Judge Moore On Heller: ...Now the Supreme Court is considering the case of District of Columbia v. Heller, scheduled for oral argument on March 18, regarding our "right to keep and bear arms" under the Second Amendment, a case that will have serious implications for our liberty. The Court will decide whether D.C.'s anti-gun laws violate the Constitution and in so doing will finally address an individual's right to own and keep firearms. For years liberals have tried to undermine that right by claiming that it is a "collective" right meant for state militias, which no longer exist in most states. An adverse ruling by the high court in the Heller case on our personal right to own firearms would be the same betrayal of our right to liberty that Roe and Kelo were of our rights to life and property. In an effort to encourage the Court to follow the plain wording of the Constitution, attorneys for the Foundation for Moral Law and I will file legal arguments in this case defending our right to keep and own guns... http://wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=55681 --- Prohibitionists Unhappy With Clinton Posturing: Yesterday we took a look at Sen. Barack Obama's pro-hunter preaching in Idaho, wondering how it fit with a 1996 questionnaire in which he supported banning all handguns. Sen. Hillary Clinton implied Obama was a flip-flopper. This aroused the ire of some gun control advocates, who pointed out that even if one considers this an Obama flip-flop (and Obama says that questionnaire was filled out incorrectly by a staffer), Clinton has made a much more dramatic flip... http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/02/gun-control-adv.html Obama Lied: He was here in Boise over the weekend for a rally, and emphasized that he is not trying to take anyone's guns. He's a liar. It isn't just that he supports bans on semiautomatics, and more possession and purchase restrictions. He claims that he wants more laws to keep guns out of the inner cities. Why? Does he think black people lack the sense that white people have? He was a member of the board of the Joyce Foundation, the primary funder of extreme gun control measures in the United States. And he claims that he isn't trying to disarm Americans? He's a liar, through and through. http://www.claytoncramer.com/weblog/2008_02_03_archive.html#6619783427415243584 --- South Dakota Paper Supports National-Park Carry: Like Sens. Tim Johnson, John Thune and nearly half of the U.S. Senate, we urge Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to lift restrictions that prevent citizens from carrying a firearm onto land managed by the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service...The Second Amendment right of Americans to arm themselves against predators - both the four-legged and the two-legged types - while enjoying their national parks and public lands should be protected. NPS law enforcement can't begin to guarantee the safety and security of all campers, hikers and visitors in our national parks. People have a constitutional right not to become disarmed victims while enjoying their public lands. http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2008/02/05/news/opinions/doc47a8fdb3ec8b8172720973.txt --- RKBA Dispute Affects Texas Land Transfer: The pristine Christmas Mountains in West Texas will remain in state hands, at least for now. On Tuesday, Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson and the School Land Board - a three-member panel over which he presides - rejected competing bids from two private interests to buy the 9,269-acre tract. However, the vote left open the question of whether the state would honor an agreement to transfer the property to the National Park Service, which has offered to maintain it as an addition to Big Bend National Park...But on Tuesday, Patterson, a strong Second Amendment advocate, reiterated his opposition to transferring the tract to the National Park Service if that agency insists on enforcing its customary firearms restrictions on the property... http://www.star-telegram.com/news/story/454923.html --- Competing Campus-Carry Bills In Washington: SB 6841 would elevate carrying on a college campus to a gross misdemeanor, subject violators to a mental-health examination during incarceration and suspend any CPL. SB 6860 would treat colleges like cities and counties and block them from making rules regarding possession or carry of firearms. A committee hearing is scheduled Thursday, February 7. http://www.campuscarrylegislation.com/?p=7 --- Washington Bill Would Deny Gun Owners Right To Trial By Jury: The Washington State House Judiciary Committee cast its votes today to strip Washington gun owners of the right to a trial by jury. Since at least 1959, Washington citizens have had the right to a jury trial with a standard of "clear, cogent, and convincing evidence" before losing their right to bear arms due to being involuntarily committed for an alleged mental health illness. House Bill 3095, sponsored by Committee Chairwoman Rep. Pat Lantz (D-26), effectively removes these protections by stripping citizens of their right to bear arms, perhaps permanently, after being involuntarily committed for a mere 14 days. In these "probable cause" hearings there is no jury, no elected judge, and the standard of guilt is a mere preponderance of the evidence. http://www.ccrkba.org/pub/rkba/press-releases/wa.jury.trial.htm --- Colorado Committee Approves Firearm-Storage Bill: A panel of state lawmakers gave initial approval Monday afternoon to a bill that could criminalize the careless storage of firearms. Sen. Sue Windels, D-Arvada, said the ready availability of firearms in some households has fueled teen suicides and school violence, and lawmakers should discourage the negligent storage of weapons. Senate Bill 49 would make it a misdemeanor offense for an adult to fail to safely and securely store a firearm, which a 16-year-old or 17-year-old child could then use to harm someone or take the gun to school. http://www.gjsentinel.com/hp/content/news/stories/2008/02/05/020508_1b_kids_and_guns.html --- Parking-Lot-Storage Bill Advances In Utah Senate: Parking lot owners would not be able to interfere with people who want to carry and store guns in their vehicles under a bill tentatively approved by the Senate on Tuesday. Sen. Mark Madsen, R-Lehi, sponsor of SB67, told the Senate, "We need to make sure citizens have the ability to protect themselves going to and from work." But he said some employers and owners of commercial parking lots have tried to ban guns in cars in their lots. (Several years back AOL fired three employees in Utah who had parked on a lot leased by the company and had left firearms in their vehicles.) http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695250599,00.html --- New Hampshire Legislators Weigh Gin Ban For Their Chambers: ...This moved Kjellman to try and make it a felony crime to carry a weapon either in the Statehouse or Legislative Office Building across the street...But dozens of gun owner advocates and supporting lawmakers packed the bill's (HB 1354) public hearing Tuesday, forcing a move to Representatives Hall. Robert Kelly, of Rindge, charged Kjellman's measure would turn these historic legislative chambers and committee rooms across the street into a pleasing oasis for criminals looking to make a violent statement... http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080206/NEWS02/761775098/-1/OPINION02 --- Philadelphia Mayor Thumbs Nose At State Law: Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter says he'll ignore state law in order to enforce new citywide gun-control laws, including a one-gun-a-month limit for Philly residents. It wasn't too long ago that the mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, tried something similar, telling the media that the city would enforce local gun-control ordinances even after Ohio passed a statewide firearm pre-emption law. But the local police officers union told its members to follow state law, not the decrees of the mayor... http://www.nranews.com/blogarticle.aspx?blogPostId=360 --- Oops, Wrong Store: It appears an armed robber picked the wrong store to hold up. Police said it's the robber who wound up getting shot..."He said to me, 'Give me all your money. Give me all your money,'" robbery witness Angel Dia said. But Dia said the armed robber who stormed Antonia's Grocery Sunday night got one heck of a surprise. "The other guy, the owner, he got a gun, too," Dia said. Dia said he was standing in the front of the store and the store's owner was behind the bulletproof glass when police allege that 19-year-old Donte Turner pointed a gun at Dia. "My friend, he says, 'Back, all the way back,' and then the guy shot him," Dia said, pointing to his shoulder. "Then, the guy - the gun, it fell down. He left it there and he went running." http://www.nbc10.com/news/15215701/detail.html?dl=headlineclick --- Oops, Wrong Car: A man trying to break into someone's car may have gotten more than he bargained for. Police say the homeowner shot at the suspect. Officers say the man was trying to get into a car outside a home in Canadatown, in Whitley County, when the homeowner came out with a gun. He shot at the man, who took- off. Police don't know if the would-be thief was actually shot. Authorities say they are not ruling out possible charges against the homeowner. (Note that most states do not condone the use of deadly force in defense of mere property.) http://www.wkyt.com/home/headlines/15307996.html -- Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .