From: Stephen P. Wenger http://spw-duf.info
comments in () by Stephen P. Wenger
=---------------------------------------------------------------
From SAF: Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on April 7 acknowledged that gun registration is on her agenda, days after Attorney General Eric Holder told reporters in Mexico that the Second Amendment would not "stand in the way" of administration plans to crack down on alleged gun trafficking to Mexico. "These are alarming remarks from Speaker Pelosi and Attorney General Holder," said Second Amendment Foundation founder Alan Gottlieb. "It appears that the Obama administration and Capitol Hill anti-gunners have dropped all pretense about their plans for gun owners' rights, and it looks like the gloves are coming off." Pelosi's revelation came during an interview on ABC's Good Morning, America. While insisting that Congress "never denied" the gun rights of American Citizens, Pelosi told Roberts, "We want them registered. We don't want them crossing state lines" Gottlieb noted that citizens' rights do not stop at state lines… (Pelosi's remarks, as I recall, were made in reference to a compromise "assault weapon" ban. If she gets her way, it sounds as though cosmetically impaired semi-automatic firearms would fall under the registration provision of the National Firearms Act, as though they were fully automatic.)
http://www.saf.org/viewpr-new.asp?id=291
… Even if Pelosi was only alluding to so-called "assault weapons" that the Obama administration would like to ban – as acknowledged earlier this year by Attorney General Eric Holder – she certainly did not make that clear. And even if she were, gun rights activists will quickly point to California, where first there was registration and then came the ban. That ban did not prevent a scumbag named Lovelle Mixon from gunning down four Oakland, CA police officers last month, nor did a federal statute prohibiting convicted felons from having any kind of gun keep Mixon disarmed. Yet Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has called for renewing the ban nationwide, ignoring the California law's failure to stop Mixon from getting a gun… (Actually, as I recall, registration and ban came simultaneously in California – if you owned one, you had to register it or become a felon; if you didn't already own one, you were out of luck unless you were willing to become a felon.)
http://www.examiner.com/x-4525-Seattle-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m4d8-Pelosi-made-it-official-to-ABC-We-want-registration?cid=exrss-Seattle-Gun-Rights-Examiner
Related Commentary:
http://www.examiner.com/x-1417-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m4d8-Pelosis-compromise-on-assault-weapons-just-another-attack-on-rights
---
Holder Steps More Cautiously:
KATIE COURIC: What about reinstating the assault weapons ban and closing the gun show loophole? Do you think that will stop the flow of weapons to [sic] the U.S?
ERIC HOLDER: Well, I think the thing we need to do is come up with those things we can do right away. And we're gonna be moving 100 ATF agents to the border. About 26 DEA agents to the border. And that will happen over the next 30 days or so. And I think that will have a pretty dramatic impact on reducing the flow of weapons into Mexico…
KATIE COURIC: Did someone tell you to back off?
ERIC HOLDER: No one's told me to back off. I understand the second amendment. I respect the second amendment.
KATIE COURIC: It's been reported that democrats on capital hill are getting increasingly chummy with the NRA and receiving more campaign contributions from that organization than in previous years. And nobody wants to get the NRA riled up. Has this become political at all?
ERIC HOLDER: No, I don't think it has. In fact, I look forward to working with the NRA to come up with ways in which we can use common sense approaches to reduce the level of violence that we see...in our streets and make the American people as safe as they can possibly be.
KATIE COURIC: What about gun shows? In over 30 states, people can simply walk into gun shows and buy a gun, sometimes, from unlicensed dealers without a background check. Would you support closing the gun show loophole?
ERIC HOLDER: Well, again, these are issues that we'll have to discuss. The president will be the one who will ultimately set policy. Things that are politically saleable and things that will ultimately be effective…
http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/04/holder_deferential_on_guns_cautious_on_detainees.php
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/04/08/eveningnews/main4930388.shtml
---
Prohibition and Prohibition: … It's tempting to identify that goal as "getting rid of all the guns." But that would not be accurate. Just ask one of our big-government friends whether they believe DEA agents, BATF agents, even your local cop on the beat should be disarmed. "What?!" they'll shriek. "The bad guys have them outgunned already!" Only because of unconstitutional, unenforceable prohibitions, of course. Those who distribute Budweiser and Miller Lite don't have to wield assault rifles, because their trade was re-legalized in 1933. Re-legalizing the trades in all firearms and in all plant extracts would have the same violence-reducing impact, though that's a topic for another day. What the Washington weasels actually favor – and are willing to throw away millions in potential new government revenue to achieve – is a government monopoly on armed might. They hate the idea of "common citizens" having access to effective firearms – even spent military brass and 60-year-old collector pistols that are far too valuable ever to be re-sold to street gangs or stickup artists…
http://www.lewrockwell.com/suprynowicz/suprynowicz125.html
As the administration continues to equivocate on the accuracy of the statistics they so blithely toss out about firearms being smuggled into Mexico, a disturbing trend is developing. In a word, the government has admitted they really don't care if their numbers jibe as long as their message is delivered as intended. When questioned about a Fox News report that challenged the government's position that ninety percent of the guns used in Mexico's drug wars came from the United States, Attorney General Eric Holder's answer was telling- and chilling: "It doesn't matter if it is 60% or 70% or 90%, the reality is that too-many weapons are flowing from the United States into Mexico." In other words, don't let the facts get in the way of a good position. Never mind that the number is closer to seventeen percent, the position of the government is simple -private ownership of guns is a bad thing…
http://thesustainablehome.blogspot.com/2009/04/benefit-of-old-things-shooting-wire.html
…The above is background - my point today is to look at another source of the cartels' firepower that is indeed American, but is also completely unrelated to the civilian gun market--gang members who join the U.S. military, and steal weapons that are then trafficked in the black market…
http://www.examiner.com/x-2581-St-Louis-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m4d8-Gang-members-stealing-weapons-from-military-arming-Mexican-drug-cartels?cid=exrss-St-Louis-Gun-Rights-Examiner
---
From GOA: Thank you for your activism last week on the budget resolution, especially given the short notice. (Please realize that GOA has no control over when votes are scheduled, so sometimes we have to alert you with little time before the vote takes place!) While the budget resolution for fiscal year 2010 has now passed the Senate and the House in different forms, we were able to secure some significant victories in the Senate. First, with 64 favorable votes, the Senate passed an amendment by Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) to force the federally subsidized Amtrak to allow passengers to carry firearms in checked bags. In addition, the Senate adopted an amendment offered by Senator James DeMint (R-SC) to prohibit any system of nationalized health care which would prevent Americans from being able to select their doctors and insurance companies…
http://gunowners.org/a040809htm.htm
---
New York Congressman Urges Restraint: Officials should resist any urges to rush into law new measures after last week's deadly shooting rampage in Binghamton, U.S. Rep. Eric Massa said Tuesday. People also should not try to use Friday's senseless act of violence to promote their own agendas, the Corning Democrat said during his weekly teleconference with media in the 29th Congressional District. "When you have a crisis, within 24 hours, people tend to use that crisis for whatever agenda it is that they want to have," he said. "I caution leaders and opinion makers from taking to the airwaves the day after a tragedy of this nature and using that tragedy for their own particular agenda." … He said he does not know how additional federal gun control legislation would change anything at this point. "These were not assault weapons. They were handguns, and they were licensed and legal, apparently," Massa said. "I have said all along that I am not in favor of additional federal gun control legislation because frankly we don't enforce the laws we have. The answer may lie elsewhere, which is why I want to do this thoughtfully and intelligently, instead of in a knee-jerk reaction." There is a mental health component involved, but he is not certain what the next step should be…
http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009904080394
---
Support for Handgun Ban at All-Time Low: In Gallup polling conducted prior to last week's gun massacre at an immigrant center in Binghamton, N.Y., only 29% of Americans said the possession of handguns by private citizens should be banned in the United States. While similar to the 30% recorded in 2007, the latest reading is the smallest percentage favoring a handgun ban since Gallup first polled on this nearly 50 years ago. Public support for restricting the sale and possession of handguns to "police and other authorized persons" was relatively high in the early 1990s, with 41% to 43% in favor, but has since edged lower. At the same time, opposition to a ban has increased from 53% in 1991 to 69% in the most recent survey…
http://www.gallup.com/poll/117361/Support-Gun-Control-Laws-Time-Lows.aspx
---
A Bit of Humor: The rash of recent shooting incidents has led people who wouldn't know an AK-47 from a paintball gun to issue demands for more restrictions on guns. To be sure, it's hard to find any factor in these shootings that could be responsible – other than the gun… It might make more sense to outlaw men than guns. Or divorce. Or crack. Or to prohibit felons from having guns. Except we already outlaw crack and felons owning guns and yet still, somehow, Wong got crack and Mixon got a gun… The demand for more gun control in response to any crime involving a gun is exactly like Obama's response to North Korea's openly belligerent act of launching a long-range missile this week: Obama leapt to action by calling for worldwide nuclear disarmament…
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=94374
---
FBI Celebrates Tenth Anniversary of NICS: "…Every time NICS processes a background check, it helps us realize that goal. I want to thank all of you for your support of NICS. It may be managed by the FBI, but it is truly a collaborative effort. We are grateful for your assistance, cooperation, and partnership and glad you are with us today. But in a sense, NICS itself is today's guest of honor. Every FBI employee here today—and everyone who works closely with the Bureau - knows that we are fond of acronyms. We even have an online database just for FBI acronyms. It goes on for many, many pages. But only one of our acronyms contains the word "instant." And that is what is so remarkable about NICS. Imagine if 15 or 20 years ago, someone had said the FBI would have to create a system by which federal firearms licensees could obtain a criminal background check on a customer within hours or days. We might have declared it an impossible task…"
http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/speeches/mueller040809.htm
---
The Beat Goes On: Americans are afraid of this economy. As a result, they're getting locked and loaded. To wit: Jacquita Baker, a soft-spoken single mother from Kentwood, Mich., near Grand Rapids. She works as an administrative assistant at the Grand Rapids Urban League and is studying criminal justice at a local university. As of Monday, she's the proud owner of a shotgun. Why bear arms now? "The economy played a large part in my decision," says Baker, 27. "When people don't have jobs, they might go breaking into people's homes. I want to be safe in my home." …Two factors are fueling the rise. The first is political. It's no coincidence that a record number of background checks occurred in November, the month Barack Obama was elected President and the Democrats took control of Congress. People grew anxious that the Obama Administration would ban semiautomatic weapons, so they rushed to buy guns before legislation could be passed. In a December survey by the research firm Southwick Associates, nearly 80% of active hunters and target shooters said they believed firearm purchases would "become more difficult" under the new Administration and a Democratic Congress. "Everybody is waiting for when the next foot is going to fall in taking away the right to bear arms," says Doug VanderWoude, owner of Silver Bullet Firearms in Wyoming, Mich., near Grand Rapids. He estimates that business is up 50% in 2009…
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1889886,00.html
---
Another Gun-Free Zone: In a riveting high-seas drama, an unarmed American crew wrested control of their U.S.-flagged cargo ship from Somali pirates Wednesday and sent them fleeing to a lifeboat with the captain as hostage. U.S. warship and at least six others were speeding toward the ship - the first with an American crew to be taken by pirates off the Horn of Africa - as crew members negotiated with the pirates for the return of the captain. By late Wednesday, the destroyer USS Bainbridge had arrived. The Bainbridge was among several U.S. ships, including the cruiser USS Gettysburg, that had been patrolling in the region but were several hours away when the Maersk Alabama was seized… (When seconds count, warships are only hours away.)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30103371/
---
Oregon Students to Rally for Campus Carry: A student group at Oregon State University plans to promote gun rights with activities next week, including a rally for the right of concealed handgun license holders to be armed on campus. The rally, featuring Portland radio commentator Lars Larson, is set for 5 p.m. April 16 in the quad on campus. If the license holders carry pistols, they will violate a university rule against guns on campus. "The idea would be to get the university to confront the issue," said RJ Friedman, president of the College Republicans at OSU, the group organizing what it calls "Second Amendment Week." Gun-rights supporters say state law gives the legislature the sole right to regulate concealed weapons in Oregon, which creates a conflict with rules against guns on state college campuses. At Western Oregon University in Monmouth, a student with a concealed handgun license was detained in January after he was found with a pistol and a knife. But when he was later suspended for the rest of the academic year, the action was based only on the knife and a rifle in his truck, sidestepping enforcement of the no-gun rule against a concealed handgun license holder…
http://www.democratherald.com/articles/2009/04/08/news/local/5loc02_gunrights.txt
---
Oops, Wrong Pawn Shop: A robbery attempt in southwest Houston ended with gunshots and a suspect being taken to the hospital. Saturday evening, investigators say that two men walked into the Bayou pawn shop off Fondren near Clarewood with guns drawn. The manager reportedly grabbed a gun and fired at the men. One of the suspects was hit and the other surrendered. The condition of the suspect, who was hit by a bullet, hasn't been released. Police took three people in for questioning.
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=6745869
---
Rule Three Reminder: After Derek Copp was shot by an Ottawa County deputy, angry students raised their voices and demanded answers. Now some of those answers are starting to come to light. Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Fink says the Ottawa County deputy acted recklessly when he shot Copp in March. On Monday, Fink authorized a misdemeanor charge against Deputy Ryan Huizenga, if he's convicted, Huizenga could face jail time, probation or fines… Det. Schram says that Huizenga "was reaching for the door with his weak hand and shot with his strong arm a departmental issued .40 caliber Glock." Det. Schram goes on to say that "Derek Copp posed no threat to the officers," and that "his finger should have been on the outside of the trigger guard, not on the trigger unless he was intending to shoot." … (Rule Three: Keep your finger out of the trigger guard, up on the frame, until your sights are on the target and you're prepared to fire.)
http://www.wwmt.com/articles/answers_1361112___article.html/ottawa_light.html
---
Canadian Gun Owners Pressure Conservative Party: Angry Canadian gun owners hope to pressure the federal government into renewing support for a private member's bill to abolish the long-gun registry by withholding donations to the Conservative party. "I just returned the latest (Conservative Party of Canada) donation envelope, without any $$$, and with the following written across the form in black Sharpie," said a message to CanadianGunNutz.com from someone called Plinker, who sent back a donation form that said: "No donation until Bill C-301 is passed. Scrap gun registry." …Saskatchewan Conservative MP Garry Breitkreuz's private member's bill would scrap the much-maligned long-gun registry, and, according to critics, relax the rules on prohibited and restricted weapons…
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/615419
… Bill S-5, the Long-Gun Registry Repeal Act, introduced by the government in the Senate, would change nothing to the "laws" that now require the arrest of at least 185,925 peaceful Canadians. These peaceful Canadians have become criminals known to police and could be arrested any time. The Canada Gazette of March 28th states that they were "more than 183,000" of them as of January 1, 2009. One year ago, the number was "more than 150,000". And it has increased again since January 1. In reply to an access to information request I made last month, the RCMP writes, "As of February 2009, the estimated number of expired licences holders still in possession of registered firearms is 185,925"…
http://westernstandard.ca/website/article.php?id=2973
http://www.saf.org/viewpr-new.asp?id=291
… Even if Pelosi was only alluding to so-called "assault weapons" that the Obama administration would like to ban – as acknowledged earlier this year by Attorney General Eric Holder – she certainly did not make that clear. And even if she were, gun rights activists will quickly point to California, where first there was registration and then came the ban. That ban did not prevent a scumbag named Lovelle Mixon from gunning down four Oakland, CA police officers last month, nor did a federal statute prohibiting convicted felons from having any kind of gun keep Mixon disarmed. Yet Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has called for renewing the ban nationwide, ignoring the California law's failure to stop Mixon from getting a gun… (Actually, as I recall, registration and ban came simultaneously in California – if you owned one, you had to register it or become a felon; if you didn't already own one, you were out of luck unless you were willing to become a felon.)
http://www.examiner.com/x-4525-Seattle-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m4d8-Pelosi-made-it-official-to-ABC-We-want-registration?cid=exrss-Seattle-Gun-Rights-Examiner
Related Commentary:
http://www.examiner.com/x-1417-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m4d8-Pelosis-compromise-on-assault-weapons-just-another-attack-on-rights
---
Holder Steps More Cautiously:
KATIE COURIC: What about reinstating the assault weapons ban and closing the gun show loophole? Do you think that will stop the flow of weapons to [sic] the U.S?
ERIC HOLDER: Well, I think the thing we need to do is come up with those things we can do right away. And we're gonna be moving 100 ATF agents to the border. About 26 DEA agents to the border. And that will happen over the next 30 days or so. And I think that will have a pretty dramatic impact on reducing the flow of weapons into Mexico…
KATIE COURIC: Did someone tell you to back off?
ERIC HOLDER: No one's told me to back off. I understand the second amendment. I respect the second amendment.
KATIE COURIC: It's been reported that democrats on capital hill are getting increasingly chummy with the NRA and receiving more campaign contributions from that organization than in previous years. And nobody wants to get the NRA riled up. Has this become political at all?
ERIC HOLDER: No, I don't think it has. In fact, I look forward to working with the NRA to come up with ways in which we can use common sense approaches to reduce the level of violence that we see...in our streets and make the American people as safe as they can possibly be.
KATIE COURIC: What about gun shows? In over 30 states, people can simply walk into gun shows and buy a gun, sometimes, from unlicensed dealers without a background check. Would you support closing the gun show loophole?
ERIC HOLDER: Well, again, these are issues that we'll have to discuss. The president will be the one who will ultimately set policy. Things that are politically saleable and things that will ultimately be effective…
http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/04/holder_deferential_on_guns_cautious_on_detainees.php
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/04/08/eveningnews/main4930388.shtml
---
Prohibition and Prohibition: … It's tempting to identify that goal as "getting rid of all the guns." But that would not be accurate. Just ask one of our big-government friends whether they believe DEA agents, BATF agents, even your local cop on the beat should be disarmed. "What?!" they'll shriek. "The bad guys have them outgunned already!" Only because of unconstitutional, unenforceable prohibitions, of course. Those who distribute Budweiser and Miller Lite don't have to wield assault rifles, because their trade was re-legalized in 1933. Re-legalizing the trades in all firearms and in all plant extracts would have the same violence-reducing impact, though that's a topic for another day. What the Washington weasels actually favor – and are willing to throw away millions in potential new government revenue to achieve – is a government monopoly on armed might. They hate the idea of "common citizens" having access to effective firearms – even spent military brass and 60-year-old collector pistols that are far too valuable ever to be re-sold to street gangs or stickup artists…
http://www.lewrockwell.com/suprynowicz/suprynowicz125.html
As the administration continues to equivocate on the accuracy of the statistics they so blithely toss out about firearms being smuggled into Mexico, a disturbing trend is developing. In a word, the government has admitted they really don't care if their numbers jibe as long as their message is delivered as intended. When questioned about a Fox News report that challenged the government's position that ninety percent of the guns used in Mexico's drug wars came from the United States, Attorney General Eric Holder's answer was telling- and chilling: "It doesn't matter if it is 60% or 70% or 90%, the reality is that too-many weapons are flowing from the United States into Mexico." In other words, don't let the facts get in the way of a good position. Never mind that the number is closer to seventeen percent, the position of the government is simple -private ownership of guns is a bad thing…
http://thesustainablehome.blogspot.com/2009/04/benefit-of-old-things-shooting-wire.html
…The above is background - my point today is to look at another source of the cartels' firepower that is indeed American, but is also completely unrelated to the civilian gun market--gang members who join the U.S. military, and steal weapons that are then trafficked in the black market…
http://www.examiner.com/x-2581-St-Louis-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m4d8-Gang-members-stealing-weapons-from-military-arming-Mexican-drug-cartels?cid=exrss-St-Louis-Gun-Rights-Examiner
---
From GOA: Thank you for your activism last week on the budget resolution, especially given the short notice. (Please realize that GOA has no control over when votes are scheduled, so sometimes we have to alert you with little time before the vote takes place!) While the budget resolution for fiscal year 2010 has now passed the Senate and the House in different forms, we were able to secure some significant victories in the Senate. First, with 64 favorable votes, the Senate passed an amendment by Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) to force the federally subsidized Amtrak to allow passengers to carry firearms in checked bags. In addition, the Senate adopted an amendment offered by Senator James DeMint (R-SC) to prohibit any system of nationalized health care which would prevent Americans from being able to select their doctors and insurance companies…
http://gunowners.org/a040809htm.htm
---
New York Congressman Urges Restraint: Officials should resist any urges to rush into law new measures after last week's deadly shooting rampage in Binghamton, U.S. Rep. Eric Massa said Tuesday. People also should not try to use Friday's senseless act of violence to promote their own agendas, the Corning Democrat said during his weekly teleconference with media in the 29th Congressional District. "When you have a crisis, within 24 hours, people tend to use that crisis for whatever agenda it is that they want to have," he said. "I caution leaders and opinion makers from taking to the airwaves the day after a tragedy of this nature and using that tragedy for their own particular agenda." … He said he does not know how additional federal gun control legislation would change anything at this point. "These were not assault weapons. They were handguns, and they were licensed and legal, apparently," Massa said. "I have said all along that I am not in favor of additional federal gun control legislation because frankly we don't enforce the laws we have. The answer may lie elsewhere, which is why I want to do this thoughtfully and intelligently, instead of in a knee-jerk reaction." There is a mental health component involved, but he is not certain what the next step should be…
http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009904080394
---
Support for Handgun Ban at All-Time Low: In Gallup polling conducted prior to last week's gun massacre at an immigrant center in Binghamton, N.Y., only 29% of Americans said the possession of handguns by private citizens should be banned in the United States. While similar to the 30% recorded in 2007, the latest reading is the smallest percentage favoring a handgun ban since Gallup first polled on this nearly 50 years ago. Public support for restricting the sale and possession of handguns to "police and other authorized persons" was relatively high in the early 1990s, with 41% to 43% in favor, but has since edged lower. At the same time, opposition to a ban has increased from 53% in 1991 to 69% in the most recent survey…
http://www.gallup.com/poll/117361/Support-Gun-Control-Laws-Time-Lows.aspx
---
A Bit of Humor: The rash of recent shooting incidents has led people who wouldn't know an AK-47 from a paintball gun to issue demands for more restrictions on guns. To be sure, it's hard to find any factor in these shootings that could be responsible – other than the gun… It might make more sense to outlaw men than guns. Or divorce. Or crack. Or to prohibit felons from having guns. Except we already outlaw crack and felons owning guns and yet still, somehow, Wong got crack and Mixon got a gun… The demand for more gun control in response to any crime involving a gun is exactly like Obama's response to North Korea's openly belligerent act of launching a long-range missile this week: Obama leapt to action by calling for worldwide nuclear disarmament…
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=94374
---
FBI Celebrates Tenth Anniversary of NICS: "…Every time NICS processes a background check, it helps us realize that goal. I want to thank all of you for your support of NICS. It may be managed by the FBI, but it is truly a collaborative effort. We are grateful for your assistance, cooperation, and partnership and glad you are with us today. But in a sense, NICS itself is today's guest of honor. Every FBI employee here today—and everyone who works closely with the Bureau - knows that we are fond of acronyms. We even have an online database just for FBI acronyms. It goes on for many, many pages. But only one of our acronyms contains the word "instant." And that is what is so remarkable about NICS. Imagine if 15 or 20 years ago, someone had said the FBI would have to create a system by which federal firearms licensees could obtain a criminal background check on a customer within hours or days. We might have declared it an impossible task…"
http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/speeches/mueller040809.htm
---
The Beat Goes On: Americans are afraid of this economy. As a result, they're getting locked and loaded. To wit: Jacquita Baker, a soft-spoken single mother from Kentwood, Mich., near Grand Rapids. She works as an administrative assistant at the Grand Rapids Urban League and is studying criminal justice at a local university. As of Monday, she's the proud owner of a shotgun. Why bear arms now? "The economy played a large part in my decision," says Baker, 27. "When people don't have jobs, they might go breaking into people's homes. I want to be safe in my home." …Two factors are fueling the rise. The first is political. It's no coincidence that a record number of background checks occurred in November, the month Barack Obama was elected President and the Democrats took control of Congress. People grew anxious that the Obama Administration would ban semiautomatic weapons, so they rushed to buy guns before legislation could be passed. In a December survey by the research firm Southwick Associates, nearly 80% of active hunters and target shooters said they believed firearm purchases would "become more difficult" under the new Administration and a Democratic Congress. "Everybody is waiting for when the next foot is going to fall in taking away the right to bear arms," says Doug VanderWoude, owner of Silver Bullet Firearms in Wyoming, Mich., near Grand Rapids. He estimates that business is up 50% in 2009…
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1889886,00.html
---
Another Gun-Free Zone: In a riveting high-seas drama, an unarmed American crew wrested control of their U.S.-flagged cargo ship from Somali pirates Wednesday and sent them fleeing to a lifeboat with the captain as hostage. U.S. warship and at least six others were speeding toward the ship - the first with an American crew to be taken by pirates off the Horn of Africa - as crew members negotiated with the pirates for the return of the captain. By late Wednesday, the destroyer USS Bainbridge had arrived. The Bainbridge was among several U.S. ships, including the cruiser USS Gettysburg, that had been patrolling in the region but were several hours away when the Maersk Alabama was seized… (When seconds count, warships are only hours away.)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30103371/
---
Oregon Students to Rally for Campus Carry: A student group at Oregon State University plans to promote gun rights with activities next week, including a rally for the right of concealed handgun license holders to be armed on campus. The rally, featuring Portland radio commentator Lars Larson, is set for 5 p.m. April 16 in the quad on campus. If the license holders carry pistols, they will violate a university rule against guns on campus. "The idea would be to get the university to confront the issue," said RJ Friedman, president of the College Republicans at OSU, the group organizing what it calls "Second Amendment Week." Gun-rights supporters say state law gives the legislature the sole right to regulate concealed weapons in Oregon, which creates a conflict with rules against guns on state college campuses. At Western Oregon University in Monmouth, a student with a concealed handgun license was detained in January after he was found with a pistol and a knife. But when he was later suspended for the rest of the academic year, the action was based only on the knife and a rifle in his truck, sidestepping enforcement of the no-gun rule against a concealed handgun license holder…
http://www.democratherald.com/articles/2009/04/08/news/local/5loc02_gunrights.txt
---
Oops, Wrong Pawn Shop: A robbery attempt in southwest Houston ended with gunshots and a suspect being taken to the hospital. Saturday evening, investigators say that two men walked into the Bayou pawn shop off Fondren near Clarewood with guns drawn. The manager reportedly grabbed a gun and fired at the men. One of the suspects was hit and the other surrendered. The condition of the suspect, who was hit by a bullet, hasn't been released. Police took three people in for questioning.
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=6745869
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Rule Three Reminder: After Derek Copp was shot by an Ottawa County deputy, angry students raised their voices and demanded answers. Now some of those answers are starting to come to light. Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Fink says the Ottawa County deputy acted recklessly when he shot Copp in March. On Monday, Fink authorized a misdemeanor charge against Deputy Ryan Huizenga, if he's convicted, Huizenga could face jail time, probation or fines… Det. Schram says that Huizenga "was reaching for the door with his weak hand and shot with his strong arm a departmental issued .40 caliber Glock." Det. Schram goes on to say that "Derek Copp posed no threat to the officers," and that "his finger should have been on the outside of the trigger guard, not on the trigger unless he was intending to shoot." … (Rule Three: Keep your finger out of the trigger guard, up on the frame, until your sights are on the target and you're prepared to fire.)
http://www.wwmt.com/articles/answers_1361112___article.html/ottawa_light.html
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Canadian Gun Owners Pressure Conservative Party: Angry Canadian gun owners hope to pressure the federal government into renewing support for a private member's bill to abolish the long-gun registry by withholding donations to the Conservative party. "I just returned the latest (Conservative Party of Canada) donation envelope, without any $$$, and with the following written across the form in black Sharpie," said a message to CanadianGunNutz.com from someone called Plinker, who sent back a donation form that said: "No donation until Bill C-301 is passed. Scrap gun registry." …Saskatchewan Conservative MP Garry Breitkreuz's private member's bill would scrap the much-maligned long-gun registry, and, according to critics, relax the rules on prohibited and restricted weapons…
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/615419
… Bill S-5, the Long-Gun Registry Repeal Act, introduced by the government in the Senate, would change nothing to the "laws" that now require the arrest of at least 185,925 peaceful Canadians. These peaceful Canadians have become criminals known to police and could be arrested any time. The Canada Gazette of March 28th states that they were "more than 183,000" of them as of January 1, 2009. One year ago, the number was "more than 150,000". And it has increased again since January 1. In reply to an access to information request I made last month, the RCMP writes, "As of February 2009, the estimated number of expired licences holders still in possession of registered firearms is 185,925"…
http://westernstandard.ca/website/article.php?id=2973
