“Cowering under a desk,” she replied, “is indeed the only recourse for people facing life threatening situations in a school. Unless you are suggesting we pack every lunch box with a handgun.” [More]My latest "Rights Watch" column for GUNS Magazine is now online.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Is “Cowering...Only Recourse” To School Shooting?
ATSNTV Tonight
From American Trigger Sports Network:
Host James B. Towle and the Trigger Sports TV crew return to the Houston Liberty Festival at the American Shooting Centers in Houston, Texas with footage from live re-enactments of the Civil War, Vietnam, Jousting and Flag Retirement Ceremony.Visit the Pursuit Channel site or the ATSNTV website for more information.
Watch living history as reenactors/historians portray soldiers at this event benefiting soldiers! Re-enactment battles are live from the Houston Liberty Festival, a spectacular sporting clays fundraiser for "Homes for Our Troops", an organization that builds specialty homes for returning wounded veterans.
Also learn about flag retirement of unserviceable flags and how you can retire your flags with honor!
This event has grown into more than just a sporting clays tournament!
Watch Tonight! Friday, March 16th!
6:00pm Pacific/ 9:00pm Eastern
DirecTV Channel 608 PRST
DISH Network Channel 240 HUNT
Quick Vanderboegh Update
Mike called and wants me to tell everyone he hopes to release comments tomorrow on Sipsey Street Irregulars.
I want to ask you not to even leave comments on Sipsey Street Irregulars until he gets a lot better. It's not like he can work a keyboard yet--it will all be done via a family member reading them and moderating them at his direction.
I want to ask you not to even leave comments on Sipsey Street Irregulars until he gets a lot better. It's not like he can work a keyboard yet--it will all be done via a family member reading them and moderating them at his direction.
Battle Raging
I'm just going to repro the GOA email alert in its entirety:
Gun Owners of America
Battle Raging on Capitol Hill with regard to Concealed Carry
If you have ever questioned whether your emails and phone calls make a difference, then stop wondering.
Your activism on the concealed carry bills in the U.S. Senate is doing a bang-up job!
Gun Owners of America has been working with the sponsors of the soon-to-be-introduced Thune-Vitter reciprocity bill, and we can report that there are at least 15 cosponsors on the bill!
By contrast, the Begich-Manchin Democrat compromise bill (S. 2188) has only one additional cosponsor.
Senators John Thune (R-SD) and David Vitter (R-LA) plan to introduce their bill early next week -- and thus, their bill won’t receive a number until then.
But we need a whole new round of emails to get even more original cosponsors on their bill. Again, the Thune-Vitter legislation will not only allow permit holders to carry out-of-state, but NON-PERMIT HOLDERS from constitutional carry states, as well.
Sadly, we have been receiving emails from our grassroots activists showing that the NRA is taking aim at our position on these two bills.
Hence, we would like to make the following points in order to prevent any confusion.
1. NRA POSITION: “There is no Thune-Vitter bill because one hasn’t been introduced. Therefore, it is impossible to ‘support the Thune-Vitter bill rather than the Democrat-sponsored S. 2188.’”
GOA RESPONSE: As stated above, Senators Thune and Vitter are currently gaining cosponsors before the actual introduction of their bill. This is a common practice that legislators use in order to make a “big splash” with a large number of original cosponsors. For anyone who works on Capitol Hill to claim ignorance of this process is, quite honestly, laughable.
2. NRA POSITION: The Begich-Manchin bill “does not undermine or abandon permitless carry. Groups suggesting this are simply lying or incapable of reading the bill. Residents of Vermont, or any other ‘Constitutional Carry’ state, who wish to carry out of state could simply obtain a nonresident permit (just as they do now) and enjoy the benefits of S. 2188.”
GOA RESPONSE: Subsection (c)(2)(B) of S. 2188 requires that anyone benefiting from carry reciprocity possess “a valid license or permit that ... permits the individual to carry a concealed firearm.”
In other words, S. 2188 fails to protect NON-PERMIT HOLDERS in constitutional carry states -- and these gun owners represent the MAJORITY of law-abiding citizens who can carry.
There are currently five states where citizens can carry without the government’s permission: Vermont, Alaska, Arizona, Wyoming, and most of Montana. And the South Dakota Governor currently has a bill sitting on his desk to enable citizens to carry guns without prior government permission.
In addition to all of this, there are eleven states which are seriously considering “constitutional carry” legislation: Colorado, Iowa, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Virginia.
Many more states will move in this direction after the beginning of the year.
But what if the federal government holds up an enormous “carrot” for pro-gun activists to obtain permits, irrespective of whether their states require it? The answer is that the incentive for these activists to push for “constitutional carry” will vanish.
S. 2188 will snub non-permit holders in “constitutional carry” states, while the Thune-Vitter bill will grant reciprocity to them.
Unless one thinks that New York’s crime problems result from “vicious killers” from Vermont, Alaska and the other constitutional carry states, then there shouldn’t be a problem enabling average citizens to carry concealed without permits. After all, criminals don’t line up for carry licenses.
3. NRA POSITION: “S. 2188 would not ... impose national standards.”
GOA RESPONSE: Well, GOA never said it did. And thankfully, this is an issue where GOA can claim victory, as previous reciprocity bills over the past several years have included such “national standards.” But this is just another example of how your activism makes a real difference!
Both Begich and Manchin HAVE YET TO CAST A PRO-GUN VOTE during this Congress. (You can check this out by viewing their voting records on the GOA website.) So why would we trust them to do the right thing on gun legislation? Is this just an attempt to reelect Democrats and keep Harry Reid in power?
ACTION: Please click here to urge your U.S. Senators to cosponsor the Thune-Vitter bill over the Begich-Manchin bill.
Please do not reply directly to this message, as your reply will bounce back as undeliverable.
Please forward this e-mail to friends and family
Gun Owners of America
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102
Springfield, VA 22151 703-321-8585
www.gunowners.org
Local Jurisdiction
Arizona is doing its own investigation into Gunwalker, to see if state laws were violated. [Read]
Dave Hardy says "Yes, they were."
I'll let you know if I get a response to this email from the guy in charge:
Dave Hardy says "Yes, they were."
I'll let you know if I get a response to this email from the guy in charge:
Prosecutors Lie?
Who'da thunk? [Read]
I got this link sent to me, and unfortunately, there being only one of me and having much on my plate, I doubt I'll even have time to read this in its entirety, let alone dissect it, research it and offer any kind of analysis.
The most I can do is pass it along in the hopes that someone who does have will.
[Via ATFReport]
I got this link sent to me, and unfortunately, there being only one of me and having much on my plate, I doubt I'll even have time to read this in its entirety, let alone dissect it, research it and offer any kind of analysis.
The most I can do is pass it along in the hopes that someone who does have will.
[Via ATFReport]
Vanderboegh Medical Update
I just got off the phone with him. He says today is "supposed to be the worst day" because they're going to have him walk.
Right now he's sitting, and he's graduated to ice cubes from swabs, although he still can't drink.
He says it hurts like hell.
He wanted to know what was happening in the general world and I told him about yesterday's GRE post, what I'm planning for today, and last night's "360" report.
He had to go because he can only take so much conversation before getting fatigued.
A reminder to well-wishers: Have mercy on the guy and don't load up his inbox with emails. He'll have enough challenges facing him on his return.
Support can still be sent via the donation button at Sipsey Street Irregulars, and to P.O. Box 926, Pinson, AL 35126. He’ll be in the hospital for some time, but flowers are not allowed in ICU. Cards can be sent to him via Trinity Medical Center, 800 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35213.
Also see: Blogger Vanderboegh recovering from surgery
Right now he's sitting, and he's graduated to ice cubes from swabs, although he still can't drink.
He says it hurts like hell.
He wanted to know what was happening in the general world and I told him about yesterday's GRE post, what I'm planning for today, and last night's "360" report.
He had to go because he can only take so much conversation before getting fatigued.
A reminder to well-wishers: Have mercy on the guy and don't load up his inbox with emails. He'll have enough challenges facing him on his return.
Support can still be sent via the donation button at Sipsey Street Irregulars, and to P.O. Box 926, Pinson, AL 35126. He’ll be in the hospital for some time, but flowers are not allowed in ICU. Cards can be sent to him via Trinity Medical Center, 800 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35213.
Also see: Blogger Vanderboegh recovering from surgery
Let the Sunshine In
As part of Sunshine Week, a national effort to promote open government, we urge legislators to make the names of concealed carry permit holders open to the public. [More]Yo, anonymous editorial writer: Stick it where the sun don't shine.
We're the Only Ones Regretful Enough
When seconds count, the police are only an hour and 20 minutes away...[Read]
Speaking of Lunatics
Brian O'Neill of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette won't accept that his fantasy world isn't real. [Read]
An Appropriate Response
Bruce W. Krafft has something the globalist gun grabbers need to hear. [More]
Double Your Pleasure
Jeez, if Lee Paige had been carrying this, he could have shot both his legs. I don't personally see much practicality in this aside from it being kind of neat just because... [Watch]
On the other hand, I can definitely see it used in Hollywood--it looks like something Arnhole would carry. Now it's going to bug me until I can think of a memorable one-liner he'd use just before he blows the bad guy away with it.
On the other hand, I can definitely see it used in Hollywood--it looks like something Arnhole would carry. Now it's going to bug me until I can think of a memorable one-liner he'd use just before he blows the bad guy away with it.
Doesn't "360" Mean We've Come Full Circle?
I passed along the announcement last night that Darrell Issa would be on Anderson Cooper's "360" to talk about the Fast and Furious investigation.
First, reporter Drew Griffin talked about the Jaime Zapata murder with a straw-purchased gun traced to Texas
Next, Issa talked about it and his investigation with Cooper:
I don't really see anything new in any of this. I don't see an accusation that crimes were committed by federal officials. I don't see an announcement that contempt and other charges are going to be filed.
If all people ever see is an endless loop with no perceived end, they'll lose interest. Who wants to just sit there and watch Congress spin their wheels?
First, reporter Drew Griffin talked about the Jaime Zapata murder with a straw-purchased gun traced to Texas
Next, Issa talked about it and his investigation with Cooper:
If all people ever see is an endless loop with no perceived end, they'll lose interest. Who wants to just sit there and watch Congress spin their wheels?
This Day in History: March 16
George Washington's General Order of March 16, 1780, granting Saint Patrick's Day as a holiday to the troops. [More]