Sheriff Bill Brown's Illustrated Guide to Gun-Related Causes

Letter of Cause:



Postcard of Cause :



Cause for Concern:



Just Because:


Note that telling them you have an unalienable Constitutionally-guaranteed right to keep and bear arms is not acceptable as good cause. Is everyone starting to get the picture?

Shocking the Conscience

School hid rapes of four 1st-graders

Student, 12, was allowed to stay in school after first assault

And this has what do do with gun rights?

Indirectly, this:

The case has also illustrated how difficult it can be under the law for parents to hold a school system responsible for the safety of their children...

In federal court last month, the district’s lawyer, John Freund III, argued that under the Constitution school officials cannot be held responsible simply for failing to protect youngsters from assaults by other students.

He cited federal court rulings that say school systems are generally immune from paying damages unless it can be shown that they actually took “affirmative” steps that put youngsters in danger, and that the action taken “shocks the conscience.”

I'd say this shocks my conscience:

You're compelled by law to give up the means to defend yourself and your children, and the same law is fixed so that no one is liable if people die as a result.

But then again, maybe it's just me:

First, we 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.

We're the Faux Only Ones Enough

Farmington police say that a 25-year-old man with a history as a sex offender has entered a middle school at least ten times while dressed as a police officer.

Why do you think they call him "Officer Friendly"?

It's amazing how most have been conditioned to respond to a uniform, and unquestioningly attribute amazing "Only Ones" powers and principles to the man wearing it. Anyone think there's not intent behind producing such a widespread conditioned response?

We're the Only Ones Behaving Like Occupiers Enough

When two men delivering furniture for a reputable retailer end up getting shot by a customer, something has gone terribly wrong. When the shooter is a police officer and the incident took place in Prince George's County, alarm bells go off -- uh-oh, here we go again, say residents who have lived through all too many cases involving overzealous cops.

Then, when the police department leaps to the shooter's defense -- announcing initially, before any investigation, that the unarmed deliverymen would probably be charged with assault -- the groans of exasperation grow louder. [More]

"Out here, I am the court" just about says it all, doesn't it?

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

[Via K-ROMULUS]

This Day in History: February 9

Future New Jersey Governor Joseph Bloomfield becomes captain of the third New Jersey Regiment of Foot in the Continental Army on this day in 1776.

A Piece of the Action

The federal government will not file criminal charges against any of the 15 out-of-state gun dealers accused by Mayor Bloomberg in a federal lawsuit of selling guns illegally, the Daily News has learned.

In a stern rebuke to the city's high-profile crusade against illegal guns, the feds warned the Bloomberg administration that it could face "potential legal liabilities" if it continues to conduct sting operations that fall within the jurisdiction of federal agents.

Looks like the Feds don't want the Iotians muscling in on their territory. What were we just saying about gangland turf wars?

I wonder if Bloomberg knows how to play Fizzbin?

A Dime's Worth of Difference

Cook County commissioners proposed a flurry of new taxes and fees Tuesday as they scramble to find money to stave off planned budget cuts for next year...

Commissioners proposed...A 10-cents-per-bullet ammunition tax.

Well, let's just see--harassing constituent gun owners, destroying legitimate businesses and creating a new financial opportunity for parking lot car trunk sales by already established criminal networks, not to mention driving business and revenues out of Cook County--I wonder if these geniuses could have screwed things up any worse if that had been their intent?

Let the gangland turf wars for control of sales territory begin! And then, of course, we can blame the guns even more.

[Via Nathan F]

Chapter 44 Project

Original Intent's Chapter 44 Project has been named for the main piece of federal anti-gun legislation -- United States Code, Title 18, Chapter 44 -- the Federal Firearms Act. We encourage you to read what Chapter 44 really says and what it actually means. A groundbreaking treatise on the proper application of Chapter 44 can be read at http://www.originalintent.org/edu/chapter44.php.

To our knowledge, this groundbreaking information has never been adjudicated by a federal court. We believe it is the key to ending the infringement of the right to keep and bear arms enjoyed by the Citizens of the states of the Union.

Preliminary indications are that national groups that purport to support your right to keep and bear arms are rejecting the idea of using the information, nor will they even disseminate the information to their members. In short, they appear to be placing a gag on the facts. Again, we have to ask "Why?"

An interesting treatise. It brings to mind some questions, primarily, even if they're right, what makes them think the federal judges would allow it to be brought out in open court (I'm thinking Wayne Fincher here)?

Still, it always irritates me no end when the unimaginative among us immediately dismiss a novel idea and insist on staying the course that led us into the morass. This is something that a lot of thought and research has gone into, and it deserves an open mind.

I'll send a link to this post to Dave Champion at Original Intent, and see if he'd like to set aside a day when he can answer some no holds barred questions from me and anyone else who wishes to chime in, kind of like what we did in the David Hardy and Matthew Bracken interviews.

[Via Jeff from Wisconsin]

Wayne Fincher Update: February 8

Per Paul W. Davis, the docket for USA v. Hollis Wayne Fincher has been updated with the Response to Motion for Arrest of Judgment.

I see our wonderful "Department of Justice" is arguing that in camera betrayals and side bar savaging are all the due process one needs to afford the mere peasantry. After all, the relevant statutes "are within the authority granted to Congress under the Constitution," as long as we forget that inconvenient bit about "shall not be infringed," and previous stare decisis power grabs give the whole foul process a surface mask of legality.

[More about Wayne Fincher via WarOnGuns]

This Day in History: February 8

Just six months after his release as a prisoner-of-war, Major Timothy Bigelow becomes colonel of the 15th Massachusetts Colonial Line of the Continental Army on this day in 1777.

Space Happy

Meanwhile, court documents showed Shipman said Nowak used her government contacts to research her and possibly find her in Orlando...

That certainly makes me want to share even more of my personal information...

And what else have we learned?

Despite being subjected to years of exhaustive batteries of medical and psychological tests by the best specialists NASA has to offer, the unrequited diaper-wearer appears certifiable.

So much for mandating psychological testing for gun owners.

We also see that the intended victim had no means to defend herself--since she was coming off a flight, she was prohibited by law from possessing a defensive weapon, and the government had agents scan her and her luggage before she got on the flight just to make sure.

Kind of makes you wonder just who's crazy here...

We're the Only Ones With High Respect for the Law Enough

A former police officer accused of illegally selling hundreds of guns has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.

Mark Nelson, 35, his wife and two other family members each pleaded guilty in August to one count of making a false statement in the acquisition of a firearm. He received the maximum sentence Tuesday from U.S. District Judge Edmund Sargus Jr.

“I’ve always had high respect for the law,” Nelson said.

Let's see, he "put 501 guns on the streets" but "pleaded guilty...to one count of making a false statement in the acquisition of a firearm."

Not a bad trade ratio.

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

At Last, Common Ground

Gisela Marin isn't the first mourning mother to channel her grief into activism.

But if she has her way, she will be the last.

I'll drink to that.

Gun-Free Sheep Pens for UoU GFWs?

A proposed gun ban on university campuses throughout the state was unveiled Tuesday, with several gun-rights groups saying the measure has no teeth and gives people "a false sense of security" on campus.

SB251, sponsored by Sen. Greg Bell, R-Fruit Heights, would allow students to choose to room only with students who do not have concealed weapons permits and let faculty designate their offices as gun-free zones.

An individual faculty member would have to write a letter requesting no concealed weapons be allowed in his or her office, as well as post a sign declaring the office gun-free. The school would also be required to provide some type of secure gun storage outside of faculty offices so concealed carry permit holders could store weapons before entering a gun-free office.

At first glance, I'd say the gun activists fighting this lack a sense of humor, because this has gotta be an in-your-face to the enuretics. The only thing I'd add to the bill is a requirement for anti-gun students and faculty to wear sheep costumes with targets painted on them while on campus. That, and addressing anyone who has chosen not to render themselves contemptible as "Master."

This Day in History: February 7

In London on this day in 1775, Benjamin Franklin publishes “An Imaginary Speech” in defense of American courage.

Franklin’s “speech” was intended to counter an unnamed officer’s comments to Parliament that the British need not fear the colonial rebels, because “Americans are unequal to the People of this Country [Britain] in Devotion to Women, and in Courage, and…worse than all, they are religious.”

A Weiner in the White House?

Michael Savage...says he may leave the airwaves to make a bid for the presidency.

Why not?

All the other "conservatives" are frauds, so what's one more?

We're the Only Ones Speedy Enough

A Bartow County couple is fighting back against neighborhood speeders. Lee and Teresa Sipple live at the bottom of a steep hill outside of Rome and say most motorists ignore the posted speed limit and zoom by their house, endangering them and their 2-year-old son. But now, fighting back could land them in jail.

Lee and Teresa Sipple have an upcoming court date to see if they will be arrested for messing with a cop...

Lee says his most surprising catch yet? A neighbor who ought to know better. “Kennesaw police officer...

According to the warrant affidavit filed by Officer Perrone, he says the Sipples did harass him by sending his employer multiple e-mails in an effort to get him in trouble. Kennesaw Police say they are investigating and have counseled Perrone before for improperly flashing his badge at the Sipples.

I guess the Sipples didn't realize they were messing with an "Only One."

Air Head Judge Rules Air Gun a Weapon

An AirSoft gun might not be able to cause that much physical damage, but Judge John S. Kennedy determined Monday that the plastic BB-shooting guns, designed to be safer than traditional metal projectile BB and pellet guns, are capable of causing serious bodily injury - at least to the eye.

And for that, this evil tyrant sentenced the young man to "130 days to 23 months" of captivity, locking him in with brutal, vicious animals who will no doubt welcome the fresh, innocent young meat.

The bast*** had even "tabled an offered plea." Oh, but he relied on stare decisis, woudn't you know. Nothing we can do about that--our hands are tied.

This kid got railroaded by an absurd "law," a more absurd precedent, a "public defender", and a cowardly judicial tyrant.

It's nice if you have the faith to believe that some day, these black-robed Nazgûl will stand before another Judge, but it would also be nice to see them reap rewards for their tyranny in this life, and wind up in the same chains they worked their lives to help forge.

God, this has me mad.

The "Only Ones" Loophole...

You know that beating of a rookie cop in Queens from yesterday? It turns out that suspect victim Danny Fernandez was staking out cops so he could steal a gun. Fernandez had been waiting three hours until decided to attack Officer Joseph Cho with a baseball bat in Jackson Heights at 1AM.

Who needs gun shows when you have walking display cases delivered right to your neighborhood?

And before dismissing this as bringing a bat to a gunfight, note he'd have probably gotten away with it if other "Only Ones" hadn't been nearby. An interesting clip involving knives and guns is posted at Crime, Guns and Video Tape.

It's one of the reasons why I prefer concealed vs. open carry--unless and until that becomes common practice, I'd just as soom blend in with the background noise, thank you.

We're the Only Ones With a Vested Interest Enough

A police officer making a traffic stop escaped serious injury when a bullet fired accidentally by a fellow officer struck his protective vest, police said.

I wonder if they'll start calling the negligent "Only One" "Clod" Torres...?

Here's another take on this.

[Via AC]

David Hardy "Gun Talk" Interview

Those of you who read and participated in yesterday's WarOnGuns interview with David Hardy should also enjoy Tom Gresham's radio interview.

We're all going to buy a copy of Hardy's "In Search of the Second Amendment" DVD to educate ourselves and others with, right?

We're going to do it today, right?

Guilty Verdict Extinguishes Our Light

The lights are going out all over the United States. Another one went out Jan. 12, when “Compassionate Conservative” Judge Jimm Hendren kicked the Constitution (U.S. and Arkansas) out of his courtroom by disallowing its mention, then made the jury leave the courtroom during Wayne Fincher’s own reasoned, knowledgeable defense of his militia and his weapons.

Barbara McCutchen got her letter printed in the Times Record, and it's a good one.

[More about Wayne Fincher via WarOnGuns]

This Day in History: February 6

1778: France recognizes US, signs treaty of aid in Paris (First US treaty). England immediately declares war on France.

1788: Massachusetts becomes the sixth of the United States.

"In Search of the Second Amendment"--An Interview With David T. Hardy

A growing body of serious research, led by eminent professors, historians, lawyers and Constitutional scholars, is providing overwhelming evidence that “the people” of the Second Amendment refers to you and me.

That introduction is from the March 2007 issue of GUNS Magazine, where I review attorney and author David T. Hardy's new documentary, "In Search of the Second Amendment."

My conclusion:

David Hardy has given us an important tool to use in educating ourselves and others.

Here's a brief summary about Mr. Hardy and his film:

David T. Hardy served as producer and director of In Search of the Second Amendment. He is an attorney and Second Amendment author, whose 1974 law review article, “Of Arms and the Law” played a key role in beginning the academic rediscovery of the Second Amendment.

Hardy is author of five books, including “Origins and Development of the Second Amendment” and the N.Y. Times bestseller “Michael Moore Is A Big Fat Stupid White Man,” which rebutted Moore’s slander of the NRA, Charlton Heston, and gun owners. He is also author of twelve law review articles, including one on firearms laws that has been cited by the U.S. Supreme Court and eleven of the thirteen U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals.

“I spent thirty years researching the right to arms, and four years of my life creating this film. My purpose was to produce something not only educational, but compelling. There’s been enough preaching to the choir. I wanted to produce something that would win hearts and minds, that would convert anyone with an halfway open mind into someone who appreciates and values the American right to arms.”

And now on to the interview...

---------------

DC: There are plenty of books on the subject of the Second Amendment. Why do we need a DVD?

DH: There are indeed plenty of books on the right to arms -- almost all of them written by people interviewed in the documentary. If you want a thorough grounding in the Second Amendment, you can buy 2-3-4 of them, and spend a week or two reading them and trying to memorize their content. Or you can watch the movie, and learn all you need to know in two hours. And this time, you'll remember it all.

It's also great for educating your children, and winning over the undecided. A week's reading assignment will be a chore for the first, and laughed off by the second. Offer them an entertaining and educational movie, and you'll win them over.

I mean -- how many people have read a book on 18th century naval history, but watched "Master and Commander?"

DC: Give us a synopsis of your video—what should someone who is thinking of buying it expect?

DH: The *complete* story of the right to arms, beginning with the earliest Britsh law, moving forward to the colonies, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. From there to the earliest American legal commentators, all of whom said it was an individual right. Then the Black experience -- disarmed under Slave Codes, and then under the Black Codes, which led to the 14th Amendment (1868), which was meant to stop state disarmaments of people. Then the use of arms in the civil rights period -- "nonviolence" got the press, but a lot of civil rights workers survived because they were armed. Finally, the current value of the right to arms, genocide, preservation of democracy, 2.5 million defensive uses per year.

This isn't me talking (I do the narration, just to fill gaps) but twelve professors of constitutional law, attorneys, Prof. Kleck on the 2.5 million uses, two armed civil rights workers.

DC: What do you say to someone who says times have changed, that history is interesting but not relevant to the present? After all, it’s not like we have citizen militias any more.

DH: And we saw the impact of that in Hurricane Katrina. Organize people, and they're a pack. Don't, and in a disaster they become a helpless herd.

Several of the professors address just that question. At a practical level, Prof. Reynolds discusses how his idea of an international right to arms, to prevent genocide, is gaining some traction. Prof. Kleck discusses 2.5 million defensive uses. Two attorneys discuss how the police have no legal duty to protect you.

And Prof. Barnett points out that if people want others to respect their rights, they must be prepared to respect our rights to arms; any method that can be used to destroy the second amendment can be used to destroy any other right, as well.

DC: Who is your audience, or put another way, what’s your plan to get your message outside the circle of gun owners who agree with you, especially to people who have formed their opinions based on what they learned in school or picked up from the mainstream media?

DH: My first effort is to get it out there -- which means to activists. They can become an Army of Davids, to use Prof. Reynolds' book title. With this DVD, each gunowner can become a one-man or one-woman PR firm for the right to arms.

From there, I can try to expand, to radio talk shows, that manner of thing, and carry the message further.

To help them with that, I put a license on the website. After April 1, any purchaser can show the DVD on local cable TV without limit. The antis have no comparable tool. We can swamp them.

DC: You make a point of illustrating the role firearms played in the defense of civil rights. Why is it that today’s minority leaders not only don’t tell their followers about this history, but many actively promote citizen disarmament in the very communities where individuals are most at risk from violence?

DH: I suspect it's largely a matter of fashion. "Nonviolence" caught the media eye, and nobody is going to go against that tide. But the civil rights workers I have in the film said that, while the leadership back in New York or wherever was appealing to nonviolence, most civil rights workers went nowhere without a gun. One says that when he came into the office after being chased by the Klan, all the others asked him why he didn't use his gun, and he was startled when one pulled a revolver out of his pocket, gave it to him, and said it was a loaner, he had another one in the car.

DC: Do you think a bunch of academics are going to appeal to “ordinary” people?

DH: These ones will. All are incredibly articulate -- no eggheads here. Actually, law profs are rarely eggheads. They're training people to survive in a courtroom, not a library.

DC: Are you getting much help spreading the word from pro-gun organizations, gun magazines, websites, etc.?

DH: Some. NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund was very, very helpful. Gun Owners' Foundation helped, too. Paladin Press and Ruger helped as well.

Gun Owners and JPFO have ordered some to distribute, and some gun bloggers have helped to promote it. I've sent review copies to a number of gun magazines, but the only response has been from Gun Week, Soldier of Fortune, and you.

DC: What can supporters do to help you promote this documentary and expand its audience?

DH: Get one, or better yet two, and give the spare to your school or library. Show it on cable TV. If you have an email list, tell them about it.

DC: Assuming you recoup your production costs, what are your plans to grow your audience?

DH: If I can make enough, I'd like to start running ads (I had only enough for one to date) to get it out there. I'd also like to hire a publicist to lobby for radio talk show coverage.

I may this year start work on a followup that will deal with the history of the modern gun and antigun movements. I've got 30 years of research there, too. There's history there, and nobody's getting younger. We've already lost the two key players, Harlon Carter and Neal Knox.

---------------

I'd like to thank Mr. Hardy for participating in this interview, and for putting up with my playing "Devil's Advocate" on a few of these questions.

He has agreed to check in from time to time today to answer questions from WarOnGuns visitors. Please--it will be appreciated if everyone follows a few simple ground rules: Stay on topic, give others a chance, and keep your question brief. Just post your question below as a "Comment," and he will do the same--please also note that we don't expect him to be hostage to his keyboard all day waiting for queries to pop up. It's OK to ask a question if his answer to the previous one hasn't appeared yet--he'll get to them as he checks in.

I haven't established a cut-off time for this--he'll let us know when he needs to check out.

---------------

Here's how you can order your own copy of "In Search of the Second Amendment":

Send check or money order for 24.95, plus $2 s&h (Arizona residents add $1.52 sales tax) to:
Second Amendment Films
8987 E. Tanque Verde
PMB 265
Tucson AZ 85749

Or click on the "Buy Now" Visa/Mastercard icon in the left margin of the documentary website.

UPDATE: INTERVIEW OVER, THANKS FOR CHECKING IN, BUT THIS TOOK PLACE FOR ONE DAY ONLY, SO COMMENTS ARE NOW CLOSED.

Swabbing Away at Freedom

The Justice Department is completing rules to allow the collection of DNA from most people arrested or detained by federal authorities, a vast expansion of DNA gathering...The amendment permits DNA collecting from anyone under criminal arrest by federal authorities...

Not "convicted," mind you...

Y'know, I've been "detained" by federal guards at Border Patrol checkpoints (that are a hundred miles from the border!) asking me questions before permitting me to drive on. I've been "detained" by TSA employees at airports...

Just relying on the language of this article, I could see swabbing checkpoints. And why limit it to the feds? I know my local "Only Ones" need all the tools we can give them...

I know--in today's era of heightened Homeland Security, where Lite-Brite Mooninites could show up on any corner to imperil us all, we need to make some personal sacrifices.

Maybe we could make a DNA check an integral part of clearing gun purchases! Who could possibly be against that common sense measure for the children, especially if it saves one life?

The scary thing is, government feels confident enough to publicly propose this stuff.

And remember, our enemies hate us because we're free.

About That Vote...

Westchester gun-licensing plan up for vote today...

Basically, they're deciding on which set of bureaucrats gets delegated with the charter to infringe on the right of the people to keep and bear arms.

I wasn't aware that I gave another human being authority to vote on my unalienable rights. Were you?

What if they all got together and voted that you couldn't own a non-approved book, or go to the church of your choice? What if they voted they could board their enforcers at your house any time they so decreed? What if they voted they could arbitrarily enter your house and search it and you any time they wanted, and use what they found against you in criminal proceedings? What if they voted they could force you to testify against yourself? What if they voted they could just take your property without compensation, or hold you without charges, or convict you without due process, or deprive you of the right to trial by jury? What if they voted they could punish you with torture or disfigurement? What if they voted to deny you a host of other rights, and to assume powers never intended for or delegated to them?

Why should a vote that abrogates the Second Amendment be considered any less of a tyrannical outrage? But that's assuming all the other Rights have been left untouched. How many have they already" voted" on? How many rights have been trampled, how many powers usurped?

And how many of our relatives, friends and neighbors are even aware of what is being stolen from themselves and their children, let alone give a damn? Any bets on the results if gun licensing was decided by popular vote?

We're the Only Ones In Flagrante Delicto Enough

The Mayor of St. Ann's Bay, Delroy Giscombe, has been slapped with charges of illegal possession of firearm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault at common law, stemming from an incident in Bamboo, St. Ann, two months ago...

The complainant Donald Herd, a St. Ann taxi man, told police that he was assaulted and threatened by Mr. Giscombe after catching the mayor in bed with his (Mr. Herd's) wife at the plaintiff's home last December.

Sounds like Wifey wasn't the only one who got scr....

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

We're the Only Ones Negatively Charged Enough

The trial of a Pinellas County deputy accused of misusing his stun gun on a man in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan is scheduled to begin Monday. Deputy Richard Farnham of Tampa is accused of kicking and using the stun gun on Navarre resident Daniel Thompson.

It sounds like that charge had quite a kick to it. Let's just hope The Amazing Electro and Lightning Lord don't find out about someone else horning in on their act.

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

We're the Only Ones uh...Monopolar Enough?

Two witnesses say a bipolar man killed Friday night was unarmed, on his knees and holding his hands in the air when Fort Myers police officers shot him.

Thank goodness he was unarmed--we wouldn't want violent crazy people running around with guns.

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

This Day in History: February 5

On this day in 1777, Georgia formally adopts a new state constitution and becomes the first U.S. state to abolish the inheritance practices of primogeniture and entail.

We're the Only Ones Until Death Do Us Part Enough

Prosecutors have charged a retired New York City police officer with the murder of his ex-wife, who was a member of the Kane Triplets in the 1960s...

Mr. Galtieri filed for divorce in 1999. He came out on the losing end of the fight for the family’s assets when his wife produced evidence that he had violently abused her for decades.

[Via Declan]

Reminder: David Hardy Interview Tomorrow

We're going to be discussing his new documentary, "In Search of the Second Amendment." Mark your calendars and think of a question that you'd like to ask him.

UPDATE: I forgot to mention, he'll be the featured guest on Tom Gresham's Gun Talk today at 3:05 pm EST.

New WarOnGuns Poll: Likelihood of Armed Resistance in Your Lifetime

See the left margin for the new poll, created from a suggestion posted by regular correspondent Straightarrow.

Last week's poll results (click on picture to enlarge):

What was the reasoning used, and upon which reason all American governments were intended to be founded?

29

The Free Wayne Webring continues to grow...

"Gun Scare" Clears Concourse: Boogedy-Boogedy!

A concourse at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport was cleared Friday night and five planes unloaded after a security worker saw what was believed to be a gun passing through an X-ray machine...

But I guess stopping the conveyor belt and checking inside the bag would have been too complicated.

All I can say is, we're damned lucky no Lite-Brite Mooninites were involved. Speaking of which, if you'd like to design your own city-crippling terror device, have I got a website for you!

We're the Only Ones Friendly to Work With Enough

A former patrol officer of the Myrtle Point Police Department is in custody after being arrested for multiple sex crimes against a child...

Myrtle Point police officials did not want to talk about the accusations, or charges, but they did say Barnett was friendly to work with...

I'll bet he was.

Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?

[Via Y. Can Aire]

This Day in History: February 4

On this day in 1789, George Washington becomes the first and only president to be unanimously elected by the Electoral College. He repeated this notable feat on the same day in 1792.

GUNS Magazine, February 1957

IF YOU WANT to out-shoot and out-hunt the experts, take the sage advice of one of the world's best shooters and hunters, the Rev. Oswald T. McGinn, a 78-year-old Catholic priest now in retirement. The gun-toting padre has not retired from shooting and hunting, however, and he can hit just about anything he shoots at. His unconventional technique violates every rule in the book, except the Good Book. Seeing some of the many exhibition shoots he has given might make one wonder if his bullets are guided by the sure hand of God.

"The Shooting Priest of Texas"--is that a great title or what? I can't begin to tell you the sense of joy it gave me to read about this wonderful man, and the sense of contempt I feel for some of his modern-day counterparts. Things sure were different 50 years ago, right down to Fr. McGinn being welcomed in schools to teach the kids real gun safety, as opposed to today's hysteria reflex conditioning. I haven't been able to locate any more about him on the internet, so if you have any information, please share it with us.

This issue also features "The Case for Legalized Machine Guns", which demonstrates how "matches train Swedes for national defense" (incidentally, according to Firearms Laws in Sweden, unless the law has changed in the last few years, they still do, albeit with some stringent requirments), and gives us another great and authoritative quote about the National Firearms Act of 1934--burn this one into memory:

Lt. Col. George M. Chinn of the US. Marine Corps, has stated: "No single law has done more to damage the national defense of the United States than that machine gun act."

Also in this issue:

• "Pistol Shooting at Rifle Ranges"
• "America's Youngest African Hunter"
• "Making a Handgun Holster at Home"
• "The Rawest Racket in Hunting"
• And much more, including the classic period ads

Download your copy now. It's free, at least until it disappears in a few months to be replaced by "newer" issues. But if you missed previous issues, don't worry--GUNS Magazine is putting them on CDs for a very reasonable price.

A Request for BIDS

While I find no Constitutional authority for the Feds to conduct background checks at all, I don’t realistically expect my point of view to prevail any time soon. Interestingly, Puckett and Howard share that view. Still, BIDS truly represents a rollback of infringements without giving up any ground through compromise, and would do much toward eliminating the danger of a gun owner registration database.

"A Request for BIDS," my February 2007 Rights Watch column for GUNS Magazine, is now online.

[More on BIDS]

Out of the Frying Pan

In Minnesota, 74-year-old farmer Kenneth Englund is in trouble with the law for chasing down a suspected thief and holding him at bay with an unloaded shotgun...

Meanwhile, in the nation's capital, The Washington Post today tells how retired lawyer Gary Peterson helped police collar a fleeing robbery suspect by conking the guy on the head with a frying pan. The kid had burst into Peterson's kitchen.

What stands out for me is that in the situation with the gun, actual violence was avoided.

Here's what I think explains the different attitudes conveyed by the authorities:

[W]e liked his choice of weapon...

You'll notice they don't like the choice enough to deploy with skillets instead of guns themselves.

We're the Only Ones Stopping and Frisky Enough

The New York Police Department released new information yesterday showing that police officers stopped 508,540 individuals on New York City streets last year — an average of 1,393 stops per day — often searching them for illegal weapons. The number was up from 97,296 in 2002, the last time the department divulged 12 months’ worth of data.

Let's just put this in perspective:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

But I'm sure this plenty of stare decisis to back up "The Only Ones" on this, and a defendant or his attorney would be charged with contempt of court if they attempted to taint the jury's opinions with something as subversive as the Bill of Rights...

And just remember: Our enemies hate us because we're free!

Bustin' Caps at the "Gun Culture"

The authors...say they hope to explicate "gun culture," which they never define, while also absolving hip-hop, in which many lyrics glorify guns and gun violence, of responsibility for gun violence.

Which means this is just total drek from the get-go, seeing as how to explicate means to detail and analyze. Maybe they meant "implicate"?

Regardless, here's a little real world test we can apply:

What percentage of drive-by's, gangland shootings, armed robberies, etc. were committed last month by people who identify themsleves with the gangsta rap culture, whether it's going to the clubs, buying the music, etc. Now how many similar incidents have been committed in the past century by those who identify themselves as NRA, GOA and JPFO members, and just to be fair, we'll include smaller regional groups like VCDL, RMGO, etc.?

Does this mean I'm blaming (c)rap music? Not at all, although I do believe the more misogynistic, racist and thug variants of the genre provide a pretty good character indicator for people I don't particularly want to be around.

This Day in History: February 3

On the evening of February 3, 1781, American General Nathanael Greene and his troops successfully cross the Yadkin River to evade General Charles Cornwallis. The crossing followed consecutive Patriot losses at the Catawba River and at Tarrant’s Tavern, as well as heavy rainfall on February 1, which Greene feared would soon make the river impassable.

Carnival of the Only Ones 2

Come on in, right through the turnstile here. Welcome to another Carnival of the Only Ones. Want a map of the grounds, or are you just going to wander? Right over there is the midway. Where should we go first?

Well, what the heck--it's my show, so I'll start if off with Wonders from The WarOnGuns:

We begin with this Circassian Beauty--Hubba, hubba, step back, gents. Who doesn't love a woman out of uniform, out of a car, out of her service pistol? And friend Bounty Hunter tells us there's an amateur dance contest open to all you young ladies going on under your...uh...THE Big Top!

Next we have the amazing self-firing handgun. Or was it a cell phone?

Don't get too close--it's The Amazing Electro, who can discharge bolts of Jovian wrath into his youthful assistant and still remain on active duty!

Next we wander over to the shooting gallery, where Y. Can Aire points out some amazing "feets" of marksmanship. I'll bet that was one "Only One" who was hopping mad!

But enough levity. Longtime WoG contributor Straightarrow calls our attention to Madame Nicki's, where she's featuring The Only Ones' Salute to Disabled Septuagenarian War Vets, a performance sure to make you wave your arms in patriotic fervor--assuming they haven't been yanked behind your back to aggravate old war wounds. It must be a great show, because BobG and his friends can't stop talking about it.

One thing we pride ourselves on here at The Only Ones Carnival is giving our customers a good deal. .45 Superman tells us to go visit the Pima County Sheriff's booth--offers like this won't last. Sorry, no rain checks, no returns, but Declan says you might want to ask for a sales slip anyway.

One of the best things about a carnival is the food. Kettle corn. Cotton candy. Funnel cakes. Sno-Cones. M-mmm. But correspondent NF tell us it's also important for some of us to watch our diets and make sure we get enough fiber. Along with enough illegal handguns, but when you're an alderman, you're also an "Only One," and the regular rules don't apply. (Arenda Troutman's colon? Suddenly, I've lost my appetite. Too bad, because Cowboy Blob tells us there's a Subway concession.)

But that's OK, because frequent correspondent 1894C reports there's more action afoot again back at the shooting gallery--you can't say The Only Ones aren't putting their best foot forward for this carnival.

Hey, who feels like trying out some of the rides? Hairy Hobbit suggests we try The Streak. Wait--that's not a ride--it involves someone without clothes getting some Amazing Electro action over at the food area--I knew we should have gotten a map at the entrance--we just went around full circle.

Does anyone need to use one of the clean rest facilities the Carnival prides itself on (well, assuming Arenda hasn't been there first)? Tavis S. points the way, and tells us even there you might walk away with a prize. Tavis also tells us that apparently, some kind of fundraiser involving dirty cars is being held.

Fits knows the importance of safety at any Carnival, and lets us know that in case of emergencies, there's a security tent set up to take your report and respond as only The Only Ones can.

.45 Superman has just returned from the dealer tables and tells us we absolutely gotta check out one of the most amazing acts ever performed at the Carnival: The Psychic Psychiatrist, the Mental Mindreader, that Enforcer of Emotion, Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle, who claims "[We're] the only ones who know whether the applicant is suicidal or is hallucinating about intruders."

OK, Omnipotent Only One--what card did I pick? The King of Clubs? Amazing--how does he do it? Or am I just hallucinating?

Hyunchback tells us he just had an electrifying experience--no, he hasn't circled back to Amazing Electro's show, he's found a worthy rival for AE (we'll bill him as Lightning Lord), who is passing on his awesome powers to the next generation in an in-your-face performance. We're sure you'll get a charge out of his act--or at least the little girls in the audience will.


And now we direct your attention to above the throngs, above the midway, above the law! Civis Proeliator announces The High-Flying Only Ones, who perform their legislature-defying act without a net! (I can't look!)

Well, that's it for this Only Ones Carnival. A big thanks to all who participated and contributed. I hope everybody had a good time. If you really want to get your money's worth, now that you've seen the highlights, take some time and go explore some of the fine blogs linked to here.

And remember:

The purpose of "The Only Ones" has never been to bash cops. The only reason I do this is to amass a credible body of evidence to present when those who would deny our right to keep and bear arms use the argument that only the police are professional and trained enough to do so safely and responsibly. And it's also used to illustrate when those of official status, rank or privilege, both in law enforcement and in some other government position, get special breaks not available to we commoners, particularly when they're involved in gun-related incidents.

St. Paul Wants it Gone (Freedom, that is...)

They give cops nightmares — and now St. Paul is considering a ban on brandishing realistic toy guns in public.

Sorry, Billy. You'll just need to ride that horse...I mean, bike outta here. If Lite Brite Mooninites can send waves of panic through officialdom, well, you, you're just gonna make some folks 'round here wet themselves.

And this is my "good" modern day scenario. In the alternate ending, the unleashed dog is the first to get it, and Billy, well, Billy should have never "went for his waistband."

The Evil Alien Prosecutor

Deliveryman who shot 2 is charged

Prosecutors say shootings justified, but gun concealed

See, the prosecutor is that captured alien from "Independence Day," who, when asked "What do you want from us?" replied:

We want you to die.

This really makes me want to hang around and file a police report.

[Via KU]

This Day in History: February 2

On this day in 1781, American General Nathanael Greene receives two bags of specie (coin as opposed to paper currency) from Elizabeth Maxwell Steele at her tavern in Salisbury, North Carolina--an incident later memorialized in a painting by Alonzo Chappel.

Well Now, Isn't This Nice...

Blogger wouldn't let me post this morning until I switched over to the "new" (no longer Beta) version.

Now it looks like all internal links to previous posts don't work.

Whatever happened to "if it ain't broke don't fix it"? This screws me up big time, right down to being unable to access "The Only Ones" files.

It looks like my options are what? Join one of their forums and see if anybody replies? And then spend months learning techno-geek so I know what they're talking about?

Aarrrgh!

OK, I've calmed down now--I'll go look through "Blogger help" and see if I can find an actual email address to get a live human being. As if I have time for this.

Meanwhile, if anybody has already been through this curve, I've got one word:

HELP!

UPDATE: Looks like I'm not alone.

WarOnGuns to Interview David Hardy

I'll be interviewing attorney and author David T. Hardy on Monday about his new documentary, "In Search of the Second Amendment."

As with the Matt Bracken interview, Mr. Hardy will be checking in on the comments from time to time during the day and answering your questions.

Mark your calendars and think of what you want to ask--this should be good.

24

That's how many blogs have joined the Free Wayne Webring so far.


[More about Wayne Fincher via WarOnGuns]

I Guess if You Look at it That Way...

One person who works for Bloomberg put it best when he said this "really isn't about gun control, it's about crime control."

Yeah--don't think of this as rape, think of it as an arranged marriage...

[Via Declan]

So That Explains It

Why Gavin Newsom doesn't want people in San Francisco having guns, that is...

What kind of creep would do this to a good friend and supporter? I guess the same kind who would allow his underage companion to drink.

Oh, but he said if she did, he didn't notice. Well, for a guy who shows up at vigils for mortally wounded police officers plastered, that's not hard to believe.

My favorite line:

Gavin ought to resign and seek psychiatric help.

So naturally, this head case who can't even control his own life presses for more control over the lives of his subjects--and the inmates love him for it, giving him better than a 70% approval rating.

Night of the Evil Gun

Guns don’t like living beings. Their goal is to eliminate living beings.

I dunno, Mr. Gerard, my guns like me just fine. They've been behaving themselves like perfect little non-sentient inanimate tools for decades now, with nary a hint of hostility or aggression.

Maybe it's just you they don't like? Based on your idiotic and offensive belief system, that would seem to be the most plausible explanation. I mean, I don't like you either.

[Via 1894C]

Mooninites Invade Boston

"This is a perfect example of our passengers taking part in Homeland Security..."

Good grief.

I guess this business of making paranoia our national pastime is working.

Why don't "the authorities" just show everyone how easy it is to cripple a major city?

If there are any of those Aqua Teen Hunger Force promo pieces left over, they'll bring a fortune on eBay...which means they'd better inventory how many have been impounded in the evidence room, assuming they all made it there...

This Day in History: February 1

On this day in 1781, American Brigadier General William Lee Davidson dies in combat attempting to prevent General Charles Cornwallis’ army from crossing the Catawba River in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.

We're the Only Ones Stunning (But Still on Active Duty) Enough

The judge ruled Hudec used his stun gun after the boy was strip-searched and while he was completely compliant during the Dec. 24, 2003, incident.

"It is a situation where an officer used a prohibited weapon simply to punish," said Kvill. "The action of Hudec was a shocking abuse of police powers."

Hudec, who remains on active duty, was charged following an internal police investigation.

"A shocking abuse of police powers." Good one!

I'm trying to figure out where I'll position this in the next "Only Ones" Carnival--not on the midway, definitely a sideshow, maybe we'll bill him as "The Amazing Electro"...

I've started getting some submissions, so the show will go on. If you want to participate and direct some traffic to your blog, the cut-off is tomorrow night.

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

The Heart of the Problem

Archye Leacock, executive director of the Institute for the Development of African American Youth, which administers Don't Fall Down in the Hood, said the heart of the problem of youth violence was lack of opportunities.

It couldn't have anything to do with the possibility that some of these young worthies are not only unemployable due to lack of skills and motivation, but would be downright scary and lethally dangerous liabilities to have anywhere around, could it Archye?

Rec centers? Ones that need to be open 24 hours? Is this where we bust into the chorus from "Gee, Officer Krupke"?

I'd ask where the hell their parents are, but that's pretty obvious.

It's also pretty obvious that imposing "gun control" on people who aren't out bustin' a cap --that would be you and me--will have no effect on urban youth violence other than ensuring a disarmed victim pool.

"Lack of opportunities." There are plenty of people in this world who have had less, and they haven't turned into sociopaths. Keep blaming everything but individuals refusing to accept personal responsibility for their freedom because they've fallen for the siren song of socialist policies and become addicts to them, Archye. That's "the heart of the problem," combined with false leaders keeping them from understanding this truth, like you.

"More Effective"

Canadians can be assured that its new government remains committed to making gun control more effective and it continues to develop measures that will prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands.

Those would be your hands, Canadian citizens...

Question for Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety: Come clean now, you had help coming up with your title from George Orwell, didn't you?

Shameless Plug: "In Search of the Second Amendment"

A growing body of serious research, led by eminent professors, historians, lawyers and Constitutional scholars, is providing overwhelming evidence that “the people” of the Second Amendment refers to you and me.

"In Search of the Second Amendment" is David Hardy's new documentary, and also the title of my Rights Watch column reviewing it for the March 2007 issue of GUNS Magazine, on sale now at truth-seeking newsstands throughout the Republic.

BONUS: See page 80 to find out how you can win a "Thompson/Center Encore Pro Hunter .50-caliber black powder rifle topped with a T/C 3-9X scope complete with hard case and a Katz Adventure Series 6 knife and leather sheath."

Hooray, You're Two!

WarOnGuns is, that is...

Actually, it's 2nd anniversary was yesterday, so I missed my own "birthday."

How pathetic is that?

This Day in History: January 31

On this day in 1752, future Patriot Gouverneur Morris is born to the wealthy Morris family of New York.

We're the Only Ones Blameless Enough

A Hunterdon County undersheriff yesterday pleaded guilty to two counts of official misconduct and admitted that his boss, Sheriff William Doyle, unlawfully lent him the gun that accidentally discharged in a crowded private health club last October.

Hey, if it's the gun that went off, why did the "Only One" run? I mean, how much clearer could the "authorized journalists" make it in assigning the blame?

• gun that went off

• the gun that accidentally discharged

• the weapon misfired

• "My cell phone exploded" [I love it!]
  

• when the gun discharged

• the gun went off

So why is the undersheriff in trouble when it's clearly the gun's fault? And nice, how he's turning on his boss to save his own hide. Lying, running away, ratting out...this guy has just exhibited the highest character standards through and through. I'm so glad New Jersey deems creatures like him more trustworthy with a firearm than its citizens.

Of course, one could make the point that any population dumb enough to vote for the current crop of New Jersey legislators is too dumb to own a gun...

-------------

PS: There haven't been many responses so far for the new "Only Ones Carnival"--I need submissions in by Thursday night if you want to participate...

The Elephant in Newhallville

A color graph dramatized the racial disparity in gun-related homicides in the state: while nine percent of the population is African American and ten percent is Latino, 61 percent of homicide victims in 2006 were black, and 15 percent were Latino.

I suppose it would raise all kinds of ugly accusations if someone were to sugggest graphing the race of the perpetrators of these homicides, so I guess it's less uncomfortable for everyone if we just blame the guns...

I've said it before, and I don't back down from it:

[W]e also can't forget to look at race--not as a cause of violent crime, but as an indicator of populations most directly affected by and responsive to a continuing history of destructive government policies.

Back to the Future

The COIL is composed of six interconnected modules, each as large as a sport utility vehicle turned on end. Each module weighs about 6,500 pounds and has 3,600 separate parts. When fired through a window in the aircraft’s nose turret, it produces enough energy in a 5-second burst to power a typical household for more than an hour.

I speculated about the COIL back in my July 2002 GUNS AND AMMO article,"Things to Come":

Calling it "America's laser of death," the UK's Daily Telegraph projects "the ability to vaporize enemy troops and vehicles Star Wars-style will take a few more years to develop."

Designed for deployment on AC-X "Son of Specter" aircraft gunships, we're told that "advances will be made and the power plant will shrink and one day it will dominate the battlefield." Hardly a small arm suitable for individual combatants? Just remember, not so long ago your pocket calculator would have filled a room, requiring programmers, technicians and keypunch operators...

And you can bet when that day comes, the following inscription will be prominently engraved on each unit:

"RESTRICTED FOR GOVERNMENT OR LAW ENFORCEMENT USE ONLY"

[Via John Schaefer]

A Dishonest Man

U.S. District Judge Jimm Larry Hendren is a dishonest man. Hendren practices dishonesty in the most devious and destructive form there is. Hendren lies for the State.

Don Bright shares some thoughts on the judge in the Wayne Fincher case.

An "Easy Sell-Out"

The Republican leading Rudy Giuliani's New Hampshire campaign said he thinks the 2008 presidential hopeful will be an "easy sell" - and that the ex-mayor "satisfied" him that he won't support federal assault-weapons bans, as he has in the past...

"People understand that Rudy had a commitment to protect New York against crime. That has no impact on hunting or gaming."

"Hunting or gaming." Right. You really "get it," Rudy. That's what those of us with the fire in our guts want to hear.

Let's see: John McCain hires former NRA-ILA head James Jay Baker, Mitt Romney does the shuck and jive on guns at the SHOT Show, and now Rudy tries to mask his anti-gun fascism with this tepid outreach.

Looks like Wayne Semprini won't be content until he extends his New Hampshire GOP losing streak to the national level. Looks like none of these "easy sell-outs" will be.

This Day in History: January 30

On this day in 1781, Maryland becomes the 13th and final state to ratify the Articles of Confederation, almost three years after the official deadline given by Congress of March 10, 1778.

The Florida Gun Permit Loophole

Hundreds of criminals were able to obtain concealed weapons permits in Florida because of loopholes, errors and miscommunication, a newspaper reported Sunday.

The "loophole"?

You have to go to the original hysterical article this one is based on to find it.

None of the people the media is shrieking about are convicted felons.

It doesn't matter if they were accused.

It doesn't matter if they were arrested, or how many times.

It doesn't matter if they were charged.

If they have not been convicted, even if a judge elected to "withhold" conviction based on a plea arrangement, you cannot then turn around and withhold their rights. These "authorized journalists" are bewailing nothing less than our inability to punish people who have not been legally proven guilty of felonies. And until that happens, regardless of circumstances, regardless of pleas, our system affords them a presumption of innocence, and places the burden on the state to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

If the government is not doing it's job, that's the part of the system you need to fix.

So the ABC headline "Fla. Gives Gun Permits to Felons" is a lie. That's right, a lie. Pleading guilty to a felony does not make you a felon. Being convicted of one does.

Even the original report admits, albeit it is buried deep in the story:

Convicted felons cannot get gun licenses under state and federal law.

No duh. Anybody starting to feel a bit...manipulated here?

And you'll notice in all the wailing and teeth-gnashing there are no claims of any resulting increase in homicides.

This is an ongoing miniseries. I just checked, and the latest installment is here. Nothing has changed in my assessment. This is still "a tale told by [idiots], full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."

We're the Only...

Hold on...

I'm saving this one for the new Carnival...

"My Gun Rap Shame"

HEARTS kid Lee Wallace has revealed he feared he'd lose everything when cops arrested him on gun charges last year.

Speaking for the first time since his conviction for possessing a loaded air gun, relieved Wallace thanked the club for standing by him.

And he told how senior players in the dressing room helped him through the shame by taking the mickey and giving him a nickname.

It's a shame he felt compelled to blubber pathetic apologies instead of standing up for his rights as a free man. The UK is becoming more and more like "A Clockwork Orange" every day, except the mass behavior conditioning is so effective they don't need the Ludovico technique.

And we're not all that far behind them.

Hungarian Goulash

The health ministry is planning to amend the law on carrying firearms: Everyone who keeps a gun at home would have to undergo psychological examinations at regular intervals. The planned amendments have been submitted to the authorities.

Being forced to go through this outrage would be enough to drive anybody a bit nuts.

Bill Brown Update: "Suspended"

Larry Rankin, passes on inside information that at least one person has dropped his CCW course in Santa Barbara because he was told the sheriff's department will not be issuing any more permits. Apparently, Sheriff Brown is also "considering" not renewing existing permits.

I wrote to the department to inquire and got this reply from their Office of Internal Affairs:

I've received your e-mail request concerning the renewal and application process relating to Conceal Weapons Permits. Normally I would forward you a packet containing all of the information you requested or call you and answer any questions you might have regarding this matter. However, a new Sheriff was recently elected and took office two weeks ago and he is in the process of reviewing the Department policy to evaluate what, if any changes he will be make to ensure that liability is kept to a minimum when dealing with Concealed Weapon's Permits. Until that time, the current policy is suspended. Hopefully, I can address this with a more definitive answer sometime at the end of February of 2007 after the Sheriff has had time to complete his revisions.

Certainly sounds like an "A" rating to me...

I will, of course, follow up on this "at the end of February."

[More on Bill Brown]

GUNS Magazine Review of "Domestic Enemies"

Matthew Bracken has posted my review of his latest book.

Déjà Vu

Instead of singing "O, say does that star-spangled banner", Senator Clinton sang, "o, say does our star-spangled banner."

Really?

This Day in History: January 29

Facing a surprise British counterassault in the bitter cold and with a snowstorm approaching, American commander Major General William Heath and his army of 6,000 abandon their siege on Fort Independence, in Bronx County, New York, on this day in 1777.