Tuesday, October 13, 2009

"Your Friends at FaxDC.com"

I just received a rather hysterical spam email from an outfit called FaxDC.com, which is offering me the opportunity to "blast fax" all 535 congressmen.

I can be a part of their "Fax.DC.com Army" for $25/month, I can get their "Ultimate Protest package," they call me (and everyone else on their email list) a "Patriot" and they want me to "Be sure to send this Alert to EVERYONE you know who supports saving America and Protecting our Middle Class."

OK--I'm sending it to everyone I know. Along with some observations:

The email contains a word-for-word copy of a column posted yesterday on WorldNetDaily by Chelsea Schilling. I have no idea if using it is authorized or not.

Thing is, I have no idea why WND even printed that column, which seems to be a rehash of the old Blair Holt HR 45 bill--that is in no imminent danger of going anywhere, and somehow mixing it in with the old, dead SB 2099 "list your guns on your taxes" email that's now making the rounds in email forwards from people incapable of mastering either "BCC" or any font smaller than 24.

Here's the deal: Blair Holt has been languishing in committee since January with NO COSPONSORS!

And the tax bill died in 2000.

There is absolutely no need to blast fax anyone about this. To do so is a waste of energy and resources that are vitally needed elsewhere. But it will put money in someone's pocket.

So who are these guys at FaxDC.com?

Well, the "Who Is" lookup at Register.com lists:

Domain Discreet
ATTN: faxdc.com
Rua Dr. Brito Camara, n 20, 1
Funchal, Madeira 9000-039
PT
Phone: 1-902-7495331

Which doesn't actually tell us anything other than it is discreetly associated with someone on a Portuguese island with a Nova Scotia area code.

They appear to have attached themselves to all sort of "conservative" causes--opposing Obamacare, immigration, guns...

OK, here's the guy: Stephen Eichler, J.D. aka "Minuteman Steve."

I can't say anything for or against the guy--I have no idea who he is or what his motivation is, nor would it be appropriate for me to speculate without knowledge.

But I'll tell you this: Anyone who tells you to spend money faxing to stop Blair Holt is not someone who should be leading gun rights activists in anything. Assuming the guy is sincere, he's simply not demonstrated that when it comes to gun issues he's a leader worth following.

I not only do NOT recommend forwarding the email to your activist friends, it seems to me, the responsible thing to do would be to warn them about it.

Also see:
'Qualifying Firearms'
Kill (the) bill
Kill (the) bill - volume two
Kill (the) bill - volume three
Spreading gun law rumors distracts from real threats

SCOTUS Denies Olofson Petition

They did it without comment, naturally. [More]
This development warranted a second Gun Rights Examiner column for today.

Get a link to the petition and read an embedded copy of the amicus brief.

Tell a friend?

We're the Only Ones Forceful Enough

A federal lawsuit filed Friday accuses Dolton police officers of beating up an innocent man and lying about it. [More]
Dolton...Dolton...where was I just reading about a Dolton cop...?

No doubt just another of the "few bad apples"--no need to treat being stopped by one of them as a potentially life-threatening criminal encounter to be responded to accordingly--is there?

Oh, gee, looks like we can't ask. Wonder why?

On the bright side, the "Only Ones" were no doubt armed while being "forceful." If one of those exemption bills pass, they might yet catch a break.

[Via Tommy S]

"Inappropriate" Browsing

Man Fired For Looking At Gun Web Sites [More]
Several readers have sent me links to various versions of this story--this one appears to be the most comprehensive breakdown I've seen.

If the supervisor and company truly applied different standards to gun websites than to others, and it appears they did, don't do business with them.

That said, I think we all have personally observed way too many employees spending way too much time web surfing when they're being paid to work--and yeah, that includes the bosses. I've cautioned readers here before--I appreciate all the site visits I can get, both here and at Gun Rights Examiner--but I'd hate to see you get in trouble because of that.

If the enuretics freak out over the Mossberg site, they'd probably call SWAT on you if they found you reading my brand of "domestic terrorism."

We're the Only Ones Hushing You Up Enough

Metropolitan Transportation Authority police said that Hendrick, who was off duty, was riding a Ronkonkoma-bound train about 9:20 p.m. and spotted "a group of unruly passengers following a Ranger game."

"He took out his concealed Smith & Wesson handgun and pointed it at the individuals"... [More]
Kind of ironic that he's one of the "Only Ones" Carolyn McCarthy wants armed on the LIRR. Of course, we've already established she's none too bright.

Seeing as who was holding the gun, the hockey fans are just lucky they didn't "lift a finger."

Too bad for Hendrick he didn't wait to do this, at least until we can make sure violent cops get sentencing exemptions. Hopefully, for his sake, the department will find he acted within established protocol...

[Via Harvey]

We're the Only Ones Global and Noble Enough

When last we checked in with Ronald K. Noble, he was enjoying a lucrative career as a reward for helping cover up a crime against humanity in which he was deeply implicated. [More]
William N. Grigg fleshes out the global "Only Ones" story we discussed yesterday by giving us the low down on their top guy.

It's like they go out of their way to pick movie villains.

[Via Ron W]

Harry Reid Ignores Gun Rights Questionnaire

Arguably, Sen. Reid gets a lot more emails than other candidates, and probably never saw this because a staffer intercepted it. Just to be fair, I'll send them a link to this column and give them another chance to respond to or ignore the questions.

Perhaps they feel they don't have to, because Sen. Reid enjoys the support of NRA--Executive VP Wayne La Pierre calls hims "a true champion of the Second Amendment"--in spite of Reid supporting "the most anti-gun president in American history" and in spite of his votes to confirm both Eric "Ban 'assault weapons' to fight Mexican crime" Holder and Sonia "The Second Amendment does not apply to the states" Sotomayor. [More]
Today's Gun Rights Examiner notes a deafening silence and can't help but wonder if it's intentional.

Also get a "Not Without a Fight" update, and the latest from my fellow GREs.

Tell a friend?

This Day in History: October 13

October 13, 1777: “The redoubts for the defence of Philadelphia continued on, though slowly, as none but Inhabitants are employed on it, and that at 8 shillings per day and Provisions.” Captain John Montresor, PMHB 6 (1882), pp. 48-49. [More]