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Stephen P. Wenger comments in () by the same
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spw-duf.info A Different Take on the Second Amendment: ...Could it be that the arguments made over the last 150 years about gun control... the laws and regulations passed by states and the Federal government...and any talk about personal safety, crime prevention, hunting and sport shooting...have been a clever diversion away from the clear intention of the words of the Second Amendment? … The Second Amendment is the effort of the Founders to guarantee that the sovereign states would protect a mechanism whereby the states might thwart Federal tyranny through armed resistance, if only as a last resort. Now, there is nothing in the Amendment about any "last resort." Common sense dictates that all efforts to settle any difference would proceed peaceably first. And, when a well-regulated state militia is a day-to-day reality, it acts as a deterrent merely by its existence. Thugs seldom attack armed people. Go ask Switzerland if a militia works. They haven't been invaded in nearly 500 years… States need to reclaim their sovereignty by revitalizing their state militias. Through the militia, states will once again gain their true freedom to regulate the Federal Government that once was their servant. And, in the failure of the exertion of state sovereignty to control the actions of Washington, the unhappy states may secede knowing that they are capable of defending their decision from all who would attempt to use force to prevent their exit. (You may also wish to read Joseph Story's "palladium of liberty" quotation in context, about one-third of the way down the page at http://www.spw-duf.info/quotes.html.)
http://www.lewrockwell.com/longcore/longcore16.1.html
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Back to the Conventional View…: After a few years of well-deserved obscurity, Washington CeaseFire is back on the scene after finding a few legislators willing to sponsor their so-called "Assault Weapon" bill again. And in the classically reprehensible CeaseFire tradition of pasting the names of murder victims on their bills and fundraising projects, they're calling it the "Aaron Sullivan" bill. This hearkens back to the days of their "Columbine Memorial" fundraising events, among many others. Ceasefire and its legislative supporters are making this issue about "weapons of war" and how citizens have no real right to own them. Some pro-gun folks are replying that combat-style semi-automatic guns really aren't combat weapons. We've had this argument a thousand times, and there's no need to rehash it here. If you want to know what a constitutionally protected "arm" is, all you have to do is pick up the dictionaries from when the state Constitution was ratified and look it up… This may come as a shock to some, but shootings, murders and crime were all happening during the times the federal and state constitutions were ratified, and their framers still chose to protect our right to possess combat arms. I think they knew exactly what they were doing.
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100102/OPINION03/701029999
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Meanwhile, from F Troop…: Federal agents have now traced the guns used in all three police shooting incidents over the past two months. Authorities say they've tracked at least six weapons and that more arrests could come for people who supplied guns to the killers. Nationwide the ATF tracks some 300,000 guns involved in crimes every year. A team of 14 law enforcers works the agency's Crime Gun Center in Seattle… We now know that one of the handguns used by Maurice Clemmons in the murders of the four Lakewood police officers last month was stolen from a home in King County three years ago. Christopher Monfort, accused of killing Seattle police officer Tim Brenton, had an arsenal in his apartment, including three high-powered rifles. David Crable, the Pierce County deputy shooter, was allowed to own firearms despite a violent history. Police found a cache of weapons in his home, including a .357 handgun, an AK-47 remake and a sniper rifle. It's still unclear where all those guns came from… ATF investigators also say there is no law in Washington requiring people to report a stolen gun to police. They say such a law would surely provide more leads for their investigations. (So we now have federal agents lobbying for the passage of state infringements?)
http://www.nwcn.com/home/ATF-tracks-guns-used-in-police-killings-80446397.html
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A Christian View of Self-Defense: Does a modern Christian have a right to self defense? With every right there is a correlative responsibility. The ancient right to bear arms has been described in antiquity as the obligation to bear arms in defense of your community. In those ancient times if you would not arm yourself to defend your community you were often shunned if not run out of town all together. Chuck Baldwin in and article published by NewsWithViews.com quoted the statistic that "as of 2004, 50% of the adults in the United States own one or more firearms." My first reaction was, why so few? As someone who once wore a badge and a gun to protect the property and lives of citizens I can testify that my biggest disappointment was the apathy and even cowardice of the people I was often expected to protect…
http://www.newswithviews.com/Gregory/williams109.htm
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Those Who Are Ignorant of the Past…: You've got to hand it to these wingnut, right-wing fringe lunatics. They are a tenacious bunch and they really have the passive-aggressive tantrum act down to an art, don't they? After thoroughly embarrassing themselves last year with their self-appointed moniker of simple "tea baggers" before researching the various nuances of the term, now they simply want to have a "tea party" in the park without, of course, the cups, saucers, scones, crumpets and extended pinkies Š or even tea, for that matter. This time, they want to "exercise" their Second Amendment "rights" by packing and displaying firearms. As a firearm owner and Second Amendment advocate, I have to say these people may just serve as a good example of why many in this country would like to see the Second Amendment repealed… It may be a lot of fun to show off your guns in the park while making a lot of noise and posing an implied threat of overthrowing your own government. If push ever came to shove, though, I'm afraid this "cowboy" mentality just wouldn't hold up long with U.S. soldiers and snipers shooting back. (Mr. Glover apparently is unaware of how just a few hundred Jews with a handful of firearms in the Warsaw ghetto held off the Wermacht for almost a month. The rate of firearm ownership in the US is substantially higher.)
http://www.alamogordonews.com/alamogordo-opinion/ci_14109162
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New Hampshire Firearms Freedom Act: … Don't call the Live Free or Die state a copycat, though - the New Hampshire bill contains a very interesting provision not (to my knowledge) seen in any of the other states' legislation. " Any official, agent, or employee of the government of the United States, or employee of a corporation providing services to the government of the United States that enforces or attempts to enforce a act, order, law, statute, rule or regulation of the government of the United States upon a personal firearm, a firearm accessory, or ammunition that is manufactured commercially or privately in New Hampshire and that remains within the State of New Hampshire shall be guilty of a class B felony. (emphasis added)" Hmm - I'm guessing that's not going to sit well with the BATFE, or the entire federal government, for that matter…
http://www.examiner.com/x-2581-St-Louis-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2010m1d1-New-Hampshire-proposes-state-soverignty-lawwith-a-twist
… Fortunately, our system of government gives the power to the County Sheriff to either ignore or enforce Federal law. The President of the United States cannot tell the County Sheriff what to do in his own county. Neither can Congress. Neither can the Supreme Court. The County Sheriff is not the Gestapo of the federal government. Quite the opposite. The County Sheriff is elected by the people - not employed by any branch of the government. He takes an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States. Therefore his loyalty is towards protecting freedom. Ultimately, the County Sheriff is the check to balance any overreaching authority of the federal government. He decides which laws are Constitutional and will be enforced and which laws violate his citizens' rights and will be ignored. And for the choices he makes, he will answer directly to the citizens of his county - not the federal government…
http://usa1911.com/balance.html
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South Carolina TV Station Lies: Media inaccuracy on gun-related issues stems occasionally from ignorance, often from deliberate attempts to mislead the public. In either case, the result is increased public support for gun control measures based on misinformation. (Or, some would say, "disinformation.") Which is the case in a report by ABC News 4 of Charleston, SC entitled "Group of Tough Crime Bills Head to State House," you can decide for yourself. At issue is pending legislation on what the station calls, "high powered" guns they insist are "assault weapons." Ignoring for a moment that military-style semi-automatic firearms actually use cartridges of lower muzzle energy than typical hunting rifles, and that the misnomer "assault weapon" was originally coined by disinformation artist Josh Sugarmann (most recently of the Violence Policy Center) as a deliberate means of confusing the public into believing that semi-automatic firearms are identical to machine guns, check out ABC News 4's whopper: "The ban on assault weapons is modeled after similar laws in North Carolina and Georgia …" One small problem: Neither North Carolina nor Georgia has any sort of ban on semi-automatic firearms. Indeed, both even permit at least limited ownership of fully automatic firearms which have been legally registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives…
http://www.examiner.com/x-2698-Charlotte-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2010m1d1-Charlestons-ABC-News-4-gets-it-wrong-on-assault-weapons
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With Friends Like These…: Washington Wizards teammates Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton drew guns on each other during a Christmas Eve locker room argument over a gambling debt, according to the New York Post. Last week, the Wizards and Arenas acknowledged that Arenas had stored unloaded firearms in a container in his locker, and the NBA said it was looking into the situation. It was during that investigation that a confrontation between Arenas and Crittenton was revealed, according to a Yahoo! Sports report. The dispute stemmed from an unspecified disagreement, sources told Yahoo! Sports. Citing an anonymous source, the New York Post reported in Friday's edition, however, that the standoff was sparked when Crittenton became angry at Arenas for refusing to make good on a gambling debt. That prompted Arenas to draw on Crittenton, who then also grabbed for a gun, league security sources told the New York Post… (In Arizona, Arenas would likely be charged with aggravated assault, a Class 3 felony under these circumstances.)
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4787825&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines
… Yes. Now come reports from the New York Post and Yahoo Sports that Arenas and his 22-year-old teammate, Crittenton, both had guns in the locker room because of a dispute, like two idiots in an Old West saloon. Terrific. As far as we know, this situation is unprecedented in sports - and that in itself is saying something - but if anyone was going to set a new standard, it was Arenas. His reliance on alter egos - Agent Zero, Hibachi, what have you - has always been seen as an amusing affectation. But the addition of Gilbert the Kid is not the slightest bit funny…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/01/AR2010010101536.html
… Mr. Arenas's celebrity should neither shield him nor make him a target for exaggerated penalties. It might, though, help him in delivering an important message about guns being neither glamorous nor desirable. "I don't need these anymore," he said of his weapons. That's something we hope his young fans hear.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/30/AR2009123002524.html
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Oops, Wrong House: A man is dead after a shooting in Adair County [KY]. Troopers said the attack happened at about 11 p.m. on Christmas. Investigation said Bobby Bunch, 35, tried to force his way into the home of Michael Compton at 2294 Cane Valley Road. Troopers said Bunch was shot during the altercation. An autopsy is scheduled for Saturday in Louisville. No arrests have been made.
http://www.wlky.com/news/22063314/detail.html
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Rule One, Two, Three Reminder: A 23-year-old man was killed early New Year's day when a bullet, discharged from a gun that a friend was handling, struck him in the head. Responding officers booked Ian Lewis, also 23, into the Salt Lake City jail for negligent homicide. According to police, Lewis had picked up a gun and was handling it when it went off and struck Steven McKinney. Both men are from the Salt Lake City area, said Salt Lake City Sgt. Robin Snyder. She added that the incident is a reminder to always treat guns as if they are loaded… (Rule One: All guns are always loaded. Rule Two: Don't let the muzzle cross anything you're not prepared 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.sltrib.com/news/ci_14107312?source=rss "Is this gun unloaded?" If you can't answer this simple question with a strong degree of certainty, you have absolutely no business handling it. Sometimes, with unfortunate results, untrained people will pick up a firearm and do the unintended by not knowing the safety rules. We hear about it on the evening news and read the accounts in the newspapers… Children need to be taught that guns are not toys, and they should know the safety rules. You can't simply tell a child to not touch the gun! Expecting them to honor that request is not reality. Even if you have never told your child you have a gun, they know you do and probably know where you hide it. This is an unintended consequence waiting to happen. Do you and all family members in your home know about firearm safety? If not, then why not? Fire safety is taught universally. You teach your children pool safety and bike safety, but ignore gun safety and then blame the gun when there is a tragedy…
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/148943
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Rule Five Reminder: A South Carolina coastal city has suspended its top police officer after concluding he lied about how his gun was stolen. Multiple media outlets reported that North Myrtle Beach Public Safety director William Bailey was placed on administrative leave Wednesday after admitting he lied about whether his truck's glove compartment was locked when his gun was stolen last week. City Manager John Smithson says Bailey misled officials about how his gun was stored. Bailey had told authorities his truck was unlocked but his glove compartment was locked. The city released a statement by Bailey in which he took responsibility for the weapon storage and his statement on the glove box. That model truck doesn't have a locking glove compartment. (Rule Five: Maintain Control of your firearm. Why wasn't the chief simply wearing his gun?)
http://www.wmbfnews.com/Global/story.asp?S=11751910
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India to Further Restrict Gun Ownership: Amid reports of many arms licence holders misusing their legal weapons in one or the other way, the Centre has come out with a comprehensive draft to bring changes in the existing arms and ammunition policy for individuals - suggesting scores of new provisions ranging from setting up a national database of licensees to making the police verification exercise strict and mandatory.
At present, the Centre has no data which can show how many people in the country have arms licences and what kind of weapons they have as the existing Arms Act does not any provision requiring a licensing authority to maintain the required records...
http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=22887
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Interview Reminder: Many of you in the self-defense civil rights community know of Dr. Suzanna Gratia Hupp, the courageous Texas woman who was in Luby's Cafeteria in Killeen Texas in 1991 where her parents were murdered, along with 20 others, by a deranged criminal. She left her pistol in the trunk to comply with then current Texas law. Dr. Hupp went on to spend 10 years in the legislature. Dr. Hupp will be the featured guest on AzCDL Board Member Charles Heller's radio program America Armed & Free, Sunday, January 3, 2010, from 1-2 PM, where she will discuss her book, "From Luby's To The Legislature." The program can heard on AM 1030 KVOI in Tucson, AM 930 KAPR in Douglas, and AM 1240, KJAA in Globe. It will also stream live at the KVOI website: http://tinyurl.com/KVOIlivestream. Charles will archive the program at his website: www.libertywatchradio.com/listen. (Arizona is on Mountain Standard Time, for those of you who may wish to catch the interview live.)
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Tangentially Related: The Wall Street Journal reports this week that U.S. investigators are discovering that more and more young Muslims are vanishing from mosques, madrassas, and Islamic centers. The disappearances, the Journal notes, are raising grave concerns among FBI and Homeland Security officials who fear that an onset of jihadist activity will take place on American soil in the near future. Hundreds of Muslim men are also missing from Islamberg and this is not a propitious omen… The same phenomenon of vanishing Muslim men is taking place at mosques, madrassas, and other Islamic communities throughout the country and at other Jamaat ul-Fuqra paramilitary compounds, including one in Red House, Virginia. U.S. investigators have now discovered that many of the missing Muslims are showing up in the killing fields of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Somalia… Now that the recruits at Islamberg have been trained in the basics of guerilla warfare, they have been deployed to Pakistan for advanced courses in explosives and weapons of mass destruction. They will be returning home soon.
http://www.newmediajournal.us/staff/p_williams/2009/12222009.htm
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With the signing of an under-publicized amendment to Executive Order 12425, Barack Obama has fundamentally altered your constitutional rights. His actions are undermining your rights to protect personal privacy from a foreign internationalist police agency named Interpol. A one-paragraph executive order may seem inconsequential to many, but this action has far reaching implications and threatens the sovereignty of America… This order marks a significant change in federal policy and usurps the constitutional power of our government by yielding it to an international organization. Michael van Der Galien writes, "This foreign law enforcement organization can operate free of an important safeguard against government and abuse. Property and assets, including the organization's records, cannot now be searched or seized. Their physical operational locations are now immune from U.S. legal and investigative authorities." … An added wrinkle to this executive order is that Interpol's operations center for the United States is housed within our own Justice Department. Many of the agents are Americans who work under the aegis of Interpol. This order has potentially created the new civilian security force that Obama proposed during his campaign. This group of law enforcement officials is no longer subject to the restraints enshrined in the U.S. Constitution…
http://townhall.com/columnists/FloydandMaryBethBrown/2010/01/01/obama_executive_order_alters_your_legal_protections?page=full
The Washington Post offers three brief commentaries on the actions of Jasper Schuringa abord NWA Flight 253, on Christmas Day.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/31/AR2009123103312.html --
