VCDL's meeting schedule: http://www.vcdl.org/meetings.html
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Abbreviations used in VA-ALERT: http://www.vcdl.org/help/abbr.html
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VCDL Update 12/23/09 - compiled and formatted by VCDL member Jay Britt
1. Bus trip to Richmond - LOBBY DAY
2. VCDL meeting scheduled for January 7
3. New York shooter armed with Richmond gun (VCDL quoted)
4. Times Square shootout focuses the real problem with guns
5. Bloomberg's billions buy opinions
6. Update on Sussex County pistol range
7. Diamond Salesman Robbed at Tysons Hotel
8. Homeowner wounded in shootout with burglar
9. Concealed carry permits rise, police officer killings decline
10. DC Detective draws gun on snowball thrower
11. Rebuttal: WaPo article on "Terrorist Watchlists"
12. Kaplan Career Institute teacher pulls gun to stop attack outside school
13. Dash cam video: Police shootout
14. Sign at Fort Benning asks soldiers "Are you a terrorist?"
15. More women arming themselves
16. Self-defense - the legal angles
17. We need an education program for Democrats
18. LTE: The limits of gun control
19. Sheriff: Man shoots and kills would-be robber
20. Typo in law establishes mandate to lock gun-carrying train passengers in boxes
**************************************************
1. Bus trip to Richmond - LOBBY DAY
**************************************************
Larry Korn and Stuart Bain emailed me about Tea Party buses going to
Richmond on Lobby Day. VCDL members are welcome share the bus for the
cost of a bus ticket:
--
Gentlemen,
The Hampton Roads Tea Party folks are planning bus Service to/from
Richmond on Lobby Day. I contacted them about including NCRR and VCDL
on their buses and we are invited. Please pass this information to
all relevant members. This sure beats driving and trying to park.
Interested parties can reserve seats and send checks to the address
below.
I would also appreciate a "heads-up" from fellow travelers so I know
how many members we sent them. My email is: laurence.korn@navy.mil
This is another great opportunity to not only speak to our elected
officials, but to share information about firearms ownership with
people who may have no other exposure other than the press!
Bus trip $25 per person if paid by 12/31/09. After that $29 per person.
Send checks to:
Hampton Roads Tea Party
P.O. Box 62432
Virginia Beach, VA 23466
Make sure the check is annotated "Bus Trip"
Regards.
Larry Korn
-----
Stuart Bain with Roanoke Tea Party, Inc emailed me with information on
buses leaving Roanoke for Richmond on Lobby Day:
--
Mr. Van Cleave,
I am involved with the campaign committee of the Roanoke Tea Party,
Inc. (yes... it is a legal entity now). I can tell you that they are
making some pretty big plans for the Jan 18th event(s). Anything I can
do to try and coordinate the two efforts between the VCDL and the Tea
Party patriots, please let me know.
Registration / payment info are here:
http://tinyurl.com/yc5b5sk
Best regards,
Stuart
**************************************************
2. VCDL meeting scheduled for January 7
**************************************************
VCDL is having a membership meeting in the Richmond area on Thursday,
January 7th, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
The meeting will be held at:
Topeka's Steakhouse
1776 Parham Rd.
Richmond, VA 23229
In order to prepare those who haven't been to the General Assembly
before, I plan to present a primer on lobbying the General Assembly at
the meeting, including video and slides.
As with all VCDL membership meetings, it is open to the public, so
bring friends, family, and coworkers!
You do not need to purchase a dinner to attend the meeting.
Appetizers can be ordered during the meeting, for those who want them.
After the meeting, those who wish to have continued fellowship can
stay at the restaurant and order dinner.
If you decide to carry, you will have to open carry at the restaurant.
I will need to get a head count, so IF YOU ARE COMING please RSVP to "president@vcdl.org
" with a subject line of "Yes - " and the number of those attending,
like this: "Yes - 2"
Thanks to member Brandy Polanowski for making the arrangements.
**************************************************
3. New York shooter armed with Richmond gun (VCDL quoted)
**************************************************
Bill Hine emailed me this:
--
http://tinyurl.com/y8pxd7s
http://www.nbc12.com
By Melissa Correa
Posted by Terry Alexander
RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg says
Thursday's shootout in Times Square is proof that there are just too
many guns. A plainclothes sergeant killed Raymond Martinez, 25, after
trading gunfire in an area crowded with tourists and holiday shoppers.
Investigators are trying to determine whether Martinez was selling
illegal weapons before he was shot.
Bloomberg is making a lesson out of Thursday's shooting. An advocate
for stiff gun laws, Bloomberg's taking his fight outside of Big Apple
by coming to states like Virginia to encourage state legislatures to
beef up their gun laws, in an effort to keep illegal guns out of New
York.
A call to New York City leads to the Richmond Police Department where
investigators are now looking into claims that he used a gun reported
stolen October 28th.
It's believed that a MAC-10 was stolen out of a parked vehicle, though
Richmond police are deferring the case to federal agents.
"This doesn't open a discussion to anything. It was a stolen gun. How
much stronger laws do you need. I mean if somebody steals a gun how
are you going to stop them from doing that?" said Philip Van Cleave,
Virginia Citizens Defense League.
Philip Van Cleave says until it's proven that Martinez was selling
guns illegally or purchased the stolen gun from a dealer, stiffer gun
laws in the Commonwealth wouldn't help.
"This is more politics than it is anything and Bloomberg is famous for
politics," he said.
The Virginia Center for Public Safety says stiffer gun laws would
help. If all guns were required to be registered, police could've
tracked this stolen gun sooner.
Friday, both sides are waiting for more information about the Bronx
resident now at the center of the gun law debate.
At the time of the shooting, Martinez had on him business cards for a
gun dealer in our area. That gun dealer says he doesn't know Martinez
and does not sell MAC-10's. Police have not released any information
linking any gun dealer to Thursday's crime.
**************************************************
4. Times Square shootout focuses the real problem with guns
**************************************************
Bruce Jackson emailed me this. This is the tail wagging the dog
approach to crime. Since Bloomberg and his cronies in New York can't
control their criminals, who keep coming to Virginia to dump off
illegal drugs and then steal guns here before returning home, WE are
expected to change our lives and freedoms to accommodate New York's
failures.
--
With articles like this 'Digg' needs the counter part 'bury'.
http://tinyurl.com/ya2tw9v
http://www.examiner.com
By Marc Rubin
December 14, 2009
The fatal shooting of a Times Square peddler by an undercover police
officer, in what was described as a shootout defines as well as
anything the real problem with guns.
Although I have written numerous articles pointing out that the 2nd
amendment has nothing to do with an individual right to own a gun
( something the Supreme Court will settle once and for all come next
fall) there is still no evidence that guns in the hands of law abiding
citizens pose any threat or danger to society.
There is a lot of evidence that guns in the hands of criminals pose
nothing but threats and dangers to society.
So what's the distinction? In almost every case, guns used in the
commission of a crime have been stolen. And the shootout in Times
Square was no exception.
The automatic pistol used by the peddler, who himself may have been
dealing in stolen guns, was stolen in Virginia, site of the Virginia
Tech massacre.
The real problem with guns are not guns themselves, or law abiding
people who own them, but stolen guns, and the NRA and other gun
groups would do themselves a big favor if they focused all their
attention on what to do about it.
I have my own suggestions and have written about it before but will
state them again:
First, make it mandatory that having a gun lost or stolen requires it
to be reported to law enforcement within 24 hours. Failure to report a
lost or stolen gun could result in a suspension of a gun license for a
year.
Second, anyone who has a gun lost or stolen twice in a year faces a
two year suspension of their gun license and must surrender all their
firearms for that period of time.
Third, create mandatory safeguards for gun dealers including mandatory
alarms, metal gates, bars on the windows, 24 hour surveillance cameras
and the kinds of time locks used by banks.
Most stolen guns get into the hands of criminals because of someone's
negligence -- a gun owner or a gun dealer in keeping guns where they
can be stolen. Cutting down on the number of stolen guns by tightening
requirements for gun owners and dealers to prevent guns from being
stolen will do more to cut down violent crime than putting more
restrictions on law abiding gun owners. And this is something the
Obama Administration and congress and the gun lobby could agree on and
get done very quickly.
It's something that benefits everyone. It benefits public safety, it
benefits the police and it benefits gun owners in that it will reduce
the need and the motivation for stricter gun laws affecting law
abiding citizens. And it will help get stolen guns off the streets.
**************************************************
5. Bloomberg's billions buy opinions
**************************************************
Ron Brahin emailed me this:
--
http://tinyurl.com/ye75vwo
http://www.nraila.org
December 11, 2009
Understanding the Latest Anti-Gun "Poll"
This week, anti-gun New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg's anti-gun
group, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, released the findings of a poll
conducted by a political consulting firm called "The Word Doctors,"
whose slogan is "It's not what you say, it's what people hear." Word
Doctors' president is a pollster who has been reprimanded by the
American Association for Public Opinion Research and censured by the
National Council on Public Polls, and who says that the key to polling
is "to ask a question in the way that you get the right answer."
At some other time in our nation's history, an organization like this
would not have been commissioned to conduct a poll, and perhaps it
would not even have existed. At a minimum, its poll would have been
considered biased and rejected by every newspaper in the country.
But today, as the distinction between editorials and news has become
blurred, information is treated so superficially that a catchy word or
two is enough to get someone elected to public office, and some in
positions of authority cannot conceive of the concept of shame.
Thus, earlier this week, Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne and
Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) excitedly called attention to the
bought-and-paid-for Word Doctors "poll," which claimed that a majority
of NRA members and other gun owners support Lautenberg's bills to
prohibit the possession of firearms by people placed (often
mistakenly) on the FBI terrorist watchlist (S.1317), to require gun
show promoters to send ledgers of customer information to the federal
government (S.843), and to let the FBI retain records for 180 days of
every gun purchase approved by the National Instant Criminal
Background Check System (NICS) (S.2820). The poll also claimed
support for Bloomberg's proposal to rescind the Tiahrt Amendment,
which prevents unfettered release of BATFE firearm trace data.
(Bloomberg, of course, wants to use the data in lawsuits against the
firearms industry.)
But did the poll really show such strong support? Certainly the
participants didn't have much information to go on. The poll didn't
explain that the watchlist has been under fire by the Department of
Justice's Inspector General's office and the ACLU for improperly
including the names of innocent people, and that many innocent people
have been mistaken for those who are on the watchlist. It didn't
explain that Lautenberg's gun show bill would do much more than
require NICS checks on private gun sales at gun shows.
The poll mischaracterized the issue of NICS record retention. Instead
of informing poll participants that the accused Ft. Hood murderer had
been investigated by the FBI and found to not constitute a terror
threat months before he went through a NICS check to purchase the gun
he allegedly used in the murders, the poll simply asked whether "the
FBI should be able to access and keep information about gun purchases
by terror suspects in cases similar to [the accused Ft. Hood
killer's]?" Worse, Word Doctors misinformed poll participants by
telling them that the accused killer was still under investigation at
the time he purchased the gun.
The poll also asked if participants agreed that "The federal
government should not restrict the police's ability to access, use,
and share data that helps them enforce federal, state and local gun
laws," when in fact the Tiahrt Amendment fully allows access to trace
information, as long as it's related to crimes that they're actually
investigating.
And the poll also claimed that a majority of gun owners want to
"balance" their rights against the need to stop criminals from getting
guns. But what it actually asked was whether gun owners agreed that
"We can do more to stop criminals from getting guns while also
protecting the rights of citizens to freely own them." Coupled with
the poll's findings that an overwhelming majority of gun owners
believe "Criminals . . . should be punished to the maximum extent of
the law" and "Law-abiding Americans should have the freedom to choose
how to protect themselves, based on their personal situation," it's
fair to conclude that gun owners understand the two concepts aren't
mutually exclusive. Since the ideas are compatible, they don't
require a "balance," as suggested by gun control supporters.
Notably, Lautenberg mentioned none of the poll's findings that
undercut the anti-gun agenda, and Dionne mentioned few. These include
findings that an overwhelming majority of gun owners:
* Thinks President Obama will try to ban guns;
* Agrees that the Supreme Court's decision in last year's Heller case
was correct;
* Agrees that the Second Amendment should prevent all levels of
government from infringing the right to arms;
* Agrees that people should be allowed to carry guns for protection in
national parks;
* Agrees that people should be allowed to transport firearms in
baggage on Amtrak trains;
* Agrees that gun laws should be less strict or left as they are; and
* Opposes or is neutral about gun registration and an "assault weapon"
ban.
One final note: Since Word Doctors had no access to NRA membership
lists, there's no way the pollsters could verify that any of the "NRA
members" actually were NRA members. While this is a fatal flaw, we
mention it at the end only because the poll's other flaws were even
worse.
**************************************************
6. Update on Sussex County pistol range
**************************************************
A VA-ALERT reader in Sussex County emailed me this:
--
Hi,
As a citizen of Sussex County I wanted to update you - the Sussex
County Board of Supervisors voted last night to direct the Planning
Commission to reevaluate the proposed pistol range ordinance that was
discussed recently.
http://tinyurl.com/y889ynx - I believe it was your name on this article)
Supervisor Harris Parker proposed last night that the Planning
Commission consider expanding on the original language and require a
conditional use permit for "marksmanship and sporting weapons range,"
and mentioned including bows & arrows as well as firearms. It should
go to the commission after the first of the year.
**************************************************
7. Diamond Salesman Robbed at Tysons Hotel
**************************************************
Deborah Jane Anderson emailed me this:
--
Who needs a gun? A diamond salesman.
http://tinyurl.com/yfkcux4
http://www.wjla.com
December 17, 2009
Three men robbed a diamond salesman in the parking lot of the Sheraton
Premiere Hotel at Tysons Corner Wednesday night, Fairfax County police
said.
The diamond salesman was getting out of his vehicle when three men
with their faces obscured by masks or bandanas pulled up in another
vehicle, police said. One robber got out, pulled a gun and ordered the
salesman to lie on the ground.
The robber stole multiple packets of uncut diamonds worth hundreds of
thousands of dollars from the salesman, police said.
"At this point, investigators are not saying whether or not this was
targeted," said Lucy Caldwell. "Certainly this type of occupation can
be high-risk."
The salesman was not harmed, police said. The robbers fled in the
vehicle.
One hotel guest says he saw some suspicious men in the parking lot
about 7:45 Wednesday night and notified hotel management.
"Their faces were definitely covered -- but not with a ski mask, maybe
with a scarf or a bandana. They were definitely big guys," said Kashif
Mumtez. "But when I went inside, I figured I'd just let the hotel
staff know that there's some people outside, their faces are covered
and they look kind of suspicious."
Investigators have only vague descriptions of the men; all were dark-
skinned and in their 20s. One was 6'4" and thin. Another was around
5'9".
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Solvers by phone at
1-866-411-TIPS/8477, online at http://www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org/ or
text "TIP187" plus your message to CRIMES/274637 or call Fairfax
County Police at 703-691-2131.
**************************************************
8. Homeowner wounded in shootout with burglar
**************************************************
Deborah Jane Anderson emailed me this, too:
--
Who needs a gun at home? A 56 year old homeowner in West Springfield.
It's a good thing the homeowner didn't get killed trying to defend
himself, though. It sounds like neither the perpetrator nor the
homeowner were particularly good shots, so hopefully this homeowner
will spend some more time at the range once he's back on the mend. It
surely can't hurt to have laser sights on your gun, either.
http://tinyurl.com/y9xrnf7
http://www.wjla.com
December 17, 2009
Fairfax County police are investigating a shootout that wounded a
homeowner in West Springfield Wednesday night.
According to police, 21-year-old Jonathan E. Anderson broke into the
home on Hillside Road in West Springfield about 11 p.m.
Anderson made so much noise the 56-year-old homeowner woke up, got a
gun, and confronted Anderson, police said. Both men fired multiple
times at each other, according to investigators. The homeowner was
shot once in the chest and remains hospitalized in serious condition.
Anderson escaped unharmed, but officers say they caught him as he was
trying to run away.
Police say Anderson had brought a gun with him to the home. Evidence
crews were on the scene Thursday, combing nearby woods for the gun.
Anderson's father spoke to ABC 7 News Thursday. He said his son had
just been laid off from his job on Wednesday.
"I am like a wreck right now," said the father, who didn't want to be
identified.
The homeowner's family did not want to speak on camera. The entire
neighborhood was shaken by the violent intrusion.
"The cop came by this afternoon and looked in our backyard, but we
didn't hear anything and I'm just shocked to hear about something like
that in our neighborhood," said Randa Alhaddad.
"I have a lot of friends that live on this street," said Ann Feeherry.
"I don't like knowing that it is so dangerous around here
Anderson has been charged with burglary while armed and malicious
wounding.
**************************************************
9. Concealed carry permits rise, police officer killings decline
**************************************************
http://tinyurl.com/yg2og9e
http://www.humanevents.com
By David Alan Coia
December 17, 2009
The number of people applying for and receiving permits to carry
concealed weapons has risen dramatically throughout the United States
during the last two years, and it continues to rise, yet the number of
felony killings of police officers has declined just as precipitously
over the same period.
Inexplicable? "This is just the type of thing that was predicted,"
economist John R. Lott told HUMAN EVENTS. Lott, author of More Guns,
Less Crime (Chicago University Press), pointed to research done eight
years ago by David P. Mustard and published in Chicago University's
Journal of Law and Economics.
"States that enact concealed-carry laws are less likely to have a
felonious police death and more likely to have lower rates of
felonious police deaths after the law is passed," Mustard concluded in
his 2001 journal article.
A sampling of concealed-carry permit (CCP) activity in various states
illustrates the increase in demand for concealed weapons:
* Ohio: Sheriffs issued 33,864 regular CCPs in 2008, 53% more than in
2007 (73 temporary emergency licenses were also issued), according to
the Buckeye Firearms Association.
* Oklahoma: As of June, the state had 78,000 CCP holders, with more
than 21,000 CCPs issued in 2008 -- twice the number issued in 2007,
according to The Oklahoman newspaper.
* Utah: The Bureau of Criminal Identification processed 2,548 CCP
applications in February 2008 and 8,142 in February 2009. For March
the numbers were 4,412 in 2008 and 10,878 in 2009.
* Forsyth County, N.C.: In the first six months of 2007 there were
1,362 applications for permits to buy pistols, the Winston-Salem
Journal reported. In the same time period in 2008 and 2009, there were
1,974 and 2,935 applications, respectively.
Despite the increase in the number of legally carried concealed
weapons, 41 law enforcement officers were feloniously killed in 2008,
a decline of 17 killings from the previous year's total, according to
the 2008 U.S. Department of Justice report, Law Enforcement Officers
Killed and Assaulted. Firearms were used in 35 of those killings, 25
of which were by handguns. Many other police officers died in the line
of duty, but the majority of those deaths resulted from auto accidents
during police chases.
The 41 killings is the lowest in recent decades, matched only in 1999
when there were 42 felonious killings of police officers, 25 of which
were also by handguns.
"Letting law-abiding citizens carry guns reduces the rate at which
criminals are carrying guns," Lott said. Armed citizens increase the
risk to armed criminals, who typically prefer to avoid life-
threatening risk and so are less likely to use guns in the commission
of a crime, he said.
Lott explained that where there is an increase in CCPs, there is also
a drop in violent crime relative to property crime -- fewer armed
robberies and more larcenies. Also, criminals tend to move from areas
in which more citizens are armed, resulting in an increase in crime in
counties and states that restrict gun ownership and CCPs.
"License holders, like gun owners in general, are not the extremists
the anti-gun crowd tries to paint," Jim Irvine, chairman of the
Buckeye Firearms Association, told the Chillicothe, Ohio Gazette in
June. "They are honorable citizens who want protection from real
dangers. Responsible people carry a gun to protect them from a
criminal attack."
"To date [Oct. 2001] we have no examples of law-abiding citizens with
concealed-weapons permits assaulting police officers," Mustard wrote.
"In contrast, there is at least one example of such a citizen coming
to the aid of an officer,"
"Criminals tend to avoid activities that are risky to them," said
Lott. Chicago University Press this spring will issue a third edition
of More Guns, Less Crime, which Lott has updated to include an
additional decade of information. The first two editions sold more
than 100,000 copies, according to the publisher.
**************************************************
10. DC Detective draws gun on snowball thrower
**************************************************
Filed under "only the government should have guns" is a DC detective
who drew a handgun after his personal car got hit with a snowball.
Imagine if a regular citizen did something like that.
For the anti-gunners who insist that CCW holders will just whip out a
pistol at the smallest issue, what answer do they have for a DC
policeman doing it?
http://tinyurl.com/ygol5hu
**************************************************
11. Rebuttal: WaPo article on "Terrorist Watchlists"
**************************************************
William Tansill emailed me this email response to anti-gun E.J. Dione
with the Washington Post. Good summary of the problems with the "watch
list."
--
From: William Tansill
To: ejdionne@washpost.com
From your column dated Thursday, December 10, 2009
http://tinyurl.com/y9hm6vs
'In his survey of 832 gun owners, including 401 NRA members, Luntz
found that 82 percent of NRA members supported "prohibiting people on
the terrorist watch lists from purchasing guns."'
The only trouble, of course, is that the "Terrorist Watchlist" is
riddled with inaccuracies and outdated information. The late Senator
Edward Kennedy ran afoul of the list on at least two occasions. Even
with his status, working with then Secretary of Homeland Security Tom
Ridge, it took "several weeks" to have his name expunged. Given the
well-documented and ongoing issues with the list, it is inconceivable
to me that anyone supports stripping away a constitutional right on
such dubious grounds. If people on the list are that dangerous, catch
them, try them, and incarcerate them. Until then, they are still
vested with constitutional rights and guarantees; one of which is the
right to bear arms.
Here are some references on that point:
CBS News - Senator Kennedy's ordeal:
http://tinyurl.com/45fkc
From the Los Angeles Times:
"May 07, 2009
WASHINGTON - The FBI has retained almost 24,000 names on the nation's
terrorist watch list without current or proper justification, while
failing to include people who are subjects of terrorist
investigations, according to a Justice Department report issued
Wednesday."
http://tinyurl.com/yext6ma
From the Washington Post:
"Friday, September 7, 2007
The government's master watch list of known or suspected terrorists
continues to be marred by errors and inconsistencies that can obstruct
the capture of terrorists or cause innocent people to be detained by
U.S. authorities, the Justice Department's inspector general said
yesterday."
http://tinyurl.com/2p9svf
From TrendsUpdates:
Saturday, October 31, 2009
The US government's Terrorist Watch List, a post-9/11 Bush
administration scheme, has been called a 'comedy of errors.' Findings
of an audit by the Inspector General of the Department of Justice
reveals more than 68,000 names on the terrorist watch list, of which
35 percent were outdated."
http://tinyurl.com/y9rewr4
Then there's the assertion that "Sixty-nine percent favored "requiring
all gun sellers at gun shows to conduct criminal background checks of
the people buying guns". All licensed firearms dealers are required to
do this already via the NICS system. The only sales that are
conducted without such a check are private sales between individuals.
There is nothing that an individual can do at a gun show that the same
individual could not already do from the privacy of his or her own
home. There is no law mandating that private sellers perform such a
check, nor should there be.
Consider too that there is no issue with dubious persons obtaining
weapons at gun shows in any event. The Department of Justice Bureau
of Justice Statistics conducted a survey of incarcerated individuals.
They discovered that these individuals obtained weapons at gun shows
in less than 1% of all cases. They were found to have obtained
weapons from friends and family in nearly 40% of all cases, however.
Clearly, we should imprison not only the convicted criminal, but also
all immediate friends and family members if we really wish to have an
impact on crime.
See this link for details:
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/fuo.pdf
Next, lets visit the gun registration argument. This is a violation of
privacy for one thing, and has been shown to be completely ineffective
unless you are the contractor being paid to develop and maintain the
database that would underlie such such a registration system. Canada
has spent millions (some say billions) of dollars developing and
maintaining such a registry. Despite that fact, homicide rates have
risen since the registry's implementation, and, like the terrorist
watch list, above, has been shown to be so inaccurate that it cannot
be relied on as evidence in Canadian courts. Why do we need another
expensive, ineffective boondoggle on top of the existing NICS system.
Will criminals magically fall into line with the passage of one more
law? I think not.
There is other silliness in your article, but I think the above points
are sufficient to establish that you care little for the facts, and
seek only to sensationalize and inflame passions against law-abiding
gun owners.
**************************************************
12. Kaplan Career Institute teacher pulls gun to stop attack outside
school
**************************************************
Michael Geoghegan emailed me this. The next time someone asks you how
"Guns Save Lives", or why guns should be allowed on college campuses,
share this story with them:
--
http://tinyurl.com/ycdwou2
http://www.pennlive.com
By Barbara Miller
December 8, 2009
Criminal justice instructor Michael Minto was leaving the Kaplan
Career Institute in Swatara Township on Monday night when he spotted a
man being stabbed, police said.
Minto pulled his gun and ordered the attacker to drop his knife,
police said. The attacker fled, and authorities said Minto's actions
likely saved the life of Dillon Mitchell, 30, of Harrisburg.
If Minto had not intervened, "We might be talking about someone who
died," said Deputy Swatara Township Police Chief Jason D. Umberger.
"There are not many citizens out there that would have the courage to
take that action."
Police were looking on Tuesday night for Kevin Forde, 29, of North
Sixth Street, Harrisburg in connection with the attack. Forde is
charged with attempted homicide and aggravated assault.
Umberger said Mitchell left the 5650 Derry St. school around 10:30
p.m. with Ayanna Carter, who is Forde's wife. Forde approached them
and an argument started, leading to the stabbing, Umberger said.
After Minto confronted Forde, he and Carter got in Carter's car and
drove off, Umberger said. Carter later returned to the school alone to
retrieve Forde's cell phone and told officers that she dropped her
husband at 13th and Sycamore streets, police said.
Carter has not been charged in the incident, police said.
Mitchell was stabbed twice in the abdomen, four times in the shoulder
area of his back, once in the right shoulder and in an undetermined
location, police said. He was released after treatment at Community
General Osteopathic Hospital, Umberger said.
He said he didn't know what sparked the argument or whether Mitchell,
Forde or Carter are students at the school.
The knife used in the stabbing had a 3- to 4-inch blade and was
recovered, police said.
Umberger said Forde was on probation or parole and has a history of
assault and terroristic threat charges.
"We would like him to turn himself in," Umberger said, adding that
police were following up on leads Tuesday.
Kaplan, formerly Thompson Institute, offers programs in criminal
justice, allied health, digital arts and information technology.
**************************************************
13. Dash cam video: Police shootout
**************************************************
Rafael Pabon emailed me this video clip.
--
The attached video of a police shoot out in Kansas City is the reason
we train for the real world. Please note while the first officer stays
in the fight, the second officer in this video is moving towards the
attacker and the sound of gun fire. I admire his courage and warrior
sprit. He may have saved his partner's life.
We will never know why the subject attacked the officers. But we know
why the officers prevailed. The stayed in the fight!
---Rafael
http://tinyurl.com/ycn3zm3
**************************************************
14. Sign at Fort Benning asks soldiers "Are you a terrorist?"
**************************************************
Matt Gottshalk emailed me this. The Army powers-that-be lost the
entire message of what happened at Fort Hood. On top of that, they
are sending a message that only terrorists have "unregistered" guns.
Somebody needs to be demoted or fired for this:
--
"Well are you a terrorist??? You are if you have a unregistered gun on
FT Benning."
From a currently serving decorated Airborne Vet:
http://tinyurl.com/ycg9bej
**************************************************
15. More women arming themselves
**************************************************
Paul Kent emailed me this. This is music to my ears. Rapists - don't
say that you weren't warned:
--
http://tinyurl.com/dnjc9f
http://www.myfoxmemphis.com
By Lauren Lee
April 28, 2009
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - More Mid-South women are arming themselves, fed up
with feeling vulnerable to violence.
Statistics show nearly every woman in Memphis can say she knows
someone or has herself, been a victim of crime.
And now women are deciding to take weapons classes and arm themselves,
including Daron Zeno.
Zeno decided to take a class at Rangemaster in Hickory Hill to
learning to handle a revolver and a 9mm.
"It's definitely a nerve racking situation, holding a gun and shooting
it," says Zeno. "But it's definitely empowering too."
A few months ago Zeno's car was broken into outside a friend's house.
The window was shattered and her belongings stolen. "I think there's a
lot of crime in Memphis and it makes me nervous about being a single
woman and coming home late at night and walking into my apartment late
at night and being alone," says Zeno.
Shortly after the break-in, Zeno started thinking about getting a gun.
So she's taking the introduction course from Tom Givens at Rangemaster.
"You're certainly not being paranoid to be worried about violent crime
in a place like Memphis," says Givens. "Tens of thousands of crimes
happen every year and they all happen to somebody."
Given's says at Rangemaster, up to 45% of people in the class are
women. That's up 15 percent from just 3 years ago.
In fact, in one beginners class, eleven of the 19 students are women,
including Patricia Brand and Amy Turner. "I think as the world becomes
more violent that women are foolish if they don't protect themselves,"
says Brand. "If that man wants my life, I'm going to shoot him."
"I'm tired of feeling vulnerable," says Turner. "When I go get gas or
putting my groceries in the car or whatever. I'm tired of feeling
vulnerable."
The women in this class came in pairs or groups, Givens said that's
typical. Rangemaster even offers women only classes every other month.
"We gear some of our marketing toward women on the theory that a lot
of men are coming in anyway," says Givens. "But women need to be made
aware of what they're options are."
Zeno is also considering an alternative to a gun. Mike Victory, a
former special agent who now sells self defense devices, doesn't
recommend tasers to anyone but law enforcement, he does recommend stun
guns.
The difference is tasers are more powerful shooting high power voltage
from a distance at a perpetrator. Stun guns require contact with an
attacker and you don't need a license to carry one.
"You hit them for at least another three seconds, that usually
incapacitates them for another 10 minutes," says Victory. "They won't
do any permanent damage to somebody. These are great devices because
you can carry these in most any spot."
At 65 dollars or less, stun guns are a cheaper option than a firearm.
And Victory says manufacturers are realizing, women are their growing
market. So makers are fashioning stun guns and pepper spray to be
shaped like accessories or even makeup. Victory sells some devices
that look like lipstick or a cell phone and come in a range of colors.
"They want something that's going to be fashionable, something unique,
something that will protect them," says Victory. "That's not easily
identifiable by what it is."
**************************************************
16. Self-defense - the legal angles
**************************************************
http://tinyurl.com/yavtk2l
http://www.criminaljustice.org
By Lisa J Steele
March 2007
SNIP
A self-defense case is fundamentally different from most other
criminal prosecutions. The essence of the defense is that the
defendant is the victim of an attempted or completed violent felony
such as assault, rape, or homicide which, but for the defendant's
lawful actions, would have resulted in the defendant's death or in
serious bodily harm. The complainant is, in fact, a violent aggressor
who, but for the defendant's lawful actions, would be the one standing
trial. The defendant is the "good guy" and the victim is the "bad
guy," despite the prosecution's efforts to portray the converse.
Many assumptions about trial tactics are inverted in a self-defense
case. If the defendant presents some evidence on each of the elements
of self-defense, then he or she is entitled to a jury instruction on
the issue, which places the burden of proof squarely on the prosecutor
to disprove self-defense beyond a reasonable doubt. If the prosecution
fails to disprove self-defense, the client is acquitted. In practice,
however, the defense attorney has a great deal of work to do in order
to convince the jurors that the client's conduct fell within the
common law of self-defense or within applicable state statutes.
This article is a starting point for attorneys representing clients in
a self-defense case. It is focused on the common law of self-defense,
using Massachusetts as its primary example, but the general principles
are applicable in any state. It also introduces attorneys to some of
the research regarding use of force conducted by police and self-
defense instructors.
A self-defense case often requires counsel to understand a moderate
amount of technical information about weapons and crime scene
reconstruction. Such knowledge is needed in order to: (1) review and
challenge the prosecutor's experts, and (2) understand eyewitness
memory issues and how the client, the deceased, and bystander
witnesses were affected by the stress of the incident.
When Is It a Self-Defense Case?
"It is well settled that, if a man is attacked, he has the right to
defend himself. If the attack is of such character that, and made
under such circumstances, as to create a reasonable apprehension of
great bodily harm, and he acts under such apprehension, and in the
reasonable belief that no other means will effectively prevent the
harm, he has the right to kill the assailant."
- Com. v. Barnacle, 134 Mass. 215, 215 (1883).
**************************************************
17. We need an education program for Democrats
**************************************************
J. Tyler Ballance emailed me this. I told Tyler that I would happily
step forward to address the various Democratic committees:
--
For the last two days I have been providing political consulting to a
Democratic candidate, who is running for the Special Election to be
held on January 12, 2010.
I have made a point to work for candidates from all parties over the
last
ten years or so, in order to be able to help build bridges where
possible on
key issues.
This experience re-confirmed what most of the VCDL members have known
for a
long time: Many Democrats do not know the facts of gun rights issues and
they instead spout talking points provided to them by anti-gun
lobbyists.
Proposed suggestion:
Right now every County and City Democratic Committee is in the process
or
reorganizing. This means that new positions on Boards are being
filled, and
new members are being elected to local positions. The reorganized
Committees
are also scheduling guest speakers.
1. Encourage VCDL members who are inclined, to participate in the local
political party of their choice as MEMBERS. This will provide the VCDL
with a
much greater voice within the respective party organizations, including
influence on positions taken by nominees.
2. Organize a plan where EVERY Democratic Committee is offered a guest
speaker to convey the VCDL facts on key gun rights issues. This
presentation
should be developed on Power Point slides and a standardized hand-out
should be
provided to everyone who is be a guest speaker. Such presentations
should
be brief (less than 15 minutes) and hard-hitting with facts that
support the
position that, Guns SAVE Lives, and that private sales of weapons
poses no
significant threat to public safety, along with facts to support
upcoming
debates on gun issues.
The Democrats are not a bunch of idiots; they are just being fed
propaganda on several key issues.
I think that if presentations were made before Democratic Committees,
you
would see a major shift in the tenor of the debate on gun issues, with a
significant moderation of positions taken by Virginia Democrats.
By the way, some local party committees are so poorly attended, that
if ten
members of the VCDL joined their local County Committee, they could have
the votes to take over that committee. This is true on both the R and
D sides,
except in major metropolitan areas. For example, while Henrico has 51
Democrats on the Committee, rural counties, like Westmoreland have
only 6-10
active attendees.
I know that VCDL is non-partisan, but that certainly does not preclude
you
from producing a targeted education program for Virginia Democrats,
nor does
it create a barrier to the VCDL encouraging members to get out and be
active in their local parties, and to become active voices in those
bodies for
gun rights issues.
Virginia Democrats need to hear the TRUTH and the VCDL is just the right
group to teach this vital series of lessons.
**************************************************
18. LTE: The limits of gun control
**************************************************
http://tinyurl.com/y9lhotd
http://www.washingtonpost.com
December 15, 2009
I fail to see how Maj. Ray Colgan of the Prince William County police
force can say: "If you can say something good came out of Virginia
Tech, preparedness was it." ["Rifle jammed during shooting," Metro,
Dec. 10] Sure, preparedness helped keep hundreds of students away from
the shooter at Northern Virginia Community College's Woodbridge campus
last week, but the bottom line is: Had his gun not jammed, at least
one person likely would have been shot -- the poor teacher. No matter
how fast a place can be locked down, once an armed person intends to
cause harm, murder and mayhem are likely to ensue. A lockdown is as
good as closing the barn door after the horse has gotten out.
The only good thing that could come from the Virginia Tech tragedy is
gun control legislation that keeps guns out of the hands of the
public. Enough is enough. [PVC: Too bad. At first I thought she
understood the real issue, recognizing that lockdowns usually come
after something bad has happened. But, that whooshing sound she heard
was the truth blasting clean over the top of her head.]
Lisa Szymanski, Vienna
--
Regarding E.J. Dionne Jr.'s comments on the poll of National Rifle
Association members and other gun owners ["Beyond the NRA's
absolutism," op-ed, Dec. 10]: I think rephrasing the poll statements
that Mr. Dionne noted would produce opposite results.
For example, concerning the Tiarht amendment: If the statement had
been, "The federal government should keep a permanent record of all
gun-purchase background checks, thereby creating a national gun
registry," 99 percent of respondents would have disagreed.
The actual poll statement relating to Tiahrt was, "The federal
government should not restrict the police's ability to access, use,
and share data that helps them enforce federal, state and local gun
laws." Mr. Dionne reported that among NRA members, 69 percent agreed.
The catch-22 in this statement is that "data" refers only to that
information that the government can legally collect and keep.
Sure, the feds should not stonewall other agencies. But "hell no" to
any de facto gun registration scheme.
Jay Bute, Seabrook, Tex.
**************************************************
19. Sheriff: Man shoots and kills would-be robber
**************************************************
Ray Adams emailed me this. Think you are safe walking in your
driveway?:
--
http://tinyurl.com/y9lxuun
http://www.wwltv.com
December 13, 2009
MARRERO, La. A man walking from his driveway to his front door shot
and killed another man who was attempting to rob him at gunpoint,
according to Sheriff Newell Normand.
The incident occurred around 8 p.m. on Azalea Lane in Marrero.
Normand said a couple was walking to their home when three men
approached them and attempted to rob them. The man, who was also
armed, shot the suspect, who was taken to the hospital, where he later
died.
The other two suspects fled on foot.
The identity of the suspect who was shot is being withheld pending
next of kin notification.
Anyone with information in this matter is asked to call our Homicide
Division at 364-5300 or Crimestoppers.
**************************************************
20. Typo in law establishes mandate to lock gun-carrying train
passengers in boxes
**************************************************
Chet Szymecki emailed me this article. I asked Chet to take a ride on
Amtrak and to let me know just what kind of box they lock him in.
--
http://tinyurl.com/ydg38sd
congress.blogs.foxnews.com
By Chad Pergram
December 16, 2009
Harry Houdini made a career escaping from locked boxes. So did David
Copperfield and Doug Henning.
And now you can add AMTRAK passengers packing heat in their luggage to
that list of escape artists.
It sounds absurd. But President Obama actually signed a bill into law
Wednesday that would require passengers who carry firearms aboard
AMTRAK be locked in boxes for their journey.
It's a mistake. But for now, the clerical error is the law of the land.
Earlier this week, Congress sent the president a massive spending bill
that funded dozens of federal departments. Tucked into the
transportation section of the legislation are safety requirements for
AMTRAK customers who carry firearms on board the government-backed
train system. The bill Congress passed mandates that passengers with
firearms declare they have weapons with them in advance and stow them
in locked boxes while on the train.
The bill text was correct when the House approved the legislation last
week and the Senate followed suit Sunday. But somewhere in between,
the language that referred to putting the guns in locked boxes morphed
into stuffing "passengers" into locked boxes.
Aides to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) became aware of the problem
Wednesday night as the House voted on its final slate of bills for the
year. Pelosi's staff tried to negotiate with Republican aides to see
if they would agree to change the text of the bill without revoting
the entire piece of legislation. But it was all for naught as Mr.
Obama had already signed the measure into law.
It's clear the typo alters the intent of the legislation. But no one
quite knows the origin of the mistake.
Senior Congressional sources familiar with the error suggested the
problem may have been introduced in the "enrolling" process of bills.
Once both the House and Senate approve the final version of a bill,
the text of the legislation is sent to an "enrolling clerk" who
actually copies the bill onto parchment paper. The parchment version
of the package is then sent to the White House for the president to
sign into law.
The misfire is fixable. But probably not until early next year. The
House late Wednesday completed what it expects to be its final session
of the year. The Senate remains in session debating health care
reform. But both the House and Senate would have to agree to a
technical correction of the text that missed its mark. And, the law
states that AMTRAK has six months to implement the policy. So it's
unlikely that any gun-toting passengers would have to travel in a box.
The error is reminiscent of $289 billion farm bill President Bush
vetoed in May, 2008. In that instance, both houses of Congress
inadvertently sent Mr. Bush an incomplete bill, leaving out a 35-page
chunk. The president then vetoed an incomplete bill. Congress
discovered the error when lawmakers attempted to override the
president's veto.
In that case, House re-passed the entire farm bill and overrode Mr.
Bush's veto.
"This bill is one of the most-passed bills we've done," quipped House
Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) at the time.
The rules to allow AMTRAK passengers to carry weapons with them are
new. Airline passengers have long been permitted to transport weapons
in checked luggage. But AMTRAK banned firearms from its trains after
September 11th. Only police officers are now allowed to board AMTRAK
trains with guns.
Rep. John Fleming (R-LA) and Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) are the primary
advocates of the AMTRAK gun provision.
***************************************************************************
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/]