comments in () by Stephen P. Wenger
http://www.spw-duf.info
Poll - Most Americans Believe in RKBA: The October issue of Outdoor
Life arrived in the mail today, and inside are recent poll results
that might be of interest to hunters and fishermen. The polls,
conducted by Rasmussen Reports, asked whether the Constitution
guarantees the right to own a gun and what was behind the recent
increase in gun sales. Among Americans polled, 75% said the
Constitution guaranteed the right to own a gun. The percentage of
"yes" answers was higher among Republicans (92%) and lower among
Democrats (64%). Among others, 71% answered yes. As for the second
question, 57% of those polled cited fear of increased government
restrictions as the reason for a spike in gun sales; 23% said it was
because of a fear of crime, while 20% were unsure. What Outdoor Life
left out was that Americans appear to be evenly divided regarding the
much hotter issue of gun control: 44% of respondents said stricter
laws are needed, while 44% said they're not. The other 12% were
unsure. Republicans and Democrats were evenly divided as well: 63% of
Republicans polled said they opposed stricter gun laws while 62% of
Democrats said stricter laws are needed… (I neither hunt nor fish. I
guess, according to the L.A. Times, these poll results should not
interest me.)
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/outposts/2009/09/united-states-gun-survey.html
Related Commentary:
http://www.alphecca.com/?p=1752
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The Beat Goes On but Not in Russia: For years, the AK-47 assault rifle
has been the world's most popular weapon, the gun of choice for
dictators, gang members and Third World revolutionaries. But the
global recession and a proliferation of copycats has left the Russian
maker of the Kalashnikov, OAO Izhmash, in financial turmoil. Monday, a
court in Russia said it will consider a bankruptcy application filed
against Izhmash by a supplier owed more than $13-million (U.S.).
According to reports out of Russia, Izhmash has been losing money for
years on its small-arms business and closed its largest gun factory in
Izhevsk for much of 2009. The company, which makes other military
weapons and hunting guns, has blamed its problems on falling orders
from the cash-strapped Russian army and a flood of AK-47 look-alikes
from factories in China, Bulgaria, Poland and elsewhere… Izhmash's
troubles stand in contrast to some U.S. gun makers, such as Sturm
Ruger & Co. Inc. and Smith & Wesson Holding Corp., whose sales and
profits jumped sharply this year. That's largely due to specialty
products and political issues in the United States where people have
been buying guns out of concern President Barack Obama will tighten
gun control during his tenure…
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/kalashnikov-faces-bankruptcy/article1296238/
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NSSF to Educate Public on "EBR's": The National Shooting Sports
Foundation has launched a national media campaign designed to correct
widespread misperceptions among gun owners and non-gun owners about
AR-15-style rifles, also known as modern sporting rifles. "The
best-selling rifles in America today are those based on the AR-15
platform - they are today's modern sporting rifles - yet they remain
America's most misunderstood firearm because of confusion caused by
their cosmetic features," said Steve Sanetti, president of the
National Shooting Sports Foundation, trade association for the
firearms industry. Sanetti said the confusion is understandable
because a modern sporting rifle looks like a military firearm, like an
M-16, for example. "We want people to understand that these civilian
sporting rifles function just like many other sporting rifles, as
semi-automatics, firing only one round with each pull of the trigger,
and are widely used by hunters and target shooters and for home
protection. They are not 'evil' or 'bad' firearms, as some would have
you think," Sanetti emphasized… ("EBR" = "Evil Black Rifle," a
sarcastic term used by gunners to classify semi-automatic firearms
with a military appearance.)
http://www.ammoland.com/2009/09/21/nssf-to-educate-america-about-ar15-rifles/
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Virginia Tech Students Seek Support: Our self-defense rights are under
fire here at Virginia Tech, and we're asking for your help in
protecting them. The "Center for Peace Studies and Violence
Prevention" is holding its first event of the semester, and they are
making it clear that their idea of preventing violence is achieved by
disarming good people. The event involves a screening of ABC's
horribly-biased 20/20 special "If I Only Had a Gun" (see critiques at
the end of this letter) followed by a panel discussion with Q&A – and
of course, the panel is loaded with anti-gun folks… So, since the show
is biased and the panel is loaded, in response we need to load the
audience with people who understand and respect the right to bear arms
and the right of self-defense. I understand this is short notice, but
since we just learned of the event, we too are having to make
adjustments to attend. If you can make time on Thursday night for
this, here's what we need people to do…
http://www.ammoland.com/2009/09/21/anti-gun-event-at-virginia-tech/
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Seattle Mayor Sets Himself up for a Fall: Ousted Seattle Mayor Greg
Nickels must be a masochist, yearning not only to be remembered as the
mayor whose reign was called because of snow, but the man who also
turned political defeat into public humiliation by opening the door to
a lawsuit he – and in his wake, the city he should have served instead
of trying to run – will certainly lose. At least, that's the analysis
of Alan Gottlieb, founder and executive vice president of the Second
Amendment Foundation in Bellevue, just across Lake Washington from
Seattle. He's the fellow poised to file that lawsuit, and he's got an
impressive track record. Twice SAF has sued the City of San Francisco
over gun bans – the second time in partnership with the National Rifle
Association, Law Enforcement Alliance of America and other plaintiffs,
the first time back in the 1980s all on its own – and won both times.
SAF has forced Washington, D.C. to revise its handgun policies now
that its gun ban has been stricken by the U.S. Supreme Court, and SAF
is currently suing the City of Chicago over a handgun ban, a case that
could end up before the high court…
Missouri Castle Doctrine Clarified: The Castle Doctrine has been on
the books in Missouri for a couple years but one lawmaker says it is
still often misunderstood. That's why Sen. Jack Goodman, R-Mount
Vernon, is trying to clear up any confusion about a person's right to
act in self-defense. With the recent case of a man from Springfield
who shot at a purse thief, many viewers asked about the rights of
people with conceal-and-carry weapon (CCW) permits, along with the
Castle Doctrine. Goodman authored the law. He says the most recent
version of the Castle Doctrine states a law-abiding homeowner can
assume that someone who breaks into his home is there to do him bodily
harm and can fully defend himself against that intruder… This differs
from the CCW law in the sense that, under that law, you can't defend
yourself with a gun against someone trying to steal property when
you're outside your home. The Castle Doctrine allows lethal force if
someone is breaking in; CCW law says, when someone is causing an
imminent threat to you or another person, you can shoot at him but not
if he is only threatening property.
http://www.ky3.com/news/local/60002072.html
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Industrial-Security Group Opposes Parking-Lot Storage: The Legislative
Action Center (LAC) under the ASIS International Public Affairs
Department continues to monitor legislation relating to guns on
company property. ASIS has taken a position opposed to state laws that
would prohibit employers and others from having and enforcing policies
to keep firearms off their premises. Oklahoma, Kansas, Minnesota,
Kentucky, Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, Utah, and Florida have
enacted such legislation. Other states are considering bills, and the
National Rifle Association actively opposes such legislation. ASIS
believes that property owners should have the right to decide whether
weapons may be brought onto their premises. ASIS affirms that any
state attempting to limit this right infringes on the basic rights of
private property owners. ASIS will continue to speak out against these
laws and to urge state legislatures to oppose them. ASIS's volunteer
leaders are urged to assist at the grassroots level. For more
information, contact Jack Lichtenstein, ASIS vice president for public
affairs, at jlichtenstein@asisonline.org. Updates will also be posted
on the ASIS Web site: www.asisonline.org. (For better or for worse,
they appear to have missed the similar bill which takes effect in
Arizona on September 30.)
Illegal Alien to be Sentenced for Firearm Possession: A Roland man
pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court for being an illegal alien
in possession of a firearm. "Charges arose from an investigation by
the Sequoyah County Sheriff's Department and the U.S. Department of
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)," Sheldon J. Sperling, U.S.
attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, said. The indictment
alleged that on or about June 6, during the execution of a state
search warrant, Alejandro Perez-Padron also known as William A.
Vellasquez, 27, was arrested after he was found in possession of a
loaded Smith and Wesson 40-caliber pistol. The pistol was tucked in
his waistband and Vellasquez also had 24 rounds of .40-caliber
ammunition in his front pocket. "The defendant is an illegal alien and
is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition," Sperling said.
"Perez-Pardon was indicted in July." Magistrate Judge Steven P.
Shreder in the U.S. District Court accepted Perez-Pardon's guilty plea
and ordered completion of a pre-sentence report. Sentencing will be
scheduled following its completion. The defendant remains in the
custody of the U.S. Marshal Service pending imposition of sentence.
Sperling said the punishment is not more than 10 years imprisonment
and, up to $250,000.00 in fines. "A preliminary calculation of the
sentencing guidelines projects an advisory sentencing range of 12-18
months imprisonment," Sperling said.
Rule One, Rule Two Reminder: An Imperial man is dead after
accidentally shooting himself in the head while teaching his
girlfriend firearms safety. Sheriff Glenn Boyer said that on Friday,
deputies responded to 4307 Rock Valley Court in Imperial for a
shooting. Investigators found 40-year-old James Looney with a gunshot
wound to the head. According to witnesses, Looney was demonstrating
how to use the different safety mechanisms on several guns to his
girlfriend. The witnesses said Looney would put the guns to his head,
and before pulling the trigger, would ask her if she thought the gun
would go off. With the first two guns, the safety mechanisms worked.
The third gun fired. Looney was transported to an area hospital, where
he was pronounced dead the next morning. According to witnesses,
Looney was going to take his girlfriend to the shooting range the next
day, but insisted on the lesson on firearm safety the day before.
Deputies believe alcohol was involved. (Rule One: All firearms are
always loaded. Rule Two: Never let the muzzle cross anything you're
not prepared to shoot.)
http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=185501&catid=3
http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/st-louis-crime-beat/2009/09/21/gun-safety-demo-turns-fatal-in-jeffco/
An Orion Township man accidentally shot himself in the finger Sunday
when he went after a burglar, but was scared by his cat. "It just goes
to show you, if you're going to own a gun and use it for home
self-defense, you'd better know how to use it," Major Bob Smith of the
Oakland County Sheriff's Office said today. "It's like buying a car
and not having a clue how to drive it." The 21-year-old man was home
alone on Ridgeview Circle early Sunday when he heard a noise in the
basement, according to the Sheriff's Office. He grabbed a .22 caliber
handgun and headed to the basement. However, he accidentally fired the
gun when his cat jumped out and startled him, hitting himself in the
index finger. There was no burglar. Investigators, called when the man
went to Crittendon Hospital for treatment, recovered the gun at the
scene. (It sounds like it's a good thing he only had a .22.)
http://www.freep.com/article/20090921/NEWS03/90921019/1005/Orion-man--startled-by-cat--shoots-self
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Rule Five Reminder: … But instead of stopping a crime, that gun became
a hapless victim of one during the summer of 1992. You see, the
Spiedels' high schooler, Scott, had a 16-year-old buddy named Matt
Wzientek. And, well, here's how Wzientek explained it to jurors last
week. "I walked in and just took it because they never had the door
locked," the gun thief, now 33, testified. "I stole the gun." Wzientek
says he sold the stolen gun to another guy who gave him 15 bucks, and
he even threw in the bullets for free. That guy was Jim Degorski, the
man prosecutors say teamed up with Juan Luna and that same gun in 1993
to massacre seven people at a Brown's Chicken restaurant in Palatine.
Prosecutors say the pair later threw the gun in the Fox River, and
divers testified Monday that they looked for that gun but never found
it. So the gun bought for protection was stolen, allegedly used to
murder seven people and now is gone… (Rule Five: Maintain control of
your firearm.)
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=323080
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Tangentially Related: Another candidate for office has responded to
the Gun Rights Political Questionnaire, Jim Deakin, who is challenging
incumbent John McCain. Here are his answers…
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