A Cost/Benefits Analysis

The efficiency and effectiveness of gun regulation is a matter of controversy. The debate over this issue has become notorious for its emotion driven rationales and hardened policy positions. This analysis is based on the belief that good laws and sound policy should be based on evidence and subject to effectiveness reviews. Accordingly, it examines the cost/benefits and effectiveness of gun registration as crime control. [More]

Article author Bruce Gold tells me:

The bill you are fighting Bobby Rush/H.R. 45 is so similar to the gun laws up here in Canada I suspect he has been reading if not copying our legislation. All of the things he wants have not effected crime in Canada one bit and have been enormously expensive coming in at about $2Billion for the Federal govt. Costs to Provinces, police, courts, the firearms industry, the shooting sports and gun owners are all in addition to that. I did a study awhile back on how successful regulating the law abiding is when "criminals" are the supposed target. I suspect the same sort of stats could be found in the US is someone wanted to hunt them down.

A Note from the SHOT Show

...emailed from an attendee:

The HS-Precision booth at SHOT always had several visitors whenever I walked by. The Horiuchi thing and their "Sorry you got your panties in a twist" non-apology don't seem to have hurt them much.

Some who I respect disagree with me on this, but my feeling has always been the higher-price rifle crowd in general are not as grassroots reactionary. I'm sure there are individuals who carry more than their share of the load, but I'm just sayin' in general...

Maybe I'm not being fair--in truth, I don't see nearly enough load-shouldering from any gun owner segment. I guess it's just a bias I have, that those with more resources have more opportunities to help out than most--a "With great powers come great responsibilities" kind'a thang, except that always had a Marxist "from each according to his abilities" ring to it...

ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ, Please?

An activist told me he'd approached one of his state groups for help fighting the Bobby Rush bill and was basically met with:

"There are so many against us!? What do we do?"

Any Greek language experts out there who know how to phrase "Come and take them" as a request...?

Eve of Destruction

In anticipation of which, some are modifying their blogs. [More]

Not me.


UPDATE: There appears to be some confusion. WRSA is merely reporting on another blogger. This is not about them.

We're the Only Ones Benched Enough

Via SayUncle, who says "Wow." [More]

Note I haven't verified the authenticity of this photograph, but with what we know about the Only Ones,"it's not hard to accept this as completely believable.

WARNING: I've been told there are some explicit ads on the linked site. I didn't notice--I was focused on the obscenity on the bench. Anyway, if that kind of things offends you, don't go there.

So Would it Be a Crime...

...to desecrate this flag...? [More]

I guess my idea to make a million marketing "Yes We Can" disposable wipes wouldn't go over too well with this crowd...

[Via Tom R]

Guard with Jealous Attention...

Tucson Police are furious with a local punk band for their latest album entitled "Kill a Cop For God." [More]

I can understand that. I can also understand objections to unauthorized use of the photograph. And seeking remedies for it.

What I can't understand is the ignorance of comment posters calling for fining and putting the band in jail because they are offended. The system works. The sheep demand to be fleeced.

I also can't understand why "Authorized Journalist" Lupita Murillo doesn't know how to spell "plagiarized."

[Via Avg Joe]

Fincher IFP Hearing

The Hearing is scheduled to start at 9:00 CST, on Tuesday, 20 January, in the Federal District Courtroom, 5th floor, at the John Paul Hammerschmidt building in Fayetteville, AR. [More]

More background on Wayne Fincher from WarOnGuns

[Via Paul W. Davis]

Sporting Purpose Censorship

Last week I was reading a column by National Gun Rights Examiner David Codrea about the new draconian legislation introduced by some liberal idiot from Illinois (that seems to be the state's greatest export).

I couldn't help but to notice the unusual number of comments left on this particular column and took a look. The bulk of the comments seemed to be in response to another National Examiner Columnist. [More]

FatWhiteMan feels he's being suppressed by a guy SayUncle had harsh words for.

Y'all will forgive me if I don't delve deeper into rocking this boat. In full disclosure, out of pure self-interest, I don't want to lose the good will of Examiner management.

I almost didn't post this because of it, but censoring out stuff that doesn't violate my policies (no threats, no trolls, no --is this a word?--agent-provocateuring, no saying the "f" word unless you're Straightarrow, who always does it so colorfully) just because it may put me in an uncomfortable situation is not my style...

Well, That's Not Working...

The Boston Police Department's record of solving homicides has not shown improvement since 2006... [More]

Gee, there's gotta be something we can try...

It's not like we might be working the wrong end of the spectrum, or anything, and maybe it would be nice if there were fewer homicides to solve...

I know: Let's try more "gun control"!

[Via Ed M]

Lightworker Lincoln

The political Left (which includes almost all journalists in America) just can’t make up its mind over whether Barack Obama most resembles Lincoln, FDR, Jesus Christ – or some combination thereof. [More]

Does it matter?

He will save us.

The heirs of Liberty are reduced to worshipping idols?

Any nation so conceived and so dedicated can not long endure

[Via Ron W]

An Ode to Maximum Mike

[I]t’ll always be a mystery to me why Senate Republicans stopped their fellow Republican for purely ideological reasons,” Kerry said in the statement. [More]

Unalienable rights will always be a mystery to you, Senator.

That's pretty much universal with tyrants.

[Via Ed M]

The Big Apple Loophole

Old firearms given new life by restrictive New York gun control laws [More]

J.D. Tuccille explains...

Compelling Connectivity

With millions of Americans now buying guns like never before, one interesting news analysis organization is matching numbers, it seems, for what the armed citizen is really all about, and how he or she plays a powerful role in all our freedoms.

"Examiner.com’s regular columns to balance anti-gun programs are reaching growing audiences," National Gun Rights Examiner David Codrea said today. [More]

I'm continually asking regulars here to help spread the word about the Gun Rights Examiner effort. Here's a press release you can use to help spread the word.

As I said in today's column:

With the advent of the most anti-gun administration imaginable, and with anti-gunners licking their chops at the prospect, I hope you agree how urgently this message is needed. I hope regular readers of this column, and of the columns in Cleveland, Los Angeles and St. Louis agree-- that it's worth a moment of your time to act as force multipliers and help spread the word.

Other Gun Rights Examiners

Here's the latest from my colleagues in other cities:

Daniel White, Cleveland: "Who has the right to know about your CHL?"

John Longenecker, Los Angeles: "The best kept secrets of the anti-violence movement, Part I: You don't find violence, it finds you."

Kurt Hofmann, St. Louis: "Mayor Slay's bias against peaceable armed citizens"

Holder's First Hurdle

Disappointing, considering when they last ran for office, Hatch received an A+ grade from NRA and Martinez was given an A. But aside from a letter criticizing Holder for, among other things, not being a strong enough proponent of federal "Project Exile" gun control provisions, the Association has declined to mobilize its membership to oppose Holder's confirmation, and has even gone one further step, according to RedState.com:

The NRA does not want to hurt their scores. Therefore they’ll make noises in opposition to Holder, but they will not score a vote for Holder to impact legislators’ rankings.

[More]

My advice is to keep swinging. And to remember.

Here's today's Gun Rights Examiner column. It may be seen by some as divisive, which is funny, because what I've been trying to do is unite gun owners to oppose confirmation of the most anti-gun attorney general nominee since Janet Reno.

Tell a friend?

This Day in History: January 19

SPRINGFIELD January 19, 1777
Militia kills eight or ten Waldeckers and captures remainder of party with no losses during raid. [More]