Officer does it right

Open carry encounter:



h/t Uncle

A couple of thoughts ...

- The only answer a citizen should have to give to the question 'Why are you carrying this?' is 'Because I can.' Yes it sounds snarky here, but that's the only reason needed.

- '...obviously I don't know who you are' - Who he is is of no concern. He was not doing anything illegal, he was carrying his firearm legally ... that should be the end.

But overall I agree that this officer made the requests, understood that the subject had no legal obligation to answer, and left it at that. Have a nice day.

pm

Tom ...

... Petty?

So Michele Bachman has been playing "American Girl" at her campaign events and Tom Petty doesn't like it. So he had his lawyers sent her campaign a cease-and-desist order. But can he really stop her? Well not if she has the correct performance license from ASCAP.

I can't imagine she doesn't have the correct license-if she does, she needs to tell Mr Petty to go fuck himself and don't come around here no more.

pm

O.M.G!

It appears that corporate tax breaks for private jets is the most important thing facing our world today, because Pres Stumblefuck has mentioned it about 15 times in the first 10 minutes.

pm

This is an awesome comment

... sounds like it needs to be made into a commercial:

me: “So, obamawhore voter, I see you’re ENERGIZED! Tell me, is it the 10% unemployment, the coming inflation, the crashing of the currency, the destruction of the housing market, the diminishing of the private sector, the overburdensome regulations killing job producers, the Libyan adventure, or all the little bits of legislation that take away liberties done on the sly that so ENERGIZE you?”

obamawhore voter: “We just hate the snowbilly hicktard. 4 MORE YEARS!”

Palin 2012!

pm

I thought that was a feature ...

... not a bug:

Another consequence of AB144 will be to force those citizens who wish to exercise their rights to do so by openly carrying long guns, which are not affected by the handgun ban in the bill. Portantino and those who support AB144 should expect to see shotguns and rifles carried on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica and in Starbucks from San Francisco to San Diego if AB 144 passes.

They say that like it's a bad thing ...

pm

Some more of that ...

... from Bruce N Elmer, PhD:

Let me set the record straight. Nowhere in last week’s column did I call for or suggest more government controls on gun ownership or on concealed or open carry. We have way too many already. We don’t need more. A good government trusts its citizens, and a bad government does not. This is because a bad government is not “of the people, by the people, or for the people”, but rather of itself, by itself, and for itself.

This is the same guy who wrote this. May deserve some attention.

pm

Minutea ...

I am a minutea fiend. My wife chides me on telling her how to build a clock when she only wanted to know what time it is.

In that spirit, if you've never reloaded, or want to know more about reloading, taking a look at David Tubb's Highpower Rifle Reloading is worth your while.

And yes, my wife told me that it fits me to a 'T'!

pm

More awesome!

h/t Ace

This ...

... is pretty cool:



h/t HotAir

Wow ...

... better get that recording app going:

This a five-minute recording of a citizen who refuses a field sobriety test at a DUI checkpoint (Further analysis of this recording is given in this blog post). After commenting that all of the cars in front of him are being diverted to a secondary inspection area, an officer approaches the car. At 0:40, the officer tells the man to roll his window down all the way, though the man protests, and the officer tells him he has to. He asks the man where he is coming from and if he has been drinking, the citizen denies it, then the officer tells him that he smells alcohol.

Power-tripping assholes ... one and all.

pm

Interesting idea ...

... that I heard on Kenn Blanchard's Urban Shooter podcast.

He interviews Miguel Gonzalez, a shooter and blogger living in Florida, about being a Hispanic in the firearms community. The comments are interesting; not to us, since we're the most tolerant folks I know, but in general.

The comment I thought was the most interesting was Miguel's insistence that we start 'playing the race card'. I know that brother Kenn thought it was interesting, too. What Miguel advocates is that whenever the media asks a firearms question, or wants to get a comment from the NRA or other firearms organization, they need to be directed to a spokesman who is a minority.

I agree.

The NRA and other like-minded organizations have an inherent obstacle in that firearms owners are depicted as racists and homophobes and general bigots. A black or hispanic (or lesbian?!) spokesperson would deny the MSM one of their biases. Good on ya, Miguel!

pm

In which I reiterate ...

... that homeowners associations are the devil:

Your flag is fine; it's your pole that has to go: That's the message being given Vietnam veteran Fred Quigley by his homeowners' association.

HA's may be the devil, but you made the pact with him ... live with it. I'll just bet that almost nobody moves into a house and doesn't know it's under the jurisdiction of a HA. Sign a contract, obey the rules.

Article I, section 10 of the Constitution says (in part): "No State shall ... pass any ... Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts ...". Note that when you buy a house, it typical starts when you sign a contract to buy. You sign a contract; a contract which no state can modify or impair. If the HA rules (that you signed a contract that you'd abide by) say no flagpoles, then no flagpoles.

I don't care if you're a Vietnam veteran chaplain.

My interest on this is related to radio antennas, particularly the ones used by amateur operators (hams). There has been a great wailing and gnashing of teeth that hams living in HA-controlled properties can't erect towers or even push-poles to mount antennas. And they're whining (yes, whining) that the mean ole homeowners association is going to hold them strictly to the strict terms of a legally-binding contract that they signed.

Look closely ... this is my sympathy face.

When I bought my first house, I made sure to tell my buyers' agent that I didn't want to live in a HA house, that I wanted to be able to go into my yard and take a big shit in the yard if I wanted (that's one reason I don't live in a city). Likewise, I can erect an antenna farm if I want.

It would be so nice if folks would just live with their decisions.

pm

This is what gun banners want ...

... total dependence on the government for protection:

Local Defense Units / / Obo, C.A.R. from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

I wonder if Japete would help these villagers defend themselves?

pm

Doubling down ...

... on stupid:



I saw some comments about this on Carlos Miller's site (PINaC), that this is a 'discretionary' action.

I don't think discretion means what they think it means.

pm

Awwww ...

These things always make my eyes water ... damned allergies:



h/t Ace's headlines sidebar

Oh shit ... (and bumped)

... Melson to roll?

Kenneth E. Melson, who has run the bureau for two years, is reportedly eager to testify to Congress about the extent of his and other officials' involvement in the operation, code-named Fast and Furious.

I know that there are many other folks besides Mike V and David C talking about Gunwalker, and those other voices are heard much better than either Mike or David. But I think it's high time we stopped discussing Gunwalker as a failed sting op because it was never intended to catch anyone.

It's time we started talking about Gunwalker like the attempt to influence political policy that it is.

pm

JPFO alert

JPFO's new executive director.

Time's running out ...

... for the last holdout:

As a concealed carry measure headed to Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's desk Tuesday night, gun rights activists in Illinois applauded their neighbors to the north--and slammed local lawmakers for making Illinois the last state in the nation to uphold an outright ban on concealed weapons.

Lots of states have been the 'last' to do something ... it's a shame Illinois has to be the last at this.

I especially liked this one:

...Governor Pat Quinn has repeatedly come out against it, and said he would veto anything that would allow people to carry "concealed, loaded hand guns." exercise a specific enumerated right.

I might have fixed part of that ....

pm

More of this, please ...

... 10-year old shoots competition:



It shows that with proper training (notice she indexes off the trigger after she shoots), anyone can be safe with a firearm.

Now, if I could only get my daughter interested ...

pm

Does being a law enforcement officer ...

... automatically make you a liar?

In May, the Rochester Police Department arrested a woman on a charge of obstructing governmental administration after she videotaped several officers' search of a man's car. The charge is a criminal misdemeanor. The only problem? Videotaping a police officer in public view is perfectly legal in New York state

Ignorance of the law is no excuse ... unless you're law enforcement. In which case, it's just an 'Ooops ... sorry ... won't happen again'.

Until the next time.

Also note that the brave Sir Robin Officer Masic didn't 'feel safe' with Ms Good standing behind him. I've got news for Officer Masic ...

There may always be someone behind you. Better hope your actions are legit.

pm

Progress ...

... baby steps:

Reps. Paul (R-Texas) and Frank (D-Mass.), though technically on opposite sides of the aisle, have often spoken out against the war on drugs and will propose a bill "tomorrow ending the federal war on marijuana and letting states legalize, regulate, tax, and control marijuana without federal interference," according to a statement from the Marijuana Policy Project via Reason.

I guess that means Sen Rand Paul will sponsor a corresponding bill in the senate. Barney Frank is fixin' to show up a bunch of GOP wussy's by challenging them to put up or shut up about smaller, more limited government.

I think it's more an issue of tyranny vs freedom ...

pm

Useful idiots ...

... kids:

Three members of a Reading High School anti-violence group went to Harrisburg to deliver 4,000 signatures on a petition Tuesday urging Gov. Tom Corbett not to sign a bill expanding the allowable use of deadly force when acting in self-defense.

I realize that kids want the world to be all rainbows and unicorns; I do too, but I realize that that's not going to happen anytime soon. That's why I carry a firearm.


pm

Who said ...

... dads aren't needed in the home:

A 7-year-old Michigan boy barefoot and in pajamas drove a car for 20 miles, sometimes hitting speeds of 50 mph, before finally slowing down and stopping with the help of authorities.

"He was crying and just kept saying he wanted to go to his dad's,"

Submitted without comment ...

pm

James Taranto ...

... I might need to start reading him:

Likewise, these days there is a good chance you will be asked for identification when you check into a hotel. You need ID to board an airplane or to drive a car. Recently we visited a doctor whose office is in a hospital. Just to enter the premises, we needed to present ID to a security guard.

If black people have trouble producing identification, how come nobody ever claims that these requirements are discriminatory?

They're not ... just like the voter id requirements.

Dems want to allow anyone to vote (as many times as they can), unless you're likely to vote for a Republican. h/t Ace's headlines sidebar

A good first step

And about time:

The IRS has stripped the embattled Council on American-Islamic Relations of its tax-exempt status after the nation's most prominent Muslim group withheld donor records from the government.

Couldn't have happened to a nicer bunch of Islamists ...

pm

Is America turning libertarian?

I've wondered the same myself:

The CNN poll in question has pegged a new high in libertarian responses, with 63% taking that route in the first question and one half (50%) choosing the second answer to the last question. (Up from 41% in 2008.)

I have absolutely no evidence to back this up, but in watching polls and stuff, I believe that so-called independents skew a bit more libertarian than they're given credit for. And to me, that just lends credence that the GOP needs to go more right, not toward the mushy middle.

pm

More of this ...

... please:

Carrying a gun is not a game.  Carrying a gun is a serious commitment, and with that commitment, comes grave responsibility. Anyone who is not willing to put the time into learning how to operate and maintain his or her firearm, into to learning about the judicious use of force, including deadly force, and into learning how to effectively conceal their firearm so that it is out of sight, should not carry a gun.

Psychologist and NRA firearms instructor ... speaking truth to idiots.

I would differ a bit on that last sentence, though ...

pm

Sad story ...

... woman's son killed by lack of training:

"The boy knew a little bit about guns," Dix noted. "He had actually shot this gun once at the shooting range. So he knew how to take out the loaded ammunition clip, and he put an empty one into the gun, and thought it was then unloaded. But semi-automatic handguns can have a bullet still in the chamber, which the boy didn't know. And he pulled the trigger, thinking it would make an impressive click. The bullet went through my son's shoulder, and into his heart, and killed him."

But instead of more training, they advocate you keeping your guns as inaccessible as they want.

pm

JPFO alert

JPFO has a new look!

This is ...

... potentially good news:

Yesterday the U.S. Supreme Court issued one of the best and most important decisions ever on federalism.  The Court unanimously held that not just states but individuals have standing to challenge federal laws as violations of state sovereignty under the 10th Amendment.

The case involved a woman whose husband knocked up her best friend, at which point she began harassing her friend, to include putting caustic substances on items the friend would touch. She was charged under federal laws made to implement a treaty regarding chemical weapons.

The woman challenged the constitutionality of the implementing law as a violation of the 10th amendment. The appeals court claimed she did not have standing, but the Supreme Court unanimously disagreed.

Good for them.

pm

Does no one understand ...

... how 'suicide by cop' is a bad thing?

After about 90 minutes, Howard City Police Chief Steve DeWitt said he saw Speese exit the home and he was marching, not r''welfare checks'welfare checks'unning, as if he were on a mission, Krause said.

He had what looked like an assault rifle and he was holding it at waist level, pointed straight down the driveway.'welfare checks'
“He was yelling something about shooting cops,” Krause said DeWitt reported.

DeWitt started yelling repeatedly at him to drop his gun, but Speese kept marching.

Believing that he was about to shoot other officers who could not see Speese, DeWitt fired one round at Speese but it was unclear if it hit him.

 No matter what you do, the po-po are going to shoot and kill you.

This look to have been a bad situation all around - former Marine, combat veteran, shows suicidal tendencies, family says he just wasn't the same.

Sad.

But look at how the reporter treats this. Speese had what 'looked like' an assault rifle, but he never gets any more specific about what it actually was beyond 'long gun' (the Scribd report says that officers identified the rifle as a .22lr/.410 rifle/shotgun combination). Narrows it down quite a bit not at all. But they make great mention that the officer that fired 3 rds at Speece used his 'departmental-issued AR-15.'

Otherwise known by journalists everywhere as an assault weapon. Because when you or I use an AR-15, it's an 'assault weapon'; when the police have the exact same thing, it's known as a departmental-issued patrol rifle.

And of course, in the Scribd report, the Chief didn't even have a department-issued AR-15; he only gets a .223 rifle.

When someone is threatening suicide and that if police are called he'll start shooting them, why the fuck is the first thing that happens is that the Veteran's Crisis Line calls the police to go check on the guy? Don't they know how police 'welfare checks' turn out?

Face it ... the police are only your friend in theory; make no mistake they work for the state. If you're an enemy of the state ... well ... then the police will act accordingly.

pm

What I did this weekend ...

... went to visit my dad for Father's Day.

He took me and Le Petite Poulet out to dinner, to a restaurant called The Farmer's Daughter. It's run by Mennonites (there's a general store next door to get foodstuffs) and it's great. Not anything you'd find in an upscale market; just good southern eating.

When we sat down, the waitress asked if we'd ever eaten there before ... my dad had, but I hadn't. The way it works is you can select two meats for your table, and then they bring you small amounts of all the vegetables they have that day. So ...

We had pulled pork and buttermilk chicken, plus green beans, mac and cheese, apple salad, cornbread salad, cucumber salad, carrot souffle, fried squash, cantelope, cole slaw, boiled cabbage, pinto beans and mashed potatoes and gravy. Plus cornbread and rolls. And desert.

If you get the chance ... go. Good food.

pm

I never knew ...

... that Kenn had such a resource available:

Before the Civil War ended, State “Slave Codes” prohibited slaves from owning guns. After President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and after the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolishing slavery was adopted and the Civil War ended in 1865, States persisted in prohibiting blacks, now freemen, from owning guns under laws renamed “Black Codes.” 

He starts in the 1600's and goes through 1995 listing some of the more notable laws that barred blacks from arms.

Go. Read.

pm

Now Phoenix?

They shot the 'wrong' gal:

A SWAT sniper shot the wrong woman after a suspect switched clothes with her hostage during a police siege.
The shooting in Phoenix, Arizona, left the victim critical in hospital and another woman behind bars as officers pierced together the bizarre incident.

Seems like there's a lot of faith involved in SWAT work:

Crump said: 'A female appeared at the window who we believed to be the suspect, wearing the clothing we believed the suspect was wearing.

'The woman pulled the window open and made a movement that appeared to police that she was holding someone at gunpoint and that person was on the floor.' (emphasis added)

Sounds to me like they really didn't know much of anything.

pm

Give 'em what they want ...

... even if what they want is no witnesses?

... the robber confronted the clerk, walked him behind the counter, emptied cash drawers and moved the clerk to a back room.
He says that out of camera view, the clerk was shot in the face.

If I worked at a convenience store and were carrying, anyone who came into the store wearing a mask would get what he deserved, not what he wanted. h/t Uncle

pm

No knock raid ...

h/t Uncle

JPFO alert

Rabbi Bendory in the news again!

More shielding ...

... of people from their own stupid decisions:

If your Leaf EV goes limp near Nissan headquarters in Japan, help is on the way. But it's not very green.
In a test program in its home prefecture south of Tokyo, Nissan's 5-ton "EV rescue vehicle," with a 29-kilowatt diesel-slurping mobile generator, speeds to the aid of EV drivers with dead batteries.

Having worked in a related segment of the construction industry, I can attest that a 29kw generator is a pretty big genset to be hauling around to save folks who forget to fill up their tanks.

Why couldn't we just let them sit on the site of the road and let them be the subjects of intense ridicule by the general public? Or maybe there could be a Facebook/Twitter system whereby folks could be alerted to come by and offer them a gallon of gas?! 'You can't use gas? Srsly?'?

Wouldn't that be sweet ...

pm

Gary Marbut ...

... trying to slay the beast:

Gary S. Marbut, president of the Montana Shooting Sports Association, wants to manufacture a .22 caliber bolt-action rifle for youth, exclusively for Treasure State residents. Mr. Marbut currently runs a small business that manufacturers equipment for shooting ranges. He has sourced all the material needed to make the “Montana Buckaroo” rifle, including prototype parts. If he assembles just one rifle to fill any of the 500 preliminary orders he has received for the product, he’ll face federal charges. “It was my intention to set up this lawsuit to challenge federal Commerce Clause power and to breathe some life back into the 10th Amendment,” Mr. Marbut told The Washington Times.

He deserves our support, however you may provide it.

pm

What the hell's up with Arizona?

.


Notice the union rep fully stands by officer Chrisman, even though it's his partner (Sergio Vergillo) making the damning allegations.

Hopefully Vergillo is an honorable guy and doesn't suffer professionally for pointing out a bad apple; hopefully Chrisman goes to prison in general population. Kharma truly can be a bitch ...

h/t David

Happy Anniversary

... to my beautiful wife of 10 years!

pm

JPFO alert

Joke of the day; Sad but true.

This is just funny ...

... from Jeff:

and every last thing you know about economics could fit neatly in the meat holster of Anthony Weiner’s Twitter thong.

It would take me, like, 2 years to think up something that witty!

pm

Watching the hearings ....

Agent Forcelli is making no friends with the US District attorney ....

Agent Casa is spewing more FUD, since the FN 5-7 is so obviously a 'cop killer'.

My second amendment

" The right of the citizens of the United States, or any subdivision thereof, to own, keep and carry any arms such as they deem necessary and whenever they deem necessary, subject only to property rights, shall not be infringed in any way."

If you'd like to comment, amend or clean up the grammar (I know, it's horrible) feel free in the comments.

pm

Because sometimes my fingers get behind my brain ...

... I'll try to expound a little on my thoughts about firearms rights advocacy and the NRA.

I live in rural NW Georgia (Dade County); it's small, it's geographically isolated from the rest of the state (by Lookout Mtn) and it is blessed by a relatively low crime rate. And because it's rural, guns are everywhere.

And I mean everywhere. It's nothing to hear rather mild-mannered folks in Sunday school class speak about the latest government attempts at gun control, advising that they had probably not try it around here. Like my liberal wife, there's not many folks who wouldn't deal justice to jack-booted thugs with not a tear shed.

In short, firearms-wise, I've got it pretty good. Except for the nonsensical restrictions on where I can carry my firearm and the Hughes amendment, things are lemon-squeezey for me.

Perspective - it can have a great influence on your world-view. And I suppose it's one of the reasons I'm so hard on the NRA; Massachusetts is still a firearms-rights quagmire.

I know Sebastian thinks the NRA hung the moon, but I know differently - so do the hundreds of grass-roots firearms advocacy groups around the country. I've read the press releases and the back-patting and chest-thumping, and all it looks like to me is that the NRA goes after the lowest-hanging fruit they can unless someone else (SAF, for example) is engaged in litigation and they think they can muscle in and claim credit.

Take a look at the situation in Los Angeles, CA. LAPD is supposed to provide applications and approval information to those seeking a carry permit. But they don't, even though they are under a court order to do so, and have been for over 15 years. So the NRA valiantly files suit to have LAPD do what it's supposed to be doing already (under a court order), and then trumpets the 'win' to anyone within earshot, claiming they've won a court order to have LAPD do what they're already supposed to be doing (under a court order). I could be enticed

Will it be another 15 years before the NRA does anything about the inevitable refusal of the LAPD to comply with the order? I hope not.

Then there's the kerfluffle over in New Hampshire, where the NRA (in it's omniscience) decided that the law didn't 'do enough' to advance firearms rights and started pushing amendments on the bill. But the chair of the relevant committee fired off a scathing letter about NRA interference in the legislative process regarding a bill that was tailored to do only one thing - allow constitutional carry in NH. Sebastian promised to get NRA's side of the story ...

We're still waiting. Could it be that the NRA's 'story' isn't flattering? Who knows.

I've long held that I could be enticed to join the NRA. If you read that post and think about the membership makeup of the NRA, you'll immediately notice that I'm in very little danger of having to join. I mean, they let an anti-gun organization on the floor of their last convention, unattended, and got some very anti-gun messages from those on the convention floor. About magazine capacity, of all things.

I believe the NRA needs to start educating its' own members before it starts to claim the mantle of the ultimate defender of gun rights.

pm

JPFO alert

New Sarah Brady handbill.

About the Luckygunner banner ...

... I have joined the ranks of those trying to make money with a blog - well, sorta.

I signed up as a Luckygunner affiliate after they unveiled their affiliate program at the blogger shoot Memorial Day weekend. I have never thought that my blogging would make money, and I really wasn't interested in monetizing the blog.

Until John Richardson asked if he could donate his funds earned to the Second Amendment Foundation. Now there's a good idea!

So that's what I've done ... every dollar I make through the Luckygunner affiliate program is donated directly to the SAF; I get nothing but the satisfaction of getting a few dollars to people who could use it.

Remember, this blog is for me ... in the mean time, click on the banner and check out what Luckygunner has to offer, and if they have something that interests you ... you know what to do!

pm

FTC disclaimer: since I don't get any of the money, I feel quite comfortable telling the FTC to cozy up to my rosey, chapped ass.

Happy Flag Day

Enjoy

pm

Farah misrepresents ...

... yet again:

The official position of the Libertarian Party is that the most important cultural institution necessary for self-government – namely marriage between a man and a woman – is some kind of archaic anachronism, an inherently discriminatory and oppressive enterprise.

When is Farah gonna learn? Libertarians, in general, aren't for gays and lesbians getting married, they're for the government getting the fuck out of private business. Here's what the lp's press release says:

"Permitting couples to marry when they are of the same gender is a step in the direction of equality before the law, but a truly free society would not have government in the business of defining relationships at all," said LP Chair Mark Hinkle.

A friend on Facebook took exception to my thoughts that gay's should be able to marry, and questioned me. I replied that, for example, Unitarians would be doing it today if it were legal - and they claim to be Christians. What I also pointed out is that if there weren't any financial or social advantage to being married, then gays and lesbians wouldn't be so keen on it.

If the government would stay out of church's business, no one would care if Adam and Steve got married. If government would stay out of insurance companys' business, gays and lesbians would be charged according to actuarial tables. If the government would stay out of all our business', married couples would be taxed just like unmarried couples.

But Farah's afraid of the ghey cooties ... so are most of the GOP field.

Libertarians aren't perfect, and we'll gladly admit that. But the 'utopia' we advocate for is one that citizens agree on; not one that government dictates.

pm

At least they note ...

... that he's a former member:

Now the Manteca resident is seeking the Democratic nomination for Congress with his primary campaign platform being the repeal of the Second Amendment and any pre-existing doctrine of natural law, common-law or laws under state constitutions that allow the right to keep and bear arm.

Repeal natural law?

The stupid is strong with this one.

pm

No screaming eagle poop ...

... the Army gives up:

The US Army is abandoning the beret, after a failed 10-year experiment.

The black beret, which proved deeply unpopular with American soldiers, will be replaced by a patrol cap for everyday wear, US Army spokesman Colonel Tom Collins said Monday.

Wow, even regular Army hated the stupid beret. No surprise there ...

pm

Gunwalker hearings/live blog

Above the post update - Rep Connoly is trying to pin the panel down as to whether congress can flagrantly trash a criminal investigation when it seeks information. So far, 2 of the panelists have agreed that Congress' ability to get information does not depend on the criminal investigations.

As it should be.

... just started.

The Honorable Ranking Member Rep Cummings just said something to the effect of, 'we don't want to jeopardize an ongoing criminal investigation with these hearings'. Here's my take:

If elements of the federal (or state for that matter) government are suspected of violating federal law, I don't give a fuck about your ongoing investigations. You need to come clean and assure the public that you are, in fact, acting lawfully.

If you don't, I don't have any problem with your being fired.

pm

Gunwalker/Fast & Furious alert! Updated

Remember, the hearings will be streamed live at oversight.house.gov. Hearing runs from 1:00 to 3:00pm Eastern.

This is a link to the calender, but I'm not sure how you get to the streaming. If anyone out there has more info, please share. Failing that, crank up your computer early!

pm

Update - here's a better link

Alert the media ...

... a prohibited person got a gun anyway:

A city man on parole for fatally stabbing a fellow teenager in 2001 during a fight at a New Jersey seaside resort has pleaded guilty to a felony gun charge that will land him in prison for five years, attorneys said.

Unpossible, I say!

How the fuck did a prohibited person get a firearm when they're clearly prohibited from doing so?!

Maybe because criminals don't obey the law? That they don't give a shit how many laws you pass? That their little criminal community has guns, and always will?

Sounds like we oughtta start letting the citizenry take care of things, since the 'law' obviously isn't.

Get rid of all the onerous laws regarding firearms, like the NFA '34 and GCA '68, because it's obvious to me that criminals who want a firearm (single-shot or full auto) will get it. The only folks that 'laws' affect are the 'law-abiding'.

pm

Legislation vs legal precedent

John at Only Guns and Money has some thoughts:

Normally, I'd be urging North Carolina readers to call or email the State Senate leadership to move this bill. That said, I disagree with the NRA-ILA on pushing to rush this bill through the State Senate. The reason I don't want to see this bill passed right now is because of a conversation I had with a certain prominent attorney. All I will say about this attorney is that he has rock star status within the gun community.

He said that in strategic civil rights litigation you need the opinions and decisions so that you can build upon them to expand the right. For example, you had to have the Heller decision before you could get the McDonald decision which incorporated the Second Amendment to the states.

As I mentioned to John, the NRA isn't known for taking direction well!

As Sebastian has noted (on more than one occasion) the NRA are more interested in the legislative solution rather than the legal solution; this is because (to the NRA) the legislative solution is the more sure option, and doesn't have the bad precedent baggage.

That line of reasoning does have it's strong points. The legal route does run the risk of setting bad precedent.

But the NRA doesn't have a genius like Alan Gura on staff (more's the pity). As much as I might personally hate the slow pace of the 2A litigation, Gura knows exactly what he's doing when he files a court challenge and where he challenges it. As I said, he's a civil rights litigation genius.

And given past experience with important court cases, it's not likely that the NRA will seek to coordinate with any person or group who just might have a better understanding about what's going on.

For my part, I think the NRA (and we) would be better off if they divested itself of it's legal division and started funding SAF (or equivalent arrangement) at the same financial level.

But I'm mostly nobody.

pm

Update: Sebastian never disappoints.

Those Sarah Palin emails ...

... and what they reveal.

Not going to quote, since it's short ... go, read.

pm

FL doctors & guns law ...

... and the best explanation I've read yet:

But John Velleco, director of federal affairs at Gun Owners of America, said the lawsuit's premise is wrong, because, "the new law does allow for doctors to discuss firearms ownership if relevant to a patient's medical care or safety.

The sponsor of the plan, state Rep. Jason Brodeur, noted, "There's nothing in the bill that would prevent a safety discussion about firearms like medical personnel would for swimming pools, chemicals or any other potential hazard.

"The bill only states that medical personnel can't ask about firearm ownership directly, record the answer or condition treatment upon the response," he said.

Note that last paragraph, spoken by the man who sponsored the legislation.

While I agree with Sebastian that on it's face, the law seems to be ill-conceived, the bigger picture and where medical issues are going points to a gradual erosion of firearms rights; not through laws, but through intimidation.

I had an occasion to discuss firearms and safe storage with a medical professional a couple of years ago, mostly because my wife didn't think I was doing it right. It was an opportunity to rationally discuss the issue, and it was resolved (more or less!). This, I feel, is absolutely appropriate.

But to have a doctor ask you if you own guns, and have him record that in your medical records, is repugnant. And that the federal government leans more and more to centralized records (the better to help you with, my dear), that's dangerous.

Can you say ' gun registration database'? I thought you could ...

pm

Don't hold back now ...

... tell us to shoot dangerous humans, too:

... roving dogs that have killed more than 100 animals in recent weeks.

The situation is so serious that the local sheriff’s department is advising residents to defend themselves and their livestock. Translation: Shoot and kill them if necessary.

It's interesting that the sheriff is advocating killing to protect property (livestock); sounds like a reasonable escalation of lethal force to me.

pm

I hate Guns n' Roses ...

... but this is pretty cool!

Too much awesome ...

... to wait for Monday:

Every once in a while something comes along so crazy, so unearthly cool, we have to shout it from the rooftops. Today just happens to be that once in a while, so feast your eyes on the BMW boxer engine powered Hoverbike. Framed around an 1,170cc 4-stroke BMW boxer engine that powers the twin rotors, the Hoverbike was the brainchild of Australian inventor, Chris Malloy.

And there's pictures! h/t Ace's headline sidebar

pm

Mr Codrea respectfully asks ...

... that we take note of this, and act accordingly.

I did ... only I asked that my Rep defund ATF.

pm

Good God ...

... this guy was obviously last in his class:

By the way, aren't shoulder-fired sidewinder missels technically guns? Why is it not possible to envision a gun that projects radioactive material, a kind of "dirty gun?" I fear the current definition of gun could be stretched to include truly horrible guns to project anthrax or other agents of mass destruction. As Colin Powell famously showed, it only takes a small vial of biotoxin to kill a city. Such material can be fixed into the hollow of a bullet. With imagination, a large number of horror weapons could be considered protected by the second amendment.

The idiocy of the Left never ceases to amaze me. So now it's not 'assault weapons' we need to worry about.

'Horror weapons'? Srsly?!

Whatever a 'horror' weapon is, I want one! Sheesh ...

pm

Jennifer wants to know ...

... how you became a gunnie.

That's a good question, for us all.

I really became a gunnie in the mid-80's, after I had been on my own for a while. My parents were both liberals, and though they had a handgun at one time, when I came along, they gave it back to my grandfather - they didn't think it was safe to be around a baby and all.

My grandfather had firearms, but the only one I ever shot was his pellet gun. A family friend let me and my brother shoot a .22 in his basement (I'm pretty sure it was loaded with shorts).

Then in the mid-80's, I got involved somewhat in centerfire silhouette shooting. I borrowed a Colt 1908 .380 from my boss to shoot my first match. A girl I worked withs' husband took me out to Chattanooga Rifle Club and let me shoot several weapons, including a sweet S&W .44 Mag.

I was hooked.

Started collecting a few things (no revolvers), up to about 12 guns of different kinds, including an Olympic Arms CAR-15 with A1 sights. I was even going to get it converted to full-auto after I got back from boot camp (this was right when FOPA and that bastard Hughes came along).

My collection dwindled down to nothing in the years after I got back from boot camp. Got an FFL right before I got sent to Desert Storm, but never really did anything with it.

When I got married, I owned no firearms, but I bought a Marlin .22 bolt gun for my son. Made a desperation purchase of an FAL when Obama got elected, and an FEG Hi-power clone shortly after - got my GA carry permit.

And here I am. I am a 2nd amendment absolutist - I believe that citizens should be able to own and carry whatever they want (and I mean whatever - you want to carry an M-60, be my guest). I believe that the 2nd amendment is very clear in its meaning. And I believe that if you use a weapon as a tool in the commission of a crime, it should have no bearing on your punishment as to what weapon you used - your punishment should be based on the crime.

I hope this helps!

pm

We are well and truly ... (updated)

Above the post update - link fixed, since the first one got memory-holed.

... fucked:

Kenneth Wright does not have a criminal record and he had no reason to believe a S.W.A.T team would be breaking down his door at 6 a.m. on Tuesday.

They were looking for his estranged wife, because she had ... wait for it ...

... defaulted on a school loan.

She defaulted on a school loan.

A school loan ...

I'm going out on a limb today and say that if any of these thugs gets shot and killed while executing a dynamic entry for a defaulted school loan, they deserve it.

pm

Who'd'a thunk it?

Didn't see this coming:

It may not come as surprising news to many of you that the United Nations doesn’t approve of our Second Amendment. Not one bit. And they very much hope to do something about it with help from some powerful American friends. Under the guise of a proposed global “Small Arms Treaty” premised to fight “terrorism”, “insurgency” and “international crime syndicates” you can be quite certain that an even more insidious threat is being targeted – our Constitutional right for law-abiding citizens to own and bear arms.

Start calling your senators now ... before it's too late.

And just so you know, if a treaty is ratified, it can violate the constitution and stay in force. Not that SCOTUS would actually invalidate a treaty, since they don't have any real allegiance to the constitution anyway.

pm

Who needs a gun?

Who indeed:

Liberty1 at CalGuns offers some local examples as to why a gun might be necessary.
Save for future use. h/t Uncle

pm

How to be ...

... that guy:

I have asked that this blogger remove the post because I daresay he wouldn't blog a photo of his mother, his sister, his daughter or his wife under a similar title. Yet my (multiple) requests have been ignored. My husband Mike left a comment on the post expressing his displeasure, but it seems to have been deleted.

She asked this because the guy's being a colossal prick. Read the post and the comments too, then put this guy on your blacklist.

pm

JPFO alert

JPFO's Rabbi Bendory to Sarah Brady.

You keep using that word ...

,,, I do not think it means what you think it means:

Police have charged Jason West, an aggrieved medical patient in Vernal, Utah, with disorderly conduct. His alleged crime? Attempting to pay a disputed medical bill of $25 entirely in pennies.

Srsly? It's kinda not cool to demand payment, then complain about how a bill is paid.

This kind of thing is one that literally begs to be taken to court, just to see how far the stupid goes. But the DA will most likely drop the charges, so we may never know.

pm

By the way ...

... where do I get one of these stickers?

On May 29, 2011, the Baltimore Police Criminal Intelligence Section issued an “Intelligence Bulletin” warning officers about persons displaying the 2nd Amendment decal pictured here. The bulletin contains the following caption in bold red letters:

Click the link to see the decal.

I guess it's par for the course that Baltimore cops need more excuses to clamp down on the citizens.

pm

This one has meaning ...

... to me:

A Lenoir City man has filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against the Loudon County sheriff after he said he was mistakenly arrested when deputies mistook his cerebral palsy symptoms for drunkenness.

Gee, I was just up that way, too.

I've been counseled on more than one occasion to have some documentation of my Affliction with me when I drive - either some sort of medical bracelet or paperwork to show. After reading this account, I really need to get on that.

But beyond that, I hope this guy wins his suit. He called the police, and tried to explain his disability to the popo. Instead of researching it, they arrested him, took him to the hospital and had his blood drawn. And after the blood work showed no alcohol, but instead showed cerebral palsy meds, they charged him anyway.

Now, I would guess that if he drives, he's probably got a handicapped tag on his truck. I don't know about TN, but to get my handicapped tag, I had to have my doctor fill out a form certifying that I had a debilitating disease that caused me problems getting around*- I can't imagine it's much different in TN. So the deputies could have called the county clerks office and checked out the tag (GA requires that the form be kept at the clerks' office); if they had, they would have found out that, yeah, the guy did have cerebral palsy.

But they didn't ... and that's the real shame. It was within law enforcements' power to get the truth about the incident, but they didn't. The fact that they arrested and used force to get a blood sample on an innocent man means nothing to them.

As I said before, I hope this guy wins his suit and Loudon Co is out big bucks. And that's one thing gun rights folks should look at. Suing for $10,000 and settling for a couple large ain't gonna convince anyone to change their ways. When a government systematically violates civil rights, we need to sue for a couple of million at least.

That will get their attention.

h/t Injustice News

pm

*My Affliction only really bothers me when it's hot (like, right now!) - I make a conscious effort to get the closest parking space to the handicapped spaces.

I, Outlaw

Visigoth:

I’m tired of listening to erstwhile liberals — who’ve since found a niche as conservative pundits — tell me who can and can’t win elections, or why I’m to take John Huntsman and Mitt Romney seriously, while dismissing Michele Bachmann or Sarah Palin or Herman Cain. I’m tired of taking advice from the same dickbags who gave me McCain and HW Bush and Bob Dole and “compassionate conservatism” — who told me the era of Reagan was over, and that “conservatives,” to remain anything other than a regional party, had best embrace big government and the social nanny welfare state: that is, to become the Democrats, while the Democrats veer toward socialism. I’m tired of taking counsel from the “major voices” on the right, the same people who just two years ago were smirking at the TEA Party movement and telling us how unhelpful was our willingness to identify Barack Obama for what he is.

The GOP simply wants to keep its power. It, as a national party with a national “message,” cares not a whit about legal constitutionalism, classical liberalism, or the foundational principles of this republic.

RTWT

Jeff normally writes way above my head (which is one of the reasons I read him ... makes me bear down), but this one is pretty straightforward. These aren't threats, they're warnings (predictions, even). And just as Paul Revere warned the British (and as Mike V does today), things are coming to a head if something isn't done.

pm

Cops these days ...

... just don't have enough to do.

This is interesting because I ride my mower over to my wifes' Grannies house to mow her fields about every two weeks (since I don't have a hitch for my van). I can't see how being a bit tipsy or having a shopping cart train would bother folks in the least.

pm

Uncle notes ...

... there's no need for a high-capacity magazine:

Police say the teens were part of a mob of between 15 and 20 men and boys connected to four attacks in Streeterville and along the lakefront.

Nope ... no reason at all.

Gotta get me some 30 rounders for the Hi-power ...

pm

Gun giveaways

Aaron has a round-up.

pm

Gura strikes ...

... again.

Its main theme is VERY interesting. The central questions are standard of review, or as the brief phrases it, the means-end relationship. But, it suggests, requiring permits to carry should be compared to prior restraint of speech rights. Here, the permit system gives the issuer complete discretion. That should be invalidated, period. Only after a jurisdiction comes up with a permit system that is not arbitrary can or should a court get down to determining the means-end balance between the specific conditions and the problems supposedly addressed.

There's also a .pdf of the brief ... read it, it's good.

pm

Poetic justice ...

... Bank of America tries to foreclose on house that was bought with cash:

Have you heard the one about a homeowner foreclosing on a bank?

Well, it has happened in Florida and involves a North Carolina based bank.

Instead of Bank of America foreclosing on some Florida homeowner, the homeowners had sheriff's deputies foreclose on the bank.

Because they were ordered to pay court costs for the homeowner, and didn't.

pm

JPFO alert

Rabbi Bendory to speak at major NJ synagogue.

At last ...

... something for those Islamo-terrorists:

OW does SILVER BULLET GUN OIL work? SILVER BULLET GUN OIL CONTAINS 13% USDA LIQUEFIED PIG FAT. The PIG FAT is mixed with our blended, hi-grade WEAPONS OIL designed for use in ALL FIREARMS. The oil is applied to the inside of the barrel of any firearm or weapons system. When fired, BULLETS are coated with SILVER BULLET GUN OIL containing the PIG FAT.

Yeah, that'll teach 'em!

And rumor is that the SeAL team that took out Bin Laden used the stuff.

Poetic. h/t Uncle

pm

Hughes amendment ...

... there was just a bit of discussion while at the Luckygunner shoot.

Cargosquid mentioned to me that we need to do something to get rid of the Hughes amendment, a sentiment with which I heartily agree. However, like Sebastian, I think that politically, it's a losing game.

Kevin at Smallest Minority wrote a good post about the relevant court cases (and linked a couple more articles), and how after Rock Island Armory and Dalton, district courts have mostly ignored those (and others) decisions.

But it seems to me that where we've dropped the ball with regards to the Hughes amendment, is that after the favorable decision (and the decision of the government not to appeal), Rock Island Armory did not immediately start selling fully automatic weapons to regular FFL's (in the 10th district), to be sold under the requirements of GCA '68. That is, to anyone legally able to buy a long gun.

That would get some action. I know that if there were to be a decision like Rock Island Armory in my district, I'd be making machineguns a quickly as my funding would allow.

I don't pretend to be anything other than an interested layman, so your mileage may vary. I know that politically, Hughes is most likely here to stay. Our only hope is the Supreme Court, and that's a crap shoot at best. You can understand the reluctance of the legal community to attack this.

But we do have Alan Gura (and I'm damn glad we do!); it sure would be nice to have him argue in the Supreme Court against 922(o).

He might even win!

pm

Imagine that ...

... an attorney lied to a court:

Acting Solicitor Gen. Neal Katyal says one of his predecessors, Charles Fahy, deliberately hid from the Supreme Court a military report that Japanese Americans were not a threat in World War II.

Oh ... it was the Supreme Court he lied to? Eh, big deal; they've stood in the way of progress too many times ...

pm

Radley had it on his site ...

... as expected, it's good:

You can't make this stuff up ...

... Only Ones® strike again:

An alligator caused a lot of commotion for one Independence man Sunday when three Independence police officers shot at his concrete lawn ornament.

When they realized their mistake, they casually left.

Just like it never happened. Of course, if you or I had done that, we'd be in the hooskow.

Hey, isn't that one definition of tyranny? Where it's good for the goose, but not for the gander? h/t David

A very important question ...

... that almost never gets asked:

I went back into the house and talked to my wife. I told her that things were going to get out of control, that the cops would never stop, the politicians who govern them would never back down. Is it worth it? Is it? What do we leave our children when we go? Do we leave a budding movement toward liberty, or a collectivist hell? Do we preside over the last full gasp of liberty on the planet? Is that the legacy that you want carved into your headstone?

Indeed, 'Is it worth it?'.

I've come close on this blog of advocating violence; I don't really think I need to, I'm just telling you - that's where we are headed, like it or not.

Be ready.

pm

My wrap-up post ...

... about the Luckygunner blog shoot.

I'm not much of a picture taker, so I'll have to link the others who took lots of pictures of all of the carnage.

The shoot was a great opportunity to 1) shoot full-auto weapons, 2) meet some famous bloggers, and 3) enjoy the company of some of the finest individuals around. I regret that I didn't get to talk shop with many people, but there's always next year. Kevin Baker even suggested I go to the Gun Blogger Rendezvous in Vegas, where there'll be more time for idle chit chat.

That being said, I hope next year to go with more of an idea of what to expect (this was my first ever gunblogger event) and have an idea of things I want to accomplish. Plus I'm going to get on the firing line to shoot some of the iconic weapons I haven't shot (the MG 42 is awesome!).

Thanks go out to Luckygunner (especially Angela, who did a fine job organizing her first event!), Magtech and Sellier & Bellot ammunition, Technoframes and Rangemaster for sponsoring this event ... everyone there had a great time.

Finally, I wanted you to know that it wasn't all fun and games at Luckygunner. They only allowed us to get 150 rds at a time to shoot (at a full-auto shoot, no less!). They did, however, have the Luckygunner Ammo Girls.

The things I do for you guys ...

pm