Back-Door Gun Bans: ...As terrible as drug use is, we must face the reality that many young people experiment with marijuana, and many inadvertently are caught and charged with possession. This almost always occurs while riding in or driving a car, and a stop is made for a minor traffic offense. Small amounts of marijuana, or a pipe, are discovered by the policeman, and the "perpetrator" receives a citation for the traffic offense, plus possession of marijuana, and perhaps possession of "drug paraphernalia". This happens, by my observation, thousands of time a year in both West Virginia and Ohio. What often happens when a young person receives such a charge is that he or she will appear in Court, many times without an attorney, and plead "no contest", be found guilty, and pay the fine and go home. I have seen this happen countless times in Courts. Young people, unable to afford a lawyer, take the easy way out because they don't have the money, don't want to miss work to go to Court again to fight the charge or get a better deal. Unfortunately, what these young people don't know, and what the Judge and Prosecutor failed to tell him, was that they are permanently forfeiting their Constitutional right to possess or own a firearm. No more rabbit hunting, target shooting or any other firearms related activity for the rest of their lives! This has been the law for may years in many states. These laws are creating a huge underclass of individuals who no longer are permitted to own firearms, and most of them are not even aware of this fact unless they try to buy a gun and are turned down by the instant background check. (yes, the FBI is notified of these minor convictions)... http://www.examiner.com/x-32781-Clarksburg-Conservative-Examiner~y2009m12d15-Gun-bans-through-the-back-door--part-one In part one of this series, I explained how thousands of citizens are in danger of losing their right to own or possess a firearm as a result of minor misdemeanor or misdemeanor drug convictions. The present article focuses on the Lautenberg Amendment, a law passed by the U. S. Congress and signed by Bill Clinton in 1997. This Federal law amended the Gun Control Act of 1968, and expanded the group of citizens who are not allowed to own or possess firearms. Before this law, anyone convicted of a crime in which the possible prison term exceeded one year was prohibited from possessing a firearm. This meant felony convictions in most states. Now, (since 1997) federal law makes it a crime to own or possess a firearm if a citizen is convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor offense under local, federal, or state law. This applies if the offense involves the "...use or attempted use of physical force, or the threatened use of a deadly weapon." Domestic violence , as defined in most state laws, can mean such an offense between spouses, live-in partners or relatives, parent and child, or even a dating relationship if the couple lives together, or formerly lived together... http://www.examiner.com/x-32781-Clarksburg-Conservative-Examiner~y2009m12d17-Gun-bans-though-the-back-doorpart-two --- Medical Costs vs. the RKBA: John Rosenthal, writing for the Huffington Post December 15, decries the medical and human cost of gun violence in America. Again, his solution is to beat on the innocent. He states: "On average, guns kill or wound 276 people every day in America. Of those, 75 adults and 9 children will die. In the US there are more than 30,000 deaths and over 100,000 injuries related to gun violence each year." His solution is to further restrict access to guns by the law abiding public. What he doesn't say is that the vast majority of these shootings are drug and crime related. Those pulling the trigger are already not supposed to have guns and not supposed to be shooting people. That is against the law. Some more of those shootings are police trying to stop criminals. Does he wish to forbid that? Some more of those shootings are innocent citizens defending themselves from criminals. Does he wish to forbid that? Yes, there are medical and human costs when traumatic injury of any kind occurs. Can we reduce them by taking more guns away from civilians? ... http://www.examiner.com/x-2944-Denver-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m12d17-Health-care-costs-of-guns?cid=exrss-Denver-Gun-Rights-Examiner --- More on the MAIG Poll: ...As they say, and now for the rest of the story... Frank Luntz' company, The Word Doctors, claims a specialty of "testing language and finding words that will help his clients sell their product or turn public opinion on an issue or a candidate." Luntz has also been reported to have said that successful polling means "to ask a question in the way that you get the right answer." In 1997, he was reprimanded by the American Association for Public Opinion Research for refusing to release poll data. In 2000, he was censured by the National Council on Public Polls for "mischaracterizing" the results of focus groups he conducted during the 2000 Republican Convention... First off, the Times is flat out lying. "Used-gun merchants" are NOT allowed to sell firearms without a background check regardless of whether they are conducting those sales in a gun shop or at a gun show. It is only private sellers who can do that, which is no different than if your brother sells you his old shotgun. What they're really trying to do is require every person to ask the government's permission before they sell or gift a firearm. Perhaps the results might have been different if that information was given, but then that's not proper word doctoring... Leaving out critical information can drastically affect poll results. For example, were I to ask "Do you support a proposal that would require all murderers to go to prison?" then I'm sure I'd get a very high percentage of positive responses in support. However, were I to give the rest of my proposal in the question and ask "Do you support a proposal that would require all murderers to go to prison at the discretion of the police without a trial?" I'd get a far different result... http://www.examiner.com/x-2206-Cleveland-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m12d17-Be-careful-trusting-gun-polls --- More on NRA vs. Constitutional Carry in Iowa: In his recent article, Jeff Knox of the Firearms Coalition has brought to light some very disturbing components of the NRA's proposed concealed carry bill in Iowa. He mentioned our organization, Iowa Gun Owners, as the state based group that is opposed to this bill. He is correct. The 5,000 members and supporters of Iowa Gun Owners are concerned with the direction this new bill is heading. As the Executive Director of Iowa Gun Owners, I have been asked by David Codrea to address the concerns that we have with this bill and explain why we are pushing so aggressively to pass the REAL Right-to-Carry bill. I will address our bill first. First let me give you some context on the current Iowa law... This is the best gun bill ever introduced in Iowa. We don't believe that the 2nd Amendment talks about taking tests, begging permission, and paying fees before one should be allowed to exercise their constitutional rights. We do not believe that the best way to pass a gun bill is to make multiple concessions up front, trying to appease the anti-gunners at the capitol... http://www.examiner.com/x-1417-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m12d17-Iowa-Gun-Owners-promote-real-righttocarry --- More on Proposed Washington "AWB": As predicted earlier in this column, gun prohibitionists are using the murder of a Seattle police officer, and a couple of other slayings, to launch a new effort to ban the sale of semiautomatic firearms in Washington State, and require current owners to register their firearms. I forecast this development in a Nov. 3 column that addressed the cowardly slaying of Seattle Officer Timothy Brenton on Halloween as he sat in his patrol car in the Central District with trainee Britt Sweeney, who was able to return fire. The irony is that Brenton, as I wrote in a Nov. 10 follow-up, was not killed with a rifle that meets the so-called "assault weapon" criteria, except that it just happens to be a semi-auto. However, the Kel-Tec rifle allegedly used in the Brenton murder is a sporting rifle, with a black synthetic stock; an inexpensive alternative to the far more popular AR-15 type rifle owned by millions of Americans, and certain tens of thousands of law-abiding Washington hunters, competitors and recreational target shooters... Shift the scene to the Forza coffee shop in Parkland where four Lakewood officers were murdered Nov. 29 in the course of a shooting incident that took perhaps 30 seconds. The man who killed them, convicted felon Maurice Clemmons, used a .38 Special revolver and a stolen 9mm pistol. All six rounds in the revolver were fired - and by the time they were gone, at least three of the four officers were dead, killed by single shots to the head in two cases and one to the neck in the third case - and one round was fired from the 9mm pistol. Both guns were left at the scene and Clemmons made off with Richards' pistol, a .40-caliber Glock that he was carrying 42 hours later when he was fatally shot by Seattle Police officer Benjamin Kelly on a South Seattle street. Richards also died from a head wound, but not until he was able to shoot Clemmons... http://www.examiner.com/x-4525-Seattle-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m12d17-Antigun-WA-lawmakers-launch-new-assault-on-weapons-press-doesnt-help?cid=exrss-Seattle-Gun-Rights-Examiner A proposal to ban so-called "assault weapons" in Washington State shifts the blame for recent violent crimes from the perpetrators to every law-abiding gun owner in the state, holding them and their firearms responsible for crimes they did not commit, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today. "This is a proposal by three vehemently anti-gun rights state lawmakers who are exploiting two recent murders in an effort to push a political agenda they have had for several years,' said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. "One of those slayings, the murder of Seattle Police Officer Timothy Brenton, didn't even involve the specific kind of firearm they want banned." State Senators Adam Kline (D-37th District) and Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D-36th District), and State Rep. Ross Hunter (D-48th District) will sponsor the legislation. They held a press conference this morning to announce their plans. The plan is supported by Washington CeaseFire, a small but radical gun prohibitionist group... http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/proposed-wa-semi-auto-ban-blames-law-abiding-gun-owners-says-ccrkba-79552597.html --- A Step Backward at For Hood: Fort Hood officials announced Thursday a new command policy regarding registration requirements for privately-owned firearms was signed into effect Tuesday by Lt. Gen. Robert Cone, III Corps and Fort Hood commander. The policy, and Fort Hood Regulation 190-11, requires all service members and their families living, residing or temporarily staying at Fort Hood to register any privately-owned firearms kept on post with the Directorate of Emergency Services, a Fort Hood press release states. The announcement comes more than a month after the Nov. 5 massacre on post claimed the lives of 13 and injured more than 30 - victims were shot by a soldier using a privately-owned firearm. The new policy details how soldiers, family members and even civilians must go about reporting privately-owned weapons being taken on post. "Service members living in barracks or in post temporary housing must notify their immediate commander of the possession of POFs and keep the weapon in their respective unit arms room in accordance with Army Regulation 190-11 and Fort Hood Regulation 190-11," the policy reads... It goes on to state that when entering Fort Hood, all persons are required to declare to access control point personnel that they are bringing a privately-owned firearm onto the installation... (Maj. Hasan lived off post. I can just picture him telling the MP's at the gate, "I'm bringing a previously unregistered firearm on post today in order to shoot as many soldiers as I can." In Alaska, one base commander, a while back, barred all members of his command from carrying firearms off duty, even if they obtained an optional permit to do so.) http://www.kdhnews.com/news/story.aspx?s=37843 --- Was Brady Endorsement a Dirty Trick?: Amanda Carpenter of The Washington Times "Hot Button Blog" has posted what appears to be a stunning revelation regarding a pro-gun challenger for Harry Reid's Senate Seat.. There are some dots here that we can connect. Tarkanian and Lowden are the two candidates who, according to recent polling, may be able to beat Reid. The gun issue is key with Nevada voters. Harry Reid has the NRA behind him. Both Tarkanian and Lowden answered the gun rights questionnaire. Reid did not. Compare Tarkanian's and Lowden's answers... This is a critical race, and one of the most important. Pros who know how to get things done in the media and behind the scenes have noticed a disturbance in the Force. There's something going on here. The only thing to do is keep the lights on so we can see for ourselves what it is. http://www.examiner.com/x-1417-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m12d17-What-does-past-Brady-endorsement-mean-for-Tarkanian-campaign http://washingtontimes.com/weblogs/back-story/2009/dec/16/brady-campaign-endorsed-tarkanian-in-2006/?feat=home_blogs --- North Carolina Castle-Doctrine Bill Stalled: NC House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman has a dilemma. On the one hand, he recently claimed in the "Davidson County Dispatch" that he supports the Castle Doctrine. On the other, he completely refused to exercise leadership in preventing one anti-gun committee chairperson - Rep. Deborah Ross - from bottling it up in committee. How can the House Majority Leader, who wields great power, support a bill, yet not use his leadership position to prevent stonewalling tactics by one of the few members of the GA who opposes it? So, Rep. Holliman seems to be talking the talk, but in the last session, he certainly did not walk the walk... * Write a letter to the editor (as others have already done) of the Davidson County Dispatch: http://www.the-dispatch.com/section/opinion02 * Call local radio station WLXN 1440, Bob Mahoney Morning Show, bob@wlxn.com, http://www.wlxn.com/ - 336-242-1440... http://www.ammoland.com/2009/12/17/the-twisted-tale-of-holliman-and-castle-doctrine-in-nc/ --- CCW Battle Takes Shape in Missouri: The Raymore City Council voted this week to allow council members to carry a concealed weapon at their meetings, and increase the concealed carry permit rights for everyone in town. But those changes could be short-lived after the mayor promised to veto the ordinance, and a showdown could be looming at City Hall. Raymore Mayor Juan Alonzo says that he plans on vetoing the ordinance, which passed by a 5-3 vote earlier this week. At this point, it appears that the measure does not have the six votes necessary to override the mayor's veto. "The council back in 2004 elected to restrict concealed carry in city buildings," said Alonzo. "This bill overturns that and it allows concealed carry in every city building." What bothers Alonzo more than allowing concealed weapons into city buildings is that it allows council members to carry weapons inside city buildings, but not citizens. "If people stop and think about that, about what that is doing, it's completely opposite of what the Second Amendment is supposed to do," said Alonzo. "There's no interpretation for that, there's nothing in there that you can interpret to say, yeah the governing body can carry while the rest of us don't." But some Raymore residents say that they are unhappy with Alonzo's quick veto trigger... http://www.fox4kc.com/wdaf-story-raymore-gun-ordinance-121609,0,1229178.story --- Open-Carry in California: After his brothers watched a newscast about the national movement to carry guns in public, they told Sherman "Tony" Fontano he could do that himself. Two San Jose police officers also said it would be OK. So this week, Fontano, 74, put his unloaded .357 Magnum into his waistband and took a walk with his girlfriend. But he was soon surrounded by police who had their own guns drawn. Unfortunately, nobody had mentioned it is against the law in California to walk with a firearm near your neighborhood school. "I just can't see what I did wrong," Fontano told the Mercury News on Thursday. "I'm not a member of anything. I'm not political. I just wish the cops would have told me not to carry it near a school. This was all a total mistake." Fontano was arrested Monday after he and his girlfriend took a shortcut through a field at Allen at Steinbeck School. A parent spotted the gun-toting retiree and called police. Fontano finds himself caught up in a national controversy known as the "Open Carry Movement," whose supporters have been trying to convince the public that carrying a pistol in public is as normal as carrying a pen... http://www.orovillemr.com/news/ci_14020859 --- Oops, Wrong House: A suspected burglar got a little more than he might have expected during the attempted burglary of a Fairfax County [VA] home last night. According to police, an armed man tried to break in to a house in the 6100 block of Hillside Road in West Springfield. But the 56-year-old homeowner was there and he defended his home. Police said he pulled a gun and got into a shootout with the suspect. The homeowner was shot once in the chest. The burglary suspect ran, but was caught by police on their way to the home. The suspect was identified as 21-year-old Jonathan Anderson. He is charged with malicious wounding and burglary while armed. (Time to consider what serves as cover inside your home? Interior walls don't stop bullets. Large appliances may or may not. A bookcase, literally packed with books so that there are no empty spaces and placed sideways, most likely will. Most mattresses, sofas, armchairs, etc., will not.) http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local-beat/Bullets-Fly-During-Breaking-And-Entering-79573967.html --- Rule Five Reminder: Authorities say a 12-year-old Colorado boy accidentally shot himself in the leg while playing with a loaded pistol his parents had hidden behind the family Christmas tree. Montezuma County Sheriff Gerald Wallace says the boy was shot in the calf on Monday morning but the injury wasn't serious. Wallace says the parents had left for work but other family members took the boy to a hospital. The sheriff says he won't recommend charges because the parents had left the .22 pistol a reasonable distance from the child. It wasn't clear why the weapon was hidden there. Wallace says the boy was "digging around" when he found it. His father had other weapons locked in a safe. (Rule Five: Maintain control of your firearm.) http://www.azcentral.com/offbeat/articles/2009/12/16/20091216gun-christmas-tree-ON.html --- Early NYC Prohibitionist Profiled: ...Timothy D. Sullivan, known as Big Tim or Big Feller, was one of the city's most powerful politicians in the first decade of the 20th century, his influence vastly greater than his formal titles - state assemblyman, congressman, state senator - would suggest. His life is the subject of a book, "King of the Bowery: Big Tim Sullivan, Tammany Hall, and New York City From the Gilded Age to the Progressive Era," by Richard F. Welch, a historian and professor living in Huntington, N.Y... Sullivan's ties to the criminal underworld of gambling and prostitution are also major themes of the book. When the Republicans won City Hall in 1895 on a wave of voter anger over Tammany's support of vice, Sullivan clashed with a young police commissioner, Theodore Roosevelt, over the Republicans' attempts to cut the Democrats out of patronage jobs. (Sullivan "represented the morals of another era," Roosevelt later wrote in his autobiography.) ...Even so, Sullivan supported what are now viewed as major items of progressive legislation. He was a longtime supporter of extending the franchise to women. He sponsored the Sullivan Law, which restricted possession of concealed firearms [emphasis added]. And, after the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in 1911, he played a critical role in securing passage of a landmark state law limiting the working week for most women to 54 hours. He supported such legislation, Mr. Welch writes, even though a greater role for the state had the effect of reducing the significance of political clubs like Tammany that had provided jobs, housing and food to their supporters... (In fact, the Sullivan Act created an arbitrarily managed permit system merely to possess a handgun, a process which has usually been viewed as a means to keep non-English-speaking immigrants in New York City from arming themselves against strong-arm extortion by Sullivan's Irish gangster buddies.) http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/18/big-tim-sullivan-tammany-kingmaker/ --- From KeepAndBearArms.com: ...Our website is experiencing a critical cash flow problem RIGHT NOW. We have so many urgent needs at the moment. In particular getting caught up on bills owed by the end of the year. We are also trying to expand the number of gun owners that visit our site before Barack Obama and next year's Congress and many state legislatures go into session and push new anti-gun laws. To do so requires us to place banner ads on other sites and ads in search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing. We plan on hitting the ground running in 2010 with more news, information, investigative journalism and grassroots action projects to expose and defeat the enemies of freedom. Help us send a loud and clear message to the Brady Center, Million Mom March, Violence Policy Center, and the entire anti-gun rights movement. BUT, at this time, we need funds. SO, if you can make a year end contribution RIGHT NOW, it will help us immensely. We still need to raise $8,760.00 from generous donors to meet obligations by year end... (This website is a major source for the news articles I share with you.) https://www.keepandbeararms.com/donations/ -- 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 .