Sunday's Blog of The Week

I generally use this feature to highlight a different blog each week. The highlighted blog is usually from my sidebar and not always firearms related. This is the first time that a blog has been my "Blog of The Week" more than once, but this is a great article that everyone should read.

For the second time, the Blog of The Week is... The Smallest Minority.

The Other Side

Whenever I write an essay or argue a point about "gun control," I always consider what the other side believes. While I've always had an individual-rights understanding of the topic, it took me the better part of a decade to construct what I believe is the logically defensible ideology to support that position. I have tried to repeat those logical points, sometimes ad nauseam, in order to reach a broad audience. After three and a half years that audience has about reached its maximum here, I think, but I'm not quite done yet. The other side certainly isn't.

A long time ago I came across an anonymous quote:

"Simply put, gun control cannot survive without an accompanying sea of disinformation".

Kevin goes on to tackle a small portion of the "sea of disinformation" in a very well written essay. It is well worth your time.

Finally, a Police Spokeswoman Gets It!

I think I am going to have to add the Albuquerque Tribune to my often read newspapers list.

While looking around for this afternoons topic, I found Alphecca had commented on a WorldNetDaily article titled "FIGHTING BACK 3 home intruders shot dead in Albuquerque". This article quoted the Albuquerque spokeswoman making some very interesting comments. These comments are not what I have come to expect to hear from police spokes-folks, so I decided to dig a little deeper and came up with this great article in the Albuquerque paper:

Using deadly force is legal

By Michael Gisick

The car in which Raymond Gabaldon died, according to Albuquerque police, had been reported stolen on Dec. 7, Gabaldon's 40th birthday.

Two weeks later, on Dec. 22, Gabaldon drove the car onto Desert Drive in southwest Albuquerque, where he chose a house in the 600 block and broke in, police say.

He'd done stuff like that before: twice in 1986 and again in 1992, 1996, 2005 and 2006. Burglary, robbery, auto theft, aggravated burglary, weapons, drugs. Jail. Probation.

There was a warrant out for his arrest Dec. 22, for violating his probation on a previous burglary charge, when police say he broke into the house on Desert Drive and got himself shot by the homeowner.

Gabaldon retreated outside, but made it only as far as the stolen car, where police found him dead.

He was the third man in the past month shot and killed after reportedly breaking into an Albuquerque-area home. Authorities say that's more likely a coincidence than a trend.

"Hopefully this is going to send a message to people who are breaking into homes," Albuquerque police spokeswoman Trish Hoffman said Tuesday. "They're engaging in very dangerous behavior, not only to the people they're robbing, but to themselves."

"Hopefully this is going to send a message to people who are breaking into homes..." Now that is what I like to see, a police spokeswoman supporting the right of citizens to protect themselves, and sending notice to the goblins that the police stand with the citizenry on this issue.

I do have to note that this particular incidence would not have taken place if the criminal justice system had done it's job. This goblin had a long history of similar crimes and should have been segregated from society long ago. The criminal justice system failed to do it's job, a homeowners life and well being was jeopardized, and the goblin was killed. I guess we can chalk it up to "all's well that ends well".

Things We Can Learn From the Daily News

In looking for interesting topics to comment upon each day, I read through several news papers. I generally start with the major Texas papers, then on to the Denver Post, the LA Times and the Seattle Times. I find articles in the smaller papers via Keep and Bear Arms and Google. There is a lot to learn from articles on the use of firearms for self protection. Today we have a couple of good examples.

From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

Two dead, one injured in shooting near Packwood, Lewis County

PACKWOOD, Wash. -- Gunfire that killed two people and injured one exploded near this Lewis County community Wednesday, when a homeowner found a visitor from Las Vegas breaking into his gun safe, the sheriff's office reported.

The homeowner said a male friend from nearby Morton arrived in the morning for a visit, along with two women and a man from Las Vegas, Nev., whom the homeowner did not know, said sheriff's Chief Criminal Deputy Joe Doench.

The homeowner told investigators he became suspicious he was being distracted by three of his guests, Doench said. Armed with a semi-automatic rifle, he directed the visitors to another part of the house.

There, he said he found one of the women had broken into his gun safe and was removing weapons, Doench said. She then shot the homeowner once in the ear with a rifle, giving him a superficial head wound.

The homeowner returned fire, killing the woman.

In these four short paragraphs we learn some valuable lessons. It is very likely that these "visitors" planned on stealing the firearms from the get-go. It appears to be the whole purpose of the visit. This leads us to lesson number 1.

1. Do not advertise the quantity and type of firearms that you own. Lots of folks know that I am a firearms advocate, very few know the extent of my small collection. Just as you would probably not inform a casual acquaintance that you have $20,000 worth of jewelry in your home, don't brag on your firearms.

(Note: The tornado sirens have just gone off)

2. "...he said he found one of the women had broken into his gun safe and was removing weapons" That was not a real gun safe. It sounds like it is one of the gun lockers made by Stack-On and others that are made to keep firearms out of the reach of children, but are not a deterrent to thieves and fire. If you have a quantity of firearms, protect them with a decent safe (also a good place to put that $20k worth of jewelry).

The first two lessons are common sense to many that read this blog, the third lesson is a habit that is not practiced by many.

3. "Armed with a semi-automatic rifle, he directed the visitors to another part of the house." The homeowner had a firearm at hand and at the ready, even when he was secure in his own home. This topic comes up for discussion fairly often on the gun boards, being armed in your own home. This incident shows that having a firearm handy at all times could save your life. Is there any doubt what the outcome would have been if the homeowner had not been armed and taken action?

Another incident with a good lesson occurred here in Texas and is reported in the Houston Chronicle:

Camera tips off men to robbery

By RENÉE C. LEE

CROSBY — Startled by a loud noise in the middle of the night, Jay and Russell Jefferies stumbled from their beds early Wednesday to view the monitor of their home security camera to see what had interrupted their slumber.

What they saw jolted them awake.

According to authorities, four heavily armed men were outside their small house in the 3900 block of Crosby Barbers Hill Road trying to kick in the front door about 2 a.m.

The Jefferieses, whom investigators think are brothers, rushed to grab their shotguns and opened fire as the intruders burst through the door shooting, said Harris County sheriff's Sgt. N. Araguz. One brother managed to call 911 in the midst of flying bullets, he said.

By the time Harris County sheriff's deputies responded to the weapons-disturbance call, two suspects had been fatally wounded.

This lesson is an easy one, install cameras at the entrances to your home or apartment. Basic two camera systems that interact with your television are inexpensive and easy to install. Motion sensor porch lights and cameras in addition to your alarm system will go a long way towards securing your home.

It could be said that another lesson learned form the above incident is that a shotgun makes a fine home defense weapon, sure seemed to do the trick this time.

As you can see, news articles can be a source of ideas for what works, and what may not. Most times the author is not very knowledgeable about firearms, but you can still glean some good stuff between the lines.

(Tornado update: A funnel formed and touched down not far from here. It did not last long and now all is well in this area. The radio reports that so far 18 tornadoes have formed in this storm system and there have been a couple of fatalities)

More Christmas Firearm News!

Guns, and gun owners are being portrayed by the media in a good light more often than I can recall happening in recent history. There is still a very large amount of anti-gun news being reported, but small stories like this are becoming more common:

From News 4, KXLY:

Trying out Christmas gifts on the gun range

Jeff Humphrey

SPOKANE -- With all the unwrapping and holiday dinner left behind on Tuesday a lot of people who didn’t have to work had some time to sit down and enjoy playing with their presents. Or, as the case was with many people, they took their new presents to the gun range.

The Sharp Shooting gun range in Spokane was closed on Christmas Day so Tuesday morning there was quite a crowd of new gun owners anxious to try out their gifts.

One of them was Ryan Evans, who must have been very good husband this year. His wife, with a little help from Santa, went out and bought him a .44 Magnum – a hand-held cannon that’s known as the weapon of choice for Hollywood's Dirty Harry – that’s surprisingly accurate.

Now I am getting a tad bit jealous...

Shooting is actually a family sport and respect for guns is something passed down from generation to generation. A lever action rifle is Kyle Graham’s first weapon and with a little help from his dad Butch is already familiar with some very important safety concepts.

"Always keep the muzzle pointed down range ... you always treat it like it's loaded," Kyle said.

Now for my favorite quote from the article:

Kids will always be curious about guns but experts say you can safely satisfy that interest at your local gun range, which can also be another way for parents and children to spend time together.

After the first of the year, I will be taking the sons of another blogger out for their first session at the range. I am really looking forward to this opportunity to introduce these guys to firearms and work with them on safety (maybe we will end up with a couple new 4H shooters by the time the day is done). I will introduce the basics, and be the last word on safety, while dad will be working with them on marksmanship. It is going to be a good day.

This article was found on Keep and Bear Arms.

Children learn gun safety

I do not have good data on the number of BB/pellet guns and firearms that were given as Christmas presents this year, but from the numbers I saw being purchased over the past month, I would say that there were quite folks waking up Christmas morning to a wonderful present. Many of these folks will be first time or otherwise inexperienced shooters who will require training in how to safely handle a firearm. That responsibility usually falls upon the giver of the gift or another experienced person close to the family.

The Sheriff's Office of Caddo County in Louisiana offers additional training for those with their first gun.

From The Shreveport Times:

Children learn gun safety

By Adam Kealoha Causey

The pops of .22 rifles firing and the pings of shells hitting concrete a second later filled the brisk air on a recent Saturday.

A row of five boys -- all about 8 to 10 years old -- faced shooting targets with parents, grandparents and Caddo sheriff's deputies directly behind or beside. The group braved the 30-degree temperatures for one purpose: learning the safe use of firearms.

The youngsters attended the first of three offerings of the Caddo sheriff's office "First Gun" courses for the fifth consecutive year at the Sheriff's Regional Training Academy in southern Caddo Parish. The classes are aimed at providing basic instruction for children who have never fired a gun.

This is a great idea, and I applaud the Caddo County Sheriff's for taking on this project.

I found this article on Keep and Bear Arms.

Fighting For Our Second Amendment Rights!

It has been awhile since I have had the time to do much reading on the gun forums listed on my sidebar. With work, family and researching for this blog, I just kind of run out of time in the day. So earlier today after the family that had stayed over Christmas night left, I spent some time on the gun boards, getting caught up and just in general seeing what all was going on. I found several things that interested me enough to comment upon here, but one thread in particular had a subject that is very important.

How do we go about making sure that our Second Amendment freedoms are not further infringed upon by the upcoming congress? How do we keep our successes in place (such as the sunset of the AWB), and prevent future failures (such as the .50BMG ban in CA)?

This thread on WarRifles.com linked to an article found on the Buckeye Firearms Association site.

15 Ways To Fight For Our Second Amendment Rights

By Chris Chumita

The fight to keep our Second Amendment rights has had some impressive victories lately. In the past few years, we have seen more states begin to allow citizens to carry concealed firearms, the repeal of the “Clinton Assault Rifle Ban,” and the recent passage of the “Lawful Commerce In Arms Act.”

Despite these victories, now is not the time for us to become complacent about our Second Amendment rights. In fact, it is under attack in ways that we have only feared. For example, we have seen the passage of an “Assault Rifle Ban” in Columbus, Ohio, a voter approved gun ban in San Francisco, and the confiscation of firearms from law abiding citizens during a natural disaster in Louisiana.

Now, more than ever, we have to fight to protect out Second Amendment rights. Below are 15 easy things that you can do to help. You do not have to do all 15 to join the fight, but if everyone could just do one of them, it would help gun owners everywhere.

1. Join The NRA (If you don't like the NRA, just skip this step):

The NRA (National Rifle Association) is without question, the most powerful pro-Second Amendment organization. I think that it would be safe to say that if it weren’t for them, we would have lost our Second Amendment rights a long time ago. The NRA has been there for every national Second Amendment victory for over the last 100 years. With over 4 million members, they are a consistently ranked the most powerful lobbying organization in Washington. The politicians in Washington DC know that when the NRA speaks, they are speaking for over 4 million people. So if you are not a NRA member, join today. If you are a member, renew it today. Better yet, become a life member. If you are financially able to do so, donate to the ILA (Institute of Legislative Affairs) and the PVF (Political Victory Fund). Personally, a majority of my donations go to the NRA. Make it a goal to sign up three new NRA members a year. During the holiday season, remember that NRA memberships make great gifts. In a way, you are giving them the gift of freedom. In addition to their political work, the NRA provides firearms education and publishes several excellent magazines. The magazines are a great way to get someone who does not support the NRA to learn what they really stand for.

2. Support Other National Second Amendment Organizations:

There are several other Second Amendment organizations that deserve our support. These organizations may have a slightly different approach than the NRA, but they are fighting for the same goal. These organizations include the Second Amendment Foundation and the USCCA (United States Concealed Carry Association). However, some people argue that the NRA and other Second Amendment organizations compromise too much. That is one of the reasons I would recommend also supporting a “No Compromise” Second Amendment organization. These organizations generally refuse to surrender any of our Second Amendment rights for any reason. If you want to support a “No Compromise” organization, I would recommend the “GOA (Gun Owners Of America). You can investigate the different organizations by visiting their websites.

3. Support “Special Interest” Second Amendment Organizations:

Sometimes, it can be very hard to get some people to listen to pro-Second Amendment organizations. Many people blindly assume that the NRA, GOA, and other organizations are just crazy gun nuts. However, they might listen to a “Special Interest” Second Amendment organization before they would listen to the NRA or GOA. Many of these organizations are based on minority status, or some other special interest. In most cases, you can join one of the “Special Interest” Second Amendment organizations even if you are not a minority or fall into whatever special category they represent. For example, I am not Jewish, but I support the JPFO (Jews For The Preservation Of Firearms Ownership). The JPFO is a “No Compromise” organization that tries to make people understand that gun control often leads to genocide. I also support the LEAA (Law Enforcement Alliance of America). The LEAA is a police based organization that supports the Second Amendment for police officers and citizens. They were instrumental in getting the National Carry For Police passed. There are women based organizations such as the Second Amendment Sisters and the Liberty Belles. One organization that people are surprised to learn about is the Pink Pistols. They are a pro-Second Amendment homosexual organization.

4. Support Your Local Second Amendment Organizations:

Many people fail to realize the importance of state level organizations. Because of their nature, they are usually more in touch with the grassroots than the big national organizations. Their power is derived from their ability to organize many individuals, like yourself to deliver a unified message to the legislature. They are also effective in taking many individual suggestions to national organizations like the NRA, who can lend immense political pressure. It is not a one or the other- you need to be involved in several organizations today. A good state organization will work together with the NRA. Unfortunately, the state and local organizations are easily neglected, because the national organizations can seem to take a greater precedence. Sometimes, the national organizations are often too busy on the national level to fight at the local and state levels. This is where your state or local organization comes in. Find out who your local organizations are and support them. For example, I have recently become active with the Buckeye Firearms Association. They are an Ohio-based organization that is solely concerned with the interests of Ohio’s gun owners. The local organizations are always in the need of volunteers to hand out information, make phone calls, or campaign for local pro-Second Amendment politicians, and other activities. Campaigning for a pro-gun candidate is probably the area where the local or state level organizations need the most help. Jim Irvine, chairman of the Buckeye Firearms Association, states, “If you have a person who is willing to go to the statehouse and fight for your rights for two years, you owe that person two days of your time for his/her campaign. Everyone is busy, but you make time for the important things. This is important. Contact your NRA EVC or a good statewide organization and help their endorsed candidates. Your help gives power to the organization, and builds respect in the legislature. Each new person makes a difference."

5. Contact Your Local, State, and National Representatives:

Write to your local, state, and national representatives and let them know how you feel about the Second Amendment. Send them a letter thanking them or asking for their support. If they are against the Second Amendment, write them a letter to ask them why. Challenge them. Frame your argument in terms of why are you against my (or my wife/sister/mother/grandfather’s) right to defend ourselves from a killer/rapist? Discuss the benefits of gun ownership by giving them the facts, and use that information to discredit the anti-gun arguments. However, make sure that you are polite and DO NOT make any threats. All gun owners should consider campaigning for pro-Second Amendment candidates and vote on election day!

6. Get your Concealed Handgun License:

It may have a different name in the state that you live in, but it’s vitally important to get as many law-abiding citizens to get their CHLs as we can. If you support the Second Amendment, you should get your CHL even if you never plan on carrying a firearm. It’s sad to say, but it’s a numbers game. The more people who have the permits, the more powerful our voices become. In the rare circumstance that a CHL-holder commits a crime with a firearm, the media most likely make it sound like every CHL-holder is a future felon. The more law-abiding CHL-holders we have, the easier it becomes to show that the criminals are a rare exception. If you do decide to get your CHL, make sure you do it legally, and get the proper training.

7. Buy A Gun:

If you can afford it, help keep a firearm company in business by buying a new gun (or three) this year. Whenever you buy a gun, make sure that you know how to use it, and how to properly store it.

8. Support Your Local Shooting Ranges:

It is one of my dreams to own a shooting range. During my research, I was amazed to learn how expensive they are to build, maintain, and to manage the day to day operations. It is amazing that the commercial ranges make enough money to stay in business and still make a small profit. One thing to think about is how many shooting ranges in your area have closed due to financial reasons, lawsuits, or eminent domain. We need to help keep commercial ranges open for the future of the Second Amendment. It may be cheaper to legally shoot on private land, but don’t forget about us unfortunate people who live in the city. The commercial ranges are often the only place for us to shoot. Good places to shoot are getting harder to find. If you find one, help keep it in business.

9. Support Your Local Gun Store:

This may be the most surprising of all of my suggestions. Instead of saving money by buying a gun on the Internet, buy them at a local “mom and pop” gun store. Granted the stores can’t meet the prices of an internet gun warehouse, but they give you the opportunity to handle firearms. They are also great places to “talk guns” and be surrounded by like minded people Hopefully, their customer service will make up for the extra money that you spent on the item. However, the gun stores have to take some responsibility here too. Too often, firearm businesses employ way too many “Ex Navy Seal Commandos” who chase away more customers than they keep. Employees and owners must be sensitive to the customer who is interested in learning about guns and becoming a gun owner. Too many times, gun store employees tend to make “rookie” gun enthusiasts feel incompetent and are unwilling to educate these potential customers in a friendly, welcoming manner. If a customer is treated right, they are often loyal. For example, I continue to buy all of my guns at the same small gun store. I still buy off of them despite the fact that I can buy them cheaper on line. They have a customer for life, because they treated me great when I bought my first gun. Keeping good stores in business helps us recruit new gun owners which are crucial in protecting our Second Amendment rights.

10. Support Gun Shows:

You don’t know what you are missing if you haven’t been to a gun show. They are often packed with table after table of guns, and other gun related merchandise. They are a great place to try to find a rare firearm, and to look at a large number of firearms that you don’t get to see everyday. If you have been paying attention to the fight for our Second Amendment rights, you know that gun shows are under attack. Some counties and cities are banning them or doing their best to make it an unpleasant experience for attendees. Start supporting the gun shows in your area or they will become a thing of the past. You may also bump into a pro-gun legislator. Is there a better time to talk to him/her about Second Amendment issues?

11. Share Your Gun Magazines

I am a compulsive reader and I often horde my old magazines. Every once in awhile (to keep the fiancée happy) I end up throwing away a bunch of my old Second Amendment, and gun related magazines. After dumping my last batch I thought of a better way to dispose of them. How about leaving them in the waiting room of various places that you visit? Hopefully, someone will thumb through a copy of a magazine like Concealed Carry Magazine and it will spark an interest. If the magazine is from a subscription, don’t forget to cut off your personal information before leaving it behind. Another way to share your magazines is to donate a subscription to the library. Some Libraries will gladly accept subscriptions to magazines. If yours does, donate a subscription to Concealed Carry Magazine, the various NRA magazines, or another gun related magazine such as “Guns and Ammo.”

12. Advertise Your Right:

Buy and wear some outfits that tell others that you support the Second Amendment. The NRA has a great selection of high quality clothing. However, you should be careful not to wear any pro-Second Amendment clothing that has what can be perceived to be sexist, racist, or threatening. Avoid T-Shirts that have sayings such as “Trespassers Will be Shot, Survivors Will Be Shot Again” or similar messages. They may funny to some, but they do nothing but add to the violent gun owner stereotype.

13. Write To Your Local Papers:

Don’t let anti-gun biases go unchallenged. Write a letter to the editor when ever you see an anti-gun article or bias. Also, write letters to the editor explaining the benefits of CCW laws and the Second Amendment.

14. Stay Informed:

There are too many gun owners who do nothing to help fight for our Second Amendment rights. Before you can act, you have to know what is going on. Probably the best magazine to be informed of what is going with the Second Amendment politics is the NRA magazine “America’s First Freedom.” In addition, read magazines such as Concealed Carry, Combat Handguns, and American Handgunner. Frequent pro-gun websites such as Packing.org, and Keepandbeararms.com. Don’t forget to listen to the NRA news show, Cam & Company, on Sirius Satellite radio. Cam & Company can also be heard on line at NRAnews.com. And, of course, subscribe to Buckeye Firearms News. All of these will help keep you informed of the different firearms, accessories, tactics, and other safety information.

15. Introduce Someone To The Shooting Sports.

Make it a yearly goal to introduce at least 3 people to the shooting sports and firearms every year. The most important area to concentrate is women and children. Women only make up a small percentage of shooters. Women are now the fastest growing segment of gun ownership. Educate the women in your life about using a gun for self-defense. It may save their life. Also, going to the range can be a great bonding experience for you and your significant other. I really enjoy the time I spend on the range with my fiancée (even if she can almost outshoot me after only 3 trips to the range). In addition to women, we need to teach children about their Second Amendment rights. I don’t think I need to explain how the schools and media are brain washing our children to be anti-gun. I know it’s an over used cliché, but the children are our future. One of the best ways to secure our Second Amendment rights for the future is to introduce firearms and shooting to children at an early age. Supervised trips to the range help teach marksmanship and responsibility.

Every gun owner should be doing as many of these suggestions as possible. Many do all of them, and more. Decide what you are capable of doing and start expanding your involvement from there. The anti-gunners do not have the power to beat us, but we are fighting back from losses suffered as a result of our complacency in the past.

It’s up to each of us to never again give up ground to those who would disarm us. We only have to look to the events that happened a few months ago to see that we have to worry about losing our Second Amendment rights. I was horrified when I saw the reports of the gun confiscation in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina, and the passage of the handgun ban in San Francisco. Litigation may have stopped the gun confiscations in Louisiana, but we can’t forget that it happened. If it happened there, it can happen in your home town. Its time to get serous about your Second Amendment rights before it’s too late.

I personally do not strongly agree with step 1. Although I am a member of the NRA, they do compromise on Second Amendment issues for political gain and have become too large a bureaucracy to be passionate. They are a good organization for introducing folks to firearms and shooting, but can not be counted upon when push comes to shove. Steps 2 and 3 mention other organizations that are more focused upon the Second Amendment that are worth supporting, and I have organizations that I am a member of listed on the sidebar.

Firearms owners have the potential to be the largest voting block in the United States. If all firearms owners would take this list to heart, and become active in fighting the soft war to secure our freedoms, then we would be an unstoppable political force, even in California. Yes, it is time to get serious, it is time to write those letters to your representatives, your political parties and your newspapers letting them know your thoughts about upcoming legislation and the Second Amendment.

Merry Christmas

As we approach Christmas Day and finish each of our preparations for the celebration of Christ's birth take a moment to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas.

Mary Did You Know - 2006


Thanks to The Liberal Lie, The Conservative Truth

Win a Piece of History - Update

We Have a Winner!
(and no, it was not me)

I have been plugging the Fifty Caliber Institutes drawing for a Browning M3 Heavy-Barrel in Semi-Auto.

Drawing has been held.
The winner of the Browning M3 is:
Doug Campbell
Frankfort, IL

Congratulations Doug! Tiger Valley is hosting an open shoot on January 13th and 14th. Their 1000 yard range would be a great place to put your Browning through it's paces (and give me the opportunity to watch).

For more information on the Fifty Caliber Institute, visit their website here.

A Christmas Story

The Rifle

Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or those who squandered
their means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for those who were genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors.

It was from him that I learned the greatest joy in life comes from giving, not from receiving.

It was Christmas Eve 1881.

I was fifteen years old and feeling like the world had caved in on me because there just hadn't been enough money to buy me the rifle that I'd wanted so bad that year for Christmas.

We did the chores early that night for some reason. I just figured Pa wanted a little extra time so we could read in the Bible.

So after supper was over I took my boots off and stretched out in front of the fireplace and waited for Pa to get down the old Bible.

I was still feeling sorry for myself and, to be honest, I wasn't in much of a mood to read Scriptures.

But Pa didn't get the Bible, instead he bundled up and went outside. I couldn't figure it out because we had already done all the chores. I didn't worry about it long though; I was too busy wallowing in self-pity.

Soon Pa came back in. It was a cold clear night out and there was ice in his beard. "Come on, Matt," he said. "Bundle up good, it's cold out tonight." I was really upset then. Not only wasn't I getting the rifle for Christmas, now Pa was dragging me out in the cold, and for no earthly reason that I could see.

We'd already done all the chores, and I couldn't think of anything else that needed doing, especially not on a night like this. But I knew Pa was not very patient at one dragging one's feet when he'd told them to do something, so I got up and put my boots back on and got my cap, coat, and mittens.

Ma gave me a mysterious smile as I opened the door to leave the house. Something was up, but I didn't know what.

Outside, I became even more dismayed. There in front of the house was the work team, already hitched to the big sled.

Whatever it was we were going to do wasn't going to be a short, quick, little job. I could tell. We never hitched up the big sled unless we were going to haul a big load. Pa was already up on the seat, reins in hand. I reluctantly climbed up beside him. The cold was already biting at me.

I wasn't happy.

When I was on, Pa pulled the sled around the house and stopped in front of the woodshed. He got off and I followed. "I think we'll put on the high sideboards," he said. "Here, help me."

The high sideboards!

It had been a bigger job than I wanted to do with just the low sideboards on, but whatever it was we were going to do would be a lot bigger with the high sideboards on.

When we had exchanged the sideboards Pa went into the woodshed and came out with an armload of wood--the wood I'd spent all summer hauling down from the mountain, and then all fall sawing into blocks and splitting.

What was he doing?

Finally I said something. "Pa," I asked, "what are you doing?" "You been by the Widow Jensen's lately?" he asked.

The Widow Jensen lived about two miles down the road. Her husband had died a year or so before and left her with three children, the oldest being eight.

Sure, I'd been by, but so what? "Yeah," I said, "why?" "I rode by just today," Pa said. "Little Jakey was out digging around in the woodpile trying to find a few chips.

They're out of wood, Matt."

That was all he said and then he turned and went back into the woodshed for another armload of wood. I followed him.

We loaded the sled so high that I began to wonder if the horses would be able to pull it. Finally, Pa called a halt to our loading, then we went to the smoke house and Pa took down a big ham and a side of bacon. He handed them to me and told me to put them in the sled and wait. When he returned he was carrying a sack of flour over his right shoulder and a smaller sack of something in his left hand.

"What's in the little sack?" I asked. "Shoes. They're out of shoes. Little Jakey just had gunny sacks wrapped around his feet when he was out in the woodpile this morning. I got the children a little candy too.

It just wouldn't be Christmas without a little candy."

We rode the two miles to Widow Jensen's pretty much in silence. I tried to think through what Pa was doing.

We didn't have much by worldly standards. Of course, we did have a big woodpile, though most of what was left now was still in the form of logs that I would have to
saw into blocks and split before we could use it.

We also had meat and flour, so we could spare that, but I knew we didn't have any money, so why was Pa buying them shoes and candy?

Really, why was he doing any of this? Widow Jensen had closer neighbors than us. It shouldn't have been our concern.

We came in from the blind side of the Jensen house and unloaded the wood as quietly as possible, then we took the meat and flour and shoes to the door.

We knocked.

The door opened a crack and a timid voice said, "Who is it?" "Lucas Miles, Ma'am, and my son, Matt. Could we come in for a bit?"

Widow Jensen opened the door and let us in. She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. The children were wrapped in another and were sitting in front of the fireplace by a very small fire that hardly gave off any heat at all.

Widow Jensen fumbled with a match and finally lit the lamp.

"We brought you a few things, Ma'am," Pa said and set down the sack of flour. I put the meat on the table. Then Pa handed her the sack that had the shoes in it. She opened it hesitantly and took the shoes out one pair at a time. There was a pair for her and one for each of the children---sturdy shoes, the best, shoes that would last. I watched her carefully.

She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling and then tears filled her eyes and started running down her cheeks. She looked up at Pa like she wanted to say something, but it wouldn't come out. "We brought a load of wood too, Ma'am," Pa said, then he turned to me and said, "Matt, go bring enough in to last for awhile. Let's get that fire up to size and heat this place up."

I wasn't the same person when I went back out to bring in the wood. I had a big lump in my throat and, much as I hate to admit it, there were tears in my eyes too.

In my mind I kept seeing those three kids huddled around the fireplace and their mother standing there with tears running down her cheeks and so much gratitude in her heart that she couldn't speak.

My heart swelled within me and a joy filled my soul that I'd never known before.

I had given at Christmas many times before, but never when it had made so much difference. I could see we were literally saving the lives of these people. I soon had the fire blazing and everyone's spirits soared.

The kids started giggling when Pa handed them each a piece of candy and Widow Jensen looked on with a smile that probably hadn't crossed her face for a long time. She finally turned to us. "God bless you," she said. "I know the Lord himself has sent you. The children and I have been praying that he would send one of his angels to spare us."

In spite of myself, the lump returned to my throat and the tears welled up in my eyes again. I'd never thought of Pa in those exact terms before, but after Widow Jensen mentioned it I could see that it was probably true. I was sure that a better man than Pa had never walked the earth. I started remembering all the times he had gone out of his way for Ma and me, and many others. The list seemed endless as I thought on it.

Pa insisted that everyone try on the shoes before we left. I was amazed when they all fit and I wondered how he had known what sizes to get. Then I guessed that if he was on an errand for the Lord that the Lord would make sure he got the right sizes.

Tears were running down Widow Jensen's face again when we stood up to leave. Pa took each of the kids in his big arms and gave them a hug. They clung to him and didn't want us to go.

I could see that they missed their pa, and I was glad that I still had mine.

At the door Pa turned to Widow Jensen and said, "The Mrs. wanted me to invite you and the children over for Christmas dinner tomorrow." The turkey will be more than the three of us can eat, and a man can get cantankerous if he has to eat turkey for too many meals.

We'll be by to get you about eleven.

It'll be nice to have some little ones around again. Matt, here, hasn't been little for quite a spell. I was the youngest.

My two older brothers and two older sisters were all married and had moved away.

Widow Jensen nodded and said, "Thank you, Brother Miles. I don't have to say, "'May the Lord bless you,' I know for certain that He will."

Out on the sled I felt a warmth that came from deep within and I didn't even notice the cold. When we had gone a ways, Pa turned to me and said, "Matt, I want you to know something. Your ma and me have been tucking a little money away here and there all year so we could buy that rifle for you, but we didn't have quite enough.

Then yesterday a man who owed me a little money from years back came by to make things square. Your ma and me were real excited, thinking that now we could get you that rifle, and I started into town this morning to do just that.

But on the way I saw little Jakey out scratching in the woodpile with his feet wrapped in those gunny sacks and I knew what I had to do.

So, Son, I spent the money for shoes and a little candy for those children.

I hope you understand."

I understood, and my eyes became wet with tears again. I understood very well, and I was so glad Pa had done it.

Just then the rifle seemed very low on my list of priorities.

Pa had given me a lot more.

He had given me the look on Widow Jensen's face and the radiant smiles of her three children. For the rest of my life, whenever I saw any of the Jensens, or split a block of wood,

I remembered,

and remembering brought back that same joy I felt riding home beside Pa that night.

Pa had given me much more than a rifle that night, he had given me the best Christmas of my life.

By: Rian B. Anderson

That story is an oldie, but a goodie. For me it is worth reading at least once each Christmas Season.

I wish for each and every one of you the happiest of Christmases, and a very blessed New Year.

Mayor to push for ban on military weapons

Last week, a goblin entered the Foxy Lady (a strip club in New Bedford MA) with the intent of killing two people over a romantic rivalry. He was successful, this goblin killed two people, held off the police for awhile, then killed himself (cliff notes version).

For those of you who may not know what an AR-15 looks like, here is one version:

This incident has prompted the Mayor of New Bedford to call for a new assault weapon ban in the State of Massachusetts. I would say that this is a knee jerk reaction by this mayor, but it is not. He has made this attempt once before, with no success.

From South Coast Today:

Mayor to push for ban on military weapons

NEW BEDFORD — Mayor Scott W. Lang is asking the city's legislative delegation to push for a statewide ban on the sale of military-style weapons — including the AR-15 semiautomatic rifle used by a gunman last week to kill two employees and himself at the Foxy Lady SouthCoast.

"I'd like our local delegation to sponsor a bill that takes that type of weapon out of civilian hands ... any type of military weapon," he said. "This is not an appropriate weapon for a civilian to have.

"It's a killing tool. ... It's a weapon that's used to destroy an opposition army. We don't need a battlefield in the middle of our city."

The article continues on to describe the capabilities of the AR-15, some factual, some exaggerated. According to this article, one individual with an AR-15 is pretty much invincible. This mayor would like Massachusetts to enact a gun ban similar to California's, a ban that would make citizens like myself felons.

"...This is not an appropriate weapon for a civilian to have."

Statements like the above are proof that U.S. history and civics are not being taught in schools, and have not been taught in quite awhile.

The Preamble to the Declaration of Independence states:

...We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government...

Our creator has endowed us with the unalienable Rights to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. If we have the unalienable right to Life, then we also have the unalienable right to protect that life. If we have the unalienable right to Liberty, then we have the unalienable right to protect that liberty. The Second Amendment has nothing to do with hunting or gun collecting. The Second Amendment is to ensure that the people have the ability to enforce their right to "...whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government..."

This goblin was a legal gun owner in Massachusetts. He had the proper permit and before this incident was a law abiding citizen. This incident was a fluke, a very low percentage occurrence. The vast majority of shootings that occur in incidents similar to this one are performed by violent criminals with illegal firearms. mAss Backwards has good commentary on this aspect of the issue here, here and here.

The Mayor of New Bedford is asking not only the state of Massachusetts, but the federal government to further infringe upon our rights to keep and bear arms based on this isolated incident.

He also noted he has strong ties with federal legislators from the area and may discuss the idea of a ban with them.

This mayor is a traitor to the constitution, and to the people who elected him.

The solution to a vast majority of violent crime in America is a simple one. Remove violent criminals from society and stop criminalizing victimless adult behavior. Focus the attention of the police on violent criminals and violent gangs, and leave Joe Accountant who wants to smoke a joint, pay for bootie or play some cards to the preachers and the IRS.

Serial Killer Convicted - Update

From the Star Telegram:

Girl's killer sentenced to death

FORT WORTH -- By the look on jurors' faces, it wasn't an easy decision.

After six hours of deliberations, the panel of seven men and five women took their seats in the jury box Wednesday evening and handed their verdict to state District Judge Elizabeth Berry.

One held his head in his hands. Two wiped tears from their eyes.

Their unanimous decision: Convicted killer Juan Meza Segundo should be executed for raping and strangling 11-year-old Vanessa Villa more than 20 years ago inside her north Fort Worth home.

Segundo, 43, stood stoically next to his defense attorneys when Berry pronounced the sentence.

Good for this jury, they made a hard decision and did not fall for the defense attorney's appeal for leniency.

During their final summation, defense attorneys Mark Daniel and Wes Ball did not downplay Segundo's past but said he is a changed man who deserves a life sentence.

After Segundo was released from prison in 2000 after serving a sentence for driving while intoxicated, he moved to Keene and became an active member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He married, developed a strong relationship with his son and became an adoring grandfather.

He has been a model citizen for five years, they said.

Who cares about his "changed life"? He is an animal and should be put down like a bad dog. To many times we, as a society, make excuses for animals like this and offer them leniency. Too many times these goblins end up back on our streets, violent predators searching for their next victim.

The defence attorneys final appeal described the goblins upcoming death:

If they assessed the death penalty, Daniel said, one day Segundo would be put on a gurney, injected with a combination of three drugs -- the same chemicals used to euthanize a dog.

"His eyes will roll back in his head, he will swallow...and life will pass from his body," Daniel said.

To easy by far for this fiend. How easy were the deaths of his victims?

On a personal note, I feel that a long and drawn out appeals process is cruel and unusual punishment. This process needs to be sped up so the goblin only has to sit on death row for a number of months, not years.

Read the complete article here.

Programs Give Boost to Female Shooters

The best way to ensure that the people of "We the people" stand with us on Second Amendment issues is to introduce them to the shooting sports. The more people that are familiar with firearms and take part in the shooting sports, the more people that understand that firearms are not the issue as advertised by the anti's. The participation by women in the shooting sports is growing by leaps and bounds. The shooting sports are an area where women can compete with the men on equal footing, gender does not play much of a role in most of the shooting sports.

One program introducing women to the shooting sports was reported on in the Asbury Park Press out of New Jersey.

JACKSON — Fifty percent more women are target-shooting now than were involved in the sport five years ago, according to surveys conducted by the National Sporting Goods Association.

The statistics from the Connecticut-based trade association for the shooting, hunting and firearms industries show that of the 22 million people who target-shoot more than once a year in the United States, about 5 million, or 23 percent, are women. The surveys were conducted from 2001 through 2005.

More than 1.2 million women in the United States target-shoot at least 20 times per year, the surveys show.

"More and more women are discovering that hunting and shooting sports are great family activities," said Doug Painter, National Shooting Sports Foundation president.

Millions of women actively participating in the shooting sports, millions of women who are not scared of guns, who teach their children the safe handling of firearms. These are women who can look Sarah Brady in the eye and tell her to pack sand.

According to the NSSF, over the past five years, the numbers of women target shooting with air guns rose by 55 percent to 866,000; with rifles, up 53 percent to 2.7 million; with handguns, up 33 percent to 3 million; and with shotguns, up by 16 percent to 1.4 million.

Participation in the National Rifle Association's Women on Target events — which introduce women to target shooting — has grown with the sport.

The NRA started sponsoring the clinics in 2000. Thirteen events were held across the country that year, with about 500 women participating, said NRA spokeswoman Mary Sue Faulkner.

This year, more than 6,800 women took part in 229 Women on Target events, including the one held at the Central Jersey Rifle and Pistol Club in Jackson in September.

Did you see that? Three million (3,000,000) women actively practicing with handguns. That is 3,000,000 women who will have an option other than calling 911 if attacked.

To read the full article, go here.

Go here for more information on NRA sponsored Women's Programs.

I found this story on Keep and Bear Arms.

Basic AR-15 Operation

Cute little video; good for showing a brand new shooter how the AR works.

Thanks to catfish over at Texican Tattler.

Cavalry Arms is a manufacturer of AR15 style firearms and accessories.

Serial Killer Convicted

The anti gunners like to blame violent crime on guns. They continue to equate firearm restrictions with reduced violence. Even when they are proven wrong time after time, they continue the same ol' tired song and dance. You will find the same rhetoric at any of the anti's web sites, the gnashing of teeth and wailing in an attempt to suspend logical thinking and blame firearms for societies ills.

Firearms are not evil, nor are they violent, they are inert objects made out of plastic, wood and steel. They are tools that can be used, or misused, just like any other tool. It is the person behind the tool that can be evil, it is the person behind the tool that decides to be violent.

From the Star Telegram:

3 women recount killer's previous assaults

FORT WORTH -- Jurors heard from three women Monday who said they were victims of Juan Mesa Segundo, suspected of being a serial killer.

These women lived to tell their stories.

This news article is a touch graphic, if that bothers you, please do not read the following quotes.

Segundo, 43, was convicted of capital murder last week for raping and strangling Vanessa Villa, 11, after breaking into her north Fort Worth home Aug. 3, 1986.

This week in state District Judge Elizabeth Berry's court, jurors are hearing testimony to determine whether Segundo should be executed or sentenced to life in prison.

Both of those sentences are too good for this goblin, but of the two, you have to know which one I am for.

This is why they consider him a serial killer:

They have also heard testimony that he has been linked by DNA to the rapes and strangulations of Maria Navarro, whose partially nude body was found June 17, 1995, in Buck Sansom Park, and Francis Williams, a convicted prostitute who was found nude and facedown in a drainage ditch on Cold Springs Road on Nov. 15, 1994.

This goblin defines evil, he is a violent predator who should be permanently removed from society. It is a good thing he has finally been caught, he is finally off of the streets.

To get the death penalty, the prosecution has brought in past victims to testify:

21-year-old Fort Worth woman testified that when she was 4 or 5 years old, Segundo dated her mother. For about three months, they all lived together in the Ripley Arnold public housing apartments in downtown Fort Worth, which have since been torn down.

The woman said that sometimes Segundo took care of her while her mother worked. She said he occasionally took her to a convenience store and bought her candy. Several times when they returned home, she said, he led her into her mother's bedroom, rubbed her genitals and forced her to give him oral sex.

The woman said Segundo said that if she ever told, "he would kill me and my mother."

...No charges have been brought against Segundo in that case.

It really is a good thing we finally have him off of our streets, too bad we could not get him earlier.

Oh wait...

But he has been convicted twice before for crimes against women.

Yes, you did read that correctly. This animal has been convicted twice before, but was somehow still on our streets, raping and killing our women and children.

One of those women took the witness stand Monday. For several moments, she cried and tried to catch her breath before settling down enough to recount her experience.

The woman testified that she was sleeping in her north Fort Worth home Oct. 6, 1987, when she was awakened by someone touching her chest. At first, she thought it was one of her grandchildren, the woman testified.

As she sat up in the bed, she said, a man hit her in the face, covered her nose and began choking her. The woman said she fought back and was able to turn on the light.
She recognized her attacker, Segundo, as an acquaintance who used to work at the same company as she did.

"He didn't have his pants on," the woman testified.

She said she was able to unlock the bedroom door and scream for help. Her daughter and the daughter's boyfriend ran in, and 911 was called.

Segundo sped away in a car parked in an alley.

He had apparently entered her house through a broken window.

Segundo was arrested and convicted of burglary of a habitation with intent to commit sexual assault. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was paroled in July 1989 and less than a year later was caught in another home.

Note the time line. The goblin attempted rape and murder in October of 1987. He was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison sometime in 1988. He was allowed back on the streets in July of 1989. He spent less than a year and a half behind bars on a ten year sentence.

Less than a year after the goblin was freed, he was caught again:

In that case, a woman testified, she was asleep with her children on a mattress in the living room of her Ripley Arnold apartment when she felt someone lie down beside her.

"I seen a male beside me, completely naked," the woman told jurors. "He started to try to take off my clothes."

The woman said that she fought and tried to run but that Segundo caught her and began choking her on the kitchen floor.

The woman said Segundo stopped when a downstairs neighbor who had heard her screams called to her.

The woman said she jumped out a second-story window to get away. Segundo had cut the screen on the window when he entered her apartment. The woman said she recognized Segundo.

According to court testimony, in that case, Segundo was sentenced to a year in jail for misdemeanor criminal trespass of a habitation.

If the anti gunners were truly about reducing violence in our communities, they would be all up on arms about cases like this one. A woman and a child were raped and murdered while this goblin was supposed to be serving a 10 year sentence. How many others were molested but have not come forward? How many bodies have not been found?

You do not reduce violence by placing further restrictions upon law abiding firearm owners. You do not reduce violence by prohibiting certain firearms due to size, cost or magazine capacity. You reduce violence by removing violent criminals from our streets, and keeping them off. The state failed the citizenry twice in this instance. Where is the outrage from the Million Moms? There is none, you know why?

He did not use a firearm.

Violence does not depend upon the tool, it depends upon the person.

Free Summer NRA Program for High School Sophomores and Juniors

From the Fallon Star Press:

The National Rifle Association is now accepting applications for the 2007 NRA Youth Education Summit, a free summer program for high school sophomores and juniors.

Forty students from across the United States will be hand selected to spend a week with NRA staff in Washington DC. Attendees are responsible only for transportation to and from Washington, DC.

This is one of the programs that are funded by Friends of NRA dinners. An opportunity like this does not come along very often for high school students. During my sophomore summer I had the opportunity to travel Europe for five weeks. I had a blast, and that experience is one of the things that made me the man that I am today.

This would be a great trip:

While in the nation's capital, students will learn the significance of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights while developing an understanding of federal government and the importance of active participation. Attendees in past years have had the chance to meet NRA's Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre, visit Capitol Hill, spend a day at Quantico, VA training courses used by Marines for basic training, visit the White House, visit the Smithsonian Institute and much more.

For more information on this program, and to download an application, visit the NRA Foundation. To read the full article, go here.

I found this article on Keep and Bear Arms.

Second Amendment Carnival VII

Free Constitution has the seventh edition of the Second Amendment Carnival up and ready for your attention.

Last 24 Hours of the Weblog Awards

The last day of voting in 2006 Weblog Awards is upon us. I am pretty much out of the running for first or second place in my category, but the race for third is pretty tight. If you have a moment, I would appreciate your vote. Just click on the above image, and it will take you there.

Thanks

Officers want your serial numbers

If you have been paying any attention to the news lately, you have noticed quite a few stories about criminal police officers. They have been involved with home invasions and selling drugs, theft and child molestation. I believe that the vast majority of police officers are good and decent people, but as with every sector of society, a certain percentage are bad. Keeping that in mind, I wonder just how effective this next program will be.

As reported in The Clarksdale Press Register:

The Clarksdale Police Department is looking to stay a step ahead of would-be thieves during this holiday season.

The department will sponsor a weapon and electronic registration drive at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14, on the first floor of City Hall.

Residents are encouraged to bring the serial numbers of their firearms, guns, pistols, etc. and identification including a picture ID.

All owners of electronic equipment including TVs, XBoxes, PlayStations and MP3 players are encouraged to bring the serial numbers from their equipment.

I am sure that someone had the best of intentions when they came up with this idea, but c'mon guys, this is not the smartest of moves. Who in their right mind would deliver a list of their valuables along with an address where they can be found to total strangers?

Yes it is a good idea to have a listing of all your valuables along with identifying data such as serial numbers tucked away in a safe place. A safe place, you know, a hidden fire proof safe or a safety deposit box at the bank, or at a trusted friend or family members house. Trusting this information to a data base in the police department is just asking for trouble.

I found this article on Keep and Bear Arms.

2007 Lone Star Friends of NRA Dinner

The Friends of NRA is a fundraising organization that funds local, state and national shooting programs. 100% of the funds raised go towards these programs, none towards the political and lobbying arms of the NRA. Some of the organizations that have benefited from Friends of NRA funds include the 4-H, the Boy Scouts, Collage shooting clubs and various firearm training courses that are set up to introduce folks to the shooting sports.

The primary means of raising funds are local banquets.

From the Friends of NRA site:

The format is simple-food, fun, family and fund-raising. Whether you are a hunter, competitive shooter or just a proud gun owner, Friends of NRA events have something of interest for the entire family. Events include dinner followed by exciting auctions and special drawings for unique and collectible merchandise. Attendees bid on items from the standard Friends of NRA merchandise package, as well as special products and services donated to specific events by local businesses and community members. "Friends of NRA merchandise includes very desirable limited edition firearms, wildlife art from popular artists, jewelry, and shooting sports, hunting and outdoor equipment. Events offer every participant an opportunity to take home valuable merchandise and enjoyable memories," said Rich D'Alauro, NRA Senior Field Representative for lower New York, upper New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode Island.

The 2007 Lone Star Friends of NRA Dinner will be held on February 2nd, at the Mesquite Rodeo Convention Center at 6:00 PM. Last years event raised over $20,000, and we are looking to raise even more this year. The proceeds from this event will be used to fund additional permanently endowed scholarships within the Texas A&M System as part of the George Tubb Memorial Scholarship program.

Basic tickets to the banquet start at $30.00 each, sponsor packages start at $200.00. My wife and I do purchase a sponsor package and I have to tell you, these events are a blast. Sponsor packages include a sponsorship statue and entry into sponsor only drawings.

This is a good time, and the money raised is put to good use. I hope to see you other North Texans there.

For more information call the TSRA office at 972.889.8772, or you can email me at the email address located in my profile.

Win a Piece of History

Last Week for This Raffle!

The Fifty Caliber Institute is a national organization dedicated to the advancement of the .50 caliber shooting sports.

From their website:

FCI remains committed to stand in their path and defend not only the .50 caliber sports, but the traditional and inherent American values of gun ownership and personal responsibility. We proudly recognize the contributions made by the .50cal sporting community to our law enforcement and military, contributions that lead to safer streets and improved national security. We thank you for your interest and your ongoing support as we move forward with this critical mission.

I am not yet an owner of a .50 caliber rifle, but it is high up on my "to get" list. Here is a chance to own not just a .50 caliber rifle, but a Browning M3HB in semi auto.

This modified original Browning M3 heavy-barrel has been remanufactured using genuine G.I. parts. You will find the detailed workmanship and design of this remanufactured weapon to be very close to the original and is excellent for sharpshooters, re-enactors or military vehicle enthusiasts. Fires commercial ammunition or blanks. All components internal and external are finished with a gray military type parkerization process.

For more information on this raffle, click on the above image.

Up in arms

"The people have the right to bear arms for their defense and security; but standing armies, in time of peace, are dangerous to liberty, and shall not be tolerated, and the military shall be in strict subordination to the civil power."

The above quote is from the Kansas Bill of Rights. Up until now, the lawmakers of Kansas did not even follow their own bill of rights, much less the Constitution of the United States. Private citizens are not authorized to obtain concealed carry permits. I guess that Kansas lawmakers defined "The people" as the police and private detectives.

That is all about to change on January 2nd, 2007, and some folks just are not quite setteled with allowing citizens the ability to protect themselves.

From Arkcity.net:

Up in arms

Police chief fears the worst in new concealed carry law

Two opposing fans get into a shouting match at a sporting event and the argument spills into the parking lot, where one of them pulls a concealed handgun from a car glove compartment and, BANG, argument over.

This is just one scenario that Arkansas City Police Chief Dan Givens fears when Kansas' concealed weapons law takes affect next year.

Every single time a state moves towards freedom and starts to once again allow it's citizens to carry arms, folks like this police chief come out of the woodwork ranting about bloodbaths in the streets. Well Chief, I am here to tell you that it just hasn't happened. People who obey the law, who jump through all the hurdles of obtaining a permit, who pay their fees and go through the background checks are not your street criminals. The thugs and goblins who are part of your fantasy do not bother to go through the hassle of getting a permit.

A quote from a chicken little who admits he was wrong after the Texas shall issue laws had been in effect for awhile:

"All the horror stories I thought would come to pass didn`t happen. . . . I think it`s worked out well, and that says good things about the citizens who have permits.
I`m a convert."

--Glenn White, president of the Dallas Police Ass`n

Is Chief Givens satisfied at just complaining about the new laws, at getting his opinion printed in the paper and leaving it at that? Oh no, you know he can't just leave it at that:

The first licenses to carry concealed handguns will be issued by the Kansas Department of Revenue on Jan. 2, 2007. After that, it will be impossible to know who is, "packing heat," and who isn't.

"It's a giant step backwards," Givens said.

Givens has been asking local businesses to post signs that forbid anyone from bringing in a concealed gun. The signs can be obtained from the police department or downloaded from www.ksag.org/Concealed_Weapon/Concealed_Carry_Update.htm

You did read that correctly. The chief is going around to local businesses and asking them to post their businesses as off limits to folks who have a concealed carry license. I will just about bet he is also doing it on the tax payers dime.

I wonder if the chief explained to the businesses that folks who obtain permits are usually in a higher income bracket than the average, that they have undergone background checks that prove no criminal history, and that by denying entry to these people, the business is turning away potential quality customers? I kind of doubt it.

So far, several businesses have posted the signs, including The Brown Store, Stage, the Traveler and Picture This TV & Radioshack.

Picture This was one of the first Ark City businesses to post the sign. Owner Danny Thompson said Givens asked him if he would put a sign in his window and he agreed. But he said he really doesn't feel strongly about it.

"I've also got a poster right underneath (the concealed-carry sign) for someone who's starting up a program to get licensed to carry concealed weapons," Thompson said.

He said the program would be offered soon for women who want to be certified to carry a handgun.

Thompson doesn't have a strong opinion on the issue, but, "If someone's going to carry a gun in here, I'd kind of like to know it."

Mr. Thompson, that is the whole idea behind "concealed carry". If you do not know a customer is carrying, neither does the criminal who is casing your place of business. All a "no legally carried firearms allowed" sign does is inform goblins that your business is a safe place to rob.

Having a "no guns" sign above a "concealed carry program" sign is just beautiful. I would really like a picture of that window for my own amusement.

And more on the "how are you going to know"?

Troy Ebert of The Brown Store said he's not sure how much good posting the sign will do. He opposes the law.

"I realize it's a right we have as citizens but it's a little frightening and intimidating to think that someone is walking around with a concealed weapon," he said. "If they're concealed, how are you going to know?"

It is obvious that the gun rights folks in Kansas have their work cut out for them. Educating the public takes a bit of time and effort. It will not be long before the "no guns" signs come down and concealed carry becomes just a fact of life.

This article did contain a bright side or two:

Kasha Kelley won't put the sign outside her business, First Intermark on South Summit. Kelley, the 79th District state representative, voted for the law and defends it.

Businesses need to think twice before posting the sign.

"If you do post that sign, what are you telling criminals -- 'This is a gun-free zone.' It's something to really think about."

She said most of her constituents supported the law and some were very vocal in favor of it. Kansas was one of a handful of states that did not allow citizens to carry a weapon hidden from view.

"There are a lot of restrictions," she said of the Kansas law. "It was very, very carefully considered before it was written up."

Fear of gun crime increasing is not supported by the experience of concealed carry in other states, she said.

"In fact, if a criminal doesn't know whether or not you're carrying, they're not as likely to attack you," Kelley said. "That's been shown over and over again. "

One part of the new law that needs to be reviewed and deleted is this fall back to the times of Jim Crow laws:

The local police chief or sheriff can also weigh in, Givens said. If they have reason to believe a person should not receive a permit to carry a concealed weapon.

I do not know just how much weight will be afforded the opinion of the chiefs, but that is an area wide open for abuse. If a chief does not think that blacks, or gays, or women, or any group should not carry, he could potentially infringe upon their application process.

I found this article over at Shooting the Messenger.

Gun club fired up over hobby

College shooting sports and clubs, not something you hear about during the sports portion of the evening news. Sanctioned teams are out there, competing at levels just as significant as the ball related sports we watch each weekend. See one of my earlier posts here highlighting a member of the Texas Christian University Women's Air Rifle Team.

A somewhat new wave on college campuses is the formation of shooting clubs. These clubs are more casual than the teams, and are open to any who want to participate and learn about firearms. One such club is the UNC Tar Heel Rifle and Pistol Club. As reported in the Herald Sun:

CHAPEL HILL -- Officers of UNC's Tar Heel Rifle and Pistol Club grew up firing guns.

Club president Dax Dixson, of Pikesville, started target shooting when he was 4 and, as a teenager, began entering competitions for firing military surplus rifles.

Vice president John Houston, of Garner, said he was like "the little kid from the movie that always wanted a Red Ryder," which is a popular type of BB gun.

And on the Pinnacle farm where Dwight Springthorpe grew up, hunting was used for pest control.

"You can't let the coyotes eat the sheep," the UNC sophomore said.

The three aim to share their interest with other Carolina students through the rifle and pistol club, which was formed last fall.

This is cool, and a great way to introduce college students to firearms and firearm safety.

The 60 or so group members travel to local ranges to try out hobbies like skeet shooting and rifle and pistol marksmanship. Most of the members of the club have never shot guns before, so officers place a big emphasis on safety and technique.

"We focus on teaching people how to use firearms without shooting one another," said Dixson, a UNC senior.

Instead of being overtly political, the club is mostly about fun and education, officers said.

The best way to insure our firearm freedoms continue is to take folks out to the range. Providing a save and enjoyable shooting experience for a person who is not sure about firearms will do more towards helping our cause than any amount of debate.

These shooting clubs are popping up on college campuses all over the country. Harvard, Duke and MIT are just a few of the colleges that have shooting clubs.

You can read the article in it's entirety here.

Four Year Old Molests Teacher's Aid!

This is another one of those news articles that makes you just shake your head and wonder what the heck is wrong with folks, and schools, and bureaucracy in general. From the Star Telegram:

4-year-old suspended for hugging teacher's aide

(or; 4-year old traumatized by overreaction to simple hug)

WACO - School administrators gave a 4-year-old student an in-school suspension for inappropriately touching a teacher's aide after the pre-kindergartner hugged the woman.

Number one, what kind of school feels the need to suspend a pre-k student for anything? Any behavior that is unacceptable in a 4-year old should be discussed in privacy with that child's parents.

Number two, no hugs allowed?

A letter from La Vega school district administrators to the student's parents said that the boy was involved in "inappropriate physical behavior interpreted as sexual contact and/or sexual harassment" after he hugged the woman and he "rubbed his face in the chest of (the) female employee" on Nov. 10.

DaMarcus Blackwell, the father of the boy who attends La Vega Primary School, said he filed a complaint with the district. He said that his son doesn't understand why he was punished.

"When I got that letter, my world flipped," Blackwell said in a story in Sunday's editions of the Waco Tribune-Herald.

Now we have left the realm of being ridiculous, and entered the twilight zone.

I can not believe that educated adults would accuse a 4-year old of sexual contact or sexual harassment. I do realize that there are those "progressives" that want to teach our children about sexual behaviour and orientation in Kindergarten, but to believe that a 4-year old coped a feel with his face while hugging his teacher is ludicrous.

As for the accusation of sexual harassment, let us look up the definition of "sexual harassment" shall we?

"Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment when submission to or rejection of this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual's employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual's work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment."

Someone is going to have to explain to me how a 4-year old could possibly meet any of these requirements to be considered a sexual harasser.

After the schools initial reaction (and a filed complaint from the father), the accusations changed:

After Blackwell filed a complaint, a subsequent letter from the district said the offense had been changed to "inappropriate physical contact" and removed references of sexual contact or sexual harassment from the boy's file.

This child is still on "in school suspension". He is still being punished for hugging an adult who he felt close to due to spending a good part of his day with her. This young boy hugs a teacher, nuzzles in close as young children will do, and she freaks out (you have to know this was not a calm walk to the principles office). How is the family going to explain that it is still okay to hug people? How has this affected this child, and how will it affect his relationship with women?

There are several people who should be disciplined in this case, none of them are 4 years old.

What kind of woman could interpret a hug from a 4-year old as sexual? How screwed up is her head that she thinks of children this young in a sexual manner? What the heck is she doing in a class with our children? She should be terminated immediately and referred to some sort of counseling.

This woman was a teachers aid. Where was the teacher in this incident? I would assume that the teacher has more experience and could have worked this out with the aid, maybe calling the parents for a conference if she felt the need. The teacher should have control over the aid, and should have the last say on any discipline of the students.

The school administration totally lost it. The school board should take a serious look into this situation and determine if they want folks working in our schools that would accuse a 4-year old of sexual harassment, and then take appropriate action.

Sunday's Blog of The Week

Several of the folks on the sidebar as "Blogs I Read" or on one of the blog rolls are finalist in the 2006 Weblog Awards. These are fine folks with good blogs that deserve your consideration and vote:

In the category "Best New Blog" we have Texas Fred's.

• Fred's blog is a daily commentary on news and politics. We may not always agree with each other, but differing thoughts is what keeps things interesting.

In the category "Best Individual Blog" we have Blue Star Chronicles.

• Beth is a wife and mother in a Blue Star Family commenting on life, news and daily events. You can be sure to always find something of interest in the Blue Star Chronicles.

In the category "Best of the Top 250 Blogs" sits Castle Argghhh!!!.

• You should vote for this blog just because they have a cool name. The Castle is a military blog staffed by several retired warriors commenting on the military, past and present. As one reader puts it "Argghhh!! is a bit more casual, like I imagine a friendly local pub. But a thematic pub, mostly related to the military, old and new. (Duh)"

In the category "Best of the Top 251 to 500 Blogs" is Jarhead's Firing Range.

• John is a Gunny Sargent stationed on Okinawa. John tells it the way he sees it. Politics, news and general commentary. The range is always hot at John's place.

In the category "Best of the Top 501 to 1000 Blogs" we have Radioactive Liberty.

• This site is new to me and to tell you the truth, I have not quite gotten the Monger Horde figured out yet. It is an interesting site where metaphor and irony are used to very good effect.

In the category "Best of the Top 1001 - 1750 Blogs" we find Scottish Right.

• Joe is a well read and articulate commentator on world and domestic politics. This mornings commentary on Senator Brownback has given me pause, I have some investigating to do and emails to send off.

In the category "Best of the Top 2501 - 3500 Blogs" is mAss Backwards.

• Bruce is a fellow gun blogger living in the heart of darkness (Kennedy Country). Massachusetts is right up there with the top anti-constitutional Jim Crowe style gun control law states in the country. Bruce is fighting the good fight against long odds.

And last but not least, in the category "Best of the Top 6751 - 8750 Blogs", is yours truly.

• I appreciate all of the votes that have been cast to this point, and thank you in advance for taking a moment each day to continue voting for A Keyboard and a .45.

One of the mantras in sales is "To be successful, hang out with successful people". It looks like I am in good company. Take some time to look over these great blogs, then vote.

Remember that the voting continues until December 15th, and that you can vote once every 24 hours.

Goblins go on Sexual Assault "Binge."

Which way would work better?

It will never happen to me!

That is what the police are for, to protect us!

We live in a good neighborhood, stuff like that just does not happen here!

Those are just three of the common "reasons" people feel that they do not need to provide for their own protection. What happens on the evening news, always happens to someone else, until one day when a violent act catches up to them...

Recent news articles in the Star Telegram:

Two Arrested in String of Assaults

Two men were arrested Thursday in what police called a sexual assault "binge."

The men are suspects in as many as five sexual assaults Wednesday night in three north Dallas County communities.

These goblins went around and randomly selected women, abducted them, and assaulted them.

Victims told similar stories of how two men traveling in a silver compact car either abducted and sexually assaulted them, or tried to.

"These guys were just out on a binge," said officer Joe Harn, a Garland police spokesman...

...The first incident occurred about 7:45 p.m. Wednesday at an apartment complex in the 3400 block of Country Square Drive in east Carrollton.

One woman went into an apartment while another woman waited in the car, according to Sgt. Patrick Murphy, a Carrollton police spokesman. Two men pulled up, and one robbed the woman in the car, Murphy said.

She then tried to alert the other woman by honking the horn, Murphy said.

"The second victim then came outside and was tackled by the second suspect," Murphy said.

She was kidnapped, raped and released about a mile and a half away in the 3500 block of East Belt Line Road in Farmers Branch, he said.

The next incident occurred about 14 miles east in the 1900 block of Linda Lane in Richardson.

Witnesses told police they saw two men forcing a woman into a silver car at 9:20 p.m., said Lt. Daniel Robb, a Richardson police spokesman.

About 15 minutes later, the woman was found nude about two miles away in Garland, near Lookout Drive and Texas 190 (the President George Bush Turnpike).

Two more incidents were reported in Garland, one at 11:18 p.m. and the other at 11:33 p.m., Harn said.

These goblins did not care about these women's neighborhoods, or their cars, or who they knew. All they were looking for was someone who they perceived as weak, someone that they could abduct and terrorize.

Kidnapped, raped and left naked on the side of the road. I doubt that any of these women had plans to get molested when they left their homes on Wednesday morning. I am sure all of them felt safe and secure in familiar surroundings, performing routine tasks.

The police did do their job. They responded to the crime, they investigated, and they captured the goblins before any more women had their lives altered forever.

Two of the women fought back and escaped with out being raped. This "binge" could have been stopped early on if one of the intended victims had some sort of force equalization tool. A handgun in trained hands is such a tool. These women were out numbered and overpowered by the goblins. A handgun is the one tool that would have stacked the chips in their favor.

Texas is a "shall issue" state, if you pass the background checks and pay the fee, you will get issued a Concealed Handgun License. These women have chosen not to be proactive in securing their own safety, that is their choice (one they may be reconsidering). There are states which forbid women like these from being able to protect themselves from violence. States like California, New York and New Jersey stand firmly on the side of the goblin, telling women that their lives and security do not matter. The arrogant immorality of these legislators should not be tolerated, and I do not for the life of me understand why they are. Why do the people of Washington D.C. allow themselves to be treated like subjects instead of demanding they be treated like free citizens?

To deny a person the natural right that is affirmed in both the preamble and second amendment of the constitution is wrong. It is immoral, unethical and criminal.

A Sweepstakes For a Good Cause

Donate $10 and you could win this custom gun, knife, and holster package worth $12,000!

Louder Than Words has donated the custom prize package.
LTW is a collaboration of some of the country's finest craftsmen in custom guns, knives, and holsters, who donate their work to charity.

Learn more about the organization and the raffle here.

All proceeds will benefit The Jimmy Fund/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

(This is a re-post for new traffic)

The Importance of Firearm Safety

The Weblog Awards have driven a lot of new traffic to this site (Hi folks, thanks for stopping by), which gives me another opportunity to highlight the importance of proper firearm safety. An article in today's Star Telegram illustrates what happens when a person does not take firearm safety seriously. In this particular incident, a woman broke all four rules of safe firearm handling.

Woman jailed after shooting victim dies

FORT WORTH - A 47-year-old man who was shot in the head Wednesday night during an exchange about whether he could smoke inside a friend's house died Thursday afternoon, authorities said.

This incident just occurred this week. The families of both the victim and the woman who caused his death are both still in shock and grieving their loss. I am using this incident as an example for others. Maybe someone will read this, take these lessons to heart, and prevent a future negligent shooting. Please keep any comments civil and respectful to the families grief.

Margore Carter, 49, was arrested Thursday evening by members of the U.S. Marshal's Task Force at a relative's home in Arlington, police said. She faces a murder charge.

Witnesses told police that Williams was drinking with Carter, her sister and the sister's husband in her house in the 3200 block of Todd Avenue.

About 8 p.m., the sister's husband suggested that Williams should go outside to smoke, homicide Detective Tom Boetcher said. Williams refused.

A witness said that "the suspect then jokingly stated that she had something that would make him go outside," Boetcher said.

Carter went to her bedroom and returned with a gun, investigators said.

Mistake number one. Alcohol and firearms do not mix. Granted, this would not have been a fatal mistake had the four rules of firearm safety been followed, but alcohol affects common sense as well as the sense of responsibility. If you are drinking, keep your hands off the guns.

Acting Sgt. Mike Carroll said she first aimed the gun at a window near Williams and pulled the trigger. The gun just clicked.

"From the other witnesses' statements, they all thought she was kind of playing around," Carroll said. "She then walks up to him, puts it to his head and pulls the trigger, and it does go off.

"According to her, she was surprised."

This incident should not have happened, it could have been easily prevented by following the four basic rules of firearm safety.

Boetcher said the case should serve as a reminder of the importance of gun safety.

"People should be aware that all weapons can be deadly -- whether the gun is believed to be loaded or unloaded," he said. "And people are responsible for their actions if their reckless conduct results in someone's death."

So, what are the four rules of firearm safety?

Rule #1 - Every firearm is loaded. Notice that I did not say "Treat every firearm as if it were loaded". NO, every firearm is loaded. Do not act like a firearm is loaded, believe it. Until you check personally, visually and by feel, that a firearm is unloaded, it has a round in the chamber and is ready to fire. Note from this incident that just because the gun does not fire with the first trigger pull means that it is unloaded.

Rule #2 - Never let the muzzle of a firearm point at anything you are not willing to destroy. This is probably the rule I see broken the most at gun shows and shops. Never, ever, cross a person with the barrel of a firearm. Never, ever, cross a part of your own body with the barrel of a firearm. Accidental shootings would not happen if this were followed 100% of the time.

Rule #3 - Keep your finger off the trigger unless your sights are on the target. Do not place your finger on the trigger until you are ready to fire your firearm. Sights on the target means you have the firearm aimed at the target/bad guy/whatever and are ready to fire. You gain no speed by putting your finger on the trigger as you unholster your firearm. (hint, hint to the above officers). Negligent discharges would never happen if this rule was followed 100% of the time.

Rule #4 - Be sure of your target and what is behind it. Be aware of your surroundings. Be sure of your target. Never shoot at sounds or at objects that you can not positively identify. Know what surrounds your target, and what is behind it. Again, be aware of your surroundings whether on a range, in the woods, or in a potentially lethal conflict.

For more information on gun safety, visit Fr. Frogs Pad

Make safe firearm handling an ingrained habit, something you do as a matter of course. Teach these safe habits to anyone who may have access to your firearms and an incident like this will not become a part of your life.