A TEXAS HERO
Mark Wilson, the good Samaritan credited with saving another man's life by jumping into the middle of a gunbattle on Tyler's downtown square, was known for taking life head-on. Friends weren't surprised to hear that the 52-year-old factory employee sacrificed his own life by confronting a gunman firing an AK-47 assault rifle. "He is the type of person who would grab his gun and go," said Lewis George of Dallas, Wilson's former brother-in-law and best friend for 30 years. "If it was me, I would have been running the other way. Mark, he took life head-on."
Wilson was shot several times by David Hernandez Arroyo Sr. during a deadly shooting spree outside the Smith County Courthouse. Arroyo, wearing body armor and armed with a high-powered assault rifle, also killed his ex-wife and wounded his 23-year-old son and three law officers.
Wilson, who lived in a loft apartment on the square, had apparently just returned home after having lunch with a friend when he saw Arroyo walking down the street, shooting people, friends said. Wilson, who had owned a gun range in Tyler, went to the street and confronted Arroyo with a handgun. One eyewitness said they traded shots, initially missing each other until Arroyo hit Wilson. "The gunman walked up to Wilson and shot him while he was on the ground," Tyler Morning Telegraph Publisher Nelson Clyde III is quoted as saying in today's editions of the newspaper. "I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It was sickening."
Arroyo was wearing a military flak jacket and a bulletproof vest. But by distracting Arroyo, police said, Wilson prevented him from fatally shooting his son, David Hernandez Arroyo Jr. "Based on what we can tell, Mr. Wilson may have saved [the younger] Arroyo's life," Tyler Police Chief Gary Swindle said.
More here
Politicians holster the polemics on gun control: "The national debate over gun rights, for decades among the most searing and divisive of political issues, appears to be all but over in Congress. That means that the assault weapons ban, a signature achievement of gun control advocates that expired last year, probably will not resurface anytime soon. Conversely, congressional leaders and the Bush administration haven't put a priority on efforts to expand gun rights. 'There's a perception that Washington is not the place to take the debate at this moment,' said Saul Cornell, a historian who is director of the Second Amendment Research Center at Ohio State University. He said that politicians on both sides see little advantage in pressing the issue."
Gun control in Canada today: The US tomorrow?: "Canadians firearms owners, like their American counterparts, view their guns as symbols of tradition and independence. Unfortunately this is where any similarity ends. Americans are blessed with the Second Amendment. We in Canada have no such protection. In fact Canadians possess no gun Rights at all."
Friday, March 04, 2005
Thursday, March 03, 2005
THE USUAL LEFTIST HYPOCRISY
A Springfield woman who began lobbying against gun violence after her son was shot to death in 2002 was arrested last week when police allegedly found an illegal gun and drugs in her home. Annette "Flirty" Stevens, however, said Monday she's innocent, and the arrest is an attempt by police to get her to give up information about unsolved crime in the city.
The handgun, which had a scratched-off serial number, and drugs allegedly were discovered Friday morning inside Stevens' home in the 2500 block of South 15th Street. Authorities said they obtained a search warrant for the residence as part of an ongoing investigation of a recent series of drive-by shootings. No one has been hurt in the gunplay.....
Although police declined to get into specifics, Stevens has a "close connection" with one of two feuding groups involved in the shootings, Lt. Rickey Davis said Monday.
Stevens, 47, who is free on bond, admitted she does know some of the people allegedly involved in the drive-by shootings. But she said she only knows them because her interest in stopping gun violence - sparked by the shooting death of her son Jericko Clark, 20, on July 13, 2002 - has her in the neighborhoods talking to the youths......
After finding the handgun and drugs, police arrested Stevens at her job. Stevens said she believes the search warrant was obtained illegally. She said no drugs were found in her home. And as for the gun, she admits to having it in the house. But she said it belonged to her son. She didn't find it until six or seven months after he died. Not knowing what to do with it, she wrapped it up, put it in a drawer and forgot about it......
Since her son's death, Stevens has become involved in the anti-gun-violence movement. She helped establish and is president of a Springfield chapter of the Million Mom March, an organization that aims to prevent gun violence. Last fall, she appeared with other anti-gun advocates at a Statehouse news conference to urge federal officials to renew a ban against semiautomatic assault weapons....
Stevens has not been formally connected to any crime directly related to the drive-by shootings. But Friday's discoveries could lead to her being charged with defacing the identification marks on a handgun, manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance and having no valid firearm owner's ID card, police said.
More here
Ohio: Victims sue businesses for lack of security : "Ohio businesses who chose to deny CHL-holders their Constitutional right to bear arms for self-defense would do well to keep in mind the growing number of victims' families who are deciding that the responsibility for security rests on the business. If Ohio businesses won't allow Ohioans their right to defend themselves, who else but the business should be held responsible?"
Actors' revolt silences the TV guns: "The sound of gunfire is fading from American television. Actors are balking at violent programmes as networks bow to parental pressure to create zones of 'gun-free TV.' Kristin Davis, formerly Charlotte in Sex and the City, and Jeri Ryan, best known as the alien Seven of Nine in the Star Trek spin-off Voyager, have been credited with starting a trend when their agents asked for gunplay to be toned down in their latest dramas, due to be shown in Britain later this year.Last week, as America's top networks began publicising their autumn schedules, Kevin Reilly, president of NBC Entertainment, said he found it liberating to make dramas where characters 'don't have to be toting guns all the time.' Campaigners are hoping handguns will follow smoking and drinking into TV oblivion. While characters on the big screen continue to light up, smoking has become rare on television."
A Springfield woman who began lobbying against gun violence after her son was shot to death in 2002 was arrested last week when police allegedly found an illegal gun and drugs in her home. Annette "Flirty" Stevens, however, said Monday she's innocent, and the arrest is an attempt by police to get her to give up information about unsolved crime in the city.
The handgun, which had a scratched-off serial number, and drugs allegedly were discovered Friday morning inside Stevens' home in the 2500 block of South 15th Street. Authorities said they obtained a search warrant for the residence as part of an ongoing investigation of a recent series of drive-by shootings. No one has been hurt in the gunplay.....
Although police declined to get into specifics, Stevens has a "close connection" with one of two feuding groups involved in the shootings, Lt. Rickey Davis said Monday.
Stevens, 47, who is free on bond, admitted she does know some of the people allegedly involved in the drive-by shootings. But she said she only knows them because her interest in stopping gun violence - sparked by the shooting death of her son Jericko Clark, 20, on July 13, 2002 - has her in the neighborhoods talking to the youths......
After finding the handgun and drugs, police arrested Stevens at her job. Stevens said she believes the search warrant was obtained illegally. She said no drugs were found in her home. And as for the gun, she admits to having it in the house. But she said it belonged to her son. She didn't find it until six or seven months after he died. Not knowing what to do with it, she wrapped it up, put it in a drawer and forgot about it......
Since her son's death, Stevens has become involved in the anti-gun-violence movement. She helped establish and is president of a Springfield chapter of the Million Mom March, an organization that aims to prevent gun violence. Last fall, she appeared with other anti-gun advocates at a Statehouse news conference to urge federal officials to renew a ban against semiautomatic assault weapons....
Stevens has not been formally connected to any crime directly related to the drive-by shootings. But Friday's discoveries could lead to her being charged with defacing the identification marks on a handgun, manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance and having no valid firearm owner's ID card, police said.
More here
Ohio: Victims sue businesses for lack of security : "Ohio businesses who chose to deny CHL-holders their Constitutional right to bear arms for self-defense would do well to keep in mind the growing number of victims' families who are deciding that the responsibility for security rests on the business. If Ohio businesses won't allow Ohioans their right to defend themselves, who else but the business should be held responsible?"
Actors' revolt silences the TV guns: "The sound of gunfire is fading from American television. Actors are balking at violent programmes as networks bow to parental pressure to create zones of 'gun-free TV.' Kristin Davis, formerly Charlotte in Sex and the City, and Jeri Ryan, best known as the alien Seven of Nine in the Star Trek spin-off Voyager, have been credited with starting a trend when their agents asked for gunplay to be toned down in their latest dramas, due to be shown in Britain later this year.Last week, as America's top networks began publicising their autumn schedules, Kevin Reilly, president of NBC Entertainment, said he found it liberating to make dramas where characters 'don't have to be toting guns all the time.' Campaigners are hoping handguns will follow smoking and drinking into TV oblivion. While characters on the big screen continue to light up, smoking has become rare on television."
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
California: Neighbors, cops back "snitch" in shooting: "A North Oakland man branded a 'snitch' because he reports and photographs drug dealers around his home may face assault charges after shooting and wounding a 16-year-old neighbor who confronted him in his front yard. Neighbors and police have rallied to the defense of Patrick McCullough, who they believe only shot the youth in self-defense. The youth's mother is pressing the district attorney to file charges. Deputy District Attorney James Lee said Friday his investigation of the Feb. 18 incident is over and a decision should be made next week. Lee could be charged with assault or carrying a concealed weapon, or not charged at all, Lee said."
Russia: Surviving the asphalt jungle without a gun: "Under Big Brother's watchful eye, Soviet citizens were meant to feel perpetually safe and secure -- or else. The idea of a personal weapon, even a non-lethal one, was ideologically subversive, marking the citizen's individuality, personal freedom and dignity that were deemed inappropriate in the Socialist paradise. ... Even karate, while quite popular in the USSR in the 1970s, was outlawed by the Soviet government in 1984 but managed to survive in 'underground' clubs until 1989 when the ban was lifted. ... [T]here will always be a demand for a legitimate arms market, the weapon enthusiasts -- and survivalist community growing each day -- firearms ban or no firearms ban. And while Russian gun lovers may still be waiting for their Messiah, a Russian Charlton Heston, if you will, it�s always possible to obtain a hunting license and legally purchase your own personal weapon."
Illinois: Victim disarmament pols seek .50 caliber ban: "Anti-gun lawmakers are seeking a ban on .50-caliber 'sniper rifles,' saying they're favored by terrorists and can shoot down aircraft from a range of more than 2,000 yards -- though they don't appear to be tied to any crimes here in the last decade, a Chicago Sun-Times analysis shows. A spokesman for the National Rifle Association, which is pushing dozens of its own bills in the General Assembly, vowed to fight the sniper-rifle legislation backed by Representatives Elaine Nekritz (D-Northbrook) and Beth Coulson (R-Glenview)."
Russia: Surviving the asphalt jungle without a gun: "Under Big Brother's watchful eye, Soviet citizens were meant to feel perpetually safe and secure -- or else. The idea of a personal weapon, even a non-lethal one, was ideologically subversive, marking the citizen's individuality, personal freedom and dignity that were deemed inappropriate in the Socialist paradise. ... Even karate, while quite popular in the USSR in the 1970s, was outlawed by the Soviet government in 1984 but managed to survive in 'underground' clubs until 1989 when the ban was lifted. ... [T]here will always be a demand for a legitimate arms market, the weapon enthusiasts -- and survivalist community growing each day -- firearms ban or no firearms ban. And while Russian gun lovers may still be waiting for their Messiah, a Russian Charlton Heston, if you will, it�s always possible to obtain a hunting license and legally purchase your own personal weapon."
Illinois: Victim disarmament pols seek .50 caliber ban: "Anti-gun lawmakers are seeking a ban on .50-caliber 'sniper rifles,' saying they're favored by terrorists and can shoot down aircraft from a range of more than 2,000 yards -- though they don't appear to be tied to any crimes here in the last decade, a Chicago Sun-Times analysis shows. A spokesman for the National Rifle Association, which is pushing dozens of its own bills in the General Assembly, vowed to fight the sniper-rifle legislation backed by Representatives Elaine Nekritz (D-Northbrook) and Beth Coulson (R-Glenview)."
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
FEINSTEIN ON A LOSER
California Sen. Dianne Feinstein renewed one of Washington's long- running and most bitterly fought battles Friday, saying she will introduce legislation seeking to reinstate the federal assault weapons ban that expired in September after 10 years. Gun control has been a signature issue for Feinstein since she arrived in the Senate in 1993. But the odds she faces to pass the weapons ban in the current Congress are probably steeper than they were in 1993, when the Senate narrowly approved the ban, or last March, when it passed 52-47 before dying in the body.
November's election increased the 100-member Senate's number of Republicans from 51 to 55, and there are at least four new solid votes against Feinstein's proposal. In the House, gun control advocates face an even tougher time because Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., and Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, have said they won't let the renewal legislation come up for a vote.
More here
Stun guns will soon be available for ordinary citizens: "The Taser guns currently used by the military and police will soon be in the hands of ordinary citizens. Taser International has announced plans to offer a $1000 version of its electric weapon to the general market. The guns are somewhat controversial, though, with some saying that they can cause cardiac arrest. The company states that there is no link between cardiac arrest and its products."
California Sen. Dianne Feinstein renewed one of Washington's long- running and most bitterly fought battles Friday, saying she will introduce legislation seeking to reinstate the federal assault weapons ban that expired in September after 10 years. Gun control has been a signature issue for Feinstein since she arrived in the Senate in 1993. But the odds she faces to pass the weapons ban in the current Congress are probably steeper than they were in 1993, when the Senate narrowly approved the ban, or last March, when it passed 52-47 before dying in the body.
November's election increased the 100-member Senate's number of Republicans from 51 to 55, and there are at least four new solid votes against Feinstein's proposal. In the House, gun control advocates face an even tougher time because Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., and Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, have said they won't let the renewal legislation come up for a vote.
More here
Stun guns will soon be available for ordinary citizens: "The Taser guns currently used by the military and police will soon be in the hands of ordinary citizens. Taser International has announced plans to offer a $1000 version of its electric weapon to the general market. The guns are somewhat controversial, though, with some saying that they can cause cardiac arrest. The company states that there is no link between cardiac arrest and its products."
Monday, February 28, 2005
Israel: police to seize guns of "dangerous settlers": "Public Security Minister Gideon Ezra said Tuesday that police will confiscate arms of people whom the General Security Service determines are 'dangerous.' Most residents of Judea, Samaria and Gaza (Yesha) have either private handguns or rifles from the army for guard duty in their communities and for reserve duty. Ezra said police will take the weapons from certain residents before implementation of the evacuation. Several politicians have said they are afraid that some Yesha residents will open fire on defense forces, despite repeated calls by Yesha leaders for non-violent opposition."
California: Safe shooting can be a stress-reliever: "Most people would agree, guns can be a topic that can generate strident legal arguments. But for a steadily growing segment of the population, the ownership of firearms isn't about staking out part of a vociferous Constitution argument. Shooting guns, some folks say, is an act that's just plain fun -- maybe even therapeutic. 'It's hard to explain, really,' said Sherie Smalley, a Fairfield pathologist who took up target and sport shooting seriously just last year. 'There's something about shooting that allows me to release tension after a long day and re-center myself,' Smalley said during an interview at The Shooting Gallery in Vacaville."
California: Safe shooting can be a stress-reliever: "Most people would agree, guns can be a topic that can generate strident legal arguments. But for a steadily growing segment of the population, the ownership of firearms isn't about staking out part of a vociferous Constitution argument. Shooting guns, some folks say, is an act that's just plain fun -- maybe even therapeutic. 'It's hard to explain, really,' said Sherie Smalley, a Fairfield pathologist who took up target and sport shooting seriously just last year. 'There's something about shooting that allows me to release tension after a long day and re-center myself,' Smalley said during an interview at The Shooting Gallery in Vacaville."
Sunday, February 27, 2005
ILLINOIS STOUSH
Is "stoush" understood in America or is it just Australian slang? At its most literal, it means a punchup, a fight
As the gun lobby flooded the Statehouse with supporters Wednesday, a major showdown began shaping up in the House between members who back Mayor Richard Daley's anti-gun package and those who want to loosen weapons restrictions already on the books. Gun-rights supporters flexed their muscle by winning approval in a House committee packed with Downstate lawmakers for a series of pro-gun measures, including bills aimed at watering down Chicago's ban on handguns.
Meanwhile, anti-gun lawmakers on Thursday are queued up to move their own proposals--including measures to limit handgun purchases and ban many assault weapons--through a committee more sympathetic to their position.
That sets the stage for a major confrontation over gun control in the full House in the coming weeks that will pit urban and Downstate lawmakers against each other. It also could pressure Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich to take sides in a politically sensitive battle of which he has tried to steer clear. "Basically, it's going to be a bare-knuckled fistfight on the floor," said Todd Vandermyde, a lobbyist for the National Rifle Association.
More here
India: This ace shooter aiming high: "Ameeta Rani, a participant at the Kila Raipur Games, is not somebody you are likely to miss in a crowd. An avid shooter, Ameeta is pursuing the sport even after recently getting married. Sporting a bright red chura, Anita beat her rivals to come out tops in two of the three shooting events. Sports experts opine that if her talent and skill are nurtured, Punjab too can boast of a sportswoman of high ranking. And what does this young sportswoman wish for? 'Bull's Eye, a rifle, loads of targets and please, please, just one good shooting range.' The 23-year-old shooter won a bronze at the National Shooting Championship at Chennai last year. She has dreams aplenty, but what upsets her is the lack of a world-class shooting range in the state, no rifles and no sponsors either."
The Brady Law doesn't apply to Mrs. Brady?: "In the end, Mrs. Brady can get away with all this, because she knows full well that she will never be prosecuted for breaking her own namesake law. She knows full well that she will be held to different standard than rest of the common herd. In this case, she appears to be right too. However, it begs this question: if Sarah Brady, Sen. Feinstein, Rosie O�Donnell, and all the other hypocrites out there hate guns so much then why would they wish to possess them?"
Is "stoush" understood in America or is it just Australian slang? At its most literal, it means a punchup, a fight
As the gun lobby flooded the Statehouse with supporters Wednesday, a major showdown began shaping up in the House between members who back Mayor Richard Daley's anti-gun package and those who want to loosen weapons restrictions already on the books. Gun-rights supporters flexed their muscle by winning approval in a House committee packed with Downstate lawmakers for a series of pro-gun measures, including bills aimed at watering down Chicago's ban on handguns.
Meanwhile, anti-gun lawmakers on Thursday are queued up to move their own proposals--including measures to limit handgun purchases and ban many assault weapons--through a committee more sympathetic to their position.
That sets the stage for a major confrontation over gun control in the full House in the coming weeks that will pit urban and Downstate lawmakers against each other. It also could pressure Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich to take sides in a politically sensitive battle of which he has tried to steer clear. "Basically, it's going to be a bare-knuckled fistfight on the floor," said Todd Vandermyde, a lobbyist for the National Rifle Association.
More here
India: This ace shooter aiming high: "Ameeta Rani, a participant at the Kila Raipur Games, is not somebody you are likely to miss in a crowd. An avid shooter, Ameeta is pursuing the sport even after recently getting married. Sporting a bright red chura, Anita beat her rivals to come out tops in two of the three shooting events. Sports experts opine that if her talent and skill are nurtured, Punjab too can boast of a sportswoman of high ranking. And what does this young sportswoman wish for? 'Bull's Eye, a rifle, loads of targets and please, please, just one good shooting range.' The 23-year-old shooter won a bronze at the National Shooting Championship at Chennai last year. She has dreams aplenty, but what upsets her is the lack of a world-class shooting range in the state, no rifles and no sponsors either."
The Brady Law doesn't apply to Mrs. Brady?: "In the end, Mrs. Brady can get away with all this, because she knows full well that she will never be prosecuted for breaking her own namesake law. She knows full well that she will be held to different standard than rest of the common herd. In this case, she appears to be right too. However, it begs this question: if Sarah Brady, Sen. Feinstein, Rosie O�Donnell, and all the other hypocrites out there hate guns so much then why would they wish to possess them?"
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Taking down outlaws "In their new book, 'Outgunned: True Stories of Citizens Who Stood Up to Outlaws and Won,' the Waters brothers collected accounts of ordinary people taking down the bad men. ... George Birdwell, a member of the 'Pretty Boy' Floyd gang, thought the ... Bank in the all-black town of Boley, Okla., would be easy pickings. But Birdwell and two partners made the mistake of trying to rob the bank on the opening day of hunting season ... the town was filled with armed black farmers. ... dozens of townsmen opened fire ... as they tried to escape, killing one and wounding and capturing the other. Most Americans aren't aware of these stories, Robert Waters said, because of political correctness: We have been taught that guns are evil and used so often for wrong, he said, we forget that they can also be used for right"
Indonesia: Freed skipper sticking to his guns: "Chris Packer says it is still too early to know if three months locked in a cell has made any lasting changes to him, but the experience has done nothing to alter his view that guns are essential on a boat like his. 'They were more trouble than they were worth on this trip,' the champion sailer agreed on completing his prison sentence for failing to declare six weapons. 'But I will always take guns. If I had not had guns on this boat I'd be dead.' His firearms are due to be returned to his 55-metre converted Baltic grain carrier, Lissa, today, and soon after Mr Packer will head south to Australia. ... He was determined yesterday to keep saying nice things about his captors and tried to say nothing critical of them or the Indonesian legal system. But he hinted he might say more once he was safely out of the country."
Maryland: Student accused of having gun in school: "A 14-year-old student was in the custody of the Department of Juvenile Services on Thursday for allegedly possessing a BB gun, suspected marijuana and tobacco products at James M. Bennett High School. Early Tuesday morning the Fruitland boy went to school, showed the gun to his peers, became scared and fled the building, said Allen Brown, an assistant superintendent of Wicomico County public schools. Officers took him into custody later that day when he returned to meet his ride, Brown said. According to the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office, the ninth-grader was being detained Thursday at the Department of Juvenile Services on Naylor Mill Road. ... The student will appear before a Wicomico County Circuit Court judge who will then decide if he should be released to his parents or continue to be detained, said Lt. Mike Elliot of the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office."
Indonesia: Freed skipper sticking to his guns: "Chris Packer says it is still too early to know if three months locked in a cell has made any lasting changes to him, but the experience has done nothing to alter his view that guns are essential on a boat like his. 'They were more trouble than they were worth on this trip,' the champion sailer agreed on completing his prison sentence for failing to declare six weapons. 'But I will always take guns. If I had not had guns on this boat I'd be dead.' His firearms are due to be returned to his 55-metre converted Baltic grain carrier, Lissa, today, and soon after Mr Packer will head south to Australia. ... He was determined yesterday to keep saying nice things about his captors and tried to say nothing critical of them or the Indonesian legal system. But he hinted he might say more once he was safely out of the country."
Maryland: Student accused of having gun in school: "A 14-year-old student was in the custody of the Department of Juvenile Services on Thursday for allegedly possessing a BB gun, suspected marijuana and tobacco products at James M. Bennett High School. Early Tuesday morning the Fruitland boy went to school, showed the gun to his peers, became scared and fled the building, said Allen Brown, an assistant superintendent of Wicomico County public schools. Officers took him into custody later that day when he returned to meet his ride, Brown said. According to the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office, the ninth-grader was being detained Thursday at the Department of Juvenile Services on Naylor Mill Road. ... The student will appear before a Wicomico County Circuit Court judge who will then decide if he should be released to his parents or continue to be detained, said Lt. Mike Elliot of the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office."
Friday, February 25, 2005
California: Gun makers aim at "junk" lawsuits: "Its wallet lighter after dropping more than $200 million to fight what it termed a 'junk lawsuit,' the firearms industry will turn to Congress for help in preventing future legal attacks on gun makers. A San Francisco-based California appellate court basically said last week that the gun industry is not to blame for the actions of criminals. It upheld San Diego Superior Court Judge Vincent P. DiFiglia's original ruling in which he dismissed claims against the firearms industry by Los Angeles, San Francisco and 12 other California cities."
Montana: Wells seeks greater self-defense protection: "Wells' House Bill 693 would make it legal for a person to display a weapon in self-defense, as long as the weapon is pointing away from the other person. It also orders law-enforcement officers to thoroughly investigate a crime to turn up evidence of self-defense if that is used as a plea, and it forces employers who prohibit employees from defending themselves with guns to provide a level of security they would have otherwise enjoyed. ... Under Wells' bill, law-enforcement officers would have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the person wasn't engaged in self-defense.'
Illinois: Protesters often have ulterior motives: "Chicagoans are protesting the Second Amendment rights of neighboring communities again. About 90 protesters staged a rally at Bell's Gun and Sport Shop in northwest suburban Franklin Park recently. They represented Chicago-based United Power for Action and Justice. I asked Dowling what they hoped to accomplish by protesting the two gun shops. He said he wanted state licensing and a limit of one firearm per 30-day period per person. ... The Illinois State Police already licenses and regulates firearm owners through the issuance of firearm owners identification cards. ... Dowling also wanted government oversight and inspection of gun shop records. Both stores have already been investigated and received a clean stamp of approval. The protesters have already accomplished their wish list. What do you think would really make them happy?"
Montana: Wells seeks greater self-defense protection: "Wells' House Bill 693 would make it legal for a person to display a weapon in self-defense, as long as the weapon is pointing away from the other person. It also orders law-enforcement officers to thoroughly investigate a crime to turn up evidence of self-defense if that is used as a plea, and it forces employers who prohibit employees from defending themselves with guns to provide a level of security they would have otherwise enjoyed. ... Under Wells' bill, law-enforcement officers would have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the person wasn't engaged in self-defense.'
Illinois: Protesters often have ulterior motives: "Chicagoans are protesting the Second Amendment rights of neighboring communities again. About 90 protesters staged a rally at Bell's Gun and Sport Shop in northwest suburban Franklin Park recently. They represented Chicago-based United Power for Action and Justice. I asked Dowling what they hoped to accomplish by protesting the two gun shops. He said he wanted state licensing and a limit of one firearm per 30-day period per person. ... The Illinois State Police already licenses and regulates firearm owners through the issuance of firearm owners identification cards. ... Dowling also wanted government oversight and inspection of gun shop records. Both stores have already been investigated and received a clean stamp of approval. The protesters have already accomplished their wish list. What do you think would really make them happy?"
Thursday, February 24, 2005
NAUGHTY NOVELTY PLATE ON CAR
An employee's car parked at Abraham Lincoln Elementary School lot has sparked fury among some parents ushering their children inside the school each morning. The car -- a red, late-model Ford Mustang with a novelty plate on its front end reading "Fight crime, shoot first" -- irritated one parent so much that she complained to her son's pre-kindergarten teacher. The parent, who asked to remain anonymous, also took the issue up with school Principal Sandra Dunning earlier this week, as well as Superintendent of Schools Karla Brooks Baehr. "Being a member of the staff, well, you have to be an example to the kids," the mother insisted. "You don't just do whatever."
"I can listen to parents and listen to their concerns," Dunning said. "But we do live in America. That's part of our democracy, free speech."
The parent, however, says the school's responsibility to provide positive role models to children supersedes the right to free speech, and that the offending license plate is a breech of the public trust placed in school employees. "I don't think it's just a question of freedom of speech," the mother said, noting that while her son is still learning to read, the school's older students have full reading ability. "You don't leave it for the kids to see every day."
The First Amendment of the Constitution, which protects freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition and was added in 1791, stipulates that Congress shall not "(abridge) the freedom of speech." According to Taylor Flynn, a Northeastern University professor and expert in Constitutional law, the school employee with the plate might actually find favor if the case found its way into court, particularly because, in her view, the evidence that students' education is being disrupted by the plate is on the lean side. "However, I think there is a fairly strong possibility that a court would find that the staff person's First Amendment rights are being violated if the employee feels (directly or indirectly) coerced into covering the plate or is doing so over her objection."
Principal Dunning, who admitted she was "a little surprised" by the plate, initially echoed Flynn's concerns, saying that such a message might be considered inappropriate if it entered the building. But outside? Dunning said that's a different matter entirely. "If anything disrupts the educational process, we do have the right to ask staff and teachers to maintain a code of conduct," she said. "What is parked in a lot or on a street is a different matter, however. Whatever happens in the building we have control over. I think it's inappropriate," she said. "I think we all take responsibility to model appropriate language and behavior. Yes, they see all sorts of things on TV, in ads, that lots of people would find inappropriate as a model for a 5- or 6-year-old. But having (the license plate) there in the lot suggests we condone it."
The solution? Dunning and Baehr plan to mandate that the staff member somehow cover the plate upon arrival each morning, possibly with magnets and a cloth. The plate will be covered by the first day of school after February break, Feb. 28, Behr said. "I expect cooperation on the part of the staff members to cover it up or obscure it in some way," Baehr said. And when the staff member is not on school property -- and by that, Baehr means either in the building or in the parking lot -- "she's free to do as she pleases."
The parent who initially complained said she was happy with that solution, though put off that "going public" with the story was the route to compromise. "I'm aggravated because they only did something when I said I was going to talk to The Sun," the mother said. "I feel that I had to go outside the school to solve a little problem, because this could have been solved within the school."
Source
Michigan: Overreaction to BB gun: "School officials continue to investigate a third-grader who brought a BB gun to Summerfield Elementary School on Tuesday. The boy, 8, is not allowed to attend school for three days while officials investigate. A suspension or an expulsion could be issued, said Larry Watkins, the district's director of school safety. 'The school principal is doing an investigation, but it does not appear he brought it to do any harm,' Watkins said. The gun wasn't loaded.
Louisiana: Woman kills attacker inside her home: "An East Feliciana Parish woman fired a bullet into the chest of a man who had broken into her farmhouse, then fought off his beating until the man died from the gunshot wound. Georgia Belle Sullivan says she was sleeping before dawn yesterday when her dogs' barking woke her up. She retrieved her gun, then saw a shadow move behind a line of chairs. She told authorities that's when a man lunged at her. She fired once at close range ... In the beating after the shooting, Sullivan suffered bruises to her face and elsewhere, and lacerations on her arms. Sullivan says the gun discharged several more times during the struggle. She says when Sanford realized he was hit, he told her his name, asked her not to shoot him again and he let her go."
An employee's car parked at Abraham Lincoln Elementary School lot has sparked fury among some parents ushering their children inside the school each morning. The car -- a red, late-model Ford Mustang with a novelty plate on its front end reading "Fight crime, shoot first" -- irritated one parent so much that she complained to her son's pre-kindergarten teacher. The parent, who asked to remain anonymous, also took the issue up with school Principal Sandra Dunning earlier this week, as well as Superintendent of Schools Karla Brooks Baehr. "Being a member of the staff, well, you have to be an example to the kids," the mother insisted. "You don't just do whatever."
"I can listen to parents and listen to their concerns," Dunning said. "But we do live in America. That's part of our democracy, free speech."
The parent, however, says the school's responsibility to provide positive role models to children supersedes the right to free speech, and that the offending license plate is a breech of the public trust placed in school employees. "I don't think it's just a question of freedom of speech," the mother said, noting that while her son is still learning to read, the school's older students have full reading ability. "You don't leave it for the kids to see every day."
The First Amendment of the Constitution, which protects freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition and was added in 1791, stipulates that Congress shall not "(abridge) the freedom of speech." According to Taylor Flynn, a Northeastern University professor and expert in Constitutional law, the school employee with the plate might actually find favor if the case found its way into court, particularly because, in her view, the evidence that students' education is being disrupted by the plate is on the lean side. "However, I think there is a fairly strong possibility that a court would find that the staff person's First Amendment rights are being violated if the employee feels (directly or indirectly) coerced into covering the plate or is doing so over her objection."
Principal Dunning, who admitted she was "a little surprised" by the plate, initially echoed Flynn's concerns, saying that such a message might be considered inappropriate if it entered the building. But outside? Dunning said that's a different matter entirely. "If anything disrupts the educational process, we do have the right to ask staff and teachers to maintain a code of conduct," she said. "What is parked in a lot or on a street is a different matter, however. Whatever happens in the building we have control over. I think it's inappropriate," she said. "I think we all take responsibility to model appropriate language and behavior. Yes, they see all sorts of things on TV, in ads, that lots of people would find inappropriate as a model for a 5- or 6-year-old. But having (the license plate) there in the lot suggests we condone it."
The solution? Dunning and Baehr plan to mandate that the staff member somehow cover the plate upon arrival each morning, possibly with magnets and a cloth. The plate will be covered by the first day of school after February break, Feb. 28, Behr said. "I expect cooperation on the part of the staff members to cover it up or obscure it in some way," Baehr said. And when the staff member is not on school property -- and by that, Baehr means either in the building or in the parking lot -- "she's free to do as she pleases."
The parent who initially complained said she was happy with that solution, though put off that "going public" with the story was the route to compromise. "I'm aggravated because they only did something when I said I was going to talk to The Sun," the mother said. "I feel that I had to go outside the school to solve a little problem, because this could have been solved within the school."
Source
Michigan: Overreaction to BB gun: "School officials continue to investigate a third-grader who brought a BB gun to Summerfield Elementary School on Tuesday. The boy, 8, is not allowed to attend school for three days while officials investigate. A suspension or an expulsion could be issued, said Larry Watkins, the district's director of school safety. 'The school principal is doing an investigation, but it does not appear he brought it to do any harm,' Watkins said. The gun wasn't loaded.
Louisiana: Woman kills attacker inside her home: "An East Feliciana Parish woman fired a bullet into the chest of a man who had broken into her farmhouse, then fought off his beating until the man died from the gunshot wound. Georgia Belle Sullivan says she was sleeping before dawn yesterday when her dogs' barking woke her up. She retrieved her gun, then saw a shadow move behind a line of chairs. She told authorities that's when a man lunged at her. She fired once at close range ... In the beating after the shooting, Sullivan suffered bruises to her face and elsewhere, and lacerations on her arms. Sullivan says the gun discharged several more times during the struggle. She says when Sanford realized he was hit, he told her his name, asked her not to shoot him again and he let her go."
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
THE DEATH OF 1,000 CUTS
California Assemblyman Paul Koretz introduced legislation this past week requiring all center-fire semi-automatic handguns sold in California starting in 2007 to stamp serial numbers in the brass cases when fired.
The bill says that a "microscopic array of characters" must be located in the inner-workings of the handgun, presumably the chamber or on the firing pin, that would imprint the make, model and serial number of the handgun onto the brass case or primer. It's not specific but it does mention the case, so the firing pin may not qualify with a primer marking.
The bill makes no mention of what happens when a gun owner needs to have work done to their firearm and if it is obliterated or no longer visible after the work is complete. It makes no mention of what a gun owner needs to do if the "microscopic array" just flat wears down over time and no longer imprints the information on the case. It makes no mention of whether modifying a firearm to remove the "microscopic array" is illegal, nor, if worn down over time whether the gun owner is subject to penalties for owning a firearm that can no longer imprints the information on the case.
But, what the bill also doesn't say, but screams out loud, is that Koretz could care less about any of these issues. What Koretz cares about is pricing firearms out of reach so the average Joe can't afford to purchase a gun. Already hundreds of firearms are no longer available to Californians due to state regulatory requirements requiring certain features, indicators and state mandated testing requirements that some manufacturers refuse or simply can't comply with financially. Bills passed last year for certain chamber-loaded indicators and disconnects that render the firearm inoperable with the magazine removed, go into effect January 1 2006 which will eliminate another round of guns for sale here. Now there could be another hoop for firearm manufacturers to jump through starting January 1, 2007 that ends up driving the price of all firearms through the roof, not only in California, but nationally as well. And, who knows how many firearms will not be sold in California due to the cost to implement this across all product lines. Another pile of firearms will disappear from California. In another couple or three more years of ingenious legislation like this, no one will be able to buy a gun in California which has been the plan of the left all along.
More here
Don't mess with rural folk with guns: "Barbara Gesell, 83, had just pulled into her garage when a man ran inside her garage and grabbed her purse, which has hanging across her shoulder. A suspect, Robert Campbell, was arrested shortly afterward on suspicion of attempted robbery. Police said the story might have ended differently if Gesell's daughter, Theresa Gesell, had not taken action. According to police, Theresa Gesell ran behind Campbell and tried to catch him when he ran from the scene. While she was chasing the suspect, she called 911. "A man has attacked us in our house, and we are fighting him in the yard," Theresa Gesell said to the 911 dispatcher. As the struggle moved down the street, a neighbor -- whom Theresa Gesell identified as "Hershall" -- stopped to help. Theresa then grabbed her .45-caliber pistol and continued running after Campbell -- despite the dispatcher's plea for her to drop the handgun. "I am going to go get my .45 ... you all are too slow," she said. As the call continues, the dispatcher asks Theresa to get rid of the weapon. However, after the suspect tried to escape along a creek bed, Theresa and Hershall used the pistol to make sure he didn't leave. "You can go put that gun up now," the dispatcher said. "No sir," Theresa replied. "We have the gun pointed at him ... he must have been a city fellow because he didn't know anything about the woods." Seconds later, police arrived and arrested Campbell. With Hershall's help, the Gesells retrieved Barbara's purse. Campbell is currently housed in the Oklahoma County Jail. He is expected to be charged with assault and attempted robbery."
Determined crook dies: "A Wyandanch man fatally shot a 20-year-old man who tried to enter his home through a window early yesterday, police said. Tyrell Rudolph, of Wyandanch, was discovered in front of a home on Parkway Boulevard with gunshot wounds to his chest and left arm at 3:05 a.m. The alleged shooter, Sanjay Broomfield, 22, was charged with criminal possession of a weapon, a felony. Broomfield, a baker at Entenmann's in Bay Shore, told police he fell asleep Friday night, after working a double-shift, said Det. Sgt. Vincent Posillico, of the county's homicide squad. He said he was awoken at 9 p.m. by someone vigorously knocking and ringing the bell at the front door of his residence at 246 Parkway Blvd. Posillico said Broomfield told police he looked out the window and saw two men leaving his yard. He then fell back asleep only to be awoken again at 2:30 a.m. by similar noises. "He hears motion and people talking," Posillico said. "He steps into the kitchen, where he has an illegal handgun ... and shortly after that a person is seen coming in through the window." Broomfield fired three times, Posillico said. Posillico said detectives are unsure if the man fell or jumped from the window but Broomfield told police he didn't see anything when he looked outside. Worried the intruders might return, Broomfield called police about 3:05 a.m. to report two suspicious persons in the area, but not the fired shots. When police arrived, they discovered Rudolph's body. Broomfield then explained his version of what happened".
California Assemblyman Paul Koretz introduced legislation this past week requiring all center-fire semi-automatic handguns sold in California starting in 2007 to stamp serial numbers in the brass cases when fired.
The bill says that a "microscopic array of characters" must be located in the inner-workings of the handgun, presumably the chamber or on the firing pin, that would imprint the make, model and serial number of the handgun onto the brass case or primer. It's not specific but it does mention the case, so the firing pin may not qualify with a primer marking.
The bill makes no mention of what happens when a gun owner needs to have work done to their firearm and if it is obliterated or no longer visible after the work is complete. It makes no mention of what a gun owner needs to do if the "microscopic array" just flat wears down over time and no longer imprints the information on the case. It makes no mention of whether modifying a firearm to remove the "microscopic array" is illegal, nor, if worn down over time whether the gun owner is subject to penalties for owning a firearm that can no longer imprints the information on the case.
But, what the bill also doesn't say, but screams out loud, is that Koretz could care less about any of these issues. What Koretz cares about is pricing firearms out of reach so the average Joe can't afford to purchase a gun. Already hundreds of firearms are no longer available to Californians due to state regulatory requirements requiring certain features, indicators and state mandated testing requirements that some manufacturers refuse or simply can't comply with financially. Bills passed last year for certain chamber-loaded indicators and disconnects that render the firearm inoperable with the magazine removed, go into effect January 1 2006 which will eliminate another round of guns for sale here. Now there could be another hoop for firearm manufacturers to jump through starting January 1, 2007 that ends up driving the price of all firearms through the roof, not only in California, but nationally as well. And, who knows how many firearms will not be sold in California due to the cost to implement this across all product lines. Another pile of firearms will disappear from California. In another couple or three more years of ingenious legislation like this, no one will be able to buy a gun in California which has been the plan of the left all along.
More here
Don't mess with rural folk with guns: "Barbara Gesell, 83, had just pulled into her garage when a man ran inside her garage and grabbed her purse, which has hanging across her shoulder. A suspect, Robert Campbell, was arrested shortly afterward on suspicion of attempted robbery. Police said the story might have ended differently if Gesell's daughter, Theresa Gesell, had not taken action. According to police, Theresa Gesell ran behind Campbell and tried to catch him when he ran from the scene. While she was chasing the suspect, she called 911. "A man has attacked us in our house, and we are fighting him in the yard," Theresa Gesell said to the 911 dispatcher. As the struggle moved down the street, a neighbor -- whom Theresa Gesell identified as "Hershall" -- stopped to help. Theresa then grabbed her .45-caliber pistol and continued running after Campbell -- despite the dispatcher's plea for her to drop the handgun. "I am going to go get my .45 ... you all are too slow," she said. As the call continues, the dispatcher asks Theresa to get rid of the weapon. However, after the suspect tried to escape along a creek bed, Theresa and Hershall used the pistol to make sure he didn't leave. "You can go put that gun up now," the dispatcher said. "No sir," Theresa replied. "We have the gun pointed at him ... he must have been a city fellow because he didn't know anything about the woods." Seconds later, police arrived and arrested Campbell. With Hershall's help, the Gesells retrieved Barbara's purse. Campbell is currently housed in the Oklahoma County Jail. He is expected to be charged with assault and attempted robbery."
Determined crook dies: "A Wyandanch man fatally shot a 20-year-old man who tried to enter his home through a window early yesterday, police said. Tyrell Rudolph, of Wyandanch, was discovered in front of a home on Parkway Boulevard with gunshot wounds to his chest and left arm at 3:05 a.m. The alleged shooter, Sanjay Broomfield, 22, was charged with criminal possession of a weapon, a felony. Broomfield, a baker at Entenmann's in Bay Shore, told police he fell asleep Friday night, after working a double-shift, said Det. Sgt. Vincent Posillico, of the county's homicide squad. He said he was awoken at 9 p.m. by someone vigorously knocking and ringing the bell at the front door of his residence at 246 Parkway Blvd. Posillico said Broomfield told police he looked out the window and saw two men leaving his yard. He then fell back asleep only to be awoken again at 2:30 a.m. by similar noises. "He hears motion and people talking," Posillico said. "He steps into the kitchen, where he has an illegal handgun ... and shortly after that a person is seen coming in through the window." Broomfield fired three times, Posillico said. Posillico said detectives are unsure if the man fell or jumped from the window but Broomfield told police he didn't see anything when he looked outside. Worried the intruders might return, Broomfield called police about 3:05 a.m. to report two suspicious persons in the area, but not the fired shots. When police arrived, they discovered Rudolph's body. Broomfield then explained his version of what happened".
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Indiana: 84-year-old kills intruder; charges not expected: "Like many homes on his block, Robert Birtwhistle's is a two-story frame house, with faux-brick siding and a small front porch. Yet, modest as it is, it's the place he's called home for all of his 84 years. And early Wednesday morning, he proved he was ready to defend his home -- with deadly force. Birtwhistle called police to his home shortly after 1 a.m. to report that he had shot 40-year-old James Rosebush as the younger man apparently was attempting to force open the front door of his home. Rosebush, who lived just blocks away at 735 Lincoln Way E., died of his injuries at the scene. 'It was going to be either him or me,' Birtwhistle said Wednesday. 'I told him that if he didn't stop, he was going to get what was coming.'"
More watchful, probably not safer: "Are you safer now than you were four years ago? That was the question politicians posed to voters last year during the presidential campaign. Voters who opted to give the administration four more years presumably would answer in the affirmative. But according to a new book, that optimism would be misplaced. Safe: The Race to Protect Ourselves in a Newly Dangerous World, written by three contributing writers to Wired magazine and a former editor of that publication, asks why, if our society is one of the most technologically advanced in the world, we can't protect ourselves from threats to our safety."
More watchful, probably not safer: "Are you safer now than you were four years ago? That was the question politicians posed to voters last year during the presidential campaign. Voters who opted to give the administration four more years presumably would answer in the affirmative. But according to a new book, that optimism would be misplaced. Safe: The Race to Protect Ourselves in a Newly Dangerous World, written by three contributing writers to Wired magazine and a former editor of that publication, asks why, if our society is one of the most technologically advanced in the world, we can't protect ourselves from threats to our safety."
Monday, February 21, 2005
STEVE SAILER'S VIEW OF GUN CONTROL
The endless gun-control brouhaha, which on the surface appears to be a bitter battle between liberal and conservative whites, also features a cryptic racial angle. What blue-region white liberals actually want is for the government to disarm the dangerous urban minorities that threaten their children�s safety. Red-region white conservatives, insulated by distance from the Crips and the Bloods, don�t care that white liberals� kids are in peril. Besides, in sparsely populated Republican areas, where police response times are slow and the chances of drilling an innocent bystander are slim, guns make more sense for self-defense than in the cities and suburbs.
White liberals, angered by white conservatives� lack of racial solidarity with them, yet bereft of any vocabulary for expressing such a verboten concept, pretend that they need gun control to protect them from gun-crazy rural rednecks, such as the ones Michael Moore demonized in �Bowling for Columbine,� thus further enraging red-region Republicans.
Source
A judgment call: "Folksinger Peter Yarrow of Peter Paul & Mary believes we need more gun laws. Performing at the 2004 Million Morn March rally urging Congress to renew the federal 'assault weapon' ban, Yarrow's main emphasis in the gun control movement has been to protect children. It's too bad he wasn't thinking about protecting them when he was convicted of a sex offense for molesting a 14-year-old girl -- but perhaps it explains why he wouldn't want to make it easy for parents to own a gun."
Proposed bar law gives new meaning to "shot and a beer": "We should be the smartest people in the United States when it comes to firearms, but whenever the word 'guns' gets spoken in a public forum, we turn into the babbling cast of Blazing Saddles, wildly shooting off our mouths but firing blanks. That's how it has been for days with the hysterical hand-wringing over the 'guns in bars' law being considered by those slapstick gunslingers at the state Legislature. The truth is that the proposed law, Senate Bill 1363, is not about guns in bars. It's about signs on doors. Current law states that guns don't belong in bars or restaurants that serve liquor. That law is based on common sense, which makes it incomprehensible to today's elected officials. Some of them therefore would like to rewrite the law to say that a bar or restaurant owner must post a sign specifically prohibiting firearms or it would be presumed that guns are welcome."
The endless gun-control brouhaha, which on the surface appears to be a bitter battle between liberal and conservative whites, also features a cryptic racial angle. What blue-region white liberals actually want is for the government to disarm the dangerous urban minorities that threaten their children�s safety. Red-region white conservatives, insulated by distance from the Crips and the Bloods, don�t care that white liberals� kids are in peril. Besides, in sparsely populated Republican areas, where police response times are slow and the chances of drilling an innocent bystander are slim, guns make more sense for self-defense than in the cities and suburbs.
White liberals, angered by white conservatives� lack of racial solidarity with them, yet bereft of any vocabulary for expressing such a verboten concept, pretend that they need gun control to protect them from gun-crazy rural rednecks, such as the ones Michael Moore demonized in �Bowling for Columbine,� thus further enraging red-region Republicans.
Source
A judgment call: "Folksinger Peter Yarrow of Peter Paul & Mary believes we need more gun laws. Performing at the 2004 Million Morn March rally urging Congress to renew the federal 'assault weapon' ban, Yarrow's main emphasis in the gun control movement has been to protect children. It's too bad he wasn't thinking about protecting them when he was convicted of a sex offense for molesting a 14-year-old girl -- but perhaps it explains why he wouldn't want to make it easy for parents to own a gun."
Proposed bar law gives new meaning to "shot and a beer": "We should be the smartest people in the United States when it comes to firearms, but whenever the word 'guns' gets spoken in a public forum, we turn into the babbling cast of Blazing Saddles, wildly shooting off our mouths but firing blanks. That's how it has been for days with the hysterical hand-wringing over the 'guns in bars' law being considered by those slapstick gunslingers at the state Legislature. The truth is that the proposed law, Senate Bill 1363, is not about guns in bars. It's about signs on doors. Current law states that guns don't belong in bars or restaurants that serve liquor. That law is based on common sense, which makes it incomprehensible to today's elected officials. Some of them therefore would like to rewrite the law to say that a bar or restaurant owner must post a sign specifically prohibiting firearms or it would be presumed that guns are welcome."
Sunday, February 20, 2005
Pennsylvania: Indictment for conspiracy to exercise rights: "A Highland Park woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of violating federal firearms laws. Dale LaCourtneya Smith, 26, of Jackson Street, is charged with conspiring with another person to acquire a firearm by lying to a gun dealer. Smith is accused of purchasing a handgun Aug. 24 and giving it to someone she knew had been previously convicted of a felony, prosecutors said."
Montana: Anti-federal bills move forward in House: "Lawmakers in the Montana House of Representatives collectively thumbed their noses at the federal government Monday by approving two bills exempting guns from federal regulations and driver's licenses from national standardization requirements. The bills by Reps. Diane Rice, R-Harrison, and Roger Koopman, R-Bozeman, do different things but are driven by the same concern: the erosion of personal liberties by the federal government."
South Dakota: Bill would end gun show waiting period: "The 48-hour waiting period for pistols should not apply to sales by those who are not federally licensed firearms dealers, a Senate panel decided Monday. The bill would clarify language in an existing law that requires any gun dealer to wait 48 hours after a sale before delivering a pistol. Supporters of the bill have said the waiting period places an undue burden on private sales between gun owners. The measure would mean people who are not licensed dealers could sell guns, even at gun shows, and not have to wait 48 hours before delivering the weapons to buyers. The Judiciary Committee unanimously sent HB1189 to the full Senate."
Montana: Anti-federal bills move forward in House: "Lawmakers in the Montana House of Representatives collectively thumbed their noses at the federal government Monday by approving two bills exempting guns from federal regulations and driver's licenses from national standardization requirements. The bills by Reps. Diane Rice, R-Harrison, and Roger Koopman, R-Bozeman, do different things but are driven by the same concern: the erosion of personal liberties by the federal government."
South Dakota: Bill would end gun show waiting period: "The 48-hour waiting period for pistols should not apply to sales by those who are not federally licensed firearms dealers, a Senate panel decided Monday. The bill would clarify language in an existing law that requires any gun dealer to wait 48 hours after a sale before delivering a pistol. Supporters of the bill have said the waiting period places an undue burden on private sales between gun owners. The measure would mean people who are not licensed dealers could sell guns, even at gun shows, and not have to wait 48 hours before delivering the weapons to buyers. The Judiciary Committee unanimously sent HB1189 to the full Senate."
Saturday, February 19, 2005
Arizona: "Guns in bars" bill back for second shot: "Pistols, rifles, shotguns -- Arizonans soon could load them up and tote them into the bar or nightclub of their choice. In a latest tribute to the Wild West, Arizona legislators have come up with a plan to legalize loaded weapons in places that serve alcohol. Senate Bill 1363 breezed through the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 5-2 vote Monday and appears headed toward a promising future in the full Senate and House."
New York: Store owner shoots would-be robber: "'They came in with guns and pointed a gun to my head. They wanted to rob my store. It is as simple as that. I defended myself,' says Barry Fixler, the would-be robbery victim. ... With not one but two assault rifles pointed at his head, Fixler says he was able to lunge away grabbing hold of his personal handgun firing off several rounds. Once the smoke cleared, one suspect was hit and the second man got away."
Minnesota Bill Seeks To Obstruct Law-Abiding Hunters: "A new bill in Minnesota would require all hunters to undergo a background check when purchasing a hunting license. SF 781 would require a background check to determine if the purchaser was ineligible to posses a firearm. Obviously, criminals who are going to violate the law by possessing a gun aren`t going to bother to buy a hunting license, only law abiding citizens would be impacted by this legislation. Call your Senator and respectfully urge him/her to oppose this attempt to scare and obstruct law-abiding hunters."
New York: Store owner shoots would-be robber: "'They came in with guns and pointed a gun to my head. They wanted to rob my store. It is as simple as that. I defended myself,' says Barry Fixler, the would-be robbery victim. ... With not one but two assault rifles pointed at his head, Fixler says he was able to lunge away grabbing hold of his personal handgun firing off several rounds. Once the smoke cleared, one suspect was hit and the second man got away."
Minnesota Bill Seeks To Obstruct Law-Abiding Hunters: "A new bill in Minnesota would require all hunters to undergo a background check when purchasing a hunting license. SF 781 would require a background check to determine if the purchaser was ineligible to posses a firearm. Obviously, criminals who are going to violate the law by possessing a gun aren`t going to bother to buy a hunting license, only law abiding citizens would be impacted by this legislation. Call your Senator and respectfully urge him/her to oppose this attempt to scare and obstruct law-abiding hunters."
Friday, February 18, 2005
AUSTRALIA'S SWEEPING GUN CONTROL LAWS HAVE NOW HAD TIME TO SHOW THEIR WORTH
Crime is getting worse, oddly enough
While the US is the murder capital of the world, Australia still has the worst prevalence of crime among 17 industrialised countries, according to a UN-sponsored survey. Federal Government statistics show increases in crimes against people, rather than property. "That's the basic picture in Australia at the moment - we're getting more violent," said Dr Tim Prenzler, head of the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Griffith University. "It's not a pretty picture."
The 2000 International Crime Victims Survey used a telephone survey to assess the prevalence and incidence of crime in industrialised countries. About 30 per cent of Australians told researchers they had been victimised one or more times in 1999, compared with 26 per cent in England and Wales, 21 per cent in the US and 15 per cent in Japan. England and Wales had the highest incidence of crime, the survey showed.
Property crimes such as breaking and entering and vehicle theft traditionally accounted for much of Australian crime, but that is changing. There were 145,420 violent crimes in 1996. By 2002, the figure had grown to 198,722 - and 80 per cent were assaults......
Recent crime research has tended to focus on property crime, which has decreased because of more sophisticated alarm and surveillance systems. Researchers have no way of telling whether the recent spate of violent crime in Brisbane is a trend or a spike, because good data takes time to collect and study. "We might need another year or two to see if it's a trend," Dr Bond said. "That's the problem with all this trend analysis - you need time, and that's no good for policy-making." ....
Surveys are considered a better way to gauge crime victimisation because many victims do not make reports to police, and the statistics of those who do, vary, because jurisdictions apply different rules and definitions. The ICVS is conducted by Leiden University in Holland.
More here
Stop suicides, close Golden Gate Bridge: "The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) today called upon the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to 'take an important step for public safety' and close the Golden Gate Bridge, which has been a popular suicide platform for more than 65 years. 'Several city supervisors want to ban handguns in San Francisco on the mere presumption that such a law would prevent crimes, accidents and suicides,' said SAF Founder Alan M. Gottlieb. 'Well, it is an absolute certainty that closing the bridge would prevent suicides, and perhaps many accidents, as well.'"
California: Appeals Court dismisses frivolous gun suit: "Late yesterday a San Francisco appellate court unanimously upheld a lower court's decision, dismissing a lawsuit against gun manufacturers. Several California cities and counties, including Sacramento, alleged that gun manufacturers violated the state's unfair business practices law in the way they marketed, distributed, promoted and designed handguns. The plaintiffs claimed the gun makers sold the firearms in a manner 'that facilitates the weapon to be used in violent crimes.' The appeals court ruled that the cities and counties failed to make a connection between the firearms manufacturers' business practices and the use of guns by criminals."
Crime is getting worse, oddly enough
While the US is the murder capital of the world, Australia still has the worst prevalence of crime among 17 industrialised countries, according to a UN-sponsored survey. Federal Government statistics show increases in crimes against people, rather than property. "That's the basic picture in Australia at the moment - we're getting more violent," said Dr Tim Prenzler, head of the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Griffith University. "It's not a pretty picture."
The 2000 International Crime Victims Survey used a telephone survey to assess the prevalence and incidence of crime in industrialised countries. About 30 per cent of Australians told researchers they had been victimised one or more times in 1999, compared with 26 per cent in England and Wales, 21 per cent in the US and 15 per cent in Japan. England and Wales had the highest incidence of crime, the survey showed.
Property crimes such as breaking and entering and vehicle theft traditionally accounted for much of Australian crime, but that is changing. There were 145,420 violent crimes in 1996. By 2002, the figure had grown to 198,722 - and 80 per cent were assaults......
Recent crime research has tended to focus on property crime, which has decreased because of more sophisticated alarm and surveillance systems. Researchers have no way of telling whether the recent spate of violent crime in Brisbane is a trend or a spike, because good data takes time to collect and study. "We might need another year or two to see if it's a trend," Dr Bond said. "That's the problem with all this trend analysis - you need time, and that's no good for policy-making." ....
Surveys are considered a better way to gauge crime victimisation because many victims do not make reports to police, and the statistics of those who do, vary, because jurisdictions apply different rules and definitions. The ICVS is conducted by Leiden University in Holland.
More here
Stop suicides, close Golden Gate Bridge: "The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) today called upon the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to 'take an important step for public safety' and close the Golden Gate Bridge, which has been a popular suicide platform for more than 65 years. 'Several city supervisors want to ban handguns in San Francisco on the mere presumption that such a law would prevent crimes, accidents and suicides,' said SAF Founder Alan M. Gottlieb. 'Well, it is an absolute certainty that closing the bridge would prevent suicides, and perhaps many accidents, as well.'"
California: Appeals Court dismisses frivolous gun suit: "Late yesterday a San Francisco appellate court unanimously upheld a lower court's decision, dismissing a lawsuit against gun manufacturers. Several California cities and counties, including Sacramento, alleged that gun manufacturers violated the state's unfair business practices law in the way they marketed, distributed, promoted and designed handguns. The plaintiffs claimed the gun makers sold the firearms in a manner 'that facilitates the weapon to be used in violent crimes.' The appeals court ruled that the cities and counties failed to make a connection between the firearms manufacturers' business practices and the use of guns by criminals."
Thursday, February 17, 2005
IMPROVEMENTS AFOOT IN FLORIDA
More than a decade has passed since Sen. Jim King woke up to find a man pointing a gun at his head. It's been 15 years since Sen. Evelyn Lynn woke up - twice - to find intruders in her home. But both remember the events as if they were yesterday, prompting both to vote Wednesday for a bill expanding the rights of Floridians to use deadly force when threatened in their homes and cars. The bill (SB436) passed the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice unanimously. It must pass one more committee before heading to the full Senate. An identical bill is working its way through the House.
Under current law, homeowners cannot use deadly force unless they believe an intruder intends to kill them or a loved one, or severely harm them. Although criminal case law tends to favor homeowners, anyone who kills an intruder can be arrested. Under the bill, anyone who breaks into an occupied house or car would be presumed to have deadly intent. Victims would no longer have to determine the intruder's intent. "You can't expect a victim to wait and ask, "Excuse me, Mr. Criminal, are you going to rape me and kill me, or are you just going to beat me up and steal my television?' " said Marion Hammer, lobbyist for the National Rifle Association.
The bill has law enforcement support because it does not allow homeowners to shoot law officers who legally break into homes, such as when they believe someone is in harm or evidence is being destroyed. "I think if you talked to the average Joe or Jane Citizen they would say, "There ought to be a law.' This is your chance to make a law," said David Murrell, lobbyist for the Florida Police Benevolent Association.
The bill does not allow people to shoot intruders outside the home. "If someone was standing over you and you had a gun under your pillow, you could go ahead and shoot him, no questions asked," said Sen. Durell Peadon, the Crestview Republican who is sponsoring the bill. Lynn said police told her she should not keep a weapon near her bed. "They said, "No, you don't want to do that because you will be liable,' " she said.
Source
Virginia: Gun lobbyists to sue over ban at Capitol: "Gun rights lobbyists said yesterday that they will sue the state for its ban on weapons at the state Capitol. 'They've given us no choice, we're preparing to file a lawsuit,' said Philip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League. The new ban, implemented last year by a handful of powerful lawmakers without a public hearing, forbids anyone without a concealed-weapons permit to openly carry weapons into the Capitol or the General Assembly building nearby."
More than a decade has passed since Sen. Jim King woke up to find a man pointing a gun at his head. It's been 15 years since Sen. Evelyn Lynn woke up - twice - to find intruders in her home. But both remember the events as if they were yesterday, prompting both to vote Wednesday for a bill expanding the rights of Floridians to use deadly force when threatened in their homes and cars. The bill (SB436) passed the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice unanimously. It must pass one more committee before heading to the full Senate. An identical bill is working its way through the House.
Under current law, homeowners cannot use deadly force unless they believe an intruder intends to kill them or a loved one, or severely harm them. Although criminal case law tends to favor homeowners, anyone who kills an intruder can be arrested. Under the bill, anyone who breaks into an occupied house or car would be presumed to have deadly intent. Victims would no longer have to determine the intruder's intent. "You can't expect a victim to wait and ask, "Excuse me, Mr. Criminal, are you going to rape me and kill me, or are you just going to beat me up and steal my television?' " said Marion Hammer, lobbyist for the National Rifle Association.
The bill has law enforcement support because it does not allow homeowners to shoot law officers who legally break into homes, such as when they believe someone is in harm or evidence is being destroyed. "I think if you talked to the average Joe or Jane Citizen they would say, "There ought to be a law.' This is your chance to make a law," said David Murrell, lobbyist for the Florida Police Benevolent Association.
The bill does not allow people to shoot intruders outside the home. "If someone was standing over you and you had a gun under your pillow, you could go ahead and shoot him, no questions asked," said Sen. Durell Peadon, the Crestview Republican who is sponsoring the bill. Lynn said police told her she should not keep a weapon near her bed. "They said, "No, you don't want to do that because you will be liable,' " she said.
Source
Virginia: Gun lobbyists to sue over ban at Capitol: "Gun rights lobbyists said yesterday that they will sue the state for its ban on weapons at the state Capitol. 'They've given us no choice, we're preparing to file a lawsuit,' said Philip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League. The new ban, implemented last year by a handful of powerful lawmakers without a public hearing, forbids anyone without a concealed-weapons permit to openly carry weapons into the Capitol or the General Assembly building nearby."
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
AN OBJECTIVE STUDY OF GUN-OWNERS AT LAST
If there�s a gun in a scene, an old writer�s adage says, it had better go off. As that bit of advice suggests, there are few symbols more powerful than guns. They can represent liberation from oppression or serve as a weighty physical reminder of a lurking existential threat. No matter the association, the powerful emotional responses that guns elicit are largely responsible for the stagnant and vitriolic nature of the current gun control debate.
In Shooters, anthropologist Abigail Kohn argues that both sides of the debate have become so alienated from one another that they effectively form subcultures, and she studies them accordingly. Kohn calls Shooters an ethnography, an anthropological study conducted from within a culture to gain the �natives� point of view.� Rather than studying gun enthusiasts though literature and statistics, or from behind a duck blind to ensure �objectivity,� Kohn spent time with enthusiasts, interviewing them, taking classes with them, and shooting with them.
Her research methods appear to be scrupulous. She confined her survey to a particular area (the San Francisco Bay area) rather than glossing the gun culture as a whole. She published her standard questionnaire as an appendix to the book, and the citations she offers to support her claims seem to come from both sides of the gun control debate. The result is a fascinating look into the world(s) of gun enthusiasm that puts real, human faces on a gun debate dominated by antiseptic statistics and abstract principles. After reading Shooters, you�ll wonder why no one has done such a study before.
The omission may stem from the typical attitude toward guns among academics, which Kohn addresses in her preface. From �public health� articles proposing gun control as a cure for the �epidemic� of gun violence to highly regarded sociologists who argue that gun research should be informed by �moral principles� rather than hard facts, she confesses her surprise at the ill-informed and often tendentious research conducted by academics. Kohn�s own research for Shooters, some of which appeared in this magazine (�Their Aim Is True,� May 2001), elicited predictable responses. One colleague said she was performing a �social service by researching �such disgusting people.�� Another said that unless Kohn acknowledged the �inherent pathology� of gun enthusiasm, she was disrespecting victims of gun violence.
The characters that emerge from Kohn�s interviews and observations are far more complex and interesting than the �gun nut� stereotypes that such comments suggest. The shooters in Shooters are diverse, including doctors, lawyers, artists, and men and women of various ages and races. Even their political persuasions are not as predictable as you might expect. While most of the people in Kohn�s book describe themselves as conservative, a few are politically liberal and say they regularly vote Democrat.
More (much more) here
If there�s a gun in a scene, an old writer�s adage says, it had better go off. As that bit of advice suggests, there are few symbols more powerful than guns. They can represent liberation from oppression or serve as a weighty physical reminder of a lurking existential threat. No matter the association, the powerful emotional responses that guns elicit are largely responsible for the stagnant and vitriolic nature of the current gun control debate.
In Shooters, anthropologist Abigail Kohn argues that both sides of the debate have become so alienated from one another that they effectively form subcultures, and she studies them accordingly. Kohn calls Shooters an ethnography, an anthropological study conducted from within a culture to gain the �natives� point of view.� Rather than studying gun enthusiasts though literature and statistics, or from behind a duck blind to ensure �objectivity,� Kohn spent time with enthusiasts, interviewing them, taking classes with them, and shooting with them.
Her research methods appear to be scrupulous. She confined her survey to a particular area (the San Francisco Bay area) rather than glossing the gun culture as a whole. She published her standard questionnaire as an appendix to the book, and the citations she offers to support her claims seem to come from both sides of the gun control debate. The result is a fascinating look into the world(s) of gun enthusiasm that puts real, human faces on a gun debate dominated by antiseptic statistics and abstract principles. After reading Shooters, you�ll wonder why no one has done such a study before.
The omission may stem from the typical attitude toward guns among academics, which Kohn addresses in her preface. From �public health� articles proposing gun control as a cure for the �epidemic� of gun violence to highly regarded sociologists who argue that gun research should be informed by �moral principles� rather than hard facts, she confesses her surprise at the ill-informed and often tendentious research conducted by academics. Kohn�s own research for Shooters, some of which appeared in this magazine (�Their Aim Is True,� May 2001), elicited predictable responses. One colleague said she was performing a �social service by researching �such disgusting people.�� Another said that unless Kohn acknowledged the �inherent pathology� of gun enthusiasm, she was disrespecting victims of gun violence.
The characters that emerge from Kohn�s interviews and observations are far more complex and interesting than the �gun nut� stereotypes that such comments suggest. The shooters in Shooters are diverse, including doctors, lawyers, artists, and men and women of various ages and races. Even their political persuasions are not as predictable as you might expect. While most of the people in Kohn�s book describe themselves as conservative, a few are politically liberal and say they regularly vote Democrat.
More (much more) here
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
GEORGIA: GUNS IN RESTAURANTS?
A bill recently proposed in the Georgia Legislature will allow people with permits to carry their gun into restaurants. The bill hasn�t moved too far at the Capitol yet, but it has started a lot of table talk. In nearly half a century, Manuel's Tavern has seen many political arguments, but managers and regulars said it never gets to the point where they would feel safer with guns in the place. �If there was a problem, you could always call the police to come out and, you know, handle things for you,� said Marilyn Huggins, a restaurant regular. �Just pointing and aiming a gun doesn't mean that you are capable of making rational decisions in an environment such as a pub or a restaurant,� added Curtis Echols, another regular.
But even some uncommitted lawmakers said armed criminals could hurt or kill a lot of diners, unless those diners could arm themselves. �Why do we want to discriminate against those who simply want the right to protect their own family?� said Republican Rep. Jan Jones of Alpharetta. The bill's supporters say a lot of patrons also need protection once they leave the restaurant. Without a weapon, they argue, customers cannot defend themselves from an attacker on the street.
The bill would let customers carry a gun into a restaurant that serves alcohol, but weapons would still be banned at bars that make more money from alcohol than from food.
Source
Armed homes are safe homes : "Recently, three young criminals in Omaha were looking for a home to rob. Their criteria included an interesting condition. Pointing to a particular target, a townhouse in the northwest part of town, one person told them, 'That house has no guns.' And since Nebraska has no concealed carry law, they could be fairly certain that none of the residents would have one on their person, either. Shortly before noon last November 11, the three punks (all of whom did have guns, of course) broke into the townhouse, demanded money and order[ed] residents to the floor. During a struggle in the hallway, all three intruders fired their guns, killing Trevor Lee, a 23-year-old aspiring stock market analyst."
A bill recently proposed in the Georgia Legislature will allow people with permits to carry their gun into restaurants. The bill hasn�t moved too far at the Capitol yet, but it has started a lot of table talk. In nearly half a century, Manuel's Tavern has seen many political arguments, but managers and regulars said it never gets to the point where they would feel safer with guns in the place. �If there was a problem, you could always call the police to come out and, you know, handle things for you,� said Marilyn Huggins, a restaurant regular. �Just pointing and aiming a gun doesn't mean that you are capable of making rational decisions in an environment such as a pub or a restaurant,� added Curtis Echols, another regular.
But even some uncommitted lawmakers said armed criminals could hurt or kill a lot of diners, unless those diners could arm themselves. �Why do we want to discriminate against those who simply want the right to protect their own family?� said Republican Rep. Jan Jones of Alpharetta. The bill's supporters say a lot of patrons also need protection once they leave the restaurant. Without a weapon, they argue, customers cannot defend themselves from an attacker on the street.
The bill would let customers carry a gun into a restaurant that serves alcohol, but weapons would still be banned at bars that make more money from alcohol than from food.
Source
Armed homes are safe homes : "Recently, three young criminals in Omaha were looking for a home to rob. Their criteria included an interesting condition. Pointing to a particular target, a townhouse in the northwest part of town, one person told them, 'That house has no guns.' And since Nebraska has no concealed carry law, they could be fairly certain that none of the residents would have one on their person, either. Shortly before noon last November 11, the three punks (all of whom did have guns, of course) broke into the townhouse, demanded money and order[ed] residents to the floor. During a struggle in the hallway, all three intruders fired their guns, killing Trevor Lee, a 23-year-old aspiring stock market analyst."
Monday, February 14, 2005
Illinois: Homeowner kills one intruder, injures another: "A would-be burglar is dead and another is hospitalized tonight after the homeowner fought back. It happened Friday night around 10:30 during an attempted home invasion in Genoa on the 700 block of John Court. Genoa police say two men forced their way into the home and pulled a gun on the homeowner. The homeowner wrestled the gun away from the burglars and shot both men. One suspect died at the scene. The other was found at a nearby McDonald's with a gunshot wound to the suspect. Police say the homeowner won't likely face charges for the shooting."
Michigan: Elderly homeowner had enough of robber: "The robber showed up at the victims' house about 7 p.m. Friday asking to use their phone, said Sheriff's Detective Lt. Mark McClellan. The victims, who are in their 60s, allowed the man to use their cordless phone outside. The culprit then asked to use the couple's bathroom, McClellan said. While in the bathroom, deputies said, the man took the couple's prescription medication out of a medicine cabinet. The same man returned to the victims' home on West Rock about 12:40 p.m. Saturday, again asking to use the phone, McClellan said. When the couple refused, the robber shoved them back into the house and went in. While the intruder searched the victims' bathroom and bedroom, the male resident got his pistol and ordered the man to leave, the lieutenant said. A scuffle ensued and the robber ran off, but not before the homeowner fired a shot at him."
Michigan: Elderly homeowner had enough of robber: "The robber showed up at the victims' house about 7 p.m. Friday asking to use their phone, said Sheriff's Detective Lt. Mark McClellan. The victims, who are in their 60s, allowed the man to use their cordless phone outside. The culprit then asked to use the couple's bathroom, McClellan said. While in the bathroom, deputies said, the man took the couple's prescription medication out of a medicine cabinet. The same man returned to the victims' home on West Rock about 12:40 p.m. Saturday, again asking to use the phone, McClellan said. When the couple refused, the robber shoved them back into the house and went in. While the intruder searched the victims' bathroom and bedroom, the male resident got his pistol and ordered the man to leave, the lieutenant said. A scuffle ensued and the robber ran off, but not before the homeowner fired a shot at him."
Sunday, February 13, 2005
"KNIFE CONTROL" ANYONE!?
Post lifted from Astute Blogger
From the BBC - in the heart of TOTALLY GUN-CONTROLLED UK:
(these are BBC HEADLINES ONLY for the last month)
An armed citizenry is a bulwark against thuggery.
As the song asks: "When will they ever learn when will they ever learn?"
And check what T.A.T. editor Thomas Lifson has to say about gun control.
FLASH!!!! UPDATE!!!!! THIS JUST IN: FOXNEWS reports that there's been another stabbing in London - at a stampede near a midnight grand opening for a new IKEA! FOX: "The stabbing victim, a man in his 20s, was attacked at around 1:30 a.m. near the IKEA store, a spokeswoman for London's Metropolitan Police said, adding that his condition did not appear life-threatening."
Post lifted from Astute Blogger
From the BBC - in the heart of TOTALLY GUN-CONTROLLED UK:
(these are BBC HEADLINES ONLY for the last month)
1 Knifeman grabs money in robbery - A robber wielding a knife threatens shop staff and grabs money from the till.
2 A man who murdered his partner in front of her two daughters has been jailed for life at Cardiff Crown Court. Paul Viner, 45, stabbed Donna Brough, 39, to death with a sheath knife at her home in Tylorstown, Rhondda, after she returned home late from a night out.
3 Fresh efforts to cut knife crime - Proposals aimed at helping Scottish police reduce knife crime are setout by ministers at Holyrood.
4 Men held after house knife raid - Police in Grimsby arrest two men in connection with an raid at a house in Nunsthorpe.
5 Knife held to customer's throat - A man holds a knife to a customer's throat during a robbery at a Tyneside petrol station.
6 Armed robbery at service station - Police hunt two men who robbed a petrol service station armed with a handgun and knife.
7 Armed robber holds up nightclub - A hooded robber armed with a knife holds up a nightclub in Derby.
8 Man has knife held to his throat - Two men hold a knife to a man's throat during an assault in a street in Cumbria.
9 Knife-crime battle is stepped up - Police patrols aim to crack down on knife crime in a north London borough.10 Diamond robber photofit released - Police release an image of a suspected jewellery robber who threatened a couple with a knife.
11 Man with knife robs betting shop - Police are hunting a man armed with a knife who robbed a betting shop in County Durham.
12 Men's sex attack on woman in car - A woman was sexually assaulted by two men carrying a knife who got into her car in central London.
13 Knife gang assaults man in park - A man is punched and threatened by a gang of four as he walks home through a Northampton park.
14 Man still in custody over knifing - Police continue to question a 24-year-old Grimsby man over the stabbing of a New Year's Eve partygoer.
15 Knife attack on video shop staff - A member of staff at a video shop in Rushden is threatened with a knife during a robbery.
16 Man in court over knife rampage - A man appears in court charged with murder and five counts of attempted murder following knife attacks in London.
This PROVES that criminals will commit crimes with whatever weapon they can get their hands on - OFTEN GUNS, OFTEN KNIVES - and that GUN CONTROL does nothing to reduce violent crime, EXCEPT guarantee that potential victims - who are generally law-abiding citizens - will not have the means to defend themselves against vicious thugs.
Actually, GUN CRIME IS UP IN THE UK SINCE THEY ENACTED TOUGH ANTI-GUN LAWS. MORE FROM ALPHECCA, HERE.
An armed citizenry is a bulwark against thuggery.
As the song asks: "When will they ever learn when will they ever learn?"
And check what T.A.T. editor Thomas Lifson has to say about gun control.
FLASH!!!! UPDATE!!!!! THIS JUST IN: FOXNEWS reports that there's been another stabbing in London - at a stampede near a midnight grand opening for a new IKEA! FOX: "The stabbing victim, a man in his 20s, was attacked at around 1:30 a.m. near the IKEA store, a spokeswoman for London's Metropolitan Police said, adding that his condition did not appear life-threatening."
WELL,WELL... I guess the nanny-state Lefties will have to ban knives now - but remember: it's for our own good -- like the banning of our guns, and the banning of our right to smoke in public, and the bannng of hunting with packs of hounds.
After the knife ban goes into effect, I guess all the food in the UK will have to be PRE-CHEWED! Well, we'll just have to get used it: it's for our own good, after all - and THEY know better what's for our own good, DON'T THEY!?
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