The NICS Mental Health Expansion

Quite a few of you have sent me various links on this, and it's the talk of the gun blogs today. I'm not going to rehash what you'll read elsewhere, as my goal is to attempt originality. So without opening up the great NRA Sell-Out/GOA Misrepresentation debate that is no doubt occurring on innumerable sites right now, I'd just like to offer a few simple observations:

In a battle, the initial object is to keep the invading enemy from gaining a foothold in the defended territory. If they can't establish a front on the beach, they can't mount an assault against your positions on the cliffs above.

As the admittedly "partisan" Oregon Firearms Federation notes:

The NRA and the Brady Campaign are now issueing [sic] press releases praising the same bill. If this does not give you chills, you are not paying attention.

In the interests of fairness, here is NRA's admittedly "partisan" take:

After months of careful negotiation, pro-gun legislation was passed through Congress today. The National Rifle Association (NRA) worked closely with Senator Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) to address his concerns regarding H.R. 2640, the National Instant Check System (NICS) Improvement Act. These changes make a good bill even better. The end product is a win for American gun owners.

NRA embracing this erodes the argument that gun control is not an effective means of crime control. It's not, and this won't stop further incidents or further calls for citizen disarmament, but there you have it.

At this point, it's a done deal, so I'm not inclined to focus on a screaming match over who will prove to be right. My thoughts on mental health--that anyone who can't be trusted with a gun can't be trusted without a custodian--have been a matter of record for years now, but it is what it is.

The political reality is this is here and will be with us, and that because the perceived impact on most of us will be minimal, revisiting it will not be a matter of priority.

Ron Paul Keeps Racist's Money. Good for Him.

Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul is planning on keeping a contribution from a former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, according to a campaign spokesman.

Good for him.

That's money that will not be available for nefarious purposes that will now be used to promote liberty.

Good for him.

He refuses to pander and bow to the "politically correct," choosing instead to stand on principle.

Good for him.

As friend Russ Howard and I have been asking since this became an issue: Let me get this straight--you want him to give money to Nazis? And for the record, I gave this exact advice to his Arizona & Utah campaign coordinator in a telephone conversation a few weeks back.

Dr. Paul explains this and other positions in detail in his interview with Glenn Beck, that allows him more than the sound bite relegated by the rest of the Establishment media. When all you have is a few seconds, it's easy to take your statements out of context and portray you as a loon, as opposed to when you actually have time to answer the questions...

For now, that interview video is available on Beck's main page, and the transcript is here.

Fred Says "Buy a Gun"

UPDATE: BIG OOPS. I'd never heard of the website and didn't realize it was a satire site. Just goes to show you, we can all be had. I'm not deleting this post just to provide a reminder of that.

Republican Presidential candidate Fred Thompson today, upon hearing that rival Ron Paul’s supporters had raised $6 million in 24 hours to commemorate the Boston Tea Party, called on his supporters to match that figure in gun purchases before Christmas to mark George Washington’s victory at the Battle of Trenton.

That's a great move on his part, and he just went up a few notches in my esteem. Now if he'd just drop the "enforce existing gun laws" mantra...

[Via Vinnie]

We're the Only Ones Showering Lead Enough

An off-duty Clearwater police officer who was taking a shower when his home was broken into today fired one shot at the suspect and continued to fire at the get-away vehicle as it sped away...

The question here is not so much whether or not that was the right thing to do as it is what would have happened had a non-"Only One" done the same thing?

[Via Robb Allen]

We're the Only Ones All Tricked Out Enough

A Capitol police officer is out of a job after telling investigators he hired a prostitute who took a handgun from his Harrisburg apartment.

What a blow to his career.

[Via Tony G]

[More from "The Only Ones" Files]

We're the Only Ones Fair and Equitable Enough

Another sentencing involving police in Tuxedo Park raises another set of questions about fairness and equity in Orange County courts.

"Authorized Journalists" discover "Only Ones" and are shocked...shocked...

[Via Declan, who writes: "These guys have just discovered what you have been reporting...and are acting like they have unearthed an incredible injustice, they seem so proud. No wonder they hate bloggers."]

We're the Only Ones Designated Driving Enough

Colchester police officers twice in the 1990s chose not to charge off-duty police officers suspected of driving under the influence and instead transported the officers to their homes...The two cases, which took place in 1994 and 1996, mirror an incident made public this week involving allegations that a Colchester officer failed to charge a Burlington officer found driving under the influence of alcohol. That officer was also given a ride home.

Go "Only Ones"--and Leave the Driving to Us!

[Via Declan]

Chambliss Update: Signs of Progress

Yesterday, we discussed Senator Chambliss's bandwagon being too full to haul "Maximum Mike" out of town.

What a difference a day makes. I'm now being told this was "a misunderstanding," and that the senator's chief of staff will conference with Ryan Horsley and Len Savage. As an act of good faith, Ryan has removed the post from his blog pending the outcome of that conference.

Two Georgia gun rights groups I've been in contact with are also on hold, awaiting the results. (Georgia Packing has already posted a forum page discussing this.)

It's too early to pronounce anything a done deal, but it certainly does look like we at least got their attention, and reaffirmed the reality that there is a political cost attached to every perceived benefit. For now, as far as Chambliss is concerned, my advice is hold fire.

Which brings us to other senators taking a non-position. We just saw two examples yesterday, courtesy of Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn. Here's why, even though there's no principle-based excuse, their lack of action is understandable: NRA has ignored this. Without the big dog in the fight, they're free to assume they're dealing with a handful of disgruntled malcontents lacking the clout to make it worth their while to expend any political capital.

That's both the perception and the reality.

NRA's silence is inexcusable in principle, but again, politically understandable. There's nothing to force a change in position for one reason and one reason only: they have not been besieged by determined members letting them know there will be an "or else" attached to their failure to act. As far as Fairfax is concerned, it's just the same small group of irritating gnats buzzing about, so there's no new incentive to change course.

Which means, as is typical, it really is the fault of gun owners who read these words--in this instance and in countless other appeals for action--and do nothing. Politician's don't give it a priority because the NRA doesn't give it a priority because gun owners won't give it a priority.

Which, in a nutshell, is the reason why we have "gun control laws" in the first damn place.

Chechen Self-Made Weapons

Shots of the various self-made weapons seized by Russian army and police in Chechnya. There is even self-made machine gun.

Where there's a will there's a way, and these are the way to obtaining better weaponry.

Do they work? Are they reliable?

Let me put it this way--if someone got the drop on you and was pointing one at your head, how inclined would you be to bet your life that they'd do nothing, misfire or blow up in your assailant's face?

If the answer is "Not very," then we've eliminated the need for anything but the most rudimentary of tools and materials.

[Via Featherless Biped]

This Day in History: December 20

On December 20, 1776, Maj. General John Sullivan arrived in command of the remaining 2,000 men from the 5,000 that had been under Maj. General Charles Lee's command untl his capture. On the same day, Maj. General Horatio Gates arrived 800 men set down from Fort Ticonderoga by Northern Department Commander Maj. General Philip Schuyler. Even though the New Jersey militia had not come to General Washington's call, they were carrying out their own campaign. They had remained near their homes to protect them from the British and especially the Hessian troops, who had quickly developed a reputation among the rebels for brutality and theft. The militia were soon taking advantage of the stretched British lines across New Jersey by carrying out regular raids on British patrols, stealing supplies and interfering with communications.