Heller, One Year Later, Part 3: In parts one and two, we looked in
detail at the ruling of the Supreme Court of the United States. In this
third part, we will examine the dissenting opinions. Dissenting opinions
hold no rule of law, but are oftentimes cited as persuasive authority by
those who wish to change laws or file additional lawsuits. They can even
be used by a future court to overturn a previous decision. While we won
in this case and SCOTUS affirmed that the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is
indeed an individual right and that the DC gun ban is unconstitutional,
we came within one justice of losing on both counts. The Dissenting
Opinions will help us understand why...
http://www.examiner.com/x-2206-Cleveland-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m6d27-Revisiting-the-DC-v-Heller-ruling--Part-III
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More on the 90% Lie: "There is an iron river of guns that flows South
into Mexico [from the United States] to supply criminal organizations on
the border," says Tom Mangan, senior special agent with Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) in Phoenix. "They are in the market
for machine guns, hand grenades, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and
Stinger anti-aircraft missiles," he continues. That's right. The drug
gangs can't buy that and other military stuff like the 40MM grenades
(the silver things in the upper left) and the rifles with launchers
shown in the photo below in Mexico, so they drive to the United States
and purchase them from American gun dealers at retail. Isn't that the
story you've been told? Well, congratulations. America's First
Amendment protected propaganda ministry has punked you on another
important issue - this time on behalf of dissembling officials and gun
confiscation advocates...
http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/dgifford/2009/03/31/the-america-is-arming-mexicos-drug-gangs-lie/
..However, observers believe that the "90 percent" figure is based on
information provided by a foreign government that relies on the US for
millions and millions of dollars in aid each year in fighting the
so-called war on drugs. "There's just one problem with the 90 percent
'statistic' and it's a big one: It's just not true. In fact, it's not
even close. The fact is, only 17 percent of guns found at Mexican crime
scenes have been traced to the US, " said Snyder, who also serves as an
advisor to the National Association of Chiefs of Police and the American
Federation of Police. "A large part of the guns recovered in Mexico do
not get sent back to the U.S. for tracing, because it is obvious from
their markings that they do not come from the US," he added...
http://www.examiner.com/x-2684-Law-Enforcement-Examiner~y2009m6d28-New-report-Feds-blame-US-Gunowners-for-Mexicos-Violence
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Next Step - Executive Order?: Democrats and Republicans in the House of
Representatives asked President Barack Obama on Friday for an improved
strategy against the arms traffic to Mexico, beginning with the
reinstatement of a ban on U.S. imports of assault weapons. In a letter
sent Friday, the chairman of the House Subcommittee on the Western
Hemisphere, Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), and other lawmakers asked that
efforts be made to step up the fight against the arms trade that fuels
drug-cartel violence blamed for more than 10,000 deaths in Mexico over
the past 2 1/2 years. A ban on U.S. imports of assault weapons that was
instituted under President George H.W. Bush and continued under the
Clinton administration was quietly abandoned by George W. Bush, the
letter pointed out...
http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=338021&CategoryId=14091
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Is the Beat Winding Down?: Gun fanciers have loaded up on 15-round
pistols and military-style rifles since the November election of a
Democratic Congress and a president partial to gun control. The fear of
a renewed federal ban on assault weapons has boosted the revenues and
shares of gun makers Smith & Wesson Holding and Sturm, Ruger... But now
the gun industry's leading indicator - the Federal Bureau of
Investigation's monthly count of the instant background checks it runs
for gun dealers - is settling back toward pre-election levels. While
November background checks were 42% above the year-earlier level, May's
were up just 15%. Dealers confirm the slowdown. "It was really big
around the first of the year," says a Georgia dealer (who, like all we
found, wanted to remain unnamed). "Now, it's starting to taper back off.
It's not near like it was. Everyone is starting to relax." ... (Big
Brother's election produced a distortion in the marketplace that cannot
continue, particularly in light of the economic downturn. While firearm
manufacturers may end up scaling back production below pre-election
levels, for a while, I can only hope that both older and newer gun
owners have learned to maintain a long-term supply of ammunition and
reloading components.)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124614253650365023.html
---
Handloading, Part 1: While the recent ammunition shortage has also
resulted in a shortage of reloading components, it may also have
prompted some list members who do not yet reload to think about
developing the capacity to "roll their own" ammunition. This article is
not the full story on reloading (or handloading, as some call it), but
it's not a bad starting point for those who are contemplating a higher
level of preparedness and a lower level of cost for sporting and
training ammunition. I still recommend using factory ammunition, when
feasible, for defensive use.
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=11771/guntechdetail/Handloading_-_The_Wandering_Narrative_Part_I?mc_ID=2026
---
Why I Own Guns: ...Messiah Obama, Eric Holder, Bobby Rush, Charles
Schumer, Barbara Boxer, Dianne Feinstein and Sarah Brady can choose not
to own a firearm; that is their right, though at least one of them felt
the need to own one. I choose to own a gun for many reasons that I will
touch on in this article. Those listed above do not have the right to
deny me ownership of a firearm; I don't care how many fools voted for
them or who they know at Diebold who can illegally manipulate a voting
machine. We are living in an age and time where those who claim to be
against violence are more of a threat to individual liberty and freedom
than any gun owner. These autocrats seek to disarm his/her victim before
they move to enslave those of us they view as subjects...
http://www.lewrockwell.com/gaddy/gaddy63.1.html
---
I Told You So: There was a time in the Wild West that cowboys had to
check their guns before they could pull up a bar stool for a drink -
rules that protected against the saloon gunfights that came to define
the frontier era in places like Arizona. But a bill moving through the
Arizona Legislature has some bar owners fearful that the state is
turning back the clock to the Old West. Lawmakers are considering a bill
that would allow anyone with a concealed-weapons permit to bring a
handgun into bars and restaurants serving alcohol. The bill gives bars
discretion to keep gun-toting patrons out, and anyone with a weapon
would not be allowed to drink. But the bill has angered bar owners who
believe booze and guns are a recipe for disaster... (Recall that this
year's bill sought to distinguish restaurants from bars, a distinction
that does not appear in the Arizona Liquor Code, by the presence of a
kitchen. This provision was removed at the request of the Arizona
Licensed Beverage Association. I commented, at the time, that this
change was a poison pill, to facilitate the press refrying to the
restaurant-carry bill as the guns-in-bars bill.)
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jun/29/ariz-may-allow-concealed-guns-bars/
---
More Infringements Pending in California: ...AB 962 would compel those
who sell ammunition to be licensed the same as gun dealers, and mandate
a face-to-face transaction when someone buys ammunition... Under the
bill, people who buy ammunition through the Internet will have to pick
it up at a gun store, and provide both identification and a thumbprint.
Store owners would also have to take steps to prevent ammunition from
being easily shoplifted... DeSaulnier's bill, SB 697, would mandate
safety measures be included in every gun sold in California. That
technology would be used to tell how many unfired cartridges remain in a
gun, to avoid accidental shootings when thought to be empty. Guns would
also have to have biometric technology to prevent them from being fired
if someone other than the registered owner tried to do so. Gun store
owner and former Sutter County Sheriff Roy Whiteaker said such
technology would add so much to the cost of a gun, it could kill gun
manufacturers' willingness to put product into California... (Some of
this nonsense might be limited if other manufacturers would follow the
lead of Robbie Barrett and refuse to sell their firearms to California
agencies, in response to these infringements.)
http://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/stores-79105-making-arms.html
---
Florida CCW Course Profiled: After a recent home break-in, 48-year-old
Venice nurse Debbie Myers sought solace in a gun safety course. She
found Todd Von Bender, a local instructor who teaches novices how to
shoot and how to view wielding weaponry as a privilege, not a playful
pastime. With her daughter, Jessica Hurford, 30, Myers enrolled in one
of Von Bender's free "Concealed Carry Training" classes through the
Armed Citizen League. The women learned how to choose a handgun, how to
safely store and clean a firearm and how to buy ammunition... Even the
most seasoned gun aficionados could use brushing up, as Bruce Tymeson, a
former police officer, proved. After taking one of Von Bender's classes
on Anna Maria Island, Tymeson's eyes opened to a world of weapon usage
that he never explored during his 20 years on the force. "I think, even
if you're fairly familiar with the weapons, it's still a good idea to
take a class like this. It should be mandatory for police officers,"
Tymeson said. "And any female that wants a permit to carry a weapon
should take this class. It gives people a real sense of power and control."
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20090628/ARTICLE/906281025/-1/NEWSSITEMAP
---
Church's Open-Carry Day Draws Crowd: A southwest Jefferson County church
opened its doors to guns as the pastor makes a point about the Second
Amendment to the Constitution. At the New Bethel Church, Reverend Ken
Pagano said the church is celebrating the independence and freedom
provided by the constitution by raising awareness about being a safe and
responsible gun owner. Pagano said he felt he had a duty to teach that
to his community and congregation. He decided to do so by allowing
everyone to carry guns into the church... The church had several
sheriff's deputies positioned outside the doors to check each gun
carrying participant coming in. Their weapons had to be holstered and
unloaded, but bringing guns into any sanctuary, in any condition is
considered distasteful by many since churches are seen as sacred places
of worship and protection... (Historically, some American colonies
required worshippers to be armed to and from church, for fear of attacks
by Indians. Churches are increasingly becoming targets for violence.
Having sad that, I have to question the validity of this demonstration
if the openly carried handguns were required to be unloaded - earlier
reports stated that no inspection would be made of concealed handguns.)
http://www.wlky.com/news/19884976/detail.html
---
North Carolina GOP Women Support RKBA: The Iredell County Republican
Women's Club took on everything from gun rights to anti-bullying
legislation during its regular meeting Thursday night at the Holiday Inn
in Statesville. The early part of the gathering focused on the members'
hopes to keep both the state and federal governments from chipping away
at the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The speaker for that
portion of the meeting was Suzanne Anglewicz, with the National Rifle
Association's Institute for Legislative Action. "North Carolina has kept
us busy these last few months," Anglewicz said. She was referring to a
number of pieces of legislation that are now, or have recently been,
under consideration by the North Carolina General Assembly...
http://www2.statesville.com/content/2009/jun/27/republican-womens-club-talks-gun-rights/
---
VCDL Defends First Amendment: The Virginia Citizens Defense League is
used to fighting for the right to carry guns. But now it's having to
defend the right to wear stickers about carrying guns. The group says
officials at the Richmond Coliseum recently attempted to stop members
from handing out blaze-orange "Guns Save Lives" stickers before an
appearance by radio and television talk-show host Glenn Beck. "It's bad
enough they're trying to trample the Second Amendment. Then you come and
attack the First," President Philip Van Cleave said, referring to the
U.S. Constitution's guarantees of the right to bear arms and to free
speech. Dolly Vogt, who manages the Coliseum as a regional general
manager for SMG, did not respond to three messages Friday. Van Cleave
described the incident and his group's concerns to the City Council on
Monday. A city spokesman had no comment but said officials are looking
into the matter. Van Cleave said the confrontation occurred June 6 as
guests were arriving to see Beck, a defender of guns-rights and other
personal liberties. Group members were handing out stickers when
Coliseum officials told them to stop and advised that stickers were
banned from the city-owned venue, he said...
http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/GUNS27_20090626-221605/276663/
---
Better Sorry than Safe?: Note to the folks who keep loaded guns in their
houses: that stranger rustling around in your bushes or lurking by your
garage may be a teenager playing a game. Don't shoot... That said, the
question becomes whether he really was a threat to the man who shot him.
The experiences of the two women who already had expelled the teenager
from their apartments suggest he wasn't, since neither of them found his
trespassing to be ominous enough to bother calling police. After getting
the kid to leave, the first woman even walked outside past him to get to
her car, and when she saw him enter another apartment building, thought
he probably had found his way home. And yet, the man with the unlocked
door and the loaded gun thought differently. He described the situation
as "him or me." Whether his perception of danger meets the legal
definition won't be clear for some time. (That determination is in the
hands of authorities where it belongs.) ... (This one-sided commentary
makes one good point - the greater contribution to this tragedy stemmed
from leaving the doors unlocked, not from having the means to repel a
violent intruder.)
http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/245067/
---
CBP Misleads on Knife Rule: A new proposal by U.S. Customs and Border
Protection will not make carrying most types of small pocketknives
illegal, an agency spokesman says. According to Brian Levin, the CBP
wants to expand the federal definition of what types of knives are
considered switchblades under the Federal Switchblade Act. The proposal,
he said, pertains only to knives that have springs and release-assisted
mechanisms and are imported. "It does not affect any of the knives
manufactured in this country. It only pertains to imports." Levin said
the agency posted the proposal on the Federal Registry on May 21 because
it intends to revoke an earlier ruling it had made that assisted-opening
knives are not considered switchblades... (The problem is that if CBP
can implement this amendment to an already foolish statute, it can serve
as a basis to amend or interpret state laws. If CBP has no intention of
interfering with the lawful carry of knives that can be opened with one
hand by US citizens, why does it feel compelled to block their importation?)
http://www.yumasun.com/news/assisted-51096-knife-knives.html
---
More Canadians Fail to Re-Register Guns: The number of firearm owners
who fail to renew their gun licences has steadily increased since the
Harper government tabled legislation to scrap the federal long-gun
registry. Opposition critics and the Coalition for Gun Control in Canada
say the problem has increased risk for frontline police officers and
undermines public safety. Despite an amnesty the Conservatives
introduced to coax gun owners into licence renewals, the latest RCMP
figures show the opposite occurred. The rate of non-renewals climbed to
25.3 per cent of expired licences in the first three months of this
year, compared with 14.1 per cent in 2005. Cabinet began the amnesty in
2006 and extended it for another year last month, waiving licence fees
and providing protection from liability under the Firearms Act and the
Criminal Code for those who take steps to comply with the law. But the
government's mixed message over the last three years - bringing in the
amnesty along with legislation to dismantle the registry - has confused
gun owners and is eroding the integrity of the program, critics say...
((I believe that Canada has a very low rate of assaults on police officers.)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5iickEHGBOOTe4y7FkwGPDCfK0qxA
---
NRA-ILA Alerts: List members are encouraged to check the alerts for the
week, posted on the NRA-ILA website.
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
