Due Process
The Editorial Board of the Philadelphia Inquirer would presumably be against denying suspected terrorists of their fourth amendment rights, fifth amendment rights and sixth amendment rights, without due process of law. But they are absolutely fine with, and even advocate, denying American Citizens their Second Amendment right without due process.
Lost
The new episode is on the DVR. There will be no spoilers allowed. Thanks to Sebastian’s new crazy work schedule, our speedy viewing sessions have dropped dramatically. We’re waiting to catch a couple of hours in a row to watch the finale of Season 3. Obviously, that still leaves us with 2 more seasons.
We’re getting to an interesting point in this little viewing exercise. I find the show to be quite predictable by now, and I find myself hoping that more characters die. In fact, I say we just give up and nuke the whole damn island/island chain/whatever. This doesn’t give me much hope for the remaining three seasons. Perhaps those of you who watched last night can give a spoiler-free clue as to whether it is worth it, or I’ll be screaming at the computer to just nuke the whole damn world in order to be free of these characters.
Party Switch
I feel a bit dirty, because I am now a Republican once again. I left the Party back in 2000 and registered Libertarian in frustration over what the GOP had become. Not that I’m any happier with them now, but we have a primary coming up, and I want to have a vote. Plus, it doesn’t do much good to try to influence a Party you’re not a member of.
I had been meaning to do it for some time, but when I got to the Courthouse today, it turns out the County Election Office is right next to the Jury Lounge, so I decided to take advantage of it.
Just Shut Up
Nevadans aren’t too happy with President Obama right now. They were once polite in asking Obama not to attack their state. Now they are being a little more blunt. Next time, I suspect the request will look something like: “Shut you damn pie hole, you pompous prick! Oh, and how do you like you Senate without a Majority Leader?”
Knife Bans
Civic Duty
Sebastian was called up for jury duty this morning. Because he was working very late last night, getting up early was less than ideal. Add to the fact that he never leaves enough time to get ready in the morning when his schedule changes, snow, and a rush hour he’s not used to, and you have the makings of a stressed out Sebastian.
But, he’s doing something good for the community – or something. He took his phone and computer. Hopefully he can get some work done or do a bit of blogging. Of course, there’s not much to find out there. Things are pretty slow right now.
Gun Rights on the March
Reason asks Alan Gura about positive developments that have happened since Heller, and he names three. There are still people in our movement who think Heller was an abject failure, and I continue to be amazed that reasonable people can continue believing this. We saw suburb after suburb near Chicago give up their local bans under threat of lawsuit, and we saw a the San Francisco housing authority cave in on their gun ban in public housing under threat of lawsuit.
First off we have Massachusetts talking about easing their discretionary licensing scheme, a major paper editorializing in favor of it, and a very good chance this will actually pass. In Massachusetts, you need police permission to even own a handgun, and that permission can be impossible to obtain if you have an anti-gun police chief in your town. Police chiefs have full discretion in regards to handgun ownership. Even New Jersey is at least technically shall-issue when it comes to pistol purchase permits. This measure is being pushed, and has a good chance for passage specifically because lawmakers in Massachusetts know that their licensing scheme won’t pass constitutional muster even under the relatively ill-defined standard of review in Heller.
That brings us again to Delaware, which apparently has a public housing ban. This topic is being covered well by the Caesar Rodney Institute blog, which is reporting that NRA is threatening Delaware state authorities with a lawsuit if they don’t relent on the “no guns” policy. You can see the demand letter written by Robert Dowlut, NRA General Counsel here. Note the following:
Article I, § 20 of the Delaware Constitution guarantees that “A person has the right to keep and bear arms for the defense of self, family, home and State, and for hunting and recreational use.†Furthermore, the United States Supreme Court in District of Columbia v. Heller, 128 S. Ct. 2783, 171 L.Ed.2d 637 (2008), held that the right to keep an operable firearm in the home for self-defense is a core right guaranteed by the Second Amendment. Consequently, the court struck down a ban on the possession of handguns and a ban on the possession of operable firearms in the home.
Would we even be able to raise this if it wasn’t for Heller? Doubtful. I’d like to think we’re at a dawn of a pretty robust right to keep and bear arms, that will put the kibosh on the worst the states are able to do. I believe this will put our opponents in a pretty tough pickle, and while I’m not convinced gun control will ever really go away, we at least have an opportunity before us to deal its current incarnation a serious blow.
I Do Love Politicians
Only a politician can call for a gun ban on Friday night and then sign on to speak at a pro-liberty shooting event hosted at a gun club on Tuesday and not see the hypocrisy.
As we’ve mentioned, Jack Wagner said he supported a ban on semi-automatic rifles on Friday night at the Pennsylvania Progressive Summit. This afternoon, the Commonwealth Foundation posted a Facebook listing for their annual LiveFreePA fundraiser. Guess who confirmed his attendance? Jack Wagner. To his credit, he’s the only Democrat who is on their confirmed speakers list. To his discredit, he’d ban the guns that the members of the host club use regularly.
Why Philadelphia Can’t Control Its Criminals
When they do catch people, and prosecute them, under the laws we have against straw purchasing, they don’t get any real punishment. Yet they scream louder and louder every year at Harrisburg that they need more laws they won’t enforce. How are more laws going to help when they aren’t even using the ones they already have?