Rapper Soulja Boy was arrested in the San Fernando Valley Wednesday morning on felony gun possession charges, TMZ is reporting, noting “Bail was set at $35K.
"Soulja has a history of run-ins with the law -- he was busted for weed and weapons back in 2011,” the report advises.
That’s not the rapper’s only gun misadventure. In 2012, he told VIBE
magazine he opened fire on intruders who tried to break into his home,
which sounds righteous, but the way he tells it, he shot one of the burglars as the man was trying to flee.
“I'm thinking if I shoot this n*gga, I can get that gun and shoot all
these n*ggas at the same time,” he claimed. “So I jumped out, shot at
the dude four times and missed. He ducked down and ran. He started
yelling, so I shot him like two more times. Then he turned around and
started running. So I popped his a** like two more times in the back,
and he hit the floor.”
One can only imagine the national outcry had George Zimmerman
recounted such a narrative, although it's up for grabs who Barack Obama
would be claiming as his fantasy son
in that situation. But if Soulja Boy’s publicly expressed sentiments
are any indicator, the kinship he feels for the president is strong. He
not only wanted to be able to cast two votes for Obama in 2008, (since
he’s “a celebrity,” who per MTV “is already developing wisdom beyond his years”), in 2012 he advised his Twitter followers “If Romney wins we going back to slavery.”
More here at Gun Rights Examiner
Thursday, January 23, 2014
CA:Boy Scout Attacked, Charges Dropped Against Woman who Shot Attacker
The 19 year old who was shot had left a party shortly before the attack, and was known to use drugs.
Murder charges were dropped Wednesday against a family friend suspected of killing a man who was allegedly assaulting a 13-year-old Boy Scout, authorities said.
(snip)
Murder charges were dropped Wednesday against a family friend suspected of killing a man who was allegedly assaulting a 13-year-old Boy Scout, authorities said.
(snip)
Witnesses who did not want to be identified said
Reyes heard the boy calling for help and intervened. Police said Reyes
shot 19-year-old Sergio Wilms, who died at the scene.
CA:Resident Shoots, Wounds Intruder
CLEARLAKE -- A man reportedly shot an intruder at his home on West 40th Avenue Wednesday afternoon, according to authorities.
(snip)
Investigators believe that the intruder forced his way into the home and was shot in self-defense by Charles, Joseph stated. The firearm used in the incident has been seized by investigators. Charles was released on scene, pending the outcome of the investigation and the intruder has not yet been charged.
More Here
(snip)
Investigators believe that the intruder forced his way into the home and was shot in self-defense by Charles, Joseph stated. The firearm used in the incident has been seized by investigators. Charles was released on scene, pending the outcome of the investigation and the intruder has not yet been charged.
More Here
FL:Second Armed Resident Kills Burglar
BROOKSVILLE — Johnathan Braden crossed paths twice with armed
residents during a string of burglaries Tuesday, investigators say.
The first time, at a home on Flavian Road just south of the Citrus-Hernando line, Braden fled on foot with his accomplice.
Braden, 27, didn't survive the second encounter, three hours later and about a mile away.
More Here
The first time, at a home on Flavian Road just south of the Citrus-Hernando line, Braden fled on foot with his accomplice.
Braden, 27, didn't survive the second encounter, three hours later and about a mile away.
More Here
Gawker Got Literally Everything Wrong About Florida’s New Warning Shots Bill
Families Against Mandatory Minimums, not the NRA, helped craft bill
The viral content blog Gawker published an article Friday headlined: “The NRA Literally Wrote Florida’s New Bill to Legalize Warning Shots.” However, a brief investigation by the Free Beacon revealed that the NRA literally did not write Florida’s new bill to legalize warning shots.
The Florida legislature is considering expanding the state’s “stand your ground” law to encompass “threatened use of force.” Specifically, the bill is intended to shield those who brandish a gun or fire a warning shot in self-defense from the state’s 10-20-Life law, which imposes mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines for felony crimes involving a firearm.
Gawker reporter Adam Weinstein wrote Friday that Marion Hammer, a former NRA president and lobbyist for the Unified Sportsmen of Florida, was responsible for writing and pushing the bill.
In an interview with the Free Beacon, Hammer said that was not the case.
“We did not write it,” Hammer said. “It’s Families Against Mandatory Minimum’s bill, and my understanding is that Greg Newburn and his staff wrote it. They just came to us and asked if we’d endorse the bill.”
Greg Newburn, the Florida director of Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM), corroborated Hammer’s story.
“Marion is correct,” Newburn said via email. “I asked for her help in reforming 10-20-Life, and she’s been tremendously helpful in that effort. But the NRA had nothing to do with writing the original bill.”
FAMM is a nonprofit organization that advocates for state and federal sentencing reform, specifically the repeal of mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines.
More Here
The viral content blog Gawker published an article Friday headlined: “The NRA Literally Wrote Florida’s New Bill to Legalize Warning Shots.” However, a brief investigation by the Free Beacon revealed that the NRA literally did not write Florida’s new bill to legalize warning shots.
The Florida legislature is considering expanding the state’s “stand your ground” law to encompass “threatened use of force.” Specifically, the bill is intended to shield those who brandish a gun or fire a warning shot in self-defense from the state’s 10-20-Life law, which imposes mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines for felony crimes involving a firearm.
Gawker reporter Adam Weinstein wrote Friday that Marion Hammer, a former NRA president and lobbyist for the Unified Sportsmen of Florida, was responsible for writing and pushing the bill.
In an interview with the Free Beacon, Hammer said that was not the case.
“We did not write it,” Hammer said. “It’s Families Against Mandatory Minimum’s bill, and my understanding is that Greg Newburn and his staff wrote it. They just came to us and asked if we’d endorse the bill.”
Greg Newburn, the Florida director of Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM), corroborated Hammer’s story.
“Marion is correct,” Newburn said via email. “I asked for her help in reforming 10-20-Life, and she’s been tremendously helpful in that effort. But the NRA had nothing to do with writing the original bill.”
FAMM is a nonprofit organization that advocates for state and federal sentencing reform, specifically the repeal of mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines.
More Here
Supreme Court: What is a "Straw Buyer"
At 11 a.m. on Wednesday, the Supreme Court will hear one hour of
oral argument on the scope of the federal law that seeks to block “straw
purchasers” of guns — that is, those who buy firearms for someone else
without revealing that they have done so. Arguing for a convicted
Virginia man in the case of Abramski v. United States will
be Richard D. Dietz of the Winston-Salem, North Carolina, law firm of
Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton. Representing the federal government
will be Joseph R. Palmore, an Assistant to the U.S. Solicitor General.
One of the strongest debates over guns in American society continues over the claim of Second Amendment protection for firearms owners. The Supreme Court, however, has resisted spelling out the actual reach of that right in the more than five years since it first ruled that the Amendment protects a personal right to have a gun, at least for self-defense. The Court, though, has been working on a series of side issues of gun control, and will do so again in the new case of Abramski v. United States.
Even though there is now a constitutional right to have a gun, there are categories of people who are not entitled to have a gun at all — such as convicted felons. Thus, licensed gun dealers need to know who is buying a gun in order to know whether they are eligible to have it.
To deal with that situation, Congress has made it a federal crime for anyone who attempts to buy a gun or ammunition from a licensed gun dealer to make any false statement that might deceive the dealer about whether such a sale would be legal. That is commonly known as the “straw purchaser” law, designed to discourage buyers from getting around bans on individuals’ access to a gun.
Federal officials have created a form — Form 4473 — that must be filed with the dealer at the time of a gun purchase. One of the questions seeks a “Yes” or “No” answer to this: ”Are you the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm listed on this form?” The form notes that the individual is not the actual buyer if he is buying it for someone else. Thus, only actual buyers can purchase the specified gun.
The reach of that law and the government form’s coverage are now being tested in the Supreme Court by Bruce James Abramski, Jr., of Rocky Mount, Virginia — with support from the National Rifle Association and other gun owners’ groups.
A former state police officer, Abramski got caught up — mistakenly – in a federal investigation of a bank robbery in Rocky Mount in 2009, apparently because he was said to look like the bank robber, although the robber was masked. Abramski was ultimately cleared of any role in the bank robbery and of any federal charges related to the robbery.
However, during the federal investigation of Abramski, FBI agents searched his former residence in Rocky Mount. That search turned up a receipt that his uncle, Angel Alvarez, had written to him for buying a Glock 19 handgun.
Federal prosecutors later said that Abramski, at his uncle’s request, had bought the Glock from a dealer in Collinsville, Virginia, who catered to police officers seeking guns. He allegedly completed the government form, saying “yes” to the question about whether he was the actual buyer. His uncle had sent him a $400 check for the weapon, the government said. The gun was later transferred to his uncle, according to prosecutors, through a firearms dealer in Easton, Pennsylvania.
More Here at scotusblog.com
One of the strongest debates over guns in American society continues over the claim of Second Amendment protection for firearms owners. The Supreme Court, however, has resisted spelling out the actual reach of that right in the more than five years since it first ruled that the Amendment protects a personal right to have a gun, at least for self-defense. The Court, though, has been working on a series of side issues of gun control, and will do so again in the new case of Abramski v. United States.
Even though there is now a constitutional right to have a gun, there are categories of people who are not entitled to have a gun at all — such as convicted felons. Thus, licensed gun dealers need to know who is buying a gun in order to know whether they are eligible to have it.
To deal with that situation, Congress has made it a federal crime for anyone who attempts to buy a gun or ammunition from a licensed gun dealer to make any false statement that might deceive the dealer about whether such a sale would be legal. That is commonly known as the “straw purchaser” law, designed to discourage buyers from getting around bans on individuals’ access to a gun.
Federal officials have created a form — Form 4473 — that must be filed with the dealer at the time of a gun purchase. One of the questions seeks a “Yes” or “No” answer to this: ”Are you the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm listed on this form?” The form notes that the individual is not the actual buyer if he is buying it for someone else. Thus, only actual buyers can purchase the specified gun.
The reach of that law and the government form’s coverage are now being tested in the Supreme Court by Bruce James Abramski, Jr., of Rocky Mount, Virginia — with support from the National Rifle Association and other gun owners’ groups.
A former state police officer, Abramski got caught up — mistakenly – in a federal investigation of a bank robbery in Rocky Mount in 2009, apparently because he was said to look like the bank robber, although the robber was masked. Abramski was ultimately cleared of any role in the bank robbery and of any federal charges related to the robbery.
However, during the federal investigation of Abramski, FBI agents searched his former residence in Rocky Mount. That search turned up a receipt that his uncle, Angel Alvarez, had written to him for buying a Glock 19 handgun.
Federal prosecutors later said that Abramski, at his uncle’s request, had bought the Glock from a dealer in Collinsville, Virginia, who catered to police officers seeking guns. He allegedly completed the government form, saying “yes” to the question about whether he was the actual buyer. His uncle had sent him a $400 check for the weapon, the government said. The gun was later transferred to his uncle, according to prosecutors, through a firearms dealer in Easton, Pennsylvania.
More Here at scotusblog.com
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Illegal "No Weapons" signs at rest stops in Alabama
It appears that some bureaucrat in Alabama has decided to post Alabamans' rest stops with signs that are toxic to the second amendment and Alabama law. As reported on opencarry.org, the signs say "No weapons beyond this point".
 |
| It’s the AL rest stop eastbound I-10 @ AL/ MS line, about 15 miles west of Mobile. |
According to Skidmark at opencarry.org, rest stops are not listed as prohibited places for possessing weapons.
Alabama's preemption law was strengthened in 2013, as part of a package of second amendment friendly reforms.
Arizona, now known as one of the states most respectful of second amendment rights, had a similar problem with illegal signage of rest stops in the 1990's.
It took activism by Arizona gun owners to have the signs removed. An open carry picnic at the Sacaton rest stop on I-10 near Tucson was organized in 1998. Rick Destephens, who was there, writes about it:
Have you noticed that there are no longer any signs at Arizona rest stops that read, "Keep all weapons in your vehicle"? That was Brassroots and S.A.F.E. combine effort back in 1998. We staged a forty-man protest at the Sacaton rest stop and five TV cameras showed up. We then got three hours of time on Bob Mohan's show on KFYI. That resulted in Hull's, ADOT's and DPS's phones melting down for two weeks. The signs came down later that month.
The picture below is reported to have been on the rest stop east of Opelika off I-85.
Alabama law specifically forbids the "Possession of firearms by persons participating in, attending, etc., demonstrations at public places." So a picnic at an Alabama rest stop would have to be careful not to fall under this statute, or be prepared to test the law in court.
It is clear that Alabama does not want the exercise of the first and second amendments to occur at the same time. This is a violation of constitutional rights, and may be an opportunity for further reform. The open carry of firearms is clearly a form of political speech.
I sent an email to aldotinfo@dot.state.al.us on January 9th, 2014, Here are the questions that I asked:
1. Were the signs put up recently?I have not received a reply from the Alabama Department of Transportation. Perhaps residents of Alabama would have better luck. If you obtain answers to the above questions, I would like to know.
2. Were the signs authorized, and if so, by who or what agency?
3. What legal authority exists for putting up the signs?
©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch
Update: Not sure if Alabamans take this motto seriously:
Gun collectors scour buybacks in growing numbers to save history (VIDEO)
Gun watch was linked to in this story.
With gun buybacks on the rise nationwide, many enterprising collectors are making rounds at these events looking to snatch rare firearms from the jaws of the scrapper.
Fueled, perhaps, by news from numerous events in which exceedingly rare and valuable guns are being traded in for gift cards, flu shots, and vouchers for groceries, gun buyers are increasingly in attendance, eager to make a deal.
Fox News caught up with one of these collectors, 24-year old Schuyler Taylor who has been attending buybacks in the Seattle area.
More Here
With gun buybacks on the rise nationwide, many enterprising collectors are making rounds at these events looking to snatch rare firearms from the jaws of the scrapper.
Fueled, perhaps, by news from numerous events in which exceedingly rare and valuable guns are being traded in for gift cards, flu shots, and vouchers for groceries, gun buyers are increasingly in attendance, eager to make a deal.
Fox News caught up with one of these collectors, 24-year old Schuyler Taylor who has been attending buybacks in the Seattle area.
More Here
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
India Designs Webley Derived Titanium Revolver For Women
The Nirbheek is a six shot .32 that weighs only 500 grams (18 ounces). The frame is made of titanium, though it is not clear if the barrel or other parts are made of steel. The design derivations from Webley are clear. As seen in some Webley civilian versions, it appears to have a square cross bolt safety located just above the grips.
Here is the announcement from the Field Gun Factory, Kanpar, where the Nirbheek is produced by the Indian government. It is proclaimed as the "Indian Ordinance Factories valuable contribution to women's security".
A top break stirrup latched design, it should be more than strong enough for the black powder era .32 revolver cartridges, which are some of the lowest pressure centerfire cartridges available.
This source says that the IOF .32 revolver is a copy of the Webley MK IV with a safety catch, and that it is chambered for the .32 Smith & Wesson Long cartridge, which is a step up in power over the .32 Smith & Wesson. The .32 caliber makes legal civilian ownership possible in India. It is nearly certain that the Nirbheek is chambered for the same cartridge.
Factory loading for the .32 Smith & Wesson Long is a 98 grain bullet at 705 fps.
From phatkallys.com:
Senior IPS officer Arun Kumar, on the other hand, has a different point of view. “Once a target of rape whips out a handgun, the element of surprise is sure to scare the life out of most of the persons who attempt rape,” he said. “In most of criminal cases in India, the perpetrator, irrespective of whether armed or not, neither expects nor faces any stiff resistance from the target. Women carrying small handguns will surely make a difference to the tendency,” said Kumar, additional director general of police (ADG) heading Rules and Manuals wing of the UP Police.The revolver is quite pricey, at Rs 1,22,360, nearly $2,000 dollars. It does not appear to be a mass produced item, as the factory manager seemed pleased to have 80 "formal inquires and over 20 bookings". The revolver may come to be one of the rarest of production revolvers.
This appears to be part of the increasing Indian awakening interest in the right to bear arms for self defense. Recent years have seen an increased awareness of the usefulness of arms. Many Indian cultures have a long history of martial prowess. Nirbheek translates as "Without fear" or perhaps "fearless".
It would be an attraction in any revolver collection in the United States.
©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch
Update: Specifications for the Nirbheek from the IOF:
TX:Open Carry Rally in Beaumont
Texans continue to march in support of second amendment rights. After Derek Poe was arrested for disorderly conduct while carrying a rifle slung over his back with the muzzle down, to his firearms related shop in the Parkdale mall a month ago, supporters organized an open carry march for Beaumont, Texas. From 12newsnow.com:
BEAUMONT -If you can be arrested for the peaceful exercise of a constitutional right, then the right has been effectively nullified by the police. The reporter, Adam Wright, makes a crucial misstatement about the law:
Marching along Dowlen Road in Beaumont Saturday with rifles slung on their backs and signs in the air, dozens of Southeast Texans exercised their right to openly carry long arms. It is a right they feel is being attacked.
"The United States Constitution is being trampled," said one marcher.Saturday's march was organized by the Beaumont chapter of Come and Take It America (CATI), an organization that fights for Second Amendment rights.
Under Texas law, you can openly carry rifles and shotguns, but not handguns. You have to do so in a manner that does not cause alarm. That's why police say Poe was charged with a crime, because people at the mall told authorities they were fearful.It is simply not true. From opencarry.texas we have a good explanation of the law:
The Penal Code reads, “DISORDERLY CONDUCT. (a) A person commits an offense if he intentionally or knowingly…(8) displays a firearm or other deadly weapon in a public place in a manner calculated to alarm.”The post goes into considerable detail to show what is clear from the first reading, that for a person to violate the law, they must have an intent to create alarm. It would make no sense to allow anyone to make an act illegal simply by claiming that it "alarmed" them. If that were the case, then anyone could violate an other's rights simply by saying that they were "alarmed", which is what seems to have happened in the Beaumont case. That would render senseless the Texas Constitution's provision protecting the right to keep and bear arms. Concealed carry does not fulfill the promise of the constitution, because the right is only granted after attending a course, paying a fee, and obtaining a permit.
Commenters at the site are acutely aware of this point. From Diana E. Ramirez:
FYI to say that someone carried to cause alarm they have to prove the carrier was INTENDING to cause alarm. That would be by swinging his rifle or pointing it at others. Just because someone "feels" alarmed or offended doesn't mean the other person was acting in an alarming or offensive manner. Burden of being alarming is on the actions of the carrier not the general public"s "feelings'.As is often the case, the side supporting the second amendment and the state's constitution seemed focused on the rule of law and logic. Only one commenter seemed opposed to open carry, and they used personal attacks to support their "argument". For some reason, those who push citizen disarmament seem to be focused on the size of male sex organs.
©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch
VA:Virginia Lawmakers Pass Concealed Weapons and Gun Muffler Reform, Resist Police Pressure
 |
| Use of Silencers is encouraged in Europe Photo Courtesy Gun World |
Virginia lawmakers chose to reform the state's gun laws in spite of pressure by police agencies to keep restrictive measures in place. HB878 reforms an antique law that gives local police a veto over obtaining federal permits for gun mufflers, short barreled rifles and shotguns, automatic firearms and destructive devices. Because of a controversial vote in 1986, the existing privately owned stock of automatic firearms was frozen, creating an artificial shortage that resulted in skyrocketing prices for legal automatic firearms. The cheapest automatic firearms available to collectors are now over $5,000 each. From hamptonroads.com:
One of the measures approved (HB878) would force the chief law enforcement officer of a locality to certify the transfer of a firearm within 30 days when such a certification is required under federal law for the transaction to occur.One homicide is known to have been committed with a registered automatic firearm, and that was by a police officer in 1988, with a possible second homicide in 1992. The freeze in the law was passed in spite of no homicides being committed with legally owned automatic firearms since the passage of the infamous NFA (National Firearms Act) in 1934 to the time of the 1986 law, making the freeze in ownership an incomprehensible restriction.
Because of the freeze in the number of private automatic firearms, nearly all NFA transfers are for gun mufflers (suppressors, silencers) and short barreled rifles and shotguns. Post Heller and McDonald (Supreme Court decisions that affirmed the constitutional right to keep and bear handguns for self defense) there is no logical reason to restrict short barreled rifles and shot guns any more than handguns, which they are functionally identical to. The only reason to restrict short barreled rifles and shotguns was to enforce a restriction on handguns.
There never was a logical reason for the severe regulatory and financial restrictions on gun mufflers, which are unrestricted in many European countries, or at least no more restricted than firearms are. Finland, for example, has ruled that citizens have a constitutional right to make, buy sell, trade, and use gun mufflers without the restrictions that are placed on firearms.
It is not hard to understand that police administrators would not want to give up a power that could bring in campaign contributions from well off collectors.
The Republican-controlled House Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee approved the measure on a party-line vote, 15-6. It advances to the House floor.The other reform that passed the Virginia legislative committee was to simplify reciprocity for concealed carry permit holders.
With those requirements removed, an out-of-state permit holder would be allowed to carry a weapon in Virginia by presenting a government-issued photo ID.The Virginia Citizens Defense League, a group that advocates for second amendment rights, supports the reform legislation, which would make it easier to obtain reciprocity for Virginia citizens to carry firearms in other states.
Virginia State Police objected to that measure as well. The committee approved it 15-6.Giving the police power to decide what would be good and bad legislation is nearly always bad policy. Police have enormous incentives to increase their own power at the expense of the citizenry.
©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch
AL:More Detail on Dollar Store Shooting
DALLAS COUNTY, AL (WSFA) -
New details are emerging in the investigation into a shooting at a Dallas County dollar store that ended with a gunman dead at the hands of a customer who decided to take action.
(snip)
There was another sign on the doors of the business stating that open carry of a weapon was not allowed inside the store. According to the sheriff, the Ellis' gun was concealed and inside a holster. His investigators are confirming whether Ellis has a valid concealed carry permit.
(snip)
Jackson confirmed that Marlo Ellis, the customer who used deadly force, is facing charges of rape in the second degree and enticing a child for immoral purposes, stemming from a 2013 investigation involving a girl under the age of 16. Court documents state that Ellis picked the victim up at a school basketball game and drove her to his house where they had sex. The district attorney said Ellis' sex case is on the trial docket for February. He has been out of jail on bond.
More Here
New details are emerging in the investigation into a shooting at a Dallas County dollar store that ended with a gunman dead at the hands of a customer who decided to take action.
(snip)
There was another sign on the doors of the business stating that open carry of a weapon was not allowed inside the store. According to the sheriff, the Ellis' gun was concealed and inside a holster. His investigators are confirming whether Ellis has a valid concealed carry permit.
(snip)
Jackson confirmed that Marlo Ellis, the customer who used deadly force, is facing charges of rape in the second degree and enticing a child for immoral purposes, stemming from a 2013 investigation involving a girl under the age of 16. Court documents state that Ellis picked the victim up at a school basketball game and drove her to his house where they had sex. The district attorney said Ellis' sex case is on the trial docket for February. He has been out of jail on bond.
More Here
Monday, January 20, 2014
Head of Philadelphia Gun turn in "buy back" Deep in Scandal
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| Private buyers purchased these guns at a turn in in 2013 |
Reuters ran article (16 January) about the U.S. Justice department's Inspector General claiming that the head of the Philadelphia gun "buy back" gave himself unauthorized raises totaling $82,000 over four years. From kfgo.com:
The article says that Jones received a salary of $146,378 in 2010, when he was authorized a salary of $90,000. Raymond Jones was the only employee in the organization. Total paid salaries in 2011 was $110,651.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of a Philadelphia gun buyback program gave himself unauthorized pay raises and failed to hold down other expenses paid from federal grant money, the U.S. Justice Department's inspector general said in a report on Thursday.
Compensation given to the Philadelphia Safety Net's executive director, Raymond Jones, was unreasonably high and not authorized by the group's board of directors, according to the audit report. It also said the group had a potential conflict of interest, because Jones's sister served as chairwoman of the board.
Of course, if you are the only one doing the work in the organization, then you have to approve your own raise. You are your own boss./S
I ran into what I believe is a similar situation in Phoenix. Arizonans for Gun Safety has no membership dues, yet had expenses of $78,053 in 2011. No government fees or contracts are mentioned, which may explain why they do not separate out salaries. It seems that there is only one person that gets paid in the orgazation, though I have not seen their balance sheets.
No doubt everything is perfectly legal. Raymond Jones says he was just busy:
Jones, in a written response to the audit report, did not dispute the amounts but said that as the group's only employee he was doing four jobs at once, including grant manager and public relations director. He said the group was in the process of electing a new board of directors to avoid potential conflicts of interest.Many of the "gun safety" anti-second amendment organizations are similar across the states. One man or woman shops who have found a way to cash in on the media's desire for citizen disarmament, and lack of curiosity about the money funding the programs.
©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch
Mexico:Villagers Resort to Arms
More than 100 men entered the town in western Michoacan state on Sunday morning and disarmed local police.
There were exchanges of fire with alleged gang members before the vigilantes occupied the town.
The vigilante group was set up by residents who say the army and the police have failed to protect them.
The Knights Templar has been fighting the New Generation cartel, from neighbouring Jalisco state, for control of criminal activities in the area.
Vigilantes, also known as self-defence groups or community police, have been active in several Mexican states.
More Here
GA:Atlanta turn in "buy back" has competition from Private Buyers
The Atlanta gun turn in event by NAACP and local churches had considerable competition from private buyers, as acknowledged by the wsbtv.com report
Gun collectors and enthusiasts, like David Daum, caught the attention of some people before reaching the Turner Field parking lot where the buyback was taking place.From the video, it appears that Mr. Daum got at least a couple of decent deals. One that appears to be a Colt .45 semi-auto pistol, for $500, and an early Smith and Wesson revolver for $50. Private parties buying valuable items that otherwise would have been destroyed invalidates the whole "guns are bad" theme of gun turn in events. Mr. Daum paid more that 12 times the average of what the turn in organizers were paying for the guns that they purchased. Perhaps Mr. Daum heard about the program when Gun Watch was quoted on Fox News.
"I personally just collect, restore. My personal preference is antique firearms," explained Daum. He said his reason for being out there based on preservation. "Being a collector, especially trying to keep some of the historical firearms from being melted down and destroyed."
The story is not clear as to what will happen with the guns that were purchased by the NAACP. It says:
All those guns will then be processed by authorities.But it is not clear exactly what that means. Turned in guns often sell for an average of $100 or more at auctions to licensed dealers, so the NAACP could turn a tidy profit if they sell these guns to dealers, complete with background checks on every gun when sold at retail. The video claims that almost 1000 guns were turned in at a cost of $40,000. There is a boom in gun sales at present, so they could get top dollar.
One police agency in Maine sold the guns that they collected and gave the money to charity. Either option would make more sense than simply destroying valuable property.
©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch
AZ:Police ID man killed during home invasion
A 77-year-old man who was in the home shot at the suspect with a
shotgun about 3:19 a.m., said Sgt. Tommy Thompson of the Phoenix Police
Department.
The man told police his house had been burglarized the day before, Thompson said.
The intruder, William Thomas Mackey, 30, died at the scene, Thompson said. A pickup truck he drove was found in front of the residence, but Thompson said it was not clear if Mackey was involved in the burglary the day before.
More Here
The man told police his house had been burglarized the day before, Thompson said.
The intruder, William Thomas Mackey, 30, died at the scene, Thompson said. A pickup truck he drove was found in front of the residence, but Thompson said it was not clear if Mackey was involved in the burglary the day before.
More Here
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Utah: Concealed Carry in Schools; Zero School Shootings. Coincidence?
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| In western states, "school shooter" has a different meaning. Many schools have rifle teams |
There are many likely contributors to the fact that Utah has zero school-related shootings. Utah is one of the states that has the least restrictions on second amendment rights in the nation. It is one of the few that do not forbid concealed carry permit holders from carrying their personal defensive firearms in schools. Utah has very little crime, with one of the lowest homicide rates in the country. As stated in this article from ksl.com, the odds that when you are in Utah, someone near you has a concealed carry permit, are very good.
Pedersen believes the fact the state has so many gun-friendly laws and concealed weaponspermit holders may actually be a deterrent to these types of rampages. The shooter doesn'tknow what he's up against.
"Odds are your neighbor, your person that you work with or your best friend, maybe, has aconcealed weapons permit," he said.
School shootings shot up after the passage of the federal gun free school zone law in 1996. The law was re-instated that year after heavy lobbying by President Clinton and Janet Reno. The law had been struck down by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional in early 1995.It's that kind of logic that has Pedersen involved an effort to train and arm teachers.By law, concealed weapons permit holders can be armed inside Utah schools.
©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch
Pedersen
believes the fact the state has so many gun-friendly laws and concealed
weapons permit holders may actually be a deterrent to these types of
rampages. The shooter doesn't know what he's up against.
"Odds are your neighbor, your person that you work with or your best friend, maybe, has a concealed weapons permit," he said.
It's that kind of logic that has Pedersen involved an effort to train and arm teachers. By law, concealed weapons permit holders can be armed inside Utah schools.
Read more at http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=28390054#1RLEO92LFRr4vJLY.99
"Odds are your neighbor, your person that you work with or your best friend, maybe, has a concealed weapons permit," he said.
It's that kind of logic that has Pedersen involved an effort to train and arm teachers. By law, concealed weapons permit holders can be armed inside Utah schools.
Read more at http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=28390054#1RLEO92LFRr4vJLY.99
Pedersen
believes the fact the state has so many gun-friendly laws and concealed
weapons permit holders may actually be a deterrent to these types of
rampages. The shooter doesn't know what he's up against.
"Odds are your neighbor, your person that you work with or your best friend, maybe, has a concealed weapons permit," he said.
It's that kind of logic that has Pedersen involved an effort to train and arm teachers. By law, concealed weapons permit holders can be armed inside Utah schools.
Read more at http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=28390054#1RLEO92LFRr4vJLY.99
"Odds are your neighbor, your person that you work with or your best friend, maybe, has a concealed weapons permit," he said.
It's that kind of logic that has Pedersen involved an effort to train and arm teachers. By law, concealed weapons permit holders can be armed inside Utah schools.
Read more at http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=28390054#1RLEO92LFRr4vJLY.99
Pedersen
believes the fact the state has so many gun-friendly laws and concealed
weapons permit holders may actually be a deterrent to these types of
rampages. The shooter doesn't know what he's up against.
"Odds are your neighbor, your person that you work with or your best friend, maybe, has a concealed weapons permit," he said.
It's that kind of logic that has Pedersen involved an effort to train and arm teachers. By law, concealed weapons permit holders can be armed inside Utah schools.
Read more at http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=28390054#1RLEO92LFRr4vJLY.99
"Odds are your neighbor, your person that you work with or your best friend, maybe, has a concealed weapons permit," he said.
It's that kind of logic that has Pedersen involved an effort to train and arm teachers. By law, concealed weapons permit holders can be armed inside Utah schools.
Read more at http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=28390054#1RLEO92LFRr4vJLY.99
Pedersen
believes the fact the state has so many gun-friendly laws and concealed
weapons permit holders may actually be a deterrent to these types of
rampages. The shooter doesn't know what he's up against.
"Odds are your neighbor, your person that you work with or your best friend, maybe, has a concealed weapons permit," he said.
It's that kind of logic that has Pedersen involved an effort to train and arm teachers. By law, concealed weapons permit holders can be armed inside Utah schools.
Read more at http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=28390054#1RLEO92LFRr4vJLY.99
"Odds are your neighbor, your person that you work with or your best friend, maybe, has a concealed weapons permit," he said.
It's that kind of logic that has Pedersen involved an effort to train and arm teachers. By law, concealed weapons permit holders can be armed inside Utah schools.
Read more at http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=28390054#1RLEO92LFRr4vJLY.99
Saturday, January 18, 2014
AL: Customer Defends Self and Others from Threatened Mass Murder
An armed aggressor herding people into a back room is always a bad sign. It often precedes a mass murder. From the selmatimesjournal.com:
Dallas County Sheriff Harris Huffman said the incident appeared to be a case of self-defense and no one has been arrested in connection with the shooting Thursday afternoon.One customer showed good situational awareness, and was able to escape out the back door:
The incident occurred when Dallas County resident Kevin Mclaughlin entered Dollar General reportedly waving a pistol in the air, Huffman said. Mclaughlin then ushered a group of people inside the store into a break room.
Orrville resident Deforest James said he was in the Dollar General moments before the shooting occurred. James exited the building shortly after Mclaughlin waved the pistol and told customers not to move.No one can be certain how the incident would have turned out if customer Marlo Ellis had not been there and been armed, but the indications are that he prevented some very bad things from happening.
“He said he was looking for three bad mother—-ers and then I ran out and I busted out through the back door,” James said.
Houses act as giant sound suppressors. People outside seldom hear gun shots fired inside, or interpret what they hear correctly. The sound is almost completely muted from an inside room.
“It appears that once the cashier got inside the break room, a customer that was walking into the break room shot the individual, the white male, with the pistol,” Huffman said. “There was only one shot fired and that shot struck the individual with the pistol causing the disturbance.”
©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch
Fox News Discovers Private Buyers
 |
| Private collectors with some antique rifles obtained at a Phoenix turn in event in 2013 |
Perry Chiaramonte of Fox News deserves some credit for going beyond the usual media template of "Guns Bad". In an article published on 15 January, he did some homework and found a growing response to the political theater of gun "buy backs. The article gives considerable space to the trend of private collectors attending the turn in events (they cannot really be "buy backs", because the people buying the guns never owned them before), and buying desirable guns rather than see them destroyed for no reason.
He quotes author Dean Weingarten on the phenomena:
Gun blogger Dean Weingarten, who hosts a website called GunwatchLater on, perhaps in order to salvage some political correctness, he coins a phrase that I have not seen before, and do not know what it means: "rogue buyer"., said a collector who attended a recent buyback event in College Park, Ga., bought several valuable guns that would have otherwise been destroyed, including what is believed to be an antique flintlock pistol. Weingarten says competition from collectors should be encouraged.
"It stretches the turn-in budget so that more guns can be taken off the street," he wrote. "It helps keep fearful widows from being defrauded of most of the market value of the gun they are turning in. It prevents valuable assets from being destroyed by bureaucratic inflexibility. It is a win-win-win situation."
But the rogue buyers are not always welcome at the events, and they don't always offer a fair deal, according to Tom Knox, president of the National Automatic Pistol Collectors Association.It is hard to understand why Tom Knox would want valuable collector items destroyed, rather than have a private purchaser pay more for them and keep them available for the collector community, but that is what he seems to be saying.
 |
| This P38, obtained at a turn in event, was one of the last produced before the German factory was overrun by the allies. The cut down holster was a common field modification by American troops. |
©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch
Friday, January 17, 2014
Fox News Quotes Gun Watch
At foxnews.com, Perry Chiaramonte writes:
When Schuyler Taylor attended a gun buyback program in Seattle last year, he wasn't hoping to turn in an unwanted firearm for a $50 gift card. He was looking to pay cold cash for a rare weapon.
Taylor, a 24-year-old gun enthusiast, is one of a growing number of collectors who has been showing up at the events, where towns, police departments, churches and nonprofits offer money or gift cards for old guns. The events have been held all over the country, credited by some for getting weapons off the streets and ridiculed by others for paying money for rusting junk. But collectors have taken notice that some of the guns, which are typically destroyed, are worth far more than they fetch at buyback events.
“My goal was to go down there and see if I could find something that I felt should be preserved instead of it going into a melting pot,” Taylor told FoxNews.com. “Many of the people who come to the buybacks to trade in are often naïve. They don’t realize that they have an heirloom.”
Gun blogger Dean Weingarten, who hosts a website called Gunwatch,
said a collector who attended a recent buyback event in College Park,
Ga., bought several valuable guns that would have otherwise been
destroyed, including what is believed to be an antique flintlock pistol.
Weingarten says competition from collectors should be encouraged.
"It stretches the turn-in budget so that more guns can be taken off the street," he wrote. "It helps keep fearful widows from being defrauded of most of the market value of the gun they are turning in. It prevents valuable assets from being destroyed by bureaucratic inflexibility. It is a win-win-win situation."
More here at foxnews.com
When Schuyler Taylor attended a gun buyback program in Seattle last year, he wasn't hoping to turn in an unwanted firearm for a $50 gift card. He was looking to pay cold cash for a rare weapon.
Taylor, a 24-year-old gun enthusiast, is one of a growing number of collectors who has been showing up at the events, where towns, police departments, churches and nonprofits offer money or gift cards for old guns. The events have been held all over the country, credited by some for getting weapons off the streets and ridiculed by others for paying money for rusting junk. But collectors have taken notice that some of the guns, which are typically destroyed, are worth far more than they fetch at buyback events.
“My goal was to go down there and see if I could find something that I felt should be preserved instead of it going into a melting pot,” Taylor told FoxNews.com. “Many of the people who come to the buybacks to trade in are often naïve. They don’t realize that they have an heirloom.”
Gun blogger Dean Weingarten, who hosts a website called Gunwatch
,
said a collector who attended a recent buyback event in College Park,
Ga., bought several valuable guns that would have otherwise been
destroyed, including what is believed to be an antique flintlock pistol.
Weingarten says competition from collectors should be encouraged."It stretches the turn-in budget so that more guns can be taken off the street," he wrote. "It helps keep fearful widows from being defrauded of most of the market value of the gun they are turning in. It prevents valuable assets from being destroyed by bureaucratic inflexibility. It is a win-win-win situation."
More here at foxnews.com
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