As the Heller Hearing Approaches...: ...Heller argues that the Second Amendment's text plainly refers to a pre-existing individual right and contends that this right is necessary for free people to guarantee their security by acting as a militia.3 He emphasizes that the text does not say that fostering a well-regulated militia is the sole purpose of the right to arms. Heller also presents historical evidence that American colonists fought the British using militias that were well regulated without being regulated by the government. According to Heller, "should our Nation suffer tyranny again, preservation of the right to keep and bear arms would enhance the people's ability to act as militia in the manner practiced by the Framers." If this argument is right, it would mean that Americans have a constitutional right to keep the weapons they will need to fight against an army controlled by a tyrannical government. That would seem to include, at a minimum, standard infantry weapons like the M-16 machine gun, as well as armor-piercing weapons. Instead of drawing that conclusion, Heller maintains that the Second Amendment protects only those weapons (1) that civilians can be expected to use for ordinary lawful purposes and (2) that would be useful in militia service. Handguns meet both prongs of this test, and he concludes that the government therefore may not ban them... http://www.heritage.org/Research/LegalIssues/wm1851.cfm --- Defining the Right of Self-Defense with a Handgun: ...Many objects commonly owned for peaceful purposes can be pressed into service for emergency self-defense. But unlike kitchen knives or baseball bats, handguns have no peaceful purpose - they are designed to kill people. The same lethal power that makes handguns the most practical means of self-defense against robbers, rapists, and murderers, also makes handguns an essential tool of government force. Handguns are deadly force and nothing but - a fact that gives rise to legitimate concerns over their private ownership in a civilized society...If handguns are confined to emergency self-defense, no legitimate purpose is served by an outright ban such as the District of Columbia enacted. Even if such laws actually deprived criminals of guns (which they don't), they would infringe upon a law-abiding citizen's right in emergencies to repel attackers who are wielding knives, clubs, fists - or cans of soda. http://qconline.com/archives/qco/display.php?id=378639 --- Effectiveness of DC Gun Ban Questioned: On Sept. 24, 1976, one of the toughest gun laws in the nation took effect in the District of Columbia, essentially outlawing the private ownership of new handguns in a city struggling with violence. Over the next few weeks, a man with a .32-caliber pistol held up workers at a downtown federal office at midday, a cab driver was shot in the head, and a senator was mugged by three youths, one carrying a revolver, near the U.S. Capitol. Since the ban was passed, more than 8,400 people have been murdered in the district, many killed by handguns. Nearly 80 percent of the 181 murders in 2007 were committed with guns... http://www.newsmax.com/us/washington_gun_ban/2008/03/14/80515.html --- Bloomberg, Menendez Take on Tiahrt Amendment: A Democratic senator from New Jersey, Robert Menendez, introduced a bill late last night that would strike the Tiahrt amendment, a piece of gun legislation staunchly opposed by Mayor Bloomberg's anti-gun coalition. The introduction of the bill, called the Firearms Information Use Act of 2008, is prompting lobbyists for the gun industry to once again fight to protect the amendment...Named after Rep. Todd Tiahrt, a Republican of Kansas, the law was introduced in 2003. It restricts municipalities from viewing firearm trace data kept by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, a constraint that supporters say prevents politicians from filing frivolous civil lawsuits against gun dealers... http://www.nysun.com/article/72986 --- What's Lynn Got To Do with It?: Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino founded Mayors Against Illegal Guns two years ago, a group that has grown to some 250 mayors representing cities with a population of 50 million in 40 states...In the process, they clash with the National Rifle Association, which vigorously defends Americans' constitutional right to bear arms. The NRA wants gun trace data available only to the police. The Supreme Court hears arguments on the meaning of that constitutional right on March 18. Meanwhile the issue of gun control has been muted in the campaign for presidential elections in November. The mayors are attempting to force it onto the political agenda. (What's this got to do with the photograph of a firearm dealer demonstrating a disabled rifle [the bolt is blocked out of battery] inside his licensed premises? Was this photo used because the Reuters article was friendly to gun onwership?) http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/03/14/mayors_band_together_against_guns/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Latest+news --- More on Defeat Of Illinois Ammo-Serialization Bill: Legislation intended to help solve gun-violence crimes that opponents said could have shut down a major ammunition plant in Alton was defeated Wednesday...One plan, proposed by state Rep. Will Davis, D-Homewood, would have required ammunition in Illinois to carry a laser-inscribed code on both the casing and bullet. Davis said the matching codes could help identify killers at crime scenes. But opponents said that the process of etching the codes would cost the ammunition industry millions and all but force the Winchester Ammunition plant in Alton to close. They also argued that using high-powered lasers near the explosive materials found in bullets could be dangerous... http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2008/03/13/news/state/1030797.txt --- Wyoming Governor Signs Castle-Doctrine Bill: Declaring that Wyoming residents have a right to defend their homes, Gov. Dave Freudenthal signed a bill Thursday that spells out in statute that citizens may use deadly force on intruders. Freudenthal said he supported a last-minute change to House Bill 137 that narrowed the scope of the bill to only cover intrusions inside the home...Wyoming's version of the bill provides immunity from civil lawsuits to anyone who uses force in defense of his or her "person, property or abode or to prevent injury to another." http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2008/03/14/news/wyoming/07192998f35307cd8725740b007e2e51.txt --- Florida Department Dumps Glock 37's: The Police Department is ditching $38,000 worth of guns after two .45-caliber GAP Glock Model 37 pistols exploded in separate training incidents a year a part, causing minor injuries to an officer and a cadet. "I've been around 34 years in law enforcement, and we've seen malfunctioning with guns, but never seen it explode," Police Chief Mark LeVine said. "When I've got two guns out of 90 mess up, something's wrong." The department has not had any problems with the guns during use in the line of duty... http://www.theledger.com/article/20080313/NEWS/803130481/1039 --- Computer Programmer or Serial Killer: This little photo quiz brings home the point that it is very difficult to judge someone from mere appearances and that we need to concentrate on reading body language and other indicators. http://www.malevole.com/mv/misc/killerquiz/ --- Attention, Phoenix Area: Subject: Ben Avery Junior Program at risk of closing!!!!!!! Shooters!!!!! THE BEN AVERY/ASRPA JUNIOR MARKSMANSHIP PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE CANCELLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This weekend is the Road Runner smallbore match at Ben Avery - read Haven's email about the I-17/Carefree closure (go up to carefree from 99th ave) I will bring the junior equipment, and ammo, if any juniors want to shoot there will be gear to use. I will make an announcement to all present and to all of you receiving this email: The Ben Avery ASRPA junior program has its next sessions scheduled for the following thursdays: 20-Mar*, 27-Mar, 3-Apr, 17-Apr, 24-Apr, 1-May * classroom only I am busy on 20-mar, 27-mar, 3-apr and 1-may and cannot run this thing. THIS PROGRAM WILL BE CANCELLED UNLESS I CAN FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO RUN IT let me repeat that in case anyone missed it THE BEN AVERY/ASRPA JUNIOR MARKSMANSHIP PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE CANCELLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE BEN AVERY/ASRPA JUNIOR MARKSMANSHIP PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE CANCELLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE BEN AVERY/ASRPA JUNIOR MARKSMANSHIP PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE CANCELLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE BEN AVERY/ASRPA JUNIOR MARKSMANSHIP PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE CANCELLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will be bringing a cancellation form to drop off at the office. if YOU do NOT want to see this program cancelled you will need to come out to Ben Avery smallbore this weekend and pick up the equipment and tear up the cancellation form. I will bring all the junior equipment for you to pick up, if you can't make the match, maybe we can meet somewhere, you will need to reserve the classroom for the 20th (I didn't do that yet), teach the class, arrange volunteers, run the 5 weekly shooting events, coach all the kids etc. so, if YOU think this is a worthwhile program.... see me at the Road Runner, email or call me and let me know you can take over the program.... or else: THE BEN AVERY/ASRPA JUNIOR MARKSMANSHIP PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE CANCELLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE BEN AVERY/ASRPA JUNIOR MARKSMANSHIP PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE CANCELLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE BEN AVERY/ASRPA JUNIOR MARKSMANSHIP PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE CANCELLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Poole 602-405-0717 - - - Bill Poole bill@poole.com Scottsdale, AZ http://arizona.rifleshooting.com -- Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .