We're the Only Ones Represented Diversely Enough

London's Metropolitan Police has been forced to spend 15,000 pounds creating "ethnically diverse" mascots after complaints about a model deemed too white and too male, reports said Tuesday.

Met chief Sir Ian Blair ordered the new politically correct (PC) models after an Asian officer complained about PCSO Steve, the mascot produced to visit to schools to promote the police force.

Specifically critics said the fact that Steve was white, with blue eyes and blond hair, risked leaving Asian and women officers "isolated," said the Daily Telegraph.

I mean, it's not like they have the resources, ability or obligation to actually protect people, so why not spend money on mascots and posters and bus ads...?

In the interest of helping our "Only One" friends in the UK come up with racially diverse mascots, perhaps we could let them have some of the ones being discarded on this side of the pond by athletic teams that have caved in to political pressure over racial stereotypes. Or perhaps forgo human mascots altogether, PETA willing, and spread the good news of the police state using friendly animal characters like this or like this...

The Podium Pounder

Judging from Rendell's podium-pounding announcement of his plans last week, he's not going to say "pretty please" when calling for gun-violence reform.

"Podium-pounding"?

Like this...?



Or like this...?


Let's hope Pennsylvania gun owners have enough control over their legislators to tell this tinpot dictator to go pound sand.

It's All in the Grip

Hill's attorney, Earl Xaiz, argued in a motion that the felony count should be dismissed because the gun Hill sold was considered a shotgun, which can be legally sold to 18-year-olds. But federal law bans sales of shotguns with pistol grips to anyone younger than 21.

Because as we all know, the addition of a grip makes the firearm so much more powerful and deadly.

Counterstrike

Some of the dealers settled the suits and agreed to work with a court-appointed monitor, but the owner of the Summerville shop, Larry Mickalis, countersued, accusing Mr. Bloomberg and the city of conspiracy, fraud and libel, among other charges.

Meanwhile, BATFU is too busy harassing family businesses owned by dealers like Mr. Mickalis and Ryan Horsley to look into pursuing obvious and willful violations by Bloomberg and his James Mintz Group mercenary co-conspirators.

Red's Report for Nov. 20

Sullivan Weasel Words Findings
What? BATFU didn't revoke their license. We just harassed them into not renewing...

The BATFU of Yesteryear
Yep--they were corrupt megalomaniacal punks 12 years ago, too.

[More on Red's Trading Post from WarOnGuns]

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.

We're the Only Ones Up to Our Old Tricks Enough

Prosecutors have charged an Orange County sheriff's deputy with detaining prostitutes and then sexually assaulting them in his patrol car.

And just think--had any of them been armed, "Only One" Rodriguez would have arrested them. That's a pretty neat trick in itself.

Guess Again

Musser’s proposal is going to cost money. Vendors who sell hunting licenses would need the ability to do background checks on those making the purchases.

But our guess is the citizens of Wisconsin would be willing to pay a little extra to make sure felons with a history of violence aren’t roaming the fields with loaded weapons during hunting season.

Let's see, criminals are breaking the law, so we need a new law, and we need to put the burden on everybody else. And God forbid criminals would break yet another law and just poach.

I don't know how hunting licenses are issued in Wisconsin and just don't have time now to slog through this, but my guess is they can be had at small general stores in remote little towns...? Somebody from there help me out here.

I don't see how a mom and pop operation would be equipped to deal with background checks, and this seems designed to drive a lot of them out of the process altogether. Of course, this could just be a ploy to drastically curtail hunting, which wouldn't surprise me a bit.

Note to hunters: If this doesn't convince you that gun owners of all stripes must join in opposing all infringements, you're simply not paying attention. You can't throw EBRs under the bus and expect it won't be your ox getting gored next.

The Winning Team

The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office again bested eight other major police units in Western Visayas , in the enforcement of the Comelec gun ban during the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on Oct. 29, police records show.

I will not go for the cheap shot...
I will not go for the cheap shot...
I w...

‘Top Tory Twit’

WELSH MP David Davies said that being named as a “Top 10 Tory Twit” will not shake his faith in the suitability of Taser guns as household weapons.

Even a Taser is over the top for the UK intelligentsia. Gosh, if Davies is a twit, what kind of drooling moron must that make someone like me in the eyes of David Williamson?

Sad, really--all I ever wanted was the respect of snotty herbivores.

And Now, from the Cradle of Liberty...

Boston police are launching a program that will call upon parents in high-crime neighborhoods to allow detectives into their homes, without a warrant, to search for guns in their children's bedrooms.

The program, which is already raising questions about civil liberties, is based on the premise that parents are so fearful of gun violence and the possibility that their own teenagers will be caught up in it that they will turn to police for help, even in their own households.

No, it's based on the premise that livestock depends on handlers for every aspect of existence--from feeding time, to which pen to be ushered into...

Shhhh...

World record holding Xtreme Sport Shooter Patrick Flanigan fires 12 shells in just 1.442 seconds with the Winchester Super X3 Shotgun!

Don't anybody tell the Bradys or BATFU...

Watch the video--it really is cool.

[Via SameNoKami]

In His Scholarly Decision

In his scholarly decision, Gerstein adopts the view that the Second Amendment was enacted to protect of state militias from the federal government and not to declare the individual’s right to possess arms. With the disappearance of state militias, courts have generally held, the purpose of the Second Amendment is moot. Parker is "founded on a revisionist view of the Constitutional Convention, which view is far from generally accepted," said Gerstein.

More likely, Gernstein is just another in a long train of black-robed subversives bent on undermining the Natural Rights of his victims.

What is "generally accepted" today is very different than what was "generally accepted" by the Framers. Thanks in no small part to damage done over the years by despicable revisionists like Judge Gernstein.

One other thing this case illustrates is the folly of avoiding Second Amendment challenges by our "gun rights leaders." Anybody can claim a 2A defense. Is that the case we want moving forward, or would it best serve our interests to have one carefully crafted with all the resources and scholarship that can be mustered to increase the likelihood of a successful outcome?

[Via 1894C, via Alphecca]

Georgia On My Mind

Many Georgians assume that Georgia adopted its gun control laws for public safety reasons. They never stop to ask, why does Georgia ban carry at “public gatherings” generally when no other state does so, or why is Georgia one of only 12 states that requires a firearms license to carry a pistol openly? GCO Board member Mike Menkus asked these questions, and he then devoted months to researching the answers. Shocked by what he discovered, he decided to put them into a written form. The shocking title is stolen from an editorial title in the Atlanta newspaper, and GCO cannot help but observe that the Atlanta newspaper’s editorial stance on the right to bear arms seems not to have changed very much in the intervening century.

GCO issues special report called “DISARM THE NEGROES - The Racist Roots of Georgia’s Gun Laws”. This report documents the ugly history of Georgia’s gun laws. As the Atlanta Journal made clear in their paper, the intent of Georgia’s gun laws was to disarm the Negroes. After reading this report, you will have a clearer understanding of the advocates of gun control in Georgia.

Mike wants GCO members to know the truth behind Georgia’s restrictive gun laws. Read Mike’s report here.

Go. Read. Download and save for reference.

Great, great job. What a service Mike Menkus has done for us. Thank you, Mr. Menkus.

[Via Ed Stone]

"Privilege"

During this segment, the interviewer peppered Edwards with a series of questions asking if he considered each a right or a privilege. In response to the proposition of “owning a handgun,” and following a pregnant pause, came the former Senator’s one word answer: “privilege.”

The Breck Girl proves he's unfit for citizenship, let alone elected office.

See video here.

This Day in History: November 17

Congress submits the Articles of Confederation to the states for ratification.

Looking for a Few Good Thugs: WOG's BATFU Recruiting Presentation

What with Ryan presenting BATFU personnel recruiting videos, and not wanting to be left out, WarOnGuns has prepared the following public service message in the hopes of assisting the agency in finding the right kind of employees to best exemplify its mission.

UPDATE: For some reason this gets cut off in Firefox, so it needs to be viewed using IE. No idea why--will ask Toufee tech support. I'm also told you can double-click on the Toufee icon and view this at their site.

Making Flash is easy with Toufee!

[Thanks for the slogan and music suggestion, Sean! I was originally going to go with Die Wacht am Rhein, but Panzerlied really is the most appropriate background score.]

We're the Only Ones Keeping Abreast of Things Enough

Thanks for the mammaries (sorry). This really is instructive as to institutionalized arrogance (sorry again).

Just remember, these New Jersey "Only Ones" would kill anyone they came across who was bearing their own arms and not a brainless willing-to-be-groped plaything (what is it with cops and Hooters?. The lieutenant's Klan hood didn't bother me much though, I guess because I found it so totally unsurprising. Good O' Boy Roundup, anyone?



[Via Say Uncle, The Agitator and Bill Y/Ace of Spades HQ]

The Day After the Day After Tomorrow

SameNoKami reminds us that November 19 is National Ammo Day.

Interesting, to read "when we approached the NRA in 2002, we were actually told that such an event would be 'inopportune in the current circumstances.'”

That figures.

Another Red's Twofer

Ryan Horsley calls our attention to two more BATFU outrages:

Thugette Threatens to Close Down Businesses Unless They Obey Her: "You vill provide trigger locks!"

Mad Max Mike: The guy's bad news. You've contacted your senators to block his confirmation, right? Why the hell not?

We're the Only Ones Falsely Credited Enough

An Orange County Court jury will have the final word when it finishes hearing testimony this week in the trial of Heatherine Tomlinson, a county correction officer who's charged with using another person's credit card to buy booze at three stores last year.

The other day, I went to the hardware store. On my way out, a man dressed in painter's overalls called after me and wanted to know if I had lost some money--some bills were on the floor and may have dropped from my pocket. I didn't know how much I had on me and couldn't be sure, and told him so, so he went back in the store to see if he could find whoever it belonged to.

This was just an ordinary, every day interaction between two "ordinary" Citizens, two strangers, both intent on doing the right thing. It was random, it was coincidental, meaning it more likely reflects the rule than the exception--at least where I choose to live. Yet people like us are suspect for not having the proper values and temperament to keep and bear arms by our Stockholm Syndromed countrymen, because we're not "The Only Ones."

I don't know what became of the ownerless bills, but I'd bet good money the honest tradesman didn't go on a booze-buying spree with it.

[Via Declan]

We're the Only Ones Brutally Expensive Enough

Mayor Daley could buy 5,000 new cop cars or 7,000 blue light security cameras for the money rogue cops have cost the city the last five years. It’s a staggering number that you haven't heard, until now. Mark Suppelsa investigates the cost of police brutality.

What costs? It all comes from the slave work force, but still, I'm wondering what the effect on crime would be if that $111 MILLION had gone toward arming the Citizens of Chicago as opposed to paying for the sins of Daley's thug "Only Ones" who have disarmed them under threat of even more vicious brutality.

Sodomized with a screwdriver. Good Lord, what kind of sick mad dog perverts relish their own brutality this way?

That Snuffy and Jesse aren't leading outraged mobs of indignant rabble against these domestic enemies instead of an out-of-town gun store shows what evil police state apologist frauds they are.

And the excuse given at the end of the video--that this is in line with what other cities are shelling out--ought to outrage and chill every thinking American. It certainly puts the oft-tendered "few bad apples" apologia in the proper light. You know--like the manipulation perpetrated by the "Authorized Journalists" using the word "rogue" in the lead-off sentence...

[Via HZ]

This Day in History: November 16

On the morning of November 16, 1776, at about 7 a.m., the British and Hessian forces were lining up to start the battle. These combined forces would attack the fort and its defenses from all sides. Due to the inclement weather and the tides running against the Royalist forces under the command of Cornwallis and Matthew, the initial assault was delayed until about noon.

Sink Sullivan Now

A week ago, Ryan Horsley put out yet another call to oppose the confirmation of Michael J. Sullivan to the top slot at BATFU. I've also raised that flag, once in September and again last month.

I have no idea when the full Senate will take up the vote, but the bottom line is, this guy is very bad news. Follow the links Ryan and I have provided and see for yourself. Actually, this link should give you all the reason--and motivation--you need to understand how dangerous this enforcement freak will be to our right to keep and bear arms.

I'm asking all gun bloggers to join me in spreading the word and asking their readers to contact their senators with the message to VOTE NO ON SULLIVAN'S CONFIRMATION. I'm asking WarOnGuns visitors to do the same, and to spread the word to your gun-owning friends through forums, emails, clubs, ranges, shops, you name it.

Here's how you can contact your senators--please pass this link along, too:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm?OrderBy=state&Sort=ASC

Now I know some of you will say "My senators are gun haters, so it will be no use." Do it anyway--just let them see that numbers of voters are against Sullivan. Find a reason besides guns (see this link) if you think it will help: He's attacked health care companies; A dozen US attorneys quit on his watch; He's done patronage hires with his buddies; He's alienated federal judges with his heavy-handedness; Ah, here's one--his policies single out minorities for the most extreme punishment. You get the idea.

The other common objection I see is based on pride: people tell me they are done pleading with servants who act like masters. So don't plead. Act like the boss and demand.

Last week I asked people to send a simple email on behalf of Red's, and was just astounded at the level of resistance and vitriol asking for such a simple, easy thing generated. There were 81 comments alone on KABA Newslinks, each one taking as much or more time and effort than just doing what was asked would have taken. I'm afraid I don't put too much stock in big talk of "Molon Labe" from people who won't even send an email.

Anyway, that's it-- do it or not. But if you're going to do it, do it now.

UPDATE: Neither of my senators give a damn about gun rights, so I took a different tack with each one based on their predispositions:

With democrat gungrabber Sherrod Brown, I talked like a fellow collectivist:

Oppose Michael Sullivan as head of ATF. His track record of heavy-handed prosecution of minorities should concern all Americans who champion social justice.

I am going to urge Rev. Jackson to decry any and all senators who turn Sullivan loose on the nation's urban communities.

Actually, siccing Jesse on this ain't a bad idea. Any chair in a bar fight...

I put on the fellow fascist mask to approach RINO (GOA "D"-rated) George Voinovich:

I strongly oppose nomination of Michael Sullivan to head ATF. His disturbing record of cronyism with questionable hiring practices of friends and fellow land owners will turn out to be an embarrassment to all who support him. Likewise, his mismanagement caused a dozen career US attorneys to quit, and he has alienated federal judges with his heavy-handed unprofessionalism--that's no way to achieve effective law enforcement.

As a lifelong Republican, including campaign volunteer, I am counting on you to oppose his confirmation, and will be extremely disappointed and disillusioned if you fail your constituents in this important matter.

Ron Paul: Abolish ATF

So naturally, gun owners will find plenty of reasons to back some other candidate, and will-- before this is through-- resort to blaming "absolutists" who won't jump on the Rudy-Because-Otherwise-We'll-Get-Hillary bandwagon.

Making the Grade

Dustin tells us why flunking out may not be such a bad thing.

We're the Only Ones Who "Fly With US" Enough

A former police officer said his gun was stolen at Philadelphia International Airport...

Now, he's convinced his gun is in the hands of a criminal on the streets of Philadelphia.

I doubt it. Criminals have been too scared to have guns in Philly since '99.

Read the rest of this comedy of errors--11 guns reported missing, probably twice that many in three years. And BATFU is trying to shut down Red's?

This really does illustrate the utter incompetence of the lowest common denominator forced charity cases guarding America's airports. Workers are left with security "loopholes" you could taxi a 747 through and don't get me started on the TSA "Only Ones"...

I'm convinced the only reason we haven't had another hijacking is because passengers now know they'll die anyway, so they might as well kill on the way down.

There's a wider lesson to be learned in that observation, don't you think?

[Via MacEntyre]

A Gun Guide for Authorized Journalists

Nathaniel has found one...

A Tale of Two Outcomes

Another body found in burned-out dumpster

Chicago Police are investigating the deaths of two women whose bodies were found burning in or near trash bins on Chicago's South Side. One body was discovered early Wednesday morning. The other was found Tuesday. Investigators are not sure if the two deaths are linked.

An autopsy confirms one of the women was strangled before her body was set on fire. The victims were found within about a mile of each other.

Hammond woman fatally shoots alleged stalker

A northwest Indiana woman shot her alleged stalker to death.

Police say 41-year-old Ryan Lee Bergner broke into the woman's home in Hammond Monday night. The 51-year-old woman called 9-1-1 and hid in a closet with a gun she had been given for protection. She says she shot him when he opened the closet door and started choking her.

Same day, same ABC7 Chicago "Authorized Journalist" news outlet. Do you think they'll notice the difference?

Let's see, they both involved choking, so that's not it.

I know: One took place in Chicago and one just across the state line in Indiana?

No? Something else?

[Via HZ]

This Day in History: November 15

After considerable debate and alteration, the Articles of Confederation were adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777. This document served as the United States' first constitution, and was in force from March 1, 1781, until 1789 when the present day Constitution went into effect.

The Borg Collective Wants YOU

These are some of the statements that are made about the ATF in their recruitment video:

*The one phrase that defines an ATF Agent is someone that is committed to improving the public's quality of life.
*One of the best and most respected federal law enforcement agencies
*Voted best places to work in the federal government
*Self motivated people who seek a sense of honor and loyalty
*Strive to uphold the highest level of standards and integrity
*Value each other, as well as the citizens we serve
*Exciting place to work with many wonderful people

Me, I like where BATFU tells us they have their "roots going back to the creation of the American Constitution" (yeah, like enforcers for tyrants were the reason the Founders wanted to place strong, unequivocal restraints on the central government).

That and the close-up showing the field agent knows how to tie his boots ("Make two bunny ears. The bunny runs around the tree. The bunny jumps in a hole. Close it up tight!").

I'm also relieved to know that--at least when they stage takedowns for the camera using stand-ins for "criminals," they look like they know how to apply proper restraint, as opposed to what happens in the real world.

And I repeat my call to make sure all required-by-law federal procurement regulations were followed in the making of these videos. Too bad Leni Riefenstahl passed on. She would have been a natural at producing these...

We're the Only Ones Not Going on Trial Enough

A former Idaho Falls police officer facing felony weapons charges plans instead to plead guilty to a misdemeanor to avoid a trial that could have put him behind bars for years, his lawyer said.

Todd Ericsson, now a U.S. Department of Defense contractor in Iraq, is charged in 7th District Court with two counts of grand theft for receiving stolen property from Kimball Mason, the disgraced former Idaho Falls prosecutor now serving a prison sentence for stealing weapons from the city's police evidence locker.

Plus he'll end up with a clean record. But I'm sure, under the same circumstances, you know, stolen property, lying to investigators, transporting evidence out of state, all the normal, understandable stuff, that the prosecutor would have offered you and me the same deal.

Meanwhile, as long as we're in Idaho (and transporting stolen firearms across state lines to Utah), we might ask where's BATFU in all this? Tell me no federal violations were involved. Oh, yeah--making cartoons and recruitment videos--and destroying a family business.

[More from "The Only Ones" Files]

And the Larry Hincker Award Goes To...

Former state police Superintendent W. Gerald Massengill said yesterday that he is willing to personally support restrictions on sales of firearms at gun shows.

Stepping into a volatile political issue that he said will take on a new urgency and tenor in the wake of the Virginia Tech massacre, Massengill described himself as a strong supporter of Second Amendment rights but as a man who has witnessed an intolerable rise in gun violence and gun presence.

"We can't allow the proliferation of guns to continue," he said, speaking before The Virginia Center for Public Safety, a nonprofit group that is part of a coalition of gun-control advocates.

What...?

And the Winner Is...

The award, considered the UK benchmark for awarding campaigns on the basis of results, credited the campaign with leading to an 86% rise in calls providing information on gun crime, and a 15% reduction in actual gun crime.

Yeah, right.

Good grief.

We're the Only Ones Groping Enough

A former stripper testified that she was humiliated and then terrified when an on-duty Toronto police officer allegedly groped her breasts and pointed his gun because he did not like her attitude...

The traffic services officer was on duty and in uniform when he visited the For Your Eyes Only strip club in downtown Toronto on Oct. 8, 2004, near the end of an evening shift.

"Near the end of his shift," as in "still on duty."

Interesting the way the Canadians do it--identifying "The Only One" and protecting the name of the Citizen...

We're the Only Ones Making False Arrests Enough

Prosecutors have dropped the case against a TV reporter who was arrested carrying a loaded gun near a high school while working on a story on school violence, authorities said Tuesday...

Weinsier had been charged with armed trespass on school property, possession of a weapon, violation of carrying a concealed weapon and resisting arrest without violence. But he was not on school grounds when police approached him and ordered him to leave, Gerson said.

It's nice that he's considering civil legal action, but my question is why the officers involved (what were their names again?) haven't been arrested for kidnapping, false imprisonment, assault, battery...

Actually, there is something kind of transfixing about watching "Authorized Journalists" and "Only Ones" collide...

Permissible Restrictions

What restrictions on gun possession and use would be permissible? Almost no one argues that 2nd Amendment rights are absolute. After all, under the 1st Amendment, the right to free speech does not protect disturbing the peace; religious freedom does not shield human sacrifice.

I'll go along with that.

...Indeed, the appeals court acknowledged that Washington might be able to justify such things as concealed-carry restrictions, registration requirements and proficiency testing.

I won't go along with that. But chances are that's exactly the interpretation we'll get--if the Court takes the case, and if they "rule" in favor of individual rights.

There are some highly respected names in Second Amendment scholarship--people with a lot more formal academic credentials and wider name recognition than I'll ever have--who are on record stating registration would not be an infringement. To back this up, they cite militia laws and practices employed in the Founding Era, where a Citizen would be required to muster with certain predefined arms and accoutrements and subject them to inspection and being recorded into the rolls.

That I have no problem with. If the sheriff puts out a general call to arms (right), I expect him to ensure those of us answering the call won't end up being a detriment. But I see nothing in early militia laws suggesting the people of that era would have considered arms not brought to muster as anybody's business, and am unaware of any widespread legal parallel for recording what people of that time kept in their homes, or bought, sold or bartered.

As always, I'm willing to be educated. That said, the historic lessons of registration ought to be brutally clear to all, and the answer based on that alone ought to be "No."

As an aside, it's nice to see these sentiments getting ink in The Los Angeles Times.

We're the Only Ones Giving the Brush Off Enough

The mother of an unarmed, mentally ill teenager who could be heard on a 911 call yelling "I've got a gun!" cautioned police that she didn't think he was armed before officers killed him in a 20-bullet barrage.

But police officials insisted Tuesday that Khiel Coppin, 18, gave five officers no choice but to open fire after he suddenly charged them outside his mother's home with a black object in his hand; the object turned out to be a hairbrush...

The officers backed up and ordered him to stop, police said. When the teen refused and kept approaching them, they began shooting from a distance of 5 to 7 feet, police said.

"5 to 7 feet," and Bloomberg's highly trained ("all with at least 10 years of experience") "Only Ones" can't tell the difference between a brush and a gun? I was prepared not to even comment on this story until I read that sentence. Had he been farther away, what with moving rapidly and all, I'd have been able to accept that they couldn't be sure. And since when in their training do they let a suspect with a gun get that close?

Naturally:

Patrolmen's Benevolent Association president Patrick Lynch was quick to come to the officers' defense.

Well, yeah. The kid lifted a finger.

There does seem to be something missing from this story, though, and maybe you can help me put my finger on it. We know the victim's name. We know his mother's name. We know his brother's name and his stepfather's name, and even the family attorney's name. Shoot (sorry), we even know the neighbor's name (Hi, Bernice!) Now as we all know, the Associated Press assigned three "authorized journalists" to this story (and we know their names, too), so why do I have the nagging feeling that these highly trained professional watchdogs of government left something out...? Oh well, it probably wasn't important.

This Day in History: November 14

Now we are upon the subject of Grievances, I am constrained to observe, that I have a variety of Accounts, not only from Prisoners who have made their escape, but from persons who have left Philadelphia, that our Private Soldiers in your hands, are treated in a manner shocking to humanity, and that many of them must have perished thro' hunger, had it not been for the charitable contributions of the Inhabitants. It is added in aggravation, that this Treatment is to Oblige them to inlist in the Corps you are raising. The Friends of these unhappy men, call daily upon me for their relief, and the people at large insist on retaliating upon those in our possession. Justice demands it. However before I would proceed to a measure my feelings recoil at, I thought it right to mention the facts to you, and I would propose, that I may be allowed to send a suitable person into the city, under the usual restrictions, to examine into the Truth of them.

Court Takes No Action in Guns Case

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court took no action Tuesday in the case involving the District of Columbia's ban on handguns.

The justices discussed the case at their private conference on Friday, but reached no resolution.

See AAARRGGHHH!!!! and Heller Watch, below, for further details.

AAARRGGHHH!!!!

Court takes no action on gun case

Tuesday, November 13th, 2007 10:02 am Lyle Denniston
The Supreme Court on Tuesday announced no action on a new case testing the meaning of the Second Amendment. The next date for possible action on it is likely to be November 26, following a pre-Thanksgiving Conference set for November 20.

What's the matter, people? 68 years isn't a long enough time to make us wait?

As an aside, if you follow the title link on "Heller Watch," below, at the time of this posting there is nothing filed by the "authorized journalists" who get paid grand money and have billions of dollars in facilities and resources at their disposal to bring us all breaking news. Remember that the next time you hear them bemoaning the unprofessionalism of mere bloggers--or the government declaring we are not to be recognized as sanctioned media.

Since this has only appeared at this writing on SCOTUS Blog, I've "pulled rank" and called SCOTUS itself to verify the report, identifying myself as a field editor for the magazine. The receptionist promised to have the Public Information Officer call me. Sorry to take advantage of my royal blood, but I figure the need for accurate and timely reporting may cause some of you to excuse line cutting and surface hypocrisy.

I'll update this if I get a callback, or once this starts showing up as confirmed in the "official" media.

UPDATE: "Official media" has now reported this, and as of 11:47 AM EST, the promised return call has not happened--I doubt it will now that the story is out, because my message said I was calling to verify the SCOTUS Blog report. That's now not necessary.

But speaking of folks with resources, not to mention dedicated paid staff AND a strong vested interest in informing gun owners, I do find it curious that at this writing, our leaders are yet again not leading us.

[Via Joe's Crabby Shack]

Heller Watch

The title link should take you to the Google news results page for the Heller case, where the Supreme Court is expected to announce today if they will hear the case.

Check back on occasion to see the latest updates, and I will do the same.

The roller coaster is clacking as it's slowly towed up the first incline...

A Czar for Mary

All around the cathedral the saints and apostles
Look down as she sells her wares.
Although you can't see it, you know they are smiling
Each time someone shows that he cares.

The Old Bird Woman must die! And leave it to Bürgermeister Bloomberg's New York enforcers to come up with a jackbooted police state final solution.

Look, I know the flying rats can be filthy as hell, and I really have no problem with finding incentives to discourage their out-of-control propagation, but a freaking "Pigeon Czar"? And as I usually ask whenever that term is employed, how come we never call them Führers?

If you find Mary Poppins too saccharine and treacly for your tastes (not me, I'm a sap for that kind of stuff, and having raised two cubs still know most of the Disney Sing Along Songs by heart), try this as a counterbalance.

Hey Kids: It's BATFU Toon Time!

What is interesting though, is that these videos must have cost tax payers quite a bit to educate dealers. However neither I nor any other dealers that I had asked, had any ATF employee notify us about them.

Yeah, I think an FOIA demand to see who authorized this, how much they paid, who produced these and whether or not all federal procurement competitive bidding regulations, including requirement considerations for small/disadvantaged/woman-owned/minority businesses--and if there even was an IFB or RFP--were adhered to.

These same thugs will whine about how they don't have the resources to do their "job," but have money to burn on this silly crap. Maybe that's a good thing, come to think of it...

[More on Red's Trading Post and BATFU from WarOnGuns]

[Image from "A Brush With Politics: The Life and Work of John Frith"]

We're the Only Ones Electrified Enough

Wis. officer accidentally Tasers himself

Another Lee Paige, the Godfather of "The Only Ones," in the making...

[Via Plug Nickel Times]

BBC...Fair and Balanced ...NOT!

From WarOnGuns Correspondent 1894C, we have a list of examples of "authorized journalism" in its purest and ultimate form. Seeing as how the BBC is an appendage of the state, that it would work toward their interests, rather than those of British subjects, is hardly surprising. Still, it's instructive to note how glaringly evident the anti-defense agenda is, or would be if people weren't conditioned to consume news as mindlessly as they do snacks:

Britain's changing firearms laws

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7056245.stm

How guns get into the hands of crooks

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6937453.stm

Who supplies the guns on our streets?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6937457.stm

Gun crime: A glossary

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6286562.stm

Who makes the world's guns?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6294242.stm

What can be done about gun crime?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7047649.stm

RELATED INTERNET LINKS (On BBC Page)

Gun Control Network

http://www.gun-control-network.org/GCN02.htm

Mothers Against Murder and Aggression

http://www.mamaa.org/

Stop The Guns (Operation Trident)

http://www.stoptheguns.org/

The notion is crystal clear, guns are violent (imagine the absurdity of an inanimate object being violent, but reason has nothing to do with it), gun owners are evil, and relinquishing your sovereign rights is the path to security. This message has blatant support by government across the UK in defiance of logic or facts, it is simply accepted. It is the future here unless gun owners stop it.....

Cave Creek Misery

A Cave Creek resident is taking a stand against what he calls a dangerous sport in town.

Herb Natker filed an appeal recently in his complaint against Cave Creek buffalo wrangler T.C. Thorstenson...

Let's see--a guy gets thrown from his horse three years ago when a hayride wagon spooks it, so that means mounted cowboy shooting must be banned. Yeah, I follow that.

I did some checking on this Herb Natker character, and it seems he's continually complaining about something or other. Maybe some people apparently just can't stand to see other people having a good time, and feel so strongly about it, they'll even demand employing the coercive power of the state to stop it, with it's "obey or be destroyed" enforcers to impose their will.

I'll bet'cha if he'd have just taken an interest in the goings on at the outset, and maybe had his wife bring over a tray of hot muffins, his whole outlook would have been changed. I guess some people would rather be miserable, and make life miserable for everyone around them.

[Via Featherless Biped]

This Day in History; November 13

On November 13, 1775, General Richard Montgomery led American troops in the capture of Montreal.

That's Actually Pretty Funny

Wayne Fincher Appellant Principal Brief.

The principal brief has now been filed on Wayne's appeal. The brief was filed in the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals by Quentin Rhoades of Montana as pro bono counsel with the assistance of Stewart Rhodes of Nevada.

The Government's response is due within 30 days. There will then be opportunity for rebuttal argument.

The link to the actual document is on the page the title link takes you to. Paul W. Davis wanted people to read the update before downloading the brief.

I posted an announcement about this yesterday, because this is an important document to read, not just as it pertains to the story of Wayne Fincher, but also because of the legal and historical information pertinent to the Second Amendment and the right to keep and bear arms that it contains. I urge everyone to read it completely--if you can't do it now, set aside an hour later today or this week when you can. Then share this link with other gun owners.

EU May 'Fast Track' Gun Control

What, they're not going to hell quickly enough?

A "Pro-Gun" Democrat

Gov. Ted Strickland endorsed Hillary Clinton for president yesterday and will campaign with her in Iowa today, fueling speculation that he will be on Clinton's short list of possible running mates next year if she wins the Democratic nomination.

But he's our friend!

I don't suppose it's occurred to anyone that we're being played, or as Stieger says:

We've been conned. Bare-ass naked in the town square conned.

Think about it--"The Winning Team" helped put him in office--over an A-rated Republican, one supported, incidentally, by GOA and various state grassroots groups. He then endorses their biggest enemy, and she in turn could give him the opportunity to vacate his office to an avowed anti--one everybody knew about in the campaign. There's a master chess strategy for you.

Even if these speculations don't come to pass, anyone who endorses Hillary has picked his priorities, and is no friend of gun owners.

I can't wait to hear the spin chastising me for not realizing that "politics is the art of the possible." How those who preemptively surrender and go for short-term opportunistic manipulation as part of the game plan can be authorities on what truly is possible lies beyond my poor ability to fathom.

[Via The Ready Line]

He Got Game

What's dumber than Rosie's website?

This exchange:

Valade, a hunter, was skeptical about Obama's position on gun owners' rights.

Patrick discussed the issue, adding that he had hunted before.

"I've never done game," he said. "I've done birds, quail, and pheasant."

"So we share some things," Valade said with a nod.

He hunts! He's a sportsman! This changes everything! Come on in and have some blueberry wine!

Never mind that neither he nor the "authorized journalist" reporting the exchange seems to have a clue about what "game" is.

Good grief.

Your Privacy is What WE Say It Is

A top intelligence official says it is time people in the United States changed their definition of privacy.

Privacy no longer can mean anonymity, says Donald Kerr, a deputy director of national intelligence. Instead, it should mean that government and businesses properly safeguards people's private communications and financial information.

"Authorized privacy": Now there's a concept.

Well, why the hell not. They've already redefined "shall not be infringed."

I'm tempted to quote Orwell's Party slogans, but in truth, these control everything freaks remind me more of the opening to "The Outer Limits."

They're not even attempting to mask it any more. Yeah, I want to give up my guns to these people...and everybody noticed who nominated him, right?

[Via Jeffrey H]

We're the Only Oneth Thinging a Thong Enough

A 36-year-old Ohio police officer, who is married with children, is facing public indecency charges, after a park ranger allegedly caught him in a sexual act in a park's public restroom, according to a report from MyFoxCleveland.com.

Ohhh...that kind of thong...

[Via Tony G]

[More from "The Only Ones" Files]

So THAT Explains It

Displaying reading level appears to be the latest blog fad. Hey, I'm as quick to don a Nehru jacket to appear fashionable as the next guy.


No, not WarOnGuns.

This childish blog.

Try entering her url yourself if you don't believe me.

And in case you're wondering, WoG came in at "High School" level, which is pretty much where I try to keep things for the sake of clarity, but heck--at least the algorithm thinks I'm smarter than this guy, and we all know Internet site graphic generators are the ultimate standard of authority in such matters. But I could use bigger words and longer sentences if it bothers anybody...

Still, all in all, I wish I was on the same level as Blogonomicon.

This Day in History: November 12

Sir: I last night received your favour of the 10th. instt. and am sorry to find the Enemy's Batteries had played with such success against our Works. Nevertheless, I hope they will not oblige you to evacuate them. They are of the last importance, and I trust will be maintained till the latest extremity. I have written to Genl. Varnum to afford you immediate succour by sending fresh Troops to releive those now in Garrison, and also such numbers of Militia, as he may be able to prevail on to go to your assistance. With these, every exertion should be used for repairing in the night whatever damage the Works may sustain in the day. The Militia are principally designed for this end, and they are to be permitted to return every morning to Red Bank, if such shall be their choice. Genl. Varnum will furnish all the Fascines and palisadoes he can. You may rest assured, I will adopt every means our situation will admit of to give you relief. I am &ca.

Burma Shave VII

This week's virtual billboard campaign alongside the information superhighwway is dedicated to Sovereign Citizen Shirley Katz and Circuit Judge G. Philip Arnold:

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

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

If You Can't Buy 'em, Build 'em

The manufacture of country-made guns is an illegal industry that is thriving in the jungles of Assam and has turned into a cottage industry here, finding a market from poachers to militants.

How many more resources do we have available to us? Be sure and watch the video.

When Guns Are Outlawed

A DISTURBING number of school children in the sprawling suburbs of north and west Dublin are joining gangs and using guns by their mid-teens, according to new findings to be published this week.

Note to everyone: Gun bans don't work. Why is this even a debate any more?

We'll See, Adam. We'll See...

City leaders hope a gun buyback program will help lower crime in the Cleveland area. "Easy access to guns equals more violence and we really felt that this initiative would help lower violence in the neighborhood and across the city," said Adam Gifford with Slavic Village Development.

And as we all know, Adam, predators really care about your feelings and your hopes.

Coming Monday: Fincher Brief

The foregoing facts are basically undisputed by the Government, just as Fincher does not dispute that he was in possession of the guns, and he had no license issued by the Government for him to do so. What is disputed is whether, as a matter of law, his possession of these weapons has some reasonable relationship to the maintenance of a well-regulated militia.

You can't argue Miller as binding Supreme Court precedent on one hand, and then reject the whole rationale behind the findings of Miller on the other. That is, without admitting the entire judical process is a meaningless scam, where government capriciousness and self-interest rules, and justice for We the People, if attainable at all, is merely a matter of happy coincidence.

Stay tuned. Wayne Fincher's Appellant's Principal Brief has been released. On Monday, WarOnGuns will take you to it.

I Don't Get It

When then-Attorney General John Ashcroft opined the Second Amendment protects an individual right, it evoked worldwide headlines, trumpeting from the "gun lobby" and nothing less than raving hysteria from the antis.

New AG Michael B. Mukasey claims the same position and...anybody hear that pin drop? Not a word in any "authorized journalist" news outlet and no triumphant or frothing in rage press releases from the interest groups.

Arguing that you don't believe he's sincere when it comes to "shall not be infringed" misses the point. Ashcroft had all kinds of escape hatches installed, too, but it nonetheless was news.

Let's Be Careful Out There

Ah, "authorized journalists."

Good Grief

I'm sorry I asked. And to think--all I ever wanted was their love...

Hey, be of good cheer. We got some good stuff done on short notice, and next year, when we know it's coming and will have time to do advance announcements, should be a lot better.

But Ryan is definitely not paying me enough.

This Day in History: November 11

The Cherry Valley massacre was an attack by British and Seneca Indian forces on a fort and village in eastern New York on November 11, 1778, during the American Revolutionary War.