Mukasey: "Second Amendment Secures an Individual Right"

Per The New York Times:

Michael B. Mukasey was sworn in as attorney general this afternoon, less than a day after winning Senate confirmation despite Democratic criticism that he had failed to take an unequivocal stance against the torture of terror detainees.

Robert Levy had advocated Mukasey disclose his position on the Second Amendment. I'd wondered the same thing, and expressed concerns that he backs Rudy Giuliani for president, and is backed in turn by Chuck Schumer for the top law post.

Presumably we now have an indication of Mukasey's position on 2A, albeit from an unlikely source, Senator Dick Durbin, in his explanation of why he opposed confirmation:

Take another unsettled legal question: whether the Second Amendment secures an individual right to bear arms. Here is what Judge Mukasey told me: “Based on my own study, I believe that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms.”

In other words, Judge Mukasey agrees with the Bush Administration when it comes to retroactive immunity and the Second Amendment.

Note I'm not focusing on the waterboarding charges here or making any proclamations about the desirability of this appointment or Judge Mukasey's potential as AG. I'm merely pointing out his reported position on the Second Amendment, something I have been looking for but have not previously found.

Excluding all other considerations, and with the caveat that this is based only on the rhetoric, it would appear gun owners could have done worse.

UPDATE: Looks like The Washington Post knew about his leanings over a week ago and we all missed it, although they don't have the above quote. Here's the relevant bit from their story:

Mr. Mukasey's 172 pages of written responses to senators' questions leave no doubt that he is a staunchly conservative lawyer. He believes the Second Amendment bestows an individual right to bear arms.

Realize, of course, that what WaPo considers to be "staunchly conservative" is what, in 1960, would have been considered a mainstream Democrat. And note the all-too-common "bestows" assumption, as if an unalienable right independent of government proclamation is so difficult a concept to grasp.

Boise State to Risk Sheep Stampede

Two weeks ago, the Boise State Veterans Coordinator brought up the idea of having a 21 gun salute during the school's Veterans Day activities...

At first, Boise State officials turned down the idea because of safety and security concerns. The university says recent school shootings, like the one at Virginia Tech, still have some people on edge. They believe the sound of gunshots on campus, in the middle of the day, could cause some people to panic.

Maybe they could just text message everybody...

Heller Watch

Today's the day...

A Temporary Reprieve

St. Clair County Associate Judge James Radcliffe dismissed the county's eminent domain lawsuit against the Caseyville Rifle and Pistol Club in Mascoutah.

But it ain't over. The covetous county thieves will be back after they cross their "t's" and dot their "i's", and the judge thinks that'll do the trick....

Just amazing--they clearly want to steal the land on behalf of a private developer, but lie about glide paths in order to provide a facade of justification. Thanks for Kelo, SCROTUS.

You Mean Project Exile Didn't Work?

Visibly moved by the funeral Wednesday for slain Philadelphia Police Officer Chuck Cassidy, Gov. Rendell yesterday called for tougher penalties for shooting at a police officers and pledged to renew his fight for three gun-control laws stalled in the Legislature...

The proposed laws would require gun owners to report lost or stolen weapons, limit handgun sales to one per person per month, and enable municipalities to enact their own gun laws.

I don't get it. I thought Philly was a done deal...?

We're the Only Ones Furloughed Enough

A Sonoma County judge on Wednesday sentenced Christopher Del Rosario to five years of probation and nine months in jail after he pleaded guilty earlier this year to felony assault with a deadly weapon and a gun enhancement.

Del Rosario, 46, will be allowed to apply for work furlough in lieu of straight jail time. Inmates on work furlough spend the night in jail and are allowed out during the day to go to work.

See, there are benefits to being one of Captain David A. Kozicki's crack "Only Ones."

Rampages Rare...

...in land where 56% own a gun

So does that mean guns aren't the cause?

Well, yes, according to all historic and objective evidence. So naturally, there will be those bent on changing all that after this incident. And when they do lessen the cost side and increase the benefit side of the predator equation, expect rampages to become less rare. And expect that to prompt demands for even more restrictions...

Too Much to Ask For

Based on some the comments posted so far, it would appear sending a simple email is too much to ask of many "activist" gun owners--they'll not only find a reason not to do it, they'll elaborate on how it's a defeated effort from the outset, so why even try?

Look--nobody proposing this effort is under any illusions--if anything, we're among the most cynical of the lot. But you tell me it wouldn't have an effect if ten thousand or more pissed off gun owners sent a no-uncertain-terms missive to one official on one day. Then tell me how much more of an impression it would make to flood his inbox with 100,000. Or a million.

Thanks guys. It would have taken one minute of your precious time.

Why would anyone believe the chatroom warriors will do anything but fold in resignation if anything requiring actual effort and sacrifice is ever asked of them? Some gun owners ensure their own defeat every step of the way, and the damndest thing is, those of us who are carrying water are routed along with them.

Nobody ever won a thing starting out with the mindset that losing was inevitable.

Girls and Guns

From HZ:

Of interest

Short trailer here:
http://agirlandagunfilm.com/agagframeset.html

Long clip here (originally seen here):
http://thebredafallacy.blogspot.com/2007/11/its-girl-thing.html

It will be interesting to see the final product.

I agree.

How to Honor a Vet NPS Style

Beginning this Veterans Day, November 11, 2006, U.S. veterans, members of the U.S. armed forces and their families will be admitted free-of-charge on Veterans Day to most public lands managed by the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture. The administrative fee waiver of entrance and/or standard amenity fees will apply annually on Veterans Day at public recreation lands managed by Interior’s National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation and Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service.

So does that mean you honor them enough to suspend your evil edicts that disarm them in national parks, or does it mean you're just paying lip service, you don't really trust or honor them at all, they've served their purpose, and all you're really offering is a free pass to voluntarily surrender their most elemental of freedoms?

NOTE: Yes, I know the linked document is for 2006. I was sent a link to a new page and couldn't get it to work this morning, but it is an ongoing annual event.

[Via Michael S]

GOP Loyalists to Paulites: Be Civil

I'm not talking about people who simply support Ron Paul. I'm talking about the aggressive network of online fans who bombard discussion boards, spam web sites, flood online polls, and behave in a manner that puts their candidate in an extremely bad light. These so-called supporters not only hurt the Republican Party overall, but they also hurt their candidate.

Yeah, I guess every movement has its screaming zealots. But from where I sit, the most uncivil, hostile and downright irrational behavior has been coming from those who would stand to benefit the most from a principled Constitutionalist presidential candidate. Hence the dismissive term "Paulbots," as if we're all a bunch of glazed-eye Moonies, racists, crazed conspiracists and suicidal foreign policy retards. The insults, the lies, the flat-out hatred and even death wishes I've read in recent days from mainstream GOP candidate supporters, all on sites and by people who supposedly support the Second Amendment, have done nothing to persuade me that Paul's opponenents will deserve any less than the government they get after their sabotage of his candidacy is complete.

And note to Bobby Eberle: I've heard "They'll make us all look bad" in relation to 2A absolutists more often than not--and my typical thought is "Not as bad as appeasers." The bottom line is, if Rudy, a proven enemy of personal defense rights is the pick, GOPUSA and all the other Republican-firsters will fall in lockstep with the program. As such, I could not care less if the party gets hurt. If they want my support, here's a novel idea: earn it. If they're going to impose a fascist on people like me, the party ain't seen hurt yet.

[Via HZ]

Reds: Ted's New Pal and a JPFO Clip

From Ryan Horsley:

Here is the latest, Ted Kennedy's friend is confirmed as ATF Director by the Senate Judiciary Committee:
http://redstradingpost.blogspot.com/2007/11/ted-kennedy-looks-forward-to-working.html

More on the the ATF's record keeping with a JUST RELEASED clip from the JPFO documentary The Gang:
http://redstradingpost.blogspot.com/2007/11/inside-look-at-atfs-own-record-keeping.html

Have a great weekend and thank you for the letters to the OIG, it went very well and I look forward to it being an every year event.

This Day in History: November 9

November 9. 1776
- The citizens of Rochester, NY pleaded for aid from the New York Convention. "The town of Rochester is in great need for salt, as the season of the year is now for killing their winter provision and pork for next summer, and when they can't get a supply of salt, they will be obliged soon to turn their fat hogs out of the pen, and their fat cattle among their other, to a great loss of several poor families.

Most don't realize how something as taken for granted as salt has been one of the most important catalysts for human decisison-making throughout history.