Wednesday, January 02, 2008

A Small "L" Libertarian...

...urges us to consider the "pragmatically libertarian" reasons for putting aside our no compromise RKBA ideology and supporting Bloomberg for President.

Well...start considering.

BATFU Ignoring Congress

From Ryan Horsley:

"For 2 year in a row now the Appropriations committee has included language regarding the ATF shutting down dealers for minor paperwork violations."
He still urges us to contact our senators to block confirmation of "Maximum Mike".

And I still note deafening silence from our leaders in Fairfax, who came up with the excuse that their contact form was broken--as if that's the only way they'd ever hear about this. It should be clear to all by now that the reason they haven't weighed in is because they don't want to. I guess if that's the game we're going to play, it's time to tell them to quit stalling and give an unequivocal answer.

I also hear nothing but crickets from the Saxby Chambliss camp. For a while there, someone was hitting my site via the search term "Charlie Harman," and Ryan even made the unprecedented good faith effort of removing his post when the senator's aide told him it was "a misunderstanding" with a promise to revisit the issue. I'd say it's time to turn the lights on again.

Summing it Up

Say Uncle gives an overview.

UPDATE: Instapundit noticing ought to upset those who wish for people to stop looking.

Maybe I Should Follow Suit...

I like guns and, if I could own one, I would.

I'd like to be able to defend myself from gun-wielding nutters like you. You know, pop a cap in yo' ass. [More]
Now I'm in for it. Let's see, if I was going to follow the example of our brave and loyal opposition, now that a "death threat" of sorts has been made, I'd have to close down this blog and erase my tracks.

Wasn't that his rationale...? Still, I wonder why he hasn't shared links to the threats he claims he received...?

This is even more specific than threatening to "snuff out" somebody, and look at all the brouhaha that caused. It's not like anyone can claim they don't know what "pop a cap in yo' ass" means...

Hmmm...first trolls warn me I'll be sued if I don't drop an ongoing investigation and erase all records of it. That didn't work, and now a[nother?] troll is upping the ante in comments to the post where I say I won't back down.

And this is being done in "support" of a CeaseFire PA director, an organization that purportedly exists solely to reduce "gun violence"? What did the one [other?] troll say? Oh, yeah, "Why is it so few Americans do irony?"
I don't know, pal. Why don't you tell me?

Good thing I'm not the type to let my imagination run wild. Otherwise, I might think there's some connection, aside from the fact that people--regardless of the issue or which "side" they consider themselves to be on--who make anonymous threats share the trait of employing despicable and cowardly tactics. Which should surprise no one.

There's one other thing that could come up, so I'll just head it off before it does. Some may claim I posted the comment myself, or had a friend do it for me. Yeah, but there are a couple things that could make such a move dangerous to me: If the threatened litigation occurs, depositions with penalties for perjury will be made, and it's even conceivable that computer forensics experts will be retained. I'd imagine a lie would be pretty easy to expose and the consequences would be severe.

As for reporting this to the "authorities," I would if I seriously thought it would not be an overreaction to something I can handle myself. That said, there is nothing to stop any of you from reporting this link to whatever agency you see fit, and if so, I'll cooperate fully with any investigation. And those are people you don't lie to unless you're prepared to go to jail. Again, I don't believe the snotty "pop a cap in yo' ass" comment rises to the level of a credible threat that would merit that, but I can't stop anyone who disagrees with me from doing what they think is right.
My bottom line: After exploiting it to show the mindset of our "ideological opponents," I laugh stuff like this off and press on. And I simply don't believe anyone who says this is the reason he took his blogs and profiles down and erased all records of them. I don't believe that for a minute.

It Came from Outer Space


Sebastian has the out-of-this-world details about yet another director of CeaseFire PA.

Look, I don't have a problem in the world with speculations that life may exist elsewhere, including the intelligent variety. I just don't happen to believe that--if it does--any culture that has mastered the unimaginable technologies to navigate the vastness of time and space would settle on cud-chewing herbivores as "the most intelligent and wise."

CeaseFire PA Director's Watch



Well, in fairness, the day is still young. I bet they'll get right on this and proudly acknowledge their new affiliation real soon. Maybe by tomorrow this reminder will go away, and we can get about the business of asking them "Why?" instead of "Why not?"

Les is More

An Illinois custom gun manufacturer opened the new year at the same old place in Illinois as construction continues on a new facility across the river in LeClaire.

Les Baer Custom of Hillsdale, Ill., announced in May it wanted to move out of Illinois and received approval of a development and site plan agreement in LeClaire...

Baer decided to move his company when a bill arose in the Illinois General Assembly banning large-capacity gun magazine clips.

Good for him. nice job, idiots in the legislature, driving a source of jobs and revenue away. Chasing out prosperity is certainly a proven way of reducing the conditions that lead to crime, and increasing your coffers to fight it.

For the timid manufacturers who are still in denial and waiting, it's not like the powers that be don't want to destroy you. And you can bank on their regrouping to try again.

Why We Don't Need Guns

This pretty much nails it.

This Day in History: January 2

This flag consisted of thirteen stripes red and white, with the cross of St. George and St. Andrew on a blue field in the canton or union. This preceded the Declaration of Independence and indicated that the colonies had not wholly broken from the mother country. This flag was first unfurled by Washington, January 2, 1776.