Guns – Page 412 – Shall Not Be Questioned

Smarter Politicking

I see that Drudge is headlining with Rick Perry shooting news:

Ready, aim fire. Thatâ€™s apparently Texas Gov. Rick Perryâ€™s idea of relaxation before returning to the campaign trail this weekend.

Ahead of Saturday nightâ€™s ABC News-Yahoo-WMUR debate in New Hampshire Perry took a few moments to himself at an Austin-area shooting range.

I would suggest that smarter politicking would be to hit up a range in New Hampshire or South Carolina. Just sayin’. Maybe some Rick Perry supporters in those states would like to offer his campaign some local range recommendations. I wonder if the Brady Campaign will issue an update to their “We hate Rick” report with this news.

A Movement With No Followers

That’s how Bloomberg Business Week is describing the gun control movement, in what is a very balanced article, considering the source. The article speaks of record low crime rates as a primary reason that support for gun control among the populace has dropped, but I think that’s only one factor. Violence in the ‘burbs, where most of the political elite live was never that high, even in the 1980s. Additionally, while violence in cities has dropped, city dwellers are still more likely to support gun control over the general population.

I think a big factor in the disappearance of support for gun control is generational, namely that subsequent generations don’t harbor as many racial and xenophobic anxieties as previous generations. Whether our opponents want to admit it or not, much of the nations gun control was prompted by these anxieties among political elites. These days, the idea that rights belong to all Americans, and even in many cases to all persons, is considerably better understood by the baby boomers, than it was understood by previous generations, and is even more engrained in subsequent generations. I think without those anxieties tugging at the subconscious of the elites, gun control finds considerably less reception, except among the fringe, who largely associate with the peace movement, or those who are misplacing grief over loved ones lost in gun related crime or suicides. That’s a very small pool of people, and not enough to build a movement on.

Guns Create Jobs

Some Interesting advice on how to make Second Amendment issues into economic issues in the 2012 Elections, by focusing on the fact that the shooting and outdoors industries are job creating machines. It’s an good strategy in an election year where everyone is most worried about jobs and the economy, rather than culture war issues like guns.

Record gun sales …

… now in Maryland. How long can CSGV, Brady, and VPC remain in denial?

An Anti-Gun Article in the Union-Leader?

I say that with a question mark, and a little tongue in cheek, because I can’t recall other newspapers endorsing constitutional carry, and allowing people to have loaded (but unchambered) rifles and shotguns in a vehicle. They didn’t like the very strong preemption bill, however, so clearly they’re anti-gun!

UPDATE: Link fixed.

NRA on the Machine Gun Ban

Joe Huffman finds an ILA publication from around the time of the Hughes Amendment. At one point NRA was intent on getting Hughes repealed, but over time I think it became apparent there wasn’t any political support to do so in Congress. As Joe says, we’re still a ways away from being able to repeal Hughes, but the issue is moving in our direction.

Another Victim of Bloomberg

This time, a Maryland man accepts a plea deal for a lesser gun charge to avoid a 15 year prison sentence for leaving his pistol mistakenly in a hotel safe in New York City. The New York Daily news notes this is becoming more common. That is because New York City is increasingly very out of step with the rest of America when it comes to Second Amendment rights. You’ve also have people hearing “The Supreme Court says it’s a right,” without following the issue closely enough to know, even though it applies in New York City, that it’s only a technicality. Practically it does not yet, and don’t expect Bloomberg to change anything until the courts force him to, and even then, I’m not sure whether he will.

H/T to SayUncle

This Year in History

Colt firearms sells their first revolvers to the US government. The year was 1847.

More People Victims of New York City’s Gun Laws

Instapundit has the roundup. Apparently a US Marine is facing 15 years in the slammer. I like Professor Reynold’s proposal:

My proposal: Any state permit is valid in all 50 states. Places where carry is prohibited must be clearly marked. Maximum penalty for a simple violation â€” that is, not in the course of committing someÂ realÂ crime â€” $500. Attorney fees and civil-rights suits available against state and local officials who violate the law by infringing peopleâ€™s rights thereunder.

Well, we can’t have that. Treating it like a right, and all. I think Mayor Bloomberg has made it pretty clear what he thinks about that. Meanwhile, this is now looking to be more true than ever.

Is This Supposed to be Controversial?

I suspect this Drudge headline is supposed to be controversial: “REPORT: 911 operator tells woman it’s OK to shoot intruder…”

Then, you click on the story. Perhaps it’s because I’m from Oklahoma, but I don’t see anything remotely controversial about the actual report.

McKinley told ABC News Oklahoma City affiliate KOCO that she quickly got her 12 gauge, went into her bedroom and got a pistol, put the bottle in the baby’s mouth and called 911.

“I’ve got two guns in my hand — is it okay to shoot him if he comes in this door?” the young mother asked the 911 dispatcher. “I’m here by myself with my infant baby, can I please get a dispatcher out here immediately?”

The 911 dispatcher confirmed with McKinley that the doors to her home were locked as she asked again if it was okay to shoot the intruder if he were to come through her door.

“I can’t tell you that you can do that but you do what you have to do to protect your baby,” the dispatcher told her. McKinley was on the phone with 911 for a total of 21 minutes.

When Martin kicked in the door and came after her with the knife, the teen mom shot and killed the 24-year-old. Police are calling the shooting justified.

In other words, the 911 dispatcher didn’t tell her to kill the intruder, the dispatcher ran through things that could delay the intruders until police arrive, and just told the mom that she could do what she needed to do to protect her baby. And this is worthy of a headline why?