Saturday, January 24, 2009

Meanwhile, Across the Pond in Sarah Brady Paradise...

The wife of a Conservative councillor told police about an arsenal of handguns he kept at his sprawling country home in revenge for having to give him £180,000 in a divorce settlement, a court has heard. [More]
Hell hath no fury...

If she knew about it, that made her an accessory. They ought to prosecute the bi...the cu...the...

Huh. It strikes me that sounded just like Porky Pig.

People, I know more than one life that's been destroyed by a vindictive ex. I actually had a guy write me a while back asking for advice because his girlfriend is anti-gun and he wanted to hide his buying a new one from her. I told him that was the least of his problems.

Many relationships end. It's sad, but there you have it. That's why character counts so very much. Doing what you can to determine that before committing yourself is the best insurance. Ignoring warning signs or thinking a person will change is a fool's bet.

[Via An Hour of Wolves]

Scaring White People

Walt Disney used to know how to do it. [More]

Back before his company switched its allegiance to the King.

You know who played the title role?

[Via Mike H]

One Can Only Wish...

...Paul Helmke or Larry Hincker could have been there to save them. [More]

[Via Longbow]

A New York Fairy Tale

FatWhiteMan tells it. [More]

Somehow, I don't think we're anywhere near the part that says "And they lived happily ever after."

We're the Only Ones Prosecutorial Enough

The Senate has voted for a bill that would let county, state and federal prosecutors carry concealed guns into county courthouses. [More]
Because "Only One" lives are more valuable than yours, silly.

I remember when I was impressed into jury service in beautiful Compton, CA. Walking from the parking lot to the court house was like running the gantlet through all the lovely friends and relatives of the wonderful folks on trial.

Robb Allen has more.

[Via An Illinois Voter]

A Pro-Gun Pick?

So what, am I just belly-aching again? Nothing is good enough? Maybe I'd have preferred Caroline Kennedy?

Hey, I'm just pointing out that what the enemies of gun rights would have the world believe is "pro-gun" is hardly a benchmark definition we should settle for. Why would you let someone who hates guns define a line over which anyone who crosses can be labeled an "extremist"? [More]
Today's Gun Rights Examiner column looks at what the Kirsten Gillibrand appointment means for gun owners.

Tell a friend?

This Day in History: January 24

The irregular and disjointed State of the Militia of this Province, makes it necessary for me to inform you, that, unless a Law is immediately passed by your Legislature, to reduce them to some order, and oblige them to turn out, in a different Manner from what they have hitherto done, we shall bring very few into the Field, and even those few will render little or no Service. Their Officers are generally of the lowest Class of People; and, instead of setting a good Example to their Men, are leading them into every Kind of Mischief, one Species of which is, Plundering the Inhabitants, under pretence of their being Tories. [More]

Friday, January 23, 2009

So That's What's Wrong with Me...

A comment poster here (first one, at 11:05 AM) says "sexually insecure characters like Dave Codrea and others like him who are obsessed with 'proving' that they are 'men' by waving their fake penises around..."

Man, I hate that.

Being called "Dave."

And an Olofson-bashing "Only One" here (today, 2:35 PM) says "To Codrea...and other nutters, anyone who does wrong with a gun does no wrong, not even the two Columbine killers. They also hate police officers, but I suspect that comes more from penis envy than anything else."

I guess the first stage to recovery is acceptance.

Still, it's kind of flattering. I haven't had this many gentlemen show such unsolicited interest in me since I lived in Long Beach.

We're the Only Ones Camera Shy Enough

Although most of the squad cars were equipped with video cameras, police said none of them were working that day, Pavsner said. [More]
Hey, Pavsner said it, I believe it, that settles it.

If we can't trust "Only Ones" to be completely forthcoming about their use of excessive force, who can we trust?

[Via Mack H]

Birthday Wishes...

...to a legend... [More]

[Via WRSA]

Quotations from Chairman Barry

Pocket Obama [More]
Oh, good.

My copy of this was getting worn out and dog-eared, plus the writing style is a little outdated.

And nice trick, having the Reds usurp blue.

Ah, the glorious cultural revolution!

[Via Mike H]

We're the Only Ones the Better to See You With My Dear Enough

Addition of specialized supervisors’ vehicles (Tahoe, sport utility vehicles): The additional equipment being carried by supervisors such as AR-15’s, extra ammo, body armor and helmets, less-than-lethal weapons etc required more storage space, and these specialized vehicles allow for that need space. These vehicles also have F.L.I.R. (Forward Looking Infra-Red); some are hand-held units while some are mounted to the roof of the supervisor’s vehicle. [More]
FLIR.

I guess...

Any guesses on how much nicer Irving--and the rest of this country--was "[p]rior to 1940 [when] Irving did not have a paid police force. Just one man, Frank Pate, acted as Constable, City Marshal, and Night Watchman...?

[Via Rova]

We're the Only Ones Breaking Up is Hard to Do Enough

An off-duty police officer in northern Norway shot and killed his ex-girlfriend with another officer's service pistol, then critically wounded himself Friday outside the elementary school where she was a student teacher, police said. [More]
See, this is why we need to limit guns to the "Only Ones." They're so much more stable, balanced and trustworthy than the rest of us. And according to this, he's been inflicting his even-tempered stability on the populace for 20 years.

Hey, gee, I'm certainly glad the rest of us have never had any significant other break up with us or known rejection in any way. If this could happen to one of our betters, just think what our reaction would have been!

[Via Avg Joe]

Fluff and Buff

I watched and listened to the events that occured in Washington DC January 20. Many tears were shed by the devotees of Barry Soetoro, a mixture of true believers and useful idiots. I shed a couple myself.

My reason is different than those others... [More]
Mike H shares some thoughts on the inauguration and what it means.

Catch and Release

Accused Boca Raton carjacker arrested 190 times is bipolar... [More]
I don't suppose this give us any indication of...oh, I don't know...why the hell defectives like this are allowed to run free among us? What do I keep saying about this kind of stuff? Those who can't be trusted with a gun can't be trusted without a custodian?

This, of course, is also one of the problems when medical/mental health issues are relegated to the "criminal justice system." Aside from his acts of violent aggression or theft, most of his record appears to be for giving that same system another teat to suckle from.

In any case, enabler Mom doesn't seem to be doing her boy any favors...

[Via Avg Joe]

We're the Only Ones Drunk with Power Enough

A judge has ruled that the results of a blood-alcohol test for State District Judge Elizabeth Berry taken in November cannot be used as evidence in her drunken driving case.

Berry, 43, was charged with misdemeanor drunken driving Nov. 8 after lab results showed her blood-alcohol level was above the state’s legal limit of 0.08 when she was driving...

...Berry was driving 92 mph in a 65-mph zone on Interstate 35 south of Fort Worth when she was pulled over. An officer smelled alcohol on her breath and saw beer cans — some of them empty — in her car... [More]

Insufficient evidence--for an "Only One." The rest of you, back into the holding tank with the scary killers.

Next...?

I wonder--do they really think this stuff won't be noticed? And that cumulative resentment that could grow into rage isn't building...?

[Via Lane]

The Egg of Power

Looks like the yolk's on us... [More]

[Via Mike H]

The Play's the Thing

Using a real gun thought to be unloaded, the play’s director and actor Bill Bordy, 75, pulled the trigger on a .32-caliber revolver as Kellerman kneeled on the stage.

To their surprise, the gun went off, sending a bullet ricocheting off Kellerman’s skull, and taking off a part of his ear.

...Bradenton Police Chief Michael Radzilowski said he may ask the city council if it wants his department to draft an ordinance banning the use of real firearms in theatrical productions in the city.
[More]
Unbelievable that people can be this ignorant, but there you are.

So naturally, the reaction of local government and the "Only Ones" is to make sure they remain that way.

[Via Ed M]

"For the Children..."

Along with "If it saves one life," that's a common talking point injected into the debate by the gun haters. And since he's following their playbook, naturally Barack Obama is eager to exploit it.

Again, from his and Joe Biden's "Urban Policy" on the official White House website:

"They support... making guns in this country childproof." [More]
Today's Gun Rights Examiner column looks at another angle of attack Obama is using in his assault on our right to keep and bear arms. I also have an update on last night's Lou Dobbs program on David Olofson.

Please continue to spread the word by sharing links to these Examiner column with your gun owner friends, on forums, etc. As of this moment, my column is on top of the world.


Experience tells me such positioning is short-lived. Please help me make this a regular occurrence instead of a rare one.

UPDATE: A front page first for me...



I said when I started this looked like a pretty good idea...

And if this seems like shameless self-promotion, you're damn right it is. Unlike the big boys, I have no advertising team creating publicity and brand awareness, and I put entirely too much effort into this to not throw everything I've got into making it succeed.


Check out the latest from other Gun Rights Examiners:


Off to a Late Start

That's because I didn't get to bed until very late.

Anyway, I've got a ton of work to do right now, and it will be an hour or two before I return. In the mean time, head on over to my Gun Rights Examiner "Lou Dobbs" piece and take a look at a troll throwing mud in "Comments"--and my response. It should be amusing to you if nothing else.

If you decide to join the fray, please keep in mind that we have a more general readership there. The guy actually gave us a gift in terms of an opportunity to educate.

This Day in History: January 23

January 23, 1777 Americans under General Maxwell capture Elizabethtown, New Jersey. [More]

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Breaking News: Olofson Attorney on Lou Dobbs

One of Olofson's attorney's, Herb Titus, will be interviewed live tonight on Lou Dobbs. The program airs at 7:00 pm EST on CNN, so check your local listings in your time zone. I'm told significant information will be disclosed, and hope to have an update to this story soon to include documents just made public. [More]
I've just issued a breaking story on Gun Rights Examiner. Go there if you'd like to know more.

UPDATE: I've added a link to oral arguments.--4:11 PM EST

UPDATE 2: Larry Pratt says Titus won't be live, but reporter Bill Tucker will give an update on the hearing.--4:34 PM EST

UPDATE 3: I posted a recap of tonight's program, provide some supplemental information, and anticipate having more information soon.--9:45 PM EST

Crouch Down and Lick the What...???

Oops--wrong Sam Adams. [More]

I wonder if this is why Mayors Against (Your) Guns hasn't updated their membership gallery, and still features former mayor Tom Potter in their Legion of Doom roster?


[Via Ed M]

We're the Only Ones with Brain Freeze Enough

Mexico police chief's head found in ice box... [More]
There's gotta be a damned American gun shows nexus in here somewhere...

...unless it slipped out through that loophole...

[Via Zachary G]

MOWCA Updates

From Paul W. Davis, via email:

MOWCA Blog has posted two new items: 'U.S. v. Fincher Update' and
'Education or Entertainment'

You may view the posts at:
http://arkansasmilitia.com/blog/?p=62
http://arkansasmilitia.com/blog/?p=53

Time to Ban Assault Bricks

A woman is accused of pointing a gun at a man and smashing his windshield with a brick in a dispute over money, police said. [More]
Now wait just a minute--she's a "prohibited person"--could it be that "gun control" laws don't work?

The other thing I wonder--if in the hands of an "Only One," would it be a "patrol brick"?

[Via Ed M]

More Blood for Larry Hincker

On Wednesday, Jan 21, at 7:06 p.m., Virginia Tech Police received a 911 call reporting that a female was being assaulted in the cafe at the Graduate Life Center at Donaldson-Brown...[More]
Gee, Larry, why is it you don't come right out and tell people she was brutally stabbed to death in that gun-free zone you're so damn proud of?

I can't help but wonder how useless you'd have been had you been there to witness it, Larry. If the killer had turned his attention to you, do you think you'd have pleaded, blubbered, sobbed, girly-screamed and animal-howled?

And how wonderful you offer after-the-atrocity counseling.

If anyone would like to counsel Larry, go for it: hincker@vt.edu

Oh, and look: President Charles W. Steger is slinging BS around like the seasoned pro that he is:
We will continue to do everything we can to support the Virginia Tech family.
Really, Charlie? You'll rescind the firearms prohibition in Section 10 of your Student Conduct Code and get the hell out of the way of human beings who choose to be able to defend themselves? And ditto for section 2.7.3 of your Faculty Policies and Procedures? And Section 2.2 of your ludicrously-titled "Campus Workplace Violence Prevention Policy"?

How are those documents working out for you, Charlie? And if you say you can't do this, does it mean you're lying when you promise to do everything you can?


[Via Curses! Foiled Again!]

Imagining Gun Control in America

Several readers have sent me this law review article. [More]

Dr. Lott says simply:
Well Respected Law Professor Predicts that the Heller Decision will be Overturned
Read the entire paper for yourself.

I found good information in re the "gun show loophole" to use in today's Gun Rights Examiner column.

Here's the bottom line for me: In order to do what would need to be done to enact total gun control, mass disobedience and defiance would be the guaranteed reaction. There's no getting around that, and in this sense, this article is extremely useful, if for no other reason than to point out "You don't want to go there."

As for imagining such gun control, I already have. That's why I'll fight to keep it from happening until my dying breath.

"Baloney and Lies"

The claims are baloney and lies, based on distorted date and misrepresentations of results from ones with better data. [More]
Satisfied Rapex customers attack John Lott.

The new study in question is here. Look at all the vitriol and snottiness, particularly in "Comments."

These children have no idea what the fight is really about, do they?

I'll be sure and link to the rebuttal when it happens.

[Via Al N]

The Gathering Storm

If you think I'm rough on the Lairds of Fairfax, check out Michael Gaddy's latest...[More]

[Via Zachary G, who writes "Please be sure to click on the hyperlink 'possible accomplices.'"]

Fair and Balanced

But members of the grassroots organization Georgiacarry.org say many statistics are twisted and guns can save lives if they’re in the right hands. [More]
This is the kind of coverage you couldn't buy. Sure, they give the obligatory nod to the antis, but overall, my source from Georgia Carry tells me:
Reporters can be won over. Ashley Olmstead ran a news story recently on the surge in firearms license applications in Georgia that had some factual and legal errors in it. When GCO members pointed this out to her, she immediately corrected the errors. In response, local GCO members invited her shooting this morning. She had never shot a pistol before, and neither had her cameraman. They ended up having a blast and stayed so long that they were late for a subsequent story. Here is a link to the news video that ran this evening. http://www.georgiacarry.org/ with the headline, Grassroots Group Fights for More Gun Rights. It is a good piece, and our members represented themselves very well.
[Via Ben G and Georgia Carry]

Closing the Bill of Rights Loophole

Come we now to Team Obama's next hope for change:
"They support closing the gun show loophole...
Today's Gun Rights Examiner offering...

Please share it with other gun owners, or anyone who might be interested in looking at gun shows from an angle they won't get in most media outlets...

This Day in History: January 22

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

BREAKING: HOLDER DELAYED

The confirmation vote has been postponed for a week. [More]

Tripping Traps and Other News

I've posted another Gun Rights Examiner column to deal with developments from Gun Owners of America, Oregon Firearms Federation and Montana Shooting Sports Association. [More]

Dreams of Obama

So what are Obama and Biden going to do that fits any objective definition of "commonsense"? Make things more illegal for the above list? Or come up with more foolishness that won't work, but will infringe on the right of the people from Chicago to Cheyenne to keep and bear arms...? You know, that Second Amendment he respects so much... [More]

This is the second in this week's Gun Rights Examiner series on what the new President has in mind for us. If you missed the first article, it's here.

I need extra help today to spread the word on this--I think I missed a deadline last night on a site I get good traffic referrals from.

Tell a friend? Post on forums? Etc.?

Gary, We Hardly Knew Ye

The mayor of Racine, Wis., resigned on Tuesday, days after being accused of trying to arrange a sexual encounter with someone he thought was an underage girl. [More]
Yes, another one. What is it about these degenerates who will not control themselves, yet want so desperately to control those of us who do not share in their despicable weaknesses?

And thus goes ever unanswered the age-old question...

[Via The Drawn Cutlass, which notices something missing...]

A Cabana Kiboshes Rum

The return of Burka Abeam?

Hey, I was just looking to see if I could find any hidden Satanic messages...[More]

The Hireling

From Plug Nickel Times, via email:
Hello David,

No big deal - I just thought you might find this telling and even funny (in a sense).

I'd written you earlier about a visit of mine to a Walmart a couple weeks ago where they were pretty low on common caliber ammo. Today in a different store and different town I was at another Walmart. This time the shelves were almost bare. Apart from some 50rd boxes of .22 - there weren't more than a few dozen boxes of ammo on the whole shelving unit! (none in common calibers)

I asked him with a straight face if they planned on restocking. He assured me that they did - but he wasn't sure when. He seemed to think that in a month or so they'd be back up to full stock.

He went into a rant from there - saying that it was all the fault of people being fearful of the latest regime - panic buying, etc. I thought it was kinda' funny and encouraged him to take a more optimistic view of the matter but he'd have none of it!

I didn't decide to use the title "Plug Nickel Times" for nothing - but from a certain perspective it is kinda' funny to see all that ammo and armament flying off the shelves. It's a helluva' message - restless peasants and all.

What would Ceausescu do? What would Machiavelli have advised?

(was it?)Mel Brooks - "gads - those peasants _are_ revolting!"

I submit this is the difference between a hireling, a mere employee with no vested interests other than his own, and an engaged sovereign citizen.

Too bad the manager didn't hear the exchange. The clerk deserved to be fired.

A lot of hirelings do. But somehow, I don't think the new management expects them to be all that customer-friendly.

Number One Salesman

Since November 4, one of the interesting trends we've seen is a sharp increase in the purchase of firearms. People who would have probably NEVER have considered owning firearms before the election are now full-fledged gun-owners.Beginning immediately after the election, gun shops across the country noted increases in sales by 42% over the previous November. December numbers increased further after the announcement of Eric Holder as nominee for Attorney General.

Now, again, in January, we are seeing a further increase in sales of firearms. [More]
The writer of this piece is new to guns, but as you can see, open-minded.

Here's a great chance to encourage that and approach his "outside the choir" readers. Here's a chance to be ambassadors, so that a whole new set of minds might want to learn more...

Here's a chance to be Number One Salesmen and Saleswomen.

We're the Only Ones Not Excessive Enough

Lund says he was feeding ducks at the park on Nov. 25, 2006 when officers with their guns drawn surrounded him and ordered him to raise his hands over his head. The suit claims Lund told the officers he could not raise his arms above shoulder level because of a disability but was tackled, handcuffed, dropped repeatedly on the ground and dragged across concrete. [More]
Plus, the reason he was approached in the first place is because of a vendetta by a person who had already wronged him.

Most disturbing are the assorted comments from "Only Ones" who think their brother officers deserve to be able to assault innocent 74-year-old disabled war vets and give them blood clots on the brain with impunity. No doubt they are some of those "few bad apples" we hear about, or do you think they might be more representative than the apologists care to admit?

One thing's for sure. As far as this crowd is concerned, it is "us vs. them."

The opinion is here.

[Via Al N]

UPDATE: Looks like the title-linked article has been removed. Wonder why.

UPDATE 2: Thanks to Tom in comments, we can preserve the comments by these exemplary public servants. Be sure you click on the profile links, so you can see just who it is that thinks this is a great way to protect and serve the public. I'm pasting them below anticipating the cache will go away at some point. I'm not sure if I can be legally ordered to take this down or not or if fair use and public interest will prevail, so view it/copy while you can.

  • 004_bcy297_t-59_max50

    copdog5515

    about 1 month ago

    8 comments

    Sounds like a good ruling from the bench ! So rare these day's.

  • Future_of_speed_enforcement_max50

    LIDARguy

    about 1 month ago

    180 comments

    Ok, why does he need $10 million? I hope he continues to get what he deserves - absolutely nothing.

  • Images_max50

    OFFICER_K_CPD

    about 1 month ago

    1234 comments

    Cool

  • 1126072148_max50

    Irishcop1961

    about 1 month ago

    2094 comments

    Lets hear for the Judge

  • Erin_flag_max50

    Gtoli

    about 1 month ago

    776 comments

    Hopefully the third Officer will fair as well.

  • Photo_user_blank_big

    blueline111095

    about 1 month ago

    220 comments

    Glad too see a judge using his head

  • Newcgpdpatch2_max50

    CaptainDan166

    about 1 month ago

    758 comments

    I've sat where those officers are sitting, at the wrong table! It was the one of the toughest few weeks in my life. Glad the officers made it and thank you to the Judge.

  • Cimg0528_max50

    Jason_Reel

    about 1 month ago

    1390 comments

    Alright!!!! There is a Judge out there with some common sense.

  • Pict0017_max50

    phudson

    about 1 month ago

    342 comments

    At leasat the judge could see through the BS.

  • One_asterisk_max50

    DeputyDuck

    about 1 month ago

    750 comments

    Finally one for the good guys

What Works in Chicago

One of President Barack Obama's first acts Tuesday was to put the brakes on all pending regulations that the Bush administration tried to push through in its waning days...

Another Bush administration regulation that went in effect this month overturned a 25-year-old federal rule that severely restricts loaded guns in national parks. [More]
So why would the "Authorized Journalists" bring that up unless...?

Ain't it nice to know he was only pandering to the AHSAholes when he said "what works in Chicago may not work in Cheyenne"...?

[Via Ed M]

"Killer App"

A new application has been launched for the iPod touch to help gun users line up a clean shot at their target. [More]
I can't believe this is legal!

Can children buy it?

What about criminals or [Gasp!] terrorists...?

Does that about cover it?

[Via info4all]

UPDATE: David Hamel, one of my favorite Canadians, sent me a link that provides a lot more details.

Lee and King

He was tortured, a man of deep conscience, who loved his country. He saw how that Republic was so quickly veering from the Founder's intent. He believed that serving his state was the right path and the path to bring us all back to what was meant to be. [More]
Mike H shares some thoughts...

This Day in History: January 21

General Putnam communicated to me last night, the disagreeable account that Lt.Col.Preston's party of Militia from Cumberland County in this State has deserted him; this practice in the Militia so generally prevails, that unless some effectual check can be speedily applied, I apprehend the most fatal Consequences. The mischief is not confined to the desertion alone, they stay till they are properly equipped to render essential Service, and by that means plunder the public of the necessaries that were at first otherwise intended and would be better applied. [More]

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

South Dakota: Action Alert

The State Legislature is in full swing, and South Dakota Gun Owners is working on several issues that will impact gun owners...

Action
Anti-gun Sen. Dave Knutson is the key opponent of the Citizen Self-Defense Bill. He is the left-leaning Majority Leader of the State Senate, and was primarily responsible for last year’s narrow defeat...

It is vital that Sen. Knudson receive a high volume of calls and emails. If possible, please do both. Let’s see if we can light up the Capitol switch board! [More]
Click on the link to find out more.

Hail to the Chief?

By the time some of you read this, Barack Hussein Obama will have been sworn in as 44th President of the United States. Untold millions will be ecstatic. The Era of Hope and Change has arrived. [More]
This is the first installment on a series I've got planned for this week's Gun Rights Examiner column: Obama's plans for guns.

Tell a friend?

I'm Trying to Remember Something...

..and I just can't put my finger on it.

Oh, right, that's it.

You've sent your fax, right?

Hamblen v US

"The Court concludes that Petitioner [Hamblen] has made a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right as to his Second Amendment claim, and reasonable jurists could find the Court's assessment of the constitutional claim debatable…Accordingly, the Court will issue a certificate of appealability on Petitioner's Second Amendment claim."--Judge Todd Campbell, U.S. Court for the Middle District Of Tennessee, Richard Hamblen vs. United States, No. 3:08-1034, December 5, 2008
The case involves possession of a machine gun by a member of a state-organized militia. Mr. Hamblen has approached me to call it to your attention.

I advised:
Suggestion: Start a free blog to be a central repository for information you want the public to know about. Go to another free service like esnips.com to post pdf and Word docs that can then be linked to--I can't post this memorandum in full anywhere, so if it were stored on a free server, I could give a summary statement and then send people there to read and download it for themselves. A guy like me can direct people to sources of information, but I can't take point on it.

Suggest you also publicize contact info, and if you're requesting people to do something, be specific about it. Also, if you have links to any news accounts, that would be helpful.
For now, you can learn more about his case from The Volokh Conspiracy (which has posted Judge Campbell's Memorandum) and from Of Arms and the Law.

I'll try to keep tabs on this as relevant developments happen.

Blackwell Blues?

Denny Church raises a flag. I have not had a chance to check it out and offer no opinion. I bring it up here because it's a comment on my site and I think it deserves to be explored, but I just don't have time right now. I leave it to you to read what he says and judge for yourself. [More]

The Bum Rush Giving the Bum's Rush to Constitutents

I received an email that's relevant not only to recent stories I've been following, but it also demonstrates the arrogance with which government treats We the People when we presume to involve ourselves in the way they would rule us.

It also shows us something we all need to be willing to do if we are to ever have a system of self government: Take the initiative to implement our own ideas.

My hat is off to my correspondent, who agreed to let me post his email here.
Mr. Codrea,

Thank you for your articles. I’ve been following your writing since I came across it 6 months ago. You do a great job of articulating what so many of us think and say in a less coherent manner. I just finished reading your “Kill the Bill” series and am gratified to see I could pick out the insanity in the bill almost as well as you.

I am unfortunate enough to live in the Illinois 1st Congressional district, so as soon as I saw this Rush Representative thing had introduced the bill, I stopped reading your article and read the bill for myself, hopefully without outside influence in how I interpreted what I read. While reading the bill, I noted the outrages and set them to paper with questions. All this, I hand-delivered to Mr. Rush’s local office in Midlothian, IL. I stated in the letter and told the worker there that I had many questions on the bill in my letter and as a constituent; I would greatly appreciate some answers. Here’s the mentality in that office: “Why didn’t you mail it?” “Well, as you can see, it’s quite heavy, and since I live a few blocks away, I thought I’d save a tad of money in postage. Besides, security being what it is, I’m here, envelope open for inspection for various things that may not be paper and you can assign a face to the name on the letter.” “Oh, thank you sir. What’s it about?” “H.R. 45, I have a lot of questions.” “Well I’ll see that it gets to Mr. Rush in Washington.” This, after being left to stand at the door outside for almost 10 minutes while I rang and knocked in -2 degree weather.

Mr. Codrea, I do not expect any reply whatsoever from this elitist. I’m not an educated man but I have some operating gray matter. As you can see, I can get wordy, but I believe I’m entitled to a reply to my questions from those who claim to represent me. I’ve written his office twice in the past 8 years about other issues and never received a reply. I’ve not received so much as an acknowledgment before. Come to think of it, the only Illinois political organization which has stooped to answering me was Jack Ryan’s campaign just before he was forced out of the race for governor. Granted, it was a staffer I spoke with, but I at least received a personal call and all my questions were answered over a 30 minute conversation. I’ll let you know what comes of this if you’re interested.

C. Quilty
Thank you. Mr. Quilty. For your effort, for sharing it with us, and for setting an example.

Guest Editorial: HR 45, the Assault Weapons Ban, and the Hegelian Dialectic

by Dominus Defensor

The Obama administration wants to craft a new assault weapon ban and make it permanent, and it wants to end the private sale of all firearms, among other things. This announcement from the potential attorney general is one of the most important events for the gun rights community in a long time. This is the first public expression of Obama's plans by an identifiable individual within the Obama administration.

At the 1-16-2009 Senate Judiciary Hearings Eric Holder said the following: "I also think that making the assault weapons ban permanent would be something that would be permitted under Heller, and I also think [it] would be good...."

The announcement by Holder is likely the real plan of the administration. The previously announced HR45 is likely a diversion as part of the implementation and execution of the Hegelian Dialectic. HR45, as recently discussed at WOG and at examiner.com outlines the draconian plans to require licenses to own firearms, the passing of a written exam, government access to your private medical records, and a central registry of all gun owners, etc. All of this just for the exercise of a fundamental human right.

HR45 is probably not their real agenda for the moment (not that they would be upset if they did achieve it). It was announced with perfect timing right before the Holder confirmation hearings. The drafting and announcement of HR45 was likely designed to achieve the following goals:

1. Execution of the Hegelian Dialectic. They intentionally create a sense of panic with the proposed draconian legislation (HR45) that the boot is about to stomp our heads. Then, when they subsequently release their slightly less draconian plans at the confirmation hearings for Holder (assault weapon ban, end all private transfers of guns, etc.), we breathe a sigh of relief that things are not as bad as we thought and voluntarily accept lesser infringements. (NOTE: it could be argued that the real plan is just the opposite in that HR45 is the goal and not another assault weapon ban. Either way, their ultimate goal is to deny us our fundamental human right to keep and bear arms, and the main thing for us is to understand the tactics behind their actions.)

We must counter this by knowing the nature and origin of our rights and refusing to surrender them in the most loud and raucous way possible. Never voluntarily surrender any rights. We must reinforce the idea that attempting to take these rights will come at a great cost for the enemy because we will never voluntarily submit to their abuses or their tricks.

Summary of the Hegelian Dialectic:

This has been explained before, but here is another summary.

The basic premise of the Hegelian Dialectic is to incrementally move in the desired direction to the detriment of a group of people with the voluntary consent of the aggrieved people. This is done through fear and release. First, a terrifying plan is leaked out that would mean catastrophe or a gross violation of the target people's rights. Then, a less extreme plan is proposed as a compromise to the more extreme plan. This makes the target feel relieved that things will not be as bad as originally thought, creating a sense of release, and the target voluntarily chooses to submit to the less extreme plan under the false hope that the bad guys will be satiated and under the false belief that a crisis has been averted by choosing the lesser of two evils. The bad guys are NEVER satiated, and they will be back for more in the future. In addition, choosing the lesser of two evils as dictated by the bad guys is never the solution. We must dictate our own solutions that confront evil.

2. Divert attention from the Holder hearings so gun owners and freedom lovers will not pay attention to the planned infringements that are being publicly announced during the hearings. They are not hiding their plans from us. However, they are using simple tricks to make us look the other direction. Everything we need to know about their plans is right in front of our faces. They are simply creating the psychological opportunity for us to ignore reality.

We must counter this by facing reality, accepting what has been exposed right before our eyes, and getting the issues to the forefront. Also, we must publicly expose their actions and their plans in the most loud and raucous way possible. This does not mean we should ignore HR45. In fact, the recent efforts by David and and gun rights activists at examiner.com were very impressive, and they should serve as a model for how to agitate against Obama's plans as announced by Holder. We must understand their tactics and keep them under steady pressure on all fronts.

Here are the recent efforts at examiner.com:
-"Qualifying Firearms"
-"Kill (the) Bill"

3. Condition the target (us) to eventually accept the more draconian plan in the future and test the target for compliance and submissiveness. By constantly barraging the target with threatened attacks and incremental infringements, the hope is that the target will eventually grow weary of threats to the peace and will decide that the constant threats of warfare are not worth the price. They also want to use numerous small attacks to make it seem like they have an impossibly large number of supporters. The enemy believes that if they keep this up long enough, one of their attacks will eventually reveal us as totally submissive and compliant to their plans. They also hope that we will feel overwhelmed and give up. The war will be over at that point, and they are gradually trying to move us in that direction.

We must counter this by refusing to submit in a loud and raucous manner at every opportunity. We must push back at every attack point because we will find that their forces are spread very thin and offer very little in the form of dedicated, deep resistance at any point. This is obvious whenever we take an aggressive stand against them - all opposition melts away, and we are left standing alone and victorious. The perfect examples are the recent battles over at examiner.com on HR45. In every case, the enemy threw in the towel in the presence of our onslaught and disappeared into the night. We must make it clear that we will never grow weary of the fight, and we must be prepared to back up our words with the relevant actions.

4. Provide plausible deniability for the Obama administration in that they did not publicly propose the more draconian HR45. Obama and his administration can point the finger at "extremists" outside of their administration who drafted HR45. Obama can then play the role of a great compromiser (and a moderate, to boot) by proposing a less extreme agenda than what is found in HR45. The "less extreme" agenda will actually be filled with extremist plans (e.g.; permanent assault weapon, end of private transfer of firearms, etc.), but these plans will seem tame compared to what is in HR45.

We must counter this by exposing the fraud of their behavior, and we must never let the Obama administration successfully play the moderate/compromiser card. We must "name names", and never let anyone off the hook for their actions.

Conclusion

The tactics of the enemy reveal that he is weak. If he were strong, he would launch a direct attack against us and crush us with a single blow. He is not strong enough to beat us with a single blow, nor does he have the broad public support that the media deceptively portrays. The other side of this coin is that we are strong. The only way the enemy can beat us is if we voluntarily submit to his simple tricks. His tricks have now been revealed to everyone. Now, we must use our knowledge and continue to fight back. The war is clearly on, and so are we.

Thumbs Up for "Mall Cop"?

It's funny, 'cause it's true: Paul Blart, the unarmed mall security guard hero of the new film, is a more suitable exemplar of the "protect and serve" ethic than the government's armed enforcement agents.
I can believe the last part, easily, but this business of an unarmed protector works against reality on two counts--first that we should rely on protectors, and second, it perpetuates the myth that arms are superfluous when confronting violent evil-doers.

I typically have nothing but respect for what William N. Grigg writes, and my natural inclination is to trust him. In this case, I need to reserve judgment until I see the film. And I'm afraid with the cost of movies and with others out there I'd rather see, I'll just have to wait for it to come out on cable.

Maybe next year I'll gush in agreement. Still...

[Via Zachary G]

President for Life Obama

Say...this has the potential to turn into a real dictatorship. [More]

Bread and Circuses

So America continues the transition from a citizenry to a people, that waits for government handouts and the comforts of a monarchy as spectacle, broadcast simultaneously on all channels. While Obama preps a cabinet slate, half of whom belong in jail, the media continues applauding loudly to drown out any criticism. And the public watches with glazed eyes. [More]
Daniel Greenfield looks at the spectacle his neighbor to the south is putting on and speaks his mind. And how.

[Via Joe G]

A Free Market Solution

One group in the border city of Ciudad Juarez pledged last week to "clean our city of these criminals" and said their mission was to "end the life of a criminal every 24 hours." [More]
I'm trying to find the downside here.

The government that wants them disarmed isn't stopping the victimization, and is often in partnership with the gangs. What are people supposed to do under these circumstances? I'd be tempted to go all Guatemalan myself.

I guess it's time for my obligatory summation:

Damned American gun shows.

Curses! Foiled Again! has more.

Who is David Olofson?

The judge in this case has accomplished what the Brady Campaign, Dianne Feinstein, and other anti-gunners have been trying for years - convicting a law abiding citizen for owning a semi-automatic rifle by mis-labeling the firearm as a machine gun. [More]
Jennifer Freeman gives us a summary on the David Olofson case. Included are links to the Lou Dobbs segments, as well as to the Olofson Relief Fund.

What Libertarians Believe

No matter what you may hear to the contrary—generally from those individuals who wish to derive some benefit from being called libertarian, but who can't (or won't) make the cut ethically or politically—the one thing that sets real libertarians apart from other people is their strict adherence to a "Zero Aggression Principle"... [More]

L. Neil Smith presents an initial chapter in a larger endeavor.

This Day in History: January 20

Patriot and British forces skirmish at Somerset Courthouse (present-day Millstone), New Jersey. [More]

Monday, January 19, 2009

A Cost/Benefits Analysis

The efficiency and effectiveness of gun regulation is a matter of controversy. The debate over this issue has become notorious for its emotion driven rationales and hardened policy positions. This analysis is based on the belief that good laws and sound policy should be based on evidence and subject to effectiveness reviews. Accordingly, it examines the cost/benefits and effectiveness of gun registration as crime control. [More]
Article author Bruce Gold tells me:
The bill you are fighting Bobby Rush/H.R. 45 is so similar to the gun laws up here in Canada I suspect he has been reading if not copying our legislation. All of the things he wants have not effected crime in Canada one bit and have been enormously expensive coming in at about $2Billion for the Federal govt. Costs to Provinces, police, courts, the firearms industry, the shooting sports and gun owners are all in addition to that. I did a study awhile back on how successful regulating the law abiding is when "criminals" are the supposed target. I suspect the same sort of stats could be found in the US is someone wanted to hunt them down.

A Note from the SHOT Show

...emailed from an attendee:
The HS-Precision booth at SHOT always had several visitors whenever I walked by. The Horiuchi thing and their "Sorry you got your panties in a twist" non-apology don't seem to have hurt them much.
Some who I respect disagree with me on this, but my feeling has always been the higher-price rifle crowd in general are not as grassroots reactionary. I'm sure there are individuals who carry more than their share of the load, but I'm just sayin' in general...

Maybe I'm not being fair--in truth, I don't see nearly enough load-shouldering from any gun owner segment. I guess it's just a bias I have, that those with more resources have more opportunities to help out than most--a "With great powers come great responsibilities" kind'a thang, except that always had a Marxist "from each according to his abilities" ring to it...

ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ, Please?

An activist told me he'd approached one of his state groups for help fighting the Bobby Rush bill and was basically met with:
"There are so many against us!? What do we do?"
Any Greek language experts out there who know how to phrase "Come and take them" as a request...?

Eve of Destruction

In anticipation of which, some are modifying their blogs. [More]

Not me.


UPDATE: There appears to be some confusion. WRSA is merely reporting on another blogger. This is not about them.

We're the Only Ones Benched Enough

Via SayUncle, who says "Wow." [More]

Note I haven't verified the authenticity of this photograph, but with what we know about the Only Ones,"it's not hard to accept this as completely believable.

WARNING: I've been told there are some explicit ads on the linked site. I didn't notice--I was focused on the obscenity on the bench. Anyway, if that kind of things offends you, don't go there.

So Would it Be a Crime...

...to desecrate this flag...? [More]

I guess my idea to make a million marketing "Yes We Can" disposable wipes wouldn't go over too well with this crowd...

[Via Tom R]

Guard with Jealous Attention...

Tucson Police are furious with a local punk band for their latest album entitled "Kill a Cop For God." [More]
I can understand that. I can also understand objections to unauthorized use of the photograph. And seeking remedies for it.

What I can't understand is the ignorance of comment posters calling for fining and putting the band in jail because they are offended. The system works. The sheep demand to be fleeced.

I also can't understand why "Authorized Journalist" Lupita Murillo doesn't know how to spell "plagiarized."

[Via Avg Joe]

Fincher IFP Hearing

The Hearing is scheduled to start at 9:00 CST, on Tuesday, 20 January, in the Federal District Courtroom, 5th floor, at the John Paul Hammerschmidt building in Fayetteville, AR. [More]
More background on Wayne Fincher from WarOnGuns

[Via Paul W. Davis]