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Just a Reminder: …The current round of violence in Mexico is certain
to reignite the campaigns for more state and federal gun controls here
in the United States. As we reported last May ("Mexican Violence, Gun
Controls"), the escalating violence south of our border caused a
flurry of citations of false statistics from the politicians and media
organs attempting to link Mexico's woes to the availability of guns in
the United States. Senator Dianne Feinstein claimed that "ninety
percent of the guns that are picked up in Mexico and used to shoot
judges, police officers and mayors ... come from the United States."
President Obama and others repeated that bogus 90-percent claim, and
it is now being trotted out again to build support to curtail sales at
gun shows and further restrict firearms availability. As The New
American pointed out, the facts show almost the exact opposite of what
the gun restriction/gun confiscation advocates are claiming. Such as,
that more than 80 percent of the guns confiscated at crime scenes in
Mexico do not come from the United States. And that most of Mexico's
street warfare is being fought with automatic weapons that are not
available from U.S. gun shops/gun shows, but are coming from Central
and South America and from deserters from the Mexican military.
F Troop's Own Record Deficiencies: We've talked about the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) many times here,
including about their National Firearms Registration and Transfer
Record, the official record the government keeps on all National
Firearms Act-registered weapons, such as machine guns, short-barreled
rifles and shotguns, suppressors, destructive devices and AOWs, or
"Any Other Weapons" the government deems taxable/requiring
registration. We've seen their former branch chief make a startling
admission: " Let me say that when we testify in court, we testify that
the data base is 100 percent accurate. That's what we testify to, and
we will always testify to that. As you probably well know, that may
not be 100 percent true." …Today I'd like to present one real-world
example that illustrates both the inaccuracy of the NFRTR as well as
the potential danger gun owners who believe they're obeying the law
could face. The following document was obtained under a Freedom of
Information Act request… (I have been told that the loss of a great
many NFA registration has been attributed to their intentional
trashing several years ago by anti-RKBA female clerical employees,
when the records were still stored in DC. Be that as it may, this is
an agency that has not earned a reputation for being truthful.)
Carry Licensure Questioned: Toward the end of Monday's column, I made
an observation about the licensing of defensive handgun carry:
"Another reason I rarely approach gun rights advocacy from this angle
is that I don't believe in licensing the carrying of a firearm. In
submitting to a licensing requirement to carry a firearm, we undermine
our own case - that the keeping and bearing of arms is a
Constitutionally guaranteed, fundamental human right." …In asking for
that privilege, we have lent implicit legitimacy to the denial of that
which we should demand as free citizens. Yes - I know that most
states have "shall issue" permitting systems, rather than "may issue,"
meaning that an applicant who meets the requirements for issuance of a
license cannot, in theory, be denied the license. Sure - that's
better than giving some police chief or sheriff the power to
arbitrarily require someone to be defenseless while in public, but it
still is an acceptance that our rights are something granted by
government authority, based on our meeting the conditions the
government imposes. Does that sound like "shall not be infringed" to
you? In only two states, Vermont and Alaska, can citizens legally
carry a concealed handgun without first asking permission…
Another Look at Georgia RKBA Bill: …SB 308 appears to address concerns
that have been raised from both sides of the debate over Georgia's gun
laws. This balanced approach is not surprising given that Sen.
Seabaugh was the Chairman of the Comprehensive Firearms Law Study
Committee in 2008, where he listened to input from all sides. As an
example, the concealed weapon statute in Georgia has long been
criticized for permitting the arrest of any Georgian carrying a
concealed knife, even if that person has a Georgia firearms license
and is carrying a firearm. SB 308 would permit the concealed carrying
of either a knife or a handgun. As another example, gun control
advocates have frequently complained that there is currently no
reliable system in place to report convictions that should result in
revocation of a firearms license. SB 308 addresses this concern by
requiring clerks of court to report revocable offenses to the issuing
authority, which under SB 308 would become the Georgia Secretary of
State… The most interesting section of the bill is Section 2, which
repeals Georgia's 140 year old public gathering law, originally
adopted to expose black Georgians and Republicans to violence by white
Democrat mobs. SB 308 replaces the public gathering statute with a
new law that criminalizes possession of weapons in some government
buildings, courtrooms, jails and prisons, elementary and secondary
schools, and the dormitories or residential housing at college
campuses. There are new measures to protect the possession of a
firearm in an automobile while in the parking lots of any prohibited
locations if certain requirements are met…
Related Legislation:
Washington "AWB" Bill Introduced: Four anti-gun Democrat lawmakers
representing four Seattle-area districts have filed a bill to ban
so-called "assault weapons" in Washington State, with definitions
based almost entirely on cosmetics rather than on the actual function
of the firearm. The bill is sponsored by State Senators Adam Kline
(37th District), Jeanne Kohl-Welles (36th District), Darlene Fairley
(32nd District) and Joe McDermott (34th District). McDermott is the
majority assistant floor leader. Ironically, the bill was filed on the
same day that Chelan County Sheriff Mike Harum was quoted by the
Wenatchee World noting that criminals like the man who gunned down
four Lakewood police officers on Nov. 29 will not be deterred by gun
control laws. He sat on a law enforcement panel appointed by Gov.
Christine Gregoire in the aftermath of that shooting to determine if
changes in state law might reduce the possibility of another such
incident…
New Hampshire Gun Ban Sparks New Coalition: At two recent State House
hearings on gun control bills, a new group called the Hannah Dustin
Defense League has been handing out fliers opposing the regulation of
guns in public buildings. The women's group is a mix of concerned
citizens and organizations, including the Second Amendment Sisters,
Sword Forum International and Pro-Gun New Hampshire. The group is
named after Hannah Dustin, the New England colonist who was captured
by Indians, then escaped by killing her captors. The organization was
created within the last month specifically to oppose a recently
instituted ban on guns in the State House. It plans to actively oppose
other pieces of anti-gun legislation, such as bills that would ban the
open carry of firearms in a public building. "It is our hope this
coalition will be short-lived and unnecessary in the near future," the
group wrote on its website. Laura Jones, a home schooling mom in
Rochester and a member of the group, said the goal is to demonstrate
that a "gun-free zone is a killing zone," since any criminal can
attack without resistance.
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100113/NEWS01/1130327
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Good Turnout at New York Lobbying Day: …More than 2,000 strong came
from every corner of the state to the Legislative Office Building
(LOB) in Albany, arriving by bus, train and in at least one instance -
by plane. And when they got there they made sure their voices were
heard, not only by the politicians that occupied the egg-shaped dome,
but by the opportunistic lame-stream media that takes pot-shots at
hunters and gunowners every chance it gets. Organized by Assembly
Republican Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb (R-Canandaigua) and New York
State Rifle and Pistol Association president Tom King, the event was
covered by every television station in the Capitol District; and with
National Rifle Association (NRA) CEO and Executive Vice President
Wayne LaPierre as the featured guest speaker, I wouldn't be surprised
if coverage didn't go national - with the national media putting its
own spin on it, of course. But it was all straight talk that emanated
from the "Well" of the LOB and the thousands of sportsmen and women
that crowded the floor and stairways loved every minute of it…
http://www.registerstar.com/articles/2010/01/13/columnists/outdoors/doc4b4d5f36e91f3333800337.txt
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Bronx Expands Buyback to "BB Guns": What's next, water pistols? The
Bronx is expanding its successful gun buyback program to include - for
the first time in the city - BB and air guns, officials announced
yesterday. Although not normally lethal, BB and air guns sometimes are
used by criminals to scare victims into thinking the weapons are
conventional, deadly handguns. People who surrender such weapons Jan.
23 at several churches in The Bronx will be given a $50 gift or cash
card for each BB gun turned in, up to a $150 cap. The churches will
also accept regular guns. BB guns retail for between $40 and $60… (I
suspect that "BB guns" refers primarily to Airsoft replicas. It may
not be long before desperate drug users may be able to get cash for
their fingers as these can be used to simulate a handgun inside a
pocket.)
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/bronx/bb_gunmen_can_cash_in_PgNoXBkoV4t5zDnJIDmChM
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Ohio AG Candidate Backs RKBA: Dave Yost (R-Delaware) made a campaign
swing through southwestern Ohio on Tuesday January 5. Xenia was one of
the several stops. Despite the cold temperatures and snowy conditions,
over forty area conservatives turned out to welcome the man they hope
will become the next Ohio Attorney General… Yost easily addressed the
issues and answered questions. When asked about the Second Amendment,
he quipped, "That is part of the Constitution I am sworn to uphold."
He then explained that he supports concealed carry noting the
background check process is working. Yost indicated he favors allowing
concealed handgun license holders to more freely carry in more places…
http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/node/7064
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Arenas in Plea Negotiations: Prosecutors and attorneys for Washington
Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas were in plea negotiations this week that
could have Arenas in court on gun charges as soon as Thursday,
according to law enforcement sources… The sources said it was unclear
whether the plea agreement would set Arenas's punishment as probation,
community service, a fine or some combination. But the negotiations
would ensure that Arenas would not go to jail, one of the sources
said. If the grand jury were to charge Arenas, he likely would face
charges of carrying a handgun without a license, which is a felony and
punishable by up to five years behind bars. Because he has said he had
four guns in the Verizon Center locker room, he could face up to 20
years in jail. Prosecutors could bring their own charge of possessing
an unregistered firearm, a misdemeanor that carries a 12-month
sentence… (It says an awful lot about the government's concept of
justice that the investigation seems to have focused on his possession
and transportation of handguns in DC and not on the allegation that he
pointed one at a teammate. The latter offense, in my home state, is a
felony called aggravated assault.)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/13/AR2010011304260.html
L.A. Times Columnist Seeks Comments: I've been puzzling over the
antics of basketball star Gilbert Arenas, who scorched local courts
here as a high school player but was benched by the NBA last week for
gunplay with a Washington Wizards teammate in the locker room after a
game on Christmas Eve… It seems stupid to me on so many levels; such a
dangerous imitation of macho toughness. But then what do I know about
guns? Not much. So I made a trip this week to the LAPD's firing range.
I discovered that I'm a pretty good shot. That there is something
thrilling about holding a gun. And that firing real bullets is nothing
like playing Halo. "Are you going to write one of those 'guns are
evil' columns?" the LAPD lieutenant supervising my shooting session
asked. I don't think guns are evil, but I'm trying to figure out the
fascination with them for Saturday's column. I'd like to hear from gun
owners. Why do you love your guns? If you have insights to share, let
me know what you think in the comments below.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/01/are-guns-evil-or-is-it-our-trigger-happy-culture.html
Al Sharpton Wants Arenas Punished: Whenever racism rears its head in
sports, the Rev. Al Sharpton has usually had something important to
say. In the process, he has proudly earned the contempt of the sports
radio blabbocracy. But today, Rev. Al is earning their praise. Al
Sharpton embraced by sports radio? Have we entered the twilight zone?
Hardly. They are loving Sharpton because the good Reverend wants
Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas severely punished for bringing
unloaded guns into his team's locker room. Currently facing criminal
charges and league suspension, Arenas is likely facing probation or
prison and will be suspended by the NBA. It's a depressing story made
worse by the fact that Arenas is perhaps the last player you would
ever predict would do something so stupid. The son of a professional
movie extra, and the NBA's first blogger, he is an iconoclastic
goof-ball, more likely to bring a water gun to work than the real
thing…
http://www.thewestsidegazette.com/News/Article/Article.asp?NewsID=100832&sID=12&ItemSource=L
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Oops, Wrong Convenience Store: Two juveniles are behind bars following
a shooting that occurred during a convenience store robbery Tuesday
afternoon [apparently January 5]. Police responded to 3403 4th Ave. to
the J&C Quick Stop just before 3 p.m. after receiving a call of shots
fired. Witnesses on-scene advised that two black male suspects entered
the store, pointed a gun and demanded money. During the robbery, the
store clerk pulled a gun and shot the armed suspect, hitting him in
the wrist. Both suspects fled the store, but were quickly apprehended
in the 2500 block of East 27th St. Police were also able to recover
the money taken during the robbery as well as the weapon used. The
injured suspect was taken to T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital, where
he was treated and released. Both suspects were then taken to the
Juvenile Detention Unit, where they were charged with aggravated
robbery. (Note the gunshot to the wrist. Bullets commonly strike guns,
gun hands and gun-hand arms and shoulders because the brain tends to
focus on the weapon, not the person wielding it. This is a good reason
to carry a handgun accessible to each hand.)
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_166110.asp
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Oops, Wrong Liquor Store: Three men wanted in a botched liquor store
robbery that turned deadly were arrested Thursday, Wilmington [DE]
police said… The attempted holdup happened about 9:30 p.m. Nov. 17 at
Favor's Liquor Store, 1020 N. Walnut St. Two masked robbers
brandishing handguns ordered the 55-year-old clerk to hand over money.
One climbed across the counter and pointed a handgun at the cashier
while the another ran around the counter and also pointed a gun,
according to court records. One suspect then told the cashier to "get
back," and the victim backed up, police said in court records. One of
the two suspects tried to open the cash register while holding a gun
on the cashier. When the gunman looked away, the cashier pulled his
own gun from the waistband of his pants and started firing at the
gunmen, who fled the store. Kendel Miller, 20, of the 500 block of W.
39th St., was fatally wounded by the store clerk, police said. Miller
stumbled out of the store and collapsed on the sidewalk…
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100109/NEWS01/1090333
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Firearms Stolen from California Range: A $5,000 reward was offered
today for information leading to the apprehension of a suspect who
broke into a Riverside shooting range and stole several firearms on
Jan. 2. "The burglary and theft of firearms ... is a very serious
crime and a top investigative priority,'' said Special Agent John
Torres with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms. "We are
asking for the public's help in our effort to apprehend and convict
those responsible for this burglary,'' he said. The reward was
announced jointly by the BATF and the Riverside Police Department.
Torres said the break-in occurred around 4 a.m. at the Riverside
Magnum Range, a combination gun store, training facility and indoor
recreational shooting range at 12391 Sampson Ave… (I don't know if
this is the same Riverside County range where a classmate from my
basic Firearms Instructor Development School was killed in a robbery
for firearms several years ago. Criminals generally don't buy firearms
at gun shows.)
http://www.myvalleynews.com/story/44619/
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With Friends Like These…: Maricopa County [AZ] authorities say they
have arrested a Mesa woman who reportedly tried to trade her
2-year-old daughter for a gun. Maricopa County sheriff's deputies
arrested 33-year-old Tanya Nareau on Tuesday after receiving a tip
about the swap. While at Nareau's home, deputies spoke with a family
friend who had the child and confirmed to deputies that Nareau gave
the girl to him for gun. Deputies say Nareau felt that the family
friend would do a better job in raising the child than she would. They
say Nareau also claimed she could not buy a weapon because she is
prohibited from doing so by law. Authorities say Nareau has been
booked into the county jail in downtown Phoenix. She has been charged
with the unlawful sale of a child and solicitation to possess a weapon
by a prohibited person. It was unclear Wednesday whether Nareau had
legal representation yet.
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2010/01/13/20100113b5filler0114.html
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When Guns Are Outlawed…: A man killed by a shotgun blast to the chest
may have been attacked in revenge after a snowball fight between two
groups of youths in east London. Mahmood Jama, 21, of Plaistow was
shot dead moments after one of the men in the other group was hit in
the face with a snowball. He was chased into a block of flats in
Newham and shot. Witnesses told police that the incident was sparked
by a snowball fight on a garage forecourt about half a mile away in
Studley Road. Mr Jama was found bleeding to death on the first floor
of Whyteville House in Upton Lane last Wednesday. One witness, who did
not want to be named, said the victim was "gunned down in cold blood"…
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23794633-man-shot-dead-after-snowball-fight.do
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Tangentially Related: The Transportation Security Administration,
under scrutiny after last month's bombing attempt, has on its Web site
a "mythbuster" that tries to reassure the public. Myth: The No-Fly
list includes an 8-year-old boy. Buster: No 8-year-old is on a T.S.A.
watch list. "Meet Mikey Hicks," said Najlah Feanny Hicks, introducing
her 8-year-old son, a New Jersey Cub Scout and frequent traveler who
has seldom boarded a plane without a hassle because he shares the name
of a suspicious person. "It's not a myth." …It is true that Mikey is
not on the federal government's "no-fly" list, which includes about
2,500 people, less than 10 percent of them from the United States. But
his name appears to be among some 13,500 on the larger "selectee"
list, which sets off a high level of security screening… Both lists
are maintained by the Terrorist Screening Center, which includes the
Federal Bureau of Investigation. They are given to the Transportation
Security Administration, which in turn sends them to the airlines…
(Recall that there are those who would use these lists to block lawful
purchases of firearms.)
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/14/nyregion/14watchlist.html?ref=us
The [Arizona] Department of Public Safety has a new boss. Gov. Jan
Brewer on Wednesday appointed Robert Halliday to take over from DPS
Director Roger Vanderpool by the end of the month. Halliday will
inherit a department facing unprecedented budget cuts, but Brewer
thought Halliday's lengthy career in law enforcement and military
experience made him a good fit for the job, said Paul Senseman, the
governor's spokesman. "We know he'll do a fine job in keeping morale
high in the department and building on the success Roger Vanderpool
had there," Senseman said… Halliday's appointment continues the
tradition of Arizona governors appointing DPS leaders of their own
choosing when the opportunity arises. Vanderpool, a Democrat, was
appointed to his five-year term by then-Gov. Janet Napolitano while he
was serving as Pinal County sheriff. (I know nothing of Halliday's
views on the RKBA but Vanderpool eliminated the classroom training
available for Arizona's CWP instructors to stay current on legal
issues. That program was of minimal cost to the state because the
attorney who gave the lectures is a volunteer.)
