I don’t really get the objections to it either. The best arguments seem to be preserving a tradition that’s nearly as old as man. Seems to be that for most of man’s history we’ve also fed other human beings into live volcanos to appease some god or another, and held others as slaves. Tradition can be a poor reason to keep doing something.
Year: 2008
New Jersey Gun Ban Passes Committee
By a vote to 5 to 1, the sweeping gun ban has passed out of the New Jersey Assembly judiciary committee. For those of you interested, here’s a list of the guns that are banned under this bill. But oh no, they aren’t out to ban hunting guns. No sir! It’s meant to target criminals, not collectors and sportsmen. You know, like criminals who use the Brown Bess as their firearms of choice, and who use Thompson Center Deer Hunter. What’s even more disgusting is there’s politicians out there who buy this nonsense hook, like, and sinker. And even worse are the ones who know this is crap, but do it anyway, because, well, who gives a crap about the constitution, and sportsmen. Wake up New Jersey, you’re losing your liberty. It’s time to take action.
See the firearms below that will be banned if this is signed into law (Source is Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs):
Bradys Admit Defeat on the Second Amendment
See this CBS News article, and this gem of a quote:
“We’ve lost the battle on what the Second Amendment means,” campaign president Paul Helmke told ABC News. “Seventy-five percent of the public thinks it’s an individual right. Why are we arguing a theory anymore? We are concerned about what we can do practically.”
Yep. Of course, this is to be expected if Heller wins. They go on to say that a victory in Heller won’t really mean much, and could, in fact, mean that the NRA no longer can stoke the fears of gun owners that gun control will lead to confiscation. That’s not a poor analysis, but if the second amendment actually means something, I don’t see how that’s going to end with the Brady agenda remaining in tact.
While I have no doubt the federal judiciary will not interpret the second amendment as broadly as we would like, I don’t think the Brady Campaign will be entirely happy with the outcome either. Plus, if The Courts more or less settle the issue politically, gun control groups stand to lose a lot more than the NRA. The NRA will continue to exist even absent the political debate. Not that I actually believe the debate will ever be settled, but the gun control crowd will have to regroup, lower their goalposts, and see what ways the federal courts will allow them to agitate us.
Everything Nice Must Be Hot Lead
The gun fearing folks out there are going to be cleaning out their pants quite a lot this week. First we have a young lady who can field strip an AR-15 faster than most of us could, and now Breda finds another one who is an aspiring young practical shooter. A Glock is a lot of gun for a girl that size. I would have recommended a Walther PPK/S or some other single stack small frame automatic.
UPDATE: Apparently they are both the same girl.
Barack Obama: Holy Shit
That’s basically Uncle’s reaction. I don’t have much to add myself.
There’s No Freedom Too Precious …
Brady Campaign Blasted by ATF
When the BATF comes out and criticizes your report, and you’re a gun control advocacy group, it’s a pretty good indication you’re on the wrong side of the issue.
Possible Heller Ruling
The Supreme Court has announced something big for 10AM today. Monitor SCOTUS blog, who will be covering it live.
UPDATE: It’s unusual for The Court to announce on Thursday, so that’s what driving the spectulation this might be it.
UPDATE: So far no Heller. They’ve released a Habeus ruling on Guantanamo. Maybe that was the big deal that caused them to release this special.  Stay tuned.
UPDATE: Looks like the Guantanamo case is the big news for the day. The smart money was on the 23rd for the release. We will have to wait.
A Private Sale Primer
This is a pretty amusing rules of the road for responding to an ad for buying a firearm off someone where the transfer is arranged online1.
1) For any PSHers who run across this, this is not illegal, or a loophole, and all federal and state laws apply to the transaction. It’s illegal to ship a firearm via common carrier to anyone other than a federal firearms licensee, with limited exception. Handguns may not be transferred between residents of different states without going through a licensee, and all handgun transfers in Pennsylvania must go through a licensee or Sheriff.
Dickson City Incident Update
Four of the people involved in the incident in Dickson City have filed a lawsuit under 42 USC Section 1983 in US District Court. You can see the document filed here. Police departments in the Commonwealth need to start training their officers that open carry is a lawful practice except in a city of the first class (where you need a LTCF), and that a gun not having a record of sale is no evidence to seize it. Dickson City is about to be made an example of why this needs to happen forthwith.