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1 February 2023

Illinois loses appeal over gun control law, leaving restraining order in effect

The state of Illinois lost an appeal on Tuesday after a lower court judge issued a restraining order on a newly enacted ban on some semiautomatic rifles as well as high-capacity magazines.

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the gun control law on Jan. 10, which bans the sale and distribution of assault weapons, high capacity magazines, and switches, which went into effect immediately after he approved it.

Effingham County Judge Joshua Morrison issued a temporary restraining order against the law on Jan. 24, preventing it from being enforced.  Morrison's ruling came in response to a lawsuit from four gun merchants and 850 individuals who argued that the law was enacted improperly and didn't have proper public input, adding that the law violated the state and U.S. Constitutions equal protection clause in providing exemptions for some groups of people based on their occupation or training.  For example, people who are active or retired law enforcement are excluded from the ban.

After an appeal from Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, Illinois' Fifth District appellate court ruled on Tuesday in a 2-to-1 decision that the temporary restraining order can stay in place, and also extends it statewide.  Previously, the temporary restraining order only applied to the plaintiffs.

The ruling states that the plaintiffs had a "a likelihood of success on the merits" in regards to their argument that the law violates the state and U.S. Constitution's equal protection clause.

Illinois is also facing several other lawsuits challenging the law, including one from the National Rifle Association.

30 January 2023

California Has More Than 100 Gun Laws.  Why Don’t They Stop More Mass Shootings?

California bans guns for domestic violence offenders.  It bans them for people deemed a danger to others or themselves.  There is a ban on large-capacity magazines, and a ban on noise-muffling silencers.  Semiautomatic guns of the sort colloquially known as “assault weapons” are, famously, banned.

More than 100 gun laws — the most of any state — are on the books in California.  They have saved lives, policymakers say:  Californians have among the lowest rates of gun death in the United States.

Yet this month, those laws failed to stop the massacres of at least 19 people in back-to-back mass shootings.  The tragedies in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay have confounded Americans who regard California as a best-case bastion of gun safety in a nation awash with firearms.

Inside the state, gun rights proponents say the shootings show that California’s strategy is a failure.  Gun safety groups, meanwhile, have already begun mobilizing for more laws and better enforcement.  As details emerge in the investigations, numerous shortcomings have been highlighted, even with California’s voluminous law.

For instance, the state’s regulatory net does not necessarily force gun owners to relinquish weapons that were legal for them to buy in the past but now are banned.  California cannot remove guns from people who may have exhibited dangerous behavior, but aren’t properly flagged to courts or law enforcement.  And the state must contend with the illegal gun trade, a river of unregistered “ghost” guns and the flow of firearms from neighboring states with less strict regulations.

More broadly, however, the shootings are offering a lesson in the limits of state power to stop American gun violence, even with the political will at all levels of the state government to do so.  Recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions have thrown key California laws into question, and the most recent shootings themselves have highlighted the difficulty of using state law to balance safety and liberty.

“I don’t mean to sound forlorn, but I’ve been watching this for decades and I’m a gun control type guy, and I just see nothing coming out of it,” said Steve Wagstaffe, the district attorney in San Mateo County, where seven agricultural workers were fatally gunned down.  “California has had some good laws, but they’re not as good as they could be.”

That is because restrictive gun laws are not the answer.  Promoting concealed-carry is the right answer. On-the-scene presence of defensive guns stops mass-killings.

The shooting in Monterey Park, in Southern California, left 11 people dead and eight wounded at a ballroom dance studio.  Police said the suspect, 72-year-old Huu Can Tran, opened fire at a Lunar New Year party, then shot himself dead as officers approached the van in which he had fled.

Two days later, sheriff’s deputies in Half Moon Bay arrested 66-year-old Zhao Chunli hours after an explosion of workplace violence at two plant nurseries.

Both accused gunmen had previous brushes with law enforcement.  Both appeared to have been in the throes of a mental health crisis.  And both had highly regulated weapons that cannot be acquired legally in California without numerous safeguards.  Yet both slipped through the overlapping public safety and health regulations that California imposes to mitigate the risk of gun death.

The weapon used by the gunman in Monterey Park — a Cobray M-11/9 semiautomatic pistol outfitted with a 30-round magazine and what appeared to be a homemade silencer wrapped in duct tape — is illegal to buy or sell in California.  Manufactured in the 1970s and 1980s, the gun is an illegal “assault weapon” under the state’s definition, with an apparently threaded barrel, an illegal suppressor and the ability to accept a detachable magazine.

Yet in 1999, authorities said, Mr.  Tran purchased the weapon in Monterey Park.  Sheriff Robert Luna of Los Angeles County did not specify how he acquired the gun, which licensed retailers stopped selling decades ago in California, but said it was not registered in the state.

The sale, manufacture and import of high-capacity magazines also have been generally banned in California since 2000.  But Mr. Tran’s might have been legal, gun rights experts say, if he bought it before it was outlawed or during a weeklong window in 2019.

The exception arose from a well-known critic of state gun laws, Judge Roger T. Benitez of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, a federal judge who once compared the AR-15 assault rifle, used in many mass shootings, to a Swiss army knife, in that both are “a perfect combination of home defense weapon and homeland defense equipment.”

Judge Benitez later set aside his own ruling, pending an appeal, that the state magazine ban violated the Second Amendment, but sales of large capacity magazines spiked in the state in the interim.

California also requires extensive background checks to prevent the sale of guns to people who might harm themselves and others.  People with felony convictions are barred from gun ownership for life, and even certain misdemeanor convictions can mean a decadelong ban.

Sheriff Luna said Mr. Tran had been arrested in 1990 for unlawful possession of a firearm.  It is unclear if he was ever convicted, and law enforcement officials are still examining how he was able to purchase his weapons.  Gun law experts said California’s laws would not have prevented Mr. Tran from legally buying a gun if he was not formally charged or convicted, or if he was convicted of a nonviolent misdemeanor and had completed his probation.

In Half Moon Bay, a former roommate of the accused gunman had in 2013 successfully sought a temporary restraining order, alleging that Mr. Zhao had threatened to kill him and tried to suffocate him.  Yet Mr. Zhao told authorities the Ruger semiautomatic he had used in Half Moon Bay had been legally purchased two years ago in California.  Mr. Wagstaffe said investigators were still looking into where and how he acquired the gun.

Restraining orders can disqualify a person from owning guns in California.  But court records show the temporary order against Mr. Zhao was never made permanent, and it expired in July 2013.

California also has a “red flag” law that allows police, family members, employers, co-workers and others to petition a court for a gun violence restraining order to remove firearms from people who may be a threat to themselves or others.  But those laws do not work if nobody uses them.

The number of gun violence restraining orders issued in the state has risen to nearly 1,400 in 2021 from 85 in 2016.  But that law is an underused resource, experts say.

A 2021 study by the Violence Prevention Research Program at the University of California, Davis, found that although gun violence restraining orders had been available in California for five years, two-thirds of the Californians surveyed had never heard of them.

Dr. Garen J. Wintemute, who directs the program, said many mass shooters signal their intentions in advance, or leave hints in their planning.  At any point in time in California, he said, one in eight adults knows at least one person they believe is at risk of harming someone else or themselves, research shows.

One model may be the city of San Diego, where the city attorney, Mara Elliott, has requested more than a thousand gun violence restraining orders since 2017.  This month, the city requested and won the removal of a gun from an individual who threatened to kill people at a local hospital.

“I think most people second-guess their judgment.  They think, ‘I don’t know who to call,’ or ‘I don’t want to bother law enforcement, it’s probably nothing,’" Ms. Elliott said.  “Now our community knows to make phone calls."

Acquaintances and court records painted the Monterey Park suspect, Mr. Tran, as an embittered, paranoid and divorced loner.  In Hemet, Calif., where he lived, police said he came to the station two weeks before the shooting to complain, without evidence, that he was the victim of fraud and theft and that his family had previously tried to poison him.

In Half Moon Bay, Mr. Zhao told NBC Bay Area in a jailhouse interview that he “was not in his right mind” and had felt mistreated for years at his workplace.  Authorities confirmed a report that the accused gunman appeared to have snapped after a supervisor billed him $100 for a forklift accident.

But neither man appears to have alarmed anyone enough to seek a court order to take away their weapons.  Neighbors and acquaintances said they did not know they were armed, suicidal or dangerous.

Victims of mass shootings make up about 1 percent of overall gun deaths in the United States, according to federal gun homicide data analyzed by the advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety.  The risk of dying in a mass shooting is even lower in California, the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California recently found.  Nationally, suicides account for just over half of all gun deaths.

But what mass casualty events lack in numbers, officials say, they often make up in fear and calls for political action.  Last year, after mass shootings in Buffalo, N.Y., and Uvalde, Texas, California fast-tracked the passage of more than a dozen new gun laws.

Gun rights advocates say more laws miss the point:  Only a lawfully armed citizenry can ultimately ensure safety.

Mass murders are already illegal, says Sam Paredes, executive director of Gun Owners of California.  “What do we want to do?  Make them illegal-er?”

But Jesse Gabriel, a Los Angeles-area Democrat in the state Assembly who co-chairs a legislative working group on gun violence prevention, said the group has already moved up its February meeting to discuss new legislation.

Proposals include a state excise tax on ammunition and guns, a measure to add three years to an existing ban on gun ownership for people who have had domestic violence orders filed against them, a proposal to make the possession of an unregistered “ghost” gun a felony and a bill to let people suffering a mental health crisis put their own names on a “do not sell” list.  A campaign to expand awareness of gun violence restraining orders also is underway.

Also in the pipeline, he added, is a bill to align the state’s laws on permits to carry concealed weapons in public with a sweeping June Supreme Court ruling that upended gun control laws in at least a half-dozen states, including California.  Applauded by gun rights groups, the decision has unleashed a barrage of court challenges to California gun laws, including the bans on assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines that are pending now before Judge Benitez.

Rob Bonta, the California attorney general, said the concealed carry revision is essential, as are tighter gun regulations.

“Is there something new that hasn’t been done?” Mr. Bonta said.  “That’s what we’re asking ourselves.”

What should be done is to advocate and encourage more people to become active concealed-carry defenders.  Widespread concealed-carry is the solution.  The average mass-shooting kills 14.3 innocent people.  With a concealed-carry acting defensively, that average drops to 2.3.

12 January 2023

The Number of New Guns in the US Each Year Since 1986

Since the Second Amendment was adopted in 1791, firearms have been a central part of America’s identity.  And with U.S. gun sales recently hitting record highs, there is little reason to believe that will change anytime soon. 

More than 250 million new firearms were manufactured in, or imported to, the U.S. between 1986 and 2019.  Of those, more than half hit the market in 2009 or later.

Estimates put the number of civilian-owned firearms in the U.S. at around 434 million, or 1.7 for every adult – making the U.S. the only country in the world with more civilian-owned guns than people.

Every year since 2012, over 10 million new guns have hit racks in the United States.  The number of new guns peaked in 2016 at 16.3 million – 11 million of which were manufactured domestically, and the remaining 5 million were imported.

American tastes have changed over the last several decades.  In most years from 1986 to 2009, rifles dominated domestic firearm production.  However, that changed in 2010, when pistols – not including revolvers – overtook rifles in domestic production and have held the top spot every year since, with the exception of 2015.

If each gun-owner keeps one box of 50 rounds of ammo per gun, then that is more than 20 billion rounds of ammo.  If each gun-owner keeps ten boxes of ammo per gun, then that is over 200 billion rounds of ammo.

7 December 2022

Thought for the Day

5 December 2022

Firearm sales explode as Oregon awaits judge's decision on gun control law

Gun enthusiasts are caught in limbo as judge mulls whether to delay permit-to-purchase law before Dec. 8 start date.

Firearm enthusiasts in Oregon are flocking to gun stores as they wait to find out whether a federal judge will delay the start of a strict permit-to-purchase law before Thursday's deadline.

Measure 114 passed with 50.65% of the vote last month.  It bans ammunition magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds and mandates the creation of a permit-to-purchase system that includes fingerprinting and hands-on firearm training from an instructor who has been certified by law enforcement.  The permits can cost up to $65 under the measure and last for five years with a new background check required for each gun purchase.

Sheriffs and others say the Oregon gun measure will make the state less safe.

Judge Karin J. Immergut heard more than two hours of arguments Friday relating to the first lawsuit filed against the measure by the Oregon Firearms Federation, Sherman County Sheriff Brad Lohrey and a gun store owner.  The suit alleges that both the magazine capacity limit and permit-to-purchase requirement violate the Second Amendment.  Immergut expects to make a decision early this week on whether the law should be delayed.

"If there is not an injunction before the morning of the eighth, that will mean there will be no gun sales on the eighth to Oregonians.

"Oregon has not yet even provided the necessary funding for, let alone set up the systems required to administer its new and onerous permitting scheme," alleges an NRA-backed lawsuit filed late last week.  "As of right now, there is no firearms training course that has been certified by the state, which means that no one can lawfully obtain a permit-to-purchase."

Gross sales since Nov. 8 are the largest they have been in three decades of business as customers rush to buy guns and magazines before the ban takes effect.  OSP's background check unit has seen "unprecedented volumes of firearms transactions" in the past month.  State police received about 849 background check requests a day prior to the election, but that average skyrocketed to 4,092 requests per day immediately after voters approved Measure 114.

"Controlling the tool is not going to change the human behavior of an evil person or a mentally deranged person."  The money Oregon expects to spend on the permitting system should instead be directed toward mental health services.

Oregon sheriffs won't enforce new gun law:  ‘Infringes on Second Amendment’

'There’s just no way possible for us to enforce that and nor would I simply because it's an infringement on our Second Amendment,' says sheriff.

County sheriffs in Oregon are taking a stand against the state's newly-adopted gun law and say they will not enforce a major piece of the law that sets limits on magazine capacity because it violates the Second Amendment, wastes law enforcement resources and is the product of "pure anti-gun politics."

County sheriffs say they will not enforce all or parts of the law, and they are focusing their opposition on language that limits magazine capacity.  They argue that the provision infringes on Second Amendment rights, ignores real problems associated with gun violence in the state and will drain already-depleted law enforcement resources.

"The biggest thing is this does absolutely nothing to address the problem.  The problem that we have is not… magazine capacity. It's not background checks.  It’s a problem with mental health awareness.  It's a problem with behavior health illness.  Our society as a whole is a bigger problem rather than saying that, you know, the guns are killing people."

"If you believe that this measure is going to cut the school shootings down, or cut the gun violence down, you're sadly mistaken.  But what has proven [to work] time and time again is ... supporting your law enforcement, responsible gun ownership, teaching our children at a younger age respect for human life."

18 November 2022

New Oregon gun law passed by 6 counties, rejected by 30

Measure 114, which voters appear to have been passed by a 1.5% margin, bans ammunition magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds and mandates the creation of a permit-to-purchase system that includes hands-on firearm training.

Numerous outdoor and sportsmen groups have expressed opposition to Measure 114, including the national Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and National Shooting Sports Foundation.  "It’s a feel-good measure that only adds new unfunded burdens on local police, eliminates opportunities for recreational activities and hurts conservation funding while not making any tangible impact on the real problem."

In Portland, where residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of the measure, shooting incidents have skyrocketed over the past several years.  In 2019 there were 413 shootings.  In the first 10 months of 2022, there have been 1,100, according to data from the Portland Police Bureau.  Regulating legal firearm owners is not going to have the effect that they are desiring on that."

OSP has seen an "extreme" increase in requests for background checks since before the midterm elections.  The spike now appears even more dramatic.

8 October 2022

FBI undercounts number of times armed citizens have thwarted active shooting incidents

A new report from the Crime Prevention Research Center (CPRC) argues that the FBI's data contains "massive errors" when tracking active shooting incidents, undercounting how often armed citizens have thwarted active-shooting situations over the last eight years.

"Although collecting such data is fraught with challenges, some see a pattern of distortion in the FBI numbers because the errors almost exclusively go one way, minimizing the life-saving actions of armed citizens."

Data released by the nonprofit shows that 34.4% of active shootings were thwarted by armed citizens between 2014 and 2021.  However, FBI data show only 4.4% of active shootings were thwarted by armed citizens during that time period.  360 active shooter incidents were identified by CPRC between 2014 and 2021, with 124 stopped by armed citizens.  The FBI identified 252 active shooter incidents during the same time period, with only 11 thwarted by armed citizens.  "The FBI database of active shooters cannot be trusted."

Between 2014 and 2021, there were 204 active shooting incidents carried out in areas that allowed people to carry firearms, according to the data.  Out of the 204 cases, 104 of them were thwarted by an armed citizen, meaning 51% of attacks were thwarted by people legally carrying concealed handguns, according to the report.  "When I was at the Department of Justice, they just refused to go and look at this."

The discrepancies [include] the FBI apparent oversight in not including 25 cases that likely would have been mass shootings and thwarted by armed citizens, according to the report.  That is in addition to another 83 active shooting incidents that were not detailed in FBI data.

Law enforcement departments do not compile active shooter reports to the FBI, and that the FBI largely relies on news reports.  "There is no reason to think that the news media covers all the cases where civilians stopped attacks."

Other crime experts have also pointed out that media reports detailing armed citizens thwarting crimes cannot accurately capture the full picture.  An armed citizen, for example, can merely display their firearm to thwart a crime or attack, which can oftentimes go unreported by police.  "National surveys find that firearms are rarely fired when used to stop a violent attack.  Such cases are unlikely to be reported to the police, and even less likely to be found in media stories.  Relying upon media stories would greatly underestimate the true number of defensive gun uses."

The CPRC approached the FBI with discrepancies in their reporting in August, but "the FBI declined to address them."

29 May 2022

Donald Trump at NRA:  If We Can Send $40 Billion to Ukraine, We Can Protect Our Children’s Schools

Former President Donald Trump called for more security in American schools during his speech to the National Rifle Association on Friday.  “If the United States has $40 billion to send to Ukraine, we should be able to do whatever it takes to keep our children safe at home,” Trump said, offering several security proposals for making schools safer, including armed police or security officers.

The former president directly addressed the politically charged nature of the event, after a deranged 18-year-old shot and killed 19 students and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

The former president condemned Democrats for immediately demanding more gun control after the shooting.  “Sadly before the sun had even set on the horrible day of tragedy, we witnessed a now-familiar parade of cynical politicians seeking to exploit the tears of sobbing families to increase their own power and take away our Constitutional rights.”

“When Joe Biden blamed the gun lobby, he was talking about Americans like you,” Trump said.

He also condemned the calls for gun control.  “Let’s not pretend that those on the left are just talking about limiting one class of gun or one category of ammunition … we all know they want total gun confiscation.”

The former president said the mass shootings were only proof that the citizens of the country needed to protect themselves.  “The existence of evil is one of the very best reasons to arm law-abiding citizens.”

Trump also called for cultural change in the United States.  “No law can cure the effects of a broken home. There’s no substitute for a strong mom and a great dad.”

28 May 2022

West Virginia woman with pistol shoots, kills man firing at graduation party:  'Saved several lives'

A woman in West Virginia fatally shot a man Wednesday night who had begun firing an AR-15-style rifle into a crowd of dozens attending a birthday and graduation party.

The shooter had been at the apartment complex earlier in the evening in a vehicle and was warned to slow down because children were playing, according to authorities.

He left but later returned and parked in front of the complex before shooting.

The woman was attending the party.  She drew a pistol and fired on the attacker, killing him.

No one attending the party was injured.

27 May 2022

Shooting victim's father says focus on gun control, not solutions, is why this 'happens'

The father of a teenage victim of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting said that state governments haven’t "learned anything" from past school shootings and insisted more gun laws are not the solution to preventing more shootings.

"They didn’t learn anything from what happened in Texas at that school shooting, they didn’t learn anything from what happened in Parkland at that shooting, they didn’t learn anything from what happened at Sandy Hook.  When you focus on just gun control this is what happens.  It’s happened again."

"Every school should have armed guards with one point of entry as well as mechanisms in place to address the mental illness that many school shooters exhibit.  I guarantee you this kid didn’t just wake up one day and say I want to kill my grandma.  There had to be red flags that went off and it’s a big problem."

Democrats across the country, including Texas gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke, who disrupted a law enforcement briefing on the shooting, have blamed the Uvalde shooting on guns and the lack of gun control policies.

"There’s gun laws in place, there’s so many gun laws in place.  If they don’t have a background, not one gun law is going to make a difference.  You can’t focus on guns.  Nothing gets done."

Several media outlets have reported that the shooter in Uvalde, Texas, who killed 19 children on Tuesday, displayed many signs of mental instability, including slashing his own face with a knife, getting into fistfights at school, fighting with his mother to the point where police were called, and posting pictures of guns online.

9 February 2022

Massive crime spike stems from social unrest, COVID lockdowns destabilizing communities

Surge in violent crime has a common link — and it's not firearms.

From the early 1990s through 2019, there was a national decline in violent crime, but the pendulum swung back in 2020.

Massive social upheaval spurred by the coronavirus pandemic is in large part to blame for the national surge in violent crime — not guns.

"We have crime because we have people.  Crime is a very complex subject."

The homicide rate shot up by 30% in 2020 compared to 2019 — the sharpest one-year increase in the nation’s history — and the upward trend has continued into 2021, according to FBI and other data.  About 4,000 more Americans were murdered in 2020 compared to the prior year

Widespread rioting and social unrest over racial injustice in addition to COVID-19 shutdowns destabilized communities.

Although shootings are up in many big cities, eliminating guns isn’t a realistic goal when there are 400 million privately owned firearms in the U.S.

Most people who commit gun crimes are obtaining their weapons on the black market, not through official channels, so broad, federal gun control laws largely aimed at law-abiding citizens won’t stop the killings.

Banning assault weapons, implementing universal gun purchase permits and universal background checks target people buying guns lawfully.

"When you crack down on these official channels you’re not actually addressing the bulk of gun violence or how those offenders obtain those guns.  Tougher gun control is a talking point that sells well to certain politician’s constituents, but it isn’t effective policy."

Cities like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles face a unique dilemma.  It is incredibly difficult for residents to obtain a gun permit while criminals are roaming the streets with illegal firearms.

"You end up with this problem where there are a number of otherwise law-abiding citizens who can’t obtain concealed carry permits who are told they have no reason to be afraid, but they carry anyway because they are afraid.  These residents tend to be people of color from poorer neighborhoods who are most likely to be victims of violent crime."  In New York City, anyone caught with a loaded firearm faces a second-degree criminal possession of a weapon charge, which carries a mandatory minimum of 3.5 years and a maximum of 15 years.

Gun control racist?  The Black Attorneys of Legal Aid, along with other public defender groups, wrote a legal brief last year arguing that "New York’s licensing regime criminalizes the exercise of the Second Amendment" and unfairly devastates the lives of minorities in poorer neighborhoods who fear for their safety.

"All gun control in America is racist.  Many people on the left don’t want Black people to have the right to defend their lives from Democratic tyranny."

In California, the issue rate for concealed carry permits by zip code reveals glaring racial disparities.

3 Febuary 2022

NSSF Retailer Surveys Indicate 5.4 Million First-Time Gun Buyers in 2021

Nearly 30 percent of all firearm purchases last year went to new gun owners.  At least 5.4 million people purchased a firearm for the first time in 2021.

“The surveys revealed that new gun owners are continuing to embrace their Second Amendment rights and nearly half of them are seeking out professional training.  These trends show that not only is there still a strong interest in gun ownership but also that these new gun owners are interested in learning more about the safe and responsible handling, use and storage of firearms.”

Similar retailer surveys in 2020 showed a 58 percent increase of African-Americans buying guns in 2020 vs. 2019, with a 49 percent increase of Hispanic-Americans during the same time period and a 43 percent increase of Asian-Americans buying firearms in 2020 compared to 2019.  Nearly 60 percent of retailers said the increase of these demographic groups of first-time buyers purchasing firearms remain unchanged from 2020 to 2021.

15 January 2021

FedEx wants a "Second Amendment" solution for its airplanes

FedEx wants anti-missile lasers installed on some planes, and the FAA is considering the proposal.

The Federal Aviation Administration is considering special conditions that would allow FedEx to install an infrared anti-missile laser on certain cargo planes, in response to a years-old request from the international shipping giant.

There have been several instances over the years in which civilian aircraft have been fired upon and even hit by man-portable air defense systems known as MANPADS in hostile areas overseas.

In 2003, a DHL cargo plane was hit during takeoff by a MANPAD in Baghdad, Iraq. The plane was forced to make an emergency landing, but the three crewmen on board were not injured.  The risk prompted a number of companies to design or adapt their own defense systems for planes in response to the threat.

Generalize FedEx's problem and the requested solution:  this is clearly a classic example of the need for the Second Amendment, in any context and any level of technological advances.

11 December 2021

6 December 2021

Nevada court sides with gunmakers in Las Vegas shooting suit

Nevada’s Supreme Court ruled gun manufacturers cannot be held responsible for the deaths in the 2017 mass shooting on the Las Vegas Strip because a state law shields them from liability unless the weapon malfunctions.

"We hold that (state law) provides the gun companies immunity from the wrongful death and negligence per se claims asserted against them under Nevada law in this case," Justice Kristina Pickering wrote in the unanimous decision.

18 November 2021

Thought for the Day

17 November 2021

The Right to Bear Arms Gets Its Day in Court

In a case brought by the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association (NRA’s affiliated association in New York), the U.S. Supreme Court delved into a detailed and sophisticated exploration of the meaning and scope of the Second Amendment’s right to “bear” arms in public places.

As in earlier cases, it took a particularly unusual and sweeping restriction to command the justices’ attention.  Those earlier cases involved what amounted to outright bans on the possession of handguns.  The current case, New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen, concerned New York’s "may-issue" regime for the licensing of concealed handgun carry, the state’s only lawful method for carrying a firearm outside one’s home for self-defense.

The right is treated as a state-administered privilege for the few and the special.

All of the court’s justices joined in the questioning of the litigants, with both sides being pressed to opine on complicated questions of law, history, and hypothetical scenarios.

Several themes emerged during the argument that seemed to resolve issues that lower court cases (perhaps even disingenuously) treated as open questions, with the gun control side retreating from some of its bolder claims.

Both sides treated as a given that the Second Amendment applies to carrying firearms in at least some public places for purposes of self-defense.

Both sides agreed that the relevant question in the case is not if law-abiding Americans have a right to carry firearms in public for self-defense but whether there are sufficient precedents in American history for limiting that right as drastically as New York has.

In admissions that may come back to haunt them, the gun control litigants acknowledged that New York’s scheme is, at bottom, an attempt simply to restrict as much as possible the total number of firearms in the state.

But the plaintiff's attorney made the point, “In a country with the Second Amendment as a fundamental right, simply having more firearms cannot be a problem and can't be a government interest just to put a cap on the number of firearms.”

The justices also probed at length for answers about what sorts of restrictions would still be permissible if New York had to recognize a right to bear handguns publicly as a general matter.  This seemingly would not have been necessary if the consensus was that New York’s current regulations are permissible.

That is not how research works

Some researchers work to keep their papers sterile, no matter their findings.  Others grant themselves leeway to be more bombastic, particularly when it comes to developing theories that explain their findings.

Researchers from the University of Central Missouri and the University of Alabama at Birmingham posted a paper online that makes their anti-gun slant abundantly clear through both their text and their model specifications.  The authors posted their paper, “Gun Dealer Density and its Effect on Homicide” online earlier this month.  It has not been peer-reviewed or published in a journal.

The authors make several emotional, hyperbolic claims about gun ownership and gun dealers that would likely not be accepted if written in a research paper turned in by a student.  The variables excluded from their preferred models initially suggest unfamiliarity with crime data or research, but the use of some variables in later models shows the exclusion was by design.

The choices the researchers made clearly were made in order to find a connection between firearms and a negative outcome.

30 September 2021

Smith & Wesson to move headquarters to Tennessee over Massachusetts' proposed gun legislation

Legislation would impact 60% of gun maker's revenue.

Gun maker Smith & Wesson Brands Inc. will relocate its headquarters to Tennessee next year due to proposed firearms legislation in its home state of Massachusetts.  The legislation, if enacted, would prevent Smith & Wesson from manufacturing products that accounted for more than 60% of its revenue last year.

"These bills would prevent Smith & Wesson from manufacturing firearms that are legal in almost every state in America and that are safely used by tens of millions of law-abiding citizens every day exercising their Constitutional 2nd Amendment rights."

Smith & Wesson has been located in Springfield, Massachusetts, since being incorporated in 1852.

Upward of 750 jobs will move from those facilities to the new headquarters in Maryville, Tennessee, which is just south of Knoxville.

20 August 2021

Taliban Have Gone Door to Door Confiscating Privately Owned Firearms – Are You Paying Attention?

Making sure the populace is unarmed is a big goal.  Have you heard that you ”don’t need a gun” argument before?

The Taliban are not the first gun grabbers to cite need as a reason for firearm confiscation.  Joe Biden has been citing it nearly every time he mentions guns:  “No one needs an AR-15 – period. We have to get these weapons of war out of our communities.”

That's Joe Biden.  Out of touch.  The AR-15 is America's best-selling rifle.  And it is not a "weapon of war".

Throughout history, one of the first acts every oppressive regime makes after seizing power is to ban personal firearm ownership.  It’s a standard tactic that prevents an outraged populace from fighting back and deposing their authoritarian overlords.  Gun bans and firearms confiscation were the rule in the Soviet Union and its satellite countries, Communist China, Germany, Cuba, Venezuela and more.

So pay close attention, America.  Our 2nd amendment is meant to protect your weapons from the government.  It was created to protect citizens from someone like Biden

12 August 2021

Democrats go soft on crime, try to blame the guns

Democrats’ myopic focus on certain, very specific types of rifles and rifle features (i.e., the so-called “assault weapons”) flies in the face of FBI data showing that rifles — all types of rifles — are used in only about 4% of gun homicides.

Without even commenting on the merits of universal background checks, there are no known cases where otherwise lawful private transfers of guns that avoided such checks resulted in a mass shooting incident.

The levels of gun violence in the various states has very little correlation with their gun policies.

Crime increased when Democrats started defunding the police.  Violent crime has skyrocketed in several cities as a result.

Either crack down with a stronger police presence and reduce crime in high-crime areas, or embrace politically correct nostrums, defund police forces, and watch homicides spike while calls for gun-control belie policy failures and the resulting return of urban decay.

10 July 2021

Ban on handgun sales to 18-20 year-olds is unconstitutional, appeals court says

In a 2-1 decision, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond overturned a lower court ruling, stating that the Second Amendment right "vests at least at age 18."

"Our nation’s most cherished constitutional rights vest no later than 18," Judge Julius Richardson, a Trump appointee, wrote in the lengthy ruling.  "And the Second Amendment’s right to keep and bear arms is no different."

The lawsuit was brought by two people who at the time were between the ages of 18 and 20 and unable to make handgun purchases.

Licensed dealers have been prohibited from selling handguns to individuals under the age of 21 since legislation was passed in 1968.

10 July 2021

Gun control has failed New Mexico's citizens

Two years have now passed since the first of several hotly debated gun-control bills passed in Santa Fe. When these gun-control bills were passed, we were told by supporters that these laws were “proven” to reduce violent crime and homicides.

But what has actually transpired since?  Quite the opposite.

The homicide rate in New Mexico sharply rose in 2019 – the latest year of data available.   That was the year the gun-control law criminalizing private firearm sales went into effect.  The City of Albuquerque saw a record number of homicides in 2019.  In 2020, homicides in Albuquerque were only slightly below the record set in 2019.

For the first half of 2021, Albuquerque has already seen a record number of homicides.  While many American metropolitan areas have seen increases in violent crime in 2020 and into 2021, but most are not seeing the record levels Albuquerque is tragically experiencing.

We were warned this would happen.  Back in 2019, a bipartisan group of New Mexico Sheriffs representing 30 of New Mexico’s 33 counties, collectively representing a majority of the state’s residents, cautioned against the policy and said it was a distraction from the real issues.  Their words of caution were disregarded.

When New Mexico politicians use the term “gun-violence” they are using it as a rhetorical escape from discussing the real problems that plague the state.

Gun control laws passed in Santa Fe have failed New Mexicans.  Citizens are not safer today than they were before, but they have less freedom for it – and it isn’t just Second-Amendment rights under fire from gun control laws.  Wasting time and efforts on divisive and ineffective policies has only set New Mexico further back and distracted the state from the real issues which need to be faced as a state.

4 July 2021

19 June 2021

Ammo shortage shows no sign of improving

Gun sales in the U.S. have soared over the past 15 months as people sought protection in response to the wave of civil unrest that occurred following the death of George Floyd as well as an increase in socially distant outdoor activities amid COVID-19 lockdowns.

People also stocked up to prepare for the possibility of stricter gun regulations during the Biden administration.

Smith & Wesson said it shipped nearly 2.5 million units last year, up 70% from 2020.

The unprecedented demand for firearms has made it difficult for manufacturers to keep ammunition on store shelves.

Gun sales for the first four months were up 20% over 2020

8 June 2021

Federal Judge Strikes Down California’s ‘Unconstitutional’ Assault Weapons Ban, Torches Media

A federal judge in the Southern District of California ruled late on Friday that California’s controversial “assault weapons” ban is unconstitutional.

"The firearms deemed ‘assault weapons’ are fairly ordinary, popular, modern rifles.  This is an average case about average guns used in average ways for average purposes."

“One is to be forgiven if one is persuaded by news media and others that the nation is awash with murderous AR-15 assault rifles. The facts, however, do not support this hyperbole, and facts matter.”

"In California, murder by knife occurs seven times more often than murder by rifle. For example, according to F.B.I. statistics for 2019, California saw 252 people murdered with a knife, while 34 people were killed with some type of rifle – not necessarily an AR-15."

The ruling was the result of a 2019 lawsuit filed by the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) to challenge California’s Assault Weapons Control Act (AWCA), which banned popular semiautomatic firearms.

29 May 2021

Harvard University Study Reveals Astonishing Link Between Firearms, Crime, and Gun Control

26 April 2021

1st Time Gun Buyers Help Push Record U.S. Gun Sales Amid String Of Mass Shootings

First time gun owners, young and old from across the country, are helping to push record levels of gun sales for what looks like the second year in a row.

These buyers are white, Black, Asian, and Latino and come from all political beliefs.  And they're being driven by uncertainty, fear, and a need to feel safe.  The largest demographic increase was among non-white Americans, and in particular, an increase in the number of Black women.

Both sales of guns and enrollment in firearms education classes are up.  "Before they would never sell out. Now they sell out two days after we post them."

FBI data show that six of the top 10 days for instant background checks — which are required by the federal government before a licensed firearms retailer can sell a gun — were last month alone.  It reported that the week of March 15 to 21 was the top week for FBI background checks since 1998, completing 1,218,002 total firearms checks.

During the entire month of March 2021, the FBI completed nearly 4.7 million background checks compared to the same month the year before, when the agency reported 3.7 million checks.  Most often, the first timers are purchasing a semiautomatic handgun.

"Most of our customers that have come in here take on that personal responsibility to be able to protect themselves."  These women are also mothers who want to learn about firearms to share that education with their children.

Retailers say they expect a good percentage of first-time buyers (20-60%) have, or will, return to become regular customers.  And they seem to return with a boost in confidence.  "There is a sense of freedom and a feeling like they can protect themselves."

16 March 2021

US handgun, long gun imports surge 60% in 2020

An estimated 23 million people bought guns for the first time in 2020.  About 23 million guns were sold in 2020, with U.S. imports supplying 28% of the firearm demand.

Smith & Wesson unveils new M&P Shield Plus amid surge in first-time gun ownership

The Shield Plus features a capacity of up to 14 rounds.  It comes with a standard, flush-fit 10-round, 9-millimeter magazine and an extended magazine that holds 13 rounds.

The announcement comes as the Springfield, Massachusetts-based company has seen a surge in first-time gun ownership, with 10 million Americans exercising their Second Amendment rights for the first time over the last year.  In its most recent quarter, Smith & Wesson reported a 102% sales jump to $257.6 million, compared with $127.4 million during the same period a year ago.

U.S. imports of handguns and long guns surged by 60% in 2020 compared to the previous year and supplied more than a quarter of the nation’s demand for firearms.

The U.S. imported 6.4 million handguns and long-guns in 2020, compared to the 4 million in 2019.  1,478,464 came from Turkey, 1,284,785 from Austria, and 1,016,630 from Brazil.  Other top countries include Croatia, Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic and China.  The data excludes muzzleloaders and military weapons.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation estimated that there were more than 8.4 million legal first-time gun buyers in 2020.

Why are gun sales spiking under Biden?

22 February 2021

The US sniper rifle that started a revolution

The Barrett M82A1 is used by more than 60 nations, mostly NATO countries and US allies in Asia and the Mideast.

'Switch' from China Can Turn a Glock Into a highly illegal Mini Machine Gun

As the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE or ATF) described on its website, “A relatively simple, albeit illegal, device that allows a conventional semi-automatic Glock pistol to function as a fully automatic firearm.  The switch is classified as a machine gun under federal law.”

25 January 2021

Biden Plots Sneak Attack Against U.S. Firearms Industry

17 January 2021

NRA Ditching New York for Texas

16 January 2021

Email marketing service cuts ties with pro-2nd Amendment nonprofit in latest tech censorship

Mailchimp, the email marketing firm, has dropped the Virginia Citizens Defense League, a pro-Second Amendment nonprofit, from using its platform to reach members, in a move critics see as another attempt in the tech industry to stifle conservative speech.

The nonprofit's president, Philip Van Cleave, said on Friday that Mailchimp ended the service without warning.

The timing was suspicious too, just a few days before our lobby day."  VCDL's annual Lobby Day calls on Second Amendment supporters to rally against gun control legislation at the state’s capital.  Van Cleave said it has gone on peacefully for the past 25 years.

12 January 2021

2020 Was a Record Year for Gun Sales

The National Shooting Sports Foundation reported that 2020 was a record-setting year with over 21 million background checks conducted on gun sales.

Some governors, mayors and even Members of Congress actively stood in the way of that and didn’t relent until faced with court action.  At the same time, workers in these firearm and ammunition factories, distributors, retailers and ranges made adjustments to keep their workforce safe and protected from infection while keeping pace with the demand of the American public.  That’s a testament to the determination of the American worker that makes our freedoms possible.”

It is a fact:  “Retail shelves are still sparse, telling us there is still a strong demand and that elevated levels of firearm sales could continue for some time.”

On top of 2020 being a record year for firearm sales, December 2020 turned out to be the busiest month in NICS history.  3,937,066 background checks were processed in December, and according to estimates, roughly 1,906,916 firearms were sold in December.  That represented a 22.7% increase compared to December 2019.

3 January 2021

Colorado congresswoman-elect appears to score win on Capitol gun rights

Rep.-elect Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., wrote a letter to House leadership Friday, urging them to keep a 1967 rule that exempts lawmakers from a ban on firearms inside the Capitol building.

The letter, which was signed by 82 other current and incoming GOP Congress members -- including Dan Crenshaw, Mo Brooks, Louie Gohmert and Matt Gaetz -- came three days after 21 Democratic lawmakers asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to change the 53-year-old rule to keep Boebert from carrying her gun into work.  On Saturday, it appeared Boebert scored a victory, as new rules unveiled by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi did not appear to include a Democrat-proposed ban on firearms in the Capitol.

"I refuse to give up my Second Amendment rights," Boebert said in a statement last week.  "I’m a 5-foot tall, 100-pound mom with four children and will be walking to work and serving in one of the most dangerous cities in the U.S. I choose to defend my family and my life with all of the force the Constitution provides.  I will not let a bunch of gun-grabbing House Democrats take away my Constitutional right to protect myself."

Boebert, who is an outspoken advocate for the Second Amendment, also said Thursday she plans to join the House Freedom Caucus once she’s sworn into office.  The conservative caucus is currently led by GOP Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona and was previously led by White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows when he was a congressman from North Carolina.

18 December 2020

After Colluding with Biden, BATFE Raids Polymer80

On December 10, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives raided Dayton, Nev.-based Polymer80.  The company manufactures unfinished, often referred to as 80 percent, receivers and frames.  There are also reports of BATFE confronting Polymer80 customers and confiscating certain unfinished frame kits.  The move marks the first direct assault on unfinished frames and receivers since the news broke in November of collusion between BATFE and Biden's transition team to target these items by executive fiat.

In a 2017 determination letter for one of Polymer80's most popular products, the PF940C unfinished pistol frame, BATFE explained, "As a result of this FTISB evaluation, the submitted 'PF940C' is not sufficiently complete to be classified as the frame or receiver of a firearm and thus is not a 'firearm' as defined in the [Gun Control Act]."

According to reports, BATFE raided Polymer80 due to its sale of what the company calls its "Buy Build Shoot" kits.  These kits contain a Polymer80 unfinished pistol frame along with other parts necessary to complete a pistol. Despite its previous acknowledgement that the unfinished frame is not a firearm, BATFE has taken the position that when the unfinished frame is packaged with other non-firearm parts the entire package becomes a "firearm" for the purposes of federal law.

Gun rights supporters should interpret BATFE's increasingly dubious interpretations of federal law and their resulting enforcement actions as indicative of the peril gun owners will face under a Biden administration and prepare for political action accordingly.

9 December 2020

Why These Senators Want John Lott Fired, Now

Earlier this fall, John Lott, author of Gun Control Myths accepted a position at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Specifically, he went to work as a senior adviser for research and statistics at the Office of Justice Programs—this is a DOJ division that quietly gives out $5 billion in grants annually.

This DOJ division has given millions of dollars to academics—some who have a clear bias against your right to keep and bear arms.  In his new role as an adviser, it is unclear whether Lott has yet been able to bring some balance to these massive grant allocations—DOJ-funded studies that, when they come out, often feed the mainstream news with “research” arguing that good, old-fashioned American freedom is not such a good thing after all.

If Lott, who is well-known for digging deep into the details about gun ownership and crime rates, is able to influence how this money is allocated, he could affect the left’s ideological quest to ban and confiscate the citizenry’s guns.

So, when word got out that Lott is working at the DOJ, the left demanded his job.

23 November 2020

Despite strictest gun-control laws, Chicago gun violence is up

Shootings this weekend across the city involved at least 47 victims, including five who died.

Last week, it was reported that the city was on pace to eclipse 700 homicides and is experiencing a year where gun violence has surged by 50% as compared to 2019.

The city has already had more murders than in 2016, a violent year.

Harsh gun-control laws are clearly ineffective; they only make it more difficult for the law-abiding to own guns, not criminals.  The real question is why Chicago has more crime than the rest of the nation, most of which has minimal gun laws?

Gun Rights Groups Sue California Over Ban on Firearms 'In Common Use'

Under California’s "Roster" scheme, law-abiding Golden State citizens are prevented from buying and, or self-building thousands of handgun models that are available anywhere else in the country.  “In Heller the U.S. Supreme Court provided a simple test:  if an arm is bearable and in common use for lawful purposes, it is prima facie protected under the Second Amendment.”

That analysis prevailed in the case of Duncan v. Becerra, where the Court found California’s ban on common firearm magazines to violate the Second Amendment.

“The Legislature has created a regulatory scheme that prevents people from buying handguns that are widely available and popular in the free market outside of the State.  California’s new and expanded handgun ban is unconstitutional because it prevents law-abiding people from purchasing the common, modern firearms they have a right to under our Constitution.  Just like the State cannot prohibit people from buying the political books of their choice, different versions of religious texts, or computers with technological and commercial developments better suited for publishing speech, it cannot ban the sale and self-manufacture of these constitutionally protected handguns.”

2 November 2020

Gun sales year-to-date surpass previous annual record high by nearly 2 million

Gun sales year-to-date surpass previous annual record high by nearly 2 million.  A record 18.6 million firearms have been sold so far this year.  Gun sales surged 65% in the month of October as this year's figures show a continued “record firearm sales pace”.  An estimated 1.9 million firearms were sold in October this year, a 65% spike from the same month in 2019

The number of guns sold from January to September 2020 -- 16.7 million -- had surpassed the previous annual high of 16.6 million firearms, which were sold from January to December 2016.  Every month since March “has been the strongest of that month ever recorded.”

“This much is clear as we head into Election Day. Americans of all political persuasions are exercising their Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms and doing so in record numbers.  Never before have so many Americans chosen to exercise their right to firearm ownership, including the estimated 6.9 million who purchased a firearm for the first time this year.”

Such strong gun sales are a de facto rebellion against the Democrats' plans to take away guns.  Nobody is buying these expensive tools just to give them up.

28 October 2020

Kamala Harris Wants To Ban Guns, But She Doesn’t Want To Talk About It

"I can speak about gun violence as a national issue," Harris responded.  "And uh, nationally, there are so many areas that we need to focus on.  There is the issue of what we need to do that is about smart gun safety law, and that means having background checks."

If universal background checks worked to reduce crime, we wouldn’t be seeing spikes in the homicide rate in places like New York City, Seattle, Chicago, Baltimore, and Los Angeles, where background checks are required before anyone can legally purchase a firearm.  New Mexico instituted universal background checks in 2019 and Albuquerque is likely to have a record-high number of homicides this year, while not a single person has been arrested or charged for transferring a firearm without going through a background check.  As a crime prevention tool they’re meaningless.

Interestingly, Kamala Harris said nothing about the Biden/Harris campaign pledge to ban so-called assault weapons and high capacity magazines.  The Biden/Harris campaign has been downplaying their anti-gun agenda on the campaign trail, and for the most part the media has been happy to go along with their attempt to avoid any substantive discussion about how their agenda would impact tens of millions of legal gun owners.

Kamala Harris can try to avoid any mention of banning guns and magazines, but it’s still telling that the very first thing she talked about in terms of reducing violent crime was a gun control measure aimed at legal gun owners.  Ensuring that there are actual consequences for violent criminals was an afterthought; just a minor aside that she threw in at the end of her statement.

300,000,000 guns with record numbers of new buyers?  That's a de facto rebellion against Democrats' anti-gun political program.  Americans have rights because they can arm themselves, and do.  Not that the Dems don't want civil war; they would welcome it as an opportunity to declare martial law and kill the Constitution once and for all, and establish their autocracy in states they control.

18 September 2020

NRA raised more in August than any month of 2016, as Biden-Trump showdown nears

The National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund, the political action committee (PAC) associated with the gun rights organization, raised more than $1.7 million in August, beating its August 2016 total and raising more than it did in any month ahead of the presidential election that year.

The August fundraising total "is proof that people want to protect their gun rights and their right to self-defense, and that they trust and depend on the NRA to protect these rights and freedoms."

31 August 2020

Self-defense Matters:  Counter-protester who pulled gun at BLM event finds out fate

Florida man who brandished gun at BLM protest was 'lawfully defending himself;' no charges filed.  Police said the armed individual 'was knocked to the ground and under attack'.

A counter-protester who pulled a gun during an altercation at a Black Lives Matter protest in Tallahassee, Fla., Saturday evening "was lawfully defending himself" and will not face criminal charges, according to the police department.

29 August 2020

What Should You Do If a Protest March Came Down Your Street?

7 August 2020

New York AG seeks to dissolve NRA in new lawsuit

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced Thursday that her office has filed a lawsuit against the National Rifle Association and its leadership, including Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre, looking to dissolve the organization.

The Washington, D.C. Attorney General's office also sued the NRA on Thursday based on similar allegations.

NRA President Carolyn Meadows called the lawsuit "a baseless, premeditated attack," claiming it targeted not just the NRA, but the constitutional rights it defends.

"You could have set your watch by it:  the investigation was going to reach its crescendo as we move into the 2020 election cycle," Meadows said in a statement.  "It’s a transparent attempt to score political points and attack the leading voice in opposition to the leftist agenda.  This has been a power grab by a political opportunist – a desperate move that is part of a rank political vendetta. Our members won’t be intimidated or bullied in their defense of political and constitutional freedom."  Meadows added that the NRA "will not shrink from this fight – we will confront it and prevail.” ?

To that end, the NRA countersued James, seeking a court declaration that they are following state not-for-profit law and alleging that The New York Attorney General is targeting the organization for its political positions, violating its free speech rights. 

"The New York Democratic Party seeks to harass, defund and dismantle the NRA because of what it believes and what it says," the lawsuit says. "Only this Court can stop it."

3 August 2020

This year's gun sales have already outpaced 2019's total

An estimated 2 million firearms were purchased in July, 134.6% more than July 2019.  July is the fifth month in which there has been a steep increase in gun sales year-over-year

June:  A 145% surge in gun sales compared to the previous year, more than 2.38 million guns sold.

May:  An 80.2% increase compared to 2019, more than 1.72 million guns sold.

April:  A 71.3% increase, more than 1.79 million guns sold.

March:  An 85.3% spike, more than 2.58 million guns sold.

"This period of sustained firearm purchases clearly shows that Americans continue to take responsibility for their personal safety, especially during times of uncertainty.  The confluence of COVID-19 restrictions, civil unrest, calls to defund law enforcement and political figures and courts that are unwilling to hold criminals accountable for their actions are undeniable factors causing Americans to assess their own personal safety and choose to exercise their right of personal protection."

2 August 2020

Smith & Wesson announces approval of outdoor spinoff company

Gunmaker Smith & Wesson will separate its outdoor products business into an independent publicly-traded company.  The company announced Friday that it received the board of directors’ approval to create the new company.  The two companies will consist of firearms business Smith & Wesson Brands Inc., and the new outdoor accessories company, American Outdoor Brands Inc.

The split also comes as Americans' interest in firearms has spiked at record rates.  In June, background checks for firearms were up 136 percent, compared to a year earlier, according to firearms industry trade group National Shooting Sports Foundation.  Smith & Wesson shares are up now up 176 percent on the year.  In its fourth-quarter earnings, the company reported earnings of 57 cents per share excluding some items on revenue of $233.6 million.

30 July 2020

Missouri attorney general dismissing case against St Louis couple charged with brandishing gun

The attorney general described Gardner’s litigation as nothing more than a politically motivated move.

“The shameless circuit attorney filed suit against a St. Louis couple who, according to published reports, say they were doing just that–defending the safety of their property,” he said.  “A political prosecution, such as this one, would have a chilling effect on Missourians exercising their right to self-defense.  The law of Missouri is clear and must be protected … enough is enough.”

"As Missouri’s chief law enforcement officer, I simply will not stand by while Missouri laws are being ignored," Schmitt said in a video shared on Twitter.  "That is why I am entering the case in terms of seeking the dismissal of the case to protect the rights of Missourians to defend themselves in their property under Missouri’s castle doctrine."  The rule recognizes residents’ right to respond to intruders with force and without a duty to retreat because their home is their “castle.”  If someone trespasses and disrupts the “sanctity” of their home, they intend to harm, and residents can ward off their advances.

21 July 2020

Murders can wait – Missouri AG calls felony charges against armed homeowners 'a political prosecution'

Prosecutor persecutes first

The McCloskeys were targeted for exercising their fundamental rights

The Circuit Attorney’s office has admitted there is a backlog of cases and dozens of homicides that haven't been prosecuted, yet Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner has accelerated this case forward.

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt argued that the right to self-defense is "deeply rooted" in the Constitution and said the state has an expansive "castle doctrine," which "gives broad authority to individuals to protect their lives, the lives of their family members, their homes, and their property."

"At a time when there's calls to defund the police, at a time with skyrocketing violent crime rates – including here in Missouri and in St. Louis – we've got a prosecutor now targeting individuals for exercising their fundamental rights under the Second Amendment," Schmitt said.

Is St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner making her bones for career advancement in the Democratic Party?

20 July 2020

St. Louis' top prosecutor says she's charging couple who flashed guns at crowd marching to mayor's home

Mark and Patricia McCloskey say they were defending themselves against violent demonstrators

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner said Mark and Patricia McCloskey will be charged with felony unlawful use of a weapon following the June 28 incident.

Gardner declined to discuss why Missouri’s "castle doctrine," a law that justifies deadly force for those who are defending their homes from intruders, didn’t apply.

The McCloskeys have said many times they were defending themselves, with tensions high in St. Louis and other cities over race and law enforcement.  They said that the crowd of demonstrators broke an iron gate marked with "No Trespassing" and "Private Street" signs, and that some violently threatened them.

Missouri AG moves to dismiss charges against couple who pointed guns at crowd

The brief supporting the dismissal says 'the right to use firearms to defend one’s person, family, home, and property has deep roots in Missouri law'.

Within hours of the ruling, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt filed a brief seeking to dismiss Gardner’s charges against the McCloskeys on the grounds that their Second Amendment rights are being violated. . "The right to keep and bear arms is given the highest level of protection in our constitution and our laws, including the Castle Doctrine, which provides broad rights to Missourians who are protecting their property and lives from those who wish to do them harm," Schmitt said.

"As Missouri’s Chief law enforcement officer, I won’t stand by while Missouri law is being ignored," Schmitt said.

Several Republican leaders have condemned Gardner's investigation, including President Trump, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson and Sen. Josh Hawley, who has urged Attorney General William Barr to undertake a civil rights investigation of Gardner.  Parson said in a radio interview Friday that he would likely pardon the couple if they were charged and convicted.

18 July 2020

Legally armed driver shoots, kills gunman to stop fatal shooting spree in Indiana

16 July 2020

NRA endorses Trump, says he 'delivered' on promise to protect Second Amendment

Trump secured the gun rights group’s endorsement in his 2016 election, and it is not surprising that the group has backed Trump a second time.  Meanwhile, presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden has promised a number of gun control measures if elected.  Democrats want to take Americans' Second Amendment rights away from them.

The NRA endorsement comes a day after the National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) endorsed Trump, praising his "steadfast and very public support" for law enforcement.

15 July 2020

Trump may intervene in case of St. Louis couple wielding guns at protesters, Missouri governor said

The governor of Missouri says President Trump has promised to "do everything he could within his powers" to shield a St. Louis couple who wielded guns at protesters in their gated community from prosecution, even as an attorney for the client says charges are imminent.

President Trump "understands the situation in St. Louis and how out of control it is for a prosecutor to let violent criminals off and not do their job and try to attack law-abiding citizens."

The President's support behind the scenes was vital to permitting local police to step back from prior directives to be 'hands off' protesters.  "The support of the Executive Office appears to have motivated The Governor to garner a heightened degree of appreciation for implications and rights at risk in this situation."

11 July 2020

Who is Kimberly Gardner, the St. Louis prosecutor investigating gun-toting couple?

The standoff between a gun-toting couple who stood in their front yard and protesters who marched through the private neighborhood is under investigation, according to St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner's office.

Gardner, who was elected in 2016 on a platform of reforming the criminal justice system, was reportedly backed by liberal billionaire George Soros.  The total funds donated by the super PAC were at least $190,750, according to the report, with Soros giving at least $30,000.  Soros is known for backing left-wing causes across the globe, having last year used his super PAC to successfully boost two liberal prosecutor candidates in Virginia over incumbent Democrats.

Since being elected, Gardner has butted heads publicly with Missouri’s Republican attorney general Eric Schmitt and faced lawsuits for allegedly ignoring public records requests.  Gardner was sued last week for at least the third time over the state’s Sunshine Law, an open records law that requires the government to respond within three days to requests for public records.

Schmitt had earlier criticized Gardner on Twitter for allowing the release of all 36 rioters and looters arrested in the city following protests over the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.  "In a stunning development, our office has learned that every single one of the St. Louis looters and rioters arrested were released back onto the streets by local prosecutor Kim Gardner," Schmitt tweeted June 3.

Gardner has also been at odds with the St. Louis police and local legal establishment since taking office.

She said her office was working with the police department to investigate the confrontation, adding that authorities "will use the full power of Missouri law to hold people accountable."  However, no charges were filed against the couple as of Tuesday morning.

St. Louis couple who brandished guns had right to defend property:  attorney

Couple told police they were threatened by 'multiple' armed individuals when they got their guns

The St. Louis couple caught on video brandishing guns in the front yard of their home while protesters passed through their private neighborhood are being investigated by the St. Louis Police Department and the city's circuit attorney, Kimberly Garder.

"I am alarmed at the events that occurred over the weekend, where peaceful protesters were met by guns and a violent assault," Gardner said.  "We must protect the right to peacefully protest, and any attempt to chill it through intimidation or threat of deadly force will not be tolerated."

However, the McCloskeys' attorney, Albert Watkins, saw the couple's clash with protesters differently.  Under Missouri's Castle Doctrine, "a person has the right, has the absolute unmitigated right to protect his or her castle or family while on their property," Watkins said.  "And in this particular fact situation, you have individuals who are acting on private property, trespassing as lawbreakers onto private property, damaging and destroying private property and acting in a threatening and hostile fashion, such as to give rise to what any human being would consider to be placing them in a position of abject horror and certainly in a position of feeling in fear of imminent harm.  My clients didn't sit on their front stoop with guns ... No firearms were on them at the time that they, were, as property owners standing in front of their home.  It was not until they basically were in a position of seeing and observing violence, recklessness, lawbreaking, and knowing that the police were not going to be doing anything."

Watkins also slammed Gardner's decision and said if she had read the McCloskeys' police report from the incident "she would have recognized the pure folly of her suggestion that she was going to evaluate the case for criminal charges.  If Kimberly Gardner wants to press charges against two attorneys who are protecting their home and their family and themselves on their own property, I will tell you that it will be nothing short of the proverbial cluster f---."

Mark McCloskey, 63 said in a Tuesday morning interview that he, his wife and his home were threatened by a fringe group that accompanied protesters marching to the mayor's nearby home.  "There were people wearing body armor. One person pulled out a loaded pistol magazine, he clipped them together and said, 'You’re next.  We were threatened with our lives, threatened with the house [being] burned down."

Missouri couple who defended home have rifle seized during police search

Authorities in St. Louis executed a search warrant Friday evening at the home of Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the couple who made headlines last month when they took up arms to defend their home from protesters.  There was no immediate indication the McCloskeys were arrested or charged with a crime.  The warrant applied only to a search for the guns.

Soon after the June incident, Kimberly Gardner, circuit attorney in St. Louis, announced that her office and the St. Louis Police Department would be conducting an investigation into the McCloskeys’ display of firearms.  The couple’s attorney at the time, Albert Watkins, said in a statement that the couple did not arm themselves until after they began feeling threatened.  "My clients didn't sit on their front stoop with guns. ... No firearms were on them at the time that they, were, as property owners standing in front of their home.  It was not until they basically were in a position of seeing and observing violence, recklessness, lawbreaking, and knowing that the police were not going to be doing anything."

"[The protesters said] that they were going to kill us.  They were going to come in there.  They were going to burn down the house.  They were going to be living in our house after I was dead, and they were pointing to different rooms and said, 'That's going to be my bedroom and that’s going to be the living room and I’m going to be taking a shower in that room'."  The couple said protesters also threatened to harm their dog, which was outside the home at the time.

Protesters had returned to their neighborhood July 3 – but the couple was alerted in advance and hired a private security company to protect their residence.

2 July 2020

Investigation into St. Louis couple who defended their home against protesters is 'abuse of power,' says Missouri Senator Hawley

Hawley blasted circuit attorney Kimberly Gardner – the prosecutor spearheading the probe – pointing out that she has had "dozens of violent criminals referred to her by the St. Louis police and she hasn't prosecuted any of them.  She hasn't even charged any of them.  She's turned them back out on the streets," he accused.

"And then you've got this couple who, by the way, are on their own property – they never left their property – just standing there with their perfectly Second Amendment right to keep their arms — standing right there.  And, they're going to be investigated?" asked Hawley.  "I mean, it's just insane."

The homeowners told police the protesters broke a gate to get onto the private street, adding they only retrieved their firearms when they spotted "multiple" people who were armed, department records show.

"There were people wearing body armor.  One person pulled out a loaded pistol magazine, he clipped them together and said, 'You're next,'" Mark McCloskey said.  "We were threatened with our lives, threatened with the house [being] burned down."

Under Missouri's Castle Doctrine, "a person has the right, has the absolute unmitigated right to protect his or her castle or family while on their property," Watkins said.  "And in this particular fact situation, you have individuals who are acting on private property, trespassing as lawbreakers onto private property, damaging and destroying private property and acting in a threatening and hostile fashion, such as to give rise to what any human being would consider to be placing them in a position of abject horror and certainly in a position of feeling in fear of imminent harm."

29 June 2020

St. Louis couple draw weapons on protesters headed to mayor's house

A married couple brandished firearms at protesters marching through their upscale St. Louis neighborhood.  The couple confronted the group of about 300 protesters after they breached a gate in the neighborhood.

15 June 2020

Thomas, Kavanaugh lament 'decade-long failure to protect the Second Amendment'

Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanagh on Monday admonished their fellow justices for letting Second Amendment cases languish in the lower courts in a dissent to the tribunal's decision not to take up a gun rights case.

2 June 2020

California liquor store owner uses AR-15 to protect his property from looters in George Floyd unrest

"It was a good thing I had my customers and friends by my side, because it was pretty scary."  The store owner said he and his friends helped nearby businesses discourage looters as well.

South Philly gunstore owner guarding shop overnight shoots, kills armed looter

The owner saw a group of looters on his surveillance video breaking a padlock on his gate using bolt cutters.  The owner confronted the thieves, and one pointed a gun at him.  The owner fatally shot the gun-wielding robber using an AR-15.  A second robber was also likely shot in the shoulder.  The group then fled the scene.

18 May 2020

New Zealand Gun Crime Rates Soar Following Gun Bans

New figures obtained by RNZ show last year had the highest rates of gun crime and deaths involving firearms for nearly 10 years.  And in both of the last two years, the rate of deadly incidents involving a firearm was the highest it had been since 2009.

In the immediate aftermath of enacting tough gun control laws, gun crime goes up.  That doesn't make a lot of sense unless you realize that the very people not complying with the law include a large number of criminals who aren't going to comply with any law.  Now, though, they know that their potential targets are less likely to be able to defend themselves.  For them, it's time to step up and get busy because no one can stop them.

The police show up just in time to draw a chalk outline around the body.  They don't prevent crimes so much as respond to them and the criminals know this.  They do what they're going to do and leave before the police show up.

12 May 2020

The Streak Continues:
April Sets NICS Record - more than 2.9 million checks for gun purchases

Not so good in Canada - tyranny on warpath to take guns

7 May 2020

Coronavirus is Democrats' latest excuse to attack the Second Amendment

5 May 2020

Pro-Gun Senators Urge Regulators to Protect Firearm Businesses from Discrimination

High Court Punts Second Amendment Challenge, But Eyes More Cases

The Supreme Court on April 27 remanded the NRA-backed case of New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, Inc. v. City of New York (NYSRPA v. NYC) to the lower courts without addressing whether the regulations challenged in the case violated the right to keep and bear arms.  The court held that because the challenged laws had been changed after it decided to hear the case, the original dispute was moot.  Any residual challenges to the new laws, according to the court, would have to be decided in the lower courts with an amended complaint and additional development of the evidentiary record.

At issue in the case was whether the Second Amendment allowed New York City to prohibit licensed handgun owners from transporting their guns, locked in a case and unloaded, outside the city for lawful purposes.

The Supreme Court quickly signaled that it may be considering another Second Amendment case "soon".  By the end of the day on which the court had issued its opinion in NYSRPA v. NYC, it had also distributed 10 additional Second Amendment cases to be considered during a Friday conference on which new cases the court may hear.

1 April 2020

March Shatters Monthly Gun Sales Record as U.S. Faces Down Threat of Coronavirus

More than 2.5 million guns sold in March

"Retailers have been telling us that the overwhelming majority of those buying firearms over the last month have been first-time gun owners. This puts to rest America's thoughts on gun-control ideas. Americans across the country chose to exercise their right to lawfully purchase a gun when their safety became more than a rhetorical question."

26 March 2020

Coronavirus propels gun sales 500%

"Our sales are up 80 percent, with a huge increase in first-time buyers who are worried about martial law, economic collapse, unemployment, shortages, delinquents roaming the streets. If you can't defend your house and your family, what good are you?"

"The women and the elderly are tired of being victims, and afraid of getting robbed at the ATM or scammed at home."

In California last week, gun stores saw lines out the door and down the street.

"Beto O'Rourke"s job of taking our guns is getting harder - Good to see more Americans exercise their second amendment right. Florida is #2 in total registered firearms."

Thought for the Day

18 March 2020

Coronavirus triggers massive spike in firearms and ammunition sales

15 March 2020

Connecticut gun-control law prompts Second Amendment lawsuit

10 March 2020

Does New York's Red Flag law apply to Chuck Schumer?

7 March 2020

Congressman Ken Buck to Joe Biden and Beto O'Rourke: "Come and take it."

20 February 2020

Shooting rampage in Germany kills at least 8, police say
        Strict gun-control does not work

19 February 2020

Gun rights activist confronted on Ohio college campus,
        claims police allowed leftist students to 'riot'

18 February 2020

Virginia Dems Lose Big in Face of Grassroots Pro-Gun Movement - Statewide Assault Weapons Ban Fails

15 February 2020

Thought for the Day

4 February 2020

We should not forget how wrong Mini Mike Bloomberg is about 19-year-olds ...

2 February 2020

South Dakota becomes latest state to legalize concealed carry without a permit

	2020	Jan.-Jun.
Cool Second Amendment jersey	Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty

31 January 2020

    And that is why they want to take your guns.    

28 January 2020

Second Amendment Rally Seems to Have Anti-Gun Extremists Disappointed
        ... That it was so Peaceful

18 January 2020

Virginia Governor Northam is the state's best gun salesman

14 January 2020

Va Dems Drop AR-15 Confiscation After 1000s of NRA Members Show

Myth busted: Campus carry never caused that increase in violence liberals predicted

Bloomberg Dismisses Texas Hero,
        Insists It Wasn't His "Job" to Have a Gun or Decide to Shoot
"You just do not want the average citizen carrying a gun in a crowded place."
Actually, you do.

Bloomberg's payroll includes plenty of armed men to keep him safe.
He obviously thinks he is better than the average citizen.

13 January 2020

NRA Handing Out 30-Round Mags in VA to Fight Northam Gun Ban

12 January 2020

Dem Governor Addresses Pro-Gun Revolt in VA:
        'These Laws Are Intended to Keep Virginians Safe'
        Everyone knows the real-world facts show that is not true.
'Like a Freight Train': 9 Out of 10 Virginia Counties
        Declare Themselves 2nd Amendment Sanctuaries
        As of Dec. 20th, 85 counties, 9 cities, and 17 towns
        had formally declared themselves Second Amendment sanctuaries.
Virginia Dems Wanted to Confiscate 'Assault Weapons'
        - Then They Realized How Many Virginians Own Them
Virginia County Forms Militia in Response to Dems' Gun Control Laws

6 January 2020

The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun

23 November 2019

California's Restrictive Gun Laws Still Can't Prevent Shootings
Instead of reducing the dangers posed by criminals, California's gun restrictions have increased the threat posed to decent people by the law itself.

America's Second Amendment Sanctuary Movement Is Alive and Well

28 October 2019

26 October 2019

Trump No Longer Backing 'Red Flag' Law, Background Check Changes

21 August 2019

Concealed Carry Permit Holders Across the United States: 2016

"Compared to the rest of the country, the 25 states with the highest rates of permit-holding experienced markedly lower rates of murder and violent crime."

"Permit Holders are Extremely Law-abiding [...].

About 103 crimes [occur] per hundred thousand officers.

For the U.S. population as a whole, the crime rate was 37 times higher -- 3,813 per hundred thousand people. [...]

Concealed carry permit holders are even more law-abiding than police. [...] Permit holders are convicted of misdemeanors and felonies at less than a sixth the rate for police officers. [...] Firearms violations occur at [...] just 1/7th of the rate for police officers."

19 June 2019

Rep. Thomas Massie, John Lott: Gun-free zones need to go.
        They are not only ineffective, they're dangerous

• The tragedy at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center fits an all too familiar pattern — yet another mass shooting in a place the victims were banned from carrying guns.
• 98 percent of all mass public shootings in the U.S. since 1950 have occurred in places where the average citizen was banned from possessing guns.

1 April 2019

Judge blocks California high-capacity magazine ban
        "Individual liberty and freedom are not outmoded concepts,"
        U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez wrote.

24 March 2019

Eight facts about gun violence in America
        1. America is relatively safe, and the trend is toward becoming safer.
        2. The principal public safety concerns are suicides and illegally owned handguns.
        3. A small number of factors significantly increase the likelihood that a person will
            be a victim of a gun-related homicide.
        4. The perpetration of gun-related murders is often carried out by predictable
            people.
        5. Higher rates of gun ownership are not associated with higher rates of violent
            crime.
        6. There is no clear relationship between strict gun control legislation and homicide
            or violent crime rates.
        7. Legally owned firearms are used for lawful purposes much more often than they
            are used to commit crimes or suicide.
        8. Concealed carry permit holders are not the problem, but they may be part of the
            solution.
Global statistics show that higher rates of gun ownership are not associated with higher rates of violent crime.

18 January 2019

How gun-ontrol became an instrument of tyranny in Venezuela

16 December 2018

Civil Disobediance and Tyranny In Action

Untold Thousands Flout Gun Registration Law

In 2013, Connecticut required owners of "assault rifles" to register their guns.

About 50,000 did, but an estimated 100,000 to 250,000 did not.

With the enactment of a single law, hundreds of thousands of instant felons were created.   This is wrong.

17 November 2018

California Dem says US would win 'short war' against gun-rights advocates: 'The government has nukes'

U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell on Friday said the U.S. government would use its nuclear weapons in a hypothetical war against Second Amendment supporters refusing to give up their firearms.

Obviously, killing innocents along with those he would attack does not upset Swalwell - typical of sociopaths.

"So basically Rep. Swalwell wants a war. Because that's what you would get. You're outta your mind if you think I'll give up my rights and give the [government] all the power," Joe Biggs tweeted at Swalwell.

Swalwell's comment drew an immediate backlash, with thousands of people criticizing the lawmaker for the ill-thought-out remark. "Here is an actual member of the U.S. Congress talking about using nuclear weapons against Americans," David Freddoso wrote.

"Personally, I have a bigger problem with an elected official blithely talking about nuking his fellow Americans than my neighbor owning an AR-15," Cam Edwards tweeted.

Swalwell's statement exposes the thinking of a would-be dictator, and ought to be considered as criminal for someone who is supposed to represent voters, based on a Constitution written by the people, authorizing and limiting the government to specific powers and actions intended to be taken in their stead.

20 July 2018

This marks the end of gun control

15 July 2018

SCOTUS Justice Scalia made clear the Second Amendment and the Heller case prohibit "assault weapon" bans
           The AR-15 is America's most popular gun, with 10-12 million in circulation.

26 December 2017

HuffPo asks gun owners why?   Gets same answers regardless of race

"When you start paying attention to the Second Amendment, you start having more of a value for all of the other amendments."   Those same people will start getting more involved in politics and show up at school board meetings to talk with their city councils.

23 July 2016

Bloomberg associate reveals their ultimate intent
Not "commonsense", but taking away all guns - anti-freedom, anti-right to self-defense

20 December 2016

Bloomberg's Moms Demand Action caught lying during testimony

6 December 2016

Michael Bloomberg spends many millions fighting for gun control. The results? Not so much.
Bloomberg spending on gun control is an order of magnitude above spending by the NRA against it. Votes show the majority does not agree with him.

2 December 2016

Why Texas gun laws protect students from OSU-style attack

13 November 2016

Guns, in the hands of law-abiding citizens, save people's lives.

4 October 2016

Strict gun control laws did not stop this robbery in Paris

1 October 2016

Waiting periods are only a step. Registration is only a step. The prohibition of private firearms is the goal.
- Attorney General Janet Reno

23 September 2016

The evidence just keeps piling up - unfortunately, like dead bodies
Chicago - Murder and Mayhem
How strict do you have to make your laws before you get that it is just not working?
Or is your real agenda just to grab ever more power - a wannabe dictator, controlling the lives of millions?

16 September 2016

A gun is an excellent means of self-defense; of leveling the playing field against a gang or even a single person who is bigger, stronger, or who has any other advantage.

The evidence is incontrovertible.

Seen the news lately?

Australia - gun-control failure, and better-armed criminals

Confiscating guns from owners misses the point that criminals do not obey the law. If gun-control is imposed with the goal of keeping guns away from criminals, then gun-control is an absolute failure - even in a country like Australia, with no national land-borders. Criminals will always get guns.

Making it harder for the law-abiding to buy guns - through "waiting period" delays or other restrictions, misses the point that most criminals use stolen or illegally-obtained guns. Such laws have no effect on the actions of criminals, except to encourage violent assault without fear of being stopped by their intended victims.

As with "gun-free" zones, gun-control laws are something the criminally-minded ignore with impunity. Gun-free zones should be abolished.

Seriously? -

LGBT - Not the First Group To Act In Their Own Defense

Ex-slaves were encouraged to arm themselves after the Civil War, as a defense against lynchings by the KKK and other like-minded people. Now, after the killings in an Orlando bar, another group realizes that acting in your own defense saves lives, is very moral and very right.

This clearly shows that guns support freedom, not just from an oppressive government, but also freedom from the violent attacks of other people who hate them.

The Center for Disease Control researched gun use
On President Obama's order, the CDC did the research, and the answer was unexpected. The number of times a gun is used for self-defense or in the defense of another outweighs by several orders of magnitude the occurrences where a gun is used to commit a crime. The gun is one of the best safety devices available.

Different sources disagree on the exact numbers, but between 360,000 and 1,200,000 people are defended and saved through the use of a gun each year from murders, rapes, and robberies, vs. the approximately 6,000-10,000 people killed with a gun (30,000 if you include suicide). Taking away guns would increase the frequency of successful crimes by orders of magnitude.

The numbers are very clear: deterrence works. In the last twenty-five years, Americans have been buying more guns, and the use of Concealed-Carry Permits has increased exponentially.

At the sane time, the number of murders has been declining. Coincidence? Perhaps, but any polling and discussion with convicted criminals on motives and methods reveals that they search for vulnerable, easily-assaulted victims; criminals shy away from those they suspect are well-armed. Kennesaw, Georgia, is a stereotypical case-in-point: the City Council passed an ordinance requiring every house to be armed with a gun. If it were tested in court, the legality of such an ordinance would certainly be questionable. But criminals do not initiate test-cases. They simply look elsewhere for victims. Crime is absent in Kennesaw. Deterrence works.

The solution is not more laws. The solution is better general education, better training in the handling and use of guns, better teaching of morals and ethics (in churches and in schools), and better diagnosis and treatment for mental illnesses.

Criminalization and Black Markets

The creation of gun-control laws has two rarely-mentioned results.

1. Turning law-abiding, tax-paying citizens into criminals. Connecticut is the latest example, where an estimated 110,000-120,000 people own AR-15-style rifles - "assault rifles" to the Connecticut legislature, which passed a law requiring the registration of such guns. Only 10,000 owners complied. With a single stroke of the pen, more than 100,000 people in Connecticut - law-abiding, tax-paying citizens - have become overnight felons, criminalized by the heavy-handed, sledgehammer-and-blowtorch actions of a Constitutionally-illegal legislature.

Some of those new felons will realize they must move their dealings to the black market, increasing their interactions with truly-violent criminals. That occurred during Prohibition, when the law-abiding went to criminals to buy what should never have been made illegal in the first place. Prohibition just created a disregard for the law per se; the same has been repeated in Connecticut. The use of force does not legitimize a law; the use of force destroys the law, and with it a culture.

2. The growth of black-market activity. Black markets are ever-present. They are minimal in a free country, but the more restrictive and oppressive a nation's laws become, the greater is the growth of the black market. A black market says more about the destructiveness of a government than it does about criminal activity.

Mass Killings

The next time you are with a group of people, imagine having to explain to them that, because of the gun control which you advocate, twelve of them will be dead unnecessarily; twelve lives will be lost. Explain to twelve families that their happiness will be forever shattered; that personal loss and enduring mental trauma will be theirs to experience for the rest of their lives - because you decided they should be left defenseless against criminal attack. Explain to twelve out of every fourteen you see, that they will be dead, because of your desire for gun control. Explain to twelve of the fourteen why it is that you have any justification for determining that they will die.

It ought to be a simple challenge to the President, to governors, to people like Michael Bloomberg and Hillary Clinton, and to lawmakers generally: to all who favor gun control, to remove the people who guard you. Lead by example. Prove by your own actions that what you advocate actually works. Or are you to afraid to practice what you preach, and leave behind the 24-by-7 armed guards? Are you afraid to admit that you think of yourself as some kind of "elite", above other people, and want to be treated as a special exception?

Is life really more dangerous when many people own guns?

Compare the U.S. to Great Britain, where guns are severely restricted.

Britain proves gun control does not work!

Compare the U.S. to Europe. Much of Europe lacks the safety of the U.S. - despite Europe's more oppressive political environment and severely-restrictive gun laws.

"Womens' Rights" become a farce without the right of self-defense.

Who are the players? What are the stakes?

Those people who are well-meaning, however misguided or not, who advocate waiting periods, etc., play into the hands of those who would use those restrictions to increasingly make it more difficult to buy, own, use, and carry guns. Government regulation of guns can only have one ultimate end-result: criminals with guns, while the law-abiding are defenseless and helpless victims, and an increasingly oppressive government.

In some states, such as South Carolina, the state has a limited time period to respond with a background check. Beyond that, a gun can be sold without the check. But in states with no expiration, the purchase is deliberately delayed ad infinitum, as a means of furthering an anti-gun agenda; i.e., abrogating individuals' right to own a gun.

New Jersey provides an excellent example of just such a government. Ask Carol Bowne.

As is the case in South Carolina, the onus should be on the government to take timely action, and should not be detrimental to the rights of individuals.

Yet South Carolina is not without fault, either. Concealed Carry Permits are typically issued only at the very end of the legal period of time allowed by legislation.

No government is immune from using the laws in the ways it sees fit. Thus the U.S. has a Consitution which is above the government, untouchable by it, which limits its powers. Contrast any other government in the world, and the level of freedom of its subject population, to see the difference.

Just look at the list of those who have supported the right to bear arms, vs. the list of those who have opposed it, and the motivations become crystal clear. Would-be dictators, tyrants, and killers want you to be disarmed.

Concealed Carry Permit Holders

In my experience, people who possess a Concealed Carry Permit as a group are uniformly the most calm, level-headed, no-nonsense, responsible, and courteous people it is possible to meet.

That should really come as no surprise. They have dedicated themselves to possessing overwhelming deadly force, in the name of the protection of their loved ones, friends, people generally, and themselves.

They know they must be aware of bystanders who might get hurt if they should choose to fire that weapon. They must carefully thread the legal issues surrounding their choice to carry.

At the same time they must be continually-vigilant of the people around them, and conditions generally, to avoid and prevent danger from occurring. They must be ready to stop someone who has the intention of causing harm, and they must assure that their own weapon remains safely under their own control.

They are aware that, whatever they may be doing, they must maintain a continual readiness. Having chosen to be able to carry, they also must consider the potential personal and emotional consequences of failing to carry. The choice they have made engenders a sobering responsibility.

That reflects their training in obtaining their permit.

Safety in the Work Environment

The following was sent to the HR department where I work. I urge all companies to consider a plan such as I describe below.

Security and HR --

Having viewed the Active Shooter "safety" video, with its "Run, hide, fight" theme, and based on my knowledge of this subject, I have grave concerns regarding the safety of our personnel, given the video's content and suggested procedures.

The recommended approach to handling and resolving an active-shooter situation is incomplete. In terms of the potential for the loss of human life, actual incidents demonstrate that the suggested approach is severely inadequate.

In the U.S., most states provide commonly available Concealed-Carry permits for citizens. Such permits generally involve significant training in gun safety, use, and legal issues in a defensive situation.

Applicants wishing to obtain a concealed-carry permit typically must submit to both state and Federal background checks and fingerprinting. Experience has shown that the vetting is fairly rigorous: the percentage of permit-holders who carry out illegal actions is virtually non-existent, well below the norm for the general population.

Where possible, the establishment of a building defensive team consisting of volunteer concealed-carry permit holders should be implemented. Implementing such a program would require the establishment of an appropriate business policy, and might also include additional training and qualification. I would also suggest that for best results in an active-shooter situation, as well as to minimize the discomfort of those uncomfortable around guns, the existence of such teams should not be advertised, and the names of team members should definitely not be disclosed.

As an example, in our building a team of four or five members, whose desks are widely-dispersed, could have a substantial impact in reducing the tragedy of an active-shooter situation.

The presence of concealed-carry personnel at the site of a shooting can make a substantial difference:
- With none present, the average number of dead per incident is 14.3;
- With a permit-holder present, the average number of dead per incident is 2.3.

Not having concealed-carry personnel on-site condemn on average a dozen people to be dead who would otherwise survive.

The inadequacy of the Active Shooter training video is demonstrated in that simple fact: a dozen people alive, vs. a dozen people dead; a dozen legal liabilities, or none. The lives of twelve people - and their families' happiness - will continue or be unnecessarily cut short, depending on whether a defensive team is present in an active-shooter scenario.

As has been noted both generally and by law-enforcement personnel specifically, the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun, is a good guy with a gun.

While the video's contents make sense as far as they go, "Run, Hide, Fight" is not a reasonable safety process in an active-shooter situation. I would ask that you consider the means described above to institute what is literally an order-of-magnitude improvement in this life-or-death safety process for employees.

I would be happy to discuss options in more detail, at your convenience.

This was one of the responses:

Having an active response team in all company locations is the best practice. At some point in time (now is preferred), we need to push this up the food chain and have it considered/re-considered by whomever it takes to bring some light on this. The position that running and hiding or as a last resort sticking a pencil in the eye or throwing a stapler at an active shooter is simply a coward's way of dealing with a very, very real issue - the advised approach will guarantee more dead employees. Our company dropped the ball on this once before and the result was a number of dead employees in one of our plants - it appears they didn't learn a thing (bet they built more fences and made sure everyone was wearing their badges). I know of one corporation in our area that has implemented the exact plan Scott states below and the employees could not BE MORE APPRECIATIVE. To them, it was a signal that their managers truly cared about them and not the politically correct approach (e.g., "If we do allow a gun in the building, someone might get hurt."). I hope that this can be forwarded to those who may be able to bring some courage to this decision process - our options are to wait until several are blown away or do something now - again, it is time to face the reality that "when seconds count, the police are only minutes away" and to understand that what Scott stated is ABSOLUTELY correct - the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. We should understand nothing more than the fact that the movie theatre shooter in Colorado drove about eight miles to find a theatre that did not allow guns. Most of the public does not know that he passed up numerous theatres that did allow concealed carry (Gee, wonder why he would do that?). I know people don't like the cliches and they especially don't like them when they speak the truth but here is another - the most dangerous place on earth is a "Gun Free Zone".

Again, I urge all companies to consider such a plan.

-- Scott

26 March 2016

The Second Amendment - the right to bear arms - like it or not, is there first to protect your other rights from the government's encroachment and oppression (sudden or gradual), and second for your self-defense against would-be criminals.   Even if you do not own any guns, by living among people who do, your life is safer.

2 April 2016

Americans have the will to resist because you have weapons.   If you don't have a gun, freedom of speech has no power.
-- Yoshimi Ishikawa

This is not a trivial observation of one of the standout differences of living in America.   Living in such freedom, we do not realize nor appreciate the duress and resigned cynicism so prevalent in Europe and elsewhere, in the face of the imposition of an irresistable and all-powerful government.

That is why the debate regarding gun rights vs. gun control and the NRA are always at the forefront and so frequently under attack.   American must be disarmed if attacks on other rights are to gain ground.

31 January 2010

Preserve and Protect - values, family, friends, rights

"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." -- the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution

"A well regulated militia" - then and now - means individual people.   It made the American Revolution possible.   To say otherwise is to miss the principles fought for - by both sides - in the April, 1775, battles at Lexington and Concord.

The First Amendment asserts our right to freedom of speech, religion, assembly, and the press.

The Second Amendment is the teeth and muscle that keeps the First Amendment strong, and the people safe.   Gun Control undermines one to take away both - an attack on our freedom through subversion.   Those who have been convinced of some other argument have been played for suckers, by those trying to build "democratic" support.

The U.S. is a Republic, designed to protect Individual Rights.   It is not a democracy nor is it a tyranny - precisely because neither can provide such protection.

Those rights precede the United States Constitution.   That document was written and ratified by the people to give a limited degree of authority to the government, to protect those rights - and no more.   The Constitution is above the government - and politicians.   The government "derives its just powers" from the Constitution - from the consent of the people it governs.

The First and Second Amendments are its strongest protection.   It is our responsibility to exercise those Amendments to protect and preserve the American way of life - "our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor" - "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness".

There has been so much written about the Second Amendment.   Its value and purpose are not immediately obvious, but subtle and complex.   Here are just a few pictures that express some parts of that value.

The photographs below are by Oleg Volk; see his website, http://www.olegvolk.net

Get your Concealed Weapon Permit! Join the tens of thousands across the U.S. each year who are choosing to be a deterrent to criminals.   See http://www.usacarry.com/ Remember: the police solve crimes and catch ciminals.   Only you can protect yourself, your loved ones, and your home.   In the U.S., an assault is statistically unlikely.   But will you be happier as a statistic, or in being alive?

For every accidental gun-related death, more than 3,000 crimes like this are stopped
- the ultimate safety device.

There is no safety in being unarmed.

If airline passengers were armed, there would have been no 9/11.

Gun Control disarms the law-abiding in the most urgent life-or-death situations
- or it turns them into criminals.

Living in freedom, law-abiding people can and do build lives, families, careers, fortunes, a happy future for our descendents - civilization - all that is good in the world.   Protecting that is good.   Its theft or destruction - whether by criminals or governments - is immoral and vicious, and must be fought by any means necessary. The consequence of failure is a quickening slide to barbarism.

History has proven - consistently - even in the United States - that people must defend their rights - and be prepared to defend them violently.   That threat is the only thing that keeps the government at bay.   There is always someone in power who wants to take away your rights.

Initiating force is wrong.   Failing to choose to protect against it - pacifism - is equally wrong.  Protecting yourself and what you have built is an action of the highest moral caliber.

By the nature of its subject matter, the National Rifle Association - the NRA - lives on the front lines of the battle against those who would take away not just the Second Amendment but all of our freedoms.   The fact that it is so vilified by its detractors should speak volumes for their intentions.

Support your right to your way of life by joining the NRA, even if you have no interest in guns.   See http://membership.nrahq.org/.   Your dues are the ammunition used in your defense.

When you join, you have the option to pick one of three monthly magazines.   Choose "America's 1st Freedom", and stay informed about the ongoing protection of your liberty.

• Always be safe.
• A gun is like any tool.   Get proper training.   Practice.   Develop good habits.
• Always know and live within the gun laws where you live.
• Click here to see gun laws and CCW reciprocity by state.

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