Friday, April 17, 2009

Gun Rights News Roundup

Articles, news stories, and op-eds of interest to gun owners:

[Virginia] New York City mayor's ad targets Virginia gun law "loophole":
Until Congress closes a loophole that makes it easy for criminals to buy firearms at gun shows, Virginia and other states must work to tighten their own laws, New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said Monday.

Mr. Bloomberg joined family members of Virginia Tech massacre victims in Northern Virginia to unveil a new television ad that will begin airing Tuesday. It calls on the state to end a practice allowing what are called "occasional sellers" at gun shows to sell weapons without conducting background checks.

"Many of the guns bought here are then resold to criminals and used in violent crimes across the country," Mr. Bloomberg said. "In fact, nationally ... gun-crime guns are more likely to come from Virginia than from all but five other states, and we know that all too well in New York City." [emphasis added] ...

Comment: You heartless Virginians, exporting your evil "gun-crime guns" to poor, defenseless New York City. Boo hoo, boo hoo.


[Virginia] The Washington Post's take on the NYC assault on Virginians:
Days before the second anniversary of the Virginia Tech shootings, a group backed by New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg plans to launch a television advertisement that questions Republican gubernatorial nominee Robert F. McDonnell's opposition to closing a loophole in state law that allows some private vendors at gun shows to make sales without background checks.

The 30-second commercial, expected to run statewide on cable and broadcast TV for four days starting today, ends with an image of one of the victims of the 2007 campus massacre: Reema Samaha is shown dancing as a child as a phone number for McDonnell appears on-screen.

"I know that closing the loophole won't bring Reema back, but the question is: Whose sister is next?" Omar Samaha, Reema's brother, asks in the ad. "Ask Bob McDonnell why he's protecting criminals instead of protecting us." ...


Kirby Ferris, writing at JPFO, on gun-banner Diane Feinstein:
... Then, like floundering rookies, Holder and Pelosi were benched, and the “old pro” has now come into the game. I think we can safely bet that Feinstein will remain Obama’s Quisling Quarterback of Choice for the duration of his fumbling stay in office.(Vidkun Quisling was a Norwegian politician who helped the Nazis conquer his nation. A “Quisling” is another word for traitor.)

And Dianne has certainly taken charge with an arrogance and egotism that is truly stunning. In a recent interview with Leslie Stahl on “Sixty Minutes” she made some remarkable pronouncements. (See "60 Minutes" article)

Asked of her plans for more “gun control” legislation, she told Stahl: “I’ll pick the time and place.”

Oh yes, Your Highness! Please do exercise your Divine Right to befoul our freedom even further! Do so whenever your tea leaves and chicken entrails so instruct you!

I wonder how quacking Carolyn McCarthy, smirky Chuckie Schumer, and sob sister Sarah Brady feel about Dianne acting like she’s the new leader of the Gun Ban Band?

Feinstein then went on to declare that: “The National Rifle Association essentially has a stranglehold on the Congress.” ...


Disinformation? Columnist says Obama abandons new AWB:
... Obama and the Democrats appear to have lost all interest in a ban on assault weapons or any other legislation cleaning up loopholes in America's gun laws even though killings are on the rise and gun violence continues to escalate around the country.

White House officials admit support for a new ban isn't there and the President isn't willing to take on another losing battle with Congress.

Although information on banning assault style weapons remains on the White House web site, sources within the Democratic party say the issue is dead and unlikely to be revived in the near future.

"It's over," a Democrat strategist admits. "The gun nuts have won...again." ...

Comment: Don't believe this for a minute. When the time is right, the evil gun-banners will strike.


[Arizona] Alleged gun smugglers indicted:
Eight Valley residents have been indicted on charges of planning to transport five semi-automatic weapons into Mexico, according to court documents released Monday.

U.S. District Court documents filed March 31 state that the group, which includes four Mesa residents and others from Surprise, Avondale and Mexico, used false paperwork to purchase firearms from two Glendale gun stores and one in Scottsdale.

The indictment named Saul Rodriguez, 24, of Mesa; Jesus Gutierrez, 46, of Avondale; and Olegario Gutierrez-Martinez, 30, of Mexico; all of whom face charges of conspiracy to export munitions, conspiracy to illegally smuggle goods from the U.S. and conspiracy to make false statements in acquisition of firearms. ...


[New York] Gun, ammo sales booming:
... Joseph Tierney, owner of the Mohawk Sport Shop LLC at 716 Erie Blvd. in Rome, said he doesn’t think the Binghamton tragedy sparked an interest in pistols or hand guns.

He says his business has been good across the board and that he’s been getting an increased number of customers interested in assault weapons.

“It’s the assault weapons, AR-15 and AK-47, they seem to want,” he said. “I can’t get them right now because there’s such a high demand everywhere in the country they’re in demand. “It’s difficult for even the dealers to get. I currently don’t have any. In the last two weeks, I’ve turned down a minimum of 30 people wanting them.”

At larger retailers such as Gander Mountain, gun sales have been going up as well.

“I can tell you, in general, for the last six to eight months the sales of firearms and ammunition have been brisk,” said David Ewald spokesman for Gander Mountain which is based in St. Paul, Minn. “There’s been all sorts of speculation on what’s the driving force. I think a little bit of everything is driving it.” ...


[Texas] Op-ed in favor of campus carry:
It seems as if every liberal in Texas is up in arms over the issue of concealed carry on campus.Liberals' reasons seem to be endless, but the one most often echoed by the masses is how dangerous it would be for students to be allowed to carry handguns.

Apparently, once a student is in possession of a legal weapon he will become a crazed killer, out to shoot anyone who disagrees with him. A concealed carry law will mean the end of safe campuses and it is likely that colleges across Texas will turn into war zones between rival students. Greeks vs. GDIs, whites vs. blacks, athletes vs. nerds; all will be armed and killing one another.

The fact that guns would make every college campus more dangerous is a great reason to keep guns off campus. However, it is far from the truth.

According to Texas Department of Public Safety arrest data from 1996 to 1999, .128 percent of concealed handgun license (CHL) holders were arrested for violent crime, .004 percent for murder, and there was not a single arrest of a CHL holder for negligent manslaughter. According to the same data .683 percent of Texans over 21 were arrested for a violent crime, .005 percent for murder, and .001 percent for negligent manslaughter.

These figures represent only arrests and therefore do not take into account the fact that some CHL holders may be arrested for a crime, such as killing someone in self-defense, and later cleared of the charges, so the actual conviction rate could be even lower than what is shown by the data.

According to this data, the average Texan is more likely to be responsible for a murder or negligent manslaughter than a CHL holder. You are more likely to be killed in an automobile accident (1 in 6,500), struck by lightning (1 in 500,000), or even killed by a falling airplane part (1 in 9.3 million) than you are to be killed by a CHL holder (1 in 10.2 million).

This means that the average Texan is 20 times more likely to be struck by lightning than to be murdered or negligently killed by a Texas CHL holder.
...
My father was a student at the University of Texas when Charles Whitman climbed the UT Tower and began shooting at students, killing 14 and wounding 32, and his memory of the event is of seeing students and other civilians get their deer rifles out of their trucks and return fire at Whitman, keeping him pinned down and unable to kill more people than he did. ...


[Alabama] Bill would protect privacy of CCW holders:
The identities of people with permits to carry concealed handguns or stow them in their cars may soon be a secret in Alabama.

A bill supported by the National Rifle Association would seal the handgun permits maintained by county sheriffs and make them available only to law enforcement officers. The public would have access to individual records only if the gun owner had committed a felony.

The sponsor of the proposed legislation, Rep. Jack Page, D-Gadsden, said the purpose is to prevent theft of the identity of gun owners. Showing his own permit to a news reporter, Page said gun permits contain enough private information, such as date of birth and eye and hair color, to help someone apply for a credit card or other documents in another person's name.

"That's sensitive information," Page said. ...


[Idaho] House passes guns in parking lots bill:
Allowing guns in company parking lots.

One Idaho lawmaker is hoping more companies will allow it, and Monday the majority of lawmakers from the Idaho House of Representatives passed a bill that would do just that.

They're hoping to give companies immunity to any lawsuits, which involve their employees Second Amendment rights.

For a lot of people guns are a way of life. And now one lawmaker is trying to make a little easier on gun owners, many who often have a firearm in the car or truck.

"All this bill does is allow people to store their weapons in their personal vehicle on company property. That's all it does," said Rep. Jeff Thompson, (R-Idaho Falls). ...


[New York] More gun control in the legislative pipeline:
Sportsmen may be preoccupied with trout and the upcoming spring turkey hunting season right now, but in a couple of weeks the New York State Assembly will be voting on a dozen or more gun bills that will have a lasting effect on everyone who owns or would like to purchase a firearm for self-protection, target shooting, hunting and — as strange as it may seem — trapping and fishing.

Why trapping and fishing you ask? Because a number of trappers and anglers carry a sidearm to prevent attacks from coyotes, black bears or any other wild animal — rabid or otherwise — that might take exception to them entering their bailiwick.

But regardless of the purpose you choose to own a firearm, excessive gun control will take center stage at the New York State Capitol on April 29 when the assembly debates and votes on a package of anti-gun bills.

Commonly referred to as “Gun Bill Day”, it always conspicuously coincide with New Yorkers Against Gun Violence (NYAGV) “Albany Lobby Day” — a day when anti-gun zealots demonstrate in the lobby of the state Legislative Office Building (LOB), eventually taking their misguided convictions directly to state lawmakers — not that they need to.

It’s no secret that the vast majority of New York lawmakers want to remove guns from the hands of legitimate gun owners. The fact that every anti-gun bill introduced in the state Assembly during the past three decades has passed is testimony to that. And, up until this year, each was stalled by a Republican majority in the state Senate.

But the Republicans no longer rule the roost and there is an excellent chance that this year the anti-gun lobby will be successful, especially with the rash of gun-related shootings in Binghamton and other cities. [emphasis added] ...

Comment: New York gun owners better pay attention. Pro-gun groups are planning a rally and meetings with lawmakers on April 29. If you live in the Empire State, you may want to read the article for ways you may be able to help.

No comments: