More Damned Foolishness in Cleveland

While the city holds a gun buyback program on Saturday, it will also host a toy gun buyback program for the children.

Boy, that Channel 5 News Team is on top of things, aren't they?

"News on Your Side"...talk about "authorized journalists" personified.

Not on my side, that's for sure. But it's nice of them to admit they have a social agenda that influences their selectivity and objectivity.

Damned Foolishness in Cleveland

The program is called Enough is Enough. The gun buyback offers a $100 gas card instead of cash.

Police said such efforts make our streets and homes safer, getting guns out of homes where children can find them, and injure themselves or someone else.

What more can I say?

Who Will Protect the Protectors?

A college district spokeswoman confirmed the victim attended the college. Police aides are non-sworn district employees who wear uniforms but do not carry weapons.

It doesn't seem like chasing suspects is a particularly advisable course of action under those conditions. I would hope the training is to stay well back and radio in a report.

Still, it makes me wonder what good college escort programs are when the protector can't even protect himself.

[Via Tony G]

Dial Project Safe Neighborhoods and Die

Correspondent Mack sent me a timeline of related news stories that give us a real-world illustration, not only of how relying exclusively on "The Only Ones" to keep people safe is unwise, but also how government programs designed to deter crime can actually contribute to it.

September 2005: A delusional reptile, street name "Lump," bursts into a neighbor's home, killing a woman and wounding a man.

August 2006: A jury convicts said reptile.

April 2007: Turns out the police had earlier found said reptile--a convicted felon--with a gun, and rather than charge him, deferred to the feds to prosecute. The murder victim's mother sues the city and the officers involved.

October 2007: A judge dismisses the lawsuit on the grounds that--among other things--police can't be liable for failure to act and there is no affirmative duty of police to protect individuals absent a "special relationship."

Nothing about this story changes my often-stated belief that being a convicted felon per se should not be an automatic disqualifier from firearms possession. As I've repeatedly maintained, those who can't be trusted with a gun can't be trusted without a custodian, and it certainly sounds like said Lump was a beast in need of a keeper.

That said, we can't spread the word loud and far enough that the law exempts police from any duty and attendant liability to protect us. That is a key element often missing from the "gun debate" and it shouldn't be, as it is a powerful and persuasive argument. The best tool I know for proving this is Richard Steven's excellent classic: "Dial 911 and Die."

The other point of note is how local law enforcement, by relying on federal government welfare programs like NRA-endorsed Project Safe Neighborhoods, will continue to produce the results we would expect from laziness , lack of accountability, and abdication of responsibilities.

"Not Guilty"

Calvin Turner pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to not telling federal officials Hollis Fincher made and possessed machine guns. He withdrew that plea Thursday.

Good for him. WoG will continue keeping an eye on this one.

[Via Paul W. Davis]

Canucks Cut Registry

The Harper government paid a $10-million settlement this year to kill a contract designed to modernize the long-gun registry's computer system, federal records show.

Considering the alternative, that sounds like a pretty wise investment, howls from the subversives notwithstanding.

Court to Katz: We'd Rather See You Dead

An Oregon high school English teacher will not be allowed to carry her gun to school, a state circuit court ruled on Friday in a decision closely watched by both sides of the gun debate.

Be interesting to see what Wayne's gonna say about this, if anything...

This Day in History: November 10

Resolved, That two Battalions of marines be raised, consisting of one Colonel, two Lieutenant Colonels, two Majors, and other officers as usual in other regiments; and that they consist of an equal number of privates with other battalions; that particular care be taken, that no persons be appointed to office, or insisted into said battalions, but such as are good seamen, or so acquainted with maritime affairs as to be able to serve to advantage by sea when required: that they be insisted and commissioned to serve for and during the present war between Great Britain and the colonies, unless dismissed by order of Congress: that they be distinguished by the names of the first and second battalions of American Marines, and that they be considered as part of the number which the continental Army before Boston is ordered to consist of.