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. CORRECTION to address for VCDL meeting in Vinton on Tuesday, April 15th
2. Reminder: VCDL membership meeting in Virginia Beach on Wednesday, April 16th
3. VCDL to have a booth at the Preppers festival in New Castle on Saturday, April 19th
4. VCDL membership meeting in Charlottesville on Thursday, May 1
5. VCDL in the news dealing with guns on school property
6. Greta Van Susteren DESTROYS an anti-gun Virginia candidate - absolutely hilarious! [VIDEO]
7. Armed resistance to Feds land grab in Nevada?
8. Obama Administration laying the groundwork for universal gun registration?
9. Fast and forgetful: dozens of ATF guns reportedly lost, stolen
10. US Supreme Court declines to hear gun rights cases
11. Miller: Pressure for Supreme Court to take up Drake case
12. Concealed-weapons laws have changed America regardless of gun control debate
13. Why we always recommend carrying with a round in the chamber [VIDEO]
14. Pediatricians' group recommends screening kids for depression, removing guns
15. [CA] Hero clerk body slams armed suspect in robbery attempt [VIDEO]
16. Second Amendment and a well regulated militia
17. [TN] How gun control helped a stalker kill my husband
18. [NY] Another case where gun registration leads to gun confiscation
19. Another billionaire joins Bloomberg and Soros in pushing for gun control
20. [IL] Op: Careful. Maybe he's carrying a concealed gun
21. [CA] Santa Barbara College student violently beaten and gang raped [VIDEO]
22. [CA] Concealed-weapons ruling challenged
23. [WA] 11-year-old girl shoots cougar to save brother
24. China vows severe punishment for station attackers
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1. CORRECTION to address for VCDL meeting in Vinton on Tuesday, April 15th
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The wrong street name was given for the meeting in Vinton on Tuesday. It should be Virginia Ave., not Washington Ave.
Thanks to member Wayne L. Austin for catching our mistake!VCDL will have a supper meeting on Tuesday, April 15 at:
Famous Anthony's Restaurant;
323 East Virginia Ave,
Vinton, VA
Fellowship starts at 6:30 pm, with orders taken from the menu at 7 pm.
The VCDL President will address the meeting on current events that will shape the road ahead for gun owners.
Please RSVP to al@vcdl.org so that there will be sufficient seating and wait staff. There will be door prizes and free tickets will be given out when you register at the VCDL table on check in.
Separately, we will also have the drawing for a REMINGTON MODEL 870 SHOTGUN which was donated to VCDL by:
Sportsman Warehouse
3550 Ferncliff Ave. NW
Roanoke, VA 24017
This meeting is open to the public. Please join us!
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2. Reminder: VCDL membership meeting in Virginia Beach on Wednesday, April 16th
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VCDL will have a membership meeting on Wednesday, April 16, in Virginia Beach at:
Virginia Beach Orberndorf Central Library
Auditorium
4100 Virginia Beach Boulevard
Virginia Beach, VA 23452
Fellowship starts at 6:30 PM and the meeting is called to order at 7 PM and runs until 8:30 PM.
The meeting is open to the public, so bring your friends, family and co-workers. As a public library, carry is allowed.
Thanks to Carl Bare for making the arrangements.
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3. VCDL to have a booth at the Preppers festival in New Castle on Saturday, April 19th
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The town of New Castle will have a Preppers Festival on April 19, from 10 am to 3 pm and VCDL will be there! Come and learn how to prepare for emergencies.
This event will be held downtown on Main Street. There will be lots of displays, workshops, demonstrations, and vendors - about 70 in all!
SAFESIDE TACTICAL has donated an AR15 for one of the raffles and there will be numerous prizes given away! Come join us for lessons in preparedness and a fun event!
Interested in helping VCDL at this event? Contact AL at al@vcdl.com. (This is but one of SEVEN events in New Castle this summer.)
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4. VCDL membership meeting in Charlottesville on Thursday, May 1
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VCDL will have a membership meeting in Charlottesville on Thursday, May 1. It is being held at the Rivanna Rifle and Pistol Club (RRPC) clubhouse.
Dinner will be served starting at 6:30 pm and the meeting called to order at 7 pm.
We will discuss the activities of the General Assembly as well as other current events. The meeting is open to the public, you need not be a member of VCDL or RRPC to attend. In fact, it is an excellent opportunity to find out more about both organizations! Please bring your friends and neighbors.
We will begin with a potluck dinner at 6:30 pm followed immediately by the meeting. The main course and drinks will be provided. Please bring a dish if you are able. If you can't bring a dish, please don't let that stop you from attending the dinner, we always have plenty! If you are joining us for dinner please let us know by emailing Pat.Webb@VCDL.org. Put the number attending dinner in the subject line (i.e. 2 for dinner 5/1). There is no need to RSVP if you are only attending the meeting.
Address: 1570 Old Lynchburg Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903
Map: http://tinyurl.com/qhb6q6x
RSVP: Pat.Webb@vcdl.org
We hope to see you there! Once again we offer our thanks to RRPC for their continued hospitality!
Also, thanks to EM Pat Webb for arranging the meeting.
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5. VCDL in the news dealing with guns on school property
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The VA-ALERT item last week that had my response to a high school principal's email misstating a Virginia gun law has gotten quite a bit of media attention here in Central Virginia. This turned out to be a great opportunity to educate Richmond area gun owners on their rights when it comes to having a gun in their vehicle while on K-12 school property.
Here is coverage from the Richmond area:
From timesdispatch.com: http://tinyurl.com/kjgkbbr
From nbc12.com: http://tinyurl.com/jvhodwk
From wric.com: http://tinyurl.com/lgzeyj3
My interview on the Jeff Katz show on WRVA, AM 1140, here in Richmond:
From 1140wrva.com: http://tinyurl.com/l6d578w
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6. Greta Van Susteren DESTROYS an anti-gun Virginia candidate - absolutely hilarious! [VIDEO]
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A Democratic candidate running for Congress in Virginia's 7th District gets flattened. Hes an outspoken intolerant anti-liberty bigot, who likes to talk about how politicians should always be truthful about who they are.
At one point in the video Lawyer Greta Van Susteren gets a glint in her eye, a sly smile, and asks a question for which she already knows the answer. Without even hearing candidate Mike Dickinsons answer, I knew that he was toast. Greta caught Mr. Dickinson flat footed in a lie about who HE really is. He then tries to double-down on his original point that candidates (other than himself, obviously) should be honest about what they believe and who they are. As hes being crushed into submission, I can just imagine his brain screaming at him: Stick to the talking points! Stick to the talking points! and so he does.
Hats off to Greta!
From theblaze.com: http://tinyurl.com/mg2vkna
P.S. Mr. Dickinson has apparently lost all of his campaign staff, as they realize what a piece of work he is.
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7. Armed resistance to Feds land grab in Nevada?
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The Federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Nevada stirred up a hornets nest when they tried to confiscate the cattle of a long-time rancher. This act stirred up local citizens, who believe that the BLM has overstepped its authority.
Video posted on the internet shows BLM officers using dogs and tasers against the ranchers son (who was never arrested for anything) and others, none of who were armed.
Things got hot over this very fast, with armed militia groups from surrounding states headed to Nevada to protect the rancher and his cattle from a government they feel is overreaching.
Fortunately, BLM backed down and released the cattle.
Interesting that most of the mainstream media was silent on all of this.
Is this situation now over? I hope so, but I doubt it.
Links (NOTE: This is for informational use only. VCDL is not agreeing or disagreeing with opinions express in the videos and statements below):
Video showing dogs attacking and the use of tasers by BML. One can also see how tense things were getting there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhJ6H9vlEDA
Here is a detailed evaluation of the use of dogs and tasers. Looks like using a taser against a rancher is not a good idea, as the ranchers son simply pulled the taser out of his chest, almost unfazed somehow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhKIddR_x8U
BLMs statement on stopping the cattle round up:
http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo/blm ... attle.html
Another point of view on the end of the cattle round up with photos of the stand off:
From naturalnews.com: http://tinyurl.com/l5j9fov
Powerful video from infowars.com showing citizens standing their ground against the BLM and BLM making a retreat by literally walking backwards:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD61YFxUga4#t=252
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8. Obama Administration laying the groundwork for universal gun registration?
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Gun Owners of America keeps a close eye on Federal issues and has an alert item on smart (stupid) guns and an attempt at universal gun registration. There is a link where you can send a message to your Congressman, as well:
http://gunowners.org/alert4102014.htm
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9. Fast and forgetful: dozens of ATF guns reportedly lost, stolen
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Member Wales Watkins emailed me this:
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From foxnews.com: http://tinyurl.com/pnknxls
Fast and Forgetful: Dozens of ATF guns reportedly lost, stolen
February 26, 2014
ATF agents are losing track of their government-issued firearms, according to a new report, with records showing multiple instances where officers forgot their guns after leaving them on top of cars, in bathrooms and in automobile glove compartments.
The incidents were catalogued in a report Wednesday by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Internal records obtained by the newspaper reportedly show ATF agents had their guns lost or stolen at least 45 times between 2009 and 2013.
But the ATF sharply disputed the report, with a spokeswoman telling FoxNews.com that many of the lost weapons were later recovered.
Spokeswoman Ginger Colbrun said that of the 19 firearms lost -- as opposed to stolen -- between 2009 and 2013, 13 were "recovered shortly after they were reported lost." Further, she said the cases have "significantly declined," with only loss of a firearm reported last year. With nearly 2,400 agents on the force, she noted the percentage of lost or stolen firearms was less than 1 percent.
"ATF has a stringent firearms and weapons policy for properly securing and storing firearms for which its almost 2,400 agents must adhere," she said.
Though most of the lost weapons were handguns, the newspaper reported that at least two were assault rifles. [PVC: And Ill bet they were REAL assault rifles - fully-automatic machine guns.] The report detailed two incidents where agents left their guns on the roof of a car. One Illinois agent placed his Smith & Wesson on top of his car while dropping off his children at a soccer game, and drove away. The gun was later found on an off-ramp.
Another North Dakota agent left his gun on his car roof and forgot about it, until his daughter drove the car to a friend's house, according to the article. The gun was never found.
In yet another incident, two boys in Iowa reportedly found an ATF gun in a storm drain. Only then did the responsible agent tell investigators he had misplaced the gun.
According to the report, the ATF has a bigger problem with lost or stolen weapons than other federal law enforcement agencies. The newspaper previously reported on a questionable operation in Milwaukee during which an ATF machine gun was stolen from an agent's truck in 2012. All these incidents are separate from the discontinued Operation Fast and Furious, which allowed hundreds of guns to be sold and carried into Mexico as part of an anti-trafficking sting.
ATF guns are supposed to be stored in "secured, locked locations" when not being carried by the agents. The Journal Sentinel reported that ATF has reduced the minimum punishment for the first-time loss of weapons from three days of unpaid suspension to one day -- supposedly to encourage agents to quickly report such losses.
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10. US Supreme Court declines to hear gun rights cases
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Member Wales Watkins emailed me this:
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From jurist.org: http://tinyurl.com/kvktzly
US Supreme Court declines to hear gun rights cases
by Daniel Mullen
February 24, 2014
[JURIST] The US Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear rule on three new petitions that address the scope of the Second Amendment of the Constitution. The Supreme Court denied the petitions, two of which were filed by the National Rifle Association (NRA), without opinion. In NRA v. Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld a law prohibiting federally licensed gun dealers from selling handguns to anyone under the age of 21. In NRA v. McCraw, the Fifth Circuit affirmed a Texas statutory scheme that prohibits 18-20-year-olds from carrying firearms in public. Finally, in Lane v. Holder, the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit held that the plaintiffs lacked standing to challenge a federal regulation restricting interstate transfers of hand guns. Paul Clement, who filed one of the appeals on behalf of the NRA, expressed frustration that the Supreme Court has been reluctant to hear Second Amendment cases since 2008, when it struck down a Washington, DC, gun ban in District of Columbia v. Heller.
Following the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, a number of states enacted restrictive gun control laws, many of which have been litigated in federal court. In January a federal district court in Connecticut upheld the constitutionality of the state's new gun control law. That same month a federal judge in Illinois struck down part of Chicago's gun ordinance banning the licensed sale of firearms in the city. Also in January a federal judge in New York upheld most of state's new gun control law, among the most restrictive in the country, but struck down a provision prohibiting owners to load more than seven rounds into a magazine. In May 2013 a group of Colorado County Sheriffs filed a federal law suit challenging a series of gun control laws signed into law in the aftermath of the mass shooting at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado.
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11. Miller: Pressure for Supreme Court to take up Drake case
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Its time for the Supreme Court to rule that states must allow for some kind of carry outside of the home.
Member Walter Jackson emailed me this:
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From washingtontimes.com: http://tinyurl.com/jwc5an7
MILLER: Pressure for Supreme Court to take up Drake case and rule on concealed carry laws for nation
Split between 9th Circuit in California and 3rd Circuit New Jersey cases
By Emily Miller-The Washington Times
February 26, 2014
John Drake just wants to legally carry a gun to defend himself in New Jersey since he has been chased by robbers after refilling ATMs with thousands of dollars in cash. His application for a concealed carry permit was denied because the state does not consider self-defense a justifiable need.
Mr. Drake is taking his case all the way to the Supreme Court. If the high court decides to hear it, the ruling could change the laws related to the individuals right to bear arms from coast to coast.
After retiring from Sprint, Mr. Drake decided to buy 50 ATMs to put in stores, some of which are in high-crime areas. He generally carries about $30,000 in $20 bills to fill up 10 machines at one time. He was sneaking the cash under his shirt and racing in and out of the stores but has still been pursued by criminals to his car three times.
In 2010, the lifelong gun owner and hunter decided to go through all the requirements for a permit to defend himself while on the job.
The state rejected the application, stating that Mr. Drake failed to establish that an urgent necessity for self protection as evidenced by prior specific threats or previous attacks demonstrating a special danger to your life.
Mr. Drake told me in an interview that, If the New Jersey state police application reviewers used good old common sense, theyd have seen it was pretty obvious I had justifiable need for a permit. But they are saying no to just about everybody who applies.
Hes right. New Jersey has a population of 7 million, but fewer than about 1,200 people have carry permits and that includes retired law enforcement and armored car drivers.
He filed suit, backed by the Second Amendment Foundation whose attorney Alan Gura is representing him and a co-plaintiff, the Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs.
Mr. Drake said that public awareness of this case really took off about two weeks ago when the National Rifle Association (NRA) filed an amicus curiae brief with the Supreme Court in support of Drake v. Jerejian.
The case also got national attention when 34 members of Congress and 19 state attorneys general jumped in this month, writing to the court that significant splits of authority have developed in state and federal courts in determining allowable limitations to having a gun outside the home.
Most recently, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned San Diegos extremely restrictive carry-permit process.
Mr. Gura filed a supplemental brief with the Supreme Court on Tuesday to highlight the decision in Peruta v. San Diego to strike down Californias good cause requirement.
The lawyer wrote that the ruling made clear that, Excluding the constitutional self-defense interest from the good cause required to carry handguns does not merely burden the Second Amendment right, but destroys it.
In addition, the 7th Circuit ruled in December 2012 that the total ban on carry in Illinois was unconstitutional, which forced the legislature to rewrite the law.
On the flip side, five appeals courts have ruled that the citizens have to justify essentially a life or death need to carry a gun, including the 4th Circuit for Maryland, the 2nd Circuit for New York and, of course, the 3rd Circuit for New Jersey.
There are currently eight states that are considered may issue which means a permit applicant has to prove a pressing need to carry a firearm outside the home including Maryland, New York and California. (The District of Columbia does not allow anyone to carry a gun outside the home, except the bad guys.)
In practice, it is virtually impossible to get a concealed carry permit in these states.
On Monday, the Supreme Court declined to consider two NRA cases, one of which (NRA v. McCraw) would have presented an opportunity to rule on carry rights.
However, many legal experts believe the court will take a case on this issue at some point, as a split among the circuit courts continues to develop.
Alan Gottlieb is the founder of the Second Amendment Foundation. I think, no matter what, that now the odds are really in our favor for them to hear Drake, he told me. The California ruling and the Richards case, which the 9th Circuit will also rule our way any day now, creates a really big split that cant be ignored.
(Richards v. Prieto is another California carry case that Mr. Gottliebs organization filed against Yolo County that the 9th Circuit heard on the same day as the San Diego case.)
While Mr. Drake originally sued for himself, he has become more motivated by the principle.
Look, I could get rid of the machines or move to Pennsylvania. But it aint right that we have to prove a need, he explained. States can change speed limits or taxes, but there are certain inalienable rights in the amendments that should not be abridged. It should be the same rule everywhere in the country.
The Supreme Court will likely decide by summer if it will take up Drake in the fall session.
Its time for the justices to insist that American citizens in all 50 states and D.C. have the fundamental right to carry guns outside the home for self-defense without arbitrary restrictions set by anti-gun politicians.
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12. Concealed-weapons laws have changed America regardless of gun control debate
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Member James Durso emailed me this:
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From washingtonexaminer.com: http://tinyurl.com/l67a5l6
Concealed-weapons laws have changed America regardless of national debate on gun control
by Michael Barone
February 25, 2014
Over the last 25 years, we have had related national debates over proposed federal gun-control laws designed to restrict access to certain firearms. But only one piece of major legislation has passed Congress, in the 1994 crime bill, and the electoral backlash against many of its supporters in the 1994 midterm elections convinced many Democrats inclined to support such restrictions to try to sidestep the issue.
But Congress and the laws it passes are not the only determinants of facts on the ground. Starting with a Florida law in 1987, most states have passed concealed weapons laws, allowing law-abiding citizens who have had relevant training to obtain licenses to carry concealed weapons. Such laws have been supplemented by court decisions covering a few states since the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Heller v. District of Columbia in 2008, which recognized that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to keep and bear arms.
The result has been that over the years the entire nation has become carry-concealed-weapons territory, as shown in a neat graphic in a Volokh Conspiracy blog post by Dave Kopel. Back in 1987, some people, myself included, worried that such laws would lead to frequent shootouts on the streets arising from traffic altercations and the like. That has not happened -- something we can be sure of since the mainstream media would be delighted to headline such events.
To the contrary, violent crime rates have declined drastically during the last quarter-century. I dont think you can prove that concealed-weapons laws caused that result, but they have probably contributed to it, because would-be criminals are less likely to assault people they believe might be armed. In any case the argument that concealed-weapons laws would lead to more violent crime has been about as thoroughly refuted as an argument can be.
One lesson, I think, is that responsible citizens tend to behave like responsible citizens, even if or perhaps especially if theyre armed. Another lesson is that the national political dialogue can be totally irrelevant to what really happens in American life.
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13. Why we always recommend carrying with a round in the chamber [VIDEO]
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Member Walter Jackson emailed me this:
The link below contains 3 videos.
WARNING: The second video is "GRAPHIC" (robbery and murder).
From concealednation.org: http://tinyurl.com/ku6zxqo
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14. Pediatricians' group recommends screening kids for depression, removing guns
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Disarm an entire household because one person has a mental disorder? Oh, I dont think so.
Member Rick Evans emailed me this:
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Securing guns in households with young kids is a no-brainer, and screenings for mental disorders might seem reasonable on the surface. But who gets to decide the threshold at which point the 'depression' of an individual occupant warrants gun confiscation for the entire household? And even if that threshold seems 'reasonable' when first implemented, what's to keep it from being incrementally manipulated from one that is medically prudent to one that is largely just another weapon of an anti-gun-agenda?
From thinkprogress.org: http://tinyurl.com/mmcn59v
National Pediatricians Group Recommends Screening Kids For Depression, Removing Guns From Homes
by Sy Mukherjee
February 25, 2014
A national group of pediatricians is recommending that all children aged 11 to 21 should get screened for depression along with their annual physical checkup. [PVC: 18-21 year olds are CHILDREN? That explains how they intentionally inflate the number of CHILDREN dying from gunshots by including teenagers and young adults in the numbers.] The revised preventative care guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) also advise parents of children who are diagnosed with depression and at risk for suicide to remove any firearms and ammunition from their homes.
Doctors from around the world have long advised mental health screenings as a way of catching serious behavioral disorders before they spiral out of control. Unfortunately, most people dont address mental health issues until they are drastically interfering with their lives, said Dr. Nizar El-Khalili, medical director of an Indiana clinic, in a 2013 interview with the Detroit Free Press. If they were just more aware of mental health from the start, problems could be avoided long before it complicates their lives and costs them thousands of dollars.
Under the new AAP guidelines, pediatricians should screen children for serious signs of depression and refer them to a social worker or specialist if they find cause for concern. About one in five American children is at risk for a mental health disorder, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), including 1.2 million children between the ages of three and 17 who grapple with depression.
Doctors are also advised to broach the topic of gun ownership for children who do suffer from depression. In fact, the new guidelines state that simply locking up a gun isnt enough to ensure childrens safety the firearms or ammunition should be removed from the residence entirely.
Indeed, people with serious mental problems are at a considerably increased risk for suicide. A recent study published in the journal Pediatrics found that injuries from firearms send 7,000 kids to the ER every year and that 3,000 children die from gunshot wounds before they can receive appropriate care. A separate 2013 study found that just a one percent increase in gun ownership in a household led to anywhere between a 0.5 percent and 0.9 percent increase in suicides.
This isnt the first time AAP has taken a stand on gun violence prevention. The group has repeatedly warned that firearms pose one of the biggest public health risks to children. To mark the one-year anniversary of the Sandy Hook tragedy, AAP sent a letter to Congress urging stricter gun safety laws.
This should not be a political issue. Gun violence is a public health issue that profoundly affects children and their families, said AAP president Dr. Thomas K. McInerny in a statement. We know what works strong laws to enforce background checks and safe storage. But our elected leaders need to find a way forward to protect our children. [PVC: So its for the children, huh? Baloney.]
A new report from the Center for American Progress (CAP) found that, if current trends hold, gun violence will surpass car accidents as the leading cause of death among young people by 2015.
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15. [CA] Hero clerk body slams armed suspect in robbery attempt [VIDEO]
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Member Bill Albritton emailed me this:
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From foxnews.com: http://tinyurl.com/odqe4yq
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16. Second Amendment and a well regulated militia
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From virginiafreecitizen.com: http://tinyurl.com/mkmqo28
Second Amendment and a Well Regulated Militia
February 22, 2014
America knows that one great obstacle this criminal administration is trying to get over is the disarming of the American people. If it is not President Barack Hussein Obama blaming the American people for the crimes he and his administration are responsible for committing in Mexico, then it is his sidekick, Attorney General Eric Holder, trying to teach the media to brainwash Americas young.
In concert they have an ally and fellow minion, the relentless criminal from New York, former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is assaulting the second amendment rights of those in other states within our union.
If only the American people would take the time to pull back the curtain on these criminals, we would find that they are neck deep in crimes against We the People. We would find that we have an outlaw wanting to rule the law abiders by any means necessary.
The Second Amendment 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 [broken, violated].
There are certain criminal politicians that know they cannot get through the front door, so they attempt to come through in another way namely, through their own interpretation. They say that it is only for the militia to bear arms. We are also told (through the state-run media, of course) that our modern-day military is the militia.
But are they really? Who are the militia? Arent they we the people?
Congress has no power to disarm the militia.
Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birthright of an American. [T]he unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments, but, where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people.
Tenche Coxe, Delegate for Pennsylvania to the Continental Congress, The Pennsylvania Gazette, Feb. 20, 1788.
Instead of highlighting dictators and their deceptive methods in disarming their people right before a mass genocide, lets take look at what some of our Founding Fathers said about guns, the average citizens right to own them and who the militia really was and is.
John Adams:
Arms in the hands of the citizens may be used at individual discretion for the defense of the country, the overthrow of tyranny or private self-defense.
Thomas Jefferson:
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.
George Mason:
When the resolution of enslaving America was formed in Great Britain, the British Parliament was advised by an artful man, who was governor of Pennsylvania, to disarm the people; that it was the best and most effectual way to enslave them; but that they should not do it openly, but weaken them, and let them sink gradually
The people have a Right to mass and to bear arms; that a well Regulated militia composed of the Body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper natural and safe defense of a free State.
He goes on, I ask, who are the militia? They consist now of the whole people.
Friends, our forefathers did not arm the American people for the purpose of hunting, but rather to protect themselves from those who were doing the hunting: namely in their time, the tyrant King George.
The Second Amendment is only to vouchsafe our right to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and to ensure all of the other rights given unto us by our Creator. The wisdom of the framers of the Constitution is found consistent with lessons from the Bible that they used as their bedrock for civil law. The peoples individual protection should always be a primary concern for a government of the people.
In a righteous country, self-government reigns by the constraint of Christian morals. The civil government that desires such a monopoly of force (i.e. they are the only ones with guns) is a threat to the lives, liberty and property of its citizens. This government ceases to be of and for the people.
President George Washington said:
From the hour the Pilgrims landed, to the present day, events, occurrences and tendencies prove that to insure peace, security and happiness, the rifle and pistol are equally indispensable the very atmosphere of firearms everywhere restrains evil interference they deserve a place of honor with all that is good.
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17. [TN] How gun control helped a stalker kill my husband
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Nikki Goeser continues her fight to get rid of gun-free zones, like the one that cost her dearly - the life of her husband.
Member Jim Dinger emailed me this:
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This article comes right from the heart of a widow who lost her husband in a "Gun Free Zone" while complying with the law that cost him his life.
From foxnews.com: http://tinyurl.com/p84xofx
How gun control helped a stalker kill my husband
by Nicole Goeser
February 25, 2014
In April 2009, my husband was shot six times in front of me in the middle of a busy restaurant by a man who was stalking me. I have a permit to carry a handgun but because of the law at that time in my home state of Tennessee, I had to leave the gun that I normally carried for self defense, locked in my car that night.
My husband Ben and I ran our mobile karaoke business out of a restaurant that served alcohol and my gun was forbidden there. I obeyed the law but my stalker, who was carrying a gun illegally, ignored it.
I noticed my stalker (a former karaoke customer) in the crowd that night and I knew something was not right. This was a man that I had blocked from my social network account due to inappropriate messages he had sent me.
He had never threatened me or my husband but he was definitely creepy.
My husband Ben had asked him to leave me alone before he showed up at this venue where I had never seen him before.
I realized at that point I was being stalked.
I asked the management at the restaurant to remove him. When they approached him and asked him to leave, he pulled out a .45 semi-auto and shot Ben. He then stood over him and continued to fire five more rounds into my husband.
I could only watch in horror and helplessness.
Since that terrible night I have learned that gun free zones are a predator's playground. This is where my stalker found us and where we were defenseless.
We all have a fight or flight response when we sense danger. We make decisions based on the options we have at that moment. Decisions must sometimes be made in a matter of seconds.
My only option that night was flight. Fight was not something I would have been able to follow through with because I was denied that chance. That basic human right was taken from me by a Legislature that unintentionally helped a predator hunt down his prey.
I hope that lawmakers around the nation will begin to understand that when you disarm law abiding citizens, you do not help protect law abiding citizens. Instead, you actually make it easier for those with evil intentions to be met with no little or no resistance.
In one way, I was lucky on the night my husband was shot and killed -- and so was everyone else in the restaurant. A United States Marine happened to be in the crowd, he tackled the man who killed my husband and held him until the police came.
I have been told the police arrived within 3 minutes after getting the 911 call. I can tell you that when something so terrible is happening to yourself or someone you love, even three minutes seems like an eternity. The familiar saying "when seconds count, the police are only minutes away" is very true.
I respect law enforcement. They have a very difficult job but even they know they cannot be anywhere and everywhere at anytime.
The majority of rank and file police officers I have spoken with support right to carry laws. They would much rather find an innocent person with a smoking gun and a dead bad guy than the other way around.
Unfortunately, most law enforcement officers fear speaking out in support of right to carry laws for fear of retaliation by their superiors, who, more often than not, are attuned to politics and not inclined to support self defense laws.
Then there are those who fear gun permit holders might do something wrong with a gun or hurt an innocent bystander.
I personally am more concerned about a bad guy shooting indiscriminately with no regard for innocent life rather than a permit holder who has had state certified training and fears criminal and civil penalties. Those penalties act as very real deterrents for good people. Less than one percent of permit holders ever do anything wrong with a gun. I can't think of any segment of society that is more law abiding.
It's time for law abiding people, who have taken proper legal measures to provide for their own self defense, to be allowed to carry a gun to places where they have a right to be present.
Evil can visit us anywhere. Signs posted on doors declaring "no guns allowed" do nothing to protect any of us.
Since my husband's murder, the law has been changed in the state of Tennessee. Handgun carry permit holders can now carry their guns into establishments that serve alcohol -- as long as they are not drinking alcohol and as long as the establishment has not posted a "no guns allowed" SIGN.
At least this gives law abiding citizens the ability to try to protect themselves. A right that my husband, Ben and I were tragically denied on the night he died.
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18. [NY] Another case where gun registration leads to gun confiscation
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Another sad tale from a part of this country where freedom is severely restricted -- New York.
Member Walter Jackson emailed me this:
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From bulletsfirst.net: http://tinyurl.com/orh642c
Another case where Gun Registration leads to Gun Confiscation
by bulletsfirst
February 28, 2014
As a child, I remember watching the movie Red Dawn starring Patrick Swayze and C. Thomas Howell.
The thing about that movie that really hit a chord with me was a scene when the Soviets had just landed and the commander told one of his lieutenants to go to the gun shops for they would have a list of all the guns owned by the people, thus making it easier for the Soviets to round them up.
Now, while a work of fiction, the concept is sound. If you make a list of everyone who has a gun, its easier for an oppressive authority to confiscate them when they dont want you to have them.
Unfortunately in America, this is not limited to the realm of fiction.
I have spoken about he jackbooted thuggery of New Orleans Police when they went out and forcibly confiscated guns from citizens in the city during the wake of Hurricane Katrina, but those were innocent people.
Today Im going to highlight a story about a guilty person. The reason guilty is in quotation marks will become clear.
On October 12th, 2013 Paul Wojdan of Lockport City, NY was arrested and the police looked on his pistol permit and saw it had six guns on it so they went to his house and confiscated all of his firearms.
Gun controllers would say this was a victory for the system, a dangerous criminal had his firearms seized etc etc.
But in order to get the full story one needs to look at Mr. Wojdans crime.
Wojdan was a passenger in his wifes car. She was speeding, doing 44 in a 30 mph zone. The car was pulled over and a pair of officers started asking questions. They asked Paul if there was any weapons in the car. He answered that his legally owned and licensed 9mm Ruger handgun was in the glove compartment and his pistol permit was in the center console.
The officers then pulled both Wojdan and his wife from the car and rummaged through it, retrieving the permit and confiscating the pistol.
At that point they unloaded the pistol (for police safety) and went to cross reference the serial numbers on the permit with those on the pistol.
(Remember, as of yet, NO crime has been committed save for Mrs. Wojdan being a little heavy with the gas pedal)
With the magazine out of the pistol the officers decided that they would empty that as well in order to count the number of bullets.
Keep in mind this is New York and at the time of the arrest with the asinine SAFE Act, a 10 round magazine was legal yet the SAFE Act dictated that only 7 rounds were permissible to be in it.
The cops unloaded the magazine, counted to ten and then arrested Paul Wojdan.
After the arrest, the officers just simply looked down at the Wojdans permit, knew exactly how many more firearms he had and went to his house and confiscated them too.
Now, was Wojdan guilty by the letter of the law? Yep. Of course the actions of the police officers were clear violations of Wojdans 4th Amendment rights and thus dictate that he should never have been arrested in the first place. A viewpoint shared by Lockport City Judge William J Watson who threw out the arrest this passed Wednesday.
Watson ruled that the officers had no right to unload the bullets from the gun and count them and that in doing so Wojdans freedom from illegal searches was violated. That ruling was necessary because even after Chief U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny ruled that the 7 round limit was unconstitutional on Dec. 31st 2013, Niagara county Prosecutors still pursued the case against Wojdan. Note that, they were still charging him with a crime that NO LONGER EXISTED.
But lets get back to that confiscation. This case proves that the State can make nonsensical laws that make innocent people criminals and on the basis of that can use the registration list to know what needs to be confiscated.
Think about it, they (the controllers) can supe up jaywalking into a First Degree misdemeanor based on the rationale that it is an anarchistic attack on societys decorum. That speeding is a terroristic threat to other drivers. That playing music too loudly is an act of war against your neighbors I mean, its what the US Army did to Noreiga in Panama to force his surrender and controllers are all against military type things in the hands of civilians.
Hence, non crimes can be used to abuse the innocent, the governement will then seize all your weapons for the good of the state. And it wont be hard for them, I mean THEY HAVE A LIST.
As for Mr. Wojdan; after having all the charges for a crime that doesnt exist anymore dismissed, did he get his firearms back? Nope.
They are STILL in police custody.
Wojdans attorney, James Tresmond, has to file a motion with the Niagara County Judge Niagara County Judge Matthew J. Murphy III to have them returned. The same Niagara County whose District Attorney maliciously prosecuted him in the first place.
There is no valid reason for Wojdans property not to be returned to him immediately upon the charges against him being dismissed. The current theft of his property, because until the firearms are returned that is exactly what this is, by Niagara County is a clear violation of Wojdans 5th Amendment Rights, for he is being denied his property for no legal reason.
Wojdan is having his civil rights violated because the court can take its sweet time in returning his firearms. It is no different than being found innocent in a trial yet having to remain in jail while they sort it all out.
Once again, registration has led directly to an innocent man losing ALL his firearms because the government had a list, used it to confiscate them, and now wont easily give them back.
Registration must be fought at every turn for there is no reason for its existence BUT for the eventual confiscation of all firearms.
Molon labe, bullets first.
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19. Another billionaire joins Bloomberg and Soros in pushing for gun control
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The other side has a few rich contributors like money bags Bloomberg, but they dont have the hearts and minds of the People.
Why does the other side have these rich donors? Im willing to bet that those donors are all control freaks, and love the word control in gun control."
Rick Evans emailed me this:
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This fight is going to get a lot more expensive ...
From johnrlott.blogspot.com: http://tinyurl.com/mds556t
Jim Steyer: Another billionaire joins Michael Bloomberg and George Soros in pushing for gun control
by John Lott
February 24, 2014
From Politico:
...The biggest potential asset Jim Steyer brings to partnership is his link to the grassroots. Nearly a million parents and 145,000 teachers subscribe to ratings services he runs to assess the quality of childrens TV programs, video games and educational apps.
Jim Steyer sees them as an untapped political force. And he intends to mobilize them. Kids deserve a voice as powerful as the NRA is for gun owners, as powerful as the AARP is for seniors, he said, and we are going to deliver that. ...
Despite his loyalty to the Clintons, Steyer has tried to remain nonpartisan in recent decades to protect the integrity of his nonprofits. A registered independent, he says with pride that he does not donate to political candidates. Ever.
Told that campaign finance records show he made a $2,300 donation to Hillary Clinton in 2007, he falls uncharacteristically silent for a moment. Must be from his wife, he says.
But its in his name.
Hillary? he asks. Another pause. OK, he says finally, sounding sheepish. One time. By mistake. (The records also show a contribution to John Kerry in 2002, but no other state or federal donations.) ...
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20. [IL] Op: Careful. Maybe he's carrying a concealed gun
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An excellent op-ed for those who are new to freedom in Illinois, now that they have shall issue carry permits.
From chicagotribune.com: http://tinyurl.com/nxjooe4
Careful. Maybe he's carrying a concealed gun
by Gary Rogaliner
February 27, 2014
Recently, I completed the classroom portion of the new Illinois concealed carry licensing requirement. I then traveled to the firing range with my classmates and passed the live-fire training by destroying a practice target with 30 rounds of 9 mm ammunition fired from three distances. Having had my fingerprints and a recent picture of myself scanned into the Illinois State Police database, completing the online registration form and paying my fee, I submitted my application. In 90 days or less I expect to receive my concealed carry permit and will be able to legally carry a loaded firearm on my person when I leave my house. Will I actually carry my gun when I go to the coffee shop or grocery store or wherever? Maybe, maybe not. You'll never know and that is the point.
Why did I go to all of the trouble and expense to exercise my legal right to arm myself? Because I can? Because I'm a rebel? Because it makes me feel tough and "macho" to be "packing heat"? Not really. I'm just your "average Joe," not threatening and with no point to prove. I'm also a 63-year-old captain for a major airline who has had, for many years, the authority to carry a gun in my cockpit as a licensed federal flight deck officer. Do I carry my gun in my cockpit? Again, hopefully, you'll never know.
If one were to be so foolish as to try and break into my cockpit or actually succeed, would that person then be looking down the barrel of one or possibly two guns? Actually that person might not be given the time to assess that possibility since he or she would or could be dead on arrival. If one were to attempt to commit an armed robbery of me in a parking garage in the Loop, would I reach into my pocket to retrieve my wallet as demanded or would I produce my Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .380 semi-automatic handgun?
These are some things a would-be terrorist or everyday mugger should consider. The deterrent nature of armed pilots has no doubt made airline flying safer. With the new reality of potentially armed civilians, a similar deterrent effect would or should be a factor in a potential mugger's mind. Without getting into (disputed) statistics, gun crime has not increased (because of concealed carry laws) in the 49 other states that have allowed concealed carry for years. Finally, if a criminal is intent on pulling a gun on me or my family, having a concealed gun gives me another option on how to respond.
Carrying a loaded gun is a tremendous responsibility and is not to be taken lightly. In aviation, pilots routinely "hangar fly." That is we sit, think and visualize in our minds about potential, unusual scenarios involving weather or mechanical problems and how to react correctly to complete the flight safely. We also practice dealing with irregularities and emergencies in flight simulators. Likewise, a responsible gun carrier should visualize and consider potential conflicts and have a plan so as not to be taken by complete surprise.
What I've been trying to explain is the concept of deterrence and how the concealed carry law in Illinois might actually help lower crime statistics, especially gun crimes. As more and more law-abiding citizens become armed (more than 15,000 applications have been received from Dec. 18, 2013, through Jan. 8, according to the ISP), word will get out to potential muggers, thieves, burglars, et al.
The playing field will be leveled.
Deterrence is powerful.
So, when you see me walking down the street will you see a graying old geezer ripe for a mugging or someone prepared, willing and capable of blowing you away if you threaten my life? To quote Clint Eastwood's famous lines from "Dirty Harry," "You've gotta ask yourself a question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya, punk?"
Let's not even find out.
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21. [CA] Santa Barbara College student violently beaten and gang raped [VIDEO]
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Who needs a gun at a college?
Member Stan Chaney emailed me this:
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From centurylink.net: http://tinyurl.com/kkzkavl
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22. [CA] Concealed-weapons ruling challenged
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The intolerant anti-liberty bigots in California government make a move to try and overturn a ruling requiring California become a shall issue state.
EM Dave Hicks emailed me this:
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From utsandiego.com: http://tinyurl.com/mo9lewz
Concealed-weapons ruling challenged
By Dana Littlefield and Susan Shroder
February 27, 2014
SAN DIEGO Attorney General Kamala Harris announced Thursday she has challenged a federal court ruling in a San Diego County case that made it easier for Californians to carry concealed weapons.
A divided panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 this month that a law-abiding citizens right to bear arms for self-defense should be enough good cause to grant a concealed-carry weapon permit.
The Feb. 13 ruling overturned San Diego Countys policy of requiring a gun owner to show a specific reason for carrying a firearm, such as working in a dangerous occupation. The decision, which affected the issuing of concealed-weapon permits throughout the state, said the countys policy violated the Second Amendment.
State law requires citizens to show good cause to carry a concealed weapon but gives local law enforcement control over the permit process.
Sheriff Bill Gore, who issues the permits in the county, said last week he would not fight the ruling.
In a statement Thursday asking that a larger panel of the appeals court review and reverse the decision, Harris said she would do everything possible to restore law enforcements authority to protect public safety.
If the 9th Circuits ruling is allowed to take effect, officials throughout the state could be required to issue concealed-carry permits to individuals based on nothing more than the applicants assertion that they wish to carry a gun for self-defense, Harris said.
The case stems from a lawsuit involving Edward Peruta, an independent journalist and part-time San Diego resident who was denied a concealed-weapon permit in San Diego County because he couldnt show a specific good cause to obtain one.
Peruta, founder of American News and Information Services, said the attorney generals announcement was expected.
I knew that there were other options for the government to try to prevent this, he said. If you read the opinion, it sounds pretty solid to me.
He also said the Sheriffs Department has seen an increase in applications for concealed-weapon permits since the courts ruling, which a department spokeswoman confirmed.
Peruta has concealed-weapon permits in Connecticut, Utah and Florida.
Gore said he was somewhat surprised by the timing of the states appeal the filing deadline was this week but believes the attorney general weighed in because the courts ruling invalidated state law, not just San Diego County policy.
He said he is standing by his decision not to seek a review of the appeals court ruling. In my opinion, the courts had spoken and now I have guidance, Gore said.
The department is accepting permit applications but will not grant them until the courts ruling has been finalized, he said. Each applicant will also have to satisfy other requirements, including a background check, fingerprinting, a firearms safety course and firearm proficiency test.
C.D. Chuck Michel, a National Rifle Association attorney, said Harris must first secure the courts permission to intervene before it will consider her appeal.
Its ironic that the attorney general is trying to get involved at this late date, Michel said. Its ideologically driven. She just didnt like the outcome.
Michel said he will oppose the move because Harris had not originally asked to be involved in the litigation.
The attorney general is trying to bigfoot her way into the case at the last minute, he said.
Reached late Thursday, a spokesman in Harris office said the motion to reverse the three-judge panels initial ruling includes a petition to intervene on behalf of the state.
The 9th Circuit judges who issued the majority ruling were Diarmuid OScannlain and Consuelo Callahan, who were appointed by Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, respectively. Judge Sidney Thomas, who was appointed by Democratic President Bill Clinton, issued the dissenting opinion.
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23. [WA] 11-year-old girl shoots cougar to save brother
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Kids and guns dont mix? Yet again that myth from the gun-haters is destroyed.
Member Walter Jackson emailed me this:
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From breitbart.com: http://tinyurl.com/m4rjwem
11-YEAR-OLD GIRL SHOOTS COUGAR TO SAVE BROTHER
by AWR HAWKINS
February 26, 2014
On February 20 an 11-year-old Central Washington girl shot a cougar to save her 14-year-old brother.
According to the Associated Press, the children's father "chased the cougar away from...calves twice on February 19." The next day the son "went out to feed the dogs and was returning to a basement door when he spotted the cougar following him."
The father began yelling, trying to hustle the son inside so they could close the door before the cougar reached him.
That's when the son's 11-year-old sister shot and killed the animal.
There have been so many cougar attacks in the area that the Fish and Wildlife Department have issued "special permits" for cougars this year. The girl "had a tag to hunt cougars.
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24. China vows severe punishment for station attackers
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I thought only guns could cause mass carnage? 29 people were killed in a knife attack in China. Another gun-hater myth bites the dust.
Member Bill Albritton emailed me this:
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And in a different article, China paints the U.S. as violent!
From hosted.ap.org: http://tinyurl.com/m9gny6f
CHINA VOWS SEVERE PUNISHMENT FOR STATION ATTACKERS
March 10, 2014
BEIJING (AP) -- The top judge overseeing China's Communist Party-controlled courts pledged Monday to severely punish culprits in terror attacks such the knife slashing at a train station in Kunming that killed 29 people about a week ago.
In listing this year's priorities, Zhou Qiang, president of the Supreme People's Court, said that first among them was meting out heavy penalties for terrorism and crimes that endanger public order.
Zhou said the court would work to "maintain national security and social stability and increase the people's sense of security."
The court will work to "let people feel fairness and justice with every judicial case," Zhou pledged.
Officials have said the March 1 attack in the southern city of Kunming was instigated by separatists from the far-west region of Xinjiang, home to the ethnic Uighur minority. Police fatally shot four of the suspects and have the other four in custody.
Zhou also said the court will actively participate in the anti-corruption campaign that has been the hallmark of President Xi Jinping's administration, vowing to target both low and high-level officials.
The top judge also promised to find a systematic way to prevent and correct wrongful convictions, after a number of high-profile cases of miscarriage of justice sparked public anger last year.
The moves reflect Chinese leaders' recognition that an increasingly prosperous public is demanding a more predictable and fair justice system, though party officials are unlikely to fully loosen their grasp over the courts, police and prosecutors.
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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/]