Raising the Barr

By the time Rep. Chenoweth introduced her bill, there were 11 original cosponsors -- a significant number indeed. Consider that the other leading bill to repeal the Lautenberg gun ban only had one original cosponsor when it was introduced earlier this year. That bill, introduced by Rep. Bob Barr (R-GA), would only repeal the retroactive part of the gun ban, leaving the ban in place for the future.[Emphasis Added-DC]

Really?

It would seem so:

Rep. Barr shows support for Lautenberg ban.

In early March, Rep. Bob Barr endorsed the concept of the Lautenberg gun ban, calling it "important and worthwhile legislation." Barr's comments appeared as an editorial in the March 6, 1997 issue of USA Today, where he called for only a limited repeal of the Lautenberg ban. While he opposed the retroactive part of the ban, Rep. Barr endorsed the underlying principle behind the Lautenberg gun ban, stating that,

This [Lautenberg gun ban] is important and worthwhile legislation, and we cannot allow its effectiveness to be reduced.

Unfortunately, this was not the first time that Rep. Barr has expressed his support for the underlying principle behind the Lautenberg gun ban. On September 28, 1996, Rep. Barr issued a memo on his Congressional letterhead stating that:

The Lautenberg amendment with the Barr language is strong protection for women and children. [Emphasis in the original.]

And then on October 12, 1996, Rep. Barr sent a letter to the editor of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, again saying that he had fought hard to "improve" the Lautenberg language. He noted that because of his amendment, the Lautenberg gun ban could now pass constitutional muster and not be struck down by the courts. Barr stated:

Under the Lautenberg language -- which was cleared up through my amendatory language that was adopted -- there was no consistent definition of "crime of domestic violence," and therefore the entire provision would have been declared unconstitutional. My language corrected this deficiency by setting forth the common elements of the crime that would apply to everyone. [Emphasis added.]

Rep. Barr was also one of the Representatives who voted last September in favor of the Lautenberg gun ban as part of the omnibus spending bill (H.R. 3610).

The above statements would seem to indicate that Rep. Barr is content with only repealing the retroactive nature of the ban, and thus, leaving the gun ban in the federal code in perpetuity.

We've seen the best the Republicans are offering us--this is all the LP can muster? We are so screwed.

I'm writing in Papoon for President.

"He's Not Insane."

Don't Wink at Gun Owners

An Open Challenge to Libertarian Presidential Candidate Bob Barr

Mr. Barr,

As WarOnGuns visitors were recently reminded, based on reporting by Gun Owners of America:

On September 28, 1996, you issued a memo on Congressional letterhead advocating:

The Lautenberg amendment with the Barr language is strong protection for women and children.

On October 12, 1996, you sent a letter to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, claiming you "improved" the Lautenberg language so it could not be struck down by the courts, stating:

Under the Lautenberg language -- which was cleared up through my amendatory language that was adopted -- there was no consistent definition of "crime of domestic violence," and therefore the entire provision would have been declared unconstitutional. My language corrected this deficiency by setting forth the common elements of the crime that would apply to everyone.

On Mar. 6, 1997, your editorial, "Don't Wink at Violence," was published in USA Today. In it, you wrote:

[Lautenberg] is important and worthwhile legislation, and we cannot allow its effectiveness to be reduced.

Despite the fact you then voted for Lautenberg as part of an omnibus spending bill, there are those who would like to hear your reasoning. I'm among those.

But I think you need to go one step further. With the exception of your USA Today piece, which can be purchased individually (but not disseminated in total without violating copyright), the other referenced documents aren't accessible to scrutiny.

This issue will not go away, Mr. Barr--you will either address it directly, and explain yourself--or ignore it.

I challenge you to release and post the full text of your memo, your AJC letter, and your USA Today opinion piece, and let gun owners read your words for themselves. And I challenge the Libertarian Party to demand it of you as well.

Sean Penn owning guns after domestic violence plea raises legal questions

What Penn is even doing with guns in the first place is a mystery, if the reports are true that when partnered with Madonna, he tied her to a chair and beat her up with a baseball bat. The Lautenberg amendment prohibition on gun ownership applies to those convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence, and according to the New York Daily News, “Penn was also charged with felony domestic assault during his marriage to Madonna. He pleaded to a misdemeanor.” [More]

As usual, all the “real reporters” missed the real story. Today’s Gun Rights Examiner report asks how someone with a Lautenberg gun prohibition can have 65 guns to melt down in the first place. Perhaps it would make for a good Five Minute Activism project to ask @ATFHQ...

Will Lautenberg Anti-Gun Airport Bill Increase Vulnerability?

Not satisfied with putting grandmothers at risk of losing their legal right to the means of self-defense, or of denying gun purchases to people who haven't even been charged, let alone tried and convicted of any crime, Sen. Frank Lautenberg now means to see us defenseless on the way to and from airports, when we go to drop off or pick someone up. [More]

Today's Gun Rights Examiner column looks at the latest assault on freedom by a committed domestic enemy.

Also find out what our foreign enemies are up to with their UN Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence.

Share the link?

The Lautenberg Blues

A reader who may have been caught up in its net asks if I think the Lautenberg ban will ever be repealed. Understanding that my crystal ball is in the shop for repairs, I thought my reply might at least help someone similarly ensnared:

Not without a total paradigm shift, which I do not believe likely. That's the problem with majority rule democracy trumping rights. You not only can't sell "wife beaters" having guns to the general public, but there will be no shortage of "gun rights leaders" hostile to even trying because of that.

And no, despite some wishful thinking I see in some online forum threads, I don't believe Heller will have any bearing on getting it overturned.

My plan would be not to cop a plea to anything. If they're going to take your guns, you might as well fight.

A good friend of mine did--he knew he was innocent and determined not to compromise even a little. It ended up costing him tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees, but he managed to cast enough doubts both on events and the person who made up the bs charges against him, that the prosecutor finally realized the case would be extremely unlikely to produce a win, so he backed down and dropped charges.

Sorry I don't have better news than that, but it does show it can be done...and it was a heap less expensive than dying in a "from my cold dead hands" gun battle.

Oh, and one other thing--don't try telling your side to the police. They don't care and will use it against you. If they want to enter your house and confiscate your guns, let them know you will not oppose them if they have a warrant, but otherwise you do not consent, you have nothing to say and you want to speak to an attorney.

And one other thing--have the phone number of a relative or friend memorized. If the cops take you in, you won't be left in possession of your cell phone or address book, and you'll want someone you trust on the outside doing what they can to help.

About that Retraction

A retraction was demanded.

This is it?

[This story has been changed since it was first posted. It originally gave an innacurate description of how Gottlieb "refers to" Lautenberg.]

Wait a damn minute.

These people told the world:

Gottlieb refers to the Jewish Lautenberg as a "Zionist...gun hater."

Where the hell is their complete and specific online retraction--along with their profound apology?

What nasty people.

Still Looking for Lautenberg Victims

Gun Law News needs your help. If you or someone you know has relevant information "of how Lautenberg has unjustly denied people their Second Amendment rights," by all means contact them and tell them about it.

"Protecting Your Freedom Since, Um..."

21 Guns, Salute enters the Bob Barr Poster Contest.

Speaking of which, Western Rifle Shooters Association has posted the gallery to date (not bad since this was just announced the other day).

We're having fun--please join us--if you have a blog I'll direct traffic there. if you don't, I'll post your entry here.

And even if you're not the artistic type, there's still a way to participate--and I'd actually like to get everyone reading this to do so:

Tonight at 6:30 (I assume EST since the blog appears to originate in VA), Bob Barr's son and campaign spokesman, Derek Barr, will be "liveblogging" at Good Sense. As you can see from the "Comments," I've already set the stage for the reason I'm holding this poster contest:

Why is the Barr campaign and Libertarian Party not replying to email inquiries about his support for the Lautenberg gun ban?

Some backup during the live blog will be appreciated, especially if the response needs to be expanded or clarified. I understand from the "Reader Information" link that it's not a chat room and a moderator must decide on passing on all questions.

Anyway, I'll be there watching, and hope you can make it, too. These people want the gun owner vote, but they continue to ignore our legitimate concerns.

We're the Only Ones "He's OK" Enough

On the plus side, they've got her confession that she hit her daughter, so that oughtta be good for a lifetime Lautenberg disability... [Watch]

[Via Neil W]

Meanwhile, Behind the Front Lines at Airport Security...

Say, isn't that one of those "invisible to x-rays" plastic "cop killer" guns? [Read]

Quick! This is a job for Frank Lautenberg!

[Via AzHamMedic]

We're the Only Ones Electrifying Your Kids Enough

A Florida corrections officer was fired after zapping children with 50,000 volts of electricity during a "Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day" tour. [More]

You can't make this stuff up. Where do they get these morons from? What kind of total meathead would think this is a good idea? And why do they have authority over others?

And if it's a kids at work day, doesn't that mean the idiot consenting parents are also "Only Ones"?

Why is this not considered felony child endangerment? Where is Child Protective Services, taking the children out of the homes of parents with such appalling judgment and willingness to allow others to violently abuse their kids with devices that have proven lethal in many instances? Can anyone say with certainty the effects this can have on smaller body masses and developing bodies?

And because such consent amounts to "domestic violence," where are the resulting charges that will forever turn these parents into "prohibited persons" under Lautenberg?

We're the Only Ones Probationary Enough

A Chandler homicide detective who was arrested on suspicion of assaulting his wife has agreed to 36 months of probation and substance-abuse counseling in a deferred prosecution deal in Gilbert Municipal Court on Friday.

If Brett Lockwood, 35, completes the terms of his probation he will not be prosecuted on the misdemeanor assault charge. [More]

Plus it says this "Only One" lied to investigators.

Hey, I'll bet you or I would have been given the same deal under these circumstances, don't you think? I mean, no Lautenberg lifetime ban or anything...?

[Via Doug H]

Lautenberg Bill Will Harass Gun Owners, Not Terrorists

We already know who some in government consider to be "Homegrown Terrorists." We've seen how mere ideology is often enough to cause official suspicion. And some urge more than just denial of rights without due process, actually issuing shrill demands for Stalinist purges.

In America.

It's evident those intent on mandating a government monopoly of force will stop at nothing. [More]

Today's Gun Rights Examiner looks at another kind of terrorism--the legislative kind, sponsored by traitors in government.

Also get the latest from my fellow GREs.

Tell a friend?

Hell Hath No Fury

George Zimmerman's estranged wife says he threatened her with gun [More]

 Meaning under Lautenberg, he can become a prohibited person for "domestic violence," which would serve the purposes of those seeking to kill him just fine.

I wonder if the fact that she has already been sentenced for perjury will be admissible if he ends up going to trial over this?

[Via Florida Guy] 

UPDATE: Workman weighs in.

One That Needs Verifying

The tides may be turning within the National Rifle Association: according to a new report, America’s largest gun-lobbying group has helped advance three bills recently that limit firearm ownership, and more could soon be added to that list. [More]

So "Stand and Fight" is just a fundraising slogan?

We've seen the dangers and abuses of Lautenberg, and the dangers and abuses of mere accusations in lieu of being adjudicated guilty.

I'm not automatically trusting either RT of HuffPo. What I am suggesting is finding out exactly what this is about, and making sure no deals are being cut behind closed doors.

Stick a Fork in Him, He's Done

['Top Chef' winner Paul] Qui told police he "only was grabbing and holding her." [More]

Why tell them anything?

Did you think Mike Martinez giving you the "Qui to the city" made you anything more than a stage prop? Guess what Martinez wants to do to everyone.

And now, "thanks" to Lautenberg, you go to the head of the line. In spite of those marks on your face.

The O'Reilly Factor

The documents, which record testimony given last year, confirm that the ex-couple’s teenage daughter told a court-appointed forensic examiner that she witnessed O’Reilly “choking her mom” as he “dragged her down some stairs” by the neck. [More]

The Bill O'Reilly who supports gun confiscation in emergencies? And who then sneers at people who anticipate confiscation, telling them "That's your problem"?

The Bill O'Reilly who called registration and banning firearms like the AK "reasonable"?

That "gun control"-cheerleading pinhead?

Say, has he heard about the Lautenberg domestic violence lifetime gun ban?

We're the Only Ones Whose Wings are Clipped Enough

Sarasota officer arrested for shoving airline employee after being kicked off flight [More]

Grabbed his son by the neck too...?

Oh Mr. Lautenberg...

[Via William T]

Bob Barr Poster Contest Update

I haven't forgotten, I've just been busy. I suppose we should wrap this thing up.

A public record has been created documenting the Barr campaign and the national LP know about the Lautenberg concerns and have chosen to ignore them. That means they have chosen to demonstrate no difference between their MO and those of the major parties.

I'll plan on doing a final presentation and vote on Sunday. Anyone still wishing to participate has until Saturday night. Here's how.

Sorry--I still haven't decided on a prize. I'll come up with something.

In the mean time, get your entries in if you want to play, and check in on Sunday to vote--which means I'll also need to design a poll...

CSGV Finds Another "Loophole"!

Really? "Criminals"? Are we going to let this stand? Something must be done! [More]

So now they demand those with past misdemeanors beyond Lautenberg be "prohibited persons." Thanks for showing us more about yourselves and your plans, CSGV!

I hope everyone understands how intimidating it is for me to even hint at saying anything such awesome opponents might not approve of. They might attack me for being "white" again!