This shotgun looks like a Turkish manufacturers’ answer to the Kel-Tec KSG. Like the KSG, it has a three-position selector to choose between the right magazine, left magazine, but a big and nifty difference, I think, is the fact that the middle position on the UTS-15 causes the firearm to alternate between tubes, whereas in the KSG it blocks both magazine tubes. As Hickok45 shows, it makes it easy to alternate between different loads. I’ve heard of reliability problems with the KSG as well, which makes me wonder how the UTS-15 compares in that department.
Category: Guns
A Case to Watch Regarding the Florida Doctor Speech Restrictions
Eugene Volokh details a pair of cases making their way through the 9th Circuit courts challenging California’s prohibition banning mental health care providers from trying to change sexual orientation for minors. If the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ends up hearing this case, and upholding the law, you can bet that this decision will be brought up in the appeals for the challenges to the Florida law which bans doctors from asking patients about gun ownership (already held unconstitutional in District Court). My personal opinion is that both laws are unconstitutional, but it does illustrate the notion that there are many on the right and left that aren’t particularly dedicated to the notion of free speech, and completely willing to use government to suppress speech they find repugnant.
More Politicians Using Coffins as Soapboxes
Diana DeGette (D-CO) is busy joining Bob Costas, because clearly what House Democrats need in the middle of fiscal cliff negotiations is to refocus the Costas firestorm on them. She’s joined here by Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) who goes farther and notes:
“Unfortunately, it’s tragedies like [the Kansas City shooting] that brings people’s attention back to the issue,†she said.
Perlmutter’s primary concerns center on renewing an assault weapons ban and keeping guns out of the hands of the mentally ill. There is some speculation that Belcher may have been suffering from head injuries incurred while playing football, as well as abusing painkillers and alcohol.
So how is it not using coffins as soapboxes to have people like DeGette and Perlmutter advocating for laws, like an assault weapons ban, that have exactly nothing at all to do with this recent murder-suicide? Belcher didn’t use an assault weapon, and in this country, where owning a gun is a fundamental constitutional right, under what grounds can we remove someone’s rights based on “some speculation?” Maybe I’m crazy here, but I’m pretty sure the Constitution that both Representatives DeGette and Perlmutter swore to uphold says that “due process of law” is what is required to deny someone fundamental constitutional rights.
Tall Tales
The shooting community seems to have a lot of people who spin them. I’m wondering if this is something unique about our community, or whether it happens in other communities. If it is unique, why? I mean, I suppose there are car buff yarn spinners who talk about the time they got into a stoplight confrontation with Richard Petty and totally smoked him, but are they so numerous?
Microstamping in New York
Jacob notes that the so-called Independent Democratic Conference left microstamping out of their agenda, and notes some hand wringing among Democrats. Maybe there’s a chance to stop this.
UPDATE: A bill has been introduced. I guess we’ll see if it goes anywhere.
Latest Costas Roundup
This is truth:
Note that Bob Costas is high enough profile to elicit outrage from people. The fact is that every tragedy is exploited in this manner by the leaders of the gun control movement. Every time. You can count on it like you can count on the sun coming up. They, of course, take great exception when this is pointed out, because they don’t view their advocacy as being inherently political. They are trying to save lives, and who can argue with that except some evil person?
In other news, it looks like none of the other players on the K.S. Chiefs are blaming guns for this. It’s worth noting that NFL players, as wealthy, high-profile celebrities, have a need for protection that is, in the words of New York’s Sullivan law, “a special need for self-protection distinguishable from that of the general community or of persons engaged in the same profession.†These are people who generally qualify for permits even under standards as strict as those of New York’s.
But remember, it’s the evil gun culture that’s responsible.
Turning Things Around in Illinois
Governor Quinn’s veto of a bill that would allow mail order ammo shipments to FOID holders in the Land of Lincoln has been soundly overridden by the legislator. Remember that he issued an “Amendatory Veto,” which turned the pro-gun bill around to be an assault weapons ban. This represents an utter repudiation of that.
Let me just say that rumors of our demise has been greatly exaggerated.
Wasting Money
Anderson Cooper does some investigating reporting showing the great wastage in Chicago programs intended to fight crime, but which may, in fact, be giant scams. Dave Hardy also notes a 5.9 million dollar federal grant to several Ohio cities to “fight gun violence” which seems to have just up and disappeared. Imagine what could have been achieved if instead of spending the money on BS programs like this, the money had gone to help keep criminals in prison longer?
The Collectivist Blame Game
Jim Geraghty has noticed what most of us have been dealing with forever any time we have contact with activists in the gun control movement: they collectively place the blame for every act of horrific violence at our feet as if we’re the people cause such violence:
Okay, once and for all: Enough with this ‘we’re all to blame, we must all struggle to prevent tragedy’ bullcrap. Because none of us had anything to do with the actions of Jovan Belcher. You and I and every other reader of this newsletter and about 99.999 percent of the American people prevent these sorts of tragedies every day . . . by not committing them, and by never seriously contemplating considering them. We are not all ticking time bombs, one stressful day away from committing mass murder. If we were, civilization would collapse.
The rant continues. I encourage you to read the whole thing, and sign up for the Morning Jolt (Note: NR will hit you with some e-mail ads every once in a while, but not nearly often enough to be obnoxious.). Geraghty also notes this kind of collectivist blame is a common theme in Obama’s rhetoric, noting “Now we see what ‘never waste a crisis’ means: never let any horrific act go unattributed to your political foes.”
I saw the same table …
… and wondered the same thing. I think before you poll someone, you should probably do a few leader questions to try to successfully ascertain whether the person being polled has any idea what you’re talking about. “Socialism, that’s like, when you’re social and promote being social, right? Oh yeah, I support that.” But I suppose it doesn’t look very good if you release a poll showing that only 30% of Americans have any idea of what socialism even is.