One Step Backward, One Step Forward

Yeah, we took a hit in NV. Today we recover in KS.

Fairfax, Va. --- Kansas Attorney General Steve Six today concluded that the State of Kansas will now recognize ‘non-resident’ right-to-carry permits issued by any of the 22 states already recognized.

Of Course You Do Ray

Washington, D.C. - Ray Schoenke, the President of the American Hunters and Shooters Association (AHSA), expressed support for Judge Sonia Sotomayor as Supreme Court Nominee. Schoenke made the endorsement in a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-VT).

No real surprise there.

“Based on the available case history, it appears that Sotomayor honors precedent. Now that D.C. v Heller is precedent, gun-owners should feel secure that their rights are safe.

Guess what Ray? 'Precedent' would have had Heller fail. 'Precedent' would rule against 2A incorporation.

Then the traditional hit line against the NRA:

After sending the letter, Schoenke stated, “As with most issues involving the Second Amendment, concerns about Sotomayor are being stoked by groups who benefit financially from the politics of fear.

At AHSA, we believe strongly that the Second Amendment is an individual right, as determined in the landmark case, D.C. v. Heller. We know are gun rights are secure and look forward to the expansion of those rights to the states.

No you don't.

Schoenke noted, “In a recent Second Amendment case, Judge Sotomayor simply followed precedent in cases involving Second Amendment rights as it applies to the states. Other conservative judges in the Seventh Circuit took a similar position. What we should be focusing on is making sure that, Heller, through the 14th Amendment’s process of incorporation guarantees Second Amendment freedoms in all states.”

But Ray, once again that's not what 'precedent' would have them do now is it? Basically what you're doing is condemning the 9th Circuit court for ruling for incorporation. By your own argument above, the SCOTUS should rule against incorporation of the 2A. Is that what a 'strong supporter of individual gun rights' would do?

Ammunition Anonymous

Hello.

My name is kaveman...and I, uh...have a problem.

The roots of it can be traced to my childhood, where I looked up in awe to such figures as Batman(wielding dual .45's originally) and Superman. I always thought Spiderman was kinda gay. Not "wiener in the butt kinda gay" but more of a what a lame super-hero kinda gay.

The gateway toys for me were the obligatory squirt and cap guns. It wasn't too long that my primitive side craved something more hardcore. Spring loaded BB guns naturally lead to compressed air Crossmans and Daisys. The movie "A Christmas Story" influenced me on a deep level.

Got my first .22 at age 12 for Christmas. A Marlin Model 81 bolt action. Still have it.

Rimfire gave way to center fire at the age of 15, and that's the slippery slope I've been riding since.

My addiction has grown so bad that I've branched out into handguns and have been known to buy a holster that doesn't fit anything I have at the moment. This forces me to go out and buy a gun that fits it. Scopes as well. I'll buy a scope first and then have to go buy a rifle to slap it on.

Not 20 minutes ago, I went to the grocery store and bought $67 worth of food. Original bill was over $100 but I've got some mad coupon clipping skills. Then I went to the Sporting Goods store and spent $586 on ammo. Last stop was at the dollar store where I bought my dog some raw-hide chew toys and some bird seed for my feathered friends.

I guess what I'm really seeking is some serious help for my addiction.

I need to buy a gun next week to celebrate both the 1 year anniversary of the Heller Ruling as well as July 4th.

What should I buy?

I have most of the 19 weapons named in the '94 AWB and my current tastes are anything that would make Sarah Brady cry and cowboy singles and lever rifles.

Please help me decide.

Speaking of Rambling Nonsense

Several Joyce Foundation funded anti-gun groups are crapping themselves over the 2A Freedom Rally in Chicago today.

On One-Year Anniversary of Supreme Court Heller Ruling that Stripped D.C. Of Its Handgun Ban, Pro-Gun Groups Want To Flood Chicago With Even More Deadly Weapons and Push for Carrying Hidden and Loaded Guns In Public

Read the rest of the PSH 'press release' at Illinois Carry.

Photos of the event here including Rev. 'Snuffy' Pfleger who attended.

'Conservative' Examiner?

A rambling collection of nonsense has appeared on the Examiner site under the 'Conservative' label.

Honestly, I don't think playing the race card, trashing Bobby Jindal, or plagiarizing Brady Campaign talking points has anything to do w/ "Conservatism".

I kid you not. If you're able to make it through this collection of incoherent and misspelled parsings, you'll note that he cut-n-pasted a section of Dennis Henigan's blog, including links, to call for more gun control in Louisiana. Then he has the audacity to post a link to his rant on Dennis' Huffpo blog.

'Conservative' ? I don't think so. You're not even literate enough to know what that word means.

Update: Apparently our illiterate law student decided to reply and continue to show his ignorance. Note that he neglects to respond to any of the facts about gun control vs crime numbers that I presented nor the fact that he blatantly plagiarized part of his post and instead continues to play the race card some more.

@Thirdpower what are a skin head.Are you so far to the right that you would not want to enact a law to prevent the easy buying of guns at a gun show.

That's right. According to this 'Conservative', since I oppose bans on private sales of firearms, I'm a 'right-wing skin head'.

He also doesn't realize that spell-check does not fix grammatical or punctuation errors.

Like I said, he's got no idea what these words mean.

O-day +157: Their Eyes are Opening

What do you get when you believe the promises of a politician on the campaign trail? Exactly what you deserve.

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is taking heat from some gays and lesbians for not fulfilling campaign pledges. He's also taking their cash.

Gay rights activists have complained that Obama has not followed through on his promises to repeal a law banning their open service in the military, to do away with a federal marriage law or to champion their causes from the White House. During his first five months, he's taken incremental steps that have little real effect and left some people feeling betrayed.

Chicago 2A Freedom Rally

Second Amendment supporters will be coming from all over the state to celebrate the first anniversary of U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the DC vs Heller case. This historical ruling finally and firmly rules the right to keep and bear arms is an INDIVIDUAL right. Since that ruling several Illinois cities have dropped their ban on handgun ownership - Evanston, Wilmette, and Morton Grove which was the first city in Illinois to ban handguns. Oak Park and Chicago however still continue to deny their citizens this constitutional right.

More at Illinois Carry

Free Stuff

Want to learn about survivalism basics but don't want to buy a book just to find out it's a bunch of nonsense? Well the Survivalist Blog is offering a selection of E-Books for free.

Good stuff from a good resource. Check it out.

They Lampoon Themselves

Dennis "Of The People" Henigan, VP and Lawyer for the Brady Campaign, seems to be trying to make a voice for himself. To bad it sounds like Fran Drescher in the Nanny.

He currently has a piece up on Huffpo plugging his new book. Just a few choice bits.

"Even most self-identified members of the National Rifle Association support handgun registration and mandatory safety training before purchasing a firearm."

Oh look, a paper by the gun control funded Hemenway (16 yrs old to boot) and surveys written by gun control groups. There's a reliable source on NRA members right there.

"President Clinton's skillful handling of the issue was key to passage of the Brady Bill and the assault weapon ban in the early 1990s. He showed that the gun issue does not have to be just another front in the endless "culture wars."

And his 'skillful handling cost him congress in '94 and Gore the election in '00. Good job there.

For the NRA, it is all about generating fear

Followed shortly by the statement

it gives the gun lobby an absurd amendment that legalizes loaded AK-47s and concealed weapons in national parks.

Pot meet Kettle

Is this the kind of writing Dennis's book is filled with? If this is the highlights, I've read comic books that were more accurate. And they wonder why noone bothers w/ them anymore.

Helping Sportsmen by Attacking Sportsmen's groups?

Less than a day after Gun Nuts Radio tore them into little shreds, crapped on the remains and then buried them, the AHSA issues a press release lamenting the fact that youth are not being taught firearm and hunting safety.

Public schools and many youth organizations that used to teach marksmanship and gun handling no longer do so, or face declining enrollment in their programs. As a result, respect for guns, knowledge about the positive role of guns in society, and even respect for the lives misuse use of a gun will alter are decidedly lacking for far too many of our youths.

Obviously the plan developed by the American Hunters and Shooters Association to rectify this situation is to bend all their efforts to attacking the organization that provides the majority of education programs for youth, hunters, and police alike.

Fine, don't like the NRA. But how can anyone take the AHSA seriously enough to be a member?

$1 Billion Blunder

How do you continue to bankrupt a city? Put a raving, delusional, megalomaniac in charge w/ a bunch of spineless puppets as the peoples' representatives:

After a five-month analysis, Inspector General David Hoffman reached the “conservative” conclusion that Chicago Parking Meters LLC paid $974 million less than the system would have been worth to the city if it raised rates by the same amount and kept the meters for the next 75 years.

Just think of all the lawsuits Daley could have financed w/ that extra $13 million/year. Guess he'll just have to raise taxes some more.

I am SO going to scold my dead grandparents for continuing to vote for him.

Same ol' Josh Sugarmann

Pushing for bans on firearms.

"But he only wants the same safety oversight as everything else". Right.

From Josh Sugarmann in 1999:

A gun-control movement worthy of the name would insist that President Clinton move beyond his proposals for controls...and immediately call on Congress to pass far-reaching industry regulation like the Firearms Safety and Consumer Protection Act introduced by Senator Robert Torricelli, Democrat of New Jersey, and Representative Patrick Kennedy, Democrat of Rhode Island. Their measure would give the Treasury Department health and safety authority over the gun industry, and any rational regulator with that authority would ban handguns...

In the long run, half-measures and compromises only sacrifice lives.

So anything less than complete gun bans is unacceptable to Josh Sugarmann. Not that this comes as a surprise. Note that this was written while Obama was a board member of the Joyce Foundation, the primary financier of the VPC.

h/t to commenter FishyJay.

Blaming the US.

So first we have 'weak US gun laws' allowing guns to flow into Canada and, more recently, Mexico.

Plausible since there are large, unchecked stretches of border between the nations.

Now we have entering the picture the Jamaican Gun Canard, blaming the 'flow' of weapons there on the US.

The difference?

Jamaica is an island nation. It also has an effectively disarmed populace, sky-high crime rates, corruption, drugs, etc etc etc.

So obviously since they can't control their own borders while sitting in the middle of the Caribbean, the US must be at fault.

That makes sense.

Strategically, this seems to be the current plan. "Gun Control" has failed domestically so groups like the Brady Campaign and the VPC need to spread the message that crime in the international community is the fault of the US thereby bringing pressure from the outside for Obama to ratify the CIFTA treaty. We can expect IANSA to start squealing about it shortly along w/ the other Soros and Joyce funded organizations.

Happy Father's Day

In Honor of Founding "Father's Day," I wanted to share some historical insight in how we gained our independence from the British Crown, which was at the time, the most powerful military force the world had even seen.

Enjoy.

And keep your powder dry.

Kane County 'Reasoned Discourse'

According to one hoplophobe, a bunch of NRA reps went to the county board and threatened them into passing the Pro-2A resolution.

Let's look at this individuals mentality shall we?

bullies, downstate ninnies, they're demanding, against any form of gun control, harass, bullies , thinly disguised NRA thugs, anyone else would summarily dismiss them, truly accomplished bullies (again), implicit intimidation, victim's unspoken fears, implied threat, coerce the majority of counties into capitulating, scare tactics, bullies, bullies (he really likes that word), no one needs to own a handgun, don't give the me that bull about defending yourself, Most of you can barely handle a car, much less a firearm, Reasonable gun control, Illinois Pro 2A/NRA bullies (gets old, doesn't iit?), special-interest-beholden politicians reducing elections to some absurd least-common denominator

And for his final insult *drum roll please*

bullies

Shock.

There must be a whole lot of these 'downstate NRA ninnies' driving around the state 'bullying' not only board members but also county sheriffs and state representatives to 'oppose any form of gun control' since 90 counties have passed it and all the Chicago style 'gun control' measures he supports have failed in the state legislature.

This letter epitomizes the close-minded bigotry and stereotyping that seems to have become the mainstay of gun control activists. It can only be slack-jawed yokels from the sticks being prodded by the NRA that would ever even think of picking up a gun. No 'civilized progressive' would ever sully themselves so. It is incomprehensible that an educated, successful individual could support firearms or take time out to actually support that cause.

What's even more telling is that all the while he's denouncing 2A activists as being puppets of the NRA, he's regurgitating every gun control talking point in the book.

Chicago Roundup

4 shot on South Side street

Man shot in head after argument

Man shot in Humboldt Park neighborhood

15-Year-Old Wounded In Roseland Shooting

17-year-old shot in Back of the Yards

Man fatally shot on South Side

Teen killed after SUV rammed by van (gang related)

Man stabbed at fight during festival

3 Men Stabbed at Humboldt Park Festival

Mayor Daley's gun free paradise. And this was on a weekend of crappy weather.

PC UMPC

For those who don't get the tongue in cheek humor of the original banner Robb redesigned one for more conventional applications. As usual, he did a fantastic job.

O-day + 151: If Practicable

It appears the Obama Administration, with further use of weasel words, has thrown another promise under the bus. This time it's his claims that his administration would be an 'open book' in comparison to the ebil Bushitler era.

last week public-interest groups were dismayed when his own administration rejected a Freedom of Information Act request for Secret Service logs showing the identities of coal executives who had visited the White House to discuss Obama's "clean coal" policies. One reason: the disclosure of such records might impinge on privileged "presidential communications."

The hard line appears to be no accident. After Obama's much-publicized Jan. 21 "transparency" memo, administration lawyers crafted a key directive implementing the new policy that contained a major loophole, according to FOIA experts. The directive, signed by Attorney General Eric Holder, instructed federal agencies to adopt a "presumption" of disclosure for FOIA requests. This reversal of Bush policy was intended to restore a standard set by President Clinton's attorney general, Janet Reno. But in a little-noticed passage, the Holder memo also said the new standard applies "if practicable" for cases involving "pending litigation."

While I weep for this once great nation, I laugh at the naive individuals who fell for this personality. You were willingly duped and you know it.

Census Protest

Apparently, in protest to the inclusion of ACORN, move to the White House, and the number of intrusive questions involved, there is a movement to answer only the number in household question on the 2010 Census.

I did not know that there was a fine for not filling it out. Even so I'm plan on following suit. The .gov has already proven they can't be trusted w/ even the most basic of information. Why should I make it any easier for them?

Response from NRA on GAO 'report'

Here.

For American gun owners, the battle will be to make sure that politicians who see an opportunity to advance their gun ban agenda do not use Mexico as an excuse to sacrifice our Second Amendment rights.

And that's exactly it. Paul Helmke and Josh Sugarmann don't care about Mexico. Neither do Clinton, Kennedy, Schumer, Kerry et al . What they care about is using any method they can to restrict firearm ownership here.

And the list came from where?

From NRA-ILA:

In Border States, BATFE Asks: "May We See Your Guns?"

NRA-ILA has recently received several calls from NRA members in border states who have been visited or called by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. In some cases, agents have asked to enter these people's homes, and requested serial numbers of all firearms the members possess.

In each case, the agents were making inquiries based on the number of firearms these NRA members had recently bought, and in some cases the agents said they were asking because the members had bought types of guns that are frequently recovered in Mexico.

This kind of questioning may or may not be part of a legitimate criminal investigation. For example, when BATFE traces a gun seized after use in a crime, manufacturers' and dealers' records will normally lead to the first retail buyer of that gun, and investigators will have to interview the buyer to find out how the gun ended up in criminal hands. But in other cases, the questioning may simply be based on information in dealers' records, with agents trying to "profile" potentially suspicious purchases.

On the other hand, some of the agents have used heavy-handed tactics. One reportedly demanded that a gun owner return home early from a business trip, while another threatened to "report" an NRA member as "refusing to cooperate." That kind of behavior is outrageous and unprofessional.

Whether agents act appropriately or not, concerned gun owners should remember that all constitutional protections apply. Answering questions in this type of investigation is generally an individual choice. Most importantly, there are only a few relatively rare exceptions to the general Fourth Amendment requirement that law enforcement officials need a warrant to enter a home without the residents' consent. There is nothing wrong with politely, but firmly, asserting your rights.

If BATFE contacts you and you have any question about how to respond, you may want to consult a local attorney. NRA members may also call NRA-ILA's Office of Legislative Counsel at (703) 267-1161 for further information. Whether contacting a local attorney or NRA, be sure to provide as many details as possible, including the date, time, and location, agent's name, and specific questions asked.

Is this guy for real?

Fair warning now, the clip is almost 10 minutes long so grab a cup of cocoa and then don't blame me when it squirts out your nose makes your keyboard all sticky.

I'm tempted to borrow the famous "Teh Stoopid" from who ever created the term, but that would be kinda insulting to "Teh Stoopid".

I honestly can't tell if this guy is an anti or a pro-gunner trying to make antis look bad. The only thing I do know is that he needs to stop sniffing his finger; it kinda creeps me out.

For your viewing pleasure.

Will We Hear Outrage?

Democrats attached a completely unrelated amendment to the war spending bill.

I'm sure we'll be hearing how wrong this is on Huffpo and Daily Koz any day now.

Week?

Month?

*crickets*

Thank you for your cooperation

In 1968, Chicago passed an ordinance requiring the registration of all firearms. This is what people received who complied.


Yet crime rates continued to climb.

Since registration worked so well in reducing crime, Mayor Jane Byrne and her Alderman allies stopped any further sales or registration of handguns in 1982.

Yet crime rates continued to climb for another 10 years .

In 2008 Aldermen rewrite the laws to allow themselves to re-register when they forgot to while otherwise innocent people are thrown to the wolves for the same offense.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Low Level Terrorism

Just to add to the many monikers I've accumulated by being a firearms rights activist, I can now add this one:

A written exam administered by the Pentagon labels "protests" as a form of “low-level terrorism” — enraging civil liberties advocates and activist groups who say it shows blatant disregard of the First Amendment.

The written exam, given as part of Department of Defense employees’ routine training, includes a multiple-choice question that asks:

“Which of the following is an example of low-level terrorism?”

— Attacking the Pentagon

— IEDs

— Hate crimes against racial groups

— Protests

The correct answer, according to the exam, is "Protests."

Let's count how many Gov't agencies we can be stereotyped by.

O-Day +148: More is Less

War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.

Walls of the City has an excellently researched post on how the Obama administration is fudging the numbers on the economy.

Tweaking the Numbers

Chicago is touting a drop of 7.9% in crime in comparison to the same time period last year. Looking at the numbers shows the usual 'fun with statistics' that is so common along w/ numbers changing. Beyond the fact that the majority of the drop is in motor vehicle theft, let's take a look at a few others"

Between January and May, murder is down 11.4% in comparison to last year. Sounds good right? Yet last month (April) it was down 18.7%. This change is due to the 47 murders in Chicago in the month of May, 4 more than in May of '08. There is also one less murder listed on the '09 report than on the '08.

Criminal Sexual assault from Jan through May reported 579 incidents on the '08 report but the '09 report shows 608 for the same period. That would be an increase of 6% instead of the 1% shown.

So in one month, Chicago went back on par with '07. If the levels remain stable from now on, they're looking at over 450 murders (mostly gang related) in their 'gun free' paradise. If May's trend continues, they could easily equal or even break last years spiked numbers.

I'm sure it's all due to those right-wing extremists shooting up the neighborhoods like Jesse "hymietown" Jackson thinks.

AHSA Back out of the Closet.

Well, they had their chance. With all of Ray Schoenke's talk of 'consultant based language' and a 'change in leadership' at the American Hunters and Shooters Association, they continue to be nothing more than a hit group against the NRA. Ray continues to use the same rhetoric as Helmke and Sugarmann, heads of the two most active national anti-gun groups. One wonders where the paid AHSA protesters were at the convention this year.

Even w/ all their talk of 'the NRA does nothing for hunters or shooters', not one supporter has been able to show me a SINGLE thing that the AHSA has done at all. Besides endorse long-time anti-gun politicians that is.

Ah, well. No great loss. Real gun groups have been getting more new members each month than the AHSA has fooled in the entire three years of its existence.

Google Searches are Fun

Seven months ago I made a post about another anti-gun organization claiming "they weren't after our guns". Really they weren't. They just quote bogus statistics and receive support from a bunch or organizations that ARE working towards the elimination of private ownership.

Well their chief talking head, Laura Eshelman, Googled her name today and discovered the post so she (assuming it's really her) decided to reply in typical anti fashion:

Oh, give it a rest. You guys are always so darn uptight and angry- perhaps while you're ranting and raving about liberty restrictions, you should consider lobbying for marijuana legalization. It's been proven to be effective in many cases for stress reduction; I'm sure it would make even the most virulent of you gun nuts a little bit nicer (and less likely to get pissed off and shoot innocent people).
-Laura Eshelman

Funny that instead of replying to the cited and sourced criticisms, she resorts to stereotyping and insults. No surprise really. It's all they have.

I'm sure she would really love for us to 'take a rest' because it would give them a chance to return to the echo chambers they once enjoyed. Discourse is anathema to them.

Feel free to stop on by anytime Laura, I always appreciate such 'progressive' posts from my opposition.

BTW, pro-gun, pro-legalization.

Oh, The Irony. It Burns.

Since you're the ones funding the violent radicals on your flank, you need to stop sending them money. Since you know far more about their activities than any one else, you need to be the ones who turn them in. Since you're the ones who make heroes and martyrs out of them, you need to be the ones who call them out as criminals. Until you do this -- consistently, wholeheartedly, and responsibly -- we can only conclude that these assassins are operating with your support and approval...

Now this doesn't come from 'rightwing' extremists talking about Muslims like we heard following 9/11, that would be stereotyping and wrong. Instead it comes from our favorite "Social Futurist" Sara Robinson, via War on Guns, blaming all 'conservatives' for the actions of a few deranged psychopaths. Then it's perfectly acceptable to stereotype. Those of you who read Smallest Minority will remember her previous loonbat tirades.

I wonder if Sara would apply her above statement to 'liberals' and the terrorist actions of 'left-wing' domestic terrorists like ALF and ELF which are financially supported by PETA?

Oh but that's different.

I wonder if she has ANY clue how close she really is to those 'right-wing conservatives' she wholeheartedly and so regularly condemns?

Ah, the 'tolerance' of the 'left'.

Gun Control Laws in Action

JACKSON, Miss. -- Seven of 11 pistols stolen from a police department in the Mississippi Delta have been recovered in Chicago, federal prosecutors said Wednesday in court papers.

How many Federal, State, and Local laws were violated?

• Stolen (Charge of receiving stolen firearm)
• No FFL transfer over interstate lines (Federal law)
• No FOID (state law)
• No waiting / cooling off period observed (State law)
• Pistol in Chicago (Chicago law)
• Firearm in Chicago not registered with CPD on a yearly basis as legally required. (Chicago law)
• Magazine capacity over 10 rounds (Cook county and Chicago law)
• Background check as required by FOID act? (State law)
• Any gun safety locks? (State law)
• Possession of a firearm by a Felon
  
• Machine guns against the law to possess in the State of Illinois

And in a similar case:

Thieves broke into five U.S. Forest Service Police vehicles as the officers slept at an Albuquerque hotel, taking off with several high-powered rifles, laptops and radios.

So by the logic of Mayors Bloomburg and Daley, this is clear evidence that requirements for firearm possession are not strict enough on law enforcement and need to be strengthened immediately. I'm sure just one more 'common-sense' and 'reasonable' law would have stopped these incidents in their tracks.

Right?

H/T to Illinois Carry.

PSH Alert

In Illinois, I am technically breaking the law if I walk down the hill to visit my In-Laws after target shooting w/ my rifle slung or handgun holstered. HB 182 amends that by rewriting the law to include the legal dwellings of other people as long as I have their permission.

According to the claims of Joyce Puppet (notice how that name keeps popping up) Legal Community Against Gun Violence Ownership, this bill is a defacto Concealed Carry bill and will allow me to go into practically any building I want with any gun I want and the owners and police can't do squat. These are the examples they give:

A domestic violence offender, who is a prohibited purchaser and not allowed to have a gun, calls his friend to come over to his house with his gun to intimidate his partner.

A drug dealer selling drugs out of his home has armed bodyguards to avoid being charged with unlawful possession.

A young adult throws a house party, friends come over carrying guns, and it quickly gets out of control.

Now which side uses fear mongering and hysteria again?

Illinois residents who haven't messed themselves need to contact Gov. Quinn to make sure the anti's message isn't taken at face value. Call 312-814-2121 or click here to send email.

Probation Violations

In DC, a scumbag w/ a history of violence walks into the Holocaust memorial and kills an officer. Gun Free zone. Prohibited person out on the streets. The usual 'reasonable, common-sense' things that keep not working.

In Chicago, two 'children' aged 20 and 21, both prohibited persons with a long history of violence and criminal activity, in a 'gun free zone', murdered a Chicago police officer.

The 'fun fact' about this one? The alleged shooter had been in court just two weeks prior on his THIRD, yes THIRD, parole violation.

The judge let him go home.

What can you say to that?

No Friends of his Own

In Josh's latest dance reveling in the use of a gun in crime to push his agenda, Josh Sugarmann of the Joyce Foundation puppet (and memberless) Violence Policy Center, attempts to take a dig at the number of firearm advocates present online:

"LaPierre's head-bobbing apologists (see comments below) "

What Josh is really upset about isn't the fact that someone was murdered using a gun, but the fact that practically noone supports his cause of trying to take away firearms from those NOT out committing crimes w/ them. The 'comments below' are almost universally in support of firearm rights and oppose his attempts to ban guns in any form. Nevermind the fact that only about 1 out of 20 firearm owners are NRA members, he's upset that, over the last few months, the NRA has signed up more NEW members than he's gotten dollars from his Sugarmann daddies at the Joyce Foundation.

Poor Josh. Seems he will continue to be a sad clown.

Management Training

Teaching individuals to shoot safely is a primary activity of all firearm activists. One of the dangers we face, though, is WHERE to take them as a primary activity of the anti's is to close as many ranges as possible through legislation, litigation, and outright harassment.

So the NRA, in association w/ the NY Rifle and Pistol Assoc. , are offering a forum on how to start up a club or association.

“Running a range or a gun club is like running any other business,” said NRA National Clubs & Associations Manager, Elizabeth Bush. “You have to gather information, make improvements, and communicate with the public. Instead of spending a few weeks trying to find the answers on your own, spend a few hours with us and get all the answers you need.”

Dangerous Grannies

They need to be taken down.


Police Officer Shoots 72-Year-Old Texas Woman With Taser During Traffic Stop

Wonder if he got a DNA sample as well.

That just ain't right.

We've all seen the PSH talking points concerning National Park Carry so there's no need for me to rehash them all. But one of them hit kinda close to home and something happened last night that was a stark reminder that 4-legged critters have their own code and can crop up when you least expect them.

I get home from work yesterday and let the dog out so she can mark the fence post in her own style of doggie blogging. Typical. I turn on the radio and start doing the dishes as NPR explains the finer points of just how bat-shit crazy Kim Jong Il is.

About an hour later, Chako(Chay-ko) walks back in through the open door dripping wet from the river and I notice she has something in her mouth. Again, typical...I don't give it much thought. In case you're wondering, she's 50% Black Lab and 50% Pitbull, which simply means she'll run through water in order to bite you. I jest a bit, she has the temperment of a lab with the strength of a pit. As I'm finishing up the dishes, she's crunching down on what sounds like bone. Now I become curious.

Walking into the living room, Chako tries to hide what she has. She fails. What do I find in the jaws of my dog?

The head of an alligator.

I should probably remind you at this point that I live in Oregon. Last time I checked, gators weren't one of our native critters.

My best guess is that it was a Spectacled Cayman, which is legal to own as a pet but not advisable. I've known a few folks who have bought Caymans as cute little babies and got rid of them any way they could once they realized that they tend to grow up. I surmise that's what happened here. Someone bought a baby and let it loose once it reached a certain size.

From snout tip to the center of the eye sockets measures 5 inches. The rows of teeth measured 2.5 inches apart. My best conservative guesstimate is that this little fella was approximately 4 feet long nose to tail.

I can't be certain if my dog came across it alive and ripped the head off or simply brought home an opportunistic chew toy, but it showed no signs of decomposition and smelled like something just pulled from the river(ya, I gave it a sniff, deal with it).

So the next time someone postualates, "What are the chances of you encountering a bear while in the woods?"

Feel free to ask them on my behalf..."What are the chances of a mixed breed dog encountering an alligator in Oregon, ripping off its head and dragging it into your living room for supper?"

I've now had the pleasure of experiencing both.

What to invest in?

This is something I've been preaching for a while.


Good ol' Denis Henegin even makes an appearance.

I even found the video linked on the Brady Bunch web site.

Contraction vs Expansion

While the national Brady Bunch is reduced to focusing on individual states, state firearm organizations are expanding to promote national initiatives.

The Illinois State Rifle Assoc. has established a National PAC to "elect those who support the 2nd Amendment, and work even harder to un-elect those who do not."

How the mighty have fallen.

Quote of the day

Four-and-a-half months into his Administration, it sounds like there is a difference between Candidate Obama and President Obama.

-Paul Helmke

No sh!t sherlock. Candidate Obama was saying anything (while at the same time saying nothing) to get elected. President Obama now has to face the political realities of Washington DC (which he had little experience in having started his campaign mere months into his Senatorship) and trying to KEEP his party and himself getting elected.

Obviously, as is his SOP, that includes throwing all those minorities like gays and gun controllers under the bus when his promises become inconvenient.

Poor Paul, I guess MikeB was right. The Brady Campaign does have the political savvy of schoolchildren if they thought a politician was out for anything but his/her own electability.

Focus on Illinois II

Two weeks ago I posted on the Anti's modifying their tactics to focus on certain states that they feel they have an chance at succeeding in. This included Illinois.

Illinois NRA lobbyist Todd Vandermyde has informed us that the Brady Bunch has filed the paperwork to form a Political Action Committee (PAC) so they can try and influence Illinois elections to get more Chicagocrats into office.

From the Brady's:

"Illinois was selected to be part of this strategy because of the strength of organizations and advocacy in the state. The electoral strategy in Illinois is exactly what we did in California. We know it works. We are raising money in Illinois that is specifically earmarked to hold people accountable. We have a comprehensive strategy that involves raising funds, getting our message out on the phone and through the mail, and working in conjunction with other interested parties."

"What else does this strategy involve? We call it the concentric circle strategy. First, you want to make sure that all of your urban legislators are voting with you – you start with the areas that are most affected. In Illinois, that means asking if all Chicago legislators are on our side. If not, we have to take care of that. The point is, get your areas of strength locked up. Then, move into the ring of suburbs that border Chicago. Then you go to the next “ring.”

They're going to keep Chicago w/o a doubt. Our job is to make them hit a brick wall when they try to expand outwards. They know they'll never get the rural areas. What they want are an additional half-dozen to a dozen suburban votes to swing the tide. If that happens, we WILL see bans on 'assault weapons', .50 cals, magazine limitations, gun shows, additional licensing of owners and dealers, 'safe storage', victim accountability, and every other 'reasonable' measure the Brady's think they can get away with to limit and reduce firearm ownership.

All Illinois firearm owners need to contact their reps and senators.

My Kind of Church

Pastor Invites People to Bring Guns to Church

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Kentucky pastor is inviting people to bring their guns to church to celebrate the Fourth of July and the Second Amendment.

New Bethel Church is welcoming "responsible handgun owners" to wear their firearms inside the church on June 27, a Saturday.

An ad says there will be a handgun raffle, patriotic music and information on gun safety.

Church pastor Ken Pagano says guns must be unloaded and private security will check visitors. He says recent church shootings make it necessary to promote safe gun ownership.

Marian McClure Taylor is executive director of the Kentucky Council of Churches.

She says churches work to prevent violent harm and promote peace, but most "allow for arms to be taken up under certain conditions."

Ok. They've got to be unloaded but I'll bet that 'private security' are other church members.

A 'Smattering' of 2A Activists.

Those are the words of Brady spokesperson Chad Ramsey on the Campus Carry movement.

Opponents of concealed carry say there are relatively few students who are behind the movement. "What we're hearing is that they do not want guns on campus," said Chad Ramsey, spokesman for the Brady Campaign, a gun control advocate in Washington. "There is a smattering of Second Amendment activists out there. But I don't think there is a major grassroots effort among students — I think most students have been advocating the other side of the fence."

Uh huh. Sure. Kind of like when the Brady Campaign claimed that the SCCC was organized and financed by the 'gun lobby'?

The SCCC has over 37,000 members with groups on dozens of campuses in almost every state. All organized by students and former students.

The Brady Campaign claims on membership vary but are usually about 50K and has been seeing their support steadily erode over the last 15 years with turnout at their demonstrations in the double digits at best. The group "Gun Free Kids" in contrast IS funded and organized by the Nat'l anti-gun groups and has far fewer members and has far fewer clubs around the nation.

Who has a 'smattering' of activists again?

Not the First Time

Caleb, Sebastian, and Uncle point the the vandalism that occurred by anti-gun activists on a Georgia range. Unsurprisingly, this is a regular occurrence in Illinois with the Champaign County Burma Shave signs.

Anti's go on and on about how violent firearm owners are. Obviously they're against them because of what they themselves would do if they owned guns.


THanks to John Naese of GSL for the Image.

Missing the Point

I hate ACU's. In their attempt to find a camo pattern good for all environments, the Army designed one good for none. Look how clearly it stands out in a woodland environment:


And no, it's not just the lighting.

Silly me. I thought the idea behind camouflage was NOT to be seen.

Stereotyping

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A Muslim convert accused of killing a soldier in a "political and religious" attack on a military recruiting center pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a capital murder charge and was ordered held without bail.

Yep.

Epidemic of Gun Violence?

Nope.

Population group	Number of agencies	Population	Violent crime	Murder	Forcible rape	Robbery	Aggravated assault	Property crime	Burglary	Larceny-theft	Motor vehicle theft	Arson
Total	12,750	258,350,856	-2.5	-4.4	-2.2	-1.1	-3.2	-1.6	+1.3	-0.6	-13.1	-3.9

Pinning all their hopes

After being resoundingly disappointed in the lack of gun bans and restrictions by their golden boy Obama, the Brady Campaign is pinning all their hopes of avoiding incorporation of the 2A on the nomination of Sotomayor for SCOTUS.

I agree w/ Paul on this one. She's an anti-gun activist at heart and an Obama nominee so we shouldn't expect any logic or critical thinking from her when the Chicago case gets heard in front of the Supreme Court no matter his claims of her support for 'precedent'.

Yet on the other hand, she's going to replace a judge who ruled against Heller anyway so it's a zero net loss/gain for both sides.

I think she's going to get nominated. Anyone who goes against her will be called a racist and/or sexist, depending on which will get more traction.

We'll see what happens.

Attack on Children

Can't beat the military in a straight fight? Go after little kids to use as shields and hostages.

Not all cultures should be considered equal.

Attack on our military

Military recruiter killed in Ark shooting

My initial guess? An anti-war advocate targeting recruiters. Fox is reporting there is a 'device' in the suspects' SUV.

Paying it Backward

So what is the traditional response to out of control gov't spending and decrease in revenue due to a recession?

Why raise taxes and fees of course.

"But we'll increase deductions for the poor and middle class", they whine. "It will only effect businesses and the wealthy."

And what will those wealthy people who own those businesses do? Why raise their prices and/or cut back on hiring/services. Then there's also the fact that all those 'fees' and 'service' taxes disproportionately effect the 'poor and middle class' since we still have to get vehicle stickers, buy gas, etc. Can we say 'regressive tax' boys and girls?

Now the 50% increase mentioned in the above article did just fail in the Il house 42-70. What is currently up, and has already passed the Senate, is a 67% income tax increase from 3% to 5% plus numerous 'services'.

Yep. Genererate revenue by impoverishing the residents of the state even further while driving out business and voting yourselves pay increases each year. And these people keep getting elected.

Poaching on the Rise

Kaveman e-mailed me to inform me that the predicted effects of concealed carry in Nat'l Parks is already occurring. Two individuals in Michigan have been convicted of poaching.

Now we just have to wait for the dozens of forest fires that will be started.

Truth or Dare.

Armed and Safe notes that the ICPGV and the ICHV have become so unglued about a minor change in Illinois firearm law that they are blatantly lying to their members to try and get some opposition to it.

Who relies on 'fear' again?

Update:House Bill 182 passed the Illinois House today by a vote of 90-28. The bill now heads to the desk of Governor Pat Quinn (D) for his consideration.

Dear Mr. Bravely Anonymous

A few days ago I posted a piece on the American Hunters and Shooters Assoc.'s attempts to revamp its image as a real organization for sportsmen in lieu of an anti-gun group in camo. In response, I got one individual who took offense at me mentioning the fact that the AHSA supported Obama for president regardless of his history of anti-gun activities:

What has Obama, as president done AT ALL to affect gun rights?

ANS: NOTHING

Ok Mr. 'Anonymous', that's fair enough even with the qualifier. However is it due to a lack of desire or is it political expediency? Every single member of his cabinet has a strong history of supporting 'gun control'. Was this a conscious choice by Obama or is this merely representative of the DNC leadership pool that he had to choose from?

Of course that's only ancillary to what's being avoided. Ray Schoenke himself stated opposition to assault weapons at one point but now claims support. Was that the statement of 'consultants' or his opinion? If it was his opinion, what caused it to change?

What is the AHSA going to do fix its image as a gun control group in camoflage?

These are all legitimate questions that deserve an answer if the AHSA wants to even have a chance at being taken seriously as a gun rights group.

Like I said, I'm willing to listen. Instead of being a drive-by troll, come and discuss the issue. The door's open. Are you up to it?

Random Musings

Watching TV the other night, I saw an ad for a new prescription drug to counter Acid Reflux. As I have regular heartburn I paid attention. Then I decided I would never buy this product.

Why?

Because a company that couldn't hire an advertising company that could see the negative implications of the name of their product isn't one I would trust to do quality research.

The name of the product?

Aciphex. Pronounced "Ass Effects".

There was another product a while back for hair removal. Designed in Australia, they obviously used a Australian marketing company. It was called Nads.

I'm sure they were most embarazar when they were told about these little gaffs.

Just Another Day in Chi-Town

Federal charges expected today against Ald. Isaac Carothers

3 arrested, 9 hurt in shooting, chase and wreck

Teen Charged In Brutal Slaying Of 15-Year-Old

Ho hum.

Implications and extrapolations

I’ve seen a lot about the Colosimo case and the cabal that sparked it on the gun blogs I frequent, but I just ran across this nugget which might have slipped under the radar. More likely someone else has scooped this already; I’m just saying it was news to me and I wanted to share.

“Twelve religious activists pulled off a legal miracle yesterday: They convinced a judge - who once worked for the Philadelphia Police Department, of all places - that it's OK to break the law if the harm you cause is less than the harm you think you're preventing.”

Read the whole thing…and think about it.

My ponderings?

I should premise the following by saying that just because I raise the question, it in no way serves as to any clue to my beliefs. Don’t try to get inside my head, you’ll just get lost. I’m simply taking the logic from this decision and extrapolating.

Is it OK to bomb an abortion clinic because you believe “the harm you cause is less than the harm you think you're preventing?”

Is it OK to bomb a school which teaches evolution because you believe “the harm you cause is less than the harm you think you're preventing?”

Is it OK to kill gays serving openly in the military because you believe “the harm you cause is less than the harm you think you're preventing?”

Is it OK to kill people who drive an SUV because you believe “the harm you cause is less than the harm you think you're preventing?”

Is it OK to destroy someone else’s SUV because you believe “the harm you cause is less than the harm you think you're preventing?”

Is it OK to hunt down and kill hunters because you believe “the harm you cause is less than the harm you think you're preventing?”

THAT is what this decision gives precedent to. Let’s have some hypothetical fun, shall we. These are not my views, but the apparent views of Municipal Court Judge Karen Yvette Simmons.

It is now OK to kill members of organizations who strive every day to chip away at my Constitutional Rights because you believe “the harm you cause is less than the harm you think you're preventing?”

It is now OK to kill members of the legislative branch who strive every day to chip away at my Constitutional Rights because you believe “the harm you cause is less than the harm you think you're preventing?”

It is now OK to kill members of the judicial branch who strive every day to chip away at my Constitutional Rights because you believe “the harm you cause is less than the harm you think you're preventing?”

It is now OK to kill members of the executive branch who strive every day to chip away at my Constitutional Rights because you believe “the harm you cause is less than the harm you think you're preventing?”

Before I get the predicted response from any wandering posers about the difference between protesting and murder, I would like to remind them that the distinction is not made is this ruling.

All that matters is that one believes “the harm you cause is less than the harm you think you're preventing?”

If that’s not the most dangerous shit you’ve ever read; if that doesn’t make your bones chill, then I shudder at the thought of you exercising your right to vote, even though I will defend your right to vote with my life.

I’m kinda complicated.

It's like a bad TV show script.

Tapes of the Burris/Blago scandal have been released and, unsurprisingly, it digs Burris into a deeper hole regarding his purchased appointment to the US Senate.

What's really bad is the way these two talk. It's literally like the script off of a crappy crime show where the 'bad guys' are trying to be subtle and skirt around directly saying they want bribes:

"And therefore I can go off to, you know, wherever and do all these great things," Burris adds. He says that he has "been trying to figure out what the heck, you know, I can do."

"We've had a number of conversations about, you know, anything you might be able to do," Robert Blagojevich says a moment later.

They're both a couple of morons, you know.

Brady Bunch book out in June

Here's the prolouge...

Sorry for the dual post, been a while. Let me know what you favorite quote is.

Tacticool goes mainstream.

Watching "Deadliest Warrior" on Spike, I noticed a new brand of commercials. These are from a company called "OpsGear" marketing the usual array of stuff. Uniforms, gear, boots, t-shirts, etc.

What that means is that these kind of products are becoming so popular, companies can afford to market them on TV instead of just the usual dead-tree catalogs and online ads.

Cool.

Unique

You'll probably see a Prius w/ a peace symbol. You might see one w/ an American flag. How many will you see w/ Peace Through Superior Firepower, UMPC, NRA Life Member, and Illinois State Rifle Assoc. decals?


It definitely helps ID'ing it when on campus.

More Pizza = More Crime

Really.

Politician Blames Neighborhood Crime on Pizza Sales

And these people are elected.

AHSA 2.0: A New Beginning?

Seems the AHSA is trying to revamp its image big-time:

From Ray Schoenke on the AHSA Facebook Page):

"Harman - AHSA will be updating it's website very soon, and there will be measurable changes. Much of the previous language was consultant based. Those language, and firearm consultants are no longer with us."

Seems all the work put into showing the true face of their 'consultants' (ie board members like John Rosenthal et al) were successful. Now we get to have fun seeing what direction they take w/ it.

If they read this, I'll be frank. It will take a lot of work from them to even make me trust them a hair. It wasn't that long ago that Ray Schoenke stated that he opposed Assault Weapons before condemning Holder for supporting a new AWB. Was that the statement of a 'consultant' or was it his belief? It wasn't that long ago that they endorsed Obama, a politician w/ a long history of anti-gun legislation and statements under his belt yet now they oppose the issues that he has held since the beginning.

OK Ray/AHSA. I'm a fairly easy-going person. Willing to live and let live for the most part. What are you going to do, actions wise not words (we all know what those are worth) to convince me you're sincere?

Poachers and Rednecks and Arsonists! Oh My!

45Superman points to a true piece of shorts filling goodness on that bastion of intelligence, the Daily Koz.

Did you know that allowing Concealed Carry in Nat'l Parks will allow drunken rednecks to shoot up their neighbors, decimate wildlife, and start wildfires without repercussion? Really.

I love how disjointed these nutballs get.

Focus on Illinois

According to a legislative update by the Illinois Council against Handgun Ownership, a primary Joyce Foundation puppet organization, they and the Brady Campaign are planning on focusing on Illinois during the up and coming legislative and election seasons. They realize they've lost the fight nationally and are now fighting desperately to keep whatever ground they can in states they feel are susceptible to their nonsense( ie Illinois via Chicago).

Their plan is to take Joyce Foundation money (the 'strong organization' they mention) and use Chicago as a bulwark to try and move out into the suburbs one legislator at a time.

As Todd Vandermyde so distinctly put it. "Game On"

Robb Allen is Awesome

He designed this most excellent banner for DOOTwear.

Maybe the Blogosphere should be regulated..

For accuracy. Huffpo would then be bereft of the majority of its publishers including this nitwit. While whining about the Credit Card/Concealed Carry in Parks bill, he blathers:

At a time when gun violence kills more Americans than ever before,

Uh, no. Perhaps you might want to look at the FBI numbers from the late 80's and early 90's. You know, the heydey of gun control activism. It's about 2/3rds what it was then.

He also relates us with this magical tale:

No state is considering legislation to make it harder to buy a gun.

Really Scott? I can find about a dozen bills in Illinois alone that were introduced at the start of the legislative season. Never mind NY, CA, or the numerous other states high on the Brady list.

Really man. If you're going to open your pie hole, do some basic f*cking research before you spew your nonsense.

Commercial Appeal

Commercial Spot for Days of Our Trailers courtesy of Cowboy Blob.





Make sure to check out all his other great videos of the convention and gun related issues.

Still a Sad Clown

Our buddy Josh is really upset over the House and the Senate passing the Credit Card/Park Carry bill:

This dangerous provision will put park park rangers, visitors, and wildlife at extreme risk. Don't believe me? Listen to the people who actually work every day to protect our nation's parks and their visitors.

Josh, you said the same crap when CCW was sweeping the nation. Police officers have not died by the droves by license holders. Streets are not running red with blood.

As a matter of fact, you've been spouting the same thing about Assault Weapons, the DC Handgun ban, plastic guns, 'cop killer' bullets, caseless ammo, and a litany of others for years and it still hasn't happened with any of them.

No wonder nobody listens to you anymore.

Quote(s) of the day

Kaveman on Huffpo:

Go out into the street and ask 100 people if they know what the NRA is.

Now ask those same 100 people if they know what the Brady Campaign is.

Reply by MolonLabe:

Of COURSE they know what the Brady Campaign is......

It was the movement in the 70's to revive Florence Henderson's career.

Good Sheepdogs

Much has been made over the selection of speakers at the 2009 NRA convention. Basically it boils down to "What was the NRA thinking?". I mean come on. Mitt "The Sh*t" Romney. John "AGS" McCain. Michael "my balls aren't made of" Steele? These are some of the biggest RINO's the GOP has to offer and are no friends to gun owners, that's for sure. I certainly didn't want to waste several hours of my life listening to them try and kiss my ass because they realized they f*cked up and that getting the support of 4 million + people is a good political move.

Because that's why they were there and that's why the NRA invited them.

Think about it. These guys are part of a party that is in worse shape than it has been for decades with no sign of it improving any time soon. They need to do everything they can to get back to the base that they've abandoned since they got cocky after getting into power and that means courting this huge base of pro-gun leaning voters.

That also means that they need us. We don't need them. There are lots of other politicians who support firearm rights that we can put in their place. "Daschle" became a verb because he promised to support gun owners then didn't.

But we're good sheepdogs. It's our job to bring them all back into the fold when they've strayed to far from the flock. It's up to them to bleat the message that keeps them in the fold now that they've realized who's in charge. Otherwise they may find themselves in an uncomfortable situation again.

Now that doesn't mean we throw them back out to the wolves if they get out of line. Good sheepdogs don't do that. But we wouldn't be adverse to pushing them into a more visible location when the shepherd gets lonely and comes looking for some lovin'.

Blogger Bash 2009: My Thoughts

Cost of gas to drive to and from Phoenix: $140
Amount it took to replace shoes that melted in 105 deg weather : $25

The look on Paul Helmke and Josh Sugarmann's faces seeing tens of thousands of gun owners give them the proverbial middle finger: Priceless

Even though I spent over 48 hours on the road and am completely exhausted, the two days I got to spend there were totally worth it. Seeing Sebastian, Bitter, Kevin Baker, Mike W. , US Citizen, The Ten Ring folks, etc. again was great along with meeting for the first time Breda, Alan , Sandcastle Scrolls, Dustin, Cowboy Blob, ExUrban League, Eric Shelton, Primeval Papa, Daniel Pehrson and many others. I know I've forgotten a bunch of names so please forgive me if I left you out.

The convention itself seemed a bit more chaotic than last year but the centralized location and practically ALL functions w/i walking distance made up for that. Had I known how close everything was in comparison to last year, I would have just flown.

The Blogger Bash also showed some improvements with the addition of several topical speakers like Cam Edwards on Podcasting/NRANews and Darren LaSorte on Hunting issues. Both were very informative and well attended. I think the rule for drawings next year should be if you're not in attendence at the drawing, another name is drawn.

It definitely had more of a professional feel to it as the importance of "Alternative Media" is being recognized by not only the NRA and state affiliates, but also by anti-gunners like our buddy Josh Sugarmann. I spoke at length to numerous local organization leaders, NRA Gen Ops and ILA media reps, lobbyists, state reps, and dealers all wanting to increase their relationships with us in information dissemination, advocacy, advertising and a multitude of other areas. This is a good thing for all involved.

For my side, this was no NRA lovefest. I specifically went with the intention of letting them know my and other Illinois firearm owners standing on the Concealed Carry issue. I spent several hours going head to head with them over it. I listened to their reasons and I understand why they won't go all out for it and they know that I, and many other IL residents, are going to keep to our guns to get it passed any way we can no matter the stance they take. As for the political speeches, I didn't bother. With my limited time, I didn't want to waste it listening to a bunch of RINO's tell me how much they support the 2A and then go and vote for whatever bill they think they can get away with.

Some things I learned:

Leaving soda cans in a locked car in 105 degree weather is bad.
Bacon-wrapped shrimp w/ BBQ sauce is good.
19 hrs of driving sucks.
Media credentials can open doors and also get you threatened.

Thanks to Bitter for once again putting this together and all the attendees who braved the unnatural heat to show thier support. Also thanks to all the NRA reps and staff including Rachel Parsons, Glen Caroline, Cam Edwards, Scott Christman, Lars Dalseide, Danielle Sturgis, Brent Gardner, Andrew Dysart, Alexa Fritts, Vickie Cieplak and all the ladies running the Press Office table.


Blogger Bash 2009 Day 1
Blogger Bash 2009 Day 2A
Blogger Bash 2009 Day 2B
Blogger Bash 2009: Day 3

Blogger Bash 2008