Philadelphia is 26 on a list of top 35 freest cities. Las Vegas is the freest city in the ranking. But hey, at least Philadelphia beat New York in something that doesn’t involve negative social indicators.
Hat tip to Dr. Helen
Year: 2008
More on the Billboard Issue
Bitter offers up some more information about the Moms Against Guns Billboard fiasco.
I mentioned a client of Clear Channel Outdoor that threatened to put the rest of their planned campaign out to bid again unless pro-Second Amendment messages are posted in the area – with the same number and at the same cost (we don’t have it confirmed if production was also donated to MAG).
So far, the local affiliate they are working with is trying to work some sort of solution out. I’m sure it is complicated by the legal issue the Philadelphia office has now created for itself. I have not heard if they have returned their client’s calls or emails yet.
However, here’s the relevant fact. The client Clear Channel is at risk of losing is spending as much on his ad account in only a few markets as the entire nationwide company has slated for their PSA work, at least based on the numbers provided to me by Clear Channel. They could literally lose a client that would pay the equivalent of all of their donations in one year over this bad decision made through the internal biases of the Philadelphia office.
Money talks, so if you have a business, or can speak for a business, it would be useful to make your local Clear Channel Outdoors office understand this will mean they don’t get your business.
Wilmette Ends Handgun Ban
Last night, Wilmette, IL formally repealed its handgun ban rather than face lawsuits.
UPDATE: More here:
But admitted gun owner Joel Siegel said the National and Illinois State Rifle Associations were poised to file immediate suit if the repeal failed, and said any fight to save it would amount to “beating a dead horse.â€
He instead urged that Wilmette utilize NRA programs to train any child who wants gun training.
“Young people, when properly instructed, can be responsible and will not abuse a firearm,†he said.
Siegel, a retired teacher, said he came directly from a youth training session at a Kankakee firing range.
Joel Siegel, I wish there were a thousand more like you. Five people showed up to offer opinions, and only one of them was a speaking for the pro-gun side? Sometimes I think it’s a miracle our movement can accomplish anything. I hope we can get a better turnout when Wilmette discusses The Legal Community Against Gun Violence’s proposed replacement.
Election Volunteer Coordinators
One of the things you can do with NRA is being an Election Volunteer Coordinator, or EVC. If your district has no EVC, you should sign up. It won’t take an ungodly amount of your time, and it’s a tremendous help. The only way gun owners win is by winning elections; by working to defeat anti-gun politicians and replace them with pro-gun politicians. It’s the meat and potatoes of the game. Someone just signed up for the EVC slot in my (PA-08) congressional district.
I don’t know who that guy is, but I hear he has a really bitchin’ girlfriend, who has agreed to help him out with all the various EVC activities. Why did this highly creative and smart individual decide to become an EVC?
You see, Congressman Patrick Murphy signed onto McCarthy’s assault weapons ban, HR1022. That has consequences. One consequence is that this new tall and handsome EVC will make sure every gun owner in in Bucks County, and there are a lot of us, have heard that they have a Congressman who likes to cosponsor gun bans in his spare time.
We may not unseat Patrick Murphy this time around. We may not get him next time. But if he continues to support gun control, we will defeat him… and his little dog too!
Could we please …
… not make gun owners look like lunatics in the media for all to see?  You know what ends up happening when the majority of the people in this country who don’t own gun, and don’t care much about gun rights, start believing that gun owners are out to foment a civil war?  They start agreeing to take our guns away.
Some may want an armed revolution, but I don’t want to see it come to that. It is not inevitable or necessary at this point in time. I’d prefer to solve this problem politically, and guys like this aren’t helping. We’re winning right now, both politically, and the hearts and minds. Could we please not do stupid shit like this to fuck it up? Thank you.
Airport Insecurity
Looks like a Mississippi Democratic Congressman is making a move to make all airports gun free zones. Joe wonders how they’d enforce this. Same way they enforce other gun free zones: the people like you and me obey the law, leaving the criminals and terrorists to do what they will.
Remember, it’s safe to stay home in 2008! The anti-gun democrats won’t do anything to us when they have the White House and a filibuster proof majority in the Senate. They promise!
Gun Control Not Public Health
The New England Journal of Medicine keeps saying guns are a public health issue. But do medical professionals really feel that way?  This informal poll says a lot of them don’t:
The responses from physicians who are registered members of the site was remarkbly evenly divided. Just over half (52%) said Yes, that gun control is a public health issue.
But for readers as a whole, it was another story — with 83% of the 2,023 respondents saying No. And as a further measure of interest in gun control, there were 36 comments posted with the poll. Some posters weighed in more than once to further the conversation.
This is a health care related site, so most of the folks reading could be expected to be health care professionals.
Great Slogan For Your Shooting Team
Bad Idea
Looks like this company is trying to revive the Gyrojet. This is going to get people killed. It’s a stupendously bad idea to mix lethal and non-lethal capabilities in the same weapon. No one wants to be on the receiving end of “Ooops, I though I had it set to stun.” Let’s not even think about if the velocity is dependent on distance, what happens to someone behind your target.
Just because Star Trek came up with the idea, doesn’t mean it’s a good one.
Complain to Carrie McCarthy & Get Your Guns Seized
Authorities in Nassau County have seized the guns of a man who rubbed McCarthy’s office the wrong way:
An outspoken Long Island gun owner’s home was raided by Nassau County detectives, who seized two dozen weapons he lawfully owns just one day after Rep. Carolyn McCarthy’s office made a 911 call about him.
Freeport resident Gabriel Razzano claims he was targeted in the spring raid for his “unpopular” political beliefs.
He’s now filed a $5 million federal lawsuit against the Nassau PD and McCarthy, charging they joined forces to strip him of his guns unconstitutionally.
I mean, if he threatened her, or made threats, I would imagine they can charge him with something. If not, this he might have some grounds to his suits. Tom King, President of the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, is on Cam’s show right now saying this guy is outspoken, but not crazy, and definitely didn’t threaten anyone in McCarthy’s office.