The Bizarre Westboro Baptist Church

Dangerous Minds 

Sandy Hook Three Months Later - New Details - Rachel Maddow

Law Enforcement Targets, Inc., Forced to do the Right Thing

Reason.com

In response to criticism from civil liberties advocates and law enforcement groups alike, Law Enforcement Targets Inc.--a supplier of targets to the local, state, and federal law enforcement groups--has discontinued a line of targets that feature grandparents, a mother, a child, and a pregnant woman; all of them holding guns.

"We apologize for the offensive nature of our 'No More Hesitation' products," reads a letter that LET Inc. posted Feb. 21 on its company Facebook page. "These products have been taken offline due to the opinions expressed by so many, including members of the law enforcement community."

According to a statement the company sent Reason last week, members of the law enforcement community inspired Law Enforcement Targets Inc. to design the "No More Hesitation" series in the first place:

Imagine, it wasn't the fault of this despicable company for producing such trash, it was law enforcement's fault for requesting it.
That's just like so many on the pro-gun side. It's never their fault.

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

Wayne La Pierre at the CPAC

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Ironically, Wayne seems to be relying on an emotional appeal.  That's what they always accuse us of, but in the opening minutes of this speech, it was all about emotion.

One big lie was that today gun ownership is at an all time high.  Another was that the NRA is responsible for bringing gun accidents to an all time low. Imagine the hubris of taking credit for that.


At 7:00 he begins talking about background checks.  Amazingly, La Pierre is still claiming they will never be universal because criminals won't participate. He and his listeners know very well that's not what is meant by "universal," yet they keep on with this straw-man. "Universal" means private sales included not that criminals will comply.

And of course no discussion of background checks would be complete without the insistence that the government's true motive is to have a gun registration. This is another straw-man as well as another emotional appeal.  The CPAP crowd loved it.

Mental health records will never be a part of the system, says Wayne La Pierre.  The crowd cheers in agreement.  I guess they're purposely forgetting what happened in California the other day.

Sarcastically, he mocks the government's supposed attempts to stop gun violence by "building a list of all the good people."  The problem with "all the good people" is twofold. 1. that group includes many who are not good. Every day we see them, the previously law abiding, behave badly with guns. In fact, most of the mass shootings are done by hidden criminals who, since they too are innocent until proven guilty, qualify just like everyone else for lawful gun ownership - Loughner, Holmes and Lanza to name just three.

And 2. "the good people" who own guns are the sole source of guns that flow into the criminal world.  Through theft and above all through private sales, guns flow from the good guys to the criminals like the Mighty Mississippi. With sarcasm and mockery Wayne is trying to ignore the obvious fact that "the good gun owners" need to be controlled and regulated.

Furthering the straw-man argument that the government wants to register all guns, which is not the issue, we're talking about requiring background checks on private sales, La Pierre steps up the scare tactics with mention of The Mexicans, The Chinese hacking our data bases and the newspapers who will print the names. He actually says this is the governments ostensible reason, which makes no sense at all.  Their real reason he insists with a catchy slogan is " to tax 'em, or to take 'em."  The crowd loved it.

The reason is obviously something else, which the NRA is absolutely opposed to.  It's to hold gun owners accountable when something wrong is done with their guns.  It's that simple.

Elizabeth Warren Defends Government Regulation

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US Moving Closer to U.N. Arms Treaty

 Photo By � POOL New / Reuters/Reuters

Yahoo News

Secretary of State John Kerry voiced support on Friday for an international treaty to regulate the $70 billion global arms trade, but restated Washington's "red line," affirming that it would not accept limits on U.S. domestic gun ownership.

The U.N. General Assembly voted in December to hold a final round of negotiations from March 18 to 28 on what could become the first international treaty to regulate international weapons transfers after a drafting conference in July 2012 collapsed because the United States and others wanted more time.

Arms control campaigners say one person every minute dies worldwide as a result of armed violence and that a convention is needed to prevent the unregulated and illicit flow of weapons into conflict zones fueling wars and atrocities.

"The United States is steadfast in its commitment to achieve a strong and effective Arms Trade Treaty that helps address the adverse effects of the international arms trade on global peace and stability," Kerry said in a statement.

"An effective treaty that recognizes that each nation must tailor and enforce its own national export and import control mechanisms can generate the participation of a broad majority of states, help stem the illicit flow of conventional arms across international borders and have important humanitarian benefits."

But he repeated that the United States - the world's No. 1 arms manufacturer - would not accept any treaty that imposed new limits on U.S. citizens' right to bear arms, a sensitive political issue in the United States.

Colorado Lawmakers Agree

 
Reuters/Reuters - A Palmetto M4 assault rifle is seen at the Rocky Mountain Guns and Ammo store in Parker, Colorado July 24, 2012. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

Reuters

Colorado lawmakers passed a bill on Friday to mandate universal background checks for all gun buyers in a state that has experienced two of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history, a spokesman for majority Colorado House Democrats said.

The measure passed after months of debate on gun control in Colorado, and came after legislators approved four other gun control measures on Wednesday.

The legislation now awaits the signature of Governor John Hickenlooper for final approval. Hickenlooper, a Democrat, has indicated he supports universal background checks for gun buyers.

Fascism USA

Don't be fooled: not all fascism looks like Adolph Hitler.



Thomas Jefferson, one of the founders of the United States democratic system, said "I hope we shall take warning from the example and crush in it's [sic] birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength, and to bid defiance to the laws of their country".

Project for a New American Century: www.newamericancentury.org

Illinois Pastor Holds ‘Second Amendment Sunday,’ Encourages Kids to Make ‘assault pop-tarts’

Pastor Kirkwood proudly displayed his chocolate Glock on the awards table surrounded by “insensitive” cupcakes mounted with toy soldiers. via Facebook

Local news reports

The Grace-Gospel Fellowship Church in Bensenville, Illinois held its first “Second Amendment Sunday” this past weekend where children were encouraged to create gun-shaped pastries and “combat” cupcakes, a strategy aimed at countering the wave of anti-gun paranoia sweeping the country.

The Grace-Gospel Fellowship Church in Bensenville, Illinois held its first “Second Amendment Sunday” this past weekend where children were encouraged to create gun-shaped pastries and “combat” cupcakes, a strategy aimed at countering the wave of anti-gun paranoia sweeping the country. 

The church even held a contest for the best gun-shaped pastries, dubbed the “assault pop-tart challenge,” where they awarded gift cards and toy “assault rifles” to the children who created the best-looking gun tarts, “as determined by The Parson.”

Pastor John Kirkwood tells Clash Daily one of the toy firearms he handed out as a prize was labeled with the term “high capacity,” terminology currently being used to demonize a broad spectrum of firearm magazines: “You know, I stood in the toy aisle for a good half an hour to choose just the right one and it turned out to be the biggest Nerf gun that I could find, and the kicker – the box was marked ‘semi-auto’ and ‘high capacity,’ so we named that one ‘the Feinstein.’”

Although I could not agree more that the recent hysteria over non-realistic-looking toy guns is wrong, this is not the answer.

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

How to Win the Gun Control Debate by Michael Moore

 TRNS

Filmmaker Michael Moore believes that if photos from December’s Newtown massacre are released, then the National Rifle Association will be finished.

While not explicitly calling for the photos to be published, Moore said on his blog Wednesday that the photos will likely be made public at one point or another. Once they do, Moore said, “it will be the day the debate on gun control will come to an end.”

“How on earth could anyone not spring into action the very next moment after seeing the bullet-riddled bodies of these little boys and girls?” Moore wrote.

The director of the pro-gun control documentary “Bowling for Columbine” compared the photo’s potential release to the Emmett Till photos in the lead-up to the civil rights movement and photographs of the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam war, both of which shifted the national conversation on controversial issues.

Texas Leads in Teen Pregnancies but Won't Allow Sex Education

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A Questionable Defensive Gun Use in Alabama

The Blaze

Many of these so-called legitimate defensive shootings are nothing of the kind. They are executions of criminals by home owners who are angry and outraged. That's different than a home owner who really thinks his life is in danger or believes the only way to prevent the theft of his property is to kill the intruder.

The idea that as soon as a thief crosses a certain line you can fire at will is a distortion of the self-defense ethic. All the sarcastic justifications notwithstanding, this is a criminal act in and of itself.

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

New York Mass Shooter - Kurt Myers, Loner

The New York State Police released a photo of Kurt Myers, 64, the suspect in the killings of four people Wednesday in the villages of Herkimer and Mohawk in Upstate New York. (Photo: N.Y. State Police)


Further to our post at the time of the incident, it seems he may very well have been a lawful gun owner.  It makes you wonder how many are walking time bombs.

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

Explosive Exchange at Gun Hearing Between Ted Cruz and Dianne Feinstein

Accidental Shooting in Illinois - One Dead - One Arrested

Local news reports

An 18-year-old man was fatally shot early Thursday when a friend accidentally discharged a firearm, officials said.

Isaiah Stevenson, of Brown Avenue, suffered a single gunshot wound to the chest and was transported to Cottage Hospital, where he was pronounced dead 20 minutes later, police said.

Cody J. Delacruz, 20, was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct. He appeared in court Thursday afternoon, where his bond was set at $100,000.

Earlier that evening, a group of friends had gathered for a small party and were drinking in Delacruz’s basement when he brought down a 1930s Russian sniper rifle, officials said.

Delacruz, who was described as a gun enthusiast, was pointing and waving the rifle and, at one point, attempted to load a round, but was stopped by a friend.

However, the gun still had at least one round in it, because when Delacruz pointed the gun at Stevenson, it discharged and struck Stevenson. 

A Young Student Agrees

Prepare for the Revolution before it's too Late

via Enola Gay of the Paratus Familia Blog

10 Things to do Until the Revolution

1. Get right with God.  The state of your soul is the only thing that should worry you.  If you don't know Jesus - nothing else matters! "Fear not; for I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you; yea, I will help you; yea, I will uphold you; I will uphold you with my hand of righteousness" Isaiah 41:10
2. Inventory and make a list so that you can locate all of your gear.
3. For goodness sake - zero your rifle!
4. Clean and lubricate all of your firearms - check your ammunition and magazine supply.
5. Make sure your tactical gear (you have tac gear, right?!) is in good, serviceable condition and is fitted for your mission.
6. If you haven't already, learn to shoot the weapons in your possession.  Take a class.  If you can shoot and have no military background, read this blog (Mountain Guerrilla) and consider taking a class from this individual (be warned, If I ever find out where he lives, I'm going to send his wife (HH6) a bar of handmade soap to wash out his mouth).
7. Make sure you have a face mask (balaclava) available to hide your identity, in case peaceful, armed protests are still an option - you don't want to be identified and harassed.
8. I never thought I would ever say this, but.....consider purchasing body armor. The coated AR500 body armor mentioned above will serve very well for guerrilla/ prepper purposes.  Look here and here.
9. OPSEC.  You are going to have to be very careful who you trust.  Read this story on SurvivalBlog.  In case you didn't notice, the author mentioned in the article works in law enforcement.  I myself, have been told personally, by a law enforcement officer, that his preps consisted of taking food and weapons from Mormons in his area, since he knew where they lived.
10. Keep your head down. 

I'm a bit disappointed that there was no mention of wearing tourniquet pants at all times.

Who's Buying All the Guns?

LA Times

There are plenty of reasons to worry about some future act of violence committed by a gaggle of well-armed sociopaths. The number of threats against the president is astonishing. Militia-type groups are proliferating. The rhetoric spewed by numerous loose cannons on the right is more and more extreme. Still, it is doubtful that all the guns piling up in private homes will ever be used for anything more violent than blasting a Forest Service sign on a back country road.

All those guns will just sit there unused until their owners die off and their heirs, one by one, join the majority of Americans who have noticed that, apart from pockets of serious danger in a few big cities, this fine country has grown more peaceful in recent years.

As a great man once said, the only thing we have to fear is fear itself -- and, these days, only the fearful are stockpiling guns.

Husband's Guns Confiscated Because Wife is a Disqualified Person

The Blaze

Lynette Phillips of Upland, Calif., told TheBlaze in a phone interview Monday she had purchased a gun years ago for her husband, David, as a present. That gun, as well as two others registered to her law-abiding husband (who does not have a history of felonies or mental illness), were seized last Tuesday.

“My husband is upset that they took the right from us that should never have been taken, Phillips told TheBlaze.

But according to the state of California, that doesn’t matter.

“The prohibited person can’t have access to a firearm” regardless of who the registered owner is.

It's a damn shame, but what can you do?

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

Background Checks Immensely Popular

 The Atlantic Wire

A new poll conducted by The New York Times and CBS News says that one of the most popular initiatives being pushed by gun control advocates is pretty popular among gun owners too. One of the key legislative proposals made by President Obama yesterday—it was the first one he mentioned during his announcement speech—is that background checks should be required for any and all gun purchases, ending loopholes that allow some gun buyers to pick up weapons at shows where checks are currently not required. According to the poll, that particular idea enjoys almost universal support. North, South, Democrat, Republican, gun abolitionists, or even members of the NRA—every groups stood solidly behind it.

Only seven percent of those who were asked are against the idea of universal background checks, and 90 percent of current gun owners are in favor of them. Opinions quickly diverge on other issues, however. Around 75 percent of respondents from all backgrounds actually side with the NRA on the issue of increased security at schools, agreeing that more armed police and guards could help prevent school shootings.

As we've suspected all along, those who oppose universal background checks represent a tiny fringe minority. I call it the fanatical fringe.

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

Accidental Shooting in Florida - Gun Owner Arrested

Now that's a sure way to be held accountable, being a black felon.

Attempts to White Wash the Gross Negligence of Jackson County Sheriff's Deputy Mark Easter

In this 2012 file photo, Jackson County Sheriff's Deputy Mark Easter rewards his police dog, Brix, after a practice narcotics search. Easter's 3-year-old son, Michael, on March 2 accidentally shot himself with a handgun registered to his father. Easter and his wife, Melissa, are "devastated" by the tragedy, the couple's lawyer, Eric White, said.

Michigan Live reports further to our post at the time of the incident.

“It is just a horrible set of circumstances,” White said.

Most see it as a terrible tragedy, he said. “It is easy to say that something like this can be prevented, but people are human.”

Hindsight provides the clearest vision, he said. “You can say the same thing about so many tragedies…”

Further, state police have forwarded their reports to the county prosecutor’s office and Prosecutor Jerry Jarzynka has asked the state attorney general to assign a special, outside prosecutor to review the case and decide whether it warrants any criminal prosecution.

“I don’t know what that would be,” White said when asked about any potential charges.
Not all negligence is criminal, he said.

“This is indeed an isolated tragedy that will affect this family forever,” he said.
The odds of such an accident occurring again have to be “immeasurable,” he said.

I definitely don't think the other kid should be taken away from them unless there are extenuating circumstances. I don't necessarily think Deputy Easter should go to jail. But, I cannot imagine how anyone could consider him responsible enough to own and use firearms. He has proven otherwise.

One strike you're out means people hare held accountable for their actions.

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

Six Shot - Four Dead in Upstate New York

Yahoo News reports

Police in upstate New York are searching for a suspect after shootings at a car wash and a barbershop a mile away left four people dead and at least two wounded.

State police tell Mohawk Valley local media outlets a man shot and killed two unidentified people Wednesday morning at Gaffey's Fast Lube in the village of Herkimer. Two others were killed at John's Barber Shop, in the nearby village of Mohawk.

They say a total of six people have been shot.

I can't wait to learn who did this. Since it's New York it's unlikely he had a concealed carry license, but not impossible.  For the rest, I'd say it's a 50-50 chance that he was law abiding up until the incident.

Let's see.

Congress Continues War on Gun Data

The Atlantic Wire

Republican senators inserted several gun rights measures into a bill to fund the government through September, including one that says the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives must attach a disclaimer to any gun data saying it "cannot be used to draw broad conclusions about fire-arms-related crimes." The gun lobby has lobbied to prevent government funding of research on gun deaths and injuries for almost two decades. It has succeeded. This follows a report that a Senate deal on universal background checks would require gun sellers to destroy records, which, as  Mother Jones' Kevin Drum points out, would make the law meaningless. It's hard not to be skeptical of an industry that lobbies not just to keep it's product legal, but to keep scientists from studying the effects of its product, and anyone from keeping track of who uses its product.

76-Year-Old Argentinian Cardinal Bergoglio - Pope Francis I

I can't wait to hear what he thinks about the gun debate.

That US Gun Control Thing

ZOMGitsCriss, AKA Cristina Rad describes herself as, “…a shooting star leaping through the skies, I am a satellite, I’m out of control …”  Rad, a native Romanian, takes on the U.S. Constitution, specifically the Second Amendment, and explains what might be the problem behind gun violence in this country.

Ayn Rand on Love

Maine Town Says No to Mandatory Gun Ownership

 Local news reports further to our earlier post.

Voters in Byron, Maine, have unanimously rejected a proposed law that would have required each household in the 140-person town to own a firearm and ammunition.

Even the official who proposed the requirement, Selectwoman Anne Simmons-Edmunds, voted against it, saying she did so to have it reworked and reintroduced.

"We had some great ideas and great conversations. I think we will come back with a more comprehensive ordinance, maybe stronger wording for exemptions," she said, adding that about 50 people were at a town meeting Monday night and voted on the measure, all opposing it.

Pennsylvania (Lawful?) Gun Owner Loses It - Kills One

'Russian Roulette' Shooting of 16-year-old Ruled a Homicide

An image of Brandon Kuiper on a Facebook prayer page for him titled Pray for Bandon D-Hustle.


Michigan Live reports

A medical examiner has ruled homicide as the cause of death for 16-year-old Brandon Kuiper, who was shot in the face March 6 in the basement of a Tallmadge Township home.

Kuiper died of a gunshot wound, Dr. David Start determined in an autopsy Monday, March 12. 

Police responded around 9:15 p.m. March 6 and found Kuiper with critical head injuries. 

Ottawa Sheriff's Lt. Mark Bennett said a group of six teens had been in the basement that night. At some point, there was talk of a game of "Russian roulette."  

Kuiper was shot in the head with a .22 revolver allegedly by Richard Usher. There is no evidence of animosity between the two, though Usher now faces felony charges of manslaughter and using a weapon in the commission of a crime.

Naturally there's not even a mention of the lawful owner of the gun.  My opinion is any time a kid gets ahold of a gun some adult should go to jail and lose his gun rights forever.

What do you think? Please leave a comment.

Criminal Gun Owner Gets 10 Years for Accidental Shooting Death

Local news reports

A Champaign man who admitted he accidentally killed his girlfriend earlier this year has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Antonio L. Brown, 20, who listed an address in the 1300 block of Paula Drive, pleaded guilty Monday before Champaign County Judge Heidi Ladd to involuntary manslaughter and unlawful use of weapon by a felon in connection with the Jan. 11 shooting death of Sydni Kay Blackwell.
Ms. Blackwell, 20, of Williamsport, Ind., died at Carle Foundation Hospital almost 10 hours after being shot by Brown in a room at the Super 8 Motel, 202 W. Marketview Drive, C.

Both she and Brown told police that Brown improperly handled the gun, causing it to fire, about 3 a.m. that Friday.

Assistant State's Attorney Scott Bennett said Ms. Blackwell gave police a recorded statement after her first surgery.

As we mentioned when the story broke, it seems you have to be a criminal gun owner in order to be held responsible for negligence. That's wrong. Lawful gun owners who do this should be punished as well. Too often they're not.

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

Wyoming Man Critical after Accidental Shooting

Local news reports

A 19-year-old Clark, Wyo., man is in critical condition in a Billings hospital after his friend accidentally shot him in the stomach Monday night.

A news release from Park County, Wyo., Sheriff Scott Steward said Patrick Caines and a friend were cleaning handguns in Clark when Caines was shot in the abdomen at about 8:30 p.m.

Caines' friend was dry-firing the guns after cleaning and reassembly to make sure they worked properly and did not realize that a .41 caliber magnum revolver was still loaded, Steward said.

The gun went off and a bullet struck Caines. 

"At the time of this release, the Sheriff's Office considers this to be an accidental shooting and foul play is not suspected," Steward said.

How is such a thing even possible? The stupidity of some gun owners is unbelievable. The only thing worse is the nonchalance with which these acts of negligence are met. And let's not forget the way other gun owners defend and thereby encourage this behavior.

I say one strike you're out.  This negligent young man should spend a night or two in jail and a lifetime without guns.  We'd all be better off, including him.



What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

Senate Committee Approves Bill Requiring Background Checks

Yahoo News reports

A divided Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday endorsed President Barack Obama's call to require criminal background checks for all gun buyers, yet it remained uncertain if the measure would become law.

On a party-line vote of 10-8, the Democratic-led panel sent the measure to the full Senate, where it faces a possible procedural roadblock that could kill it.

Federally registered firearm dealers are now required to run background checks on buyers. But about 40 percent of sales are made by private dealers who do not have such an obligation.

Republicans in the committee lined up against the bill, arguing that private gun sales between family members and friends should be exempted from background checks.

They also oppose a requirement that private sellers keep a paper record of firearm transactions, voicing fears that could lead to gun registration and eventually even confiscation.

Glenn Beck at his Best

Randi Rhodes 

The Marxist Model (Paranoia Gone Wild)

An Argument for Gun Registration

Bloomberg

California is the only state that tracks and disarms people with legally registered guns who have lost the right to own them, according to Attorney General Kamala Harris. Almost 20,000 gun owners in the state are prohibited from possessing firearms, including convicted felons, those under a domestic violence restraining order or deemed mental unstable. 

“What do we do about the guns that are already in the hands of persons who, by law, are considered too dangerous to possess them?” Harris said in a letter to Vice President Joe Biden after a Connecticut school shooting in December left 26 dead. She recommended that Biden, heading a White House review of gun policy, consider California as a national model. 

As many as 200,000 people nationwide may no longer be qualified to own firearms, according to Garen Wintemute, director of the Violence Prevention Research Program at the University of California, Davis. Other states may lack confiscation programs because they don’t track purchases as closely as California, which requires most weapons sales go through a licensed dealer and be reported.

Richard Nixon Wanted to Ban Handguns

 The Star Tribune reports

Few presidents in modern times have been as interested in gun control as Richard Nixon, of all people. He proposed ridding the market of Saturday night specials, contemplated banning handguns altogether and refused to pander to gun owners by feigning interest in their weapons.

Several previously unreported Oval Office recordings and White House memos from the Nixon years show a conservative president who at times appeared willing to take on the National Rifle Association, a powerful gun lobby then as now, even as his aides worried about the political ramifications.

"I don't know why any individual should have a right to have a revolver in his house," Nixon said in a taped conversation with aides. "The kids usually kill themselves with it and so forth." He asked why "can't we go after handguns, period?"

Nixon went on: "I know the rifle association will be against it, the gun makers will be against it." But "people should not have handguns." He laced his comments with obscenities, as was typical.

Gabby Giffords' husband Mark Kelly Buys Assault Weapon in Tucson

 Local news reports

Mark Kelly, the husband of former Rep. Gabby Giffords and an outspoken advocate for new gun control measures, purchased an AR-15 assault rifle in Tucson recently as a demonstration of what he says are unobtrusive background checks.

The retired space shuttle commander wrote on his Facebook page he would turn in the weapon - which he said he hadn't yet obtained -- to the city's police department.

"Looks like the judiciary committee will vote on background checks next week," Kelly wrote, referring to the Senate panel where gun control legislation is up for a vote this week.

"I just had a background check a few days ago when I went to my local gun store to buy a 45. As I was leaving, I noticed a used AR-15. Bought that too. Even to buy an assault weapon, the background check only takes a matter of minutes," he continued.

Later, on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer," Kelly said it was "important for me to have firsthand knowledge about how easy it is or difficult it is to buy a weapon like that."

Over on The Truth About Guns, which is getting less truthful all the time, they couldn't say enough about his hypocrisy.  Here's my favorite comment by Powers:

Looks like he fell in love with the AR’s while doing his research, and got caught. I agree, I bet he is a real gun lover and wanted one for personal use. It is ok for him and his family, but everyone else, it is too easy. Liar. And hypocrite. And as always, moron.

Is that a riot, or what? Those guys are so enamored of their fetish items they actually think guns are irresistible. Mark Kelly "got caught." 

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

Gun Control Doesn't Work - Or Does It?

The Propaganda Professor

The gunsters also maintain that even though the Jews were, in some cases, armed, they just didn’t have enough arms. If only the Jewish resistors could have gotten their hands on more hardware, they assert, the tide would have turned. They’re not even speculating about this; it’s something they absolutely and unequivocally know to be true.

Time out.

Could these possibly be the same gunsters who proclaim, loudly and at every opportunity, that “gun control doesn’t work”? And yet in the next breath they declare that beyond a shadow of a doubt, “gun control” is the one thing that made the Holocaust possible? Which is it, folks? Does “gun control” work or doesn’t it? Are you saying that it only works on Jews?

Lawful Iowa Gun Owner Loses his Rights - Twice

Iowa Grants Concealed Carry Permits to Just about Anyone

Local news reports

More than 148,000 people in Iowa applied for a permit to carry a weapon in public in the past two years, and 99.6 percent gained approval, a Des Moines Register investigation shows.

Public records from Iowa’s 99 county sheriffs show that just 621 permit applications were denied during the first 24 months in which a state law — designed to give law enforcement officers little leeway in determining who is allowed to carry a weapon — was in effect.

The Register’s statewide analysis of hundreds of public records is the first examination of how the new law is working. Even Iowa officials had been unable to determine what percentage of permits were granted, because the state does not keep track of denied permits.

Iowa Gun Shop Owner Agrees

Obesity and Gun Ownership

The NYT article is actually quite interesting and has nothing to do with the weight problem of many gun owners.  I thought it was interesting that while using a picture like this the obesity factor could go unmentioned. Gun owners like to pretend it has no effect on their effectiveness and competence with the use of firearms.

What do you think?  Please leave a comment.

Another Pro-Gun Myth Proven Wrong - The Truth: Fewer Homes Have Guns

NYT

The household gun ownership rate has fallen from an average of 50 percent in the 1970s to 49 percent in the 1980s, 43 percent in the 1990s and 35 percent in the 2000s, according to the survey data, analyzed by The New York Times. 

In 2012, the share of American households with guns was 34 percent, according to survey results released on Thursday. Researchers said the difference compared with 2010, when the rate was 32 percent, was not statistically significant. 

The findings contrast with the impression left by a flurry of news reports about people rushing to buy guns and clearing shop shelves of assault rifles after the massacre last year at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn. 

“There are all these claims that gun ownership is going through the roof,” said Daniel Webster, the director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research. “But I suspect the increase in gun sales has been limited mostly to current gun owners. The most reputable surveys show a decline over time in the share of households with guns.”

How many times have we heard the nonsense about first-time gun buyers and more and more women buying guns? The obvious fact is the panicky run on guns and ammo is being done by gullible gun owners who believe the NRA nonsense - suckers, in other words.

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

Washington Boy Shoots his Parents

Local news reports

Moses Lake police say a 14-year-old boy has been arrested for allegedly shooting his parents.
Police said officers responded to a call at a home where they found two adults with wounds.
The Columbian Basin Herald identified  the two adults as the boy's parents. Both victims were transported to an out of area hospital for treatment.
According to school officials, the boy is a student at Moses Lake Christian Academy.

Kind of ironic isn't it? You raise a kid in a fundamental Christian home, teach him about guns and how they are the answer to problems like safety and confrontation, and he ends up shooting you for your trouble.

Too bad it's not a rare story.

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

More on the Minnesota Man, Nhan Lap Tran, Who Killed a 9-Year-old by Shooting at Cars

Local Fox News reports

Further to our story at the time of the incident.

A Minnesota man accused of killing a 9-year-old boy by standing in the street and firing indiscriminately at passing cars told investigators he did it because people had been waking him up by revving their engines in front of his home, according to a search warrant affidavit.

When police arrested 34-year-old Nhan Lap Tran after the February rampage, they found a note in his bedroom that read, "Random Kill, Fake Plates," the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported.

The date "12/12/12" was also scrawled all over the walls of the bedroom, according to the affidavit filed in Washington County District Court.

Tran is charged with six felonies, including second-degree intentional murder and second-degree murder during an assault. He had previously admitted to the shootings but hadn't given a motive, prosecutors said.

Because gun-rights folks want the least possible restrictions and qualifications on their rights, we have to consider that any one of them might be a walking time bomb. The fewer restrictions there are, the more unfit people will have guns. It's simple.

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

South Carolina 3-Year-old Dead Mistaking Pink Gun for Toy

Local news reports

A three-year-old boy died from a shot to the head as he and his sister played with a pink handgun they thought was a toy.

Temorej Smith was fatally wounded at his family home, in Greenville, S.C, on Friday.
He was believed to have been in his own bedroom, playing with seven-year-old sister Taliyah, when the tragic accident occurred.

Police have not revealed who fired the weapon, but have ruled the shooting as "accidental" and said no charges have yet been filed.

But authorities did say that the investigation into the death would continue, and warned gun owners to keep their weapons locked up and away from children at all times.

Wyff.com reports the children's grandparents watching television in the living room when the incident occurred. Temorej's parents Jerome Christopher Smith and Tia Jacques Miller were not home at the time.

Patch.com said the funeral will take place at the Golden View Baptist Church in Fountain Inn, South Carolina, on Wednesday afternoon.

You know who own pink guns? Women who think they're protecting themselves from rape. The only problem is they are more likely to experience something like this than to save themselves from a rapist.

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

Tennessee 3-Year-old Shoots himself in the Head - No Charges

Local news reports

A 3-year-old Tennessee boy is being called "the luckiest kid on earth" after miraculously surviving shooting himself in the head Saturday night when a family member left a loaded firearm on a bathroom counter.

The shooting happened after the toddler’s aunt and mother returned from a shopping trip.

His aunt told police she had to use the bathroom, so she removed her .380 handgun and placed it on the countertop. She apparently forgot about the firearm when her son began to act up and exited the bathroom.

The 3-year-old's older sister then entered to draw a bath for him. While she was filling the tub, the toddler grabbed the gun and shot himself in the head.

His sister told investigators she saw her little brother play with the firearm, but thought it was one of his toy guns.

Detectives say the bullet passed through the child's skull and exited.

She was another lawful gun owner who turned out to be absolutely unfit to own a gun safely. She probably had a concealed carry permit.

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

Raising Taxes on Guns and Ammo

 The Los Angeles Times

Efforts are underway in Congress and at least half a dozen states, including California, to raise taxes on firearms or ammunition to pay for programs targeting gun violence. 

In Congress, a group of Democrats, led by Rep. Linda T. Sanchez of Lakewood, is pushing for an additional 10% tax on handgun purchases that could generate tens of millions of dollars nationwide to fund gun buybacks, firearms safety campaigns and anti-violence programs.

Legislation that would impose taxes on guns or bullets has also been introduced in Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey and Washington state. In Sacramento, a bill by Democratic Assemblyman Roger Dickinson would impose a nickel tax on every bullet sold in California to pay for screening and treating young children for mental illness.

The proposals are designed after similar taxes placed by federal, state and local governments on cigarettes to fund anti-smoking campaigns and healthcare programs

Most former smokers and non smokers think that people who smoke are stupid or addicted. Maybe a similar change can be brought about with gun ownership.  Or do we already have that?

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

United Nations Agency Demands U.S. Government Sue States over marijuana Decriminalization Laws

 


From the Trenches

Americans have differing opinions about the wisdom of marijuana legalization but most of us would agree that no matter what we think about it personally, it is an issue for Americans to decide.

So, an admonishment by a United Nations agency urging the U.S. government to sue the states of Colorado and Washington, whose citizens recently voted to support pot legalization in their states, should be dismissed out of hand as the carnival sideshow that it is, right?


If only it were that easy.

You see, while such decisions should be left for Americans and states to decide on their own, decades of allowing our leaders to strike bargains (otherwise known as “treaties”) with the UN has created an impediment to liberty, thus allowing an unelected global body a say in our country’s political processes. Some call that “civilized” and “reasonable;” George Washington called such arrangements an “entangling alliance” we should strive to avoid.

Then there is that federal law regarding marijuana…

Nevertheless, the International Narcotics Control Board is now prodding the U.S. government to challenge Colorado and Washington in court over pot legalization for recreational use in those states because the agency says the laws violate international drug treaties, The Seattle Times reported.

The James Holmes Accomplice Conspiracy Theory

 

Perskeptical

Aurora Police Never Addressed Accomplice Evidence, Maintains That Holmes Acted Alone

On February 7th, The Denver Post reported that some victims in the Aurora theater shooting have been harassed by conspiracy theorists since the tragedy in Colorado on July 20th, 2012:

"Prosecutors in the Aurora theater-shooting case have re-iterated their request that victims' names be redacted from court documents, saying that victims and their families continue to suffer harassment from conspiracy theorists...

In the filing...prosecutors say victims 'have expressed concerns for their privacy, and personal safety.' Some victims are key witnesses in the case, the filing states."

In the wake of recent skepticism surrounding the events of Sandy Hook, many will roll their eyes at the thought of another conspiracy theory, given that the evidence against James Holmes, the lone suspect, has seemed overwhelming from the start.

But when taking the time to examine the case further, as we'll do here, the truth isn't so clear-cut. That's because the official story—that Holmes acted alone in killing 12 and wounding 58 others—is contradicted by the following questions:

• How do investigators account for two gas masks found at the scene that they say didn't belong to Holmes?
• How could Holmes have acted alone when multiple witnesses in Theater 9 said they saw or perceived multiple accomplices, and reported at least two descriptions of said accomplices to police?
• How could Holmes have acted alone when multiple witnesses in adjacent Theater 8 reported the detonation of a gas canister that was coordinated with the attack in Theater 9?

Lawful Gun Owner in Washington Loses It

Seattlepi

Carolyn Piksa, a longtime Seattle Parks and Recreation department employee, was ordered held on $1 million bail after police said she shot fellow employee Bill Keller on Friday and also confronted another parks employee at the Bitter Lake Community Center.

The 46-year-old waived her right to appear at her bail hearing, which was held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at King County Jail. The small courtroom was packed with television cameras, which chased after one of Piksa’s elderly relatives despite her saying she didn’t want to talk.

Court documents submitted by police say Piksa admitted to the shooting and the confrontation at Bitter Lake, and that she stole the purse of the woman she allegedly confronted.

Piksa in her driver's license photo. (SPD)

Her nephew, Cody Shearer, told reporters that Piksa had suffered emotional trauma that affected her.
In 1985, Piksa’s sister and that woman’s husband were killed in an execution-style shooting in a Pierce County cemetery. Last year, her Burien home was burglarized and her dog, Roulette, was killed. That led to her feeling unsafe and paranoid, Shearer told reporters.

While Piksa didn’t have a criminal record in Washington – traffic tickets and a civil matter are her only court cases – an arrest warrant had been issued for her in Marion (Ore.) County. Oregon State Police records show an unlawful firearm possession case was filed Dec. 3, and Piksa’s address is listed as the Burien home where police arrested her Friday afternoon.

Colorado Moves Forward on Gun Control

Reuters/Reuters - The theater where a gunman opened fire on moviegoers is pictured in Aurora, Colorado July 20, 2012. REUTERS/John Wark

 Yahoo News reports

A sweeping package of gun control measures advanced in Colorado on Friday, with expanded background checks and other limits as states seek to curb gun violence after the massacre of 20 children in Connecticut.

The Democratic-controlled state Senate passed four measures by an informal voice vote, including requiring gun buyers to pay for their own background checks and banning firearms purchases by people who are convicted of domestic violence crimes.

Republican leaders in the state Senate said the bills were overreaching and a violation of the Constitution's Second Amendment, which guarantees the right to own guns.

Now that's interesting. I clearly remember being told that all states count domestic violence misdemeanors as a disqualifier.  Why would Colorado have to add that now?  Maybe Greg can explain himself.

Colorado was already ranked 15th best.  I'll bet they move up this year.

What do you think?  Please leave a comment.