Go, Johnny, Go

Hollywood star JOHNNY DEPP is so shocked by the riots raging through France, he's considering abandoning his home in the country

Heh.

Prof Urges Fragging of U.S. Officers

English professor John Daly replied: "Real freedom will come when soldiers in Iraq turn their guns on their superiors"...Daly's e-mail also claimed that "capitalism has killed many more" people than communism...

Where does academia come up with these creatures?

The university has deleted Prof. Daly's contact information from his web page. They can't delete Google's cache.

Device Invented to Keep Politicians Off Planes

Tested in Russia, the two-stage GK-1 voice analyzer requires that passengers don headphones at a console and answer "yes" or "no" into a microphone to questions about whether they are planning something illicit.

So if a politician wants to board, just find out where he's from and ask him if he really intends to abide by his oath of office.

Maybe we can hook gun owners up to one as part of the background check, and ask 'em if their thoughts are loyal and pure...

When "Professionals" Collide

An off-duty Arlington County police officer wielding a handgun and threatening to commit suicide was shot and wounded by a Prince William County police officer...

House Moves To Stop Gun Loss

The House overwhelmingly passed a resolution Thursday that asks the Legislature to consider a bill that would let people keep their guns during times of civil disorder.

Asks to consider?

HCR39 was approved on a 78-1 vote.

Wonder who the one party pooper was? I haven't been able to find anything else out about this, but will keep my eyes open...

Rally Demands Tighter PA. Gun Laws

"Normalcy in Camden will continue to be threatened as long as illegal guns continue to flow into the city" from Philadelphia, said Bryan Miller, executive director of Ceasefire N.J.

From Philadelphia?

Wait a minute...I distinctly remember NRA promising that Project Exile and enforcing existing gun laws would work the same miracle there as it had in Richmond.

Uh...never mind.

Gun's Role Made Story Much Uglier

When David Ludwig went to speak with the Bordens Sunday morning, he carried a gun. He brought it from home.

In Lancaster County, as in much of the midstate, a kid's as likely to find a gun as a quart of milk.

To me, that's the problem.

Well, we all knew this was bound to happen. It was the gun's fault. And not just one gun--there were 54 of them!

When it comes to being an authority on what's "uglier," I guess I'm just gonna have to defer to Nancy Eshelman.

Alcohol, Guns Shouldn't Mix...

...unless it's at an FBI range and they're partying with pro football players.

Before the players left the barbecue, a fight broke out between Bears center Olin Kreutz and offensive tackle Fred Miller, who broke his jaw. At the same time, Miller allegedly slugged Kreutz with a 5-pound weight, which required Kreutz to get 13 stitches in his head.

Conveniently, another account says the Bureau has opened an "internal investigation," meaning it is in full damage control mode and any information meted out to the press will be carefully crafted and spun.

Far be it for a lowly tax slave to question what benefit We the People receive from barbecues with celebrities--it looks like the cover was giving the team terrorist training--and we all know that can't be done without ribs and beer.

It also looks like the first accounting of the story to the media was a lie. And it looks like the lie was "concocted" to protect the agent who "volunteers" with the team (and just happens to get sideline game access and who knows what other exclusive access privileges?).

The true point of the story: If anyone aside from law enforcement and the connected elite was involved in this, people would be in jail right now.

"No Offence"

The Minister for Defence, Willie O'Dea, has said he did not intend to offend anyone by pointing a gun at a camera and smiling for the media while posing for photographs yesterday.

I'd say this definitely qualifies for Xavier's "Idiots With Guns" series...

[Photo via The Irish Times, used here under Fair Use doctrine]

Build a Man a Fire...

...and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life--Terry Pratchett

A leading Brazilian environmental campaigner has died after setting himself on fire to protest against the construction of an alcohol plant in the fragile Pantanal marsh region.

Didn't he realize all those greenhouse gases would contribute to global warming?

Let's hope the Wisconsin Green Party notes the effectiveness of this protest technique and employs it widely in their quest to amend budgets "to cover capital costs of [the] 'concealed carry' bill."

Stop the Senseless Police Killings

LESS than two weeks after the killing of five civilians, including two school children in Kisumu, our policemen last Friday turned their guns on yet another rally crowd in Mombasa killing four people.

The common thread that runs through these twin tragedies is that those tasked with protection of Kenyans had cynically turned out to be their executioners.

If there's one thing we've learned from New Orleans, it's that our police obey the law and protect us, and this could never happen here.

The Hart-Rudman Militia

I received an email request from a fellow activist seeking to pin down the origins of the Department of Homeland Security. One of the places I suggested looking was the Hart-Rudman Commission (formally, the U.S. Commission on National Security/21st Century), a bi-partisan 14-member panel established by Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich in 1998.

I was vaguely aware of the commission, but like most Americans, oblivious to many of the specifics. It's not like our "official media" keep us informed of threats to our right to have arms. So the following was, I confess, new for me:

SEEKING A NATIONAL STRATEGY: A CONCERT FOR PRESERVING SECURITY AND PROMOTING FREEDOM
The Phase II Report on a U.S. National Security Strategy for the 21st Century
The United States Commission on National Security/21st Century
April 15, 2000 [p.15--DC]

America must also enhance the civil (that is, non-military) aspects of homeland security. These functions must be adequately funded and organized along appropriate lines of authority, responsibility, and accountability. The National Guard, successor to the militia, and acknowledged in the Second Amendment as the historic defender of the Republic, must be trained and equipped to assume, among its other responsibilities, a significant role in defending the homeland in the 21st century.

You got that nice bit of deception formulated by 7 Democrats and 7 Republicans, right?

It is with chilling irony that I see later on the page they quote Isabella from Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure":

O! it is excellent
To have a giant`s strength; but it is tyrannous
To use it like a giant.

Bush Hails Taiwan As Model of Freedom

Of course he does.

Instead of a Bill of Rights, the Taiwanese constitution lists "Rights and Duties of the People."

No, of course there is no recognized right to keep and bear arms.

My favorite enumeration is Chapter 2, Article 22:

All other freedoms and rights of the people that are not detrimental to social order or public welfare shall be guaranteed under the Constitution.

Gee, that doesn't leave a lot of wiggle room, does it?

Criminals Violate Post Office Gun Ban!

The robbers tied up the employees at gunpoint before filling the mail bags with cash, then making their getaway.

What the hell is wrong with those criminals?

Are they totally oblivious to this?

Like, guns are illegal in post offices, fellas.

DU-uh...

We're STILL the Only Ones ProfessioBLAM!

Sheriff’s spokesman Tom Reedy said the officers were preparing for the training about 8:35 a.m. when Clark’s Glock pistol discharged.

All by its own self...

Lacking in Delivery

Publicola has more on pizza chain disarmament.

San Francisco's Pointless Handgun Ban

But an ordinance that seeks to reduce the murder rate by disarming those owners who are not criminals makes about as much sense as fighting alcoholism by prohibiting beer sales to Mormons.

Policeman's Rifle Goes Off, Kills Teacher

The purpose of the visit was to acquaint the students with the working of the police force, school authorities said.

Then I'd say the visit was a resounding success.

While the policemen were showing their rifles to the students, a rifle accidentally went off, killing Kumar on the spot.

All by itself!

And remember, kids, we're the only ones professional enough...

Thank Goodness This Never Happens Here

One of their key witnesses, Constable Brown testified that on the night of May 7, 2003, he saw SSP Adams planting a nine millimetre pistol and several spent shells inside a room at Kraal in which the four victims were shot.

"Be Cool, Don't Let Guns Rule"

That's the slogan for a gun avoidance conditioning campaign being foisted on public skool kidz by Williamson County, TN, authorities with guns.

As students walk their school halls, they will see a new poster on bulletin boards warning against bringing firearms onto school campuses...Callers to Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous and qualify for a $500 reward...

Posters, slogans, anonymous reporting...why can't I get that line from The Producers out of my head?

Don't be stupid, be a smarty, come and join the Nazi party!

And as long as I'm on a Mel Brooks kick (pity he's an anti), I can't help but visualize Sheriff Ricky Headley being called "Hedy" and screaming back "It's Hedley!"