Another List Member Comments:
There are two problems with the NRA-touted fix to the current gun ban in
National Parks. The first problem is that this simple change in
regulation could easily be undone by a subsequent administration. The
second problem is shared by the lead bill to correct this in the U.S.
House, H.R. 5434: Both fixes would merely limit firearm regulation in
National Parks to that applied in state parks in the state in which the
National Park is located. This will result in pressure by National Park
managers on state park managers to dial up regulation in state parks,
which will likely result in exploitation of gray areas in and bending of
state laws as state park managers scurry to please their "big brothers"
managing the National Parks. It would be best for Congress to pass a
law simply preventing National Parks from adopting or enforcing any
firearms restriction more restrictive than the laws of the state in
which the National Park is located - forget the connection to state
parks and forget reliance on adjusting NPS regulations to fix the problem.
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West Virginia Debates CCW Issues: ...One such proposal would conceal
more than sidearms - it would keep a prying public from knowing just who
has secured such permits. But that bill caused such a stir the House of
Delegates pulled it off the calendar...Sen. Shirley Love, D-Fayette, is
attempting to get the National Park Service to either recognize visitors
who have concealed weapons permits - including non-residents - or post
signs warning them their firearms aren't allowed on federal land. In his
own measure, Sen. Clark Barnes, R-Randolph, wants to clear up language
the attorney general's office feels is a bit murky on the reciprocal
agreements West Virginia holds with other states.
http://www.register-herald.com/local/local_story_055222814.html
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Hawaii Considers .50-Caliber Ban: A battle is brewing between the
Honolulu Police Department and the Hawaii Rifle Association over a
proposed ban of a high-powered sniper rifle. KITV's Catherine Cruz
reported that the 50-caliber rifle is dubbed the most powerful rifle on
the market today, and the HPD said it is their worst nightmare. That is
why they said they want it out of civilian hands. It's a weapon that's
long been used by the military and law enforcement, but in most states,
a person can buy it over the Internet or from a gun store, which is
making law enforcement uneasy...
http://www.kitv.com/news/15384638/detail.html
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Minnesota Considers Deadly-Force Bill: A group of Minnesota lawmakers
has introduced a bill that would allow citizens to use deadly force as
their first option when feeling threatened. The proposed bill has caused
major concern for at least one group of Minnesotans as LeAnn Wallace
reports. "We think it's just another way for people to shoot people and
have an excuse to shoot them." Joan Peterson is a member of "Protect
Minnesota" a group formed to prevent gun injuries and death. The group
calls the bill the "Shoot First, Ask Questions Later" bill. Peterson
says there's no need for this law and she fears it could result in
unnecessary shootings and deaths.
http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/news/local/15901517.html
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Change In Strategy Or Change In Tactics?: ...Gun control used to be one
of those bread and butter issues for Democrats, but recent years have
seen the party's rapid evolution towards staunch protectors of the 2nd
Amendement...Of course, easing up on gun control has been critical to
the Dems courting voters in Western and Southwestern swing states; the
more Democratic candidates have traded gun bans for wishy-washy
pro-regulation positions, the more the NRA has rewarded them, upping
their political contributions to the Dems... (While the active
Democratic candidates may be posing as defenders of the RKBA, it did not
take long for Congressional Democrats to introduce a federal
microstamping bill, which, among other things, would help further drive
up the cost of firearms.)
http://alternet.org/blogs/peek/77533/
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Montana Consolidating RKBA Position: Montana officials are warning that
if the Supreme Court rules in the D.C. gun ban case that the right to
keep and bear arms protects only state-run militias like the National
Guard, then the federal government will have breached Montana's
statehood contract. Nobody is raising flags for the Republic of Montana,
but nobody is kidding, either. So far, 39 elected Montana officials have
signed a resolution declaring that a court ruling of the Second
Amendment is a right of states and not of individuals would violate
Montana's compact...The resolution also was signed by Rep. Denny
Rehberg, Montana's lone Republican congressman, and state Sen. Roy
Brown, who is running to unseat Gov. Brian Schweitzer, a Democrat.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20080225/NATION/757685551/1002
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Oops, Wrong House, Florida Version: A 17-year-old suspect was shot and
killed in Altamonte Springs early Saturday morning after deputies said
he ran from them and into a nearby home. According to the Seminole
County Sheriff's Department, the incident began when Ryan Realford
approached a uniformed deputy in an unmarked car. Police said he
appeared to be selling drugs. When he saw the officer's uniform, he ran
down the street...The homeowner said Realford removed a locked screen
door and was trying to enter his house through a sliding glass door. The
homeowner said he asked Realford to leave. When he would not, the
homeowner told deputies he shot him.
http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2008/2/23/homeowner_shoots_kills_intruder.html
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Oops, Wrong House, Indiana Version: Metro Police say a homeowner shot a
man in self-defense outside his eastside home Saturday morning. But it's
not the man's first time using a gun..."Apparently he heard a noise
outside, went outside to see what was going on, and related to the
detectives that this individual came at him with a knife, and which time
he fired a shot," IMPD Sgt. Paul Thompson said. Burns told detectives
the man he shot was coming out of his car, perhaps trying to steal
it...Police will determine if this shooting was indeed self-defense.
What they'll also look at is the fact that Mr. Burns has been involved
in two other shootings, this year alone.
http://www.wishtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7916065&nav=0Ra7
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Get Real!: ...I fell into the nightmare after reading that 12 states are
considering bills that would allow people with concealed-weapons permits
to carry handguns on the campuses of public universities. The revelation
came after the deadly shooting at Northern Illinois University. The
prospect has stirred online support and is causing gun merchants to
drool over the prospects of increased sales...This time I am taking my
grandson to his kindergarten class at the behest of his mother, who has
a doctor's appointment. As I am watching him run off happily into the
play yard on School Street, I notice that another little boy has dropped
his Roy Rogers lunch box...The gun in the lunch box? That doesn't
surprise me because it is within the guidelines of a new state law that
mandates the right of students from grades K-12 to carry firearms to
school to protect themselves against kids with guns. (This is a
nightmare, after all.) It is basically the same right that had been
granted earlier to college students...
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-martinez25feb25,1,2727307.column
--
Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
http://www.spw-duf.info
