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Not yet a VCDL member? Join VCDL at: http://www.vcdl.org/join
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Abbreviations used in VA-ALERT: http://www.vcdl.org/help/abbr.html
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1. Reminder: VCDL President to speak at Libertarian meeting on Monday
2. [CA] More on the 9th Circuit ruling the California “may issue” law unconstitutional
3. And more thoughts on anti-liberty Goodyear
4. [CA] Anarchy? Police and Sheriff's Officers run away from violent crowds in Oakland [VIDEO]
5. Who to vote for in the NRA Board of Directors elections?
6. Parents cry murder after drunk teen killed in home invasion [VIDEO]
7. Man pulls shotgun out on would-be car jackers [VIDEO]
8. The Q Company - Restaurant in Leesburg
9. You can carry your gun in the state where you got your permit, but where else?
10. Jackson: Gun owner unarmed, unwelcome in Maryland
11. Molon Labe - How the 2nd amendment guarantees America's freedom [VIDEO]
12. Gun companies find homes in Dixie
13. John Lott on Armed Citizens as a Deterrent [VIDEO]
14. Wounded Warriors Project called legal scam as scandalous news spreads
15. Is the ATF using tactics to undermine gun rights
16. Report details ATF's use of mentally disabled in gun stings
17. Producer Weinstein warns Streep movie will make NRA 'wish they weren't alive'
18. Shot Show: Target shooting puts $10 billion into U.S. economy annually
19. Florida Sheriff Destroys Anti-Gun Piers Morgan [VIDEO]
20. [MI] Do legal gun owners deter crime? [VIDEO]
21. LibertyPen: Bad Kids Or Bad System? [VIDEO]
22. [MO] Pro-gun lawmakers strategy to nullify Federal gun-control statutes
23. [FL] Halifax hospital gunman attacks nurses, kills himself in Daytona Beach
24. [FL] Retired cop shoots man in movie theater - over texting
25. [MI] Legal Open Carry confrontation sparked a federal lawsuit [VIDEO]
26. [PA] Home invaders didn't expect to see a .357 pointed their way
27. [AL] Customer kills gunman threatening to kill everyone [VIDEO]
28. [FL] Florida universities change policies to allow guns on campus
29. I can't believe they let you do that! [VIDEO]
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1. Reminder: VCDL President to speak at Libertarian meeting on Monday
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I will be speaking at the Lynchburg Libertarians Monthly Monday Happy Hour on February 17. The meeting starts at 7 pm and open or concealed carry is welcome at the restaurant - the owner said he was fine with us expressing our constitutional right to carry.
The meeting is open to the public and will be held at:
The White Hart & Backwater Coffee Co.
1208 Main St.
Lynchburg, VA 24504
www.thewhitehartcoffee.com
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2. [CA] More on the 9th Circuit ruling the California “may issue” law unconstitutional
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Thanks to Board member Dennis O’Connor for the link:
From humanevents.com: http://tinyurl.com/ly48ra5
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3. And more thoughts on anti-liberty Goodyear
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From Donald Tabor Jr., Vice Chair of the Tidewater Libertarian Party:
Simply sending an Email to Goodyear isn't enough. My approach to firearm unfriendly establishments is to make it hurt.
Instead of sending the national Goodyear office an email, the next time you buy tires someplace else, send the LOCAL dealer a copy of the receipt and a note telling him that you bought elsewhere because of the policy.
If VCDL members all followed that policy, the effect would be massive.
—
Another member suggested this:
You might want to include Dunlop / Douglas / Kelly Springfield tires in the Goodyear message / boycott since they're owned by Goodyear. I sent them a message, letting them know that my Dunlop Direzza DZ101s and Goodyear Viva IIs will be replaced with their competitors' tires next time I need new ones.
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4. [CA] Anarchy? Police and Sheriff's Officers run away from violent crowds in Oakland [VIDEO]
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Who needs a gun? The police will protect you!
You shouldn’t bet your life on that. You won’t believe what you see in this video (a “must watch”). Gangs taking over major highways to have “sideshows” and police fleeing when beer bottles are thrown at their vehicles. My first thought was, “Why don’t they just disband the Oakland Police Department and Sheriffs Department?"
This video shows what happens when anarchy breaks out. You are on your own. This is not the first time that the California police have fled from things like riots, leaving a lot of innocent people to fend for themselves:
From policeone.com: http://tinyurl.com/n3kxv3s
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As a side note about the police here in Virginia, member Michael H Smith posted this excellent encounter with two Lunenburg County deputies recently on the VCDL Facebook page. Yes, we should not forget all those officers who do their jobs superbly and are proud of what they do:
"We hear and write so much in complaint about the few 'bad cops.’ We should spend more time on the majority of 'good cops!'
"Had a wonderful experience with two Lunenberg County, Va. deputies last night, after my engine failed on Courthouse Road, fortunately just before the turn off to the Arrowhead Gun Club Road. One thanked me for my concealed carry! [PVC: Yeah - imagine that happening in MD, NJ, NY, or CA!] And they both tried to help diagnose the ignition trouble, having ruled out the fuel pump, before Vernon got there with his wrecker. Kudos to the the Lunenberg County Sheriff's Department!"
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5. Who to vote for in the NRA Board of Directors elections?
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Every year Jeff Knox provides his list of candidates for the NRA Board of Directors that have been ignored by the NRA Nominating Committee. He’s always on the lookout for the mavericks who will keep the NRA on its toes and keep the organization moving in the right direction.
Since most VCDL members are also NRA members (including the entire VCDL Board of Directors), the NRA elections are important to us. Here are this year’s picks by Jeff. He also discusses the strategy of only voting for the fewest number of key individuals:
From firearms coalition.com: http://tinyurl.com/lu7vr6z
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6. Parents cry murder after drunk teen killed in home invasion [VIDEO]
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Left out of the ABC story below: the teen who had broken into the wrong house had ignored repeated warnings to leave from the homeowner (including, ugh, a warning shot) and was walking towards the bedroom where some of the family of the homeowner were located - so the homeowner shot the teen in the back to stop him from getting in that room.
"You could have...shot him in leg,” NO! If you have time to take careful aim to do a wounding shot, then the prosecutor will argue that the threat wasn’t all that urgent or great, and he might well be right. When death is imminent, you don’t have time to fire a wounding shot, then wait to see if it worked, and, if not, try shooting another wounding shot, etc. When death is imminent, the general consensus is that you shoot to STOP with a center-of-mass double-tap, followed by a head shot if the double-tap fails.
David Custer emailed me this:
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From abcnews.go.com: http://tinyurl.com/kdbfa78
Parents cry murder after drunk teen killed in home invasion
By Gwen Gowen and Alexa Valiente
January 10, 2014
The parents of a teen who was shot and killed when he drunkenly entered a neighbor's home and was mistaken for an intruder believe it was murder, not self- defense.
After a night of drinking, Caleb Gordley, 16, was killed when he entered a home near his own in Sterling, Va. The homeowner believed Gordley was a burglar and fired his gun at the teen several times.
Gordley's parents initially forgave the shooter, Donald West Wilder, but new details in the police report, released to them nearly five months after the incident, have changed their minds.
"At no point, from the homeowner's...testimony, the account of the events, did he ever describe Caleb in any way being aggressive," Shawn Gordley, Caleb Gordley's father, told ABC News' "20/20."
An autopsy report also confirmed that Caleb Gordley died from a gunshot wound to the back.
"He shot him in the back," Caleb Gordley's mother, Jennea Gordley, who is divorced from his father, told "20/20." "If you're really in fear of danger of your life and your family's life, why would you allow a person...that appeared to be dazed to you, walk right past you and then you shoot him in the back?"
Caleb Gordley had just been grounded for a week several days before he was killed in March 2013. The popular student-athlete and aspiring rapper was never much of a partier, but was itching to get out of the house by the end of the week. He even tweeted throughout the day saying, "Honestly who's throwin a party tonight?!" and "Somebody make a party right now. I'm tryna to have fun tonight no lie."
"He's not much of a drinker, but he just wanted to try some that night," Kory Carico, Caleb Gordley's good friend, who was with him the night he died, told "20/20."
At midnight on Saturday night, Caleb Gordley slipped out of his father's upscale suburban home and headed for a friend's house a few blocks away. For two hours, the teens tossed back vodka shots. By 2 a.m., a woozy Caleb Gordley decided it was time to go home before his dad noticed he was gone.
"He got pretty drunk," Carico said. "I took him back to my house, and I was going to make him stay there, but...He knew he had to get home. I knew that for sure. He kept bothering us about it."
Carico helped a seriously impaired Caleb Gordley walk home to the quiet cul-de-sac where the houses look nearly identical.
"I've never come in the back way before, but the houses look similar, so I figured it was his house because he thought it was his house, too," Carico said.
Caleb Gordley climbed in through the window of the house he thought was his. "The alarm went off, and then I saw the light come on," Carico said. "Then I heard yelling, which I thought was his dad, so I started running because I thought I was going to get in trouble."
But it wasn't Caleb Gordley's house. It was the home two doors down from his own, where Donald West Wilder, 43, lives with his girlfriend. Startled, Wilder grabbed the 40-caliber pistol equipped with a laser and flashlight that he kept next to his bed, thinking a thief was breaking into his home at 2:30 a.m.
According to the police report, Shawn Gordley said, Wilder immediately saw Caleb Gordley in the kitchen area when the motion lights came on, did not recognize him, and yelled at him to get out of the house. Intoxicated, Caleb Gordley continued to walk through the home and headed towards the stairs.
"The homeowner said he made eye contact with Caleb, and there was a dazed look on his face, so he knew he was on drugs, alcohol, whatever the case may be," Shawn Gordley said. "As he came up the steps, he said he saw no weapon, nothing like that."
Caleb Gordley kept walking up the staircase, where Wilder's girlfriend was sleeping upstairs. Frightened, Wilder fired one warning shot and one aimed at Caleb Gordley. "Caleb, according to a statement, turned around, didn't attack the person shooting at him and simply said, according to the statement, 'You just shot me,'" Shawn Gordley said. "At which point, he turned back around and proceeded to walk to what he thought was his own bedroom."
After Caleb Gordley reached the top of the stairs, Wilder fired two or three more shots, according to the police report. One shot went through Caleb Gordley's back, and another, which was aimed at his head, missed.
"You have a person that...actually comes in through a window...The alarm sounds off...He was six-foot tall, unknownst to the... homeowner, wearing dark clothing," Sheriff Michael Chapman of Loudon County, Va., told "20/20." "You look at everything in context of what's going on: 2:30 in the morning, somebody breaking in to your house, you..had no idea who this person was."
"You could have...shot him in leg," Shawn Gordley said. "Instead he lined himself up at the perfect angle to shoot a hollow point bullet through my son's lung and explode his chest and then a fourth shot at his head for good measure."
No charges were ever filed against Wilder. Through his attorney, Wilder declined a request from "20/20" for an interview, saying in statement, "As you can imagine, the incident was an unfortunate tragedy on every level...As we are not confident that participating in your program would contribute to the healing process, we are unwilling to so participate."
Ten months after Caleb Gordley's death, his family and friends are struggling to understand how his mistake ended so tragically and still waiting for an apology in person from the man who took his life.
"Do I hate him? No. Do I want him put away? No, I don't think that's going to solve anything," Jennea Gordley said.
"I put all of the blame on me at first. I thought it was all my fault, because I took him to the wrong house," Carico said.
"We can't just forget about him and let him go. I have to remember him for the rest of my life," said Carico.
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7. Man pulls shotgun out on would-be car jackers [VIDEO]
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Egads, another “warning shot.” Well, a shotgun with birdshot fired straight up will not come down with a dangerous force. But it can still get you charged with unlawful discharge or shooting across a road. Not only that - what if the warning shot failed and you didn’t have time to bring the gun up or down to bear on the criminal? You have also now have one less round in case the attacker(s) persist. Just not a good idea.
Member Walter Jackson emailed me this:
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From wtvr.com: http://tinyurl.com/mcqxw4k
Man pulls shotgun out on would-be car jackers
by Rashard Rose, Sandra Jones and Emily Satchell
January 11, 2014
HENRICO COUNTY, Va (WTVR) -- A Henrico man fired his shotgun into the air Friday, defending himself from would-be carjackers, according to police.
Police say the man met the two suspects when he went to the Staples Mill Townhomes complex along the 4100 block of Townhouse Road to look at a car he was interested in buying.
Callan Hisle is a resident in the area, and he is surprised by the violence occurring in what is normally a quiet area.
"That's outrageous to be happening in Henrico," Hisle said. "This is a pretty...I mean there's a lot of kids around here. There's a lot of kids around here."
The victim told police that when he met the seller he was with another man, who both told him to wait while someone brought the car for sale around. The two suspects then showed the victim a gun and robbed him of his money and car keys.
During the robbery, the man told police he pulled a shotgun out of his car and fired a warning shot into the air.
The suspects returned fire while taking off on foot. One of their bullets struck a building.
Police have yet to reveal must about the suspect descriptions or if the victim responded to an ad on Craigslist or otherwise. They say they are still searching for the suspects.
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8. The Q Company - Restaurant in Leesburg
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From every-restaurant-in-lessburg.blogspot.com: http://tinyurl.com/m99w8o4
Every Restaurant in Leesburg
My personal quest to visit every restaurant in Leesburg, Virginia.
February 2, 2013
#135: The Q Company
Date Visited: 30 January 2013
Meal: Dinner
Diners: Me, Wendy, & Andy
Experience: On this rainy evening (actually, we were under a flash flood warning!) we decided to visit one of Leesburg's newest restaurants, The Q Company, which specializes in Texas-style barbeque. They had their grand opening on 17 November 2012, at the former location of Aashiana/Angeethi on Catoctin Circle.
Recently featured in the Loudoun Times-Mirror, owner Mitchell Matzek says "The Q may just do a handful of things, but they do them really well." The menu features Smoked Beef Brisket, Slow Smoked Pulled Pork, and Smoked Sausage, along with Best BBQ Beans, Potato Salad, Cole Slaw, and Mac & Cheese sides, plus a couple of specialties: Barbeque Baked Potato and BBQ Sundae(!)
The Q Company is a pretty laid-back place, and a sign at the front door tells you to come on in and seat yourself. On this visit, we had barely sat down and our server came immediately, delivering a plate of cornbread and taking our drink orders. Their cornbread is sweet and delicious; Andy called it "superior!"
We then ordered the "For Four" Package which offers several meat and side choices. We chose the Beef Brisket, Pulled Pork, Best BBQ Beans, Mac & Cheese, and Cole Slaw. In keeping with the simple menu, the Packages are served family style, on trays, which I think adds to the experience and puts the emphasis on the food over the the presentation. Texas-style barbecue comes without any sauce added before serving, so there are several sauces available at the table: tangy Texas red, Carolina-style spicy vinegar, and spicy mustard. There are also several hot sauces available if desired. Andy and I liked the Brisket best, while Wendy preferred the Pork. We all preferred the red sauce for both of the meats. I was also impressed by the BBQ Beans, as they included several kinds of beans, onions, and bits of barbeque (reminded me of Famous Dave's Wilbur Beans). Wendy said the Mac & Cheese was "creamy and peppery." The Slaw was cold and crisp, not too vinegary, and a perfect complement to the spiciness of everything else. We found this Package a great option for sampling the Q's offerings and quite filling; of course the "For Four" should be filling for a party of three!
BONUS: Check out the sign inside the restaurant: (Sign reads: GUNS ARE WELCOME ON THE PREMISES PLEASE KEEP ALL FIREARMS HOLSTERED UNLESS THE NEED ARISES. IN SUCH CASE JUDICIOUS MARKSMANSHIP IS GREATLY APPRECIATED BY ALL! - editor)
Our overall experience was quite positive, confirming the LTM's cheery review, and we're eager to return and try the Smoked Sausage and the Ribs. We encourage you to give them a try and support this family-owned and operated local business.
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9. You can carry your gun in the state where you got your permit, but where else?
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Mark Colleluori emailed me this:
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From awwba.com: http://tinyurl.com/kae3mlq
You can carry your gun in the state you got your permit but where else? If Senator John Cornyn Gets His Wish, EVERYWHERE!
So, you have your concealed carry permit. You paid money for a course then for the actual card that says you took the course and allows you to carry. However, when you travel, better know what states your permit is valid in or you could find yourself on the wrong end of the law. As it stands, many states share reciprocity with other states, meaning if your permit is a Utah permit, you're good to go in a bunch of other states...but not all! This map at USA Carry is an excellent resource for reciprocity in other states.
United States Senator, John Cornyn of Texas has just introduced The Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2014. According to the Senator's website, it "would allow individuals with concealed carry privileges in their home state to exercise those rights in any other state that also has concealed carry laws."
AWwBA wholly supports Senator Cornyn's effort's and we hope that all of our followers get behind him too by dropping him a note of support and thanks via his Senate email. Moreover, CONTACT YOUR U.S. CONGRESSPEOPLE HERE and tell them to support this NOW. This is coming up early this week!
Senator Cornyn made the following statement via his website:
This bill strengthens two of our nation's most fundamental rights, ensuring law-abiding gun owners can lawfully carry their weapons into like-minded states, while respecting the rights of states to adopt laws that are best-suited for the people of that state. This is an important affirmation of the Second Amendment and one that has been a top priority of law-abiding gun owners in Texas for some time. It is time to get this done.
Senator Cornyn and people of his ilk are the ones we need to support now more than ever in order to keep our Constitution intact. Thank you Senator for being a real leader and thanks to the people of the great state of Texas for electing you.
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10. Jackson: Gun owner unarmed, unwelcome in Maryland
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This event raised the ire of gun owners across the country. A shameful event in Maryland. Hopefully one to never be repeated in the Old Dominion.
Chic Holsinger emailed me this:
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From tbo.com: http://tinyurl.com/mkekwv9
Jackson: Gun owner unarmed, unwelcome in Maryland
By Tom Jackson, Tribune Staff
January 12, 2014
HUDSON -- John Filippidis, silver-haired family man, business owner, employer and taxpayer, is also licensed to carry a concealed firearm.
He'd rather he didn't feel the need, "but things aren't like they used to be. The break-ins, the burglaries, all the crime. And I carry cash a lot of the time. I'm constantly going to the bank.
"I wanted to be able to defend my family, my household and the ground I'm standing on. But I'm not looking for any trouble."
Filippidis keeps his gun -- a palm-sized Kel-Tec .380 semiautomatic, barely larger than a smartphone in a protective case -- in one of two places, always: in the right-hand pocket of his jeans, or in the safe at home.
"There are kids in the house," Filippidis says, "and I don't think they'd ever bother with it, but I don't want to take any chances."
He's not looking for any trouble, after all.
Trouble, in fact, was the last thing on his mind a few weeks back as the Filippidises packed for Christmas and a family wedding in Woodridge, N.J., so he left the pistol locked in the safe. The state of Florida might have codified his Second Amendment rights, but he knew he'd be passing through states where recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions affirming the rights of individuals to keep and bear arms have been met by hostile legislatures and local officials.
"I know the laws and I know the rules," Filippidis says. There are, after all, ways gun owners can travel legally with firearms through hostile states. "But I just think it's a better idea to leave it home."
So there the Filippidises were on New Year's Eve eve, southbound on Interstate 95 -- John; wife Kally (his Gulf High sweetheart); the 17-year-old twins Nasia and Yianni; and 13-year-old Gina in their 2012 Ford Expedition -- just barely out of the Fort McHenry Tunnel into Maryland, blissfully unarmed and minding their own business when they noticed they were being bird-dogged by an unmarked patrol car. It flanked them a while, then pulled ahead of them, then fell in behind them.
"Ten minutes he's behind us," John says. "We weren't speeding. In fact, lots of other cars were whizzing past."
"You know you have a police car behind you, you don't speed, right?" Kally adds.
Says John, "We keep wondering, is he going to do something?"
Finally the patrol car's emergency lights come on, and it's almost a relief. Whatever was going on, they'd be able to get it over with now. The officer -- from the Transportation Authority Police, as it turns out, Maryland's version of the New York-New Jersey Port Authority -- strolls up, does the license and registration bit, and returns to his car.
According to Kally and John (but not MTAP, which, pending investigation, could not comment), what happened next went like this:
Ten minutes later he's back, and he wants John out of the Expedition. Retreating to the space between the SUV and the unmarked car, the officer orders John to hook his thumbs behind his back and spread his feet. "You own a gun," the officer says. "Where is it?"
"At home in my safe," John answers.
"Don't move," says the officer.
Now he's at the passenger's window. "Your husband owns a gun," he says. "Where is it?"
First Kally says, "I don't know." Retelling it later she says, "And that's all I should have said." Instead, attempting to be helpful, she added, "Maybe in the glove [box]. Maybe in the console. I'm scared of it. I don't want to have anything to do with it. I might shoot right through my foot."
The officer came back to John. "You're a liar. You're lying to me. Your family says you have it. Where is the gun? Tell me where it is and we can resolve this right now."
Of course, John couldn't show him what didn't exist, but Kally's failure to corroborate John's account, the officer would tell them later, was the probable cause that allowed him to summon backup -- three marked cars joined the lineup along the I-95 shoulder -- and empty the Expedition of riders, luggage, Christmas gifts, laundry bags; to pat down Kally and Yianni; to explore the engine compartment and probe inside door panels; and to separate and isolate the Filippidises in the back seats of the patrol cars.
Ninety minutes later, or maybe it was two hours -- "It felt like forever," Kally says -- no weapon found and their possessions repacked, the episode ended ... with the officer writing out a warning for speeding 71 mph in a 55 mph zone.
"All that time, he's humiliating me in front of my family, making me feel like a criminal," John says. "I've never been to prison, never declared bankruptcy, I pay my taxes, support my 20 employees' families; I've never been in any kind of trouble."
Face red, eyes shining, John pounds his knees. "And he wants to put me in jail. He wants to put me in jail. For no reason. He wants to take my wife and children away and put me in jail. In America, how does such a thing happen? ... And after all that, he didn't even write me a ticket."
Even now, John Filippidis has no idea how the officer learned about his concealed-carry permit, and the MTAP isn't saying.
Now, despite having fielded apologies from the officer's captain as well as from a Maryland Transportation Authority Police internal affairs captain, John is wondering if he shouldn't just cancel his CCW license.
For a guy who's not looking for trouble, that's not an unreasonable conclusion. And it would please fans of gun control by any means. But let's hope John Filippidis, American family man, taxpayer and good guy, doesn't cave, because it would be a sad statement about the brittleness of our guarantees -- some would call them sacred -- under the Constitution.
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11. Molon Labe - How the 2nd amendment guarantees America's freedom [VIDEO]
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James Prince emailed me this:
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From youtube.com: http://tinyurl.com/olyvflr
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12. Gun companies find homes in Dixie
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Member Bill Albritton emailed me this:
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Southern hospitality at its best!
From breitbart.com: http://tinyurl.com/n96nzkh
Gun companies find homes in Dixie
by Awr Hawkins
January 10, 2014
While the base of ownership for guns continues to broaden in the U.S., the atmosphere for gun manufacturing is looking better and better below the Mason-Dixon line.
Although background checks for gun sales in 2013 destroyed previous records, there remains a raw hostility to guns in some Northeastern portions of our country. In turn, this has spawned a culture war that is driving gun manufacturers to greener pastures.
As the International Business Times observed, caught in the middle of this cultural war are "gun manufacturers (mostly small companies that sell a legal product), and millions of gun owners (the overwhelming majority of which do not commit violent crimes)."
If 2013 was any indicator of what's to come, the outworking of this culture war will be a steady re-location of gun companies from the Northeast to the South.
In October, American Tactical Imports (ATI) uprooted from Rochester N.Y. to relocate in Summerville, S.C. Driven partially by NY Governor Andrew Cuomo's (D) SAFE Act, ATI did not want to be in a state where the very weapons they import would be illegal for sale.
Renowned NY-based gun maker Remington Arms is actively looking for a place to relocate in Dixie as well. Right now, it appears Nashville, Tennessee will be spot.
Like ATI, Remington fears what the SAFE Act "will do to its bottom line." Remington has employed generations of New Yorkers and if they leave, local school superintendent Cosimo Tangorra said "it would be the last nail in the coffin of the Mohawk valley."
In June 2013 Connecticut-based PTR industries announced its move to South Carolina's Horry County. PTR CEO Josh Fiorini cited the growing regulation in Northern states. He estimated doing business in South Carolina will be lower simply because "of lower labor and electricity costs."
But PTR's John McNamara cited gun control specifically: "One hundred percent of our product line is [now] illegal in Connecticut. They just want to collect our tax dollars on a product they don't think is safe to own.”
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13. John Lott on Armed Citizens as a Deterrent [VIDEO]
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Member Walter Jackson emailed me this:
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From gundigest.com: http://tinyurl.com/nxq7rv2
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14. Wounded Warriors Project called legal scam as scandalous news spreads
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What a shame.
Member Dean Jacobson emailed me this:
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From gunssavelife.com: http://tinyurl.com/m8t7qyn
Wounded Warriors Project called legal scam as scandalous news spreads
January 1, 2014
[snip]
Wounded Warriors Project earned our ire about a year ago when they made it clear they didn't want to partner with gun owners to help them fundraise. Or Christians (read on).
More recently, they sued a tiny, all-volunteer "Help Indiana Veterans" group for calling them out on the tens of millions WWP spends on salaries and the paltry three or four pennies on the dollar they apparently spend on actual grants.
Word of Wounded Warriors Project and its shameful scam-like handling of monies is spreading, thanks in part to a report at the huge "Veterans Today" blogsite.
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15. Is the ATF using tactics to undermine gun rights
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Member John Snidow emailed me this:
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From personalliberty.com: http://tinyurl.com/msa5zhg
Is The ATF Using Tactics Akin To Fast And Furious At Home To Undermine Gun Rights? Darrell Issa Thinks So
by Sam Rolley
January 13, 2014
House Oversight Committee chairman Representative Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) said that a recent news report outlines how the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) is using tactics that amount to "Fast and Furious revisited" in a bid to increase support for the Obama Administration's gun control crusade.
During a Sunday program on Fox News, Issa discussed a recent report by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel which details how ATF agents operating stings in six different cities "took advantage of the mentally ill, set up stings near churches and schools and made decisions which some claim actually increased crime in their neighborhoods."
"This is Fast and Furious revisited," Issa said. "You finally have a confirmed director, Todd Jones, who was supposed to clean up these operations. And instead -- what you see in many of these cases -- they're continuing. They're continuing to have this be what's called a 'rogue organization.' But I think for the members of the ATF, I want to make sure I make one thing clear. The ATF never acts alone. The FBI and the U.S. attorneys in each of these areas -- political appointees -- they work hand in hand... This is the President, President Obama's Department of Justice that continues to support these sting operations, these 'rogue operations' as they're called, that lead to harm in communities."
The Dec. 7 Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel report listed the following tactics used by the ATF in various stings throughout the Nation:
* ATF agents befriended mentally disabled people to drum up business and later arrested them in at least four cities in addition to Milwaukee. In Wichita, Kan., ATF agents referred to a man with a low IQ as "slow-headed" before deciding to secretly use him as a key cog in their sting. And agents in Albuquerque, N.M., gave a brain-damaged drug addict with little knowledge of weapons a "tutorial" on machine guns, hoping he could find them one.
* Agents in several cities opened undercover gun- and drug-buying operations in safe zones near churches and schools, allowed juveniles to come in and play video games and teens to smoke marijuana, and provided alcohol to underage youths. In Portland, attorneys for three teens who were charged said a female agent dressed provocatively, flirted with the boys and encouraged them to bring drugs and weapons to the store to sell.
* As they did in Milwaukee, agents in other cities offered sky-high prices for guns, leading suspects to buy firearms at stores and turn around and sell them to undercover agents for a quick profit. In other stings, agents ran fake pawnshops and readily bought stolen items, such as electronics and bikes -- no questions asked -- spurring burglaries and theft. In Atlanta, agents bought guns that had been stolen just hours earlier, several ripped off from police cars.
* Agents damaged buildings they rented for their operations, tearing out walls and rewiring electricity -- then stuck landlords with the repair bills. A property owner in Portland said agents removed a parking lot spotlight,damaging her new $30,000 roof and causing leaks, before they shut down the operation and disappeared without a way for her to contact them.
* Agents pressed suspects for specific firearms that could fetch tougher penalties in court. They allowed felons to walk out of the stores armed with guns. In Wichita, agents suggested a felon take a shotgun, saw it off and bring it back -- and provided instructions on how to do it. The sawed-off gun allowed them to charge the man with a more serious crime.
* In Pensacola, the ATF hired a felon to run its pawnshop. The move widened the pool of potential targets, boosting arrest numbers.Even those trying to sell guns legally could be charged if they knowingly sold to a felon. The ATF's pawnshop partner was later convicted of pointing a loaded gun at someone outside a bar. Instead of a stiff sentence typically handed down to repeat offenders in federal court, he got six months in jail -- and a pat on the back from the prosecutor.
Issa-- who, along with Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Representative Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), has asked Jones to provide Congress with some answers about the ATF's questionable tactics-- told Fox viewers that the agency's actions are directly related to the White House's disdain for the 2nd Amendment.
"I think what we have here once again is a war on guns, if you will, that causes them to take these bold moves -- bold and reckless moves -- because they hate guns so much," he said. "Fast and Furious had the opposite effect; it made Americans scared of their government... Whether it's Fast and Furious or being lied to by the NSA, the American people are getting tired of assuming that an agency does one thing and then finding out that they're abusing citizens, and in this case the mentally retarded.”
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16. Report details ATF's use of mentally disabled in gun stings
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Member John Snidow sent me this:
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From npr.org: http://tinyurl.com/mbcja82
Report Details ATF's Use Of Mentally Disabled In Gun Stings
by Eyder Peralta
December 08, 2013
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel just published a blockbuster story that's today's must read: Based on court records, police reports and dozens of interviews, the paper details how the ATF used "rogue" tactics -- including providing underage youths with alcohol and allowing them to smoke pot -- to run storefront gun and drug stings across the country.
In our estimation, the most explosive allegation made in the report is that the agents with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives used mentally disabled people to run their stings.
In cases across the country, ATF agents recruited mentally disabled men to promote their "businesses" and recruit other illegal gun purchasers. In one case, the paper reports, the agents running Squid's Smoke Shop in Portland, Ore., convinced Aaron Key, 19 and described as "mentally disabled," to get a tattoo of a squid on his neck to promote the store.
Key agreed and agents posted pictures of him to their fake Facebook page. When the sting came to an end, Key was sentenced to 18 months in prison for "selling a sawed-off shotgun and arranging for prostitutes to come to a party being thrown by the undercover agents."
The judge, however, ordered that if Key wanted his tattoo removed, the ATF should pay for it once he is released from prison.
The paper started looking at storefront stings after it reported on a "flawed operation" back in April. The mode of operation was similar: ATF agents made a mentally disabled Milwaukee man a central part of their sting. That brought up questions about tactics and the ATF said it was an "isolated incident."
What the paper reports today, is that the case was not at all isolated. The ATF did not give the Journal Sentinel an interview. Instead, it issued a written statement saying: "Long-term undercover investigations are one of many tools used by ATF in locations that have high levels of violence occurring in the demographics and a mechanism is needed to rid the area of a large volume of individuals (as) opposed to a handful of individuals.”
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17. Producer Weinstein warns Streep movie will make NRA 'wish they weren't alive'
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Another Hollywood ignoramus trying to disarm everyone. I say that all those gated communities in Hollywood need to get rid of the gates and the armed guards. Let’s see what Hollywood does then.
Member J.M. Hancock emailed me this:
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From WashingtonTimes.com: http://tinyurl.com/kc93ws4
Producer Harvey Weinstein warns Meryl Streep movie will make NRA 'wish they weren't alive'
by Emily Miller
January 15, 2014
Harvey Weinstein reveals gun-control agenda of 'The Senator's Wife' to Howard Stern.
Movie producer Harvey Weinstein announced for the first time on Howard Stern's radio show that he is making a full feature drama to try to destroy the National Rifle Association.
Mr. Stern asked Mr. Weinstein on Wednesday whether he owned a gun. The Hollywood heavyweight replied that he did not and never would. "I don't think we need guns in this country. And I hate it," the producer said. "I think the NRA is a disaster area."
Mr. Weinstein then revealed his secret project about the gun rights group. "I shouldn't say this, but I'll tell it to you, Howard," he said. "I'm going to make a movie with Meryl Streep, and we're going to take this head-on. And they're going to wish they weren't alive after I'm done with them."
The shock jock asked whether the film was going to be a documentary. Mr. Weinstein said no, that it would be a "big movie like a 'Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.'" The title of the film will be "The Senator's Wife."
The movie mogul said his vision was to scare people away from firearms. He foresees moviegoers to leave thinking, "Gun stocks -- I don't want to be involved in that stuff. It's going to be like crash and burn."
The chairman of the Weinstein Co. (formerly Miramax) is one of President Obama's biggest fundraisers. He brought in more than $500,000 from his Hollywood friends for the president's re-election campaign and the Democratic National Committee in 2012.
The 5 million members of the NRA are law-abiding Americans who are active in preserving the right to protect themselves and their families.
Mr. Weinstein thinks guns are necessary for self-defense, but only in other countries, during genocides and if the weapon is not personally owned.
Mr. Stern pointed out the inconsistencies in Mr. Weinstein's earlier comments about a project about Jews defending themselves during the Holocaust. The producer replied that the justification for using a gun is "when you're marching a half of a million people into Auschwitz."
Mr. Weinstein does not seem to know that the Nazis were able to confiscate the guns that the Jewish people owned based on Germany's government registry.
Also, the producer said he would have used a gun to stop from going to a concentration camp if he "found a gun, and if that was happening to my people."
Mr. Weinstein has been watching too many movies if he thinks the good guys find fully loaded firearms in convenient locations to use only when necessary.
Before Mr. Weinstein and Miss Streep start production of their multimillion-dollar effort to persuade Americans to give up their guns, they might want to look at the history books of what happens when you do.
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18. Shot Show: Target shooting puts $10 billion into U.S. economy annually
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Member Bill Albritton emailed me this:
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From Breitbart.com: http://tinyurl.com/n6jgudy
Shot Show: Target shooting puts $10 billion into U.S. economy annually
By Awr Hawkins
January 15, 2014
National Shooting Sports Foundation's (NSSF) Steve Sanetti opened a 2014 SHOT Show press conference by mentioning that while everyone knows gun sales are generating wealth on Wall Street and main street alike, few know that "billions of dollars are pumped into the U.S. economy every year through target shooting."
Literature passed around during the press conference details what kind of money is in view.
For example, 2011 sales related to "all target shooting" totaled $9,947,946,881. That money comes from about 20 million Americans who spend money on target shooting every year.
In short, target shooters spend close to ten billion dollars a year, $8.2 billion of which is spent on equipment. Of that money for equipment, 48 percent is spent on firearms, fourteen percent is spent on ammunition, and five percent is spent on shooting accessories, among other things.
Concealed Carry courses and associated training figures are included in target shooting's contribution to the economy as well.
Moreover, the number of jobs tied to target shooting and hunting exceeds those provided by McDonald's and IBM combined.
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19. Florida Sheriff Destroys Anti-Gun Piers Morgan [VIDEO]
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Piers made the serious mistake of thinking that law enforcement is against the private ownership of guns. He might have been luckier had he picked a chief of police from some anti-gun northern city, but instead he picked a Sheriff, who answers to the people and not a city council, from the south. Ooops.
From EagleRising.com: http://tinyurl.com/no9c9m9
Florida Sheriff Destroys Anti-Gun Piers Morgan
By Onan Coca
January 18, 2014
I'm sure that Piers Morgan did not think he would have much of a problem against a small town's central Florida Sheriff, but he miscalculated. Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco was on the CNN program to discuss a recent shooting in a movie theater, where a former police officer shot and killed a man after an argument over texting during a movie. As is his wont, Piers turned almost immediately to the issue of gun control with the Sheriff, and that's when things got interesting.
"People commit violent crimes. Whether it be a knife or a gun - the issue is that somebody decided to take somebody's life. And you know what? The gun didn't kill him, it was the triggers of the person that was arrested, that pulled that gun and killed that person. From a law enforcement perspective we're dealing with someone who committed a homicide, the bigger issues we deal with are mental health issues and substance abuse. If we could deal with the mental health issues and substance abuse we'd be much safer as a country."
Piers seemed a little incredulous that this small town sheriff might not consider guns part of the problem, "You don't feel as a sheriff on the ground there that there should be any changes to the existing gun laws?"
"No. I go back to, we have mental health issues and substance abuse issues. The gun itself did not kill the victim here, it was the person who had the gun in his hands. So, I keep going back to the fact that you want to talk about gun control issues - from a law enforcement perspective we deal with mental health issues and substance abuse issues. It was violence. It was violence that killed the victim yesterday. I keep reiterating, it's mental health issues that we are dealing with in this country, that's paramount compared to gun control."
Piers, undeterred, tried to explain to the sheriff that all of the crime committed with guns could be fixed if we'd just get rid of those darn guns! But the Sheriff was up to the task and quickly rebutted.
"Anytime there is a homicide where a gun was involved you can say that gun control was the issue. However, from our standpoint, we can tell you that there are also times where people are in their house and someone is breaking in and to protect their family, their gun is what saved them and their family. I can argue just the opposite way that guns do protect Americans."
We like the cut of this Sheriff's jib. He seems to have his head screwed on right and his priorities straight!
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20. [MI] Do legal gun owners deter crime? [VIDEO]
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This would have been another bad choice for Piers to interview.
James Durso emailed me this:
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From foxnews.com: http://tinyurl.com/l8jdtpy
Do legal gun owners deter crime?
January 10, 2014
Detroit Police Chief James Craig weighs in
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21. LibertyPen: Bad Kids Or Bad System? [VIDEO]
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From YouTube.com: http://tinyurl.com/m8crpzs
LibertyPen: Bad Kids Or Bad System?
January 17, 2014
Zero tolerance policies prove common sense is not so common.
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22. [MO] Pro-gun lawmakers eye state-by-state strategy to nullify Federal gun-control statutes
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From theblaze.com: http://tinyurl.com/m3vl6zf
Pro-Gun Lawmakers Eye State-by-State Strategy to Nullify Federal Gun-Control Statutes
by Dave Urbanski
January 12, 2014
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Having failed in an earlier effort to bar federal agents from enforcing gun regulations in Missouri, conservative lawmakers are trying a new tack this year: banding together with other like-minded states to defy certain federal laws at the same time.
Supporters believe it will be more difficult for the federal government to shrug off such statutes if more states act together.
Missouri's latest proposal, introduced this past week, would attempt to nullify certain federal gun control regulations from being enforced in the state and subject law enforcement officers to criminal and civil penalties for carrying out such policies.
The state's Republican-led Legislature came one vote shy of overriding Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon's veto of such a measure last year. This year's bill adds a new twist, delaying the effective date for several years to allow time for other states to join the cause.
"We continue to see the federal government overreach their rightful bounds, and if we can create a situation where we have some unity among states, then I think it puts us in a better position to make that argument," said Republican Sen. Brian Nieves, who is sponsoring the legislation.
Missouri's efforts came after President Barack Obama called for expanded federal background checks and a ban on assault weapons following deadly mass shootings at a Colorado theater and a Connecticut elementary school.
Courts have consistently ruled that states cannot nullify federal laws, but that hasn't stopped states from trying or ignoring them anyway. Last year, a federal appeals court struck down a 2009 Montana law that sought to prohibit federal regulation of guns that were manufactured in the state and remained within its borders.
A similar Kansas law that makes it a felony for a federal agent to attempt to enforce laws on guns made and owned in Kansas earned a rebuke from U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.
Peverill Squire, a political science professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia and expert on state legislatures, said Missouri's nullification plans would probably meet a similar fate in court, but that states could hope to send an indirect message to Congress by pushing such proposals.
Republican leaders in Missouri and elsewhere say bringing other states along in the effort might lead to a different outcome.
"This can't be just a Missouri effort. There has to be a groundswell of support by the people -- by other states as well -- in order for us ultimately to be successful," said Republican Senate President Pro Tem Tom Dempsey.
There's a pattern for states to follow when rebuffing federal laws. Although possessing and distributing marijuana remains a federal crime, about 20 states now have laws that allow people to use marijuana for medical purposes, and the federal government has declined to challenge new laws in Colorado and Washington allowing recreational use of marijuana.
"The idea is that if you're standing alone against a federal law, then you're not as likely to have success than if you're standing with other states," said Arkansas Republican Rep. Bob Ballinger, who sponsored an unsuccessful attempt to prevent enforcement of federal gun control laws in his state.
Under the Missouri legislation, federal law enforcement officers could face misdemeanor charges punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine for attempting to enforce federal laws considered to be "infringements on the right to keep and bear arms."
The bill cites no specific federal law, but the measure refers to taxes and fees, specifically levied against firearms, as well as tracking policies that have a "chilling effect" on gun ownership.
The provisions would take effect in January 2017 -- or sooner, if at least four other states pass similar measures before then.
When the Legislature opened on Wednesday, Senate GOP leaders said passing a gun rights bill was a top priority for the legislative session. Like last year's bill, the new version would also reduce the age requirement for concealed carry permits from 21 to 19 and prohibit municipalities from passing ordinances to limit openly carrying a firearm.
Many Missouri Democrats are likely to oppose the measure again this year as an unconstitutional waste of the Legislature's time.
"The state will never trump federal laws," said Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, a St. Louis Democrat. "It is again another right wing Republican attempt to go Second Amendment crazy.”
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23. [FL] Halifax hospital gunman attacks nurses, kills himself in Daytona Beach
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Another gun-free-zone makes murder easy.
Jim Dacey emailed me this:
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From mynews13.com: http://tinyurl.com/msg3o3k
Halifax hospital gunman attacks nurses, kills himself in Daytona Beach
By Saul Saenz, Reporter
Updated January 6, 2014
DAYTONA BEACH -- Daytona Beach Police are investigating after a scary morning for patients and nurses at a Volusia County hospital.
It started around 4 a.m. Sunday at Halifax Health Medical Center of Daytona Beach.
Police said 20-year-old Jonathan Rodriguez-Jeff pulled into a hospital parking lot and crashed into a gate. He then shot the driver's side window out with a 12-gauge shotgun, looking for something.
The gunman then crossed the street and shot at one moving car, striking the grill but not the windshield.
The driver of that car told police he saw Rodriguez holding the shotgun and making his way to the hospital.
Police said the gunman shot up a couple of car windows outside the hospital before going to a locked hospital door.
Rodriguez shot out the front entrance of the hospital's Professional Building, went up to the second floor and confronted nurses, asking "Do you want to die tonight?"
Fortunately, one of those nurses sounded the alarm and the hospital was put on lockdown.
We are told Rodriguez did pistol-whip several nurses.
He then went into a room where a patient and a nurse witnessed the suspect turn the shotgun on himself, committing suicide.
"The results could have been a whole lot different," said Jimmie Flynt, a police department spokesman. He had the opportunity, he didn't. I'm sure the nurses and the patients are thankful that he really didn't want to hurt them."
Police are trying to determine Rodriguez's motive.
Flynt said the gunman had a stamp and a wristband on his wrist, which possibly indicates he was at a nightclub before arming himself and going into the hospital.
Halifax Health issued the following statement Sunday morning:
This morning an individual, being pursued by the Daytona Beach Police Department, broke into Halifax Health and ended his life. As the individual entered the Halifax Health campus, the entire facility was locked down. We are thankful no one was seriously injured. The Halifax Health security department, medical staff and the Dayton Beach Police Department did an exemplary job in minimizing the risk. All staff policies were followed. The safety of patients, visitors and staff is our number one priority.
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24. [FL] Retired cop shoots man in movie theater - over texting
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In a video of the shooting, the person texting grabs the popcorn out of the hand of the retired cop and throws it in the retired cop’s face. While that in NO WAY justifies shooting or even brandishing a gun, it was still a stupid, stupid thing to do to a stranger in a heated confrontation.
Under Virginia law, if you threw that pop corn in someone’s face and that person drew a gun, you would now have to retreat before you could defend yourself, since you aggravated the situation.
Always keep your temper in check, stay cool, and walk away from any such confrontation if possible.
Member Bill Hine emailed me this:
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From washingtontimes.com: http://tinyurl.com/n57wa9u
Retired cop shoots man in movie theater -- over texting
by Tamara Lush-Associated Press
January 13, 2014
WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. -- A retired Tampa Police captain is accused of fatally shooting a man Monday during an argument over cellphone texting at a Florida theater, as about 25 horrified moviegoers looked on.
"Somebody throws popcorn. I'm not sure who threw the popcorn," said Charles Cummings, who, as a birthday treat, was about to watch the movie "Lone Survivor" at The Grove 16 Theater.
"And then bang, he was shot."
Curtis Reeves, 71, has been charged with second-degree murder and it's not immediately clear whether he has retained an attorney.
Pasco County Sheriff's officials said the shooting happened when Reeves asked 43-year-old Chad Oulson to stop texting at the theater in Wesley Chapel, a suburb about a half hour north of downtown Tampa.
Reeves and his wife were sitting behind Oulson and his wife. Oulson told Reeves that he was texting with his 3-year-old daughter, Cummings said.
"It ended almost as quickly as it started," said sheriff's spokesman Doug Tobin. The sheriff's office says an off-duty Sumter County deputy detained Reeves until police arrived.
Cummings and his son Alex -- who both had blood on their clothes as they walked out of the theater -- told a group of reporters Monday afternoon that the show was still in previews when the two couples started arguing.
Cummings said the man in the back row -- later identified as Reeves -- got up and left the auditorium, presumably to get a manager. But he came back after a few minutes, without a manager and appearing upset. Moments later, the argument between the two men resumed, and the man in the front row stood up.
Officials said Oulson asked Reeves if he reported him to management for using his phone.
Cummings said the men started raising their voices and popcorn was thrown. Authorities said Reeves took out a gun, and Oulson's wife put her hand over her husband, and that's when Reeves fired his weapon, striking Nichole Oulson in the hand and her husband in the chest.
"I can't believe people would bring a pistol, a gun, to a movie," Cummings said. "I can't believe they would argue and fight and shoot one another over popcorn. Over a cellphone."
Cummings, who said he was a combat Marine in Vietnam, said Oulson fell onto him and his son.
"Blood started coming out of his mouth," said Alex Cummings. "It was just a very bad scene."
Charles Cummings said his son went to call 911, while Cummings and another patron who claimed to a nurse began performing CPR on the victim.
A man sitting next to the shooter grabbed the gun out of his hand, and the suspect did not attempt to get away, Cummings said.
Oulson and his wife were taken by ambulance to a Tampa-area hospital, where Chad Oulson died, Tobin said. His wife's injuries weren't considered life-threatening.
Tampa Police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said in a news release that Reeves was a captain when he retired from the department in 1993. She added that he was instrumental in establishing the agency's first tactical response team. After he retired, Reeves worked security for the Busch Gardens theme park and was on the board of a neighboring county's Crime Stoppers organization. Reeves' son also is a Tampa officer, police said.
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25. [MI] Legal Open Carry confrontation sparked a federal lawsuit [VIDEO]
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Video/article on Federal lawsuit is sparked over Michigan Open Carry
From theblaze.com: http://tinyurl.com/m9ljpc8
Open Carry Is Legal in Michigan -- That's Why the Confrontation in This Video Has Sparked a Federal Lawsuit
by Jason Howerton
January 14, 2014
In the state of Michigan, it is legal to openly carry a handgun. However, when a police officer in Grand Rapids responded to a March 3 call about a man doing exactly that, he drew his weapon and ordered the man to the ground.
The interaction was captured on video and will likely be used as evidence in a federal lawsuit filed by open-carry advocate Johann Deffert. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. district court in Grand Rapids, lists Police Chief Kevin Belk, Officer William Moe [PVC: Based on his actions below, the name Moe (of the Three Stooges fame) fits him well] and two other officers as defendants.
Though the video only captures part of the incident, the police car's dash cam captures minutes of audio. Police first dispatched an officer to investigate a "suspicious person" with a holstered firearm.
"It does look like he's got a handgun on," Moe can be heard telling a dispatcher in the video. The officer also suggests the man is "talking to nobody."
With traffic stopped, Moe drew his firearm and ordered 28-year-old Deffert to the ground.
"Do not move. Why do you have a handgun on you?" the officer asked.
"It's my constitutional right to defend myself," Deffert replied.
Later in the video, Deffert continuously informed the officer that he was not a felon and he was legally openly carrying his gun.
"I gotta make sure you're not a felon, right?" the cop replies.
"Actually, you don't. That's not necessary. I can show you the penal code..." Deffert says.
Shortly later, the officer added: "Is that what you do on a Sunday, you want to stroll down the road?"
Deffert again told the officer that "it's not against the law."
"It's illegal for you to stop me for it in the state of Michigan," Deffert is then heard telling Moe in the footage.
"I'm not breaking a law. ... I'm just walking," he added, telling the officer that he was returning home from the New Beginnings restaurant.
"You're talking to yourself. You're going down the road here with a loaded handgun.Could I just think, maybe, you might be some kind of a nut?" Moe barked back. He also tells Deffert that he needs to check his criminal and mental health history.
The officer eventually released Deffert, telling him, "you've got everybody fired up around here today." He was not charged with a crime.
MLive.com provides an edited version of the 14-minute encounter between Moe and Deffert:
City Attorney Catherine Mish defended the officer's action, calling the response "very reasonable." She argued that Deffert was acting strange and talking to himself near a church service.
Deffert's attorney, Steven Dulan, told MLive.com that his client's constitutional rights were violated when he was unlawfully detained by police.
The city is calling for the lawsuit to be dismissed based on "reasonable suspicion."
"The stop, pat-down search, and brief detention of plaintiff were supported by reasonable suspicion and/or other legal cause," assistant city attorneys Margaret Bloemers and Kristen Rewa wrote.
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26. [PA] Home invaders didn't expect to see a .357 pointed their way
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Member Jim Hartneady emailed me this:
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From GOPUSA.com: http://tinyurl.com/kjwlypm
Home invaders didn't expect to see a .357 pointed their way
By Times-Tribune (Scranton, PA)
January 16, 2014
Robbery attempt of armed man fails. 3 suspects in custody, 1 at large.
Francis Muchanic, Erica Major, Dylan Brewer and Evan Hess thought they had the robbery planned.
They didn't anticipate the .357 Smith and Wesson revolver in their target's hands. The fallout from the unseen variable led to three of them falling into police custody while one remains at large.
State police at Gibson said Mr. Muchanic walked up to David Braman's Creek Road home in New Milford and began to open the door just before 8 p.m. Monday. Mr. Muchanic, 31, of Susquehanna, said he was having car trouble and was hoping Mr. Braman would let him use the phone.
The 69-year-old man, armed with a revolver, knew it was a lie when he saw the ski mask and handgun.
Mr. Muchanic burst through the door, Mr. Braman fell and a scuffle ensued, state police said.
Outside, Ms. Major, 30, of Susquehanna, waited for her boyfriend to finish the job. Mr. Brewer, 20, of New Milford, and Mr. Hess, 20, of Forest City, stood nearby. Three shots rang out from inside.
Mr. Muchanic stumbled out of the house with a bullet wound in his groin and fell. Mr. Brewer and Mr. Hess fled into the rural landscape. Ms. Major picked up her bleeding boyfriend and put him in his car. They took off and headed for the New York border.
Ms. Major placed a call on the road. A dispatcher about 20 miles away at the Susquehanna County Communications Center picked it up.
Ms. Major explained to the 911 dispatcher she and her boyfriend were driving north on Interstate 81 and pulled over to help a fellow driver in Great Bend Twp. A problem occurred when Mr. Muchanic got out of the car the other driver pulled out a gun and shot him in the groin, she told the dispatcher, according to police.
The couple pulled over at a rest area just over the New York State border and Mr. Muchanic was transported to Wilson Memorial Hospital in Binghamton, N.Y., where he was charged by police with robbery, theft, receiving stolen property, simple assault burglary and criminal conspiracy. He was also charged by the New York State Police as a fugitive from justice. He is in critical condition at the Binghamton hospital, state police said. Preliminary hearing information was not available.
Ms. Major was arrested in Pennsylvania for criminal conspiracy to commit robbery, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property and filing false reports. She was sent to Susquehanna County Prison on $100,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Monday.
Mr. Brewer was apprehended in Pennsylvania and charged with attempted theft and criminal conspiracy to commit robbery. He was sent to Susquehanna County Prison on $50,000 bail. His preliminary hearing is also scheduled for Monday.
Mr. Hess was not apprehended and is sought on a warrant charging him with attempted theft and criminal conspiracy to commit robbery.
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27. [AL] Customer kills gunman threatening to kill everyone [VIDEO]
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Member Walter Jackson emailed me this:
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From Breitbart.com: http://tinyurl.com/l73z72z
January 17, 2014
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28. [FL] Florida universities change policies to allow guns on campus
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Member Bill Albritton emailed me this:
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From Breitbart.com: http://tinyurl.com/jwzs86t
Florida universities change policies to allow guns on campus
By Awr Hawkins
January 18, 2014
Florida universities have begun complying with the First District Court of Appeals' ruling that "state universities cannot bar students from storing guns in their cars while on campus."
On December 11th, CBS Miami reported that the 15-member court ruled 12 to 3 to strike down the ban in order to protect students' right to have a gun in their cars for purposes of self-defense.
The successful suit was filed by Florida Carry Inc.
Now, according to the Orlando Sentinel, the University of North Florida, Florida State University, and the University of South Florida have changed their policies to allow students to store firearms in their vehicles.
In addition, the University of Central Florida "is updating its policy" to comply with the ruling, and Florida International University has put changes before the board of trustees for approval.
On January 10th, Breitbart News reported that Florida Carry Inc. has filed a follow-up suit against the University of Florida because that school has yet to fully comply with the court's ruling.
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29. I can't believe they let you do that! [VIDEO]
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Hilarious - another “must watch.”
From youtube.com: http://tinyurl.com/jwmqrnn
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VA-ALERT is a project of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc.
(VCDL). VCDL is an all-volunteer, non-partisan grassroots organization
dedicated to defending the human rights of all Virginians. The Right to
Keep and Bear Arms is a fundamental human right.
VCDL web page: http://www.vcdl.org [http://www.vcdl.org/]
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