Revenge of the Fuddites

Some outdoors writers drew a different lesson from Zumbo's horrible week.

"This shows the zealousness of gun owners to the point of actual foolishness," said Pat Wray, a freelance outdoors writer in Corvallis, Ore., and author of "A Chukar Hunter's Companion."

Wray said that what happened to Zumbo is a case study in how the NRA has trained members to attack their perceived enemies without mercy.

Right. Anyone following this knows NRA was days in responding, and it was the grassroots that led all the way. But I guess the "authorized journalists" at WaPo need to believe they're in a crusade against a monolith, as the alternative, that the yeomanry are capable of mustering themselves to the green across the land when there's a threat, is too terrifying a prospect to consider--and certainly not an idea they want to implant in the minds of their readers.

So they trot out an apologist for AHSA and present him as the voice of responsible sportsmen. You'd better believe this is an attempt to divide and draw battle lines, and we owe it to ourselves to know who's on our side and who is a fifth columnist working to serve us up.

A fellow blogger who I have a great deal of respect for thinks we need to stand down. I disagree. This fight is just starting to get interesting, and it's time to find out who making money off the gun community understands and supports what it's all about--and pressure sponsors to withdraw all aid and comfort to the enemy.

And remember, the Trolley Square shooter used an unplugged chukar gun.

[Via 45superman]

We're the Only Ones at "A Place for Friends" Enough

Police officers were told to log off the popular Web site MySpace.com when they’re on duty.

Officials blocked access to the Web site on the department’s internal computer network because officers were spending too much time visiting the popular social networking site during work hours.

So their management views them as kids with no self control? They can't be told not to do something, they actually need to have access blocked? Because if its not they'll sneak and continue to steal from the taxpayers when they're being paid to work?

Yet they're "The Only Ones" trustworthy, responsible, mature and trained enough to publicly bear arms?

Good grief.

[Via joefm]

We're the Only Ones Incompetent Enough

Jay. Mac sums this one up better than I could in his email notifying me of this story:

This one is hard to stomach- a cop got a top priority call to respond to a 5 year old child being abused. Instead of going over straight away he fingerprinted a driver with expired tags, wrote him out with a ticket and then went. He “believed” that priority call was just routine. It took him 24 minutes to respond even though he was only 3 miles away.

An IA investigation found him incompetent. Not the first time either- he failed to respond to calls before, and seems to be obsessed with traffic stops.

Needless to say, he hasn't been fired- just reprimanded and suspended.

I actually fault the cowardly neighbors as much, if not more, than the derelict "Only One." I could not be a witness to child abuse and neglect to intervene. But of course, the laws where I live would make things problematic should I decide an escalation of force threat was necessary to stop violence...

This is what happens when individuals abdicate personal responsibility and control over their lives to the collective. Sheep bleating for a keeper who comes in his own sweet time.

How did that rhyme go?

Knife Rights News Slice Vol.1 Number 2

It is the one month anniversary of the launch of Knife Rights and it seems like a good time to update you on progress to date.

Doug Ritter brings us up to date on this new organization, including:

• The SHOT Show launch
• Where are the caps and membership cards?
• Will you be at the NRA Annual Meeting in St. Louis?
• What Knife and Gun Shows will you be attending?
• Are you going to fight to eliminate anti-switchblade laws?
• Time is running out to join Knife Rights and win a custom knife

Follow the title link for this and lots more information.

This Day in History: February 24

On this day in 1803, the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice John Marshall, decides the landmark case of William Marbury versus James Madison, Secretary of State of the United States and confirms the legal principle of judicial review--the ability of the Supreme Court to limit Congressional power by declaring legislation unconstitutional--in the new nation...

In writing the decision, John Marshall argued that acts of Congress in conflict with the Constitution are not law and therefore are non-binding to the courts, and that the judiciary’s first responsibility is always to uphold the Constitution.