Saturday, May 30, 2020

Brazil's President Bolsonaro: "An armed people will never be enslaved!"

President Bolsonaro of Brazil


On 22 May, 2020, the Supreme Court of Brazil issued an order that a recording of a private meeting of President Bolsonaro with his staff be made public.  President Bolsonaro uses impassioned language some might find offensive.

It shows what President Bolsonaro thinks when he is not in the public view.  The video is of a meeting on April 22, 2020.

The public exposure of the  video echoes what has been happening in the Trump administration.  The political opposition to Bolosonaro's reforms have instigated criminal investigations into President Bolsonaro's family.

The video is ambivalent about the investigations; both sides have claimed vindication.

The video exposes what President Bolsonaro thinks about an armed population. Except for the passionate use of expletives, it could be something written by George Mason, Richard Henry Lee, or Tench Cox in the federalist papers.

Here is the translation from the video posted on twitter. Some of the translation has been slightly edited for clarity.

Sir Minister of Justice, please. (MJ is Sergio Moro)

It was decided, not long ago, that you couldn't handcuff almost anyone. (Refers to a Brazilian Supreme Court decision, that handcuffs were an abuse, unless there is a real threat shown)

Why are they putting handcuffs on a citizen that's working, or on a woman in the public square? And the Justice doesn't say anything? 

You have to f*cking speak! (talking about Sergio Moro not coming out against mayors and governors having people arrested for going outside)

You are going to be quiet?! Until when?! Or do I have to keep exposing myself? (The ministers should be supporting President Bolsonaro)

You have to speak, put it out there! Dish it out! 

You can't put on handcuffs, violate a decision of the Supreme Court! And we are going to be quiet? Until when?!

They keep on humiliating our people.  And that is growing...
People keep pointing at me: "I've voted for you, for you to do something..."  "voted for you, for you to make decisions" 
And it's true!

I couldn't care less about reelection!
And we have to think about this, all of us. What these son of bitches want, Weintraub, is our freedom.
     (Abraham Weintrab is the minister of Education.)

Look, how easy it is to impose a dictatorship in Brazil, how easy it is.
The people are locked in their houses. 

That is why I want, Minister of Justice and Minister of Defense, that the people arm themselves. 

That's gonna ensure that no motherf*cker is going to show up and impose a dictatorship here! Because it's easy to impose a dictatorship here. Too easy!

 A f*cking mayor makes a f*cking decree, handcuffs people and keeps everyone at home! If they were armed, they'd go to the streets!

And if I was a dictator, I'd want to disarm the people! Just like all the others' disarmed people before they imposed their respective dictatorships. 

That is when our demonstration, and I ask that Fernando and Moro sign the ordinance today...

   (Fernando Alveredo, Minister of Defense)

Because I want to give a f*cking message to these *ssoles, on why I'm arming the people. Because I don't want a dictatorship here! And it can't be postponed anymore!

Alright? It can't be postponed anymore!

Whoever doesn't accept my ideals, Damares...

   (Damares Alves, Minister of Women, Family and Human Rights)

Family, God, Brazil, guns, freedom of speech, free markets... Whoever doesn't accept that, is in the wrong government. 

  (A message to his Ministers not stepping up due to not supporting such ideals)

Wait until 2022 Sir Avaro Dias? Wait for Alckmin? Wait for Haddad? or maybe Lula, right?  And you can go and be happy with them.

In my government, you are wrong!

It's to blow it wide, the gun question here!  I want everyone armed! 

Because an armed people will never be enslaved!

You cannot find a more impassioned plea for the people to be armed, in the run-up to the passage of the ratification of Bill of Rights in the United States in 1791.

They say a person's character is revealed when they think no one is looking.

This was a private meeting, where President Bolsonaro did not think it would be made public.

There are many reasons President Bolsonaro is called the Trump of the Tropics.

Support of power to the people, by having them armed and able to defend  themselves, is one of them.

©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch



















PA: Man Shoots, Kills Burglary Suspect in Philadelpia



PHILADELPHIA — A man shot and killed an alleged burglar after he said he caught him breaking into a trailer and stealing DJ equipment in Philadelphia, according to reports.

Action News reports the shooting occurred at about 4 a.m. on the 2700 block of East Somerset Street when a 37-year-old man saw two people breaking into a trailer which contained his DJ equipment.
More Here

NV: Domestic Defense, Man Shoots Son who Threatened to Stab Mother



A man was shot dead by his father after the former threatened to stab his mother. The incident took place in Las Vegas on Monday (May 25).

According to local reports, the unidentified man started arguing with his mother while holding a knife. When things got out of hand, the mother threatened to call 911 if he didn’t stop. The son then took away the woman's phone and threatened both his parents with a knife.

The son was “holding the knife in an aggressive manner directly over top his mother, who feared for her life. The father also believed the male was about to stab his mother so he was forced to shoot him to save her life,” police said.
More Here

Friday, May 29, 2020

Oklahoma Legislature Forbids "Red Flag" Laws, or Enforcement of Same


Oklahoma Capitol

The Oklahoma legislature passed SB 1081 on 15 May, the last day of the legislative session.  It was one of the last bills passed in 2020 before the legislature adjourned. It appears to be the first anti-red flag law passed by any legislature.

The legislature passed the bill, had it signed, enrolled, returned to the House, signed, returned to the Senate, and sent to the Governor, all on the same day.
A legislature can act quickly, when there is sufficient will to do so.

The anti-red flag bill was introduced in 2019, by Senator Nathan Dahm. Dahm wrote an op-ed, published in the Oklahoma Senate, explaining the need for and purpose of the anti-red flag bill. It is well written, but not widely published. It was put out as a press release. The entire op ed is included below. From oksenate.gov

In the midst of a new wave of constitutionally illiterate politicians trying to erase the Bill of Rights, the time is now for conservatives across the country to embrace a bolder, stronger strategy to defending the Second Amendment.

Washington’s never-ending obsession with shredding our right to keep and bear arms has gone on long enough. This is why I recently introduced Senate Bill 1081 in the state Senate, a bill that represents the aggressive legislative approach America needs. The bill, titled the “Anti-Red Flag Act,” would nullify any new attempt from the federal government to bring red flag laws to the Sooner State.

Red flag laws represent a barefaced attempt to seize property from more law-abiding Americans than ever before. In summary, these laws allow an individual’s firearms to be confiscated following nothing more than an anonymous accusation from either a family member or a law enforcement officer, directly violating at least four amendments to the Constitution.

The unconstitutionality of this is absurd, and, unfortunately, they’ve already been passed in 17 states and Washington, D.C. Additionally, several governors (Republican and Democrat) have recently jumped on board.

We cannot keep playing defense while expecting our constitutional rights to survive for very long with politicians who regard them as an inconvenience or even an obstacle to their schemes. Simply standing our ground and waiting for the gun control lobby to strike again has not worked — and it never will. With the passage of SB 1081, it is my hope that lawmakers across the nation will become inspired to champion similar legislation in their own states (and Congress) that not only safeguards the rights of every American but pre-emptively takes a stand against future efforts to dismantle our constitutional rights.

In doing so, however, we must recognize the full extent of the threat posed by Washington. Just last month, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., began collaborating on a new federal grant program designed to incentivize states to adopt red flag gun control. This plan was met with swift support from high-ranking members in both chambers of Congress.

Despite politicians in both parties being so readily willing to infringe on the people’s rights, the Second Amendment is abundantly clear: “... being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

And that is exactly what Oklahoma is: a free state. We will not allow due process to be torn apart. We will not allow career politicians 1,000 miles away to dictate our lives for us. And we will not allow Washington, D.C., to bribe or lull us into an existence of servitude.

Here is the summation of SB1081 as introduced:

An Act relating to state preemption of extreme risk protection orders; creating the Anti-Red Flag Act; preempting field of legislation relating to extreme risk protection orders; nullifying any federal rule, statute or executive order relating to extreme risk protection orders; creating a felony for conviction of an individual attempting to enforce certain orders; providing definition; providing for codification; and declaring an emergency.

SB1081 passed the Oklahoma Senate on 12 March, with 34 Ayes and 9 Nays.

Those voting Nay in the Senate are listed below.  From stat.ok.gov

   NAYS:    9

    Boren             Floyd             Kirt             
    Brooks            Hicks             Matthews         
    Dugger            Ikley-Freeman     Young  


SB1081 passed the House on 15 May, 2020 with 77 Ayes and 14 Nays. The Nays in the House are listed below. From state.ok.gov:            

    NAYS:   14
Albright       Brewer      Provenzano   Virgin            
Bennett        Dunnington  Ranson       Waldron           
Blancett       Goodwin     Rosecrants   Walke             
Branham        Munson       
To those who take the Constitution and the Bill of Rights seriously, red flag laws are a threat to the Constitutional order.  Those who consider the Constitution a "living document" subject to continual reinterpretations with the times, red flag laws are a common-sense measure to reduce "gun violence", with no Constitutional problems.

SB1081 was sent to Governor Kevin Stitt on 15 May, 2020. Governor Stitt could easily have vetoed the bill, as the legislature had adjourned. Instead, he signed the bill into law on 19 May, 2020.

Because an emergency was declared in the bill, it took effect immediately on becoming law.


©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

TX: Domestic Defense? Woman Shoots, Kills, Common Law Husband on 24 May


HOUSTON — A man is dead after Houston police said he was shot and killed Sunday by his common-law wife.

This happened at about 12:35 p.m. in the 6300 block of Richmond Ave, which is near the Galleria area.
More Here

CA: Julian Garcia Shot and Killed after Forced Entry to Home at 2:49 a.m.



HESPERIA, Calif. (KABC) -- A Hesperia man was shot and killed after he forced his way into a home in the middle of the night, authorities said.

Sheriff's deputies say Julian Robert Sanchez Garcia, 31, of Hesperia, forced his way into a home on Balsam Avenue around 2:49 a.m. Monday.

Two men who were home at the time say they heard yelling and pounding on the front door at the time. They said Garcia then forced his way inside the home.
More Here

MO: Domestic Defense, Relative Shoots at Home, Homeowner Shoots Back, Kills Relative


Sheriff Darrin Brawley said the man killed and the shooter were relatives.

Brawley said a man showed up and began firing shots into a mobile home. The homeowner fired back, striking and killing the man.

More Here

Thursday, May 28, 2020

Preemption: LA Looks to Reduce "Gun Free Zones"; WV SB96 becomes Effective 31 May

Louisiana State Capitol


Preemption law reform is moving in Louisiana, and becomes effective in West Virginia at the end of May. 

As with nearly all states, Louisiana has a statute which preempts local governments from enacting ordinances or regulations which are in conflict with state laws regarding firearms. The idea is that firearms laws should be uniform statewide, so that people exercising their right to keep and bear arms will not be in violation of the law simply by crossing a street from one municipality to another, or one county to another. Some states have rigorous preemption laws, other states have minimal laws.

HB 140 is a bill in the Louisiana legislature which would extend the current preemption law to forbid local governments from banning firearms in certain commercial and public properties.

The effect is to substantially reduce the number of "gun free zones" in Louisiana. From Abstract of  HB 140 legiscan.com:
 Present law limits a political subdivision's authority to enact certain ordinances or regulations involving firearms. In this regard, present law prohibits a governing authority of a political subdivision from enacting any ordinance or regulation that is more restrictive than state law concerning the sale, purchase, possession, ownership, transfer, transportation,license, or registration of firearms, ammunition, or components of firearms or ammunition.
However, present law further provides that this provision of present law does not apply to the authority of political subdivisions to prohibit the possession of a weapon or firearm in certain commercial establishments and public buildings.

Proposed law removes this exception from present law, prohibiting any governing authority of a political subdivision from enacting any ordinance or regulation that is more restrictive than state law concerning the possession of a weapon or firearm in certain commercial establishments and public buildings.
HB 140 has not been voted on yet, but it has made it through the Committee on Criminal Justice in the House. Floor debate on the bill is scheduled for Friday, 22 May, 2020.

Republicans have strong majorities in the Louisiana Senate 27-12, and in the House, 68-35. Louisiana Governor Edwards is a Democrat. The Republicans may pass the bill, only to see Governor Edwards veto it.

The history of preemption laws shows a trend to restrict local governments more and more from enacting ordinances and regulations impacting firearms and other weapons. A key strategy of those who want the population disarmed, is to enact numerous, contradictory and ever changing restrictions, so those exercising Second Amendment rights would constantly be uncertain if they are acting legally, or are in violation of an obscure ordinance.

In 2020, on April 14th, the West Virginia Government reformed its preemption law.  The West Virginia bill, SB96, now law, adds pepper spray and other deadly weapons, such as knives, to the weapons protected from local government regulation. 

Reading the wording carefully, the bill brings most arms under the protection of the preemption law, with the exception of explosive, chemical, biological, or radiological materials.

SB 96 has been signed into law, and becomes effective in West Virginia on 31 May, 2020.

The ultimate in preemption law would be strict enforcement of the Second Amendment.


©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

NY: Worker Arrested on Gun Charges in Self Defense Case



EAST NEW YORK, Brooklyn (WABC) -- A grocery store worker in Brooklyn is in custody after police say he shot and killed a man armed with a knife.
More Here

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

DC: Armed DC Resident Shoots Suspect in Self Defense

“The Fourth District officers responded to a sounds of gun shot call in the 800 block of Randolph Street, NW (11:21am). A preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect pulled a handgun out and threatened the complainant. The complainant, who has a Firearms Registration Certificate and Concealed Carry Permit, drew his weapon and fired two shots striking the suspect twice,


More Here

NV: Highly Trained Competitive Shooter Survives Gunfight

Excellent article by The Firearms Blog, good detail.

In this situation, with a weapon pointed directly at him and his GF, BJ decided to take action and drew his handgun. The armed attacker started shooting right away, firing a total of 8 shots, and hitting a tire of BJ’s car. BJ fired back 10 shots and got all ten hits, 9 in the body and one in “the central nervous system.”

The distance between the attackers and BJ was very significant, which was even noted in a police report. According to BJ himself, who kindly answered my questions when I was working on the article: “Fight started at 14 yards, ended at 23.” Despite the relatively long distance to the attackers, low light conditions, and the fact that the threat was moving and shooting back, BJ “saw the sights at all times” and did not miss a single shot.
More Here

FL: Elderly Homeowner Shoots Man who Broke in and Attacked Woman


The stranger then followed, beating on the door to the house. Later busting in the glass door and breaking in.

The stranger knocked the woman to the ground and began beating her on the head. The homeowner stated he felt he could not physically stop the intruder so he went upstairs to get his firearm.

He shot the firearm multiple times, ending the threat, deputies wrote.
More Here

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

AK: Armed Resident Stops Attempt at Mass Shooting in Kwethluk


According to state troopers, a 19-year-old man, Brian Nicolai, broke into the village public safety building dressed for combat. He staged rifles inside, and activated the fire alert system. When village police officers responded, the officers say that Nicolai shot at them. But no one was hurt, largely thanks to an armed resident who got Nicolai to give up his weapon and lie on the ground.
More Here

Monday, May 25, 2020

Lawsuit in Missouri against Academy Sports for Selling Ammunition



On 1 May, 2020, Attorney Craig Heidemann filed a lawsuit against Academy Sports, contending they contributed to the unlawful death of Aaron "Josh" Hampton, who was one of the roommates of Luis Perez. Perez is an illegal immigrant accused of murdering Hampton, another "roommate" and a woman, Sabrina Starr. Starr is said to have supplied Perez with the gun, while another woman, Nyadia Burden, is accused of purchasing the ammunition for Perez. From AP via kmbc.com:
The lawsuit alleges a worker at Academy Sports in Springfield should have realized the woman who bought the bullets, Nyadia Burden, intended to give them to Luiz Perez. The 24-year-old Perez couldn't buy ammunition because he was in the country illegally, had no driver's license and was facing felony charges, according to police. The lawsuit also names Burden.

Perez is facing the death penalty in the Oct. 31, 2018, deaths of his ex-roommates, 38-year-old Steven Marler and 23-year-old Aaron “Josh” Hampton, and the wounding of two others. Prosecutors allege he fatally shot Sabrina Starr, 21, the next day. She had provided him with the gun he used, police said.
Perez is reported as having been kicked out by the other roommates. Revenge may have been a motive.

Perez should have been deported in 2018, but was released by New Jersey. It is reported there were multiple warrants for Perez arrest:
Greene County prosecutors said Perez had an arrest warrant from Middlesex County for third-degree terroristic threat.

Neudauer said Perez had previously been a recipient of the Deferred Action for Child Arrivals program, or DACA, in 2012 and 2014. It's not clear whether he did not apply in 2016 or was no longer eligible.
 From ice.gov:
“Yet again, an ICE detainer was ignored and a dangerous criminal alien was released to the streets and is now charged with killing three people,” said ICE Acting Executive Associate Director Corey Price. “Had ICE’s detainer request in December 2017 been honored by Middlesex County Jail, Luis Rodrigo Perez would have been placed in deportation proceedings and likely sent home to his country – and three innocent people might be alive today. It is past time that localities realize the perils of dangerous sanctuary policies and resume their primary goal of protecting their residents.”
 The shooting was reported as occurring on 31 October, 2018.  From Judiciary.senate.gov
In November 2018 Aaron Hampton was shot more than 25 times by a repeat offender,criminal illegal alien in Springfield, Missouri. ICE had a detainer on Luis Perez and had requested Middlesex County,New Jersey hold him for deportation proceedings following his arrests for felony crimes including assault, aggravated assault and child abuse. Had the ICE Detainer been honored, as every detainer should be, Aaron Hampton would be alive today.

Missouri state laws, as listed by the BATFE, do not require a store to check people to see if they may legally purchase ammunition.  It is likely unconstitutional to do so, as indicated by a recent ruling in the Ninth Circuit.

Perez was prohibited from legally purchasing ammunition because he is an illegal immigrant, and was facing felony charges.

The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) prohibits people from suing ammunition sellers if the ammunition seller did not break laws while selling the ammunition. There are a couple of exceptions. This lawsuit appears to be using  negligent entrustment. From fas.org
Although the PLCAA defines “negligent entrustment” as “the supplying of a qualified product by a seller for use by another person when the seller knows, or reasonably should know, the person to whom the product is supplied is likely to, and does, use the product in a manner involving unreasonable risk of physical injury to the person or others,”14 a plaintiff’s claim of negligent entrustment will be asserted under state law. For example, Washington state courts have held that a common law tort claim of negligent entrustment can be brought against both retail firearms dealers and manufacturers.15
The heart of the lawsuit seems to be an assertion the store clerk should have been able to read the mind of Burden and Perez, and refused to sell to them.

Both Perez and and Burden have dark complexions. A clerk who refused to sell to them might well be accused of racism, sexism, and discrimination, and be fired.  A male handing money to a woman to buy ammunition might simply be someone who does not speak English well, having an acquaintance help them.



It is clear the Missouri legislature took steps to protect arms and ammunition dealers.  From Missouri Statutes:


2. No county, city, town, village, municipality, or other political subdivision of this state shall adopt any order, ordinance or regulation concerning in any way the sale, purchase, purchase delay, transfer, ownership, use, keeping, possession, bearing, transportation, licensing, permit, registration, taxation other than sales and compensating use taxes or other controls on firearms, components, ammunition, and supplies except as provided in subsection 3 of this section.
Section 5 shows the legislature commands political subdivisions  to refrain from filing lawsuits against arms and ammunition makers.

5. No county, city, town, village or any other political subdivision nor the state shall bring suit or have any right to recover against any firearms or ammunition manufacturer, trade association or dealer for damages, abatement or injunctive relief resulting from or relating to the lawful design, manufacture, marketing, distribution, or sale of firearms or ammunition to the public. This subsection shall apply to any suit pending as of October 12, 2003, as well as any suit which may be brought in the future. Provided, however, that nothing in this section shall restrict the rights of individual citizens to recover for injury or death caused by the negligent or defective design or manufacture of firearms or ammunition.

Academy Sports sells ammunition through the mail. It is perfectly legal. No I.D. is required.

The lawsuit hinges on whether a jury can be convinced a store clerk would have reasonably known that Perez was not legally allowed to purchase ammunition, because he picked out the ammunition in a store, and handed money and the ammunition to his woman companion to pay for it.
 


©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.


CA: Pepper Spray Fails, Handgun Effective in Humbolt County Self Defense Case



The resident attempted to use pepper spray to deter the subjects, with no success, as he entered back into his home, police said. At least one subject entered the residence and attempted to assault the resident, according to the EPD. Officials said during the altercation inside the home, the resident fired multiple shots from a handgun, which he had retrieved from inside the residence, striking the subject who was assaulting him.


This subject was pronounced deceased at the scene, according to the captain. A second subject, who was on the porch, was struck in the leg by gunfire, the EPD said. This subject was transported to St. Joseph Hospital for treatment. This injury is believed to be non-life-threatening," Stephens said in a press release. "Officers were able to locate and detain everyone who was involved at the scene, including the shooter."
More Here

Sunday, May 24, 2020

PA: Man who Shot Attacking Dog was Justified


New Castle police were called about the incident, and an officer who questioned people at the scene reported that the pit bull, which had been was tied to a leash at a nearby house, broke free and attacked the walking couple’s dog.

The owners of the shepherd screamed for help and tried unsuccessfully to physically get the pit bull off their dog, police reported. Ward, who is licensed to carry a concealed weapon, fired a .380 pistol at the pit bull’s hind end, trying to wound it, the police reported said.

During the investigation, the police interviewed both animal owners along with independent witnesses who all told similar version of the events, they reported.

More Here

CA: Executors of Estate Shoot Intruder in Neck



Two executors of an estate on the 400 block of 10th Street in the Noma neighborhood entered the home to prepare it for a sale when they encountered a man inside and shot him in the neck, said SMPD Lt. Joseph Cortez.
More Here

Saturday, May 23, 2020

Suicides not impacted by gun control laws


Top 2 lines, blue, total suicides and suicides with guns. Bottom 2 lines, purple, total homicides and homicides with guns

It is only the last decade or two when those who want a disarmed population in the West have started to stress "suicide" as a reason for disarming the population.  The early pushes for population disarmament were predicated on the excuse of reducing violent crime, particularly homicides. The actual motivation had nothing to do with crime. The original motivation was to reduce armed rivals. In New York, to reduce armed resistance to organized crime, particularly the Tammany Gang. In England, to reduce armed support for a potential revolution. Originally, the push was to eliminate handguns from almost all the population. There was some talk of accidents, but suicides were almost never mentioned.
As gun control policies were implemented in various countries, it became clear violent crime and homicides were not reduced by gun control.  The push to ban handguns in the United States had failed, and those pushing for citizen disarmament moved on to semi-automatic rifles. The famous quote by Josh Sugarman of the Violence Policy Center was near the start of this phase. This push did not depend on homicide or violent crime for its existence. Semi-automatic rifles are seldom used in violent crime. Rather it is the similarity in appearance to military firearms which is used, under the pretext that military firearms are not useful to the ordinary citizen, and most citizens are not familiar with them. From the Violence Policy Center, 1988:
..handgun restriction is simply not viewed as a priority. Assault weapons—just like armor-piercing bullets, machine guns, and plastic firearms—are a new topic. The weapons' menacing looks, coupled with the public's confusion over fully automatic machine guns versus semi-automatic assault weapons—anything that looks like a machine gun is assumed to be a machine gun—can only increase the chance of public support for restrictions on these weapons. In addition, few people can envision a practical use for these weapons.
The homicide rate topped out in 1993. As more and more handguns and semi-automatic firearms were sold in the United States, and more and more people obtained carry permits and used them, the homicide rate dropped in half. During the same period, fatal firearm accident rates fell to record lows.

What to do? The idea that "more guns = more homicide" had been demolished. Those pushing for population disarmament created a new pretext. As the homicide rate had dropped, the suicide rate had risen. An Orwellian term was created. "Gun violence".  "Gun violence" was defined as all deaths associated with guns; homicides, whether justified or not; legal intervention, or not; suicides, and accidents. Most people think of "gun violence" as homicides. Over two thirds are suicides. Only a tiny amount of fatalities with guns are accidental.  While the suicide rate had risen, the percentage of suicides with guns had fallen.

Intuitively, people do not think restrictive legislation on guns will reduce suicide. There are many alternatives out there. George Orwell, in 1984, in the last page of PART ONE, foresaw the distopian vision in which control over guns would be claimed to reduce suicide.
It was at night that they came for you, always at night. The proper thing was to kill yourself before they got you. Undoubtedly some people did so. Many of the disappearances were actually suicides. But it needed desperate courage to kill yourself in a world where firearms, or any quick and certain poison, were completely unprocurable.
George Orwell, (Eric Blair), was a socialist. For all his brilliant understanding of the totalitarian mindset, Orwell did not consider how easy it is to commit suicide. 

Most of the theory predicting a reduction of suicides is based on the concept that suicide ideation is temporary, and access to firearms provides a unique ability to commit suicide quickly and decisively.  If a person can survive the temporary desire for suicide, the theory is, they will not commit suicide.

There are several problems with the theory. The first is alternate quick and decisive methods of suicide are easily available. Hanging is almost as quick, easy, and decisive. In a word with electrical appliances, wire, clothesline and rope, hanging has been the substitution method of choice in Australia. Quick access to suicide does not depend on firearms.
However, it should be noted that different studies produce different results of the fatality of different methods. For instance, JJ Card2 estimated the lethality of suicide by guns as only 91.6% effective, and Farberow and Shneidman3 had it as low as 84.7%. The Hawaii Department of Health (1990) had it even lower at 73%. The same studies showed the effectiveness of hanging to vary between 77% and 88%.
The second is the time-scale of suicide ideation varies considerably. Survivors of suicide attempts will naturally be biased toward those who are less motivated and determined to commit suicide.

A third is suicide rates around the world have no correlation with access to firearms.  The highest suicide rates are in countries with very few firearms.

How can the theory that suicide rates will be reduced, if access to firearms is highly restricted, be tested?

It has been tested in the real world. When more restrictions were put on access to guns, overall suicide rates were not affected.

The suicide rate did not go down in Australia, with some of the most severe and restrictive gun laws, drastically and dramatically implemented in 1996-1997.

As more restrictive laws on access to guns have been implemented in California, there has been a clear substitution effect. From the large study comparing gun show regulation in California v. Texas:
The results of our study generally indicate that gun shows do not have substantial impacts on either gun homicides or suicides. While there is some evidence of statistically significant effects in both California and Texas, these effects are relatively modest in size. For example, our findings indicate that in the average year from 1994 to 2004, there are four additional gun suicides in the entire state of California resulting from the 102 gun shows occurring in the average year. Moreover, this increase is offset entirely by an almost identical decline in the number of non-gun suicides, suggesting that gun shows influence the method but not the number of suicides. We find no evidence to suggest that gun shows increased the number of homicides in California during our study period.
The study found a statistically significant effect that relatively unregulated gun shows in Texas decreased gun homicides by 16 per year.

When the Brady law was implemented in 1994, scholars in favor of restricting guns did a rigorous study of homicide and suicide rates, comparing states which already had background checks to those where they were recently required by the new law. From the abstract by Cook and Ludwig:

Based on the assumption that the greatest reductions in fatal violence would be within states that were required to institute waiting periods and background checks, implementation of the Brady Act appears to have been associated with reductions in the firearm suicide rate for persons aged 55 years or older but not with reductions in homicide rates or overall suicide rates.

When Canada instituted strict new gun control laws, there was no significant effect on suicide rates. From Mauser, 2007, p. 38:
While some public-health researchers claim that the unique deadliness of firearms means that substitution effects are not important in suicide [e.g. Gabor,1994], this is belied by the empirical evidence. Unfortunately, the public-health literature generally ignores the relevant criminological research. As shown above, the evidence is consistent with strong substitution effects. As seen in figure 1, as firearm suicides declined over the past decade, hanging suicides increased in Canada
In a large study from 2018 on the changes in firearms laws in California, found no effect on homicide rates or suicide rates.  The study looked at changes in comprehensive background checks (CBC) and the addition to the prohibited person list of those with violent misdemeanors (MVP).
CBC and MVP policies were not associated with changes in firearm suicide or homicide. Incomplete and missing records for background checks, incomplete compliance and enforcement, and narrowly constructed prohibitions may be among the reasons for these null findings.
An Rand corporation update in 2020 on gun control policies, surveying studies of gun control policies, downgraded the effects of both background checks on suicides and violent crime.  From NSSF:

There are a couple of notable changes from the first edition of the report. For example, the authors concluded in 2018 that there was “limited evidence” that background checks decreased total suicides and “moderate evidence” they decreased firearm suicides. Upon re-evaluating the earlier reports and considering additional studies, the new, downgraded conclusion is that there is “inconclusive evidence” for either. The same downgrade was found for the impact of background checks on violent crime.
The restrictive laws being pushed hardest by those who desire a disarmed population, would have no effect on suicide.

Reducing magazine capacity? Only one shot is needed.

Banning semi-automatic guns? Only one shot is needed.

Restricting the carry of guns? Suicides are generally conducted in private.

Suicide is being used as an ideological "hook" to support the policy choices of those who want a disarmed population. Facts matter little to those with an agenda.

In nations where violence of any kind is very low, such as in Switzerland, those who desire a disarmed population hang their desire on the very rare events of a few suicides or homicides in a year. The fact that these are very rare never bothers them.

When you actively dislike the idea of firearms in any hands outside of government, and see no positive function for firearms in private hands, you do not see any cost from disarming the population by force.  With zero perceived costs to ban guns, the cost/benefit ratio is infinite with a tiny perceived benefit.

This is an insane way to view the world. People would not own firearms if they did not perceive benefits.  Hundreds of years of history would not show those with firearms ruling those without.

In America, suicides with guns are common because guns are common. Guns are common, because people find guns to be useful for numerous purposes. Large numbers of people actively value guns, as seen by the sales figures.

There is no persuasive evidence the overall suicide rate would decrease with more restrictions on gun ownership.

Focusing on suicide with guns is simply another way to define a social problem as a gun problem. It is a way to define a solution to fit a desired policy.

It is not an honest way to deal with social problems and policy decisions.

©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch












OH: Resident Jailed after Shooting Fleeing Burglary Suspect


Claude M. Hill III, 19, was charged with one count of felonious assault, a second-degree felony. He remains in Holmes County Jail without bond until he can be seen by the Holmes County Municipal Court.

According to the release, the gunshot victim and another man entered Hill’s residence without permission. When the two men attempted to flee the residence, Hill obtained a handgun and began firing rounds at both men.

More Here

Friday, May 22, 2020

GA: Homeowner Wounds 1 of 3 who Attempted Break-in


AIKEN COUNTY (WFXG) - Aiken County authorities say one man was arrested and two are still wanted after a morning burglary on Cobblestone Rd.

According to authorities, on Thursday, May 21, at 8:30 a.m. deputies responded to 407 Cobblestone Rd. after a homeowner reported he fired shots at three men attempting to break into his home.

Authorities say after they arrived at the scene, the homeowner said while walking his dog, he saw at least two men and two vehicles on his property. The owner said as he approached the suspects, he yelled and fired his weapon at them. The suspects then fled to their vehicles, one of which stalled on Cobblestone Road.
More Here

Thursday, May 21, 2020

10 Second Amendment Cases Scheduled for Conference Again, No Orders Yet

Dean Weingarten in Front of Supreme Court of the United States


The Supreme Court has re-listed the ten Second Amendment cases it has previously distributed for conference.  From scotusblog.com:

This morning the Supreme Court issued orders from the justices’ private conference last week. The justices did not add any new cases to their argument calendar for next term. Perhaps most significantly, they did not act at all on the 10 gun rights cases that they had considered for a second time at last week’s conference.

The gun rights cases have all been on hold, some for over a year, presumably until the court issued its decision in the challenge to New York City’s ban on the transport of handguns outside the city. The justices dismissed that case as moot at the end of April, and a few hours later the court had distributed the 10 petitions for consideration at the justices’ May 1 conference. The justices normally only grant review after they have considered a petition at two consecutive conferences, so it was no surprise that they did not act on the petitions when they issued orders on May 4. There’s no way to know whether the justices are still trying to choose among the petitions, have not yet decided what to do or have some other reason for waiting to act on the petitions.

Ten Second Amendment cases have been re-listed for the Supreme Court conference to be held Friday, 15 May, 2020.  As noted in the SCOTUSBLOG post above, a writ of certiorari is usually not granted until a case has been heard at conference at least twice. The ten Second Amendment cases have now been to conference at least three times each. Perhaps, because of the number of cases, the Supreme Court Justices are taking more time on this issue.

No orders for any of the Second Amendment cases were issued as of Monday, 18 May.

It is noted in each case whether the Department of Justice has submitted a brief in the case. 

The cases are shown in the list below. The link on the name of the case is to the Supreme Court case history and assignment to the conference. The second link is to documents showing the particulars of the case. The ten cases are:

Mance v. Barr

 The DOJ has filed a brief claiming the law is Constitutional.

A challange to the ban on out of state handgun purchases in the 5th Circuit (Texas).

Rogers v. Grewal

A challenge to the NJ may issue carry permit scheme in the 3rd Circuit.

The DOJ has not filed a brief in this case. 

Pena v. Horan

A challenge to the microstamping and restrictive “approved” handgun roster in California in the 9th Circuit.

 The DOJ has not filed a brief in this case.

Gould v. Lipson

A challenge to the restrictive Massachusetts may issue ownership and carry permit scheme in the 1st circuit.

 The DOJ has not filed a brief in this case.

Cheeseman v. Polillo

A challenge to the NJ may issue carry permit scheme in the 3rd Circuit.

 The DOJ has not filed a brief in this case.

Ciolek v. New Jersey

A challenge to the NJ may issue carry permit scheme in the 3rd Circuit.

 The DOJ has not filed a brief in this case.

Worman v. Healy

A challenge to a ban on common firearms described as “assault weapons” and magazines with capacity of more than 10 rounds in the 1st Circuit.

 The DOJ has not filed a brief in this case.

An amicus brief was filed by 94 members of Congress, asking the Court to uphold the Second Amendment and to strike down the law as unconstitutional.

Malpasso v. Pallozzi

A challenge to the Maryland extreme may issue carry permit scheme in the 4th Circuit.

 The DOJ has not filed a brief in this case.

Culp v. Raoul

A challenge to the Illinois refusal to issue carry permits to residents of  some states, in the 7th Circuit.

The DOJ has not filed a brief in this case.

Wilson v. Cook County

A challenge to an on ban on common firearms described as “assault weapons” and magazines with capacity of more than 10 rds in Cook County, Illinois, in the 7th Circuit.

 The DOJ has not filed a brief in this case.

The ten cases above were appealed to the Supreme Court from November of 2018 through November of 2019.  Some of them have been held for conference, waiting on the resolution of the New York Rifle and Pistol case, which has now been ruled moot by the Supreme Court.

Six of the ten cases are about permits to carry. Two are about bans on widely owned and popular firearms, variously defined as “assault weapons”. One is about federal restrictions on the purchase of handguns across state lines, the other about numerous and prohibitive restrictions on what handguns may be purchased in California.

In addition to the ten cases above, the Supreme Court has asked the City of San Jose to submit a brief in Rodriquez v. City of San  Jose. The is not due until June 22, 2020.

No one knows how many of the ten cases will be granted a writ of certiorari, if any. Several of the cases could be lumped together.

The Supreme Court has scheduled a conference each week until the end of June. There is an opportunity for the Court to issue orders after each conference. There is a reasonable possibility the Court will decide to take one, several, or all of the Second Amendment cases before the end of the term.

However, oral arguments would not be heard until next fall, possibly after the election.

©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

TX: Homeowner Shoolts 1 of 3 Men Attempting Break-in



A homeowner shot one of three men police say were trying to break into a house in north Fort Worth on Sunday morning.

At 6:22 a.m., a homeowner called police and said men dressed in black kicked in the front door and tried to come into the house in the 2700 block of Northwest 34th Street, police officer Jimmy Pollozani said.

Read more here: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/crime/article242802181.html#storylink=cpy

More Here

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

WY: Man, Gathering Antlers, Shoots, Kills, Attacking Grizzly Bear



The Wyoming Game and Fish Department are investigating a grizzly bear attack on a man who was hunting shed antlers.

According to a release, the man was attacked on Saturday, May 16, east of Dubois and taken to a hospital. The release didn’t specify injuries, but said they were not life threatening.

More Here

MD: Security Guard Shoots Suspect During Struggle


The armed security guard confronted the man and noticed he had what appeared to be a gun, police said. The security guard shot the man in the ankle during a brief struggle, police said.

The suspect suffered non-life threatening injuries, Fennoy added.

More Here

LA: Gunfight, Homeowner and Burglary Suspects Trade Shots



When a homeowner in the neighborhood confronted the burglars in the early morning, the burglars allegedly fired shots and ran away on foot. The sheriff's office said the homeowner returned fire but no one was hit.

The three then got into a vehicle with the keys inside and used that to speed away from the area.
More Here

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Extend the Range of .22 Shotshells with Reverse Paradox Tubes for a Garden Gun


In a previous article, I commented on the usefulness of .22 LR shotshells and their limited range. Their use is severely hampered by the poor patterns produced by these shotshells out of rifled barrels.

The effective range of these shells can be doubled or tripled with the use of a reverse paradox tube.

The Ball and Shot gun, more commonly known as the Paradox gun, was invented by Col. George Fosbery, VC, and patented in England in 1885. The patent was sold to Holland and Holland who marketed the guns under the Paradox name.  The idea was simple: put shallow rifling in the choke of a shotgun to spin bullets, and give decent accuracy to bullets from a shotgun bore.

The reverse paradox tube solves the opposite problem. I believe this is the first publication of the concept. Normally, smooth bore tubes work very well for shot charges, and rifled tubes very well for bullets. There are rare circumstances where a firearm is called to use both effectively.

There are dedicated Garden Guns that have smooth bores and give decent patterns with the .22 shotshells. Addition of a second smooth bore, after the .22 bore, twice the diameter of a .22, is claimed to give tighter patterns.

In 1937, Frederick.J. Routledge filed a patent, which was granted in 1940, #2,185,523. He claimed doubling the bore diameter of a .22 smoothbore for about 18 inches, greatly increased the pattern density of the shot at 10 yards and further.

Several thousand of the Routledge bore guns were produced, and are said to work well. Such dedicated .22 shotguns/Garden Guns work. They are expensive, compared to a box of .22 shot. They do not work well with single bullets.

There are likely less than a hundred thousand smoothbore .22 rimfire firearms in the United States, of which perhaps 10,000 have the Routledge bores.  There are about a hundred million rifled .22 rimfire firearms in the United States. Many of those firearms are produced with a threaded barrel for muzzle attachments.

Reverse paradox tubes work well and shoot close to point of aim with rifled bullets and shot charges. If properly aligned, the bullets never touch the tube.



Adding anything to the muzzle of a rifle may change the point of impact. Firing a few shots to test the point of aim is simple.

Aluminum, steel, and pvc (polyvinyl chloride) tubes were tested. Aluminum and steel were either threaded or had an adapter machined, so as to be easily attached to the end of the barrel. Tubes of up to 1 inch inside diameter worked well. Both sch 40 and sch 20 pvc were tested.

30 inches of 3/4" sch 20 PVC and a threaded/slip coupling weigh 5.6 ounces. PVC  reverse paradox tubes work surprisingly well. The pressures out of the muzzle of a .22 LR are much lower than chamber pressures. Pressures are lowered dramatically when the gases leave  the muzzle, into the larger diameter reverse paradox tube.

The tubes double to triple the effective range of the .22 LR shotshell, compared to most rifled barrels.

The test patterns shown were shot 10 yards from the muzzle of the tube or the muzzle of the gun.  The pattern on the left has 20 pellets; the one done with the reverse paradox tube has 71 pellets. They are typical patterns. Testing showed the maximum effective range with the tube to be about 45 feet (15 yards) from the muzzle of the tube. The tube and rifle extend about five feet from the shooter's shoulder.

Sch 20 pvc is considerably lighter than sch 40 pvc. Because of the geometries involved, a thin tube is stiffer than a thick tube of the same weight. Stiffness is a desirable quality in reverse paradox tubes.

Testing for the 3/4 inch pvc showed the optimum length to be between 25 and 31 inches.  CCI 31 grain shot shells were used in the test.  Five shot averages of pellet counts inside an 8 inch circle at 45 feet (15 yards) from the muzzle of the tube were as follows:

Tube length  Pellets inside 8" circle

33 inches      39.6 pellets
30 inches      45.6 pellets
28 inches      42.6 pellets
26 inches      43.6 pellets
24 inches      38.2 pellets
22 inches      35.8 pellets
20 inches      31.8 pellets

Early comparisons of the CCI and Federal loads show patterns to be very close. 

At 45 feet, the tiny #12 pellets are near their maximum range for fatal penetration on small pests. They should be traveling a little over 600 feet per second at that range. One commentator at the shotgun world forum stated, in his experience, they were adequate for pigeons at 15 yards.

By 120 feet (40 yards) the energy of the #12 pellet has dropped to 2.3% of the energy of a common BB gun at the muzzle.  The purpose of such small shot is to prevent damage to property and persons while dispatching small pests at relatively short ranges. Pigeons or rats are about the largest pest that can be easily dispatched with the shot shells at more than 10 feet. Some shooters have reported good results for larger insect pests. They work very well inside of structures and areas where energetic shot would be inadvisable beyond 40 yards. 

Anything less than 40 pellets in an 8 inch circle leaves considerable holes for small pests. The combination of pellet count and pellet energy means 45 feet is about the maximum range for this load, with the reverse paradox tube.

The energy of the .22 LR shot cartridge is a little less than a standard velocity .22 short. The report is similarly low. This is positive for a load meant for use inside structures or with nearby neighbors.

The report of Aquila Super Colibri cartridges out of a rifle is similar to that of a BB gun.  They could be used for pests if backstops are available at short ranges. It does not take much of a backstop to stop  the Super Colibri. However, the 20 grain projectile of the Super Colibri renders it dangerous at further distances than #12 shot. A Super Colibri is unlikely to put a hole in a barn's roof, but it could break a window. A standard velocity .22 would almost always put a hole in the roof.

It is not necessary to have a threaded barrel to experiment with reverse paradox tubes. The tubes can be attached by friction, or taped onto a barrel, or non-threaded adapters can be made. Alignment of the tube with the barrel is important. A 1/8th inch misalignment at the muzzle of a 30" tube can move the center of the pattern a couple of inches at 10 yards.

Threaded barrels make the addition of reverse paradox tubes easy. Tubes can be taken off and replaced in a minute. There are cheap adapters for pvc tubes available, for nearly all threaded .22 muzzles. The adapters are sold as automotive accessories. They adapt 1/2-28 female threads to male 3/4" National Pipe Threads (NPT)  (and others). NPT threads are commonly used to attach pvc couplings.

The cost of the thread adapter and the PVC material is less than a box of shot shell ammunition.  A thread adapter can be had for about $3.50, a threaded/slip 3/4"  pvc coupling for less than a dollar, and sch 20 pvc pipe is less than $2 for ten feet, enough for four tubes! $3.50+$1+$.50=$5.00. Many people already have pvc and couplings from previous projects.  For $15, a hobbyist can purchase three thread adapters and the materiel for several reverse paradox tubes.

Thread adaptor with .22 shot cartridges for scale
The ends of reverse paradox tubes should be cut square, then deburred. A band saw worked well for cutting the ends of pvc pipe square. The end was deburring by rubbing with finger and thumb. Sandpaper can be used for those so inclined.

Sources for thread adapters:

1/2-28 x 3/4" NPT thread adapters, steel, made in the USA, for $12.99.

From Sears.com:  the adapter is out of stock.

They are available on Ebay from $3 to $10 in numerous ads.

From Ebay: Free shipping from Taiwan/Hong Kong.

Here is a 5/8-24 version for $3.29 for barrels in that thread pattern. It also offers free shipping.

If ordering from Hong-Kong/Taiwan, out of Ebay, it might be wise to order two or three adapters, because shipping may take a few weeks.  The adapters work well as thread protectors, yet cost only a third of what common thread protectors cost.

A straight tube is important. Some pvc tubes come with gentle bends acquired from transport or storage.  A friction fit to the pvc coupling works adequately, but glue could preserve proper alignment. It might be possible to adjust the alignment in the short period while pvc glue is setting up. A reference mark on the tube could help to maintain the proper alignment.  Testing showed that patterns from individual firearms can vary considerably.

It is best to shoot a test pattern or five to see how an individual rifle does with a reverse paradox tube.  Because the patterns are small, users need to know if the tube is patterning to point of aim.

The light weight of the reverse paradox tube makes the rifle easy to handle. The length of the rifle, with tube mounted, takes a little practice. Striking the muzzle of the tube on door frames or bushes is likely to affect the alignment. It is not as awkward as it might appear. Many muzzle loaders were of similar lengths, overall.

Experimental set up with pvc tube marked for cutting.

While performing these tests, there were tantalizing indicators better performance might be possible. The pvc tube delivers cylinder bore performance. Improved cylinder performance would add enough pellets at 15 yards to fill holes in the existing patterns.

Investigation of those possibilities awaits future articles.

The cost to thread the barrel of a .22 at the factory is minimal, probably less than a dollar.  The usefulness of muzzle accessories means more manufacturers will be offering models with threaded barrels in the future. 

All safety measures must be observed. Ammoland and the author publish the information for academic interest, and cannot assume any responsibility for actions taken by readers.


©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

AR: Domestic Defense Gunfight in Fayetteville, Intruder Wounded



Officers were told Navarro went into the house because his girlfriend refused to come outside. Once inside, Navarro pulled a handgun from his waistband and he and the caller exchanged shots, according to the release.

Navarro was shot on the right side of his body and fled the area, according to the release. He arrived about 45 minutes later at Washington Regional Medical Center where he was arrested.
More Here

Monday, May 18, 2020

MO: Escaped Dog Attacks Goats, is Shot, Killed



One owner discovered one of the six escaped dogs on their property, though. “One of them ended up attacking some goats in the area and was killed by the property owner,” explained Major Erik Holland with the Platte County Sheriff’s Office.
More Here

TX: Armed Homeowner Subdues Man Attempting Break-in



When officers arrived they found the homeowner holding down the would-be burglar. Police said the occupants of the house were sound asleep when they heard someone breaking into their front door. The homeowner said he grabbed his gun and confronted the person breaking into his home. The gun went off during their scuffle, but nobody was shot.
More Here

Sunday, May 17, 2020

MI: Warning Shot Scares off Tresspasser/Stalker



According to a sheriff’s report, the man was highly intoxicated and taken into custody on charges of stalking, trespassing and resisting and obstructing police officers when the woman’s husband called 911 to complain that the man was trespassing on their property and harassing his wife about 8 a.m. in the 4000 block of W. Temperance Rd.

While her husband was trying to convince the man to leave, the woman fired a 9mm handgun into the air to scare him off. The couple told deputies that the man had been trespassing on their property since he moved next door seven months ago.
More Here

AZ: More on Shooting Death of Naked Intruder in Scottsdale



The homeowner was reportedly doing work on the property when the family dog alerted him to some type of disturbance. When the father of the family entered a room to investigate, he found that one of his children had been confronted by a naked man, identified Friday as Cameron Yoe.

Police say Yoe was holding a large piece of wood in a threatening manner and charged at the resident. The resident then pulled out a gun and shot Yoe twice, killing him.
More Here

Saturday, May 16, 2020

Bear Biologist Makes Hyperbolic Claim about Bear Maulings



In a March 15, 2020 article about a bear encounter by Caroline Wellbery, a bear biologist makes a hyperbolic claim. It is not unusual for people to make hyperbolic claims about bears, which are not founded in facts or data. It is irresponsible for experts in the field to do so. From the washingtonpost.com:
There is a bigger chance of getting hit twice by lightning, Craighead says, than being mauled by a bear.
As with any statistical assessment, it depends on a number of assumptions. If you are talking about the United States as a whole, Craighead's claim is false.

Over the last decade, the number of people killed by lightning per year, according to weather.gov, has been 26. The number of people struck by lightning is about 10 times that number, or about 260 a year, or about 1 out of 1.27 million in a year. The number struck by lightning has been falling.  The expected lifespan in the United States is about 79 years.

Assuming that each person has half of their life to live after the first strike, at any one time, there are about 79/2 x 260 people who have been struck by lightning once, or 10,270 living in the United States. Each of those, in a given year, has a chance of being struck by lightning again. Because the odds are so small, they are, essentially, additive, so, for a given year, they are very close to 10,270/1.27 million, or .008 per year, or about 1 person every 123 years. 

There are a couple of people in existence who have been struck by lightning more than once, so the odds may be a little greater.  Then again, the number of people struck by lightning has been falling, while the number of people mauled by bears has been rising.

There are many times as many people alive who have been mauled by a bear, as have been struck by lightning twice.

According to research in Alaska, there are about seven bear attacks requiring at least one day in the hospital for each fatal bear attack. There are other people who only need stitches and are released, or who have other, minor injuries.

There have been 18 fatal bear attacks in the United States in the last decade .
7 x 18 is 126, or about 12 bear maulings requiring at least 1 day in the hospital each year, on average. That does not count the people attacked by a bear who can be released from the hospital the same day. Over the same time period, the number of people being hit, twice, by lightning would be .008 x 10 or about .08 people per decade.

In the United States, your chance of getting mauled by a bear is about 1500 times as great as being struck by lightning, twice.

Craighead is not just wrong in his estimate, he is off by three orders of magnitude.

The comparison of lightning strikes to bear attacks is a frivolous, Orwellian exercise. All risks should be taken in context. In some contexts, bear attacks are a serious risk. In most, they are not. In the backwoods of Yellowstone park, the chance of being in an automobile accident are very small, but the chance of being killed by a bear is significant, about the same at that of being in a fatal automobile accident in the rest of the United States.

Where most bear attacks occur, deaths by bear can be more frequent than deaths by lightning strike. They are clearly more common than being hit twice by lightning. Seven of the eighteen fatal bear attacks in the United States in the last decade, occurred in Alaska. There were no recorded deaths by lightning in Alaska during that decade.

Humans are, generally, far more dangerous to other humans than are bears. Bears may kill, over the entire world, a dozen humans or less in a year (there are more bear attacks in Asia than in North America, and almost as many in Europe). Humans kill about half a million humans in a year.

In the back country of Yellowstone park, bears kill more humans than humans do.

Humans learn from others and learn how to prevent attacks and exposure to lightning strikes. A person who has been struck by lightning may be careful to expose themselves less.

Long experience with bears has resulted in people knowing how to effectively avoid and/or stop a bear attack. It is likely about 10 bears are killed for each bear that attacks and injures a human. The chance of a bear mauling is not the same as the chance of a bear attack. Bear attacks occur much more frequently. They mostly fail, and the bear is killed or driven off.

In my research, handguns are shown to be about 97% effective in stopping bear attacks.

©2020 by Dean Weingarten: First publication rights are granted to Ammoland
Link to Gun Watch

NV: Security Guard Shoots, Wounds Suspect



One of the suspects was possibly armed with a gun and the security officer fired shots, police said.

Metro officers responded to the shooting and followed a trail of blood that led them to a tent where the shot man was found in a tent.
More Here

MO: Armed Homeowner Shoots, Wounds 1 of 3 Childen Breaking into Home

St. Louis Police say that a 23-year-old man heard banging and glass breaking from the rear of the home. He found the three boys coming into the home through a broken window. Police say the man fired a shot from his weapon in the direction of the suspects, fearing for his safety. The three boys started to run away.

More Here

Friday, May 15, 2020

NICS Background Checks for April, 2020, Breaks Record


April 2020 was another record breaking month for the National Instant background Check System (NICS).  The numbers for the month were:

Handguns - 984,872, almost a million!
Long guns - 508,122 over half a million!
Other - 68,746
Multiple - 34,778 (multiplied by 2.5 to approximate the number of firearms, 86,948)

The new format for the graphics shows last year's numbers in the blue, green, yellow and red lines. The blue, green, yellow and red bars show this year's numbers. 

Total firearms sold, as recorded by NICS - 1,648,688.

The numbers are not as high as for March, but are significantly higher than last year.  They are the highest numbers for April on record. 

The sales happened in spite of a significant number of gun shops being shut down by decree by state governors, then re-opened after protests, lawsuits, and the Trump administration declaring them essential businesses.

In the period of dropping economic numbers and record level unemployment, over 1.6 million Americans voted with their credit cards and wallets to support, in a very concrete way, the reality of the Second Amendment.

Perhaps because of social distancing, the number of permit checks and rechecks were only 42% of total NICS checks, while the recent trend has been over half of all NICS. In April of 2019, permit checks and rechecks were 58% of total NICS, a reversal of the proportions.

This is in stark contrast to Canada, where the right of Englishmen to Arms has been effectively abolished over the last 85 years.

In Canada, with considerable effort, you can obtain a permit to allow you to take your unloaded, and double locked pistol to the range, directly, without stopping. For the vast majority of pistol owners, the range is the only place the pistol is allowed to be loaded or fired.

The Prime Minister banned a list of 1500 models deemed to fall into the rather fluid definition of "assault weapons", without a vote of Parliament.

In the United States, with its Bill of Rights and the Second Amendment, those sort of bans are not allowed.

According to Larry Keane at the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a large percentage of the firearm purchasers in the United States were first time buyers.

The Trump Bump in gun sales has continued two months now, with many popular models being temporarily difficult to come by. Handguns accounted for a bit less than two thirds of the total sales, although precise numbers are not known. This is because the category of multiple sales and other sales could be either handguns or long guns, or both at the same time. It is likely the proportions are close.

Ammunition sales are also up, according to a local gun shop, particularly for pistol cartridges. A quick visit to a local WalMart showed a lot of empty space on the ammunition shelves. WalMart had been liquidating its handgun ammunition before the Chinese Virus lock-down heightened customers awareness of societal vulnerabilities.

It is possible the deadlock at the Supreme Court about the Second Amendment has also contributed to record sales. It is much easier to hang on to a firearm you already own, than to get permission to own one once restrictive legislation is passed.

The American gun culture is alive and well. Most gun owners own guns for defense of self and others, as well as for hunting and target shooting.

In the rest of the Anglosphere, there are two foundational deceptions used to restricting gun ownership.

First, define guns as illegitimate for self defense. This removes the most powerful argument for moral gun ownership.

Second, make ownership of guns a privilege, instead of a right.

Both deceptions have been used as powerful arguments for heavy restrictions on gun ownership in the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

ND: William Dittmer was Justified in Shooting Duane Turchin



Dittmer claims the shooting was an act of self-defense.

“Mr. Turchin was a considerably larger man. He had presented himself as a challenge to Mr. Dittmer,” explained State’s Attorney Birch Burdick. “He was present on Mr. Dittmer’s property and challenging him right there at his car. The evidence indicated that when Mr. Dittmer got out of his car, Mr. Turchin put his hand around his throat and was squeezing his throat.”

The evidence includes Sheriff’s Office photographs that show a spilled drink on the drivers side window of the vehicle, which Dittmer Jr. said was thrown at him. Photographs also show faint, red scratch marks on Dittmer’s neck. This was corroborated by Dittmer’s girlfriend, Adrienne Johnson, who saw the altercation from inside the couple’s home.
More Here

UT: One of Six Home Invaders Shot and Killed in Targeted Attack



VINEYARD — An attempted home invasion robbery in Vineyard resulted in one of the would-be robbers being shot and killed by the resident and at least six others arrested, according to police.
More Here

David Chipman Mocks new gun owners; Pushes them into the Gun Culture


Screenshot from C-Span Video

David Chipman is a former ATF agent. He found a new gig as a spokesman for those who want the population disarmed. 

David Chipman's latest attempt at scaring Americans away from exercising their Second Amendment rights seems rather ham-handed.

From cheddar.com:
David Chipman, Senior Policy Advisor at the Giffords organization said hopelessness, anxiety and fear might cause people to try to use firearms to control some aspect of their lives as they are inundated with concerning news about COVID-19, “but there are risks to that choice.”

“They might think that they’re die-hard, ready to go, but unfortunately they’re more like Tiger King and they’re putting themselves and their family in danger,” he said, referencing the popular new Netflix series and its central figure’s love of guns. Particularly without proper gun training, Chipman worries new gun owners are putting people at risk. Unintentional shootings makeup 1.3 percent of gun deaths and 18 percent of gun injuries.

He suggested first-time gun owners secure unloaded firearms. “Hide it behind the cans of tuna and beef jerky that you’ve stored in the cabinet,” he said.
(snip)
Chipman said he’s concerned about an increase in domestic violence cases and the possibility of a gun becoming part of that equation. Experts have warned quarantine may lead to more domestic violence incidents sprung from anxiety, loss of jobs and more time at home.
Fortunately, there is no evidence of a national spike in domestic violence. The Hill.com has some numbers from some cities.

Dallas showed an increase of 21% of calls from from February to March; Los Angeles reported a 12.4% decrease, then a 7.6% increase of calls; and New York showed a 15% decline in calls from last year. There is no good evidence the lockdown is increasing or decreasing domestic violence. Those who make and industry of domestic abuse find a way to conflate any reporting with an increase. For example, a sociology professor speculated that lower reporting might be because of higher abuse rates.

Domestic violence may increase; it may not. It is difficult to know. It is difficult to know if an increase in reporting means an increase in violence or not. It is hard to believe having more gun owners means having more domestic violence.

Comparing the new gun owners to convicted criminals and bizzare adrenaline and meth addicts in the Netflicks docudrama "true crime" series, Tiger King, won't win points with new gun owners.  Very few new gun owners will be polyandrous gay men who obsess with and own tigers and lions.

Missing from the Cheddar article is a call for the new gun owners to get trained up. Instead, Chipman advises them to store guns in such a way as to render them unusable for immediate defense of self and family.

People seldom purchase firearms as an impulse buy. They are not offered next to the checkout at your local convenience store, along with the candy.

What seems like an impulse buy is usually a long simmering and considered desire, set off by events which crystallize the decision to be prepared.

Trying to shame these new gun owners into giving up the guns they just paid top dollar for, is not a way to endear yourself to them.

Those who are attempting to push the national population into disarmament, have convinced themselves they are smarter than the people they are attempting to disarm. They have had success, because they have had the Media on their side for 50 years.

Expert is a label which no longer carries much weight. The public has come to know experts can be found for any side of an argument.

To evaluate an expert, people have to consider their arguments and data. When you find an "expert" who resorts to emotional arguments, or who refuses to show you their data, you know to discard that persons advise.

Nicolo Machiavelli was a political expert on the use of power, who the left has idealized for 500 years.  He wrote that armed people see the world differently than unarmed people.

The famed political philosopher states it well in The Prince:
Because there is nothing proportionate between the armed and the unarmed; and it is not reasonable that he who is armed should yield obedience willingly to him who is unarmed, or that the unarmed man should be secure among armed servants. Because, there being in the one disdain and in the other suspicion, it is not possible for them to work well together.
David Chipman is attempting to convince recently armed people to place themselves back into the category of unarmed people. It is rather like convincing someone to forget what they have seen.

It has not been working. America is better armed today, in spite of the scare mongering and propaganda, than it has ever been.

People in the gun culture need to welcome these new members. They need training and support. Put aside past judgements. Many were only believing what "experts" told them. They have much to learn, when they are seeing the world through the eyes of an armed citizen.


©2020 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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