As the Heller Hearing Approaches...: ...Heller argues that the Second
Amendment's text plainly refers to a pre-existing individual right and
contends that this right is necessary for free people to guarantee their
security by acting as a militia.3 He emphasizes that the text does not
say that fostering a well-regulated militia is the sole purpose of the
right to arms. Heller also presents historical evidence that American
colonists fought the British using militias that were well regulated
without being regulated by the government. According to Heller, "should
our Nation suffer tyranny again, preservation of the right to keep and
bear arms would enhance the people's ability to act as militia in the
manner practiced by the Framers." If this argument is right, it would
mean that Americans have a constitutional right to keep the weapons they
will need to fight against an army controlled by a tyrannical
government. That would seem to include, at a minimum, standard infantry
weapons like the M-16 machine gun, as well as armor-piercing weapons.
Instead of drawing that conclusion, Heller maintains that the Second
Amendment protects only those weapons (1) that civilians can be expected
to use for ordinary lawful purposes and (2) that would be useful in
militia service. Handguns meet both prongs of this test, and he
concludes that the government therefore may not ban them...
http://www.heritage.org/Research/LegalIssues/wm1851.cfm
---
Defining the Right of Self-Defense with a Handgun: ...Many objects
commonly owned for peaceful purposes can be pressed into service for
emergency self-defense. But unlike kitchen knives or baseball bats,
handguns have no peaceful purpose - they are designed to kill people.
The same lethal power that makes handguns the most practical means of
self-defense against robbers, rapists, and murderers, also makes
handguns an essential tool of government force. Handguns are deadly
force and nothing but - a fact that gives rise to legitimate concerns
over their private ownership in a civilized society...If handguns are
confined to emergency self-defense, no legitimate purpose is served by
an outright ban such as the District of Columbia enacted. Even if such
laws actually deprived criminals of guns (which they don't), they would
infringe upon a law-abiding citizen's right in emergencies to repel
attackers who are wielding knives, clubs, fists - or cans of soda.
http://qconline.com/archives/qco/display.php?id=378639
---
Effectiveness of DC Gun Ban Questioned: On Sept. 24, 1976, one of the
toughest gun laws in the nation took effect in the District of Columbia,
essentially outlawing the private ownership of new handguns in a city
struggling with violence. Over the next few weeks, a man with a
32-caliber pistol held up workers at a downtown federal office at
midday, a cab driver was shot in the head, and a senator was mugged by
three youths, one carrying a revolver, near the U.S. Capitol. Since the
ban was passed, more than 8,400 people have been murdered in the
district, many killed by handguns. Nearly 80 percent of the 181 murders
in 2007 were committed with guns...
http://www.newsmax.com/us/washington_gun_ban/2008/03/14/80515.html
---
Bloomberg, Menendez Take on Tiahrt Amendment: A Democratic senator from
New Jersey, Robert Menendez, introduced a bill late last night that
would strike the Tiahrt amendment, a piece of gun legislation staunchly
opposed by Mayor Bloomberg's anti-gun coalition. The introduction of the
bill, called the Firearms Information Use Act of 2008, is prompting
lobbyists for the gun industry to once again fight to protect the
amendment...Named after Rep. Todd Tiahrt, a Republican of Kansas, the
law was introduced in 2003. It restricts municipalities from viewing
firearm trace data kept by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms,
a constraint that supporters say prevents politicians from filing
frivolous civil lawsuits against gun dealers...
http://www.nysun.com/article/72986
---
What's Lynn Got To Do with It?: Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino
founded Mayors Against Illegal Guns two years ago, a group that has
grown to some 250 mayors representing cities with a population of 50
million in 40 states...In the process, they clash with the National
Rifle Association, which vigorously defends Americans' constitutional
right to bear arms. The NRA wants gun trace data available only to the
police. The Supreme Court hears arguments on the meaning of that
constitutional right on March 18. Meanwhile the issue of gun control has
been muted in the campaign for presidential elections in November. The
mayors are attempting to force it onto the political agenda. (What's
this got to do with the photograph of a firearm dealer demonstrating a
disabled rifle [the bolt is blocked out of battery] inside his licensed
premises? Was this photo used because the Reuters article was friendly
to gun onwership?)
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/03/14/mayors_band_together_against_guns/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Latest+news
---
More on Defeat Of Illinois Ammo-Serialization Bill: Legislation intended
to help solve gun-violence crimes that opponents said could have shut
down a major ammunition plant in Alton was defeated Wednesday...One
plan, proposed by state Rep. Will Davis, D-Homewood, would have required
ammunition in Illinois to carry a laser-inscribed code on both the
casing and bullet. Davis said the matching codes could help identify
killers at crime scenes. But opponents said that the process of etching
the codes would cost the ammunition industry millions and all but force
the Winchester Ammunition plant in Alton to close. They also argued that
using high-powered lasers near the explosive materials found in bullets
could be dangerous...
http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2008/03/13/news/state/1030797.txt
---
Wyoming Governor Signs Castle-Doctrine Bill: Declaring that Wyoming
residents have a right to defend their homes, Gov. Dave Freudenthal
signed a bill Thursday that spells out in statute that citizens may use
deadly force on intruders. Freudenthal said he supported a last-minute
change to House Bill 137 that narrowed the scope of the bill to only
cover intrusions inside the home...Wyoming's version of the bill
provides immunity from civil lawsuits to anyone who uses force in
defense of his or her "person, property or abode or to prevent injury to
another."
http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2008/03/14/news/wyoming/07192998f35307cd8725740b007e2e51.txt
---
Florida Department Dumps Glock 37's: The Police Department is ditching
$38,000 worth of guns after two .45-caliber GAP Glock Model 37 pistols
exploded in separate training incidents a year a part, causing minor
injuries to an officer and a cadet. "I've been around 34 years in law
enforcement, and we've seen malfunctioning with guns, but never seen it
explode," Police Chief Mark LeVine said. "When I've got two guns out of
90 mess up, something's wrong." The department has not had any problems
with the guns during use in the line of duty...
http://www.theledger.com/article/20080313/NEWS/803130481/1039
---
Computer Programmer or Serial Killer: This little photo quiz brings home
the point that it is very difficult to judge someone from mere
appearances and that we need to concentrate on reading body language and
other indicators.
http://www.malevole.com/mv/misc/killerquiz/
---
Attention, Phoenix Area:
Subject: Ben Avery Junior Program at risk of closing!!!!!!!
Shooters!!!!!
THE BEN AVERY/ASRPA JUNIOR MARKSMANSHIP PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE
CANCELLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This weekend is the Road Runner smallbore match at Ben Avery - read
Haven's email about the I-17/Carefree closure (go up to carefree from
99th ave)
I will bring the junior equipment, and ammo, if any juniors want to
shoot there will be gear to use.
I will make an announcement to all present and to all of you receiving
this email:
The Ben Avery ASRPA junior program has its next sessions scheduled for
the following thursdays:
20-Mar*, 27-Mar, 3-Apr, 17-Apr, 24-Apr, 1-May
* classroom only
I am busy on 20-mar, 27-mar, 3-apr and 1-may and cannot run this thing.
THIS PROGRAM WILL BE CANCELLED UNLESS I CAN FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO RUN IT
let me repeat that in case anyone missed it
THE BEN AVERY/ASRPA JUNIOR MARKSMANSHIP PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE
CANCELLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE BEN AVERY/ASRPA JUNIOR
MARKSMANSHIP PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE CANCELLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE BEN AVERY/ASRPA JUNIOR MARKSMANSHIP PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE
CANCELLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE BEN AVERY/ASRPA JUNIOR
MARKSMANSHIP PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE CANCELLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I will be bringing a cancellation form to drop off at the office.
if YOU do NOT want to see this program cancelled you will need to come
out to Ben Avery smallbore this weekend and pick up the equipment and
tear up the cancellation form.
I will bring all the junior equipment for you to pick up, if you can't
make the match, maybe we can meet somewhere, you will need to reserve
the classroom for the 20th (I didn't do that yet), teach the class,
arrange volunteers, run the 5 weekly shooting events, coach all the kids
etc.
so, if YOU think this is a worthwhile program.... see me at the Road
Runner, email or call me and let me know you can take over the program....
or else: THE BEN AVERY/ASRPA JUNIOR MARKSMANSHIP PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE
CANCELLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE BEN AVERY/ASRPA JUNIOR
MARKSMANSHIP PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE CANCELLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE BEN AVERY/ASRPA JUNIOR MARKSMANSHIP PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE
CANCELLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Poole
602-405-0717
- - -
Bill Poole
[email protected] Scottsdale, AZ
http://arizona.rifleshooting.com
--
Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
http://www.spw-duf.info
