Wednesday, November 06, 2024

MI: Domestic Defense, Warren Woman Shoots, Kills, Ex

Police officials say a 29-year-old man had been shot in the abdomen and fled the scene. He was found on a nearby street and rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

 

 More Here

 

Tuesday, November 05, 2024

Have the Old Dominant Media become a Paper Tiger?


 

 

 


Joe Rogan's interview (video link) with Candidate Trump has been viewed at least 40 million times, with some estimates of over a hundred million.

The most dangerous opponent of the Second Amendment, the Bill of Rights, and limited government in the United States has not been advocacy groups such as "The National Council to Control Handguns", which after several name changes ended up as  "The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence"; or the heavily funded "Everytown for Gun Safety".  The most dangerous opponent has been the old, dominant, Progressive Media.  It took this correspondent until 1994 to understand the problem was not political education. The problem was the dominant Media were ideologically opposed to an armed population. By 1970 Progressive ideology was firmly entrenched in nearly all American Media.

The political ideology of Progressivism became popular in the late 1800's and took political power in the presidencies of Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. Wilson was a dominant theorist and leader of the Progressive movement who became president. He used war powers to ingrain progressive ideas into American government. One of the pillars of progressive thought is government should not be limited in its scope or power. For this reason, the Constitution is outdated and irrelevant. Ways must be found to "get around" the limitations of the Constitution. This is why gun control is in the Progressive DNA. How can government do all the wonderful things progressives want it to do, if they have to worry about yahoos with guns? In 1887, Woodrow Wilson wrote this:

  The germinal conceptions of democracy are as free from all thought of a limitation of the public authority as are the corresponding conceptions of socialism; the individual rights which the democracy of our own century has actually observed, were suggested to it by a political Philosophy radically individualistic, but not necessarily democratic. Democracy is bound by no principle of its own nature to say itself nay as to the exercise of any power.

Newspapers with and without obvious political ideologies were the dominant media in the 1920s and 1930's. Radios and radio networks were on the rise. When Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Federal Communications Commission into existence in 1933, he made certain the FCC was staffed with Progressives friendly to his administration. Four terms and WWII censorship later, Progressives were firmly entrenched. The radio networks became the television networks. The television networks became the dominant Media. Progressive ideology was supreme in the media.  By the time a sitting, popular president (Richard Nixon) was driven from office in a Media coup (Watergate), the Progressive, dominant media had become the most power force in American politics. They decided who was suitable for office. They decided what issues were important. They decided what was a scandal and what was not. They took their cues from the AP, the New York Times and the Washington Post. Power corrupts. The dominant media was corrupted.

As AM radio was floundering, a new voice appeared. Many say Rush Limbaugh saved AM radio. He gave a voice to the voiceless majority of Americans who did not accept the Progressive Media narratives. As Limbaugh outraged leftists and heartened conservatives, the Internet erupted on the scene. By the middle 1990's it was providing an outlet for pent-up alternatives to leftist political philosophy. Second Amendment organizations seized the opportunity. The Progressive Media were shocked when they lost control of the Congress, both House and Senate, in 1994. Leftist political scientists had said it was impossible. Limbaugh was celebrated as the "majority maker".

The Progressive Media faced a choice. Stick to the principles of a "fair and unbiased press" or trade credibility for short term political power. Short term political power was the overwhelming decision. Republican majorities had some successes, but were opposed at every turn by the dominant Media. Alternative sources on the Internet gained ground. Social media was developed. While the old media was able to push Bill Clinton into power and a second term, they could not steal the election for George W Bush in 2000. They continued to trade credibility for short term political clout.  Alternate media exposed the dominate Media lies after the fact. Credibility lost is difficult to regain. Obama rode to electorial success on the dominate media and their "hero" and supposed Obama opponent, John McCain. During the campaign he famously quipped the "Media" were his base. The Media pulled out all stops to lie about and destroy his talented and charismatic vice presidential pick, Sarah Palin, Governor of Alaska.

Palin was supposed to be a lesson to aspiring conservative politicians. If you don't follow the Media narrative, we will destroy you. President Obama did enormous damage to the United States, aided and abetted by the dominant Media, as the Media traded more credibility to drag Obama to a second disastrous term.

When Donald Trump entered the race for President in 2016, the distance between reality and the dominant Media propaganda was enormous. It could not be ignored.

In 2016, the Progressive Media had little credibility left. Donald Trump became the 45th president in an election which shocked the Media to its core. They spent the next four years in lies and false conspiracy theories. The Democratic party and Media, and the members of the Deep State could never have swung the 2020 election to a corrupt Joe Biden except for their lies about and use of the Covid 19 "emergency".

Very few conservatives think the Media is trustworthy. A small majority of Democrats are unwilling to admit the old Media is in the tank for the Left.  Old Media's stock of credibility has been exhausted. Their lies are exposed on a daily basis. They were a near monolithic ideological structure in 1990. Today, Progressive Media may no longer be dominant. President Trump's media platform is worth more than the hyper-partisan New York Times. Joe Rogan's interview with Candidate Trump has been viewed at least 40 million times, with some estimates of over a hundred million.

The LA times, shrunk to a small fraction of its former self, refuses to endorse Kamala Harris. The Washington Post's owner, Jeff Bezos, ordered the Post not to endorse Kamala Harris. The Post lost 77 million dollars last year.  USA Today refuses to endorse Kamala Harris. On President Trump's side, genius of the age and former Democrat Elon Musk endorses him. The Democratic party has become an existential threat to Musk and his near miraculous enterprises. Robert F. Kennedy endorses Donald Trump. Jordan Peterson endorses Donald Trump (video link).

 


Trump's message has become unstoppable by the old, no longer dominant Progressive Media.  Few find their shrill cries of Trump is literally Hitler persuasive.

If former President Trump wins another term in the White House, the demise of the old Dominant Progressive Media will have been completed. The media landscape will be a broken field of mostly partisan commentators, journalists, and citizen reporters, much as it was at the start of the Republic. Political power, concentrated in an ideologically uniform media, was not anticipated by the founders. It became a deadly threat to the Republic. If it dies, the death is well deserved. It hinges on the election. It is up to voters to "Make it so!"

 

©2024 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch


NV: Reno Gunfight, Suspect and Bystander Wounded

An investigation found that the minor had tried to shoot an adult man and missed - the woman who was hit was a bystander.

The man who was shot at initially went and got his own gun and shot the minor, who was still armed.

Police have determined that the minor is the suspect in the shooting, and all parties are cooperating with the investigation. There is no outstanding threat to the public.

 

More Here

NC: Person Shot and Killed at Zebulon Shop-N-Go on NC-39

ZEBULON, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Johnston County Sheriff's Office is investigating after one person was shot and killed at a convenience store in Zebulon.

The incident happened at the Shop-N-Go convenience store at 13597 NC-39.

Deputies said the shooter was identified and is being questioned.

Authorities said there is no threat to the public.




More Here

Monday, November 04, 2024

FBI Changed Homicide Data for last two Decades


The FBI has quietly changed 20 years of homicide data, from 2004 to 2023. Professor John Lott has published an article showing the FBI revised homicide data for 2022 and 2023. The previous numbers fed Biden/Harris administration talking points.

A close look at the data shows the FBI "adjusted" the homicide data from the last two decades, not just the last two years. The largest adjustment outside of 2021 and 2022 happened to the data from 2005. As of 2006, the total number of homicides reported by the FBI for 2005 were 16,740 for 2005 and 17,034 for 2006 . As of 2019, the numbers were reported as 16,740 and 17,309.  As of 2024, the numbers were adjusted to 17,750 (added 1,010) and 17,241 (dropped 68).

What happened with the numbers in 2005? How do they hold steady for 13 years, then suddenly expand by over a thousand murders for the year? It is an increase of 6%! It is reasonable for homicide numbers to be adjusted upwards for a few years after the initial reporting. Some reports may come in late. Some investigations may show a crime was a homicide instead of a suicide. People who were severely wounded may die. It is harder to see how the number of homicides decrease. Perhaps dates were misreported. The increase of over a thousand homicides in one year should be explained.

FBI UCR data are not simply raw numbers which are arithmetically added. National FBI data includes a number of estimates. From the 2019 Crime in the United States Table 1 data declaration:

Offense estimation

These tables contain statistics for the entire United States. Because not all law enforcement agencies provide data for complete reporting periods, the FBI includes estimated crime numbers in these presentations. The FBI computes estimates for participating agencies that do not provide 12 months of complete data. For agencies supplying 3 to 11 months of data, the national UCR Program estimates for the missing data by following a standard estimation procedure using the data provided by the agency. If an agency has supplied less than 3 months of data, the FBI computes estimates by using the known crime figures of similar areas within a state and assigning the same proportion of crime volumes to nonreporting agencies. The estimation process considers the following: population size covered by the agency; type of jurisdiction, e.g., police department versus sheriff’s office; and geographic location.

Much analysis has been done using the UCR numbers. A change of a thousand murders in one year might easily change a policy recommendation, or the results of a paper using a model based on the first reported data.

Analysis:

It seems likely computer models are used to do the calculations to adjust previous data years. In the interest of public trust, the processes used to create the numbers should be open and transparent. If the people do not know how the numbers are changed, there is no reason to trust the numbers.

The philosophy of "experts" creating policies for the public good rests on the "experts" having access to reliable data, the "experts" understanding the processes sufficiently to craft policies to improve the public good; and the "experts" placing the public good ahead of their own selfish or political interests.

Experience has shown data is often unreliable. The "public good" is often hotly disputed. Experts seldom place the "public good" ahead of their personal or political interests.

To expect all three conditions to be satisfied inside an administrative state is naive and unrealistic. 

Transparency, limits on governmental power, and enforcing the independence of three separate branches of government can do much to limit the damage done by powerful administrators.

 

©2024 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch


FL: Hileah Customer with Machete Threatens Mechanic, is Shot, Killed

According to Lt. Eddie Rodriguez, a spokesman for the Hialeah Police Department, Michel Lope Montes de Oca accused Brandon Hurst of installing a used tire instead of a new one.

According to Rodriguez, Hurst told police officers Montes de Oca was so upset that he threatened him with a machete in the area of West Second Avenue and 29 Street.

Hurst reported when Montes de Oca charged at him with the machete he grabbed a gun and defended himself. According to Rodriguez, Hurst fired several times and Montes de Oca died.

More Here

Sunday, November 03, 2024

FL: Workplace Dispute ends in Shooting Death

Police say the argument started when 38-year-old general contractor Mostafa M. Ah Abdo got into a disagreement with a sub-contractor tile worker over payment.

"At the height of the argument, the tile worker started smashing completed tile work," the police department wrote.

That's when officers say Abdo went to his truck, grabbed a firearm and threatened the tile worker with it.

The tile worker's father, 52-year-old Yamel Benitez, who was also laying tile at the site, then pulled out his own firearm and shot Abdo, "to defend his son," police said.

Abdo died from his injuries.

 

More Here

DC: Woman Drives off Accoster with Gunfire

WOMAN FIRES SHOT IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS IN SELF DEFENSE--- 1300 blk Harvard St NW. Man backed into female, then accosted her. She fired a shot from her handgun. She's reportedly licensed to carry. He fled. No one found shot yet. 

 

More Here

Saturday, November 02, 2024

United States Firearms per Capita and Homicide Rates. No Correlation

Sources: Homicide rates are from the FBI UCR. Per Capita Firearm rates calculated from Census data and private firearms numbers calculated using the method pioneered by Newton and Zimring. It was extended by Gary Kleck in “Point Blank: Guns and Violence in America”.  The number is the cumulative addition of domestic manufacture and imports with the subtraction of exports.

A linchpin of the argument of those who favor a disarmed population is the assumption of "More Guns = More Crime". It was succinctly stated as an assumption in a recent paper.  (one source is referenced) Psychopathy, Gun Carrying, and Firearm Violence:

Carrying guns increases the risk of injury and death...

This is a hotly disputed assumption. There are several papers which dispute the premise. If carrying guns does not increase the risk of injury and death, the pragmatic argument for strict restrictions on gun ownership and use collapses. There is some evidence, if guns are restricted in a draconian manner, homicides with guns may be reduced.  Overall homicides are not reduced

If the substitution of other methods results in the same or more homicides, or if firearms are used to prevent homicides as well as facilitate them, the argument to restrict gun ownership is not viable.

Long term data to test the premise is available. There is FBI data on illegal homicides rates in the United States from 1910. Homicides are the most reliable crime figure because there is a body and an investigation. There is fairly good data on the number of firearms which are privately owned in the United States. If More guns = More crime, an increase in per capita firearms ownership should be  correlated with the homicide rate.

The number of cartridge firearms in the USA has not been calculated for dates before 1945. This was before records were commonly available. Serial numbers on firearms were generally not required before 1968.  Firearms first sold to the military, then later sold as surplus, are not included in these numbers, nor are firearms made for personal use. Semi-automatic, bolt action, and single shot rifles, revolvers and semi-automatic pistols sold as military surplus could number as high as 19 million.

Similarly firearms imported extralegally, such as "bringbacks" from foreign wars or exported extralegally, such as a shotgun sent in pieces back to Tio Juan on his farm in Mexico, are excluded from these official numbers. The assumption is the military arms sold as surplus and the personally crafted firearms are offset by the destruction of firearms and loss of firearms to extralegal export.

When the per capita numbers of firearms from 1945 to 2023 are compared to the homicide rate from the same years, there is no  correlation.  The homicide numbers have been recently "adjusted" for 2004 to 2023. Using those numbers, the correlation coefficient is .0107. The previous non-adjusted numbers give a correlation coefficient of  -.0037. The correlation coefficient can vary from 1 to -1. 1 is a complete correlation. -1 is a reverse correlation. Small numbers near zero show there is no significant correlation.  The correlation coefficient, calculated online, shows there is no correlation at p<.01, a 99% confidence level.

The lack of correlation is consistent with visual comparison of the graph. Homicide rates go up and down while the number of firearms per capita consistently increases, except for one year, at the end of World War two, when all manufacturing capability was going into the war effort.

A consistent increase in per capita firearms ownership is precisely what would be expected of a valuable manufactured commodity whose constant dollar price is dropping as improved manufacturing techniques reduce the cost of production. The constant dollar cost of ammunition dropped along with the cost of firearms. The cost of ammunition dropped 96% in constant dollars form 1910 to 2022. The cost of firearms dropped about 98% in constant dollars over roughly the same period.

The lack of correlation between the per capita number of firearms and the homicide rate is a strong indicator. More guns do not equal more homicides.

©2024 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch


 

 

 




 

 

 


 






LA: Iberia Parish Home Invastion Suspect Shot

IBERIA PARISH, La. — Deputies with the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a home invasion and stabbing in the 4900 and 5000 block of Dolphin Street in Iberia Parish on Thursday, October 31, around 6 p.m.

Detectives arrived on scene and assumed control of the investigation.

Upon arrival, deputies located suspect, Casey Meaux, 47, of Lafayette, who was found at the scene with a gunshot wound to the chest. The wound was inflicted by the owner of the second residence during the invasion.


More Here

Friday, November 01, 2024

TX: Fort Worth Homeowner Shoots Suspected Intruder

Fort Worth police are investigating a shooting that they believe occurred during an attempted break-in early Wednesday, officials said. Officers responded to the 4300 block of Berke Road shortly after midnight on Oct. 30 regarding a shooting call. They found a person with two gunshot wounds, according to police. The individual was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Investigators currently believe the person was shot by the homeowner during an attempted break-in, police said


More Here

Thursday, October 31, 2024

U.S. Virgin Islands: Extreme Gun Control, Extreme Homicide Rate

 

The United States Virgin Islands exists as a United States territory. As an entity which is not a state, it has higher rates of homicide than any state. The homicide rates for the US Virgin Islands are about 7.8 times as high as the average homicide rate for the United States.  It is one of the highest illegal homicide rates in the world.

Extreme restrictions on the ownership and use of firearms in the US Virgin Islands are more restrictive than any state since the implementation of the Bruen decision by the Supreme Court. The Bruen decision was published on June 22, 2022. Some states have resisted and passed very restrictive firearms laws. However, those states have a defined process.  From southerndefense.com:

The US Virgin Islands has extremely strict gun laws. A permit and waiting periods accompany all firearm transactions. Once in a person’s possession, it is almost always illegal to carry that firearm in public either openly or concealed, and as of this writing, there are no good, governmental sources for even begging a firearms permit application. Calling a local attorney for guidance will be a must given the long sentences the territorial laws have for violating its opaque firearms laws.

The territory is about 12.9% of the size of Rhode Island, with about 7.9% of the population of Rhode Island.

The United States Virgin Islands were purchased from the Dutch government in 1917, during the First World War. An act of Congress gave U.S. citizenship to the inhabitants in 1927.  The Danish legal code of the islands was retained. In 1970, self government took effect with a Governor and Lt. Governor elected for four year terms. The Senate of the U.S. Virgin Islands consists of seven elected from St. Croix, seven from the district of St Thomas and St. John, and one at-large senator who must be a resident of St. John.  Senators are elected for two year terms.

There are about 5,713 residents per Virgin Islands Senator. Senators receive an $85,000 a year salary. Senators are allocated many perks.

The number of homicides in the Virgin Islands in a given year were found in a number of sources, primarily from stcroixsource.com, from sthomasssource.com,  and from stjohnsource.com.  Population for the Virgin Islands was from the US census and worldometers.info.

Average homicide rate for United States Virgin Islands from 1999 to 2023 is 40.6.

Average homicide rate for the United States from 1999 to 2023 is 5.21. The VI rate is 7.79 times higher than the United States rate over the last 25 years for which records could be found.

Hawaii has fairly similar firearms laws as the United States Virgin Islands. Homicide rates in Hawaii are considerably lower than the average in the United States. Hawaii homicide numbers were not found for 2022 and 2023. The average homicide rate from 1999 - 2021 was 2.16.  Puerto Rico is another island jurisdiction with strong firearms restrictions. Puerto Rico homicide rates are less than half of those in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Analysis:

US Virgin Island Homicide rates are among the highest in the world.

Firearms restrictions have no correlation to overall homicide rates.

If someone tells you firearm restrictions reduce murder rates in Hawaii, tell them about the US Virgin Islands. Similar firearms laws exist in both sets of Islands.  Homicide rates in the VI are 19 times larger.

 

©2024 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch


 

 







PA: Domestic Defense, a Disarm and Third Party Shot by Wounded Offender

All three victims, who have not been identified, were taken to a hospital and are in stable condition, according to the release. Police said a “violent domestic” occurred in the residence, and the woman was able to retrieve a handgun, which she used to shoot the man in the stomach. Police said the man was then able to take the handgun from her and proceeded to beat her with it. The fight made its way outside of the residence. The third victim was driving by when he was shot in the neck by the man who’d been beating the woman, police said.

More Here

CT: Stratford Gunfight, Car Thief Suspects Shoot and Run

He told officers that he saw two men attempting to steal his car from the driveway. 

It's unclear who fired first, but police noted multiple bullet holes in the man's home, authorities said. The thieves ran away rather than finish the fight.

More Here

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Book Review: Israel Disarmed by Mark W. Smith 102 pages, Bombadier Books, 2024


Israel Disarmed by Mark Smith. Highly recommended

Mark Smith has written a thoughtful examination of how disarmament by the State of Israel enabled the most horrific massacre of Jews since World War Two. At the 2024 Gun Rights Policy Conference in San Diego, Mark Smith was giving away copies of his latest book, Israel Disarmed: What the October 7 attack teaches Americans about the right to bear arms.

The book exceeded my expectations. Mark is a Constitutional Scholar and a member of the United States Supreme Court bar. I expected a scholarly work. I was not disappointed. I was pleasantly surprised to find a page turning and exciting prologue which kept me on the edge of my chair.

In the prologue Mark documents the contrast between two Israeli kibbutzim. One kibbutz had no defensive firearms, and about 750 residents. The other kibbutz had about 1500 residents and about a dozen men who had firearms. Both kibbutzim came under attack by the Hamas Jihadis. In the first kibbutz, 60 residents were killed and 17 were were taken as hostages, about 10 percent of the population. In the second kibbutz, the roughly dozen armed defenders held off the Jihadis, killing several and wounding several. Not one resident of the second kibbutz was killed. The examples of armed defenders are graphic, detailed, and riveting.

In the chapters which follow, Mark builds a detailed case of how important the right to bear arms is, how the Israelis became disarmed, and how October 7th changed Israeli philosophy about armed citizens. He explains the importance of the Second Amendment in the United States Bill of Rights, and how it is important today as a protector of liberty as well as for personal safety.

Because of the extreme restrictions on firearms ownership and carry put in place by the Israeli government, only about 1.5% of the Israeli population were allowed to own firearms before October 7, 2024. There are about 6.7 private firearms for each 100 Israelis.  With even this extreme restriction on gun ownership, the organizers of the music festival declared the festival to be a "gun free zone".

Hamas jihadis attacked the festival, killed over 360 and took at least 40 hostages. The dead included 17 police officers.  It is not clear if the police officers were armed. In the similar attack at the Bataclan Concert in Paris, France, about 100 were killed. Eight police officers who were at the Bataclan off duty, were all unarmed.

Mark explains how the Israelis believed they could count on their large police force and their superb military to protect them. It was and is a mistaken faith. When seconds counted in Israel, the police and military were many hours away. Mark goes on to explain how the same problem exists in the United States. Many Americans believe the police will be there to protect them. American police cannot be where they are needed when they are needed. In addition, the police have been under attack and there is a strong movement to defund them. For the first crucial minutes, you will be your own first responder.

This correspondent has a small complaint about this well written, exciting, detailed and well argued book. This correspondent would have use different cover art. The cover is in large print. This correspondent would have commissioned a cover of Jihadis gunning down defenseless women and men at the music festival.

Israel Disarmed, highly recommended, $16.99 paperback, $27 Hardcover, $9.99 on Kindle at Amazon.

 

©2024 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

 

 


 



FL: Oakland Park Woman Arrested after being Wounded as Suspect in Burglary

“At about 4 a.m., 4:30 , somewhere around that time, I heard like a single gunshot, and I knew it was a gunshot,” he said. “I just heard it, and I know it wasn’t fireworks; it’s not the Fourth of July, so I knew something was going on. It was very, very loud, different than anoy other sound. I was just sitting there, wondering what’s going on, and in the next, like, five minutes later, I just heard police cars.”

A preliminary investigation revealed the incident was related to the burglary, and Abdulrahman was arrested.

Abdulrahman has since been charged with burglary of an occupied dwelling and grand theft auto.

As for the homeowner, they were seen speaking with detectives earlier in the day.

People who live nearby said the homeowner has never caused any issues.

“It’s been a good neighborhood. I’ve been around here over 20 years, and I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Kryns.

 

More Here

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

No Place to Hide. No Place to Run. The USA is the Last Best Hope


 

This correspondent has engaged on various Internet forums.  There are always people who do not want to do things, are unwilling to engage, who think they can hide from the government.  They say they do not want to (pick your action); get a carry permit; sign a petition; purchase ammunition from a store, join a state or local action group; buy a gun from a dealer; or others because:  

They Do Not Want to Be on a List

The problem with this is:  

99.9% of us are on multiple lists, whether we want to be or not.  

There are a few people who do not own telephones, who are not on the power grid, who do not subscribe to magazines or read things on the Internet, or buy stuff with credit or debit cards. They are very, very few. They are ineffective politically or in a conflict. The digital shackles we have accepted are ubiquitous and encompassing. There is, essentially, no place left to hide, and no place left to run. Either we win this fight for limited government and the rule of law politically, we lose by becoming engaged in some sort of civil war, or we lose everywhere because there isn't any place left to run. 

Canada is becoming worse than the USA every day. Mexico is far worse already.

No where in Europe is better than the USA is now, and everywhere in Europe is likely to get much worse if the USA stays on the path the Biden/Obama administration has put us on. Africa? You joke. Japan? They don't take immigrants. Australia - already worse than the USA. China? India? They are much worse.

Convert to Islam? Islamic countries are all worse than the USA, if you value freedom and private property. This correspondent will not convert.

If you read AmmoLand, or other forums about hunting or shooting or conservative politics, you are already on several lists. In authoritarian/totalitarian regimes, the government is concerned and very effective at finding and knowing who they can trust and who they cannot. Trusted people are a small number.  Nothing on the Internet is truly lost. Credit card purchases are forever. Phone conversations are recorded and stored. They are probably only listened to by machines, if at all, but they are kept, and can be searched later.

At present, there are some protections in place which make it difficult to use these resources to divide the country into the enemies of the regime and everyone else. Those protections are rapidly being eroded by the current regime. 

Even if you take gold coins on a sailboat and head out to sea, you are subject to officials in every port. You will be asked for bribes, subject to have your boat confiscated, with no serious rule of law. Carry a gun with you on the boat, to protect your life and possessions?  Very difficult, because most countries do not allow it. They will confiscate and prosecute if it is to their advantage. They have the power to search you in every port. Your voyage is tracked by satellite. 

We are in a great political contest to force the power of the government back into the cage created for it by the Constitution. If we win, it may take decades to undo all the damage created by the administrative state. It cannot happen all at once. Such is the nature of the rule of law. If we lose, the deterioration we see will accelerate. More inflation, more lawless importation of multitudinous immigrants, more potential cheating at elections without any accountability. The middle class will continue to be attacked from all sides. We are into the slide to complete tyranny as experienced in Venezuela. The Supreme Court would likely be placed under the influence of Progressives. 

We can win. Our opponents do not have infinite resources available to cheat. Winning the election is the easiest fight we have available to win. Winning takes courage and the willingness to take small chances now to avoid terrible effects later.  Winning now, politically, is much easier than winning a civil war, as patriots are picked off piecemeal against a strengthened and growing, entrenched administration.

Paraphrasing Patrick Henry: When will we be stronger? This is the time to use our political will and power, before our voices are silenced, before our rights become transgressions in the law, before our churches are only allowed to preach what the government wants them to preach.  As a Christian, I urge everyone to vote. In the USA, it is our duty to vote. It is how we have an impact on our means of government. This is a sea change election. 

In the words of the words of Chinese military philosopher, Sun Tsu: 

The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.

In the words of candidate Donald Trump: "Fight! Fight! Fight!" to elect President Trump and change the course of history. This election may be our last best chance to restore the Republic without internal war. It is worth the hour it takes to vote. 

©2024 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch




OR: Eugene Store Manager Shoot Suspect in Robbery Attempt

EUGENE, Ore. - Eugene police said the store manager of Duck-N-Go is cooperating with investigators after shots were fired Sunday afternoon inside the store.

According to Eugene Police Department, a 21-year old man attempted to rob the convenience store located on Commons Drive, but he was shot by the store manager just after 5 p.m. on October 27. 

The suspected robber suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a local hospital where he remained as of Monday morning, according to police. 

No charges have been filed against any of the involved parties as of October 28.

 

More Here

Monday, October 28, 2024

How to Influence the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS)

You can influence the Supreme Court of the United States.

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) has become the linchpin for preserving the Constitution of the United States of America. Over the last 70 years, the SCOTUS had been used to radically change the United States legal structure. Progressive justices, both Democratic and Republican, have used the power of the court to accomplish things which could never have been passed through the Congress. This was one of the methods Progressives considered as ways to "get around" the limits on government power which the Constitution put into place.

As the people of the United States realized the profound changes the Supreme Court justices were making, they elected Republican presidents. Some Republican presidents started selecting Justices who would apply the Constitution as it was written, instead of the way Progressive leaders desired. In 2016, the people elected President Donald Trump. Donald Trump appointed three Supreme Court justices who held to the philosophy of Originalism and Textualism, creating the first majority originalist and textualist court in 70 years. Several previous, obviously unconstitutional decisions were reversed.

The pernicious Chevron Doctrine was struck down, removing the assumption that the administrative bureaucrats always know best, returning a semblance of independent judiciary review to administrative decisions.

The Bruen decision was written by Justice Clarence Thomas, confirming
the Second Amendment protects the right of the people to bear arms.

Roe v. Wade was reversed, returning the power of regulating abortion to the States.

Those who favor a government of unlimited power were not happy to see SCOTUS daring to follow the Constitution. They threatened the Justices from the front steps of the Supreme Court. They refused to protect justices and encouraged acts of violence. They threatened to gain control of the court through use of executive and congressional power.

Supreme Court justices are humans. They have varying degrees of courage. They should not, but can be intimidated. It appears some Justices, particularly Chief Justice Roberts, is afraid of the current administration, particularly when it comes to Second Amendment decisions.

A similar situation happened 90 years ago, when the Franklin Delano Roosevelt administration threatened to pack SCOTUS. The court backed off. It started reversing decisions. Eventually, as Roosevelt was re-elected to an unprecedented four terms, the court became entirely Progressive. Justices read the media. They watch elections.

Constitutional Scholar Mark Smith has repeatedly stated: If former President Donald Trump is re-elected in November, especially if the Congress comes under Republican control, Chief Justice Roberts will gain confidence, lose fear, and the court will rapidly start to restore Second Amendment rights, with several decisions designed to slap down those circuit courts which are defying the Supreme Court on the Second Amendment.

This is how we influence the Supreme Court of the United States:

Elect Donald Trump as president of the United States. Keep control of the House of Representatives in Republican hands. Gain control of the Senate by Republicans. Supreme Court Justices who believe in originalism, textualism and the rule of law will be emboldened. They will expect to gain reinforcements on the court, instead of threats to pack the court. They will expect respect and aid from the executive branch instead of not so subtle threats.

Elect a government friendly to the Constitution, and the Supreme Court will be emboldened to uphold the Constitution.


©2024 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch


 

 

FL: Volusia County Father fires Rifle at Vehicle in Self Defense

Detectives learned the driver, identified as 47-year-old Marcus Blicker, started following and erratically swerving at 2 vehicles (driven by a neighbor’s son and his friend) after they drove past his house in their vehicles. The son called his father and told him he was being followed. When they got to the house, Blicker pulled in too, yelling and threatening the two drivers.

The father came outside armed with a rifle, told Blicker to leave, and fired warning shots in the air. Blicker’s truck reversed for a moment, then sped forward toward the father and another person who was standing nearby. The father fired several shots at the truck as it drove at them, and the truck came to a stop in the front yard.

The incident was captured on video and audio recordings, which supported the shooter’s and witnesses’ accounts.

More Here

IL: Herrick Home Invasion ends with Death of Wade M. Barnes

“At 5:25 a.m., the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office received a call of a home invasion in progress at a rural Herrick address within Shelby County,” McReynolds said in a press release. “The suspect was identified as Wade M. Barnes, 19 years old, of Cowden. Barnes was known by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office due to prior involvements, including a current criminal case.”

During the break-in to the residence, Barnes was threatening the occupants. An occupant armed themselves and issued verbal warnings for Bames to stop, according to McReynolds.

“Barnes continued into the residence, ignoring the warning,” McReynolds said. “Shots were fired in the direction of Barnes, striking him. EMS was dispatched. EMS transported to Good Shepherd Hospital, in Shelbyville, where he succumbed to his injuries, and was pronounced deceased at 7:16 a.m.”

According to online court records, Barnes was charged on Oct. 9 with aggravated fleeing from a police officer, possessing a firearm without a FOID card, transporting liquor by a driver under 21, damage to property greater than $300 and operating an uninsured vehicle. His next court appearance was scheduled for Nov. 20.

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MS: Adams County dispute over cup of ice Becomes Fatal Confrontation

Sheriff Patten stated this appears to be a senseless act of violence that will forever change two families’ lives. The shooter had placed a cup of ice down while inside
the store with other customers. The victim entered the store and retrieved a few drinks when he accidentally knocked the cup over. An argument ensued after the shooter implied he had a weapon but never pulled or pointed it at the victim. Keating then left the store and retrieved a handgun from his vehicle. Once he re-entered the store, he immediately confronted the shooter. The argument turned physical when Keating assaulted the shooter and the shooter in return, shot Keating multiple times.

Sheriff Patten explained that investigators have obtained a great deal of evidence (Video, Audio, & Witness Statements) and everyone present at the time of the shooting has been cooperative including the shooter. Sheriff Patten has consulted the District Attorney’s Office and requested the next Grand Jury consider the case to determine the appropriate charges or whether the homicide was justifiable.

More Here

Sunday, October 27, 2024

CT: Armed Victim Stops Knife Attack

The victim was not injured, police said, adding he reported that a man, later identified as Claud, charged at him with a knife in the parking lot. 

Police said the victim pulled his legally possessed firearm and was able to deter the attack. They said Claud then fled the area in his vehicle, but was later found in a local business in West Haven that police had tracked that car to.

 

More Here

IL: Chicago, Car Burglar Shot during an Attempted Disarm of Armed Victim

CHICAGO — A man trying to break into a car in the Austin neighborhood on the city’s West Side overnight was caught by the car’s owner, a retired Chicago police officer, and shot in the right shoulder when the retired officer’s gun discharged during an ensuing struggle.

Initial police reports indicated that just before 2:30 a.m. Thursday, a 53-year-old man was attempting to break into a vehicle in the 300 block of North Mayfield Avenue when he was confronted by the vehicle’s owner, who fired a shot.

 

More Here

Saturday, October 26, 2024

Elon Musk offers $47 for Signatures of Registered Voters who Support Second Amendment

 

Elon Musk is offering $47 to registered voters in swing states for each signature referred of other registered voters who pledge support for the First and Second Amendments.

Presidential Candidate Donald Trump held a return rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, to show his resolve in the face of two nearly successful assassination attempts. Elon Musk, staunch supporter of the First Amendment and genius entrepreneur, spoke in support of the First and Second Amendment. Elon made this generous offer:

In appreciation for your support, you will receive $47 for each registered voter you refer that signs this petition.

Our goal is to get 1 million registered voters in swing states to sign in support of the Constitution, especially freedom of speech and the right to bear arms. This program is exclusively open to registered voters in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada,  Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin and North Carolina. Expires October 21.

The petition requires first and last name, email address, cell phone number (to confirm identity of the signer, only) and mailing address. Once a person has signed the petition, they can refer others to sign.

The petition is available online. If you wish to show this correspondent, who is a registered voter in Arizona, as the person who referred you, you may put the email address of isherllc@gmail.com in the referral box. For the petition to be valid, the signer must be a registered voter in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, or North Carolina. You do not need to show who referred you to sign the petition.  This correspondent has signed the petition.

Elon Musk has placed himself squarely with former President Donald Trump in this election. It is a simple act of defense of self and the Republic of the United States of America. Elon is a naturalized citizen of the Republic. When Elon purchased X (formerly Twitter) in order protect free speech and to fight censorship, he placed himself, and his fortune in extreme jeopardy.

Elon Must has been relentlessly attacked by the Biden administration. The current administration has used their power to hinder his operation of Space X by delaying permission for his launches. When the Biden administration held a conclave of electric vehicle manufacturers, Musk owned Tesla, the foremost electric vehicle manufacturer, was not invited.  When Elon Musk proffered the low bid for rural broadband delivery, with Starlink, the bid was accepted by the FCC, then rejected by the Biden administration. Leftist influencer Keith Olberman has called for the Biden administration to deport Elon Musk.

Analysis:

Elon Musk has seen how this authoritarian abuse of power proceeds in other countries. If a Harris administration is placed in power, the enterprises owned by Elon Musk will be either be destroyed or co-opted by the government. The Biden/Harris administration has repeatedly ignored the rule of law. They have censored the opposition and conspired to illegitimately jail opponents. They have weaponized the Department of Justice to prosecute the opposition candidate, Donald Trump. They have been the most anti-Second Amendment administration in the history of the USA.

If candidate Harris becomes president with Democratic Party control of Congress, the election process will be altered to make a win by a supporter of the Constitution impossible. The Supreme Court will be neutered and/or packed with far left Harris supporters. The current censorship will be magnified many times.

A Trump administration has already shown it will allow Elon Musk to maintain control of his enterprises and will encourage him to succeed in free market competition.

This correspondent believes those who sign the petition will be encouraged to vote.


©2024 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch


IL: Chicago Man Shoots, Wounds 1 of 4 Carjackers


CHICAGO (CBS) — A teen was hospitalized after being shot by a FOID and concealed carry license holder during a carjacking in Auburn Gresham Thursday morning.

It happened just before 5:30 a.m. in the 1600 block of West 82nd Street.

Chicago police said the victim, a 47-year-old man, was inside his vehicle when a group of about four unknown males approached. The offenders demanded the victim's vehicle before discharging a chemical agent on the victim.

The victim, who has a valid FOID and CCL holder, then fired his gun.

One of the offenders, a 16-year-old boy, was hit in his left knee and suffered a graze wound to the left arm. He was taken to Christ Hospital in fair condition. 

 

More Here

CA: Sacamento Man shoots Intruder attempting to break in

A man shot an intruder who was attempting to break into a house Wednesday morning in Sacramento's East Del Paso Heights neighborhood, officials said.

Emergency medical services were dispatched around 9:19 a.m. to Grand Avenue and Pinell Street.

Officers with the Sacramento Police Department upon arrival found a man with at least one gunshot wound. He was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment and is expected to survive, Sac police said.

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OH: Gun fight in Canton, Woman Stops Armed Robbery

Deceased is Rajhion Davis. A police report said he was shot while showing a gun as he tried to rob the female victim.

A 911 call received at 8:19 p.m. Tuesday directed officers to a shooting in the area, Police Chief John Gabbard said in a prepared statement on Wednesday morning.

Officers contacted 19-year-old at the scene. Canton Fire Department medics took her to Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital, where she was in stable condition Wednesday.

More Here

NM: Bernalillo County Homeowner Shoots, Kills Intruder

The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a homicide that occurred Tuesday morning. Deputies responded to a call at approximately 3:45 a.m. regarding an intruder at a home in the vicinity of Lost Horizon Drive NW.

The homeowner reported shooting the intruder, who was then found critically injured. The individual was taken to UNMH, where they were later pronounced dead.

More Here

Friday, October 25, 2024

Paperwork Disputes result in 150 firearms Confiscated in New South Wales, Australia

On October 16, 2024, 9news.com.au in Australia published an article about police confiscation of 150 guns. Most of the guns were confiscated at what appears to be a gun shop in Liverpool, a suburb of Sidney. A man and a woman were arrested. Both were released. Later, the man was arrested again and charged. A man and a woman were arrested in Port Macquarie when a search of a property at Bobs Creek turned up two replica guns and several boxes of ammunition.  The dark blue arrow shows the location of Bobs Creek. From 9news.com:

Over 150 guns have been seized and three people have been charged after an investigation into fake firearm licences across New South Wales.
Police allege businesses based in Liverpool, in Sydney's southwest, and Bobs Creek, south of Port Macquarie, had provided over 1000 people with fraudulent permission to shoot licences for a fee, which allowed them to obtain gun licences.
The majority of those people were from south-west Sydney, with some linked to organised crime.

Bobs Creek is a rural area about 15 miles (23 kilometers South of Port Macquarie.

In the current case, three people have been charged. All are out on bail.  One is a 50-year-old firearms dealer from Sydney. He is charged with 17 counts of failing to keep labels and records, and giving ammunition to a person not authorized to use it.

One is a 48 year old woman from Port Macquarie. She is charged with 14 counts of making a false document for financial advantage.

The third person is a 39 year old man from Port Macquarie. He is charged with two counts of possessing an unauthorized firearm and possessing ammunition without holding a license. This correspondent's speculation is the "unauthorized firearms" charges are for the two replica guns. The charge for possessing a replica gun and real gun is the same in New South Wales, Australia. The 9news.com reporting did not mention any real guns as found in Port Macquarie.

The investigation and raid appear to be centered around the allegations of documents used to show permission to shoot on a property in western New South Wales, hundreds of miles west of the coast. The allegations are about a thousand people were given permission to shoot on the remote property, when only one person's permission met the legal standards. In addition to the 150+ firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition and $380,000 dollars in cash were seized.

In the Draconian Australian gun control scheme, only people with a "genuine reason" for owning a firearm are granted a license. People must apply to the Police Commissioner. Issuance of a license is theoretically discretionary and subjective. From the NSW statute:

The Commissioner may issue a licence in respect of an application, or refuse any such application.

In practice, most licenses are granted if the proper paperwork is submitted. One "genuine reason" to own a guns is a "permission to shoot" given by a land owner or property manager of rural land.

Analysis:

This correspondent suspects the "permission to shoot" was for the purpose of recreational hunting/vermin control (b1). From  nsw.gov.au:

Reason: recreational hunting/vermin control

The applicant must—

(b1)  produce proof of permission given by a land manager within the meaning of the Forestry Act 2012 to shoot on land in respect of which the land manager is authorised to exercise functions as land manager under that Act, or

If the "land manager" did not have the proper permission to be a "land manager", then the permissions given might be fraudulent.  This correspondent traveled in western New South Wales in 2019. There is a lot of land with little on it but kangaroos, goats (considered vermin) and very sparse graze.

 

Kangaroos are a common road hazard in western New South Wales.

Feral Goats are an exotic introduced species in Australia. They do much damage and are considered vermin.


Feral goats seen while on the road to Broken Hill, western New South Wales.

An alternate explanation was given by a source who has lived in New South Wales for 50 years. The source speculated the "permissions" to shoot were given to immigrant Muslims, as part of a way to train Muslim paramilitaries. Liverpool in New South Wales has a large immigrant population of Muslims.  This is pure speculation from the source.

This correspondent suspects a paramilitary organization would have had more arrests or better paperwork excuses. To this correspondent it appears the gun shop owner and/or the "land manager" got a little sloppy or creative, or a combination of both with the somewhat fluid definitions of "genuine" reason to possess firearms.  In the USA, the ATF has a current "zero tolerance" for paperwork errors.

The history of government controls over the ownership of arms shows a long, slippery slope where initial controls are gradually tightened over time, making legal ownership of firearms more and more difficult.

In the United States, the Supreme Court has ruled such subjective and discretionary schemes are not allowed under the Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights.

 ©2024 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

 

 




 

 

 

 

LA:Victim Wounded while defending Self

Victim Information:KNOWN  

Suspect Information:Unknown

 Gist:The victim was sitting on the curb when a friend was driving by and noticed him. The friend stopped and asked if he was okay, at which time the victim advised her that he was shot. The friend placed the victim in her vehicle, and he handed her a gun and advised her to give it to the police and stated it was self-defense. The victim was taken to a local hospital via private conveyance with a gunshot wound to the chest.Provided By: 730C (Sgt. S. Matthews)

More Here

Or:Domestic Defense? Armed Man Assaults Woman, is Shot by Third Person

Upon arrival officers found 58-year-old Darrel Dow Dodd unconscious with apparent gunshot wounds. Although they attempted life saving efforts, they were unable to revive Dodd.

During their investigation, detectives learned that Dodd, who was armed, had broken into the residence where he began assaulting and strangling a female. He also threatened to stab her. Police say the two knew each other. Another person tried to intervene, but police say Dodd continued his attack, and that’s when he was shot twice by the third individual.

The investigation is ongoing.

More Here

Wednesday, October 23, 2024

Elon Musk, SpaceX, Starlink, Tesla, and the Second Amendment

 

Starshp test five, first booster catch, just before catch occurs October 13, 2024

The future of Elon Musk, SpaceX, Starlink, Tesla and the Second Amendment are inexorably linked together with the future of the United States of America. 


Link to video of Elon Musk supporting the Constitution

This correspondent watched in amazement and awe as the SpaceX Starship performed its fifth test flight. The Starship is made mostly of stainless steel. Starship is the largest spaceship and rocket system ever built. It is designed to take 100-200 tons into orbit at a time. The booster (first stage) is about 400 feet tall. The cost to take a kilogram to orbit, before SpaceX, was about $11,000 to $13,000 per kilogram, or about $5000 to $6000 per pound. The Starship is projected to reduce the price of cost to orbit to $25-$15 per kilogram or $12-$7 per pound, a reduction of 99.8%.

The booster is about the shape of a crayon, but almost 400 feet long and 30 feet wide. To be recovered, it comes down with its motors slowing the descent until it hovers on its exhaust next to the launch tower. Two large arms on the tower, called chopsticks, grab the vehicle and hold it. At that point, the engines cut off.  The first test of the recovery system and the first successful recovery of the reusable booster occurred on October 13, 2024. 

The upper, orbital stage of the Starship came down a little later as part of the test. It successfully came down inside the buoys set for the test. It hovered for a few moments at the surface of the Indian Ocean then dropped into the water. In this test the Starship was not meant to be recovered. It was a complete success.

The incredible success of Tesla, SpaceX, and Starlink are only possible in the United States of America. Only in the USA is the rule of law sufficiently established and honored that private projects of the magnitude, vision, genius, and impact as those of Elon Musk are tolerated. Only in the United States would Elon Musk be allowed to put the profits of those projects into new and greater projects. This can only happen if the rule of law is honored, if the rules are not constantly changed by executive fiat, if the government allows men of genius and vision to accomplish great projects which are not subject to the political whims of rulers.

The political fight in the United States is about restoring the Constitutional limits on government, and therefore, the rule of law, to the United States. It is all about restraining the US government, which has escaped the bounds of the Constitution, back to its proper place as serving the people and preserving their rights, including property rights and the safety of their persons.

Restoring Second Amendment rights is at the heart of the process of restoring the limits on government power. The Bill of Rights is in the heart of the rule of law.  Only in America are individuals free to own firearms without government permission and without being on a government registration list. Switzerland had less regulation of firearms than the United States, before 1998. Threats from the European Union pushed the Swiss into installing a regime of firearm and weapons restrictions which are now more restrictive than those of most of the United States.

Elon Musk, as a migrant from South Africa, knows how the descent into tyranny and away from the rule of law works. He saw it happen in Rhodesia, on the border of South Africa, when it became Zimbabwe. He saw it happen in South Africa. He saw it happen in Venezuela. He sees it happening in the United States of America. The Biden administration has been at the forefront of attacking the Bill of Rights, the rule of law, and Constitutional limits on government power. The Biden administration and the Democratic Party have directly attacked Tesla, SpaceX, and Starlink. They have directly attacked Elon Musk's exemplary defense of the First Amendment through his purchase of Twitter. This election is make or break.

If Kamala Harris becomes president, she has vowed to gain control of the Supreme Court. The policies to do so are already drafted by the Biden administration. Harris' actions show she will continue to attack the Second Amendment (ban "assault weapons") and put in place gun registration ("universal background checks"). Harris and her Vice Presidential candidate, Governor Walz, despise free speech and consider control of the information flow over social media absolutely essential.  They cannot allow Starlink and Twitter to promote free speech and the free flow of information. If they cannot control the flow of information, they lose. Hillary Clinton recently explained, if social media companies do not moderate their content "we lose total control". From thenypost.com:

Clinton told CNN host Michael Smerconish that while there have been some steps taken at the state level to regulate social media, she wants to see more done by the federal government to moderate content.

Moderate content, in this political context, means censorship. The power of the unrestrained government in the United States rests on control of the information flow. When the truth of what the deep state is doing is revealed, they are booted from office. They lose control. 

The pattern of increasing government control is clear. Gain control and/or cow the Supreme Court into compliance with the executive branch. Censor opposition voices and shut down opposition media. Confiscate/regulate large private enterprises until they become mere appendages of the government. Register and confiscate firearms and ammunition, make legal ownership totally dependent on government permission. Arrest, fine, lock up opposition leadership and those who are seen as opposing the regime in power. Control the voting apparatus so that the opposition can never win another meaningful election.

All of those actions are either in process or being called for by influential members of the Democratic Party.  X (formerly twitter) is at risk. Starlink is at risk. Tesla is at risk. SpaceX is at risk. Elon Musk is at risk. Donald Trump is at risk. All supporters of the First and Second Amendments are at risk. We are all in this together.  To paraphrase Benjamin Franklin: Either we stand together and triumph, or fail to fight a common foe and are destroyed piecemeal.

©2024 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch


SC: Horry County, Disarm Attempt, Suspect Shot, Killed

Officers were told that Ryan Surujnauth, 34, was trying to enter the victim’s home.

During the incident, the victim and suspect reportedly struggled over a firearm, resulting in shots fired and the suspect sustaining a gunshot wound.

Upon arrival, officers found the suspect inside the home, bleeding and unconscious.

Surujnauth died at Grand Strand Medical Center from multiple gunshot wounds. Horry County Police Department is investigating.

More Here

PA: Domestic Defense in Darby, 16-Year-Old Son Shoots Mother's Boyfriend

Bernhardt said Monday afternoon that from information detectives have gathered so far, the deceased got into an argument with his girlfriend, the 16-year-old’s mother. She put the man out of the house, but later let him return and that was when things really escalated, Bernhardt said.

The deceased allegedly had the woman pinned to the ground with a knife to her throat in front of both of her children at one point, and that is when the juvenile is believed to have shot the deceased in defense of his mother, according to Bernhardt. Police are still working out exact details, he said, but two firearms were recovered.

 

More Here

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

IL: Victim of Drive-by Shooting Returns Fire

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Two Rockford men and two juveniles were charged in connection to a drive-by shooting in the parking lot of West Side Stop, 937 School Street.

According to Rockford Police, officers responded to the 900th block of School Street, near the Lee Street intersection, on Saturday night for reports of gunshots.

Witnesses say a vehicle drove through the parking lot and fired several shots toward a nearby group. One individual, an unidentified man, returned fire.

More Here

Monday, October 21, 2024

MA: Man who shot Attacker in Self Defense Loses Job

BOSTON (VINnews) — The man who allegedly shot an anti-Israel attacker who charged through traffic and tackled him in Newton, Massachusetts, says that he has lost his job as a result of the incident. Scott Hayes was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and released on bail on September 13 after he shot Caleb Gannon in self-defense.

According to Kassy Akiva of Daily Wire, Hayes, a disabled Iraq War veteran, was employed by a company that is contracted with National Grid, however he was informed that the energy giant refuses to work with him due to the shooting.

 

More here

Sunday, October 20, 2024

SC: Robbery and Attempted Disarm, Victim and Suspect Both Wounded

The two people met up in the 700 block of Patriot Parkway, which is west of Interstate 77 and south of Cherry Road, to "engage in the sale of THC vapes," according to the Rock Hill Police Department.

Authorities claim the suspect got into the victim's car and showed the victim a gun with the intent to rob them. Officials believe a struggle over the gun started, and during that struggle, the victim was shot in the abdomen and the suspect was shot in the arm. Both were taken to a nearby hospital for their injuries.

More Here

TX: Domestic defense, two Brothers Killed Defending Woman and Children

The woman's boyfriend then came over, where he was confronted by the three brothers outside. Police said that is when the boyfriend reportedly pulled out a gun and fatally struck 2 of them.

HCSO said one of the three brothers also pulled out a weapon and returned fire at the suspect, who ran back to the home where he shared with the woman.

HCSO said that shortly after, the woman's boyfriend then turned the gun on himself once deputies arrived. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators said the two brothers who were killed were in their 30s and 50s.

 

More Here


Friday, October 18, 2024

FOIA Find: Russian Experience with Bear Spray and Polar Bear

Wrangel Island near center, at about 71 degrees north latitude

A Russian security man's use of bear spray with a polar bear makes an amusing story with serious lessons. The incident was recorded by Anatoly Kochnev in 1993. It was uncovered as part of the Polar Bear-Human Information Management System database (PBHIMS) with a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by AmmoLand. Further investigation revealed the live-journal blog where the original account was recorded.

Attempting to use bear spray to discourage a persistent young male polar bear had unpleasant results for the people involved. No one was seriously injured.

The incident happened on Wrangel Island on September 4, 1993. A computer translator from Russian to English appears to have been used to put the account in the PBHIMS. Use of the original Russian account and several translators allowed the resolution of some minor ambiguities. The names are probably not correct, as they are spelled in different ways by different translations.

In September of 1993, Japanese film makers were filming polar bears on Wrangel Island. Wrangel Island is part of Russia with a checkered history, in the Chukchi sea. It has a large concentration of polar bears for several months each year, and an even larger concentration of tens of thousands of walrus. The polar bears arrive in significant concentrations to feed on dead walrus, walrus calves, and stranded whales. Polar bear cubs are often the target of dominant boars (male bears).

It is very difficult to obtain permits to visit the island. Visitors are not allowed to have firearms. In 1993, Japanese filmmakers were able to bring in bear spray. Flare guns were allowed. Huts on the island were left over from previous occupants, and are heavily fortified against polar bears. The bears tend to be less aggressive because enough food is available to prevent starvation. One website claims the Island is used for Russian military exercises, and Russian military personnel occasionally kill bears.

The relevant report has been lightly edited to make for easier reading and to clarify a few mistranslations. Ivanitch is the Russian security man. Kenomaru is from the Japanese film crew. The remote camera was about 400 meters from the cabin where most of the action occurs.

In the evening a young male bear appeared on the Doubtful Spit. He did not pose in front of the remote camera, but immediately started to break it. What I, in principle, warned the Japanese about ... The cost of the camera was considerable, so Ivanitch and Kenomaru rushed to rescue it. They successfully took it away from the bear. He managed to bite through the enclosure, but the camera remained operational. 

The bear did not calm down. As soon as it got dark and Ivanich cooked supper, the animal went up to the cabin and began drumming with its front paws on the metal roof. The roar was terrifying, the rooms were shaking. 

Then Ivanitch got the idea to try pepper spray. He took the can, removed the safety catch from the lever, stood near the door and began to wait for the bear to get tired of knocking on the roof. Indeed, the bear quickly got bored of the entertainment, and he went around the cabin, sniffing noisily. When the sounds of air being drawn into the nostrils approached the door, Ivanitch opened a small gap and sprayed. And it began!

A small gust of wind sent almost all of the spray back into the cabin. Everything was filled with pepper mist. Kenomaru and Ivanitch did not stay inside for long. The pepper burned the skin and eyes. After a few minutes the experimenters jumped out screaming, fell into the snow and began rubbing their eyes. The danger of falling into a bear's clutches was ignored because no one thought about the beast. As soon as Ivanitch walked away a little, he immediately fired a flare. In its light, the figure of a bear appeared, which stood a few meters away and gazed at the circus performance in bewilderment. The flare made him leave the spectacle at a quick gallop.

After the occupants recovered and managed to air out the cabin, Ivanitch needed to urinate. He left the cabin, but forgot his fingers were contaminated with bear spray. The skin of private parts is sensitive, particularly to hot peppers. Many people who have eaten hot peppers with their bare fingers know what happened next.  The pain can be considerable. Most of the lotions available in the first aid kit arrived the next morning, in an attempt to ease the pain.

In the comments, the recorder of the incident is asked if the bear spray caused the bear to leave. He emphatically states, no, it was the weird behavior of the humans. This makes some sense, as polar bears tend to be cautious about taking prey they are unfamiliar with. Any serious injury  to a bear is likely to cause death through starvation.

This humorous incident shows the danger of using bear spray in an enclosed space. If the polar bear had been a bit more hungry or less cautions, the incident could have had a tragic ending.

©2024 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

 

 



IN: Domestic Defense in Indianapolis? Woman pulls gun, is shot

Ram Singh said he checked the victim and a young child into the hotel after she and another man drove in from North Carolina.

Surveillance cameras outside the hotel allegedly showed an argument between two men known to the victim, during which the woman appeared to pull out a gun and one of the men responded by firing in her direction.

That shooter initially left the scene, but later surrendered and was released pending further investigation by the prosecutor’s office.


More Here

Thursday, October 17, 2024

CA: Man who Demanded to Kill Family, is Shot by Homeowner

After, investigators report Lugo began pounding the front door of the home with a hammer and began forcing his way in while simultaneously demanding the occupants come out so he could kill them.

Fearing for his family’s life, detectives say the homeowner retrieved a handgun and fired a round through the door, striking Lugo.

Police say Lugo fled the front door but was detained nearby. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound.

More Here

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

AR: Father Shoots Man found in Car with his Child. No Charges Yet

 

According to authorities, deputies with the Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home shortly after 1 a.m. after a juvenile was reported missing.

The deputies were told on the way to the home that Aaron Spencer, the father of the juvenile, had found the juvenile in a car with Michael Fosler, according to officials.

Authorities said there was an altercation between the two men which led to Fosler being shot. Officials said Fosler was pronounced dead at the scene.

Deputies said they took Spencer into custody on a preliminary charge of first-degree murder, and he was taken to the Lonoke County Detention Center.

As of Monday, no formal charges have been filed against Spencer, and no additional details have been released.

More Here

TX: Houston Neighbor pushes into home, Threatens to Kill Homeowner, is Shot

According to the Houston Police Department, the neighbor, a young man, was drunk and knocked on the other man's door and accused him of calling the police on him. HPD said the accusations were not true.

At some point, the young man pushed his way into the home and threatened to kill the other man.

That's when the shooter opened fire, hitting the man twice. The man who was shot was taken to an area hospital and is expected to be OK. He's also expected to be charged. The shooter's case will be referred to a grand jury to determine whether charges are warranted.

More Here

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Amicus Brief in the Montana GFSZ case to be filed by Michel & Associates, P.C.


At the Gun Rights Policy Conference in San Diego, in 2024, this correspondent spoke to C.D. Michel about challenges to the Gun Free School Zone (GFSZ) Act. Michel & Associates have maintained an exceptional presence in Second Amendment lawsuits aimed at restoring the Second Amendment.

Michel & Associates has filed an amicus brief (friend of the court) in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals GFSZ case. When asked about the the GFSZ case in Montana, C.D. Michel asked for the particulars. The next morning, Konstadinos T. Moros, who is an attorney at Michel & Associates, informed me he will be filing an amicus brief in the Billings Montana GFSZ case.  The case, USA v Metcalf, is being appealed in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Michel & Associates will be representing the California Rifle and Pistol Association, the Second Amendment Law Center, the Second Amendment Foundation, and Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus. More organizations or individuals may be added by the time the brief is filed. Moros explained the amicus briefs are due in November of 2024 for the Ninth Circuit case.

This correspondent assumes the brief will be similar to the amicus brief filed on July 19, 2024, in the USA v Allam case in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The Constitutional issues in both cases are similar. The facts of the cases are considerably different.

Gabriel Metcalf is an exemplary citizen with no criminal record. He moved to Billings to help his aging mother. He was attacked by a neighbor who was subsequently found guilty of assault and violating a restraining order. Gabriel was repeatedly assured by local law enforcement officials his actions were within his rights, as the officials attempted to persuade him not to exercise those rights. Gabriel and his mother live across the street from a local school.  This may be a useful distinction.

Unable to legally arrest Gabriel, the Billings Police enlisted the assistance of federal law enforcement.  Gabriel and his mother sought help from the FBI to end the harassment by local police, also hoping to persuade the local police to enforce the restraining order against their former neighbor.

Under the pretext of responding to the plea for help, a combined local police and ATF task force contacted Gabriel on a telephone call. They obtained information about carry of his single shot Rossi shotgun. They asked Gabriel to stop carrying the shotgun where others could see it. Gabriel complied and stored the shotgun before the school year started.  The task force used the call to Gabriel, with information from Billings Police and neighbors, to obtain a warrant. They arrested Gabriel and searched Gabriel and his mother's home. They unnecessarily broke a door and seized the Rossi single shot shotgun and six rounds of 20 gauge ammunition. The federal prosecutor charged Gabriel with violating the federal Gun Free School Zone Act.

The case has been extensively covered at AmmoLand. Gabriel entered a plea deal to stay out of prison. The plea deal preserved the right to challenge the constitutionality of the GFSZ Act on appeal.

In the Fifth Circuit case, little is known about the defendant. It is uncertain if he has as stellar a character as Gabriel Metcalf.  Character should not be considered in appeals cases on fundamental constitutional rights. However, Judges are human. Bad facts make for bad law.

The Fifth Circuit has tended to follow Supreme Court precedent for upholding Second Amendment rights. The Ninth Circuit has a considerable history of defying the Supreme Court to deny Second Amendment rights. Different outcomes in the two cases would make it more likely the Supreme Court will hear another challenge to the GFSZ act. The first case was USA v Lopez in 1995. In Lopez, the court found the GFSZ act to be unconstitutional because the federal government exceeded its power under the Commerce Clause.  President Clinton and his AG, Janet Reno, successfully lobbied for a dozen word change in the law. Some circuit courts have upheld the law as constitutional with the changed words.

Analysis:

Much depends on the 2024 election. The inferior courts which are defying the Supreme Court are fighting a delaying action, hoping for a Harris presidency to change the makeup of the Supreme Court. A Harris Supreme court would be Progressive instead of originalist and textualist. It would reverse the Heller, McDonald, Caetano, and Bruen decisions, pushing the Second Amendment to legal irrelevancy.  If President Trump regains the presidency, the Supreme Court is likely to make short work of the current defiance of their Second Amendment decisions in the inferior courts.

 

©2024 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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