in the South at a time when the people in uniform were often the bad guys, and when having a pistol or a shotgun to brandish saved a lot of black people's lives. That time is gone, though, and quelling the horrific black-on-black violence of today is so urgent that I can look past the history lesson.

Then you're a fool.

What you're saying is you learned nothing from the last time a people were oppressed, so you're inviting a recurrence. That and that you buy into the "living document" lie.

Curses! Foiled Again!

In a sleazy political stroke, Republicans played the gun lobby's card...

Only a cowardly, anonymous traitor, that is, a Herald Tribune editor, would call an article enshrined in the bill of Rights a "poison pill" and "an insult." Only a tyrant enabler would characterize "attempts to outlaw firearms" as "legitimate," and attempts to prevent it "sleazy."

There can be no peace with these wormtongues. They won't allow it.

The Sound and the Fury

The Sound:


The Fury:



Per Larry Rankin:
This newspaper reporter was against citizens' having guns rights. I know because I asked him if he was against guns and he quickly said, YES, and than caught himself.

This is a good article to use against the NRA A rating program. I have had several people call Ed Worley, NRA/ILA rep in Sacramento, more than one time and as many as three. To this day he has not returned one call!

This article says a lot. The best part is when he [Bill Brown] says in a roundabout way that the other sheriffs gave out too many. So he is saying that Sheriff Jim Anderson was a lot more pro-gun than he.

I am happy with this article because it shows the new direction that Bill Brown has taken us! Thank you NRA for helping get such an anti-gun sheriff elected!

[Also via GP]

(As an aside, I'd like to know what idiot at The Santa Barbara Daily Sound thought "the Web Paper experience" was a good way to do anything except keep people from reading the damned paper on the Web.--DC)

This Day in History: March 24

On this day in 1765, Parliament passes the Quartering Act, outlining the locations and conditions in which British soldiers are to find room and board in the American colonies.

Friday, March 23, 2007

We're the Only Ones "Not Obliged" Enough

Your request for information has now been considered and I am not obliged to supply the information you have requested.

Cryptic Subterranean follows up on the Thames Valley Police, who neglected to respond to an elderly woman being attacked with a hammer, and then lied and said they didn't respond because they had to prioritize their calls.

When I asked them what the greater priority was, and proved there were no area police emergencies reported in the news in that time period, they told me they wouldn't respond because I was "not involved." Now they tell Jay.Mac they won't respond because they don't have to. He tells me this came from Malcolm Hopgood, "Freedom of Information Officer." Talk about an Orwellian title.

I expect nothing less than this kind of CYA from "The Only Ones." I wish I could say I didn't expect it from the "authorized journalists," but in truth, that's why I've established that category here at WarOnGuns. Bloggers are treated with disdain, but too often "official" news outlets refuse to investigate stories, and taint what they do with bias, omission and lies.

Great follow-up, Jay.Mac. I'm going to see what I can do about getting this some wider exposure in the magazine...

We're the Only Ones Never Disciplined Enough

He told the Chicago Tribune that his client had completed a substance abuse treatment program and had never been disciplined since joining the police department in 1994.
We discussed this "Only One" yesterday as we watched him manfully beat a woman less than half his size into the floor, as other disarmed Chicago men manfully stayed out of it and let it happen.

Now we find this:
Authorities are investigating whether anyone tried to bribe or threaten a bartender to dissuade her from pressing charges against an off-duty police officer accused of beating her in an attack caught on camera, police said Thursday...

The state's attorney's office and internal police investigators are looking into claims that Abbate and at least one other person threatened Obrycka, as well as the owner of the bar, Bond said.

The threats included telling the bar owner that illegal drugs could be planted on the premises and that Jesse's Short Stop customers would be harassed, according to Obrycka's attorney, Terry Ekl.

One can only wonder why the "authorized journalists" are evidently content to let the "authorities" do the investigating.
After all, these are the same authorities who evidently didn't cuff the animal when they took him into custody. Professional courtesy, you know.

And as for never being disciplined, that's hard to do when you give the guy a pass on a DUI. Oh, and then there's this gem. It appears this animal was "named in a federal lawsuit for beating a man under arrest in 1999. The man later died."

But he was never disciplined.

Does anybody really think he would have been "disciplined" this time if there hadn't been a camera on the premises?

When are idiot Chicagoans who provide the fuel for the tyrannical Daley machine going to wake up? And when are Illinois gun owners going to send a line in the sand message to Springfield, telling them in no uncertain terms that Chicago disarmament will not be tolerated outside of Cook county?

We're the Only Ones Pushy Enough

A police officer shoved a skateboarder into the bushes...and it was caught on tape.
There's also a link to the video. Nice marks the kid got on his back from the unprovoked assault.

What a vicious, ignorant, lowlife.

You'll note "The Only One's" identity hasn't been ferreted out by our watchdog "authorized journalists." Here's another account where the mayor shifts the blame to skateboarders, and another where a "councilman says the officer handled the situation 'professionally'."

I guess--if you're a professional thug.

And here's yet a fourth account--still giving anonymity to the head case with the badge and the gun, that says "As of now, the officer in the video is still working as normal."

Hard to argue with that last part.

And no, I'm not arguing that anyone should be able to skate anywhere that is not there property and cause damage to structures. But there are sure as hell better ways to handle that than attacking them without warning. She could have broken his neck, and had any of us done the same thing, we would rightfully be charged with assault and battery.

[Via Wm H]

This Day in History: March 23

During a speech before the second Virginia Convention, Patrick Henry responds to the increasingly oppressive British rule over the American colonies by declaring, "I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" Following the signing of the American Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, Patrick Henry was appointed governor of Virginia by the Continental Congress.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

A Matter of Time

Gun purchases would be limited to one per month and anyone selling a gun would have to get a background check on the prospective buyer under gun control plans an Illinois House committee endorsed Wednesday.

If one gun a month is good, wouldn't one gun a year be better?

Just asking, because if you buy into the "logic"...

Common Tyranny

Standing next to a combat rifle that is 5 feet long, weighs 35 pounds and can blow holes through armor a mile-and-a-half away, Gurnee Police Chief Robert Jones wonders why civilians still can legally buy this weapon in Illinois.

Ah, it's our old friend Burt Constable.

Yeah, chief, letting Illinois cops be "The Only Ones" who can deploy such a weapon sounds like a great idea.

And "Reverend" Oldershaw: Don't you have more important things to worry about that will better contribute to "the common good"?

More Gun Shops Cave In to Bloomberg

"It was going to cost $50,000 in attorney's fees," said Rick Morketter, manager of Dick's Pawn, of North Myrtle Beach. "We wanted to take the path of least resistance."
Unless the gun shops take it on themselves to organize and amass a legal war chest to ward off these kinds of attacks, they will continue.

I understand the stores are caught between a rock and a hard place. That said, I refuse to buy a gun where an appointee for that tyrant is going to "monitor" the transaction.

And just for the record, guys, when you settle with Bloomberg, you're admitting to the world that you're "the worst of the worst...immoral...irresponsible...[and] bad apples."

One other thing: Bloomberg would not be able to do this were he not aided and abetted by Judas privateers, in this case, the law firm of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman and the James Mintz Group.

The "Only Ones" Fever

It looks like Cryptic Subterranean's caught it. Good. We need an incontrovertible body of evidence to throw the argument that "police are The Only Ones who should have guns" back in the face of any who use it.

Here's another twofer courtesy of Jay.Mac:

and

We're the Only Ones Two-Fisted Drinking Enough

This wasn't any barfight caught on tape. An angry man pummels a much smaller female bartender. As it turns out, he's a Chicago police officer and late Tuesday night he was taken into custory [sic].

Chicago--isn't that where "The Only Ones" will arrest a citizen who they find with a handgun?

[Via Cryptic Subterranean. I've also gotten links to other reports on this story from Paul G, and got this one from 45superman.]

Pokey Get Your Gun

(Scroll down for story)
When my daughter is 10 and 11, and especially in the teenage years, I want to be there with a gun.

Gee, Pokey Poke, I thought you'd given up your violent ways. Most of us manage to raise children without threatening their friends and dates with weapons, which is a crime, by the way.

Just out of curiosity, how is it you're not prohibited from buying one?

[Via Cryptic Subterranean]

This Day in History: March 22

Hoping to raise sufficient funds to defend the vast new American territories won from the French in the Seven Years’ War, the British government passes the notorious Stamp Act on this day in 1765. The legislation levied a direct tax on all materials printed for commercial and legal use in the colonies, including everything from broadsides and insurance policies to playing cards and dice.

And if course, now that we have "representation," we elect people to do this to us.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Up to the Challenge

I defy anyone to “read” into the Amendment that a citizen has the right to carry arms, except to show up as a member of a “well regulated militia.”

Done, you fool.

We're the Only Ones Gone Wild Enough

A nude appearance in an "Girls Gone Wild"-style adult video sold on the Internet has cost a veteran police officer her job — again.

I know there's an "Only Twos" joke in here somewhere.

[Via Stan]

New York Times Logic

But many of the officers who help keep New York’s streets safe are in fact volunteers — unarmed, unpaid and, we learned this week, in some cases tragically and unnecessarily vulnerable.

Let's see, unarmed...vulnerable, unarmed...vulnerable.

I'm sure there's a connection here somewhere.

I know: Let's pass more gun control laws!

Me, a Pessimist?

I've seen a few posts around where people think I'm overly pessimistic in my assessment of the cops and guns poll.

Sorry, fellas, but your rosier outlook notwithstanding, I actually think the "2/3 wouldn't confiscate guns" belief is, well...naive. If ordered and threatened with termination and loss of benefits and pensions if they didn't obey confiscation orders, I doubt you'd see much adherence to theoretical principles volunteered to a magazine poll. And if we were talking about a martial law situation, where actual punishment would be administered for refusing to obey, I'm betting compliance would be just about complete.

So you're also overly generous to me in your assessment that I'm a "half empty" type. I think it's much worse than that.

It could be that I'm just cynical and negative. Perhaps.

Then again, perhaps not .

As the fundraising slogan goes, "Remember New Orleans."

Pokey Poke Does Front Sight

You have to endure a stupid commercial first, but here's a video where Pokey Poke says he got sniper training for his new movie Shooter" at Front Sight--he says he hit a target 2,000 yards away and that he's "a good shot."

He'd even be interested in doing a sequel.

So why is it a picture of Wayne Fincher in the paper is enough to spur BATFU into takedown mode?

I've got no beef against Front Sight--I have long admired Dr. Piazza's work and past support of RKBA. I do wonder how Pokey passed the criminal background check it is my understanding training applicants must undergo.

Remember, from my KABA article:
Marky, who had violated the terms of his earlier judgment, 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."

And remember, at the time, the representative from the Suffolk County Clerk's Office for Criminal Business told me the Pokester was tried as an adult and his record has not been expunged.

[Via Red Dot]

Duncan Hunter on 2A

"The right to keep and bear arms is an absolute right of Americans to protect their families and their communities and their nation with firearms. In this age of post-911, Americans, I believe are comforted by the fact that our ability to resist terrorism is not limited to law enforcement or defense agencies but is also within the ability of all gun-owning Americans."

A Keyboard and a .45 saw a candidate's website lacking in information about his stand on RKBA, so he took it on himself to get things stated on the record.

Great job, JR, great leadership. This really illustrates how one man taking the initiative can get things done. It also demonstrates how blogger activism can bypass the information blackout we encounter when relying on "authorized journalists" to actually do something original and act like government watchdogs.

And in case you're wondering, GOA rates Hunter an "A."

This Day in History: March 21

On March 21, 1778, just three days after British Loyalists and Hessian mercenary forces assault the local New Jersey militia at Quinton’s Bridge, three miles from Salem, New Jersey, the same contingent surprises the colonial militia at Hancock’s Bridge, five miles from Salem. During the battle, the Loyalists not only kill several members of the Salem militia, but also two known Loyalists.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

33⅓

About one-third of the people living in the national's [sic] capital are functionally illiterate...

Along with AP "authorized journalists," it would seem. These are no doubt the same people who support continuing the DC gun ban...

Gee, I wonder what they'd say if you asked them what their political affiliation is?

Aside from "What's that?"

On the bright side, they can always get a job over at the DEA...

We're the Only Ones Groping and Biting Enough

AN UNDERCOVER officer who bragged about being “like 007” grabbed a barmaid’s boobs at a strip club.

Boozed-up agent Dominic Headley, 32, also sank his teeth into an off-duty cop’s chest.

Cryptic Subterranean has the gripping, hard bitten details.

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

We're the Only Ones Dee-de-Deee Enough

During an I.Q. test commissioned by the defense, he scored 77 — a mark that ranks in the bottom sixth percentile. The average score is 100.

A report prepared by Sanford L. Drob, the psychologist who administered the I.Q. test, questioned whether Mr. Medina had the mental capacity to fully understand his work with the D.E.A.

I dunno. He sounds like a perfect match to me.

I have no idea if the allegations of a DEA-ordered robbery are true or false, but the mere fact that this guy is on the team speaks volumes. I'm quoting from memory, so it probably won't be exact, but this reminds me of the "Suport Your Locol Polece (PSA)" track on the old "National Lampoon Radio Dinner" album, where the actor playing ex-Philly mayor Frank Rizzo said:
So help take morons, psychopaths and mental defectives off the street and put them where they belong--on the force.
[Via Declan]

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

Police Magazine Poll on Gun Ownership


This partial page is from the March 2007 issue of Police Magazine (posted under the "Fair Use" doctrine because I could find no online link). Just so we're clear--even though most admit "gun control" won't make them safer or stop violent crime, and even though most admit to owning multiple guns themselves, almost two-thirds of "The Only Ones" surveyed think your right should be licensed by the state, and over a third said they would assist in confiscating them if ordered.

Bear in mind if they admit to this anonymously for a magazine survey, how many more would be likely to resist the awesome pressure of direct orders under the threat that their careers will be over with no pension if they disobey?

The next time someone says that only politically opportunistic police chiefs and administrators support "gun control" while the "rank and file" support the Second Amendment, you might want to point them to these results.

[Via Bounty Hunter]

What Limits on "the Militia" (That Would Be You and Me)?

Self-defense is a self-evident human right. Thankfully, a court finally has reaffirmed that the Constitution and common sense are in alignment on your right to defend yourself, using reasonable force (i.e. a handgun, but not a bazooka) within your own home.

Yeah, I wouldn't want to be forced to use a bazooka inside my home--it would not only make one hell of a mess of things, but to need one would indicate a dire situation indeed.

And not meaning to open the door on the right of Al Qaeda to carry live anthrax strains and suitcase nukes on board commercial airliners, but Dennis, it seems you're penning us in a bit tighter than the Framers intended. For instance, there was Tench Coxe, who said:
Congress has no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier...

That leads to the question of who has authority to declare such limits, and importantly, where do they derive it?

And then we have the Constitutional authority for Congress to enlist private individuals with Letters of Marque and Reprisal, which would make for very difficult operations if small arms are all we are "authorized" to keep.

It makes for an intriguing discussion--the dividing line between slippery slope and the Constitution not being "a suicide pact," a term I've often found that discourages thinking things through. I'd be interested in hearing your comments.

I have my own ideas and I'll weigh in tonight.

[Via HZ]

When Wayne Isn't There

It's a simple fact that the police can't be everywhere at all times, and in some small towns that may mean they're not even at the station 24 hours a day.

But it's a sobering reminder that ultimately we're responsible for our own safety and protection. The police can't be our 'round-the-clock bodyguards, but they can be the first to find us dead.

How true, Wayne.

But you advocate being defenseless on school campuses.

When are you going to apologize for that and work to repeal such citizen disarmament edicts instead of endorsing them?

[Via John Schaefer]

This Day in History: March 20

Benjamin Franklin, Silas Deane and Arthur Lee present themselves to France’s King Louis XVI as official representatives of the United States on this day in 1778. Louis XVI was skeptical of the fledgling republic, but his dislike of the British eventually overcame these concerns and France officially recognized the United States in February 1778.

Monday, March 19, 2007

An Obvious Solution

Two weeks ago, residents received a [letter? notice?] from their homeowners' association indicating that guns are not allowed on the property.

So defy this stupid rule, fire the board and elect new officers. These people are supposed to work for you.

Oh, wait...

Here's Looking at YOU, Kids

New research suggests playing action video games that involve firing guns such as "Gears of War," Lost Planet," and "Halo" can improve your eyesight.

I wouldn't be surprised if the same phenomenon occurs from shooting real guns. Tell me as a kid you wouldn't have rather heard "Let's go to the range" than "Eat your carrots--they're good for your eyes."

Plus it'll have the side benefit of sticking it to anti-gun pediatricians.

Sick People

"These are sick people," he said in January when questioned about the giveaway at the Mayors Against Illegal Guns summit in the District. "And if they think that this is funny, I don't think that the parents or the spouses or the children of those that get killed with illegal guns would find that very entertaining."

How about the relatives of those killed with "legal guns," Bloomberg, you loathsome traitor?

BATFU: Puerto Rico Going to the Dogs Because of US Freedom

Authorities complain that airline regulations make it tougher to transport a dog to Puerto Rico than a suitcase full of guns and ammunition.

Yeah, and Teddy Bears are more highly regulated than guns--at least when it comes to flammability of stuffing and plastic eyes that can't be pulled off and swallowed.

Good grief.

It's true here, too. There is no requirement to certify your firearm has had current shots. You don't need to put it in an approved pet handling cage. And you don't have to pay extra for the container it is in as long as you haven't exceeded your luggage allotment.

Heavens!

Oh, and by all means never transport firearms less than 8 weeks old, and you may want to place an old blanket in their container for comfort.

Looks like the creepy BATFUers have found themselves another apples and oranges sound bite to exploit. And "fair and balanced" FOX News is either too dumb or complicit to dig just a tiny bit deeper.

Alistair's Glass House

The black kids got on the bus and the driver shut the door. Riley ran across the front of our car and tried to get onto the bus. You could hear screams. Riley was smiling and tried to pry open the door. He swung the pipe at the door and busted the glass. Then he swung at the nearest window and caved it in. He kept busting windows until the bus pulled away. Up until that point it was the most terrible thing I’d ever witnessed, I think, and I think about it all the time. The look on his face. The kids in the bus.

Meanwhile, Alistair Highet was helpless to do anything against a rampaging adolescent animal threatening lethal violence except be horrified. Tell me that the driver simply revealing a holstered pistol wouldn't have sent young "Riley" scurrying.

And Alistair has the gall to refer to others who do not share his despicable helplessness as "cowards." Sounds like resentment to me.

Is it really a surprise Riley targeted him at the dance, as opposed to boys who could handle themselves?

[Via Dan Gifford]

This Day in History: March 19

On this day in 1734, Patriot politician Thomas McKean is born to Scots-Irish Presbyterian parents in Chester County, Pennsylvania. He will eventually serve as president of the state of Delaware, president of the U.S. Congress under the Articles of Confederation and chief justice of Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court.

Sunday, March 18, 2007

New WarOnGuns Poll: Have You Bought a Copy of "In Search of the Second Amendment"?

Take the new poll in the left margin. This week I'm trying to gauge the effectiveness of my efforts here at WarOnGuns to persuade you to procure a copy of David Hardy's documentary. Here are links if you haven't already read my GUNS Magazine review or my interview with Hardy.

Here are the results of last week's poll (click on image to enlarge):



Most of you think SCOTUS will once more duck the critical issue of our time. I hope you're wrong.

Where Credit is Due

See, this is where so-called “conservative” news outlets are either ignorant of the particulars or flat out BS’ing us—either one being inexcusable when presenting themselves as "authorities" on the matter. Plain and simple, NRA tried to kill this case— first, they advised the lawyers representing Parker and the others not to pursue it. When that didn’t work, they filed a copycat complaint that added complications and tried to get the courts to merge their case with Parker—over the objections of its attorneys. Then, when that was not approved, their political allies began working on a bill where congress would overrule the DC gun control, which would have made a court ruling on Parker unnecessary.

I take on some Kool-Aid vendors.

A Cryptic Subterranean "Only Ones" Twofer

From Jay.Mac:
These just keep coming- I see what you mean about not deliberately looking for them too.

Remember the police officer in the UK who was caught doing 159mph? He was acquitted, then found guilty and has now been let off again. All because of his “skills”.

http://crypticsubterranean.blogspot.com/2007/03/job-benefits.html


and:
Another for your files- Baltimore police sprang into action to arrest a 7 year old for sitting on a bike on the sidewalk. Not only did they forcibly drag him off the bike and yell at him, they arrested him, handcuffed him to a bench in the station and interrogated him.

http://crypticsubterranean.blogspot.com/2007/03/only-ones-catch-master-criminal.html

I think I may be beginning to see why Baltimore has a crime problem…



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

Red's Under Fire

Red's Trading Post is currently under fire from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). On March 5th our license to acquire firearms was revoked and is pending appeal in federal court. In the meantime we are still able to continue selling as we always have.

A 2004 audit by the ATF claims to have uncovered several minor clerical errors. Out of nearly10,000 firearms transferred between 1996 and 2004, the alleged error rate found was not even a full percentage point. There were no missing firearms, and no willful illegal acts.

This is not just happening to us though and is becoming a common trend throughout the United States...

Also see the Times-News article.

This link was sent to me by "ChareltonHest," who makes some important observations:
It appears to be the usual purging of gun dealers, but the thing that really bothers me is the "patriot" response to the incident as seen on several forum boards. I think "we" have really lost our way. Everyone jumps on the victim, because today being a "good gun-owner" is taking pride in your ability to jump through all the master's hoops and survive all the "laws". We think we are somehow good because we are "law-abiding"(not necessarily a term to be proud of), while the victim in not. Not realizing that when it is our turn, the enemy will have a way of making us "law-un-abiding".

We will wish we came to the aid of such people that came under fire, instead of abandoning them. We do not hang together for this reason, and then we wonder why it gets worse. I think the MSGM (Mainstream Gun Movement) is politically-correct and over-concerned about their image in the face of criticism. We worry about how we will be viewed when targeted by the dishonest accusations of the enemy, and make the mistake of capitulating to their ridiculous arguments, instead of refuting them. We have adopted the NICS, whimpered about how we are "law-abiding" while the enemy uses the color of the law to deprive us of our rights, and turn our backs on people like Ryan(the dealer) because he tripped on the bureaucratic red-tape trip-wires that were put there for the very purpose of driving dealers out of business.
If you really want to grind my gears, let me read some chatroom warrior criticizing a gun owner for getting busted with a complaint along the lines of "He knew better and chose to break the law. He deserves what's coming. He makes us all look bad."

We're the Only Ones Getting Our Butts Kicked Enough

John Coffin won't spend any more time in jail for beating up two sheriff's deputies inside his house, striking one in the head with a Taser gun he took from the other...

But Coffin, 56, had a right to defend his family and property because the deputies had no right to be in Coffin's house in the first place...

This is the kind of stare decisis I culd live with.

[Via Vinnie]

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