BREAKING NEWS: BATFU ATTEMPTS DEATH BLOW TO RED'S CASE

Per Ryan Horsley:

Just to let you know the ATF has filed for a Summary Judgment.

Stay tuned. We're about to see what this Judge Lodge is made of.

Hide or Seek?

As reporters we pay attention to context and we are limited in time and space. Jim had 70 lines to write his story. I have 24 hours in my day.

Manya Brachear, aka The Seeker ("on a quest for Truth--with a capital T"), comes up with some excuses on why The Chicago Tribune didn't think a priest inciting a mob to "snuff out" a gun store owner was newsworthy enough to even mention.

Other readers of the blog have raised an interesting issue about the church's involvement in political activism. It certainly doesn't take place only at St. Sabina. Certainly fodder for another discussion in weeks to come.

Thing about news, Manya, and being an "authorized journalist" one would think you'd know this, is that it's considered news because it's timely, hence the disinterest exemplified in the old saying "yesterday's news." The time to discuss this is not "in weeks to come"--it is now.

You've already laid the groundwork for the "Billy's mom let's him do it" excuse, but I think I've presented enough evidence to show those getting a pass on this are cut from the same cloth as Snuffy Pfleger. Funny, how when more traditional evangelicals open their yaps, the political left suddenly gets all indignant and watchdoggy and everything.

So you have no intention of reporting on the St Sabina/tax abuse angle, do you, "Truth" Seeker? You probably don't get enough lines, and besides, there are only 24 hours in your day.

Feel free to add comments to the article this post's title links to--but be careful and "keep the comments here civilized, reasoned and polite. If the discussion devolves into name calling, comments will be closed."

See, if the truth hurts, we'd rather hide than seek.

JPFO Creates Red's Resource Page

We want to make sure that we help Red's in every way possible against this thuggish organization. We've created a page at www.jpfo.org/redstradingpost.htm where you can find all the links, alerts, and documents relating to this case. Don't forget to visit Red's blog regularly too -- there's plenty of activity, so it's updated regularly.

Have you written a letter to the judge yet? If not, why not?

We're the Only Ones Elastic Enough

The boy was using a rubber band gun and his father said the kid did nothing wrong, but police said they take it as a serious threat and the 11-year-old is facing felony charges...

He also confirmed that the gun was black, but that it looked more like a stick than a gun.

Besides...he was just pretending to be an "Only One."

This lets me segue into a tangentially related post I was going to do independently until rubber bands and law enforcement became a news nexus. Perhaps dismissal of charges will not be so swift to come should the horrible act of civil disobedience I'm pondering be a catalyst for a response.

Y'see, my oldest boy's braces just came off. One of the things he had to do was put rubber bands on his teeth as well. I'd never really noticed the fine print on the package before:

Caution: U.S. Federal Law restricts this device to sale by or on the order of an orthopedic [orthodontic--see Comments] professional.

The restricted contraband in question is that tiny latex circle in the top of the picture, which our all-knowing Federal Overlords have deemed us mere tax cows too untrustworthy to possess without their sanction. If we defy them, why I imagine the penalties could be quite severe. We might get our groins kicked--assuming they stormtroop in to the right address. It might even be worse--we could be killed and have our property seized--who knows? I mean, we're dealing with people who would close down a family business over forms being filed chronologically rather than alphabetically. We're dealing with people who would gun down an old lady and lie about it and plant false evidence. We're dealing with people who would shoot a mother in the head while she's holding her baby, or burn down citizens and their children in a private church.

So who's in for some civil disobedience? Who wants to buy a rubber band? All I'm asking is a penny.

[Rubber band gun link via Jeffrey H, who bears no culpability for the rest of my post]

We're the Only Ones Unable to Testify Enough

A prosecutor dropped charges against a woman who was arrested for staring at and making faces at a police dog. After all, the prosecutor reasoned, the four-legged witness can't testify.

Something about the proper relationship between government and governed comes to mind.. I'm sure the Founders intended for humans to be subservient to animals.

This report is from yesterday, June 7. I don't know if the charges were dropped then or the day before. Whichever it turns out to be, we ought to make that "National Stare at a Police Dog Day."

[Via Jeffrey H]

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

Activists Boycott Santa Barbara FONRA Over Brown

From Larry Rankin:

This is a letter I sent out and we used while calling many sponsors that donated to the Santa Barbara Friends of NRA last year. We are boycotting the dinner...the NRA needs to understand that when they hurt us, we can hurt them back. I am a life member of the NRA, I fostered and built the foundation for the very first Friends of NRA dinner in Santa Barbara and I realize many will say that the Friends of NRA is different than ILA...they need to understand that the NRA, is the NRA, is the NRA and that they are accountable for their actions, or lack of!

We are requesting that you do not donate or be a sponsor or attend the Friends of the NRA banquet this year. The reason is that the NRA helped get Sheriff Bill Brown elected. They knew that he was anti gun because I personally contacted them well before election day, as did David Codrea, who is a writer for, "The War on Guns." The NRA did not bother to return either one of our calls. We know that the reason is that they deliberately got him elected knowing that he wasn't the most pro- gun candidate.

Many people have called the NRA in Sacramento and Fairfax, VA, from Santa Barbara area about this issue and they have not returned anyone's calls. Sheriff Bill Brown has not renewed the majority of CCW holders in Santa Barbara County since becoming Sheriff. We want to make a statement with the NRA that the Santa Barbara community of gun owners and 2nd Amendment patriots can make a difference, with our votes and our dollars. If people go to the Friends of the NRA dinner, the NRA will feel that they do not have to be accountable.

We have stopped a very high percentage of sponsors and members from going to the NRA dinner by making these calls and letting them know the truth. They will see the lowest count, in Santa Barbara's NRA dinner history. We will give you a count after the dinner June 2nd, 2007.

Update: The dinner took place as scheduled on June 2nd, 2007. They had 90 people that paid to show up at the Friends of NRA fundraiser. Many called in to say they could not come or were no-shows. Seventy (70) people did show and a few came in and purchased tickets at the door. They had around 25 free tickets which they gave out and figured they had a total of around 100. The Elk's Club had a minimum of 125 dinners. They had no real bidding in the auction. Sam Neeley, the auctioneer, made a speech about the sheriff and how many were unhappy with what is was doing (not about the NRA helping cause the problem) and the people should support the NRA and not stay away from these events by boycotting them because it only hurts you. This of course is self-serving for him because he did not make much money on the auction.

The NRA had a check written to them at the end of the event for $2,800. Anyone that knows about fundraisers know that is like breaking even.

It was said that many were really ticked off at me for starting the boycott and because they found out we had called many past patriots of the function. I will say, I am proud of what I did and I understand many of them can not see out of the box. I will stand behind my action with my head up high! I will boycott the event next year if the NRA does not call and do what they should have done many months ago. That will not be, "I am sorry", it will be a lot more involved. Keeping that under hat for how. As of today, June 7, 2007, we have not been contacted by the NRA and we know they are well aware of what they have done to us. They even checked out the posting on "The War on Guns" website.

I want to thank each and every one of you that supported us on this very important issue!

With warmest appreciation,

Larry R. Rankin

Y'know That "Loophole"...?

"More proof that American gun shows are the source...

Take a close look. This could be us in a few decades.

[Via Joe W]

UPDATE: Per Joe W, "You should note that the prices for bullets and guns at that Israeli market aren't very cheap. 8 shekels a bullet is like 1.70. Also, the 1000 Jordanian Dinars for an AK makes it cost 1400USD. The grenade prices are VERY reasonable, though.

"I hear in Israel that the M16 is used by terrorists a lot, my guess more than the AK. They can just go rob the IDF armory rather than running it across the border to Egypt. There's also various inside jobs that can occur, too. "

Mommy Dearest

I had my video camera with me and at this time, and notified one of the organizers “Laura” that I intended to film the meeting. This is when the nasty, rude, and spiteful nature of this woman became apparent. She hissed at me “You will not film this meeting. We won’t allow it so please keep your camera turned off”. She repeated the statement a few more times perhaps thinking that I have a difficulty grasping our native language. She then turned from me and walked away, then hesitated, turned around and addressed all of us as a group saying “And don’t touch any of the food either, this table (pointing to the food and drink table) is not for you”.

Lovely. If my Mom was ever like this, I'd have asked Dad to get her on meds. To think there are a million of these creatures...but thank goodness we know their numbers aren't anywhere near that.

Naked Shoplifter give us the prequel to The Million Mom Show. And that one guest stars Judas, too!

Cardinal Pflogs Pfleger

The cardinal said in his statement: “Publicly delivering a threat against anyone’s life betrays the civil order and is morally outrageous, especially if this threat came from a priest.”

Better watch out, Cardinal George--he might threaten to snuff you.

And rather than be contrite, the renegade Snuffy Pfleger is predictably stiff-necked and defiant:

I thought things were getting better.

Not if Americans United for Separation of (Evangelical Churches) and State ever get off their hypocritical leftist duffs and apply the same standard to St. Sabina as they do to fundamentalist churches, Snuffster old boy.

[Via Armed and Safe]

We're the Only Ones Crotchety Enough

Annapolis police raided the wrong apartment Wednesday night, using flash grenades and kicking a resident in the groin before they realized their mistake, police and the family said.

And the place they wanted to raid was empty.

Since when did they start teaching kicking someone in the nads at the Academy?

My favorite line: "We don't know how the mistake was made..."

Yeah, it would appear "Only One" intelligence certainly was lacking. And "confidential information," too.

I also love how the mouthpiece says "the incident was regrettable." Somehow, it's rare that the perpetrators are the ones with the real regrets, because even if the department is sued, the settlement will come from the population being terrorized.

[Via TH and Cryptic Subterranean]

What McAuliffe Said

Nuts!

Everybody welcome Mike H to the blogosphere.

Is Red's Being Set Up With Attempted Straw Purchase?

I then asked what kind of gun she was looking for. She quickly stated "Beretta" as she paced back and forth between the revolvers and semi-autos. She then said "...or what do you carry?" indicating the firearm on my hip. "It is a Smith & Wesson M&P 40 caliber." I stated. "I would probably take one of those." she quickly stated, as she then looked at the gentleman near the end of the store.

He then came up to speak with her, they began to audibly whisper, in which she stated "I don't think I would pass a background check." Then they both quickly looked up as if to see if I was paying attention. I then moved down the counter out of earshot, seeming disinterested in the sale because at this point I have a really bad feeling in my gut.
They then moved down the counter in my direction, where she said "I don't think I have my drivers license." He then stated "I will go out to the car and check to see if it is in there."

No, Ryan, I don't think you're being paranoid at all. Matter of fact, the timing is so convenient, I'd bet these conspirators were working under BATFU's direction.

[More on the persecution of Red's Trading Post from WarOnGuns]

Red's in the News

According to the May 23 audit, Red's has not been filing its gun sales in an appropriate order. Agents also claim Red's did not seek proof that a resident alien buying a gun lived 90 days continuously in Idaho before the sale. ATF also claims Red's left out a mailing address from a box on the gun sales form in 34 applications.

Oh, the humanity!

[More on the persecution of Red's Trading Post from WarOnGuns]

This Day in History: June 8

On petition of John Bayard, Joseph Deane, and William Erskine, Being presented to Congress, and read,||

Resolved, That the Secret Committee be directed to sell ||the petitioners|| 550 lb. of powder, and 400 lb. of swivel and grape shot, for the use of their privateer Hancock, and also 750 lb. ||of powder|| before applied for.

No that's how government ought to work. Notice they didn't then send thugs out to make sure their records were kept alphabetically instead of chronologically...?