Year: 2008

Breaking Down Stereotypes

Tom King relays something said to him by a police officer in Pittsburgh during the 2004 Annual Meeting:

No, thank you and all the NRA members who came to our city. this was the largest, most peaceful, the cleanest family oriented and financially successful convention held in this city. There have been no fights, no litter, no drunkenness and the restaurants/stores are all saying you guys spend money. This city needs that! The sad part is that our Police Chief had all our SWAT Teams on alert because he predicted it would be like ‘old Dodge City’ with you drunken gun owners shooting up the city. On behalf of my brother officers and the city of Pittsburgh thank you and please come back; you guys are the best.

That would probably make Jadegold, and other like him, cry.  Read the whole thing.  Of course, a bunch of rowdy gun bloggers will be descending on the Annual Meeting this year, so you never know what’s going to happen!

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Ed Rendell, Nutter Demand New Assault Weapons Ban

Ed Rendell shows his true colors, in case Pennsylvanians ever had any doubts.

“Get these weapons off the street.  Get those large-capacity magazines off the street.  As the mayor said, the only people who should have weapons like this is the police and the military.  We should outgun the criminals, not vice versa.”

Not to be outdone, Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey so eloquently stated:

Police commissioner Charles Ramsey became incensed at the news conference when a reporter asked if, in fact, the weapon that killed Sgt. Liczbinski might not be covered by an assault weapon ban:

“Let me just say this — if it’s not an assault weapon by definition, then add it to the frickin’ list.  Add it to the frickin’ list!  We don’t need it.”

The problem is, the SKS is not an assault rifle.  It never was an assault rifle.  It’s never been banned, and there’s no reason to put it on any “list”.  I am so sick of the bullshit that spews out of that city on a daily basis, and I’m glad, at least, in this instance someone in the media asked a difficult question of Commissioner Ramsey.  Now if only they would do more of that.

In response to this call, gun hating Congressman Joe Sleetsak Sestak has signed on as a cosponsor to HR1022.  Sestak defeated Republican Congressman Curt Weldon last fall, and represents the town I grew up in.  Here’s hoping the folks back home give this asshole the boot.

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Charged For Not Having a Gun?

This bit from Call me Ahab is rather curious:

No guns were recovered from Boyar’s dormitory room, but Guimond says officers found evidence that weapons had been in the room.

What is evidence that guns had been in the room?  Do they leave footprints?

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Packin’ in Louisville

Normally, NRA conventions are in convention facilities that prohibit firearms, but not this year.

One of Louisville’s biggest conventions, the National Rifle Association, begins Friday May 16th with most events at the fairgrounds.  The NRA is advising its members to feel free to bring along their own firearms if they are so inclined.  And apparently even to a speech by the republican presidential candidate John McCain.

So McCain called off the Secret Service.  He is either a man of great faith in NRA members and lawful gun owners, or a man of great faith in kevlar. But seriously, if McCain is trying to woo gun owners, he’s making all the right moves so far.

UPDATE: Argh!  Might be a reporter error.  I’m awaiting further clarification.

UPDATE: It was a reporter mess up.  You can carry at the convention center, but it’s unknown as to McCain’s security plans.  My advice is to expect security at the event.

UPDATE: Dave Hardy advises caution about carrying at the convention.

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How Many Must Die?

Before the gun lobby pays attention, asks Jill Porter of the Philadelphia Daily News.  Well, how many indeed?  But we are paying attention, but here’s what we see.  Let’s take a look at Eric Floyd, one of the scumbags who gunned down Sergeant Liczbinski:

The man wanted in the fatal shooting of a Philadelphia policeman failed to show up at a prison halfway house in Erie a year before he walked away from the ADAPPT Treatment Services facility in Reading, state officials said Monday.

Eric D. Floyd, 33, of Philadelphia, who is wanted in the Saturday shooting death of Sgt. Stephen Liczbinski in North Philadelphia. also has a criminal record that goes back at least 14 years, according to court records.

Floyd was charged in a robbery in Philadelphia in 1994, then convicted the next year. He spent four years in state prison for the crime.

In 2001 he was charged with a robbery in Lancaster, then convicted of the crime the next year.

Two convictions for armed robbery, and let they him out after a few years.  He quickly disappeared from the halfway house.  So how many indeed Ms. Porter, before we stop blaming the NRA, blaming the guns, and start locking these predators up in prison for a very long time?  Armed robbery isn’t stealing a car, it’s a serious, violent crime.  Who thought that after his first conviction, he should be let out of prison?  How crazy  do you have to be to think letting him out early a second time is a good idea?

The criminal who actually shot Sergeant Liczbinski, Howard Cain, also had a history of armed robbery, but he’s currently taking a dirt nap courtesy of Philadelphia’s finest.  His rap sheet?  Four counts of robbery, carrying firearms without a license, and criminal conspiracy.  What was he doing on the streets?  Especially when he got 10 years in prison for each armed robbery count.

The third suspect, Levon Warner, who the Philadelphia police have in custody, also had previously been convicted of armed robbery, and was sentences to 7 to 15 years.  That was in 1997.  I guess he didn’t end up doing the 15.

Howard Cain, Levon Warner, and Eric Floyd.  These are the people who are responsible for Seargent Liczbinski’s murder.  Making excuses for them by blaming the gun, blaming the NRA, or blaming the law, diverts responsibility for their actions, and cheapens the justifiable outrage over their crimes.  It also takes the pressure off of politicians and judges for not doing everything they can to ensure that criminals like this stay behind bars where they belong.  It should not take the death of a police officer to realize that dangerous men need to be seperated for society, for everyone’s sake.

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Quote of the Day

Jacob Sullum of Reason:

Speaking of which, shouldn’t the constitutionality of D.C.’s gun ban hinge on the Constitution, as opposed to the suicide rate in Montana? By cautioning against “blind allegiance to the Second Amendment,” the VPC essentially concedes that D.C.-style gun control is unconstitutional, while arguing that it should be upheld anyway.

If they just go by the constitution, they lose.

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