“I’m a 79-year old rancher and I’ve got guns. I’m not afraid of guns,” he says. “But I think Texas as a culture is not with history, and I think Texas as a gun culture is in the wrong place. I’m not for shooting people. I’m not afraid of anything. I don’t carry guns. I’m tired of killing game, even.” When he thinks about the rest of the country seeing pictures of Gov. Perry shooting and posing with guns, he says, “that image of Texas is abhorrent to me. And I’m a redneck!”
Saturday, February 15, 2014
‘Redneck’ Democrat Packs it in Over Open Carry
Proof that not all Texans are dickheads found here as Rancher, bookstore owner, and 79-year-old iconoclast, Bill Bond gets upset at Wendy Davis' real agenda.
A day or so late
Given that women are more likely to be killed by a spouse or lover if there is a firearm in the house. We can't forget this study either which showed that having a gun in house means a woman is eight times more likely to be killed.
First, show her how much you love her with your gun.
Then, you give her a really nice burial.
Well, you like to keep reminding us that firearms are "just tools": well, it seems it is a tool which might predict mortality in an abusive relationship.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Decision about Justifiable Cause for Concealed Carry
The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that the Second Amendment endows the right to carry a gun outside the home. The opinion comes days before the Supreme Court is expected to decide whether to review two other cases that ask the question of whether the right to “bear arms” extends beyond the home.
The California-based appeals court, in a 2-1 ruling authored by Judge Diarmuid O’Scannlain, delved into American history, from the Founding Era forward, and found support for the notion that “bearing arms” means carrying a gun in public:
So concludes our analysis of text and history: the carrying of an operable handgun outside the home for the lawful purpose of self-defense, though subject to traditional restrictions, constitutes “bear[ing] Arms” within the meaning of the Second Amendment.
The case comes from San Diego County, which, according to state law, requires residents to show “good cause” for carrying a concealed handgun. Personal safety alone does not qualify as good cause. The question for the court was whether the requirement infringes on the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms.
From the Ninth Circuit:
The question is not whether the California scheme (in light of San Diego County’s policy) allows some people to bear arms outside the home in some places at some times; instead, the question is whether it allows the typical responsible, law-abiding citizen to bear arms in public for the lawful purpose of self-defense. The answer to the latter question is a resounding “no.”…To be clear, we are not holding that the Second Amendment requires the states to permit concealed carry. But the Second Amendment does require that the states permit some form of carry for self-defense outside the home.
The court’s ruling aligns with one by the Chicago-based Seventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, but conflicts with the Second, Third and Fourth Circuits.
That last part has been completely omitted in the reports of this story by the gun-rights fanatics. They're all pretending this is a monumental victory which foretells their complete success over all gun control laws.
It's hardly that.
Teabaggers/gunloons need a reality check. Here it is.
I keep trying to make this point, but some of these people are too thick to get it.
We didn't call the thing the "Grid Square Removal Service" for nothing!
We didn't call the thing the "Grid Square Removal Service" for nothing!
Friday, February 14, 2014
Of course, I know several who believe they have the right.
Not historically correct (e.g, it was Madison, not Jefferson who wrote the Constitution).
Learn more here: www.takeonthecode.com
Learn more here: www.takeonthecode.com
Want a free assault rifle, provided by the government?
If you really want to exercise your "Second Amendment |right", then you can get a free assault rifle and all those other military toys.
Michael Dunn's neighbour talks about him
Michael Dunn's Neighbour talks about him. Are you really sure you want people like him walking armed on the street?
It makes sense that he would use the "get away with murder" laws to kill someone
Here the neighbour confirms his identity:
It makes sense that he would use the "get away with murder" laws to kill someone
Here the neighbour confirms his identity:
Any luck the jurors will find him GUILTY! GUILTY! GUILTY!
I hope his taking a chance on a jury will backfire on him,
South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley continues to stick by her guns.Mark Wilson/Getty ImagesThe Examiner
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who, as a member of the legislature in 2006, supported the death penalty for repeat sex offenders, was back in the news yesterday revealing that she also backs a measure that would make it legal to carry a handgun openly or concealed without a permit, according to The State newspaper in Columbia, S.C.
Haley’s remarks came during a bill signing in which she inked legislation that will allow armed citizens to carry in restaurants and bars, provided they don’t drink alcohol, and that firearms are not prohibited by the businesses. That contrasts with Washington law, which allows carry in restaurants, but not lounges or taverns. South Carolina gun prohibitionists were not happy.
Let's see if I got it all. She's for executing the mentally ill sex offenders in addition to carrying guns in bars AND constitutional carry? Wow, what a state.
New Jersey Man Sues the State over Concealed Carry Permit Denial
The National Rifle Association is supporting a Sussex County man's lawsuit seeking a permit to carry his handgun outside of his house, the organization announced this week.
The national lobbying group said it was backing John Drake’s lawsuit with a forthcoming amicus brief, in support of Second-Amendment rights in New Jersey, the organization said. Drake, and other plaintiffs involved in the lawsuit, petitioned last month to have their case heard in the U.S. Supreme Court.
“Law-abiding citizens have a constitutional right to defend themselve beyond their front doorstep,” said Chris W. Cox, the executive director of the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action.
Drake, of Fredon, is a business owner who owns and services ATMs – and who carries large amounts of cash, he said in an interview this morning. The suit challenges New Jersey law requiring "justifiable need" to acquire concealed-carry permits, he said.
The problem is not with the "may issue" system which requires the applicant to present "justifiable need," but rather with the definition of "justifiable need."
In my opinion, Mr. Drake qualifies. I don't see that it's necessary to dismantle the entire system in order to accommodate cases like this. Of course that's what the pro-gun folks want, but with a minor tweak, the New Jersey system can be sufficiently improved.
Putting a face to gun violence--Ryanne Mace
I know you like to say we are "dancing on the graves of the victims" when we try to put a face to gun violence, but I have a serious problem thinking that Ryanne would be upset by using her memory to make a point on this issue. I am pretty sure her parents wouldn't mind since they are active in the movement (her mother, Mary Kay, previewed this and suggested some edits to this post).
Ryanne was one of five students who were killed 6 years ago at Northern Illinois University. I know that she was only one of the victims, but she shows how the event impacted her family and her friends. It also effected the entire NIU community. I'll add that Ryanne was an only child.
But this video tribute from Tom Frey is one that really sticks in my mind. Not only is it a tribute to Ryanne, but it is the memory of someone who knew her. It shows the effect that gun violence has on people:
This is another of the many tributes to Ryanne that I found while trying to find the one by Tom:
This is Ryanne's mother talking about her being active in the Gun violence prevention movement:
A toast to Ryanne Mace, a lovely young woman who was taken from this world far too early. Your memory is contributing to making the world a better place. Who knows how much better the world would be if you were still alive.
Ryanne was one of five students who were killed 6 years ago at Northern Illinois University. I know that she was only one of the victims, but she shows how the event impacted her family and her friends. It also effected the entire NIU community. I'll add that Ryanne was an only child.
But this video tribute from Tom Frey is one that really sticks in my mind. Not only is it a tribute to Ryanne, but it is the memory of someone who knew her. It shows the effect that gun violence has on people:
This is another of the many tributes to Ryanne that I found while trying to find the one by Tom:
This is Ryanne's mother talking about her being active in the Gun violence prevention movement:
A toast to Ryanne Mace, a lovely young woman who was taken from this world far too early. Your memory is contributing to making the world a better place. Who knows how much better the world would be if you were still alive.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Washington's Governor Jay Inslee Suspends Death Penalty, Saying There Are ‘Too Many Doubts’
Addictive Info
On Tuesday, Washington’s Governor Jay Inslee announced there would be no more executions on his watch. Citing the most critical reason possible for taking this step, he said:
There have been too many doubts raised about capital punishment. There are too many flaws in the system. And when the ultimate decision is death, there is too much at stake to accept an imperfect system.
Inslee hopes to become part of the national conversation.
Inslee hopes the moratorium will give Washington a chance to join a growing conversation. The use of an irreversible punishment which has sometimes been applied to the innocent is being seriously questioned nationwide. He is the third Democratic governor in recent years to make such an announcement. Previously, Oregon’s Gov. Kitzhaber and Colorado’s Gov. Hickenlooper took the same executive action. Eighteen states have outlawed the death penalty altogether, including six in just the last six years.
The governor also pointed out that capital punishment doesn’t serve the cause of equal justice. Counties are inconsistent in their ability to use the death penalty because of disparities in their budgets. The expense of pursuing death penalty cases to their conclusion can be prohibitive. Inslee said:
The costs associated with prosecuting a capital case far outweigh the price of locking someone up for life without the possibility of parole.
Another Big Gun-Rights Defeat - Colorado Rejects Bill to Allow Armed Teachers
Local news reports
The targeting of a Colorado schoolteacher by an armed teen last year didn't sway Colorado Democrats on permitting teachers to carry concealed weapons on campus.
A Democratic House Judiciary Committee voted 7-4 yesterday to reject another Republican bill to expand gun rights. The bill would allow school districts to permit teachers, not just designated school resource officers, to carry concealed weapons if the school districts wish.
Similar Republican proposals have been made before without success, but the suggestion had additional resonance after last year's Arapahoe High School shootings, in which a student targeted a teacher.
Southern Beale's Tennessee Gun Report - First Week of February 2014
A woman, that police reported as the mother of a four-year-old boy that accidentally shot himself, leads officers into her apartment in Parkway Village Monday afternoon during an investigation at the scene.
Southern Beale has the usual grisly roundup.
Three accidental shootings this week — two of them fatalities, for those of you keeping track. That’s not counting the usual rash of drug and gang-related gun violence (we get three or four shootings a day here in Nashville).
Local news reports
A 4-year-old boy shot and killed himself Monday afternoon while playing with a gun he found in his Parkway Village apartment, police said.
The incident happened about 1:30 p.m. in the 3900 block of Camelot Lane in the Camelot Manor apartments. Police believe the boy discovered the gun, began playing with it and then pulled the trigger. His mother was with him in the apartment at the time.
Late Monday night, police identified the boy as Joshua Johnson. No charges had been filed Monday.
Has anyone else begun to notice how many of these incidents we're seeing lately? The pro-gun crowd love to write these cases off based on the CDC stats which state that there are only about 600 accidental deaths a year. Yet, between Southern Beale and myself, we seem to be catching nearly that many, and ours is by no means an exhaustive and comprehensive accounting.
What could explain this? Is it beyond the realm of possibility that the revered CDC numbers are under-reported? Is it not possible that their 600 a year is just the tip of the iceberg and in reality there are far more than that?
What do you think? Please leave a comment.
Pennsylvania Mom-of-the-Year Goes to Trial in Son's Death
Local news reports
A Greencastle mother who was charged with involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment after her 6-year-old shot his 8-year-old brother in the head in September, will now head to trial.
Jessica R. Pfaff, 32, was charged Jan. 9 with felony involuntary manslaughter, two misdemeanor counts of recklessly endangering another person, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child after the incident that occurred on Sept. 1 in Southampton Township.
Pfaff submitted to a blood draw at Chambersburg Hospital, which was sent to NWS Labs for analysis. The lab results stated that several substances, including benzoylecgonine and oxycodone, were found in her blood. Police said benzoylecgonine is an inactive metabolite and chemical breakdown product of cocaine, and Pfaff admitted to snorting her prescription pills, purchasing prescription medication, giving her medication to people and previously using cocaine, though she denied any recent cocaine use.
Pfaff is prescribed 14 to 15 medications that she takes daily, including medications for sleep issues and depression, the document states.
Cumberland County District Attorney David Freed previously said while she did not pull the trigger, “the outstanding investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police showed a pattern of neglect of her two boys; the presence of, at a minimum, prescription drugs in her system to the point where she was not awakened by a gunshot mere inches from where she was; and a failure to take even the most simple steps to ensure the safety of her children.”
13-year-old Released in Accidental Puyallup Washington shooting Death - Prosecutors Still Weighing Charges but Not Against the Parents
Eddie Holmes, 13, was accidentally shot and killed last Thursday in a Puyallup home. (Holmes family photo)
Local news reports
A 13-year-old Puyallup boy accused of accidentally shooting and killing his friend has been released from custody as Pierce County prosecutors continue looking at whether to charge him with a crime.
"It's more important to make the right decision than quick decision," said Prosecutor Mark Lindquist. He announced Tuesday his office was reviewing evidence and the boy was released to his parents and is not considered a danger to the community.
The alleged shooter has been held since Thursday's shooting death of Eddie Holmes, 13, in a Puyallup home. Police say Holmes and four other boys were hanging out when the boy who lives in the home brought out the gun to show friends. Another boy grabbed it and the gun went off, shooting Holmes in the chest. He later died at Tacoma General Hospital.
Holmes' family spoke publicly for the first time Tuesday about the shooting. His mother Sandy said she doesn't blame the boys, but wants the parents held accountable for allowing access to the gun.
"Kids are kids, no matter what we try to teach them and tell them they are kids. And it is up to parents to secure not only our children but the children that come into our home," she said.
Detroit Cop Cleared Of Charges In Accidental Shooting Of Adaisha Miller
Adaisha Miller
The Detroit police officer responsible for the fatal shooting of 24-year-old Adaisha Miller has been cleared of any wrongdoing.
Law enforcement agent Isaac Parrish was holding a party at his house on July 8, 2012, to which Miller had been invited by friends who knew the officer. While Miller was dancing at the party, she somehow ended up near the officer. Reports vary as to what Miller was doing, but the most common story was that she was hugging Parrish from behind. Parrish had his police-issued handgun on his waist, which accidentally fired and struck Miller, who died at the hospital.
Miller’s family is going to continue fighting for Adaisha's justice. Gerald Thurswell, the family’s attorney, claimed that Parrish should have been held responsible for the incident.
“You don’t have a loaded gun without a safety concealed in your pants at a party where people are drinking, where people are partying, where people are dancing,” Thurswell said.
Florida Teen Dead - Accidental Shooting with an AR-15
Local news reports
 |
| Von Wright, Jr. |
COCOA, Florida -- Just after 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Brevard County Sheriff's deputies responded to 3648 Tomlin Drive in Cocoa, Florida for a call that a person had been shot at the residence.
Upon arrival, deputies found 18-year-old Reginald Von Wright, Jr. of Cocoa unresponsive with an apparent gunshot wound to his chest. Wright was airlifted to Holmes Regional Hospital in Melbourne, Florida where he succumbed to his injury.
Investigators believe that Wright was accidentally shot by 25-year-old Steven Donte Speed who lives at the address where the shooting took place. According to evidence uncovered so far in the investigation, Speed was making repairs to an AR-15 rifle while seated in the living room of the residence. As he was working on the firearm, the victim entered the residence and sat on the couch across from Speed. As Speed continued handling the weapon, it discharged once, with the bullet striking the victim in the chest. Speed immediately called out to other persons in the residence to call 911. Sheriff's spokesperson Major Tod Googyear stated in a release that Speed provided this information during interviews conducted by agents from the Homicide Unit of the Sheriff’s Office.
 |
| Speed |
The investigation into the incident is ongoing with a detailed examination being conducted at the residence by the Brevard County Sheriff's Office Crime Scene Unit. An autopsy is scheduled to take place this morning at the Brevard County Medical Examiner’s office.
Once completed, the results of the investigation will be forwarded to the State Attorney’s Office in order to determine if any charges are applicable in this case.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
On-person self-protection in NYC for non-leos?
By FzzTrooper from here:
Probably not the answer you are looking for but here we go.
In your situation specifically, carry OC spray if it is legal, and just keep an eye out when your walking around. Street smarts. If it gets down to it, empty your can of OC and run away.
tl;dr: run the fuck away.
Probably not the answer you are looking for but here we go.
- Common sense. Common sense is your best day to day option for protection. Not being in bad neighborhoods at night, avoiding unlit sidewalks, and keeping your situational awareness helps. Some shady looking dude seems to be walking towards you, maybe you should cross the street or leave the area. A gang of hoodlums are hanging out under that broken street light, maybe we should avoid that. Hey I can cut through this back alley to save 5 minutes on my trip, wait thats a dumb idea. I say this because most people are so oblivious to what is going on around them. You need to keep your head up and looking around. Plan out your routes so you arent in bad areas at bad times. Obviously some things are unavoidable, and just being away of your surroundings wont always work. But generally speaking if something looks sketchy its not an over reaction to assume they are up to no good. Seriously, that guy at the end of the street who is eye fucking you from a block away? Hes not asking for your number at 2 AM. The sooner you can see a threat and the sooner you can avoid it the better. You shouldn't let a potential mugger sneak up on you to where you cant run the fuck away. Which brings to my next point.
- Run the fuck away. Yes good self defense is knowing when to run the fuck away. This falls in line with my common sense point too. Shady looking guy heading your way, you change direction and he does too? Time to beat feet. You look stupid and you look like a wuss, who cares you're going home tonight. Maybe that guy was just gonna ask you for change. Whatever, you can just play it off like you suddenly wanted to build your cardio :p. Better to maybe over react and run for no reason than get mugged. Also, because you listened to my first point you shouldnt really be in a spot where something surprises you. That guy thats about to mug you? You should have seen him with enough warning where you can just turn tail and run. If he got the jump on you then you really didnt adhere to my first point (or are just really unlucky), and you need to see point 3.
- Comply. So you chose to ignore that shady looking guy walking your way and you didnt see him until he has you at knifepoint. Welp your best bet is to comply. James fucking Bond can draw and shoot faster than a guy can stab you with a knife at 5 feet, but you sure as shit cant. Drop your wallet or purse and see point two (run the fuck away). 9 times out of 10 they just want your money, and dropping your wallet or whatever might be enough of a distraction. I know its kind of defeatist, and I dont like it any more than you, but generally speaking it really is better to comply. I really hate giving in like this, but seriously it is the best option. That being said, if it looks like your about to get kidnapped or raped then you should probably start trying to get away/fight, but unless you are worth a lot of money to someone, or are in Mexico, your probably just gonna get mugged. If the bad guys dont want money but would rather just kick your ass in a senseless act of violence then see point 4.
- Self defense. Next off is some sort of martial arts training. MMA has gotten big recently and stuff like that can really help you defend yourself in case points 1, 2, and 3 fail, or if the bad guy(s) really got the jump on you. The best option here is to defend yourself, create distance, and then yup you guessed it, run the fuck away. Youre not gonna want to stand and fight. Block, create distance, run away. If you're really high-speed then you can get fancy and disarm, take down, run away. Last thing you want is to get into some sort of extended street brawl with some guy. Especially if he has buddies. You really better hope he doesnt have friends. James Bond can fight multiple bad guys hand to hand, you cant. Which brings me to point 5.
- Finally we get to weapons. Weapons are a force multiplier. If some people are really trying to hurt you, a weapon of some sort is your last line of defense. Depending on your local laws you can look into some sort of concealed weapon. OC spray, tasers, guns. Knives are just about fucking useless for self defense and you shouldnt even bother. There was a soldier on reddit a few weeks ago that told me more Taliban have been killed with bullet proof ceramic plates being used as a blunt force objects than have been stabbed to death. I dont know if thats 100% accurate but I wouldnt be surprised. When carrying a weapon all of my prior points still stand, and I can argue that my prior points are now MORE important if youre carrying. Just because youre walking around with a Colt .45 on your hip it doesnt mean youre Billy Badass all of a sudden. You cant go all neighborhood watch and head into danger. Point 5 is really really only when for when points 1, 2, and 3 (and depending on circumstances, point 4) have failed.
In your situation specifically, carry OC spray if it is legal, and just keep an eye out when your walking around. Street smarts. If it gets down to it, empty your can of OC and run away.
tl;dr: run the fuck away.
Todd Francis Pleads Guilty to Child Endangerment Under Circumstances Likely to Cause Great Bodily Injury
Todd Francis, 55, during arraignment in connection with the death of neighbor Eric Klyaz, who had been playing with Francis 9-year-old daughter when the gun was fired. — Pool photo
Local news reports further to our earlier post
A gun owner whose weapon was used in the accidental — and fatal — shooting of a 10-year-old boy in Miramar Ranch pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of felony child endangerment.
Todd Francis, 56, had been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the June 4 death of his neighbor, Eric Klyaz, who had been playing with Francis’ 9-year-old daughter in the garage of the family home.
Eric was shot in his chest.
Francis pleaded guilty in San Diego Superior Court to one count of child endangerment under circumstances likely to cause great bodily injury in connection with Eric, and another in connection with the defendant’s daughter. The manslaughter charge was dismissed as part of the plea.
Francis faces up to seven years and four months in prison at a sentencing hearing on April 8. Prosecutors agreed not to ask for more than four years.
Texas Man Who Shot Cop During No-knock Raid Will Not be Charged for the Shooting
Henry Magee / KBTX screenshot
The Daile Caller
Henry Magee, a 28-year-old Texan who accidentally shot and killed a police officer during a no-knock raid on his home, will not be indicted on murder charges, according to a grand jury.
Burleson County police raided Magee’s home in December after receiving a tip from an informant that he was in possession of drugs. Five pounds of marijuana were found the premises.
Police did not knock before entering the home, and they executed the search before sunrise, when it was still dark outside. Magee’s lawyer told the grand jury that his client
thought the police were burglars, and he fired his gun to protect his girlfriend, who was pregnant. The bullet struck and killed Deputy Adam Sowders.
thought the police were burglars, and he fired his gun to protect his girlfriend, who was pregnant. The bullet struck and killed Deputy Adam Sowders.
The grand jury determined that there was not enough evidence to charge Magee with murder. He was indicted for possession of illegal drugs while in possession of a deadly weapon, however.
The lawyer, Dick DeGuerin, stressed that the accidental shooting would not have occurred if police had attempted the raid in the daylight, or identified themselves first.
Utah Man Dies After Accidental Shooting
A 50-year-old Spanish Fork man died Monday after he accidentally shot himself in the stomach.
Rowland L. Denison had been conscious and communicative when police received a 911 call and found him at 2021 E. Canyon Road about 6:30 a.m. Monday. He told officers he was removing his .270-caliber rifle from his vehicle when it fired, striking him in the stomach.
He was taken to Mountain View Hospital in Payson, where doctors wanted to fly him to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, said Spanish Fork Police Lt. Matt Johnson. However weather conditions prevented the flight, so Denison underwent emergency surgery in Payson. He later was flown to Utah Valley, where he died Monday afternoon.
No worries for the wonderful statistics of concealed carry permit holders who do wrong. Guys like this don't count even if someone bothers to check.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Something to ponder.
This is in relation to German law which, according to the German Association of Lawyers, the Nazis decided that a murderer was someone who killed "treacherously" or "sneakily" - "heimtueckisch" is the word in the law and it remains there today."The Nazi law favoured - and still favours - the strong who murder the weak, Koenig argues."
Dr Stefan Koenig, a Berlin defence lawyer who chairs the Association of Lawyers' penal committee, says the Nazis defined murder in the light of their belief that some people were inherently weak-minded. It was about defining a murderer as someone treacherous rather than looking at the circumstances of each individual crime.
East Germany had a different law, closer to the idea in the United States, UK and many other countries, that murder requires an intention to kill or cause serious injury. But with the unification of Germany in 1990, the law of West Germany became the law of the land.
"In the penal code concerning murder, somebody is guilty of murder but not manslaughter if he abuses the victim's defencelessness, abusing the fact that the victim is not aware of any attack," he says.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-26047614
Washington Woman Arrested for Negligent Discharge
Washington Police said a woman was cleaning a gun in her Tacoma apartment early Sunday when it fired into the unit above her where a family was sleeping. A one-year-old and a three-year-old child were asleep in the apartment when the shot was fired through the floor.
No one was injured when the gun fired about 12:20 a.m.
Tacoma police spokeswoman Loretta Cool said, the woman was booked into jail on suspicion of reckless endangerment.
You know what the problem is, though? When a negligent gun owner is charged with first-offense reckless endangerment, they plea-bargain it down to something milder and end up keeping the guns. This kind of negligence should get the full impact of one-strike-you're-out.
Gun Bill to Keep Concealed Carry Permit Holders' Names Secret
Police records with the names and addresses of citizens licensed to carry concealed guns should not be public documents and therefore vulnerable to publication so "criminals will know where to go and steal guns," said state Rep. Tim Copeland.
Under the state's right-to-know law, licenses to carry concealed pistols and revolvers are now public records and subject to public disclosure to anyone who asks. Copeland, a Stratham Republican, seeks to reverse that as sponsor of a bill to exclude "firearms records from public records subject to disclosure under the right-to-know law."
He has the support of local law enforcers and the National Rifle Association and said that, so far, no one has raised an objection. The impetus, Copeland said, was a New York news organization's 2012 online publication of the names and addresses for all residents in two counties who had concealed-carry licenses.
After the story went national, and was met with widespread criticism, the report was removed from the Internet.
"That gave me the idea to do this," Copeland said. "Otherwise, you're telling the criminals where to go."
Gun thieves could use the information to "case" the residences of concealed-carry license holders, wait until no one is home, and "go in there and steal guns," he said.
Gun thefts are "very common," said Copeland, a retired New York police officer and New Hampshire Liquor Enforcement officer. "Criminals don't follow laws. They go out and steal guns from legitimate people."
Portsmouth Deputy Police Chief Corey MacDonald said his department "supports the legislation to exempt gun permit information from being public." Gun thefts are not uncommon in Portsmouth where, just last month, a pistol was reported stolen from a parked car.
The double-talking gun-rights phonies can't get their story straight. First they place signs indicating that the neighbor is for gun control, assuming the burglars would be most interested in going there. Now, they claim that thieves would target the homes WITH guns. And supposedly the entire push of this privacy bill is to prevent theft. What a bunch of hogwash.
If they wanted to prevent theft, they'd keep their guns locked up in safes when not in use. It's that simple.
No, the reason for this initiative is another one, an obvious one. When one of the secret concealed carry permit holders does something wrong, no one will know. In many cases even the authorities and statistics keepers won't know. All the better to continue the bizarre claim that permit holders are super-law-abiding. They're not. They're no more law-abiding than gun owners at large for the simple reason that the bar is set so low, practically anyone can earn a concealed carry permit. There's absolutely no attempt at ensuring that they're better trained, more responsible or smarter, yet, the gun-rights movement has a lot invested in the false claim that they are.
Utah - Gun Paradise with a Suicide Problem
A Utah lawmaker is proposing a bill that would encourage to gun owners to buy trigger locks and gun safes and give stores incentives to implement suicide-prevention programs.
Republican Rep. Steve Eliason of Sandy says the proposed legislation could help curb the state's suicide rate and prevent young people from using their parent's firearms to take their lives. His bill, which has not yet been introduced, would offer a rebate to gun owners who purchase the safety devices. Retailers would have to agree to implement suicide-prevention programs in their stores to be eligible for the program.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports (http://bit.ly/1gcvrin ) that Utah has one of the highest suicide rates in the nation, with 10 residents taking their life each week, most often with a gun.
"The experts say, 'Look, if you want to move the needle on suicide prevention, you've got to educate people on gun safety and you've got to get guns secured,' " Eliason told the Tribune.
The idea has precedent. For example, about half of gun stores in New Hampshire now offer suicide-prevention materials and education.
The state would pay for the rebates with money from fees for concealed-weapons permits. Utah has a $2.4 million surplus in this fund.
Monday, February 10, 2014
Playground: We are the NRA
A song about the United States, where life is cheap.
What is the value of life in the US?
The cost of a bullet!
Gun Control Supporter Arrested with a Gun in School
Dwayne Feguson, arrested for bringing a gun to Harvey Austin School, is a well-known community activist.
Dwayne Ferguson spent more than a decade advocating for nonviolence and peace in the streets of Buffalo.
He was a well-known face in the movement for the SAFE Act, the state law that made carrying a gun on school property a felony. He was also a familiar presence in the hallways of the city’s Harvey Austin Elementary School, where he worked in the after-school program and mentored students.
No one imagined that on Thursday he would show up at the school in possession of a gun, touching off an hours-long lockdown, search and ultimately his arrest on two felony charges.
Ferguson, 52, told WGRZ-TV that he frequently carries the gun, for which he has a permit, and did not realize he had it on him when he went to the school as part of the mentoring program.
Those who have worked with him also said they believe it was an honest mistake.
“I’m sure Dwayne went into the school not thinking he had the gun on him,” said Rev. James E. Giles, a friend of Ferguson and president of Back to Basics Outreach Ministries. “We know this for a fact, that he called out to a Buffalo police lieutenant asking why the school was in lockdown, and that they were looking for a man with a gun.
Russian Church Shooting - 2 Dead, 6 Wounded
Huffington Post
A gunman opened fire on Sunday in a Russian Orthodox cathedral on the island of Sakhalin, off Russia's eastern coast, killing a nun and a churchgoer and wounding six other people, officials said.
The shooting happened as Russian security forces are on high alert due to concerns about possible attacks on the Winter Olympics in Sochi, thousands of kilometres (miles) to the west. There was no apparent link to the Games.
The gunman was detained at the scene after the shooting at the main cathedral in the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, on the island in the Sea of Okhotsk, north of Japan, the federal Investigative Committee said.
It added that the suspect had worked as a security guard in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, some 6,650 km (4,130 miles) from Moscow.
There have been a handful of shooting sprees in offices and public places in Russia in recent years, but they are relatively rare and state-run media tend to treat such attacks as a largely American phenomenon.
The Feb. 3 shooting at a Moscow school, in which a student used his father's rifles, has led to calls for stiffer punishment for gun owners whose weapons are used in attacks.
A gunman opened fire on Sunday in a Russian Orthodox cathedral on the island of Sakhalin, off Russia's eastern coast, killing a nun and a churchgoer and wounding six other people, officials said.
The shooting happened as Russian security forces are on high alert due to concerns about possible attacks on the Winter Olympics in Sochi, thousands of kilometres (miles) to the west. There was no apparent link to the Games.
The gunman was detained at the scene after the shooting at the main cathedral in the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, on the island in the Sea of Okhotsk, north of Japan, the federal Investigative Committee said.
It added that the suspect had worked as a security guard in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, some 6,650 km (4,130 miles) from Moscow.
There have been a handful of shooting sprees in offices and public places in Russia in recent years, but they are relatively rare and state-run media tend to treat such attacks as a largely American phenomenon.
The Feb. 3 shooting at a Moscow school, in which a student used his father's rifles, has led to calls for stiffer punishment for gun owners whose weapons are used in attacks.
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