Between Gun Lovers and Targets

You do not have to go very far to find anti gun propaganda in the editorial pages of the nations news papers, but today we will head on out to the capitol of California and the Sacramento Bee.

Between gun lovers and targets

By Jonathan Safran Foer

Knives also cut bread and carve wood and aid surgery, but guns only shoot bullets. That's what they are designed to do, and that's what they do.

When we talk about protecting our right to have guns, we are talking about protecting our right to shoot bullets. So what is it that's so important to shoot at?

His ignorance of proper terminology indicates an ignorance of firearms in general. As we shall see, this ignorance continues throughout his dissertation on why firearms are not necessary in American society.

The principal defense of guns is constitutional. The Second Amendment ensures, "a well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

It's used as the final authority, to be deferred to even if not agreed with or understood. But the Constitution isn't the Bible. (The Second Amendment, being an amendment, is a testament to the Constitution's ability to correct itself.) And the Founding Fathers were neither infallible nor divine.

And times change.

Until changed, the Second Amendment is the final authority. That is just the way it is, and no amount of whining and hand wringing will change that one fact. Our Founding Fathers may not have been infallible, but they did construct the foundation of the best form of government the world has yet to experience.

No, the Constitution is not the Bible, but Mr. Foer may be surprised to learn that the Bible does give man not only the authority, but the responsibility to protect himself and his family.

"And times change" - Times may change, but people do not. Rogues and highwaymen and corrupt, power hungry politicians are as dangerous today as they were more than 200 years ago.
The editorial continues:

Does anyone any longer believe that a well-regulated militia is necessary for a free state? Why do those who fall back on the constitutional defense so often avoid the terms "militia" and "state"?

And why, after the massacre at Virginia Tech -- hours after -- did Sen. John McCain proclaim, "I do believe in the constitutional right that everyone has, in the Second Amendment to the Constitution, to carry a weapon"?

Just what is it, precisely, that he believes in? Is it the Constitution itself? (But surely he thinks it was wise to change the Constitution to abolish slavery, give women the vote, end Prohibition and so on?) Or is it the guns themselves that he believes in?

It would be refreshing to have a politician try to defend guns without any reference to the Second Amendment, but on the merits of guns. What if, hours after the killings, McCain had stood at the podium and said instead, "Guns are good because ... "

I honestly do not know about Senator McCain, he has authored and supported legislation in the past that would lead one to believe that he is not an ardent supporter of liberty and individual rights, but I do know many who are.

Those of us who are vocal supporters of the Second Amendment do not just support an individuals right to keep and bear arms, we support all unalienable rights. Mr. Foer, we support your right to freely express yourself and disagree with all we hold dear. We also support your right to be secure in your own home, free from unwarranted invasions of your privacy by the government. We believe that we can not pick and choose, that for liberty to prevail, freedom must be supported.

I will stand at my podium and complete your challenge "Guns are good because..."

Guns are good because they allow the weak to defend themselves from the strong and the few to defend against the many. Tools are what set humans apart from the creatures. We do not have fangs, claws, speed or an exoskeleton to protects us from violence. What we do have is our ability to create and use tools. For most folks, a firearm is the most efficient and effective tool for this purpose. A firearm will allow my daughters to protect themselves from rapist or violent thugs, as well as my getting old (Dad, just be glad I didn't call you "elderly") father from muggers and thieves. Oh wait... Dad lives in CA, a state that protects muggers and thieves by disarming it's free citizens, so scratch that.

Mr. Foer does not agree with the "self defense" argument:

But what would have followed? Guns are good because they provide the ultimate self-defense? While I'm sure some people believe that having a gun at their bedside will make them safer, they are wrong. This is not my opinion, and it's not a political or controversial statement. It is a fact. Guns kept in the home for self-protection are 43 times more likely to kill a family member, friend or acquaintance than to kill an intruder, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Guns on the street make us less safe. For every justifiable handgun homicide, there are more than 50 handgun murders, according to the FBI. The expanding right to carry concealed guns makes us even less safe.

Well Sir, your numbers are not factual. As a matter of fact they are pretty much fictitious. The study that you quote has been discredited. The fact of the matter is that accidental firearm related fatalities are at almost a 92% decrease in accidental/negligent firearm-related fatalities since 1930. You also failed to mention the more than 1,000,000 times each year that firearms are used by free citizens to protect themselves from violence.

Next, Mr. Foer takes on the hunters. I'll not spend any time on that, as the "right to hunt" is not constitutionally affirmed. I will post one quick quote for those hunters who feel they are on the side of the anti's:

But something else is going on. Something that sounds as bad as it is. Hunters love death. Can someone explain to me why that's acceptable, or why that love of death should be more important than the safety of the 94 percent of us who don't have hunting licenses and don't hunt?

And then the final quote, bringing in the children and more fractured facts:

In 2004, more preschoolers than law enforcement officers were killed by firearms, according to the Children's Defense Fund. The number of children killed by guns in the United States each year is about three times greater than the number of servicemen and women killed annually in Iraq and Afghanistan. In fact, more children have been killed by guns in the past 25 years than the total number of American fatalities in all wars of the past five decades. It's possible that the upcoming election will be decided by the war in Iraq. But what about the far deadlier war at home?

I will have to admit that I did not go over to the CDF to check out their "facts" but I understand that these are also padded with the inclusion of gang bangers up to the age of 21 and rely heavily upon inner city gang related homicide.

If Mr. Foer were truly interested in saving the lives of children, he would be spending much more time editorializing about the dangers of swimming pools than firearms.

They're pulled from backyard pools and bathtubs each year, tiny limp bodies, blue and not breathing.

A young life can vanish quickly under water. A survivor can endure a lifetime of disabilities. Either way, families are torn apart by an almost always preventable tragedy.

Standard summer companions in our desert climate, swimming pools can be deadlier for children than guns. A child is 100 times more likely to die in a swimming accident than in gunplay, writes Steven D. Levitt, University of Chicago economics professor and best-selling author.

Levitt analyzed child deaths from residential swimming pools and guns and found one child under 10 drowns annually for every 11,000 pools. By comparison, one child under 10 each year is killed by a gun for every 1 million guns, according to his research, outlined in a new book "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side to Everything," which he co-wrote with journalist Stephen J. Dubner.

At it's heart, the gun control debate is not just a debate about our right to keep and bear arms, it is a debate about individual freedoms and liberty. Are we free citizens, grabbing our piece of the American Dream and making our own destinies? Or are we becoming subjects to the State, living how we are told to live and trading freedom for a fleeting feeling of safety? An abstract feeling of safety is indeed fleeting and will evaporate during the next natural or man-made disaster. It will be proven false when a goblin decides he wants your wallet, or car, or to rape and defile you. As proven at Virginia Tech, the facade of safety is just that, a facade.

I would email the author of this editorial, but can not find an address. Even his website has no contact information. Well Mr. Foer, if you happen to be the sort that does a search for your name, you will find your way here. I welcome any comments you may have.

Campus RKBA Roundup Numbers 7 and 7.5

The Mad Hatter is back and has jumped into the fray with not one, but two Campus RKBA Roundups.

RKBA Round-Up #7

The "finally got off my butt and back in the game" edition.

and

RKBA Round-Up 7.5

The "making up for lost time" edition.

I am glad to have him back. Head on over to find out what is printed in the collage news concerning the Second Amendment and the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.

From the "Dumb Crooks" Files

Three against one. The three had at least one firearm, but the one had his wits about him.

From The Star Telegram:

By Bill Miller

Quick thinker lures carjackers into trap

A quick-thinking Dallas man lured three would-be carjackers into a trap that resulted in their arrests early Sunday at D/FW Airport, police said.

The incident began about 11:45 p.m. Saturday as Theodore Owens, 45, who had just parked outside a friend’s house in the 9200 block of Sweetwater Drive in Dallas, was attacked by three teenage men, said Senior Cpl. Donna Hernandez, police spokeswoman.

"He was struck in the face with the butt of a gun," Hernandez said. "When they discovered he didn’t have much money, they discussed ways to get more money."

Owens, however, persuaded them to drive with him in his car to the airport where he worked for a company that provides curbside baggage handling.

He told them that he would withdraw money from the ATM at his credit union which was behind the security gate, Hernandez said. After parking outside a terminal, two of the suspects stayed with the car and one man went with Owens to the security gate.

"But the suspect obviously couldn’t get through security, so he told him to wait there while he went inside to the credit union," Hernandez said.

But once he cleared the gate he got to a phone and called 911, Hernandez said. Airport security officers then arrested the two men back at the car and arrested the third suspect nearby.

That was some quick thinking, and most likely even quicker talking.

First Hand Account

It is not often that a blogger gets a first hand account of the use of a concealed firearm by a CHL holder.

Blogs of War has such an account:

Gun Control Gets Personal

My neighbor didn’t stand a chance and he was getting pushed down the sidewalk. I decided to sprint for the attacker’s back and try to spear him and put him down when my neighbor, arms and legs bloodied, came up in a perfect shooting stance with a .380. He was amped and screaming “Don’t fu*king do it..back away” and I was in the middle of it...

Head on over and read the rest, I'll hold off on my comments until later.

Main Street Arts Festival

An event that I really look forward to attending each year is the Main Street Arts Festival in Fort Worth. I have been told that it is the eighth largest arts festival in the country, and I can believe it. Main Street is cordoned off along with a couple of the side streets and parking lots for artist, food and bands. This year we did not find anything for ourselves, but did find an album for #1 daughter's wedding pictures from this artist. My daughter is finally marrying the love of her life this June, and V is doing the wedding pictures for her. The album we picked up will be a wonderful presentation for her photos.

An event such as an outdoor arts festival or carnival is a good study people and their awareness of their surroundings. Today there were thousands of folks on Main Street, 99% of them were in Condition White. These folks were oblivious to their surroundings and unprepared for any kind of trouble. Many of the artist were keeping an alert eye on people in and around their booths, but were not quite in Condition Yellow as I understand it. They were alert to the potential of a shop lifter or thief, but not to the potential of a violent encounter. I also noticed a couple other CHL holders, one was so obvious that he may have been an off duty police officer, that were having a good time and enjoying the day. As these guys did not notice me, even though I was staring at them, I will have to say that they also were in Condition White. I did not notice any undercover officers, but we went earlier in the day than usual. Saturday afternoon and on into the evening is when I prefer to go. The people watching is much more interesting. In the evening you know that there are predators around, you just have to identify them. Some will make your hair stand on end as you watch them scan the crowd for prey. The predators will pick up on your attention and notice you out of the crowd, they have their own definition of alertness. The evening also brings out the protectors, the undercover officers, who along with the large presence of uniformed officers strive to keep the crowd safe.

The Main Street Arts Festival is a very safe and family friendly event. The City of Fort Worth is to be commended for being able to host this high quality art event year after year. This is an event that you can feel comfortable bringing the entire family, and a great way to introduce your teen-aged children to the arts. The purpose of this commentary is not to scare you away from events such as this, but to simply remind you to always be alert to your surroundings and to the potential of danger, wherever you may be.

V and I will be going to the Sawdust Arts Festival and the Pageant of the Masters later this Summer. I have to tell you that the Fort Worth Main Street Arts Festival is right up there with the best California has to offer. As an added bonus, in Fort Worth you do not have to mess with the ridiculous anti gun laws of California. If it were not for the fact that my Parents live in Oceanside, I would not be visiting CA.

Just in case you are interested, my favorite art gallery in Fort Worth is The Milan Gallery.

Second Amendment Carnival XI

Stan over at Free Constitution has posted the eleventh edition of the Second Amendment Carnival.

Providing the best 2nd Amendment coverage the blogosphere has to offer.

Head on over and check it out.

Second Amendment Carnival XI

What We Can Do...

The End Result of a Public Education

Sometimes the anti's make it too darn easy.

From the Las Vegas Review Journal:

Lax gun laws to blame for Virginia shooting

By Andrea Eidenier

To the editor:

I am a full-time community college student. The Virginia Tech shooting doesn't scare me -- it just makes me sad. If the gunman hadn't had such ample access to either guns or ammunition, the death toll probably would have been lower or possibly nonexistent.

Every time a school shooting happens, the media, the victims' families and the general public look for reasons and people to blame. We should all start by blaming ourselves.

There's no reason for a person to carry a gun unless he is a government official, a hunter in a rural area or a criminal. There is no reason a person should be able to buy as much ammunition as he wants, especially for weapons such as pistols. These lax laws are keeping this country in danger of its own citizens.

I know that people would still have guns if they were banned. But if they were harder to get, people who are in desperate situations would seek other methods to remedy their situations.

In this country, we are so afraid of not being able to protect ourselves that we make it easier to put guns in the hands of people who will harm us. It makes me sad.

Andrea, what makes me sad is that 12+ years of a public education have done nothing to develop your critical thinking skills. This is an area in your life that you must improve upon. Life is going to throw a vast array of situations at you that require some semblance of logic to navigate. At this moment in your life, you do not have the tools necessary to make the crucial decisions that await you. I highly recommend that you seek out someone to be your mentor, someone who could help you develop your critical thinking skills.

Just For Fits

Glock Sin

Thanks to No Quarters

Another Quisling Turns on His Own

The repetition is getting boring, yet we must continue to refute the anti's and the anti's with guns at every turn.

From the Houston Chronicle:

Self proclaimed hunter and advocate of sport shooting, and individual gun rights, Bob Cavnar pens the following to the Letters to the Editor.

Quail-hunter understands now

AS a gun owner who enjoys South Texas quail hunts and my annual pilgrimage to Georgia to shoot with old friends, I have always been an advocate of sport shooting and individual gun rights. However, the shocking reports from Virginia Tech, along with the searing memories of what happened at Columbine High School eight years ago, have crystallized my own thinking on this issue.

Perhaps it is time for us to acknowledge that unregulated open access to firearms through gun shows, private sales and other means encourages those who have no business owning a gun to get one. We need to establish a clear distinction between sporting arms and assault-style weapons meant only for killing people.

Proper registration, securing these weapons and even banning some would be a small price to pay if it saves lives. In this day of values-voters and culture-of-life rhetoric continuously streaming from elected officials, surely this issue is as important.

It is almost as if they use a form letter or guide to write these missives.

First establish gun owning credentials by stating you are a hunter and a supporter of gun rights. Then express shock and horror at the latest news topic concerning a violent use of firearms, and finally share the fact that you now believe that reasonable gun laws may be necessary to save lives.

Bob (I shall not call you Mr., as that is a sign of at least some small bit of respect), you sir are a quisling of the worst sort. Some would call you a Judas Goat, both terms are fitting descriptions of a man with your moral turpitude towards fellow firearm owners.

You use the fact that you hunt quail to give your opinion some validity. Many would say that in this day and age hunting is not necessary. If you would like to have quail for dinner, head on down to your local grocery store and purchase a few that have been humanely slaughtered for you by a subsidiary of ConAgra Foods. I am sure that there are quite a few "value-voters" and folks who believe in the "culture of life" who would agree that killing birds and animals for sport is a savage ritual that needs to be outlawed.

Who exactly are these folks who "have no business owning a gun"? You give no examples and leave it up to the reader to decide who exactly you are talking about. Do you mean minorities? How about folks who live in a poor neighborhood, can they be allowed firearms? It appears that anyone who is not like you should not have a firearm. You make it clear that you believe only the firearms that you personally own should be available to the general public. What an arrogant piece of work you are there Bob.

You state "We need to establish a clear distinction between sporting arms and assault-style weapons meant only for killing people." Bob... I understand that many Americans do not have much of a grasp of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. I will be nice and explain the Second Amendment to you in small words and short sentences. The Second Amendment has nothing to do with "sporting arms". Read it carefully, meditate upon it for awhile, and you will figure it out. I think I will leave the figuring to you. Most of the readers of this blog do understand the intent of the Second Amendment, they also understand what "shall not be infringed" means.

Back to quail hunting. If I recall correctly, it was not that long ago that a famous quail hunter was in all the news broadcasts. Didn't someone get shot in the face while quail hunting? Hmmm... maybe banning quail hunting "would be a small price to pay if it saves lives".

If you register, the Chron does accept commentary on their letters page.

(Um.. that was a hint, get on over there)

Firearm Safety at the White House

I try to maintain a recurring theme of firearm safety in my commentary. Even though there has been almost a 92% decrease in accidental/negligent firearm-related fatalities since 1930, we can still do better.

The best way to prevent negligent firearm discharges is to follow the Four Rules of Safe Gun Handling. Each and every gun owner is obligated to not only know and follow these four rules, but to teach those who may have access to those firearms the rules.

It seems the Secret Service needs to spend some class time working on this very issue.

From Reuters:

Two Secret Service officers injured at White House

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two Secret Service officers were injured on Tuesday after a gun held by another Secret Service officer accidentally fired inside the White House gate, according to a spokesman, Darrin Blackford...

..."It appears that at approximately 2:10 p.m. (1810 GMT) there was an accidental discharge of a service issued weapon, which occurred inside the Southwest Gate at a security post near the White House," Blackford said.

First off - the public would be much better served if these journalist and "official spokespersons" would remove the phrase "accidental discharge" from their vocabulary. This was no accident, it was negligence. Incidents such as this one should be reported as negligence so folks who do not understand firearms can at least learn that firearms do not just "go off" accidentally.

Second - Can you imagine the reaction if this has occurred while the President was in the Rose Garden giving a press conference?

I expect the Secret Service to be better trained and more familiar with firearms than this. They are, after all, the last line of defense for our President.

As a concerned citizen, I feel it is my duty to offer the following video as a training aid to the Secret Service (and anyone else who owns firearms).

Enjoy


For more information on firearm safety, go here.

Thanks to The War on Guns for the link to the article.

Thanks to Xavier for the video.

In Other News...

With the news focusing upon Virginia Tech, you may have missed this little bit of action that occurred in Houston.

From the Houston Chronicle:

Rolling gunfight on Southwest Freeway kills 1

By ROBERT CROWE and KEVIN MORAN

At least one man was killed and several were wounded when rival immigrant-smuggling gangs engaged in a noontime gunbattle that started on the Southwest Freeway and ended on the feeder road, police said.

Authorities suspect one gang was attempting to steal a load of immigrants from the other...

...About noon, the occupants of two trucks — one carrying at least 10 people — exchanged gunfire while heading northbound on the freeway, Elliott said. The vehicles exited at Bissonnet and ran a red light before one truck crashed into an older model Honda Accord that was not part of the chase.

Elliott said the occupants of the two trucks "then proceeded to get out of their vehicles to have a shootout."

Incidents like this have been happening out in the desert for quite awhile now. The fact that the coyotes are getting so bold as to pull this stunt in the city says a lot for the contempt in which they hold our law enforcement organizations.

While I do not often comment on our need to secure our borders, I have mentioned the lax attitude of a certain police chief when it comes to illegal aliens.

Officer slaying adds to immigration debate

I have also mentioned that it is...

It is Well Past Time to Secure Our Borders

Do not forget the most important reason to secure our borders, terrorist. As horrific as the Virginia Tech shootings are, Beslin was much worse. In Beslin 338 were killed by Muslim terrorist. Our schools are not only an easy target for terrorist attack, they are a preferred target. Read more here.

It is appalling that our elected officials have done very little to secure our borders. Secure borders are one of the primary responsibilities of our federal .gov, and they ignore it. Playing politics for what they see as future votes from a new servant class of "citizen". Just another action to add to their list of shameful acts.

The LawDog's take on the Virginia Tech Shooting

From The LawDog Files:

There are reports -- granted unconfirmed at this time -- that several students were forced to line up, kneeling, and executed from behind.

I pray to the old gods -- the gods of war and blood and thunder -- that this is not the case.

I pray that some students went down fighting.

Because as bad as this is -- and this is a horror -- as bad as this is, if fifty some-odd people were injured and killed by one person whilst on their knees begging like so many Eloi, like a herd of sheep -- if no one stood up and fought back, then this is becomes an example of evil.

Not the evil that allows a man to kill other men -- although that is here in abundance. No, I am speaking of the putrescent evil which convinces good men not to fight back; the sordid filth of the soul which allows one bad man to prevail against fifty -- or 25,000 -- good men because good men have been systematically denied the mindset required to meet with, engage and defeat evil -- even if all you have is fingernails and rage.

One man. On a campus of 25,000 people. 25,000 people surrounded by fire extinguishers, book bags, pencils, pens, drafting compasses, chairs, broom handles, power strips, ceramics, chains and everything heavy and/or sharp.

One man managed to gun down fifty people -- or more -- without being stabbed and bludgeoned to death where he stood by the other 24,950 people...

Head on over and read the rest, it is well worth your time.

32 And Counting...

Throughout the day I have been thinking of what to say about the psycho who killed so many at Virginia Tech today..

Fits pretty much has it covered:

32 And Counting...

Since I'm certainly not a liberal lunatic, the one MOST responsible is the man with the deadly intent. But lets pass around some of the blame in the direction of the politicians and law enforcement traitors who forbid that collegians protect themselves, and the cowardly bastards that didn't rush in and stop this in the bud. People died because they were not allowed to fight back. More died than should have because whomever was in charge of providing protection was asleep at the switch.

This will be used by anti-gunners ad nauseum, because instead of sharing the responsibility they pass the buck.

Where are the men. Where are the patriots to see through this charade and at long last say enough is quite enough...

The fact that one armed psycho goblin could do this points out the massive failure of gun free school zones. I know, it will not be long before the blood dancers are frolicking in the gore left in the wake of this shooting, telling all who listen that just a couple more "reasonable" gun laws will prevent such an episode from happening again. Curse them, and curse the pantie wastes that enable them.

True reason understands that we continue to live in a dangerous and unpredictable world. Reason insists that we use our abilities to think and observe our surroundings to avoid danger and control our environment as much as possible. A reasonable man will also become skilled in the use of the most efficient tools available to protect himself, his family and those around him from potential random acts of violence. This slaughter could have been stopped. It could have been stopped in the dorm, and should have been stopped in the engineering building. One of the witnesses stated that she recognized gunfire because she had been a target shooter from an early age. That was just one young lady who could have ended this rampage early.

The right to self protection is a law of nature. Each and every living creature has some means of protection. The antelope has it's speed, and the porcupine it's quills. Humans have their ability to use tools, and firearms are often the best tool for the job of self defense. If concealed carry was an option at Virginia Tech, we would be reading about the heroes who put a stop to this mindless slaughter. Instead, we read of body counts.

As for those who have disarmed us, who daily chip away at out ability to protect ourselves...

They disgust me beyond words.

It took only one dedicated goblin to cause this much carnage in our school system. Just think what will happen when trained and coordinated terrorist make their move and put their "chilling plan" into action.

Day at the Range

Today was the monthly .22 caliber long range silhouette match. This match is shot similar to the Black Powder Cartridge Rifle silhouette matches, except at 2/5 scale. Targets are set at 80, 120, 154 and 200 meters. The chickens at 80 meters are shot standing, the rest are shot from the prone position with cross sticks. This match is shot with single shot rifles and open or target sights. The rifle I use is a Martini.

I started shooting these matches with my #3 daughter. Now that she is out and on her own, I pretty much stopped shooting them. Today was the first time in quite awhile, and my score showed it. Today reminded me of how much I really enjoy shooting these matches, so I will become a regular on the firing line once again. Knocking down metal targets at 200m with a .22 is a blast.

The match is open to the public, so if you are in North Texas and are interested in shooting with us, we would be glad to have you. Contact me for more information if interested.

Something to Think About

Found at The War on Guns:

Credible Deterrence & the Logistics of Liberty

What did the Founders intend with the Second Amendment? Liberals ignored, gunnies would all agree that their purpose was to codify the people's natural right to arms. As men who had been compelled to fight for independence by the British seizure of their arms, it was natural for them to ensure that the people of future generations be enabled to maintain the tools necessary to repel tyranny. But I think the Founders' purpose was not only to set up the preconditions to resist tyranny when it appeared, but also to deter it by providing future would-be tyrants with a credible deterrent that would discourage them from making the attempt to begin with...

Another excellent read that is well worth your time.

New Style Southern Living Magazine

While bouncing around from site to site this evening, I found this article on a new magazine being published primarily in the Southeast.

Garden & Gun Magazine Premieres on Newsstands Today

Publication Celebrates the Spirit of 21st Century Southern America

Garden & Gun reflects the contemporary culture of the South with an elegant style and modern approach. The publication aims to redefine coverage of the Southern traditions, lifestyles, dreams and heritage.

“We’re more targeted and more niche than older Southern titles,” said Rebecca Darwin, publisher. “Within Garden & Gun, conservation and preservation of natural resources are as important as skeet-shooting and adventurous lifestyle.”

I enjoy reading Southwest and Southern Living magazines, this one may also end up on my coffee table.

Uncle Sam's Shooting Gallery: 100 Years

Xavier has posted a bit of firearm history, a Popular Mechanics article on the National Rifle Matches of 1940.

TRAVELING in planes, trains, buses, private cars, trucks, and even on foot, more than 10,000 eager men, women, and youngsters from all corners of the nation will head toward the shores of Lake Erie in mid-August for the largest sporting event in the world. The lure that draws this myriad of bankers, housewives, G-men, clerks, police, shopkeepers, and citizens from practically every other walk of life, is the annual National Rifle Matches sponsored jointly by the U. S. War Department and the National Rifle Association...

Head on over and read the rest of the article, and some interesting comments here.

Paintball Guns, The Menace in Rhode Island

Do folks run for office for the sole purpose of writing laws? All the good laws were written a few thousand years ago, so now they come up with piddly crud like the following:

From the Pawtucket Times:

By: David Casey

Paintball gun bill modeled after C.F. law

...Doyle's bill, S-204, is designed to exert more state control over the use of paintball guns by including them in the state's "Weapons Law."

According to the bill: "Paintball guns shall only be used in areas designated for recreational paintball use...Protective clothing and eyewear shall be worn...Paintball guns shall not be transported at any time in the passenger compartments of motor vehicles...(and) shall be unloaded, with the gas cylinder separated from the gun...and carried in closed cases when being transported by an individual on foot."

Why is such a bill necessary?

"A lot of paintball injuries occur outside of the safe paintball arena, (when the guns are used) with criminal intent," said Policastro.

According to a fact sheet provided by RISNA, there were 1,200 paintball-related eye injuries in 2000 (nationally), almost double the amount reported in 1998.

Just for the record, it is already illegal to shoot someone maliciously with a paintball gun. Every state in the union, including Rhode Island have laws against assault.

The RISNA (Rhode Island State Nurses Association) is behind this bill, supposedly because of 1200 paintball-related eye injuries. I have some potentially shocking news for the fine nurses of Rhode Island. If you are a Rhode Island nurse, please take a seat. I would hate for you to faint and crack your head open when you read the next statistic I have to offer.

Ready?

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there were more than 547,000 ladder-related injuries, nearly 12,000 raking-related injuries and approximately 221,000 lawn mowing-related injuries treated in hospital emergency rooms, doctors’ offices and clinics in 2004. Frequent injuries include cuts, bruises and fractured bones.

That's right folks. Ladders, rakes and lawnmowers accounted for almost three quarters of a million injuries in 2004. I am a bit surprised that these nurses who work in "hospital emergency rooms, doctors’ offices and clinics" did not notice that injuries caused by tools sold by Home Depot and other hardware stores are much more prevalent than those caused by paintball guns. I am sure that once they have this information, the good folks of Rhode Island will be protected by laws criminalizing the use and sale of these household tools.

The above quote on ladder, rake and lawnmower injuries was found here.

SEEING THE UNSEEN, Part 2

Eject! Eject! Eject! has an excellent commentary on conspiracy theorist.

Seeing the Unseen, Part 2

I want to forgo the niceties of the hot towel and go straight for the jugular on this one. My goal here is not to bust any of these four conspiracy theories; that has all been done much more effictively elsewhere. What I am trying to do here is to build a chain of evidence to show a progressively deteriorating epidemic of world-wide insanity, of truly diseased thinking -- not just a misunderstanding or difference of opinion but real, diagnosable mental illness.

This is a long read, but well worth the while.

Thanks to The Pistolero for leading me to this article.

Do American Citizens Have a Right to Own a Gun?

John Whitehead of the Rutherford Institute has written a commentary on Parker v District of Columbia that started out well, then confused me with his conclusions. As many of you know, I can be easily confused. Maybe one of you can connect the dots for me.

Do American Citizens Have a Right to Own a Gun?

By John W. Whitehead

Mr. Whitehead opens his commentary with a brief history of the D.C. gun ban:

For the past 30 years, residents of the District of Columbia have been threatened with conviction and imprisonment simply for having a gun in their homes.

In keeping with a District-wide law, all handguns were prohibited, unless they were registered before 1976. Even pistols registered prior to the ban could not be carried from room to room within a home without a license. Furthermore, licensed guns had to be kept locked up or disassembled.

The draconian and repressive anti gun laws of D.C. are well documented and known to those who are interested in Second Amendment issues. These are the very same laws that many legislatures and the anti gun groups would like to see established nation wide.

Next Mr. Whitehead describes the case of Parker v District of Columbia. It is a quick and informative description that should be read if you are not familiar with that case.

Now to the heart of the matter. Mr. Whitehead does an excellent job of explaining why the Second Amendment is an individual right, and why it is included in the Bill of Rights:

History is on Tribe’s side. With the despotism of a tyrannical king fresh in their minds, the Framers knew they had to provide a means for the people to defend themselves against a tyrannical government. They believed the right to keep and bear arms enabled a citizen to stand up to the government. If the government got out of hand, you could defend yourself—you could rebel. After all, that’s what happened in 1776.

The Framers wanted to ensure that if the government had control of the military, as it does today—including the National Guard—citizens would have a means of protecting themselves. Thus, they specifically added the Second Amendment to the Constitution to ensure that individuals—ordinary Americans—had a means of protecting themselves not only against their own government but against intruders. Furthermore, early Americans relied on ordinary weapons for many things, often keeping them in their homes.

There is nothing more solidly embedded in the Constitution than the right to bear arms. As Congressman Ron Paul (R-Tex.) has said, “Can anyone seriously contend that the Founders, who had just expelled their British rulers mostly by use of light arms, did not want the individual farmer, blacksmith, or merchant to be armed? Those individuals would have been killed or imprisoned by the King’s soldiers if they had relied on a federal armed force to protect them.”

“Our Founders, having just expelled the British army, knew that the right to bear arms serves as the guardian of every other right,” continued Paul. “This is the principle so often ignored by both sides in the gun control debate. Only armed citizens can resist tyrannical government.”

There it is, in black and white. "Only armed citizens can resist tyrannical government". At this point in the commentary I am really liking what Mr. Whitehead has to say and thinking that this is a nice bit of light in this day full of anti gun propaganda. Then the confusion begins.

While it must be conceded that the individual citizen could not hope to defend him or herself against local and federal law enforcement dressed in military gear, armed to the teeth with armored vehicles and weapons of mass destruction, shouldn’t Americans at least be able to protect themselves, their families and their homes against criminals?

One armed citizen would have a hard time defending against our militarized police, but a community would not. Unless of course they were disarmed.

As George Mason declared, “To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them.” While Congress can, of course, reasonably regulate certain types of weapons such as assault rifles, banning law-abiding citizens from having handguns in their own homes for self-defense or owning hunting rifles goes far beyond anything the Framers contemplated.

"While Congress can, of course, reasonably regulate certain types of weapons such as assault rifles" This one sentence ruins the entire article. Mr. Whitehead.. John, did you not read what you wrote in regards as to why we even have a Second Amendment? When you wrote "Thus, they specifically added the Second Amendment to the Constitution to ensure that individuals—ordinary Americans—had a means of protecting themselves not only against their own government..." didn't it cross your mind that it was so called assault weapons that were protected by the Second Amendment, not just handguns? By allowing for the "reasonable regulation" of the very weapons that can provide adequate protection for "the people" from the government, you nullify the entire purpose of the Second Amendment.

Yes, the people have the right (some would say the responsibility) to protect themselves from criminals and intruders into their homes, they also have the right to protect themselves from a criminal government. The Second Amendment affirms this right. Take that last small step John, consider what the founders intended, look at the world of today, and try to take a peek into the future. Do you honestly think that there will not become a time when "the people" will need to take up arms to protect themselves? If you can not imagine this happening in our future, then look to the past. It was not that long ago that the Deacons for Defense had to take up arms against the police to protect civil rights workers. If you can see the potential need for free citizens to take up arms against the government, you have to concede that those arms must be adequate to the task at hand.

From the Anti's

After taking a few days off for camping, I did a quick news search for a firearm related topic to comment upon. Is it me, or have the anti's redoubled their efforts in publishing anti gun propaganda, misrepresentations and outright lies?

It would take a month of Sundays just to fisk the current batch of blabber from the anti's.

A few examples:

Hawai'i part of study linking suicide, gun ownership

Twice as many people committed suicide from 2000 to 2002 in the 15 states with the highest rates of gun ownership, compared with the six states where guns are least common, according to the study published in the April issue of the Journal of Trauma. The population in both groups was about the same, the study said.

Hawai'i was among the six states where gun ownership is least common. Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death among U.S. men, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Web Site. The higher suicide rates in the Harvard study were found in men, women and children of all ages in states where more households have guns.

NRA Gathers as Gun Ownership Has Declined Dramatically Over Past 35 Years

VPC Executive Director Josh Sugarmann states, "Society is leaving the gun culture behind. Nearly two thirds of American homes are gun free, and more than three quarters of Americans do not personally own a gun. Yet our nation remains hostage to the gun industry's lethality-at-any-cost mentality as measured by nearly 30,000 gun deaths per year and tens of thousands of additional wounded."

Gun owners up in arms over Pa. bill

House Bill 760 has outraged gun owners across the state because it would require annual registration of every weapon they possess other than antiques -- guns manufactured before 1898 -- certain collector's items, and law-enforcement duty weapons.

These are just a few of the articles that could have been included. This is quite the reminder that even though we have had our recent successes in the courts (Parker) and in the legislature (Texas Castle Doctrine for one), we have to remain vigilant. The anti's are not letting up, they are increasing the rhetoric and lies in an attempt to turn the public against us and regain ground. The soft war is a daily battle.

Made it Back

Our annual Easter tradition now that the kids are grown and out of the house is to take a three day canoe trip down the Brazos River with friends. We usually get into the river on Saturday noonish and have the river to ourselves for the entire trip. As I mentioned in the previous post, last year it reached 101°F on the third day of the trip. Well, this year it snowed for at least four hours on Saturday and then got down to 29°F in the evening. The ladies decided that they were not too interested in sitting in canoes in the snow, the cold and the potential rain, so we ended up camping under the Possum Kingdom Lake dam. It turned out to be a good weekend. We were the only ones in the campground, and when they were not generating electricity through the dam, the fishing was great. I caught 51 fish Sunday afternoon.

Two things happened on the drive home. First, contrary to popular belief, I learned that having a CHL does not get you out of a speeding ticket. Second, my Dad called to tell us that my Grandmother had passed away.

Grandma was the last of her generation in our family. She lived in a small town in Iowa populated mostly by folks of German decent. Grandma was a good and decent woman who loved her family very much. I remember one Christmas when I was very young. We drove out from California through one heck of a winter storm. We ended up having to spend the night in a school gymnasium here in Arlington because all the roads were closed. When we finally made it to Grandma's house, Mom and Dad has us kids go up and knock on the door (Grandma and Grandpa did not know we were coming). I can still see the look of joy on Grandma's face when she saw us kids, and how the comforters felt on her old bed that night when we finally got warmed up. Grandma lived in a different time. I was born nine months and five days after my Mom and Dad got married, and Grandma was counting the days to make sure that I was conceived after the wedding. Grandma was the last of her generation, the world is worse off without her.

Off for the Weekend

We are heading out to camp on the Brazos River. Last year it reached 100F on this Easter trip, this year it is going to drop below freezing.

See you Monday afternoon

For the Glock Fans

At least it is in .45 ACP

20/20 Looking For Self Defense Stories

From ABC News:

Gun Used In Self-Defense? Tell '20/20'!

April 6, 2007 — Have you ever defended yourself from a crime in your home, in your business, or in public by using a gun? Perhaps you warded off a potential attacker by simply showing a gun?

40 states now allow their citizens to obtain conceal-carry permits for handguns. Some people say that's dangerous, while others say it allows them to protect themselves.

If you have a story of self-defense involving the aid of a gun and would like to tell it to 20/20, please fill out the form below. A "20/20" producer may contact you.

I am not a big fan of 20/20, but if this is on the up-and-up, it is a good thing.

Now They Have Gone Too Far

I have watched the hype concerning global warming grow with some humor and just the tiniest bit of trepidation. In my early years, I did a course of study under George Miller. Mr. Miller was a paleontologist in the Imperial Valley of California. We studied the life of the past through fossils and geological formations. I learned about climate change and the effects on life via the fossil record. Is the earth going through a warming stage? It appears so. Is this warming due to human activity? Most likely not. Heck, one volcano will spew more contaminants and carbon into the atmosphere than mankind could if we tried. During the '70's, when we were all being warned about the upcoming ice age, did the scientist urge more carbon emissions to combat global cooling? No. One wonders why not. The most likely explanation is that such a program would not work.

Now we watch Algore raise himself to sainthood on the unfounded fears of global warming. Good capitalist are making money selling carbon offsets and pandering to the fears brought on by the word of these new age environmental prophets. Legislators across the world are coming up with laws to force folks to follow the edicts of the chosen, and liberty is once again at risk. Worse yet, so is the BBQ.

From The Barking Moonbat Early Warning System we find the following:

Belgium to impose tax on barbequing to fight global warming

BRUSSELS, April 3 (RIA Novosti) - The government of Belgium's French-speaking region of Wallonia, which has a population of about 4 million, has approved a tax on barbequing, local media reported.

Experts said that between 50 and 100 grams of CO2, a so-called greenhouse gas, is emitted during barbequing. Beginning June 2007, residents of Wallonia will have to pay 20 euros for a grilling session.

The local authorities plan to monitor compliance with the new tax legislation from helicopters, whose thermal sensors will detect burning grills.

The Bastards! They don't even know how to spell barbecue, and they want to tax it? I may have to boycot Belgium beer.

I wonder just how much CO2 and other pollutants will be emitted by the helicopters?

Rifle Safety Manual

The Civilian Marksmanship Program has published a basic primer on safe firearm handling. This 32 page pdf file covers basic range safety and etiquette as well as some tips for accurate rifle shooting. This is a good safety manual for the target shooting sports.

Rifle Safety Manual

Support FCI, Win a B.A.G. (or two)

Just before Christmas of last year, Doug Campbell of Frankfort, IL found out he was the lucky winner of The Fifty Caliber Institute's drawing for a Browning M3 Heavy-Barrel in Semi-Auto. Now that it my kind of Christmas present. Oh darn, Doug lives in Illinois, bummer. As you probably know, Illinois anti's are working pretty hard to ban .50 caliber firearms. One of the primary organizations working against this ban is The Fifty Caliber Institute (FCI). FCI raises funds through membership drives and raffles. This years raffle is pretty outstanding.

"Enter Once, Win Twice"

Introducing FCI's Best Fundraiser Yet!

Beginning immediately FCI is introducing our most recent fundraiser and we think this will turn out to be the best fundraiser we've ever had. For starters we are giving away two fine firearms instead of one and each coupon purchased will be used in both drawings. So if you buy one coupon you get a chance to win either of these two fine firearms OR BOTH OF THEM. Coupons are $25 each, but we are also continuing our policy of giving away 5 coupons for every $100 contribution.

These are two outstanding firearms, enter now, and enter often. I can't think of a better Christmas present. Click here to enter.

From The Fifty Caliber Institute

The Fight to Protect the .50 BMG has Started:

In early March the battle to protect our rights as law abiding gun owners began again in earnest in the state of New Jersey with the introduction of a 50 caliber ban in the form of adding a new definition of a "Destructive Device" to an existing law. Senate bill 1498 and Assembly bill 3998 both add to existing law a new definition of what a destructive device is.

Illinois Follows Suit:

At the same time the state of Illinois introduced two anti-50 caliber bills of their own. HB 873 was initially introduced as an expansion of their existing Assault Weapons Bill and it added the fifty caliber rifle (and many others) to that existing law. After a short period of time SB 1471 was introduced which is a stand alone bill just banning the 50 caliber rifle.

FCI Joins Forces With Other Groups:

Since before this battle began FCI has been working in conjunction with several other gun rights organizations to do everything we can to educate the legislators of both Illinois and New Jersey to the rights of law abiding gun owners. In both states we are facing tremendous odds simply because of the changes that resulted from the elections last November. Each state has Democratic majorities in both houses and are known for their anti-gun political posture.

In IL SB 1471 has been voted out of committee already and can be brought up onto the Senate floor for a vote at any time. The identical bill HB 873 on the House side of the legislature has also been voted out of committee and can be voted on any time.

During the week of March 19th both of these bills were intensely lobbied by many people within the fifty caliber community. Ronnie Barrett, owner of Barrett Firearms Manufacturing and Mark Westrom, owner of Armalite Inc. led a delegation of representatives from the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA); the ILA Office of NRA and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) to educate legislators on the real facts relating to the fifty caliber target rifle. On Tuesday March 20th they spent the entire day meeting with state senators in an effort to garner the support to kill this devastating piece of legislation. Each member of this delegation was present to provide information at the hearings on HB 873 on Wednesday morning. Regardless of the information presented, HB 873 and two other very serious anti-gun bills passed out of committee when voted on that day.

Both of these bills now present a serious threat to the law abiding owners of fifty caliber target rifles in IL. These bills can be called to the floor of either legislative body at any time for a vote. Right now is the time for all gun owners in IL to get involved and call their legislative representatives and voice your opposition to these bills.

We are asking everyone who is a member of a shooting sports organization to forward this email to as many email addresses as you can and to share this message on as many gun rights forums as you can. We need to send a crystal clear message to the legislature in IL that we will not tolerate another debacle like what happened in CA four years ago. Law abiding gun owners need to stand together on this issue and fight to keep our right to enjoy our sport. If we don't, the next rifle they come for will be your scoped deer rifle.

For more information on The Fifty Caliber Institute, go here.

To read the latest issue of the FCI newsletter, which includes a report of the recent match which took place in Waco Texas at Tiger Valley, go here.

We're the "Only Ones" Dropping the Seat Enough

This is one for David Codrea's "Only Ones" file:

From The Benton Courier:

Deputy's gun reportedly discharges at IHOP

For the time being, officials with the Saline County Sheriff’s Department are not discussing an incident Monday which a deputy’s firearm apparently discharged accidentally at the International House of Pancakes (IHOP) restaurant in Benton.

The incident reportedly occurred sometime during the noon hour.

A local businessman who arrived at the restaurant after the incident said he was told about the gunshot by a restaurant employee.

According to that account, a deputy who had been at the restaurant for lunch accidentally discharged his weapon while he was in the men’s restroom. The shot reportedly went through the restroom ceiling, where there is a bullet hole.

Several people inside the restaurant apparently heard the shot.

According to the businessman, who asked to remain anonymous, the restaurant employee asked the deputy what the noise was and the deputy allegedly replied, “The toilet seat fell, making the noise.” “And with that, (the deputy) proceeded to walk out of the restaurant,” the businessman said. “He lied to the waitress on his way out the door, according to her.”

A member of management with IHOP reportedly followed the deputy into the parking lot. The IHOP representative “confronted (the deputy) on the parking lot and then he ’fessed up to it,” the employee said.

A negligent discharge in an IHOP restroom, what a mess. You have to take this article with a grain of salt as it is not a first hand report of what was said by the officer, but the report of a businessman who arrived after the incident and wishes to remain anonymous. But if the officer's first reaction was to try and cover up the fact that he had a negligent discharge, this does not say much for the officer. What is worse is the way this incident is being handled by the Sheriff.

The deputy involved in the incident is described as a “heavy-set guy” and is believed to be an employee in the warrants division, but this has not been confirmed.

According to an employee in the county human resources office, deputies are required to fill out a report any time they discharge their weapons, whether accidentally or on purpose, unless it is done on the firing range.

The incident was discussed briefly Monday night in a meeting of the Saline County Quorum Court Finance Committee. In that setting, Justice of the Peace Doug Curtis, who chairs the committee, asked sheriff’s Capt. Jason Massey how much damage the county would be responsible for because of the incident. Massey said the incident was being investigated and that he would not comment on it.

After the meeting, Massey said no one was hurt in the incident. He declined to say whether the employee is still on active duty or how long he expects the investigation to take.

This Sheriff sure is doing a lot of "not commenting". What would the Sheriff's reaction have been if the person in the restroom was a CHL holder? I can just about guarantee that the CHL holder's name would be at the top of this story, that the Sheriff would be commenting on the amount of damage to the building and the safety hazard posed to the other patrons of the restaurant. But since the offender in this incident is an only one, different rules apply.

Massey was asked whether a report is required any time a deputy’s weapon is discharged. His response was that “whatever report would be made is an internal report that goes toward the investigation.”

“All of this goes through a process,” he added. “That’s what this is going to go through.”

Massey said that “everything that is under our policy procedure is abided by when we open an investigation. Once it gets through that, we’ll let it go.”

A Not Very Thin Tissue of Lies

James Dark is the Executive Director of the Texas State Rifle Association. I have seen Jim at Friends of NRA banquets, but finally got to meet and talk with him at the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee public hearing on the then proposed Castle Doctrine Bill. Following that very successful public hearing, Jim wrote an editorial for the TSRA website commenting upon the lies and deceit of the Brady Bunch.

A Not Very Thin Tissue of Lies:

The Brady Campaign in Texas

By James Dark

British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli once sagely pointed out that there were three types of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics. Proof of this wisdom could be easily found in the rhetoric, press releases, and even testimony of the miniscule and ineffective Texas anti-gun movement in their feeble attempts to derail the Texas Castle Doctrine bill.

Derisively calling this self-defense measure “Shoot First,” they rallied on February 12 at the Capitol, attempting to sway legislators away from supporting the bill. They must not have realized that stopping the Castle Doctrine steamroller in Texas in one day with a handful of volunteers would be akin to fending off a charging grizzly with a plastic flyswatter. But you can’t fault them for trying.

The 133–13 thumping in the Texas House was ample evidence that the anti-gun efforts were futile beyond debate. The only point of contention really was what portion of their arguments comprised, respectively, lies, damned lies or statistics...

The editorial goes through the President of the North Texas Chapter of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Marsha McCartney's testimony point by point. Jim does a very good job of dismantling the hype with facts.

To read the entire editorial, head on over to the TSRA website.

If you live in Texas, and you own a firearm, consider joining the TSRA. Alice Tripp, James Dark and the rest do a great job of standing in for your gun rights in Austin. To join the TSRA, go here.

Concealed Gun Applications Up After Mall Shooting

Well.... Uh... Duh!

Increase in crime in Houston after the Katrina evacuees from New Orleans move in, gun sales and permits increase. Folks see that a concealed weapon was used effectively in stopping the goblin at the Utah Mall, they decide that maybe they should be a bit more proactive in their own protection. Just makes sense.

From KUTV 2:

Concealed Gun Applications Up After Mall Shooting

SALT LAKE CITY Applications for concealed-weapons permits have been pouring in since nine people were shot at a shopping mall.

"We are getting 400 to 500 a day," said Ed McConkie, chief of the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification. "Before it was 200-270."

While the majority of permits still go to people from out of state, the new wave of applicants are mostly Utah residents.

"People reacted in different ways," McConkie said of Trolley Square. "Many people wanted a concealed-carry permit and people who had let their permits go dormant reapplied."

If you are one of these folks who have decided to taken on the responsibility of defending your self and your family, well done. Now that you have made that decision, you must also be responsible for the safe and effective handling of your firearm. Learn and live the Four Rules of Firearm Safety, make them a part of your everyday life. Become proficient, no, become VERY proficient with your firearm. Get some training and send lots of ammo down range. Make the safe and effective handling of your firearm second nature. The effective use of a firearm is a martial art. The safe use of a firearm is an obligation you have not only to your family, but to society. For more information on firearm safety, look here.

Texas Workers Protection Legislation!

There are several bills floating around the Texas Legislature that attempt to deal with the issue of employers firing CHL holders if the employer discovers a firearm in the CHL holders vehicle. This is a good idea that would not be necessary if it were not for corporations overstepping their bounds when trying to control all aspects of the lives of their employees. There is a small problem though, the idea has gone sour with the bills that have the most likelihood of passing.

Senate Bill 534 (SB 534) and House Bill 992 (HB 992) are companion bills titled "Relating to certain rights and liabilities of an employer regarding an employee's access to a concealed handgun."

It all sounds well and good. The NRA-ILA has sent out the mass mailing requesting Texas firearm owners to contact their legislators and urge support for these bills and HB 220 (I will comment upon HB 220 shortly).

This is how the NRA-ILA describes these bills:

All three bills would allow Concealed Handgun Licensees to transport and store handguns in their locked, private motor vehicles while parked on their employer’s property. HB992 and SB534 also provide employers with protection from civil liability for the unforeseeable acts of criminals.

Sounds great doesn't it?

There is one major flaw with two of these bills. Let us see if you can pick it out -

Sec. 52.061. PENALIZING EMPLOYEE FOR ACCESS TO OR STORAGE OF A CONCEALED HANDGUN.

(a) A public or private employer may not discharge, discipline, or penalize in any manner an employee because the employee:

(1) applied for a license to carry a concealed handgun under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code;

(2) holds a license under that subchapter; or

(3) transports or stores a handgun the employee is licensed to carry under that subchapter in the employee's locked motor vehicle in a parking lot, parking garage, or other parking area the employer provides for employees if the handgun is hidden from plain view and the employee has filed with the employee's immediate supervisor:

(A) a written statement signed by the employee stating that the employee:

(i) is licensed to carry a concealed handgun under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code;

(ii) intends to store a concealed handgun in the employee's locked motor vehicle while parked in a parking lot, parking garage, or other parking area the employer provides for employees; and

(iii) may not remove the handgun from the employee's vehicle for any purpose other than self-defense in the immediate parking area; and

(B) a copy of the employee's license to carry a concealed handgun issued to the employee by the Department of Public Safety under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code.

Okay, so I gave you a hint.

The requirement for an employee to inform the employer in writing of his or her CHL status pretty much renders this law useless for many. CHL holders who work for companies or individuals who are anti gun, are not going to notify them, in writing, that they have a firearm in the car. CHL holders are not stupid. Texas is an "at will" employment state, and the employer may not state that a CHL holder was fired for having a firearm in the car, but any other excuse will work. Future performance evaluations will be affected and promotions missed. These bills accomplish absolutely nothing for CHL holders, or for anyone else who happens to have a firearm in the vehicle (in Texas, it is legal to have a long gun in your vehicle at all times).

Yesterday, SB 534 passed the Senate. HB 992 (the companion to 534) and HB 220 have passed through the Law Enforcement Committee and are awaiting scheduling through the Calender Committee.

HB 220 is a much better bill. It contains no requirement for the CHL holder to notify the employer of his or her status as a CHL holder. HB 220 simply states:

Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, a public or private employer may not establish, maintain, or enforce any policy or rule that has the effect of prohibiting a person licensed under this subchapter from transporting or storing a concealed handgun in a locked vehicle in any parking lot, parking garage, or other designated parking area.

The issue I have with this bill is the following verbiage:

A private employer may prohibit an employee from transporting or storing a concealed handgun in a vehicle in a parking lot, parking garage, or other parking area the employer provides for employees if:

(1) the parking lot, garage, or other area is completely surrounded by a gate and is not open to the public; and

(2) ingress to and egress from the parking lot, garage, or other area are monitored by security personnel.

A secure parking lot does not do any good for the CHL holder while they travel to and from work.

There is a third bill sitting in committee. HB 1037 effectively addresses both employee and employer issues as they relate to firearms in vehicles.

For the employee:

(b) A public or private employer may not discharge, discipline, or penalize in any manner an employee because the employee transported or stored a firearm in the employee's locked motor vehicle, regardless of whether the vehicle was located on the employer's property.

For the employer:

(g) A public or private employer is not liable in a civil action for damages resulting from an occurrence involving the storage of a firearm in the motor vehicle of an employee.

HB 1037 is an excellent bill, that has no chance of passage in this legislative session. Personally, I am willing to wait until such a time as a bill such as this can be passed. But I acknowledge that we do need some employee protection.

So this is what I would recommend;

Contact your House Representative and let them know that you fully support HB 1037 and would like to see it released from committee for debate on the House Floor. Baring that, let them know that you would prefer they support HB 220 over HB 992. Give them good reasons why you are against HB 992 and why you would support HB 220.

In defense of the NRA's support of SB 534/HB 992 is the fact that this is the most contested piece of pro-gun legislation that has been put before the Texas Legislature. Castle Doctrine was a breeze compared to this. Many of Texas's largest employers have come out very strongly against these bills. The fact that SB 534 made it through the Senate is testament to the hard work of the lobbyist and Senators who are trying to get some protection for CHL holders. It is easy for me to be a hardliner when I am sitting at my keyboard. I do not want to minimize the work that is being done on our behalf in the legislature. If SB 534/HB 992 passes, the requirement to provide written notification, if abused by companies, can be fought in a future legislative session.

BBQ Gun

12+ hour days at work make quality bloggin tough, brain just isn't working as well as it should.

So I'll leave you with a couple images of the quintisential Texas BBQ Gun

30.06

In the comments section of a couple recent posts, Fits has mentioned 30.06 Signs. I am sure that many of you who read this site have no idea about what a 30.06 sign is. I thought I should explain.

When Texas passed it's version of a Shall Issue Concealed Carry Law, a compromise was made that attempted to balance the right to keep and bear arms with the rights of a property owner. In Texas a business owner may prohibit concealed carry on his or her property. This was accomplished through the Texas Penal Code, Section 30.06.

PC §30.06. TRESPASS BY HOLDER OF LICENSE TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUN.

Basically a CHL holder is in violation of the law (Class A misdemeanor) if he or she remains on the property after proper notification that entry on the property by a license holder with a concealed handgun was forbidden. This notification can be either verbally, the owner or owner's representative asks you to leave, or by written communication. The written communication can be a card handed to the CHL holder, or a sign posted at the entrance of the property. The language of the written communication has to be exactly as follows (in both English and Spanish):

"PURSUANT TO SECTION 30.06, PENAL CODE (TRESPASS BY HOLDER OF A LICENSE TO CARRY A CONCEALED HANDGUN) A PERSON LICENSED UNDER SUBCHAPTER H, CHAPTER 411, GOVERNMENT CODE (CONCEALED HANDGUN LAW), MAY NOT ENTER THIS PROPERTY WITH A CONCEALED HANDGUN."

"CONFORME A LA SECCIÓN 30.06 DEL CÔDIGO PENAL (TRASPASAR PORTANDO ARMAS DE FUEGO) PERSONAS CON LICENCIA BAJO DEL SUB-CAPITULO H, CAPITULO 411, CODIGO DE GOBIERNO (LEY DE PORTAR ARMAS), NO DEBEN ENTRAR A ESTA PROPIEDAD PORTANDO UN ARMA DE FUEGO."

Any other signage does not constitute proper notification and a CHL holder can legally enter the establishment with a concealed firearm. If a business owner posts a no guns sign other than the proper 30.06 sign, I see it as an invitation for a CHL holder to enter. Now if the owner determines that you have a concealed firearm and asks you to leave, you must leave.

One of my very first posts on Fit's site, Shooting the Messanger, concerned some comments he made about Texans and 30.06. I took a bit of umbrage to a post of his "The Neverending Sissification Of Texas...We Get Letters" and we have been commenting back and forth ever since.

There are very few 30.06 signs posted in Texas these days. Businesses have realized that CHL holders have money and are not the guys planning on a robbery. We are gaining momentum towards changing the Penal Code and doing away with 30.06, but it will be awhile yet before that happens

More information on 30.06 can be found here and here.

Found While Looking for Something Else

Killed by a Drunk Driver

Today's Houston Chronicle reports on a fatal accident involving a serial drunk driver.

By Cindy Horswell

Man held in 2 drunken driving deaths had prior DWIs

A Mexican national, charged with intoxicated manslaughter and failure to render aid in the deaths of a Porter woman and her pregnant daughter, had three prior drunken driving convictions...

According to investigators, Gomez-Gutierrez was speeding on the Eastex Freeway about 3:40 p.m. Sunday when his pickup truck slammed into the back of a 1998 Buick belonging to the Ortiz family. The two women were killed on impact near the entrance to Kingwood, investigators said.

Authorities say Gomez-Gutierrez fled the accident scene on foot but was captured further down the road after being hit by another car. He was not seriously injured....

Kahan said, "Part of the blame for this accident should be placed on the criminal justice system which punted, passed and kicked Gomez-Gutierrez out of jail, so that he could do what he does best -- drive drunk."

I am not going to comment on the fact that a Mexican National had been arrested and jailed three different times without being forced to leave the United States.

I did not pick this article to point out the failures of our justice system or question the light sentences that this drunk had received previously.

I am not even going to mention that the Houston District Attorney should be doing more to keep repeat criminals off of the streets and less daemonizing of law abiding gun owners.

Nope, I am not going to talk about any of that.

I mention the above article so I can comment on this other piece of news that is being reported today.

From WBAP, News Talk Radio 820:

Medlin Freeto Act Passes Texas House

AUSTIN-(WBAP)-A bill named after two fallen metroplex police officers has passed the Texas House of Representatives. The Darren Medlin and Dwayne Freeto Act increases penalties for drunk drivers who assault or kill peace officers, firefighters or EMS personnel while they are in the line of duty. The Act is named after Grapevine police officer Darren Medlin, who was hit and killed by a drunk driver in 2004, and Fort Worth Police Officer Dwayne Freeto, killed when his car was engulfed in flames after being hit by a drunk driver last December.

The legislation now goes before the Texas Senate.

Will someone please explain to me why the death of a police officer, firefighter or an EMS in this situation is worth more than the death of the two women in the first article?

I can understand increased penalties for killing or attempting to kill a police officer attempting to arrest a goblin. Legislation such as that may help to protect our police officers. This is different. A drunk who kills in a traffic incident is not killing a police officer because he or she wears a badge, the drunk kills them because they are where they are. The drunk would have killed anyone who happened to be in that same spot.

Do you want to increase penalties for intoxicated manslaughter? Go ahead, but increase them across the board. The three generations that were killed by the Mexican National, deserve the same justice as a public servant killed under the same circumstances.

Texas Castle Doctrine/Stand Your Ground Bill Signed Into Law

From the Star Telegram:

By Kelley Shannon:

Governor signs 'castle doctrine' deadly force bill

Gov. Rick Perry signed into law Tuesday a bill that gives Texans a stronger legal right to defend themselves with deadly force in their homes, cars and workplaces...

...This is the first bill-signing this legislative session by the Republican governor. The law takes effect Sept. 1.

It is a done deal. On September 1st Texas will have a Castle Doctrine/Stand Your Ground Law.

For more information on this law (including text), go here.

Guns 'n' church for Britney Spears

What do you do if you are against a free citizen's right to keep and bear arms, have a lot of money, and are worried about your personal safety? Why hire an armed body guard of course.

From The Post Chronicle:

Britney Spears Prays While Security Guard Pulls Gun On Photog

Britney Spears has found religion. Well, sorta. Britney Spears' weekend trip to church sparked controversy yesterday when a security guard pulled a gun on a photographer.

The singer spent her first Sunday morning after her recent rehab stint at the Bel Air Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles--a regular haunt of top religious celebrities.

But the Sunday service was anything but peaceful after a security guard threatened to shoot a photographer who was attempting to get pictures of Spears at prayer.

The paparazzo was detained and later released.

This short story says much more than it intends about the "Way Things Are" in the People's Republic of Kalifornia.

There are different laws for different classes of people in California. A rich celebrity (who is an anti-gun hypocrite) can hire armed bodyguards to keep the common folks away. Other than the hypocrisy, there is nothing wrong with hiring armed guards to protect yourself. The illustration of how celebrities are treated different than normal folks does not occur until after the bodyguard pulls a firearm on a photographer. If you or I were to pull a firearm on someone for taking our picture, we would be in jail post haste. Not this bodyguard though, he is protecting a celebrity so gets a free pass. Not only was the bodyguard not arrested, but the photographer was "detained".

There is more on this story here.

More Guns Banned by HR 1022

The most recent issue of American Rifleman has an article titled "Show Me What's New in '07". A good bit of "What's New in '07" could become "What's Banned in '07" should HR 1022 be passed.

Here are the firearms from the April edition of the American Rifleman that would be banned under HR 1022:

From Auto-Ordnance -

The Thompson 1927, The Thompson M1, and the Thompson 1927 Commando are banned by name in HR 1022. Auto-Ordnance is pretty much SOL if this becomes law.

From Berretta -

Beretta lists this as "The Beretta Rx4 Storm is the most advanced semiautomatic rifle ever designed. This .223 special purpose rifle emphasizes individual performance with ergonomic adjustment and ambidextrous controls." Well that barrel shroud would make this a banned firearm under HR 1022.

From Cobb Manufacturing -

I honestly do not know how badly Cobb Manufacturing would be hurt by a loss of pretty much all civilian sales due to the passage of HR 1022, but I think it would be a significant hit. Cobb had invested a lot of R@D dollars to perfect their MCR's, money down the drain if HR 1022 becomes law.

From D.P.M.S. -

DPMS is another company that will be severely affected if it loses civilian sales due to HR 1022.

From FNH-USA -

This beautiful semiautomatic shotgun has a fixed magazine capacity greater than 5 rounds. This is way too much firepower for a free citizen to handle.

Barrel shroud, thumb hole grip, forward grip... All banned attributes of a firearm by HR 1022.

There you have it. Some of the best new firearms of the year would be banned if HR 1022 is allowed to go forward. These companies spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on research and development to improve upon firearm platforms, they need the civilian market sales to keep this research going. Why is this research important? It is important because our soldiers will benefit from improved small arms. Remove the civilian money from the small arms industry, our military will suffer.

Here is the full text of HR 1022

Edit to add: I just checked, and there are now 33 cosponsors to this bill. I guess it is a good thing that "Gun control is a dead issue".

Own a Piece of History!

From Xavier Thoughts:

Rare Vintage Civil War Era Holster for Colt 1911 Auto !

Owned and Worn by the Outlaw Billy the Kid !

Pretty amazing, the things you can find on Ebay these days.

Gazing at the Flag: Flags from Iraq to America

Gazing at the Flag: Flags from Iraq to America

I own an American Flag the flew over the USS Constitution. I received it while in the Navy, and it is one of my prized possessions. Now I am about to get a new flag.

NORTHERN IRAQ (Army News Service, March 19, 2007) - Since paratroopers of the 73rd Cavalry Regiment's 1st Squadron set foot in Iraq, they've raised and lowered a new flag every hour on the hour. Each flag has then become available for purchase through the unit's Family Readiness Group.

"(The) flags are flying with pride in many homes," said Christopher S. Italiano from Columbus, Ohio, friend and brother-in-law to Lt. Col. Ross Davidson, commander, 1st Sqdn., 73rd Cav. Regmt.

"The 1-73 Cav will forever be honored as symbols of the country's strength and belief in democracy."

Soldiers, family members and friends have purchased the flags as gifts or to show off their patriotism.

Troop A First Sgt. Robert Ochsner bought one for a friend whose son is in special forces, and another for his father, who is in the Patriot Guard - a group of motorcyclists that provides security at fallen Soldiers' memorials - and flies his flag whenever they ride, said Ochsner.

"I was stunned by the total reverence I felt when I received the flag, the certificate and the thank you note," said Jayme Parker, a resident of Cypress, Calif., who is Davidson's cousin. "I cannot describe the feeling I had when I touched the flag. I gave a moment of silence and said a prayer for those who proudly serve, and for those who have given their lives for the freedoms I enjoy."

Danny and Debbie Williams from Augusta, Ga., gave away several of the flags at Christmas and soon received an outpouring of thank you's.

"Just holding this flag and knowing where it has traveled just fills your heart with love for our country and her defenders," said Debbie.

The flags sell for $25 and each comes with a certificate of authentication signed by Davidson and Command Sgt. Maj. Brian Krabbe, the command sergeant major of 1st Sqdn., 73rd Cav. Regt. For information on purchasing a flag send e-mails to Taskforcebluefalcon@yahoo.com

Article and Photos by Spc. Susan Blair -
1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, Public Affairs

Thanks to Mikes America for pointing us to Gazing at the Flag who originally posted this.

Gun Control a Dead Issue?

Yesterday while on the way home from work, I heard Sean Hannity mention something that made my jaw drop. It was during his daily apologetics for Rudy Giuliani. A caller had mentioned something about Rudy and gun control, and in Sean's answer he stated "Gun control is a dead issue" and continued with something along the lines of "The Liberals know better than to bring it up".

Well Sean, if gun control is such a dead issue why does HR 1022 (To reauthorize the assault weapons ban, and for other purposes) have 30 cosponsors? If gun control is such a dead issue for the Liberals, why did Representative Castle introduce HR 96 (A Bill to Close Gun Shows)?

Add to this list HR 203, HR 256, HR 297, HR 354, HR 428, HR 880, and the various Senate bills (The GOA has a short summery of these and other bills here).

It does not appear to me that the anti's see gun control as a "dead issue".

One more point - Why do the "conservative" talking heads and pundits consider the Second Amendment to be a "social" issue? They place gun rights on the same level as gay rights and welfare. Do they really not understand that the Second Amendment is the bedrock of our liberty, that it is the guarantee that the .gov will not significantly overstep it's bounds without our permission? Don't they know that it is the Second Amendment that makes us free men and women, and not servants? Even the old school liberals understand that fact.

I am just sometimes amazed by what I read and hear by the "Conservative" front men that are supposedly uniting the conservative base.

Presidential Candidates and the Second Amendment

The Gun Owners of America (GOA) has compiled a very informative collection of articles concerning all of the '08 presidential candidates and their stand on the Second Amendment. If gun rights and the preservation of the Second Amendment is an important issue to you, then you need to know where the candidates stand. To me, the position a candidate takes on the Second Amendment and gun rights says a lot of how that candidate will look at the entire Bill of Rights and our Constitutional liberties.

Presidential Candidates and the Second Amendment