Why Don't I Feel Threatened By This?

Fun Turns to Tragedy shares a photo of everyday life in Israel.

It's a shame that conditions require this, but it's also nice to see a government realizing that The People are the frontline for Homeland Security.

Forgetting for a moment that Israel is a socialist country, this instant in time reminds me of nothing so much as a scene from the libertarian alternative world in L. Neil Smith's "The Probability Broach."

Reaching Out to Victims of Crime

An Appeal By Deborah Ann Courtney

Dear Friends and Fellow Activists:

I have recently completed the preliminary personal safety and firearm training for the Victim’s of Crime TV reality show “Front Sight True Stories”, produced by Hard Focus Media, LLC.

I have never been through such a powerful and remarkably self fulfilling and empowering experience in my life. I have come home more confident of protecting and defending myself and my loved ones, and more self aware of the potential situations around me that could lead to becoming a victim of crime once again. I have gained skills that will allow me to live without as the fears I held in the past, after having been attacked. The training was a truly awesome experience!

I hope you will spread the word of my search to meet other Victims of Crime by forwarding this email to your contact lists, in helping me to find the other victims who would benefit from the same empowerment training.

I encourage you to download the attached flyer and hand it out to any groups or meetings you may be attending, as we will be filming a second round in the next few weeks, and time is of the essence. I will need to hear from everyone before August 1st.

You may also feel free to view my personal website at www.NOVICTIMS.org, and contact me with any questions or comments you might have.

I appreciate each of you, and thank you ahead of time for any help you may give me in putting me in contact not only with those victims who are seeking further empowerment, but for also putting me in contact with those that you know, or those that can help me find others.

Deborah Ann Courtney

The Second Amendment is not just a Right-It's a Responsibility.

"The Black Arrow"--A Review

By John Geltemeyer
[Posted exclusively to WarOnGuns with permission of the author]

I don't put out too many book reviews, because to be blunt, I'm too damn busy to read any more.

This is the first book I have cracked and read to completion in two years.

I'm talking about "The Black Arrow" by Vin Suprynowicz.

Now I've always enjoyed Vin's writing style. "Send in The Waco Killers," although depressing as hell, was engrossing and well written. Mentioning depressing, I started to read his "Ballad of Carl Drega." I feared that If I had read it to conclusion I would have had to draw a warm bath and slit my wrists. I just couldn't stand to read one more tale of government thugs mowing down some innocent and getting medals for it.

"The Black Arrow" however is anything but depressing.

The tale and plot are almost comic book style, yet the writing ranges from elegant to disturbing.

His characters are like larger than life Ayn Rand - like characters with a third dimension and sound reasons for their actions. You care about their outcomes.

The year is 2030 and Amerika is pretty damn totalitarian. The book opens with immediate flash of action. It grabs you hard enough that you actually want to read the following flashback that explains why some Errol Flynn look alike is shooting government officials from rooftops with a bow and arrow.

The use of a bow has two good effects. First it's dramatic. Second, even though I like my guns, sometimes libertarian writers can get techno geeky when they write technical specifications about guns into a story. Yes, there are guns and they do get used in many action scenes, but there's no 3 page tech spec break downs about the arms being used.

Each chapter is filled with very familiar background characters. They are familiar because they and their stories are ripped from the headlines and Vin's earlier books, with just a dash of fictionalization. However, unlike reality, many of the thugs suddenly end up with a foreign object or two ramming through their body and bringing final justice for their acts.

This isn't like any other libertarian fiction I've read. Even the bad guys have deep, if not twisted character. They are not two dimensional cutouts that wreak mindless destruction upon the populace. They have backgrounds that make them what they are. Some are just rotten people. Some die in confusion saying "..but, we were just trying to keep people safe...."

The book has intrigue and romance. Love triangles and combat. Bad guys and good guys.

There's a few points where the dreaded libertarian talking head character almost appears to be surfacing. However at the point you are wondering if you got suckered in for a crappy ending, Vin suddenly rewards you with mayhem on the people who most deserve it.

If you like a good story, libertarian / freedom movement morality, romance, character building and bad guys biting the dust; then this is your book.

Those of you who live close by might be thinking, "hey I'd like to borrow that book you were talking about." And I'll say "Hell no, go buy your own and support Vin, he deserves monetary compensation for this."

I'm curious what women will have to say about the romance parts. They seemed somewhat overdone at first, but I thought they actually fit in well with the comic book style of the action flow.

Anyway, get out there and buy the damn book.

"If it's a homicide, it's likely to involve a gun"

“Why do we need them? To kill off everybody? And, what sense does that make? Somebody please tell me — although I really doubt if you can give me a good answer.”

I wrote to the author of this foolishness:

"A Good Answer"

http://keepandbeararms.com/opsd/
You would evidently prefer all of these people to have been victims.

http://www.jpfo.org/NaziLawEnglish.htm
Yep, the only ones who should have guns are the government.

http://ls.wustl.edu/WULQ/75-3/753-4.html
Gun control? Genocide?

http://www.firearmsandliberty.com/cramer.racism.html
Yeah, it makes a lot of sense for black leaders to insist on continuing the tradition of keeping human beings disarmed.

http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/493636.html
What, if good guys are armed, bad guys will be deterred?

Not that I expect any of this to affect your views in any way.

Surprise me.

David Codrea

"Where are the anti-gun proposals?"

Ri-ight. This hand-wringing enuretic would have us believe there is a shortage of "anti-gun proposals."

"Deploring the guns isn't enough. We need to hear specific plans from all of them about how they are going to disarm the thugs doing the shooting."

They have no specific plans, you moron. All "gun control" edicts do is disarm the "law-abiding."

"Instead of worrying about legal gun ownership why aren't they competing with ideas to rid our streets of illegal guns?"

Maybe because the "solutions" idiots like you propose only impact and restrict "legal gun ownership."

Protest Gun "Buybacks," Go To Jail

"Dickey pointed out that the incident happened at...'a city-owned property, during a city-sponsored event inviting the public onto the property.'”

I wonder what would happen if someone showed up with signs supporting the effort?

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.