Lessons Learned

Very early on, a rational discussion of this issue became all but impossible.

Yeah, people tend to react that way when they're attacked out of the blue for no reason other than you don't like them.

If you want a rational discussion, start one.

If you pick a fight and then get your sorry butt kicked, whining about being the injured party only trying to do a public good not only rings hollow, it sounds pathetic, self-serving and untrue.

[Via Say Uncle]

What Nichole Believes

I don't believe that citizens need to carry handguns for any reason, nor should they be allowed to.

So, Nichole, how many men like me are you willing to have imprisoned or killed to enforce what you "believe"?

Go read what I told Sallie, Nichole. Or better yet, just go.

We're the Only Ones Implementing Enough

THE National Police has arrested 1,258 persons and seized 1,269 firearms, hand grenades and other deadly weapons since it started implementing the Commission on Elections-imposed nationwide gun ban since Jan. 14, official reports said.

You know, the ban that "The Only Ones" are exempt from...

The Best Interests of Everyone

It is in the best interests of everyone that a firearm be safely stored, unloaded and locked up, especially when children live in or visit the home.

"Everyone" would include intruders.

I'm sorry for this lady's loss. Her story is tragic. But it does not make her an expert on gun safety. If she was, she'd know there is no one-size-fits-all panacea that works for" everyone," and that is appropriate at all times and for all circumstances.

We're the Only Ones Sealed Enough

Lawyers for the city, responding to a request to unseal records of police surveillance leading up to the 2004 Republican convention in New York, say that the documents should remain secret because the news media will “fixate upon and sensationalize them,” hurting the city’s ability to defend itself in lawsuits over mass arrests.

Because if we can't spy on you and operate in secret, we might be held accountable to following some rules. As we've tried to show by example, such as by demanding unlimited access to records from, say, out of state gun shops, we're "The Only Ones" who make the rules. It's you non-"Only Ones" who are supposed to follow them...

[Via Tavis]

This Day in History: March 26

The Provincial Congress of South Carolina approves a new constitution and government on this day in 1776. The legislature renames itself the General Assembly of South Carolina and elects John Rutledge as president, Henry Laurens as vice president and William Henry Drayton as chief justice.

New WarOnGuns Poll: The Ratings Game

Over the past months we've been discussing Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown, who is revoking previously-issued CCW permits despite being endorsed and given an "A" rating by NRA-PVF.

I generally avoid two-question polls, but in this case, a pretty direct question is involved that doesn't require nuanced response choices. See the left margin and take the new poll.

Here are the results of last week's poll (click on image to enlarge). Those of you who pledged to get a copy of "In Search of the Second Amendment": what's keeping you? Here's a link to order it. Go. Those who have no intention of doing so, I don't get it, but sadly, I'm not surprised.

"A Longtime Gun-Rights Advocate"

[T]hey have support from Councilman Robbie Waters, formerly a sheriff and city homicide detective. A longtime gun-rights advocate, Waters says he thinks the measures wouldn't "weaken people's legitimate rights," but they would help police stem gun violence.

So, being required to submit a thumbprint and have my personal information recorded before being allowed to purchase ammunition doesn't infringe on my unalienable right to keep and bear arms, Councilthing? And as far as reporting goes, have you told everyone that criminals--you know, the ones who actually engage in that "gun violence" you say will be stemmed--would be exempt, because that would violate their right against self-incrimination?

How the SacBee figures this statist tool for a "gun-rights advocate" goes beyond Orwellian. The "authorized journalists" wouldn't be lying to us (again), would they?

By the way, Robbie--nice office.

Cancer in the Cantons

Pacifists and centre-left parties want voters to have the final say on breaking with a long-standing Swiss tradition of storing personal army rifles and pistols at home.

Right, and we all know what a sterling record commies have whenever they gain power over disarmed populaces.

Insidious traitors are determined to destroy human liberty from within, under the banner of progressiveness. They do it here and abroad with impunity because there is no personal cost.

What they fail to realize is a record has been created and they can't take it back. None of us involved in political advocacy can.

The time may come when I am required to pay for my words and beliefs. If the situation is reversed, I have to wonder how motivated I'd be to intercede on behalf of those who would rather see me destroyed than armed.

Do as We Say, Not as We Do

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) personnel are processing thousands of firearms and more than a million rounds of ammunition following Thursday's arrest of two Southern California men on charges of selling firearms illegally from a Compton gun dealer, Los Angeles ATF Special Agent in Charge John A. announced today.

John A. What? Does the guy have a last name, or did someone just negligently fill out the paperwork for the press release and then not check it before filing?

What would you BATFUers do to a gun dealer who neglected to fill in a last name?

Uh-huh. I thought so.

Ya gotta wonder why the agency feels the need to issue press releases. As I recall, glory hounding is what got them in the Waco mindset.

I Actually Called in Sick to Finish it

Unintended Consequences truly is required reading for gun owners, and for people who take their liberty and freedoms seriously. (I know I just said "required reading" and I mean it. THIS MEANS YOU!) (No, seriously, buy it now!)

ExistingThing reviews a book.

I think he likes it.

Rearming the Big Easy

People across New Orleans are arming themselves — not only against the possibility of another storm bringing anarchy, but against the violence that has engulfed the metropolitan area in the 19 months since Katrina, making New Orleans the nation's murder capital.

Good. I just hope they never let anyone disarm them again the next time.

I do have a beef with this. Vivian admits she's a new gun owner. I doubt the AP photographer knows much about them. I know her finger's off the trigger, but especially considering the inexperience of all involved, this story's feature photo belongs over at Xavier's.

I also gotta wonder how many of these new gun evangelicals will continue to support politicians that hate RKBA.

[Via Cousin G]

This Day in History: March 25

On this day in 1774, British Parliament passes the Boston Port Act, closing the port of Boston and demanding that the city’s residents pay for the nearly $1 million worth (in today’s money) of tea dumped into Boston Harbor during the “Boston Tea Party” of December 16, 1773.

Wayne Fincher Update: A Plea for Help

Wayne Fincher's daughter tells me he needs legal help. The court-appointed defense attorney advises him he is looking at prison time. No doubt--the federal government has done its utmost to assure exactly that outcome.

Frankly, I'm at a bit of a loss--unless a legal foundation steps forward to give him pro bono representation, lawyers are generally in it for the money. I've sent a donation to his defense fund, but not unsurprisingly, most gun owners have not and will not, as we seem determined to hang separately.

Can I at least get the regulars here to spread the word and try to locate the legal counsel needed? At a minimum, will you forward this link to other gun owners, post it to forums?

And finally, helpful suggestions will be appreciated in the "Comments" section to this post.

VA Bill Makes Illegal Gun Sales...uhh...Illegal

The bill, sponsored by Del. Scott Lingamfelter, R-Prince William County, prohibits anyone but law enforcement officers from trying to make an illegal gun purchase from a firearms dealer.

So it's OK if "The Only Ones" do it?

I need someone who's more of a policy wonk than me to explain this, but there is an exception for "A private security company licensed to do business within the Commonwealth," so Bloomberg's Mintz Group co-conspirators may just need to get a business license to operate in The Old Dominion--assuming they don't have one already.

I would have thought that, state law notwithstanding, these stings--if they actually involved "illegal purchases"--would violate GCA '68 and various aspects US Code, both for the individual who lied on the Form 4473, and for the recipient/"prohibited person". Why Bloomberg & Co. aren't currently under indictment is beyond me--or would be if I didn't know how "The Only Ones" operate.

We're the Only Ones Political Enough

The Commission on Elections granted gun ban exemptions to at least 8,000 politicians, GMANews.TV learned on Saturday from Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer.

We're "The Only Ones" and you're not! And there's not a goddamn thing you can do about it!

Arms are for Shackles

This is no backwoods survivalist talking, just an African American who grew up in the South at a time when the people in uniform were often the bad guys, and when having a pistol or a shotgun to brandish saved a lot of black people's lives. That time is gone, though, and quelling the horrific black-on-black violence of today is so urgent that I can look past the history lesson.

Then you're a fool.

What you're saying is you learned nothing from the last time a people were oppressed, so you're inviting a recurrence. That and that you buy into the "living document" lie.

Curses! Foiled Again!

In a sleazy political stroke, Republicans played the gun lobby's card...

Only a cowardly, anonymous traitor, that is, a Herald Tribune editor, would call an article enshrined in the bill of Rights a "poison pill" and "an insult." Only a tyrant enabler would characterize "attempts to outlaw firearms" as "legitimate," and attempts to prevent it "sleazy."

There can be no peace with these wormtongues. They won't allow it.

The Sound and the Fury

The Sound:


The Fury:



Per Larry Rankin:

This newspaper reporter was against citizens' having guns rights. I know because I asked him if he was against guns and he quickly said, YES, and than caught himself.

This is a good article to use against the NRA A rating program. I have had several people call Ed Worley, NRA/ILA rep in Sacramento, more than one time and as many as three. To this day he has not returned one call!

This article says a lot. The best part is when he [Bill Brown] says in a roundabout way that the other sheriffs gave out too many. So he is saying that Sheriff Jim Anderson was a lot more pro-gun than he.

I am happy with this article because it shows the new direction that Bill Brown has taken us! Thank you NRA for helping get such an anti-gun sheriff elected!

[Also via GP]

(As an aside, I'd like to know what idiot at The Santa Barbara Daily Sound thought "the Web Paper experience" was a good way to do anything except keep people from reading the damned paper on the Web.--DC)

This Day in History: March 24

On this day in 1765, Parliament passes the Quartering Act, outlining the locations and conditions in which British soldiers are to find room and board in the American colonies.