If It's A "Partnership," Are We Free To Dissolve It?

In re BATFU enforcing a frame, receiver or barrel importation ban:

"Maintaining open lines of communication is vital to the successful future of ATF’s partnership with the import community."--Lewis P. Raden, Assistant Director (Enforcement Programs and Services)

Enforcement Services. Partnership. Obey us or be destroyed.

Don'tcha just love BATFU-speak?

Hey Lewis--what do you call it when someone doesn't want to be your partner, yet you force yourself upon them anyway--under threat of violence if they don't submit?

[Hat tip to Head's Bunker.]

"Canons of Journalism" Rebuttal

Cari Hammerstrom Speaks Out

"Hyperbole" reporter here.

First of all, let me say that none of this is the opinion of The Monitor, my employer. It is my personal rebuttal, because I don't like my credibility to be attacked.

Today, I got a call from a Denny Church, (sp?), inquiring about the article I wrote that appeared in Saturday's edition of The Monitor.

He referred me to this website.

I've read your attack on my credentials and have this to say.

According to the golf pro at Tierra Santa, he and fellow golfers have heard the distinctive zinging of bullets going over their heads.

My own co-workers and husband, which of course I did not interview for this article, too, have heard bullets zinging over their heads at this golf course. It was told to me by the golf pro that these bullets came from a range to the north of the course. He never said whether he had found bullets anywhere on the course.

It could be possible that this person was mistaken and doesn't know which direction the sun comes up. According to Lt. Raul Vallejo of the Weslaco Police Department, there is another range west of the course where "uncontolled" shooting goes on. The bullets may have come from there.

The northern range is property of the Weslaco police department; however, I did not know this at the time at I wrote the article.

Vallejo (the firearms instructor) informed me that, yes, you are correct, no complaints have been filed. However, does a formal complaint necessarily need to be filed for an action to have actually happened? I think not.

"Nobody's out there shooting willy nilly," Vallejo said. No citizens are shooting at the range. He told me the range points due west, and yet, the course is to the south. Highly improbable that the bullet came from the police department's range, yes. But could it happen. Sure. Or, like I said, the golf pro didn't know which range the bullets zinged from, or worse yet, he may have lied because he doesn't like guns.

Who knows?

But he said he heard bullets going over his head and it bothers him and his clients. A worthy point to consider when trying to highlight the need for an indoor range.
You obviously missed the point of the article, which was obvious by the headline, "Targeting a need."

Law enforcement officers would like an indoor range to shoot at. People, or at least golfers, would prefer if law enforcement and anybody who shoots go inside and do it. This new shooting range is obviously wanted by some. (If you still want to shoot outside, fine.)

This account of one golfer's ire was merely a way of illustrating that. And the "bang, bang...bang, bang, bang!" was a way of putting the reader in a golfer's shoes. An "overanalyzing" golfer at that.

Don't point out bias where it does not exist.

You simply chose to read my article a certain way. I'm sure others got the point.
Just so you know, my husband owns a gun. I like guns. I have two shotgun shells and a bullet casing sitting on my desk, from the times I shot with law enforcement. (I've gone through McAllen Police Citizen's Academy and the Border Patrol Citizen's Academy)

I also recently went skeet shooting for the first time and blasted that clay right out of the sky on my first try. What a feeling!

So, no, this was not some liberal media attack on the right to bear arms. This article simply pointed out the need for another indoor shooting range in Hidalgo County. Thank you very much.

Respectfully,

Cari Hammerstrom

"Canons of Journalism" Update

Whose Paranoid does his own investigation.

Job Requirements

"Later, the President heard from his wife - via an interview on NBC's 'Today Show' - about what she is looking for on the nation's highest court.

"'Sure, I would really like for him to name another woman,' First Lady Laura Bush said while on her goodwill tour of Africa."

After all, it isn't understanding and faithfulness to Founding intent that matters--it's your genitals.

Preferably Bush will also make sure his nominee is non-Caucasian and so compromised in principle even the Democrats won't filibuster.

Yeah, we'll be getting our rights recognized and protected real quick with this approach.

Vous Êtes Cordialement Invités...

À une Réunion des Traîtres!

SayUncle links to a Brady Center fundraiser at the French Embassy celebrating the birthday of Art Buchwald.

At least Americans who wish to surrender their rights have picked the right place.

I'm disappointed to see Dave Barry on the list.

Power of the Constituency

Liberty Belles Ask For Your Support

This is a time when our rights as American citizens are more in jeopardy than at any other time in our nation's history. We're witnessing an all out attack on what we traditionally know as American culture and the Bill of Rights. The evidence is in our schools, our courts, at the border, and even in the White House. The only thing that can stop our politicians, mainstream media, and big business from continuing down this treacherous path is a massive outpouring of resistance from The People. Lack of such a resistance would clearly signal a green light for the end of our nation as we know it.

We need your help to represent the Second Amendment during this very uncertain time. Only with your support and membership can we continue to be the voice your views and opinions on gun rights. And if you join before July 31st, you will receive a complimentary gift as a token of our appreciation.

Please click here to learn how you can support the cause: http://www.libertybelles.org/join.htm

Please visit our website at http://www.libertybelles.org to learn more about this topic and others including:

The Power of the Constituency
The cost of SB357
BATF - Failing the test
and more!

Thank you for your support!

Jennifer Freeman

Everybody Loves Ray Guns

Bill St. Clair points us to Ionatron, which is developing what is, for all intents and purposes, a phaser.

"Oh, joy," he observes. "The JBTs will soon have phasers. Then again, so will we."

Wanna bet?

At least not legal ones.

Prosecutor Steals Gun

Publicola tells a distressing and outrageous tale.

A Manual Effort

Civis Proeliator gives us "Manuals, Manuals & More Manuals."

"Lunatic Fringe"?

Arms and the Law refers us to Polsby and Kates' new law review article, which begins very cryptically:

"This essay seeks to reclaim a serious argument from the lunatic fringe. We argue a connection exists between the restrictiveness of a country's civilian weapons policy and its liability to commit genocide upon its own people."

I wasn't aware of a lunatic fringe making this argument.

JPFO and its supporters have been making this argument for years, and struggling mightily to get the ideas noticed. Curiously, they are not even mentioned in this paper.

Mr. Polsby--it would help if you told us exactly who you have in mind when you use the term "lunatic fringe."

Man, What IS It...

...with the Rio Grande Valley and bullets flying overhead near golf courses...?

At least in this case, it doesn't appear to be reporter hyperbole...

The Canons of Journalism

An Open Letter to Cari Hammerstrom

Dear Ms. Hammerstrom,

Your paper's website doesn't include an email address for you, so I'm sending this to its editorial department to forward to you, as well as for their cognizance.

I'm writing in response to your July 9 story in The Monitor titled "TARGETING A NEED" because it makes some remarkable, and frankly, unbelievable claims.

You say golfers at Tierra Santa golf course in Weslaco are subjected to "bullets zinging overhead," and give credence to the assertion that "residents living nearby would probably appreciate if the bullets could go somewhere else."

Is this true? Is a gun range operated so dangerously and incompetently that the public is exposed to potentially lethal gunfire, and no one is doing anything to stop it? How could a fair reading of your carefully chosen and edited words conclude otherwise?

That seems to be quite a story you have stumbled on to. It's baffling why your biggest concern seems to be some golfers' games being off at the 6th hole due to noise.

Questions I would be interested in seeing you follow up on:

How much expended ammunition has been recovered off the gun range property?

Have any homes or other property been hit?

With "bullets zinging overhead," have police reports been made?

What do the police have to say about such obviously hazardous conditions endangering lives and property?

Has anyone appealed to a court to shut the range down? If not, why not?

Or, Ms. Hammerstrom, is it more likely that this is not a straight news story at all, but intentional hyperbole designed to shape public attitudes by implying a danger that does not exist?

If that's the case, do you think you are rigorously upholding the canons of journalism, or have you given that up and embraced the role of an agenda-driven propagandist?

Let me save you the time of doing further research, Ms. Hammerstrom--I have done it for you, from my armchair in Southern California, and it took me a matter of mere minutes.

Since your story was datelined in Edinburg, I called their police department. The lady I spoke with had heard nothing about "bullets zinging overhead" at a local golf course, but said I would need to check with the Weslaco police and gave me their number. I called there and spoke to another lady in charge of records and asked her if there was anyone I could speak with on the record about the matter. She gave me the name of her lieutenant and took down my number for him to get back to me. She also volunteered that if something like that had happened, she thought she would have heard about it--and hadn't.

A few hours later, I got a return call from Lt. Raul Vallejo, who informed me that when he heard about my inquiry, he personally went out to the area to see if he could find anything out about it. I explained who I was and why I was checking out your claims and his for the record response was:

"I have not received complaints of that nature and would fully investigate anything that was brought before me like that."

Lt. Vallejo seemed like a real and genuine person, easy to talk with, and honest and forthright in his answers. You would have enjoyed speaking with him, Ms. Hammerstrom, assuming you were interested in giving your assertions a reality check.

Isn't it curious that a professional reporter, backed by the resources of a professional newsgathering organization, would make such outrageous and misleading claims and present them to the public as factual? Especially when divining the truth of the matter is almost effortless, assuming that is what one seeks? Do you attribute your false claims to carelessness, Ms. Hammerstrom, or to something more deliberate?

To your editors, I would ask if this is representative of the quality of reporting we can expect from The Monitor and its sister publications at Freedom Communications, Inc.?

In any event, I'll be monitoring The Monitor, Ms. Hammerstrom, as well as sister publications where your story has appeared, to see if a deserved correction to their readers is forthcoming. And while I hold no illusions about professional sanctions for work that can only be described as either negligent or deceptive, perhaps this will give your editors pause to scrutinize your submissions a little more closely in the future.

"Was My Face Red" Update

In re the guy who complained about the Air Force flyby, Snopes.com reports:

To his credit, the complainant, Mr. MacRae, tendered a written apology which was published in The Republic on 9 July: Regarding "Flyby honoring fallen comrade" (Letters, June 28):

I read with increasing embarrassment and humility the response to my unfortunate letter to The Republic concerning an Air Force flyby ("A wake-up call from Luke's jets," Letters, June 23).

I had no idea of the significance of the flyby, and would never have insulted such a fine and respectful display had I known.

I have received many calls from the fine airmen who are serving or have served at Luke, and I have attempted to explain my side and apologized for any discomfort my letter has caused.

This was simply an uninformed citizen complaining about noise.

I have been made aware in both written and verbal communications of the four-ship flyby, and my heart goes out to each and every lost serviceman and woman in this war in which we are engaged.

I have been called un-American by an unknown caller and I feel that I must address that. I served in the U.S. Navy and am a Vietnam veteran. I love my country and respect the jobs that the service organizations are doing.

Please accept my heartfelt apologies.

Tom MacRae, Peoria

Arrest That Man!

"Last November, University of California, Los Angeles student Joseph Deutch put what appeared to be a bullet into the chamber and pulled the trigger in front of his class.

"After the sound of a click, he ran out of the room and a loud noise rang out, causing panic among students who briefly thought he had committed suicide. In fact, Deutch had set off a firecracker in a can offstage, his lawyer Howard R. Price told the Los Angeles Times."

Firecrackers, of course, are illegal in the state of California, which only allows the sale and use of State Fire Marshal-approved "safe and sane" fireworks. On top of that, even those fireworks may only be discharged between specified dates around the Fourth of July, and only then in municipalities which permit it.

So the lawyer seems to be admitting guilt for his client on several counts.

Actually, the whole story about a wooden gun sounds like BS to me.

Hey, Can I Do That?

Louisville minister Louis Coleman hates guns.

"'We want to get them off the streets. We want to get them out of people's homes. We want to get people's minds, eyesight, earshot distance. We want to get them out of the environment totally,' said Coleman."

Somehow, I don't think he intends to disarm his masters and their enforcers. But what's he doing to disarm his flock?

"For the past several years, he's set up temporary shop on the corner offering to buy guns for $20 to $25. It's dollars he pays out of pocket with the funds that are supplied by his group, the Justice Resource Center."

He wouldn't be operating this store and receiving firearms without jumping through all the hoops a regular gun dealer is forced to go through, would he?

Blame It On Rio

Let's see--unchecked gangs roam the streets committing carnage--hey, HERE'S an idea--seeing as how the increasingly restrictive edicts haven't done anything to stem the violence, why not hold a referendum to make ALL private guns illegal?

THAT'll teach those street thugs!

Was My Face Red!

Head tells us about Tom MacRae, who opened mouth and inserted foot in a very public way--one that will surely cause him grief for years to come.

Out of Africa

Rational Review points us to an article by Robert B. Reich who argues "End rich-nation farm subsidies, and Africa and other poor nations have a fighting chance."

Reich calling for an end to any kind of government meddling with the economy is an event unto itself, but that ain't the half of it. My sister Betsy sent me a magnificent Spiegel interview with Kenyan economics expert James Shikwati, who pleads "For God's Sake, Please Stop the Aid!"

Read this. It is profound, and directly applicable to what is happening in this country via the welfare state, do-gooders and unintended consequences, and no, of course I'm not solely addressing a specific minority community.

The social engineers (like Reich) have created a cycle of dependency and generational poverty. Coupled with insane prohibitions, this must always result in a robust criminal subculture with attendant violence, and increasingly repressive government using that as an excuse to expand its clutches.

Those who would disarm us have created a system in which "gun crimes" are inevitable, and this in turn fuels the demand to disarm everyone. And the results of that, should it come to pass, are also entirely predictable.

I hope the interview with Mr. Shikwati receives widespread attention. It is one of the most compelling and persuasive arguments against interfering with people "for their own good" I have read. He appears to be a great man. Let's pray he is allowed to continue living and promoting his message.

So naturally, the G-8 leaders and their idiot puppet Bono are hell-bent on doing just the opposite of what is needed--giving the African despots who suppress and murder their people more resources to plunder.

But Bob Geldorf and Sting will feel good about how important and generous and wise they are--and the bankers and governments who made criminally negligent loans will dodge another bullet.

A Hot Button Issue

Fun Turns to Tragedy designed this cool link button for WarOnGuns, plus offers some encouraging words.

Thanks, Kirk. I appreciate your kindness.

I'm also eagerly awaiting the conclusion of your mouse story.

A Hint of Bender

I listened to Homeland Security Czar (how come they never say "fuhrer"?) Michael Chertoff tell us ordinary citizens "to remain alert and to report any suspicious activity" in the wake of the London bombings.

Here's a little test. Stop what you're doing right now and see how long it takes you to find a phone number for someone at the Abteilung der Homelandsicherheit who you can report suspicious activity to.

I wonder if Mr. Chertoff has been tipped off about all those folks from God-knows-where crossing the border every day while his boss disparages those who are remaining alert and reporting suspicious activities as "vigilantes."

Aside from the blather he was droning on about, I found myself distracted by Chertoff's voice--it reminded me of someone. Now that I see his picture, I realize who.