Slow news day. Brits Ban Reebok Ad: Britain's Advertising Standards Authority has banned a Reebok ad that features rapper 50 Cent as a survivor of nine gunshots. The board, acting after several complaints, said that the ad was "inappropriate in view of the recent high profile of specific gun-related crime in various areas of Britain." http://news.independent.co.uk/media/story.jsp?story=639341 --- From The Firearms Coalition: *Second Amendment is Not an Individual Right* So says a judge of the Northern District of New York and last week his ruling was supported by a three-judge panel of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. The Northern District judge, Norman Mordue, went out of his way to state that , based on Supreme Court precedent and lower court interpretation of those precedents, the Second Amendment does not protect a fundamental individual right. In contrast, the Second Circuit panel avoided any interpretation of the meaning or intent of the Second Amendment by saying that "Although the sweep of the Second Amendment has become the focus of a national legal dialogue, we see no need to enter into that debate. Instead, we hold that the Second Amendment's "right to keep and bear arms" imposes a limitation on only federal, not state, legislative efforts." The Northern District Court relied primarily on /United States v. Miller/ in it's conclusion that the Second Amendment does not guarantee an individual right even while admitting that it wasn't clear as to what the Court was trying to say in it's decision in that case. The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals based it's conclusion that the Second Amendment applies only to federal law and does not limit the actions of the states, was based upon the case of /Presser v. Illinois/. In that decision from the 1880's, the High Court cited /United States v. Cruikshank/ as its ruling precedent. The 1875 /Cruikshank/ decision is one of the historical lows of the United States Supreme Court in which the Court abandoned freed slaves to the racist whims of their local government and constabulary. The 2nd Circuit did admit that there was much criticism of the /Presser/ decision but said, in essence, that its hands were tied and that it was up to the Supreme Court to overturn the /Presser/ decision if it was to be overturned. With such decisions and such a direct challenge, it would be difficult for the Supreme Court to avoid a review of this case and most of the Second Amendment precedents currently in effect. I am not an attorney, but it looks to me like this is a very good case with a stellar plaintiff and that this is one that will likely land in the Supreme Court. I am a little concerned that this case is as far-reaching as it is. I fear that, if the Court has the guts to hear it, they will feel compelled to "nuance" their decision into oblivion rather than come right out and declare that the Second Amendment secures an individual right that may not be abridged by the states or the federal government. I don't believe the current court has the cajones for such a declaration, which reiterates the importance of pending judicial appointments. Yours for the Second Amendment, Jeff Jeff Knox Director of Operations The Firearms Coalition www.FirearmsCoalition.org P.S. I will have more about this case in the next */Hard Corps Report/* which will be mailed out this month and will put an article about it in Shotgun News soon. If you don't currently receive the /*Hard Corps Report*/, drop us a donation - Box 3313, Manassas, VA 20108 - and we'll add you to our mailing list. Please share these alerts with your friends and post them to your favorite Blogs. Information is power. Share the power. --- From The Fifty Caliber Institute: Both the Illinois and National Rifle Associations are reporting that both bills in Illinois seeking to ban .50 caliber rifles moved out of committee and are headed to the floor for a vote. NRA, in fact, ( http://www.nraila.org/CurrentLegislation/Read.aspx?ID=1590) credits gun owners' calls to IL legislators as being DIRECTLY responsible for slowing the rush to judgment on this rifle caliber. Your efforts are bearing fruit! Keep up the push. Contact with your elected officials is again needed, if this pointless legislation is to be stopped. Illinois residents should contact their representatives within the next 48 hours. A phone call would help greatly, a letter or fax sent by you TODAY would be even better. Regardless of the means, you MUST contact them once again if you wish to retain your 2nd Amendment rights! Even if you've already spoken to them, contact them again. Tell your elected representatives that you OPPOSE HB1098 and HB2414. While both bills ban the .50 caliber, HB2414 bans numerous semi-automatic rifles and shotguns as well. Since most fifty-shooters also own shotguns and rifles of other calibers, HB2414 is doubly offensive to your rights. Semi-auto bans failed to make a difference in crime at the federal level. They won't reduce crime at the state level. And the fifty-caliber is historically even LESS of a threat, despite what Hollywood says. Write and call your representatives today! Since HB2414 also bans numerous other firearms, pass the word to your fellow shooters. Ask them to contact their legislators as well. Even if they don't own a fifty rifle, they have a stake in this too. You can get contact information about your elected representatives at this website: http://www.illinois.gov/government/gov_legislature.cfm Or you can use the "Write your Representatives" tool at the NRA website: http://www.capwiz.com/nra/dbq/officials/ The gun-banners think you're not looking anymore. Are you ? Keith Pagel Executive Director, Fifty Caliber Institute -- Stephen P. Wenger Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .