Funny how other state legislatures seem to be able to define scratching off a serial number unambiguously, but Jersey can’t. They’ve been listening to the likes of Bryan Miller, who seems to have a goal to get more gun owners behind bars, for far too long.
There are times that gun rights supporters are prepared for the possibility of setbacks in a legislature, and that’s usually on Election Day. Unfortunately, New Jersey’s community has been hit twice since Election Day 2011 with losses that weren’t expected. Last night, Assembly Republican leader Alex DeCroce collapsed and passed away at the State House. The other loss was in November with the passing of Peter Biondi. Certainly, our thoughts are with the families of these two.
NRA PVF had both rated as A candidates in the last election, so this means that local Jersey gun owners will need to do what they can in any special elections to help us keep those seats in the hands of pro-gun folks.
On another note, it’s pretty appalling that the AP considers it noteworthy that Gov. Christie came back to the State House about an hour after the Assemblyman passed last night in loafers with no socks. They describe him as so upset that he broke down with other GOP leaders, having just lost a friend and mentor. Yet, they consider it important to note his lack of socks. Of all of the details to capture in the moment, this is what the Associated Press considers important.
In addition to a bear hunt, it looks like New Jersey is planning to cull the coyote population. Apparently one of them tried to make off with a baby. A lot of people seem to have a hard time understanding, without the ability to manufacture and use weapons, human beings are not apex predators, we’re prey. When other predators lose their fear of people, bad things are going to happen. The advice from the state is if you see a coyote, make sure it moves along. In most other areas, even in New York, as the article notes, it’s lawful to shoot them. It doesn’t take very long before the predators learn to steer clear of humans.
Roughly 7,000 hunters turned out [for NJ's bear hunt] this year, killing 469 bears. Last year, when the state also had a six-day hunt, 592 were shot.
The furry haul has unleashed a bull market for mounted bears, turning New Jersey’s taxidermists into unlikely job creators.
Mr. Clark brought on two extra seasonal workers to help process the trophies and is looking to hire a full-time taxidermist immediately. One of the workers, when not skinning mammals, makes a living as a cookie deliveryman. Bill and Ken’s Taxidermy in Morganville, N.J., also hired more help.
Apparently, the most important question a taxidermist will ask is whether the mouth should be left open or closed. I wouldn’t even know how to decide; there are just way too many cute mounts for black bears. I knew a guy who had three different bear mounts that all looked so different. And then there’s the choice of a rug.
Ultimately, the hunt is important for maintaining healthy population numbers. However, any help to the economy is surely appreciated, too.
From PAFOA, it would seem that they are enforcing New Jersey law over here in Pennsylvania. Some of our club members had an issue with Dicks in the same vein a while back, and they clarified this was not their policy. But it seems they are doing it again. Dicks is under no obligation to enforce New Jersey law outside of New Jersey. They are under obligation to obey federal law, but federal law only demands the person be 18 for “rifle or shotgun ammunition” and 21 for “handgun ammunition.” That might justify a license check, at most.
So the question them becomes why Dick’s is enforcing New Jersey law in Pennsylvania? The only thing I can figure is their corporate General Counsel is paranoid. But is his paranoia justified? This is New Jersey we’re talking about. Since Dick’s holds a license from the State of New Jersey for dealing in firearms and ammunition, I suspect the concern is that New Jersey authorities could dick with their license (no pun intended) if the powers that be become upset with their policies. It’s worth noting that dealer licenses in New Jersey are comparatively may-issue compared to other jurisdictions. A license can be revoked or denied if the State Police feel the dealer would “pose a danger to the public health, safety or welfare.”
But I’m not aware of any other big box retailers, like Wal-Mart being concerned enough to card New Jersey residents. But Wal-Mart wields a bigger stick than a smaller retailer like Dick’s. Has anyone else noticed this problem with retailers? I make a policy to buy ammo from sources that are known to support gun rights. Dick’s is not among them.
Camden Police Chief Scott Thomson signed off on two gun permits in July for a Camden city councilman with a criminal record that bars him from purchasing a firearm under state law, according to law enforcement sources and documents.
I should note this is probably just a permit to purchase, rather than to carry, which are issued by judges in New Jersey rather than police chiefs. Our opponents will tell us that New Jersey’s background check system is among the most thorough in the nation, but yet this still made its way through.
But our country’s weak gun laws allow traffickers and killers to stockpile guns in states with weaker laws and smuggle them into our communities. In New Jersey, strong laws make it so much harder for criminals to get firearms that guns flood in from states with weak gun laws at a rate seven times higher than the number of crime guns trafficked out of the state.
That’s funny, because in the country I live in this practice is a felony. So I would like to understand how our “weak guns laws” are allowing criminals to “stockpile guns” in states with “weaker laws.” In all 50 states, it’s a felony for criminals to have a single gun or round of ammunition, let alone stockpile them. I’m afraid the weak laws they are speaking of are laws which allow them to be sold at all. One reason firearms are trafficked into New Jersey is that New Jersey only has a relatively small number of FFLs compared to most other states. There are few legal channels in the Garden State, so criminals do what the law abiding can’t, go out of state.
