Concealed handgun permits surging, blacks, women lead growth.  Concealed handgun permits in the United States soared by 1.83 million since last July, setting a record for the fourth consecutive year, according to an analysis released Thursday [7/20/2017].  That brings the total number of concealed handgun permit holders in the country to 16.3 million, with some of the biggest increases occurring among women and African-Americans, the Crime Prevention Research Center (CPRC) said.  Concealed handgun permits are now held by some more than 6 percent of American adults, the CPRC analysis found.  Outside the restrictive states of California and New York, that figure rises to about 8 percent.

Weak-Kneed Ryan Stalls National Concealed Carry Reciprocity.  Our friends at the Virginia Citizens Defense League recently put out an alert letting gun owners know exactly where the problem is with the national concealed carry reciprocity bill — with Democratic Speaker of the House Paul Ryan.

Losing Their Gun Rights With Barely a Whimper.  Gun-rights activists often express the view that Americans will not easily give up their rights to gun ownership even if the laws eventually outlaw — or at least greatly restrict — the freedom of individuals to own firearms.  The scenario they depict is bleak but simple:  When armed agents come to their doors to confiscate people’s arsenals, some of those people can be expected to fight back. [...] The experience in California, in particular, suggests an entirely different scenario.  From what I’ve seen, the public often will support aggressive new restrictions.  Gun owners will meekly hand over their weapons to agents.  Gun-rights groups will quietly protest, but have little sway.  Republican legislators will make things worse as they try to prove their commitment to taking guns out of the hands of “criminals.”  The erosion of our fundamental gun rights will take place so slowly that few will protest too much.

Had Hillary Clinton Won the Election....  Hillary, like the rest of the left, hates the Second Amendment.  Had she won, it would likely have been abrogated out of existence.  Law-abiding citizens would be relegated to victim status by decree, no longer allowed to defend themselves from the always armed criminals while the likes of Hillary and her crowd live in gated mansion and have armed guards.  "For me but not for thee" is the mantra of the left.  She would be taking the nation in the direction of Oregon, which is fast becoming the fascist state the left so admires.

New Report From Crime Prevention Research Center Shows 11.1 Million Americans Hold Concealed Carry Permits.  The last comprehensive report on the number of concealed carry permit holders was completed three years ago by the U.S. Government Accountability Office and showed that 8 million Americans held a concealed carry permit.  These numbers show that the number of permits is not only increasing, but they are growing at faster and faster rates.

No, really — guns for we but not for thee.  Hey, remember two weeks ago when congressional bodies were hitting the ground, and some guy named Loudermilk rushed to a microphone and said congressvermin should pass a law giving them the privilege of going armed anywhere they wanted? [...] Introducing H.R. 2940, The Congressional Self-Defense Act, "To allow Members of Congress to carry a concealed firearm anywhere in the United States, with certain exceptions."

By What Right Do We Bear Arms?  The constitution is a covenant by which men have agreed to live together.  We derive our authority to bear arms from God, in whose image we are made, and who Himself made war when necessary, and thus we are to protect that image.  This is His immutable law.  If the covenant within which we live does not reflect God's laws, it is an abomination and dishonors God.  It is null and void.  Second, to the extent that it does, when we fail to live within the framework of that covenant it is null and void.  Therefore, if the government breaks covenant with the people, the government has declared itself null and void before God.

74% of American gun owners say owning a gun is 'essential to their freedom': Poll.  [A] wide-ranging new poll from the Pew Research Center [...] found that 74 percent of all U.S. gun owners say owning a gun is "essential to their freedom."  Another 73 percent of the owners say they could never see themselves "not owning a gun."  Half say that "all or most of their friends" also own guns.

Law-Abiding Citizens Have More Than 600 Million Firearms in America.  The fact is, while there is no definitive way to tally all the firearms in the United States, it is commonly accepted and reported that there are roughly 300 million firearms in the hands of law-abiding Americans.  But has anyone else noticed that number hasn't moved in years, even in the 8 years Obama sparked an increase in gun sales, the gun run during Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, and after the NICS background checks system set new records for 15 straight months?

Most Americans know that owning a gun is an essential part of our freedom.  An overwhelming majority of Americans view gun ownership as essential to their freedom.  This is what a recent Pew Research poll discovered in a deep dive into the complex relationship Americans have with guns.  According to the poll, "The nationally representative survey of 3,930 U.S. adults, including 1,269 gun owners, was conducted March 13 to 27 and April 4 to 18, 2017, using the Pew Research Center's American Trends Panel."  In other words, the survey is pretty comprehensive.  And its findings reflect the understanding of many clear-thinking Americans on the 2nd Amendment:  for those who do own and use firearms, it is integral to who they are.

Teachers packing heat:  More educators taking gun training classes.  Teachers across the country are moving to the head of the class when it comes to learning how to use a gun.  With mass shootings seemingly becoming common place in classrooms across the country, teachers are learning how fire grade-A shots and starting to carry weapons in class.  It's an attempt to better protect their students and prevent the next Sandy Hook Elementary School or Columbine High School shooting.  Nearly a third of the country, a total of 18 states, allows adults to carry a loaded gun on school grounds, with certain permissions.

U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Appeal Seeking Gun-Carrying Rights.  The U.S. Supreme Court refused to consider loosening restrictions on carrying firearms in public, rejecting an appeal by California gun-rights advocates and continuing to steer clear of one of the nation's most polarizing issues.  The justices left intact a San Diego County policy that requires people to show a special need in order to get a license to carry a concealed handgun outside the home.  A divided federal appeals court had upheld the policy.  Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch said the high court should have heard the case.

Scalise shooting and knee-jerk calls for more gun control — here we go again.  After each mass public shooting, President Obama would call for expanded background checks on private transfers of guns — even though not one of the shootings would have been prevented by such a law.  Indeed, not a single attack since at least 2000 would have been stopped.  "News" coverage of these events also shows the same knee-jerk biases for more gun control.  Guns are often referred to as "assault weapons" even if they function exactly the same as a hunting rifle.  Nowhere do the news reports mention whether an attack occurred in a gun-free zone.  They never examine the thought process of attackers who want defenseless victims.

Concealed carry permit holders exposed by data breach.  The names of thousands of concealed carry permit holders in Florida may have been leaked as the result of a recent data breach, state officials said.  An online payment system utilized by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) was compromised about two weeks ago, the office acknowledged Monday [5/22/2017], in turn exposing the Social Security numbers of 469 customers as well as the names of 16,190 concealed weapon licensees.

The Ivory Tower Man:  Why Academia Hates Guns.  The rise of this Ivory Tower Man can be attributed to the rapid urbanization of our society combined with an abundance of resources and technology that has made it possible for people to be soft.  Wimps can now survive and thrive.  Everyone gets a trophy.  Our lifestyle is less strenuous than has been the experience for all past generations.  And, above all, due to scientific advancements life is now more secure than it has ever been in human history.  Sure, bad things happen to others, but the Ivory Tower Man does not personally see these things on a daily basis in his own nice neighborhood.  He is insulated and thus willfully naive. [...] And here is a prime characteristic of the Ivory Tower Man:  He despises those who still believe in strength, skill, and self-reliance.

Home Invasion Victim Waits Over an Hour for Police to Arrive.  There's a big divide between urban liberals and rural conservatives when it comes to gun rights, and there's a very simple reason why.  In rural areas, a gun has many different uses.  Aside from self-defense, they can also be used for hunting, putting down injured livestock, and culling pests and predators.  Plus, there are a lot more opportunities to shoot firearms recreationally in the countryside.  People who live in cities however, don't have as much respect for firearms, because they don't need them nearly as much.  In the city, the only reason you'll need a gun is for self-defense, and even then it doesn't seem very important to most urban dwellers.  After all, why would you need a gun to protect yourself in a densely populated area, where a phone call can bring the police to your door in a few minutes?

Trump: 'I Will Never, Ever Infringe on the Right of the People to Keep and Bear Arms'.  President Donald Trump pledged to never infringe on the 2nd Amendment during a speech at the National Rifle Association's meeting in Atlanta, Ga., on Friday [4/28/2017].  "We all took an oath to preserve and protect the Constitution of the United States, and that means defending the 2nd Amendment.  So let me make a simple to every one of the freedom-loving Americans in the audience today:  as your president, I will never, ever infringe on the right of the people to keep and bear arms — never, ever," Trump said.

The Left Slams Even the NRA's Program to Keep Children Away from Guns.  The National Rifle Association doesn't want young children handling guns, and so it runs the "Eddie Eagle GunSafe" program for schools, designed to teach kids four steps they should take if they find a gun:  Stop, don't touch, run away, and tell a grown-up.  This is absolute common sense, and the sort of message that every kid in the country should hear.  Nothing in the program encourages kids to want guns, purchase guns when they're older, or shoot guns.  The potential harm of a gun in the wrong hands — and unprepared hands are the wrong hands — is made clear.  Despite the utterly innocuous message, some voices on the left object to the Eddie Eagle program.

ATF Reverses Draconian, Obama-Era Policy on Stabilizing Braces.  News broke this week that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has reconsidered and "clarified" its Jan. 6, 2015 Open Letter on the use of stabilizing braces as shoulder stocks.  As we explained at the time, the ATF took the position in that letter that merely affixing the stabilizing brace to a pistol did not constitute the "making" of an NFA firearm.  Firing the braced pistol from the shoulder, however, was held to constitute a "redesign" of the firearm that brought it under the jurisdiction of the National Firearms Act (NFA), with all the additional regulations that classification entails.  This directly contradicted earlier advice the ATF had provided, in which the agency stated, "firing a pistol from the shoulder would not cause the pistol to be reclassified as an SBR."  Nor, advised the ATF in the earlier guidance, would using a stability brace improperly as a shoulder stock "change the classification of the weapon per federal law."

ATF Clarifies Legality of Pistol Arm Brace Use.  As you can see, the device can also be used as a very short stock for the AR-15 pistol, even though that is not what it is designed for.  Many people have put the brace to this use, as it is much easier to purchase AR-15 pistols and a brace than it is to go through all the bureaucratic and bizarre requirements to obtain a legal short barreled rifle (SBR) or short barreled shotgun (SBS).  The legal restrictions on SBS and SBR firearms never made any sense.  They only made sense if the federal government put the same restriction on handguns, as FDR attempted to do in 1934.

Dem. Assemblyman Pushes Bill to Guarantee Teachers Cannot Shoot Back if Attackers Strike.  California Assemblyman Kevin McCarty (D-7) is pushing legislation to take away school administrators' power to allow teachers with a Carry Concealed Weapon license to be armed in classrooms for self-defense.  McCarty's bill — AB 424 — was introduced months ago and is snaking its way through the legislative process.

Marine veteran to serve 3 years in prison for carrying unlicensed gun in New Jersey.  In 2011, former Marine Police Sgt. Hisashi Pompey was visiting family in New Jersey from Quantico, Virginia, when he went to a Fort Lee nightclub with friends.  The then-active duty sergeant, who was in uniform, went to get his bag out of one friend's car when another friend approached him with blood on his face from getting in a fight, a local CBS News affiliate reported.  The friend then grabbed a gun from Mr. Pompey's holster and carried it into a confrontation with police, a local ABC News affiliate reported.  Mr. Pompey, who served three tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, had a permit to carry the gun in Virginia, but not in New Jersey.

Update:
Chris Christie Commutes Sentence for USMC War Vet Charged over Legally Owned Gun.  On Friday Gov. Chris Christie (R) commuted the prison sentence for former Marine Sergeant Hisashi Pompey, arrested six years ago for possessing a legally owned gun that was unregistered in the state of New Jersey.  On April 13 Breitbart News reported that Pompey brought his handgun into New Jersey while visiting from Virginia.  Following an altercation at a nightclub, one of Pompey's friends retrieved the gun and was arrested.  Pompey was also arrested because the gun was not registered in the state of New Jersey.

Hunters and Anglers Object to Last-Minute Lead Ban.  Dan Ashe, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), issued a directive to phase out the use of lead ammunition and fishing tackle within the nation's wildlife refuges and other federal lands controlled by the agency.  The directive bans the use of lead in ammunition and fishing tackle on more than 307 million acres of federal land, effective January 2022.  The FWS action expands the existing ban on the use of lead shot for hunting migratory waterfowl to all types of ammunition and fishing equipment that use lead for all species on FWSmanaged lands.  Ashe issued the directive on January 19, the day before he left the agency as President Donald Trump took the oath of office as president.

South Carolina House passes bill granting carry of handguns without a permit.  The South Carolina House of Representatives on Wednesday [4/5/2017] approved a bill that would allow residents to carry a gun, openly or concealed, without getting a weapons permit.  The controversial bill passed the chamber 64-46 after more than three hours of debate.  If approved by the Senate and signed into law, anyone who is legally allowed to buy a gun could do so without getting a state permit.  The bill would keep the state's concealed weapons permit program in place so South Carolinians could carry their guns in other states.

Clovis Family Wins Lawsuit, Forcing California DOJ to Return 500 Guns.  A Clovis family won a court case against the California Department of Justice that forces the state agency to return 500 guns it had confiscated from Albert Sheakalee.  The CA DOJ raided Sheakalee's house in 2015, alleging he was listed in the state's Armed Prohibited Persons (APPS) database.  Sheakalee's attorney won the case by arguing that the CA DOJ had not notified Sheakalee that he was on the APPS.  Moreover, his attorney, Mark Coleman, stated that "the justice department broke a promise to Sheakalee to keep the raid confidential until a court hearing determined whether he was mentally fit to own guns."  According to the Fresno Bee, Sheakalee was arrested, but he "had no prior criminal history." [...] No charges were ever brought against Sheakelee; nonetheless, the CA DOJ held onto the guns.

DOJ Seized 541 Guns From This Man With No Charges Filed, but He Fought and Got Them All Back!.  A California Federal Firearms License holder who had his entire firearms collection of 541 guns seized with no charges filed against him, has had his guns returned.  Albert Sheakalee, who lives in the Clovis area, went through mental health treatment in 2014.  He has had a clean criminal record all of his life and owns a retirement home.  He is a retired budget director of Fresno Community Hospital, and has held a FFL for more than two decades.  However, under the Obama administration, the Justice Department went after his guns without any charges or guilt of any crime being obtained, a clear violation of the Fifth Amendments protections that he not be deprived of his rights (specifically the right to keep and bear arms).  A press release at the time by then-state Attorney General, now Senator Kamala Harris barred him from owning guns and brought about a 12-hour raid on his home by the Bureau of Firearms Special Agents on November 12, 2015.  He was subsequently arrested for allegedly possessing illegal firearms.

Gun rights activists are on a political roll with four recent wins.  Second Amendment advocates are on a bit of a political roll recently, with four major victories in just one week.  House Speaker Paul Ryan pulled an anti-gun healthcare proposal from consideration; the governor of North Dakota signed a bill letting residents carry a firearm without a permit; New Mexico lawmakers defeated a gun registry bill and the Supreme Court ruled for a defendant whom a gun rights group had supported.  "It gives us a lot of hope," Erich Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America, said to Fox News.  "We just spent the past eight years on the defensive.  Now we are playing offensive ball."

Accidental gun deaths hit record low, even amid recent boom in firearms sales.  Gun sales are up, and accidental gun injuries are down, according to a report released this month by the National Safety Council.  The NSC's "Injury Facts -2017 Edition" shows a 17 percent decrease in accidents involving firearms from 2014 to 2015, a period when gun sales soared.  There were 489 unintentional firearms-related fatalities during that time period, the lowest total since record-keeping began in 1903, accounting for less than 1 percent of accident deaths.  This decrease, which was the largest percentage decline of any category cited in the NSC's report, came in a year that saw record-high firearm sales.

Accidental gun deaths hit record low,.  even amid recent boom in firearms sales

Without Obama, once-booming gun industry poised to shrink.  Fears of government limits on guns — some real, some perceived — led to a surge in demand during Obama's tenure and manufacturers leapt to keep up.  Over the decade ending in 2015, the number of U.S. companies licensed to make firearms jumped 362 percent.  "The trends really almost since Election Day or election night have been that gun sales have slacked off," said Robert Spitzer, political science department chairman at State University of New York at Cortland. "

North Dakotans now allowed to carry concealed guns without permits, governor decides.  North Dakotans will no longer need a permit to carry a concealed weapon after Republican Governor Doug Burgum signed legislation lifting restrictions, a victory for gun rights advocates that came a week after South Dakota's governor vetoed a similar bill.  The law, which takes effect on Aug. 1, mandates that gun owners only need a North Dakota driver's license or state identification card for at least a year before they can carry a concealed firearm in public.

Republicans Move to Strengthen Protections for Interstate Travel by Gun Owners.  Senator Orrin Hatch (R., Utah) introduced a bill to the Senate on March 14 that would institute new protections for gun owners who travel across state lines with their firearms.  The Lawful Interstate Transportation of Firearms Act, also introduced by Rep. Morgan Griffith (R., Va.) to the House of Representatives in January, would expand and clarify the interstate firearm transportation rules instituted under the Firearms Owners' Protection Act of 1986.  Under that law, Americans are allowed to transport firearms from one state where they can legally possess them to another so long as certain requirements are met, such as the firearms being unloaded and locked in a container not easily accessible to passengers.

New Hampshire ranks highest in firearms manufacturing study.  New Hampshire ranks at the top among all states when it comes to manufacturing firearms, according to a recently released study by WalletHub.  But because it doesn't rank so high when it comes to gun ownership, and its congressional delegation tends to favor gun control, the state finished 12th in the study's rankings, which measured dependence on the gun industry.  Thanks to industry giants like Sig Sauer in Newington and Sturm Ruger's facility in Newport, sales of firearms in New Hampshire totaled $722.92 per person, the biggest output per capita in the union, according to WalletHub.

House Stops VA from Finding Vets Mentally Unfit to Own a Gun.  The House passed on Thursday [3/16/2017] a bill to prohibit Veterans Affairs from blocking a veteran from buying a gun by labeling them mentally unfit, requiring a judiciary authority to make that determination.  The Veterans Second-Amendment Protection Act, introduced by Rep. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.), states "a person who is mentally incapacitated, deemed mentally incompetent, or experiencing an extended loss of consciousness shall not be considered adjudicated as a mental defective" by the VA "without the order or finding of a judge, magistrate, or other judicial authority of competent jurisdiction that such person is a danger to himself or herself or others."

Supreme Court:  Weapons allowed on Madison buses.  Wisconsin's capital city must allow passengers to carry hidden weapons on buses, the state Supreme Court said Tuesday [3/7/2017] in siding with a gun rights group that local governments cannot trump the state's concealed-carry law.

Florida's Gun-Free Zones Could Be Eliminated; Opponents Call That Madness.  If only more people were packing loaded weapons, there would be fewer mass shootings like Orlando's Pulse nightclub massacre and the carnage committed by another lone gunman at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International airport in January.  That's the thinking behind legislation proposed in the Florida House and Senate  — HB 803/SB 908 — to do away with most of the state's gun-free zones.  But Patti Brigham, co-chair of the Florida Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, called the proposal to allow "guns everywhere absurd and incredibly dangerous."

Trump's team scraps Obama-era ban on lead bullets.  Hours after literally riding into town on a horse for his first day on the job, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on Thursday scrapped an Obama-era ban on hunting with lead bullets on federal lands.  The rule, put into place during the final days of the Obama administration, was cast as an attempt to prevent the lead poisoning of animals on all lands overseen by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  But critics — including sportsmen's groups, gun rights organizations and a host of others at the federal and state levels — said it was designed to discourage hunting.  Mr. Zinke seemed to agree, signaling that he believed the rule hindered hunting and fishing for many Americans.

These Payment Processors Are Trying To Hurt Gun Stores.  Shortly after SHOT Show last month, a couple of FFL dealers began having issues with financial institutions cutting off merchant accounts for "violating" the user agreements, Bearing Arms has learned exclusively.  Montana Tactical, located in Bozeman, unexpectedly received an email from Intuit, a credit card processing company, saying Montana Tactical's transactions are considered "MOTO business" (mail order/telephone order).  Intuit declined to continue servicing Montana Tactical because the store sells firearms, ammunition and gun powder.

Fourth Circuit Sets the Stage for a New National Gun Ban.  In an unusual opinion that at times reads more like an op-ed at the New York Times than a legal ruling, the 4th Circuit Court last week upheld Maryland's highly restrictive "Firearms Safety Act."  It's apparent that the 4th Circuit acted in anticipation of a Hillary Clinton victory in November, in which case its decision would have gone unchallenged by the Supreme Court or affirmed, thus substantially laying the groundwork for the overturn of the Supreme Court's ruling in District of Columbia v.  Heller, and with that the effective national evisceration of the 2nd Amendment under a second Clinton administration.

Sununu signature scraps 'concealed carry' permits.  Anyone who legally owns a gun can now carry it in a concealed fashion without a permit from their local police chief, thanks to Senate Bill 12, signed into law on Wednesday [2/22/2017] by Gov. Chris Sununu.  The battle over constitutional carry, or concealed carry, has been waged in the State House on and off for the past three decades.

NH eliminates license requirement to carry concealed gun, effective immediately.  It's now legal to carry a concealed, loaded gun in New Hampshire without a license.  In his first bill signing since taking office, Republican Gov. Chris Sununu signed so-called constitutional carry into law Wednesday.  "It is common-sense legislation," he said during a ceremony in Executive Council chambers.  "This is about making sure that our laws on our books are keeping people safe while remaining true to the live-free-or-die spirit."

Note:  This article in Slate is replete with bias.
Appeals Court Rules that Second Amendment Doesn't Protect Right to Assault Weapons.  On Tuesday [2/21/2017], the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit ruled that the Second Amendment doesn't protect assault weapons — an extraordinary decision keenly attuned to the brutal havoc these firearms can wreak.  Issued by the court sitting en banc, Tuesday's decision reversed a previous ruling in which a panel of judges had struck down Maryland's ban on assault weapons and detachable large capacity magazines.

Connecticut Proposes Quadrupling Gun Permit Fees as Part of New Budget Plan.  The governor of Connecticut is attempting to tap gun owners to help close the state's $1.7 billion budget deficit.  Gov. Dannel Malloy, a Democrat, has proposed increases to pistol permit fees.  The five-year renewal fee for pistol permits would increase from $70 to $300, first-time five-year permits would increase from $140 to $370 and fees for background checks would increase from $50 to $75.

Gun Sales Dip in January as Trump Takes Office.  The number of gun-related background checks performed by the FBI in January were down significantly from the record number from last January.  The FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS, processed 2,043,184 gun-related checks through January 2017, records released on Friday show.  That's more than 500,000 fewer checks than the record set the year before.  It comes on the heels of a streak that saw 18-straight months of new monthly records, and two new yearly records as well.

Neil Gorsuch, Guns & the Second Amendment: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know.  Donald Trump's nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court is generally regarded as a supporter of the Second Amendment and gun rights.  Vigorously praised by the National Rifle Association, Neil Gorsuch "has endorsed Second Amendment rights," says FiveThirtyEight.  However, there is one ruling that gives some conservatives concern, relating to when police can disarm those carrying firearms.  Although Gorsuch's positions on some hot button issues — like abortion — are less clear, his stances on the Second Amendment and guns are clearer.

Judge Neil Gorsuch:  Some Cause for Concern.  According to the 10th Circuit's opinion, the police are justified in forcibly disarming every armed citizen based on nothing more than the presence of a concealed firearm.  This allows the police to treat every law-abiding gun owner like a criminal — which, in many cases we have seen, includes rough treatment such as grabbing him, twisting his arm behind his back, slamming him down on the ground, and handcuffing him.  Far too many police officers do not like anyone to be armed other than themselves and have taken it upon themselves to intimidate those who dare to exercise Second Amendment rights.

Do Not Touch The Guns.  Any man who believes that LEOs have the right to disarm innocent civilians because they feel like it isn't fit to be on any bench, much less the Supreme Court of the United States.  Neil Gorsuch should resign his post along with his colleagues on the tenth circuit and be replaced by good men who believe in the constitution.

Gun-rights supporters oppose plan to protect wildlife refuges by prohibiting lead bullets.  In the waning hours of the Obama administration, the head of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service set in motion a plan to prohibit lead ammunition and fishing tackle from national wildlife refuges by 2022.  The Jan. 19 order, intended to protect birds from lead poisoning, presents the Trump Administration with an early opportunity to weigh in on gun policy.  Gun-rights supporters have condemned the plan as a nakedly political act unsupported by science.

The Editor says...
I really don't think environmentalists care about lead.  The environmentalists are the tools of the gun-controlling, America-hating left.  Environmentalists don't care about stratospheric ozone or gas mileage or polar bears or "light pollution" or rising sea levels, or endangered species, unless these issues can be used to stifle capitalism.

Branded With a Scarlet 'G'.  The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals just suffered from an outbreak of bad judging.  In an en banc opinion, the court ruled that after a lawful traffic stop, the police may frisk any person who they believe may possess a firearm, regardless of whether that person possesses a concealed-carry permit.  The court actually typed this sentence:  "The danger justifying a protective frisk arises from the combination of a forced police encounter and the presence of a weapon, not from any illegality of the weapon's possession" (emphasis added.)  The implications were clear:  Even lawful gun owners are by definition "dangerous" and can be broadly treated as such by the state.

Urban Leftists Can't Stop Violating the Constitution.  Yesterday [1/18/2017], the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals struck down yet another series of Chicago laws that transparently and clumsily attempted to circumvent the Second Amendment and controlling legal precedent protecting the rights of Chicago citizens to own handguns for self-defense.  It's a battle that's been raging for almost a decade. [...] In 2010, [Otis] McDonald won his case.  The Supreme Court held that the Second Amendment was "fully applicable" to the states and protected the right to keep and bear arms from intrusive state and local laws.  Chicago's handgun ban was thus plainly unconstitutional.  But rather than comply with the Constitution, Chicago went back to the drawing board, this time constructing a new, indirect ban.  As summarized by the Seventh Circuit, the city allowed residents to possess a handgun if they had a lawful permit, required range training as a prerequisite to getting a permit, and then banned firing ranges from operating in the city.

The Phony 'Public-Health Crisis' of Gun Violence.  Two major medical journals have decided to renew the academic medical establishment's assault on gun owners.  The first shot across the bow appeared in the November 8 Journal of the American Medical Association, where esteemed Stanford University health economist Victor Fuchs published a paper on the problem of life expectancy in the black community.  Near the end of his lamentation, Fuchs asserts that increasing life expectancy in the black community "depends more on public health measures such as gun control than on medical care."  The second shot came with the release of the January issue of JAMA Internal Medicine, which has four papers and an editorial devoted to firearms violence, with a heavy emphasis on suicide prevention, which would benefit whites much more than it would the black community.  It should go without saying that Dr. Fuchs and his fellow public-health avengers have made critical analytical errors that belie their actual goal:  a creeping vine of restrictions on access to firearms that, in their most lurid dreams, would eventually make gun ownership illegal.

Washington State Considers Gun Bans Which, Shockingly, Mostly Affect Law Abiding Citizens.  Democrats have lots of talking points for in public.  Things like they just want to keep guns out of the hands of criminals.  That they want to reduce gun violence.  We'll get things like they believe in the 2nd Amendment, and just want common sense gun control.  That they don't really want to confiscate guns.  But, when they aren't yammering to the general public, we see that they really do want to mostly ban guns from the law abiding citizens, and when they submit legislation, it isn't about criminals, it's about banning guns from the hands of non-criminals[.]

Up to 30 Shots Fired In Squad-Sized Home Invasion In Texas.  Gun control supporters keep shrieking that we don't "need" the standard capacity magazines specifically designed for our firearms.  The 5-10 home invasion suspects who opened fire on law enforcement responding to a 911 call in Houston last night would clearly agree that they want their victims outgunned. [...] Anti-gun Democrats in New York, California, Connecticut, Maryland, and other ban-happy states have given violent criminals a distinct advantage by passing magazine limit laws that law-abiding citizens will comply with, and which violent criminals such as these will ignore.  These legislators are giving criminals the advantage.  They do not have your best interests at heart, and only encourage this kind of crime to become more prevalent.

Obama's Outrageous Expansion of Gun-Buyer Background Checks.  Have you ever thought of letting someone else manage your finances?  Under finalized new rules released just before Christmas by President Obama, Social Security recipients will be banned from buying a gun if they are deemed "financially incompetent."  Some 4.2 million Social Security recipients — about 10 percent of all people 65 and older — could lose the right to own a gun as a result.  Just because someone can't manage his finances doesn't mean that he's a danger to others.  What is next?  Keeping guns away from people who can't drive or do math?  What about other rights?  Should "financially incompetent" people be forbidden from voting or making other decisions?  President Obama and most other Democrats would be understandably upset if any voters were required to pass a literacy or intelligence test at the polls, but they have no problem denying millions of seniors their ability to defend themselves.

2016 Proved To Be The Biggest Year In History For Gun Sales.  Well, besides President-elect Donald J. Trump's stunning upset win over Hillary Clinton, 2016 will also be known as another record year in gun sales.  In fact, more guns have been sold this year than ever before in history. [...] Now, the spike in gun sales was due to fears that Obama and the Democrats would enact new gun control laws, specifically through executive order.  Even Hillary Clinton made similar overtures on the 2016 campaign trail.

More Guns Have Been Sold in 2016 Than Any Year in History.  More gun-related FBI background checks were done in 2016 than in any other year in history after November set yet another record for gun sales in the United States.  So far this year, the FBI has processed 24,767,514 checks through its National Instant Criminal Background Check System, known as NICS, which puts 2016 more than 160,000 checks above the yearly record set in 2015.  The record comes after November 2016 set its own monthly record with 2,561,281 checks, nearly 320,000 more than the previous record set last November.  This gun sales spike has lasted for over a year and resulted in monthly records for 19 straight months.

Oops. Bloomberg's $20M gun control bid in Nevada has fallen apart.  It was almost the perfect plan.  And if it weren't for [...] the FBI, Michael Bloomberg might have gotten away with it.  By all accounts, the billionaire dropped at least $20M through his various anti-Second Amendment groups in an effort to get Ballot Question 1 passed in Nevada.  The proposal would require virtually all private transfers of gun ownership to be contingent on an FBI background check.  And on election day, the measure passed.  Great news for gun grabbers, right?  Well... it was.  That is to say, things were looking good until the FBI came along and said they wouldn't be participating in the program.

Local gun shop regulation to have its day in court.  A federal appeals court granted county officials a new hearing Tuesday [12/27/2016] on whether local governments in California can restrict the location of gun shops, setting aside a ruling that said such regulations may violate the right to bear arms.  By a majority vote of its 27 judges, the Court of Appeals in San Francisco ordered a rehearing in a case challenging an ordinance passed by Alameda County supervisors in 1998.  The ordinance prohibits new gun stores in unincorporated areas within 500 feet of a residential neighborhood, a school, a day care center, a liquor store or another gun shop.

The Editor says...
Hardly any place in any city is more than 500 feet away from a "neighborhood" (to be defined and re-defined later), a school (ditto), or a day care center (ditto).  Laws like this are designed to be all-inclusive and easily amendable, to make it impossible to set up a politically unfavorable business.

Obama Administration Yanks Second Amendment Rights from SSI Recipients.  Last week, the Obama administration put the finishing touches on a new policy that would deprive recipients of disability insurance and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) of their Second Amendment rights.  The administration will now characterize those citizens as "mental defectives," thereby having their ability to own a firearm subject to the federal Gun Control Act.  Supplemental Security Income helps blind, disabled, and elderly people with little to no income.  Previously, it was understood that "mentally defective" referred to one's mental health.  Citizens who have been institutionalized against their will are restricted from owning a firearm.  The new definition of "mentally defective" has nothing to do with being mentally ill.

Tacoma Cheesecake Factory Kicks Out Armed Cops.  The next time there is an emergency at the Cheesecake Factory in Tacoma, it will be hard to blame first responders if they don't give it priority over finishing their coffee break.

Grandma Got Run Over By Obama:  Social Security Finalizes New Gun Prohibition Rule.  On Monday [12/19/2016], Barack Obama's Social Security Administration (SSA) issued the final version of a rule that will doom tens of thousands of law-abiding (and vulnerable) disability insurance and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients to a loss of Second Amendment rights under the guise of re-characterizing them as "mental defectives."  The SSA, for the first time in its history, will be coopted into the federal government's gun control apparatus, effectively requiring Social Security applicants to weigh their need for benefits against their fundamental rights when applying for assistance based on mental health problems.

Hollywood's Gun-Control Dud.  Miss Sloane, a highly anticipated movie demonizing the NRA and calling for gun control, has bombed.  The movie succeeded only in emphasizing the top-down nature of the gun-control campaign and how little intensity there is for more regulations.

Top 5 Facts That Gun Control Advocates Hate.  It's a great honor and privilege for me to write about the 2nd Amendment, the Constitution and America in general and have so many dedicated readers and followers who enjoy my point of view, the stories I bring them and the truths I reveal.  Sometimes though, the truth that is revealed doesn't come from me but from one of my readers.

California's 'Assault Rifle' Law Goes Into Effect Jan. 1.  California Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill into law last July that will redefine what is and isn't an assault rifle.  It goes into effect Jan. 1 and will affect many thousands of California gun owners.  The most common example of what California defines as an assault rifle is the standard AR15.  Starting in 2017, no one will be able to legally buy or sell one in that state.  "People have been kind of holding off," Terry Fong, of Rocklin Armory, told FOX40.  "The last 30 days have been absolutely crazy.  Phone calls, probably 50-60 phone calls a day, just looking for specific brands of AR's.  Now, they're looking for any AR's."

The Gun Industry's Lucrative relationship With Hollywood.  The NRA and the entertainment industry interact publicly as mortal enemies.  But as the number of weapons shown in movies and TV steadily increases — and stars like Matt Damon and Angelina Jolie make fortunes wielding guns onscreen — a co-dependence that keeps both churning is revealed:  "making the liberal bias a lot of money"

Box Office Disaster — Jessica Chastain's Gun Control Movie.  This past weekend, "Miss Sloane" — starring Jessica Chastain — was released in theaters across the country.  According to Fox News, the film — which premiered in select cities on Thanksgiving — casts Chastain as a no-nonsense D.C. lobbyist who is willing to do whatever it takes to roll back the Second Amendment.

Hollywood Gun Control Thriller Miss Sloane' Stumbles and Falls Hard at the Box Office.  The gun control thriller starring Jessica Chastain, "Miss Sloane," had some tragic results at the box office — despite critics praising the actress's performance.  The film follows a Washington, D.C., lobbyist named Elizabeth, played by Chastain, who is asked by gun rights lobbyists to find a way to turn females against universal background checks.

Va. Court of Appeals rules photo ID can't be required for concealed handgun permit application.  The Virginia Court of Appeals ruled that Circuit Courts cannot require a photo ID with a concealed handgun permit application.  An attorney in the case announced that his client won in his challenge on whether the Norfolk Circut Court could require a photo ID as a part of the Concealed handgun Permit (CHP) Application.  The court of appeals said that they cannot require a photo ID.  Several circuit courts across Virginia continue to impose additional requirements on CHP applications, even though Virginia law prohibits courts from requiring applicants to provide anything other than what is required by the code and on the application, the attorney said.

Anti-Gun Hysteria Is Hazardous to Your Health.  [Scroll down]  Yes, there is something you can do.  You can arm yourself.  When you do, you no longer feel helpless because you're not.  You don't have to rely on your laptop or a pair of scissors to save your life and the lives of those around you.  You can walk into a restaurant, a mall, or any other place where firearms are permitted with confidence, not as a vigilante, but as an armed citizen capable of defending yourself and others.  Yet anti-gun hysteria too often triumphs over common sense.  Bring up expanded concealed-carry rights, and some on the Left seem to panic as if law-abiding men and women will somehow turn our shops and schools into free-fire zones.  But the evidence is overwhelming:  Concealed-carry permit holders are not a public-safety risk.

Levi's CEO: Don't bring guns while shopping at our stores.  Levi's, the world's oldest maker of jeans, is asking customers to leave their guns at home when they're out shopping in its outlet stores, which include four New Jersey locations.  The message was posted in an open letter on LinkedIn by Levi Strauss President and CEO Chip Bergh.  He cited a recent incident where a customer carrying a gun was injured after it went off accidentally.  Bergh did not mention the store's location.

Better late than never:  Military can finally carry at gov't facilities.  Seven years have gone by since Nidal Hassan killed 14 unarmed people at Fort Hood in the first lone-wolf terror attack on military personnel in the US. Finally, the Department of Defense has changed its policy to allow our armed services to be ... y'know ... armed.  Military Times reporter Jeffrey Schogol wrote about the change of policy yesterday that will allow commanders in the field clear authority to allow concealed carry of firearms by recruiters and other personnel.

Acknowledging domestic terror threat, Pentagon says troops, recruiters can carry concealed guns.  U.S. military personnel can now request to carry concealed handguns for protection at government facilities, according to new Defense Department directive issued last week in response to a series of deadly shootings over the last seven years.  While service members already were authorized to carry weapons as part of specific job responsibilities, the new policy allows them to apply to carry their privately owned firearms "for personal protection not associated with the performance of official duties," the directive says.

Ammo Control Had Failed New Jersey, So Of Course They Want More Of It.  New Jersey Democrats [...] think you're too incompetent to pump your own gas.  They want to mandate that all gun buys have smart guns... though they don't exist in any viable form.  They demand that you use FMJ or round nose lead bullets for self-defense, because they're not bright enough to understand that jacketed hollowpoint bullets are the worldwide standard because they're both more effective in stopping bad guys and reducing over-penetration risks to those downrange.  Now they're compounding their ammo foolishness (again) by noting that the previous ammo law didn't stop bad guys from shooting one another and law-abiding citizens, so they need to make the law even more restrictive for people who aren't the problem.

Baltimore Expected to Approve Law Banning Possession of 'Replica' Guns.  A Baltimore police detective shot and wounded 14-year-old Dedric Colvin earlier this year during a foot chase.  Police say they gave chase and ultimately fired shots after seeing Colvin carrying a weapon that appeared to be a semi-automatic pistol.  After the shooting, however, officers discovered the weapon was actually a BB pistol modeled after a popular type of semi-automatic handgun.  Authorities ruled the shooting was justified and no charges were filed against the officer.  If the aftermath of the incident, the Baltimore City Council decided that it wanted to do more to prevent another similar incident from happening.  How do they plan to achieve their goal?  By passing a citywide ban on the possession of toy or replica guns that appear similar to real handguns and rifles.

Hillary Clinton and Gun Control.  Hillary believes that Second Amendment proponents are a "minority" of people, and that their viewpoint is "terrorizing" the American people.  Hillary not only wants to make gun ownership illegal for many, but would allow gun manufacturers to be sued by those who have been shot by a legally owned gun.  This would include those committing crimes on private property.  Hillary said that the Supreme Court is wrong about the Second Amendment, referring to District of Columbia v. Heller, which struck down the D.C. gun ban and ruled that individuals have a fundamental right to gun ownership under the Second Amendment.

Calif. Proposition Requires Permit to Buy Bullets.  California residents will be voting tomorrow on a measure that would require individuals to purchase a permit to but bullets and for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to regulate the purchases.  The measure, Proposition 63, would require individuals to pay up to $50 for an ammunition purchase authorization permit in order to buy ammunition.

I'm Not Willing to Sacrifice My Family for Your Gun-Free Dreams.  [Scroll down]  We've taught our older kids to use firearms as well (my oldest daughter is a natural with the AR-15).  I had two reasons for doing this — first to send the message to anyone thinking about harming our family that we're armed and know how to use our weapons, and second to remind readers and listeners of the vital importance of the Second Amendment in securing the blessings of American liberty.  Quite frankly, it's harder to intimidate and silence armed citizens.  In the middle of the media blitz, my colleague Charlie Cooke reminded me of a key difference between left and right.  "All those progressives who say your story is moving," he said, "probably want you disarmed."  And, like clockwork, here comes a lefty writer to make Charlie's point.

Hillary: Impose Gun Control by Judicial Fiat.  Hillary really, really, wants to repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.  The PLCAA essentially protects gun manufacturers and gun dealers from being sued unless, well, they have done something wrong.  It's a perfectly simple standard that would apply in any other field of human endeavor.  The reason for the PLCAA's enactment was simple.  As law professor Timothy Lytton wrote, before PLCAA was enacted:  "By 2000 gun litigation was regularly front-page news, and manufacturers faced potentially bankrupting industrywide liability exposure as a result of suits by dozens of individual victims, over thirty cities, and the State of New York."  These suits were based upon various elaborations of the argument that "guns are used in crime, and so gun manufacturers should pay for what criminals have done."  Some sought to impose liability even where no one could prove what gun criminals had used:  the theory was that all gun makers should pay for all gun crime, in proportion to their annual production level.

Report: Hillary Clinton Would Ban 'Some of the Most Popular' Firearms in America.  A report by the Washington Times confirms Hillary Clinton would ban "some of the most popular" firearms in America if elected to the White House.  Moreover, the report shows she would chip away at the Second Amendment with myriad new gun control laws and regulations.

Fraction of Suicides with Firearms Compared to per Capita Firearms in U.S.A..  The number of firearms in private hands has been rising for at least 70 years.  During the last 20, the numbers of murders, murders with guns, and violent crime with guns has been dropping sharply.  It has become very hard to say that more guns equal more crime with a straight face.  Fatal gun accidents are at an unprecedented low.  The rate of fatal gun accidents has dropped 94% in 85 years.  The response of those who wish to disarm the public has been to focus on suicides.  They lump in suicides with murders and accidents and call the whole mismash "gun violence".  But if you look at the actual numbers of suicides committed with guns, you come to an understanding at odds with the gun haters narrative.  As the number of guns per capita has increased, the percentage of suicides with guns has dropped.

Hillary Clinton:  "Reasonable" to Require Guns to be Unusable at Home.  The candidate who claimed politicians "need both a public and a private position" on policy issues demonstrated that tendency Wednesday night in the final presidential debate in a desperate bid for damage control on a statement she made in a private meeting with wealthy donors.  That earlier statement was simple, uncomplicated, and utterly damning to anyone who believes in the Second Amendment.  Hillary Clinton told the very people who she depends on to fund her political ambitions:  "the Supreme Court is wrong on the Second Amendment.  And I am going to make that case every chance I get."  As a Yale-educated attorney, Clinton knew exactly what she was saying when she made that remark.  But it doesn't take a lawyer to understand the contempt it demonstrates for the right to keep and bear arms.

The Deep, Deep Gun Control Convictions of Unite Blue Head Becky Carrizales.  Is there any better example of the steadfast political convictions of liberals than Unite Blue chief Becky Carrizales's convictions on gun control?  Twitchy and @eriContrarian shed initial light on the subject, but a closer look at Carrizales's Twitter account gives definitive evidence of her deep, principled gun control advocacy: [...]

Separating Fact From Fiction With the Second Amendment and the War on Guns.  The current presidential election notwithstanding, there are very few topics that generate as much passionate debate as the Second Amendment and gun control.  Every time a tragic event occurs, the left calls for a renewal of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban and other restrictive gun control measures, claiming that the proliferation of firearms in this country is responsible for a disproportionate amount of violence and poses an ongoing threat to public safety.  Ever since 2008, when the U.S. Supreme Court held in District of Columbia v.  Heller that the Second Amendment provides an individual right "to keep and bear Arms," gun control activists have been trying to narrow the scope of that right (with considerable success in the lower courts).

How The Cloward-Piven Strategy Is Driving The United States To Collapse.  Since Obama took office in 2008, the political elite has tried everything from smuggling illegal guns to Mexican drug cartels, attempting to make ammunition expensive through regulation to convincing banks to refuse to extend credit or loans to gun store owners.  Schemes like these are intended to make gun ownership such an impossible venture, that eventually no one will own any, thereby making any attempts to establish a hard tyranny slightly easier.  Although disarming law abiding Americans is an important step in implementing the Cloward-Piven strategy, the political elite must also establish an enforcement mechanism for the new government they intend to create.  Coincidentally, over the past five years, reports of numerous and excessively large transactions have occurred between federal agencies and ammunition manufacturers.  While some agencies need ammunition for training purposes and to do their jobs, why do agencies such as the EPA or the Department of Education ammunition and weapons as well, especially in an era where there isn't even enough for the military?  One possible answer to this vexing question is that even if the political elite succeeds in gutting the military completely, they likely don't trust the average soldier or Marine to carry out orders for a hard tyranny.  Therefore, the political elite likely intends to use federal agencies to carry out tyrannical orders, all in the name of "law enforcement".  If this is the case, it would likely explain the comments made by President Obama during a speech he made in Colorado, where he argued for a domestic force that was equally as well-equipped and funded as the military.

Judge dismisses civil suit by Sandy Hook families against gun-maker, dealer.  A superior court judge on Friday [10/14/2016] dismissed a civil lawsuit brought by the families of some of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings four years ago.  Judge Barbara Bellis ruled that the suit against the Remington Outdoor Co., the manufacturer of the AR-15 assault rifle used in the massacre, is not permitted by federal law.

The Most Explosive WikiLeaks Clinton Revelations (So Far).  [#12] Gun control:  cherry-picked data and executive orders:  Democrats are going to lose patience with voter opposition to their gun control agenda and begin imposing it, as soon as they no longer have to worry about losing a tough election in the near future.  They often worry about the potential backlash from Democrat voters in key states who support gun rights, but they'll stop worrying about that soon, especially if Clinton does extremely well in those states.  A packed Supreme Court will make her even bolder about chipping away at the Second Amendment.  No one should be surprised that Democrats like to pick and choose which crimes the public should focus upon, in order to sell the gun control agenda.

The Clinton Record.  [Scroll down]  Lamenting that "too many families in America have suffered — and continue to suffer — from gun violence," Mrs. Clinton has stated that crime victims should be allowed to sue firearm manufacturers and retailers who lawfully produced or sold a gun that was used in a crime.  This is a way to eliminate the Second Amendment "without firing a shot," so to speak, as it would inevitably cause the firearms industry to disappear.  At a New Hampshire town hall in 2015, a man asked Mrs. Clinton whether she would consider supporting a gun buyback measure similar to the one that had been implemented in Australia:  "Recently, Australia managed to get away, or take away tens of thousands, millions of handguns.  In one year, they were all gone.  Can we do that?"  Clinton replied:  "I think it would be worth considering doing it on the national level, if that could be arranged."  In other words, Mrs. Clinton is eager to explore creative ways of eliminating the Second Amendment.

Feingold: Hillary Might Issue Executive Order on Guns.  Russ Feingold, the former Democratic senator from Wisconsin who is running again in an attempt to win back his old Senate seat, was recorded at a fundraiser saying that Hillary Clinton might issue an executive order on guns.  The video was captured by James O' Keefe's Project Veritas at an Aug. 17, $2,700 per-head fundraiser held at the Palo-Alto, Calif., home of Democratic donors Amy Rao and Harry Plant.  Palo-Alto is located 10 minutes away from Stanford University, where Feingold taught after leaving his position as a special envoy at the U.S. State Department.  Feingold can be heard in the video discussing what Hillary Clinton could do in relation to guns if she were to be elected president.  "If there's still Republican control in Congress, and if Hillary is elected, is there anything she can do to uhh...," a person asks Feingold within the video.  "Well, there might be an executive order," Feingold responds.

The Huffington Post Is Now Actively Encouraging Felony Gun Theft.  The editors of the Huffington Post have always reliably been for gun control, but now they've taken the shocking step of publishing a story promoting felony gun theft.

Glock, Remington Sue to Stop Massachusetts Investigation of Gun Safety.  Remington and Glock have filed suit to block Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey's attempt to investigate possible safety problems with guns manufactured by the companies.  The gun makers contend Healey's investigation is just another one of her attempts to garner headlines above the folds of liberal newspapers, as well as further her campaign to cripple the firearms industry.  In Healey's response to the Glock lawsuit, her attorneys said the AG's office had no alternative because firearms are "one of the few products not regulated by the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission."

Irony: Gun Control Fanatic Kim Kardashian Robbed at Gunpoint; Now She Has Heavily Armed Security.  Gun control advocates are only for restricting other people's right to own firearms.  When it comes to their own safety and security, they're not going to risk it.  They're going to either surround themselves with armed security, or arm themselves.  And they'll do it while they preach about the necessity of stringent gun control laws.

Crowd Cheers Clinton Field Organizer Praising Progress Under Obama 'to Cut Access to Guns'.  The crowd at Sen. Tim Kaine's (D., Va.) rally in Colorado cheered on Monday [10/10/2016] when a Democratic field organizer for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign praised progress under President Obama "to cut access to guns" in the United States.  Prior to Kaine, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, and musician Dave Matthews appearing together at the rally in Denver, Pat Costigan went on stage to energize the crowd.

The Coming National Gun Ban — and How the States Can Resist.  The law of averages predicts that at some time in the future, perhaps as soon as 2017, the Democratic Party will once again control the White House and majorities in both houses of Congress.  When that happens, the next Democratic president — be it Hillary Clinton or someone else — will sign into law a sweeping, foreign-style gun ban.  The legislation has already been written.  H.R. 4269 would enact a national, permanent ban on the manufacture and sale of so-called "assault weapons" and all firearm magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds.  The bill, introduced last December, already has 149 Democratic co-sponsors (218 are needed to pass the House).

Wikileaks Release:  Hillary Clinton Press Sec Says Gun Control to Be Implemented by Executive Order.  The batch of emails released by Wikileaks on October 7 includes one in which Hillary Clinton press secretary Brian Fallon explained that Clinton "would support... closing the gun show loophole by executive order."  Fallon also highlighted Clinton's support of universal background checks — which have already failed in California, Colorado, Washington state, and Paris — and her support for a scenario wherein victims of crime would be able to sue gun manufacturers.

A Banana Republic, If We Choose to Keep It.  Hillary Clinton, along with countless other leftists, wants to overturn the Supreme Court verdict in DC v. Heller that affirmed an individual American's right to own firearms.  In the meantime, leftist governments, highlighted by efforts in Seattle and Chicago, are imposing taxes on bullets and guns in a transparent effort to make both as unaffordable as possible.  Voting for the status quo will keep all of these efforts ongoing.

Tim Kaine's Gun Control Positions Through The Years.  Tim Kaine has held public office off and on in some capacity since 1994 and has consistently pushed gun control for law-abiding citizens along the way.  In 1994 Kaine was a Richmond City councilman.  In that capacity he "supported legislation that included a ban on commonly-owned firearms and their magazines."  As with all gun controls, this ban would have only applied to law-abiding citizens.

Federal Agency Pushed Law Enforcement to Scan License Plates of Gun Show Attendees.  The emails date back to 2010 and were obtained by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).  According to WSJ, "[ICE] crafted a plan in 2010 to use license-plate readers — devices that record the plate numbers of all passing cars — at gun shows in Southern California, including one in Del Mar."  ICE then "compared that information to cars that crossed the border, hoping to find gun smugglers, according to the documents and interviews with law-enforcement officials with knowledge of the operation."

Court Judge: 'No One Should Have' Guns — 'Not Police, Not Security'.  According to Oregonlive.com, circuit court judge Kenneth Walker of Multnomah County, Ore. decided to go on a tangent about gun control during a criminal sentencing on Monday [9/26/2016].  "If I could, I would take all the guns in America, put them on big barges and go dump them in the ocean," the judge said.  "Nobody would have a gun.  Not police, not security, not anybody.  We should eliminate all of them."

Charlotte violence sparks self defense gun buying spree.  The explosion of racial violence in Charlotte, N.C. has led to a gun buying spree by locals worried about their safety.  At Hyatt Guns, one of the nation's largest, staff arrived Thursday morning after the second night of riots and encountered a line of buyers.  "First off, our prayers are with law enforcement this morning.  People are afraid.  They see lunacy in the streets being perpetrated by criminals and they are gearing up to protect themselves," Justin Anderson, director of marketing for Hyatt Guns told [the Washington Examiner].

This is gun control at its finest:
'1 shot — 1 note': Russian sharpshooter performs Beethoven using pistols (Video).  A Russian sharpshooter has proven his skills are going way beyond just precisely hitting targets, as he performed various musical pieces, including by Beethoven, using two Glock pistols, a video has shown.

Tim Kaine on Gun Control:  "I Can't Think of an Issue I'd Rather be Aligned With Than This".  In May 2000, Tim Kaine, then-mayor of Richmond, Va., used more than $6,000 in public funds to charter eight buses.  The buses were used to transport city residents from Richmond to the anti-gun, and inaccurately named, Million Mom March in Washington, D.C. The Million Mom March was sponsored and organized by extremist gun control organization the Bell Campaign, which was later renamed the Million Mom March Foundation.  The Bell Campaign supported a litany of gun control measures, including gun rationing, a ban on the possession of commonly-owned semi-automatic firearms and their magazines, firearm owner licensing, and gun registration.  In regards to the right to keep and bear arms, the Bell Campaign contended, "The Second Amendment does not, and never did, protect the private ownership of guns for private purposes."  Following a public outcry over the use of public funds for political purposes, including criticism from Richmond City Council members, Kaine was forced to seek private funds to reimburse the city.

Heller Was Unambiguous, Unlike Hillary.  That's the stunning bob-and-weave answer to a simple, direct question by ABC's George Stephanopoulos as to whether Hillary Clinton believes the Second Amendment protects an individual right.  Her answer lays bare her oft-repeated big lie about support for our unique American liberty.  Allow me to dissect her smoke-screen answer.  The Scalia decision she was referring to, of course, came in the 2008 5-4 landmark U.S. Supreme Court case, District of Columbia v.  Heller, which struck down the District's ban on handguns and its ban on armed self-defense in the home.  In short, Heller marked the first-ever definitive Supreme Court decision upholding the Second Amendment as an individual right.

Huckabee: Clinton's Gun Control Plans are Another 'Hillary Hypocrisy'.  Clayton Morris told Huckabee that the New York Times ran a story on Trump's latest comments about the Second Amendment, saying that he "once again raised the specter of violence against Hillary Clinton by suggesting Friday that Secret Service agents who guard her voluntarily disarm to 'see what happens to her' without their protection."  Huckabee called the Times' insinuation "utter nonsense."  "He's pointing out the absolute 'Hillary hypocrisy':  Guns for me — good thing — guns for you — bad thing."  "Since 1978 she's be surrounded by people who've protected her, not with a notepad, but with guns."  Clinton has said in the past she will sign executive orders calling for tighter gun control.

How to Talk About Gun Rights With Gun Control Advocates.  Guns are a tricky topic.  Very rarely do you find voters ambivalent about gun violence, gun safety, etc.  Someone is either strongly pro-gun rights or pro-gun control, which makes a civil conversation difficult to start or maintain.  But the solution isn't to avoid the topic.

What's really behind the ongoing push for gun control?  The gun grabbers tell you they want more gun control in order to keep you safe.  But that is the Big Lie.  If they really wanted to limit guns used most to murder people they'd target handguns, which are used in almost half of all homicides.  Of 8,124 murders using a firearm in 2014, handguns were used 5,562 times.  Rifles were used to murder someone only 248 times.  And the dreaded "assault weapon" the politicians make such a kerfuffle over is a subset of rifles, so the number of people killed by those is much lower.  That is evidence the government assault on so-called "assault rifles" is just a show designed to confuse, deflect and cause conflict and a means to begin the incremental steps to a complete gun ban.

Democrat VP Candidate Tim Kaine:  Confirmed — He's a Radical Leftist Gun-Banner.  In May 2000, Tim Kaine, then-mayor of Richmond, Va., used more than $6,000 in public funds to charter eight buses.  The buses were used to transport city residents from Richmond to the anti-gun, and inaccurately named, Million Mom March in Washington, D.C.  The Million Mom March was sponsored and organized by extremist gun control organization the Bell Campaign, which was later renamed the Million Mom March Foundation.  The Bell Campaign supported a litany of gun control measures, including gun rationing, a ban on the possession of commonly-owned semi-automatic firearms and their magazines, firearm owner licensing, and gun registration.  In regards to the right to keep and bear arms, the Bell Campaign contended, "The Second Amendment does not, and never did, protect the private ownership of guns for private purposes."

Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin says bloodshed may be needed to protect conservatism.  Kentucky Gov.  Matt Bevin said conservatives may need to turn to physical violence in order to protect the United States against contemporary liberalism. [...] Bevin suggested that if Democrat Hillary Clinton were elected president, she would set the nation on a dangerous course that might require bloodshed to correct.  He told the audience that the "candle" of liberty might go out "on our watch."  To hammer home his point, he paraphrased a famous quote from Founding Father Thomas Jefferson:  "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

The TSA's Screwed Up System For Transporting Firearms.  [Scroll down]  First of all, lock your case while transporting your gun in the checked luggage, no matter what he said.  Declare your firearm at the ticket counter.  The airline will call for TSA.  From here things get confused, like Barney Fife is doing the work.  I've had TSA agents ask me to open my case (which is why I keep the keys to the lock handy).  I've had TSA agents look at the weapon, look at the form I completed asserting that the firearm was unloaded, ask me to lock my case, and then (almost always) throw the form down on top of the case, NOT inside it (the airlines insist that your form be visible inside the luggage but not inside the gun case, and they usually request that I simply place it on top of the gun case).  Luggage handlers and TSA agents need to be able to see that there is such a form, and if it's inside the case, they can't.  I have always had TSA and the airlines insist that ammunition be inside the luggage, but not inside the gun case.  I've also had TSA agents swipe the inside of the case (as if looking for residue of some sort, and there will always be residue inside my gun cases), and then ask me to lock my case.  Not once have I ever had an agent verify that my firearm was unloaded.

CDC Study Ordered by Obama Contradicts White House Anti-gun Narrative.  In January, following the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, President Obama issued a "Presidential Memorandum directing the Centers for Disease Control to research the causes and prevention of gun violence," along with 22 other "initiatives."  That study, subcontracted out to the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, was completed in June and contained some surprises for the president.  Obama had announced at the beginning of the year his push for three major gun control initiatives — universal background checks, a ban on "assault weapons," and a ban on "high-capacity" magazines — to prevent future mass shootings, no doubt hoping that the CDC study would oblige him by providing evidence that additional gun control measures were justified to reduce gun violence.  On the contrary, that study refuted nearly all the standard anti-gun narrative and instead supported many of the positions taken by gun ownership supporters.  For example, the majority of gun-related deaths between 2000 and 2010 were due to suicide and not criminal violence.

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow:  The Biggest Gun Grabs of the Last Eight Years.  [D]espite the fact that firearm-related murders are at their lowest point since 1981, members of Congress stage a sit-in over a supposed lack of action on gun control.  Anti-gunner believe that by passing legislation targeting law-abiding citizens (who else does legislation target?), they can reduce the number of firearm-related crimes.  That's the charitable view.  The less charitable view is that state and federal politicians don't like the idea of their subjects being armed, and they'll do anything in their power to take away their right to own and carry firearms.

The Second Amendment:  How Does It Work?  Progressives Have No Idea.  [Scroll down]  [I]s there any other constitutional right, or any other constitutional amendment, that is so consistently and so aggressively handled with such base and inexcusable stupidity, on so regular a basis, and on such an industrial scale?  I am not sure.  You don't usually see arguments of this idiotic magnitude when it comes to, say, the Fourth Amendment, or the Sixth.  You certainly see dumb interpretations of the First Amendment, but that's usually a matter of degree, not kind:  you will have people arguing that the First Amendment doesn't protect "hate speech," for instance, but nobody ever argues that the First Amendment only applies to state governments, say, rather than to individual members of the body politic.  Only the Second Amendment is subject to such illiterate and ahistorical analyses.  Once you realize that, you can fully grasp why:  many people simply do not like guns, and they will lie — or else keep themselves deliberately ignorant — to prevent other people from having them.

Green Party Nominee Wants To 'Explore' Disarming Police Officers.  Jill Stein, the Green Party nominee for president, on Sunday said she would like to "explore for the future" the idea of taking away guns from police officers in order to "address this scourge of racist violence."  The liberal candidate has talked about disarming police officers before.  Asked by ABC's George Stephanopoulos on "This Week" to explain how that would work in a society where there are already millions of guns, Stein said:  "Exactly, which is why I used the term something to explore for the future."  Stein spoke of the "need to actually hold police accountable so that we can address this scourge of racist violence."

A Woman's Self-Defense Guide to Concealed Carry (CCW).  Between 2004 and 2011, the report shows there was a 77-percent increase in women who own firearms, a 36-percent increase in women who target shoot, and a 23-percent increase in women who hunt.  Yet, even with more women engaging in shooting sports, that's still not the reason so many are purchasing guns.  It's not for hunting.  It's not for fun.  It's for self-defense.

Here's How "President Hillary" Will Destroy Your Gun Rights Without Repealing The Second Amendment.  Hillary Clinton is running the first presidential campaign in the history of the United States based explicitly on the gutting of a core Constitutional and human right.  Clinton has made attacking the human right of self-defense a key part of her 2016 campaign, and if she's elected — and down-ballot Democrats manage to take control of the Senate and/or House — she's poised to be able to destroy the gun rights of American citizens in three distinct ways.
  •  Place progressive, anti-gun justices on the Supreme Court
  •  Pass bans on a wide range of common firearms
  •  repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA)

Stop Gun Violence? Stop Liberalism First.  The left, as mostly consisting in this country of the politically liberal, vocalizes its hatred for the concept of private gun ownership in direct proportion to its increasing seizure of power.  As they have enhanced their control of culture, politics, and discourse, they have similarly increased their open rejection of the right of private gun ownership.  It is by no means the only right they have devalued.  Speech and religion are significantly curtailed by the left, so that only approved speech, and the government-approved religion of Islam, can be openly encouraged.  But gun ownership is the right they hate the most.  It is the one which totalitarians always hate the most, since it is the only one that can successfully stop dictatorship.  They will limit our speech, and insult our faith, and spy on us, and treat us like cattle.  But private gun ownership exists to prevent total victory for tyranny.

Gun Control Is Totally On The Ballot In Four States Or Something.  There are many things Leftist become utterly hysterical over.  The fake anthropogenic climate change.  Abortion on demand.  And, of course, gun control, with Think Progress' Kira Lerner highlighting 4 ballot initiatives [...] Of course, these are mostly minor measures that do not encompass the true gun banning that Leftists would like to see occur.  They are nickle and diming it.  But, remember, add up a bunch of small steps, and suddenly you'll realize that Democrats have severely restricted your Constitutional rights.  This is what they do when they can't get their big "comprehensive" packages through.

Gun control goes on the ballot.  Voters in four states will decide ballot measures relating to gun control this November.  In Maine and Nevada, voters will decide whether to expand background check requirements to include private gun sales.  In Washington, voters will decide whether to take guns out of the hands of people who are subject to extreme risk protection orders, which include restraining orders and people at risk of suicide.  And in California, voters will decide whether to ban the possession of large-capacity magazines.  The California measure, Proposition 63, would also require individuals to pass a background check before purchasing ammunition.

These Gun Owners Are Least Likely Criminals, Report Finds.  Concealed-carry permit holders are nearly the most law-abiding demographic of Americans, a new report by the Crime Prevention Research Center says — comparing the permit holders foremost with police.  "Indeed, it is impossible to think of any other group in the U.S. that is anywhere near as law-abiding," says the report, titled "Concealed Carry Permit Holders Across the United States 2016."  From 2007 through 2015, permits issued by state and local governments increased by 215 percent, to more than 14 million Americans, according to the data.

Concealed-Carry Permit Surge Could Play Decisive Role in These 2016 Battleground States.  The number of concealed-carry permit holders has skyrocketed over the last four years, noticeably in key battleground states and among women, according to a new report.  Two swing states have the highest number of permit holders in the country, with 1.58 million in Florida and 1.2 million in Pennsylvania.

Texas AG shoots down profs' arguments against campus carry.  A lawsuit against Texas' new campus carry law is "frivolous" and lacks "legal justification," the state's Attorney General contends in an opposition brief filed Monday [8/1/2016].  Three University of Texas professors filed the lawsuit in response to the campus carry law that took effect August 1, arguing that guns in the classroom threaten both academic freedom and equal protection as guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment.

It's about time for Texas' guns on campus law.  Gun control advocates think that gun bans will make people safer.  But banning guns only ensures that law-abiding good citizens are disarmed, not the killers.  Instead of bans improving safety, these bans attract killers and make it easier for them to commit crimes.

Do Democrats want to disarm minorities?  Instead of additional background checks and creating problems for more law-abiding citizens, let's acknowledge and fix the broken system that we already have.  Virtually everyone who fails a background check is someone who is legally eligible to buy a gun.  Law-abiding minorities, particularly blacks, are the ones most likely to be stopped from buying guns.  Hillary Clinton claims that background checks have stopped 2.4 million dangerous or prohibited people from buying a gun.  But what she ought to say is that there were 2.4 million "initial denials."  These initial denials are akin to being stopped from flying because your name is similar that of someone on the No Fly list.  This happened five times to the late Sen.  Ted Kennedy.  By Hillary Clinton's method of counting, five terrorists were stopped from flying.

New evidence confirms what gun rights advocates have said for a long time about crime.  Lawful gun owners commit less than a fifth of all gun crimes, according to a novel analysis released this week by the University of Pittsburgh.  In the study, led by epidemiologist Anthony Fabio of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public Health, researchers partnered with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police to trace the origins of all 893 firearms that police recovered from crime scenes in the year 2008.

New ATF Head Wants Computerized Database of All Gun Purchases.  Deputy Director Thomas Brandon (shown on right), head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) appeared on CBS's Sunday Morning television show, complaining that his agency is "a small agency with a big job" and that he really needs more agents and more money to do that job.  What he would really like, however, is a computerized database of all gun purchases made by every buyer and seller in the country: [...] Brandon took over the agency in April 2015 after Todd Jones bailed out following the agency's failed attempt to ban ammunition for the popular AR-15 rifle.  Jones had taken over the agency after Kenneth Melson bailed out in 2011 following the implosion of the ATF's Fast and Furious gun-walking scandal.

Per Capita Firearms vs Murder Rates in the U.S. 1950 - 2014.  While various pundits and scholars have claimed that more guns equal more murders, the raw numbers reveal that to be untrue.  The graph above plots the per capita firearms rate in the United States (stated as number of firearms per 10 people) against the murder rate as tabulated in the FBI Uniform Crime Reports (UCR).  The UCR includes both murder and non-negligent homicide in the murder numbers.  The UCR murder rate is per 100,000 people in the United States.  The murder rate may be one of the most reliable numbers in the UCR, because murders are more likely to be reported than any other crime.  There is a body, and usually an investigation.  Other crime numbers are less certain.

Democrats renew push for gun bans, convinced mass shootings have changed politics.  Fifteen years after they concluded that gun control was a losing issue for them, Democrats say it's time for a rethink, convinced that a spate of mass shootings has changed the politics and left Americans clamoring for action.  From the stage this week, a powerful lineup of victims and family members of those killed in shootings begged for gun bans, saying the deranged shooters would have caused far less damage without the semi-automatic rifles many of them used.  Hillary Clinton may be a flawed messenger — in the 2008 election, she ran as a defender of gun rights — but to the victims and those close to them, she is the best chance they have to win a fight they have lost for decades.

Lawmakers Push Back Against Lawless Gun Ban by Massachusetts AG Healy.  Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healy's unconstitutional gun ban last week may have played well to the gun ban crowd in the Democrat party.  She took a moment of national anger over the assassinations of police officers to push her personal anti-Second Amendment policies, while the legislature was not in session.  Dozens of legislators were not amused.

Democratic delegate admits 'gun control' is code for wanting to ban all guns.  A new video by Project Veritas shows Mary Bayer, a former Democratic delegate admitting that the term "gun control" is just code for repealing the Second Ammendment and banning guns.  When asked by an undercover reporter if she was in favour of banning guns, Bayer replied in the affirmative.  "I'm totally against them, and my husband is against guns.  My husband is now a registered Democrat."

Knife Rights:  The Unseen Side of the Second Amendment.  While congressional Democrats and Republicans go head-to-head over gun control, proponents of a smaller, often overlooked facet of the Second Amendment's right to keep and bear arms pursue a battle of their own — the right to carry a knife.  Knife Rights, an Arizona-based advocacy group aimed at ridding states of existing bans on specific types of knives, is leading the fight against restrictive knife laws across the U.S.  "Protecting knife rights is the second front in the defense of the Second Amendment," Todd Rathner, director of legislative affairs at Knife Rights, told The Daily Signal.

Gun Restrictions Punish Only the Rational and the Responsible.  The basic argument for restricting the manufacture, purchase, and possession of firearms runs as follows:  Because some gun owners use their guns to commit crimes or suicide, or they use their guns irresponsibly, the rights of all gun manufacturers, sellers, and owners must be restricted.  Thus, the case for restricting guns rests on collective guilt.  (The guns under consideration here are those those suitable for personal self-defense, including shotguns, semiautomatic shoulder rifles and handguns, and the like.)  That guns can be (and usually are) used in rights-respecting ways is obvious.  Nearly half of the U.S. population — scores of millions of people — own a gun.  Many millions of Americans use guns for recreational target practice and hunting.  Many millions possess a gun for self-defense — some ten million have a permit to carry a concealed handgun — and every year many thousands of Americans use a gun to defend themselves.

How Many People Were Shot by Open Carriers at the RNC?  We were warned.  Prior to the Republican National Convention, multiple mainstream media outlets warned about Ohio's dangerous gun laws that allow for the open carry of firearms.  The head of the police union wanted Ohio Governor John Kasich to (unconstitutionally) suspend the state's gun laws.  "We are sending a letter to Gov.  Kasich requesting assistance from him.  He could very easily do some kind of executive order or something — I don't care if it's constitutional or not at this point," Stephen Loomis, president of Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association, told CNN.

Massachusetts Attorney General Unilaterally Rewrites the State's Gun Laws.  Without the legislature, without the governor, and without any form of public consultation, the attorney general of Massachusetts has today [7/20/2016] rewritten the state's 1998 Gun Control Act.  In an edict sent out this morning, AG Maura Healey explained that the law no longer meant what it had meant since 1998, but instead would mean what she wanted it to mean.

Revealing Gun Control Legislation Takes aim at Youth Shooting Sports.  On Tuesday, July 12, 2016, two Democratic legislators introduced another gun control bill — this time, to effectively end all youth shooting sports and hunting programs in the United States.  Think that's bad?  Wait 'till you read how it's worded.  Senator Edward J. Markey and Congressman Ruben Gallego introduced new legislation that claims will "ensure that powerful, military-style weapons don't end up in the hands of children".

Illinois gun restrictions unfairly target foster parents, lawsuit claims.  Kenneth and Colleen Shults want to permanently welcome a foster child into their Fairmount, Ill., family, but claim in a federal suit filed this week they are being forced to surrender their Second Amendment rights to do it.  Already parents of three, the couple is in the process of formally adopting a daughter through the state foster care system and is fighting Department of Children and Family Services rules they say severely restrict their gun rights.  The couple charges that the firearm restrictions aimed at safeguarding foster children violate their constitutional rights and threaten their ability to keep their family safe.

Why The Left Always Talks Gun Control.  A terrorist goes into a nightclub in Orlando and kills dozens.  The President rushes out to make sure everyone knows it is a hate crime and we must have gun control.  In Dallas, a man guns down police officers and the President rushes out and will not call it a hate crime, but declares we must have gun control.  In addition to admitting he classifies hate crimes based on the victim's class, not the intent of the killer, the President admits he has no ideas but gun control.  Like the solution always being the same whether the left believes we are in global cooling or global warming, the solution to every terrible act in America is gun control.

Despite racist motives, Obama blames Dallas attacks on gun control.  Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel once said "never let a good crisis go to waste," and President Obama intends to use the racist anti-police attacks in Dallas for expanding gun control.  Despite the fact that one of the shooters, Micah X. Johnson, had racist motives and wanted to kill white police officers because he was angry and cited #BlackLivesMatter as inciting him, the President is claiming it was the lack of gun control that caused the deadly massacre in Dallas.  "When people are armed with powerful weapons, unfortunately it makes attacks like these more deadly and tragic," Obama said at a press conference during a trip to Poland.  "In the days ahead we're going to have to consider those realities."

Conservatives to oppose no-fly gun bill, derail GOP leaders' push for action.  House conservatives have kneecapped GOP leaders' attempts to pass a compromise gun-control bill to keep firearms out of the hands of suspected terrorists, saying Wednesday that the chief Republican plan still tramples on Americans' constitutional rights.  Speaker Paul D. Ryan had hoped to push the gun proposal through as part of a broad anti-terrorism package, but the House Freedom Caucus said the gun provisions go too far, while the terrorism language doesn't go far enough.  Without the Freedom Caucus's support, it's doubtful Mr. Ryan and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy will be able to pass their bill, which has drawn fierce opposition from Democrats who say the gun provisions need to be stiffened to deny more people the chance to buy firearms.

As Congress Returns, Democrats and Republicans Clash Over Gun Control.  House Republican leaders are planning to hold a vote this week on legislation intended to bar some suspected terrorism suspects from buying guns. [...] While Republicans have been reluctant to pursue any legislation that can be construed as gun control, backers of this proposal insist it achieves the delicate balance of preventing those suspected of having terrorist ties from buying weapons — while preserving their right to due process.

FBI Flagged This Congressman as a Terrorist.  Here's Why He Opposes a New Gun Ban.  Waiting on a routine flight from Sacramento back to Santa Barbara, Rep.  Tom McClintock, R-Calif., discovered he was a terrorist.  Or at least that's what the FBI thought.  McClintock was clearly more of a frequent flyer than radical extremist.  But a classic case of mistaken identity, not ties to terrorism, landed him on the FBI's no-fly list.  A well-known state senator at the time, McClintock was left stranded at the Sacramento International Airport about 10 years ago.  He couldn't fly home under his own name.  Pointing to gaffes like the one that grounded McClintock a decade ago, Republicans now warn of serious constitutional consequences that could occur if Democrats ban suspects on the no-fly list from purchasing guns.

Gun rights activists say they won't comply with California's new laws.  Fifty or so gun activists gathered Saturday morning at Sacramento's Cesar Chavez Plaza to protest Gov. Jerry Brown's signing of six gun control measures they said would turn "law-abiding citizens into criminals."  One bill Brown signed will expand the state's assault weapons ban to include "bullet-button" rifles, which allow users to quickly dislodge a magazine of ammunition by pressing a button.  Others prohibit citizens from possessing magazines that hold more than 10 rounds and require background checks on people purchasing ammunition.

Congressional Black Caucus to 'Cause Chaos' on the House Floor Over Guns.  What more do these Congressional Black Caucus goons want?  Paul Ryan has already caved and will allow a House vote on gun confiscation.  Apparently that's not good enough for the racist Congressional Black Caucus.  They plan to "cause chaos" and are urging other fascist Democrats to join them all over gun control and confiscation.

It Ain't About Guns:  Democrats Super-Excited About Killing Off Your Due Process Rights.  The latest efforts to enact gun-control by Democrats in congress are either strictly symbolic, since they would not have stopped the San Bernadino or the Orlando Islamic extremists, or a Trojan horse to abolish the 2nd Amendment.  Their proposal is to deny 2nd Amendment rights to anyone on the Transportation Safety Administration's (TSA) "no-fly list."  The murderers in San Bernadino and Orlando were not on the no-fly list, so even if such a law were in place, those acts of domestic terrorism would not have been prevented.  So from that standpoint, such legislation would be mostly symbolic, and solve little to nothing.  It is much more likely, however, that the legislation is a Trojan horse to literally abolish 2nd Amendment rights of all, or more likely, select citizens.

June Gun Sales Crush Previous Record.  June 2016 saw the most FBI gun background checks of any June since the current system went into effect.  The agency reported on Sunday [7/3/2016] that it processed more than 2.1 million gun related checks in June, an increase of more than 600,000 over the previous record set last year.  That makes June the 14th month in a row to see a new background check record, including every month of 2016.  This year is on pace to break 2015's record for most checks in a year.  Last month's numbers are still lower than the first four months of the year, which tracks with standard seasonal lulls in sales for the industry.  However, June's numbers are higher than May's — a departure from previous years when June had traditionally seen the fewest checks of any month.

What are the risks guns could be banned from video games?  Some people have wondered, because of the public shootings that occur every so often, including the most recent ones in Orlando and Germany, is there a risk that computer games might be forbidden to show weapons — specifically guns — or that video games that show guns being used to wound or kill people, especially in apocalyptic or "collapse of civilization" scenarios, where players might engage in rampages, including the potential for the killing of soldiers and police officers, could be banned or prohibited from distribution?  Short version:  The various governments of the United States — which means:  the federal government and both a state government and a sub agency of a state government such as a county or city — lack the power to prohibit a maker of a video game from including guns in a video game, the use of guns in a video game, the use of guns on a video game to kill people, or the use of video games to kill soldiers, uniformed police officers, or even a protected class of people or an identifiable minority or religious group such as blacks, Jews, Catholics, Muslims, Protestants, gays, whites, American Indians, men, women, or children.

California governor signs stringent gun bills, vetoes others.  Gov. Jerry Brown signed six stringent gun-control measures Friday [7/1/2016] that will require people to turn in high-capacity magazines and mandate background checks for ammunition sales, as California Democrats seek to strengthen gun laws that are already among the strictest in the nation.

Gov. Jerry Brown signs six gun-control bills, vetoes five.  Californians wishing to buy ammunition will have to undergo a background check beginning in 2019 similar to those already required for gun purchases, under one of six gun-control bills signed by Gov.  Jerry Brown on Friday [7/1/2016].  The governor vetoed five gun bills, including the only bill Republicans supported, AB1176, which would have made it a felony to steal a gun or buy a stolen gun, regardless of its value.

Gun control isn't the answer.  We already know how to stop the violence.  As long as Democrats insist that new gun laws and bans are the only way to stop or slow gun violence, the Republicans and most of the American people will stand in their way — unless they rush to pass new gun laws and bans within 2-3 weeks of major mass shootings.  The reasons are many, but one of the biggest problems with the new legislation approach is the fact that gun violence is mostly committed in urban areas by people in demographic groups and living in geographical locations that a large segment of the American people believe are heavily connected to the Democratic Party.

Obama's Muslim Homeland Security Adviser Demands National Gun Registry.  The Obama administration has been riddled with Muslims who are anti-American in their views in key national security positions.  Now, Cairo-born Gamal Abdel-Hafiz, who immigrated to the States in 1990 and worked at the FBI for 22 years is calling for a national gun registry in clear violation of the Second Amendment.  Abdel-Hafiz who is consulting Obama's "countering violent extremism," which should be more accurately titled, "countering Islamic terrorism," suggested that a national gun registry be created.

No Fly No Buy? 100% Unconstitutional.  It comes as no surprise at all, that in the aftermath of the Orlando Islamic terrorist attack, all liberals can talk about is taking guns away from law abiding citizens or making it hard, if not impossible in some cases, to even purchase a gun.  THAT, say the liberals, is the best way to defeat terrorism.  Ted Cruz had a slightly different perspective on the situation:  "You don't defeat terrorism by taking away our guns.  You defeat terrorism by using our guns."

Democrats Sit-In for Secret Lists and Maybe Even a Police State.  Democrats are holding a sit-in on the floor of the House, demanding action on gun control.  "The time for silence and patience is long gone," said Rep.  John Lewis (D-Ga.), a former civil rights leader who's taken the lead in the sit-in.  "The American people are demanding action.  Do we have the courage, do we have the raw courage to make at least a down payment on ending gun violence in America?"  Details are scarce.  Vox.com reports that House Democrats would like to force a vote the way Senate Democrats did through a filibuster.  The Senate voted on four gun bills on Monday night [6/20/2016], with all four failing.  The most egregious wanted to deny the right to bear arms for anyone who was put on the federal government's terror watch list, a list the federal government can put any American on without even the pretext of due process.

How You Lost The Constitution.  Let's talk for a bit about the so-called "narrow" and "common sense" compromise being put forward by Democrats — and a few Republicans, notably Susan Collins (R-ME), to block people from buying guns if they're "on a terror watch list."  Sounds reasonable, right?  Well, it's not.  And the reason it's not has nothing to do with letting terrorists have guns.  Nobody in their right mind wants to have someone who is an actual terrorist walk into a gun store and buy a firearm — or 10.  Rather, we blew it when we allowed the creation of "watch lists" that are (1) secret, (2) constrain people (e.g. "no-fly" lists) and (3) have no due process protections of any sort associated with them.  These are all unconstitutional, I remind you, to the extent they apply to American citizens.

Supreme Court upholds gun ban for domestic violence.  The Supreme Court ruled Wednesday [6/22/2016] that a federal law intended to keep guns away from domestic violence offenders can apply even if their crime was nothing more than "offensive touching."  The decision was a victory for gun control advocates and groups that work to protect battered spouses and children, and a defeat for gun rights organizations that argued the federal law goes too far.

Democrat Governor Vetoes Missouri Constitutional Carry Bill.  Missouri Governor Jay Nixon (D.) vetoed legislation that would have allowed any adult who was legally allowed to possess a firearm to carry it without a permit.  "As Governor, I have signed bills to expand the rights of law-abiding Missourians to carry concealed and am always willing to consider ways to further improve our CCW process," Nixon said in a statement.  "But I cannot support the extreme step of throwing out that process entirely, eliminating sensible protections like background checks and training requirements, and taking away the ability of sheriffs to protect their communities."  The governor's decision comes after the Republican controlled legislature voted overwhelmingly in favor of the measure last month.

Corker: We Can Still Get a Bill 'That Protects 2nd Amendment Rights' and Keeps Guns Out of Terrorist Hands.  Sen.  Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, told CNN's "State of the Union with Jake Tapper" that Congress can still pass a bill that "protects 2nd Amendment rights" and keeps guns out of terrorist hands.  "There's still a place that we can get to that protects Second Amendment rights, but also ensures that we keep guns out of the hands of terrorists," Corker said.

Gun control initiative allowing ammo confiscation qualifies for ballot in California.  A Democrat-backed measure that would give California the nation's toughest restrictions on ammunition and allow the seizure of magazines exceeding 10 rounds has qualified for the state ballot.  The California Secretary of State's office announced Thursday [6/23/2016] that the Safety for All initiative, championed by Democratic Lt.  Gov.  Gavin Newsom, had gathered the petition signatures necessary for a slot on the Nov. 8 ballot.  "Enough massacres, death, tears, and hate — it's time to take action and save lives," Mr. Newsom said in the Sacramento Bee.  "The Safety for All initiative gives California voters the opportunity to keep guns and ammo out of the hands of violent, dangerous, hateful people."

Democratic Sen.  Calls For Ammunition Control.  Democratic Sen.  Tim Kaine, who is on the shortlist to be Hillary Clinton's vice president, called for limiting the size of magazines on semi-automatic rifles.

Hawaii Puts Names Of Law-Abiding Gun Owners Into Federal Database.  On June 23, Hawaii Governor David Ige (D) signed a bill into law placing all of the state's law-abiding gun owners in a federal database.  The database — called "Rap Back" — is run by the FBI and will alert Hawaiian law enforcement if a Hawaiian gun owner is arrested for a crime anywhere in the United States.  Fox 59 quoted Ige saying, "This will allow county police departments in Hawaii to evaluate whether the firearm owner may continue to legally possess and own firearms."  The bill, which received heavy opposition from gun owners and gun rights groups, was passed by a Democrat-controlled legislature under the presumption that background checks are not enough.

House Democrats' sit-in.  The Democrats are chanting their silly meme, "No fly no buy."  The idea is that if you are on the terrorism no fly list, you should not be able to buy a gun.  The terrorism list started in 2003 as a data base to help identify potential terrorists, not to keep people off of airplanes.  But it evolved.  Today, for reasons never stated, a nameless, faceless bureaucrat can put anyone on the no fly list and it is almost impossible to get off.  If someone put on the list has resources, they can try to sue, but often when the case gets to court and the plaintiff demands to know why they are on the list, the government invokes the "State secrets" privilege.  That privilege is invoked when there is allegedly classified information in a case and is generally used to deny access to that information.

With the exception of Chicago and New York, where guns are prohibited...
America is Awash in Guns, and Crime is at Record Lows.  Most Americans believe America is submerged beneath a tidal wave of gun violence.  A Pew Research poll in 2013 found that 56 percent of Americans thought gun violence had risen in the last 20 years, 26 percent thought it had remained the same, and only 12 percent thought it had fallen.  You might be surprised to learn the 12 percent were right.  The gulf between the facts about guns and the public's perception is immense, and was created deliberately.  Anti-gun advocates invent new terms ("assault weapon") and politicians lie to win over a skeptical public.  Too often these myths are swallowed by journalists and celebrities who don't bother to check the data and don't know how modern firearms actually work.

Hawaii becomes first state to put gun owners in database.  Gov.  David Ige is signing a bill that makes the state the first to enter gun owners into an FBI database that will automatically notify police if an island resident is arrested anywhere else in the country.

My Family Fled Communism.  Stop Pushing Soviet-Style Gun Control Here.  From the amateurish House sit-in to the full-on assault on AR-15 semi-automatic rifles, your assumptions about Democrats pursuing full disarmanent under the guise of "gun control" are correct.  They mean it.  As a Virginia gun owner and concealed handgun permit (CHP) holder myself, I hope my perspective get can you to think differently about firearms if you have doubts.  Don't know the Second Amendment?  Let me list it for you:  The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution reads:  "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."  But, but, but this amendment is outdated, archaic and Draconian!  But, but, but there's no explicit mention of individual gun ownership!  (Nope, and nope!)  When I hear the most ardent supporters of gun control (aka disarmament) use these talking points, I cannot help but think of societies where totalitarian regimes succeeded in oppressing people by first disarming them — like the former Soviet Union.

The Democrats Are Boldly Fighting For a Bad, Stupid Bill.  After Democrats in the Senate staged a filibuster in support of gun control measures, their colleagues in the House have begun a "sit-in" aimed at embarrassing Republicans into allowing a vote on a measure that would restrict the ability of suspected terrorists to legally buy guns.  The move is fantastic political theater.  It's also a tremendous waste of popular support and activist energy in support of a measure that isn't just ineffective but also actively offensive.  The Democratic proposal has been catch-phrased and hashtagged as "no fly, no buy," because it would prevent people who end up on government terrorism watchlists, including the "no fly list," from purchasing firearms.  This would do little to reduce gun violence, but it would add an additional layer of surveillance and government scrutiny to a particular class of people.

GOP Senate Debates Gun Control Instead of Real Measures to Fight Terrorism.  In the aftermath of the terrorist attack in Orlando — the largest in the United States since 9/11 — lawmakers on Capitol Hill have yet to introduce one piece of legislation that would actually fight terrorism.  Not one.  Instead, the Republican-controlled Senate has not only allowed Democrats to define the debate and make this an issue about gun control, but they've joined the tour de farce.  That President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats once again called for more gun control in the wake of the tragedy is no surprise.  It's completely predictable.

Family Plans to Destroy Stockpile of Inherited Guns and Ammo Worth Millions, Lawyer Says.  Family members set to inherit a stockpile of guns and ammunition, worth millions of dollars, plan to destroy the weapons "to send a message," their attorney Daniel Brookman told ABC News today [6/22/2016].  "They want these instruments of death to be destroyed," Brookman said.  "They don't want these weapons out on the street."  Jeffrey A. Lash, of Pacific Palisades, California, died last summer of natural causes, but left behind a stockpile of more than 1,500 guns, 6.5 tons of ammunition and nearly $250,000 in cash, according to local ABC-owned station KABC-TV.  All of the purchases were legally made, KABC reported.  The reason Lash amassed such a collection remains a complete mystery.

Homeland Security Adviser Demands National Gun Registry.  Following the terror attack in Orlando, the dominant media/political narrative turned to gun control and now-discredited claims of the suspect's mental illness (claims which included gay-baiting).  Now, one controversial former FBI agent — and current consultant to the Obama administration on "countering violent extremism" (CVE) — is suggesting a national gun registry be created.  Such a registry would target millions of law-abiding American citizens.  Gamal Abdel-Hafiz, born in Cairo, immigrated to the U.S. in 1990.  He recently retired from the FBI after 22 turbulent years at the bureau.

What Will Gun Controllers Do When Americans Ignore an 'Assault Weapons' Ban?  [I]n the wake of Omar Mateen's bloody rampage in Orlando, gun control advocates think that overcoming the passionate opposition of firearms owners and imposing a ban on a difficult to define class of "assault weapons" is a swell idea whose time has come.  This prohibition will somehow be different.  "Those who defend the easy accessibility of assault weapons should meet these families and explain why that makes sense," President Obama tut-tutted last week.  But the moralizer-in-chief failed to make sense himself, calling for the outlawing of a category of devices that doesn't really exist.

Dianne Feinstein's Plans For Guns And The "Terrorist Watch List".  [Scroll down]  That means that if you're an NRA member, or a patriot, or you believe in the second amendment and your God-given rights to own firearms, or believe that gun ownership is the best surety against tyranny, the executive might just label you a terrorist or low-level extremist, and prevent gun purchases.  He might also garnish your wages, prevent driver's license renewal, prevent renewal of your professional license, or remove your children from the home and place them in the custody of DSS. Do you get the impression that someone wants you to be disarmed and controlled?

Don't Be Deceived:  Democrats' Gun Control Push Is Not Limited to Those on No-Fly List.  [Scroll down]  There's a very deliberate effort here to misstate to Americans what Feinstein's law does.  Part of that is undoubtedly because a recent poll shows that Americans overwhelmingly support denying gun sales to people on the "no-fly" list.  Perhaps if Americans understood that what Feinstein is proposing is affecting hundreds of thousands of more people than she's claiming they'd be less likely to give it a thumbs up.  But when people think the list is actually very limited, they're probably more likely to accept it, due process violations notwithstanding.  But proponents of the law don't particularly care about the distinctions because of their generalized stance against gun ownership.  That more people will be denied guns is a feature, not a bug, even if these people are innocent of any sort of disqualifying behavior.  If you perceive all gun ownership outside of the state as a threat, then the broader hidden consequences are actually beneficial to your goal.

Feinstein Made Her Gun Control Bill Even Worse.  Under Feinstein's 2015 bill, the attorney general can stop the transfer of a firearm if he "1) determines that the transferee is known (or appropriately suspected) to be or have been engaged in conduct constituting, in preparation for, in aid of, or related to terrorism, or providing material support or resources for terrorism" and "(2) has a reasonable belief that the prospective transferee may use a firearm in connection with terrorism." The amendment Feinstein introduced last Wednesday, by contrast, lets the attorney general block a sale if he "determines, based on the totality of the circumstances, that the transferee represents a threat to public safety based on a reasonable suspicion that the transferee is engaged, or has been engaged, in conduct constituting, in preparation for, in aid of, or related to terrorism, or providing material support or resources thereof."  In the revised version, there is no additional requirement that the attorney general have reason to believe the weapon the suspect is trying to buy will be used in a terrorist attack.

Police Ask Disarmed Brits to Defend Themselves With Umbrellas.  How will we defend ourselves from criminals when the government has taken away our guns?  With umbrellas, of course: [...] You see?  No need for law-abiding citizens to carry firearms.  In Britain, criminals don't need guns either, since they know their prey has been disarmed by the government.  When a 20-year-old man is robbing a 70-year-old woman, fists are weapon enough.

Taking Away Constitutional Rights at the Discretion of the Government.  If the news reports are correct, the latest "gun control" proposal being put forward by Sen.  Susan Collins, R-Maine, is a "measure that would block people on the Transportation Security Administration's no-fly list from buying firearms," according to ABC News.  There is one major problem with that proposal:  It is potentially unconstitutional since it would take away a constitutional right — your Second Amendment right to bear arms — at the discretion of a government official in a secret, nontransparent process that has no adequate due process protections.  Let's be clear — we don't want terrorists buying guns in this country.  Nor do we think that they have a Second Amendment right to do so.  But this blunt instrument is not the right solution.

US Senate rejects terror list gun sale restrictions.  [Scroll down]  Senators strongly disagreed about how to prevent more attacks happening in future.  Republican Senator John Cornyn said:  "Our colleagues want to make this about gun control when what we should be making this about is the fight to eliminate the Islamic extremism that is the root cause for what happened in Orlando.  "My colleagues in many ways want to treat the symptoms without fighting the disease."

Gun Store Sells 30,000 AR-15's Since Orlando Shooting.  Hunter's Warehouse Owner Tom Engle told the FOX Business Network's Stuart Varney, his online operation consisting of 300,000 to 400,000 weapons has sold 30,000 AR-15's since Sunday.  A Federal Firearms License (FFL) lets gun-store owners manufacture and import firearms and ammunition across the United States.  Even though each state has its own set of gun laws, Engle explained how it would be possible to buy an AR-15 online.

Supreme Court leaves state assault weapons bans in place in Connecticut, New York.  The Supreme Court has repeatedly turned away challenges to gun restrictions since two landmark decisions that spelled out the right to a handgun to defend one's own home.

The Goal Is People Control, Not Gun Control.  The GOP is getting ready to do what the GOP always does — cave to the force of progressive bullies.  ["]According to CBS News's Steven Portnoy, McConnell has a meeting with FBI director James Comey and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson on Wednesday [6/15/2016].  Portnoy Tweeted that McConnell has signaled he may be willing to consider new gun controls after that meeting.["]  Via SSI, it might be claimed that this is all being done for a purpose and by design, effecting no change except for raising money.

After Orlando, isn't it time to fight back?  Do you get it yet?  ISIS, al-Qaida, and millions of Islamic extremists have declared war on the United States and Western civilization.  It's not an accident that people who believe in the Quran keep picking up guns, bombs and machetes and attacking people who don't believe in the Quran.  Meanwhile, in response, Western civilization has declared a war on itself.  We decry the foolishness of jihadi warriors who are willing to become suicide bombers in order to die for their cause, and yet we have offered ourselves up as willing victims to die for our own causes of "tolerance," "diversity" and "gun control."  We are a suicide civilization.

Ted Cruz Blasts Democrat 'Political Gamesmanship' in Wake of Orlando Terror Attack.  On Thursday [6/16/2016] Senator Ted Cruz took to the Senate floor to address the Islamic terrorist attack in Orlando.  The speech he gave should be the standard Republican response to the left's deflection towards gun-control instead of addressing the real issue at hand: defeating radical Islamic terrorism.  [Video clip]

Why should anyone need or want an AR-15?  A semiautomatic carbine is a legitimate and appropriate weapon for a law-abiding citizen to own for personal or home defense.  The suitability to task increases in proportion with the size of one's home, lot, farm, or ranch, as a handgun is neither precise nor powerful enough to guarantee stopping a lethal threat the farther away that threat is — and we don't apologize for wanting to keep the threat as far away as possible.  With a carbine, a person defending himself or his family has two to five times greater chance of placing rounds on target at moderate distance.  How important is that?  It can make the difference between life and death.  Consider that the hit ratio for cops — trained professionals — with handguns in real-life officer-involved shootings, at short distances, hovers around 15 percent.  It's incredibly difficult to hit the bad guy when you're scared to death.

The Audacity of Dopes.  While Obama refuses to fault "radical Islam" for terrorism, his votaries plainly name "National Rifle Association," "Christians," "Republicans," and other unusual usual suspects as the true culprits behind last weekend's carnage.  "This is a political distraction," the president said about his reluctance to utter "radical Islam."  So, too, is the audacity-of-dopes effort to deflect blame onto all-too-convenient enemies.  Senate Democrats filibustered in non sequitur fashion to vote on legislation — specifically a bill to allow government to waive due process to determine, in its omniscience, who gets to own a gun and who doesn't.

They Don't Want Your AR-15: They Want Everything.  The "news" media is ranting the democrats familiar song, after a muslim jihadi committed atrocities in a gay nightclub:  "We must ban the AR-15, a weapon of war, it has no place in the public's hands.  Why does anyone need an AR-15 to murder Bambi?"  It doesn't matter to the "fair and balanced" media that the mass murderer (not "gunman," a deliberate derogatory sexist slur against men — and guns) didn't use or even have an AR-15.  It doesn't matter that banning the AR-15 would have zero effect on what was done, or what the next jihad assault will do.  All that matters is that murders create political capital and useful propaganda that influence useful idiots to press Congress to act against the Constitution.  And they do.

Rep. Black: 'Delusional' to Think Gun Control Will Stop 'Radical Islamist Intent on Taking Innocent Life'.  "Anyone who thinks that another gun control law will thwart the will of a radical Islamist who is intent on taking innocent life is delusional," said Rep.  Diane Black (R-Tenn.) in a statement on Thursday [6/19/2016].  She made her remarks in response to the news that the Senate will hold votes on gun control measures following a 15-hour filibuster from Senate Democrats protesting inaction on the measures.  "As a firearm owner myself, I believe that instead of eroding the 2nd Amendment, we must expand these rights so that Americans are empowered to protect themselves from those who would do us harm," Rep.  Black said.  "This means passing legislation like the National Right to Carry Reciprocity Act, so that law-abiding citizens can take their firearms with them wherever they may travel within the United States," she argued.

Former Navy SEAL Destroys Democrats Calling For An 'Assault Rifle' Ban.  Since the terror attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, Democrats have begun calling for a full ban on assault weapons or, as many have come to call them, "weapons of war."  "We have seen the devastation that these military style weapons cause," said Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in a recent interview.  Not everyone is jumping on the bandwagon.  Millions of law abiding gun owners are defiantly opposing the calls for a ban.  Dom Raso, a veteran Navy SEAL, is one of the voices rejecting left-wing calls for a ban on so-called assault weapons.  In a recent video, Raso destroys arguments that claim such a ban would make Americans more safe.

A Portland restaurateur says assault rifle owners are not welcome at her businesses.  A Portland restaurateur used her business's Facebook page to speak her mind on assault weapons — inciting a backlash from gun rights advocates.  Anne Verrill, owner of Grace on Chestnut Street, and Foreside Tavern & Side Bar in Falmouth, published the post on Wednesday [6/15/2016], along with a photo of an assault rifle similar to the one used in the Orlando massacre.  "I have spent 12 years, intentionally, not being political on this page... Let me be clear, this is not a political issue," she wrote, according to several reports.  "This is a human rights issue.  If you own this gun, or you condone the ownership of this gun for private use, you may no longer enter either of my restaurants, because the only thing I want to teach my children is love."

The Editor says...
What she's saying, apparently, is that gun owners don't have human rights.  She is also advertising her properties as gun-free zones, which has been repeatedly proven to be disastrous.

Oh Look, The Actual Debate!  [Scroll down]  [I]n states where gun laws have been liberalized violent crime rates have gone DOWN at a rate that exceeds that where such changes in the law have not been made.  It appears that "MAD" works on both a macro, international level and at a micro level, in that thugs actually consider the possibility that they may wind up with a bunch of extra holes in their body in unpleasant places if they attempt their crimes.  Where that possibility is higher, they are deterred and choose either non-violent, non-personal criminal acts or no crime at all.  In point of fact so far in Chicago (as of 6/15) this year there have been 1451 people shot and 259 killed, or more than five times Orlando.  Chicago remains a place where it is basically impossible for a citizen to lawfully own and possess a firearm for self-defense, and the gang-bangers know it.  They are also not deterred by lots of cops who cower instead of respond.

FBI: Gun Ownership at All-Time High; Homicide Rate at 51-Year Low.  The US homicide rate in 2014, the most recent year available, was 4.5 per 100,000.  The 2014 total follows a long downward trend and is the lowest homicide rate recorded since 1963 when the rate was 4.6 per 100,000.  To find a lower homicide rate, we must travel back to 1957 when the total homicide rate hit 4.0 per 100,000.  Homicide rates were considerably higher in the United States during the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, but over the past 25 years, have fallen nearly continuously.

Trump, GOP lawmakers open door to restricting gun buys for those on watch list.  A congressional push to ban or restrict gun sales for those on terror watch lists gained bipartisan momentum Wednesday, with everyone from key Republican lawmakers to Donald Trump to the National Rifle Association opening the door to discussing the idea.  The presumptive Republican presidential nominee indicated interest in the push in a tweet Wednesday morning announcing a meeting with the NRA.

DOJ overrules FBI on gun sales debate, says no-fly list can be used for ban.  Attorney General Loretta Lynch overruled FBI Director James B. Comey on Thursday [6/16/2016], saying the Obama administration does support denying firearms sales to those on terrorist watch lists and that it can be done without harming investigations.  Mr. Comey last year had told Congress that denying sales could "blow" his agents' investigations into potential terrorists.  But his superiors at the Justice Department issued a statement Thursday saying they want to see Congress approve the "no-fly, no-buy" plan Democrats are pursuing.

6 Things To Know About Tying Gun Sales To A Watch List.  [#3] The Democrat's proposed gun sales ban list has all of the infirmities of the no-fly and terrorist watch lists.  The Democrats are pushing legislation to create a secret anti-gun list run by bureaucrats whose job has nothing to do with looking out for your interests.  The government does not have to tell you that you're on the list, even if you are denied authorization to purchase a firearm.  The opportunity to challenge inclusion is sharply limited.  You can be added to the list at the whim of hundreds of faceless bureaucrats without judicial oversight.  And the legislation intentionally avoids finality.  In the name of national security, naturally, these same bureaucrats may add or remove you from the list as they please.  This is an obvious violation of due process as protected by the Fifth Amendment, something even the compromised American Civil Liberties Union admits.

NRA Says It Won't Change Position on Watch-List Gun Ban.  The National Rifle Association said on Wednesday it would be happy to meet with Republican nominee Donald Trump to discuss how to keep terrorists from obtaining firearms but that it would not change its position.  "We are happy to meet with Donald Trump," Chris Cox, head of the NRA's Institute for Legislative Action, told the Washington Free Beacon in a statement.  "The NRA's position on this issue has not changed."  "The NRA believes that terrorists should not be allowed to purchase or possess firearms, period," he continued.  "Anyone on a terror watch list who tries to buy a gun should be thoroughly investigated by the FBI and the sale delayed while the investigation is ongoing.  If an investigation uncovers evidence of terrorist activity or involvement, the government should be allowed to immediately go to court, block the sale, and arrest the terrorist."

Schumer, Feinstein Say FBI Suspicions Should Be Enough to Block Gun Sales.  Gun control advocates said on Monday [6/13/2016] they're going to push "to finally close the terror gap once and for all" by barring gun sales based on the FBI's suspicions about how a gun will be used.  "If the FBI believes there's a reasonable chance someone is going to use a gun in a terrorist attack, it should be able to make that determination and block the sale," Sen.  Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) told a conference call on Monday [6/13/2016].

Keywords:  baby, bath water.
Don't Disarm Suspected Terrorists.  The presumptive presidential nominees of both major parties nevertheless think people on watch lists should not be allowed to buy guns.  "If somebody is on a watch list," Donald Trump told ABC News last November, "I would keep them away, absolutely."  Hillary Clinton dismisses constitutional concerns, saying, "If you are on that list and you believe you should not be on that list, we have a process to actually raise your objections."  But that process is stacked against people mistakenly linked to terrorism, who are forced to prove their innocence.  Americans should not have to dispel secret suspicions before they can exercise their constitutional rights.

Who to Scapegoat?  Guns or Muslims?  Democrats go after gun owners the way Trump targets Muslims.  Clinton pronounced Monday [6/13/2016] as "not a day for politics."  Then she called for a ban on "assault weapons."  The Orlando shooter did use an AR-15 rifle, but, as gun owners have convinced me, a ban on one weapon only steers gun aficionados to weapons with similar firepower.  Calls for such bans do not hinder criminals and do radicalize resourceful gun enthusiasts.  Congratulations go to Clinton.  She just sold thousands of AR-15s.  Clinton made another suggestion:  "If the FBI is watching you for suspected terrorist links, you shouldn't be able to just go buy a gun with no questions asked."  Problem:  Such a law would not have prevented the Orlando shooter from purchasing guns.

Jeh Johnson:  Gun Control Is Now 'Part and Parcel of Homeland Security'.  Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said Tuesday that passing gun control laws is now "part and parcel of homeland security" in an interview on CBS This Morning [6/14/2016].  In the segment which was flagged by Politico, Johnson said this was the first time he had vocalized such a belief publicly.  President Obama and congressional Democrats have made a renewed push for gun control laws in the wake of the Orlando terrorist attack on a gay nightclub that left 49 people dead.  Johnson, who made a series of media appearances Tuesday, was asked by left-leaning host Gayle King what it would take to get gun control laws passed in the United States.

Irony: Jeh Johnson Says Gun Control Now a Matter of Homeland Security... Orlando Terrorist Worked For DHS.  The Islamic terrorist who carried out the horrific, atrocious attack on Pulse nightclub in Orlando Sunday morning was employed by G4S security company as a licensed, professional security guard with the ability to carry a firearm on duty.  He worked at the company for years. [...] Further, the terrorist (an American citizen) purchased the firearms he used Sunday legally and passed a background check to do so.  Despite these facts, during an interview [6/14/2016] with CBS this morning Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson declared gun control as a "matter of national security."

Ripping Apart the Second Amendment.  California law doesn't bar home ownership of firearms, but it does prohibit transporting loaded firearms even when going to or from a target range.  It also exempts security guards and the like.  Sustaining a lower court's decision upholding the California law, the Ninth Circuit could have limited its ruling by finding, as some other courts have, that the "good cause" requirement is reasonable.  But it didn't.  The Ninth Circuit (the most liberal in the nation, and the most reversed by the Supreme Court), went far beyond to create a direct challenge to the Second Amendment.  It held that "...the Second Amendment does not preserve or protect a right of a member of the general public to carry concealed firearms in public."  Most of us thought that this matter was disposed of by the late Antonin Scalia's opinion in the 2008 opinion in District of Columbia v.  Heller.

Concealed carry, California and the 9th Circuit's misrepresentation of the facts.  Thursday [6/9/2016], the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a 7-4 decision that Americans don't have a right to carry concealed handguns for protection.  Since California bans people from openly carrying guns, their decision amounted to prohibiting people from carrying guns at all (whether openly or concealed).  It is clear that a judge's political affiliation determines whether he thinks that people have a right to defend themselves.  Democratic judges are now moving to overturn recent Supreme Court decisions that struck down bans on guns.  Last year, about 0.24 percent of adult Californians had a concealed handgun permit.  In the rest of the U.S., the rate was 24 times higher, for a rate of 5.8 percent.  In many parts of California, it is essentially impossible to get a permit.  In San Francisco County, just four people (0.0005 percent of the adult population), got a permit in 2015.  That is an improvement over 2012, when just two permits were granted — one of which was to the sheriff's personal attorney.

Concealed carry, California and the 9th Circuit's misrepresentation of the facts.  Thursday [6/9/2016], the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a 7-4 decision that Americans don't have a right to carry concealed handguns for protection.  Since California bans people from openly carrying guns, their decision amounted to prohibiting people from carrying guns at all (whether openly or concealed).  It is clear that a judge's political affiliation determines whether he thinks that people have a right to defend themselves.  Democratic judges are now moving to overturn recent Supreme Court decisions that struck down bans on guns.  Last year, about 0.24 percent of adult Californians had a concealed handgun permit.  In the rest of the U.S., the rate was 24 times higher, for a rate of 5.8 percent.  In many parts of California, it is essentially impossible to get a permit.  In San Francisco County, just four people (0.0005 percent of the adult population), got a permit in 2015.  That is an improvement over 2012, when just two permits were granted — one of which was to the sheriff's personal attorney.

Criminal Ninth Circuit Attempts to Shred the Constitution.  In a move that endangers public safety and the ability of California residents to defend themselves, an en banc panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has held that "the Second Amendment does not preserve or protect a right of a member of the general public to carry concealed firearms in public."  Therefore, any prohibition or restriction a state or local government wants to impose on concealed carry is allowed, from the "good cause" requirement to obtain a license under review in this case, to a complete ban.  This overturns the decision of a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit that came to the opposite conclusion and struck down the "good cause" restriction.  And this comes from the same Ninth Circuit that recently concluded that under the Fourteenth Amendment, Arizona is required to provide driver's licenses to illegal aliens — thus creating a constitutional right in that case, while dismissing an actual constitutional right in this case.

Petraeus, Mark Kelly form new gun control group.  Gen.  David Petraeus and retired astronaut Mark Kelly announced Friday [6/10/2016] they are forming a new gun control group for veterans.  The Veterans Coalition for Common Sense will push to strengthen gun background check laws and help prevent veterans from committing suicide.  It pointed to several alarming statistics about the military and gun violence.  According to the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), about 22 veterans kill themselves each day.

The Editor says...
A spate of suicides among military veterans is not a gun problem.  It is a mental health problem.  It's also a VA scandal.

Court: No automatic right to concealed weapons.  In a long-awaited opinion, a federal appeals court decided Thursday [6/ that people do not have a constitutional right to carry concealed weapons in public.  Judges from the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals determined that California counties may require people who want permits for concealed guns to show a specific reason why they need them.  The ruling upends a previous one from two years ago in which the court struck down a San Diego County Sheriff's Department policy which required applicants to show "good cause" as to why they needed a concealed weapons permit.

En Banc, the Ninth Circuit Rules Against the Plaintiffs in Peruta.  I've just finished reading the Ninth Circuit's en banc decision in Peruta v.  City of San Diego.  The short version:  This was a loss for gun owners.  The en banc court declined to agree with the three-man panel that preceded it, and instead "affirmed the district courts' judgments and held that there is no Second Amendment right for members of the general public to carry concealed firearms in public."  In consequence, Californians who live in counties with strict licensing regimes will not be able to carry firearms for their defense.

DNC Platform Committee Member Says Nobody 'Should Have A Gun'.  A member of the Democratic National Committee's 15-person platform drafting committee said during a public meeting on Wednesday that she does not believe that "anyone should have a gun."  Bonnie Schaefer, a former retail executive and a progressive philanthropist, said that more should be done to combat gun violence in addition to "just keeping the guns out of the hands of mentally ill people and criminals."  "I really don't personally think anyone should have a gun," she said.  "That's just my own philosophy.  Nothing is ever solved when you have a gun in your hand except the worst possible scenario."

Four ways Hillary Clinton will work to end gun ownership as president.  On Sunday, Hillary Clinton just couldn't bring herself to say on ABC's "This Week" that Americans have an individual right to own guns.  But it didn't stop her from denying Donald Trump's claim that she wants to abolish the Second Amendment.  Clinton accused Trump of making "outright fabrications, accusing me of something that is absolutely untrue."  From changing the Supreme Court to make it possible to again ban guns in the United States to making it more costly to own guns, I predict that a President Hillary Clinton will do four things to either ban guns or at least reduce gun ownership, especially for poor people: [...]

Watch: Hillary Refuses Say Right to Bear Arms Is a 'Constitutional Right'.  Sunday [6/5/2016] on ABC's "This Week," Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton refused to say conclusively the Second Amendment is a constitutional right and that it "is subject to reasonable regulations."

Second Amendment takes another hit from D.C. Court of Appeals.  In 1975, the right to own a handgun in Washington, D.C. was illegal.  In addition, all other firearms such as rifles and shotguns had to be "unloaded and disassembled or bound by a trigger lock," making them useless in the event that the gun owner needed to defend himself.  However, in a 2008 5-4 decision — please note:  that was 5-4, not unanimous — led by the now deceased Antonin Scalia, the Supreme Court ruled in District of Columbia v. Heller that the law was a violation of the right to bear arms under the Second Amendment.  And though this ruling was specific to the District of Columbia, the Supreme Court reinforced the Heller decision in McDonald v.  City of Chicago in 2010; a case involving restrictions similar to those found in Heller.  With these two cases, the Supreme Court confirmed the Second Amendment rights of citizens in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.  But that hasn't stopped the anti-gun leftists from continuing to find creative ways around the Constitution.  And, once again, the fight returns us to Washington, D.C.

Hillary Won't Stop at Just Disarming Veterans.  Several leftist media outlets — and also a so-called "veterans' group" — have launched a new effort to get veterans to help propel Hillary Clinton to the White House.  This is quite ironic, of course, since few people have done more to disarm military veterans than the Clintons.  Under President Bill Clinton, veterans with PTSD lost their gun rights when the VA began forwarding veterans' names to the FBI for placement in the NICS system.  To date, over 257,000 military veterans have lost their gun rights because of the precedent that began under the Clinton administration.  And there is no doubt that this antipathy for our veterans' gun rights continues with Hillary — and that she wants to take away guns from far more Americans than simply veterans.

When 'Smart-Gun' Laws Are Not So Smart.  At a White House conference on Tuesday [5/24/2016] with representatives of state and local law enforcement from all 50 states, Vice President Joe Biden asserted that an "overwhelming majority" of Americans fully support so-called smart guns — firearms that can only be fired by a particular person.  Biden claimed that this technology "could have gigantic payoff for us" in saving lives and reducing gun-related violence.  Now, President Obama wants to use federal grants to encourage police departments to buy "smart guns" for officers.  The idea is to prevent officers' guns from being used against them.  In reality, this technology is more likely to endanger lives than to save them.

D.C. Attorney General Ignores Court Order, Refuses Gun Permits.  Less than a year ago, Kim Davis ignored a court order from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky and refused to issue a marriage license to same-sex couples.  She was held in contempt of court, served five days in jail, and was ruthlessly attacked in the media.  Now the office of Karl Racine, the Washington, D.C. attorney general, has ordered D.C. government employees to ignore a court order from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.  The order by the D.C. District Court Judge Richard Leon was to stop denying individuals applying for a concealed-carry permit from requiring a "good reason," and to immediately update the forms to no longer require that.  This "good reason" requirement, while it might sound nice, just means D.C. government claimed the authority to arbitrarily deny people their Second Amendment rights because the D.C. government doesn't like the reason they wanted to be able to defend themselves.  As open-carry is completely prohibited, the inability to get a permit to conceal-carry means no one is allowed to bear arms outside his home without the permission of the D.C. government.  For instance, according to the D.C. government, living in a "high-crime area" is not considered a "good enough" reason to want to be able to defend yourself.  This is hardly the strict scrutiny applied to the other enumerated rights in the Bill of Rights like the First Amendment.

Hawaii could be first to put gun owners in federal database.  Hawaii could become the first state in the United States to enter gun owners into an FBI database that will automatically notify police if an island resident is arrested anywhere else in the country.

Guns found at TSA checkpoints could mean fine, jail time for travelers.  Starting June 1, anyone who forgets they have a gun in their carry-on luggage will be looking at up to a year in jail and a $100,000 fine if the firearm is caught at the security check point at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.  Until Georgia law was changed two years ago, "we didn't really have any issues here," Britt Johnson, who is head of the Atlanta FBI office, said of the "Guns Everywhere Law" that expanded the list of places guns were allowed.  The law said gun owners with a permit could take guns discovered in their carry-on luggage back to their cars or give them to someone for safe keeping, and they would not face criminal charges.

Clinton Promises to Attack Gun Owners on Her "Very First Day" in Office.  The NRA-ILA is a top source for news about issue that could affect our Second Amendment rights.  Not that it is much of a surprise, but the Democrat frontrunner has pledged to assault the Second Amendment on day one if elected.  As usual, she claims she wants to lower gun violence... by stepping on the throats of gun manufacturers.

Primed to fight the government.  Deep in the heart of a vast U.S. military training ground, surrounded by spent shotgun shells and juniper trees blasted to shreds, the Central Oregon Constitutional Guard was conducting its weekly firearms training.  "The intent is to be able to work together and defend ourselves if we need to," said Soper, 40, a building contractor who is an emerging leader in a growing national movement rooted in distrust of the federal government, one that increasingly finds itself in armed conflicts with authorities.  Those in the movement call themselves patriots, demanding that the federal government adhere to the Constitution and stop what they see as systematic abuse of land rights, gun rights, freedom of speech and other liberties.

Hillary Clinton's fierce anti-gun stance could backfire in general election.  Democrats, skittish over pushing gun control since Al Gore's bid for the White House fell short in 2000, are once again flirting with the issue, preparing to pick perhaps the most anti-gun presidential nominee in a generation.  Hillary Clinton's provocations will be on the minds of thousands of Second Amendment activists gathering in Louisville beginning Thursday [5/19/2016] as the National Rifle Association hosts its annual meetings, insisting Mrs. Clinton's fierce gun control stance will once again hamstring Democrats in a national election.  Likely GOP nominee Donald Trump will speak Friday, delivering his fervent pro-gun stance to the one part of the conservative coalition that has quickly and eagerly embraced him — which makes the contrast with Mrs. Clinton, who's highlighted her anti-gun stance, all the more striking.

Hillary Clinton Opposes Heller Gun Rights Ruling, Adviser Says.  Hillary Clinton believes a 2008 Supreme Court ruling that is the linchpin of an individual's right to own a gun was "wrongly decided," her policy adviser told Bloomberg Politics on Friday [5/20/2016]. [...] The stance by Clinton, the all-but-certain Democratic presidential nominee, carries potentially profound implications for the future of gun rights in the U.S.  In striking down a longstanding handgun ban in the District of Columbia, the D.C. v.  Heller ruling marked the first time the Supreme Court held that the Second Amendment protected an individual's right to own a firearm for lawful purposes such as self-defense in the home.

Leaked audio:  Hillary says SCOTUS wrong on 2nd Amendment — promises to fight for gun bans.  Recently, Hillary's gun control mask slipped a bit when her daughter Chelsea promised that her mom was eager to return to her gun-grabbing ways.  She promised that a Clinton Supreme Court would issue a "definitive ruling" on the subject — by which she meant overturn D.C. vs.  Heller — and gut the 2nd Amendment.  To remind you of her true intentions, the GOP War Room has cleaned up and re-released some leaked audio from last October.  In it, Hillary makes it plain as day.

When your doctor asks you if you own a gun.  Should your doctor be asking you during the course of a routine check-up whether or not you or any family members have a gun in your house?  And what if they do just come out and ask?  Ben Guarino at the Washington Post brings us some information about a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine which suggests that nothing should hold doctors back from inquiring.  You know... just for your own good.

D.C. Judge Grants Temporary Injunction Against D.C. Gun Permit Law.  Judge Richard J. Leon has issued a tightly reasoned opinion granting a temporary injunction against the enforcement of the District of Columbia's unreasonably restrictive handgun licensing scheme.  In effect, Judge Leon ruled that the District scheme was a thinly veiled ban on the carry of arms outside the home for the purposes of self defense in the District of Columbia.

Court rules Second Amendment extends to gun sales, could ease zoning laws on gun stores.  Constitutional protections afforded by the Second Amendment include the right to buy and sell firearms, a federal appeals court ruled Monday [5/15/2016] in a decision that reinstates a lawsuit over zoning laws that limit where gun stores can be located.  In a 2-1 ruling, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals revived Second Amendment challenges brought by three California businessmen who had sought to open a firearms store in Alameda County, but filed suit after they were denied a zoning permit based on laws that they claimed prevented them from opening a store anywhere in the county.  Monday's [5/15/2016] ruling did not strike down the local zoning ordinance, but it does declare that the right to buy and sell firearms "is part and parcel of the historically recognized right to keep and to bear arms."

Ninth Circuit:  Right to Bear Arms Includes Right to Acquire Arms.  The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled Monday that the right to bear arms has historically included the right to acquire them, and remanded the case of Teixeira v.  County of Alameda to the lower court. [...] In summarizing the latest ruling, the court pointed to the Ninth Circuit's position that Alameda County "had offered nothing to undermine the panel's conclusion that the right to purchase and to sell firearms is part and parcel of the historically recognized right to keep and to bear arms."

Hillary Clinton Picks a Doomed Fight With Americans Over Guns.  "Yesterday, once again, this time horrifically on live television," says Hillary Clinton in a video on her presidential campaign website, "we saw the terrible consequences of gun violence."  As it turns out, she's not talking about civilian deaths from drone strikes or bombing raids on hospitals by the U.S. government, but instead about a criminal shooting spree in the United States.  Sure enough, the Washington Post pointed out last week that one of Clinton's signature issues heading into the general election is tightening restrictions on the ownership and use of guns by Americans.

Trump's Not Wrong:  Clinton Wants to "Abolish" Second Amendment.  Donald Trump told his supporters at a rally in Lynden, Washington, on Saturday that the presumptive Democrat nominee would like to abolish Second Amendment. [...] Clinton seems to be of the opinion that she understands the Second Amendment better than the Founding Fathers or the U.S. Supreme Court, as revealed last October.

Putting a target on firearms.  There is a growing effort in the country to prosecute gun manufacturers and retailers for the crimes committed by those who abuse their products.  Proponents of such a gesture — namely, the gun control lobby — believe suppliers of firearms should be held liable for any wrongdoing or crime committed with their products.  They believe suing gun manufacturers and suppliers will end gun violence.  How does suing a gun manufacturer or retailer stop gun violence?  It won't.  Gun manufacturers shouldn't be held liable for the actions of criminals; criminals should be held accountable instead.

Social Security moves to block the mentally ill from purchasing guns.  The Social Security Administration (SSA) is proposing to report people who receive disability benefits and have a mental health condition to the FBI's background check system.  The proposal, which stems from a memorandum that President Obama issued in 2013, would essentially block some people with severe mental health problems from buying guns.  The SSA, which will propose the rule in Thursday's [5/5/2016] edition of the Federal Register, says it plans to notify disability beneficiaries who might be reported and establish a process for them to appeal their placement in the FBI's background check system.  The proposal is just the latest attempt by the Obama administration to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill.

The Editor says...
It looks to me like "the latest attempt by the Obama administration to keep guns out of the hands of [everybody, starting with] the mentally ill, using Social Security as leverage.

Six Parts of Hillary Clinton's Plan to Disarm Citizens.  [#4] Replace Instant Background Checks With Indefinite Background Checks:  Clinton wants to expand the time frame in which a background for a gun purchase is conducted.  The current time frame is "instant" — via the National Instant Criminal Background Check System — but there is an allowance for the FBI to take up to three days to complete the criminal records search on a would-be gun buyer.  Clinton wants to expand the FBI's three day allowance by transforming it into an indefinite amount of time to complete a search.

Mississippi Law Reclaims Right to Keep and Bear Arms Without Gov't Permission.  Mississippi is the latest state to codify the right of citizens to carry firearms without the permission of the government.  On April 15, Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant signed House Bill 786 into law.  The measure was originally intended to permit churchgoers to bring firearms into their houses of worship, but when the bill was sent to the state senate for its consideration, a state representative attached an amendment greatly expanding the scope of the proposal.  State Representative Andy Gipson is also a minister of a small congregation in the state, and his amendment allows anyone to carry a concealed weapon anywhere in the state as long as it is in a holster or scabbard on the belt or shoulder.  For a law of this latitude to actually make it to the governor's desk is an extraordinarily rare victory for advocates of the right to keep and bear arms as protected by the Second Amendment.

Sheriffs call for Americans to defy unconstitutional gun laws.  As the federal government continues in its quest to restrict the rights of gun owners across the country, local law enforcement is stepping up their response.  For many, it is one of a line in the sand against a bevy of agencies based in Washington, and partnering state agencies, who have violated the constitution.  The still-growing Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA), headed by former Sheriff Richard Mack, is standing up to these infringements, and saying no.  Of course, it has the attention of the indoctrinated Big Government folks, who are apt to see a group of law enforcement officials standing up for the rule of law as — what else — a potential threat.

National Sheriff's Group Stands Up to Gun Control.  Sheriff Mack is back in the news and recently gave an interview that was published in the Washington Post yesterday [4/28/2016].  Former sheriff of Graham County, Arizona, Richard Mack, formed the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA) in 2011 with the goal of getting a quarter of the nation's 3,080 sheriffs to join.  Mack sees the feds as "the greatest threat we face today" and sees his several hundred sheriff-membership as "the army to set our nation free."  He is opposed to enforcing bad or unconstitutional laws and believes gun control is unconstitutional.

Missouri Looks to Join Constitutional Carry Club.  Idaho recently became the ninth state to adopt constitutional carry, which gives law-abiding citizens the right to conceal carry their firearms in public without a permit.  Missouri seems to be making their intentions known to become the tenth state, as the state legislature recently voted to grant their residents permitless carry.  The Missouri House passed the measure overwhelmingly on April 28, it now works its way to the State Senate.

Chelsea Clinton Spills the Beans on Hillary's Plans to Confiscate Guns Using the Supreme Court.  We here are the Federalist Papers Project have been warning that if Hillary Clinton becomes President she will be a true anti-gun president and will seek to confiscate our guns and put a major crimp in our Second Amendment rights.  Now Hilary's own daughter, Chelsea, is flat out admitting that what we have been saying here is 100 percent correct:  Hillary will seek to destroy the Second Amendment.  In an MSNBC broadcast of comments made at a campaign event in Maryland, Chelsea Clinton flat out admitted that her mother would seek to undermine the Second Amendment and take away our rights.  Chelsea also specifically noted her mother will stack the Supreme Court with extremist liberals who will follow her policy to destroy the Second Amendment.

One Law for the Rich, Another for the Average.  Somewhere, Big Tim Sullivan might be laughing.  Over 100 years after the enactment of New York City's handgun licensing law (commonly referred to as the Sullivan Act), the measure is still working as the political boss intended.  That is to say, it is ensuring that New Yorkers who are well-connected, either by status or more nefarious channels, are able to arm themselves with handguns, while average residents remain at the mercy of the criminal element.

Australia's Gun Controllers Aim for More Restrictions.  Further proving that gun control supporters aren't satisfied with anything less than the elimination of private gun ownership, Australia's anti-gun activists have their sights set on further restricting access to firearms.  This time, the gun controllers have taken issue with the importation and private ownership of a lever-action shotgun, and that some Australian gun owners have chosen to accumulate a number of firearms.

Harriet Tubman was a gun-toting Republican.  There are some knee-jerk reactions to the seemingly "political correctness run amok" move to put Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill, replacing President Andrew Jackson.  But the replacing of the slave-owning founder of the Democratic Party with a gun-toting black Republican may spark a political debate worth having and unearth historical truths worth learning. [...] Harriet Tubman's image should remind Americans that gun control was a historical method to control and subjugate blacks.

Oops! Chelsea shot off her mouth on guns, and now Hillary has to pander — and fails.  Hillary Clinton has been eagerly exploiting the only progressive issue on which she can position herself to the left of Bernie Sanders. [...] But Chelsea's comment, on video, is a bell that can't be un-rung.  No matter how quickly Hillary moves to quiet concern over her anti-gun ownership predilections, Chelsea has made it clear that a Hillary presidency will lead to a Supreme Court that will hold there is no individual right to own guns.

Hillary Wants Your Guns.  Given the Democrats' dismal record when they run on an anti-gun platform, it is hard to believe that Hillary Clinton wants to make gun control her signature issue.  Nevertheless, that appears to be the case. [...] What do you think Hillary means by "chang[ing] the gun culture"? My guess is that she knows next to nothing about the "gun culture" as it is experienced by those who own and use firearms, and what she has in mind is making it really, really hard for anyone to buy a gun.  Except for her armed guards, of course.

Hillary Says 'Amen' To Supporter Who Wants Her To Use Executive Power To Prohibit Guns In Cars.  Hillary Clinton had one word for a supporter who urged her on Thursday [4/21/2016] to use executive action as president to restrict citizens from carrying guns in their vehicles:  "Amen.  "We need you to be able to use your executive powers to legislate that you can't carry guns in cars, you can't bring cars in buildings that are not assured to carry them," an audience member at a campaign forum in Hartford, Conn. told Clinton.  "We need executive powers to say we will fight for life and not kowtow to the sons and daughters of Charlton Heston," he added, referred to the actor and former president of the National Rifle Association.  "Whoa, let the congregation say, 'Amen,'" Clinton responded.

Hillary is a tough talker while whe is surrounded by heavily-armed Secret Service agents.
Hillary Clinton:  We have too many guns 'in our homes'.  Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton suggested Wednesday [4/20/2016] that Americans have too many guns in their homes.  "When it comes to guns, we have just too many guns.  On the streets, in our homes, in our neighborhoods," the former secretary of state told a gun violence forum in Philadelphia, according to a clip obtained by Washington Free Beacon.

Clinton Vows to Spend 'Every Single Minute' as President to 'Change Gun Culture'.  At a meeting with families of gun-violence victims in Hartford, Conn., today, Hillary Clinton vowed to use "every single minute of every day" to "change the gun culture" in America.  Participants at the event included Erica Smegielski, daughter of Sandy Hook Elementary School principal Dawn Hochsprung, and Nelba Marquez-Greene, whose 6-year-old daughter, Ana Grace, was also among the Sandy Hook victims.  Clinton, who has been hammering at Sen.  Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) over gun control, said "if anything else were killing 33,000 Americans a year... we would be fully mobilized, doing everything we possible could to save lives."

I predict the members of Hillary's anti-gun gang will be wearing brown shirts.
Clinton:  We Could Have Positive Gangs.  Hillary Clinton said that society needs to have "positive gangs" during a discussion on gun violence Thursday [4/21/2016] in Connecticut.  "You said something that is so important for people to hear.  You know, joining a gang is like having a family.  It's feeling like you're part of something bigger than yourself.  So we're either going to have gangs that murder and rob and do the things that are so destructive to the gang members and to the community," she said.  "Or, we're going to have positive gangs.  We're going to have positive alternatives for young people.  The discussion that Clinton took part in was to push her gun law agenda further to potential voters.

Chelsea Clinton: Gun Control Opportunity on Supreme Court With Scalia Gone.  Chelsea Clinton said Thursday at an event in Maryland that there is now an opportunity for gun control legislation to pass the Supreme Court since Justice Antonin Scalia passed away.  "It matters to me that my mom also recognizes the role the Supreme Court has when it comes to gun control.  With Justice Scalia on the bench, one of the few areas where the Court actually had an inconsistent record relates to gun control," Clinton said.  "Sometimes the Court upheld local and state gun control measures as being compliant with the Second Amendment and sometimes the Court struck them down.  Clinton then touted her mother's record on gun control issues and knowledge that the Supreme Court has an effect on whether many gun control laws stand.

Guns are not Designed to Kill People.  People who push for more restrictions on the ownership of guns claim that they have no desire to restrict people from having hunting guns.  Guns that are specifically designed to be used to kill animals.  Guns that can be used to kill animals can be used to kill humans, but that is not their design function.  Some guns are not designed to kill at all.  Guns that are designed for target practise are not designed to kill anything.  They are specifically designed to place shots accurately and/or quickly on targets for score.  Numerous gun designs are specifically marketed for target shooting[.]  Some guns are designed to prevent killing.  Guns that are designed for self-defense or defense of others fall into this category.  Most guns used for self defense are never used to kill anyone.  Most police officers carry a gun their whole career and never shoot anyone.  The guns are there to project force to prevent extreme harm or death, much like the Minuteman III.  While many are used for defense, few are used to actually kill a human.

Hillary is a tough talker while whe is surrounded by heavily-armed Secret Service agents.
Hillary Clinton:  We have too many guns 'in our homes'.  Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton suggested Wednesday [4/20/2016] that Americans have too many guns in their homes.  "When it comes to guns, we have just too many guns.  On the streets, in our homes, in our neighborhoods," the former secretary of state told a gun violence forum in Philadelphia, according to a clip obtained by Washington Free Beacon.

Surge in gun sales helped create tens of thousands of jobs last year.  An unprecedented surge in gun sales created tens of thousands of jobs last year.  The gun industry added 24,763 jobs in 2015 for a nationwide total of 287,986, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation.  That's an increase of nearly 10% from the year before in manufacturing and retail jobs for guns, ammunition and related supplies, like hunting gear.

Student wearing empty holster cited for 'threatening the safety of campus'.  Two University of South Alabama students were confronted by campus police Wednesday [4/13/2016], and one student was cited for "causing alarm" by wearing an empty holster.  "This week is the empty holster protest for Students for Concealed Carry in Alabama to demonstrate that students are defenseless on campus," D.J. Parten, president of Students for Concealed Carry, told Campus Reform.

Don't be too alarmed:  The phone-gun doesn't yet exist!
Minnesota creator of phone-shaped gun responds after backlash.  Minnesota Gov.  Mark Dayton on Thursday [4/7/2016] came out strongly against soon-to-be-released double-barreled, .38-caliber handgun designed to look like a smartphone. [...] Kjellberg set up a Facebook page in December and launched his company's website in January.  The site advertises the handgun at $395.  Much engineering work remains, he said, and a prototype will not be ready until June.  Production isn't likely to start until October at the earliest.

Gun That Resembles Cell Phone Sends Liberals Into Hysteria.  A Minnesota entrepreneur named Kirk Kjellberg designed a gun — a two-shot .380 that more or less resembles a cell phone.  Liberals got wind of the design and went ballistic.

More Guns Does Not Mean More Murders.  According to proponents of gun control, more guns in America equals more murders and a more lawless society.  Every time there is a mass killing involving guns, liberal politicians rush to call for more restrictions on guns.  Those in favor of disarming the citizenry claim that fewer guns will mean less gun crime.  This assertion is not based on facts, as can be seen in the chart below.  Not only is there no correlation between increases in gun ownership and homicides, but the relationship in fact is negative.

Oregon Governor, AG hold secret meetings with gun grabbers.  It's been a busy week, apparently, for Oregon's top elected morons.  As they struggle to come up with new ways to enact gun control, Governor Kate Brown, Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, and senate majority leader Ginny Burdick have apparently been meeting with anti gun organizations behind closed doors, away from the public eye, with no announcement or invitation for anyone else to participate.

They don't trust you with a gun.  As has been said by others, if they don't want you to have a gun it's probably because they want to do something to you and you would use the gun to resist.

Company Invents Gun That Folds Up to Look Like a Cellphone.  A Minnesota company has invented a handgun that folds up to look just like a smartphone.  The .380-caliber pistol, called Ideal Conceal, will be available later this year and "will be virtually undetectable because it hides in plain sight," Ideal Conceal says on its website.

The Editor says...
Where will this device first be used as an offensive weapon?  A high school?  A subway?  A courtroom?  The airport?  The city jail?  You should expect to undergo closer scrutiny at all these places, especially if you're carrying a cell phone.

Schumer Wants New Smartphone Gun Investigated.  The loathsome gargoyle known as Chuck Schumer despises the idea of self-defense.  Except, of course, when it comes to his own self-defense.  Capitalism, science and technology do not favor the statist.  The confluence of social networking, 3D scanning, 3D printing, nanotechnology, and advanced cryptography — to name but a few — mean that designing, building and sharing advanced weaponry will be as easy as buying a cheese-grater at Target.

Kasich Spits on the Second Amendment.  The Heller decision, confirming that the Second Amendment acknowledges an individual right to keep and bear arms, written by the late Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia was in many respects the Roberts court's finest hour.  In its acknowledgment that rights are inherent, not granted by government Heller is constitutional originalism at its finest and Scalia at his incisive and eloquent best.  But someone on his staff apparently forgot to tell Ohio Governor John Kasich about just how important Heller is to limited government constitutional conservatives because over the weekend he told CBS News that if he were elected President he would consider appointing to the Supreme Court the judge whose decision Heller overturned.

Supreme Court rejects ban on stun guns.  Right off the bat I'll express my amazement that the court managed to come to a unanimous ruling on any case that involved the word gun.  Perhaps there's a sliver of hope for the future after all.  But even though the technology of firearms has changed significantly since the time of the founders, would they have really looked at a Taser and though of it as "arms" in the conventional sense once they figured out how electricity works?  All such weapons at that time were obviously devices which fired projectiles of some sort through the use of gunpowder.

Gun Owners of America: Senators Must Tell Obama That His "Supreme Court Pick is D.O.A.".  Today, President Obama took the most significant step in his sordid journey to fundamentally transform our nation.  Obama nominated a virulent anti-gunner to fill the seat of Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court.  Let's be clear:  the U.S. Senate should bury this nomination and write "Dead On Arrival" as its epitaph.  Despite promises to nominate a consensus candidate, Obama has chosen a radical leftist in Judge Merrick Garland:  [#1] He supported the DC gun ban in 2007, voting to reconsider the Heller case after a three judge panel had ruled against the ban. [...] [#2] In a 2000 case, Garland voted to maintain the registration of gun owners, supporting efforts by the Clinton administration to use the instant check to illegally retain gun owners' names for six months.

NRA: Why we oppose Merrick Garland's Supreme Court nomination.  In 2008, the Supreme Court answered the question of whether individual citizens have a right to own a firearm in their homes for self-defense.  It was [Antonin] Scalia who wrote the majority opinion in that case, District of Columbia v. Heller.  That landmark decision made clear that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to keep and bear arms.  Shockingly, the decision was only 5 to 4.  Two years later, in McDonald v. Chicago, Scalia joined Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr.'s opinion holding that that individual right is fundamental and applies to all Americans regardless of where they live.  Once again, the decision was 5 to 4.  With Scalia's tragic passing, there is no longer a majority of support for Heller and McDonald among the justices.

An Idaho Town Makes The Case For Guns In School.  During the winter, it can take 45 minutes for police to arrive at Garden Valley High School — one of several reasons the district trains teachers to use guns stored in their classrooms.  To some outsiders, it's foolish.  But to the people who live here, the solution meets the challenges that distinguish their home.

Clinton Wants to Work to Limit the Numbers and Kinds of People Who Have Access to Guns.  "I think we have to try everything that works to try to limit the numbers of people and the kinds of people who are given access to firearms," Hillary Clinton said at Sunday night's [3/6/2016] Democrat debate in Michigan.  "The Brady Bill, which has been in effect now for about 23 years, has kept more than two million purchases from going forward.  So we do have to continue to try to work on that because not every killer will have the same profile."  Clinton endorsed "comprehensive background checks" for online purchases and those at guns shows.  She aslo wants to make sure gun sales do not proceed if background checks are not completed in three days.

Gangbanger free to roam despite gun busts arrested for armed robbery.  A Brooklyn gang member sprung from jail on a paltry $1,000 bail after two gun busts just 10 days apart has been nabbed again — for an alleged armed robbery with two illegal pistols, The [New York] Post has learned.  In his latest crime, Junior Regis, 23, threatened his victim with a stolen .40-caliber Taurus handgun and a defaced 9 mm Kel-Tec after stealing the man's cash and cellphone Feb. 17, court papers allege.  Regis was caught with the guns — both loaded — about 30 minutes later when the victim, a 21-year-old man, pointed him out to cops from the 63rd Precinct anti-crime team, police sources said on Wednesday [2/24/2016].

Meet 'Captain Crunch,' the Pentagon gun muncher that has destroyed 1M firearms.  It's the place where military weapons go to die.  Once a weapon is marked for destruction, it is sent to Anniston Army Depot where it will more than likely spend its final moments being chomped apart by the military's Grim Reaper for guns:  "Captain Crunch."  The massive metal shredder has been in operation since the early 1990s and has used a pair of intertwined blades to chop up more than a million weapons during that time.

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
Clueless MSNBC Reporter Goes to Gun Range; It Doesn't End Well.  A MSNBC correspondent on Tuesday [2/23/2016] decided to do a live report from a gun range.  As one could guess, it didn't go well.  Reporter Kerry Sanders pointed at the gun-rights fans and began, "There are lots of folks here who believe that Second Amendment in this country is under attack."  Seconds later, the shooting started.  The Second Amendment afficionados drowned Sanders out.  [Video clip]

OSHA is going after ammo manufacturers.  I received a call today [2/4/2016] from someone who works for a major ammunition manufacturer.  They required anonymity but want the following information to get out to the public.  NSSF is also involved in the fight but doesn't want to speak out about it either.  It turns out my blog post about OSHA considering a requirement of "no guns at work" policy got their attention.

Clinton and the gun control lobby get it wrong.  It is one thing to stop a felon from getting a gun, but it is something quite different to stop someone whose name is similar to that of a felon.  The late Sen. Ted Kennedy was held up at the airport five times because someone with a similar name was on the no-fly list.  Would Mr. Gross really say that a terrorist was prevented from flying on five occasions?  Presumably not, but that's the way that he counts the Brady background checks.  In 2010, the last year that the Department of Justice's annual report on the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) was released, it showed that 94 percent of "initial denials" were dropped after the first internal fact check.  A 2004 review by Congress found that another two percent were dropped when the cases were sent out to BATFE field offices.  Many more cases were dropped during the three remaining stages of review.

Some Oklahoma schools display signs warning staffers could be armed.  Officials at an Oklahoma school district said they wanted to send a clear warning to protect against potential attacks, so they put up signs on Monday alerting that staff members could be carrying guns.  The signs were erected at public schools in Okay, according to the Muskogee Phoenix.  The town's police department was reportedly disbanded in 2014, and even though sheriff's deputies are available, Superintendent Charles McMahan says that may not be enough.  "We don't want to be a soft target," he told the newspaper.

Connecticut town considers program to arm teachers.  A Connecticut town is considering a program that would arm teachers at its only school.  Kent selectmen voted 2-1 on Wednesday [2/3/2016] to present information about the "FASTER Saves Lives" program to the Kent Board of Education.  The board will ultimately decide whether to implement the program at the pre-K through eighth-grade Kent Center School.

Facebook bows to Obama, banning private gun sales.  Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg has caved into pressure by the Obama administration and will ban private gun sales.  The policy will also carry over to the CEO's photo-sharing service Instagram.  "Over the last two years, more and more people have been using Facebook to discover products and to buy and sell things to one another," Monika Bickert, Facebook's head of product policy, said in a statement released Friday [1/29/2016].  "We are continuing to develop, test and launch new products to make this experience even better for people and are updating our regulated-goods policies to reflect this evolution."

'How I Spent My Constitutional Rights': MA town to require essay for carry permits.  If citizens in Lowell, Massachusetts want to carry a weapon in self-defense, they had better start sharpening their pencils.  The city will now require anyone who wants an "unrestricted" gun license to explain in writing why they feel the need to exercise their constitutional rights publicly, with the police chief playing the role of schoolmarm in deciding who passes and who fails.  On top of that, anyone wishing to carry at all must take a course that currently costs more than $1100.

Critics blast Massachusetts city's new 'essay' rule for gun-carry applicants.  Critics are blasting a Massachusetts city's new law that they claim requires residents applying for a license to carry handguns to write "an essay" and pay upwards of $1,100 for training.  The new laws take effect this week in Lowell, a city of 110,000 that lies 35 miles north of Boston.  Pushed by Police Superintendent William Taylor and passed by the City Council, they require applicants for unrestricted handgun licenses to state in writing why they should receive such a license.  Taylor, who was unavailable for comment on Monday [1/25/2016], has sole discretion for approving or denying the applications.

Essay Writing As A Requirement For Concealed Carry.  [Scroll down]  I have a better idea.  Rather than applicants writing an essay to get their rights recognized, I want the top cop in Lowell to read the essay I've already written, and then write me an essay that explains why anyone has a right to force applicants to write an essay in order to engage in the free exercise of their rights.  If this seems to difficult for the top cop, we can start at a remedial level.  Write me an essay on the meaning of this phrase: "... shall not be infringed."

Buy Ammo.  I have never, ever had anyone tell me that he had too much ammunition.  Not in a combat zone, not in a civil disaster, not even in peacetime.  Never.  Nor have I lived through a time where our governing class was so deeply corrupt, so utterly foolish, and so dangerously focused on the perpetuation of its own power that it risked bringing down everything we have built not merely in the United States but in the entire West.  Right now, if you are watching the news, you have questions about the future.  And the answer to all of them is to buy ammo.

Journalist-Registration Bill Is Modeled On Gun Law, S.C. Lawmaker Says.  Criminal background checks and assurances that a person "is competent to be a journalist" are among the requirements put forth by State Rep. Mike Pitts in a new bill in South Carolina's Legislature. The bill would also create a responsible journalism registry.  Titled the South Carolina Responsible Journalism Registry Law, the bill quickly drew condemnation from rights groups after it was introduced Tuesday [1/19/2016] (when it was also referred to a committee). [...] The bill lays out fines — and prison time — for a "person who works as a journalist without registering," culminating in a maximum punishment of either a $500 fine or a 30-day prison term.

Va. Senate panel scraps gun-control bills, advances gun-rights measures.  A Virginia Senate panel on Wednesday [1/20/2016] scrapped a raft of gun-control bills while advancing measures intended to expand gun rights.  Among the legislation was one, proposed by Sen. George L. Barker (D-Fairfax), that would have created a way for authorities to remove firearms from people deemed by a Circuit Court judge to be at "substantial risk" of injury to themselves or others.  "There are people slipping through the cracks who are a danger," said Lori Haas, a gun-safety activist whose daughter was injured in the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre.  "It is not meant to send somebody into your home unnecessarily."

Some Inconvenient Gun Facts for Liberals.  FOR those of us who argue in favor of gun safety laws, there are a few inconvenient facts.  We liberals are sometimes glib about equating guns and danger.  In fact, it's complicated:  The number of guns in America has increased by more than 50 percent since 1993, and in that same period the gun homicide rate in the United States has dropped by half.  Then there are the policies that liberals fought for, starting with the assault weapons ban.  A 113-page study found no clear indication that it reduced shooting deaths for the 10 years it was in effect.

Democrats on Guns: It's a Mystery.  In the waning days of the Obama administration, it seems that gun control is the Democrats' number one priority.  President Obama bestirred himself to both deliver a speech and participate in a staged "town hall" on the issue of gun regulation, showing unusual energy by his standards.  The White House issued an odd potpourri of gun initiatives, including some that are already law. [...] I find this extremely puzzling.  We have seen this movie before, and we know how it ends.  The Democrats have died on the gun control hill a couple of times already.  I understand demagoguing an issue, but don't politicians generally try to demagogue issues that are popular?

Pennsylvania Mayor Pulls Police From NRA Gun Show.  The mayor of Harrisburg, Penn., ordered his police department on Friday [1/8/2016] not to provide security for an upcoming NRA-sponsored gun show after the association refused to meet a demand to pay a 60-percent increase in fees for the service.  Harrisburg police have provided security for the annual Great American Outdoors Show, scheduled this year for February 6-14, in the past.  Mayor Eric Papenfuse said that the decision not to offer the department's services this year was motivated in part by the NRA's opposition to the city's gun control policies.

If the spike in gun sales didn't tell you this, there's now a poll to confirm it:
Obama Fails To Sway Public On Gun Control, Poll Finds.  Despite years of speeches, addresses, events and a legislative push, President Obama has failed to convince the public on key gun control positions that he has advocated, according to the latest IBD/TIPP poll.  Just 42% of the public thinks stricter gun control laws will help keep guns out of the hands of criminals, while 52% think increased gun ownership increases public safety.  The poll also found that 42% of adults say that they or someone in their household owns a gun, and 28% say they are planning to buy one; 55% of them say that it is for "security or protection."  Among married women, 49% say that they or someone in their house owns a gun.

Obama's Long Game on Guns.  In the twilight of his presidency, with his goals of gun control unfulfilled, President Obama has pivoted to the long game.  During a teary-eyed press conference yesterday, Obama lamented that federal legislation "won't happen during my presidency."  But with the stroke of a pen, he laid the groundwork for the states to do what Congress would not:  limit the number of people who can own guns.  Until gun-control advocates can gin up enough support in Congress, they have targeted state and local governments as the next frontier.  At face value, the president's executive actions are modest, and will have little practical effect.  Their potency, however, lies with the power they give to progressive states to strengthen gun control nationally, without any action by Congress.

President Obama, guns and our Constitution.  In 2008, the Supreme Court laid to rest the once-simmering dispute over the meaning of the Second Amendment.  In an opinion written by Justice Antonin Scalia, the court articulated the modern existence of the ancient personal right to keep and bear arms as a pre-political right.  A pre-political right is one that pre-exists the political order that was created to protect it.  Thus, the court held, the origins of this right are the ancient and persistent traditions of free peoples and their natural inclinations to self-defense.  The court also characterized the right as fundamental.  That puts it in the highest category of rights protected by the Bill of Rights.

Growth of NICS Mental Defectives Index Category.  The National Instant Check System, NICS, started operation in 1998.  The first numbers that I found available for 'mental defectives' were in an annual report listing numbers available at the end of 2000.  The first 89 thousand people on the list were submitted by the Veterans Administration.  In the next report, at the end of 2002, about another 60 thousand individuals had been added from state data bases. [...] The Obama administration put forth a trial balloon to include 4 million Social Security recipients in the 'mental defective' category of the NICS index.  That trial balloon was withdrawn after the strong public protest that followed.  The NICS index is one of four databases that the FBI checks when doing a background check.  Most of the felony convictions are in the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) data base.

Politico Writer talks about Obama Regulating FFLs... and does not Know what They Are.  The gun culture is used to ignorant journalists who feel compelled to comment on things that they are ignorant about.  It is nothing new.  It helps keep subject matter experts in the field busy writing articles.  But there is an obvious disconnect between what it appears the Obama administration wants, and what it is obviously trying to get.  If the Obama administration wants people who sell a few guns a year to have those guns go through background checks, then it would make sense to repeal most of the onerous Clinton era regulations on small time gun sellers. [...] But I do not believe that is what President Obama wants.  What he would prefer is both onerous regulation and a requirement to have an FFL to sell small numbers of firearms.

Obama and the Insanity of the Liberal Mind.  Never letting a crisis go to waste, liberals have once again renewed efforts to take away the guns of law-abiding citizens notwithstanding that they may help thwart a terrorist attack.  Refusing to recognize that terrorists will not only obtain guns whenever they want but that their weapon of choice is more often a bomb, liberals' inability to reason has and will continue to lead to loss of life and limb.  Only a change in commander-in-chief will save Americans from living through decades of terrorist attacks on our shores.

You Know Less Than You Think About Guns.  More guns do not necessarily mean more homicides.  More gun laws do not necessarily mean less gun crime.  Finding good science is hard enough; finding good social science on a topic so fraught with politics is nigh impossible.  The facts then become even more muddled as the conclusions of those less-than-ironclad academic studies cycle through the press and social media in a massive game of telephone.  Despite the confident assertions of the gun controllers and decades of research, we still know astonishingly little about how guns actually function in society and almost nothing at all about whether gun control policies actually work as promised.

The Real Reason Obama's Pushing Gun Control.  On Tuesday [1/5/2016], President Obama unveiled his rather minor executive actions on gun control with great fanfare, applause, and tears.  We laughed; we cried; we questioned why exactly he was wasting political capital on a series of initiatives that largely mirror already-present federal law.  Here's the answer:  he's trying to mobilize his hard-core base.  Obama said during his press conference, "I'm not on the ballot again.  I'm not looking to score some points."  But his party is.  Leftist columnist Greg Sargent of The Washington Post explains that the gun control issue drives hard lefties to the polls.

Obama's gun control lies.  In what was surely the most sickening display of presidential demagoguery in the history of the United States, President Obama wept — wept — crocodile tears in a calculated effort to gain the support of the ignorant, the clueless, and the stupid while announcing multiple violations of the Bill of Rights yesterday [1/5/2015].  Obama's speech alternated between effeminate weeping, pleading, and sanctimonious, holier-than-thou indignation as he presented a litany of falsehoods, straw man arguments, and outright lies as justification for his plan to strip the American public of constitutionally enumerated rights.

Obama's Gun-Control Plan Includes Gun-Ban For Some Social Security Beneficiaries.  The White House released a fact-sheet Jan. 4 which previews the executive gun control Obama will unveil Tuesday [1/5/2016] and one aspect of the new controls is the inclusion of "information from the Social Security Administration in the background check system about beneficiaries who are prohibited from possessing a firearm."  On July 18 Breitbart News reported on Obama's push to ban gun-possession for Social Security beneficiaries who are believed incapable of handling their own finances.

Obama's Legacy Will Be Executive Abuse.  When I got back from my winter vacation, America was still being run by a two-term president who believes it's his job to impose his notions of morality, safety, and decency on everyone, often trying to work around the limits the system places on him.  This week Barack Obama is going to institute new restrictions on Americans unilaterally — expanding background checks, closing supposed "loopholes," and tightening the process for law-abiding gun owners — because Congress "won't act" and also because he believes it's the right thing to do.  Neither of them are compelling reasons to legislate from the White House.

Top Secret: the US homicide rate over the past 120 years.  [W]hile murder rates are down over the past twenty years by something like 50%, a rate that the media would have hailed as a miracle if it'd applied to drunk driving or cancer deaths.

America Doesn't Have a Gun Problem, It Has a Democrat Problem.  America's mass shooting capital isn't somewhere out west where you can get a gun at the corner store.  It's in Obama's own hometown.  Chicago is America's mass shooting capital.  There were over 400 shootings with more than one victim.  In 95 of those shootings, 3 or more people were shot.  2,995 people were shot in Chicago last year.  Shootings were up, way up, in Baltimore.  With an assist from Al Sharpton and #BlackLivesMatter, Baltimore beat out Detroit.  But Detroit is still in the running.  Chicago, Baltimore and Detroit all have something in common, they're all run by the party of gun control which somehow can't seem to manage to control the criminals who have the guns.

Doctors can report some mentally ill patients to FBI under new gun control rule.  Delivering on its promise to deliver "common sense" gun control, the Obama administration on Monday [1/4/2016] finalized a rule that enables health care providers to report the names of mentally ill patients to an FBI firearms background check system.  The action was one of a series of steps that President Barack Obama had called for in January 2013 in the wake of the Newtown, Conn., shootings to curb gun violence, but the rule was not published until today [1/4/2015].

They don't trust you with a gun.  As has been said by others, if they don't want you to have a gun it's probably because they want to do something to you and you would use the gun to resist.

Before Barack Obama, We Did Not Have Shootings Like This.  A few days ago in California, Islamic radicals shot up a Christmas party.  Armed with long barrel rifles — not handguns — and an assortment of other instruments of death, they killed more than a dozen people.  The American political left, before the facts became clear, immediately started blaming Republicans, the National Rifle Association and Christians.  Once it was clear that Muslims were involved, the political left looked the other way.  When Bryce Williams killed two reporter colleagues live on air in Virginia, the American left immediately blamed Republicans and the National Rifle Association, and demanded new laws for background checks.  When it was pointed out that Williams had a background check before buying his gun and that he was gay, the story disappeared.

Trump challenges Hillary to 'disarm' bodyguards.  Donald Trump is challenging Hillary Clinton to "disarm" her bodyguards to demonstrate she doesn't need guns for protection.  The Republican presidential front-runner took to Twitter to dare Clinton to put her money where her mouth is.  "Hillary said that guns don't keep you safe," Trumped tweeted Sunday [1/3/2016].  "If she really believes that, she should demand that her heavily armed bodyguards quickly disarm!"

New California law allows police to seize guns without notice.  One of the most controversial new laws of 2016 will go into effect Friday [1/1/2016] in California, where the state will allow judges to seize guns from even law-abiding citizens if they are judged to be a risk to themselves or other people.  The legislation, introduced after Elliot Rodger killed six people in the Isla Vista massacre, near Santa Barbara, will allow authorities to seize a person's weapon for 21 days if a judge decides the potential for violence exists.  The law, known as the "gun violence restraining order" will allow family members and law enforcement to request an order from a judge to have guns removed from those seen as a danger.

Police May Confiscate Guns without Notice to Owner Starting January 1.  Beginning January 1, police in California may confiscate firearms from gun owners thought to be a danger to themselves or others without giving the owner any notice.  This is the result of the implementation of "gun violence restraining orders" (GVROs), which go into effect New Year's Day.  According to KPCC, GVROs "could be issued without prior knowledge of the person.  In other words, a judge could issue the order without ever hearing from the person in question, if there are reasonable grounds to believe the person is a threat based on accounts from the family and police."  And since the order can be issued without the gun owner even being present to defend him or herself, confiscation can commence without any notice to the gun owner once the order is issued.

Crime-Free, Gun-Free Illinois Beta-Testing Gun Confiscation Law, Overriding Second Amendment!  Representatives Emanuel Welch, Pamela Reaves-Harris, and Jaime Andrade, Jr. are behind the resolution and claim that Chicago's epidemic of gun violence is due to insufficient gun control laws, claiming that "The Heller decision and other pro-firearm industry court rulings have resulted in a proliferation of guns in numerous communities and have diminished the security and freedom of our citizens to enjoy a life free of gun violence."  The representatives fail to explain how Chicago, which historically has the most restrictive gun laws in the United States, has seen more than 2,000 people shot in 2015 alone, almost all of the violence gang- and drug-related shootings.

Justice Department sued for cross-checking gun buyers with terror lists.  A federal class-action lawsuit filed this week accuses the Justice Department of treating "every potential gun owner like a terrorist" by requiring the cross-checking of names of firearm purchasers with those on secret watch lists.  Paloma Capanna, an attorney, filed a complaint this week against the Justice Department's top brass in Rochester, New York, to raise objections to the federal government's use of rosters containing the names of suspected terrorists when reviewing proposed firearm purchases.  Ms. Capanna is a policy analyst with the Shooters Committee on Political Education, a New York-based gun rights group.

A Historical Perspective On Homicide.  The Young Conservatives Instagramed this graphic a couple of days ago.  I haven't verified all the numbers, but I checked most of them against FBI data and they appear to be correct.  The chart puts current hysteria over homicide and firearms into perspective.

Stop Trying To 'End Gun Violence.' It's Not Going To Happen.  From a practical standpoint, we're not ending gun violence.  As long as we have guns, we're going to have gun violence.  It always astounds me that most liberals (correctly) understand that enforcing prohibitions against something as common as, say, marijuana results in untold horrors perpetrated by the state on the undeserving and innocent.  Yet, somehow this same logic doesn't apply to the fact we're stuck with 350 million guns.  Getting rid of this many guns is about as close to a literal political impossibility as there is.

Virginia halts concealed carry reciprocity with 25 states.  Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring announced Tuesday [12/22/2015] the commonwealth will no longer recognize concealed carry handgun permits form 25 states that have reciprocity agreements with the state.  Mr. Herring's office said that permits from states with more lax concealed carry laws than Virginia's will no longer be considered legal in the commonwealth.  Out of 30 states that Virginia has entered into reciprocity agreements with, 25 have regulations that are weaker than Virginia's.

Update:
Virginia Republican lawmakers respond to 'anti-gun' governor by trying to take away his armed bodyguards.  The fight began Dec. 22, when state Attorney General Mark Herring announced that starting on Feb. 1, Virginia would stop recognizing concealed weapons permits from other states — a move that would affect residents in 25 different states that have reciprocity agreements with the commonwealth of Virginia.  Furious Republicans are threatening to retaliate with an amendment to the state budget as early as January to strip McAuliffe of his state-funded armed bodyguards.

Update:
Gov. McAuliffe Reverses Course: Restoring Concealed Carry Reciprocity with 25 States.  Just over a month after Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring (D) caused a public outcry by announcing the end of concealed carry reciprocity with 25 states, Governor Terry McAuliffe (D) is reversing that decision by restoring reciprocity with the states.  The Washington Post reports McAuliffe will announce the continued reciprocity on Friday [1/29/2016].

Gowdy: List of Visa Overstays Should Be Sent to Firearms Dealers.  Never mind the secret and mysterious government watchlists:  The government could and should be sending its list of people who overstay their visas to federally licensed firearms dealers, Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) told two Obama administration officials on Thursday [12/17/2015].  Speaking at a hearing on foreign travelers and national security, Gowdy said three groups of people currently are barred by law from purchasing or possessing a firearms, including people in the country without permission; people who overstay their visas; and even, in most cases, people who are here on a valid visa.

Dems Are At War With Americans On Cars, Guns And Refugees.  [Scroll down]  Democrats have also made it their mission to impose stricter gun control laws on the country.  On Wednesday [12/16/2015], House Democrats introduced a measure to ban assault weapons, and Obama is preparing still more executive orders to tighten access to guns.  The public?  They want more access to guns, not less.  Gun sales have exploded after each mass shooting, as an increasing number of people realize that being armed is the first, best defense against a terrorist or crazed killer.  Meanwhile, polls show a steady decline in support for stricter gun control laws.

Activist Judge Legalizes Illegal Gun Confiscation in New York.  [Scroll down]  [Andrew] Carroll decided to sue in federal court for violations of his Second Amendment and other rights.  He also demanded that the county be enjoined from destroying his guns and to stop them from future illegal gun confiscations.  The decision by District Judge Arthur Spatt was almost as incredulous as the confiscation of the guns themselves.  He denied the injunction against Nassau police, citing the belief that Carroll could be compensated monetarily for having his guns stolen by law enforcement.  I challenge the judge to show me in the constitution where any government agency, local, state or federal are allowed to illegally seize guns and then compensate the owner with cash.  It is more likely that this judge just wants to make it very expensive for Carroll to get his guns back and even if he receives money in place of the guns, Nassau County will in all likelihood refuse him a permit to buy new guns.

Appeals Court Vacates Previous DC Gun Ruling.  A federal appeals court vacated a lower court judge's ruling that Washington, D.C.'s gun carry law is unconstitutional over a technicality involving the judge's ability to hear the case on Tuesday [12/15/2015].  The appeals court ruled that federal judge Frederick J. Scullin did not have the authority to hear a challenge to the District of Columbia's gun carry law, the Associated Press reported.  Scullin, a New York-based judge, had been temporarily assigned to hear a challenge to the city's original complete ban on gun carry and ruled it was unconstitutional.  He then heard a follow-up case that challenged the law passed in response to his ruling and again declared it unconstitutional.

Americans Are Ignoring Radical Gun Laws.  Both Connecticut and New York rammed through blatantly unconstitutional gun laws in the wake of Sandy Hook.  Both states banned entire classes of firearms and magazines, and demanded citizens register their firearms.  Citizens in both states reacted with blatant civil disobedience.  More than 85% of Connecticut's gun owners refused to register their weapons.  When spokesmen for the Connecticut State Police made rumblings that they knew who had at least some of these firearms, and that they might attempt to start arresting some of the 80,000-100,000 non-compliant gun owners, Connecticut's gun owners noted that there were only 1,100 State Police, and dared them to try.  Governor Dannel Malloy hasn't dared rattle that cage since.

Calif gun purchases surge after San Bernardino shooting.  Gun sales in California spiked in the days after the deadly Dec. 2 terrorist attack in San Bernardino, in spite of having some of the strictest gun laws in the country — with as many as 6,000 guns being sold a day in the days after two jihadists massacred 14 people.  Figures provided by the California Department of Justice to FoxNews.com show that in the four days after the massacre, there were 20,664 sales, compared to only 12,649 from Nov. 29 to Dec. 2.

Connecticut to ban gun sales by those on no-fly list.  Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy proposed Thursday [12/10/2015] to use an executive order to ban gun sales to those on federal no-fly watch lists.  The Democratic governor said that his order would make Connecticut the first state to do so and that state officials are working with the federal government to get access to the lists.  "If you cannot fly due to being on a government watch list, you should not be able to purchase a firearm while on that watch list as well," Malloy told reporters at the Capitol.

Texas police chief, others urge citizens to arm themselves.  Randy Kennedy, longtime chief in the small East Texas town of Hughes Springs, about 120 miles east of Dallas, says in the video posted this week on his personal Facebook page that the Second Amendment was established to protect people from criminals and "terrorists and radical ideology."

Growing number of law enforcement officials urging licensed owners to carry guns.  A Texas police chief who warns President Barack Obama in a social media video that trying to disarm Americans would "cause a revolution in this country" is the latest law enforcement official to urge citizens to arm themselves in the wake of mass shootings.

Gun Control: An Incipient Tyranny's Desperate Last Stand.  The governing establishment sees it coming, is terrified of the people, and desperately wants them disarmed.  It really isn't hard to understand why that would be the case.  After all, if your power and wealth depended upon lying to the people, abolishing their freedom, destroying their livelihoods, and sending their sons and daughters off to die in pointless wars, would you want them to have weapons?  The American people are buying guns and ammunition in record numbers in absolute defiance of a massive and coordinated gun control propaganda campaign.

Supreme Court lets local ban on assault weapons stand.  The Supreme Court gave an apparent green light Monday [12/7/2015] to lawmakers who want to restrict the sale of guns such as the rapid-fire weapons that have been used in the recent wave of mass shootings from Paris to San Bernardino.  The justices by a 7-2 vote turned down a 2nd Amendment challenge to a local ordinance in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park which banned the sale or possession of semiautomatic guns that carry more than 10 rounds of ammunition.  In dissent, Justice Clarence Thomas said the high court, by refusing to consider a challenge to that law, was "relegating the 2nd Amendment to a second-class right."

A Most Problematic Chart for the National Socialist Democrat Party.  Every day and in every way, the far left Democrat Party tries to sell the American people wildly fraudulent bills of goods.  Climate change can be controlled by giving the government more of our money.  The entire health care market can be fixed by giving the government complete control of the system.  And ISIS terrorists can be contained by giving the government our guns.  Of course, the the [sic] reality is very different indeed.

Why I stand with Liberty University's Jerry Falwell, Jr. on guns.  I stand with Jerry Falwell, Jr.  And like the president of Liberty University, I am proud to call myself a gun-toting, Bible-clinging American patriot.  President Falwell is facing criticism from Democrats and jihadist sympathizers after he urged students at the nation's largest Christian university to carry concealed weapons on campus to counter any possible armed attack from jihadists.

We've had a massive decline in gun violence in the United States. Here's why.  According to the FBI's data, the national rate of violent crime has decreased 49 percent since its apex in 1991.  Even as a certain type of mass shooting is apparently becoming more frequent, America has become a much less violent place.  Much of the decline in violence is still unexplained, but researchers have identified several reasons for the shift.  Here are five. [...]

Democrats Empower Citizens to Restrict Constitutional Rights.  [Scroll down]  [S]toreowners fearing guns are allowed to discriminate against concealed carry permit carriers.  However, there is not one iota of evidence that concealed weapon carriers commit crimes at a rate higher than non-carriers.  The FBI doesn't categorize murder or other crimes as to whether or not the perpetrator had a concealed carry permit.  The crime rate for concealed carry weapons permit holders is, if you study FBI records, zero.  While some murderers use legal guns, they do not have concealed carry permits, according to FBI data.  Yet, discrimination against concealed carriers is not only tolerated by Democrats, it is codified into Illinois state law.  The chief law enforcement agency of Illinois, the IL State Police, makes a free No Guns sign available for download from the internet.

The FBI reports that the #1 weapon used in violent crime is....  And yet the statists continue to shriek for gun control, in spite of the Paris attacks that took place in a country that disarms virtually all of its citizens.  Despite the 9/11 attacks, in which Islamists wielding box-cutters killed 3,000 Americans.

Gun buys, applications likely to surge as pols push gun control laws.  "We are so busy right now that I don't know if I'm coming or going," Derrick Meyers of River City Firearms in Louisville, Ky. told FoxNews.com.  "Yes, there has most definitely been an increase in gun sales," said David Wiley of Wiley's Gun Shop in Wills Point, Texas.  "I expect it to continue from now until the next presidential election."  The surge in demand for guns comes not only due to the fear that arises after a mass shooting, owners say, but amid a fresh push for gun control from mainly Democratic politicians at local and national levels.

Guns Are Flying Off the Shelves.  According to the FBI, last week's Black Friday sales smashed all one-day records for background checks.  According to the Left, something has to be done about it.  Not only did Black Friday this year smash records, but background checks from gun sales from May, June, July, August, September, and October were all record-breaking as well.  The people of America know several key points about today's United States of America:  (1) Violence is escalating with the Black Lives Matter movement; (2) rhetoric from the nation's president consistently calls for more and more gun control; (3) gun-free zones and soft targets are hit because people are not allowed to be armed within them; and (4) Jihadists live among us.  If all that doesn't prompt you to find a way to protect your life and the lives of your family members, then you aren't paying attention.

White House: Obama Thinks Gun Control Will Deter Terrorists.  Peter Doocy:  "President Obama yesterday jumped to say that this mass shooting means it's time for commonsense gun laws.  Does the President really think that common sense gun laws would deter terrorists now that he has admitted that these two may have been terrorists?"  White House press secretary Josh Earnest:  "Yes.  The president believes that passing common sense gun laws that makes it harder for people with bad intentions to get guns, makes the country safer."  Peter Doocy:  "But so the president thinks that when there are potentially two terrorists sitting around planning a mass murder they may call it off because President Obama has put in place common sense gun laws?"

Ulster County sheriff: 'PLEASE' carry your gun if you have a license.  Ulster County Sheriff Paul Van Blarcum is encouraging private citizens who are licensed to carry a gun to take up arms in the wake of mass shootings and other world events.  Van Blarcum released the message via the Ulster County Sheriff's Office official Facebook page.  "In light of recent events that have occurred in the United States and around the world I want to encourage citizens of Ulster County who are licensed to carry a firearm to PLEASE DO SO," the post reads.

Ulster County Sheriff: All Licensed Handgun Owners Should Carry Them.  All licensed handgun owners in Ulster County should carry their pistols.  That's the message Thursday [12/3/2015] from the Ulster County Sheriff.  Ulster County is located about two hours north of New York City.

University of Chicago Surrenders to Jihad.  Assuming the threat is credible (and the FBI apparently thinks it is) there are a very small number of people who threatened to do something evil with a gun.  There are thousands of people that attend, either as students or employees, at UofC.  Tell them to bring their guns.  Want to try to playing Allah Akhbar or similar?  Go ahead when everyone around you is carrying.  It'll last 2 seconds and you'll get exactly one round off — maybe — before you're dropped where you stand.

Florida 'Muslim-free' gun shop owner wins discrimination suit.  A federal discrimination lawsuit filed by a Muslim activist group against a Florida gun retailer owner who declared his shop a "Muslim-Free Zone" has been dismissed.  U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom ruled that Florida Gun Supply owner Andy Hallinan's sign was protected by the First Amendment, and the activists couldn't prove they were injured by the action, a local NBC affiliate reported.

Armed Citizens Make Fewer Mistakes Than Police.  According to a study by Newsweek magazine, only 2% of civilian shootings involve an innocent person being shot (not killed).  The error rate for police is 11%.  What this means is that you are more than 5 times more likely to be accidentally shot by a policeman than by an armed citizen.  But, when you consider that citizens shoot and kill at least twice as many criminals as do police every year, it means that, per capita, you are more than 11 times more likely to be accidentally shot by a policeman than by an armed citizen.  That is as low as I can get that number.  This is not meant to be an indictment of the police.  In fact, because police often live on the edge, they naturally tend to shoot first and ask questions later.  Although they are trained to repress this instinct, it does not always work, as evidenced by the number of innocent people killed by police.  Also, since they are generally better marksmen, they tend to kill, rather than wound or totally miss their target.

Armed militias and concealed carry: It is Lexington and Concord time.  It is now clear that the US Government, for the most part is unable and, in some cases, refuses to protect Americans from external and internal threats to our security, whether that be through unregulated immigration, an impotent ISIS policy or the disarming of law-abiding citizens.  Under the Obama Administration's leadership, elements of the radical left such as Black Lives Matter have joined forces with the Islamist-supporting groups the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), the U.S. Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and funded by Michael Bloomberg's Everytown for Gun Safety, George Soros' Center for American Progress and the Joyce Foundation, a group that funds gun control efforts.  While the Islamist groups want to render us defenseless against jihad in America, the political left wants to make us vulnerable to government tyranny.

DC Police Chief who approves almost no concealed carry permits wants armed citizens to take action.  Washington D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier was on 60 Minutes this week talking about mass shootings, law enforcement response times and the duties or abilities of citizens in such scenarios.  One of her comments caught a lot of attention from those familiar with her official office policies.

Democrats' devious gun control measure.  [Scroll down]  The attorney general would make a list based on data the government already has amassed.  Or, potentially, based on anything else for that matter.  Perhaps the Southern Poverty Law Center's list of troublesome people would serve as a guide.  Who knows?  Bottom line, if your name appeared on that mysterious list (intentionally or unintentionally due to errors, which routinely occur), then you would be unable to buy a gun.  Wow.  I have to hand it to the Democrats.  They've devised a strategy that combines gun control, faux window dressing concern about national security, and the likely targeting of law abiding American citizens who might wind up on The List.

White House: Americans Should Talk About Gun Control This Thanksgiving.  This Thanksgiving, the Obama administration wants Americans to talk about why Congress won't pass more gun control — but not about Obama's foreign policy failures.  During the White House press briefing, Press Secretary Josh Earnest continued to press a narrative set up by gun control activists in response to the terrorist attacks in Paris.

Stephanopoulos Omits Arguments Against Barring Guns to Watch List Suspects.  On Sunday's [11/22/2015] This Week, host George Stephanopoulos repeatedly brought up the debate over whether to bar guns from people on the federal terror watch list or the no-fly list without delving into any of the arguments against doing so.  The ABC host brought up the issue with both guests Donald Trump and Dr. Ben Carson, and raised the issue again during the "Roundtable" segment, but never noted either the specific criticisms that the list gets from both the left and the right, or the argument against tipping off suspects under secret investigation which barring them from purchasing guns would cause.

Clinton Wins Gun Control Award From Major Anti-Bill of Rights Group.  The Brady Campaign came up with a new award they named for a former anti-gun New York Governor, Mario Cuomo.  The current anti-gun New York Governor, his son Andrew Cuomo, was on hand at an event in Manhattan to praise Clinton as the recipient of the inaugural "Mario Cuomo Visionary Award."  The primary message of the event was clear:  everyone wants more gun laws, and the only thing stopping their passage are cowardly politicians acting in concert with the NRA.

Flame-Throwing: The Next Frontier in the Right to Bear Arms?  A couple of innovative entrepreneurs, the kind of manufacturers that made America the industrial power of the world that it is, have created personal flamethrowers that throw [genuine] liquid fire for dozens of feet.  These flamethrowers are easy to use.  They are affordable.  And of course, they are fun.  But to a buzz-killing Democrat in Michigan, Rep. Sarah Roberts, the question of whether flamethrowers should be outlawed in her state is a simple question of personal safety — not convenience, fun or even personal liberty.  "There is no good reason for anyone to have or use a flamethrower," said Roberts.  "These are dangerous devices."

The Editor says...
The emergence of recreational flamethrowers raises an interesting legal question:  Is such a device a firearm?  If it fires a liquid projectile instead of a solid lump of lead, is it covered by the Second Amendment?  When I light up my charcoal grill, I use the same technology on a smaller scale, so are they going to outlaw that, too?

IDIOCY. Sheer. Unvarnished. Idiocy.  Just when you thought the gun-grabbing Left couldn't debase themselves further, the Democrat-aligned "Moms Demand Action" — an astroturf-laden front group aligned with Michael Bloomberg — fell chin-deep into the swamp today [11/14/2015].  With a couple of ill-timed tweets (e.g., "This is how AK-47s get to Paris"), this mentally disturbed group appears to believe that Islamist terrorists, who destroyed the World Trade Center with airplanes and bombed London and Madrid, would obey gun control laws.  No word on what they want to do with suicide belts.

Wisconsin Dems move to ban most semi-auto firearms in a big way.  A bill introduced by four Assembly Democrats would establish prohibitions on a variety of rifles, shotguns and pistols with no provision to grandfather. [...] [Lisa] Subeck's legislation would set a broad definition of just what would be considered an assault weapon under Wisconsin law.  For semi-auto rifles with a detachable magazine, having the addition of a pistol grip; adjustable, folding or thumbhole stock; bayonet mount, threaded barrel, muzzle brake or compensator would deem them an assault rifle.

Jump in FBI Gun Background Checks Indicates Rising Gun Sales.  Statistics for NICS firearm background checks reported by the FBI on its website indicate that the system initiated 1,795,102 such checks in September, setting a record for that month.  The number represented 335,739 more checks than the previous September high set in 2012 — a 23-percent increase.  Another new record was set in October, with 1,976,759 background checks, which was 373,290 more than October 2014, another 23-percent increase.  While the number of background checks conducted does not exactly match the actual number of firearms sold, an increase in the number of such checks almost certainly indicates higher gun sales.  If anything, the actual number of guns sold is likely to be higher, since multiple firearms can be sold to the same person by a dealer running a single background check.

Sharing firearms for informal target shooting: Another legitimate activity outlawed?  Here are two things that a person might do with a firearm:  1. Sell the firearm to a complete stranger in a parking lot.  2. Share the firearm with a friend, while target shooting on one's own property.  Michael Bloomberg's "Everytown" lobby is promoting "universal background checks" as a means of addressing activity No. 1.  But the Bloomberg laws also outlaw activity No. 2.

The Great Gun Control Con.  The pendulum of politics swings widely.  We see that today as candidates for the Democratic Party nomination for president clamor for more restrictions on lawful gun owners.  What a change from 20 years ago, following the passage of the Clinton gun ban (also known as a ban on so-called "assault weapons"), which resulted in President Bill Clinton's party losing control of Congress for the first time in 40 years.  The president himself, in his 1995 State of the Union Address, said as much:  "I don't think it's a secret to anybody in this room that several members of the last Congress who voted for that aren't here tonight because they voted for it."  That gun ban expired 10 years later, and a congressionally required review showed that the law had little or no effect on crime.

Gun Sales Set Record for Sixth Month in a Row.  The Federal Bureau of Investigation processed a record number of background checks in the month of October, indicating that gun sales were at an all time high for the sixth month in a row.  The FBI's National Instant Background Check System processed 1,976,759 firearms related checks in October.  That is a 373,290 increase in checks over last year and a new record for the month.  It also makes October the sixth consecutive month to see a record number of checks.

FBI: Kentucky Has More Gun Background Checks Than California, Texas Combined.  An FBI report on the number of gun purchase background checks, January 1 through September 30, shows that Kentucky performed more than twice as many background checks in the first nine months of the year as California and Texas combined.

Video: New Hillary ad demands more gun control.  In 2008, Hillary Clinton accused Barack Obama of being a gun-grabber.  Seven years later, she's complaining that Obama hasn't grabbed enough guns.  In a new campaign ad launched today, Team Hillary demands more federal action on gun control, apparently sensing a weakness in Bernie Sanders' record — but possibly opening up a large weakness in Hillary's general-election campaign: [Video clip]

Bloomberg, McAuliffe Fail to Win Virginia Senate With Gun-Control Pitch.  Virginia Republicans look set to hold onto their Senate majority in the Old Dominion, amid aggressive campaigning by Democrat Gov. Terry McAuliffe.  It is a big defeat for McAuliffe, a close ally for Hillary Clinton, and a big defeat for New York billionaire Mike Bloomberg, who donated heavily to Democrats in the hope of winning the Virginia electoral fights on a promise of more gun-control.

Virginia Democrats conspired against gun store, emails show.  Democratic elected officials in Northern Virginia worked together to engineer a campaign against a Fairfax County firearms store in a bid to politicize gun violence and drum up support for a Democrat in an election Tuesday, an exchange of emails shows.  JB Gates, owner of Nova Firearms, opened a shop in McLean after protesters thwarted his expansion efforts in Arlington County by pressuring his landlord into breaking his lease.

Has the liberal wing of the Democrats finally pushed the party too far?  Alexander Bolton has a column at The Hill where he explores the question of whether or not the ascendant, hard left, liberal wing of the Democrats has finally pushed their part to a tipping point in the run-up to the next presidential election and how that might affect some downticket races as well.  The main area he focuses on is the anti-arms race going on among Democrats as they each try to one-up each other on who would ban the most guns the fastest.

The "National Debate" About Gun Control Is Over.  Gun Control Lost.  In recent weeks we've seen gun control advocates, anti-gun Democrats, and their allies in the mainstream media call for a laundry list of laws to be passed:
  •   "universal" background checks
  •   bans on certain kinds of firearms, primarily "assault weapons"
  •   magazine limits and magazine confiscation
  •   background checks for ammunition purchases
  •   expensive liability insurance
  •   increased taxes on guns and ammunition
  •   repeal of the Second Amendment
  •   forced government gun confiscation
Backed by all of the current crop of Democrat Presidential candidates and President Obama, gun control supporters are increasingly loud, almost shrill in their demand for federal gun control laws, and they aren't anywhere near to getting them.

Schumer Puts Military at Risk by Playing Politics with Their Sidearms.  Last Friday, [Senator Chuck] Schumer publicly announced a plan to require bidders for a $580 million Department of Defense contract to supply the U.S. Army with handguns to submit to questioning regarding efforts to push a gun control agenda.  The fact is, Schumer's attempt to subject the vital fighting equipment of our nation's servicemen and women to petty politics is nothing more than a cynical attempt to indulge his lust for press coverage, and is a reckless and dangerous threat to the safety of our service men and women.

Hillary Lets It Slip: If Elected President, She Will Indeed Try to Confiscate Your Guns.  As Hillary Clinton floundered on the witness stand last week, despite withering help from her Democrat apologists who dutifully fell in line and insisted that she can do no wrong, her speech last Friday [10/23/2015] on the subject of private ownership of guns by American citizens has gone largely unreported.  Last Friday, Clinton, in a rare moment of honesty, advocated for the forced confiscation of privately, legally-owned guns from otherwise innocent American citizens.

Amish man sues to buy firearm without photo ID in gun rights, religious freedom lawsuit.  In a suit that brings together the Second Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), an Amish man filed a federal lawsuit in Pennsylvania last week because he wants to buy a gun without the required photo ID — and because getting that photo ID would violate his religious beliefs.

Amish Man With No Photo ID Suing Over Denial Of Gun Permit.  There are a couple things at play here.  First, the 2nd Amendment says the Right shall not be infringed.  I personally do not have any problem in requiring a photo ID for purchase of any gun, be it a handgun or a long rifle.  For 99.9%, there is no infringement. [...] But, let's think about this:  in order to exercise a Constitutional Right, one must, no exceptions, have a proper government issued photo ID.  Liberals pitch a hissy fit over photo ID requirements to vote.  Why no complaints about the requirement for gun purchases?

Ben Carson: Govt Finds It 'Much More Difficult to Dominate People Who Are Armed'.  [Dr. Carson's] statement came after host Chuck Todd revisited Carson's past comments about how he believes European Jews could have limited the scope of the Holocaust had they been armed.  It was October 8 when Carson said, "I think the likelihood of Hitler being able to accomplish his goals would have been greatly diminished if the people had been armed.  I'm telling you there is a reason these dictatorial people take the guns first."

Attention Santa Claus:
Gatling Gun Fires 2000 Rounds in 60 Seconds.  It's name is the GAU 19B 50 Cal Gatling Gun and they don't call it the "terrorist killer" for no reason!  This version was released by General Dynamics in 2012 and could raise some serious hell in Syria.

Islam Has Been Making the Need for the Second Amendment Obvious.  The latest wave of violence from the Religion of Peace would have taken more lives if not for law-abiding Israeli citizens carrying guns: [...] No wonder Europeans, who have been placed in the same boat as Israelis by the quislings allowing the ongoing invasion by Muslim "refugees," wish they had guns too.

Arranging American Gun Confiscation.  America's progressive chatter on guns has been shifting noticeably from the abstract language of "control" to the concrete language of "confiscation."  Hillary Clinton is just the latest leading voice to serve notice that the forced disarmament of law-abiding Americans is not the dystopian fantasy of paranoids, but a matter of current policy discussion — and action.

The weaknesses — and dangers — of the liberal vision.  After every tragic shooting, liberals and progressives call for more gun laws.  They exploit American ignorance as to why the Framers gave us Second Amendment protections.  James Madison, the acknowledged father of our Constitution, said, "(The Constitution preserves) the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation ... (where) the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms."  Alexander Hamilton said, "The best we can hope for concerning the people at large is that they be properly armed." [...] Our Founding Fathers expressed a deep distrust and suspicion of government in general and Congress in particular.  More of that distrust is seen in our Constitution's language, such as Congress shall not abridge, infringe, deny, disparage, violate or deny.  If the founders did not believe that Congress would abuse our liberties, they would not have provided those protections.

Women Disarming Women.  The gun control movement has become the new feminist battleground.  Courtesy of millions of dollars flowing from Michael Bloomberg to women-fronted groups, the face of "gun control" is now decidedly female.  Feminization of the issue is not by happenstance.  It is a deliberate strategy designed to appeal to gender voters, to beta males, to those who make decisions based on emotion rather than fact, and to those who are ill-informed but know what is best for all.  If this movement is successful, the consequences will be tragic and deadly — especially for women.  Women who choose to arm for self-protection in an increasingly dangerous society will be denied that right and instead, will be forced to become easy prey and crime statistics.  Make no mistake:  gun control is the real war on women and civilian disarmament is the goal.

Clinton suggests she'd consider mandatory gun buy-backs, sparking fears of 'confiscation'.  Hillary Clinton said Friday [10/16/2015] that mandatory gun buy-back programs like ones in Australia are "worth looking into," sparking criticism that the Democratic presidential front-runner would, if elected, impose gun-confiscation efforts.  Clinton made the comments during a campaign stop in Keene, N.H., when an attendee asked about Australia's 1996 and 2003 buy-back programs that collected roughly 700,000 banned semi-automatic rifles and other firearms.  "I think it would be worth considering doing it on the national level, if that could be arranged," Clinton responded.

Americans [are] Much More Concerned About Gun Control Than Mass Shootings.  According to the study, more people are worried about volcanoes, robots, and artificial intelligence than mass shootings.  On the bright side, their concern over mass shootings is double that of people worried about zombies and ghosts.  So, they can hang their hats on that.

Gun Confiscation Fantasies Fast-Tracking Democrat Party To Destruction.  We're seeing a sort of collective insanity taking over the political left in the United States, and the decline seems to be accelerating in recent weeks.  Despite the FBI's recent release of Crime in the United States for 2014 — showing that violent crime is continuing a dramatic long-term decline of over 18-percent for the past 15 years even as gun ownership has skyrocketed almost 82-percent — left wing pundits, journalists, and politicians have thrown rationality to the wind to launch a hysterical and poorly thought-out attack on the Second Amendment and their fellow Americans.  Going far beyond their "normal" calls for mere infringements on constitutional rights that have protected this nation since 1791, they're now calling for forcible disarmament in newspaper op-eds, blog posts, and social media rants.

CA Lt. Governor Will Introduce Ballot Initiative for Background Checks to Purchase Ammunition.  The lieutenant governor of California, Gavin Newsom, is proposing a ballot initiative that would create some sensible gun laws.  Just kidding, they're not sensible.  Newsom's initiative will ask voters to "strengthen the state's gun laws by restricting ammunition sales, requiring owners to turn in assault-style magazines that have a large capacity and requiring gun owners to report lost or stolen guns to law enforcement."  If the initiative is passed, California will be the first state to require background checks to purchase ammunition.  The proposal is sponsored by the anti-gun crew at the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

FBI: As Gun Sales Soared, Violent Crime Fell. Again.  A new FBI report shows that while FBI NICS background checks (a proxy for gun sales) have soared nearly 82-percent over the past 15 years, violent crime has plummeted over 18-percent.  Anti-liberty Democrats keep screaming that there is an "epidemic" of "gun violence," but the facts just keep proving them wrong, year after year.

Hillary's gun confiscation proposal is going to backfire in a big way.  Allahpundit wrote yesterday [10/16/2015] about Hillary Clinton's startling lurch to the left on guns.  The story dealt largely with her fascinating suggestion that the United States should look at a "buyback program" similar to Australia's draconian laws which they instituted in 1996 following a mass shooting in Tasmania.  (Barack Obama made the same reference last year, by the way, though it never went anywhere.)  As AP noted, this wasn't a gun buy back program such as many states and municipalities have offered.  It was mandatory confiscation with a modest cash reimbursement to soften the blow.

Yes, Nazis Disarming Jews Did Make A Difference.  Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson has just been dinged by the liberal media for the nth time for observing that the number of Jews murdered in the Holocaust "would have been greatly diminished" had the Nazis not been able to disarm them.  He added, "There is a reason that these dictatorial people take the guns first."  This contradicts the narrative that gun control is benign and historically progressive and that government is inherently good and the governed are apparently not.  The problem with this view is that firearm registration and prohibition facilitated the Nazi dictatorship and was an essential tool in rendering powerless the Jews and all other "enemies of the state."  Denial of this fact is denial of a factor that led to the Holocaust.

'Gun Control' — A Deadly Farce.  The zealotry of gun control advocates might make some sense if they had any serious evidence that more restrictive gun control laws actually reduce gun crimes.  But they seldom even discuss the issue in terms of empirical evidence.  Saving lives is serious business.  But claiming to be saving lives and refusing to deal with evidence is a farce.

Mo. cop kicked out of Olive Garden because of duty gun.  A uniformed Kansas City, Mo., cop hoping to celebrate his birthday with lunch at Olive Garden on Sunday [10/11/2015] was kicked out because of his duty firearm.  A hostess caught sight of Officer Michael Holsworth's holstered handgun as he waited for his family and asked the decorated officer to leave the restaurant at once, he ranted in a Facebook post Sunday afternoon [10/11/2015].

Olive Garden apologizes to Missouri police officer kicked out over service gun.  The president of the Olive Garden restaurant chain has apologized to a police officer after he was kicked out of a Missouri restaurant over his service gun.  Olive Garden President Dave George called and apologized to Kansas City Officer Michael Holsworth after he posted a message on Facebook, that quickly went viral, describing an incident on Sunday in which he was asked by a hostess to leave an Independence restaurant because of their policy against guns, the Kansas City Star reported.

SNL Just Made the Best Argument for Why We Need This One Gun Law.  [A]fter watching this "public service announcement" by the folks at Saturday Night Live, the former TV comedy show, I'm publicly coming out in favor of one, powerful, inarguably necessary new gun law.  Here it is:  No guns for liberals.  That's it.  You doubt me?  Just watch how the liberals in this SNL commercial handle firearms.  No muzzle control.  No trigger discipline.  No checking to see if there's a round in the chamber.  Liberals can't be trusted with firearms.  Period.  [Video clip]

Related commentary:
Has Anyone On SNL Ever Even Held A Firearm Before This Skit?

Sheriff Clarke Drops a Bombshell About Obama's Gun Confiscation.  Obama operates under the Rahm Emanuel mantra of "never let a crisis go to waste", and he's certainly doing his best to apply it to the Oregon college shooting.  But not everyone is content to sit back and let him try to trample over the second amendment, including Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke, who challenged Obama to put his money where his mouth is.  [Video clip]

Ben Carson Shuts Down Hostile Interviewer: An Armed Citizenry Keeps Government Constrained.  During the October 11 airing of Face the Nation, host John Dickerson went after Ben Carson for contending that the Jewish people would have suffered less under Nazism had they been armed.  And instead of examining the substance of Carson's observation, Dickerson tried to intimate that Carson was suggesting we are under a Nazi-like regime now.  But Carson would not relent.

Israeli Leadership: Everyone should be armed and ready to take out the enemy.  This is the way you deter the enemy and eliminate terrorism and crime.  In the wake of a serious uptick in stabbings and shootings in Israel, Education Minister Naftali Bennett encouraged Israelis to carry weapons and be alert.  They are to prevent further attacks... in other words, eliminate the enemy.  Take them out.  Terminate them.  That is the perfect advice, I just wish our leaders were this sane and pragmatic.  The terrorists may still kill, but they will be taken out quickly and many Israelis will be saved by this.  The answer to terrorism is not fewer guns... you arm everyone and don't bother with arresting these jerks or giving them a trial.  Let them answer for it in the afterlife.

Why Ben Carson is right about Jews, the Holocaust and guns.  Dr. Ben Carson recently asserted that if guns had not been confiscated from Jews then Hitler would have had more trouble orchestrating the Holocaust.  Jonathan Greenblatt, National Director of the Anti-Defamation Leauge, quickly objected, stating that there were few firearms available to Jews in Germany in 1938 and that surrendering them did not measurably contribute to the totalitarian power of the Nazi German state.  Ben Carson is right, and Jonathan Greenblatt is wrong.

Obama weighs expanding background checks through executive authority.  In response to the latest mass shooting during his presidency, President Obama is seriously considering circumventing Congress with his executive authority and imposing new background-check requirements for buyers who purchase weapons from high-volume gun dealers.  Under the proposed rule change, dealers who exceed a certain number of sales each year would be required to obtain a license from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and perform background checks on potential buyers.

President Obama mulling expanding gun background checks through executive action.  His royal highness, King Barack I is thinking of issuing a decree to his subjects, ordering more background checks for those wishing to purchase a firearm.  This backdoor gun control would be accomplished by forcing high volume gun dealers to obtain a license to sell guns from the ATF — one of the requirements being to perform background checks on purchasers.

How to Create a Gun-Free America in 5 Easy Steps.  [Step 5] Sure, you can try a buy-back program like Australia, but like Australia that will still leave behind anywhere from 60 percent to 80 percent of privately owned firearms.  The rest you have to take.  You'll need the police, the FBI, the ATF or the National Guard — all known for their nuanced approach to potentially dangerous situations — to go door-to-door, through 3.8 million square miles of this country and take guns, by force, from thousands, if not, millions of well-armed individuals.  Many of whom would rather start a civil war than acquiesce.  So inevitably gun violence, which is currently at a historic low, will skyrocket.

Number of recent school mass shootings by gun permit-holders: Zero.  One thing is certain: if anything, conceal-and-carry permit holders respect the law more than the general population. [...] Total conviction rates in Texas for permit holders who committed a crime in 2013, for example, stood at .31 percent.  That covers all crime, not gun-specific crimes.  Those who obtain a conceal-and-carry permit, as a whole, commit less crime than the general population.

The Mask Falls: Left Calling for "Gun-Free Society".  They had previously lied about their goals, claiming to be in favor of "sensible gun safety measures" or other rot.  But now they're becoming more honest:  a Washington Post editor just explicitly called for a "gun free society.

So the Oregon shooter's guns were legal. Now what?  [Scroll down]  From the liberal, gun grabbing side of the discussion there is one remedy which would — eventually — cut down on mass shootings.  It involves eliminating all of the guns on the planet.  Owing to the fact that the majority of Americans still value gun rights and view private gun ownership as a positive force in protecting themselves from evil, Democrats are loathe to say the words out loud, but that doesn't mean that they wouldn't like to see it happen.

Anti-gunnites More Overtly Reaching For Ban On Private Gun Ownership.  [Scroll down]  Let's move on to something else from the NY Times, an article which explains how 14 killers in mass shootings obtained their guns.  In every single instance, they obtained them legally via a federally licensed firearms dealer.  Aaron Alexis, the Navy yard shooter, was the only one who was stopped, failing the background check to purchase a rifle, and, instead, legally purchased a shotgun.  Two points here.  First, for all the caterwauling about the "gun show loophole", none of these people obtained them from a gun show. [...] Second, this seems to be thinly-veiled method of blaming the gun stores, so, of course, this gives people the idea of banning gun stores.  Which has worked really, really well in Chicago, right?

NY prosecutor reverses employee gun ban after taking fire from legal experts.  Earlier this week, FoxNews.com reported that Nassau County Acting District Attorney Madeline Singas had implemented a policy that "assistant district attorneys are not permitted to apply for a handgun permit nor own or possess a handgun while employed by the Nassau County District Attorney."  But after UCLA Law Professor Eugene Volokh first drew attention to the policy in a Washington Post blog, asserting that it violated both the Second Amendment and a New York state law, Singas issued a revised policy.

Tennessee Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey says 'fellow Christians' should arm themselves.  Tennessee Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey responded to the mass shooting at an Oregon community college in a Facebook post Friday [10/2/2015] saying that "fellow Christians" should consider getting a handgun carry permit to protect themselves.  In his Facebook posting, Ramsey, who is also speaker of the Tennessee senate, said the recent spate of mass shootings around the nation is "truly troubling."  The Blountville Republican said, "whether the perpetrators are motivated by aggressive secularism, jihadist extremism or racial supremacy, their targets remain the same:  Christians and defenders of the West."

The Truth About Gun Ownership in America Isn't What Liberals Think.  The number of guns in the United States has increased by 62% since 1994 but gun violence has decreased by 49% since 1993.

What Obama doesn't understand about Oregon shooter Chris Mercer.  One of the hurdles in the way of building a system to prevent killings like those that occurred in Oregon is that politicians like President Obama turn such tragedies into reprehensible calls for gun control, rather than proper calls to rebuild the mental health care system.  Somehow, the uncontrolled psychiatric symptoms of one man should justify, in the president's mind, curtailing the liberties of all men.

Multiple Victim Public Shootings.  Few events obtain the same instant worldwide news coverage as multiple victim public shootings.  These crimes allow us to study the alternative methods used to kill a large number of people (e.g., shootings versus bombings), marginal deterrence and the severity of the crime, substitutability of penalties, private versus public methods of deterrence and incapacitation, and whether attacks produce "copycats."  The criminals who commit these crimes are also fairly unusual, recent evidence suggests that about half of these criminals have received a "formal diagnosis of mental illness, often schizophrenia."  Yet, economists have not studied multiple victim shootings.  Using data that extends until 1999 and includes the recent public school shootings, our results are surprising and dramatic.  While arrest or conviction rates and the death penalty reduce "normal" murder rates and these attacks lead to new calls from more gun control, our results find that the only policy factor to have a consistently significant influence on multiple victim public shootings is the passage of concealed handgun laws.  We explain why public shootings are more sensitive than other violent crimes to concealed handguns, why the laws reduce the number of shootings and have an even greater effect on their severity.

Washington D.C.'s 'One Gun a Month' Rule Struck Down.  There is no need for a court to show "deference" when dealing with the restriction of a fundamental right.

Gun Control Shills Won't Let Roanoke Journalists' Murders Go To Waste.  [Scroll down]  Even the reporter's grieving father, Andrew Parker, got drawn into the gun control debate.  Mr. Parker told Megyn Kelly on Fox News on Wednesday:  "My mission in life, and I talked to the governor [McAuliffe] today, he called me, I told him I am going to do something whatever it takes to get gun legislation, to shame people, to legislators, into doing something about closing loopholes in background checks."  McAuliffe apparently encouraged Parker to speak out on the issue.  But when reporters asked McAuliffe whether the killer was prohibited from legally buying a gun, he replied:  "I don't know anything."  By late Wednesday night, it turned out that all their assumptions were wrong.  Vester Lee Flanagan, the killer, had legally bought the gun from a registered firearms dealer.  The so-called expanded background checks, which would have mandated background checks on private transfers, would have done nothing to stop this attack.  Indeed, such expanded background checks would not have stopped any of the mass public shootings that President Obama has frequently pointed to in justifying such a law.

Hillary Clinton: We Should Have a 25 Percent National Tax on All Gun Sales.  As we continue to focus on Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server to send and receive top secret, classified information, it's important to remain focused on the rest of her record as well.  Gun control will no doubt be a topic of debate as the 2016 presidential election inches closer and anti-Second Amendment Clinton has a lot of explaining to do.  American's For Tax Reform is out with a new piece reminding voters of testimony then First Lady Clinton gave back in 1993 when she called for a 25 percent tax on all gun sales.  Although her statement was reported by mainstream outlets at the time, it hasn't been reported by any media outlet for more than 20 years.

The Editor says...
Even a 200 percent sales tax on guns wouldn't keep guns out of the hands of homicidal/suicidal maniacs who have reached the end of their respective ropes and have no further need for money.

Gun Sales See Best Summer Ever.  Gun sales were at an all-time high in June, July, and August, according to one metric.  This August saw 1.7 million background checks performed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives on new gun sales, the most checks ever performed in any August since the creation of the National Instant Background Check System.  The agency performed 1.6 million checks in July, the high for that month.  They did a further 1.5 million in June, another all-time high.

Shocking study: criminals generally don't buy guns legally at gun shops.  Every time there is a mass shooting or any other criminal event involving guns there is a chorus of voices imploring us to think about the children and pass new background check laws or other restrictions on the purchase of firearms.  It's a touching story and one which gets the media all up in high dudgeon as they beseech us to help stop the violence.  So how much of an impact will these laws have in terms of keeping the guns out of the hands of the bad guys?

Father of slain journalist goes after NRA and lawmakers who voted against stricter gun laws.  The heartbroken father of murdered TV reporter Alison Parker said his fight for gun control laws has only just begun as he hit out against the NRA and lawmakers who voted against stricter legislation, saying they 'messed with the wrong family'.

Gun control is a dead issue.  There are nearly 300 million privately owned firearms in the United States today.  This fact, all on its own — without considering any constitutional or political obstacles — means that the ship sailed on gun control long ago, never to return.  No gun control measure short of universal confiscation would do anything to curb shootings in this lifetime.  And the prospect of rounding up 300 million guns from some 60 million households makes the deportation of 11 million illegal immigrants seem like a simple matter of arranging a field trip.  The gun-control proposals made in the real world are all proven failures whose only result is to hassle innocent people who would never shoot anyone.  Yet these proposals are recycled over and over again as silver-bullets for curbing gun violence.

'Anti-gun stupidity': Honolulu destroys $575G worth of police firearms.  Some 2,300 Smith & Wesson 9 mm handguns, including at least 200 that are brand-new and in unopened boxes, were issued to the city's police department.  But with the 2,200-member force upgrading to lighter and less expensive Glock 17s, the guns were set to be permanently holstered.  While it is customary throughout the country for departments to auction the guns to law-abiding citizens, including the police who once carried them, or donate them to another department, Honolulu opted to destroy them.

Study Learns Chicago Criminals Don't Buy Their Guns Legally.  The study examined and interviewed inmates in Chicago's Cook County Jail who are either facing current gun charges, or have a background consisting of firearms related convictions.  The study learned that virtually zero criminals have ever used the internet or gun shows, because that method is easily traceable.  It's much safer for a criminal to acquire firearms on the streets where they're harder to keep track of, and that's most criminals method of choice.

Hillary Clinton Campaigns On Gun Control and Calls for a National Gun Registry.  Hillary Clinton is coming after our guns big time.  The very core of her campaign is Universal Background Checks.  If that goes through it will create a national gun registry and you will no longer be able to sell your guns to whoever you want to.  She also wants all gun owners licensed.  These are precursor steps to seizing and banning guns.  Clinton is blunt about it and feels it is a winning position for her.  How?  Most of America owns guns and cherishes their Second Amendment rights.  They abhor a registry as unconstitutional and they detest being taxed for ownership.

Virginia Shooting Victim's Husband: 'I Blame the Guy Holding the Gun,' Not the Gun.  On August 28, Tim Gardner, husband of Virginia shooting victim Vicki Gardner, said he does not blame the gun for his wife's shooting.  Rather, he blames the man who was holding the gun and pulled the trigger.  Vicki is the woman Alison Parker was interviewing when Vester Lee Flanagan opened fire.

White House concedes new gun laws wouldn't have stopped Va. gunman.  The White House conceded Friday that new gun regulations probably wouldn't have prevented the gunman who murdered two television journalists in southwestern Virginia this week.  White House press secretary Josh Earnest said it appears that a proposal championed by President Obama to require background checks on purchases at gun shows "would not have applied in this particular case."

The Editor says...
That hasn't stopped the White House from politicizing the incident.

NYT's Kristof Admits Gun Control Probably Wouldn't Have Stopped WDBJ Shooter.  During a discussion on the Thursday [8/27/2015] edition of MSNBC's The Last Word, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof briefly admitted that gun control would not have stopped the shooter who shot dead two local news reporters in Roanoke Virginia on Wednesday but continued to nonetheless argue that more gun restrictions are needed.  The slip came near the tail end of a panel discussion featuring host Lawrence O'Donnell, Mother Jones' David Corn, and The Boston Globe's Shira Center in which Kristof was discussing some common characteristics of shooting incidents when he stated that "you know, it may well be that no measure could have prevented the killer in this case from actually acquiring that gun."

Hillary Clinton Really Is Coming For Your Guns.  Some politicians talk about gun control once in a while.  Clinton has been pushing to curb firearms for decades.  No wonder the NRA has vowed to bring her down.

Hillary Clinton vows to be gun-control president.  "We have got to do something about gun violence in America — and I will take it on," Mrs. Clinton said in an on-camera statement to reports while on campaign trail in Iowa.  In an emotional plea for more restrictive gun laws, Mrs. Clinton said that too many people known that the availability of firearms is a problem in the United States but avoid the subject because "it is hard."

Seattle Hit With Lawsuit After Mayor Signs Illegal Gun & Ammo Tax Into Law.  The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) warned Seattle Mayor Ed Murray last week that if he signed the city council's "gun violence tax" into law, that Seattle;s citizens would have to pay to defend the law in court.  Well, Murray unwisely signed the bill into law on Friday, and the city was slapped with lawsuit today [8/24/2015].

Anti-Gun Left Gets [a] Reminder of NRA's Original Mission.  Gun control cultists don't want the National Rifle Association to train Indiana National Guardsmen for a very simple reason:  it reinforces the NRA's credibility in the eyes of the public as authorities on the subject of firearms.  When the NRA is recognized as a leader in firearms safety training — and with 120,000 certified instructors it most certainly is — then it makes it that much harder for gun control groups to appear credible as opposition.  This is especially true when you consider how many times supporters of gun control have been proven to be incredibly ignorant about the basic function of even the most common firearms.

NRA sues over Seattle's adoption of 'gun violence tax'.  Three gun rights groups, including the National Rifle Association, sued the city of Seattle on Monday [8/24/2015] over its adoption of a so-called "gun violence tax," a tax on firearms and ammunition designed to help offset the financial toll of gun violence.

Kentucky Chuck E. Cheese refuses to serve police officer with firearm.  A Kentucky Chuck E. Cheese appears to have taken the kid-friendly chain's "no guns" policy too far, refusing to serve a police officer who entered the restaurant with a firearm.  The gun-toting officer encountered the problem at the Chuck E. Cheese in the Greenwood Mall in the city of Bowling Green, prompting outrage from some people, including a sheriff from a neighboring jurisdiction, WBKO-TV reported Friday [8/21/2015].

Bloomberg, Dems Push Cabela's, Bass Pro, To Ignore FBI Rules, Slow Gun Sales.  The nation's top outfitters and gun retailers have rejected an unusual Democratic request to ignore current gun background check rules and institute their own system that anti-gun advocates believe would slow sales.  Already required to run background checks on gun buyers, over a dozen Democratic senators have asked giants Cabela's, Gander Mountain, Sportsman's Warehouse and Bass Pro Shops to block sales to customers whose checks aren't finished in the required three days.  According to the National Rifle Association, the firms have so far rejected the request.

Study Claims Private Gun Ownership Endangers Police.  Law-abiding citizens who are armed for self-defense pose no threat to police officers.  And laws that prevent such citizens from being armed for self-defense simply create an atmosphere where only the criminals are armed — with guns that are stolen or otherwise obtained.

Seattle City Council advances new gun, ammunition tax.  The Seattle City Council is expected to cast a final vote Monday [8/10/2015] on legislation that adds new taxes and regulations on firearms and ammunition sold in the city.  The legislation, which passed unanimously Wednesday by the Education and Governance Committee, would implement a $25 tax on firearms and a 5-cent-per-round tax on ammunition, and would force gun owners to report a lost or stolen firearm within 24 hours.

A Crushing New Argument Against Gun Control.  When push comes to shove, and you strip the lies and subterfuge out of the way, the radical left (and many of their moderate Republican allies) believe that the government should have more power than the people, and they hate that the Second Amendment is an eternal check upon that power.  When push comes to shove, the Second Amendment is the right of rebellion and revolution.  The Founding Fathers had just won their liberty from the British Empire with a long and grinding rebellion, a war that was triggered by a bloody gun control raid-turned-route in Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775.  When war ended and they formed a federal government, they made sure to include the Second Amendment to ensure that American citizens would always retain weapons capable of overthrowing the federal government when it became tyrannical.  Not that that was "when," not "if."

New York Cracks Down on Toy Guns.  New York is forcing Walmart, Amazon, and other retailers to pay over $300,000 for the crime of selling toy guns.  The settlement stems from an investigation by the state's attorney general office, which sent cease and desist letters to the retailers in December for breaking its strict law against children's toys.  "State law prohibits the sale of imitation guns in realistic colors such as black, blue, silver, or aluminum, unless it has a non-removable one-inch-wide orange stripe running down both sides of the barrel and the front end of the barrel," according to the attorney general office.  All fake toy guns must be neon colored in New York City.

Gun Controllers Demand Apple Remove Pistol-Shaped Emoji From iPhone.  On July 30, New Yorkers Against Gun Violence (NYAGV) launched a campaign to pressure Apple into removing the popular pistol-shaped emoji from the iPhone platform.  NYAGV believes Congress will pass more gun control if Apple removes the emoji.  Thus, a video accompanying the campaign says that by removing the emoji, Apple can "show [that] America wants stricter access to real guns."

Radical Socialist Bernie Sanders Wants To Toughen Up Gun Laws Not Being Enforced.  Bernie Sanders has been somewhat supportive of gun rights but he is calling for tougher gun laws when the problem seems to be illegal guns or an FBI that falls down on the job.  He also doesn't know what laws we have in place but he knows he wants them to be tougher.

Gun Grabbers Ignore Terrorism in Chattanooga, Go For Guns Instead.  The terrorist attack in Chattanooga which ended in the deaths of five Marines and Sailors had nothing to do with guns and everything to do with an ideology.  Despite this, the media is searching for a motive, the terrorist's parents are claiming he killed soldiers because he was depressed, and Michael Bloomberg's Everytown is spending in the six-figures to buy ads promoting more gun control.

Obama Announces Large-Scale Gun Grab That Will Affect 4.2 Million SSA Recipients.  Obama plans to extend gun background checks to Social Security.  The administration will use the same strategy they use to confiscate guns from veterans who have others handle their financial affairs only this will affect a massive 4.2 million Americans.  An inability to balance a checkbook could get them banned from owning a gun.  What right does Barack Obama have to unilaterally make this decision affecting the Second Amendment?  This is the single most massive gun grab by this administration.  If you are elderly, a veteran or disabled, you might have your gun taken away because of Obama's big brush approach to gun control.

Murder Rates Fall as Concealed Carry Grows.  As members of the far left continue to run around claiming that the only way to make America safer is to eliminate guns, everywhere the rate of concealed carry increases, the crime rate falls!

Murder rates drop as concealed carry permits soar: report.  The number of concealed carry handgun permits has skyrocketed since President Obama was first elected, while murder rates have fallen, according to a new report released Wednesday [7/15/2015].  Since 2007, the number of concealed handgun permits has soared from 4.6 million to over 12.8 million, and murder rates have fallen from 5.6 killings per 100,000 people to just 4.2, about a 25 percent drop, according to the report from the Crime Prevention Research Center.

Are You Ready for Remote Concealed Carry Detection Devices?  Man-portable concealed carry detection devices are being designed by a team of Canadian and Ukrainian scientists for a recently funded U.N. project.  The goal is to interrogate potential threats for firearms and other concealed weapons on their person without their permission. [...] Previous prototypes of man-portable radar detection devices have only had a range of around 10 feet.  The U.N.'s goal is to develop a system that can detect a concealed firearm or weapon on a person from 50 feet away.

Plan to Require Background Checks for Ammunition Sales Is Suspended in New York.  The administration of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo agreed on Friday to suspend a plan to require background checks on ammunition sales, putting in doubt part of the gun control law that he considers one of his proudest legacies.  The decision, which the administration did not publicize, was the result of an unusual deal the governor's office reached with the State Senate's Republican majority.  The Senate's Democratic minority and the speaker of the State Assembly condemned the move.  The background-check system was approved as part of the Safe Act, the set of tough gun control measures that Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat, persuaded lawmakers to pass in January 2013, shortly after the mass school shooting in Newtown, Conn.

Constitutional Ignorance and Dereliction.  Alexander Hamilton said, "The best we can hope for concerning the people at large is that they be properly armed," adding later, "If the representatives of the people betray their constituents, there is then no recourse left but in the exertion of that original right of self-defense which is paramount to all positive forms of government."  What institution was Hamilton referring to when he said "the representatives of the people"?  Thomas Jefferson:  "What country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?  Let them take arms."  Who are the rulers Jefferson had in mind? [...] George Mason, author of the Virginia Bill of Rights, which served as inspiration for the U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights, said, "To disarm the people — that was the best and most effectual way to enslave them," later saying, "I ask, sir, what is the militia?  It is the whole people, except for a few public officials."

Poll: Most Americans Aren't Interested in Gun Control.  A new poll from Suffolk University and USA Today finds the majority of Americans do not want to debate gun control in the 2016 presidential election.  According to the poll of 1,000 adults, 52 percent say they would not like gun control to be a "significant subject" during the election, with 43 percent saying they would.

ATF's Left Hand Doesn't Know What Its Right Hand is Doing.  A complaint filed Tuesday [6/23/2015] in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia seeks an order to compel the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to comply with a Freedom of Information Act request filed in March and ignored in violation of federal law. [...] In 2005, the Congressional Research Service published a memorandum regarding ATF firearms testing procedures.  Among other things, it revealed that the ATF has "over 300 cubic feet of classification letters stored in file cabinets."  The Bureau hasn't scanned any of these documents into a searchable database to assure consistency of interpretation, to identify and resolve regulatory conflicts.  The extent to which this inconsistency has grown and compounded in intervening years is unknown and unknowable without a major organization and review effort.

Police union wants more exemptions from L.A. proposal to lock up handguns.  Los Angeles lawmakers have been mulling new rules that would require residents to lock up their handguns or disable them with a trigger lock when they are not being used.  But the plan, championed by Councilman Paul Krekorian as a way to spare children from deadly accidents, spurred opposition from the city police officers' union, which argues that current and former officers shouldn't be held to those rules.

New Yorkers Send Message to Would-Be Tyrant Cuomo: Take Your Illegal Gun Law and Shove It.  After a much-publicized court battle between State Police and gun groups, numbers for the registration of so-called "assault-style" weapons under Governor Cuomo's unconstitutional SAFE Act have been released.  The numbers indicate that a vast majority of gun owners have not complied with the law which was hastily enacted in 2013 after the Newtown massacre.  Second Amendment advocates had contended that state police were not releasing registration numbers to avoid embarrassment for the administration by hiding the low rate of compliance from angry gun owners.

Manchin, Toomey both interested in reviving gun control push.  In the wake of the Charleston shooting, Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) are considering ways to renew their failed push to expand meaningful background checks on gun purchases.  In separate interviews Tuesday night [6/23/2015], at a reception before a ceremony hosted by Sandy Hook families where Toomey was honored, the senators discussed their desire to find a new way forward.

Reid seeks expanded gun background checks.  Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) called Tuesday [6/23/2015] for Congress to expand background checks for gun purchases in the wake of a shooting in Charleston, S.C., last week that left nine dead.  "The United States is the only advanced country where this type of mass violence occurs," Reid said from the Senate floor.  "Let's do something.  We can expand, for example, background checks. ... We should support not giving guns to people who are mentally ill and felons."

Gun Control Laws Protect Criminals By Disarming Their Law Abiding Victims.  The gun control controversy is only the latest of many issues to be debated almost solely in terms of fixed preconceptions, with little or no examination of hard facts.  Media discussions of gun control are dominated by two factors:  the National Rifle Association and the Second Amendment.  But the over-riding factual question is whether gun control laws actually reduce gun crimes in general or murder rates in particular. [...] The central issue boils down to the question:  What are the facts?  Yet there are many zealots who seem utterly unconcerned about facts or about their own lack of knowledge of facts.

Karl Rove: Only Way To Stop The Violence Is To Repeal Second Amendment.  Republican strategist Karl Rove said on "Fox News Sunday" the only way to stop gun-related violence, like the Wednesday [6/17/2015] massacre at Emmanuel African Methodist Church in Charleston S.C., was to repeal American citizens' Second Amendment rights.

Flashback: How we will be told to "fix things" after Charleston.  [Scroll down]  Unfortunately for those embracing this school of thought, a simple ban on sales and a refusal to grant new permits wouldn't do much — if anything — for decades at a minimum.  There are simply too many guns out there already.  You would slowly diminish the number of guns owned by the law abiding who have no interest in shooting up schools to begin with, but cutting into the stockpiles of the criminal element would be a generational task.  (And given the number available on the black market, the attrition rate would be even slower.)  But it would sure make the Left happy, wouldn't it?

Obama: Gun Manufacturers 'Make Out Like Bandits' After Mass Shootings.  President Obama continued pressing for change of the nation's gun laws, which he argues would help stop mass shootings that he says have become all too frequent.  He also signaled frustration with the National Rifle Association and gun manufacturers for blocking his proposed legislative efforts.  During an interview with the "WTF Podcast," with Marc Maron, Obama complained that gun manufacturers reaped the benefits from shootings, based on the fear that the government would take away their guns.

The Editor says...
Gun sales surge after mass shootings, because mass shootings are followed by threats and rumors of widespread gun control by people like Obama.  The "fear that the government would take away their guns" is not irrational, since Obama hints about it whenever he gets a chance.

FBI Director Says Charleston Shooting Not Terrorism.  In the wake of the Charleston church shooting in South Carolina, two particular phrases have been used in the media to describe the attack — "hate crime" and "terrorist act."  Soon after the initial reports of the tragedy, the authorities threw both around when discussing the matter with reporters, sometimes letting their emotions get the better of them.  That is, what Dylann Roof did was terrible, but until the official investigation is complete, the use of either descriptor won't be completely accurate.  But that hasn't stopped FBI Director James Comey from discounting the use of "terrorism" and "terrorist act" to describe Roof's crimes.

Obama's Hypocrisy on Gun Control.  As far as we know, Dylann Roof acted for just one person:  Dylann Roof.  But his crime has gotten enormous attention for a host of reasons.  It is a demonstration of the evil one person can do.  It arouses strong emotions of horror and grief for victims whose extremely productive lives were cut down so cruelly.  It engenders talk about the Second Amendment right to bear arms and how much it can or should be restricted.  It raises questions about our mental health system and how a person can fall through the cracks.  It brings up the issue of prevention, because Roof appears to have given quite a bit of warning (at least to friends, if not to family) that he was contemplating violence.  It makes us wonder how often drug abuse might be a factor in violent crimes.  It shows that some people continue to hate members of another race.  It is an example of how the media covers such crimes, and the rush to publish facts that are not necessarily true.  But — as with many violent crimes — it also gives people ample opportunity to ride their pet political hobbyhorses.  And among them are the pious declarations that somehow Roof represents white people or America in general.  He does not.

Authorities: The Charleston Shooter Bought His Gun in a Store.  CNN reports today [6/19/2015] that the shooter in Charleston did not in fact receive his handgun from his father — possibly in violation of a host of federal and state laws — but bought it himself in a store:  ["]He himself bought the .45-caliber handgun used in the shooting last April at a Charleston gun store, according to the two officials.  Earlier, a senior law enforcement official had indicated that [his] father bought him a Glock firearm for his birthday.["]  This means that he passed a background check — a background check of precisely the sort that gun control advocates wish to extend to all transactions.

Know Your Enemy: The Shape of Antigun Astroturf, May 2015.  We continue to add to the map of Freedom's enemies.  There are over 350 nodes on the new map, and every one of them a proven, if not sworn, enemy of firearms freedom.

South Carolina Suspect Caught, and the Politicization Begins.  Unless true insanity is involved, acts like this are not "senseless."  They represent calculated evil, and they should be punished in a manner that properly responds to the awful moral gravity of the crime — life for life.

9th Circuit: Does Second Amendment Apply Outside the Home?  On June 16 2015 the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals begins hearing an appeal of their own decision against the "good cause" requirement in California's concealed carry process.  The 3-judge panel of the 9th Circuit ruled against the requirement in February 2014, saying, "The right to bear arms includes the right to carry an operable arm outside the home for the lawful purpose of self-defense."  Moreover, they ruled that because the right extends outside the home, there is no need to show "good cause" — the right to do so is cause enough.  But the court is revisiting the case in an appeal that is essentially a decision on whether to uphold the ruling that Second Amendment rights extend outside the home like First, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Amendment rights, etc.

Senate Bill: 'Must Retrofit' Handgun with Smart Gun Tech Before Sale.  Democratic Senators Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) have put forth a bill that could drastically impact gun sales in America.  Last week Markey and Warren introduced The "Handgun Trigger Safety Act".  It would mandate that in 10 years "anyone selling a handgun must retrofit it with personalization technology before that sale can be completed."  It would also ban the "manufacture in the United States a handgun that is not a personalized handgun" within 5 years of the measure being enacted.

Dems want police license for handguns — photos, fingerprints, background check.  House and Senate Democrats have opened a campaign to get states to require a license issued by police, complete with fingerprints and photos, before buying a handgun, even from a friend or family member.  The Handgun Purchaser Licensing Act of 2015, introduced Thursday [6/11/2015], would also provide a taxpayer-funded federal grant to implement the program, which proponents say will help to cut down on gun violence and deaths.

NRA: Gun blogs, videos, web forums threatened by new Obama regulation.  Commonly used and unregulated internet discussions and videos about guns and ammo could be closed down under rules proposed by the State Department, amounting to a "gag order on firearm-related speech," the National Rifle Association is warning.  In updating regulations governing international arms sales, State is demanding that anyone who puts technical details about arms and ammo on the web first get the OK from the federal government — or face a fine of up to $1 million and 20 years in jail.

Obama To Circumvent Congress With 'Gag Order' On Firearm Coverage.  On June 1 Breitbart News reported on Obama's Spring 2015 "Unified Agenda."  The gun control measures contained therein which were to be passed by executive fiat.  Since that time Representatives like Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) have placed riders on a DOJ appropriations bill to stop portions of the executive gun control push in its tracks.  Now the NRA-ILA is revealing that the Obama administration is working behind the scenes to stifle reporting on firearms.

Stop Obama's Planned Gag Order on Firearm-Related Speech.  Even as news reports have been highlighting the gun control provisions of the Administration's "Unified Agenda" of regulatory objectives, the Obama State Department has been quietly moving ahead with a proposal that could censor online speech related to firearms.  This latest regulatory assault, published in the June 3 issue of the Federal Register, is as much an affront to the First Amendment as it is to the Second.

Obama Plans To Muzzle Gun-Related Speech.  The foreign-raised President of the United States — who never set foot on the U.S. mainland until he was an adult — has proven throughout his rogue administration that he has no respect at all for the Constitution.  He's proving it yet again with a dual attack on both the First and Second Amendments, with an attempt to twist ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) regulations to ban online speech about firearms, claiming that information posted online is "exporting" data.

NRA: Gun blogs, videos, web forums threatened by new Obama regulation.  Commonly used and unregulated internet discussions and videos about guns and ammo could be closed down under rules proposed by the State Department, amounting to a "gag order on firearm-related speech," the National Rifle Association is warning.  In updating regulations governing international arms sales, State is demanding that anyone who puts technical details about arms and ammo on the web first get the OK from the federal government — or face a fine of up to $1 million and 20 years in jail.

House Passes Amendment To End ATF's Collection of Race, Ethnicity Data for Gun Sales.  By a voice vote on Wednesday [6/3/2015], the House passed Rep. Diane Black's (R-TN) amendment to stop the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) from requiring Americans to disclose their race and ethnicity when buying a firearm from a federally-licensed dealer.

Nothing at all true about gun control.  Back in the day, people were not told they could not own guns.  Local governments tried to stop gun fights by stopping people from carrying guns.  People carried guns in holsters.  Only card sharks carried pistols under their coats and they were not drunken gun fighters.  No carry ordinances were not to take guns away they were to stop roudy cow pokes from shooting up the town.  It was a method to control the peace.  Outside of 'town' a gun was a man's only protection.  Today, no-carry is a method to control the people into no ownership.

Obama preps 'final assault' on 2nd Amendment.  Critics are warning that the Obama administration is readying for a "final assault" on Second Amendment rights as the Justice Department plans to move forward on a long list of new gun rules, according to the Hill.  The report says the agency has proposed the regulations to enact before Obama leaves office.  "It's clear President Obama is beginning his final assault on our Second Amendment rights by forcing his anti-gun agenda on honest law-abiding citizens through executive force," Luke O'Dell, vice president of political affairs at the National Association for Gun Rights, told the Hill.

Obama is in the Process of Repealing the 2nd Amendment By Executive Order.  It has been revealed that Obama is teaming up with Loretta Lynch to repeal the 2nd Amendment, bypassing congress and relying on executive orders.  The variety of new laws and regulations on guns are far ranging and quite unconstitutional.  The measures being proposed are the banning of certain high powered pistols.  I really don't know what the good in that is.  It might make it harder to shoot people from a long distance but most attacks using pistols are from short range. [...] Other new regulations and laws include new rules on the storage of weapons.  "Hey, Mr Burglar, could you wait a moment while I open up my gun safe?"  Then there's universal gun registration, a ban on gun ownership for anyone with a misdemeanor domestic violence charge, like spanking your child, banning gun ownership for anyone who is seeing a shrink or has done so in the past, and expanding the list of people who can never own a gun, which will be done arbitrarily.

Obama's DOJ To Circumvent Congress With 'More Than A Dozen' New Gun Controls.  Obama's Department of Justice is working on "more than a dozen" new gun control regulations it plans to begin implementing apart from Congress. Some of the regulations are set to be put in place by November, others simply by the end of the Obama administration.  According to The Hill, "the regulations range from new restrictions on high-powered pistols to gun storage requirements" and the issuance of "new rules expanding criteria for people who do not quality for gun ownership."

Administration preps new gun regulations.  The Justice Department plans to move forward this year with more than a dozen new gun-related regulations, according to list of rules the agency has proposed to enact before the end of the Obama administration.  The regulations range from new restrictions on high-powered pistols to gun storage requirements.  Chief among them is a renewed effort to keep guns out of the hands of people who are mentally unstable or have been convicted of domestic abuse.

Team Obama Readies More Gun Control Regulations.  Isn't it wonderful how people surrounded by armed agents, often with high power weapons, want to do all they can to restrict citizens from exercising their 2nd Amendment Right. Of course, these will all be portrayed as reasonable. [...] If Obama hates guns so much, his Secret Service protective agents should be armed with billy clubs, tasers, and mace once he leaves office.

Judge Denies Stay, DC 'Forced' to Issue Concealed Permits Now.  On May 28, Judge Frederick J. Scullin Jr. denied the District of Columbia's request for an administrative state in the ruling against the "good reason" provision in DC's concealed carry permitting process.  The "good reason" requirement forced residents applying for a concealed carry permit to demonstrate a justification for wanting to carry a gun.  Breitbart News previously reported that Judge Scullin ruled against the requirement on May 18, saying it "impinges on Plaintiffs' Second Amendment right to bear arms."

House bill would require gun owners to have liability insurance.  House Democrat Rep. Carolyn Maloney (N.Y.) has introduced a bill that would require gun owners to carry liability insurance.  The Firearm Risk Protection Act, unveiled Friday, would require gun buyers to have liability insurance coverage before being allowed to purchase a weapon, and would impose a fine of $10,000 if an owner is found not to have it.  Service members and law enforcement officers, however, would be exempt from the requirement.

Nevada case is latest to test 'stand your ground' laws.  The latest high-profile case is in Nevada, where a man is on trial on murder charges after opening fire on two trespassers — not in his home but at a vacant rental unit he owns.

Judge stops DC from enforcing part of 'good reason' gun law.  People in the nation's capital no longer have to show a good reason to get a permit to carry concealed handguns outside their homes and businesses.

D.C. gun-banners foiled again.  [Scroll down]  Neither this ruling nor any of the others will significantly increase the number of guns in D.C., as any resident can attest that the capital's criminals have been well-armed for years.  Based on per capita crime numbers, their reign of terror was worst during the period of the comprehensive gun ban.  The District's murder and violent crime rates have fallen dramatically since the gun ban was officially scrapped in 2008.  Even so, the violent crime rate in the nation's capital remains more than twice New York's, and murder rate four times as high.

Supreme Court rules that convicted felons barred from owning guns have a right to sell them.  A unanimous Supreme Court ruled Monday [5/18/2015] that the government can't prevent a convicted felon who is barred from possessing firearms from trying to sell his guns after they are confiscated by authorities.

Crime Plummets in Chicago as Conceal Carry Permits Rise.  The Washington Times is reporting that as the number of Chicago residents with concealed carry handgun permits is rising, crime is steadily declining.  Since the state of Illinois began granting concealed carry permits this year, the number of individuals arrested for robbery has fallen 20 percent.

Democrats Push Bans and Reporting Requirements for Online Ammo Sales.  Democrats are pushing legislation which bans online ammunition sales that do not include a face-to-face exchange of IDs and which requires ammunition dealers to report any purchases of more than 1,000 rounds.

If They Can't Get Your Guns, They'll Get Your Ammo.  The Stop Online Ammunition Sales Act of 2015 was introduced by Rep. Bonnie Watson (D-NJ).  The bill would regulate online ammunition sales much the same way online gun sales are regulated, which means that a consumer would not be able to have an online ammunition purchase delivered to his home, but rather would have to display a photo ID to an "authorized dealer" to retrieve his purchase.  I know Democrats like to pretend you can go on a gun-shopping spree and have your pile of guns delivered to your front door, but you can't.  This is the first step in trying to ban online ammunition sales, no matter how they spin it.

Middle Tennessee Gun Exchange.  This is the sort of thing that is happening in the gun culture all over the country.  Denied a place at the table by the old media and its agenda, denied even a legitimate existence, the gun culture has self organized in ways to use new media to create what Brian Anse Patrick calls "Horizontal Interpretive Communities" in his superb book "Rise of the Anti-Media".  The book examines how the gun culture overcame the opposition of the elites, and brought concealed carry to the nation.

Los Angeles Gun Turn In 'buy back' Cheats Many Innocents.  Los Angeles police hosted another gun turn in event on Saturday, the 9th of May, 2015.  Experts agree that these events have no measurable effect on crime, suicides, or accidents.  California is one of the dwindling places where such events still occur without the competition of private buyers.  Private buyers offer higher values for the antiques that are often brought in by widows or other heirs, who do not know the value of the items that they are turning in.

Epic Fail of Disarmist March across Brooklyn Bridge.  AP does their best imitation of Pravda to try to spin the story in some sort of positive way. [...] If you look at the pictures, you see that they are closely cropped, with no more than a few dozen showing at any one time.  A group that has to resort to emotional appeals from an eight year old victim does so because it has no rational basis:  ["]Christopher Underwood, 8, addressed the crowd three years after losing his 14-year-old brother to gunfire in Brooklyn's Bushwick neighborhood.["]  No one mentioned that this occurred in a jurisdiction with some of the most draconian gun restrictions in the world.

Radical, Gun-Grabbing Extremists Seek Shut Down Of Local Illinois Gun Shops.  A coalition of gun grabbers including Sarah Brady's Handgun Control Inc., the Bloomberg Moms, and militant priest Michael Pfleger are intensifying their efforts to shut down lawful firearm retailers and abolish civilian firearm ownership across the United States.  The gun-grabbers plan to launch this latest campaign against your rights on Saturday, May 9, 2015 at Chuck's Gun Shop, 14310 S Indiana Ave, Riverdale, IL.  It is very important that we get a maximum turn out of gun owners to be on hand to support Chuck's and the right to keep and bear arms.

No citizen should have to play '20 Questions' to own a gun.  We all remember then-Senator Obama's famous mocking of heartland Americans who "cling to guns or religion" at a 2008 fundraiser.  As a firearm owner myself, I wear this description proudly.  I am not the only one.  There are approximately 300 million privately owned firearms in the United States; a number that rises by 10 million annually.  And those of us who clung to our Second Amendment rights before are keeping an even tighter grip today as the Obama administration continues its efforts to chip away at these fundamental freedoms.

DC attorney general 'looking into' Republican photo with assault rifle.  Police in Washington, D.C., have been referred materials for a possible investigation into two Republican congressmen who posed for a picture with an assault rifle in a House office building.  Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) last week tweeted a picture of himself and Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), the leader of the House's Benghazi investigation, holding an AR-15.

The Editor says...
Compare this treatment of these Republicans with the non-enforcement applied to David Gregory.

Texas set to approve open carry of handguns, seen as win for gun-rights activists.  Texas is poised to become the largest state in the U.S. to allow citizens to openly carry handguns, a change long sought by gun-rights activists.  The Texas House of Representatives on Friday voted 96-35 to allow residents with concealed-handgun licenses to openly carry their guns in public in holsters.

Republicans gather for gun-rights confab in Nashville.  It's a rare moment when former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz agree, but gun enthusiasts are likely to see just that at the National Rifle Association convention on Friday [4/10/2015].  Nearly every potential or announced Republican presidential contender will attend, and each will have 10 minutes to make their case to the audience at the conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

Gun grabbing sweeping the nation.  Cherished family heirlooms were among the 21 firearms Michael Roberts surrendered to the Torrance Police Department in 2010, after his doctor filed a restraining order against him.  The court order was the result of a dispute Roberts had with a member of the doctor's staff and, after Roberts pleaded no contest, the matter was resolved.  Yet, even though he filed the proper Law Enforcement Gun Release paperwork on four separate occasions, obtained clearance from the California Department of Justice and had two court orders commanding the return of his guns, police refused to hand them over.  With the backing of the National Rifle Association and California Rifle and Pistol Association, Roberts filed a federal lawsuit in May 2014, over the $15,500 worth of firearms.  In the end he got the money, but not the guns.  The police had had them destroyed.

Gov. Bobby Jindal: The Left Are Bullies Opposed To Armed Citizens, Religious Liberty.  Breitbart News recently had the opportunity to talk with Louisiana Governor and presidential hopeful Bobby Jindal (R) about guns and gun rights.  He explained that "the left are bullies" opposed to armed citizens and religious liberty.

6 Steps In Choosing Your First Handgun.  When faced with the challenge of choosing their very first handgun, new shooters are often overwhelmed by the numerous choices and decisions they have to make.  I'd like to use this blog post to help give new buyers a step by step process to choose the right gun for their needs.  I also want to give them an idea of some of the pitfalls and errors that novices tend to encounter when looking for their first handgun.

Sen. Ted Cruz: 2nd Amendment 'a Fundamental Check on Government Tyranny'.  On April 9, Breitbart News had the opportunity to talk with Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) about guns and gun rights, and he told us that the Second Amendment "serves as a fundamental check on government tyranny."

Torrance Police Settle for Illegally Destroyed Guns.  California, especially California cities, have had a bad reputation for decades, of legally stealing firearms.  This was primarily done with police officers confiscating firearms that they came across, without any crime being committed.  Department policy was then to refuse to return the firearm unless a court ordered them to do so.  As the process of obtaining a court order would ordinarily be much more costly than the price of a firearm, most people who had their firearms stolen by police simply did not bother in attempting to obtain a court order.

Not Guilty, and Handcuffed; Woman Forced to Shoot Attacking Ex.  If you are in a defensive shooting, do not be surprised if you are treated as a criminal as the police sort things out.  This is especially likely in large city police departments, where crime is common, such as in Houston.  Expect it.  In some cases you will be held in jail for a period without seeing a lawyer or a judge.  The police are allowed up to 24 hours to process your case.  If they forget or make mistakes, it can take much longer.

Requiring a concealed carry permit is the definition of 'infringed'.  Gun rights activists are applauding the actions of the Iowa Legislature, which recently voted to repeal a measure requiring the state's residents to obtain a permit prior to purchasing a handgun.  And while requiring a permit to purchase a handgun in addition to a concealed carry permit to carry the purchased weapon is certainly an onerous burden and an obvious 2nd Amendment violation, so is Iowa's — and any other state's — requirement to obtain a permit to carry a concealed weapon.  All states have different requirements for obtaining permits.  Some are more obtrusive than others.  But Iowans, even though it's a "shall-issue" state, must pay $50 and complete an approved training course to be eligible.  Requiring a permit is essentially the government's taking away your right and then forcing you to purchase it back.  Yet Americans accept this "in the public interest."

State GOP lawmakers working to roll back gun restrictions after midterm wins.  Conservatives emboldened by election victories are working to roll back gun restrictions in several states, while those on the other side of the debate are claiming success elsewhere in passing initiatives related to gun background checks.  On the pro-gun spectrum, for example, Kansas Governor Sam Brownback last week signed a bill to allow Kansans to carry concealed weapons in the state without training or a permit.

'Gun Letter' Informs Pawn And Gun Shop Owner His Bank Accounts Are Being Closed.  A gun and pawn shop owner in Florida received what he was told is "one of the gun letters" from his bank last month informing him that his business is no longer welcome.  Steve Champion, who opened American Gun & Pawn in Brooksville last year, received a letter from SunTrust on March 20, stating that he'll have to close his accounts by April 20.

Why Michael Bloomberg's latest push for gun control is all wrong.  Michael Bloomberg is spending tens of millions of dollars trying to convince state legislatures to support restrictive gun control laws. [...] But Bloombeg's [sic] newest campaign has become so extreme that even gun control advocates may wonder that he is becoming a liability to their cause.  And he has already earned a reputation for fabricating numbers, with even liberal-leaning PolitiFact slamming Bloomberg for exaggerating the number of school shootings by a factor of five.  Other inaccuracies include that deaths from school shootings are increasing, that attacks with "assault weapons" are the most deadly, that firearms research fell dramatically after the restrictions on federal funding, and absurdly that "84% of female firearm homicides in 25 countries are in US."

Sen. Rubio, Rep. Jordan propose repealing D.C. gun control laws.  Two high-profile Republicans in Congress, Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.) and Rep. Jim Jordan (Ohio), have introduced legislation that would undo the District's gun laws, which are among the strictest in the nation.  If embraced by Republican leaders of the House and Senate, the legislation could force a Second Amendment showdown with President Obama just two years after he failed an attempt to win stricter gun control laws nationwide.  For the District, the legislation could amount to the most serious challenge to local governance in years.

Democrats still lust after taking away people's ammunition.  Note, by the way, that Steve Israel is somebody, at least by Congressional Democratic standards.  The Representative is assistant Democratic Whip and chaired the DCCC... well, he chaired it right into a brick wall, but never mind that right now.  The important thing here is that when Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY) talks about banning your gun's ammunition he absolutely means it — and that so does the rest of the Democratic party.

B. Todd Jones quits as ATF director amid backlash over proposed bullet ban.  B. Todd Jones, the director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, announced he is stepping down Friday [3/20/2015] after nearly four years on the job.  His announcement comes following a controversial ATF proposal to ban certain bullets that could pierce bullet-proof vests and be fired from an AR-15 rifle.  But public outcry and Congressional pressure led the agency to abandon its efforts.

ATF director steps down after bullet ban controversy.  The director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is stepping down following controversy surrounding the agency's proposal to ban certain types of ammunition.  The ATF announced Friday that Director B. Todd Jones is resigning at the end of the month "to pursue other opportunities in the private sector."

Fast and Furious Cover-up Rewarded in Appointment of New ATF Director.  On Friday, March 20, 2015, B. Todd Jones, the Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF,) announced his resignation. [...] The announced new Acting Director is the current Deputy Director, Thomas Brandon, a man with an apparently secret history at the ATF.  In news dispatches of March 20th, Mr. Brandon is described blandly by the AP, CNN and ABC as a 26-year veteran at the agency who was appointed Deputy Director in 2011.  This gives the impression of an earnest, knowledgeable, hard working civil servant, does it not?  Perhaps all of the professional reporters are too pressed for time these days to perform a basic Google search.  Or, perhaps not a single so-called journalist has the brain capacity to remember a shameful, deadly national disaster called Fast and Furious.

New concealed carry legislation restores exemption for public officials.  A third proposed revision of Idaho's concealed carry laws, one that restores the statewide exemption for public and elected officials, will be resubmitted to a House committee within the week.  "The exemption is put back in," bill sponsor Rep. Judy Boyle, R-Midvale, said Tuesday.  "The majority of the house committee wanted that exemption left in for both public and elected officials because it has been there for so long."

New Jersey man seeks pardon after legally owned gun makes him convicted felon.  Josey-Davis' nightmare began on the morning of Sept. 20, 2013 when he was preparing to leave his North Brunswick, N.J., home for a job as an armed security guard with Loomis Armored, a company responsible for transporting money to banks.  While unloading his 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun inside his car, his 6-year-old sister wandered into the family's garage, startling Josey-Davis.  He quickly tucked the firearm inside the glove compartment and out of the child's view, according to his account.

NJ drops gun charge against retired teacher over centuries-old flintlock gun.  A New Jersey prosecutor Wednesday [2/25/2015] dropped the felony gun charge against a retired schoolteacher who was arrested last year when authorities discovered an unloaded, 300-year-old flintlock pistol wrapped in his car's glove compartment. [...] The Cumberland County prosecutor said the state will exercise "prosecutorial discretion" in the case, but warned others about the laws pertaining to firearm possession, even if the gun is an antique.  Van Gilder had faced 10 years in prison and the loss of his state pension if convicted.  Nappen praised the prosecutor's decision.

Joe Manchin Shows His Anti-Gun Colors Again.  West Virginia is a tradition open carry state (with some limited preemption).  So Joe believes that covering the gun with a shirt means that people needed training and certification by the state that they don't if they open carry.  Well, Manchin voted for Obamacare, so his voting record is about as lousy at it gets.  When a politician (or anyone else) begins a conversation with "I support the right of the people to own and bear arms, but ... ," or "I believe in the second amendment, but ... ," ignore the balance of their remarks.  They are liars.

Dems Push ATF To Ban Bullets Now.  Congressional Democrats are demanding the ATF use "existing authority" to ban a popular bullet.  The move comes just days after the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives backed off a proposal to ban the M855 green-tip cartridges, one of the most popular bullets used in AR-15 rifles.  The public comment period for the proposed ban closes Monday but in the face of overwhelming public opposition the ATF announced last week that they were going back to the drawing board.  Not good enough for Democrats.  They sent a letter, obtained by The Hill, which says the ATF needs to act to keep, "dangerous ammunition out of our communities."

Texas Senate One Step Closer to Passing Open Carry.  The Texas Senate passed the "open carry" bill, SB 17, on second reading Monday evening [3/16/2015] after about three and a half hours of debate.  The vote was on partisan lines, with the 20 Republican Senators voting in favor of the bill, and the 11 Democrats voting against it.  The bill still needs to go to third reading before it will be deemed officially passed by the Senate.

ATF Wants To Go After All 5.56 mm Ammunition, Not Just Green Tip.  Recall when we speculated about why the ATF had decided to hold its "green tip" ban in abatement?  Well, the questions are answered.

ATF raises new concerns about AR-15 ammo.  The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on Thursday raised new concerns about surplus military ammo used in popular AR-15 rifles and pistols just days after pulling back on a proposal to ban the ammo because it could threaten police safety.  In a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, ATF Director B. Todd Jones said all types of the 5.56 military-style ammo used by shooters pose a threat to police as more people buy the AR-15-style pistols.  "Any 5.56 round" is "a challenge for officer safety," he said.  Jones asked lawmakers to help in a review of a 1986 bill written to protect police from so-called "cop killer" rounds that largely exempted rifle ammo like the 5.56 because it has been used by target shooters, not criminals.

White House: We didn't cave on gun ammo ban.  The White House on Wednesday [3/11/2015] insisted that it played no part in the decision by the Obama administration to drop a proposal to ban ammunition commonly used with the AR-15 rifle.  "The decision on this matter was made by the ATF," White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters, saying President Obama's position on gun control has "not changed."  Under intense lobbying from gun-rights advocates, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives abandoned a proposal to ban the 5.56 M855 "green tip" ammo.

Judge Denies Stay in Handgun Transfer Ban Case.  In brief, in Mance v. Holder US District Court Judge Reed O'Connor found that the federal interstate handgun transfer ban was unconstitutional on its face — specifically, the provision that requires an out-of-state handgun purchaser to transfer the handgun through several FFLs before taking possession.  Most interestingly, Judge O'Connor found the requirement to be an unconstitutional infringement of the 2nd Amendment under both strict and intermediate scrutiny, as well as an unconstitutional infringement of the 5th Amendment under strict scrutiny.

Obama loses another Second Amendment battle as ATF drops proposed ammo ban.  Bowing again to opposition from Second Amendment supporters, the Obama administration Tuesday backed off on another gun control proposal, specifically a proposal to ban ammunition commonly used in AR-15 rifles.  The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said it was dropping the proposed ammo ban — at least for now — due to overwhelming opposition from the public.  "The vast majority of the comments received to date are critical" of the proposal, ATF said in a statement, adding that officials plan to give the issue "more study."

ATF Pulls the Plug on Obama's Insane Ammo Ban.  Probably just for public consumption.  Obama will do whatever he wants so take this with a grain of salt.

52 senators warn of sweeping ammo bans, say Second Amendment 'at risk'.  A majority in both the Senate and House — 52 senators, 238 House members — have joined to oppose the Obama administration's move to ban a popular type of ammo used in the top-selling AR-15 rifle and pistol because it pierces police body armor.  A week after the House members, led by Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Bob Goodlatte, sent a letter of opposition to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley echoed that in his own letter signed by 51 others.

The Editor says...
Ordinary police officers never wore bulletproof vests until recently.  I never heard of such a thing until about 1978.  So, back in the 1960s it is safe to say there were no local cops wearing bulletproof vests.  Was there a big push to ban all guns back then, based on the premise that somebody might shoot a cop?  No.  Even if the cops are known to wear absolutely impenetrable body armor, obviously the criminals will aim elsewhere.  Body armor and cops and ammunition are just side tracks.  The government wants to ban firearms.  Ask yourself why.

ATF shelves controversial bullet ban proposal.  The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is shelving a proposal to ban a popular but highly lethal type of bullet, amid opposition from gun-rights advocates and hundreds of members of Congress.  The agency said in a statement on Tuesday [3/10/2015] it would not seek to issue the final guidelines "at this time."  The proposal pertained to M855 "green tip" ammunition, used in the AR-15 rifle, which regulators looked at banning because it can pierce police body armor.  The ATF said it would instead wait until Americans have finished commenting on the federal regulations and evaluate their comments and suggestions before "proceeding with any framework."

ATF apologizes for 'error' on ammo-ban regulations.  The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is apologizing for a "publishing error" in its regulations that suggested the agency had already banned AR-15 "green tip" ammo well before officials publicly announced a proposal to outlaw the armor-piercing bullets last month.  "ATF has not rescinded any armor piercing ammunition exemption, and the fact they are not listed in the 2014 online edition of the regulations was an error which has no legal impact," the agency said in a statement.  "ATF apologizes for any confusion caused by this publishing error."

ATF misfire? Guide indicates bullets at center of firestorm already banned; agency blames 'error'.  They pointed to the ATF's latest "Firearms Regulation Reference Guide," released in January 2015.  The guide, curiously, did not contain an exemption for popular ".223 M855 'green tip' ammunition" that was included in earlier guides.  Without that exemption, the ammunition is illegal to sell.  So did the ATF already make up its mind?  No, the agency claims.  The ATF has responded that the reference guide is not legally binding, so the bullets have not actually been banned yet, and has apologized for leaving the exemptions out of the guide.  They say it was an innocent mistake.  And the proposed ban is apparently still under consideration.

Law Enforcement Officers Say Obama's Illicit Ammunition Ban is Built on a Lie.  Obama's royal regime is attempting to ban a very common class of ammunition for one of the most common rifles in the country.  He is claiming it is to "save the lives of police."  But the facts make the lie to Obama's claim.

King Barry.  Obama is a lawless leader, choosing to rule by memorandum, regulation and executive order — he is not a president; he is a king. [...] The president is planning an executive order banning 5.56 mm M855 ammunition (green tips), the round most often used in the AR-15.  The AR-15 is a very popular weapon for sportsman, used primarily for target shooting and almost never for hunting.  It is rarely used in the commission of crime.  But ban the bullets and you ban the gun.  There you have it — Popeil's pocket gun control and if the public accepts this, then perhaps he will think of a way to ban 9 mm ammo.

Just say no to executive-action gun control.  In the wake of the Sandy Hook massacre, President Obama seized the moment to push for legislation expanding federal gun control laws.  As it turned out, his proposal could not make its way through Congress quickly enough for public opinion to remain on his side.  The Democrat-controlled Senate could not muster the votes for his plan.  This was in large part because nothing Congress considered at that time could have prevented the bloody school shooting, committed by a mentally disturbed man who had actually been turned down when he tried to purchase a gun.  Instead, he killed his own mother and stole her legally purchased, background-checked weapons from her home.

Couple denied role as foster parents over permits to carry guns.  A Nevada couple were denied their request to serve as foster parents because they have permits to carry guns.  Brian and Valerie Wilson, of Las Vegas, told "Fox & Friends" Sunday that they have always planned to become foster parents and eventually adopt, but have been denied permission to do so because of a state regulation that prohibits the carrying of loaded weapons with foster children.

Gun range's ban on Muslims draws fire.  In the five months since Jan Morgan banned Muslims from her gun range in Hot Springs, Ark., business has boomed and predictions of a lawsuit brought by federal civil rights enforcers have so far proved inaccurate.  Morgan, who claims keeping Muslims out of her Gun Cave Indoor Firing Range is a matter of public safety and not a constitutional issue, says she made the decision in September after two customers she deemed suspicious visited.  She said their furtive behavior and cellphone ringtones of "Allahu Akhbar" prompted her to revise her range's policies.  "We are dealing in lethal firearms," Morgan told FoxNews.com.  "I'm not going to let a Nazi shoot in here, or a Ku Klux Klan member in here, either."

A Dictator's Dynamic In Obama's Bullet Ban.  The president has ordered the reclassification of AR-15 bullets as a threat to lawmen, effectively banning them.  It's nonsense.  But we see what's going on:  a backdoor bid to ban guns and scrap the Second Amendment.

White House says ammo ban will save cops' lives.  The White House said Monday that President Obama believes a ban on bullets commonly used with the AR-15 rifle will save police officers' lives.  "We are looking at additional ways to protect our brave men and women in law enforcement, and believe that this process is valuable for that reason alone," said White House press secretary Josh Earnest.  The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is accepting public comment on an administration proposal to ban .223 M855 "green tip" ammunition most often used with AR-15 rifles.  House lawmakers from both parties, as well as sportsmen and some law enforcement officials, are objecting the move.  Mr. Earnest called it a "common-sense step."

The Editor says...
This brings up an obvious question:  How many cops have been shot with an AR-15?  The answer is apparently zero.

Defending against an imaginary threat.  Criminals like to conceal their weapons as much as possible in order to drawing attention to themselves from police.  The large size and bulk of AR-15 pistols that makes them such fun range toys makes them impractical for criminals to carry.  Due in large part to that fact, the use of AR-15 pistols in crime is so rare that no known agencies are even tracking data on their use.  If there are instances where officers have been shot and killed with an AR-15 pistol loaded with SS109/M855 ammunition, we have not yet been able to find even anecdotal evidence of such an event... not even once.

Devilish Details Behind Obama's Bullet Ban.  Since the AR platform is the single most popular rifle in the country, and M855 is one of the most common types of ammunition used in AR rifles, banning this ammo would have a significant effect on the market, by reducing ammo supply, driving up prices and forcing the military to spend money to destroy their older stocks, rather than making money by selling it to shooters

Obama to Ban Ammo Through Executive Action by Labeling Bullets "Cop Killers".  As promised, President Obama is using executive actions to impose gun control on the nation, targeting the top-selling rifle in the country, the AR-15 style semi-automatic, with a ban on one of the most-used AR bullets by sportsmen and target shooters.  The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives this month revealed that it is proposing to put the ban on 5.56 mm ammo on a fast track, immediately driving up the price of the bullets and prompting retailers, including the huge outdoors company Cabela's, to urge sportsmen to urge Congress to stop the president.

Obama's Ammo Ban [is] Just the First Step in Killing Off the Modern Sporting Rifle.  The AR-15 is America's most popular sporting rifle, and it has been falsely mischaracterized as an "automatic" firearm and an "assault" weapon.  It has been demonized as a monstrosity via the Sandy Hook shootings.  Bans on it and other so-called "assault weapons" have been attempted from every possible angle.  And now that those measures have failed to accomplish total gun control, the Obama Administration, hungry to undermine the 2nd Amendment and restrict gun ownership, is using backdoor regulations through the BATFE to ban the sale, import and manufacture of the most affordable ammunition for the AR-15.

ATF Proposed Bullet Ban Has Been Fast Tracked.  Following the Sandy Hook shooting, the Obama administration tried to ban several kinds of firearms, including the AR-15.  Now it seems that he may have actually found a way to do it, albeit slowly.  He isn't going to outright ban the gun itself; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) is just going to ban the most commonly sold bullets for the gun instead.

"Universal Background Checks" Mean Gun Registration, Gun Bans and Confiscation.  This ["universal background checks"] scheme focuses only on peaceable citizens, not violent criminals who are already prohibited under federal and state laws from even touching, much less purchasing, any firearm.  Facts tell us that criminalizing private transfers of firearms among family members and friends under a universal background check system would do nothing to prevent "gun violence," and importantly, would not have prevented the profound tragedies that gun banners use to promote such a system.  Perpetrators of those acts either successfully passed background checks to get the guns or they stole the guns.

ATF weighs ban on ammo for AR-15 rifle.  The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is cracking down on armor-piercing ammunition that's currently allowed for sport, angering gun rights activists.  Under a draft framework manufacturers would be prohibited from producing and selling 5.56 mm projectiles for M855 cartridges, which are used in AR-15s, one of the most popular rifles in America.  The bullets are currently exempt from the Law Enforcement Officers Act (LEOPA).

Beware Team Obama's dangerous plan to ban bullets.  The administration wants to ban sales of certain types of ammunition.  And once again the White House wants to do it in a way that bypasses Congress.  Remember, to ban the ammo is a sneaky way to ban the gun.  Folks, the most important rights our founders outlined in the constitution were freedom of speech and freedom of religion.  These are our First Amendment rights.  But in order to protect the First Amendment — the founders were smart — they gave us the Second Amendment.  The right to freely bear arms.  We have the Second Amendment to insure the first.

Obama to ban bullets by executive action, threatens top-selling AR-15 rifle.  As promised, President Obama is using executive actions to impose gun control on the nation, targeting the top-selling rifle in the country, the AR-15 style semi-automatic, with a ban on one of the most-used AR bullets by sportsmen and target shooters.  The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives this month revealed that it is proposing to put the ban on 5.56 mm ammo on a fast track, immediately driving up the price of the bullets and prompting retailers, including the huge outdoors company Cabela's, to urge sportsmen to urge Congress to stop the president.

Flintlock from 1700s could land elderly NJ man in prison.  A retired teacher is facing 10 years in prison and the loss of his state pension for possessing a flintlock pistol that may not have been fired since George Washington was alive, his attorney told FoxNews.com on Wednesday [2/18/2015].  In a case that underscores the Garden State's strict gun laws, Gordon Van Gilder, a retired English teacher and collector of historical items, has been charged with criminal possession of a handgun and faces up to 10 years in prison.  If the 72-year-old is convicted, the charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 3½ years and the pension Van Gilder earned as an educator could be revoked, penalties attorney Evan Nappen called "outrageous."

72-Year-Old-Man Facing 10 Years In Prison Over Antique Pistol.  Gordon van Gilder, a retired teacher and self-proclaimed history buff, is facing 10 years in prison and the loss of his pension over his possession of an unloaded antique flintlock pistol.  The day after van Gilder told a deputy during a routine traffic stop about his antique gun, four law enforcement officers showed up at his house to arrest him, because New Jersey state law classifies antique firearms the same way it classifies regular guns.

New Jersey man facing ten years in prison for possession of 300 yr old flintlock pistol.  There's trouble brewing in New Jersey, as reported by our Townhall colleague Matt Vespa.  72 year old retired teacher Gordon VanGilder was arrested and now faces trial on weapons possession charges.  That's a sad, but not terribly unusual story in the Garden State which remains fairly unfriendly to Second Amendment rights.  What gives this story a seriously tragic twist is that the weapon VanGilder was "caught" with is nearly 300 years old.

A Pincer Movement on Ammunition.  As it wanes, the Obama administration grows bold, and even reckless, on matters that send a thrill up the leg of its most leftward supporters.  Its new attack on so-called armor-piercing ammunition — which is, in reality, a very broad attack on ammunition across the board — is a dangerous and destructive example of the administration's late-days slide into rule-by-decree.

Backdoor Gun Control: Obama's ATF Proposes AR-15 Ammo Ban.  A notice from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) shows the agency is considering a ban on the popular M855 AR-15 round — by re-categorizing the round as "armor piercing."  Once categorized as "armor piercing," sales of the M855 rounds can be restricted or banned altogether under language in the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA), which describes marketable ammunition as that which is "primarily intended to be used for sporting purposes."

ATF Bans Popular Rifle Ammunition It Says Is "Armor-Piercing".  As if in anticipation of Obama's remarks, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (still referred to simply as the ATF) issued its latest broadside against the Second Amendment the day before, declaring that by definition "green tip" M855 "ball ammunition" chambered in 5.56 mm is now "armor piercing" and can no longer be manufactured, imported, or sold in the United States.  In its "framework" that exposes the twisted logic behind its unilateral decision in a mind-bending 17-page analysis, the ATF defines armor-piercing based how the cartridge is constructed, rather than how it may, or may not, penetrate armor.  But that doesn't faze the authors: [...] There are so many flaws and errors in logic in the "framework" one scarcely knows where to begin.

Gun-control backers turn focus to domestic violence.  Supporters of tighter gun controls are testing a new approach in their battle to cut firearm deaths: adding gun curbs for people linked to domestic violence.  A pending bill in South Carolina would require someone convicted of a domestic-violence charge to turn in his or her firearms to the county sheriff.  Legislation proposed in Arizona would prohibit someone charged with domestic violence from possessing a gun while out on bail.  A measure in Missouri would add "dating partners" to those covered by domestic-violence laws and the gun bans that attach to them.

Let's not be so quick to believe gun-control rhetoric.  People walking the streets with guns pose a danger to others, right?  With 12 million Americans across all 50 states now having concealed handgun permits, one would think that this question would have been settled one way or another.  In fact, contrary to the rhetoric by gun-control organizations, permit holders almost never use their guns to commit violent crimes.

What is more likely to kill you — a gun or a car?  The latest data we have are from 2013.  In that year, 35,598 people died from motor vehicle deaths.  32,888 died from gun deaths.  The gap has narrowed since 2000, when motor vehicle deaths were 43,563 and gun deaths were 28,163.

Michael Bloomberg Blocks Video Of Pro-Gun Control Talk From Being Published.  Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg has successfully blocked video from a controversial talk he gave at the Aspen Institute last week from being posted online.  At the Institute's Feb. 5 event, the pro-gun control multi-billionaire suggested keeping guns out of the hands of young, male minorities.  Ninety-five percent of murders are attributed to the group, said Bloomberg, who has spend tens of millions of dollars on various gun control initiatives, including the group Everytown for Gun Safety.

Update:
Here's Audio From The Event Michael Bloomberg Is Trying To Block From Being Broadcast.  An audio recording of a talk former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg has attempted to block from being broadcast has surfaced online.  The full audio of the Feb. 6 event, held at the Aspen Institute, shows that the 73-year-old media mogul's remarks about minorities and gun control were even more candid in some respects than initially reported.

BATFE To Ban Common AR-15 Ammo.  In a move clearly intended by the Obama Administration to suppress the acquisition, ownership and use of AR-15s and other .223 caliber general purpose rifles, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives unexpectedly announced today [2/13/2015] that it intends to ban commonplace M855 ball ammunition as "armor piercing ammunition."  The decision continues Obama's use of his executive authority to impose gun control restrictions and bypass Congress.

Obama Administration Plans Major Ammunition Ban.  The BATFE announced late last week that it plans to reclassify some of the most commonly available ammunition for the popular AR-15 rifle as "armor piercing" and ban its sale, distribution, and manufacture.  The cartridge in question is the 5.56 mm 62-grain M855 military round, commonly known as the "green tip" or "penetrator."

Senate passes 'constitutional carry' bill.  The [New Hampshire] state Senate has passed a bill to repeal the license requirement for carrying a concealed handgun.  The passage, on a party-line vote Thursday [2/12/2015], came after a debate on public safety, constitutional rights and New Hampshire being one of the safest states in the country.

Federal Judge Rules Ban on Interstate Handgun Sales Unconstitutional.  Second Amendment advocates landed a major victory on Wednesday [2/11/2015] after a federal judge declared the longstanding federal interstate handgun transfer ban to be unconstitutional. [...] The ban, O'Connor determined, violated both the Second and Fifth Amendments to the Constitution.  He also noted that the ban is distinguishable from other firearms restrictions because it does not target certain people, conduct, or distinctions among certain classes of firearms.  "Instead," he wrote, "the federal interstate handgun transfer ban targets the entire national market of handgun sales and directly burdens law-abiding, responsible citizens who seek to complete otherwise lawful transactions for handguns."

Connecticut Senator: Anyone Wanting a High-Capacity Magazine is "Arming Against the Government".  The same senator who admitted lying to Sandy Hook families to get them to come to Washington in order to have them lobby for votes on unconstitutional gun confiscation legislation, is now claiming that if you want a high-capacity magazine for your gun, then you must be "arming against the government."

Why are a bunch of "3 letter agencies" gathering intel on gun owners?  The NSA is monitoring phone calls and data, the Internet is an open book to the government and recently we learned that Uncle Sam has been tracking our vehicles.  According to the Wall Street Journal, "The Justice Department has been building a national database to track in real time the movement of vehicles around the U.S., a secret domestic intelligence-gathering program that scans and stores hundreds of millions of records about motorists."  We are continually assured this is for own safety; the government is not opposed to the citizens' rights, it is only looking to protect us with the data.

Where Open Carry is Dangerous.  There are places in the world where the obvious, open carry of firearms is a dangerous thing to do.  This occurs where life becomes cheaper than the value of a modern firearm, legal firearms are hard to obtain, and the police are held in low esteem.  I first heard of this in the early 1980's in graduate school when an erudite colleague, Norman Whisler, showed me articles from India where officers were murdered for their service firearms on a fairly regular basis.

Jan Morgan, gun range owner: Business quadrupled since I banned Muslims.  Jan Morgan, owner and operator of Arkansas-based Gun Cave Indoor Firing Range, said business has been booming since her September ban of Muslims at her facility — a decision she said was a matter of public safety.  Ms. Morgan said her range business has "quadrupled" since she first announced the ban, Fox News reported.  Subsequent threats of lawsuits that cropped up have also drifted away, she said.

Gun Dealer Retains Lawyer for Possible Lawsuit Against Gun Control Group.  Mount Holly, Vermont, gun dealer Bobby Richards has retained a lawyer and is considering a lawsuit over what he claims is defamation resulting from an Everytown for Gun Safety report that wrongly suggested he was selling guns illegally over the Internet.  On January 30, Breitbart News reported that Michael Bloomberg-funded Everytown for Gun Safety had issued an apology for listing Crossfire Arms in Mount Holly, which Richards owns, among other "unlicensed Vermont sellers" in a report.

Are You Too Shy, Very Sad, Have Senior Moments? You Might Be Crazy!  Pretty much everyone in the country is crazy and needs medication.  There is another advantage beyond supplying Big Pharma with customers.  The left wants doctors to report patients who might be mentally ill and who have gun permits.  This could provide a pathway to gun confiscation though saying that makes me a conspiracy theorist and possibly crazy.  None of these have a scientific basis but they will do a lot of harm unless you're a drug company which stands to benefit.

WSJ Report: "U.S. Spies on Millions of Cars".  Over a year ago we brought you the story of Mr. Filippidis and his family, a Florida Driver who was pulled over by law enforcement in Maryland.  The traffic stop would have been typical except for the fact the responding officer demanded, at random, Mr. Filippidis's firearm.  Mr. Filippidis did not have his legally owned — CCW permitted — hand gun, it was home in Florida.  Nor did Mr. Filippidis ever say he had a firearm — yet the officer was insistent Mr. Filippidis owned one, handcuffed Mr. Filippidis, and strip searched his vehicle on the side of the road.  Numerous Maryland state police arrived to assist in the search.  They found nothing, because Mr. F was telling the truth.  After two hours Mr. Filippidis and his family were allowed to continue their travels, but the entire process was unnerving.

Firearms enthusiasts crash gun buyback to hunt bargains.  A recent gun buyback event in Oregon, aimed at curbing the number of weapons on the street, turned into a planned profit making opportunity for a group of firearms enthusiasts.  The Jan. 17 event was co-sponsored by Central Coast Ceasefire Oregon and the Newport Police Department, who offered gift cards to superstore Fred Meyer in return for guns, no questions asked.  A sliding scale meant assault rifles fetched $175 gift cards each, and high capacity magazines were worth $25 credits at the store, which ironically sells firearms.

David Gregory and Why Law Is Only for the Little People.  I do not intend to reiterate here just how extraordinarily difficult it is to execute laws that aim to track pieces of unserialized metal.  Nor, for that matter, will I attempt to lay out what any earnest attempt to do so would end up doing to privacy rights in the United States.  Rather, I want to focus on the grossly unequal manner in which such rules will inevitably be enforced, and to examine also what this does to the notion of equal protection.  From my perspective, the startling thing about the Gregory affair is not so much that the powers-that-be eventually declined to prosecute him for his transgression, but that he was so unfailingly sure that he would be allowed to break the law without consequences.

Finally Obtained: David Gregory Arrest Warrant Affidavit.  This is likely the final chapter in the saga of our two-year long fight to obtain important documents regarding the non-prosecution of David Gregory for possessing on Meet the Press an illegal high-capacity ammunition magazine.  The short version is that the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department warned NBC News that it could not possess an actual high-capacity magazine, but NBC News went ahead and did it anyway.

Florida SB 290 Re-Introduced to Reform Florida Gun Law During Emergencies.  Florida State Senator Bandes aims to restore a portion of second amendment rights in the state.  A quirk in the State law prevents people from taking their firearms with them during emergencies, including mandated emergency evacuations. [...] The bill essentially removes the penalties for carrying a concealed weapon during declared emergencies.  It creates "constitutional carry" for the limited time of an emergency.

Firearms Sellers Say They're Being Choked Off From Payment Processors.  Go to a gun show, and you won't find many merchants using PayPal.  You'll also find few vendors using popular payment processors such as Square, Stripe and Spark Pay.  That's because some payment processors explicitly prohibit the use of their systems for online — and some in-store — sales of firearms, ammunition and certain accessories.  Retailers in the gun industry say they're being discriminated against.

How about a tax on violent criminals instead?
NRA slams Missouri gun-tax plan to pay for police body cameras: This is 'unmerited'.  The National Rifle Association and other gun rights groups have hit back hard at one Missouri lawmaker's plan to add a tax on guns sold in the state to pay for cameras for police officers.  Brandon Ellington, a Democratic lawmaker representing the Kansas City region, introduced separate bills that would require all uniformed police officers to wear body cameras and maintain recordings for 30 days, and would establish a tax on firearm sales to pay for the new mandate, Guns.com reported.

Christie Administration Proposes More Gun Control For New Jersey.  New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's (R) administration is proposing more gun control in the form of "security requirements" for firearm retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers — and employees of the same — in the state.

ATF Reverses 50 Years Of Practice to Go After Home-Made Gun Makers.  The New Year has brought new action from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), who published ATF Rul. 2015-1 on January 2, 2015.  In this new ruling, ATF reverses its longstanding position that persons who machine unfinished receivers on behalf of a customer are not required to have manufacturer's licenses.

Guns Confiscated after Man Seeks Insomnia Treatment.  In the old Soviet and East German police states of the Cold War, police kept secret files on scores of common people.  Information was fed to the police by thousands of clandestine sources — and a seemingly banal or routine interaction with nearly anyone could lead to a surprise "knock on the door" by authorities.  During the late Soviet era, communist leadership moved away from the executions and purges of the Stalin years and began to increasingly rely upon medical professionals to diagnose "enemies of the state" as insane — thus, a routine trip to your doctor could lead to a visit from police.

Why most Americans oppose more gun control.  Gallup recently asked Americans if they thought residents are safer with a gun in the home.  People answered "Yes" by a margin of 63 to 30 percent.  In 2000, Americans gave just the opposite answer by a margin of 51 to 35 percent. [...] Academic research aligns with current public opinion.  If you have a gun in the home, that gun is far more likely to prevent murder than it is to be used in an accidental shooting or to kill a loved one.

2014: The Second Amendment's Triumph.  In January 2014, Breitbart News reported that 2013 had been "The Year of the Gun." Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) didn't intend it to be that way, but it emerged as the year gun control was defeated.  Now, in January 2015, Breitbart News can report that 2014 emerged as the year states across the country went from defeating gun control to expanding the exercise of gun rights.  It was the year in which the Second Amendment triumphed over gun control candidates and proponents in the midterm elections — a year in which some very important court decisions were handed down in support of the right to keep and bear arms.

Big Brother in Virginia.  Virginians need only look across the Potomac into Maryland to see the end game of the "reasonable" restrictions proposed by Governor McAuliffe.  Maryland moved from state background checks and one-gun-per-month limits, to imposing waiting periods for pistols and modern sporting rifles.  Even that proved insufficient when the political opportunity the came after the Connecticut shootings in 2012.  That led to far more sweeping restrictions which now outlaw modern sporting rifles, impose licensing requirements for all new handgun purchases, and limit magazine capacity to ten rounds.  Local gun stores are being driven out of business across the state, and Beretta is moving its Maryland facility to Tennessee, at the cost of hundreds more jobs.

Lame Duck Dems Push Anti-Gun Murthy As Surgeon General.  No longer fearing electoral revenge from the National Rifle Association, an outgoing Democratic Senate pushed to confirm an anti-Second Amendment radical, who thinks guns are a health issue, as the nation's top doc.

Over 1,000 Gun Owners Violate Washington's I-594 — In Front Of Police!.  Fed up with the passage of an 18½-page incoherent, rambling, unconstitutional gun control initiative that was bankrolled by billionaires, gun owners across Washington state held the largest felony civil disobedience rally in the nation's history, brazenly titled "I Will Not Comply."  No one was hurt and no stores were looted. [...] Attendees publicly transferred their guns to each other in violation of I-591's background check provisions, and some even bought and sold guns just a few feet away from law enforcement.  A fire pit blazed throughout the rally, and at the conclusion, gun owners lined up to burn their concealed weapons permits.

New State Set to Nullify Obama's Gun Control; Movement Is Exploding.  South Carolina may become the 10th state to nullify federal gun control laws.  State Sen. Lee Bright filed two bills last week to rein in the Obama administration's attempts to infringe on the Second Amendment rights of South Carolinians.  The South Carolina Firearms Liberty Act and the Second Amendment Preservation Act would reject federal gun control regulations and prevent any future federal laws from restricting guns made in the state.  At least nine other states have passed similar nullification laws, the first being Montana, whose 2009 Firearms Freedom Act is largely seen as unenforceable.

Wisconsin Police Ask Residents To Volunteer For House Gun Search.  In an effort to reduce gun violence, police in Beloit, Wisconsin, have kicked off a new initiative asking residents to volunteer to allow police to search their homes for guns.  "Gun violence is as serious as the Ebola virus is being represented in the media, and we should fight it using the tools that we've learned from our health providers," said Police Chief Norm Jacobs.  Skeptical that people will actually call, Jacobs' hope is that the ones who do will allow the cops to find guns that residents did not even know were there.

Update:
Breaking: Beloit police withdraws chief's offer of home searches for guns.  The Beloit, Wisconsin Police Department on Tuesday [12/9/2014] withdrew an offer made by Chief Norm Jacobs to have officers search homes for firearms after publicity over the proposal created a public outcry across the Internet.

Major shifts: Majority of Americans now favors gun rights over controls.  Major shifts are occurring in Americans' attitudes about firearms:  With the second anniversary of the Newtown school shootings this weekend, a new Pew Research Center Poll finds a majority of Americans now say it is more important to protect the right of citizens to own guns than it is to restrict gun ownership.  Additionally, a new and even larger majority of Americans believes gun ownership does more to protect personal safety than endanger it.

Senate Dems Try to Confirm Anti-Gun Surgeon General Before Handing Control to GOP.  Senate Democrats are "likely" to give anti-gun Surgeon General nominee Vivek Murthy a confirmation vote before they lose control of the Senate at year's end.  This gives departing Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) an opportunity to poke midterm voters in the eye for supporting pro-gun GOP candidates over Democrats.

Texas Rep Introduces Legislation Barring Federal Gun Control 'Past, Present or Future'.  On December 1, Texas state representative Matthew Krause (R-Ft. Worth) introduced legislation barring the in-state enforcement of nearly any federal gun control measure "past, present or future."  The legislation, HB422, "requires the state to refuse to enforce" federal gun control measures which infringe on the exercise of the Second Amendment.  Subsection (b) of the bill specifies how the agencies and law enforcement officers of the state or any local government entity in Texas would be prohibited from being used for that purpose.

Another City Forced to Obey the Bill of Rights.  Park City, Utah, officials were the latest in a series of local governments that have been forced to respect the Constitution by the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF).  SAF has run up an impressive number of legal wins to protect second amendment rights.  It has become the ACLU of the gun culture.  In the Park City case, the city had adopted local laws in direct violation of the second amendment and Utah state preemption law.

New York's Plot to Gut the Second Amendment.  On Dec. 9, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit will hear oral arguments in the case of Nojay v. Cuomo.  At stake is nothing less than whether the Second Amendment grants substantive gun rights to American citizens, or is meaningless rhetoric that allows the government total control over what firearms citizens may or may not possess.  On Jan. 15, 2013, New York passed the Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act, commonly known as the SAFE Act.  The SAFE Act is beyond question the most draconian gun control passed in the history of the United States — and a cornerstone of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's stated plan to make New York "the progressive capital of the nation."

Super-Amnesty Will Turn Your City into Detroit.  Back in 1992, the cops also blamed guns for the murder rate.  But it wasn't the guns that were killing people.  It was the gangs.  Now the murder rate is down, but the number of shootings is up.  To Chicago's police boss, that's a problem, as if it makes a difference to the deceased whether he's shot, stabbed or dropped in the water wearing cement overshoes.  But fighting guns is easier than fighting crime.  The gun obsession is one of the few things that cops and leftists have in common.  It's the last politically acceptable form of prohibitionism in a society that enthusiastically legalizes drugs, even if possessing crack cocaine is statistically much more likely to lead you to kill a man, than possessing a gun will.

Democrats Move Gun Confiscation Underground.  Today, I'll let you in on a clandestine but fast-moving effort on the part of Democrats to implement universal background checks under the cover of darkness.  The danger of losing your 2nd Amendment rights has never been more palpable.

The Myths about Mass Public Shootings: Analysis.  Mass public shootings, where the shooter intends to commit mass murder in a public place, has not "exploded" over the last five years, as frequently claimed in the media, either in terms of the number of attacks or the number of people killed.  Indeed, the evidence points to a slight decline in attacks.  These mass public shooters differ from other mass killers in many systematic ways.  They usually die at the scene of the crime.  And over half are known to have suffered from mental illness prior to the attack.  The killers also carefully plan out their attacks:  almost all take place where civilians are not allowed to defend themselves.

Gun Shop Stopped a Potential Mass Shooting.  Central Texas Gun Works, an Austin gun shop, stopped a potential mass shooting yesterday when a discharged psychiatric patient walked inside and attempted to purchase a gun and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.  Central Texas Gun Works is a gun store that has "established signals" if something were to go wrong.  So when a man walked inside asking for several hundred rounds of various types of ammunition, it raised some eyebrows.

Americans now agree: Guns make homes safer.  Gallup, which has been surveying the politically volatile question for a generation, announced this morning a new poll revealing that nearly two-out-of-three Americans (63%) now say having a firearm there makes a home safer.  That's nearly twice the number who said that just before 9/11.  And the explosion of support has come across all political boundaries.

Empire State's SCOPE Sues for Safe Act Documents.  New York gun rights enthusiasts file lawsuit against the state seeking answers to a whole list of questions about the passage, implementation, and enforcement of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's signature gun control law — the New York SAFE Act.  "There is no rational basis for the governor and the state police to be withholding such basic information," said Webster-based attorney and policy analyst, Paloma A. Capanna.

N.Y. 'Safe Act' Strips 34,500 of Constitutional Rights, Stops Not One Mass Shooting.  In the wake of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary slaughter in Newtown, CT, New York state passed an "an expansive package of gun control measures" which read like a progressive fantasy:  ban "assault weapons," create a list of dangerous mental patients and confiscate their guns.  As today's New York Times details, several problems arose on the road to peaceful Utopia.  But, progressives can delight in the news that they've compiled a list of 34,500 Americans who no longer have 2nd Amendment, 4th Amendment or 14th Amendment rights.  For these folks, New York state is a Constitution-free zone.

Eric Holder Is Really Sad He Was Unable To Disarm You Before Fleeing Office.  Eric Holder, the first sitting U.S. Attorney General ever found in criminal contempt of Congress, regrets that he was unable to strip Americans of the firearms that the citizens would find most useful in defending themselves from tyrannical government officials such as himself.

Holder: Failure To Pass Gun Control Is My Biggest Failure.  Attorney General Eric Holder said that his biggest failure during his time as head of the Justice Department was failing to pass expanded gun control laws and criticized former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta for his negative characterizations of the president during an interview aired on Monday's [10/20/2014] broadcast of "The Lead" on CNN.  "I think the inability to pass reasonable gun safety laws after the Newtown massacre is, for me, something that I take personally as a failure, and something that I think we as a society should take as a failure" he stated when asked what he considered his greatest failure.

Changes to firearm purchase forms draw strong reaction.  Form 4473, required for an over-the-counter sale by a federally-licensed dealer, now asks first whether a buyer is Hispanic or Non-Hispanic, followed by a question delving into more detailed race-based information.  Critics want to know why the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives quietly made the change in 2012.  Sen Roy Blunt, R-Mo., sent a letter to ATF Director Todd Jones asking why the information was being collected and whether the data had ever been used to restrict someone's ability to purchase a firearm.  "What does that possibly have to do with whether you would pass the background check for a firearm or not?" Blunt asked.

New Jersey Newspapers Call For Mandatory Gun Confiscation.  NJ.com, a consortium of reliably left-wing newspapers in the Garden State, has published an op-ed calling for the scrapping of the Second Amendment: [...] The editorialist then laments that, "We understand this is not going to happen. Neither American courts nor most of the public would support it."  And yet, they champion it still.  There is a smug naivete in the minds of gun control supporters, combined with a basic pagan fervor.

Report: California Lead Ban to Triple Ammo Prices.  California's upcoming ban on the use of traditional lead ammunition could triple the price of all ammunition in the state, forcing many gun owners to give up shooting, according to a report by a firearm trade association.

Mary Landrieu, Claire McCaskill, and 44 other Democrats Voted to Cede Your Gun Rights to the U.N..  Senate Amendment 139, proposed by GOP Senator James Inhofe, states simply the intent to "uphold Second Amendment rights and prevent the United States from entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty."

Reminder: Mary Landrieu, Claire McCaskill, and 44 other Democrats Voted to Cede Your Gun Rights to the U.N..  Senate Amendment 139, proposed by GOP Senator James Inhofe, states simply the intent to "uphold Second Amendment rights and prevent the United States from entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty."  In July Adm. James A. Lyons (Ret.), former Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet and a senior military representative to the United Nations, described the ominous goals of the "One World Government"-types as it pertains to firearms: [...]

Candidates from both parties packing heat in campaign ads.  Guns are becoming the prop of choice in campaign ads around the country this midterm year.  Take it as another sign that the Obama administration's gun control push is running aground:  Firearms have become this year's go-to accessory for candidates of both parties seeking to advertise their toughness and willingness to fight.

Obama administration forcing new gun buyers to declare race, ethnicity.  With little fanfare, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in 2012 amended its Form 4473 — the transactional record the government requires gun purchasers and sellers to fill out when buying a firearm — to identify buyers as either Hispanic, Latino or not.  Then a buyer must check his or her race:  Indian, Asian, black, Pacific Islander or white.

Maryland Sheriff to Feds: Try and Take Our Guns, and You'll Get a Civil War!  Early last year, as Americans feared that the federal government would enact unconstitutional anti-gun measures via executive edict, support for the Constitution came from some unlikely places.  Even in Oregon, a Democrat stronghold in elections, Linn County Sheriff Tim Mueller flat-out declared that he and his office would refuse to enforce any such unconstitutional federal laws or regulations.  Mueller wrote, "We are Americans.  We must not allow, nor shall we tolerate, the actions of criminals, no matter how heinous the crimes, to prompt politicians to enact laws that will infringe upon the liberties of responsible citizens who have broken no laws."

Who Gets Shot in America?  Embry Howell, Sam Bieler, and Nathaniel Anderson of the Urban Institute have an interesting new paper based on hospital data from six states.  The number capturing headlines is their estimate that, nationwide, treating gun injuries costs almost $670 million a year, most of which is paid for by taxpayers.  We shouldn't get too caught up in this statistic.  As the authors themselves have noted, the toll of gun violence goes far beyond hospital costs — and I would add that, contrary to the widespread claim that $670 million is a lot of money in this (national) context, it amounts to just $2.13 per person in the U.S.

Yes, "gun control" supporters want you dead.  Make no mistake, it positively infuriates me that small-minded, ignorant, intolerant people are incessantly trying to find ways to restrict, limit, regulate, or outright abolish the rights of law-abiding Americans, but I have never once wished death upon any of them, nor would I celebrate their deaths if that were to happen.  Disagreeing with people is all well and good, and animated disagreements are certainly to be expected, but I cannot say as though I have understood or will ever understand the mentality of wishing death upon those you disagree with.

California gun-buy restriction blocked by judge.  In another setback for California's tough gun-control laws, a federal judge ruled Monday [8/25/2014] that the state can't require gun buyers to wait 10 days to pick up their newly purchased weapon if they already own a gun or have a license to possess a handgun.  U.S. District Judge Anthony Ishii of Fresno said the 10-day wait for current gun owners is a restriction on constitutional rights that isn't justified by safety concerns.

Bill Gates, wife donate $1 million to gun control group.  Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda, have donated $1 million to a Washington state campaign seeking to expand background checks on gun sales, bringing the total amount the campaign has brought in up to nearly $6 million.  The donation to the Initiative 594 campaign was given Friday, but it was not made public until Monday [8/25/2014], when it posted on the state's Public Disclosure Commission website.

Gun-rights group persuading dozens of towns to repeal firearms regs in legal blitz.  A Washington state-based gun rights group is steadily persuading cities and towns across the country to repeal local firearms regulations and give that power back to the states.  The organization, the Second Amendment Foundation, is working to invalidate city ordinances by arguing that they're in conflict with looser state regulations.  So far, it seems to be working.  The group says it's been able to overturn more than 100 gun-related ordinances this way, most recently in Utah.

Stop SB53, the Ammo Registration and Eventual Gun Confiscation Bill.  The war over SB 53 is heating up in Sacramento and now anti-gun advocates are attempting to split gun owners by trying to buy the support of hunters.  The newest amended version of SB 53 will continue to BAN the mail and internet sales of ammunition to firearms owners in California, unless you have a hunting license.  Supporters of SB 53 think that they can pretend to be "pro-hunting" while they are still violating the rights of firearms owners statewide.

Soon-to-Be-Released Clinton Records Show Attempts to Shackle Militia.  Files scheduled to be released from Clinton White House records will show his efforts to shackle militias and set up a "strict licensing system" for paramilitary groups, Politico reports.  In other words, gun control was to be complemented — and in places, supplemented — by people control.  According to Politico, the release is certain to raise the ire of citizens already concerned about "enhancing government surveillance powers and regulating armed groups of U.S. citizens."

School police cleared to carry AR-15s in Compton, California.  As Compton students head back to school Monday, parents are expressing concern about a school board policy passed in July that allows campus police to carry semi-automatic rifles in their trunks while on duty, according to KPCC, a Southern California public radio station.  "This is our objective — save lives, bottom line," Compton Unified Police Chief William Wu told the board, arguing that assault-style rifles are more deadly and more accurate.

Montana U.S. Sen. Candidate Mocks Gun Owners, Christianity, the Bible, and the Family.  Montana State Senator Amanda Curtis (D-76 Dist.) is running for U.S. Senate and will no doubt be trying to run away from her past statements mocking guns, Christianity, the Bible, and the family.  She just stepped into the race in place of John Walsh, the Democrat candidate who had to step down amid a plagiarism scandal.  On August 22 the Tea Party Express posted a compilation of Curtis's statements that include laughing at gun owners who stress the importance of having a gun for self defense.

Joe Biden dines in Southampton — with a 20-man security detail.  How many Secret Service agents and security detail members does it take to accompany Vice President Joe Biden out for lunch in the Hamptons?  Answer:  around 20.  Biden, wife Jill and their daughter Ashley dined at 75 Main in Southampton Friday [8/15/2014], sitting in a very public spot outside on the sidewalk cafe while a crowd gathered.

Police tell Detroiters to buy guns in city riven by race issues and crime.  Detroit police chief James Craig — nicknamed "Hollywood" for his years spent in the LAPD and his seeming love of being in front of the camera — has repeatedly called on "good" and "law-abiding" Detroiters to arm themselves against criminals in the city.  His words have not fallen on deaf ears.

The facts about Dartmouth student Taylor Woolrich and her stalker.  It is often very hard for women who have been victims of sexual type crimes to publicly discuss what has happened to them.  Last week in Washington, five women came forward to discuss how gun free zones at colleges have prevented them from defending themselves.  From rape and sexual assault, to stalkers, to one woman whose stalker killed her husband, to death threats, these women bravely came forward and talked of the traumas — all but one telling their story publicly for the first time.  One woman's story made national headlines.  Taylor Woolrich, a junior at Dartmouth College, has been stalked for four years.

Gun Sales Up Across [the St. Louis] Area.  Gun sales are up across St. Louis since the shooting of Michael Brown and subsequent nights of violence.  Sales have quadrupled at 'Metro Shooting' in Bridgeton according to owner Steven King.  He says sales have mainly been to men, but not all:  "Probably a dozen or two dozen guns to females, single mothers.  We've sold to black people, white people. We've sold to asians who have businesses on West Florissant." said King.  "They're just afraid of whats [sic] going on and they're coming in to purchase either additional firearms or their first firearm."

Gun dealers have 48 hours to report firearms lost in transit, ATF proposes in new rule.  Firearms dealers will soon have more regulatory reporting requirements hoisted on them with a new rule proposed by the nation's top gun-enforcement agency Tuesday [8/12/2014].  The new rule will require firearm dealers, manufacturers and importers to report any guns that are shipped but then lost in transit within two days, according to a proposal issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Unanimous Arizona Supreme Court: No Stop and Frisk for Being Peacably Armed.  In a case that brought shock-waves to the judicial establishment, an Arizona appeals court ruled that an officer could stop and disarm someone merely because they were armed.  Now the Arizona Supreme Court has reversed that ruling in a unanimous decision.

Dartmouth won't let woman carry gun to protect against accused stalker.  A 20-year-old college student from San Diego has been rebuffed in her request to carry a concealed gun on campus for protection against a man facing criminal charges for stalking and menacing her.  Taylor Woolrich had asked officials at Dartmouth College, where she is a junior, for permission to carry the weapon for defense against possible attack by a 67-year-old man facing felony charges in San Diego County Superior Court.

Censorship in Your Doctor's Office.  The case, Wollschlaeger v. Governor of Florida, concerned the constitutionality of the Florida Firearm Owners Privacy Act.  That 2011 law threatens doctors with professional discipline if they ask patients whether they own guns or record the resulting information in a patient's files when doing so is not "relevant" to a patient's medical care. [...] Opponents of Florida's law, including the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, believe that asking patients about gun ownership is a legitimate means of promoting public health by giving doctors the opportunity to share firearms-safety tips.  Proponents of the law, the National Rifle Association among them, believe that whether a person owns guns is none of his doctor's business.

Massachusetts lawmakers pass bill tightening state gun laws.  Massachusetts lawmakers on Friday [8/1/2014] tightened the state's already strict gun laws by passing a measure that gives police chiefs authority to turn down a resident's requests to buy a rifle or shotgun if they believe the person may be a danger.

Bloomberg and Buffett's 'Everytown for Gun Safety' Proves Why People Need Guns.  Michael Bloomberg's and Warren Buffett's "Everytown for Gun Safety" posted a series of YouTube videos in which an estranged husband smashes his way into a woman's house, seizes her child, and then points a gun at her head.  The organization then tells its stakeholders that domestic abusers can buy guns over the Internet.  When last I heard, it's illegal to buy a gun across state lines unless the transaction goes through a licensed gun dealer, who must perform a background check.  Even if the transaction does not cross state lines, it is illegal to sell a firearm to somebody who is prohibited from owning one.  The video also, however, sends the unintended message that gun control laws like those in Mr. Bloomberg's city, and Governor Cuomo's state, facilitate and enable domestic violence.

Federal judge grants 90-day stay in D.C. gun case.  A federal judge on Tuesday [7/29/2014] granted a 90-day stay in a ruling that upended the District's ban on carrying handguns in public.  The order issued by U.S. District Court Judge Frederick Scullin brings a temporary reprieve to D.C. officials, who were sent scurrying over the weekend to interpret the effects of the ruling that gutted the city's restrictive gun laws.

Physician groups slam "Docs vs. Glocks" ruling.  Friday's decision by a three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold Florida's law against physicians asking patients about guns prompted sharply worded statements Monday [7/28/2014] from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association.  An earlier injunction blocking enforcement of the "physician gag law," also known as "docs vs. Glocks" remains in effect while the full court considers an appeal by the plaintiffs to rehear the case.  The pediatrician's group said Monday [7/28/2014] it is urging its members to keep asking parents whether they have guns at home, and if so whether they are stored safely.

Federal judge declares D.C. ban on carrying handguns in public unconstitutional.  A federal judge has declared that one of the District's principal gun control laws is unconstitutional and ordered that its enforcement be halted.  The ruling by Judge Frederick J. Scullin Jr., made public Saturday [7/26/2014], orders the city to end its prohibition against carrying a pistol in public.  It was not clear what immediate effect the order would have.

Let gun owners carry weapons in public, says US judge.  "There is no longer any basis on which this court can conclude that the District of Columbia's total ban on the public carrying of ready-to-use handguns outside the home is constitutional under any level of scrutiny," said Judge Frederick J. Scullin Jr of the District of Columbia District Court.  "Therefore, the court finds that the District of Columbia's complete ban on the carrying of handguns in public is unconstitutional," he added in his 19-page ruling on the case, which has been dragging on for five years.

Federal judge rules DC ban on gun carry rights unconstitutional.  A federal judge in the District of Columbia on Saturday [7/26/2014] overturned the city's total ban on residents being allowing to carry firearms outside their home in a landmark decision for gun-rights activists.  Judge Frederick Scullin Jr. wrote in his ruling in Palmer v. District of Columbia that the right to bear arms extends outside the home, therefore gun-control laws in the nation's capital are "unconstitutional."

Federal District Court Strikes Down Washington, DC Handgun Carry Ban.  This should, of course, be the common fate of virtually every gun law currently on the books, particularly when (as is the only proper legal course) strict scrutiny is applied to the thousands of state and Federal laws that continue to irrationally infringe our rights to keep and bear arms.  Kudos to Attorney Alan Gura, for his continuing masterful efforts in defense and promotion of the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America.

Gun law based on flawed estimate.  A law expanding background check requirements on Colorado gun sales has been in effect for about a year, and an Associated Press analysis of state data compiled during that span shows the projected impact was vastly overstated in a key budget report.

MA Police Say They Should Get to Determine Who Owns a Rifle.  Last month [June 2014], a bill was introduced in Massachusetts that, among other gun control provisions, would give local police chiefs an enormous amount of power to determine who in their jurisdiction could own a long gun (rifle or shotgun).  The bill originated in the state House, but fortunately, the state Senate, in a moment of semi-clarity, gutted that provision from the bill.  The bill is currently being hashed out between the Senate and House to determine which version will ultimately get passed.  In the meantime, MA police chiefs (who are apparently terrible), are speaking out in favor of the provision that would allow them to control long gun ownership.

Beretta leaves Maryland over gun laws, heads for Tennessee.  Citing Maryland's recently enacted firearm laws and the prospect of more restrictions, the U.S. arm of legendary Italian gunmaker Beretta announced Tuesday [7/22/2014] that it would move its manufacturing operations to Tennessee next year.  The move makes Beretta the latest maker of guns or ammunition to move all or part of its operations to another state because of tightened gun control laws.  General Manager Jeff Cooper said an early version of a statute passed last year by the Maryland state Senate would have prohibited the company from manufacturing or storing products in the state.

Police chief booted from Maryland Ikea over service weapon.  A Maryland police chief was outraged after he walked into an Ikea furniture store and asked to leave because of his service weapon.  Takoma Park Police Chief Alan Goldberg said he was shopping in full uniform at the Ikea in College Park on July 4 with his daughter when they were approached by a loss-prevention officer.  "He says we have a no-firearms policy, and you're either going to have to leave or you can lock your gun in the car," the chief told a local NBC affiliate.  The store has signs posted on the front door that read "Weapons Free Environment," the station reported.

Store Ignores Obvious Signs, Goes Overboard With Its Anti-Gun Policy.  A furniture store in Takoma Park, Maryland that calls itself a "Weapons Free Environment" took its policy a bit too far on Independence Day.  That's when a loss prevention officer at IKEA approached Alan Goldberg, who carried a visible, holstered firearm into the store, telling him he would have to leave the premises or place the weapon in his vehicle, according to NBC Washington.  The request caught Goldberg off guard:  he is Takoma Park's chief of police, and he was in uniform during his visit.

Gun makers flee Northeast for 'true blood Second Amendment' states.  Gun manufacturers are leaving the Northeast in droves, seeking out new production homes in the comparatively low-tax, Second Amendment-friendly South — and at a time when firearms sales have skyrocketed, industry data showed.  "Everybody who is looking to expand in new factory space is looking outside the Northeast," said Brian Ruttenbur, an analyst with CRT Capital Group, in Reuters.  "The reasons are taxes, labor and laws."

Target asks customers to leave firearms at home.  Target is "respectfully" asking its customers to not bring firearms into its stores, even where it is allowed by law.

Update:
Two Robberies at Target Since Chain Asked Law-Abiding Citizens to Shop Unarmed.  On July 2 Breitbart News reported that interim Target CEO John Mulligan "respectfully" asked law-abiding citizens not to bring their guns in Target stores.  Since then, Gainesville, Georgia, police have arrested three over a Target parking lot robbery and are looking for another man who punched a woman and stole her Mercedes at a Decatur, Georgia, Target as well.

Immigration Criminal Voted for Gun Ban.  Democratic Assemblywoman Rosa — a foreigner, an illegal alien, and now an admitted criminal — co-sponsored and voted for the law that destroyed the Second Amendment rights of 20 million New Yorkers.  Rosa is the fifth Democrat who voted for the law to be indicted or convicted.  Pro-amnesty Republicans who think that illegal aliens are nascent conservatives-in-waiting who will uphold the Constitution and traditional American values are simply barking mad.

SCOTUS begins demolition of 2nd Amendment.  In a 5-4 decision, the Court reversed the rationale behind the natural right encapsulated in the 2nd Amendment, in my view, inasmuch as its ruling doesn't sanction the prohibition of criminals from obtaining firearms as it does reinforces the government's right to track who has them.  For the Greater Good, you see.

Supreme Court rules for stricter scrutiny of gun purchases.  The Supreme Court on Monday [6/16/2014] tightened restrictions on gun purchases, ruling that buyers must take care to explicitly state on their federal purchase form whether they intend to keep or sell their newly-bought gun to someone else.  The 5-4 ruling was seen as the biggest test of gun rights during this term of the Supreme Court, and a majority of justices signaled their desire to strictly interpret the law in light of difficulties in background checks.

Hey, You Know Who Else Is A Big Fan Of Gun Control?  Yes, the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Shams (ISIS), the decapitation-minded, crucifying terrorists that were so cruel that they got kicked out of al Qaeda, have something in common with Michael Bloomberg and Shannon Watts.

Two different ways to tackle urban violence.  Chicago is plagued with increasing violence and ever higher murder rates, and Mayor Rahm Emanuel is responding with a typical simple-minded reaction: Get rid of the guns, or at least intimidate the law-abiding citizens who want to buy them.  That'll show those gang members!  His scheme to have all gun sales videotaped is getting cheers from the usual quarters.

11 Washington school administrators to carry guns this fall.  When school resumes in the fall in the Toppenish School District, some administrators will be armed for an added level of security.

Boxer, Feinstein, Capps introduce firearm confiscation legislation.  Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), together with Representative Lois Capps (D-CA-Santa Barbara), are pushing legislation to allow families to petition a court to bar a "dangerous" individual from buying a gun and confiscate any guns said individual owns.  The legislation is entitled, "The Pause for Safety Act."

How Covering up Minority Crime Leads to Gun Control.  Why is it that Vermont, with approximately the same rate of gun ownership as Louisiana, has less than one-eighth the murder rate? [...] In the cases of homicide in 2012 in which the races of the perpetrators were known, 55 percent were committed by blacks, 62 percent of whom were under 30 years of age.  Black youths are 16 percent of the youth population, but constitute 52 percent of those arrested for juvenile violent crime. [...] And while whites are 35 percent of NYC's population, blacks and Hispanics commit 96 percent of all crime in the Big Apple and 98 percent of all gun crime.

AB 1014: California Democrats Wage War on the Constitution.  Two California Democrats in the State Assembly, Nancy Skinner and Das Williams, have authored what may well be the most draconian and flagrantly unconstitutional bill in the state's, and maybe even the nation's, history.  AB 1014 provides for the addition to the California Penal Code of provisions involving "gun violence restraining orders" and associated "firearm seizure warrants."

Isn't it Time Republicans Linked the VA Scandal to ObamaCare?  Democrats are well-practiced at responding to disasters with political campaigns, because as Rahm attested, every calamity is another "opportunity to do things you think you could not do before."  A perfect example of the left's penchant for exploiting misfortune is their obsession with gun control.  A madman shoots up a movie theatre, school, or supermarket parking lot, and instantly the liberals attempt to influence public opinion by redefining a mentally ill person with evil intent as a need for the Second Amendment to be dismantled.  And it works!

Gun Seller Dropped By Bank Rejects Their Attempt 'To Kiss And Make Up'.  A Massachusetts gun store owner says it's "too late" for a bank to mend a relationship that it broke.  Mark Cohen, who owns Powderhorn Outfitters, a Hyannis, Mass. gun retailer, said that his longtime bank, TD Bank, refused to extend a line of credit because of the business he is in.  Cohen explained what happened in an interview with The Daily Caller on Friday [5/30/2014].  "This year I went to apply for a line of credit, and the bank manager came by the store," said Cohen, adding that he's known the bank manager for over 20 years.  "Mark, I apologize," she said, according to Cohen, "your credit history is great, but the bank is turning you down because you sell guns."

Since the current laws work so well...
Mayor of Chicago Seeks to Further Tighten Gun Laws.  Mayor Rahm Emanuel outlined a plan on Wednesday [5/28/2014] to make Chicago's gun laws, already some of the strictest in the country, even tougher.  Calling gun violence Chicago's "most urgent problem," Mr. Emanuel, who has said the issue is one of his administration's top priorities, introduced a proposal to the City Council that would impose tighter restrictions on gun retailers and buyers.  Under the proposal, all gun sales would be videotaped, an effort to deter buyers from using false identification.  Gun buyers could make only one purchase each month, and gun shops would not be allowed within 500 feet of schools or parks.

Murder and Media.  Among the leading causes of death in America, heart disease, according to statistics from 2010, was the primary cause, taking 597,689 lives.  It was followed by cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke, and accidents.  In 2013, there were more than 316 million Americans, but you were more likely to die from old age than diseases and other causes.  Of the list of 16 leading causes of death, homicide was listed as the 15th.  Despite the daily reports of killings and assaults, the reality is that, since the 1990s, crime of all kinds has declined in the United States and current crime rates are approximately the same as in the 1990s. [...] The U.S. homicide rate, which has declined since 1992 from a rate per 100,000 persons of 9.8 to 4.8 in 2010 is still, however, among the highest in the industrialized world.

What's behind the national ammo shortage?  It's a question many hunters and gun enthusiasts across the country have been asking for months:  Where's the ammo?  Subsistence hunters in Alaska usually spend this time of year preparing for the return of seals and migratory birds to the Bering Straits region.  But this year many are preoccupied by the state-wide shortage of .22-caliber shells, one of the most popular and common types of ammunition in the world.

Bill to limit gun magazine size heads to Christie's desk.  It's been a year and a half since gun control supporters began pushing for a new 10-round limit on the capacity of gun magazines in New Jersey.  They've held rallies, lobbied legislators and brought parents of Sandy Hook Elementary School victims to Trenton over and over again.

New Jersey To Ban .22 Rifles?  New Jersey's legislature has enacted a gun control measure that would ban the most common .22 rifles that have been in use for generations. [...] If this bill becomes law, I would be a felon if I lived in New Jersey and kept my Marlin 60.  The same goes for most .22 rifles in common use — which, as The Truth About Guns notes, are almost never used in crimes.  Knives, blunt instruments and bare hands are used to commit more murders than .22 rifles, by orders of magnitude.

Sen. Ed Markey Wants $10 Million Per Year to Treat Guns Like Disease at CDC.  On May 21 Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) and Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) introduced legislation designating $10 million a year to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) "to fund research on gun violence prevention and firearms safety."  The funding would take place for six years starting in 2015.

Gun Retailers: Obama Admin Restricting Business.  Gun retailers say the Obama administration is imposing regulations that will put them out of business, the Washington Times reports.  The retailers say the administration is choking off their credit lines, freezing their assets, and prohibiting online sales.

Second Amendment under siege: Judge upholds restrictive D.C. gun ban.  A federal judge on Thursday ruled that a D.C. law requiring guns to be registered, mandating safety training and limiting the number of pistol purchases per month do not violate Second Amendment protections of the right to bear arms.  U.S. District Court Judge James E. Boasberg dismissed with prejudice a sweeping challenge to the District's handgun laws brought by a group of plaintiffs led by Dick Anthony Heller in a ruling that opens with a recounting of some of the city's most notorious recent shootings.

Christie still won't say whether he'd sign gun bill to reduce size of ammunition magazines.  Gov. Chris Christie has been mum for months on whether he'd sign a controversial gun-control bill that would reduce the size of ammunition magazines.  That didn't change Tuesday [5/13/2014].  A day after the state Senate passed the measure — which would cut the permitted capacity of magazines from 15 to 10 rounds — Christie said he still hasn't decided what he'd do should it also pass the state Assembly.

CNN Worries Hillary Clinton May Have Jeopardized Run With Gun Control Statements.  On May 7th CNN's John King played a video of Hillary Clinton saying, "We have to rein in what has become [an] almost article of faith, that anybody can have a gun anywhere, [at] any time."  King quickly added, "She's talking in the context of mental health," but then he expressed obvious concern that this soundbite is going to make a great anti-Hillary commercial in southern Ohio, Florida, Colorado, and North Carolina, among other places.

A Right Delayed Is a Right Denied.  The Colorado-based Loveland Reporter-Herald tells the tale of a woman who has been ensnared by the state's new "universal background check" rules: [...] Last year, when Toomey-Manchin was being debated, opponents of universal background checks were met with utter incredulity.  How could we possibly oppose such an obviously "common sense" idea?  Well, I opposed it in part because I don't believe that people should ask the government permission to exercise their constitutional rights, and in part because governments are run by people, and people are incompetent and slow.

New Hampshire Rep: Food Stamp Recipients Should Be Able to Buy Guns with EBT Cards.  On May 7th New Hampshire Representative Timothy Horrigan (D-Durham) stood on the state house floor and argued against legislation forbidding the use of EBT cards for guns, saying such a ban "is a blatant violation of the Second Amendment."

The Editor says...
No, no, no.  Let the poor buy guns with their own money.  The typical person who lives on food stamps has already made a lifetime of bad decisions, and would likely continue to make bad decisions while in possession of a gun.

Hillary Clinton: Gun Laws Are Too Lenient, Must Be 'Reined In'.  During a May 6th speech at a National Council for Behavioral Health conference, while making the case that gun laws are far too lenient and need to be "reined in," Hillary Clinton asserted, "We're way out of balance" on guns.  According to the National Journal, "Clinton said she supports Second Amendment rights, [but] she added that there needs to be a proper trade-off between safety and freedom."

The Editor says...
The government's job is to preserve liberty, not safety.

US Supreme Court rejects appeal on N.J. gun rights case.  The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a challenge to New Jersey's gun laws that require an individual to show an urgent need in order to obtain a permit.  Monday's action means that a lower court's decision to uphold the laws will stand.  New Jersey requires residents to show they have a specific need to carry a firearm outside the home.  This challenge touched on whether the constitution protected the right to carry outside the home.  The Supreme Court had previously rejected Washington D.C.'s outright ban on handguns.

Gun shop nixes plans to sell smart gun after death threats.  The owner of a Maryland firearms shop has canceled plans to sell a smart gun following backlash from people who think the technology will infringe on their rights as gun owners.  Andy Raymond, co-owner of Engage Armament, in Rockville, said his decision came after receiving death threats for plans to sell the Armatix iP1 .22-caliber handgun, which can only function with an accompanying wristwatch.

Juan Williams Wife Robbed, Wishes She Had Gun.  During an April 28 interview on The Lars Larson show, Fox News' Juan Williams told a story about his wife's car being stolen and her saying, "I wish I had a gun."

Georgia Is Not the Jungle.  Has Georgia really adopted unusual, groundbreaking laws?  Has it really opened up a new front in the campaign for gun rights?  Has it really moved "out of the mainstream"?  Well, not really, no.  A quick review of the facts reveals that it has merely brought itself into line with much of the rest of the country.  And about time, too.

Right to Bear Arms Central to Liberty.  There are two popular quotations from the writings of Thomas Jefferson that have been shown to be still relevant to our culture.  "When the people fear the government there is tyranny, when the government fears the people there is liberty" and "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."  Taken together they demonstrate why the right to bear arms is central to keeping our individual liberty.

NRA President Jim Porter: We're going to flex our muscle in November.  National Rifle Association President Jim Porter said Saturday that flipping the U.S. Senate to Republican control is paramount for the group and that the group's power in numbers will "flex that muscle" in November's midterm elections.  Mr. Porter, speaking at the group's annual meeting of members Saturday at the Indiana Convention Center, said that because of the group's members, the country has witnessed its greatest advancement of Second Amendment freedom since the Bill of Rights was written.

Georgia governor signs law to allow concealed-carry arms in churches, bars and airports.  The Peach State is poised to become a petri-dish for the nation's most ambitious gun-rights experiment, following Gov. Nathan Deal's signing of a law that will permit concealed-carry permit holders to keep their weapons as they enter non-secure areas of airports, along with some churches and bars, and most government buildings.

Georgia Governor To Sign Controversial Gun Bill Wednesday.  At noon Wednesday [4/23/2014], Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal is scheduled to sign the sweeping legislation into law.  One of the most permissive state gun laws in the nation, it will allow licensed owners to carry firearms into more public places than at any time in the past century, including bars and government buildings that don't have security checkpoints.  The law also authorizes school districts to appoint staffers to carry firearms. It allows churches to "opt-in" if they want to allow weapons.  Bars could already "opt-in" to allow weapons, but under the new law they must opt out if they want to bar weapons.  Permit-holders who accidentally bring a gun to an airport security checkpoint will now be allowed to pick up their weapon and leave with no criminal penalty.

The Murder Rate is Collapsing in Chicago After "Conceal Carry" is Legalized.  Chicago is a typical high-crime city, tending to stay near the top of various crime statistics lists.  It has some of the toughest gun control laws in the country.  It is ironically referred to both as a reason why we need more gun control, yet held up as an example that gun control works.  However, Chicago's stringent and restrictive gun control measures have been slightly whittled away recently, with Illinois finally granting concealed carry permits to it's [sic] residents and a federal judge striking down Chicago's ban on handgun sales.  As some aspects of gun control have been eased in Chicago, resulting in more law-abiding citizens being armed instead of just criminals, Chicago's crime rates have gone down.

Psychiatrists Are the New Federal Gun Control Agents and Political Thought Police.  The Obama administration has a new partner in crime and it is the American Psychiatric Association (APA).  The APA created the new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (5th Edition) which was recently adopted.  DSM 5 is highly controversial and has sparked outrage from the mental health practitioners.  As many of these practitioners point out, the new DSM-V makes a pathology out of simple and normal behaviors such as grieving for the loss of a loved one.  This constitutes a new subjective approach in diagnosing of mental illness that it promises to end free speech and any form of political dissent.  The federal government has already declared anyone who oppose its unconstitutional policies as having "political paranoia," which is now diagnosed as a type of mental illness.

He May Be the First Person Charged Under Conn. Gun Registration Law.  Police arrested a 65-year-old man in Milford, Conn., after he allegedly shot a squirrel in his yard on Monday.  Upon further investigation, officers recovered an unregistered "assault rifle" and three "large-capacity magazines."  Now James Toigo faces a plethora of gun-related charges, including unlawful discharge of a firearm, cruelty to an animal, first-degree reckless endangerment, second-degree breach of peace, failure to register an assault rifle and three counts of possessing large-capacity magazines.

How Wildlife is Thriving Because of Guns and Hunting.  [Infographic]

GOP fears executive order on biometric guns.  Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) is warning the Obama administration to not issue an executive order requiring that all new guns be made with biometric technology, such as finger-print recognition or bracelets.  Cornyn raised the issue in a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, who in testimony earlier this month highlighted biometric bracelets and fingerprint identification as a safety issue.  "Your testimony has raised serious concerns for my constituents given President Obama's track-record of acting beyond the scope of his legal authority and your hostility to the individual right to self-defense under the Second Amendment," Cornyn wrote.

Cornyn Presses Holder on Gun Comments.  Sen. John Cornyn (R., Texas) is demanding answers from Attorney General Eric Holder on the Justice Department's pursuit of "smart gun" technology, warning that the government could require all gun owners to wear biometric bracelets to operate their firearms.  Cornyn sent a letter to the attorney general on Wednesday [4/16/2014] in response to remarks he made in testimony before a House subcommittee earlier this month, which were first reported by the Washington Free Beacon.  Holder said his agency is "exploring" technology to make guns "more safe."  "By making them either through finger print identification, the gun talks to a bracelet or something that you might wear, how guns can be used only by the person who is lawfully in possession of the weapon," he said.

NJ man's handgun case before U.S. Supreme Court on Friday.  The U.S. Supreme Court will decide in the coming days whether it will hear a Sussex County man's challenge to New Jersey's handgun carry laws.  The lawsuit, brought by John Drake, challenges the "justifiable need" requirement the state asks for carrying a handgun. [...] Drake, a Fredon man who owns and operates an ATM business and who occasionally carries significant amounts of cash, said today that the case could be the first step toward the "Holy Grail of the gun rights movement," the right to carry.  "If the Supreme Court decides to take the case, it could clarify the right to carry issue for the entire nation, and New Jersey would become ground zero for the gun-rights movement as the scramble of the decade begins," Drake said this morning.

Up to One Million New Yorkers Refuse to Register Their Guns?  The April 15 deadline to register firearms deemed "assault weapons" under Governor Cuomo's NY SAFE Act has been met by hordes of New York Gun owners not rushing to register firearms, and the ceremonial burning of registration forms.  Unofficial estimates suggest that as few as 3,000-5,000 of the estimated 1-2 million firearms that have been redefined as "assault weapons" under New York's utterly arbitrary and blatantly unconstitutional law have been registered.

Open gun carry bill defeated in Tenn. House panel.  A bill seeking to allow Tennesseans to openly carry firearms in public without permits was overwhelmingly defeated a House subcommittee on Monday night [4/14/2014].

Pennsville man cleared of charges after 'racking' shotgun to scare away intruders.  Though a township man found innocent of gun charges in an incident with police is having a hard time in returning to a normal life, people on both sides of the case hope that the incident last year serves as a lesson for lawful gun owners.  In February 2013, Samuel McGraw, 24, of Clark Street, was charged with aggravated assault and possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose after he allegedly pointed a shotgun at police from his porch.

Palin Warns Holder on Gun Bracelets: 'You Don't Want to Go There, Buddy'.  After Attorney General Eric Holder revealed that he was considering forcing gun owners to wear identifying bracelets, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin harshly warned him that he better not even think about trying to implement the idea.  "Eric, 'You don't want to go there, buddy,'" she declared on Wednesday [4/9/2014].

TN Senate votes for open gun carry without permit.  The state Senate on Tuesday passed a bill to allow Tennesseans to openly carry guns without a state-issued permit.

Holder: We Want to Explore Gun Tracking Bracelets.  Attorney General Eric Holder said on Friday [4/4/2014] that gun tracking bracelets are something the Justice Department (DOJ) wants to "explore" as part of its gun control efforts.  When discussing gun violence prevention programs within the DOJ, Holder told a House appropriations subcommittee that his agency is looking into technological innovations.

Eric Holder Proposes Bracelets For Gun Owners, Fingerprint Readers For Guns.  Eric Holder, the Attorney General and unindicted co-conspirator in the death of at least one Border Patrol agent and hundreds of innocent Mexican civilians, appeared before a House Appropriations subcommittee last Friday [4/4/2014] and waxed philosophical on the next step in the administration's war against the Bill of Rights. [...] Other alleged "smart gun" technologies include implanting a GPS transmitter or RFID chip in each firearm.  While this does nothing to enhance the safety of anyone, it does permit law enforcement agencies to know where weapons are located, at least so long as the batteries work, and allows citizens carrying weapons legally to be targeted for harassment by an increasingly arbitrary and brutal law enforcement community.

Dear Mr. Holder, Put Safety Features on Your Own Guns.  Your guns have killed infinitely more people than mine.  You are an accessory to the murder of countless people in both Mexico and the United States (including Federal agents), yet you still have the gall to look for ways to restrict our Constitutional freedoms, while refusing to prosecute your own malfeasance, and that of the IRS (just to name two cases among many)?

Bill barring local government from passing gun laws on its way to Brownback.  A bill that nullifies local government control over guns shot through the House and to the governor's desk in the waning hours of the regular session Saturday.  House Bill 2578 would prohibit cities and counties from passing or enforcing any ordinance regulating the "purchase, transfer, ownership, storage, carrying, or transporting of firearms, ammunition, or any related component."  It would also ban local units of government from inquiring whether an employee has a permit to carry a concealed weapon.

A Year Later, State's Gun Control Opponents Rally For Repeal.  The rally, organized by the Connecticut Citizens Defense League, drew supporters from all over the state and from other states to the Capitol lawn on Saturday, two days after Gov. Dannel P. Malloy commemorated the passage of SB 1160, which expanded the state's existing ban on assault weapons.  "We're the Constitution State and they passed a law that was completely unconstitutional," CCDL vice president Lenny Benedetto said.

Legal Immigrants Have Same Right to Concealed Carry Permit as Citizens.  On 31 March, the U.S. District Court for New Mexico ruled that legal immigrants have the same right to obtain a concealed carry permit as citizens.  The equal protection clause mandates that legally residing residents be treated the same under the law.

Gun Rights Advocates Pretty Impressed with the Mindblowing Scale of Leland Yee's Hypocrisy.  By day, California Democrat Leland Yee was an outspoken gun control advocate.  But by night, he is alleged to have been a broker for Russian arms dealers to arm Islamic militants, for piles of cold, hard cash.  That dual life hasn't been lost on Yee's enemies on gun control. [...] Isn't Leland Yee an excellent argument for keeping and strengthening the Second Amendment?  The Second Amendment is not and never was about hunting.  It's about an armed populace being a check on out-of-control, tyrannical government and also about national defense.  This is a man who used his political power to disarm Americans, while he was allegedly arming America's enemies.  It's treasonous.

Juan Williams Clashes with Eric Bolling: 'We Need America to Be a Gun-Free Zone' .  The tragic Fort Hood shooting this week reignited the debate over shootings in gun-free zones and whether gun-free zones are generally more prone to this kind of horrible violence.  On Cashin' In Saturday morning [4/5/2014], Eric Bolling and Juan Williams tussled over mental health and the gun culture, with Williams saying, "I think we need America to be a gun-free zone."

Corrupt Politicians, Organized Crime, and Citizen Disarmament.  Corrupt politicians are much more of a factor in large urban centers than in rural communities and small towns.  The same applies to organized crime.  [I]t is associated with urban areas.  It is much harder for significant corruption to exist when the amounts are small, the people involved mostly know the politicians personally, and there are no large public works to play favorites with. [...] Corrupt politicians and organized crime figures hate the idea of an armed population.  When you are stealing, cheating, and extorting people on a daily basis, some of them are bound to take exception to it.  Push them far enough, and a few will decide to push back, even at the cost of their own lives.  Do it enough, and it becomes a near certainty.

Fort Hood Shooting Has Harry Reid Talking Gun Control Again.  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said the Wednesday shooting at Fort Hood made him wish that Congress would pass expanded background checks for gun purchases.  "As I was told today, this young man bought this gun a day or two before he killed these people," Reid said.  "Couldn't we at least have background checks so that people who are ill mentally or felons shouldn't be able to buy a gun?  Even [National Rifle Association] members, the majority of them, support that."  Reid could bring such a bill back to the floor this year.

The Editor says...
Statements of this sort imply that the gunman bought his weapon while in a rage over whatever it was that set him off.  But in this case, he had apparently owned his weapon for some time.  (That was probably true in earlier Fort Hood shooting as well.)  In the Sandy Hook case, the guns were stolen, not purchased.  And it goes without saying that background checks won't include any scrutiny of an applicant's plans for jihad.  Background checks are just another incremental step toward registration and confiscation.

Shock verdict — Mark Witaschek guilty of possessing muzzleloader bullets in D.C.  In a surprising twist at the end of a long trial, a District of Columbia judge found Mark Witaschek guilty of "attempted possession of unlawful ammunition" for antique replica muzzleloader bullets.  Judge Robert Morin sentenced Mr. Witaschek to time served, a $50 fine and required him to enroll with the Metropolitan Police Department's firearm offenders' registry within 48 hours.

Witaschek surrenders to D.C. police 'Gun Offenders Registry'.  Mark Witaschek never had a firearm in the District of Columbia, but he is now on the city's Gun Offenders Registry.  This bizarre case has drawn national attention because an upstanding citizen was tried and convicted of possessing unregistered ammunition for muzzleloader bullets, which are simply pieces of lead and copper.

Bill to Prevent Ban on Gun Transport During Emergencies.  Current Nebraska law grants broad powers to the governors, allowing them to ban the sale or transport of firearms during declared emergencies.  Police and other government agents confiscated thousands of guns in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana.  Some troops refused to confiscate guns.  A current scandal in Canada involves the Royal Canadian Mounted Police breaking down doors to confiscate firearms in High River Canada after they had cordoned off the town during a flood.

Replica bullets, dud shell earn weapons conviction for former Washington man.  Replica bullets and a dud shotgun shell got a man convicted of weapons charges in the nation's capital, in a case gun rights activists say shows how overzealous authorities are trampling the Second Amendment.  On Friday, just two days after his conviction of attempted possession of unlawful ammunition, Mark Witaschek went to a Washington, D.C., police station to register in the city's Gun Offenders Registry.  The act was part of a sentence meted out after Witaschek lost his two-year legal battle that began when police searched his home and found an inert shotgun shell, a spent shell casing and a box of muzzle-loader bullets.

Gun Control Groups Fear Sen. Yee's Indictment Will Make Gun Control More Difficult to Pass.  Gun control groups working to push further gun control in California worry that state senator Leland Yee's indictment on arms trafficking "may slow the legislature's consideration of gun restrictions this year."  According to AP California News, on March 27 organizers of more legislation said "the charges filed against... Yee, a Democrat from San Francisco, could cloud the future of two of his gun control bills."

Anti-Gun Gov. Cuomo calls for banishment of pro-gun opposition.  Politicians seeking to diminish Second Amendment rights often couch their views in language that hides their true agenda.  But, on January 17, pro-gun advocates were squarely confronted with the contempt in which they are held by some political elites.  Speaking on "The Capitol Pressroom" public radio program, Governor Andrew Cuomo labeled gun rights supporters who are "pro-assault weapon" and critical of his so-called SAFE Act as "extreme conservatives" who "have no place in the state of New York."  Ironically, this statement says more about Cuomo himself than those he attacks.

Gun control measures met with defiance from law enforcement officers.  The head of a nationwide sheriffs coalition is calling on Vermont's law enforcement officers to defy three controversial gun control measures passed by Burlington voters three weeks ago.  "Sheriffs have a constitutional duty to refuse to comply with such ordinances," said Richard Mack, president of the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association.  "We're seeing sheriffs in New York oppose the Safe Act and Gov. Cuomo.  If we have sheriffs in New York doing this, how much more should we have sheriffs doing it in Vermont?"

Dem gun control advocate charged with gun-running.  The irony police are going to need reinforcements to handle the tsunami being generated in San Francisco.  State Senator Leland Yee appeared in federal court yesterday in shackles, and faced a lengthy indictment for a series of corruption charges, including shocking allegations of gun-running — including shoulder-fired rocket launchers.  An undercover FBI agent met repeatedly with Lee, a prominent gun control advocate who had authored legislation to expand the definition of "assault weapons."

Calif. state senator arrested for alleged gun-running was gun-control advocate.  California state Sen. Leland Yee (D) was arrested Wednesday at his home in San Francisco and accused of — among many, many other things — offering to procure some seriously illegal weapons.  The irony:  Yee was one of the driving forces behind some of the toughest gun-control legislation in the country during his tenure in the state Senate.

Democrat Wants His Party to Officially Come Out Against the Second Amendment.  The Daily Surge has a clip of Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) on Bill Maher's HBO show.  Ellison says the Democratic Party should just be honest about its stance on guns. [...] For some reason, Americans murdered by drug cartel members along the border never came up.  Neither did the victims of Chicago's gang violence.

Should Toy Guns Bring the Same Penalties as Real Guns?  Nearly every state has enhanced penalties for armed robbery vs. unarmed robbery.  In the Nebraska statute, to be considered armed, a toy or replica gun is not enough.  If the robber can show that what he used in the robbery was not a real gun, then the enhanced penalty does not apply.

Farmington police order ammunition farther in advance since people began stockpiling bullets in 2013.  The Farmington [NM] Police Department now orders its ammunition about a year in advance after retail stocks nationally began running low due to greater demand.  Trade officials say the shortages largely began in 2013 when gun owners began stockpiling bullets after a high-profile school shooting in Newtown, Conn., that created some momentum in Congress to pass stricter gun control laws.  The longer wait time could threaten police supplies, said Sgt. Donnie Kee, who handles ammunition purchases for the city's police department, but shortages are unlikely if departments plan ahead.

Gun-free doesn't equal risk-free.  Seizing on the sorrowful wake of the horror in Newtown, Conn., in December 2012, gun-control advocates redoubled their efforts, hoping — among other things — to turn gun-free school zones into really, really gun-free school zones.  Plans were drafted to harden school entrances and hire additional armed law enforcement to patrol each campus, neither of which is a lousy idea.  But Alan Hays, a state senator from the very heart of Florida, says it isn't enough.  On the theory that fences can be defeated and lone rangers can be distracted or leave campus for lunch, the Umatilla Republican wants school boards to have the freedom to allow those with military or law enforcement backgrounds to carry concealed weapons on campus, forming sort of a fail-safe campus militia.

New York Protestors Burn "Assault Weapon" Registration Forms.  There has been considerable tension in Connecticut since that state's blatantly unconstitutional "assault weapon" ban kicked in on January, first, turning the owners of 350,000 firearms and nearly 2 million standard capacity magazines into felons overnight.  They've got nothing on the kids next door, where the owners of an estimated one million affected firearms are already telling Governor Andrew Cuomo where he can stick his NY SAFE Act gun registration scheme, a month before the deadline.

License To Wait: CA Conceal Carry Applicants Told to Wait Two Years.  The Orange County Sheriff's office is currently accepting applications for new Carrying a Concealed Weapon (CCW) permits after a Ninth Circuit ruling stating that concealed carry policies had to be loosened.  One recent applicant, who forwarded their response on to TruthRevolt, was told they would not be able to receive theirs until early March, 2016.

Zero Tolerance, Evil Objects, and the Psychosis of the Left.  The progressives' ideation of guns fully crosses over into the talismanic realm.  At the capacity of their reasoning on this issue, they believe that not just a gun but even a picture of a gun, or a shirt referencing a gun, or fingers that clearly are not a gun, or a Pop-Tart bitten into the shape of a gun is possessed of actual evil, and that all of these exercise a remarkable, powerful influence on human feelings and action. [...] Where such psychosis leads is now on display in Connecticut, which has adopted an Obama'esque "red line" by implementing a gun registration law that most have refused to obey.

Democrats Lining Up to Oppose Obama's Anti-Gun Nominee For Surgeon General.  President Obama's anti-gun nominee for Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Hallegere Murthy, could go down in flames on the Senate floor.  Murthy, who has a history of calling guns a "healthcare issue," classifying guns as a "public health threat" and of slamming the National Rifle Association, is being opposed not by just Republicans, but numerous Democrats in an election year.

More information about Vivek Murthy can be found this page.

NRA: Federal surveillance policies could lead to gun registry.  The National Rifle Association has filed a friend-of-the-court brief in a case in federal court in New York challenging the federal government's data surveillance techniques, arguing the data collection violates the First Amendment and could undermine federal privacy laws that prohibit the formation of a registry of firearms or gun owners.

New York Gun Owners Burn Assault Weapon Registration Forms Mandated by 'SAFE' Act.  In the state of New York, hundreds gathered near Sarasota Springs in a fiery act of civil disobedience aimed at gun control lawmakers.  According to the Post Star, "nearly a thousand gun registration forms were turned into ashes Sunday [3/16/2014]." Under NY's SAFE Act, those who possess what the State of New York considers to be military-style "assault weapons" have to register by April 15th.  "Once the Second (Amendment) falls, the rest will go with it.  It's an unconstitutional law, done in the middle of the night with no input from the public," E.J. Stokes told the Post Star.

Calif. gun store owner to feds: No, you can't have my customer list.  A gun store owner in California has a message for the feds:  No, you can't force me to turn over my customer list to you.  Fox 5 in San Diego reported that Dimitrios Karras, the Oceanside, Calif. owner of Ares Armor, said Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms department agents have threatened to raid his business if he doesn't hand over a list of all customers who purchased an item for building an AR-15.  The ATF, according to Karras, wants the names of 5,000 customers who bought a certain 80 percent lower receiver, something the feds say is illegal.  Gun stores that have sold these specific items have been told by the ATF to hand over a list of customers who have them.

Justice Kennedy denies request to block gun magazine law.  Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy has denied an emergency request by the National Rifle Association to block enforcement of a California city ordinance that bans gun magazines capable of holding more than 10 bullets.

Burlington voters opt to give up gun rights, gut state preemption.  Three City of Burlington resolutions were passed by voters Tuesday, Vermont's WPTZ News Channel 5 reported this morning.  The measures are now headed to the state legislature, where it will be decided if municipalities will be given the power to override state preemption protections.  Voters chose to allow authorities to seize firearms at domestic investigations (Yes: 5,579 / No: 2,066), ban firearms from establishments that serve liquor (Yes: 5,194 / No: 2,517), and require firearms in the home to be locked up (Yes: 4,351 / No: 2,971) in an election that marks the latest battle in a long campaign being waged between "progressive" Burlington Council members working with Gun Sense Vermont, and the Vermont Federation of Sportmen's Clubs.

Connecticut Officer Under Investigation for Desire to "kick your door in and take your guns".  Every officer is taught that "following orders" is not an excuse for violating constitutional rights.

Reform of Gun Restrictions in Parking Lots Passes House.  The Oklahoma House passed a gun reform bill on Monday, 10 March by the healthy margin of 74-17.  The bill, HB2329, seems relatively uncontroversial, as it brings school parking lots in line with other public parking lots for buildings where second amendment rights are restricted under Oklahoma Law.  Currently, governmental office space used for conducting business with the public, prisons, jails and detention facilities, schools, sports arenas (during events), and places where pari-mutual wagering is authorized, are places where the exercise of second amendment rights, even by people with permits, is not allowed.

New Study: Majority of Young People Reject Gun Control.  A new Pew Study has discovered that despite President Obama's repeated claim that 90+% of Americans want increased gun control, the majority of millennials oppose further gun control measures.  The study reveals that millennials, those born between 1981 and 1996, largely reject the call for increased gun control 50-48 percent.

Anti-Gun Activists Wish Death on Children Over New Gun Law.  As Eric Berman of WIBC.com has been reporting, a new bill that would allow people to keep guns locked in their trunks on school property will go to the Indiana House and Senate.  Proponents say the bill will eliminate criminal charges for those who lawfully carry a weapon who may forget to remove it before reaching school property.  Opponents object to the idea of having guns anywhere near a school campus. [...] On Twitter, things have taken a far nastier turn.

Cop: I'd Love to 'Bang down Your Door and Come for Your Gun'.  How would you feel if a police officer you knew for 20 years told you that if an order were issued to confiscate your guns, he wouldn't hesitate to "kick your door in"?  This was the precisely the experience Connecticut resident, Navy veteran and former firefighter John Cinque had after commenting on his state's 2013 violation of the Second Amendment.

Smart Guns: A Dumb Choice.  Arthur C. Clarke's short story "Superiority" made it clear decades ago that overreliance on technology can kill people. [...] The story's lesson is that, when national security or human safety depends on a product, that product has to work 100 percent of the time.  This applies particularly to defensive firearms, cell phones, gun safes, and automobiles.  Dr. Ignatius Piazza of Front Sight reports that Armatix GmbH, a German gun manufacturer, is offering a "smart gun" that can be fired only by its owner. [...] If smart gun technology were such a good idea, the police would be first in line to demand it.  Estimates of the fraction of police officers who are murdered with their own weapons range from eight to forty-three percent.

ABA Conference Speakers: 'Litigation,' 'Public Health' Strong Avenues for Gun Control.  During a March 7th American Bar Association (ABA) conference in Philadelphia, speakers described "litigation" and "public health" appeals as strong avenues for securing more gun control.  According to the ABA Journal, Jonathan E. Lowy, director of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence's Legal Action Project, talked of how The Project has used litigation to close down gun shops, force manufacturers "to improve gun safety, and to challenge laws like the Florida law that barred physicians from talking about guns with their patients."

NYPD Union To Join Lawsuit Against NFL Gun Ban.  The New York Police Department's Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA) will join Minnesota police unions' lawsuit against NFL gun ban.  According to the New York Post, SBA president Edward Mullins said the NFL's policy barring off-duty officers from carrying guns into games "is a violation of any state laws that allow off-duty cops to carry their guns in public places."

The Peruta Case: A Massive Gun Rights Victory in CA.  California is one of a small number of American states where issuance of a concealed weapon permit is entirely at the discretion of the sheriff or police chief.  In some counties, permits are available to almost any resident with a clean criminal record and no mental illness history.  Unfortunately, in many of the counties that have substantial violent crime problems (Los Angeles, San Diego, the entire Bay Area) and thus where carrying a gun is a [...] good idea, sheriffs and police chiefs abuse their discretion on issuing permits in outrageous ways.  The Peruta suit was an attempt at fixing this problem [...]

Hey Connecticut, 1933 Berlin called, they want their Gestapo back.  The powers that be in Connecticut have decided that little things like the Constitution and Rights have no place in the (ironically named) Constitution state.  When you have the Connecticut State Police spokesman, Lt. Paul Vance declare that anyone who voices opinions contrary to support of the new gun control law "sounds anti-American" one cannot help but hear shades of the Gestapo looking to root out any perceived opposition to the dictatorship.  Here is a quote from Lt. Vance during a phone conversation with a woman whose husband received a letter saying he must turn in or destroy his weapons because the authority didn't get the paperwork in time:  "Ma'am, it sounds like you're anti-American, it sounds like you're anti-law."

Second Amendment Group to Connecticut: Put Up or Shut Up.  A few days ago, I wrote about the considerable number of Connecticut gun owners who have simply refused to comply with the post-Newtown rules and register their "assault weapons" with the state.  Connecticut, I observed, has created a "real problem" for itself.  Today [3/3/2014], the pro-Second Amendment group, Connecticut Carry, went one stage further, issuing a provocative press release in which it suggested that "the state does not have the [courage] to enforce [the new] laws" and demanded that authorities pick a course of action:  "It's time," the group argues in summation, "for the State to enforce the tyranny they passed or repeal it entirely".

Huge majorities on East Coast support national gun registry.  A shocking poll released Tuesday shows overwhelming majorities of people in Virginia, New York and New Jersey support a national gun registry.  The survey released Tuesday [3/4/2014] was done jointly by Roanoke College in Virginia, Rutgers-Eagleton in New Jersey and Siena College in New York.  It shows that 68 percent of New York voters and a whopping 74 percent of New Jersey voters are in favor of establishing a national gun registry.

Open Letter to the Legislative Tyrants of Connecticut.  Mather Byles, the Massachusetts Loyalist of the Revolutionary period — our first civil war — once famously asked, "Which is better — to be ruled by one tyrant three thousand miles away or by three thousand tyrants one mile away?"  The Founders themselves were just as suspicious of unrestrained democracy as a means of tyranny.  This is why they gave us a republic of limited powers and the rule of law, to limit those who would misuse democracy to create a new tyranny.

Bypassing Congress, DOJ to Announce Expansion to Gun Background Checks.  The Department of Justice (DOJ) is preparing to announce an expansion of background checks based on executive orders president Obama issued in January 2013.

Americans embrace guns.  [Scroll down]  The Heller decision struck down the District of Columbia's draconian gun-control law, while McDonald made clear that the Second Amendment protected not only against federal incursions into gun rights (the District of Columbia is a federal enclave) but also to infringements involving states and municipalities.  Subsequent lower court cases, like Moore v. Madigan and Peruta v. San Diego, have held that the Second Amendment supports not only a right to keep a gun in one's home for self-protection, but also a right to carry a gun in public for self-defense.  The details are still being hammered out, but the right is no longer in question.

Botched registration leads to confiscation in Connecticut.  Connecticut has an "assault weapon" problem.  Politicians rammed through a law demanding that citizens register scary-looking firearms and standard capacity magazines, and the citizenry overwhelmingly responded by being "militantly sedentary."  Gun owners [...] refused to register either arms or magazines, all but daring the state to do anything about it.  Of the estimated 375,000-400,000 firearms deemed "assault weapons" by the state, more than 325,000 remain undocumented.  Only about 50,000 were registered for future confiscation.

Surge in concealed weapon permits follows California court Second Amendment decision.  Orange and Ventura counties have dropped the "good cause" standard for issuing conceal carry permits after the requirement was struck down Feb. 13 by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeal.  A three-judge panel of the court ruled 2 to 1 that the Second Amendment bars California counties from requiring law-abiding gun owners who want to carry concealed firearms to demonstrate special, individualized needs for protection.

Connecticut sends out the first unconstitutional confiscation letters.  Gun confiscation is one step closer in Connecticut.  The mainstream media spins it as "one more chance" for non-compliant gun owners who failed to register their scary guns before the January 1 deadline.  In reality, these letters — 106 to rifle owners, and 108 more to residents with standard capacity magazines — are the first step in the Connecticut State Police beginning to round up guns arbitrarily made illegal last year in that state.  These guns include America's favorite rifle, the AR-15 and magazines over 10 rounds, which include the standard capacity magazines made for that America's favorite rifle.  Failure to register is now a felony now in Connecticut.

Americans rising up against government.  [Scroll down]  Meanwhile, in Connecticut a massive new gun-registration scheme is also facing civil disobedience.  As J.D. Tuccille reports:  "Three years ago, the Connecticut legislature estimated there were 372,000 rifles in the state of the sort that might be classified as 'assault weapons,' and 2 million plus high-capacity magazines. ... But by the close of registration at the end of 2013, state officials received around 50,000 applications for 'assault weapon' registrations, and 38,000 applications for magazines."  This is more "Irish Democracy," passive resistance to government overreach.

Wells Fargo sued by employee fired for concealed carrying at work.  Another interesting Second Amendment case is coming up before the courts, and yes... it's from Florida again.  Wells Fargo is facing a legal challenge from one of their bank managers who was fired for coming to work while carrying her weapon concealed.

NFL Ban on Off-Duty Officers Carrying Guns in Stadiums Invalid in Texas.  The NFL's ban on allowing off-duty police officers to carry guns into stadiums has at least two exceptions — the two NFL stadiums in Texas.  According to CBS DFW, "Texas state law overrides the NFL policy.  As long as officers attending the game check in at a specific gate and inform Security where they are sitting, they can have their gun."  This exception to the NFL's gun ban will apply to the Dallas Cowboys' AT&T Stadium in Arlington and the Houston Texans' Reliant Stadium.

Court: It's Not a Right When Only the Sheriff's Friends Get To Hold Guns.  A "right" is an "entitlement" that's not dependent on the whims of authorities.  If you have a right to "free speech," then you can speak as you choose.  The courts let the government enforce a few standards, but it wouldn't be a "right" if government officials got to preview and restrict what you were planning to say.  That's obvious, especially when it involves activities that are widely supported.  It's hard to find Americans who don't agree with letting individuals have the widest latitude to speak and protest.  But this apparently simple concept gets muddied with rights that are less popular, such as those involving gun ownership.

Round Up (Tens of Thousands of) Gun Registration Scofflaws, Rants Hartford Courant Editorial Board.  A bit of miltary wisdom has it that you should never give an order you know won't be obeyed.  Issuing such an order accomplishes nothing except to undermine your authority and expose the extent to which, no matter what enforcement mechanisms are in place, you rely upon voluntary compliance.  But now that Connecticut's resident class of politically employed cretins has awoken to the fact that, in their state, like everywhere else, people overwhelmingly disobey orders to register their weapons, they're acting like this is a shocking revelation.

Supreme Court asked to decide on three gun cases.  The Supreme Court on Friday will consider whether to wade into a growing legal brawl over the scope of the Second Amendment and how far the Constitution goes in protecting Americans' self-defense rights outside of their homes, with the justices deciding whether to take up three pending gun cases.  Six years ago, in the landmark Heller case, the court established that the Constitution guarantees a personal right to bear arms, but states — and lower federal courts — have made different judgments about what that means.

'Smart' gun control? Dem bill would require all new guns be 'personalized'.  Sen. Edward Markey has unveiled a gun control bill he says will help reduce firearm violence by requiring all new guns be "personalized" with special features, such as fingerprint-reading technology, so they can only be fired by their owners or other authorized users.

Democrats fight for 'personalized weapons' with finger-print technology in new gun-control bid.  New battle lines are being drawn in the fight between gun-control advocates in Washington and Second Amendment advocacy groups, over a proposal that would mandate the 'personalization' of every new gun sold in the United States.  Sen. Edward Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, is behind a bill that would prohibit the sale of run-of-the-mill guns, requiring biometric technologies such as fingerprint recognition or a paired device — such as a wristwatch — that would authorize a gun to fire if it is nearby.  The gun rights lobby appears to be gearing up for a fight.

Is PepsiCo Underwriting Gabi Giffords' Gun Control Activism?  Giffords' group, Americans for Responsible Solutions, proffers "solutions" to gun violence that would not solve anything, such as mandating background checks among private sellers at gun shows.  They use fuzzy logic to support this measure. [...] Do criminal inmates always tell the truth?  Where is the link between how criminals get their guns "privately," and gun shows?  Giffords' site doesn't demonstrate that such a link exists.  Giffords uses an old statistic — "40 percent of all gun transfers take place without a background check" — which has been debunked.

Connecticut Gun Owners Deliver a Message — 'No we won't'.  Did you know that citizens of one state engaged in a mass act of civil disobedience that has left statist officials from both parties scratching their heads as an entire regulatory scheme collapsed?  Last week, Connecticut politicians were shocked to find out that only a fraction of Connecticut gun owners obeyed a state directive to come forward, declare their weapons, and register them with the government. [...] Would you register with the government before speaking?  Before attending worship services?  Government that goes too far loses its legitimacy, and in their peaceful act of civil disobedience, Connecticut citizens have rendered an unjust law utterly irrelevant.

Untold Thousands Flout Gun Registration Law.  That 50,000 figure could be as little as 15 percent of the rifles classified as assault weapons owned by Connecticut residents, according to estimates by people in the industry, including the Newtown-based National Shooting Sports Foundation.  No one has anything close to definitive figures, but the most conservative estimates place the number of unregistered assault weapons well above 50,000, and perhaps as high as 350,000.

Ninth Circuit Recognizes Right to Bear Arms Outside the Home.  The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday [2/13/2014] that the Second Amendment endows the right to carry a gun outside the home.  The opinion comes days before the Supreme Court is expected to decide whether to review two other cases that ask the question of whether the right to "bear arms" extends beyond the home.

Court Tosses California's Concealed Weapons Rules.  A divided federal appeals court on Thursday struck down California concealed-weapons rules, saying they violate the Second Amendment right to bear arms.

Court overturns restrictions on concealed guns in much of California.  In a significant victory for gun owners, a divided federal appeals court Thursday [2/13/2014] struck down California rules that permit counties to restrict as they see fit the right to carry a concealed weapon in public.  The 2-1 ruling by a U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals panel would overturn restrictions on carrying concealed handguns, primarily affecting California's most populated regions, including Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego and San Francisco.

Connecticut Criminalizes the Second Amendment.  In a massive display of civil disobedience, tens of thousands of state residents have refused to register what the left calls assault weapons, instantly making them criminals guilty of a felony.

California's Gun Confiscation Program Hits Firearm Owners Hard.  Following numerous reports of improper arrests and firearm seizures throughout California, Roseville-based gun rights group The Calguns Foundation has issued a new warning to gun owners in the Golden State.  "Gun confiscation efforts pushed by Attorney General Kamala Harris have apparently led to unconstitutional arrests of regular, non-prohibited gun owners as well as the seizure of their firearms and ammunition," said Brandon Combs, the group's executive director and creator of the Foundation's DOJ Watch project.

DC Man Set for Hearing After Arrest Over Inoperable Shotgun Shell.  A Washington, D.C. man is facing a large fine and possible jail time after he was arrested for having an inoperable shotgun shell in his home.  The shell was a souvenir that Mark Witaschek decided to keep from a hunting trip years earlier.

Another strange Obama admininstration arms purchase.  On July 29, 2013, the Department of the Army in a Combined Synopsis/Solicitation, Solicitation Number W15QKN13T8513, asked the General Services Administration to procure "592,825 (approx) AK Rifle Magazines: 7.62x39mm Caliber, New Production, Steel, 30 Round Capacity".  That many magazines would require 17.8 million rounds just fill each magazine once.  What nation or even what moderate Syrian rebel group needs that kind of firepower?  That request is far beyond what is needed by any nation that issues AK's to its soldiers except Russia and China.  Of course, the US armed forces do not use AK rifles as standard issue.

"Assault Rifles" Are Legal In New York Again.  Why liberals make "assault rifles" the main focus of their gun control efforts is a mystery, for at least two reasons.  First, rifles of all kinds account for a minuscule portion of homicides, far fewer than knives, clubs, shotguns or bare hands.  Second, there is no such thing as an assault rifle.  What liberals have in mind when they use that term is a species of semiautomatic rifle.

Beware the green decoys wearing sportsmen's camo.  [I]t appears many traditionally left-leaning foundations have now found their own camouflage among a traditionally right-leaning community:  sportsmen's groups.  Many of these organizations started out furthering an agenda that ensured hunters and anglers could continue their favorite pastime for generations to come.  But more recently, many of these groups have been co-opted by wealthy grant-making bodies notorious for their support of anti-gun, radical environmentalist agendas, all the while purporting to represent the hunting and fishing community.

Activist charged with felonies after running afoul of gun law he championed.  [A] good guy with a gun could end up in jail for four years because he lobbied for a law that assumed there was no such thing as a good guy with a gun.

Gun Control Activist Arrested on Felony Gun Charges.  Long time, anti-gun, community activist Dwayne Ferguson was arrested at a Buffalo, NY elementary school for carrying a gun on school premises.  While Ferguson does possess a permit to carry a gun, that permit does not extend to carrying on a school campus.  He faces felony charges for this incident.

Karma catches up with school gun ban activist.  As he faces felony charges for bringing a gun onto a school campus, Dwayne Ferguson may be contemplating the wisdom of the New York SAFE Act for which he tirelessly campaigned as a community activist in Buffalo.

The Obama effect: NRA's 'American Rifleman' surges to top 25 magazines in America.  President Obama's second-term effort to get Americans to hate guns has backfired.  Not only did firearm sales in 2013 blow out all records, interest in learning more about Second Amendment issues has risen dramatically.  This is evidenced by the news that circulation for the magazine "American Rifleman" has broken into the top 25 magazines in the country, according to the Alliance for Audited Media.

Former Bloomberg Ally Says 'Mayors' Group's Goal Is Gun Confiscation.  A former member of Michael Bloomberg's gun control group claimed this week that the group's objectives are far more radical than it has let on.  John Tkazyik, the mayor of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., said he quit the former New York City mayor's group, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, after he realized its objective was outright confiscation of firearms from law-abiding citizens.

Gun grabs under fire: Majority of Americans condemn 2nd Amendment tweaks.  More Americans who are dissatisfied with the country's gun laws want them to be less strict and fewer want them to be stricter, according to a new poll from Gallup.  Overall, 55 percent of Americans are dissatisfied with the country's gun laws — the highest figure since 2001.

Unique twist on gun buyback — toy guns.  Toy guns in the hands of kids can lead to tragic cases of mistaken identity in which little ones are hurt or killed, according to Luis Ortega, 34, of Oakland.  That's why earlier this month, for the fifth year in a row, as part of his "Three Wise Men" toy giveaway, Ortega collected toy and replica guns from children in the city's Fruitvale District and, in exchange, gave them educational toys to play with instead.

The Editor says...
That's all very nice, but the forbidden fruit is always sweeter to little kids.  All this program does is teach kids that guns have some extraordinary magical power that adults can't tolerate.  The more the adults talk about guns, the more the kids think about them.  The same is true of drugs:  Every day of the school year, public school teachers talk about how evil drugs are, and then they can't understand why the kids partake of them.  The same is true of premarital sex, alcohol, and cigarettes.  If the kids hear about these things all day, that's what will be on their minds.

Police Chief James Craig: More guns could equal less crime in Detroit.  The Detroit Police Department has taken action in recent years through gun-buyback events to remove guns, legal or not, from the streets of Detroit.  But first-year Police Chief James Craig takes a slightly different approach.  He says in the hands of legal, law-abiding citizens, firearms "could be a deterrence to violent crime."  That stance was challenged by Detroit resident Sandra Hines at the Detroit Police Commission meeting Thursday [1/30/2014].

Guns Don't Kill People, Democrats Kill People.  Even a casual reader of local news headlines should not be shocked to learn that firearm-related homicides are more prevalent in some neighborhoods than others.  However, what may be shocking is the near exclusivity of firearm-related homicides to a small subset of neighborhoods; neighborhoods that vote predominately for Democrat candidates.

Gun flight: Smith & Wesson quits California over stamping requirement.  A new gun law proponents say helps law enforcement has driven Smith & Wesson and Sturm Ruger out of California, and affirmed the suspicions of firearms rights advocates that the measure is really about making handguns obsolete.  The two companies have announced they will stop selling their wares in the nation's most populous state rather than try to comply with a law that requires some handguns to have technology that imprints a tiny stamp on the bullet so it can be traced back to the gun.

Smith & Wesson to stop selling guns in California due to microstamping law.  Smith & Wesson announced it will stop selling its handguns in California rather than manufacture them to comply with the new microstamping law.  The other publicly traded firearms manufacturer in the U.S., Sturm, Ruger, also said this month that it will stop new sales to California.  The announcement late Wednesday [1/22/2014] came a week after the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for firearms manufacturers, filed suit against California for requiring that all new semi-automatic pistols that are not already on the state's approved gun roster have the microstamping technology.

D.C. man on trial for one shotgun shell — wasn't given David Gregory deal.  A year ago this month, the attorney general for the District of Columbia let NBC News anchor David Gregory off scot-free for possession of a "high capacity" magazine because doing so "would not promote public safety."  Now, Irvin Nathan refuses to use that same prosecutorial discretion for an average citizen who violated a bizarre technicality that makes empty casings and shells a crime as serious as having an illegal firearm.

From the Files of Police Squad: No CCWs Allowed?  [A] Florida resident and CCW holder named John Filippidis was traveling down I-95 on the way home from New Jersey, when he was pulled over and his car was rifled through by Maryland law enforcement officers looking for the gun in his safe in Florida. [...] His wife made one of the classic mistakes.  Never, ever volunteer information to the police, especially when you're just guessing.

Driving Through Maryland — How The Lawful Florida Gun Owner Was Targeted.  What would prompt the Maryland Transportation Authority Police (MTAP) to randomly select their vehicle?  Because the first question to Mr. Filippidis was about his gun ownership, and the police search for the gun was based on his gun ownership, the Florida CCW permit that Filippidis holds was identified as the most likely impetus for the stop, questioning and search.  [His firearm was locked in a safe in his Florida home.]  This strikes us as highly alarming — so we contacted MTAP and we immediately filed public records requests to research what took place.

SHOT Show: The Last Bastion of Growing Conservatism.  Last week, I attended the largest gun and outdoors show in the world; the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show.  The annual Las Vegas event is so huge that only those who work in the industry are allowed to attend.  The show doesn't receive much mainstream news coverage because the left-wing media doesn't want the public to know how many patriotic Americans are in the gun industry.  Attendance increases every year, with 67,000 attending this year.  There were 1,600 exhibitors, and over 400 companies were waitlisted.

The Editor says...
Show me a dictionary that includes the word waitlisted.

Federal judge shoots down Chicago gun sales ban.  After ruling Chicago's ban on firearm sales a breach of constitutional rights earlier this month, a federal judge is giving the city 180 days to formulate a new law governing gun stores.  Judge Edward Chang of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, granted the city's request for time to craft an ordinance reflecting, as one municipal official said, "many detailed components, including zoning, licensing and operational requirements for gun dealers."

Collectors work crowds at gun buyback events for rare finds.  [Schuyler] Taylor, a 24-year-old gun enthusiast, is one of a growing number of collectors who has been showing up at the events, where towns, police departments, churches and nonprofits offer money or gift cards for old guns.  The events have been held all over the country, credited by some for getting weapons off the streets and ridiculed by others for paying money for rusting junk.  But collectors have taken notice that some of the guns, which are typically destroyed, are worth far more than they fetch at buyback events.

Harvey Weinstein has secret film project to destroy NRA.  The "Shakespeare in Love" producer told Howard Stern on his radio show Wednesday [1/15/2014] that the NRA is a "disaster area" before revealing a secret project.  "I shouldn't say this, but I'll tell it to you, Howard," he said.  "I'm going to make a movie with Meryl Streep, and we're going to take this head-on.  And they're going to wish they weren't alive after I'm done with them."

Harvey Weinstein Has Change of Heart On Violent Content In Films.  A day after he announced he was going to make a film taking on the NRA with Meryl Streep, Harvey Weinstein — the producer of the violent Quentin Tarantino movies such as Django Unchained, Pulp Fiction, Reservior [sic] Dogs, Kill Bill and Inglorious Bastards — told CNN's Piers Morgan in an interview to air tonight [1/17/2014] that he has had a change of heart about violent content in film.

The Editor says...
The text in the article above has now been revised, and the long list of movie titles has been deleted.  I haven't seen any of those films, nor would I care to watch them even if the theaters were clean, cell phones were prohibited, and admission was free.  But as I understand it, each of the movies named in the article immediately above is replete with gunfire (and, I would assume, those perfectly white and smokeless muzzle flashes from every gun), and the central heroic figure(s) triumph in the end through their use of bigger and better firearms than those employed by their many enemies.  And now the producer of those many movies, who has made a great quantity of money from their production, says that he has had a change of heart.  Let's all wait and see if this man never again makes another violent film that's saturated with senseless gun violence.

Harvey Weinstein and Meryl Streep new movie to make NRA 'wish they weren't alive'.  Mr. Weinstein has been watching too many movies if he thinks the good guys find fully loaded firearms in convenient locations to use only when necessary.  Before Mr. Weinstein and Miss Streep start production of their multimillion-dollar effort to persuade Americans to give up their guns, they might want to look at the history books of what happens when you do.

Gun owners to storm all 50 state capitals to stop 'gun grabbers'.  In a preemptive move to put state political leaders on notice, gun advocates are planning protests Sunday at all 50 state capitals to warn elected officials that they won't sit idly by and watch their Second Amendment rights be destroyed.  "We're trying to be very proactive right now," said Eric Reed, president of Gun Rights Across America, which is organizing the rallies.  "I don't want to see the gun grabbers get a jump on our constitutionally protected rights," he told Secrets.

Local authorities overwhelmed by gun applications.  More than 1,000 requests for concealed carry gun permits are pouring in each day in the nation's last state to allow the practice, sparking concerns among Illinois law enforcement officials that they might fall behind on weeding out applicants with a history of violence.

The Idol of Equality.  Gun-control laws and the use of the bully pulpit and government protocols to prevent law-abiding citizens from obtaining traditional firearms did not curb the murder rate in Chicago or Detroit.  It only drove up the price of bullets, created panic buying, and ultimately will result in more, not fewer, guns in the hands of citizens who are now angry that their government slanders them as quasi-criminals.

Defending Second Amendment Based Livelihood: Gun Dealers Need to "Wake Up".  Anti-gun politicians throughout the country have done everything possible over the past two years, and over the past four decades, to turn law abiding citizens into criminals.  In 2012, we saw New York Governor Andrew Cuomo sign the S.A.F.E. Act in the middle of the night, limiting law abiding gun owners to just seven rounds in their ten round capacity magazines.

States may team up to defy federal gun-control laws.  Having failed in an earlier effort to bar federal agents from enforcing gun regulations in Missouri, conservative lawmakers are trying a new tack this year: banding together with other like-minded states to defy certain federal laws at the same time.

California Democrats will push background checks for ammunition.  Following passage last year of some of the strongest gun-control laws in the nation in the wake of the school shooting in Newton, Conn., leading California Democrats will open a new front in the fight against gun violence this year with a proposal to conduct background checks on people who purchase ammunition.  State Senate Democrats will push to require a comprehensive background check on anyone seeking to purchase ammunition, and to require a one-year permit for ammunition purchases.

Obama Administration Proposes Rule Changes to Say HIPAA Does Not Apply to Second Amendment.  Earlier this week we heard about the proposed executive actions from the White House that would expand who could be reported as being mentally defection to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).  Many at the time wondered how such a rule change could stand given the strict Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations followed in the United States which take great measures to protect the personal medical information of patients.  Now we know how they're going to do.  They're just going to change HIPAA to basically make it null and void in regards to the Second Amendment.

At Democrats' Request, Even Mike Bloomberg Is Giving up on Gun Control.  When he was not belittling or cajoling gun control's foes, Bloomberg spent the better part of 2013 agitating for stricter gun laws.  As recently as December 14, the first anniversary of the massacre in Newtown, both Bloomberg's group and President Barack Obama's political arm, Organizing for Action, sent out messages to their supporters insisting that the need for stricter gun laws is no less critical today than it was one year ago.  But their actions speak differently.

Chicago's gun ban is unconstitutional, says Obama-appointed federal judge.  A federal court ruled Monday [1/6/2014] that Chicago's ban on private gun ownership, one of the nation's toughest, violates the U.S. Constitution's guarantee of individuals' rights to bear arms.  The decision was the fourth major court ruling in recent years to go against the Windy City, in a trend that has Second Amendment supporters trouncing gun-control advocates even in the face of widely publicized school massacres and other public shootings.

A Quick Summary of Today's Second Amendment Ruling.  This afternoon [1/6/2014], the United States District Court For The Northern District Of Illinois struck down Chicago's egregious ban on gun sales.

City's gun ordinance ruled unconstitutional by federal judge.  A federal judge on Monday [1/6/2014] stripped away a key element of Chicago's gun ordinance, ruling that it is unconstitutional to prohibit licensed gun stores from operating in the city.  U.S. District Judge Edmond Chang found that the city failed to convince him that banning the sale of guns by licensed dealers was necessary to reduce gun violence.

California Gun Law Paves the Way for Confiscation.  Gun registration had always seemed like the "line in the sand" — a proposal that would so offend the nation's gun-rights advocates that they would bring out their full political muscle to stop it.  Yet a California law mandating government record-keeping for all new long-gun purchases goes into effect on Jan. 1 and few people even seem to know about it.

Viral Gun Registration Photo in Connecticut Reminds Some of Weimar Germany.  This gun registration photo from Connecticut has gone viral, due to some people's perception that it is reminiscent of Weimar Germany.  In Connecticut, the state's new gun laws have gone into effect, and there have been reports of long lines of people registering semi-automatic rifles and high-capacity magazines.  Anything the state considered to be an "assault weapon" (as opposed to a non-assault weapon?) or a high capacity magazine had to be registered before January 1st in order to be legally possessed.

HHS Regulation Could Add More Names to List of Prohibited Gun Buyers.  The Obama administration says it is doing away with "unnecessary legal barriers" that discourage states from sending the names of some mentally ill people to the national background check system for gun-buyers.  Late on Friday afternoon [1/3/2014], the Department of Health and Human Services announced that it plans to modify HIPAA — the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 — "to expressly permit certain HIPAA-covered entities (hospitals, doctors, clinics, etc.) to disclose to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) the identities of individuals" with mental problems that should legally disqualify them from owning a gun.

Colorado Republicans, activists seek to overturn state's new gun laws.  Colorado Republicans and gun-rights activists will seek to overturn or change the state's new gun restrictions when the state Legislature reconvenes this month.  Republican House Leader Rep. Brian DelGrosso said last week that Republicans plan to introduce a bill to repeal the 15-round limit on ammunition magazines.

90% of shooting rampages could be stopped by quick-thinking civilians: expert.  Researchers looked at 110 active shooter attacks, and found that they occur most often at businesses (40 percent) and schools (29 percent).  Ninety-four percent of the shooters are male.  Yahoo also reports that in the wake of the shooting deaths of 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook in December 2012, more and more local police departments are looking for active-shooter training courses from the federal government to deal with the situations more quickly.  A past practice had been for police to contain the scene and wait for more specialized officers to get on the scene.  Almost half of the active shootings are over before additional help can arrive, the study said, and potential victims actually stopped the attacker in 17 such cases.

New Study Demolishes Almost Every Gun Control Myth.  A study published in the latest issue of the academic journal Applied Economics Letters took on many of the claims made regularly by advocates of stricter gun laws.  The study determined that nearly every claim made in support of stronger restrictions on gun ownership is not supported by an exhaustive analysis of crime statistics.

Chicago gun sale ban unconstitutional, judge rules.  U.S. District Judge Edmond E. Chang said in his ruling that while the government has a duty to protect its citizens, it's also obligated to protect constitutional rights, including the right to keep and bear arms for self-defense.

Detroit police chief: Legal gun owners can deter crime.  If more citizens were armed, criminals would think twice about attacking them, Detroit Police Chief James Craig said Thursday [1/2/2014].  Urban police chiefs are typically in favor of gun control or reluctant to discuss the issue, but Craig on Thursday was candid about how he's changed his mind.

Top gun company splits from Colorado, costing state $85 million.  Magpul Industries, a leading firearms accessories maker, will relocate its extensive manufacturing facilities to Texas and Wyoming in response to the Colorado legislature's enactment of sweeping gun control legislation last year, the company announced Thursday [1/2/2014].  At the same time, the company plans to maintain a toehold in Colorado to continue to fight the gun control bills passed by the Democrat-dominated General Assembly and signed in March by Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat.

The Bleeding Obvious.  [T]he push for "gun control" in this country has almost nothing to do with safety (something every responsible gun owner is entirely in favor of) and everything to do with the Left's innately fascist impulses.  Restrict it!  Ban it!  Outlaw it!  These people never stop, they never sleep, they never quit, even in the face of all the evidence.

Mass Shootings and the Left.  A return towards traditional social structures and values would perhaps help more than politically motivated, lobbyist driven, misdirected legislation touted by the left as "gun control."  It would seem that what we need is people control.  While unbounded freedom of personal expression might lead to Utopia, it can also lead to anarchy, a lesson liberals have yet to learn.

Court deals blow to SAFE Act.  New York's ban on assault weapons is constitutional, but the state's gun control law cannot limit a magazine to seven bullets, a federal court judge ruled Tuesday [1/2/2014].  The ruling by Chief U.S. District Judge William Skretny in Buffalo found New York's law, called the SAFE Act, doesn't infringe on Second Amendment rights.  But the judge tossed a provision that allows only seven bullets in a magazine, saying the number is "arbitrary."

Obama Proposes Firearm Background Check Changes.  The Obama administration on Friday [1/3/2014] announced a pair of executive actions aimed at strengthening federal background checks for gun purchasers, with a particular focus on limiting firearm access for those with mental health issues.

Detroit police chief: Legal gun owners can deter crime.  If more citizens were armed, criminals would think twice about attacking them, Detroit Police Chief James Craig said Thursday [1/2/2014].  Urban police chiefs are typically in favor of gun control or reluctant to discuss the issue, but Craig on Thursday was candid about how he's changed his mind.

Gun reregistration begins in D.C., may lead to arrest and confiscation.  Starting on Jan. 2, every single D.C. resident who has registered a firearm since 1976 must go to police headquarters to pay a $48 fee and be photographed and fingerprinted.  The Metropolitan Police Department estimates there are at least 30,000 registered gun owners.  If the registrant does not go to the police station within three months after a set time frame, the registration is revoked.  That citizen is then in possession of an unregistered firearm, which is a felony that carries a maximum penalty of a $1,000 fine and a year in jail.

Magpul Industries finally making good on threat to leave Colorado.  The Colorado-based firearms accessories manufacturer that threatened to leave the state if more-restrictive gun legislation was passed is finally making good on its threat more than nine months after the new gun laws went into effect.  In a press release issued on Thursday, Magpul Industries CEO Richard Fitzpatrick said his company, which currently employs 250 people in Colorado, will be relocating its shipping operations to Cheyenne, Wyo. and its company headquarters to an undisclosed location in Texas.

After Passing Background Checks in 1993, Dems Got Romped in 1994.  In 1993, Democrats passed background checks for firearms purchasers, and in 1994, they were romped in the congressional elections.  Then, as now, we had a Democrat president — Bill Clinton — and a Democrat-controlled Senate, under Senate Majority Leader George J. Mitchell (D-Maine).

EPA Pushes Gun Control Through Green Ammo Mandate.  The Herculaneum smelter, according to the National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action, is the only one in the U.S. that can produce lead bullion from raw lead ore and the components for traditional lead ammunition.  The only alternatives, the institute says, will be to import the ammo components or use EPA-approved "green" ammunition.  The Arms Trade Treaty may be unratified, but it provides the administration with a justification for restricting U.S. imports of ammunition and components.

Be prepared: Wall Street advisor recommends guns, ammo for protection in collapse.  A top financial advisor, worried that Obamacare, the NSA spying scandal and spiraling national debt is increasing the chances for a fiscal and social disaster, is recommending that Americans prepare a "bug-out bag" that includes food, a gun and ammo to help them stay alive.  David John Marotta, a Wall Street expert and financial advisor and Forbes contributor, said in a note to investors, "Firearms are the last item on the list, but they are on the list.  There are some terrible people in this world.  And you are safer when your trusted neighbors have firearms."

Eyewitness to Hitler Warns: "Keep Your Guns and Buy More Guns".  When Katie Worthman was a little girl in Austria, she witnessed firsthand Adolph Hitler's rise to power and the Soviet communist occupation that followed.  She also witnessed, for decades, the distortions of the media when it came to the reporting of the events.  From her eyewitness perspective, Worthman said that the whole thing didn't happen overnight, in a brutal attack, like the media portrays it, but rather, it evolved into a dictatorship gradually, over a period of a few years.  Hitler didn't come across as someone evil, to be feared, initially.  "In the beginning, Hitler didn't look like, or talk like a monster at all.  He talked like an American politician."

Missouri bill would nullify all federal gun laws, 'past, present or future'.  In Missouri, legislation has been introduced to nullify every federal gun control measure on the books, "whether past, present or future."  The 2nd Amendment Preservation Act, introduced as Senate Bill 613 (SB613) for the 2014 legislative session by Sen. Brian Nieves, follows on the heels of a failed effort to do the same in 2013.  A similar bill passed both Missouri houses by a large margin earlier this year, but after a veto by Governor Jay Nixon, an override effort failed by one vote.

Why Are The Democrats So Eager To See America Disarmed?  Essentially, to facilitate remaining in power, and for self preservation.  And for the full answer to that, let me turn to the recognized expert on the topic.  Niccolò Machiavelli wrote Il Principe, The Prince, which most rulers of the past 500 years have had on their nightstand.  While The Prince should take up a quarter of one high school civics or government class, one chapter in particular should be read and understood by every gun owner.

Not Trying to Ban Guns — Except When We Are.  I was invited to speak at a law school symposium in November at the University of Connecticut.  I was there to speak about the connection between mental illness and mass murder. [...] Richard Aborn, formerly chairman of Handgun Control, Inc. (now the Brady Campaign), spoke at the symposium.  Aborn claimed that he supported reasonable gun control laws. [...] He was very emphatic about this — the "gun reform" or "gun safety" movement (they never call it gun control anymore) is not about banning guns.

Stopped in 80 Seconds: Armed Response, Not Gun Control, Halted School Rampage.  [Scroll down]  A Cleveland.com story concludes that school shooters aren't interested in a fight; they're interested in soft targets that will leave them in control of the situation long enough to accomplish their evil deed.  In this case, the perpetrators was met instead with a hard target — an armed, qualified security presence that was ready and willing to stop him — and did so in just 80 seconds.  Gun-control laws didn't stop a possible massacre at Arapahoe High School.  A good guy with a gun stopped the rampage and in doing so almost certainly prevented much greater harm. For that, we can all be thankful.

Armed School Resource Officer Confronted Arapahoe High School Shooter.  When an armed school resource officer entered the room, Pierson believed he was cornered and turned his gun on himself, Robinson said.  The entire attack lasted approximately 80 seconds and was captured by security cameras.

The Editor says...
Notice that the police didn't arrive in 80 seconds — the nearest guy with a gun did.

Withheld documents about gun buyback will cost city $38,000.  The city of Seattle will pay $38,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by the Second Amendment Foundation over failure to release public records relating to Mayor Mike McGinn's January gun buyback.  The settlement was signed today by Carl Marquardt, legal counsel to mayor Mike McGinn, and includes an apology for the mayor's office's failure to release records about the controversial buyback program that netted about 700 guns but also provoked criticism from public health and gun-rights advocates that it wouldn't reduce gun violence.

The Faithful Sheriffs.  The refusal of sheriffs to enforce laws on gun control is at the top of page one of the New York Times this morning.  Nice to see it there, as this is one of our favorite stories, trans-combining all the conflicting elements of federalism and constitutionalism.  The Times focuses on the decision of the sheriff of Weld County, Colorado, to hang back from enforcing a law banning the possession, sale, or transfer of so-called large-capacity magazines.  It describes the sheriff, John Cooke, holding up two magazines, one with a large capacity and the other not, and declaring that he can't tell which is which.  Even if he could tell the difference, the law is as unconstitutional as a ban on gospel music or a trial by a jury of kings.

Sheriffs Refuse to Enforce Laws on Gun Control.  Colorado's package of gun laws, enacted this year after mass shootings in Aurora, Colo., and Newtown, Conn., has been hailed as a victory by advocates of gun control.  But if [Weld County] Sheriff [John] Cooke and a majority of the other county sheriffs in Colorado offer any indication, the new laws — which mandate background checks for private gun transfers and outlaw magazines over 15 rounds — may prove nearly irrelevant across much of the state's rural regions.

Sons of Divorce, School Shooters.  Another shooting, another son of divorce.  From Adam Lanza, who killed 26 children and adults a year ago at Sandy Hook School in Newtown, Conn., to Karl Pierson, who shot a teenage girl and killed himself this past Friday at Arapahoe High in Centennial, Colo., one common and largely unremarked thread tying together most of the school shooters that have struck the nation in the last year is that they came from homes marked by divorce or an absent father.

1 year after Newtown, support for stricter gun control has disappeared.  President Obama has pushed hard for gun control this year and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has spent millions of dollars on ads, but the administration's promise to coordinate "a November lobbying effort and plan events to commemorate the first anniversary of the Newtown, Connecticut" has gotten little traction.  Last year the Newtown shooting, with it horrific slaughter, lead [sic] to an immediate national movement for gun control.  But that was short-lived, and opposition to gun control is currently very strong.  Indeed, it appears to be the strongest in decades.

Media Fail: NRA Twice as Popular as Mike Bloomberg.  Saturday is the one-year anniversary of the horrific murders at Sandy Hook Elementary, which means it is also the anniversary of a shameless media attempting to exploit those murders into restrictions against our Second Amendment civil rights.  Everywhere today you can see the elite media licking their wounds over this humiliating defeat.

Why did the founders give us the Second Amendment?  Why was this right important enough to become a part of the United States Constitution?  Obviously, it was felt that people had the right to protect themselves and their property, as has been the case with civilizations throughout the history of mankind.  The method of protection and the types of arms used to achieve it has varied with technological advances.  Some people prefer to focus on the intent of the Second Amendment, rather than the weapons themselves.  Others feel that the biggest problem is the increasing potency of the weapons that can legally be used by virtually anyone.  Others find different reasons to either support or argue for different interpretations of the amendment.

Gun Confiscation Underway in New York.  Nearly a year ago, the New York legislature passed the toughest gun control law in the country known as the S.A.F.E. Act.  It was rushed through in the middle of the night and as soon as it landed on Governor Cuomo's desk, he signed it without asking questions.  Now, local and state government are taking the opportunity to crack down on regulations already on the books which means for many, turn in your guns or leave.

Gun Confiscation Underway in New York.  Nobody is coming for your guns, they said.  Nobody is taking away your rights, they said.  This is all about public safety, they said.

New York City confiscating rifles and shotguns.  The New York City Police Department (NYPD) is sending out letters telling gun owners to turn over their rifles and shotguns — or else face the consequences.  New York City's ban on rifles and shotguns that hold more than five rounds is now being enforced, according to a letter the NYPD is sending out to targeted city gun owners.

NFL Fan Blasts Hypocrisy of Rejecting Home Defense Ad by Gun Company.  It seems the Super Bowl has fallen victim to political correctness.  They've decided to ban a pro-Second Amendment — and pro-veteran — Super Bowl ad by Daniel Defense, a company that sells guns, detailing a father who declares that he will protect his family.  "No one has the right to tell me how to defend them," he says.  The banning promoted this epic response from Colion Noir, a football fan, attorney — and NRA News commentator — who destroys the NFL for their hypocrisy.

GOP 3-D gun ban gives early Christmas to Obama, Democrats.  The House Republican leadership with its Dec. 3 vote to extend the ban on "undetectable" guns proved again it excels at political cowardice and betrayal of conservatives.  Do not bother looking for the roll call of the yeas and nays on the vote, the GOP leaders, working with Democrats, suspended the rules and passed the measure with a voice vote — with maybe 15 actual congressmen on the House floor.  In another profile in cowardice, Republicans put up Rep. J. Howard Coble (R.-N.C) to sponsor the bill, H.R. 3626.  The 82-year-old congressman announced his retirement a month ago, so let's just say he took one for the team, so one of his comrades, who will actually face the voters in 2014, would not have to defend the bill.

Congressional Study: Murder Rate Nearly Halved from 1994 as Gun Ownership Soared.  A Congressional Research Service (CRS) report shows that while gun ownership climbed from 192 million firearms in 1994 to 310 million firearms in 2009, crime fell — and fell sharply.  According to the report, the "firearm-related murder and non-negligent homicide" rate was 6.6 per 100,000 Americans in 1993.  Following the exponential growth in the number of guns, that rate fell to 3.6 per 100,000 in 2000.

How the Nazis Used Gun Control.  The perennial gun-control debate in America did not begin here.  The same arguments for and against were made in the 1920s in the chaos of Germany's Weimar Republic, which opted for gun registration.  Law-abiding persons complied with the law, but the Communists and Nazis committing acts of political violence did not.  In 1931, Weimar authorities discovered plans for a Nazi takeover in which Jews would be denied food and persons refusing to surrender their guns within 24 hours would be executed.  They were written by Werner Best, a future Gestapo official.  In reaction to such threats, the government authorized the registration of all firearms and the confiscation thereof, if required for "public safety."

Backdoor gun control is here: no lead means no bullets.  The closedown [of the Doe Run Lead Smelter] is due to new extremely tight air quality restrictions placed on this specific plant.  President Obama and his EPA raised the regulations by 10 fold and it would have cost the plant $100 million to comply.  In response to the Doe Run lead smelter shutdown, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the Doe Run Company "made a business decision" to shut down the smelter instead of installing pollution control technologies needed to reduce sulfur dioxide and lead emissions as required by the Clean Air Act.  Of course this is why we need serious regulatory reform that precludes executive agency fiat, especially regulation implementation that exceeds a certain adverse financial impact to a private sector business.

Allen West warns Obama's 'backdoor gun control is moving forward'.  Come 2014, all ammunition sold to civilian gun-owners in America will have to be imported, a result of President Obama's crackdown on sulfur dioxide and lead emissions and accompanying harsh Environmental Protection Agency regulations, said former Florida congressman, Lt. Col. Allen West.  And for defenders of the Second Amendment, that means higher ammo prices are likely on the way — a situation Mr. West writes on his blog, AllenBWest.com, is akin to a federal power-grab on guns, albeit through the backdoor.

NYC alarms with notice: 'Immediately surrender your rifle'.  New York City authorities have been sending out notices to residents who own guns that now violate new ammunition capability laws, demanding they relinquish their weapons — and even though the notifications may just be standard police procedure, the text is a shocker.  At issue:  Weapons that hold more than five rounds of ammo, The Blaze reported.

The Gun-Control Movement's Thug Tactics in Colorado.  In Colorado, efforts to recall a third anti-gun politician ended this morning [11/27/2013] with the news that Senator Evie Hudak, who represents the communities of Arvada and Westminster, will resign.  Hudak apparently decided that the election, which if lost could have flipped control of the state's senate, was not worth the risk.  Hudak is one of many who backed Colorado's hated new gun restrictions, but she is especially disliked among Second Amendment advocates for having callously dismissed the testimony of a rape survivor during a legislative hearing.

Why opposition to gun control has increased over the last half-century.  Economist Bryan Caplan notes that support for gun control — specifically, banning handguns or pistols — has decreased dramatically since the 1950s and 1960s. [...] Caplan seems puzzled by this substantial change in opinion.  I think it's explainable by two developments.  (1) Violent crime roughly tripled between 1965 and 1975. [...]

Agency That Lost 2500 Guns in Mexico Pushing New Federal Regulations For Lost Guns.  The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, the agency whose agents purposely lost 2500 guns in Mexico during Operation Fast and Furious after sanctioning illegal gun sales from law abiding gun dealerships, is eying new federal regulations for lost guns in the United States.

Slow Motion Gun Confiscation in California.  California has established gun confiscation squads that move through California confiscating guns that were registered.  As predicted in the essay "Gun Registration is Gun Confiscation" written in 2000, gun confiscation is not being implemented in massive door to door searches, though such confiscations have happened in recent history, such as in the Philippines in 1972, and even during a flood in Canada this year (2013).

Cleveland settles federal lawsuit over confiscated gun.  The city of Cleveland will return Derrick Washington's .38-caliber Taurus as part a settlement in a federal court battle over the city's seizure of the weapon, Washington's lawyer says.  The gun was confiscated and never returned even after a city prosecutor refused to press charges, citing a lack of evidence.

Holder takes aim at 3-D guns, calls for renewal of metal detection law.  Calling 3-D plastic guns an "extremely serious problem," Attorney General Eric Holder called on Congress to renew a law that requires all firearms to be subject to metal detection.  The Undetectable Firearms Act, a law first enacted in 1988 and then reauthorized in 2003, makes it illegal to "manufacture, import, sell, ship, deliver, possess, transfer or receive" any firearm that's undetectable by scanners.  But the law is set to expire Dec. 9, unless Congress again reauthorizes it.

Sheriff Believes in Right to Bear Arms, Unless you Actually do.  The vast majority of murders are committed by a small minority of violent individuals who have a long history of violence and criminal convictions.

MA Politician Wants Unannounced Home Searches by Police to Enforce Gun Law.  Swampscott, Massachusetts Selectman Barry Greenfield is pushing a measure to give police the authority to conduct home searches to check proper storage of firearms.  Greenfield said "state law requires Massachusetts gun owners to keep their firearms locked away or rendered inoperable."  There are "600 registered gun owners in [Swampscott]," and the selectman wants police to be able to drop in unannounced, enter the homes of each gun owner, and verify compliance.

The Editor says...
The 4th Amendment very clearly prohibits blanket searches of every house in town, looking for guns, drugs, cash, or whatever the cops can find.  If an idea like this were to be met with no resistance, those unannounced searches would become a daily routine, and the 4th Amendment would be an archaic technicality.  Even the mere proposal of such a law (by the state of Massachusetts) is what one would expect to see only in Cuba, North Korea or East Germany.

Pennsylvania Town Clings to Its Guns, Ousts Mayor.  Many of these people feel attacked on all sides for many activities that they consider normal, such as hunting, going to church, flying a flag on holidays or every day, and wishing store clerks a "Merry Christmas!"  So when Mayor Bloomberg brings his circus to town to build his own fame and to spread money around, or when Washington decides it wants to start regulating gun ownership with more background checks, these people react in the only respectful way they know:  They vote out of office those who are infringing on their way of life.

There are Three Kinds of Gun Control Advocates.  All we want is to be left alone.  If we were violent, we have the means to cause a great deal of destruction.  We don't because our aim isn't to take anything away from anybody.  We just want to hold on to our culture and our guns.

Gonzaga students face possible expulsion for using gun to ward off intruder.  A pair of college students in Washington state are facing disciplinary action, including possible expulsion, for using a handgun to prevent an intruder from entering their university-owned apartment.  According to MyFoxSpokane.com, a discipline board at Gonzaga University in Spokane voted Friday [11/8/2013] to move forward with sanctions against Erik Fagan and Dan McIntosh.

Related topic:  Please refrain from defending your own life and property.

New book looks at Hitler's use of gun control to disarm Jews.  Stephen Halbrook's new book could earn him a contentious evening on Piers Morgan's CNN show.  In his recently released "Gun Control in the Third Reich: Disarming the Jews and 'Enemies of the State'," the famed Second Amendment attorney attempts to take a scholarly look at gun control in Germany before-and-after Hitler took power.  But Halbrook doesn't shy away from pointing out what he sees as parallels, if not comparisons, between what happened then with what is happening in America now.

Gun Companies Leave New York Following SAFE Act.  American Tactical Imports (ATI) announced it would be leaving the state and will be investing $2.7 million in its new facility and creating 117 new jobs in South Carolina.  ATI's announcement follows the decision of Kahr Arms to relocate to neighboring Pennsylvania, citing "uncertainty" about gun laws following the passage of the SAFE Act.

Obama's 1984.  The Obama administration allegedly put in place in 2009 a highly classified program to solicit the aid of Christian pastors in identifying and exposing anti-government sentiment within conservative, evangelical churches.  The request was worded in a manner that was intended to give the impression that the concern was about potential domestic terrorism.  One pastor claims he was asked by government operatives to keep his eyes and ears open to anyone in the congregation who was highly critical of the government, and to report such suspicious activity.  The pastor also claims he was told to keep tabs on anyone in his flock who were avid gun owners and/or Tea Partiers.

Goodbye New York, Hello South Carolina: Third Gun Company Leaves Over Cuomo's SAFE Act.  When New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the SAFE Act in January — what he referred to as "common sense" gun-control legislation — the law not only turned many law-abiding citizens into criminals, it also drove businesses and jobs out of the state.  With a move to South Carolina, American Tactical Imports has become the third firearm company to relocate its operations from New York to more gun-friendly states.

Americans undergo stunning gun control shift, new poll finds.  The call for stricter gun control has waned since the Newtown, Conn., school shooting at the end of 2012, a Gallup poll released Friday found.  In the days following the school shooting, which killed 20 children and six staff members, 58 percent of those polled wanted stricter gun control.  Now, almost a year after the December shooting, that number has dropped to 49 percent.

D.C. businessman faces two years in jail for unregistered ammunition, brass casing.  Mark Witaschek, a successful financial adviser with no criminal record, is facing two years in prison for possession of unregistered ammunition after D.C. police raided his house looking for guns.  Mr. Witaschek has never had a firearm in the city, but he is being prosecuted to the full extent of the law.  The trial starts on Nov. 4.  The police banged on the front door of Mr. Witaschek's Georgetown home at 8:20 p.m. on July 7, 2012, to execute a search warrant for "firearms and ammunition ... gun cleaning equipment, holsters, bullet holders and ammunition receipts."

California — Living Proof of the Slippery Slope of Rational Apathy.  The California slippery slope of anti-freedom legislation — whatever the political agenda — has been a model for the rest of the nation.  This is the ceaseless, incremental strategy of the California gun control movement that continues to this day.  On gun control, thankfully, the rest of the nation has mostly failed to follow.  But here in the Golden State, the Golden Rule of gun control has always been to swipe freedoms one small step at a time.  Over, and over, and over again.

Is The Obama Administration the Cause of Ammunition Shortages?  The reason for the ammunition shortage should be obvious.  After all, with gun sales continuing to break records all those people buying semiautomatic rifles and handguns need a lot of ammunition.  Anyone who has used a semiautomatic rifle or handgun to shoot self-resetting steel targets knows that ammo always seems to be in short supply.  Nevertheless, finding bare shelves that have always been stacked with boxes of ammo has made some wonder if the government has been up to something.

Protective Orders and Firearms, the Salem Witch Trials of Today.  In particular, a person can request a protective order in many states by simply saying they were threatened.  No proof is needed, no evidence required.  Yet for a falsely accused gun owner they are completely stripped of their 2nd Amendment rights, as a condition of a protective order is that you must forfeit your firearms for the duration of the order.  That doesn't seem like due process to me.  That seems like you are going to be treated as guilty until you can somehow prove your innocence.

Supreme Court Takes Gun Rights Case on Convicted Policeman.  Gun rights return to the Supreme Court this year, challenging a federal regulation that resulted in a police officer's felony conviction when he purchased a firearm for his uncle.  Bruce Abramski is a former police officer whose uncle wanted to buy a firearm.  His uncle is a law-abiding person who can legally purchase, but since Abramski is a former policeman, there are gun shops where he can buy firearms at a discount.  Thus, he decided to buy the gun for his uncle.

Have Barack Obama and Eric Holder Caused an Increase in Mass Murder?  Attorney General Eric Holder said today [10/21/2013], in a speech to a convention of police chiefs, that mass shooting incidents have tripled in the last few years. [...] Normally that might be considered an admission against interest, inasmuch as he is the nation's chief law enforcement officer.  But of course Holder didn't take any responsibility for the trend he described.  As far as I can tell, Democrats are interested in crime only when it serves as an excuse for gun control; never as a reason to consider more effective law enforcement measures, or to step up prosecution and punishment of criminals.

'Fast and Furious' is Ok, But The Innocent Gun Buyer Goes to Prison.  Ever thought about helping out a family member by buying them that hunting rifle they've been looking at, or that Glock 19 they've been talking about getting?  Well, prepare for prison if you buy it for them.  A well established, and yet often ignored, law that was designed to stop criminals from getting their hands on guns through a third party might actually make more criminals than it catches.

NJ's 2002 smart-gun law could take effect soon, limit supply.  For years, they've existed only in science fiction and the archives of the New Jersey Legislature:  handguns that fire only in the grip of an authorized user.  And yet these so-called smart guns soon could be the only kind sold legally in New Jersey under a state law that has languished on the books for a decade.

Jerry Brown signs lead ammo ban, vetoes bill to ban semi-automatic rifles.  Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Friday banning the use of lead ammunition in hunting, but he vetoed the most controversial gun control bill the Legislature sent to him this year, a proposal to ban the sale of certain semi-automatic rifles.  The bills were among the highest profile in a package of gun control bills Brown acted on Friday.  He signed legislation requiring long gun purchasers to take a firearm safety class and adding criminal liability for firearm storage that endangers a child, but he vetoed bills that would have limited the transfer of unsafe handguns and let Oakland enact its own, stricter gun control laws.

NFL ban off-duty cops from carrying guns into stadiums.  Off-duty cops are no longer able to carry their weapons to NFL stadiums according to a new policy.  Texas is the only state in which an off-duty cop can carry his gun into the stadium.  When checking in, a cop can use a special gate and inform stadium officials of where they will be seated with their gun.  The head of Baltimore City Fraternal Order of Police, Bob Cherry, is outraged by the NFL's decision.

Connecticut gun dealers see ammunition shortage due to laws.  Gun dealers in Connecticut are reporting a shortage in ammunition they say is due to laws restricting guns.

Obama: Transforming America.  There is no new restrictive legislation on firearms; and yet never has the ability to buy reasonably priced ammunition and firearms in quantity been more curtailed.  In loudly threatening to enact more gun control after each publicized tragic shooting, the Obama administration has created a climate of fear, which has prompted hoarding, shortages, panic buying, and paranoia, which have accomplished what the federal government could not.

Are Guns the Problem?  By 1910, the National Rifle Association had succeeded in establishing 73 NRA-affiliated high-school rifle clubs.  The 1911 second edition of the Boy Scout Handbook made qualification in NRA's junior marksmanship program a prerequisite for obtaining a BSA merit badge in marksmanship.  In 1918, the Winchester Repeating Arms Co. established its own Winchester Junior Rifle Corps.  The program grew to 135,000 members by 1925.  In New York City, gun clubs were started at Boys, Curtis, Commercial, Manual Training and Stuyvesant high schools.  With so many guns in the hands of youngsters, did we see today's level of youth violence?

Gun-rights activists sue Maryland to block new firearms law.  Gun-rights activists in Maryland have filed a federal lawsuit to block the state's new gun law before new requirements on assault weapons and large magazines go into effect Oct. 1.  In the lawsuit in filed Thursday [9/26/2013] in U.S. District Court in Maryland, the plaintiffs argues the the Second Amendment and case law protect their right to own assault rifles and magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, The Baltimore Sun reported.

UN Arms Treaty will be menace to US for years to come.  Today, treaties are not just about international conduct.  They seek to regulate how we raise our children, how we treat the disabled, and how we manage our firearms market.  As a result, the old requirement not to violate the "object and purpose" of a signed treaty has become a way to evade the need for Senate ratification.  And in the case of the Arms Trade Treaty, the problem is even worse.  The administration will argue that it already has all the powers it needs to enforce the treaty.

GOP bill allows guns on military bases.  The bill is a response to this month's shooting spree on a Washington, D.C., naval base that left 13 dead.  House Republicans on Thursday [9/26/2013] introduced legislation that would end the ban on carrying firearms on military bases in response to this month's shooting spree on a Washington, D.C., naval base that left 13 dead, including the shooter.  Rep. Steve Stockman (R-Texas) proposed the Safe Military Bases Act, H.R. 3199, along with six other House Republicans.  Stockman said the bill would reverse the Clinton-era gun policy that he said has led to two mass shootings on bases.

Second Amendment Under Attack: John Kerry to Sign U.N. Gun Treaty.  Secretary of State John Kerry has announced his intention to sign the United Nations' gun treaty that has Second Amendment advocates in a stir.  The United Nations General Assembly approved the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) earlier this year, which has been designed to regulate the traffic and possession of weapons between countries.  However, it is likely that the true aim of the treaty is to try and regulate individual firearm ownership while Democrats coyly note, "Don't blame us; it's the UN."

Terry McAuliffe Pledges Colorado-Like Gun Control if Elected.  Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe's (D) website was updated Monday [9/23/2013] to show his commitment to bring Colorado-like gun control to the commonwealth. [...] The limitation on magazine capacity is a Colorado-like gun control measure that will put law-abiding Virginians at a disadvantage the moment it is enacted.  This is because criminals will not obey it but will keep their "high-capacity" magazines so they can outgun their victims.

It's crazy not to talk of mental health after these mass shootings.  Here's what happened:  The Seattle police didn't tell the Navy clearance people that the shooter's 2004 arrest involved a gun, with him shooting out the tires of an antagonist's car.  The Navy police didn't pass on signs of trouble from the shooter's mysterious voices episode in a Rhode Island motel.  The shooter's employer didn't uncover his troubles.  So, this 34-year-old man with a long history of violence involving firearms and admissions to Navy authorities that someone was targeting him with microwaves and talking at him through the walls got a Secret clearance and pass to work in the Navy Yard.

Our Truest Lies.  After the recent shooting tragedy at the Washington Navy Yard, cable news shows, newspaper reports, and talking heads immediately blasted lax gun laws.  The killer, Aaron Alexis, had mowed down 20 innocent people — twelve of them fatally — with yet again the satanic AR-15 semi-automatic "assault" rifle. [...] Then the assault weapon vanished into fantasy.  Instead, over the course of the week, it was slowly learned that the unhinged Alexis had somehow passed at least two background checks, legally bought a shotgun, modified it, and for 30 minutes shot and reloaded it to slaughter the innocent.  Are we to outlaw the owning of shotguns despite background checks and lawful purchases?

Starbucks Should Stick to Coffee and Leave Guns Alone.  We all mourn the events at Washington's Navy Yard on Monday that left 13 people dead, but knee-jerk reactions like that of Starbucks are not effective.  After three years of allowing gun owners to celebrate Starbucks Appreciation Day, openly carrying their guns inside stores located in states with "open carry" laws, Starbucks abruptly reversed its position.

Keywords:  backlash, sitting ducks, sudden realization
Gun control support drops after Navy Yard shooting.  Support for gun control has dropped to its lowest level in a year, despite this week's Washington Navy Yard shootings and a string of mass shootings over the past 14 months.  What's more, a new Rasmussen Reports poll finds that nearly half of all Americans — 46 percent — believe that the nation would be less safe if only police and the military were allowed to have guns.

The real Navy Yard scandal.  It's always the weapon and never the shooter.  Twelve people are murdered in a rampage at the Washington Navy Yard, and before sundown Sen. Dianne Feinstein has called for yet another debate on gun violence.  Major opprobrium is heaped on the AR-15, the semiautomatic used in the Newtown massacre.  Turns out no AR-15 was used at the Navy Yard. And the shotgun that was used was obtained legally in Virginia after the buyer, Aaron Alexis, had passed both a state and federal background check.

How to Ban Guns: A step by step, long term process.  "The very first thing we need is national registry.  We need to know where the guns are, and who has them."  "Along with this, make private sales illegal."  Next...  "Now that the vast majority are registered, we can do what we will.  One good first step would be to close the registry to new registrations. [...]"

Connecticut judge declares 'No one should have guns'.  A Superior Court judge in Bristol "expressed his contempt for the right to keep and bear arms' in a closed door meeting in his chambers, the state gun rights group Connecticut Carry reported last Thursday in a media advisory.  Judge Robert C. Brunetti "exposed his bigotry for fundamental civil rights in front of at least three defense attorneys," the group explained.  "No one in this country should have guns," the judge reportedly stated, adding "I never return guns."

Same Lies, Different Day.  In recent months, the hyperbole and emotionalism of liberal efforts to reinstitute the Assault Weapons Ban, and other de facto infringements of the Second Amendment, have calmed in some places, and been reversed in others, giving those who seek real solutions to difficult problems a chance to be heard.  Discussions regarding practical means of preventing the mentally ill from gaining access to guns have taken place among the rational, who recognize that the problem lies with the actor, and not the instrument.

OFA Uses Navy Yard Shooting to Fundraise.  Organizing for Action, the non-profit group that branched off the Obama campaign, used this week's Navy Yard shooting to ask supporters for donations in an e-mail.  The e-mail asks supporters to "chip in today" after supporters sign an online petition to push for more gun-control measures.

Starbucks: We'd Prefer You Keep Your Guns Out of Our Coffee Shops.  Starbucks allows customers to carry firearms into their stores so long as state and local firearms laws are obeyed.  For example, in states where concealed or open carry is allowed, it's allowed in Starbucks.  But now, although Starbucks isn't reversing their policy, (meaning they will still respect firearms laws and a person's right to carry) the chain's CEO is saying guns are unwelcome but not banned.

Armed Citizen Confronted at Starbucks.  Starbucks has become known nationally for its neutral policy on the carry of firearms.  If you are following the law, Starbucks is willing to take your money in exchange for their product.

Did gun-control moms 'nag' Starbucks into policy change?  An organization called Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America is taking credit for Starbucks' headline-making decision to stop allowing guns in its coffeehouses.  "This is a huge win for American moms who fought for this policy change," said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action.

The Editor says...
As I understand it, Starbucks still allows guns in their stores where they are legally permitted — the guns just aren't welcome any more.  Memo to Starbucks:  Instead of playing on both sides of the fence, why don't you ban guns from your stores altogether, then put up a big GUN FREE ZONE
sign on the door?  While you're at it, put up another sign that says, "Our customers have more money than most people, and probably carry a lot of cash."  The more people hear that guns are not welcome at a specific place, the more likely it is there will be trouble.

The gun control debate Sen. Feinstein does not want to have.  One may assume that because this is a military establishment that there were well-armed men and women guarding the buildings, and that at least the military employees would be able to defend themselves with their firearm.  While this seems logical given the weapons training completed in the military, an order signed in 1993 by then President Bill Clinton leaves these brave men and women without the ability to carry their personal firearm for protection.

Three Reasons Why We 'Cling'.  First, the practical:  My family will be less safe if we're not armed.  We're from Columbia, Tennessee, (actually closer to Mount Pleasant than Columbia proper) and live well outside of town.  In other words, when seconds count, the police can be up to 15 to 20 minutes away.  This is no insult to the police.  Our local sheriff's deputies are fine people and good officers, but they simply can't cover the amount of territory they would have to in order to be immediately available.

Police warned Navy about gunman's mental instability 6 weeks ago, report says.  A Newport, Rhode Island police sergeant reported Navy Yard shooter Aaron Alexis to naval station police last month after the suspect told cops he was "hearing voices" through his hotel room wall and that three people were following him and sending vibrations into his body, according to a police report obtained by FoxNews.com.

Guns and Schizophrenia.  Aaron Alexis wasn't an Islamic terrorist or even (fallacious and deeply reactionary as our government was) a man angry at workplace "mistreatment" of some sort like Major Hasan.  Aaron Alexis was deeply and completely insane.  He heard voices.  He was nuts.  Ditto for a whole series of whackos lately in Tucson, Aurora, Newtown, and Virginia Tech with a huge number of corpses on their hands.  Such people should not have the right to bear arms of any level under any circumstances whatsoever and we on the right should LEAD the charge to prevent it.  The NRA itself should lead the charge.  It might even be a game changer.

Carney: Obama Implementing Executive Actions Following Navy Yard Shooting.  President Barack Obama on Monday wearily lamented "yet another mass shooting," this time in the nation's capital where the debate that raged earlier this year over tightening firearms laws has stalled amid opposition from gun-rights advocates.

Naval Yard shooting aftermath went according to script.  The Colorado recall votes last week delivered a heavy blow to the gun grabbers.  For them, the slaughter at the Naval Yard was an opportunity, and they are not letting it pass by.

Lesson of Navy Yard Shooting Echoes Lessons of Camp Liberty, Ft. Hood.  Yesterday's [9/16/2013] shooting spree at Washington's Navy Yard reminds us that disarmed military personnel are made-to-order victims for spree shooters. [...] The lesson of the Camp Liberty and Fort Hood shootings was that disarmed soldiers are just as vulnerable as anyone else to a spree shooter exploiting the fish-in-a-barrel opportunity of a "gun free zone."  More details will emerge from the Navy Yard shooting, but we already know everything we need to know.  The criminal justice system had the shooter in its control, but for whatever liberal impulses were at play that day, this dangerous man was released.

Can We Talk About Mental Health Now?  The one thing that unites most of the horrific mass shooting events of late — Tucson, Aurora, Newtown, Virginia Tech and now the Washington Naval Yards — is that they were all perpetrated by people with serious histories of mental illness. [...] Nothing will ever stop every crazy person from killing people, with or without firearms.  But surely there's a better way to do things than accept these horrors as a new normal?

The Bloomberg Backlash.  Colorado rushed out its new regulations in the wake of the massacre at Newtown, Connecticut.  It passed laws to require background checks on private guns sales and limit the size of ammunition magazines.  It did so over the objection of Republicans and as gun control measures were failing in the U.S. Congress.  Voters, at least in some districts, were furious.  One senator who was just recalled, Angela Giron, was from a working class district that was solidly Democratic.  The other, John Morse, was president of the state senate.

Bloomberg's Gun Control Group Pushes Ahead Amid Scrutiny.  After Democrats lost seats in the Colorado state legislature due to a recall vote of two State Senators over their active support of tighter gun control laws, further scrutiny fell upon the seven-year old organization Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG).  The group, co-founded and co-chaired by New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, is responsible for pushing gun control legislation across the country, including in Colorado.

Illinois Supreme Court overturns gun conviction.  Illinois' old law banning the concealed carry of firearms took another hit Thursday [9/12/2013].

The Colorado recall was about more than gun control.  [Scroll down]  The law was passed with little or no direct input from local law enforcement professionals as opposed to gun control activists and appointed bureaucrats.  And why not?  The pundits were for it.  The media coverage was positive.  The activists were pouring money into the issue.  Obama himself came and spoke for gun control while surrounded by (all politically appointed) police chiefs and police cadets.  The result was a law in which parts are so incredibly unworkable that 55 of the 62 elected sheriffs in Colorado joined in Cooke et al. v. Hickenlooper.

The Epic Meltdown of the Gun-Grabbers.  Appearing on cable TV Thursday to answer the question "What happened?" Pueblo State Sen. Angela Giron sputtered that she lost her seat due to "voter suppression."  Giron whined to CNN anchor Brooke Baldwin that voters "weren't able to get to the polls" and that there was "voter confusion."  "Voter confusion"?  My goodness.  You'd think there were no public libraries, local television stations, talk radio, newspapers, blogs, Facebook, Twitter or government websites to get information about the elections.

Liberals in Retreat.  In Colorado, liberals are already in denial about the fact that two Democratic state senators were recalled from office in districts Barack Obama carried by some 20 percentage points only ten months ago.  The recalls were organized by citizens upset with the lawmakers' votes in favor of a gun-control measure.  The two senators also helped pass bills perceived as being against the interests of rural areas and helped push through a fraud-prone election law that shifted the Centennial State to all-mail voting.

Colorado Voters Blow Whistle On Anti-Gun Pols.  Colorado voters were persuaded that the perils of an unarmed citizenry and the spread of gun-free zones place the public in greater peril at the hands of the unhinged and criminal predators in their midst, and perhaps perceived the common thread in such tragedies — the absence of people willing and able to shoot back.

Mississippi Open Carry: The 2nd Amendment Is Your Carry Permit.  While everyone was watching news in Colorado during the final weeks of the recalls, Mississippi was instituting a new law to allow the open carry of firearms without a concealed carry permit.  House Bill 2 was passed in Mississippi's last legislative session and signed into law by Governor Phil Bryant (R), but put on hold in July when Circuit Judge Winston Kidd issued an injunction to have the legislature "clarify it."  On August 29 the Mississippi Supreme Court "unanimously upheld the... open carry law," setting the stage for it to take effect.

Wendy Davis Wants Double-Barreled Assault on Texans' Gun Rights.  The results of Tuesday's recall elections in Colorado are unambiguous.  Two Democratic state senators, one of them the sitting president of the Colorado Senate, faced recall elections.  State Sen. John Morse and State Sen. Angela Giron, both Democrats, had the full support of Michael Bloomberg's Mayors Against Illegal Guns as well as their state party and the Democratic National Committee.  They were both recalled last night.  Tossed from office.  They lost their seats, and the Republicans nearly took control of the Colorado Senate.  One issue drove the entire recall:  guns.  In Giron's case, returns reveal that thousands of Democrats even voted to recall her.

National gun registry gets head start as Maryland compromises gun owners' privacy.  Gun owners place a high value on their privacy.  Anti-gun politicians realize this and are hoping they can use the prospect of entering their names into a gun registry to scare these Americans away from buying a firearm.  Every time these gun grabbers get caught in the act, Second Amendment supporters need to cry foul.

The Gun Control Moment Passes.  Any lingering doubt that the gun-control moment has passed was removed last night when two Democratic state senators in Colorado were removed from office by a recall vote because of their support for new gun legislation.  Despite benefiting from the infusion of more than $3 million in outside contributions from anti-gun groups, including $300,000 from Bloomberg, the pair — State Senate President John Morse and Angela Giron — was beaten by Republicans in the recall vote.

Welcome to the Sitting Duck Apartments.  If someone breaks in, just call 9-1-1 and help will probably arrive in less than an hour.
New residents of Denver apartment complex not allowed to have guns.  A privately-owned apartment complex that receives funding from the federal government is drawing criticism for a soon-to-be implemented policy that prohibits new residents from having guns.  The property manager says it's about safety, but gun rights advocates say the policy is against the law.

Waking a Sleeping Giant in Colorado.  These were the first recalls of legislators in Colorado history.  Nationally, recalls of state legislators, particularly state legislative leaders, has been very difficult.  Morse and Giron were only the 37th and 38th state legislators in U.S. history to face recall votes (before this vote, precisely half the efforts had succeeded).  Prior to Morse, there had only been four recall elections against legislative leaders, and the legislative leader was retained in three of those four races.  Giron was also a powerful senator, serving as vice chairman of the very important, especially for her rural district, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Energy Committee.

Recall Vote Throws Wrench in Colorado's Liberal Shift.  Any wind still left in the sails of gun control advocates likely died — at least for now — when Colorado voters successfully recalled two state senators on Sept. 10.  This stern punishment came after lawmakers in the Mile High state toughened regulations on background checks and limited the size of ammo magazines.  It was a rout.

NRA applauds "gutted" Chicago gun control ordinance.  The Chicago gun control ordinance rushed into place after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the city's handgun ban would be "gutted" to satisfy Illinois' concealed carry law, under a rewrite advanced Monday [9/9/2013] that delighted the National Rifle Association.  Todd Vandermyde, the NRA's legislative liaison, went so far as to call it a "great day for gun owners" in Chicago.

Recall Fights in Colorado Grow Fiercer in Last Days.  The campaigns have grown from a novelty into the central political battle here in Colorado.  Fiercely fought and heavily financed by outside groups, they are widely seen as referendums on whether swing-state Democrats can survive the populist reaction after supporting gun restrictions.

A Famous Victory in Colorado.  Guns are a notoriously touchy subject in America — a supercharged third rail, if you will.  But so too is the notion of accountability.  The country was founded, after all, by men with guns grumbling about the nature of their political representation.  It was in this proud tradition that the disgruntled banded together in Colorado to try to recall two sitting state senators who had not just voted to pass new restrictions on the right to keep and bear arms, but had steadfastly refused to listen to the opposition.

Morse recalled over support of gun laws; Giron race undecided.  State Senate President John Morse became the first Colorado lawmaker to be recalled by his constituents in the state's 137-year history around 9 p.m. Tuesday night.  Less than an hour later, Sen. Angela Giron, also facing a recall due to her support of gun control legislation this year, became the second.

Early turnout strong in Colorado recall effort on gun-control legislation.  Colorado residents go to the polls Tuesday to vote on whether to recall two state senators who supported stricter gun laws in the aftermath of two 2012 mass shootings.  The recall vote effort appears to be the strongest backlash to such state votes — considering Democratic-leaning Connecticut, Maryland and New York passed similar legislation without resulting in a recall effort getting on a ballot.

Warning: D.C. cops under orders to arrest tourists with empty bullet casings.  Washington police are operating under orders to arrest tourists and other non-residents traveling with spent bullet or shotgun casings, a crime that carries a $1,000 fine, a year in jail and a criminal record, according to a new book about the city's confusing gun laws.  "Empty shell casings are considered ammunition in Washington, D.C., so they are illegal to possess unless you are a resident and have a gun registration certificate," pens Emily Miller in her investigative book, "Emily Gets Her Gun: ... But Obama Wants to Take Yours."

The Editor says...
How is an empty shell casing considered ammunition?  It's useless as a weapon.  It's just a piece of brass!

NRA Signs On to ACLU Lawsuit, Claims NSA Starting 'National Gun Registry'.  The National Rifle Association (NRA) joined the American Civil Liberties Union's (ACLU) lawsuit against the National Security Agency (NSA) Wednesday, claiming the federal agency's "database of phone numbers amounts to 'a national gun registry.'"  According to The Hill, the NSA "acknowledged that it collects records on virtually all U.S. phone calls."  The NRA and ACLU see tyranny in this.

Fears of gun registry prompt NRA to back lawsuit against surveillance.  The National Rifle Association said on Wednesday [9/4/2013] it supports a lawsuit brought by civil rights groups to strike down the U.S. government's broad telephone surveillance program, citing potential violations of gun owners' privacy rights.

Colorado: Model for the Rest of the Nation.  At this very moment here in my home state of Colorado we are in the throes of a bitterly fought recall election campaign against two of our elected state representatives, senators John Morse (D-Colorado Springs) and Angela Giron (D-Pueblo).  Those who have sought the state's constitutional remedy for out-of-touch and/or control legislators cite as their motivation these two senators' votes in the 2013 legislative session.  The people spearheading the surprisingly bipartisan recall effort claim these senators stopped paying attention to the people they represent and voted in spite of rather than in accordance with the will of their constituents.

Wilmington Turn In Produces Scant Results.  The clear losers in this event are those who gave away valuable property only to have it destroyed.  North Carolina has passed a law to prevent this senseless destruction of valuable assets.  In the future, guns surrendered to police, or confiscated, will be sold to benefit the public treasury.

Gun-Grabbers Go Full Femme-a-Gogue in Colorado.  A whiff of elitist progressive panic is polluting the Rocky Mountain air.  Polls show "moderate" Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper, who was against anti-Second Amendment gesture theater before he was for it, losing favor here.  The libs' gun-control laws (including more intrusive background checks and ammo mag limits) have driven manufacturing jobs away, made it more difficult for law-abiding gun-owners to conduct business, and done little to increase public safety.

Gun control rally turns into gun rights rally.  There was what could prove to be an instructive moment for the Deplorable Nanny State Mayor this week, provided courtesy of the citizens of Ohio.  The group Mayors Against Illegal Guns hosted a "rally" in Columbus, Ohio to build support for additional gun control legislation, but as the intro to the local news report asked, "what happens when you throw a political rally, but nobody shows up except your opposition?"

Colorado's Grassroots Revolt Against Gun-Grabbers.  On September 10, Democratic legislator and Colorado Senate President John Morse of Colorado Springs faces a citizen recall for his sellout to New York anti-gun special interests, for his betrayal of transparency and accountability to constituents, and for his destructive economic policies that are driving thousands of jobs away.  Also up for recall:  Democratic legislator Angela Giron of Pueblo.

Police take guns from armed interstate protester.  A local Tea Party member has been protesting from perches of busy overpasses, with his assault rifle and semi-automatic handgun in plain sight. [...] "...We're a nation of laws; the law of Virginia is that I can carry my weapon openly."  Hopewell police officers didn't see it that way initially.  "There was about five or six officers," he recollects, and "they had their weapons out, trained on me."  "I was illegally searched, my weapons were illegally taken from me, I was illegally detained.  I was publicly humiliated."

Bias alert!
The remainder of the article immediately above sounds like it was written by the Democratic National Committee.

Efforts to Repeal Stand-Your-Ground Falter, Fail ... Backfire?  The much ballyhooed efforts to repeal the Stand Your Ground law in Florida have suffered an ignominious and well-deserved death.  An enormous and bi-partisan majority of Florida legislators — 72% — this week overwhelmingly declined to hold a special session for the purpose of even debating the repeal of SYG.

Seattle mayor asks businesses to post 'Gun Free Zone' signs.  Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn is partnering with Washington CeaseFire to launch a new campaign designed to help local businesses become gun-free zones, King 5 News first reported.  Businesses can opt into the program by signing a pledge to participate and placing a "Gun Free Zone" decal in their window.  "We are here to support businesses that do not wish to have guns on their premises" Mr. McGinn said in a statement.

After a fit of derisive laughter, The Editor says...
How about another sign that says, WE HAVE NO SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS ?

You don't need a license to exercise a right.
California's State Senate Passes 'Ammunition Purchase Permit' Bill.  As I write [8/13/2013], California's state legislature is attempting to regain for the state the lost title of Most Anti-Gun Place in the Union.  The senate has just passed a provision that would require residents to get hold of a "Purchase Permit" before buying ammunition.

SoCal Senator Pushes For Ammunition Buying License.  A controversial gun measure proposed by a Southern California lawmaker that would require background checks for all ammunition purchases statewide is moving forward in Sacramento.

Chris Christie Signs 10 Gun Bills Into Law.  One of the new laws will disqualify any person on the federal terrorist watch list from obtaining firearms identification cards or permits to purchase handguns. [...] Civil liberties advocates have criticized the watch list for its secrecy.  The list is not public, nor can one petition to have his name removed from it.  There were about 420,000 names on the watch list as of 2011.  It has swollen to nearly 900,000 as of this year.

Shot to the Heart.  Paul Bedard of the Washington Examiner has uncovered a fascinating document:  an 80-page "talking points" monograph titled "Preventing Gun Violence Through Effective Messaging," written by a trio of Democratic political operatives.  The document, as Bedard writes, instructs politicians and advocates "to hype high-profile gun incidents like the Florida slaying of Trayvon Martin to win support for new gun control laws."  Essentially it's a how-to book on inciting a moral panic.

Democratic anti-gun 'guide' urged using Trayvon Martin's death to hit NRA, guns.  "The most powerful time to communicate is when concern and emotions are running at their peak," said the 80-page document titled "Preventing Gun Violence Through Effective Messaging," and produced by three Democratic firms led by the polling and research outfit Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research.

Leaked Democrat memo: Use tragedies to push for gun control: Lott.  Apparently Bloomberg's Mayors Against Illegal Guns playbook has been discovered.

Apt Complex Tells 77-Year Old Marine to Get Rid of Guns or Get Out.  Castle Rock, Colorado's Oakwood Apartments is telling tenants — including 77 year-old Marine Art Dorsch — to get rid of their guns or get out of the apartment complex.  Just last week the manager of the complex sent a letter to tenants informing them of new rules banning all "firearms and weapons" on the premises.

Director of Mayors Against Illegal Guns Says 'Don't Shoot' If Someone Comes At You With a Deadly Weapon.  Executive Director of Mayors Against Illegal Guns Mark Glaze gave some ambiguous and potentially dangerous self defense advice Friday on "Hardball."  Glaze, speaking in opposition to "Stand Your Ground" laws, said in a circumstance where someone "comes at you" with an axe handle one should attempt to either "talk," "fight with your fists," "run away," or "deescalate the situation," but not shoot the attacker.

Detroit's Future Could Depend on 'Stand Your Ground'.  Jay Z is in for a shock.  He, along with Madonna and Stevie Wonder, are boycotting Florida, in protest of the "Stand Your Ground" law that they say allowed the George Zimmerman, who shot Trayvon Martin, to go scot-free.  Does he know that 22 other states have similar laws?  Will he no longer perform in Pennsylvania, Texas, New Hampshire or Utah?  How about Michigan?

Why Gun Owners Are Right to Fight Against Gun Control.  Compromise requires that both parties relinquish something. If your counterpart's position is "give me this now, and I'll take the rest later," there is no real compromise to be had.  Over decades, that has been precisely the experience of American gun owners.

Eric Holder steals George Zimmerman's gun.  Attorney General Eric Holder has confiscated George Zimmerman's gun.  Even though Mr. Zimmerman was acquitted by a jury in the death of Trayvon Martin, the Justice Department on Thursday [7/18/2013] ordered the Sanford police to put a hold on the evidence from the trial, which includes the Kel Tek 9mm handgun.  It is not clear what federal law or legal procedure allows Mr. Holder to stop a police chief in Florida from returning a firearm to an innocent man.

Obama Voted to Strengthen Illinois's Stand Your Ground Law in 2004.  President Obama spent part of his surprise appearance at last Friday's White House press briefing urging that the Stand Your Ground laws that exist in 31 states be reexamined. But only nine years ago, in the Illinois state senate, he co-sponsored a bill that strengthened his state's 1961 Stand Your Ground law.

It was one of the very few bills that bore his fingerprints:
Then-Sen. Obama co-sponsored 'stand your ground' law in 2004 in Illinois.  President Obama may currently be calling on the states to review their respective "stand your ground" gun laws, but he wasn't always so opposed to the right-to-carry rule.  In 2004, while a senator in Illinois, he co-sponsored legislation that allowed for the same rights.

On Stand Your Ground, President Obama Acts Stupidly.  While urging the re-examination of state self-defense laws, then-state Sen. Barack Obama co-sponsored a bill nine years ago that stiffened Illinois' 1961 "stand your ground" law.  So, he had it right the first time.

Obama co-sponsored bill strengthening Illinois stand-your-ground law in 2004.  Now we have proof that the current Obama-Holder campaign against stand-your-ground laws is nothing more than a pose intended to distract from their political problems, having whipped up a racialist fury and pushed prosecution of George Zimmerman.  Although State Senator Barack Obama could boast of few legislative accomplishments, one thing he did do was co-sponsor a bill strengthening the Illionois stand-your-ground law.

Obama, Holder powerless to end states' 'stand your ground' legislation.  While the Justice Department may review the case and could seek civil rights charges against Zimmerman, experts say the federal government has little recourse with the stand your ground laws themselves.  "There's little the Department of Justice can do," UCLA law professor Adam Winkler told The Hill.  "States are allowed to have their own criminal laws, including self-defense laws," Winker said.  "DOJ may be able to pursue civil rights charges in individual cases, but it has no authority to overturn state laws."

Lying as a Way of Life.  Society is increasingly unable to solve its pressing problems not for lack of a solution or resources, but primarily from an unshakable determination not to face politically inconvenient facts.  Take for example, Chicago's new crime-fighting strategy.  "Chicago police are going to hand deliver letters to people suspected of committing or being victims of gun crimes in an effort to stem violence in the city, according to a new report."  This is a triumph of PR over policy, fiction over reality and madness over sanity.

Self-Defense Immunity Laws: Which States Protect You Best?  Now that the Zimmerman criminal trial has concluded, much attention has focused on the prospects for Zimmerman seeking protection under Florida's self-defense immunity statute from any possible civil action against him. [...] Fully 32 states provide some degree of limitation of liability for the individual who has genuinely acted in self-defense, but there is considerable variety in terms of the scope and manner of protection provided.

Gun Owners Of America: Gun Control to Pass if Reid Changes Filibuster Rule.  The Associated Press reports Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is pushing for rule changes to eliminate the 60-vote filibuster threshold in the Senate in order to "win confirmation for some of [President Obama's] nominees for posts overseeing workers' and consumers' rights."  But the question raised by Gun Owners of America (GOA) is:  how long will it be until gun control is heaved upon the American people if the filibuster is done away with?

Right of Self Defense 1, Obama 0.  Destroying the Second Amendment and the people's right of self-defense was the real goal of the George Zimmerman prosecution.  Liberals hoped to scare gun owners, regardless of the eventual verdict.  Traumatizing and intimidating people from using a firearm to defend themselves were what this case was really about.

Maryland's Highest Court Promotes Anti-Gun, Pro-Criminal Agenda.  [Scroll down]  The felon in possession was arrested for crimes committed in Baltimore.  This ruling means a lighter sentence for a drug dealer who has no problem breaking federal law against felons owning guns.  Drug dealers often use guns to further their "business." [...] The state of Maryland thinks the law-abiding gun owner is a greater threat than a convicted drug dealer with a firearm.

Big Brother is a Slaver.  Want to argue workable gun control in America?  We can resolve most of the Second Amendment concerns just by removing the issue from the eager purview of the federal government.  Here, the left should be forced to kick the habit of using every American tragedy as an excuse to center more power in Washington.  Let Massachusetts outlaw guns, knives, and bombs and let Texas outlaw outlaws.

New Android App Asks Users To Create National Database Of 'Potentially Unsafe' Gun Owners.  The Gun Geo Marker app, released to Google's Play app store on July 7, invites users to mark the homes and businesses of "suspected unsafe gun owners ... to help others in the area learn about their geography of risk from gun accidents or violence."  The app bills itself as merely a tool to collect information, but it was hit with a firestorm of negative reviews and comments from people worried that it could do more harm than good.

'Cairo On The Lake' Meets Concealed Carry In Illinois.  Illinois has become the last state in the union to allow citizens their full Second Amendment rights, and officials in the murder capital of America worry about the consequences of citizens defending themselves.  Illinois' legislature on Tuesday [7/9/2013] voted to let gun owners carry concealed weapons.  The action followed a violent and bloody Fourth of July weekend in President Obama's hometown during which 74 people were shot and 12 were killed.

Newtown-based gun industry group sues Connecticut over gun law.  The National Shooting Sports Foundation Inc., which is based a few miles from Sandy Hook, claims the emergency legislation was illegally passed in April without proper public input, time for adequate review by members of the General Assembly, or a statement of facts explaining why lawmakers needed to bypass the usual legislative process.

General Assembly overrides governor's veto of concealed carry bill.  Lawmakers made Illinois the last state to allow concealed carry of firearms in two quick votes Tuesday [7/9/2013] that formalized the deepening rift between Gov. Pat Quinn and the legislature. [...] Illinois was the last state without some form of legal concealed carry, but the appeals court ruled late last year that the ban was unconstitutional.

Missouri governor vetoes bill that nullified federal gun laws.  Gov. Jay Nixon vetoed legislation Friday [7/5/2013] that would have made it a Missouri crime for federal agents to attempt to enforce federal gun laws in the state and could have landed journalists in jail for publishing the names of gun owners.

Nixon vetoes bill that would have outlawed federal gun laws.  Governor Jay Nixon vetoed House Bill 436 on Friday [7/5/2013].  The bill, that would have established the 'Second Amendment Preservation Act,' would have criminalized federal agents enforcing federal gun laws.  Nixon said the bill was constitutionally impermissible in a press release, citing the supremacy clause.  If the bill had passed, federal agents could have been charged with a class A misdemeanor for enforcing any law that "sought to infringe on the people's right to keep and bear arms."

Permits Soar to Allow More Concealed Guns.  A growing number of Americans are getting permission to carry firearms in public — and under their clothes — a development that has sparked concern among some law-enforcement authorities.  Applications for "concealed-carry" permits are soaring in many states, some of which recently eased permit requirements.  The numbers are driven in part by concern that renewed gun-control efforts soon could constrain access to weapons, along with heightened interest in self-defense in the wake of mass killings in Newtown, Conn., and Aurora, Colo.

A tip of the hat to Armed and Safe.
Carolyn McCarthy, barrel shrouds and 'assault slings'.  McCarthy, though, apparently thought a ten year prison sentence for a strap would be appropriate — that it would be both desirable and Constitutionally permissible to mandate that rifles be more difficult to carry and to shoot accurately, on pain of a decade in prison.  The intent here is not to claim that gun slings are in danger of being banned, but to illustrate the mindset of fanatics like McCarthy, who has nevertheless managed to be elected to Congress nine times.  McCarthy and her noxious ilk don't care about the specifics of how they attack gun rights — in their twisted minds, any infringement on that which shall not be infringed is a step in the right direction.

Man charged with Brandishing for putting gun away.  [Scroll down]  I grew up in a legal family, married a judge's daughter and have known dozens of judges both good and bad over the years.  I have never however, seen a judge behave as badly as the one in this case.  He simply did not want to hear any of the defense.

Gun-purchase surge levels off as concerns fade.  The postelection, post-Newtown gun-buying bull market may have peaked.  After hitting an all-time high in December, background checks run through the FBI's national instant check system have declined year-over-year for the first time since October 2011 as fervor after December's Connecticut school shooting and the government's push for new gun controls appears to be waning.

Run on Gun Sales as New Laws Take Hold in Colorado.  New gun control laws that limit ammunition magazines and require universal background checks take effect Monday [7/1/2013] in Colorado, despite the pending legal action of gun rights advocates and county sheriffs who are challenging the legislation.

IRS scandal could further chill chances of gun control in Senate.  The Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative groups may have chilled the chances of Congress passing stricter gun laws because it further undermined the public's trust in government to protect confidential personal information.  The Obama administration and gun-control advocates are pushing the Senate to re-introduce bipartisan legislation that would expand the kinds of gun purchases subject to federal criminal background checks after similar legislation failed earlier this year.  But opponents of the law claimed that giving the government information about gun owners could lead to abuses.

High River residents furious after RCMP seize 'substantial' number of firearms from evacuated homes.  The RCMP revealed Thursday [6/27/2013] that officers had seized a "substantial" number of firearms from homes in the evacuated town of High River, about 37 kilometres south Calgary.  "We just want to make sure that all of those things are in a spot that we control, simply because of what they are," said Sgt. Brian Topham.  "People have a significant amount of money invested in firearms ... so we put them in a place that we control and that they're safe."

Canada Continues to Eliminate Failed Gun Registry.  Gun registration is virtually never used to solve violent crimes.  The only realistic purpose of gun registration is to gradually reduce the number of gun owners, a gradual gun confiscation over time.

Quebec ruling allows demise of remaining long gun records.  Quebec's Court of Appeal has sided with the federal government's argument that the national long-gun registry information shouldn't be handed over to the province to create its own database.  That moves the government closer to destroying the Quebec data, which was preserved last year by the court order after legislation was passed to scrap the federal registry and the records contained within it.  The [Canadian] government has already destroyed the data on 5.6 million rifles and shotguns registered in other provinces.  The Quebec records at issue in this ruling cover an estimated 1.6 million rifles and shotguns.

July 4 parade nearly nixed over tea party plans to bring unloaded guns.  The small Colorado town of Westcliffe nearly had to go without the annual Independence Day Parade after its longtime sponsor cancelled when it learned that a local tea party group wanted to march in it carrying unloaded rifles and handguns.  The Southern Colorado Patriots Club put out a flier calling for Second Amendment supporters to bring their firearms — "especially the evil black ones" that resemble military rifles — to the July 4 parade.

Record sales for Smith & Wesson.  Barraged with a surge in demand for its firearms, Smith & Wesson is vowing to continue to ramp up manufacturing.  Smith & Wesson reported that its gun sales jumped by 42% for the 2013 fiscal year, which ended on April 30 with record sales of $587.5 million.

Senators Ask if NSA Collected Gun Data.  Senators are questioning whether the National Security Agency collected bulk data on more than just Americans' phone records, such as firearm and book purchases.  A bipartisan group of 26 senators, led by Sen. Ron Wyden (D., Ore.) asked Director of National Intelligence James Clapper to detail the scope and limits of the National Security Agency's surveillance activities in a letter released Friday [6/28/2013].  "We are concerned that by depending on secret interpretations of the PATRIOT Act that differed from an intuitive reading of the statute, this program essentially relied for years on a secret body of law," the senators wrote in the letter.  The NSA's surveillance program has come under intense scrutiny following a leak revealing the agency harvested the phone metadata of millions of American citizens.

More about domestic surveillance.

Michael Bloomberg gun control group site registered to NYC.  The name "Mayors Against Illegal Guns" is well known as Mike Bloomberg's gun-control arm, which he spends his personal fortune through on ads.  Yet the group's website is registered to, and handled by, official city government servers and staffers.  Domain names for MAIG were registered in 2006 by the New York City Department of Information and Technology, and have remained on official city web servers ever since.

Biden: 'At least five senators' would like to change gun control vote.  Vice President Joe Biden said Friday [6/21/2013] that "at least five senators" have called him looking for a way to change their votes to support expanded background checks.  Speaking to the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Las Vegas, Biden said the 45 senators who voted to block the background checks deal brokered by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) have seen "the bottom fall out" of their approval ratings.

How Many Crimes Are Committed By Legal Gun Purchasers?  Very few guns obtained by lawful purchase are ever used in any sort of crime.  Most criminologists will unhesitatingly tell you that less than six percent of all crimes "solved by arrest" or by "extraordinary means" were committed with a gun the user had legally purchased.  Since there are just under 400,000 gun related crimes a year, that puts a ceiling on the total number of crimes that could be committed by a lawful gun purchaser at 24,000.  We know the number is much less than that, but we do not know how much less.  The problem is the very small percentage of crimes that are solved.

Second Colorado Democrat facing recall over gun vote.  Gun-rights advocates submitted signatures Monday [6/10/2013] against a second Democratic state lawmaker in the escalating backlash against the Colorado legislature's recently approved gun control bills.

Elementary School Beginning Toy Gun Turn-In Program.  Strobridge Elementary Principal Charles Hill has a brilliant idea:  he's holding a toy gun exchange next Saturday in which students of the Hayward, CA school can turn in a toy gun to receive a book and a raffle ticket to win one of four bicycles.  Really.  Hill believes that children who play with toy guns may not think real guns are dangerous.  "Playing with toy guns, saying 'I'm going to shoot you,' desensitizes them, so as they get older, it's easier for them to use a real gun," he claims.

The Editor says...
Ill-conceived programs of this sort only make the forbidden fruit more attractive.  Take the kids to the gun range for "gun ed" classes and when they mature, they will throw their toy guns away on their own.  Until then, let them be kids!  If you want your children to have a respect for life and an awareness of gun safety, keep your kids out of the movie theaters and throw away your television.

Sen. John Morse recalled: First Colorado legislative recall.  Petition signatures filed with the Colorado Secretary of State's office are more than sufficient to recall state senator John Morse (D).  The recall is the first recall of a Colorado legislator in the state's history.  The Recall Morse committee filed over 16,000 signatures, more than double the required number.

Sustained Civilian Demand for War Implements.  [Scroll down]  On a more anecdotal level, I have seen that most Walmarts, Cabelas, and Academies are still subject to ammunition rationing, and respectably-sized groups congregate near the gun counter in such stores at times they deem likely for ammo stocking.  A visit to popular online ammunition providers, such as MidwayUSA, reveals the breadth and depth more quantitatively.  Nearly no ammunition is available for military calibers such as 5.56mm, 7.62mm, 9mm, and .45cal.  The panic buying is not contained with guns and ammunition, however.  Body armor, once the exclusive toy of the military and police, is a now scarce commodity on the open market.

John Kerry pretty pumped about signing off on UN arms trade treaty.  The Obama administration went pretty mum about the ongoing issue in the run-up to the presidential election, but has since declared their full and enthusiastic support for the project that a group of 130 lawmakers last week called a "deeply flawed" document that "suffers from vagueness" and which they recommend the administration should abstain from signing.

Aust signs global arms control treaty.  Australia has signed a landmark global arms treaty, joining 60 other countries in a move to stop the vast illicit trade in weapons.  The treaty, co-authored by Australia, is designed to end the free-for-all of international arms sales.

The Editor says...
This is the first and only time I've ever seen Australia referred to as Aust.  Is bandwidth (or ink) so scarce that Australia can't be spelled out, or is it just a matter of laziness?

Prof Who Accused NRA of Treason Apologizes; Says: 'Freedom Best Served with an Armed Populace'.  Marshall University Journalism Professor Christopher Swindell, who wrote in a recent commentary that the National Rifle Association (NRA) was guilty of treason and "worthy of the firing squad," is apologizing for his remarks, telling CNSNews.com on Monday that he was "waaayyy too angry to comment on gun safety" and that he had learned that "American freedom is best served with an armed populace."

Recall looms for gun control backer in Colorado.  Gun-rights activists in Colorado turned in petition signatures Monday to set up the first recall in state history of a state lawmaker after he backed some of the strictest gun control measures to become law in the U.S. this year.

Is there an election in July?
White House suggests Obama will put off signing arms treaty until August.  The White House signaled Monday [6/3/2013] that President Obama will delay signing a controversial arms trade treaty until after Congress leaves for summer recess.  White House spokesman Jay Carney said the president aims to sign the pact "before the end of August."  Obama could have signed it as early as Monday.  The National Rifle Association (NRA) opposes the treaty, and the delay would allow Obama to sign the pact during the August doldrums, with Congress out of town.

Gun buy-back programs are the latest cash cow for the cops:
Police Selling Guns from Buyback Program.  St. Charles Police Chief James Lamkin said about 20 firearms obtained through a gun buyback program and seized by courts will be sold to the dealers, the Chicago Tribune reported Friday [5/31/2013].  "There's value in these guns," Lamkin said.  "They're not illegal guns.  Quite honestly, it's a bottom line for us."

N.J. Senate passes package of gun measures.  New Jersey has some of the toughest gun laws in the nation, and they are likely to get tougher still.  The state Senate on Thursday [5/30/2013] gave final passage to a bill banning the sale of .50-caliber rifles, high-powered weapons that are accurate to more than one mile and popular with some firearms enthusiasts.

Democrats forming circular firing squad.  Billionaire politician/propagandist Michael Bloomberg is funding an effort to punish Democrats running for re-election who failed to support the gun-grabbing agenda the plutocrat is pushing.  Among the targets is Senator David Pryor of Arkansas, running for re-election in a fairly red state that generally supports gun rights.  That's bad enough, of course, but the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee is making matters worse, running ads that seem to be designed to enhance the prospects of Pryor's opponent.

Lawmakers facing recall bids over strict gun laws in Colorado.  A handful of Democratic state lawmakers in Colorado face recall petition efforts in what looks to be the first wave of fallout over legislative votes to limit gun rights.

Gun Control Supporters Facing Recall Bids in Colorado.  A handful of Democratic state lawmakers in Colorado face recall petition efforts in what looks to be the first wave of fallout over legislative votes to limit gun rights.

California gun shop owner: 9mm ammo 'has a shelf life of about 5 minutes'.  A San Francisco gun shop dealer said keeping 9 millimeter ammunition on store shelves is pretty much a lesson in futility.  A box of 9mm ammunition "has a shelf life of about five minutes," said Steve Alcairo, the general manager of High Bridge Arms, as quoted by Breitbart.  High Bridge Arms is the only gun shop in the city, Breitbart said.

Numerous NY sheriffs and county clerks balk at enforcing new gun law.  We wrote the other day about the refusal of a District Attorney in upstate NY to prosecute a man for having 9 bullets in his legal 10-round magazine, which exceeded the new state limit of 7 bullets under the so-called SAFE Act.  While the District Attorney declined to make a sweeping stand against the SAFE Act, the vast majority of county legislatures have passed resolutions against the SAFE Act and police unions also have protested the law.

EPA Ammunition Ban Blocked By Federal Court.  A federal court on Thursday [5/23/2013] halted an effort by the Environmental Protection Agency to ban all ammunition containing lead, much to the dismay of gun control groups hoping to use environmentalism to "make an end run around the Second Amendment" right of access to ammunition, according to officials from several organizations representing gun owners and manufacturers.

Don't do business in New Jersey. Ever.  Dustin Reininger is serving a five-year sentence with a three-year minimum before he's eligible for parole.  His crime?  Pulling off the highway to get some rest during a long drive. [...] Police found him asleep in his SUV early that morning.  Reininger just wanted to move on down the road, but officers thought something in the back seat looked like a gun case and considered that probable cause for a search.  They found several rifles, shotguns, and handguns, as well as hollow point bullets, and a "standard-capacity" magazine.  Of course, all of that is perfectly legal in Maine and in Texas — or even 24 miles up the road in Pennsylvania — but it's not legal in New Jersey without a permit.

Tyrant: Cuomo Threatens to Remove Sheriffs If They Publicly Oppose His Gun Law.  As the saying goes, scratch a liberal and you'll find a tyrant underneath.  NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo is but the latest example.  He shoved a very restrictive and ill-considered gun law through the state legislature in the dead of night.  Among its flaws, the law criminalized police officers who tote firearms with magazines that hold more than seven rounds.  Sheriffs around the state have objected to the law.  Cuomo summoned them to the state capitol under what appears to be a false pretext, and used the meeting to threaten them into silence.

Bloomberg Uses Commencement Speech to Push Gun Control, Rail Against 'Extremist' NRA.  New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg used a commencement speech to push his gun-control agenda, telling graduates of Kenyon College in Ohio that gun control is "something you really should think about."  Bloomberg, who co-chairs Mayors Against Illegal Guns, spent at least $14 million in support of legislation that would have required universal background checks for all gun-buyers.  Although the bill died in the Senate on April 17, Bloomberg said the battle isn't over.

If Your Doctor Asks You About Guns, Do You Have to Answer?  Stuart Varney said this morning on "Varney & Co." that one of his producers was given a questionnaire with some surprisingly intrusive questions on it when he switched doctors.  One of the questions was whether he/she was concerned about unsecured weapons in the home.

Disarming Realities: As Gun Sales Soar, Gun Crimes Plummet.  According to DOJ's Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. gun-related homicides dropped 39 percent over the course of 18 years, from 18,253 during 1993, to 11,101 in 2011.  During the same period, non-fatal firearm crimes decreased even more, a whopping 69 percent.  The majority of those declines in both categories occurred during the first 10 years of that time frame.

Cartridge ID law to take effect.  A hotly contested gun-control law that was passed in 2007 is finally ready to be implemented, Attorney General Kamala Harris said Friday:  a requirement that every new semiautomatic handgun contain "micro-stamping" technology that would allow police to trace a weapon from cartridges found at a crime scene.

Colorado sheriffs suing over gun control measures.  A group of Colorado sheriffs unhappy with recent gun control laws are planning to file a lawsuit to block them.

Obama Executive Orders on Guns Would Spark Mass Resistance.  The Constitution, of course, reserves all legislative powers to Congress — not to mention the specific prohibition against infringements on gun rights contained in the Second Amendment.  But disgraced Attorney General Eric Holder, who is helping develop the "executive action" plot, was caught in the 1990s on video calling for a tax-funded campaign to "brainwash" people against guns.  He was also held in criminal contempt of Congress for lying about Operation Fast and Furious, which saw the Justice Department providing thousands of powerful guns to Mexican drug cartels through the ATF.

It Was Never About Guns.  Those in Congress who have a Progressive mindset want to control all the other aspects in our lives but they know in order to do that they must first tackle guns.

Yep, it's those last two bullets that'll really do some damage.
NY Man Arrested for Having Nine Bullets Instead of Seven Loaded in Gun.  Gregory D. Jean of New York was pulled over Sunday evening because the lamp over his license plate was not working.  He ended up arrested for violating the new NY SAFE Act.  The troopers saw Jean's .40 caliber pistol in the front seat and asked to inspect it.  The weapon is legally registered and possessed, but it contained nine bullets instead of the new legal amount of seven.

DA Refuses to Prosecute Man Arrested For Having Two Extra Bullets.  Gregory Dean Jr. was recently arrested — pulled over when authorities noticed a license plate lamp was out on his vehicle.  The lamp wasn't the problem, however.  Troopers noticed a handgun in the vehicle.  The weapon was legally registered to Dean, but upon further inspection, the gun was noted to have 9 rounds as opposed to 7 — a violation of the SAFE Act.  He was charged with 'Unlawful possession of certain ammunition feeding devices', and faced a possible 6 months in jail.  For two extra bullets.

Police Chief Asks Citizens for Ammo, Gets 1,500 Round Loan Amid Strong Response.  As the "Great Ammunition Shortage" continues, police departments across the country are struggling to supply their arsenals.  One police chief turned to the community for help, and citizens stepped up.  In Proctor, Minnesota, police chief Walter Wobig says that his suppliers have told him he'll have to wait "months" for the 1,000 rounds he's requested.

Square Payment Processing Now Does Not Allow Any Guns, Weapons, or Ammo Transactions.  This seems to be a trend in the banking and payment processing industry.  Paypal has long had a standing policy of refusing to business with any gun related business, including for things as innocuous as gun magazines.

Missouri Passes Bill to Nullify Federal Gun Laws, Allow Open Carry & Allow Teachers to Carry.  Missouri made big leaps towards become one of the friendlier states to gun rights in the country today [5/9/2013].  The Missouri House voted 118-36 to pass a bill which would nullify federal gun laws, clarify/allow for open carry of legal firearms in the state and allows for carry by school officials under certain circumstances.

Connecticut Sees Number of Background Check Requests Increase by 6,000 percent.  In CT you have to get a permit just to purchase a firearm.  In December state police, who are responsible for processing the background checks for those permits, had a fairly normal backlog of around 1,000 pending background checks.  Now, just over 4 months later, and following the Newtown shooting and the passage of extremely strict new gun laws, that backlog has grown to over 60,000, an increase of around 6,000%.

California Tries to Use Environmental Concerns to Ban Traditional Ammo.  Well, we've always said if they can't get the guns, they'll come after the ammo.  On Wednesday [5/8/2013], California will be considering a measure which will place a ban on all ammunition which contains lead.

Currently Used Nursing Textbook Encourages Nurses to be Anti Gun Advocates.  This book illustrates the further indoctrination young people against guns.  The book does not give any supporting statistics to its claims (probably because they don't exist), and the book is so vehement against guns that this page is included on page 11 of the 1500 page book.  In fact pages 9-11 are all dedicated to the issue of firearms (poverty and immigration issues take up the first 9 pages).  This is extremely disturbing on many levels that young healthcare providers are being essentially brainwashed.

Open mike reveals NJ gun-banners' intentions.  Following a New Jersey Senate gun-control hearing, the mike was left open, and three anti-gun state Senators waded in feet first.

"Gun Use In Self Defense?".  Where possible, criminals try to determine whether a homeowner will make an armed response to a disturbance.  Rattle the doors, start the dog barking, and fade into the darkness.  If the homeowner starts poking around with something that could be a gun — scratch one possible target off the list.  Of course, criminals are human and make mistakes.  A half million times a year a criminal encounters an armed "victim."

Dad in New York Arrested For Letting His Daughter Play With Plastic Airsoft Gun in Park.  A father in New York City has been arrested on a host of charges after letting his daughter play with an Airsoft Gun in a park.  The father let the child fire a couple of plastic BBs at a tree and then carry the "gun" around the park.  The father was arraigned Thursday on charges including reckless endangerment, endangering the welfare of a child and violating city weapons laws.  The man was also charged with resisting arrest after he objected to the arrest.

State Department orders firm to remove 3D-printed guns web blueprints.  The US government has blocked a Texas-based company from distributing details online of how to make a plastic gun using a 3-D printer.  The ban, by the State Department citing international arms control law, comes just days after the world's first such gun was successfully fired.  Defense Distributed, the company that made the prototype, stated on Twitter that its project had "gone dark" at the instigation of the government.

Feds Pull 3D-Printed Gun Design from Web.  The federal government has sent a letter to a personal defense advocate demanding he remove the 3D blueprints for a functional homemade gun from his website.  Cody Wilson of Defense Distributed, which hosts designs for 3D-printable firearms and firearm components, has complied with the government order to remove the files.

3D-printed gun schematics surface on BitTorrent after takedown order.  After Defense Distributed released plans for a working 3D-printed gun last weekend, the US State Department demanded that the group remove the 3D-printed gun schematics from its website, citing possible arms-trafficking violations.  The blueprints for the Liberator pistol were downloaded more 100,000 times in only a few days, which clearly made a few people in Washington uneasy.

US Government Takes Control of 3D Printed Gun Makers Files/Website.  Defense Distributed, the company who last week used a 3D printer to print the first completely printed gun, with the exception of the metal firing pin, and used the weapon to fire a .380 caliber round successfully has had their 3D gun plans taken over by the US government.

California Might Ban 3D Printers to Prevent 3D Printable Guns From Being Produced.  Defense Distributed released their 3D printer plans publicly and they have already been downloaded over 100,000 times.  According to a statement made by California state lawmaker Leland Yee he will be introducing legislation to ban 3D printed guns.  Since it's already illegal to posses an unregistered handgun in California we aren't sure what he has in mind other than possibly banning civilian ownership of 3D printers.

Texas House Blocks Federal Gun Control 102-31.  Introduced by Representative Matthew Krause, House Bill 928 is among the many pro-Second Amendment pieces of legislation that have either been passed or are currently going through the legal system around the nation.  In fact, an entire website has been created to show the states that have introduced or passed legislation blocking federal forms of gun control.  The final vote count was 102-31.

Texas House: Students can carry concealed handguns on college campus.  House Bill 972 would allow students, faculty and staff of a public college or university who are licensed to carry concealed handguns to bring them into classrooms.  However, a provision in the bill would allow schools to opt-out of the mandate if they consider input from students, staff and faculty, which wasn't included in the Senate's version.

Kansas To Prosecute Federal Agents Who Enforce Federal Gun Control Laws.  The Hill reports that Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback just signed into law a statute that "bars the federal government from regulating guns and ammunition manufactured and stored within Kansas state lines."  Moreover, the new law makes it a felony for federal authorities to attempt to enforce federal gun control laws, treaties, or rules related to firearms within Kansas state lines.  Federal agents would not be arrested but will be prosecuted on "a complaint-and-summons basis."

The Gun Rights Revolution You Might Have Missed.  If you live in Arkansas, you can now carry a concealed gun into a bar, or a liquor store — or a church.  College staffers can bring guns on campus.  Folks with a permit from other states can pack heat in Arkansas without filing any paperwork.  These are among the half-dozen legal changes in the state that passed only four months since the Newtown massacre, and Arkansas has plenty of company.

Obama the sore loser; McCain the traitor.  President Barack Obama says "the gun lobby and its allies" used lies and distortion to thwart legislation in the US Senate that would have expanded background checks for firearms purchases.  Senators voted 54-46, with 60 needed to adopt the measure, as a handful of Democrats joined most Republicans in opposition. [...] Five Democrats voted against the background-check measure; four Republicans supported it, including Senator John McCain.

The President is a Sore Loser.  When I heard the news that the Senate had failed to pass a Universal Background Check, I was at a police seminar on the topic of active shooters. [...] When a retired police chief on the panel announced that he'd just received a text that the UBC had failed to make it through the Senate, the police audience erupted into applause.  So much for the idea that cops all want to restrict your gun ownership.  The real cops know where the problems are, and that they ain't coming from people like you.  Alas, the White House is out of tune with that reality.

Illinois' Attempts At Gun Control Fails Miserably.  Well, I guess — in this case — we should thank some Illinois Democrats that turned against the more anti-gun of their own party.  Mike Flynn at Breitbart wrote on April 18 that a good proportion of them "revolted" against Speaker of the House, Michael Madigan, whose restrictions within a bill on concealed carry firearms proved to be too much for some.

Why Ted Cruz is not a typical freshman senator.  Dianne Feinstein was agitated.  The Democratic senator from California did not like the line of questioning she was getting from Sen. Ted Cruz, the freshman Republican from Texas, as she defended her so-called assault weapons bill before the Senate Judiciary Committee in March.  Cruz was reciting from the Constitution.  He then asked that given Feinstein's position on the government banning certain types of guns:  Would she also approve of the government banning books it found harmful?  "I'm not a sixth grader," Feinstein responded, expressing contempt for the question.

The Editor says...
I'm sure you noticed that Senator Feinstein did not answer his question.  Nor was it necessary to answer, since the point was made and Ms. Feinstein lost the debate.

Majority of Americans Say Having a Gun in the Home Makes It Safer.  A Washington Post-ABC News poll — not a Rasmussen or some Rove outfit, but the Post and an alphabet network — finds that by a wide margin, more Americans believe that having a gun in the home makes it safer than not.  It's not even close.  A majority — 51% — believe that having a gun in the home makes that home safer.  Only 29% believe the opposite.

Governor Christie Wants More Gun Control.  New Jersey Governor Chris Christie announced his intention to expand his state's gun control laws. [...] Christie believes the government has the right to "demand more" from law-abiding citizens, but acknowledges it can't do the same to criminals.  This is standard gun control fare.  One of the main features of gun control is making it harder for the law-abiding to defend themselves, while making it easier for violent predators to succeed.

Boston Manhunt Shows Importance of 2nd Amendment Rights.  Gun control advocates mistakenly assume Americans cherish their 2nd Amendment rights because of either a cultural anachronism or an affinity for hunting.  The left looks at gun control as a debate over which guns Americans "need."  They often argue, for example, that Americans don't "need" a 30-round magazine to hunt deer.  That's true, but the debate isn't about "needs", it is about rights.

Shame Old Shame Old From Obama.  The starting point is the Newtown massacre.  Children sit defenseless in a schoolhouse with no security in place.  In walks a fruitcake who stole his mother's gun and starts shooting.  Many teachers and students are killed.  This is a senseless, terrible tragedy.  Something must be done.  So what is the plan?  Surely you will do something to defend the helpless kids who are sitting ducks.  Will you bring in guns to defend them?  No.  Will you install state of the art 911 buttons?  No.  Will you create a rapid response program, an electric eye in each classroom programmed to spot certain danger signs and sound the alarm?  No again.  In short, any plan involving actual defense, actual response, actual concern, actual involvement, actual training, actual avoidance, is nixed.

Perils of a petulant presidency.  Surrounded by family members of the Newtown victims, Obama charged that his foes had "willfully lied" to block "common-sense gun reform."  In truth, the Manchin-Toomey amendment didn't pass because Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, fearful that a GOP amendment relaxing concealed-carry laws might pass, insisted that all amendments would need 60 votes.  The background check Obama railed about mustered but 54.

All Your Gun Base Are Belong To Us.  For the progressives among us, I know what you're thinking, or at least what you want your fellow progressives to think.  It took on all the hallmarks of a major defeat, the gun bill fiasco did. [...] So the evil NRA just outdid you at your own game.  Copy their tactics, you will.  It must be the tactics, for it couldn't be that America doesn't want your gun control.  Yet another tactic you're investigating is to convince yourselves that the NRA isn't really as powerful as they seem.

Gun control: President Obama's biggest loss.  Never before had President Barack Obama put the moral force and political muscle of his presidency behind an issue quite this big — and lost quite this badly.

IL Dems Revolt Against Gun Control Law.  Democrats enjoy a supermajority in the Illinois House of Representatives, holding 71 seats to the GOP's 47.  On Wednesday, the same day the US Senate voted down gun control legislation, powerful Democrat Speaker Michael Madigan tried to push a restrictive gun control measure through his chamber.  The result was an open revolt by downstate Democrats, with almost half the Democrat caucus joining the GOP to kill the measure.

Gun confiscation begins in New York.  And they didn't even need black helicopters and Men in Black to pull it off.  Derided as conspiracy nuts, opponents of the New York state gun law passed by the assembly in the aftermath of Newtown were ridiculed for being concerned that the law could lead to gun confiscation.  Guess what:  They were right.

Gun Control Meltdown.  President Obama's gun control agenda was routed in the Senate on Wednesday [4/17/2013], and Mr. Obama naturally blamed the National Rifle Association.  The truth is that Mr. Obama invited this meltdown by assuming he could exploit the Newtown massacre to ram through a liberal wish-list that wouldn't have stopped the next mass murder.

Blame Bloomberg.  Is it possible to imagine that when President Obama retires for the night that he will wonder who led him into the debacle that unfolded when his long campaign for gun control went down to defeat in a Senate controlled by his own party?  Publicly the President reacted with a tirade of blame-shifting more shameful than any our aging typesetters can recall.  Vice President Biden, who did so much to confect this catastrophe, stood beside the President looking like he was about to burst into tears.

Obama Responds to His Gun Control Defeat With Self-Righteous Solipsism.  According to the president, no one honestly questioned the merits of his proposals; the opposition all "came down to politics," meaning a desperate desire to retain power.  His opponents not only failed to make a convincing case, he says; they offered "no coherent arguments" at all.  Since Obama's case for gun control consisted mainly of invoking dead children and grieving parents, that charge displays an astonishing lack of self-awareness.

NRA chief: Obama 'bit off more than he could chew'.  The head of the National Rifle Association mocked President Obama's Rose Garden "tantrum" after losing the gun control fight in the Senate, charging Thursday [4/18/2013] that Obama suffered the worst defeat of his presidency because "he bit off more than he could chew."  David Keene told Secrets that the president and his team misplayed their hand because they don't have a sense of the public's attitude toward gun control.

Politico: NRA's Total Defeat of Obama, Media Likely.  In the immediate aftermath of the tragic Newtown murders, Obama and His Media joined forces to exploit the deaths of innocent children for all it was worth — with a series of laws that would have done absolutely nothing to stop the very crime they were exploiting.

Postmodern Prudes.  So-called assault weapons account for less than 1 percent of gun deaths in America.  But the country whips itself into a frenzy to ban them, apparently to prove that at least it can do something — without wading into the polarized racial and class controversies of going after illegal urban handguns, the real source of the nation's high gun-related body count.

Guns and Guerrillas.  Law abiding U.S. citizens are looking up the barrel of a gun as their rights are shattered in front of their eyes.  Some of the most vocal proponents for gun control are the radical home-grown terrorists still enchanted with the gangrenous rot of guerrillas and genocidal murderers.  The war against guns is being waged on the battlefield of propaganda and Hollywood.

Supreme Court turns down challenge to N.Y. concealed-carry law.  Only about one-tenth of 1% of New Yorkers have concealed-carry permits, compared to more than 6% in the neighboring states of Connecticut and Pennsylvania, the court was told.  Several gun owners who were denied a "concealed carry" permit sued, arguing they had a 2nd Amendment right to carry a gun for self-defense.  Rather than hear their appeal, the high court let stand a ruling by a federal appeals court that held states have broad authority to regulate guns in public.

Beau Biden: Expand Definition of Who's Mentally Unfit to Own a Gun.  Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden said the next step in gun-control is going to be expanding the definition of those deemed mentally unfit to own a gun.

Cheaper Than Dirt Again?  When this all started, CTD took a lot of [flak] because they pulled down gun sales in the wake of Newtown.  Now, from their blog, it looks like they are supporting the Toomey-Manchin amendment?  This is making me glad I do my gun shopping at MidwayUSA and Brownells.  Let us hope that Reid still remains short on votes for this.

Trick Language In Senate Gun Bill Turns All Gun Owners Into Felons.  While President Obama and Mayor Bloomberg talk about "gun sales," the actual legislation moving through Congress aims to regulate far more than sales.  It would turn almost every gun owner into a felon.  The trick is that the language under consideration applies not only to sales but also to "transfers," which are defined to include innocent activities such as letting your spouse borrow your gun for a few hours.

Maryland's Second Amendment Nightmare: Coming Soon to a State Near You?  If you want to see how firearm sales can be effectively banned, look no farther than the so-called "free state" of Maryland.  Although Maryland's newly promulgated "assault gun" ban and licensing requirements will not go into effect until October, it is already nearly impossible to reasonably purchase a pistol or other "regulated" weapon in the state, and those who do face waiting periods of 50-60 days and increasing daily.

VA Doctor (Psychiatrist) Exposes National Gun Confiscation Plan.  George Hemminger interviews a Veterans' Administration physician who reveals shocking evidence of a national gun confiscation program via psychiatric evaluations, plus much more.  A New York psychiatrist has decided to open up and reveal shocking and detailed information regarding a subtle, yet deliberate and concerted effort by the Veterans Administration and other public entities to begin confiscating guns and other weapons from U.S. veterans via Veterans Administrative psychiatric evaluations.

Don't be fooled. Gun confiscation has already begun in NY.  Following the passage of "The SAFE Act" in New York State, Big Brother got busy pretty quickly grabbing up the guns.  Of course nobody was reporting on it very much until they managed to collect them from the wrong guy and a judge made them give them back.

Smiley-Face Lies and Homicide Hogwash in Liberal Hellholes.  Gun-grabbers in Democratic-dominated cities have an institutional incentive to fudge the numbers.  In New York City, which rivals Chicago when it comes to out-of-control gun-control regulations, a New York Police Department whistleblower recently exposed systemic manipulation of crime data.

Why Are the Feds Trying to Identify All Gun Owners in Missouri?  They keep telling you they have noting but good intentions, that to worry about the feds coming for your guns makes you part of "the black helicopter crowd."  But then things like this happen:  In Missouri, federal investigators have demanded and obtained from the state government — apparently twice — the entire list of Missouri concealed weapon permit holders.

Like cigarettes in prison...
Ammo hoarding: Could bullets become currency?  As gun reform legislation rages through the halls of Congress and the White House, hunters and gun enthusiasts confront bare shelves and buying restrictions on supplies, even as retailers and manufacturers race to keep up with demand.

Gun control bill clears its first hurdle in Senate.  Foes of the proposed new restrictions say they would penalize law-abiding citizens and do nothing to curb gun violence.

Silly extremist: the government has no designs on your firearms II.  No black helicopters here, either.  Just doctors and the government, on the advice of a bipartisan "gang of two or three", working in concert to keep the mentally ill from owning dangerous weaponry.  By ignoring HIPPA, and turning healthcare providers who will soon be controlled entirely by the government into agents who will vet your soundess for gun ownership.

Silly extremist: the government has no designs on your firearms III.  It's absurd to believe that government officials actually want what they openly to advocate for.  It's theater!  Stop being so paranoid.

Objections to Harry Reid's gun control bill.  A person who has their firearms stolen is the victim of a crime.  To impose upon them the affirmative duty to report same to the Attorney General is an outrage.  These people are not criminals, they are victims in that their property has been taken unlawfully.  This will lead to thousands of annual prosecutions of people who are claimed not have not reported "within 24 hours" their "alleged knowledge" of the theft.

Gun Compromise Will Allow Doctors to Block Your Right to Guns.  Everyone on all sides agrees that we need better help for those with mental health problems who need treatment.  Unfortunately, the person I talked with is concerned that the Toomey-Manchin proposal could discourage people from getting help.  The proposal will allow a doctor to add a patient to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) without ever telling the patient he or she has been added.

Mark Levin: How in the world will more background checks stop a mass murderer?  Another great monologue from Mark Levin today [4/10/2013] where he asks how him or you filling out more paperwork to buy a gun is gonna stop a mass murderer?  It's just there to inconvenience us, yet does nothing to actually solve the problem.  He says we can't even stop people coming across the border so how do we expect more background checks to stop mass murderers from getting guns?

Mark Levin: 'An up-or-down vote on the 2nd Amendment is unconstitutional'.  On his Tuesday [4/9/2013] radio show, conservative talker Mark Levin defended the GOP senators who are threatening to filibuster new gun control laws and argued that any attempt to threaten gun ownership would be unconstitutional.

Biden Mocks the Basis of Second Amendment.  This guy is the vice president, the former chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and supposedly a leading Democratic expert on gun issues.  And yet, he doesn't understand the Second Amendment.

Sources Report Senate Republicans Caving on Guns.  Sources inside the Senate tell me that the Republican Conference is scared to death of the tactics of Senators Lee, Cruz and Paul — that it is supposedly putting them in a tough spot.  Several of the Republicans are using the Manchin-Toomey compromise plan as an excuse to cave on the gun filibuster.  They claim that Senators Lee, Cruz, and Paul are running ahead of the conference in their insistence on a filibuster.  What they fail to see is that the cloture vote is the vote to stop the gun legislation from passage.

14 Stabbed in a Knife Rampage; Where are the Reactionary Calls for Knife Control?  It's been reported that 14 people at the small Lone Star Community College in Cypruss, [sic] Texas, have been injured in a rampage perpetrated by a knife-wielding man.  While the details of the attack are still emerging and the conditions of the victims are not yet known, there have been no reports of celebrities calling for knife control or any release of videos to "demand a plan" to end knife violence.

Guns: The Left's True Aim, and How to Thwart It.  We must not lose focus on the end goal of progressives regarding guns.  Make no mistake; regardless of what they say, their ultimate goal is confiscation of all guns in America.  And a "universal background check" will get them closer to this nirvana than the banning of a few selected weapons ever could.

What Does Obama Think He's Doing On Guns?  It seems very odd that President Obama has made gun control the signature issue of his second term, so far.  He can't possibly achieve any significant legislation; a few tweaks to the background check system, maybe, but there is no chance of getting any meaningful gun control through the House.  The House Democrats aren't even trying.  So it also seems strange that all eyes are on the Senate [...]

Biden: 'The Black Helicopter Crowd is Really Upset'.  Vice President Joe Biden blasted the NRA for engaging in a "disinformation" campaign meant to "scare people" from supporting background checks.  "Kinda scary man, the black helicopter crowd is really upset," Biden said about the NRA's concern with the possible creation of a federal government gun registry.

Huge cop poll: 85% say gun control won't work, 86% want civilians armed .  An authoritative new poll of more than 15,000 cops released on the eve of this week's Senate anti-gun debate shows that a sweeping majority of officers don't believe gun control will work or keep them safer, and nearly nine in 10 believe having more armed citizens would curb gun violence.

Police Poll: Armed Citizens, not Gun Control, Will Lower Violent Crime.  In a poll conducted by PoliceOne, a majority of law enforcement personnel said universal background checks, "assault weapons" bans, and "high capacity" magazine bans do not make police safer and will not lower violent crime.  Armed citizens, on the other hand, do make a positive difference.

"You don't know what freedom is, because you've never lost it."
Gun-rights testimony from a communism survivor.  I am always amazed — amazed — when anyone has the gall to dismiss, even laugh off, the suggestion that the right to keep and bear arms is a smart and necessary provision for a free society.  Human history (not to mention current events!) is too chock-full of examples of nefarious regimes violently abusing and controlling their people, and the freedoms enjoyed by American citizens are the exception, not the rule.

ACLU: Next week's Senate bill is essentially gun registration.  The point is that over time the bill will record a larger and larger percentage of who owns guns in America.  It will be a gradual gun registration bill.

We need an IQ test for politicians.  The debacle over New York's rushed-through gun bill is one example of what happens when enthusiasm meets stupid.  But another is to be found in Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), who supports a ban on full-capacity magazines without understanding what a magazine actually is.

Gun Grabbers' Latest Gambit:  Mandatory liability insurance is a pathway to registration — and confiscation.

Selective enforcement:
ATF pulls license of one particular gun shop.  It took little more than the headline of this article to begin raising eyebrows[: "]Gun shop that sold to mother of Newtown shooter loses license[."]

Is Ammo Supply Beginning to Catch Up With Demand?  The current ammunition drought has developed some fairly Pavlovian responses in many gun owners, myself included.  One of those is that I'm no longer able to walk into a sporting goods store without checking what ammo they may have in stock.  Again, this has become a conditioned behavior.  I had already spent my ammunition budget for the week and knew I shouldn't even look but, well... I couldn't help myself (see conditioned response).

Maryland girl is armed with arguments against gun control.  A three-minute video of Sarah Merkle's testimony about Maryland's new gun legislation has drawn more than 2 million views on YouTube, won her praise from gun rights advocates across the country and even scored her an interview on national television last week.

Second Amendment crumbling as gun-control victories spread.  The Second Amendment got attacked this week from three sides, leaving gun owners scrambling to find safe ground.  While President Obama has lost momentum for federal gun-control laws, he has picked up victories with his allies in blue states and at the United Nations.

Ammo Manufacturers Scramble to Keep Up with Demand, Reassure Eager Customers.  The run on ammunition has manufacturers scrambling to accommodate demand and reassure customers, as many new and seasoned gun owners stock up over fears of new firearms regulations at both the state and federal levels.

Nearly Every Mass Shooting In The Last 20 Years Shares One Thing In Common, and It's NOT Weapons.  The overwhelming evidence points to the signal largest common factor in all of these incidents is the fact that all of the perpetrators were either actively taking powerful psychotropic drugs or had been at some point in the immediate past before they committed their crimes.

More about Ritalin.

A Place to Start.  The New York Times reported [...] that [Adam Lanza] had recently "cocooned himself in front of electronic game consoles in the basement of their home, playing warfare games."  It's entirely logical to connect these violent images with his violent actions.  Yet still, opinion leaders ignore this obvious correlation and focus more on the things he had in his possession rather than the reason why he had them.

Heritage, NRA, ACLU Sound Alarm: Reid Bill Could Lead to National Gun Registry.  The Reid bill requires individuals to use licensed importers, dealers, or manufacturers to sell or transfer firearms, and mandates that "a record of transaction of any transfer that occurred between an unlicensed transferor and an unlicensed transferee" be kept.  It does not, however, explain what sort of record should be kept or who must create and keep the records.

Police Militarization, Abuses of Power, and the Road to Impeachment.  [Scroll down]  Obama's obvious hostility to gun owners is fueling legitimate fears of gun confiscation, furthering an atmosphere of mutual distrust and paranoia between police and civilians.  This raises the specter of armed confrontations should there be attempts to confiscate firearms.  As one law enforcement official said at a recent gun hearing, "Good people are going to die trying to take these guns and good people are going to die trying to keep them."

Gun bill sponsor apparently doesn't understand how guns work.  Colorado Rep. Diana DeGette, the lead Democratic sponsor of a federal bill to ban high-capacity magazines, is apparently unaware that such magazines can be reloaded and reused, according to a comment she made at a Denver Post-sponsored forum on gun control on Tuesday [4/2/2013].  When asked how limiting the number of bullets in magazines would help reduce violence, she replied:  "I will tell you these are ammunition, they're bullets, so the people who have those now, they're going to shoot them.  So if you ban them in the future, the number of these high-capacity magazines is going to decrease dramatically over time, because the bullets will have been shot and there won't be any more available."

ACLU says Reid's gun legislation could threaten privacy rights, civil liberties.  In an exclusive interview with The Daily Caller, a top lobbyist for the ACLU announced that the group thinks Reid's current gun bill could threaten both privacy rights and civil liberties.  The inclusion of universal background checks — the poll-tested lynchpin of most Democratic proposals — "raises two significant concerns," the ACLU's Chris Calabrese told TheDC Wednesday [4/3/2013].

Harassing gun owners.  Liberal hopes to renew Bill Clinton's "assault weapon" ban are beginning to fade, but liberal bitterness is hard to conceal.  Opponents of gun rights are turning their attention to legislative harassment.  U.S. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney's proposed Firearm Risk Protection Act would make it a federal crime to buy a pistol without first purchasing a government-approved insurance policy.  If enacted, this would most affect a single mom in the inner city who just wants to protect her family and can't afford the expense.  Malefactors of her sort would face a fine of $10,000.

Here are the 46 Senators Who Voted to Turn Your Gun Rights Over to UN.  The anti-gun senators are all Democrats or so-called Independents.

Red State Dems Distancing Themselves From Bloomberg, Gun Control.  In total, five Democrat Senators in red states are up for reelection and a visible alliance with Bloomberg or anyone as equally anti-gun will spell their political demise in 2014.

Democrats propose $10,000 fine for gun owners who don't have insurance.  When New York Rep. Carolyn Maloney introduced the legislation last month with eight other Democrats, she boasted that it is "the first bill to require liability insurance of gun buyers nationwide."  Maloney's "Firearm Risk Protection Act" requires gun buyers to have "a qualified liability insurance policy" before they are able to legally purchase a firearm.

The 10 provisions of the Connecticut gun ban proposal.  [#3]  The bill significantly expands the Connecticut Assault Weapons Ban.  Currently, Connecticut is one of only a handful of states with a state-level assault weapons ban.  Under current law, an "assault weapon" is defined as one of 66 different specified firearms, or any other semiautomatic weapon that contains "two or more" of a list of physical characteristics. [...] Thus, many more weapons — well over a hundred additional models — will now fall under the Connecticut Assault Weapons Ban.

Maryland Democrats Ram Through Sweeping Gun Control on Good Friday.  While many Americans were paying attention to things other than politics on Good Friday, Maryland's Democrat delegates were ramming through Gov. Martin O'Malley's gun grabbing legislation S.B. 281.  This measure is an "assault weapons" ban which is so draconian that it punishes law-abiding gun owners whose guns are stolen from their homes.

California Socialist Wants to Take Your Guns, Land and Liberty.  All over America[,] communists, socialists and Marxists have been leading the charge for "gun control."  A case in point occurred in Harlem on March 21st, where "more than 2,000 predominantly Black and Latino working people gathered on Adam Clayton Powell Blvd[,] in a militant protest against gun violence."

A direct threat to the 1st and 10th Amendments:
Law would fire sheriffs for defying gun control measures.  Supporters of the 380 sheriffs in 15 states who so far have vowed to defy new state and federal gun control laws claim that legislation is starting to pop up around the nation to fire any state elected or appointed law enforcement official who doesn't obey federal orders.  The first effort emerged in Texas.  Legislation proposed by Dallas Democratic Rep. Yvonne Davis would remove any sheriff or law enforcement officer who refuses to enforce state or federal laws.  What's more, it would remove any elected or appointed law enforcement officer for simply stating or signing any document stating that they will not obey federal orders.

The most dangerous restaurant in town is the one that's proudly "gun free."
Buffalo Wild Wings: Extremely anti-gun; refuses to serve police officers because of guns.  How serious are they about this policy?  Serious enough to ask eight on-duty, plain-clothes police officers to leave their restaurant in Manassas, VA because their guns were visible.  It didn't matter their badges were also plainly visible.

Missouri Subpoenaed On Backdoor Gun Registration With FEMA and DHS.  Yesterday [3/25/2013], Missouri state Senator Kurt Shaefer subpoenaed the the Missouri Department of Revenue to produce all documents between the Department of Revenue and any federal agency, including but not limited to, the Department of Homeland Security or FEMA, regarding driver's license and ID information of Missouri citizens.

Obama uses executive power to move gun control agenda forward.  The president has used his executive powers to bolster the national background check system, jumpstart government research on the causes of gun violence and create a million-dollar ad campaign aimed at safe gun ownership.

Colorado sheriff says lawmakers holding up pay raises over gun stance.  One of dozens of Colorado sheriffs who oppose several gun control bills working their way through the state legislature claims lawmakers are threatening the salaries of sheriffs to punish them for their position.

Trouble is Brewing in America.  Ordinary American citizens may need guns and ammunition to defend themselves and their families in the not-so-distant future.  That's why they are buying AR 15s and other scary looking weapons in record numbers.  Like me, they can see the writing on the wall, and they are preparing for what might happen.

Filibuster repeat? Rand Paul, Mike Lee, Ted Cruz vow to block gun control.  They didn't use the word filibuster, but the action was implied.  Sens. Rand Paul, Mike Lee and Ted Cruz are sending a strong message to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid:  We three will block any legislation that imposes more gun restrictions.  The trio are hand delivering the letter containing that message to Mr. Reid on Tuesday [3/26/2013], Politico reports.

McCain emerges as key senator in expanding background checks.  Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has emerged as a key player if Senate Democrats are to have any chance of passing legislation to expand background checks for private sales of firearms.  McCain and Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Dean Heller (R-Nev.) are at the top of a list of Republicans considered most likely to sign on to legislation expanding background checks after talks with Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) stalled earlier this month.

NRA chief says Bloomberg can't 'buy America' amid $12M gun control ad blitz.  [Mayor Michael] Bloomberg's pro-gun control group Mayors Against Illegal Guns is launching the campaign in states where senators may be on the fence regarding a package of firearms proposals making its way to the Senate floor.

Obama uses radio address to push anti-gun oppression.  [T]hese are the kinds of laws we, those who actually value our rights don't plan to comply with.  That's why we have a Constitutional republic.  It's a check on unbridled majorities seeking to do harm to or oppress minorities.  The left, and most 'moderate' sheep, seem not to grasp this concept (to be fair, neither do the religious 'conservatives' on the right) and think that 50% + 1 is a mandate to shred the Constitution.

Cuomo's 7-Bullet Limit to Be Suspended Indefinitely, Skelos Says.  The ban on magazines holding more than seven bullets was set to start April 15.  Cuomo has said the law needs to be rolled back because manufacturers don't make seven-round holders.

Did the Assault Weapons Ban Kill Gun Control?  Sen. Harry Reid announced Tuesday [3/19/2013] that he would not be including Sen. Dianne Feinstein's proposal to ban the sale of assault weapons in the package of gun legislation he'll bring to the floor of the Senate.  This all but ends gun-control advocates' hopes of reinstating the ban on assault weapons, although Feinstein can offer it as an amendment once Reid's package is being debated.

Police Departments Beg And Barter For Ammo.  The nationwide shortage of ammunition has left many police departments scrambling to get their hands on the necessary rounds — with some even bartering among each other.  Meanwhile, Rep. Timothy Huelskamp (R-Kansas) says the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has failed to respond to multiple members of Congress asking why DHS bought more than 1.6 billion rounds in the past year.

'Colt' gun manufacturer threatens to abandon Connecticut if the state imposes stricter gun laws.  A gun manufacturer has threatened to relocate its headquarters outside Connecticut if the state tightens up its gun laws after the December mass shooting at one of its elementary schools.  Dennis Veilleux, CEO of Colt's Manufacturing Co., which is based in West Hartford, warned that he would take his business elsewhere if Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy doesn't stop pursuing a ban on semiautomatic weapons [...]

Federal appeals court restores Maryland's concealed carry law.  A federal appeals court has ruled that Maryland can require concealed-carry handgun permit applicants to provide a "good and substantial reason" for wanting to carry a gun outside the home, leaving state officials feeling vindicated and Second Amendment advocates vowing to take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Oops: Gov. Cuomo to Rescind Magazine Ban.  New York's Democrat Gov. Andrew Cuomo is rescinding his ban on 10-round magazines after realizing that most gun manufacturers don't make magazines smaller than 10 rounds.  His original restrictions were that no magazines holding more than seven rounds could be sold within the state, but he realized after-the-fact that such a rule turns into a de facto ban on almost every magazine manufactured.

340 Sheriffs Refuse To Enforce Unconstitutional Gun Control Laws.  Including Sheriff John Cooke of Weld County, Colorado, 340 sheriffs have publicly stated they will not enforce gun laws they believe are unconstitutional.  In response to the passage of two new gun control bills in Colorado last week, Sheriff John Cooke told the Greeley Tribune that he "won't bother enforcing the laws."

New cell phone app shows nearest gun-free zones.  A new cell phone app will let people know whether the building they are about to enter is a gun-free zone.  The Gun Free Zone app uses the GPS tracking system in smart phones.  Users will see a map of their surrounding area, including a list of the 20 nearest public places and whether they allow permit guns.

The gun debate is a culture debate.  In a recent appearance on PBS's "NewsHour," Vice President Joe Biden admitted an assault weapons ban would do little to stop crime, but argued the weapons should still be banned if they don't have "real utility either in terms of any sporting or self protection needs[.]"  Here, Biden forgets a founding American principle:  we permit the government to have guns, not the other way around.  Citizens don't need to justify owning an "assault weapon," the government needs to justify taking it.

Firearm Instructor Home Night-Raided Over Facebook Photo of His Son Holding a Gun.  In this age of gun control panic leading legislators to propose ineffectual and pointless restrictions of certain disfavored weapons, one firearms instructor and his family in New Jersey have learned a valuable lesson:  don't offend the sensibilities of your neighbors when it comes to this contentious issue.

Family's Home Raided over Facebook Photo of Child's Rifle.  New Jersey police and Dept. of Children and Families officials raided the home of a firearms instructor and demanded to see his guns after he posted a Facebook photo of his 11-year-old son holding a rifle.  "Someone called family services about the photo," said Evan Nappen, an attorney representing Shawn Moore.  "It led to an incredible, heavy-handed raid on his house.  They wanted to see his gun safe, his guns and search his house.  They even threatened to take his kids."  Moore was not arrested or charged.

Family says NJ overreacted to boy's gun photo.  The ruddy-cheeked, camouflage-clad boy in the photo smiles out from behind a pair of glasses, proudly holding a gun his father gave him as a present for his upcoming 11th birthday.  The weapon in the photo, posted by his dad on Facebook, resembles a military-style assault rifle but, his father says, is actually just a .22-caliber copy.  And that, the family believes, is why child welfare case workers and police officers visited the home in Carneys Point last Friday [3/15/2013] and asked to see his guns.

Update:
No Charges for Father of 10-Year-Old Holding Hunting Rifle on Facebook.  Reports indicate that police in Carneys Point, NJ will not file charges against Shawn Moore, the father who posted a picture of his 10-year-old son holding a .22 caliber hunting rifle on Facebook.

The latest iteration of "Snitch on Your Neighbor" ...
New York state offers $500 reward for reporting gun owners.  For more than a year, New York state has maintained a tip line allowing people to report illegal gun owners and collect a $500 reward.  CBS-6 [WRGB?] news reported the existence of the tip line on Wednesday [3/20/2013].  It was previously a "well-kept secret" that received little promotion from state officials or fanfare in the media, according to the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association.

Assault weapons ban loses steam.  Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said on Monday that a controversial assault weapons ban will not be part of a Democratic gun bill that was expected to reach the Senate floor next month.

Colorado Sheriff Refuses to Enforce Gun-Control Bills.  Weld County Sheriff John Cooke told The Greeley Tribune that Democratic lawmakers are scrambling after recent mass shootings, and the bills are "feel-good, knee-jerk reactions that are unenforceable."

Gun Owners Separate Friends from Foes.  Chris Walsh didn't set out to punish businesses that don't allow him to carry his concealed handgun.  He's just a software designer from Richmond, Va.  He started the website Friend or Foe in 2009 to keep track of where he could shop and eat without running afoul of business policies and local regulations.  But then gun owners started using his website.  As word got out on gun-rights blogs, people began adding more business ratings to Friend or Foe, highlighting the establishments that ban firearms and those that don't.

State laws to prevent local officials from enforcing federal gun laws.  States can't stop federal laws from being enforced, but they can stop state or local employees from enforcing them.

Arms Trade Treaty Could Make Guns as Scarce as Ammo.  Contrary to the American Bar Association's (ABA) contention that the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) "is consistent with the Second Amendment" and "would not require new domestic regulations" to hamper the exercise of the rights therein, the reality is that if ratified, the ATT could make guns as scarce as ammo and the exercise of the Second Amendment difficult indeed.

Colorado's magazine-limit bill further reaching than opponents imagined.  Colorado Democratic Rep. Rhonda Fields, whose bill to ban ammunition magazines that hold more than 15 rounds ignited an ongoing firestorm of protest and which could cost the state jobs if a manufacturer of such equipment makes good on its promise to move to another state, didn't realize that her bill would outlaw practically every magazine currently for sale in the state.  That's because the bill specifies that magazines that can be "readily converted" to hold more than 15 bullets will also be outlawed.

Dianne Feinstein — more than a sixth grader, less than a Senator doing her duty.  [N]othing I do these days is more amusing than watching Ted Cruz annoy the legacy Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee and cause some of them to betray their foolishness.  The latest victims were Dianne Feinstein and Chairman Patrick Leahy.  Feinstein has proposed a ban on 157 different models of assault weapons.  Many of them are commonly used, which means that, under the Supreme Court's decision in Heller, banning them is problematic in terms of the Second Amendment.

Schumer's 'Background Check' Bill Criminalizes Most Gun Loans and Registers Firearms.  When I go shooting with friends, we head out into the desert and inevitably we admire each other's firearms and swap 'em for a try to compare their accuracy, feel and overall abilities.  That makes us criminals under the "background check" bill currently under consideration in the U.S. Senate.  Sen. Charles Schumer, who proposed the measure, has packed his legislation full of legal snares virtually guaranteed to turn gun owners into lawbreakers.

Prelude to a revolution: Shumer's [sic] gun transfer ban.  Chuck Schumer's S. 374, the Orwellian "Protecting Responsible Gun Sellers Act of 2013," has been an empty shell... until he slipped in Amendment ALB13180 today [3/13/2013], which shows the "teeth" of the bill.  It is an extremely aggressive attempt to destroy the Second Amendment by isolating and criminalizing extremely common behaviors among gun owners.

CO Senate Democrats Pass Controversial Gun Control Bill.  Colorado Senate Democrats passed their gun control package on Monday night [3/11/2013].

This can happen here, too.
South Africa — Gun Registration Has Led to Gun Confiscation in Two Short Years.  Over the last decade, it is estimated that at least 3000 white South African farmers, or Boers, have been have been murdered.  In 2010 the ruling ANC regime passed legislation demanding all firearms be re-registered with the state.  Then they turned down half of those registrations and forced farmers to turn in their guns.  Many believe this is a prelude to genocide.

Chavez successor tells Venezuelans to 'voluntarily disarm'.  In a concerning speech delivered yesterday in Caracas, Nicolas Maduro, the successor of and former Vice President to the late Hugo Chavez asked citizens of Venezuela to voluntarily disarm, using the rationale of reducing escalating crime rates in the country.  However, critics have noted that since the 2012 gun ban in Venezuela, violent crime rates in the country have continued to soar.  Opposition figures are concerned that the move is Maduro's way of attempting to a create an underarmed state should he seek to illegally cement his control over the people of Venezuela.

Explosive Exchange at Gun Hearing Between Ted Cruz and Dianne Feinstein.  [Video clip]

Now We Know Why Schumer's Been Hiding His Gun Control Bill.  I pulled up S.374 - Protecting Responsible Gun Sellers Act of 2013 on Thomas, and I came up with a two-page shell of a bill that means nothing.

Schakowsky Busted: Assault Weapons "Absolutely" Just the Beginning.  The Marxists Dems in control of the party can never be honest and up front about what they're trying to do — whether it be moving from a free market driven health care system to a government run healthcare system, or a ban on only certain, dangerous high-powered assault weapons (that only dangerous gun nuts own) to a complete ban on guns — they have to lie about their goals, lest the general public catch on.

The War Against the Second Amendment Has Only Just Begun.  In an interview with Jason Mattera which was conducted last month but is just now hitting the news, Democratic Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky admitted that the Democrats' effort to ban "assault weapons" is "just the beginning."  In addition, Schakowsky says that she wants to ban all handguns, and thinks this can constitutionally be done, despite the Second Amendment.  I think it is obvious that Schakowsky was only saying what a great many Democrats believe.

California Seizes Guns as Owners Lose Right to Keep Arms.  Wearing bulletproof vests and carrying 40-caliber Glock pistols, nine California Justice Department agents assembled outside a ranch-style house in a suburb east of Los Angeles.  They were looking for a gun owner who'd recently spent two days in a mental hospital.

Schakowsky: Assault Weapons Ban 'Just the Beginning'.  Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), a member of the Democratic Party's leadership in the House of Representatives, suggested to Jason Mattera at a Feb. 13 women's rights rally that plans for an assault weapons ban and private-sales background checks were only the beginning of a broader gun control agenda extending to handguns as well.

Nearly 1 in 3 state sheriff groups now oppose Obama gun controls.  Three more state-wide sheriff associations have joined those opposed to President Obama's kitchen sink approach to gun control, raising the number to 14, or nearly one-third of the nation's statewide police organizations.  Sheriff associations in South Carolina, California and most recently Nevada joined the other states in demanding Obama to stop his gun grab and instead focus on expanding the national background check system to include far more information on the mental health status of gun buyers than it does now.

N.Y. Enacts Drastic Gun Law Diminishing Personal Protection.  New York's NY SAFE Act, passed in January, looks to be another political deception straight out of the pages of George Orwell.  Officially called the Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act, the new law is merely another end-run offensive around the Second Amendment.

Florida bill would require anger management courses for bullet buyers.  A Florida legislator wants anyone trying to buy ammunition to complete an anger management program first, in what critics say is the latest example of local lawmakers reaching for constitutionally-dubious solutions to the problem of gun violence.

Concealed Carry Coming To Illinois, Gang Capital Chicago.  An Illinois court has ruled that the Second Amendment means what it says and has ordered the state legislature to adopt a law by June that lets citizens bear arms in self-defense, not just keep them.

Beretta Exec Likens Gun Ban to Book Ban.  Beretta general counsel Jeffrey Reh said Maryland Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley's Firearm Safety Act of 2013 is "tantamount to a legislative effort to ban certain books" during testimony before the Maryland House Judiciary Committee.  "That might seem like a provocative statement but the parallels are apt," Reh said, according to testimony obtained by the Free Beacon.  "The possession and use of firearms and printed materials are both protected by the Constitution.  Both rights come from the only legislation in U.S. history that was voted on and approved directly by the citizens of our country."

New Gun Control Lie: States Can Ban Anything.  Gun bans and confiscation at the state and city level are the new push of the gun-control Left.  That's clear from the near-identical gun-ban and confiscation legislation appearing in state houses all over the country, from New York, to Missouri, to Minnesota, to Colorado, to Connecticut, to New Jersey, and beyond.  These are the states where high-profile members of the Left, like VP Joe Biden, are making appearances.

N.C. sheriffs wage fight over gun records.  As North Carolina legislators move to close public access to firearm permits, some sheriffs are already refusing to hand over the records.  Following a public showdown with the sheriff in Cherokee County, a local newspaper editor quit last week after his records request — which was denied — made him the target of death threats.  The county has the state's highest rate of concealed-handgun permits.

This is NOT the Second Amendment.  In case you haven't figured it out, this photo montage is not representative of The Second Amendment or its supporters, although to listen to the gun-grabbers, you would think it was.  Remember, the goal is to eliminate guns, not criminals.

Think These Guys Will Give Up Their Guns?  I got this from my dad, who was also born in the former USSR and understands what it means to have a disarmed populace and an authoritarian government.  He doesn't like the idea of civilian disarmament either.  The link he sent me is an interesting conglomeration of photos posted by... ahem... people of questionable character on Facebook and other Internet sites.

February sets another record for Kansans applying for concealed carry permit.  "We are processing applications right at the 90-day statutory requirement," Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said Monday [3/4/2013].  For a second consecutive month, the state received a record number of applications.  Schmidt's office reported that 3,573 applications were filed in February.  That surpasses the previous one-month record of 3,167 permits filed in January.

Gun Free Zones: The Ugly Truth.  The ugly truth is that gun free zones are not about irrational dreams of safety.  They are about power and control.  The irrational spouting about safety is just a way to get emotional support from those who don't really think about the issue.  Gun free zones are just another incremental way to move toward total control.

Popular Standard Shotgun Could Be Banned Under Proposed Bill.  A popular hunting shotgun could be banned under one of the bills moving through the state Capitol.  A pump or semi-automatic shotgun is the gun most hunters in Colorado use.  It's a gun state Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray, says could be banned under a bill that's already passed the House and Gov. John Hickenlooper says he'll sign.  "They're coming after the standard shotgun," Brophy told CBS4 Political Specialist Shaun Boyd.

Should the feds go after gun buyers who fail background checks?  In 2010, nearly 80,000 Americans were denied guns after providing false information about their criminal histories during the background check.  Technically, it's a felony to lie during this process.  Yet only 44 would-be buyers were ever charged with a crime, according to the New York Times.  That may sound like a weirdly obscure statistic.  But it's a statistic that has become increasingly central to the debate over guns inside Congress.

N.Y. gun law mandates magazines that don't exist.  Starting April 15, New York will have the smallest gun magazine limit in the country, and all signs indicate no gun makers have plans to accommodate it.  Gun manufacturers have never had a reason to make a magazine with fewer than 10 rounds, because no state required it until now.  And, as far as local gun dealers and the Democrat and Chronicle have been able to determine, there are no manufacturers planning to make seven-round magazines.  This means that in less than two months, gun dealers [...] can only sell something that doesn't exist yet.

Federal court: No Second Amendment guarantee for concealed carry.  The Second Amendment's guarantee of a right to bear arms does not extend to the right to carry a concealed weapon in public, a federal appeals court in Denver has ruled.  "We conclude that the carrying of concealed firearms is not protected by the Second Amendment ..."  Justice Carlos Lucero wrote on behalf of a three-judge panel of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.  Lucero cited case law dating to the 1800s that put restrictions on walking around in public with a gun.

We need not justify the exercise of our rights to would-be tyrants.  When asked what I do for a living I reply:  I teach people how to shoot people.  I teach people how to shoot people because some people need to be shot — and they need to be shot NOW.  I have found that in the long run sugarcoating reality rarely produces good results.  Yes, it might make some people "feel" better, but feelings and reality are often polar opposites.  Pretending something is what it is not only postpones judgment day, and the longer it's ignored, the higher the price.

Sheriff warns of second American revolution if gun confiscation laws pass.  Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke warned of a second American revolution if gun control and gun confiscation passed and said he would not enforce laws requiring confiscation in his county while speaking with Alex Jones, Infowars reported Tuesday [2/19/2013].  "First of all, to me that would be an act of tyranny," he said of the gun control measures currently under consideration.  "So the people in Milwaukee County do not have to worry about me enforcing some sort of order that goes out and collects everybody's handgun, or rifles, or any kind of firearm and makes them turn them in."

What If Republican Todd Akin Advocated Rape Whistles?  On Monday [2/18/2013], the Colorado House passed four gun control bills.  Among them is HB13-1226.  It would ban concealed weapons on college campuses, as if creating more gun-free zones, such as the one around the Aurora, Colo., theater, where 12 were killed and another 59 wounded, will prevent more massacres.  Colorado is a concealed-carry state, as was Virginia at the time of the Virginia Tech shootings.  But like the Aurora theater, Virginia Tech had declared itself a gun-free zone.  It's a lesson the Colorado House apparently didn't learn.

Crowd Goes Wild As Assault Weapons Ban Plan Is Pulled At Westford, Mass. Town Meeting.  In an utterly unsurprising development this week, a town meeting in Westford, Massachusetts debated whether or not to ban so-called "assault weapons."  However, in a rather surprising development, the ban was not only withdrawn, but it was withdrawn to the cheering of hundreds of residents.

Veterans Receive Letters From VA Prohibiting Ownership or Purchase of Firearms.  This must be Barack Obama's way of thanking our veterans for serving.  US veterans are receiving letters from the government informing them that they are disabled and not allowed to own, purchase or possess a firearm.  If the veteran does decide to purchase a firearm he will by fined, imprisoned or both.

WV House passes bill to prevent seizure of firearms.  In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, police officers confiscated hundreds of firearms.  The West Virginia House of Delegates has taken a major step in ensuring something similar doesn't happen here.  House Bill 2471 passed the House unanimously Feb. 22.  The bill, introduced by Speaker Rick Thompson, D-Wayne, would prohibit the restriction on lawful use of firearms and ammunition during a declared state of emergency.  The bill is backed by the National Rifle Association and also creates a legal course of action for those whose weapons are unlawfully confiscated under this bill.

Would-be tyrants taking over Democratic Party and they want your guns!  Yes, leftists really are seeking not only to ban your guns, but to confiscate them as well.  These freedom-hating tyrants are taking over the Democratic Party and trying to turn it into not only the party of gun control, but the party of gun confiscations!

Black Leaders: 'Direct Correlation Between Gun Control and Black People Control'.  Gun control dates back to laws before and after the Civil War that prohibited or restricted African Americans from owning firearms, a group of black leaders said Friday [2/22/2013] at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.  "History is [rife] with examples.  There's a direct correlation between gun control and black people control," Stacy Swimp, president and CFO of the Frederick Douglass Society, said at the event.

Star Parker: Blacks Who Back Gun Control Need to Study History of Slavery and Jim Crow.  [Scroll down]  Parker said:  "Well, I'd say they need to revisit their history — black history, black slave history, black Jim Crow history — and they should visit the histories of other tyrant nations where we had people like Hitler and Stalin and Mao.  Every single time there is someone who wants to take away all other rights of the people, the first right they take away is your right to bear arms."  "I believe that the the Congressional Black community, or the Congressional Black Caucus is absolutely out of step with black America today on this issue," Parker said.

Democide.  In Turkey, "reasonable" gun control laws enacted in 1911 permitted the democide of two million Turkish Christians a few years later.  In Germany, the "commonsense" 1928 gun control laws of the Weimar Republic preceded Hitler's Holocaust by a decade.  The Weimar politicians did not intend for their gun control laws to lead to the slaughter of millions of people, but it is an historical fact that those gun control laws permitted the Nazis to carry out their Holocaust.  How?  By making it economically and militarily feasible to round up and mass murder entire towns without any significant resistance.  In fact, the Nazis quickly learned that they needed only a hundred ordinary military policemen to exterminate towns of a thousand Polish Jews in a single day.

Texas bill would block police from enforcing new federal gun laws.  Rep. Steve Toth, a newly elected Republican from the Woodlands, said his proposal would prevent officers from carrying out any future federal orders to confiscate assault rifles and ammunition magazines.

When you make people feel unwelcome, they tend to leave.
Fight or flight? When should you leave your anti-gun state.  After the American Civil War and during the decades of Jim Crow segregation that followed, there was a great Diaspora of African Americans toward the North, seeking economic opportunity and political freedom.  Gun owners are likely to react similarly in light of a slew of new anti-gun owner restrictions being proposed and enacted in certain states.

Colorado House approves new gun-control measures despite strong resistance.  [Scroll down]  Other proposals would ban concealed firearms at colleges and stadiums, and another requires that gun purchasers pay for their own background checks.

The Editor says...
This means there will soon be TSA-style searches at college football games in Colorado.

County Sheriffs in New York Slam Cuomo Gun Ban Law.  The Saratoga [NY] County Deputy Sheriff's Police Benevolent Association's letter to the New York pols who passed the so-called SAFE Act was sent January 24.  It's a must-read missive for anyone who cherishes their right to keep and bear arms.

Mark Levin: US preparing for societal collapse by buying up billions of rounds of ammo.  On Friday's [2/15/2013] night broadcast of his radio show, Mark Levin speculated that the federal government is stockpiling ammunition to ensure the rule of law in the event of a total societal and economic collapse.  On Feb. 8, Investor's Business Daily editorial writer Andrew Malcolm penned a piece about the Department of Homeland Security amassing what he called "sufficient firepower to shoot every American about five times — including illegal immigrants," or more than 1.6 billion bullets.

Homeland Security Now Armed With Enough Ammo for 24 Year-Long Iraq War.  The government reportedly repositioned several of their Homeland Security ammunition containers recently. [...] Mark Levin told his audience the government is buying the vast amounts of ammo to prepare for the collapse of our financial system and our society.

Missouri Gun Ban: Confiscating, Dismantling, Surrendering in 90 Days.  This bill would give legal gun owners 90 days to get rid of weapons with features these Democrats believe make them an "assault" weapon.  You cannot take your weapon over the Missouri state line and hand it to cousin Jim.  That's against the law.  You would have to sell it to a gun shop — but it wouldn't be illegal for a gun shop in the state to buy or sell them?  You can surrender your weapon to state authorities, or you can dismantle it (render it unusable).

Misstep in gun bill could defeat the effort.  Forget police drones flying over your house.  How about police coming inside, once a year, to have a look around?  As Orwellian as that sounds, it isn't hypothetical.  The notion of police home inspections was introduced in a bill last week in Olympia.  That it's part of one of the major gun-control efforts pains me.  It seemed in recent weeks lawmakers might be headed toward some common-sense regulation of gun sales.  But then last week they went too far.  By mistake, they claim.  But still too far.

WA Dems Sponsor Bill Allowing Police to Search Gun owners' Homes.  In a mistake that probably wasn't a mistake, a Washington state bill sponsored by liberal Democrats contained a little-noticed provision that would have called for the police to have the right to search private citizens' home once per year if they own certain types of guns.

Fear of gun control drives big crowd at Ladson gun show.  The popularity of the Charleston Gun & Knife show seems to soar whenever a Democrat is elected president or when a crazed man opens fire into a mall, theater or school.  But the sentiment that drove people to the Exchange Park fairgrounds — a fear that politicians will strip Americans of their firearms after 26 people were slain at Connecticut's Sandy Hook Elementary School — was palpable Saturday, which likely went down as the most attended show in its history.  This time, it could actually happen, many said.

Obama's quiet [gun control] ally.  As President Obama pushes for gun control in Chicago Friday, an unexpected ally from his home state, Sen. Mark Kirk (R) of Illinois, is crossing party lines to propose legislation that could have a greater impact than higher-profile proposals to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, experts say.

Gun Companies Refuse Sales to State Governments with Strict Gun Laws.  Six gun companies have announced plans to stop selling any of their products to any government agency in states that severely limit the rights of private gun ownership.  Disappointed with New York State lawmakers and other jurisdictions around the country who have passed strict gun control legislation, the companies — composed of firearm manufacturers, gunsmiths, and sporting goods retailers — have announced these policies in the past week.

If the target fits, wear it.  The Christopher Dorner saga exposes the weakness of the law enforcement community.  It gives law enforcement something to think about when threatening Second Amendment advocates.  The idea that they can descend upon us with flashbangs and SWAT raids day after day, house after house is a farce.  Something they should seriously consider before engaging in war on the patriotic and law-abiding people of this nation is this:  what if we decide to fight back?

An ominous warning from Canada.  Sun News Network news anchor Brian Lilley warns Americans that if we allow our government to create a national firearms registry, it WILL lead to gun confiscation.  He explains how registration led to confiscation in Canada and how a man who recently defended himself with a gun is now being prosecuted by the government.

MO Democrat Proposes Gun Ban, 90 Days to Turn in 'Assault Weapons'.  Missouri Democrat state Rep. Rory Ellinger has put forth H.B. 545, which would ban "assault weapons" and many semi-automatic pistols.  It would give owners of said weapons 90 days to either turn them in or get them out of the state.  After 90 days, those in possession of such weapons would face class "C" felony charges.

This article was published in April, 2009.
Supply Chain Management 101: on the ammunition shortage.  [Scroll down]  Along comes a huge, sudden spike in demand.  Retailers all over the country are suddenly swamped with ammunition purchases, and quickly call their suppliers to get more.  The first few calls are rewarded with replacement stock, but soon the wholesaler's shelves are bare too — their entire year allotment of ammunition is gone in just a few days.  The wholesaler calls the maker, and the same thing happens:  all of the suppliers are doubling (or more) orders to get their dealers restocked, and the manufacturer is quickly stripped of on-hand components as he tries to fill those orders.  The dealers are out, the wholesalers are out, and now the manufacturers are out.  But it gets worse.

California police chief: The idea that a gun is a defensive weapon is a 'myth'.  California Police Chief Ken James insisted earlier this month that the idea of a gun as a "defensive weapon" was a "myth."  Speaking at a news conference about gun control with California lawmakers, James explained that he was concerned with the amount of weapons owned by American citizens.  "One issue that always boggles my mind is that the idea that a gun is a defensive weapon," James said.  "That is a myth.  A gun is not a defensive weapon."

Why do civilians need assault weapons?  Once tyranny usurps power over the people, unconscionable brutality soon becomes the norm.  In 1938, Hitler banned Jews from possessing firearms.  Shortly thereafter, weapons were confiscated, followed by genocide of the Jewish population.  Six million Jews were killed throughout Europe and the Soviet area.  In 1915, the Ottoman Empire put forth a decree disarming all Armenians.  Shortly thereafter, weapons were confiscated, followed by genocide of the Armenian population.  Approximately one million were killed.  In 1918, the Soviet Union introduced firearm registration followed by confiscation.  Communist Party members were exempt from the confiscation order.  From 1929 to 1945, Stalin committed genocide against "Kulaks" and Communist dissidents.  An estimated twenty million were killed.

Gun Control and the Constitution.  The Supreme Court's 2008 decision in Heller v. District of Columbia confirmed that the Second Amendment means what it says:  "the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."  After Heller and its follow-on case, McDonald v. Chicago, which applied the Second Amendment rights to the states, what government cannot do is deny the individual interest in self-defense.  As a legal matter, that debate is settled.  The president and his allies seem to have missed the message, as demonstrated by his continued insistence that most of the American people, including many hunters, support his proposed gun-control measures.

All the previous laws in Chicago have worked so well...
Emanuel to Push New Gun Control in Chicago.  On Tuesday [2/12/2013], Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced that he'd be pushing for new gun control in the city of Chicago, even though it is the most heavily gun-controlled municipality in the country.  Emanuel will be hosting President Obama on Friday, where Obama will no doubt shift blame for Chicago's gun crime problem from the city and onto surrounding areas, despite their lower rates of crime.

NJ Plans 24 Gun Control Laws.  The Democrat leadership in the New Jersey Assembly plans on ramming through 24 different anti-gun measures on Feb. 13 and 14.  Included in the measures are bans on magazines holding more than 10 rounds, the creation of even more gun free zones, prohibitions against purchasing ammunition on internet, the registration and regulation of ammunition sales, and the end of private gun sales.

Run on ammunition stripping shelves at Lowcountry gun stores.  More than 300 million guns are out there somewhere — one for nearly every man, woman and child in the United States.  But not nearly enough ammo, apparently.  Local firearm dealers have had to limit ammunition purchases by customers in the midst of a run of stockpile-buying that has been stripping supplies of the most popular calibers from the shelves.  The run leaves dealers to search among distributors for orders that are sold as soon as they become available.

DHS Ammo Purchases: Gun Control by Another Name?  According to reports, the Department of Homeland Security has stockpiled over 1.6 billion rounds of ammo for its various agencies, and one of the worst side effects of this appears to be a shortage of ammo for private gun owners.  The question is — what if the shortage is intentional?

Nancy Pelosi: Push for Gun Control While We Have the Chance.  The measures, which largely reflect recommendations by President Obama and Vice President Biden, include universal background checks, "high capacity" magazine bans, an "assault weapons" ban, a "crack down on gun trafficking," laws against "straw purchases," and mandatory gun safety training programs.  It should be noted that none of these would have prevented the tragic Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

El Paso, America's safest big city, shatters Chicago's case for gun control.  Chicago, Ill., a city surrounded by the rural midwest, has tight gun laws. El Paso, Texas, has lax gun laws and neighbors one of the most violent cities in the world.  Yet, El Paso is the safest big city in the U.S., whereas President Obama cites the murder rate in his hometown as a reason to implement his gun control agenda.  Gun violence isn't much of an issue in El Paso, Texas, which is the safest city of its size in the country.

'Assault Weapons' Bans Are Just the Beginning.  [Scroll down]  In German hands, the K98 and P38 were weapons of war.  Captured from dead soldiers, the same rifle and pistol in the hands of a JFO member meant prolonging life.  This illustrates but one reason why the Second Amendment is in the Bill of Rights.  The same military guns, designed for killing, also allowed good citizens to strike back at their oppressors instead of remaining helpless victims.  This principle applies whether viewed in a macro battlefield environment or the micro environment of a thug invading your home at 3 AM.

CA Dems Show They Just Want To Grab Guns.  Along with making sure that it is really, really difficult for law abiding citizens to have the means to protect themselves and their families with any sort of gun.

Debate simmers over doctors asking about guns.  Do you have a gun in your home?  For some, that's a loaded question — particularly when asked by a doctor.  A debate is simmering over when and whether physicians should be allowed to talk to their patients about firearms.

Are California Democrats creating ground zero for the next revolutionary war?  In effect, California Democrats are looking to ban every common semi-automatic rifle, outlaw the ownership of standard magazines entirely, ban the popular Taurus Judge revolver, prevent individuals from allowing friends and relatives to fire legal guns, force handgun owners through bureaucratic hoops every year to merely maintain legal possession of their guns (the obvious intent is to make handgun ownership prohibitive), would eliminate the Second Amendment rights of anyone living with someone who is a banned person, and hire more CA DOJ employees to confiscate an ever-growing list of prohibited persons.

Why Would Any American Need an AR-15? Zetas, That's Why.  This is a problem all along the Arizona border, not just in Cochise County.  One rancher in Arivaca, Arizona, Jim Chilton, told NBC News on January 25 about the dangerous drug smugglers that use his land "at will."  His home has been burglarized twice, and he and his ranch hands are constantly on the lookout for armed smugglers.

Universal background checks would end father-child gun gifts.  It's a long tradition in America: A father buys a gun for his son or daughter to practice with at a range and eventually take hunting.  It's one so rich in American life that many states are encouraging it by adding youth-only hunting seasons and urging parents to bring their children to hunter safety courses.  But universal background check proposals being considered in Washington and in some states are threatening to end that by criminalizing gun gifts, neighbor-to-neighbor sales or even inheritances where the one receiving the gun doesn't first pass a background check.

New York's 'SAFE' Act: The 'Rape' of the Second Amendment.  In January, the New York State Legislature passed the Orwellian-sounding "SAFE" (Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement) Act.  The act was debated in closed session without committee hearings, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed it into law within an hour of its passage — after waiving the required three-day public comment period.  Cuomo bragged that New York now has the "toughest assault weapons ban" in the country but claimed that the law respects the Second Amendment and preserves the rights of "hunters and sportsmen."  The former is true; the latter is a bald-faced lie.  Even if you do not live in New York, you should be very worried, because the SAFE Act is a harbinger of what Democrats in the federal government will do nationwide if they can.

The Editor says...
Any time a major new law is rushed through a legislative body, it is for the purpose of deception, especially if the law is fundamentally unpopular, and if the law includes a lot of unsavory provisions.  This is one example.  Previous cases include the recent Fiscal Cliff bill, the Patriot Act, and the Obamacare law.

Gang Violence and Gun Control.  With FBI statistics showing more than 1,500,000 members of recognized gangs across the nation and something like 33,000 recognized gangs in the FBI's stats, you'd think Gun Control advocates would list these as a major target of their efforts, especially since gang activity is responsible for at least 48% of criminal and violent activity throughout the US.  You'd be wrong.

Can Rahm Emanuel's Illegal Thug Tactics Be Stopped?  Last week, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel sent a letter from his office to two banks, Bank of America and TD Bank, asking each to suspend doing business with gun manufacturers in the hope that this will pressure these companies into helping gun legislation pass.

If Canada Doesn't Need a National Gun Registry, Why Do We?  Canada did away with its firearms registry in 2012.

The Great Ammo Drought of 2013.  For the shooting community, things are looking pretty bleak for the short to medium term as far as ammunition supply is concerned.

Out of Ammo.  The shelves here in Minnesota are empty.  You can still find a few rounds of .380, .40 and even .45 caliber bullets, along with more exotic varieties, but the most popular ammunition — 22LR and 9 mm — is sold out everywhere.  The shelves are literally bare.  Every now and then someone gets in a small shipment; a friend told me that a local Dick's Sporting Goods got some 9 mm bullets in yesterday.  They were gone almost instantly.

College Officials Back Gun Control.  A coalition of college presidents and campus law enforcement organizations joined with New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg's gun-control group Monday [2/4/2013] to call for "rational gun safety legislation."  Meeting at a hotel blocks from the Capitol Building, the organizations pressed Congress to pass legislation requiring universal background checks for gun purchases, bans on "assault weapons" and high-capacity magazines, and making gun trafficking a federal crime.

Harry Belafonte Condemns "White America," Pleads for Civilian Disarmament.  Lest we forget, southern racists created America's first gun control laws.  They depended on it.  Without gun control, they couldn't have raped, tortured, disenfranchised and murdered blacks.  Today's gun control laws continue to leave African Americans — in specific — defenseless against the vicious criminals that prey upon their communities.  Not to put too fine a point on it, gun control is racism.

Arkansas Senators Overwhelmingly Approve Guns in Church Bill.  The concealed carry of firearms is currently illegal in Arkansas churches.  Senator Bryan King's (R-Green River) bill would let churches decide for themselves if they want to allow concealed carry and who gets to do it.  "There are just situations here in the real world that I think dictates churches are allowed to protect themselves," King said.

Walmart limits sales of ammunition to three boxes per customer per day.  Walmart has started to limit sales of ammunition to three boxes per customer per day due to limited supplies, a spokeswoman said on Wednesday [1/30/2013].  Sales of guns and ammunition have risen across the United States since the Dec. 14 shooting at a Newtown, Connecticut elementary school.

The Path to Saving the Republic: Just Say 'No'.  What is happening in Topeka, Austin, Ogden, Billings, Richmond and many other locales is just the beginning of a movement that will sweep this nation in the next four years.  The people, in the form of their respective States and their State legislatures, are learning and relearning the lessons that Jefferson and Madison taught us over 200 years ago.  The lesson resides in one word:  Just say "No."

The Second Amendment is Not about Hunting.  Our Founding Fathers' perspectives are just as important and relevant today as they were more than 200 years ago because the nature of man hasn't changed over time.  The world is still full of people who would enslave us and compel us to do their bidding if they could.  Our nation's capital is still loaded with elected officials who believe they know what's best for the rest of us, and they are willing to use whatever force is necessary to subjugate us and make us fall into line behind their way of thinking even if it violates our constitutional rights. [...] As unappealing as this possibility is, the day may come when we will need our weapons to fend off an overreaching and tyrannical government, as our Founding Fathers knew could happen.

February 23 Will Be A Day of Resistance.  While Barack Obama is calling for Americans to give up their freedom, their rights, and their guns, we're calling for Americans to resist.  We're calling on Tea Partiers, moderate Republicans, Libertarians and even moderate Democrats to stand up one month from today, on the 23rd of February and say, "No more!" [...] It'll be a Day of Resistance where gun owners and patriots can peacefully gather and show Barack Obama, the media, and the knockkneed Republicans in Congress that we may have lost a battle last November, but we haven't lost the war.  Don't meekly give up your 2nd Amendment rights when you can stand with us and RESIST!

DHS Wants 7,000 Scary Looking Rifles For Personal Defense.  In Liberal World, only The Government should be afforded guns.  Because that worked well in the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. [...] The Government thinks that their employees should have protection, but the same Government is against law abiding citizens being similarly armed for their own protection.

New York Gun Owners [Defy] "Assault Weapons" Registration Law.  New York Governor Cuomo the Junior may have rushed through his new gun control law with such speed that police will avoid its restrictions only through the blessed miracle of selective enforcement, but he may have a little trouble getting the state's firearms owners to attend his party.  The new law requires owners of those scary-looking rifles known as "assault weapons" to register their property (amidst assurances that, oh no, the registration lists will never be used for confiscation), but gun rights activists are actively urging gun owners to defy the new mandate.

The Big List of Who Hates Guns.  Since anti-gunners are always saying "no one wants to take your guns away" or they want me to live under their take of "sensible gun laws" (neither of which I believe to be prudent, sensible or anything remotely truthful) I figured I would go to the NRA's Institute of Legislative Action to find out who are the people that want to be sure that I can't defend my home or go shooting my .22 in the woods (both heinous acts of human behavior to be sure).  So, hats off the the NRA-ILA team for compiling this list.

Why We Have Guns.  When some intruders break into your house, or some muggers attack you on the street, you use as many bullets as the threat requires; the last thing you want to do is run out.  A day spent exterminating prairie dogs might see a person fire hundreds of rounds, equally so while fighting an invading army.  Exterminating a tyrant governor or self-proclaimed emperor might require many millions of bullets, or just one.  It was the fight with armies and home-brewed tyrants that the founders envisioned when they wrote the Second Amendment.

Gun control is about control, not guns.  There is one truism that should not be forgotten in the national conversation on guns:  Even if you repeal the Second Amendment it will have no affect on my God-given natural right to keep and bear arms.  That is because rights are not political grants from government.  Rights are inalienable gifts from Providence.  We possess them by simply existing.  And that right is not for hunting, as many on the left want to claim.  Nor is it for personal self-defense against criminals.  Ultimately, the right to bear arms is a protection against government.  The Framers knew this and that is why they specifically protected that right by enumerating it in the Constitution.

Gun control is about control, not guns.  [Scroll down]  The only "reasonable" thing we can do is put an end to so-called gun-free zones, which are really just victim zones.  How many more times must we read about people in gun-free zones cowering in corners waiting to be massacred like sheep?  If first-grade teacher Victoria Soto had a gun, she would be a hero for a different reason.  And a whole lot of children would still be alive today.  What an odd world in which we live.  We are willing to protect our money with guns, but not our precious children.

Empty gun stores shelves, empty words and memories of ObamaCare.  There is a run on firearms and ammunition and its scope is beyond what the world has ever witnessed.  In the last two months, American citizens have purchased enough guns to outfit the entire Chinese and Indian armies, combined.  Membership in the NRA grew by a quarter million in one month.

Feinstein measure will permanently ban semi-autos.  California Senator Dianne Feinstein's newly-introduced measure to ban so-called "assault weapons" permanently so that over time, the supply of such firearms would "dry up" also contains safe storage provisions and a requirement for background checks on all sales or transfers of "grandfathered" firearms.  The legislation also bans semiautomatic handguns with any of the following features:  threaded barrel, barrel shroud, a detachable magazine anywhere outside of the pistol grip, a second grip or any "semiautomatic version of an automatic firearm."

Feinstein's "Gun Control" Law Goes For Broke, Treats Gun Owners As Criminals.  It is more than likely going nowhere.  Senate Majority leader Harry Reid, himself a supporter of 2nd Amendment rights (hey, one good mark for him), may not even bring it up for a vote, instead allowing it to languish in committee.  And, if he does bring it up, he may not have the votes.  And, if it somehow manages to pass, it'll die in the House.  That doesn't matter to DiFi [...]

'Open carry' bill latest proposal to expand gun laws in Texas.  As the federal government moves forward on its plans to tighten gun restrictions, Texas lawmakers are proposing legislation to expand gun rights in the state.  The latest proposal is HB 700 filed Thursday [1/24/2013] by state Rep. George Lavender, R-Texarkana, that would allow individuals with concealed handgun licenses to carry weapons in plain view on a belt or shoulder holster.

Manchin backpedals on gun control after constitutents [sic] confront him.  Remember the summer of 2009?  Members of Congress came home to hold town-hall meetings as usual in August, part of their annual listening-tour strategy to keep incumbents in favor back in home states and districts.  When voters started showing up in droves to berate these Senators and Representatives over ObamaCare, however, the town-hall meetings started getting canceled, and those that did continue made for great moments on YouTube [...]

Gun Control: A Failed American Experiment.  Why did slavery flourish in the United States?  One reason undoubtedly is because the slaves were denied the tools to resist.

Emanuel To Banks: Stop Supporting Gun Makers.  Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is putting more pressure on gun makers to get behind his push for an assault weapons ban and criminal background checks for gun purchasers.  This time, he wants to go after their bottom line.  Emanuel is pushing two major financial institutions to stop their financial backing of gun makers, unless those companies support "commonsense reforms, including requiring criminal background checks on all gun sales."

Police in Iowa city to buy their own semi-automatic AR-15s.  Police in one Iowa city could soon be buying their own assault rifles to carry in squad cars to ensure they aren't outgunned by criminals in the wake of several high-profile shootings involving semi-automatic AR-15s, FoxNews.com has learned.  Half of the 50-member force in Marion, Iowa, will take part in the upgrade, paying for the $2,000 guns in installments deducted from their paychecks, according to Police Chief Harry Daugherty.

Revealed: New York's Democrats Wanted to Gut the Second Amendment.  NY State Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin has posted a list of 15 items that New York's Democrats in the state Senate wanted to include in the gun bill they rammed through last week.  Is this the Democratic Party's true gun agenda on display?

Gun Owners Refuse to Register Under New York Law.  After Democrats in New York rammed a sweeping assault on the right to keep and bear arms through the legislature that failed to exempt police officers from the draconian restrictions, gun owners and even some lawmakers are planning what has been dubbed potentially the largest act of civil disobedience in state history.  According to news reports, gun rights activists are urging everyone to defy far-left Governor Andrew Cuomo's new registration mandate while daring authorities to "come and take it."

Dems Introduce Bill Banning High Capacity Magazines.  In a move specifically designed and carefully calibrated to prevent no shooting tragedies, New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg (D) took the lead today in attempting to target ammunition magazines.  Lautenberg proposed new legislation that would prevent magazines from holding more than ten rounds at a time.  President Obama proposed just that in his staged photo-op surrounded by children last week.

Feinstein introduces sweeping ban on military-style weapons.  Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and a group of Senate Democrats on Thursday [1/24/2013] introduced legislation to ban the sale and manufacture of more than 150 types of semi-automatic weapons with military-style features.  The legislation also bans magazines holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition and requires people who already own assault rifles to use secure storage and safety devices and bars them from selling high-capacity clips.

Feinstein: 'The Purpose Is to Dry Up the Supply of These Weapons Over Time'.  Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.) laid out the conditions of her proposed assault weapons ban Thursday [1/24/2013], saying it would prohibit 158 specifically named military-style firearms.  "The purpose is to dry up the supply of these weapons over time," Feinstein said.  "Therefore, there is no sunset on this bill."  Feinstein said the bill prohibits the sale, transfer, manufacture and importation of assault weapons and large capacity ammunition feeding devices that can accept more than ten rounds, but said it would not affect hunting or sporting firearms.

Feinstein: 'Purpose Is to Dry Up the Supply of These Weapons Over Time'.  Senator Dianne Feinstein announced an assault weapons ban today on Capitol Hill, saying, "The purpose is to dry up the supply of these weapons over time":  "The purpose is to dry up the supply of these weapons over time," Feinstein revealed, according to the Washington Free Beacon.  "Therefore, there is no sunset on this bill."

List of Guns Banned Under Feinstein's Legislation.

Feinstein Gun Control Bill to Exempt Government Officials.  Not everyone will have to abide by Senator Dianne Feinstein's gun control bill.  If the proposed legislation becomes law, government officials and others will be exempt.  "Mrs. Feinstein's measure would exempt more than 2,200 types of hunting and sporting rifles; guns manually operated by bolt, pump, lever or slide action; and weapons used by government officials, law enforcement and retired law enforcement personnel," the Washington Times reports.

Emphasis in original.

Feinstein: Reinstate assault weapons ban.  Sen. Dianne Feinstein rolled out sweeping legislation that would ban more than 150 types of military-style semiautomatic rifles on Thursday, kicking off the congressional debate on a new assault-weapons ban that both sides say faces a steep uphill climb on Capitol Hill.  The measure is by far the most ambitious of the number of gun-control bills introduced in the wake of the school shootings in Newtown, Conn., last month.

The Feinstein "Assault Weapons" Ban: What's It All About?  Today [1/24/2013] Senator Dianne Feinstein unveiled her long-promised legislation to ban "assault weapons."  Since there is no such thing as an assault weapon, we will have to read the text of the law to see what it actually does.  So far, I haven't seen the text anywhere, but Feinstein's web site has a fairly detailed description of the bill, including a list of the 157 weapons that are specifically banned.  News coverage of Feinstein's proposal has been laughably bad.

Feinstein's Gun Control: Ill-Conceived Legislation.  Led by the once pistol-packing Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, the Democrats have put forth legislation that would outlaw more than 150 types of weapons, from rifles to pistols to shotguns.  They are calling it the "Assault Weapons Ban of 2013."  But it's more like the "Second Amendment Violation of the Century."

Assault Weapons Ban Lacks Democratic Votes to Pass Senate.  A proposed ban on sales of assault weapons would be defeated in the U.S. Senate today unless some members changed their current views, based on a Bloomberg review of recent lawmaker statements and interviews.

Gun Owners Must Contact Schools In Proposed Legislation.  Missouri state Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal wants parents to notify schools if they own a gun.  Anyone enrolling in a private or charter school will need to notify the school district or governing body if they own a firearm.  The state senator also wants to make failing to prevent guns getting into the wrong hands a class A misdemeanor.  If someone kills or injures another person with the weapon then it would be a class D felony.  That means spending 2-7 years in prison if someone is injured or killed with your gun if it is stolen or unsecured.

NRA boycott kills outdoors show that banned assault weapons.  A massive boycott backed by the NRA and outdoorsmen and women outraged that the nation's largest outdoors show banned the exhibition of assault weapons has caused the show's organizers to abruptly cancel the week-long event in Harrisburg, Pa.  The successful boycott, started by the website mynortheastoutdoors.com, was the biggest demonstration of support by the outdoors industry yet against gun control efforts being pushed in Washington and in several states.

Gun issue could decide midterm elections.  Democrats hold a five-seat majority in the Senate, 55-45.  Gun-control legislation might very well require 60 votes, and these six Democrats will be the ones to watch.

Two-thirds of U.S. weapons owners would 'defy' a federal gun ban.  Question 46 in the wide-ranging survey of more than 1,000 registered voters asks if there is a gun in the household.  Overall, 52 percent of the respondents said yes, someone in their home owned a gun.  That number included 65 percent of Republicans, 59 percent of conservatives, 38 percent of Democrats and 41 percent of liberals.  But on to Question 47, addressed to those with a gun in their home:  "If the government passed a law to take your guns, would you give up your guns or defy the law and keep your guns?"  The response:  65 percent reported they would "defy the law."

Sen. Schumer: NRA Fringe Group, Doesn't Represent Average Gun Owners.  Schumer says that during the 1990s the NRA used their lobbying power to fill background checks with loopholes, thus leading to a situation where "40 percent of all guns sold in American have no [background] check."  You'll recall that Obama also used this "40 percent" claim when pushing for more gun control earlier in the week.  This claim goes back to a 2011 study by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, where secondary, private guns were lumped in with new guns sales in an attempt to justify saying guns were entering the marketplace with no background checks whatsoever.

William Bratton: The Real Cures for Gun Violence.  The last time America had a gun-control debate was the early 1990s, and it was followed by the great two-decade-long decline in American crime.  The irony is that gun control had very little to do with that decline.  William Bratton did.  Serving as New York City's top cop for 27 months from 1994 to 1996, he helped turn around a violent, crime-ridden city with policies that later were adopted nationwide and across the globe.

Shredding the Constitution: The Port Arthur Phenomenon.  Gun control proponents in the media and in Washington have capitalized on two noteworthy national conditions during the past month:  first, the utter apathy of many moderate conservatives, centrists, and even the occasional open-minded liberal, as well as the enormous pool of individuals who simply don't care about anything other than celebrities, reality television, and video games; and second, the fact that millions of adults in the increasingly suburban and urban American population don't know anything about guns.

Oklahoma lawmakers push to expand gun rights.  While President Obama is calling for further restrictions on access to guns, Oklahoma lawmakers are pushing in the other direction, introducing dozens of bills that would make it easier for people to carry firearms and to carry them into government meetings, state parks and even public schools.

Will the Gun-Grabbers Create a 'No Buy List' Using Your Prescription Records?  Is it completely absurd to envision an overreaching Department of Justice — via the Bureau of Justice Assistance — putting "at risk" Americans on a "no buy list" for guns, similar to the TSA's "no fly list"?  Shortly after the President's announcement at the White House on Wednesday [1/16/2013] Wolf Blitzer told Rep. Steve Toth (R-TX) on CNN, "Right now you can be on a "no fly list."  You're not allowed to board a plane and you can go to a gun show to buy a gun.  Is there a contradiction?"  Hypothetically, would you be on the "no buy list"?  Perhaps you would be asked, "Do you now, or have you ever taken Xanax or Ativan for anxiety?"  (Of course, there's no need to ask, the authorities already know).

New Hampshire has most machine guns per capita in the country.  The number of automatic weapons in New Hampshire increased dramatically after 2010, according to federal firearms records, although it remains unclear whether the growth is being driven by civilians, law enforcement or the military.  The number of registered machine guns in New Hampshire spiked 80 percent between the end of 2010 and March 2012, according to the most current data available from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Tax dollars for gun control.  The directives on gun violence President Obama signed Wednesday were meant to seem harmless.  A closer look at the president's first memorandum reveals it to be a sneaky assault on congressional authority in order to fund gun-control propaganda.  Getting this done has been on the White House "to do" list for some time.

The Threat Posed by Gun Magazine Limits.  A ban on "large-capacity ammunition feeding devices" is one of the new gun restrictions approved by the New York legislature this week and one of the measures President Obama wants Congress to enact.  The rationale for such limits is that mass murderers need "large-capacity" magazines, while law-abiding citizens don't.  Both premises are questionable, and so is the notion that politicians should be the arbiters of necessity under the Second Amendment.

A (Not So) Brief History of the Gun.  As debates about guns and gun rights in America rage, truly to understand the gun, one needs to look at its history.  The story of the gun is a fascinating and riveting look not only at history, but also at science, business, politics, justice, and morality.  Throw in a great deal of ingenuity, a good deal of heroism, and a small dose of romance, and the story of the gun is the world's greatest tale of human invention.

Make Obama Grab Guns All By Himself.  If the American people allow Marxists to disarm them without a battle, they deserve to live under the boot of this Marxist scum.  Without your Second Amendment Rights, you have NO other Rights, which is exactly why Obama and his band of Democratic Socialists want your guns.

Virginia lawmaker's AK-47 sparks gun debate on House floor.  A Richmond-area lawmaker brandished an AK-47 on the floor of the Virginia House of Delegates on Thursday in a wild stunt aimed at rallying support for tougher gun laws.  Del. Joe Morrissey, D-Highland Springs, pulled the weapon out shortly after the day's session got underway, a time when legislators typically welcome school groups and other visitors in the chamber's gallery.

Tax dollars for gun control.  The directives on gun violence President Obama signed Wednesday were meant to seem harmless.  A closer look at the president's first memorandum reveals it to be a sneaky assault on congressional authority in order to fund gun-control propaganda.  Getting this done has been on the White House "to do" list for some time.  In his 2013 budget submission, Mr. Obama deleted the prohibition that has been in effect since 1995 on the use of federal funds to advocate or promote gun control.

New York Declares War on the Second Amendment.  The Ruger, Walther P22, and Smith & Wesson target pistols all use magazines with capacities of 10 or more, and their principal purpose is to make holes in pieces of paper at up to 50 yards.  New York has therefore just made it eminently clear that the Constitution does not even protect sporting uses of firearms, let alone the Second Amendment's primary intention of individual, collective, and national self-defense.  This should mobilize all supporters of the Bill of Rights to deploy all necessary legal, nonviolent, and socially acceptable methods to take these enemies down decisively and permanently.

Biden to NRA: We 'don't have the time' to prosecute gun buyers who lie on background checks.  During the National Rifle Association's meeting with Vice President Joe Biden and the White House gun violence task force, the vice president said the Obama administration does not have the time to fully enforce existing gun laws.  Jim Baker, the NRA representative present at the meeting, recalled the vice president's words during an interview with The Daily Caller:  "And to your point, Mr. Baker, regarding the lack of prosecutions on lying on Form 4473s, we simply don't have the time or manpower to prosecute everybody who lies on a form, that checks a wrong box, that answers a question inaccurately."

NRA President: Death Threats Against Org Reflect Obama's Tactics.  "Hundreds" of death threats have been made against the president of the National Rifle Association just since the first of this year.  And those threats reflect President Obama's political tactics.  That's what NRA President David Keene told talk show host Ernest Istook on Thursday [1/17/2013].

More Guns = Fewer Murders.  As Charles Blow recently claimed in the New York Times:  "America has the highest gun homicide rate, the highest number of guns per capita ..."  Or as the New York Times earlier this month put forward the notion:  "Generally, if you live in a civilized society, more guns mean more death."  The claim is all over the news from CNN to various "Fact Check" articles.  It would be nice if things were that simple.  The evidence — and there is plenty of it — points to the very opposite, that cutting access to guns mainly disarms law-abiding citizens, making criminals' lives easier.  Guns let potential victims defend themselves when the police aren't there.

New York's radical gun-control law.  Gov. Andrew Cuomo is the first to successfully exploit the Newtown, Conn. tragedy to pass the most radical and pointless gun-control law of any state in the country.  The most dramatic changes in New York will be to lower the limit on magazines from 10 to only seven rounds and a full ban on all so-called assault weapons.  The deal was crafted quickly and behind closed doors in Albany to maximize the urgency of the emotions from the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre and minimize input from groups representing gun owners.

New York Passed a Gun Control Law So They Could See What Was in It.  Earlier this week, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo rushed to sign sweeping and extremely restrictive gun control legislation into law.  Negotiations were made behind closed doors in the middle of the night, debate was rushed, public input was ignored and the votes were taken.  The legislation that was passed only allows New York residents to carry seven bullets in a maximum ten round magazine at a time and requires gun registration.  The problem?  Cuomo didn't read the bill and failed to notice legislators forgot to exempt law enforcement.

Guns, abortion, and tyrants.  Guns and abortion.  One is an enumerated, constitutional right, and the other is not.  The Second Amendment guarantees the right of the people of the United States to keep and bear arms.  It's not a government-given right; it's a natural right — the right to defend yourself, your family, and your freedom.  In rare circumstances, abortion might be necessary to preserve the mother's life.  But there is no right to kill unborn babies in the U.S. Constitution.  But 40 years ago next week the U.S. Supreme Court contended that abortion is an implied "right of privacy," one that previously had lain hidden in our founding document.

Feds have no legitimate role in regulating firearms.  The Constitution authorizes the feds to regulate in areas of national defense, foreign affairs, keeping interstate commerce regular, establishing a post office, protecting patents and artistic creations, and keeping the nation free.  The areas of health, safety, welfare and morality were not delegated to the feds and were retained by the states.  How do we know that?  We know it from the language in the Constitution itself and from the records of the debates in the state ratifying conventions.

Obama is coming for your guns.  The president said that he would go around Congress by taking 23 executive actions.  He signed a handful as soon as the news conference ended, and one of the upcoming proclamations will order Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. "to review categories of individuals prohibited from having a gun" to determine if those categories need to be expanded.  Mr. Holder's agency is hardly the model for gun safety, considering it came up with the Operation Fast and Furious program to run guns to Mexican drug cartels.

3-D printing: Next ban on gun grabbers' agenda?  President Obama doesn't seem to be a fan of certain technologies.  He once blamed ATMs for putting people out of work.  He'll like the rise of 3-D printing even less.  Thanks to this technology, people will eventually be able to make the high capacity magazines and AR-15s that he hopes to ban, right from the comfort of their own homes.  It's already happening.

Rep. Nadler: Two to Four Self-Defense Shots is Enough.  Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D - NY) applauded his state's expansion of the current gun control laws on Tuesday [1/15/2013] telling Breitbart News, "I'm glad New York passed strong legislation.  Would I have preferred stronger? — always — without knowing the details of what they did."  The passage of the new gun control laws make the New York legislation the strictest in the nation.

Obama's Disarm the Victim Movement.  Outlawing high-capacity magazines is nothing less than limiting the ability of victims to defend themselves.  Criminals, by definition, will scoff at the law and get whatever magazines they want from their pals in the shadows.  Law abiding Americans will reduce their defenses.  America under the rule of the left.

Civil War's A-Brewin'.  I love guns.  Grew up with 'em.  As a former police officer with 12 years in the U.S. military, I know how to use them, too — use them well.  I plan to buy more — a bunch more.  In fact, who's to say I don't already have a veritable arsenal?  Point is, tain't Big Brother Barack's nor any other candy-keistered-liberal-cream-puff's bloody business whether I do or not.  See, the left's totalitarian brand of "gun control" has nothing to do with controlling guns — or bad guys.  Rather, it has everything to do with controlling — disarming — the law-abiding masses.  It's not about protecting the innocents.  It's about rendering the innocents defenseless.

Soros: 13 New Gun Laws Needed Now.  [Scroll down]  Did Adam Lanza foil the background check system to get his weapons?  No.  As a matter of fact, reports indicate he purposely forewent the background check because he knew he wouldn't pass it.  Many of the other proposals include things which you probably guessed Soros & Co. would suggest — "assault weapon" ban, "high capacity magazine" ban, start gun registry database, and "treat gun trafficking as a serious crime."  Seriously — what does a gun registry have to with ending crime?

White House Does Damage Control on NYT Gun-Control Report.  Someone tell Dianne Feinstein: For all the Democrats' talk about passing another assault-weapons ban, that now appears unlikely to happen.  According to the New York Times, the administration's prospects of pushing an assault-weapons ban through Congress are slim and, as a result, the White House "is focusing on other measures it deems more politically achievable."

Kentucky Sheriff Vows to Uphold Constitution, Not New Gun Control Laws.  Let's hope this catches on.

Kentucky sheriff to defy any Obama gun grab.  Jackson County Sheriff Denny Peyman has some advice for federal officials attempting to confiscate legal guns held by citizens in his jurisdiction: "go ahead, make my day."  Sheriff Peyman says he is very concerned about proposed federal legislation that could result in massive gun ownership bans and orders of confiscation.

Kentucky Sheriff to Feds: 'You Are Never Going to Pull Guns Out of Jackson County'.  As I wrote on Jan. 11, Jackson County Kentucky Sheriff Denny Peyman has made it clear that gun laws which violate the United States Constitution or the Kentucky Constitution will not be enforced in his county.  On Jan. 12, he followed this up with a press conference in which he explained that a Sheriff's powers are predominant over the powers of federal and state agents.

Sheriff Cannon: I would be violating the law if I enforced unconstitutional law.  Charleston County's Sheriff Al Cannon voiced his opposition to proposed national gun restrictions in the wake of the Newtown, Conn. shooting.  During a press conference this morning [1/17/2013], Cannon said people are "taking advantage of broken hearts" to push the gun agenda.

No Guns, No Freedom, No Country.  Will the gun rights issue be the tipping point for the American public, (over half of which voted for the alien traitor in the White House)?  One major issue after another, robbing Americans of Constitutional rights, has passed before the treacherous Congress of the United States, and no successful effort has been made.  Will the gun control laws be the straw that breaks the camel's back?

Five Inconvenient Facts For Gun Control Proponents.  First, the violent crime numbers (including numbers for gun violence) have been declining in the Unites [sic] States for decades.  Second, this decline in crime has taken place despite there being more guns in circulation in America than ever before.  Some 45% of households have guns in them.  There are more than 300,000,000 guns in circulation in the US, and over the last two decades, just about every state in the union has liberalized gun laws.

Mark Levin: I can barely contain my fury at what is going on in this country.  Levin starts out sharing with his audience that he is so frustrated by the tyranny that's happening to this country right now that he can barely contain his fury behind the microphone. [...] He then transitions for the rest of the clip to the proposed ban on high capacity cartridges and this erroneous idea that we don't need more than 10 bullets at a time to defend ourselves.  And the longer the clip goes the more epic it becomes as Levin makes a solid case for why we absolutely need high capacity cartridges.

Americans, never give up your guns.  These days, there are few things to admire about the socialist, bankrupt and culturally degenerating USA, but at least so far, one thing remains:  the right to bear arms and use deadly force to defend one's self and possessions. [...] For those of us fighting for our traditional rights, the US 2nd Amendment is a rare light in an ever darkening room.  Governments will use the excuse of trying to protect the people from maniacs and crime, but are in reality, it is the bureaucrats protecting their power and position.

Warning From Russia: Americans, Never Give Up Guns.  As the administration considers repealing the Second Amendment via executive order, a reminder of its true purpose comes from a country that has suffered greatly from murderous and criminal tyrants.

It's about more than guns.  Today, we find ourselves at the precipice of a tyrannical takeover and the complete destruction of our Republic, best illustrated by the talk of disarming the American populace.  The assertion is that the it's for the children when, in fact, the children are being used as political capital to advance the political agenda of American disarmament, loss of liberty, sovereignty, and the rights bestowed on our Republic by God as enumerated by our Constitution.  Notice how there is a war not only against gun owners, but a parallel war against the very Judeo-Christian principles on which this country was founded.

Emanuel to unveil new Chicago gun control ordinance.  Mayor Rahm Emanuel today [1/10/2013] indicated he will put forward his own city gun control ordinance in the next few days after state lawmakers did not reach agreement on the divisive issue.  Emanuel refused to give details about what specifically his proposal will address.  But he said he isn't willing to wait until state lawmakers take up gun control.  Last month, a federal appeals court tossed out the state's longstanding ban on carrying concealed guns in public.  The court gave the state six months to set up new rules.

More states look for ways to control gun laws.  A growing number of states are aiming to keep Uncle Sam's hands off their weapons if Congress decides to stiffen gun-control laws in response to last month's deadly shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.  Eight states — Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah and Wyoming — have adopted laws in recent years that would exempt guns made in the state from federal regulation as long as they remain in the state, according to Jon Griffin of the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Demonizing Gun Owners Isn't Working. [Scroll down]  In response to this kind of gun owner demonization, the NRA has reported astronomical fundraising numbers, announcing to Politico that in just 18 days it has added more than 100,000 new members (aka donors) to its rosters.  As Jonathan rightly remarked yesterday, "the more liberals talk about taking away legal guns the better things are for the NRA."

Lawyer: Banning Assault Weapons A Feel-Good Gesture 'Unless You're Prepared to Confiscate'.  The man who joined forces with Ralph Nader in the 1970s to virtually invent the consumer-interest lawsuit said Thursday [1/10/2013] that an outright ban on "assault weapons" might make some people feel better, but it would do nothing to curb violence at schools.  George Washington University Law Professor Alan Morrison says gun confiscation would be the way to go — but even that would be ineffective.

The right to shoot tyrants, not deer.  There have been practical historical reasons for the near universal historical acceptance of the individual possession of this right.  The dictators and monsters of the 20th century — from Stalin to Hitler, from Castro to Pol Pot, from Mao to Assad — have disarmed their people.  Only because some of those people resisted the disarming were all eventually enabled to fight the dictators for freedom.  Sometimes they lost.  Sometimes they won.  The principal reason the colonists won the American Revolution is that they possessed weapons equivalent in power and precision to those of the British government.

Guns Are Designed to Kill.  Non-killing uses of guns are incidental.  Does that make the gun controllers right?  No.  If we are to preserve our Second Amendment rights and our freedom generally, we must accept the possibility of legitimate killing in two circumstances: defense against violence and resistance to oppression.

Utah town makes arming households a top priority.  Officials in a small Utah town want to make sure every head of household has a firearm and knows how to use it, and they want to give school teachers training with guns too.

Three completely unrelated news stories that vintage media somehow forgot to report.  [#2]  Dianne Feinstein's true stated goal is the unconstitutional confiscation of all firearms from civilians: [...] "If I could have gotten 51 votes in the Senate of the United States, for an outright ban, picking up [every gun]... Mr. and Mrs. America, turn 'em all in."  Note she doesn't mention the Constitution as an obstacle; only the vote tally.  As Obama's economic policies make ever more Americans dependent on government largesse, vote tallies will soon cease to be a problem for authoritarian statists like Feinstein.

Senator Feinstein's All-Out Assault On Gun Rights.  According to a December 27th posting on her website and a draft bill obtained by the National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action, the legislation would define "assault weapons" to comprise a much larger variety of firearms than ever before, require current owners of those included to register them with the Federal Government noting locations, impose a $200 tax per firearm, prohibit their transfer to other people, and require that those weapons be forfeited and destroyed upon the owners' deaths.

Wyoming Lawmakers Propose 'Gun Protection' Legislation.  Several Wyoming lawmakers are proposing legislation designed to protect gun-owners from any potential federal firearm ban.  The "Firearms Protection Act" bill, introduced this week, would make any federal law banning semi-automatic firearms or limiting the size of gun magazines unenforceable within the state's boundaries.

I Will Not Be Intimidated.  As a young boy I was shot by a man whose clear intent was to kill me as I had deliberately, by throwing broken bricks at him, interrupted his attempt to rape a young teen-aged girl, allowing her to escape.  To this day I can still see the evil in his face and the sun glistening off the barrel of the pistol he aimed in my direction.

A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall.  What the Left is too ignorant to realize is that there are enough of us who will refuse to be serfs in their new heavenly kingdom — our 'moral health and martial vigour' are growing by the hour.

The question on everyone's mind is, Who will be the first patriot to die?  25 Million Americans can't all be wrong.  That is the conservative estimate on the number of people who have been buying up and stockpiling weapons in the last four years.  These are not criminals, they are law-abiding citizens who believe that civil war is coming to America and they must be prepared to defend their homes and their families — and — their country.

America's Coming Gun War.  To most Americans, an armed guard in a school is a good idea in our too-violent nation.  Most Americans realize that when shooting breaks out in a gun-free zone — a school, movie theater, mall — the first call goes to 911 to get cops with Glocks and a SWAT team with black rifles there as soon as possible.  Most folks understand why air marshals on planes might have to be armed.  Most folks know that the people running up the death toll in murder capitals like Chicago are not using AR-15s.  And many Americans yet accept that in the last analysis it is a man's duty to be the defender and protector of his wife and children.

Obama Exploits Sandy Hook to Push Gun Control Agenda.  The Obama administration and Democrats in Congress are launching a massive gun control campaign as the President begins his second term and a divided Capitol Hill returns to work.  Billed as a response to the Sandy Hook shootings in December, the campaign includes ten gun control bills that were introduced on the first day of the 113th Congress — none of which would have prevented the shootings from taking place.

Former NYC Mayoral Candidate Wants Megan's Law Equivalent for Gun Owners.  Did you know that if you own a gun you are equivalent to a child molester?  According to Mark Green, who has run for the mayoralty of new York on the Democratic ticket, your right to own a gun grants you the same right to privacy as a child molester:  none.

A recipe for activism against efforts at gun control.  Emails and phone calls may have a modest but fleeting effect on most ordinary Congressional votes.  However, the Obama Gun Grab is not an ordinary vote.  This legislation is a direct assault on the 2nd Amendment, personal firearm ownership, and certainly paves the way for the indefinite detention of disarmed undesirable political and religious opponents and their families.  So, what actions can a responsible gun owner take to stop this legislative insanity?

The single dumbest gun-control measure ever proposed.  With extraordinary shortsightedness, Connecticut lawmakers want to publicize the addresses of handgun owners.

Connecticut Lawmaker Introduces Bill to Publish Names, Addresses of Gun Permit Holders.  Connecticut State Representative Stephen D. Dargan (D-New Haven), co-chairman of the state's Public Safety Committee, has introduced a bill that would make public the names and addresses of gun permit holders in Connecticut under the state's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Ex-Burglars Say Newspaper's Gun Map Would've Made the Job Easier, Safer.  Reformed crooks say the New York newspaper that published a map of names and addresses of gun owners did a great service — to their old cronies in the burglary trade.  The information published online by the Journal-News, a daily paper serving the New York suburbs of Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties, could be highly useful to thieves in two ways, former burglars told FoxNews.com.

Can You Imagine King George III Telling Our Nation's Founders They Couldn't Have Muskets?  From Hollywood's heavily armed guarded elite to the radical, anti-gun commie rag Journal News, peaceful and upright average Joes are being isolated and concentrated on as the bane of America's existence just because we righteously and lawfully keep and bear arms.  Hollywood has even cobbled together a little tsk-tsk black and white video demanding our government do something about gun violence.  That would be the very gun violence they have glamorized on the big screen for the last few decades.

Obama's Disarming Haste.  The president and vice president of the United States are urging immediate action on gun control, pre-empting all debate about the measures' constitutionality; and their justification for this urgent, anti-constitutional action is that "the American public has a short memory."  In other words, this is not a real crisis (i.e., an ongoing threat), and the public will soon realize that, and carry on with life as usual; therefore, we must act before that happens.

Americans Are Voting With Their Wallets On Guns.  No matter where you look, the news is the same — guns are flying off the shelves, bulk ammo can't be found, and applications for concealed permits are going up, up, up.  In short, Americans have weighed in on the gun debate and the winners are the right to keep and bear arms and the duty of self-defense.

Guns, Equality, A Land Where "Thieves Rule The Night".  In the U.K., gun ownership is virtually banned.  Even the police force in the U.K. is, for the most part, unarmed.  Raw figures show that the UK has a lower homicide rate than the U.S., 1.2 per 100,000 of population in the U.K. versus 4.8 in the U.S.  But when it comes to violent crime overall, the UK is a much greater hotbed than the U.S., with 2,034 violent criminal incidents in the U.K. per 100,000 of population versus 486 in the U.S.  An anecdote from a British police officer gives a chilling feel for the ramifications of a disarmed society — where the criminals are very often more powerful at the point of the crime than either the citizens or the police.

Democrats Drop Eight Anti-Gun People Control Bills On First Day.  Of course, the vast majority of ammo dealers require that people who place orders pick up said orders at licensed firearms stores, just like with gun orders.  And the proof is in the details of what the legislation says, and none of them are available to read as of yet on Thomas or at [Carolyn McCarthy's] webpage.  Bobby Rush, Rush Holt, Jim Moran, and Sheila Jackson Lee also submitted legislation.  Lee's would raise the eligibility age to carry a handgun from 18-21.  I'm sure the young criminals who break the law regarding murder in Chicago will quickly ignore her.

Admin. Which Ran Guns Into Mexico Looks At Broad Gun Control Agenda.  Of course, as usual, Obama is leading from behind, seeing as how Democrats have already introduced 8 pieces of legislation in the House and Senator Feinstein (D-has gun herself) plans to introduce a big one in the Senate. [...] It's already illegal to carry a gun within 1000 feet of a school.  I bet people intent on mass murder/suicide will pay attention to stiffening fines.

Illinois Dems advance ban on most modern firearms.  Illinois Senate Democrats advanced legislation late Wednesday to restrict semiautomatic weapons and high-capacity magazines, pressing forward with new gun control measures in the waning days of the session over the objections of firearms groups.  Amid the developments, the Illinois State Rifle Association issued an "urgent alert" to its members warning them that Democratic legislators were trying to push through last-minute anti-gun legislation.

California gun sales have risen, gun injuries have decreased.  California has millions more guns than it did 10 years ago.  It also has thousands fewer gun injuries and deaths each year.  Those are two simple facts that, depending on whom you ask, have everything or nothing to do with each other.

On First Day, Democrats Propose Eight Anti-Gun Bills.  With the left looking for its next big cause, Congressional Democrats have latched onto the Sandy Hook massacre as an opportunity to push gun control.  Yesterday alone, eight new bills were introduced relating to gun control.  Two conservative bills were introduced relating to ending "gun free zones" under federal law.

I am not your peasant... I will Not be disarmed.  A scathing letter written by a Marine veteran blasting a proposed ban on assault weapons has gone viral online.  Cpl. Joshua Boston wrote the letter to U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat from California, who proposed the bill banning certain firearms and requiring gun owners to register their weapons.

As Calif. gun sales go up, number of gun-casualties goes down.  Gun sales in California are booming.  More than 600,000 were sold in 2011.  However by last year, sales had jumped to 817,000.  That's an increase of 36 percent.  But we noticed the number of people wounded by gunfire is dropping.

Can't Find an AR-15? Consider One of These Rifles Instead.  Finding an AR-15 at an affordable price can be quite a chore.  In fact, just finding an AR-15 can be difficult.  There is a serious run on guns as a result of Barack Obama's re-election and pledges of more gun control by Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Joe Manchin (D-WV).  Thus, for Americans looking for their first AR-15 but having difficulty obtaining it, here's a question — Why not look at an AK-47 or an SKS as a viable option?

FBI: More People Killed with Hammers, Clubs Each Year than Rifles.  According to the FBI annual crime statistics, the number of murders committed annually with hammers and clubs far outnumbers the number of murders committed with a rifle.  This is an interesting fact, particularly amid the Democrats' feverish push to ban many different rifles, ostensibly to keep us safe of course.

Outing the Gun Owners and the Left's New Savagery.  The American Left, which thoroughly dominates the mainstream media, no longer believes, if it ever did, in the concept of reasonable and respectable people disagreeing in good faith on core issues; it increasingly demonstrates that it believes all opposition to its own outlook and policies must never be tolerated, but only eradicated.  Its opposition is never to be engaged on the level of ideas, but only ridiculed and held up as evil.  The Left has done nothing but demonize its opposition for years.

When In The Course Of Human Events...  [Scroll down]  So why do I write this essay?  Because we have an individual in our Senate, Diane Feinstein, who is proposing to put forward a facially-invalid law, on top of the 20,000 already-invalid gun laws on the books, purporting to violate The Second Amendment.  She doesn't [care] that what she proposes today, had she done so in 1775, would have instantly precipitated Concord as soon as word was passed.  She thinks she can get away with this based upon your inaction over the last few decades when similarly-bogus and facially-void laws were both proposed and passed.

Progressives and the Phony Gun Debate.  To typical Progressives, government is the very essence of life, and anyone who is not directly employed by government or who has been given police powers by the State stands in the way of the State providing life and happiness.  Lest anyone believe that denial of individual self-defense is a top agenda for Progressives, think again.  Both Canada and Great Britain essentially have outlawed individual self-defense, and should any individual use any kind of "offensive weapon" in self-defense, then that person faces extremely harsh punishments.

Russian News Outlet Pravda Prints Surprising Opinion Column Warning USA: 'Never Give Up Your Guns'.  Back in November, the Russian news outlet Pravda (formerly the official press of the USSR), surprised everyone when it published a scathing opinion column labeling President Obama a "Communist without question promoting the Communist Manifesto without calling it so."  And they appear to have done it again, this time weighing on in the gun control debate currently gripping the United States.

What you'll see in the rebellion.  Let me explain, gun grabbers, how your confiscatory fantasy plays out.  Let us imagine for a moment that a sweeping gun control bill similar to the one currently suggested is passed by the House and Senate, and signed into law by a contemptuous President.  Perhaps 50-100 million firearms currently owned by law-abiding citizens will become contraband with the stroke of a pen.  Citizens will either register their firearms, or turn them in to agents of the federal government, or risk becoming criminals themselves.  Faced with this choice, millions will indeed register their arms. [...] Tens of millions of Americans will refuse to comply with an order that is clearly a violation of the explicit intent of the Second Amendment.

Something funny happened on the way to tyranny.  [Scroll down]  There were no less than six clerks working feverishly with the dozen or so customers, so I simply stepped to the side and walked the aisles.  The cases of ammunition that typically lined the far wall were picked to pieces. [...] Every weapon of military utility designed within the past 100+ years was gone.  This isn't a society stocking up on certain guns because they fear they may be banned.  This is a society preparing for war.

The 2nd Amendment and the Kool-Aid Drinkers.  In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control.  From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.  In 1911, Turkey established gun control.  From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.  Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated.  China established gun control in 1935.  From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated.

Gun Control and the Long Night of Tyranny: a Cuban Exile Speaks.  One of the first steps historically taken by would-be totalitarians is to disarm the population to be ruled:  the Bolsheviks did this in Russia, the Nazis in Germany and the occupied countries, the Maoists in China, the Castroites in Cuba, and on and on.  In some cases, as in Cuba, weapons of limited military value, like single- or double-barrelled shotguns, are allowed — as a privilege and under permit — to be possessed by the well-behaved ... though permitted ammunition is generally limited to birdshot.

Obama To Go For Guns in 2013.  Actually, Barack Obama has been against the 2nd amendment for all of his political life, and has sought to ban private ownership of guns long before he ever darkened the halls of Congress or the White House.  Sandy Hook merely provides him with an excuse to once again argue for the disarmament of the American people, a long-time Marxist goal.

Why Good People Need Semiautomatic Firearms And "High Capacity" Magazines.  For one thing, defensive firearms are meant to be "equalizers," force multipliers that can allow one good person to defend against multiple evil people.  To allow one good person to defend against a single evil person so much stronger and/or bigger and/or more violent than he or she, that the attacker's potentially lethal assault can be stopped.  History shows that it often takes many gunshots to stop even a single determined aggressor.

Next Phase Of The Gun Control Fight: Gun Shows.  Organizers are caving a bit by "asking" vendors not to bring AR-15s with them or display them discretely.  Of course the lunacy of all of this as the show's promoters points out is there are 15 gun stores within a a half hour of the convention center.  Like the newspaper that published the list of permit holders, this is nothing more than rank harassment and an effort to marginalize people for daring to exercise their rights.

Feinstein: More Power, More Money to ATF to Register All Guns.  As the day on which Sen. Dianne Feinstein's (D-CA) "assault weapon" ban will be introduced draws closer, another troubling aspect of it has come to light — namely, that it will give new funding and expanded powers to the ATF for the purpose of registering all guns and gun owners in the country.  In other words, in addition to banning "assault weapons" and handguns like Glocks, Sig Sauers, Smith & Wesson M&Ps, and H&Ks, the legislation will also empower the ATF to be sure every gun is placed on a government registry.

Nation running out of ammo.  Reaction to threats by Senator Dianne Feinstein and others to ban certain weapons and severely restrict ownership of guns generally has caused a run on gun stores, as is widely reported.  Less reported is the run on ammunition, leaving ammunition inventories down 93% since election day.

Feinstein unveils sweeping gun-control agenda.  Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., plans to introduce sweeping gun-control legislation at the beginning of the congressional session in January. [...] The senator describes the proposal as a version of the assault-weapons ban that expired in 2004.  Feinstein's legislation ban scores of firearms, including military-style "assault" weapons and high-capacity ammunition feeding devices.  It also calls for the creation of a federal register that would require millions of gun owners to be fingerprinted and photographed.

Gun Control, RIP.  Americans have seen the number of guns in private hands continue to rise — and the number of states that pretty much allow any law-abiding citizen to carry concealed weapons reach over 40.  We have simultaneously witnessed a 41 percent decline in overall violent crime rates over the past two decades.  The homicide rate has fallen by nearly half over that period.

Sam Colt and the Law of Self-Preservation.  The nature of men, having proved insufficient in wisdom for the eradication of evil, must then paradoxically utilize the equalization of deadly force to not only suppress the jaundiced glint in our neighbor's eye but the tyranny that arises when men esteem the chimera of ordered equality over liberty.

Hey Senator Feinstein, You Say You Want A Revolution?  Senator Feinstein and her statist friends want to make America safer by taking guns away from honest people who don't commit gun crimes.  Such is liberal logic.  Feinstein, who knows as much about guns as she does fiscal responsibility, is going to introduce a bill that will "stop the sale, transfer, importation and manufacturing of military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition feeding devices."  Her bill will also affect handguns and require registration of firearms with photos, fingerprints, makes and models, and serial numbers.  I know you'll all be lining up to comply!

Democrats Seek the Holy Grail of Gun Control.  Dianne Feinstein has announced that she will introduce sweeping gun control legislation in the Senate.  Under her bill, countless standard handguns apparently would now be banned, and for the first time a federal register that may include many millions of gun owners, fingerprinted and photographed, would be created.

Feinstein: All Gun Owners Should Be Registered, Fingerprinted.  Even as news that Sen. Dianne Feinstein's (D-CA) "Assault Weapon" ban is really a ban on some of the most popular civilian-owned handguns in the U.S., details of her promised legislation also show that it will require gun owners to register their guns with the government. [...] This will require not simply the registration of the specific gun's serial number but also a photograph and fingerprints of the owner as well.  This would necessarily take away the ability of people to sell guns in private sales to friends or family members too.

December 27, 2012: The Day Freedom Died in America.  Just two days after Christmas, the American Senate is coming for your guns, in a move that will toss the Founding Fathers' cherished Second Amendment into the dustbin of history.

Softening up the public for the end of the Second Amendment:
Arne Duncan: 'We Have Common Values That Go Far Beyond the Constitutional Right to Bear Arms'.  Americans value their children, their safety, and the right to pursue their dreams without fear — and those "common values" trump the rights set forth in the U.S. Constitution, Education Secretary Arne Duncan said last Friday [12/21/2012] in a speech at a Washington, D.C., elementary school.

Obama's Hypocrisy Problem On Guns.  If there's a bump in the night and it's a thug intent on attacking my family, it's my responsibility to deal with it first.  That's who I am as the head of the household.  I am the first responder, because my other alternative is to be the first victim, either alongside or right in front of my daughter.  And again, while you don't expect such an event to happen, and you arrange your life as best you're able to prevent it, there is no such thing as a guarantee.

Clinton, Who Proposed 'COPS in School' Program, to Help Senate Democrats Draft Gun-Control Legislation.  Ironically, it was [President Bill] Clinton who, in 1998, spearheaded a program akin to the school safety initiative proposed by NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre on Friday [12/21/2012], which was widely criticized by Democrats, that would put armed guards in schools across the country.

FBI Crime Stats: You are more likely to be killed by hands and feet than by a shotgun or rifle.  Since 2007 there has been a 16.2% decline in murders committed with personal weapons which are defined as "hands, fists, feet etc."  The number of murders of this type in 2011 totaled 728.  While gun ownership has dramatically increased since 2007, murders for both the shotgun and rifle categories have seen declines faster than the rate of personal weapons related crime.

Liberals Panic As They Lose the Gun Narrative.  The evidence is all around that this is not going to be the moment where America begins a slide into disarmed submission through an endless series of ever-harsher "reasonable restrictions" on our fundamental rights.  You just have to look past the shrieking media harpies to see what's really happening.

The Assault Weapons Ban: How Silly Was It?  Revisiting the comically incompetent law which President Obama wishes to reinstate.

Air Marshals, Armed Teachers, and Gun-Free Zones: Are You Consistent?  Airplanes in flight are likely never again to be "gun-free zones"; they will instead approach "gun-mandatory zones," and you likely are pleased with this.  Schools fall under federal "gun-free zone" law.  Far more Americans support gun-free schools than support gun-free flights; a segment of the U.S. population thus exists which supports undercover air marshals yet rejects undercover "school marshals."  Leave aside the emotion: does logical reasoning present grounds for this divergence in opinion?

Progressives, Guns, and the Assault on Truth.  The silly idea of having "gun-free zones" falls right in the line of Progressivist thinking, and Progressives are people who do not like to be confused with facts.  The creation of these "zones" is not done in order to protect anyone; indeed, law-abiding people in those areas are more vulnerable to spree killers than they would be elsewhere.  No, the creation of "gun-free zones" is ideological, period.  Progressives are making the statement that guns are bad and that people need to be protected from the evils that the mere presence of a gun create.

Gun confiscation raised by rising star Democrat.  New York Governor Andrew Cuomo publicly declared the death of the US Constitution yesterday, December 20, 2012.  Cuomo, in few short sentences, has begun laying the essential groundwork for the possible mass deportation of undesirable civilians to government "work" camps, re-education camps, and even death camps.  After all, only disarmed Americans can be herded and shipped off in cattle cars to their uncertain fate.

Stop and think - and you will realise that banning guns is a waste of time.  Don't be herded into the standard liberal opinion, that the Sandy Hook School tragedy is the fault of America's allegedly crazy gun laws.  Actually, Connecticut's gun laws are a good deal tighter than Britain's were before 1920.  British gun law before then was so relaxed it made Texas look effeminate.  Did the streets of Edwardian London echo to gunfire?  Were school massacres common?  No.  Were guns restricted here because of crime?  No, they were restricted because the panicky British government thought there might be a revolution.

Proof the Left Wants All Guns Outlawed.  If the "assault rifles" (that aren't) are too deadly to be legal, and the handguns are equally deadly, it follows that the handguns are also too deadly to be legal, no?

Satan worship motivated Sandy Hook killer?  Was [Adam] Lanza part of a larger Satanic or ritualistic subculture locally or online in which he could have revealed his plans or could have even received support in preparing for the killings?  Although largely underreported, Satanic subculture and so-called devil worship has been a factor in numerous other mass killings, including the recent Batman shooting massacre.

The Real Cause of the Sandy Hook Massacre.  [Scroll down]  The World Net daily article [above] is quite interesting in the aspects of "Satanic Worship," and such things, engaged in by the perpetrators of such massacres, that are the direct opposite of Judeo-Christian teachings, going clear back to the 1960's and the Charles Manson murders.  It is also quite remarkable that the general news media rarely go into these aspects of the mass murder cases.  Is it merely because it would detract from their arguments for gun control, as well as the fact that the media and academia have become very liberal and anti-Christian over the past 50 years?

Pulling the trigger on gun control.  Obama's selective sympathy concerning the Newtown massacre is political exploitation at its most cynical and debased.  Where were Obama's concern, his empathy and his calls for a thorough investigation of the Fort Hood and Benghazi massacres?  Obama's knee-jerk opportunism, trying to exploit the horrible deaths of these children to pursue his political ends (harmful gun-control legislation), is in sharp contrast to his response to the Fort Hood mass murder.

Did someone mention Fort Hood?

Killing by the Dock of the Bay.  In the wake of the Sandy Hook massacre, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, California Democrat, is taking the lead in blaming weaponry instead of evil, criminality and insanity.  Feinstein plans to reinstate a ban on "assault weapons," which escape easy definition, and president Obama supports her action.  That invites a look at Feinstein's experience during the 1970s when San Francisco Bay Area was a center of radicalism so violent it was dubbed "the Belfast of North America."

Guns, Mental Illness and Newtown.  None of the guns that the Newtown murderer used was an assault weapon under Connecticut law.  This illustrates the uselessness of bans on so-called assault weapons, since those bans concentrate on guns' cosmetics, such as whether the gun has a bayonet lug, rather than their function.  What some people call "assault weapons" function like every other normal firearm — they fire only one bullet each time the trigger is pressed.

Gun Culture and Gun-Control Culture.  Your average school shooter is unhappy and angry, irreligious, incapable of fitting into a community and filled with rage that he exercises through violent fantasies.  His culture isn't gun culture.  It's loner culture.  Video games do not cause him to kill, but they are how he entertains himself until he can get a taste of the real thing.

Gun sales surge after Connecticut massacre.  The prospect of a renewed assault weapons ban in the wake of the Connecticut school massacre has set of a round of buying, as thousands of Americans head to their local gun store to secure the popular AR-15 — the model used by the school gunman — before potential government prohibitions on their purchase.

How to stop the slaughter of the innocents:  The truth is that every single day mass murders are averted by armed civilians.  Yet, every time there is a horrendous slaughter like we saw at the Sandy Hook Elementary School, there is a knee-jerk outcry for stricter control of guns.  Wait a minute!  The perpetrator of this crime stole his weapons from his mother's house after murdering her!  He tried to buy a rifle days before, but was turned down.  No law could have stopped that short of disarming all law-abiding Americans.  And that would just mean more death and carnage — and the end of liberty for all.

It's Time to End Gun-Free Zones.  At home I own several firearms, and frankly, anyone forcing entry to my home would have a very short life expectancy.  However, each day I have to send my children off to a place where the only protection they have is the ideology of wishful thinking.

Vultures.  The Left is a totalitarian movement.  Its master strategists hate the very idea of freedom, whatever they might tell the cannon fodder beneath them.  You cannot establish a totalitarian regime, capable of compelling and forbidding all things, over an armed people.  Therefore, private firearms ownership must end.

Dem Lawmaker: Obama Must 'Exploit' School Shooting To Get Gun Control.  Dem. Rep. Jerrold Nadler is at least being honest about how he, and no doubt many Leftists, would like to feast off an unthinkable tragedy and exploit it in order to pursue a nonsensical agenda that would ensure only bad guys have guns.  Last night on "The Ed Show," Nadler openly called for President Obama to "exploit" the murder of 20 children, "I think we will be there if the president exploits it, and otherwise we'll go on to the next."

Federal appeals court tosses state ban on carrying concealed weapons.  In a huge win for gun-rights groups, a divided federal appeals court in Chicago Tuesday [12/11/2012] tossed the state's ban on carrying concealed weapons and gave Illinois' Legislature 180 days to craft a law legalizing concealed carry.

Democratic congressman urges legislation to renew ban on plastic guns that don't exist.  New York Democratic Rep. Steve Israel is calling for legislation to renew the federal ban on plastic guns, according to his official congressional website. [...] 3-D printers, which have been available since the 1980s, take two-dimensional plans and convert them to three-dimensional objects, which are then usually made from plastic.

Seventh Circuit Rules in NRA's Favor in Illinois Gun Law Case.  The National Rifle Association just won a major court case in Chicago, providing a huge victory for Second Amendment proponents and gun owners.  Illinois is one of the most anti-gun states in America.  Its hostility toward the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms is demonstrated in a state law that forbids the carrying of firearms outside the home.

Gun owners say boondoggle puts them in license limbo.  Gun ownership advocates are pushing for a return to lifetime firearm licenses, saying the state's 1998 get-tough gun control laws have created a bureaucratic nightmare that turns them into lawbreakers, while cash-strapped police departments say they are swamped.

Crimes of gun-grabbing mayors.  Mike Bloomberg is on a mission to take away everyone's guns.  New York City's billionaire mayor has bankrolled a coalition of municipal chiefs from coast to coast who tirelessly lobby for new laws restricting the rights of law-abiding gun owners.  The irony is that many in his coalition of pedophiles, embezzlers, wife beaters, cheaters and violent thugs are no longer eligible to legally own a gun.

A Declaration of Grievances.  [Scroll down]  The entire point of state militias was to guard against a federal tyranny, even if that meant fighting against the national military; in turn, the point of the national military was to guard against foreign invasion.  It was always understood that the state militias were the final guardians of state rights.  Without state militias, the concept that a state could "nullify" an illegal federal law by simply not following it, mentioned as an important instrument of states' rights by Jefferson in the Kentucky Resolutions of 1798, becomes a toothless joke.  With state militias, on the other hand, it's quite a serious proposition, because the militias themselves act as an enforcement mechanism.

A Declaration of Grievances.  [Scroll down]  The very day after the 2012 election — this past Wednesday — the executive branch, led by Obama, resumed work on an illegal treaty with the U.N. to achieve despotic gun control reforms that could not otherwise be achieved through the legislature.  Treaties to accomplish domestic policies — instead of properly international matters — are illegal, and yet Obama pursued this very goal throughout most of 2012, only to curtail his efforts during the campaign and then eerily resume them the very morning after he had guaranteed his continued tenure at the presidential seat.

Louisiana Citizens to Gun-Grabbing Judges: Come and Take It.  While national eyes were on the presidential election on Nov. 6, citizens of Louisiana were voting on a state-constitutional amendment that made the right to keep and bear arms "a fundamental right," and put gun-grabbing judges on notice.

A Sobering Message from Australia!  It has now been 12 months since gun owners in Australia were forced by new law to surrender 640,381 personal firearms to be destroyed by their own Government, a program costing Australia taxpayers more than $500 million dollars.  The first year results are now in: [...] Australia-wide, homicides are up 3.2 percent.  Australia-wide, assaults are up 8.6 percent.  Australia-wide, armed robberies are up 44 percent!  In the state of Victoria alone, homicides with firearms are now up 300 percent.  Note that while the law-abiding citizens turned them in, the criminals did not, and criminals still possess their guns!

A Little Gun History:  China established gun control in 1935.  From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.  Guatemala established gun control in 1964.  From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.  Uganda established gun control in 1970.  From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.  Cambodia established gun control in 1956.  From 1975 to 1977, one million educated people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

        "All political power comes from the barrel of a gun.  The communist party must command all the guns, that way, no guns can ever be used to command the party."

— Mao Tse Tung