Thursday, April 16, 2009
04-16-09
From: Stephen P. Wenger <spwenger@spw-duf.info>
comments in () by Stephen P. Wenger
==========================================
From CCRKBA: A volatile "assessment" of so-called "Rightwing Extremism" by the Obama administration's Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is an insult to political conservatives, military veterans and American gun owners, and demands an immediate apology, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today. "We recognize that many conservative gun owners will feel threatened by this Obama administration report," said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. "It appears that DHS under Janet Napolitano is trying to demonize political dissent." The chilling nine-page document likens citizens opposed to new firearms restrictions, returning veterans and conservatives to "rightwing extremists" and associates them with white supremacists and violent antigovernment groups…
http://www.ccrkba.org/pub/rkba/press-releases/dhs.report.htm
GOP Calls for Apology to Veterans: Republicans on Wednesday said a Homeland Security Department intelligence assessment unfairly characterizes military veterans as right-wing extremists. House Republican leader John Boehner described the report as offensive and called on the agency to apologize to veterans… The assessment also said that returning military veterans who have difficulties assimilating back into their home communities could be susceptible to extremist recruiters or might engage in lone acts of violence. "To characterize men and women returning home after defending our country as potential terrorists is offensive and unacceptable," said Boehner, R-Ohio…
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=7344776
J No Stands by Report: Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Wednesday that she was briefed before the release of a controversial intelligence assessment and that she stands by the report, which lists returning veterans among terrorist risks to the U.S. But the top House Democrat with oversight of the Department of Homeland Security said in a letter to Ms. Napolitano that he was "dumbfounded" that such a report would be issued. "This report appears to raise significant issues involving the privacy and civil liberties of many Americans - including war veterans," said Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, in his letter sent Tuesday night… (Of note, no concern is expressed over the numbers of gang members who have joined the US military in order to obtain training that will be shared with their respective gangs.)
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/16/napolitano-stands-rightwing-extremism/
Related Commentary:
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=95149
---
More BS from DHS: Yesterday, we talked about Homeland Security's "Rightwing Extremism" report. I was able to give you a link to the document itself because it has been unclassified. The picture on the right is the cover of their "Intelligence Report: United States Southbound Weapons Smuggling Assessment." I can't refer you to the document itself because it is marked "OFFICIAL USE ONLY - LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE." What I will do is share a few highlights that are germane to recent discussions we've been having…
http://www.examiner.com/x-1417-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m4d15-Why-does-Homeland-Securitys-gun-smuggling-report-mislead-law-enforcement
---
Mexico to Press Big Brother on Guns: When President Obama lands in Mexico City Thursday, there will be one main subject on Mexican officials' minds. "For Mexico, the No. 1 priority is guns. The No. 2 priority is guns. The No. 3 priority is guns," Mexican Attorney General Eduardo Medina-Mora told USA TODAY. The Mexican government wants Obama to take more steps to stop arms sold in the USA from flowing across the border, where they are frequently used by cartels in Mexico's drug war. That issue and other contentious subjects, including a brewing trade dispute, will be on the agenda as Obama makes his first official trip south… (Any bets on whether Big Brother will press Mexico to secure its own armories and borders?)
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-04-15-mexicoobama_N.htm
---
The Beat Goes On: Gun City USA, the largest gun store in Nashville, Tennessee, has sold arms to country music stars Hank Williams Jr., George Jones and their entourages. What it can't sell them much of right now is ammunition to reload… Efforts to meet the surge in consumer demand for ammunition are also being stifled by the need to support production for U.S. conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Minneapolis-based Alliant Techsystems, the military's largest supplier of cartridges for M-16 rifles, has quadrupled production under its Army contract in the past nine years to more than 1.4 billion rounds… Olin's Winchester Ammunition unit has seen demand for its products "increase significantly since last fall," the company said in a statement. To meet demand, "operations are running 24 hours a day, seven days a week," it said. Valerie Peters, a spokeswoman for Winchester, declined to elaborate…
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601110&sid=axeZXGgWdAWM
The way Jay Chambers sees it, the semiautomatic weapons in his firearm collection might be the most promising investment in his financial portfolio. Like many gun enthusiasts, Mr. Chambers, a manager for a door wholesaler here, believes President Barack Obama and the Democrats in Congress soon will reimpose a version of an expired federal ban on the sale of so-called assault weapons. If such a law passes, he figures his collection - enough guns, ammo magazines and weapon parts to assemble about 30 AK-47s, AR-15s and other semiautomatic rifles - could triple in value. "A guy could easily make a lot of money," says Mr. Chambers, 47 years old, while at Autrey's Armory, a gun store about 20 miles south of Atlanta…
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123984046627223159.html
Since November, more than seven million people applied for criminal background checks in order to buy guns, according to the FBI. That figure excludes anyone buying a weapon at the thousands of gun shows in states such as Virginia, without facing any checks. The sudden run on weapons has also stripped gun shops in some parts of the country almost bare and led to a national ammunition shortage, the Guardian reports. Gun-shop owners and the National Rifle Association claim the surge is driven by concerns that Mr Obama is planning to ban many types of firearms and that the deepening economic crisis will fuel a crime wave…
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/5147032/Firearm-sales-surge-after-Barack-Obamas-election.html
---
Plain Dealer Editorialist Gets It Right: When it comes to the futility of addressing the epidemic of inner-city violence with impotent gun control laws, it would seem there are at least a two people at the Cleveland Plain Dealer who "get it." Last year Plain Dealer columnist Regina Brett's series on the thug culture earned her title as a top-three finalist for the 2008 Pulitzer Prize in Commentary, and since then she has written articles that prove she "gets it." Plain Dealer editorial writer Phillip Morris, on the other hand, has a more spotty history of support for armed citizens. But his latest op-ed indicates that he is now prepared to join Brett in the effort to lead the newspaper into becoming a positive force for change in the city of Cleveland…
http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/node/6628
---
Iowa CCW Suit to be Heard Next Year: A trial date is set for next year for a father and son from Osceola County who filed a federal lawsuit challenging an Iowa law giving local authorities power to decide who gets permits to carry weapons. The lawsuit was filed last fall by Paul Dorr and his son Alexander Dorr, both of Ocheyedan. The suit names Osceola County Sheriff Douglas Weber, the sheriff's department and the county. It claims the law used to deny them nonprofessional carry permits is unconstitutional. According to the lawsuit, Paul Dorr was issued nonprofessional permits to carry a weapon from 2001 to 2006, but his application was denied in 2007. The Dorrs believe the sheriff's denial was personal. (Let's see – the suit was filed last fall and will not be heard until next June; why am I thinking justice delayed is justice denied?)
http://www.kcci.com/news/19108407/detail.html
---
Pennsylvania Governor Calls for Semiauto Ban: Just yesterday, Governor Ed Rendell spoke out about gun control laws. Today, the governor asked federal and state lawmakers to do more to protect police. Governor Rendell, Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Police Chief Nate Harper gathered with other officials in Harrisburg to discuss how Pennsylvania can prevent situations like the death of three Pittsburgh Police officers from ever happening again… With those words, Governor Rendell called on the public to push lawmakers to enact common sense gun measures to protect local police beginning with a ban on AK47s and other semiautomatics. "These weapons have absolutely no purpose but to kill," said Rendell. "They can't be used for sport; they certainly aren't used for hunting." … (While I'm afraid that the NRA will fall into the trap of simply defending the sporting use of autoloading rifles and shotguns, Rendell certainly put his foot in his mouth with that claim. Several years ago I was told that the SKS had become the most widely used deer rifle in North Carolina/)
http://kdka.com/local/automatic.weapons.Rendell.2.985879.html
---
Governor Signs Montana Sovereignty Bills: Gov. Brian Schweitzer has signed into law a bill that aims to exempt Montana-made guns from federal regulation. House Bill 246 was sponsored by Republican Rep. Joel Boniek of Livingston. It applies only to guns made and kept in Montana. Its supporters hope it triggers a court case to test the legal basis for federal rules governing gun sales. The measure is one of many introduced this year by state lawmakers across the nation that seek to assert state sovereignty. Along with the gun bill, Montana legislators are also considering a resolution that affirms the federal government only has those powers listed in the U.S. Constitution…
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2009/04/15/news/state/24-sovereignty.txt
---
Nebraska Bill for Limited Church Carry: A Nebraska bill that would allow church security guards to carry concealed handguns advanced in the state legislature on Thursday. The church provision was tacked on as an amendment to a measure that prohibits cities from having their own ban on concealed weapons. State lawmakers voted 29-15 to adopt the amendment and 40-4 to advance the bill… Sen. McCoy, who attends Westside Church in Omaha, is convinced that the amendment would enhance safety in churches. He pointed to the 2007 shooting at New Life Church in Colorado Springs that could have resulted in numerous deaths but ended when a church security guard shot the gunman. Months after the shooting, New Life's senior pastor, the Rev. Brady Boyd, recommended that all churches have armed guards… (It's not clear who qualifies as a church security guard in Nebraska.)
http://www.christianpost.com/church/General/2009/04/neb-lawmakers-advance-guns-in-churches-bill-03/
---
Some Holster Insights: My recent experience wearing a kydex holster got me to thinking back to when I bought my first holster. They say most people who carry a gun for personal protection have a box full of holsters that didn't work. For me, I kind of lucked out because I hit a home run on my first swing… I had done a lot of research on the internet while my boss was on vacation, and learned all about the pitfalls which could lead to the proverbial box o' holsters. I learned about the different types of materials and the pros and cons of each. I decided that an inside-the-waistband (IWB) type was right for me as they tend to be more concealable and less prone to accidental exposure… (The Versa Max 2 is an outstanding holster, particularly for autoloading pistols that carry lots of rounds in the butt. The comments about the belt are absolutely correct.)
http://www.examiner.com/x-2206-Cleveland-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m4d15-Buying-my-first-holster
---
Good Book: If you don't already own a copy of the classic Hatcher's Notebook, NRA affiliate Palladium Press is offering a very high quality reprint. I have an original version of this book but purchased the Palladium reprint of Sharpe's The Rifle in America some time ago and the quality is impeccable.
http://www.palladiumpress.com/store/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=1739
http://www.ccrkba.org/pub/rkba/press-releases/dhs.report.htm
GOP Calls for Apology to Veterans: Republicans on Wednesday said a Homeland Security Department intelligence assessment unfairly characterizes military veterans as right-wing extremists. House Republican leader John Boehner described the report as offensive and called on the agency to apologize to veterans… The assessment also said that returning military veterans who have difficulties assimilating back into their home communities could be susceptible to extremist recruiters or might engage in lone acts of violence. "To characterize men and women returning home after defending our country as potential terrorists is offensive and unacceptable," said Boehner, R-Ohio…
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=7344776
J No Stands by Report: Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Wednesday that she was briefed before the release of a controversial intelligence assessment and that she stands by the report, which lists returning veterans among terrorist risks to the U.S. But the top House Democrat with oversight of the Department of Homeland Security said in a letter to Ms. Napolitano that he was "dumbfounded" that such a report would be issued. "This report appears to raise significant issues involving the privacy and civil liberties of many Americans - including war veterans," said Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, in his letter sent Tuesday night… (Of note, no concern is expressed over the numbers of gang members who have joined the US military in order to obtain training that will be shared with their respective gangs.)
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/16/napolitano-stands-rightwing-extremism/
Related Commentary:
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=95149
---
More BS from DHS: Yesterday, we talked about Homeland Security's "Rightwing Extremism" report. I was able to give you a link to the document itself because it has been unclassified. The picture on the right is the cover of their "Intelligence Report: United States Southbound Weapons Smuggling Assessment." I can't refer you to the document itself because it is marked "OFFICIAL USE ONLY - LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE." What I will do is share a few highlights that are germane to recent discussions we've been having…
http://www.examiner.com/x-1417-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m4d15-Why-does-Homeland-Securitys-gun-smuggling-report-mislead-law-enforcement
---
Mexico to Press Big Brother on Guns: When President Obama lands in Mexico City Thursday, there will be one main subject on Mexican officials' minds. "For Mexico, the No. 1 priority is guns. The No. 2 priority is guns. The No. 3 priority is guns," Mexican Attorney General Eduardo Medina-Mora told USA TODAY. The Mexican government wants Obama to take more steps to stop arms sold in the USA from flowing across the border, where they are frequently used by cartels in Mexico's drug war. That issue and other contentious subjects, including a brewing trade dispute, will be on the agenda as Obama makes his first official trip south… (Any bets on whether Big Brother will press Mexico to secure its own armories and borders?)
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-04-15-mexicoobama_N.htm
---
The Beat Goes On: Gun City USA, the largest gun store in Nashville, Tennessee, has sold arms to country music stars Hank Williams Jr., George Jones and their entourages. What it can't sell them much of right now is ammunition to reload… Efforts to meet the surge in consumer demand for ammunition are also being stifled by the need to support production for U.S. conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Minneapolis-based Alliant Techsystems, the military's largest supplier of cartridges for M-16 rifles, has quadrupled production under its Army contract in the past nine years to more than 1.4 billion rounds… Olin's Winchester Ammunition unit has seen demand for its products "increase significantly since last fall," the company said in a statement. To meet demand, "operations are running 24 hours a day, seven days a week," it said. Valerie Peters, a spokeswoman for Winchester, declined to elaborate…
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601110&sid=axeZXGgWdAWM
The way Jay Chambers sees it, the semiautomatic weapons in his firearm collection might be the most promising investment in his financial portfolio. Like many gun enthusiasts, Mr. Chambers, a manager for a door wholesaler here, believes President Barack Obama and the Democrats in Congress soon will reimpose a version of an expired federal ban on the sale of so-called assault weapons. If such a law passes, he figures his collection - enough guns, ammo magazines and weapon parts to assemble about 30 AK-47s, AR-15s and other semiautomatic rifles - could triple in value. "A guy could easily make a lot of money," says Mr. Chambers, 47 years old, while at Autrey's Armory, a gun store about 20 miles south of Atlanta…
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123984046627223159.html
Since November, more than seven million people applied for criminal background checks in order to buy guns, according to the FBI. That figure excludes anyone buying a weapon at the thousands of gun shows in states such as Virginia, without facing any checks. The sudden run on weapons has also stripped gun shops in some parts of the country almost bare and led to a national ammunition shortage, the Guardian reports. Gun-shop owners and the National Rifle Association claim the surge is driven by concerns that Mr Obama is planning to ban many types of firearms and that the deepening economic crisis will fuel a crime wave…
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/5147032/Firearm-sales-surge-after-Barack-Obamas-election.html
---
Plain Dealer Editorialist Gets It Right: When it comes to the futility of addressing the epidemic of inner-city violence with impotent gun control laws, it would seem there are at least a two people at the Cleveland Plain Dealer who "get it." Last year Plain Dealer columnist Regina Brett's series on the thug culture earned her title as a top-three finalist for the 2008 Pulitzer Prize in Commentary, and since then she has written articles that prove she "gets it." Plain Dealer editorial writer Phillip Morris, on the other hand, has a more spotty history of support for armed citizens. But his latest op-ed indicates that he is now prepared to join Brett in the effort to lead the newspaper into becoming a positive force for change in the city of Cleveland…
http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/node/6628
---
Iowa CCW Suit to be Heard Next Year: A trial date is set for next year for a father and son from Osceola County who filed a federal lawsuit challenging an Iowa law giving local authorities power to decide who gets permits to carry weapons. The lawsuit was filed last fall by Paul Dorr and his son Alexander Dorr, both of Ocheyedan. The suit names Osceola County Sheriff Douglas Weber, the sheriff's department and the county. It claims the law used to deny them nonprofessional carry permits is unconstitutional. According to the lawsuit, Paul Dorr was issued nonprofessional permits to carry a weapon from 2001 to 2006, but his application was denied in 2007. The Dorrs believe the sheriff's denial was personal. (Let's see – the suit was filed last fall and will not be heard until next June; why am I thinking justice delayed is justice denied?)
http://www.kcci.com/news/19108407/detail.html
---
Pennsylvania Governor Calls for Semiauto Ban: Just yesterday, Governor Ed Rendell spoke out about gun control laws. Today, the governor asked federal and state lawmakers to do more to protect police. Governor Rendell, Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Police Chief Nate Harper gathered with other officials in Harrisburg to discuss how Pennsylvania can prevent situations like the death of three Pittsburgh Police officers from ever happening again… With those words, Governor Rendell called on the public to push lawmakers to enact common sense gun measures to protect local police beginning with a ban on AK47s and other semiautomatics. "These weapons have absolutely no purpose but to kill," said Rendell. "They can't be used for sport; they certainly aren't used for hunting." … (While I'm afraid that the NRA will fall into the trap of simply defending the sporting use of autoloading rifles and shotguns, Rendell certainly put his foot in his mouth with that claim. Several years ago I was told that the SKS had become the most widely used deer rifle in North Carolina/)
http://kdka.com/local/automatic.weapons.Rendell.2.985879.html
---
Governor Signs Montana Sovereignty Bills: Gov. Brian Schweitzer has signed into law a bill that aims to exempt Montana-made guns from federal regulation. House Bill 246 was sponsored by Republican Rep. Joel Boniek of Livingston. It applies only to guns made and kept in Montana. Its supporters hope it triggers a court case to test the legal basis for federal rules governing gun sales. The measure is one of many introduced this year by state lawmakers across the nation that seek to assert state sovereignty. Along with the gun bill, Montana legislators are also considering a resolution that affirms the federal government only has those powers listed in the U.S. Constitution…
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2009/04/15/news/state/24-sovereignty.txt
---
Nebraska Bill for Limited Church Carry: A Nebraska bill that would allow church security guards to carry concealed handguns advanced in the state legislature on Thursday. The church provision was tacked on as an amendment to a measure that prohibits cities from having their own ban on concealed weapons. State lawmakers voted 29-15 to adopt the amendment and 40-4 to advance the bill… Sen. McCoy, who attends Westside Church in Omaha, is convinced that the amendment would enhance safety in churches. He pointed to the 2007 shooting at New Life Church in Colorado Springs that could have resulted in numerous deaths but ended when a church security guard shot the gunman. Months after the shooting, New Life's senior pastor, the Rev. Brady Boyd, recommended that all churches have armed guards… (It's not clear who qualifies as a church security guard in Nebraska.)
http://www.christianpost.com/church/General/2009/04/neb-lawmakers-advance-guns-in-churches-bill-03/
---
Some Holster Insights: My recent experience wearing a kydex holster got me to thinking back to when I bought my first holster. They say most people who carry a gun for personal protection have a box full of holsters that didn't work. For me, I kind of lucked out because I hit a home run on my first swing… I had done a lot of research on the internet while my boss was on vacation, and learned all about the pitfalls which could lead to the proverbial box o' holsters. I learned about the different types of materials and the pros and cons of each. I decided that an inside-the-waistband (IWB) type was right for me as they tend to be more concealable and less prone to accidental exposure… (The Versa Max 2 is an outstanding holster, particularly for autoloading pistols that carry lots of rounds in the butt. The comments about the belt are absolutely correct.)
http://www.examiner.com/x-2206-Cleveland-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m4d15-Buying-my-first-holster
---
Good Book: If you don't already own a copy of the classic Hatcher's Notebook, NRA affiliate Palladium Press is offering a very high quality reprint. I have an original version of this book but purchased the Palladium reprint of Sharpe's The Rifle in America some time ago and the quality is impeccable.
http://www.palladiumpress.com/store/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=1739
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