SCCC Conference, Another View: The first convention of Students for
Concealed Carry on Campus (SCCC) featured one panelist who favors gun
control. Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun
Violence, said college students carrying guns on campus will not make
anyone safer. He pointed to studies showing that college students are
more likely to engage in risky behavior than the general
population...The conference at the National Press Club in Washington
included a debate between Helmke and John Lott, a Second Amendment
supporter and author of "The Bias Against Guns." However, those who
support strict gun control laws were clearly in the minority at last
Friday's event...
http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=33554
---
Virginia Debates CCW Confidentiality: State leaders are continuing to
battle over what, if any, information should be public record when it
comes to Virginia's concealed carry permits. In the past, press
organizations have revealed all of the holders, but many gun rights
activists say that shouldn't be allowed. If you think this sounds like
an argument the General Assembly had last year, you're right. A deal was
struck by the Freedom of Information Council heading into last year's
legislative session, but that deal seems to have fallen apart...
http://www.nbc29.com/Global/story.asp?S=8792360&nav=menu496_2_5
---
Illinois County Still Pursuing Local CCW Ordinance: A public database of
who has a concealed carry permit might be out, while bringing a firearm
to a county caucus meeting could be in. Those are a couple of the
changes members of a Winnebago County subcommittee suggested Tuesday
night as they draft a proposed county law that would allow Winnebago
County residents to carry firearms. "We're talking about a concealed
carry law," said Winnebago County Board member John Sweeney, R-14,
stressing the word "concealed." "I think making a list of everyone who
has a permit with their name, age and address kind of defeats the
purpose." ...Despite a recent United States Supreme Court ruling that
the Washington, D.C., handgun ban was illegal, there has been no change
in Illinois' state statute. The statutes say how, where and why a person
may carry a firearm and it doesn't provide for hidden guns...
http://www.rrstar.com/cherryvalley/x1727387817/Changes-suggested-to-countys-proposed-concealed-carry-law
---
Kansas City Mayor Wants to Join Bloomberg Group: Kansas City Mayor Mark
Funkhouser is leading a group of metro area mayors that want to join a
national coalition of mayors against illegal guns. Three people were
killed and another seven were wounded in Kansas City gunfire over the
weekend. But, some said the mayor's call to get illegal guns off the
streets is nothing more than a publicity stunt...Gun rights advocates
say the coalition's goal is to harass law-abiding gun owners...A
resolution directing the mayor to join the coalition will be introduced
at Thursday's City Council meeting.
http://www.myfoxkc.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7141020&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.1.1
---
Montana Governor's Race: Very little separates Gov. Brian Schweitzer and
Republican challenger Roy Brown when it comes to gun rights. Schweitzer,
in a recent survey, said he will continue to keep a rifle on display in
his office - despite a city ordinance that bans guns in the state
Capitol. While the Helena city attorney says the governor is in a gray
area, Brown thinks Schweitzer is breaking the law. Brown said he doesn't
like that idea and would change state law so that anyone could bring
guns into public buildings. Unlike Schweitzer, Brown also wants guns to
be allowed on college campuses...
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/08/05/news/state/48-guns.txt
---
New York Gun-Confiscation Case - Details Emerge: I promised an update to
the case of Gabriel Razzano. Here's his recounting of how he lost his
guns, taken from notes of our telephone conversation on July 24. Note
the events described here took place in the first part of 2007. They are
still unresolved over a year later. Mr. Razzano is a community activist
and, as a member of the Minutemen, has an interest in stopping illegal
immigration. As such, he works within the system, including making his
views known to his congressional representative. Over the course of
several years, he developed a working relationship with Carolyn
McCarthy's former Chief of Staff - to the point where this individual
had even visited Razzano at his home. When he learned the chief of staff
had been replaced, Razzano asked to speak with the new one, but never
had his call returned...
http://waronguns.blogspot.com/2008/08/how-to-lose-your-guns-without-due.html
---
Felon Loses Heller Argument: A Washington County man who tried to test
the local waters following a Supreme Court decision that struck down a
gun ban in the nation's capital quickly changed his mind after learning
his challenge had been rejected. James F. Barton Jr., 48, was charged
last year with being a felon in possession of firearms. Agents who
searched his Washington, Pa., home in May 2007 found seven pistols, five
rifles and three shotguns. Mr. Barton tried to argue before Senior U.S.
District Judge Alan N. Bloch that the Supreme Court's ruling - and its
assertion that possession of guns in the home is an individual right -
must be applied to all... (Bad cases make bad law.)
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08219/902120-58.stm
---
Open-Carry Arrest in Michigan: A man was arrested for carrying a gun in
the open in the moments leading up to the Coast Guard Festival's
fireworks display Saturday night. The man was carrying a Glock 40
handgun in a holster at his side in downtown Grand Haven, said Lt. Mark
Reiss of the Grand Haven Department of Public Safety. The man was
disarmed by the officers, arrested on a misdemeanor, issued a 90-day
appearance ticket and allowed to leave, Reiss said. His weapon was also
confiscated by police. While Michigan law allows carrying concealed
weapons with a permit, Grand Haven has a local ordinance prohibiting
openly possessing and carrying dangerous weapons in public, Reiss said.
People carrying weapons can be frightening and the department received
several verbal complaints about the man, Reiss said... (This ordinance
is likely preempted by state law.)
http://www.grandhaventribune.com/paid/298738684615690.bsp
---
Oops, Wrong House: A suspected home intruder was taken to the hospital
early Tuesday morning, after police say he was shot by a homeowner.
Police say the homeowner awoke to noise coming from the garage of his
home on Pennsylvania Avenue. The homeowner went to check it out, found
the intruder and shot him. That man was taken to Bayfront Medical Center
for treatment. Police have not said how badly he was injured.
http://www.abcactionnews.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=6112c8a1-3020-4138-a396-9ae2f0b290c6
---
Oops, Wrong Handyman: A man working on a home just north of Springfield
this afternoon shot an armed man who tried to rob him, said Sgt. Derrick
Lewis of the Sheriff's Office. The shooting occurred about 1:15 p.m. on
West 24th Street near North Pearl Street. Police said a man armed with a
gun approached the man working on a house and the worker, who was also
armed, opened fire. The wounded man fled south on Pearl Street and
collapsed outside a music store at West 23rd Street, a witness said...
http://news.jacksonville.com/justin/2008/08/04/jacksonville-man-shoots-would-be-robber/
---
It Wasn't a Wallet Holster After All: Police believe a court bailiff's
pant leg may somehow have caused his weapon to fire last week at
Merrimack District Court. Bailiff Logan Crocker was wounded in the ankle
when his pistol went off while in an ankle holster last Thursday. Police
said Crocker was not handling the weapon at the time. But Deputy Police
Chief Mark Doyle told the New Hampshire Union Leader that Crocker was
moving his trousers or hiking them up, and something along his trouser
leg may have grabbed the hammer or trigger and caused the weapon to
fire... (Something doesn't smell right.)
http://www.wmur.com/news/17097596/detail.html#
---
Rule Five Reminder: A 9-year-old Prince George's County boy was shot and
seriously wounded yesterday evening when his 6-year-old brother
accidentally fired a pistol they found in their home, county police
said. The boys were home with a 13-year-old brother when the incident
occurred about 6:15 p.m. in the 2400 block of Vermont Avenue in the Kent
Village area, police said. The boys were rummaging in an upstairs closet
when the 9mm handgun was found, police said. (Rule Five: Maintain
control of your firearm.)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/05/AR2008080503106.html
--
Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
http://www.spw-duf.info
