Unacceptable

"It would have allowed concealed weapons, loaded weapons, on the University of Idaho campus, and all the campuses in the state of Idaho," said White. "We just found that to be unacceptable."
...
"This is a balance between the rights of the second amendment, which is the right to bear arms, versus safety and security," he said.

Yeah, that must be why the Founders thought keeping and bearing arms was "necessary to the security of a free State."

And that must be why we should let ignorant "authorities" like this define which regions they find acceptable for us to exercise our rights.

So, Tim, just what exactly would you personally be prepared to do should someone ignore you and your regents by doing the "unacceptable" and bringing a gun on campus?

Aside from maybe having this pop out?

No Haven in the Storm: It's the Law

The measure, when it takes effect, will require health professionals to inform state authorities about patients who display violent, suicidal or threatening behavior. Right now, such information is reported to state officials only on people who have been institutionalized, not on those who receive only outpatient treatment.

So much for doctor/patient confidentiality. The state has inserted itself into your most private affairs, thanks to our wonderful representatives and those who aid and abet them.

What this means, of course, is those who have suffered an extreme loss and don't know how to cope with it are on their own. Lose a beloved spouse or a parent? Feeling depressed, maybe violently angry at a drunk driver who ran over your child? Been brought down to your knees and grasping for something, anything to help you go on, make sense of things, stop the unendurable heartache?

Well congratulations. If you sought professional help, you just went in and confessed to a deputized agent of the state, and forfeited your right to keep and bear arms not only now, during your time of greatest pain and confusion, but probably forever after. And since there doesn't appear to be a limitation on access to only that information specifically related to the new law's criteria, all kinds of other deepest darkest most private secrets may now be subject to state scrutiny and probing.

I'm waiting for the first person victimized by this to file a test case against self-incrimination. At the very least, with this new edict should come a requirement for mental health professionals to read all patients a Miranda warning before begining treatment.

We are all slammed into the ground at times in life. When the bell tolls for you, seek out a trusted friend, family member, minister. Unfortunately, when that is not enough, your choices will be to forego treatment or lie to your therapist--that is, if you wish to keep your guns after the storm has done its worst.

Speaking of Boston...

Ryan Horsley sent me two links where The Boston Globe is stumping for "Maximim Mike" Sullivan that are instructive.

"Held Up by Gun Lobby Radicals" and "Gunning for a Fight" tell us much about the mindset that evidently prefers police state secrecy over a right their city's founders deemed worthy of going to war to protect.

Rather than tell their readers why it is informed gun owners fear a Sullivan confirmation will officially sanction current abuses, the editor drops things immediately into name-calling, off-handedly dismisses concerns as "groundless" without addressing what they are, and even drags the NRA--the major "gun lobby" group that has conspicuously not called for ousting Sullivan into their tirade.

The second hit piece is a classic leftist, worthy perhaps of comments at Democratic Underground or The Huffington Post, but still somehow surprising (and I know it shouldn't be) to see in a "mainstream" paper (but I guess it's indicative of how far the profession has degenerated).

"Anti-gun male" Kevin Cullen makes his sophisticated, worldly and urbane contempt clear for "cow chip kickin' senator[s]" and the constituents they represent. It gets worse from there, as he drops all pretence of legitimate argument and goes right into attack dive/character assasination mode, while masking the real issues with generalized manipulation.

That's basically all the other side's got: Lies, omissions and name-calling. Along with the basest of betrayers to propagate them--"Authorized Journalists," the supposed watchdogs of government, who instead and bizarrely, have become its biggest apologists.

We're the Only Ones Secret Enough

Boston’s year-old police-civilian review board - touted as the people’s watchdog on cop abuses - is so shrouded from public view it stands out nationally as among the most secretive panels of its kind, a Herald review shows.

Not only is the public not invited to the board’s rare meetings, but its activities cannot be monitored because there are no minutes.

What better reason to trust Mayor Against Guns Tom Menino and his secretive enforcers as "The Only Ones"?

Yeah, that's the vision of government the Founders had, all right...

[Via Mad Rocket Scientist]

Wayne Fincher Update

Update: 2/19/2008
An appeal for funds

Oral arguments are set for March 10th in St. Louis. Quentin Rhoades will be presenting the argument for Wayne Fincher before the Appellate Court.

Currently, we are short funds to provide for all the necessary expenses for the presentation of the case at the Appellate level. It is necessary that we cover all of Quentin's expenses for his work on this case. We ask that you please support Wayne and your Second Amendment right by sending a donation to the address given [below].

We would greatly appreciate your assistance.

To support Wayne and your Second Amendment rights please send checks to:

The Wayne Fincher Defense Fund
P.O. Box 215
Elkins Arkansas 72727

[Via Paul W. Davis]

We're the Only Ones "Three Strikes and You're Out" Enough

A Winsted police officer has been arrested three times in the past three months for separate incidents.

Let's see, aside from sounding like a real soap opera, he's accused of threatening his wife, harassing his girlfriend's husband, dragging his girlfriend with his car...yeah, just the kind of "Only One" I want out there making sure I'm being even-tempered and peaceable...but then again, maybe everybody's just "blowing things way out of proportion" and all of us ought to be able to act that way.

[Via MH]

XVI

Free Constitution hosts its 16th Second Amendment Carnival.

Then as Now

Chris Horton shares some "mindful musings" centered on John Adams.

For those of you who get HBO, they're having a miniseries in a few weeks.

This Day in History: February 19

I am grieved to find, that instead of Six or eight thousand weight of Powder, which I fondly expected to receive from Providence (agreeable to your Letter), that I am likely to get only 4217 lb, Including the 3000 Weight belonging to this Province (If to be had). My situation in respect to this Article, is really distressing, and while common prudence obliges me to keep my want of it concealed, to avoid a discovery thereof to the Enemy; I feel the bad effect of that concealment from our friends, For not believing our distress equal to what it really is they withhold such small supplies as are in their power to give; I am so restrained in all my Military movements, for want of these necessary supplies, that it is impossible to undertake anything effectual; and whilst I am fretting, at my own disagreeable situation, the World I suppose is not behind hand in censuring my inactivity. A Golden Opportunity has been lost, perhaps not to be acquired again, this year.