Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Gun Rights News Roundup

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

[Arkansas] Attorney General joins 21 other state AGs to oppose any new federal "assault weapon" ban:
Attorney General Dustin McDaniel joined 21 other state attorneys general Thursday in writing U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to oppose any proposed effort to reinstate the federal assault-weapons ban, which was passed in 1994 but expired in 2004. ...


[Wisconsin] Op-ed takes aim at Milwaukee police chief's comments:
In Milwaukee, the police chief Ed Flynn says, “My message to my troops is if you see anybody carrying a gun on the streets of Milwaukee, we’ll put them on the ground, take the gun away and then decide whether you have a right to carry it.”

Since when does a police chief decide who has what rights? Our rights are God-given and are protected by our Constitution. Government documents do not grant us rights, those documents limit the power of government to infringe upon our rights.

Self-defense is a primary human right that must never be stripped away.

The silence surrounding this comment was deafening. There was no uproar about this power-hungry militant’s efforts to impose his will upon the people living in “his” community. The local newspapers hardly gave the comment a second look. They were more concerned with the memo issued by Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen that affirmed the legality of open carry in Wisconsin. What followed that memo were dark predictions of confused police officers and a Wild West mentality sweeping the state.

But I’m looking at this from the other side.

What would have happened on the editorial pages in Wisconsin if Flynn had come out and said, “If we see any negative press we will handcuff the reporters and editors, shut down that newspaper and decide if they have the right to publish that stuff.”

Can you imagine the uproar from the media? ...


Report: Glock may introduce guns with adjustable sizes of backstraps:
... At this time, there are no photos of the new Glock models, and I was unable to reach any Glock officials to confirm this information, as I received this after their offices closed.

Glock led the polymer handgun revolution, but has been criticized by some for not remaining innovative with new designs. The Smith and Wesson M&P has gained back some of the ground it lost to Glock years ago with police departments because of features like interchangeable back straps that allow the user to better fit the gun to his or her hand. ...

Comment: This would seem like a long-overdue no-brainer, as much of Glock's competition in the LE space now have adjustable size grips. It would be especially useful for their large framed pistols, such as the Glock 20 (10mm) or 21 (.45ACP).


[Montana] New gun law challenges federal powers:
A new Montana gun law puts the state at the forefront of a national bid to restore states' rights by attacking up to a century of federal court decisions on Washington's power.

Two other states - Alaska and Texas - have had favorable votes on laws similar to Montana's, declaring that guns that stay within the state are none of the feds' business. More than a dozen others are considering such laws, and more-general declarations of state sovereignty have been introduced this year in more than 30 legislatures.

The federal courts may not respond well to these laws in the short term, but backers who acknowledge this say that regardless, they intend for the laws to change the political landscape in the long term. They hope these state laws will undercut the legitimacy of contrary federal law - as has happened with medicinal marijuana - and even push federal courts to bend with the popular wind.

"What's going on is that people all over the country have decided, 'Enough is enough,' " said Kevin Gutzman, a professor at Western Connecticut State University and the author of "Who Killed the Constitution?" "This is supposed to be a federal system, but instead Congress seems to think it can legislate anything it wants." ...


[D.C.] Op-ed: Politicizing tragedy:
... A few facts are useful to dispel some gun-control myths. The District already bans civilians from carrying guns in public places. Wednesday's shooter, James W. von Brunn, is a convicted felon who spent more than five years in prison for, among other charges, attempted armed kidnapping of federal officials. Because he was a felon, it would be illegal for him to own a gun even if ordinary law-abiding citizens could. Mr. von Brunn broke numerous laws in the course of his rampage. Current gun regulations didn't stop the attack, and neither would new ones.

The legacy of strict gun control is increased violence. Violent crime rose after the District's gun ban was imposed. ...


Mike Stollenwerk dissects Bill Moyers' anti-gun editorial:
... Moyers mounts the tragedy as if it were a literary tree stand to blast pretty much every group or politician who is not taking action to curtail gun rights. Moyer's double barreled shotgun blasts reached far and wide, attacking President Obama, the Congress, and even Virginia's Democratic nominee for Governor Creigh Deeds because deeds is "a man who supports allowing concealed weapons in restaurants that serve alcohol and opposes limiting handgun purchases to one a month."

Let me digress on Moyers' effort to wing Mr. Deeds. First of all, as of today's repeal of Tennessee's ban on carrying guns in alcohol serving restaurants, only 9 states ban the carry of concealed handguns in alcohol serving restaurants. Second, only 2 other states besides Virginia (California and Maryland) ration handgun purchases at all, let alone to only one per month. And third, Mr. Deeds would seem an odd target for Mr. Moyers to take pot shots at - after all, gun owners in Virginia are upset at Mr. Deeds for selling them out last year and backing a ban on private gun sale rights at gun shows, a restriction largely unknown in America. ...


Commentary from the UK: Guns are in, in the age of Obama:
These are baffling times on the front lines of America's great culture wars. Half a dozen states have now approved gay marriage, the very mention of which is anathema to social conservatives. In contrast, another great cause of conservatives – to make abortion illegal – seems to be making headway. In May, Gallup found that more Americans considered themselves pro-life than pro-choice, the first time this has happened since the polling organisation began asking the question in 1995. But on the third major battlefield, there is no doubt. More than ever, guns are in. ...


Border Patrol: AK-47 smuggled into U.S. from Mexico:
While President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton continuously blame America for the weapons in the hands of Mexican criminals -- guns they claim are smuggled from the US into Mexico, the US Border Patrol sent a report to the National Association of Chiefs of Police that paints a different picture:
Wednesday morning, US Border Patrol agents arrested a suspected robber on Otay Mountain, California. The suspect allegedly used an assault rifle to rob a group of illegal aliens.

At around 4 AM (pt), Border Patrol agents observed a group of suspected illegal aliens about four miles east of the Otay Mesa port of entry and nearly 100 yards north of the International border. Agents encountered five Mexican nationals and discovered an AK-47 assault rifle with two full magazines lying nearby.

Border Patrol agents were able to establish that the weapon belonged to a 17-year-old Mexican national who had just robbed the other members. Agents also determined that the bandit had an accomplice who ran back into Mexico armed with a handgun. ...

Comment: Hey, didn't our mainstream media say the guns are supposed to go into Mexico, not out of it? I guess those Mexican illegals didn't get the memo.


[Pennsylvania] Running low on ammo:
Marty Korecky likes to target shoot fairly regularly, but lately he's been cutting back.

A Shillington resident, Korecky is worried that if he uses up his ammunition, he'll have a really hard time getting more.

And he has reason to be concerned.

Demand for ammo — particularly for handguns and rifles — is so strong that retailers can barely keep it in stock, and some are even resorting to rationing. Prices are skyrocketing, too.

The start of the shortage can be traced back a few years, when military demand for ammunition was very high because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

But the election of President Barack Obama has apparently worsened the situation, with fear spreading among firearms owners that his administration will pursue gun control measures, including a new ban on assault rifles. Post-election gun sales also are booming for that reason. ...


[Illinois] Peoria wants to be test city for concealed carry:
... Derek Howald of Chillicothe has had his Utah permit for four years. It's reciprocal (that means it's a valid permit) in 29 other states.

In Illinois, it's worthless.

"It's sad," Howald said. "I think with the rich heritage of hunting and fishing, especially when you get to central and downstate ... you have very pro-Second Amendment people here."

The divisive statewide issue of concealed carry has gained a lot of attention in the Peoria area in recent weeks after Mayor Jim Ardis said he wants to see Peoria serve as a pilot city for some sort of responsible state law.

Ardis' comments came after a rash of shootings in Peoria, including one at an East Bluff gas station in which an attendant was shot and killed.

Ardis said he might approach state lawmakers in the near future to talk about possible sponsorship of state legislation that would allow Peoria to become a test city for concealed carry. He wants to gauge the public support for the idea to see if it's worth pursuing.

"I am hopeful but acknowledge that it will be a very difficult task," Ardis said. "Endorsements from local law enforcement and strong community support should provide additional weight to the Legislature."

Peoria serving as a test city for an Illinois concealed carry gun law is a unique idea and could potentially add another twist in the ongoing Chicago versus downstate debate on gun rights. ...

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