AK:Hunters Killed Bear that Attacked one of their Party

The bear was known to the hunters, and had even been given a name.  It was shot when it advanced on their camp after the attack. The caribou had been shot by the hunting party that Mr. Tuttle was with.  More details will emerge, I am sure.   

 I wonder if he was armed when he was attacked.    From citytalk:

Mr Tuttle told Mr Bowerfind he was walking to the caribou carcass when the bear attacked him on Alaska's remote Brooks Range.

"The only thing he remembers is hearing a grunt and a grumble from the brush, and as he turned he said she was right on top of him," Mr Bowerfind recounted.

The bear batted at Mr Tuttle, then walked away only to charge again in a second attack that appeared to inflict most of the injuries, Mr Bowerfind said.

Fortunately, there was a medical professional at the camp who is credited with saving Mr. Tuttle's life. 

Dean Weingarten

MI:Armed Citizen Shoots Aggressive Bear that may have Attacked Abby Wetherell

An unknown citizen in Selma Township, Wexford County may be the hero that stopped near term bear attacks in Michigan this last week.

On Thursday,  Abby Wetherell was jogging in Haring Township when she spotted the bear.   It was about 9 p.m.   She started to run faster, but bears can run twice as fast as people can.  The bear easily ran her down and knocked her over.  Abby was able to get up and attempt an escape, but the bear knocked her down again and mauled her.

A neighbor heard Abby screaming and was able to scare off the bear.  No evidence of cubs was found at the scene.

This is typical predatory attack behavior for black bears. 

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) placed large bear live traps in the area.

Residents were told to report bear sightings.

On Saturday evening, a Selma Township resident who lives only two miles from where Abby was attacked, discovered a bear near dumpsters at his home.

The citizen must have been armed, because when he retreated toward his house, and the bear aggressively followed him, he shot it.

He reported the situation to the DNR.  Two officers showed up a little before midnight.

The bear must have been severely or mortally wounded, because the two officers were able to track the bear in the dark and finish it off at about 2:45 am.

Abby Wetherell underwent surgery and was released from the hospital on Sunday.

The bear will be tested for DNA to see if it matches hair found at the scene of the attack on Abby, and will be tested for rabies and other diseases.


 ©2013 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.

Update: The bear was chased off of Abby by both a neighbor and Abby's father, not just by the neighbor. 

Update2: Saw an interview of Abby on CNN.  The bear was not chased off by the neighbor and father, but left for a bit, and Abby was able to self-rescue by walking back toward her home.

TX:Armed Homeowner Defends Family Against Ax Man

An ax is a fearsome and effective contact weapon.  It is not surprising that the authorities have not arrested the homeowner.   They likely believe that this shooting will be found to be justified.  From The Courier, this brief excerpt:

Major crimes detectives and crime scene investigators learned that a disturbance involving the victim occurred at a nearby residence. He then drove his vehicle through the yard of another home making threats to the family. The man parked his vehicle in the street and retrieved an ax to confront the homeowner.

The homeowner armed himself with a gun and shot the victim, who was advancing into the yard.

 I would not call the ax weilder the victim.  He was the perpetrator.  The real victim is the homeowner, who will have to live with this justified shooting and the  notoriety that comes with it.   His solace will be that he did what he had to do to protect his family, including his small children who were with him at the time.

No one has found any evidence that the ax man and the victim knew each other or had a connection.

Dean Weingarten

MS:Man Shoots Stepson in Self-Defense

PEARL, Miss. (AP) — Pearl police say no charges are being filed in the case of a 62-year-old man who shot and killed his 40-year-old stepson.



A police news release said the Friday morning shooting appears to be a case of self-defense.

More Here

FL:Woman with .45 Shoots Man Beating Girlfriend

These domestic situations are often hard to decipher.  This one seems pretty clear.   It looks justified from the information given.

Officials say their preliminary information indicates that the man who was shot, showed up at his girlfriends apartment, forced his way in to her home and started a violent fight with her.  During the fight, a second woman, visiting her boyfriend next door, heard the door and windows breaking as well as screaming coming from the apartment.

That second woman armed herself with a 45 caliber handgun and saw the man beating his ex girlfriend with a metal object outside on the sidewalk. When she tried to intervene, the man attacked her, striking her in the face and she shot him.  Deputies later found him dead in the parking lot.

 More Here

Followup from the Tampa Bay Times Here

Four Orwellian Word Usages in "Gun Control"

 "Killed by a gun" places volition and responsibility on the gun

In  the novel 1984, Eric Blair, writing under the pseudonym George Orwell, wrote of how unscrupulous people redefine and misuse words and language to enhance political power.  Here are four examples of Orwellian misuse of language used to promote more restrictions on firearms ownership and usage.

1.  The first usage is very simple, very powerful, and extremely common.  It is simply to substitute "by" for the correct word "with" when describing the use of a firearm.   Here is a headline from Slate:  "How Many People Have Been Killed by Guns Since Newtown?"
 
Consider the absurdity of the question for a moment.  It is literally attributing volition to inanimate objects.  It is grammatically incorrect.  The correct use would be: "How Many People Have Been Killed with Guns Since Newtown.    This is a very important distinction.  By substitution of the word "by" for the correct word "with", the author removes human volition from the discussion, and frames the debate to be about guns rather than human actions. 

The superstitious idea that objects have volition has been rejected in most of Western Civilization for centuries, but this usage seems intent on resurrecting it.

2.  The second usage is the term "gun violence".  It is so commonly used I do not think an example is necessary.   It is Orwellian in two ways.  First is the false, and highly successful conflation of violence as evil.  Violence is neutral like gravity.  Violence can be used for good or evil, but this clear truth has been so eroded by the continued conflation of violence and evil that most people do not even see the switch that has been done.   

"Gun violence" separates and makes violence done with guns more evil  and more important than  violence done without guns.  It creates a false category to be exploited for political purposes.   It does not matter to a victim if they are killed with a bomb or poison or a machete or a gun.   They are still dead.  

If more legal restrictions on firearms increase overall unjustified violence, then it is counter productive rather than positive for a society, even under the limited world view of pragmatism.  The term "gun violence" eliminates that debate from the argument by limiting the discussion to actions accomplished with guns.   

The unstated assumption is that "gun violence" occurs in a vacuum, and that any reduction in "gun violence" automatically results in a reduction of all violence, which is one of the main points of contention in the debate.   As stated above, the entire idea that violence is always evil is another unstated assumption.

3.  The  third usage is of the term "buy back" for gun turn in events where guns are turned in for money or some other valuable item.   There can be no "buy back" of something that the entity doing the "buy back" never owned before.    Yet, the term is almost universally used for these events.    The terminology creates the assumption that all guns are owned by the government, and only allowed to be possessed by individuals at the sufferance of the state.

4.  The fourth usage is of the term "recovery" in the context of guns that are confiscated, impounded, or seized by the government.  Here is a recent example from  abcnews:  "Officials Recover 67 Guns at Ga. Airport in 2013".  

No guns were actually recovered that I could tell.  67 guns were confiscated, seized, or impounded.  If the guns had been stolen, they could be recovered.  But they had not been stolen.  They allegedly had been placed in baggage or carried  in a way that violated a regulation or law.  

Again, the implication is that guns are all owned by the government, so when the government confiscates, seizes, or impounds guns, they are "recovering" them.

The gun control debate is full of Orwellian word usages.  The four above are some of the more common.   Control of the language is a powerful means of manipulating people, because many casual readers will not recognize how they are being deceived.

 ©2013 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
  

AR: Open-Carry March to Celebrate Second Amendment Rights

Open carry at an IRS abuse protest in Arizona

Steve Jones, a prominent Second Amendment writer and activist has organized an open carry march to celebrate the change in Arkansas law that goes into effect on August 16th.  The march is scheduled for 24 August.  From 5Newsonline:

The “celebration walk” is set to begin at 9 a.m. in Ben Geren Park. Twelve people have been invited to participate, Jones said, since a larger number would have required a permit.

Jones said the participants will begin in the park with their handguns concealed, but then will openly carry the firearms once the group reaches the street. He said the participants will walk about a mile, then turn around and return to the park. The group has received approval from law enforcement authorities to conduct the event, Jones said.]

Jones said the walk also is designed to show support for the belief among gun-rights advocates that a state law passed this year, Act 746, allows for handguns to be carried openly. The law takes effect Friday (Aug. 16).

Attorney General Dustin McDaniel issued an opinion last month stating the act does not allow Arkansans to carry handguns openly.

AG McDaniel's opinion is just an opinion, though it carries more weight than an ordinary persons.   Steve Jones does a fair job in dissecting the opinion.

It is clear that McDaniel is hostile to the idea of open carry.  He completely discounts the most important reform in the law.

The previous law made it illegal to carry a weapon for the purpose of using it against another person.  It did not matter if the use was legitimate or not.  The reform of the law fixed that by making it illegal to carry a weapon with the intent of using it unlawfully.  

 Arkansas is a Second Amendment friendly state, and I think it unlikely that the legislators will see fit to change the law back to the position it was before.

Still, strange things can happen in a state that elected and reelected Bill Clinton.

 ©2013 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.

NY:Armed Citizen in Gunfight with two Armed Robbers, both Robbers Shot and in Custody

BUFFALO,NY (WIVB) - Buffalo Police say two men trying to rob a man in the 600 block of Minnesota Avenue were shot Sunday evening.

(snip)


Authorities say the pair stole a gold chain and cash from Hunt before he opened fire. Hunt has a permit for his weapon and police say they believe both suspects were armed with handguns when they robbed him.

More Here

TX:Open Carry of Rifle in Huntsville, no Problem

HUNTSVILLE, Texas -- Terry Holcomb Sr. is a pastor in San Jacinto County, but he is also a staunch advocate of the 2nd Amendment who is now taking his rifle on walks through Huntsville to get people talking about gun laws in Texas.

In videos he posted on YouTube, Holcomb is shown walking into Double Dave’s Pizza, Starbucks, Jack in the Box and Walmart in Huntsville. He carries his AR-15 Bushmaster .223 slung over his shoulder, behind his back with the barrel pointed down. He said the magazine was loaded, the chamber was empty and the safety was on.

Holcomb said customers and business owners didn’t complain until he got to Walmart. Within minutes a manager asked him to leave. Holcomb didn’t argue and walked out of the store as requested.

(snip)

“We don’t want to carry our long guns,” he said. We would prefer open carry our handguns. But since this is the option they give us this is what we do and we’ll continue to do it until they remove that restriction.”

 More Here

WA:Spokane Schools arm Some Staff

Eight months after National Rifle Association chief Wayne LaPierre was excoriated in the media for proposing armed security officers in public schools as a response to the Sandy Hook shooting, the Spokane Spokesman-Review revealed Wednesday that schools in that city could have armed staff by January.

The newspaper said 13 district employees who are already commissioned peace officers, could be on patrol in the schools, carrying sidearms. According to the story, armed school “resource officers” is one of several proposals okayed by the school district following the Newtown massacre.

But does this announcement suggest an exercise in hypocrisy is underway regarding LaPierre, the NRA’s executive vice president, and the idea that was ridiculed almost universally by liberal media pundits and gun

prohibitionists?More at Seattle Gun Rights Examiner

TX:Burglar Steals Gun, Returns, is Shot by Homeowner

The homeowner was clearly shaken up about what happened. His wife says he returned to find their home burglarized -- an iPad, game system and gun stolen. As they were waiting for officers to respond, she says the crook came back and her husband opened fire.

"I always keep one on me. He stole my wife's gun," the homeowner said.

(snip)


He fired off multiple shots. The suspect, wounded, escaped to the apartment complex behind his house, where Houston police found him. He was rushed to Memorial Hermann Hospital as the wife's father, Danny Burkett, arrived.

 More Here

WI:Polka Bar Owner vs 3 Armed Robbers, 1 Robber Killed

The owner of a landmark Milwaukee polka bar said the business will be open Friday night, following a Thursday night shooting that killed a would-be robber.

Andy Kochanski, who owns Kochanski's Concertina Beer Hall at 1920 S. 37th St. on the city's south side, told reporters Friday that three armed men tried to rob the establishment while he and two customers were inside. He fired at the robbers, killing one of them.

more here

TX:Homeowner Fights for Gun, Shoots Intruder

Eiler confronted the man who was wearing a white mask. The man pointed a handgun at him, ordered him to the floor and demanded his money, car keys and jewelry.

Eiler told the man his wallet and keys were in his bedroom, and they went to the room where Eiler's wife and son were. Holcomb demanded his jewelry, which Eiler said he didn’t have, and Holcombe became angry.

Eiler defended himself and they struggled over the gun, which fired twice.
The struggle continued until Eiler gained possession of the gun, and it went off two more times.

More Here this is from March 19, 2013

DBD satire comic

DBD cartoon source First Amendment Protected

Oregon Supreme Court Concludes that There is a Right to Carry Outside the Home

So states State v. Christian (Ore. Aug. 15, 2013):

[W]e conclude in the first instance that the ordinance [limited carrying] does, to some extent, burden protected conduct falling within the scope of the Second Amendment’s guarantee. [Footnote: ... Although Heller did not define the scope of the right to self-defense outside the home, we read the opinion as recognizing a right to self-defense outside the home to a degree yet to be determined by the Court....]

But the court concluded that the ordinance at issue doesn’t restrict the right too much, partly because Oregon is a shall-issue state and people remain free to carry if they get a concealed carry license. (The court also rejected the lower court’s odd interpretation of the Portland ordinance, which I noted last year.) I think the court was right to interpret Heller as securing some right to carry outside the home, though recent lower court decisions have mostly (though not entirely) rejected such a right.

Source: The Volokh Conspiracy

Georgia Recognizes Kansas Concealed Carry License

Yesterday, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt announced that Georgia will recognize a Kansas concealed carry license (CCL).  This recognition will allow Kansas residents who have obtained a CCL to carry a concealed firearm for self-defense while traveling through or visiting the Peach State.

 Kansas already recognizes all valid out-of-state concealed carry permits through the enactment of Senate Bill 21 earlier this year.  However, this announcement marks the 33^rd state to recognize a Kansas CCL.  Permit holders must comply with the laws that apply in every state they are traveling.

For a complete list of states that recognize the Kansas CCL, please visit www.ag.ks.gov.

 Source: NRA-ILA

WV:Car Burglars Held by Armed Citizen

A neighbor saw the men trying to break into some cars and held them at gunpoint until police arrived.

Police arrested Jacob Eye and Shane Hinzman on multiple charges, including transferring and receiving stolen property.

More Here

WV:Armed Homeowner Detains Burglar

He confronted her, deputies said, but she responded that she "couldn't go to jail" and that she "needed help." She tried to run out the back door, but the homeowner and two others in the home detained her at gunpoint until police arrived.

More Here

FL:Cheap Gun Opportunity 3 Turn in (buyback) events in Brevard County on 22 August, 2013

Long Guns Recently Turned In at Phoenix event in May, 2013

There will be three gun turn in events on 22 August, 2013 in Brevard County, Florida. While these events are commonly labeled with the propaganda term "buyback" the guns were never owned by the people attempting to buy them.

One location for the event will be in Palm Bay at Space Coast Harley, 1440 Sportsman Lane.  The second event location will be in Cocoa at the east side of the parking lot of Byrd Plaza, 801 Dixon Blvd.  The third location will be  in Titusville at the Sears Town Mall parking lot on the east side, 3550 S. Washington Ave.

Odd hours have been chosen for these events, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.  As this event is being paid for from a source of questionable legality, forfeiture money, this may offer a way to turn some forfeiture funds into overtime for police.

Another interesting limitation is that they will only allow two gift cards per vehicle.  People often bring several firearms in one vehicle.

These events offer Second Amendment activists the potential for picking up some firearms for reasonable prices.  The gift cards offered for firearms are only valued at $50.  Any working firearm is worth more than that.    The event organizers are following "Phoenix rules" in that they are requireing the firearms to be unloaded and in a vehicle in order to be turned in.  This presents some problems for those who wish to offer cash for firearms.  You can go to the Phoenix turn in event link to see how people handled it there.

People are supposed to be able to turn in firearms "no questions asked".   Police usually check firearms to determine if they are stolen, but no statement to that effect has  been found for this event. 

These communities have a history of collecting a fair number of guns.  Palm Bay collected 133 last year, and Cocoa 230.  This will be the first year for Titusville to participate.

Across the country, communities, police departments and churches are sponsoring gun turn-ins to get "guns off the street". At many of these events, private buyers are showing up, offering cash for the more valuable guns. These private additions to the public turn-in are effective, no doubt, in getting more guns off the street, because they add to the resources that are available to those who want to get rid of guns for something of value, be it a grocery card or a number of twenty dollar bills.

You can help make the turn-in in your area more effective by standing on the curb with your "Cash for Guns" sign, or at a folding table, willing to offer more than the gift card for firearms that are more valuable. It would be best if numerous private parties were available, as more good guns could then be transferred into responsible hands.

This action serves many useful purposes. It stretches the turn-in budget so that more guns can be taken off the street. It helps keep fearful widows from being defrauded of most of the market value of the gun they are turning in. It prevents valuable assets from being destroyed by bureaucratic inflexibility. It is a win-win-win situation.

It also dispels the pernicious message that guns are bad and should be destroyed.

Private sales are legal in Florida. Open carry of firearms is generally not legal, but it appears that brief displays of a firearm are accepted, if the display is not in a threatening manner.

Link to article with numerous examples of private sales at gun turn in events
 
Link to most recent article about private buyers at Detroit event

Link to Phoenix Article: pictures of private buyers

©2013 by Dean Weingarten Permission to share granted as long as this notice is included.

CA:Homeowner with Pistol, Invader with Rifle, both Injured

A homeowner, 56, was injured after exchanging gunfire with an intruder, 23, on Wednesday night in Oakland.

(snip)

 During a brief but jarring bout of gunplay, the victim took a shot to the shoulder, while the suspect got hit in the torso. Both as expected to recover from their wounds.

 More Here