And the NEW Winner is...

I just got an email from George K, winner of the coveted Ammo Day Red's Trading Post cap (or I guess, more appropriately, "Ammo Day Jr."):

David,

I wish you worked for the lotto commission! Random drawing=George K. never happens to me. While it is an honor to have won the prize, I have to decline as I already own 4 Red’s hats (2 red and 2 orange, they change colors with each order). Plus, I can pick up another at any time as I visit Red’s about 4 times a week! If you would not mind, please draw another name for the hat. Hopefully someone far from Idaho wins it. Next time I travel back east to visit family, I would love to have a “Red’s hat sighting”.

Thank you for the hard work you do in supporting our rights, and for the help in regards to Red’s fight with the ATF.

George C. Kinslow II
Owner, Idaho Ordnance
http://www.id-ord.com/

I don't blame him--if I won a cap, I'd be afraid it would ruin my luck for the Power Ball or the Mega Millions or whatever it's called these days. So I replied to thank him for his generosity:

George, that is very gracious of you--thank you. The process was very scientific and rigorous--at the time I was ready to pick a winner we had 86 comments. I told my 12-yr-old to pick a number between 1 and 86, and counted down to you.

I'll select another winner using the same methodology from the current comment posts.

May I have the envelope please?

The new winner is:
SailorCurt

Hey, the kid picked "3" fair and square with no prompting. But we're up to 105 and still adding comments, which means we officially outnumber the rally in Maryland.

If they'd stopped with SailorCurt, we'd have already outnumbered the one in Seattle!

I'll be emailing you soon to claim your prize--and as I already mentioned, it is due to the generosity of WarOnGuns supporter "Sam," who suggested we do this tally in the first place.

A Great Question

Tom Gresham and Clint Smith nail it.

OK, you know I can't leave this alone, especially considering our success with the last call to action.

What, another assignment, already?

Yep. The Republican YouTube debate will be hosted by CNN in November.

So I wrote to them via their website contact form:



(Note I clicked the "Positive" feedback option, as I figure everybody, especially "authorized journalists," likes to read compliments.)

I got back this form reply:



Did'ja get that part?

[W]e pride ourselves in making the opinions of our viewers known to CNN senior management and producers. Your comments will be part of the Viewer Response Report provided to our news division on the next business day.

So what if they get hundreds of comments urging them to "Play Tom Gresham and Clint Smith's question in the YouTube Republican Debate"? What if they get thousands with just that simple message?

And what if gun blogs like this one joined in the call, and CNN knew it would be documented if they avoided presenting the single most relevant Second Amendment-related question I can envision being asked of a presidential candidate? How could they justify suppressing this, especially in light of their taking great pains to select the guy who calls his guns his "babies" in the Democrat debate, with the express intent of portraying gun owners negatively?

It will literally take you one minute to do this.

One of the problems we saw with our August 28 ammo buy is there simply was not enough time to mobilize a nation of gun owners between when the idea was proposed and "Game Day." Well now we have plenty of lead time--but that's no reason to put this off, because if we do, we'll forget about it.

I urge all WarOnGuns visitors to take a moment right now and contact CNN at the above link. I urge my fellow gunbloggers to get their readers on board.

One caveat--I'm not trying to horn in on Tom and Clint's great idea, so I'm not asking for anyone to link to this post. Just pass the YouTube video in the title link and the CNN contact link along to gun owners and the mission will be accomplished. But I would appreciate visitors to this blog to leave me a comment telling me you took a minute to do this.

[Via RuffRidr]

We're the Only Ones With Gun Rights Enough

The complaint is not addressing the disciplinary action against the officers, but the confiscation of their personal guns. Christopher Taylor, the attorney for Officers Jason Bailey and Matt Williams, says the Rockford Police Department violated their civil rights by taking them away.

Wait a minute. We have a right to own a gun in Illinois?

Or do only "The Only Ones"?

[Via Third Power]

We're Number One!

The United States has 90 guns for every 100 citizens, making it the most heavily armed society in the world, a report released on Tuesday said.

And it's your and my job to keep it that way.

[Via 1894C]

We Get Press

Gun owners should therefore do what we can to counter this protest. Buy a box of ammo, some targets, or some other gun-related items Tuesday. If we vote with our wallets, we will send a powerful message.

Way to go Drew!

Red's Sets Ammo Sales Record

Thank you this has been the most ammunition that we have EVER sold in one day.

In your face, Jesse, Sarah and Snuffy!

And all you gun stores that couldn't be bothered--how would you like this to have been your Tuesday traffic?

Amendment II Democrats...

...wish to clarify their position.

I've promised to give them the space, but advised them to be prepared to stand by for questions and comments.

And the Winner is...

George K.

Shoot me an email and I'll make arrangements to get you your cap.

And the losers are Jesse, Snuffy and the Bradys.

How do I figure? With all the foot stomping I've been doing trying to draw attention to this, and considering how many visitors come to this site each day, finding only 86 comments awaiting me this morning (with more coming in as I compose this post), the reality is, only one in 20 of you even bothered to respond--meaning the overwhelming majority, at least in this case, sat out from something so simple and self-beneficial as buying a box of ammo.

That's no way to win a rebellion. What are you sideliners gonna do when necessity presents real demands that you can't avoid against a foe that is purposeful and mean?

That's why the name of our winner is so appropriate. Most gun owners have been content to do little more than gripe, and when it comes to making a contribution or taking an action, adopting the "Let George do it" philosophy.

And spreading the word to gun stores was just pathetic. A few of you got out there and hustled. But most stores were clueless. And in truth,I blame them--their survival depends on knowing the winds and the currents of their trade. It's really their job to inform themselves of happenings affecting their business. In a rational world, they would be leaders and educators of their customers. By insulating themselves, they've pretty much assured they'll stand alone when the wolf appears at their door.

Jeez, we're pretty negative this morning. So why do I say our enemies are the ones who are the losers?

Because they did even worse. We did this with no free publicity from the major media. They had world famous names like Jesse Jackson and Sara Brady prodding their respective constituencies with shrill and desperate urgings. They had church "leaders" and their congregations in the communities they selected to demonstrate in, to get the word out "in the community." They had a budget (tax deductible in many cases), to pay for fliers and buses and press releases and website announcements and billboards and Jesse's hotel suite and airfare for himself and his bodyguards and entourage and child support payments, along with feeding him in the style to which he's accustomed... They saturated newspapers and TV newscasts throughout the land, which announced the upcoming events and sent reporters to cover them when they happened (in some cases, as we shall see). They sent out paid press releases promising "In Communities Across America, Huge Crowds Protest Gun Violence."

And they fell flat on their face in the delivery.

Here are the cities the Bradys touted. I've entered the names of the cities into a Google News search along with the words "gun" and "protest."

First, let's look at Chicago/Lake Barrington (the Brady site said "Evanston"), which was The Main Event--the one led personally by Jesse and Snuffy. Per ABC News, "about 150 marchers took their message to the DS Arms company plant..."

That's it? With all the hoopla and resources put into this, with all the free media exposure, with national names and a free ride to and from the protest, that's all the troops our mighty enemy could muster to the field in a fight they picked? Based on the comments left in this obscure blog, we managed to put together an opposing force of almost 60% of that number--and our volunteers paid for everything themselves. And we did it with no budget, no media exposure, no requests for donations...and that's just what's been reported on this blog. I note many visitors at Kim duToit's place pledged gun and ammo buys, and I look forward to a report from The Firearms Coalition.

OK, what about the other Bra-inbow PUSH cities? Remember the news search terms, "city name" and "gun" and "protest".

Newark: No after-the-fact stories appear. If there had been thousands do you think that would be the case?

Maryland: There are plenty of stories--let's link to one:

About 100 protesters rallied outside a gun shop in Maryland just across the District of Columbia border.

100? That's it for the nation's capitol?

Dallas: There are plenty of stories giving free PR to announce the rally, but not much reporting on the actual event. This CBS TV "report" does its best through selective camera angles and cuts to make a few dozen people look as large as possible, but for some reason reporting the actual number of protesters didn't strike "authorized journalist" Steve Pickett as newsworthy. If we are to believe the Brady's press release (and why wouldn't we?), "the news media said [the march] attracted hundreds..." but the source I found said "about 60 people marched." Hmmm....I wonder why the discrepancy...?

Denver: No after-the-fact reporting. It must have been glorious.

Duluth: Apparently matched only by Denver...

Evanston: I guess everybody figured out it was in Lake Barrington?

Ewing: Hey, at least they got mentioned in the Brady's paid press release.

Houston: Apparently, if we are to believe the demonstrably credible paid press release , some people hung some signs from a bridge.

Minneapolis: "Thirty-two people staged a 'lie-in' - [appropriate use of a term--DC] lying down on a north Minneapolis sidewalk." Y'know when I read about these and see the pictures, the first thought that comes to mind is Evel Knievel is never around when you really need him.

Philadelphia: "Dozens stage anti-gun rally"--well hold the presses.

Phoenix: In your face, Denver!

San Diego: A strong contender for edging out Phoenix...

And then, of course, 32 each for all the ridiculous "Protest Easy Guns" cities listed in the Brady announcement.

That's it. In spite of the enormous amount of advance pre-billing for this circus event by the mass media, and despite the money, power and names behind it, it turned out to be a dud. The fire in the belly seems to be mostly for self-promotion by Jesse and Snuffy, and a desperate search for relevance by the Bradys. Of course I have no scientific way to validate this, but my sense is that the stated goal here at WarOnGuns was achieved: That between (admittedly unvalidated) reports of ammo sales on this site and elsewhere, we probably came real close to buying a box of ammo (or spending equivalent dollars on guns or other gear) for every anti-gun protester that showed up.

Which means all the citizen disarmament mobs managed to do was produce the exact opposite of what they wanted: thanks to them, there are now tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition in private hands that would otherwise not have been bought on August 28. And they got meager after-the fact publicity for their failure because it was just so damned embarrassing to show how ineffectual they truly are at motivating anything other than staged grass roots support. Even the authorized journalists couldn't spin it as a victory.

Not bad. Not bad at all.

This Day in History: August 29

August 29, 1779
Battle of Chemung (Battle of Newton), New York

At what is modern-day Elmira, Continental forces are led by Generals John Sullivan and James Clinton and defeat a combined force of Loyalists and Indians commanded by Captain Walter Butler and Chief Joseph Brant. The Continentals are ambushed but manage to use their artillery to drive off the Indians. However, the Americans are criticized for their failure to pursue the fleeing Indians and gain a major victory. The Indians have many of their villages destroyed along with valuable supplies in retaliation for their continued raids against frontier settlements. Still, they manage to keep up the pressure on frontier settlements.

August 28 Ammo Buy

This is the only post I'm going to make today, and I'll make it brief.

WarOnGuns regulars know about today's proposed ammo buy as a counterprotest to the Pfleger/Jackson Citizen Disarmament Mobfest and Rabble-Rousin' Jamboree.

The rest of today's posts are yours, via comments. Please tell us:

Your name or screen name
What you bought
How much you bought
Where you bought it (name of store or range), including the city
Did the gun store or range help promote the ammo buy, and if so, what did they do?
If you like, you can tell us how much you spent, but that's optional.

Please restrict your comments to that information.

This post will remain up until 12:00 midnight. I'll determine a "winner" via random drawing from all entries. As previously mentioned, the victor will receive a handsome Red's Trading Post cap, courtesy of WoG reader "Sam."

One last thing--I thought about requiring some sort of proof of purchase, but that's the government's MO to consider people suspect right off the bat. We operate on the honor system here at WarOnGuns. When I announce the winner tomorrow, it will be up to them to contact me at dcodrea at hotmail dot com to claim the prize.

Shameless Plug: Freedomnomics

Don’t be put off by the fact this is essentially an economics book. It’s not a difficult read. Lott’s clear writing doesn’t assume we’re anything but interested lay people, and his use of simple tables and graphs at key points bring his conclusions into focus.

"Freedomnomics," my Rights Watch column for the October 2007 issue of GUNS Magazine, is now on sale at capitalist newsstands throughout the Republic.

BONUS: See page 114 to find out how you can win a Taurus Judge 3"-barreled revolver that shoots either .45 Colt or .410 shotshells.

The Final Frontier

How could the FAA issue rules in conflict with the DOJ and President? Who had approved this?

According to the Senior Attorney, Office of the Chief Counsel for the FAA, “This rule … was reviewed and approved by the Executive Office of the President.”

"The Final Frontier," my September 2007 Rights Watch column for GUNS Magazine chronicling my adventures with the FAA, is now online.

Is BATFU Creating a Gun Registration Database?

Ryan Horsley has some questions.

We're the Only Ones Purchasing Enough

A Times Union investigation has found that Romano was one of dozens of city cops, along with at least one Albany County assistant district attorney and possibly a judge, who used the department to illegally purchase an arsenal of automatic assault rifles and ammunition for personal use at tax-exempt, discount prices in the mid-1990s.

The illegal gun purchases, which were concealed from the public, did not result in any disciplinary or criminal charges, and ultimately they exposed more than just wrongdoing on the part of the police force. To this day, it is unclear how many of the weapons were never recovered.

So...Bloomberg's gonna sue 'em, right?

[Via Magus]

[More from "The Only Ones" Files]

Separating the Wheat From the Chaff

Do you understand that I include myself as a "crazed right-wing militant"????

...Please read more of my writings and understand the concept of 'tongue-in-cheek'.

Please feel free to check out http://www.brentwheat.com/ to understand a little more of my background and writing.

Well, that's a relief.

Believe me, Mr. Wheat, I understand the ramifications of having "tongue-in-cheek" commentary misunderstood better than most.

And I did check out your site--I note you are currently a Lieutenant with the Lebanon Police Department.

So I guess my question--tongue-in-cheek, mind you--is, if I let you know I'll be coming up to Lebanon keeping and bearing arms--as any "right wing militant" can tell you is my Constitutionally-acknowledged unalienable right--will you arrest me?

We're the Only Ones Framing Enough

Federal prosecutors Thursday filed criminal charges against 10 Puerto Rican police officers in an anti-narcotics unit, cracking down on police corruption on the heels of widespread outrage over a video showing an officer killing an unarmed civilian.

Nine officers and their lieutenant were accused of stashing cocaine, heroin and crack at their precinct in Mayaguez for the past 3 years so they could frame people in several of the city's low-income housing projects.

And guess who non-"Only Ones" need to grovel to for permission to possess or carry weapons in Puerto Rico?

Yep--the Superintendent of Police.

[Via Third Power]

This Day in History: August 27

The Battle of Long Island took place on August 27, 1776. The American outpost of Colonel Edward Hand's sent word that the British were preparing to cross Long Island from Staten Island on August 22, at dawn. There were three frigates, the Phoenix, Rose, and Greyhound, and two bomb ketches named Carcass and Thunder, in Gravesend Bay. The frigates were anchored in the Namews.

2A Dems to Hold 8/28 Rally

Your humble Webmaster for Amendment II Democrats is planning a Save the Second Amendment Rally to be held on Tuesday, August 28, 2007, 12:00 noon CDT in Dallas, Texas. We will be gathering outside the Warren United Methodist Church at 3028 Malcolm X Boulevard, where the North Texas Brady Campaign and Rainbow PUSH members are scheduled to hold their own anti-gun rally. It's time for Democrats who support the Second Amendment to take a stand against those who seek to undermine our Constitutional rights.

I agree. I support and applaud this effort. But one thing troubles me greatly:

Do you actively oppose Democrats who support sensible gun measures if they run for public office?

We are Democrats, and as such we will support our party's nominees for local, state, and federal office. During the primaries, however, if any Democratic candidate supports gun control measures that Amendment II Democrats oppose (such as reauthorizing the national ban on semi-automatics), that primary candidate is fair game, and we will encourage voters to support Democratic candidates who are in greater harmony with our outlook on Second Amendment rights. But once the primaries are over and the candidates for the general election have been chosen, it is important that all Democrats pull together and support our party's candidates as best as we are able. Under no circumstances will Amendment II Democrats support Republican candidates who run against anti-RKBA Democrats. We are, after all, Democrats.

Nu-uh, guys. It doesn't work that way, and don't think that bit about "sensible gun measures" went unnoticed--what the hell are those?
I like your strategy for the primaries, but the general election is where power over lives is awarded. If you would pick an "F" over an "A" simply because of blind party loyalty, you have made yourselves part of the problem.

What this indicates is, ultimately, the Second Amendment is expendable to you, not as much of a priority as re-electing Carolyn McCarthy or Chuck Schumer, or electing Hillary Clinton. It means you consider other social and economic issues more important than my elemental right to defend my life and freedom, and will aid and abet those trying to strip me of the means to do so.

I take that personally. A friend wouldn't do that to me.
If an authorized representative from your group would like to respond on this blog and entertain questions and comments from WarOnGuns readers, I'll give you the space.

[Via A Keyboard and a .45]

UPDATE: See response here.

Got a Free Moment Today?

It's Sunday. Surely you'll have a free 5 minutes today.

Why not call a gun store where you do business and recruit them to support the August 28 ammo buy?

If not, why not?

We're the Only Ones 5-0* Enough

Speaking of raging "Only Ones," I found this video (click title link) on WikiProtest.

My 12-year-old is a skateboarder. I understand there are places that are off-limits, but there are plenty of effective ways adults can deal with children without resorting to out-of-control, vein-bulging mouth-foaming and name-calling. Losing control is the least effective way to deal with young people. While I stipulate we don't know what preceded the taped encounter, that's still no excuse for the "official" temper tantrum recorded here. And there is nothing from the demeanor of the victims to suggest they were doing anything but attempting to obey.

Imagine this is your kids being treated this way, intimidated, assaulted, extorted, having their property stolen by a loud-mouthed raving bully with a badge. I note this took place in San Francisco, and it may explain why they are so keen on disarming the populace--so the thugs can get away with treating everyone like this.

Time was, men were employed from their communities to act in the capacity of "peace officers." Now that the paradigm has shifted to "law enforcement," we see results that are exactly the opposite of the original intent--indeed, we see them introducing conflict and belligerence, rather than peace, into their encounters with citizens. In reality, the "Only Ones" are now "control officers," albeit out-of-control ones, and we ought to start calling them that.

This is an interesting microcosm of the way government--instituted among men to secure the blessings of liberty--has mutated into the grotesque enslaver it has become.

I would suggest an official investigation of this, but does anyone really believe it would accomplish anything? It's clear this behavior is SOP for the coward in question. That means he and his ilk have been getting away with it for years, and those who resort to coercion as a means of maintaining power are not about to force a change.

That's our job.

* 5-0

While the most common usage of this term is as a grind, the 5-0 grind...it is also used to refer to the police (a play on both the trick of the same name, and Hawaii Five-0).