Garden State Liberty Day Celebration Proposal

New Jersey may finally outlaw gun trafficking.

No doubt in celebration for being first to ratify the Bill of Rights...

This Day in History: November 20

On November 20, 1789, New Jersey became the first state to ratify the Bill of Rights—the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution—guaranteeing the fundamental rights and freedoms of all American citizens.

I guess they also pioneered First In, First Out...?

A Question for the Secretary of the Standing Army

I know I'm just a lowly member of the unorganized militia 'n all, but would someone please mind telling me just what in bloody freaking hell Command SGT Major Daniel Luke is doing posing on a world government-lobbying gungrabber site, in uniform, in blatant violation of Army Regulation 670–1, Uniforms and Insignia, Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia, Part One General Information and Responsibilities, Chapter 1 Introduction, 1–10. When the wear of the Army uniform is required or prohibited:

j. Wearing Army uniforms is prohibited in the following situations:
(1) In connection with the furtherance of any political or commercial interests, or when engaged in off-duty civilian employment

?

You guys are still under civilian authority, right? So why is one of your noncoms out there exploiting the uniform and insignias of service, and undermining the unalienable right of sovereign American Citizens, by appealing to international authorities to regulate arms in contravention of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights--especially after the representative designated by the Commander in Chief has specifically repudiated global gun control as the administration's official position?

Note: I tried to check up on Sgt. Luke on the off-chance that someone posted his picture on the IANSA site without his authorization, or God forbid, that he died in service and a relative posted it. There's not much out there, but as this is a violation regardless, the Army should investigate.

UPDATE: The name tag on the above photo looks like it says "Diaz," not "Luke." I have been able to find some search hits for a Command SGT Major Daniel Luke Diaz, and if this is the same person, some of the posts ostensibly made by him say he is retired. I have no idea if the Army has recourse in this--I'm not sure what authority they would have to do anything but request that IANSA remove the picture. Whether or not--assuming this is willful--they would have any ability to pursue this with a retired sergeant is a matter for people knowledgeable in such matters.
UPDATE 2: Here we go. Hey Sarge, did you post your picture on the Million Faces website or is somebody doing this without your consent?

UPDATE 3: The Army just arrived.

Trust Busters

Some organizers cited "security reasons" for the candidate's sudden withdrawal. An advertisement in a Sikh newspaper said the fund-raiser, which was also to have featured President Clinton as a guest, had been postponed "due to the advice of the Secret Service." Others involved said some of those planning the fund-raiser failed either the campaign's vetting process or a Secret Service review...

What "security reasons" could there be? Ah, here it is...

Many of the Sikh men carried ceremonial daggers, often hidden under their clothes. Some who led the parade brandished swords. However, participants said the ritual weapons did not justify Mrs. Clinton's absence.

A savvy candidate would now do a spontaneous photo op with a bunch of dagger-wielding Sikhs. And he'd also do one at a random gun range surrounded by a bunch of unvetted armed Americans, without a security man in sight. The message ought to be one of them trusting him, not the other way around.

Removing All Doubt

We need laws that will close the loopholes that existing laws have. I have three handguns in my home. I have been a member of the NRA. I learned gun safety from a gun enthusiast way back when. Guns used in the right way are one of our American privileges.

J.W. Pollard proves out the words of Lincoln better than anything I could possibly say.

Dashing Adam's Hopes

Shooting death suspect wanted as parole violator

Uncle arrested in shooting of 17-year-old Clevelander

So, Adam, it's been just over a week. How are all those hopes of yours working out so far...?

Either/Or

So I ventured to the gun club ready to get my lesson in self-defense.

I ended up discovering that knowing how to shoot a gun probably wouldn't help me fend off criminals.

Then I'd say you failed the class. Either that or it failed you.

We're the Only Ones Clean Enough

Authorities believe an off-duty Houston police officer was killed Sunday in a gun-cleaning accident at his home.

After decades of cleaning guns without ever coming close to a negligent discharge, I'm left wondering how something like this can happen by accident.

Oh, here's another account that explains it all: "[H]is gun accidentally fired."

So it was the gun's fault.

[More from "The Only Ones" Files]

The Great New Orleans Gun Grab

The Great New Orleans Gun Grab (Louisiana Publishing Inc., $19.95 softcover) by Gordon Hutchinson and Todd Masson, is the story of how business owners and homeowners who decided stay behind and protect their property found themselves in conflict with civil authorities. They were all gun owners and were prepared to protect their property with deadly force. The police disarmed many of them and confiscated some of their guns.

What, you mean the ones who didn't desert or weren't out looting?

The Little Bang Theory of Violence

Certain parents disagree.

In a recent New Jersey Star-Ledger online survey, one grandparent responded to news of Zapper by writing, "Why don't they enclose an application to the NRA in every box as well? ... The marketing person who came up with this brainchild of an idea should be fired."

Good grief.

So much for wisdom coming with age. The senile, humorless old coot ought to relax and have a cookie.

Today

We're the Only Ones Cruella Deville Enough

Responding to a call about a barking dog in Weston, a Broward County sheriff's deputy fired two shots at an 11-year-old Dalmatian after it lunged at her, according to police reports.

Hey, if she shoots a hundred more, she can make a coat...

[More from "The Only Ones" Files]

This Day in History: November 19

The Battle of Fort Lee was fought on November 19, 1776 between American and British forces. The British were led by Charles Cornwallis, while the Americans were led by Nathanael Greene.

Fort Lee was rendered defenseless after the defeat of Manhattan by advancing British soldiers. George Washington and Nathanael Greene ordered the evacuation of the fort on November 19, 1776, when 5,000 British troops ferried up the Hudson on barges. They landed near Closter, New Jersey. Washington quickly alerted the soldiers at Fort Lee, followed by a hasty retreat.

Burma Shave VIII

Previous "Burma Shave" Signs:
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII

[For those not familiar with the Burma Shave roadside billboard campaign or the CCRA RKBA campaign]

Baghdad, NV

It also is the gun-death state. According to the Center for Disease Control, since 2000, Nevada has led the nation with an average of 26 gun-related deaths per 100,000 people.

War-torn Iraq averaged 32 gun deaths per 100,000 people last year, according to the same study.

That certainly is presented in the most hysterical fashion imaginable. I also note that somehow, in all that fair and balanced "authorized journaling," we only see the cost side of the equation, and no benefits. Surely someone in the state was able to deter violence with a firearm--or is Nevada an anomaly, where nothing works the way it does everywhere else?

Here's the other thing--I'm not sure where his CDC figures are being pulled from, but the most current WISQARS data I could find linking from the CDC site was quite different:


Even taking suicides and legal interventions into account yielded an age-adjusted rate of 16.62 per 100,000, over 9 points below what this story is claiming.

I'm going to assume he's looking at a different report, but the CDC is keeping it pretty well hidden. If you go to their website, you'll see firearms aren't listed as one of their "Top 20" categories in the search utility (top right corner of main page). I also wandered around seemingly related pages dealing with violence and injury with no luck and even did a Google news search to see if there have been any recent press releases.

I'm not claiming it ain't right in front of my face as I stumble clumsily around it...

I'll email the reporter and ask for a link to his source.

UPDATE:

My email to the reporter:

Mr. Pridgen,

"According to the Center for Disease Control, since 2000, Nevada has led the nation with an average of 26 gun-related deaths per 100,000 people."

I couldn't find this on the CDC site, and WISQARS data tells a different story from 200-2004 and isn't updated beyond that.
[Inserted graphic from above]
Even accounting for suicides and law enforcement interventions only produced an age-adjusted rate of under 17/100,000. Could you please point me to where you got your information with a link to the data and findings?

Thank you,
David Codrea

His reply:

Hi David,

Thanks a bunch for your feedback. The CDC study we used was sent straight from the CDC office in Washington DC and Atlanta Ga- you can find them at cdc.gov or call them at 404-639-3534...

Their ‘07 numbers have not been released yet- but the stats we used were from June ‘05- June ‘07

...hope this helps- and yes, we do count in that number all deaths – homicide, manslaughter, suicide and accidental deaths- remember it’s ‘gun-related death’ period...

We hashed over the numbers and the story for months in the newsroom, but I understand where a reader interested in the subject (like yourself) may have needed a better breakdown of the numbers- so I appreciate your calling this to our attention...

-a

Stay tuned.

Zero Tolerance

The tactic, pioneered in the US, will warn youths that unless they stop tit-for-tat killings they will face a zero-tolerance crackdown.

You kids stop this right now. Don't make us get serious.

Good grief.

Just so we can measure this and have some sort of benchmark, if it's not at zero now, where is the tolerance level for killings?

Paging Sherlock Holmes

Effectiveness of D.C. gun ban still a mystery

Only to you highly trained investigative "Authorized Journalists," Paul Duggan, and police state enforcers like Linda Singer. To anyone with a brain or without an agenda, the solution is elementary.

Another NRA "A" Rated Candidate

Some facts that surprised me: between 80 and 100 million Americans own guns, NRA membership soared after the shootings at Columbine, and Bill Clinton received an "A" grade from the NRA.

Well, I guess I don't feel so bad about Bill Brown now...

Mannard/English Translator

If an adult does choose to bring a gun in a home where there are children, they should keep that gun unloaded and inaccessible.
Thomas Mannard
Executive Director
Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence
Chicago

Translation: I want this 12-year-old and his grandmother to end up like these kids.

This Day in History: November 18

The garrison decided to defend it, and the defence fell to three thousand Pennsylvanians and Marylanders. Colonel Magaw, who had been placed in command, made a valiant stand but was compelled to surrender, November 18, 1776, and the three thousand men fell into the hands of the British. Washington had urged General Greene to abandon the place, but had left the decision to that officer, who decided to garrison and hold it. In so doing he was following the instructions of Congress. Washington now determined to abandon Fort Lee on the west side of the Hudson, but this decision was arrived at after five thousand British soldiers had scaled the Palisades and were ready to make a dash upon the fort.

The disheartenment of the patriotic army was complete.