The Unasked Question

It looks like a postcard sent out by alarmists - STOP ILLEGAL GUNS NOW!!!

On the back of the postcard is the name and address of the person responsible for sending it out to more than 50,000 Jersey City residents: Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy, City Hall, 280 Grove St., Jersey City, NJ 07302.

As it turns out, the postcard unfolds into a letter from Healy asking recipients to fill out the accompanying card at the bottom with their name, address, telephone number, and e-mail, and send it back to City Hall.

Healy seeking support for the "One Gun A Month" Bill currently up for a vote in the state Senate.

It looks like it was sent out by an alarmist because it was sent out by an alarmist. And while I would have been inclined to change the hook line to IF YOU'RE HAPPY AND YOU KNOW IT CLANK YOUR CHAINS!!!, there's one bit of vital information that "Authorized Journalist" Ricardo Kaulessar overlooked in all his professional reporterizing:

Who's paying for this expensive mailing? Frank Caso indicates it's the taxpayers.

How is that legal?

UPDATE: I just sent the reporter the following email. I'll of course advise if he responds.

I didn't get a clear sense from your story on who paid for the printing and mailing--I know you quoted Frank Caso as saying it was by the taxpayers, but is it legal to conduct political canvassing/promote issue adovcacy using tax money in New Jersey?

50,000 mailers would be expensive to design, print and mail--and it sounds from the story like there's a return mail option, although whether that is prepaid or not isn't stated.

Is there any other source of funding?

Don't you agree the public has a right to know, and the story without this information is incomplete?

David Codrea

Tragedy and Hope

Gun buy-back spurs hope for safer city

Yeah, and if wishes were fishes...

Meanwhile, Over in Sarah Brady Paradise

Japanese media called for tighter gun-control laws on Sunday following a deadly shooting at a sports club, which sent shockwaves through the country in which gun crimes are emerging.

"We feel fear that (Japan) has turned out to be a gun society like the United States," the Yomiuri Shimbun said in an editorial.

Think I'd get in trouble if I made a crack about "Autholized Joulnarists" and "Onry Ones"?

Enroll or Die

A homeschooling mom in Utah has been ordered by a judge to enroll her children in a public school district within 24 hours, and have them in class tomorrow...

Where they will then be subject to abridgements if they draw pictures or speak or write in a way the state disapproves of, where "Gun Free School Zones" ensure there will be no adults to protect them, where locker, backpack, body and car searches are the order of the day, where self incrimination protections are conveniently bypassed through forced drug tests, where normal channels of legal protection are bypassed through administration and school board decisions, where cruel and unusual punishments--such as expulsion, arrest and felony charges against 10-year-olds with food knives are routinely applied, and where all sorts of other assaults against unenumerated rights take place by self-appointed "authorities" as an unchallenged matter of course.

All this while propagandizing to the little proto-inmates, drugging those who find their own path more interesting (while instructing that "drugs are bad, m'kay?"), sexualizing them against the moral foundations established by their parents and their churches, and generally doing their utmost to ensure the end product is socialized and conditioned to find any other paradigm for human living inconceivable.

What were we all celebrating the other day? Oh, yeah: Happy Bill of Rights Day!

The Larry Hincker Award

We talked about it yesterday (actually, I talked about it before that).

Robb Allen came up with a great design.


I opted for a plaque because I'm too unskilled to work with shapes. Honest, we both selected the same silhouette source independently.


I like Robb's as he actually knows what he's doing with a graphics program. But I also like the text on mine, so perhaps something could be arranged...?

Now I'll put together a nominating process, the rules loosely being someone who creates or encourages a "Gun Free Zone" and people end up getting killed.

Off the top of my head I can come up with:

The award's namesake.

The proprietors of Trolley Square.

The proprietors of Westroads Mall.

Chancellor O'Keefe.

Maybe this guy?

Send in your nominations, along with a brief summary and link to show what they did to qualify and I'll finalize the list and put up a poll where we can vote on the 2007 recipient.

Red Sky in Morning

An elementary student in Marion County was arrested Thursday after school officials found her cutting food during lunch with a knife that she brought from home, police said.

The 10-year-old girl, a student at Sunrise Elementary School in Ocala, was charged possession of a weapon on school property, which is a felony.

"Sunrise Elementary School--Where the Sun Never Sets on Learning."

I'll say. That'll teach her!

These are the contemptible kneejerk bureaucrats responsible. In true Orwellian fashion, they even have a page against bullying.

This is truly insanely evil.

Here's the principal's email address.

[Via Jeffrey H]

Today We're Having a Special

My blog is worth $103,310.82.
How much is your blog worth?

I'll let it go for half that.

This Day in History: December 16

On the cold evening of December 16, 1773, a large band of patriots, disguised as Mohawk Indians, burst from the South Meeting House with the spirit of freedom burning in their eyes. The patriots headed towards Griffin's Wharf and the three ships. Quickly, quietly, and in an orderly manner, the Sons of Liberty boarded each of the tea ships. Once on board, the patriots went to work striking the chests with axes and hatchets. Thousands of spectators watched in silence. Only the sounds of ax blades splitting wood rang out from Boston Harbor. Once the crates were open, the patriots dumped the tea into the sea.

No Breakthrough

No breakthrough has been reported so far in the brutal execution-style murder of two Indian doctoral scholars at the Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, even as authorities announced on Friday that they were looking for three young males who appeared to be making a getaway from the double homicide scene.

How progressive of him, that while these animals are still out there running loose, Chancellor O'Keefe is making damn sure they'll be offered every advantage should they return.

I need to come up with a Larry Hincker Award trophy graphic. My rough idea is a cowering human figure atop a standard trophy base. This guy certainly deserves one.

The Real Solution

The real solution, he said, is for Congress to enact a new ban on assault weapons. "Then we wouldn't have to have an arms race going," he said.

No, Paul Helmke, although your desperation is understandable.

That's because the real solution has been demonstrated for the world to see, in the person of Jeanne Assam. Had it been you instead of her in that church, you Bradyites would have been able to claim more dead to raise funds off of. But you know in your heart that had it been you, you'd have been blubbering and helpless to do anything, as you and those around you were cut down at will by an assailant with no one to stop him and nothing to fear.

Helpless, Paul, and useless, a victim of your own unmanly, un-American cowardice. And no amount of whining and deception on your part will change that.

You're Invited to the Tea Party

Tomorrow. For Ron Paul.

[Via 45superman]

Merkel for Cow Killer!

The other day, WarOnGuns posted a quote by Alvin Police Chief Mike Merkel from a story at Click2Houston.com:

...Merkel said there are three things shoppers need to know if they are trapped in a chaotic shooting situation inside a mall.

First, stand still.

"They're going to pick out individuals who are running to or away from them," Merkel said. "Standing still may keep you from becoming a victim."

Correspondent Mack, who first alerted me to this story, tells me Merkel is running for sheriff.

In the interests of presenting the chief's citizen defense platform to his voting constituents, I've taken the liberty of preparing the following billboard prototype to illustrate what I've decided to call "Merkel's Mall Maxim":


See, it's a...a metaphor. The gunman could be either the mall shooter or one of Merkel's "Only Ones" qualified enough to engage and return fire, and the cow standing still, too witless and helpless to act in its own defense, represents... uh... you in Merkel's eyes, or at least someone who would vote for him.

If the campaign decides to use these billboards, they can also be adapted. For instance, the caption could read "Like Shooting Cows in a Barrel" or...I don't know. Feel free to leave suggestions in "Comments," below.

And if you're wondering why I didn't make one of those moving slide shows like I have for the "Burma Shave" signs, well, that wouldn't be very illustrative of Merkel's Mall Maxim, would it?

Savage on Sullivan

Speaking of Len Savage, I got the following email the other day and just received permission to post it:

David,

My thoughts on Sen. Kerry's Urging: I have experienced first hand Mr. Sullivan's leadership of the ATF. He is vindictive, and will have his people fudge the evidence in court just to make a case. {look it up US v. Kwan}.

I have had armed audits, and visits, not to mention, been penalized by Mr. Sullivan for having the Babylonian indecency to tell juries that ATF has no written testing program for firearms evidence in Federal Court. They actually admitted it Congress back in 05. "Maximum Mike" was informed, instead of cleaning up the mess he opted to cover it up! Faking evidence in Federal Court. If you think bullet testing was bad, look at how ATF tests the rest of the gun!

"Because he has responsibly enforced our country's laws."

Ha! Sen. Kerry talks out his ass so much I can't tell if he farted or not!

Mr. Sullivan has ATF Chief Council work on "Novel Theories of prosecution". Mr. Sullivan reserves the right for ATF to reinterpret the law "United States Code". I found Sen. Kennedy's comments rather telling as well. I did not know that "gun control issues" were part of the United States Code. Obviously a "deal" has been cut that Mr. Sullivan agreed to pursue a lobbyist agenda on behalf of Sen. Kennedy and Sen. Kerry.

I challenge either Sen. to show me otherwise. Why else would they black out the Hearing on his confirmation, and won't release the transcript?

I think it's time to demand a public hearing on this by the Senate.

Senator Kerry, Put up or shut up!

Len Savage
President,
Historic Arms LLC

JPFO Interviews Len Savage

Aaron Zelman has an updated interview with Len Savage, President of Historic Arms, discussing court cases dealing with gun owner's rights that the ATF would rather you not know about and also about some of the most recent vindictiveness of the ATF towards Len and others, and a little bit about their sloppy record keeping.

I meant to post this a couple days ago but dropped the ball. Hopefully I'll find the time this weekend to listen to it myself.

Open Letter to NRA on Confirmation of "Maximum Mike"

In the last presidential election, NRA rallied its members, raising millions of dollars against John Kerry by telling us he would initiate and support measures harmful to our right to keep and bear arms. Kerry is supporting confirmation of Michael Sullivan as head of ATF, and is joined by Ted Kennedy and the Brady Center's Peter Hamm.

Every national "pro-gun rights" organization has come out against this confirmation except for NRA. The biggest of them all, the leader, is silent.

Why?

David Codrea
Life Member

If you oppose the Sullivan confirmation, please contact NRA via this form.

[Thanks to Armed and Safe]

This Day in History: December 15

I'd say "Happy Bill of Rights Day," but that somehow seems inadequate, trivial and irreverent for what this document and the men behind it represent. We need a different word than "happy"...

Suggestions?

Caution at LSU

Double Homicide on LSU Campus; LSU Community Urged to Use Caution...

The LSU Police Department is investigating a double homicide that took place on LSU’s campus late in the evening on Thursday, Dec. 13. The homicides occurred at the Edward Gay Apartments, located near the intersection of West Roosevelt Street and Gov. Claiborne Drive, adjacent to the LSU Band practice field.

"Use caution"? Like being able to defend themselves against unknown armed and murdererous home invaders in their midst...?

Well, no actually...

I would also like to remind students that the LSU campus is a firearm-free zone and the university has a zero-tolerance policy regarding this. LSU’s firearm policy is backed by the state, through Louisiana Revised Statute 14:95.2, which prohibits the carrying of a firearm or dangerous weapon on school property, at school-sponsored functions or in firearm-free zones. We expect students to adhere to this state law and LSU policy, and will hold accountable those who do not adhere to it.

So, Chancellor O'Keefe: How's that working out for you there?

I'm Tired

I am tired of spineless legislators who are so afraid of the gun lobby that they won't vote to ban assault weapons. I am tired of hearing that "guns don't kill people...I am tired of having 3 million Americans who refuse to consider any compromise on the possession and use of guns...

Who does Gail Schoettler think she is: Lili Von Schtupp?

Just Like a Deer in the Headlights

Alvin Police Chief Mike Merkel said there are three things shoppers need to know if they are trapped in a chaotic shooting situation inside a mall.

First, stand still.

"They're going to pick out individuals who are running to or away from them," Merkel said. "Standing still may keep you from becoming a victim."

That's your best advice, get all wide-eyed and paralyzed? That's what you train your "Only Ones" to do in fluid tactical situations, right, Chief?

And how about that mall management, providing "complimentary" security escorts "as requested"? I wonder if one of their $9/hr. rent-a-cops will be ready to throw himself between my family and an armed assailant?

Facts folks: there is no one-size-fits-all procedure to follow, and the Chief ought to know better than to issue authoritative pronouncements without knowing what the hell he's talking about. We know from experience that a moving target is harder to hit, as is one that puts distance between himself and the shooter, and that even if hit, the likelihood of sustaining a fatal wound is decreased. We know that diving for cover can offer brief shelter, but that assumes a stationary shooter not hunting down prey--which, if we look at Virginia Tech and Columbine, just isn't the way these things go down.

Here are two other things we know: by the time Chief Merkel's finest are in position to engage the madman, the brunt--if not all--of the killing will have been done.

That and the only proven deterrent to a shooter is shooting back.

[Via Mack]

Is That "Victims Treble" or "Victims Tremble"?

THE number of people hurt or killed in firearms incidents in London rose to a record high of 1,221 last year, it has emerged.

Some will argue that this is still dwarfed by what the US experiences.

Just hold on. We ain't seen nothin' yet, particularly with the cultural abdication that practically guarantees a Europe in flames at some point in this century. And the way things are going, and unless we get our act together, we may not be that far behind.

Not exactly a time to individually disarm, is it?

[Via Bruce Mills]