Tory Media Lies about Guns: Many media outlets have misfired about guns.
Countless newspapers and television networks - from CBS to MSNBC - have
misreported that conservative protesters are threatening President Obama
with guns at public events. It hasn't happened... While the media
regularly used terms such as "hotheads" to mischaracterize the
situation, the coverage ignored that union members who opposed the
protest had attacked Mr. Kostric and a friend, kicking, pushing and
spitting on them. Despite violence against him by Mr. Obama's
supporters, Mr. Kostric did not draw his gun or threaten anyone... In
another case in Arizona, a black man staged an event with a local radio
host and carried a semiautomatic rifle a few blocks away from another
Obama town-hall meeting. According to the radio station, the staged
event was "partially motivated to do so because of the controversy
surrounding William Kostric." This occurrence was not an example of an
outraged gun-toting Obama protester, but a stunt to garner attention for
a shock jock. Of course, this inconvenient truth was ignored by most
news outlets...
http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/aug/31/false-reports-about-guns/
---
Equalizers and Misguided Moms: As I've previously mentioned, firearms
are simply the best self defense tools yet invented by humanity. They
allow an elderly grandma to stop even the strongest young criminal who
breaks into her home. They enable a disabled person to fend off an able
bodied violent attacker. They allow a petite woman to defend herself
against a large rapist. Unfortunately, there are those who miss these
points: The Million Mom March is an anti self defense and gun
organization that is closely affiliated with the Brady Campaign. They
advance their anti gun rights agenda through the unfair indoctrination
of young children who will soon be voters, and their propaganda laden
website. Below are my responses to their anti self defense and anti gun
propaganda... (It's important to realize that, while firearms are truly
equalizers in deadly-force confrontations, most confrontations don't
justify the use of deadly force. The legislatures of Montana and Arizona
have wisely legalized the defensive display of firearms, allowing
citizens lawfully to state that they are armed or to display a firearm
in lieu of having to use physical force. The Arizona law does not take
effect until September 30.)
http://www.examiner.com/x-18149-SelfDefense-Examiner~y2009m8d30-Debunking-anti-self-defense-propaganda
---
Feminist Opposes Arming Female Abuse Victims: ...We have already
"encouraged, trained, and equipped" people to deal with outbreaks of
violence, Larry. Those people are police. And I agree that there should
be someone with a gun between a woman and her attacker, but I believe
that person should be an officer of the law who is trained to use that
weapon and who will not put others - including whatever children are
living in the household - at further risk. Having an officer enforce the
law also prevents an abused women from having to defend herself for the
next 20 years in court (and at taxpayers' expense). She'll be able to
move on with her life. What you're encouraging, Larry, is a siege
mentality: suggesting, in effect, that anyone who might be perceived as
physically defenseless live in a state of perpetual trepidation, saddled
and ridden by fear, and burdened with the added responsibility of
keeping the enemy at bay through the exercise of deadly violence. The
very definition of a civilized society is that no member should be
forced to live that way...
http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-cohen-barreca-domestic.artaug30,0,3705989.column
---
Should Hikers Be Armed?: Almost a year after a horrible beheading,
Virginia Tech is again visited by tragedy. This time two students are
shot and killed in the parking lot of a trail-head near Blacksburg
Virginia. This incident will no doubt revive the debate on whether
backpackers should arm themselves when traveling in remote areas. This
is not the first time that an event like this has occurred in a remote
area and unfortunately it probably will not be the last. The choice of
whether to carry a firearm for self defense is a personal decision that
can only be made by the individual. Whether it is protection from two or
four legged animals, the debate on whether it is better to be armed or
unarmed will continue...
http://www.examiner.com/x-2320-Baltimore-Hunting-and-Fishing-Examiner~y2009m8d31-Another-Virginia-Tech-tragedy-rekindles-a-debate-on-guns
---
F Troop Gets Token Victory in Friesen Case: ...In making a tactical
decision to end the litigation, Mr. Friesen agreed to plead guilty to a
misdemeanor of failing to keep accurate records as an FFL in violation
of 18 U.S.C. 922(m). The maximum penalty that could have been imposed
was 1 year incarceration and/or a fine of not more than $100,000, as
well as a special mandatory assessment of $25.00, and a term of
supervised release of one year. Moreover, the parties agreed to a 2
level downward adjustment of the Sentencing Guidelines. Furthermore, and
quite disconcerting, is the fact that Mr. Friesen was forced, in
accepting this plea agreement, to abandon his Sten Mark III.
Nevertheless, on July 28, 2009, the Court sentenced Mr. Friesen to 2
years of probation, a $25 fine, but all of his guns, excluding his Sten,
were returned to him... (Let us not forget that F Troop mercilessly
pursues registrants for minor errors in record-keeping but has lost
thousands of NFA registrations itself.)
http://blog.princelaw.com/2009/7/31/us-v-friesen-retrial-guilty-plea-and-court-filings
More Details:
http://www.examiner.com/x-1417-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m8d30-Why-ATF-folded-in-Friesen-case
---
Colorado Governor Proposes Gun Tax: As can only be expected from our
current governor, more fees are being proposed to help bridge the gap
between Colorado's revenue and spending. Governor Ritter has announced
his plan to impose a "fee" on all firearm purchases. Apparently charging
people to exercise their right is appropriate in the eyes of those
hostile to the rules and regulations of TABOR. Fees are becoming more
and more commonplace in Colorado, due to the fact that unlike taxes they
do not require the direct consent of the people. A clear violation of
the intent of TABOR, but an action our governor seems content and
impatient to implement. Just as importantly is the fact that he has
continued his assault on Coloradoan's right to control the revenue of
their state with his anti-gun agenda as a guiding rod...
http://www.examiner.com/x-11748-Jefferson-County-Conservative-Examiner~y2009m8d30-Ritter-proposes-guntax-to-help-balance-budget
---
Open-Carry Picnic in Colorado: To passers-by, the event at Lake Loveland
on Wednesday looked like any other friendly picnic... But a closer
inspection of the 10 or so participants showed it was more than just a
dinner - it was an opportunity to send a message. Several local gun
owners used the picnic at South Shore Scenic Park to show solidarity
with a man who was approached last year by police because he was openly
carrying a firearm. Six of them carried their weapons openly, too. The
event stemmed from the October 2008 stop of resident Bill Miller, who
was questioned by Loveland police for carrying a holstered sidearm at
the park on the south side of Lake Loveland. Police questioned Miller
and briefly took his gun and unloaded it, checking both him and the gun
before returning the sidearm and releasing Miller, who never was under
arrest. The American Civil Liberties Union sent the department a letter
in July protesting the stop as a violation of Miller's Second Amendment
rights... (Apparently, the Colorado chapter of the ACLU takes the Second
Amendment more seriously than does the parent organization.)
http://www.reporterherald.com/news_story.asp?ID=24605
---
As Arizona Debates Expanded RKBA, Crime Drops in Phoenix: Just as local
and state tourism officials tried to shed Phoenix's unbecoming title as
the "kidnapping capital of America," another national moniker has
emerged: gun-crazy. A man carrying a pistol and semiautomatic rifle
outside the Phoenix hall where President Barack Obama spoke this month
ignited a media firestorm, reinforcing the stereotype of the Grand
Canyon State as a gun-loving vestige of the Wild West... Before the gun
stunt, tales of Mexican drug cartels abducting rival smugglers and
immigrants and holding them for ransom in Valley homes had already
painted Phoenix as a city under siege. But as Arizona's image took
another beating, more than a dozen civic leaders, tourism officials and
media strategists huddled in Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon's office last
week to discuss how to stanch the flow of bad publicity... Tourism
officials said crime has already been on the wane. The number of violent
crimes across the Valley fell in 2008 to 16,832, a 6 percent drop over
the previous two years, according to FBI statistics... More recent
information shows that the number of violent crimes in Phoenix,
including murders, rapes and robberies, stood at 4,569 in the first six
months of 2009, a 14 percent decline compared with the same period a
year earlier...
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2009/08/31/20090831arizonaimage0831.html
---
Nebraska Restricts Toy Guns, Knives: The Nebraska State Patrol played
games at the State Fair Friday afternoon. With stuffed SpongeBobs and
bears and smiling bananas as their audience, they threw basketballs into
hoops and softballs at bottles. They lifted sunglasses-wearing rubber
ducks out of their pond to inspect their bottoms. They did this to make
sure the State Fair games were fair... They made sure there were no drug
paraphernalia as prizes, or prizes that look like real guns or knives...
(I wonder if the latter is actually supported by some sort of statute.)
http://journalstar.com/news/local/article_3a408ea4-9424-11de-aed6-001cc4c03286.html
---
"Shot Spotter" Leads to Arrest: A city man is facing firearms charges
after he was arrested early Saturday morning with the help of the Police
Department's "shot spotter" technology that alerted officers gunshots
were fired in the area of 47 Federal St. When officers responded they
found Angel Carrasquillo-Dejesus, 21, of 146 King St., in the area with
two guns on him - a .22 caliber handgun and .380 handgun, Lt. Robert P.
Moynihan said. There were also three spent bullet casings on the
sidewalk, police said. The call came in about 4:30 a.m. Moynihan said
that section of Federal Street is a high crime area, and the technology
is designed to pick up when shots are fired. Carrasquillo-Dejesus is
expected to be arraigned in Springfield District Court on Monday.
Charges include possession of a firearm without a license.
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/08/springfield_man_arrested_on_gu.html?category=Crime+category=Springfield
---
Elderly Man Shoots Pit Bull: A 78-year-old man with a licensed concealed
pistol said he was trapped by two pit bulls he had never seen before,
and the only way to survive was to shoot and kill one of dogs. Albert
Gosiak (pronounced like go-shack) said he walked out of his East
Vancouver house just for a minute Saturday morning. That's when he met
two pit bulls in his walkway. Gosiak said the dogs were aggressive and
he was trapped. He said he acted in self defense when he shot one of the
pit bulls... Animal control officials are investigating the case, and
have told KATU that they believe Gosiak indeed was acting in self
defense. Consequently, it is unlikely they will charge Gosiak in this
case. (Who's to blame? Apparently, the owner of the dogs, who failed to
take adequate steps to keep them at home.)
http://www.katu.com/news/local/56234442.html
---
Oops, Wrong Grocery: ...Jackson [MS] police say an armed burglar was
shot and killed Sunday while trying to break into a closed business.
Shortly before five J.P.D. officers responded to Gipson Discount Foods
on1434 Highway 80 West near Terry Road. There, they found a man dead
from a gunshot wound to the chest at the rear of the grocery store.
J.P.D. Assistant Chief Lee Vance says the unidentified man was breaking
in when an employee who lives in the building heard the noises.
According to investigators, the thief was armed with a large caliber
hand gun and a knife. The employee opened fire with a shotgun. "We do
know that this appears to be a justified shooting. This individual was
in the process of breaking into this building. He was an armed suspect,
and he was shot while he was trying to break into the building," said
Vance...
http://www.wlbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=11016775
---
Ten-Year-Old Charged for Shooting Father: Belen police have charged a 10
year-old-boy with first degree murder in the shooting death of his
father... When police arrived, they found 42-year-old Bryon Hilburn shot
once in the head. Police believe Benjamin used his own rifle to fatally
shoot his father. The boy reportedly told police he felt his father was
disciplining him too harshly and too often. The father was later
pronounced dead at University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque...
New Mexico state law says only handguns are restricted for people under
the age of 18. By law, Benjamin was allowed to own a rifle and use it
with parental supervision. "If an adult wants to buy a weapon for their
child, as far as I know it's perfectly legal," said Steve Scott with the
Valencia County District Attorney's office. Scott can't say if the
10-year-old's gun was registered, but said that type of gun doesn't have
to be. Scott said this incident is not a good enough reason to change
the law... (This case is eerily reminiscent of one still pending in the
next county over from me. The common thread appears to be routine
corporal punishment coupled with unlimited access to a firearm. If a
child truly requires that much discipline, it would not seem that he has
the judgment to have access to a firearm without parental supervision.)
http://www.koat.com/news/20602739/detail.html
---
DHS Contracts for New .40 S&W Round: Winchester Ammunition was recently
awarded a contract by the Immigration, Customs and Enforcement (ICE)
division of the Department of Homeland Security to supply a maximum of
200 million, 40 cal. rounds over the next five years. The load selected
for this contract is a 135-grain, hollow point designed for the office
of Field Operations of Customs and Border Protection. It will fall under
the Winchester Ranger line. (This report has generated some confusion as
ICE and CBP are different branches of DHS. I do not infer from this
report that the 135 gr. load is currently slated to replace the 155 gr.
loads used by the USBP, which fall under CBP. Rather, it appears that
CBP's OFO requested development of the load and ICE decided to purchase
it. How's that for alphabet soup?)
http://www.gunreports.com/news/ammo/Winchester-ICE-Homeland-Security-ICE_1460-1.html?ET=gunreports:e509:143480a:&st=email
http://www.stoppingpower.net/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=17548
--
Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
http://www.spw-duf.info
