SayUncle is reviewing a combination pocket and in-waist-band holster from The Holster Site. One thing I’d like to see is a pocket holster that can carry a small canister of OC spray or flash light along side it, or a holster for this. I got the Kimber Pepper Blaster II because one thing I hate about OC is it’s difficult to fumble for the right orientation with a round canister. The problem with the pepper blaster is that it’s more bulky, and only gives you two shots. Not sure yet whether it makes sense or not, but I do like the pistol like grip, and if there were a holster for it, it would be quick to get into action. In summer I do a lot of pocket carry, but it’s problematic. I’ll do a follow-up post about this when I get home and can take pictures of the rig.
We’re Winning
The number of people supporting gun ownership continues to rise, according to a new Harris poll. This isn’t too surprising, considering the number of alternate sources of news that don’t have the old media’s bias. Take a look, for instance, at this cracked.com article on movie myths surrounding guns. Lots of non-gun people read Cracked, and now they know silencers are really suppressors, and machine guns aren’t bullet hoses.
Hat Tip to SayUncle for the Cracked article.
Last Word on DISCLOSE
At least until there’s more news, I think this controversy has been about as hashed out as it can be. It’s certainly raised a lot of passion. Chris doesn’t hold anything back against GOA, and this post is brutal on the opponents of NRA’s tactic. But I think the final word, and closest to my own view, has to go to Cam Edwards of NRA News:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBceuvInlcs[/youtube]
I think that’s about as well as it can be said. Until there’s new news, it’s time to move on to other issues.
Long Shot to Kill DISCLOSE
Joe Huffman thinks this deal could end up being the long shot that kills the whole campaign finance monstrosity. Countertop thinks that’s exactly what’s going to happen, and notes that this controversy is forcing the media and our opponents to highlight the fact that NRA has a million members and receives little corporate funding. Kind of blows a hole in VPC and Brady’s “gun lobby” claims, doesn’t it? Van Hollen is having to do some work to keep allies in line. The backlash from left groups appears to be starting. Certainly none of these things are good for the bill, but I’m not sure the Democratic leadership won’t shove it down everyone’s throats anyway.
If the attention this deal is getting does kill the bill, I think it would be giving NRA too much credit to say they planned it that way, but nor do I think anyone at headquarters will shed a tear. No one likes this bill. It’s the Democrats who want it.
The Original Intent Was to Exempt All 501(c)(4)s
We also know that the original proposition floated exempted all 501(c)(4)s:
Could the NRA or other groups succeed in watering down the bill enough to alienate the watchdog groups that now support it? Leonard, of the League of Women Voters, pointed to a proposed amendment from Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) as a possible deal-breaker for his group. The Shuler amendment [PDF] would exempt any 501(c)4 non-profit that finances election ads using only individual donations, as opposed to corporate money, from the bill’s disclosure and coordination rules.
That was from a week or so ago, so we know that was at least tried, but the sponsor was concerned that they’d lose the support of the groups pushing for DISCLOSE:
Looking at it, it would be a mistake to eliminate all [501(c)(4)] organizations from the conversation … That’s why we settled on a provision that said, for well-established C4 organizations that have dues-paying members that aren’t trying to hide from anybody — that would be the test.
So the deal would appear to be the result of the sausage grinder, rather than any purposeful conspiracy to freeze other groups out of the process, or crap on the First Amendment, as NRA is being accused of over at Red State.
Update on New York Microstamping
I’m getting a report that it was tabled in the Senate. I will provide a link as soon as I can.
UPDATE:Â Yep. Jacob confirms it. It’s been tabled. This doesn’t kill it, but it’s off the agenda for now. Doesn’t look like they liked how the vote was going. Good show New Yorkers!
Brady Campaign Against DISCLOSE
I strongly urge House members to reflect deeply upon whom it is they are supposed to represent and protect, and oppose this tarnished legislation. I urge every American who wishes to be heard on the most important issues of our time to contact Congressional leaders and urge them to stop this proposal.
You know, I actually agree with the Brady Campaign on this, and will contact my reps and ask them to oppose the DISCLOSE act, as it stands. But I would note that the Bradys had no position on this legislation until it was no longer going to chain their opponents. I welcome them to the party, but view their interest in this opposition as entirely self-serving, or they would have been on the record sooner.
Keeping the Lie Alive
I see the Brady Campaign is jumping on the narrative that the Supreme Court, by refusing to take an appeal, based entirely on the standing issue, rather than the merits, has upheld Philadelphia’s Lost and Stolen ordinance. I have to admit that their ability to shape public opinion and perception through the use of these kinds of distortions in the media is second to none among advocacy groups.
I can promise you the MAIG/Brady lackey in Pennsylvania, Max Nachemann, will only be too happy to bring this narrative to every Borough, City and Township counsel when gun owners try to say the ordinances he’s pushing are illegal under Pennsylvania’s preemption law. A pity none of it will actually be true. The hope is that no one will bother to look hard enough. Sadly, often they don’t.
NRA’s Statement on DISCLOSE
They work slower than Internet speed, but here it is:
The National Rifle Association believes that any restrictions on the political speech of Americans are unconstitutional.
In the past, through the courts and in Congress, the NRA has opposed any effort to restrict the rights of its four million members to speak and have their voices heard on behalf of gun owners nationwide.
The NRA’s opposition to restrictions on political speech includes its May 26, 2010 letter to Members of Congress expressing strong concerns about H.R. 5175, the DISCLOSE Act. As it stood at the time of that letter, the measure would have undermined or obliterated virtually all of the NRA’s right to free political speech and, therefore, jeopardized the Second Amendment rights of every law-abiding American.
The most potent defense of the Second Amendment requires the most adamant exercise of the First Amendment. The NRA stands absolutely obligated to its members to ensure maximum access to the First Amendment, in order to protect and preserve the freedom of the Second Amendment.
The NRA must preserve its ability to speak. It cannot risk a strategy that would deny its rights, for the Second Amendment cannot be defended without them.
Thus, the NRA’s first obligation must be to its members and to its most ardent defense of firearms freedom for America’s lawful gun owners.
On June 14, 2010, Democratic leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives pledged that H.R. 5175 would be amended to exempt groups like the NRA, that meet certain criteria, from its onerous restrictions on political speech. As a result, and as long as that remains the case, the NRA will not be involved in final consideration of the House bill.
The NRA cannot defend the Second Amendment from the attacks we face in the local, state, federal, international and judicial arenas without the ability to speak. We will not allow ourselves to be silenced while the national news media, politicians and others are allowed to attack us freely.
The NRA will continue to fight for its right to speak out in defense of the Second Amendment. Any efforts to silence the political speech of NRA members will, as has been the case in the past, be met with strong opposition.
Unfortunately, I don’t think this really addresses much of the criticism of this move. But standing up for their point of view in the court of public opinion has never been one of NRA’s strong suits.
The Stitch in Time that Saved Two
I’m very glad that Caleb, getting home, was eager to send me a picture of his shorts to prove that when he was hanging out on the patio in the History Channel’s Top Shot reality shooting series, he wasn’t in danger of literally hanging out on the patio. I’ve always wanted a picture of Caleb’s shorts, and now my long time dream has been fulfilled:
I call them as I see them. It sure did look like a hole, and I’m not one to pass up a good ribbing on Caleb. So for now I will close this amusing chapter in the Top Shot drama. Well, maybe after his radio call-in show tonight I’ll close it.