Truth ...

... Vox haz it:

If you are a private employer, then it is your business and only your business if you want to employ nothing but black lesbian Marxists or Holocaust-denying Scottish neo-Nazis.

And this while commenting on a Mark Steyn piece relating to Lindsay Graham's feeble attempt to not look like the statist he is.

I've always maintained that if you want to deny service at a restaurant to blacks (or whites), then as a private business that's your decision, and you'll have to live with the economic consequences.

RTWT

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For your edification

Sounds like Mr Gura's got another notch coming.

Oral arguments in Ezell went badly for Chicago's attorney, especially when the one justice told him that his conceptualization of the injury was, well ... faulty would be charitable! It's also nice to hear that the two justices seem to think that the 2nd amendment should be held to intermediate scrutiny if not strict scrutiny, just like the 1st amendment.

Download the mp3 from Sebastian's link and enjoy the schadenfreude.

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JPFO alert

How to answer the magazine ban pushers

Light posting today

Le Petite Poule is having a procedure today, so I'll be scarce.

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Could it be?

Some sense displayed by the judiciary:

A Cuyahoga County judge's decision to allow a convicted drug criminal to own firearms for self-defense could pave the way for thousands of people with minor drug convictions to own guns.

At issue is whether an Ohio law prohibiting all drug criminals, among others, from owning guns is unconstitutional when applied to someone convicted of a misdemeanor drug charge.

The man had a misdemeanor drug possession conviction 20 years ago, that resulted in a fine. Of course, the state is trying to hair-lip the governor making him out to be as dangerous as Clyde Barret, even after police testified that the area the man lived in was known for heavy gang activity.

I'm of David Codrea's opinion that if you can't be trusted with a firearm in public, then you need a custodian. Yes, I'll go waaay out on the limb and say that even convicted felons should be able to buy firearms from dealers, because if they want a firearm, they'll get it no matter what the law is. It just might stop some theft of firearms.

And of course, there's the argument that even a felon needs to be able to protect himself, and it's hard to say that a convicted felon is somehow less of a person (even though that's the consensus).

Either way, this decision is a welcome one.

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Suppressors and stuff ...

Washington state is about to be able to actually use the suppressors they can legally own. That's caused a bit of PSH from various sources (including supposed NRA members). But the law will most likely pass, and that's a good thing.

While this information was being made available, there was some discussion on Sebastian's post. Robb Allen was lamenting the high cost of a suppressor (he didn't even mention the replacement barrels or machine work to fit one). But he hit the nail on the head with this:

If they were treated as just any other firearm accessory like they should be, you would see the total cost of a good can fall below $100.

If they were treated like they should be ... ah, there's the rub! Currently, they're not. I believe I heard on Vicious Circle that the reason you don't see beater cars in Hong Kong was the high cost of parking .... why not buy a Mercedes if it's going to cost you half again in parking for a year?!

But low cost cans will ultimately mean low quality (and it's a problem even now). For example, you can make a simple suppressor in your garage with simple hand tools and mild steel (plus a welder), and it'll be serviceable for quite a few rounds. But if you can't take it apart to clean it, it will eventually lose effectiveness.

Contrast that with a Liberty Cans Essence of Liberty .22lr suppressor. The flagship of the Kodiak line of rimfire suppressors, the Essence is made mostly of titanium (with only the blast baffle made of stainless steel), weighs less than a D-cell battery, is user-cleanable, and all the parts are coated with some stuff NASA uses on turbine engine fans. This ain't yer grandaddy's suppressor!

Cost is $635.

Now, having been to Liberty's shop (they're located roughly 5 miles from my house) and shot this suppressor (and seen it taken apart ... all special tools required included), $635 is a bargain to me to have the ability to shoot a .22 around my house and not spook the dog (or the neighbors!) and to have the suppressor last for my lifetime.

If I'm going to get a suppressor for .22 rifles, I'll probably pick the Kodiak suppressor. It's the grandpaw of the Essence, but it's all stainless steel ... only $485.

Of course, you generally have to have a threaded barrel to mount a suppressor, and here is where you start getting into some cash. Liberty will do threads on Ruger rimfire pistols and 10/22's for around $125. Some pistols can be had with a factory-threaded barrel (such as the Ruger 22/45) for a premium, but not as bad as having it done. And replacing a stock barrel with a threaded barrel can be pricey.

All of this is simple economics. Suppressors aren't in regular (read that as, high quantities) use yet, so the economic pressure for manufacturers to supply threaded barrels isn't there ... yet!

If the laws regarding suppressors can be changed (taking them off the NFA), then more people will start using them, and manufacturers will respond accordingly. We need to make sure that happens.

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Murder?

Or justice:

A famous former rugby player has been arrested in South Africa after allegedly butchering at least three people to death with an axe.

A newspaper claimed the unnamed 34-year-old sportsman had launched a murderous rampage in revenge after his daughter was gang-raped and infected with HIV.

I would want to know a couple of things. How long ago did the rape occur, were any of the victims suspects, and were the police doing anything about it.

I don't know how S African courts work, but I'd be pushing to have the jury comprised of men with daughters the same age as the one who was raped.

For the sake of justice.

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Progress?

A major city in favor of legalization of pot:

Not to get too speculative, but... is this what it looks like approximately 18 months before the first state in the US legalizes marijuana?

It still amazes me that folks still want to continue the war on drugs (I guess as a jobs program for law enforcement). Just goes to show that social conservatives are all in favor of fun, just not for you.

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It's a dud ...

... happens all the time!



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just the facts, ma'am .....

Someone details them for the uninformed:

This letter is to address the facts on President Obama’s views on gun control as he is recently making news with his views on “common sense gun laws.”

RTWT - you already know about it, right?

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What he said!

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You don't say

All those military weapons don't come from the US:

“The most fearsome weapons wielded by Mexico’s drug cartels enter the country from Central America, not the United States, according to U.S. diplomatic cables disseminated by WikiLeaks and published here Tuesday by La Jornada newspaper.”

But, but ... that doesn't fit the narrative!

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