The Gunman and the Gun Ban: Less than a day after Michael McLendon fired
his last shot, gun control groups issued press releases that cited his
murderous rampage through three Alabama towns as an argument for
reviving the federal "assault weapon" ban. The Obama administration also
wants to bring back the ban, on the theory that outlawing the firearms
supposedly favored by gangbangers and homicidal maniacs will reduce the
casualties they inflict. But there is little reason to believe such laws
can deliver on that promise... In any case, the focus on the specific
guns used in attacks like this is misleading because murderers don't
need much "firepower" when they're attacking defenseless victims at
random. The day after McLendon, using a rifle that anti-gun activists
called an "assault weapon," killed 10 people in Alabama, a teenager used
a 9mm Beretta pistol to kill 15 people in Germany. The deadliest mass
shooting in U.S. history was accomplished with two ordinary handguns; so
was the second deadliest...
http://reason.com/news/show/132288.html
---
RKBA Advocates Ready for "AWB" Fight: Get ready for a gunfight. Attorney
General Eric Holder is using the drug violence in Mexico to "confuse and
mislead" Americans in an attempt to reinstate the expired Federal
Assault Weapons Ban, gun advocates claim... Holder said reinstating the
ban would decrease the flow of guns from the U.S. into Mexico. He
declined to offer a timeframe for any re-implementation; Justice
Department spokesman Matt Miller also declined comment on Tuesday. But
Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the National Rifle
Association, told FOXNews.com that Holder's "argument in general is
bizarre. It's a delusion to say that diminishing the Second Amendment in
America is somehow going to stop these ruthless drug cartels in Mexico." ...
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/03/17/gun-advocates-ready-battle-federal-assault-ban/
---
Big Brother Seeks End of FFDO Program: After the September 11 attacks,
commercial airline pilots were allowed to carry guns if they completed a
federal-safety program. No longer would unarmed pilots be defenseless as
remorseless hijackers seized control of aircraft and rammed them into
buildings. Now President Obama is quietly ending the federal firearms
program, risking public safety on airlines in the name of an anti-gun
ideology. The Obama administration this past week diverted some $2
million from the pilot training program to hire more supervisory staff,
who will engage in field inspections of pilots. This looks like
completely unnecessary harassment of the pilots. The 12,000 Federal
Flight Deck Officers, the pilots who have been approved to carry guns,
are reported to have the best behavior of any federal law enforcement
agency. There are no cases where any of them has improperly brandished
or used a gun. There are just a few cases where officers have improperly
used their IDs...
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/mar/17/guns-on-a-plane-obama-secretly-ends-program-that-l/
CCRKBA Comments:
http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/03-17-2009/0004990104&EDATE=
---
It Looks like We Won This Round:
I just received a phone call from the office of U.S. Senator Tester of
Montana to inform me that at 5:15 (EST) today a letter cosigned by
Senator Tester (D-MT) and Senator Baucus (D-MT) was faxed to the
Department of Defense asking DoD to reverse its new policy requiring
destruction of fired military cartridge brass. At 5:30, I am told,
Tester's office received a fax back from DoD saying that the brass
destruction policy IS reversed.
Others report to me that they are already seeing evidence of this on the
Websites of entities that liquidate surplus DoD commodities.
Our thanks go out to Senator Tester and Senator Baucus, and their staff,
for getting on this problem promptly and making the reversal happen
Staff for Tester and Baucus promise they will get me the documentation
for this reversal tomorrow morning. I'll forward that when I get it.
Best wishes,
Gary Marbut, president
Montana Shooting Sports Association
http://www.mtssa.org
author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.mtpublish.com
http://www.jpfo.org/alerts03/alert20090317.htm
http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/2009/03/brass-destruction-policy-reversed-kudos.html
---
The Beat Goes On: Around Wichita, the supply of ammunition -
particularly for handguns - is not keeping pace with a strong demand.
The demand is emptying shelves at the big discount stores, owners of
local shooting ranges and gun merchants say. Despite the slumping
overall economy, two Wichita indoor-shooting ranges and a Goddard gun
and hunting supply store say they are doing a robust business. Business
is good, they say, because of a mix of political and economic factors.
On the political front, they say, gun owners and enthusiasts appear to
be buying more guns and ammo out of concern that President Obama's
administration will push for more gun control. As a result, "Obama has
sold more guns and ammunition than anybody in history," said Bill
Vinduska, owner of the Bullseye Indoor Shooting Range, 1455 N. Terrace...
http://www.kansas.com/news/local/story/736526.html
Larry Guarcello is having trouble locating a source of discounted
ammunition. He has been attempting to make a group purchase for members
of GeorgiaCarry.Org who are attending firearms classes with instructor
Ken Forbus at Firearmz. These courses are not run of the mill
familiarization courses where a student might expect to expend a single
box of ammunition, but intensive courses requiring hundreds or even
thousands of rounds. At current prices, such prodigious shooting that
can add up to a noticeable sum. Because the cost is significant, Mr.
Guarcello thought he could realize a substantial savings if the students
banded together to purchase their ammunition, but so far he has met with
frustration. "Nobody is willing commit to price or availability at this
time," he remarked. He added that he has not given up...
http://www.examiner.com/x-5619-Atlanta-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m3d16-Atlanta-ammunition-supply-is-severely-constrained
---
Oath Keepers Draw Response: An invitation to soldiers and peace officers
across the United States to pledge to refuse illegal orders - including
"state of emergency" orders that could include disarming or detaining
American citizens - has struck a chord, collecting more than 100,000
website visitors in a little over a week and hundreds of e-mails daily.
Spokesman Stewart Rhodes of Oath Keepers told WND his organization's
goal is to remind military members their oath of allegiance is to the
U.S. Constitution, not a particular president. He said the organization
deliberately does not collect the names of those who subscribe to Oath
Keepers' beliefs because of their status mostly as active duty soldiers...
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=91530
---
No Need to Know: The mainstream media wants us to believe that your
Right-to-Carry license should be public information, printed and
published online for all the world to see. The latest paper to do this
is the Commercial-Appeal in Memphis, but they're not the first and I
doubt they'll be the last. Why on earth reporters and editors want to
do something so shameful, so irresponsible and so hateful is beyond me.
You know, normal people don't get up in the morning and say, "I wonder
if my doctor has a Right-to-Carry license?" They don't wonder, "Is my
accountant a Right-to-Carry holder?" They don't ask because they don't
think about it. The point of legally carrying a concealed firearm is to
conceal that. Not because we're ashamed or afraid, but because it's
nobody's business...
http://www.nranews.com/blogarticle.aspx?blogPostId=506
---
National-Forest Shooting Dispute Resolved: ...Most people not familiar
with Arizona gun laws, think that we are unregulated here. Such is not
so. While the infringements are less Californicative and New
Jerseyistic, there are still incursions against our liberty. One is
detailed below, with, for a change, a positive resolution. In November
of this year, I was teaching a CCW class on the mountain north of
Tucson, Mt. Lemmon. We were doing the shooting qualification, when a
Pima County Sheriffs Deputy approached us. The deputies have
jurisdiction on the road that goes up the mountain (about 27 miles from
the base) and also have a joint jurisdiction for enforcement with the
U.S. Forest Service. It seems that someone had pitched a tent adjacent
to the area at milepost 4.3 that is frequently used for target shooting.
The tent was not in the line of fire...
http://www.examiner.com/x-5209-Arizona-LIberty-Watch-Examiner~y2009m3d17-Shooting-conflict-on-national-forest-land-resolved-favorably
---
Montana Senate Tackles RKBA: Two bills regarding gun rights were
presented to the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday as lawmakers
approach the last 30 days of Montana's 61st legislative session. The
first bill was a resolution in support of the United States Interior
Department's regulation update to provide guidance and controls for
possession and transportation of firearms in national parks... The other
measure, House Bill 228, addresses several gun issues, including the
"Castle Doctrine" theory, which states that people have the right to
self-defense without first retreating. The bill passed fairly quickly
through the House...
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=10024393&nav=menu227_6
---
Tennessee Could Drop Fingerprint Requirement: A 1998 state law that
requires gun buyers to provide a fingerprint could soon be a thing of
the past. A bill that passed 82-11 in the State House is now headed for
the Senate. It says firearms dealers in Tennessee would no longer be
required to take thumbprints from people buying a gun. The Tennessee
Bureau of Investigation asks that gun dealers buy a specific type of ink
and also provides them with a thumbprint form, but many local dealers
say they're not taught how to accurately take a thumbprint... Although
thumb printing is required, it's not part of TBI's background check for
a gun purchase. The dealer calls in the information provided by the
potential buyer...
http://www.wate.com/global/story.asp?s=10015807
---
Florida School Board May Classify Ammo as Weapon: A box of bullets or
shotgun shells brought onto Broward County school grounds would be
considered weapons if the School Board approves a recommended change to
the district's student code of conduct. Ammunition already isn't allowed
on campus, though the school district does not classify it as weapons.
The district's code of conduct does not specify how school officials
will discipline a student who brings bullets or other similar items to
school... If the School Board approves the change Tuesday, a student who
next school year brings bullets or other ammunition to school would be
considered in possession of a Class B weapon, the same category as
knives, toy guns, razor blades, Chinese stars, nunchakus, pepper spray
and ice picks...
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/schools/sfl-flbbullet0317sbmar17,0,4276225.story
---
Oops Wrong House?: A locksmith sent to change the lock at a Phoenix home
supposedly under foreclosure was shot early Saturday morning by a man
still living in the house. The unidentified locksmith expected the home,
on the 4300 block of East Campo Bello Drive, to be empty when he arrived
at 4:30 a.m. and began drilling out the lock on the front door,
according to Phoenix police Sgt. Andy Hill. When opened the door, he was
shot in the hand by the homeowner. The homeowner, whose name has not
been released, claimed he had never received any notice of foreclosure
and thought the locksmith was breaking in, Hill said. He was not
arrested at the time of the incident. (This one's kind of tough to call
- has the homeowner called 911, he would have had a more defensible case.)
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2009/03/17/20090317b1-talker0317.html
---
Oops, Wrong House, Kentucky Version: A burglary suspect doesn't get far
after breaking into one Georgetown home. Just before 2 a.m. Monday,
Georgetown Police said Joshua Slone stood at the back door of a house on
Citation Court knocking on it. When he didn't get a response. police
said Slone kicked in a window and made his way into the living room.
Around the same time, the homeowner met Slone with his shotgun and held
him inside until police arrived. No one was hurt. Joshua Slone is being
held in the Scott County Detention Center facing burglary charges.
http://www.lex18.com/Global/story.asp?S=10011440&nav=menu203_2
---
Oops, Wrong House, Texas Version: Fort Hood soldier Jamar Mcnair Jones,
18, was in the Bell County Jail charged with burglary of a habitation
with the intent to commit theft Monday after a Killeen woman shot a man
who tried to force his way into her home. The woman called 911 early
Friday morning after the would-be burglar fled. She told officers she
was awakened by the doorbell around 4 a.m. Friday. The front door of the
woman's home had a viewer, but she told officers she was unable to see
who was ringing the bell so she opened the door slightly. When she did,
the man attempted to force his way in. That's when she fired.
http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/41335607.html
---
Oops, Wrong House, Virginia Version: Police say one burglar was shot and
another stabbed breaking into a Woodbridge home Sunday night. James
Baumann Jr., 28, and Jason Lewis Presley, 32, are accused in a burglary
in the 15100 block of Georgia Road about 11:30 p.m. Police say one of
them was armed with a knife. The 41-year-old resident of the house heard
the burglars and went to investigate, said Erika Hernandez, Prince
William police spokeswoman. When the victim saw the two men, a fight
ensued. Police said the resident grabbed a knife from one of the
burglars and stabbed him. Baumann suffered stab wounds and the victim
had cuts on various parts of his body, Hernandez said. After fighting
one burglar, the victim grabbed his shotgun and shot the second burglar
as he attempted to run. All three men were all taken to the hospital...
http://www.insidenova.com/isn/news/local/article/one_burglar_shot_another_stabbed_in_home_invasion/31979/
---
Oops, Wrong Pharmacy: A knife-wielding robber who entered the Windsor
Pharmacy on Wednesday night was taken down by a store clerk using a
handgun, police said. Matthew Perry, a 21-year-old Middletown Township
resident, allegedly went into the pharmacy just after 8:30 p.m.,
displayed a knife, and demanded the pill oxycontin. Police said he began
to struggle with a store clerk who resisted him. A second store clerk,
who had a valid permit to carry a weapon, pulled out a handgun and fired
one shot at Perry, hitting him in the arm and chest, according to
police. Police said Perry fell to the floor, and was taken to a local
hospital by the Levittown-Fairless Hills Rescue Squad... (A valid permit
to carry a weapon in New Jersey?)
http://www.nj.com/news/times/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-16/1236932719194620.xml&coll=5
---
Rule Five Reminder: Bestselling Christian author, pastor and leadership
guru John Maxwell was arrested last week after an airport screener found
a gun in Maxwell's carry on luggage... "Definition of stupid," he wrote,
"receive gun as gift, forget it's in carry-on, & go to airport. Security
not happy. Whole story on my blog later today." ...Maxwell claimed the
gun was a gift that he'd forgotten about. He'd been speaking early last
week at Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, Alabama, when a church
member gave him the gun. It was meant for his wife, Maxwell claims, to
keep her safe while he travels. He tucked it in his carry baggage, and
brought it on private jet flight home. Maxwell said that he'd neglected
to take the gun out of the bag... (Rule Five: Maintain control of your
firearm.)
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20090316/NEWS01/90316066
---
From AzCDL:
AzCDL will have a table at the Tombstone gun show on April 4-5, 2009.
This is the same weekend that Tombstone is having its 130th birthday
celebration. The Tombstone Chamber of Commerce is expecting several
thousand tourists that weekend.
If you can spare a few hours while visiting historic Tombstone, we would
deeply appreciate your help. AzCDL's phenomenal growth is primarily
because of the hard work of our gun show volunteers all over Arizona.
Gun shows provide a great opportunity to educate fellow gun owners about
our goals and hard won successes. This is first time we are able to
promote AzCDL at a Tombstone gun show.
Come on down and spend some time observing the other volunteers. When
you feel ready, step on in. If pro-active interactions are not your
forte, we still need volunteers to manage the table, help hand out
flyers and brochures, and keep an eye on things.
Volunteers who work the AzCDL table for a few hours get into gun shows FREE!
If your membership is coming up for renewal soon, stop by the table and
renew at the "gun show special" rate ($10 off!). Sustaining memberships
get a FREE AzCDL T-Shirt.
Not a member? Not a problem! You can join AzCDL at the gun show!
Interested? Send an email to Tom:
[email protected]
These alerts are a project of the Arizona Citizens Defense League
(AzCDL), an all volunteer, non-profit, non-partisan grassroots
organization. Join today!
AzCDL - Protecting Your Freedom
http://www.azcdl.org/html/join_us_.html
Copyright � 2009 Arizona Citizens Defense League, Inc., all rights
reserved.
--
Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
http://www.spw-duf.info
