Musical interlude

Tonight's musical interlude, a repost - from an October 2010 performance:

From the video's description:

... [T]he Opera Company of Philadelphia brought together over 650 choristers from 28 participating organizations to perform one of the Knight Foundation's "Random Acts of Culture" at Macy's in Center City Philadelphia. Accompanied by the Wanamaker Organ - the world's largest pipe organ - the OCP Chorus and throngs of singers from the community infiltrated the store as shoppers, and burst into a pop-up rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's "Messiah" at 12 noon, to the delight of surprised shoppers. ...

A random act of culture

Tonight's random act of culture - the Opera Company of Philadelphia and 650 singers perform the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah at Macy's in Center City, Philadelphia:

From the video's description:

On Saturday, October 30, 2010, the Opera Company of Philadelphia brought together over 650 choristers from 28 participating organizations to perform one of the Knight Foundation's "Random Acts of Culture" at Macy's in Center City Philadelphia. Accompanied by the Wanamaker Organ - the world's largest pipe organ - the OCP Chorus and throngs of singers from the community infiltrated the store as shoppers, and burst into a pop-up rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's "Messiah" at 12 noon, to the delight of surprised shoppers. This event is one of 1,000 "Random Acts of Culture" to be funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation over the next three years. The initiative transports the classical arts out of the concert halls and opera houses and into our communities to enrich our everyday lives. To learn more about this program and view more events, visit www.randomactsofculture.org. The Opera Company thanks Macy's and the Friends of the Wanamaker Organ (www.wanamakerorgan.com) for their partnership, as well as Organ Music Director Peter Conte and Fred Haas, accompanists; OCP Chorus Master Elizabeth Braden, conductor; and Sound Engineer James R. Stemke. For a complete list of participating choirs and more information, visit www.operaphila.org/RAC. This event was planned to coincide with the first day of National Opera Week.

Pittsburgh-area college abandons free speech restrictions

From FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education:

After months of national media attention, a student threatened with punishment for attempting to form a gun-rights group at Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) is finally allowed to distribute pamphlets about the group on campus. The college has also rescinded its unconstitutional policy demanding "prior written approval" for "personal contact with individuals or groups related to non-sponsored college material or events." After Christine Brashier, who wanted to form a chapter of Students for Concealed Carry on Campus (SCCC), was told that her pamphlets were unacceptable "solicitation" and that any further efforts would be considered "academic misconduct," she turned to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) for help.

"We are pleased that CCAC has finally given its students the right to encourage one another to band together for causes they believe in," FIRE President Greg Lukianoff said. "This is another example of how just one college student standing up for her rights can help bring liberty to her entire campus."

In April, Brashier created pamphlets to distribute to her classmates encouraging them to join her in forming a chapter of the SCCC national organization at CCAC. Her pamphlets stated that the group "supports the legalization of concealed carry by licensed individuals on college campuses." She personally distributed copies of the pamphlets, which identified her as a "Campus Leader" of the effort to start the chapter.

Brashier was quickly summoned to a meeting with administrators, who told her that passing out her non-commercial pamphlets was prohibited as "solicitation." Furthermore, they insisted that the college pre-approve any pamphlets, that pamphlets like hers would not be approved, and that Brashier destroy all copies of her pamphlet. At one point during the meeting, Dean Yvonne Burns reportedly said, "You may want to discuss this topic but the college does not, and you cannot make us." Brashier was warned that any further efforts would be considered "academic misconduct."

FIRE wrote CCAC President Alex Johnson on April 29 about these violations of Brashier's First Amendment speech and association rights, pointing out that her speech in no way constituted solicitation, that CCAC may not condition approval of literature on its viewpoint or content, and that if CCAC recognizes student organizations at all, it must recognize an organization that supports concealed carry on campus. ...

More details here. Our colleges and universities are bastions of leftist thought and political correctness, where open expression and debate are often institutionally suppressed. The community college in question only grudgingly backed down because it knew it would lose a lawsuit.

Pennsylvania open-carrier acquitted

From the Keystone State [hat tip to reader Jim P. for the link]:

BEAVER, Pa. - A western Pennsylvania man has been cleared of criminal charges after bringing his handgun to a campaign rally for President Barack Obama.

John Noble, of Industry, wore the 9 mm on a holster and carried a Bible to the August rally to protest Obama's remark that Americans who felt left out by the system clung to guns and religion. The rally was in Beaver, about 30 miles north of Pittsburgh.

Police said the 51-year-old Noble wanted to be disruptive. They say he posted on the Internet that he was taking the gun to "test what would happen."

Friday, a jury acquitted him of a disrupting a public meeting and a judge acquitted him of disorderly conduct, but called his actions foolish.

Noble wasn't charged with gun offenses because he was legally carrying it.

Article here. This is another case where disorderly conduct charges were used to harass someone legally open carrying. And note that it took almost a year, and a criminal trial, to resolve the issue.

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. ...

Gun Rights News Roundup

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

[Pennsylvania] City passes gun control ordinance, despite state preemption law:

At the June 9, 2009, City Council Meeting, the Council unanimously approved Administration Bill No. 9, “requiring prompt notification to authorities of lost or stolen firearms, and imposing penalties.” The new ordinance would require gun owners to report the loss or theft of any registered firearms within 72 hours of their discovery.

One city woman addressed the Council to express her concern about the ordinance, citing that, according to her understanding, the bill would violate a state ban on gun registration, compromise a state-sanctioned right to bear arms, and create legal costs for both taxpayers and gun owners.

Several city children also addressed the Council to state their support for the ordinance, reading prepared statements to describe the benefits of such controls. This presentation was followed by a public statement from Joe Grace, Executive Director of Ceasefire PA, a Philadelpha-based group that fights to reduce gun violence through public policies like the one being enacted in Lancaster. ...

[Illinois] Another county passes Second Amendment resolution:

It took three votes -- including one that went to a chairman's tiebreaker -- but a non-binding resolution in support of the Second Amendment won Kane County Board approval Tuesday.

The 19-4 vote, with one member voting present, didn't come without some jousting by board members. Drawn up as a general recitation of the constitution's guarantee of freedom to keep and bear arms, the resolution weathered one attempt to table it for more discussion and one member's effort to strengthen its opposition to restrictive gun legislation.

For two years, the group Illinois Pro 2A has asked all of the state's 102 counties to pass a resolution affirming support of the Second Amendment. Pro 2A provides a template that offers a strong objection to certain gun control proposals, but Kane's County's modified version was tempered to be more general. Based on the group's data, Kane becomes the 91st county to adopt such a resolution, although it isn't clear what specific language is used in each of those measures. ...

[Ohio] Women take advantage of firearms training classes:

Thanks to Joy and Faith Ferkel, more than 75 men and women are now better prepared to defend themselves and their families, having taken the National Rifle Association-certified concealed carry courses taught by the mother/ daughter team.

Most of the female students have taken advantage of all-women classes.

The Ferkels began offering the all-women classes last year as a way to provide a comfortable setting for women to learn how to shoot a gun and obtain a concealed carry permit.

"Women have different reasons for choosing a women-only class," Joy said. "Some feel intimidated by those they know have more firearm experience, some have personal protection issues that they believe other women understand, and some want the encouraging camaraderie of a ladies' sewing circle."

"It's easier to ask questions and easier to take the skills test (in an all-ladies class)," said Kim Kuieck, who took the class this spring. "It's easier to think about what you're doing, instead of what everybody's thinking about you."
...
Just as the women had varying reasons for taking an all-ladies class, they also had different reasons for obtaining a concealed carry permit in the first place.

"I felt like it was a civic duty," VanWey said. "I believe all citizens should be armed, not only to defend themselves, but to defend others. If citizens are well-trained and know how to use the firearm, it can only help them."
...
For others, it was fear of another kind that brought them to the class. Mel Wammes was robbed at gunpoint while working in a Fremont tavern last year.

"Everyone had left, except a friend and the captain of the dart league," she said. "A man came in demanding money. He had a mask on, he had his hood up, and he was wearing gloves."

That night, both she and her friend were physically assaulted. "That's when I decided, that's it. Never again will I get hit across the face." ...

Gun Rights News Roundup

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

[D.C.] Amendment to legalize National Park carry passes Senate:

The Senate on Tuesday night easily passed an amendment to credit card reform legislation that would allow concealed weapons in national parks. The vote was 67 to 29.

The question now is this: Will a controversial gun proposal attached to popular underlying legislation be the poison pill that sinks that larger bill? That’s been the case with legislation allowing the District of Columbia a voting representative in Congress, to which the Senate attached language scrapping many of Washington’s strict gun control laws. As a result of that gun amendment, the DC-vote bill remains stalled in the House months after it passed the upper chamber. ...

Comment: Expect to see the National Parks carry amendment's language stripped out in conference committee.


[Michigan] Group plans Second Amendment marches:

In January 2009, Michigan based author and Second Amendment advocate, Skip Coryell received an email from a woman in Belgium describing the helplessness she and coworkers felt when a knife-wielding attacker terrorized the daycare facility where she worked. As in many European countries, victims at the facility were disarmed and at the mercy of their attacker thanks to that country's draconian gun control laws. Determined to not let things progress that far here, Coryell decided to do something about it.

"This is the beginning of a period of historic change in our nation's history and it is no time for the timid," said Coryell. "This is a time for brave men and women to stand up and be counted. We want our children to inherit the same freedom our forefathers knew. Freedom has to be protected or it will fail. We are at a crossroads. The time to act is now."

With that, Coryell began laying the groundwork for the Second Amendment March (S.A.M.), tentatively scheduled for April 19, 2010, which included networking with other gun rights groups and activists. The Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners, of which Coryell is a member, was one of his earliest supporters. Soon after work began, rock personality and Second Amendment champion Ted Nugent promised a "firebreathing Star Spangled Banner eruption" in support of the event. ...

[Illinois] Gun, ammo sales booming:

As the owner of Midwestern Firearms Company in East Peoria, John Meek aims each business day to sell as much ammunition as he can to responsible owners of handguns.

Lately there's been one big hitch in his business model.

He has no ammunition to sell.

"I've been out for about two weeks," Meek said. "I get spare cases in now and then, but people are keeping an eye on what's coming in, and those don't last long."

Those familiar with the firearm industry say it is no coincidence that there has been a run on the nation's gun stores since the election of Barack Obama last November.
...
"Demand for ammunition, across caliber lines, is outpacing supply. In order to keep up with demand, manufacturers are working at full capacity, 24 hours a day, seven days a week," said Ted Novin, the director of public affairs for the National Shooting Sports Foundation. ...

[Illinois] Another article on the surge in guns and ammo sales:

GALESBURG — Gil Hebard — owner of a gun store in Knoxville — can’t buy enough ammunition to keep up with demand.

“It started when Obama was elected,” Hebard said about the surge in demand for firearms and ammunition. Gun fans are worried the president will clamp down on their rights and are stockpiling supplies in case that happens.

“Nationwide, people are worried about Obama,” Hebard said. He is convinced the new administration will move to tighten gun controls. “It’s not if it will happen it’s when they will start gun legislation,” he said.
...
Some supporters of Second Amendment rights who have never owned a gun are now rushing to buy firearms because they fear their rights will be curtailed by the Obama administration, according to one local in the business.

“Americans that have never even had guns but support the Second Amendment are now going out to buy,” Al Hayden, of Al’s Sporting Goods in Galesburg, said.

Hayden’s supplies of ammunition have been drained by eager gun-owners motivated by worry over the new administration’s plans.

“My ammo shelves are pretty empty right now,” Hayden said. “People have been buying ammo faster than they can make it.” ...

[Pennsylvania] Pittsburgh gets help from anti-gunners in legal battle with NRA over gun controls:

Two opposing national groups will duke it out in court over Pittsburgh's new ordinance on lost and stolen guns, with the announcement that the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence will join the city's Law Department in fighting a National Rifle Association lawsuit.

Pittsburgh Council President Doug Shields said he will propose legislation enabling the city to receive help from two lawyers with extensive experience tussling with the high-powered NRA.

"It will be a team effort," Mr. Shields said.

Council passed an ordinance in December that compels gun owners to contact the police within 24 hours of the loss or theft of a firearm, or face fines and, for repeat offenders, imprisonment.

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said the ordinance was unenforceable and let it go into law without his signature, but the city will defend it against the NRA in court. ...

[Louisiana] Campus carry bill passes committee, moves to House floor:

BATON ROUGE – Over the objections of university officials, including campus police, a House committee has approved allowing the carrying of concealed weapons on college campuses.

The House Criminal Justice Committee voted 9-6 to approve HB27 by its chairman, Rep. Ernest Wooton, R-Belle Chasse. He got the committee’s approval last year but widespread opposition led him to withdraw the bill before it was voted on by the House.

Armed with the backing of Gov. Bobby Jindal and the National Rifle Association, Wooton is moving forward this year.

“I am a strong believer in the Second Amendment rights,” Jindal said. “If the bill gets to my desk, I will sign it.” [emphasis added] ...

[Louisiana] New "assault weapons" ban proposed:

Louisiana House Health and Welfare Committee members are scheduled to consider a statewide ban on assault weapons today.

New Orleans Representative Cedric Richmond sponsors the measure. Similar bills have failed each of the past two years.

This year, Richmond says, his bill is more specific.

"I went in this year and listed 11 weapons that my police chief has talked about as being the most serious threat to public safety," Richmond told the WWL State Capitol Bureau. "I hunt and I fish. I have a rifle and I have a handgun, but I don't need an AK-47. I can't go buy a bazooka, so why should I be able to go buy and AK-47. I think we are just taking it too far."

Richmond says his bill this year contains language to outlaw specific models of semiautomatic weapons that he says are designed only to kill human beings. ...

Comment: The Second Amendment isn't about hunting, or target shooting, or sport shooting. The Second Amendment was designed to ensure that America would always have a heavily armed populace, capable of defending itself against thugs, and tyrants. That requires weaponry that's designed "to kill human beings." Indeed, that's what makes such weaponry useful for protecting ourselves from thugs and tyrants.

Gun Rights News Roundup

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

[Michigan] Ammo supplies running short:

The fear of a Democratic Party agenda in Washington has triggered a shortage of ammunition, a gun group said.

"Many of the lawmakers in power right now have a long history of supporting legislation that violates the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans," said Ted Novin, the director of public affairs at the National Shooting Sports Foundation, The Detroit News reported Friday.

"Gun owners recognize this and are reacting accordingly," Novin said, referring to a run on ammunition that has caused shortages in 9 mm and .22 caliber rounds, the News said.

Several Michigan stores are rationing sales, the newspaper said.

U.S. manufacturers produce about 8 billion rounds of ammunition a year, the foundation said. Winchester Ammunition, on a company Web site, says, "our team is literally working around the clock to make quality ammunition available for purchase." ...

[Ohio] Concealed carry permit applications continue to rise:

In conjunction with the record pace of firearms sales, issuance of concealed handgun licenses in Ohio is also increasing.

For example, the Fairfield County Sheriff's Office is reporting that "the county is well on its way to surpassing the number issued in 2004 - the first year the county issued permits."

This increase is attributed to a number of factors.

Sheriff's Office officials chalk up the increase to several factors. They say people fear a backlash from rising unemployment rates and an increase in crime, such as burglaries, robberies and breaking and entering incidents. Others, such as Tom Parrish, feel their Second Amendment rights are on the line.

Parrish said his decision to get his concealed-carry permit came just months after President Barack Obama took office.

We've already talked about the increase in gun ownership, but this trend shows that not only are concerned citizens purchasing firearms for self defense, but they are carrying them as well. The Ohio attorney general reports that nearly 150,000 CHLs have been issued since the law's inception over five years ago, which means more than 1 out of every 100 Ohioans has a license. A side note that has always amused me is that Canada's military has 65,890 active personnel. So, Ohio CHL holders outnumber them more than two to one! ...

[Illinois] Illinois Carry says NRA lobbied against "shall issue" carry bill:

... A little background first. For the past decade and a half license-to-carry bills introduced in the IL General Assembly have become routine and hold little to no expectation of passing due to opposition from the Chicago/Cook Co. legislators. That opposition means every year the same old bills calling for statewide preemption which would force the carry law into Chicago guarantees the bill is dead on arrival. A bill or two may make the headlines but never to the floor for a vote largely due to the opposition of Mayor Daley and Cook County legislators. The likelihood of a statewide preemption bill being passed is greatly reduced by the fact that bills preempting home rule status require 71 votes for passage rather than a simple majority of 60. Double or triple that reduction by the fact that in Chicago it is illegal to even own a handgun let alone carry one for self-defense purposes. We find it somewhat ludicrous to even consider a statewide preemptive bill passing in the state of Illinois given those circumstances.

Other states like Ohio and Nebraska faced years of major opposition like this. They finally won their battle by passing a carry law which we in Illinois would call "subject to home rule". An imperfect bill that allowed major cities to opt out but did provide a means for license-to-carry to get a foothold in the state. Pro-Second Amendment groups in Ohio were then able to prove carrying firearms for self-defense works and they came back in just a few short years and successfully expanded the law to include everyone. Nebraska, just two short years after passing their license-to-carry bill now has statewide preemption according to their state's Attorney General and are now working to amend their law.
...
HB2257 started off with good promise, the sponsor reported he felt sure he could garner the 60 votes needed to pass it out of the House. So it came as a huge shock and disappointment to learn from legislators that the NRA was actually lobbying against it.

When contacted by lllinoisCarry the NRA-ILA lobbyist confirmed the NRA-ILA was indeed lobbying against the bill and vowed to kill it. The reason given for the opposition was that the bill did not include statewide preemption, that it would create a patchwork of ordinances all across the state which could be detrimental to license holders, and it would ultimately be vetoed by Gov. Quinn and still need 71 votes for a veto override. Therefore we should continue to wait and work toward a change in the political makeup of the IL legislature. ...

Comment: To quote Voltaire, "The perfect is the enemy of the good."


[Arizona] House passes guns in parking lots bill:

PHOENIX -- The state House voted Thursday to elevate the right of people to carry guns in their vehicles over the right of property owners to keep those weapons out of their parking lot.

On a voice vote, lawmakers gave preliminary approval to legislation which says individuals can have loaded weapons in their vehicles even if an employer, a private business, a day care center or an apartment complex don't want them there. The only exceptions would be for the owners or renters of single-family detached homes or for businesses willing to fence their properties, search every vehicle coming in and providing a place for gun owners to check their weapons.

Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, who is carrying HB 2474 for the National Rifle Association, acknowledged the measure could be construed as infringing on the rights of property owners.

But Kavanagh said that is trumped by the Second Amendment right of people to bear arms to protect themselves.

"The Bill of Rights, and in fact, many other laws, do not stop at the private property line," he said. Kavanagh said this wouldn't be the first time that private property rights have to fall to more important rights.

"The owner of a private business can't say, 'I don't like blacks,' therefore the Civil Rights Act doesn't apply in my business," he said. "No blacks can come in." ...

[Arkansas] Group say park gun ban is illegal:

Arkansas Carry has contacted Sebastian County Judge David Hudson, asking him and the Sebastian County Quorum Court to repeal a county rule that bans firearms at Ben Geren Park, according to information provided by Arkansas Carry Vice Chairman Steve Jones.

The Sebastian Code rule reads: “It shall be unlawful for any person to introduce or otherwise bring into the Ben Geren Regional Park any firearm or to have within his or her possession a firearm while within the Ben Geren Regional Park unless the person has been given express permission to do so by the administration of the Ben Geren Regional Park.”

Officials with Arkansas Carry, which labels itself a “staunch ally of gun owners and the Second Amendment,” believe Arkansas law prevents local governments from enacting gun control legislation. ...

[Tennessee] House passes restaurant carry bill:

The House voted Thursday to allow Tennessee handgun carry permit holders to bring their weapons into any establishment that serves alcohol.

The chamber voted 66-23 to approve the bill sponsored by Republican Rep. Curry Todd of Collierville, a retired police officer.

The measure abandons earlier efforts to impose an 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew for carrying handguns where alcohol is served and to keep a total ban on establishments that enforce age-restricted entry.
...
The Senate would have to agree with the House version before it can head for Gov. Phil Bredesen's consideration, but it appears likely to pass since the agreement largely reflects the measure originally approved on a 26-7 vote last month.

The Democratic governor has not said whether he would sign it into law.

The bill would take effect June 1. The measure would leave unchanged an existing ban on consuming alcohol while carrying a handgun, and restaurant owners would still be able to ban weapons from being carried in their establishments.

Comment: Hopefully, the Senate will concur and Gov. Bredesen will sign the bill. We see more and more states (see next story below) removing these silly "gun free zone" restrictions (which only apply to the law-abiding) as the anti-gunners' "blood will run in streets / bars / churches / etc." argument is proven false time and again, and evidence continues to show that permit holders are the most law-abiding group of citizens in the nation.


[Arizona] Guns in parking lots, restaurant carry bill passes House:

The National Rifle Association will bring more than 50,000 visitors to downtown Phoenix for its national convention later this week, but the group's presence has already been felt at the state Capitol.

If the NRA gets its wish, registered gun owners in Arizona will be able to keep weapons locked in their cars outside of a business, regardless of the business' policy on weapons in the workplace; they'll also be allowed to bring guns into certain restaurants that serve alcohol.

The guns-in-cars legislation, House Bill 2474, moved out of the House on Thursday and its sponsor, Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, expects it to pass through the Senate. ...

[Germany] No more paintball for germans?:

The German government is planning to ban paintball and laser shooting games in reaction to the recent school massacre in which 15 people died.

Under legislation agreed by the ruling coalition of the chancellor, Angela ­Merkel, using air rifles to shoot paint-filled pellets at opponents is likely to be made illegal, and would be punishable with fines of up to €5,000 (£4,480).

The decision, which is expected to be fast-tracked through the Bundestag before the summer recess, comes two months after 17-year-old Tim Kretschmar shot dead 15 people at his former school in Winnenden, south-west Germany, with a weapon he had taken from his father's bedroom. Kretschmar's love of paintball as well as violent video and computer games was widely publicised. ...

[Massachusetts] Gun, ammo sales booming:

The firearms industry appears to be riding out the recession in fine form, with sales across the country flourishing. And the enthusiasm for purchasing such weaponry has spread to communities south of Boston, according to area gun dealers.

Firearms of all types are in demand as well as the ammunition to feed them. Customers run the gamut from the seasoned hunter and skilled marksman to the novice. Training classes for new gun owners are not only full but booked months into the future.

Eric Goldman, president of the Braintree Pistol & Rifle Club's executive board, said training class enrollment has gone up dramatically over the last several months.

"Classes are required of all new owners," Goldman said. "It teaches safe gun handling. We offer new members' classes once a month, and used to have from 30 to 35 people take them. Right now, our classes are 70 to 75." ...

[Pennsylvania] Gun, ammo sales booming:

Fueled by rumors that the Obama administration will ban assault weapons and heavily tax ammunition, gun enthusiasts are stocking up.

Handguns, semiautomatic weapons, and all types of ammunition are flying off store shelves, despite the recession.

The FBI reports a 27 percent increase in background checks for guns purchased by federally licensed dealers for the first three months of this year compared with the same period in 2008.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation, an industry trade association, notes on its Web site that manufacturers are working at "full capacity (24/7)" to keep up with the "unprecedented" demand for ammunition.

James Mastroddi, director of the Philadelphia Archery and Gun Club in South Philadelphia, said the furor was probably being caused by the "Obama factor." ...

Op-ed: arm sailors against pirates:

Somali pirates attacked a U.S. vessel and captured a Dutch ship on Thursday. These raids could be prevented if merchant mariners had guns and could defend their ships.

Richard Phillips, the heroic captain of the crew that fought off pirates on the Maersk Alabama a month ago, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee April 30 that armed crews "should be part of the overall debate about how to defend ourselves against criminals on the seas."

Capt. Phillips noted that protecting U.S.-flagged ships is the "responsibility of the U.S. government," but that he understands the limits of what even the U.S. Navy can do to protect all the commercial traffic spread across vast oceans. Just as police arrive on the scene after crimes on land have occurred, the Navy cannot be everywhere all the time. More than 25,000 ships travel off the Horn of Africa every year. That's a target-rich environment.
...
There are several legal obstacles to arming ship crews. Some naysayers worry that if crews were armed, things could somehow go wrong and that violence with pirates would escalate. But as the widespread ownership of guns on land has proven, alarm over gun possession is based on conjecture with no evidence to back it up. States that have passed laws permitting concealed handguns have experienced less violence, not more.

Liability concerns of some shipping companies are similarly unfounded, as commercial aviation has shown. U.S. pilots were allowed to carry guns until as recently as 1987. No training was required, and yet there were no accidental gunshots or incidents of pilots harming others. After the program to allow armed pilots was renewed in 2003, there has been only one accidental shot and no one was harmed. ...

[New York] Assembly passes more gun controls, bills move to Democrat-controlled Senate:

MAYVILLE - The state Senate's new Democratic majority could soon pave the way for tighter restrictions on gun ownership.

Under measures adopted last month by the state Assembly, gun owners would have to renew their permits every five years and undergo background checks if they buy guns from pawnshops. They also would have to give up their 50-caliber weapons, including the 12-gauge shotgun. [emphasis added]

If passed by the state Senate and signed by Gov. David Paterson, the laws would also require all semiautomatic pistols to be capable of stamping spent ammo casings so they can be identified and matched with the firearm, and new restrictions will be imposed on merchants to make it harder for criminals to purchase weapons.

Frequent attempts by the Democratic-controlled Assembly at passing such measures failed in the Republican-controlled state Senate in recent years. Now that the Senate is controlled by Democrats, though, those laws might be easier for Democrats to pass. ...

Comment: I urge my New York readers to get involved and contact your elected servants regarding these proposed gun controls.

GOA: Pennsylvania GOP courting gun banning Republican to run for Senate

From Gunowners of America:

Some Republicans still don't understand why mainstream America is so upset with their Party.

Now that Sen. Arlen Specter has defected to the Democrat Party, many prominent Republicans are openly recruiting liberal Republicans to run against Specter.

And at the top of their list is Tom Ridge.

Ridge is the turncoat Republican whose vote was crucial in passing the semi-auto ban in 1994.

After having opposed a similar ban in 1991, then-Rep. Tom Ridge flip-flopped and teamed up with Charles Schumer (D-NY) to pass the semi-auto gun and magazine ban. The gun ban passed narrowly, 216 to 214, thanks to Tom Ridge.

Later, as Governor of Pennsylvania, Ridge signed one of the most restrictive gun control laws in the State's history -- the infamous Act 17 which registered and taxed long gun buyers and placed other restrictions on Keystone State gun owners. [emphasis added]

As the head of the Department of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge opposed arming pilots. He asked, sarcastically, if pilots carry guns, then should we also arm railroad engineers and bus drivers? As DHS Director, Ridge should have led the charge to arm pilots and people in other positions that fell under the agency's purview.

Instead, he just repeated the same tired old anti-gun line that we hear every time a state passes a concealed carry handgun law.

Guess who else opposed the armed pilots program? Pennsylvania's "Benedict" Arlen Specter, who was one of only two Republican Senators to vote against the bill.

The last thing we need is another elitist in Congress who does not trust law-abiding citizens with firearms. And yet, wishy-washy Republican Senators like Utah's Orrin Hatch and South Carolina's Lindsey Graham are touting Ridge over Specter. In other words, let's replace one turncoat with another.

There is a better option. His name is Pat Toomey, a Gun Owners of America "A" rated pro-gunner who served in the U.S. House of Representatives for three terms, before honoring a self-imposed term limit and retiring in 2004. ...

Article here. Pennsylvania gun owners better let the GOP leadership know they won't stand for another anti-gun Republican-In-Name-Only senator.

Gun Rights News Roundup

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

Columnist Kurt Hoffman discusses the Brady agenda:

For readers who have long followed the gun rights issue, today's article might not be news--it is, after all, mostly about a bill that was introduced in the U.S. Senate 15 years ago. For folks new to the debate, though, I hope to shed an instructive light on just where these "reasonable gun laws" are headed, if groups like the Brady Campaign have their way.

Yesterday, in writing about gun control groups' impatience with what they view as foot-dragging in regard to pursuit of new, more restrictive gun laws, I quoted Brady Campaign president Paul Helmke:

The president should make it clear that efforts to disrupt trafficking in illegal guns and stockpiling of private arsenals are not a threat to law-abiding gun owners.

As I pointed out yesterday, Helmke's mention of "stockpiling private arsenals" prompted me to wonder if the Brady Campaign is now advocating limits on the total number of firearms and/or the amount of ammunition a citizen may own. That, in turn, reminded me that such limits would not be a new objective for the Brady Campaign.

Enter S. 1878 (from the 103rd Congressional session), the "Gun Violence Prevention Act of 1994," sometimes referred to colloquially as the "Brady Act II." ...

[North Carolina] Gun sales up, ammo supplies low:

Besides being the President of the United States, Barack Obama is also being dubbed by some the gun salesman of the year. That's because since elected, gun sales have skyrocketed nationwide including here in Eastern Carolina. WITN headed to one firearm store in Jamesville in Martin County where sales have jumped 70% since Obama took office.

Store managers say sales are good at Mackey's in Jamesville, which bills itself as one of the largest firearm shops in the world. Since President Barack Obama took office, store managers tell us their customers are buying everything they can, in fear gun laws could change.

Store manager Charles Hayes says "Like when it snows down here, everybody buys out the grocery store and it really doesn't make a lot of sense, same with guns. They thought their rights were going to be infringed and so they keep saying before my rights go away, I want to buy a handgun." ...

Howard Nemerov asks: Does Violence Policy Center represent the people (Part II)?:

... Two people perform most of VPC’s public outreach: Executive Director Josh Sugarman and Legislative Director Kristen Rand. Between 2003 and 2007, as revenues decreased 49.9%, both Sugarman’s and Rand’s salaries increased 5.9%. But because revenues decreased, these two top earners––each of whom earned $132,894 in salary and $3,987 in benefits in 2007––went from 15.5% of total revenue in 2003 to 32.7% in 2007, more than doubling their slice of the pie (111.3% increase). Having just two employees taking home about one-third of total revenue may not be a long-term success strategy for a normal business, but it works when normal profitability concerns don’t exist. To understand the financial circumstances of VPC, one must understand their definition of “public support,” which accounted for 91.8% of VPC’s total revenue between 2003 and 2007.And to understand VPC’s “public support,” one must understand the Joyce Foundation, because VPC’s primary “public donor” is the Joyce Foundation.

At the Joyce Foundation site, selecting “Gun Violence” on their “Grant List” page displays a roster of Who’s Who in gun control: e.g. Violence Policy Center, Mayors Fund to Advance New York City, Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence. Joyce Foundation spent $9,475,883 on gun control research between 2005 and 2007. By comparison, the entire gun rights industry contributed a total of $3,188,704 for the four years of the 2006 and 2008 election cycles. ...

Gunowners of America slams Sen. Orrin Hatch for protecting Arlen Specter:

Gun Owners of America today slammed Senator Orrin Hatch for meddling in a Pennsylvania election.

Senator Hatch this week assailed the candidacy of pro-gun former Representative Pat Toomey, claiming that Toomey could not get elected in Pennsylvania in a race against liberal Republican-turned-Democrat Arlen Specter.

"Orrin Hatch seems more interested in protecting his liberal anti-gun buddy Arlen Specter than he is in electing a real pro-gun conservative," said Tim Macy, Vice-Chairman of Gun Owners of America.

Hatch also predicted that the National Republican Senatorial Committee, of which he is vice chairman, will not support Toomey. ...

[Ohio] Lawmaker's bill would allow Alaska-style concealed carry (i.e., no permit needed, but permits available for out of state reciprocity / recognition purposes):

For the second time in two years, an area legislator is attempting to change the concealed and carry law via a new bill. State Rep. John Adams, R-Sidney, last week introduced House Bill 129 — a measure that seeks to change the current concealed and carry law. The proposal would not require residents who are legally allowed to carry, possess and purchase firearms to obtain a permit to do so. Other changes include stripping the stipulation requiring permit holders to carry the permit while carrying a firearms as well as informing approaching law enforcement officials that a person is carrying a concealed weapon.

"I introduced this last year in the General Assembly and it only had one committee hearing," Adams said. "We made some changes to it."

Adams said the most glaring change comes in the form of stripping the requirement of obtaining a permit to carry a concealed weapon. The change, Adams said, is aimed at protecting the rights of law-abiding citizens.

"You still have to go through the training and keep the paper that says you went through the training," Adams said. "All it does is eliminate the licensing aspect, but it does allow you to choose to go through that process. It's a hybrid — you can do either."

The bill, which Adams likened to the Alaska-style Carry, also repeals mandates for re-qualification. The proposal also would allow the weapons to be carried on college campuses. ...

[New York] Proposed infringements blasted:

State legislation that would require renewal of pistol permits every five years was blasted in Batavia Thursday as another bureaucratic restriction that would burden upstate New Yorkers and do nothing to cut down on crime.

"This is just another way to raise revenue for New York,'' state Sen. Michael Ranzenhofer said during a pre-noon news conference outside the old county courthouse at Main and Ellicott streets.

The Amherst Republican, whose district includes Genesee County, headed up the news conference aimed at rallying opposition to the renewal legislation that has already passed in the state Assembly and is due for consideration soon in the state Senate. [emphasis added]

Ranzenhofer said the bill, sponsored by downstate senators, represents an added tax on upstate sportsmen and could be voted on in the Senate in the next week or two. ...

Comment: Readers in New York may want to contact their elected servants to voice their displeasure at the prospect of yet more infringements to their fundamental human rights, and to urge said servants to oppose passage of further infringements to those rights.

Gun Rights News Roundup

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

Sen. Lautenberg wants to close the gun show "loophole":

Exploiting the tenth anniversary of the Columbine tragedy, perennial gun control advocate Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) introduced his latest gun show bill. Lautenberg was joined at the press conference by Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Jack Reed (D-RI). "The Hill" quotes Lautenberg as saying:

“There is no rational reason to oppose closing the loophole,” said Lautenberg, the bill’s sponsor. “The reason it’s still not closed is simple: the continuing power of the special interest gun lobby in Washington.”

The bill is S. 843: “A bill to establish background check procedures for gun shows.” What makes it a greater threat than other gun bills in the 111th Congress is the fact that Lautenberg has signed eleven powerful Democrats as cosponsors, including formerly pro-gun Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).

Dave Workman says Milwaukee police chief setting stage for confrontation:

Milwaukee, WI Police Chief Ed Flynn is playing with political nitro glycerin, and he doesn’t seem to realize it, or perhaps he simply doesn’t care.

Quoted by the La Crosse Tribune, Chief Flynn says he will ignore a finding by State Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen that peaceable open carry of firearms is legal. Flynn’s directive to officers in his department 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.”

The chief displayed a rather cavalier, if not outright arrogant, attitude when he added, “Maybe I’ll end up with a protest of cowboys. In the meantime, I’ve got serious offenders with access to handguns. It’s irresponsible to send a message to them that if they just carry it openly no one can bother them.”

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.

Perhaps some higher legal authority might explain to the chief that it is also irresponsible to send a message to the public that a police chief can literally tell the state attorney general to pound sand, he’s going to do it “his way,” and too bad if that violates someone’s civil rights. Already, some people have been arrested for carrying openly, according to my colleague Candace Dainty.

Note to Chief Flynn: Wisconsin is still part of the United States, not a police state. This is the kind of attitude that gets people grumbling about “jack-booted thugs.”

Yet “police state” is exactly what critics in the Open Carry movement have suggested Flynn is trying to establish, evidently with the support of anti-gun Gov. Jim Doyle, and State Rep. Leon Young, a Milwaukee Democrat who plans to introduce legislation banning open carry. ...

[Colorado] CCW permit applications soar:

The number of people in Grand County seeking permits to carry a concealed handgun increased by 283 percent from 2007 to 2008.

Statewide, the increase was 212 percent, and the trend shows few signs of abating.

“We just haven’t seen an end to it,” said Grand County Sheriff Rod Johnson.
...
“We believe it started with the presidential election,” the sheriff said of the rapid acceleration in the number of people seeking the permits.

He said permit-seekers often volunteer political views regarding Second Amendment issues and that many of them recently have expressed concerns about the Democrats controlling Congress and the White House.

Democrats traditionally are more inclined than Republicans to favor gun-control legislation.

“I believe that citizens have the right to own and carry” firearms, [Sheriff] Johnson said. “Permit holders have never caused me any problems.” [emphasis added] ...

[Texas] Op-ed: College professors support campus carry bill:

Mass public shootings are a horrific feature of modern life. Many of the bloodiest examples of this scourge have occurred on college campuses. As professors, we are particularly sensitive to this danger.

Despite this – no, because of this – we support a bill currently pending in the Texas Legislature that would permit the concealed carrying of firearms on college and university campuses in the state by holders of concealed-handgun permits.

Any public policy involving matters of life and death should be decided only after weighing carefully the competing risks. Examining the relevant facts and data indicates that permitting Texas permit holders to carry weapons on college campuses would improve safety because:

•The best available empirical evidence shows that concealed-carry laws reduce the incidence of mass public shootings.

•Mass public shootings occur almost exclusively in places – like universities – where concealed carry is proscribed.

•There are numerous examples of firearms owners acting to disarm would-be mass murderers, thereby saving lives.

•Concealed-handgun-permit holders are overwhelmingly law-abiding individuals.

If gun bans truly reduced the risk of mass public shootings, then gun-free zones would be refuges from such havoc. Sadly, the exact opposite is true. All multiple-victim public shootings in the United States with more than three fatalities have occurred where concealed handguns are prohibited. Moreover, the worst primary and secondary school shootings have occurred in Europe, despite its draconian gun laws. ...

NSSF explains why Tiahrt amendment restricting gun-trace data is needed:

There are good reasons for preventing firearm tracing data from becoming public information. Doing so protects the lives of law enforcement officers and also the integrity of undercover operations that may have been in place for weeks or even months. Restricting access also prevents the misuse of the data to bring nuisance lawsuits, as New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg did when he launched his own private sting operation against out-of-state firearms retailers and interfered with up to 18 federal investigations for which he was chastised in a letter from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

For these reasons and others, legislation called the Tiahrt Amendment rightly protects gun ownership information from being released to the public, while at the same time allowing law enforcement to access and share the data for their investigations.

Introduced by Congressman Todd Tiahrt (R-KS) in 2003, the legislation has been renewed every year since then and has the support of the Fraternal Order of Police. Even New York's police commissioner, Ray Kelly, opposed the public release of such sensitive information, saying in a 2002 letter to Attorney General John Ashcroft, "The release of trace information . . . seriously jeopardizes not only . . . investigations, but also the lives of law enforcement officers, informants, witnesses, and others." [emphasis added] ...

Gun, ammo sales booming:

Gun sales are soaring in the US amid fears that President Obama is planning a new crackdown on the ownership of weapons.

The country is even facing a shortage of ammunition as gun stores are besieged by customers - even though the President has insisted he is not planning new legislation.

Seven million people have applied for background record checks with the FBI in the last few months so they can obtain a gun licence.

The Guns and Ammo store in Manassas, Virginia, says it has seen a 50% rise in sales since November's election. ...

[Pennsylvania] NRA sues Pittsburgh over city gun ordinances:

The National Rifle Association today sued Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Pittsburgh City Council in an effort to overturn a law that penalizes gun owners who fail to report lost or stolen firearms within 24 hours.

The 19-page lawsuit was filed in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court on behalf of four Pittsburgh gun owners who say the ordinance — intended to crack down on "straw purchasers" of guns — "severely restricts" their Second Amendment right to keep firearms in their homes.

"The plaintiffs will be prevented from exercising their rights under state law to freely own, possess and transport firearms," according to the lawsuit.
...
The NRA argues the law should be declared invalid because city lawmakers don't have the authority to regulate firearms under the state's Uniform Firearms Act of 1939. It states: "No county, municipality or township may in any manner regulate the lawful ownership, possession or transportation of firearms." ...

[Wisconsin] Anti-gun Gov. Doyle wants to repeal state preemption law:

Governor Jim Doyle (D) is proposing to repeal the state's preemption statute which prohibits localities from passing gun laws that are more restrictive than the state's. Wisconsin's preemption law was originally passed in 1995 when Doyle was Attorney General. Doyle was vocally opposed to statewide preemption and its passage left a bitter taste of defeat in his mouth that has never gone away. Now, Governor Doyle is using the arrest of law-abiding Wisconsin citizens exercising their constitutional right to openly carry a firearm for self-defense as a platform to call for its repeal.

If Doyle succeeds in repealing preemption, it would bring Wisconsin into the dark days of draconian gun laws. Cities, counties, and municipalities cannot be allowed to pass ordinances, rules, or regulations more stringent than state law. This leads to a patchwork of laws across the state, which can be confusing for residents and non-residents visiting the state. It can also make criminals out of law-abiding citizens who inadvertently run afoul of a local ordinance. Imagine the extremists in Madison determining their own gun laws! Rest assured, they would use Chicago as their model for their gun laws. ...

[Wisconsin] Mike Stollenwerk says Milwaukee police chief using Bull Connor's playbook:

Earlier this week WISN.com TV News caught on video a consensual encounter between West Allis police officers and Brad Krause who happened to be open carrying a holstered handgun in public. Like the old Roman saying, the police officers' action can be described simply as: they came, they saw, they left.

In states where open carry has become popular the police often don't even come anymore unless they see or are told of actual unlawful conduct.

But while Wisconsin gun owners like Mr. Krause prepare to play ball with consensual police inquiries into their orderly open carrying of holstered handguns, Milwaukee police chief Ed Flynn appears to be borrowing a page from Bull Connors' playbook. As the Birmingham, AL Public Safety Commissioner in the 1960s, Bull Connors became a symbol of bigotry by using fire hoses and police attack dogs against protest marchers.

Now comes Milwaukee police chief Ed Flynn - hailing recently from Massachusetts but acting like he's from the old South - telling his officers to "take down anyone with a firearm despite Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen's finding that people can carry guns openly if they do it peacefully." Chortled Flynn, "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."

With good reason, Reason Magazine notes "You know you have a problem when the chief refers to peace officers as 'troops.'" ...

[Wisconsin] Gene German muses on lawmaker's proposed ban on open carry:

... The Governors reaction to last Monday’s memo by Attorney General VanHollen was to suggest that the state should return to the days when local jurisdictions could enact their own set of ordinances – implying Milwaukee for example could ban open carry if it wanted to. What the Governor (who is also a former Wisconsin attorney general) seems to have ignored is a local ban on open carry would also be an unconstitutional infringement on a citizens protected right.

Rep Leon Young, a former Milwaukee cop is telling everyone that he is “fast tracking” a new state law to ban open carry statewide. Of course, that law would be unconstitutional also for the same reasons. Fortunately, we already have a pretty good idea what the Wisconsin Supreme Court will say about any such law.

Chief Justice Shirley Abramson said in her dissent in Hamdan;

Article I, Section 25 does not establish an unfettered right to bear arms. Clearly, the State retains the power to impose reasonable regulations on weapons, including a general prohibition on the carrying of concealed weapons. However, the State may not apply these regulations in situations that functionally disallow the exercise of the rights conferred under Article I, Section 25.

So, what we don’t know yet is would the Wisconsin Supreme Court only overturn Rep. Young’s new law banning open carry or would the court overturn both the new law and the old ban on concealed carry too? Why force the court to choose? The court could just overturn them both. The sooner Rep. Young can “fast track” his new law banning open carry to the Governor’s desk for his signature, the sooner we will be able to get the Supreme Courts answer to which law or laws will have to fall.

With the help of Governor Doyle and Rep. Young all Wisconsin citizens may soon be able to carry guns totally unrestricted like they did before 1872 - again. ...

[Alaska] College students rally for campus carry:

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Some students at the University of Alaska Anchorage want to be allowed to carry guns on campus.

George Hines, a UAA student, organized a protest Thursday against a UA-system gun ban. About 15 sign-waving students showed up for the protest, held at a street corner near campus. ...

[California] Shooting sports fair closes due to ammo shortage:

The Raahauge's Shooting Sports Fair, a hands-on gun show where you can shoot all the latest firearms on the market, has been cancelled for 2009. The Sports Fair is normally held the first weekend in June each year at Mike Raahauge Shooting Enterprises in Corona. Mike Raahauge said the fair was cancelled because it had become impossible for all the firearm makers to get enough ammunition for this event.

"I just spoke with all of the manufacturers and none of them can get ammo," said Raahauge late last week. "We could hold the fair, but we'd probably be out of ammunition by Friday afternoon."

"Whether the shortage is due to the election of President Barack Obama or the economic downturn or fear of an increase in crime, ammo sales have been like plywood and bottled-water sales before a hurricane in Florida," Raahauge said.

Since President Obama's election, gun and ammunition sales have skyrocketed. Most ammunition manufacturers are operating multiple shifts on their production lines and still can't produce enough ammunition in the major handgun and military-style rifle calibers to meet demand. Besides ammunition, there is also a shortage of semi-automatic handguns, semi-automatic rifles, and reloading components. ...

Gun Rights News Roundup

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

The anti-gun New York Times, which probably hasn't ever met a gun-control law it didn't like, takes aim at gun shops in border states:

HOUSTON — John Phillip Hernandez, a 24-year-old unemployed machinist who lived with his parents, walked into a giant sporting goods store here in July 2006, and plunked $2,600 in cash on a glass display counter. A few minutes later, Mr. Hernandez walked out with three military-style rifles.

One of those rifles was recovered seven months later in Acapulco, Mexico, where it had been used by drug cartel gunmen to attack the offices of the Guerrero State attorney general, court documents say. Four police officers and three secretaries were killed.

Noting there are about 1,500 licensed gun dealers in the Houston area, Mr. Webb added, “You can come to Houston and go to a different gun store every day for several months and never alert any one.”

The case highlights a major obstacle facing the United States as it tries to meet a demand from Mexico to curb the flow of arms from the states to drug cartels. The federal system for tracking gun sales, crafted over the years to avoid infringements on Second Amendment rights, makes it difficult to spot suspicious trends quickly and to identify people buying for smugglers, law enforcement officials say.

As a result, in some states along the Southwest border where firearms are lightly regulated, gun smugglers can evade detection for months or years. In Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, dealers can sell an unlimited number of rifles to anyone with a driver’s license and a clean criminal record without reporting the sales to the government.

At gun shows in these states, there is even less regulation. Private sellers, unlike licensed dealers, are not obligated to record the buyer’s name, much less report the sale to the A.T.F. ...

Even the international press repeats the lie:

Police in Mexico have seized an anti-aircraft machine gun in the state of Sonora, near the US border. They also found ammunition and other heavy weapons. A woman has been arrested.

The seizure took place two days before US President Barack Obama is due to visit his Mexican counterpart, President Felipe Calderón. High on the agenda of the talks between the two will be the bloody drug war currently being waged, mainly with US weapons, by the Mexican drug cartels. [emphasis added] ...

Columnist skewers 20/20 report:

“If I only had a gun,” ABC’s recent segment of “20/20,” treated viewers to a biased and deeply flawed “study” promoting the opinion that armed citizens are incapable of stopping active killers in mass homicides. On Monday, “Myths of Armed Self-Defense” exposed “20/20’s” fallacy of the omnipotent killer, noting that personality characteristics of such killers actually make them more, not less, vulnerable to armed defense. Today, we discuss the advice “20/20” gave viewers unfortunate enough to find themselves in active killer scenarios.

This is what “20/20’s” “experts” advise you to do if confronted by an active killer:

* Try to run: Maybe he won’t shoot you, advises JJ Bittenbinder, ABC’s professed expert: “Only 12½ times out of a hundred” would you be killed. (I would include the link for this “security expert’s” website … if Google hadn’t flagged it for “malicious software.”)

* Play dead: “Remember that receptionist who played dead after being shot crawling under a desk and dialing 9-1-1- for help,” admonishes host Diane Sawyer. This, of course, required being shot first.

* Dial 9-1-1: This is liberalism’s best hope for self-defense; have someone else do it for you, albeit 10 or so minutes later, when people are already dead.

...

Dave Workman exposes 20/20 anti-gun hit piece:

New information has surfaced about the depth of bias that surfaced on ABC’s 20/20 hit piece that aired Friday, April 10 with Diane Sawyer as the host.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation revealed Monday that it had been “asked numerous times by 20/20 Senior Producer Muriel Pearson to participate in the story, but understanding the piece was a set-up, we refused.”
...

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, however, fewer than 100 kids 15 and under are killed in gun accidents every year. - ABC's John Stossel

NSSF Public Affairs Director Ted Novin reported Monday afternoon that, even though the organization declined to participate, it reminded Pearson of the 20/20 team’s “responsibility to ask hard-hitting questions of those supporting gun control.” NSSF also provided 20/20 with information on the thousands of state, local and federal gun laws, along with data from the Department of Justice and Bureau of Justice Statistics related to firearms.

“Unfortunately,” Novin said, “given 20/20’s refusal to disclose any of the information we provided – information that interfered with their already pre-established and desired anti-gun conclusion – it has become all too clear that journalistic impartiality on firearms issues is limited to John Stossel.” ...

Buckeye Firearms Association deconstructs the 20/20 show:

Do you think it's a good idea to be armed during a mass shooting? Diane Sawyer and the producers of ABC's 20/20 aren't so sure. In fact, on Friday, April 10, 2009, Sawyer spent a full hour trying desperately to prove how dangerous guns are and how ordinary people can't possibly defend themselves with firearms. The show's snarky title: "If I Only Had A Gun."

Slanted information filled the report, seemingly pulled from the press releases of the Brady Campaign, with not a single dissenting opinion. The most egregious slight [sic] of hand was a rigged experiment that struggled to show why having a gun would do you no good in a Virginia Tech style mass shooting.
...
The show's conclusion? Having a gun doesn't protect you. Ordinary people aren't trained to handle stress. You might shoot innocent people. The bad guy might take your gun from you.

So having a gun is pointless, right? Well, hold on. Let's take a closer look at that experiment. ...

Comment: If the description in the article is accurate, then the experiment certainly sounds rigged to favor the bad guy. The bad guy is unlikely to know the identity (or identities) and locations of any armed good guys. In addition, what if there was more than one armed student? What if there were three armed students? Or five? In a large auditorium-style classroom, that's not an unreasonable number to expect. Plus, what's the alternative? Just sit there and die? Having a gun doesn't mean you'll prevail, or even survive, but it sure beats the alternative. Yet more mainstream media anti-self defense bias.


[Rhode Island] Gun, ammo sales spike:

Gun sales in Rhode Island spiked during 2008 to their highest level in at least a decade as firearms purchases in the state mimicked a national trend.
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The surge continues in 2009 as gun sales in Rhode Island are on track to rise nearly 50 percent, to 13,000 firearms.

Politics and economics are the prime causes, say gun dealers and others.

“I’m hearing two things,” said Pawtucket police Chief George L. Kelley III, president of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association. “The first is [people] are afraid the president may change some of the laws, and the second is the economy.” ...

[New York] Gun, ammo sales spike:

Fred Calcagno has owned American Sportsman, a gun shop in East Rochester for 22 years. But since Barack Obama became president he's noticed a spike in business.

"Since the election sales have been up because across the country, people are nervous that there are going to be more restrictions on fire arms."

He estimates sales have jumped between 10 and 25% in the last six months.

"There's a huge demand across the country and firearms, manufacturers are back-ordered so long that distributors cant get items to sell," says Fred Calcagno. ...

[Pennsylvania] Gov. Rendell proposes more infringements:

Prodded by the shooting deaths of police officers in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, Gov. Ed Rendell will ask lawmakers today to enact a series of measures to control gun violence.

The Democratic governor will detail his proposal at a Harrisburg news conference.

Previewing the measures in Pittsburgh yesterday, Mr. Rendell recalled the memorial service last week for the three Pittsburgh police officers gunned down in Stanton Heights. Noting that any number of legislators had attended similar events during years of increasing gun violence, he argued that those lawmakers could pay a more effective tribute to fallen officers by enacting common-sense gun control laws.

"Our police officers in the state are simply outgunned," he said. [empahsis added]

Mr. Rendell has advocated gun control measures in Harrisburg in the past with little success. In particular, he has called for a limit of one gun purchase a month to curb the problem of straw dealers who legally purchase guns but then resell them on the black market. ...

Comment: Ah, the false "police are outgunned" argument. Law enforcement is fully able to purchase and arm their officers with fully automatic weapons, i.e., true assault rifles. The fact that such rifles (at least those manufactured after 1986) aren't available to "ordinary" citizens shows that it's "we the people" who are outgunned, not the government. Rendell has the argument exactly backwards.


[Pennsylvania] Another article on Gov. Rendell's push for more gun-controls:

HARRISBURG (KDKA) ― Just yesterday, Governor Ed Rendell spoke out about gun control laws.

Today, the governor asked federal and state lawmakers to do more to protect police.

Governor Rendell, Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Police Chief Nate Harper gathered with other officials in Harrisburg to discuss how Pennsylvania can prevent situations like the death of three Pittsburgh Police officers from ever happening again.

"Make them decide who they're with. Are they with law enforcement or not," said Rendell.

With those words, Governor Rendell called on the public to push lawmakers to enact common sense gun measures to protect local police beginning with a ban on AK47s and other semiautomatics.

"These weapons have absolutely no purpose but to kill," said Rendell. "They can't be used for sport; they certainly aren't used for hunting."

Ravenstahl endorsed that ban and other proposals to require the reporting of lost and stolen guns and to give local communities the power to enact tougher gun measures.

"One thing that was also abundantly clear on April 4th was that our police officers were out armed," said Ravenstahl. "They were out armed. The individual that fired the AK47 had much more firepower and strength than these officers did. It was unfortunate and that has to change." [emphasis added] ...

Comment: So, we need to do more to "protect police"? Aren't the police, to hear the anti-self defense crowd say it, supposed to protect us? Even though they have no legal duty to do so? And "outgunned"? Again, the police are able to have far greater firepower under existing laws, today, than "mere" ordinary citizens. So if anyone's "outgunned", it's "we the people". As for these guns having "absolutely no purpose but to kill", well, yes, that's why they're useful. What an idiot. Why in the world would you want a gun that's not designed to kill, and is capable of killing people and/or animals? What sense does that make? The Second Amendment wasn't written to protect hunting, or target shooting, or sport shooting (although it protects such uses), the Second Amendment was written to ensure that we would always have a heavily armed populace capable of defending itself against thugs, and tyrants.


[Maine] Lawmakers kill gun control bill:

AUGUSTA -- A gun control bill supported by the father of one of the students killed at Columbine High School was rejected by a legislative committee Monday in favor of a voluntary measure.

The Legislature's Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee voted down a bill sponsored by Rep. Anna Blodgett, D-Augusta, that would have required unlicensed and private gun dealers to perform instant background checks at gun shows.

"I think I did as much as anybody could do for that bill," Blodgett said.

Last week, Tom Mauser -- whose son, Daniel, was one of 15 people killed in 1999 at the Colorado high school -- traveled to Maine to urge legislators to support the bill. ...

[Ohio] Lawmaker introduces bill for Alaska-style carry:

Representative John Adams (R-78) of Sidney, Ohio has introduced House Bill 129. The bill is identical to Adam's HB225 from 2007, and substantially similar to HB91 from 2005 and HB559 from 2004, the latter two having been sponsored by Representative Tom Brinkman. HB129 would repeal many of the onerous provisions of our current concealed carry law and allow law abiding citizens to carry concealed without a license.

Alaska-style CCW is an exciting possibility for gun owners in Ohio. It shows Rep. Adams is in touch with the most conservative of the gun owner base/constituency. It is an important philosophical position.

Vermont and Alaska already allow citizens to carry concealed handguns without a license, but all other states require a license (CHL) to carry a concealed handgun. Like Alaska, this bill would leave the license in place so that people who travel outside Ohio can have a license to take advantage of the many states that already honor Ohio's license. ...

[Ohio] County government backs off on employee gun ban:

Last week, the northeast Ohio county of Summit announced they were considering passing an ordinance to prohibit county workers from carrying firearms while working or doing county business, even while in personal vehicles. At the time, it was stated that the reason for the proposed ban was "liability purposes", according to Jason Dodson, chief of staff for County Executive Russ Pry.

Councilwoman Gloria Rodgers, who has stated she is planning to obtain a concealed handgun license, immediately came out in opposition to the proposal, calling it unnecessary and reminding that "people have a right to protect themselves."

Tom Morneweck, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 1229 which covers county employees, stated that the Union has no opposition to employees being legally armed and questioned whether banning in personal vehicles would even be within the county's authority. ...

[Tennessee] Gun, ammo sales booming:

Gun City USA, the largest gun store in Nashville, Tennessee, has sold arms to country music stars Hank Williams Jr., George Jones and their entourages. What it can’t sell them much of right now is ammunition to reload.

“We have very, very little of any caliber,” said Larry Baity, a 74-year-old counter clerk at Gun City who said he has waited on Williams. “We’re virtually out. We’ve got a lot of bare shelves.”

The scene at Gun City is playing out across the U.S. as record gun sales deplete stocks from ammunition makers Alliant Techsystems Inc. and Olin Corp. Demand for firearms is being driven in part by concern that U.S. President Barack Obama may impose new controls, said Matt Rice, a spokesman for Springfield, Massachusetts-based Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. ...

[Georgia] Gun, ammo sales booming:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. -- The way Jay Chambers sees it, the semiautomatic weapons in his firearm collection might be the most promising investment in his financial portfolio.

Like many gun enthusiasts, Mr. Chambers, a manager for a door wholesaler here, believes President Barack Obama and the Democrats in Congress soon will reimpose a version of an expired federal ban on the sale of so-called assault weapons. If such a law passes, he figures his collection -- enough guns, ammo magazines and weapon parts to assemble about 30 AK-47s, AR-15s and other semiautomatic rifles -- could triple in value. [emphasis added]

"A guy could easily make a lot of money," says Mr. Chambers, 47 years old, while at Autrey's Armory, a gun store about 20 miles south of Atlanta.

Purchases of guns and ammunition are surging across the country. Nearly four million background checks -- a key measure of sales because they are required at the purchase of a gun from a federally licensed seller -- were performed in the first three months of 2009. That is a 27% increase over the same period a year earlier, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. ...

Comment: Personally, I don't share information about my guns with reporters, or those I don't know and trust. Mr. Chambers' name, and the type and nature of at least some of the guns he owns, is now public knowledge. Not a good idea, in my opinion, but that's just me. Your mileage may vary.