04/14/11 - VCDL Update 4/14/11 - Part 1

[allingeneral]

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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1. Volunteers needed to man VCDL booth at the Shad Planking political event on Wednesday, April 20th
2. Anti-freedom Senator McEachin now wants to ban guns at churches
3. Opponents of gun-free zones at universities find unlikely hero in Nevada woman
4. Leesburg armed citizen saves the day!
5. BREAKING! SAF sues Bloomberg, NYC
6. U.S. Embassy cables: 90 percent of Mexican drug cartels' most lethal weapons come from Central America--not USA
7. ATF Gunwalker scandal explained
8. Josh Brodesky: Gun-check effort going nowhere unless GOP steps up
9. Grassroots gun rights groups gain momentum
10. Who needs a gun at a baseball game?
11. Pizza shop robbed; Owner now wants workers armed
12. 6 killed, 11 wounded in Dutch mall shooting
13. Shot placement is everything!
14. Some people just don't hear at all
15. Utah permit changes
16. Online resource for handgun laws and 50 state reciprocity maps
17. Thoughts on a National Reciprocity bill that was recently introduced
18. Additional thanks to a VCDL member who helped with the AG Opinion on churches
19. Desperate Brady Campaign steps WAY over the line of decency with a sickening ad for a "clip" ban


**************************************************1. Volunteers needed to man VCDL booth at the Shad Planking political event on Wednesday, April 20th**************************************************

Volunteers are needed to man a table at the Annual Shad Planking, Wednesday, April 20, 2011! This is a very important non-partisan political event that happens every year in Virginia. VCDL needs to be front and center as we are going to have an aggressive agenda next year. This is a great opportunity for VCDL to influence politicians at all levels and of all parties.

The Governor is the featured speaker.

The event officially starts at 2 pm and ends at 6:30 pm, with the program starting at 4 pm. Volunteers will need to be there about 1 pm, one hour before it starts.

The Shad Planking will be held at the:

Wakefield Sportsmen's Club12205 Brittles Mill RoadWakefield, VA 23888.

For further info on the event, go to: http://www.shadplanking.com

To volunteer, send a message to me at: president*vcdl.org

For those who do not want to drive that far, Gary Moeller (who is coordinating this event for VCDL) can provide transportation for two people from his house in Virginia Beach to the site and back. Gary plans to leave Virginia Beach about 8:30 am and have breakfast at the Virginia Diner on the way up. Volunteers should buy their tickets in advance and the tickets will be reimbursed by VCDL at the site (to purchase online, just go to the event's web site: http://www.shadplanking.com )

Any other questions, contact president*vcdl.org.

**************************************************2. Anti-freedom Senator McEachin now wants to ban guns at churches**************************************************

This absolutely amazes me. Senator McEachin is black, yet he doesn't want a Jim Crow law clarified so that people won't be treated "differently" by the police and courts. McEachin should be applauding Attorney General Cuccinelli, not panning him.

Churches, like all private property, should be able to decided from themselves what they allow or don't allow in their buildings. So why is the State telling Churches that guns are not to be carried without "good and sufficient reason" or telling them guns can't be carried at all? Where does the State get off dictating such things to private property owners inside their own buildings?

McEachin is missing the point: Attorney General Cuccinelli is not making new law, just clarifying existing law.

Here is a list of all the **deadly force** incidents that have happened in churches since 1/1/1999 - 438 are documented on this site:

http://www.carlchinn.com/Church_Security_Concepts.html

Well, gun control never makes any sense and so it continues. My comments are embedded:

=46rom the Roanoke Times: http://tinyurl.com/3u2slbj

Lawmaker seeks to ban guns in churches

A Democratic state legislator said today that he will introduce legislation next year to ban guns in churches under any circumstances.

State Sen. Donald McEachin, D-Henrico County, said he will file the bill in response to an advisory opinion issued last week by Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, who said guns can be carried into houses of worship if they are for personal protection.

Cuccinelli also emphasized that churches have the right to ban firearms from their premises.

McEachin, a frequent critic of the attorney general, issued this news release today:

Richmond =96 Senator A. Donald McEachin (D-Henrico) today issued this statement about Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli's ruling on guns in places of worship. ''Once again, the Attorney General governs by fiat and by his opinion rather than by the constitutional process of legislation. This very bill was introduced in the 2010 General Assembly Session, only to be left in committee by members of his own Party, never even to make it to a Floor vote. [PVC: McEachin is misleading everyone here - that bill never got brought up for a vote, so there were no votes on the bill one way or the other. Republican leadership killed it by never letting it get voted on.] Republicans in the House of Delegates opposed this legislation and defeated it, but rather than accept the legislative process and therefore, the will of the people, the Attorney General has seen fit, once again, to overrule and ignore the Virginia General Assembly with its duly elected representatives of the people, and simply impose his own will on the Commonwealth.'' [PVC: Again, misleading - the legislation was never voted on, so it wasn't defeated by anyone other than Republican leadership who denied it a chance to be voted on.]

Senator McEachin continued, ''I cannot imagine a need to carry guns in places of worship where people go to seek peace, prayer and solace. [PVC: Tell that to Charl Van Wyk or all the other victims of church violence in the last decade. The link above documents over 438 violent attacks.] Now, thanks to the Attorney General, if a faith community does not wish guns at their services, they will be forced to post signs and expend funds to ensure guns are not present. [PVC: Much to do about nothing, Senator, most won't be banning guns.] The assumption will be that guns can be there, even if they are contrary to the spirit of the religious service and the desires of the congregants. [PVC: I think McEachin would be surprised to learn how many congregants aren't concerned about any of this.]

''If this is truly what Virginians want, then the bill needs to be passed by the General Assembly and signed by the governor. Are the Attorney General and his cohorts afraid of a real and honest debate on this issue? Are they afraid that the vote will turn out as it did previously? [PVC: Vote? There he goes again...] Is the Attorney General so determined to kowtow to radical gun organizations that he does not want to allow faith leaders to have the opportunity to express their opinions on this subject? [PVC: They CAN express their opinion, Senator. They can ban guns if they choose to do so. But they don't want to ban guns with a sign for fear their congregants will go to church somewhere else. I know I would.]

''Next Session, I will put in a bill to not have guns in places of worship and then an honest debate on the merits of this policy can occur, culminating in a vote by all the elected representatives in the General Assembly. This serious decision can then be made by the people, not by a single individual's political grandstanding.'' [PVC: I look forward to debating your bill, Senator.]

**************************************************3. Opponents of gun-free zones at universities find unlikely hero in Nevada woman**************************************************

David P. Swain emailed me this:

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=46rom FOXNews.com: http://tinyurl.com/67lngz7

By Claudia CowanApril 8, 2011

Across the country, lawmakers are debating whether universities should let students and faculty with permits carry their concealed weapon on campus. Those who want to put an end to such gun-free zones have found an unlikely hero in a petite, soft spoken, young woman who wonders why colleges protect most Constitutional rights, but not the one that matters most when staring into the face of a violent criminal.

Amanda Collins, 25, is a wife and new mom, and a concealed weapon permit holder for years. At her father's law office in Reno, she showed us the 9-mm Glock she carries for her safety.

"It's got a pretty standard magazine," she said, "and night sights so you can see in the dark when you're aiming."

However, Collins couldn't aim her gun at the serial rapist who attacked her at the University of Nevada at Reno, where she was a student. That's because, like most public colleges outside of Utah and Colorado, UNR is a "gun free" zone. The rule required her to leave her gun at home, leaving her defenseless the one time she needed its protection most.

In October of 2007, while walking to her car after a night class, Collins was grabbed from behind in a university parking garage less than 300 yards from a campus police office. The school's "gun-free" designation meant nothing to James Biela, a serial rapist with a gun of his own, who saw Collins as an easy target. "He put a firearm to my temple," she recounted, "clocked off the safety, and told me not to say anything, before he raped me."

The university has since installed more emergency call boxes and lights in the parking structure, but Collins says that won't stop an attacker who knows the campus is a gun-free zone, a policy she believes invites crime, and may have even emboldened the man who raped her.

Just months later, Biela went on to murder 19-year old Brianna Dennison in a case that received widespread national attention. While Biela now sits on death row, Collins is convinced the outcome would have been different had she been armed.

"I know, having been the first victim, that Brianna Dennison would still be alive, had I been able to defend myself that night."

Collins is believed to be the first victim of an on-campus rape to come out and publicly share her horrific attack in an effort to change the law and keep people safe.

Last month, she testified before Nevada lawmakers in support of , a bill that would allow concealed weapons at the state's public universities. It would abolish the requirement that permit holders get permission from the university president -- a request that is routinely denied. (Amanda was finally allowed to carry her weapon -- after she was attacked).

But others say campus gun-free zones are vital to maintain security and reduce chances of gun related accidents and violence. Reno police oppose the bill, as does an academic group called the Nevada Faculty Alliance. Dr. Gregory Brown, professor of history at UNLV and vice president of the UNLV Faculty Alliance, points to studies that argue more guns on campus translates into more violence at school.

Nevada State Senator Michael Schneider, D-Las Vegas, fears guns in the hands of students will be disastrous.

"They are not trained professionals," Schneider said. "By the time any student could get a gun, when they were attacked by someone else with a gun if they went for their gun, it would be a bad outcome." [PVC: This reminds me a lot of the bogus arguments about blood flowing in the streets if shall issue was passed and, heaven forbid, the common man/woman carried a firearm in public. These hand wringing horror stories just did not happen.]

But author John Lott, who writes in support of gun rights, argues that at the 70 schools that allow students and faculty with permits to carry guns, "not one has experienced the type of harm predicted by opponents. Not a single permit holder on these campuses has been involved in a firearm accident or crime."

For Collins, the ban defies logic.

"I don't understand why (the state) trusts good, responsible people to be able to have their firearm across the street, and as soon as they cross an arbitrary line, they somehow lose all reason and ability to be able to be competent with that responsibility. It makes no sense to me at all."

Her main argument comes from self protection. "Everyone deserves a chance to defend themselves," she says. "The criminals who are intent on committing a crime don't care about what the rules and regulations are. The only ones that do are the law abiding citizens, and those are the ones who are permitted to carry everywhere else."

Later this month, SB 231 heads to the Senate floor, where Schneider vows to block it.

A dozen other states, including Florida, Idaho, and Texas, are also debating whether to lift gun bans on college campuses. As traumatic as it to relive her attack, Collins says she'll testify wherever and whenever she can to help make that happen.

**************************************************4. Leesburg armed citizen saves the day!**************************************************

Brad Clemmons Jr emailed me this:

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=46rom Loudoun.gov Alerts: http://tinyurl.com/3rutugr

April 3, 2011

Loudoun County, VA: A Leesburg man has been arrested and charged with several violations, including abduction and reckless use of a firearm, following an altercation early Sunday morning.

On Sunday, April 3, 2011, at approximately 12:40 AM, Loudoun County Sheriff's Deputies responded to several 911 calls in 43700 block of Lees Mill Square, Leesburg. Callers advised that a man with a shotgun had confronted two people in his front yard and had fired a shot. Upon arrival, deputies found the suspect, later identified as Mehul Jitendra Shah, being held at gunpoint by a neighbor.

Shah was reported to be highly intoxicated and had become upset when a stripper he had hired turned down his demands for sexual favors. Witnesses reported that Shah confronted the woman, identified as a 29-year-old Fairfax woman, and a man described as her security guard, in the front yard of his house. He was seen brandishing a shotgun at them.During the course of the confrontation, Shah reportedly fired the shotgun in the direction of the pair, but did not cause any injury. A neighbor who was armed confronted the suspect and held him for authorities.

Shah was taken into custody and charged with Abduction by Force, Reckless Handling of a Firearm and Brandishing a Firearm. In addition, summonses were served for firing the weapon within a public right of way and within 100 yards of a building. He is being held without bond at the Loudoun Adult Detention Center (ADC) and will be arraigned on Monday.

The victim sustained minor cuts and bruises from falling while trying to escape the residence. She was transported to Inova Loudoun Hospital at Lansdowne, where she was treated and released.

**************************************************5. BREAKING! SAF sues Bloomberg, NYC**************************************************

I love it! Go get 'em Second Amendment Foundation!

Dave Workman emailed me this:

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=46rom examiner.com: http://tinyurl.com/6kfa852

By Dave WorkmanApril 5, 2011

[SNIP]

The Bellevue-based Second Amendment Foundation has once again flexed its legal muscle on the far side of the country, suing New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the City of New York and New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman in federal court over the city's excessively-high permit fee simply to keep a handgun at home...

**************************************************6. U.S. Embassy cables: 90 percent of Mexican drug cartels' most lethal weapons come from Central America--not USA**************************************************

James D. Durso emailed me this:

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=46rom CNSNEWS.com: http://tinyurl.com/3wgvnjx

By Edwin MoraApril 1, 2011

(CNSNews.com) -- The most lethal weapons used by drug cartels in Mexico are smuggled from Central America, not from the United States, according to U.S. Embassy cables unveiled by WikiLeaks, reported La Jornada, a leading newspaper in Mexico City.

The U.S. Embassy in Mexico City reportedly wrote the cables following three bilateral conferences on firearms trafficking that took place in Mexico between March 2009 and January 2010.

The cables from the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City to the State Department in Washington, D.C., reported that lethal weapons, including anti-tank firearms and grenades, were stolen from military forces in Central America and then smuggled into Mexico through the Guatemala border, reported La Jornada on Mar. 29.

That information was in turn provided to officials at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, a component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and Explosive (ATF) component of the U.S. Department of Justice.

The cables noted a trend that was not detected between 2008 and 2009--that demand by drug trafficking organizations in Mexico for more firepower was increasing.

Drug cartels are increasingly demanding military-style arms such as grenades and light anti-tank weapons, in addition to guns that penetrate bullet-proof vests known as "cop killers" in Mexico, according to one cable.

Among the high-powered artillery that Mexican authorities were able to confiscate from drug cartels, 90 percent came from arsenals of armies in Central America, stated the the U.S. Embassy.

The cables do not provide specifics about the Central American countries involved or any supporting data about the allegations.

They do state, however, that the vast majority of the small artillery used by drug cartels, such as handguns and assault rifles, are smuggled from the United States.

The U.S. Embassy blamed the Mexican government for not devoting enough manpower to secure the international boundary that separates Mexico from Guatemala, according to the cables.

"While there are 30,000 U.S. CBP (Customs and Border Protection) officers on the 1,926 mile Mexican/U.S. border, only 125 Mexican immigration officials monitor the 577 mile border with Guatemala," stated the embassy cables.

The Obama administration has repeatedly said that 90 percent of traceable guns seized from drug cartels in Mexico come from the United States, a rate that has been questioned by analysts.

In April 2009, CNSNews.com reported that the U.S. government does not know how many guns are confiscated from Mexican drug cartels in Mexico.

The La Jornada report on these cables follows revelations in the United States that the ATF apparently was deliberately allowing guns to be channled into the hands of Mexican criminals under operation "Fast and Furious."

That operation involved ATF officials allowing approximately 2,000 weapons to be smuggled from the United States into Mexico. Among those guns, around 1,200 were never tracked down, according to the Center for Public Integrity, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank.

President Barack Obama has said that neither he nor Attorney General Eric Holder, who overseas the ATF, authorized that operation. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano recently testified that she was not aware of the "Fast and Furious" operation.

**************************************************7. ATF Gunwalker scandal explained**************************************************

James D. Durso emailed me this:

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=46rom The Truth About Guns: http://tinyurl.com/4yn27aj

By Robert FaragoMarch 30, 2011

If you want to know why in Sam Hill the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (and Really Big Fires) would tell American gun dealers to go ahead and sell weapons to Mexico-bound gun smugglers, you have to understand the ATF's modus operandi. Unlike other law enforcement agencies who react to crime and investigate, the ATF goes out and creates crime and then arrests a bunch of people. No really. Since its elevation to federal agency status (a HUGE mistake), the ATF has had more stings than a naked apiculturist. So when gun dealers dropped the dime on straw purchasers buying guns headed for narco killers, the ATF treated it like a sting operation already in progress .. . .

Their sting operation. Notice the smorgasbord of law enforcement agencies above. Most times the ATF has to work with everyone but your uncle Louie to make a collar. And share the glory. But Project Gun Runner and Operation Fast and Furious belonged to the ATF. Again: it was their gig.

There was NO WAY the ATF was going to share intel. Not with U.S. Border Customs and Border Patrol (who lost an agent to ATF-enabled smuggled guns). Not with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (who lost an agent to ATF-enabled smuggled guns). And not with the Mexican government (who are still busy losing hundreds of lives to ATF-enabled smuggled guns).

The nub of the matter is easy enough to grasp: the ATF will do anything to catch criminals. Including create them. It's a profoundly unconstitutional SOP by an Agency that's happy to ensnare otherwise legal American gun owners in a paperwork trap, BTW. But let's stick with today's nearasdammit perfect example of the ATF run amok.

Undercover storefront sting nets over 100 the Department of Justice's press release proclaims.

A multi-agency law enforcement task force led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Phoenix Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Marshall's Service, began arresting suspects in the case early last week. Over its duration, the Operation resulted in the seizure of 223 weapons - including handguns, assault rifles, rifles and sawed-off shotguns, many of them stolen.

Agents and officers also seized narcotics, including methamphetamine, "crack" and powder cocaine, prescription medications, marijuana and heroin. ATF agents and a detective from Phoenix PD culminated the nine-month investigation in January.

The agents operated a secondhand merchandise store dealing in military supplies and used electronics, where they purchased guns and narcotics from individuals who came into the store. As with previous successful ATF investigations in other states, the store was equipped with electronic surveillance equipment to capture all of the transactions.

Think about this. A store opens up in a bad part of Phoenix for the express purpose of purchasing stolen weapons (for the ATF) and drugs (for the other agencies). The store lets it be known that they're open for [criminal] business and spreads a ton of cash around. No one gets arrested. And so their "success" snowballs over nine months. The bad guys know there's a thriving market for stolen guns. So what do they do? Steal guns.

Now look at this from an Arizona gun owner's point of view. You're sitting in your house with a nice collection of guns. Suddenly, bad poop goes down. A group of very bad people (with a nice new income stream to keep them ungainfully employed) have decided that they want your guns. And by God they're going to take them. Why? So they can sell them to the federal government.

News flash: sting operations don't stop crime. The foster it. Although not enough judges are willing to lay down the law in cases where obvious bad guys appear before them thanks to "here run this down the street for me right quick" law enforcement, sting operations are illegal. They lure people into committing crimes.

The "set 'em up and knock 'em down" ethos (a.k.a. entrapment) is so deeply embedded with the ATF that they feel free to admit it.

ATF Special Agent in Charge, William Newell added, "This joint operation with the Phoenix Police Department is clear evidence of ATF's continued commitment to proactively address the threat of firearms related crime in communities across the country with our State and Local law enforcement partners. We also truly appreciate the support from the U.S. Attorney and Arizona Attorney General in prosecuting these cases."

Proactive. Not reactive. Or preventative. Proactive. And there's the reason for Operation Fast and Furious.

While I look forward to seeing members of the Obama administration laid low for participating in the resulting coverup, my fondest desire is that Congress pulls the plug on the ATF is disbanded. That's the only "proactive" way to stop this murderous confederacy of dunces from wreaking havoc on the American people. And, not so by the way, Mexicans.

**************************************************8. Josh Brodesky: Gun-check effort going nowhere unless GOP steps up**************************************************

Stephen P. Wenger emailed me this:

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=46rom the Arizona Daily Star: http://tinyurl.com/3dw62km

By John BrodeskyApril 3, 2011

Let's cut through the veil. The most stirring part of Monday's rally for gun reforms was its irrelevancy.

It wasn't the choked words of Ross Zimmerman, whose son, Gabe, was killed in our January shooting. It wasn't the impassioned pleas to prevent gun violence spoken softly by petite Patricia Maisch, who snatched the ammo magazine from suspect Jared Lee Loughner.

None of it mattered. Not with a crowd of maybe 50 people outside the downtown library. Not when the stars in your political lineup are Terry Goddard, Tom Volgy and former U.S. Sen. Dennis DeConcini. No home-run hitters in that bunch. Maybe 25 years ago, but not today.

The political lineup says as much about how neutered the Democratic Party is in this state as it does about the absence of Republican leadership on gun reforms. That's the party with juice here, but at Monday's event not one Republican leader could be found. Is it really surprising? They've been missing in action ever since our shooting.

Our Legislature and Gov. Jan Brewer have responded to the Tucson Tragedy like the lawmaking equivalent of all those folks who rushed out to buy Glocks in the days immediately after Jan. 8 - more concerned about possible gun control than irresponsible gun owners. Guns on campus. A state gun. Guns in public establishments and public buildings. Guns everywhere.

Nothing about that magazine. Nothing about those 31 shots fired in a matter of seconds.

"I don't think it has anything to do with the size of the magazine or the caliber of the gun," Brewer said back in January about the possibility of limiting the sales of high-capacity magazines. "The guy is a madman. Our justice system will hold him accountable."

The defense against gun reform is always the Second Amendment. No one wants to tread on it, much less the powerful NRA. As if there's no difference between killers and responsible gun owners. As if background checks or better reporting requirements couldn't be done without infringing on gun rights.

"The real issue is about Second Amendment rights," Senate President Russell Pearce said after the shooting. "Our founders believed not only that it was your God-given right, an inalienable right to bear arms. They also believed as an adult citizen, 18 years old, you must be prepared to defend your nation."

And prepared to defend your gun.

Pearce and other lawmakers probably have other things on their minds now. But in the past they've railed against reforms, invoking the original intent of James Madison and company - as if the founders ever foresaw extended mags and assault weapons.

But when it has come to birthright citizenship, Pearce and other lawmakers are all for tearing up the 14th Amendment. Casting and recasting it, again and again, as an amendment that has not kept up with the times.

"You've got to bear in mind that when they voted on the 14th Amendment we had open immigration," Sen. Ron Gould, R-Lake Havasu City, said earlier this year when he was arguing for legislation that would deny citizenship to children of illegal immigrants.

Surely if the 14th Amendment needs to be reinterpreted because its authors didn't foresee illegal immigration, then the Second Amendment should be revisited because the framers didn't foresee semi-automatic weapons and 31-round magazines. It's the same logic, after all. But it doesn't get applied evenly.

When the citizenship distraction came up earlier this year, Brewer was lukewarm about it, never quite endorsing it, but saying, "I think it's worthwhile to have it vetted and debated."

Could you imagine Brewer ever saying anything like that about gun control or reform? Of course not. And that's what's missing here.

Of course Democrats do this, too. They can rail against reinterpreting the 14th Amendment while calling for the Second Amendment to be reinterpreted. But in this state, at this time, they don't have the power to effect change.

Monday's rally promoted a federal bill - the Fix Gun Checks Act, introduced by U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, a Democrat out of New York - which would require better reporting and background checks for gun buyers.

All the caricatures turned out for it. Gun-rights enthusiasts with their grammatically challenged signs. [PVC: And the gun-control enthusiasts who don't know what a "clip" is, but want to ban them anyhow.] Democratic pols meekly beginning their speeches by saying they own guns.

But no Republican leaders. No one with juice who is willing to redefine the debate to say we value life just as much as we value our gun rights. And that gaping absence was a caricature in and of itself.

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**************************************************9. Grassroots gun rights groups gain momentum**************************************************

Board member Dennis O'Connor emailed me this:

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=46rom the Second Amendment Foundation: http://tinyurl.com/3wbegxm

By Alan GottliebApril 7, 2011

Considering that there are an estimated 80 million gun owners in the United States, it should be no surprise that local organizations devoted to protecting and promoting gun rights especially in the wake of the 2008 Heller ruling and the 2010 McDonald decision by the U.S. Supreme Court have been springing up, growing in numbers and gaining political clout.

As founder of the Second Amendment Foundation, which brought the landmark case of McDonald v. City of Chicago to the high court with the cooperation of the Illinois State Rifle Association, I have witnessed this surge in gun rights interests with delight. Today, SAF is proudly involved in legal actions with several grassroots organizations, challenging onerous state and local gun laws.

For example, SAF is cooperating with Grass Roots North Carolina, a pro-gun-rights organization, in a challenge of North Carolina's emergency powers statute that allows the governor or local officials to suspend Second Amendment rights outside of the home during a declared emergency.

In California, SAF has partnered with the CalGuns Foundation on several lawsuits to protect the rights of gun owners.

Our lawsuit against a discretionary and essentially discriminatory gun permit law in Maryland has gotten financial support from Maryland Shall Issue. Likewise, a SAF lawsuit against a similar law in New York's Westchester County is being supported by Long Island Firearms and the Shooters Committee On Political Education (SCOPE).

Our newest legal challenges to anti-gun rights laws against the state of New Jersey and New York City were filed with local plaintiffs, the New Jersey Association of Rifle and Pistol Clubs and the New York Rifle and Pistol Association.

This emergence of pro-gun grassroots organizations evidently surprises the mainstream press, which has long believed that the National Rifle Association, and only the NRA, speaks for gun owners and lobbies on their behalf. While it is certainly true that the NRA effectively lobbies for gun owners on Capitol Hill and in state legislatures, it is also true that alternate gun rights groups including state-level concealed and open carry organizations, and groups fashioning themselves after the Virginia Citizens' Defense League, Gun Owners' Action League of Massachusetts, Ohioans for Concealed Carry and Buckeye Firearms Association, Arizona Citizens Defense League, the Montana Sport Shooting Association and Oregon Firearms Federation, have risen to handle their own affairs rather than depend entirely on a national association to do their bidding.

This presents no small dilemma for the media, and for gun prohibitionist groups that have long tried to demonize the so-called 'gun lobby' as a monolithic organization with the initials 'NRA.' Instead of a lobby, the emergence of various strong local gun groups is a movement with a broad and diverse membership representing all walks of life, all races, professions and genders. It is very difficult to demonize a movement that represents a cross-section of Americana, which may be exemplified by the NRA, but not necessarily as the only group on the map.

Alas, the NRA may have fallen into that trap, itself, by recent actions that have included a publicly embarrassing attempt to secure for itself and no other gun rights groups an exemption from the DISCLOSE Act. While that was bad enough, the association went one step farther by suggesting in its own magazines that the McDonald case was the NRA's, when it was not. [PVC: Alan is correct. If you notice the NRA almost never gives credit to any other group (unless they are an "NRA affiliate"). Even knowing that, I was still shocked when the NRA didn't give any credit to the SAF on the Katrina gun-confiscation lawsuit. The SAF had went out of their way to include the NRA in the credit, but it was a one-way road.]

As an NRA member, I have been proud when SAF and our sister organization, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, have fought side-by-side with the NRA on such major issues as the lawsuit against New Orleans to stop gun confiscations after Hurricane Katrina. We invariably shared credit for that effort, and our joint lawsuits against attempted gun bans in the cities of San Francisco and Seattle. We look forward to more such actions, because we have yet to lose one of these cooperative cases in court.

We are equally pleased to work with local grassroots organizations, though. We operate, and cooperate, under no illusions. Fighting to protect existing gun rights and regain those we have lost is a job that will require grassroots activism as well as a strong unified national voice.

Today's gun rights movement perhaps best typifies the big tent inside of which there may sometimes be discord and lively debate, but ultimately we all want the same thing: The free exercise of our constitutionally-protected fundamental civil right to keep and bear arms.

The mainstream media and gun-hating editorialists can no longer take the lazy approach by simply heaping scorn on the NRA as some sort of evil lock-step enterprise. These gun prohibitionists are now facing a much larger and formidable front, perhaps with NRA at its center, but with other strong and vocal national and local groups on the flanks. Gun owners realize we are all in this together, and that's the only way we will restore those rights that have been eroded: together.

Alan Gottlieb is founder and executive vice president of the Second Amendment Foundation, and chairman of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.

**************************************************10. Who needs a gun at a baseball game?**************************************************

Jay Britt emailed me this:

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=46rom FOXNews.com: http://tinyurl.com/443hxpd

April 5, 2011

San Francisco Giants fan beaten at Dodger game may have brain damage

LOS ANGELES - Police are searching for suspects responsible for beating a San Francisco Giants fan at Dodger Stadium after last week's opening game.

Bryan Stow, a 42-year-old paramedic and father of two from Santa Cruz, is showing signs of brain damage and remains in critical condition after the beating. He suffered a severe skull fracture and bad bruising to his brain's frontal lobes, said neurosurgeon Dr. Gabriel Zada.

At one point, doctors at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center had to remove the entire left side of his skull to ease pressure on his brain. The pressure is now normal but Stow remains in a coma from his injuries and from sedation to reduce his brain activity, Zada said.

"It's going to be a long recovery process," he said.

It was too early to make a prognosis but such injuries can affect memory, thinking ability and even personality, Zada said.

Stow was in a parking lot heading to a taxi stand after the Dodgers' 2-1 victory over the Giants on March 31 when two shaven-headed young men in Dodgers clothing began taunting and swearing at him and two other fans, who were all wearing Giants gear, police said.

Stow was punched in the back of the head. He fell down, bashing his head on the pavement, and was kicked before the attackers ran off.

They fled in a four-door sedan driven by a woman who had a boy with her, police said.

The suspects are described as between 18 and 25 years old, according to LAPD Detective Percy Morris. Composite sketches released by police show they both had shaved heads and thin mustaches. One suspect had a small goatee and the second had numerous tattoos on his neck.

Stow's cousin issued a call for civility among sports fans at a news conference at the hospital Friday and thanked people across the country who have expressed support for the family.

"We would like to use this as a rallying cry to stop unnecessary violence in our greatest pastime and all other sports, not only here but abroad," said John Stow, who wore a Giants hat and jersey as he spoke.

"We have no animosity toward the people of Los Angeles. We've been received with open arms and love," said a sister, Erin Collins.

Of the attackers, she said: "They weren't true Dodger fans."

The City Council on Tuesday voted to offer a $50,000 reward for information leading to arrests. With previous offers from the Dodgers, Giants and Stow's employer, that brings the total to $100,000. Stow's co-workers have also set up a fund to help pay his medical expenses.

Investigators had several leads and some evidence that was recovered at the scene, Detective Jose Carrillo said. He did not provide details.

He estimated that out of some 40,000 people who streamed into the parking lot after the game, at least 100 probably were near enough to see the attack and he urged them to contact police. It was too dark for video surveillance camera to provide clear images, he said.

Investigators also were looking into unconfirmed reports that Stow's attackers punched three or four young men in Giants gear only minutes before Stow was assaulted, Carrillo said.

Stow, an enthusiastic Giants fan, was attending his first game at Dodgers Stadium and had looked forward to the game all year, his first cousin, John Stow, said.

However, he may have had some worries after arriving.

"During the game, my wife received a text message from him ... He basically said he was scared inside the stadium," John Stow said, adding that his cousin did not usually make such comments lightly.

The Giants announced plans on Tuesday to honor Stow by dedicating Monday's game against the Dodgers in San Francisco to the injured man. The Giants will collect donations from fans during the game to benefit Stow and his family. The team will make an initial contribution of $10,000 to The Bryan Stow Fund. Also, proceeds from a silent auction scheduled for that day will benefit the fund.

Additionally, on Friday during the Giants' first home game of the season, the team will pay tribute to Stow in a special ceremony before the contest.

Anyone with information on the beating was asked to call LAPD Detective Percy Morris or fellow Detective Larry Burcher at (213) 847-4261.

**************************************************11. Pizza shop robbed; Owner now wants workers armed**************************************************

I would be patronizing this pizza shop if I lived in Pennsylvania!

VCDL Board member Dale Welch emailed me this:

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At least one pizza shop encourages the employees to be armed and trained.

=46rom WPXI News: http://tinyurl.com/3g9orkv

April 4, 2011

CHARLEROI, Pa. -- The owner of a North Charleroi pizza shop said his workers will begin carrying weapons after the business was robbed at gunpoint on Saturday.

Double-M Pizza on Pennsylvania Avenue was robbed Saturday at about 10:45 p.m., police said.

"He walked in and pulled a shotgun out. I was there making the pizza and he said, 'Give me all your money.' He didn't have the gun fully trained on me," said owner Mark Miller. "I picked up a dough tray and went behind there and told my driver, 'Get your cell phone. Call the police. Let's go, let's go!"

Miller said the robber walked out of the front door, got into a car and drove away. He said this was the first time in eight years his business has been targeted by thieves. No injuries were reported, but the owner said he doesn't want to take any more chances so he's urging his employees to arm themselves while working.

"I am encouraging my drivers to carry, get a permit, get training and know how to use a weapon to prevent something like this from going on," Miller said. "A well armed public is the greatest deterrent to crime in the world"

A sign in front of the business reads, "We Now Carry."

Police haven't identified a suspect in the robbery and are asking anyone with information to contact them.



**************************************************12. 6 killed, 11 wounded in Dutch mall shooting**************************************************

"Gun permits are difficult to obtain, but illegal automatic weapons and ammunition are frequently seized during drug busts." Hmmmm, so criminals have easy access to machine guns in the Netherlands in spite of their onerous gun-control laws? I'm shocked - I cannot believe that they actually have criminals who don't obey the law!

Dave Hicks emailed me this:

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=46rom AOLNews: http://tinyurl.com/436y6rj

By Mike CorderApril 9, 2011

ALPHEN AAN DEN RIJN, Netherlands -- A gunman opened fire with a machine gun at a crowded shopping mall outside Amsterdam on Saturday, leaving at least seven people dead and wounding 15 others, officials and witnesses said.

The attacker was among the dead after fatally shooting himself at the Ridderhof mall in Alphen aan den Rijn, Mayor Bas Eenhoorn said. The suburb is less than 15 miles (25 kilometers) southwest of Amsterdam.

Eenhoorn said that children were among the victims, but he could not confirm whether they were among the wounded or dead, or both.

"It's too terrible for words, a shock for us all," he said.

The gunman's identity was known and it was "all but certain" he acted alone, District Attorney Kitty Nooy said, but investigators were not yet ready to release his name or age. She said he was a native Dutchman from Alphen who has a criminal record.

Witness Martine Spruit, a 41-year-old receptionist, told The Associated Press she was shopping at a drug store when she heard bangs and people in the store hid behind shelves. When they realized a shooting was taking place, customers shouted for employees to lock the doors.

"Then we heard the shots getting further away, so he was walking back and forth," she said. "Then we thought we'd have a look and there were two people lying dead near the entrance ... then he came back shooting so we locked the door again."

Queen Beatrix and Prime Minister Mark Rutte issued statements saying they were shocked and sympathize with the victims and their families.

A witness identified as Maart Verbeek told state broadcaster NOS the attacker had a machine gun and appeared to be shooting at random.

"There was a panic in the mall, a lot of people running," said Verbeek, a pet shop owner. "I see the attacker coming, walking, and I go inside the store ... and I see him going by with a big machine gun."

Hours after the shooting, residents continued to gather at the mall, some of whom appeared to be in a daze.

"You hear about this sort of thing happening at American schools and you think that's a long way away," said Rob Kuipers, 50, a project manager. "Now it's happened here in the Netherlands."

Eenhoorn said several other malls in the town were evacuated, but he would not elaborate on the reason. Dutch television broadcasters showed a bomb squad searching a car parked outside the Ridderhof mall that is believed to have belonged to the shooter.

Nooy said there was "no evidence" to support rumors the gunman was a former soldier, and confirmed his house has also been searched. She would not comment on reports that he left a note.

Witnesses said he had long blond hair, appeared to be about 25 years old, and wore a leather jacket with camouflage pants.

A resident who lives near the mall who gave his name as Marijn said the shooting went on for several minutes. When he went to see whether friends working at the mall were OK, he saw the shooter lying dead in front of a grocery store.

"There was glass everywhere," the resident said. "He was just shooting everywhere as if it were the Wild West."

Images published by the NOS showed the covered body of the shooter just inside a grocery store.

With his voice choking at times, Eenhoorn described the incident as a "disaster of unparalleled proportions" for Alphen, known as a quiet residential suburb, and it was all the more shocking because it took place on one of the first sunny days of spring.

"Under these circumstances, with many people shopping at the Ridderhof today, including parents with children, it's an almost incomprehensible situation," he said.

Although rare, shootings and violence are not unknown in the Netherlands. In 1999, four students and a teacher were hurt in a school shooting and in 2004, a teacher was shot dead by a student.

There have also been two assassinations in the past decade, the 2002 killing of right wing politician Pim Fortuyn by an animal rights activist and the 2004 murder of filmmaker Theo van Gogh by an Islamic extremist.

In 2009, a loner drove his car into a group of bystanders during a royal parade, killing eight and wounding 10.Sponsored Links

Gun permits are difficult to obtain, but illegal automatic weapons and ammunition are frequently seized during drug busts.

Two people were killed in Alphen in a drug-related shooting several weeks ago. Nooy said investigators do not believe the incidents are linked. She said investigators were trying to trace the gun or guns used in the attack.

One unidentified witness on NOS television said he saw the shooter reload the magazine of his machine gun and continue to fire.

Police commissioner Jan Stikvoort denied reports police were slow to respond, saying they arrived while the shooting was ongoing and reached the gunman just as the shooting stopped.

**************************************************13. Shot placement is everything!**************************************************

Phil Sammon emailed me this:

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Phil, I grabbed this article to highlight how important shot placement is. Sounds like this was a case of just outright poor hits in non-vital areas. Consider, too, that this happened in daylight, not a dark alley.

One of my favorite shooting instructors used to tell us, "You can't miss fast enough." Apparently you can't end the fight with poor shots, either.

=46rom FOXNews.com: http://tinyurl.com/68bkbcu

April 7, 2011

PHILADELPHIA, Pa.-- Philadelphia police said a man was shot 16 times and somehow survived.

Police said the shooting on Wednesday occurred in during the day and that they believe the victim, whose identity has not been revealed, was the "intended target," MyFoxPhilly reports.

Police are continuing to investigate the incident.

Click here for more on this story from MyFoxPhilly.http://tinyurl.com/67f3h99

**************************************************14. Some people just don't hear at all**************************************************

Gerald Ameral emailed me this:

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Last week my son went looking for a new watch. A friend told him about a wonderful (if not pricy) selection at Jareds jewelry store. On his friend's advice he went to look.

The clerk was a gentleman about the same age as my son. Mid 30's, and oddly enough they share the same name, Zack. They seemed to get along well right off, as my son reported to me. My son also said he thought he had found what he wanted in the way of a watch.

He was supposed to get together with Zack at the store the day after we spoke on the phone. My son Lives in Maryland and I send him VCDL news and updates frequently. He said he was sorry to have checked and found Jareds on the "Gun owners unfriendly list", and asked me what he should do.

As a father I had to tell him my thoughts on such an expensive watch anyway, but as far as the "unfriendly list" is concerned I told him he was on his own. I did say, "I could in NO WAY support a company that would abridge my rights".

Well Zack, that is my Zack, called me and told me he had stopped by Jareds. He told the sales lady there to please tell Zack, the clerk, that he was not going to buy the watch, and went on the explain why. After the explanation another lady working there chimed in that the policies were for the protection of the patrons, that it was to protect the company from liability and so on.

Zack knew he was not really being listened to so he asked that they just pass the message on. As he was leaving the second lady said to him, "if you don't want to buy a watch, we have lots of fine jewelry for you to look at!"

This of course only proved to him he was correct. They really weren't listening at all.

**************************************************15. Utah permit changes**************************************************

VCDL Board Member Bruce Jackson emailed me this:

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=46rom Utah.gov: http://tinyurl.com/3lrreqc

For those of you that have Utah Concealed Firearm Permits, there have been some changes of late:

- As of 1/1/2012 to get a Utah non-resident permit, or renew the one you already have you must also have a copy of a valid permit issued by your home state if Utah has reciprocity with that state.

- Utah instructors must have a valid Utah Concealed Firearm Permit.

- As of 5/10/2010 the non-resident renewal fee will be $15

You can read about these changes at the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI)

**************************************************16. Online resource for handgun laws and 50 state reciprocity maps**************************************************

A web site with handgun laws from around the nation and also reciprocity maps.

http://www.handgunlaw.us/

**************************************************17. Thoughts on a National Reciprocity bill that was recently introduced**************************************************

The NRA has been touting a pro-gun bill that was recently introduced in Congress - HR 822. It is a bill that creates national reciprocity for concealed handgun permit holders. Basically it says that all states that allow concealed carry must honor concealed carry permits from other states.

The more I have thought about such a bill, the more I get heartburn.

Isn't this just another case of the Federal Government overstepping their bounds - trampling on State's Rights? Or is it just a demand that states honor each other's legal documents - equal protection under the law?

If the Federal Government is given this power, how long before they dictate what kind of training you must get and try to micromanage the whole permitting thing under the guise of making the law "uniform?"

How long before the Feds start twisting the arms of the various State's by withholding funding to make them go along with some wild licensing scheme?

Oh, this is definitely tempting! I would like to carry in places like New Jersey, where you really need a gun big time! The bill would save lives by allowing permit holders to carry in almost every state for protection, but are we opening Pandora's Box? Would we be better served in the long run by getting all 50 states to simply honor each others permits by changing state laws?

Here is a link to more information from the NRA's web site:

http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Feder ... px?id=6573

**************************************************18. Additional thanks to a VCDL member who helped with the AG Opinion on churches**************************************************

In the previous alert on the new Attorney General's Opinion on church carry, I had failed to mention that VCDL member Mark Hile had played a significant role in laying the groundwork for that formal opinion.

Thanks, Mark!

**************************************************19. Desperate Brady Campaign steps WAY over the line of decency with a sickening ad for a "clip" ban**************************************************

The Brady Campaign never ceases to show me just how low they can sink. After the Arizona shooting of a Congresswoman, the President and others were calling for "civility" and not being "divisive."

I guess the Brady Campaign missed that little memo as they have an ad that shows a man shooting at a target that is the silhouette of a little girl in pigtails. Then it flashes other targets: an elderly lady, an elderly man, a postal worker, a student, and so on.

The anti-freedom crowd was screaming when Sarah Palin had a political ad showing Arizona in the "political" cross-hairs, but THIS is OK?

Like I've always said, the anti-freedom groups believe the end justifies the means. They see no moral or ethical constraints on themselves as they seek to disarm us. Every time they open their mouths hatefulness and bigotry come flooding out.

Although the Brady Campaign acts like they understand guns, they don't even know what a "clip" is! If they want to ban a "clip" that will hold more than 10 rounds, I think they'll be surprised to find out that none exist! The idiots have built an entire campaign (including a web site name) around the wrong thing.

Here is the Brady Campaign's disgraceful ad: http://tinyurl.com/3hje5j5



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