"I Think I Owe Something to the People Who Died"

The firearms dealer who illegally sold Sulejman Talovic a pistol-grip shotgun should have known the 18-year-old planned to use the weapon for murder, a survivor of the deadly Trolley Square shootings claims in a lawsuit.

Yeah. What's with that guy not being able to read minds and predict the future?

I guess it hasn't occurred to any of the victims that "emotional and physical damages" might have been reduced or eliminated altogether if they'd assumed responsibility for protecting themselves? No one computes that what ultimately stopped Talovic was another armed man?

If they really want to blame someone, why not blame...the shooter?

But if they're looking for deep pockets, and for people who really "should have known," why not go after the folks who established and enforced the murderer empowerment zone?

If the surviving victims truly think they owe something to the people who died, why not work toward ensuring people have the means to survive and prevail against future attacks, instead of mandating the advantage to the monsters among us? Don't they owe at least that much to the living?

CSI Canada

The opinion piece released on Thursday argues that Taser use is a public health issue, and Canadian officials should not be relying on the manufacturer, Taser International, or its paid research to determine if stun guns are safe.

Oh, good grief. Why dredge this up again?

Haven't we already settled it?

CSI Akron

A judge has ruled that the Summit County Medical Examiner's Office must change its autopsy findings to remove all references to the Taser stun gun as a contributing cause of death in the cases of three men who died during encounters with county law enforcement officers.

In one of those cases — the August 2006 death of 28-year-old county jail inmate Mark D. McCullaugh Jr. — the judge ruled the manner of death must be changed on the official autopsy report and death certificate, from ''homicide'' to ''undetermined.''

Because we all know tasers have proven themselves 100% safe and reliable. "The Only Ones" and corporate lawyers tell us so.

I think Judge Schneiderman may be on to something though--think how much money Summit County can save if it does away with the medical examiner's office altogether, and just lets him rule on how homicide victims died.

[Via Maureen]

Practical Medical Course

This two-day (16 hour) course of instruction will prepare the motivated outdoorsman to treat life-threatening and function-threatening medical conditions in the wilderness without access to classical EMS and medical resources.

This latest offering from Western Rifle Shooters Association will be held in Brookings, OR over the May 17-18 weekend. It looks like the information presented is extremely important and valuable--and something most of us need training on. If you can at all make it, do so.

Rodhamstein

I took one look at Hillary's new photo and had a separated-at-birth moment.

Which monster would you rather have coming for you?

UPDATE: I take back everything I ever said about her. Hillary's "pro-gun" after all. Just ask her Indiana phone bank workers.

CCRKBA on National Parks Bill

American gun owners, especially those licensed to carry concealed handguns, are urged to comment on a proposed Interior Department rules change that would allow concealed carry in national parks and national wildlife refuges.

I'd have just said "Americans," but the important part is they're using their long reach to encourage us to make our views known now, during the public comments period.

Everybody here already has, right?

I haven't had time to go chasing down who is or is not spreading the word on this. Suffice it to say if you have not seen an announcement from other pro-gun organizations, websites, bloggers, etc., that you frequent or support, please take the initiative to let them know we're looking for leadership from them on this. It wouldn't hurt to put up a flyer at gun stores and ranges, either, and to ask gun shows to help spread the word.

Hardy and Young will be Giving 'em Heller at NRA Exhibits Booth 1551

From David E. Young:

Those attending the 2008 NRA Annual Exhibits at the Kentucky Expo Center will have a unique and special opportunity this year as the Supreme Court considers the meaning of the Second Amendment in the DC vs Heller gun ban case. The Second Amendment Films booth (#1551) will have two notable independent Second Amendment scholars in attendance, David T. Hardy and David E. Young, both of whom have links to the Heller case.

David Hardy, attorney, author, and producer will be promoting his new documentary film, In Search of the Second Amendment, which is available on DVD. In addition to authoring the sourcebook, Origins and Development of the Second Amendment, and many law review articles advancing the individual rights nature of the Second Amendment's protection, David Hardy is a co-author of the amicus brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court in the current DC vs Heller case by Academics for the Second Amendment, and he attended the oral arguments before the Court.

David Young, historical scholar, editor, and author will be promoting his new definitive history of the Second Amendment, The Founders' View of the Right to Bear Arms, as well as The Origin of the Second Amendment, the complete Constitutional Era document collection that he edited and published. Mr. Young's books have been cited to the U.S. Supreme Court a total of fifty-five times in various briefs filed in the current DC vs Heller gun ban case, and his document collection was extensively relied on in prior appeals court pro-rights decisions leading to the current case.

Anyone attending the NRA Annual Exhibits who is interested in the Second Amendment's history or the legal ramifications of the current DC vs Heller case before the U.S. Supreme Court will be able to ask questions and discuss their points of interest with these two independent pro-rights Second Amendment scholars, each of whom has a completely different background. David Hardy, legal professional, views the entire subject from a legal perspective, while David Young, historian, relies entirely on period historical sources.

Second Amendment Films will be selling DVD copies of David Hardy's new documentary, In Search of the Second Amendment, as well as copies of David Young's new book, The Founders' View of the Right to Bear Arms, and his document collection, The Origin of the Second Amendment, at NRA Exhibits Booth 1551.

For anyone attending the 2008 NRA Exhibits, stop by, have a chat, and pick up the very latest and most complete Second Amendment related information available anywhere.

David T. Hardy's URL is: http://www.armsandthelaw.com/
David E. Young's URL is: http://www.secondamendmentinfo.com/

This Day in History: May 3

The sanguinary Zeal of the ministerial Army, to ruin and destroy the Inhabitants of this Colony, in the Opinion of this Congress, hath rendered the Establishment of an Army indispensably necessary. We have accordingly passed an unanimous Resolve for thirteen thousand six hundred Men, to be forth with raised by this Colony; and proposals are made by us to the Congress of New Hampshire, and Governments of Rhode Island and Connecticut Colonies, for furnishing men in the same proportion. The sudden Exigency of our public Affairs, precluded the possibility of waiting for your direction in these important measures; more especially, as a considerable Reinforcement from Great Britain is daily expected in this Colony, and we are now reduced to the sad alternative of defending ourselves by arms, or submitting to be slaughtered.

Hell of a choice.

Good thing this is only ancient history and we'll never need to make a similar one. Especially since so many tell us the Second Amendment is obsolete and written for a different time.