Not yet a VCDL member? Join VCDL at: http://www.vcdl.org/join
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VCDL's meeting schedule: http://www.vcdl.org/meetings
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Abbreviations used in VA-ALERT: http://www.vcdl.org/help/abbr.html
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1. New Update editors at work
2. VCDL robo-call going out today
3. Harvard psychiatrist: victims must be able to defend themselves
4. Bringing some sanity to guns and mental health issue [VIDEO]
5. A story from the Hampton Gun Show
6. Mixing apples and oranges? (Accidents vs murders)
7. Teacher takes students on shooting field trip
8. Anti-gun crusade continues by executive order
9. Bill Maher: Why don't Democrats just oppose 2nd amendment [VIDEO]
10. Miller: Shock in D.C. regarding muzzleloader bullets [VIDEO]
11. U.S. District Court of D.C. Opinion on stabilizer brake
12. The one day a woman carries a gun, she saves a life [VIDEO]
13. PCP polymer cased ammo warning / Review update
14. Gun control measures met with law officer defiance
15. Piers Morgan signs off with anti-gun comments [VIDEO]
16. Radio anti-gun Mike Malloy to NRA board member: 'I will shoot you!'
17. Bummer, Virginia does not make this list
18. Concealed carry citizen aids Detroit police
19. Idaho nullifies federal gun control
20. Middle school workbook incorrectly defines the Second Amendment
21. The hypocritical history of CA State Sen. Leland Yee on gun control [VIDEO]
22. CA lawmaker faces gun, corruption charges
23. San Francisco ban on night stand guns upheld
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1. New Update editors at work
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We are trying to catch up on the backlog of stories we currently have to these VCDL Updates (some of the stories below are a couple of months old, but still relevant). Several members have stepped up to help a very much overloaded Brandy Polinowski compile the stories in the Updates for me.
This update was compiled by Chuck Young, with initial editing by Brandy Polinowski.
Our goal is to get caught up and stay that way…
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2. VCDL robo-call going out today
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Here is the text of a robo-call going out today to gun owners in the 7th Congressional District. Those who live in the 7th CD Congressional District can vote in the Republican Primary THIS coming Tuesday at their usual polling place.
—
Pro-gun alert!
While a state delegate, Eric Cantor voted for gun control: one-handgun-a-month gun-rationing scheme and a ban on certain shotguns. His votes have been better in Congress so far, but we need to know how he will vote in the future. Cantor has consistently refused to answer the Virginia Citizens Defense League Candidate Survey, and that’s very troubling. If he is proud of his past gun votes and confident of his future gun votes, it should NOT be a big deal to return his survey.
(Endorsements by national gun groups do NOT necessarily reflect future votes that are important to Virginia’s gun owners.)
Dave Brat, Cantor’s opponent in this Tuesday’s Primary, HAS answered the survey and did so very pro-gun.
Please call Eric Cantor at 804-358-6160 and tell him to return his VCDL Candidate Survey immediately.
Please call Dave Brat at 804-496-8214 and thank him for RETURNING his VCDL Candidate Survey.
Paid for by the Virginia Citizens Defense League and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
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3. Harvard psychiatrist: victims must be able to defend themselves
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Board member Dale Welch sent me this:
Following the recent Isla Vista mass killings (notice I said killings, and not shooting), there has been a lot of talk of gun control and even more talk about mental healthcare. However, just what can be done outside of knee-jerk, feel-good reactions that has been proposed so far?
According to Arthur Berg, a former associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, not much outside of making sure that potential victims can defend themselves.
From: gunssavelives.net: http://tinyurl.com/p3xph84
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4. Bringing some sanity to guns and mental health issue [VIDEO]
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Thanks to member Mark Shinn for the link:
From washingtonpost.com: http://tinyurl.com/o47zw3q
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5. A story from the Hampton Gun Show
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EM Doug Peterson emailed me this:
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While staffing the VCDL table at the Hampton Gun Show recently (3/22-23/2014), I spoke with a woman who was a former probation officer. She related a story about a trip she had taken with her son to visit all 50 states, the last being Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas (in that order). They stopped at a small town in the Southeast corner of Arkansas that was in poor economic straits. The demographics had changed over the years resulting in a population shift toward the economically disadvantaged, with correspondingly lower municipal tax revenues and higher crime. The related budget cuts took their toll on municipal services, including the Sheriff’s department, which could only staff until 5:00pm daily. There was no law enforcement at night. Emergency calls were routed to voice mail, and were handled during business hours. Businesses that went unprotected were robbed, not just of their outdoor merchandise and fixtures, but emboldened by the lack of security, thieves boldly broke in and took the inside items as well. Business owners armed themselves and took to staying on premises at night as their only defense against thieves and vandals. She was dismayed that things had gotten so bad.
I remarked that she had visited the Wild West, as such arrangements were common in the 1800s. Frequently, small town merchants would cooperate to protect each other’s property, and even go so far as to hire a local constable, paid out of their own pockets. (Of course, some of these arrangements went awry at the hands of opportunistic “constables.”) But as bad as it was, there was no comparison to the conditions that existed “Back East”. The legendary shootouts of the Old West paled in comparison to the violence that permeated daily life in the Eastern Metropolises. It seems as though the Wild West actually was tamed, but alas the violent urban life of the East only worsened. And so have the economic conditions which have led to reductions in municipal services. She may have visited the present in an Arkansas small town and seen the future of urban life here.
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6. Mixing apples and oranges? (Accidents vs murders)
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My reply to an email from Andy Goddard with the anti-gun Virginia Center for Public Safety.
First Andy’s email:
Re: VA-ALERT: VCDL Update 3/23/14 ("18. Criminologist: 'more youngsters killed in bicycle accidents' than with guns”)
Mr. van Cleave,
I know that actual data isn’t something you like to use (unless it was invented by Lott), but your latest point about the number of children killed in bicycle accidents compared to those shot in school is a little distorted. Why compare one cause of death in a specific location with another cause of death everywhere in the USA? Something has to be common between things that are compared. There are more children killed in bike accidents in the whole of the USA each year than children that are shot to death in schools – true! - but there are many more children shot to death in the USA than are killed in bicycle accidents in the USA. In 2011, the total number of children killed on bikes was less than 220 (NHTSA data), while there were 565 murdered by guns and another 120 odd killed in accidental shootings (FBI data)(not to mention the 749 that took their own lives with guns). I agree that schools are one of the safest places for kids when it comes to shooting deaths, as most of the incidents occur in homes or on the street, but schools are even more safe for kids with bicycles. Guns kill way more American kids than bicycle accidents do, so why not try to give your readers some real facts, or is that asking too much? When the current number of over 1,400 children’s gun deaths drops below the 200 children’s bicycle deaths, then maybe MDA and other gun violence organizations will begin to target bicycles as a major issue, but since the first number is showing no sign of dropping, while the bicycle deaths has declined steadily for the last 20 years or so, I wouldn’t hold your breath.
Best wishes
Andy Goddard
VACPS
—
My response:
Andy,
We’ll agree to disagree on John Lott’s “inventing” his data.
On the children killed by bicycle accidents generally vs children killed specifically in school shootings, I agree the author is mixing apples and oranges with both the locations (generally vs just schools) and also accidents vs murders. But you are also mixing things on the latter issue, too: 220 fatal bicycle accidents generally vs 565 murders using a firearm generally.
Looks to me like the correct comparison (apples to apples) is to compare children killed by bicycle accidents generally to fatal accidental shootings involving children generally. That gives us a 220 bicycle fatalities vs 120 gun-accident fatalities.
On a separate note, looking at murders of those under age 18 in the FBI’s published data, the value is declining: 747 in 2008, 684 in 2009, 632 in 2010, and 565 in 2011. I didn’t look back any further due to time constraints.
Reports can be found here: http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s
CDC shows a decline in accidental deaths and suicide by firearm for children in this report which covers 1999 to 2010:
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/FIREA ... _RATES.pdf
Suicides: Ages 1-14
1999: 103
2010: 81
Accidental shootings: Ages 1-14
1999: 88
2010: 62
Suicides: Ages 15-19
1999: 975
2010: 668
Accidental shootings: 15-19
1999: 126
2010: 72
I’ll so note [your concerns] in a future Update. Thanks for bringing the poor comparison of statistics in the article to my attention.
Regards,
Philip
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7. Teacher takes students on shooting range field trip
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Member Bill Albritton emailed me this:
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From wtvr.com: http://tinyurl.com/q795v77
Teacher takes students on shooting range field trip
by Wayne Covil
March 28, 2014
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) - Each week about a dozen home-schooled students gather with a teacher for a hands-on lab forensics class.
They met at Dominion Gun Range in Chesterfield County on Friday to learn about weapons, ammunition and gun safety.
"I thought it was great, because it would be a new experience," 15-year-old Emmalyn Fry said shortly after firing her dad's .22 caliber rifle.
"I think it's a cool experience, I'm enjoying it so far," 15-year-old Amy Comstock, who shot a pistol for the first time, said.
"To really get experience with the different types of weaponry, different types of ammunition, to get comfortable with this, to realize guns aren't meant to be feared," teacher Carrie Woolfolk said. "They can learn about them and better hands on, than sitting in a classroom, looking at a book."
The owner of Dominion Shooting Range said about a dozen classes have come to the range, most of them from public schools.
Several gun control groups and activists, including the Brady Campaign, were contacted about this story. None of the groups wanted to comment.
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8. Anti-gun crusade continues by executive order
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Member Mark Colleluori emailed me this:
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From minutemennews.com: http://tinyurl.com/pvo4tjo
Anti-Gun Crusade Continues by Executive Order: Feinstein Asks Obama to Ban Imports of Semi-Automatic Firearms
March 21, 2014
When California Senator Dianne Feinstein’s anti-gun legislation went down in flames last year, those working in the firearms industry knew she’d eventually be back with another proposal cracking down on semi-automatic rifles, or what she calls “assault weapons.”
Feinstein is calling on fellow Senators to sign a letter to President Obama asking him to issue an executive order banning the import of “assault or military weapons” and firearms not “generally recognized as particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes.” The executive order would be enforced by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Here is the list of Feinstein’s requests:
-Prohibit importation of all semi-automatic rifles that can accept, or be readily converted to accept, a large capacity ammunition magazine of more than 10 rounds, regardless of the military pedigree of the firearm or the configuration of the firearm’s magazine well;
-Prohibit semi-automatic rifles with fixed magazines with a capacity of more than 10 rounds;
-Prohibit the importation of the frame or receiver of any prohibited rifle, regardless of whether it is incorporated into a fully manufactured firearm.
-Prohibit the practice of importing assault rifles in parts and then constructing the rifles once they are in the United States by adding the requisite number of American-made parts;
-Prohibit the use of a “thumbhole” stock as a means to avoid classification of a rifle as an assault rifle; and
-Prohibit the importation of assault pistols, in addition to assault rifles.”
First, what is the world is an “assault pistol?” Notice how the list is almost completely based on characteristics of firearms, not functionality. Further, the characteristics she is targeting are very basic (firearms parts, 10-round capacity, etc.)
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9. Bill Maher: Why don't Democrats just oppose 2nd amendment [VIDEO]
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Democratic leadership is certainly trying to make theirs the Party of Gun Control
Member Walter Jackson emailed me this:
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From breitbart.com: http://tinyurl.com/l88sm5w
BILL MAHER TO DEM REP: 'WHY DOESN'T YOUR PARTY COME OUT AGAINST THE SECOND AMENDMENT?'
on Breitbart TV
March 21, 2014
On his Friday “Real Time” program on HBO, host Bill Maher lamented that the differences between Republicans and Democrats were too subtle and pointed to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) Democratic challenger’s Alison Grimes embrace of firearms as not a clear enough contrast between to the two parties.
Someone tell @Team_Mitch that's not the way to hold a gun. KY women do it better. #kysen
— Alison L. Grimes (@AlisonForKY) March 6, 2014
Then Maher took aim at Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) and asked him why he and his colleagues aren’t just outright opposed to the constitutional right to keep and bear arms.
“Why doesn’t your party come out against the Second Amendment?” Maher asked. “I never hear anybody in the Democratic Party say that. What they say is I’m also a strong supporter.”
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10. Miller: Shock in D.C. regarding muzzleloader bullets [VIDEO]
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Member Walter Jackson emailed me this:
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From washingtontimes.com: http://tinyurl.com/phz8lpa
MILLER: Exclusive — Shock verdict — Mark Witaschek guilty of possessing muzzleloader bullets in D.C.
… while NBC’s David Gregory got off scot free
by Emily Miller-The Washington Times
March 26, 2014
In a surprising twist at the end of a long trial, a District of Columbia judge found Mark Witaschek guilty of “attempted possession of unlawful ammunition” for antique replica muzzleloader bullets.
Judge Robert Morin sentenced Mr. Witaschek to time served, a $50 fine and required him to enroll with the Metropolitan Police Department’s firearm offenders’ registry within 48 hours.
Outside the courtroom, I asked Mr. Witaschek how he felt about the verdict. “I’m completely outraged by it,” he said. “This is just a continuation of the nightmare. Just to sit there. I could not believe it.”
Shaking his head, he added, “None of these people know anything about gun issues, including the judge.”
His wife Bonnie Witaschek was crying. “It’s just so scary,” she said. “You never think you’ll end up in a situation like this, but here we are.”
Mr. Witaschek’s attorney Howard X. McEachern shook his client’s hand and said, “We’re not done.” Mr. McEachern plans to appeal the decision.
I asked the defense attorney for his opinion of the verdict. “Clearly the judge thought that this was overkill — the sentence reflects how he felt about the prosecution of this case,” he replied.
Until the final hours of the trial, both the defense and government focused the case on whether the single 12 gauge shotgun shell that was found in Mr. Witaschek’s D.C. home was operable. The judge, however, never ruled on it.
In the afternoon on Wednesday, Judge Morin shook the plastic shell and tried to listen to something inside. He said he could not hear any gunpowder. He then asked the lawyers to open the shell to see if there was powder inside.
(This seemed like a bizarre request since the lack of primer — not gunpowder — would be relevant to the interoperability of the misfired shell.)
Assistant Attorney General Peter Saba said that the government wanted to open the shell but that, “It is dangerous to do outside a lab.”
The prosecutors and police officers left the courtroom to try to find a lab that was open in the afternoon to bring the judge to cut the plastic off the section that holds the pellets. When that proved not possible in the same day, the judge decided to just rule on the bullets.
The 25 conical-shaped, .45 caliber bullets, made by Knight out of lead and copper, sat on the judge’s desk. They do not have primer or gunpowder so cannot be propelled. The matching .50 caliber plastic sabots were also in the box.
There was much debate over whether the bullets were legal since D.C. residents are allowed to buy antique replica firearms without registering.
The judge seemed inclined to throw out this charge since he repeatedly asked how the bullets could be illegal if the gun that they go in was not.
During lunch, the government came up with a list from ATF of types of muzzleloader rifles that could be converted to use rimfire ammunition. Not that Mr. Witaschek owned one of these nor was modern ammo at issue in the trial.
Nevertheless Judge Morin said, “I’m persuaded these are bullets. They look like bullets. They are hollow point. They are not musket balls.” He then ruled that Mr. Witaschek had possessed “beyond a reasonable doubt” the metal pieces in D.C.
The judge, however, still seemed to think this was a strange issue for a court. “It’s taken four lawyers all afternoon to get through an interpretation of whether or not these are lawful,” he noted.
Before sentencing, Mr. Witaschek addressed the judge.
“I’ve never been arrested in my life up until this incident,” he said, his voice cracking with emotion. “My use of firearms is strictly recreational. I’ve never had any criminal intent.”
The businessman asked for leniency so that he would not lose his license to practice his financial management company.
“I run the risk of losing my job, my occupation, as a result of this conviction,” he said. “I ask the court not to add to that burden of what’s already been done to my life over the last two years.”
The nation’s capital is overrun with criminals, yet the police and prosecutors continue to waste time and resources to go after law abiding people who inadvertently cross the ridiculous firearms laws.
What makes the situation more dire is that the unelected attorney general for D.C., Irvin Nathan, does not go after his rich, liberal buddies. Just a year ago, Mr. Nathan declined to prosecute NBC’s David Gregory for knowing breaking the law against possessing a “high-capacity magazine.” The attorney general said it was not in the interest of public safety.
But when it comes to regular people like Spc. Meckler and Mr. Witaschek, Mr. Nathan believes having ammo but no gun makes them a danger to society.
Good people are being destroyed by these vengeful prosecutions.
Mr. Witaschek and his wife moved to Virginia after his arrest in 2012. On the way out of the courtroom after his conviction, Mr. Witaschek said that the court clerk came up to him privately and said, “I’m glad you don’t live in D.C. anymore. These people are nuts about guns.”
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11. U.S. District Court of D.C. Opinion on stabilizer brake
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Member Paul Henick emailed me this:
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As the judge notes,
ATF declines to use noise meters in helping to determine if a muzzle brake is really/technically a silencer. (Yes, I know technically it is a "suppressor".) Instead, they look to see if it might have the same sorts of parts. Apparently they thought they were enough alike."A mouse is not an "elephant" solely because it has three characteristics that are common to known elephants: a tail, gray skin, and four legs. A child's bike is not a "motorcycle" solely because it has three characteristics common to known motorcycles: two rubber tires, handlebars, and a leather seat. And a Bud Light is not "Single-Malt Scotch," just because it is frequently served in a glass container, contains alcohol, and is available for purchase at a tavern."
The judge disagreed.
PDF download from jfrazerlaw.com: http://tinyurl.com/knwwbcq
Memorandum Opinion of INNOVATOR ENTERPRISES, INC., Plaintiff, v. B. TODD JONES, Director, United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms &
Explosives, Defendant.
Civil Action No. 13-581 (JDB)
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12. The one day a woman carries a gun, she saves a life [VIDEO]
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Member David Custer emailed me this:
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From usatoday.com: http://tinyurl.com/m9xtcf5
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13. PCP polymer cased ammo warning / Review update
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Member Bill Albritton emailed me this:
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From thefirearmblog.com: http://tinyurl.com/m4um293
PCP Polymer Cased Ammo Warning / Review Update
by Alex C.
March 25, 2014
Today on March 25th, 2014 I set out to test some PCP polymer cased ammo in some commonly available military rifles. I drug out a PTR-91 and an FN FAL with the ammo.
I function tested each rifle with 40 rounds of Winchester 7.62×51 beforehand to make sure each gun was in working order. They worked through the brass cased stuff with no problem, but with the polymer cased ammo the following occurred:
With the PTR, the first round caused a catastrophic failure, destroying the magazine: (photos)
The PTR ripped the case in half: (photos)
I chalked this up to the fluted chamber of the PTR, and assumed that using it in the FAL would be no problem, but I still chose to duck behind the table when firing… and I am glad that I did: (photos)
Notice the magazine spring in the top left corner of the photo above.
The floor plate also punched through a range bag and into the wooden table: (photos)
This was caused by a traditional case rupture at the junction of the polymer and the steel base: (photos)
My arm was hit with debris and some shrap, but nothing to worry to much about.
The magazine was bowed out with such force that my 180 pound body was not enough to bend it back to shape: (photos)
Had my hand or arm below the floor plate or alongside the magazine, this could have been really bad. Luckily I was overly cautious and ducked below a table to test it.
The lot number of the ammunition that failed (printed on the inside flap) is X121300001. If you have this ammo, I would advise that you do not shoot it.
UPDATE 03/27/2014
After this incident I told our readers I would contact PCP Ammunition and let them know about this failure of the .308 ammo we received for review. I did speak with the company several times expressing our concern for the safety of those using this type of ammunition among other things. The company shares our concern and requested we return the unfired ammunition so that it can be tested. I was told we would be advised of the test results. Of course TFB will share those results with our readers when they become available. PCP Ammunition sent the following statement which we promised to post for our readers.
The failure of the PCP ammunition in the test FnFal was not addressed. In addition one other incident like that which Alex experienced was reported to the company by a consumer.
Phil White
Senior Writer/Review Manager
Thanks to The Firearm Blog for notifying consumers about the safety concerns in consideration of the failures that were experienced during this particular testing incident. PCP Ammunition is extremely remorseful for this occurrence and quite grateful that no one was seriously injured.
Mr. Alex Capps and several members of the PCP Ammunition team spoke at the Shot Show and PCP Ammunition advised Mr. Alex Capps, as The Firearms Blog representative, that extensive testing was not conducted on firearms with fluted chambers and therefore we advised against utilization of our polymer cased ammunition in firearms with fluted chambers. Unfortunately our polymer case .308 ammunition failed in the fluted chamber.
Conversely, extensive testing was conducted with hundreds of firearms with SAMMI specification .308 chambers with our polymer cased ammunition and a case failure of this type and magnitude was never created in our ballistics lab.
PCP Ammunition has been in research and development of polymer cased ammunition for nearly four years delivering product to US and foreign government agencies with resounding success. The success of our polymer cased ammunition with these customers can be directly attributed to the fact that the number of variables relative to the configuration and chamber arrangements of the firearm are controlled and limited. Conversely, the US commercial market exposes our product to hundreds of thousand firearm configurations and chamber dimension variations, introducing countless variables that are unable to be reproduced in laboratory testings.
In consideration of the above information please understand the intent of our commercial limited release was to expose our ammunition to US commercial market variables which PCP ammunition would never be afforded the opportunity to conduct alone. Being that we never experienced any unsafe conditions though out our four years of research, development, and testing the conclusion was made that safe conditions existed for consumers to use the product and provide feedback relative to performance compared to other factory ammunition.
If you are a PCP Ammunition customer and have not used the ammunition you purchased during our limited release please contact us. PCP Ammunition is happy to facilitate and return and refund for all customers.
Jay Duncan
Director, Sales & Marketing
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14. Gun control measures met with law officer defiance
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Member Stanley Bennett emailed me this:
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From foxnews.com: http://tinyurl.com/oq63qkj
Gun control measures met with defiance from law enforcement officers
March 24, 2014
The head of a nationwide sheriffs coalition is calling on Vermont's law enforcement officers to defy three controversial gun control measures passed by Burlington voters three weeks ago.
"Sheriffs have a constitutional duty to refuse to comply with such ordinances," said Richard Mack, president of the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association. "We're seeing sheriffs in New York oppose the Safe Act and Gov. Cuomo. If we have sheriffs in New York doing this, how much more should we have sheriffs doing it in Vermont?"
On March 4, Burlington voters joined a push by elected officials throughout northeastern states to enact stiffer gun control measures. By a 2-to-1 margin, they banned the carry of firearms in bars and restaurants, authorized police to confiscate guns during domestic disputes and required gun owners to keep firearms locked up at home.
"It's astonishing that people are so cavalier about violating the Second Amendment," Mack said. "Burlington City Council sounds like they are just following the trend to do things that are entirely unconstitutional and go around sheriffs, and go around the laws, or subvert the laws, or disobey the laws."
The Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, which touts sheriffs as the highest law enforcement officials charged with defending the rights of citizens in states, claims that 17 police associations and nearly 500 sheriffs nationwide have pledged to defy unconstitutional gun control measures.
The thought that Vermont's top law officers might publicly oppose gun restrictions isn't a novel idea. Sheriffs in Colorado are refusing to enforce that state's new background checks and ban on high-capacity magazines. In Connecticut, tens of thousands of residents are refusing to comply with a new state law that requires registration of guns and high-capacity magazines. In Saratoga Springs, N.Y., citizens publicly protested the state's new SAFE Act last week by burning a thousand gun registration forms.
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15. Piers Morgan signs off with anti-gun comments [VIDEO]
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I have no sympathy for Piers losing his show. I saw first hand how deceitfully it was run. In my case a couple of years ago, they begged me to come on and proceeded to lie to me as to what the show was going to be about that evening.
Member James Durso emailed me this:
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From theblaze.com: http://tinyurl.com/qxnlvwn
Watch Piers Morgan Sign Off CNN With Final Blast at U.S. Gun Laws
by Oliver Darcy
March 29, 2014
Piers Morgan bowed out of CNN Friday night by delivering one final message to the American public about his controversial views on guns.
“And also I want to thank you all for watching, even those who implacably disagreed with me, or just found my funny accent annoying,” he said. “Regular viewers will know that the issue of gun control has been a consistent and often very controversial part of this show. And I want to say something more about that before I bow out.”
“The vast majority of Americans I met are decent, hardworking, thoroughly dependable people. As my brother, a British army colonel says, you always want an American next to you in the trench when the going gets tough,” Morgan continued.
“But that’s where I think guns belong, on a military battlefield, in the hands of highly trained men and women, fighting for democracy and freedom, not in the hands of civilians,” he contended.
Morgan argued that “gun violence is a disease that now infects every aspect of American life” and pleaded for activists to fight for law changes.
“Now, I assumed that after 70 people were shot in a movie theater, and then just a few months later, 20 first-graders were murdered with an assault rifle in an elementary school, that the absurd gun laws in this country would change, but nothing has happened,” he said. “The gun lobby in America, led by the NRA, has bullied this nation’s politicians into cowardly, supine silence. ”
“This is a shameful situation that frankly has made me very angry,” Morgan continued. “So angry in fact that some people are criticizing me for being too loud, opinionated, even rude when I debated the issue of guns.”
Refusing to apologize, the controversial host insisted that “more guns doesn’t mean less crime as the NRA repeatedly tries to tell you.” Instead, “it means more gun violence” and “more death,” Morgan said.
“I am so pro-American, I want more of you to stay alive,” he said. “But I’ve made my point. I’ve given it a tremendous whack. Now it’s down to you. It is your country. These are your gun laws. And the senseless slaughter will only end when enough Americans stand together and cry, enough.”
“I look forward to that day. I also look forward to seeing you all again soon. Thank you. And God bless America. And while I’m at it, God bless Great Britain too. Good night,” Morgan concluded, signing off CNN for his final time.
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16. Radio anti-gun Mike Malloy to NRA board member: 'I will shoot you!'
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Gee, yet another example of an intolerant anti-liberty bigot with a really bad and dangerous temper.
Member Walter Jackson emailed me this:
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From newsbusters.org: http://tinyurl.com/lxlsnq5
Radio Lib Mike Malloy to NRA Board Member: 'I Will Shoot You!'
by Jack Coleman
March 27, 2014
Never thought I'd admit this, but maybe liberals are right when it comes to guns -- perhaps more has to be done to keep firearms from people who are unbalanced.
I wondered about this after listening to libtalker Mike Malloy's radio show Tuesday in which he railed against Georgia's Safe Carry Protection Act, which would allow licensed gun owners to bring concealed carry weapons to schools, bars, churches, airports and government offices. The legislation, derided by opponents as the "guns everywhere" law, has been approved by state lawmakers and awaits the governor's signature. (Audio after the jump)
It didn't take long for Malloy to climb way over the top, which is familiar territory for him (audio) --
This organization founded by Gabrielle Giffords, you remember her, the former Arizona congresswoman that Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck suggested should be murdered, the one who was critically wounded in a mass shooting in 2011, she calls it 'the most extreme gun bill in America.' The NRA, which they're behind this of course, they want guns everywhere. Jesus Christ! I would like to invite one of the NRA board members, and I'll be armed, let's just get this over with, OK? Come on down to Georgia and I'll be packing heat and you be packing heat or whether you want to or not, I don't give a damn, it's up to you. And you come, meet me someplace, and all of a sudden, see, we have stand your ground here, and all of a sudden I'm going to feel real goddamned threatened by you! And I will shoot you! If I feel threatened. The law says I can! Ha ha ha ha ha, ha ha ha ha ha!
It was probably his deranged laugh that was the tipping point for my second thoughts. Thanks for bringing me around, Mike. Can we start the more rigorous mental health screenings of short-fused gun owners with you?
So even if the generic NRA board member took Malloy up on his offer, and showed up unarmed, Malloy would still feel threatened and thus compelled to shoot the board member. In other words, the alleged threat here comes not from that person's capacity for deadly force through use of a firearm -- but from his or her opinions. I'm not a lawyer, as the saying goes, but I question whether Georgia's stand your ground law would cover that.
Gotta love the abject hypocrisy of Malloy condemning the NRA for contributing to gun violence -- by threatening them with gun violence.
Among the Georgia legislators voting in favor of the Safe Carry Protection Act was state senator Jason Carter, a Democrat running for governor and grandson of former president Jimmy Carter.
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17. Bummer, Virginia does not make this list
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YYYAAAWWWNNN. Blame the tool and not the criminal? Yeah, that’ll make us safer.
"These are states of intimidation, where every one of us must wonder if the guy over there with a gun might pull the trigger because he's angry, under the influence, troubled, mentally ill or simply ticked off.”
Actually, I’d be far more worried about what Mr. Steinhorn might do to somebody if HE got angry. Based on the tone in his article below, he clearly has a seething temper barely below the surface.
Member David Custer emailed me this:
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Article is laughable.
From huffingtonpost.com: http://tinyurl.com/pum32qg
Armed, Locked and Loaded: The Worst and Most Intimidating Gun States
by Leonard Steinhorn
March 21, 2014
No one should feel safe in the following states. And it is time to take a stand and do something about it.
These are states with the most Wild West gun laws where you are most likely to encounter someone -- anyone -- with a gun: Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Indiana and Mississippi.
It is legal in these states for people with absolutely no training to walk around armed and to carry their guns openly in the streets.
It is legal in these states to bring loaded guns into gambling establishments, sporting events and restaurants that serve alcohol. It is legal in these states to carry weapons into stores and shopping malls, and in some cases even onto college campuses and into bars and houses of worship.
In all of these states, it is legal to shoot first and claim self-defense much the way George Zimmerman did with Trayvon Martin and hundreds of others have done in less publicized cases.
And in all of these states, their background laws -- if they even exist -- are so full of loopholes that someone with a criminal record, a drug or drinking problem, or a history of mental illness can obtain a gun.
These are states of intimidation, where every one of us must wonder if the guy over there with a gun might pull the trigger because he's angry, under the influence, troubled, mentally ill or simply ticked off.
And it's all because of grossly permissive gun laws that allow almost anyone to walk around anywhere locked and loaded.
We've all seen the stories in the news, almost daily. Text your child during movie previews and it could kill you. Shop at a mall and it could cost you your life. Look suspicious to someone for any reason whatsoever and it could get you shot. Have a disagreement and it ends with a bullet.
Look at the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports: We are 30 percent more likely to die from guns used in arguments and alcohol-related conflicts than from robberies, burglaries, drug crimes and gangs.
What does that tell us? That as much as we fear common criminals, we may face an even larger threat from citizens who are allowed to carry guns almost anywhere and anytime.
It's no consolation that before many of these shooters pulled the trigger, they were once law-abiding citizens. That's irrelevant. What's relevant is that they were allowed to carry around and wield a lethal weapon, and because of that someone's life was cut short.
Of course, a gun can maim or murder in any state. But it's the states with higher population densities and virtually no restrictions on who can obtain a gun and walk around armed that pose the greatest threat.
That characterizes every state listed here -- Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Indiana and Mississippi. And that is why no one should feel safe in these states.
Over the last four decades, guns have claimed the lives of about 1.4 million Americans -- more than all the Americans who have died in wars.
It is time to stand up to the gun lobby and tell the states most in their thrall exactly what you think: I don't feel safe in your state. Sign this petition and make your voice heard.
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18. Concealed carry citizen aids Detroit police
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Member Clayton Rhoades emailed me this:
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From cbslocal.com: http://tinyurl.com/l6kxm7g
Cops: Drug-Addicted Shoplifter Stabs Home Depot Security Guard With Dirty Syringe
March 25, 2014
ROSEVILLE (WWJ) – Police say an armed citizen came to the aid of security guards at a metro Detroit Home Depot store who were being attacked by a drug-addicted shoplifter with a dirty syringe.
The incident happened Monday afternoon at the Home Depot store on 13 Mile Road and Little Mack Avenue, off I-94 in Roseville, as the guards were trying to apprehend 26-year-old Joshua Joseph Silva who was caught shoplifting.
Instead of cooperating, police say Silva “began to violently fight” with the guards in an attempt to avoid arrest. At some point during the altercation, Silva allegedly pulled a concealed syringe from his jacket and began using it as a weapon.
Police say Silva was whirling the syringe around in a swinging motion, and was able to stab one of guards several times with the contaminated needle.
Another shopper who has a concealed pistol license saw the altercation and quickly sprung into action. Police say the man produced his handgun and ordered Silva to drop the syringe and get on the ground.
“Faced with the threat of deadly force, the suspect stopped fighting and complied with the order, dropping the syringe and taking a seat on the parking lot,” police said in a statement.
But when Silva, who apparently knew his arrest was imminent, heard the sound of approaching police sirens, police say he jumped up and attempted to flee the area on foot. At that point, the store guards let Silva run off, allowing police to take over.
Police quickly caught up with Silva and placed him under arrest without further incident.
One of the security guards was treated and released from a local hospital for stab wounds he suffered during the encounter.
Silva, an Eastpointe resident, was arraigned Tuesday afternoon on charges of assault with intent to do great bodily harm and first degree retail fraud.
Bond was set at $25,000.00 cash or surety; and, pending the posting of bond, Silva will be lodged in the Macomb County Jail.
The syringe is expected to be tested by the Michigan State Police Crime Lab for any signs of communicable disease. Police will also be requesting a search warrant to have Silvas tested for any sign of infectious diseases that could have been transmitted to the security guard.
Police say the armed citizen, who wishes to remain anonymous, told them he became involved because the suspect was so extremely violent and it appeared he was getting the best of the guards. The man told police he feared the suspect was going to kill one of the unarmed guards if he did not intervene.
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19. Idaho nullifies federal gun control
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Delegate Bob Marshall has put in a bill twice now to give Virginia something similar to this. VCDL plans to keep supporting any such measure that will keep state and local government employees from helping enforce any federal gun laws passed after 2012.
From conservativetribune.com: http://tinyurl.com/l4b3qk7
VICTORY: Idaho Just Officially Nullified All Future Federal Gun Control
March 2014
Last week, we reported that the state of Idaho passed emergency legislation that would take effect immediately that nullifies all future federal gun control in the state. That bill was just signed into law by Governor Butch Otter. This is a huge victory for the Second Amendment.
Idaho joins states like Arizona, Missouri, Kentucky, and others who have passed or are considering substantive legislation that would nullify federal gun control by outlawing it in the state outright or preventing the state from cooperating with the feds in the enforcement of gun control measures.
The strategy the Idaho law and similar laws use is one that uses the anti-commandeering doctrine, which was set down by the Supreme Court to protect the Tenth Amendment by preventing Congress from commandeering state officers in the enforcement of a federal regulatory scheme.
From Ben Swann:
On Thursday, Idaho Governor Butch Otter (R) signed a bill, which would effectively nullify future federal gun laws, by prohibiting state enforcement of any future federal act relating to personal firearms, a firearm accessories or ammunition.
S1332 passed the house by a vote of 68-0 and the senate by a vote of 34-0. Alaska and Kansas have also passed similar laws.
Erich Pratt, Director of Communications for Gun Owners of America, cheered the governor’s action. “By signing this nullification bill into law, Idaho has joined an elite class of states that are telling the feds to ‘get lost’ — especially when it comes to unconstitutional gun control infringements”
The key text of the legislation provides that:
any official, agent or employee of the state of Idaho or a political subdivision thereof who knowingly and willfully orders an official, agent or employee of the state of Idaho or a political subdivision of the state to enforce any executive order, agency order, law, rule or regulation of the United States government as provided in subsection (2) of this section upon a personal firearm, a firearm accessory or ammunition shall, on a first violation, be liable for a civil penalty not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) which shall be paid into the general fund of the state…
This is fantastic news. States are openly rebelling against federal gun control, and their refusal to cooperate in enforcing it will render it ineffective in many areas. The feds need states to participate in the enforcement of these kinds of laws, because there simply aren’t enough federal resources to do so. If we get enough states on board with this type of legislation, we can beat back federal gun control just by default.
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20. Middle school workbook incorrectly defines the Second Amendment
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The “dumbing down” of students and twisting of our Constitution’s meaning continues. This time in Illinois.
From theblaze.com: http://tinyurl.com/koabutw
Middle School Workbook Reportedly Includes What Could Be the Most Outrageous Definition of the Second Amendment Yet
by Jason Howerton
March 21, 2014
An Illinois father claims a workbook that teaches the Second Amendment comes with a requirement to register firearms was handed out to seventh-graders at Grant Middle School in Springfield, including his own son.
An image posted on the Illinois Gun Owners Rights Facebook page shows a worksheet that defines the Second Amendment as the following:
“This amendment states that people have the right to certain weapons, providing that they register them and they have not been in prison. The founding fathers included this amendment to prevent the United States from acting like the British who had tried to take weapons away from the colonists.”
The parent reportedly spoke anonymously to Storyleak.com and the Examiner about the workbook, which he says includes a summary of the entire Bill of Rights and the Constitution.
“My son was given a workbook at school that is a compilation of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. When they covered the Second Amendment, he saw that they were stating that only ‘certain guns’ could be owned and that they had to be ‘registered,’ which he knew was false,” the parent reportedly said.
The parent says he confronted Grant Middle School officials and told them that they “can’t reword the Constitution to what you think it should be.”
In an email to TheBlaze, the parent, who wishes to remain anonymous, confirmed that his son received the workbook and immediately brought it to his attention.
The following day, the parent says he went to the school and talked to his son’s history teacher and the head of the history department. After a “civil conversation,” he was informed that two teachers no longer with the school created the workbook several years ago, but it has continued to be used. The officials also assured him they are taking his concerns seriously and vowed to “go to the proper people to have it changed.”
“I feel this situation will be resolved, and very soon,” he told TheBlaze.
The Second Amendment as written in the U.S. Constitution states: “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”
The parent said the school is now getting “bombarded with messages” about the material from concerned parents across the country.
Responding to speculation that the information was linked to Common Core, the dad told the Examiner that the workbook was created by two former teachers at Grant Middle School before the controversial national standards were implemented. The workbook, he claims, was only intended for use at the one school.
We made several attempts to contact the school, but it was after hours.
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21. The hypocritical history of CA State Sen. Leland Yee on gun control [VIDEO]
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From washingtonexaminer.com: http://tinyurl.com/m92h3lz
VIDEO: The hypocritical history of California state Sen. Leland Yee on gun control
by Charlie Spiering
March 27, 2014
California state Sen. Leland Yee, a Democrat, has been charged with conspiring to traffic firearms as well as soliciting campaign contributions in exchange for political favors and setting up a deal with international arms dealers.
That shocked Californians, who knew Lee as a staunch advocate of gun control and an opponent of American citizens owning semi-automatic "assault" weapons.
Watch the video above, which features the highlights of his record of support for gun control.
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22. CA lawmaker faces gun, corruption charges
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Member Walter Jackson emailed me this:
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From bigstory.ap.org: http://tinyurl.com/kwm6mvn
CALIFORNIA LAWMAKER FACES GUN, CORRUPTION CHARGES
by Paul Elias and Sudhin Thanawala
March 26, 2014
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A California state senator who authored gun control legislation asked for campaign donations in exchange for introducing an undercover FBI agent to an arms trafficker, according to court documents unsealed Wednesday.
The allegations against Sen. Leland Yee were outlined in an FBI criminal complaint that names 25 other defendants, including Raymond Chow, a onetime gang leader with ties to San Francisco's Chinatown known as "Shrimp Boy," and Keith Jackson, Yee's campaign aide. The affidavit accuses Yee of conspiracy to deal firearms without a license and to illegally import firearms.
Yee is also accused of accepting tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions and cash payments to provide introductions, help a client get a contract and influence legislation. He or members of his campaign staff accepted at least $42,800 in cash or campaign contributions from undercover FBI agents in exchange for carrying out the agents' specific requests, the court documents allege.
Investigators said Yee discussed helping the agent get weapons worth $500,000 to $2.5 million, including shoulder-fired missiles, and explained the entire process of acquiring them from a Muslim separatist group in the Philippines to bringing them to the U.S., according to an affidavit by FBI agent Emmanuel V. Pascua.
Yee said he was unhappy with his life and told the agent he wanted to hide out in the Philippines, the document said. "There's a part of me that wants to be like you," he told the undercover agent. "You know how I'm going to be like you? Just be a free agent there."
The introduction with the trafficker took place at a San Francisco restaurant earlier this month, according to the documents. Yee said he wouldn't go to the Philippines until November.
"Once things start to move, it's going to attract attention. We just got to be extra-extra careful," he said, according to court documents.
Chow and Yee were arrested Wednesday during a series of raids in Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Yee was released from custody shortly before 7 p.m. on a $500,000 unsecured bond. He left the federal courthouse in San Francisco without comment.
His lawyer, Paul DeMeester, said Lee plans to plead not guilty but declined to discuss the case in detail, saying it's complex. The complaint is 137 pages.
"The top priority was to get the senator released, and we were able to accomplish that," DeMeester said. "The future will hold a lot of work facing this case."
Jackson, a former San Francisco school board president and well-known political consultant who raised money for Yee's unsuccessful mayoral run in 2011 and his current bid for secretary of state, remained in custody.
Jackson, 49, did not enter a plea Wednesday as the FBI accused him of being involved in a murder-for-hire scheme and trafficking guns and drugs. He was denied bail and is due back in court Monday.
Yee was shackled at the ankles when he appeared in court Wednesday afternoon with 19 other defendants. His demeanor was downcast, and he looked nervously into the packed gallery.
Yee was charged with six counts of depriving the public of honest services and one count of conspiracy to traffic in guns without a license. If convicted on all the counts, he faces up to 125 years in prison.
Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, flanked by 14 other Democratic senators at a news conference in his Capitol office, called on Yee to resign from the Senate or face suspension.
"Don't burden your colleagues and this great institution with your troubles. Leave," Steinberg said.
According to court documents, Yee performed "official acts" in exchange for donations from undercover FBI agents, as he sought to dig himself out of a $70,000 debt incurred during a failed San Francisco mayoral bid in 2011.
Yee is also accused of accepting $10,000 in January 2013 from an undercover FBI agent in exchange for making a call to the California Department of Public Health in support of a contract it was considering.
The agent who discussed arms with Yee presented himself as a member of Ghee Kung Tong, a fraternal organization in San Francisco's Chinatown that Chow headed. It was among the sites searched Wednesday.
Firefighters were seen going inside with a circular saw and later said they had cracked a safe. FBI agents exited with boxes and trash bags full of evidence that they loaded into an SUV.
Chow is accused of money laundering, conspiracy to receive and transport stolen property, and conspiracy to traffic contraband cigarettes.
He was denied bail because he was deemed a flight risk and a danger to the public. The Department of Homeland Security has been trying to deport Chow, who is not a U.S. citizen, since he was released from prison in 2005.
Yee is the third Democratic state senator in California to face criminal charges this year. Sen. Rod Wright was convicted of perjury and voter fraud for lying about his legal residence in Los Angeles County, and Sen. Ron Calderon has been indicted on federal corruption charges. Wright and Calderon are taking a voluntary leave of absence, with pay, although Republicans have called for them to be suspended or expelled.
Yee, 65, represents western San Francisco and much of San Mateo County. He is best known for his efforts to strengthen open records, government transparency and whistleblower protection laws, including legislation to close a loophole in state public records laws after the CSU Stanislaus Foundation refused to release its $75,000 speaking contract with former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin in 2010.
Yee's arrest came as a shock to Chinese-Americans who see the senator as a pioneering leader in the community and a mainstay of San Francisco politics, said David Lee, director of the Chinese American Voters Education Committee.
"People are waiting to see what happens, and they are hoping for the best, that the charges turn out not to be true," said Lee, whose organization held a get-out-the-vote event with Yee and other officials just last week.
For his efforts to uphold the California Public Records Act, Yee was honored last week by the Northern California chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Yee has at times clashed with fellow Democrats for casting votes of conscience, refusing to support the Democratic budget proposal in 2011 because of its deep cuts to education, social services and education. He also opposed legislation by a fellow Democrat, Assemblyman Paul Fong of Cupertino, that banned the sale of shark fins used for Chinese shark fin soup, saying that it unfairly targeted the Chinese-American community.
Yee is among three Democrats running this year for secretary of state, the office that oversees elections and campaign finance reporting.
A man was charged last year for threatening Yee over legislation that he proposed to limit rapid reloading of assault weapons. Lee also authored legislation that that would have required the state to study safe storage of firearms.
Chow acknowledged in an unpublished autobiography that he ran prostitution rings in the 1980s, smuggled drugs and extorted thousands from business owners as a Chinatown gang member, KGO-TV reported two years ago.
In 1992, he was among more than two dozen people indicted on racketeering charges for their alleged involvement in crimes ranging from teenage prostitution to an international drug trade mostly involving heroin.
Chow was later convicted of gun charges and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. He spent 11 years in prison and was released in 2003 after he cut a deal with the government to testify against another high-ranking associate.
Chow recently has been held up as an example of successful rehabilitation. The Sacramento Bee reported he was praised by U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., in 2012 as a former offender who had become a community asset and Chow was also praised by San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee for his "willingness to give back to the community.”
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23. San Francisco ban on night stand guns upheld
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EM Dave Hicks emailed me this:
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From wsj.com: http://tinyurl.com/ktgse5c
Appeals Court Upholds Mandatory Trigger-Lock, Ban on Hollow Points
by Joe Palazzolo
March 25, 2014
A federal appeals court upheld a San Francisco ordinance that requires handgun owners to keep their weapons locked up or on their person when they are at home.
The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals also blessed part of the city code that prohibits the sale of hollow-point bullets, which expand upon entering a target.
Individual gun owners, the National Rifle Association and the San Francisco Veteran Police Officers Association challenged the ordinances as violations of the Second Amendment.
They argued that the first ordinance, known as section 4512, impeded the ability to defend against intruders, because it requires handguns to be stored in a locked container or fixed with a trigger lock. The ordinance also allows a person to keep a gun on her while at home, but sleeping or bathing while strapped is impractical, they argued.
Here’s what Judge Sandra S. Ikuta, writing for a unanimous three-judge panel, said in response:
The record indicates that a modern gun safe may be opened quickly. Thus, even when a handgun is secured, it may be readily accessed in case of an emergency. Further, section 4512 leaves open alternative channels for self-defense in the home, because San Franciscans are not required to secure their handguns while carrying them on their person. Provided San Franciscans comply with the storage requirements, they are free to use handguns to defend their home while carrying them on their person.
The second ordinance, section 613.10(g), bars the sale of hollow-point bullets, but San Francisco residents can still obtain them outside the city limits and bring them back with them. The purpose of the ordinance, according to San Francisco officials, is to reduce the lethality of ammunition used in the city, but the challengers disputed that hollow points are any more lethal than other types of bullets.
On this score, Judge Ikuta said,
Because section 613.10(g) affects only the sale of hollow-point ammunition, San Franciscans are free to use and possess hollow-point bullets within city limits….Given the availability of alternative means for procuring hollow-point ammunition, section 613.10(g) imposes only modest burdens on the Second Amendment right.
Chuck Michel, a lawyer for the challengers, said he would ask the full Ninth Circuit to review the decision. Failing that, he said he would ask the Supreme Court to take the case.
Mr. Michel said the Ninth Circuit panel gave too much deference to what he described as the city’s “after-the-fact justifications” for the ordinances. “They are saying you don’t have the right to have a gun ready for self-defense. You can only have a gun for self-defense in a few minutes,” Mr. Michel said.
San Francisco mayor’s office didn’t immediately return requests for comment on Tuesday.
The ruling is the second in as many months by the Ninth Circuit on gun regulations. The San Francisco-based court ruled in February that the Second Amendment endows the right to carry a gun outside the home.
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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/]