What Makes the Musk Rat Guard His Musk?

Courage! [More]

Right, guys?

I'm Going to Kansas City, Kansas City Here I Come

Except the way things are going, Kansas City will be coming to us. [More]

Before and After

The tweets I referenced here...

Firing Up the Crazies

I'm reminded that at one time, Benedict Arnold was an honored "war hero." [More]

L'état, C'est Moi

Establish an executive dictatorship that overturns the representatives of the people so the national socialists can do whatever they want on guns (and anything else that gives them more "control")? How very "progressive." [More]

Good Thing This Has Absolutely Nothing to Do with that "Single Issue"

The List

Coming from a fake "conservative" sterile bee queen site run by Clinton BFF Chris Ruddy, it doesn't surprise me. [More]

Captain's Log

• We're the Only Ones Lee Paiging Enough: "Keep your booger hook off the bang switch" evidently fails to sink in.
• A Loser Strategy: I consider the source.
• An Exercise in Futility: Pathetic, that a national petition limits itself to 200 online sign-ups, and even with that is less than half the way there.
• Notes: Kurt, me, Mike 'n more. And sorry about that oversight, which I've fixed.

The New Taliban Redux

NAACP: Blast Confederate generals off Stone Mountain [More]

Gee, that was a really hard one to call.

[Via Florida Guy]   

Daily Defense Redux

My Monday visit with Mark Walters, where we talk Whataburger, the Confederate flag, Lynne Russell, a sanctuary sheriff and more is now archived. [Listen]

And yes, I realize the huge gaffe I made -- now.

More Embarrassing Numbers...

...and another sheriff says "No." [More]

OFF profiles a massive fraud that's only getting bigger.

Press-umption

Without identifying who they are, how can WFTV9 say with certainty they're all "teens"? [More]

[Via Florida Guy]   

The Day That Got Away

I owe feedback to several of you. It'll  have to wait. I just returned from spending all day at the hospital after dealing with a family medical emergency, which thankfully, appears resolved.  It's too late in the afternoon to begin my work day, and I'm beat anyway, or at least in no mood, so I'm not even going to try.

SF Sheriff Highlights ‘Only Ones’ Hypocrisy

Mirkarimi appears to fit that description. Initial charges of domestic violence were plea-bargained down to false imprisonment, allowing him to keep his gun. Not that he wants non-LEOs to keep and bear theirs. Hey, as long as he’s taken care of, why would the pesky Second Amendment and a ceremonial oath to the Constitution get in the way of an agenda? [More]

My latest Oath Keepers offering notes a "progressive" set of rules, which in typical Opposite Day fashion means elite officials get special benefits for things they'd destroy us commoners over.

Daily Defense

I'll be joining host Mark Walters at 4 Eastern this afternoon to do some freewheeling discussion of the gun issues of the day. This should be fun, because I have no idea what he's even going to bring up.

Click here to listen live.

No More Free Wacos

Mike is prominently featured in The New York Time video embedded in the linked story. [More]

Also: His attempts to raise funds for Liberty for All in Washington are being met with the predictable apathy.

Media Attention is the Real Story Behind Toy Gun ‘Buyback’

But the real story is all the media attention given to what was pretty much a nothing event. Naturally, the major local TV stations all covered it. [More]

My latest TTAG offering notes "Authorized Journalists" act like the news is what they tell us it is.

Another WoG Roll Addition

[More]

Welcome to the WoG Roll

[More]

NOT the Only One

Oathkeeping Cop Dresses Down Security Guard for Harassing Citizens on July 4: “I Swore an Oath to the Constitution, Don’t Mess With It. Understand?” [More]

Let's hope his "superiors" don't see fit to make an example out of him.

Fun with Facebook Messaging

At least The Post reporter didn't misspell her name like I did...

Anyway, I sent him this and he said he'd fix it.

How Dare You

A homeowner quietly reading his newspaper is alerted by two women breaking-in through the front door. The justified homeowner takes action but the confrontation turns ugly. [More]

Stop the Threat is on The Pursuit Channel tonight.

If You Don't Enter, You Can't Win

[More]

A Shift in Politics?

According to who? [More]

Thing is, who are the Republicans going to field?  And if the nominee ignores the "pathway to citizenship" threat, to borrow a question from Hillary, what difference does it make?

[Via several of you]

Poop Dogg

'Poopgangsta' gets 12 years in prison for Euclid bar shooting, other crimes [More]

After which, expect him to float to the surface and foul up everything around himself again...

The Blame Game

Gaming, libertarianism and guns are the issue here?  [More]

It couldn't just be you, Matt?

The New Normal

'Paedophilia is natural and normal for males' [More]

And remember, our perver...uh...diversity is our strength!

There's Something About Colby

Before he was the United States’ top lawyer and congressional Republicans’ favorite punching bag, Eric Holder was a partner at a top D.C. law firm. [More]

That's terrific "straight news" reporting there, Colby Itkowitz!  No political manipulation there. The poor guy was just a partisan punching bag.

Think Globally, Act Locally

Hey, as long as they're local citizen disarmament politicians edicts, you know, resulting in the kind legislation that gets upheld by activist judges to create binding precedent on the rest of us, why wouldn't "racist teabaggers" give foreigners a say in their unalienable rights? [More]

It's the "progressive" Living Constitution thing to do!

Oath Keepers can take lead on protecting public from mandatory ‘smart guns’

Oath Keepers who are members of any representative organization, such as the National Border Patrol Council, or of a police union, can urge leadership to issue resolutions opposing putting members and the public at risk by deploying with “smart guns.” Oath Keepers who are in “management” positions can likewise encourage the administrative hierarchy to adopt similar protective measures, as can Constitutional sheriffs and peace officers. [More]

My first Oath Keepers column notes a law enforcement exemption I can get behind because it works to our benefit in the long run.

The Power to Destroy

Seattle City Council president Tim Burgess is proposing a new tax on guns. The proposal would tax gun sales $25 per gun and add a five cent-tax on each round of ammunition. [More]

And then there's this:

The legislation would also impose a $500 fine on gun owners who do not report guns lost or stolen.

Of course if you're a criminal "prohibited person," you're exempt from that reporting requirement, because being forced to admit you were in possession of a gun you aren't legally allowed to have would violate your right against self-incrimination.

This is just calculated, in-your-face harassment by a "progressive" monopoly of violence zealot who's pretty sure he can get away with it and advance himself at the expense of those he  hates.

[Via Bluesgal]

Medal of Freedom?

Really, Ted? [More]

Saying he's "against gun control" but for  an "assault weapon" ban, waiting periods and "background checks" doesn't concern you, and is worthy of a Medal of Freedom?

And then there's this inconvenient truth...

Still, it was nice of you to admit this:

GOP, your very existence is on the line here. Show some honesty or you’re done. 

Welcome to the party, pal. Ditto for legal recognition of 2A once that "pathway to citizenship" opens up all lanes. When are you going to get vocal and convince NRA to admit the obvious?

Related: Don't even get me started on Rancid Prepuce.

Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes?

I guess if you ask that question, at least according to the preponderance of WaPo comment posters, you deserve nothing but Alinsky Rule 5 ridicule and "progressive" contempt. How dare anyone propose nutjob radical extremist checks, balances and oversight? [More]

I see a comment like this ...

...and it really brings home that there is no reconciliation possible -- or even coexistence if such creatures prevail.

I Will Not Comply

The September 2015 issue of GUNS Magazine, including my "I Will Not Comply" Rights Watch column, is now available at truly progressive newsstands throughout the Republic.

If you don't see it on the rack where you shop, ask the manager why not.

Majority Rule

Minorities demanding majority rule to "vote" on the rights of free people -- talk about "progressive" Opposite Day. [More]

Curious, how so many said they forgive the killer, but now demand vengeance on those of us who believe the family members they lost should have at least had a chance.

The Middle of Nowhere

War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength and Intolerable Acts are Reasonable Regulations. [More]

Dig Deep

Here's the chance for all those suggesting I should take contributions during my recent difficulties to show how that would work out. [More]

"Action" Survey

The url says it all:

Naturally, there's not one word about the greatest threat facing gun owners in the next decade.  Can't jeopardize access to "staunch defender of the Second Amendment" establishment Republicans paving that pathway to citizenship, can we?

Faking a Stand

"Gun violence tragedies have become far too commonplace,” the sign-up page declared, offering platitudes but no specifics. “It’s up to us to make sure there is a path forward. We can’t give up. Add your name to fight to make progress on gun violence prevention.”

How? 

It doesn’t matter. In typical “progressive” Opposite Day fashion, the immediate goal was and is to manipulate those for whom emotions trump knowledge. [More]

My latest GUNS Magazine "Rights Watch" column is now online.

Mike's Comments to Birmingham City Council

Also see:

• The New Taliban
• I'm headed into the Birmingham City Council meeting this morning to face off with the collectivist cultural cleansers.
• My statement as delivered to the Birmingham City Council, 7 July 2015

UPDATE: I've tried everything I know to convert this .swf file into something I can post to You Tube-- admittedly, I don't know all that much, as I've had no luck and much time I can't afford lost.  If you know how to do it, please do so and send me the usable file (dcodrea@hotmail.com).

UK and US Hoplophobes: “Only Cowards Carry”

There’s a Guns Are for Cowards Facebook page, dedicated to the proposition that if you believe in owning one, you’re a gutless yellow-belly. And The Daily Kos insists “Only cowards carry guns.” No less an authority than “The Gunman” actor (and impossible-for-non-elites-to-get carry permit holder) Sean Penn dubbed guns “cowardly killing machines” (albeit in his case, you’d think a wife-beater would know). [More]

My latest TTAG offering notes on top of being under-endowed and racist, we who believe in the right to keep and bear arms must be a pretty craven bunch as well. That is, if you can believe Opposite Day "progressives."

The New Taliban

See Stone Mountain, GA, while you can.

I was reading Mike's announcement about the Birmingham City Council meeting he plans  to speak at, and saw the link about one of the "political thugs" advocating "cultural cleansing."  Funny thing about that:

Matthews' "Outcast Voters League" ... held a vigil in memory of murdered Sanford, Florida teenager Trayvon Martin.

Really? That was the verdict of a jury, SHAMwiki?

Anyway, Mike just called me from outside chambers and he's waiting for the speaker's list so he can sign up and go about the proper task of chastising the New Taliban. The meeting starts at 9:30 a.m. Central and is streamed, so we can watch it live. Unless I'm misreading the agenda, it looks like they reserve the "Request from the Public" segment until just before adjournment, probably to discourage comments they can't control by wearing people who just want to speak for a few minutes down.

I hope he's given enough time to speak his entire piece before allotted minutes are up.

UPDATE: Mission accomplished and posted, beginning at 2:33:57:

I'll see what I can do about getting just Mike's segment up on my You Tube account.

Vigilance

While pursuing happiness with family and friends, don't forget to also stand vigilant this Independence Day. [More]

Case SCOTUS Didn’t Hear Points to Larger Concern for Gun Owners

“The Supreme Court … refused to accept a case which sought to allow states to supplement a federal voter registration form so as to require proof of citizenship to vote,” Legal Insurrection reported Monday. “This is not just a battle of forms. It’s a battle for preventing theft of elections.” [More]

My latest TTAG entry notes if the establishment has its way, the need to vote fraudulently will be a moot point.

He's Ba...ack!

Mike updates us on what happened. [More]

Vanderboegh in Hospital for Observation

Mike just called me and wanted me to pass on that his wife Rosey just took him to the hospital following symptoms indicative of a heart attack (chest pain, numbness in left arm, indigestion/nausea, etc.), and they will be keeping him overnight for observation.

It is important that we do not overreact -- we do not yet have an official diagnosis and prognosis. That message goes to to his readers, his friends, and the One Hundred Heads Life and Casualty Company.

I'm not going to release the hospital name at this point per Mike's instruction, as he does not want a bunch of people making uncoordinated calls. I will remain on telephone standby day and night, and will report any changes in blog updates as I learn of them.

For now, share this information with anyone you know who is interested. Also, if you're the praying type, please do. Hopefully, by this time tomorrow, we'll be getting news directly from the man himself over at Sipsey Street Irregulars.

WEDNESDAY MORNING UPDATE:

Mike just called to update me on his condition, which is a good thing, him being in a condition to call 'n all.

He is frustrated because the hospital wifi system blocks SSI, so he cannot post updates himself.

In terms of what's going on, at this point things are speculative. He is scheduled for more tests this morning.

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE:

It turns out it was a severe magnesium deficiency causing the symptoms. Mike expects to be released tomorrow, when he can explain in detail.

THURSDAY UPDATE:

Mike's home and getting ready to do his first SSI blog post since this latest adventure began.

Tunisian Mass Murderer Counted On Gun Laws and Culture for Success

Again, Per GunPolicy.org, as far as world rankings go, “In a comparison of the rate of private gun ownership in 178 countries, Tunisia ranked at No. 178.” 

Mull that over for a minute. [More]

My latest TTAG entry notes nothing quite says "Success" for mass murderers like a disarmed victim pool.

Suggested Reading

I've got a bit of a break this morning from behind-the-scenes scrambling, so I can do some limited links to stuff written by friends that I think is important.  For today, here are two I find attention-worthy, meaning read them, and if you agree, tell others:

• Kurt Hofmann asks anti-gun Pope Francis when he's going to order the Swiss Guard to disarm.
• Mike notes political and judicial catalysts are setting up conditions for a critical mass civil disobedience chain reaction.

Gun blogger, others sue ATF over records request

Three gun rights advocates sued the ATF on Tuesday after filing a records request they say wasn’t fulfilled by the federal agency. [More]

Guns.com picked up on the story.

Now on to the big "conservative" sites, and I've even approached some newspapers.

Care to help?

Update...

...to the ATF FOIA Lawsuit...

Per attorney David Hardy:

I'm sending them copies of the summons and complaint today (the courts require service of hard copy), they'll have 30 days to reply (and probably ask for an extension, since for the government, 30 days is too brief a period in which to do anything).

Garden Party

But it's all right now

I learned my lesson well. 

You see, you can't please everyone

so you got to please yourself

I've been getting numerous congratulatory messages on the move to TTAG.

Thank you.

I've also received comments from some who are less than thrilled with my choice for a new platform.

Everybody's got their beefs. Cases in point:

• Some have told me they won't go to GUNS because the magazines are all in thrall to the manufacturers.
• When I wrote for Examiner, some refused to read the articles because of popups and autoplay videos.
• When I started writing for The Shooter's Log, some let me know they would not be reading because of CTD business practices they've objected to.

I'm pretty sure there's no place I could go that won't turn off some.

That's their choice. But I routinely work 12+hour days at this and need to go where I can, plus to go where I can attract more readers to grow exposure opportunities. And so far, no one from the syndicates or papers or networks has come knocking.

My hope is to expand the reach. But I can't do that without your support, that is, if you're one of those who gets more value from the work than reasons to avoid it. I need grassroots boosts from readers who have told me they appreciate what I'm trying to do, because I won't get it from anyone else.

Before this latest development, some were urging me to change my policy and accept contributions. I always have, but the currency I request is something everyone can afford: If you think a piece merits it, take a moment and share the link with others. And leave a comment under it. And forward it to one of the big outlets and ask them to take a look at it.

Especially my latest. Get someone else to report on it. I'm going to spend a good part of today trying to do just that, and I could really use a hand if you've got a few minutes to spare.

If you really want to help. But only if you get value. And if you do, why wouldn't you?

This new gig is one of a few irons in the fire. I'll keep you posted on new developments when I have something concrete to announce.

Lawsuit Seeks ATF FOIA Compliance, Determination and Rules Request

A complaint filed Tuesday in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia seeks an order to compel the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to comply with a Freedom of Information Act request filed in March and ignored in violation of federal law. The FOIA sought copies of policies and rulings relied on in enforcement and determination actions. [More]

My inaugural TTAG report notes you can't very well follow the rules if they're not the same for everyone, or if won't even tell you what they are. We just filed an action aimed at changing that.

If you agree with our goals, please share this one far and wide, including with establishment media.

TTAG Announcement

BREAKING: David Codrea Leaves Examiner for The Truth About Guns [More]

This is one of the developments I've been working on.

Those of you who have been asking how you can help and if I will accept contributions, the answer is yes, of course, I always have. It's just that the currency I ask for has never been money -- it has always been if you get value from an article, be a force multiplier and share the link with others. And ask them to do the same.

So if you get value from what I produce in new gigs like this one, then please help spread the word and bring in readership. That's a contribution everyone can afford.

My first article should be out shortly. It's an exclusive and it has the potential to help change the way ATF does business. Stay tuned.

Thank You for the Kind Words

I don't know about being anything more than just me, but I appreciate the sentiments, Dean, very, very much. [More]

The break has allowed me to focus on what had been a back burner issue that I did not previously have time for. That said, I'm exploring all options. When I have something concrete to share, I will.

It'll Never Be Enough

One key part of this horrific scheme -- the weapon -- came in April, when Roof bought a .45-caliber handgun at a Charleston gun store, the two law enforcement officials told Perez and Bruer from CNN, the first network to report this development. His grandfather says that Roof was given "birthday money" and that the family didn't know what Roof did with it. [More]

So he went through a "background check"?  And the antis say we still need more infringements?

How many more?

Trump Donations to Clinton Foundation Add to Gun Owner Concerns

First we need to make sure the fingers behind his back aren't crossed.

I see Pat Buchanan and Ilana Mercer just came out with approving columns on Donald Trump that do not mention the following concerns I raised in my May 15 Gun Rights Examiner column (and previous columns). Because so few seem to be aware of these concerns, I am reposting that article with minor corrective edits here:

Potential GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump and his daughter have donated “at least $105,000 to the Clinton Foundation,” The Hill reported Thursday. Contributions, per the Foundation website, “advance the work of any part of the Clinton Foundation, including the Clinton Global Initiative.”

That would be the same group behind the Clinton Global Citizen Award, presented to anti-gun billionaire Michael Bloomberg by Vice President Joe Biden for being the “most fierce and most effective advocate that we have on the matter of gun sanity.”

Trump has come across as effectively bipolar on guns.

“I love the NRA, I love the Second Amendment, so you have to know that,” Trump proclaimed at April’s National Rifle Association Leadership Forum in Nashville. “I promise you one thing, if I run for president, and if I win, the Second Amendment will be totally protected, that I can tell you.”

That doesn't exactly square with past statements -- by a long shot. True, he’s not against the concept of guns in private hands, under controlled circumstances, as Trump is one of the few elite recipients of a New York City concealed carry permit. But where does he stand on other aspects of the right to keep and bear arms that will interest gun owners looking for candidates worthy of their support?

Trump has a record on the issue from a prior time he was thinking about tossing his hat into the ring.

“Dems and Reps are both wrong on guns,” he declared in 2000, offering what he presumed to be an acceptable middle ground. “Democrats want to confiscate all guns, which is a dumb idea because only the law-abiding citizens would turn in their guns and the bad guys would be the only ones left armed. The Republicans walk the NRA line and refuse even limited restrictions.

“I generally oppose gun control, but I support the ban on assault weapons and I support a slightly longer waiting period to purchase a gun,” he elaborated.

Add to that a troubling history of not just generous financial support for the Clinton Foundation, but to a host of anti-gun Democrats, enabling them to retain their ability to attack the right to keep and bear arms.

“Over the past decade, Trump has given massive amounts of money not only to Democrats but the most liberal and most corrupt Democrats, such as Charles Schumer, Frank Lautenberg, Ted Kennedy, Harry Reid and Charlie Rangel,” former Rep. Tom Tancredo noted in 2011. He has given $116,000 in recent years to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. He supported John Kerry in 2004…”

Asking if he's a "secret liberal," Business Insider noted "Donald Trump Has Given Much More Money To New York Democrats Than Republicans."

Still, Trump found another issue that resonates with NRA members who are seemingly unaware that their association intentionally ignores it (when not promoting those enabling it): Illegal immigration leading to a "pathway to citizenship."

“You look at what’s happening with Mexico, the border is a sieve,” Trump continued, broaching an issue NRA has thus far been deliberately indifferent to under a “single issue” excuse that does not withstand close scrutiny. “Everybody’s coming in illegally, millions of people coming in illegally, we've got to stop it at the border, and we have to stop it fast.”

The room ate it up, along with his "American jobs first" theme, and ended up giving Trump a standing ovation. Perhaps their enthusiastic reaction would have been tempered had his inspiring sentiments been compared to his record.

Again, Trump appears to have learned the right words. He recognizes Republicans are on a “suicide mission” in which “11 million people will be voting Democratic," that “anchor babies” becoming citizens “was never the intention behind the 14th Amendment,” and that even “legal immigrants do not and should not enter easily ... we must take care of our own people first.”

With that being the case, Trump’s “D-“ grade from Numbers USA in 2011 (including an "Abysmal" rating on "limiting unfair foreign worker competition") points to a serious disconnect between rhetoric and substance on immigration. Likewise, his donations to the Clinton Foundation and to vehemently anti-gun Democrats raise serious doubts over what he told cheering NRA members and what he actually would enable if they entrusted him with political power.

As this column observed in 2012, Trump could be a great friend if his seeming enthusiasm for the Second Amendment is real. How we could go about determining that, aside from doing things backwards -- trusting him and then seeing if he ends up earning it -- is unclear.

The bottom line: The guy has some serious explaining, disavowing and apologizing to do, and that includes outlining unequivocal ways to prove he is being sincere, as opposed to self-serving and manipulative.

Hold Fast

We don't know enough yet to credibly conclude anything -- except that an evil being has struck and the danger for all just increased. We see an agenda already surfacing. What we learn as this unfolds will be filtered. You and I didn't do it. If we can be blamed, and if rights we hold dear can be attacked, they will be.

For now, observe. And if you're the praying type, now might be a pretty good time, for those whose lives were brutally stolen from them, for their loved ones now suffering unimaginable grief, and for all of us.

Lock-N-Load Redux

My Monday interview with host Bill Frady is now archived. [Listen]

Lock-N-Load Radio

I'll be rejoining Bill Frady this morning at 10 EST. [More]

Click here to listen in.

Daily Defense Redux

My Friday appearance with Mark Walters on Armed American Radio's Daily Defense, in which we talk Ann Coulter, the "pathway to citizenship" threat to RKBA, New Jersey/Chris Christie, and what's up with me, is now archived.

Click here if you'd like to hear it.

UnExamined in Knoxville

A totality of negative conditions have induced Liston Matthews to hang up on his Knoxville Gun Rights Examiner column. He will now be posting at Knox Gun Guy.

The GUNS of August

The August 2015 issue of GUNS Magazine, including my Rights Watch column "Defying the Defilers" (pg. 66), is now on sale at newsstands throughout the Republic.

They also post the digital edition online.

Kindness of Strangers

Several of you have graciously contacted me and asked if there is anything you can do to help in this time of uncertainty following last week's forced interruption in my daily work. I appreciate those of you who have expressed support since then, more than I can adequately express. Most of us have never met and probably never will, so that makes it all the more gratifying to know some have been moved enough to reach out to me.

First, I'm not going to dwell on the falling-out. I've already said my piece. Anything further I say could be dismissed as sour grapes, and there are much more important and interesting things to talk about.

Sorry, and thank you to those who have asked, but I cannot accept donations. That goes to the core of who I am. If I cannot create a sufficient and sustainable market demand for my RKBA reporting and commentary, then it's time to focus on what I can offer.

So to those now asking if there is anything you can do, there's nothing really different I can ask of you now that I haven't been asking all along: If I put out something, and if you get value from it, spread the word and share the link. If I write an article you agree with and have gotten insights from, leave a comment, or let the editor know to keep 'em coming. If I have a media appearance you think may be interesting, tune in --  and tell others. If there are other media outlets -- including "establishment" ones, which is where it could really make a difference to move the discussion to, contact them and tell them so.

The type of stuff I crank out is not something I can do part-time. 12+ hour days have been the norm for me. I have to be either all in or all out in terms of being a daily internet presence. It could be I've had my run except for the monthly GUNS Magazine column and occasional gigs at The Shooter's Log.

It is what it is.

Coulter Warns Against 'Immigration' Threat to RKBA

Author, columnist and commentator Ann Coulter joined nationally-syndicated "Armed American Radio's Daily Defense" host Mark Walters yesterday to talk about her most recent best seller, "Adios, America!: The Left's Plan to Turn Our Country Into a Third World Hellhole."

In that interview, Coulter confirmed what very few of us who primarily emphasize gun rights have been consistently warning about -- that government "immigration" policies and practices present an existential threat to RKBA, or at least to "legal" recognition of it.  She also had some very enthusiastic things to say about Larry Pratt and Gun Owners of America, the only national "gun group" that has raised the alarm and mobilized its members on this.

Click here to listen to what may turn out to be a pivotal point in convincing the "other" groups to get on board now that a national figure with mass media reach has unequivocally weighed in.

And check back in to the program this afternoon at 4 Eastern when I'll be joining Mark to follow up on the interview.  Click here to listen live.

Much Ado About Nothing

[More]

But it sure distracts gun owners from real issues, doesn't it?

About that "Single Issue"

Yeah, this, combined with a "pathway to citizenship" and the impact on elections and court confirmations will have absolutely nothing to do with RKBA, right? [More]

That no "gun groups" besides GOA are raising the alarm says much. As does the number of popular "gun bloggers" saying nothing.

I'll have more to say about this later in the week.

Exclusive: Mad Men

“[I]t does, at least, suggest—indeed, demonstrate—that minds can be changed on the matter,” Nudd insisted. “And it’s chilling in the video to see the actual guns that were used in notorious crimes, and must have been that much more so in person.” [More]

My latest GUNS Magazine "Rights Watch" column notes the way public opinion is influenced by professional liars is nothing short of madness.

It's a New Day

View from the back porch -- this pretty girl paid a visit:

That window needs some serious squeegeeing. It'll have to wait, as I took some large dead branches down yesterday and need to spend today cutting them down to size.

I'm moving on from my recent misadventure. No new outside gig is in sight, so I'm working on creating an inside job, now that I finally have the time to devote to a project that's been back-burnered for a while...

New Examiner "Review" Criteria May Explain What Staff Refuses To

Long-time readers who have supported my work deserve an explanation, so here's an update for those of you who have been wondering what's going on with Gun Rights Examiner. Sorry it's so long -- there are many pieces to consider.

I've been writing for them since 2008, and never had a column pulled before. Now they've sunk two in a row, and have clammed up on their reason, to boot.

A full week after Examiner.com "unpublished" my Hastert column, and five days after they torpedoed my follow-up column about a media subscriber news service including that story in an alert to members, they still have not responded to multiple inquiries asking why. That's in spite of their instruction to "Contact support with any questions."

That they would  let a content provider spend hours researching, writing, publishing and publicizing an article, pull it, and then go into hiding, is indicative of the "leadership" routinely endured over the years, and leads to natural speculation as to what "offense" against "standards" could have possibly occurred this time. If tough to know what's allowable when anti-gun "progressives" are permitted to outright lie and call gun owners who believe in their rights "ammosexuals" (that's actually a keyword tag on the Examiner site).

It looks like that assumption was wrong -- albeit with no explanation followed by the silent treatment, it was an understandable conclusion to jump to. They just sent out an email to their list defining new criteria for both acceptability of an article as "newsworthy," as well as general editorial criteria for all articles.

Understand that Examiner does not submit all articles to the Google news feed. They have requirements, like the story must be under 48 hours old, you have to link to sources they consider credible, you can't reference other Examiner links, you can't use the first person, etc. That's been understood, even if it's self-defeating for those of us who actually dig out stories on our own, as opposed to linking to what someone else has uncovered and rewording it to take advantage of keyword and topic trending. In other words, those of us doing investigative journalism, where we are the ones breaking stories, and where we have nothing else to refer to as a source but our own prior work, are penalized for deviating from the content farm model.

They now appear to be extending that to all articles, not just the ones submitted to the news feeds. And it appears not complying with "review criteria" they just sent out today may be the reason behind "unpublishing" articles published a week ago.

Their criteria, incidentally, corroborate the valuing of search ranking manipulation over content. Case in point, from the Examiner Support Center "Basic Editorial Requirement writing Tips":

Please refrain from using one-sentence paragraphs, paragraphs consisting of only a few short sentences or paragraphs made up of incomplete sentences whenever possible. Google rejects pieces that are formatted that way.

Compare that to Purdue University's Online Writing Lab, teaching journalism students how to write:

Tips for Writing a Lead ... Brevity: Readers want to know why the story matters to them and they won’t wait long for the answer. Leads are often one sentence, sometimes two.

The "review criteria" also list some of the "sins" committed in my Hastert and follow-up articles:

Self-promotion: Not allowed in article content. No click-baiting or product marketing is permitted ... Third Person: Avoid first-person references ("I," "me," "my," etc.) The focus of the article should be on the story, not on the person writing it.

That depends on the meaning of the term "self-promotion." and the qualifications of  the person making that assessment. My columns never contain "click-baiting or product marketing." What they do contain are references to original work that no one else has uncovered, and if not called to reader attention, will remain unknown to everyone but me. We certainly know the "mainstream media" has no interest unless it's to take a story uncovered by small fry, bigfoot it, and claim it as their own.

Yes, my Hastert story contained a link to one of my articles from 16 years ago, an open letter I wrote to him (that was subsequently published in a Libertarian Party publication at the request of one of their officials), and that necessitated a first-person reference. It couldn't be helped.

Everybody and his brother are "reporting" on the Hastert scandal and charges the guy's got himself embroiled in. Not one writer was informing gun owners about his betrayal of their interests when he was Speaker, and how in spite of that, he was still given an "A" rating from NRA. That's legitimate information for a gun rights advocacy readership to be aware of. It's not my fault no one else knew about and was reporting that. I guess the Examiner solution for original and unique offerings is to "unpublish" and suppress them.

Using that criteria, that reference to self or to prior works of original investigative journalism is verboten, let's look at some of the other stuff, allowed in the past, but now evidently in violation of the new criteria:

My FOIA-based exposé on the fake Ceasefire "PSA" that yielded a permit saying “Actors are interviewed on camera in a fake gun store” comes immediately to mind. It included my email correspondence with the Mayor's Office and also linked to my piece at The Shooters' Log. Is that "self-promotion" or is that telling and expanding on a dimension of a national interest story no one else is? And for that matter, if they're going to be consistent why hasn't that article been "unpublished"?

How about my other stories resulting from FOIA requests I filed? Who is going to report on those if not me? We know the "partial response" I got from ATF proved a whistleblower had been called on the carpet for talking to the Senate. We also know the Senate was publicly pressured -- by me -- to interview and protect Gunwalker whistleblowers in the first place.

As a matter of fact, look at all the reporting Mike Vanderboegh and I did on this before anyone in major media said word one about Fast and Furious. By Examiner's "review criteria," this all needs to be pulled from the site. And future stories -- and Mike has arranged to share documentation with me on a huge one -- cannot, as a matter of their "rules," appear there.

So what else, just off the top of my head, must go?

It looks like I can't tell readers how ATF claimed -- to me -- an Administrative Procedures Act exemption from their recent ammo ban "framework" trial balloon. Nor can I tell them how -- after my reports -- the "real reporters" discovered the B. Todd Jones leaving ATF for NFL story, or the Armatix management split story, or how an anti-gun "filmmaker" broke the law regarding bringing imitation firearm onto school premises without permission, or...

Nor can I include links in future articles to information vital to understanding a complex and ongoing story that appears nowhere else, such as the series of reports I have done containing exclusive information on the Reese family case, John Shipley, ATF's Vince Cefalu and Jay Dobyns, the '68 GCA and other legal challenges, and those are just off the top of my  head as topics where I have to refer and link to earlier reports I posted in order to validate claims. And who knows what this will do to the innumerable source documents I alone have archived on Scribd? How is linking to my account there not "self-promotion"?

I guess I can forget about telling you things I'd like you to help be a force multiplier for. That's a major reason I do this, to provide information that no one else does or will, and to then rely on activist readers to help me bypass "legitimate media" gatekeepers. And sometimes, the action just happens to center on my activities. So if I interview Rand Paul, or appear on a television panel, or get interviewed on a network show, or help write lyrics to a song for a political video produced by a multiple-award winning filmmaker and premiering on a nationally-syndicated radio program, or give a speech in front of a state house, those are all things I'm evidently no longer allowed to tell regular readers about in my column -- a column I started and expanded to a national presence on the premise and promise that I could.

That's in spite of a pledge made to me by Examiner only three months ago after one of their reviewers had rejected my ATF ammo ban piece from news feed submission on the grounds that I did not link to a recognized news source.

"As for the main premise of my story having no link, what am I supposed to do when this is original investigative journalism based my telephone conversation held today with an ATF official identified as the point of contact on a new proposed rule?" I asked. "There IS no other source to link to, as no one else has this development but me. I repeat: What am I to do?"

This was the last official word received on the matter:

Click to enlarge

I guess the "welcome" has been pulled back, or at least my being able to identify myself as the one who made the story happen in the first place, and to reference and link to an exclusive in follow-up reports.

Several of you have reached out to me, asking if I want you to do anything, maybe write to Examiner. Thanks, but no. These conditions are intolerable. I'm probably going to need to post a bare minimum article once a month just to keep them from declaring my account inactive and not sharing page view revenues from past articles, but it looks like their rules will no longer allow me to do much of the original stuff that requires self-referencing and linking.

How this will play out and if I'll land anywhere else is anybody's guess, but it doesn't look promising. Ultimately, I have to admit the failure to figure a way out of the box is mine, as my stuff is unacceptable to big boy media as well as to "lobby groups." That's because I do this to say what I want to say.

I'll keep writing for the magazine as long as they want me, and also do occasional contract assignments that don't dictate information-stifling restrictions, but without a replacement gig, this is probably going to require stepping back and refocusing energies on something that values my efforts enough to actually pay the bills. For now, look for this blog and all of my social media activity to be limited to dreaded "self-promotion."

UPDATE: Well, that was quick. At least it shows they can move when motivated. They fired me, and warned me not to show anyone the termination notice because that would violate a confidentiality agreement.  I'll match their agreement violations over the years against mine if they want to pursue this, because I maintain this is definitely in the interests of pursuing a story about cheesy Examiner.com practices:

[Click to enlarge]

PJTV on Fake Gun Store Story

Further info here.