Professor of Constitutional Law Ignores Constitution: ...In the current
case, involving a challenge to Washington's strict ban on handguns,
legal experts predict the court will - for the first time - explicitly
declare that the Second Amendment protects the "individual right" to own
firearms for private purposes, such as self-defense or hunting. The
other option, that the court says the right to bear arms is reserved for
official militias, is a near impossibility...The court will then have
essentially two options: 1) hold that the arms right is subject to
reasonable regulation; or 2) hold that the arms right triggers "strict
scrutiny," meaning that government can only limit the right in the
rarest and most compelling of circumstances. If the court chooses the
second route, heaven help us... (Sadly, the term "constitutional law"
does not refer to the study of the Constitution but the how the various
appellate courts have modified the intent of the Constitution.)
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2008/04/28/2008-04-28_public_safety_in_supreme_danger.html
---
Virginia Panel to Examine Gun Shows: The Virginia State Crime Commission
will take a limited look at the private sale of guns at shows, which has
been criticized by advocates of gun control. In Virginia, private
sellers at gun shows don't have to run background checks of prospective
customers. Some demanded the so-called loophole be closed after the
Virginia Tech killings. But proponents of those sales argued that the
Tech gunman didn't buy his weapons from a show. Lawmakers killed the
legislation in the 2008 session designed to address the issue...
http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=25&sid=1394254
---
Philadelphia Hearing Postponed: A hearing Monday on a challenge to the
constitutionality of Philadelphia's new gun-control laws has been
postponed until May 19. Common Pleas Court Judge Jane Cutler Greenspan
rescheduled the hearing after a telephone conference this week with
lawyers for the city and National Rifle Association, according to court
records. C. Scott Shields, the Media lawyer who filed the suit for the
Fairfax, Va.-based NRA, said the delay was to give lawyers for the city
more time to decide if they will challenge "standing" - the legal right
of the NRA to file the suit...
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/pa/20080426_Hearing_on_Philadelphia_s_gun-control_laws_postponed.html
---
Indictment Challenges Texas Castle Doctrine: A man who shot and killed a
13-year-old breaking into his mobile home has been indicted for murder
in a case that could test a new law giving Texans more leeway to defend
themselves with deadly force. Jose Luis Gonzalez, 63, was indicted
Friday in the July killing of a teenager who sneaked into his home with
three friends to steal drinks and snacks. Francisco Anguiano was shot in
the back and later died at a Laredo hospital. Gonzalez was indicted by a
grand jury for first-degree murder. Gonzalez told authorities he was
asleep in a nearby shed when he heard the teenagers inside his home and
was trying to subdue the intruders when his gun went off. (Statements
that "the gun went off" are frequently part of the denial process and
are harmful. By suggesting that he did not intend to shoot, he weakens
his claim of self-defense and opens himself up to a lawsuit for negligence.)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5732684.html
---
Empty Holster Debate in North Carolina: There is little doubt that this
will be the most controversial column I've written to date. But
sometimes when working in a university environment one is exposed to
ideas that one simply cannot repudiate. And this requires a modification
of views - even if those views are deeply held - or very fun, or both.
Such an occasion happened last week on Empty Holster Day - an event
sponsored by the College Republicans at UNC-Wilmington. It began as an
event designed to convince campus leftists that our laws should be
modified to allow those above 21 years of age (with valid concealed
carry permits) to carry on campus. But the event actually backfired, so
to speak...
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/MikeSAdams/2008/04/28/time_to_compromise_on_gun_control?page=full&comments=true
While in Arkansas...: Travis Robinson wasn't alone last week as he toted
his empty holster around campus. The junior at the University of
Arkansas at Fayetteville was among college students around the country
who engaged in a subtle form of organized protest. Robinson and others
believe people with state licenses to carry concealed weapons shouldn't
have that privilege halted once they step on campus...
http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/224004/
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Unions Support New York County's Gun Ban: The unions representing Oswego
County employees supports the proposed weapons ban that would prohibit
bringing firearms into county buildings. Legislature Chairman Barry
Leemann said Tuesday that he had recently met with the representatives
and that they are in support of some kind of ban on weapons. The
legislature's Government and Strategic Planning Committee is expected to
address the matter at Monday's meeting. The proposed ban has been the
most controversial issue legislators have faced this year. At the April
10 meeting of the full legislature, several residents spoke in
opposition of the plan that would have banned guns, jackknives, and
scissors from any county-government building.
http://www.valleynewsonline.com/viewnews.php?newsid=24787&id=1
---
Oops, Wrong Car: A would be car-jacker messed with the wrong victim, and
it was all caught on tape. Surveillance video from a Memphis gas station
showed a suspect demanding the keys to another man's car. Then when the
suspect walked around the car, the victim pulled out a gun and started
shooting. Investigators don't know if the suspect was hit, because he
ran off. The victim did have a hand gun permit at the time of the incident.
http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=8213399
---
NRA-ILA Alerts: Alerts for various states are posted on the NRA-ILA
website. (I did not receive my e-mail version until Sunday afternoon.)
http://www.nraila.org/GrassrootsAlerts/read.aspx
--
Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
http://www.spw-duf.info
