Advice for Renée

Renée Zellweger wants to buy a gun to protect herself..."I don't want to own a gun, but sometimes I do think about it."

If you're the bundle of fears this article makes you out to be, Ms. Zellweger, combine that gun purchase with some training, including how to achieve the proper mindset to effectively and appropriately defend yourself--we don't want you blowing away a fan who just wants to slip a letter under your door.

Go see this lady. She can help.

"I Hate Guns"

I hate guns. In today's society there is no need for the average citizen to own or carry a gun...

Tighter gun control? I'll go so far as to say ban guns. That's the only way.

Carol Solnom

Translation: Give my hatred the force of law. Imprison or kill anyone who defies or resists.

Sorry, Carol. You get the same answer I gave Sallie.

We're the Only Ones Off the Cuff Enough

New eyewitness accounts of a deadly police shooting differ with what police initially said.

Investigators said the suspect was killed after he attacked an officer with his own Taser in southeast Houston.

“I could see everything that happened,” said Yolanda Perry.

From the front porch of the Greater Lighthouse Church, where her husband serves as minister, Perry said she watched in disbelief.

“He got out his handcuffs and he handcuffed him. And after he handcuffed him he got out his gun and he shot him,” she said.

I don't see the problem here. No one disputes that the car the dead suspect's girlfriend was driving had a broken tail light.

Public safety first, you know.

[Via KABA Newslinks]

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

Judge Reverses Public Exclusion in Fincher Case

From Oscar Stilley (Wayne Fincher's attorney):

I just got off a conference with the Court and opposing counsel. At 9:00 AM, I objected to the conduct of any court proceedings outside the public eye. Judge Hendren overruled the objection.

Earlier this afternoon during our conference the judge, on his own motion, explained that he thought his earlier ruling was incorrect and reversed it. He set forth the legal test for excluding the public, based upon research by his personnel, and stated that he did not believe that there was a sufficient reason to exclude the public from part of the proceedings.

He said that his concern this morning was the logistics involved in keeping the jurors out of the courtroom while arguments and rulings on motions and other preliminary matters took place. I don’t question in the slightest that this was the actual reason for the initial ruling.

This afternoon, Judge Hendren said that his solution was to postpone the jury selection process until Wednesday morning. This will give us more seating for the pretrial matters, which are absolutely critical in this case. So we have a win-win situation with this ruling.

I will still go back in chambers. I have no objection to that, and I trust that the public will not be concerned about that. My objection was to keeping any official proceedings out of the public eye. Judge Hendren has agreed that the importance of allowing the public to view all recorded proceedings outweighed any logistical difficulties. I told Judge Hendren that I was very grateful for the ruling and that is the truth.

There is a new schedule. Pretrial will be at 8:30 AM Tuesday morning, the 9th. We will adjourn after those proceedings conclude. At 8:30 on Wednesday morning we will commence jury selection.

Due to the need for seats for the jury, some of the public and perhaps the press as well, may have to wait outside due to lack of space. That’s ok, an overflow crowd is a good thing, not a bad thing. We will probably discuss the logistics of this a bit more in the morning. However, as soon as seating is available it will be opened to the public. Jury selection may be over when most of the seating comes available, but the court will accommodate the public as best as he can.

I am grateful, so grateful for this ruling, and hope that the rest of the interested public is too. It takes courage to do what Judge Hendren did, and for that he deserves our highest respect.

[Via Joe & Barb McCutcheon]

[More from WarOnGuns]

KnifeRights.Org

Doug Ritter announces that the United States Knife & Tool Association has evolved into Knife Rights.

I like the fact they refer to "rights." I understand the strategy of referring to knives as "tools," which they can be, but they are also arms, and long overdue for Second Amendment protection.

Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birth-right of an American ... the unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments, but, where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people.--Tenche Coxe

I hope I see a position issued from this new group that they believe the keeping and bearing of knives is a right guaranteed by the Second Amendment, and that their strategy will include challenges to infringements on those grounds.

This Day in History: January 9

Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" is published in Philadelphia. The 50 page pamphlet is highly critical of King George III and attacks allegiance to Monarchy in principle while providing strong arguments for American independence. It becomes an instant best-seller in America. "We have it in our power to begin the world anew...American shall make a stand, not for herself alone, but for the world," Paine states.