Blame the Guns

Don't blame the rave scene for the Seattle's worst mass murder in more than two decades.

Blame the guns -- and a culture that celebrates firepower.

Good grief.

[Via Dan Gifford]

The Blunder Down Under

THE New South Wales Government's failure to deal with gun crime meant Sydney could now be confused with the US city of Los Angeles, the opposition said.

Opposition police spokesman Mike Gallacher today said armed robberies, drive-by shootings and other gun crimes were occurring in Sydney on a daily basis.

Now hold on, mate. What about all the "gun control" edicts enacted since the "Port Arthur massacre"? Back in '97, Prime Minister John Howard promised the gun ban would lead to "a safer society."

Of course, they told us LA would be safe, too.

I know some neighborhoods I'd be happy to drop anyone off in if they believe that claim. Then again, I know some neighborhoods you couldn't get me to drive through on a bet.

Maybe the opposition has a point--Australia is becoming like LA. But just not for the reasons they claim.

What Nicole Thinks

It was the rave scene that killed those poor kids Saturday on Capitol Hill. It was the city's weak All Ages Dance Ordinance. It was the weed they smoked, the beer they drank, the music that drained their heads of reason. It was the parents who didn't keep track. Stop.

What killed those people was a 28-year-old man named Kyle Huff, who took advantage of American gun laws and packed his pickup with an arsenal of weapons that no person should ever want or need: An assault rifle. A handgun. A shotgun. A machete. Hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

Nicole Brodeur thinks banning the above is synonymous with "common sense gun-safety measures."

That means Nicole will tolerate no semiautos.

No handguns.

No shotguns.

No machetes.

And no ammunition--at least not "hundreds of rounds" (GASP! That many?)

Besides, why would you "ever want or need" them?

Nicole agrees with Chief Gil Kerlikowske that a 12-gauge is "not for hunting purposes, but for hunting people." (Funny--she didn't ask the chief about that evil semiautomatic service pistol he "lost" that is now out there "on the street"...)

I suppose if Huff had burned the place down, Nicole would want to implement "common sense match-safety measures."

"They were just kids," Nicole laments in righteous indignation.

Two of them were. I have yet to hear those like Nicole asking what the hell grown men in their 20's and 30's were doing partying with 14 and 15-year-old girls instead of protecting them.

Look at Nicole. She looks like she'd be a lot of help in a bind, doesn't she?

Listen to Nicole. She knows best. She's the expert.

Urban newspaper editorialists. Is there anything they don't know?

Hey Nicole: Molon Labe. What I told Sallie goes double for you.

What’s Driving Bill Clinton

An embarrassing hole in security surrounding former U.S. President Bill Clinton turned up when one of his chauffeurs was found to be a wanted man.

Shahzad Qureshi, 42, was in one of three cars awaiting Clinton at Newark Airport last week when a Port Authority policeman happened to check license plate numbers.

I guess if my travel detail as a retiree included three limos and God knows what size taxpayer-funded armed retinue, I wouldn't worry much about the average person's security, either.

I wonder if Clinton's fellow gungrabber and illegal immigration activist Antonio Villaraigoso will come to Mr. Qureshi's defense, or if he only speaks out on behalf of certain demographics?

Angel Update- March 27

Dear Friends of Angel,

This update is to affirm that we know you are out there and wanting information about Angel. We have not forgotten you.

We still cannot tell you anything new about Angel's legal situation, except to repeat that he is waiting for his next court appearance on April 7th. We hope to have a bunch of information for you then.

Thanks again for your donations, your letters of support and your patience.

For any of you who have not made a donation, but who may wish to do so, there is information about donating to help with Angel's legal expenses at:

http://www.marbut.com/angel

Best wishes,

Gary Marbut, president
Montana Shooting Sports Association
http://www.mtssa.org
author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.mtpublish.com

Shameless Plug: O Canada

Still, the zeal to punish all Canadians for the “gun crimes” of a few has not diminished. Also on the table, per a CTV report, is a plan by Mr. Martin to impose “reverse onus,” requiring defendants to prove why they should be allowed bail. And the Toronto Star cites Inspector Dave McLeod, who is investigating gun thefts from legal owners and wonders “how gang members…find out the source of domestic guns held by registered gun owners.” In a nice bit of deflection, Mayor Miller claims the government’s failure to keep information secure is “exactly why I supported…Martin's call for a ban on the ownership of guns.”

"O Canada" is my Rights Watch column for the May issue of GUNS Magazine, on sale now, eh?

BONUS: See page 84 to find out how you can win a Charles Daly ZDA and Al Mar Falcon Ultralight knife.

FEC Blogger Rules

Jed shares the latest developments...

"Gun Used in Rampage"

The 12-gauge shotgun does maximum damage to the body of its target. It's easy to purchase. No permit is required, and an instant background check over the phone can be as fast as credit-card approval for someone with no prior felony conviction.

What a great new pejorative for the 12-gauge: Rampage guns!

To paraphrase what Homer Simpson said about actors: "Reporters. Is there anything they don't know?"

Meanwhile, Over in Ireland...

Four people were arrested today in connection with the murder of a 27-year-old Derryman.

Shea Bradley was found with gunshot wounds in a car in a laneway in Dublin’s north inner city two weeks ago.

He had been on bail after being charged with firearm offences.

A Garda spokesman said officers arrested two men, one woman and one male juvenile today in connection with the murder.

If only Ireland had Welsh posters and leaflets...

Welsh Gun Control Failure Prompts Calls for More of Same

A campaign is being launched aimed at reducing gun crime in Wales.

The number of firearm offences in north Wales was almost six times higher in 2004-2005 than the previous year, according to Home Office figures.

In south Wales, gun offences have more than doubled...

As part of the anti-gun campaign, [Crimestoppers Wales] will be distributing posters and leaflets across Wales.

That UK citizen disarmament certainly is working well. I'm sure posters and leaflets will solve their violent crime problems once and for all.

Going to Bat for Gun-Free Schools

A distraught former student armed with a bat and chain sent Hopkinton High students running for cover yesterday when he stormed the school.

And all anyone there could do--including the adult teachers and administrators--was hope that "official" men with guns would arrive in time to keep any of them from being hurt.

That's the way (uh-huh, uh-huh) Wayne likes it...

Blago Campaigns With Stolen Funds

Using taxpayer-financed resources, Gov. Rod Blagojevich issued a letter and news release Saturday asking his Republican re-election opponent, Judy Baar Topinka, to support his call for an assault weapon ban.

A campaign aide to Topinka, the state treasurer and the lone GOP statewide officeholder, criticized Blagojevich's use of state materials for what the aide said was a blatant campaign-oriented letter.

So in additon to being a tyrant and a treasonous thug, Blago's also a thief. It does help explain why he wants to ensure only he and his fellow crime boss elites and their enforcers have access to guns.

But what the hell. Based on results, he's what "the people" want. Don't expect anyone to have the stones to actually charge him with anything.

I Don't Know Art, But I Know What I Like

Gunner at Say Uncle tells us of a BATFU "kid's art" contest.

It's too late to enter now, but if they ever resurrect it, I've got my submission ready to go...

The Gun Show Peephole

AK-47s. SKS sniper rifles. Armor-piercing bullets. Machine gun displays.

It’s just another weekend at a Kansas City gun show, where there is so much firepower at your fingertips that even some gun enthusiasts shake their heads in wonder.

More hoplophobe hysteria, and this one, as the opening sentence makes evident, has got all the talking points:

They're a major source for criminals!

BATFU hardly pays 'em no never mind!!

Terrorist rely on them as a source for Middle East weaponry, because we all know you can't get guns over there!!!

You can even buy scary books and pamphlets!!!!

It's telling that reporter Judy L. Thomas' "go to guy"/voice of authority is a white supremacist/bank robber.

Then we have the dealer who claims he can "read people like a book." Good Lord, man, these reporters are not your friend. Can't you just stfu and not give them more ammunition to use against you?

My favorite anecdote:

Even some gun show attendees seemed surprised at the array of weaponry.

“I don’t see how that can be legal,” one man remarked to a friend as he pointed toward a Bushmaster assault rifle — the kind of weapon used in the 2002 sniper spree that left 10 persons dead in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia.

Under current law, it is legal.

Oooooo! A .223!!!

Leave it to Thomas to cherry-pick the views of a newbie, one who obviously doesn't know squat about firearms.

But then again, neither do her readers--and giving her the benefit of the doubt that her anti-gun screed presented as straight news is not a deliberate misinformation piece--neither does she.

Justice Delayed

At the request of the Texas Department of Public Safety, Republican Justice of the Peace Jim Richards signed an order suspending Thomas Dale DeLay’s license to carry a handgun in the State of Texas...

Okay, let me be honest with you. I’m a Democrat. I believe in the Constitution. I believe that you are innocent until proven guilty. I don’t think there should be any punishment for merely being indicted. An indictment is no proof of guilt.

However, Tom DeLay and “his” Texas Legislature – after all, TRMPAC money elected that bunch of clowns we have in Austin – don’t feel that way. They enacted this law to keep handguns away from suspected felons like Tom DeLay.

You made your bed, Tom, now sleep in it.

No doubt, this is a hit piece by a savvy political operative with an agenda, but that doesn't negate the truth being presented--or the fact that Juanita's even scooped The Smoking Gun on this one (which, at this writing, says nothing about this development).

It does, however, raise questions about who "on the inside" with a political agenda made this document available to this particular website. Is this an intentional leak by an operative in the Texas Department of Public Safety, the office of the Fort Bend County Clerk, or the Precinct 4 Justice Court?

Regardless, this is what you get when you license unalienable rights, something Mr. Delay has been a proponent of.

This is what you get when kneejerk "law and order" trumps liberty.

Hey, enforce existing gun laws, right?

Another Second Amendment Saturday

Stan has his weekly post up...

We're the Only Ones...Yes, I WOULD Like an Apple Pie With That

A Michigan State Police trooper will face disciplinary action after he left his off-duty service weapon in a rest room at the Burger King in Texas Township, authorities said...After leaving the restaurant, the trooper, who was not identified [Naturally--DC], continued his drive home and realized "some distance away" that he did not have his firearm on him...The trooper, who has been with State Police for 10 to 15 years, is still on active duty (Again, naturally--DC]...

Ding, fries are done.

We're the Only Ones Mechanical Enough...

Yet another of the "Only Ones" accidentally shot and killed a fellow officer--or was it an accident?

This week we learned new details about the shooting of Easton officer Jesse Sollman. But serious questions remain -- and some focus on the mechanics of the fatal weapon...

"Single action is a mode of fire for a semiautomatic handgun where pulling the trigger does one action -- and that is release the hammer"...

"Double action" mode on the other hand requires about twice the amount of force to pull the trigger...

This reminds me of nothing so much as Groucho Marx playing shyster Otis B. Driftwood in "A Night at the Opera":

Driftwood: All right. It says the, uh, "The first part of the party of the first part shall be known in this contract as the first part of the party of the first part shall be known in this contract" - Look, why should we quarrel about a thing like this? We'll take it right out, eh?
Fiorello: Yeah, ha, it's-a too long, anyhow. (They both tear off the tops of their contracts.) Now, what do we got left?
Driftwood: Well, I got about a foot and a half. Now, it says, uh, "The party of the second part shall be known in this contract as the party of the second part."
Fiorello: Well, I don't know about that...
Driftwood: Now what's the matter?
Fiorello: I no like-a the second party, either.
Driftwood: Well, you shoulda come to the first party. We didn't get home 'til around four in the morning...I was blind for three days!

Ultimately, here's the important part to remember about this story:

[Easton police officer Matthew Renninger's]been called negligent by the grand jury, but he will not be charged with a crime.

No. No, of course he won't be.

And it goes without saying the same deference would be afforded to you and me.

I'm going back to the first party.

Just So We're Clear on What "Keep and Bear" Means...

Lamont Anderson was walking in Ocean County Park in Lakewood in March last year when he came upon an unusual find — a loaded machine gun.

Instead of notifying police, Anderson picked it up, put it in his waistband and went about his business, authorities said...

"You're lucky you weren't shot on the spot when they (the police) saw it in your waistband," [Superior Court Judge James N.Citta] told Anderson.

"It really is an act of stupidity," [Ocean County prosecutor John Foti] said to the judge, adding that a jail term might "get (Anderson's) attention."

Citta sentenced Anderson to 90 days in the Ocean County Jail and placed him on probation for three years.

The government sure takes its monopoly of power serously, doesn't it? Would that We the People put a fraction of that jealous attention into guarding the public liberty...

SWATting in Fairfax

Tomato 7 has more on the death squad that deployed because a doctor was allegedly involved in sports gambling.

Any bets the executioner is never punished? I'll lay 10-to-1 odds it never happens.

Oops. I didn't just solicit illegal gambling, did I?

Hold on--I think there's somebody at the do...