Tennessee House Votes To Repeal Firearms Ban In Public Facilities: In a
surprise move, a House panel voted Wednesday to repeal a state law that
forbids the carrying of handguns on property and buildings owned by
state, county and city governments - including parks and playgrounds. "I
think the recent Virginia disaster - or catastrophe or nightmare or
whatever you want to call it - has woken up a lot of people to the need
for having guns available to law-abiding citizens," said Rep. Frank
Niceley, R-Strawberry Plains. "I hope that is what this vote reflects."
As amended, the legislation still wouldn't allow guns on school
property, however.
http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/state/article/0%2C1406%2CKNS_348_5492294%2C00.html
---
Kennesaw GA vs. Morton Grove IL: In March 1982, 25 years ago, the small
town of Kennesaw - responding to a handgun ban in Morton Grove, Ill. -
unanimously passed an ordinance requiring each head of household to own
and maintain a gun. Since then, despite dire predictions of "Wild West"
showdowns and increased violence and accidents, not a single resident
has been involved in a fatal shooting - as a victim, attacker or defender...
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55288
---
Illinois Rejects Guns For Judges, Prosecutors: A majority of Illinois
House members voted Wednesday to allow judges and prosecutors to carry
guns but the measure failed. The proposal, sponsored by Murphysboro
Republican Rep. Mike Bost, got 61 "yes" votes, with 51 against. But
Democrats, who control the chamber, ruled before the vote that the bill
needed a three-fifths majority in favor, or 71 votes, because it would
have overruled local communities' gun-control laws. (I find it hard to
shed many tears over an effort to increase elitism in a state that won't
even allow its own retired cops to carry firearms.)
http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/local_story_109090709.html
---
Only In America?: In response to the horrible mass shooting at Virginia
Tech on Monday, overseas leaders as well as many Americans have
condemned the "gun culture" of the United States. Perhaps these overseas
leaders and American citizens would be less hard on our country if we
discuss what has been happening in other countries... (You will need to
look for this specific article, dated April 20, 2007, on the linked page)
http://techcentralstation.com/
---
John Lott Speaks To Australia: "...Within hours of the Virginia attack,
publications such as The New York Times and leaders of gun-control
groups were calling for more gun-control regulation. But perhaps it is
time for a different approach. After all, following the Luby's massacre,
Texas and many other states began allowing their citizens to carry
concealed hand guns...Virginia Tech has rigorously enforced its gun-free
zone policy and suspended students with concealed hand-gun permits who
have tried to bring hand guns on to school property. But whether it is
the three-year prison terms that can await those who take guns on to
property of K-12 schools in most states, or the suspensions and
expulsions at universities, these penalties are completely meaningless
for someone intent on killing..."
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21580530-7583,00.html
---
"Gun Control" Isn't The Answer: ...If we want to guess by how much the
U.S. murder rate would fall if civilians had no guns, we should begin by
realizing - as criminologists Franklin Zimring and Gordon Hawkins have
shown - that the non-gun homicide rate in this country is three times
higher than the non-gun homicide rate in England. For historical and
cultural reasons, Americans are a more violent people than the English,
even when they can't use a gun. This fact sets a floor below which the
murder rate won't be reduced even if, by some constitutional or
political miracle, we became gun-free...
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-wilson20apr20,0,4514008.story?coll=la-opinion-rightrail
---
An Israeli Solution For US Campuses?: American universities and colleges
should consider using students, faculty and staff who have security
backgrounds to provide a "first line of defense" for their campuses in
the event of a terror attacks or other emergencies, a counter-terrorism
expert in Jerusalem said. (Note that Israel has become increasingly
restrictive over the RKBA in the last couple of decades.)
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewForeignBureaus.asp?Page=/ForeignBureaus/archive/200704/INT20070420b.html
---
Disparity Cited Between Virginia And Federal Mental-Health Rules: An
employee of Roanoke Firearms, where Seung-Hui Cho purchased his weapon,
told ABC news that Cho "answered no" to the question regarding his
mental history. Under state law he told the truth, but under federal law
he lied. (I would expect eventual federal legislation, tied to receipt
of federal funds by the states, requiring uniform state database standards.)
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/04/a_danger_to_him.html
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/4/19/214808.shtml?s=lh
FBI Statement:
http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel07/nics041907.htm
---
Experts Shy From Instant Diagnoses Of Gunman's Mental Illness: While
it's not likely that we will see any debates over legislation to outlaw
mental illness, article offers a glimpse into some of the terminology.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/20/us/20psych.html?_r=1&ref=health&oref=slogin
---
Michael Reagan Finally Gets It Right: "...Had just one student or
faculty member on the Virginia Tech campus under assault by the killer
been armed last Monday, the death toll would have been much lower..." (I
had a very frustrating on-air conversation with Mike in which I argued
in favor of authorizing armed teachers in lower-grade schools. The gist
of his argument was that he doesn't feel that his daughter, currently a
student-teacher, should need to carry a gun to work.)
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=20349
---
Q. How Can You Tell When A Politician Is Lying?: Republican presidential
candidate John McCain declared Wednesday he believes in "no gun
control," making the strongest affirmation of support for gun rights in
the GOP field since the Virginia Tech massacre...GOP rival Rudy
Giuliani, too, voiced his support for the Second Amendment on Wednesday,
but not in such absolute terms. Once an advocate of strong federal gun
controls, the former New York mayor said "this tragedy does not alter
the Second Amendment" while indicating he favors the right of states to
pass their own restrictions. (A. When his lips are moving.)
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2007/4/19/72253.shtml?s=us
---
What About Fred Thompson?: "...Whenever I've seen one of those "Gun-free
Zone" signs, especially outside of a school filled with our youngest and
most vulnerable citizens, I've always wondered exactly who these signs
are directed at. Obviously, they don't mean much to the sort of man who
murdered 32 people just a few days ago."
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=OTIwYzMyZmQ1YzQ1MDNmZTMyYzQ1Y2U3YTU4YzNmNGE=
---
And What About Bill O'Reilly?: JPFO points out that "conservative"
commentator Bill O'Reilly took to the airwaves the following day to
claim that Virginia's gun laws are not strict enough. O'Reilly urged
that a 7-day waiting period is necessary, that the instant background
check is not enough.
http://www.jpfo.org/alert20070418.htm
---
Well Summarized: The Patriot Post offers a very well reasoned response
to the Cho incident. (Free subscription is available by clicking the tab
in the column on the left.)
http://archive.patriotpost.us/pub/07-16_Digest/
---
Watch Out For the Smokescreen: Report from Washington DC suggests that
despite Democratic verbiage that more restrictions on the RKBA are not
the correct response to the Cho incident, two such bills are gaining
momentum in the House. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.) has urged House
leadership to take up her bill upgrading the national
criminal-background database that gun dealers use to check on buyers'
records...
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/dems-ponder-bills-on-guns-and-abortion-2007-04-19.html
---
A Refreshing Opinion From NYC: Here's a woman who understands that a gun
in the home is a better defense against criminals than feel-good laws
and court orders.
http://www.nysun.com/article/52897
---
Oops, Wrong Apartment: A six-foot, 308-pound Virginia man was fatally
shot after he persisted in trying to break into an apartment, after
being warned by one of the residents. The shooter will not face criminal
charges.
http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=123226&ran=60183
---
Sharps Rifles Stolen Following NRA Convention: A Montana rifle
manufacturer returning from the National Rifle Association's annual
convention in St. Louis reported that his truck and rifles were stolen
from a Kansas City, Kan., hotel...The thief or thieves took the
company's burgundy 2006 Ford F-350 with Montana license plates along
with 13 1874 Sharps rifles valued at $70,000 and a handgun, according to
a police report...In a posting on the company's Web site, the company
asked people who placed orders at the show and provided credit cards or
checks for a deposit to contact the company. The company advised
customers to cancel their credit card numbers as soon as possible.
http://www.kansascity.com/115/story/75922.html
---
Useful Product?: I recently received samples of Gun Butter, a premium
liquid lubricant for firearms. While I have not yet had the opportunity
to try it on a firearm, on the advice of Teddy Jacobson, I tried it on
the pivot of a Benchmade Axis knife that had had its screws tightened
when it was returned to Benchmade for sharpening; the stuff allowed the
blade to swing freely again. Teddy recommends using a drop of the
contact points in pistol actions. (To paraphrase an old commercial, "a
little drop 'll do ya.")
http://www.gunbutter.com/
---
From The Firearms Coalition:
The Tennessee State House saw the critical lesson of the Virginia Tech
tragedy and took immediate action. Let's hope the State Senate follows
suite and the Governor will quickly sign this into law.
Here is the summary from the Nashville News Sentinel:
TN Moves to Allow Guns in Public Buildings
By News Sentinel staff
April 18, 2007
NASHVILLE -- In a surprise move, a House panel voted today to repeal a
state law that forbids the carrying of handguns on property and
buildings owned by state, county and city governments -- including parks
and playgrounds.
"I think the recent Virginia disaster -- or catastrophe or nightmare or
whatever you want to call it -- has woken up a lot of people to the need
for having guns available to law-abiding citizens," said Rep. Frank
Niceley, R-Strawberry Plains. "I hope that is what this vote reflects."
***************************
A vote like this and comments like those of Rep. Nicely, give hope that
not all politicians are blind to reality.
Are there similar restrictions in your state that need repealing?
Even if your legislature is out of session or beyond the "bill
introduction" phase of their session, let your state representatives
know that you want these useless restrictions - which do nothing but
create safe-zones in which criminals can act with impunity - to be
repealed immediately, before the copycats get started in earnest.
Remind them that a gun is like a seatbelt.
We don't wear seatbelts in hopes of getting into a car wreck or in
paranoid fear of an accident. Nor are hopes or paranoia why we carry
guns. Both are worn 'just in case' and if all goes well, neither will
never be used. Laws that force us to unbuckle our seatbelts need to be
repealed.
********************
I just got back from the NRA Convention in St. Louis. It was a good
trip and very productive. Thanks to all of you who made it a point to
come up and say hello.
I spoke with many people about the chances of the Parker case going to
the Supreme Court and I am excited about it's prospects. Close court
watchers confirmed my belief that Parker is not only likely to be heard
by the SCOTUS, but that it is likely to generate a decision favorable to
the Second Amendment. I have long held that we have more to gain than
to lose with this case and it is reassuring to have my beliefs
reinforced by knowledgeable people whom I respect.
I am fairly confident that NRA is not going to interfere with the case -
though I would still like to see them change the language of their DC
gun bill so it would not destroy the Parker case.
*******
Chris Cox assured me that NRA's position on gun shows is back to a
clear, principled stance and that candidate surveys in future will
reflect that. (They had expressed a position of accepting "instant
checks" on transactions between non-dealers as long as the process
wasn't to cumbersome.) He also promised to look into the NFA language in
the surveys and remove any that is not accurate. I'm hoping to have a
written statement from him soon.
********
If you did not receive a copy of our Hard Corps Report in the mail this
past week, you're not a subscriber.
Give us your name and address and we'll send out a complimentary copy
for you to review, or just go to our web site and make an on-line
contribution and subscription request.
Speaking of contributions and the NRA Convention, traveling is expensive
and it's looking like I'm going to need to be doing more and more of it
as the presidential elections get closer. I can't do that without your
help. If you find our occasional e-mails useful, please consider
subscribing to the Hard Corpse Report - hard copy or electronic - or
making a donation today.
We depend on you to help keep us in the fight and every little bit helps.
Contributions can be made through our web site at
www.FirearmsCoalition.org or via snail-mail at:
The Firearms Coalition
PO Box 3313
Manassas, VA 20108
Every day we're following the news, talking with politicians and civic
leaders, communicating with grassroots groups around the nation, and
keeping you informed to critical events.
We don't send out alerts for news you've already heard elsewhere or just
to ask for money, and we offer a perspective that you're not likely to
find from other sources.
Thanks for your support. Please share this with others to help spread
the word.
Yours for the Second Amendment,
Jeff Knox
Director of Operations
The Firearms Coalition
Neal Knox Associates
---
Apologies...: I apologize to those who have sent me links and comments
over the past few days and to whom I have not responded or whose
material I have not shared. There has obviously been a large amount of
material in the media since the Cho incident at Virginia Tech and I have
been struggling to sort out the most worthwhile to share. Unfortunately,
I still have a day job and this is the first day I have had off work
since Sunday.
--
Stephen P. Wenger
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
http://www.spw-duf.info
