Openly Carrying Gun Owners Being Harassed

This is an old (to the blogosphere) story, but it is one that I feel the need to comment on.

In Pennsylvania it is legal to openly carry a firearm in most places. The fact that few take advantage of this right does not negate the right. Open carry is legal. A permit is required for concealed carry and to transport your firearms in your vehicle, but no permit is required for open carry.

Last week a Soccer Mom lost her Concealed Weapons Permit because the Sheriff didn't like the fact that she open carried at a soccer game.

From pennlive.com:

Lebanon sheriff revokes soccer mom's gun permit

LEBANON -- Officials in Pennsylvania have revoked a woman's concealed-weapons permit because other parents complained that she was carrying her loaded handgun at her daughter's soccer games...

...Sheriff Michael DeLeo says openly carrying a weapon to a youth soccer match shows a lack of judgment.

Meleanie Hain wears her loaded Glock 26 on her hip when she attends her 5-year-old daughter s soccer practices and games at Optimist Park. It s not that she s expecting trouble, Hain explains; she carries the weapon everywhere. (Jim Zengerle / Lebanon Daily News)

It bothers me, and it should bother all freedom loving folk, that this Sheriff would attempt to revoke her concealed weapons permit based on what he thinks is a lack of judgement. This woman did nothing illegal. She was not playing with her firearm, drinking alcohol, or threatening anyone. She breaks no laws and gets her permit pulled. It could have been worse.

From Cleveland, another open carry state, we get this news:

Concealed or open carrying of guns at issue in city case

Greg Llewellyn, his girlfriend and four friends were sipping hot tea outside a West Side coffee shop on a recent August night when a pair of Cleveland police officers approached with guns drawn.

Get on the ground, an officer ordered, forcing the surprised group to set aside their drinks and hit the sidewalk belly-down. An officer began searching one of Llewellyn's friends before abruptly ending the suspense and demanding to know who had the gun.

"I am the one who has the weapon," the 26-year-old Llewellyn answered. The butt of a black, holstered and loaded CZ-52 pistol -- a Czech-made gun -- was visible tucked behind him in his belt.

The officers arrested him...

These are not isolated incidents. Law abiding citizens are being harassed, humiliated and arrested for doing no more than exercising their natural right to carry the means to defend themselves. This is happening in states where it is perfectly legal to open carry a firearm. These folks are not breaking any laws, yet some LEO's still harass them.

David Codrea has A Plan to Stop Cops from Harassing Openly Carrying Gun Owners in Ohio. Go over and give it a read. This plan, with just minor modifications, can be used in any state or local where the police are just outright harassing citizens who exercise their right to keep and bear arms.

Shoot Like a Girl

H/T Say Uncle

More Gunz N Mexico

In the initial post Gunz N Mexico I referenced an article in the Dallas Morning News that quoted an ATF agent as stating...

"Right now, we know Texas is the No. 1 source of weapons smuggled into Mexico, with most of them coming from Houston and Dallas," Mr. Webb said.

Now the ATF is targeting California as a major supplier of guns to the Mexican drug gangs. But wait, California? Don't they have strict gun laws that would prevent the gangs from getting the guns in the first place? Heck, they don't even allow folks to buy guns at gun shows.

The ATF explains in the article Guns move south via Inland gangs:

The majority of guns moved through California come from other states, such as Arizona and Nevada, where laws are less restrictive than California's 30-day waiting period and assault rifle ban. The weapons can then be transported south, but local authorities believe a portion of them remain in Inland cities.

Okay, it is the other states fault that California gangs have guns. More of the same 'ol same 'ol. How about we start holding California responsible for exporting the extremely violent gangs that cut their teeth in Los Angeles to us? These gangs are now nation wide and guns, drugs, money and bodies travel North, South, East and West without hindrance. Maybe if California would put an end to the gangs, they would put an end to the majority of their drug/gun problems.

Earlier in the article the author stated:

ATF estimates that 95 percent of the weapons currently in Mexico are American made and a portion are moving south of the border through the Inland region.

That is a pretty easy estimate for the ATF to make. The Mexican military and police purchase their firearms from American manufacturers. So yes, since Mexican civilians are not allowed to own firearms for protection, at least 95% of the firearms in Mexico are held by the military and police and therefore are made in America. Some guns may even be smuggled into Mexico from California, so that part of the statement is also easy to make. But let us be honest here folks, it is no secret that corruption runs rampant in the Mexican military and throughout many of their police forces. Many, I would even say a majority, of the firearms in the hands of the drug cartels come directly from the Mexican military and police forces. Other guns cross Mexico's Southern border. This blaming Americans for the drug gang problems in Mexico is just plain lucridous and it has gotten beyond annoying.

The drug gangs on both sides of the border are evil, violent atrocities that should have never been allowed to grow into the cancer that they have become. But don't blame gun shows and Americans for their existence, and stop blaming us for the guns that they have accumulated.


Steve over at The Firearm Blog posted this image of members of the Mexican military on parade with Barrett .50BMG's. How long do you think it will be before some of these are in the hands of the drug gangs? Remember this image when the ATF and a compliant news organization starts bemoaning the influx of .50 caliber weapons in the hands of the drug gangs.

No Bailout!

Well, not at the moment.

The 132 Republicans and 92 Democrats who voted against the will of the Administration and Party Leadership deserve our thanks. Yes the Market tanked, as should be expected , but we now have a chance to figure out a much better way to resolve this crises. I am a believer in "Efficient Markets" and understand that the artificially inflated housing prices and shoddy lending practices have put us in a position where a free market type correction is going to be very painful. But I also understand that the .gov had a very large hand in creating this crises, and turning our financial markets over to the .gov will, in the long run, be even more painful.

This crisis was caused by greed, ineptitude and .gov intervention in the free markets. This crises was caused by people, people with names and faces. These people should be in stocks, literal or figurative. All the country, heck the entire world should see the faces of those responsible.

This crime is deserving of a bit of tar and feathers at the very least. Instead of public humiliation, the ones responsible for getting us into this mess are the same ones demanding our money to get us out of it.

Conspicuous in their absence are the demands for hearings on what caused this in the first place. Congress demands hearings if a baseball player uses steroids, but not this?

To quote an Engineer off of my submarine. The first words out of his mouth if there was an incident were "Who can we hang"?

Well?

Guest Commentary on the "Bailout Fiasco"

I first knew Peter W. Wickham Jr. as The Ol' Grey Ghost, a fellow moderator of a small discussion board. Over our short tenure of moderating the board together, I grew to respect Peter, he reminds me of other men who have been influential in my life.

I have just recently regained contact with "The Ol' Grey Ghost" and asked for his thoughts on the bailout. I share them with you here.

The Recent Bailout Fiasco

At the time of this writing, Congress has worked out their plan to enrich Wall Street further with taxpayers' money and many people are hard pressed to figure out ... well, what to even think about it and a few important questions arise in their minds. One, how did "we" get in this mess and, two, how do "we" get out of it?

How "we," or more correctly, our benevolent government officials got us into this mess is probably the easier of the two and it can all be blamed on "central planning." We humans are too stupid to figure out how to live our own lives and therefore we must defer planning to a few self-appointed experts who have nothing better to do each day than to sit around planning everyone else's life down the crossing of every T and the dotting of every I. What I generally consider the most idiotic portion of this program is that these experts are themselves fallible human beings and are just as stupid as the rest of us if not more so (if you follow the advice of a moron then you might be the bigger moron but if you're forced to follow by law then those who wrote and enforce the law are the bigger morons).

About the time I was graduating from high school (yes, I did) there was a lot of clamoring over some folks who were getting turned down for home loans that they applied for at some prominent lending institutions. These people had bad credit histories, had shaky employment, and wanted to purchase overvalued homes that were situated in neighborhoods that qualified as demilitarized zones. These people also happened to be members of racial minorities and they complained to the government that this was the real reason they were getting turned down. Lending institutions make their money by making loans so they would only be shooting themselves in the foot to refuse to loan to anyone they had good reason to believe would pay them back. But benevolent government officials as they are always in the habit of doing, ordered these institutions to make the loans to these people or they would face being charged with racial discrimination. The bankers balked at this and decided they would just quit making loans altogether rather than lose their shirts by folks defaulting. With a sly wink, the benevolent government officials said everything would be okay since the taxpayers would pick up the tab for any mortgage that went belly up and the race to the bottom was on.

Shrewd businessmen that they were, these loan officers would bundle the questionable mortgages and sell them off as fast as possible (yes, you can sell your "accounts receivable," particularly if there is some interest involved). If you give loans to those who complained and can sell those bundles, then you might as well advertise to get those who didn't complain to come back and apply again and give them loans and so forth. With the availability of easy money, there was a large demand for new homes. When the supply stays the same but demand rises, then the price goes up, up, up. If the price of something appears to be stuck on an escalator, then someone will buy just to sell later for a profit, which in it own raises the demand, which raises the price.

The interest on these loans was mostly tax-deductible while the interest earned from a CD or savings account was taxed. And why save? When the inflation rate (the amount of extra fiat money the government was dumping on the market) is higher than the interest earned on savings, then someone who had money in the bank was losing money and someone who had a loan was paying weak money for the stronger dollars he had gotten earlier. In the end, everybody was paying off one "credit card" with another "credit card" and the government kept issuing new "credit cards."

But eventually the piper had to be paid and now he is set to be paid by people who didn't listen, let alone dance, to his music. Some call what is happening socialism or corporate fascism. Straight and simple, it's just robbery.

Now what can we do? It is said that when there is a runaway train the best and easiest thing to do is stay away from the tracks but if you find yourself an unwilling passenger, then it's best to brace for impact. As for what the government can do or what the government can be forced to do, I would defer everyone to former presidential candidate, Congressman Ron Paul. Dr. Paul (yes, he's an M.D., too) predicted this fiasco just as it has played out and he has the solution but he is just one amongst 540 others who are trying to put their two-cents worth in (and draw 6 bits out) on the bailout and we will probably end up with the government issuing another "credit card" to pay off the other cards, which really only prolongs the inevitable.

What can we as individuals or families do? Stop using debt as a way to pay for regular purchases. If you have long term debt, try to renegotiate now to get better terms. Diversify your investments including even using two banks for checking accounts if you have a two income family, particularly if paychecks are of the direct-deposit variety. Keep a larger quantity of cash secured somewhere that you can physically access at all times of the day and night. Purchase gold and silver which is the global form of real money. If gold and silver are a bit pricey for your family's budget, invest in tools, especially sturdy hand tools. Someone who needs a shovel and has laying chickens will probably trade a few dozen eggs for one of your spare shovels. Buy firearms and learn how to use them. This is one investment that can help protect all your other investments and they can be bartered, too.

Now remember I am a stupid human just as much as the next guy (or gal). Take my advice for what it's worth and adjust as you see fit. You are the one with the boots on the ground in your neck of the woods and it's you and yours that are ultimately at stake. Man has lived through idiotic mistakes like this in the past and we will, unfortunately, have to endure them again in the future. Those who shout that this is the end of the world are just trying to start a stampede and as we learn from studying large predators, they just love to cause stampedes because there's always a lot of fresh meat to eat at the bottom of the cliff when the dust clears.

Peter W. Wickham, Jr.
AKA The Ol' Grey Ghost

The Texas State...

...Rifle Association PAC Voters' Guides are out.

Texas State Senate

Texas State House

One thing that might surprise folks who have preconceived perceptions of organizations like the TSRA, is the large number of candidates with a "D" next to their name who have received an endorsement from the association.

This is Texas after all, and many Texas Democrats are to the Right of Illinois Republicans.

Use this guide as one resource to help you make your decision on who to vote for come November.

Once you do make up your mind, do all you can to support that candidate.

Note to the Republicans who did not get a TSRA endorsement, that is a hint that you can (and should) do better to support our right to keep and bear arms.

Update: Here are the endorsements for the National Offices.

Right Now...

...our two year old butterfly faced granddaughter

is jumping on the bed singing "I kissed a girl and I liked it".

I think Mom is just as sideways as Papa J.

Update: Grandma V to the rescue. The new song is "I kissed Grandma and Momma and I liked it".

Pounding the Pavement

Today I hit the streets, knocking on doors and talking with folks about Texas State Representative Bill Zedler. We met at 8:30 in the morning, had a couple doughnuts, met with Rep. Zedler and his team and then hit the streets. We canvased one South Arlington Precinct today. Each small group of three or four was responsible for a neighborhood. We were working off of a list of Republican and Swing Voters so were not out to do a hard sell. We were adding a personal touch to Bill Zedler's campaign and were well received. This was a bit out of my comfort zone, but it became quite fun. Walking around and meeting new people, talking politics, and building a relationship with one of our representatives is a good way to spend a Saturday.

Getting people to the poles is always important, I feel that it is even more important for this election. Can you imagine the next four years if the Dems get the Presidency and a super majority in Congress? I hate to even contemplate that possibility, but have to acknowledge that it may happen if we do not get folks to the polls.

So go vote. Get your friends to the polls. Call a candidate that you can support and offer your help. We need your help.

That Joe Huffman...

...is everywhere.

When I got home from work this afternoon, I checked my Google Alerts for Texas related gun news. An Austin college paper, The Ranger, published a "point/counterpoint" type editorial on Campus Carry titled "Both sides - Guns on campus debate". The view from the anti side was based on emotion and was ripe for fisking. I check the comments and there was Joe Huffman, the second commenter on the article.

Good job Joe.

Knocking at Your Door

If you live in Texas House District 96, you may find me knocking at your door tomorrow. Texas H.D. 96 is represented by Bill Zedler and includes portions of Fort Worth, Crowley, Burleson, Kennedale, Mansfield and Arlington.

We will be informing voters of Representative Zedler's campaign and making a personal appeal for votes. We will also be registering anyone who may need that service. Remember, if you have moved since you last registered, or changed your name, you need to re-register. The cut off date to registering for the upcoming election is Monday, October 6^th.

If you live in Texas, you can register online by clicking on the VOTEXAS button on the sidebar.

The upcoming election is very important. The Democrats are working hard, Republicans can work even harder.

I Think He Needs a Better Holster

It's never a good thing to be staring down the barrel of your own gun.

From the Dallas Morning News:

By Jon Nielsen

Man arrested after attempting to shoot police chief with his own gun

Authorities have arrested the man believed to have broken into Maypearl city hall and attempted to shoot the town’s police chief with his own gun...

...According to the probable cause affidavit, Chief Lester Taylor sat at his desk at city hall about 5:30 a.m. Sept. 15 when a man, later identified by police as Mr. Powell, broke through a door. He told the chief that he was in an “accident” and needed help.

Chief Taylor asked to see the man’s driver’s license, and the pair walked to an adjoining garage area. That’s when Mr. Powell wrestled the chief’s gun away and pointed it at him.

Mr. Powell pulled the trigger of the Browning 9mm several times, but the gun never fired, according to the affidavit. It’s unclear why the loaded gun didn’t go off.

First I would offer that Chief Taylor could make good use of a Blackhawk Level 3 SERPA Auto Lock Duty Holster.

If the Chief had this holster on his side, the goblin would not have gotten the pistol.

The next thing I found interesting was the fact that "Mr. Powell pulled the trigger of the Browning 9mm several times, but the gun never fired..." I'll just about bet you that Chief Taylor was carrying a Hi-Power and the goblin couldn't figure out the thumb safety. If the Chief had been carrying a Glock, he might very well be dead right now.

Update: I have confirmed that the pistol was a Browning Hi Power.

Oleg Volk Could Use Our Help

I'll let him state his case in his own words:

In December 2002, I founded The High Road forum dedicated to the advancement of responsible gun ownership. Recently, it was discovered that in 2006, the volunteer forum systems administrator, Derek Zeanah of Statesboro, Georgia, changed domain registration to himself. After he was confronted, Derek locked out all other staff from accessing the Web server administration and would not share even backup copies of its content. After failed attempts to peacefully resolve the dispute, it has become necessary for me to initiate a lawsuit against Derek Zeanah for the return of thehighroad.org domain name and the forum database.

I am seeking and would greatly appreciate donations to help with the cost of litigation. You can use Paypal (olegvolk@gmail.com) or send a check to:
Oleg Volk 3112 Chambley Ct Hermitage, TN 37076

All donations shall be returned if the lawsuit is ultimately avoided. You can also aid me by re-posting this appeal on your blog, forum or web site. My legal position is already endorsed by almost all of The High Road staff as well as Rich Lucibella, the founder of The Firing Line forum.

Even though I do not know Oleg personally, we do have friends in common and I understand him to be a stand up guy. Oleg is at the front lines in our fight to keep and bear arms. His pro-gun images are freely used on blogs and forums the world over to help make our point.

I have always been impressed by what Oleg had accomplished with THR. I moderated a much smaller forum prior to blogging, and have some idea as to just how much work went into building up a community the size of THR. To have an asset that you have worked so hard on stolen right out from under your feet is gut wrenching to say the least.

Update from Oleg:

Derek's reaction was to disable The High Road forum all together. He also removed most of the staff who opposed him.

What makes a man believe that he can get away with something like this?

From the In Box

Ed Freeman

You're an 18 or 19 year old kid. You're critically wounded, and dying in the jungle in the Ia Drang Valley, 11-14-1965. LZ Xray , Vietnam . Your Infantry Unit is outnumbered 8 - 1, and the enemy fire is so intense, from 100 or 200 yards away, that your own Infantry Commander has ordered the MediVac helicopters to stop coming in.

You're lying there, listening to the enemy machine guns, and you know you're not getting out. Your family is 1/2 way around the world, 12,000 miles away, and you'll never see them again. As the world starts to fade in and o u t, you know this is the day.

Then, over the machine gun noise, you faintly hear that sound of a helicopter, and you look up to see a Huey, but it doesn't seem real, because no Medi-Vac markings are on it.

Ed Freeman is coming for you. He's not Medi-Vac, so it's not his job, but he's flying his Huey down into the machine gun fire, after the Medi-Vacs were ordered not to come.

He's coming anyway.

And he drops it in, and sits there in the machine gun fire, as they load 2 or 3 of you on board.

Then he flies you up and out through the gunfire, to the Doctors and Nurses.

And, he kept coming back...... 13 more times..... and took about 30 of you and your buddies out, who would never have gotten out.

Medal of Honor Recipient Ed Freeman died last Wednesday at the age of 80, in Boise , ID ......May God rest his soul.....

Rest well Captain.

Your Urgent Help Needed

Sitting here watching the largest transfer of power to the .gov in American history has given me the doldrums. Heck, it has even made it hard for me to post. Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Americans are watching Dancing With the Stars while the free market dissolves.

The Angry Bear has a bit of spam that... well..

Your Urgent Help Needed

I need to ask you to support an urgent secret business relationship with a transfer of funds of great magnitude.

I am Ministry of the Treasury of the Republic of America. My country has had crisis that has caused the need for large transfer of funds of 800 billion dollars US. If you would assist me in this transfer, it would be most profitable to you.

I am working with Mr. Phil Gram, lobbyist for UBS, who will be my replacement as Ministry of the Treasury in January. As a Senator, you may know him as the leader of the American banking deregulation movement in the 1990s.

This transactin is 100% safe...

We Americans do have quite the sense of humor.

Negligence in Texas May Influence Georgia Law

Last September I commented on an incident that occurred at Temple Emanu-El of Dallas. Mr. Marvin Marks (81 and a retired police officer) dropped a concealed handgun during services and the firearm discharged, striking his daughters foot. The immediate consequences of Mr. Marks' negligence were three injured people and Temple Emanu-El being posted with proper 30.06 signage. In Texas, 30.06 signs prevent law abiding CHL holders from carrying in the establishment that posted the signs.

It seems Mr. Marks' negligence may also affect legislation in the State of Georgia.

From AJC.com:

By James Salzer

Senate panel hears more-guns-in-public debate

Gun-control advocates, religious leaders and government officials urged a key Senate panel Tuesday to not let more Georgians carry firearms into places of worship, schools, municipal buildings and mental hospitals.

But gun-rights supporters say there is no evidence Georgians licensed to carry firearms would endanger the public if allowed to bring their weapons to church or onto college campuses...

...The move to weaken the current ban on guns at “public gatherings,” including churches and college campuses, comes on the heels of House Bill 89, which became law on July 1. That measure lets people with firearms licenses carry guns into state parks, restaurants that serve alcohol and on mass transit.

GeorgiaCarry.org, which pushed House Bill 89, is also backing the move to make it legal to carry guns to church and other places.

The group’s president, Ed Stone, said people with carry licenses rarely commit crimes. But he said current gun-control laws don’t prevent criminals from committing crimes.

Georgia legislators have done a good job of expanding an individuals right to keep and bear arms. The improved legislation has received positive press and the public is ready to accept further improvements in the state laws.

Where does Mr. Marks' incident come into play? Well the anti's are using it as an example for why citizens should be prohibited from defending themselves in a place of worship.

While several Georgians with carry licenses told the committee much the same thing, a parade of government, religious and gun safety officials urged lawmakers to be careful about opening up more public places to guns...

...Rabbi Peter Berg, senior rabbi at The Temple, told the committee that a man with a license to carry a weapon dropped his gun, wounding his daughter, during a service at his last congregation in Dallas, Texas.

“We can have guns, but there are places, particularly where children gather, that guns should not be,” he said.

Negligence with a firearm does not just affect those around you, it can have far reaching consequences for all of us.

Rustmeister has...

...a couple of questions about Working in a Gun Store. Head on over and see if you can give him a hand.

Reinstated as One of Dallas' Finest?

Here is one for David Codrea's "Only One" files.

From the Dallas Morning News "Dallas City Hall" Blog.

Dallas cop fired for bus ticket-for-sex offer reinstated by Civil Service Trial Board

Senior Cpl. Rene Dominguez, who Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle fired in March for allegedly offering to buy a woman a bus ticket in exchange for sex, will again walk among the ranks of Dallas' finest.

Dallas' Civil Service Trial Board this afternoon ruled that Mr. Dominguez, who appealed his firing to the board, be "reinstated without back pay to the assignment, rank and pay grade of the chief's choosing -- effective today."

Yep, sounds like Mr. Dominguez is just the type of guy we want in uniform, carrying a taxpayer issued firearm (or two, maybe even three), protecting and serving.

What were the members of this Civil Service Trial Board thinking?

Well maybe they do have the situation under control:

The Civil Service Board further stated in its ruling that Mr. Dominguez is "not eligible for off-duty work unless agreed to by the chief in his sole discretion."

Yep that's the ticket. It was the off duty job that caused this goblin in uniform to "misbehave". Tell him he can't have an off duty job and the public is safe from his advanced.

Me... I'm kind of worried about his "on duty" behaviour.

Concealed Carry on College Campuses

One of the three major RKBA bills that will be introduced during the upcoming Texas Legislature will concern the right of Concealed Handgun License (CHL) holders to carry their firearms on state funded college campuses.

If conservatives make it out to the polls, and if we can keep a pro-individual rights majority representing us in Austin, this bill has a good chance of passing.

This underscores why it is important for you to vote. If you are not registered, you only have about two weeks left to submit your paperwork. It is easy, just click the link on my sidebar.

Back to campus carry.

Alex Ransom has written a very good article for University of Texas at Dallas paper, the UTD Mercury.

Aim for concealed carry rights on campus

Out of every hundred people walking around in a mall and shopping for groceries, one person has a handgun, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Department of Safety. Walk across campus lines, and only the police can legally possess firearms. Why can't the same responsible citizens outside a university carry them on campus for defense?

Head on over and read the rest. Alex does a good job of stating facts covering the right side of this issue.

What Do You Call...

...a citizenry population whose debt is held by the .gov?

A Serfdom.

Tomorrow...

...I will be at the Dallas Market Hall Gun Show gun show registering voters. If you happen to go to the show, stop by and say "Hi". I'll be selling a couple of things to help purchase a few items that I feel are important to have around after this last bit of acquisition mania from our .gov.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Insanity Reigns

Over this past week or so we have seen the United States .gov acquire a very large share of the American financial market. The .gov now holds a majority stake in the banking, home mortgage and insurance markets. This is a turning point in our history, a time that our grandchildren are going to hold us accountable for allowing to happen.

Where is the outrage?

The Americans For Limited Government have been raising the clarion call. Dumb Looks Still Free shows us how we came to be in this predicament with Your friendly, authoritarian bailouts, give it a read.

When you watch the news, all is well in the world. The markets reacted positively to the news that the .gov has bought investments that no single entity in the private sector wanted, purchased at a premium.

This is insane.

Palin Poll

On PBS

It's closer than I would have thought for a PBS sponsored poll.

An Evening at the Gallery

V and I are attending the opening of Samuel Lynne Galleries this evening. We were invited by one of our favorite artists, Gregory Beck, and are really looking forward to this opening. It has been awhile since we have had the opportunity to talk with Gregory, and meeting new artist's (new to us) is always fun.

A love of art is one of the many things that V and I share together as a couple and we have acquired a nice little collection of interesting art for the house. I used to buy "investment" art, but after getting burned on a Salvidor Dali forgery, I stopped worrying about the potential investment potential and now only purchase art that we really appreciate.

Update: The gallery opening was a great time. It seems that this was the place to be for the DFW "A" list on a Thursday night. Philip J. Romano and JD Miller did an outstanding job of introducing their new gallery to those of us who appreciate fine art. V and I now have a new regular stop when we are on the Dallas side of the Metroplex. Let me know if you are interested in a more in depth comment on the evening.

Not Voting for Obama?

Rachel Lucas explains why.

You’re decent, but just confused and stupid.

Good morning, hillbilly mouth-breathers! How are we today? Did we put our shoes on the correct feet and wipe all the drool off our faces before heading outside to plant turnips and whup our kids? Good, good.

Now go find a Democrat to help you read the rest of this post. I’ll try not to use words that are too big or fancy but if you come across something you don’t understand, your Democrat friend is right there to explain everything.

I’ve been concerned ever since I ran the reader poll that showed me that 95% of you are ignorant racists with sexual inadequacies. The world told you what to do but you won’t listen and I guess that’s because you’re just too dumb to know how dumb you are.

Well, thank God for Barack Obama and Joe Biden. They hope to bring the change you can believe in - if you can just try really hard to put down the guns and Bibles and burning crosses long enough to take some learnin’...

Head on over and read the whole thing.

H/T to SayUncle

Happy Constitution Day!

221 years ago today, thirty-nine brave men took pen to paper and signed the Constitution of the United States.

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America... Done... the seventeenth day of September, in the year of our LORD one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven.” —George Washington and the delegates

"We the People..." Note: the Constitution does not start out with "We the duly elected representatives of the People..." or "We the elite few who know what is good for the people..." No, our Constitution was written by and for the people.

Take a moment and read our Constitution, refresh your memory on the powers and responsibilities of our three branches of government. Remind yourselves of the limits that "We the People..." have placed on our government, and then maybe take your own pen to paper and remind your representatives of their duties, responsibilities, and limits.

I would recommend also reading "A "Living Constitution" for a Dying Republic" by Mark Alexander.

The Heritage Foundation is offering a Free Pocket Constitution and Declaration of Independence. It appears you can order pretty much as many as you want for friends and family.

A Dessert Fit For... Wheat Beer?

Several time a year, Lawry's - The Prime Rib, hosts dinners that are based on the beverages that are served with the dinner. These are most often Wine Dinners, but they do build menus around Single Malt Scotches, Bourbons and Tequila. V and I try to make the Wine Dinners as they are fun and educational. At the last dinner we had the opportunity to blend our own Meritage, that was one of my favorites. This months dinner is a "Flying Dog Beer Dinner". I like Flying Dog Beer, as a matter of fact I am drinking a DogToberfest Märzen as I type this. We are not going to be able to make this particular dinner. V is not much of a beer fan and we have a lot on our plate for most of this week.

I am only mentioning this because of the dessert that is on the menu for this dinner:

Ancho Funnel Cake garnished with chocolate covered smoked bacon

Flying Dog Wheat

I'm going to have to get that recipe just... well... just 'cause.

Sunday's Blog of The Week

This week I am going to highlight a blogger that I have met in person, Don Gwinn.

Don won the 11^th spot to the Gun Bloggers Summer Camp at Blackwater, and that announcement is where I first learned of his blog. Don writes with a humor and grounding in common sense that makes him easy to read. Don is also a Middle School teacher stuck in Illinois. If you have not guessed, I am talking about:

"The Armed School Teacher"

A couple favorite posts just to wet your whistle:

Don't Do That, Dummy.

Blackwater Blog Weekend: The Gun Blog .45

and

The Appleseed Issue

Go on over and give him a read.

Root:1

It has been a while since I enjoyed a nice Cabernet Sauvignon. V enjoys lighter wines and I enjoy pleasing V. Tonight I opened a bottle that I picked up some time back, a 2006 Root:1 Cab from Chile.

This is an inexpensive Cab that is well worth your time, it stands head and shoulders above other Cab's in the price range. Give it a good 45 minutes to open up, and you will be happy with the results.

Edit: Should mention the meal, grilled ribeye, corn salad and double stuffed potatoes. This wine would also go good with skunky soft cheeses.

Update: Many of the inexpensive wines come with "extras" that their higher priced cousins do not. I can usually taste these unwanted preservatives and additives with the first sip and discard the wind. With the Root:1 I did not. There is something in this wine that should not be there, most likely a preservative that allows it to be shipped with less care. Even though this additive does not provide a distinctive taste, it does come with a distinctive side effect, a splitting headache.

Terror at Hilton Head Island!

David Codrea has the knack for mining the daily news output for stories that illustrate just how far down the slippery slope towards servitude we have fallen.

His latest example, Terror at Hilton Head Island!, is a must read that will get your blood boiling.

Edit: Fixed the link, it now leads to David's post.

IDSA Match Canceled

If you were planning on shooting the IDSA match this weekend, you can prolly go to the gun show instead.

From the IDSA Match Director:

Guys,

Based on the weather reports caused by Hurricane Ike, predicting heavy rain and strong winds for Saturday and Sunday, I have decided to cancel The Second Sunday of the Month IDSA Match at Johnson County. If for some reason the weather pattern changes drastically and shifts the rains eastward away from us, I will post another email Saturday Afternoon. But, I don't expect that to happen. So for the cancellation. Hope to see you next Month.

R

Lone Star IDSA

Bummer, I was looking forward to seeing how much of what Todd threw at me actually stuck.

Well... there is always the IDPA match next Saturday...

9.11.2001, We Remember

From the sidebar:

DirtCrashr remembers Seven Years Ago.

SailorCurt posts a quick note on 9/11.

Xrlq reminds us to Never Forget.

While Remembering 911, DoubleTapper reminds us of the Palestinian Reaction.

A Jacksonian echos my thoughts with his to the point comment on 9/11/2008.
FireHand has a must read with I woke up with a headache.

Mike is Remembering A Day Impossible to Forget (And thankful we have been kept safe since September 11, 2001!)

Murdoc also reminds us to Never Forget.

Rustmeister posts commentary on how we achieved victory in just 109 Minutes.

SayUncle realizes something important with Seven Years, those who are on the front lines now were only 11 years old on 9.11.01.

Robb is a bit conflicted with Tragedy and joy.

Fits remembers Marianne Macfarlane: February 31st, 1969 to September 11th, 2001.

TexesFred will also Never Forget!

Ken Taylor heart wrenching video in SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, WE WILL NEVER FORGET.

D. Martyn posts Today We Remember: May We Never Forget.

Michael Bane posts an image that is very heartening to me in 9•11•08.

Kim comments on the Horror of that day.

Kevin posts a quick Quote of the Day in remembrance of 9/11.

Denise comments on Seven Years Ago.

ExistingThing has a quick comment with 7 Years.

USCitizen reminds us of the children who lost their lives on 9-11.

Today In History... gives us Tam's thoughts on that day, seven years ago today.

Xavier shares a dogs loyalty that saved a life with Dorado.

Caleb has a little something for the 9-11 truthers.

LeadChucker states that I’m still not ready to forgive.

urbanadder22 points out What's Missing in the September 11 Remembrances?

Breda felt very alone on a day like any other.

Don will NEVER FORGET...

...and neither will I.

Watch this video, it is important:



It was good to see flags being flown at half mast today, proof that people do still remember what was done to us seven short years ago. It was good to hear the 9/11 commentary on the radio both on my way into work and on the way home. It saddens me that not a single person at work mentioned 9/11 today. As Breda surmised, the great "forgetting" has begun.

I will not forget. As I viewed the images once again while posting this roundup, I was at times brought to sobs. The pain of September 11th, 2001 is still as fresh as a raw wound. I still feel the shock at hearing of the first plane hitting the World Trade Center, and the horror of seeing the second. The anger at this horrendous attack, and the hatred towards those would would do such a thing has become a part of my everyday life.

Yes, I hate. I hate those who flew airplanes into our buildings killing thousands of our people. I hate those who cheered and danced in the streets at the success of the brutal savagery of that attack. I hate those who would strap bombs on their children and their mentally ill to blow them up and make headlines to promote terror. I hate those who burn and kill over silly little cartoons published in newspapers. I hate. I do not like this hatred, but I refuse to let it go. I will not forget, and I will not forgive.

During The..

...Zombie Apocalypse, who would you rather have at your back:

Obama and Biden or McCain and Palin?

Case closed.

First Steps

Not long after the Harrold Independent School District announced their decision to allow trained and licensed staff to carry concealed handguns at work, I wrote Harrold Superintendent David Thweatt a quick note of encouragement:

Mr. Thweatt;

Thank you very much for taking a stand and becoming the first school district in decades that officially recognises the necessity adequately protecting our kids.

I am a blogger in Arlington and I have been covering your decision. All the comments that have come in on my blog, and others that I have read, are 100% supportive of your decision. In this day and age of the politically correct, you and your staff have stepped up to do what is right. I hope your decision will be an example for other school districts, small and large.

One question; do you have a policy that includes parents with CHL's? I only ask because when my children were in school, I had to make a choice between being lawful and being responsible..

Now that news of what you have done has broken world wide, I fear you face an avalanche of criticism. I just wanted to let you know that you have a very large base of supporters who are proud of what you have done.

Thank you and God Bless you and yours.

JR

Superintendent Thweatt did respond to my note. I was not going to post his response, but with all the negative publicity this decision has received world wide, I asked for and received his permission to publish it here.

John:

I wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know how much I appreciate your email and encouragement. It has meant a lot to have so many concerned citizens from across Texas and America contact me to let me know that we’re heading in the right direction. Obviously, I knew within my heart (and mind) that Harrold ISD was making the right decision, but it always helps to know that one small school district in Texas is not alone in its fight. I’ve been pretty busy with the media coverage, but I believe that it may be slowing down a bit. I have also come to believe the fight is just beginning. I want to encourage you to continue to contact your legislators so that laws will be enacted to ensure that every American will be able to practice his or her 2nd Amendment rights.

As of right now, John, our policy only covers those who are approved by the school board.

God bless America and God bless you,

David Thweatt
Superintendent
Harrold ISD

Now, before anyone gets their knickers in a knot about the fact that "... our policy only covers those who are approved by the school board", I have to mention that I agree with the school boards decision on this issue.

The Harrold ISD has made a very important and brave decision in our fight to secure our right to keep and bear arms. The Brady Bunch has called the legality of this decision into question, and I am sure that early on into the next legislative session there will be those looking to put a stop to these free citizens responsible choice to protect those who we have entrusted to their care.

It makes sense, at this moment in time, to require school board authorization for an individual to carry on school premises. As this is Texas, and we are talking about Texas law here, it is already legal for a CHL holder to carry in school owned parking lots and on school owned sidewalks (in most circumstances). A CHL holder is not prohibited from carrying a firearm when dropping off or picking up a student at school.

The Harrold ISD has taken the first step. It is now up to the Texas Legislature to go forward with legislation that would allow all CHL holders to carry a concealed firearm on their person on school property, or any property for that matter. There will be legislation introduced to allow concealed carry on state funded college campuses during the next legislative session, that is a nice start.

For Those of You...

...who recommend that we give the goblins what they want, Xavier points out The Danger of Compliance.

Head on over and give it a read, have your wife or husband read it, send it off to your sons and daughters. It is that important.

More Stupidity in New Jersey

New Jersey has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the nation. Get a carry permit in NJ? Not very likely. These kind of laws do disarm the innocent, but not all of the innocent. There are those who have decided that they are responsible for their own safety, and take this responsibility seriously.

Let's play a "what if" game.

What if one of those folks were a teacher in New Jersey?

Surprise school gun drill too realistic for teachers

A group of teachers in New Jersey were meeting in a school library when suddenly a man with a gun bursts in and starts shooting! Turns out, it's all a drill and the gun doesn't have any bullets, just blanks, but the teachers don't know that!

A teacher says "he opened the door. He stood there. He yelled some profanities threw some papers and fired a gun!"

The PA system kept repeating that the Phillipsburg, New Jersey Early Learning Center was in lockdown and the 50 teachers meeting in the library tried to talk cover under the kid-sized tables.

Teacher Arlene Levine says "people are crying! The girl next to me is trembling and shaking! You heard people crying! You heard other people praying! It was pretty dramatic!"

For those teachers the trauma that caused some to dial 911 was real the gunman as it turns out was not.

An unannounced active shooter drill, and the active shooter was firing blanks? They ran the drill to see how the teachers would react, to make sure they "got under the desks"?

What a load of crap. Whoever thought up this drill should be fired. Whoever gave the final okay for this drill should be fired. The guy playing the active shooter, well he is lucky to still be alive and he also should be fired.

A Letter From OpenCarry.org

Posted in it's entirety:

OpenCarry.org model Lori, who is a proud resident of Texas, has negotiated us an incredible offer on a billboard in Houston!

With everything else we have going on, we were initially hesitant to even talk about taking on the obligation of yet another billboard. But we feel strongly that spreading the word into Houston would significantly increase the number of signatures on the petition and consequently improve our chances in the legislative session.

We also hate to ask for more money. So many of our members are on a fixed income and yet you give so generously. You have already helped us so much ... the billboard is up on I-35 ... the taxis are rolling in Austin ... flyers are being handed out at gunshows all over Texas.

I couldn't say it better than to quote what I read posted by someone on another forum, "Anyone can post on a website, but the members over at OpenCarry.org are manifesting things in the real world! Wow!!!"

I also do not want to sound like another group we all belong to that makes constant pleas for money (we all get them and you know who I am talking about). But there is a major difference. Every penny given to OCDO goes directly to the effort with NO OVERHEAD and not only are Mike and I unpaid, but we put our own money into the pot as well.

So what do you say OpenCarry.org? Can we all donate just a few more dollars and spread the message to Houston?

http://www.opencarry.org/houston.html

Thank you!

John and Mike

PS. For those who have been hit by this difficult economy and who are unable to help at this time, we understand completely. your thoughts and prayers are as welcome as dollars!

The last time I mentioned the petition for Open Carry in Texas, there were 4995 signatures, today there are 24,104 signatures. If you live in Texas, and you support Open Carry, please head on over and sign the petition. If you have signed the petition and would like to do more, a financial contribution, as noted above, is more than welcome.

This is the current billboard:

As you can see, it is very well done.

At the Fort Worth gun show from the weekend before last, I had the opportunity to speak briefly with Texas State Senator Kim Brimer. Senator Brimer represents Senate District 10, and is my representative in Austin. I asked his opinion on the decision by Harrold ISD to allow it's CHL holding staff and administration to carry firearms on school property, and about potential firearm related legislation for the next session. When I asked if he would support legislation that would allow open carry in Texas, he said that he would like to see such a measure pass a public referendum. I asked if he was talking about having open carry on the ballot for the people of Texas to vote on whether or not to allow open carry, he said yes. He had to leave so I did not get to follow up on this line of reasoning. I have emailed his campaign requesting a longer interview, but have yet to hear back from them.

I am against placing the issue of open carry on the ballot. We do not vote for basic rights, it is the job of our legislators to see that our rights are upheld, and when they are restricted, to remove those restrictions.

Hopefully I will get more time with the Senator to follow up on this and other questions that popped up from our short conversation that should be resolved before I comment on them.

Back to OpenCarry.org. "A Right Unexercised is a Right Lost" Support our right to openly carry a handgun in the State of Texas.

Bumper Sticker of the Day

A great design by Turonistan.

After Dinner With the Kids...

...we drove through a Starbucks for a quick coffee on the way home. In the parking lot was Lotus Elise SC in Moonstone Silver. Man, that is one beautiful automobile.

V didn't understand why I had to stop and give it a good look over. Must be a guy thing.

What's Better Than...

...a day at the range?

A day at the range with three generations of the JR family.

The Son in Law, Eldest Grandson and I hit the range bright and early this morning for a bit of family shooting.

Eldest Grandson is doing a good job of keeping on top of the Four Rules and his Dad helped him get on target.

It was a great morning.

Zest Fest

One of the cool events that shows up in Fort Worth is the annual Zest Fest. Zest Fest is put on by Chili Pepper Magazine and is chock full of folks showing off their salsas, rubs, seasonings and other fiery foods.

Also at the festival today was Miss Texas. I took the opportunity to say "Hi" and shake her hand. Now, this will let you know why people come to Zest Fest. There was a 10 to 15 minute wait to sample the wares of the booths surrounding Miss Texas. There was no line to meet Miss Texas.

Most of what was offered for sampling was relatively tame, often too hot for V, but nothing to raise a sweat over. I got a bit careless and was heaping the sauces and salsas onto chips or bread, sampling my way through the convention center. My carelessness caught up with me.

While at the CaJohns Fiery Foods booth, I loaded up a tortilla chip with pure fire. It is nine hours later and parts of my mouth are still numb from the experience. I had been bitten by the Black Mamba.

Break a sweat? I was dripping sweat, my hair was wet. This is some hot stuff. It started out hot, then just got hotter, and hotter, and hotter. I think the intensity peaked around 5 or 6 minutes after the initial taste. Heck, I was afraid to kiss V for an hour after. Didn't want to burn her with the after affects of my encounter with the Mamba.

I walked out of the hall with a couple rubs and sauces, and one salsa. I did not have a jar of the Black Mamba, maybe next time.

Chow Hall Music...

...Blackwater style



"Duality", by Slipknot, just may have been the only song on the Blackwater Chow Hall Jukebox. It was the only song played.

This is the little project I was working on, let me know if you like it.

SailorCurt Has The Goods

Curt has posted an excellent explanation of The Todd Jarrett Sooper Sekrit Kung Fu Grip^TM .

Tonight...

...I have been learning a new skill and watching the Republican National Convention.

I am working on putting a slide show to music, time consuming but hopefully something you will enjoy.

As for the convention, it is a good thing that Senator McCain chose Governor Palin for VP

Big Sis Has it Under Control

H/T to SondraK

Too Much Politics...

...not enough guns!

Range Holster

Carry Holster

Any Questions?

Governor Sarah Palin on Jury Rights

Gov. Palin's Proclamation on Jury Rights Day:

WHEREAS, September 5, 2007, will mark the 337th anniversary of the day when the jury, in the trial of William Penn, refused to convict him of violating England's Conventicle Acts, despite clear evidence that he acted illegally by preaching a Quaker sermon to his congregation.

WHEREAS, by refusing to apply what they determined was an unjust law, the Penn jury not only served justice, but provided a basis for the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment rights of freedom of speech, religion, and peaceable assembly.

WHEREAS, September 5th, 2007, also commemorates the day when four of Penn's jurors began nine weeks of incarceration for finding him not guilty. Their later release and exoneration established forever the English and American legal doctrine that it is the right and responsibility of the trial jury to decide on matters of law and fact.

WHEREAS, the Sixth and Seventh Amendments are included in the Bill of Rights to preserve the right to trial by jury, which in turn conveys upon the jury the responsibility to defend, with its verdict, all other individual rights enumerated or implied by the U.S. Constitution, including its Amendments.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Sarah Palin, Governor of the State of Alaska, do hereby proclaim September 5, 2007, as:

Jury Rights Day

in Alaska, in recognition of the integral role the jury, as an institution, plays in our legal system.

Dated: August 31, 2007

The more I know about Sarah Palin, the more I like Sarah Palin!

H/T to The Volokh Conspiracy

A Feeding Frenzy

The frenzy in which the media is going after Governor Sarah Palin's family is, to be frank, disgusting.


Rumours, innuendo, lies and gossip sweep through the liberal blogs and on to the television screen as newsworthy. Where was all of this media scrutiny when it came to light that John Edwards was screwing around on his cancer stricken wife? Where are the questions about when exactly Barack "middle name redacted" Obama was conceived in relation to his mother's wedding? If decorum can be maintained when reporting on those incidents, then decorum can be maintained when reporting on Governor Sarah Palin's family.

How are we ever going to get good and decent people to run for office when this is what they can expect to happen to their families?

The above cartoon is courtesy of The Americans for Limited Government.

More Home Invasions in N. Texas

Home invasions are becoming more and more popular in North Texas. Some are quick, entering through a sliding glass door and grabbing the flat screen TV, others are more involved and include violence towards the family residing in the home. Most often the home appears to be targeted for a specific purpose. The goblins think there are guns, jewelry, cash, electronics or drugs available for the taking. It is somewhat disconcerting that the random home invasion is becoming popular.

The goblins in this random home invasion got more than they bargained for.

From the Star Telegram:

By Bill Miller

Blue Mound couple: 'We're fighting for our lives'

...They kicked in the front door there at about 12:23 p.m., police said.

"I was sleeping and all of a sudden they busted through the door," Keith Hoehn said. "My wife had a 12-gauge in her face, and he told her 'Don't you scream, bitch, or I'll blow your F-in head off.'

"Well ... she did scream."

"I screamed for my husband," Kellie Hoehn said.

The gunman turned the Remington 870 pump-action shotgun toward Keith Hoehn.

"I thought he was going to blow my head plumb off," Hoehn said.

But Kellie grabbed the muzzle, and the struggle began.

"We just tackled him," Keith Hoehn said of the man, who probably outweighed him by about 90 pounds.

"I'm 220 (pounds)," he said. "All I could do was try to hold onto that shotgun.

"My wife was trying to keep the muzzle away from the kids' rooms. I looked down and I saw he was pulling on the trigger the whole time.

"I found out later that the safety was on -- praise the Lord."

Kellie let go long enough to grab a jar candle, Keith said, "and she popped him in the head."

Then she started battling the attacker's accomplice who had a handgun, Keith said. The couple's son grabbed his little sister and they hid in a closet with a pellet gun, Keith said.

'HE GOT RIGHT BACK UP'

The fracas spilled out onto the front lawn, where Keith Hoehn finally seized the shotgun.

He fumbled with the safety and then shot at Pierson, who was already in the van, wounding him.

"My wife said he had a gun," Keith said. "I didn't know if he was going to shoot us."

Then he fired at Benoit.

"He got right back up," Keith said, "and started charging me again.

"Well, I shot him again, and I guess that was it."

This couple did an outstanding job of protecting hearth and home. One goblin toes up and the other in the hospital. This was the goblins second home invasion of the evening, thankfully it is the last for at least one of them.

Are you prepared to react to a violent home invasion? This incident happened to a normal family in a quiet neighborhood. Yes it could happen to you, are you ready?

Gun Blogger Summer Camp - The Gear

To get the most out of any training exercise, you need the proper gear. For the Gun Blogger Summer Camp, our gear was provided by the good folks at Blackhawk! Not only did Blackhawk provide the transportation, to get us from Norfolk to Blackwater (and back again), they provided us with the gear necessary for a successful weekend of shooting with Todd Jarrett.



Belt, holsters, mag pouches and gloves. So long as Robb brings his pants, we are good to go.

Let us start with the basic foundation for any means of carrying a firearm. Whether you carry a sidearm concealed, open or for duty, a quality belt will determine your comfort and safety while carrying. An inadequate belt will have your drawers drooping, your firearm flopping around, and your side sore from the constant readjusting necessary to keep your gun in position. The belt provided to us by Blackhawk is most definitely up to the task.

Blackhawk issued us their CQB Belt in black. The belt I was given was a bit large as I had lost some weight (4" around the waist) from the time I received the email that I was going to camp and when camp started. Even being large, the belt fulfilled it's duties. The buckle and triangular "D" ring are made of steel and the webbing is 1.75" wide. I did not have to adjust the tension of the belt, the buckle and the Velcro securing the free end kept the belt very secure on my waist. I ran my holster both belt and paddle mounted, and the holster stayed put whichever way it was mounted. I own a 5.11 instructors belt, and Blackhawk CQB Belt is of much higher quality than my current nylon belt. My daily carry belt is an El Paso Saddlery leather belt and I would feel just as comfortable using the Blackhawk CQB Belt as I do the leather.

After you build a solid foundation with a quality belt, you need a means to actually carry the pistol. For me, a holster needs to be comfortable, secure and easily accessible for the deployment of the pistol. Blackhawk provided us with two holsters from which to choose.

The holster on the right is the CQC SERPA Holster - Active Retention - Matte Finish, the one on the left is the CQC Level 1 Holster - Carbon Fiber Finish. I chose to use the Level 1 Holster during our Summer Camp weekend. I wanted to focus on skill sets other than just learning how to get my pistol out of a retention holster. Once I got home, I started practicing with the SERPA holster and found that the learning curve is quite steep. The retention release is located right where your trigger finger should be during a normal draw. This is a very secure holster that also allows for one handed re-holstering of a firearm. The officer illustrated in this article would be well advised to look into a Blackhawk SERPA holster.

The holster I used over the weekend was the Level 1 Holster with the Carbon Fiber Finish. The holster comes with both a paddle and a belt loop platform so you have your choice of how you want to mount this holster. Both platforms are adjustable for both belt width and cant. Both platforms are very secure. On the first day I used the belt loop mount. The pistol remained stable and in place. Days two and three I used the paddle mount for convenience. First, this is a very comfortable injection molded paddle. The paddle itself is much wider than the one on my Fobus and did not cause any discomfort. On the outside of the pants, the rig grips the belt and the paddle secures itself through your pants. This holster stayed in position throughout two days of moving and drawing and moving some more. My Fobus creeps along the belt under simple tasks as performing normal range duties. The "Speed Cut" really does allow for a quick, no look, re-holstering. Both of these Blackhawk holsters get the JR seal of approval.

While at the Blackhawk facility, we had the opportunity to try out the Level 3 SERPA Auto Lock Duty Holster. This holster has two means of retention that are easily released during a proper draw. A goblin attempting to get at an officers firearm would have a very hard time of it if the officer were using this holster. This holster also provides for easy re-holstering. If you need a holster with level 3 retention, you should give this holster a look.

Blackhawk gave us two BlackHawk CQC Mag Pouch's. The pouches have a spring steel insert that does a very good job of securing the magazine without restricting access for quick reloads. The belt clip is removable to add versatility to how you may want to deploy the pouch. The belt clip is sized for a leather belt. The pouches slid around a bit on the web belt but are very secure on my leather.

The gloves. Blackhawk issued each of us a sized pair of Hot Ops Ventilated Hot Weather Gloves. These are nice looking gloves that fit very well. I am not a shooting glove kind of guy, so I did not use them over the weekend.

One item not in the above image that was provided by Blackhawk is a canteen. I have used this canteen at the range since being home, and found it's unique one handed closure system to be very cool.

All in all Blackhawk did an excellent job of equipping us for our weekend of shooting with Todd Jarrett. I was a Blackhawk customer prior to this weekend, and will continue to be one in the future. Blackhawk expressed commitment to bringing more and more manufacturing back to the United States and now have over 2000 SKU's that are made right here in the USofA.

More Gun Fearing Hysteria

The gun fearing hysteria over the decision by the Harrold ISD that allows CHL holding staff and administrators to carry their firearms on school grounds continues. Today's hysterical quote comes to us from the Sheriff of Tate County Mississippi, Sheriff Brad Lance.

From The Democrat.com (where Tate County meets the world):

By Melissa Turner

Tate teachers packing heat?

Tate County Sheriff Brad Lance joins the chorus of those who think that teachers with guns isn't good policy.

"Any time you have a gun in a situation, chaos ensues," says Lance.

Wow Sheriff, are you speaking from personal experience? Does chaos ensue everywhere you carry your firearm?

Sherriff Lance continues with this oldie but goodie:

"What happens if a teacher is in an altercation with a student, and the teacher has the gun on their person, and the student gets the gun away from the teacher? Now they have a deadly weapon."

Gee Sherriff, what happens if one of your deputies is in an altercation with a violent criminal, and your deputy has a gun on their person, and the violent criminal gets the gun away from the deputy? What happens then? Why, the violent criminal has a deadly weapon!

Sherriff Lance, since you believe that the mere presence of a firearm causes chaos, and that guns are easily taken away from the "good guys", maybe you should help to ensure the safety of the folks in your county by disarming and requiring your deputies to also disarm while they go about their daily duties. Do it for the children.

Update: David also comments on Sherriff Lance with "We're the Only Ones Chaotic Enough"