Overlooking the Obvious

This feeble comparison overlooks the obvious: There is no constitutional right to dress as you please, or to sell cookies at work.

My point here is not to engage in the property rights vs gun rights debate--it's to return to a point I've tried to make again and again, yet some of our "conservative" leaders just won't get it.

The Constitution was never intended to define all of our rights. Workplace dress codes and charitable solicitations on company premises have everything to do with voluntary agreements and nothing to do with government infringements of rights.

This Day in History: August 10

On August 10, 1776, seven months after being elected Governor, Archibald Bulloch read a copy of the Declaration of Independence to the council members of Savannah , Georgia . Afterward, he read the Declaration to an audience at the public square. After reading it for a third time at the Liberty Pole, the Declaration of Independence was praised for its importance by thirteen thunderous rounds from a canon. Every since that historic event, residents of Bulloch County have celebrated "Archibald Bulloch Day" on August 10 th .

One Nation, Under Gun

From Wolfesblog:

AMAZING. Newsweek has published a photo essay of gun owners and they are all normal people. No demonizing, no snide remarks, just photos of average people who take personal responsibility for protecting themselves and their families.

If You Can't Beat 'em, Smear 'em

"All of these facts undermine Respondent's claim that Petitioner was out to 'intimidate and harass' the inspectors," the filing said. "It is equally as likely that Respondents decided to exaggerate innocuous circumstances to justify terminating an inspection that was not finding any regulatory violations or breaches of the Court's order."

Yeah, that and lie.

[More about Red's Trading Post from WarOnGuns]

Linda Young in Camo?

Y'know, that might not be a bad solution...

Reasonable Compromise

The following comment appears after the article. Not sure why they ID'd me as "Anonymous," since I submitted my name and got back an email from their News Editor thanking me for my comments. I noticed the links didn't translate into their form either.

John, it's real easy to call for "compromise" in a generalized way and expect to come off sounding like you're "reasonable".

Maybe if you'd define some of the specific compromises you'd like to see, we could let you know if we agree.

How does John Mecklin define "reasoned common ground"? And how can we "collaborate" with people who--despite your and Ray Ring's apparent beliefs that they can be sated, do indeed want to disarm us?

Conspiracy hysteria? Hardly. Don't take it from me, take it straight from the sources, compiled and verified by Eugene Volokh, Professor of Law, UCLA Law School, including:

"1. Quotes from gun control proponents praising the slippery slope, and urging mild restrictions as steps toward a total ban.

"2. Citations to laws that in fact ban all guns or all handguns.

"3. Quotes from politicians urging gun bans.

"4. Quotes from leading media figures and institutions urging gun bans.

"5. Quotes from advocacy groups urging gun bans."

(See: http://www.gunscholar.org/gunban.htm)

Why not write another opinion piece? Let us know how you intend to find a solution to such a seemingly "intractable" agenda through "compromise".

Those of us who believe in reasoned discourse can't wait to hear your proposals.

The Baltimore Social Registry

A Baltimore City Council committee has approved Mayor Sheila Dixon's proposal for a public gun crime registry -- similar to sex offender registries....

Gun offenders who fail to register could face jail time.

The term "gun offenders," of course, includes those who are caught with the means of defense on hand because they fear for their lives. As for those who commit violent crimes, one can only wonder why most of them are living among us in the first place, and how many of the remainder are already registered with parole officers...

And, of course, no murders will be prevented. And of those that are solved, how many does anyone honestly think will be because of this stupid list?

But it gets herhonor's name in the paper, and she can brag to her willing dupes in "the community" how she's protecting them. This is just another small step in the agenda of portraying all gun owners as seedy, as perverse, as less than righteous human beings, as...vermin.

All the News That's Fit to Print

Lowlifes too stupid and irresponsible to be trusted with matches create a child endangerment scenario where the inevitable happens. And the "authorized journalists" are all over it, naturally, as it suits their agenda.

Sounds like a great reason to demand more laws to disarm you and me.

How to Deal with the FedGov

Lie.

This guy admitted lying to "illegally" purchase guns. Two cops are dead in the sequence of events that followed. He'll get "three to four years."

Wayne Fincher told the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. He peaceably owned guns--which he manufactured and which never entered interstate commerce, and were never used for any purpose other than to serve in the Constitutionally-recognized Citizen Militia. He got six-and-a-half years.

The moral here is, when dealing with the government, lie. It's a language they understand. And one more thing, perhaps the most important: confess. They get off on knowing they've broken you. And they seek revenge on those who won't break.

US v Kwan Update

From Len Savage:

The Judge set aside the Jury's verdict, and granted motion for re-trial. He stated reasons that the ATF/US attorney mis-stated the facts. The Judge gave the US Attorney three weeks to consider dismissing the charge, appeal his decision, or get ready for a new trial. I will let you know how the next hearing goes in a couple of weeks. This good news for all the 9th circuit...

I went looking to see if this story has been picked up by the "authorized journalists." It hasn't been, of course, but they were sure all over him when it suited their purposes to paint him as a domestic terrorist). And they sneer at mere bloggers as their circulations plummet.

I did find that Ryan Horsley posted on this already, so he gets the "breaking news" credit.

This Day in History: August 9

On our side, all accounts agreed, that a number of the enemy is killed; the flower of our militia either killed or wounded, except 150, who stood the field and forced the enemy to retreat; the wounded were brought off by those brave men; the dead they left on the field for want of proper support.

"Now That's a Recordkeeping Error!"

David Hardy shows how good the government is at keeping track of its own guns.

And they're shutting down private dealers for accepting "Y" and "N" on their stupid form instead of "Yes" and "No"?

High Country Bias

The editor at High Country Times asked me to link to this piece dealing with Red's Trading Post.

I wrote back:

I have several problems with the article in question, and was going to link to it when I had time to compose my thoughts, but I'm afraid my commentary will include my objections, including its heavy reliance on Joan Burbick.

I don't have time to do a fisking, but if you read the HCT piece, you'll have no problem seeing what I mean.

The BATFU Time Machine

Funny thing about BATFU claiming in legal documents they called off the audit of Red's Trading Post because they felt "harassed and intimidated."

Here's the time line of events leading to Area Supervisor Linda Young throwing in the (wet?) towel:

8:30am- The ATF Inspectors and Supervisor arrive.

8:37am- The first blog is written.

11:15am- The ATF calls off the audit without warning or letting Ryan know what was going on.

3:08pm- After waiting several hours Ryan writes a recap.

7:59pm- Anonymous post appears on Red's blog--after everyone had gone home and shut down the store.

So here is essentially what this was about: A citizen came in and took pictures, so they fled in fury because they couldn't legally stop him. They even admit as much in their complaint.

All this business about the car and the hotel and the hostile comment are just smoke and mirrors--designed to persuade the judge that a threatening situation existed. If it had, why is there no record of a call to the local police? After all, interference with their "lawful duties" is a "crime". In order for any of these factors to have affected their decision to terminate the audit, they would literally have had to been able to travel back in time. Yet they present them to the judge as if they were all elements that led to that decision.

In other words, they are manipulating and lying. Surprise, surprise.

Let's hope Judge Lodge doesn't fall for it. Let's hope he sees this transparent attempt to deceive his court for what it is--and then takes appropriate action against them. That is, unless they can demonstrate an ability to navigate through the Fourth Dimension...

Getting Clinical Over Guns

Rifles, anyway.

Western Rifle Shooters Association is holding an Intermediate Rifle Clinic in Douglas, WY, on 8/25-26. From the looks of their agenda, this promises to be a very through, informative and fun two days.

It sounds like the last one was very much appreciated by those who attended.

Take the Red's ATF Poll

"What do you think should happen to the ATF?"

I didn't see the option I wanted, so I settled for "Abolish."

Go take the Red's poll and spread the link. He ought to have a thousand times the numbers that are showing so far. No wonder BATFU thinks it can get away with anything.

[More about Red's Trading Post from WarOnGuns]

This Day in History: August 8

The British outpost of Detroit supplied and encouraged these natives to attack colonists in Kentucky. This painting shows the retaliation.

More Cities are Punishing You...

...and exempting the criminals.

Y'see, since "prohibited persons" can't "legally" own guns, they're under no compulsion to report when theirs are stolen. That's because requiring them to do so would violate their Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination.

But those police chiefs getting their names in the paper won't tell us that, will they?

We're the Only Ones Giving Unwarranted Privileges Enough

Because a conviction of possession of a firearm without an identification card can mean two years in jail, the Ethics Commission determined that Inostroza used his role as a police officer to give an "unwarranted privilege of substantial value" to the councilor's daughter.

But the councilor says she "did the right thing," and has been cleared.

Why is the truth so hard to nail down when dealing with "The Only Ones"?

Full Auto Fundraising

The machinegun fundraiser for the New Hampshire Republican Party on Sunday was an opportunity to let off a little steam and tell candidates in next year's US presidential election that for many Americans, gun rights matter.

While I support the concept of a machine gun fundraiser in principle, my problem with money going to the Republican Party, as opposed to a specific candidate, is that they will allocate the funds to candidates because they have an (R) after their names--not necessarily because they have shown any fidelity to the right of the people to keep and bear arms. So if Giuliani or Mitt is the nominee, guess where the gun owner contributions will end up?

Not a man in the pack is interested in doing anything to roll back federal infringements except Ron Paul. And the "moderate" GOP establishment--and NRA-- are following the same course with him that they used in California to sideline Tom McClintock.