Lies, Damned Lies And Statistics: After Virginia closed a loophole that
allowed Seung-Hui Cho to purchase his weapons of mass murder, the hope
was that more people with mental health problems like Cho's would be
barred from buying guns. That hasn't happened. In fact, the number of
gun transactions blocked for mental health reasons has decreased
slightly since Gov. Tim Kaine signed an executive order requiring all
people who receive court-ordered mental health treatment to be included
in a database used to screen potential gun buyers.
http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/148429
---
Indiana City Rejects Ban On New Gun Shops: The Goshen City Council
collectively made the right decision Tuesday. In a 6-1 vote, the council
rejected the city Plan Commission's recommendation that no more gun
stores be allowed in the downtown area. The existing store on Third
Street would have been "grandfathered" and allowed to remain. A ban
would have carried the implication that gun shops are somehow nefarious,
and that their clientele are undesirable in a thriving commercial area.
The News takes exception to that notion.
http://www.goshennews.com/editorials/local_story_025224902.html?keyword=topstory
---
Volunteer Hunters To Cull New Jersey Deer Herd: Sharpshooters will take
to the trees next week in northern New Jersey's South Mountain
Reservation to deal with a problem that has become the scourge of many
suburban communities: too many deer. Proponents of the 10-day hunt say
the number of white-tailed deer must be reduced because they destroy
vegetation, pose a hazard for motorists and spread Lyme disease, which
is carried by ticks on the deer.
http://www.azstarnet.com/news/222376
---
NRA-ILA Alerts: This weeks alerts are posted on the NRA-ILA website.
http://www.nraila.org/GrassrootsAlerts/read.aspx
---
From GOA: The Bush administration has continued veering toward gun
control. You know it is bad when The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun
Violence salutes the administration's support for gun control. Why would
anti-gunners praise the Bush administration? For one, signing the first
gun control legislation in over a decade, the Veterans Disarmament Act
(H.R. 2640). For another, the very anti-gun brief the Solicitor General
(the Justice Department's lawyer) filed in the DC gun ban case, D.C. v.
Heller. As you know, Rep. Virgil Goode is rounding up other members of
the U.S. House of Representatives to join with him on his letter to the
President asking him to withdraw that brief...It would be very helpful
if you - and as many gun owners as you can recruit to help - would call
the NRA and urge them to publicly encourage members of Congress to join
with Rep. Goode by signing his letter to the White House. The toll-free
number to call at the NRA is 800-392-8683. To maximize your effort,
please call rather than e-mail.
http://www.gunowners.org/a012508.htm
---
From AzCDL:
An AzCDL requested bill, SB 1214, has been filed by Senator Karen
Johnson, along with 9 co-sponsors.
http://www.azleg.gov/DocumentsForBill.asp?Bill_Number=SB1214
SB 1214 proposes changes to ARS 13-3102 to allow adults with Concealed
Weapons (CCW) permits to carry concealed firearms on school campuses,
including colleges and universities. Federal law (20 USC �
922(q)(2)(B)(ii)) already allows CCW permit holders to possess firearms
on school property.
The media has launched an assault on this bill:
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/222126.php
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/107354
Every person reading this Alert needs to let the sponsors know you
support SB 1214.
It's important that the co-sponsors hear from YOU. It affects their
support for SB 1214 and other bills they might be asked to support in
the future. Please take the time to send them a polite note of thanks,
or use the cut-and-paste letter below. Following the letter are email
address lists of the co-sponsors in both semi-colon and comma separated
formats, along with a simple list of email addresses for those who
encounter email address formatting problems. Use the list that is
compatible with your email software.
Subject: SB 1214
Senator:
The Arizona Citizens Defense League (AzCDL) has informed me that you are
a cosponsor of SB 1214, permitting adults with concealed weapon (CCW)
permits to carry on school grounds in accordance with Federal law.
With irrational gun bans in place everywhere, anyone determined to do a
lot of harm knows that they can literally get away with murder on school
grounds, because no one will stop them until it's too late. On April
16, 2007, twenty-seven students and five faculty members at Virginia
Tech lost their lives to a madman who possessed one distinct advantage
over his victims - he wasn't concerned about the "gun free zone" rules.
Nineteen of his thirty-two victims were over twenty-one, the legal age
for obtaining a concealed handgun permit in Virginia (and Arizona).
The passage of SB 1214 is very important to me, and I will do all I can
to support it through the legislative process.
Thank you for sponsoring SB 11214.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Street Address
City, State & zip-code
Telephone Number
Below are the email addresses of the cosponsors in both semi-colon and
comma separation formats, along with a simple list of email addresses
for those who encounter email address formatting problems. Use the list
that is compatible with your email software.
List of members' email addresses:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Information on this and other bills can be found at the AzCDL website:
http://www.azcdl.org/html/legislation.html
Stay tuned! As relevant legislation is introduced, we will keep you up
to date via these Alerts:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AZCDL_Alerts/
(Feel free to share them with other pro-rights activists)
These alerts are a project of the Arizona Citizens Defense League
(AzCDL), an all volunteer, non-profit, non-partisan grassroots
organization. Join today!
AzCDL - Protecting Your Freedom
http://www.azcdl.org/html/join_us_.html
Copyright � 2008 Arizona Citizens Defense League, Inc., all rights reserved.
HB 2222, which rewrites 13-3102.F to clarify that if any portion of a
weapon or holster is visible, the weapon is openly carried, will be
heard in the House Homeland Security and Property Rights committee on
Monday, January 28, 2008
(
http://www.azleg.gov/CommitteeInfo.asp?Committee_ID=49 ).
The current law has several problems. First, open carry is limited in
statute to a belt holster, and the holster, NOT the weapon, must be
"wholly or partially visible." HB 2222 specifies that either the weapon
or the holster can be visible, and removes the "belt holster"
restriction. Another problem is the interpretation of the "wholly or
partially visible" language in ARS 13-3102.F by a 1994 Appellate court
decision, which held it has to be obvious to ordinary observation that
you're carrying a weapon. HB 2222 replaces the "wholly or partially
visible" language, and refers to "any portion" of a weapon or holster
being visible.
HB 2222 also clarifies that a concealed weapons permit is not required
to carry concealed in your home, business, or real property owned,
leased or rented by you, including in "common areas". This exemption
also applies to carrying concealed in vehicles on your own property as well.
Information on this and other bills can be found at the AzCDL website:
http://www.azcdl.org/html/legislation.html
Please take the time to send a polite note to the committee members, and
let them know that you want them to vote HB 2222 out of committee with a
recommendation for passage by the full House. You can also use the
cut-and-paste letter below. Following the letter are email address
lists of the committee members in both semi-colon and comma separated
formats. Use the one that is compatible with your email software.
Subject: Support HB 2222
Dear Representative:
The Arizona Citizens Defense League (AzCDL) has informed me that HB 2222
is being considered in the House Homeland Security and Property Rights
Committee on Monday, January 28, 2008. I urge you to vote HB 2222 out
of committee with a recommendation for passage by the full House.
The current law defining how weapons may be legally carried without a
concealed weapons permit has several problems. First, "open" (i.e. not
concealed) carry is limited to a holster worn on the belt, and the
holster, NOT the weapon, must be "wholly or partially visible." HB 2222
specifies that either the weapon or the holster may be visible, and
removes the "belt holster" language.
An additional problem gun owners face when attempting to obey the law is
the interpretation by a 1994 Appellate Court decision, State v. Adams,
which held that "wholly or partially visible" means it has to be obvious
to "ordinary observation" that you are carrying a weapon. Under Adams,
citizens have been arrested because a law enforcement officer could not
readily see the openly carried firearm that was in full view of other
observers.
The proposed corrections to ARS 13-3102.F would assist law enforcement
officers in properly identifying legal instances of open carry. These
changes reduce the burden on both law enforcement and the law-abiding
public.
HB 2222 also clarifies that a concealed weapons permit is not required
to carry a concealed weapon in a home, business, or real property that a
person owns, leases or rents.
Again, I urge you to vote HB 2222 out of committee with a recommendation
for passage by the full House.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Street Address
City, AZ zip-code
telephone number
Below are the email addresses of the committee members in both
semi-colon and comma separation formats, along with a simple list of
email addresses for those who encounter email address formatting
problems. Use the list that is compatible with your email software.
List of members' email addresses:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
As legislation progresses, we will keep you up to date via these Alerts
and at our website.
These alerts are a project of the Arizona Citizens Defense League
(AzCDL), an all volunteer, non-profit, non-partisan grassroots
organization. Join today!
AzCDL - Protecting Your Freedom
http://www.azcdl.org/html/join_us_.html
Copyright � 2008 Arizona Citizens Defense League, Inc., all rights reserved.
---
From John Farnam:
22 Jan 08
Miami, FL Gun Show:
I attended a large Gun Show in Miami last Sunday. It was big and
extremely well attended.
What immediately garnered my attention was the fact that there were
several, large, local gun retailers represented, all of whom had
spacious and elaborate displays. Prominently exhibited were tables-full
of 9mm and 40S&W, self-decocking (DAO), plastic-framed, concealment
pistols manufactured by two companies that I had heretofore never heard
of: Cobra and Skyy (like the Vodka). Cobra has arisen from the ashes
of defunct Jennings," and I'm not sure where Skyy manufacturing came from.
These pistols are priced under $300.00, and all the clerks I talked with
indicated they were strong sellers. Others I talked with had nothing
good to say about either brand. Up until now, most pistols in this
price category have been in minor calibers. Not any more!
What struck me was that low-income gun buyers who are looking for
legitimate, concealment pistols in serious calibers are being
deliberately marketed to by these companies, and probably some others.
I don't think Glock, SIG. S&W, Beretta, H&K, nor Kahr need worry a great
deal, at least for now, and I'll probably not own a gun from either any
time soon, but I'm astonished how quickly these new companies come into
existence and get product to market. I was seeing and handling both
brands for the first time.
I'm interested to see if either company will have a booth at the SHOT Show!
/John
(From the feedback I receive, it appears that the best bet in
inexpensive pistols is Kel-Tec. While the double-action stroke is long,
the mechanically inclined owner can render it quite smooth
[
http://www.ktog.org/tecwerks.htm]. Their newer, slim-line PF-9 gets
high marks for concealment in some quarters.)
25 Jan 08
M-16 magazines, a perennial issue... This from a friend in the rifle
manufacturing business:
"Here at the factory test-range, we shoot hundreds of thousands of
rounds every year. Even well-made aluminum magazines eventually
flair-out at the top. At that point, they become scrap metal!
Our preference is stainless-steel magazines! Our favorite manufacturer
is C-Products (_www.cproductsllc.com_ (
http://www.cproductsllc.com) ).
A steel magazine will last many times longer than those made of aluminum
or plastic. Indeed, most plastic magazines split at the back (near the
notch for the bolt hold-open) within five-thousand rounds.
Magpul claims their new plastic magazine adequately addresses all these
issues. I sincerely hope they're right!
6.8SPC magazines from C-Products are also stainless-steel, and will
outlast most rifles they're used in."
Comment: Based on my friend's sage advice, and in view of the fact that
it is an election year, I've laid in a good supply!
/John
(The original M16 magazine was built with an aluminum "tube" because it
was intended to be discarded after one use. Personally, I prefer the
original 20-round configuration; excessive projection from the bottom of
the gun may limit how low you can go in prone positions. The 30-round
magazines must have a bend in order for the upper section to fit into
the straight-walled magazine well. Like most military-rifle magazines,
these should be downloaded by one or two rounds from nominal capacity to
allow seating the magazine with the bolt forward.)
--
Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
http://www.spw-duf.info
