More on the NRA's McDonald Role: The National Rifle Association was on
the outside looking in when the Supreme Court handed gun rights
activists a landmark victory in 2008. After the court ruled that the
Second Amendment protects an individual right to gun ownership and that
the District's handgun ban was unconstitutional, it was an upstart band
of libertarian lawyers that celebrated on the marble steps and received
the glory for the breakthrough decision. The NRA, the nation's premier
and most powerful gun rights group, has worked hard not to be in that
position again. And because of an unusual intervention recently by the
justices, its attorney will be in the mix when the court considers the
next big guns case next month...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/07/AR2010020702401.html
---
West Virginia Could Drop Permit Requirement for CCW: On Wednesday,
Delegate David Walker, D-Clay, introduced at WVCDL's request House Bill
4235, which eliminates the requirement of a license to carry a concealed
weapon. HB 4235 also partially strengthens preemption, cleans up
confusing and contradictory hunting laws regulating handguns, restores
firearm rights to individuals who have received a pardon, expungement,
or certain forms of relief from disabilities for a disqualifying crime,
and maintains optional concealed weapon licenses for West Virginians to
be able to carry in other states via reciprocity. Currently, only Alaska
and Vermont recognize the righ tto carry without a license. Alaska
issues optional permits for reciprocity purposes in other states, as
would HB 4235...
http://campaign.constantcontact.com/render?v=001dTY-NYldfV0Q9PcrWS9tS1k56gcH9TnbxIXcyIPbapZX7UAvo-SM7F2f-_pSFOdHdWETDPRl91tcOA-ykeIXAkrMHfUQvyctwRCiHPbcPCxb-idrYJ9F_KE-TDAoTLWfUKcQ10xobM61dplEFC7tJyRkbq4Tav5Mfht-5yy1j-xwlBWi6Tlh8Dm1vGn43DMQEecNxHf30JwpHA_SygMiTtm7MBmMRlDmblN8qrK0ItP96hODiGn6IDwEyhrijDdnqu-q-WYtUqo%3D
---
Texas Re-Examines Capitol Carry: Lawmakers in firearm-friendly Texas are
embroiled in a debate over how to make the state Capitol safer: get rid
of guns or encourage even more. The discussion comes after a man last
month fired several shots on the steps of the towering Capitol in
Austin. State troopers tackled him and no one was wounded, but the
incident spotlighted a predicament for lawmakers in a state where
carrying handguns is not only legal but largely cherished. Lawmakers,
some of whom regularly show up for work armed, have to sort through an
array of safety options. They range from prohibiting guns in the
Capitol, making everyone who steps into the building go through a metal
detector, to exempting those who have a license to carry a concealed
weapon. Or lawmakers could stick with current safety procedures, which
permit unfettered access to all areas of the Capitol when the
legislature isn't in session, effectively allowing access to people
carrying guns... (I'm going to take a guess that Ana Campoy hails from
Texas. If so, It's a shame that she fails to recognize that Texas
residents did not gain access to lawful, licensed CCW until 1995 and
that open carry of handguns remains illegal for them.)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748704197104575051181299172168.html
---
What's the Point?: Authorities lifted a curfew and alcohol restrictions
in King [NC] on Sunday, but said a state of emergency declaration
remained in effect until Monday... Effective Sunday afternoon, alcohol
restrictions and a curfew were lifted. All other remaining restrictions
would continue until Monday, said Paula May, King police chief. Other
restrictions include a ban on the sale or purchase of any type of
firearm, ammunition, explosive or any possession of such items off a
person's own premises [emphasis added]... The state of emergency was
declared Friday due to severe weather. (North Carolina appears to have a
preemption law that would make this action illegal
[
http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/northcarolina.pdf].)
http://www.wxii12.com/news/22487153/detail.html
---
The Many Faces of Starbucks?: ...The problem - a member of Wyoming Gun
Owners stated: "After I purchased my beverage I was asked to remove my
firearm from the premises." It would appear that Starbucks is taking a
clear path to ban firearms in Wyoming locations. I can say this because
of my own conversation with the store manager "Matthew" at the Casper
location, he stated that "unless you are Law Enforcement no firearms are
allowed in the store," he said he read this from an internal company
web-site. He also said that he has confirmed with his Regional Manager
that Starbucks has a "no firearm policy." Another interesting statement
by the Manager is he stated - "I own guns but why would anyone want to
carry them around women and children." The Manager also stated that
Starbucks corporate office called him but only to verify his
conversation with [sic] he had with me not to assert policy, we can
assume by the corporate office actions that they have intentions of
banning firearms... (I have to confess that the reports of Starbucks in
the San Francisco Bay Area seemingly welcoming the open-carry
demonstrators struck me as too good to be true. I suspect that we're
going to find that this may be a regional issue. Where I live, the only
Starbucks locations are inside Safeway supermarkets and Safeway does not
restrict the carry of firearms, openly or otherwise.)
http://www.examiner.com/x-25069-Cheyenne-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2010m2d6-Starbucks--Not-so-fast
http://www.examiner.com/x-1417-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2010m2d7-Good-and-bad-news-about-Starbucks-gun-story
Related Article:
http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local-beat/Anti-Gun-Group-Targets-Starbucks-83762667.html
---
Meanwhile, in the Pants Department...: ...Here's a company that's not
innocent - in fact, they are willful leading collaborators in the global
citizen disarmament movement: "American icon," Levi Strauss. Some of us
have been waving that denim flag for years - here's an early warning
from Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership: "Levi Strauss, the
makers of the jeans we are so fond of buying, is taking your money and
contributing heavily to PAX. PAX is an organization circulating a
petition to broaden the reach of the federal government to disarm
America." And here's a letter from our friends at Montana Shooting
Sports Association: "That you would so clearly favor the criminal class
is a mystery to me, but until you recant your uncivilized ways, I will
have to recommend that Montana gun owners and members of the Montana
Shooting Sports Association to no longer buy your products. After a
lifetime of wearing Levi's, I'm switching to something else." ...
http://www.examiner.com/x-1417-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2010m2d6-Wear-Levis-jeans-pioneer-global-gun-control
---
Kansas RKBA Leader Profiled: Patricia Stoneking's life path seems to
have taken a natural flow. The Bonner Springs resident naturally got
involved with firearms through her family of hunting enthusiasts; she
naturally found a role as activist for firearms that led her to lobby
the Kansas government to change laws; and she naturally made a career
out of educating people about proper firearm use. Each milestone has led
her to where she is today - the first woman to be elected president of
the Kansas State Rifle Association and the first president to hold the
position for three consecutive years... During her time as president,
Stoneking has tripled the membership of the Kansas association to a
current tally of about 3,400 members. Stoneking was honored in 2008 by
the National Rifle Association for her role with the association and the
strides she had made to that point. She was given the Marion P. Hammer
Woman of Distinction Award, which recognizes three women each year for
their contributions in support of the Second Amendment at the national
level... Stoneking said she will continue to fight for gun rights as
long as people continue to put regulations on something that is "a
right, not a privilege." She said she believes there should be no
regulations when it comes to owning guns...
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2010/feb/07/passion-firearms-inspires-woman-leading-rifle-grou/?city_local
---
The Beat Goes On in Vermont: The Barre Auditorium was a sea of camo and
rifle bags Saturday as an estimated 2,400 people from across the region
poured into the 2010 Central Vermont Gun Show to buy, sell and trade
everything from a $2,495 Civil War rifle to feather jewelry and organic
oatmeal. An estimated 1,100 are expected to attend the show today. "It's
been pretty steady," said John Simanskas, who has organized the show for
28 years. He said the economic slowdown hasn't affected the business,
adding, "I heard gun shows are really booming this year." So crowded was
the Barre show that maneuvering through the aisles among the 215 vendors
was difficult, with so many visitors - many with rifle bags slung over a
shoulder or clutching a handgun case -- paying the $6 admission to hunt
for deals... Simanskas said the show drew vendors and visitors from New
Hampshire and New York. He noted that New York vendors cannot sell
weapons in Vermont, but they can display at the show...
http://www.timesargus.com/article/20100207/NEWS02/2070364/1003/NEWS02
---
The Most Important Piece of Armed Self-Defense: Yes, you already know
the answer, or at least we all hope you do. The best concealed weapon
you could possibly carry into any situation sits squarely on top of your
neck, between your ears, just millimeters below your scalp. Your brain,
your mind, your gray matter. Capable of something like 100 trillion
calculations per second, yet can leave you frozen, unable to react when
faced with an event you have no experience with. Bravado abounds when we
discuss what we would do in a given situation, yet very few of us as gun
owners have been or will ever be forced to make the split second
decision that determines if we or someone we are facing down lives or
dies. And most of us hope we never do. Yet, as long we think such an
occurrence could befall us, we must prepare ourselves mentally for that
day... (Click this link and read the three scenarios.)
http://www2.ljworld.com/weblogs/friday-the-13th-stay-home-go-out-or-hide-from-the-/2010/feb/07/concealed-carry-what-is-the-best-concealed-carry-w/
---
Tangentially Related: President Obama has picked to advise him on
military actions inside the U.S. the Missouri governor whose state
"Information Analysis Center" last year linked conservative
organizations to domestic terrorism and said law enforcement officers
should watch for suspicious individuals who may have bumper stickers
from Ron Paul or Chuck Baldwin. Missouri Gov. Jeremiah Nixon, a
Democrat, is being joined on the Obama's special advisory panel by the
governor of Puerto Rico, Luis Fortuno, and Arizona Gov. Janice Brewer,
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano's replacement when she
moved to Washington. They are among Obama's nominations for the 10
positions on Obama's new "Council of Governors" that he will use for
advice on "military activities in the United States." WND reported
earlier when Obama announced the council to advise on military actions
in the U.S. and "to protect our nation against all types of hazards." A
subsequent WND report confirmed when a rebellion developed to the order,
and a new push was launched for states to adopt laws limiting the use of
their National Guard units unless there is an invasion, insurrection or
other limited circumstance...
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=124238
--
Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
The tactics and skills to use a firearm
in self-defense don't come naturally
with the right to keep and bear arms.
http://www.spw-duf.info
