Interesting Debate...

...between "CIFTA" and "Anti-CIFTA" in the "Comments" section. [More]

Feel free to go there and join in.

Hate Criminals

Legendary firearms instructor and pundit Jeff Cooper put it best. "In my opinion," he said, "neither money nor greed ... is the root of all evil. The root of all evil is envy. The non-coper hates the coper, and thus the non-shooter hates the shooter. [More]

Personal inadequacy and hatred explains what we see about as well as anything else.

It's Just a Tool

Let's hope Oath Keepers are the ones using it. [More]

And no, I don't say that as an endorsement of "Only One-ism".

[Via "Bill Hicks"]

The Unintended Consequences of Despotism.

Throughout history, despotic regimes and brutal collectivist systems have crushed their civilian populations' backbones, burning to death their freedom and liberty, and using tactics of intimidation and terror against anyone they suspected of harboring "deviant" thoughts. However, these attempts at cowing the people they rule over almost never succeed, because one of the most deadliest unintended consequences of despotism, is that it will create entirely new and terrifying fighting arts and methods of resistance amongst the oppressed. [More]

That's what can happen when you make people outlaws?

So another way of saying this might be: Without regulation, incentivized ingenuity is unrestrained...?

Pro-Gun Profs

As college professors, we want to reduce the odds of a Virginia Tech massacre happening on a Texas college campus. That's why we encourage the Texas Legislature to allow concealed carry on the state's college campuses. [More]

In the mean time, I'd just ignore the damn legislature, but that's me.

I also wish academia would notice this, by the late Preston Covey: "Can Gun Control Reduce Violence?". It's been languishing in my archives not doing much good for the past few years, and one of Prof. Covey's wishes was that it be shared "in the spirit of 'pass the ammunition'."

You can read more about this remarkable man here, here, here, here and here.

[Via David R]

Don't forget the DDTC/ITAR Threat to Guns. You Knew About It, Right?

It's important that we know what's on the horizon, but it's critical we pay attention to what's here now. And I mentioned a third international danger in last Friday's column that's not getting much attention: The DDTC.

The DDTwhat?

It stands for Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, and the threat is masterfully summarized by Robin Taylor of the US Practical Shooting Association, who tells us "It's not about Trade, it's about Control." [More]

We've heard a lot recently about the threat of international treaties to the right to keep and bear arms. How many of you knew such mechanisms are already in place? Today's Gun Rights Examiner column tells us about them, and about how George Bush played a key role in ensuring a negative outcome.

Also access a WorldNetDaily article that gives Kurt Hofmann and yours truly some ink...uh...electrons, read the latest from my fellow GREs, and learn how you can become an illegal international arms trafficker. You're just a few mouse clicks away!

Tell a friend?

This Day in History: April 23

I think this move so probable, as it will give them access to a part of the Country most notoriously disaffected, that I desire you will post a Body of Militia of the State of New York, on this side of the North River, in such place as you shall think most safe to prevent them from being Surprised, and at the same time proper to intercept Skinners Corps, if they should attempt the above mentioned route. [More]

2nd Amendment Trumps Local Gun Limits

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in California has ruled that the 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms is "deeply rooted in this nation's history and tradition" and long has been regarded as the "true palladium of liberty," so it therefore must be applied against state and local government weapon restrictions as well as federal gun limits. [More]

Yes, I know you know that because we've already talked about it here.

But this story cites related columns written by St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner Kurt Hofmann and yours truly.