Another "I'm a gun owner but..."

She doesn't like the NRA supporting pro-gun legislation. Fine. I can support that. Except when their reasons are based on complete ignorance. For example:

If I may, the NRA was very vocal in the fight concerning assault class weapons, such the M-16 and the AK-47. While these two weapons in particular are not the issue, the debate was that citizens had the right to hunt with assault class weapons.

I disagreed on the principle of the argument. Citizens do not need fully automatic assault class firearms to go hunting. The statement was absurd, but upheld by members of the NRA.

Or (Regarding the Thune amendment):

If a person unable to purchase a gun in one state, can simply skip to a state where he will pass the tests and receive a concealed carry license can then return to the original state, he is now in effect in violation of the original states law, designed with public safety in mind.

Assuming that this individual is really a gun owner, what this shows is that our biggest enemy is not the Brady Campaign or Josh Sugarmann but outright ignorance. Obviously they have not read a single thing about either issue beyond what they saw on TV or read from 'authorized journalists'.

"Assault Class Weapon" is right out of the gun banner lexicon.

Had she bothered to actually READ the amendment she would have noted that it specifically said:

to allow citizens who have concealed carry permits from the State in which they reside to carry concealed firearms in another State that grants concealed carry permits, if the individual complies with the laws of the State.

Now, when called on it, she's hopping around saying she 'remembers' the NRA pushing fully autos (those 'assault class weapons again) for hunting but that semi-autos are 'excessive' anyway.

Hopefully our continued discussion opened her eyes a little. She seemed to be basing her entire philosophy on firearms based upon her personal experiences and needs. She couldn't see the 'need' for a semi-auto rifle yet chose a semi-auto handgun for personal self defense. She couldn't see the 'need' for national reciprocity because she doesn't regularly travel, ignoring the choices or needs of those who do carry across states.

Eight Little Mayors, Sitting in Jail

Tryin' to get to Heaven by the end of their bail....

By the latest count.

Passaic, NJ Mayor Samuel Rivera
Frank Melton, of Jackson MS
Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick
Birmingham, Al Mayor Larry Langford
Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon
Jeremiah Healey of Jersey City
Racine, WI Mayor Gary Becker

Are joined in their fine club of indicted and/or convicted MAIG mayors by Bayonne, NJ Mayor Joseph Doria whose house was raided today in conjunction w/ numerous corruption arrests. Included in this was the Deputy Mayor of Jersey City, Leona Beldini, whose boss, Jerramiah Healy is a MAIG member.

I missed this one. Thanks to SIH for the heads up.

Spinning Thune

SIH notes that both the VPC and BC have issued press releases on the failing of the Thune amendment today in the Senate.

What neither presser notes however is that it received 58 votes in support out of 97 cast. A clear majority.

While they're praising this victory over a 'dangerous gun bill' they're secretly on their knees thanking whatever deity they believe in that this required 60 votes instead of a simple majority.

Update: Helmke's Huffpo gloat is even funnier. Still no mention of the 58 senators voting in support but he goes on and on about 'elections having consequences' and the 'diminished clout of the NRA'.

If this is 'diminished clout' then the gun banners are hurting even worse than is commonly thought.

Mandate on CCW Reciprocity

While the Thune Amendment failed to pass by 2 votes, it showed what kind of support it really had in the Senate. 58 Senators voted for it. That means that over 1/3 of the Democrats supported the measure. That's not just a couple of defectors like the few Republicans who voted against it. That's solid support.

This issue will come up again. We'll see what the trend is next time.

Only a few....

That's what we've been told about the heavy weapons used by Mexican drug cartels. They only have a 'few' grenades, RPG's, etc. Some idiots even argue that real assault rifles are to expensive for the Cartels to purchase.

Four months later, police discovered a training camp for the Zetas, one of Mexico's fiercest gangs, a few miles south of the Mexican border in Ixtcan. They also found 500 grenades and thousands of bullets believed stolen from the Guatemalan army

500 grenades in one camp. Stolen from the military. Odds are good those weren't the only items taken.

Yet anti-rights activists like Paul Helmke, Josh Sugarmann, and Bryan Miller are more concerned w/ semi-auto's and revolvers that they get from the US. They think giving MORE money, equipment and guns to the very gov'ts that the Cartels are getting their weapons from is a peachy-keen idea.

It's all those damn gun shows again.

Chicago Style Elections, Honduras Edition

Seems that the 'referendum' in Honduras may have been pre-decided:

Tegucigalpa -- The National Direction of Criminal Investigation confiscated computers in the Presidential House in which were registered the supposed results of the referendum on the reform of the Constitution that was planned by former President

So assuming this is true, will we hear a peep out of our dear leader and his spokes-critters for their support of Zelaya?

Was this a test case for '12?

"Broad Discretion" = Racism and Discrimination

Unsurprisingly, the Staten Island D.A. opposes the federal CCW reciprocity concept.

""The broad discretion afforded by the New York City Police Department to deny permits would be vitiated by this bill because those Mississippi permit holders could carry concealed firearms in New York City without any firearms training whatsoever," he wrote.

Yes, we all know what 'broad discretion' means. It means that unless you're politically connected and/or rich, you're not getting one.

So to justify his support of blatant discrimination, he has to lie:

The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2009 would open the door for criminals to carry weapons in New York, Donovan said.

As if 'criminals' would bother w/ licensing.

And this is the way it always turns out and why we're winning. When a bill like this comes up, anti's start throwing out the anecdotes and nonsense fear mongering. We respond with logic and a presentation of the facts like the one that violations of any kind by CCW holders are less than by the 'average' citizen and exponentially less than by members of Mayors Against Illegal Guns.

H/T to NYSRPA

Where do the guns come from again?

MEXICO CITY – Mexican investigators have detained 10 police officers in the torture and killings of 12 federal agents whose bodies were found dumped along a highway in western Michoacan state...

Prosecutors also charged a former mayor of the town of La Huacana, where the bodies were found, for alleged links to organized crime.

Isn't it comforting to know we're sending millions of dollars in cash and equipment to help the Mexican Gov't fight crime?

Illinois Police support Concealed Carry

"If you're not sure if a guy has a gun, you may not try to do some things to him that you might otherwise try to get away with," said Peoria police Officer Troy Skaggs, president of the Peoria Police Benevolent Union. "It's the fear of the unknown."

In February, the Illinois Sheriffs' Association passed a resolution supporting a concealed-carry law in Illinois, with several conditions in place.

Then in May, Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis expressed public support for Peoria becoming a test city for statewide legislation that would allow people to carry guns in a responsible way.

During a recent 10-week stint at the FBI's National Academy, which brought 250 worldwide law-enforcement executives to Quantico, Va., Peoria Police Chief Steven Settingsgaard said, "Everyone I spoke to was in favor of concealed carry."

On July 9, the village of Bartonville and its police department passed a resolution in support of the ISA's recommendation for legalized concealed-carry accompanied by stringent regulation of the process.

"We're supporting the sheriff's association with mandated regulations if the Legislature decides to enact concealed- carry in the state," Bartonville Police Chief Brian Fengel said. "They're already out on the streets. The gangbangers already have guns. This would allow law-abiding citizens to have them with mandatory training and background checks."

Read the rest. The support just continues. This is what you get when a paper does something other than cut and paste Brady Campaign press releases.

HT to WOG

Shooting at "Snuffy" Pfleger's Church

Two people were wounded in a shooting this evening near St. Sabina Church in the South Side's Auburn Gresham community, authorities said.

The teen boys had been inside the gym as part of a youth sports program when they stepped outside and began arguing with someone in a brown van, said Roderick Drew, Chicago police spokesman.

Hmm. Nothing suspicious there.

He could not provide a description of the shooter.

Because none of the 'victims' will provide one, I'm sure.

Pfleger said he was offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the shooter.

Seems you need to talk to your parishioners Snuffy.

I'm sure these were just a couple of 'good boys' who've never done anything wrong before and get straight A's in school.

SNAKES ON THE RANGE!!!!

Item No. MRE-865

Each case has 12 meals, a five-year shelf life and includes a hot entrée, dessert, snakes, condiments and a heater. Believe it or not, they actually taste as good as canned food!
Regularly: $79.97

Email Price: $69.97




From yesterdays CTD e-mail offer showing why you shouldn't trust spellcheck. mmm slithery goodness.

"Be Afraid of Our Rights"

Says Jersey City Police Chief Thomas Comey as he blames everyone and thing except the criminal for the shootings yesterday. "Assault Weapons", "Liberal" gun laws, NRA, etc. The usual litany of finger pointing as he advocates banning pump action shotguns.

More at GRE.

O-day +177: Stimulus then and now

That is why I have moved quickly to work with my economic team and leaders of both parties on an American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan that will immediately jumpstart job creation and long-term growth.

-Obama Jan 8, 2009

And as we see the unemployment rate continue to spike, in some areas above 15%, enter the weasel words:

"This legislation was designed to cushion the downturn," said White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs. "That's why we have always talked about this as one function of economic recovery."

"It's always challenging to explain that things getting less bad is actually a necessary path on the way to them being good, but that's the truth," Bernstein said. "The trends have to go recession, stabilization, recovery. Negative, less negative, positive."

"Less Bad"? The only industry that is currently solvent due to Obama is the firearm industry and that's because he threatened to end it. Unemployment is rising. Businesses are failing. Banks are still tanking. People are still defaulting on mortgages at record rates.

And this is 'stabilized'?

Yet w/ constant evidence of Obama throwing people under the bus and mismanaging this nation into the ground, his most ardent supporters still cry out "I believe".

And the irony is is that a large proportion of those people are the same ones that attack(ed) fervent Bush supporters for doing the exact same thing.

Chicago Gun Rights Examiner

Don Gwinn of the Armed SchoolTeacher has joined the prestigious ranks of individuals like David Codrea, Kurt Hoffman, and numerous others in propagating our message through Examiner online.

Make sure to check out his very first piece.

Unpossible in Chicago

CHICAGO (CBS) ― Three men were fatally shot. One man was fatally stabbed. Police shot one man and at least seven other people were wounded by gunfire -- including an 8-year-old boy sitting in his bedroom -- during an especially violent six hours late Wednesday and early Thursday mainly on the South and West Sides.

But Chicago and Cook County have even stricter 'reasonable, commmon-sense' gun laws than NJ.

I don't believe this actually happened.

NRA on Sotomayer

We believe any individual who does not agree that the Second Amendment guarantees a fundamental right and who does not respect our God-given right of self-defense should not serve on any court, much less the highest court in the land. Therefore, the National Rifle Association of America opposes the confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the position of Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

Read the whole thing here.

Unpossible in NJ..

NJ has 'reasonable, commonsense' gun control. This is obviously a fabrication.

JERSEY CITY, N.J. - Five police officers and two suspects were hit in a wild shootout in the area of Bergen Avenue and Reed Street on Thursday morning. A total of eight officers were injured.

Obviously the 'one-gun a month' law would have stopped these individuals in their tracks.

Update: The story's changed from 'automatic' shotgun to 'illegal pump' shotgun.

On Sotomayor

Yes she's going to get nominated. Yes she's going to be a disaster for the country.

But at least Obama didn't nominate this guy:

Goodbye Terror Alert.

The Terror Alert System is either going to be revamped or eliminated all together. Alan of SnarkyBytes suggested it be changed to this:

And for an extra amount of fun, DHS is accepting public suggestions at :

hsasreview@dhs.gov

One of These Things is Just Like the Other..

Via NYSRPA:

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Ownership endorses Sotomayor for SCOTUS.

And what other fine organization has done so?

Telling. Isn't it?

Wildlife Photography

For me birfday, I got one of those outdoor cameras for taking pictures of wildlife. Put it out over the weekend and got some pretty neat shots. Mostly of the dogs though and one of a very surprised father-in-law. One thing I noticed was that it gave a similar effect to timelapse photography watching the light change over the time I had it set up.

Look off in the distance on this one.

First Responder

You're driving along, looking forward to a nice hot meal. As you go around a corner you come upon another car, flipped over, wheels spinning, debris still bouncing on the road.

What do you do?

Standing next to the car, you note it's still running.

What do you do?

There's someone inside. He's breathing and his eyes are open but he's not responding to stimulus.

What do you do?

He starts regaining consciousness but is still heavily disoriented and starts thrashing around in the car.

What do you do?

The above is not a hypothetical but an actual situation that I experienced this weekend. Thankfully I've had enough (very) basic training in first aid and accident response to react properly until better trained and equipped individuals arrived on the scene. Others who stopped helped direct traffic, call 911 to report, what have you.

Some just stood gawking and taking pictures.

Who would you be if you were the first on the scene? Do you know enough to help in even a basic way or would you just stand there hoping someone else will help?

I'm glad that I was able to help this individual and do my duty as a responsible citizen and not as a leech on society.

The tale of two Mexicos

What's the difference between Mexican drug cartels and the Mexican Military that Obama has promised to arm to the teeth with your money?

Apparently, not much.

Hopeychange

Free police starter kit

When are we going to see the antis call for this LEO to bear some of the responsibility when these weapons and items are used in crimes?

Brady Campaign looking for new shorts on S845 as well

That bill noone heard of before yesterday? The Brady's are putting out pressers and sending out e-mail alerts w/ some true PSH.

So are they just looking for an easy 'win' on a bill that is destined to die or is there actually some sort of momentum on this thing that's managed to bypass everyone's attention?

VPC craps themselves over National Reciprocity

From a VPC E-mail:

We need your help to stop dangerous legislation now pending in the U.S. Senate that would force our communities to permit dangerous individuals from other states to carry loaded, hidden handguns in public. We need you to call your two U.S. Senators right away and tell them to oppose this measure.

The bill in reference is S. 845 which has 22 co-sponsors as of June 20th. Note that Josh refers to CCW holders as 'dangerous individuals' even though he's statistically more likely to commit a crime than a licensed carrier.

He gives two good reasons to support the bill.

o The bill, S. 845, would dramatically increase the number of individuals carrying concealed handguns in public in your state.

o S. 845 would require states to recognize concealed carry permits that are issued by other states.

And conveniently gives a date:

The U.S. Senate is expected to vote on S. 845 as early as Monday, July 13.

Thanks for the heads up Josh. It's appreciated.


H/T to Kaveman for the forward.

This is what should be on the news....

Band Of Brothers Hero, Darrell ‘Shifty’ Powers Dies

To hell with Michael Jackson. To hell with Michelle Obama's hairdo's.

This is news. He should have gotten wall to wall coverage, 1.4 million dollar memorial services, and parades.

Not a has-been pedofile.

H/T to Irons in the Fire.

Just Another Line on the Mausoleum

In a move showing either that he's not completely without wits and wants to withdraw with a shred of dignity intact or that he wants to add a few more lines to his obituary, Roland Burris is stating that he won't run for a full Senate term in 2010.

One point is that he shouldn't have had the chance to make this choice in the first place as our elected Senators should have had enough courage to maintain their original opposition to him after Rep. Bobby Rush (D, IL-1) played the race card to get him seated.

Another is that the odds are we're going to end up w/ another turd anyway. Rumors are that the Illinois Dems are pushing current AG Lisa Madigan (a NON-signatory to theChicago AG Amicus Brief, and a supporter of the DC Handgun Ban) to run for the seat and I suspect the state Republicans will hold up to their moniker in choosing an opposing candidate.

Ah well, we still have another year and a half of the crap sandwich that are our Illinois Senators before the next election.

California IOU's

As the state is billions of dollars in debt and is talking about issuing out IOU's instead of actual money, they decide to spend over a million dollars providing services for the Jacko Memorial.

They're not really upset though because they originally thought it would cost about $4 million.

Bread and Circuses.

Not a 'Gun Ban' Organization?

"Brady does not advocate banning guns."

--Doug Pennington, Brady Campaign Asst. Communications Director

Really?

Wouldn't it be more effective to bar dealers from selling assault weapons to prevent the traffickers from getting the guns in the first place?

---Dennis Henigan, Brady Campaign Vice President and Legal Director

I'm a Gun Owner but....

In a letter making the internet rounds from one eminently proud of his stance, one 'gun owner' hates the NRA and wants Sotomayer confirmed.

It follows the traditional "I'm a gun owner but.." format w/ the author listing his 'credentials' of firearm ownership, how he's really smart, loves his guns, but....

He hates the NRA.

He doesn't actually present a REASON in his letter of why she should be confirmed or dispute any of the points Chris Cox made other than that he hates the NRA:

NRA characterizes the firearms issue through narrow toilet-paper tubes of fear that 'liberals' with anti-gun agenda will take away our guns. The reality is that illegal and improper use, storage or transfer of guns is a significant problem in America. I strongly support gun ownership but come down on the side of organizational and personal responsibility and competence with respect to guns. Guns are dangerous.

Yep, it's not the 80%+ recidivism, gangs, or violent drug culture that's the problem, it's legal gun owners.

He then goes on a rant about how the NRA does nothing for hunters and sportsmen (now there's a familiar phrase). Here's a telling part:

Here in Idaho where I live there are no NRA basic firearm training programs even though this is a great outdoor sports state.

Hmm. About ten seconds on Google found numerous available instructors, courses and programs including Spudguns.net, Idaho Ordnance, etc. Using the 'Find NRA near you' feature, I found even more. Nevermind that our very own Joe Huffman lives in Idaho and could have pointed him to the right people if he didn't do the instruction himself. So our 'strong supporter of gun ownership' is either ignorant or FOS.

Then follows some questions he'ld like to ask Sotomayer:

Do you believe that gun ownership in America carries responsibility by the owner to be competent in the storage, handling, maintenance, and use of the owned firearms?

Do you think that the 'well regulated militia' language in the second amendment implies that private gun owners should be trained and certified perhaps as automobile drivers are tested for knowledge, skill, and abilities?

Should gun ownership carry insurance requirements for liability and health damages caused by the gun owner?

By the phrasing, I'm going to take an educated guess he supports licensing, legislated training, safe storage, and mandatory insurance for all firearm owners because we can trust the Gov't to uphold our rights. That's exactly the view held by the Founding Fathers. Right?

Now, coinciding with the above highlighted phrase, I did a little research on our alleged gun owner. Turns out he is a strong Obama supporter with donations totaling over $2,000 for the last election.

Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

I'm so glad to have such a 'strong supporter of gun ownership' out there defending my rights even though his 'support' makes a 'Prag' look like a 'Threeper' in comparison.

More from Caleb.

CATO files 2A Amicus Brief

Via IllinoisCarry:

Last summer, in District of Columbia v. Heller, the Supreme Court confirmed what the Framers, most scholars, and a substantial majority of Americans believe: that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms. Heller led to lawsuits raising the question of whether the Fourteenth Amendment protects that right against infringement by state and local governments. In a consolidated case involving a challenge to Chicago's handgun ban, the Seventh Circuit answered that question in the negative, finding itself foreclosed by 19th-century Supreme Court decisions. Cato, joining with the Institute for Justice, filed an amicus brief supporting requests for the Supreme Court to review that line of precedent. We argue that the Court's initial encounters with the Fourteenth Amendment yielded a profound misreading of its Privileges or Immunities Clause that has haunted the Court's rights jurisprudence ever since.

Download a copy of the brief

90% Canard Debunked by GAO

"The facts are it's 90 percent of the guns that were traced, that we were able -- that the Mexican government and ATF were able to send back here to be traced by ATF. It does not represent the 75 percent of the guns that we don't know where they came from because they were never submitted for trace. That's clearly stated in our report. So if someone's misreporting that, you know, that's not my problem. But our report is based on the facts."

--Jess Ford GAO

Now we get to watch Paul Helmke of the Brady Campaign back-peddle furiously from his statement made back in April:

As the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) reports, 90 percent of firearms recovered at Mexican crime scenes have been traced to gun sellers right here in the United States.

So since one big number didn't work, now he's jumping on another one to try and generate any knee jerk reaction to restrict and ban guns. What he doesn't focus on is that the '20,000' guns is over a period of 5 years and that, according to the very GAO report he cites, over 4,000 (20%) came from California, rated A+/#1 by the Brady Campaign.

So even those 'tough, common-sense' laws in place aren't enough to curb their desire for even more restrictions. Never mind the fact that numerous US and Mexican officials have been caught smuggling guns. You know, those ones we're supposed to place our absolute trust in?

Keep throwing out those numbers Paul. Maybe someone will believe you.

Update: Kaveman also notes some previous number fudging that Paul is trying to avoid. Like when the claimed that 2,000 guns per day were crossing the border. Assuming all those 20K went to Mexico and returned within those five years, it would average 11/day. Someone of a discrepancy of 99.45%, Not a very good 'estimate' was it Paul. Nevermind them quoting Mexican officials claiming grenades and rocket launchers are coming from US gun shows.

Armed and Safe has more.

Eat it Helmke

Fairfax, Va. – Two-thirds of the nation’s attorneys general have filed an amicus brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to grant certiorari in the case of NRA v. Chicago and hold that the Second Amendment applies to state and local governments through the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. This bi-partisan group of 33 attorneys general, along with the Attorney General of California in a separate filing, agrees with the NRA’s position that the Second Amendment protects a fundamental individual right to keep and bear arms in the home for self-defense, disagreeing with the decision recently issued by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

“The historical record clearly shows that the Second Amendment was intended to apply to every American in every state in the country,” said Chris W. Cox, NRA chief lobbyist. “As the Supreme Court said clearly in last year’s landmark Heller decision, the Second Amendment protects an individual right that ‘belongs to all Americans’. Two-thirds of America’s state Attorneys General agree.”

The Seventh Circuit claimed precedent bound it from holding in favor of incorporation of the Second Amendment. However, it should have followed the lead of the recent Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Nordyke v. King, which found that those cases don't prevent the Second Amendment from applying to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause. The Seventh Circuit opinion upholds current bans on the possession of handguns in Chicago and Oak Park, Illinois.

California attorney general Edmund G. Brown Jr. is filing a separate brief arguing that the Supreme Court should take up NRA’s appeal and hold that the Second Amendment is incorporated against the States.

“It is fundamentally wrong to violate the civil rights of any law-abiding person based on their zip code,” Cox concluded. “The fundamental right of self-defense must be respected by every jurisdiction throughout our country.”

State Attorneys General Amicus Brief
California Attorney General Amicus Brief

I hope Paul, Bryan, and Josh are now crapping themselves hoping they can get a few AG's to support them.

Unsurprisingly, the Illinois AG is not a signatory.

Serial Killers on Parole

The SC serial killer that murdered 5 people in cold blood was, surprise surprise, a lifelong criminal who had just been released on parole.

"Look at this," Lloyd said, waiving a stapled copy of Burris' criminal record. "This is like 25 pages. At some point the criminal justice system is going to need to explain why this suspect was out on the street."

But the only thing that made him do it was the gun.

Trust the Gov't. They're here to help.

Fair and Balanced 2A Education in Illinois?

Surprisingly yes. The State Goal Assessment page on the 2A debate actually presents complete neutrality on the issue*.

Is there hope for our future generations?







*Void in Chicago.

O-day+ 165: Rose Colored Glasses

MikeB made a comment on Obama's 4th of July Speech:

Thirdpower, You're right, of course. I'm concerned about all the unkept promises, and even more than them, I'm concerned that the planned buildup in Afghanistan is quickly turning into a shit-awful mess.

Yet, when I hear him speak, I get that rose-colored-glasses kinda feeling. You gotta admit, he can deliver the patriotism, Founding Fathers line with the best of 'em.

Others that fell for his 'Cult of Personality' are having those glasses removed:

Colin Powell, who broke ranks with the Republican Party last year to endorse Barack Obama, now worries that the president's agenda is increasing the size of government and the federal debt to alarming levels.

He continues:

"And I never would have believed that we would have budgets that are running into the multi-trillions of dollars, and we are amassing a huge, huge national debt that, if we don't pay for in our lifetime, our kids and grandkids and great grandchildren will have to pay for it."

That EXACT SAME THING WAS SAID DURING THE ELECTION. Perhaps people should have done a little critical thinking back while the campaign was still going on.

But the majority of the public preferred "that rose-colored-glasses kinda feeling". They wanted him to wrap them in a soft, warm blanket and be soothed by his words while the economy and the nation fell to ruin around them.

Yet even after all the lies, broken promises, and kowtowing to some of the worst dictators in the world, his most ardent supports still respond, hands clasped and eyes closed, with a heartfelt:

"I believe him."

While you celebrate the Independence Day, read these words and contemplate what they really mean.

Happy 4th of July folks. Keep your powder dry.

"Common Sense" Gun Control

Letting criminals out on the streets and full gun registration.

This coming from a candidate for district attorney.

He's mad because the NRA didn't like his proposal to 'encourage' people to let the police search their homes for 'illegal' firearms. "No charges would be filed" he says. So a person who wants the job of upholding the law is willing to let criminals roam free? All because he doesn't like guns? And if that gun comes back traced to a murder? Still no charges or will they just drop the 'possession' charge? That makes sense. I'm sure the parents of every 'good boy' out there will open their doors for this.

He's also upset that the NRA opposes his bill on firearm tracing. But let's look at the nuance:

trace a gun used in a crime, even if the gun wasn't left at the scene.

Even if it wasn't 'left at the scene'? How would that work?

His bill would mandate that guns sold in New York include a new microstamping process that imprints a serial number on every bullet fired.

Oh, right. Microstamping. So he's not calling for firearm tracing. He's calling for full registration of firearms in the state. We all know how well that's worked out for firearm owners in the past. Nevermind the facts that the SCOTUS has ruled that criminals don't have to register since that would be self-incriminating, that the technology is easily defeated and that it is nowhere near mature.

But that's just 'common sense'.

My Heller/July 4th gun.

I would like to thank everyone who commented on my Ammunition Anonymous post.

It looks like Rick wins the day.

I went and bought the Taurus Judge Magnum today after work and I'm having a hard time typing this and fondling it at the same time. It is "previously owned" so I need to get it up to my cleanliness specs before I sleep tonight. I swear if I ever lose my current job I'm going to apply to all the gun shops to hire me to clean their swaps and trade-ins for them. If used car lots have the sense to wash-n-wax their trade-ins and vacuum up the resident mouse turds, I think gun dealers could find a bit of use in someone who likes to clean dirty guns. I even built an uber-cleaning kit which wieghs about 10lbs, all in a convienent carry case. It has everything, plus a spare.

I've been buying a new gun for each July 4th for at least 10 years now. I also usually buy myself a new toy for my birthday each year. I don't have the cash flow to buy any real collector items, but that's part of the beauty of gun collecting. Most of my guns have left some stamp on history, which means they were mass produced on some level.

I have the gun which Germany used in WW1 and WW2(Mauser). I also have the Garand which bested the Germans. I gots the gun the Koreans used against us. I gots the gun the Viet Cong used against us. I gots the guns we used to best them all. My fancy of late has been guns of "The Wild West." The way I look at it is that if I posses the equipment used, I also have a short-cut to the spirit needed in those times.

Even If I flushed all that down the crapper with so much diarrhea...

I have my father's .22 rifle
I have my father's 30.06 rifle
I have my Grandfather's .22 pistol
I have my Grandfather's .22 rifle
I have my Grandmother's .410 shotgun

My collection is more than the sum of its parts, It is history.

Enjoy the 4th of July, and stay safe.

Reasoned Discourse on the Examiner

A few days ago I posted a link to a rambling collection of words on the Examiner site.

This idiot, name of Clifford Bryan, thinks that crime in NOLA is a conspiracy by 'whitey' against blacks. Clifford Bryan is also a firm believer in Reasoned Discourse. After denying that he (Clifford Bryan) plagiarized Brady Campaign lawyer Dennis Henigan, he (Clifford Bryan) then deleted the majority of my posts including the one showing the comparison:

Clifford Bryan's post:

In defense over 80% of gun owners support extending Brady Act background checks to private sales at gun shows. Even most self-identified members of the National Rifle Association support handgun registration and mandatory safety training before purchasing a firearm.

Written 4 days after this:

But it is also true that over 80% of gun owners support extending Brady Act background checks to private sales at gun shows. Even most self-identified members of the National Rifle Association support handgun registration and mandatory safety training before purchasing a firearm.

Yet he (Clifford Bryan) states:

@Third Yes I deny it and I am upset you would call me out like that.I leave links to any material I use.

So he's upset he got caught. Wonder how much else of his 'writing' is original? This guy is the epitome of gun control activism. We need more like him.

Update: Seems he's finally recognized (at least partially) the error of his ways. After initially denying he'd done so, he linked to Henigan's blog post.

Minors and Firearms

Kurt over at Armed and Safe/St Louis Examiner looks at the issue of a case dealing w/ minors and firearms:

The question thus becomes one of whether or not the Second Amendment protects a minor's possession of a firearm. Readers might guess that I'll have difficulty finding a way of reconciling shall not be infringed with a lack of protection for such a right. Those readers would be correct.

Here's the comment I left:

As a parent, I'm mixed. Do we go down the slippery-slope and say it's OK for grade school children to walk around w/ handguns unsupervised? Drop the age to 16? 12?

With parents legally responsible for youth under the age of 18, who becomes responsible/accountable should something happen?

It's a legitimate debate that needs to be examined for not only Constitutional issues but safety issues as well.

Initially I think we should look at getting the handgun/long-gun ages at all levels dropped to age 18.

Kurt also notes that the state is ignoring the fact that the 9th Circuit (of which WA is a part of) ruled for incorporation.

No Legitimacy

One measure of the stability of a nation or state is how the citizenry perceives its government. Whether all the rules are followed, elections are held, etc. all come into play.

This legitimacy has been declining in the United States, once considered the most stable of countries.

This is just one more example of why:

As state Democrats convened around noon to hold a one-party session, Republican Sen. Frank Padavan of Queens walked through the chamber on a hunt for the soda machine -- a caffeine quest that would later result with him being tallied as voting with the Democrats.

Padavan reportedly claimed he was taking a short-cut to the members' lounge, but the 31 Democrats seized the opportunity to count him as their 32nd vote and unanimously passed 125 bills in three hours with Republicans absent -- the latest attempt to break the 3-week-old stalemate that has caused a power struggle in Albany.

Yep. These idiots tried to pass over a hundred bills by lying about the numbers of legislators in the 'meeting'. I'm sure their supporters are clapping their hands in glee over pulling a fast one on the 'Rethugs'. The governor, on the other hand, is showing some integrity by stating he will sign NONE of the bills.

This kind of stupid crap needs to stop. Our republic is in enough danger of collapsing from the mountain of debt that our dear leaders have generated, bills designed to destroy the remains of American industry, and the systematic dismantling of our education system raising generations of lazy, ignorant couch potatoes.

Will they be held accountable in the next election? Doubltful. The media will run front page editorials glorifying them every day while the only reporting of their opponents will be damning accounts of them having scratched their crotch once in public.

And the band played on.

Illinois Residents, Call Your Governor.

HB 182, the bill decriminalizing having a firearm outside of your home, is on the Governor's desk. He now has 60 days to sign or veto it.

By Phone or Mail:

Springfield
Office of the Governor
207 State House
Springfield, IL 62706
Phone: 217-782-0244
TTY: 888-261-3336

Chicago

.gov/Office of the Governor
James R. Thompson Center
100 W. Randolph, 16-100
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: 312-814-2121

By E-mail:

http://www.illinois.gov/gov/contactthegovernor.cfm

Whores

The Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Rev. Al Sharpton have converged on Michael Jackson's family since the King of Pop's sudden death last Thursday, acting as semi-official spokesmen and advisers.

Why ANYONE continue to listen to these pieces of garbage is beyond me.

Trashing the Bill of Rights

It's comforting to know that the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Ownership doesn't just oppose the Second Amendment but also has issues with the 4th and 5th. Or at least they have no problems violating them in order to continue to try and ban guns.

Dennis Henigan of the Brady Campaign, a supposed constitutional lawyer, supports the Lautenburg bill, a bill that strips rights from people who have not been charged with any crime. He openly admits that tens of thousands of innocent people are on these secret lists and that innocents will continue to have their rights stripped from them but that's OK he claims. They can get it fixed later. You know, after the fact.

If the Lautenberg/King approach were to become law, there would no doubt be some mistakes made, in which gun sales are blocked due to incorrect information, mistaken identities, or other problems. Recognizing that no public policy applied in the real world is perfect, the Lautenberg/King legislation provides for mechanisms to correct such mistakes while making it harder for terrorist suspects to arm themselves.

So to answer his question: Are these problems with the existing list a good reason to oppose closing the "terror gap" on gun sales?

Yes Dennis. It is. For you to think otherwise shows just how desperate your organization and people like you are to do anything you can to disarm the public.

Now answer my question. If all these people are considered so dangerous that they can't board aircraft or own firearms, why aren't they in custody?

DC Voting Rebirth

From the DC council:

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D.C.)submitted a detailed proposal to House and Senate leaders for passage of the District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act earlier this week, and has since had conversations with Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.). “I am very encouraged by the response of our two leaders and by their assurances,” Norton said. Understandably, however, the Congresswoman has not made public the details of the proposals while they are being considered.

Basically their desire to keep the citizens of DC stripped of their rights to own firearms is MORE important to them than the getting right of their citizens to vote.

Of course this 'Congresswoman' also thinks legalized discrimination is A-OK.

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*