1. VCDL front-and-center in RTD story on "carrying everywhere"2. New gun show in Washington County3. VCDL membership meeting in Annandale on March 29th, speaker survived terrorist attack at a church4. VCDL membership meeting in Charlottesville area on April 7th to discuss insuring guns5. Guns ARE allowed in Albemarle Co Parks6. "Loophole" in C'ville7. Officials: Front Royal illegal gun operation busted8. Overreaction?9. Obama speaks on gun control 10. New background check: de facto registration?11. Joe Biden's office joins gun policy discussions12. The time has come for a national open carry education campaign13. While DC fiddles, Oklahoma burns for open carry14. Gun ownership = Enemy of the state15. Congress blocks military orders that restrict gun rights 16. Hypocrites: Bill would make it easier for California lawmakers to carry concealed weapons
**************************************************1. VCDL front-and-center in RTD story on "carrying everywhere"**************************************************
I was interviewed a few times over the last few weeks by Kristen Green with the Richmond Times-Dispatch. One of the paper's photographers followed me around one evening as I went about my business to get some photos for the article.
Kristen was very professional and even made sure I was comfortable with my quotes - this is not done very often and I really appreciated the opportunity. I'm glad she did because she had a few quotes that weren't quite right in context and she corrected them.
This was the first I had seen of the actual article and I have embedded some comments below.
=46rom the Richmond Times-Dispatch:
http://tinyurl.com/4eksbc3
Gun-rights advocates seek to mainstream carrying in public
By Kristen Green
Malcolm Patterson bristles at the thought of gun owners openly carrying weapons into Pocahontas State Park, where his young sons were running around on a playground.
Patterson, 28, who lost a close friend in a shooting years ago, said he would promptly leave the Chesterfield County park with Patrick, 3, and Sean, 1, if someone walked into the park with a gun strapped to his waistband.
"You never know," he said. His wife, Michelle, chimed in, "There's a lot of crazies out there."
But Virginia's gun lobby argues that this tranquil state park, frequented by more than 380,000 people a year, is exactly the type of place one might need a gun to defend himself.
Philip Van Cleave, president of the pro-gun Virginia Citizens Defense League Inc., said he should be able to take a gun with him everywhere he goes, with the exception of courtrooms, prisons and secured areas of airports. He shouldn't have to think about where he is allowed to take his weapon and where he can't, he said. He wears a gun to run errands at Wal-Mart, to pick up groceries at Food Lion or to go out to dinner with his wife =97 just in case.
"I want to be able to put my gun on and go about my life," he said.
For the most part, he can. Gun owners can carry their weapons into libraries, grocery stores =97 even into the General Assembly Building. It's legal to openly carry a gun walking down a city street.
Gov. Bob McDonnell has added two new locations to the list. In January, he approved the open carry of guns in state parks, where concealed weapons have been permitted for years for those with a permit. Public consumption of alcohol in parks is still forbidden. [PVC: What in the world does consumption of alcohol in parks have to do with the lawful carrying of firearms?]
Last year, he rejected the restaurant industry's concerns and approved legislation that allows gun owners to carry loaded, concealed weapons into restaurants that serve alcohol, but only if they do not imbibe. Openly carrying a gun into restaurants was already permitted, if frowned upon by bartenders.
Gun-control advocates say both decisions fall into the gun lobby's strategy to increase the number of places where guns are allowed.
"It is an attempt to make what is abnormal seem normal," said Joshua Horwitz, executive director of the Washington-based Coalition to Stop Gun Violence and vice president of The Virginia Center for Public Safety.
It is unclear what percentage of Virginia's population owns guns, but Van Cleave says it has to be more than 1 million people in a state of 8 million. [PVC: I'm sure I low-balled that number, but it's a safe one.]
More than 241,300 people have concealed-handgun permits. Last year, more than 48,400 concealed-handgun permits were issued statewide, down from 70,400 in 2009.
The state does not keep a registry of guns, although machine-gun owners are required to register their 8,800 weapons.
The state also does not track gun sales. However, in 2009, the Virginia State Police conducted 298,000 background checks for licensed dealers statewide.
Concealed-weapon permit holders, who must complete firearms training and pass background checks before being issued the permits by circuit courts in their home counties, are not permitted to drink alcohol in restaurants while carrying a concealed weapon. The law is difficult, if not impossible, to enforce. In September, a Lynchburg restaurant customer who had been drinking alcohol while carrying a concealed weapon accidentally shot himself in the thigh.
This year, a legislative committee voted down a proposal to ban drinking by people openly carrying guns in restaurants, with opponents saying it would prevent responsible owners from having a glass of wine with dinner. A legislative committee also shut down a proposal this year that would have allowed localities to ban guns in public libraries.
Horwitz called the governor's decision to allow open carry in state parks "one more example of trying to spread firearms into every avenue of Virginia life." [PVC: Ah, Josh does know VCDL very well.
]Guns are part of the fabric of the South, where, for generations, Virginians have grown up hunting.
The commonwealth "sits near, but not at the cutting edge, of gun friendliness," said Matt Bennett, vice president for public affairs at the think tank Third Way. Western states such as Arizona and Texas =97 places where the frontier culture is alive and well =97 are considered slightly friendlier.
In Virginia, with a growing urban population, vast regional differences in feelings toward guns have developed. In Arlington, Bennett said, guns are "viewed with horror and suspicion," [PVC: Baloney - we have had very few problems in Arlington or elsewhere in Northern Virginia.] whereas, in Southside, "virtually everyone owns a gun, and many people carry them."
Del. C. Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah, a prosecutor who proposed last year's bill to allow concealed carry in restaurants that serve alcohol, also believes law-abiding citizens should be permitted to carry their guns just about everywhere they go. He cited the Virginia Tech massacre as an example of how an armed adult could have ended a killing rampage. "It is totally unreasonable to say a gun-free zone makes anybody any safer," Gilbert said. "All you're doing is preventing law-abiding people from having that ability to defend themselves."
Bennett called that logic "ludicrous," saying data show that people who attempt to use their guns to thwart crime overwhelmingly end up being harmed or harming other innocent people. [PVC: I'm throwing up the Baloney Flag. I'll bet Mr. Bennett can't provide the source of that "data" because it's a figment of his imagination.] He said the spread of guns into all walks of life is a worrisome trend.
"There's clearly a push on the part of gun-rights supporters to open previously closed spaces," Bennett said. "It's going to be very difficult to keep anywhere gun-free if they're opening up places like churches, bars and college campuses." [PVC: Yes - isn't liberty and freedom wonderful?!?]
The Virginia Supreme Court in January upheld George Mason University's prohibition against guns in campus buildings and at sports and entertainment events. [PVC: They only ruled the prohibition as written was Constitutional.. They did NOT rule on whether GMU had the authority under state law to even have such a prohibition in the first place.]
High on Van Cleave's list is getting permission to bring guns to schools and church. Guns are banned at public schools, except for police officers, and the law requires an owner to have "good and sufficient reason" to take a gun into a church service.
"There's nowhere you're guaranteed not to be raped, robbed or murdered," he said after leaving a General Assembly gun hearing with a gun strapped to his waist.
Carrying a gun could intimidate criminals, he said. He also compared it to owning a fire extinguisher. "It's comforting to know that if my home catches fire, I would have a chance to stop it," he said. "Once something bad happens, it'll be too late to be looking for a gun."
But other gun owners, such as Midlothian resident Scott Schultz, don't like the idea of owners going everywhere with their weapons. He said he has a rifle he keeps in a closet, simply to protect his family from an invader, and he recently ordered a handgun, too. He doesn't feel the need to carry his guns in public. "I don't think I'd want to be walking around Wal-Mart," he said. [PVC: If he spent one day in a patrol car, he would quickly learn that such a view is incredibly naive. Crime is more like to happen to you outside your home than inside it. However, it's his life to do with as he wishes. Just don't dictate how, or where, I can protect mine.]
And some owners said if they wear guns, they keep them concealed as a way to respect the public's concern. [PVC: Oh, please. So if some people are uncomfortable when they see a black person, all black people should slink around quietly and as invisibly as possible so as not to upset the paranoid?]
"You don't want to make people nervous by having a gun hanging on you," said Sam Slate, 57, of Midlothian, who has a concealed permit and was practicing shooting at Dominion Shooting Range Inc. in Chesterfield County last week. [PVC: Again, we are not psychiatrists and not able to treat those who are unreasonably frightened of inanimate steel objects.]
His neighbor, J.R. Smith, 62, added, "You want to be subtle." [PVC: In other words, you can go to church, but don't let anyone know you are doing so in case they don't like your religion?]
Gun-control advocates, like Horwitz, say they have made little headway with their argument that there are certain places guns don't belong, including locations where alcohol is consumed or children are present. The National Rifle Association is a powerful opponent, he said, and his organizations must carefully pick their battles. [PVC: After all these years Josh still doesn't know that VCDL is not affiliated with the NRA? Amazing.]
He has focused efforts on closing Virginia's so-called gun-show loophole, which allows buyers to purchase from unlicensed sellers without having to go through a criminal background check. [PVC: Neither of which have anything to do with this article about gun owners wanting to carry guns everywhere they go.]
He said the loophole means guns are being sold to felons, who by law are not allowed to purchase guns. [PVC: Very few guns (less than one percent) that end up in a criminal's hands come from gun shows according to the U.S. Department of Justice.]
"We really want to make sure we keep guns out of the hands of criminals," he said. [PVC: As do Virginia's gun owners. But gun control doesn't work, criminals can always get plenty of guns illegally, and gun owners are not giving up one of our most important rights for someone else's fool's errand.]
**************************************************2. New gun show in Washington County**************************************************
VCDL will have a table(s) at the WASHINGTON COUNTY GUN SHOW, JUNE 4--5 2011 at the Washington County Fairgrounds:
549 West Main StAbingdon VA 24210
It is near Exit 14, I-81. Hours: 9 AM--5 PM, SAT; 9 AM--4 PM Sunday.Sponsored by K & R Pawn and Thrift Shop, 276-676-0588, E Mail: kandrpawn*embarqmail.com
Helpers needed for Saturday and Sunday to work the VCDL Table (s). A GREAT event for those in the SW corner of our state to assist VCDL.
Contact AL STEED at :swvagunshows*vcdl.org
**************************************************3. VCDL membership meeting in Annandale on March 29th, speaker survived terrorist attack at a church**************************************************
VCDL will have its monthly membership meeting at the Mason Government Center in Annandale on Tuesday, March 29th, from 8 PM to 9:30 PM. Fellowship starts at 7:30 PM.
We will have two guest speakers:
Scott Martin, who is running for the 39th Virginia Senate district against Senator George Barker, will speak for a few minutes about his campaign.
Charl van Wyk, from South Africa, will be speaking about his deadly run in with terrorists at an attack on a church he was attending in South Africa in 1993 (St. James Massacre). He survived and saved lives because he was armed with a .38 snub-nosed revolver on that fateful day. This should be very, very interesting!
We will also be discussing recent events affecting our gun rights.
As with all VCDL membership meetings, this is open to the public. Bring friends, family and coworkers with you!
Directions can be found here:
http://www.vcdl.org/meetings.html
**************************************************4. VCDL membership meeting in Charlottesville area on April 7th to discuss insuring guns**************************************************
A VCDL meeting with food - hard to beat that
=46rom EM Patricia Webb:
In an effort to make membership meetings more accessible for those in western portions of the state, Rivanna Rifle and Pistol Club (RRPC) has been very generous in making their clubhouse available for VCDL meetings. We are most grateful for this.
The next VCDL meeting at Rivanna Rifle and Pistol Club will be on Thursday, April 7th. Preceding the meeting there will be a pot-luck dinner beginning at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will begin at 7:30PM. We will be discussing the advancements made this year in the General Assembly and EM Patricia Webb will talk about insuring your firearms.
Please come join us. Membership in VCDL or RRPC is not required. In fact, we encourage you to bring guests who have never been to a VCDL meeting. In addition, if you live in the vicinity and have never been to RRPC, this is an excellent opportunity to check out the range. RRRC is dedicated to the shooting sports and firearms education.
Those planning to attend the dinner please RSVP to pat.webb*vcdl.org, placing the number attending in the subject line. Example: 4/7 VCDL meeting, 2 for dinner. The drinks and a main course of homemade meatloaf will be provided. Please bring a side dish to share if you can, but don't let that stop you from coming if you can't.
RRPC's address:
1570 Old Lynchburg RoadCharlottesville, VA 22903
Hope to see you there!
**************************************************5. Guns ARE allowed in Albemarle Co Parks**************************************************
I gave the head of Albemarle Co Parks a call last week about an illegal "no guns" policy on their web site (brought to my attention by a VCDL member). He was very apologetic over the issue, agreed immediately that the statement was wrong and said it will be fixed forthwith.
--
Following is a Q & A from the Albemarle County Park & recreation Website:
Q: Is hunting allowed at County parks?
A: Hunting is strictly prohibited at all County parks.
No firearms or weapons of any type are allowed.
--
=46rom the Albemarle County website: http://tinyurl.com/4myu7mm
**************************************************6. "Loophole" in C'ville**************************************************
Charles Winkler emailed me this:
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=46rom c-ville.com: http://tinyurl.com/46fel3d
Issue #23.11 :: 03/15/2011 - 03/21/2011The way of the gun
How easily do local convicts find firearms?
BY BRENDAN FITZGERALD
On February 13, 2008, Carmello "Pee Wee" Martinez was sentenced to four years in prison for his role in a shooting that left a local 16-year-old in critical condition. Reportedly a member of the Bloods street gang, Martinez had pursued an argument from the Herman Key Recreation Center on Market Street to the Blue Ridge Commons apartment complex on Prospect Avenue, where he produced an AK-47 assault rifle. That gun ended up in the hands of Javier Garcia, who pulled the trigger and ultimately received a 12-year sentence for his actions.
Last month, Martinez--now 22, released after serving three years of his original four-year sentence--was pulled over on Interstate 64 in Albemarle County. After law enforcement officials found 55 grams of cocaine, Martinez and a passenger were arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance. A subsequent investigation by city police turned up something else: a nine-millimeter handgun, found during a search of Martinez's residence on Michie Drive.
Given his criminal record, the handgun could carry a minimum five-year sentence if Martinez is convicted. (A preliminary hearing scheduled for last week in Charlottesville General District Court was postponed until April 14.) While the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) traces Martinez's handgun to find its original point of sale, it's worth asking how difficult it is for convicted felons in Charlottesville to obtain guns.
The numbers suggest it isn't difficult at all. In the last year, Charlottesville police made 58 arrests for "weapons law offenses"--a phrase that covers everything from misdemeanor concealed weapon charges to brandishing a firearm to shooting from a car. Of those arrests, one-in-three were for possession or transport of firearms by convicted felons, a number that includes Martinez.
The process is also a quick one. For more than 20 years, Virginia State Police have conducted background checks for licensed firearms dealers. The check takes roughly two minutes to complete. From 1999 to 2009, Virginia police conducted nearly 2.4 million checks for firearm permits and purchases, and denied 28,120--roughly 1.2 percent of all applications, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
"He can buy one on the street," says Bibb. "In Charlottesville, like many other places, there are guns available."While an ex-con may not be able to buy from a licensed dealer, he still has options for acquiring a gun, says Charlottesville Police Captain Bryant Bibb.
One of the challenges facing law enforcement, then, is how to best prevent a proliferation of private gun sales on the street. Last year, the General Assembly failed to repeal Virginia's one-handgun-purchase-per-month law, although Governor Bob McDonnell (a supporter of the original 1993 bill) was reportedly ready to overturn the law to allow more purchases.
The General Assembly once again failed to pass legislation to close the "gun show loophole," which allows unlicensed firearms dealers to sell guns without conducting background checks. In February, the assembly's Militia, Police and Public Safety subcommittee also tabled a bill proposed by Republican Delegate Jim LeMunyon that would require gun show organizers and dealers to display state and federal gun laws. The bill was partly intended to help combat "straw purchases," the sale of guns to individuals who then resell to buyers who can't lawfully purchase on their own.
Private transactions are not limited to gun shows. However, any secondary sale can cause difficulty, says ATF spokesman Mike Campbell, because the sale is not recorded.
"One of our goals is to find who the sources for the illegal gun market are," says Campbell. However, past the original point of purchase, a gun's journey becomes murky and says Bibbs, "there is virtually no requirement or way to track where it goes from there." Or where it might turn up.
--
My comments below the article on the web site:
The vast majority of guns used by criminal are either stolen or bought using a "straw purchase" (where someone who doesn't have a record buys it for the criminal) - neither of which can be stopped by any means. The so-called "gun show loophole" doesn't exist (nothing you can do in a gun show that you can't do outside a gun show) and is just a distraction.
Philip Van Cleave
**************************************************7. Officials: Front Royal illegal gun operation busted**************************************************
Why are the guns going to be "melted down?" Are the police going to melt down the confiscated automobile, too? I'll bet not. So, with the economy in the dump, we see more pointless government waste. Must be nice to have money to burn. Bruce Jackson emailed me this:
--
=46rom WUSA TV 9: http://tinyurl.com/4bhpfqa
[SNIP]FRONT ROYAL, Va. (WUSA) -- More than 1,000 guns are now off the market in Virginia. Until recently, they were for sale out of the trunk of a car and at flea markets. The problem was the man selling them didn't have a license.
Federal officials busted the illegal gun operation in Warren County, Va. Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) agents seized approximately 1,300 guns and a Ford Mustang from a man, they say, continued to sell guns after his firearm-selling license was taken away from him.
**************************************************8. Overreaction?**************************************************
Jonathan Reed emailed me this:
--
Phillip -
How about this wild over-reaction in the largest victim-zone (aka gun-free zone) in the Roanoke Valley???
Warmest regards,
Jonathan W. ReedRoanoke, VA
=46rom WDBJ TV 7: http://tinyurl.com/47nqbod
[SNIP]UPDATE: Man in Valley View Mall surveillance photo was carrying umbrella; Roanoke police interviewed him5:16 p.m. EDT, March 15, 2011
Updated at 5:14 pm
Roanoke police now say they have talked to the man shown in surveillance video and say he was carrying an umbrella. Here is the full release the city posted on Facebook:
"The person shown in the earlier photos from the Valley View Mall incident contacted the Roanoke Police Department and has been interviewed by a detective. The item that was being carried was found to be an umbrella, though it appeared to be a rifle to the citizens that called police. Based on the citizens' accounts and the immediate review of the store video, the Police Department acted with the safety and security for the citizens and patrons of Valley View Mall. In the follow up investigation utilizing video enhancement techniques, media, and social media, we were able to locate the individual from the video and successfully resolve the issue. The Roanoke Police Department would like to thank all the tenants, employees and patrons of Valley View Mall for their cooperation and assistance. We would also like to thank all the citizens who have provided information and assistance in this matter."
**************************************************9. Obama speaks on gun control **************************************************
James Durso emailed me this:
--
=46rom snowflakesinhell.com:http://tinyurl.com/4govrcq
Obama Speaks on Gun ControlPosted by:SebastianMar 13th, 2011
He mostly says we need to do a better job of getting states to report mental health records to NICS. That's the meat of it. The rest of (sic) platitudes. In speaking of "porous background checks," he did not call for closing the gun show loophole. I would imagine the Bradys are going to be less than thrilled with this, but they'll try their best to extract what little marrow was left in the bone the President just threw them. Obama has basically just called for the bill that passed after Virginia Tech, only with vigor this time. Since I didn't have any serious objection to that bill, I don't really have any serious objections to more incentives, provided they are respectful of federalist principles, and respect the sovereignty of the states.
UPDATE: I'll leave it to readers to decide what it means that Obama released this to the Arizona Star, and not to the New York Times or Washington Post, at a time when the news cycle is focused pretty exclusively on what's happening in Japan. Also, think about what that says about how highly Barry thinks of the Bradys.
UPDATE: More from Dave Hardy here. He also doesn't think this is going to live up to the expectations of the gun control groups that endorsed Obama.
**************************************************10. New background check: de facto registration?**************************************************
Dave Workman emailed me this:
--
=46rom the Gun Rights Examiner:http://tinyurl.com/4h5kgc2
[SNIP]New federal legislation announced yesterday by Mayors Against Illegal Guns, Sen. Charles Schumer and Rep. Carolyn McCarthy to "fix the nation's broken background check system" would mandate that all gun sales - even between family members and friends such as those who regularly gather for the monthly Washington Arms Collectors gun shows in Puyallup and Monroe - "be subject to a background check."
**************************************************11. Joe Biden's office joins gun policy discussions**************************************************
Board member Bruce Jackson emailed me this:
--
=46rom The Huffingtonpost: http://tinyurl.com/47bkacc
Joe Biden's Office Joins Gun Policy Discussions
First Posted: 03/17/11 12:04 PM Updated: 03/17/11 12:04 PMSam SteinHUFFPOST REPORTING
WASHINGTON -- With the Obama administration gearing up for its first attempt at reforming federal gun policy, Vice President Joe Biden's office has begun assuming more of an active role.
Aides to the vice president were present at a 90-minute meeting that the Department of Justice hosted with gun control advocates on Tuesday, administration officials said. And while those officials stressed Biden's involvement in the gun policy discussion was still very much in its beginning stages -- "at this point, we are just gathering ideas from people," said an administration official, "and [the Vice President's staff is] involved in that" -- those in attendance were pleased to see Biden emissaries at the table, interpreting it as a sign of seriousness on the administration's behalf. [PVC: Yes, everyone takes Joe Biden seriously.
]"We have had other meetings with folks at justice and meetings with other people in the administration," said one attendee. "This was the most thorough engagement we have had to date."
The vice president, after all, was the lawmaker most closely associated with the last major congressional effort to refigure Second Amendment rights. The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 was written, in large part, by then-senator Biden. It included major curbs on assault weapons, not only barring the manufacturing of 19 different brands of firearms, but also outlawing the possession of newly manufactured high-capacity magazines.
The law expired in 2004, and despite several high-profile gun-related incidents since then, efforts at re-introduction have failed.
The shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) and 19 others in Tucson in January was, for gun control advocates, the hook to try again.
"Tucson truly has a potential to be a game changer in this discussion for a number of reasons," explained Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Campaign and the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. "There is a high profile target who lived. There will continue to be Gabrielle Giffords stories... [The shooter Jared] Loughner survived too. In the Virginia Tech shootings, no one was high profile there... with most shootings nobody knows who any of the people were. You almost have to go back to Jim Brady and Reagan."
Over the past week, Helmke's group and several others were in contact with the Department of Justice about what type of policy response, whether through congressional or executive action, could be taken. Tuesday's meeting was the first formal sit-down, to be followed with similar meetings with both law-enforcement officials and second-amendment rights groups.
While the purpose of the early talks is to explore all possible ideas, several officials involved said that it is already fairly clear the scope of the policy options is limited. Tuesday's meeting, which included officials from the White House and the Department of Justice in addition to the VP's office, involved open discussion on a host of topics.
But the session mainly focused on the set of reforms Obama outlined in his op-ed in the Arizona Daily Star on Sunday, including proper implementation of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS); greater state-to-state coordination; and a "faster and nimbler" system so that those conducting background checks have the best available data.
Most widely discussed was how states could be better supported or encouraged to quickly and comprehensively upload data on criminal records and the mentally ill to the NICS system. That, however, is considered low-hanging fruit in the gun control advocacy community. Going after straw buyers and priv
ate sellers is a much harder lift, though one that was discussed on Tuesday.. Participants mentioned high-capacity magazines too, but tellingly it was the attendees, not the administration, which originated the discussion.
"It struck me that they were looking for a broad range of ideas," said Helmke. "That they hadn't decided on any proposals or written anything off."
**************************************************12. The time has come for a national open carry education campaign**************************************************
Dale Welch emailed me this:
--
=46rom the Gun Rights Examiner: http://tinyurl.com/4w3dt3o
[SNIP]"Many Americans unfamiliar with Open Carry question the motivation behind wearing an openly-holstered handgun in a public setting. Beyond the often publicized political statement inherently associated with the Open Carry Movement, advocates also carry their openly holstered handguns to deter violent criminals. However, as this topic is being constantly explored and debated for its societal value on television, the internet, and within 2nd Amendment circles, there appears to be a critical area where this subject has not been explored in sufficient detail--the national law enforcement community."
**************************************************13. While DC fiddles, Oklahoma burns for open carry**************************************************
A VA-ALERT reader emailed me this:
--
=46rom the Gun Rights Examiner: http://tinyurl.com/4dlz22g
[SNIP]OpenCarry.org co-founder and spokesman John Pierce [PVC: John is also a VCDL EM.] says that the Oklahoma House Republicans "must be drinking some strange Koolaid 'cause open carry reform is sailing through Florida right now, and recently introduced in Texas as well. It's almost like the Republicans are trying to burn their own house down."
**************************************************14. Gun ownership = Enemy of the state**************************************************
Singaram Sundaramurthy emailed me this:
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In Benghazi, Libya, gun ownership = enemy of the state:
"Surrender your gun and stay at home. But we will search every apartment, and if we find weapons in an apartment we will see you as enemies."
--
=46rom businessinsider.com: http://tinyurl.com/4vt5do2
[SNIP]QADDAFI TELLS BENGHAZI: His Forces Are "Coming Tonight" And There "Won't Be Any Mercy"
Gus Lubin | Mar. 17, 2011, 3:03 PM
Qaddafi just started speaking to the people of Benghazi. His forces are "coming tonight" and there "won't be any mercy."
Anyone who surrenders now will be offered amnesty."Surrender your gun and stay at home. But we will search every apartment, and if we find weapons in an apartment we will see you as enemies."
In Benghazi the people are out in large numbers, chanting defiantly.
Meanwhile the UN will vote at 6 PM on a resolution to launch airstrikes. Air attacks would begin immediately, according to Al Jazeera.
Qaddafi said thank God Libya isn't as bad as Japan.
"We will wipe out this black page of our history."He accuses Qatar of fueling unrest and wanting Libya to "surrender its dignity" to Qatar.
"A small problem that has become an international issue... they are voting on it tonight."
He says the people of Benghazi are desperate for his help.
"No more fear, hesitation, we are no longer reluctant. The moment of truth has come. If you see cars with loudspeakers, destroy them, they are spreading lies."Qaddafi denies the rebels have shot down one of his planes.
He says he will communicate again tomorrow, and his forces will continue to the south to "liberate" the rest of Libya.
"We did not initiate this violence. They started it."
**************************************************15. Congress blocks military orders that restrict gun rights **************************************************
James Durso emailed me this:
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=46rom armsandthelaw.com: http://tinyurl.com/4lgmutz
Congress blocks military orders that restrict gun rightsPOSTED BY DAVID HARDY . 9 MARCH 2011 10:52 AMThis is aimed at base commanders who have ordered that soldiers report and register privately-owned firearms kept at their residences off-based.
The Public Law version is not yet online, but here's a link to the 2011 National Defense Authorization Act as introduced, which became Pub. L. 111-383.. Section 1062 (on PDF pages 253-54) provides:
"SEC. 1062. PROHIBITION ON INFRINGING ON THE INDIVIDUAL RIGHT TO LAWFULLY ACQUIRE, POSSESS, OWN, CARRY, AND OTHERWISE USE PRIVATELY OWNED FIREARMS, AMMUNITION, AND OTHER WEAPONS.
(a) In General- Except as provided in subsection (c), the Secretary of Defense shall not prohibit, issue any requirement relating to, or collect or record any information relating to the otherwise lawful acquisition, possession, ownership, carrying, or other use of a privately owned firearm, privately owned ammunition, or another privately owned weapon by a member of the Armed Forces or civilian employee of the Department of Defense on property that is not--(1) a military installation; or(2) any other property that is owned or operated by the Department of Defense.(b) Existing Regulations and Records-
(1) REGULATIONS- Any regulation promulgated before the date of enactment of this Act shall have no force or effect to the extent that it requires conduct prohibited by this section.
(2) RECORDS- Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall destroy any record containing information described in subsection (a) that was collected before the date of enactment of this Act.
(c) Rule of Construction- Subsection (a) shall not be construed to limit the authority of the Secretary of Defense to--(1) create or maintain records relating to, or regulate the possession, carrying, or other use of a firearm, ammunition, or other weapon by a member of the Armed Forces or civilian employee of the Department of Defense while--(A) engaged in official duties on behalf of the Department of Defense; or(B) wearing the uniform of an Armed Force; or(2) create or maintain records relating to an investigation, prosecution, or adjudication of an alleged violation of law (including regulations not prohibited under subsection (a)), including matters related to whether a member of the Armed Forces constitutes a threat to the member or others.
(d) Review- Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall--(1) conduct a comprehensive review of the privately owned weapons policy of the Department of Defense, including legal and policy issues regarding the regulation of privately owned firearms off of a military installation, as recommended by the Department of Defense Independent Review Related to Fort Hood; and(2) submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a report regarding the findings of and recommendations relating to the review conducted under paragraph (1), including any recommendations for adjustments to the requirements under this section.
(e) Military Installation Defined- In this section, the term `military installation' has the meaning given that term under section 2687(e)(1) of title 10, United States Code. "
**************************************************16. Hypocrites: Bill would make it easier for California lawmakers to carry concealed weapons**************************************************
"Good for me, but not for thee."
Bob Johnson emailed me this:
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California legislators who want to carry because all of the sudden they don't feel safe. And you and I are less likely to be targeted than some lawmaker with bodyguards?As much as I hate California laws, at least this cop wants to keep things even between the politicians and their constituents.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca objects to singling out elected officials.
"We feel electeds should go through the same process [of showing good cause] as everyone else," said Lt. Wayne Bilowit, the sheriff's liaison with the Legislature.
=46rom the L.A. Times: http://tinyurl.com/47v8zgo
Some California lawmakers want easier access to carry concealed gunsThey say their job has become dangerous, citing the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson and threats from constituents. Baca objects to singling out elected officials.
By Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles TimesMarch 14, 2011
Reporting from Sacramento--The right to carry a concealed weapon in California is mostly reserved for those at risk of violence -- jewelers, bail bondsmen and criminal prosecutors among them.
But some legislators say their job has become dangerous too. Despite objections from some law enforcement officials and even gun rights advocates, they want a law that would make it easier for them to tote firearms for protection.
The lawmakers cite the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) in Tucson and threats from constituents in California as cause for permits to carry weapons.
"I've had guys physically come up to me ready to punch me out," said Democratic state Sen. Lou Correa of Santa Ana, co-author of a new permit proposal.
Correa, who owns a gun but doesn't have a concealed-weapon permit, said he has received threats of violence in e-mails, some of which are filled with racial slurs. He said staffers in his Orange County district office have been spat upon, and some have felt threatened by members of the public who come into the office and scream at them because they don't like the way the state is run.
After the Arizona shooting, one staffer requested that Correa provide a Taser for the office, something he is considering.
Sen. Rod Wright (D-Inglewood), another gun owner and co-author of the proposal, maintains that lawmakers need permits as much as other professionals who have them. Permission should be available, he said, "if you have people who might shoot you because of your occupation."
Under current law, Californians who want to carry concealed firearms must apply to their county sheriff or police chief and show "good cause" for permission. That can include threats of violence or a dangerous job.
Under the new bill, being an elected state official or a member of Congress would constitute good cause. The officials would, like others, be subject to a background check, and a sheriff or police chief could still turn down the application, Wright noted.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca objects to singling out elected officials.
"We feel electeds should go through the same process [of showing good cause] as everyone else," said Lt. Wayne Bilowit, the sheriff's liaison with the Legislature.
Baca has issued about 400 permits countywide, including many to judges and a few to elected officials, Bilowit said. They include county Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich and Assemblyman Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia), according to county records.
The bill's prospects are unclear, even though some members of the majority party are behind it and the measure includes provisions generally supported by Republicans. One such clause involves gun-safety training required of any permit applicant: The measure would allow the training to take place after the permit decision rather than before, saving the applicant money when permission is denied.
Gov. Jerry Brown has not taken a public position on the legislation.
Still, it has created some rare common ground among activists for both gun rights and gun control.
Karen Arntzen, coordinator of the California Chapters of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, agrees with Baca that the state should have no special status for elected officials.
"We feel there is no reason why legislators should be any different than other citizens," she said.
Opponents of gun control note that some of the lawmakers behind SB 610, including its third author, Assemblywoman Cathleen Galgiani (D-Tracy), have opposed some efforts to make it easier for others to carry guns.
Wright and Galgiani voted for legislation in 2009 that limits the ability of residents in small counties to use their gun permits in big urban areas. Wright and Correa supported a Galgiani bill last year that barred people from carrying even unloaded firearms into the state Capitol or any legislative office or hearing room.
"We do look at that as inconsistent," said Sam Paredes, executive director of the nonprofit Gun Owners of California. He questioned whether lawmakers are in any more danger than anyone else.
"All law-abiding citizens have the same good cause," he said. "They are law-abiding citizens in troubled times."
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