The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State …
It’s passed second reading by a vote of 164 to 137, a margin of 27 votes. As Dave Kopel points out, that means that 20 members of the other party have joined conservatives in voting this way.
This is very positive. Very positive. It’s one of the only other countries turning back gun control currently, and we’ve had a rough time on the international front.
Another good night for the Second Amendment, according to Dave Kopel. This is considering higher profile races, where we did indeed succeed. Bitter is currently researching, and will be posting later, how MAIG mayors faired in the elections. NRA did not get involved in mayoral races in Pennsylvania, but by now gun owners are aware, and while we got rid of a lot of MAIG mayors, not all of them we got rid of in head-to-head races. I will let Bitter give you the more informed view of our ongoing battle against MAIG.
One good thing about last night, Bloomberg paid something like $180 dollars for every vote he got, and he didn’t win by a huge margin. If Bloomberg has to keep dumping this kind of money into getting re-elected, we have to wonder how long it will be before he doesn’t have any money left over for MAIG!
Kevin got a reply back from the establishment that prohibited carry in Arizona, which basically revealed the proprietor isn’t the biggest fan of ordinary citizens carrying guns around. That’s making me wonder if there might be a technique that would be more effective for gun owners to try. I live six miles outside of a major city who’s culture and population are not too friendly to the idea either, but I’ve only ever into one place that’s got a sign. I think the reason establishments aren’t quick to post signs is twofold, one is that most of the guns walking around this area are out of sight, meaning businesses and proprietors aren’t really all that aware people are walking around with guns. Two is that they don’t want to risk the signal that their establishment is that kind of place. It’s to the latter that this idea is geared. Let me give you a hypothetical conversation or e-mail:
You: I notice the no guns sign outside. What kind of place is this? Do I have to be worried this is the kind of establishment people want to bring guns to?
Them: Oh no, it’s perfectly fine. There was a chance in state law, and we have to put that there to keep people with guns out.
You: It makes me uncomfortable that you think you have to put a sign up like that. What does it say about the kind of place? They don’t have a sign up at <pick your own competitor here>, maybe that’s a safer place.
Now they will likely try to explain it away, but they will wonder how many customers think the same thing and don’t say anything. Maybe I’m totally nuts here, but I’m suggesting that based on the fact that someone putting up a sign likely isn’t really likely to budge on the issue in terms of philosophy, unless a lot of gun owners complain. Probably not enough will to make a difference.
But if you can make the manager fear that the no guns sign is making customers wonder if their business is kind of a rough place, or that the sign is reflecting poorly on their business, they might rethink it. Obviously that’s not a prescription for every circumstance, but I have to wonder if that could work on some proprietors who aren’t going to be persuaded by pro-gun arguments.
Sixteen hundred names a day are added to the list, and no one has any idea how they end up on there or who they are. Yet MAIG, Brady, and other gun control groups, want to use this list to deny people their constitutional rights.
OTTAWA–Gun-control advocates say they are horrified and fearful that Canada’s long-gun firearms registry is on the verge this week of being scrapped because the Conservatives may have enough support from the opposition to kill it.
Ah, yes, we’re rolling back the anti-gun people even in Canada, to the horror of gun control advocates. What really makes them crap their pants?
“It not only eliminates the need to register rifles and shotguns but requires that the information contained on seven million registered guns be destroyed.”
The horror!
The Mayor of Aliquippa, PA, Anthony Battalini, wants to pass an illegal Lost and Stolen ordinance in his town. Mayor Battalini is also a member of MAIG.
Thirdpower looks at the crime numbers for Illinois, and it doesn’t look good for handgun prohibition being effective.
The libertarian in me says that a landlord is a property owner, and ought to have pretty much plenary control over his property. But landlord-tenant law has been part of the landscape in state law for some time, and it seems to me that this kind of policy is something that directly impacts the health and welfare of residents, much like having a fire extinguisher or a smoke detector. I would think this is something the Tennessee state legislature can fix with a simple law change.
Seattle recently passed illegal ordinances controlling guns in violation of state preemption,and the NRA is suing. This sounds oh so familiar. I happen to share Stefan Tahmassebi’s (Deputy General Counsel for NRA) opinion on this issue, as heard on Cam & Company:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ozBJHn9pzw[/youtube]
Stefan is a regular on Cam’s show with the weekly Civil Rights Roundup on Wednesdays.