Permitting the Right: D-Day

Sailorcurt likens incrementalism to Allied opposition of Hitler, pointing out that D-Day did not cause the immediate surrender of Nazi Germany. As much as I enjoy reading his opinions, I don't believe this analogy works, and here's why.

The tactics used to achieve the strategy of defeating Germany involved making concessions and decisions due to logistics, resources, manpower, terrain, the weather, battlefield conditions, etc. They did not involve making concessions to Hitler.

And as D-Day was used as an example, we saw there some troop transports going off course and landing on the wrong beachhead.

I'll accept this analogy if someone can show me where Eisenhower sought Nazi permission. Otherwise, it seems the Allied strategy--the unconditional surrender of Axis powers--was pretty much an example of "absolutism."

Concealed Gun Law a Violation of Church/State?

History shows us that when shootings take place in a church, it is by people that come off the street and start shooting. If this law stands, then it will make it illegal for "religious" people to defend themselves.

The state has no right to determine what and who can go into a church; this is a decision of the church. If this law stands, then it will give the government a crack in which they can invade the church.”

So naturally, the Wichita Eagle editor who posted this takes a swipe at both Christians and guns with the Landover Baptist Church graphic.

I guess they realize they can heap all the ridicule they want on Christians with guns and remain safe. I do note the Landover crowd does nothing to offend the Fatwah crowd...

We're the Only Ones Corrupt Enough

Relying on hours of secretly recorded conversations of the officers, federal prosecutors spent almost three weeks presenting evidence that the officers robbed drug addicts in West Baltimore to reward their sources on the street and line their own pockets.

Prosecutors sought to show that King and Murray abused the tools of their trade - department badges, unmarked cars and department-issue guns - by stealing drugs and money, distributing heroin, cocaine and marijuana to their informants and sharing in the proceeds when the drugs were sold.

Hey, you can't make an omelette without breaking some heads...I mean, eggs.

[More from "The Only Ones" files...]

We're the Only Ones Drunk and Mean Enough

Reports say the sergeant who lives with his family at his mother-in-law's house came home drunk and beat up his wife and daughter.

After police seized the gun, the sergeant, still drunk went to the Arima police station where he threatened the investigators.

What the hell YOU lookin' at?

[More from "The Only Ones" files...]

Backup Second Amendment Saturday

Stan is having trouble with Blogger (Really? I wouldn't know...), so he's posted this week's 2A commentary over at his backup site.

We're the Only Ones Goombah Enough...

TWO ex-New York cops were last night facing life behind bars after they were convicted of secretly working as Mafia hitmen.

Louis Eppolito, 57, and Stephen Caracappa, 64, were involved in the assassination of at least eight people for the Mob while serving as detectives.

They also sold drugs, intimidated witnesses, carried out kidnappings and helped Mafia bosses with money laundering scams.

And what do you think would have happened to a regular citizen if he got a piece and popped these two meat eaters?

[More from "The Only Ones" files...]

We're the Only Ones Biting Enough

A GROUP of young boys were bitten by an off-duty police dog as they played football after it escaped from its enclosure...

Fortunately, no private citizen was armed, so the animal was not injured.

[More from "The Only Ones" files...]

We're the Only Ones "In the Mood" Enough...

Seven people, including five police officers, were charged yesterday in connection to the alleged rape of a 29-year-old woman on Rhodes, sources said.

Cigarette?

[More from "The Only Ones" files...]

We're the Only...JOHNNY!

Policeman's Gun Accidently Goes off at School

A 13-year-old boy at Saunders Middle School in Manassas, Virginia, accidentally discharged his father's weapon on a school bus, fortunately no one was injured. The weapon was at the school all day without incident up until that point in time.

Oops.

[More from "The Only Ones" files...]

A Dynamite Idea

I do not want to take all weapons away from Americans; we have the privilege to hunt. However, Americans do not need assault weapons or even semiautomatics.

So I challenge Mr. Hannick to answer this question: What does he want a semiautomatic or an automatic for?

Perhaps he is going to hunt with it. If so, I would like to suggest the sport of hunting with dynamite.

Jori Byrne-Diakun

Indignant anti-gunners. Is there anything they don't know?*

I also love her childish line: "A life is a life, and is the most precious thing in the world."

I wonder what she'd think if some latter day Gollum broke into her house, and was advancing on her, "My Precioussss..."

[ * Based on a Homer Simpson line about actors]

Permitting the Right: Truth in Advertising

Words have meaning.

Framing the ccw debate around the term "right to carry" is calculated, deliberate and pervasive. Because it requires permissions and licensing, it's also not true.

Just be careful pointing that out to most "pro-gun activists."

Update in re Angel

Dear Friends of Angel,

Angel had his day in court today. His attorney and the prosecutors had worked out an agreement, which the judge accepted. Here are the results.

The judge overseeing the case ordered the police to give Angel's guns back, but he must register the handguns in compliance with Michigan law (euphemistically called a "safety inspection", but it is clearly registration, a law adopted in the 20s to keep guns out of the hands of Blacks). The only charges on the table were four misdemeanor counts of failure to present a handgun for a safety inspection. The theoried charge discussed in the media and on the Net about "menacing" and threats was not advanced by prosecutors, because there was no substance to the theoried charge. Police and prosecutors figured this out after looking at the facts and evidence.

Angel will be on non-reporting probation on the failure to register charges for a year and a half. Angel will have on his record forever four misdemeanor violations of failure to present his handguns for "safety inspection". Angel must perform three days of community service, which will hold him in Michigan for almost a month (because they are court-scheduled days).

I've been saying for too long now that the attorneys have insisted on silence from anyone having inside information about this situation, because release of such information could very well have torpedoed the deal Angel's attorney had worked out with the prosecutors. Frankly, the prosecutors were not anxious to go to trial on this case, and Angel is too clearly a clean and good guy to be able to spin him as some dangerous nut case.

Now is probably time for me to confess a bit of an ulterior motive in all of this. Angel plans to move to Montana where can live under what legal scholar Dave Kopel calls the freest gun laws in the World (see Dave's Foreword to my book, Gun Laws of Montana), where he can go Prairie Dog hunting with my son Ty and myself, and where he will undertake the needful task of recruiting scads of members for MSSA. According to the plan, recruiting membership for MSSA will be Angel's vocation for the indefinite future. I suspect you may be hearing a pitch from Angel (an MSSA Member since 2003) to join MSSA (hey, a lot of our members don't live in Montana).

So, stay tuned for more info about how this all happened to Angel. In the meantime, if you haven't donated to Angel's legal defense, but wish to do so, there is information about this at:

http://www.marbut.com/angel

There IS a deficit of about $10,000 to pay the legal expenses incurred so far.

Thanks loads to all of you for your tolerance of the imposed silence, for your now-justified faith in Angel, for your support letters, and for your donations to Angel's legal defense.

Gary Marbut, president
Montana Shooting Sports Association
http://www.mtssa.org
author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.mtpublish.com

Dial 911 and Die

Woman dies after son calls 911; dispatchers think it's a prank...An investigation is underway in Detroit after a six-year-old boy called 911 to get help for his mom, and the operator acted as if it were a joke...Detroit police are investigating and say they are not sure about what, if any, disciplinary will be taken against the 911 operator.

Naturally.

And, as is typical with out Watchdog Press, we know the names of the citizens involved, but not of the outrageously negligent government employee.

[Via Xavier Thoughts]

The Parasite Preservation Act

The mayor of Miramichi, N.B., says there is a way of saving 200 high-paying federal jobs if the government scraps the federal gun registry.

The mayor, John MacKay, said people working there could begin manufacturing identity cards that may soon be required under new security measures imposed by the United States at border crossings.

God forbid anyone lose their seat on the gravy train.

Permitting the Right: Dueling Machiavellis

Since Machiavelli has been introduced as a source to justify asking and paying the government for permission to bear arms, I thought I'd follow up with another of his quotes:

To be disarmed is to be contemptible.

How many of you would petition the government for a license to not be contemptible?

Stu Loser

"This bill has nothing to do with the Second Amendment," said Bloomberg spokesman Stu Loeser, "and everything to do with the dangers [that] illegal guns pose to our police officers and citizens."

So, Stu, when you were a kid, did you know you wanted to grow up to be an apologist for tyranny, or is that something you found an aptitude for as you grew older?

A Night to Remember

He said that there were reports of riots in Nashville. Then he handed me an M1 carbine rifle and left me and my wife there all alone. We were out in the middle of nowhere, and the only lights you could see were those of the gas station.

Why didn't he just rely on the police to protect him?

Coming Soon: Fabric Control

Just what law enforcement needs: another headache. Yet Thor Shield promises to be a thunderbolt from heaven for those resisting arrest.

The product is a polyester fabric that bonds a conducted material and sends the electricity coming from a stun gun back where it came from. It is now available for sale only to military and law enforcement agencies, but one wonders how long before it is being worn by those on the streets of America...What is intended to be used to protect the police might one day soon be used against them.

It's all about keeping the state safe for police, isn't it, Dave White? What legitimate need could an average citizen possibly have for this?

Excusez-Moi

French police have apologised after one of their officers went shopping at Waterloo station still carrying her gun...Such a sight may be commonplace if the Home Office decides to opt into the so-called "hot pursuit" provisions of the Schengen convention, under which armed officers from one country can continue chasing criminals into another.

Say, why don't we try that here?

N.J. Intends to Crack Down on Gangs, Gun Violence

This time we mean it. Really. We're warning you.

Yep. Call neighborhoods "Cease Fire Zones." Dang, is that all it takes?

And, of course, accept no bail money in a brown paper bag.

Peace is at hand.

Permitting the Right

I started a bit of a debate with my comments regarding the new Nebraska concealed carry law. It has spilled over to The Smallest Minority and Captain of a Crew of One.

I'm going to address this further and in detail, but within the confines of some very real and pressing restrictions on my time--which means I'll post on this when I can.

I stipulate right up front that mine is not the popular view--by far. I don't go into this with any illusions that the vast majority of "gun rights" supporters will agree with me. Still, so far, I haven't seen anyone specifically demonstrate where any claim I made in my post is wrong. All the arguments seem to be that "absolutists" are immature and impatient, and even enemies, and that only by trading rights for privileges can one be considered "pragmatic." Incrementalism is what got us here, and only incrementalism will save us.

I reject these assumptions, and will explore them in more depth in the coming days. Just please be patient. And please post comments with an eye toward generating light, not heat.

Sharon Stoned on Guns

Security:
As needed. To be mutually decided by Producer and Sharon.
--Approved 24 hr armed bodyguard--[adt'l?] bodyguard app'd by SS if she requests

So that explains why Sharon Stone could make such a public spectacle of "surrendering" her guns!

"I choose to surrender my right to bear arms in exchange for the peace of mind of doing the right thing."

Los Angeles police, at Stone's request, confiscated one shotgun and three handguns from her Beverly Hills home on May 14. Authorities described the weapons as "lawfully obtained and legally kept."

Stone said she was moved to disarm by April's Columbine High massacre that left 15 people, including the two teen gunmen, dead. She asked other gun owners to similarly downsize.

"I urge you to trust and believe in your local law enforcement officers and believe in the courage of following your heart and surrendering your fear and anger," she said.

You didn't surrender your right to bear arms, Sharon, you outsourced it. And as for placing trust in the police for protection: You first.

We're the Only Ones...

...Well Adjusted Enough

For the past two weeks, investigators have been looking for a suspect Eaton County Sheriff Sergeant Jeff Lutz says shot him while on duty, but now investigators are looking at Lutz himself.

...Appropriately Forceful Enough

Ronald Robbins, 45, who claimed he acted in self-defense when he shot 22-year-old Jason Starkey in the back during a fistfight with Starkey and another man on Sept. 22, 2002, faces up to life in prison if convicted of second-degree murder.

...Touchy-Feely Enough

Swatara Police arrested Michael Fernsler, 33, of Orrstown, Pa., on Friday night while he was on the job as a police officer with Shippensburg University. Police said he sexually assaulted two 4-year-old girls in their Swatara Township, Pa. home.

...Dynamic in Our Entries Enough

Bullets peppered the wall, ceiling and refrigerator in an incident late Saturday during which two Muskegon police officers fired shots at each other inside a McLaughlin Avenue home.

How can anyone argue against the position that trained professionals like these are the only ones who should have guns?

[Via KABA Newslinks]

[More from "The Only Ones" files...]

No Borders No Guns

Jennifer Freeman of The Liberty Belles sounds a warning...

We're the Only Ones Retired Enough

Even though Illinois has among the nation's most restrictive firearms laws, hundreds of retired police officers, now private citizens, are quietly being licensed to carry concealed weapons...

Still, most former officers have no desire for a concealed weapon...That is the case with Capt. Mel Weith, of the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department, who said he didn't think he'd want to carry a gun when he retired from law enforcement.

"I just don't see a need for it," he said.

"I don't know what is more pathetic," correspondent HZ wrote when he emailed me this link, "that some people believe retired police officers should be the only ones allowed to carry concealed weapons or that some retired police officers abhor the idea of carrying concealed...."

I wouldn't want to learn the hard way the difference between retiring and being terminated.

[More from "The Only Ones" files...]

We're the Only Ones Guilty Enou...Wait, That Doesn't Sound Right...

Two U.S. air marshals pleaded guilty Monday to accepting money to smuggle cocaine on a flight to Las Vegas and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors.

We've talked about these two stalwarts before...

[Via Jason M]

[More from "The Only Ones" files...]

"Anti-Gun Activist" Awash in Excuses

"If there weren't guns on the street, there wouldn't be guns in my home," she says. "The system failed me and it failed my son. I'm angry at everybody who has the authority to stop gun violence and the proliferation of guns."

Anything but accepting responsibility for her own failure to raise her kid and control what goes on in her home...

My favorite whine:

(The police) are doing their job, but do they have to do their job like this?"

What, they messed up the place doing a search to enforce edicts she promotes?

I don't think I've ever seen so many self-serving pity-poor-me deflections of responsibility crammed into such a compressed space.

BREAKING NEWS: IRAQ AWASH IN GUNS!!!

[M]ore Iraqis than ever have been buying, carrying and stockpiling weapons, adding an unnerving level of firepower to Baghdad's streets.

You can actually buy guns over there?

But I thought they had to come over here and attend a gun show...

Boom Times on Underworld Gun Market

ILLEGAL guns can be bought "as easily as a pack of cigarettes" through a booming weapons black market in Queensland.

Despite official denials, The Sunday Mail has been told that weapons are freely available through underworld dealers.

Fair dinkum, mate?

Maybe we've been going about things the wrong way.

Maybe, if we really want to create a free market for gun buyers without government permits, fees, registrations, etc., we ought to join the gun ban movement.

Gun in One Hand, Rosary in the Other

AN 18-year-old boy was found dead inside his room in Taguig City before dawn yesterday. In his left hand, he held a rosary and crucifix. In the right, he held a gun.

Let me guess--despite this being an incident precipitated by a troubled state of spirit and mind, no one is going to call for religion control...

VICTORY IS OURS!!!

If you are going to church, leave your gun in the car.

Going to the bank to cash a check? Leave your gun in the car....

[T]he law has a litany of places where weapons are not allowed. Schools, churches, hospitals, county commissioner meetings, bars, and jails are among some of the places where guns are not allowed...

Gov. Dave Heineman has announced he would sign LB 454 into law at a ceremony next week.

But don't bring your gun. Political events are gun-free, under the law.

Unalienable rights?

"Shall not be infringed"?

That's the problem with you absolutist troublemakers. You just don't recognize incremental victories when you see them--along with the many examples from history where compromising essential rights and giving the state claim over them has produced enduring liberty.

Just stay out of our way and we'll make licensing and fees and prior restraints and limitations and restrictions and conditions and denials and revocations the benchmark for the trumpeting of gun lobby success. Infringements have become customary, expected, codified into existing gun laws, and you know who cries the loudest for enforcing those .

Good luck unraveling that Gordian knot. And woe unto you who just decide to bear arms on your own authority.

Yep, smells like victory to me. The only question is, whose?

We're the Only Ones Rampaging Enough

Former Lehi policeman Art Henderson - accused of trying to kill former police colleagues, his estranged wife and her boyfriend - waived his right to a preliminary hearing Friday, advancing the case toward trial...

Prosecutor Mariane O'Bryant had wanted bail set at $1 million. She called Henderson's alleged January shooting rampage "extremely serious," and said that in addition to the alleged intended victims, Henderson had "almost killed a 7-year-old boy" with a stray bullet.

The bullet smashed through the rear window of the car in which the boy was sitting and struck a headrest just inches from his head.

Wow. And this happened to a trained professional. Good thing Sarah & Co. don't want amateurs like you and me armed.

[More from "The Only Ones" files...]

We're the Only Ones Elevated Enough...

A Thurston County jail inmate being escorted by a female corrections officer jammed a courthouse elevator and attacked her Friday, struggling with the officer for 20 minutes and finally grabbing her gun just before other officers pried open the elevator doors.

It's not like pairing a larger, stronger male prisoner with a lone female officer has ever been a cause for concern before...

[More from "The Only Ones" files...]

Kennedy Dog Injured in Gun Mishap

Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) has been questioned by Hyannisport authorities for what police are characterizing as "alcohol-related accidental firearm discharges" at his family home that left a pet in need of emergency medical treatment.

Splash, the senator's Belgian water dog, is reportedly undergoing surgery at a nearby veterinary hospital for multiple gunshot wounds...[More]

It's 2A Saturday...

...over at Free Constitution...

When Aliens Attack!

Be afraid. Be very afraid.
And look to the skies.

"When Aliens Attack!," my April Rights Watch column for GUNS Magazine, is now online.

GUNS Magazine, April 1956

It's now online. Enjoy.

Phone Call From the NRA

Dear MSSA Friends,

I just answered an incoming phone with no caller ID. I answered, as I usually do, "Gary Marbut." There was a click and then a female voice said, "Could I speak with Mr. Gary Marbut please." My response, "If you are paying attention now, I'll answer the phone again - Gary Marbut."

The lady said, "I'm very sorry, I didn't hear you the first time. Could I take just a minute of your time to play you a message from Wayne LaPierre about how important it is to get a bill passed in your state to allow Montana people to protect their families?"

My response, "Absolutely not! I am the president of the Montana Shooting Sports Association, the primary political action organization for gun owners in Montana. We had such a bill before the 2005 session of the Montana Legislature. We asked the NRA to support our bill and the NRA refused. I will certainly not listen to Wayne, followed by a pitch for a donation to the NRA to support enactment a bill we tried to enact but the NRA refused to support!"

The lady on the phone was shocked. I explained the details to her,including Randy Kozuch's role in the Montana fiasco. The lady apologized again.

That ended the call.

If you have any questions, see: http://www.mtssa.org/nrasnafu.phtml

Gary Marbut, president
Montana Shooting Sports Association
http://www.mtssa.org
author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.mtpublish.com

A Different Standard

A Richmond police officer, her ex-policeman husband and her mother have been charged with participating in an illegal gambling operation at the mother's Henrico County home...

"No police officer is held to any different standard than any other citizen," said Richmond Police Chief Rodney Monroe.

Right, Rodney.

Tell it to Salvatore Culosi.

Slow Going Ahead

WarOnGuns regulars: the demands of my real job will be at seven days a week, including many evenings, for the foreseeable future--at least through to August.

I'll post as I can, but please understand if you don't see the level of activity I've managed to squeeze out in the past. I also have a family that needs my attention--what little my job allows me to give them. Of the writing I do, the magazine gig that allows me to contribute a bit more to our household finances will need to come first.

It doesn't mean I'm going away. It just means that some days, posting will be light or possibly not happen at all. I also ask you to please bear with me if I don't have time to give your emails the attention they deserve.

There's only one of me, the load is heavy and the road ahead is getting steeper with each step.

“It Just Went Off. It Just Went Bang.”

I will not make a stupid double entendre out of this.

We're the Only Ones Recovered Enough

A .40 caliber handgun lost near Leesburg by a Loudoun County Deputy March 23 was returned to the Sheriff's Office two days later.

The service weapon was lost during the course of the deputy's duties, a Sheriff's Office spokesman said.

After that last story, why do I hear Peter Griffin laughing and remarking "He said doody!"

[More From The "Only Ones" Files]

We're the Only Ones Wiped Out Enough...

A sergeant on the Boca Raton Police Department has been issued a reprimand for leaving her loaded service handgun in a public bathroom at the Boca Raton Resort & Club shortly before Vice President Dick Cheney spoke at a fund-raiser for U.S. Rep. Clay Shaw.

Sorry about the title. Really.

Well, not really.

[More From The "Only Ones" Files]

The "NRA Shill"

Sketching a likely general election theme, Gov. Blagojevich came out swinging Tuesday against GOP gubernatorial front-runner Judy Baar Topinka, accusing the state treasurer of being a shill for the National Rifle Association and the right wing.

"The NRA just gave her an A rating -- an A rating -- and if you get an A rating from the NRA, you're basically taking their talking points and doing their bidding," Blagojevich said. "And I would urge her to forget about the NRA, stop pandering to the right wing and join us and help us pass a ban on assault weapons."

Actually, I can't find a current NRA rating for Topinka, just one from 2002, where, indeed, she got an "A."

As correspondent HZ observes, "I would love to know the NRA's response to their A rated candidate's responses to this questionnaire."

I have supported efforts to strengthen our FOID card program with a system to rapidly check backgrounds of people before they can obtain a FOID card. We must keep guns out of the hands of people who pose a threat to society. My position on assault weapons legislation will depend on the specific definitions in the final bill.

The governor has spoken out against Uzies and AK 47s, weapons that are already prohibited. While they are illegal, I certainly agree with keeping Uzies and AK 47s off the street. If the final language of a bill that passes the legislature includes language to ban weapons similar to Uzies and AK 47s, I would have no problem. If the language is broader and includes weapons currently in use by law-abiding citizens, then I would have concerns. The key will be in the definitions.

I see this as a huge and continued credibility problem for NRA management. An "A" should be measured against a "shall not be infringed" benchmark.

NRA members and other gun owners are sophisticated enough to handle the truth and to make their decisons accordingly. Certainly, when compared to the wretched Blagojevich, Topinka is far less oppressive on rkba issues. But don't blow smoke at us and tell us someone who supports prior restraints, licenses, fees and functional gun bans based on "definitions" deserves an "A".

That is, unless the criteria is something other than "shall not be infringed," and if support for an agenda takes precedence over the Second Amendment...

Something Special About Philly...

The one opportunity these surgeons will find in Philadelphia that they can't get in Sweden or very many other places is a constant supply of gunshot wounds. With 317 people already shot in just the first two and a half months of this year, surgeons around the city have plenty of opportunities to practice.

But...but...but...this wasn't supposed to happen.

We were promised...

Stanislaw Lem: 1921-2006

Stanislaw Lem, 84, a Polish-born writer of "reality based" science fiction who tweaked Communist authorities and became one of the world's best-selling authors with books such as "Solaris" and "The Futurological Congress," died March 27 at a hospital in Krakow, Poland. He had a heart ailment.

Lem did not endear himself to his contemporaries, particularly in the US. But he wrote brilliantly, honestly, cleverly, originally.

If you're not familiar with his work, I can't think of a better introduction than by meeting two of my favorite Lem constructions, Trurl and Klapaucius.

[Photo: "Stanislaw Lem in 1966, courtesy of his secretary, Wojciech Zemek."]

Blame the Guns

Don't blame the rave scene for the Seattle's worst mass murder in more than two decades.

Blame the guns -- and a culture that celebrates firepower.

Good grief.

[Via Dan Gifford]

The Blunder Down Under

THE New South Wales Government's failure to deal with gun crime meant Sydney could now be confused with the US city of Los Angeles, the opposition said.

Opposition police spokesman Mike Gallacher today said armed robberies, drive-by shootings and other gun crimes were occurring in Sydney on a daily basis.

Now hold on, mate. What about all the "gun control" edicts enacted since the "Port Arthur massacre"? Back in '97, Prime Minister John Howard promised the gun ban would lead to "a safer society."

Of course, they told us LA would be safe, too.

I know some neighborhoods I'd be happy to drop anyone off in if they believe that claim. Then again, I know some neighborhoods you couldn't get me to drive through on a bet.

Maybe the opposition has a point--Australia is becoming like LA. But just not for the reasons they claim.

What Nicole Thinks

It was the rave scene that killed those poor kids Saturday on Capitol Hill. It was the city's weak All Ages Dance Ordinance. It was the weed they smoked, the beer they drank, the music that drained their heads of reason. It was the parents who didn't keep track. Stop.

What killed those people was a 28-year-old man named Kyle Huff, who took advantage of American gun laws and packed his pickup with an arsenal of weapons that no person should ever want or need: An assault rifle. A handgun. A shotgun. A machete. Hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

Nicole Brodeur thinks banning the above is synonymous with "common sense gun-safety measures."

That means Nicole will tolerate no semiautos.

No handguns.

No shotguns.

No machetes.

And no ammunition--at least not "hundreds of rounds" (GASP! That many?)

Besides, why would you "ever want or need" them?

Nicole agrees with Chief Gil Kerlikowske that a 12-gauge is "not for hunting purposes, but for hunting people." (Funny--she didn't ask the chief about that evil semiautomatic service pistol he "lost" that is now out there "on the street"...)

I suppose if Huff had burned the place down, Nicole would want to implement "common sense match-safety measures."

"They were just kids," Nicole laments in righteous indignation.

Two of them were. I have yet to hear those like Nicole asking what the hell grown men in their 20's and 30's were doing partying with 14 and 15-year-old girls instead of protecting them.

Look at Nicole. She looks like she'd be a lot of help in a bind, doesn't she?

Listen to Nicole. She knows best. She's the expert.

Urban newspaper editorialists. Is there anything they don't know?

Hey Nicole: Molon Labe. What I told Sallie goes double for you.

What’s Driving Bill Clinton

An embarrassing hole in security surrounding former U.S. President Bill Clinton turned up when one of his chauffeurs was found to be a wanted man.

Shahzad Qureshi, 42, was in one of three cars awaiting Clinton at Newark Airport last week when a Port Authority policeman happened to check license plate numbers.

I guess if my travel detail as a retiree included three limos and God knows what size taxpayer-funded armed retinue, I wouldn't worry much about the average person's security, either.

I wonder if Clinton's fellow gungrabber and illegal immigration activist Antonio Villaraigoso will come to Mr. Qureshi's defense, or if he only speaks out on behalf of certain demographics?

Angel Update- March 27

Dear Friends of Angel,

This update is to affirm that we know you are out there and wanting information about Angel. We have not forgotten you.

We still cannot tell you anything new about Angel's legal situation, except to repeat that he is waiting for his next court appearance on April 7th. We hope to have a bunch of information for you then.

Thanks again for your donations, your letters of support and your patience.

For any of you who have not made a donation, but who may wish to do so, there is information about donating to help with Angel's legal expenses at:

http://www.marbut.com/angel

Best wishes,

Gary Marbut, president
Montana Shooting Sports Association
http://www.mtssa.org
author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.mtpublish.com

Shameless Plug: O Canada

Still, the zeal to punish all Canadians for the “gun crimes” of a few has not diminished. Also on the table, per a CTV report, is a plan by Mr. Martin to impose “reverse onus,” requiring defendants to prove why they should be allowed bail. And the Toronto Star cites Inspector Dave McLeod, who is investigating gun thefts from legal owners and wonders “how gang members…find out the source of domestic guns held by registered gun owners.” In a nice bit of deflection, Mayor Miller claims the government’s failure to keep information secure is “exactly why I supported…Martin's call for a ban on the ownership of guns.”

"O Canada" is my Rights Watch column for the May issue of GUNS Magazine, on sale now, eh?

BONUS: See page 84 to find out how you can win a Charles Daly ZDA and Al Mar Falcon Ultralight knife.

FEC Blogger Rules

Jed shares the latest developments...

"Gun Used in Rampage"

The 12-gauge shotgun does maximum damage to the body of its target. It's easy to purchase. No permit is required, and an instant background check over the phone can be as fast as credit-card approval for someone with no prior felony conviction.

What a great new pejorative for the 12-gauge: Rampage guns!

To paraphrase what Homer Simpson said about actors: "Reporters. Is there anything they don't know?"

Meanwhile, Over in Ireland...

Four people were arrested today in connection with the murder of a 27-year-old Derryman.

Shea Bradley was found with gunshot wounds in a car in a laneway in Dublin’s north inner city two weeks ago.

He had been on bail after being charged with firearm offences.

A Garda spokesman said officers arrested two men, one woman and one male juvenile today in connection with the murder.

If only Ireland had Welsh posters and leaflets...

Welsh Gun Control Failure Prompts Calls for More of Same

A campaign is being launched aimed at reducing gun crime in Wales.

The number of firearm offences in north Wales was almost six times higher in 2004-2005 than the previous year, according to Home Office figures.

In south Wales, gun offences have more than doubled...

As part of the anti-gun campaign, [Crimestoppers Wales] will be distributing posters and leaflets across Wales.

That UK citizen disarmament certainly is working well. I'm sure posters and leaflets will solve their violent crime problems once and for all.

Going to Bat for Gun-Free Schools

A distraught former student armed with a bat and chain sent Hopkinton High students running for cover yesterday when he stormed the school.

And all anyone there could do--including the adult teachers and administrators--was hope that "official" men with guns would arrive in time to keep any of them from being hurt.

That's the way (uh-huh, uh-huh) Wayne likes it...

Blago Campaigns With Stolen Funds

Using taxpayer-financed resources, Gov. Rod Blagojevich issued a letter and news release Saturday asking his Republican re-election opponent, Judy Baar Topinka, to support his call for an assault weapon ban.

A campaign aide to Topinka, the state treasurer and the lone GOP statewide officeholder, criticized Blagojevich's use of state materials for what the aide said was a blatant campaign-oriented letter.

So in additon to being a tyrant and a treasonous thug, Blago's also a thief. It does help explain why he wants to ensure only he and his fellow crime boss elites and their enforcers have access to guns.

But what the hell. Based on results, he's what "the people" want. Don't expect anyone to have the stones to actually charge him with anything.

I Don't Know Art, But I Know What I Like

Gunner at Say Uncle tells us of a BATFU "kid's art" contest.

It's too late to enter now, but if they ever resurrect it, I've got my submission ready to go...

The Gun Show Peephole

AK-47s. SKS sniper rifles. Armor-piercing bullets. Machine gun displays.

It’s just another weekend at a Kansas City gun show, where there is so much firepower at your fingertips that even some gun enthusiasts shake their heads in wonder.

More hoplophobe hysteria, and this one, as the opening sentence makes evident, has got all the talking points:

They're a major source for criminals!

BATFU hardly pays 'em no never mind!!

Terrorist rely on them as a source for Middle East weaponry, because we all know you can't get guns over there!!!

You can even buy scary books and pamphlets!!!!

It's telling that reporter Judy L. Thomas' "go to guy"/voice of authority is a white supremacist/bank robber.

Then we have the dealer who claims he can "read people like a book." Good Lord, man, these reporters are not your friend. Can't you just stfu and not give them more ammunition to use against you?

My favorite anecdote:

Even some gun show attendees seemed surprised at the array of weaponry.

“I don’t see how that can be legal,” one man remarked to a friend as he pointed toward a Bushmaster assault rifle — the kind of weapon used in the 2002 sniper spree that left 10 persons dead in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia.

Under current law, it is legal.

Oooooo! A .223!!!

Leave it to Thomas to cherry-pick the views of a newbie, one who obviously doesn't know squat about firearms.

But then again, neither do her readers--and giving her the benefit of the doubt that her anti-gun screed presented as straight news is not a deliberate misinformation piece--neither does she.

Justice Delayed

At the request of the Texas Department of Public Safety, Republican Justice of the Peace Jim Richards signed an order suspending Thomas Dale DeLay’s license to carry a handgun in the State of Texas...

Okay, let me be honest with you. I’m a Democrat. I believe in the Constitution. I believe that you are innocent until proven guilty. I don’t think there should be any punishment for merely being indicted. An indictment is no proof of guilt.

However, Tom DeLay and “his” Texas Legislature – after all, TRMPAC money elected that bunch of clowns we have in Austin – don’t feel that way. They enacted this law to keep handguns away from suspected felons like Tom DeLay.

You made your bed, Tom, now sleep in it.

No doubt, this is a hit piece by a savvy political operative with an agenda, but that doesn't negate the truth being presented--or the fact that Juanita's even scooped The Smoking Gun on this one (which, at this writing, says nothing about this development).

It does, however, raise questions about who "on the inside" with a political agenda made this document available to this particular website. Is this an intentional leak by an operative in the Texas Department of Public Safety, the office of the Fort Bend County Clerk, or the Precinct 4 Justice Court?

Regardless, this is what you get when you license unalienable rights, something Mr. Delay has been a proponent of.

This is what you get when kneejerk "law and order" trumps liberty.

Hey, enforce existing gun laws, right?

Another Second Amendment Saturday

Stan has his weekly post up...

We're the Only Ones...Yes, I WOULD Like an Apple Pie With That

A Michigan State Police trooper will face disciplinary action after he left his off-duty service weapon in a rest room at the Burger King in Texas Township, authorities said...After leaving the restaurant, the trooper, who was not identified [Naturally--DC], continued his drive home and realized "some distance away" that he did not have his firearm on him...The trooper, who has been with State Police for 10 to 15 years, is still on active duty (Again, naturally--DC]...

Ding, fries are done.

We're the Only Ones Mechanical Enough...

Yet another of the "Only Ones" accidentally shot and killed a fellow officer--or was it an accident?

This week we learned new details about the shooting of Easton officer Jesse Sollman. But serious questions remain -- and some focus on the mechanics of the fatal weapon...

"Single action is a mode of fire for a semiautomatic handgun where pulling the trigger does one action -- and that is release the hammer"...

"Double action" mode on the other hand requires about twice the amount of force to pull the trigger...

This reminds me of nothing so much as Groucho Marx playing shyster Otis B. Driftwood in "A Night at the Opera":

Driftwood: All right. It says the, uh, "The first part of the party of the first part shall be known in this contract as the first part of the party of the first part shall be known in this contract" - Look, why should we quarrel about a thing like this? We'll take it right out, eh?
Fiorello: Yeah, ha, it's-a too long, anyhow. (They both tear off the tops of their contracts.) Now, what do we got left?
Driftwood: Well, I got about a foot and a half. Now, it says, uh, "The party of the second part shall be known in this contract as the party of the second part."
Fiorello: Well, I don't know about that...
Driftwood: Now what's the matter?
Fiorello: I no like-a the second party, either.
Driftwood: Well, you shoulda come to the first party. We didn't get home 'til around four in the morning...I was blind for three days!

Ultimately, here's the important part to remember about this story:

[Easton police officer Matthew Renninger's]been called negligent by the grand jury, but he will not be charged with a crime.

No. No, of course he won't be.

And it goes without saying the same deference would be afforded to you and me.

I'm going back to the first party.

Just So We're Clear on What "Keep and Bear" Means...

Lamont Anderson was walking in Ocean County Park in Lakewood in March last year when he came upon an unusual find — a loaded machine gun.

Instead of notifying police, Anderson picked it up, put it in his waistband and went about his business, authorities said...

"You're lucky you weren't shot on the spot when they (the police) saw it in your waistband," [Superior Court Judge James N.Citta] told Anderson.

"It really is an act of stupidity," [Ocean County prosecutor John Foti] said to the judge, adding that a jail term might "get (Anderson's) attention."

Citta sentenced Anderson to 90 days in the Ocean County Jail and placed him on probation for three years.

The government sure takes its monopoly of power serously, doesn't it? Would that We the People put a fraction of that jealous attention into guarding the public liberty...

SWATting in Fairfax

Tomato 7 has more on the death squad that deployed because a doctor was allegedly involved in sports gambling.

Any bets the executioner is never punished? I'll lay 10-to-1 odds it never happens.

Oops. I didn't just solicit illegal gambling, did I?

Hold on--I think there's somebody at the do...

With Friends Like These...

Just two days after winning the Democratic nomination for the 2006 general election, Blagojevich called on the General Assembly to approve an assault weapons ban over the objections of the National Rifle Association...

The rifle association held a counterpoint press conference Thursday hoping to blunt the governor's message and keep the assault weapons ban off the table.

"The solution is simple: Enforce the laws on the books," ISRA President Richard Pearson said.

Thanks, Richard. But just for the record, when you call for enforcing the laws on the books, do you mean like this...?


Or like this...?



You're right, though, Richard. Those are pretty simple solutions.

The Definition of Insanity

Maryland U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein announced yesterday the start of a joint federal-local initiative designed to crack down on gun crimes in Prince George's County, where the vast majority of last year's record number of homicides were committed with firearms.

At a news conference at the U.S. District Courthouse in Greenbelt, Rosenstein said that under the program -- Prince George's EXILE -- federal and Prince George's law enforcement officials will collaborate more closely to identify and investigate violent offenders who use firearms, to crack down on illegal gun traffickers and to use the threat of tough federal sentencing laws to pressure defendants to plead guilty to gun crimes in state court...

The initiative went into effect this month, Rosenstein said. He said it was too early to measure the results.

Oh come on, Rod. The results will be predictable.

Admit it. This is all about expanding your power, prestige and influence with federal grant money.

We're the Only Ones Acting Properly Enough...

An unidentified elderly Horn Lake couple were hospitalized Thursday after police burst into their home thinking it housed a methamphetamine laboratory...

A man and a woman _ both in their 80s _ were injured as TACT team members secured the house although no drugs were found. There were children in the house also, but they were not awakened, Beshears said.

Beshears said the woman received a dislocated shoulder and the man received bruised ribs. Both were taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto, but both asked police not to identify them...

Police Chief Darryl Whaley said...he believes his officers acted correctly and followed procedures when they entered the first home.

"Obviously, a mistake was made and it was regrettable," he said. "But, I stand by my officers. I think they acted properly."

I wonder what would have happened had the occupants of the invaded home "acted properly"?

And the Whiny Hoplophobic Male Award Goes to...

Select One:

_____"We teach our children to never touch a gun. The kids were scared to death. They didn't want to be part of this."--Ron Meredith

_____"I don't want my child firing a gun at school."--Terry Hunt

_____"[W]e don't want guns on school property."--Mike Prock

_____"[W]e believe in absolutely gun-free, zero-tolerance, totally safe schools. That means no guns in America's schools, period ... with the rare exception of law enforcement officers or trained security personnel."--Wayne LaPierre

One Man's Terrorist...

Jed comments on a Virginia state employees terrorism brochure, posted at Virginia News Source, that he learned about from Wolfesblog.

Interesting--parts of it read kind of like a Jeff Foxworthy routine: If you believe in property rights, or that you are the militia, or that people should influence the government, you may be a terrorist. And naturally, their tips for protecting yourself in a Homeland emergency, or items to include in your disaster preparedness inventory, make no mention of firearms.

As a caveat, I have not personally verified the authenticity of the brochure, but if it is genuine, I have a question for the state of Virginia, and governor Mark Warner, under whose imprimatur the brochure purports to be released: Is it really your position that defenders of their homeland--resisting brutal foreign invaders who had conquered and subjugated their people--were "terrorists"?

From Your Warm, Live Fingers

If you are stopped by police in Kansas, don’t be surprised if the officer pulls out a little black box and takes your fingerprints.

This reminds me of a little project we did at "ATF Night" several years back.

Then Los Angeles Councilman Mike ("Der") Feuer had proposed requiring ammunition purchasers to submit a fingerprint. I brought an ink pad and a sheet of paper, and several dozen of us in attendance made our impressions and signed our names to a letter asking him to guess which finger we had used.

For the Birds

Signs warning of bird droppings were posted along a stretch in downtown Orlando this week after cars, benches, sidewalks, plants and even people are hit and covered by the white bird waste...The problem began when city workers removed cypress trees on "bird island" at Lake Eola in Orlando...Federal law prohibits the bird nests in Orlando from being disturbed.

...as Wall Street figures out how to profit from the bird flu...

[Orlando story via Jim Peel]

One Ring to Bring Them All and in the Darkness Bind Them

The NYPD is installing 505 surveillance cameras around the city - and pushing to safeguard lower Manhattan with a "ring of steel" that could track hundreds of thousands of people and cars a day, authorities revealed yesterday.

Turning America into a prison: one cellblock at a time...

Richmond "Gun Violence" Up

A recently released report evaluating the federally funded Project Safe Neighborhoods program in Virginia suggests that gun violence has risen steadily in Richmond since 2000.

The report, completed in January, also suggests that nearly two-thirds of Richmonders do not feel safer today than they did five years ago. And it concludes that six out of 10 city dwellers don't believe the aggressive media campaigns to raise awareness on gun violence have prevented people from carrying illegal firearms.

Oh
my
goodness.
Who
could
have
possibly
foreseen
this?

You boys care to back that turnip truck up so we can climb back on and fall off properly next time?

Hoplophobe Home Care to Elderly Gun Owners: Suffer and Die For All We Care

A Nova Scotia woman with multiple sclerosis has lost her home care after a single incident of her husband forgetting to store his rifle in a gun cabinet...

Northwood Home Care hasn’t been back since.

Spokesman John Verlinden said it doesn’t matter that the homeowner’s guns are registered, or that the rifle’s trigger lock was on.

"Any risk where a home support worker feels it is an unsafe environment or there is some risk for them, that would trigger an assessment," he said.

If the guns are removed, the homecare company would carry out a fresh assessment, and consider starting up service again.

What a nice company.

Ask Capital Times!

Dear Capital Times,

Lately everybody's been up in arms over "concealed carry." But what about UNconcealed carry? Both the U.S. and Wisconsin constitutions guarantee the right to keep and bear arms. Does that mean I could be like Marshal Dillon, strap a big gun on my hip and go pretty much anywhere I please, as long as I'm not trying to hide the fact that I'm armed?-- Richard S. Russell

Dear Richard,

Capital Times approached two experts, Capt. Brian Willison of the Dane County Sheriff's Office, and Brian Blanchard, Dane County district attorney. We have translated their responses for you, because, being establishment journalists, it's our job to make sure you understand your duties as a citizen when it comes to obeying the state.

Good questions, Richard. Basically, the word "right" means whatever we say it does. Hell, even your "gun lobby" giants have their members convinced that bearing arms is a licensed privilege subject to fees (kind'a like the good old days of poll taxes-- remember those? ), approvals and tests , limitations, restrictions, revocations--and it goes without saying, outright prior restraint denial.

At this point--and remember, this is all depending on where you live and what we feel like at any particular moment--we pretty much won't go ballistic if we see you armed in an approved venue AND you can produce a license on demand or demonstrate to our satisfaction that you are pursuing a legitimate (defined by us) sporting purpose.

But God forbid you play citizen lawyer and decide for yourself you understand better than us what terms like "bear arms" mean. If we see you even thinking about acting like a free man...

Here's the thing, Richard. You'll notice Capital Times came to US-- a cop and a prosecutor. We're on the same team, represent the same client. And if we DO decide you need taking down, assuming you survive, guess what ? The judge also works for the Big Boss. And don't think a jury's gonna save you, because they'll do as he instructs--despite some troublemakers who think they know "the law" better than WE do trying to convince a few smelly anarchists that they have a right to judge the law as well as the facts.

Nope, Richard. The courts are ours. And good luck getting the judiciary to hear a Second Amendment case--right now, settled law in a good part of the country says there IS no individual right to keep and bear arms.

Don't look to the other branches, either. The legislature? We control it. And the enforcers...I mean, the executive branch--well, like we just said, they're the enforcers.

And you know what clinches it for us, Richard? Your neighbors! Look around. Ask 'em what they think about "assault weapons" or guns in schools (hell, ask Wayne LaPierre that one), or "common sense gun control." Guess whose side the bleaters are gonna take, Richard? Guess who's been conditioned to wet themselves and call US if they see you walking down Main Street with a shouldered rifle or a pistol strapped to your leg?

Ha, ha, ha! Richard. That's our ultimate trump card right there.

"The People"? Gimme a break!

Despite what the Constitution says, we can pretty much do anything we want, Richard, and there's really not a damn thing you can do about it. Check and mate.

So the short answer to your question is, "No," Richard. "You can't." But we won't particularly mind if you try. It'll give us an excuse to roll out our new equipment and be heroes in front of the fawning press like these useful idiots at the Capital Times. Plus, it will scare your fellow cud-chewers into demanding more protection against dangerous, evil bogeymen like you, who threaten the harmony and tranquility of the herd with dangerous notions like "freedom." Talk about justifying tax/budget increases!

In our line of work, Richard, we call that a "Win-Win."

So there you have it, Richard. We at Capital Times hope you're clear on your responsibilities for submitting to authority.

Anybody else have a stupid question?

We're the Only Ones Special, Weaponed and Tactical Enough...

Dr Salvatore Culosi Jr had come out of his townhouse to meet an undercover policeman when he was shot through the chest by a Special Weapons and Tactics force...But he had been under investigation for illegal gambling and in line with a local police policy on "organised crime" raids, the heavily armed team was there to serve a search warrant...As officers approached with their weapons drawn, tragedy struck. A handgun was accidentally discharged, fatally wounding Dr Culosi...Peter Kraska, an expert on police militarisation from Eastern Kentucky University, says that in the 1980s there were about 3,000 Swat team deployments annually across the US, but says now there are at least 40,000 per year.

As the person who called this to my attention observed, "Uh, huh – 'accidently.'”

We blogged about this story earlier. I see we still don't know the executioner's name.

The most to-the-point passage in this article:

"The problem is that when you talk about the war on this and the war on that, and police officers see themselves as soldiers, then the civilian becomes the enemy."

Burn that one in.

[Thanks to JM]

Got "THE BLACK ARROW"?

... If not, this may be your last, best shot at acquiring a personally signed copy!
Vin Suprynowicz will visit The Book Store in Elko, NV for his last scheduled book-signing stop of The Black Arrow tour on Saturday April 22, 2006. Paperback and leatherbound editions will both be available at the event.

When:
April 22, 2006, 11 am to 1 pm

Where:
The Book Store
1372 Idaho St
Elko, NV 89801-4019
Phone: (775) 738-5342

We hope to see you there!

Mountain Media
3172 N. Rainbow Blvd #343
Las Vegas, NV 89108
702-656-3285
-----------------------------------------------------
Vin Suprynowicz is assistant editorial page editor of the
daily Las Vegas Review-Journal and author of the books
Send in the Waco Killers, The Ballad of Carl Drega, and
The Black Arrow. For information call 702-656-3285, or visit
www.TheLibertarian.us or www.LibertyBookShop.us.

The Blame Game

While gang prevalence and poverty are undeniable factors in the rate of gun violence nationwide, gun manufacturers shoulder the bulk of responsibility, a national activist said during a service at Spring of Hope Church of God in Christ yesterday.

The Rev. Lennox S. Yearwood made his comments during a sermon following a town hall-style discussion comprised of representatives from local and statewide organizations aimed at stopping handgun and youth violence.

Isn't it curious how often we seem to hear about
gun control
proponents who
themselves have experienced
problematic incidents
involving guns.

No wonder they don't trust us.

I personally would have no problem with all adherents of Rev. Yearwood's philosophy voluntarily registering with the government making them ineligible to own firearms.

Police Van Targeted

A marked police van carrying a sergeant and eight officers was hit by gun fire in Brooklyn, police said.

Goodness. Is no one safe in New York?

Perhaps they should enact some "common sense" gun laws?

MMMVII

Welcome to the seventh installment of The Million Moon March.

This week, we feature "jimmy," courtesy of ivymike.

"Call me provincial," he writes,"but I opted for a decidedly New England flavor. In case you don't recognize the mug, it's James J. 'Whitey' Bulger, South Boston gangster, former Alcatraz inmate, FBI snitch, drug dealer, mass murderer (20 that they know about) and pedophile. Back in the '80s, he owned every crooked FBI agent in the Boston office."

Considering jimmy's background, it's not surprising that he prefers the general populace to remain unarmed, and his pals at Control Arms heartily agree.





I have no idea WTF this one is about, but I'd hate to think that all barcode-tattooed nude dwarfs in cardboard boxes are enemies of freedom--perhaps "Andrew" is just an anomaly. Ya think?

Grading the Graders

I thought I would do a little statistical research myself to see if the Brady Bunch's grading system had any merit other than whining, crying, and pouting.

Sometimes, The Mad Hatter concludes, there are worse things than a failing grade.

It's Just Our Bringin' Up-ke

Cabarrus County law enforcement officials say a new strategy they're adopting will reduce gun-related crime by helping habitual offenders shed their criminal past and start their lives over...

Officials will target habitual violent offenders with arrest histories, including those convicted of homicides, robberies, aggravated assaults and felony gun charges who are on probation, Lang said.

A rousing chorus of Gee, Officer Krupke, anyone...?

We're the Only Ones Adult Enough...

Jamming the barrel of a handgun into a fifth-grader's belly, an enraged Queens parent threatened to shoot the boy in his school playground yesterday - all because he had punched the man's son - the boy and witnesses said...

Antoine said he was walking through the schoolyard of Public School 50 in Jamaica at about 8:15 a.m. when Carlos Ugarte, a federal immigration officer, ran up and grabbed him by the collar.

From this account, it sounds like the reason there was a scuffle in the first place is because the fruit didn't fall very far from the tree. Nice to see he got put on administrative leave. It sure beats what would happen to one of us if similar charges by eyewitnesses were made.

My Kind of Town

I received the following email in response to yesterday's post on rogue Chicago cops terrorizing South Side residents. I have corresponded with this person in the past and found his information and observations to be reliable and insightful--he wishes to retain anonymity because he is concerned about possible reprisals:

I've personally spoken to people in this city who've experienced similar things to what's described in the article. One who comes to mind now is a fellow who was beaten to a pulp and had drugs planted on him by members of the Chicago Police Department.

In another local court case I heard about recently, an (alleged) carjacker who was on parole for attempted murder at the time of the crime was let off the hook even with convincing evidence of his guilt. The jury just wanted to set the guy free and go home. One of them said, "Look, if we get into an argument about this we're gonna have to stay in a hotel tonight!" They made the dissenters as uncomfortable as possible until they got their way.

Garbage like the above is unfortunately quite common. People seem to have lost their sense of outrage. I believe that the populace can be conditioned to police-state tactics and gross injustice until they are apathetic, and that's what seems to have happened in Chicago.-- A Friend of Freedom

Yesterday

Yesterday
Was Second Amendment Saturday
But I forgot and did not say
Forgive me, Stan, for yesterday

And I guess I also owe an apology to Lennon and McCartney. My experience with things poetic generally begins with "There once was a man from Nantuckett..."

Anyway, Free Constitution posted a brief but powerful photo essay.

UPDATE: As long as I'm talking photo essays, I see Gun Show on the Net posted one with a similar theme. E David showed me this in draft form a few days ago, but I've been real busy and got distracted from linking to it. Sorry, E.D.

It looks like I'm apologizing to everyone this morning. Why don't I just go back to bed?

A Matter of Credit

SAF has negotiated an agreement with New Orleans regarding the firearms seized from lawful firearm owners during and after Hurricane Katrina. The issue is pending before the federal court in the case NRA & SAF v. Mayor Ray Nagin.

Meanwhile, over at the NRA press release, we find:

NRA has negotiated an agreement with New Orleans regarding the firearms seized from lawful firearm owners during and after Hurricane Katrina. The issue is pending before the federal court in the case NRA v. Mayor Ray Nagin.

Do you notice the difference between the two?

Anything at all?

China Implements Name Control

The Ministry of Public Security has drawn up new rules and babies’ names must in future be drawn from a database that excludes thousands of rare Chinese characters...With the introduction of electronic identity cards, the authorities will register only names that they decide to include on their database.

If I have any more kids, I want to name them Jingjing and Chacha!

Is there no limit to how much of our lives those in power wish to control? This is a great real-world illustration of how far tyranny against the individual extends, and how deeply it intrudes, when the state enjoys a monopoly of force.

The Hysterical Propagandist Masquerading As A Journalist Award Goes To...

...Bill Ruthhart of The Indianapolis Star, who uses the cloak of "straight news" to present Brady Campaign talking points. In the interests of maintaining the illusion of being fair and balanced, he did include this quote from an NRA spokesman I find interesting:

"Every time you pass a gun control law, the only universe of people you're going to affect are the law-abiding citizens who will follow that law," said Andrew Arulanandam, director of public affairs for the National Rifle Association.

"Criminals don't follow the laws, so why pass them?"

Exactly. So we can count on the mantra being changed from "enforce" to "repeal existing gun laws"?

Rooty Tooty Fresh and Shooty

Police were investigating a late-night dispute at an Anaheim dance club that spilled over to a restaurant early this morning and ended in a fatal shooting, the third at a Denny's restaurant this week in California...

Denny's spokeswoman Debbie Atkins called the shootings tragic...She said the chain is "redoubling" efforts "to provide a safe and welcoming environment."

OK, Debbie, I'll bite. Define "redoubling."

The truth is, if you're a Denny's employee, corporate can't protect you. If you're a customer, the store employees can't protect you. And if you're in California*, graded "A-" by the Brady Campaign for its repressive anti-personal defense laws, chances are you won't be able to legally possess the only proven means of defense against lunatics who open fire in public places.

* California has "may issue" CCW, leaving it to the discretion of the local police/sheriff. In major urban areas like Los Angeles or San Francisco, the average citizen has no chance of getting approval reserved for the elite connected. And yeah, I know I took the title of this post from IHOP, not Denny's.

We're the Only Ones (Allegedly) Terrifying Enough

Members of a South Side family filed a federal lawsuit Thursday claiming they were terrorized for more than a year by a band of rogue cops that would break down their door, handcuff them and steal cash...

In 2004, about three times a week, officers would barge in, handcuff the adults, break valuables and steal money, according to the suit. They would time the home invasions to correspond with the arrival of Social Security checks and paychecks, the suit said.

Go get 'em, Mayor Daley!

Guns in private hands, that is...

God forbid anyone from your CAGE unit or some other cop shakedown squad would get hurt by one of the slaves getting uppity and fighting back...

More from the "We're the Only Ones" Files

[Thanks to HZ]

Black Arrow/RebelFire Are Prometheus Finalists

The Libertarian Futurist Society has announced finalists for this year’s Prometheus Awards, which will be presented during the World Science Fiction Convention August 23-27 in Anaheim, Calif.

The Prometheus finalists for Best Novel recognize pro-freedom novels published last year:
* Chainfire, by Terry Goodkind (TOR Books)
* Learning the World, by Ken MacLeod (TOR)
* 47, by Walter Mosley (Little, Brown and Company)
* The Hidden Family, by Charles Stross (TOR)
* The Black Arrow, by Vin Suprynowicz (Mountain Media)
* RebelFire: Out of the Gray Zone, by Claire Wolfe and Aaron Zelman (RebelFire Press)

I'm glad to see that two of my favorite books made the list. Congratulations, Vin, Aaron and Claire. You folks deserve widespread recognition and gratitude.

And the convention is in Anaheim, which is less than an hour from me. Maybe I'll go.

Then again, I probably won't.

What an oxymoron.

What's So Odious About Andrew Greeley?

Thank you, Andrew Greeley, for hitting it right on the head about the hunting of helpless animals with high-powered weapons and calling it a sport. These so-called sportsmen are nothing more than murderers who want to prove their manhood.

From the Chicago Sun-Times, fourth letter down. The article the writer was praising appears here.

Look at all the prejudicial assumptions the "Reverend" Greeley makes about hunters and fishermen:

A fisherman holds up his catch to be admired and photographed, usually with a stupid smile of pride on his face and a can of beer in his hand.

Yuk, yuk--what a hick! Or how about this?

Better that they kill small animals than other human beings, much less their spouse and children.

Yeah--we see that happening all the time with these sick psycho morons. (Andrew--when?)

Or consider:

Maybe human males are less likely to engage in drunken barroom brawls if they have knocked off earlier in the day a covey of birds or a family of deer or triumphed over a fighting muskie.

Y'know, now that you mention it, I haven't killed anything yet today, and by golly, I DO feel like kicking someone's ass...

Yes, Andrew, we pull the wings off flies and step on lines of ants, just to sate our blood lust. Or how about:

[Th]e toll of sportsmen killed by other sportsmen every year shows just how eager the men with guns are to pull the trigger.

Damn straight. We shoot the hell out of each other in the woods and--what's that? Two hunting fatalities in all of Texas last year? Nationally, over 473 times as many injuries are sustained playing football? And what's this?

I'm not a vegetarian...

No, Andrew, you're not. Let me tell you what you are.

Oh, wait. I already did. And you didn't have the guts or the intellect to respond.

[Thanks to HZ for calling the letter to my attention]

Assault Speed Guns Menace UK Motorists

A FORMER special forces soldier claimed he sped past a roadside cop with a hand-held speed trap — because he thought it was a MACHINE GUN.

Maybe they should be forced to color them bright orange or green...

Paging Jeremy's Mother...

The East Orange, NJ Police Department is getting ready to greatly enlarge its ranks, with what's being called the "Virtual Community Patrol."

Soon-to-be-chosen residents will get access to a a Web site that provides panoramic views of their block, allows them to type in general complaints, pinpoint a problem location, immediately send that information to police headquarters, and simultaneously activate hidden police surveillance cameras, Police Director Jose Cordero said.

If you don't understand the title reference, it's because you haven't read RebelFire 1.0: Out of the Gray Zone.

Why not?

What's stopping you?

[Drudge link via John Schaefer]

Another Brady "A-List" Success Story

A transient armed with two guns opened fire inside a Denny's restaurant during lunch hour Wednesday, killing two men and wounding a husband and wife before taking his own life, police said.

People fled in panic or hid in the bathroom.

Being a transient living in his car, it is highly unlikely the perpetrator was in compliance with California's "may issue if we feel like it" carrying permit laws. Still, "gun control" advocates should take heart that this happened in a Brady Campaign "A-" rated state, meaning the attacker could rely on the probability that none of the "law-abiding" customers or employees would have the capability to return fire.

Perhaps once the microstamping and personalized handgun edicts are passed, and California brings that grade up to an "A+", tragedies like this will cease once and for all.

Is It Just Me...?

"What goes through the mind of a serial killer?" the blurb for News at 11 teases?

Why is it that my only and immediate thought was "cavitation"?

The Gunless Biathlete

"At the moment, all my rifles are supplied (by competition organisers) so it's a different weapon every time. Probably more than 40 per cent of the guys I race have their own guns and I think that's a huge advantage for them...In and out of Australia is a real pain because we have the toughest gun licensing laws around."

So much for "sporting purposes"...