The Horror! The Horror!

From Nov. 12, 2015 Time:

Brazil Seeks to Copy U.S. Gun Culture

Lawmakers want to make it easier for Brazilians to get weapons

Congressmen in Brazil, one of the most violent countries in the world, are proposing to dramatically loosen restrictions on personal gun ownership, bringing the country much closer to the American right to bear arms.

The politicians say the measures are necessary to allow embattled citizens the right to defend themselves from criminals armed with illegal weapons. But opponents say the move will only increase the country’s toll of nearly 60,000 murders in 2014.

 

When Reality Conflicts With Self-Righteousness

Some years ago, one of the gun control causes was ballistic fingerprinting, recording either the rifling marks on bullets or markings on fired cases.  As I pointed out in a Shotgun News article in 2002, this was not only expensive, but not really useful for solving crimes.  New York and Maryland, full of self-righteous control fanatics, adopted such laws.  The Nov. 7, 2015 Baltimore Sun reports:

Millions of dollars later, Maryland has officially decided that its 15-year effort to store and catalog the "fingerprints" of thousands of handguns was a failure.

Since 2000, the state required that gun manufacturers fire every handgun to be sold here and send the spent bullet casing to authorities. The idea was to build a database of "ballistic fingerprints" to help solve future crimes.

But the system — plagued by technological problems — never solved a single case. Now the hundreds of thousands of accumulated casings could be sold for scrap.

"Obviously, I'm disappointed," said former Gov. Parris N. Glendening, a Democrat whose administration pushed for the database to fulfill a campaign promise. "It's a little unfortunate, in that logic and common sense suggest that it would be a good crime-fighting tool."...

But the computerized system designed to sort and match the images never worked as envisioned. In 2007, the state stopped bothering to take the photographs, though hundreds of thousands more casings kept piling up in the fallout shelter.

The ballistic fingerprinting law was repealed effective Oct. 1, ending the requirement that spent casings be sent in. The General Assembly, in repealing the law, authorized the state police to sell off its inventory for scrap.

The science behind the system is valid. The scratches etched onto a casing can be matched to the gun that fired it, mapping a so-called fingerprint to the gun. The Maryland system was an expanded version of the successful but more limited federal National Integrated Ballistic Information Network started in the 1990s. It catalogs casings only from crime scenes and from guns confiscated by police. Maryland's unwieldy version collected the fingerprint from every single handgun sold in the state.

Never Bring A Fake Gun To A Real Gunfight

From Nov. 2, 2015 Washington Post:

On Saturday evening, a man wearing a mask walked into a South Side Chicago bodega, pulled out a gun and announced a robbery.

As the robber pointed his gun at the store’s employees, however, a customer pulled out his own gun.
The robber’s gun, it turns out, was fake.

The customer’s was not.

Now the robbery suspect is dead, gunned down by the concealed-weapon-toting customer.

The case is the latest in a string of incidents across the country in which bystanders have pulled out their concealed weapons and used them against suspected criminals.

At least this fool wasn't a suspected criminal.  As one comment observed:

And an object lesson here...play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

Democrats Helping To Set New Records...

for gun sales. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation processed a record number of background checks in the month of October, indicating that gun sales were at an all time high for the sixth month in a row.

The FBI’s National Instant Background Check System processed 1,976,759 firearms related checks in October. That is a 373,290 increase in checks over last year and a new record for the month. It also makes October the sixth consecutive month to see a record number of checks.

I Hope These Are Signs For 2016

From Nov. 4, 2015 Houston Chronicle:

Houston's controversial equal rights ordinance failed by a wide margin Tuesday, with voters opting to repeal the law that offered broad non-discrimination protections, according to incomplete and unofficial returns.

You will recall that opposition to the city council passing this measure led to a judge issuing subpoenas for pastor's sermons a while back. If the homofascists can lose in Houston, the would probably lose a popular vote in Idaho.

The billionaire effort to pass gun control in Virginia suffered a major defeat:

Virginia Republicans look set to hold onto their Senate majority in the Old Dominion, amid aggressive campaigning by Democrat Gov. Terry McAuliffe.

It is a big defeat for McAuliffe, a close ally for Hillary Clinton, and a big defeat for New York billionaire Mike Bloomberg, who donated heavily to Democrats in the hope of winning the Virginia electoral fights on a promise of more gun-control.

Republicans beat back two serious challengers Tuesday, holding onto seats in the suburbs of Richmond and the Hampton Roads area.

In another hotly contested race, Republican Hal Parrish holds a lead over Democrat Jerry McPike. If Parrish holds onto his lead, it would represent a Republican gain, as the two are battling to replace a retiring Democrat.

McAuliffe, with considerable help from Bloomberg, bet his political capital on Democrats winning the upper Chamber. But he seems to have fallen far short.

And while I think the Coos Bay measure is going to lose in court, I was pleased to see it easily pass.

Coos County voters approved a "Second Amendment Preservation Measure" Tuesday that would bar the enforcement of certain types of gun restrictions and allow the sheriff to determine which state and federal gun laws are unconstitutional.

Nearly complete results show the measure passing with more than 60 percent of voters in favor.

My New Column

It appears that my monthly column in Shotgun News is done.  My column now appears on the Firearms Policy Coalition web site. 

Coos Bay

My sister who is sort of a conservative Green (sorry if your heads are exploding at the thought) brought to my attention this measure on the ballot.

"US Constitution Second Amendment Preservation"  ordinance.  I can't find the text, but it requires the sheriff to decide if any law violates the Seconsd Amendment or the Oregon arms guarantee and not enforce such laws.  Apparently driven by recent background check law that Bloomberg paid to have Oregon pass.  Here's the text.  A reminder that good intentions are not enough.

Do Ammunition Background Checks Reduce Murder Rates?

The short answer is NO.

Ammunition Background Check Laws

California Lt. Fool Gavin Newsom is pushing for an ammunition background check law, presumably because the gun background check law has disarmed the vermin there, who are using the ammunition as a threat: "Open the cash register or I will throw these cartridges at you.".  No other state seems to have an equivalenty law, but New Jersey and Illinois do require a firearms owner ID card to buy  ammunition (for Illinois) and handgun ammunition (New Jersey).  I am working on a paper analyzing how effective such laws are.  Does any other state require a license or ID card to buy ammunition?  Please tell me.

Shocking! CNN Reports on Where NRA's Political Money Comes From

Very little comes from gun makers.

If We Can Ignore the Second Amendment "For the Children"

Can we ignore the First Amendment as well and ban Satan worship?  From Oct. 20, 2015 LehighValleyFive:

The alleged gunman in a shooting spree that left three people dead in the Lehigh Valley told investigators a voice told him not to be so "picky" with his victims, a detective testified Tuesday.

Todd West is charged in three killings in the Lehigh Valley and four in New Jersey. (Courtesy photo)

"The voice was telling (Todd West), 'Just eat, eat, stop being so picky,'" Allentown police Detective John Brixius III testified.

When West was asked if police had the getaway car used in his crime wave, West told them he knew police had the car, "because he told him, referring to the devil," Brixius said.

The detective's account is one of an estimated 15 witnesses who are expected at a preliminary hearing, which started Tuesday afternoon and is continuing into the evening.

West, 23, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, is charged with seven killings in all -- three in the Lehigh Valley and four before that in New Jersey. Authorities have agreed to try him in the Pennsylvania cases first.

Okay, maybe a ban on Satanism would not be completely effective, but shouldn't we at least try?  Obviously, when you start hearing voices, schizophrenia is more likely than Satan.

I Guess They Didn't Know to Ask Bloomberg

GunPolicy.org is one of the promoters of restrictive gun control, although careful to say "International firearms injury prevention and policy."  But I was thrilled to see this on their web page:

Gun Policy News
Has Shut Down

We regret that after 17 years of delivering daily bulletins, Gun Policy News closed in June 2014 for lack of resources. Our archive of 38,000 mass-media articles can still be searched from this page

Another Mass Murder

But in a country with strict gun control.  From the Oct. 16, 2015 Guardian:

A gunman shot and killed five people in an Islamic State-claimed attack on a Shia meeting hall in Saudi Arabia before being shot dead by police, said Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV.

 Of course, Saudi Arabia has pretty strict gun control laws.

Never Bring a Brick and Hammer to a Gunfight

When liberals insist that gun bans would eliminate the need for guns for self-defense, have them explain how that works in this case.  From Oct. 19, 2015 Fox News Detroit:

A pistol-packing pastor shot and killed a man who was allegedly trying to attack him with a brick on Sunday in the vestibule of a Detroit church, police said.

Cops say Deante Smith, 25, attacked the unidentified pastor and threatened several parishioners of The City of God church with a brick and hammer, FOX2 reported. Police said the attack was not random; the pastor and Smith knew each other and the two have had problems in the past.

Assistant Detroit Police Chief Steve Dolunt said a previous police report had been filed against Smith, The Detroit Free Press reported.

And These People Call Themselves The Reality-Based Community

From the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle:

I urge President Obama to ban firearm possession in America. He is the president of the United States. He can change the country. He can do it today. I believe in him.

I voted for Barack Obama. Twice. During his 2008 presidential campaign, my two daughters, partner, and I ate every meal in our house on Obama placemats. We bought these at our local supermarket, plastic-coated, plate-sized paper rectangles with an image of his face framed by colors of the flag. While politically minded, I am not overly patriotic, so this mealtime ritual of American allegiance was odd for me. Still, we looked at the image of his face each day and we believed that he really could be the change in America....

I admire Obama. But he has let me down. I am disappointed because his presidency could have done more for our country, and sadly, the many taken lives who cannot read this essay. I still worry about urgent social tensions facing our nation, and I recognize their ongoing complexities in policy and legislative action. But gun violence can be averted. Can our country ever be free from senseless gun-crime?

 You want to see real social tensions?  Try banning guns.

Not surprisingly, the author's bio:

Barbara LeSavoy is director of Women and Gender Studies at The College at Brockport.

2nd Circuit Decision

Challenges to the New York State and Connecticut assault weapon and magazine bans now have a decision from the 2nd Circuit.  While New York's 7 round magazine limit and Connecticut's ban on the Remington 7615 were struck down, the core of both laws were upheld by the 2nd Circuit deciding that the core of the 2nd Amendment was not impaired because the laws do not "operate as a substantial burden on the ability of law‐abiding citizens to possess and use a firearm for lawful  purposes.”

The reasoning is that like saying that freedom of speech is not impaired by a ban on burning the U.S. flag because, to parody the decision of p. 33:   because “adequate alternatives remain for law‐abiding citizens to express their opposition to the U.S.: signs and chanting."  Similarly Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) which requires states to provide public defenders for indigent defendants, if judged by this standard, is wrong, because a defendant can always represent himself.

The Legal History of "Dangerous and Unusual Weapons"

Ready to dive deeply into English legal history?  Not getting enough dust in your diet?

Abstract: The phrase “dangerous or unusual weapons” has long been used by American courts to justify prohibiting possession or carrying of particular classes of weapons. Examination of the history of this phrase shows it was neither as ancient nor as broadly prohibitive as many assume. Analogies to First Amendment case law suggest that the authority of the government may be more limited than D.C. v. Heller (2008) indicates.

Trump On Gun Carrying

In combination with his campaign's very strongly progun statements, this statement shows great courage against the MSM:

Washington (AFP) - Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump says he sometimes carries a gun to protect himself, after a spate of shootings at colleges ramped up debate about firearms in the United States.

The revelation is likely to spark a backlash from advocates calling for tighter control of guns, after three separate shootings at US universities or colleges this month left 11 people dead.

Asked why years ago he obtained a concealed weapons permit, Trump told the CBS program "Face the Nation": "Because I like to have myself protected."

Host John Dickerson then asked Trump: "Do you carry?"

"Sometimes," replied Trump, whose popularity has surged on the back of a series of bombastic comments on a range of sensitive topics, including immigration and gun control.

Why is Trump  so hated by many progun sorts?  Is it fear that he won't support same-sex marriage and therefore discredit himself with the left?

Falling Murder Rates

The gun control crowd claims falling murder rates over the last couple of decades aren't caused by more guns, but improvements in trauma care making more murders into attempted murders.  This new paper of mine proves this is false.  Aggravated assault rates (which would include those attempted murders) are also way down.

No Wonder NFL Players Are Lobbying For Gun Control

From Politico:

Add to the list of celebrities calling for an end to gun violence a group of football players calling for gun law reform.
Marshall Faulk, Michael Irvin, Deion Sanders, Emmitt Smith and LaDainian Tomlinson have teamed up with DemandAPlan.org, part of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, for a video public service announcement.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/02/nfl-players-star-in-gun-control-ad-087393#ixzz3nT3P3Nzw

 From CBS;

Some headlines need a little more explaining than what’s given. The above headline doesn’t fall into that category.

Mike Rosenberg of the Reuters tweeted out Thursday a momentous occasion: September was the first calendar month since 2009 that no active NFL player was arrested: