I'm the NRA, You're the NRA, We're all the NRA

War on Guns has an update on the VCDL case against another township that can't figure out the concept that open carry is legal in Virginia.

The article he links to shows clearly that it doesn't take intelligence or common sense to be in politics:

Councilman Barclay C. Winn, who is a hunter, said the guns-rights group's actions are precisely why he won't joint the NRA - the powerful lobbyists the National Rifle Association.

Ah, so he won't join the NRA because of his problems w/ the VCDL? That makes sense. That's like saying :I have a problem w/ PETA so I won't join the ASPCA.

And this idiot has apparently been making decisions for the banking industry:

Riddick and other council members weren't aware of the financial settlement with Moore. "Before we issue another $10,000 check, we should go to the highest court in the land," he said.

Yep. Instead of cutting a quick check and trying to get your police to actually know the law, let's try and spend multiple times more on a lawsuit that you'll lose.

See, I might understand their ignorance if this was the first time this had happened. But this is the SECOND time the police had harrassed this same individual.

The VCDL is going to eat these guys alive.

Boat/Ship porn

USS Grunion found 65 years after sinking.




USS Intrepid museum back home in NYC.



Pyotr Velikiy (Пётр Великий) Kirov class battlecruiser heads to Venezuela

My new candidate...

The Blogging Community

Bitter and Sebastian both talk about how many of the gun bloggers have formed an online community that works together and supports eachother to further enhance our rights as firearm owners and how it would be to ours and other firearm rights supporters advantage to be a part of this community. I couldn't agree more. It is one of our greatest strengths.

Because this community goes beyond just the internet. It crosses over into the real world.

Examples: Just last weekend I drove to Indianapolis to get together with other bloggers and friends. The regular poster Kaveman (who needs to start his own blog) contacted me the other day to ask if I would like a subscription to Guns & Ammo since he had a gift subscription available. Coming up in a few weeks is the Gun Blogger Rendevous III.

We get together to meet and enjoy eachothers company while sharing similar interests.

We have places where we get together with other firearm enthusiasts: Ranges. Shops. Shows.

We teach our children the shooting sports while spending quality time together.

In other words. We enjoy ourselves.


The anti's have nothing to compare that with.

There are no anti-gun shops. No anti-gun ranges. No anti-gun shows. No anti-gun magazines.

There is no quality time in teaching your children be afraid or just leaving them in ignorance.

What they have in common when they get together is fear... disgust... even hatred. Not exactly things to build strong, lifelong friendships on. Oh, they may find they have other interests in common, but most of the time it will just be the negative emotions that brought them together in the first place.

We are a community. They only want to disrupt that community.

That is our strength.

Obama TV

The Obama Campaign has apparently purchased their very own television station. I guess having the majority of media as their beck and call girls wasn't enough. Now it's all Obama, all the time.



(god,I can't believe I'm sourcing Kos.)

Funny of the Day

...only one out of 150,000 gun owners belong to the NRA

-Troll on Topix.net

Now, if we go by the low end of the membership numbers (3 million), that would put the US firearm owning population at 450 billion people.

75x the population of the planet. It would be like living in Hong Kong planet wide.

Conversely, if we went by the number of actual firearm owners in the US (80 million), then the NRA would have a membership of 533 people.

When did the NRA become the AHSA?

JAMA bias

A recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Assoc. (2008;300(13):1575-1577) shows that even Doctors can be fooled.

It's opening statement claims that the Heller v DC decision recognized that the BOR "grants" rights:

"In District of Columbia v Heller, The Supreme Court held, for the first time in its history, that the Second Amendment grants an individual right to possess and use firearms for personal use..."

Yet, in the majority opinion is written (page 19, first paragraph):

"The very text of the Second Amendment implicitly recognizes the pre-existence of the right and declares only that it “shall not be infringed.” As we said in United States v. Cruikshank, 92 U. S. 542, 553 (1876), “[t]his is not a right granted by the Constitution. Neither is it in any manner dependent upon that instrument for its existence. The Second amendment declares that it shall not be infringed . . .”

In the Stevens dissent is written (page 17, first paragraph) wrote:

"And the Court’s emphatic reliance on the claim “that the Second Amendment . . codified a pre-existing right,” ante, at 19, is of course beside the point because the right to keep and bear arms for service in a state militia was also a pre-existing right."

Not a very astute beginning for a scholarly article, eh?

The conclusion is just as telling:

A bare majority of the Supreme Court—in the most strident
and dismissive terms—has thus sided with, and given
voice to, ardent opponents of firearm safety regulation.

Yep that's right. If we oppose bans defacto and dejure, we oppose safety. I'm surprised he didn't try the "give guns to little kids" bit.

His citations are just as entertaining. Wintemute, Hemenway, Cook, Ludwig, and Bloomberg. How much Joyce Foundation funding can we cite in one place?

No. No bias here. Not many facts either.

On to that giant scratching post in the sky..

Tam's kitten Mittens passed away.

My condolences. I know when 'my' cat (out of the herd of 7) goes, I'm going to be a wreck.

Regulate and Control

Bitter links to a letter from Rev. Snuffy Pfleger decrying the lack of 'gun control'. He claims we need to "regulate and control" the "flow of guns". Let's look at some facts.

Chicago has 5x the murder rate of the rest of the state.
Chicago has a 50% HS drop out rate.
50% of Chicago murders are gang related.
Chicago has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation.

Illinois outside of Chicago doesn't have these problems to anywhere near the degree Chi-town does. The gang-bangers are getting their guns illegally from their friends and family. The same ones who refuse to assist the police when their honor-student babies shoot up neighborhoods.

The solution is simple.

We need to Regulate and Control the flow of Chicagoans to the rest of the state.

King Bloomberg

The NYT is reporting that Bloomie is going to try and change NYC's law limiting him to two term limits w/o presenting it to the voters:

After months of speculation about his political future, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg plans to announce on Thursday morning that he will seek a third term as mayor, according to three people who have been told of his plans.

Right now, Mr. Bloomberg is barred by law from seeking re-election. But he will propose trying to revise the city’s 15-year-old term limits law, which would otherwise force him and dozens of other elected leaders out of office in 2009, the three people said...

The chances of passing legislation in the City Council are strong, according to interviews. In August, a New York Times survey of council members — two-thirds of whom are scheduled to be forced out of office in 2009 — found that a majority of them were willing to amend the term limits law.

Laws for thee and not for me.

VA/MS Reciprocity

One more step forward. From VCDL:

What a day!

Tom Lambert, with the Virginia State Police, has just sent me a copy
of a new reciprocity agreement between Virginia and Mississippi!

The agreement will be posted on the VCDL web site shortly.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The agreement is BRAND NEW and is not on either the
Virginia State Police web site nor on Mississippi's site yet. I
SUGGEST **NOT** CARRYING IN MISSISSIPPI UNTIL VIRGINIA IS LISTED ON
MISSISSIPPI'S WEB SITE AS A RECIPROCAL STATE.

And even less police...

The other day, I mentioned the fact that Daley didn't think the vacancies in the Chicago Police Department would effect crime.

He's decided to emphasize that point by taking it one step further. He's not only not going to fill the vacancies but he's going to cut them from the job rolls:

Despite Daley’s promise to add 75 police officers in 2008, the Chicago Police Department has 329 vacancies and 424 openings for non-sworn police employees. That’s in addition to the 705 officers on medical leave and 625 officers in limited or convalescent duty status.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported this week that the police vacancies would be among 3,000 unfilled jobs eliminated from the mayor’s 2009 budget to erase a $420 million budget shortfall over this year and next.

Yep. Raise taxes. Cut police. That's sure to reduce crime.

Robert Levy in North Carolina

Co-Counsel in DC v Heller, Levy will give a talk in Asheville, NC at 7 p.m. Oct. 8 at the UNC Asheville Reuter Center.

Felon shoots CPD officer

CPD Officer Nathaniel Taylor Jr. was murdered while serving a search warrant. The shooter, unsurprisingly, has an extensive record and was released early:

According to public records, Cooper was first convicted of burglary in 1989 and got 4 years' probation. In 1991, he was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to 6 years in prison.

He was again convicted of burglary in 2003 and sentenced to 6 years in prison, but was released late the next year.

So, convicted felon, early release, illegal gun.

This seems to be becoming the standard.

Update: It seems the 1991 conviction was for shooting at a police officer as well. He served only 3 yrs on that one.

Indy Blogmeet goes Tri-state

At the Broad Ripple Brew Pub :



Roberta
TurkTuron
Old Grouch
Friends



Tam
Ahab
Yours Truly

Walking around Hippieville:




A bunch of rocks.



And some standing stones too.

Good Company. Good Food. Lots of gun talk.

It was worth the drive.

Less Police won't increase crime..

According to Chicago Mayor Daley.

"No, no," said Daley when asked about the lack of new hires and the impact on safety. When pressed, Daley bristled and said, "It just won't."

SO is he saying that the CPD is so poor in quality that less of them won't make a difference?

With murder up 16% so far this year and overall violent crime up 3%, it makes one wonder what does effect crime in his fair city. Oh, right, it's all those gun owners in the rest of the state that are the cause.

I wish my deceased family members would stop voting for him.

A great start to the weekend...

1 dead in home invasion

Former boyfriend breaks into pregnant ex-girlfriend's home, stabs her and then kills her current boyfriend, police say.

After a former boyfriend tried to break into her home last month, Sulee Gonzalez obtained a court order of protection, pleading that he make "no contact at all" with her and her family.

Fat lot of good that did.


Four shot on Near West Side

I'm going to guess it's 'gang related'.


Three found dead in Lake View

If only more would be this curtious .


And it's not even noon.

Tanks a lot..

Somalie pirates have hijacked a ship containing 33 T-72 tanks, ammunition, and assorted man portable heavy weapons.

The US and Russian Navies are in pursuit.

Apparently the pirates don't have the capabilities to unload the tanks but if they can get the grenade launchers and ammunition off before abandoning the ship, that will definitely change the balance of power in the region.

But remember. It's those revolvers and semi-autos sold at US gun shows that are the REAL dangers to world security.

Meh

Both sides are screaming "WE WON!!" over last nights presidential debate. Both sides dropping down on their knees touting how well their candidate did and spraying spittle in all directions proclaiming that the other has less intelligence than your common houseplant.

I wasn't overly impressed by either. Both made a few good points but there was nothing new. No major flubs or position changes. No real 'Gotcha' moments. Nothing to make it really interesting at all.

You know, I really can't wait for this to be over. Two years of non-stop campaigning presidential campaigning is about a year and a half to long. Assuming it doesn't take a month for the voting results, that should give us at least a few weeks before the 2012 candidates start up.

The video Obama doesn't want you to see

More Illinois Sportsmen on Obama

From my perspective, Senator Obama was allied against Second Amendment Rights while in the Illinois Senate, and appeared disinterested at best in relation to sportsmen's rights. My first contact with him was several years ago when I attended an Illinois Senate Committee hearing that he chaired. The committee was reviewing the contentious "Assault Weapons Ban" bill promoted by Chicago Mayor Daley. When it was pointed out in testimony that the bill's definitions made felons out of every hunter in Illinois that owned a rifled-barrel deer slug gun or an inline muzzleloader, he dismissed the concerns as "minor wording details" and sailed the bill through the committee by allowing two "readings" on the very same day. The wording was later changed in a very superficial way, and the heavily-flawed bill eventually died on the senate floor.

Larry Dale
Publisher of IllinoisHunter.com

Why we've discussed that very bill. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside to know that our potential future president has no problem voting for bills that have "minor wording details". Of course that removes the possibility that he was unaware of said 'loopholes' and shows he intentionally voted for the confiscation and banning of many hunting and sporting firearms.

So far Obama's Zero for Three on organizations that he claimed would support him.

Rev. "Snuffy" Pfleger threatens IL residents and legislators

"It’s the downstate that have refused to give us the votes to common sense gun laws. So what we’re saying is, ‘Ok. We’re gonna start disrupting your life like gun violence is disrupting our life.' And that’s here at their businesses and that’s coming to their homes. And we’re prepared to go to the legislators homes and visit them."

-Snuffy Pfleger

Sorry Snuff, it's not the 'downstaters' that are causing the problems. Why don't you go to the homes of the people committing the crimes? Why don't you confront the gang-leaders? The parents of the 50% of CPS students who drop out? The "no snitchin' " advocates?

Wouldn't you get a better result?

Obama's "Reasoned Discourse"

Paul Helmke of the Brady Campaign claims:

"This week at least two national news organizations plus a leading political watchdog (along with the Brady Campaign) criticized a new NRA advertising effort being waged against Senators Barack Obama and Joe Biden....

Sadly, NRA leaders seem to feel their only option is to make Americans so afraid that they can't see the truth about the candidates -- or the NRA's pattern of deception.

Thankfully, the American people are catching on.

Obama's campaign disagrees.

In a move that doesn't surprise anyone who's aware of Obama's history of supporting the constitution, his campaign has threatened legal action against the media stations playing said ads and that they are putting their licenses in jeopardy if they don't pull them.

If these ads are so blatantly false and the people can easily see through them, wouldn't it damage the NRA more if they were played? Are they afraid that people might question Obama's word when his history is shown in an unfavorable light?

NRA response
Sebastian SIH (now with Instalaunch!)
Bitter

Chicago supports criminals..

Crime is up. Politicians are promising to 'do something'. What do they do? Reduce the police department because of budget issues:

Chicago Police having trouble hiring more officers

With more violent crimes being committed in Chicago, the police department can't get approval from City Hall to hire enough officers to keep up with the number of officers who are leaving.

Like other city agencies and departments, the police department is caught up in budget problems facing the city. Mayor Richard Daley has said the city must cut personnel costs but hasn't said where those cuts can be made.

The Fraternal Order of Police says that because of firings and retirements the department is down 250 officers and says it could be down by 400 by the end of the year.

The owner of a bar I worked at did the same thing. He cut back on security because they didn't make him money like the bartenders and waitresses. More fights broke out. Less people showed up. He cut security again. Lather rinse repeat. The place closed less than a year later.

Obama supports hunters and sportsmen?

In the recent F&S interview, Barack "I voted for banning your shotguns before I voted against it" Obama stated:

"But if you talk to sportsmen in my home state of Illinois, they will tell you that I’ve always been a forceful advocate on behalf of the rights of sportsmen, on behalf of access for sportsmen and hunters. I’ve been somebody who, well before the recent Supreme Court case, stated my belief that the Second Amendment was an individual right."

So far, that doesn't seem to be the case:

"Any sportsman who counts Barack Obama as one of his friends is
seriously confused," said ISRA Executive Director Richard Pearson.

"Obama is not a friend of hunters and sportsmen. The 2A is not about hunting."
-John Naesse, Director, Champaign County Rifle Assoc.

I'm waiting on responses from about a dozen other organizations I contacted.

Following the law shows a 'lack of judgement'

LEBANON, Pa. -

Officials in Pennsylvania have revoked a woman's concealed-weapons permit because other parents complained that she was carrying her loaded handgun at her daughter's soccer games.

Meleanie Hain said she's fighting the revocation by the Lebanon County sheriff.

Hain lost the permit and got a warning from local soccer officials after a game on Sept. 11.

Sheriff Michael DeLeo said openly carrying a weapon to a youth soccer match shows a lack of judgment.

Hain told the Lebanon Daily News she has always openly carried a firearm without any problems in the past.

And her lawyer, Robert Magee, said that while Pennsylvania requires a permit for a concealed firearm, it doesn't require a license to carry one openly except in Philadelphia.

I see a couple lawsuits here.

FactCheck gets unhinged.

The author of the anti-NRA post goes off on John Lott for asking questions:

Regarding Obama’s work with the Joyce Foundation, Jackson said, “You are an academic? You are asking about the Joyce Foundation? What does that have to do with anything? You would have failed the freshman college logic test.”

So past associations have no bearing?

The rest of his responses are just as hysteric:

“They are lying. This is what they do. This is how they make their money. Do these people have no shame? They are just making this up. I just wish that they would tell the truth.” He said that their ads were “one of the worst examples of lying” that he had “ever seen.”

"this is what they do".

So he has a preconceived opinion while claiming to be impartial.

So much for 'facts'.

More on the "Boyscout" from PA

SIH noted that he has an extensive rapsheet.

From ABC:

“According to police, Giddings was arrested back in August of 1998 for a carjacking, in which he shot the victim twice in the legs and stole $100. Giddings was sentenced to 6-12 years behind bars.
While in prison, police say Giddings was accused of 27 infractions, and found guilty on 18 of those. In addition, police say Giddings was kicked out of two prisons during his sentence.
Giddings was released in August, 2008. Shortly after, police attempted to pull him over for a traffic violation, and he ran off. Officers caught up to Giddings and a fight ensued. Giddings escaped, and four officers were hurt. An arrest warrant was issued after that incident.
During that incident, according to police, Giddings said he would not go back to prison alive, and if police tried to arrest him he would take an officer down with him.
“He was a dangerous individual, and he demonstrated that over and over and over again,” said Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey.”

And yet he still didn't serve his full sentence. Obviously more gun laws are needed. That would have surely stopped him.


Thanks to Sneaky on Huffpo.

Winnetka Lawsuit

Now online here.

They're going for incorporation.


Thanks to GarandFan on IllinoisCarry for the link.

GOP Conspiracy against Obama?

IL. Gov Blagojevich has stated that Obama's opposition to him vetoing an ethics bill is a "very clever ruse by the McCain campaign and by the Republicans".

Why would he say something like that? Why would he oppose an ethics bill supported by the overwhelming majority of the Il Congress?

Blagojevich’s aggressive fundraising is the target of the original ethics bill, which was overwhelmingly supported by Democrats and Republicans alike in the state legislature. It would prohibit state contractors and those seeking state business worth $50,000 or more from donating to the official who doles out the work. The governor rewrote the bill to include a variety of side issues and critics charge Blagojevich’s move was an attempt to sabotage the original measure.

Oh, that's why.

Busy day at the NRA

First having to counter the lack of "FackCheck"ing, then filing a suit against Wilmette Winnetka, IL over it's handgun ban.

“The Supreme Court ruled in Heller that the Second Amendment right is exercised individually and belongs to all Americans. NRA is tired of waiting for Winnetka Village to do the right thing. We’ve been told for months that the Village Council would study the issue and vote on a repeal of their gun ban, but no such action has taken place,” said Chris W. Cox, NRA’s chief lobbyist. “Winnetka has refused to act, so it’s time for NRA to act instead.”

Factcheck bias

Annenberg Foundation - FactCheck's primary fund source is a large contributor to gun control lobby

...There's another possible explanation behind FactCheck's positions. Just last year, FactCheck's primary funding source, the Annenberg Foundation, also gave $50,000 to the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence for "efforts to reduce gun violence by educating the public and by enacting and enforcing regulations governing the gun industry." Annenberg made a similar grant for $100,000 in 2005.

Oops. Factcheck tries to defend themselves in that Annenberg also donated to several Republican organizations not realizing that Brady was a Republican. That still has nothing to do w/ financially supporting an anti-gun organization though while trying to claim impartiality on an issue.

Here's the author on his feelings about the NRA:

“They are lying. This is what they do. This is how they make their money. Do these people have no shame? They are just making this up. I just wish that they would tell the truth.” He said that their ads were “one of the worst examples of lying” that he had “ever seen.”

"this is what they do".

So he has a preconceived opinion while claiming to be impartial.

More here, here,here, and here.

A mixed month for Chicago

The August crime report is out. The increase in murders for the year has dropped from 18.1% to 15.7%. Hey, it's less bad, that's an improvement, right?

But. (There's always a but)

Violent and property crime continue to increase overall from 2.4% each to 3% and 2.9% respectively.

I wonder what September will look like with the nicer weather and a police work slow-down.

FactCheck plays Partisan Politics

SayUncle
ProGunProgressive
Pattycakes
Xrlq
Sebastian SIH
NRO
ConfederateYankee
David Kopel
Joe Huffman

Huffpo
WaPo

Josh Horowitz lies

He claims Heller stated :"criminals don't obey gun laws, so let's eliminate all gun laws"

But, looking at what was actually said:

most DC gun regulations should be eliminated or should revert to those like VA &
NH where firearms are common, or like VT -- which has -- NO -- gun -- laws.

VT still has to follow FEDERAL laws so that's not "all" now, is it Josh?

Really. Does one need to be an expert in international affairs and law to recognize an infringement on ones rights?

There's a reason Josh won't "engage in a point-by-analysis of Heller's testimony", it's because to do so would bring to light all the fabrications and misinformation groups like the "Coalition to Stop Handgun Ownership" need to keep themselves in existence.

Gun control doesn't stop it...

Finland, w/ registration, licensing, and nearly every other law dreamed up by the Brady Campaign, had a school shooting w/ a 'low powered' handgun.

Of course the media shows they are still frickin' idiots :


the man used a 22-millimeter caliber handgun

Illinois Candidates : Brendan Appel 9th District

Not much more can be said about the National Election. Obama/Biden are anti-gun hacks, McCain/Palin average out to a B+. I'm going to start working on Illinois races where I can.

Just spent about a half hour on the phone w/ Mr. Brendan Appel. He's running for the IL state senate 9th district. Very pro-gun. Life member of ISRA and Annual of NRA. Does target shooting w/ pistols. Supports CCW & Assault Weapons. Supported Heller and Chicago suit.

Says his opponent , Schoenberg, isn't even campaigning. Hasn't had another name on the ticket since 2000. Brady supported.

This is the same district Elizabeth Coulson and Julie Hamos.

http://www.brendanappel.com/

Good weather in Chicago

7 shootings in 6 hours on South Side

One held in shooting of couple

West Side shooting leaves one dead, two wounded

Boy charged in accidental shooting death of friend

Man Shot, Wounded In Edgewater

Unpossible.

And another in the last couple hours:

Police search for shooter in drive-by

Gotta love Chi-Town

CCRA on AHSA

We have no use for them.

-John Naese, Director, Champaign County Rifle Assoc.

I wonder why?

Progressive Women

Defend themselves.

"In the old days, there was sort of incorrect advice: 'Oh, if you fight back, you'll get him angrier. He'll get angry and it'll be worse. The rape is not as bad as the injury you'll suffer,' " Ullman said.

Seems the Brady Campaign advocated that position as well.

Unsurprisingly, it turns out to be incorrect.

"The worst injury tends to be the completed rape. Other injuries stem from accomplishing the rape," Ullman said.

So what to they recommend?

Data from some of Ullman's studies indicate that biting, scratching, using a weapon and breaking out martial arts or self-defense maneuvers deter rapists without increasing the victim's risk of being injured. When victims have been hurt, Ullman said, they were typically harmed during the initial attack.

Fight back when threatened to deter him. Thrust your elbows out. Power up a groin kick.

Fight back when frightened to scare him. Project your voice with confidence. Yell, holler and scream.

Fight back when attacked to catch him. Scratch his skin. Grab his hair.

That's right. As Oleg Volk said. Act like tool using humans.

Biden shoots skeet

So he won't let Obama take away his shotguns:

"I guarantee you Barack Obama ain't taking my shotguns, so don't buy that malarkey," Biden said Saturday at the United Mine Workers of America's annual fish fry in Castlewood, Virginia. "Don't buy that malarkey. They're going to start peddling that to you."

Yeah. Obama gave up on banning shotguns years ago so he could focus on handguns and all semi-auto's, and 'sniper rifles'.

I feel better now. Don't you?.

Weekend Funny

Ray Schoenke's taking the heat...

He knows that his history of anti-gun activities and support is making the AHSA look like chumps so they're working on a PR campaign to try and fool people some more. His current HuffPo piece is a prime example of half-truths and Dave Hardy destroys a similar attempt in New West.

Ok, let's assume for a moment that the leadership of the AHSA HAVE actually reversed their former opinions on firearms. I know, it's a stretch, but work with me.

Can anyone show anything, anything at all, that the AHSA has done to support 'hunters' and 'shooters'?

It's good to be rich and famous..

Nev. judge dismisses gun case against Jerry Lewis

LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas judge has dismissed a firearms charge against entertainer Jerry Lewis. Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Karen Bennett-Haron dismissed the case Friday after attorneys agreed to let the 82-year-old comedian off without fines.

Lewis was cited in July for attempting to carry an unloaded concealed weapon through McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas.

Mayor Daley refuses to enforce the law

By arresting and deporting illegal immigrants:

"That is not the role of the Chicago Police Department, your legal status. I mean, their role is to serve and protect the people of the city of Chicago. And immigrants do not commit the high percentage of crime."

And yet legal firearm owners "do not commit the high percentage of crime" yet Daley and his ilk seem obsessed w/ blaming them for Chicago's high crime rate.

The Cook County Police agree w/ him:

Cook County sheriff's office spokesman Steve Patterson said the office will not consider a program like 287(g) because Cook is a sanctuary county, meaning officials have directed police and other employees not to ask about Immigration status.

Officials have directed police to not enforce the law. Does anymore need to be said?

Hey, they have a blog too...

NRA Blog.

Lots of people training to be terrorist snipers according to the FBI.

Obama refuses to support DC Gun Bill

I think.

The canned response to Armed and Safe's letter is a textbook case of DoubleSpeak.

Lots of verbiage but no substance.

Just like Obama.

Factoids are fun

% of Cook Co, IL pop w/ FOID cards.......4.6%
% of IL firearms related homocides committed in Cook County = 76%

CPD work slowdown?

CHICAGO — Serious crime is up but arrests are down in Chicago, and some police officers say they are working the streets less aggressively out of resentment toward their new chief and fear of being second-guessed by him.

"People are doing just what they need to get through" their shifts, said Lt. Robert Weisskopf, president of the Chicago police lieutenants union, "and not any extra."

In addition to making fewer arrests, police are seizing fewer guns and frisking gang members less often than they did before Superintendent Jody Weis was brought in to clean up a department embarrassed by a string of brutality cases, according to interviews, statistics provided by police and an internal document obtained by The Associated Press.

Crime up. Arrests down. Bad feelings in the department.

Yep.

The future of shooting is in our hands

Darnall’s NRA Youth Shooting Camp 2008

Bloomington, IL (GSL/CCRA)
- Darnall’s Gun Works and Ranges hosted their fourteenth annual NRA
Youth Shooting Camp July 31-August 2, 2008 at their property west
of Bloomington. Approximately 75 campers were present, along with
dozens of volunteer staff to make the nation’s longest-running NRA
youth camp another big success.

Youths aged 8-16 camped for four days and three nights at the range and explored several major shooting disciplines, including trap shooting, black powder rifles, small-bore rifles, pistols, cowboy action shooting as well as an archery program.
Certified instructors from around Illinois volunteered to offer their
services to teach safety and good technique. While time was limited
at each station, the opportunities to learn were not as instructors helped
set a good foundation for the campers to continue to learn and improve
as shooters.

Sunday afternoon, parents had an unscheduled opportunity to watch
the kids in action at the various ranges as the teaching modules
were pushed back by some thunderstorms earlier in the morning.
Excited campers delighted in showing off their targets and talents to
proud parents and grandparents.

Read the rest at the Sangamon County Rifle Assoc. website

This is what it takes. While we fight for our rights in the courts and legislators, we can't neglect bringing new faces into the fold. These kids will grow up without a fear of firearms and with the education to be safe even if they choose not to own them.

One and a half steps forward, one step back

Ohio's Supreme Court overturns local law against carrying in parks, US House passes DC gun bill , while some mayors in PA try to ignore preemption laws.

One step at a time.

Hypocrisy you can believe in.

AP has information on the hacking of Palin's private e-mail account. Yet they won't help.

Yep. Unbiased 'journalists' at their finest. We all know what would happen if it had been a (D) account that had been hacked into and published.

Did she really say that?

Old news, but it needs to be dusted off every once in awhile.

In the debate between Rebecca Peters of IANSA and Wayne Lapierre of the NRA, Wayne claimed that IANSA wanted to restrict longarms to one that could fire less than 100 meters.

Would someone really make such an inane statement?

Yep.

civilians should not have sniper rifles, or rifles that they can kill someone at 100 meters distance, for example. -Rebecca Peters, CNN Oct. 23 2002

In the debate, she specifically says:

"I think Americans who hunt -- and who prove that they can hunt -- should have single shot rifles suitable for hunting whatever they"re hunting. I mean American citizens should be like any other citizens of the world. "

They also want to ban all semi-auto's and handguns (boy that sounds familiar). What's left?

BTW. The Brady Campaign, various Joyce Foundation puppets, and the CSGV are all members of IANSA.

Just to let you know where they really stand.

Even the anti's agree...

The AHSA doesn't support hunting or shooting.

When asked to show anything they've actually done, here is the response:

You're just sending people on more wild goose chases ...

So yes, even the most ardent hoplophobes recognize the AHSA is just a false-front group.

They are their own worst enemy.

Obama supports gun rights?

So says a letter to the Editor in Baker City, OR. Here are some of the 'facts' ( and I use the word loosely) that are presented:

Good

Fact: It is demonstrably untrue to assert that Barack Obama wants to confiscate firearms, a blatant lie.

RealFact: Yes he does.

Good Fact: Obama, who received the endorsement of the American Hunters and Shooters Association, a non-partisan organization dedicated to promoting hunting and common-sense gun policy, is on record as affirming gun ownership rights.

RealFact: Oh don't even get me started.

Good Fact: At a press conference in Watertown South Dakota on May 16, 2008, Democratic candidate Barack Obama unequivocally makes clear his support for gun ownership in his clear and direct statement: "It is an individual right, the people have the right to lawfully bear arms" ... You can't make it much clearer than that.

RealFact: Unless you include his long history of opposing said right.

One should really try telling the truth before one starts calling others 'ignorant' or "just wanting to confuse voters' minds' when the very organization that Obama financially supported as a board member of the Joyce Foundation openly advocates using ignorance and confusion to attempt to ban guns.

To the Brady Campaign

266-152

That's gotta smart.

Stressin' in Chi-town

Maybe this is why crime is so high:

Forbes names Chicago the country's most stressful city

"With 7.3% unemployment and a gallon of gas going for just under four bucks, the Windy City has some economic headwinds that result in a perfect storm for stress. Chi-town’s pollution problems (it ranked No. 7 in terms poor air quality) and lack of breathing room (it's No. 2 in terms of population density) couple to create a Midwestern Molotov cocktail of stress."

Then mix in the fear of being shot in the middle of a gang war, one of the highest sales taxes in the nation, and the Cubs STILL not making it to the World Series and it's a wonder that Chicago doesn't have a higher suicide rate than Japan.

Required Reading?

My Struggle Change we can believe in by Barack Obama

It contains his Master Plan for the future of America.

Will it be given to newlyweds to read on their honeymoon?


Give us this day, our daily snark. I saw the worship inducing wording of this ad and the cover photo and this image flashed through my head:


Cheap shot, yeah, but I'm bored.

Sarah is afraid of Sarah

From Sarah Brady:

Sarah Palin makes me nervous.

Just one more reason to vote for her.

AHSA changes the subject

Recognizing that they can't successfully defend Obama's record on firearms, Ray Schoenke tries to change the subject to taxes:

"It's important to me that our next President protects our Second Amendment rights to own guns and defend ourselves," says Schoenke. "Barack Obama and John McCain will both make sure we can keep our guns. But what about keeping our jobs?

Now why would he do that? Could it be that Obama has a horrible record on supporting firearm rights? Could it be that the AHSA really doesn't care about firearms?

These people really are a self-parody.

Not grasping the problem....

During a riot after claims of witchcraft..

soldiers had fired into the air to calm angry crowds. The shooting prompted panic instead, which became fatal "when the crowds all tried to leave at the same time."

Because people's first reaction to hearing gunfire is to relax. Right. And who thought this would be a good idea?

Nevermind that they were rioting over 'witchcraft'.

Projection

Another true "liberal":

Greenberg’s dislike for the GOP is not new. In 2004, she held an art exhibit in Los Angeles in which she displayed pictures of toddlers crying with the caption “Four More Years.” Greenberg admitted she intentionally made the toddlers cry so she could create a visual slam against President Bush.

BDS defined.

They didn't eat the hearts?

What are Satanist Cannibals coming to when they don't even eat the part that contains the soul? Everyone knows you're supposed to eat it while the sacrifice watches.

Kids these days.

Fearing results.

Assuming H.R.6691 gets passed out of the house (most likely if it comes up for a vote), it goes up before the Senate. That's where it will most likely stall.

Paul Helmke of the Brady Campaign, is still afraid of it. He doesn't even want to let it come up for a vote:

"We think we've got a better chance of defeating it in the Senate, or keeping it from coming to a vote," Helmke said.

So Paul admits that he's not above playing the same legislative games that he accuses the 'gun lobby' of. He's afraid that if it does come up for a vote, it could pass.

This is the personification of fear and the Orwellian concept of "Ignorance is Strength.

SIH has more.

Illinois Mini-Factoid 2007

Chicago dropped it's former percentage of 60% of Illinois murders for 2007.

It dropped to 59%

It's murders/100K went from 16.4 to 15.68.

It was still 5x higher than the rest of the state at 3.08 .

All of the drops for the city have been negated so far in 2008. As of the July Chicago crime report, it now sits at over 18 / 100K .

FBI UCR 2007 out

Here.

Overview

* Nationwide, an estimated 1,408,337 violent crimes occurred in 2007.
* There were an estimated 466.9 violent crimes per 100,000 inhabitants.
* When data for 2007 were compared with 2006 data, the estimated volume of violent crime declined 0.7 percent.
* Aggravated assault accounted for 60.8 percent of violent crimes, the highest number of violent crimes reported to law enforcement. Robbery comprised 31.6 percent and forcible rape accounted for 6.4 percent. Murder accounted for 1.2 percent of estimated violent crimes in 2007.
* In 2007, offenders used firearms in 68.0 percent of the Nation’s murders, 42.8 percent of robberies, and 21.4 percent of aggravated assaults. (Weapon data are not collected for forcible rape offenses.) (Based on Robbery Table 3, Aggravated Assault Table, and Expanded Homicide Data Table 6.)

D&D all over again.

Back in the 80's and early 90's, it was common to see lists of potential signs your teen might be nuts. Remember those? They almost always included common teenage angst, wearing black, and role-playing games like D&D. Most teenagers would fall under multiple items.

Uncle points to another FBI publication doing the same thing w/ firearm owners. If you own one, practice, or read, it 'may be indicators of potential terrorist planning efforts'.

I can go one farther than him. I don't "modify vehicles in a nontraditional manner" but I do read up on the history of terrorism and guerilla warfare. This involves primary source materials by the terrorists and guerillas themselves. I'm on a list.

Well, the wording is better than the classic pamphlet they put out calling people who "make numerous references to US constitution" terrorists.

But not much.

Changing his position

From an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times on April 25, 2008 (via the Brady Campaign):

Q: As a state legislator, you voted against a bill which would let people with orders of protection [against others] carry guns and another that would have barred municipalities from punishing people who kept guns in their homes. Why?

A: I felt that [the first one] was a precedent for conceal-and-carry laws. There has not been any evidence that allowing people to carry a concealed weapon is going to make anybody safer.

Yet just a few weeks earlier he claimed:

"I am not in favor of concealed weapons," Obama said. "I think that creates a potential atmosphere where more innocent people could (get shot during) altercations."

So in just a few weeks time, he went from "they can cause more deaths" to "they might not make things better".

I guess this shows that Barack"don't pay any attention to my handwriting on that paper" Obama is quicker on the ball than most anti's. It took them over a decade to make the same mental slide.

Recidivism

To complement SIH's post on gunrunning in NJ, I present this little nugget:

Of the offenders with prior felony records, the study found that at the time of the new crime 18 percent were on probation, 12 percent on release pending disposition of a prior case and 7 percent on parole.

Yep, 37% of the repeat offenders were on on probation, parole, or bail for another crime.

But the one thing that the gun banners refuse to discuss is actually keeping people in jail for violence. They would rather focus on the miniscule number of crimes committed w/ 'assault weapons'.

Every Teen Boy's nightmare

Dad chases nude boy from daughter's room with pipe

DELTONA, Fla. - An angry Deltona father whacked his teenage daughter's boyfriend with a metal pipe after finding the boy naked in his daughter's room. Authorities say the father, 45, didn't even know his daughter had a boyfriend or that the youngster had been sneaking into the home for more than a year.

When he heard noises coming from his daughter's bedroom Thursday morning and saw a stranger standing naked on the girl's bed, he swung a metal pipe. He then chased the teen out the front door and called police.

Pretty much what any father would do.

Evanston, IL reneging?

Seems a lawfirm has volunteered to go pro-bono in defense of their gun ban so they're considering re-instating it.

The NRA lawsuits include the San Francisco Housing Authority and Chicago, Oak Park and Evanston, Ill. Evanston ended its handgun ban last month but is considering reinstating it because a law firm has offered to defend the city at no cost, said Evanston Alderman Steve Bernstein.

Via Illinois Carry.

Cut down in the prime of its life....

"Jones was arrested and charged
with first-degree murder of a firearm."

Proof read people.




Via Kaveman.


Who really needs to start his own blog.

UN BS

The UN has put out another report claiming that guns in the US are bad and cost uncountable billions in "economic productivity". An average of $3million/person. I'm going to guess this is based off of the phone survey done asking how much people would pay to reduce gun crime. So far I haven't found it on either the UNDP or SAS sites.

They make lots of assumptions:

"These people — had they lived — would have contributed as any other individual as productive members of society. Their deaths represent a loss that can be quantified," he told The Associated Press.

Wennmann said the report was based on figures compiled by international organizations and national authorities.

Like IANSA. A completely unbiased source.


Another factoid.

The report claims "at least 490,000 people are killed in armed crimes each year worldwide".

In the US? About 15,000/year.

3.1%

That's half of what IANSA claims are killed each year by firearms alone in the US.

They seem to be padding their numbers . The "Small Arms Survey", the other party in the report states on their site:

About 200,000–270,000 non-conflict-related firearm deaths occur each year throughout the world. These include firearm homicide, firearm suicide, and unintentional shooting deaths.

That would be closer to the IANSA numbers as noted .

The US accounts for 40-50% of civilian firearm ownership in the world.

Seems the US isn't having as many troubles.



War on Guns has more.

Displacement...

Bitter has a post on a letter to the editor from a Philly woman by the name of Charlotte Mears. Ms. Mears seems to project some of the blame onto the NRA for the death of her son in 2006.

My beloved son was stolen from me on Oct. 4, 2006. I say "stolen" because that's what happens. Our children aren't "lost," they are stolen from us by a horrid evil that lives in the hearts and minds of some human beings....

Who need guns to prove how tough they are - why don't we put the blame where it truly belongs? They are an open, festering, rotten wound on the soul of this country that will never heal until something is done about them.

If you're wondering what I'm talking about, they call themselves the National Rifle Association! We'll continue to have a gun problem as long as we have people who are afraid of their own shadows.

No one in this nation is safe. No one!

As is the SOP for people blaming guns, there's more to the story:

It was a routine request heard daily in city prisons - an inmate wanting some medical attention. But Lance Mears needed more than aspirin or an Ace bandage yesterday. Mears, 30, was clutching his bloody neck as he approached the prison guard shortly after breakfast and "asked to go to medical," prison spokesman Bob Eskind said. The guard escorted him the 20 or so feet to a medical triage area on the F-1 unit of the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center, where Mears was being held without bail in connection with a June killing, Eskind said.

Mears, of Southwest Philadelphia, went into the city prison system in June, less than a year after he was freed from a 10-year-stint in state prison for a 1995 shooting, records show.

He was in court Tuesday for his latest case, the June 5 slaying of Victor Shaw, 20. But the judge continued his preliminary hearing to November, according to court records. Mears' mother, who was not at the proceeding, said the case was postponed because two witnesses failed to appear.

That's right. Another "Good Boy" who was "turning his life around" and who never would have caused any more problems if it wasn't for the NRA handing out guns on the streets.

Sorry Ms. Mears. This has nothing to do w/ the NRA and everything to do in the sub-culture of violence your son was involved in and which you are an apologist for.

Feeding time.

NRA Legislative Meeting

Sebastian was a fly on the wall.

OK, this is funny...

Blago for Palin? WTFO?

Blagojevich defends Palin's experience

But Blagojevich, who supports favorite son U.S. Sen. Barack Obama for president, on Thursday criticized Democrats for belittling the experience of Republican U.S. Sen. John McCain's running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, and took a jab at the work of legislators who run for executive positions.

"The reality is, governors every day have to make decisions for better or for worse. That's part of the job. It's an executive position. And it's a position that is like what you’re going to do when you're president. Legislators, they do different things. They debate and they pass their bills back and forth," he said.

"But governors make decisions, and I think it's a tactical mistake for the Democrats to question Gov. Palin's experience when she's been a governor of a state," he said. "I don't think the size of the state is relevant. It's the kinds of decisions you have to make as governor. They (Democrats) should focus on the issues and why the policies of President Bush ought to be changed and I think that's what will help Obama win."

"Only Ones" Factoid

From an Obama interview with the Chicago Sun-Times on April 25, 2008:

New York has seen a huge drop in crime over the last decade, more than even other cities, and part of it is they've got more cops than anybody else per capita.

In actuality:

NYC has a population of 8,165,001 and a police force of 37,838 giving it a ratio of 1 officer/216 people.

Chicago has a population of 2,873,790 and a police force of 13,700 for a ratio of 1:210

Chicago has a murder rate 2.5x that of NYC and climbing.

The sheep bleats..

Ray Schoenke thinks the NRA shouldn't attack Obama even though he's voted to ban and confiscate firearms. He calls it 'vicious'. I guess the truth really sucks, eh Ray?

But this is the funniest:

My wife doesn't hunt. She doesn't even like guns. But, she does appreciate my love for hunting and guns - and we share a deep commitment to preserving our environment. And, I accept that she was a financial supporter of the Brady Campaign.

If she appreciates it, then why is she spending thousands of dollars to stop it? I'm sure you had no say so in where that money went, right?

Let's look at "Open Secrets", shall we:

SCHOENKE, RAY
WASHINGTON,DC 20005 RETIRED 3/23/00 $5,000 Handgun Control Inc

Who donated what now?

Sharks w/ frickin' Laser Beams on their heads.

Well, planes really.

The laser based anti-ballistic missile system placed in a Boeing 747-400F jumbo jet is one step closer to actuality.

TSA "Only Ones"

The TSA is issuing out new uniforms to intimidate 'command respect' from travelers.

They already act like little tin gods who revel in their authority. I'm sure things will get better from now on.

Banning shotguns..

Obama voted to. In another poorly worded "Assault Weapon" legislation pushed by IL gun banners, it would, in its voted on version, have included single shot and double barrel shotguns as "over .50 cal" and not falling under exemptions.

(b) Definitions. In this Section:
(1) "Semi-automatic assault weapon" means:
(A) any of the firearms or types, replicas, or
duplicates in any caliber of the firearms, known as:
.....
x) any firearm having a caliber of 50 or
greater;

It also included language mandating confiscation, destruction, or removal of said firearms. No grandfather clause except for 'Only Ones':

(c) Except as provided in subsection (e), 90 days after
27 the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General
28 Assembly, it is unlawful for any person within this State, to
29 knowingly manufacture, deliver, or possess or cause to be
30 manufactured, delivered, or possessed, a semiautomatic
31 assault weapon, a large capacity ammunition feeding device,
32 or an assault weapon attachment.
33 (d) Any person who knowingly possesses a semiautomatic
34 assault weapon, large capacity ammunition feeding device, or

-5- LRB093 10905 LRD 11424 b
1 assault weapon attachment must, within 90 days after the
2 effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General
3 Assembly, destroy the weapon or device, render it permanently
4 inoperable, relinquish it to a law enforcement agency, or
5 remove it from this State.



I'm sure he'll dismiss this as well. Just like the survey he didn't fill out but had his handwriting on it. So he voted for a crappy bill because he wanted to ban as many guns as possible and/or he or his staff didn't bother reading it.

It passed the Judiciary 6-4 before it died following several amendments added to it. Now here's an interesting bit. His name is listed on the JC voting tally as voting for it. The online listing for the 93rd General Assembly JC though, has former Senator Kwame Raoul listed instead. Obama is not listed for that Committee at all. He must have been sitting in that day.

Curiouser and Curiouser.

Suspicious Behavior in the UK

There's alsways the debate in the US about police being able to stop and question people for 'suspicious behavior. That usually constitutes turning around suddenly when seeing the police, odd bulges in clothing, throwing things, or walking down the street w/ a dripping water heater in a shopping cart.

In one town in the UK, however, suspicious behavior is now defined as being in a public park w/o children.

The sad thing is is that too many people here think we should emulate this kind of authoritarianism idiocy.

Buggy Whips and Ignorance

War on Guns points to another PSH WaPo article. This one is not decrying firearms but instead the fact that people aren't getting their information from authorized journalists as they should be. The argument is that democracy will fail unless the information they recieve is limited to a select few sources.

The solution? Force the alternate sources of information out of business through taxes and surcharges.

"Ignorance is Strength"

Brady Campaign talking points

Anti's are always going on about pro-rights advocates 'regurgitating NRA talking points'. A funny claim when most of them can't be in a debate w/o talking about 'military style assault weapons' and 'gun show loopholes'.

Today it seems the DC police chief shifted this little tidbit to another stomach:

D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier assailed a new bill yesterday that would eliminate most of the District's gun laws, telling a congressional panel that the measure would allow residents to carry loaded semiautomatic rifles in the streets, creating a nightmare scenario for homeland security officials.

Hmm. Where did she get that bit from?

The WaPo article notes that the Oversight committee released a report opposing the bill. That would be true. There was the opening statement by Chairman Waxman, rated F by the NRA. They also had four politically motivated 'witnesses' testify before them. All of them use the same exact lines and talking points.

But they didn't get a presser from the BC. No, not at all.

Fearmongering beyond WaPo

Other posters have hit upon the Washington Post regurgitating a Brady Press release stating that Congress is trying to turn DC into Somalia.

I'll hit on just one sentence from the Brady front page:

The bill, H.R. 6691, would allow nearly anyone, even teenagers and children, to carry loaded assault rifles on the streets of our Nation's Capital.

The bolding was theirs.

Enough said.

Update: OK, I can't pass this one up either....

"It would be legal for citizens to possess and openly carry .50 caliber sniper rifles, weapons that can pierce einforced bunkers, aircraft, and armor-plated vehicles, and are accurate to 2000 yards and effective up to 7500 yards. Given these weapons size, they may be fore useful mounted on the back of a pick-up truck-which would be perfectly legal under H.R. 6691. Imagine law enforcement having to stand idly by while an individual sets up a sniper rifle on North Capitol or K Street, waiting for a motorcade, a government official, or a White Househelicopter to come within range." -Paul Helmke

Mary really left these people disjointed, didn't she?

Been There, Done That, Bought the T-shirt..

My new 2A BlogBash T-shirt arrived today.


Bitter customized mine a bit, giving it a front pocket logo in addition to the main back one.

As for quality, Zazzle's screen printing is better than the shirt I got from CafePress. Prices were about the same and were able to do printing on both sides even w/ dark colors.

We're not the NRA..

You have to love the PuSH'ers. Our old friend Kelli, over on Huffpo, cited an article in her defense that groups like the Brady Campaign have values that are 'incongruent' w/ gun rights advocates. Obviously she didn't read the whole thing.

It is an interesting article based off the abstract. It basically says that they argue from ignorance and stereotypes:

"In fact, the authors note, the more respondents' feelings were based on a stereotypical perception that all NRA members felt the same about rejecting gun control, the more likely they were to reject the organization as a way to distance themselves from these views."

*singing* Feelings! Nothing more than feelings!*

"Similarly, the authors found, the less personal experience that respondents had with NRA members, the more likely they were to reject the organization."

And which organizations push that stereotype of the NRA? Which ones require a blatant misrepresentation of their opponents and flat out lies in order to progress in any way? Oh, right.

"Respondents suggested that maintaining a cognitive separation between how they viewed themselves and what the NRA stood for was important to their self-image."

"I can't even comprehend what they're thinking."

They need to have something to hate, need to remain ignorant and mentally limited to help feel good about themselves.

Judging by the experiences I've had w/ BC members, that seems pretty accurate.


Thanks for the cite Kelli. I'll be looking up the whole thing (available at my local library), this week. You are your own worst enemy.

Kim Jong Il is dead.

And has been for at least five years according to a Japanese researcher.

The question has baffled foreign intelligence agencies for years, but a veteran Japanese expert on North Korea says the “dear leader” is actually dead — and his role is played by a double.

Sorry. That's no double. There's a reason we've been preparing for a zombie apocalypse and it's starting in North Korea. The reason everyone looks gaunt and starving there? The majority of the nation is actually undead and preparing to sweep across the continent. The few actual living humans are carefully cultivated for propaganda purposes.

FOP for Palin/McCain

The FOP national organization has endorsed McCain and Palin.

I'ld lay my money that the Joyce Foundation funded IACP endorses Obama next.

A quiet weekend in Chicago.

Partygoer, 20, shot, wounded in Back of the Yards

"may be gang related". Shock.

Teen fatally shot in West Englewood

By another teen.

A few more murders and non-fatal attacks rounded out the weekend. Like I said, fairly quiet for this gun free city.

Yes she is....

In a Coalition to Stop Gun Ownership Two-fer, Josh Horowitz claims that Palin is out of the mainstream on gun control.

His defense consists of polls cited by MAIG and supporting the Heller Amicus Brief.

But his most damning evidence? Several paragraphs of ad hominems of Palin's association w/ the AIG.

Josh already has his *ss handed to him trying to push the whole "insurrectionist theory' nonsense. But, as is PuSH'er SOP, repeat ad nauseum in order to make the lie into truth.

My question. If she's 'so far out of the mainstream', how is it that she's part of an organization w/ around 4 million members? More than all the anti-gun groups combined.

Irony..

In the report from French reporter looking to do a piece on youth and firearms, the CSGV was interviewed as well. Here's the header:

"A mentality of fear and distrust, not understanding"

Ladd then goes on to endorse a lack of understanding of firearms while encouraging fear and mistrust w/ this line:

Particularly when you might be building a false confidence in them that they can safely handle firearms in all situations even when an adult is not present.

Yep, leave your kids ignorant because otherwise they might build confidence and not want to rely on the authorities to coddle them their whole lives.

The real goal of the Coalition to Stop Gun Ownership.

"Only Ones" rap...

Sheet that is. Got one? All you need to do is appeal to the Human Resources Board and you can get put back on the CPD hiring list. Want to guarantee it? Bribe Get an Alderman to vouch for you.

Of the 79 people who successfully appealed their rejections from the Chicago Police Department:

• • Eighteen were former drug users. A woman said she was a cocaine dealer at age 12. Others gave seemingly far-fetched excuses: One man, whose father is a Chicago Police sergeant, said he was in Mexico and smoked a cigarette but stopped when he realized it was pot. A woman said she only smoked pot in Amsterdam, where it's legal.

• • Five, including a former Calumet Park cop, were arrested on domestic battery charges. One of them admitted hitting his daughter with a watch during a spanking and was accused of abusing a child in the Cook County juvenile detention center. Another man admitted striking his mother.

• • Four were arrested for battery, including a man who slashed someone with a knife in a bar fight, a man who pushed a teacher down a stairwell as a youngster, a bar brawler and a Cook County Jail guard accused of beating an inmate. He kept his jail job after criminal charges were dropped.

• • Six were in the military and ran into disciplinary problems, including a man who admitted he was diagnosed with a personality defect in the Navy, a man with a "troubling history" in the Navy that previously barred him from the Chicago Police Department, a woman who failed to show up for National Guard duty and a man who was absent without leave.

• • Four were rejects from other police departments, including a woman forced to resign from a Michigan department, a man who failed a Milwaukee Police Department background check, a man who failed an Elmhurst police polygraph and a man who failed a Phoenix Police Department polygraph.

• • Three were tied to gangs in the past, including a Cook County correctional officer who said he was a former Two-Sixer and failed to disclose a disorderly conduct arrest.

• • Two were fired from jobs, including a Cook County sheriff's deputy fired from two security jobs.

• • Two were relatives of crooks, including a woman whose husband is a convicted murderer and member of the Vice Lords street gang.

• • Others were involved in theft, reckless driving, turnstile jumping and underage drinking.

• • Three were endorsed by aldermen despite prior problems with the law. Ald. Walter Burnett Jr. (27th) backed a woman arrested for impeding a shooting investigation; Ald. Helen Shiller (46th) vouched for a man who threatened to shoot someone, and Ald. Toni Preckwinkle (4th) supported a man who sold drugs in the late 1990s.

Some of these things I can see waivering. Minor juvenile offenses? So what. Assault, impeding, fired from other departments? No. These people should not even be considered for law enforcement.