"I'm a Winner, Pal"

“I’m a winner, pal,” Graham retorted. Moments later, after saying he wants to the party to reach out to independent voters, he said: “Winning matters to me. If it doesn’t matter to you, there’s the exit sign.” [More]

Interesting. We welcome people without core principles and invite those who have them to leave.

In other pragmatic political news, Graham is OK with nationalizing banks.

Hey, fascism and selling out is a winning formula. Everything else is just a loser.

Caroll Quigley would be so proud of this guy.

Stockpile Ammo, Go Directly to Jail

Police: Man said 30,000 bullets were for target practice He is held on $500,000 bail [More]

"Where is the crime?"

Good question.

Aside from the one committed by "the authorities"?

[Via Avg Joe]

Hamblen vs. U.S.

District Court's Memorandum

Ruling in response to a petition by Hamblen for habeas corpus. "The Court concludes that Petitioner [Hamblen] has made a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right as to his Second Amendment claim..."

Hamblen's Brief

Hamblen's brief for reversal of conviction based on Second Amendment grounds.

Government's Response

Government's answer to Hamblen's Brief. [More]

We've talked about this before. It's a machine gun possession case.

Some "self-defense advocates" would prefer Richard. Hamblen not defend himself. They would prefer someone they themselves want nothing to do with to take one for the team.

We've had, what, 75 years for the "right case" to come along?

We're the Pseudo-Only Ones with a Professional Attitude Enough

In one such letter, a Sheriff's Department captain complained that MTA Officer Miguel De La Cruz had attacked a "near comatose and intoxicated" man without provocation at a downtown subway station. The Sheriff's Department sent its findings to prosecutors, who filed criminal charges against De La Cruz. Last month, a jury convicted him of battery, false imprisonment and filing a false report. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail and was fired by the MTA. [More]

Ah, come on. It was just a "distraction blow." Heck, we teach those at the Academy...

The guy sounds like perfect "Only Ones" material, especially with the way he made sure his victim was pretty much helpless to fight back.

[Via Rodger M]

"The Favorite Son"?

Former Massachusetts governor and presidential candidate Mitt Romney was the final speaker and gave what may be a prelude to his stump speech for 2012. By appearing before the convention for a second straight year there is no doubt that he is currently the favorite son of the NRA going forward. [More]

You've got to be kidding.

I wonder if anyone opposed to that will be told how "the perfect is the enemy of the good"?

Of course, I also wonder exactly what kind of "American values" Dick Morris represents that we should be "celebrating".

Funny, isn't it, looking at the type of people who are applauded and welcomed into the fold?

There I go being divisive again.

A Killer App

The basic model would consist of a tiny GPS transceiver placed in a capsule and inserted under a person's skin, so that authorities could track him easily.

Model B would have an extra function — a dose of cyanide to remotely kill the wearer without muss or fuss if authorities deemed he'd become a public threat. [More]

Wow, and I thought Collars of Obedience were extreme...

What kind of evil, sick mind thinks this sh** up?

I wonder if Tommy Thompson will insert one?

Ayn Rand's "Playboy" Interview

In a series of intellectually electric conversations with Playboy's interviewer, Alvin Toffler, Miss Rand spoke clearly and urgently about her work and her views. [More]

Interesting find.

[Via Plug Nickel Times]

We're the Only Ones Probed Enough

An internal investigation is underway in the town of Greece where the police chief and two of his top aides are on suspension from the department. [More]

Here are more details on the crash mentioned in the first account. Nice to know "Only Ones" get a pass at our expense, isn't it? Especially when we know how the non-anointed would fare were the situation reversed.

We talked about this before...

[Via metalguy1]

Clinging to Guns...

...at a record pace [More]

I wonder how many were bought without NICS checks...?

[Via Plug Nickel Times]

Mexican Prison Break Shows Deeper Problems than U.S. Guns

There's been a prison break in Mexico...

Everyone who worked at the prison, from the top down, is suspect, or at least "detained for questioning."

Why? [More]

Let a demonstrably corrupt government where officials are complicit in murders have a say in disarming you and me? And just why would we want to do that?

Today's Gun Rights Examiner column asks if the real problem couldn't possibly be systemic corruption from the top down...?

Also get the latest from my fellow GREs.

Tell a friend?

This Day in History: May 18

I am extreemly sorry, to find your Excellency hath further reasons, to be satisfied of the Inconvenience arising to the Army, from some of the Troops being clothed in red... [More]

Kicking Surrendered Suspects in the Head is Inexcusable

So what's my beef? Isn't this column supposed to be about "gun rights"? Why the bleeding heart for a reputed gangster? [More]

No "bleeding heart"--but today's Gun Rights Examiner column argues why we all should be concerned.

Bottom line: If the cops can do this to him, they can do this to you. And you'd better believe there are plenty who would cheer on the abuse of a gun owner just as loudly as some would cheer on the abuse of a gangster.

Also learn about a resurrected Real ID threat in Nevada and get the latest from my fellow GREs.

Please share this.

This Day in History: May 17

At Piscataway, the British 42nd, 71st, and 33rd regiments raided Bonhamtown and Piscataway. The British described American casualties as 67 killed and 130 wounded; their losses were placed at 2 killed, 16 wounded, and 12 captured. (May 17, 1777) [More]

The Childrens' Crusade

Ten minutes into arrant mayhem in this town near the Mexican border, and the gunman, a disgruntled Iraq war veteran, has already taken out two people, one slumped in his desk, the other covered in blood on the floor. [More]

Right. The Mexican border is so devoid of any real threats we need to conjure up a stereotyped slander against veterans.

Funny thing is, sources I've checked say CA law does not address Airsoft guns, so they use US code. But the funnier thing is, CA law says an "imitation firearm" is:

any BB device, toy gun, replica of a firearm, or other device that is so substantially similar in coloration and overall appearance to an existing firearm as to lead a reasonable person to perceive that the device is a firearm.

We're then told:

No person may openly display or expose any imitation firearm, as defined in Section 12550, in a public place...

Merely having an orange tip as provided in federal law and regulations does not satisfy this requirement. The entire surface must be colored or transparent or translucent.

So take a look at the Imperial Storm Troo...uh...Explorer Scouts in the picture.

I'm note there's an "out" for "civic activities" to allow the proto-"Only Ones" to shoot imaginary veterans to their hearts' content while their less privileged and immune contemporaries would probably draw a SWAT team that would later claim the shots they fired in response complied with department use of force policy...

[Via Michael G]

Don't Call it a Vicious, Unprovoked Kick to the Head...

...call it a "justified distraction blow." [More]

We all buy that, don't we?

We talked about this the other day. There's a lot more to this story, including the online gang clothing business Mr. Placekicker owns. Hopefully I'll have time to write something on this tomorrow for my Gun Rights Examiner column.

Again, I can't help but think of this...

[Via William T]

The Champions of Freedom

McCain: U.S. gun limits won't stop drug cartels
Tells NRA violence in Mexico shouldn't be excuse to restrict gun rights here...[More]

Right. And we all know how credible McCain is on border issues--not to mention on free political speech.

I also like his co-headliner, Michael "What do you need an assault weapon for?" Steele being given a place of honor at the gathering.

There I go being divisive again.

UPDATE:

I see they also had Mitt "Ban assault weapons" Romney and Dick "Suck whore toes" Morris.

Threeper principle freaks need not apply...the Big Tent just isn't that big.

[Via Ed M]

Domestic Diarist Threat in MS Stopped Thanks to Quick Law Enforcement Response

The itinerant journalists of the Motorhome Diaries, who were arrested yesterday in Jones County, Mississippi, are now free on bond, but still face local charges. According to one of the diarists, the arrest -- which started with a traffic stop -- ultimately involved pepper spray and the ransacking of the travelers' vehicle...

In a note to me, Pete Eyre clarifies that he faces no firearms charges, but was threatened with a federal charge and with federal intervention in the case by the ATF...[More]

J.D. Tuccille tells us how, when it comes to government, your motorhome is their castle...

You got a problem with that, boy?

Email contact info doesn't seem to be something they encourage, so I had to use their contact request form, and supposedly someone will get back to me.

Maybe y'all could join me, and think up something appropriate to ask them if they respond...

ATF Gun Raid Sends Us All a Message

The object lesson here could not be more clear--we exist at the convenience and pleasure of the state. What we do, what we may possess, all are subject to permission and revocation that can, at any moment, be violently wrested from us. Nothing is ours. Not our bodies, not our lives. And this no doubt foreshadows some of that "change" and sets the tone we can expect now that the Bureau gets its marching orders from a new administration. [More]

Securing the blessings of Liberty--BATFU-style. Submit or die. And we might just kill you anyway.

Today's Gun Rights Examiner column let's you know your place, at least in the government's eyes.

Also see an expansion of "prohibited persons" warning from Oregon Firearms Federation, and get the latest commentary from my fellow GREs.

I trust I can count on the regulars here, and perhaps some new visitors, to share this link?

This Day in History: May 16

Button Gwinnett, with his second George Wells and Lachlan McIntosh, with his second Col. Joseph Habersham square off in a duel just east of Savannah, Georgia. At 12 paces (about 60 feet), the General and Gwinnett fire pistols. McIntosh sustains an wound in his leg while Gwinnett is shot in the hip. Unaware of the severity of Gwinnett's wound, McIntosh asks if Gwinnett wants to duel again. [More]

Late Start Today

Regulars will notice entries today were posted a lot later than usual. I had to rush the computer into the shop this morning and my whole day is shot.

Anyway, this is all I'll have time for today--I barely got my Gun Rights Examiner column written. Sorry to those of you who sent me in tips--I'm sure I'll get to some of them tomorrow.