Young Gun Owners - Vote No on Obama: Young gun owners and hunters. Yeah,
you. If you vote for Obama then you will have crapped on your future
second amendment rights and the sport you supposedly love. Welcome to
reality, young squab, may I take your coat? Yep, Dufus, if Barack
becomes dictator - I mean president - and you begin to see your right to
bear arms erode like Bill Clinton's conscience at Hooters and you
commence to spot the sport of hunting disappearing like a massive bag of
Cheetos in front of a rather peckish Rosie O'Donnell, I sure as heck
don't want to hear any of you Obama backing wussies whine about it. Why?
Well, you asked for it, and now you got it. You're the one who, in spite
of sick evidence against Barack, decided to vote for the most anti-gun
candidate in US history just because he's "young, cool and can play
basketball..."
http://townhall.com/columnists/DougGiles/2008/11/01/young_undecideds_who_love_guns_vote_your_glock?page=full
---
Obama Supporters Promise RKBA to Virginia Voters: Virginia will play a
major role in Tuesday's election, every vote is vital and Barack Obama
supporters should not believe a last-minute campaign attack by the
National Rifle Association, local Democratic leaders said Saturday while
rallying the faithful. Speakers urged voters to disregard the NRA's
advertising campaign, which on Friday included an ad in the Herald
Courier stating that Obama, if elected, would wage an assault against
the Second Amendment. In addition, speakers told the crowd that
Tuesday's edition of the newspaper will be tucked inside an NRA bag,
which will be distributed to the newspaper's home-delivery customers...
http://www.tricities.com/tri/news/local/article/democrats_urge_voters_to_disregard_nra_attack_on_obama_on_gun_rights/15821/
---
While in New Mexico...: Guns are flying off the shelves at local gun
shops, according to gun store owners. Store owners said the election and
the possible victory of Democratic Presidential candidate Sen. Barack
Obama is driving up gun sales. R&S Gun Shop store owner Larry Reeves
said Obama would push for tighter gun restrictions, and customers have
similar fears. Obama's campaign officials disagree. According to a
statement released by Obama's New Mexico campaign organization, Obama
backs the Second Amendment right to own firearms and closing the
gun-show loophole, which allows sales of firearms between private
individuals during gun shows without a federal background check...
(Interesting that they should pick the major infringement on which
McCain and Obama agree.)
http://www.pntonline.com/news/gun_15280___article.html/election_shelves.html
---
Tangentially Related, Catch-22: Fifth-grader Jordan Hood thought the
bloody vampire he drew in art class was scary, but he had no idea it
would elicit a horrifying response from one of his teachers. Tuesday
morning, Jordan was assigned to draw a scary Halloween mask in art
class. By the end of the day, Jordan was being told he could not return
to Pooler Elementary School until he passed a psychological
evaluation... (Is this a trick question?)
http://savannahnow.com/node/605769
---
From John Farnam:
27 Oct 08
Kel-Tec 380, from an Instructor:
"This morning, as I headed out of the house, I slipped my Kel-tec 380
into my front pocket, secure within it's pocket holster. I detected an
unusual 'rattle.' I removed the pistol from my pocket and shook it.
There was that rattle!
I unloaded it. Rattle still there! I attempted to dry-fire it. The
trigger went limp, and the hammer didn't cycle. I pulled it apart and
found that the trigger spring (which is visible from the bottom of the
grip) had rusted through at its attachment point and had subsequently
broken. In any event, the pistol was thus rendered non-functional.
I called Kel-Tec, and they will, of course, fix it. No problem!
Kel-Tec's customer service is suburb [sic].
The pistol is only a year old, but I carry it constantly in close
contact with my sweaty body. I was, once again, reminded that carry
pistols require constant inspection and maintenance, and they need to be
shot often! I am also reminded that, when one thinks he needs to carry
a gun, he probably needs to carry two!"
Comment: My friend's point about carry guns is well taken. A pistol
that spends its entire life inside the box it came in, within the
pristine confines of a gun-safe, gathering dust, may not require
meticulous maintenance. However, carry guns, serious guns, working
guns, guns that are actually shot now and then, must be looked after
carefully and see professional maintenance on a regular basis, if they
are to be ever-ready to be depended upon to fulfill their primary function!
In our business, the one thing we never want is a surprise! Nearly any
catastrophe can be dealt with effectively when there is enough warning.
We need to keep surprises to a minimum!
/John
(I am a vociferous advocate of carrying more than one firearm, one
knife, one flashlight, etc. Further, I keep at least one of each
accessible to each hand. I'm not sure that being fired often decreases
the risk of firearm failure but it may increase the chance of detecting
problems. This was an unusual case with the Kel-Tec. Firearms should
undergo function checks during cleaning. Those with screws, such as S&W
revolvers, should have screws and nuts checked for tightness. I have
revolvers that I loan students but rarely use myself. One experienced
failures to fire while being used by a student. It turned out that the
strain screw, which maintains tension on the leaf spring that powers the
hammer, had backed out, undetected because it is covered by the grip
stocks. Lesson learned: remove the grip stocks periodically as part of
the cleaning regimen.)
28 Oct 08
At a Scenario-Based Training Course in SC last weekend, we confirmed
several important principles:
(1) "Good tactics" doesn't mean "taking no risk." It means "taking the
best risk." Any time one must employ tactics, by definition, good
choices are no longer available. Only bad choices remain, and one must
choose "the best of the worst." Risk and opportunity are inexorably
intertwined. The greatest opportunity always necessitates exposure to
the greatest risk.
(2) You'll never have all the information you think you need. You must
be willing to throw the dice while the game is still in progress! Some
students over-analyze to the point where opportunity unfailingly slips
away. The longer you wait, the more options dry up.
(3) Don't relax too soon! As victory rears her head, many students
pause, and pausing, fall victim to a crushing and well-timed
counter-attack!
(4) Few come through fights unscathed! You must finish the fight, even
though wounded. You can't pause, and you can't take breaks. This is a
job from which you don't get to resign. Stay in motion!
(5) In fighting, there is no "free-lunch." Surprises are, without fail,
part of the deal. One must always have a plan, but be flexible enough
to absorb unexpected setbacks and, likewise, be ever ready to exploit
unexpected opportunities.
(6) Fear is normal. Circumspection is normal. But, courage, boldness,
and audacity you either have or you don't!
In feudal Japan, a poor practitioner of "Chado," the Way of Tea,
inadvertently insulted a "Ronin," an unemployed Samurai. The outraged
Ronin immediately challenged the Teaman to a duel to the death.
"I am not a warrior," timidly replied the Teaman, "and I'm sorry that I
offended you, but understand that it was simply a clumsy mistake on my
part. I meant no harm. Please accept my humble apology."
But, the Ronin would have none of it. "We meet on the Field of Honor at
dawn tomorrow," he growled as he rushed off in a huff.
The terrified Teaman ran to the home of a famous Swordmaster and related
the afternoon's events.
"A luckless situation," said the Master. But, as they talked, the
Teaman prepared and served tea. The authoritative and masterful way in
which the Teaman went about his tasks caught the eye of the Master. He
marveled at the Teaman's effortless grace. Suddenly, he slapped his
knee and said, "Forget what I just told you. Put yourself in the state
of mind that you were in as you served tea, and you can win this fight!"
The Teaman was astounded. "I've never held a sword in my life. I know
nothing of fighting. What state of mind are you talking about?"
"As you served tea, were you thinking, 'I am a Teaman?'" asked the Master.
"Of course not," replied the Teaman, "I wasn't thinking at all!"
"That's it!" shrieked the Master, as he handed the Teaman a sword. "On
the Field of Honor tomorrow morning, draw this sword and hold it high
over your head, ready to cut down your opponent. Don't think you're a
Teaman. Don't think you're a Samurai. Don't think at all! Just
listen. When you hear him shout, immediately move forward and strike
him down."
"I'll try," replied the Teaman.
"No!" shouted the master. "Don't 'try;' DO! or do not."
The following morning the Ronin swaggered onto the field, confident of
an easy victory; but the stoic Teaman immediately raised his sword over
his head and riveted his eyes on the Ronin, his ears waiting for the
battle cry.
For long moments the Ronin stared at the Teaman's raised sword and
determined, steely gaze.
Abruptly, the Ronin's countenance fell. His bearing withered, and, with
a shaky voice, he whimpered to the Teaman, "I cannot beat you." He
bowed to his opponent in disgrace and then slumped off the field.
Comment: As bad as you think your situation is, your enemy's is likely
even worse!
Never give up.
Never give in.
Always call their bluff!
"I wish no connection with any ship that does not sail fast, for I
intend to go after the enemy!"
JP Jones
/John
(George Patton repeatedly said that a good plan, executed now, with
vigor, beats a perfect plan executed tomorrow. Granted that Patton was
dealing with masses of troops, some of whom would inevitably be lost in
battle, we can find some merit in his counsel. One list member is fond
of saying that cover is like a condom - you can only use it for a
limited time before you must throw it away. Unless you are ensconced in
a prepared location, such as the safe room of your home, you run the
risk of being outflanked if you merely hunker behind cover, so long as
your assailant knows you are there. This risk multiplies with the number
of assailants. As to the story of the tea master, I take it with my
cynical shaker of salt. While there have been exceptional lucky shots by
people who have never previously fired a firearm, I would not count on
mind over matter in place of good training.)
31 Oct 08
Chicago goes begging! From LEO friends in the area:
For the first time in history, the City of Chicago has gone on bended
knee to the over one-hundred surrounding suburban PDs, as well as State
Police, and asked for the loan of beat cars and uniformed officers to
supplement CPD on election night! CPD has specifically asked for
two-man, marked cars, equipped with rifles!
The ill-advised "Grant-Park Rally" is predictably turning into a can of
worms, with far more people expected than the Park, indeed the entire
area, can reasonably accommodate. Destructive rioting is anticipated.
If it is anything like the Bush/Gore presidential election, we won't
even know the final result for days, even weeks, and the Supreme Court
may well be involved before it is all over. In the interim, widespread,
malignant mob-violence is likely in most major metro areas, particularly
Chicago!
Accordingly, staying away from all metro areas, and far away from any
species of collective political activity (like rallies), as well as
staying heavily armed, is advice to the wise.
Hang on to our hat!
/John
(In one of the few forums I frequent, someone has posted that some of
the gangs have signaled that they will burn vehicles if Obama wins and
businesses and residences if he loses.)
--
Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
http://www.spw-duf.info
