50-50

CNN has a poll asking if NRA made the right move by pulling their convention out of Columbus:

How would you describe the NRA's decision to move its convention because of the host city's assault weapons ban?

A bullseye

A shot in the foot

At this writing, the results are 50-50.

Let's see if we can change that.

Go vote, and pass this info on.

Roberts on Guns

I'm sure I joined a lot of gun activists scrambling to find out where Supreme Court Justice nominee John Roberts stands on guns. I also felt pretty confident that the first insights into his record would come from Triggerfinger.

Ask the Expert

Richard A. Clarke, the guy who advised Madeline Albright on Rwanda and who later made sure the Bin Laden family got ushered out of the US within days of 9/11, is now being touted by the Violence Policy Center as an expert on the dangers of "50 caliber anti-armor sniper rifles."

I should think so.

But what about .50 caliber rifles?

What About The Rest Of Us?

"With judges handing restraining orders out like popcorn, a federal law that disarms soldiers and police who have such orders against them is playing major havoc with their careers and lives."

Glenn Sacks has a point.

It's not fair that someone's career should be ruined over mere accusations and legal kneejerk boilerplate.

Sacks goes on to tell us:

"[A]ccording to Elaine Epstein, former president of the Massachusetts Women's Bar Association, restraining orders are doled out 'like candy' to 'virtually all who apply,' and that 'in virtually all cases, no notice, meaningful hearing or impartial weighing of evidence is to be had.'

"A study conducted by Massachusetts courts revealed that the majority of restraining orders did not even involve an allegation of violence."

That being the case, Mr. Sacks, why should someone's career be of more value than my life, and my ability to protect it? Why would that be fair?

How is liberty served by carving out special classes of super citizens, who enjoy privileges and immunites not available to all, in direct contradiction to the spirit and intent of equality under the law?

We don't need more elitist exceptions like "cops only" nationwide concealed carry. Show me where, once they have their place at the table, their unions or the FOP have lobbied to bring the rest of us in from the cold. More often than not, their mouthpieces are only too glad to get ink and camera time railing about the danger "guns on the street" pose to their constituents.

I can see the unintended consequences should Mr. Sacks get his wish: A cop who would have been denied a gun had he not been exempted arrests some poor slob who arms himself in spite of a restraining order.

Sorry, Mr. Sacks. If "the whole people" aren't invited, your government careerists can just share our pain. Maybe it will give them some incentive to work with us.

Goodbye, Columbus

"As a direct result of the Columbus City Council decision to ban semi-automatic firearm ownership for law-abiding citizens, the National Rifle Association (NRA) announced it will move its 2007 Annual Meeting and Convention from Columbus, OH...

"The City Council’s decision will have a negative economic impact on businesses in the greater Columbus area. Earlier this year, the Columbus Chamber of Commerce said it estimated $20 million in revenue from hotels, restaurants, entertainment and other NRA convention related spending."

Good for NRA. That's the right move.

Unfortunately, Wayne LaPierre didn't end his statement there.

“'The NRA is going to work with the people of Columbus and the Ohio Legislature to pass state preemption legislation and restore freedom to the people of Columbus,' continued LaPierre. 'When the Ohio Legislature enacts preemption, freedom will be restored to the people of Columbus.'"

We don't let the antis get away with naked hyperbole, and we shouldn't let it pass from "our side" without comment, either.

Preemption is, at best, a two-edged sword. True, having each and every municiple jurisdiction passing "gun control" laws could create a hodge-podge of edicts that would be impossible to comply with. But preemption, as practiced in states like California, results in statewide bans and edicts designed to stamp out gun ownership.

Preemption is not the Holy Grail of gun rights. Too often, it is used to codify and institutionalize statewide assaults against liberty.

Preemption will not restore freedom. Lobbying will not restore freedom. Legislation will not restore freedom. Judicial rulings will not restore freedom. Not unless and until they are backed up with a no-nonsense "or else" from We the People should government at any level usurp its powers and abridge our rights.

To believe otherwise is to hide from the harsh reality that you can't count on someone else, and a smooth talker at that, to take your turn on the wall. Only the unwavering resolve of free Americans determined to defy and resist tyranny at all costs will restore freedom--and there aren't even any guarantees that that will be enough.

No one actually thought it would be easy, and without personal costs and risks, did they?

The sooner we realize and accept that, the sooner we can quit deluding ourselves that evil--and that's what tyranny is--fears anything other than force sufficient to drive it howling back into the darkness.

Kennedy in Historic Sino-American Joint Space Venture

Please join WarOnGuns in wishing the senior senator from Massachusetts "Bon Voyage" as he boldly goes where no porcine gamete has gone before.

Think They May Be On To Something?

"Iraqis have begun barricading themselves in their homes and forming neighborhood militias in an effort to fend off relentless suicide attacks, residents in the capital said on Monday...

"'The plans of the interior and defense ministries to impose security in Iraq have failed,' Khudair al-Khuzai told parliament during a heated session following the latest blast. 'We need to bring back popular militias,' he said...

"In the Sadiya district in the south of the capital, residents have introduced a neighborhood watch program which involves men armed with pistols and AK-47s walking the streets from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on alert for attackers..."

Militias providing security for a free state--what a novel idea! Where have I heard that before...?

Parker Update

Good analysis, as usual, from Triggerfinger.

Armed Unit to Crack Down on Fashion

"EDINBURGH'S first dedicated 24-hour armed response unit is set to hit the streets as new figures reveal another huge rise in gun-related crime.

"A crack unit of 25 specialist officers and three brand-new armed response vehicles will work in shifts from today providing round-the-clock response to armed incidents."

As it turns out, "gun crime" isn't particularly up, but "What we are experiencing is the culture of the fashion brigade to go out with an air weapon, an imitation gun or a BB weapon tucked in their trousers."

Sounds like a perfectly good use of resources to me.

I'd make a crack about the heirs of William Wallace being pathetic subjects of the Crown, but we're the heirs of the Sons of Liberty and we demand the same treatment in much of the Republic.

Serves Him Right

A man turns in a rare Japanese rifle worth $5,000 to a police "buyback" program, and now they won't give it back.

Hope he enjoys the voucher.

What do we expect? It's West "Hanging Chad" Palm Beach.

UPDATE:

They gave it back. Plus they let him keep the gift card.

I guess the media attention and his vet status made them decide this would be the best PR move. Funny how they can make exceptions to the "law" whenever they want? But we can't?

Permission Denied, Soldier!

"Uncle Sam trusts David Bardfield to carry a firearm, but the town of Brookline doesn't seem to have the same faith in the Army specialist.

"According to Bardfield, 28, Brookline police last month denied him a gun license because his name appeared in a police incident report when he was a teenager - even though he was not arrested at the time."

Not arrested, not charged, not tried and not convicted. Plus he's a member of the armed forces.

Yep--sounds like the type of person we don't want to let have a gun.

This, of course, is the inevitable result of licensing a right.

It's also a good real-world example to throw back in the face of anti-gun liars who claim they only want "reasonable, common-sense gun control," and that anyone who objects to licensing and registration must have something to hide.

Save "The Last Gun Shop"

Jim Paulson wants us to become informed and help spread the word about "The Last Gun Shop," which we've talked about several times at WarOnGuns.

He's passed along two new links:
Save The Gun Shop
and
Credit Card Shotgun

For what it's worth, our enemies don't want us to care or get involved. They'd like the same thing to happen in your city, and they're counting on gun owner apathy to help make that happen.

There's Something Rotten In Atascadero

Here's an update to the story about police seizing weapons from a citizen after it was determined the "suspicious circumstances" causing them to investigate him in the first place "were determined to be unfounded."

Now they say it looks like they're going to arrest the man, and that he's "undergoing a medical evaluation."

So far, the items described seem to be legal. The one issue it looks like police are trying to hang their hats on:

"Robinson said Friday that while the grenades weren't charged, there was material in the house that could charge them."

What does that mean? Did the citizen have reloading supplies?

Let's all keep an eye on this one. We don't know enough about this to make a judgment, but we do know blindly trusting "media" and police accounts can be--what's a nice way of saying this?-- problematic.

And Then We Have THESE Twits

Feeling really good about girls having fun in the post below, I had to go and spoil things by searching the news, where I came across the latest effort by "Mothers Against Guns," a CD titled "Why?" that "[calls] for street shootings to stop."

Yeah, you'll reform sociopathic predators by singing a song. Just like you'll keep evil at bay by whistling in the dark. They could have saved a lot of time and money by simply pulling the covers over their heads.

These people are like children--and not very bright children at that.

It's been too long since I nominated anyone for an Eloi Award, so I'll bestow the stigma this time on Lucy Cope.

Another MAG priority is to "get a total ban on replica guns," and they've produced a [slow loading!] propaganda short designed to induce the hysteria needed to do just that. It seems criminals in the disarmed UK are converting replicas to actually function, proving once again the adage that those devising foolproof plans don't account for the ingenuity of fools . I suppose it's only a matter of time before we see calls for a total ban on metal pipe and machining tools.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Got these pix from friend Tom Mayhew.

Angela Having Fun

Angela Having More Fun

Angela and Kathy Having Yet Even More Fun

Note the Airborne Car Part--What Fun

Tom adds:

The event was in NW Oklahoma on June 18 & 19, 2005. Angela shot 250 rnds for $50 and was the happiest gal on the planet - until she noticed the machine-gun oil spatters on her blouse. We finally convinced her they'd wash out and meanwhile she could display her 'proof of participation' proudly.

The sponsor's WebPage is:
http://www.oklahomafullauto.com/

Kinda makes you wonder about the killjoy bluenoses who would object.

Can you even imagine the mindset of the pathetic excuses for "men" who would disarm these wonderful women? How can you look at these pictures and do anything but share in the joy?

Ladies like these give me hope for the future of the Republic. And the bonus is knowing they fill their inadequate Million Mom opposites with seething rage.

Just So We're Clear On The Rules...

"'Were they doing anything against the law? No,' Cochran said. 'Could it have gotten them killed? Yes.'"

Good Lord, man, would you listen to what you just said?

If Your Kids Kill Themselves, How Can We Enslave Them?

Alphecca points out the flaws in VPC's latest shameless attempts to equate gun ownership with a higher rate of youth suicide.

I'm sure I won't be the only one to point out the suicide statistics for disarmed Japan.

If I may add a bit of additional perspective:

"The suicide rate for the 73,000 county jail inmates in California is 52 per 100,000."

Compare this to the rate for the general population, where:

"The 1999 age-adjusted rate was 10.7/100,000, or 0.01%."

So as of a few years back, the suicide rate was about FIVE TIMES HIGHER in the California jail system, where people are locked up 24/7, disarmed and guarded, than in the general population.

If the nation ever devolves into the despair-filled Soviet gulag the VPC and its fellow travelers are aiming for, look for the rate of people checking themselves out to rise exponentially.

So What Exactly Is The Problem Here?

"The Atascadero Police Department and the San Luis Obispo County Bomb Task Force took possession of a large number of weapons and ammunition found Thursday...The suspicious circumstances were determined to be unfounded, but during a follow-up investigation, officers discovered a collection of weapons.

"The collection included about 35 firearms ranging from handguns to shotguns and rifles, about 25 swords, bayonets and daggers, between 2,000 and 3,000 rounds of ammunition and roughly 15 potentially explosive devices resembling hand grenades... According to a police report, the property taken into custody did not appear to be connected to any criminal activity."

Thanks to John Schaefer for passing this along. I'll see if I can find out any more about this. Right now, it definitely goes into the WTF? Files...

Send Out a Newsletter, Go to Jail

McGath explains the latest scheme our masters have cooked up to protect us from that icky First Amendment.

I'll bet I see an instant drop in offers to buy online prescriptions, increase my size, get free premium cable channels and wire transfer millions from Nigeria.

Dang. And I was so looking forward to meeting hot singles--right after I update my PayPal account information.

Why Don't I Feel Threatened By This?

Fun Turns to Tragedy shares a photo of everyday life in Israel.

It's a shame that conditions require this, but it's also nice to see a government realizing that The People are the frontline for Homeland Security.

Forgetting for a moment that Israel is a socialist country, this instant in time reminds me of nothing so much as a scene from the libertarian alternative world in L. Neil Smith's "The Probability Broach."

Reaching Out to Victims of Crime

An Appeal By Deborah Ann Courtney

Dear Friends and Fellow Activists:

I have recently completed the preliminary personal safety and firearm training for the Victim’s of Crime TV reality show “Front Sight True Stories”, produced by Hard Focus Media, LLC.

I have never been through such a powerful and remarkably self fulfilling and empowering experience in my life. I have come home more confident of protecting and defending myself and my loved ones, and more self aware of the potential situations around me that could lead to becoming a victim of crime once again. I have gained skills that will allow me to live without as the fears I held in the past, after having been attacked. The training was a truly awesome experience!

I hope you will spread the word of my search to meet other Victims of Crime by forwarding this email to your contact lists, in helping me to find the other victims who would benefit from the same empowerment training.

I encourage you to download the attached flyer and hand it out to any groups or meetings you may be attending, as we will be filming a second round in the next few weeks, and time is of the essence. I will need to hear from everyone before August 1st.

You may also feel free to view my personal website at www.NOVICTIMS.org, and contact me with any questions or comments you might have.

I appreciate each of you, and thank you ahead of time for any help you may give me in putting me in contact not only with those victims who are seeking further empowerment, but for also putting me in contact with those that you know, or those that can help me find others.

Deborah Ann Courtney

The Second Amendment is not just a Right-It's a Responsibility.

"The Black Arrow"--A Review

By John Geltemeyer
[Posted exclusively to WarOnGuns with permission of the author]

I don't put out too many book reviews, because to be blunt, I'm too damn busy to read any more.

This is the first book I have cracked and read to completion in two years.

I'm talking about "The Black Arrow" by Vin Suprynowicz.

Now I've always enjoyed Vin's writing style. "Send in The Waco Killers," although depressing as hell, was engrossing and well written. Mentioning depressing, I started to read his "Ballad of Carl Drega." I feared that If I had read it to conclusion I would have had to draw a warm bath and slit my wrists. I just couldn't stand to read one more tale of government thugs mowing down some innocent and getting medals for it.

"The Black Arrow" however is anything but depressing.

The tale and plot are almost comic book style, yet the writing ranges from elegant to disturbing.

His characters are like larger than life Ayn Rand - like characters with a third dimension and sound reasons for their actions. You care about their outcomes.

The year is 2030 and Amerika is pretty damn totalitarian. The book opens with immediate flash of action. It grabs you hard enough that you actually want to read the following flashback that explains why some Errol Flynn look alike is shooting government officials from rooftops with a bow and arrow.

The use of a bow has two good effects. First it's dramatic. Second, even though I like my guns, sometimes libertarian writers can get techno geeky when they write technical specifications about guns into a story. Yes, there are guns and they do get used in many action scenes, but there's no 3 page tech spec break downs about the arms being used.

Each chapter is filled with very familiar background characters. They are familiar because they and their stories are ripped from the headlines and Vin's earlier books, with just a dash of fictionalization. However, unlike reality, many of the thugs suddenly end up with a foreign object or two ramming through their body and bringing final justice for their acts.

This isn't like any other libertarian fiction I've read. Even the bad guys have deep, if not twisted character. They are not two dimensional cutouts that wreak mindless destruction upon the populace. They have backgrounds that make them what they are. Some are just rotten people. Some die in confusion saying "..but, we were just trying to keep people safe...."

The book has intrigue and romance. Love triangles and combat. Bad guys and good guys.

There's a few points where the dreaded libertarian talking head character almost appears to be surfacing. However at the point you are wondering if you got suckered in for a crappy ending, Vin suddenly rewards you with mayhem on the people who most deserve it.

If you like a good story, libertarian / freedom movement morality, romance, character building and bad guys biting the dust; then this is your book.

Those of you who live close by might be thinking, "hey I'd like to borrow that book you were talking about." And I'll say "Hell no, go buy your own and support Vin, he deserves monetary compensation for this."

I'm curious what women will have to say about the romance parts. They seemed somewhat overdone at first, but I thought they actually fit in well with the comic book style of the action flow.

Anyway, get out there and buy the damn book.

"If it's a homicide, it's likely to involve a gun"

“Why do we need them? To kill off everybody? And, what sense does that make? Somebody please tell me — although I really doubt if you can give me a good answer.”

I wrote to the author of this foolishness:

"A Good Answer"

http://keepandbeararms.com/opsd/
You would evidently prefer all of these people to have been victims.

http://www.jpfo.org/NaziLawEnglish.htm
Yep, the only ones who should have guns are the government.

http://ls.wustl.edu/WULQ/75-3/753-4.html
Gun control? Genocide?

http://www.firearmsandliberty.com/cramer.racism.html
Yeah, it makes a lot of sense for black leaders to insist on continuing the tradition of keeping human beings disarmed.

http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/493636.html
What, if good guys are armed, bad guys will be deterred?

Not that I expect any of this to affect your views in any way.

Surprise me.

David Codrea

"Where are the anti-gun proposals?"

Ri-ight. This hand-wringing enuretic would have us believe there is a shortage of "anti-gun proposals."

"Deploring the guns isn't enough. We need to hear specific plans from all of them about how they are going to disarm the thugs doing the shooting."

They have no specific plans, you moron. All "gun control" edicts do is disarm the "law-abiding."

"Instead of worrying about legal gun ownership why aren't they competing with ideas to rid our streets of illegal guns?"

Maybe because the "solutions" idiots like you propose only impact and restrict "legal gun ownership."

Protest Gun "Buybacks," Go To Jail

"Dickey pointed out that the incident happened at...'a city-owned property, during a city-sponsored event inviting the public onto the property.'”

I wonder what would happen if someone showed up with signs supporting the effort?

If It's A "Partnership," Are We Free To Dissolve It?

In re BATFU enforcing a frame, receiver or barrel importation ban:

"Maintaining open lines of communication is vital to the successful future of ATF’s partnership with the import community."--Lewis P. Raden, Assistant Director (Enforcement Programs and Services)

Enforcement Services. Partnership. Obey us or be destroyed.

Don'tcha just love BATFU-speak?

Hey Lewis--what do you call it when someone doesn't want to be your partner, yet you force yourself upon them anyway--under threat of violence if they don't submit?

[Hat tip to Head's Bunker.]

"Canons of Journalism" Rebuttal

Cari Hammerstrom Speaks Out

"Hyperbole" reporter here.

First of all, let me say that none of this is the opinion of The Monitor, my employer. It is my personal rebuttal, because I don't like my credibility to be attacked.

Today, I got a call from a Denny Church, (sp?), inquiring about the article I wrote that appeared in Saturday's edition of The Monitor.

He referred me to this website.

I've read your attack on my credentials and have this to say.

According to the golf pro at Tierra Santa, he and fellow golfers have heard the distinctive zinging of bullets going over their heads.

My own co-workers and husband, which of course I did not interview for this article, too, have heard bullets zinging over their heads at this golf course. It was told to me by the golf pro that these bullets came from a range to the north of the course. He never said whether he had found bullets anywhere on the course.

It could be possible that this person was mistaken and doesn't know which direction the sun comes up. According to Lt. Raul Vallejo of the Weslaco Police Department, there is another range west of the course where "uncontolled" shooting goes on. The bullets may have come from there.

The northern range is property of the Weslaco police department; however, I did not know this at the time at I wrote the article.

Vallejo (the firearms instructor) informed me that, yes, you are correct, no complaints have been filed. However, does a formal complaint necessarily need to be filed for an action to have actually happened? I think not.

"Nobody's out there shooting willy nilly," Vallejo said. No citizens are shooting at the range. He told me the range points due west, and yet, the course is to the south. Highly improbable that the bullet came from the police department's range, yes. But could it happen. Sure. Or, like I said, the golf pro didn't know which range the bullets zinged from, or worse yet, he may have lied because he doesn't like guns.

Who knows?

But he said he heard bullets going over his head and it bothers him and his clients. A worthy point to consider when trying to highlight the need for an indoor range.
You obviously missed the point of the article, which was obvious by the headline, "Targeting a need."

Law enforcement officers would like an indoor range to shoot at. People, or at least golfers, would prefer if law enforcement and anybody who shoots go inside and do it. This new shooting range is obviously wanted by some. (If you still want to shoot outside, fine.)

This account of one golfer's ire was merely a way of illustrating that. And the "bang, bang...bang, bang, bang!" was a way of putting the reader in a golfer's shoes. An "overanalyzing" golfer at that.

Don't point out bias where it does not exist.

You simply chose to read my article a certain way. I'm sure others got the point.
Just so you know, my husband owns a gun. I like guns. I have two shotgun shells and a bullet casing sitting on my desk, from the times I shot with law enforcement. (I've gone through McAllen Police Citizen's Academy and the Border Patrol Citizen's Academy)

I also recently went skeet shooting for the first time and blasted that clay right out of the sky on my first try. What a feeling!

So, no, this was not some liberal media attack on the right to bear arms. This article simply pointed out the need for another indoor shooting range in Hidalgo County. Thank you very much.

Respectfully,

Cari Hammerstrom

"Canons of Journalism" Update

Whose Paranoid does his own investigation.

Job Requirements

"Later, the President heard from his wife - via an interview on NBC's 'Today Show' - about what she is looking for on the nation's highest court.

"'Sure, I would really like for him to name another woman,' First Lady Laura Bush said while on her goodwill tour of Africa."

After all, it isn't understanding and faithfulness to Founding intent that matters--it's your genitals.

Preferably Bush will also make sure his nominee is non-Caucasian and so compromised in principle even the Democrats won't filibuster.

Yeah, we'll be getting our rights recognized and protected real quick with this approach.

Vous Êtes Cordialement Invités...

À une Réunion des Traîtres!

SayUncle links to a Brady Center fundraiser at the French Embassy celebrating the birthday of Art Buchwald.

At least Americans who wish to surrender their rights have picked the right place.

I'm disappointed to see Dave Barry on the list.

Power of the Constituency

Liberty Belles Ask For Your Support

This is a time when our rights as American citizens are more in jeopardy than at any other time in our nation's history. We're witnessing an all out attack on what we traditionally know as American culture and the Bill of Rights. The evidence is in our schools, our courts, at the border, and even in the White House. The only thing that can stop our politicians, mainstream media, and big business from continuing down this treacherous path is a massive outpouring of resistance from The People. Lack of such a resistance would clearly signal a green light for the end of our nation as we know it.

We need your help to represent the Second Amendment during this very uncertain time. Only with your support and membership can we continue to be the voice your views and opinions on gun rights. And if you join before July 31st, you will receive a complimentary gift as a token of our appreciation.

Please click here to learn how you can support the cause: http://www.libertybelles.org/join.htm

Please visit our website at http://www.libertybelles.org to learn more about this topic and others including:

The Power of the Constituency
The cost of SB357
BATF - Failing the test
and more!

Thank you for your support!

Jennifer Freeman

Everybody Loves Ray Guns

Bill St. Clair points us to Ionatron, which is developing what is, for all intents and purposes, a phaser.

"Oh, joy," he observes. "The JBTs will soon have phasers. Then again, so will we."

Wanna bet?

At least not legal ones.

Prosecutor Steals Gun

Publicola tells a distressing and outrageous tale.

A Manual Effort

Civis Proeliator gives us "Manuals, Manuals & More Manuals."

"Lunatic Fringe"?

Arms and the Law refers us to Polsby and Kates' new law review article, which begins very cryptically:

"This essay seeks to reclaim a serious argument from the lunatic fringe. We argue a connection exists between the restrictiveness of a country's civilian weapons policy and its liability to commit genocide upon its own people."

I wasn't aware of a lunatic fringe making this argument.

JPFO and its supporters have been making this argument for years, and struggling mightily to get the ideas noticed. Curiously, they are not even mentioned in this paper.

Mr. Polsby--it would help if you told us exactly who you have in mind when you use the term "lunatic fringe."

Man, What IS It...

...with the Rio Grande Valley and bullets flying overhead near golf courses...?

At least in this case, it doesn't appear to be reporter hyperbole...

The Canons of Journalism

An Open Letter to Cari Hammerstrom

Dear Ms. Hammerstrom,

Your paper's website doesn't include an email address for you, so I'm sending this to its editorial department to forward to you, as well as for their cognizance.

I'm writing in response to your July 9 story in The Monitor titled "TARGETING A NEED" because it makes some remarkable, and frankly, unbelievable claims.

You say golfers at Tierra Santa golf course in Weslaco are subjected to "bullets zinging overhead," and give credence to the assertion that "residents living nearby would probably appreciate if the bullets could go somewhere else."

Is this true? Is a gun range operated so dangerously and incompetently that the public is exposed to potentially lethal gunfire, and no one is doing anything to stop it? How could a fair reading of your carefully chosen and edited words conclude otherwise?

That seems to be quite a story you have stumbled on to. It's baffling why your biggest concern seems to be some golfers' games being off at the 6th hole due to noise.

Questions I would be interested in seeing you follow up on:

How much expended ammunition has been recovered off the gun range property?

Have any homes or other property been hit?

With "bullets zinging overhead," have police reports been made?

What do the police have to say about such obviously hazardous conditions endangering lives and property?

Has anyone appealed to a court to shut the range down? If not, why not?

Or, Ms. Hammerstrom, is it more likely that this is not a straight news story at all, but intentional hyperbole designed to shape public attitudes by implying a danger that does not exist?

If that's the case, do you think you are rigorously upholding the canons of journalism, or have you given that up and embraced the role of an agenda-driven propagandist?

Let me save you the time of doing further research, Ms. Hammerstrom--I have done it for you, from my armchair in Southern California, and it took me a matter of mere minutes.

Since your story was datelined in Edinburg, I called their police department. The lady I spoke with had heard nothing about "bullets zinging overhead" at a local golf course, but said I would need to check with the Weslaco police and gave me their number. I called there and spoke to another lady in charge of records and asked her if there was anyone I could speak with on the record about the matter. She gave me the name of her lieutenant and took down my number for him to get back to me. She also volunteered that if something like that had happened, she thought she would have heard about it--and hadn't.

A few hours later, I got a return call from Lt. Raul Vallejo, who informed me that when he heard about my inquiry, he personally went out to the area to see if he could find anything out about it. I explained who I was and why I was checking out your claims and his for the record response was:

"I have not received complaints of that nature and would fully investigate anything that was brought before me like that."

Lt. Vallejo seemed like a real and genuine person, easy to talk with, and honest and forthright in his answers. You would have enjoyed speaking with him, Ms. Hammerstrom, assuming you were interested in giving your assertions a reality check.

Isn't it curious that a professional reporter, backed by the resources of a professional newsgathering organization, would make such outrageous and misleading claims and present them to the public as factual? Especially when divining the truth of the matter is almost effortless, assuming that is what one seeks? Do you attribute your false claims to carelessness, Ms. Hammerstrom, or to something more deliberate?

To your editors, I would ask if this is representative of the quality of reporting we can expect from The Monitor and its sister publications at Freedom Communications, Inc.?

In any event, I'll be monitoring The Monitor, Ms. Hammerstrom, as well as sister publications where your story has appeared, to see if a deserved correction to their readers is forthcoming. And while I hold no illusions about professional sanctions for work that can only be described as either negligent or deceptive, perhaps this will give your editors pause to scrutinize your submissions a little more closely in the future.

"Was My Face Red" Update

In re the guy who complained about the Air Force flyby, Snopes.com reports:

To his credit, the complainant, Mr. MacRae, tendered a written apology which was published in The Republic on 9 July: Regarding "Flyby honoring fallen comrade" (Letters, June 28):

I read with increasing embarrassment and humility the response to my unfortunate letter to The Republic concerning an Air Force flyby ("A wake-up call from Luke's jets," Letters, June 23).

I had no idea of the significance of the flyby, and would never have insulted such a fine and respectful display had I known.

I have received many calls from the fine airmen who are serving or have served at Luke, and I have attempted to explain my side and apologized for any discomfort my letter has caused.

This was simply an uninformed citizen complaining about noise.

I have been made aware in both written and verbal communications of the four-ship flyby, and my heart goes out to each and every lost serviceman and woman in this war in which we are engaged.

I have been called un-American by an unknown caller and I feel that I must address that. I served in the U.S. Navy and am a Vietnam veteran. I love my country and respect the jobs that the service organizations are doing.

Please accept my heartfelt apologies.

Tom MacRae, Peoria

Arrest That Man!

"Last November, University of California, Los Angeles student Joseph Deutch put what appeared to be a bullet into the chamber and pulled the trigger in front of his class.

"After the sound of a click, he ran out of the room and a loud noise rang out, causing panic among students who briefly thought he had committed suicide. In fact, Deutch had set off a firecracker in a can offstage, his lawyer Howard R. Price told the Los Angeles Times."

Firecrackers, of course, are illegal in the state of California, which only allows the sale and use of State Fire Marshal-approved "safe and sane" fireworks. On top of that, even those fireworks may only be discharged between specified dates around the Fourth of July, and only then in municipalities which permit it.

So the lawyer seems to be admitting guilt for his client on several counts.

Actually, the whole story about a wooden gun sounds like BS to me.

Hey, Can I Do That?

Louisville minister Louis Coleman hates guns.

"'We want to get them off the streets. We want to get them out of people's homes. We want to get people's minds, eyesight, earshot distance. We want to get them out of the environment totally,' said Coleman."

Somehow, I don't think he intends to disarm his masters and their enforcers. But what's he doing to disarm his flock?

"For the past several years, he's set up temporary shop on the corner offering to buy guns for $20 to $25. It's dollars he pays out of pocket with the funds that are supplied by his group, the Justice Resource Center."

He wouldn't be operating this store and receiving firearms without jumping through all the hoops a regular gun dealer is forced to go through, would he?

Blame It On Rio

Let's see--unchecked gangs roam the streets committing carnage--hey, HERE'S an idea--seeing as how the increasingly restrictive edicts haven't done anything to stem the violence, why not hold a referendum to make ALL private guns illegal?

THAT'll teach those street thugs!

Was My Face Red!

Head tells us about Tom MacRae, who opened mouth and inserted foot in a very public way--one that will surely cause him grief for years to come.

Out of Africa

Rational Review points us to an article by Robert B. Reich who argues "End rich-nation farm subsidies, and Africa and other poor nations have a fighting chance."

Reich calling for an end to any kind of government meddling with the economy is an event unto itself, but that ain't the half of it. My sister Betsy sent me a magnificent Spiegel interview with Kenyan economics expert James Shikwati, who pleads "For God's Sake, Please Stop the Aid!"

Read this. It is profound, and directly applicable to what is happening in this country via the welfare state, do-gooders and unintended consequences, and no, of course I'm not solely addressing a specific minority community.

The social engineers (like Reich) have created a cycle of dependency and generational poverty. Coupled with insane prohibitions, this must always result in a robust criminal subculture with attendant violence, and increasingly repressive government using that as an excuse to expand its clutches.

Those who would disarm us have created a system in which "gun crimes" are inevitable, and this in turn fuels the demand to disarm everyone. And the results of that, should it come to pass, are also entirely predictable.

I hope the interview with Mr. Shikwati receives widespread attention. It is one of the most compelling and persuasive arguments against interfering with people "for their own good" I have read. He appears to be a great man. Let's pray he is allowed to continue living and promoting his message.

So naturally, the G-8 leaders and their idiot puppet Bono are hell-bent on doing just the opposite of what is needed--giving the African despots who suppress and murder their people more resources to plunder.

But Bob Geldorf and Sting will feel good about how important and generous and wise they are--and the bankers and governments who made criminally negligent loans will dodge another bullet.

A Hot Button Issue

Fun Turns to Tragedy designed this cool link button for WarOnGuns, plus offers some encouraging words.

Thanks, Kirk. I appreciate your kindness.

I'm also eagerly awaiting the conclusion of your mouse story.

A Hint of Bender

I listened to Homeland Security Czar (how come they never say "fuhrer"?) Michael Chertoff tell us ordinary citizens "to remain alert and to report any suspicious activity" in the wake of the London bombings.

Here's a little test. Stop what you're doing right now and see how long it takes you to find a phone number for someone at the Abteilung der Homelandsicherheit who you can report suspicious activity to.

I wonder if Mr. Chertoff has been tipped off about all those folks from God-knows-where crossing the border every day while his boss disparages those who are remaining alert and reporting suspicious activities as "vigilantes."

Aside from the blather he was droning on about, I found myself distracted by Chertoff's voice--it reminded me of someone. Now that I see his picture, I realize who.

450 Sheep Jump to Their Deaths in Turkey

"First one sheep jumped to its death. Then stunned Turkish shepherds, who had left the herd to graze while they had breakfast, watched as nearly 1,500 others followed, each leaping off the same cliff, Turkish media reported."

Shoot, we got plenty more than that trying to do the same thing right here in the USA.

"The Constitution Is What the Supreme Court Says It Is."

"Comments made by U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, in his former capacity as White House counsel, have some conservatives warning that he would be the wrong choice to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor."

And like his boss, he believes "assault weapons" should be banned.

Guns and the Future of the United States

Jennifer Freeman of Liberty Belles issues a warning.

London Attacks

Cryptic Subterranean is posting updates.

And the Winner Is...

"For Civilian Use Only"

I like it.

Of Mice and Men

Fun Turns to Tragedy has a mouse story for us.

Well told. Me 'n my mom's cat once bagged a mouse together, and it took a while to earn back forgiveness after I took the brown paper bag outside and released our hostage in a field.

I'm primed for the promised conclusion to this tale.

"Shop the Gun Criminals"

Hey, it's not just the title that makes no sense (they probably meant to say "Stop," but got careless in their orgiastic glee to print another anti-gun hit piece).

Here's another total waste of resources if the goal is stopping violent crime. If the goal is increasing the state's grasp and consolidating your base of inmate snitches, however, the plan is grand.

My favorite line:

"It relays the simple message 'if you know someone has got a gun but don't report it you could have blood on your hands.'"

AAAGGHHHH!!! IT WON'T COME OFF! IT WON'T COME OFFFF!!!!!!

That does it. I'm turning you guys in.

Two Letters

Stuart Caesar and Gene Reed tell the Philadelphia Daily News why it's full of it.

Failing the Test

“It’s extremely irresponsible and most likely actionable negligence,” Charlotte, North Carolina, attorney Monroe Whitesides tells me.

The Board Certified Specialist in Criminal Law is talking about BATFE’s treatment of competition shooter John Glover, who had seven firearms seized and was indicted for manufacturing an illegal machinegun. If convicted, Glover was in danger of federal prison.

Read complete article, "Failing the Test," my Rights Watch column for the July 2005 issue of GUNS Magazine.

Then get the JPFO video where the BATFU outrages I discuss are documented.

Are You Vermin?

Foreword:

In yesterday's post, I mentioned a Los Angeles Times cartoon comparing militia members to cockroaches, noting:

Those who would rule have mastered the time-proven technique that if you dehumanize a segment of society you wish to eliminate, you can treat them inhumanely without a general outcry.

Here's a commentary I wrote a few years back, no longer posted anywhere and dusted off for WarOnGuns.
__________________________________________

A letter praising Sen. Dianne Feinstein's bid to ban "high capacity" magazines appeared in The Los Angeles Times a while back. What made it stand out was the arrogance and prejudice displayed by the writer, and his unveiled contempt for those of us who believe in the right to keep and bear arms.

Make no mistake- if you understand and support the Second Amendment, you are a minority. As such, you are subject to the same stereotypes, hateful treatment and name-calling as any other minority group victimized by prejudice. Where this letter is illustrative is that it demonstrates how, contrary to their own rhetoric, those with a leftist world view reek of bigotry and intolerance for anyone who does not fit within their criteria for acceptability.

Want proof? Let's analyze the letter.

"Imagine a bunch of gang fathers taking their little thugs into the woods to teach them how to shoot their semiautomatic high-capacity weapons with deadly accuracy. The thought is outrageous."

According to the letter's writer, children of gang members are automatically "little thugs." This is the true outrage- what a bigoted remark! Our Constitution specifically repudiates the concept of "corruption of blood." But the fruit never falls far from the tree, eh? And since being a chip off the old block has nothing to do with cultural influences, what else could such incipient thuggery be attributed to but a genetic predisposition? So why not just lock these proto-felons up now, before they hurt somebody, and be done with it?

"Replace this scenario with one in which rural fathers dress their little patriots in camouflage and show them how to shoot their semiautomatic high-capacity weapons with deadly accuracy."

In the writer's elitist circles, a rural father passing on safe and responsible firearms practices is the moral equivalent of a gangbanger. A patriot is a thug.

"The aim of both groups is the same. Kill your target."

With the contempt this guy has already displayed for large segments of our culture, I guess it's not surprising that he values human life so cheaply as to equate the victim of a gang attack with a soda can or a game animal. Which brings us to his next pontification:

"As much as I hate killing anything, I agree that we will not disarm either the gangbangers or the bubbas of the NRA in my lifetime, but we can at least limit their firepower."

Finally, the sage has said something which can be corroborated- he hates. Somehow, I'm not surprised. But does he really hate killing things? Note that he said "things" and not "people", but then, haven't we established that someone with his demonstrated level of ethical development gives them both equal shrift?

But now, let us get to the crux of this analysis. Let's talk about what he really hates. Or I should say "who." I'd like to address the concept of "bubbas of the NRA" by asking the reader to play a little word substitution game. Instead of "bubbas," which is derisive of the pro-firearms rights minority and one of their organizations, pick a stereotypical offensive term for the members of a different minority group and one of their organizations. Try it: the ___________ of the ___________.

Uh- dude? Isn't this what you people on the left call "hate speech"?

"Feinstein has more guts than most men in politics."

As we all know, the fragile little things by nature just don't have the courage us manly men do (must be some inherent inferiority, like with the young thugs, eh?). Would he also call her a credit to her sex?

For someone with such contempt for the worthiness of his fellow human beings, it would please me no end to think that the writer chooses not to own a gun. Except we can't always rely on actions following words; remember, his idol, the "gutsy" Senator Feinstein sees no problem with carrying one- she just doesn't want you to have the same option. The same is true with California State Senator Don Perata, author of the state's most recent "assault weapons" ban. But we at least see why they are kindred spirits, sharing the common bond of elitism and disregard for the dignity and trustworthiness of "average" citizens.

In turn, these politicians share the bond of contempt for and prejudice against gun owners with the major media outlets, and particularly with The Los Angeles Times. And, despite their self-proclaimed roles as champions of social equality, they resort to the lowest forms of class warfare to advance their agenda of citizen disarmament.

This offensive letter was not just another opinion being expressed by another reader. It was selected by agenda-driven editors from among many submissions for a reason. In a very real way he spoke for The Times, reaffirming points they have been stressing on a continual basis, oftentimes not even bothering to mask their virulence.

Case in point: some time ago, they published a chilling political cartoon. A stereotypical "militia" member was lifting up a large rock, yelling "Regroup!" as cockroaches were running toward it for cover. The message was clear. And the propaganda technique has been borrowed straight from the most evil regimes the planet has ever known.

To sway public opinion against a minority group, that group must first be dehumanized, that is, made to appear subhuman. This destroys empathy for that group, and allows for further encroachments against them. It allows you to portray people who teach their kids how to safely handle a firearm as slack-jawed "bubbas," dolts who are too incompetent to be entrusted with guns. This allows you to begin disarming them.

Then comes the next step in the fomenting of public hatred- portraying a group of human beings that you want to eliminate as vermin. Like cockroaches. Nasty, filthy "things" that need to be exterminated. And once they've been disarmed, you can.

It's not like this hasn't happened before. Many times.

To the hate-filled writer: we are not "bubbas." To the hatemongers of The Los Angeles Times: we are not vermin.

And to politicians who would exploit this hatred to enhance their own power, let me tell you what we are- free men and women who yet possess the means to resist your predation.

How can you tell? It's easy. Unlike prey, slaves, subjects and prisoners, we have guns.

And we intend to keep them.

Calling All Creeps

Mike Ross of The Edmonton Sun, commenting on "The Gun Sculpture" :

"Frankly, it can give you the creeps - or at least attract creeps who say things like, 'Man, what a waste of good guns.'"

Just so there's no mistake--no compromise or dialog is possible. These people are our enemies. They demonize and disparage us for one purpose--to gain public support for the state to disarm us through coercion and force.

The Los Angeles Times used a similar technique a few years back in an editorial cartoon comparing NRA members to cockroaches.

Those who would rule have mastered the time-proven technique that if you dehumanize a segment of society you wish to eliminate, you can treat them inhumanely without a general outcry.
________________________

UPDATE/CORRECTION: The cartoon in question dehumanized "militia" members, not specifically the NRA.

The Last 'No Guns' Shop

"The last gun-shop owner in Minneapolis lost his zoning appeal Friday and will soon be told to stop doing business...Even though he will stop selling guns, he said, his store will remain open selling accessories, posters and Mace, and teaching gun safety classes. 'Everything will be the same except for the sale of firearms,' [Mark Koscielski] said."

Government can take the property they want and tell you how to use what they let you retain.

What did Mr. Bush say, our enemies "hate us because we're free"?

"Often a Precursor"

A man almost hits a thoughtless teenage girl with his car. He's angry and lectures her. He makes the mistake of grabbing her by the arm. Now he's a convicted sex offender.

"While acknowledging it might be 'unfair for [Barnaby] to suffer the stigmatization of being labeled a sex offender when his crime was not sexually motivated,' the court said his actions are the type that are 'often a precursor' to a child being abducted or molested."

Grab a kid, lose your guns. Plus be forever branded a pervert. And the court says it's his fault.

I can think of all kinds of "precursor" activities child molesters "often" engage in. Things like breathing, eating...

If that's the standard for a criminal conviction, especially one of this magnitude, we're all screwed.

There's no apparent distinction that says "restraint of a minor" charges couldn't be filed for grabbing your own kid to discipline him or her.

The girl's parents should have thanked the driver. Ironically, it seems if he had simply run over the girl and could prove it was accidental based on her carelessness, he would have been facing far less serious consequences.

Can Women Outshoot Men?

The July 1955 issue of GUNS Magazine is now online.

Oh, Duh.

"Just a thought," wrote Publicola, "but since we have B.A.G. Day & National Ammo Day shouldn't we promote a day to go to the range & use said guns & ammo? Perhaps June 23rd?"

I was tired and didn't click on the link he included in his email. Instead, I tried to find the significance of that date, and wrote back:

"I always observe June 23 to commemorate when Larry Doby retired from the Cleveland Indians and Harry Truman vetoed the Taft-Hartley Act. Oh, and June Carter Cash's birthday.

"Any particular 2A-related significance of the date I'm missing?"

"David," he patiently replied, "That was the day SCOTUS handed down Kelo. Nuff said? :)"

That sure beats "Look at the link I provided, you damned idiot," don't you think?

Naked Advocacy From Providence Propagandist Gregory Smith

[Use BugMeNot to bypass registration. Or don't. It's a piece of crap paper and doesn't deserve site hits.]

"Using a national estimate, the campaign stresses what it calls a startling fact: "More children play in a home with a gun than play in a home with a dog," 43 percent to 30 percent."

I wonder what hard-hitting newsman Gregory Smith plays with at home.

He doesn't even make an attempt at balance.

What a hack.

What a fool.

Just a Question on Kelo...

If real property can be taken away from its owner by a community based on the plunderer's definition of "public good," why can't tangibile property be similarly confiscated?

Things like guns...?

Stupid Is As Stupid Does

Elected officials in West Palm Beach, FL, where people are too stupid to vote, are blowing tax revenues on more stupidity.

“Mayor Lois Frankel announced West Palm Beach's first gun buyback program Wednesday, the latest in a series of efforts to help curb the killing spree in the city's north end…

"‘This is like a cancer,’ Frankel said. ‘There is no instant cure.’"

Using Frankel’s impaired grasp of cause and effect, if it were cancer, she’d be hawking a carcinogen “buyback.”

“Within an hour of the buyback announcement, Gregg Stephens, owner of Gator Guns & Pawn in West Palm Beach, said he got a call from a man who wanted to buy all of his handguns under $60. The man wanted to turn them in for a profit.”

What's This "Plead"?

"Bloggers plead for freedom from election laws."

"Plead"?

I'll not plead.

This is my online journal. I write it for me, to reflect my thoughts and my opinions. As such, I will say whatever I damn well please, whenever I damn well please.

These fascists can pass whatever edicts they wish. I'll still say what I want.

I'll continue to do so until incapacitated. I will defy any attempts to silence me until I am incapable of defiance.

But I'll not plead.

I'll never plead.

Shameless Plug: "Look Who’s Demanding Gun Control"

What do Robyn Anderson, Mark Manes, Barbara Graham, Annette Stevens and Amy Fisher have in common? Aside from their association with "gun crimes"?

They all think YOU can't be trusted with a gun.

"Look Who’s Demanding Gun Control" is my Rights Watch column for the August issue of GUNS Magazine, on sale now at demanding newsstands throughout the Republic.

The Police Are There To Protect Us

No they're not.

Of course, Richard Stevens has been telling us this for years.

So THAT'S Why They Call It "The PATRIOT Act"...

From the Liberty Belles:

"The Patriot Act is supposed to protect the United States from terrorists. Unfortunately, we don't always know how the term 'terrorist' will be defined. History shows that totalitarian governments fear an armed populace and are willing to take a pre-emptive strike at such a populace. Armed members of the populace who oppose a tyrannical government could easily be labeled as 'terrorists.' One can't help but wonder why this bill was named the 'Patriot Act' rather than the 'Anti-Terrorism Act.' Let's hope the bill wasn't actually intended to apply to Patriots."

Why, Just Imagine!

"Imagine a police officer responding to a frantic call of someone running through a neighborhood with a gun in hand."

I don't have to imagine. When I was a kid, I used to run through my neighborhood all the time with my cowboy guns and holsters, or my submachine gun squirt gun ("Shoots 50 feet!") that Grandma bought me, or my kid brother's Johnny Seven O.M.A. ("One Man Army").

No one frantically called the cops. No cops frantically blew kids away for doing the same thing they used to do when they were kids.

Who Let the Dogs Out?

"When asked whether he'd been drinking, Wilcox told Officer Bryon Dietzel, "Yes, I had one drink," the Baltimore Sun reported, quoting court records.

"After the officer called for backup, a nearby canine team arrived and Wilcox performed a field sobriety test, which he passed. But when the dog reacted to the car that Wilcox had been driving — which had California plates — the player was asked whether there was anything inside. Wilcox said there was a gun."

Lesson One: STFU

Lesson Two: If you do, they still have you, because they'll use that as an excuse to let the dogs out. And even if the dog hasn't been trained to react to certain stimuli like gunpowder residue, you can bet they've taught it to react to subtle cues so it will bark on command--thus providing "probable cause" to shuck that pesky Fourth Amendment aside.

"The police are watching. And in Chicago, they're listening, too."

"City officials are using new technology that recognizes the sound of a gunshot within a two-block radius, pinpoints the source, turns a surveillance camera toward the shooter and places a 911 call. Officials can then track the shooter and dispatch officers to the scene."

Sounds like a job for The Black Arrow.

Young Skulls Full of Mush

The Battle Creek Enquirer published " the winning entries in the Minority Health Partnership's 'Do the Write Thing' contest."

The topic was "ideas for ending gun violence."

Don't blame the kids. It's not their fault.

Banister Verdict Suppressed

Carl F. Worden has some observations about the lack of establishment media reporting of Joseph Banister's win in federal court against charges of conspiracy and defrauding the government.

This goes back to my point about the government assuming authority to decide who is and is not a "journalist."

Take a Dip in the Pool

Nicki advises me that she and some friends have started a new blog, the Constitution Death Pool.

Everybody Loves Big Brother

The cops, the citizens, the news team...

Watch the video and see for yourself.

Don't you think it's time you asked Big Brother to watch you?

Pssst...Hey, Buddy!

Click here if you want to see some amateur gun porn!

How Do You Achieve a 44% Increase in "Gun Crime?

Tips from our friends across the pond...

My favorite line:

"Sir Ian winced as he was shown a .44 Magnum..."

A Beast of a Burden

Pennsylvania "authoritah" can't decide whether a crime of domestic violence occurred, and it has them in fits because they want to keep a man from owning a gun.

"State police spokesman Jack Lewis said the ruling places an increased burden on his agency when it wants to deny someone a gun because of a domestic violence conviction."

Oh, gee. Expecting the government to bear the burden of proof in a criminal case. What could we have been thinking?

Sorry, Jack. We'll get rid of that hurdle right away for you.

‘Last Gunshop’ Update

[Use BugMeNot to bypass registration.]

"The owner of the last gun shop in Minneapolis lost another zoning battle Thursday with the City Council, moving him toward closing his store."

Translation: “You are not authorized to use your property in a manner we disapprove of.”

“I Suspect No One and I Suspect Everyone”

“$46,950…was seized from Ileana Valdez, 26, after a security check at a metal detector at Logan International Airport…Anthony Pettigrew, a spokesman for the DEA in Boston, said he could not comment on the lawsuit. But he said federal asset forfeiture laws allow agents to seize suspected drug profits.”

What the hell--it's not like we really own anything or control what we're permitted to possess.

This Land Is Whoever’s Land We Say It Is

Nicki and Pathetic Earthling weigh in on Kelo.

I wish they wouldn’t mince words and would tell us how they really feel.

This will probably not be a tripwire, but it may be something better—the awakening and radicalization of previously detached property owners.

The monkey may have caught its fist in the jar.

The Propaganda Masquerading as Reporting Award…

…goes to Barbara Laker and Myung Oak Kim of The Philadelphia Daily News for claiming: “Because of weakened gun laws that give gun shops more freedom, these shops have escaped punishment from ATF, the federal agency that regulates the industry.”

I Guess He Must Not Know Any Democrats...

“Oregon Democratic Party executive director Neel Pender said he thought the resolution sounded ‘pretty reasonable.’

"‘I don't know any Democrats who don't have a healthy respect for the Second Amendment,’ Pender added.”

Ithaca Gun Loses Buyer, Closes Its Doors

Well, here's one the antis won't have to sue out of existence...

A Disarmed Opposition is a Loyal Opposition

"Left-wing MK Ran Cohen (Yahad) made a move to curb possible violence by settlers on Wednesday by proposing a bill that would force them to take an oath of allegiance to the state as a condition for being supplied with IDF weapons for security."

Hey, it's gotta be done...otherwise, folks would be "liable to act as if they were in the 'wild West' and undermine the legitimacy of the law enforcement."

Just think if this rule was applied in America's major urban areas, where only the politically connected, proven loyalists could get a gun permit...

How to Choose an Unarmed Victim--A Primer

Easy--just pick the guy in the Ranger uniform.

"Some staff are happier with not carrying a weapon and believe that if a situation requiring one occurs, police should be involved."

Which means there will be plenty of time for your getaway!

Happy fleecing!

[This site uses PITA robot blockers, so clicking the link will take you to an "Invalid Access" page--click the "Try Again" link and a list of articles for the week of June 16 will appear. Click on "Unarmed rangers play role in safety at city facilities" to read the story this commentary refers to. Sheesh. Like people are tripping all over each other to access "The Bowie Blade." And like they're not supposed to WANT them to.]

What Did Mr. Franklin Say...

...about those who give up essential liberty for security?

A company operating out of Orlando Airport has found a way to make 'em sign up and pay for the privilege of being tagged as officially certified, card-carrying cud-chewers.

Pay 80 bucks, get your iris scanned and go stand in "an exclusive security line, and the promise of no random secondary pat-downs, in exchange for a background check by the Department of Homeland Security."

Why don't they just stamp your ribs with a "USDA Choice" imprint...?

Train Your Manhood...

...or something like that.

The Muslims say it's supposed to help deter "gun violence."

Inshallah.
---------------------
[via KABA Newslinks]

Come, Let Us Celebrate-Part 2

On second thought, I prefer this sentiment as a response to the Askholes.

Come, Let Us Celebrate

Today is National Ask Day.

I thought I'd commemorate it with a time-saving window sign.

Why We Can't Allow Guns in Bars

[Use BugMeNot to bypass registration]

We can't allow guns in bars because drunks will kill each other in fights.

We need laws like those in Evanston, IL, which not only prevent people from having guns in bars, but from having guns entirely.

Just ask Evanston Mayor Lorraine Morton, who responded to a bar shooting in Evanston by closing the bar (she's also the "Liquor Commisioner").

"'Nobody in Evanston has any business with a gun, let alone shooting anyone,' she said."

We see how well your edicts work, Commissar Morton.

Thank you for telling us our business and defining our rights.

"If you don't have the fireworks to alter, you don't have a problem"

Bakersfield, CA just banned "Piccolo Petes."

Why?

Because some morons put "the explosive charges from Piccolo Petes into a carbon dioxide canister, placing them inside a watermelon and lighting a fuse."

A man was killed.

So now manufacturers are liable not only for misuse of their product, but for deliberate alteration. By adopting this theory, it's hard to think of any product in the world that cannot be used to construct a lethal device.

Typically, the reporter is ignorant, not a watchdog, but a mere cheerleader for the state, referring to "safe and sane" fireworks as "explosive devices ready to be tampered with." If they were explosive devices,BATFU would be all over them.

As with "gun control," don't think the motive is to just ban whistlers.

OpenRange

From Barry Laws:

What the heck is going on with that new Firearms and Paintball Sports Facility?

WOW!

Much has gone on since we all met and were victorious at the grueling zoning variance meeting. We have prepped the interior of the building for renovation and are positioned to move forward. As always, things take about 3 times longer than planned. We were to be open mid July, and that is definitely going to be pushed to around November or December.

So what's been the hold up? Paperwork to be exact. Banks work in mysterious ways (at least to common man) and definitely at their timing, not mine. This facility is a huge commitment and that just takes time. We are just now grinding out the final details for signatures and once underway our fine construction team at Southern Contracting will kick back into gear to bring this baby to you folks in as timely a manner as possible.

We are also working on our new website and should have that available for updates in a month or two. I'll send you the entire link when that is up.

Our name is:

OPENRANGE.

Once built we will have established a beacon for the indoor shooting sports and a wonderful community recreation center. I can't wait to visit it myself. Check it out:

100 yard air-conditioned indoor perfect ballistic rifle target range with electrical retrieving targets 25-yard air-conditioned indoor target pistol range and tactical pistol range, both with computerized interactive targets. 12,000 square foot air-conditioned indoor paintball arena - awesome Firearm and Paintball Pro Shop offering sales and rentals in paintball, rifles and pistols... and yippee... Machinegun rentals!!! Facilities for meetings and parties. Clean, well lit, and beautiful.

So where will this wonder facility be built?

Crestwood, Kentucky.

What Do You Mean, Gun Control Applies to US?

Jim Duffy of the Deputy Sheriffs' Association of San Diego County writes:

"Unfortunately, the law enforcement community has been put into a situation where it is no longer safe for us to include our families in this time-honored tradition...This presents a number of potentially dangerous scenarios for our officers and their families...I don't know how you can ask the people...to put their spouses and children in a situation that could bring a great deal of harm and fear into their lives....shouldn't he be able to employ the necessary protective measures needed to ensure that his family will not be the target of any retribution attempts by that street gang?"

Well, uh, gee, Jim, where do I begin? I suppose I should start by welcoming you to the club.

You could do what some of us feel compelled to do in situations where we believe it prudent to go armed for the protection of our families. But then, if you or your brother officers discovered that, you'd do your utmost to destroy our lives.

Wouldn't you?

Happy Father's Day, 2005

I'm the most fortunate of men--I have a father I love and respect, and two fine sons I have (so far) allowed to live.

Happy Father's Day to those of you who know the joy. Go be with your children.

That's what I'm doing today.

N'yuk, N'yuk, N'yuk...

Why I oughtta...

BLAM!

Woob...woob...woob..woob...

Film a Cop, Get Prosecuted

"During the summer, Patrick Thompson and Martel Miller filmed traffic stops around this college town in the hope that showing the resulting documentary would prompt discussion of how police officers interact with blacks.

"They succeeded, but not in the way they planned. Police seized their film and Champaign County prosecutors charged them with violating Illinois' eavesdropping law."

But no problem when it's the other way around, right, citizens?

[Thanks to Rick Stanley for passing this one along.]

Freedom Allies?

Dennis Walker of the Ohio Constitution Defense Council referred me to a website featuring absolute hysteria from an outfit calling itself "50 Caliber Terror". I did a WhoIs lookup and came up with a false front--Domain By Proxy out of Scottsdale, AZ.

They call themselves "A Project of the Freedom States Alliance--'Changing the Way America Thinks About Guns'." Look at who the other members of the Axis are and you'll appreciate the irony of that name.

Funny thing--the FSA site is also masked by the same proxy service. As are all its member sites.

So let's see--the 50 caliber terror people want donations, yet they also wish to remain anonymous.

That sounds pretty good to me. I've thought before about the potential for someone to start an "anti" website and funnel off donations that would otherwise be used by more effective organizations--I even wrote about a guy whose actions could make him appear to be "our man in the gun ban camp."

50 Caliber Terror? Freedom States Alliance?

I wonder...

Shoot the Crazy Frog

The most fun I've had with a game of this type since Smack the Bloody Penguin.

'Explorer' Produces Contender in Quest to Find 'World's Stupidest Gun Commentary'

Congratulations to Renee Horton for cramming the most "Minion Mom" talking points into one editorial.

Do You Think Firework Sales to the Public Should Be Banned?

It's not enough that the liberty-haters in the nation's capitol believe the intent of the Founders was to rule over disarmed subjects--they hate our traditions so much they even want to eradicate our celebrating the Fourth of July.

What did John Adams have to say about the matter?

"The 4th of July, 1776, will be a memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to Almighty God. It ought to be solemnized with pomp, shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of the continent to the other, from this time forward, forever."

NBC4 (District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia) is conducting a poll to see who's game for banning fireworks sales to the public. Scroll down about halfway on the page--it appears on the right. So far, the antis are getting their priggish butts kicked 86% to 14%.