comments in () by the same
http://www.spw-duf.info
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More UN Hypocrisy: Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe, selected as the new
American ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Council, wants
the UN to invade countries committing human rights violations.
Initially, this sounds like good policy, as the idea of saving people
from predatory governments is compelling. But sometimes, what starts
out as good intentions ends up with unintended consequences. Other
times, there is a hidden agenda, and what's promoted for good results
in tragedy… The United Nations believes you have no right of
self-defense: "Self-defence is a widely recognized, yet legally
proscribed, exception to the universal duty to respect the right to
life of others. Self-defence is a basis for exemption from criminal
responsibility that can be raised by any State agent or non-State
actor. Self-defence is sometimes designated as a 'right'. There is
inadequate legal support for such an interpretation. Self-defence is
more properly characterized as a means of protecting the right to life
and, as such, a basis for avoiding responsibility for violating the
rights of another." [emphasis added] … (This is a complete
fabrication. David Kopel [http://www.davekopel.com/] has produced an
extensive body of scholarly research that demonstrates that
self-defense is endorsed by all of the major religions of the world
and has long been recognized in international law.)
Stopping Mass Murderers: Early in the morning of December 5, 1999,
off-duty Las Vegas Metro police officer Dennis Devitte was one of the
customers at Mr. D's Sports Bar, at Rainbow Boulevard and Oakey Drive,
where he and some pals had gone to hear the band Pigs in a Blanket. A
little after 1 a.m., three armed robbers charged through the back door
with guns drawn and their faces covered with T-shirts or bandanas.
"I'd only been in the bar a short time and was talking to friends,"
Devitte later told an interviewer for the International Association of
Chiefs of Police. Then, "I saw a ruckus at the end of the bar. … "One
of the gunmen went right by me and shot a man in a wheelchair, hitting
him in the shoulder," Officer Devitte recalled. "I only had my small
.25-caliber off-duty gun, which isn't very accurate, so I knew I had
to get really close before I could start shooting. Otherwise I might
hit someone else." The robbers might have taken a moment to consider
the name of the band, which was also made up of off-duty officers. Mr.
D's was often referred to as a "cop bar," though the IACP contends
Officer Devitte was, curiously enough, the only patron armed at the
time… (This is the first of three incidents reviewed by Mr.
Suprynowicz, culminating in the recent rampage at Fort Hood. Note,
however, the tactical and ballistic limitations of Officer Devitte
having settled to carry off duty what is generally referred to as a
"mousegun.")
http://www.lewrockwell.com/suprynowicz/suprynowicz139.html
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Fifty Years Ago…: We recently saw my efforts to demonstrate why police
are not the "only ones" who can be trusted with guns characterized by
the Brady Campaign as "denigrating law enforcement." It's funny,
because the anti-gun forces have been pretty tough on active and
retired law enforcement and military personnel who proclaim fidelity
to the Constitution. And they - and their media allies - have been
positively silent about giving Law Enforcement Alliance of America any
notice whatsoever for a recent warning that truly deserves public
scrutiny… Before anyone at DHS starts thinking about classifying Mr.
Bellah as a "Right Wing Extremist," and before Sen. Schumer puts his
name on the "No Guns/Terrorist List," I should point out this letter
was published 50 years ago. The Nov. 1959 issue of GUNS Magazine has
been posted online. I could point out the many great articles, the
classic period ads, the...but why not just go discover them for
yourself? Just make sure you don't gloss over page 4's "Know Your
Lawmakers" responses…
http://www.examiner.com/x-1417-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m11d27-Gun-grabbers-Who-are-these-people
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Protecting the Oath Keepers: …The Oath Keepers have vowed to risk
their careers, and perhaps their very freedom, in order to protect our
liberty. If they face attack from the Pentagon, it is only right that
we do what we can to protect them. "But what," you may ask, "can we do
to help them?" Glad you asked. There's something that the DoD fears
more than the growing Chinese military, the resurgent Russian
military, and a nuclear-armed Iran--combined: budget cuts. Get a few
members of Congress - particularly defense budget committee members -
involved, and the Pentagon becomes downright eager to please. There's
recent precedent for this. Back in the spring, the DoD suddenly
changed its policy for disposal of used cartridge brass, which had
been sold to ammunition makers for "remanufacture" into inexpensive
ammunition. Under the changed policy, the cartridge brass would be
shredded, and useful only as scrap. This would have exacerbated what
at the time was a pretty dire shortage of ammunition (particularly in
popular calibers--which also happen to be military calibers - like 9mm
Parabellum and 5.56x45mm), adversely affecting both private citizens
and police departments - and wasting taxpayers' money…
The Beat Goes On: As the annual gun deer season continues,
Northeastern Wisconsin hunters are finding that some types of
ammunition are in short supply. In Madison, meanwhile, background
checks for handguns are running nearly 36 percent above last year,
suggesting a big increase in gun sales. People on both sides of the
gun control debate agree on this: People have been stocking up on guns
and ammunition since President Barack Obama took office… So while gun
control opponents may fear what the Obama administration might do, gun
control supporters are disappointed with what the new president hasn't
done. In the meantime, Northeastern Wisconsin hunters are facing a
different market for guns and ammunition. Jim Brown of Appleton, who
works at the Twin City Rod and Gun Club, has been hunting for close to
six decades, and said he has never seen any shortages in ammunition
like he's hearing about now. People are telling him 30.06 shells are
especially hard to find, and he said prices for some other ammo have
risen. He's heard rumors that people stocked up after Obama was
elected, fearing that guns and ammo would be banned or heavily taxed…
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20091127/GPG0101/911270554/1207/GPG01
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Most Minnesota Representatives Back McDonald: The U.S. Supreme Court's
decision to review an Illinois gun rights ruling has the backing of
nearly all the Minnesota Congressional Delegation, the Bemidji Pioneer
reported over Thanksgiving. "The court should take this opportunity
to make clear what we all already know, that the Second Amendment
applies to state and local governments too," Rep. Collin Peterson,
D-Minn, told the outstate Minnesota newspaper. "No state legislature
can take away the freedom to protect yourself." According to Brad
Swenson of the Pioneer, the only Minnesota representatives not to join
in a friend-of-the-court brief asking the high court to uphold Second
Amendment gun rights at the local level are Twin Cities Democrats
Betty McCollum and Keith Ellison. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, with family
roots in the Iron Range, has joined in the brief. Sen. Al Franken,
with roots in St. Louis Park, has not…
http://www.startribune.com/blogs/76302462.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUHK:uUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU
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Ohio AG Signs McDonald Brief: Based on his longstanding support for
Second Amendment rights, Attorney General Richard Cordray announced
today that his office has co-sponsored an amicus brief in the United
States Supreme Court, arguing that these rights should be protected
from undue restrictions imposed by state and local governments. The
Supreme Court is examining this issue in the case of McDonald v.
Chicago, based upon the court's landmark ruling last year in District
of Columbia v. Heller. That ruling recognized that, with respect to
the federal government, the Second Amendment affords individuals the
right to keep and bear arms. "We are proud to defend the Second
Amendment rights of Ohioans in this important Supreme Court case. We
are joining with other state attorneys general in arguing that the
court should hold that the people's constitutional right to keep and
bear arms is fundamental and cannot be denied by state and local
governments," Cordray said…
http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/node/7003
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Ohio Group Seeks Volunteers for Facebook and Twitter: …Success in any
political battle requires "spreading the word," aggressively and
relentlessly. This is especially true with gun rights. To win hearts
and minds, to get pro-gun candidates elected, and to assure good gun
laws are passed and bad gun laws are defeated, we must get our message
out to as many people as possible. Today, one the most powerful and
efficient means of spreading the word is sharing pro-gun stories on
social sites such as Facebook and Twitter… The Buckeye Social Strike
Force is a team of smart, dedicated pro-gun patriots who use the power
of social bookmarking to share stories that appear on our website with
millions of other citizens in Ohio and around the U.S. Here's how it
works ...
http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/social-strike-force
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Seattle Man Files Suit over Local Gun Ban: A Kent man who chose to
"exercise his right to bear arms" by carrying a holstered Glock pistol
into a community center earlier this month has taken the mayor to
federal court. Robert C. Warden filed a complaint against the Seattle
Mayor Greg Nickels and the city itself in U.S. District Court,
alleging the city's gun ban defies his constitutional right to bear
arms. The complaint cites an executive order Nickels issued in June,
directing all departments to review then-present rules "to determine
the extent to which departments could prohibit firearms on city
property." …Warden's complaint defines the gun ban as a "substantial
and comprehensive infringement of Second Amendment rights" - an
opinion the state Attorney General Rob McKenna shares, according to
Warden. In a formal written opinion, McKenna said cities in Washington
state do not have the power to regulate the possession of firearms on
or in city property generally open to the public. The complaint seeks
an order permanently prohibiting the city and Nickels from enforcing
any law that "in any way regulates any aspect of firearms unless
specifically authorized by Washington Sate statutory law." …
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/76420282.html
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/reader_feedback/public/display.php?thread=220166
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New York Pair Build Own Muzzleloaders: Lee Bidwell is proud of his
guns, no matter how "ugly" they look. Others might have nicer-looking
black powder firearms, he said, but they didn't build them nearly from
scratch like Bidwell has done in his garage. He often uses odd
materials and leftover parts from other guns, not to mention wood for
the stocks taken from nearby trees. "I'll do everything but rifle the
barrel," the 76-year-old Port Byron resident said, adding he usually
buys the barrels. Bidwell, a retired salt mine worker, takes pride in
the fact that his "ugly guns" fire just as well as any other
traditional muzzleloader at the Elbridge Rod and Gun Club, where he is
a member and regularly competes in muzzleloader shooting competitions.
He first started building guns in the 1970s, when his wife, Norma,
bought him a kit for a black powder rifle. All the metal parts were
included and the stock was already cut and shaped. Bidwell said he
sanded and varnished the stock and assembled all the pieces. Then, he
decided to build his own and has been hooked ever since. He said he's
successfully made about 10 guns. Some he's given away. He devoted
about 80 hours to each one… (Curiously, in Colonial days, Americans
made their own barrels but often relied on imported lockwork for their
rifles.)
http://blog.syracuse.com/outdoors/2009/11/port_byron_guys_build_their_ow.html
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NRA-ILA Alerts: List members are encouraged to check the alerts for
the week, posted on the NRA-ILA website.
http://www.nraila.org/GrassrootsAlerts/read.aspx
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Tangentially Related: …The Mexican government is modernizing its ports
of entry along the border, including its biggest crossing in Tijuana.
The new infrastructure - which includes gates, cameras and vehicle
scales - is meant to help curtail the flow of drug money and weapons
to Mexican organized crime groups. But bolstered security means more
border-crossing logjams, and business and trade groups fear that the
new measures will deal another blow to a fragile regional economy. The
System of Supervision and Vehicular Control is still in the testing
phase ahead of its scheduled January rollout, but traffic jams already
occur regularly at peak crossing times in late afternoon. Cross-border
trips from San Diego that once took five minutes can take an hour or
more… (But what is Mexico doing about corruption of both its police
and military establishments, military desertions to the drug cartels
and the porosity of its military armories?)
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-border-crossing25-2009nov25,0,3756431.story
To eke out an election victory over the city's low-key comptroller,
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg spent $102 million of his own fortune - or
about $174 per vote - according to data released Friday, making his
bid for a third term the most expensive campaign in the city's
history. Mr. Bloomberg, the wealthiest man in New York City, shattered
his own records: He poured $85 million into his campaign in 2005 (or
$112 per vote) and $74 million into his first bid for office in 2001
($99 per vote). And the $102 million tab is likely to rise, because
the mayor has not yet doled out postelection bonuses to campaign
workers, which have routinely exceeded $100,000 a person in years
past. That spending will not be reported until after his inauguration
in January. Mr. Bloomberg has now spent at least $261 million of his
own money in the pursuit of public office, more than anyone else in
the United States… But Mr. Bloomberg's unpopular drive to overturn the
city's term limits law [emphasis added], his lavish campaign and a
sputtering economy soured thousands of New Yorkers on him, even though
most admired his record in office… (No mention is made of how much of
his own fortune Bloomberg has spent to prop up his Mayors Against
Illegal Guns group.)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/28/nyregion/28spending.html?ref=nyregion
