So Zimmerman’s fiance says ten rounds is enough. Has this woman ever confronted 5 or 6 dedicated people wantin’ to “beat up a fag?” I have.
Tough question that deserves an answer. You can bet he won’t get one.
Category: Gun Rights
What Has Bryan Cryin: NRA U Comes to New Jersey
From what I’ve heard, NRA’s outreach program to college students, to get them involved in the shooting sports and rights protection has been a pretty wild success. Some aren’t pleased to see it coming to New Jersey:
“Their goal is to encourage gun sales any way they can,†Ceasefire NJ project director Bryan Miller said. “This is a recruitment drive for the NRA and a sales program for the gun companies.â€
No, Bryan, that’s not our goal at all. We’re here to tell you that your nightmare is true. We will hammer gun control on the relentless anvil of legislative strategy! We are going to beat gun control into submission!
This also is not about handing guns out to students. No one is seriously suggesting that, though from the hysterics of our opponents, you’d never know it. The goal is to make college campuses just like any other public place, people who have state permits are permitted if they so choose, to carry. This is about choice. College students are adults legally, and some small percentage of them are over 21 and have state-issued licenses to carry. Our opponents want to treat these adults like drunken, irresponsible children, and granted, some of them are. But so are some 30 year olds I’ve met. Because some people are irresponsible is not a reason to deny all people the right to bear arms and the right to self-protection.
Coalition to Stop Gun Violence noted yesterday that “When there is an alcohol-related tragedy on campus, you don’t hand out 12-packs.” Well, we don’t ban 12 packs, or prohibit drinking either. Despite the fact that alcohol consumption in college has high social costs, we reject the idea of blanket policy and punishment because of the irresponsibility of a few. Alcohol also has no potential to save your life. We can understand there are risk/reward tradeoffs with alcohol, and generally allow college kids of legal age to drink. Our opponents somehow fail to process the same equation when it comes to self-protection and firearms.
Gun Rights in the Budget Battle
The administration also thwarted a GOP attempt to block new rules governing the Internet, as well as a National Rifle Association-backed attempt to neuter a little-noticed initiative aimed at catching people running guns to Mexican drug lords by having regulators gather information on batch purchases of rifles and shotguns.
What they are speaking of here is the requirement to cut off funds from ATF for implementing a multiple-sale reporting requirement, or put another way, back door registration, for long guns. This is already prohibited by federal law, but by specifically denying funding, anyone spending money even talking about it would technically be committing a crime.
Three possibilities here. One is that the Administration is planning to implement the long gun reporting requirement, which is sure to initiate a lawsuit by NRA. They got this funding restriction nixed because it would foil their plans. Two is that the Administration wants to be seen as standing up to the NRA on something by the people he’s been trying to appease, in an area that’s likely to go unnoticed, but could be pointed out to supporters of gun control. The third possibility is that it was just traded away as part of the negotiations by anti-gun lawmakers who just didn’t like it.
If I had to put money on it, I’d say the second and third possibilities seem most likely. But I would not say the first is unlikely.
Suppressors Legal in Washington State
Good news. Given this has passed in a few other states, I think we may be able to officially declare this a movement. Of course, not that many states restrict suppressors. I now have hope that maybe we can get them unregulated federally. I can tell you that this would be a huge boon for suburban outdoor ranges which have noise problems.
Castle Doctrine Possibly Delayed
Since it’s passage is largely inevitable, we’re probably going to be delayed a bit why everyone tries to get their due credit for getting the legislation passed. I’m generally fine with this, as long as it gets done. Some of our friends in the legislature who have gone out on a limb for this bill shouldn’t feel shut out of the final passage.
Important Victory in Illinois
The Illinois Supreme Court has declared an out of state permit it equivalent to an FOID card for the purposes of Illinois gun laws. They invalidated the felony conviction of a man for having a pistol in the rear console of his vehicle. The case is here. Note that this isn’t allowing carry, just transport according to Illinois law, as if you had an FOID. I would imagine this could complicate a case brought by the Mountain State Legal Foundation, because there were some reports that she had an Ohio license to carry. If that’s the case, I’m not sure they will still have a case after this ruling.
They’ve Lost the Hippies
Didn’t they used to call Jerry Brown “Governor Moonbeam?” That must be why he’s telling the media he has three guns like it’s no big deal. Apparently this constitutes a “small arsenal,” to the LA Times. Congratulations Brady and CSGV folks, you’ve even lost the hippies. Polish your resumes up guys, I don’t think you’re in a line of business that’s going to have much luck to move forward.
Happy to Disappoint
Daley isn’t too pleased with the concealed carry bill:
“Do you want guns at your neighborhood festival or block party? Or in a park, like the one we’re here today? CTA buses or trains? Do you want students with concealed weapons walking around every college campus in the state?”
Why yes. Yes I do. Because I’m pro-choice.
UPDATE: Probably not going to happen now, but this bill does a little better every year.
SAF, NYSRPA, Files Suit Against New York City
This is what we’ve been waiting for, a direct attack on Bloomberg’s unconstitutional edifice. The metaphorical equivalent of this is the Doolittle raid. It shows we can attack him where he lives, and where he controls. It is also, as is the SAF/Gura modus operandi, a narrow question. I believe this is wise.
The New York Times is paying attention. This won’t be the last. My goal in all this is to be able to legally carry in the heart of Manhattan. Five years ago I would have said it was a pipe dream. Now I don’t think so.
Story of Gun Shop Records Being Seized by ATF
I’ve seen this rumor going around about ATF seizing the records of a shop that closed in PA. By law ATF is entitled to the records of an FFL that is going out of business. They typically scan the 4473s into a computer system and store them as images. While it’s quite possible ATF did something wrong here, this could very well be a rumor generated by someone who doesn’t get that when a shop closes, ATF is going to demand the records. This could very well be an embellishment on a story of a gun shop that just closed, or a case of someone forgetting to file their FFL renewal and finding out by ATF showing up and demanding he stop selling guns and turn the records over as the law requires.
If ATF did indeed misrepresent the law, and the owner capitulated without a fight without even contacting NRA, or someone else who could help with that kind of thing, there’s not much that can really be done after the fact, after the license has already been forfeited.