by permission from Stephen P. Wenger
comments in () by the same
http://www.spw-duf.info
Website Update: I have added an article on the concept of expansion ratio to the Naked Emperor page. On a related note, I appreciate all the favorable comments I have received on yesterday's "diatribe." Perhaps the main reason that I do this so seldom in the mailings is that, when I have something of that length to share, I normally post it on the website. A while back I realized that most list members do not revisit the site on their own initiative, hence my announcements of these updates. For those of you of a broader political bent, I frequently add quotes, typically from the Founders, to my Favorite Quotations page but do not announce those additions. There's a very nice assortment of legitimate Jefferson quotations there.
http://www.spw-duf.info/emperor.html
http://www.spw-duf.info/quotes.html
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Not That New…: A list member just sent me an e-mail depicting cell-phone guns – disguised .22-caliber pistols. These started turning up in Europe a few years ago. I mention it because, from time to time, cops get in trouble when they shoot someone who proves to be holding a cell phone instead of a gun. Worse, there have been incidents in which gangbangers have actually assumed aggressive shooting stances, aiming cell phones at cops. It may prove very useful to be able to document that you were previously aware that firearms may be disguised as cell phones. If you cannot do so otherwise, feel free to ask me to forward this e-mail to you.
--
Mexico "Requests" Gunwalker Data: The government of Mexico asked the United States for details of the ATF under Project Gunrunner, Operation name "Fast and Furious" implemented by the U.S. Department of Justice that allegedly allowed thousands of weapons into the Mexico. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) reported that Mexican authorities have proceeded with a request of detailed information on this matter to the American authorities, after the media of both countries made known such operation had been conducted by the (ATF). "The government of Mexico is very interested in the investigations announced by both the ATF and the Department of Justice," Mexico's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. He stressed that the aim of the governments of Mexico and the United States is to stop arms smuggling on the basis of the principle of shared responsibility. In that regard, he noted that both governments work to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the field…
http://www.mexico.vg/crime/mexico-atf-fast-and-furious/3096
Meanwhile…: Gun rights activists have been trying for weeks to get Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) to use his position as Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, one The Washington Post credits with "almost limitless subpoena power," to initiate hearings on the "Project Gunwaker" scandal. Their efforts were given fresh impetus by Rep. RaúlLabrador (R-ID), who pledged to encourage Issa to conduct such hearings. So far, Issa has been silent on the issue, which is curious when you consider his good record on gun issues, and also a pledge he made when he first decided to run for public office in the 1998 United States Senate campaign… There is one thing that could make it practically impossible for Issa to ignore, but in order to make it happen, we need an 800-Lb. gorilla. We've seen the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms call for Senate Investigations, call to cut off ATF funding, and call for DoJ investigations. We've seen Gun Owners of America call for expanding investigations into the House of Representatives, and provide just the tool to use. Both groups have urged their members to take grassroots action to contact their representatives and ask for direct action…
http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-national/issa-silence-on-project-gunwalker-enabled-by-nra-inaction
--
Speaking of NRA's Inaction…: Linda Walker, Buckeye Firearms Association's Central Ohio Chair, is campaigning for election to the National Rifle Association's Board of Directors. Ballots have been distributed to the NRA's four million members throughout the United States, and are due back to the organization by April 10, 2011. As a member of the NRA's Board of Directors, Walker has promised NRA members that she would fight the encroachment of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms on the lawful use of firearms, "stop foolish registration schemes, encourage youth and women to participate in hunting and shooting sports, and do everything in my power to prevent the erosion our God-given rights." … (Linda Walker is the single candidate endorsed this year by the Firearms Coalition, the legacy of Neal Knox.)
http://pressmediawire.com/23978/bfa-linda-walker-runs-for-nra-board.html
--
Good Prospects for North Carolina RKBA Bills: Several bills to relax North Carolina gun laws are under consideration at the N.C. General Assembly, and with the new Republican majority in charge, gun enthusiasts see a good chance of passing them. Legislation strengthening self-defense rights has already passed the state Senate. Bills expanding the places people can carry concealed weapons are in committee in the House. One bill removes the ban on licensed concealed weapons in local parks and restaurants that serve alcohol. The other would make it illegal for business owners to ban guns from their parking lots, provided the guns are legally owned and locked out of sight in a vehicle. It's not clear how far these bills will get, but they're getting public hearings this year, a good sign for any legislation. "I'm pretty optimistic," said Paul Valone, president of Grass Roots North Carolina, which lobbies the legislature to loosen gun restrictions…
http://www2.journalnow.com/news/2011/mar/06/wsmain01-prospects-bright-for-bills-easing-gun-law-ar-837606/
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Illinois Gunners to Rally: … Anger over Attorney General Lisa Madigan's recent decision to make public the names and other personal information belonging to law-abiding gun owners is expected to swell the ranks of protesters at a gun rights rally scheduled for Thursday, March 10th at the Illinois Capitol. The initial intent of the 2011 edition of Illinois Gun Owners' Lobby Day was to encourage the General Assembly to pass legislation allowing qualified citizens to carry defensive firearms. Illinois is one of only two states that prohibit citizens from protecting themselves and their families by carrying defensive firearms. The other state, Wisconsin, is expected to pass concealed carry legislation later this year. Last week, Attorney General Madigan announced that she plans to release sensitive personal information belonging to the state's 1.5 million firearm owners to newspapers, gun control groups, and just about anyone else who asks her for the information. Madigan's decision to depart from the 40-year tradition of keeping this information secure has caused a shift in the focus of the 2011 IGOLD event. This year, IGOLD has a dual purpose. First, to send the message to Attorney General Madigan that gun owners do not want their privacy invaded. Second, IGOLD will drive home the point that law-abiding citizens want the right to defend themselves and their families with the most effective means available – the defensive firearm…
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/massive-rally-at-illinois-capitol-will-protest-release-of-gun-owner-names-and-personal-information-117510513.html
… Huston, along with other working and retired law enforcement officers, is among the rare class of Illinoisans who can legally carry concealed handguns. Regular, responsible, law-abiding citizens ought to have the same right in Illinois, he says. Some 60,000 Tri-County residents with active Firearm Owners Identification Cards, not to mention new applicants, could get that chance if Illinois passes a concealed carry law this year. The operative words are "if," "might," and Governor Pat Quinn's position. But supporters say they're seeing more momentum to pass a concealed carry law this legislative session than they've seen in more than a decade. With a House committee set to hear testimony Tuesday and the annual Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day on Thursday, gun-rights groups are loading up on political ammo. "Honestly, I think its time has come," says state Rep. Jehan Gordon, D-Peoria. State Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, chief co-sponsor of one of six concealed carry bills introduced in the General Assembly this session, predicts some version of concealed carry will pass in the Senate - if it's called for a vote…
http://www.pjstar.com/news/x945639965/Adams-Gun-rights-groups-to-test-political-strength
--
And in Maryland…: When the House Judiciary Committee meets this week, just days after it finished wrestling with a contentious same-sex marriage proposal, lawmakers will be greeted by another lighting rod issue: Guns. Tuesday is the House committee's annual "gun day," when hundreds of Second Amendment and gun control advocates clash over bills intended to shape how Marylanders purchase, carry and use firearms. This year, a dozen gun bills are on the schedule, including a pair backed by Gov. Martin O'Malley (D). But if recent history is any indicator, the vast majority of firearm proposals debated in the House committee Tuesday are poised to fail. It's the product of what advocates and lawmakers on both sides of the issue have described as the General Assembly's long-running stalemate when it comes to guns… Up to 200 members of the pro-gun community are expected to swarm the committee hearing, said Paul Dembowski, president of the gun-rights group Maryland Shall Issue. Showing up en mass to testify against gun restrictions is the best strategy to ward off new laws, Dembowski said. The group also floods the inboxes of committee members with emails in the days leading up to the hearing…
http://rockville.patch.com/articles/house-gun-day-highlights-stalemate-in-assembly
--
Vote Today on Pennsylvania Castle Doctrine: State Rep. Scott Perry, R-Carroll Township, said the state House of Representatives is scheduled to vote Monday on the Castle Doctrine bill that he sponsored. Under current law, the use of deadly force in self-defense is not justifiable when safe retreat is possible, unless a person is attacked in his or her home or workplace. Perry's legislation would remove the requirement to retreat before using deadly force outside the home or workplace, as well. The term Castle Doctrine refers to the adage that a man's home is his castle. "Right now, the scales are tipped slightly in favor of the criminals," Perry said. Perry anticipates that committee members will approve the bill, because they approved it last legislative session. The same goes for the rest of the House and the Senate, both of which also approved the measure last session. The only reason it didn't pass into law was because former Gov. Ed Rendell vetoed it. But new Gov. Tom Corbett has expressed his support for it, so Perry is optimistic…
http://www.ydr.com/politics/ci_17549552
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Tennessee Professors Oppose Campus Carry: Faculty at the University of Tennessee have a message for the Legislature: We don't want to carry guns. The Faculty Senate is looking to pass a resolution at its meeting today opposing state House and Senate bills that would allow permit-holding gun owners on the faculty and staff to bring their firearms to campus. "Having a license doesn't make you trained to deal with a crisis, and the police are trained to deal with that, so they should be the ones with the guns," said senate past-President Toby Boulet, an engineering professor who is writing the resolution with fellow member Carole Myers. UT officials are closely watching activity on the issue in Nashville and vehemently expressing opposition to the bill, said Hank Dye, vice president for government relations. They have had multiple conversations with sponsors of the bill and other legislators, he said… (If campus police departments would conduct additional training for those who gain the right to carry on campus – possibly involving professors from the psychology department – it could help create a culture that discourages mass shootings in that environment.)
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/mar/07/ut-senate-vote-against-firearms-legislation-guns/
--
Open Carry in Alabama: … Alabama Open Carry (ALOC) is a grassroots organization dedicated to protecting and fighting for the rights of those who choose to wear their firearms in public… Many people do not know the laws regarding open carry. ALOC fights for it's members that continue to run into legal problems over their choice. "We can give them information about how to handle it. We can give them information from others who have gone through the same situations," says Tony Shifflet, a member of ALOC… ALOC is pushing for new state legislation to try and make open carry an easier and less hassling experience. They have drafted a set of amendments called "The Self Defense Protection Act of 2011." "It's a set of laws to further strengthen our second amendment laws in the state of Alabama. We have a petition going right now that we actually have over 1,200 signatures supporting this legislation," says Jones. The organization is trying to get the bill on the agenda for the current legislative session.
http://www.cbs42.com/content/localnews/story/2nd-Amendment-Supporters-Rally-in-Magic-City/ZZbkB9o4Ekm-r_h3h-heEQ.cspx
--
Life in New Jersey: A Newton pet food store owner kidnapped in front of his shop is appealing a judge's denial of his application to carry a handgun. Jeffrey Muller, 60, applied for a permit after his harrowing ordeal in January 2010. Authorities said Muller, owner of J&G Pet Food Store, was the victim of mistaken identity by three men in search of another Jeffrey Muller who supposedly bilked an acquaintance out of a large amount of money. State Police did a background check on Muller and initially approved his application. Permits to carry handguns in New Jersey need judicial approval, and last August, state Superior Court Judge Philip Maenza in Morristown denied the application. The judge determined that Muller's fear and his experience as a victim did not meet "the justifiable need" required by statute to carry a firearm. Muller has now asked Superior Court Judge David Ironson in Morristown to reconsider the denial. A hearing was supposed to occur Monday but has been postponed. Neither Muller nor his attorney, Dave Jensen, could immediately be reached for comment…
http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20110304/NJNEWS/103040302/Kidnap-victim-appeals-to-carry-handgun
--
Oops, Wrong House: … Carmen Glass sat beside her husband, Burnell, as the trial opened for Ray Lemes, a Northwest Side homeowner who is claiming a "castle doctrine" defense in the August 2007 shooting of Tracy Glass, 19, an unarmed college student from San Angelo. In Texas, a person is legally justified in shooting someone who enters his home with nefarious intent. Some reports have suggested Glass might've gone to the wrong house. He was staying with his sister in an unfamiliar neighborhood and was legally drunk. Lemes' house looked similar. The hint of a tragic mistake is what caught my eye. It took me back two decades, to a case involving a 16-year-old Japanese exchange student who was shot to death in Baton Rouge, La. He died after mistaking the home of a man named Rodney Peairs for the scene of a party he was looking for. The man yelled "Freeze!" but the student, Yoshihiro Hattori, didn't speak English well. He kept moving and Peairs shot him… (There's a reason that these incidents are described as tragic but why should a homeowner be forced to presume that an intruder in his home has entered in error?)
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/news_columnists/scott_stroud/article/Castle-doctrine-doesn-t-prevent-pain-1044517.php
--
Oops, Wrong Pharmacy: When Jerome Jay Ersland, has his day in court, Oklahoma's self-defense laws will be tested too. The 57-year-old-pharmacist was charged with first-degree murder as a result of shooting death that took place May 19, 2009. Two teenage boys entered the Reliable Discount Pharmacy in Oklahoma City where Ersland worked, but Ersland was able to chase only one of the youths out the door of the store. The other youth, 16-year-old Antwun Parker, was shot by Ersland six times. Oklahoma was among the first states to enact the self-defense legislation referred to as the Make My Day law. The law, named after Clint Eastwood's character Dirty Harry, provided that Oklahoma residents had the right to defend themselves by using deadly force, if necessary, in their homes without fear of criminal or civil action. In 2006, State Sen. Harry Coates authored legislation that extended those rights of self-defense to include persons in or on motor-operated vehicles and at businesses. That bill, known as the Stand Your Ground law, passed the Oklahoma legislature with only nine opposing votes. At first glance, it would seem Ersland had nothing to fear from the criminal justice system when he protected himself and his female co-workers from the two robbers. But as often happens, there is more to the story…
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20110306/cm_ac/7991310_oklahoma_pharmacist_case_tests_selfdefense_law
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Mexicans Arm for Self-Defense: On the ranch lands near the U.S. border, people no longer take security for granted and have turned to weapons to stave off drug thugs. Teachers, ranchers, town officials, business owners and lawyers in rural towns of northwest Chihuahua near New Mexico have armed themselves. Legal or not, they are ready to use their guns for protection. In a country caught in the clutches of a vicious drug war, people have decided it's better to fight than to fall victim to the violence, which has claimed about 35,000 people nationally. It is estimated that 15.5 million weapons – including small-caliber handguns, shotguns and semiautomatic rifles – are owned by residents of Mexico while the army and the police have just under 1 million weapons at their disposal, according to a organization in Australia that tracks weapons worldwide. Fed up with chronic violence, some Mexican residents might be ready to push their government to make weapons more easily available…
http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_17553032?source=most_viewed
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Scandal Down Under: The Police Minister, Michael Daley, has asked for an investigation into allegations police frequently used a pistol range at the centre of a murder investigation free of charge. The police-run Firearms Registry enforces gun laws and oversees the licences of gun owners and pistol clubs, such as the Sydney Pistol Club in La Perouse, where last August an unlicensed shooter and provisional club member allegedly left the club with a pistol and 30 rounds of ammunition which were later used to shoot her father. After the incident, police indefinitely suspended operations at the club's La Perouse range, in the minister's electorate. But the club fought the suspension in the Administrative Decisions Tribunal and last week police and the club instead agreed on a range of stringent conditions for the shooting range. In a letter the club's lawyer, Stephen Mainstone, pointed out the club ''has always been only too happy to allow NSW Police to use the range at no cost''. The letter, written in September, about three weeks after the alleged murder and part of documents before the tribunal, said NSW police had used the club range weekly when their own, inside the Sydney Police Centre in Goulburn Street, was out of action… (How terrible! A legitimate shooting club extends a helping hand to the local cops.)
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/investigation-into-police-links-with-gun-club-20110306-1bjlm.html
http://www.spw-duf.info/emperor.html
http://www.spw-duf.info/quotes.html
--
Not That New…: A list member just sent me an e-mail depicting cell-phone guns – disguised .22-caliber pistols. These started turning up in Europe a few years ago. I mention it because, from time to time, cops get in trouble when they shoot someone who proves to be holding a cell phone instead of a gun. Worse, there have been incidents in which gangbangers have actually assumed aggressive shooting stances, aiming cell phones at cops. It may prove very useful to be able to document that you were previously aware that firearms may be disguised as cell phones. If you cannot do so otherwise, feel free to ask me to forward this e-mail to you.
--
Mexico "Requests" Gunwalker Data: The government of Mexico asked the United States for details of the ATF under Project Gunrunner, Operation name "Fast and Furious" implemented by the U.S. Department of Justice that allegedly allowed thousands of weapons into the Mexico. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) reported that Mexican authorities have proceeded with a request of detailed information on this matter to the American authorities, after the media of both countries made known such operation had been conducted by the (ATF). "The government of Mexico is very interested in the investigations announced by both the ATF and the Department of Justice," Mexico's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. He stressed that the aim of the governments of Mexico and the United States is to stop arms smuggling on the basis of the principle of shared responsibility. In that regard, he noted that both governments work to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the field…
http://www.mexico.vg/crime/mexico-atf-fast-and-furious/3096
Meanwhile…: Gun rights activists have been trying for weeks to get Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) to use his position as Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, one The Washington Post credits with "almost limitless subpoena power," to initiate hearings on the "Project Gunwaker" scandal. Their efforts were given fresh impetus by Rep. RaúlLabrador (R-ID), who pledged to encourage Issa to conduct such hearings. So far, Issa has been silent on the issue, which is curious when you consider his good record on gun issues, and also a pledge he made when he first decided to run for public office in the 1998 United States Senate campaign… There is one thing that could make it practically impossible for Issa to ignore, but in order to make it happen, we need an 800-Lb. gorilla. We've seen the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms call for Senate Investigations, call to cut off ATF funding, and call for DoJ investigations. We've seen Gun Owners of America call for expanding investigations into the House of Representatives, and provide just the tool to use. Both groups have urged their members to take grassroots action to contact their representatives and ask for direct action…
http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-national/issa-silence-on-project-gunwalker-enabled-by-nra-inaction
--
Speaking of NRA's Inaction…: Linda Walker, Buckeye Firearms Association's Central Ohio Chair, is campaigning for election to the National Rifle Association's Board of Directors. Ballots have been distributed to the NRA's four million members throughout the United States, and are due back to the organization by April 10, 2011. As a member of the NRA's Board of Directors, Walker has promised NRA members that she would fight the encroachment of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms on the lawful use of firearms, "stop foolish registration schemes, encourage youth and women to participate in hunting and shooting sports, and do everything in my power to prevent the erosion our God-given rights." … (Linda Walker is the single candidate endorsed this year by the Firearms Coalition, the legacy of Neal Knox.)
http://pressmediawire.com/23978/bfa-linda-walker-runs-for-nra-board.html
--
Good Prospects for North Carolina RKBA Bills: Several bills to relax North Carolina gun laws are under consideration at the N.C. General Assembly, and with the new Republican majority in charge, gun enthusiasts see a good chance of passing them. Legislation strengthening self-defense rights has already passed the state Senate. Bills expanding the places people can carry concealed weapons are in committee in the House. One bill removes the ban on licensed concealed weapons in local parks and restaurants that serve alcohol. The other would make it illegal for business owners to ban guns from their parking lots, provided the guns are legally owned and locked out of sight in a vehicle. It's not clear how far these bills will get, but they're getting public hearings this year, a good sign for any legislation. "I'm pretty optimistic," said Paul Valone, president of Grass Roots North Carolina, which lobbies the legislature to loosen gun restrictions…
http://www2.journalnow.com/news/2011/mar/06/wsmain01-prospects-bright-for-bills-easing-gun-law-ar-837606/
--
Illinois Gunners to Rally: … Anger over Attorney General Lisa Madigan's recent decision to make public the names and other personal information belonging to law-abiding gun owners is expected to swell the ranks of protesters at a gun rights rally scheduled for Thursday, March 10th at the Illinois Capitol. The initial intent of the 2011 edition of Illinois Gun Owners' Lobby Day was to encourage the General Assembly to pass legislation allowing qualified citizens to carry defensive firearms. Illinois is one of only two states that prohibit citizens from protecting themselves and their families by carrying defensive firearms. The other state, Wisconsin, is expected to pass concealed carry legislation later this year. Last week, Attorney General Madigan announced that she plans to release sensitive personal information belonging to the state's 1.5 million firearm owners to newspapers, gun control groups, and just about anyone else who asks her for the information. Madigan's decision to depart from the 40-year tradition of keeping this information secure has caused a shift in the focus of the 2011 IGOLD event. This year, IGOLD has a dual purpose. First, to send the message to Attorney General Madigan that gun owners do not want their privacy invaded. Second, IGOLD will drive home the point that law-abiding citizens want the right to defend themselves and their families with the most effective means available – the defensive firearm…
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/massive-rally-at-illinois-capitol-will-protest-release-of-gun-owner-names-and-personal-information-117510513.html
… Huston, along with other working and retired law enforcement officers, is among the rare class of Illinoisans who can legally carry concealed handguns. Regular, responsible, law-abiding citizens ought to have the same right in Illinois, he says. Some 60,000 Tri-County residents with active Firearm Owners Identification Cards, not to mention new applicants, could get that chance if Illinois passes a concealed carry law this year. The operative words are "if," "might," and Governor Pat Quinn's position. But supporters say they're seeing more momentum to pass a concealed carry law this legislative session than they've seen in more than a decade. With a House committee set to hear testimony Tuesday and the annual Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day on Thursday, gun-rights groups are loading up on political ammo. "Honestly, I think its time has come," says state Rep. Jehan Gordon, D-Peoria. State Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, chief co-sponsor of one of six concealed carry bills introduced in the General Assembly this session, predicts some version of concealed carry will pass in the Senate - if it's called for a vote…
http://www.pjstar.com/news/x945639965/Adams-Gun-rights-groups-to-test-political-strength
--
And in Maryland…: When the House Judiciary Committee meets this week, just days after it finished wrestling with a contentious same-sex marriage proposal, lawmakers will be greeted by another lighting rod issue: Guns. Tuesday is the House committee's annual "gun day," when hundreds of Second Amendment and gun control advocates clash over bills intended to shape how Marylanders purchase, carry and use firearms. This year, a dozen gun bills are on the schedule, including a pair backed by Gov. Martin O'Malley (D). But if recent history is any indicator, the vast majority of firearm proposals debated in the House committee Tuesday are poised to fail. It's the product of what advocates and lawmakers on both sides of the issue have described as the General Assembly's long-running stalemate when it comes to guns… Up to 200 members of the pro-gun community are expected to swarm the committee hearing, said Paul Dembowski, president of the gun-rights group Maryland Shall Issue. Showing up en mass to testify against gun restrictions is the best strategy to ward off new laws, Dembowski said. The group also floods the inboxes of committee members with emails in the days leading up to the hearing…
http://rockville.patch.com/articles/house-gun-day-highlights-stalemate-in-assembly
--
Vote Today on Pennsylvania Castle Doctrine: State Rep. Scott Perry, R-Carroll Township, said the state House of Representatives is scheduled to vote Monday on the Castle Doctrine bill that he sponsored. Under current law, the use of deadly force in self-defense is not justifiable when safe retreat is possible, unless a person is attacked in his or her home or workplace. Perry's legislation would remove the requirement to retreat before using deadly force outside the home or workplace, as well. The term Castle Doctrine refers to the adage that a man's home is his castle. "Right now, the scales are tipped slightly in favor of the criminals," Perry said. Perry anticipates that committee members will approve the bill, because they approved it last legislative session. The same goes for the rest of the House and the Senate, both of which also approved the measure last session. The only reason it didn't pass into law was because former Gov. Ed Rendell vetoed it. But new Gov. Tom Corbett has expressed his support for it, so Perry is optimistic…
http://www.ydr.com/politics/ci_17549552
--
Tennessee Professors Oppose Campus Carry: Faculty at the University of Tennessee have a message for the Legislature: We don't want to carry guns. The Faculty Senate is looking to pass a resolution at its meeting today opposing state House and Senate bills that would allow permit-holding gun owners on the faculty and staff to bring their firearms to campus. "Having a license doesn't make you trained to deal with a crisis, and the police are trained to deal with that, so they should be the ones with the guns," said senate past-President Toby Boulet, an engineering professor who is writing the resolution with fellow member Carole Myers. UT officials are closely watching activity on the issue in Nashville and vehemently expressing opposition to the bill, said Hank Dye, vice president for government relations. They have had multiple conversations with sponsors of the bill and other legislators, he said… (If campus police departments would conduct additional training for those who gain the right to carry on campus – possibly involving professors from the psychology department – it could help create a culture that discourages mass shootings in that environment.)
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/mar/07/ut-senate-vote-against-firearms-legislation-guns/
--
Open Carry in Alabama: … Alabama Open Carry (ALOC) is a grassroots organization dedicated to protecting and fighting for the rights of those who choose to wear their firearms in public… Many people do not know the laws regarding open carry. ALOC fights for it's members that continue to run into legal problems over their choice. "We can give them information about how to handle it. We can give them information from others who have gone through the same situations," says Tony Shifflet, a member of ALOC… ALOC is pushing for new state legislation to try and make open carry an easier and less hassling experience. They have drafted a set of amendments called "The Self Defense Protection Act of 2011." "It's a set of laws to further strengthen our second amendment laws in the state of Alabama. We have a petition going right now that we actually have over 1,200 signatures supporting this legislation," says Jones. The organization is trying to get the bill on the agenda for the current legislative session.
http://www.cbs42.com/content/localnews/story/2nd-Amendment-Supporters-Rally-in-Magic-City/ZZbkB9o4Ekm-r_h3h-heEQ.cspx
--
Life in New Jersey: A Newton pet food store owner kidnapped in front of his shop is appealing a judge's denial of his application to carry a handgun. Jeffrey Muller, 60, applied for a permit after his harrowing ordeal in January 2010. Authorities said Muller, owner of J&G Pet Food Store, was the victim of mistaken identity by three men in search of another Jeffrey Muller who supposedly bilked an acquaintance out of a large amount of money. State Police did a background check on Muller and initially approved his application. Permits to carry handguns in New Jersey need judicial approval, and last August, state Superior Court Judge Philip Maenza in Morristown denied the application. The judge determined that Muller's fear and his experience as a victim did not meet "the justifiable need" required by statute to carry a firearm. Muller has now asked Superior Court Judge David Ironson in Morristown to reconsider the denial. A hearing was supposed to occur Monday but has been postponed. Neither Muller nor his attorney, Dave Jensen, could immediately be reached for comment…
http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20110304/NJNEWS/103040302/Kidnap-victim-appeals-to-carry-handgun
--
Oops, Wrong House: … Carmen Glass sat beside her husband, Burnell, as the trial opened for Ray Lemes, a Northwest Side homeowner who is claiming a "castle doctrine" defense in the August 2007 shooting of Tracy Glass, 19, an unarmed college student from San Angelo. In Texas, a person is legally justified in shooting someone who enters his home with nefarious intent. Some reports have suggested Glass might've gone to the wrong house. He was staying with his sister in an unfamiliar neighborhood and was legally drunk. Lemes' house looked similar. The hint of a tragic mistake is what caught my eye. It took me back two decades, to a case involving a 16-year-old Japanese exchange student who was shot to death in Baton Rouge, La. He died after mistaking the home of a man named Rodney Peairs for the scene of a party he was looking for. The man yelled "Freeze!" but the student, Yoshihiro Hattori, didn't speak English well. He kept moving and Peairs shot him… (There's a reason that these incidents are described as tragic but why should a homeowner be forced to presume that an intruder in his home has entered in error?)
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/news_columnists/scott_stroud/article/Castle-doctrine-doesn-t-prevent-pain-1044517.php
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Oops, Wrong Pharmacy: When Jerome Jay Ersland, has his day in court, Oklahoma's self-defense laws will be tested too. The 57-year-old-pharmacist was charged with first-degree murder as a result of shooting death that took place May 19, 2009. Two teenage boys entered the Reliable Discount Pharmacy in Oklahoma City where Ersland worked, but Ersland was able to chase only one of the youths out the door of the store. The other youth, 16-year-old Antwun Parker, was shot by Ersland six times. Oklahoma was among the first states to enact the self-defense legislation referred to as the Make My Day law. The law, named after Clint Eastwood's character Dirty Harry, provided that Oklahoma residents had the right to defend themselves by using deadly force, if necessary, in their homes without fear of criminal or civil action. In 2006, State Sen. Harry Coates authored legislation that extended those rights of self-defense to include persons in or on motor-operated vehicles and at businesses. That bill, known as the Stand Your Ground law, passed the Oklahoma legislature with only nine opposing votes. At first glance, it would seem Ersland had nothing to fear from the criminal justice system when he protected himself and his female co-workers from the two robbers. But as often happens, there is more to the story…
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20110306/cm_ac/7991310_oklahoma_pharmacist_case_tests_selfdefense_law
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Mexicans Arm for Self-Defense: On the ranch lands near the U.S. border, people no longer take security for granted and have turned to weapons to stave off drug thugs. Teachers, ranchers, town officials, business owners and lawyers in rural towns of northwest Chihuahua near New Mexico have armed themselves. Legal or not, they are ready to use their guns for protection. In a country caught in the clutches of a vicious drug war, people have decided it's better to fight than to fall victim to the violence, which has claimed about 35,000 people nationally. It is estimated that 15.5 million weapons – including small-caliber handguns, shotguns and semiautomatic rifles – are owned by residents of Mexico while the army and the police have just under 1 million weapons at their disposal, according to a organization in Australia that tracks weapons worldwide. Fed up with chronic violence, some Mexican residents might be ready to push their government to make weapons more easily available…
http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_17553032?source=most_viewed
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Scandal Down Under: The Police Minister, Michael Daley, has asked for an investigation into allegations police frequently used a pistol range at the centre of a murder investigation free of charge. The police-run Firearms Registry enforces gun laws and oversees the licences of gun owners and pistol clubs, such as the Sydney Pistol Club in La Perouse, where last August an unlicensed shooter and provisional club member allegedly left the club with a pistol and 30 rounds of ammunition which were later used to shoot her father. After the incident, police indefinitely suspended operations at the club's La Perouse range, in the minister's electorate. But the club fought the suspension in the Administrative Decisions Tribunal and last week police and the club instead agreed on a range of stringent conditions for the shooting range. In a letter the club's lawyer, Stephen Mainstone, pointed out the club ''has always been only too happy to allow NSW Police to use the range at no cost''. The letter, written in September, about three weeks after the alleged murder and part of documents before the tribunal, said NSW police had used the club range weekly when their own, inside the Sydney Police Centre in Goulburn Street, was out of action… (How terrible! A legitimate shooting club extends a helping hand to the local cops.)
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/investigation-into-police-links-with-gun-club-20110306-1bjlm.html
