Background, overview and recap articles:

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Why Should We Keep Our Guns?  In the last century, scores of millions of defenseless civilians were slaughtered by totalitarian regimes that first disarmed them.  Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, Communist China, the Ottoman Turks, and several dozen other despotic regimes committed mass murder of millions upon millions.  Historically, genocide follows confiscation of arms as surely as day follows night.  In order to foster the deterrence of tyranny in American government, the Founders ratified the Second Amendment, acknowledging the unalienable right of the people to bear arms.  The published statements of the Founders clarify their points of view with regard to their purpose for acknowledging that right.  They clearly meant for the people not to be impeded from owning weapons similar to the ones used by government forces, so that any future despots might be deposed by an armed populace.

Liberals Want to Grab Guns...but Who Will Do the Grabbing?  I don't think I'm alone when I say it's frustrating having the same conversation over and over and over again.  I'm frustrated trying to explain the difference between a semi-automatic and a "military-style assault" weapon, parrying asinine retorts of how our Founding Fathers "only had muskets," and being told by strangers what weapons I "don't need."  I'm frustrated with citing statistical evidence showing that the vast majority of gun violence in America is the result of suicides and of criminals who have obtained their guns illegally.  I'm frustrated with trying to justify my personal choices to people who are completely ignorant about guns and who are completely unwilling to learn.  I'm frustrated because it's an exercise in futility.  They return the very next day to push their very same debunked talking points that I've spent the last conversation refuting.  Deploying factual evidence works only when dealing with people for whom factual evidence is valued, acknowledged, and conceded.

Here are Eight Stubborn Facts on Gun Violence in America:    [#1]   Violent crime is down and has been on the decline for decades.   [#2]   The principal public safety concerns with respect to guns are suicides and illegally owned handguns, not mass shootings.   [#3]   A small number of factors significantly increase the likelihood that a person will be a victim of a gun-related homicide.   [#4]   Gun-related murders are carried out by a predictable pool of people.   [#5]   Higher rates of gun ownership are not associated with higher rates of violent crime.   [#6]   There is no clear relationship between strict gun control legislation and homicide or violent crime rates.   [#7]   Legally owned firearms are used for lawful purposes much more often than they are used to commit crimes or suicide.   [#8]   Concealed carry permit holders are not the problem, but they may be part of the solution.
Each of these facts is firmly based on empirical data.

Draconian Gun Control Does not Reduce Gun Numbers or Homicide Rates.  Guns are a 700 to 1000 year old technology.  Guns can and are being made, in homes and small shops around the world, that are beyond state control.  Firearms have had extreme legal restrictions imposed over most of the planet.  The United States is exceptional, with the Second Amendment.  Most governments allow only small numbers of their people to legally have firearms.  People under those governments actively resist those laws.  In spite of a century and a half of stringent restrictions on gun ownership, the number of guns in private hands has risen significantly.

Gun control fact sheet:  Law-abiding citizens use guns to defend themselves against criminals as many as 2.5 million times every year — or about 6,850 times a day.

A Primer on the Constitutional Right to Keep and Bear Arms.

When the Nazis Came for the Guns.  The Nazis had in their possession a national registry of gun-owners.  When they came to power in 1933, they knew exactly who had what kind of gun and how many.  And they didn't even have to compile the registry themselves.  A few years earlier, the Interior Minister of the German Weimar government had started the gun ownership registry as a way of keeping tabs on extremist groups in Germany, such as the communists... and the Nazis.  The national registry was thorough, precise, and extensive.  But not public.

Yes, They Are Coming for Your Guns.  Today we have a multitude of reasons to have a high concern about a government that has become far too large, too invasive in too many issues and operated by people who are almost impervious to being fired for normal matters that citizens have to face in their own lives.  When I have discussions with people wanting to shrink the rights of gun owners, they discount this essential aspect of why citizens should be allowed to own guns.  When I ask them to explain the explosion of armed representatives of the government in non-military agencies, they are universally ignorant of that fact.  Here are just a few:
    [#1] The IRS has 2,300 Special Agents armed with AR-15s, P90 tactical rifles and other heavy weaponry.  The IRS recently spent $12 million on ammo and weapons.
    [#2] The Small Business Administration (SBA) spent tens of thousands on Glock hand guns.
    [#3] In 1996 the Veterans Administration had no armed employees.  Today they have 3,700 officers armed with millions of dollars worth of guns.
The list goes on.  As a Jew, I have a problem with any government having all the guns.  The last time we allowed that to happen, it ended with millions of dead Jews.  I believe any Jew who denies that reality puts their own political naiveté above the survival of the Jewish people.

Scammed by a Black, a Woman, and Now a 17-Year-Old.  Exploiting the Florida school shooting, wacko leftist retired justice John Paul Stevens and other leftist nuts have called for the repeal of our 2nd Amendment right to bear arms.  Leftists also flood the media with deception and lies.  Parroting fake news media, my relative ranted that you don't need an assault weapon for hunting and home protection.  She thinks current gun law allows nutcases to purchase a machine gun (assault weapon).  Civilians cannot casually purchase machine guns.  The AR-15, which is hated by leftists, requires the trigger to be pulled for each round fired.  The AR-15 is not a machine gun and has saved numerous homeowners' lives.  Women defend themselves with guns against sexual abuse 200,000 times per year.  Guns are used 80 times more often to save a life than to take a life.  Of the 2,581,268 gun-related incidents each year, 2,549,596 are self-defense.  Only 31,000 are assaults.  American gun-owners kill 1,500 criminals each year.  Police kill 600 criminals annually.  The term "assault weapon" is a made-up political term by gun-haters to deceive people into thinking bad guys are legally buying machine guns.  Everything leftists try to sell us is always rooted in misdirected hate, irrational emotion, deception, and lies.

Some Thoughts on Banning 'Assault' Rifles.  Let's begin with a few basic facts:  More people are killed every year with blunt objects, or are simply beaten to death, than are murdered using "assault" rifles.  Only about 3-4% of murders using firearms (out of about 11,000 annually) in the US involve rifles (including bolt & lever action rifles, .22LR and semi-automatic rifles of all types).  A person's chances of being murdered with an "assault" rifle in any given year are literally about one in a million.  The average number of people killed per year in all types of public mass shootings (3+ killed, not including shooter) over the last 38 years was 25.  Fewer than 1/3 of these were killed using semi-automatic rifles.  The average number of people wounded per year was 35.  The average number of people killed at schools in mass (3+ killed) school shootings, adult and child, over the same 38-year period was 4 per year, or roughly 1 in ten million.  Meanwhile 815 students die annually and 152,250 are injured during regular travel between school and home.

From ancient Athens to modern America:  Thank the right to 'bear arms' for freedom.  Former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens' recent opinion piece in the New York Times advocating the repeal of the Second Amendment appears to have surprised many, but it shouldn't have.  In 2008, while considering the District of Columbia v. Heller case, Stevens and three of his "progressive" colleagues on the United States Supreme Court attempted to effectively repeal the Second Amendment by judicial fiat.  Their failure to do so was a victory for our republic and its inheritance of ordered liberty that predates the ancient societies of Athens and Rome.  Owning and bearing arms for a variety of legitimate purposes (such as collecting, hunting, and defense of self, family, and state) has been a vital part of the Western tradition for millennia and is our birthright as a free people.  This right (or the lack thereof) has separated the free and the enslaved since before the rise of Athenian democracy.

There Is Only One Sure Way to Stop School Shootings.  There are over 300 million guns in America, 200 million of them legal.  They are easy to buy anywhere for anyone who wants one.  Most gun-owners are law-abiding citizens who purchase them legally and own them for self-defense purposes.  They are used for protection far more often than reported by the anti-gun lobbies.  The horrific murder rates in Chicago and Baltimore are not committed with legally owned firearms; both of those cities have the strictest gun laws in the nation.  Most deaths by guns are self-inflicted.  The anti-Second Amendment posture of the Obama administration was anathema to American citizens who revere the Constitution.  Gun control, as Tucker Carlson reminded, is really people control.  The first thing tyrants do is disarm their citizenry so they are defenseless.  Which is why the proliferation of "gun-free zones" is suicidal on its face.

Parkland Shooting:  Questions the Left Can't Answer.  What has Big Education done for school safety, other than making schools "gun free zones," turning them into target-rich environments?  Not only are they not protecting their students, but they are also leaving their union dues-paying teachers vulnerable in school shootings.  Why doesn't Big Education care about teachers and students?  Why do these shootings almost always happen in "gun free zones"?  Would a bank or jewelry store ever declare itself a "gun-free zone"?  What about any government building in the country?  Does this make sense?  Members of Congress bray about the evils of guns and how arming teachers is a bad thing.  Yet their workplace is surrounded by armed guards and metal-detectors.  Many of them travel with armed escorts.  Governors and big-city mayors surround themselves with armed security, at work and at home.  Why won't they protect children with the same zeal?

Abortion Causes 25% of All Deaths in United States, Guns Just 1.5%.  This year's Academy Awards took place this past Sunday with a show full of political symbolism and the pushing of the progressive agenda.  One performance was even an attack on the National Rifle Association by a pair of rappers.  Of course, the NRA has come under increasing attack from the Hollywood crowd because of the NRA's support of the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution.  You know, the right to bear arms.  The wailing cry of those who think that the Second Amendment needs to be abridged is that gun violence causes too many deaths.  The national statistics show that there are approximately 15,000 deaths a year from gun related violence.  Unfortunately, that number has slowly risen in recent years.  In an effort to put some significance to that number, the CDC reports that there are 2,712,630 deaths annually in the United States.  Gun related deaths from all sources (violent acts, accidental discharge, suicides, etc.) total 38,000 and account for about 1.5 percent of all deaths.

Timely news and commentary:

New York Moves to Nullify Supreme Court Decision Upholding Gun Rights.  In an act of breathtaking defiance and spitefulness not seen since Southern states engaged in "massive resistance" to the Supreme Court's 1954 Brown v. Board decision, the New York State Legislature gave a middle finger to the Supreme Court and voted Friday to effectively nullify the Court's decision last week in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen. After an extraordinary session for the explicit purpose of defying the Court, Senate Bill S51001 was rammed through on a party-line vote by the Democratic supermajority, passed the Assembly, and received the signature of Gov. Kathleen Hochul.  Writing for the majority in Bruen, Justice Clarence Thomas struck down New York's century-old requirement that an applicant for a handgun carry permit demonstrate a "special need" if he wanted to carry for self-defense.  New York's licensing process was entirely discretionary and arbitrary, and in many jurisdictions, licensing officers simply refused to issue permits for self-defense.  This was particularly true in New York City, where applicants were routinely and summarily rejected unless they were politically connected or celebrities — such as Howard Stern, Donald Trump, and Don Imus.

NY Governor To Require 3 Years Of Social Media History To Obtain Concealed Carry Permit.  Within an hour of the US Supreme Court striking down a law which required New York residents to show "proper cause" to obtain a concealed carry license, Governor Kathy Hochul (D) promised legislation to counter the ruling.  To that end, Hochul on Friday signed sweeping gun legislation into law that adds several layers of red tape for those who wish to obtain a gun in the state — including a new rule requiring anyone applying for a concealed carry permit to submit a three-year history of their current and inactive social media accounts.  The new law will take effect on September 1, 2022.  Applicants for concealed carry permits must also undergo 16 hours of firearm training, provide four character references, and list the contact information for domestic partners or adults who reside in the same house.

New York Democrats Ignore Supreme Court Ruling and Ban Guns Just About Everywhere.  New York Democrats in the state legislature were called into special session by Gov. Kathy Hochul in order to deal with an emergency situation.  The U.S. Supreme Court had thrown out New York's restrictive gun licensing law that made it nearly impossible for a citizen to carry a weapon for self-defense, and Democrats were experiencing near-apoplexy.  Their paradise was about to be invaded by a bunch of gun-toting, whiskey-swilling, cowboy-hat-wearing yahoos.  (That's their vision of anyone wanting a concealed carry permit, anyway).  They solved their problem by passing another gun law.

New York Moves to Nullify Supreme Court Decision Upholding Gun Rights.  Writing for the majority in Bruen, Justice Clarence Thomas struck down New York's century-old requirement that an applicant for a handgun carry permit demonstrate a "special need" if he wanted to carry for self-defense.  New York's licensing process was entirely discretionary and arbitrary, and in many jurisdictions, licensing officers simply refused to issue permits for self-defense.  This was particularly true in New York City, where applicants were routinely and summarily rejected unless they were politically connected or celebrities — such as Howard Stern, Donald Trump, and Don Imus.  In other jurisdictions, licensing officers simply invented acceptable reasons on a whim, often issuing handgun licenses for "hunting and target shooting" only, if at all.  (In one rural upstate county, a former judge who had authority as a licensing officer invented a requirement that he would not allow any permit-holder to have more than five handguns without appearing before him personally and giving a "good reason.")  In Bruen, Justice Thomas ruled that these arbitrary restrictions were unconstitutional and violated the Second Amendment's guarantee to keep "and bear" arms for self-defense, ordering New York State and New York City to issue concealed carry permits to qualified applicants for that reason.

New York bill would require social media info for gun carry permit.  The New York state Senate approved sweeping legislation Friday afternoon that would ban concealed weapons from so-called "sensitive locations" like Times Square, public transit and other venues — while requiring gun permit applicants to give the state information about their social media accounts as well as character references.  "This to me is the embodiment of what it means to be an American.  In honor of our Fourth of July weekend, I look forward to signing the legislation as soon as it's finished," Gov. Kathy Hochul said at a press conference following the vote.  The Assembly was on track to pass the bill and send it to Hochul's desk by Friday evening.

California's Attorney General Leaks Names, Home Addresses of Gun Carriers — Including Cops, Judges.  On Thursday, June 23, the Supreme Court released the Bruen decision which settles the pitched battle over whether the Second Amendment assures the God-given right to self-defense by being able to conceal and carry a gun most everywhere but "sensitive areas."  On Friday, June 24, Rob Bonta, the attorney general of California, one of five entities whose "may issue" or "right of good cause" tests for carrying a gun were found unconstitutional, told law enforcement that its laws were no longer valid.  On Monday, June 27, Bonta's department leaked the names, home addresses, phone numbers, race, and other personal information of every single concealed carry gun licensee in the state.  Stephen Gutowski of the gun-centric news website The Reload reported that "the California Department of Justice's 2022 Firearms Dashboard Portal went live on Monday with publicly-accessible files that include identifying information for those who have concealed carry permits."  And it got worse.

California working on denying gun permits based on "ideological viewpoints".  The Supreme Court's decision in Bruen on Thursday didn't simply shoot down New York's onerous "good-cause requirement" in the gun permit application process.  It set up similar laws in other states for likely revocation.  One of those states is California, where they have their own requirement that applicants must show a "good cause" or "special need" before a carry permit is issued.  State Attorney General Rob Bonta sent out a letter on Friday to law enforcement and government attorneys noting the change and saying that the state's current "may issue" regime should be able to be converted to a "shall issue" regime with few modifications.  So that's good news, right?  Not so fast.  As Eugene Volokh points out at Reason, Bonta pivoted from signaling compliance with the new SCOTUS ruling to identifying another way to deny permits to people with no criminal record.  He claims that the ruling will not impact the existing requirement for applicants to be able to demonstrate that they are "of good moral character."  On that basis, the state can start snooping around to see if you hold any unauthorized opinions or are prone to demonstrate "hatred and racism."  And how would they know that?  Well, by going through your social media accounts, of course.

New York's Unconstitutional Gun Law Was Written By A Notorious, Corrupt Thug.  One of the big talking points in the aftermath of the Supreme Court's New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen decision last week — it is mentioned in nearly every news piece — is that New York's "may issue" permit law had been on the books for more than 100 years.  And that's a long time.  But time does not make a law constitutional or efficacious.  The Sullivan Act, passed in 1911, was the nation's first statewide gun control law.  It required New Yorkers who possessed firearms small enough to be concealed to ask local cops — who could deny the request not just to "irresponsible persons" but to anyone, and for any reason, they liked — for a license.  People caught owning guns without one would face a misdemeanor charge, and those carrying guns without one a felony.  In addition to handguns, the law prohibited the possession or carrying of weapons such as brass knuckles, sandbags, blackjacks, bludgeons, and bombs, as well as possessing or carrying a dagger, "dangerous knife," or razor "with intent to use the same unlawfully."

The Return To Constitutionalism Is Hidden In Plain Sight.  Bruen overturned New York's century-old Sullivan Law.  The Court held that the Second Amendment requires that states must allow law-abiding citizens to carry firearms, with the possible exception of courthouses and other "sensitive" locations.  High population density does not make Manhattan a sensitive location.  Thus, New York can ban either open or concealed carry, but not both.  And New York (and DC, HI, MD, MA, NJ, etc.) cannot demand that a citizen demonstrate "proper cause."  Carrying arms is a right, not a privilege.

The SCOTUS Exposes the Lying, Lawless Left.  The Left's response to the Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling in New York Rifle Association v. Bruen to strike down an unconstitutional New York gun law that restricted concealed carry was entirely predictable.  The Left hates the Constitution, especially the 2nd Amendment, and nothing makes them angrier than the Supreme Court rebuking their lawlessness and upholding the unalienable right of the law-abiding American citizen to exercise his or her 2nd Amendment right.  In this case it was a New York law from 1911 that effectively prevented New York residents from acquiring a concealed carry license.  The state law required the licensee to "demonstrate a special need for self-protection distinguishable from that of the general community."  Robert Nash and Brendan Koch, two New York residents tried to get a concealed carry license and were both denied on the ground that they "failed to show 'proper cause' to carry a firearm in public for the purpose of self-defense."  Both had extensive firearm safety training and Nash cited "a string of recent robberies in his neighborhood" as a need.  If these two men couldn't get a concealed carry license in New York, then who could?  You'd have to be dead before you could prove 'proper cause.'

Biden Signs Most Expansive Gun Control Bill In Decades Into Law Following Republican Support.  President Joe Biden signed a gun control bill into law Saturday that gives financial grants to states for "red-flag" laws and increases background check stipulations for 18 to 21-year-olds, following Republican support.  The bill, dubbed the "Bipartisan Safer Communities Act," passed after making it through Congress earlier this week with 15 Republicans in the Senate supporting the bill and 14 House Republicans voting in favor.  According to the White House, the law "enhances certain restrictions and penalties on firearms purchases; promotes evidence-based best practices for school safety; authorizes grants to expand access to mental health services; and appropriates emergency funding for mental health resources and school safety measures."

Cornyn's Gun Control Package Will be Used to Bribe States into Adopting Red Flag Laws.  With gun control now heading to President Joe Biden's desk, millions of Americans could witness for the first time in decades, wholesale reductions in their right to bear arms.  Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz has been one of the most vocal opponents of the recently passed bipartisan gun control "framework."  Before this abomination of a gun control package was passed, Gaetz warned about some of the unsettling features of this bill.  Namely, how this bill is using "federal money to bribe states to enact red flag laws."  AWR Hawkins of Breitbart News noted that Texas Senator John Cornyn was the point man for Gun Control Inc. and was "working on behalf Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell" to pass gun control in the Senate.

State looking to force gun owners to buy liability insurance, and lawmakers are saying it's because... cars.  California is seeking to become the first state in the US to require liability insurance for gun owners.  "Guns kill more people than cars," Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, said in a statement.  "Yet gun owners are not required to carry liability insurance like car owners must.  Why should taxpayers, survivors, families, employers, and communities bear the $280 billion annual cost of gun violence?  It's time for gun owners to shoulder their fair share."

The Editor says...
Not even a Democrat politician from Berkeley believes that a hoodlum in an L.A. gang is going to buy liability insurance for his stolen gun.  This is just a tax that will affect only those who obey the law.

House passes sweeping gun control bill amid series of mass shootings.  The House of Representatives on Friday passed the most sweeping gun control bill in nearly 30 years in a 234 [to] 193 vote as Congress responds to gun violence across the nation.  The legislation garnered some GOP support with 14 House Republicans crossing party lines to vote in favor of the measure, including Reps.  Liz Cheney of Wyoming, Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, Tom Rice of South Carolina, John Katko of New York, Chris Jacobs of New York, Maria Salazar of Florida, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Peter Meijer of Michigan, Fred Upton of Michigan, Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio, Steve Chabot of Ohio, Mike Turner of Ohio, David Joyce of Ohio and Tony Gonzales of Texas.

Senate votes 65 to 33 to push through firearm restrictions.  The Senate on Thursday night passed gun control legislation, clearing the way for final congressional approval of what will be the most significant firearms legislation in decades.  The 65-33 vote came after a month of negotiations that eventually found a compromise on one of the country's most contentious political issues.  Yet the nation's divisions were on clear display on a day when the Supreme Court expanded gun rights by ruling Americans have a constitutional right to carry handguns in public for self-defense.

I'd rather be free than safe.
Eric Adams rips Supreme Court gun ruling, says New Yorkers now 'less safe'.  Mayor Eric Adams led New York's top elected officials in excoriating the US Supreme Court for overturning a century-old state gun law — warning at a Thursday press conference that "this decision has made every single one of us less safe from gun violence." [...] The Sullivan Act, which has been on the books since 1911, required New Yorkers who wanted to get a license to carry a handgun in public to show "proper cause" that the weapon was needed specifically for self-defense.  The New York State Rifle and Pistol Association and two upstate men challenged the law, claiming it violated their Second Amendment rights.

The Senate 'gun safety' bill is worse even than I thought.  [Scroll down]  As a reminder, the Second Amendment states that the right to keep and bear arms is inherent in individuals.  As for that throat-clearing about a militia, all adult men were automatically members of the "militia," a tradition going back to the Angles and Saxons before there was an England.  When they ratified the Second Amendment, the Founders had just ended a war against a tyrannical government (a war that started when the British tried to seize the colonists' arms in Boston) and had no intention of letting that happen again.  The best defense against tyranny is a government that respects its citizens, and the citizens being armed is an integral part of that respect.  Aside from rights (which are all in the People's favor, not the government's), there's a fundamental lie behind all these "gun safety" laws, which is that they'll keep you perfectly safe.  Nothing will keep you perfectly safe, although having a government that enforces existing laws would be a good start.

Supreme Court Rules New York's Concealed Carry Gun Law Is Unconstitutional.  The Supreme Court voted 6-3 on June 23 to strike down New York state's draconian concealed carry gun permitting system on constitutional grounds, recognizing for the first time a constitutional right to carry firearms in public for self-defense.  The ruling is a sweeping victory for Second Amendment gun ownership rights and may help to undo restrictive gun control laws outside New York state, possibly including so-called red flag laws, which allow the confiscation of guns in certain circumstances with limited due process. [...] The Supreme Court has been strengthening Second Amendment protections in recent years, and observers have said that the court's six-member conservative supermajority could help expand gun ownership protections.  In District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), the Supreme Court held that the Second Amendment protects "the individual right to possess and carry weapons in case of confrontation," and in McDonald v. City of Chicago (2010), it held that this right "is fully applicable to the States."

House GOP leadership rejects Senate gun bill as conservatives revolt over Second Amendment restrictions.  The Senate's bipartisan gun reform legislation is facing pushback from top Republicans in the House despite the measure having the blessing of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), with House GOP leadership planning to whip against the bill.  While McConnell was one of 14 GOP lawmakers who voted to advance the measure in the upper chamber, House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (LA) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA) told members they would not back the bill and encouraged them to follow suit during a GOP conference meeting Wednesday morning.

10 Republican 'Sell-Outs' Join with Democrats to Pass Gun Control Bill with 'Red Flag' Laws.  Ten Republican Senators joined with the Democrat majority to broker a deal on a gun control package that includes funding for "red flag" laws that critics note violate due process rights and will certainly be used to target conservative voters.  The deal has been reached and the vote is scheduled to take place later on Tuesday night.  "Top Republican negotiator Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who got booed at the party convention in his home state over the weekend, said he, Murphy and the other two top Senate bargainers had reached agreement," Politico reported.  "The group of negotiators — which included Murphy, Kyrsten Sinema, Ariz., on the Democratic side and Sens. Cornyn and Thom Tillis, N.C., on the Republican side, had hoped to have the text of the legislation out by Monday — but nothing came through," the report added.

Supreme Court Hands Down Biggest Second Amendment Victory Since Heller.  The Supreme Court on Thursday handed down its opinion in a landmark Second Amendment rights case, the biggest win for gun rights since the court's Heller ruling holding that "New York's proper-cause requirement violates the Fourteenth Amendment by preventing law-abiding citizens with ordinary self-defense needs from exercising their Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms in public for self-defense."

SCOTUS tosses "may issue" firearm carry permit laws in Bruen, 6-3.  A blockbuster extension of Heller and McDonald has tossed out state requirements to demonstrate a need to carry a firearm, and on the expected 6-3 split.  Justice Clarence Thomas wrote the opinion in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v Bruen, holding that states demanding a special reason to grant access to the right to bear arms violates both the Second and Fourteenth Amendments.

Clarence Thomas Delivers the Second Amendment's Greatest Victory Yet.  The Supreme Court on Thursday recognized a constitutional right to carry firearms for self-defense for the first time, a sweeping victory for Second Amendment rights.  The justices struck down New York State's restrictions on concealed carry in a far-reaching ruling poised to undo remaining limits on the right to carry.  Justice Clarence Thomas delivered the majority opinion for a 6-3 Court over dissents from the liberal trio.

Supreme Court strikes down New York gun law.  The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down a New York law that placed strict restrictions on carrying concealed firearms in public for self defense, finding its requirement that applicants seeking a concealed carry license demonstrate a special need for self-defense is unconstitutional.  In a 6-3 ruling, the Supreme Court reversed a lower court decision upholding New York's 108-year-old law limiting who can obtain a license to carry a concealed handgun in public.

Klobuchar: Senate Gun Bill 'Paves the Way' for Other Gun Control Measures.  On Wednesday's broadcast of CNN's "AC360," Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) argued that the Senate gun legislation "paves the way in the future to look at" other gun control provisions.  Host Anderson Cooper asked, "Well, there [are] probably a lot of people who wanted this to — obviously, you said you wanted this to go farther in terms of gun safety or gun control.  What do you say to those who say that this doesn't go far enough and that this may make it harder to try to get further changes in the future?"

After 14 GOP Senators Voted To Limit Your Right To Keep And Bear Arms A Reporter Overheard Their Next Betrayal On The Senate Floor.  The Senate on Tuesday broke through nearly 30 years of stalemate on gun control legislation by voting 64 to 34 to advance an 80-page gun safety bill[.]  The Senate voted to proceed to the bill just more than an hour after negotiators unveiled its text, giving lawmakers little time to digest its details.  The Daily Wire lists exactly what the bill would do, including provisions to grant the federal government the ability to deny you weapons based on "red flags" it defines.  (Hint:  Believing in the Constitution is a "red flag")

Text of Senate Gun Bill Released, and Your Rights Are Dangling by a Thread.  Nearly 10 days after a "framework" agreement on additional federal gun laws was reached by a group of 20 members of the United States Senate, the text of the bill was released by Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) Tuesday night, and the Senate is currently (as of press time) taking a vote on whether or not to begin debate on the bill — even while analysts are still digesting it.  For those who don't want to read for themselves or wait for trusted analysts, Murphy posted a tweet thread asking people to "let [him] tell you what it does."  [Tweet]  Pardon us if we're not going to take Murphy's word on the bill's provisions.  According to a cursory reading, here's what we see that the bill does:  [List of features omitted for brevity.]

Senate Gun Control Bill Released.  A bipartisan working group of U.S. Senators — 10 Democrats and 10 Republicans — finally unveiled the result of their work on federal firearm legislation spurred by the tragic shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, one that increasingly looks to have been worsened by a failure in local authorities' response.  The text's release was delayed this week by some last-minute negotiations over a ban on any healthcare-related funds in the bill being used to pay for abortions, but that hurdle was cleared by Tuesday afternoon when the final text was released. [...] Subsequently, Senator John Cornyn of Texas was booed viciously when he took the stage at his home state's GOP convention last Friday.  Cornyn — who led the Republican contingent of the bipartisan group working on the new gun control bill — was also formally rebuked by the Republican Party of Texas Platform Committee, and the working group's efforts were also condemned by RPT.

Attention all experts:  Criminals don't care about laws.
Experts say proposed federal gun safety measures might not have prevented Uvalde shooting.  The federal gun safety proposal announced last week by a bipartisan group of senators in response to the attack on Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, is "a step in the right direction," according to several authorities — but the measures, had they already been in place, might not have prevented the Uvalde shooting, mental health and violence experts told ABC News.  The legislative framework, by 10 Republicans, nine Democrats, and one independent senator, contains six proposals focusing on mental health plus three gun-specific proposals that include targeting criminals who illegally evade licensing requirements and cracking down on those who illegally purchase and traffic guns.

Rep. Matt Gaetz:  Biden's IRS Spent Approximately $700,000 on Ammo 'Between March and June 1'.  Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) told Breitbart News Saturday the IRS spent approximately $700,000 "between March and June 1" purchasing ammunition.  Gaetz described the ammunition acquisition as "bizarre."  He noted he and his Republican colleagues are trying to ascertain why the ammunition was purchased, noting, "There is concern that this is part of a broader effort to have any entity in the federal government buy up ammo to reduce the amount of ammunition that is in supply, while at the same time, making it harder to produce ammo."  Gaetz noted a scenario where federal entities are buying up ammo puts citizens in a place where the exercise of the Second Amendment is limited due to the inability to get ammunition.

After the Guns Were Removed, the Killing Fields Began.  "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."  The quote was from Mao Zedong, founder of Communist China.  Mao's first act after gaining complete control of China in 1949 was to take away all guns from the population.  It was a policy he began in 1935 as he took over each rural province.  Anyone found with a gun post-confiscation was executed.  An estimated 65 million Chinese died as a result of Mao's repeated, merciless attempts to create a new "socialist" China.  Anyone who got in his way was done away with — by execution, imprisonment, or forced famine.  Mao killed more people than either Stalin or Hitler during World War II.  And it all began after he took away the guns.  Dictators throughout much of history have disarmed their populations before they began their mass killings.  Examples abound beyond Mao:  Hitler took guns from the Jews in November of 1938, and Kristallnacht and the Holocaust followed; and then there was Fidel Castro in Cuba and Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, to name but a few.

Gunfight at the No-Kay Corral.  [Scroll down]  Another of the nine points will involve pressuring states to enact "red-flag" gun laws that permit authorities to "temporarily" confiscate legally owned guns, without due process, violating both the Second and the Fourth Amendments.  Fortunately, because there is no due-process in red flag laws, they will — if enacted — be constitutionally overturned.  Not as a Second Amendment violation — which they are — but as a more politically-acceptable Fourth Amendment violation.  But that takes years, and in the meantime, millions of legal gun-owners will be "temporarily" deprived of their firearms, let alone the right to buy new firearms.  That — even the red flag laws — still sounds more-or-less innocuous.  But in this case, as so often is the case, it is deceiving.

Gang violence, not lone-wolf attacks, account for most U.S. mass shootings.  The country's eyes are trained on high-profile massacres in Texas and Buffalo, but most mass shootings bear little resemblance to those.  Of 267 incidents this year classified as mass shootings by the Gun Violence Archive, nearly all can be tied to gang beefs, neighborhood arguments, robberies or domestic incidents that spiraled out of control.  Indiscriminate slaughter by a lone gunman blasting away at a store, school or some other public place is rare, according to a Washington Times analysis of the archive's data, accounting for less than 4% of the total.

Senate 'Gun Control' Legislation Crashes on the Rocks After GOP Negotiator Walks Out.  Senate negotiations over "gun control" legislation broke down abruptly on Thursday after Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) walked out.  The bill was expected to pass quickly, and an initial framework seemed to be broadly supported by both Republicans and Democrats.  But as is the way of Washington, the devil is in the details, and who could have possibly guessed that Democrats would attempt to take a few more bites of the apple on the way?

On Gun Control and Mental Health, Who Decides Who's Crazy?  The latest bipartisan "gun control" legislative proposal reeks of "Do-Somethingism."  Again, given the rampant disasters wrought from the numerous foolish policies enacted due to our bout with COVID-19, we should've learned our lesson.  Give Democrats — and their like-minded enablers — a "crisis," and you're almost certainly guaranteed a catastrophic Big Government "solution."  Inevitably, such "solutions" do almost nothing to solve the problems they were meant to solve, and instead burden tens of millions of Americans with a host of new problems that are often much worse than the original.  Again, see COVID.  If signed into law — and Biden has said he will sign it — almost certainly, the new "gun control" legislation proposed by ten Democrats and ten Republicans will prove about as useful as most of the anti-COVID-19 measures enacted throughout the U.S. the past two-plus years.

The Democrats' Quest for Gun Control May Harm Black Americans Most of All.  Recently, Joy Behar beclowned herself on The View in typical fashion, this time by suggesting that Americans would begin clamoring for more gun regulations "once Black people get guns in this country."  Black Americans certainly do have guns in this country.  It boggles the mind how someone could be so incredibly ignorant of a fact so simple, but we gun rights advocates are not only aware of it, we are seeking to preserve their right to keep and bear arms.  All Americans, including those housewives who are looking to Joy Behar for civics lessons, should know that the relationship between government and the right to gun ownership has a unique history for Black Americans, and only a White liberal living in a gated community could be so obtuse as to think that this history suggests that giving the government more power to regulate gun ownership among citizens is a good idea.

The Left Is Already Proving How Dangerous Red Flag Laws Are.  A "red flag law" is something that, on the surface, seems like a common-sense idea.  How often have we wondered why authorities hadn't taken weapons away from someone who had clearly indicated that they were dangerous and intent on doing harm.  Uvalde, Parkland, and Buffalo are just a few examples of mass shootings that could have been prevented if action had been taken against an individual clearly signaling their disturbed minds to those around them.  However, once you start to notice the talk around red flag laws, you start to see the holes and flaws in the idea.  It's important to remember that a red flag law is effectively a societal nod to strip someone of their 2nd Amendment right, not because they committed a crime, but because you think they might.

Joe Biden Mocks Gun Owners During California Fundraiser: 'You're a Danger to Yourself'.  President Joe Biden ridiculed lawful gun owners on Friday evening [6/10/2022] during a fundraiser with Democrat elites in California.  The president spoke at an event in Beverly Hills, California, raising the issue of gun control as a major priority for his administration.

Them: 'You Must Care!' Us: 'No.'  We refuse to care about stupid Democrat obsessions.  We don't care about climate change.  It's a hoax designed to fill the hole in lib souls that used to be filled with faith, and for the ruling caste, it's a tool to steal our money and freedom.  We don't care about some alleged moral necessity to disarm normal Americans.  When they whine, "The purpose of guns is to hurt people," we nod.  Yes, they are.  Our guns never have and never will hurt anyone who is not a criminal or an aspiring tyrant.  But when those categories of bad people get uppity, yeah, we reserve our right to hurt them within the bounds of proper laws and morality.  We don't care about claims that America was stolen from other people.  Like every other patch of inhabitable dirt on the planet, America was conquered from people who conquered it from someone else first.  When we make a "land acknowledgment," it goes as follows:  "Yeah, we took it, and now it's ours."

The Democrats' Politicized Gun Control Script.  For those of us of a certain age, we know that every time some psychopath shoots up a school and murders students, the Democrats will respond with their clichéd demagogic script.  Exploiting the natural horror and pathos of such events, the Donks will trot out all the usual gun-policy suspects, the majority of which would not have prevented most of the attacks.  But that's not really the point for Dems.  Their aim is to smear Republicans and conservatives for political gain.  With a mid-term shellacking looming, the recent attacks in Buffalo and Uvalde have the Democrats shamelessly politicizing those tragedies more than usual in order to distract voters from the Biden administration's manifold failures.  Such attempts must be called-out and vigorously countered, for there's more at stake than gun-control laws:  the long progressive program to weaken our unalienable rights, especially the Second Amendment.

Ohio Governor Signs Bill Allowing School Employees to Carry Guns.  Ohio governor Mike DeWine signed a bill on Monday to allow school employees to carry guns on school property.  The law requires employees who wish to come to school armed to complete 24 hours of training in programs approved by the Ohio School Safety Center.  Additionally, the bill requires eight hours of annual training for approved employees.  School districts may choose not to allow armed employees if they wish under the new law.  "This does not require any school to arm teachers or staff," DeWine said at a press conference on Monday after signing the law.  "Every school will make its own decision."  The bill also allocates funds for mental-health programs and other school-safety measures.

When Democrats Want Gun Control, It's Not to Protect You.  The Founding Fathers were unwavering in protecting this God-given right, based on their genius, their experience, and the fact that they had just gained their independence through war — using arms!  They used arms to defeat a tyrannical and oppressive government that was looking to infringe more on the colonists' liberties, to include their own right to bear arms.  Only through the use of their arms were the colonists able to stop the cruelty and further oppression of the ruthless ruling class.  America's creation and independence could have never happened if the colonists had been disarmed.  Is it any wonder why the most evil despots throughout history, such as Stalin, Pol Pot, Hitler, and Mao, took guns away from their citizens, and then, collectively, with a monopoly on violence, went on to kill tens of millions of defenseless citizens?  Is it any wonder why the most evil totalitarian globalists today — Biden, Trudeau, etc. — are desperate to take guns away from the people?

The RINOs are out in force on the 'framework' for new gun laws.  It was news that sent shudders through every person who supports the Second Amendment:  Ten Republican senators have signed on to a "framework" that will allegedly improve gun safety in America.  You can guess who these RINOs are — it's the same bunch who will always agree to limit American rights to keep up with their friends on the Democrat side of the aisle.  And while there are a couple of good ideas in the framework, the rest of it is either useless, harmful, and/or unconstitutional.

Senators, Including 10 Republicans, Reach Agreement on Gun Control, Including Red Flag Laws to Take Guns from Law-Abiding Americans.  A group of bipartisan senators on Sunday reached an agreement on principle for gun legislation which includes 'red flag' laws.  10 Republicans joined the Democrats and bowed to their demands.  "The group on the release includes Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas, Thom Tillis and Richard Burr of North Carolina, Roy Blunt of Missouri, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Rob Portman of Ohio, Mitt Romney of Utah and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania." — CNN reported.  The actual legislation has not been written yet.

House Votes to Increase Semi-Automatic Rifle Purchase Age to 21.  On Wednesday, as part of a slate of bills aimed at curbing mass shootings and gun violence, the House voted to increase the age required to purchase a semi-automatic rifle from 18 to 21.  The vote was 228 to 199, with ten Republicans joining Democrats in supporting the measure.  Those GOP members were Representatives Fitzpatrick, Gonzalez, Jacobs, Katko, Kinzinger, Malliotakis, Salazar, Smith, Turner, and Upton.  After an 18-year-old gunman used an AR-15-style weapon to massacre 19 children and two teachers in a fourth-grade elementary-school classroom in Uvalde, Texas, in May, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have been moving with urgency to pass bills to prevent such tragedies.  In the past few weeks, a bipartisan coalition of senators has been negotiating gun legislation, pitching proposals such as expanded background checks and federal standards for red-flag laws, which allow the confiscation of firearms from individuals deemed dangerous.

Mass Shooting by Racist Criminal Leads to Lawsuit Against Gunmaker.  In April, a black nationalist terrorist named Frank James opened fire on the downtown N subway train in Manhattan.  While the racist gunman had a large stockpile of weapons, he happened to use a Glock pistol that he had bought over ten years ago.  Now Glock is being sued.  James bought the gun in Columbus, Ohio in 2011.  So he quite clearly didn't purchase it, intending to shoot up a New York City subway train.  Nevertheless the lawsuit blames the gunmaker for having "contributed to creating and maintaining a public nuisance in the State of New York" even though the gun wasn't even sold in New York.

It's Time for the Supreme Court to Put Restrictive Gun Laws to Bed.  The case brought by the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association before the Supreme Court presents the following, limited issue:  "Whether the State's denial of petitioners' applications for concealed-carry licenses for self-defense violated the Second Amendment."  That's a pretty tight question.  Basically, it asks if New York has the right to deny a concealed carry permit to an otherwise law-abiding citizen.  We already know (District of Columbia v. Heller) that carrying a weapon is a right, not a privilege.  That would seem to make this an open-and-shut case.  Yet, the Court has taken six full months to rule on a case that, on its face, is a complete no-brainer.  What's taking all the time?  We already know that, as the Supreme Court said in Heller, the militia is every able-bodied male able to bear arms, and the term "well regulated" simply means "properly disciplined and trained."  Further, the statute exists to guarantee the security of a free people, not the government.  So, what's up?  Is Justice Thomas finally going to wrestle the Second Amendment from its perpetually disfavored status?

Why McConnaughey?  The White House served up Hollywood star Matthew McConnaughey to lecture us on the virtues of assorted gun control proposals yesterday.  He emotes more effectively than press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, but what does he have to offer?  He is a native of Uvalde.  He feels strongly about the Uvalde massacre.  He doesn't think too much of the Second Amendment.  He has a superficial above-it-all take on the culture war.  He is a tool of the Biden administration.  Are we seriously supposed to believe that he "feels" more strongly about the massacre than you or I do?  That he's a better person?  That he "cares" more?  Even if so, which I doubt, it isn't exactly a public-policy credential.

The Editor says...
For what it's worth, Mr. McConnaughey is apparently surrounded by security guards wherever he goes.  Wealthy people who have their own security teams want you to be disarmed — not their security guards.

Red Flags Stand For Tyranny.  Anti-liberty leftists repeatedly try gaslighting to advance their obvious goal of confiscating guns.  Their latest push for "red flag" laws is no different.  Following the recent tragedy in Uvalde, the anti-liberty left didn't waste any time blaming innocent gun owners.  They immediately began talking about "red flag" laws, which sound merely helpful but which are, in fact, unconstitutional gun grabs under another name.  This is a typical leftist tactic:  avoiding certain words because they would convey what is really taking place.  Democrats routinely have their best wordsmiths conjure up soft language for wholesale gun confiscation.

Will the Supreme Court put a stake through the heart of gun control?  Old Joe Biden, floundering in the polls and needing a distraction, seized on the recent mass shootings to launch a gun control push. [...] Meanwhile, the constitutional conservatives on the Supreme Court are going to hand down another important decision on self-defense and the Second Amendment.  The looming SCOTUS decision everyone knows about is the expected overturning of Roe v Wade in the Dobbs case.  But also coming this June is the Bruen case, which should strike down the granddaddy of all American gun control laws:  New York's 1911 Sullivan Act.  Sullivan was a corrupt Tammany Hall politician, and there are many scholars who think Sullivan's motives in essentially disarming law-abiding citizens of their pistols was to make life easier for his many criminal compatriots.  The Sullivan Act is a discretionary permit law, allowing the police arbitrary power to decide to whom they issue a pistol permit.  In New York City, for example, it's often been easy to get one if you are wealthy or famous, like Robert De Niro.  Yet ordinary people who live and work in dangerous neighborhoods are routinely denied gun permits, like the plaintiffs in Bruen.

Guns Are Not the Problem.  Americans have owned guns since the founding, but it wasn't until comparatively recently that mass shootings became a concern.  Guns are not the problem.  Our culture is.  Broken cultures produce broken human beings.  For every school shooter, there are thousands of other weak, confused, mentally disturbed men who are drifting away from society.  They aren't dating, aren't working, and they spend most of their time in their bedrooms playing video games, smoking weed, watching pornography, and stewing in social media echo chambers.  None of this is healthy or normal, but we have been desensitized to dysfunction. [...] Your average school shooter spends months writing the script of his own little action movie that he wants to force society to watch.  They are living out a fantasy of glory.  The childish, sadistic theatrics of these spectacles bear the imprint of a childish and sadistic popular culture.  It is absurd to suggest that the man who dresses up like a "Call of Duty" character to go kill children has not been influenced in some way by gratuitous violence in mass media.

No Compromise on Guns.  There are several Republicans who are apparently eager to come to a compromise on guns with the Democrats, whose ultimate goal is to rule unchallenged over a nation of disarmed, supine Canadian serfs.  Some are lawyers, which explains why they are in Congress and not raking in bucks lawyering.  If I went to one of my clients and suggested, "Okay, I propose we resolve this matter by giving the other side a lot of money and getting nothing in return," I would have to find an alternate income stream too.  The idea of a compromise involves getting something you want but giving away something to get it.  So far, so good — that's how negotiating works.  But the key point is to get something you want.  Here, what we get is that we lose less than they want us to ultimately lose.

The Most Terrifying Reality about School Shootings.  The initial reaction to the mass murder of children in Uvalde, Texas was horror and bewilderment.  Not again.  How could this happen?  Perhaps you, like me, imagined that the killer shot his way into the school and wrought havoc fast, before police could respond.  We were wrong.  Law enforcement knew he was on his way, armed and dangerous.  The door was unlocked.  A good-sized contingent of police failed to act for an hour.  Finally, members of an elite Border Patrol unit engaged the murderer, taking fire, and prevailed.  That demons prowl among us, plotting harm to schoolchildren, is well known.  The list of schools assaulted with weapons is long, their names evocative:  Columbine, Sandy Hook, Parkland.  We've had plenty of time to address that somber fact.  What's been said and done in the few days since the murders?  That tells the tale.  The radical left has called for disarming the innocent, entirely or piecemeal, by various extreme means.  This is the leftists' default response.  The volume varies with the value of the opportunity.  This one was not to be wasted.

National Socialist Media:  It's Only A Coincidence We Want To Confiscate Guns Like The Nazis.  We're not supposed to notice that the collectivist actions of one nation's socialist party just happen to mimic the actions of other nation's socialist parties or one particular National Socialist German Workers' Party, that's just a coincidence, don't pay any attention to that.  Have you ever noticed that our esteemed national socialist media spends an inordinate amount of time attacking anyone who dares to compare their collectivist actions to other collectivists?  Have you also noticed that you can be sure a socialist nation has failed when our nation's socialist media suddenly decides that it was somehow, someway 'right-wing'?  Their severe difficulty in always trying to push these lies is that all of these socialist nations have certain characteristics in common that simply don't exist with countries imbued in the pro-freedom right.  The most glaring example is the parallels with the government of the National Socialist German Workers' Party, with gun control.

A Sensible Position on Crime and Guns.  The liberal solutions to mass shooting incidents, which are very rare, are every bit as silly and ineffective as their solutions to crime in general, which is ubiquitous and therefore vastly more important.  Defunding the police makes about as much sense as banning some arbitrarily selected category of firearm.  Neither measure will do anything to stem the tide of crime and violence that has swept over us.  The National Rifle Association has a great deal more expertise on these issues than left-wing politicians, and as you might expect, the NRA's proposals make much more sense.

Gunmaker Daniel Defense Hit With First Post-Uvalde Legal Action.  In the wake of the tragic massacre in Uvalde, Texas, in May that took the lives of 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School, it was probably inevitable that people would seek to lay blame for the shooting through the legal system.  And just over a week later, that process has begun, according to NPR.

Ohio Will Allow Teachers to Carry Guns.  In the wake of the deadly Uvalde school shooting that left 19 kids and two adults dead, the heated debate of whether to arm teachers or not has been a major topic between both parties.  In the midst of all the gun control talk, Ohio may soon allow teachers to be armed in classrooms.  HB 99, which passed by a 23-9 vote in the State Senate and a 56-34 vote in the State House, was fast-tracked through the legislature, allowing teachers and other school staff to carry guns on school premises requiring only 24 hours of training.

New York passes bill making it illegal for anyone under 21 to buy - or even HAVE - a semiautomatic rifle.  New York's legislature voted on its last day of session Thursday to ban anyone under the age of 21 from buying or even possessing a semi-automatic rifle.  The bill also requires anyone buying a semi-automatic rifle to get a license — which is currently only required in New York State for handguns.  But it is just one part of a larger package of gun control measures announced earlier this week by Democratic legislative leaders and Gov. Kathy Hochul to bolster New York's already strict gun laws in the wake of a mass shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo.

The Moral Idiocy of Gun Control.  Few New Yorkers legally own guns.  The NYPD has issued around 40,000 handgun permits in a city of over 8 million.  That's around one handgun for every two-hundred New Yorkers.  Don't assume that the parts of the city with the most guns are the most dangerous.  The vast majority of handgun permits are in Staten Island, which has the lowest crime rate in the city, as opposed to the Bronx, with the highest.  Manhattan has few legal guns relative to its population while the white working class areas of Brooklyn have some of the most legal guns.  The Daily News, which interviewed a criminologist as part of its anti-gun crusade, found that he was "puzzled".  "Some people see a mugging in the Bronx, and they want to get a gun on Staten Island," he argued.  "That's not rational, but some people really want guns."  Perhaps one of the reasons that there are fewer muggings in Staten Island is that more of the folks there can prevent them.  Muggers, like most predators, prefer victims who don't fight back.

Democrats' safety agenda demonizes gun owners, coddles criminals, and defunds police.  In order to understand what Democrats are doing to this country, one must first understand that their new push for gun control is just one element of a three-part agenda to reshape day-to-day life in the United States.  Facing a brutal midterm election this fall, they believe that the tragic shooting in Uvalde, Texas, is their opportunity to change the subject.  Their problem, however, is that they have already made it too difficult to discuss the gun control issue in isolation, the way they could back in the late 1990s.  That's because today's Democrats have gone so far to the left, embracing a radical anti-law enforcement and anti-incarceration agenda that has become too big a national news story to hide.  At this point, many voters feel unsafe in their communities and know that no number of new gun laws can fix the problem.

Joe Biden Says Radical Gun Control Should Be 'Central' to Voting in November.  President Joe Biden unleashed another passionate call for gun control, using the bully pulpit of the White House to make his case.  "Nothing has been done," Biden said.  "This time that cannot be true.  This time we must actually do something."  The president spoke about his proposals during a prime-time address from the White House, surrounded by candles representing the victims of mass shootings.  "For so many of you at home, I want to be very clear, this is not about taking away anyone's guns," Biden said before announcing he wanted to ban all "assault weapons" including AK-47s and AR-15s as well as magazines holding 30 rounds.

If Joe Biden Cared About Gun Laws, Hunter Biden Would Already Be In Jail.  President Joe Biden is on a full-blown crusade to regulate or repeal the Second Amendment out of existence.  While Democrats are often not honest about their intentions, this has always been their true agenda.  Biden's son, Hunter, who appeared to purchase a gun illegally in 2018, could be among those hardest hit.  On Thursday night, the president went on a nearly 20-minute tirade on the need to ban "assault weapons," whatever that means. [...] For starters, suing gun manufacturers for the way their firearms are used is akin to suing the Ford Motor Company because a black suspect motivated by anti-white racism allegedly plowed through a Wisconsin Christmas parade, brutally killing at least six with Ford Escape SUV.  In stark contrast to his immediate visits to Buffalo and Uvalde following mass tragedies, Biden made no trip to console the families of Waukesha, Wisconsin, nor did he demand Congress take on the car lobby.  Biden summarized his demands in a tweet calling on lawmakers to pass new gun bans and repeal immunity laws for firearm manufacturers that don't exist.

Lauren Boebert Torches Dems Over Gun Control, Delivers Best Speech Of Entire Career.  Representative Lauren Boebert (R-CO) took to the House floor this week and delivered one of the most powerful rebukes Americans have heard when it comes to the illegal, unconstitutional, and immoral efforts on the part of Democrats to remove individuals' ability to defend themselves.  The speech, perhaps her best ever, raises every critical hypocrisy about this fake effort to keep America safe.  In reality, the gun grab is just a totalitarian ploy to make sure the population is docile and defenseless.  Watch as Boebert perfectly captures the words, tone, mood, and energy in these critical times:  [Video clip]

Biden says Second Amendment is 'not absolute' in call to reinstate assault weapons ban.  President Biden said the Second Amendment is "not absolute" in a speech Thursday following a wave of mass shootings across the nation, pleading with to Congress to pass what he called "commonsense" gun control legislation, including reinstating an assault weapons ban, requiring background checks, and limiting magazine capacity.  The president, speaking from the Cross Hall of the White House, told Americans that the issue of restricting access to guns "is one of conscience and common sense."  "For so many of you at home, I want to be very clear — this is not about taking away anyone's guns," the president said.  "It is not about vilifying gun owners.  In fact, we believe we should be treating responsible gun owners as an example of how every gun owner should behave."

Beware America — Here's What Happened The Day After Canada Banned Handguns And Legalized Meth.  Canada moved to make the sale of handguns illegal under a sweeping new bill introduced in Ottawa Monday in the wake of the Uvalde, Texas school shooting.  Flanked by government officials and advocates, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a "national freeze" on firearms in the country as he referenced increasing homicides in Canada and alluded to recent mass shootings south of the border.  "It will no longer be possible to buy, sell, transfer or import handguns anywhere in Canada.  In other words, we're capping the market for handguns," Trudeau said.  "People should be free to go to the supermarket, their school or their place of worship without fear."

The Editor says...
History shows that the greatest risk to an unarmed or disarmed people is their own government.

Gun sales over 1 million for 34 straight months.  In a record-breaking trend that appears to have no end in sight, sales of civilian guns have topped 1 million for 34 straight months.  The FBI this week said that background checks for May totaled 2,349,383, the third-highest ever for a May.  Of those, industry officials said that about 1,174,791 were directly tied to the sale of a firearm.

Dem Congressman Warns America:  We Will Stop at Nothing Until We Confiscate Your Guns.  Congressman Mondaire Jones (D-NY) warned law-abiding gun owners that Democrats will do everything in their power to ensure AR-15s and similar types of firearms are confiscated during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday [6/2/2022].  The hearing was to consider H.R. 7910, the "Protecting Our Kids Act," which would raise the legal age to purchase "certain semiautomatic centerfire rifles or semiautomatic centerfire shotguns" from 18 to 21 with "exceptions."  The bill will also "modernize the prohibition on untraceable firearms [and] encourage the safe storage of firearms."

There Is No Bipartisan Gun 'Compromise' In The Works, Just GOP Capitulation.  Democrats and the corporate media like to call it a "compromise" when they get exactly what they want and Republicans get nothing.  Just witness the bipartisan talks underway in the wake of the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas on new gun control legislation.  These talks, which reportedly involve four GOP senators led by Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, are focusing on two new gun control proposals: universal background checks and red flag laws.  Whatever one's opinion about the merits of these policies, it's a fact that Democrats have long wanted to make it harder for law-abiding Americans to purchase guns and easier for the government to take them away.  Both of these proposals would do just that, while arguably doing almost nothing to prevent the sort of mass shooting we saw last week in Uvalde.  One of the policy ideas, so-called "universal background checks," isn't a policy so much as a slogan meant to convey an inchoate desire that bad guys not be allowed to buy guns.

Beto O'Rourke:  AR-15 Owners Should Not Be Able to Keep Them.  During a campaign event on May 21, Texas Democrat gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke expressed his belief that Americans who own AR-15s should not be able to keep them.  On May 31, FOX News highlighted the comments as part O'Rourke's ongoing effort against the guns.  In the comments, O'Rourke stressed his position that no one should be able "to purchase an AR-15 or AK-47," and added, "I don't think that the people who have them right now in civilian use should be able to keep them."

The Editor says...
What about my gas-guzzling SUV?  Can I keep that?  What about a swimming pool?  What about an air conditioner?  Where does it stop?

Biden's 9mm Gaffe Is Comedic Gold — Until It Isn't.  Joe Biden once again opened his mouth to speak on what he calls "rational" gun laws — and once again, it would have been far better had he physically inserted his foot instead.  There was the old classic, of course:  You couldn't buy a cannon when the Second Amendment was passed.  But he also shocked us with a new fact:  Apparently, a 9mm bullet can blow your lung right out of your body.  It has long been evident that Democrats, in general, are often not experts on the subject matter of firearms — but that one demonstrates a lack of even a shred of the common sense the left loves to boast of in their gun-grabbing policies.  The 9mm:  When You Absolutely Must Remove an Entire Lung.  The golden nugget in this question-and-answer session, however, came in the form of a classic Biden story — the kind that almost certainly never happened.

The White House [has been] forced to clarify Biden remarks, says he won't back handgun sale ban.  The White House said Tuesday that President Biden does not support a Canada-style ban on handgun sales in the wake of a pair of mass shootings last month — the latest example of administration members having to clear up their boss's remarks.  "We'll leave it up to other countries to set their policy on gun ownership," Jean-Pierre said during her regular briefing.  "The president has made his position clear:  The United States needs to act.  As I just laid out, he supports a ban on the sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and expanded background checks to keep guns out of the — dangerous hands.

Since the perpetrator doesn't have any money...
Gunmaker Glock to be sued over mass shooting aboard Brooklyn subway.  A Brooklyn woman shot and severely wounded in a mass shooting aboard a Brooklyn N train last month will file a lawsuit Tuesday against Glock, which manufactured the 9-mm. gun used in the 33-bullet attack on straphangers.  Ilene Steur, 49, was shot in the buttocks and suffered life-changing injuries during the gas mask-wearing gunman's rampage as the rush-hour train pulled into the 36th St. station in Sunset Park.  Her lawsuit in Brooklyn Federal Court alleges Glock — one of the world's largest gunmakers — markets its weapons and distributes them in a way that is a "public nuisance" under state law and endangers public safety.  "They are the ones who put it out there for almost anybody to get — anyone can get a gun," Steur told the [New York] Daily News.

Trudeau Puts Forth Legislation To Ban Handguns In Canada.  Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday that his government is introducing legislation to "implement a national freeze on handgun ownership" throughout the country.  "What this means is that it will no longer be possible to buy, sell, transfer, or import handguns anywhere in Canada," Trudeau said at a press conference.  "We recognize that the vast majority of gun owners use them safely and in accordance with the law, but other than using firearms for sport shooting and hunting, there is no reason anyone in Canada should need guns in their everyday lives."  [Video clip]

America Today:  Liberals Did It.  Since we've had a couple of mass-shootings by angry young men lately, I wonder why?  Is it the malevolence of the guns and the "gun lobby?"  Is it smartphones?  Could it be drugs, illegal or prescribed anti-ADHD drugs?  Could it be that the current compulsory education system run by unionized women is making young men crazy?  How would we know?  Could it be that the whole education system is designed by educated credentialed people that have no idea of the needs of kids from barely literate households?  Could it be that the whole education system is driven by the agendas of various activist groups and NGOs that are united in their disdain for the opinions of middle-class parents?  Whatever the education system is, good or bad, You Did It, liberals.

It's Time to Bring an End to 'Gun-Free Zones'.  Today I wish to address the vulnerability created for schools and churches by the misguided policy of "gun-free zones."  The problem and its solution are demonstrated in the experience of two small churches in Texas.  In November 2017 in Sutherland Springs, Texas, the First Baptist Church was attacked by a gunman who killed 26 with an AR-15 rifle he illegally purchased.  As a felon convicted of domestic violence while in the U.S. Air Force, he was prohibited from purchasing a firearm. [...] Just over two years later, a man wearing a fake beard, a wig, and a long coat walked into church services at the West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement, Texas.  Members of the church's volunteer security team spotted his suspicious behavior as he sat down in a pew. [...] The church in Sutherland Springs was by design or by accident a gun-free zone that Sunday.  The church in White Settlement was not.  The difference in casualty count was 24.  That many people would have had a better chance of surviving if there had [been] a "good guy with a gun" ready to stop the attacker.

Canada plans to follow in the path of the world's worst dictators.  Canada's government, headed by its prime minister, Justin Trudeau, has introduced drastic anti-gun legislation that, if passed, will mean (in Trudeau's words) that "it will no longer be possible to buy, sell, transfer, or import handguns anywhere in Canada."  This is one more step in Canada's mostly relentless push (only slightly alleviated during the Stephen Harper administration) to bring all weapons under government control.  This never ends well for a nation's people.

PM Trudeau:  "It Will No Longer Be Possible To Buy, Sell, Transfer, Or Import Handguns Anywhere In Canada".  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with reporters in Ottawa following his government's tabling of new legislation on gun control.  He is joined by federal ministers Marco Mendicino (public safety), David Lametti (justice), Marci Ien (women and gender equality and youth), and Bill Blair (emergency preparedness), as well as several victims of gun violence.  Among the measures proposed in Bill C-21 are the implementation of a national freeze on the importing, buying, selling, and transferring of handguns; the revoking of firearms licenses of those involved in acts of domestic violence or criminal harassment; and the imposing of increased criminal penalties for gun smuggling and trafficking.

Biden goes on anti-gun tirade, suggests there's 'no rational basis' for 9mm pistols.  President Biden ranted against ownership of what he called "high-caliber weapons" Monday — appearing to suggest that there should be restrictions on the most popular handgun in America, the 9mm pistol, and repeating a previously debunked claim that the Second Amendment prohibits ownership of cannons.  Speaking to reporters outside the White House after returning to Washington from a weekend that included a visit to the site of last week's mass shooting in Texas, Biden recounted a visit to a trauma hospital in New York, where he said doctors had showed him X-rays of gunshot wounds caused by various firearms.  "They said a .22-caliber bullet will lodge in the lung, and we can probably get it out — may be able to get it and save the life," Biden said.  "A 9mm bullet blows the lung out of the body.  "So the idea of these high-caliber weapons is, uh, there's simply no rational basis for it in terms of thinking about self-protection, hunting," the president went on.

The Editor says...
Perhaps Mr. Biden has been watching too many CGI movies.  If you're camping or hiking in the middle of nowhere and you encounter a bear or a javelina, to say nothing of a band of banditos, your 9-millimeter handgun might seem barely adequate.  In a situation like that, I guess Joe Biden wants you to call 9-1-1 and wait for the park ranger.

More gun laws will not stop America's moral decay.  This past week our nation saw another morally lost young man enter a local school and proceed to shoot and kill 19 children and two teachers.  The next shoe to drop was as predictable as the sunrise:  Our nation's elites rushed to their respective podiums to score political points.  Their solution?  Remove the personal rights of all law-abiding Americans and replace these rights with more laws.  In the minds of our country's political class, this is the only solution.  The average citizen's freedom "to keep and bear arms" is clearly to blame for every heinous act reported on the nightly news.  In the Mad Hatter's world of today's progressives, more laws and less liberty are the only things that will arrest our cultural collapse.  The only acceptable solution our country's smart folks see to the tsunami of violence sweeping over our schools and through our streets is to take freedom away from you and me and give more power to themselves. [...] All other possibilities of cause and effect seem to completely escape their thinking.

School shootings are a symptom of a godless society.  Democrats are right:  These school shootings in America have to end.  Democrats are wrong:  Abolishing the Second Amendment will not end gun violence.  What's more, the Democrats already know that.  Leftists in America just want to use horrific acts of violence, like school shootings, for political gain:  Never let a crisis go to waste.  [Paywall]

Mass shootings [are] a cultural problem.  I have a 1908 Sears catalog listing 35 pages of guns that could be bought by mail order.  When I was growing up in the 1950s and '60s, anyone could go to a hardware store and buy a gun off the shelf.  There were no waiting periods and no background checks.  High schools had shooting clubs; students who drove to school kept their guns locked in the trunks of their cars.  Children's TV programs carried ads for toy guns.  Yet in those days the public could not conceive of the mass shootings that seem to now take place with regularity.  Back then, the Second Amendment was the armed bodyguard of the rest of the Bill of Rights.  Groups like the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America taught gun safety and responsible gun ownership back then, as they do today.  What's changed?

The Hard Truth about 'Tougher Background Checks'.  [Scroll down]  Some may fairly ask how a troubled 18-year-old young man obtained the funds to purchase several thousand dollars' worth of firearms and ammunition before he started his rampage.  As far as we know, as of this writing, the Uvalde shooter had no criminal record.  No one in law enforcement, his family, or his school ever filed a petition seeking to remove firearms from his possession because he posed a potential threat to himself or others.  As far as we know, no one ever filed a restraining order against him.  The shooter purchased his firearms legally.  In the coming days and weeks, you will hear a lot more calls for "tougher background checks," but because there was no paper trail indicating that the Uvalde shooter was a threat, it is hard to see what kind of "background check" would have prevented this legal adult from purchasing a firearm.  Federally licensed firearms dealers are not going to comb through the Instagram and social-media accounts of potential buyers.

Never Forget Democrats Want to Remove Cops from Schools.  The Democrat party can never be allowed to forget how hard it has worked to expel police officers from schools.  At the state and local level, Democrats have and continue to push and push and push to remove police and leave schoolchildren defenseless. [...] Here's what we know for a fact:  We know Evil is going to shoot up schools.  We know the corporate media will never stop incentivizing shooting up schools.  Thanks to our pro-school shooting media, every school shooter knows that shooting up a school will give him exactly what he wants: the power to shake up the country.  We know the only thing that will stop a maniac with a gun is a good guy with a gun.  We know all this, and yet Democrats still want to remove cops from schools.  So the question is why?  And the answer is simple.  There is no greater propaganda tool to push to disarm the American people than school shootings.  Police in schools stop and discourage school shootings.  If school shootings stop, Democrats lose their best propaganda tool.

Hochul Unveils Flurry of Executive Orders to Address Gun Violence, 'Online Extremism' after Buffalo Massacre.  New York Governor Kathy Hochul has announced a strict series of gun control regulations, days after a racially motivated shooting in Buffalo that killed ten people.  Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Hochul said that she would sign several executive orders to restrict access to firearms and monitor "online extremism."  These include a measure authorizing the New York State Police to seize weapons from any gun owner "whenever they have probable cause to believe that an individual is a threat to themselves or others."  She did not give further details about the proposal, and the text of the order, yet to be signed, has not been released.

Appeals court invokes the Founding Fathers in striking down California's ban on semi-automatic gun sales to people under 21.  A U.S. appeals court ruled Wednesday that California's ban on the sale of semi-automatic weapons to adults under 21 is unconstitutional.  In a 2-1 ruling, a panel of the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the law violates the Second Amendment right to bear arms, and that a San Diego judge should have blocked what it called 'an almost total ban on semi-automatic centerfire rifles for young adults.'  'America would not exist without the heroism of the young adults who fought and died in our revolutionary army,' Judge Ryan Nelson wrote, 'Today we reaffirm that our Constitution still protects the right that enabled their sacrifice — the right of young adults to keep and bear arms.'

Ron DeSantis:  Requiring Permits for Concealed Carry is 'Subcontracting Your Rights'.  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is warning that requiring a permit for concealed carry subcontracts out constitutional rights to the whims of the person approving permit applications.  News4Jax noted that DeSantis described the concealed permitting process on Tuesday as a "licensing scheme" run by people who can take away your license if they so choose.  The Governor made clear he wants to replace the permitting system with a constitutional carry framework.

Alec Baldwin Pushes for Gun Control.  Actor Alec Baldwin pushed gun control Friday just months after Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed in an on set sequence in which Baldwin was holding the gun.  In a Friday Instagram post, the Boss Baby star wrote "We regulate many things in this country in the interest of public health and safety.  Drugs, cars, professional licenses, etc.  We need gun control reform.  Now."  Alec Baldwin did not describe the kinds of "gun control reform" that he wants to see, but he did post video in which numerous shots rang out near a South Carolina little league baseball game on Monday.  The players paused when the gunfire began, looking for the source, and then ran off the field.  None of the baseball players were struck by gunfire. [...] Baldwin did not provide any insight into the kinds of gun control laws that would stop gang-related violence or shootouts between quarreling groups of people.

The Editor says...
If you hate guns so much, why do you make movies in which you carry a gun?

Seven Alec Baldwin Movies Where He Carried a Gun.  Alec Baldwin has been a vocal critic of the Second Amendment and the NRA for years, calling on Congress to re-think Americans' protected right to bear arms.  But when it comes to cashing that Hollywood check, Baldwin has been more than willing to carry a fire arm on the big screen.

Stats Validate What Gun Owners Have Been Saying For Years.  A common narrative from anti-gun activists asserts that more guns equal more crime.  But those of us who own guns have known this storyline to be false all along.  It never made sense, and now we have data to prove it.  According to a recent study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, there is a direct correlation between gun ownership and crime, but that correlation doesn't align with the storyline from the "guns are bad" crowd.  In fact, shocker:  it shows just the opposite.  The NBER analysis used Tennessee's database for handgun carry permit holders, and then cross-referenced that data with crime statistics in those zip codes.  It was determined that once information from the database was publicized, in areas where gun ownership was highest, burglaries were correspondingly lower.  Conversely, in areas with relatively low gun ownership, burglaries were considerably higher.

How did Biden get a ghost gun to the White House?  President Biden showed off a ghost gun kit at the White House on April 11 for his new regulations for these pieces of metal.  Ghost guns are illegal to possess in the District of Columbia.  While the White House is federal property, how did the kit get into the president's hands?

If Democrats Cared About Ending Crime, They Would Punish Criminals, Not Target Law-Abiding Gun Owners.  President Joe Biden told Americans on Monday that regulating firearms is the best way to combat rising violent crime in U.S. cities, but taking away the gun rights of law-abiding Americans doesn't rein in criminals, especially those let off the hook by soft-on crime progressives.  Violent crime, often perpetrated using firearms, is on the rise in many American cities.  In 2021 alone, at least 14 Democrat-controlled urban hubs reported all-time high homicide records.  Even though this historic crime streak is even plaguing cities with strict gun laws, the Biden administration wants gun parts, such as frames and receivers, to be serialized and regulated as regular firearms so they can be traced.  This would require customers who purchase gun kits from retailers to undergo a background check like they would if they were buying an already-assembled firearm.

Everybody's talking about "ghost guns" — and they look pretty silly.  After President Biden's recent announcement on new regulations for non-serialized firearms, the term "ghost gun" is seemingly on everyone's lips, along with its attendant misconceptions.  Today, with the kind assistance of the legal mind of Kirk Evans, President of U.S. Law Shield, which offers legal protection for law-abiding gun owners, we will unpack Biden's new final rule, discuss a few misconceptions on ghost guns, and introduce what law-abiding gun owners can do to address the upcoming regulations.  "Ghost gun" is a term invented by anti-gun groups to refer to privately made, non-serialized firearms, often assembled from a kit.

Joe Biden Is Making His Move Against The Second Amendment.  The Second Amendment could not be more clear:  The right to bear arms shall not be infringed.  The sagacious and well-read Founders, unlike today's contemporary political morons, were astutely aware of the evil lurking within mankind and the tyrannical impulses to assert one's domain over others.  Limited government — limiting government ability to assert itself — was of utmost importance in keeping people free and human nature in check.  They also understood that freedom had what economists call opportunity costs.  Thomas Sowell, among his many brilliant observations, points out that there are no such things as solutions.  There are only trade offs, meaning the perfect answer and the utopian society dreamt of by leftists don't exist.

Joe Biden, Again, Gets Reminded About How the Constitution Works With His Latest Gun Control Attempt.  Joe Biden forgets that his current job title is "President of the United States" and not "King" from time to time, and it's up to others to remind him about the very clear limitations of his power.  This time, Biden seemed to forget that he can't just simply craft and pass laws about the Second Amendment.  According to Fox News, Biden is looking to pass a ban on "ghost guns."  You'll recall that the Democrat Party's understanding of ghost guns is... questionable.  Recall California lawmaker Keven de Leon back in 2014 who claimed that a ghost gun could rattle off an absurd amount of bullets in "half a second" from its "30 Calibur magazine clip."  [Video clip]  A ghost gun is a privately made firearm with no serial number, effectively taking it out of the federal database and making it completely untrackable.  In the age of 3D printing, the government is fearful that it will never have any way of knowing how many of its own citizens are armed.  As reported by Fox News, the Biden administration's plan is to make gun kits fall under new rules in order to make assembling your own gun illegal.

Texas Congressman Warns Of Biden's Illegal Federal Gun Registry.  Representative Michael Cloud (R-TX) is raising awareness on a growing problem within America:  The State's violation of God-given, natural rights to protect life, liberty, and property.  Representative Cloud made a recent appearance on NTD's Capitol Report and shared some alarming news about the encroachment of the federal government to monitor, track, record, and potentially act upon knowledge of gun sales and purchases.  It seems obvious that in the wrong hands, information about gun ownership could quickly turn into a bloody mess.  Would guns be outrageously taxed?  Confiscated?  To what end would they pursue goals of civilian disarmament?

Ohio Gov. DeWine signs bill allowing people to carry concealed firearms without a permit.  Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Monday [3/14/2022] signed a bill that allows people in the state to carry a concealed handgun without a permit.  Senate Bill 215 allows anyone aged 21 or older to carry a concealed firearm unless they are prohibited from possessing a gun under state or federal law.  The decision by DeWine makes Ohio the 23rd constitutional carry state, according to the National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action.

I've never bought a gun from you, Beta.  So you can't "buy it back."
Now Beto O'Rourke Says He Will Buy Back Texans' AR-15s.  The shifting sands of Democrat gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke's gun control plans have solidified, for now, into a pledge to buy back AR-15s and AK-47s from Texans if the state legislature will support doing it.  O'Rourke spoke with Texas Tribune CEO Evan Smith on Saturday and KVUE reported O'Rourke's comments.  Smith asked O'Rourke to clarify his position on confiscatory gun control.  O'Rourke stressed his belief that citizens should not be able to buy a AR-15s, then said:  "And if I can find the consensus within the Legislature to have a law in the state of Texas that allows us to buy those AK-47s and AR-15s back, we will."  He has been down this road many times before.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey Signs Bill to Eliminate Permit Requirement for Carrying Pistols.  Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Thursday signed a constitutional carry bill into law that allows permitless concealed carry in the Yellowhammer State.  Alabama House Bill 272, also known as the Constitutional Carry Bill, eliminates certain restrictions on concealed carry of pistols and transporting a handgun in a private vehicle.  The bill also established a $5 million fund to offset the revenue loss of local governments.  The bill was sponsored by state Rep. Shane Stringer and cosponsored by 36 other Republicans in the state House.  The new law will go into effect on Jan. 1 when Alabama will become the 22nd constitutional carry state.  Ivey regarded the signing of the law as an act to defend Second Amendment rights.

Ukraine Learns The Value Of An Armed Citizenry, But Far Too Late.  In all the world the US as a nation is utterly unique in its tradition of citizen rights to self defense.  There is no other protection written into any constitution anywhere that is as solid and unapologetic as the 2nd Amendment.  Whenever I end up in a debate with a gun control advocate from another country that wants to "educate me" on the level of firearms ownership overseas I have to laugh because these people just don't get it.  There are many countries where some guns are allowed to be owned by the public, but in every case this is treated as a PRIVILEGE which the government can give and take away anytime it pleases.  Only in America is gun ownership an individual right regardless of what the government and the so called "majority" likes or dislikes.  The government's opinions on personal firearms are meaningless.  The majority's opinions on gun rights are meaningless.  I own guns because natural law and the constitution says I have an inborn right to self defense.  And, if someone wants to take those weapons from me they better be prepared to die in the process.

Judge to New York AG: Sorry, You Can't Dissolve the NRA.  The Left's war on the National Rifle Association has been ongoing for months.  New York Attorney General Letitia James has vowed to dissolve the organization through a series of legal actions aimed at exposing the allegations of fraud and corruption among the upper crust of the group.  The NRA is one of the nation's oldest civil rights organizations, though how they've spent their donors' money, among other things, has drawn immense scrutiny.  Some items purchased with these funds were not earmarked properly.  A wedding does not enhance or promote Second Amendment rights.  This has been a months-long saga, but a judge on the New York State Supreme Court has ruled the AG cannot nuke the organization.

Judge blocks NY's bid to shutter NRA, but lawsuit continues.  A judge has rejected an effort by New York's attorney general to put the National Rifle Association out of business, but will allow her lawsuit accusing top executives of illegally diverting tens of millions of dollars from the powerful gun advocacy organization to proceed.  Manhattan Judge Joel M. Cohen said allegations of NRA officials misspending on personal trips, no-show contracts and other questionable expenditures can be addressed by other remedies, such as fines and restitution, and do not warrant the "corporate death penalty" that Attorney General Letitia James had sought.

Gun Control Groups Applaud Biden's Nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson.  Gun control groups applauded President Biden's Friday nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS).  Jackson is currently a justice on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.  Gabby Giffords' gun control outlet, the Giffords Law Center, was quick to "laud" the nomination of Jackson, and Mike Bloomberg-affiliated Everytown for Gun Safety praised Jackson's nomination as well.

Lesson from Ukraine — Don't Give Up Your Guns (or Nukes).  Ukrainians are being urged to arm themselves to resist the unprovoked Russian invasion of their country.  The immediate question is, "with what?" noting that Ukraine has exactly the kind of gun laws the Democratic Left wants to inflict on the United States.  Handguns are illegal unless licensed, and licensing is "may-issue" the same way it is in New York.  It is also necessary to have a license to purchase a long gun (as is the case in Illinois with its firearm owner ID card), and authorities can exercise discretion as to who can have a license.  There are at most thirteen firearms for every hundred Ukrainians, versus more than one firearm per capita for Americans.  Magazine sizes are restricted to 10 rounds, which would of course delight the governments of California and New York.  Guess what, boys and girls — the Russian Bear doesn't have magazine size limits, nor does he obey international norms and treaties that forbid invasion of other countries.

The Democrats Are Turning America into the New Venezuela.  The Bill of Rights is very clear and does not have any stipulations pertaining to the Second Amendment.  There are no conditions attached to the Second Amendment, such as the type of firearm, number of bullets in the magazine, caliber size, manufacturer, or how many firearms you can have on you or in your home.  The Second Amendment clearly states that the citizens of the United States have the right to keep and bear arms.  It's that simple.  Nothing more.  Nothing less.  The Democrats use every opportunity, no matter how minuscule the connection might be, to oppose the right to keep and bear arms for law-abiding citizens. [...] All dictatorships start this way: take control away from the people, make them defenseless, own them.  It's modern-day slavery.  It's not slavery as in a private master and slave.  It's the state owning its people.  Gun control is people control and the taxpayers pay for it.  This is the truth and it's up to you what you do with it but demand your God-given right to keep and bear arms and to freedom of speech.

Unconstitutional? CA bill would permit citizens to enforce weapons ban, sue gunmakers.  In an attempt to skirt the U.S. Constitution and challenge the Supreme Court, a new bill in California would allow private citizens to go after gun makers in the same way Texas lets them target abortion providers.  [Tweet]  California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) proposed Friday letting private citizens in his state sue gun makers to stop them from selling assault weapons, comparing the bill to one in Texas that lets its residents sue abortion providers to stop the procedures.  At a news conference in Del Mar, Newsom said he thought the Texas law was wrong and that the Supreme Court's decision in December to let it stay in effect while it goes through appeal was "absurd" and "outrageous".

Sandy Hook families secure settlement with gunmaker Remington over 2012 school shooting.  The families of nine victims in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting secured a $73 million settlement Tuesday against Remington Arms, the gun manufacturer that marketed the rifle used in the deadly rampage.  The families' attorneys hailed the move as a victory that allows others to sue gun-makers in the aftermath of mass shootings.  During the roughly seven-year court battle, the families alleged that Remington marketed its rifle as a "combat weapon" to young men prone to violence.  The gun used in the attack was the Bushmaster XM15-E2S rifle, according to The Associated Press.

Court rules against Philadelphia's stolen gun reporting law.  A Philadelphia ordinance requiring residents to report to authorities when firearms are lost or stolen has been ruled illegal by a Pennsylvania court.  A three-judge panel on Monday reversed a lower court order and placed a permanent injunction on the city's 2009 gun control ordinance, preventing the city from enforcing the measure.  The case stems from a man charged with violating the "lost and stolen" reporting mandate, and Philadelphia authorities had sought a $2,000 fine for violating the ordinance.

All three Architects of "SAFE Act" Disgraced with Corruption.  In 2013, New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, and Governor Andrew Cuomo conspired to pass rigid and likely unconstitutional restrictions on the right to keep and bear arms by residents of New York State.  The law was passed with a rushed vote under a controversial measure in the New York Constitution which gives the Governor and legislative leaders enormous power.  The members of the legislature were forced to vote on it without any time to read it. [...] Large parts of the SAFE act have proven to be impractical to implement.  Some pieces have been ruled unconstitutional.  One part was so idiotic the state legislature, with the agreement of the governor, repealed it very quickly.  There is no evidence the act has had any effect on the New York violent crime rate.  New York has been the poster child for infringing on Second Amendment Rights to protect organized crime since 1911.  It is not surprising corrupt politicians want to disarm their constituents, who will often be their victims as well.

Gun-Grabbers Want to Kill Your 2A Rights.  In the good old days, the gun-grabbers only went after your "high capacity" magazines or what they said was an "assault weapon" and called it a day. [...] That was before they came up with the brilliant idea of "defunding the police," because we all know that the best way to control crime is to stop catching criminals or keeping them in jail.  It usually helps to "feel" these ideas rather than think about them; that's the only way they make sense, at least if you're AOC.  Then, to the surprise of no one except the anti-liberty left, crime skyrocketed out of control, and everyone ran out to buy guns.

Mayor Plans to Seize Guns of Citizens Who Haven't Paid 'Fee' to Exercise Their 2nd Amendment Rights.  A California city has approved a law forcing gun owners to have insurance and pay an annual $25 fee.  "Certainly, the Second Amendment protects every citizen's right to own a gun.  It does not require taxpayers to subsidize that right," Democratic San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said, according to CNN.  Gun owners are also required under the law to have insurance.  The law, which received its first approval in January, will need approval on a second reading this month before it can go on the books, taking effect in August.

The Perfect Label to Destroy Gun-Grabbing Democrats' Credibility.  [Scroll down]  Andrea Widburg's recent column shows further that Biden is not just a firearm quack, but also a liar.  Biden said gun manufacturers are "the only industry in America that is exempted from being sued, and I find it to be outrageous."  Gun manufacturers have no protection from lawsuits for defective products that, when handled responsibly for their intended purpose, cause death or injury.  They are however protected from junk lawsuits by unscrupulous lawyers who try to hold them accountable for crimes committed with their products. [...] If, by the way, you are ever called for jury duty in a junk case against a gun manufacturer, you need to know only two things.  Did the gun manufacturer sell the gun to a licensed (FFL) dealer?  If so, the manufacturer is not liable.  Did the dealer perform the required background check on the buyer?  If so, the dealer is not liable, either.  Then you should award the defendants legal fees and punitive damages, and preferably at the expense of the unscrupulous lawyer who brought the case rather than the distraught client who made the mistake of trusting the lawyer in question.

Is Biden Spying on Gun Owners?  Feds Admit to Firearm Database with Nearly a Billion Records.  The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said that the government maintains a database of 920,664,765 firearm purchase records, according to news reports.  Moreover, they possess both digital and hard copies of these records, according to The Washington Free Beacon, which said Monday they had obtained confirmation of the information from the federal agency.  The news has sent a shock wave throughout the pro-gun community.

Report: ATF Seizes Firearms from Amish Dairy Farmer.  Lancaster Online reported Tuesday that agents with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, (ATF) seized firearms from an Amish farmer in Pennsylvania's Leacock Township.  The seizure of the firearms occurred earlier this month.  Lancaster Online indicates the ATF's action revolved around the farmer, Reuben King, allegedly selling firearms without a license.  King admitted that he had sold some firearms, but stressed that they were mostly long guns that other Amish could use for hunting.  He noted that he sold some to non-Amish too.  He added, "I was not dealing in handguns, positively not."

New Lawsuit Challenges San Jose Ordinance That Would Effectively Price Guns out of the Hands of Citizens.  Following a mass shooting by a disgruntled rail worker who killed 9 then turned the gun on himself, the San Jose City Council passed, by a 10-1 vote, an ordinance that is the equivalent of a poll tax on legal guns.  The proposed tax (called a "gun harm reduction fee") would generate income for the city that the city would then funnel to nonprofit anti-gun advocacy groups.  The ordinance also requires gun owners to buy private "liability" insurance.  The City of San Jose intends to make it very expensive to own a gun.  How that makes a city safer is the mystery.  The ordinance has now been challenged with a lawsuit filed in federal court yesterday, requesting injunctive relief and a declaratory judgment.

Ninth Circuit judge rebukes court:  I'll write your en-banc bad take on the Second Amendment for you.  Absolutely hilarious, especially for those who have watched the Ninth Circuit's en banc machinations on Second Amendment issues for some time.  Last week, a three-judge panel overturned a Ventura County, CA emergency measure that closed all gun stores at the beginning of the pandemic while allowing other "essential businesses" to operate.  The ruling shredded Ventura's attempt to preclude exercise of the right to bear arms, albeit on the relatively modest basis that it fails under any and all levels of scrutiny.

"Smart gun" can't fire two rounds consecutively.  Over the last week or so, so-called smart guns have been everywhere in the mainstream media.  In the Second Amendment community, there's been a ton of talk about them as well.  Especially since we all know it's just a matter of time before lawmakers try to mandate smart guns as the only guns.  However, there are problems with these kinds of firearms.  We all know it.  I've talked about a few of them.  One of the big ones is reliability.  The more whizzbangs you put in a device, the higher the likelihood of failure becomes.

Ninth Circuit rules LA pandemic shut down of gun stores unconstitutional in big 2nd Amendment win.  Second Amendment advocates and business owners are cheering over the 9th Circuit Court ruling that Los Angeles County and Ventura County's closing down of gun stores during the pandemic is unconstitutional, paving the way for lawsuits.  The California counties violated the Second Amendment by mandating the shut down of gun ammunition stores in March of 2020, according to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.  Those stores were deemed to be nonessential by progressive leaders at the time, according to Fox 11.  "The court today rightfully recognized that Los Angeles County violated Second Amendment rights when it shut down gun stores and ranges in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic," Michael Jean, NRA's director of the Office of Litigation Counsel, remarked in a statement.  "This is an important decision.  It ensures that California — or any state — cannot use a crisis to trample on the Constitutional rights of citizens."

Constitutional Carry on the Move in AL, GA, FL, NE, and OH.  Constitutional carry is currently on the move in five states:  Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Nebraska, and Ohio.  In Alabama, ABC 33/40 reports that two bills — House Bills 44 and 66 — have been filed, each of which would eliminate the need to ask the state government for a permit before being allowed to legally carry a gun concealed for self-defense.  In Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp (R) is pledging to work with the the legislature to get constitutional carry to his desk.  On January 5, 2021, Breitbart News reported Kemp press release in which he said, "I believe the United States Constitution grants our citizens the right to carry a firearm — without state government approval.  For law-abiding Georgians, their carry permit is the founding document of our nation."

Gov. Brian Kemp Puts Georgia on Track for Constitutional Carry.  Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) made clear Wednesday that he will work with the House and Senate to secure legislation that would make Georgia the next constitutional carry state in the Union.  Breitbart News noted that Kemp plans to see constitutional carry legislation passed in Georgia by this spring.  Prior to his announcement Kemp released a statement:  "I believe the United States Constitution grants our citizens the right to carry a firearm — without state government approval.  For law-abiding Georgians, their carry permit is the founding document of our nation."

New Jersey vs. Gun Owners.  For much of the past forty years and more often at government expense, Phil Murphy has surrounded himself with a well-armed and trained private and public security force, first as a bigwig with Goldman Sachs, then as U.S. ambassador to Germany for Barak Obama, and now as governor of the deep blue Garden State that narrowly elected him to a second term amidst an unforeseen red wave of discontent at the ballot box.  Along the way, his dogma evolved from boardroom idealism to political progressivism, an evolution familiar to those of moneyed privilege and far removed from the trials of life on Main Street.  One would think that an electoral narrow escape in a state accommodating a three-to-one Democrat majority would force an epiphany regarding one's causes célèbre.  With the courage of a lame duck, Murphy is instead approaching his second inauguration by doubling down, tacking hard left to focus upon his party's playbook — offering sanctuary and free money to tens of thousands of illegal immigrants, pushing hate curricula in grade school, still surrendering legalized marijuana consumption to the black market, and rendering the citizenry defenseless through gun control schemes.  The window to effectively disarm New Jerseyans is closing within days.

Biden DOJ announces new gun control rule.  The Justice Department on Monday [1/3/2022] announced a new federal gun control rule aimed at ensuring gun owners have secure storage devices.  Under the new rule, federally approved gun sellers will be required to have gun storage or safety devices available onsite for potential buyers as required by the Gun Control Act.  According to the department, a secure gun storage device is defined as "a safe, gun safe, gun case, lock box or other device that is designed to be or can be used to store a firearm and that is designed to be unlocked only by means of a key, a combination or other similar means."

Terrified Beverly Hills residents flock to buy guns from city's only firearms store.  As Long Angeles crime spirals out of control, even some of the city's wealthiest residents have flocked to Beverly Hills' only gun store to buy firearms to protect themselves and their belongings.  Beverly Hills Guns first opened by appointment only in July 2020, and has seen upscale residents from Santa Monica to the Hollywood Hills increasingly in a panic following some high-profile smash and grabs and violent home invasions in recent weeks, Los Angeles Magazine reports.  Many are self-proclaimed progressives who've never even held a gun before, but who've been so spooked by soaring crime in the famously wealthy enclave that they've decided to arm themselves.

The Editor says...
I hope somebody is showing these new gun owners how to handle the guns safely.  And how to reload quickly, if need be.

A Clever Way for Leftists to Achieve Gun Control?  Texas did something creative, which [Governor] Newsom thinks he can copy.  Texas came up with a novel way to reduce abortions.  Its new fetal heartbeat law makes abortions after a heartbeat is detectable illegal.  But it leaves enforcement up to private citizens — by making abortionists liable for civil damages.  Legal scholars are still trying to figure out if this approach places the law outside the realm of questions about constitutionality.  Do litigants actually have standing if nobody has been sued yet?  The Supreme Court hasn't decided if the law is constitutional or not, but it has refused to prohibit the law in the short term.  The Court is allowing challenges to the law to wind their way through the lower courts — which could take years.  That gives the Court years to figure out how to get out of the pickle it created with Roe v Wade.

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Abusing Her Position to Suspend 2A Rights.  In a one-of-a-kind system unknown in other states, Florida's wildly popular Concealed Weapon or Firearm Licensing program is overseen by the state's Commissioner of Agriculture, in this case Nikki Fried.  Florida's licensing division, which to date has issued more than 2.4 million CWFLs, is subordinate to Fried's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.  State lawmakers once flirted with the idea of taking the CWFL program away from Fried and transferring responsibility for the concealed-carry licenses to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, but, ultimately, the changes were never made.

Republicans Sound Alarm:  Claim ATF Moving Toward Gun Registry.  More than 50 Republican House members are warning the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, (ATF) may be quietly working behind the scenes to put a gun registry in place.  FOX News reports Rep. Mike Cloud (R-TX) and 50 of his colleagues sent a letter to ATF Director Marvin Richardson earlier this week, and used the letter to sound the alarm on a possible registry.  The Republicans warned that a proposed ATF rule change would put in place a requirement that Federal Firearm License holders (FFLs) preserve firearm transaction records that are beyond 20 years old.  McCloud warns that no such requirement currently exists, and instituting one effectively creates a de facto registry based off gun sales.

Police Could Take Guns from Troops Accused of Domestic Violence Under Proposed Law.  Civilian courts and police could confiscate the firearms of service members accused of domestic violence by military authorities under a proposed law being considered by Congress.  The proposal is a bid by House Democratic lawmakers to give more protection to military-connected victims who have been battered, assaulted or stalked.  But conservatives are putting up fierce opposition, because they say it would infringe on troops' Second Amendment right to bear arms.  Supporters are hoping to pass the measure into law this year as part of the annual defense policy bill.  Its future remains uncertain because the Senate hasn't floated any similar domestic violence initiative as part of the bill, which must be negotiated and passed by both chambers.

Report: Democrats Want To Introduce [a] Law That Would Allow Police To Confiscate Guns From US Troops.  California Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier, who chairs the House Armed Services Committee's subcommittee dedicated to personnel said "Domestic violence is a forgotten crisis in the military, and that's why I offered an NDAA [National Defense Authorization Act] amendment to ensure that service members have access to military court protective orders that are as strong and enforceable as protective orders issued by civilian courts." [...] Critics of the proposal point out that it is similar to so called 'red flag' gun confiscation laws that allow police or family members to petition a court to remove firearms from anyone deemed to be a danger to themselves or others.

Support For Gun Control [is] Cratering as Violent Crime Soars.  The gun industry is experiencing something of a golden age.  More than 8 million people became first-time gun owners in 2020 alone.  Driving the increase are women, who purchased 40 percent of those weapons.  Significantly, the new gun owners aren't buying hunting rifles.  They're buying semi-automatic handguns for personal protection.  The spike in violent crime across America has convinced fence-sitters on the gun control issue that maybe it's time to stop listening to politicians who are enabling violent mobs to run wild in our city streets and think of their families and their own personal protection. [...] Democrats who promote gun control do so at their own political risk.

Biden Admin Amassing Millions of Records on US Gun Owners Amid New Crackdown on Firearms.  The Biden administration in just the past year alone stockpiled the records of more than 54 million U.S. gun owners and is poised to drastically alter gun regulations to ensure that information on Americans who own firearms ultimately ends up in the federal government's hands, according to internal Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) documents obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.  The ATF in fiscal year 2021 processed 54.7 million out-of-business records, according to an internal ATF document obtained by the Gun Owners of America, a firearms advocacy group, and provided exclusively to the Free Beacon.  When a licensed gun store goes out of business, its private records detailing gun transactions become ATF property and are stored at a federal site in West Virginia.  This practice allows the federal government to stockpile scores of gun records and has drawn outrage from gun advocacy groups that say the government is using this information to create a national database of gun owners — which has long been prohibited under U.S. law.

Data Disproves Left's Fear Of Adhering To The Constitution On Guns.  This year has seen the largest increase ever in the number of concealed handgun permit holders — more than two million, for a total of 21.52 million.  That is a 48 percent increase since 2016.  On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court heard the case of NYSRPA v. Bruen, which has a chance to further increase this total and make permitting rules more similar across states.  Six states now have more than 1 million permit holders:  Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Texas.  Florida is the first state to have more than 2.5 million permits.  Alabama has the highest rate of adults with permits, at 32.1 percent.  Indiana is second, with 21.6 percent.  By contrast, New Jersey and Hawaii both have rates of less than 0.1 percent.  The statistics don't even account for the vast numbers of Americans who carry without permits.  Twenty-one "constitutional carry" states no longer require people to have a permit to carry.  Those who want to carry out of state may still get a permit, but many don't bother.

Supreme Court appears poised to overturn NY gun control law from 1913.  The US Supreme Court appeared poised Wednesday [11/3/2021 to overturn a New York law that limits someone's ability to legally carry a concealed gun in public.  The conservative-leaning high court listened to about two hours of arguments in a case brought by a New York chapter of the NRA and state weapons owners, who have sought to overturn a 1913 gun control law.  The suit, which was struck down by lower courts, seeks to expand the ability of New Yorkers to legally carry concealed weapons.  The panel's conservative justices — who outnumber its liberals 6-3 — questioned the current law during Wednesday's hearing.

SCOTUS Appears Ready to Strike Down Restrictive NY Concealed Carry Law.  The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on a case involving an overly restrictive New York law concerning gun permits this week.  It's being called the most important Second Amendment case in a decade and would expand the definition of the "right to keep and bear arms."  The law requires a citizen wanting a concealed carry permit to show "proper cause" before obtaining such a license in locations typically open to the general public, even in rural areas.  Why would any citizen be required to "show cause" to exercise any right in the Constitution?  "The idea that you would need a license to exercise a right is unusual with regard to the Bill of Rights," remarked Chief Justice John Roberts.

Gun rights showdown — Supreme Court case a potential big win for Second Amendment.  On Wednesday [11/3/2021], the Supreme Court will take up arguably the oldest and most controversial right in our history.  New York State Rifle Association v. Bruen is the first major gun rights case in over 10 years to come before the Supreme Court and it has the makings of a major gun rights victory.  The case concerns concealed-carry restrictions that require a showing of "proper cause."  Lower courts have upheld the New York law, but there are ample constitutional concerns over its vague standard, such as showing that you are "of good moral character."  New York wants to exercise discretion in deciding who needs to carry guns in public while gun owners believe that the law flips the constitutional presumption in favor of such a right.  There are few constitutional rights that have been debated so long in this country as gun rights.  Indeed, before other Englishmen were given a written guarantee of the right to bear arms, colonists in Virginia in 1607 were given such a written guarantee by the Crown.  Since that time, the right to bear arms has been an ingrained part of our culture and ultimately our Constitution.
Italics added by The Editor.

The Left Is Everything They Hate.  Do they believe people can't be trusted with guns because they themselves can't be trusted with guns?  Anyone who has grown up around guns — before he fires his first shot — learns that every gun is to be treated as loaded:  Sweeping someone with the muzzle even of an unloaded gun will get you banned for life from any firing range I've ever visited.  But perhaps if you don't have the training or the common sense, you assume nobody has.

Biden has nominated an anti-gun activist to be Solicitor General.  Joe Biden nominated David Chipman, an anti-gun fanatic, to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (although thankfully he withdrew); Tracy Stone-Manning, an ecoterrorist to head the Bureau of Land Management; Kristen Clarke, an openly anti-White racist and anti-Semite to lead the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division; and Rear Admiral Ann Phillips (ret.), someone with zero shipping experience, to serve as the next U.S. Maritime Administration administrator.  That's why it shouldn't come as any surprise that his nominee for Solicitor General is a fanatic anti-gun activist who participated in the simultaneously abusive and farcical Mueller investigation.

The Popularization of Political Repression.  Perhaps social media merely amplifies and concentrates a vindictiveness that has been building for some time and whose character may be seen in a comparison of the struggle for civil rights with the quest for gun control.  In the civil rights struggle the nation ultimately united behind efforts to extend rights to those who could not safely exercise them.  In contrast to this, the advocates of gun control seek to revoke the rights of people who are not abusing the right in question.  In the one case Americans were urged to see themselves in those who had been unjustly deprived of their rights, and to wish for them to have full access to those rights.  In the case of gun control advocacy Americans are urged to vindictively demand the disarming of people who have been effectively scapegoated for social problems to which they do not in any meaningful way contribute.  Gun control is — at best — a simpleminded non-solution to a social problem deliberately misattributed to a politically vulnerable class of people.  Violent criminality cannot plausibly be pinned on legal firearms owners because legal firearms owners do not habitually engage in criminal activity.  To attack gun owners for "gun violence" simply makes no sense.

Rep. Dan Crenshaw Flip Flops on Support for Red Flag Laws After Receiving Grassroots Pressure.  Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) has proposed a measure in the U.S. House that would ban red flag laws, reversing his long-held stance of supporting the measures to infringe on the 2nd Amendment rights of American citizens.  Crenshaw introduced H.R. 5417, legislation that would "prohibit funding for the implementation and enforcement of federal red flag orders" on Sept. 29.

Smith & Wesson to move headquarters from Massachusetts to Tennessee.  Smith & Wesson is moving its headquarters from Massachusetts to Tennessee, citing the southern state's "unwavering support of the Second Amendment" as well as its lower cost of living.  The decision to depart New England was "an extremely difficult and emotional" one, Mark Smith, the gun-maker's president and CEO, said Thursday in a statement.  The company, based in Springfield, Massachusetts, since 1852, will spend $125 million on the relocation, it said.

CDC implements gun violence study after naming it a 'public health threat'.  After CDC Director Rochelle Walensky announced in August that gun violence was a "public health threat," that agency has now implemented a new plan to study it.  The CDC has undertaken a new study that would dig into how often a person is injured by a firearm in the US.  They will discover what kinds of weapons are involved, how they are used, the causes between the shooter and the gunshot victim, and the underlying causes of those altercations.  "I swore to the President and to this country that I would protect your health.  This is clearly one of those moments, one of those issues that is harming America's health," Walensky said.  In April, President Joe Biden said that gun violence is a "public health epidemic."

5 Supreme Court Cases to Watch in the 2021-22 Term.  [#2] New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen:  This will be the first time in 11 years that the Supreme Court will review a significant Second Amendment case.  New York requires its residents to obtain a license for lawful possession of a firearm, regardless of whether they plan to keep it at home or take it outside.  To obtain a license, a licensing officer must determine whether the applicant is of good moral character, lacks a history of crime or mental illness, and that "no good cause exists for the denial of the license."  Applicants must also have "proper cause" to lawfully conceal carry a handgun — openly carrying a handgun is entirely banned.  New York law leaves "proper cause" undefined, but courts have clarified that this standard means one must "demonstrate a special need for self-protection distinguishable from that of the general community or of persons engaged in the same profession."  Merely having the "generalized desire" to conceal carry, according to the courts, "does not constitute 'proper cause.'"  Petitioners Robert Nash and Brendan Koch were denied a license to carry a handgun in public despite including in their applications their desire for self-defense and that they have extensive safety training.  The licensing officers determined they had failed to show proper cause because they did not demonstrate "a special need for self-defense that distinguished [themselves] from the general public."

Dems sneakily slip radical 'red flag' provision into defense budget.  A provision added to the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, the Pentagon's annual budget, has raised some eyebrows among Second Amendment advocates because it would authorize military courts to issue protective orders making the possession or accessing of a firearm by a targeted service member unlawful, at least temporarily.  The so-called "red flag" provision would also exempt military courts from denying members their Fifth Amendment right to due process, according to Fox News host Laura Ingraham, who discussed the issue with trial attorney, author, and retired Army Col. Kurt Schlichter.  In response to Ingraham's suggestion that the provision may be "a real pathway to larger gun control within" the U.S. military, Schlichter explained that he sees multiple issues with it.

Congressman Madison Cawthorn Introducing Bill to Ban Military from Enacting 'Red Flag Laws'.  On Friday [9/24/2021], Congressman Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) announced plans to introduce legislation to prohibit the U.S. military code from placing restrictions on servicemembers' right to bear firearms.  The bill, entitled the Protect Gun Rights Act, targets Democrat efforts to strip servicemembers' rights to keep and bear arms through red flag laws.  "Democrats have no right to dictate to our servicemembers, the most patriotic and dedicated Americans among us, when or how they exercise their Second Amendment rights," said Cawthorn on Friday.  "Our military needs to be funded, built up and defended, but Democrats want to, instead, disarm our servicemembers.  This is an outrageous action and I will defend their right to keep and bear arms."

Hawaii Turning Heated Arguments into 'Justification' for Taking Your Guns.  Have you ever gotten into an argument with someone?  Did you raise your voice?  Did things get loud?  Did you lose your temper and swear at the object of your anger?  Congratulations.  The State of Hawaii would order you to surrender your guns.  The case is Lance S. Choda v. County of Hawaii, and the complaint was filed on September 14 by attorneys Alan Beck and Kevin O'Grady in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii.

Military courts could order 'red flag' gun confiscation under defense bill.  A provision in the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act would allow military courts to issue protective orders that include "Red Flag" gun confiscation, according to the more than 1,300-page bill.  In the legislation, those beholden to the United States Code of Military Justice could be issued a "military court protective order" by a military judge or magistrate, which would make "possessing, receiving, or otherwise accessing a firearm" illegal.  "A military court protective order issued on an ex parte basis shall restrain a person from possessing, receiving, or otherwise accessing a firearm; and a military court protective order issued after the person to be subject to the order has received notice and opportunity to be heard on the order, shall restrain such person from possessing, receiving, or otherwise accessing a firearm in accordance with section 922 of title 18," SEC. 529 of H.R. 4350 states.

AR-15s Are Why Leftists Can't Commit Taliban Atrocities Here.  Leftists don't have totalitarian control in America yet, so over the last few years they have mostly given us a heads-up about their desires by rolling out mock guillotines during their protests and riots, posing for photographs with mock-ups of President Trump's guillotined head, talking about burning down the White House, and on social media wishing death upon Trump, his supporters, and Americans who express skepticism about the 2020 presidential election, masks, or vaccines.  However, they are working toward totalitarian control, by opening the border to people they think are future Democrat voters; proposing that felons, illegal aliens, and minors be allowed to vote; threatening to pack the Supreme Court; pushing federal legislation to take over election rules to benefit the Democrat Party; and, as Democrats have done for decades, stealing elections.  Even if they had totalitarian control, they would still need a willing army to do in America what they have done in every other country in which they have achieved it — disarm, then round up and kill or imprison their opponents.

Joe Biden Is a Total Failure.  Biden's answer to the surge in violent crime rates across urban America is pious lectures about guns, which incites both the anti-gun Left and the huge number of Americans (who consider their guns security against what otherwise would be a riptide of crime) to believe that guns are about to be confiscated unconstitutionally.  The answer to crime rates is not in the suppression of access to guns for responsible citizens, as criminals always have guns; the answer is in greater numbers of better-trained police personnel and longer sentences for violent criminals.

Biden Aims To Ban High-Capacity Magazines As Ammo Runs Short.  High-capacity magazines have been selling with gusto, as Americans anticipate a proposed ban from President Biden.  "If it looks like they're going to do a ban, I'll be sold out within a week," said Buck Stienke, owner of Lone Star Shooting Supply in Gainesville, Texas.  The House passed a bill Thursday to expand background checks, and gun control bills drive gun sales.  But what will new gun owners load them with?  Stienke said he already has customers driving all the way from Oklahoma City to buy ammunition, which is running scarce.  High-capacity magazines allow the shooter to shoot many times without reloading.  Since early 2020, buyers of high-capacity magazines have been facing a nationwide shortage of ammunition, as gun sales surge from millions of new customers.

Biden aims to sign on to UN's global gun registration treaty.  The Biden administration this week signaled that it is eyeing a United Nations small arms treaty that critics claim will lead to an international gun registration plan — including for individual American gun owners.  Two years after former President Donald Trump withdrew from it, a top arms diplomat at the State Department told the global body that the current administration is swinging behind the Arms Trade Treaty.  "I have come from Washington, D.C., this week to take the floor on the agenda item Treaty Universalization to underscore the continuing commitment of the United States to responsible international trade in conventional arms," William Malzahn said at the 7th Conference of States Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty.

Activists Urge Joe Biden to Create Gun Control Office to Bypass Senate.  Activists from numerous gun control groups are pressuring President Biden to created a White House-level gun control office that can be led by an individual who does not need Senate confirmation.  Politico reports that push comes as confirmation of Biden ATF nominee David Chipman appears unlikely, now that Sen. Angus King (I-ME) has voiced his opposition to the nomination.  Subsequently, four groups from the gun control lobby — Guns Down America, March For Our Lives, Newtown Action Alliance, and Survivors Empowered — are urging Biden to create a gun control office that will not be dependent on Senate support.

Guns, Germs, and Feelz.  [Scroll down]  When certain words are not useful to the political left's agenda, the meanings of those words are simply changed to fit the agenda.  In the left's war against personal ownership of firearms, the ATF empowered itself with the barely checked authority to redefine what a "machine gun" is.  By fiat, unelected cubicle kings have deemed a trigger a "machine gun."  A pistol is a machine and a gun, too.  How long before the ATF decides that new wordplay epiphanies empower it to criminalize the Second Amendment more broadly?  Of all the mass delusions that have been perpetrated upon the American people, the government's decades-long mission to terrify the public from owning firearms is the most dangerous.

Republicans Slam ATF For Attempting To Alter Legal Definition Of 'Firearm'.  Joined by Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, more than two dozen Republican House members on the Second Amendment caucus released a comment criticizing a new proposed rule by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) that would prohibit homemade guns, develop a backdoor gun registry, and regulate gun parts with a background check.  The proposed rule, the "Definition of Frame or Receiver and Identification of Firearms" was introduced in May and signed by Attorney General Merrick Garland.  Public comments on the rule closed Thursday [8/19/2021].  It would amend the Code of Federal Regulations, including the term "firearm" in order to regulate firearm kits, and amend the term "gunsmith" to clarify that gunsmiths must mark unlicensed guns — effectively making the individual the manufacturer.  It would implement regulations on nearly all portions of a firearm.

Report: Taliban Seizing Personal Weapons Because Afghans 'Can Now Feel Safe'.  Taliban jihadists reportedly began seizing personal weapons from Afghans in Kabul on Sunday, claiming civilians "can now feel safe" and no longer need the firearms because the terrorists had taken over the country.  Taliban officials declared victory and the restoration of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan after occupying the presidential palace in Kabul on Sunday [8/15/2021].

A grandiose Rep. Cori Bush says the quiet part out loud.  We've all known about this quiet part:  It's the one that says that high-level leftists, the ones who want to take our cars, air conditioners, heating, health care, travel rights, and money, do not have to abide by their own rules.  Rules are for the little people and, when it comes to Bush's need for personal security guards while she's defunding your police, Bush is happy to explain why she's special. [...] Cori Bush is the first-term congresswoman from Missouri's first congressional district (St. Louis, mostly). She is an RN, a pastor and, most importantly, a hard-left activist who came to political prominence following the Ferguson riots that followed after Michael Brown robbed a store, tried to steal a police officer's weapon, and was killed in the resulting struggle.  The BLM lie was that he had his hands up and said, "Don't shoot."  Bush rode that lie into Congress and has been one of the loudest advocates for defunding police all over America.  Thanks to the effects of this policy, poor and middle-class people have been slaughtered in Democrat-run American cities in unprecedented numbers.  Many parts of cities such as Chicago and New York are like war zones, only scarier.

Rep Cori Bush Throws Tantrum on Live Air Defending her $200k Security Force While Simultaneously Calling to Defund the Police.  During an interview on Thursday with CBS News, Democratic Representative Cori Bush went on one of the most insane rants on live air while defending her $200,000 security force while simultaneously calling to defund the police.  Over the past week, Bush has been sleeping outside of the Capitol to protest the end of the eviction moratorium due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  In response to the stunt, Bush has been called a hypocrite considering she has spent tens of thousands of dollars on private security while calling to defund the police.  During the interview with CBS, anchor Vladimir Duthiers urged Bush to respond to the criticism.

Mexico sues U.S. gun companies, alleging 'massive damage' that is 'destabilizing' to society.  The Mexican government on Wednesday sued several U.S. gun manufacturers, alleging that they contribute to illegal gun trafficking to Mexico.  The lawsuit was filed in U.S. federal court in Boston.  Among the defendants named in the suit are Smith & Wesson, Barrett Firearms, Beretta U.S.A. and Colt's Manufacturing Company.  The companies did not immediately respond to CNBC's requests for comment.  The gun manufacturers are accused of negligent business practices that facilitate smuggling guns to Mexico and cause "massive damage" to the country.  The lawsuit alleges that they knowingly supply the criminal gun market in Mexico in particular, saying the companies' military-style guns often end up in the hands of drug cartels and other criminals who harm civilians and government personnel.

NY: Gillibrand Believes the Impossible; Making Gun Sales more Illegal will work.  Those who wish to disarm other people have a disconnect with reality.  They refuse to believe some things are not possible.  This creates problems.  One of the reasons people push to disarm others is they refuse to arm themselves.  Having made that decision, or, having had that decision made for them; they personally see no cost to their disarming of others.  Disarm that guy over there.  He is not me.  It doesn't hurt me.  This is how ideologues who refuse to accept reality get elected again and again. [...] Consider the guns traced from Mexico.  In 2019, there were 13,387 guns from the United States traced from Mexico.  The border with Mexico is much more tightly controlled than the border with New York.  There are many more people in Mexico than New York.  Gun control in Mexico is much more intense than it is in New York.  The homicide rate in Mexico is much higher in Mexico than in New York.  In 2019 it was Mexico 29 per 100K population.  In NY it was 2.9, only 10% of that in Mexico.  There is plenty of evidence the number of legal guns in a population does not affect the murder rate.

Pandemic driving gun, ammo sales, police and firearm instructors being left high and dry.  Steadily increasing gun sales across the country as the COVID-19 pandemic lingered and then reignited in recent weeks amid the spread of the new Delta variant continue to cause sustained shortages of ammunition, which is impacting new gun owners, law enforcement agencies, and firearms instructors.  Gun sales, especially for first-time buyers, soared as the pandemic stretched for months last year but also as riots and criminal violence rose dramatically as well, all of which placed strains on U.S. ammunition makers who struggled to keep up.  Sales appeared to surge again after Joe Biden won the presidency and gun-control-pushing Democrats took over Congress, putting ammo makers even further behind.

Florida suspends concealed weapons permits of 22 people facing charges related to Capitol riot.  Florida suspended the concealed weapons permits Monday of 22 individuals facing charges involving the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.  Nikki Fried, the commissioner of Florida's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, announced the suspensions immediately after a congressional hearing about the attack concluded on Capitol Hill.  "The deeply disturbing events that occurred at our nation's Capitol on January 6th were sedition, treason and domestic terrorism — and those individuals involved in the insurrection must be held accountable for attempting to subvert our democratic process," said Ms. Fried, a Democrat running for Florida governor in 2022.

Mexican highway robbers stole 7 million rounds of US-bound ammo.  Armed assailants stopped and stole two trailer-loads of small-caliber ammunition, consisting of more than 7 million total rounds, bound for the U.S. on June 11.  The Mexican newspaper Milenio reported the more than 7 million rounds of ammunition was valued at more than 55 million Mexican Pesos, more than $2.7 million USD.  The theft took place on a highway in Mexico's most violent state, Guanajuato.

ATF nominee mocks gun buyers as 'Tiger Kings' prepping for zombies.  President Biden's choice to head up the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives once mocked first-time gun buyers during the coronavirus pandemic as preparing for the zombie apocalypse and even compared them to the "Tiger King."  David Chipman's remarks were revealed in newly unearthed video from an April 2020 interview with Cheddar in which he talked about how gun sales were spiking during the pandemic and how people needed to take safety precautions.  "I understand the fear, I understand the concern.  I have it myself," he said.  "But we don't want to make rash decisions that place ourselves, our neighbors and our families more at risk than actually keeping them safe."  Chipman, then the senior policy adviser at the Giffords Organization, which advocates for gun control, said there are risks for people who buy firearms during the coronavirus because they have no training.

Were Strong Gun Sales to Blame for 2020's Violence?  Gun sales in the U.S. exploded last year, first when the Covid-19 pandemic reached our shores and again when the death of George Floyd set off a wave of protests and violence in cities.  Some commentators maintain that these sales in fact fueled the violence — a theory that fits nicely with some advocates' preexisting priorities.  President Biden and his team have been especially eager to turn the conversation about the abrupt crime spike into a conversation about guns and gun dealers.  There have always been good reasons to doubt this narrative, and that's even more true now that a study in Injury Prevention has failed to find a geographic link between the two phenomena, at least through July 2020.  Even pre-pandemic, something like 400 million guns were in circulation in the United States, with strong sales growing the number every day.  The "excess" sales surge from March through July 2020 amounted to about 1 percent of that.

D.C.'s Problem Isn't "Too Many Guns".  After a drive-by shooting outside of the Washington Nationals stadium over the weekend, the D.C commentariat is sounding the alarm about the rise in violent crime, but they're off-base in diagnosing the problem that's leading to the surge in shootings. [...] When it comes to worldwide rates of violent crime, the United States is basically in the middle of the pack, and there are plenty of countries with much more restrictive gun control laws that have far higher violent crime rates.  Beyond that, however, the disparity in violent crime is also seen here in the United States.  Washington, D.C.'s violent crime and homicide rates, for instance, are much higher than those in neighboring northern Virginia, despite (or perhaps because of) the fact that Washington, D.C. has much more restrictive gun laws.  There are no gun stores in D.C. where folks can legally purchase a firearm.  There are no ranges where gun owners can train or take classes.  The percentage of residents who are legal gun owners is estimated to be just a small fraction of the city's population, but making guns taboo hasn't done [any]thing to make D.C. any safer, and it's insane to pretend otherwise.

Federal Court Rules Under-21 Handgun Bans Are Unconstitutional.  The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday [7/13/2021] that banning anyone over 18 but under 21 from purchasing handguns violates the Second Amendment.  The two-to-one vote which nullified federal laws that unconstitutionally prohibit people under 21 from purchasing a handgun, comes after the plaintiff, 19-year-old Natalia Marshall was denied a gun from a licensed dealer despite her fears that her abusive ex-boyfriend who "had been arrested for unlawful possession of a firearm and controlled substances" was released on bail and did not show up in court.  "History makes clear that 18- to 20-year-olds were understood to fall under the Second Amendment's protections," the court stated in the ruling.  "Those over 18 were universally required to be part of the militia near the ratification, proving that they were considered part of 'the people' who enjoyed Second Amendment rights, and most other constitutional rights apply to this age group.  And Congress may not restrict the rights of an entire group of law-abiding adults because a minuscule portion of that group commits a disproportionate amount of gun violence."

New York Passes Law Opening Door for Lawsuits Against Gun Manufacturers.  New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday signed a law passed by the Democrat-controlled state Legislature that allows guns to be considered a public nuisance and opens the floodgates for lawsuits against gun manufacturers.  "The only industry in the United States of America immune from lawsuits are the gun manufacturers, but we will not stand for that any longer, Cuomo said in a news release.  According to NBC News, the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act of 2005 carved out immunity for gun manufacturers if individuals misuse their products in a criminal manner.

Tucson Mayor:  We're Going to Ignore Arizona's New Second Amendment Sanctuary Law.  Officials in the city of Tucson plan to ignore Arizona's new "Second Amendment sanctuary" law that bars state and local governments from enforcing certain federal gun regulations, possibly setting up a court fight as a growing number of cities and counties in the United States declare themselves similar firearm havens.  The move by Democratic Mayor Regina Romero and the City Council again puts Tucson and Republican-led state at odds over how to regulate gun sales and use.

Are We Seeing a Cultural Realignment?  Over 60% of U.S. counties are now covered by some form of local 2nd Amendment protection legislation.  Through either state or county legislation, 1,930 counties essentially have 2nd Amendment sanctuary status now.  I like guarantees.  The 2nd Amendment is our guarantee that our government can never turn our military against us.  It's good to know that our guarantee is backed by 61% (and growing) of our local governments.  It seems our local and state governments still believe the Constitution means what it says and are defending it — not against foreign enemies, but against domestic enemies.  It's too bad more of our federal officials don't remember that part of their oath of office.

Andrew Cuomo Seizes Emergency Powers to Fight Gun Violence 'Public Health' Emergency.  On Tuesday [7/6/2021], Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-N.Y.) pioneered a new strategy to grasp for near-dictatorial power:  declaring gun violence in the state of New York a "public health crisis" and a "disaster emergency."  Cuomo touted his "first-in-the-nation" initiative as a positive step for New York, rather than an excuse to circumvent the legislature.  Cuomo even cited his own tyrannical abuses during the COVID-19 pandemic as precedent for the overreach.  Democrats have dropped hints that they might use various "public health" emergency declarations as an excuse to grasp power and circumvent the normal legislative process.  Democrats have filed a bill to declare a national emergency on climate, for example.  President Joe Biden himself has called guns a "public health crisis," and perhaps Cuomo intends to inspire Biden to run roughshod over Congress.

Andrew Cuomo Declares a State of Emergency Over 'Gun Violence'.  What's interesting about this is how it juxtaposes to emergency orders dealing with COVID that populated nearly every corner of the country last year.  Unfortunately, far too many on the right endorsed the idea that states had broad authority to violate basic rights, including people simply being outside their homes, in order to stop the pandemic.  In the end, lockdown measures were largely futile given their lack of correlation with spread, but they happened nonetheless.  Because of that precedent, Cuomo likely figures that as long as he has declared a state of emergency, he has the power to confiscate guns from legal gun owners and enact a variety of other policies that make a mockery of gun rights.  And can you blame him?  When the entire political structure, including a Republican president and most Republican Congressional members at the time, endorsed the idea that lockdowns and mask orders could be enforced due to a declaration of emergency, there's no reason for Cuomo to believe the power trip stops there.

Virginia Defeats the Scourge of Voluntary Firearms Purchases.  While most of us have been focused on the affront to the Second Amendment posed by preventing people on some sort of federal "no-fly" list from purchasing firearms, and the draconian "red flag" (no accident in that nomenclature, that's for sure) laws that let basically anyone report you to the police who then seize your firearms, my home state of Virginia is going after much bigger fish.  I'm talking about that population legally able to buy firearms, realizes it is incompetent to handle a firearm but lacks the impulse control necessary not to go out and buy one or more guns.

Democrats Versus America's Founding Documents.  Joe Biden stated in a public address from the White House, "The Second Amendment, from the day it was passed, limited the type of people who could own a gun and what type of weapon you could own."  To their credit, several fact-checkers have called out Joe Biden for his obvious misrepresentations about the Second Amendment, but I have not heard him or his spokespeople retract or clarify his statements in a way that could illustrate his fealty to the Constitution, rather than an insatiable lust for ever-more power.

San Jose To Tax Law-Abiding Gun Owners For The Actions Of Criminals.  The Democratic Party's war against the second amendment opens a new front thanks to the San Jose City Council's decision to tax law-abiding gun owners for the actions of criminals: [...] Chief Justice John Marshall said that the power to tax is the power to destroy, and here the attempt is to destroy lawful gun ownership by imposing collective guilt on the law-abiding for the actions of the criminal and turning law-abiding gun owners into criminals for refusing to comply with an unconstitutional, punitive tax.  The endgame, as always, complete civilian gun confiscation.

San Jose plans to be first U.S. city requiring firearms owners to pay back taxpayers for gun violence.  A month after a gunman killed nine workers at a rail yard in San Jose, the city is taking steps to become the first in the nation to require firearms owners to buy insurance and pay fees to relieve taxpayers of the costs of responding to gun violence.  The San Jose City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night [6/29/2021] to draft an ordinance that would order gun owners in the city to obtain insurance and pay an annual fee to subsidize police responses, ambulances, medical treatment and other municipal expenses related to shootings, injuries and deaths.  The amount of the fee hasn't been determined, but Mayor Sam Liccardo said Wednesday it would probably be "a couple dozen dollars" and would not be charged to those who could not afford it.  He said insurers have advised the city that including gun coverage on their policies would add little or nothing to typical premium costs.

Pennsylvania Democrats to Propose Bullet Tax and Encoded Rounds to Track Ammo Owners.  A 5 cent per bullet tax will be proposed in Pennsylvania as part of legislation to be brought forth by two state House Democrats, Rep. Manny Guzman and Rep. Stephen Kinsey.  The tax would fund a state police database of ammunition sold in Pennsylvania.  The planned legislation would require ammunition manufacturers to encode ammunition provided for retail sale in Pennsylvania, and to provide ammunition serial numbers to the Pennsylvania State Police for the ammunition database.  The plan was revealed in a joint memo to the state legislature by Guzman and Kinsey.  "Since 2015, only 21% of the nearly 8,500 shootings that Philadelphia has endured have resulted in an arrest or conviction," the memo said.  "Far too often, all that is left for the police to find is a victim and a bullet.  By making the bullet a more useable piece of evidence, independent from the associated firearm, we can give our law enforcement officers the tools that they need to solve more of these heinous crimes."

Boebert's blistering pro-gun floor speech.  U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., has proven to be a real pistol when it comes to taking a stand against today's radical Democrats, as seen Tuesday when the freshman lawmaker took to the House floor to deliver a blistering speech on the hypocrisy of the opposition party.  A hypocrisy that delivers a result Democrats may not be too pleased with — a stronger embrace of the right to bear arms.  Boebert took no mercy on 78-year-old President Joe Biden, and called attention to recent actions involving son Hunter Biden.  But first, she thanked Democrats.  "Madame Speaker, I want to begin this evening by thanking my Democrat colleagues for their outstanding work in encouraging millions of Americans to celebrate their Second Amendment rights by purchasing their first, second or even 100th firearm," Boebert said.  "From the left's riots in cities across America, to Biden's threats to strip away our basic constitutional rights, Democrats are single-handedly responsible for the sale of tens of millions of firearms.  Bravo.  Well done."

Former Detroit Police Chief Disputes White House Talking Point on Guns.  The White House has been on super spin mode for a lot of issues since Joe Biden was installed in office.  They have saved the extra fast spin for the issue of defunding the police and now ignoring the reason for gun violence that is sweeping some areas of the country.  Now that this is becoming an issue and is showing up in polling as a bad thing for the Democrats for the midterms next year, the "defund the police" crowd is trying an oldie but goodie from the nonsense bag of tricks:  Flat out lie.  Thankfully, there is a former top cop of a major city who is refuting the nonsense of the Defund The Police movement and also laying waste to the notion that guns are the problem for the rise in crime.  The former top cop in Detroit, James Craig recently spoke out on the "gun causes crime" view and he was very direct in how he sees it.

"Landmark" decision:  Sports retailer cannot be sued for sale of gun used in mass shooting.  The Texas Supreme Court is on a roll.  Yesterday I wrote about a groundbreaking decision made by the court that Facebook can be held liable for sex traffickers who use the social media platform to recruit and prey on children.  Today there is a "landmark" decision to be heralded from the court.  A retail sports chain cannot be held responsible for selling a gun used in a massing shooting.

Even the WaPo Can't Stomach Biden's Cannon Comment.  President Joe Biden delivered an infamous gun control speech last week, claiming that Americans "need F-15s and maybe some nuclear weapons" if they want to restrain government tyranny.  Yet he also used a flat-out lie to justify his gun control agenda — a lie that led even The Washington Post to deliver Biden a scathing rebuke.  "The Second Amendment, from the day it was passed, limited the type of people who could own a gun and what type of weapon you could own.  You couldn't buy a cannon," Biden declared last Wednesday.  The Washington Post's Glenn Kessler fact-checked this statement, giving Biden a whopping Four Pinocchios.

Dems punish police, watch crime skyrocket, blame you.  President Joe Biden is blaming you gun owners for a crime wave in America's biggest Democrat-run cities, and promising to punish you for it, but a gun-rights advocate says Democrats caused record-breaking guns sales after causing a crime wave.  Biden this week unveiled what he called a new crime prevention strategy that includes strengthening background checks, banning so-called assault weapons and large-capacity magazines, and boosting community policing.  "We're not changing the Constitution.  We're enforcing it," the semi-coherent president said a press conference to announce the sweeping plans.  Reacting to this week's anti-gun announcement, Mike Hammond of Gun Owners of America tells One News Now he is thankful for one thing:  the Senate filibuster.

Louisiana Governor Vetos Gun Law, Retains Concealed Carry Permit Requirement.  Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has vetoed bipartisan legislation that would have nixed the permit requirement for carrying a concealed handgun.  The governor, a Democrat, said he's a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and an "enthusiastic outdoorsman and hunter," but he can't support permitless concealed carry.  "I simply cannot support carrying a concealed carry firearm without proper education and safety training," he said in a statement.  "Our current system strikes the right balance of ensuring that people can bear arms while also keeping reasonable permitting and training processes in place. ... Simply put, it is not too much to ask that a person who wishes to carry a concealed weapon in public be required to attend basic marksmanship and safety training so they understand the regulations associated with such an action."  "For these reasons, I have vetoed the permitless carry bill," the governor added.

48 GOP senators blast Biden's latest gun control proposal.  The Biden administration's proposal aimed at regulating pistol-stabilizing braces is under scrutiny.  Nearly all of the Republicans in the Senate signed a letter on Thursday that said the proposed rule would turn millions of law-abiding gun owners into criminals overnight and demanded its withdrawal.  If passed, Americans would be required to get a federal license to own pistols with stabilizing braces under the National Firearms Act.  Additionally, Americans would face up to 10 years in federal prison for not registering their braces with the National Firearms Association.  Other consequences could include felony charges against individuals who do not turn in or destroy the firearm, the brace, or pay a $200 tax.

Gun Sanctuary Movement Erupts: 61 Percent of US Counties Now 'Second Amendment Sanctuaries'.  An analysis has revealed that more than three-fifths of all U.S. counties are so-called "Second Amendment sanctuaries" after a number of states this year passed legislation declaring them as such.  The website, Sanctuary Counties, found on June 20 that there are now 1,930 counties that are "protected by Second Amendment Sanctuary legislation at either the state or county level," representing 61 percent of all counties.  It noted that a number of states have passed "Constitutional Carry" laws, while specifically, approximately 1,137 counties "have taken it upon themselves to pass Second Amendment Sanctuary legislation and likely hundreds of cities, townships, boroughs, etc have done so at their level as well."

Biden blames guns for the surge in crime and announces crackdown on 'dealers'.  President Biden warned Americans to brace for a summer of violence as this year's pandemic reopening would exaggerate the usual seasonal increase in attacks as he on Wednesday laid out plans to tackle the country's 'epidemic' of violent crime.  But his proposals to focus on dealers rather than criminals and his mockery for gun advocates brought a rapid backlash from Republicans who accused him of bowing to his parties radical wing.  He promised 'zero tolerance' for dealers who break the rules but also mocked Americans who believe they need firearms to protect their rights from the government.

Federal Appeals Court Blocks Judge's Ruling Striking Down Ban on 'Assault Weapons'.  A federal appeals court this week put on hold a judge's ruling overturning California's 32-year-old ban on so-called "assault weapons."  On Monday [6/21/2021], a three-judge panel in the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stay of U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez's June 4 order.  It followed appeals from state officials on the decision, saying that the law is needed to prevent gun deaths.  Benitez, a George W. Bush appointee, had ruled earlier this month that the state's decades-old ban on "assault weapons" violates the Second Amendment.  The state government, through the law, "bans an entire class of very popular hardware — firearms that are lawful under federal law and under the laws of most states and that are commonly held by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes," Benitez wrote in his 94-page ruling in Miller et al. v. Bonta et al.  "Under no level of heightened scrutiny can the law survive."

Two maps that will infuriate progs and demonstrate the foundational wisdom of federalism.  Don Surber posted an amazing pair of maps yesterday [6/18/2021], showing the way that federalism is working to enable citizens to defend themselves with firearms.  While the federal Constitution guarantees the right to bear arms, states regulate firearms licensing, and in the past 35 years, a landslide of states has recognized the right to carry a firearm. [...] The "no issue" red states have gone from predominant to zero.  The "may issue" states, where the right to carry (i.e., bear) arms can be infringed, are now confined to the coastal progressive enclaves of the Northeast (except the far NE) and California and Hawaii.  They are small islands of repression in a sea of liberty.

Biden's Gun Schemes Illustrate the Foolishness of Firearms Regulations.  As expected, the Biden administration released proposed new rules for pistol braces and model legislation for "red flag" laws that make it easier to confiscate privately owned firearms.  Also as expected, the proposals are ludicrous.  On the one hand, they are pointless and nitpicky rules that are ultimately unenforceable, and on the other hand they are dangerous end-runs around due process that threaten fundamental rights.  Taken together, they illustrate the unserious nature of gun regulations which are crafted more to appeal to political audiences than to achieve positive results.  The silliness inherent in this sort of rulemaking is apparent from the Department of Justice's announcement of "a notice of proposed rulemaking that makes clear that when individuals use accessories to convert pistols into short-barreled rifles, they must comply with the heightened regulations on those dangerous and easily concealable weapons."

Gov. Abbott Signs HB1927: Makes Texas 21st Constitutional Carry State.  Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed HB 1927 into law Wednesday [6/16/2021], making Texas the 21st constitutional carry state in the union.  The Texas Tribune reported the constitutional carry law will go into effect September 1, 2021, allowing law-abiding residents 21-years-old and older to carry a handgun for self-defense, without first getting a permit from the government.

DoJ to Missouri:  Hey, you can't be a sanctuary against federal *gun* laws.  I believe that Governor Mike Parson has made his point.  The only entities that might fail to grasp it might be Merrick Garland's Department of Justice and Joe Biden's White House, though.  And perhaps the Associated Press: [...] If Parson had signed a bill declaring Missouri an immigration sanctuary state, Garland and the DoJ wouldn't have batted an eye about it.  And yet, the same principle is true — states that ignore and refuse to cooperate with federal immigration law violate the Supremacy Clause, put public safety at risk, and should risk federal grants and technical assistance on that basis as well.

Missouri Gov. Signs Bill Barring In-State Enforcement of Federal Gun Controls.  Gov. Mike Parson (R) signed legislation Saturday [6/12/2021] to bar the in-state enforcement of many federal gun controls, including those proposed by the Biden administration.  WLBT reports that Parson signed HB 85, the "Second Amendment Preservation Act," at 2 p.m.  The Act "prohibits the enforcement of federal gun laws by local law enforcement agencies."

The Largest Gun Registration and Confiscation Scheme Is Being Planned By the Biden Administration.  We know Joe Biden wants to confiscate guns.  He's open about it.  He wants a ban on so-called assault weapons but also high-capacity magazines, an equally moronic term.  His vice president, who is getting kicked in the teeth over the border crisis in what's turning out to be a disastrous visit to Guatemala, also said that she would issue an executive order to ban these firearms.  That's not legal, but when has that ever-stopped Democrats from waging their war on the Second Amendment.  The magazine limits don't just apply to rifles, but also handguns, meaning the millions would become felons under the Democrats' gun confiscation scheme.  We all know the endgame, but they don't have the legislative majorities to do so.  Biden is then taking to tweaking current regulations through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  It's through this avenue that his scheme to turn millions into felons is being planned as we speak.  It's significant for sure, with many in the industry calling it the largest gun registration and confiscation scheme in American history.

Judge rules California's ban on assault weapons unconstitutional.  A federal judge on Friday struck down California's ban on assault weapons as unconstitutional but left plenty of time for the state to file an appeal.  Judge Roger T. Benitez, who has favored pro-gun groups in past rulings, described the AR-15 rifle, used in many of the nation's deadliest mass shootings, as an ideal weapon.  "Like the Swiss Army Knife, the popular AR-15 rifle is a perfect combination of home defense weapon and homeland defense equipment," he wrote in Friday's [6/4/2021] decision.  "Yet, the State of California makes it a crime to have an AR15 type rifle," Benitez continued.  "Therefore, this Court declares the California statutes to be unconstitutional."  He praised the AR-15 as a rifle that should be formally protected by the law for its "militia readiness."

California's Assault Weapons Ban Violates Second Amendment:  Judge.  California's ban on so-called assault weapons violates the Second Amendment, a federal judge ruled Friday [6/4/2021].  The government through the law "bans an entire class of very popular hardware — firearms that are lawful under federal law and under the laws of most states and that are commonly held by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes," U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez, a George W. Bush nominee, wrote in his 94-page ruling in Miller et al. v Bonta et al.  "Under no level of heightened scrutiny can the law survive," he added.  California laws prohibit the manufacture, use, or sale of an "assault weapon," defined as a semiautomatic rifle with certain characteristics such as a fixed magazine that has the capacity to hold more than 10 rounds.  People who violate the laws face a felony or a misdemeanor and could land prison sentences of up to eight years.

Judge Overturns California's 32 year ban on assault rifles after ruling it violates Second Amendment right to bear arms.  A federal judge has overturned California's three-decade-old ban on assault weapons, ruling that it violates the constitutional right to bear arms.  U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez of San Diego ruled Friday that the state's definition of illegal military-style rifles unlawfully deprives law-abiding Californians of weapons commonly allowed in most other states.  He handed down the two page ruling in response to a lawsuit filed against the State of California by James Miller, Patrick Russ, Ryan Peterson and the the San Diego County Gun Owners Political Action Committee.

California judge overturns "assault weapons" ban.  California has had a ban on so-called "assault rifles" such as the AR-15 for more than thirty years.  The law has been challenged multiple times but has always seemed to hold up in the end.  That changed last night when U.S. District Court Judge Roger Benitez ruled that the law was unconstitutional.  He issued a permanent injunction against enforcement of the law.  The judge's choice of words in his ruling clearly triggered both Governor Gavin Newsom and State Attorney General Rob Bonta, both of whom vowed to appeal the ruling.

The New Secession Crisis: The Democrats have already left the Union.  The Democrats have already seceded from America's historic conception of nationhood in many respects: [...] THEY have campaigned for decades to neuter the Second Amendment and disarm Americans, based on a misreading of constitutional rights and an empirically unjustified paranoia about white men and guns, pushed relentlessly in their corporate media.  Terrified of urban violence, but unable to acknowledge this because of their own political taboos, affluent white leftists have sought to train their rhetorical and legal fire on groups with relatively low rates of crime, pushing ineffective policies that do not keep us safe but do keep us under their control.

Breaking Down Biden's Proposed 'Ghost Gun' Rules.  When President Joe Biden announced a plan in mid-February to "tackle gun violence," he said he would direct the Justice Department to issue new regulations for so-called ghost guns.  The Justice Department last week finally made public what those new rules would be, setting off a flood of commentary on a technical and oft-misunderstood topic.  So what are ghost guns?  Why does it seem like everyone suddenly is talking about them?  What effect would the new rules have on gun owners?  And, most importantly, are these changes something Biden can do without congressional action?

The Second Amendment:  More important now than ever.  The tyrants are in charge, and they want your guns.  While the left has denied it for decades, anyone who pays attention knows that the ill named "progressives" want to totally eliminate the Second Amendment.  Period.  The so-called "red flag" laws popping up around the country, as well as the gun-hating zealot nominated by Biden to head the ATF, are just two examples of Marxism's accelerated drive to disarm law-abiding citizens.  It won't be long before the Democrats attempt to push through a gun registration law, always the final step before total confiscation.  We can't allow this to happen.

If Biden's pick to head the ATF gets the nod, we're all in trouble.  Biden's nominee to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, David Chipman, is a long-time gun control advocate.  Putting him in charge of the ATF is a guaranteed attack on American's Second Amendment rights.  As Wednesday's Senate hearing showed, the guy is also a crackpot and a liar.  If you check out leftist media outlets, including taxpayer-funded NPR, it's clear that Chipman's attraction for Democrats is his commitment to grabbing guns.

Biden's pick to lead ATF dodges on Hunter gun incident.  President Biden's pick to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on Wednesday stonewalled questions about whether he would turn over records related to allegations that Mr. Biden's son Hunter lied on a background check to buy a gun.  David Chipman, who has been nominated to lead the federal agency, said he would try to get records requested by Republican senators but cautioned that he would have to abide by ATF and Justice privacy policies.  Sen. Charles E. Grassley, Iowa Republican, pressed Mr. Chipman on what more he would need to know to produce the documents.

Biden's ATF Nominee Wants to Ban 'Assault Weapons' and His Definition Is Terrifyingly Broad.  President Joe Biden has nominated David Chipman, a longtime gun control advocate, to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), an agency that plays a key role in gun regulations.  Chipman, who served as an ATF special agent for 25 years, left to work with former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) at her gun restriction organization Giffords.  During his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday, Chipman confirmed his support for a ban on AR-15 rifles.  He also suggested he still supports banning "assault weapons," and he presented an absurdly broad definition of "assault weapon."  Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) pressed Chipman on his public support for an AR-15 ban.

22 State AGs Voice Opposition to Biden's Nominee for ATF Director.  Attorneys General in 22 states have called on the U.S. Senate to oppose David Chipman's confirmation as director of the Department of Justice's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), citing the efforts of the president's nominee to restrict second amendment rights.  Montana's Attorney General (AG) Austin Knudsen led 21 of his colleagues in sending a letter to the U.S. Senate making a case against Chipman's confirmation.  "The Second Amendment is the cornerstone of the Bill of Rights," the AGs wrote.  "It guarantees our natural God-given right to defend our lives, our families, our property, and our freedom.  The confirmation of David Chipman to head the Department of Justice's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is an attack on that right and on the millions of law-abiding gun owners across the country."

Supremely Anti-Gun NY Mayor's Husband Is Arrest For Drugs And, Wait For It, Illegals Guns In House.  Rochester, New York, is governed by Mayor Lovely Warren, and one of the mayor's pet peeves is guns — particularly the illegal kind.  At BearingArms.com they noted Warren, who is a Democrat, frequently advocates for getting guns off the city's streets.  She also supports New York's tough gun-control laws.  And recently announced a gun buyback initiative so, as the mayor put it "our residents can feel safe in their neighborhoods and live the lives they deserve."  Under that plan, people would be paid $150 for pistols and $250 for "assault" weapons.  [Video clip]

The Supreme Court bans most warrantless gun seizures from homes.  [Scroll down]  During a fight with his wife, Petitioner Edward Caniglia grabbed his handgun, put it on the table, and said, "Shoot me now and get it over with."  Instead, his wife headed for a hotel.  The next day, when she couldn't reach him, she called the police for a wellness check.  When the police met up with Caniglia, he willingly went for a psychiatric evaluation on the condition that the police wouldn't take his gun.  The moment he was in the ambulance, using a ruse the police got Caniglia's wife to show them the gun, which they seized.  Caniglia sued, claiming the police violated his Fourth Amendment right to be free of unreasonable searches and seizures.  The First Circuit gave the case short shrift.  It relied on Cady v. Dombrowski, a 1973 case in which the Supreme Court held that, if officers patrolling public highways concluded that "community caretaking functions" militated in favor of seizing a gun from a car, they could do so.  The First Circuit, therefore, declined to consider whether Caniglia consented, whether there were exigent circumstances justifying seizing the gun, or whether state law permitted the police to seize a gun from a home without a warrant.  Justice Thomas, in a miraculously brief four-page opinion, reamed the First Circuit for its careless, cavalier, and erroneous decision.

Cruz: Liberals' Endgame on 'Ghost Guns' Is to Get National Gun Registry.  Last Friday [5/7/2021], the Biden administration published proposed regulations to significantly expand the regulation of firearms in this country.  That proposed regulation [and] this hearing both focus on so-called ghost guns.  It's a name that is intended to scare people.  It's designed to make people think that certain firearms are more dangerous than others, that certain firearms are beyond the reach of current law.  That's nonsense.  It's simply not the case.  The so-called ghost guns that we're talking about are nothing but homemade firearms.  There's nothing special about them.  There's nothing weird about them.  But advocates of aggressive gun control rely on ignorance to scare people.  Homemade firearms aren't any more dangerous than any other firearms.  And for all relevant purposes, homemade firearms are treated like any other firearm under the law.  If a person commits a crime with a homemade gun, they will be prosecuted just the same as anyone else.

Judge dismisses NRA bankruptcy case in blow to gun group.  A federal judge dismissed the National Rifle Association's bankruptcy case Tuesday [5/11/2021], leaving the powerful gun-rights group to face a New York state lawsuit that accuses it of financial abuses and aims to put it out of business.

3 Things to Know About Second Amendment's Return to Supreme Court.  It's been well over a decade since the Supreme Court last decided a meaningful Second Amendment case.  That wait is about to end.  Although District of Columbia v. Heller (2008) and McDonald v. City of Chicago (2010) answered some foundational questions about the right to keep and bear arms, the Supreme Court's decade of silence enabled lower courts to undermine these core cases routinely.  This in turn allowed states to run roughshod over the Second Amendment.  We've gotten our hopes up before that the Supreme Court finally would stop treating the Second Amendment as a second-class right, unworthy of consistent legal review.  Just last term, the high court excited millions by taking up New York State Rifle & Pistol v. City of New York, which was about New York City's incredibly restrictive laws on transporting firearms.  That excitement came to a crushing end when New York City enacted minor changes to its laws and the Supreme Court declared the case moot, declining in the interim to take up any of the remaining Second Amendment challenges for the term.  Many suspected we might go another decade without seeing the court hear another challenge to gun control laws.

The Democrats Want Your Ammo and Your Freedom.  This asterisked occupier administration continually exhibits a disdain for all of the freedom parts of the Constitution.  They like the part where they can tax you to death but they hate almost everything else.  Because they're full-on fascists, they harbor an extraordinary amount of animosity for the 2nd Amendment.  Totalitarians fear a citizenry that can fight back, so they have a relentless focus on making sure that doesn't happen.  Grandpa Gropes began his highly questionable occupation of the Oval Office with a host of promises to the left-of-left fringe that is now the Democratic Party.  The puppet president has been clear from the beginning that he wants to take away the right of American citizens to defend themselves.  Anti-gun Democrats have always faced two problems: the 2nd Amendment and the fact that most Democrats in flyover country are gun owners.  Their legislative efforts to thwart the right of the people to defend themselves fail miserably because the people have an annoying penchant for wanting to defend themselves.

Texas Senate Passes Permitless Carry Bill.  The Texas senate has approved in a 18-13 vote a bill to allow Texans to carry handguns without a license.  House Bill 1927 would eliminate the requirement for Texas citizens to acquire a permit to carry handguns if they're not prohibited by state or federal law from owning a firearm.  The measure, already passed by the Texas House last week, now heads to a conference committee for the two chambers to debate amendments and settle differences until the House and Senate versions are identical.  The bill will then go to Governor Greg Abbott's desk for his final signature.

Our Quasi-Soviet States of America.  Guns are an impediment to the advance of leftism.  It is much easier for the criminal elements to terrorize unarmed citizens, and criminals are important instruments of the left.  If the police are neutered, the natural reaction of the citizens is to prepare to defend themselves.  Outlawing guns is a maneuver to make this more difficult.  The leftist law enforcement organizations will do their best to punish citizens who successfully defend themselves with guns.

How Hard Is It to Get a Concealed Handgun License in Portland?  I've put off getting my concealed handgun license for many years.  Inertia, ill-defined fears about being "in the system," and a general lack of urgency all contributed.  Additionally, living in Multnomah County, just outside of Portland, I have exactly zero faith that our Maoist, Soros-backed, antifa-loving district attorney Mike Schmidt would offer me a fair trial should the time arise that I need to use my 2nd Amendment rights.  After all the shenanigans 2020 visited upon us, however — especially in Portland — I decided the time was right.  So, the day after Christmas 2020, I filled out the application, paid the $55 course fee, and passed the online handgun safety course required for the license.  I knew that skyrocketing demand meant I was in for a much longer wait time than normal, and so I chuckled slightly and just sort of accepted it when the system told me my appointment to get my license would be in April 2021.

Governor Signs Bill Making Oklahoma a Second Amendment Sanctuary State.  Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt on Monday [4/26/2021] signed into law a bill that makes the state a Second Amendment Sanctuary State. [...] The new law, also known as the "Second Amendment Sanctuary State Act," or SB 631, would prevent any lawmakers in the state from infringing upon the right of an Oklahoma citizen to keep and bear arms, by preventing them from enacting any new laws or regulations related to arms and ammunition.  It would also prevent any buy-back, confiscation, or surrender of firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition from abiding citizens of Oklahoma.  Any such order, rule, policy, or regulation by any federal, state, county, or municipality, would be considered an "infringement on the rights of citizens to keep and bear arms as guaranteed by the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States and Article II, Section 26 of the Constitution of Oklahoma," according to the text of the legislation.

Montana governor signs bill to protect Second Amendment from federal gun restrictions.  Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte signed a bill into law Friday that's intended to protect gun owners in the state from any new federal regulations or bans on firearms.  "Today, I proudly signed Rep. [Jedediah] Hinkle's law prohibiting federal overreach into our Second Amendment-protected rights, including any federal ban on firearms," Gianforte, a Republican, wrote on Twitter.  "I will always protect our #2A right to keep and bear arms."  Republicans in the state passed the law amid President Biden's push for federal gun reform measures in the wake of a series of mass shootings across the country this year.  Previous efforts to pass similar legislation in the last decade were thwarted by then-Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock.

The Reasons Why Leftists Will Never Successfully Disarm Americans.  Gun confiscation has always been the Holy Grail of totalitarian regimes.  Without disarmament, fully centralized control of a population is not possible.  And though it is true that not every evil regime seeks to disarm every single citizen (at least not right away), they always disarm the people they specifically intend to hurt the most.  For example, gun control advocates today like to point out that the Third Reich in Germany did not disarm the entire German population.  This is a rather bizarre position for leftists as they continually wail and scream about Nazis around every corner and behind every tree, but they will STILL defend their gun grabbing policies by arguing that the Nazis were not as bad as conservatives assume.  Of course, what they rarely mention is that the Nazis DID disarm millions of people; most of them Jews and political opponents under 1938 German gun laws.  The National Socialists disarmed the people they planned to destroy.  It's not hard to figure out why; they didn't want their targets to be able to fight back.

Bill requiring fingerprints for FOID card advances in Illinois House.  A measure advancing at the statehouse would require Illinoisans to submit fingerprints to get a Firearm Owner Identification Card and increase the costs, among other changes.  House Floor Amendment 1 to House Bill 1091 would bring about many changes, including what proponents say are efforts to modernize the state's FOID and Concealed Carry License system.  Currently, there are tens of thousands of backlogs of individuals who have paid for their application to be processed, but are waiting months longer than the law allows.  The system faces multiple lawsuits in state and federal courts.  Illinois State Rifle Association's Ed Sullivan said while they support better firearm disposition policies to get guns from prohibited persons whose FOID cards are revoked, they don't support the proposal of mandating fingerprints for people to exercise constitutional rights.

Fauci Opines On U.S. Gun Violence, Calls It 'Public Health Issue'.  Dr. Anthony Fauci opined Sunday [4/18/2021] about the surge of gun violence in the United States and described the spike in shootings as an issue of public health.  Speaking to CNN host Dana Bash on "State of the Union," Fauci was asked to comment on whether he believes gun violence is a public health emergency. [...] Fauci has faced criticism before after commenting on issues that have nothing to do with medicine.  In August, Fox News host Tucker Carlson claimed Fauci is "a fraud" who frequently wades into political discussions despite claiming otherwise.

Is the Ammo Shortage Over?  There was a prolonged ammunition shortage during the Obama administration.  I got through that one because a Power Line reader lined me up with a dealer in West Virginia who seemed to have an endless supply of 9 mm. and .22LR rounds.  Over the last year, another ammo shortage has struck, caused in part by an influx of new gun buyers who are responding to rising crime rates, attacks on law enforcement, and the election of Joe Biden.  As with most shortages, it has been accentuated by hoarding: whenever a shooter saw boxes of a popular caliber on the shelves, he would buy them all.  For quite a while, I have only been able to buy ammunition through the range where I am a member.  The limit was one 50-round box, barely enough for a range session.  But a couple of weeks ago that quota was raised to three boxes.  Then, yesterday, I got an email from the range saying that this morning, members would be able to buy a 1,000-round case of 9 mm.

Texas House approves "constitutional carry" to allow people to carry gun without license.  The Texas House on Thursday [4/15/2021] gave an initial OK to a bill that would allow handguns to be carried without a permit, marking a win for gun rights activists who have for years pushed the measure at the Legislature but a blow to El Paso Democrats who have been fighting for gun safety measures since the 2019 massacre in their hometown.  The 84-56 vote came after several hours of some of the most emotionally charged debate yet this legislative session, with Democrats pleading to their colleagues to reconsider their position on the legislation.  House Bill 1927, spearheaded by state Rep. Matt Schaefer, R-Tyler, would nix the requirement for Texas residents to obtain a license to carry handguns if they're not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing a gun.  Texans under current state law must generally be licensed to carry handguns, either openly or concealed.

The Gun-Control Melodrama Returns for Another Season.  A new Democrat administration and two recent mass shootings mean it's time for another episode of the gun-control melodrama that's been running for decades.  We all know the scenario: an obviously deranged person murders several people, Dem pols and pundits start fulminating about our lax gun control laws and gun-obsessed white males, followed by a bunch of ineffective proposals and policies that will do nothing about crime, but will annoy law-abiding gun-owners, which is ultimately the real purpose of the show — demonizing a political enemy.  The Biden outfit has announced "six initial actions to address the gun violence public health epidemic," the White House informed us last week.  None of them will do anything to stop mass killings, and some are trying to fix problems that existing federal laws already address.  Two federal statutes concern homemade "ghost guns," for example, which don't have serial numbers.  And state "Red-flag" laws would allow the police or family members worried about a seemingly unstable spouse, neighbor, or student to ask a judge for a temporary restraining order that would allow confiscation of the weapon.  The potential threats to Second, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights, and the moral hazard of giving the vengeful or malicious an opportunity for weaponizing the law, should be obvious.

Who is David Chipman, Biden's pick to lead ATF?  President Joe Biden has chosen a gun control advocate with a history of pushing for limits on guns and ammunition to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  Biden announced David Chipman, a former ATF agent, as his pick to lead the agency last week alongside the unveiling of executive actions aimed at curbing certain kinds of firearms.  Chipman's past advocacy for restricting guns, however, could complicate his path to confirmation through a sharply divided Senate.  His most recent employer — Giffords, part of a gun safety organization founded by Rep. Gabby Giffords — has pushed this year for stripping gun manufacturers of protection from lawsuits if their guns are used in crimes, requiring permits for the purchase of all types of guns, and limiting magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition.  Pro-gun groups quickly panned the nomination last week.  The National Rifle Association on Friday announced its opposition, calling him a "gun control extremist."  The Second Amendment Foundation called Biden's selection of Chipman an "alarming development."

US Supreme Court:  Gun Licensing Fees Are Unconstitutional.  While I am not an attorney and cannot give formal legal advice, a 1943 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Murdock v. Pennsylvania, may give Second Amendment-supporters an overwhelming legal weapon with which to destroy every single firearm ownership (although not necessarily concealed carry) licensing scheme in the country.  This includes those that require licenses to own or purchase firearms.
    License to own:  IL, MA, NY
    License to purchase:  CT, HI, IA, MD, MI, NE, NJ, NC, RI
The executive summary of the ruling in Murdock v. Pennsylvania (1943) was that it is unconstitutional for a state to levy a tax on people who want to sell religious merchandise.  "A municipal ordinance which, as construed and applied, requires religious colporteurs to pay a license tax as a condition to the pursuit of their activities, is invalid under the Federal Constitution as a denial of freedom of speech, press and religion.  The mere fact that the religious literature is 'sold', rather than 'donated' does not transform the activities of the colporteur into a commercial enterprise."  What does this have to do with fees to obtain a license to own or purchase a firearm?  The USSC also found, "A State may not impose a charge for the enjoyment of a right granted by the Federal Constitution."

Biden Nominee To Head ATF Was Involved In Waco Massacre, Oklahoma City Bombing, Ruby Ridge and Fast & Furious.  Joe Biden's anti-Second Amendment nominee to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) has a background ripe with controversy.  Currently serving as a senior policy advisor at former representative Gabriel Giffords' anti-gun lobbying group "Giffords," David Chipman used to carry a semi-automatic rifle while raking in a taxpayer-funded paycheck.  The Biden nominee's government career places him on location or being directly involved in some of America's most infamous events over the last few decades.

Biden's planned gun control actions do not pass muster.  On Thursday, in a Rose Garden statement, Biden announced that he's going to take myriad executive actions, all purporting to save Americans from gun violence.  In fact, as is almost invariably true for leftists, just about everything he said was a lie, including "and" and "the." In an epic segment on his show, Tucker Carlson reveals that the truth behind Biden's lies is that he will disarm law-abiding Americans who oppose his political agenda.  The purpose of this post is to show that, as a purely legal matter, he lacks the authority to carry out any of his threats. [...] As [Tucker] Carlson pointed out, despite all his talk of gun violence, nothing in Biden's Executive Order addresses gun violence.  Instead, the entire order is aimed at disarming those people who are most law-abiding and who believe most strongly that government must be constrained from unduly infringing upon the People's inherent rights:  [Video clip]

Go Ahead, Joe:  Stop Virtue Signaling and Grab the Guns.  And the Knives and the Blue Sedans While You're at It.  Joe, it's time to be the king you were born to be.  You've already signed enough executive orders to make King George III look like a benevolent friend of the American colonists.  Stop virtue signaling and grab the guns.  All of them.  Destroy them.  It's not even unprecedented.  In fact, exactly 246 years ago this very month, King George III ordered British troops to seize and destroy guns and munitions from the American colonists — in April of 1775.  It's apropos that your announcement comes on the anniversary of this tyrannical action.  But King George III had guts.  He didn't virtue signal.  He took decisive action.  But a word of caution — the gun grab of 1775 sparked the American Revolution.  The Continental Congress responded to the gun grab with a "Declaration on the Causes and Necessity of Taking up arms."  Thomas Jefferson and John Dickinson wrote, "what is to defend us against so enormous, so unlimited a power?"  The answer is guns.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signs bill to defy any new federal gun control laws.  Republican Gov. Doug Ducey of Arizona signed a bill on Tuesday [4/6/2021] that would ban local governments and employees from enforcing or aiding any infringement on gun rights imposed by the federal government.  House Bill 2111 was passed by the Arizona House and Senate in an attempt to preempt any new regulation of guns by the Biden administration.  "The state of Arizona and its political subdivisions are prohibited from utilizing any financial resources or state personnel to administer, cooperate with or enforce any law, act, order, rule, treaty or regulation of the federal government that is inconsistent with any law of this state regarding the regulation of firearms," read the text of the legislation.

Biden Adviser Richmond:  Republicans Need to Stop Hiding Behind Second Amendment — It's Not Meant for 'Weapons of War'.  Biden senior adviser Cedric Richmond said Thursday on MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show" that President Biden was determined to do "something about gun violence" so Republicans who "have hid behind the Second Amendment for far too long" need to respond to public demand for gun regulations on "weapons of war."  Richmond said, "I know President Biden's passion about doing something about gun violence and creating sensible gun laws along with Vice President Harris, and I think the country is shifting too."

Biden's nominee for ATF head is an anti-gun lobbyist who was at the Ruby Ridge standoff and Waco massacre — and lied about cult members shooting down helicopters.  Joe Biden's pick to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) was an agent involved in the Ruby Ridge standoff and Waco siege — and, it was revealed this week, he lied about Branch Davidian cult members shooting down two helicopters during the infamous standoff.  Gun rights advocacy groups are extremely concerned that Biden is tapping gun control advocate David Chipman to lead the agency that oversees firearms-related issues.  They are also now concerned about his previous false statement.  'Joe Biden knows he cannot beat gun owners in Congress.  Instead, he's circumventing the legislative process to impose his own tyrannical [vision] by executive fiat,' Gun Owners of America Vice President Erich Pratt told Fox News in a statement.

After Open Borders, High Crime, and Defunding Cops — Joe Chooses Now to go After Guns to Defend Ourselves.  President Joe "Buy a Shotgun" Biden announced plans to "go it alone" on eroding gun rights on Thursday by announcing several executive orders.  Biden issued diktats to regulate plastic gun "braces" for handicapped users, criminalize AR pistols, get tough on guns you can't sell, and begin to federalize "red flag laws" that, by definition, deny citizens their right to due process.  Biden announced that rights, like that pesky Second Amendment, are not "absolute," as PJ Media colleague Tyler O'Neill reported.  Rather, they're malleable or entirely replaceable by his lights.  Biden is doing this at the behest of the anti-Second Amendment groups as a political payback, even as America has become a much more dangerous place, thanks in large part to him and his party.

FNC's Turley:  New Biden Gun Control Legislation 'Could Very Well Be Called the Hunter Biden Act'.  Friday on Fox News Channel's "America's Newsroom," network contributor Jonathan Turley weighed in on President Joe Biden pledging to use his executive authority to restrict Second Amendment rights.  Turley said one of the provisions included in Biden's announcement, ref [sic] flag laws, could be named after the president's son, Hunter Biden.  He pointed to a 2018 incident when the younger Biden's gun was thrown out by the widow of his deceased brother because she was concerned about his mental stability.

Arizona gives Democrats a taste of their own sanctuary medicine.  Arizona has gone "sanctuary" and wait until the Democrats go ballistic screaming that laws have to be respected in the U.S. [...] First, it will expose the Democrats' selective indignation over law enforcement.  It's okay to say that cities can disobey federal immigration laws but not the 2nd Amendment.  Good luck with that message.  Wonder what the two U.S. Senators will say about this?  Senator Mark Kelly is up for reelection in 2022.  Second, it may be the beginning of states bringing the 10th Amendment back to life.  Frankly, it's about time, especially in light of the tsunami of executive orders coming from the Biden White House.

Biden's Nominee To Lead ATF Pushed Dubious Claim About Waco Siege To Call For Blanket Ban On Assault Rifles.  The gun control activist who President Joe Biden is expected to nominate to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) claimed last year that members of the Branch Davidian sect shot down two helicopters during a standoff with federal agents in Waco in 1993.  David Chipman, the expected nominee, posted the comments as part of a Reddit "Ask Me Anything" event.  He also called for tighter gun control measures, including restricting gun sales only to licensed gun stores and a ban on the manufacture and sale of so-called assault rifles.  Biden is expected to announce Chipman's nomination on Thursday during an event where he will lay out a series of executive actions aimed at reducing gun violence.  Chipman currently serves as a senior policy adviser to former Arizona Rep. Gabby Giffords, who was nearly killed after being shot by a gunman at a campaign event in 2011.   CNN described Chipman Wednesday as a "fierce advocate for gun control."

Biden's Pick to Lead ATF Locked His Twitter Account:  What Is He Hiding?  President Joe Biden is set to nominate David Chipman, a prominent adviser to the anti-gun group launched by former democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on Thursday [4/8/2021].  But, shortly after news broke of his appointment, Chipman changed the privacy settings on his Twitter to private.  What is he hiding?  Chipman previously served 25 years at the ATF and became a special agent to lead the bureau's Firearms Program, according to The Federalist.  Indeed, it seems there is no better person to help Joe Biden push his radical gun control agenda.  Chipman locking his Twitter account is perhaps a precautionary measure, as past tweets have created problems for several of Biden's nominees.

Joe Biden, Gun Grabber?  Many conservatives are pushing back hard against a series of executive orders on firearms that the Biden administration announced on Wednesday [4/7/2021].  I don't doubt that Biden would ban or severely limit private gun ownership if he could, but what is striking about these specific orders is how trivial they are.  Biden frames his actions in terms of gun violence being a "public health epidemic."  He refers to the recent Boulder and Atlanta shootings, and says that "cities across the country are in the midst of a historic spike in homicides...."  Ironically, that is true.  But why?  Not because of any lack of firearms laws and regulations, which are legion.  Rather, because of the incessant and demagogic attacks on law enforcement that the Democrats themselves have perpetrated.  And of course, none of the measures that Biden proposes to take would have any effect on urban violence.

Biden Administration Outlines Six Executive Actions They Will Initiate for Unilateral Gun Control Efforts Without Legislative Branch.  The White House has released some details of the six executive actions the JoeBama team has put together for Joe Biden to sign.

'We will NOT allow this': Gov. Abbott promises Biden a Texas-sized fight over firearms 'power grab'.  Gov. Greg Abbott has a warning for President Biden:  Don't mess with Texas when it comes to gun rights.  The Lone Star State Republican blasted Mr. Biden on Thursday for a "liberal power grab to take away our guns" after a White House speech on the issue.  Mr. Biden told Americans that he planned to end an "epidemic" of violent crime linked to firearms while stressing "no amendment to the Constitution is absolute."

The Editor says...
When Joe Biden's teleprompter says, "no amendment to the Constitution is absolute," what does that mean?  Is that a proclamation, or just a scripted gaffe?

Biden Falsely Claims That At A Gun Show 'You Can Buy Whatever You Want — No Background Check".  President Joe Biden falsely suggested that Americans who purchase firearms at gun shows don't need to first pass a background check prior to the transaction.  Biden said background checks aren't required for firearm purchases at gun shows during his remarks at the White House Thursday.  However, federal law already mandates firearm dealers to initiate a background check on prospective buyers at stores, gun shows or anywhere a transaction may occur, according to the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action.  "Most people don't know that you walk into a store and buy a gun, you have a background check," Biden said during the ceremony Thursday, in which he announced a slew of executive actions on gun violence.  "But, you go to a gun show, you can buy whatever you want — no background check."

Biden Declares Second Amendment Not 'Absolute'.  In a press conference Thursday, President Biden unveiled the proposed executive orders on gun control.  "Nothing I'm about to recommend in any way impinges on the Second Amendment" Biden declared.  Addressing potential opposition, Biden added, "they're phone arguments suggesting that these are Second Amendment rights in what we're talking about."  In an immediate contradiction, Biden then stated his position that "no amendment to the Constitution is absolute."  How can you not impinge upon something that is not absolute?  Biden attempted to give an example by saying "you can't yell 'fire' in a crowded movie theater and call it freedom of speech."  As his example pertains to the Second Amendment, he said, "from the very beginning of the Second Amendment existed, certain people weren't allowed to have weapons."  Biden's administration announced six gun control initiatives.

Biden Gun Speech Filled With Falsehoods.  President Joe Biden made numerous false and misleading statements while unveiling a package of gun-control actions on Thursday [4/8/2021].  Biden falsely described how federal firearm laws work as he called for Congress to amend those laws.  He pushed the Senate to pass H.R. 8, which would ban private gun sales unless done through a licensed dealer, by claiming there is a special exemption for sales made at gun shows.  "Most people don't know, you walk into a store and you buy a gun you have a background check," Biden said in his speech at the White House.  "But you go to a gun show, you can buy whatever you want and no background check."  Most people do not know what the president said because it is not true.  Federal law does not regulate gun sales based on where they occur.  Instead, it regulates them based on who is involved in the sale.  If a licensed gun dealer is selling a gun to a private citizen, the sale must go through a background check.  Licensed dealers can and do sell guns at gun shows.

Biden Trips All Over His Words and the Law Announcing Executive Orders for Gun Control.  Joe Biden today announced executive orders for gun control in the Rose Garden, declaring "gun violence" a "public health crisis." [...] But Biden was typical Biden, appearing not to know the names of the various agencies about which he was talking, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, the ATF, not the AFT.  The AFT is the American Federation of Teachers, the union to which Biden has been kowtowing.  He tried to claim that nothing he was imposing by fiat would impinge on the Second Amendment.

Joe Biden: 'No Amendment to the Constitution Is Absolute'.  On Thursday, President Joe Biden announced new executive actions on gun control, trying to limit "ghost guns" and to make it easier for people to flag their own family members who shouldn't be allowed to purchase firearms.  In announcing his gun restrictions, Biden specifically addressed the Second Amendment.  While Biden insisted that none of his gun control measures impinged on the Second Amendment, he also insisted that "no amendment to the Constitution is absolute."  "Nothing, nothing I'm about to recommend in any way impinges on the Second Amendment.  They're phony arguments suggesting that these are Second Amendment rights at stake for what we're talking about," he argued.  Then came the key statement:  "But no amendment, no amendment to the Constitution is absolute."

Biden: Trust me, I'm not violating the Constitution with my gun-control orders.  The fact-checking industry has a gold mine in its hands with Joe Biden.  In fact, it might have to work overtime just to cover Biden's gun-control event today at the White House.  It started off with Biden appointing David Chipman to lead the, er, American Federation of Teachers.  Did Randi Weingarten step down? [...] Biden's nominating Chipman to run the ATF, not the AFT — a distinction that a man who's worked in Washington for a half-century should grasp.  Biden says "AFT" twice in this introduction, which makes this just a skosh more than a momentary slip-up ... but to be fair, not much more.

Merrick Garland Absolutely Beclowned Himself at Biden's Gun Control Presser.  Has there been a better political decision in the last five years than blowing up Merrick Garland's nomination to the Supreme Court by Barack Obama?  Some might argue otherwise, but now that we've gotten a good look at Garland as Attorney General, it's apparent the country dodged a bullet. [...] Today, Garland doubled down on the stupidity at Joe Biden's gun control presser.  At one point, he claimed that AR-15 pistols with stabilizing braces are concealable.  [Video clip]  That's not how any of this works.  An AR pistol is not in any way concealable.

Biden Announces 6 Gun Control Executive Actions — And It's Just the Beginning.  President Joe Biden announced 6 initial executive actions on gun control on Wednesday night [4/7/2021].  The White House has dubbed them "Initial Actions to Address the Gun Violence Public Health Epidemic."

Biden Reportedly Taps Gun Control Activist To Head ATF.  Apparently Joe Biden isn't just going to announce new executive orders on Thursday.  Multiple media outlets are reporting that Biden will also announce his nomination of former ATF agent and current gun control activist David Chipman to head up the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  Chipman spent 25 years at the ATF, including [...] serving as a case agent in the Branch Davidian trial before eventually rising to serve as the head of the agency's Firearms Division.  More recently, Chipman's been getting paid as a senior policy advisor at the gun control group founded by former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, freshman Sen. Mark Kelly from Arizona.

Biden To Announce New Gun Control Executive Actions On Thursday.  President Joe Biden will take new executive action Thursday aimed at reducing gun violence in the United States.  Politico first reported Wednesday that the new measure — one of several "common sense" gun reforms Biden has promised to take — will require people purchasing "ghost guns," homemade firearms without serial numbers, to undergo a federal background check.  It remains unclear how many specific actions Biden is expected to take on guns, but reporting indicates the president will also seek to close the "Charleston Loophole," which allows licensed dealers to transfer firearms to buyers before a background check is completed.

Report: Black Americans' Gun Ownership Up Nearly 60 Percent.  Gun ownership among black Americans is up nearly 60 percent following the record gun sales of 2020.  The Guardian reports, "gun ownership among Black Americans is up 58.2 percent."  The paper cites National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) figures showing "Americans bought a record number of firearms last year," including an "estimated 5 million people [who] bought their first ever gun between March and August."  Black Americans witnessed the greatest increase among all first-time gun buyers.

Arkansas State Senate Passes Bill Banning Enforcement of Federal Gun Control Laws.  The Arkansas state Senate voted this week to block federal law enforcement officials enforcing certain gun laws and regulations, sending a bill to the state House in the midst of congressional gun-control proposals.  The Senate voted 28-7 to approve the measure, which will then be sent to the House.  Arkansas' Legislature is overwhelmingly Republican.  "All acts, law, orders, rules, and regulations of the United States Government, whether past, present, or future, that infringe on the people's right to keep and bear arms as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution and Arkansas Constitution, Article 2, [Section] 5, are invalid in this state, shall not be recognized by this state, are specifically rejected by this state, and shall be considered null and void and of no effect in this state," according to the text of the bill.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signs law allowing permitless handgun carry, purchase.  Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed a law allowing people to buy and carry handguns in Iowa without a permit, fulfilling a longtime goal of gun rights advocates.  The law, which some advocates call "constitutional carry," will take effect July 1.  "Today I signed legislation that protects the 2nd Amendment rights of Iowa's law-abiding citizens while still preventing the sale of firearms to criminals and other dangerous individuals," Reynolds, a Republican, said in a statement after signing the measure Friday afternoon [4/2/2021].  Democrats and gun violence prevention groups say the law will roll back background checks on handgun sales between private citizens.  That's because, under current law, Iowans must pass a background check to obtain a permit to carry or acquire a handgun before they can legally buy one in a private sale.

Biden's COVID Relief Checks Help Spur Another Record Month of AR-15 Sales.  There are a lot of ironies when it comes to increased Democrat calls for more gun control — which always happens when they are in power — and corresponding record increases in gun sales, but this one might just be the granddaddy of them all.  As reported by "Washington Secrets" columnist Paul Bedard, gun sales hit another record in February as Joe Biden and congressional Democrats once again ramped up calls for new gun control measures, politically exploiting, as they always do, a series of tragic mass shootings. [...] Firearms groups note that Biden's threat to use executive authority (if he, in fact, actually has the power to do so) to expand background checks and even ban the sale of semi-auto rifles like popular AR-15 models are what is driving the new sales (and take note, many gun calibers were already in short supply).

House Democrats Ask Biden to Take Executive Action on 'Concealable Assault-Style Firearms'.  A group of House Democrats has asked President Joe Biden to take executive action on "concealable assault-style firearms," citing two mass shootings in Atlanta and Boulder, Colorado, last month.  "Concealable assault-style firearms that fire rifle rounds pose an unreasonable threat to our communities and should be fully regulated under the National Firearms Act consistent with the intent and history of the law.  The recent tragedy in Boulder, Colorado where 10 people including a police officer were killed is one in a string of deadly incidents involving this style of weapon," Reps.  Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), Val Demings (D-Fla.), and Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.) said in a letter to Biden.  They said that because alleged Boulder gunman Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa used a semi-automatic Ruger AR-556 pistol, which is a smaller variant of an AR-15-style rifle, either Congress or Biden should take action.

The Democrats' background check bill is already tanking.  Chuck Schumer and his Senate Democrat colleagues have a gun control problem on their hands.  President Joe Biden has already promised his liberal supporters that he was going to get some gun control legislation passed, but even the bill viewed as having the best chance of reaching his desk has been declared "dead on arrival" in the upper chamber.  H.R. 8 is the bill that was supposed to expand background checks to a "universal level" and was viewed as being at least somewhat less onerous to Second Amendment supporters.  But now, it appears that Schumer and Pelosi won't even be able to reuse their bogus reconciliation scheme to hammer H.R. 8 through because it won't even reach fifty votes on the Senate floor.  So now it's back to the drawing board.

Biden confident gun control legislation will pass.  President Biden is confident Congress will pass gun control legislation in the wake of multiple mass shootings that happened over the last few weeks.  Biden told reporters on Sunday he believes Congress will greenlight "rational gun control" measures.  "The only gun control legislation that's ever passed is mine.  It's going to happen again," Biden said.  President Biden confident on passing "rational gun control."

The Editor says...
Maybe you could start by sending people to jail when they make deliberately false statements on ATF Form 4473.

Biden says he's optimistic about passing gun control through divided Senate.  President Biden on Sunday [3/28/2021] expressed optimism about getting gun control legislation passed on Capitol Hill — claiming he's done it before and can do it again.  "I'm the only one who's ever gotten it passed, man," Biden told reporters at New Castle Air National Guard Base in Delaware.  "Everyone keeps wondering whether I care about dealing with rational gun control — the only gun control legislation ever passed is mine.  "It's gonna happen again."  The president said that he was even willing to call Republican members of Congress to help push through a deal in an evenly-divided Senate.  Biden was referring to the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban.  The ban expired in 2004.

If Democrats Ever Get Our Guns, They'll Get Our Freedom, Too.  Gun control, or who would control guns, was for the Founders a question of who was free and who was not.  The Second Amendment to the Bill of Rights applied only to free people with the aim of keeping them free.  The amendment mentions the "militia," and this has thrown some people off regarding the private ownership of guns.  But the Founders established what the militia was in bills passed by Congress in 1792 and 1795.  The 1795 Militia Act declared "[t]hat each and every free able-bodied white male citizen of the respective States, resident therein, who is or shall be of age of eighteen years, and under the age of forty-five years (except as is herein after excepted) shall severally and respectively be enrolled in the militia."  The militiamen were to provide their own guns and an initial amount of ammunition so as to be ready for action.  This reflected experience during the Revolution, when the Minutemen were the first to take on the British Army.  The charge today against "assault rifles" (semi-automatic rifles) because they are "weapons of war" and thus illegitimate for private ownership falls flat in the face of the Founders' intent in the Second Amendment and subsequent laws.

Federal Appeals Court Rules Trump's Bump Stock Ban Is Unconstitutional.  A divided federal appeals court in Ohio ruled that former President Donald Trump's ban on bump stocks is unconstitutional and should no longer be enforced by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  The Trump administration first issued the regulation in 2018 approximately a year after a shooter used bump stocks on his rifles to carry out a mass shooting at a country music festival in Las Vegas that left 58 people dead and hundreds injured.  Bump stocks, federal officials argued, modified semi-automatic rifles enough to be classified as machine guns, which U.S. civilians are prohibited from owning without special federal permission, and required quick action from the Department of Justice to make it a felony offense to own or use one.  Those who had bump stocks at the time the rule was issued were ordered to destroy or surrender the gun modifiers to ATF.

Penalties for Lying on ATF Background Check Form — As Hunter Biden Allegedly Did Include Fines, Jail Time.  Amid reports Hunter Biden may have given false information on an ATF background check form, it is notable that the punishment for false answers on that form includes fines up to $250,000 and/or ten years of imprisonment.  ATF Form 4473 is the background check each would-be gun buyer fills out upon trying to buy a gun at retail.  A Federal Firearms License (FFL) holder then calls the FBI and relays the information from the form, receiving the all-clear to sell the gun or a rejection, which means the gun cannot be sold to the would-be buyer.  A third option is that the FBI can alert the FFL holder that it will extend the background check another three business days to give FBI reviewers additional time to check criminal records.

The Editor says...
The Democrats constantly harp about gun control loopholes, background checks for everyone, etc.  If Hunter Biden falsified his paperwork, shouldn't he be in jail?

Court Rules ATF Cannot Classify Bump Stocks as Machine Guns.  A federal court on Thursday [3/25/2021] ruled that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) cannot classify bump stocks as machine guns.  The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit further indicated that the federal ban on bump stocks, which are devices that can increase the rate of fire for semi-automatic weapons, is likely unlawful and should be placed on hold.  The ban on the devices was implemented following the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting that left 58 people dead after the suspect used bump stocks.  The Department of Justice issued the 2017 ATF rule "to clarify that [bump stocks] are 'machineguns' as defined by the National Firearms Act of 1934 and the Gun Control Act of 1968" as these devices "allow a shooter of a semiautomatic firearm to initiate a continuous firing cycle with a single pull of the trigger."  But, according to the ruling this week, the appeals court said that such changes in criminal law are up to Congress, not the executive branch.

Joe Biden's Gun Control Plan is Really Class Warfare.  [Scroll down]  Under the plan Biden teased on the campaign trail, "assault weapons" and "high-capacity magazines" would come under the National Firearms Act.  The definition of "assault weapons" would extend to semi-automatic rifles, handguns, and some shotguns.  High-capacity magazines are those that hold more than ten rounds — or most standard magazines.  Gun owners would have two choices: either surrender their property to the government or pay a $200 tax to keep each item, which will be added to a national registry.  For many people, this would quickly turn into thousands of dollars paid to keep their own property.  A hunter, for example, with just one AR-15 and four standard capacity magazines would owe the federal government $1,000.  Failure to comply could mean up to ten years in federal prison and a $10,000 fine.

S. Carolina senator suggests everyone be made militia member.  A South Carolina senator has a proposal to make sure no federal law can ever seize guns — make everyone over 17 who can legally own a gun a member of a militia.  South Carolina's constitution allows the governor to call up an "unorganized militia" of any "able bodied male citizens" between ages 18 and 45.  State Sen. Tom Corbin's proposal would automatically expand membership to everyone who is over 17 and could own a gun.

Oregon Gun Bill Would Create Unnavigable Minefield Of Felony Traps For Concealed Handgun License Holders.  SB554 removes large portions of state exemptions and allows municipalities to craft their own gun laws, ultimately creating a patchwork of varying laws that differ from arbitrary line to arbitrary line.  What is perfectly legal in one county is suddenly illegal and felonious if you walk across the street into city borders where local politicians decided to pass a bunch of symbolic ordinances.  This bill only targets lawful CHL holders who have been through training and passed a background check.  The bill does nothing to address the rampant crime and rise in shootings that Portland is becoming known for.

9th Circuit Rules That There Is No Right to Carry a Weapon.  If this is accepted for review by the Supreme Court — and the Supreme Court has shown itself to be extraordinarily cowardly in ducking ruling on big-ticket items — we will find out if we really have a "conservative" court, or if the lawyers recommended by the Professional Class Karens of the Federalist Society are just from the Corporate Wing of the Uniparty.  I suspect the latter.

Report: Team Biden Weighs Declaring Gun Violence a Public Health Emergency.  President Joe Biden's administration is weighing the idea of declaring gun violence as a public health emergency, in order to take dramatic executive action to tackle gun rights.  Biden officials and gun control activists discussed the idea, according to the New York Times, as well as other executive actions that could tackle gun rights nationwide.  If Biden declared a public health emergency, he could shift more funding to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to increase their inspections of gun dealerships.  It would also loosen up available funds for community gun violence programs.

Americans have 'no right' to carry guns in public, 9th Circuit Court rules.  A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that there is no right to carry a gun in public.  The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a 7-4 ruling rejected a challenge to Hawaii's requirement that residents must pass an application to have weapons outside the home.  Hawaii's law requires residents to show an urgency or need to carry a firearm, the applicant must have good character, and he or she must be "engaged in the protection of life and property."

Biden Administration Urges Supreme Court To Let Cops Enter Homes And Seize Guns Without A Warrant.  The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday [3/24/2021] will hear oral argument in Caniglia v. Strom, a case that could have sweeping consequences for policing, due process, and mental health, with the Biden Administration and attorneys general from nine states urging the High Court to uphold warrantless gun confiscation.  But what would ultimately become a major Fourth Amendment case began with an elderly couple's spat over a coffee mug.

Democrats Instantly Exploit Boulder to Push Gun Grab.  It is particularly bad news that the maniac who killed 10 people at the King Soopers grocery store in Boulder yesterday does not fit the preferred white male oppressor profile.  His name is Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, age 21.  This compounds the tragedy because every terrible event is exploited by the Democrats who run the government/media to advance their pernicious agenda.  In contrast to the Atlanta violence, they can't use this to expand cultural Marxism by pretending white supremacists are killing Asians.  So they will use it for something worse:  an attack on our fundamental right to defend ourselves.

Once again, Democrats are capitalizing on death to grab your guns.  The Democrats, whipped into a frenzy by shootings in Atlanta and Boulder, are once again coming for the Second Amendment.  The Constitution, the relative rarity of mass shootings, the overwhelmingly positive use to which people put guns — none of that matters.  The Democrats want an unarmed population and they will use whatever opportunity presents itself to achieve that goal.

Democrats Once Again Prove Commitment To 'Never Let A Crisis Go To Waste'.  When it comes to gun violence — and specifically, mass shootings — we have become used to a certain pattern of behavior from the other side of the political aisle.  For those on the Left, each mass shooting event is but further evidence of a deep-rooted problem within American society.  These terrible occurrences are condemned not as individual instances, but as part of a greater problem.  A problem which simply must be solved, at any cost.  Democrats rush to capitalize on this understandable desire for action by immediately promising to act.  The problem, however, is that while not all actions are equal or effective, every action promoted by the Democrats is politically advantageous for the Left.

Dangerous 'Safe Storage' Bill Progresses through Colorado General Assembly.  A bill that mandates individuals to store away their firearms was passed in the Colorado House earlier this month.  HB21-1106 was passed by a 40-25 vote after heated debate on March 8, when Democrats rebuffed all Republican attempts to change the measure.  The bill was ostensibly marketed as a "safe storage" measure to keep unauthorized individuals from accessing firearms.  According to this bill, misdemeanors are accompanied with fines ranging from $250 to $1,000.  Additionally, the bill mandates licensed gun dealers to supply locking devices when firearms are transferred or sold.  Republican critics of HB21-1106 made the case that this bill could prevent lawful gun owners from accessing their weapons in a timely manner in dangerous situations.  Gun politics in Colorado has taken a negative turn during the past decade.

Colorado Judge Strikes Down Boulder's AR-15 Ban.  A judge struck down Boulder, Colorado's ban on the possession of AR-15s and magazines holding more than 10 rounds on Monday [3/15/2021].  Colorado state judge Andrew Hartman ruled the city's gun ban violated the state's preemption law, which prevents localities from imposing gun regulations above and beyond state law.  Judge Hartman's ruling declares the ordinance invalid and immediately bars the city from enforcing the ban.  "The Court has determined that only Colorado state (or federal) law can prohibit the possession, sale, and transfer of assault weapons and large capacity magazines," Hartman wrote in the ruling.

WH Press Sec:  Joe Biden Looks Forward to Repeal of Gun Maker 'Liability Shields'.  White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki is making clear President Joe Biden looks forward to repealing the "liability shields" that protect gun manufacturers from frivolous lawsuits.  The Associated Press did an overview of the current gun control landscape, with H.R. 8 and H.R. 1446 both having passed in the House and now with the Senate.  H.R. 8 would put in place universal background checks, criminalizing private gun sales via an expansion of the gun point-of-sale background check system.  H.R. 1446 would increase the period of the FBI has for an extended, instant background check.  Current time for an extension is three business days.  H.R. 1446 would extend that to at least 10 business days.

Yes, Leftists Want to Take Your Guns.  If we lose the Second Amendment, then the rest will fall.  During my recent — and very contentious — congressional campaign, my opponent argued that he didn't need to take your guns because he had enough of his own.  Voters in western North Carolina didn't buy it.  There was no need to remind them that leftists have a long history of playing hide the ball on gun policy.  The two-faced doublespeak of the left on gun control is well documented.  In the 1990s, Barack Obama said to a colleague at the University of Chicago, "I don't believe people should be able to own guns."  In 1995, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said an assault weapons ban that had recently passed didn't go far enough.  "If I could have gotten ... an outright ban," she told "60 Minutes," "I would have." [...] And earlier this year, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, offered a radical gun control measure that would create a national database of every gun in the country.  Failure to comply would result in a fine of $75,000, a 15-year prison sentence, or both.

There's No Need for Door-To-Door Confiscation Once Guns are Banned.  So how will they plan to separate you from your now-illegal guns?  You'll be notified that next Thursday at 9 AM is your designated time to appear at a certain address, perhaps your local police station, or perhaps a big-box store parking lot, with said newly-illegal firearms and ammo magazines.  Current Covid vaccine distribution gives them a model for this new system.  Instead of going to get a Covid shot, you'll be going to turn in the newly banned guns on the list.  Many people will refuse to do so.  A week later, they will be totally disappeared from social media.  Digitally disappeared.  This makes it hard to complain about your treatment.  If you send an email about your situation to your local news station, they will automatically get a warning email just ahead of yours, or your email will be contained inside of a red flashing "warning box."  This is how the CCP keeps the comrades in line in Communist China.

Feinstein Cites Growing 'Domestic Terrorism' as She Introduces Bill That Would Ban AR-15.  Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California has introduced a bill that would ban so-called "assault weapons" such as the AR-15 and high-capacity magazines to prevent "domestic terrorism," her office announced on Thursday [3/11/2021].  House Democrats this past week already passed two anti-gun bills, H.R 8 and H.R 1446. The bills respectively would ban the private transfer of firearms between friends and neighbors and would also extend the waiting period for purchasing firearms, targeting the so-called "Charleston loophole."  Feinstein, in a bill co-sponsored by Democratic Rep. David Cicilline of Rhode Island, now wants to begin banning weapons which Democrats are calling weapons of "war."

Dianne Feinstein Introduces Ban on 205 Different 'Assault Weapons'.  Following Thursday's [3/11/2021] House passage of a Democrat gun control bill, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced a ban on 205 "assault weapons."  The legislation, called the "Assault Weapons Ban of 2021," is co-sponsored by 34 Senate Democrats.  It would also ban ammunition magazines holding more than ten rounds.

No Gun Registry Will Ever Be Beyond Government Overreach.  Americans aren't fond of gun registries.  Even the most ardent gun control fan knows that, which is why most of them don't want to mention them in the least.  See, the reason so many people object to registries is that there's absolutely no way a database full of gun owners won't be abused in some way, shape, or form.  There's zero chance that it'll just sit there, undisturbed, waiting for absolutely no one to ever use it for anything.  Yet some people really do think they've figured out a way to prevent that overreach.

Democrats push 'assault weapon' ban in new gun control bill.  Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., each introduced an "assault weapons" ban in their chamber on Thursday amid a "rise in domestic terrorism," in Feinstein's words.  "It's been 17 years since the original Assault Weapons Ban expired," Feinstein said in a statement.  "When it was in place from 1994-2004, gun massacres declined by 37% compared with the decade before.  After the ban expired, the number of massacres rose by 183%.  We're now seeing a rise in domestic terrorism, and military-style assault weapons are increasingly becoming the guns of choice for these dangerous groups."

It's time for Red States to start nullifying federal law.  Here are some of the issues that could be affected by the concept of nullification: [...] [#2] Nullify all federal efforts to undermine the 2nd Amendment.  States should nullify all federal laws that compromise the 2nd Amendment such as those being proposed by the Biden team.

Congress tries to expand gun control for the first time in decades.  It's been nearly three decades since major gun control legislation was signed into law, and Democrats are determined to use their new majority in Congress to push through two measures that would broaden and enhance the nation's background check system.  The House on Thursday [3/11/2021] passed a pair of bills that would expand background checks and provide more time for law enforcement to conduct them ahead of firearm purchases.  The measures now head to the Senate, where the newly empowered Democratic majority plans to call them up for a vote in the coming weeks.

17 Democrats Go From Favoring Notifying ICE If An Illegal Tries To Buy A Gun To Opposing It.  More than a dozen Democrat members of the House of Representatives flipped their position during a vote on Thursday [3/11/2021] on a piece of anti-gun legislation.  Just two years ago, 26 Democrats voted for an amendment that would ensure that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is alerted if an illegal alien attempts to purchase a firearm, which they are prohibited from doing.  Several of those Democrats lost their elections last year while Rep. Jeff Van Drew (NJ) switched parties.  On Thursday, all 17 of those remaining Democrats voted against the amendment that would ensure that ICE is notified if an illegal alien unlawfully tries to purchase a firearm.

House Passes Democrat Bill Criminalizing Private Gun Sales.  The U.S. House of Representatives passed universal background check gun control Thursday [3/11/2021], criminalizing private gun sales conducted apart from an FBI background check.  The legislation, H.R. 8, sponsored by Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA), passed by a vote of 227 to 203.

House Passes Gun-Control Bill Expanding Background Checks on Firearm Sales.  The House of Representatives approved two measures on Thursday that expand background checks on individuals who are seeking to purchase or transfer firearms and would give authorities 10 business days for federal background checks to be completed before a gun sale can be licensed[.] [...] The bill, titled the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021, passed 227 [to] 203, receiving eight Republican votes and one Democrat vote against.  Five Republicans co-sponsored the bill along with several Democrats.  According to a summary of the legislation, it will "utilize the current background checks process in the United States to ensure individuals prohibited from gun possession are not able to obtain firearms."  Currently, any firearm purchased at a retail store or online has to go through a background check and has to involve a licensed firearms dealer with a federal firearms license, known as an FFL.  Specifically, H.R. 8 would also require background checks for private sales.

House Passes Gun Control Bill to Expand Background Checks — Here Are the 8 Republicans Who Voted with Democrats.  The Democrat-led House on Thursday [4/11/2021] passed a gun control bill to expand background checks with a vote of 227-203.  8 Republican lawmakers voted with the Democrats to pass the "Background Checks Act" that prohibits private firearms transfers without having a background check:
    Vern Buchanan (FL)
    Brian Fitzpatrick (PA)
    Maria Salazar (FL)
    Andrew Garbarino (NY)
    Chris Smith (NJ)
    Fred Upton (MI)
    Carlos Gimenez (FL)
    Adam Kinzinger (IL)
Jared Golden (ME) was the one Democrat who voted against the bill according to a preliminary tally of votes.

Biden's gun grab — what is he waiting for?  One of the guiding principles of the left is a loathing of the Second Amendment.  With Biden and Harris spearheading our descent into communism, everyone knows it's just a matter of time until the right to bear arms will be eviscerated.  But what's taking so long?  With all the flurry of executive orders Biden was told to sign, where is the one dismantling the Second Amendment?  What's the delay?  Now granted, there's probably a lot of shuffling going on behind the scenes as Biden is being pushed into the background because of his advancing dementia.  Doubtless Harris is gearing up to step into the role of Queen of America.  And still we're waiting for the legislation that will make criminals out of every gun owner.  What's taking so long?

So What's the Matter with Gun Registration?  Everything!  In 1911, a national gun registration law was passed in Turkey, with no apparent intention beyond increasing public safety.  In 1915, during the Great War, these gun registration lists were used to disarm the Armenian and other Christian populations.  Army units cordoned off entire towns and did gun sweeps.  Once disarmed, the official state violence visited against the Armenians ratcheted up to murderous levels.  Typically, on town-wide sweeps, all of the men and boys were taken away by the Turkish soldiers, never to be seen or heard from again.  Only after these Armenian "enemies of the state" were disarmed and completely helpless to resist did the final step begin: the officially sanctioned, ordered, led and conducted wholesale "deportations" of the Christian minorities from Turkey.  These "deportations" were in reality forced marches into fiery deserts, accompanied by pervasive sadistic cruelty comparable only to the Japanese "Bataan Death March," and the less well known but much more deadly death marches of the last surviving Jews in Nazi hands as the Red Army closed in on Germany.

Democrats Consider Scheduling Vote On 'Controversial' Gun Control Bill In Next Two Weeks, Report Says.  The Biden administration is reportedly considering scheduling a "controversial" vote on a gun control bill in the next couple of weeks, news which comes as Biden demanded last month that Congress take action on cracking down on American's Second Amendment rights.  A report by Punchbowl News, which was founded by former Politico reporters, said that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other House Democrats were focused on turning their attention to other issues that the Biden administration has on its agenda, including gun control, after they passed Biden's "American Rescue Plan" last week.  The report said that Democrats plan to "push through as much legislation as they can" over the next two weeks.  "And Democrats may schedule another controversial vote that [time period] as well — legislation requiring universal background checks on gun sales (H.R. 8)," Punchbowl News reported.

Missouri County Says It Will Arrest Feds Enforcing Gun Control.  I'm a huge fan of the Second Amendment sanctuary movement.  I love all these communities that are stepping up and saying that they won't enforce unconstitutional gun control laws.  Since most arrests are made by local law enforcement, it's an important stand and I'm glad to see it.  However, many of us, myself included, read way too much into these things.  Just because local police won't enforce a given law, it doesn't mean federal officers can't.  Sure, they won't have local cooperation, but that doesn't really help anyone who runs afoul of those gun laws.  Yet a Missouri county is considering a measure that kind of ups the ante a bit.

Group: Biden gun control would 'criminalize' 105M law-abiding people.  As President Biden pivots to the highly charged issue of gun control, key groups are urging him to respect the 105 million law-abiding gun owners and target instead illegal use of firearms.  Today, a growing organization that represents those with permits to carry concealed weapons said that instead of limiting access to guns, the president should nationalize legal permitting and end the patchwork of state regulations that range from tight bans to no restrictions.  "While we can agree that there are several 'common sense' and long overdue changes needed to our nation's gun laws, we firmly believe that the path forward should be focused on supporting and protecting responsible, law-abiding Americans — not criminalizing and punishing them," said a letter to Biden from the U.S. Concealed Carry Association.

These Are the Roughly 200 Businesses Whose Leaders Are Backing Gun Control Initiatives.  The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms launched an initiative last year aimed at providing information to Second Amendment-loving Americans.  The goal was to provide a comprehensive list of companies and/or CEOs who back gun control initiatives and legislation or have anti-firearm corporate policies in place.  "When we started this project last year, we were actually surprised, and in some cases disappointed, at some of the businesses we added to the list," CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb said in a statement.  "We discovered several brand name businesses and corporate leaders who evidently have a nefarious agenda to limit gun rights.  Their current and potential patrons should have the knowledge of what their hard earned dollars are actually funding."

Would Joe Biden Spend $100 Billion To Ban "Assault-Style" Firearms?  This week our neighbors to the north could soon see their right to own firearms greatly reduced, as Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called upon Canada's federal government to launch a long-promised buyback program for "assault-style" firearms including AR-15s.  The buyback program is just one part of a suite of new gun control measures that were promised by federal Liberals in the 2019 campaign.  Under the plan, some 1,500 different types of firearms could fall under the classification of "assault-style" even as the term is not a legal classification.  Already fully-automatic weapons, as well as high-capacity magazines, are banned in Canada.

The Editor says...
As others have said many times, unless you bought your gun from the U.S. government, it's not a "buy back."

Where Is All of the Ammo Purchased by the Obama Administration?  That is a serious question.  Looking at recent images of our nation's capital gives me the feeling that the federal government is afraid of something.  Just maybe, a government that wasn't popular with the people, would need to use a bit of force to stay in power.  That got me thinking about all of the arms and ammunition that was purchased by the last administration run by the democrats.  They weren't just buying it for the military.  All kinds of agencies that you wouldn't think needed bullets were getting them.  This was all happening circa 2014.

Does Joe Biden Believe All Gun Owners Are Hunters?  A common refrain from Joe Biden over the past decade has been his commitment to hunters and other sportsmen.  In a 2013 Facebook town hall event with Parents magazine, then Vice President Biden proudly stated, "no one's taking my shotguns" when the issue of the Second Amendment was addressed.  Biden has stuck to his guns — or more accurately his shotguns — many times when the issue of gun control has been brought up.  The same year as the town hall, Biden offered advice for self-defense — buy a shotgun, not an assault rifle.  "You don't need an AR-15," Biden said as reported by the Reuters News Agency at the time.  "It's harder to aim.  It's harder to use and in fact, you don't need 30 rounds to protect yourself.  Buy a shotgun."

Biden Won't Rule Out Using Executive Orders To Crackdown On Second Amendment Rights:  White House.  President Joe Biden reportedly won't rule out using executive orders to crackdown on Americans' constitutionally protected Second Amendment rights.  The revelation was made during a White House press conference on Tuesday in response to a statement that Biden put out last week calling for banning semi-automatic firearms in addition to other gun control measures.  "What is your timetable for action on what the president calls common sense measures?" a reporter asked Psaki.  "And what's the realistic hope that you have this will pass both houses?"  "Well, we haven't proposed a package at this point," Psaki responded.

Missouri County takes 2nd Amendment sanctuary law a step further.  Newton County, Missouri has enacted a Second Amendment sanctuary law that permits local law enforcement to arrest any federal officers attempting to enforce a firearms law that violates Second Amendment protections.  "Sanctuary laws" generally refer to local laws passed to protect citizens from the enforcement of a federal law that local legislators deem unlawful or unconstitutional.  They are most often seen in the context of firearms and immigration.

Joe Biden's War On The Second Amendment Has Arrived.  On Sunday, which marked the third anniversary of the Parkland school shooting, President Biden called on Congress to pass stricter gun laws, including a ban on so-called "assault weapons."  Biden, who on the campaign trail had suggested he would support the rights of the "sportsman" while questioning the need for certain firearms when pressed on the issue.  "I support the Second Amendment," then-candidate Biden said last March while visiting members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers who were building Fiat Chrysler's assembly plant in Detroit.  "I have a shotgun, I have a 20-gauge, a 12-gauge.  You're not allowed to own [just] any weapons.  I'm not taking your gun away at all."  Now less than a year later, the tune is a bit different.  "This Administration will not wait for the next mass shooting to heed that call," the POTUS said in a statement marking the anniversary of the Parkland shooting, which took place on February 14, 2018.

The Great Ammo Shortage Is Now Impacting Police Departments.  Across the country there are shortages.  Frozen pizza and toilet paper are again in limited supply, but it is ammunition for firearms that remains truly hard to come by.  One example:  According to a report from The Longview News-Journal in East Texas, the shelves at local gun shops are nearly empty, and the only remaining boxes are for far less common calibers.  Sportsman's Outfitters was among the retailers where customers shouldn't even ask if 9mm ammo is available because for months the answer has been the same, and that is unlikely to change anytime soon.  When the limited shipments of ammunition arrive it sells out immediately.  The prices for ammunition have skyrocketed — making it truly a seller's market.

Biden Uses Parkland Shooting Anniversary to Launch His Anticipated Attack on the Second Amendment.  Joe Biden used the fourth anniversary of the shootings at Parkland High School in Florida to unveil the beginning of his anticipated anti-gun crusade. [...] Nothing in Biden's agenda is new; that doesn't mean it isn't dangerous.  Biden controls the Congress.  He controls the Executive Branch, particularly the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE), who will carry out rulemaking to make gun ownership as onerous and expensive as possible and then enforce those rules.  As an aside, in case you're coming out of a 30-year coma, we don't do "laws" anymore.  Congress acts like a bunch of monkeys with overactive libidos and no outlet while bureaucrats make "rules" that fine you, deprive you of property and rights, and, if you get out of line, allow the government to imprison or kill you. [...] Not only is all official power in the hands of the Democrats.  The media are some of the most noxious anti-gunners in the country.

Biden Urges Congress To Pass Strict New Gun Control Laws.  On Sunday [2/14/2021], former Vice President Joe Biden took a big step forward in the push to strip Americans of their Second Amendment rights.  In a statement designed to coincide with the third anniversary of the horrific school shooting in Parkland, Florida, Biden called for the Democrat-controlled Congress to get cracking to produce legislation that would impose harsh new restrictions on ownership of firearms.  The official White House statement played heavily on emotions by emphasizing the suffering of the victims' families as well as the tragedy of the promising young lives cut short and promised action to end our epidemic of gun violence and make our schools and communities safer" before the "next" school shooting.

Utah governor signs bill into law allowing concealed carry of weapon without a permit.  Utah's Republican governor has signed a bill into law allowing residents to carry a concealed firearm without a permit.  The law, signed by Gov. Spencer Cox on Friday [2/12/2021], goes into effect in May and allows anyone age 21 and older to carry a concealed weapon without a background check by the FBI or a training course, according to Fox 13 Salt Lake City.  "With the passage of this bill, Utah joins 17 other states with some form of permitless concealed carry," Cox said.  "This bill protects Second Amendment rights, reduces permitless open carry and includes significant funding for suicide prevention."  The National Rifle Association touted the bill as an important victory for 2nd Amendment advocates.

Biden calls for tougher gun laws on anniversary of Parkland massacre.  Sorrow reverberated across the country Sunday [2/14/2021] as Americans, including President Joe Biden, joined a Florida community in remembering the 17 lives lost three years ago in the Parkland school shooting massacre. [...] The president used the occasion to call on Congress to strengthen gun laws, including requiring background checks on all gun sales and banning assault weapons.  There was no time to wait, the president said.  "We owe it to all those we've lost and to all those left behind to grieve to make a change.  The time to act is now."

The Editor says...
"There was no time to wait, the president said."  The country has waited three years without any ill effects.  What's the rush?

You have less than a year.  Please don't parrot empty meaningless slogans, such as:  they can pry my guns from my cold dead hands.  Very few people will actually do that.  Pretty soon a new mass shooting incident will happen.  No need to arrange for one; mass shootings happen several times every year in the USA.  All the DNC has to do is wait for the next one.  Then Harris Biden will act decisively and ban most handguns.  Just about everybody will hand in their guns, without a fuss.  That's what happened in Australia in 1996.  The government said:  That's enough.  No more guns!  It was enough, and there are no more guns in Australia.  Why is it an empty slogan?  Because most people like to live.  Given the choice between handing in firearms or facing at least a very lengthy jail term, they choose handing in their weapons.  If only because they have a family to take care of.  That is exactly what will happen, in a few months' time.  What about those 'pry my gun' people?  Well, America is not Australia, and no longer democratic.  America is now a Democratic Republic.  Which means your police will simply send in a SWAT team, and blast them to kingdom come.  Live on TV.  It will be all over the media.  Not as martyrs, but as brave police officers getting rid of dangerous hysterical fascists.  The remainder of the pry-my-gun people will get the message and quietly turn in their guns.

Colt ends 175 years as an American gunmaker with purchase by Czech firearms company.  Colt Holding Co. has been purchased by a Czech firearms company, ending a 175-year run as an American company and helping to establish a "small arms powerhouse," the two companies announced Friday [2/12/2021].  It also marks a new chapter for Colt, a one-time financially troubled company that, with its new Czech owner, is now expected to generate $500 million in revenue.

Biden 'Eager' To Take On NRA After Pledging To Defeat Gun Rights Organization.  President Biden is 'eager' to take on the National Rifle Association, and has refused to rule out using executive action to circumvent the Congressional process to do so, the White House signaled on Thursday [2/11/2021].  When asked whether Biden will resort to According to the Washington Times, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that the president hasn't yet formulated a strategy, but that he's 'eager' to do so, according to the Washington Times.

Gun control advocates 'confident' on executive action from Biden after White House meeting.  Leaders of prominent gun control groups said Wednesday [2/10/2021] they expect to see substantive action from President Biden on the issue in the near future after a meeting with White House officials.  "President Biden is committed to taking executive action and working with Congress to put in place reforms that will keep this country's kids and communities safe," said Peter Ambler, executive director of the group Giffords.  "Today's meeting was a strong affirmation of that commitment."  Mr. Ambler and other leaders met virtually with Susan Rice, who leads the White House Domestic Policy Council, and Cedric Richmond, director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.

Supreme Court to determine if police can enter a house and take guns without obtaining a warrant.  In a case that could have wide-ranging effects on policing in America, the United States Supreme Court will hear arguments next month to decide if police can make warrantless searches of a private residence under the "community caretaking" doctrine.  The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects citizens from warrantless searches as one of America's basic rights.  Before a police officer or other government official can enter a private home, they must show a judge probable cause that an item is present and that a crime has been committed.  If the judge finds there is sufficient probable cause, a search warrant is issued.  There are widely-accepted exceptions, called "exigent circumstance," for emergency situations.  These exigent circumstances involved protection of life and evidence.  If an officer sees suspects destroying evidence through a window, he can enter the home to stop the destruction.

Civil War 2.0 Weather Report: A Bridge Too Far?  [Scroll down]  A Bridge Too Far would be an apt description of the Sabika Sheikh Firearm Licensing and Registration Act.  Thankfully, the chances of this travesty being enacted are small.  This act, however, is a dream list of Leftists everywhere:
  •   Universal gun registration.
  •   Psychiatric tests, including input from your ex. We all know how stable those relationships can be.
  •   $800 fee for "insurance"
  •   All magazines of greater than 10 rounds would be illegal.
  •   Huge penalties for noncompliance.
  •   And so, so, much more.
I won't go into more details, because, as I said, this particular bill won't become law.  I think that even the far Left in Congress knows that passing this would be a de facto declaration of war on 80 million-plus American Citizens.  Just because it fails this time, don't think that this isn't exactly what they want.  It may be a bridge too far now, but their general offensive will continue.

Democrat Rep. Shelia Jackson pushes radical gun control bill requiring mass registry, psych evaluations.  Texas Democrat Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee revealed a new radical gun control bill which, if passed, would require a slew of harsh 2nd Amendment infringements, Fox News reports.  The Sabika Sheikh Firearm Licensing and Registration Act would reportedly require gun owners to partake in a mass gun registry, undergo psychological evaluation, mandate stricter licensing be required by buyers and sellers, and establish stricter penalties for gun infractions.  The bill would make owning or selling a firearm without a new form of licensing illegal.  The legislation's name comes from a Pakistani exchange student who was killed in a Texas school shooting, according to Fox News.  The bill would also require information be provided on criminal history, mental health history, as well as where the gun will be stored by the owner in their own home, according to the Western Journal.

More about Sheila Jackson Lee.

Gun sales skyrocket as Biden's gun confiscation looms.  Joe Biden's plan to tax gun owners for the right to keep and bear arms could reach as high as $34 billion, according to an analysis by the Washington Free Beacon.  Biden wants to make it too expensive to own a gun.  But, that's not all.  He plans to make gun makers, manufacturers, and retailers responsible for any crime committed with one of their guns.  The puppet president plans to ban common rifles.  If he has his way, he will ban semi-automatics.  Biden defines gun ownership as a national health emergency.  The reason Biden will do everything possible to take away our guns is simple, his hard-left handlers want it.

Democratic bill would force all gun owners to go through 'psychological evaluations' along with family members.  Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee introduced a bill earlier this month that would enact some of the strictest gun regulations in the history of the country and give the federal government sweeping power to decide who can own a firearm.  The Sabika Sheikh Firearm Licensing and Registration Act, named after a Pakistani exchange student who was murdered in Texas in 2018, would "provide for the licensing of firearm and ammunition possession and the registration of firearms" and "prohibit the possession of certain ammunition."  Specifically, the bill would dramatically expand the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Justice Department's ability to surveil legal gun owners, forcing them to submit information about "the make, model, and serial number of the firearm, the identity of the owner of the firearm, the date the firearm was acquired by the owner, and where the firearm is or will be stored."  Gun owners would have three months to comply with the new federal orders for a new database that would be "accessible to all members of the public."

The Editor says...
What ever happened to HIPAA and all the medical privacy laws?

Biden readies showdown on guns.  In his first two weeks, President Biden hasn't said much about guns or his goal of banning some, especially the nation's most popular firearm, the AR-15.  But that's because he's leaving it to two key nominees to take the fight to the industry, Attorney general nominee Merrick Garland and surgeon general choice Dr. Vivek Murthy, both gun control advocates.  Gun lobbyists told us that they have been working "overtime" to fight the picks, but it is an uphill battle.  A webpage urging members of Gun Owners of America shut down when too many supporters went on it to sign a letter to senators urging defeat of the nominees.  Gun control fans, however, are eager for Murthy, founder of Doctors for America and a former surgeon general, to use his potential platform to call for gun control and push for the creation of a "national bureau" for gun safety that would boost taxes on guns and ammo, push "smart" safety technology, and require regular gun checks and proof of gun safes.

Here it is — The Bill to Destroy Gun Ownership.  Here we have it.  They are going after EVERYONE who has a gun or ammunition.  They are deeply concerned about a revolution and they want to know every person who has a gun or ammunition.  The object of this bill will be to identify every person who has a gun.  They will be able to revoke a license and confiscate the gun under rules to be created by the Attorney General.  Biden swore he would end the NRA.  He was not joking.  Like a diverse license, once they create this federal license, they effectively limit the Second Amendment claiming if you obey all their regulations which they can change at any time, then you have that right.  But all such rights are eliminated whenever they say so.

Biden Plots Sneak Attack Against U.S. Firearms Industry.  Joe Biden has unveiled his agenda for his first 100 days in the White House, and his list includes an initiative aimed at nothing less than the destruction of the U.S. firearms industry.  This is what would happen if Biden succeeds in his pledge to repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.  Imagine if firearm manufactures and sellers — even those who strictly followed the laws enacted to regulate their industry — faced potential civil liability every time a criminal misused a firearm.  The affect would be similar to holding automobile makers and dealers responsible for injuries caused by drunk drivers.  No business, no matter how conscientious and law-abiding, could ever survive being liable for the acts of millions of random people over whom it had no control.

Another day, another stunning display of AOC's ignorance.  CNN's Chris Cuomo interviewed left-wing darling Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and naturally asked why she didn't attend Biden's inauguration.  Her reason, she said, was that she and some of her colleagues "don't yet feel safe around other Members of Congress." [...] After all, people have guns there, which is just unacceptable in the District of Columbia.  "For individuals who don't know," she says, "guns are not allowed in the District of Columbia."  We've become accustomed to such displays of pure ignorance from the young bartender/taco waitress-turned-congresswoman, but there's something in this exchange that seems particularly instructive.  First of all, that "guns are not allowed in the District of Columbia" is a shocking revelation to the people who legally own guns there.  It must be particularly shocking to the people who have concealed carry permits issued in the District of Columbia.

Florida Gun Owners Camping Out for Chance to Buy Ammunition.  Gun owners began camping outside of a Central Florida gun store in Lake Mary at 2 a.m. Monday to buy ammunition when doors opened at 9:00 a.m, Breitbart reported.  Fox 11 reports that campers voiced concern that newly sworn-in Democratic President Joe Biden will push a gun-control agenda and wanted to stock up on ammunition while they still could.  "It's difficult to find ammunition, especially 9mm.  Stores across the country are sold out.  Some gun enthusiasts looking for it know when and where they have the best chances of finding it," according to the News outlet.

Sen. Ted Cruz Wears 'Come and Take It' Mask to Biden's Inauguration.  Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) wore a mask emblazoned with the Gonzales Flag's "Come and Take It" logo to President Joe Biden's inauguration Wednesday [1/20/2021]. The National Rifle Association (NRA) tweeted a photo of Cruz at the event:  [Tweet] [...] Cruz's "Come and Take It" mask came as Biden assumed office amid promises to secure universal background checks, and an "assault weapons" / "high capacity" magazine ban that would prohibit the future manufacture and sale of both.  Biden also proposed gun controls that would bring existing, privately-owned AR-15s, AK-47s, and similar guns under the purview of the National Firearms Act, which could result in a tax of $200 on each such rifle and each such magazine.

A ban on body armor?  Seriously?  Given the number of incredibly stupid ideas that get cooked up in the New York State legislature, it can be tough to point to any of them that truly stand head and shoulders above the rest in terms of idiocy.  But with a recent measure introduced a couple of weeks ago, we may have a candidate.  Democratic Assemblyman Jonathan G. Jacobson of Poughkeepsie has penned legislation that would ban the ownership of body armor for anyone except police officers in the state.  On top of that, Jacobson goes one step further and not only fails to grandfather any body armor purchased before the ban goes into effect, but commands that all currently owned vests be turned over to the police within two weeks or the owners would face fines and/or imprisonment.

New York May Be the First to Ban — and Confiscate — Bulletproof Vests Not Used in the Commission of Crimes.  Amid the debate on firearms comes something else apparently contentious: the issue of protective gear.  As reported by The Washington Free Beacon, New York stands a chance to become the first state in America to outlaw bulletproof vests.  A bill sponsored by Democratic Assemblyman Jonathan G. Jacobson would make it illegal for anyone to sell body armor.  In addition:  Possession would be against the law.

The Editor says...
There is a secondary problem with laws of this sort, and that is the intentional mis-application of such a law by overzealous prosecutors.  They could claim that any of several sturdy objects in your car or your house could be used as a bulletproof vest.

Do Not Fall for a Plot to Entrap Second Amendment Supporters.  A flyer has been circulating on the internet urging people to attend an "armed march on Capitol Hill and all state capitols [sic]" on January 17.  It's framed in terms of standing up for liberty.  DO NOT ATTEND.  There is a 99.99999% certainty that this is a trap intended to give Democrats an excuse to destroy the Second Amendment and, quite possibly, to cordon off from society all Republicans and conservatives.  Here's the flyer, which we reproduce so that you'll recognize it should you see it.  As you look at it, realize that you are the mouse, and this flyer is the cheese.  There is no difference between the flyer and the cheese or peanut butter that a homeowner puts in a mousetrap intended to behead the little creature:  The Gateway Pundit instantly noticed serious problems with the flyer:  ["]Notice there is no organizing group listed on the flyer.  That's weird.["]

The world's biggest gun forum was booted off the Internet because they can be.  AR15.com is a forum with a robust community that serves as a clearinghouse of sorts for firearm dealers and suppliers.  In a statement provided to The Federalist they said in part,  ["]On Monday, January 11, 2021, I received notice from our site registrar that AR15.com had violated their terms of service and that AR15.com would be shut down immediately.  The registrar's decision to de-platform AR15.com was final and no method to appeal was offered.["]  Their registrar is GoDaddy.com.  The fact that GoDaddy did not give a specific example of how AR15.com violated their terms of service I'm going to hazard a guess and say it's because they just discovered it's a gun forum.

Warning: Do Not Attend Armed Protests at State Capitols Before Inauguration! — Possible Sinister Plot Hatched By Radical Left To Take Away Gun Rights!  There are several armed protests at state capitols across the country before inaugural ceremonies next week.  We are urging you not to attend!  We believe this is likely a sinister attempt to take away your guns!  Think about this:  Last week the demonic left used the assault on the US Capitol to take away your First Amendment right of Free Speech.  Tens of thousands of Americans were removed from social media along with the US President.  The far left tech giants took away President Trump's ability to communicate freely to the American public.  The next planned operation is to take your guns.  We are very concerned the radical left is using this to start a firefight and take away your gun rights!

Gun Control Groups Aren't Letting This Crisis Go To Waste.  In the wake of the violence in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, anti-gun groups are throwing gas on the fire by demanding that Congress and state legislatures immediately pass a host of new gun laws in the name of "fighting insurrection" and public safety.  They're not just trying to push new restrictions on our right to keep and bear arms, however.  Groups like the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence are trying to poison the well of public opinion against Second Amendment supporters as well.

Get Ready for the Biden Gun Grab.  Democrats now have single-party control of the federal government.  President Joe Biden styled himself as the most moderate candidate his party had to offer.  And still, during the campaign he promised to put Beto O'Rourke — the man who blurted out "Hell yes, we're going to take your AR-15s" in charge of his administration's gun policies.  Whether or not President Biden and gun czar Beto aim for a program of national gun confiscation, we should expect some sort of major crackdown against the Second Amendment and against our other liberties.  The congressmen who ducked, covered, and cowered — in now iconic photos — when protestors entered Capitol Hill will almost certainly draw the wrong conclusions.  They will not — like Congresswoman Lauren Boebert — realize that their safety is fundamentally in their own hands and therefore carry arms and fight for the right of all Americans to do so.

Biden Says He Will 'Defeat the NRA' While in Office.  President-elect Joe Biden on Jan. 8 promised to "defeat the NRA," or the National Rifle Association, after being sworn into office. [...] The NRA, which has over 5 million members, seeks to protect and educate about people's Second Amendment rights.

Biden declares that he'll 'defeat the NRA' under his term in office.  In a declaration that is certain to upset throngs of gun owners, President-elect Joe Biden has declared that he'll "defeat" the National Rifle Association during his term.  In response to a tweet from former Rep. Gabby Gifford (D-Ariz.), who was one of 14 people shot in January 2011 during an event in Tucson and whose husband, Democrat Mark Kelly, just won a U.S. Senate seat, Biden's official account pledged to "defeat the NRA."

The Editor says...
Gabby Gifford was shot by a psycho, not someone from the NRA.

66 People Had Their Guns Seized Under New Colorado Law, Report Says.  Dozens of Colorado residents had their firearms seized in the first year of the state's red flag program, which allows law enforcement to remove guns from people deemed dangerous, according to 9News.  A total of 111 red flag or extreme risk protection orders were filed in 2020, and 66 people had their guns removed from their homes after being deemed a threat to themselves or others, 9News reported.  In Colorado, family members, roommates, law enforcement officers and legal guardians can petition a court to have someone's guns seized by authorities, according to the local outlet.  Defendants schedule a hearing within two weeks of the firearm confiscation to plead their case, 9News reported.  In 47 cases, a year-long risk protection order was issued, and in 39 cases a judge declined a petition to seize guns, according to the local outlet.

D.C. mayor bans guns ahead of upcoming pro-Trump protest, or within 1,000 feet.  Washington, D.C. officials are restricting the constitutional rights of some Americans planning to gather in the nation's capitol this week in support of President Donald Trump.  According to a notice by the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department anyone with a valid D.C. concealed carry license who plans to exercise their First Amendment right to peacefully protest at planned events this week will not be allowed to bring their firearms within 1,000 feet of the rally.

The good news about guns in America.  Once upon a time, as a Democrat who grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, I was such an anti-gun fanatic that I donated to the Brady Campaign.  Thankfully, I saw the light after Hurricane Katrina (when seconds counted, the police were days away), and have made up for my past bad judgment by being an NRA member, using my writing abilities to promote the Second Amendment, and helping the bottom line at several local gun stores.  That's why it gladdens my heart to tell you one of the good things about 2020:  It was a banner year for gun sales!

NJ AG Gurbir Grewal:  More Persecution against S&W, First and Second Amendment.  New Jersey's tyrannical Attorney General, Gurbir Grewal, is adding to his dubious list of anti-Second Amendment activism.  On 15 December, 2020, Smith & Wesson sued Grewal, asking for relief, for using his office to violate the First Amendment, Second Amendment, as well as the Fourth, Fifth, and Fourteenth amendment protections of the U.S. Constitution.  Defense Distributed won a significant victory in September of 2020, with the Fifth Circuit agreeing Defense Distributed could sue AG Grewal in Texas.  The case is ongoing, and alleges Grewal violated Defense Distributed's First Amendment rights.  The Smith & Wesson lawsuit is about a subpoena issued on October 13, 2020, by Grewal, alleging fraud on the part of Smith & Wesson, for advertising with claims such as Smith & Wesson products are safe, or they enhance a person's lifestyle.

Virginia Governor's Call for $4.8 Million and 18-man Force to Grab Guns Sparks Opposition.  Virginia Governor Ralph Northam's proposed budget demand for $4.8 million for an 18-person force to carry out his proposed assault-weapons ban is coming under fire from groups across the Old Dominion.  In response to the governor's demands, pro-Second Amendment organizations are asking citizens of Virginia to attend public budget hearings around the state and to question state legislators if they intend to give the governor his gun-grabbing goons and whether they will vote to infringe in any way the right to keep and bear arms.  "We understand that this is short notice.  But it would have a significant impact if many of our members could show up and make a 3-minute statement and ask questions of the legislators in attendance," said the Virginia Citizens Defense League, as reported by the Washington Examiner.  "We see in the governor's proposed budget that he wants $4 million and 18 new law-enforcement positions to enforce a ban on commonly-owned firearms," said Erich Pratt, Gun Owners of America senior vice president, as quoted in the same story.

NYC gun-permit applications are soaring — but the NYPD isn't approving many.  The Big Apple's staggering surge in shootings amid the COVID-19 pandemic has led nearly 9,000 terrified New Yorkers to apply for gun permits — but the NYPD has signed off on fewer than 1,100, The [New York] Post has learned.  The 8,088 applications for first-time pistol and rifle permits submitted since March 22 — when coronavirus-related restrictions went into effect — represent a threefold-plus increase over the 2,562 submitted between March 22 and Dec. 31, 2019, NYPD statistics obtained by The Post this week show.  But only 1,087 applications were approved, far less than the 1,778 granted during the same period last year, according to the official data.

Will Gestapo Joe Make a Hard Run at Gun Owners Right Away?  It's imperative to prepare for the system shock of an administration that has the potential to be such a nightmare that conservatives will be longing for the relatively happy days of the Obama administration.  Biden is bringing back a lot of the flacks from the Lightbringer Era, and they all seem to be itchy to get working on unfinished business from the first go-round.  In fact, you could say that a lot of them are probably looking at this as Obama's third term.  It's not like empty-vessel Biden is possessed of any great original vision, and he is a pathological plagiarist.

Here's A List Of Biden's Pro-Gun Control Cabinet Picks.  At least five of President-elect Joe Biden's reported cabinet picks have expressed pro-gun control views in past statements, a Daily Caller News Foundation review has found.  Biden, who is set to be inaugurated on Jan. 20, has said he plans to end the sale of so-called "assault weapons" and "high-capacity magazines" in addition to instituting red flag legislation and ending liability protections for gun manufacturers and sellers, according to his campaign website.  The former vice president's gun control plan, coupled with his slew of cabinet picks that seem to share his views on the issue, has pro-Second Amendment groups on edge.

What Will Happen to Gun Rights Under the Biden Presidency?  While a Biden administration is certainly going to be more oppressive to Second Amendment rights, it's unlikely that they'll be successful in totally revoking your right to bear arms.  We must remain vigilant and be prepared to fight for the unalienable rights that our forefathers fought so hard to grant us.

Gun control first for Biden executive orders.  Joe Biden plans to move quickly against guns, adding the issue to his list of first executive orders, according to his top policy aide.  Stef Feldman, the national policy director of Biden's presidential campaign, included the Democrat's gun plan in a list of initial executive actions set to be unleashed after Inauguration Day.  Speaking in a Zoom briefing hosted by Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service, she said that Biden is planning to "make big, bold changes through executive action, not just on policing and climate like we talked about previously, but in healthcare and education on gun violence, on a range of issues."  She added that "there's really a lot you can do through guidance and executive action."

Georgia Dem Warnock Has Long History of Anti-Gun Activism.  Georgia Democratic Senate candidate Raphael Warnock has a history of anti-gun activism dating back to at least 2013 and extending even to messages delivered at the pulpit.  Warnock repeatedly mocked and opposed gun-rights legislation while declaring anti-gun measures moral imperatives during his time as the pastor of Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church.  Gun-rights groups hope Warnock's past will repel voters in the January runoff election.  Jerry Henry, executive director of Georgia Carry, which has been in political fights with Warnock before, said his past is a liability.  "It will hurt him throughout the state," Henry told the Washington Free Beacon.  "Most Georgians understand the necessity of self-defense."  In 2014, Warnock mocked pro-gun lawmakers behind the Safe Carry Protection Act, which allowed concealed carry in churches, among other places.  He said the bipartisan bill would serve to arm "crazy people."

Philly Faces New Lawsuit After Shutting Down Gun-Carry Permit Process.  Philadelphia is facing a new lawsuit over its decision to completely shutter its gun-carry permit process over COVID-19 concerns.  The Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) filed a case in federal court accusing Philadelphia of infringing on residents' Second Amendment rights on Friday after the city closed its permit process for at least three weeks.  The gun-rights group requested a temporary restraining order Monday that would require the city to open its process back up and provide remote application options to residents, but it was denied.  The next hearing in the case is scheduled for Nov. 30.  "We're hoping to have the court rule that the shutdown of the Gun Permit Unit amounts to a total destruction of individuals' right to bear arms outside of the home," Adam Kraut, director of legal strategy for FPC, told the Washington Free Beacon.

Own an AR-15? Biden wants to charge you $200 to keep it.  Biden is considering a plan that would cost you $200 to keep your AR-15 that you already own, unless you want to sell it to the government. [...] Not only would he charge you to keep your AR-15, you'd have to become part of a new gun registry.  This is another reason why we have to win the two Senate seats in Georgia on January 5th and keep fighting the RINOs in our party, to keep Biden from being able to do this stuff legislatively.

Apple Head Of Security Charged With Attempted Bribery Over Concealed Carry Gun Licenses.  Apple's Chief Security Officer, Thomas Moyer, has been charged by a California District Attorney for attempting to bribe state officials in return for concealed firearms licenses, according to Bloomberg, citing court documents and a statement from the Santa Clara DA's office.  Apple's Thomas Moyer, 50, was named along with Santa Clara County Undersheriff Rick Sung and Captain James Jensen in a scheme to trade CCW licenses for 200 iPads worth close to $70,000.  The deal was called off after Sung and Moyer learned that the District Attorney's office had executed a search warrant at the Sheriff's Office, seizing all CCW license records.

Report: Biden's Gun Tax Plan Would Cost Gun Owners $34 Billion.  Joe Biden's plan to tax gun owners for the right to keep and bear arms could reach as high as $34 billion, according to an analysis by the Washington Free Beacon.  On the campaign trail, Biden made several promises relating to guns that he is going to have a hard time getting through Congress.  Assigning liability for gun deaths to manufacturers is only the tip of the iceberg.  Biden's far-reaching program would drive online gun retailers out of business, which would include retailers selling gun supplies.  It would force owners of AR-15s and other similar weapons to either sell them or register them with the government — paying $200 for the privilege.  The plan appears to harass and punish gun owners and manufacturers — simply because liberals hate guns.

A Montana Second Amendment referendum passed despite being massively outspent.  Joe Biden may have wound up winning a stay in the White House, but we continue to see signs of fallout further down the ballot indicating that he may have been an outlier.  The progressive agenda and some of its more vocal Democratic supporters took a beating around the country this week.  The latest example comes to us from the Big Sky State.  There was a referendum on the ballot in Montana that would prevent local and municipal governments from passing laws restricting gun ownership and portability beyond the limits of state and federal gun control laws already in place.  One of the bigger gun control groups in the country flooded a boatload of cash into opposing the referendum but it still managed to pass anyway.

Judge strikes down Benson order banning open carry of guns at Michigan polling places.  A Michigan judge on Tuesday [10/27/2020] struck down Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson's directive banning the open carry of guns at polling places on Election Day.  Michigan Court of Claims Judge Christopher Murray said it appears the directive amounted to an administrative rule under state law, and Benson did not follow the proper procedure to create a new rule members of the public are required to follow.  He issued a preliminary injunction against her directive.  "It is important to recognize that this case is not about whether it is a good idea to openly carry a firearm at a polling place, or whether the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prevents the secretary of state's ... directive," Murray said in a written opinion issued just hours after he heard oral arguments in the case.

Biden Reminds Americans He Plans to Shred the Second Amendment.  Amid the pandemic, violence, rioting, looting, and the "defund the police" movement, gun ownership in America has soared, with some estimates saying there are 5 million first-time gun owners so far this year.  That could mean a new and "formidable" voting bloc has formed.  "From now on, we expect millions of new gun owners to pay closer attention to candidates, and reject those who would trample on their Second Amendment rights," Alan Gottlieb, chairman of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, said in a statement this summer.  It's curious then that just days before the election, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden made abundantly clear that he plans to trample the Second Amendment if elected.

Biden's last-minute Hail Mary on gun control.  For months now, disappointed liberals have been scratching their heads and bemoaning one question hanging over the 2020 elections.  Why aren't Democrats talking about gun control?  It was all the rage last year, but now you don't hear a peep about if from almost any of their candidates and it wasn't even mentioned at the Democratic National Convention.  The reasons seemed fairly obvious to me and it looked as if the issue had been put to rest for this cycle.  But then, only this weekend, Democratic candidate Joe Biden broke the mold and ended the silence.  His Twitter account chimed in, seemingly out of nowhere, with a promise to infringe on your Second Amendment rights if he's sworn in as the 46th president.

Summarizing Joe Biden.  [Scroll down]  Biden wants to ban the manufacture and sale of "assault weapons" — AR-15 style rifles and pistols — and high capacity magazines.  Biden also wants the government to buy those weapons from private owners and Kamala Harris wants to make that sale compulsory.  Biden also wants to end the product liability immunity of American gun makers, which will end the manufacturing of pistols, rifles, and shotguns in the United States.

Walmart pulls guns, ammo displays in US stores, citing civil unrest.  Walmart Inc. has removed all guns and ammunition from the sales floors of its U.S. stores this week, aiming to head off any potential theft of firearms if stores are broken into amid social unrest.  The retail giant, which sells firearms in about half of its 4,700 U.S. stores, said customers can still purchase guns and ammunition upon request even though they are no longer on display.

Update:
Walmart returning displays of guns, ammo to stores, reversing decision prompted by mounting civil unrest.  Officials with Walmart Inc. said Friday that employees are putting guns and ammunition back on sales floors in stores nationwide, reversing the decision to move the items announced one day earlier.

Walmart Removes Guns for Fear Mobs Will Loot Stores and Shoot People.  Where are we headed after November 3rd? [...] We could certainly be in for difficult times.  Hence, the absolutely stunning rush of the citizenry to purchase firearms and ammunition.  If you're wondering how passionate potential pistoleers and recent riflers are, considering the phenomenal firearm sales over the last several months.  Or better yet, just go online, anywhere.  And try to buy ammunition, of any kind.

Leading Gunmaker Boosts Production, Still Can't Meet Surging Demand.  One of the nation's largest gunmakers has massively ramped up production — and still can't meet unprecedented demand.  Sturm, Ruger & Company said it increased production 50 percent over last year, including a 15 percent surge in the second and third quarter of 2020 alone, according to an earnings report released Wednesday [10/28/2020].  Even with increased production, Ruger's gun inventory remains "near historic lows" due to record demand, said CEO Christopher Killoy.  "Consumer demand showed no signs of letting up during the quarter," he said, because of "concerns about personal protection and home defense" caused by "civil unrest," activists' calls to defund the police, and "the continuing COVID-19 pandemic."

Washington State Firearm Confiscation Law Found Unconstitutional.  Earlier this year, in a ruling of first impression in Washington State, the Kitsap County District Court decided that the state's compulsory "firearm surrender" laws violated the Fourth and Fifth Amendments and the analogous provisions in the state constitution.  "In our constitutional system of government, individuals have rights that the government and its agents (including courts) must respect.  Among those rights are the right to be free from compelled self-incrimination under the Fifth Amendment, the right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures under the Fourth Amendment, and their counterparts under Washington's constitution."

Anti-Gun Organization Prepared To Launch National Group Of Gun Owners Who Apparently Don't Like Guns.  Yes, that title doesn't make much sense, but neither does a group that promotes banning firearms starting a national organization called Gun Owners for Safety.  Nonetheless, The Hill recently reported that the anti-gun group Giffords is doing just that.  This effort is being sold as an expansion of the group's campaign to fool gun owners at the state level into supporting an agenda that is clearly against their own interests.  Giffords has been working on establishing what it calls Gun Owners for Safety State Chapters since at least January 2019, and claims to have three under its wing.  The states it mentions, Colorado, Minnesota, and Texas, all have groups called Gun Owners for Safety, but one called Colorado Gun Owners for Safety makes clear that the group is NOT affiliated with Giffords, and does NOT support creating new laws that impose greater restrictions on law-abiding gun owners.

Joe Biden's Gun Agenda Could Cost AR-15 Owners $3.6 Billion in Taxes for Guns They Already Own.  Democrat presidential nominee Joe Biden's proposed gun control policy includes a provision that could require every AR-15 rifle be registered under the National Firearms Act of 1934.  Unless there were some form of carve-out, this could mandate that American gun owners pay a $200 federal tax per AR-15 that they own.  The National Rifle Association's Andrew Arulanandam told Breitbart News that the current "low end" estimate of privately-owned AR-15s in the United States is 18 million.  A tax of $200 on 18 million AR-15s means that gun owners could potentially be required to a pay a collective $3.6 billion in taxes, if this policy were enacted into legislation.  That figure does not even consider other guns that might be deemed "assault weapons" by Democrats, which could also fall under the same provisions of the National Firearms Act.

As Australia Turns Into Police State, Owners of These Toy Guns Must Register or Surrender Them.  For Australians, the coronavirus pandemic has revealed an entirely new side of their government that is not too pleasant.  Severe lockdowns have been forced on the people, and protests against the strict measures have been met with an overwhelming and hostile police response.  With the pandemic far from over, it doesn't look like the police state down under will be going away anytime soon.  Unfortunately for citizens who want to fight back when this tyranny finally crosses the line, they're out of luck.  Australia passed the National Firearms Agreement after the Port Arthur massacre in 1996, a law which saw heavy restrictions placed on firearms.  Buybacks and voluntary surrenders of the newly illegal guns swept the nation as many rushed to hand over their weapons.

Kansas Dem Backs Gun Confiscation.  The Democratic Senate candidate in Kansas came out in support of Australian-style gun confiscation during a campaign event last weekend.  When asked about adding a training requirement to the state's gun-carry permit application process, Democrat Barbara Bollier said U.S. gun-control measures do not go far enough.  After noting that she has a daughter living in Australia, Bollier praised a controversial gun-confiscation program the country instituted in the 1990s.  "They have no guns.  They don't allow them.  They just took them all away," Bollier said with a chuckle in a video obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.

'Secret' ATF move could turn 3M to 4M gun owners into felons.  President Trump's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, in a move his own son has warned could alienate hardcore supporters, has taken the first step to regulate and tax one of the nation's most popular weapons for plinkers and hunters, the AR pistol.  Without notice and citing unexplained concerns about "public safety," the Justice Department's ATF has ordered the maker of several popular AR pistols to "cease and desist" in the production of the top seller "Honey Badger."  The order, which maker Q LLC complied with to avoid criminal prosecution, has jarred the gun community.

Biden website vows 'assault weapons' ban, forced gun registration and banning online sales of guns, ammo and parts.  Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden vowed on his campaign website to ban online gun and ammo sales, limit gun sales, ban "assault weapons," force gun owners into buybacks or registration, and various other restrictions.  Biden has expressed his anti-gun ideas, but his website spells out the specific measures he intends to take if he wins the election and assumes the presidency, which he describes as "constitutional, common-sense gun safety policies."  "Biden will enact legislation to once again ban assault weapons," Biden's website says.  "While working to pass this legislation, Biden will also use his executive authority to ban the importation of assault weapons."

FBI: Over 4 Times More Killed with Knives than Rifles.  The FBI's Uniform Crime Report (UCR) for 2019 shows more than four times as many people were stabbed to death than were killed with rifles of any kind.  The UCR shows 364 were killed with rifles in 2019, while 1,476 were stabbed to death with "knives or cutting instruments."

The Left's 'Mostly Peaceful' Revolution/Coup.  [Scroll down]  By now people realize that a "Harris/Biden" administration will come for people's guns.  If only half of the people who own firearms or bought them in 2020 vote for Trump, he would win by a landslide of such magnitude it will be impossible for any of this to work despite what the media says.  In addition, if even a small fraction of Blacks and Hispanics abandon the Democrats, it would make all the difference.  And we need not cede the streets to Antifa.  They may be better trained than they were a few years ago, but there has never been a better trained and armed populace in the history of humanity than the United States citizenry.

Philadelphia sued over gun permit backlog.  A few weeks ago we discussed the situation in Philadelphia, where prospective gun buyers (of the legal variety) are being told that they will have to wait for months or, in some cases, a year and a half to apply for a permit.  The reason being offered by the city is that they have an unprecedented backlog of people looking to go through the application process and insufficient resources available to meet the demand because of the pandemic.  That comes as little consolation to all of the people who have suddenly taken an interest in their Second Amendment rights as their neighborhoods are engulfed in flames and street violence.

L.A. Ordered to Pay NRA Six Figures After Losing First Amendment Case.  The Washington Free Beacon reports, a federal court ordered the city of Los Angeles to pay the NRA's lawyer fees of approximately $150,000, just months after he ruled a city ordinance violated the gun-rights group's First Amendment rights.  The City of Los Angeles tried to penalize any contractor with ties to the NRA.  The NRA sued over the ordinance and federal district court judge Stephen Wilson ruled it was an unconstitutional violation of the NRA's First Amendment rights.  The city eventually repealed it and on Tuesday, the judge ordered city officials to pay the NRA's attorney fees totaling about $150,000.

Joe Biden vs. the 2nd Amendment.  President Trump has said numerous times that the Democrats are coming for your guns — either they will scrap the Second Amendment or gut it of any content.  Though some have claimed this is an exaggeration, dismissing it as mere pandering to his electoral base, this election cycle may be different.  One of the most significant signs of this is the Democrat Party platform and Joe Biden admitted in the first debate that he has given his stamp of approval on the 2020 platform.  Democrats and Republicans approach the Second Amendment from very different vantage points in their platforms.  Republicans talk about the right to own firearms as a right that stands on its own and the discussion regarding the issue in their party platforms begins from that foundation.

Remington Outdoor, bankrupt gunmaker, to be sold in pieces to seven buyers.  Bankrupt gunmaker Remington Outdoor will split up its business and sell the pieces to seven different buyers following a bankruptcy auction, court records show.  The biggest sale will go to Minnesota-based Vista Outdoor, which said it will pay $81.4 million for Remington's brand and trademarks along with parts of its ammo and accessories business including an Arkansas ammunition factory.  Other buyers include outdoor-gear retailer Sportsman's Warehouse, which will acquire the Tapco brand of gun parts and accessories, and Nevada-based gunmaker Franklin Armory, which is snapping up Remington's Bushmaster rifle brand, records show.

What about the unions?  What about Planned Parenthood?
Democrats call for NRA Foundation to be prohibited from receiving donations from federal employees.  Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) led a group of Democratic senators to call for the National Rifle Association (NRA) Foundation to be immediately removed from the list of charities eligible to solicit and receive contributions from federal employees on Friday [9/18/2020].  Twelve senators, including Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), wrote a letter to the head of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Michael Rigas, requesting the NRA Foundation be removed during the Combined Federal Campaign's (CFC) annual fundraising drive, set to begin Sept. 21.  The letter follows the lawsuit from the New York attorney general seeking to dissolve the powerful pro-gun interest group announced last month.

Kamala Harris [is] Protected by Rifles She Wants to Ban Americans from Owning.  During a recent trip to Miami, Florida, Democrat vice presidential hopeful Kamala Harris was protected by Secret Service agents using variants of the very rifles she wants to ban Americans from owning.  The Daily Mail published an article showing at least one Secret Service agent with a AR-platform rifle.  The rifle is outfitted with optics, a flashlight, and a greater-than-10-round magazine.  On August 31, 2018, Breitbart News reported more than nine million AR-platform rifles were manufactured for U.S. sales during Barack Obama's presidency.  By the late summer/early fall of 2019, when Robert "Beto" O'Rourke, Kamala Harris, and Joe Biden pushed a mandatory buyback of such rifles during the Democrat primary campaign, the National Shooting Sports Foundation estimated there were 16 million-plus privately owned AR-15s in the United States.

Joe Biden Admits It — He's Coming for Your Guns.  Watching the disconnect between how the media tries to portray Biden and how he portrays himself is a sight to behold at times.  Constantly, we are bombarded with claims that the former VP is "moderate" and steady.  He wouldn't do anything too crazy, right?  Well, except abolish the filibuster and pass a bunch of progressive dream bills that is.  But does that really make him not a moderate?  This is the kind of idiotic logic we've had to endure since Biden became the presumptive nominee, and his position on guns is no different.  In fact, Biden took to social media yesterday [9/13/2020] to proclaim exactly what he's going to do when it comes to the Second Amendment.

Another Record of NICS Checks and Gun Sales for August 2020.  The National Instant background Checks System (NICS) numbers are in for August of 2020.  As expected, they are another record.  Every month so far in 2020 has been a record month for NICS.  August is a record both for the background checks and for firearm sales.  In August, gun sales were a bit less than 54% of the total NICS numbers.  The total NICS checks were 3,115,063, but many of those are for permits and permit rechecks.  According to our formula of handgun sales + long gun sales + other gun sales + 2.5 x multiple guns on one NICS check sales, there were 1,669,115 gun sales on the NICS system in August of 2020.  That number is the highest number of gun sales in any August on record in NICS.

Biden pushes gun control less than 24 hours after attempted assassination on deputies.  Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Sunday called for gun control less than 24 hours after two Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies who were critically wounded in Compton after a gunman opened fire on their squad car in an apparent ambush.  "Weapons of war have no place in our communities," the former Vice President tweeted.  "We need to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines."  Earlier Biden had called the shooting "unconscionable" and for the suspect to be brought to justice.  He also said anyone who commits an act of violence "should be caught and punished."  Biden's comments on the ambush and gun control stand in stark contrast to President Donald Trump who called for a "fast trial" with the possibility of the death penalty.

The Editor says...
If "anyone who commits an act of violence 'should be caught and punished,'" why are known rioters being released shortly after their arrests?

Americans' Very Right to Keep and Bear Arms Is on the Ballot This Election.  Democrats will "confiscate your guns and appoint justices who will wipe away your Second Amendment," President Trump warned in his recent acceptance speech for the Republican presidential nomination.  He's right.  Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris has promised to use executive orders to ban guns, and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has promised to make former Congressman Beto O'Rourke (D-TX) his gun czar.

Donald Trump: 'If Joe Biden Gets in Your 2nd Amendment Is Gone'.  During September 8, 2020, comments in Jupiter, Florida, President Trump warned that a Joe Biden victory in the November election would mean the Second Amendment "is gone."  Trump said, "If Joe Biden gets in your Second Amendment is gone."  He observed that the amendment will either be "obliterated to the point to the point of being gone" or will truly be "gone itself."

American Chaos Triggers Impossible Demand as Smith & Wesson Reloads.  I have a friend on social media who, for years, has constantly raged against guns.  Despite having a wife and two young daughters, he's posted things such as, "Only a pathetic person would need a gun to defend himself."  I haven't seen any such posts in a while.  And that makes me wonder if he — like surely many others — has converted.  Perhaps he's been transformed by the news, by videos of crowds in the streets committing violence.  Maybe he's had a change of heart amid brutal mobs making chaos en masse.  Such conversions have no doubt helped fuel the nearly 5 million gun sales transpiring over the last few months.  And as we near November, there's no sign of stopping.

Growth in First-Time Gun Sales Has Election Implications.  [Scroll down]  People are worried about the spread of COVID-19 and its impact on our society.  Many people feel they are being besieged by the economic downturn that has left millions unemployed — and with no option of finding jobs.  Riots in the street, which began in June and have yet to abate, coupled with demands that the police be de-funded, are a third reason why first-time gun owners are buying guns.  And finally, millions of Americans are afraid that, if Joe Biden wins in November, they will lose the right to buy — or even own — firearms.  Those millions have been growing rapidly, as so many first-time gun buyers have evaluated the risks and elected to invest serious money into gun purchases and gun training.  And perhaps to support for re-election the President that takes positions which reflect the Second Amendment and individual Americans' right to keep and bear arms.

Gun Sales Smash Records.  Are Americans Preparing For War?  The National Shooting Sports Foundation reports some astonishing figures for gun sales in 2020: [...] The figures show that 58% of all firearms purchases were among women and Black men.  Taken together, the picture that emerges is one of an America getting prepared.  But prepared for what?  When people feel less safe, they make all kinds of decisions they wouldn't make under more normal circumstances.  They buy a gun or join a cause or march in the streets.  They are driven by fear and there are experts who know how to channel that fear to achieve political power.  Both sides are ramping up the fear in advance of the 2020 election.  But unlike past elections, both sides are describing the outcome in apocalyptic terms.  And given current events, people are believing them.  When both sides are saying they won't accept the outcome or that the count is going to be hopelessly fraudulent, the catalyst is present for an explosion of violence.

Nearly Five Million Americans Became Gun Owners in First Half of 2020.  Nearly five million Americans became first-time gun owners in 2020, according to a new report.  The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the gun industry's trade group, estimates that 17.1 million guns have been sold between January and August with 4.84 million Americans purchasing their first guns.  The sales — especially to new owners — represent a significant shift in American attitudes on gun ownership.  "This is a tectonic shift in the firearm and ammunition industry marketplace and complete transformation of today's gun-owning community," Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF senior vice president and general counsel, said in a statement.

Our Dystopian Future under Biden/Harris.  [Scroll down]  If they take away our guns, they have taken our ability to defend ourselves.  Additionally, what do you think about Joe Biden's proposal to eliminate cash bail?  Did you see the video of that sweet cherub Marquise Love beating Adam Haner in Portland?  If the police ever find this darling, how do you feel about letting him back out on the streets with no bail?  Among the noteworthy points of Joe Biden's gun manifesto are holding gun manufacturers civilly liable (that would end gun sales and our ability to defend ourselves in an era of defunded police departments), regulate possession of assault weapons (you can be sure the definition of assault weapons will change), end online sales of guns and ammunition (this is the route to place onerous taxes on ammunition), mandate smart guns and prioritize prosecution of straw purchasers (using a third party to purchase a gun — no worries, bail will be banned!).  Defund the police, take away our ability to defend ourselves, eliminate bail and it adds up to anarchy.

Legal Experts Skeptical of NY AG's Attempt to Dissolve NRA.  Experts across the political spectrum are skeptical of New York attorney general Letitia James's (D.) attempt to dissolve the NRA, with some liberals even calling the move "dangerous."  Legal scholars told the Washington Free Beacon it was hard to see the massive gun-rights group being dissolved over James's investigation into its finances.  Cato Institute legal fellow Walter Olson said the case presented amounted to a Democrat attempting to shut down a key political opponent.  "Closing down opposition organizations, traditionally, was something that you heard of going on in strongman regimes and you did not have going on in the United States," Olson said.  "And that's what she's asking for is for:  a major opposition organization to be closed down."

Philadelphia Police, City Council Organize a "Home Gun-Check Campaign" Urging Residents to Turn in Firearms to 'Combat Gun Violence'.  Philadelphia is seeing an increase in shootings so the far-left City Council and police organized a 'home gun-check campaign' urging residents to turn in their firearms.  Makes sense.  Voluntary gun buyback programs and other programs aimed at urging residents to voluntarily turn in their firearms would only increase violence because it keeps criminals armed and disarms law abiding citizens.  Far left "community groups" with backing from city officials and police are distributing flyers which reads "save a life, turn in a gun."

The Editor says...
The guns themselves are not violent, so there is no such thing as "gun violence."

Project Veritas' James O'Keefe Emerges Victorious in Second Amendment Fight With FBI.  Project Veritas' James O'Keefe tried to buy a firearm and was denied a few days ago.  He later discovered that he was on the prohibited person list regarding the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).  Was this an error?  Was this over his investigative reporting?  The Federal Bureau of Investigation put him on that list.  What's going on?  O'Keefe is not a convicted felon.  So, it's no shocker that when he found out his constitutional right to own firearms was infringed upon, he sued.  He filed a lawsuit against the FBI earlier this month.

Huge Gun Victory in 9th Circuit Court.  Send Thank You Notes to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.  California's high-capacity magazine limitations for guns "infringes on [the] fundamental right to self defense" and is therefore unconstitutional, according to a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. District Court of Appeals.  Yes, the court previously known as the "9th Circus" for being the most Leftist, most overturned, and most wrong court in the land, ruled in favor of the rights of gun owners on Friday afternoon [8/14/2020].  California deemed that the use or sale of magazines with a higher capacity than ten bullets (LCMs) are illegal.  Voters passed the measure.  The three-judge panel in the 9th Circuit Court ruled that the limitation is unconstitutional.

Federal Appeals Court Rules California's Ban on High-Capacity Magazines Unconstitutional.  A federal appeals court on Friday overturned California's ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines, ruling that the prohibition violates the Second Amendment.  "Even well-intentioned laws must pass constitutional muster," Appellate Judge Kenneth Lee wrote for the majority on the three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, adding that California's ban "strikes at the core of the Second Amendment — the right to armed self-defense."  California's ban on magazines holding more than 10 bullets is "so sweeping that half of all magazines in America are now unlawful to own in California," Lee wrote.

Don't Let the Fake Fact Checkers Fool You — Joe and Kamala Support Gun Confiscation.  Just like Joe Biden, vice presidential hopeful Kamala Harris supports outright, mandatory gun confiscation.  She just disguises it under a couple of flowery words: "mandatory" and "buyback."  This of course is when all of the fake media's fake fact checkers pour out of the woodwork to lie with the false claim Kamala Harris Never Said She Wanted to Confiscate Guns.  We know the fake fact checkers are going to publish their fake fact checks with their fake claims because that's what the fake fact checkers did to protect their precious Barry Obama, who also said he wanted to confiscate your guns.  Further, the fake fact checkers published lies to protect Hillary Clinton, who also said she wanted to confiscate your guns.  Oh, and Joe Biden said he wanted to confiscate your gun, and he also used flowery words about "buybacks," and as you will see below, he has not taken that sentiment back, even after the fake media tried to help him cover up that fact.

Below the Radar:  H Res 1013.  You may wonder why we are taking time from actual bills to instead cover a House resolution.  We did cover one House resolution and one Senate resolution at times earlier this year, though, and we did so because while they didn't have the force of law, they could still tilt the playing field — and voting for or against them means elected officials are taking a stand.  That is why H Res 1013 is important for Second Amendment supporters.  This resolution, introduced by Representative Russ Fulcher (R-ID), not only expresses some common sense, but it also could put anti-Second Amendment extremists in a bit of a tough spot.  Fulcher is in his first term in the House of Representatives, and this resolution is a very promising sign that he is not only going to be a reliable supporter of our rights, but also a skilled tactician in the advancement and defense of those rights.

Backdoor handgun ban up for a vote in California.  A proposed amendment to California's Handguns Certified for Sale law seems like a minor change at first, but Second Amendment advocates warn that it would amount to a de facto ban on handgun sales in the state.  AB 2847, would relax the state's difficult microstamping requirements, but at the same time, it would remove three older handgun models for every new handgun it adds to the official roster of those safe for sale.  "In theory it makes the California microstamping or handgun roster easier for manufacturers to comply with," said gun rights activist Reno May.  "What it really is is a backdoor handgun ban that would slowly remove guns and make it so that guns could not be added in the future.  This is a bad bill," he cautioned on Thursday.

Brevard Commissioners Pass Resolution Supporting Open Carry in Florida.  The resolution aims to support the expansion of "lawful statewide open carry of firearms."  As District 2 Commissioner Bryan Lober explained, the outline of a gun is enough to alarm someone, so he wants guns out in the open.  "If I'm carrying a concealed weapons, I don't want everyone under the sun to see the outline of a gun because, they may figure that the person is hiding something — a reason for concealing the gun," Lober said.

James O'Keefe sues the FBI after learning he's on a federal watchlist and can't buy a gun.  Project Veritas founder James O'Keefe is suing the Federal Bureau of Investigation after he found he was put on a watchlist that prevented his purchase of a gun.  Unlike his usual undercover videos, O'Keefe shared footage this time of himself and his failed attempts to purchase a firearm at different locations in New York, revealing that he has mistakenly been added to the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check (NICS) system, which prompted the lawsuit.

Buy Guns and Ammo — You can't count on the state for your security.  In the last three months, Americans have bought 5.5 million guns.  An astonishing number?  Yes, in one sense.  But when you're fearful for your family's safety, when you witness unabashed violence permeating throughout streets, and when police are nowhere to be found, it makes sense:  the quickest, most effective action you can take is to buy a gun.

What the NY AG's Lawsuit Is Really About.  To feel deep in your American spirit what this New York State attorney general's political move to disband the National Rifle Association is all about, do this:  Imagine a rogue district attorney (DA) targeting you with outrageous, politically motivated charges.  Picture this DA calling a news conference with the mainstream media.  Now see this public official, who should know better, on the steps of a government building in front of the cameras, unjustly, unfairly and with partisan opportunism on their breath and in their power-hungry eyes, accusing you of fake charges, charges designed to shut you up, to harm your reputation and to cost you everything.

The NRA's Fight in New York Is For All Americans.  The thing to keep in mind during the legal war launched today between New York State and the National Rifle Association is that the Second Amendment does not exist in New York City and state.  It has been blocked at every level by state and local authorities.  In New York, there is no right to — in the plain language of the Constitution — keep and bear arms.  The right has been denied as a matter of policy for decades.  That will be, we predict, the elephant in the courtrooms that hear the dueling lawsuits that New York's attorney general, Letitia James, and the NRA itself filed today.  New York's case, which seeks the dissolution of the NRA over the alleged misuse of funds, was filed in a state court.  The NRA, in a suit filed in federal court in the northern district of New York, seeks to block the state investigation from violating its rights.

NRA fights back, files its own suit against NY attorney general seeking to disband organization.  The National Rifle Association is fighting back against a lawsuit filed Thursday [8/6/2020] by New York's attorney general by submitting its own civil suit against the state official, accusing her of defamation and violating its rights to free speech.  The NRA's lawsuit was filed in the federal court of New York and alleges Attorney General Letitia James "made the political prosecution of the NRA a central campaign theme" when she was running for the AG's office in 2018, and has not treated the association fairly since.  "Despite hopes that playing by the rules would procure a just outcome, the NRA has not been treated fairly by James's office," the 19-page suit states.  "The New York Democratic Party political machine seeks to harass, defund, and dismantle the NRA because of what it believes and what it says."

NY Tries To 'Dissolve' The NRA: Far Left's War Against The Constitution Never Ends.  Whenever the far left loses a debate, it doesn't sharpen its arguments or seek compromise.  Instead, it criminalizes those with whom it disagrees.  That's happening now in New York, where the attorney general is making a politicized attack on the National Rifle Association and the U.S. Constitution.  New York's Democratic and radically anti-Trump Attorney General Letitia James' move to "dissolve" the NRA comes after a phony "fraud" investigation that was launched as an intimidation tactic.  The suit against the National Rifle Association targets the group's charismatic Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre and three other NRA leaders.

New York's Lawless NRA Lawsuit.  The [New York] attorney general, a political enemy of the National Rifle Association, is seeking to have the advocacy organization legally dissolved.  The pretext is financial corruption and self-dealing on the part of the NRA's leadership.  To say that the corruption case is pretextual is not to say that it is made up out of whole cloth.  The NRA, once the most effective organization of its kind, has indeed been mired in incompetent leadership and financial mismanagement for years.  Its evolution from sporting club and canny Second Amendment advocate to full-service culture-war outfit has done no favors either for the organization itself or, more important, for the cause to which it purports to be committed.  As much as we share the group's commitment to the Bill of Rights, we would not be entirely surprised if actionable financial wrongdoing were uncovered.  At the same time, the effort to dissolve the NRA is nonetheless a plainly partisan political attack.

NY Attorney General Seeks to Dissolve NRA.  New York's attorney general sued the National Rifle Association on Thursday [8/6/2020], seeking to put the powerful gun advocacy organization out of business over allegations that high-ranking executives diverted millions of dollars for lavish personal trips, no-show contracts for associates and other questionable expenditures.

New York AG seeks to shut down NRA in lawsuit alleging financial crimes.  New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit on Thursday [8/6/2020] seeking to disband the National Rifle Association (NRA), claiming its top officials diverted millions of dollars from the influential gun group for their personal use and enriched their families and close associates by awarding lucrative contracts.  The lawsuit from James, filed in New York state court, alleges the NRA and four of its top executives mismanaged funds and violated state and federal laws, resulting in the loss of more than $64 million for the organization in a span of three years.  The senior leaders, James claims, used millions from the NRA's coffers on trips to the Bahamas, private jets, luxury hotels and fine dining.

Hugo Chavez's Spirit is Alive in 2020 America.  Venezuela has the world's highest murder rate because the police there don't stop murder unless it helps politics.  So long as homocide doesn't threaten the power or wealth of the governing party, murders are largely unsolved and are often committed by the very police who should be preventing them. [...] Homicide is the leading cause of death among Venezuelan youth.  To add to the misery, in 2012 Venezuela banned the private ownership of firearms.  These are the bitter fruits of a system in which criminal law is simply another tool in the arsenal of power.  A politicized law enforcement and judiciary combined with a relentless gun confiscation program leave citizens at the mercy of criminal gangs and extra-judicial police violence.  Venezuealans sacrificed these rights in exchange for a hoped-for socialist utopia.  In the end, they lost their rights and didn't get the bargain for which they pined.  That's what happens in every socialist revolution.

Biden's Civil War.  A victorious President Biden will move from his Delaware basement to the cellar of the White House, where he will remain only to be seen by the public in prerecorded, televised "Messages to the People." [...] Starting slowly, Biden will precipitously increase taxes on guns and ammunition while restricting the amount of ammunition that can be legally purchased in a month.  There will be mandatory gun registration under penalty of law.  Failure to register will subject gun owners to felony prosecution, fines starting in the tens of thousands of dollars, and civil forfeiture of property such as real estate and cars.  Then, after the midterm elections, with the left in full control of the legislative and executive branches of government, laws will be passed outlawing all guns in private hands (an exception will be made for Local Policy Council members).  Gun confiscation will begin.  Any records the federal, state, and local governments possess pertaining to gun ownership will be made public with the release of the names and addresses of all gun owners nationwide.

Joe Biden wants to confiscate your guns.  This is a message to the 120 [to] 140 million gun owners in the country.  At least, that was the estimate before the onset of the CCP virus.  The peaceful violence of the fascists of 'Antifa' and the chaos they have wrought after they hijacked the George Floyd protests have gun sales soaring to new heights.  Who knows how many millions of new gun owners there are now.  These multitudes have taken a major step in defending their liberty — and Joe Biden wants to take them away.

How to Prepare for a Communist Coup.  The first piece of legislation enacted after Hitler took power was the confiscation of weaponry in the civilian population.  He was a madman, but he was no fool.  He knew that you couldn't shove a well-armed populace into cattle cars or ghettos.  We know that the next step in Germany was to defund the police.  The only weapons then were in the hands of goose-stepping soldiers.  In the Second Amendment of the Constitution our forefathers saw the danger of ever-consolidated power in an oligarchic government and they made the most important provision:  resistance.

10 policies Biden and Democrats would ram through after axing filibuster.  After largely abandoning the issue following election losses in the 1990s, a series of high-profile mass shootings have increased Democratic support for passing what they now describe as "commonsense gun safety legislation."  The details of the exact proposals have varied, but universal background checks and reinstating the so-called assault weapons ban, originally passed as part of Biden's 1994 crime bill, would seem to be priorities if Democrats win in November.  The Biden "plan to end our gun violence epidemic" would make gun manufacturers liable for crimes committed using their products and ban high-capacity magazines.  Republicans, and a few Democrats from states with a high number of legal gun owners, would resist such efforts.  Junking the filibuster would take away a tool for doing so.

Democrats Are Forcing a Civil War.  Americans believe that one can never be too rich, too thin, or too well armed.  And we are, indeed, well armed, with citizens who are beginning to see the game that is being played.  Many estimate that between 300 million and 700 million firearms are in the hands of the public.  If only 10% of those guns are brought to bear, it would mean a minimum of 30 million weapons deployed against Antifa and BLM.  No one wants to see bloodshed, especially gun-owners, who for the most part want to be left alone to protect their families, homes, places of worship, and places of employment.  Yet people are not going to stand by and watch America become another "socialist paradise."  Americans are going to fight back — this should worry the left, as every hunter is something of a sniper.

Riots, Violent Crime, 'Defund Police' Push Surged In June.  Gun Sales Exploded To All-Time High, FBI Data Suggests.  The number of FBI background checks conducted last month for people attempting to purchase firearms shattered the previous all-time record, and experts say the surge in gun sales was directly tied to current events rocking the United States.  "The new coronavirus pandemic, civil unrest after the killing of George Floyd and the ensuing movement to defund police are bringing in new buyers worried about their personal safety, according to buyers, store owners and gun experts," The Wall Street Journal reported.  "In June, background checks for firearms were up 136%, compared to a year earlier ... background checks in June for civilians seeking a license to carry were the highest since the FBI began conducting checks 20 years ago."

The Correct Way To Handle A Revolver.  Here's a guy I'd like to learn from.  [Video clip]

The Progressive's Problem With Guns, BLM and Police.  The rate of gun background checks and purchases has skyrocketed.  Writers Phillip Levine and Robin McKnight explain the data, but the graph below show virtually everything you need to understand this.  [Chart (left)] [...] To begin with, it's always been a myth that the police were there for protection.  Regular readers, and most other educated men and women, already know about cases Warren versus D.C. and Castle Rock versus Gonzales.  There are more, but these two cases demonstrate that police are not duty bound to offer anyone protection.  But at least it's a myth that many people have believed.  The riots, looting, pillaging, beatings and murders of late have convinced many uninformed folks that maybe they do need protection in lieu of police.  In short, that myth has been shattered.  Here is where schedule comes in.  The social planners want America to be disarmed, and see it as an impediment to their plans that men and women can defend themselves.  To these writers, this is all an obstacle to be overcome.

The Time Has Come to ARM.  As looting and arson spread across California, bikers from the Vagos and Molochs stationed themselves and their Harley Davidsons in front of stores in San Luis Obispo, where — surprise! — no looting, arson or violence took place.  Meanwhile, the Hell's Angels and Mongols caught wind of an Antifa move on Placerville, California.  Sure enough, Antifa never showed up.  No pasty-faced dance major from UC Davis is going to throw down with this crowd.  Yes, the Angels and such can be rowdy, but these are patriots who love America.  The biker movement began with World War II and Korean War veterans.  In 1965, the Hell's Angels broke through police lines to go after Berkeley "peace" protesters they regarded as "a mob of traitors."  Hell's Angels founder Sonny Barger, a veteran, expressed "patriotic concern for what these people are doing to our great nation."  As sub-nihilist mobs now attempt to burn down the nation, patriotic bikers recognize the enemy and take action.

Here are the 10 Virginia gun laws that took effect amid nationwide unrest.  A host of gun control laws, passed months ago and spearheaded by Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, took effect on Wednesday [7/1/2020] in the commonwealth after months of fierce opposition from pro-firearm groups.  Northam signed the slew of gun restrictions in April after they passed the state's General Assembly, where Democrats hold the majority, USA Today reported.  The lawmakers faced dissent from over 20,000 angry citizens — many of whom were heavily armed — in the state's capital in late January, according to Fox News.  Virginia Citizens Defense League, a Second Amendment group, gained thousands of members amid the gun-control deliberations in the assembly, and sued to block one of the regulations, which limited firearm purchasers to one handgun per month.  A judge denied their request last week, the Daily Press reported.

FBI firearm background checks set another all-time record in June.  More and more Americans appear to be arming themselves following a month of continued fears over the deadly coronavirus pandemic and images of some rioters causing damage after hijacking peaceful protests demanding racial justice.  The FBI conducted more than 3.9 million background checks associated with the sale, transfer or permitting of firearms in June, making it the highest month on record for background checks since the bureau began keeping statistics in 1998, according to new data released on Wednesday by the agency.  By comparison, the bureau conducted 2.3 million checks in June 2019.  The figures released for June 2020 also eclipse the previous record set in March 2020, when the bureau conducted 3.7 million checks.

Americans buying more guns than ever amid coronavirus and Black Lives Matter protests.  People in the US have turned to buying more guns than ever in year that has seen the nation devastated by coronavirus, suffer one of the worst economic blows in history, and divided by the Black Lives Matter movement.  Figures released by America's National Rifle Association (NRA) today show that 2.3 million guns were sold in the country last month.  That represents a 145 percent increase on the same month last year.  Since March, a total of 8.3 million guns have been bought, meaning 2020 could be the highest year ever for sales.

Record-Setting Gun Sales Could Leave Stores Dry.  Gun sales once again set a new record for the month of June, but some retailers are reporting that the rush on guns and ammunition has drained their stock nearly dry.  An analysis of background check numbers by industry analyst Small Arms Analytics & Forecasting released on Wednesday [7/1/2020] indicates that more than 2.3 million guns were sold in the United States during June.  That's an increase of more than 145.3 percent over June 2019.  It's also up from the 1.7 million estimated to have been sold in May, the 1.8 million in April, and just shy of the all-time monthly record of 2.5 million set back in March.

New Gun Owners Could Sway Future Elections.  The record-breaking gun sales during the coronavirus pandemic could bolster candidates that support the Second Amendment in 2020 and alter the course of American gun politics for the foreseeable future.  Several of the country's leading gun-rights groups are working to convert many more first-time owners into new gun-rights voters in the run-up to the 2020 election.  Amy Hunter, a spokeswoman for the National Rifle Association, said that the group's success could change the political landscape at the local, state, and national level.  "The NRA believes voters who recently purchased guns for self-defense will join other Second Amendment voters and be an even more formidable voting bloc," Hunter told the Washington Free Beacon.  "They're educated, passionate, and they know anti-gun politicians are the biggest threat to their fundamental right to self-defense."

Gun Permits Up 500% and Sales Skyrocket Amid Chicago Protests.  As protests continue in Chicago, applications for Illinois firearms permits have been up 501% from June 1 to June 17 compared to 2019, according to the Chicago Tribune.  There were more than 42,000 applications for Firearms Owners Identification (FOID) cards compared to about 7,000 during the same 2019 period.  The firearms services bureau of the Illinois State Police, which issues the FOID cards, told the Tribune that permit applications started rising in March but skyrocketed in June.

Woman Turns to Supreme Court to Get Her Guns Back.  In 2013, Lori Rodriguez called San Jose police to her home because her husband was having a mental health crisis and making violent threats.  Seven years later, she is petitioning the Supreme Court to force the city to return her guns.  "It's not right.  I shouldn't have to do this to get back what's mine," Rodriguez told the Washington Free Beacon.  "They violated several of my constitutional rights."  Rodriguez claims police ordered her to open the couple's gun safe so they could seize all of the weapons in the home after her husband was detained for making threats that the city says included "shooting up schools."  Cops seized not only her husband's weapons but also the guns that were personally registered to Rodriguez.  The city has repeatedly rebuffed her requests to return her property.

SCOTUS Gun Case Denials Signal Conservative Justices Don't Trust Roberts With The Second Amendment.  The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to pass on nearly a dozen gun-rights-related cases is breathtaking, not in the denial of hearing any, but in the seeming admission that the conservative associate justices think Chief Justice John Roberts can't be trusted to protect the Bill of Rights. [...] The Supreme Court requires just four of the nine justices to agree to hear an appeal for the nation's highest court to take the case.  Those watching gun cases were hoping for good reason that finally, after a decade of silence from the court, the four votes were now there.  Four justices, including Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh, have all recently expressed frustration with the court's unwillingness to address infringements on Second Amendment rights.  Thomas previously noted, "[T]he Second Amendment is a disfavored right in this Court."

Gun-Rights Groups Launch 11th Hour Bid To Block Virginia's One-Gun-A-Month Law.  A coalition of gun-rights groups has filed a last-minute bid to prevent Virginia from implementing monthly limits on gun purchases.  On July 1, Virginia will prohibit residents from buying more than one gun per month unless they are law enforcement or hold a valid gun-carry license.  The measure serves as a key part of the gun-control package that Democrats passed after taking control of the Virginia legislature, but Second Amendment advocates say it violates the state constitution, as well as federal gun rights.  The Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL), Gun Owners of America, and Gun Owners Foundation filed suit in the Virginia circuit court for the county of Goochland to prevent the law from taking effect.

A Silent Indicator of Where America Is Headed Politically.  John R. Lott, Jr. wrote in National Review that the "Police have stopped responding to many 911 calls, and massive numbers of inmates are being released early from prison."  During the past 14 days people have been rioting and vandalizing in the streets of America, including unlikely places like Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, the Magnificent Mile in Chicago, Fifth Avenue in New York City and even Whitefish, Montana.  From Florida to Utah and elsewhere around the country, something very interesting is happening in gun stores.  Most gun stores receive new product orders on Friday afternoons.  For the past month people have been lining up outside gun stores to purchase new weapons and ammunition first thing Saturday morning.  Many, many more citizens are purchasing guns and ammo online, provided they have a carry permit, and the online seller then ships the purchase to the gun store of their choice.  Delvin Brown, of USA Today, recently detailed this phenomenon of gun purchases by many citizens, "Americans are loading up on guns and ammo in the wake of race riots."

Florida Supreme Court blocks assault weapon ban from ballot.  The Florida Supreme Court is blocking an assault weapons ban from going to voters in 2022, saying in a Thursday ruling that the ballot summary is deceptive because it doesn't clearly state that a grandfathering clause applies to the owner, not the gun itself.  A group called Ban Assault Weapons Now sponsored the proposed constitutional amendment, inspired by the mass shooting at a Parkland high school that left 17 people dead.  It would have banned the possession of any semiautomatic rifle or shotgun capable of holding more than ten rounds of ammunition.

Coronavirus, gun sales — and a new gun control.  Americans shattered monthly sales records for firearms as the coronavirus raged across the U.S.  In March, the FBI logged around 3.7 million background checks, eclipsing the previous record set in December 2015.  With at least 2.5 million checks conducted for new firearm sales, the figures represent a monthly increase of about 85 percent over March 2019.  And now, with protests ravaging cities across the country over the police killing of George Floyd, the month of May set another record with nearly 3.1 million background checks.  These sales contribute to a record 15 million checks recorded since January 1, 2020.  Anti-gun advocates and left-leaning lawmakers are also taking the opportunity to introduce a series of new gun control legislations with some draconian measures.  Perhaps the most drastic measure to be introduced, H.R. 5717 is a federal bill sponsored by Representative Hank Johnson (D-GA.), which would impose a 30% ammo tax and 50% firearm sales tax.

Oklahoma Legislature Forbids "Red Flag" Laws, or Enforcement of Same.  The Oklahoma legislature passed SB 1081 on 15 May, the last day of the legislative session.  It was one of the last bills passed in 2020 before the legislature adjourned.  It appears to be the first anti-red flag law passed by any legislature.  The legislature passed the bill, had it signed, enrolled, returned to the House, signed, returned to the Senate, and sent to the Governor, all on the same day.  A legislature can act quickly, when there is sufficient will to do so.

The Riots Remind Us Why We Need the Second Amendment.  For years, Philadelphia has been run by liberal progressives who oppose private gun ownership.  In Philadelphia, a permit is required to carry a gun or transport one in a vehicle.  Although Pennsylvania state law prohibits Philadelphia from enacting all of the gun control measures the city's leaders wish, the city's website reads like a gun control propaganda sheet.  The city's progressive leaders believe that guns should not be widely owned by ordinary citizens.  The protection of the city's residents should be handled exclusively by the police department.  But what happens when the police are unable to protect the city's residents?  The entire theory collapses.  That's exactly what happened over the weekend in Philadelphia.  The looting and rioting escalated to the point where the police could not cover the city.  In some parts of the city, looting was occurring without any police interference.  In other places, police cars were hijacked or burned by the rioters.

Biden Promotes Police Protocol Decried by Gun-Safety Experts.  Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden said Monday [6/1/2020] police should be trained to shoot at the legs of assailants, which police training experts decry as impractical and dangerous.  "We also have to fundamentally change the way police are trained," he said.  "The idea that instead of standing there and teaching a cop when there's an unarmed person that's coming at them with a knife so they shoot him in the leg instead of in the heart, is a very different thing.  There's a lot of different things that can change."

Northern Virginia Indoor Gun Ranges Ordered to Remain Closed.  Virginia governor Ralph Northam (D.) reversed his decision to reopen indoor gun ranges and other businesses throughout the state on Tuesday [5/12/2020] after pressure from county officials in Northern Virginia.  In a new executive order, Northam said he would keep business closures in effect for localities in the populous northern part of the state.  He had ordered restrictions on indoor gun ranges, restaurants, retailers, gyms, salons, and other retailers to be eased throughout the entire state on Friday.  Citing requests from local officials in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., he extended shutdowns in the area through May 28.  The decision could generate a new legal battle over shutdowns and the limits of Northam's emergency powers.

Bloomberg-Founded Gun Control Group Pledges $8M to Turn Texas Blue.  Mike Bloomberg-founded Everytown for Gun Safety is spending $8 million in hopes of turning Texas blue in the November 2020 elections.  KRGV reports that Everytown already pledged the money and will, this Thursday, name "three staffers to help with its Texas campaign."

Sean Hannity [is] Wrong on Armed Michigan Protestors.  One of the constitutional freedoms liberals are trying to use the Wuhan virus pandemic as an excuse to shred is the Second Amendment's guarantee that our right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.  There is no asterisk indicating an exception in case of pandemic, so when law-abiding gun owners show up to protest a government's attempt to infringe on their rights, why should they not show up with the weapons the government is trying to curtail their use of, even take them away if the liberals could.  Which part of "bear arms" does Sean Hannity not understand? [...] Critics of the Second Amendment say that they are not going after guns used for legitimate activities such as hunting.  But when the Founders wrote the Second Amendment it was because the British were coming, not because it was the start of deer season.

Biden Enjoys Armed Protection While Fighting to Disarm Americans.  Democrat presidential hopeful Joe Biden is enjoying the benefit of armed protection while campaigning on a platform of disarming his fellow Americans.  On March 17, 2020, Breitbart News reported Biden began receiving Secret Service protection.  Not only does this mean he is surrounded by good guys 24 hours a day, but it also means he is protected with the very guns he is trying to take from average Americans.

PM Trudeau begins the process of disarming Canadians.  Over 13 deadly hours on April 18 and 19, Gabriel Wortman disguised himself as a Canadian Mountie and went to sixteen different locations in and around Portapique, Canada, where he killed 22 people and injured three others.  For the killings, Wortman used a handgun and long guns, all of which he obtained illegally.  On Friday [5/1/2020], Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau punished all Canadians for Wortman's act by reclassifying about 1,500 hitherto legal firearms as "prohibited."  By using reclassification, Trudeau was able to circumvent legislation.

Canada bans assault-style weapons after shooting rampage.  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced an immediate ban Friday [5/1/2020] on the sale and use of assault-style weapons in Canada, two weeks after a gunman killed 22 people in Nova Scotia.  "Canadians need more than thoughts and prayers," he said, rejecting the reaction of many politicians after mass shootings.  Trudeau cited numerous mass shootings in the country, including the rampage that killed 22 in Nova Scotia April 18 and 19.  He announced the ban of over 1,500 models and variants of assault-style firearms, including two guns used by the gunman as well as the AR-15 and other weapons that have been used in a number of mass shootings in the United States

Sheriff Urges Court To Overturn City's Gun Ban.  Sheriff Daryl Wheeler is absolutely correct that in a preemption state, communities don't get to restrict weapons in any manner other than in ways explicitly laid out in state law.  That includes banning guns on public property.  Make no mistake, either, that text is there for a damn good reason.  If public property wasn't specifically mentioned, you'd soon have lawmakers in various towns trying to make it illegal to have a gun on a public road or something equally stupid.  More likely, though, they'd ban the carry of a firearm in so many places about town that it would become virtually impossible to carry a gun.  Yet communities will continue to try and restrict firearm ownership and/or the carrying of firearms over and over again.

California's Ammo Background Checks Misfire.  California's attempts to discourage gun ownership hit a bump Thursday.  U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez granted a preliminary injunction that stopped the state from enforcing its background checks on ammunition purchases.  The initiative, which was spearheaded by Gavin Newsom when he was the lieutenant governor, passed in 2016 with 63 percent of the vote.  The background checks have failed miserably, succeeding only in preventing law-abiding citizens from buying ammunition.  Between July 2019 and January 2020, 101,047 non-prohibited Californians were prevented from buying bullets.  By contrast, just 188 prohibited people were denied.  That means that for every prohibited person whose purchase was rejected, 537 law-abiding citizens were denied.

After sidestepping ruling on gun rights, Supreme Court win for gun control groups could be temporary.  When the Supreme Court on Monday tossed out a dispute over since-changed New York City rules restricting the transport of handguns, it avoided issuing a major decision on the scope of the Second Amendment, handing a victory to gun control groups that advocate for stricter rules on firearms.  But gun control advocates caution that victory could be fleeting, as the high court is already poised to consider whether to take up other pending legal battles involving the scope of the Second Amendment.

SCOTUS Could Take Up Two Mass.  Gun Laws.  Justice Brett Kavanaugh says it's time for the U.S. Supreme Court to clarify its previous gun rights rulings — and a challenge to Massachusetts' public-carry law could give them the chance to do that.  On Friday [5/1/2020], the justices will hold their regular conference — by phone — to consider adding cases to next term's docket.  Up for consideration: a challenge to the state's law governing licenses to carry firearms outside the home.  That law allows local authorities to make applicants demonstrate the need to carry a gun because they have "good reason to fear injury to the applicant or the applicant's property."

Alito dissent blasts NYC gun law, as Supreme Court punts on highly charged case.  The Supreme Court on Monday refused to decide on the constitutionality of a controversial New York City gun law that has since changed, ruling in an unsigned opinion that the case is now "moot" because of the changes in the law.  The court's move to even hear the gun rights case despite a perceived procedural issue previously drew veiled threats from Democratic senators who filed a brief in the case, saying "[t]he Supreme Court is not well.  And the people know it.  Perhaps the Court can heal itself before the public demands it be 'restructured in order to reduce the influence of politics.'"

Mississippi Mayor Suspends Open Carry During Coronavirus Crisis.  Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba (D) of Jackson, Mississippi, issued an order over the weekend temporarily prohibiting law-abiding citizens from openly carrying handguns during the coronavirus crisis.  The Clarion-Ledger reports that Mississippi adopted open carry in 2013 and Y'all Politics quotes Lumumba claiming that "child deaths by firearms in the South have increased 72 percent."

Judge Roger Benitez Tosses California Law Requiring Background Checks For Ammunition Purchases.  [Scroll down]  This isn't about a court decision.  It's about the evolution of a culture, the bifurcation of its people, the positioning of sides, what a man did in these times, and what it revealed about his soul.  Perhaps something big will come of it, like being appointed to the Ninth Circuit in the future.

Fed judge tosses California's ammo background check requirement as unconstitutional 'misfire' against liberty.  A federal judge in San Diego has mooted a California law requiring people to undergo background checks before being able to purchase ammunition, the latest legal pushback against authoritarian Democrats and their never-ending quest to dismantle the Second Amendment.  U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez, who was appointed by President George W. Bush, sided with the California Rifle & Pistol Association, which sued to block the law.  "The experiment has been tried.  The casualties have been counted.  California's new ammunition background check law misfires and the Second Amendment rights of California citizens have been gravely injured," Benitez wrote in a 120-page opinion, The Associated Press reported.

California Tried To Force Background Checks For Ammo.  A Judge Sided With The Second Amendment.  A federal judge has blocked a California law that required law-abiding residents to go through a background check every time they purchased ammunition.  The Associated Press reported that U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez ruled against the state of California on Thursday, taking the state to task for its "onerous and convoluted" regulations that violated residents' Second Amendment rights.  "The experiment has been tried.  The casualties have been counted.  California's new ammunition background check law misfires and the Second Amendment rights of California citizens have been gravely injured," Benitez wrote in his 120-page opinion.

Gun sales spike on stimulus check day.  The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation reported a huge increase in people seeking firearm background check requests on the day the stimulus check arrived.  Last Wednesday, the TBI received 3,917 requests for a firearm background check on the day most people received their stimulus check from the federal government.  In comparison, On Wednesday, April 17, 2019, the TBI received just 972 requests.

First-Time Buyers Explain Why Coronavirus Drove Them to Gun Stores in Record Numbers.  Aaron Eaton learned how to shoot in the Army back in 2006 but holstered a pistol for the last time when he left in 2009 and took a job as a technician for a sewer company.  That all changed on March 26 when the father of four walked out of an Alabama gun store with a Beretta 92FS, the same gun he handled as a military policeman at the height of the Iraq war.  "Simply put:  I wanted peace of mind when it comes to the safety of my family," Eaton said.  Eaton's pistol was one of 2.3 million firearms to fly off the shelves in March, the single busiest month for gun sales ever.  The Washington Free Beacon spoke to half a dozen new gun owners who purchased a total of six handguns and two shotguns.  All of the new gun owners provided proof of purchase, though some asked not to have their last names published because of potential career backlash.

Donald Trump to Virginians:  Liberate Your State, Save the 2nd Amendment.  With Americans growing weary of perceived state government overreach, President Trump is standing with Virginians, calling them to liberate their state and save the Second Amendment. [...] Trump's tweet comes just days after Governor Ralph Northam (D) made clear he was keeping Virginians at home this week and almost a week after he signed now gun controls, aimed at limiting the number of guns law-abiding Virginians can purchase in a given month.  WHSV reports that Northam extended business closures, encouraging Virginians to get used what he called "the new normal."  Breitbart News reported that Northam signed new gun controls April 10, 2020, limiting the number of guns law-abiding Virginians can buy each month and outlawing private gun sales.

South Carolina Attorney General Sues City Over Anti-Gun Ordinances.  South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson (R) filed a lawsuit Jan. 29 with the state Supreme Court against the city of Columbia over its anti-gun ordinances.  "We have consistently advised for almost three decades, since 1991, that state law preempts local regulation of firearms.  These ordinances clearly violate the state law that prohibits local governments from passing any gun laws or ordinances that regulate the transfer, ownership, or possession of firearms," said Wilson in a press release.  "In this case, the Second Amendment is paramount and cannot be undercut."  Wilson filed the lawsuit with the South Carolina Supreme Court and asked the court to hear the case in its original jurisdiction without having to work its way through the lower courts first.  The attorney general said Columbia was first warned in 2015 that local gun ordinances were preempted by state law and that the city has continued to pass similar legislation since then.

Reports: ATF Allowing 'Drive-Up' Gun Sales During Coronavirus Shutdown.  The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is allowing "drive-up" sales of firearms during the cornonavirus shutdown.  Cincinnati.com reports the ATF posted the new guidelines for Federal Firearms License holders (FFLs) on Friday, giving the dealers the option of conducting sales through a "drive-up" or "walk-up" window.

Virus-Panicked Liberal Gun Buyers Are Getting Angry When They Discover Their Own Gun Control Laws.  I was chatting with a friend of mine recently and the topic of gun sales came up.  My friend's father owns a gun range near me and she said he's seen a huge amount of liberals coming in to purchase weapons in recent weeks.  How does he know they're liberals?  "They're shocked to discover they can't just walk out of the store with a gun."  We've all heard about gun sales skyrocketing recently, but I hadn't considered some of the tangential effects of the phenomenon until I spoke to my friend.  Not only are many liberals suddenly learning to love their Second Amendment rights, many of them are finding out that the gun control narrative in this country — as repeated loudly and often by Hollywood and the mainstream media — is a complete lie.

Bloomberg Gun Control Group Launches Virtual Voter Registration During Coronavirus Shutdown.  Mike Bloomberg gun control group Students Demand Action has launched a virtual organizing effort amid the coronavirus shutdown in order to register 100,000 new voters.  CNN reports that the gun control group is "[focusing] on 13 battleground states and marks the group's first large-scale effort to use online-only tools to encourage young people to head to the polls."

NRA, other gun rights groups sue four Bay Area counties over gun store closures.  A group of local residents, gun stores and gun rights organizations including the NRA have filed a federal lawsuit against four Bay Area counties for mandating that gun stores close as "non-essential businesses" during the region's coronavirus outbreak.  The lawsuit, filed with the U.S. District Court for Northern California Tuesday, alleges that local officials from Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties violated the United State Constitution's Second and Fourteenth Amendments by ordering that gun stores be closed.  "California's local governments cannot simply suspend the Constitution," the lawsuit states.  "Authorities may not, by decree or otherwise, enact and/or enforce a suspension or deprivation of constitutional liberties.  And they certainly may not use a public health crisis as political cover to impose bans and restrictions on rights they do not like."

Federal Judge OKs California Gun Store Shutdowns.  One of the more common battles being fought on behalf of the Second Amendment involves protecting gun stores from closure.  While many states, even anti-gun states, have opted to allow them to remain open, not all of them have.  One prominent example is California.  Perhaps the most anti-gun state in the nation, California thought nothing of closing gun stores left and right.  While some sheriffs are allowing them to remain open, others aren't.

If you don't own a firearm (or two, three, four) no worries:  The police are just minutes away.  The Wuhan virus worldwide epidemic, caused by the Chicoms and enabled by our DNC-run media, has spurred a unique phenomenon:  U.S. law-abiding citizens are ordered to stay home while criminals are going free. [...] Keep 'em locked and loaded.  Because our Americans streets are about to get very, very dangerous.

Gun Sales Explode to 2.5 Million in March.  It isn't only toilet paper manufacturers prospering in our virus-scare ravaged economy.  Guns are also flying off the shelves as common people's common sense tells them something PC government won't:  Emergency supplies won't help you in bad times if bad actors can just steal them from you.  In fact, firearm sales increased 83 percent this March relative to last March, with handgun purchases up 91 percent, rifle sales rising 73 percent, and background checks spiking 94 percent.

New Jersey:  Governor Defends Keeping His Armed Guards While Shutting Down Gun Stores as "Nonessential".  It's absolutely amazing to watch the hypocrites in government across the united States.  They tell you not to gather with crowds of people while standing should to shoulder with people in a crowd saying it.  They infringe on your liberties but keep the beast eating.  The latest in this hypocrisy is New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy's defense of keeping his armed guards while closing gun stores and labeling them as "nonessential" businesses due to the coronavirus fiasco.  But the people were having none of it.

After Citizens Refused to Obey, Sheriff Reverses Decision to Close Gun Stores.  With so much uncertainty on the horizon during the COVID-19 outbreak, there has never been a better time for a citizen to be prepared to defend themselves and their family.  The market is reacting appropriately to this demand and business has boomed for the gun industry over the past two weeks, with long lines stretching outside gun stores across the country.  The Wall Street Journal reports that on March 16, background checks were up 300% compared with the same day last year, according to federal data shared with the National Shooting Sports Foundation.  Bottom line, Americans want their guns.

JPFO: NJ, CA Gun-store Closures Only a Symptom.  The Jews For The Preservation of Firearms Ownership organization just released the following opinion piece outlining the dangers of recent political power-moves by anti-gun politicians and their ilk.  While a bit over-the-top, it definitely outlines some great points, and showcases many of the reasons Americans should remain vigilant defending their rights.

NASGW Reports Massive Growth in Ammunition Sales.  As we pass the 15-day mark, in the U.S.'s Flattening the COVID-19 Curve timeline, the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW) SCOPE data platform reports another record week in firearms and ammunition shipments.  Ammunition sales nearly doubled for the week ending March 21.  When we look at year-to-date (YTD) numbers for 2020, ammunition sales are up 49% compared to the three-year average (3YR AVG), and 188% and the week-over-week, growing from $9.9m to $18.6m.

Gun Sales Skyrocket in March — Retailers Record 2.5 MILLION Sales - A New US Record!  Americans may have lost their right to religion and assembly this past month.  But they still have their Second Amendment.  Gun sales exploded in March as the government pushed forced lockdowns on the American public.  Gun retailers recorded 2.5 million sales in March — a new record!

This is why you have a gun:
Coronavirus Clobbers Cops and Suddenly Second is First Fallback.  Reports are surfacing in several jurisdictions about the number of police officers testing positive for Coronavirus, underscoring the importance of the Second Amendment among people who might have been indifferent about the right to keep and bear arms... until now.  Over the weekend, TIME magazine reported that "about 700 New Jersey police officers have tested positive for the coronavirus."  Acting State Police Supt.  Col. Patrick Callahan said more than 700 officers have been quarantined at home.

L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva Says Gun Dealers Are 'Nonessential.' The Department of Homeland Security Disagrees.  The National Rifle Association (NRA) has joined other gun rights groups in challenging COVID-19 control measures that ban the sale of firearms.  In a federal lawsuit filed on Friday [3/27/2020], the NRA argues that California Gov. Gavin Newsom's March 19 business closure order, which Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has interpreted as covering gun dealers, violates the Second Amendment and the right to due process.  Villanueva's interpretation is not only constitutionally questionable but seemingly untenable in light of new guidance from the federal Department of Homeland Security.  In an advisory issued on Saturday, the department added firearm retailers to its definition of the "essential critical infrastructure workforce."  The order by Newsom (D) specifically exempted "federal critical infrastructure sectors."

Trump Administration Rules Gun Shops Are 'Essential' Businesses During Coronavirus Closures.  The Trump administration has ruled that gun shops are considered "essential" businesses that should remain open as other businesses are closed to try to stop the spread of coronavirus.  Gun control groups are balking, calling it a policy that puts profits over public health after intense lobbying by the firearms industry.  In the past several weeks, various states and municipalities have offered different interpretations of whether gun stores should be allowed to remain open as Americans stay at home to avoid spreading the virus.  In Los Angeles, for example, County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has twice ordered gun shops in his territory to close, leading to legal challenges from gun rights advocates.  After days of lobbying by the National Rifle Association, the National Shooting Sports Foundation and other gun groups, the Department of Homeland Security this past weekend issued an advisory declaring that firearms dealers should be considered essential services — just like grocery stores, pharmacies and hospitals — and allowed to remain open.  The agency said its ruling was not a mandate but merely guidance for cities, towns and states as they weigh how to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Trump Declares Second Amendment Essential.  Among the many illogical things that liberals have tried to include in bills and policies dealing with the Chinese Wuhan Virus pandemic is to try to repeal our gun rights under the Second Amendment to the Constitution.  Various jurisdictions have decided that places like gun shops and firing ranges are "non-essential" businesses even as make our communities more dangerous by releasing criminals early and ordering police to ignore certain crimes in the name of fighting the pandemic.  Self-defense in a time of social unrest and economic uncertainty is considered unnecessary, as if criminals are going to "social distance" themselves from their victims.  Liberals, however, prattle on about abortion being a constitutional right even though it is mentioned nowhere in the Constitution.  The right to keep and bear arms is mentioned in the Constitution, but those who say abortion is essential say gun ownership is not. [...] Close the gun shops but keep the abortion clinics open is the logic of the liberal mind.

N.J. Gov. Phil Murphy defends keeping armed guards while closing gun shops: 'It is what it is'.  The National Rifle Association has dubbed New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy "freedom-hating" after he defended keeping his armed guards despite closing gun stores as "nonessential" businesses due to the coronavirus pandemic.  The NRA highlighted a moment from Mr. Murphy's press conference Wednesday when he was confronted by a man who pointed out that the Democratic governor still enjoys Second Amendment protection while many New Jersey residents no longer can.

Dem Rep. Thompson:  I Don't Think Gun Stores Are 'Necessary Businesses'.  On Saturday's broadcast of MSNBC's "AM Joy," Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) called for Mississippi to do "something similar" to the lockdown that South Korea did for "gun shops and a lot of other places, not the necessary businesses that we need to have open."  Thompson said, "If you look at what South Korea did, they did a wonderful job at getting their hands around it, but what the leadership in that country did was they locked down the country so that people could not move around.  And so, what we're going to have to do here in Mississippi is something similar, but gun shops and a lot of other places, not the necessary businesses that we need to have open."

Trump Admin Names Gun Makers, Retailers Essential Businesses Nationwide.  President Trump's Department of Homeland Security released updated guidelines naming gun manufacturers and retailers as essential on Saturday, which means they are to stay open and operational nationwide during a Chinese coronavirus shutdown. [...] The Second Amendment Foundation's Alan Gottlieb commented on the DHS declaration, saying, "Every freedom loving American owes President Trump and his administration a very big thank you for protecting our Second Amendment Rights.  This is another Trump promise made and promise kept."  The DHS declaration comes just days after Governor Phil Murphy (D) laughed in the face of a man who expressed concern that the statewide shutdown in New Jersey had put an end to gun sales, thereby eliminating the ability to get a firearm for self-defense.

NRA Sues California Officials for Closing Gun Stores Amid Virus.  The National Rifle Association accused California's governor and the sheriff of Los Angeles County in a lawsuit of taking away constitutional rights to firearms by shutting gun stores during the coronavirus outbreak.  "The circumstances posed by the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak are noteworthy, but do not excuse unlawful government infringements upon freedom," the NRA said in a complaint it filed Friday in Los Angeles federal court along with two individuals, a retail shop and three other firearms advocacy groups.  Guns have been flying off store shelves in recent weeks in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic even as states are divided over whether gun stores should stay open like pharmacies and gas stations, according to a recent New York Times report.  Ohio, Illinois and Michigan have deemed firearms retailers "essential," while New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts have not, the Times reported.  New Jersey was sued this week for closing stores.

Delaware Governor Changes Shutdown Order:  Gun Stores Can Remain Open.  Delaware Governor John Carney (D) changed his statewide shutdown order Thursday, recognizing gun stores as "essential" and allowing them to remain open.  WBOC reports that Carney's original order, released Sunday, had gun stores listed as "non-essential," and therefore under instruction to remain closed until May 15.  Some gun stores throughout the state defied Carney, remaining open Monday thru Thursday of this week.  As a result, three gun stores in New Castle alone had been served with "cease and desist letters and closed down."  Delaware State Sportsmen's Association's Jeff Hague reacted to the determination of gun store owners, saying, "If people believe that you have the right to keep and bear arms, if you closed all the gun stores and not allow anybody to purchase a firearm you're infringing on that constitutional right."

L.A. Sheriff Reverses Decision To Close Gun Stores.  Far-left Los Angeles Sheriff Alex Villanueva has reversed his decision to force gun stores to close.  Villanueva initially classified gun stores as "non-essential businesses" and warned they would face legal consequences if they didn't follow the county's order to shut down for mandatory coronavirus quarantine.  But now after facing intense legal pressure for county lawyers, he has reversed his decision and will allow them to remain open.

Watch LA Mayor Announce Spy Program to Threaten Open Businesses During COVID-19 Scare.  Up the freeway in LA County, people there are currently in a state of confusion about what is an essential business and what's not.  The Los Angeles County Sheriff singlehandedly decided this week that he would start shutting down all gun stores because he didn't trust new gun owners.  No, really, that was his reason.  Besides getting blowback from Second Amendment supporters, he got word from the county's counsel that gun stores were never listed as "non-essential," so the sheriff backed off.  For now.  If all this isn't Orwellian enough for you, the Los Angeles mayor, Eric Garcetti, is now openly threatening businesses open during the COVID-19 scare with what is tantamount to a spy program.  Things are getting downright weird.

Meet the lawmakers who didn't stick to their parties' position on guns.  With the help of eight Republicans, the Democratically-controlled House on Wednesday passed new gun safety legislation that would expand background checks.  And while the legislation isn't likely to go anywhere in the Senate, it was a top priority for many new Democratic members who came to power last fall by making gun safety a salient campaign issue.  An overwhelming majority of Americans support universal background checks.  The eight Republicans who crossed the aisle to support the legislation were:  Reps.  Vern Buchanan, Mario Diaz-Balart and Brian Mast of Florida, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Will Hurd of Texas, Peter T. King of New York, Christopher H. Smith of New Jersey and Fred Upton of Michigan.  King has long been the lead Republican co-sponsor of the measure.

LA County Sheriff Orders Closure of Gun Stores, Releases 1,700 Inmates.  Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has released 1,700 inmates from county facilities and is ordering gun stores in the county closed.  Fox 11 reports the gun store closures are part of the coronavirus stay-at-home order while the release of the inmates is an attempt to slow the spread of the virus in county facilities.

Gov. Gavin Newsom says state won't issue guidance on whether gun stores are essential businesses.  California Gov. Gavin Newsom will not offer official guidance on whether gun stores can be classified as essential businesses and remain open during the state's shelter-in-place order.  Newsom was asked about the issue after Los Angeles County reversed course on a move to close gun stores amid the spread of coronavirus in the region and the county's shelter-in-place order.  L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva initially ordered the closing of gun stores, but legal counsel for the county determined gun stores are essential businesses and must remain open.  Villanueva then rescinded the order.

LA Sheriff Suspends Efforts To Close Gun Stores.  Confusion swirled as the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Tuesday temporarily suspended its efforts to close gun stores during the coronavirus outbreak.  The decision was made as the county counsel's office works to clarify whether gun stores are considered essential businesses under California Gov. Gavin Newsom's statewide order, a sheriff's spokesperson confirmed to CBS2 Tuesday night [3/24/2020].

LA County Sheriff halts efforts to close gun stores after county counsel intervention.  The Los Angeles County Sheriff told FOX 11 on Tuesday night that enforcement efforts to close down local gun stores have been suspended after intervention from the county's legal counsel.  Sheriff Alex Villanueva told FOX 11 reporter Bill Melugin that county counsel Mary Wickham issued an opinion that gun stores can be classified as essential businesses under the Governor's statewide executive order.  Sheriff Villanueva everything is now in "limbo", and added he reached out to the Governor's office to get clarification on how gun stores should be classified, but never got a response.

'Unprecedented': N.C. Sheriff Suspends New Pistol Permits Due to '250 Percent Increase in Demand'.  Wake County, N.C. Sheriff Gerald Baker said Tuesday [3/24/2020] that he was suspending applications for pistols and concealed carry firearms until April 30 after seeing a "250 percent increase in demand" for permits since the coronavirus pandemic.  Baker explained in a news release that the decision is to manage the backlog of 755 new permit applications, which averaged 290 per day last week — more than three times the roughly 90 applications per day during the same time period last year.  According to North Carolina state law, sheriff's offices must inform pistol permit applicants whether their permit is granted within 14 days.  But with the sharp increase, the office needs time to be able to handle the applications to comply with state law.

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Greenlights Mandatory Gun Store Closures.  The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Sunday night denied an emergency request that would have blocked a gubernatorial order mandating the closure of gun retailers in response to the novel coronavirus.  The order to shut down gun stores was part of a larger plan set forth by the state's Democratic governor, Tom Wolf, mandating the closure of businesses not deemed "life-sustaining."  Gun-rights advocates asked the state's Supreme Court to block the order as it applied to gun retailers, but the seven-member court denied the request.

Pennsylvania supreme court approves mandatory closure of all gun stores in state.  If you live in Pennsylvania and are worried about Captain Trips, er... I mean the coronavirus leading to hoards of looters heading for your homes, I hope you stocked up on ammunition and purchased all the firearms you expect to need in advance.  Governor Tom Wolf recently imposed his own version of a stay at home, shelter in place order and it included the mandatory closure of nonessential businesses.  And he specifically determined that gun stores are "nonessential" during these trying times.  The decision was challenged in court, but now the state supreme court has weighed in and said that mandatory closure order can go forward.

Butter, Not Guns:  New Jersey Suspends Second Amendment; Gets Sued.  Firearm ownership may be guaranteed under our Constitution by the Second Amendment.  But it's secondary at best to the New Jersey officials who've closed down gun stores during our Wuhan flu panic, calling them non-essential.  Now two Garden State officials — who some would say are non-essential themselves — are being sued for trampling constitutional rights.  "The case was filed by the Second Amendment Foundation and the New Jersey Second Amendment Society on behalf of Robert Kashinsky and Legend Firearms, a gun shop in the state," reports WND.com.  "Defendants are Gov. Philip D. Murphy and State Police Supt. Patrick J. Callahan."  "'Gov. Murphy cannot simply suspend the Second Amendment, and neither can Supt. Callahan,' said SAF founder Alan M. Gottlieb," WND continues.  "Yet, under this emergency order, that's exactly what they're doing.  The Constitution, and federal law, don't allow that.  New Jersey may have been the first state to ratify the Bill of Rights, but they're the last state to recognize it."

NJ Gun Store Now Offering Home Delivery Of Ammunition.  A New Jersey gun store owner is now offering home delivery of ammunition to legal gun owners in the state, after Gov. Phil Murphy declared that gun stores and ranges must close, ending sales but not demand for firearms and ammunition.  Derek Pitera, the owner of SC Arms in Spotswood, New Jersey, said the governor's order will "put a hurt" on his business, and he was looking for a way to keep some generating some cash while supporting people's rights to keep and bear arms as well when he stumbled on to the idea.

Are gun stores essential during a pandemic?  Invariably, when Americans feel threatened at an existential level, they buy weapons.  That's because existential threats prove the truth in the saying that, when seconds count, the police are minutes away.  Americans are currently worried that coronavirus will leave America's normal infrastructure in tatters.  Just a few days ago, USA Today reported on that fear and how it's driving gun sales: [...] At the same time that ordinary Americans want to exercise their Second Amendment rights, government officials in traditionally Democrat enclaves are trying to prevent people from doing so.  In mid-March, Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen, of Champaign Illinois, signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency, despite the absence of any coronavirus cases in Champaign.  With the order is in place, Feinen has arrogated to herself the ability to ban gun sales.

Democrats won't return to normal.  Joe Biden now supports gun confiscation, having previously limited himself to banning rifles, calling them assault weapons.  He named Beto O'Rourke to head his gun control efforts, after Beto came out in favor of a mandatory gun buyback.  (Buyback is Orwellian.  The government never sold you the gun.)  But that is not all.  Biden wants to make gun manufacturers targets of class-action lawsuits by repealing the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (which Biden opposed) which protected gun companies from being held liable for every shooting in America. [...] Democrats target guns because their voters largely do not own them.  City dwellers are not hunters.  Meanwhile, ghettos in many cities have become shooting galleries.

5 Big Government, America-Destroying Schemes Democrats are Proposing During COVID-19 Crisis.  Here are just five, America-destroying proposals that we would never seriously consider but are now floated as serious policy proposals during this crisis. [...] [#3] Gun Ban:  Not one instance of COVID-19 had appeared in Champaign, IL, but that didn't stop Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen from declaring a coronavirus emergency allowing her to ban the sale of guns.  The executive order gave the mayor tons of other extra-constitutional powers but the gun ban got a ton of attention.  It's ironic considering that one thing many Americans are thankful for as basic needs in our society become rationed and stretched thin is our ability to protect ourselves, our property and our families.  Even in liberal Los Angeles, CA, we saw lines out the door and around the block at the few gun stores that still exist in that state's already-restrictive anti-gun atmosphere.

New Orleans Mayor Issues Order Permitting Gun Sale Ban.  I still remember watching the news footage from New Orleans in the days following Hurricane Katrina.  The Big Easy got hammered, but then the dikes broke and there were even more problems.  Among the issues was the lawlessness being reported throughout the city.  An already violent city became even more violent as people battled for whatever reasons they could come up with.  Yet through it all, the one image that has remained burned in my mind was an older woman speaking with police.  They wanted to evacuate her but she didn't want to go.  After all, she had plenty of food, as she pointed out, and she even had a handgun for self-defense.  That was when law enforcement essentially body-slammed her and took the revolver she was using to protect herself from the ravening hordes supposedly roaming the streets.  In the aftermath, many states started passing laws to specifically prevent gun confiscation in the aftermath of a disaster.  Now, the current mayor of New Orleans has gifted herself with the power to suspend the Second Amendment in a slightly different way.

Gun Sales Surging as Citizens React to Possibility of Civil Unrest over Coronavirus.  The Los Angeles Times reports that gun stores are one aspect of the economy seeing a surge in business as Californians react to coronavirus news.  According to the LA Times, the line of customers at the Martin B. Retting Gun Shop in Culver City stretched out the front door and around the block on Saturday.  Many of those in line waited five hours for their opportunity to buy a gun.

It's not just toilet paper:  People line up to buy guns, ammo over coronavirus concerns.  Ralph Charette, 71, said he bought a rifle and ammunition on Saturday to protect himself and his family as a wave of coronavirus panic sweeps across the country.  Charette, a military veteran, spent $1,500 at a gun shop in Germantown, Wisconsin, after encountering aggressive shoppers and empty shelves at local grocery stores.  Now, if looters come knocking, he'll be ready, he said.  "There's so much uncertainty and paranoia but you've got to protect your own," Charette said.

Connecticut gun-control law prompts Second Amendment lawsuit.  Gun rights supporters are suing Connecticut officials over part of a 2013 state gun control law passed after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, saying it unconstitutionally bans people from loading more than 10 rounds of ammunition into their firearms.  The lawsuit filed Tuesday [3/10/2020] in U.S. District Court cites the Second Amendment right to bear arms and the ability of people to better defend themselves with more bullets in their guns.

Joe Biden's New Campaign Manager Has Advocated For Gun Confiscation.  Joe Biden has just named the former Beto O'Rourke campaign manager as his new campaign manager.  Do you remember before Beto dropped out, he started making some wildly radical claims about guns and gun confisctation?  This woman was Beto's manager at the time and she shares some of those views.

Joe Biden Is Ignorant And Dishonest About Guns, Just Like The Media.  Set aside Joe Biden's weirdly aggressive response to the Detroit auto plant worker who challenged him on gun control policy at a campaign stop yesterday [3/10/2020] — [...] and consider instead how the blue-check media exulted in it.  Instead of noting how Biden distorted his record, or that he was factually wrong on almost every particular about guns, pundits and reporters focused on the optics, on how great it was that Biden stood up to a random voter who dared to question him.

Two 10 Year Old Boys Arrested On Felonies For Playing With Toy Guns in Colorado.  A couple of 10 year old boys were doing what 10 year old boys do, playing battle with some toy guns.  Then someone called the police on them, and next thing the boys knew, they were being tossed into the back of police cars in handcuffs.

Bloomberg Tries to Defend Using Armed Guards While Pushing Gun Control.  An attendee at the March 2, 2020, Fox News town hall asked Mike Bloomberg why he pushes gun control for the common man but surrounds himself with armed security.  The attendee said, "You have an armed security detail that is likely equipped with the same firearms and magazines you seek to ban the common citizen from owning.  Does your life matter more than mine or my family's?"  Bloomberg responded by admitting to having an armed detail, and suggesting he needs armed protection because he gets more threats than the common man.

The Editor says...
How does Mr. Bloomberg know how many threats the "common man" encounters?

Joe Biden Declares Beto O'Rourke To Lead Biden's Anti-Gun Agenda.  Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden embraced far-left anti-gun extremist Robert Francis O'Rourke during a rally on Monday night in Texas, declaring that the failed Senate and presidential candidate was going to lead Biden's anti-Second Amendment efforts.  "I wanna make something clear, I'm going to guarantee you this is not the last you've seen of [O'Rourke]," Biden told the audience.  "You're going to take care of the gun problem with me.  You're going to be the one who leads this effort."

Nebraska: Infringements on Right to Arms Defeated for 2020.  On 21 February, 2020, hundreds of Second Amendment supporters showed up at the Nebraska legislature to exercise their First and Second Amendment rights.  They were there to stop proposed infringements on the right to keep and bear arms.  They were successful.

NM Gov Signs Red Flag Law Tells Opposing Sheriffs to Resign.  New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the state's Red Flag law after it passed the House and Senate in New Mexico by slim margins (House vote 39-31, Senate vote 22-20).  After she signed the bill the NM Governor told the twenty-nine sheriffs who opposed the red flag law to resign.

Assault Rifle Bans Turn Lawful Gun Owners Into Felons Overnight.  On January 20, 2020, the nation turned towards Virginia as a massive Second Amendment rally took place in Richmond.  Why did this "Right to Bear Arms" rally occur?  Because Virginians were afraid of an aggressive legislative agenda aimed at gun ownership in a historically pro-Second Amendment state.  The gun grab legislation that fueled the pushback was proposed on January 10, when House Bill 961 passed with a 51-48 vote.  This dubious legislation, in short, would have prohibited the sale, transportation, and transferring of newly defined "assault firearms."  The ill-fated bill also would have banned magazines with a capacity of 12 or more rounds, suppressors, and other elements — restrictions that are anathema to many residents of Virginia.

Mike Bloomberg, mini-tyrant.  Mike Bloomberg's not a big fan of everybody having guns.  Gee, Mike, neither is anybody else.  Felons, the insane, the blind, and little kids ought never have guns.  And nobody I know of has ever advocated that they should.  That's not whom Mike has in mind.  He means people such as myself, a retired teacher, or my erstwhile neighbor, who owns a cartage service, or the owner of the quick stop store on the corner.  Mike thinks we're dangerous and ought not to have guns for defense against the predators in our midst.  That's as opposed to important peeps like Mike.  He perhaps doesn't carry or even own a gun, but then he can pay others to keep him safe with their guns.  Why he trusts them but doesn't trust me remains a mystery.

Joe Biden to Gun Manufacturers: 'I'm Going to Take You Down'.  During a Monday night [2/24/2020] speech in South Carolina, Democrat presidential hopeful Joe Biden referenced gun manufacturers and said, "I'm going to take you down."  He made this statement after referencing the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (2005).  The PLCAA is designed to shield gun manufacturers from lawsuits in scenarios where the guns in question were legally made and legally sold.

Michael Bloomberg: 'I'm Not a Big Fan of Everybody Having Guns.  Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a 2020 Democratic Party presidential hopeful, said Sunday [2/23/2020] on MSNBC's "PoliticsNation" that he was not a fan of everyone having a gun.  Bloomberg said, "The whole issue of getting guns off the streets, I've fought the NRA tooth and nail, and I continue to do that, and we have this organization of 6 million people, Every Town it's called or Mom's Demand Action around the country to get good laws, background checks, so you don't sell guns to minors, people with psychiatric problems or people with criminal records.  They shouldn't be able to buy a gun.  I'm not a big fan of everybody having guns.  But The Second Amendment gives you the right.  I can't do anything about that."

Bloomberg's other campaign in Texas.  On Super Tuesday, Michael Bloomberg will probably come in third in the Texas primary.  He will lose to Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden.  Bloomberg is doing something else in Texas:  spending money on gun control. [...] Texas is not the super-red state of yesterday, but I don't see any evidence that Democrats in Texas want to give up their guns.

Biden Vows to 'get those clips that have multiple bullets in them not for sale'.  At a CNN townhall on Thursday, former Vice President Joe Biden promised an all-out assault on our Second Amendment rights.  He told voters that on day one, he will "seek to end gun manufacturers' exemption from civil liability for gun violence."  Surrounded by people who have lost family members to gun violence, Biden said, "It is so long past time that we correct one of the most egregious special interest giveaways the United States Congress has ever engaged in — the civil liability protections granted to gun manufacturers against being sued by the victims of gun violence."  He believes this is "just flat out immoral."  Additionally, Biden vowed to ban assault weapons and to "get those clips that have multiple bullets in them not for sale."  In other words, he will have magazines banned.

Violent students attack a young 2nd Amendment defender at Ohio University.  Kaitlin Bennett made a name for herself the day after she graduated from Kent State University in 1998 when she took a photo of herself holding an AR-10 in front of the Kent State sign.  She did so as a way of protesting the fact that during her years as a student there, campus policies kept her disarmed.  After graduating, Bennett went to work at Liberty Hangout.  As part of her work, Bennett interviews students on college campuses.  On Monday, she and Joel Patrick traveled to Ohio University, a public university in Athens, Ohio, to conduct interviews there.  Within minutes, a mob formed and quickly got violent, with the activists throwing objects and liquids at Bennett and Patrick for daring to support Trump and the Second Amendment.  Eventually, the mob tried to smash their way into the truck in which the two young people and their crew were traveling.

Bloomberg's AR-15 Ban Rejected in Virginia.  It was supposed to be the best state government money could buy, bought and paid for by Mike Bloomberg's Everytown for Gun Safety for the purpose of overturning the Second Amendment's right to keep and bear arms in Patrick Henry's Virginia.  Bloomberg overwhelmed the NRA in spending during the Virginia state election campaign.

Four Virginia Democrats Hand Gun-Control Advocates a Bitter Disappointment.  The Virginia State Senate Judiciary Committee sank the hopes of Governor Ralph Northam's bill to expand the definition of "assault weapons," in a bit of a surprise.  Earlier this month, the narrowly divided Virginia House of Delegates passed the bill, 51-48.  Democrats in the Senate were less enthusiastic, and Monday morning, Committee chairman John Edwards, Democrats Chap Petersen, Creigh Deeds, Scott Surovell, and all committee Republicans voted to send the bill to the Virginia Crime Commission for further study, meaning it will not be passed in this session.

Dems lose assault-weapons ban vote in Virginia.  An epic faceplant by Virginia Democrats and Ralph Northam, who assumed that a narrow majority meant a mandate for progressive politics.  After the state House passed an assault-weapons ban last week, the centerpiece of Northam's agenda for this legislative year, the state Senate was expected to follow suit.  Instead, four Democrats defected and killed the bill for at least this year.

Florida's "red flag" law has led to massive gun confiscation numbers.  Florida enacted its red flag law in the spring of 2018 and they didn't lose any time in putting it to use.  And I mean a lot of use.  But as this report from the Associated Press indicates, use of the law is not consistent from county to county and there are serious questions remaining as to how fairly it's being applied.

Virginia Senate rejects 'assault weapon' ban.  Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam's push to ban the sale of assault weapons has failed after members of his own party balked at the proposal.  Senators voted to shelve the bill for the year and ask the state crime commission to study the issue, an outcome that drew cheers from a committee room packed with gun advocates.

The Right To Keep & Bear Arms Is Non-Negotiable.  As attacks continue upon our rights as Americans to keep and bear arms, it looks as if virtually no representatives, save a handful, are willing stand against those attacks and remove from office those doing the attacking.  We have a rich history of keeping and bearing arms in this country and when it comes to this particular right, it is not up for debate; it is non-negotiable.  [Video clip]

Government seizes veteran's guns in red flag law mix-up.  Meet Jon Carpenter, a military veteran, sports fishermen and law-abiding gun owner from St.  Cloud whose firearms license was suspended after the state mixed him up with another, less-congenial Jon Carpenter who'd reportedly threatened an elderly couple.  "He's 110 pounds.  I'm 200.  He has brown eyes.  I have hazel.  He has black hair.  I have no hair," Carpenter said to local station WTVT, comparing himself to his namefellow.  Yet the state of Florida was apparently unable to distinguish the two from each other.

Biden accuses Sanders of not being enough of a gun grabber.  Things are getting testy out in Nevada as we crash headlong toward caucus day.  And with Joe Biden seeing his previous lead in the polls slipping away to Bernie Sanders, he has to find a way to draw a distinction and deflate some of the Democratic Socialist's momentum.  That means breaking out the oppo folder and finding some of Bernie's old votes to throw in his face.  This weekend Uncle Joe reached all the way back to 2005 when Sanders was still in the House of Representatives, bringing up his vote in favor of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA).  That's the law that protects firearms manufacturers from frivolous lawsuits.

What Left-Wing Educators Don't Teach During 'Black History Month'.  Apart from the bizarre notion that educators should set aside one month to salute the historical achievements of one race apart from and above the historical achievements of other races, Black History Month appears to omit a lot of black history. [...] Are students taught that gun control, widely embraced by today's black leadership, began as a means to deny free blacks the right to own guns?  In ruling that blacks were chattel property in the Dred Scott case, Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Taney warned of that the consequences of ruling otherwise would mean that blacks would be able to own guns.  If blacks were "entitled to the privileges and immunities of citizens," said Taney, "it would give persons of the Negro race, who were recognized as citizens in any one state of the union, the right ... to keep and carry arms wherever they went ... endangering the peace and safety of the state."

Democrats in VA and AZ issue a warning:  "We will oppress you if you elect us!"  They're coming for you next:  Much has been made of the onerousness gun control laws passed by the Democrats in the Virginia state legislature this past week.  When it became clear that the Democrats were going to pass such laws, having gained control of both the legislature and the governorship, 95 counties and cities in the state made it publicly clear they would not enforce these laws, announcing that they were now second amendment sanctuary counties.  Then, more than 22,000 Virginians gathered in protest at the statehouse, peacefully but forcefully declaring their opposition to these proposed laws.  None of that mattered to the modern Democrats now in charge in Virginia.  They passed the laws, one of which gives the state "the authority to confiscate certain types of magazines that are considered 'high capacity.'"  I don't know how they think they will enforce that confiscation right, but since they think it appropriate and just, don't be surprised if they impose new laws to strengthen their ability to do so, including the right to do house-to-house searches.

Siri is Now Refusing to Say the Word "Gun".  Apple's Siri voice assistant is now apparently refusing to say the word "gun" when used on an iPad.  Tracy Connors tweeted a video of herself attempting to have Siri read out a Daily Caller headline entitled 'Virginia House of Delegates Passes Gun Ban, Seizure Bill'.  Instead of saying the word 'gun', Siri spelled out the letters G-U-N.

Virginia House Approves Assault Weapons' Ban.  Virginia lawmakers on Tuesday narrowly passed legislation that would redefine "assault firearms" and ban their sale and transfer in the U.S. state as Democrats continue to advocate for a series of gun control measures, Fox News reports.  House Bill 961 expands the definition of an assault weapon and bans anyone from purchasing or selling certain semi-automatic firearms, including AR-15 style rifles.  The vote was close, with a tally of 51-48, The Wall Street Journal reported.  State Democrats currently control 55 seats in the chamber.

VA Prosecutors Drop Mask-Wearing Charge Against Lobby Day Attendee.  The January 20th Lobby Day and rally that brought tens of thousands of Virginians to the state capitol in Richmond was a peaceful show of support for the Second Amendment and opposition to Gov. Ralph Northam's gun control agenda.  There was only one arrest that day, and it wasn't for anything violent.  21-year old Mikaela E. Beschler was arrested after police said she refused to remove a bandanna that was over the lower part of her face, but now prosecutors in Richmond are dropping the charges.

Second Amendment Sanctuaries, Preservation Actions, And State Compact.  Mississippi House Bill 753 involves an authorization to enter into a compact of southern states for the purpose of being a second amendment sanctuary.  The language is strong, and the other states listed in the bill are Tennessee, West Virginia, Georgia, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, Kentucky and Oklahoma.  Whether they have been in contact with these states isn't stated.  If the language is actually enforced, it means something.  It isn't toothless.

VA House Passes Northam's Gun Ban Bill In 51-48 Vote.  The Virginia House of Delegates approved HB961 Tuesday afternoon, sending the gun, magazine, suppressor, and trigger activator ban to the state Senate on a narrow 51-48 vote.  There was bipartisan opposition to the bill, with several Democrats voting against the proposal, but only Democrats supported the gun ban measure.  The bill was modified on the House floor in order to bring more Democrats on board.  The original provision making it a felony to possess a magazine that can accept more than 12-rounds of ammunition was amended to make possession a misdemeanor offense.  This doesn't make sense if you truly believe that possessing this magazines is tantamount to possessing a weapon of war, but if you're a Democrat who's looking at this from a political angle, not public safety, it's just another bargaining chip that can be used to deliver a few more votes.

Virginia House Dems Pass 'Assault Weapons' Ban, Magazine Confiscation.  Virginia house Democrats passed a bill on Tuesday banning the sale of "assault weapons" and calling for the confiscation of magazines capable of holding more than 12 rounds.  The bill would outlaw new sales of some of the country's most popular firearms, including the AR-15.  It would also make possession of ammunition magazines capable of holding more than 12 rounds punishable by up to one year in prison even if the magazines were legally purchased.  The bill, known as HB961, passed the House of Delegates by a vote of 51 to 48 with all Republicans and several Democrats voicing opposition.  It is the most controversial measure Democratic lawmakers and Governor Ralph Northam (D.) have advanced since taking control of both houses of the state legislature in November.  If signed into law, it would be among the strictest bans in the country.

Virginia House approves 'assault weapons' ban.  Virginia lawmakers narrowly passed a proposed measure to ban the sale of assault-style weapons Tuesday as Democrats continue to advocate for a series of gun control measures in what has become the epicenter of the nationwide gun debate.  The 51-48 vote in the House of Delegates moves H.B. 961 to the state Senate.  Passage among senators could be in jeopardy as Democrats only have a two-seat majority, meaning they can only afford to lose one vote should all the Republicans oppose the bill.  "This legislation, just like other bills passed by the House this year, is intended to make Virginians safer every day," House Democrats said in a statement after the vote.

'You just made me a felon!' Angry crowd removed by security after Va.  House committee passes weapons ban.  On Tuesday, the Democrat-controlled Virginia House of Delegates will reportedly hold the final reading of a controversial weapons-ban bill and go straight to a floor vote on it, trying to rush the bill through after it was passed by a House committee on Friday, 7 February.  The bill, House Bill 961, will ban "many commonly-owned semi-automatic firearms, suppressors, and standard capacity magazines."  The language of the bill bans magazines that hold more than 10 rounds.  As the NRA website indicates, "the committee amended the bill to allow citizens to keep currently owned firearms and suppressors" — but the bill apparently still requires anyone who intends to retain ownership to get a permit for the weapon under the terms of the new law.  No one will be able to make a new purchase of what the bill calls an "assault weapon" once the law is in force.  The state police will keep records of all ownership permits; the NRA is correct that confiscation is still the end goal.

Joe Biden Believes in 'Rational' Gun Policy — Like Not Having '50 Clips in a Weapon'.  You know what kind of gun policy is super boss?  The rational kind.  Thankfully, that's exactly what Joe Biden's serving up.  The 2020 hopeful explained on Sunday that a "rational policy" means y'all can't have "50 clips in a weapon."  Got that?  You know how you've been stuffing 50 clips into your rifle?  Well it's rationally time you stopped.

Virginia Democrats are very good for Virginia gun sales.  On Friday, the Democrats in the Virginia legislature took the first step toward a sweeping gun ban and confiscation scheme that they plan to put into effect on July 1st.  The House Public Safety Committee approved a ban on AK-47s and AR-15 style rifles, as well as all suppressors and magazines holding 12 rounds or more.  There was a last-minute concession made to allow rifle owners to grandfather their weapons legally purchased before the ban goes into effect.  There is no such grandfather clause for magazines or suppressors.  Everyone saw this coming once the last election ended and these moves have produced a predictable effect.  Gun sales are skyrocketing in Virginia and are anticipated to continue at a brisk pace until the ban hits.

Trump's Presidency Reveals 7 Undeniable Facts About The Swamp.  [#4] The Swamp desires to disarm the American Public. [...] The Swamp seeks power over justice with certain fanaticism.  In so doing, the Swamp Rats utilize deception, illusions, and political chicanery.  Then what, you may ask, stands in the way of their ultimate goal of global tyranny?  One way to address that question would be to consider what has stalled their nefarious plans for America during the past two centuries.  The answer, so far, has been the United States Constitution.  Although it's been badly twisted and bent into its current shape, it has not yet been entirely broken.  And why is that?  Because the Second Amendment has, by and large, secured constitutional liberties against would-be tyrants and their encroaching totalitarianism.  So far.  But know this:  The wolves are in the house.

Below the Radar:  The Gun Theft Prevention Act.  The old saying "actions speak louder than words" is one that Second Amendment supporters should keep in mind.  As Maryland Governor Larry Hogan showed, it's easy to talk a good game on the campaign trail but disappoint in office.  But it is also important to look at what a bill does and not what its title is or what some say about it.  One example is HR 2674, the Gun Theft Prevention Act.  Introduced by Representative Joseph Morelle, this law is not like the one introduced by Senator Lindsey Graham.  Just reading the release from his office shows that Morelle's legislation is supported by Bloomberg's Everytown group.  That alone is a red flag about this bill.  But let's look at what it actually does.

VEXIT: Could Some Virginia Counties Secede Over Gun Control?  The West Virginia state legislature has proposed a bill to admit some Virginia counties to the Mountain State, as Virginia threatens to limit its citizens' second amendment rights.  The resolution, which passed through the West Virginia Senate on January 13, was drafted and introduced by Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Trump, IV (R) of Morgan County.  "Providing for an election to be had, pending approval of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and a majority of qualified citizens voting upon the proposition prior to August 1, 2020, for the admission of certain counties and independent cities of the Commonwealth of Virginia to be admitted to the State of West Virginia as constituent counties, under the provisions of Article VI, Section 11 of the Constitution of West Virginia," the bill begins.

WOW, Virginia Citizens Peacefully Voicing Opposition To New Gun Ban Are Threatened To Be Arrested, Forced To Leave.  [Video clip]

Michael Bloomberg: "it's the job of law enforcement to have guns and to decide when to shoot," not the "average citizen".  After the West Freeway Church of Christ shooting near Fort Worth, where concealed handgun permit holders stopped a mass public shooting, Michael Bloomberg warned that the average citizen shouldn't be carrying guns.

Gun control?  Don't sell your rights.  Make no mistake:  Big Mike (Mini Mike?) is coming for our guns.  He might just buy the White House or the Democratic Party and then start passing laws that ignore the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.  Everything has a price. [...] So let's talk about good gun control.  Mike plows a ton of money into politics in Virginia and manages to get a Democrat governor and both chambers of the Legislature.  Nothing to stop them now — they pile on the gun control laws.  Some 20,000 to 22,000 protesters rally at the capital.  Of these, perhaps 6,000 were not armed.  A goodly number of protesters were armed, many with weapons visible and openly carried.  Thousands of armed people staged a rally to protect their Second Amendment rights.  There were no shots fired.  None fired on purpose.  None fired by accident.  The protesters were cordial to the police, and at the end of the day, they picked up their litter and went home.  That would come under the First Amendment, the right to assemble peacefully.  Now, that's gun control.

John Kerry Endorses Biden to Fight Against 'AR-16 with Long Clip'.  John Kerry endorsed Democrat presidential hopeful Joe Biden on Saturday [2/1/2020], praising him for being willing to do something about an "AR-16 with a long clip."  He was speaking at a Biden campaign event in North Liberty, Iowa.  Kerry began by addressing the "courage" Biden showed in pushing gun control as an elected official from Delaware.  He then transitioned into specifics — gun types, etc. — and suggested Biden is the candidate who will fight for gun control if elected to the White House.

New Mexico Sheriffs Rebel Against New Oppressive Gun Control Laws.  More and more states have passed "red flag" laws making it easier to take guns away from people who others claim to be suicidal or bent on violence against others, and courts are issuing an unprecedented number of seizure orders across the country.  The New Mexico legislature is considering such a bill along with three others.  All of them are opposed by twenty-nine out of the thirty-three county sheriffs in New Mexico.  The twenty-nine signed a public statement saying the new laws would not be effective.

Almost 200 People Have Had Their Guns Take[n] Via NJ's New Red Flag Law.  [Scroll down]  So, they've changed the legal standard to a much, much, much lower one in order to take people's legally acquired and Constitutional property.  But, let's go back:  50% of the final orders have been denied.  So, does that mean the other 50% were frivolously filed?  That there was no real preponderance of evidence to take away people's property without due process and any real threat?  How many Citizens had to spend lots and lots of money on lawyers, and how many couldn't afford a good attorney to defend themselves in a "guilty till proven innocent" court preceding?  This is all an end run around the Constitution.

Coastal States Are in the Fight of Their Lives.  Is the Rest of America Listening?  [Scroll down]  Everyone should be terrified at the blatant stripping of constitutional rights happening right now in the west and the east.  How long before it bleeds into your state?  In Virginia, second amendment rights have been all but obliterated.  There is only one other right we have that it is more vital to a free and prosperous society and that is the very right that the second amendment was designed to protect.  If Americans allow this egregious fascism to stand for their Virginian brethren, a precedent will be set.  How long before that precedent reaches the borders of your own bubbles?  In case you have the audacity to be thinking right now, "It'll be a while" just ask yourself how long it took for the transgender revolution to infect your schools, workplaces and governance in the five years it's even been in the public discourse.

Tyrants Ignore The People's Protest — Continues Gun Confiscation Frenzy With 9 More Bills.  Despite a massive and peaceful turnout on the Lobby Day rally on January 20th, the Virginia State Congress remained totally unphased by what the people wanted and proceeded to advance numerous unconstitutional gun laws over the following week.  While everyone has been focused on the Wuhan coronavirus, state lawmakers have been quietly eroding gun rights.  Proving they don't care at all about the opinions of the people of Virginia, the state's Senate passed a "red flag" gun law only two days later.

Who needs Democrats?  Florida Bloomberg Republicans pass gun control out of legislative committee.  In case you thought Democrat control of Congress was the only thing standing in the way of conservative governance, take a look at what Republicans do even when they control all three branches in the state of Florida.  Support for the Second Amendment and the understanding that criminal control, not gun control, is the key to public safety used to be universal Republican principles, dating back to the Reagan era.  Evidently, not any more, with the likes of Florida state Senator Bill Galvano.  Rather than target known criminals with tougher anti-crime laws, Florida Senate's Infrastructure and Security Committee unanimously passed SB 7028, a bill that will require private gun sales to include massive documentation, verification, and red tape.  This casts a wide net on a protected constitutional right; already-burdened gun collectors and enthusiasts are going to have to spend even more money buying and selling guns.

Virginians respond to gun control proposals by purchasing almost 74,000 firearms in December.  Gun control bills and measures have been a hot topic in the state of Virginia, and with good reason.  Democrats within Richmond have been adamant in bringing forth legislation that can be contorted to strip citizens of their second amendment rights.  As a result, citizens of the state thought it a good idea to purchase their weapons while they still could.  According to the Associated Press, December of 2019 saw an increase of 47% over the number of firearm sales when compared to December of 2018.  The tallied number of guns sold totaled out to 73,849.  The outlet reported that the increase in sales was likely "due to growing fears of increased firearms restrictions backed by Democrats who control the state government."

Six More Gun Control Measures Advancing In VA House.  With little debate and public testimony, the Virginia legislature's House Public Safety Committee approved nearly a dozen gun control bills targeting six specific areas of legal gun ownership on Friday, sending the bills to the floor of the full House for passage.  While HB 961, a sweeping gun, magazine, and suppressor ban wasn't heard in the committee, Democrats did move forward with bills that would criminalize private transfers of firearms, punish gun owners who fail to report their firearms lost or stolen, gut the state's firearms preemption law and more.  After the hearing, NRA spokesperson Catherine Mortensen said the committee "shamefully rubber-stamped the Bloomberg-Northam gun control scheme.  By blocking legislator's questions and preventing constituents from speaking, today's hearing was a disgrace to the democratic process.  Virginians deserve lawmakers who will hear testimony and conduct serious vetting of each bill — as the Senate Judiciary Committee did — before voting on measures that will strip away the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens and leave them defenseless."

Doing Damage Control After Richmond.  They wanted violence.  They wanted negligent discharges.  They wanted fights.  They wanted arrests.  They got none of that.  Now, as if Bloomberg sent out the message that this was an awful event that the enemy won, his apparatchiks are doing damage control.  That's how you know Richmond was a success.

VA Bill Would Criminalize Criticism of Governor and Associates.  It's another day, another crazy proposed bill in Virginia.  While the state has been making headlines for their assault on the Second Amendment, that's hardly the only bullet point on their agenda.  The state doesn't have much respect for the Second Amendment, and we're about to see if their attitude is the same towards the First.  Bill HB 1627 is titled "Threats and harassment of certain officials and property; venue," and was introduced by Democrat Jeffrey M. Bourne on January 16th.

The Language of Virginia's New Anti-Free Speech Legislation Is Absolutely Unbelievable.  Virginia's current Democrat governance has devolved into an absolute dumpster fire.  Last week, protestors numbering in the tens of thousands took to the streets of Richmond to oppose a slate of new gun control laws which clear violate the letter and spirit of the 2nd Amendment.  For their trouble, the mainstream media smeared them as white nationalists and violent extremists.  In the end, things were peaceful and anchors at CNN were really sad, but the point was made.  Citizens were not going to sit idly be and be subjected to unconstitutional nonsense.  As I write this, hundreds of bodies in Viriginia have passed resolutions of non-enforcement and pledged to not expend resources to help Gov. Ralph Northam (also know as "Coonman" to his racist friends) in his crusade.  With the backlash that has formed toward the state's government in the aftermath of these laws, they've decided to respond in the most insane way possible.  Namely, attempting to legislate the 1st Amendment out of existence.  No, that's not an overstatement.

Virginia Democrats Push Legislation to Make Criticism of Government Officials a Criminal Offense.  In the wake of the Virginia gun rights rally on Monday, Democrats in the Capitol are not slowing down their push for tyranny.  They are moving a bill through the legislature that would effectively criminalize dissent against Governor Blackface Northam and other state government officials.  House Bill 1627 was introduced by Delegate Jeffrey M. Bourne last week.  The legislation "provides that certain crimes relating to threats and harassment may be prosecuted in the City of Richmond if the victim is the Governor, Governor-elect, Lieutenant Governor, Lieutenant Governor-elect, Attorney General, or Attorney General-elect, a member or employee of the General Assembly, a justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia, or a judge of the Court of Appeals of Virginia."  Language in the bill explicitly criminalizes free speech, in what would constitute a blatant attack on the 1st Amendment of the Constitution.

How Not to Cover a Second Amendment Rally.  The streets near the State Capitol were already packed with thousands of gun-toting protestors by 7:00 a.m. on Monday, and tens of thousands more showed up as the day progressed. [...] At first glance, the scene appeared tense. [... But] Rather than riot in the streets, most of the protesters stood around, drank coffee, and smoked their early-morning cigarettes.  Some unfurled the flags they brought in backpacks.  The most common flags were these:  American, Virginian, Gadsden.  Others pulled out pocket Constitutions and began reciting the Second Amendment.  Still others pledged allegiance to the American flag and President Donald Trump.  The whole thing had the feel of a Tea Party rally.

Peaceful Insurgency Tips for Virginian Patriots.  Congratulations, Virginia — you overcame the terrible peril that was patriots rallying in Richmond to peacefully express your disgust with Governor Jolson Klanrobe and his legislative back-up dancers' attempt to strip you of your rights.  You came, you saw, you protested, and then you swept up.  But the fight's not over.  It's just starting.  But know this — you will win.  Let's begin with a basic principle:  You have no moral obligation to respect or obey unconstitutional actions by a government.  None.  And when a government acts outside its constitutional limits, you do not merely have the right but the sacred duty to reject and replace it.  That's the issue for patriots in Virginia.

How Far Left Will Democrats Push Virginia?  Now that the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates are controlled by Democrats for the first time in a generation, the legislature has the votes to move the state to the left, and gun control is at the top of their agenda.  One bill mandates background checks for private sales of firearms, another prohibits the purchase of more than one handgun per month, and a third allows municipalities to ban firearms from public spaces and events.  On Tuesday, a day after a large, peaceful crowd gathered outside the capitol building in Richmond, Va. to protest the bills, the state Senate took up "red-flag" legislation that would allow any attorney or law-enforcement official to apply for an emergency judicial order to "prohibit a person who poses a substantial risk of injury to himself or others from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm."

Documents: Extremist group wanted rally to start civil war.  A hidden camera captured members of a white supremacist group expressing hope that violence at a gun rights rally in Virginia this week could start a civil war, federal prosecutors said in a court filing Tuesday [1/21/2020].  Former Canadian Armed Forces reservist Patrik Jordan Mathews also videotaped himself advocating for killing people, poisoning water supplies and derailing trains, a prosecutor wrote in urging a judge in Maryland to keep Mathews and two other members of The Base detained in federal custody.  But the 27-year-old Canadian national didn't know investigators were watching and listening when he and two other group members talked about attending the Richmond rally in the days leading up to Monday's event, which attracted tens of thousands of people and ended peacefully.

The NRA Wants To Compromise In Virginia.  [Scroll down]  It's an all too familiar compromise.  Who really expected the NRA to fight on the side of liberty and God-given rights?  Really.  Answer that question.  Who among us?  But be aware, Ralph "Kill the babies and give me all your guns" Northam.  If you swagger around telling everyone that you and the NRA compromised to achieve "gun safety laws," to most of us that merely means that communists cooperated with betrayers.

VA Sheriffs show up and join VA gun rights rally.  At least one Virginia sheriff could be seen showing support for pro-gun rights activists who rallied at the Virginia Capitol building in Richmond on Monday [1/20/2020].  Grayson County Sheriff Richard Vaughan was seen voicing his opposition to new gun control measures being discussed in the Democrat controlled Virginia state legislature.  Vaughan said "If the bills go through as proposed, they will not be enforced.  They are unconstitutional."

Restaurant Owner Defends 2A: All Our Waitresses Open Carry.  "It's the safest restaurant in the country," said Lauren Boebert of Shooters Grill in Rifle, CO, a restaurant she owns and operates where all waitresses open carry a firearm.  She spoke with Breitbart News on Monday while attending a rally in support of the Second Amendment in Richmond, VA.

Pro-Gun Rally In Richmond Is Peaceful; Liberals Hardest Hit.  Today [1/20/2020] an estimated (by police) 22,000 people demonstrated at the Virginia capitol in Richmond in favor of Second Amendment rights, which are being threatened by the newly-elected Democratic majority in that state's legislature.  Liberal news outlets were hoping the rally would turn violent, and their disappointment when it didn't was palpable.

Media Fail: 2nd Amendment Rally Turns Out Peaceful, Patriotic.  The rally Monday that drew an estimated 22,000 Second Amendment supporters to the Virginia State Capitol on a frigid Martin Luther King Day was portrayed in advance by the media as a gathering of white nationalists and racists.  Democrat Gov. Ralph Northam — who, ironically, remains in office despite a humiliating blackface scandal — declared a state of emergency in anticipation, and at least one journalist said it would be a "white nationalist rally."

What I Saw At Lobby Day In Richmond.  The 2020 Lobby Day in Richmond, Virginia was an incredible success, with tens of thousands of gun owners showing up at the state capitol on a frigid Monday morning to voice their opposition to Governor Ralph Northam's gun control agenda.  I had no idea what to expect when I woke up Monday morning to head to the capitol, but I figured if we were going to have a good crowd I'd better get their early.  I left my hotel in downtown Richmond around 7 a.m. and was immediately struck by the number of people already on the streets.  By the time I reached the Pocahontas Building about a block from the capitol itself, there were already hundreds of individuals lined up to enter the building to lobby their lawmakers.  Hundreds more had already gathered on the closed-off street as well.  Everybody seemed to be in a good mood, despite the freezing cold temperatures.

Antifa Infiltrator?  Gun Rallygoers Turn on Protester Who Urges Violence.  Rallygoers at the Virginia capital pro-Second Amendment Lobby Day have been on high alert for several days leading up to the event and warning one another that infiltrators from Antifa or other anti-gun groups could be in their crowd posing as pro-gun, but stirring up trouble and violence.  An incident occurred at the Richmond rally that has some people wondering if they've just discovered one of these opposition plants.  The video below shows a thin man wearing army-style clothing and claiming to be a libertarian while encouraging someone who is speaking to "start a revolution right now" and "hop that fence and kill that guy."  [Video clip]

Virginians call for Gov. Northam's removal, thousands protest new gun control measures.  Virginians are calling for the removal of Democrat Gov. Ralph Northam after his suggested gun control policies drew huge crowds to a pro-Second Amendment rally.  The protest, which is held by the Virginia Citizens Defense League every year, was bolstered by strict gun control measures passed by the state Senate as a priority for the governor.

Democrats Say Rally Won't Impact Their Plans For Gun Control Legislation.  It's nice to see that rally day in Richmond went off without a hitch.  No infiltrators, at least, none who could really do any damage.  The best part of all of this was the lack of false flags.  Rex Tibor said in one video that this was happening, and it's time to act.  I disagreed then and I do now.  Don't get me wrong.  I sincerely appreciate the folks who could make it today.  I had initially intended to go despite my belief that it was a perfect opportunity for a false flag event.  I changed my mind when I found out about the cages.

Contrary to leftist hopes and conservative fears, the Richmond rally was peaceful.  Leftists craved the thought of violence occurring at Monday's Second Amendment in Richmond, Virginia, while Second Amendment-supporters were concerned that groups such as Antifa would use false flag operations to make trouble.  Fortunately, as Fox News reported, "[a] gun-rights rally in Richmond that brought thousands of people from across the country to protest a push by Virginia Democrats for comprehensive gun control ended peacefully without any major incidents."  The rally exposed deep fault lines in America when it comes to guns.  On the conservative side, gun rights activists note that the first shots the American revolutionaries fired, on April 19, 1775, were to prevent the British from acting on orders to seize and destroy arms and munitions hidden in Lexington and Concord.  From the start, America has been about the people's right to keep and bear arms.  After the Americans had routed the British, the Founding Fathers remained focused on the fact that the only defense against a tyrannical government is the People.

Virginia Second Amendment rally proves the media hate gun owners.  The media elite hate guns, favor gun control, and bear disdain or at least distrust for those who are passionate about gun rights.  Reporters' coverage of and reaction to Monday's [1/20/2020] Second Amendment demonstration makes that abundantly clear.  For starters, NBC News reporter Ben Collins, again, he's a reporter, not an opinion writer, flatly and falsely called the demonstration a "white nationalist rally" in a tweet calling on everyone covering it to "verify information" before tweeting it out.  Collins has deleted the smear-tweet, but you have to consider the nature of the error.  While deeply thinking about accuracy in tweets, a news reporter falsely called a gun rights rally a "white nationalist rally."

Virginians call for Gov. Northam's removal, thousands protest new gun control measures.  Virginians are calling for the removal of Democrat Gov. Ralph Northam after his suggested gun control policies drew huge crowds to a pro-Second Amendment rally.  The protest, which is held by the Virginia Citizens Defense League every year, was bolstered by strict gun control measures passed by the state Senate as a priority for the governor.  "He (Gov. Northam) thinks he can come in here and just say whatever he wants to do, and that's not how it's going to work," stated Santiago Helmik, a Second Amendment supporter.  "He thinks everybody here is going to comply, I bet you nobody here is going to comply with any of the laws he's going to pass."

Heavily armed protesters in bullet proof vests descend on Richmond gun rally as Virginia governor declares a state of emergency.  More than 20,000 people converged in the streets of Richmond, Virginia, on Monday [1/20/2020] to protest their right to bear arms in the face of swingeing state gun control laws set to be enacted later this year.  They started arriving before dawn — army veterans, stay-at-home-moms, attorneys, welders, democrats, republicans — united under banners defending the second amendment and, they believe, a constitution under attack.  And many of them came with their guns:  AR-15s, long-guns and handguns.

2A Activist:  Media Smearing Virginia Protesters as 'Nothing but White Rednecks'.  A black Second Amendment supporter at the January 20, 2020, rally pulled back the covers on the establishment media's attempts to paint pro-gun Virginians as "nothing but white rednecks."  Listen as the pro-Second Amendment American says, "I do not in any way, shape, or form support Governor Northam's and the Democrat's gun control."  [Video clip]

African-American Gun Owners Completely Destroy the Left's Latest 'White Supremacist' Narrative.  Late last week Virginia's Democrat Governor Ralph Northam signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency.  He did so by claiming white supremacists would take over the annually scheduled Second Amendment lobbying day in Richmond.  Northam's friends in the leftist media, who happily brushed his blackface and KKK garb scandal off the airwaves last year, took the "white supremacist" narrative and ran with it.  They warned of potential violence, clashes and targeting of minorities.  None of that happened and their false narrative completely fell apart.  It was a productive, peaceful day.

Virginia pro-gun rally:  Despite anger, threats of insurrection, massive rally is carried out peacefully outside state Capitol.  Thousands of gun-rights advocates packed the streets around the Virginia Capitol on Monday, bristling with weapons, flags and threats of insurrection but never erupting into the violence authorities had feared.  Armed militias carrying assault-style weapons marched in formation until the crowds grew too thick.  Protesters without firearms filed through 17 metal detectors at a single entrance to Capitol Square, where about 6,000 people cheered fiery speeches on the Second Amendment.  A far larger crowd remained outside the square, where they could keep their weapons.

Richmond: The Mother of All Buffalo Jumps.  The more I ponder the mass demonstration being promoted by the Virginia Citizens Defense League for the annual Lobby Day at the Richmond Capitol, the more it looks like a disaster in the making.  I wish it were otherwise, but I see many times more downside risk than possible upside benefit.  Even if Virginia Senate Bill 16 is passed, banning nearly all semi-automatic firearms, the new law will be challenged in court, and given the potential dire outcomes, the case will rapidly ascend to the SCOTUS.  This process will take years, and Governor Ralph Northam and the Democrat majority in the legislature may be voted out in the meantime, and the law overturned.  So why, before all that happens, go charging into Richmond in just a few weeks?

Governor Northam Couldn't Be Setting Up A "Reichstag Fire" Event, Could He?  Given the Left's need to control the conversation coupled with the pending implosion of the impeachment disaster, makes the Democrats more of a rabid, injured, cornered animal than usual. [...] There is a SWExit offer in place for Virginia counties who are as interested in an authoritarian nitwit in Richmond now as the Appalachian counties were in 1861.  Northam looks a slightly younger Joe Biden in terms of being in office without much of a clue.  The Virginia Senate just passed a set of unpopular gun control laws, despite the substantial negative feedback at the county level.  Stupid, futile gestures indeed.  And now, peaceful, patriotic protest in the capitol is threatened by Lefty violence and a judiciary that support's Northam's infringement of Constitutional rights.  It would be unfortunate if busloads of Antifa weenies tried to cause trouble and tragedy ensued.

Virginia: Is A New 'Shot Heard 'Round The World' Coming?  We tend to forget that there were a number of incidents like what we see and may see in The Commonwealth Of Virginia that occurred before Concord and Lexington.  However, there is a chance that, if the Despotic government of Virginia tries to use Violence against it's Citizens, it may rally other believers in the Second Amendment across America to hold protests.  What makes me doubt that this will be the spark that lights the Flame of Restoration is that, unlike in the 1770's, we have a President who is on our side, as it appears he is.  There is no doubt any longer that the government of The Commonwealth has embraced Tyranny.

A Textbook Example of Tyranny.  Virginia introduces a bundle of radical laws to destroy 2nd amendment rights, militias, sale transfer and registration bills, and the People of Virginia says no, and we're going to vote you all out next term.  Virginia government responds by introducing a bill to eliminate voter ID.  Virginia says we're not going to wait, we'll petition your removal from office, and get almost a 3rd of the 240K signatures to remove the governor and starts petitions to remove delegates.  Virginia government responds by introducing a bill to raise the amount of signatures from 10% of the prevailing vote, to 25%.  Folks, this is the a textbook example of tyranny.

Virginia State Senator Issues Warning Hours before Monday's 2A Rally:  "We Are Being Set Up".  Democrat Governor Blackface Northam is putting the squeeze on Virginia gun owners before Monday's Second Amendment protest.  The map of the protest grounds was released and shows only one entrance for the thousands of Virginia protesters expected at the rally. he group will be fenced in.  And the governor is ordering the 2A protesters to leave their guns at home — in an Open Carry State!

How Virginia Sheriffs Can Enforce Their Second Amendment Sanctuaries.  The situation in Virginia is heating up.  In a combination of gerrymandering mandated by the Federal courts, millions of dollars spent on a few local races by billionaires who hate the idea of an armed population, targeted advertising, organization by sympathizers of the Chinese communists, and apathy by the rest of Virginia voters, the Democrats have taken control of the Governorship and both the General assembly and the Virginia Senate, by rather slim margins.  These are not yesterday's Democrats.  These Democrats have been especially selected for their antipathy toward the Virginia Constitution's limitations on government power, the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and limits on government power, generally.

Antifa Will Pretend to be MAGA & NRA Advocates at Virginia 2nd Amendment Rally.  The Internet is rife with rumors that antifa will march shoulder to shoulder with pro-gun protesters about to descend on Virginia's capital tomorrow — including one claiming that it will be antifa activists wearing red MAGA caps and NRA garb this time.  If true, pro-gun protesters should take lots of pictures for uploading to the 'Net during the event — because it will be the first time the anarchists appear anywhere without their signature masks.

Virginia Governor Sets a Trap for Lobby Day, 20 January, 2020.  Second Amendment supporters face a daunting challenge in Virginia for Lobby day, at the Virginia Capitol in Richmond, on 20 January, 2020.  Those who wish to disarm Virginians have created a trap to frame Second Amendment Supporters as violent white supremacists, going to Richmond to destroy duly elected government.  Do not take the bait.  Armed Virginians have been going to the State Capitol in Richmond to lobby to restore Second Amendment rights since 2002.  The Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) has been very successful in these efforts.  VCDL was instrumental in moving Virginia from a may issue to a shall issue state in 1995.  It has made the shall issue law better and better by such things as eliminating many gun free zones and eliminating the requirement for fingerprints to obtain a permit to carry.  It has kept improving the state preemption law, to prevent local governments from chipping away at Second Amendment rights.  It has been one of the most effective of the state organizations working to restore Second Amendment rights.

It's a trap!  The problem here can be inferred from the headline:  "Tyranny at the Door in Virginia."  Sorry, but tyranny came right in the door, raided the fridge, sat itself on the couch, and made itself right at home already. [...] As far as I can tell, the VCDL is trying very hard to tread lightly and responsibly with their upcoming rally, going way out of their way to emphasize that they're a mainstream group of law-abiding citizens intent only on peaceably assembling to petition their government for redress of grievances, as is their good right, on a day specifically provided in Virginia each year for that very purpose.  Unfortunately, the more I see of this, the greater the likelihood of a bloody disaster intentionally created by the very malefactors responsible for this confrontation in the first place seems.  The sorry fact is that the time for peaceful protest is far, far behind us.  The war to preserve the US Constitution, the rights enumerated therein, and for liberty itself was lost many decades ago.  The America of our Founders is no more.

Virginia City Councilman Brings AR-15 to 2nd Amendment Sanctuary Vote.  Portsmouth, Virginia, councilman Nathan Clark participated in his city's Second Amendment Sanctuary vote while carrying an AR-15.  The Virginian-Pilot reports that two liberals, Councilman Shannon Glove and Vice Mayor Lisa Lucas-Burke, were critical of Clark's decision to bring his gun to the vote and asked him to apologize for doing so.

The Virginia Governor is Not a Patriot.  In America, losing one's rights for being convicted of a felony has always been a deterrent to committing a crime.  Sadly, Northam says he was proud to use his "executive clemency power" in restoring rights to felons.  So not only is the deterrent gone, now convicted felons can vote, run for office, and sit on a jury!  I'm guessing Northam didn't think about his own state's report on recidivism — if he read it at all.  According to data compiled by Virginia's Department of Corrections, Northam's state has a consistent 10+ year track record of more than 55 percent of people released from incarceration getting re-arrested within three years.  More than 48 percent of people released are re-convicted, and more than 22 percent are re-incarcerated.

Virginia State Democrats Launch Into An Anti-Gun Law Frenzy.  Virginia Democrats are on a tear to pass as much anti-Second Amendment legislation as possible and are sadly determined to shame the Commonwealth's own state motto, "sic semper tyrannis," or "thus always to tyrants" — a rallying cry against abuse of power.  In the last week, the Virginia state Senate passed three anti-gun bills, including requiring background checks on all firearm sales, limiting gun purchases to one in a 30-day period, and allowing localities to ban guns from public events.  This was after lawmakers voted the week prior to ban all firearms from the Capitol building, citing the need protect public safety in anticipation of this week's contentious gun bills.  (Of course, the only real effect of this rule was long security lines, delaying staffers, citizens, and thus the votes).

Virginia 2nd Amendment Activists Make Last-Ditch Effort To Avoid Ugly Clash.  Supporters of our constitutional right to bear arms are set to march in Richmond on Monday in defiance of state Democrats' gun control efforts.  As backers of the Second Amendment, many of the tens of thousands expected to attend are virtually guaranteed to come bearing arms.  Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has acknowledged that the rallygoers can assemble, but seemingly only in the way he chooses.

What Would It Take To Recall Governor Ralph Northam?  I've seen several folks on Twitter and Facebook pushing the idea of impeaching Virginia Governor Ralph Northam over his attempt to infringe on the rights of gun owners with a set of gun control bills for the January legislative session.  Not be a Danny Downer, but the prospects of that actually happening are slim. [...] No chief executive or holder of statewide office has ever been recalled in Virginia, and I don't see Ralph Northam being the first.  Under Virginia law he can't run for re-election anyway, and gun owners and Second Amendment supporters would be better served by organizing and planning for the 2021 elections than in pursuing a recall of Virginia's anti-gun governor.

President Trump:  Virginia Proves Again Democrats 'Will Take Your Guns'.  On January 17, 2020, President Donald Trump pointed to the gun control situation in Virginia, noting that it proves once more the Democrats "will take your guns" if voted into office.  He made this point amid the all-out war on guns by Gov. Ralph Northam (D) and the newly elected Democrat majority in the state legislature.

Blame Game Set for Va.  Gov. Northam's Gun-Free Kill Zone.  The political battle lines have been drawn over Virginia governor Ralph Northam's declaration of an emergency kill zone on the Capitol grounds for Lobby Day, Jan. 20.  As of Friday night, after a Virginia district court rejected a legal challenge to the governor's gun ban, the ban appears to be in place, unless a last-ditch appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court can succeed in overturning the ban this weekend.  As it stands, an area bounded by 9th, Broad, Bank, and Governor streets around the Richmond Capitol has been declared an emergency gun-free zone. [...] Trapping people in an enclosure won't make them safe, and the prospect of mixing bad and good actors in the streets is an object lesson in the futility of gun-free zones.

Virginia Judge Rules No Guns Allowed At Pro-Gun Rally — In [an] Open-Carry State.  Democrats took over both chambers of the Virginia legislature in November, and as expected, they're pushing anti-gun laws through as quickly as they can.  On Thursday [1/16/2020], lawmakers in the state Senate passed an the first pair of bills in a wave of gun-control legislation that is set to come up for votes.  One bill would restore the state's previous one-handgun-a-month rule, while the second would allow local governments to ban guns in public buildings, parks and at permitted events — including political protests.  The vote was straight party line, 21-19.  Democrats have also proposed an assault weapons ban, red flag laws and universal background checks.

WV Invites Virginia #2A Counties To Switch States.  [W]ith all the news coming out of Virginia these days regarding pushback against new gun control laws, their neighbors in West Virginia have put forth an offer.  Tired of the government in Richmond taxing the heck out of you and trying to infringe upon your Second Amendment rights?  Perhaps you should consider switching over and becoming part of our state.

Meet the 16-Year-Old Competitive Shooter Working to Keep Her Guns Legal in Virginia.  Mia Farinelli is like any other teenage girl, except for one key difference.  Her skill as a world-class competitive shooter has brought her into the national spotlight.  She uses that spotlight to teach others about her sport, but also to do something other top high school athletes don't have to worry about: stop political proposals seeking to ban the very guns she competes with.  Join us as we follow Mia while she practices shooting, makes coffee for customers at her after-school job, beats competitors twice her age, lobbies her lawmakers, and speaks at a county meeting during the height of the Virginia Second Amendment sanctuary movement.  [Video clip]

Northam declares state of emergency ahead of gun rally.  Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday [1/15/2020] that he was declaring a state of emergency over threats of "armed militia groups storming our Capitol" ahead of a gun-rights rally next week.  Northam's emergency order will ban weapons of all kinds, including firearms, from the Capitol grounds starting Friday and continuing through Tuesday.

Nasty CNN Warns VA Gun Rights Supporters Could Cause Violence Like Charlottesville.  Wednesday afternoon's [1/15/2020] CNN Newsroom ended with host Brooke Baldwin and correspondent Jason Carroll serving as chief fear mongers on behalf of "Governor Blackface" Ralph Northam (D-VA), parroting fears that Monday's Lobby Day in support of the Second Amendment could bring violence a la Charlottesville.  Baldwin also repeatedly fixated on the event and the possibility of violence falling on Martin Luther King Jr.  Day, so there was that angle that one could assume was a hint at a charge of racism.

Northam to Ban Guns From Capitol Grounds.  Fearing a repeat of the deadly violence that engulfed Charlottesville more than two years ago, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam plans to declare a temporary emergency Wednesday banning all weapons, including guns, from Capitol Square ahead of a massive rally planned next week over gun rights.  That's according to two state officials who were briefed on the plans but not authorized to speak publicly about them.  The governor, a Democrat, plans to announce the plans at a news conference Wednesday afternoon because of credible threats of potential violence and extremism, one official said.

Virginia's Blackface Governor Declares a Fake "Emergency" to Preemptively Disarm Gun-Carriers.  [Scroll down]  So the law has been specifically amended to specifically deny the governor any power under the emergency powers law to limit people's right to lawfully carry guns.  I am curious about what appears to be a huge exception:  "except to the extent necessary to ensure public safety in any place or facility designated or used by the Governor."  I think that just means a place literally used by the governor for sheltering people in an emergency, not "any place the governor designates," but I don't know for certain.  Or at least the law's "patron" says so.

Virginia Declares State of Emergency After Armed Militias Threaten to Storm the Capitol.  In response to what he described as "credible intelligence" of threats of violence at an upcoming gun rights rally in Richmond, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has declared a state of emergency and will temporarily ban individuals from carrying firearms on Capitol grounds.  The governor said at a press conference Wednesday that authorities believe "armed militia groups plan to storm the Capitol" during the January 20 rally.  He also said that law enforcement had intercepted threats and "extremist rhetoric" similar to what was observed prior to the violent Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville in August 2017.  "We will not allow that mayhem and violence to happen here," he said.

How Scalia Botched Heller and Let the Left Undermine the 2nd Amendment.  Twelve years after the Supreme Court ruled that the right to keep and bear arms is an individual right "unconnected with service in a militia," the Second Amendment is in worse shape than ever.  New York; California; Massachusetts; Connecticut; and Washington, D.C., with a combined population of 70 million, have outlawed the sale of most semi-automatic rifles and all gun magazines capable of holding more than ten rounds to the public.  Colorado, New Jersey, Vermont, Maryland, and Hawaii also have restrictions on magazine capacity.  Seventeen states have so-called "red flag" laws, allowing the summary confiscation of a person's firearms on hearsay, even if that individual has not been charged with a crime.  A number of states have banned the sale of firearms between private parties, and New York and California prohibit the sale of ammunition without a government background check and registration of the purchase with the police.  None of this legislation has been declared unconstitutional in court.

First "red flag" gun confiscation request denied in Colorado.  On January 1st, Colorado's new "red flag" gun confiscation law went into effect.  This hasn't resulted in the immediate stampede of requests that some gun owners feared, but there have been a handful of them processed already.  Three such requests, including two in Denver, were approved.  A fourth request coming from the town of Limon in Lincoln County, however, was denied by the judge hearing the petition.  This represents the first such denial of a red flag complaint against a gun owner in the state.

Virginia Passes Four Gun Bills in One Day.  Four gun-control bills flew out of the Senate panel in Virginia yesterday to include the Red flag law, background checks which we have had for decades, one gun-a-month sale law, and the right of localities to ban or not ban firearms at certain events.  One of the fascists going for the guns is Joe Morrissey, who was convicted and served time for having sex with a minor.  There are many more to come.  Virginia, the home of the NRA, is ground zero for abolishing America's Second Amendment rights.  What goes on there must be closely watched.  It is a state in the hands of elected officials who are communists, socialists, and fascists.

Virginia democrats propose law blocking cops, active military from carrying guns.  It seems as though every day brings us something new out of Virginia relating to their now Democrat-led legislators and gun laws.  What's the latest?  State Delegate Dan Helmer filed a bill this past Wednesday that would allow the Attorney General, Mark Herring, the ability to determine which states' concealed carry permits Virginia would continue to recognize, and potentially making it almost impossible for people to protect themselves if they do not live in Virginia.  Not that they plan to let Virginians protect themselves either.  It appears that this would include members of the military that are stationed at one of the many Virginia bases.

Virginia's Giddy Gun Controllers.  Today [1/13/2020], the Virginia Senate Judiciary Committee will begin consideration of a host of gun control bills.  One week from today, groups such as the National Rifle Association and the Virginia Civilian Defense League are planning a mass demonstration against the bills.  Northam and the Dems will try to make these protests moot by getting their legislation passed quickly.  Among the bills being considered are requirements for background checks on all firearms sales, red flag laws, a one-a-month limit on purchasing pistols, closing the "gun show loophole," and bans on possession of firearms in state buildings and parks.  And that's not the half of it.

YouTube blocks links to texts of Virginia anti-gun Bills.  YouTube is now blocking links to the State of Virginia Legislative Information System (LIS).  On Saturday [1/11/2020], the YouTube channel Guns & Gadgets posted a video titled "Virginia Anti-Gun Bills To Be Heard Jan 13," wherein the proprietor discussed the 10 bills that will come before the Virginia legislature beginning January 13.  In the video's description, he listed LIS links to the text for each bill.  As of 1 a.m.  Sunday morning, YouTube was blocking the links with the following warning: [...]

We CANNOT Allow the Government to Disarm Us.  Candace Owens recently interviewed gun-rights advocate Maj Toure on her PragerU show.  Toure warns about what happens when a government takes guns away from the population.  He also talked about the Black Lives Matter movement, why he started Black Guns Matter, and how gun control itself is racist.  Black Americans should be the most pro-gun, pro-freedom people in the country.  What about black-on-black gun violence?  Toure talks about that, too.  [Video clip]

'Second Amendment sanctuary' movement headed for Supreme Court:  Laura Ingraham.  Fox News host Laura Ingraham predicted that a growing "Second Amendment sanctuary" movement in the U.S. is destined for the U.S. Supreme Court, as gun-control advocates face-off against gun-rights supporters in the commonwealth of Virginia.  More than 100 Virginia cities and counties have adopted resolutions focused on pushing back against proposed state-level gun-control measures.

Now, VA Democrats Want to BAN Indoor Shooting Ranges.  Indoor shooting ranges are an essential part of America's Second Amendment tradition.  They provide a convenient and safe location for law-abiding citizens to train with and enjoy using firearms peacefully.  But in the midst of a massive statewide gun control push, Virginians may soon lose the right to use them.  Virginia Delegate Dan Helmer has proposed new legislation that would outright ban the use of many indoor shooting ranges for civilians in the state.  Only law enforcement and military personnel would be able to use governmental indoor shooting ranges.

Virginia Ban On Woods And Backyard Shooting?  [Scroll down]  By stipulating "any partially enclosed or unenclosed area," they seem to want to outlaw any backyard or woods shooting, regardless of county or town regulations.  In other words, your "range" doesn't have to be a formally designated range open for business.  It might be your backyard, as long as you've put up a berm or some steel targets.

Tensions continue to rise ahead of Virginia gun control vote.  Pressure is mounting in Virginia as several counties across the state declared themselves 'gun sanctuaries' and Democrat lawmakers attempted to implement gun control measures.  One America's Chloe Hauxwell has more on this tug-of-war.  [Video clip]

Virginians: This Is What Your Rulers Think Of You.  "These people are crazy", "Yea, they're like little kids.  As long as we don't reply we'll get through this."  Some listeners are claiming that it's impossible to hear it accurately.  I could, especially with the help of the comments which link this cleaned up version.  [Video clip]

Anti-Gun Hollywood Steps Up Armed Protection for Golden Globes.  Actors and actresses in anti-gun Hollywood will be surrounded by armed security on Sunday as they attend the 77th annual Golden Globes.  New York Daily News reports Beverly Hill Police Department Capt. Michael Hill saying, "We have a robust security plan that includes assistance from our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners.  Additionally, we will be using the most contemporary technologies in an attempt to ensure the ceremony is held without incident."

Gun 'sanctuaries' compared to slavery, 'dangerous,' 'ugly,' 'disturbing'.  A new line of attack on Virginia's fast-growing gun sanctuary movement, which is propelling similar pro-gun efforts in other states, compares it to slavery, drawing criticism from movement leaders who have won support in 91% of the state's counties.  In the latest Washington Post slam on the movement, dubbed "vigilantism" in a recent editorial, the paper gave space Sunday to a critic who said the "thinking" behind the organic movement is what propelled slavery and opposed the civil rights movement.  Peter Galuszka called the movement "disturbing," "reactionary," "hysteria," "ugly," and "dangerous."

Bloomberg: We can't just let 'average' Americans have guns.  Democrats have long wanted to take away guns from Americans, and two candidates for president are making no bones about their plans.  Billionaire Michael Bloomberg, who has a mini-army of bodyguards around him whenever he moves, says guns aren't for "average" people.

Also posted under Liberals think you're stupid.

Sheriffs may go to jail to protect Second Amendment sanctuaries, Kentucky congressman says.  Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie thinks some local law enforcement leaders will be willing to go to jail rather than comply with state gun control laws they deem unconstitutional.  "Attended my first 2A sanctuary meeting today in Lewis County (where I live).  Standing room only.  Friends and neighbors spoke passionately and articulately.  County officials unanimously passed a resolution," Massie tweeted on Dec. 30.

Virginia Is Ground Zero in the War over Gun Control.  When Democrats won control of both houses of the Virginia Legislature November 5, 2019, Virginia gun-owners got a rude wake-up call.  Now that wake-up call is spreading to gun-owners throughout the rest of the 49 states.  In July 2019, Gov. Ralph Northam proposed a package of eight proposals that would tighten Virginia's gun laws, known as some of the least restrictive in the country.  Currently, Virginia's gun control measures of merit ban the sale of firearms only to high-risk individuals and those convicted of domestic violence.  However, the proposals would turn the least restrictive into what some would call dangerously restrictive, a premeditated strike against the Second Amendment.

Virginia Democrat Introduces "Red Flag" Firearms Seizure Bill.  Virginia state Senator George Barker, a Democrat who represents portions of Fairfax and Prince William counties in the D.C. suburbs, has introduced SB 240, a "red flag" firearms seizure bill that's one of the key items on Governor Ralph Northam's anti-gun agenda.  As with every other "red flag" or Extreme Risk Protection Order law, the bill introduced by Barker has several issues that pose risks to the due process rights of Virginians, as well as a myopic focus on guns instead of the individual who has been deemed a danger to themselves or others.

Virginia Governor's Call for $4.8 Million and 18-man Force to Grab Guns Sparks Opposition.  Virginia Governor Ralph Northam's proposed budget demand for $4.8 million for an 18-person force to carry out his proposed assault-weapons ban is coming under fire from groups across the Old Dominion.  In response to the governor's demands, pro-Second Amendment organizations are asking citizens of Virginia to attend public budget hearings around the state and to question state legislators if they intend to give the governor his gun-grabbing goons and whether they will vote to infringe in any way the right to keep and bear arms.

Warren Responds To Hero Stopping Texas Church Shooting:  I Will NOT Support Conceal Carry.  Democrat presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren responded to the heroic actions of the man who stopped the church shooting in Texas on Sunday by announcing that she would not support universal conceal carry even if the person had to be vetted by the government and obtain licensing.  The Democrat senator from Massachusetts made the remarks on Thursday [1/2/2020] while campaigning in Concord, New Hampshire.  An audience member brought up how Jack Wilson acted heroically during the shooting and stopped the attacker within just a few seconds and saved countless lives as a result.

The Left Goes Over the Edge.  [For example,] Virginia — Let's see, two racist idiots and a sex criminal walk into a bar...  They emerge a short time later as governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general.  And then get re-elected, whereupon they threaten to confiscate all firearms in the state, using the National Guard to do so (that is, if Eric can't get them nukes).  This sparks a mini-revolt all across the Virginia piedmont, with local governments and law enforcement vowing defiance.  All this even before the new term starts.  This is a particularly impressive case as it proves that the Dems are corrupt from top to bottom and that there's no possible hope of reform.

The Gun Control and Confiscation Agenda.  Strict gun control legislation, including confiscation of certain types of firearms, in Virginia have lead to a number of Virginia localities declaring themselves "second amendment sanctuaries" that will not enforce what they consider "unconstitutional" gun laws.  In response, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam (D) and several other politicians have openly suggested using the Virginia National Guard to implement gun confiscation plans in those jurisdictions that have declared themselves "Second Amendment Sanctuaries."  Some outlets have even reported that Virginia state officials are considering UN troops to aid the confiscation, although I cannot independently verify this speculation.  However, it is worth noting that the UN is advertising job openings for "DISARMAMENT, DEMOBILIZATION AND REINTEGRATION OFFICERS" to be stationed in the United States.  This job advertisement can be viewed on the UN website.  I can find no proof that the job announcement and Virginia's gun control efforts are related.  However, the situation does bear watching.

The UN Is Hiring English-Speaking Disarmament Officers in New York.  As the Second Amendment conflict heats up across the United States, here's another "crazy conspiracy theory" that has turned out to be true.  The United Nations is hiring in New York.  What positions are they trying to fill?  English-speaking disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration officers.  This job was posted the day after Christmas.  So for all the folks who have been saying "nobody is trying to take your guns" you might want to read this job listing and reconsider your opinion.

The Editor says...
The United Nations should be evicted from the United States, and the U.S. should withdraw from it immediately, if it's not already too late.

Documenting the Virginia Crackdown.  Recent elections in Virginia have placed the Virginia government within arm's length of widespread gun confiscation.  Around eighty-four counties and cities throughout the Commonwealth have pledged to ignore and resist these measures.  Some Virginia elected officials have called for the National Guard to carry out such confiscation, which would imply the arrest and disarmament of local officials who get in the way.  Governor Northam has stopped short of adopting such an idea, but he will not rule it out.  Additional stories indicate that the government will disable internet and telephone access to affected areas during the crackdown.  The prison budget has been increased in anticipation of gun-related arrests.  While the idea of soldiers engaged in gun confiscation is not yet a reality, the proposal itself should alarm every sane person in this country.

Virginia increasing corrections budget anticipating jailing gun-owners.  Virginia's Governor Ralph Northam and the Legislature's Democrat majority are anticipating resistance to the gun control measures they are planning, including a ban on "assault weapons" and certain magazines.  The legislative majorities and enthusiasm for gun-grabbing are the result of the northern D.C. suburbs' population growth and are being resisted by the non-urban parts of state, leading to a proliferation of gun sanctuary counties.  Now the Second Amendment-haters seem to be anticipating push coming to shove.

Officials who flouted law on immigration, marriage, demand blind obedience to gun grab.  In what has to be one of the biggest flip-flops in American political history, officials in Virginia now are demanding all residents pledge blind obedience to what the state says is right.  That's only a few short months, or years, after they argued that state law didn't have to be followed because it was wrong, in their opinion. [...] The recent election saw Democrats take the majority of the state legislature and join a Democrat in the governor's office.  As Democrats do when they are in the majority, they announced plans for a long list of gun restrictions and limits, suggesting strongly to some, because of an allocation for more detention facilities for adults, an ultimate plan to confiscate guns and turn gun owners into criminals.

Gun Sales Are Up In Virginia.  If this "opposition" is merely symbolic, and if they plan on turning their guns in to governor Ralph "Kill the babies give me all your guns" Northam, why would they be spending their hard-earned money on buying more guns?

Virginia Weighs Deploying National Guard to Enforce New Anti-Gun Laws.  Things Could Get Ugly.  When Michael Bloomberg flooded Virginia state legislative contests with his anti-gun groups' cash he got a quid pro quo from victorious Democrats: a near ban of AR-15s and a promise of more anti-gun laws.  Now, to make room for all the felons who are predicted to be arrested by cops and the Virginia National Guard, whom the governor has been urged to deploy, Democrats are demanding more money for prison space and law enforcement. [...] But the AR-15 near-ban is only the beginning.  There will be gun-buying rationing and limitations on ammo contained in the proposed laws.

Second Amendment Sanctuary Cities For The Win.  I've always been an advocate of playing by the left's new rules, and this is a great opportunity to new rules the libs good and hard.  We got your sanctuary right here, pinkos.  See, the left decided that Virginia, whose northern reaches are now full of government workers and other garbage people, needed to turn blue.  With tons of lib donor money and the aid of a typically inept state GOP, they managed to just barely grab control of both houses of the legislature.  With Governor Byrd-Jolson in charge, they immediately promised to do away with the Second Amendment.  They announced that they were going to confiscate the citizens' scary guns and do all sorts of other things to show those disobedient, probably Jesus-loving rubes who was boss. [...] Instantly, everyone outside the garbage counties locked and loaded their freedom and so the Second Amendment sanctuary movement began.  County after county, and many cities, all committed to resisting if the state tried enforcing unconstitutional gun laws against normal citizens.

Sorry Democrats:  New Zealand's gun confiscation program just failed miserably.  Proposals range from Joe Biden's voluntary gun buybacks to the more radical mandatory confiscation proposed by Cory Booker.  (He still misleadingly calls it a "buyback.")  So it's worth examining how such buybacks played out recently in New Zealand, which passed a ban on the sale of semiautomatic weapons and a mandatory gun buyback program after a tragic shooting in April.  The deadline for the mandatory gun buyback program was Friday [12/20/2019].  The New Zealand program successfully led to the compensated confiscation of 51,000 of the targeted firearms.  But as the left-leaning Guardian newspaper reports, this is out of an estimated 170,000 such guns currently in circulation.  And there are still a minimum of 1.2 million legally owned firearms in New Zealand on top of that.

St.  Louis City Government Goes Orwellian, Bans Second Amendment in Parks.  On 13 December, 2019, Lyda Krewson, the Mayor of St. Louis, Missouri, signed a city ordinance purported to ban guns from St. Louis City parks.  It was passed by a vote of 16-2.  The bill used a novel approach to circumvent the Missouri State protections for Second Amendment rights.  Bill No. 134 declared that St. Louis parks and recreation facilities are "child-care" facilities, and are, therefore, banned from allowing firearms in them.

New Zealand collects over 50,000 guns in buyback program.  An additional 2,700 guns were modified to make compliant with new regulations and 5,000 firearms of all types were also collected as part of a no-questions-asked amnesty.  All told, the government has spent roughly $66 million on the effort.

Second Amendment Sanctuaries Started in 1774.  Reflecting trends in states as diverse as Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, and Washington, where politicians have declared a war against gun owners, about half of Virginia's counties have declared themselves Second Amendment sanctuaries.  County governments and elected sheriffs pledge not to enforce unconstitutional diktats that violate the right to keep and bear arms.  Sanctuary places are the darling of "progressive" jurisdictions determined to hide and harbor criminal aliens from federal immigration authorities.  Progressives now accuse officials of being "vigilantes" for seeking to protect American citizens from imprisonment for exercising their constitutional rights.  Spearheading the war on Virginia gun owners is Gov. Ralph Northam, best known for his gig in blackface or Klan attire, and for calmly endorsing post-delivery abortion, that is, infanticide.  To divert attention from the backlash, he is moving to criminalize all sorts of innocent conduct that has been lawful in the Commonwealth since Jamestown was settled in 1607.

9 Out of 10 Virginia Counties Declare Themselves 2nd Amendment Sanctuaries.  The grassroots push for Virginia counties to say they won't enforce gun bans even if passed by the state legislature is spreading "like a freight train," with nearly 9 out of 10 counties in the state declaring themselves "Second Amendment sanctuaries" and thousands of people expected to show up for a pro-gun rally in the state capital next month.  "It's been like a freight train," said Philip Van Cleave, whose Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) has helped organize the sanctuary movement.  "It started moving and it's moving under its own weight at this point.  It's amazing."  Van Cleave said the group is doing everything it can to leverage the energy of the "Second Amendment sanctuary" movement which has swept across the state at breakneck speed the past few weeks.  As of Friday [12/20/2019], 85 counties, 9 cities, and 17 towns had formally declared themselves sanctuaries, according to the gun-rights group.

156 guns seized after Anaheim man trips own burglary alarm, roommate invites police to investigate.  A man accidentally tripped a burglary alarm in his Anaheim home and was arrested along with his housemate, who told officers over the phone to inspect their house, resulting in the discovery and seizure of over 150 guns from the residence on Monday, Dec. 16.  Officers responding to an automated notification from an alarm triggered at a house near West Broadway and South Archer Street found the front door of the dwelling open, Anaheim Police Sgt. Shane Carringer said.  They called one of the people registered to that address, and he asked police to enter the home to investigate.  Police found one of the home's other residents in a backyard, in addition to high-capacity magazines and numerous firearms that were in plain view inside the home.

Norton Middle School cancels concert after staff finds bullets stored in lockers.  A concert at Norton Middle School was canceled Wednesday night after bullets were found stored in a student's locker, according to police.  A teacher overheard students discussing ammunition being brought to school earlier Wednesday, police said in a release.  One student reportedly said they brought five bullets to the school multiple days ago to trade with another student for electronics.

Smith & Wesson Sued by Victims of 2018 Mass Shooting in Toronto.  Victims of a mass shooting in Toronto last year filed a C$150 million ($114 million) class-action lawsuit against Smith & Wesson Corp., claiming the company was negligent for not incorporating "smart gun" technology for the firearm used in the attack in Canada's largest city.  Smith & Wesson was the manufacturer of an M&P .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol, the stolen weapon used by Faisal Hussain to kill two people and injure 13 in an attack on a restaurant strip along Danforth Avenue.  Dozens of people suffered injuries while fleeing the shooter, who later killed himself, the lawsuit says.

Virginia's Second Amendment Sanctuaries:  An Update.  There are a few new developments worth noting.  For starters, the sanctuaries have spread dramatically.  They're up to 93 jurisdictions — covering roughly 40 percent of the population, by my quick spreadsheet tally.  That's huge, though the biggest victory, in Prince William County, is likely to be overturned when the county board flips to the Democrats, and some of these places have passed vague resolutions in support of the Constitution rather than the more aggressive language proposed by the Virginia Citizens Defense League.

Virginia Dem mulls National Guard to enforce upcoming gun laws, an idea likely to end in violence.  In case you missed it:  Virginia has gone completely Democrat.  The last election ushered in a partisan shift of the state government that has left the House of Delegates, the Senate and the governor's office in Democrats' power — a leftist hold on the commonwealth that hasn't been seen for decades. [...] Democrats in Virginia have already pre-filed bills to mandate universal background checks; to limit handgun purchases; to raise age limits on would-be firers; to redefine the term assault weapon and impose bans on buys of certain guns and magazines.  And more.  And dozens upon dozens of county officials around the state have rushed to pass resolutions declaring their jurisdictions sanctuaries from the state's gun control storm and announcing that their police chiefs have no intent of enforcing the Dems' laws.

VA Dems Threaten To Use National Guard Against Sanctuary Counties.  We here at Bearing Arms have offered a lot of support for Virginia's sanctuary counties.  While Cam has written extensively on the subject, I've also covered it in various posts.  We both stand firmly with sanctuary counties.  The continued encroachment on our Second Amendment liberties has to end somewhere, somehow, and the sanctuary movement is a dandy way to address it.  However, I also understand that not everyone agrees with me on that front.  Most of those are anti-gunners who typically ignore immigration sanctuary cities as if they're a non-factor, but see this as the most horrible thing in the world.  A lot of those anti-gunners got elected or re-elected to office in the state of Virginia, though.  Now, they're looking to ramp things up against those defiant localities.

Yes, Virginia, the governor really can use the National Guard to enforce gun control.  With dozens of Virginia counties declaring themselves Second Amendment sanctuaries, some Democratic lawmakers have said the governor should use the National Guard to enforce future gun control legislation — but can he?  Virginia Democrats, who control the legislature and governorship, have proposed several measures including an "assault weapons" ban, universal background checks, and a red flag law.  In response, 75 counties vowed they will not enforce future gun control legislation.  Virginia Democratic Rep. Donald McEachin told the Washington Examiner on Thursday [12/12/2019] that Gov. Ralph Northam "may have to nationalize the National Guard to enforce the law" if local authorities refuse to do so themselves.

Virginia sheriff:  We'll deputize law-abiding citizens to counter state Dems' gun control 'overreach'.  A Virginia sheriff is vowing to take matters into his own hands and deputize residents if the state's Democratic lawmakers pass strict gun control legislation.  "They will be properly vetted through a normal process.  Everything from normal background checks that we do for other deputy sheriffs as well as psych [evaluations].  It's not just a blanket policy of swearing-in anyone who is interested," Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Jenkins told "Fox & Friends" on Wednesday [12/11/2019].  Jenkins made the vow during a Board of Supervisors meeting last week in which the panel unanimously agreed to declare the county a "Second Amendment Constitutional County."

Bloomberg: When I'm President I'll Pack the Supreme Court With Anti-Gun Justices.  Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has made a name for himself as a leader in the gun control movement.  After all, he funds Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action.  Naturally, Bloomberg has decided to use his anti-Second Amendment stance to make himself a top tier in the 2020 Democratic field.  In an opinion piece in the Chicago Tribune, Bloomberg rehashed his stance on the Supreme Court case known as New York Rifle and Pistol Association v. New York City.  At the time, NYC prohibited gun owners from transporting firearms outside of city limits, even if the resident was taking them to a gun range.  Once the New York Rifle and Pistol Association, along with the National Rifle Association (NRA) and Second Amendment Foundation (SAF )challenged the city's ordinance in a court of law, NYC decided to rescind the law.  The city tried to get the lawsuit thrown out, saying the point is now moot because the ordinance no longer exists.  Gun rights advocates, however, are worried the city will reimplement the law if the Supreme Court decides to throw out the case.

Gov. Ralph Northam:  Register Your AR-15 with Government or Hand It Over.  Gov. Ralph Northam (D) announced Monday his "assault weapons" ban will mean AR-15 owners can either register their guns with the government or hand them over.  The Virginia Mercury reported Northam spokeswoman Alena Yarmosky used a statement to say, "The governor's assault weapons ban will include a grandfather clause for individuals who already own assault weapons, with the requirement they register their weapons before the end of a designated grace period."

Virginia Dems Cave on Confiscation as 2A Sanctuaries Expand.  Virginia Democratic leaders abandoned their gun confiscation proposal Monday [12/9/2019] following a grassroots outpouring of opposition to gun control across the state.  Governor Ralph Northam (D.) and incoming Senate majority leader Dick Saslaw (D.) said they will no longer pursue their marquee plan to ban the possession of "assault weapons."  Instead, they will include a provision to allow Virginians to keep the firearms they already own.  The reversal comes before the newly elected Democratic majority has even been sworn in, after a majority of the state's counties declared themselves "Second Amendment sanctuaries."

Northam Tweaks Gun Ban In Response To 2A Sanctuary Movement.  Virginia Governor Ralph Northam is hoping to take some of the wind out of the sails of the Second Amendment Sanctuary movement in the state by proclaiming that he backs a grandfather clause in a pending ban on so-called "assault weapons."  More than fifty counties, towns, and cities have passed resolutions vowing not to enforce unconstitutional gun control laws that are assured of passage in the next legislative session, and Northam's statement is the first response we've seen from the governor's office in regards to the movement.

Democrats Are Pushing America Into Civil War.  Make no mistake, Virginia is a test.  Unable to depose the president, they will proceed on a state-by-state basis to create the nation they long for.  And disarming Americans is crucial for the Democrats as a first and necessary step, because an armed populace can say, "No!"  Will Virginians willingly give up their guns to the Democrats?  Some might.  After all, Virginia is proximate to D.C. and many will obey.  Yet, many will not.  Virginia will be the future, because the Democrats will brook no dissent.  They will come heavy and hard and it won't be long before there is gunfire, and someone is hurt or killed.

Bloomberg unveils gun control plan to stop massacres.  Michael Bloomberg vowed Thursday [12/5/2019] to re-institute a federal assault weapons ban and require more rigorous background checks and licensing to obtain firearms if he's elected president. [...] In addition to the assault weapons ban, Bloomberg called for raising the age to buy a gun from 18 to 21, the same for purchasing booze.  He would also require every gun buyer to obtain a permit before making a purchase and require a 48-hour waiting period.  Background checks would cover private sales and gun shows, and domestic abusers also would be denied access to firearms, according to Bloomberg.

Gun Buyers on Cusp of Breaking All-Time Background Check Record.  Gun buyers are currently on the cusp of breaking the record for the highest number of background checks conducted in one year's time.  Breitbart News reported the record for the most background checks in a single year is 27.5 million, and we are fast approaching that number.

ATF: 423 million guns in America, 1.2 per person, 8.1 billion rounds of ammo a year.  New federal data shows that there are 422.9 million firearms in circulation, or about 1.2 guns for every person in the country.  What's more, despite years of criticism of modern "assault-style" rifles such as the AR-15 and AK-47, there are a record 17.7 million in private hands, proving that it is the most popular gun around.  And last year alone, the arms industry produced 8.1 billion rounds of ammunition.  The figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and were crunched by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the gun industry trade group.

Black Friday records second highest gun sales in history:  FBI reveals it initiated more than 200,000 background checks.  Background checks on gun purchases in the U.S. are climbing toward a record high this year, reflecting what the industry says is a rush by people to buy weapons in reaction to the Democratic presidential candidates' calls for tighter restrictions.

NYT Begs SCOTUS: Throw out Case Instead of Ruling Against Gun Control.  The New York Times editorial board is asking the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) to toss out a challenge against New York City gun control rather than rule against the controls at the center of the challenge.  Breitbart News reported that SCOTUS was hearing a challenge to the NYC gun control on Monday, December 1, 2019.  The gun control prohibited licensed firearm owners from transporting their firearms to all but seven city-approved gun ranges.

African Americans Aren't The Only People Democrats Want To Disarm.  In the post-bellum South, Democrats prohibited blacks from possessing guns outright or imposed gun prohibitions selectively enforced against blacks, leaving them vulnerable to the Democrats' Ku Klux Klan.  In District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), the Supreme Court noted that "Blacks were routinely disarmed by Southern States after the Civil War."  In U.S. v. Cruikshank (1876), the court considered the convictions of white Democrats who had participated in the disarming and cold-blooded murder of at least 60 black Republicans in the infamous Colfax Massacre in Grant Parish, Louisiana.  In 1911 in New York, Democrats began requiring a selectively granted license to own a handgun, so the police could deny handguns to Italian immigrants in New York City.

Black Friday gun background checks second-highest in recorded history.  The FBI ran the second-highest number of gun background checks on Black Friday 2019, which is an 11 percent increase from the previous year and an indication that firearm sales are on the rise, officials said.  The agency conducted 202,465 gun background checks on Nov. 29, 2019, which is the second-highest number seen since the bureau implemented the checks in 1998.  This year's big-shopping day is second only to Black Friday 2017, when the FBI ran 203,086 checks, records show.

Virginia Dems Aim to Criminalize "Tactical Training."  A Trap for Gun Owners?  Virginia Democrats have put forth a bill that would strengthen current state law against "paramilitary" activity by criminalizing assemblies of persons with firearms.  The vague wording of Senate Bill No. 64 establishes that a person is "guilty of unlawful paramilitary activity, punishable as a Class 5 felony" if he so much as has the "intent" of intimidating a person or group.  The threat of SB 64 to defenders of the Second Amendment is the uncertainty of how "intent" would be decided.

More discussion of SB 64 can be found here.

Gun Confiscation Comes to Virginia.  Next year, Democrats will control both houses of Virginia's state Legislature as well as its governorship.  On November 18, State Sen. Dick Saslaw introduced a bill that he will sponsor in the 2020 legislative session.  That bill will outlaw not only the sale or transfer but also the possession of certain firearms.  Saslaw's bill — SB 16 — provides that "It is unlawful for any person to import, sell, manufacture, purchase, possess or transport an assault firearm" and makes such actions a Class 6 felony.  (In Virginia, Class 6 felonies are punishable by imprisonment for between one and five years.)

WhiskeyWarrior556 falls victim to New York's red flag laws.  On Friday [11/22/2019], police showed up to a young man's workplace and tried to arrest him over social media posts reported to them by an old army buddy of the 28-year-old Afghanistan veteran.  This man, known as Alex and popular on Instagram under the handle of WhiskeyWarrior556, slipped out of the back door, hurried home to check on his family where he found out police had already forced themselves into his home and confiscated his legal firearms after threatening his wife with calling child protective services to remove her newborn child. [...] If the current legal landscape allows for citizens to have their Second Amendment rights stripped from them without any legal opportunity to dissent, what are the next rights to be taken?

More Virginia Counties Declare 'Second Amendment Sanctuary' Status.  More Virginia counties declared "Second Amendment Sanctuary" status this week in an effort to get ahead of the gun control promises from Gov. Ralph Northam (D) and newly-elected Democrats.  On November 19, 2019, Breitbart News reported that Appomattox County Board of Commissioners passed a "Second Amendment Sanctuary" resolution, with the goal of opposing any efforts that would "unconstitutionally restrict gun rights."

Another Texas county designates itself as Second Amendment sanctuary county.  While Democrat lawmakers continue to push for stricter gun laws, certain U.S. counties are taking a stronger stance to protect Second Amendment rights.  One of communities is Wood County, Texas where commissioners have officially declared the county as a "Second Amendment sanctuary."  The new status was approved unanimously in a meeting Tuesday.  Under this status, the county's money and resources will no longer be spent on laws which infringe on a person's right to own a gun.  According to Wood County Sheriff Tom Castloo, officials do not want to confiscate guns from citizens when they have the right to own them.

The Downfall of the Million Mom March.  Some of our readers who are now old enough to vote might not have even been alive in 2000 when the Million Mom March, a project of the Brady Campaign, declared war on the Second Amendment. [...] On May 10 2000, columnist J.R. Labbe exposed the Million Mom March for promoting House candidates on its web site using 501(c)(3) tax exempt money.  The group was also proven to have lied to its donors and volunteers about gun violence killing 12 or 13 children a day, which is true only if you redefine 18- and 19-year-old legal adults in a very violence-prone age cohort as "children."  Asking for money while lying never goes over very well even if prospective donors agree with your cause.  The same goes for trying to influence an election with tax exempt money.  The MMM was so badly discredited that it liquidated in October 2001 and transferred its assets to the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

Ohio Supreme Court To Decide Whether Gun Owners Can Drink At Home.  The idea of alcohol prohibition was settled almost a century ago when the Volstead Act was repealed by yet another constitutional amendment.  It's the only amendment that's been passed, then repealed a short time later.  In truth, prohibition was a complete and total disaster.  Luckily, we've left that behind.  While some faiths take issue with alcohol consumption, that's generally left to each individual to decide for themselves.  Though, admittedly, there's something to be said about using alcohol to combat some anti-gun arguments.  However, in Ohio, arguments are gearing up to determine whether drinking at home should make use of a firearm illegal.

Big dope: how marijuana benefited from one of the slickest PR campaigns in history.  When Jared Loughner shot Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in the head, on January 8, 2011, an appalled America sought some sort of reason for this cruel action, and for some remedy.  Giffords, though gravely hurt, survived.  But in a brief and terrible frenzy in the parking lot of a suburban Tucson supermarket, Loughner killed six people and wounded several others.  When post-arrest pictures were released, showing him smirking and vague, I had little doubt what I was seeing.  It did not take long to find out that my suspicions — that he was a user of mind-altering drugs — were justified.  But in all the years since, this aspect of his past has been noted but not in any way acted upon.  Those who see gun control as a solution to such woes used the event as an argument for their cause.  Why shouldn't they?  Loughner used a legally obtained gun.  But guns have been easily available in the United States from the beginning.  Wild mass killings of this sort are a post-1960 phenomenon.  So, applying the rules of logic, the availability of guns simply cannot be the significant variable.

Natural Rights Versus Political Rights.  A headline I read this weekend proclaimed that Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, the Klan-hood-wearing gent formerly known at VMI as "Coonman," was "working on" possible gun confiscation in Virginia now that money on the Left has successfully buried his racism and bought the legislature for their party.  Aside from the obvious commentary about what happens when Democrats obtain power, the headline suggests a far deeper problem confronting our country.  It is only a matter of time before anti-constitutional forces seize control of the Senate, or perhaps the White House, and when they do, what historically American citizens consider to be unalienable rights will suddenly disappear.  The coming purge of natural rights is inevitable.

It's the epitome of left-wing politics:  race-based gun control.  For your own good, of course.
Michael Bloomberg suggests disarming minorities to 'keep them alive'.  Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg reportedly argued Friday [11/8/2019] that guns need to be kept out of the hands of minorities in order to keep them alive.  While speaking at the Aspen Institute, Mr. Bloomberg, 72, said 95 percent of murders fall into a specific category:  a male minority between the ages of 15 and 25, The Aspen Times reported.  Cities need to get guns out of this group's hands and keep them alive, the former three-term mayor said, according to The Times.

The Editor says...
The people who cooked up this idea seem to have a poor understanding of human nature.  They assume that if you take guns away from criminals, the criminals won't be able to get another gun.  Liberals think criminals are stupid.  Liberals think you're stupid enough to vote for a candidate with ideas that are this transparently futile.

The Nazism of Democrat Gun Control.  November 9 marks the 81st anniversary of the first day of Kristallnacht, also known as the "night of broken glass."  For nearly a week, the Nazi Sturmabteilung paramilitary forces carried out a pogrom against Jewish-owned businesses, synagogues and properties across Germany and related territories; 267 synagogues and 7,000 businesses were damaged or destroyed, and 30,000 Jewish men were incarcerated in concentration camps.  There was another sinister motive equal to the anti-Semitism:  gun control.  What many don't know is, weeks before, the Nazis had disarmed the Jews whom they terrorized; they knew who had firearms because of a compulsory, pre-Nazi gun registry created a decade earlier.  The Nazis were so precise that businesses adjacent to Jewish-owned businesses were untouched; we suspect that many non-Jews wanted to help, but they knew that assisting would likely mean death or imprisonment.

Virginia's Democratic Government Announced It Will Begin Confiscating Guns from Law-Abiding Gun Owners.  Virginia's gun owners will now be forced to stay on their toes as its Democratic government has announced it's going to take the war on guns into overdrive within the state.  According to the Washington Post, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced during a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday that now that Virginia's state government is under complete Democrat control for the first time in a generation, they're going to take the heavy stick they were just given and begin beating gun owners over the head with it.

Texas Counties Are Declaring Themselves 'Second Amendment Sanctuaries.' But What Does That Mean, Exactly?  Hood County is one of seven Texas counties — mostly Republican and rural — to officially establish themselves as gun sanctuaries in the past year and a half, three of them after O'Rourke announced his support for a mandatory buy-back of assault weapons in the aftermath of the mass shootings in El Paso and Midland/Odessa.  Like resolutions in several other counties, Hood County's measure affirms support for any decision the sheriff makes "to not enforce unconstitutional firearms restrictions against any citizen," and it shields county funds, employees, and buildings from being used in service of any law "that unconstitutionally infringes on the right of the people to keep and bear arms."  Before voting on the measure, Commissioner Dave Eagle pointedly noted that the sheriff is the highest-ranking law enforcement official in the county.  "What does that mean?" Eagle asked rhetorically.

The Editor says...
The word rural, as in, "mostly Republican and rural," is a code word meaning stupid.

Orwellian Fear Reigns in Vermont.  Vermont is the national Petri dish for the Orwellian fear-mongers.  Visceral quaking by overwrought Vermont "progressives" over firearms was well funded by out-of state interests, and Vermont swiftly shifted from one of the least restrictive Second Amendment havens to one of the most oppressive, employing a "thoughtcrime" that was perfectly timed (post-Sandy Hook) to dupe the electorate: a student was charged with an "attempted" attack on a public school, when there had never been any attempt.

Andrew Pollack:  Guns Don't Create School Shootings, Leftist Policies Do.  Andrew Pollack is using speaking engagements and video opportunities to tell audiences that guns do not cause school shootings, leftist policies do. [...] He noted that people who call for more background checks either ignore or do not know that the Parkland attacker passed a background check to get the gun he used.  Pollack said the big problem is that school districts are crippled by leftist policies that prevent them from recognizing and/or reporting criminality among certain students.  Pollack said these "politically correct policies to decrease juvenile arrests" spare individuals with criminal tendencies from compiling a record, thereby leaving a clean history with which they pass a background check when they attempt to buy a gun.

Permitless gun carry in Oklahoma takes effect.  A "constitutional carry" gun law in Oklahoma took effect Friday.  Also known as permitless carry, the law lets some Oklahomans carry a firearm in public without a license.  Most Oklahomans 21 and older can now carry concealed or unconcealed firearms without having gone through a background check or training requirements, with exceptions for those illegally in the country or who have been convicted of certain crimes.

On Laws, Guns, And Freedom, Bureaucrats Fight To Overrule The People.  With just over a month left before the Supreme Court's scheduled December sitting, Second Amendment activists are eagerly anticipating the first major hearing on gun rights since the high court struck down Chicago's handgun ban in 2010. [...] Red flag laws, currently on the books in 15 states, allow police, family members, and others (e.g., cranky neighbors) who fear (or say they fear) that a gun owner has become dangerous, to file a seizure warrant for that person's weapons, reversing the burden of proof:  the gun owner is presumed dangerous and has to prove he is not — making a travesty of both the Sixth and Second Amendments.  As of now, there is no national gun registry, but Democrats dream of creating one so officials can confiscate the firearms of dangerous people.  Like you.  Not a good idea in a country where people aspire to be free.

How Democrats' Gun Control Plans Would Wreck Wildlife Conservation.  People seeking public office should do homework before embracing bad policy.  If they don't have the time, at minimum they should require their staff to be informed.  Every current Democratic presidential candidate is advocating an assault on wildlife and habitat conservation in America.  It's fair to assume they don't know.  They, like most Americans, are likely unaware that the bulk of wildlife conservation funding in this country comes from a healthy firearms industry.

BATFE Drops 80% Receiver Case in California; Fears Precedent.  In 2014, Joseph Roh had a business that dealt in firearms parts.  As part of the business, he facilitated the production of lower receivers for AR-15 type firearms, from 80% receivers, in California.  In the business, he or his employees would set up the 80% receiver in a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) milling machine.  Then, they required the customer to "push the green button". ATF believed this made the business one that was manufacturing firearms without a license.  Roh was arrested in 2014. [...] Joseph Roh had assets.  He hired a competent attorney, Gregory Nicolaysen.

Washington Parish Sheriff Cites Second Amendment, Leaves Democrat Party.  Washington Parish is a rural parish of about 47,000 population in Louisiana.  The rural parish elections have been trending conservative; they have been gradually moving from traditional Democrat to Republican. [...] Sheriff Randy Seal was correct when he said the Democrat party left him.  There is no issue where this is more clear than on support for the Second Amendment.

Florida Police Using FINDER System to Create Lists of Gun Owners.  Pawnbrokers are required to enter information on firearms transactions into the FINDER system.  The system transmits the serial number of the firearm along with the make and model to the local sheriffs' department to make sure that the person pawning the gun, did not steal it.  A bug in the system also transmitted the names and addresses of the transfers to local law enforcement.  The Charlotte County Sheriff's Department used the information to create a list of gun owners.

Beto O'Rourke:  We will use 'criminal code' against people who refuse to turn in AR-15s.  Beto O'Rourke said he would use the criminal code to back up his proposal to confiscate AR-15s and other "weapons of war" from Americans.  "If we're able to pass mandatory buybacks and I'm able to sign that into law, then I fully expect our fellow Americans to turn in their AR-15s and their AK-47s," the former Texas congressman said in a Thursday CBS News interview when asked if his policy was "too retroactive."  O'Rourke continued his answer by saying there would be criminal consequences if people were to "persist" in holding onto their weapons.

Gun Owners:  Here's Why You Should Think Twice Before Posting Pictures of Your Firearms on Social Media.  It's no secret that technology plays an important role in our lives.  Almost every single aspect of our life is ruled by technology, from smart phones to computers and the internet.  That's why it's not surprising to know that Google and Facebook are keeping tabs on gun owners' firearms.  According to The Firearms Blog (TFB), the two tech giants are scanning users' pictures to look for serial numbers.  They're then creating an index of every person's firearms based on the image scans.  If you've posted a picture of your firearm on a social networking site and didn't smear out the serial number, chances are it's indexed on Google images.  Simply type in the serial number in quotes and search images.  What comes up?

Police Groups Slam Beto's Plan to Send Cops to Collect Americans' Guns.  National law enforcement organizations harshly criticized Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke's plan to send police officers to collect AR-15s and AK-47s from those who refuse to turn them in under his mandatory buyback scheme.  In interviews with the Washington Free Beacon, leaders from groups representing hundreds of thousands of law enforcement officers described Beto's gun confiscation plan as "ridiculous," "asinine," and likely unconstitutional.

The Editor says...
LIKELY unconstitutional?  Please explain the loopholes and legal contortions that would be needed to justify a decree that the Second Amendment permits door-to-door gun confiscation.

Raising Taxes On Guns And Ammo Is About Punishing Gun Owners.  City council members in Tacoma, Washington could soon approve a massive increase in taxes on firearms and ammunition sales in the city, and local reporter and columnist Matt Driscoll loves the idea.  In a column for the Tacoma News-Tribune, Driscoll says he's ready for the city to "do something" to try to make streets safer.

Sheriffs Send Beto to the Burn Ward Over His Threat to Send Law Enforcement to Gun Owner's Homes.  While on MSNBC's Morning Joe, Democratic 2020 candidate and wannabe tyrant Robert "Beto" O'Rourke made it clear that in an America where he's president, he will send law enforcement to the homes of people who choose not to participate in the mandatory buyback program and take their gun by force.  O'Rourke told "Morning Joe" host Joe Scarborough that in the instance of a gun owner keeping his AR-15 to himself, then he can count on a visit by someone with a badge and a gun. [...] It would appear that law enforcement has some things to say about that, and O'Rourke may not like what they have to say.

The ATF Has Been Enforcing a Rule That Does Not Exist.  [Scroll down]  However, it's generally legal to sell firearm parts without following those rules.  The exception is the "receiver."  Federal law treats this part — the frame that holds the gun's guts, basically — the same way it treats an entire firearm.  It needs to have a serial number and so on even when it's sold by itself, preventing people from evading the law by simply buying and selling firearms piece by piece.  But this creates an issue for AR-15s, whose receivers themselves are divided into two parts.  For these guns, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives treats the bottom part — the "lower receiver" — as the firearm for regulatory purposes.  The only way to skirt the law is to sell "80 percent lowers," hunks of metal mostly made into lowers but still requiring some machining. [... But] Is it actually flat-out legal to sell a completed lower with no serial number and no background check?  That's the issue raised by the recent case.

Beto Would Risk Another Waco.  In an interview with "Morning Joe" host Joe Scarborough on MSNBC on Wednesday [10/16/2019], presidential candidate Peter Francis O'Rourke admitted that, yes, he was willing to pry your AR-15 from your cold dead hands. [...] Which part of "the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed" in the Second Amendment do you not understand? [...] Of course, Beto expects the law-abiding citizen, perhaps a veteran, protecting his family will simply answer the door and respond to the demand that he surrender his legally owned firearm along with his constitutional rights by saying, "Excuse me, officer, I know I fought for my country and have threatened no one, but since some politician who is protected by armed security thinks I'm a danger to my community, well, here they are.

Beto Admits Non-Compliant AR-15 Owners Would Receive a 'Visit from a Law-Enforcement Officer' under His Plan.  Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke admitted on Wednesday [10/16/2019] that under his federal gun "buyback" plan, police officers would go to the homes of those gun owners who refused to sell their weapons to the government in order to "recover" the banned semi-automatic rifles.  "What's the next step for the federal government there?" Joe Scarborough asked O'Rourke on MSNBC, giving the example of a "rancher in Texas" who refuses to give up his AR-15.  "I think just as in any law that is not followed or flagrantly abused there have to be consequences or else there is no respect for the law," O'Rourke responded.  "So in that case I think there would be a visit by law enforcement to recover that firearm and make sure that it is purchased, bought back, so that it cannot be potentially used against somebody else."

Meet The Police Officer Who Told Congress She 'Would Not Comply' With a Gun Ban.  Last week, a retired Tulsa, Oklahoma law enforcement officer testified in a Congressional hearing that she "would not comply" if Congress passes a ban on firearms.  Her bold assertion earned her national media attention and viral status on social media.  Dianna Muller, who is the founder of a non-partisan Second Amendment advocacy group called the DC Project, is also a proud NRA Member.  We caught up with Dianna after the hearing.  [Video clip]

Retired cop's guns confiscated, license revoked, based on word of waitress.  A gun seizure in Massachusetts raises serious questions about the state law on guns and the notion of red flag laws in general.  Stephen Nichols, an 84-year-old retired Tisbury police officer and Korean War Army veteran, was conversing with a friend over a meal at a local restaurant.  The waitress who was serving them reported the conversation she overheard to authorities.  As a result Nichols's guns were confiscated and his gun license was revoked.  To add insult to injury, it turns out the server heard only heard part of the conversation.

Beto O'Rourke:  If You Don't Hand over Your AR-15 We'll Take It.  During the October 15, Democrat debate Robert "Beto" O'Rourke made clear that AR-15 owners who refuse to hand over their guns will have them taken away.  O'Rourke reiterated his plan to use a government-mandated buyback to confiscate privately-owned AR-15s and AK-47s.  In so doing, he claimed that each AR-15 and AK-47 in private hands is a "potential instrument of terror."  CNN's Anderson Cooper then asked O'Rourke how he plans to get people to hand over their rifles.  O'Rourke responded by explaining that he expects complains [sic - compliance?] with the mandatory buybacks.

California man mysteriously freed after selling illegal AR-15s.  Here's an odd story out of California that dates back nearly a decade but I'm only just hearing about it now.  It deals with a man named Joseph Roh who lived in a suburb of Los Angeles.  After a lengthy BATFE investigation, it was determined that Roh had been illegally manufacturing AR-15 style, semiautomatic rifles (without serial numbers) in his own warehouse.  What's more, he had been selling them for $1,000 a pop to people, many of whom were not legally allowed to purchase a firearm due to having a criminal record.  In fact, one of his customers turned out to be John Zawahri, who you may recall from a mass shooting in Santa Monica in 2013.  Simple enough, right?  Lock the guy up.  Even the most strident Second Amendment supporters don't want freelance gunsmiths circumventing the law and arming criminals.  And yet, after years of investigation and legal gymnastics, California decided to quietly let the guy go earlier this year.  How [...] did that happen?

How the American Media Perpetuates and Profits from Mass Shootings.  The American media currently has no industry standard practices for how to cover either suicides or mass shootings.  However, one can easily see the difference between how mass shootings and suicides are covered.  Whereas suicides are treated as sombre tragedies, mass shootings often have the sensationalism turned up to 11.  There's a detailed discussion of the shooter's life story, motives and methods.  Strong evidence suggests that this both encourages and instructs potential mass shooters.  Statistically speaking, mass shootings represent a tiny portion of all deaths in the United States. [...] Despite the low frequency of these tragedies, the media pays outsized attention to them for self-serving reasons, which are both political and economic:  There's a demonstrated anti-gun agenda amongst America's media.  And there's the ongoing shift in the media's business model to attention-based revenue that results in ever-more sensational news coverage and "clickbait" headlines.

Gavin Newsom Signs Bill Restricting Rifle Purchases by Californians.  California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed legislation Friday to limit rifle purchases by Californians.  The Sacramento Bee reports the legislation limiting rifle purchases was sponsored by Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge).  The Bee also reports similar legislation was vetoed by Gov. Jerry Brown (D) on three different occasions.  But Newsom signed it, thereby expanding California's one-handgun-a-month rule to include semiautomatic centerfire long guns as well.

California Governor Approves Broadest Gun Seizure Laws In US.  Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom has approved some of the strictest gun laws and gun seizure powers in the U.S. Friday [10/11/2019], signing into law 15 different pieces of gun legislation.  Newsom has reinforced a "red flag" law that enables educators, employers and co-workers to inform on gun owners and request that a restraining order be placed on them — if they are believed to be a danger to themselves or society, according to the Associated Press.

California adopts nation's broadest gun seizure laws.  California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed 15 gun-related bills into law Friday, tightening the state's already-stringent Second Amendment restrictions.  One of the bills, which expands a so-called "red flag" law to allow co-workers, employers and educators to seek gun violence restraining orders against firearms owners they fear are a danger to themselves and others, was vetoed twice by Newsom's predecessor, Jerry Brown.  Newsom also signed a companion bill allowing the gun violence restraining orders to last one and five years, although the gun owners could petition to end those restrictions earlier.  The bill also allows judges to issue search warrants at the same time as they grant the orders.  The warrants can be used immediately if the gun owners are served with the relinquishment orders but fail to turn over the firearms or ammunition.

"THAT is why law-abiding citizens buy millions of these firearms".  Amy Swearer To House Judiciary.  [Video clip]

Guns and Cannabis:  The Insidious Creep of Tyranny.  In 2004, Vermont implemented a medical marijuana registry, promising patient confidentiality on its state website.  Then, in 2018, Vermont legalized recreational marijuana use and imposed a universal background check on gun-purchasers.  Here's the rub:  the federal government was not consulted, and the ATF maintains that anyone using marijuana will be denied clearance to purchase any gun.  This was already the case prior to Vermont's recreational cannabis legalization — those who were on the state's marijuana registry were not allowed to buy guns from federally licensed dealers, as the state of Vermont provided the list of registrants surreptitiously to the federal government.  Yet those on the cannabis registry could still purchase guns from neighbors — that is, until the vaulted "universal background check" closed that "loophole" for sick people to defend themselves.  All without public discussion, or even awareness.  This is how government steals liberties.

Supreme Court Refuses to Drop 2A Case, Despite NYC Pleas.  The Supreme Court on Monday [10/7/2019] signaled their willingness to hear the first Second Amendment case in a decade, known as New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. New York City.  The High Court denied a motion, filed by the City, asking for the case to be dropped because of its mootness.  NYC filed the motion because they changed the law in question since the case was first brought about.  In their mind, the law changes addresses any concerns the plaintiffs have.  The justices scheduled oral arguments for December, telling both sides the "question of mootness will be subject to further consideration, and the parties should be prepared to discuss it."

Dick's Sporting Goods CEO says company destroyed $5 million in guns.  Ed Stack, the chairman and CEO of Dick's Sporting Goods, said in a new interview that his company destroyed $5 million worth of semi-automatic rifles after removing them from store shelves last year.  Dick's stopped selling AR-15s after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012 but took it a step further after the 2018 Parkland high school shooting, raising the gun purchase age to 21 and banning the sale of high-capacity magazines and assault-style rifles.  It was a highly controversial move that Mr. Stack said cost the company "pretty close" to $250 million.

Violent Crime Drops As Concealed Carry Numbers Increase.  We learned from the FBI this week that violent crime and homicides declined in 2018.  Now a new report from the Crime Prevention Research Center shows while crime is down, the number of Americans who possess a concealed carry license is growing.  In fact, the number of concealed carry license holders grew by 1.4 million people to 18.66 million, and at this pace, will eclipse 20-million concealed carry holders in 2020.

Latest FBI Stats:  AR-15s Were Used in Less Than 3% of All Homicides.  If they come for our steak knives it's OK because knives were used in roughly 5 times as many homicides as ALL rifles COMBINED, not just AR-15s.  Whatever makes America safer.

Red Flag Laws and the Misguided Worship of Due Process.  For gun-owners, the pattern is all too familiar:  a mass shooting, such as those in El Paso and Dayton, followed by massive amounts of publicity by the anti-gun media and posturing politicians, accompanied by a demand that Congress "do something," such as red flag laws. [...] When questioned, most congressional Republicans say they will support police seizing guns only if rigorous due process is provided.  Don't buy it.  Red flag laws violate the Second Amendment, and "due process" is not a magic wand to be waved to make the infringement go away.  Due process is the idea that the government must follow the procedural rules under our system of justice.  These guarantees protect Americans against arbitrary decisions by the government to take away life, liberty, and property.  The Supreme Court has described due process circularly as "what process is due."  There is no one set of rules for all situations.  Typically, the greater the liberty interest at stake, the more extensive the due process protections must be.

Beto was honest about taking guns, and that's why Joe Biden's gun plan is dead on arrival.  Former Vice President Joe Biden has a plan for gun control.  It certainly isn't the most radical plan out there.  He wants to expand the list of crimes for which convicts can be deprived of their gun rights to include misdemeanor hate crimes.  He also wants to create a new voluntary gun purchase program. (Such programs are often mistakenly referred to as "buy-backs," but that syntax falsely implies that the government ever owned any of the guns in the first place.)  These programs are usually a harmless waste of money so long as they remain voluntary.  But they are a waste.  Most importantly, Biden wants to create a national gun registry.  This is where he is sure to meet the most resistance, and rightly so.  The reason is that no sane gun owner will want his or her name on a gun registry after listening to this year's Democratic candidates on the trail.

According To Democrats, Everything Is A 'Right!' Except Owning A Firearm.  Top Democratic 2020 White House hopefuls gathered in Las Vegas Wednesday [10/2/2019] for a forum on gun control held on the 2nd anniversary of the deadliest mass shooting in American history.  At the forum, sponsored by MSNBC with the gun control groups March for Our Lives and Giffords, Democrats pushed for far stricter federal gun laws than Democrats have ever supported in the past, including several candidates openly endorsing a gun confiscation program.  While Democrats running for president push to roll back gun rights, however, the far-left field of candidates is pushing everything else on their wish list as a "right" all individuals are entitled to.  Of course, none of the "rights" below are constitutionally protected.

God, Guns, and Grit:  Why America Needs The Reliant.  The Reliant, an action film coming to select theaters on October 24, is not a typical faith-based film and the secular community is taking notice.  It was made apparent when the Motion Picture Association of America gave it an R rating.  Although it had no foul language or sex scenes, and less violence than Disney movies given a PG-13 rating, the screenwriter and producer of the film, Dr. J. P. Johnston, had to appeal to the MPAA to get it changed.  The hate mail the producers have received and the trash articles written by those opposed to the film's nod to the right-to-keep-and-bear-arms is a hint of the size of the stronghold The Reliant is trying to tackle.

NRA 1, San Francisco Board of Supervisors 0.  Remember last month when San Francisco's Board of Supervisors passed a resolution declaring the National Rifle Association a domestic terrorist organization and ordered city employees to "take every reasonable step to limit" business interactions with the NRA and its supporters?  The one that our David French labeled "a retaliatory public attack on constitutionally protected speech"?  The NRA sued, and lo and behold, San Francisco is backing down, before the suit even went to court.

San Francisco backs down after NRA challenges its designation as 'terrorist organization'.  Derangement is in the air as progressives, driven to distraction by not just Trump's election and successes but their own failures, act out their rage with no consideration of the downsides.  An excellent example of Non-Trump Progressive Derangement Syndrome (NTPDS) is offered by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, embarrassed by their city's descent into filth and squalor, lashed out of the National Rifle Association instead of doing anything about the homeless population that is making sidewalks dangerous to traverse and spreading disease and crime.

Michael Bloomberg:  O'Rourke's Confiscation Talk Just Strengthens Opposition.  Gun control proponent Michael Bloomberg [...] gave an interview to the Firing Line with Margaret Hoover, where he intimated O'Rourke's approach is a, "rallying cry for people that say they are overstepping their bounds."  Town Hall quoted Bloomberg describing O'Rourke's confiscatory plan as "so impractical."  Bloomberg made clear his opposition to civilian ownership of many commonly-owned semiautomatic rifles, but added that O'Rourke's approach, "is not the way to win this issue."

The Death of American Citizenship.  We still have a Bill of Rights, but many of our constitutional protections are being rendered impotent.  If a rural family cannot find ammunition at the local Walmart or gun store due to organized boycotts and threats to such establishments, then the constitutional right to bear arms is not always exercisable in a practical sense.

Sparks fly at assault-weapons ban hearing on Capitol Hill, ex-cop vows she would 'not comply'.  A former police officer made a bold proclamation during a congressional hearing Wednesday regarding a proposed assault-weapons ban:  she would not comply.  Dianna Muller, who served in the Tulsa Police Department for 22 years and is the founder of gun advocacy group The DC Project, was among the witnesses at the House Judiciary Committee hearing.  The session on an otherwise contentious issue flew largely under the radar amid the Trump-Ukraine controversy and Democrats' impeachment push.  But reflecting the gun control divide in the country — amid a spate of deadly mass shootings that prompted renewed calls for strict laws — Muller said that such a ban would force lawful gun owners to either give up their arms or become criminals.

The Case Against Universal Background Checks.  On Capitol Hill this week, lawmakers got a visit from Attorney General Bill Barr and White House Legislative Affairs Director Eric Ueland, looking to sell them on a gun control proposal.  The proposal, an outline of which was released by the Daily Caller's Amber Athey, parallels legislation proposed by Senators Pat Toomey (R-Penn.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) in expanding federal background check requirements.

Why Barr's Expanded Background Checks Would Pave The Way For Gun Grabs.  As long as there is a background check system for gun purchases, Democrats will try to transform it into a firearm registry they can use to confiscate guns.

Breitbart's AWR Hawkins Wins 2019 Journalist of Year.  Breitbart News's AWR Hawkins won the 2019 Journalist of the Year award at the 34th Annual Gun Rights Policy Conference.  The conference, held in Phoenix, Arizona, is sponsored by the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF).  SAF Founder Alan Gottlieb commented on Hawkins' winning the award by saying, "AWR Hawkins winning this award was truly validated by applause from the more than 1,100 gun rights activists and supporters in the room."

Pro-Second Amendment Columbine Survivor Gets Beto to Admit:  I'm Open to Banning All Guns.  During an event in Colorado Thursday night [9/19/2019], 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidate Beto O'Rourke was asked if he is open to a ban on all semi-automatic firearms.

Dem gun control backers are trying to distance themselves from Beto's pledge.  Gun control talk continues on Capitol Hill, and Democrats are distancing their legislative efforts from the brazen gun confiscation pledge made by one of the presidential candidates last week.  In response to 2020 presidential candidate Robert "Beto" O'Rourke's "[...] yes, we're going to take your AR-15" comment at the third Democratic debate, and President Donald Trump's complaints that it's made working on gun control more difficult, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said, "I don't know of any other Democrat who agrees with Beto O'Rourke, but it's no excuse not to go forward" with new gun control.

Dems Veto Red Flag Law For Gangbangers.  If Democrats were serious about using red flag laws to keep guns out if the hands of people who might use them to senselessly murder others and therefore are danger to society, and not just as a gun-control tool to disarm law-abiding citizens, then why did they kill an attempt to use compiled lists of known gang members, which many police departments and law enforcement agencies possess?  Why did they kill a measure to red flag gang members?  And if Beto O'Rourke is going to come and take our guns, particularly our AR-15s, is he going to start on the south side of Chicago?

Colt Suspends Manufacture Of Controversial AR-15 For Civilian Market.  Firearms manufacturer Colt says it is suspending production of its popular AR-15 semi-automatic assault-style rifle for the civilian market, saying it will concentrate instead on fulfilling contracts from the military and law enforcement.  "The fact of the matter is that over the last few years, the market for modern sporting rifles has experienced significant excess manufacturing capacity," Colt Defense LLC president and CEO Dennis Veilleux said in a statement on Thursday.  "Given this level of manufacturing capacity, we believe there is adequate supply for modern sporting rifles for the foreseeable future."

NRA crowns Beto O'Rourke AR-15 salesman of the month: 'Possibly even of the year'.  The National Rifle Association labeled presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke the "AR-15 salesman of the month" after he called for the confiscation of AR-15s and AK-47s.  The gun rights group suggested the former Texas congressman could even be the AR-15 salesman of the year.

They're not alarmed, they're embarrassed.
O'Rourke gun confiscation talk alarms Democrats.  Former Rep. Beto O'Rourke's (D-Texas) full-throated endorsement of a mandatory gun buyback proposal has raised alarms among Democrats.  They see the presidential candidate's proposal as playing into Republican hands and putting Democratic candidates on the back foot.  They also say it could be used by the National Rifle Association (NRA) to raise money and members, and to fight efforts to impose tougher background checks and other measures that might reduce gun violence.  "I think we should be focused on the stuff that we can get across the finish line and I think that was a bit of a gift to the NRA," Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) told The Hill.

Beto O'Rourke:  Fines will 'compel' AR-15 owners to turn their guns.  Former Rep. Beto O'Rourke provided insight into how police would enforce his proposal for a government confiscation of AR-15s and AK-47s.  The Democratic presidential candidate told reporters he would impose a fine on AR-15 owners to "compel" them to follow the law and turn in their banned firearms.  Owners who turn in the guns will then be compensated.  "We expect our fellow Americans to follow the law.  If they do not, there would be a fine imposed to compel them to follow the law," O'Rourke said.  "We've seen this implemented successfully in Australia, where you've seen a near 50% reduction in gun violence deaths in that country."

Beto O'Rourke Thinks that Fines Will 'Compel' AR-15 Owners to Give Up their Guns.  To claim that there was a 50 percent decline in gun violence because of a government gun confiscation program is an outright lie.  There were about a dozen other gun control laws passed at the same time that made it damn near impossible to buy or own a gun of any kind.  O'Rourke knows this — or at least he should.

'Live Free or Die' and Government Gun 'Buybacks'.  Today, in astounding fashion, we see a majority of the Democrats and even quite a large number of Republicans bowing to their feelings and the communists and statists within the House and the Senate, as the whine over the scourge of "gun violence" reaches a fever pitch.  These gun-grabbers personify firearms, as if these inanimate firearms are chaotically running about America slaughtering innocent citizens.  And we now hear many Democrats and television network host and pundits asserting "assault weapons ownership is not synonymous with gun ownership."  A brick or a hammer is an "assault weapon", and if anything, the AR-15 is simply a tool for the defense of home and person.  It is no different than the 1905 Remington .308 semi-automatic, from the days when mass shootings were unheard of and an unthinkable and evil act and the good morals of society prevented such things, through the people's own self-restraint and will to only act for each other's well-being.  Firearms are harmless left at rest, and the damage they do, the good or evil, lies with the intent of the man holding one.

How to Bend the News.  This, from ABC, is a nice example of a news organization deliberately bending the truth in order to advance a narrative that it wishes were true but is not:  ["]Venerable gun manufacturer Colt says it will stop producing the AR-15, among other rifles, for the consumer market in the wake of many recent mass shootings in which suspects used the weapon.["]  Wow.  Sounds dramatic. [...] So the story is that, although it still respects the Second Amendment, Colt is going to stop producing AR-15s after a series of mass shootings in which they were used.  Right?  Wrong.  That's actually not the story at all, as ABC notes further down:  ["]The company did not mention mass shootings in its statement about stopping production and instead blamed the indefinite pause in making the weapon on a 'significant excess manufacturing capacity.'["]

In Aurora, Beto O'Rourke says he's open to broadening gun buyback proposal.  Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke says he's open to broadening his proposal to require owners of AK-47s and AR-15s to sell them to the government.  During an emotional town hall Thursday in Aurora, a man who identified himself as a survivor of the 1999 Columbine massacre noted that the shooters there didn't use the military-style weapons O'Rourke wants to take.  They instead used regular semi-automatic weapons.  He challenged O'Rourke to confiscate those arms as well.  O'Rourke told reporters afterward:  "If there's a way to improve what we proposed, I want to make sure we're reflecting that."

Red Flag Laws:  Too Good to Be True.  Reasonable Americans can agree that no one who shouldn't have a gun should have one.  Red flag laws, though, are peaceful slavery disguised as bipartisan utopianism, with even President Trump publicly supporting them.  Bipartisanship is often sold as doing what's right, but warm and fuzzy bipartisan agreements don't necessarily mean something good for the American people.  Doing what's constitutional is what's right and correct, irrespective of whether it's bipartisan.  It's almost the equivalent of legislating based on polls.  In my home state of Florida, both our U.S. senators, Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, support red flag laws.  Rubio may be the most vocal cheerleader among Republican senators.

Beto O'Rourke:  AR-15 Salesman of the Month, Perhaps the Year.  In a Democrat presidential field where the front runners are drawing 30 to 34 percent support, Robert "Beto" Rourke is only drawing 4 percent, but he sure can sell some AR-15s.

The price just went up.
Colt suspends production of AR-15 for civilian market.  Colt's chief executive officer, Dennis Veilleux, says it is not permanently ending production but believes there is already an adequate supply of sporting rifles on the market.  He said in a statement Thursday [9/19/2019] the company will concentrate on fulfilling military and law enforcement contracts with its rifle manufacturing.

Gunmaker Colt to Stop Producing AR-15s for Civilian Market.  Gunmaker Colt Firearms is stopping production of its AR-15 semi-automatic rifles for the civilian market amid a major gun control push led by Democrats, according to a new report.  Colt's AR-15s are among the most popular sporting rifles in America and considered a go-to AR for consumers.  According to a report by Guns.com, however, Colt senior VP Paul Spitale indicated the company is shifting production toward the class 1911, Colt revolvers, and other guns Americans want for concealed carry, and away from ARs.

Why Soft-on-Crime Democrats Are Tough on 'Gun Violence'.  At their third primary debate, nearly all of the Democratic presidential contenders offered full-throated support for gun control.  In the very recent past, gun control measures bowed to prudence by respecting the rights and expectations of law-abiding gun owners — even the Clinton "assault weapons ban" grandfathered weapons and magazines manufactured and purchased before the ban took effect.  Now, however, the rhetoric has shifted and become even more radical and uncompromising.

Dear San Francisco.  The City of San Francisco recently adopted a resolution labeling the National Rifle Association a "domestic terrorist organization" and threatening to boycott anyone who does business with the NRA. In response to this despicable act, the NRA, the nation's largest and most effective civil rights organization, has produced this video.  [Video clip]

Gun Control:  Wrong Solution to the Wrong Problem.  The actual problem is the growth of mental illness in American society.  So the real question that must be answered before any realistic solution can be proposed is why mental illness is trending so noticeably upward.  One measure that shows this increase in mental illness is the significant rise in the number of suicides, which have been steadily climbing for the last couple decades.  There were over 47,000 U.S. suicides in 2017, and it is only getting worse.  The explosion in mental illness is a manifestation of cultural rot.  Liberals gleefully turned America's culture into a death-celebrating cesspool and, in Saul Alinsky-like fashion, indicated that the only solution is the shredding of the Second Amendment, something they have always wanted to do.

Violate Your Oath And Turn On American Citizens At Your Legal Peril, Gun-Grabbers.  There has been a lot of talk about whether our law enforcement (and our military) would follow the orders of those like that furry fascist Beto to unleash a reign of terror upon innocent American citizens who the liberal elite's unconstitutional gun decrees would turn into felons.  Most of our heroic cops and warriors would hold true to their oaths to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.  But some pathetic worms would willingly, even eagerly betray their oaths and make war upon their own people.  They need to know there will be consequences. [...] This is about the other consequences of abandoning one's oath.  It is about the consequences that would come when the rule of law returns and justice demands to be done.  Because there will be an accounting before the law for anyone who swore to defend the Constitution and then willingly does the opposite.

Frivolous Lawsuits Once Again Threaten the Gun Industry.  In 2005, a wave of lawsuits threatened to bankrupt the gun industry.  These suits were based on — pick your adjective — "creative," "novel," "inventive," and "imaginative" legal theories that rarely held up in court, and they did their damage primarily by forcing gun companies to incur the costs of defending against them.  Congress, seeing the problem, stepped in to put a stop to it — or at least tried to — by passing the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA).  A decade and a half later, anti-gun activists have responded with yet more new legal theories, and the Connecticut courts have bought one of them.

Arizona Gun Store Offers 'Beto Special' On AR15s And AK47s — Sells Out In One Day.  When Obama was president, people called him America's greatest gun salesman because every time he talked about gun control, sales would go through the roof.  Now Beto O'Rourke is getting in on that action.  After Beto declared his intentions to confiscate guns at the last Democrat debate, one Arizona gun store decided to do a sale in his name.  It worked out pretty well for them.

Related topic:  Barack H. Obama: Gun Salesman of the Year.

It's Not The NRA Stopping Gun Control, It's America's 100 Million Gun Owners.  Tens of millions of Americans own handguns, which anti-gun activists tried to get banned in the 1970s and 1980s.  Seventeen and a half million Americans have permits to carry handguns for protection away from home.  A comparable number own semi-automatic rifles that Democrats in Congress have been trying to ban since 1989.  Since the 1990s, every time Democrats inside the Beltway have acted against the right to keep and bear arms, or threatened to do so, purchases of guns, particularly those that Democrats want most to ban, have soared.  For example, in August, the first month of Democrats' new push against guns, gun purchases increased roughly 16 percent, compared to the number in August 2018.  Yet Democrats believe they have reason to hope.  Polls show support for some of the gun laws they are demanding, though support for gun control typically falls once the public becomes informed about the details and it has fallen this year.

Trump: Democrats Want to Eliminate 'God-Given Right to Self-Defense'.  During his September 16, 2019, rally in New Mexico, President Donald Trump called out "radical" Democrats for trying to take Americans' guns.  Trump warned citizens of "radical left Democrats" pushing regulations, higher taxes, and constraints on free speech.

On ABC, Ted Cruz Schools Stephanopoulos on Dem Push for Gun Control and Confiscations.  In an appearance on Sunday's This Week, Senator Ted Cruz (R) schooled Clinton lackey and ABC chief anchor George Stephanopoulos on the ineffectiveness of Democratic gun control legislation.  In the process, Senator Cruz called out Democrats for working on plans to confiscate the firearms of law-abiding Americans.  Meanwhile, Stephanopoulos was trying to get Cruz to sign onto Democratic proposals.  After rehashing the dubious smears of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Stephanopoulos tried to use the recent mass shootings in Texas to box Cruz into a corner and get him to support pervasive gun control measures:

The 13 Republicans needed to pass gun-control legislation.  If President Trump endorses gun-control legislation, it will take 13 Senate Republican votes to pass the measure, assuming the entire 47-member caucus of Democrats and Independents backs it.  Conservatives such as Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) say any proposal that goes as far as the 2013 amendment sponsored by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) will face a backlash from the right, meaning 60 votes will be necessary to break a filibuster.  The Manchin-Toomey proposal, which is basis of current Senate negotiations, would expand back to include all sales over the Internet and at gun shows but exempt sales between family, friends and coworkers.

Beto's Gun Grab And Constitution Day.  September 17 is Constitution Day and Peter Francis O'Rourke plans on celebrating it by gutting the document's Second Amendment, infringing on the right to bear arms that the Constitution says shall not be infringed.  Of course, O'Rourke also shares the Democrat belief that the Constitution's "penumbras and emanations" confers a right to privacy allowing unborn children to be aborted until the moment of birth.  There he was on Sunday's [9/15/2019] "Meet the Press," his dental work complete and ear hair properly trimmed, to claim his plan to confiscate from law-abiding citizens by force and under penalty of law their AR-15s was in fact constitutional under the Constitution's Commerce clause.

'Through the Commerce Clause': Beto O'Rourke insists his gun confiscation plan is 'constitutionally sound'.  Presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke defended his plan to confiscate AR-15s and AK-47s and said it would not run counter to the Second Amendment to the Constitution.  "This is something that we're able to do through the Commerce Clause and this is something that is not prevented from — wouldn't prevent the United States from doing by the Second Amendment.  So this is constitutionally sound," O'Rourke told NBC's Meet the Press.  "This is absolutely necessary if we care about the lives of our fellow Americans."  O'Rourke claimed he has had owners of AR-15s come up to him and say, "I own one of these guns, don't need it to hunt, don't need it for self-defense.  This is the right thing to do, I would gladly give it up.'"

The Editor says...
I find it difficult to fully express my skepticism of Beto's dubious anecdote about AR-15 owners telling him they'd be glad to forfeit their guns.  If they don't need such a weapon for hunting or for self-defense, why did they purchase them?  Did they not deliberate their (plural) purchases?  If they had buyer's remorse, why didn't they just sell the guns and forego the political grandstanding?  Guns aren't cheap, and as the likelihood increases that we will see a gun-grabbing commie in the White House, the more expensive guns and ammo will become.

Leftists Won't Be Going 'Door-To-Door' To Take Your Guns, Because They Won't Have To.  The imagined apocalyptic door-to-door weapons seizures that either lead to a totalitarian state or a hot revolution/civil war is unlikely to ever happen.  That's not, however, because leftists are good people and would never want gun owners to be harmed.  Quite the contrary on all counts - Leftists are NOT good people and they DO want responsible gun owners to come to harm.  They just know that, Eric Swalwell's nukes notwithstanding, such an overreach too soon has a significant chance of going bad for them, and they're more than willing to settle for the long game.  Make no mistake, the totalitarian state WILL happen, if Robert Frances and his ilk get their way, but it won't happen with jackboots kicking in doors, at least not at first and not in significant enough numbers to overly alarm the rest of a sleeping populace.

Why not call Democrats communists?  Thursday night's presidential debate on ABC made that clear.  Democrats made it clear that they are for gun confiscation, wealth redistribution (reparations), a government-run medical system (Medicare For All), and an end to citizenship through open borders with special privileges for non-citizens, especially the ones here illegally.  Beto O'Rourke said, "Hell yes, we're going to take your AR-15, your AK-47.  We're not going to allow them to be used against fellow Americans anymore."  No one challenged him.  No one said look, you little twerp son-in-law of a billionaire, you cannot do that because it is unconstitutional.  The other 9 presidential candidates on that stage did not call him out because he said publicly what they all believe.  That is the plan, or at least part of it.  Eventually they will get there.  They banned assault weapons once before.

Beto The Furry Is Less Amusing When He Calls For Violence Against American Citizens.  The clownish antics of Tex Kennedy, that drunk driving furry and El Paso punchline, are much less funny now that he is promising to convert millions of Americans into felons and send armed government agents to their homes to steal their constitutionally-guaranteed property.  Maybe he doesn't know — whether due to pharmaceuticals or simply because he's stupid — that two Democratic administrations ago, right up the road, the feds sent a bunch of armed men to take the forbidden guns of some people who were minding their own business and it turned out poorly.  That debacle resulted in four dead ATF agents and over 70 dead civilians — including dozens of kids the feds burned alive.  Too bad that ridiculous dwarf George Stephoplatypus didn't query The Waco Kid on how many Waco reruns he and his fascist friends are willing to accept to show us rubes who's boss.  After all, that's what this AR-15 immoral panic is all about.

America's Exclusive, Math-Challenged Party.  Math is apparently very hard for Democrats, judging from the apparatchiks' comments on who can run for office on their party's ticket or contribute to that effort. [...] The notion of the federal government going door to door to confiscate something like 8.5 to 15 million weapons, especially since the definition of "assault weapon" is so fluid and unclear, is both unconstitutional and politically and practically preposterous.

Democratic senator warns O'Rourke AR-15 pledge could haunt party for years.  Sen. Christopher Coons (D-Del.) on Friday warned that Beto O'Rourke's pledge that the government will confiscate semiautomatic AR-15 rifles will become a rallying cry for gun rights groups for years to come and haunt the Democratic Party far into the future.  "I frankly think that that clip will be played for years at Second Amendment rallies with organizations that try to scare people by saying that Democrats are coming for your guns," Coons, an ally of former Vice President Joe Biden in the Democratic race, told CNN's Poppy Harlow in an interview.

Beto Blows Lid Off 'No One Wants to Take Your Guns'.  Democrats and media members have pledged for years some version of "nobody wants to take your guns away" when gun control laws come up for debate.  Former Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D., Texas), in a reversal of a position he held last year, has called for mandatory buybacks of semi-automatic rifles like the AR-15 and AK-47. [...] Going back to 2012, the Free Beacon found clips of numerous left-leaning figures who promised that such a position wasn't part of any gun control platform.

Texas State Rep. Briscoe Cain Doubles Down On Beto O'Rourke: 'Come And Take It'.  Texas State Rep. Briscoe Cain doubled down on his insistence that a government conceivably led by Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke will not be taking his guns.  Appearing with guest host Brian Kilmeade on Friday night's edition of "Tucker Carlson Tonight," Cain reiterated that his Thursday debate-night "My AR is ready for you Robert Francis" tweet at O'Rourke wasn't a physical threat, but rather a version of the oft-repeated gun rights phrase, "come and take it."

Yes, They Are Coming for Your Guns.  Prohibition has never been well received in America, and guns have proven no exception to that rule.  In New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey, attempts at the confiscation of "high capacity" magazines and the registration of "assault weapons" have both fallen embarrassingly flat — to the point that the police have simply refused to aid enforcement or to prosecute the dissenters.  Does Beto, who must know this, expect the result to be different in Texas, Wyoming, or Florida?  Earlier this week, the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives was unable to marshal enough votes to pass a ban on the sale of "assault weapons" — let alone to mount a confiscation drive.  Sorry, Robert Francis.  That dog ain't gonna hunt.

Democrats Finally Fly Their Gun-Control Fascist Freak Flag in the Open.  In all of the decades that the modern version of the contentious debate in America over guns, freedom, and the Second Amendment has been going on, the gun-control advocates have repeatedly assured gun owners of one thing:  they don't want to take our guns away from us.  My, what a difference one presidential primary full of unabashed Democratic statists makes.  After years of being told that we are paranoid for saying that the anti-gun Left wants to confiscate our weapons, the anti-gun Left is letting us know in no uncertain terms that they want to confiscate our weapons.

Dana Loesch Blasts Beto Campaign For Selling T-Shirt With 'Threat' To 'Forcibly Steal' Americans' Property.  Former NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch blasted Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke for "trying to raise money money off of a threat to the public."  Appearing on Friday night's [9/13/2019] edition of "Tucker Carlson Tonight" with guest-host Brian Kilmeade, Loesch called a message on a T-shirt being sold by O'Rourke's campaign that says "hell yeah, we're going to take your AR-15" a threat to "forcibly steal" someone's "lawfully owned and responsibly used property."

Beto Is a Disaster for the Gun-Control Movement.  He almost certainly doesn't realize it, but Beto O'Rourke is likely to be the worst thing to happen to the gun-control movement in decades — and, if he continues in this mode, he may turn out to be the worst thing to happen to the Democratic party in a long time, too.  In Houston last night, O'Rourke abandoned his cloying euphemisms ("mandatory buybacks") and delivered a deliberate, carefully scripted endorsement of gun confiscation, which, within minutes, his campaign began to sell on t-shirts.  "Hell yes," Beto said, "we're going to take your AR-15."  Thus, upon the instant, did two decades' worth of Democratic rhetoric go up in a puff of smoke.

Cory Booker:  It's 'fear mongering' to say armed police will show up and confiscate weapons.  Sen. Cory Booker endorsed the proposal set by former Rep. Beto O'Rourke for mandatory confiscation of AR-15s and similar rifles, but said "demagogues" are using fear in describing how it would be carried out. [...] When Berman asked how the idea would be put into motion, Booker said he would use the same method applied after machine guns were banned following the passage of the 1986 National Firearms Act.  "You have to set up a system.  Yeah, that is mandatory.  You have to set up a system to pull them off.  But this idea, this imagery that the fear mongers and demagogues try to say of somehow armed police officers showing up and confiscating weapons, that's the fear mongering," Booker said.

What Do You Mean, 'We'?  Robert Francis "Beto" O'Rourke, the former congressman from Texas who couldn't beat Ted Cruz in a U.S. Senate race but who nevertheless believes he can win the presidency, said a curious thing at the Democrats' third primary debate in Houston on Thursday night.  "Hell yes," he said, "we'll take your AR-15 and your AK-47 ..."  As I say, curious.  Who exactly, I wonder, does Beto mean by "we"?  A legion of overgrown adolescent 6-foot-4 rich-kids like him, collecting rifles on skateboards?  Or does he mean the United States government, under his command?  If he intended the latter, then a little history lesson might be in order.

ADL, Dems Push 'Disarm Hate Act' to Seize Guns of Those Convicted of a 'Misdemeanor Hate Crime'.  The Anti-Defamation League and the Democrats in congress want to ban Americans convicted of "misdemeanor hate crimes" from owning guns, outlaw so-called "high capacity" magazines and pass "red flag" gun laws nationwide to seize people's guns at the slightest whim of a government bureaucrat.

NJ gun owners [defy] the governor who banned high-capacity magazines.  To date, ZERO have been turned in.  The governor of New Jersey signed a law in 2018 banning high-capacity magazines.  Gun owners in the Garden State didn't exactly pay attention or behave like obedient subjects and turn in their high-capacity magazines to the government.  Can you guess how many high-capacity magazines have been turned into the government?  How about none!

Conservatives offer stark warning to Trump, GOP on background checks.  Senate conservatives are warning President Trump and their own leaders to tread carefully in the gun-control debate and caution they risk a political backlash by striking a deal with Democrats to expand background checks for firearms sales.  Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Thursday [9/12/2019] said if Republicans strike a deal with Democrats to require all firearms sales over the Internet or at gun shows to go through background checks, they would demoralize their conservative base ahead of next year's presidential election.

Beto Asks Banks to Boycott Gun Industry.  Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke on Thursday called on big banks and other financial institutions to cut off business with gun companies in an effort to bankrupt them.  "Credit cards have enabled many of America's mass shootings in the last decade — and with Washington unwilling to act, they need to cut off the sales of weapons of war today," O'Rourke tweeted.

Democrats take aim at gun owners in Houston debate.  Gun control featured prominently in the third Democratic debate in Houston, with most of the 10 candidates trying to one-up each other on the issue while also jabbing repeatedly at President Trump. [...] New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, who describes himself as the only senator "who goes home to a low-income inner-city community," in an impassioned monologue vowed to "bring a fight to the NRA and corporate gun lobby like they have never seen before."

Gallup: 83% Blame 'Failure of Mental Health System' for Contributing to Mass Shootings.  Despite calls for more gun control laws in the wake of mass shootings, a new survey shows that the number one factor cited by Americans as contributing to mass shootings is the "failure of the mental health system to identify individuals who are a danger to others," reported Gallup.  Eighty-three percent of adults see that as the factor contributing "a great deal" and "a fair amount" to the problem.  "Easy access to guns" was cited by 48% of American adults as contributing "a great deal" to mass shootings and another 21% saw it as contributing "a fair amount" to the problem.

Wokemart.  Do we really have to listen to Walmart's attempts to lecture us on the morality of our consumer purchases?  Has American consumer culture hit the skids that badly?  Last week the retail giant actually crossed the Rubicon with Middle America.  Walmart announced that it was requesting its customers refrain from openly carrying firearms in its stores.  Additionally, the retailer said it plans to stop selling some types of ammunition.  Walmart will also end handgun sales in Alaska, the only state where it still sells them.  Walmart discontinued the sale of "assault-style" weapons, otherwise known as scary-looking rifles, in 2015.  Last year, Walmart raised the age at which it would sell guns and ammunition to customers from 18 to 21.  Walmart hasn't sold handguns since 1993, other than in Alaska.

The Editor says...
What's so special about Alaska?  What conditions exist in Alaska that don't exist in rural New Mexico or Montana?

NJ to terminate contracts with gun manufacturers, financiers if they don't pledge support for responsible gun control.  New Jersey officials says they're done doing business with any gun manufacturers that don't play by their rules.  Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order Tuesday demanding gun makers turn over their practices to the state, and this applies to banks that do business with New Jersey, too.  Moms Demand Action and other major gun safety advocacy were on hand to watch Murphy sign the order in Morristown.  "We will not waste any time ensuring the people we do business with, and who do business with the State of New Jersey, share our concerns and share our State's values," said Murphy.

28% Of Democrats Say Joining the NRA Should Be Illegal, 32% Agree With "Terrorist Organization" Designation.  Fresh off the San Francisco board of Supervisors labeling the NRA a "terrorist organization," a new poll from Rasmussen Reports shows that 28% of democrats want to throw people in jail for joining the NRA, and 32% of democrats "favor declaring the gun rights group a terrorist organization in the community where they live."

Here we go.  NRA sues San Francisco.  Last week we discussed the embarrassing decision by the San Francisco City Council to label the National Rifle Association a "domestic terrorist organization."  While that was bad enough to start with, they went several steps further, declaring that they would "limit business interactions with the NRA and its supporters."  This was clearly a bridge too far for the NRA.  They initially released a statement calling this action "a reckless assault on a law-abiding organization, it's members, and the freedoms they all stand for."  But they aren't stopping there.  Now the case may be heading to court.

NRA Sues San Francisco for Declaring It a "Domestic Terrorist Organization".  The National Rifle Association filed suit against the city of San Francisco Monday after the city declared the gun rights group a "domestic terrorist organization."  The city's board of supervisors unanimously approved the resolution that was introduced six weeks ago after three people were shot and killed at a garlic festival in Gilroy, Calif.  After its passage last week, the board acknowledged the non[-]binding resolution had little practical effect beyond its portrayal of the NRA, which the board hopes will spur the city to curtail relationships with companies that do business with the NRA.

NRA sues San Francisco over city declaring it a domestic terrorist organization.  The National Rifle Association on Monday sued the city of San Francisco over a declaration deeming the lobbying group a "domestic terrorist organization," according to The Associated Press.  The city Board of Supervisors passed the resolution last week, with Supervisor Catherine Stefani saying she was moved to draft it following August's shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival.  In the lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of California, the NRA accused the city of maintaining a blacklist, asking the court to "instruct elected officials that freedom of speech means you cannot silence or punish those with whom you disagree."

Guns, Bernie, Liz, and Joe.  As the $90-plus million release of IT: Chapter Two proved last weekend, America loves scary clowns.  But when you consider that four of them — Bernie Sanders, Lizzie Warren, Joe Biden, and Kamala Harris — all beat President Trump in the latest polls, it's not fun:  it's just scary.  All four, and the others still in the race competing for the Dems' vice-presidential nomination, are obsessed with making it much harder — and in some cases impossible — for Americans to lawfully possess and use firearms.  All four would revive the federal ban on sale of "assault weapons" — whatever they are — and impose universal background checks on gun sales.  And it goes downhill from there.

Feds Demand Apple And Google Hand Over Names Of 10,000+ Users Of A Gun Scope App.  Own a rifle?  Got a scope to go with it?  The U.S. government might soon know who you are, where you live and how to reach you.  That's because the government wants Apple and Google to hand over names, phone numbers and other identifying data of at least 10,000 users of a single gun scope app, Forbes has discovered.

Red flag laws to fight mass shootings?  Fine for an ideal world, but we don't live in one.  In the world we actually inhabit, state-level experiments with "red flag" laws should give all Americans pause before handing over this kind of power to Washington.  First of all, the bedrock of America's legal system is all citizens' guarantee to "due process" before the government infringes on any of their legal rights.  Red flag laws around the country skirt or even trample due process.

What San Francisco's Declaration Of The NRA As A Terrorist Group Says About America Today.  On Tuesday [9/3/2019], San Francisco's Board of Supervisors unanimously declared the National Rifle Association to be a "domestic terrorist organization" and urged the city to re-evaluate its financial commitments to organizations that conduct business with the interest group.  City leaders labeled the gun rights group that represents nearly five million members a "terrorist" group in response to several mass shootings that took place this summer, including one that took place at a food festival in Gilroy, California killing three people just south of San Francisco.

Lies the Left Tells About Guns.  Here's the thing about guns.  The Constitution — that handy little document — guarantees our rights to them, and that guarantee is a profound reflection of the nature and character of our freedoms.  As Ben Domenech of The Federalist wrote recently, "the right to bear arms is not about hunting." [...] The simple fact that we have a right to own guns doesn't mean individuals must own them, use them, or even like them.  But what it does mean is that people advocating further regulation of firearms at least should have a baseline understanding of how firearms actually work, as well as the current statutory environment that regulates their purchase, handling, and use.

Democrat Beto O'Rourke: Americans Will Gladly Turn Over their Guns.  This past weekend Beto told Democrats at the New Hampshire Democratic Party Convention that he will buy back guns from Americans and they will gladly turn them over.

Natural Disasters and the AR-15.  While there may be power outages and other wind-caused damage from the storm, unpredictable storms like [Hurricane] Dorian stretch the ability of government entities, including public utilities, to accommodate the needs of people who are in harm's way.  If government cannot protect us at all times and in all places — and that is never feasible or desirable, much less possible — how are individuals supposed to protect themselves in the wake of a disaster absent law enforcement? [...] Consider that when London banned guns, knife attacks increased, which led the mayor to call for knife control and the regulation of knives. [...] [C]ountless others on the Left do not want to protect life; they want us to be unable to defend ourselves from the violence of the stronger and, therefore, become more dependent on them.

Crossing the Street, Riding a Bicycle, Kills More Americans than Rifles Do.  The left's relentless push to ban commonly-owned semiautomatic rifles under the guise of safety overlooks the fact that Americans face numerous things that cause exponentially more death than rifles on a daily basis.  Consider Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statistics from 2017, the most recent year of complete data.  The total number of firearm-related deaths was 39,773. Roughly two-thirds of that figure, 23,854, were firearm-related suicides, with the remaining 15,919 being a combination of the approximately 500 accidental gun deaths that occur annually coupled with just over 15,000 firearm-related homicides.

Why 'Mandatory Buybacks' Are A Non-Starter.  Right now, there's a lot of talk about mandatory buybacks.  It's being mentioned more often than the primary champion for them, presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke.  The idea is alluring for a lot of anti-gun voters, the idea of not just banning so-called assault rifles, but also taking those already in circulation off the streets.  And hey, since there's a buyback, that's totally different than just taking the guns away, right?  Right?  Well, no, actually.  It's just a slightly more polite version of the same mentality that would have jackbooted thugs kicking in people's doors to search for guns and hauling people off to prison.  Doing so, even with a mandatory buyback, is likely to spark trouble.  There is an upside, though.  That upside is that no such thing is likely to happen.

New Jersey Gun Owners Aren't Turning In Their Magazines Despite New Law.  New Jersey is a hostile place for gun owners.  The progressive state is a big fan of gun control and continually works to pass more and more restrictive measures, even if those restrictions make no sense at all.  One of its most recent moves was to further restrict the magazine capacity of firearms.  There are a few ways to hold onto your magazines, but the idea is to make it so people will turn them in to authorities.  Well, that's not happening.  Instead, gun owners are getting creative.

Mo Brooks: 'The Long-Term Strategy of the Democratic Party Is to Eliminate the Second Amendment'.  Thursday [9/5/2019] during an appearance on Huntsville, AL radio's WVNN, Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) argued that although House Democrats will likely pass a number of gun control bills that will not make it through the U.S. Senate, the long-term strategy was to get at the Second Amendment's right to bear arms.

The Left's determination to destroy us from within.  Democrats, who have long led their hostage cities and states to inevitable decline, are absolutely to blame for the destruction of their disintegrating realms. [...] They support the abrogation of the Second Amendment.  In their view, only criminals should and will have guns.  And indeed, they will — like the man who killed seven people in Odessa, Texas, but who failed the background check but still acquired a gun.  Of course he did.  That is what criminals do:  break laws for which they have no respect.  Despite that essential truth, the Left wants to prevent law-abiding citizens from being able to defend themselves.  The Left wants law-abiding citizens to be sitting ducks, defenseless against the likes of each and every one of the recent mass shooters. [...] (Chicago and Baltimore are the murder capitals of the nation.  Both have among the strictest gun control laws in the nation.)

National Democrats Dodge Questions on Whether NRA Is a 'Domestic Terrorist Organization'.  National Democrats in Congress and on the presidential campaign field have dodged questions of whether they agree with the San Francisco Board of Supervisors' decision to declare the National Rifle Association (NRA) a "domestic terrorist organization."

Gov. Bevin on Gun Violence: 'What Has Changed?  We, As a Culture... We Don't Value Human Life'.  "If we think that a part of what we are seeing is not a cultural problem, we're kidding ourselves," Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin (R) says in a video addressing his stance on gun violence in America.  In a video posted on the governor's YouTube page, Bevin responds during a 2018 appearance to a woman asking why he doesn't support stricter gun control laws to address gun violence.  Bevin explains that gun violence has increased in recent decades because American society has undergone a fundamental cultural shift that has desensitized people to the destruction of human life.  Gov. Bevin notes that, when he was a child, kids brought guns to school — on the school bus and in their cars — but, they didn't shoot each other with them.  What has changed, he says, is the culture, which now devalues and degrades human life through entertainment, pornography, abortion and the rejection of morality.

Your Apple Watch May Be Used to Decide Whether You Can Own a Gun.  The Trump administration is reportedly considering a proposal that would see the federal government partnering with Google, Amazon, and Apple in order to use their smart home devices to capture data on users — and then use that information to determine whether users exhibit signs of mental illness and a potential for violent behavior.  The Washington Post published the report, citing sources within the administration.  Although it did not specify whether the president himself approves of the proposal, it was apparently brought to the White House by the Suzanne Wright Foundation.

CVS, Wegmans, Walgreens Ask Customers Not to Bring Firearms into Stores.  If someone is prepared to slaughter 10, 20 or more innocent civilians shopping in a drug store, do you think they are inclined to respect the "wishes" of a retail outlet that doesn't want firearms in its establishment?  CVS and Walgreens think so.  CVS and Walgreens joined the woke corporation crowd of Walmart and Kroger and announce they request customers do not bring firearms into their stores.

Walmart's New Guns and Ammo Policy Caves to People Who Will Never Shop at Walmart.  On Tuesday [9/3/2019], Walmart made a grandstanding announcement signaling a change in its policy on the sales of certain ammunition and legal open carry in it stores.  This was a change the company originally said it was not going to make. [...] When it comes to the leftists' biggest pet issues, there is never a satisfactory partial response.  They want total surrender and nothing less.  They're zealots, not rational people who just happen to think differently.  You don't have to take my word on this, the Left is always more than eager to make the point.  Just one day after Walmart made its announcement, San Francisco branded the responsible, legal gun owners of the NRA a "domestic terrorist organization."

Walgreens Joins Kroger, Walmart, Bans Open Carry in Stores.  On Thursday [9/5/2019], Walgreens joined Kroger and Walmart in banning open carry in their stores.  Walgreens posted a short statement on the issue, which says, "We are joining other retailers in asking our customers to no longer openly carry firearms into our stores other than authorized law enforcement officials."  The announcement comes two days after Kroger and Walmart both banned open carry in their stores.

Satire:
Walmart Discontinues Auto Part Sales To Prevent Car Accidents.  In a bold move intended to curb the thousands of deaths from vehicles each and every day, Walmart has decided to stop selling auto parts, sources confirmed Tuesday.  According to shocking reports, people have purchased car parts at Walmart and then those cars have been involved in accidents, proving a direct correlation between selling auto parts and causing deaths.  "We can no longer be complicit in an industry that kills over 3,000 people a day," said a spokesperson for Walmart.

Demonization of Gun Owners:  Philadelphia "Wellness Check" Results in Hysteria, Propaganda.  On 28 August, 2019, relatives of a former gun dealer called police because, they said, they were concerned the 72-Year-Old man might be depressed and/or suicidal.  I do not know if the man was suicidal or not, but old white men commit the largest percentages of suicides.  They tend to use guns to do the deed.  The police raided the house, on the authorization of the relatives.  It appears to be a nice home in a nice neighborhood.  Bustleton is home to many of Philadelphia's police officers and firefighters.  The wellness check turned into a full blown media circus.  Swat was called "to assist in clearing weapons".  The bomb squad was called.  Hazmat was called.  Why?  Because the man involved, who had been a gun dealer, according to relatives, had a modest gun collection, some inert grenade bodies (easily and legally purchased), a smoke grenade (totally legal), some mercury (totally legal), and about a thousand rounds of ammunition.

Texas Governor Issues Spate of Executive Orders Designed to Prevent Mass Shootings.  Texas governor Greg Abbott on Thursday [9/5/2019] issued eight executive orders aimed at preventing mass shootings after two massacres last month left the Lone Star State shaken.  "Mental instability, racial hatred, extremist ideology, a desire to sow domestic terror, and other factors have contributed to these horrific mass shootings in varying degrees," the executive orders said.  They also pointed out that police had been alerted to both shooters before they carried out their attacks.

Group seeking to overturn Oklahoma gun law falls short.  A group seeking to stop a new law that would allow people in Oklahoma to openly carry firearms without training or a background check is acknowledging they fell short of the number of signatures needed for a statewide vote on the issue.

Dems Propose First Gun Grab Since Lexington And Concord.  The media should stop using absurdly lazy phrases like "mandatory gun buybacks."  Unless the politician they're talking about is in the business of selling firearms, it's impossible for him to "buy back" anything.  No government official — not Joe Biden, not Beto O'Rourke, not any of the candidates who now support "buyback" programs — has ever sold firearms.  What Democrats propose can be more accurately described as "the first American gun confiscation effort since Lexington and Concord," or some variation on that theme.  Although tax dollars will be meted out in an effort to incentivize volunteers, the policy is to confiscate AR-15s, the vast majority of which have been legally purchased by Americans who have undergone background checks and never used a gun for a criminal purpose.

Four years after allowing universal 'concealed carry' law, Maine rated the safest state in the nation for crime.  Since 2015, residents of the state of Maine have been allowed to carry a concealed firearm without any special permit, and now the results are in: crime has fallen to the point where the state is now rated the safest in the nation from the threat of crime. [...] As the Maine Examiner noted, second-ranking Vermont also has a constitutional carry law.  Guns in the hands of honest citizens decrease crime.

The Firearms of the American Founders' Era.  The Framers of the U.S. Constitution lived in a generation that saw more advancements for firearms than any other, arguably even more than the era of WWII.  They understood the importance of a well armed civilian population being "necessary to the free state," often pointing out themselves that a tyrant has never been able to take over an armed population.  Their Pennsylvania rifles were supreme to the British Brown Bess muskets, and that is what secured our independence and the birth of America.  Pretending that these very intelligent men could never foresee the invention of the AR-15 (or similar weaponry) is ignorant.  These five weapon types held the technology and laid the foundation for the modern firearms we see today.  Each was conceived and used before the Second Amendment was ratified in 1791.

Confirmed: NICS Check Denied Odessa TX Shooter a Legal Weapon.  I surmised as much yesterday, but it's now confirmed:  Additional gun control laws would not have done anything to stop this deranged man.  Texas Governor Greg Abott confirms the gunman used an illegally obtained semi-auto rifle during his drive-by rampage last Saturday that left 7 dead and 22 wounded.  The gunman was eventually shot and killed Saturday by law enforcement at Cinergy theater in Odessa, TX.

No red flag law would have stopped this guy.  Criminals don't care about gun-control laws!
West Texas shooter was already barred from purchasing firearms because of court ruling on his mental state:  Report.  The man behind this past weekend's deadly shooting in Midland and Odessa, Texas, was not legally allowed to purchase or posses a firearm due to a court's decision that he was mentally unfit to do so, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday afternoon [9/3/2019].  Law enforcement officials told the newspaper that the 36-year-old shooter had been deemed mentally unfit by a court and when he tried to purchase a firearm, he also failed the background check because of the adjudication.  Under federal law, people who have been "adjudicated as a mental defective" or "committed to a mental institution" are prohibited from purchasing, possessing, shipping, or transporting firearms.

Red Flag Laws Are Lethal Leftist Weapons.  A real gun fight is underway in America today, and it doesn't target criminals or gang members who possess guns.  It's a fight waged against law-abiding citizens and their right to own and use firearms of their choice for self-defense or other lawful purposes.  Red flag laws are a classic example of how the anti-gun lobby wants to choke off the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.  These laws slowly erode our rights by creating a judicial mechanism that allows law enforcement to come to a gun owner's home and seize lawfully owned firearms, based on mere accusations about the gun owner's mental health or his potential dangerous future behavior. [...] Red flag laws attack the liberties of American gun owners, one person at a time.  Not a fan of your firearm-owning ex-spouse, sister-in-law, or neighbor?  All you need do is fabricate an accusation that she is a danger to herself or others.

This sounds like low-level SWATting.

Texas gunman had been ruled 'mentally unfit' to buy firearms, used loophole on background check.  The gunman who killed 7 and injured at least 22 others in a West Texas shooting rampage Labor Day weekend before he was shot and killed by police was federally banned from owning or buying firearms after a court previously ruled he was mentally unfit to do so, authorities said.  The suspected mass shooter, Seth Aaron Ator, 36, appeared to have taken advantage of a loophole in federal gun law by purchasing the AR-type assault rifle used in the rampage at a private person-to-person gun sale, effectively bypassing a background check.  Under Texas state law, background checks are not required in private sales, according to the Texas Tribune.

Under Media, Democrat Pressure, Walmart To Pull Handguns And Ammunition From Stores.  The country's largest retailer announced Tuesday [9/3/2019] that it will pull all handguns, handgun ammunition, and some rifle ammunition from stores following several mass shootings last month including one at a Walmart store in El Paso, Texas that killed 22 people.  Walmart is also asking customers not to openly carry their firearms in the retail giant's U.S. stores or in Sam's Club, another retail chain owned and operated by Walmart.  Walmart will still continue to allow guests who have concealed carry permits to carry their firearms in stores, a policy that saved lives last month at one of its stores in Arkansas when an off-duty firefighter carrying a gun held a 20-year-old suspected shooter with tactical weapons and body armor at gunpoint until police arrived.

Did Walmart's CEO Forget About These Armed Heroes Who Stopped Massacres at His Stores?  Earlier today Walmart CEO Doug McMillon officially announced a number of firearms and ammunition will no longer be sold at stores nationwide. [...] Just last month an armed citizen became a hero after stopping a mass shooting at a Walmart in Missouri. [...] Last year, an armed citizen stopped a shooting spree in Washington state.

Former Walmart CEO reluctant to say if store's gun policy will prevent mass violence.  Former Walmart CEO Bill Simon said he is unsure if the retail giant's new gun policies will put a damper on the country's mass shootings.  Walmart announced Tuesday [9/3/2019] they will no longer sell handgun ammunition, as well as some rifle ammunition.  They will also stop selling handguns, which they stopped selling in the continental U.S. prior to 2019, in Alaska.  The store also asked customers no longer to openly carry guns in its stores or in Sam's Clubs, where open carry is allowed under state law.

Walmart to stop selling handgun ammunition, requests no open carry of guns.  Walmart says it will discontinue the sale of handgun ammunition and also publicly request that customers refrain from openly carrying firearms in stores even where state laws allow it.

The Editor says...
Uh-oh.  If Wal-Mart turns into a "Gun Free Zone," it will be the most dangerous place in town.  The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference, as George Washington once said.  Just keep it under your shirt.  Wal-Mart is asking you to keep your gun out of sight, but I doubt if they will turn away customers just for carrying a legal weapon.

Biden Vows to Destroy Most Guns and Limit Magazines to 1 Round.  Joe Biden just became the most extreme anti-gun candidate in the democratic party field.  Not only did he vow to "eliminate" all semi-automatic guns, but he would also limit magazine capacity to 1 round. [...] Biden was on the campaign trail in Iowa and his handlers were crossing their fingers that he could get through one single appearance without saying something insane or stupid.  He let them down in a big way by doing both.

Washington Police Chief Who Refused to Enforce Gun Control [is] Running for Governor.  A Washington state police chief who took a stand in refusing to enforce elements of the state's widely encompassing new gun control package is now running for Governor of the state.  He's making a pledge to restore the gun rights of Washingtonians a central message of his campaign.  Loren Culp is the police chief of Republic, Washington.  He was praised by gun owners and vilified by liberal prosecutors for his constitutional refusal to enforce parts of a massive gun control law enacted in 2018.

Democrats' Gun Buy-Back Plan Would Backfire Horrifically.  [W]hile such plans might be politically profitable in a left-wing primary, in practice they could end in catastrophe.  When Australia and New Zealand initially mandated buy-backs of assault weapons, most gun owners ignored the decrees.  Similar non-compliance over laws to surrender or register guns has since occurred in California, New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and elsewhere.  Nor is there a clear, consistent definition of "assault weapon": automatic weapons are already effectively banned by federal law.  Depending on how the term is defined — like if you include semi-automatic rifles built on the AR-15 design — there could be as many as 10 million "assault weapons" in private hands.  What would happen if the feds decided to vigorously enforce confiscation of all of those firearms?

Milano Wants To Know Why Self-Defense Is God-Given Right.  Cruz Educates Her.  [Quoting Senator Cruz] "The right to self-defense is recognized repeatedly in the Bible, eg Exodus 22:2: 'If a thief is caught breaking in at night & is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed.'  (Note, though, verse 3 says it IS murder if during daylight (ie, not self-defense)," Cruz continued.  "The Declaration of Independence acknowledges our rights thusly:  'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.'"  "And, for that reason, the Second Amendment provides 'the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, SHALL NOT be infringed.'  It wasn't to protect people's ability to hunt, or to shoot target practice, but to defend their lives, their homes & their families," Cruz continued.

Beto O'Rourke reaffirms dark gun control plan — and says it won't be voluntary.  Democratic presidential contender Beto O'Rourke reaffirmed his vision for gun control Sunday in the wake of another shooting tragedy in Texas that left seven people murdered and nearly two dozen others injured.  "What we've been saying, the rhetoric we've been using, the policies and practices and politics of this country has not been as urgent enough as needed.  Doesn't meet this crisis," O'Rourke said on MSNBC.  "So let's speak clearly and bluntly and then take decisive action:  Universal background checks, red flag laws, ending the sales of weapons of war, but also importantly, and politically difficult to say, buy those weapons of war back.  Mandate that.  Not voluntarily," O'Rourke continued

Biden: Constitution Doesn't Say 'Anyone Can Own a Weapon,' Each Amendment Has a 'Limitation'.  Former Vice President Joe Biden, the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination, said that U.S. Constitution does not allow "anyone" to own a weapon and does not give citizens the right to buy "any kind of weapon" they want because every amendment has limitations.  Biden positioned himself as the only Democratic candidate who took on the National Rifle Association nationally and won, citing the temporary assault weapons ban that was passed when former President Bill Clinton was in office.  It expired under former President George W. Bush and Congress did not renew it when former President Barack Obama was in office.

O'Rourke Assures Everyone:  Yes, I Will Take Your Guns Away.  Fortunately, he's not going to be president.

Texas Lawmaker Delivers Blistering Rebuke To Anti-Gun Democrats, Media.  Rep. Matt Schaefer (R-Tyler) delivered a blistering rebuke to Second Amendment-hating forces in the media and Democratic Party on Saturday [8/31/2019] in response to the tragedy in Odessa, Texas, saying that he will not cave and surrender the rights of law-abiding Americans.

When Obama Tried To 'Red Flag' Vets And Seniors.  We saw the presumption of innocence under assault during the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh and it is once again under assault with the consideration of so-called "red flag" laws after the mass shootings in Dayton and El Paso.  These laws would allow authorities to disarm law-abiding citizens on the basis that it had been somehow determined that they are an "unstable threat" to themselves and to society.  This determination can be made based on reports from vengeful former spouses, ex-girlfriends and boyfriends, former coworkers, hostile neighbors, just about anybody with a grievance, even by government agencies pushing a gun-control agenda.  We are assured that the gun owner guilty of no crime can pursue what is laughingly called "due process" and petition the judge to have his legally purchased firearm returned to him by proving to a judge he is not crazy or dangerous.  Just how do you do that, pray tell?

Beto O'Rourke says AK-47 and AR-15 owners will 'have to sell them to the government' if he becomes president.  Beto O'Rourke said he would implement a sweeping government buy-back policy for two types of assault rifles, including one commonly used in mass shootings across the US, if he were elected president in 2020.  The Texas Democrat responded to questions on the campaign trail Saturday in Charlottesville, Virginia, about concerns the government would take assault weapons away from gun owners.  According to a Buzzfeed News reporter, he said:  "I want to be really clear that that's exactly what we are going to do."  The candidate later shared that quote on Twitter, adding:  "We need to buy back every single assault weapon."

The Editor says...
If the government "buys back" your gun for a dollar, is that still a buy-back, or just an outright confiscation? Even if the government pays you more than you paid for your gun, you should not be compelled or obliged to sell your private property, whether it's a gun or anything else.

Former Marine said he'd 'slaughter' antifa.  The FBI, using Oregon's new red flag law, took his guns away.  [Scroll down]  Using a loudspeaker, he warned the right-wing activists who turned out to condemn the city's handling of recent violent demonstrations that they needed to protect themselves against their anti-fascist, or antifa, rivals.  "If antifa gets to the point where they start killing us, I'm going to kill them next," Kohfield, 32, said.  "I'd slaughter them and I have a detailed plan on how I would wipe out antifa."  That threat pushed the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task to take a series of extraordinary steps against Kohfield, including temporary seizure of a cache of his firearms under Oregon's new "red flag" law aimed at preventing gun violence, The Oregonian/OregonLive has learned.

CNN's Brian Stelter raises the real red flags of gun control.  This month's shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio have spurred politicians to demand (for perhaps the thousandth time) strict new gun control measures.  Using shootings as a club to beat "sense" into gun control opponents hasn't worked well in the past, so politicians have changed tactics.  They're pushing so-called "red flag" laws.  Red flag laws, they think, will work where other gun control measures won't because no one wants lunatics to have a guns.  So, who decides who is sane enough to have a gun?  Mental health professionals?  Perhaps psychiatrists who believe that the desire to own a gun is a sign of a deranged mind?  Are there only some categories in the DSM that should proscribe gun ownership, or should all of them?  The DSM-5 pays more careful attention to the gender and cultural factors that might affect a mental health diagnosis.  Will, say, being male help raise the red flag?

Giffords Looks to Split Gun Owners to Enact Confiscation.  For millennia political actors have understood that one of the most effective means of defeating your enemy is to divide them and set the component parts against each other.  For what seems nearly as long, gun control supporters have sought to separate gun owners from their rights by using this strategy.  The civilian disarmament industry's latest attempt to split gun owners comes courtesy of Giffords.  In recent weeks, the group has been promoting its newly-concocted and misleadingly-named state "Gun Owners for Safety" groups.  For those unfamiliar with the gun control movement's perpetual rebranding schemes, Giffords is a combination of the gun control groups Americans for Responsible Solutions and the San Francisco-based Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, which was previously named the Legal Community Against Violence (LCAV).

Among Democrats, 'Mandatory Gun Buyback' Plan Gains Traction.  Liberal Democrats, frustrated by inaction in Congress on gun control, appear ready to embrace a radical proposal that wouldn't stop one single mass shooting, but would make them feel good about not solving the problem.  "Mandatory gun buybacks" is an imported idea that Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke supported after the mass shooting in El Paso.  The idea comes from Australia where the government instituted a mandatory buyback program following a mass shooting in 1996.  Liberals swoon at the results:  suicides and homicides plummeted.  But in addition to the mandatory buyback program, there was radical gun control legislation, making it much more difficult to own any kind of firearm.  Nevertheless, gun confiscation is no longer a scare tactic used by Republicans to get elected.  It's here.  And it's real.

RED FLAG Gun Laws:  Connecticut Man's Firearms Seized Because His SON Shared a Meme on Facebook.  Due to the recent mass shootings, there is a major push for so-called "red flag" gun laws at both the state and federal levels.  These laws are the latest tool for gun control advocates to confiscate guns from people based upon only tips and suspicion.  No crime has to be committed to trigger an investigation or confiscation.  Red flag laws violate multiple rights protected by our constitution.

Underlying Reality in All of America's Violent Incidents — Spiritual Malaise.  [Scroll down]  As usual, whenever we experience this kind of national trauma, our political leaders come up with "plans" by which the problem will be solved and such terrible things will never happen again.  And so we are once more hearing proposals to restrict sales of certain firearm types and strengthen safeguards to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and people who are mentally or emotionally unstable.  "Red flag laws" are the latest big idea.  These are regulations which would permit local authorities to remove guns from individuals who exhibit behavior suggesting they could present a danger, to themselves or others.  This idea gains popularity whenever a horrific act is committed by someone who "seemed so quiet" or who "seemed like just an ordinary guy."

California City Council Votes to Become 2A Sanctuary.  The City Council of Needles unanimously voted for the California city to be a sanctuary for the Second Amendment.  Needles, a small city of 4,844, has yet to write the actual legislation and subsequently survive the inevitable onslaught of legal action opposing the vote.  Needles Mayor Jeff Williams told Tucker Carlson on Tuesday his town is ready to move on the legislation and fight the court challenges.

What the Elites Think Americans 'Need' Has Nothing to Do with Individual Rights.  We might point out, for example, the data showing that there is absolutely no evidence that "assault weapon" bans and gun confiscation programs (like the much-touted Australian "buyback") do anything at all to reduce homicide rates.  We might mention that violent crime and murder rates have fallen sharply since the National Assault Weapons Ban was lifted in 2004 (as I did in 2013), despite the number of firearms owned by individuals in this country growing dramatically in the years since, and the prevalence and expansion of concealed and open carry laws in many states.  We might also point out that the CDC has observed that guns are used as a means of self-defense in "about 500,000 to more than 3 million" instances annually, clearly signifying the value of gun rights in protecting Americans' lives and preserving their liberty.

The Role of Gun Control in Dictatorship.  Eventually, there will be conflict, which brings us to the Second Amendment.  The fate of everything the Left intends depends in the end on whether normal, non-communist Americans have the power to make the price of dictatorship so high that the Left will be unwilling to force it to completion.  If Americans can be disarmed and neutralized, they can be imprisoned without trials.  If they can be made powerless, they can be shot at without fear that they'll shoot back.  If they can be conquered, they can be subjugated and made to serve their totalitarian masters.  The Second Amendment was always about exactly this scenario.  The Founders did not insist on the Second Amendment so that they could hunt in perpetuity but because they feared a large, authoritarian government controlled by unethical and immoral politicians and their mobs.

The enforcement problems with gun-grabbing 'red flag' laws are even worse than you think.  Everyone is debating "red flag" laws like they're some new thing, but California has had variations of them for decades.  We call them domestic violence restraining orders, civil harassment restraining orders, workplace restraining orders, elder abuse restraining orders, mental health seizures and prohibition orders, and, more recently, gun violence restraining orders.  They're all meant to disarm dangerous people — but they're all fundamentally flawed.  None of these red flag laws would have prevented recent mass shootings.  And in my 23 years practicing law in the heart of Silicon Valley, I have litigated dozens of these cases.  I've seen firsthand the practical enforcement problems that emerge in real-life cases.

O'Rourke gun plan calls for mandatory buybacks, universal sale checks.  Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke, having resumed his campaign, detailed a plan Friday to curb gun violence by imposing a national gun licensing system and registry, and a mandatory buyback program for assault weapons.

The Democrat Party Is A Joke That Would Cease To Exist Without The Media's Support.  Consider the wide open secret that Democrats have to lie about literally every policy aspiration they have. [...] On "gun control" they claim they want to reduce violence, but every single one of them ultimately wants to abolish the Second Amendment and confiscate all guns.  They think the masses are idiots who would be much better off if we were all defenseless and relied on them to "protect" us — whether we like it or not.

Trump Must Not Break His Promises to Gun-Rights Supporters.  Following the model of George H. W. Bush, Donald Trump is taking a major step toward becoming a one-term president.  Bush thought he could become more popular by betraying his promises to defend the Second Amendment.  Trump now feels the same; according to the New York Times, he has ordered his staff to work with Senate Republicans to pass a major gun-control package that would set the stage for gun confiscation.

Missing the Point of Gun Ownership.  If there were ever a survey asking gun owners why they buy guns, I'd wager the majority of them would say that it basically is for protection.  The Second Amendment was not written for hunters but for the people's self-protection, including protection from tyranny.  The first thing smart dictators do is remove guns from registered owners. [...] There have always been guns in the country but mass shootings of innocents were rare until the 1960's. [...] Would there have been a Columbine massacre if God had not been removed from the schools?  Most of the mass shooters fit the same profile.  Most are single males and come from broken homes.  Nearly all have been under the influence of marijuana or psych drugs.  Not sure if any of these murderers were regular church goers but I doubt it.

Five Democrats Warn Supreme Court It Could be 'Restructured;' Urge It to Drop 2nd Amendment Case.  Five Democrat senators have filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court, urging it to stay out of a pending Second Amendment case and warning it that a majority of Americans now believe the "Supreme Court should be restructured in order to reduce the influence of politics."  The case, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. City of New York, is the first major challenge to gun laws since 2010, the senators said.  According to SCOTUS blog, the New York State Pistol and Rifle Association, representing gun owners who live in the city, are challenging the city's ban on transferring licensed, unloaded guns anywhere outside city limits — including to a weekend home or to a shooting range.

El Paso Gun Store's Sales Double, Concealed-Carry Class Attendance Skyrockets.  Following the recent mass shooting at an El Paso, Texas Walmart, gun purchases doubled and the number of people seeking certification to carry a concealed weapon surged, the general manager of one of El Paso's largest gun shops reports.

Kamala Harris slammed for 'politicizing' Philadelphia standoff.  Sen. Kamala Harris faced criticism Wednesday [8/14/2019] for promoting her campaign's gun control plan during an appearance on CNN that coincided with breaking news about the police standoff in Philadelphia in which six officers were shot.  "When will it stop?" the 2020 Democratic presidential candidate from California asked CNN's Wolf Blitzer when he asked for her reaction to the initial reports of the shooting.  "And I stress initial reports," Blitzer added.  As Harris related details of her plan, information about the ongoing standoff was still sketchy.  Social media was quick to deride the presidential candidate for "politicizing" the developing situation before most of the relevant facts were known.

The Editor says...
One of the relevant facts was that the shooter was a black man with a long criminal history who should have been locked up long ago.  That's probably not the kind of politicization Ms. Harris had in mind.

How The Federal Government Nullified the Second Amendment to 'Ban' Automatic firearms.  [Scroll down]  In truth, automatic weapons were not actually "banned" in this country until 1986.  It wasn't until the farcical passage of the Hughes Amendment as an addendum to the National Firearm Owners' Protection Act (FOPA) of 1986 that ownership of any such firearm was truly "banned" by the federal government.  If you ever imagined that our elected betters are actively working toward the preservation of our constitutionally protected rights, watch this video of Charlie Rangel leading the House in a "voice vote" to allow the Hughes Amendment, and allowing only two minutes of raucous "deliberation."  It is among the lowest and most ridiculous moments in the history of our American Congress — and that's saying something.

The Promise and Pitfalls of Universal Background Checks.  Much as we did after Sandy Hook, we find ourselves debating background checks in the wake of killings that would not have been prevented by one.  More than 60,000 Americans died by gun homicide between 2013 and 2017, but our attention is drawn only to the rarest, most spectacular, and most unusual incidents, those where a half-day or so's worth of fatalities happen all in one place — and in those, it is usually the case that the deranged killer bought his guns legally or took them from someone else who did.

Can the Democratic Party Govern America?  Currently 235 million Americans either own or could see themselves owning a gun.  How will the Democrats in power go about confiscating guns in a nation of 3.8 million square miles?  Utilize a national registry of all gun owners?  Outlaw all semi-automatic weapons?  Impose onerous taxes and insurance requirements making gun ownership unaffordable?  Pass open-ended red flag laws allowing virtually anyone to file a complaint against someone, ostensibly based in their suspicions, thus allowing the police to seize the guns of the accused?  As for speech, will certain words, phrases and organizations, as determined by the Left, be considered inciteful and dangerous and thus outlawed?  How will the Democrats deal with the inevitable resistance and potential violent pushback from upwards of 72% of the nation's citizenry?

There is No Actual Law or Justice in the B.E.A.S.T. System.  In the aftermath of the Sandyhook shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, President Obama issued 23 executive actions and proposed 19 legislative actions on guns.  After the Virginia Tech shooting, new rules were passed that allowed the Social Security Administration to provide information to the gun background check system of people with "mental disabilities". After Vegas and Parkland, it was bump-stocks.  Now, in the wake of the recent Gilroy Garlic Festival, El Paso, and Dayton mass shootings — all committed by crazed individuals and right on schedule, the politicians have announced bipartisan support for Red Flag Laws.  Do you see a pattern?  Unfortunately, the proposed "Red Flag" legislation has the support of President Trump according to his previous comments, and would allow just one of your neighbors to see something before saying something that would enable law enforcement to confiscate all of your guns and with no legal hearing whatsoever.

Raising a Black Flag Against Red Flag Laws.  In a state of emotion, citizens are easily hoodwinked into giving away liberties and giving the government expanded powers.  Bad Idea.  We did that after 9-11.  We are still paying for that emotion-based policy.  We ended up handing the government more power to spy — not only on suspected terrorists — but on American citizens without a warrant.  That brings me to the latest emotion-based idea to stop mass shootings:  Red Flag Laws.  Let's strip away the good intentions part of this right away.  This law would allow the government to violate our Fourteenth Amendment due process rights along with Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights to the Constitution and confiscate our property (guns) on an unsubstantiated citizen complaint about something a person might do.

Liz Warren Vows to Tax Gun Owners Back to the Stone Age with Radical Anti-Second Amendment Agenda.  U.S. Senator and Democratic presidential contender Liz Warren wants to tax us gun owners back to the Stone Age, as a part of her radical gun control agenda, revealed this weekend.  If elected, Warren promises to raise taxes on firearms and ammo purchases by 30% and 50%, respectively.  That's on top of her plan for federal licensing for gun ownership — presumably with a federal database of who owns what — expanded background checks, and a renewed ban on "assault-style" weapons.

Master Plan on Radical Side Is to Incrementally Outlaw All Privately-Owned Firearms.  Nobody with enough gray matter to tie their shoes really believes that the proponents of the Second Amendment want to see gun violence, and the kind of gross incendiary dialogue that suggests otherwise is totally counterproductive to doing anything about sensible gun laws or the insanity on our streets.  Actually, the first thing to do, and what would make a world of difference, would be to enforce existing gun laws.  The cities with the most stringent firearm laws have the highest murder rates.  Unscrupulous gun dealers and black-market gun dealers need to be taken off the streets and face serious jail time.

Biden Urges 'Assault Weapons' Ban, Says Anyone Who Disagrees Should Not Be President.  "We have a huge problem with guns," former Vice President Joe Biden wrote in a New York Times op-ed published on Sunday [8/11/2019].  "Assault weapons — military-style firearms designed to fire rapidly — are a threat to our national security, and we should treat them as such.  Anyone who pretends there's nothing we can do is lying," he said, "and holding that view should be disqualifying for anyone seeking to lead our country."  Biden took partial credit for enacting the 1994 law that banned a variety of semiautomatic weapons and high-capacity magazines for 10 years.

Liberty, If Not Already Annihilated, Is On The Brink Of Destruction.  The road to victory in the next election is narrow.  But it's like that when you have no principles and undercut the very base you used to put you in office.  We are where we are because enough people didn't ask Trump the hard questions on his core belief in gun rights (or enough people didn't listen when I asked the hard questions on core beliefs).  It appears he doesn't have any.

Sununu vetoes gun control bills, says current laws are 'well-crafted and fit our culture'.  Gov. Chris Sununu dashed the hopes of gun control advocates Friday, vetoing all three pending bills by concluding current laws were "well-crafted and fit our culture of responsible gun ownership and individual freedom."  "New Hampshire is one of the safest states in the nation, and we have a long and proud tradition of responsible firearm stewardship.  Our laws are well-crafted and fit our culture of responsible gun ownership and individual freedom," Sununu wrote in his veto message.

We Don't Need Red Flag Laws, We Need More Good Americans To Get Guns.  Name the civil liberty that has ever been returned to the citizens after government took it away.  Let me save you some time:  It does not exist.  Governments take away liberties and never return them outside of a political revolution.  The American people are not the ones in need of a "cooling off" period when they purchase weapons.  It is the U.S. government that should be restricted from passing knee-jerk laws in the wake of tragedy to satiate media cries of "SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING!" That includes the fresh call for "red flag laws" that allow for confiscating people's guns if someone else tags them as mentally ill or a danger to others.  I don't care who is calling for these laws.  I don't care about their motivations.  These calls for new "red flag laws" are horrid, and Americans of every political persuasion should stand firmly against them. [...] Government employees are not your betters, and they do not have your best interests at heart.

Proposed Gun Laws Would Do Nothing to Prevent Mass Killings, and Everyone Knows It.  The country is again in an uproar following the latest mass shootings in Texas and Ohio.  In response to the hysterical clamor in the media to "do something," politicians in both the Democratic and Republican Parties want (yet again!) more gun laws.  Republicans, including President Trump, are proposing a "red flag" confiscation law that would enable police to summarily seize an individual's guns based on hearsay.  Such a law would blatantly violate the First, Second, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments.  In practice, these laws would have no significant effect on actual shooters, but would ensnare people like Donald Montgomery, a retired police officer from Long Island who sought insomnia treatment — and was declared "mentally ill" and had his guns permanently seized under Andrew Cuomo's notorious "SAFE" Act.  Republicans should know better, but apparently, they don't.

When a Mass Shooting Begat Gun Control.  The St. Valentine's Day Massacre was a consequence of Prohibition, which had inspired the formation of gangs to satisfy the nation's demand for beer and whiskey.  It helped convince Americans that lawlessness was a greater evil than liquor and contributed to the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, repealing Prohibition.  The fact that the victims had been murdered with Thompson submachine guns — so associated with local mobsters they were nicknamed the Chicago Typewriter — led to the passage of the National Firearms Act of 1934, which levied a then-prohibitive $200 tax on the sale of "machine guns," defined as "any weapon which shoots, or is designed to shoot, automatically or semiautomatically, more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger."

Against Universal Background Checks.  Mitch McConnell has confirmed that when the Senate reconvenes in September to discuss new federal gun-control measures, "universal background checks" will "lead the discussion."  If that is the case, the Senate should listen carefully to the proposals on offer, and then politely decline to assent.  Absent further examination, "universal background checks" appear to represent the inoffensive extension of an already existing principle.  At present, the federal government mandates that an instant background check be run prior to the completion of all commercial and interstate firearms transactions.  This being so, the argument runs, there can be nothing wrong with Washington extending that rule to private transfers, to non-commercial transfers, and to purely intrastate transfers.

Civil War Over 2nd Amendment?  Pay Attention.  This is the time when a good government can go bad, when the laws of freedom that have governed us for over 200 years are in jeopardy.  It could easily lead to civil war to have everyone who owns a semi-automatic rifle instantly become a criminal.  It's what happens when people run on emotion rather than rational thought on the consequences of their actions.

If Gun Controllers Followed Their Own Logic, They'd Support Banning Alcohol And Cigarettes, Too.  Numbers are powerful persuasive tools.  But numbers without perspective and scale can be used to mislead, manipulate, and distract.  Surprisingly, Neil deGrasse Tyson made this point in response to the recent shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio.  The backlash was predictable, but Tyson isn't wrong.  Let's look at some more numbers.  Firearms of all kinds played a role in nearly 40,000 deaths in 2017.  By itself, that sounds like a lot.  At the same time, however, 88,000 people died from alcohol-related causes and 480,000 from the effects of cigarette smoking.

After Shootings, 2020 Democrats Race Further To The Left On Gun Confiscation.  2020 Democratic White House hopefuls were quick to call for new gun laws this week in the aftermath of back-to-back shootings in Ohio and Texas over the weekend that left 31 dead.  Several candidates, including current front-runner Joe Biden, have called for Australian-style gun buyback programs where owners of firearms would sell back their weapons to the government at government-determined prices.

The Editor says...
"Government-determined prices" obviously means they will buy the guns for next-to-nothing.

Mass Shootings:  The Elephant in the Room.  Sometime in the last few decades, Americans have lost [the] ability to think rationally about mass killings.  We are collectively trying to blame some other factor besides the individuals themselves.  However, access to guns has never been cited as a reason for a mass shooting and mass killings share no correlation in ideology.  No one political party, no one race or ethnicity, no one religion, etc. is a constant factor, but there are specific commonalities between mass shooters that are never widely discussed over the calls for gun control and party reform.

They Will Still Hate You Even If You Disarm.  It was quite a surprise to find out that we Trump voters were personally responsible for the savage murder sprees of a creep who dug single-payer and a satanist fan of Big Chief Warren.  The El Paso scumbag decided he wanted to murder Hispanics because migration would somehow destroy the environment, which falls right in line with classical progressive eugenics balderdash.  The Democrat from Dayton was full-on #Resistance.  But apparently we conservatives were to blame for their actions because we refuse to give up our rights.

Everything They're Telling You About Mass Shootings Is Wrong.  What are the facts?  Fact:  There were 387 deaths from mass shootings in the United States in 2018 (defined as four or more shot — not necessarily killed — at one time).  Of those, most were regular criminals as we expect to see in gang-related drive-bys, bar fights, and a strangely large number of shootings at parties.  About 100 deaths were the result of the random, psycho-killer shootings that dominated news coverage for days and weeks at a time.  Mercifully, those are quite rare.  But that's not the impression we are given by the news coverage.  Fact:  There are more privately owned guns in the United States than ever before and the number of murders has been declining for decades and has been at or near a multigenerational low for several years.  More guns, less crime.  Fact:  There were 660 murders in Chicago in 2017.  That's nearly twice the number from mass shootings in the whole country and six or seven times the number murdered by random psychos mass-shooters.  Chicago has some of the strictest gun control in the country.  Maybe it's not the guns.

Kamala Harris Says She's Willing To Have Police Forcibly Take "Banned" Guns From Your Home.  They're not coming for your guns, we're told.  No, they are, and at least California Senator Kamala Harris is fully willing to send police to your home to take your guns from you.  According to the Washington Examiner, when asked if Harris would send law enforcement to homes to seize banned firearms, Harris answered in the affirmative.

Firearm Advocate Turns Tables On CNN Town Hall: 'Do You Believe A Woman Has A Right To Choose' Method Of Self-Defense?  "Proud firearm owner" Theresa Inacker drew a straight line from a woman's reproductive rights to her right to defend her body "in a manner she chooses" during CNN's gun violence town hall Wednesday [8/7/2019]. [...] Referencing the argument made by many abortion-rights advocates, Inacker continued, "My question is do you believe a woman has a right to choose whether or not to defend her own body?  And in the manner she chooses?  And the government should not interfere with that decision?"

NRA donor files class action suit; claims VP LaPierre blew $275K on suits, $243K on 'luxury travel'.  A major National Rifle Association donor sued the gun-rights organization this week for fraud, saying its leaders have misspent money over the last four years, ignoring the group's core mission while paying for expensive clothing and trips for CEO Wayne LaPierre.  David Dell'Aquila filed a federal class-action lawsuit in Tennessee and fired off letters to the attorneys general in New York and Washington on Wednesday, urging them to complete investigations into the NRA well before the 2020 election.

NRA planned to buy a $6 million mansion in Dallas for chief Wayne LaPierre last year, leaked records from the New York Attorney General's office show.  The National Rifle Association planned to purchase a $6million mansion in Dallas for its chief executive Wayne LaPierre last year, newly leaked records have revealed.  Discussions about the property acquisition, which ultimately did not happen, are reportedly under scrutiny by New York officials conducting an ongoing investigation into the gun-lobby's tax exempt status and allegations of financial misconduct.  Two people familiar with the records told The Washington Post that the NRA wired tens of thousands of dollars to a corporate entity that was going to be making the purchase in 2018.

Texas to loosen firearm laws, allowing guns in churches and on school grounds.  A series of new firearm laws will go into effect in Texas next month — further loosening gun restrictions in a state that's had four of the 10 deadliest mass shootings in modern US history.  The laws — passed before a gunman massacred 22 people and injured dozens in El Paso last weekend — will make it easier to have guns in a state with some of the most lax weapons restrictions in the nation.

Obama: 24 Mass Shootings.  Trump: 4 Mass Shootings.  There have been eight mass shootings under Clinton, eight under Bush, and 24 under Obama.Ten Mass Shootings out of 24 since 1966 have happened under the Obama Administration.  Four under Donald Trump.  One would never know the statistics with the pounding drum beat blaming Donald Trump.  Did anyone blame Obama for all of the mayhem under his watch?  Johnson?  Reagan, Bush, Obama?  Let's step through the fog of mass shootings.  Republicans are responsible for the violence?

Biden Says As President He Would Come For 'Assault Weapons'.  Democrats want to come for your guns and they aren't hiding it anymore.  Former Vice President Joe Biden said as much on CNN Monday with Anderson Cooper.  Discussing his support for a national buyback program of "assault weapons," the Democratic presidential candidate said that if elected, he is "going to come" for them.  "So to gun owners out there who say well, a Biden administration means they're going to come for my guns," Cooper said to Biden, who interjected:  "Bingo.  You're right if you have an assault weapon."

Open Carry Texas Activists Are Pretty Upset With Walmart Right Now.  After open carry went into effect in Texas on January 1, some businesses were inconvenienced by the size of the signs they had to put up, and other businesses were inconvenienced by the fact that they were forced to choose a side in a culture war when they mostly just wanted to sell hamburgers.  But one corporation decided to punt the inconvenience over to a particular subset:  its store employees.  At Walmart, the official company policy regarding open carry is that customers are allowed to bring visible handguns into the store, but that store staff are responsible for verifying that the customer has a proper license for the weapon.  If you're curious just how that works out for everybody involved, check out this video, posted by Open Carry Texas, of an encounter at the Walmart in Devine between an openly carrying patron and an employee who requests his license.  [Video clip]

Kamala Harris [is] willing to send [police] to people's homes to confiscate banned firearms.  California Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris gave details about her gun control proposals in the wake of the deadly El Paso, Texas shooting after she addressed union members at the AFSCME forum at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas on Saturday [8/3/2019].  When asked by the Washington Examiner if her plan would include legal gun owner databases or gun confiscation via law enforcement visits to residents who own banned firearms, she replied, "I'm actually prepared to take executive action to put in place rules that improve this situation."

How 'Secret Obsession' Exposes California's Dumb Gun Laws.  Unfortunately, California's current gun laws prevent any sort of meaningful self-defense for the state's most vulnerable populations.  Pursuant to California penal codes, it is illegal for citizens to open carry firearms in any instance and concealed carry laws are extremely restrictive.  Currently, a county sheriff or municipal police chief may issue a concealed weapons permit (CCW), provided a citizen can prove he is of "good moral character," is a resident in the county or city, has completed an eight-hour training course, and has a "good cause to justify the permit."  As a matter of precedent, California law enforcement, such as the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, have maintained that carrying a concealed weapon is a privilege rather than a constitutional right guaranteed by the Second Amendment.

Betcha' Didn't Know:  Firearm Homicides Plummeted over Last 25 Years.  Despite endless gun violence reports put forward by the establishment media, the dirty little secret is firearm homicides have plummeted over the past 25 years. [...] Washington Post analysis shows Democrats, followed closely by independents, are more apt to believe firearm murders have increased.  And this feeds the Democrat psyche which is already more prone to support an expansion of gun control laws.

This Man Did Nothing Wrong, But He Faces 49 Years In Prison.  The weaklings and fools in the California state legislature decided that guns are bad, bad, bad, so they passed some stupid 'gun control' laws to fight crime.  But Mr [Girard Damian] Saenz was never charged with any crime other than having weapons the state didn't think he should have.  He didn't rob anyone, he committed no crimes using the firearms in his possession.  This is the natural result of the left's insanity when it comes to our Second Amendment rights:  the state legislature made simple possession of firearms it didn't like a crime in itself, but the crime they said that they were preventing never occurred; Mr Saenz was not even suspected of using the firearms illegally.  The Pyrite State created a crime where no crime existed, infringed a man's rights when he had infringed on no one else's.

Things Haven't Always Been This Way.  Here's a suggestion.  How about setting up some high school rifle clubs?  Students would bring their own rifles to school, store them with the team coach and, after classes, collect them for practice.  You say:  "Williams, you must be crazy!  To prevent gun violence, we must do all we can to keep guns out of the hands of kids."  There's a problem with this reasoning.  Prior to the 1960s, many public high schools had shooting clubs.  In New York City, shooting clubs were started at Boys, Curtis, Commercial, Manual Training and Stuyvesant high schools.  Students carried their rifles to school on the subway and turned them over to their homeroom or gym teacher.  Rifles were retrieved after school for target practice.  In some rural areas across the nation, there was a long tradition of high school students hunting before classes and storing their rifles in the trunks of their cars, parked on school grounds, during the school day.  Today, any school principal permitting rifles clubs or allowing rifles on school grounds would be fired, possibly imprisoned.

Driving 140 Miles To Buy Ammo Isn't "Common Sense".  As it turns out, Needles [California] is having a hard time competing with its Arizona neighbors like Fort Mojave, Bullhead City, and Lake Havasu City when it comes to things like tax revenues from retail.  Not surprisingly, Arizona gun owners would rather shop in Arizona (a constitutional carry state that also recognizes every other state's concealed handgun licenses) instead of California, where Arizonans can't legally carry a firearm.  But gun owners in Needles are also being harmed by California's gun laws.  It's important to note that there are no gun stores in Needles, California, so it's not like Arizonans are crossing state lines to buy their guns and ammo in Needles.  As it turns out, there are plenty of gun stores in Arizona for residents to choose from.  In Needles, however, gun owners have to do something mind-bogglingly idiotic, all because of a "common sense gun law" approved by California voters back in 2016.

First Arrest for 3D Printed Gun in London, England, 2019.  [Scroll down]  Homemade guns and small shop guns are found all around the world.  In the United States, it has been the right of the people to make their own guns for the entire history of the Republic.  Only in the last few years has the right been challenged.  There are so many unregistered and untraceable guns in the United States that the right to make your own has little effect.  Its primary utility is to convince the uneducated of the futility of gun control schemes.  3D printed guns seem to do that more effectively than most other homemade guns.

They Called Our Industry The 'Enemy'.  Last week, from the Democratic primary debate stage, former Vice President Joe Biden said we were the enemy.  "Our enemy is the gun manufacturers, not the NRA, the gun manufacturers," Biden said.  Not a single candidate on stage that night, or the night before, condemned the remark.  Their silence is tacit agreement.  Not a single candidate had the courage to name the violent criminals as the problem or the fortitude to stand up to those who prey upon the vulnerable in our society.  Instead, they are blaming us as an industry and the law-abiding gun owners we serve.

2020 Democrat Candidates' 21 Most Insanely Scary Proposals.  [#1] Government Gun Confiscation:  Joe Biden:  "Folks, look, and I would buy back [assault] weapons.  We already started talking about that.  We tried to get it done.  I think it can be done.  And it should be demanded that we do it.  And that's a good expenditure of money."  As soon as Biden said, "it should be demanded that we do it," his "buy back" program was revealed as a mandatory confiscation of the guns we law abiding Americans already own.  And can you imagine how far the government will stretch the definition of an "assault weapon" to justify this confiscation?

Are Gun Control Advocates Committing Treason?  The California progressive socialists have finally gone totalitarian on the aspect of gun control.  As of yesterday [7/1/2019], [the purchase of] ammunition in this state requires a background check.  I have yet to hear anyone explain how this would stop mass shootings or even affect anyone but the lawful gun owner. [...] But it may get worse, much worse on a national level.  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her cohorts in the progressive socialist party are attempting to pass H.R. 8 which looks to make law-abiding criminals by attempting to register all guns and make private transfers, even among family members a criminal offense.

The Left's Endgame Is Not Chaos.  It's Worse.  Imagine the Yellow Vest movement in France with American-level private gun ownership.  Civilian gun-owners can't hope to defeat a modern military intent on simply destroying them, but if the objective is control and enslavement, that complicates matters (just ask the governor of Oregon).  A bunch of corpses can't create wealth for the parasite globalist elite class to feed on.  That is why the Left wants our guns so, so badly.

Biden Proposes Ban on Gun Sales Other Than Theoretical 'Smart Guns'.  During the first Democratic debate on Thursday night, front runner Joe Biden proposed banning the sale of any firearm that doesn't include theoretical biometric locks.  "We should have smart guns," Biden said.  "No gun should be able to be sold unless your biometric measure could pull that trigger.  It's within our right to do that.  We can do that.  Our enemy is the gun manufacturers, not the NRA."  While prototypes of guns with integrated biometric locks exist, none are currently for sale on the American market.  Biden's proposal would effectively outlaw the sale of every firearm on store shelves in the United States.

'God, Guns and Freedom': A rural Alabama Ford dealership's Fourth of July promotion is a viral sensation.  A Ford dealership in rural Alabama is promising a Bible, a shotgun and an American flag with the purchase of a new or pre-owned vehicle.

The Editor says...
That was the extent of the article above.

Ford asks Alabama car dealer to end shotgun giveaway after California shooting.  Ford Motor Co. has asked a Ford dealership in Alabama to stop giving out certificates for free 12-gauge shotguns to anyone who buys a new or used vehicle.  The automaker told the dealership late Wednesday [6/26/2019] that the promotion was inappropriate after three people died Tuesday evening during a mass shooting at a California Ford dealership.  There, a man who had been fired from his job at the dealership in the San Francisco Bay Area fatally shot two employees, then himself, according to local media reports.

Study: Crime Guns Obtained Illegally Shortly Before Shootings.  The study, funded by an award from the National Institute of Justice, looked at the final sale or transfer of firearms to individuals who then used them to commit crimes.  It relied on data from the Chicago Inmate Survey (CIS), which interviewed 221 people convicted of gun crimes serving time at seven Illinois state prisons.  The researchers, from the University of Chicago and Duke University, note that while a great deal of research has examined the "time to crime" for firearms — often finding guns take decades to make their way from legal purchases into the criminal market — little research exists on the last transfer to the people who use firearms in a crime.  "We know a lot about the first sale of that gun, and we know a lot about the last person caught with that gun," Harold Pollack, the Helen Ross Professor in the University of Chicago's School of Social Service Administration, told UChicago News.  "We just don't know a lot about what's in between."

Leftist Outcry:  Let No Tragedy Go to Waste.  Two weeks ago, a disgruntled city employee, DeWayne Craddock, fatally shot twelve people and wounded four more when he open-fired at a municipal building.  Socialist Senator and presidential candidate Bernie Sanders took to twitter less than two hours after the horrible tragedy blasting the NRA and calling for more gun control. [...] Rep. Elaine Luria (D-VA) and Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA) both took to twitter within hours of the shooting too.  Both Democrat members of the House of Representative claimed we need more gun control laws.  Before anyone knew anything about the shooter, before anyone knew how the shooter obtained the weapon, progressives were jumping at the opportunity to blame the gun.

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has just handed down a refresher on suspicion.  Police officers thought an anonymous tip about a man carrying a gun and someone running away from them created enough suspicion to chase down Daniel Brown, stop him at gunpoint, and search him for contraband.  Contraband was found, leading to Brown's motion to suppress.  The lower court said this combination — an anonymous report of a gun and Brown's decision to run when he saw the police cruiser — was reasonable enough.  Not so, says the Ninth Circuit, pointing out the obvious fact that a person carrying a gun can't be inherently suspicious in a state where carrying a gun in public is permitted.

Florida assault weapons ban amendment heads to Supreme Court for review — could be on 2020 ballot.  Gun-control advocates say they've collected more than 103,000 signatures, enough to trigger the next critical step before a proposed ban on the sale of assault weapons could go before Florida voters in 2020.  Leaders of the political committee Ban Assault Weapons Now gathered in Orlando on Monday [6/10/2019] to announce that its draft constitutional amendment met the signature threshold to go before the state Supreme Court for review.

Elderly Man Who Shot Two Burglars In His Home Charged With Felony Over Inherited Gun.  An elderly man in New York was arrested for shooting two burglars in his house, not for murdering the intruders, but for shooting them with an unregistered gun.

Elderly NY man kills repeat burglars, is charged for using inherited gun, loses his home.  Imagine being arrested and losing your home after two repeat burglars break into your house again and rush toward you with the possible intention of murdering you.  This exact scenario played out in New York late last month thanks to the far-left state's draconian gun control laws.  A 64-year-old Deerfield homeowner was charged with illegal firearm possession and arrested after he used a gun he'd inherited from his deceased father to kill two repeat burglars.  Then upon his release from a jail a couple of days later, he found himself homeless because his house had been condemned.

Trump Plans to Nominate Known Gun-grabber to Head ATF.  President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate as the head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) a man with a record of supporting restrictions on the right to keep and bear arms.  As posted on the White House website, President Trump, according to his authority under Article II, Section 2 of the United States Constitution, has tapped Charles Canterbury, Jr. to be the ATF Director.

After Virginia Beach shooting, Dems seek ban on 'silencers' that don't make guns silent.  Despite what you might believe from watching television shows or movies, suppressors (commonly known as "silencers") do not make guns "silent" — unless you consider an ambulance siren or a jackhammer to be silent.  However, as soon as it was clear that the Virginia Beach killer used a noise suppressor on one of his guns last Friday when he killed 12 people, Democrats called for suppressors to be banned.  Virginia's Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam called for a special legislative session to pass a ban.

Rights Abridged: The Flawed Model for Red Flag Laws.  In fifteen states and the District of Columbia, new Red Flag laws allow judges to take licensed firearms away from individuals even if they have not committed or even threatened to commit a crime.  A simple petition from a third party triggers a court proceeding that could eliminate a person's Second Amendment rights and cause a cascade of consequences.  Florida is a good example of one of those states.  Some civil rights organizations have expressed concern about constitutional principles being violated by such laws, such as the right to due process and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.  Red Flag laws seem intended to bypass processes that already exist to have someone adjudicated as mentally ill or guilty of a crime.  Initial Red Flag hearings, like other restraining order hearings, often do not allow the accused time to retain an attorney or present a full defense before having their rights abridged.

A Win for Gun Rights in Pennsylvania.  Earlier this week, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court delivered a message that the United States Supreme Court desperately needs to hear:  The lawful exercise of your Second Amendment rights does not make you a second-class citizen.  Here's the context.  For the last two years, federal courts — including, sadly, the Supreme Court — have endorsed a legal regime where police can use even the lawful exercise of gun rights as a pretext for the violation of other constitutional rights, principally our Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable search and seizure.

Pennsylvania amusement park pulls bullet souvenir after controversy.  A Pennsylvania theme park found itself caught in the middle of an online debate over a gift shop item.  A mother visiting Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown, Pa, discovered that the park was selling personalized bullets at one of their gift shops.  Customers could purchase a single rifle bullet with a key-ring attachment and their name emblazoned on the side of a leather holder.

Biden Declares War On Second Amendment Rights, Pushes Semi-Auto Ban.  2020 presidential hopeful Joe Biden announced on his campaign website his intentions to wage war against guns as part of his "education" plan for America.  Biden said that the National Rifle Association (NRA) must be defeated "in order to make our schools safer," with a ban on semi-autos, Second Amendment columnist AWR Hawkins noted.The former Vice President argued that arming school faculty members do not make schools safer, insisting the only solution is more gun policies, the opposite to what experts across the country are finding.

Democrats Politicize Virginia Beach Shooting to Push Gun Control, Second Amendment Supporters Push Back.  Many Democrats, including most 2020 presidential candidates, were quick to politicize the tragic mass shooting in Virginia Beach to push their gun control agenda, but Second Amendment supporters weren't about to take any of it lying down.  News broke Friday [5/31/2019] that public utilities department engineer DeWayne Craddock, 40, allegedly used a .45-caliber handgun with a sound suppressor to murder 12 of his former colleagues, but all Democrats needed was news of a mass shooting to echo their calls for gun control.

Is Red Dawn Really Just Ridiculous?  If Not, Who Would Citizen Disarmament Help?  When Red Dawn was released in 1984, film critics seemed like they were trying to outdo each other to convince the movie-going public that the film was not only bad, but also ludicrously improbable.  "As it stands, the film is simply too ridiculous for words," wrote one. [...] Unsurprisingly, those laughing the loudest have failed to make their case, and some questions are in order.  Is the United States invulnerable from foreign attack?  Will it forever be so?  And would upwards of 100 million armed Americans embedded throughout the Republic make it more or less difficult for invaders to advance through, conquer and occupy territory?

Fingerprinting gun owners approved by Illinois lawmakers.  A bill passed on Wednesday [5/29/2019] by the Illinois House would require gun owners to be fingerprinted and pay more for identification cards.  The state Senate still must approve the bill before it could be signed into law.  Democratic Rep. Kathleen Willis of Addison, citing deficiencies in the state's current Firearm Owner's Identification system, said the bill comes in response to a shooting at a factory in Aurora where six people, including the gunman, were killed, according to The Associated Press.

Bill allowing Texans to carry guns during natural disasters goes to Gov. Abbott's desk.  Hurricane Katrina taught us many things, like how the media tailors its coverage of natural disasters based on political implications.  But it also taught us that there will be times when residents cannot count on law enforcement and other government agencies to be there when needed.  A scenario that has now been addressed to some extent by the Texas Senate, which passed a bill Sunday that would allow residents there who can legally own a firearm to be able to carry the weapon either open or concealed up to seven days after the state declares a natural disaster.

Hypocrite Alert:  Gillibrand Admits She Never Truly Believed In The 2A.  Sen Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) recently came out with a proposal to "end gun violence."  In her plan, she called for the typical points ant-gunners love to cling to.  She wants to establish universal background checks; create a federal law against trafficking guns; reestablish an assault weapons ban; ban bump stocks (hello, that's already been done) and "large-capacity" magazines.

Massachusetts school teacher plants live ammunition at school then calls 911.  A Southbridge, Massachusetts, school teacher has been busted planting live ammunition at his school then calling 911 to report having found the ammo.  According to WCVB, 57-year-old Alfred Purcell, reported finding "9 mm ammunition in the rear stairwell" of Southbridge High School.  His report led to a lockdown, during which the police examined surveillance footage and saw that Purcell himself had taken ammo out of his own pocket, "dropping it on the floor and quickly leaving the area."

Kamala Harris Wants To Ban AR-15s With Executive Order.  Before she was a United States Senator, Kamala Harris was the attorney general for the state of California.  She's an attorney, like so many other legislators.  She studied and worked in the profession people approach for clarification on the laws of this great nation of ours.  Apparently, she managed to get to that point without ever attending a single civics class.  In the presidential hopeful's latest effort, she's decided that in her quest to dictate gun control by fiat, she'll also go after AR-15s and other so-called "assault rifles."

YouTube [is] Demonetizing More Gun Channels.  Firearm YouTubers have had to take the blame for mass shooting after mass shooting, all despite the fact that no evidence has been presented that any of these people had anything to do with gun YouTubers.  Doesn't matter.  The platform's cracking down.

NRA board member: 'Imperative' to clean house, move on from CEO Wayne LaPierre.  A prominent board member of the National Rifle Association urged the organization to clean "its own house" and move on from CEO Wayne LaPierre's leadership on Tuesday in a stunning escalation of the internal crisis that has plagued the organization in recent months.  Retired Lt. Col. Allen West, a former Republican congressman from Florida serving his second term on the board, announced in a blog post that he was withdrawing his support from LaPierre, citing concerns about alleged financial mismanagement within the organization and what he called "outright lies" told by Carolyn Meadows, the group's new president, and Charles Cotton, chairman of the NRA's audit committee, in LaPierre's defense.

Ammo Stockpiling: Why it makes Sense.  In a recent article on Ammoland, a case was presented as to why stockpiling of more than a few hundred rounds of ammunition was unnecessary.  It was an interesting take, but much too limited, in my experience.  At the end, the authors put in a disclaimer:  stockpile as much as you want.

John Paul Stevens:  Heller gun control decision the worst in 35-year Supreme Court tenure.  Retired Justice John Paul Stevens is lambasting the Supreme Court's 2008 District of Columbia v. Heller decision broadening gun rights, calling it the "most clearly incorrect" ruling of his 35-year career on the high court.  "Heller is unquestionably the most clearly incorrect decision that the court announced during my tenure on the bench," Stevens, 99, wrote in his new memoir, The Making of a Justice.

Does having teachers carry guns at schools pose a danger?  Does it deter attacks?  There has yet to be a single case of someone being wounded or killed from a shooting, let alone a mass public shooting, between 6 AM and midnight at a school that lets teachers carry guns.  Fears of teachers carrying guns in terms of such problems as students obtaining teachers guns have not occurred at all, and there was only one accidental discharge outside of school hours with no one was really harmed.  While there have not been any problems at schools with armed teachers, the number of people killed at other schools has increased significantly — doubling between 2001 and 2008 versus 2009 and 2018.

Life if the Democrats take control.  If the Democrats had their way the Second Amendment would be gone.  Their goal is to be like Australia where the Government confiscated all the weapons.  If they allowed hunting rifles at all it would be single shot or single load rifles.  If that were to happen, only the criminals would have weapons.  Look at the statistics on gun violence in cities having the strongest gun control laws, their murder/crime rates are through the roof.  In fact a study released in October 2018 by Harvard Journal of Law, not exactly a bastion of Conservatism, found Nations with stringent anti-gun laws generally have substantially higher murder rates than those that do not.  The study found that the nine European nations with the lowest rates of gun ownership (5,000 or fewer guns per 100,000 population) have a combined murder rate three times higher than that of the nine nations with the highest rates of gun ownership (at least 15,000 guns per 100,000 population).  Another Leftist fantasy exposed as a fraud.

This is important:
Kamala Harris Pledges to Criminalize Private Gun Sales via Executive Action.  Democrat presidential hopeful Kamala Harris says she will use executive action to criminalize selling more than five guns a year without a background check.  This follows a consistent Democrat-led push to criminalize all private gun sales via universal background checks.  On February 27, Breitbart News reported that the Democrat-run House passed legislation to require a background check for every gun sale, thus criminalizing someone who sells a gun to a decades-long neighbor without government approval.  It also criminalizes a friend who sells a gun to a lifelong friend without asking for government approval.

This is less important:
Leaked letters reveal details of NRA chief's alleged spending.  National Rifle Association Chief Executive Wayne LaPierre billed the group's ad agency $39,000 for one day of shopping at a Beverly Hills clothing boutique, $18,300 for a car and driver in Europe and had the agency cover $13,800 in rent for a summer intern, according to newly revealed NRA internal documents.  The documents, posted anonymously on the internet, provide new details of the clothing, travel and other expenses totaling more than $542,000 that Ackerman McQueen Inc. alleges Mr. LaPierre billed to it.

Student walkout at Colorado shooting vigil is a good sign.  The very public scene of hundreds of Colorado students and their parents walking out of a vigil that was turned into political theater by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence was so embarrassing that the gun control group actually issued an apology.  Before leaving the Wednesday night event, students shouted, in front of journalists who the Brady Campaign invited:  "this is not for us," "political stunt" and "we are people, not a statement."  The Brady Campaign had portrayed the event as a vigil in memory of Kendrick Castillo, a student hero who died from gunshot wounds after he and two other students charged one of the attackers Tuesday at the Highlands Ranch STEM School in Colorado.

Colorado Students Walk Out Of School Shooting Vigil After It Turns Political.  Colorado students walked out of an event billed as a vigil for Kendrick Castillo, an 18-year-old killed in a shooting at his school on Tuesday, when prominent speakers attempted to turn it into a rally for gun control.  Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colorado) and Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colorado) each took a turn calling for gun control at the Douglas County event before students streamed out in protest.  Two students at STEM Highlands Ranch, a K-12 charter school focused on science, technology, engineering, and math, shot nine students, one fatally.  The accused students, who were arrested, are an adult male and a juvenile female who identifies as male.  The accused male had written anti-Christian social media messages.

Gun control groups press DeSantis for veto of arming teachers bill.  About a dozen activists with two gun-control advocacy groups dropped off a stack of papers with 13,000 signatures at Gov. Ron DeSantis' office Tuesday as they urged him to veto a bill that would allow armed classroom teachers.  Emma Hanley, a Tallahassee high-school junior who volunteers with Students Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, asked a DeSantis employee to tell the governor to veto the bill (SB 7070) because of a "dangerous provision" that would expand the school "guardian" program.

Cory Booker Proposes National Gun-Licensing Program.  Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), who recently promised to "bring a fight to the NRA like they have never ever seen before," on Monday morning introduced a sweeping gun-violence prevention plan that centers around a national gun-licensing program, the most comprehensive and far-reaching of any candidate in the Democratic presidential field.  "My plan to address gun violence is simple — we will make it harder for people who should not have a gun to get one," Booker said in a statement, pledging to take executive action on the first day of his desired presidency.

Bushmaster Gets Stay of Sandy Hook Lawsuit Ahead of Supreme Court Appeal.  The Connecticut Supreme Court granted gun-maker Bushmaster Firearms a stay in the Sandy Hook victims' lawsuit, as the manufacturer readies its appeal to the nation's highest judicial tribunal.  Bushmaster produced the XM15 rifle shooter Adam Lanza used to kill 26 people at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in December 2012.  The Thursday [5/2/2019] stay delays the start of the evidence-gathering phase of the litigation, called discovery, which will give the plaintiffs an intimate view of Bushmaster's internal operations.  The stay will remain in effect until the U.S. Supreme Court takes action on Bushmaster's forthcoming petition.

Two Iowa School Districts Offer Gun Training/Safety Class in 7th Grade.  The North Butler and Clarksville school districts in Iowa are now offering a mandatory gun training/safety class ("Hunters Safety Course") to 7th and 8th grade students and a voluntary class for high schoolers in the evenings.  The classes started this semester and realistic but non-firing guns and replica ammunition are used, not actual guns.  "Please understand that we do not believe that all students will be hunting, nor do we expect them to," said school Superintendent Joel Foster in a blog post about the class.  "The expectation is that through this all students will be exposed to firearm safety, and as such learn to respect and how to manage and control firearms."

Florida lawmakers pass bill allowing more armed teachers.  More Florida classroom teachers could carry guns in school under a bill passed Wednesday by state lawmakers, the latest response to last year's mass shooting at a Parkland high school.

Red Flag Laws and Individual Rights.  A citizen's right to own and bear arms is guaranteed by the Second Amendment.  The left infringes upon this basic right using the tactic of incrementalism.  Each time the tactic is employed, it is accompanied by the deceitful narrative of protecting people's lives.  The left's goal isn't protecting lives, it is controlling lives — subjugating them.  As long as Americans are armed, subjugating them requires taking the incremental road while leftists prefer the expressway.  Owning a firearm is a basic right of a free society the left would prefer to see you without.  The Second Amendment states, "the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."  Look up the word infringe and you'll find it means "to limit, undermine or encroach upon."  Yet 'red flag' laws do exactly that — undermine your right to keep and bear arms.

MSNBC contributor admits a hard truth:  In Venezuela, arms ownership matters.  Socialist Venezuela is spiraling into chaos and violence, according to news reports.  What we are really seeing is defenseless citizens trying to fight a dictatorship not with firepower, but with their hands.  Venezuela's democrats have no guns.  The dictatorship they're fighting, however, is armed to the teeth, and it's using those arms with little to fear from the citizens.

Venezuela Banned Private Gun Ownership Less Than A Decade Ago.  Venezuela banned private citizens from owning guns seven years ago, leaving firearms solely in the hands of the army and the police.  Now, as the country's opposition attempts to oust the oppressive Maduro regime from power, it is a decision some have come to regret.  Interim President Juan Guaido called for a military uprising, dubbed Operacion Libertad, against socialist dictator Nicholas Maduro on Tuesday.  Venezuelans have been protesting for months against Maduro's "re-election," which the United States has declared to be illegitimate in light of Maduro's jailing of political dissidents and protesters.

Venezuelans against Maduro hindered by 2012 gun ban.  Videos emerging from Venezuela Tuesday show anti-Nicolás Maduro protesters being reportedly shot at and run over by military members while civilians are unable to use conventional weapons to defend themselves following a private gun ownership ban in 2012.  Videos circulating on social media show an unidentified helicopter reportedly shooting at protesters and armored military vehicles running over groups of citizens protesting the continuing reign of Maduro, who refuses to yield control of the country to Juan Guaidó, who multiple countries, including the United States, recognize as the legitimate president of the country.

As Democrats Use San Diego Synagogue Shooting to Push Gun Control, Conservatives Push Back.  Conservatives pushed back hard on Twitter against Democrats who used Saturday's tragic synagogue shooting in San Diego to push their gun control agenda.  "Spare us your thoughts and prayers," wrote Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell.  "It's an alibi for inaction.  You told the NRA yesterday you'd keep dangerous guns in the hands of dangerous people.  We will take it from here with action."

Democrats are still lost on gun control and presidential power.  In Monday's [4/22/2019] Democratic presidential town hall, Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., [...] promised that if elected president, after giving Congress 100 days to "get their act together" and move gun control legislation, she will "take executive action" that slightly expands the universe of gun sales covered by background checks.  It is worth mentioning here, just briefly, that Congress' job includes frustrating presidential ambitions like this one, just like its job includes preventing bad wars from being fought or border walls from being funded.  How incredible that Democrats still haven't learned, not even with Trump in office, that it's unhealthy for presidents to circumvent Congress in such matters.

Florida Senate passes bill that allows classroom teachers to be armed.  More than a year after last year's Valentine's Day shooting in Parkland that shocked the state and blurred party lines in the state Capitol, the Florida Senate passed a follow-up bill that has become increasingly partisan because of its expansion of a program that would allow classroom teachers to be armed.  It succeeded on a 22-17 vote.  Although the vote count isn't far off from last year's 20-18 vote, Tuesday's [4/23/2019] vote fell much more along party lines.

New Jersey governor wants to increase price for buying and carrying a gun by 2,000%.  New Jersey Gov. Philip Murphy, a Democrat, wants to dramatically increase the permits and licenses needed to buy and carry a firearm in his state.  The New York Times reports it costs $5 to get a firearm identification card, $2 for the permit to own a firearm, and $20 for the permit to carry.  Under Murphy's budget proposal, the firearm identification card will jump from $5 to $100, the owner's permit will go up from $2 to $40, and the permit to carry, the largest increase, will go from $20 to $400.  For all three licenses and permits, the price would increase by 2,000%.

Swalwell: You'll Sell Me Your Gun, or You'll Go to Jail.  Representative Eric Swalwell, a hard-leftist from California, has about as much chance of winning the Democratic nomination for president as Bill Weld has of winning the GOP nomination.  Be that it as it may, Swalwell's proposal to jail Americans who refuse to surrender legally purchased and owned firearms to a federal gun Gestapo not only demonstrates how the Left has moved the Overton Window in the gun-control debate, but also how Democrats have given in to the totalitarian impulse.  Outright gun confiscation is something only the craziest Democrat would have suggested 30 years ago, and the suggestion certainly would not have come from one who wished to be considered a serious contender for the presidency.

"Second Amendment Sanctuary" Movement Explodes.  It's unlikely that Joe Thoele, a member of the board of Effingham County, Illinois, had any idea that his unhappiness over Springfield's anti-gun measures would spark a national resistance movement.  A year ago all he wanted to do was send a message to the anti-gun politicians in his state's capitol:  "I would just like to send a statement to Springfield that I don't want them to be infringing on our Second Amendment rights as legal gun owners."  Thoele persuaded six of the seven other members of the board to pass a resolution declaring his county (population 34,000) a "sanctuary" county.  After all, if political entities such as counties and states could declare themselves sanctuaries for illegal immigrants, why couldn't they declare themselves sanctuaries for legal gun owners?

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis Signs Democrat-Sponsored Gun Confiscation Bill.  Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed into law on Friday the Democrats' gun confiscatory Red Flag legislation.  The legislation allows courts to issue orders for the confiscation of individuals' guns.  Tribune Ledger News reported that the legislation, House Bill 1177, did not garner a single Republican vote.  And more than half of Colorado's county governments have voiced opposition to the bill, making clear they have no plans to enforce it.

Swalwell: 'Second Amendment Is Not an Absolute Right'.  Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union," Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and 2020 presidential hopeful said the Second Amendment was not an absolute right.  Discussing his proposal to "ban possession of military-style semi-automatic assault weapons," Swalwell said, "You know, keep your pistols, keep your long rifles, keep your shotguns.  I want the most dangerous weapons, these weapons of war, out of the hands of the most dangerous people.  But when it comes to what else we can do, because I don't even suggest this is all we can do, I also want background checks.  So do 73% of NRA members."

Some Colorado sheriffs in open rebellion over 'Red Flag' gun law.  Colorado's Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signed the controversial "Red Flag" gun bill into law on Friday [4/12/2019] and several county sheriffs have indicated they won't enforce it.  Some are even willing to go to jail for their beliefs. [...] What we've seen in recent years is that if a crazy person wants to go on a shooting spree, they will find a way to get a gun.  Meanwhile, guns will be seized from innocent people who may or may not be a threat to themselves or others.

Gun Rights Demonstrators Square Off With Gun Grabbers In Delaware.  A contentious set of gun control proposals has hit the floor in Delaware, and now activists on both sides are digging in for the coming fight.  That digging in started with rallies in Dover. [...] You can only push the law-abiding citizen so far.  At some point, they won't go any further.  They'll gladly break the law because the law is demanding far too much of them.  To be clear, that's what sparked the American Revolution.  Had old King George not pushed so hard, the colonists would have gladly gone on being loyal British subjects.

Pittsburgh Residents Challenge Ban on Standard Capacity Magazines.  With assistance from the NRA, Pittsburgh residents filed a lawsuit today [4/11/2019] challenging the city's ban on publicly carrying loaded magazines that accept more than 10 rounds of ammunition.  Pittsburgh's recently enacted ordinance misleadingly describes these magazines as "large capacity" even though they come standard with many of the nation's most popular firearms and are commonly used in handguns carried for self-defense.

Column Proves Some Folks Are Anti-Gun Because They're Idiots.  Now, some I understand.  They're emotional over it.  Maybe they lost someone.  Either way, they're not able to think clearly on the topic of guns, so emotion drives them.  However, after reading this column this morning, I also had to remember that apparently, some are anti-gun because they're just stupid.

New Zealand's new gun laws get final assent to take effect.  New Zealand's governor general on Thursday [4/11/2019] formally signed into effect sweeping gun laws outlawing military style weapons, less than a month after a man used such guns to kill 50 people and wound dozens at two mosques in Christchurch.

It Begins:  The Police Start To Bully Gun Owners In New Zealand.  One never knows exactly what to think of some of the sources on reddit, this may be legitimate and it may not be.  But the weight of evidence is on the side of legitimacy.

New Zealand Police Confiscate Airsoft Pellet Guns, Crossbow from Man Because He Supports Trump.  Now that police in New Zealand are going door-to-door to confiscate firearms, which involves bird-dogging people at work and monitoring their online activity, one man who has gotten caught up in the covfefe was recently stripped of his airsoft BB guns and his crossbow.

Eric Swalwell Doesn't Like It When You Criticize His Impossible Gun Control Scheme.  This week, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), the latest Democrat to jump into their already-jammed clown car of presidential candidates, launched his campaign with a proposal to "ban and buy back every single assault weapon in this nation," bragging he was the "only candidate" who was "bold" enough to suggest it.

Sheriff on gun law:  I'll go to jail to protect the Constitution.  A hard review of Colorado's version of the "red flag" bill immediately caused tremendous concern, as it was an obvious attack on the Second Amendment rights of citizens disguised as a mental health bill, but it also had obvious violations of the Fourth, Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments.  The law was advertised as a mental health bill that would give law enforcement a tool to help people in need.  Yet, a true read of the bill exposes that it appears to be unconstitutional and therefore unenforceable.

Swalwell running for White House on gun control: report.  Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) will reportedly announce next week that he is running for president in 2020 and will center his campaign around gun control.  The Atlantic reported Thursday [4/4/2019] that Swalwell will announce his plans during an appearance on CBS's "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," where he will be joined by Cameron Kasky, a survivor of the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.  Swalwell, who is hosting a town hall on gun control next week in Florida, did not confirm his plans to The Atlantic, but said he thinks gun control should be a top issue in 2020.

House Democrats sneak gun control measures into Violence Against Women Act reauthorization.  The House of Representatives voted 263 to 158 on a Democrat-led bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act on Thursday [4/4/2019].  Only 33 Republicans voted for the legislation.  However, anybody who tries to cast those numbers as Republican indifference to violence against women isn't telling the whole story.  Rather than simply reauthorize the law, Democrats used the opportunity to add more federal gun control to legislation originally aimed at combating domestic violence and sexual assault.  "Republicans are committed to reauthorizing VAWA, however, Democrats have refused to engage on the issue in a meaningful, bipartisan manner and instead rushed a partisan bill to the floor," reads a statement to Blaze Media from the office of Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La.  In a Wednesday [4/3/2019] speech on the House floor, Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said the current bill is nearly "unrecognizable from the legislation originally passed in 1994."

Texas House Speaker drops a gun rights bill, because a gun rights activist showed up at his house.  A bill sponsored by state Rep. Jonathan Stickand (R) sought to allow Texans to carry a gun without a permit or a license.  That bill had been pending in committee for about four months, so one gun rights advocate decided to apply some pressure to House Speaker Dennis Bonnen (R) and other two other legislators.  Chris McNutt, the executive director of Texas Gun Rights showed up at the homes of Bonnen and Republican state Reps.  Dustin Burrows and Four Price earlier this week.  None of the lawmakers were home — since the Legislature is in session, they were in at the state capitol in Austin.

New Zealand's Gun Owners Have So Far Voluntarily Surrendered 37 Firearms — Of An Estimated 1.2 Million — Since The Mosque Shootings.  A few New Zealand gun owners have begun voluntarily surrendering their firearms to local police in the wake of the Christchurch mosque shootings last week that left at least 50 people dead.  New Zealand police said that as of Tuesday night [4/2/2019], 37 firearms had been surrendered to police nationwide.  They did not provide a breakdown of how many people owned those guns, the types of firearms, or the districts where the guns were surrendered.

In New Zealand, a Democracy Turns Against Itself.  One of the oldest criticisms of democracy is that it's prone to degenerating into little more than mob rule, driven by the latest panic, hatred, or revulsion to consume people's attention.  When it comes to stoking such strong emotions, it's difficult to top the effect of the brutal mass murders committed at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.  In the wake of that crime, the country's government has succumbed to blind reaction by restricting speech, depriving innocent people of arms, and heightening domestic surveillance — intrusions into individual rights that are inherent whether or not governments and majorities formally respect them.  It's a grim illustration of just how vulnerable the "liberal" element of liberal democracy can be — as our own country has itself demonstrated in the past.

Here Is Why a Federal Judge Nixed California's Ban on 'Large Capacity Magazines'.  On Friday evening [3/29/2019], a federal judge in San Diego blocked enforcement of California's ban on magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, deeming it inconsistent with the Second Amendment right to keep arms for self-defense.  U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez concluded that "California's law prohibiting acquisition and possession of magazines able to hold any more than 10 rounds places a severe restriction on the core right of self-defense of the home such that it amounts to a destruction of the right and is unconstitutional under any level of scrutiny."  Benitez, who in 2017 issued a stay that prevented the law from taking effect, also agreed with the plaintiffs that the ban amounts to an unconstitutional taking of property without compensation.

Salon: Now No One Needs Bolt Action Rifles Either.  Now someone at Salon — a sixth generation grandson of Thomas Jefferson — is falling on his fainting couch after learning that some Americans like to shoot at long distances.

The Latest Scheme to Turn Gun Owners into Criminals.  Gun-owners, they are coming:  on March 21, a Fredericksburg man was prosecuted and convicted of the misdemeanor crime of merely holding a B.B. gun in public.  I know because I was in the trial, as the attorney defending Mr. Wolff.  The Second Amendment protects the right to keep and bear arms.  However, gun control activists are trying to criminalize gun ownership.  Their next step is that you are a criminal if you take a gun out in public.  If they have to let you own a gun, you can't ever take it out of its case.

Federal judge strikes down California ban on firearm magazines.  A federal judge struck down a California ban on magazines that are capable of housing more than 10 rounds because he said the law violated the Second Amendment.  Judge Roger T. Benitez of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California issued the judgement on Friday [3/29/2019] afternoon and totally invalidated the ban.  "Individual liberty and freedom are not outmoded concepts," said Judge Benitez in the ruling.

Lindsey Graham on Gun Confiscation Laws: 'Every Right Has Limits'.  During Tuesday's [3/26/2019] hearing on confiscatory red flag laws, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said, "every right has limits."  Graham supports red flag laws, and in early March, he told CNN the confiscatory laws represent a place Republicans and Democrats can "come together" on gun control.  Ironically, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) was able to use the hearing as a venue in which to promote her "Extreme Risk Protection Order of 2019."

Dick's Sporting Goods Lost an Astounding $150 Million.  Dick's Sporting Goods lost an estimated $150 million in sales last year after the company heavily restricted firearm purchases and began advocating anti-gun propaganda.  Let's bring the number up and shop at one of the many other retailers available to sportsmen/women/kids.  They are now doubling down under the leadership of Edward Stack, an anti-Second Amendment activist.  He will widen the net to 125 stores that won't sell guns.  After that, he's hoping to make it every store.

Last-Minute Order Partially Blocks Enforcement of Bump-Stock Ban.  A federal court on Monday [3/26/2019] ordered that the bump-stock ban set to go into effect on Tuesday cannot be enforced against members of the gun-rights groups currently suing to overturn the ban.  The D.C. Circuit Court issued an order staying enforcement of the bump-stock ban on Saturday but only for the plaintiffs in the case.  The plaintiffs then filed an emergency request to expand that stay to include the general public.  The court denied that request but did issue a clarification on Monday stating that all members of the gun-rights groups involved in the suit are covered by the stay.

In New Zealand, Terrorism Is Winning.  Terrorists, it seems, hate lots of things.  And most of those things are either rooted in or expressions of freedom.  Some hate speech that contradicts their beliefs; others clothing that goes against their own religious or cultural norms; and yet others societies in which different races and classes of people are free to live side-by-side.  In fact, one of the more popular theories regarding why Muslim extremists so despise the West relies on their resentment of the freedom enabled by Western ideals.  Those who hate freedom naturally gravitate toward its opposite, control, which is at its root the motivation behind any terrorist act, including the horrific attack in Christchurch, New Zealand that took the lives of 50 innocent Muslims attending mosque.

Head of Alaska "Human Rights Commission" Under Investigation for 1st/2nd Amendment Violations.  A scandal is developing in Alaska, as the head of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) has been implicated in directly chilling the exercise of the First and Second Amendments of the Constitution.  Governor Dunleavy has ordered an investigation of the scandal.  The head of the HRC, Marti Buscaglia, became upset over a bumper sticker on a contractor's work truck.  The bumper sticker showed the silhouette of an AR15 type rifle, along with the words "Black Rifles Matter."  It is a pretty standard call to support the Second Amendment.  Brenton Linegar owns Sage Mechanical, the small plumbing and air conditioning company that owns the truck.  Sage Mechanical's client is the owner of the building where the truck was parked.  The HRC rents space in the building.  Somehow, the Executive Director of the HRC in Alaska interpreted the Second Amendment sticker as being offensive.

Update:
Alaskan Human Rights Commissioners Resign over First and Second Amendment Scandal.  Marti Buscaglia, the head of the Alaska State Commission for Human Rights, became embroiled in a scandal involving a contractor, Brad Linegar, because of a political sticker.  She and two Commissioners have resigned as a result.  On 14 March, 2019, she left a note on the windshield of Brad Linegar's work truck, using her business card, calling a pro-Second Amendment sticker "offensive".  The note was buttressed by the business card of the Chief Probation Officer for Region III in Alaska, Kendall Rhyne.  Then Buscaglia indicated the contractor should not park his truck in the parking lot.  It has been reported she sent an email to the owner of the building, who had contracted with Linegar's business, Sage Mechanical, and asked the owner to "do something" about the company.

The Left is Not Letting the New Zealand Crisis Go to Waste.  "You never let a serious crisis go to waste.  And what I mean by that it's an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before."  These are the words of Rahm Emanuel, advisor and fixer in both the Clinton and Obama administrations, as well as the current Mayor of Chicago.  His words are also an important part of the playbook of the left, which takes every advantage of natural or man-made catastrophes to advance their agenda.

New Zealand's knee-jerk gun ban is EXACTLY why we have the Second Amendment.  Less than a week after the mosque shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand has moved to ban and confiscate semi-automatic long guns.  The bill bans so-called "military style semi-automatic firearms," which according to the bill are any rifle or shotgun that accepts a detachable magazine that holds more than five rounds.  But .22 and smaller-caliber arms are exempt, so everybody's varmint guns are safe.  And, according to reports, the legal owners of now-illegal hardware will be entitled to "fair and reasonable" compensation through a buyback program that's expected to cost a couple hundred million dollars.  How generous.  Naturally, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., says that we "must follow New Zealand's lead."

FOID (Firearm Owners Identification Card) Ruled Unconstitutional In Illinois.  Well, this should be interesting!  Apparently a judge doesn't think that it is appropriate for the state to tax and regulate our rights protected by the 2nd Amendment to the United States Constitution.  Of course Illinois is appealing, and I assume that some judge or judges will eventually find in the state's favor, but if this goes to the United States Supreme Court we have a shot at winning.

"Never let a crisis go to waste."
New Zealand bans semi-automatics after Christchurch shooting.  New Zealand has banned military-style semi-automatic rifles, with the government announcing a buyback after a shooting at two mosques killed 50 people.  There will also be a ban on assault rifles, high capacity magazines, and certain modification parts.  Speaking on Thursday [3/21/2019], Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said 'in short, every semi-automatic weapon used in the terrorist attack on Friday will be banned in this country'.

Legislation In Missouri Moves To Ban All Federal Gun Control Laws From State.  Can a state create legislation that could please even the most anti-gun law American?  Missouri is going to try to find out.  According to The Sentinel, a bill is expected to pass the Missouri Senate that would nullify every Federal gun law and regulations.  Additionally, it would make enforcement of those laws by federal officers within the State of Missouri a criminal offense.

The Bogus Lawsuit against Remington.  Rule No. 1 of tort law:  The bad guy is the one with the most money to pay you.  On December 14, 2012, Adam Lanza murdered 26 people, 20 of them schoolchildren ages six and seven.  Lanza killed himself, too.  Can't sue him.  Lanza had a history of mental illness — a long one.  He'd been treated under the New Hampshire "Birth to Three" program and later by the Yale Child Study Center.  But it would be hard to make a case against those institutions, which enjoy a great deal more sympathy than gun manufacturers do.  The schools couldn't handle Lanza, either, and he was left to the care of his mother, Nancy, who seems to have been a bit of an oddball herself and an enabler.  But he murdered her, too, so she's not around to sue.

Bruce Ohr Revealed Political Operatives Got The FBI To Investigate The NRA.  Friday's [3/15/2019] release of a transcript of Bruce Ohr's testimony before the House Judiciary Committee revealed several new tidbits.  It also raised serious concerns that fake claims of collusion pushed by Glenn Simpson and Democratic opposition research shop Fusion GPS prompted the launch of not one, but two federal investigations: the Russia collusion investigation and investigations into the National Rifle Association (NRA).

Gun Controllers Don't Really Want that 'Conversation'.  Time and again, we hear from those advocating for more gun control laws who intone with a sense of moral superiority that we need to have a "conversation" on guns.  The goal, they say, is to reduce violence, suggesting that they are somehow more evolved.  Yet, just this week, some anti-gun activists and politicians were caught red-handed fantasizing about wanting to shoot politicians and gun rights advocates as well as suggesting the "doxing," or publicly posting private information, on gun owners.

Parkland parents push for background checks on ammunition.  Last month, Democrats in the House of Representatives passed a plan to expand background checks on gun purchases.  Now, Parkland parent Fred Guttenberg and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz are offering a new plan to require universal background checks on ammunition purchases.

Where can you buy guns if Dick's stops selling them?  Almost anywhere.  Scott Weber, 63, has seen department stores enter and exit the firearms market over the years, and remembers poring over pages of gun ads in the Sears catalog while growing up on a farm.  Big retail chains such as Sears "have them and then they don't," said Weber, who owns Gunrunner Firearms & Auction.  That's why he thinks the decision by Dick's Sporting Goods to pull guns out of nearly one-fifth of its 700-plus stores will probably make no more difference than similar shifts in the past.  In an interview with the Washington Examiner, Weber also predicted the move won't necessarily boost sales for independent dealers such as himself unless they happen to be located near one of the affected stores.  Instead, the gun sales Dick's might have made will be absorbed by rival chains such as Bass Pro Shops or its subsidiary, Cabela's, which together comprise 200 stores.

Connecticut Supreme Court Rules Remington Can Be Sued For Sandy Hook Shooting.  On December 14, 2012, 20-year-old Adam Lanza walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut and opened fire.  Before it was all over, Lanza had killed 20 children aged 6 and 7 and six adult staff.  Lanza had killed his own mother before the shooting and committed suicide afterward.  Perhaps more than any other school shooting, the Sandy Hook affair has been clouded in controversy.  There have been claims that the shooting did not happen.  There have been claims that Lanza was a pawn and part of a "false flag" operation conducted by the US government.  The fact set allowed it to become the darling of the gun control set.  When it was discovered that Lanza played "violent" video games there were calls for regulation.  Obama demagogued the hell out of the issue, presenting and signing 23 gun related Executive Orders and recommending 12 laws for passage.

Sandy Hook lawsuit against gun maker Remington can proceed:  Court.  The Connecticut Supreme Court on Thursday [3/14/2019] said a lawsuit challenging how Remington Arms marketed the rifle used in the December 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting can proceed, overturning a lower court's dismissal of the case.  In a 4-3 opinion, the court ruled that families of victims of the Newtown massacre can challenge whether Remington violated state trade practices in how it marketed the AR-15-style rifle used in the shooting.  "The regulation of advertising that threatens the public's health, safety, and morals has long been considered a core exercise of the states' police powers," Justice Richard Palmer wrote for the majority.

California Saw Huge Increase in Gun Ownership Over Last Decade Despite Strict Gun Laws.  Californians are smart.  They know that government refuses to protect them.  For instance, law enforcement in California is used to protect criminals from foreign nations from being arrested and deported.  So, innocent folks become the victims of government policy.  That is why folks are buying guns.  Even Dianne Feinstein, who does not want YOU to have a gun, has a permit to carry a gun.  "What those data show is that, as of 2019, there are more than 2.5 million gun owners in California, compared to fewer than a million in 2008.  That figure translates to about 8 percent of Californian adults owning guns, compared to 3.4 percent in 2008 — a more than two-fold increase, even when adjusting for population.

Dick's Sporting Goods to Remove Guns From 125 Stores.  Dick's Sporting Goods Inc. said Tuesday [3/12/2019] it will stop selling firearms at 125 of its stores, further pulling back from the business after the retailer decided last year to tighten its policies around gun sales.  Dick's has struggled with declining sales since its CEO Ed Stack made a public decision to stop selling guns to buyers under 21 and take assault-style weapons out of all stores after a fatal school shooting in Parkland, Fla.  Dick's is also working to stem sluggish sales as more shoppers buy sporting goods online.

Hawaii Tells Congress to Seriously Change or Repeal the 2nd Amendment.  Hawaiian lawmakers voted on Tuesday to urge the U.S. Congress to amend, seriously change or repeal the Second Amendment.  They say it doesn't guarantee the right of individuals to own guns.  The resolution was sponsored by State Senator Stanley Chang, a freshman whose claim to fame is having beaten the last Republican in the Hawaii State Senate, according to Guns.com. [...] He said the Framers never meant guns were an individual right and, despite the Supreme Court ruling in the Heller decision that determined otherwise, he claims it only applies to militias, the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) reported.

Maryland Democratic official takes heat for calls to 'dox' gun rights activists.  A Democratic Party leader in Maryland is facing criticism for last month posting on Facebook a call to "dox" gun rights activists.  Maryland Democratic Party Secretary Robbie Leonard took to social media to post photos from a Maryland House Judiciary Committee meeting in late February, where gun rights activists wore "We Will Not Comply" shirts during the hearing on additional gun control measures, along with a message calling the advocates "homegrown terrorists" and calling on his followers to "dox" them.

Popular Defiance Will Kneecap Gun Laws in New Mexico, As It Has in Other States.  New Mexico is the battleground for the latest confrontation between politicians determined to impose legal restrictions on the right to acquire and own the means of self-defense and people unwilling to obey such laws.  The state's governor is publicly feuding with county-level officials who, responding to grassroots anger at the proposed gun measures, vow noncompliance if they become law.  The evidence from similar spats in other states suggests that government officials are once again poised to have their impotence demonstrated by people eager to disobey dictates from above.

Lindsey Graham:  Democrats, GOP Can 'Come Together' for Gun Confiscation Law.  Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) says firearm confiscation laws portend a way that Democrats and Republicans can "come together."  CNN reported that Graham has long supported red flag laws, which allow a court to issue firearm confiscation orders for individuals deemed a threat to themselves or others.  House Democrats have already passed legislation during this Congress to criminalize private gun sales and extend the instant background check for firearm purchases.  They are now pressing for $50 million in annual funding to bring academia into the gun control push.

New Mexico's Democrat Governor Signs Bill to Criminalize Private Gun Sales.  New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) signed legislation Friday to criminalize private gun sales in the state.  The Santa Fe New Mexican reported that there has been a great divide over the bill, with state-level Democrats pushing it while gun rights groups, the vast majority of New Mexico Sheriffs, and New Mexico county governments oppose it.

Oops: Hypothesis for Latest Gun Control Study 'Has Not Been Validated'.  Researchers behind a recent gun control study admit that the hypothesis for the study "has not been validated."  The study, which appeared in the British Medical Journal, claims that states with less restrictive gun laws witness higher levels of mass shootings.  The researchers behind the study included Columbia University Irving Medical Center's Paul Reeping.

County sheriffs across four states declare gun sanctuaries.  County officials across four states have adopted "sanctuary jurisdiction" strategies to thwart gun-control laws, according to Reuters Monday [3/4/2019].  The Trump administration's tough stance on immigration led many cities across the country to pass resolutions resolving not to defend current U.S. Immigration Law.  Anti-gun control organizers have started to use the same tactic.  Counties in Illinois, Washington, Oregon and New Mexico have declared gun sanctuaries, according to Reuters, in response to legislation they believe is an infringement on the 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees the right to keep and bear arms.  All four states have Democratic majorities and governorships.

2020 Dems make it clear if Supreme Court upholds Trump emergency declaration, they'll go after guns.  Democrats are pulling out all the stops to prevent President Donald Trump from any success is stemming the flow of illegal immigrants into the United States, regardless of the negative impact, it has on the lives of U.S. citizens or the public treasury.  Even threatening to encroach on the U.S. Constitution if the Supreme Court upholds Trump's emergency declaration on the porous southern border.

Trump at CPAC: Democrat Gun Control Will Not Get Past My Desk.  President Donald Trump stressed during his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) that the Democrats' myriad gun control plans will not make all come to an end once they reach his desk.  Trump expressed the agreement between his administration and the mindset of CPAC attendees by saying, "We believe strongly in the Second Amendment and the right to keep and bear arms."  He then contrasted the pro-gun view with that of the Democrats' view by warning CPAC attendees that the Second Amendment was "under siege."

Liberals and Moderates Rage at Each Other at Closed-Door Meeting of House Democrats.  Earlier this week, House Republicans scored a second surprise victory on a 'motion to recommit,' one of the lower chamber minority's few procedural tactics.  During a legislative battle over gun control legislation, more than two dozen Democrats backed a GOP proposal to require that ICE be notified whenever an illegal immigrant is flagged attempting to purchase a firearm.  Republicans succeeded in another MTR gambit several weeks ago, adding language condemning anti-semitism to a foreign policy vote, a move clearly designed to isolate and shame Rep. Ilhan Omar.  Following these losses, Democratic leadership is reeling, leading to a fiery closed-door party meeting, during which various factions of the party reportedly sniped at each other.

House Dems all in for universal background checks on firearms — until GOP includes illegal immigrants.  Democrats were all in when they decided to push through universal background checks on all firearms purchases, but they quickly recoiled when Republicans amended the legislation.  As House Democrats were poised to vote on "The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019," their Republican colleagues asked to add an amendment that would use the same law to alert federal authorities when an illegal immigrant tries to purchase a firearm illegally as well.

US House passes sweeping gun legislation.  The Democrat-led House on Wednesday broke a years-long stalemate over gun control legislation, approving a bill to expand background checks to nearly all firearms sales and transfers.  The measure is unlikely to survive the Senate, but House Democrats said at least they made good on vows to aggressively push the issue in the wake of a spate of high-profile mass shootings.

Dems Lose 'Embarrassing' Gun Control Amendment Vote After Multiple Defections.  In a rare move, a Republican amendment to gun legislation brought to House floor by Democratic leadership was adopted after multiple defections from moderate Democrats.  The House voted Wednesday on H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019.  The bill would expand background checks to include all gun sales, rather than just sales by licensed gun dealers as under current law.  Republicans in the minority countered with an amendment to require that federal officials notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement whenever a lawful or unlawful immigrant tried to illegally purchase a firearm.  That measure, opposed by most Democrats, was voted down when the bill was still in the House Judiciary Committee.

Democrats Are Just Getting Rolling On Gun Control Hits.  For better or worse, House Democrats believe their wins in November are because of their stance on gun control.  They don't want to listen to the idea that they might have had bigger wins if they hadn't attacked the Second Amendment so vehemently.  Nope.  They're going to push gun control no matter what.

NRA assails Hollywood, AOC, CNN's Acosta over gun rights.  In a message timed for tonight's Oscars, the National Rifle Association is rolling out its biggest gun to call on the country to focus on teaching children their Constitutional rights, including the Second Amendment, instead of tearing those rights down in a drive to socialism.  Featuring historical footage from the late Charlton Heston, the former NRA president and two-time Academy Award winner, the new video from the pro-gun group juxtaposes his words on American rights with the anti-gun messages and images from Hollywood, Washington, and media critics.  [Video clip]

Maryland Democrats Push Rationing of Rifle Purchases, 7-Day Waiting Period.  Maryland Democrats are pushing rationing of rifle purchases, a 7-day waiting period on all gun purchases, and a licensing requirement for rifle and shotgun owners.  Leap Forward lists over 50 Democrats who are pushing HB 786, the legislation limiting the number of rifle purchases each month, enacting the waiting period, and putting the licensing requirement in place.

Connecticut Democrats Push Confiscation of Homemade Guns.  City legislators Jeffrey Stella (D-9) and Rodney Pratt (D-9) in Stamford, Connecticut, are pushing an ordinance to empower police to confiscate homemade firearms from city residents.

Democrats Don't Want ICE Notified When Illegal Aliens Try to Purchase Guns.  As the debate over illegal immigration continues to rage, Democrats continue to prove they are proponents of open borders and lawlessness.  The latest example comes from Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz, who is berating Democrats for protecting illegal aliens who attempt to purchase firearms and fail a background check.

Democrats Express Openness to Federal Gun Registry.  Democratic House Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries defended his party's push for a universal background check bill Wednesday, claiming that any enforcement of the legislation — including federal firearm registration — will be left to the Department of Justice to decide.  Efforts to expand federal firearm background checks to all private sales could eventually lead to federal firearms registration, a potential that worries some Second Amendment advocates and sympathetic Republicans.

Knowing Exactly Nothing about the Aurora Shooting, Chelsea Clinton and Others Call for Gun Control.  A gunman opened fire inside a manufacturer in Aurora, Illinois, Friday and before the news was a day old, pundits and famous personalities began calling for collective action on gun violence.

Tolerating Republican Betrayals on Guns Only Encourages More Turncoats.  "[T]here is a push to pass an 'assault weapons' ban via a ballot initiative to amend the State Constitution," a Monday Florida Shooters Network report warns.  "This is being spearheaded by Ban Assault Weapons NOW (BAWN), a bipartisan group of gun-grabbers made up of Republican and Democrat authoritarians that want to see Floridians disarmed."  "BAWN has partnered with the prominent Republican donor Al Hoffman and his gun-control-advocacy organization, Americans for Gun Safety Now!, which is made up almost entirely of Republicans who support an assault-weapons ban," a cited advocacy puff piece masked as political reporting from The Atlantic notes.

Pelosi Warns That A Future Democratic President Could Declare National Emergency To Push Gun Control.  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned President Donald Trump on Thursday [2/14/2019] that a future Democratic president could declare a national emergency to achieve an agenda, such as gun control policy.  Responding to the president's announcement that he will declare a national emergency related to the U.S. southern border, Pelosi maintained that "Democratic presidents can declare emergencies as well.  So the precedent that the president is setting here is something that should be met with great unease and dismay by the Republicans."

The Editor says...
If ever there was a Democrat president who wanted to outlaw guns by issuing an executive order, it was Barack Obama.

Facing Costly New Regulations, Some Gun Shops Close.  Several gun dealers in Central and Southern Illinois are closing their businesses rather than pay what they're saying is thousands of dollars in costs to comply with a law enacted last month.  When he signed the bill into law last month, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the Gun Dealer Licensing Act was about stopping straw buyers.  "The reason for it is to deter straw purchases so that we can prevent someone from buying a gun for someone else who is not legally allowed to own a gun," he said at the signing ceremony in Chicago.

New Mexico Sheriffs Rebel Against New Oppressive Gun Control Laws.  More and more states have passed "red flag" laws making it easier to take guns away from people who others claim to be suicidal or bent on violence against others, and courts are issuing an unprecedented number of seizure orders across the country.  The New Mexico legislature is considering such a bill along with three others.  All of them are opposed by twenty-nine out of the thirty-three county sheriffs in New Mexico.  The twenty-nine signed a public statement saying the new laws would not be effective.

Smith & Wesson Rejects Push By Anti-Second Amendment Shareholders.  The latest strategy of gun control activists is to force gun manufacturers "to consider their social impact" by buying stock in those companies and mobilizing shareholders to demand they study the concept.  The group called Adrian Dominican Sisters, led by a nun named Sister Judy Byron, is part of the Northwest Coalition for Responsible Investments, an anti-Second Amendment activist group.  Their latest target was American Outdoor Brands Corporation (AOBC), which owns Smith & Wesson.  The company was forced to do a study, which was released late Friday, but the results likely won't make the nuns happy.

CA Newspaper:  Our State's Gun Control Laws Are In Jeopardy.  The last time the Supreme Court heard a gun-related case was back in 2008 when they ruled "the Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia, and to use that arm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home" in the landmark Heller decision.  What's interesting is the San Francisco Chronicle, a rather liberal newspaper in California, published an editorial admitting that the state's gun control laws may be in danger.  While the Supreme Court was reluctant to hear Second Amendment-related cases, the Court now has more conservative justices.  Now that Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh are on the Court, gun rights activists are expecting landslide victories that can and will protect the right to keep and bear arms for years to come.

Facing Costly New Regulations, Some Gun Shops Close.  Several gun dealers in Central and Southern Illinois are closing their businesses rather than pay what they're saying is thousands of dollars in costs to comply with a law enacted last month.  When he signed the bill into law last month, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the Gun Dealer Licensing Act was about stopping straw buyers.  "The reason for it is to deter straw purchases so that we can prevent someone from buying a gun for someone else who is not legally allowed to own a gun," he said at the signing ceremony in Chicago.  Jim Barnard, 69, couldn't see a way to afford the cost of compliance with the new law.  After more than four decades of operation, the owner of Fishman's Sporting Goods in Girard had to make a tough decision.  "I'm just going to retire, I guess," he said.

Gun-seizure laws grow in popularity since Parkland shooting.  Supporters say these "red flag" laws are among the most promising tools to reduce the nearly 40,000 suicides and homicides by firearm each year in the U.S.  Gun advocates, though, say such measures undermine their constitutional rights and can result in people being stripped of their weapons on false or vindictive accusations.

Democrats don't want you to hear what I have to say about guns and the Second Amendment.  Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing Wednesday on new gun control legislation Democrats plan to push on the American people.  The top Republican on the committee, Doug Collins, R-Ga., asked committee Democrats if I could testify about this legislation in an appropriate setting to offer another perspective as both a survivor of a shooting attack and strong supporter of our Second Amendment rights.  But the Democrats said no.  While liberals may try to silence conservative voices, I will not be silenced.  The American people deserve to hear all perspectives.

Illinois Dems introduce bill requiring gun buyers to reveal social media accounts before getting firearm license.  Illinois Democrats are introducing a bill forcing gun buyers to reveal their public social media accounts to police before they are given permission to get a firearm license.  The new legislation is sponsored by two state Democratic lawmakers, in an effort to block people from acquiring guns if they have made some troubling comments on social media.

Dems Blocked Steve Scalise From Testifying on Gun Violence.  House Democrats blocked Republican Whip Steve Scalise from testifying at a hearing on "gun violence" this week despite being a victim of a shooting.  The reason?  He doesn't support new gun control measures Democrats are hoping to pass with their new majority.  "It was pretty bizarre.  Historically when Republicans were in charge, even when Democrats were in charge prior to this more radical leftist majority, if a member of Congress wanted to testify on a committee, they always provided a venue for that to happen," Scalise said.  "In this case they were holding a hearing in the Judiciary on reducing gun violence and I've got a perspective clearly mine dealt with something that happened to me and I saw how guns were used to save people's lives.  It should have been able to be part of the testimony.  They wanted to focus on taking away the rights of law abiding citizens which their bill ultimately does."

Rep. Scalise:  Democrat Anti-Gun Bill Makes It Illegal to Loan Shotgun to Friend for Hunting — With One Year in.  Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) joined Laura Ingraham on The Ingraham Angle on Wednesday night [2/6/2019] to discuss the latest Democrat legislation to restrict gun rights.  Scalise told Laura the latest plan by Democrats will make it illegal to loan a shotgun to a friend for hunting.

FL Bill to Ban Lending or Sharing of Firearms, HB-135 by Rep. Margaret Good (D).  HB 135 — Transfers of Firearms by Rep. Margaret Good (D) prohibits the TRANSFER of a firearm from one law-abiding citizen to another without first having a background check performed by a licensed firearms dealer. [...] In other words, you must go to a licensed firearms dealer to have a background check done on your best friend just to lend him a hunting rifle to go on a hunting trip.

Virginia School District Sues State AG to Allow Staff to Carry Guns.  A Virginia school district filed suit against state attorney general Mark Herring (D.) late last month over his office's refusal to allow their staff to carry firearms on school property despite meeting standards for a specialized law enforcement position.  In July, Lee County School Board unanimously approved a plan for certain staff to become special conservators of the peace.  That would allow them to legally carry firearms on school property in order to supplement the presence of armed school resource officers.  The district currently only has officers at 5 of their 11 schools.

Harris: No Reason to Have Assault Weapons in a Civil Society.  During a CNN-sponsored town hall in Iowa Monday night, Sen. Kamala Harris (D., Calif.) said there is "no reason" to have assault weapons in a civil society.  "We have got to have smart gun safety laws in this country, and we've got to stop buying this false choice.  You can be in favor of the Second Amendment and also understand that there is no reason in a civil society that we have assault weapons around communities that can kill babies and police officers," Harris said.  Harris, one of the many Democrats running in the 2020 presidential primary, held a town hall in Iowa where a pastor asked what she would do to tackle gun violence.

NRA seeks to topple 2 strict California gun laws.  More than two years after California voters made it illegal to possess high-capacity gun magazines commonly used in mass shootings, the National Rifle Association has tied the measure up in court.  Now the gun lobby has set its sights on a nearly 2-decade-old law that banned the sale of those devices in the state.  That law, which took effect in 2000, has made it illegal to buy or sell magazines that can hold more than 10 cartridges.  Proposition 63, sponsored by then-Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and approved by the voters in 2016, would require anyone who owns the magazines to turn them in, send them out of state or remake them to comply with the law.

Second Amendment supporters rejoice as Supreme Court decides to hear a critical case.  The case, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. New York City, at a minimum will decide whether or not a New York City law that limits residents' ability to transport their guns outside of their homes is constitutional.  Currently, residents in that city can carry a licensed (if they can get one), locked and unloaded handgun to one of seven shooting ranges within city limits, but nowhere else, including homes or shooting ranges outside of the city.  [Larry] Keane is worked up because lower courts have been disagreeing with each other over basic gun rights questions for years.  Some courts have even ruled that a local government can ban the most popular firearm design sold today — semiautomatic firearms — just because some are cosmetically different than others.

Supreme Court Takes Up First Gun Rights Case In A Decade.  The Supreme Court agreed Tuesday [1/22/2019] to hear its first gun rights case in almost a decade.  The justices will decide whether a New York City ordinance which strictly regulates the possession and transportation of handguns outside the home is constitutional.  Tuesday's grant marks the first time that the Supreme Court has engaged with the Second Amendment since it issued a pair of landmark decisions in 2008 and 2010 which affirmed the constitutional right to keep guns in the home for self-defense.

State sued for suspending 2nd Amendment for foster parents.  In a battle that is erupting more and more these days, a couple has been joined by the Second Amendment Foundation in a lawsuit against Missouri officials for their attempt to suspend the Second Amendment rights of foster parents.  The complaint is on behalf of SAF and James and Julie Attaway and names as a defendant Steve Corsi, the director of the Missouri social services agency.  There have been at least three or four identical disputes that already have been brought to the attention of courts in other states.  The Missouri case asks for injunctive relief to Missouri's firearms prohibition on state residents who are or wish to be foster parents.

Kyrsten Sinema Running for Senate in Gun-Friendly Arizona, Co-Sponsored Gun Control Just Last Year.  Democrat Kyrsten Sinema is running for Senate in gun-friendly Arizona but staying mum on the fact that she backed a gun control bill just last year.  The bill, known as the Public Safety and Second Amendment Protection Act of 2017, was little more than a reconfigured — and regurgitated — version of the gun control bill Barack Obama unsuccessfully pushed following the December 14, 2012, attack on Sandy Hook Elementary School.  (The bill pushed in response to Sandy Hook was also called the Public Safety and Second Amendment Protection Act.)

Credit Card Companies Have No Business Playing Second Amendment Censors.  Do we want to live in an America where credit card companies watch our buying habits and then block purchases for ideological reasons?  Not long ago, the left side of the American electorate would have shouted "[...] no" the loudest.  Not anymore.  Today, many on the left are cheering on, even pushing censorship in social media and more, as long as the suppression of ideas protects their political goals.  They even want big business to restrict gun sales, as they don't see firearms as tools of freedom.

Anti-Gun Democrat's Purchase Of 'MeatEater' Could Pose Big Problems For Hunter-Focused Company.  MeatEater, a popular hunter-focused entertainment company started by outdoorsman and writer Steven Rinella, was purchased by a rabidly anti-gun Democrat financier late last year in a move that has raised alarms among hunters and gun-rights activists.  The Chernin Group, a California-based investment fund run by wealthy Democratic activist and Hollywood producer Peter Chernin, purchased a controlling stake in Rinella's MeatEater in 2018.  The left-wing, anti-gun political activism of MeatEater's largest investor, as well as political commentary and activity from some of its key partners and sponsors, complicates the company's expansion plans given that such a large percentage of hunters in the United States — who comprise MeatEater's core audience — staunchly support both gun rights and Republican political candidates.

DA calls Pittsburgh Gun-Control Plan Illegal, City Council Moves Forward Anyway.  A Pittsburgh City Council member told a local radio show on Tuesday [1/15/2019] the city would move forward with passing new gun-control legislation despite a warning from a local district attorney that it would violate state law.  "We believe we're on the right side of history," Pittsburgh City Council member Corey O'Connor told KDKA.  "We're doing what's right for not only our city but we think it's what's right across the country and nobody's going to stop us from doing that."  The City Council is currently considering legislation that would ban certain kinds of firearms like the AR-15, bump stocks, and magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds, and so-called armor-piercing bullets within city limits, as well as implement Extreme Risk Protection Orders allowing law enforcement to seize firearms from individual residents in certain circumstances.  Gun-rights groups have already vowed to fight the proposed legislation in court because they believe it violates a state law forbidding localities in Pennsylvania from creating their own gun-control ordinances.

DA Warns Pittsburgh City Council That They Can't Make Gun Laws.  Pennsylvania has a preemption law on the books.  That means individual communities can't pass gun control laws.  As a result, the state has a unified framework of gun regulations so that those traveling within it know them wherever they go.  It keeps people from being arrested for complying with the rules in 99 percent of the state, but crossing the wrong line somewhere and now suddenly being criminals.  That hasn't stopped the Pittsburgh City Council from wanting to pass gun laws in the wake of the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting, though.

The Democrat Who Banned Guns in Chicago Had 23 Guns.  "Bullets and booze don't mix," Alderman Edward Burke growled.  Then the Chairman of the Finance Committee vowed to fight the NRA.  He had spent much of his 50 years in power fighting for gun control.  And the man dubbed "Alderman-for-Life", whose wife who sat on the Illinois Supreme Court, had the heft. [...] Burke, an Obama and Blagojevich ally, and the godfather of Chicago politics (dubbed its real mayor), hated and loved guns at the same time.  He had nearly as many guns as he had gun control bills.  When the FBI raided the offices of the powerful Chicago Democrat, they found 23 guns.  That's a lot of guns for one man.  Especially for a man who had worked hard to ban handguns in Chicago.

On January 1, I became a criminal in my hometown of Boulder.  I remember a time when, for public safety of course, some conservatives wanted AIDS patients to self-identify, to present themselves to the governmental authority, and be counted.  There was an epidemic erupting after all, and "something had to be done."  In Boulder, if your core beliefs include dressing as the opposite gender or following the teachings of the Koran our city government will bend over backwards to protect you from those who wish to separate you from your community.  You'd never be forced to self-identify to government authorities, to submit to inspection, to be registered and made to pay fees to keep your core beliefs.  My strong belief in my Second Amendment rights is core to who I am.  I know that is not understood by many today, however I am not asking to be understood.  I'm asking to be left alone.  I am asking for progressives who run city government to live up to their assertion of tolerance and just let me be.

Va. Governor's Gun-Confiscation Proposal Could Affect Millions of Residents.  The plan to ban the sale and possession of certain kinds of firearms proposed by Virginia governor Ralph Northam (D.) could affect millions of gun owners, an industry group said on Friday [1/11/2019].  The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), which represents gun manufacturers and dealers, said the vague description of the legislation released by Northam on Jan. 4 would apply to most firearms currently on sale in the commonwealth.

Heartwarming Stories of Civil Disobedience.  I'm proud to be American in part because of the cantankerous view that my fellow citizens have about government.  A good example is the guy who knocked over a D.C. revenue camera.  Or the entire state of Arizona for ignoring notices generated by revenue cameras.  And this is why I applaud jurors who deliberately disregard bad laws.  One of my favorite examples of civil disobedience comes from Connecticut, where more than 80 percent of owners flouted a state law to register so-called assault weapons. [...] It's likely that the noncompliance rate isn't actually 100 percent, but it is very heartwarming to see such widespread disobedience.  Especially since magazine limits are a truly inane and useless policy.

Supreme Court To Review Illegal Immigrant's Gun Possession Conviction.  The Supreme Court will decide whether an illegal alien from the United Arab Emirates was wrongfully convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm.  The case was occasioned in December 2015, when Hamid Mohamed Ahmed Ali Rehaif was arrested in Florida after renting a gun at a shooting range and purchasing ammunition.  Federal law prohibits certain classes of people from possessing guns, including illegal aliens.

Boston Mayor's Office to Force Doctors to Identify and Document Patients Who Own Guns.  Joseph Stalin's firearms registration and confiscation was a tremendous success for the Socialist state.  Under the Tsar, Russia was one of the most heavily armed societies on earth.  That all changed when Stalin and the communists took control.  Stalin was able to control, starve, punish and imprison a defenseless people, after he took their guns. [...] It's no secret that Democrats are hoping to repeat this history here in the United States.

Dianne Feinstein Pushes Ban on Commonly Owned Semiautomatics, 'High Capacity' Mags.  Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) is pushing a ban on commonly owned semiautomatic rifles and high capacity magazines.  She announced the push via Twitter where she wrote:  "Americans across the nation are asking Congress to reinstate the federal ban on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.  If we're going to put a stop to mass shootings and protect our children, we need to get these weapons of war off our streets."  Feinstein wants to ban any assault weapon which accepts a detachable magazine and has one or more military characteristics including a pistol grip, a forward grip, a barrel shroud, a threaded barrel or a folding or telescoping stock.

California now confiscating ammunition, gun magazines under 'red flag' law.  On Jan. 7, California will say goodbye to their Governor, Jerry Brown, who leaves behind a legacy of gun control measures.  Brown has passed a series of gun confiscation laws that were extended at the start of the new year to include the seizure of ammunition and some magazines when guns are confiscated.  He approved Senate Bill 1200, which "adds ammunition and bullet drums to the list of items related to firearms that can be confiscated," according to KCRA News.  During the execution of a Gun Violence Restraining Order (GVRO), authorities have the legal right to seize "the owner's gun, accessories, and ammunition."  It also eliminates any fees incurred for obtaining the GVRO.

First, Corporations Targeted Your Speech — Now, They're Targeting Your Guns.  First, corporate giants like Facebook and Twitter targeted your speech.  Now corporate banks are targeting your guns.  You may recall when the criminal Obama administration put into effect the unconstitutional pressure on banks to not provide money to "risky" ventures such as gun dealers.  You may also recall overpriced sporting goods store Dick's eliminating semi-automatic rifles, discriminating sales of guns and destroying their inventory while their stocks plummeted, but now, it looks like after corporations have targeted your speech online, they may be aiming for your guns next.

'Gun-toting hippies' greet Boulder 'assault weapons' ban with mass non-compliance.  Boulder's newly enacted "assault weapons" ban is meeting with stiff resistance from its "gun-toting hippies," staunch liberals who also happen to be devoted firearms owners.  Only 342 "assault weapons," or semiautomatic rifles, were certified by Boulder police before the Dec. 31 deadline, meaning there could be thousands of residents in the scenic university town of 107,000 in violation of the sweeping gun-control ordinance.  "I would say the majority of people I've talked to just aren't complying because most people see this as a registry," said Lesley Hollywood, executive director of the Colorado Second Amendment group Rally for Our Rights.  "Boulder actually has a very strong firearms community."

Parkland shooting commission recommends teachers should be armed.  The commission investigating a shooting massacre at a Florida high school have unanimously approved its initial findings and recommendations, including a controversial proposal that teachers who volunteer and undergo training be allowed to carry guns.

Toy gun buyback for pansies.  Hempstead, New York, officials, citing concerns for the safety of children, not only warned parents off buying toy guns as gifts this Christmas — but also took the over-the-top step of hosting a toy gun buyback event.  Welcome to the new USA, home of the pansies.  Summer camps, for crying out loud, used to provide BB guns to kids to fire at mounted balloons.  Now we're confiscating squirt guns and foam-firing plastic rifles?

Ohio Lawmakers Override Gun-Grabber Kasich's Veto.  I've been hammering Ohio Governor John Kasich and his fondness for stomping all over Ohioans' constitutional rights.  Frankly, it's warranted.  The man has turned his back on principles and is instead trying to set up another presidential run by catering to the NeverTrumpers and Democrats, which isn't going to be a winning strategy.  Especially since "NeverTrump" doesn't necessarily mean they're anti-Second Amendment.  Recently, Kasich vetoed a bill that would benefit gun owners involved in self-defense shootings.  The bill was watered down from the Stand Your Ground bill originally proposed, but even that was too much for Kasich's liberal sensibilities.

Court Says NY Cops Can't Search Cars Over Out Of State Gun Permit.  In a small win for gun owners, a New York court has ruled that owning an out of state gun permit is not enough "cause" for a New York cop to search a vehicle.  The incident that sparked the case was when a man who had recently moved to New York was pulled over by a Rye City, New York, police officer and when handing over his ID also handed the officer his Colorado concealed gun permit.

Former NYPD Officer Creates Program To Turn In Toy Guns.  When my son was still little, he reached the age when it was time for him to have some toy guns.  My father used my toy guns to help teach me the rules of gun safety.  I was required to follow those same Four Rules we've all heard time and time again.  It was pretty smart of him to do that, too. [...] Now, my daughter has a cap pistol herself.  She, too, has to follow the rules.  However, a former officer with the NYPD seems to disagree with my stance on toy guns.  He thinks they're uncool and wants kids to think they're uncool too.  So much so that he's created a kiddy version of a gun buyback program.

This may or may not be off-topic:
Texas Lawmaker Seeks To Remove State's Ban On 'Brass Knuckles'.  This comes on the heels of a federal court ruling New York's ban of nunchucks as unconstitutional.  The argument in that case was that the Second Amendment protects the right to keep and bear arms, saying it shall not be infringed.  It doesn't specify any particular arms, which means all arms are covered.  This includes brass knuckles.  I suspect [Representative Joe] Moody and I disagree on a great deal, but on this, we are in total agreement.  Bans like these need to be overturned.

New York Times Wants To Have Credit Card Companies Monitor Sales Of Guns And Ammo.  The New York Times ran an article today [12/24/2018] that opens a new front in the progressive dream of restricting and eventually banning gun ownership.

New York Times Pressures Credit Card Giants to Blacklist Gun Purchasers.  The New York Times is pressuring credit card giants to monitor customers' buying habits and blacklist gun purchases.  The Times suggests banks are "unwittingly financing mass shootings" by allowing individuals to use their cards to buy firearms and related accessories.

Man Tries to Rob Pizza Guy With Only a Rifle Magazine.  There's not much to this story, but it's so absurd that it needs to be on the record.  Wednesday night in Rockford, Illinois, a man ordered a pizza from an unnamed restaurant.  The non-customer then intercepted the delivery man in the parking lot, attempting to rob him, while pointing a loaded rifle magazine at him.  Needless to say, this tactic was ineffective. [...] The suspect is described as a 155-pound 5'8" black man in his 20s or 30s, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and black pants.

Gun-Rights Groups Threaten Lawsuit if Pittsburgh Passes New Gun Control.  Gun-rights groups announced on Monday [12/17/2018] they would file suit against any new gun-control measures the city of Pittsburgh, Pa., passes that violate the state's preemption law.  The Allegheny County Sportsmen's League (ACSL) and Firearm Owners Against Crime (FOAC) said they would take immediate action against the gun-control proposals Mayor William Peduto (D) announced support for on Friday and which the city council is currently considering.  The groups said Pennsylvania law prohibits local municipalities from passing laws stricter than what the state has authorized.  They decried the potential action as dangerous and an assault on gun owners.

Incoming House Democrats Ready Bill to Criminalize Private Gun Sales.  The incoming Democrat House majority is readying legislation to criminalize private gun sales.  Ironically, the push comes nearly 227 years to the day after private gun ownership was hedged in by the Founding Fathers via the Second Amendment, which was ratified on December 15, 1791.  Politico reports that Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA) is spearheading the current gun control push through "universal background" legislation.  Such checks criminalize private gun sales, making it illegal for a neighbor to sell a firearm to his neighbor, a friend to his lifelong friend, and even a father to his son.

Trump DOJ Announces Bump-Stock Ban, Confiscation.  The Department of Justice announced on Tuesday it will effectively ban the possession of all bump-fire stocks through a new regulatory rule.  Senior DOJ officials told reporters it would become a felony to own a bump-stock within 90 days of the new rule's publication.  They estimated March 21, 2019, would be the deadline for the public to turn in or destroy their bump stocks.  The officials said they would prosecute those who do not comply with that deadline.

Venezuela's Gun Ban Is Working Out Perfectly For The Socialist Agenda.  While it may seem hard to believe, there was a time when the citizens of Venezuela were allowed to keep and bear arms.  This wasn't the distant past we're talking about either.  It was only in 2012 that the socialist government of Hugo Chavez enacted the "Control of Arms, Munitions and Disarmament Law."  When it was passed, the authors of the legislation pulled no punches, saying that the explicit purpose of the law was to "disarm all citizens."  That bill was spectacularly successful, massively reducing the volume of privately owned firearms.  Then, when the new tyrant, Nicolas Maduro took power and sent his swarms of federal troops and government "militias" out into the streets to crush any opposition to his regime, the unarmed populace had little recourse in the face of government guns.

Gun Confiscation Begins in New Jersey.  President Obama and President Trump were both right, Obama when he told us elections have consequences and Trump in his 2018 stump speech that a consequence of Democrat victories would be renewed attacks on the Second Amendment.  New Jersey's ban on high-capacity magazines has been upheld by a federal court, opening the door to door knock gun confiscation and making off-duty police officers subject to criminal prosecution.  The inmates are officially running the asylum.

Million Plus NJ Gun Owners Defy State Law, Refuse to Turn Over Banned Gun Mags.  New Jersey's standard capacity magazine ban is now in effect making New Jersey's one million gun owners criminals in the eyes of the state.  But in an act of mass definace, New Jersey residents refuse to comply.  Any magazine holding more than ten rounds is now illegal in the Garden State.  The standard magazine for an AR-15 holds 30 rounds.  Glock 19s, which is the most popular pistol in the United States, holds 15 rounds.  Anyone who is possession of larger magazine is committing a fourth-degree felony.

Gun Control — Do Facts Matter To Politicians & Judges?  The people with the greatest need for self-protection are denied the tools they need to keep their family safe.  That is the real face of gun-control, but that isn't what we were sold by politicians.  That isn't what judges tell us.  We're told that disarming you and leaving guns in the hands of criminals is acceptable as long as politicians meant well.  Do facts matter anymore?

Venezuelans regret gun ban, 'a declaration of war against an unarmed population'.  As Venezuela continues to crumble under the socialist dictatorship of President Nicolas Maduro, some are expressing words of warning — and resentment — against a six-year-old gun control bill that stripped citizens of their weapons.  "Guns would have served as a vital pillar to remaining a free people, or at least able to put up a fight," Javier Vanegas, 28, a Venezuelan teacher of English now exiled in Ecuador, told Fox News.  "The government security forces, at the beginning of this debacle, knew they had no real opposition to their force.  Once things were this bad, it was a clear declaration of war against an unarmed population."

The Deep State Wants Your Guns.  The National Instant Background Check System (NICS) is the pillar of all background check systems for firearms purchases and was a part of the 1994 Brady Act.  Any time a prospective gun owner wants to buy a gun from a federally licensed firearms dealer (FFL), they must go through a background check.  Under this system, the FBI looks at certain factors such as criminal history and mental health to determine if an individual presents too much of a risk to own a firearm.  Although NICS is marketed as a speedy background check system, it comes with its own set of problems.  NICS has gained notoriety for producing false positives.  In other words, law-abiding citizens are mixed and matched with criminals who have the same name.  In turn, these individuals are prevented from acquiring guns due to bureaucratic errors.  Particularly worrisome is the rate of initial NICS denials that turn out as false positives.  Some estimates from the Crime Prevention Research Center indicate that in 2009 alone, 93 percent of initial NICS denials were false positives.

Boulder's AR-15 Certification Ordinance Sure Sounds Like A Test Run For A Gun Registry.  Remember when Boulder, Colorado banned the ownership of AR-15 rifles?  They also banned high-capacity magazines and bump stocks, giving gun owners with such magazines until July 15, 2018 to either sell them or dispose of them — whatever that means.  Most likely, you'll have to turn them over to the authorities.  Now, there is a grandfather clause allowing residents who already owned AR-15s to keep them as long as they get a certificate by the local sheriff's office.  Well, that date is rapidly approaching.  AR-15 owners have until December 27 to certify their weapons.  If owners fail to do this, they won't be allowed to own their rifles within city limits.  So far, only 85 rifles have been certified.

New Jersey Targets Their Own Police Officers With Threat.  New Jersey is making it clear that they don't trust their officers by threatening to prosecute off-duty police officers in possession of standard capacity magazines in their firearms.  Modern firearms issued to patrol officers generally hold 12 or more rounds of ammunition, but the new law limits gun magazines to 10 rounds.

New Jersey forcing off-duty cops to use LOW-capacity magazines.  Last June New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed into law a ban on high-capacity gun magazines, meaning that anyone with a magazine that holds over 10 rounds would be guilty of a fourth-degree crime.  The new and incredibly ridiculous law went into effect this week and it even applies to off-duty law enforcement officers.

Florida school massacre panel recommends arming teachers.  The panel investigating the Florida high school massacre recommended Wednesday that teachers who volunteer and undergo extensive background checks and training be allowed to carry concealed guns on campus to stop future shootings.

It's Official:  Dick's Sporting Goods Says They're Falling Apart Because Of Their Pro-Gun Control Nonsense.  Our good friend Stephen Gutowski mentioned this on Triggered last week.  Dick's Sporting Goods had finally admitted that their gun control antics have hurt their business.  They're not concerned; they're going to re-conceptualize and take firearms out of ten of their locations despite sales dropping nearly four percent.  Nevertheless, they admitted that catering to the Everytown crowd has hurt foot traffic, but insist profitability is still up.

Dick's Sporting Goods Says Gun-Control Stance Hurt Business, May Close Field & Stream.  Dick's Sporting Goods told investors during the Goldman Sachs Retailing Conference that its gun-control stance hurt sales of its hunting business, outdoors business, and that it may close its outdoor-focused Field & Stream stores.  Edward Stack, chairman and CEO of Dick's, said during the event that the sporting goods chain's recent 3.9 percent drop in same-store sales was the result of a mix of factors beyond their control as well as some he called "self-imposed."  Specifically, he said, "the decisions we made on firearms" negatively affected their bottom line but the drop in sales was something they expected.  They did not, however, regret their decision to change a number of their gun-sales policies and back new gun-control legislation.

DA Gascón carried guns on planes, then whistle-blower was fired, suit says.  A former senior investigator says he was fired for blowing the whistle on his boss, San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón, who he alleged carried a gun while flying — in violation of federal law.  Gascón reacted with a "pattern of retaliation and harassment" that culminated in the termination of senior investigator Henry G. McKenzie on Oct. 30, 2017, according to the suit filed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco.

The Editor says...
If you see something, say something.  Unless you see a Democrat D.A. violating the law.

NJ Doesn't Say How It Will Enforce Magazine Confiscation After Court Upholds Law.  New Jersey law enforcement officials refused to say on Thursday [12/6/2018] how they planned to go about enforcing the state's ban on the possession of any magazine capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition, which goes into effect on Monday [12/10/2018].  Neither the state police nor the attorney general's office elaborated on how they plan to enforce the law.  Nor did they provide any guidance for those currently in possession of the magazines.

Boulder Residents Given Just Days To 'Certify' Rifles Or Face Consequences.  Colorado used to be a fairly pro-gun state, but all that changed shortly after a shooting in an Aurora, CO movie theater.  While the killer was caught and isn't a risk to the public anymore, that didn't mean anti-gun forces didn't seize on the opportunity.  Since then, the state has seen a progression of anti-gun incrementalism.  Unfortunately, the stupid doesn't just stop with the state legislature.  It seems the People's Republic of Boulder wants to get in on the action and is now giving people who own so-called assault rifles just days to "certify" their weapons or face repercussions.

Countless Americans carry guns.  Police are killing too many of them.  Certainly, if a man holds a gun at the scene of a shooting, police are more likely to zero in on him than on others.  Officers arrive in the midst of extremely tense, life-threatening and fast-moving situations and must think quickly.  Yet guns are ubiquitous in this nation, whether we like it or not.  Many people carry them legally, and for just this kind of situation — to be the "good guy with a gun" who stops the armed bad guy.  No less than the president of the United States has called for more armed citizens, so that in the midst of an altercation, many guns might be wielded by good guys and bad guys alike.  Officers should expect it.  They should be trained for it.

How Much Blood Would Leftists Be Willing To Shed To Disarm Patriotic Americans?  My question for Congressjerk Eric Swalwell is pretty simple:  "How many Americans would you murder to achieve your goal of disarming us?"  It's a fair question.  Swalwell is the MSNBC stalwart who recently wrote an op-ed advocating that the government confiscate the guns that make people like him wet themselves and imprison those of us who decline to surrender them.  Millions of Americans own these basic tools of freedom, which the ignorant call "assault weapons," and these loyal citizens keep and bear them to protect themselves, their families, their communities and their Constitution.  But Rep. Swalwell would make these citizens felons, though these patriots are only a threat to criminals and aspiring tyrants.  Of course, he wants to make these patriots felons because they are a threat to criminals and aspiring tyrants.  After all, that's what leftist Democrats like him are.

Detroit Just Declared War On Gun Rights With So-Called 'Bullet Bill'.  Detroit has decided to follow its deep blue brethren in another assault on law-abiding citizens.  They want to limit the amount of ammunition that can be purchased, while undergoing a mental health background check.  The bill is straight trash, folks — you already knew that though.  It never ceases to amaze me how liberals are just total garbage in their policy prescriptions concerning gun politics.  It was passed by unanimous voice vote earlier this month.

Dick's Sporting Goods Decision On Guns "Costing Them Dearly".  You likely recall the brouhaha that erupted after Dick's Sporting Goods decided to "take action on gun violence" by ending sales of certain types of rifles and raising the minimum age for gun purchases to 21.  They didn't just get rid of their "assault rifles" either... they destroyed them.  At the time, I noted that such a decision didn't sound like it was particularly conducive to profitable operations and happy stockholders.  Turns out that those chickens may have come home to roost.  As the Daily Wire reports, sales are lagging at their Field & Stream stores and the company is admitting that their poor numbers are at least in part related to their decisions regarding firearms sales.

Reveal your passwords?  Gun bill threatens more than 2nd Amendment.  [Scroll down]  The ink wasn't even dry on vote totals putting Democrats in charge of the State Senate when Brooklyn's Kevin Parker introduced a chilling bill.  It would require anyone applying for a handgun permit or for the mandated recertification every five years to provide the State Police with their log-in and password so troopers can search their social media accounts for the prior three years and review their Google or Yahoo search history for the prior year.  Police would look for everything from "commonly known profane slurs or biased language" to posts "threatening ... another person" to the ridiculously vague "any other issue deemed necessary by the New York state police."  One hardly need be a constitutional scholar to recognize this blanket permission slip constitutes a blatant assault on free speech and an intrusion on privacy rights with no semblance of due process or judicial review.

Female Harvard student, 24, is ordered to move out of her apartment after her roommates searched her room and found legally-owned guns.  A Harvard student was advised to move out of her Massachusetts accommodation after her roommates complained they felt uncomfortable with her legally owning two guns that she kept in her bedroom.  Leyla Pirnie, 24, is currently in a battle with her peers and landlord, claiming she should not have to incur additional expenses as a result of being asked to leave, when she is fully within her right to bear firearms.

Landlord Tells Harvard Student to Move Out Over Legally Owned Guns.  A Massachusetts landlord told a Harvard University graduate student that he wanted her to move out of her apartment because her legally owned firearms made some of her roommates uncomfortable.  "Since it's clear that Leyla wants to keep her firearms, it would be best for all parties if she finds another place to live," Dave Lewis, president of Avid Management, said in an email to the household obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.  The request that the student, Leyla Pirnie, move out came after her roommates searched her room while she was not home and found her firearms.  That prompted one of the roommates to email Lewis requesting he verify that Pirnie was in compliance with applicable firearms laws.

New York considers bill that would not only deny, but revoke, gun licenses over 'slurs' and 'biased language'.  A bill introduced by a Democratic New York state senator proposes existing gun licenses be revoked and license applications be denied for anyone using hate speech.  The New York State Senate is reportedly considering a bill from Sen. Kevin Parker which will allow a search of an applicant's social media or search engine history to decide on a gun license application, according to WKBW.

Brilliant idea!
University distributes hockey pucks to protect against active shooters.  How do you stop a bad guy with a gun when there's no good guy with a gun around?  Maybe throw a hockey puck at him.  A university in suburban Detroit is distributing hockey pucks as a form of self-defense against potential active shooters, according to reports.  Because Oakland University has a no-weapons policy, university Police Chief Mark Gordon suggested using a hockey puck to distract a shooter.

The Editor says...
The school has a no weapons policy.  But here they are distributing weapons (of the school's choice) for use against potential shooters.  Is it wise to bring a hockey puck to a gunfight?  Is it impossible to imagine an unpopular professor being pelted with hockey pucks on the last day of the semester?

PSA encourages kids to steal parents' guns, hand over to teachers.  Sleeper 13 Productions released the controversial video on Dec. 13.  It shows a pouty, young boy wandering into his parents' bedroom, stealing a handgun out of their dresser drawer and then shoving it into his backpack.  The boy then carries what is presumably a loaded weapon into his classroom.  After class, he approaches the teacher, takes the gun out of his backpack and slams it onto her desk.

The Right to Bear Nukes.  Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) has an annoying habit of reminding people that we don't live in the 18th century anymore.  He seems to think that the Second Amendment was written to protect the right to own muskets, but that the Founding Fathers couldn't have anticipated the alleged horrors wrought by private ownership of assault weapons.  Strangely, though, he finds hidden somewhere deep within the US Constitution the right for the government to own nuclear weapons in order to terrorize the public into obedience.  Back in May he wrote an OpEd for USA Today urging the US government to "buy back" all assault weapons from private citizens, blithely sidestepping the fact that none of the weapons were bought from the feds in the first place.  The piece was titled "Ban assault weapons, buy them back, go after resisters."

Democrat Congressman:  We Should Confiscate Guns and If You Fight Back, the Government Has Nukes to Deal With It.  California Democrat Congressman Eric Swalwell is calling for government confiscation of all semi-automatic rifles.  In other words, every rifle in America.  [Tweets]  Further, he's warning citizens of nuclear annihilation should people refuse to comply.  [More tweets]  When he was confronted, Swalwell tried to backtrack with some context and further explanation.

Dem Rep. Eric Swalwell:  If We Confiscate Your Guns And You Fight Back, We Will Nuke You.  I know he's running for president in a [very] crowded field and has to strain to get noticed.  But between this and shrugging off death threats aimed at Susan Collins, it seems like there must be a better way. [...] "Find common ground with us or risk incineration by your own government" is a top-ten all-time tweet by a federal elected official.

Dem congressman:  Government can always nuke resistant gun-owners.  [Scroll down]  It's worth noting just how radical [House Democrat Eric] Swalwell's suggestion is.  He isn't arguing for a "ban" of sales or imports, in the vein of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban of 1994, for example.  He is arguing for federal confiscation of millions of weapons that the federal government may arbitrarily deem too deadly for individual Americans to own.  As should be clear to anyone, the prospect of such legislation implies two distinct outcomes.  Federal agents would be forced to physically visit Americans' homes to seize their weapons if they choose not to surrender or "sell" them to the government, and there will be a penalty of violence for a failure to comply.

Newsweek Reporter:  Almost Everyone I've Ever Heard Of Who Owns An AR-15 Is A Mass Murderer.  What she said is a smear (a highly paranoid one too, ironically) but in her case it's probably the truth.  She's a professional journalist who lives in New York City.  She writes on feminism, Washington politics, and the Middle East.  How many people could she possibly know who own an AR-15? The only time she's apt to run across one is on the printed newspaper page, in stories about lunatics living out their revenge fantasies by reaching for something powerful that resembles an M-16.

Florida Election Fraud's Hidden Gun-control Agenda.  We've all seen those lists of objects, names, or places on tests along with the question of which one doesn't belong or is out of place.  Apply that test to the three Florida races affected by the vote fraud/incompetence in Broward and Palm Beach counties: senator, governor, and agricultural commissioner.  Uh, agricultural commissioner?  Why is anyone trying to steal that election, one lost under the radar among the seemingly more important national impact offices at stake?  The answer is that capturing the Florida agricultural commissioner's post would be a key victory in liberal and progressive push for gun control.  As the Tampa Bay Times notes, Florida is unusual in that the Florida agricultural commissioner, rather than the courts or other law enforcement, is the entity that regulates and controls things like concealed carry permits.

Yes, Doctors Should 'Stay In Their Lane' On Gun Policy.  For one thing, neither internists nor radiologists, by virtue of their career choice, have special expertise in public policy, gun ownership, or the relationship between firearms and the rights associated with them.  Speaking about these issues with the authority of an expert is a transparent appeal to authority.  For another thing, the ACP uses its position to create the perception that "doctors" — virtually all of them — believe in one set of policy prescriptions.  I have a feeling this isn't true.  Even if it were, though, doctors — physicists, engineers, teachers, business owners, truck drivers, and any other smart human being — are just as susceptible to partisan biases and agendas as anyone else is.

Survey: Majority of Americans Oppose Ban on 'Assault Rifles'.  A recent survey shows that a strong majority of Americans, 57%, oppose banning semi-automatic guns, specifically semi-automatic rifles that the media often label "assault rifles." A semi-automatic rifle (or pistol) is a gun that fires one bullet each time the trigger is pulled.  In the poll, Gallup asked, "Are you for or against a law which would make it illegal to manufacture, sell or possess semi-automatic guns, known as assault rifles?" Forty percent said they were "for" a ban and 57% said they were "against" a ban.

Dems Priority List Includes Attacks On Free Speech And Gun Rights.  After having safely won the House majority, Democrats revealed their two top legislative priorities for next year:  Limits on free speech and gun control.  In other words, assaults on rights protected by the First Amendment and Second Amendment.  The Democratic leader in the House, Nancy Pelosi, promises that the first bill voted on by the new Congress will focus on campaign finance and ethics reforms.  According to news accounts, H.R. 1 would, among other things, establish automatic voter registration and "reinvigorate" the Voting Rights Act.  In other words, make it harder to root out voter fraud.

Mental illness is the common denominator in virtually all mass shooting murders.  The signs are almost always there and no one takes them seriously enough. [...] Keeping weapons out of the hands of the mentally ill is really not arguable and it might be the most doable.  A mental health screening has to part of the process to obtain a weapon and that has to include PTSD.  Chris Kyle was killed by a vet with PTSD.  If we want to stop the mass murders, this has to happen.  It's not the weapons.  It's who is allowed to have them.

Maryland's "Red Flag Law" Claims Its First Victim As Police Kill Gun Owner.  While most of us were focused on the upcoming election, there was a tragic story unfolding on Monday [11/5/2018] in Ferndale, Maryland, a suburb to the south of Baltimore.  Maryland has enacted a new "red flag" law which allows people to call in reports of gun owners who are acting erratically and may present a danger to themselves or others.  Under this new law, that gives the police the right to show up and confiscate their firearms.  (The law has only been in effect for a month.)  That's what happened to 61-year-old Gary J. Willis.  Unfortunately, when the police rolled up at his house before six in the morning, Mr. Willis answered the door holding his handgun.  Then everything went wrong.

Keyword: opportunism.
Democrats aim to pass the most aggressive gun-control legislation in decades after winning the House.  Democrats could make the biggest changes to gun legislation the United States has seen in 25 years when the new term begins January but Republicans are unlikely to make it easy for them.  A fresh wave of politicians will enter the House next year, after the Democratic party took it back in Tuesday's elections.  But the GOP still control the Senate which passes federal laws.  However with the Thousand Oaks, California mass shooting where 12 people died just the day after the midterms, politicians have suggested they'll be aggressively pursuing action to enforce tougher gun control.

The Slaughter in Sleepy Thousand Oaks.  [Scroll down]  The shooter lived with his mom in Newbury Park, which is part of Thousand Oaks.  Little mention is made of his father. [...] The media should have told us more about his family life by now, but of course it treats such basic biographical matters gingerly, as that probing might imply mass shootings reflect cultural rather than legislative changes.  The media also likes to medicalize tragedies, attributing the shooter's behavior to PTSD.  But surely the explanation is more complicated than that.  The media's game is to make everyone think that gun violence is due to the absence of laws and pills.  But in fact the two spiked as gun violence soared.  Pols pass new gun laws with the same regularity pharmaceutical companies manufacture new medicines for new syndromes.  Could it be that mental problems originate in moral problems?  Could it be that new laws are useless on a citizenry stripped of the capacity to follow them?

First Circuit Rules there is no Right to Bear Arms Outside the Home.  The Court specifically said the decision applies to both open and concealed carry of handguns.  They reserved the power to infringe on concealed carry more than open carry.  Judge Selya wrote the decision for the unanimous three judge panel.  They held that allowing police to decide if a citizen has a "need" to carry a gun outside the home allows sufficient exercise of Second Amendment rights.  A right that can be arbitrarily denied by the government is no right at all.  It is effectively just another activity that may be allowed by the government, if a bureaucrat decides to allow it.

Democrat Proposes A $200 Million Tax On Montana Gun Owners.  On August 29th, 2018, candidate for Congress Kathleen Williams told a Kalispell audience that she wants to levy a $200 million tax on Montana gun owners.  Really!  Although that's not the way she put it.  She said that "high capacity magazines" (over 10 rounds of ammunition) need to be treated legally the same as "sawed off shotguns" and "machine guns."  These items, you may know, require an application to the BATFE, a nine-month wait, and a $200 tax for each item registered, in order to legally possess them.

NY Dems:  Police Should View Web/Social Media History Before Letting People Buy Guns.  Two New York City area Democrats have a real 'genius' (horrible) idea:  let police look at social media and Internet search history before authorizing gun sales.

The Editor says...
Hmmm.  What happens then?  Would my ability to buy a gun be inhibited or eliminated because I said, "I Hope Trump Is Assassinated," like this Missouri state Senator?  Would I still be able to buy a gun if I threatened to kill the FCC Chairman's family over something like net neutrality?  What if I had a page on my web site that said, "I've thought a lot about blowing up the White House"?  Would I be able to buy ammo if I put out a call on Twitter for someone to kill a Supreme Court Justice?  Yes, I would probably have trouble buying a gun, under this proposed thought crime system.  But what if the cops go to my social media page and find the whole thing is encrypted, or only open to specific visitors?  What if the cops go to my social media page and find that it says derogatory things about cops in general?  What else might I be prohibited from doing, in addition to buying guns?  This is not just an enormous can of worms, it's the fast track to tyranny.

Democrat Stacey Abrams Admits Her Plans May Require Georgians to 'Turn Their Guns In'.  During a November 4 appearance on CNN's State of the Union Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams (D) admitted that a possible outcome of her gun control plans could be that "people would turn their guns in."  She said other options might include "buybacks" and/or "grandfathering in" certain firearms, so current owners could keep them but be barred from selling them or transferring them to other individuals.

North Dakota Dems Threaten Hunters with Loss of License for Voting.  The North Dakota Democratic-Non-Partisan League recently paid for a Facebook ad threatening the state's hunters with the loss of their out-of-state hunting license if they vote in the upcoming congressional elections.  "ATTENTION HUNTERS:  If you vote in North Dakota, you may forfeit hunting licenses you have in other states.  If you want to keep your out-of-state hunting licenses, you may not want to vote in North Dakota," the ad reads.

The Editor says...
These are the same people who claim that voter ID laws are all about voter suppression.

Heitkamp endorses state Dems' false claim that ND's hunters could lose licenses if they vote.  In the latest gaffe in her bid for re-election, U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., endorsed false claims made in a Facebook ad paid for by her state's Democratic Party that say the state's hunters could lose their hunting licenses in nearby states if they vote Tuesday [11/6/2018].  Heitkamp, who's trailing Republican challenger Kevin Cramer on average by 11 points, hasn't backpedaled from the endorsement, telling reporters that it is "really important that people understand the consequences of voting."

War on Red State Values:  Claire McCaskill Coming After Gun Shows, Semiautomatic Rifles.  Sen. Claire McCaskill's (D-MO) staff already admitted she is open to a semiautomatic rifle ban, and on Thursday night [10/18/2018], McCaskill made clear that she, too, is coming after gun shows.  She also called for other gun controls and maligned the NRA for standing against infringement of Second Amendment rights.  On October 16, 2018, Breitbart News reported an undercover Project Veritas video that showed McCaskill field organizer Carson Pope discussing McCaskill's openness to a "semiautomatic rifle ban."  Other members of McCaskill's office laughed at how the Senator was hiding the full extent of her gun control support from Missouri voters in order to get elected.

Boston Cop Files Suit Against Site He Blames For Being Shot.  The firearm industry is an unusual place.  After all, if a car is used to run over someone, even if it's an intentional act, no one thinks to sue Toyota or the dealership that sold the car.  The idea of doing so is ridiculous.  But with guns, it happens.  In fact, it happens despite federal law protecting companies that sell firearms.  One of the latest examples is a police officer in Boston who is suing Armslist for supposedly being responsible for him being shot.

Poll: Support for Gun Control Drops Ahead of Midterm Elections.  A new poll released on Wednesday [10/17/2018] shows support for new gun-control laws dropped significantly over the last seven months.  The Gallup poll of 1,019 adults, conducted between Oct. 1 and 10, found 61 percent of respondents support making gun laws stricter.  That's down 6 points from when Gallup asked the same question between March 1 and 8.  At the same time support for the idea that gun laws should be kept the same increased from 28 percent to 30 percent and support for the idea they should be made less strict doubled from 4 percent to 8 percent.

Vietnam War hero sentenced to 7 years for decades-old rifle purchase: report.  A decorated Vietnam veteran and firearms collector was sentenced to seven years in federal prison Wednesday for a decades-old purchase of a rifle.  Alfred Pick, 70, purchased the M14 — a fully automatic weapon illegal to own — at a Ft. Worth gun show in the early 1980s, the Dallas Morning News reported.  The rifle, which had a scratched-off serial number, was similar to the one Pick used as an Army lieutenant in Vietnam, where he earned a Silver Star after participating in more than 100 combat missions and his brief time as a POW.  "The man is a Silver Star winner, he saved lives, he took care of his wife, he's been in custody for a year, I would think that when a man turned 70 and is an American hero you don't destroy the rest of his life for one mistake," Mark Shackelford, a friend, told KDFW-TV.

Gun Control:  Six Ways Nancy Pelosi Aims to Take Away Firearm Freedoms.  House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) believes securing gun control is more important than continuing to win elections and she supports numerous controls that will she undoubtedly pursue if Democrats gain control of the House.  The Washington Times reported that Pelosi reacted to the February 14, 2018, Parkland high school shooting by stressing that securing more gun control is a "higher [priority] than winning the next election."  In other words, she expressed willingness to trade her political career for the opportunity to restrict Americans' Second Amendment rights.  Here are six gun controls Pelosi is certain to pursue if Democrats take control of Congress: [...]

Los Angeles Considers Ordinance That Will Force City Contractors To Disclose Any NRA Ties.  It's California.  It's a garbage deep-blue state, but it's alarming nonetheless.  Los Angeles city hall is moving forward with an ordinance that would force contractors to disclose any ties to the National Rifle Association.  They also have a similar regulation concerning contractors that are involved in the construction of President Trump's much-anticipated border wall.  It doesn't bar these contractors from working within the city limits.

McCaskill, Staff Exposed In Undercover Sting Video.  James O'Keefe's Project Veritas released a new undercover video Monday night [10/15/2018] showing Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and her staffers expressing support for radical gun control measures that they admit she can't state publicly.  The video shows McCaskill and her staff admitting that she supports banning semi-automatic weapons, bump stocks, high-capacity magazines, along with supporting other far-left policies.  Rob Mills, who works on McCaskill's campaign, says in the video that McCaskill can't be open about her policies because "she has a bunch of Republican voters" and "that could hurt her ability to get elected."

Police warn people against buying gun-shaped phone case.  A California police department is warning people about a phone case that resembles a gun, saying that they should encourage others to avoid buying it or using it because it could potentially get someone shot.  Aaron P. Sheehan, who identified himself as a police officer on his Facebook page, posted a few photos of the incognito phone case on Sept. 24.  When tucked into a person's back pocket, the black phone cover looks just like the handle of a weapon, with no indication that it isn't the real thing.

Michael Bloomberg suggests disarming minorities to 'keep them alive'.  Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg reportedly argued Friday that guns need to be kept out of the hands of minorities in order to keep them alive.  While speaking at the Aspen Institute, Mr. Bloomberg, 72, said 95 percent of murders fall into a specific category: a male minority between the ages of 15 and 25, The Aspen Times reported.  Cities need to get guns out of this group's hands and keep them alive, the former three-term mayor said, according to The Times.  "These kids think they're going to get killed anyway because all their friends are getting killed," said Mr. Bloomberg, who funds the gun-control advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety.

Smith & Wesson loses out to nuns, religious groups on gun safety plan.  American Outdoor Brands, the parent company of U.S. gun-maker Smith & Wesson, lost its bid to block a proposal from a group of nuns and religious educators to increase efforts to promote gun safety.  At its shareholder meeting this week, investors sided with the resolution put forth by the Ontario-based Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary in the wake of multiple high-profile mass shootings.

The Number of AR-15s In America Will Shock Anti-Gunners.  According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the firearms trade industry association, modern sporting rifles, like AR-15-style rifles, are the most common firearm in the country.  The NSSF's research shows that there are over 16 million AR-15 and AKs in America today.  That number might actually be higher because firearms built from 80 percent lowers are not tracked by the firearms industry.  Part of the reason the AR-15 is popular has to do with the customization factor.

Feinstein distorted facts about AR-15, aka 'America's rifle,' NRA says.  U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein has drawn the ire of the National Rifle Association over claims that the AR-15 — which the group calls "America's rifle" — is not "in common use."  In a statement Friday [9/21/2018], the NRA's Institute for Legislative Action called into question the California Democrat's assertions about the weapon and said the rifle has gained popularity in recent years.

The Las Vegas Massacre's Missing Data.  [#1] Where is the muzzle flash?  While the report discusses weapons fired during the event, it does not mention recorded imagery of muzzle flash from the 32nd-floor window where Paddock was determined to have carried out his killing spree.  Muzzle flash from weapons such as the AR-15 is one of the key indicators of shooter location, particularly in the thermal infrared, a region of the electromagnetic spectrum extending beyond the range that the human eye can see.  According to the report, Paddock used a total of 13 weapons during the shooting (not including the pistol with which he killed himself).  Even if some weapons were flash-suppressed, the incessant, continuous, violent barrage from one location should have produced some flashes whose signatures were captured on video — even on the cell phone camera videos taken by many individuals on the ground.  Moreover, FBI forensic experts determined that some of the weapons had been loaded with tracer ammunition, making a signature more likely to be seen on imagery.  No discussion of flash or tracer signatures appears in the document, and no explanation for the omission is provided.

Medical Malpractice Deaths over 500 Times Higher than Accidental Gun Deaths.  A Johns Hopkins University study covering eight years of data found there are at least 250,000 malpractice deaths in the U.S. annually.  CNBC reports the Johns Hopkins University study presents malpractice deaths on the low end, since other studies show malpractice deaths exceeding 400,000 a year.  On the other hand, accidental gun deaths hover around 500 a year.

Gun stores in California can display handguns in shop windows, judge rules.  A 95-year-old California law prohibiting gun shops from displaying handguns or handgun ads in shop windows violates freedom of speech, a federal judge has ruled.  State lawyers contended the law removes an inducement for people with suicidal impulses, or impulses to commit crimes, from buying lethal weapons.  But U.S. District Judge Troy Nunley of Sacramento noted on Tuesday that the shops were selling a legal product and said the state had failed to show that the ban was either effective or necessary to promote public safety.

Mass. AG Faces More Legal Pressure Over Unilateral Gun-Ban Expansion.  The Massachusetts attorney general's decision to unilaterally expand the state's ban of certain semiautomatic firearms is facing a new round of filings in state and federal court this month.  The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) announced on Wednesday a collection of gun-rights groups had filed an amicus brief in support of the plaintiffs in Worman v. Healey.  That case challenges the decision in the First U.S. Court of Appeals.  The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) announced earlier this month it would be supporting Baystate Firearms and Training, LLC and Downrange, Inc. in their effort to fight the action in state court.

Democrats Manufacture "Gun Control" Propaganda Moment During Kavanaugh Hearing.  During the senate confirmation hearing today the full antics of the Democrat political apparatus were on display.  One of their choreographed and manufactured moments happened when a man named Fred Guttenberg was staged to shake the hand of Judge Kavanaugh during one of the recess breaks. [...] Fred Guttenberg is one of the parents from the February Parkland High School shooting, a Democrat and a gun control proponent.  Judge Brett Kavanaugh, like most of America, had no idea who the guy was who was trying to grab him.  It was an entirely staged event put on by Senator Dianne Feinstein, the Democrat party, and coordinated with prior notification to media to anticipate the moment.

Where do nuns get that kind of money?
Catholic Nuns Buy Controlling Stocks in Gun Companies to Destroy Them.  An anti-gun/anti-Second Amendment publication, The Trace, reports that a group of Canadian and U.S. nuns and other Catholic activists want gunmakers to actively monitor violence committed with their product.  That's not all, they plan to make them engage in corporate governance.  To make this happen, they bought stock — enough to make them bend to their will.  It's another ploy meant to make gunmakers the means of their own destruction.  We don't make car manufacturers keep lists of everyone who dies in a crash and then provide governance.  According to SEC filings, these anti-Second Amendment activists bought stock in gun manufacturing companies to force them to do it and more.  This was in response to the Parkland school shooting.

Dick's Sporting Goods takes hit from tighter gun controls.  Dick's Sporting Goods reported a bigger-than-expected drop in quarterly same-store sales and forecast further declines this year due to tighter controls on gun sales, sending its shares down 8 percent.  The company posted a 1.9 percent fall in same-store sales, bigger than the average estimate of a 0.62 percent drop, also blaming weak sales of Under Armour products at its stores.  Dick's was one of the first retailers to stop selling assault rifles and high-capacity magazines as well as bar the sale of guns to people under age 21, following a massacre at a Florida high school in February.

A Perfect Storm Threatens America's Survival.  The right to bear arms is a fundamental right granted to Americans by the Bill of Rights.  It's not about hunting or sport shooting.  It's about self-defense from personal assault, home invaders, or potentially a hostile government.  Like all fascists and communists, the left dreams of seizing control and confiscating guns from citizens who might threaten the left's rule.  Every time there is a mass shooting, regardless of the reason, such as Islamic terror, drugs, or mental illness, the leftist drumbeat is heard again, demanding more and more controls on gun rights.  Chip, chip away is their strategy.  The NRA has provided a continuing brilliant defense of the Second Amendment so far, but watch as the left wing continues to attack the NRA and one of our most basic rights.

NY Sheriff Shuts Down Gun Store After Multiple Burglaries.  Imagine you have a business that is targeted by criminals over and over again, and the sheriff decides to fight crime by shutting down your business.  Doesn't make a lot of sense, does it?  Yet one New York gun store owner had just that happen recently after being the latest of a series of burglaries.

Judge Sides with NRA, 2nd Amendment Foundation, Disqualifies Washington Gun Control Initiative.  A Thurston County Superior Court judge sided with the NRA and Second Amendment Foundation against a gun-control ballot initiative in the state of Washington.  On July 3, Breitbart News reported that the initiative, I-1639, was being presented as a simple attempt to raise the legal age for long gun purchases from 18 to 21.  Although an attempt to disqualify 18- to 20-year-olds from exercising their Second Amendments is troubling enough, the reality of the matter is that I-1639 would have put in place a new system of background checks and myriad other guns controls as well.

Tucker Takes on 'Disturbing' Order by U.S. Virgin Islands to Seize Guns From Citizens.  Utah Rep. Rob Bishop said that House lawmakers will be probing the effectiveness of an order signed by the governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands that allows the seizure of weapons from its citizens.  Bishop (R) said on "Tucker Carlson Tonight" that a letter was sent to USVI Gov. Kenneth Mapp, asking for information on if, in fact, any guns have been seized.

Dem candidates embrace gun control in campaign for House takeover.  As the Democrats shift to the left on a number of issues from health care to immigration, they've already gone all in on one of the most contentious issues around — gun control[.]  A study by The Wall Street Journal found that of the 63 candidates on the House Democrats' campaign arm's list of seats to flip in November, 62 support expanded background checks for gun purchases.  While Dems have long pushed for gun control, there was a time when some candidates ignored the issue, included gun rights as part of their platform or even allied with the National Rifle Association.

Ninth Circuit Panel Rules CA Unsafe Handgun Act not Covered by Second Amendment.  A three judge panel in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled the restrictions of the California Unsafe Handgun Act (UHA) do not violate the Second Amendment.  In circular reasoning, the opinion posits the UHA restrictions do not restrict behavior protected by the Second Amendment.  They then apply the least restrictive Constitutional test to determine if the behavior is protected.  Unsurprisingly, they find that it is not.  The key to the decision is the Ninth Circuit's hostility to a broad reading of the Second Amendment.

A Lot Of Teens Think Gun Control Will Stop Mass Shootings.  When it comes to school shootings, I understand completely why teens have a strong opinion on the matter.  In their minds, at least, they're the prime target of such killings.  While school shootings aren't the entirety of mass shootings in this country, it's still understandable that teens have some concern.  When we look at other high profile mass shootings, those happened in places teens go too.  Church, concerts, movie theaters, malls, all places where you'll find a teen contingent.  So yeah, it's understandable they have an opinion.  It doesn't mean we should bow to their opinion, though.  Especially when it's so wrong.

Five easy Ways to Make AR15 type Receivers at Home.  You don't necessarily need a 3D printer.  You could use a programmed CDC machine.

3-D printed guns are an imaginary problem.  A note for the gun-control gang:  "Die Hard 2" wasn't a documentary.  The 1990 action flick was only one episode in the story — the mostly fictitious story — of plastic phantom pistols that can be walked through airports by terrorists and other nogoodniks.  Spy novels of the 1970s and 1980s told of the KGB-invented "Troika" pistol, which sometimes made its way into media stories and government reports in spite of the fact that nobody ever seems to have actually seen one.  There's also the plastic stealth pistol sneaked into a courtroom by a mafioso in "The Dark Knight" for the purpose of knocking off the crusading district attorney.

Dems introduce law to block publication of 3-D printed gun blueprints.  New York Rep. Carolyn Maloney and three of her fellow Democrats in the House on Friday [8/3/2018] introduced a law to block the online publication of blueprints showing how to make guns using 3-D printers.  "The idea of untraceable, undetectable guns available to anyone, even violent criminals and domestic abusers, with the click of a mouse is utterly terrifying," said Maloney, who co-sponsored the legislation with Reps.  Brad Schneider of Illinois and Ted Deutch and Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida.

The Editor says...
If the Republicans passed a law to block publication of blueprints for gay wedding cakes, little pink hats with cat-like ears, and rainbow flags, the Democrats would call it a free speech issue.

Video Proves 'No One Wants To Take Your Guns' Is A Lie.  [Scroll down]  I can't help but be amazed at the number of people protesting who don't even understand the subject they're supposedly so passionate about.  I mean, if you think the gun laws are insufficient, how can I take your claim seriously when you don't even know what the gun laws are?  I mean, maybe she's from California or some other state that has some kind of gun registry, but she's at a protest in Washington, D.C., so I don't see that as a valid defense of the stupid.  Then the NRA released this one where we see lots of people who don't even understand what an AR-15 is, despite wanting to ban them.

The Utter Futility of Gun Control.  Defense Distributed (DD) is a small Texas company that has developed and published online digital files that may be used to make firearms either by 3D printing or computer controlled milling machines.  It is the brainchild of self- described libertarian anarchist Cody Wilson.  In 2013, DD uploaded software files for the 3D printing of the "Liberator," a single shot pistol, and a lower receiver (the part regulated by federal law) of the much maligned AR-15 rifle.  According to the Associated Press, the software was downloaded over 100,000 times in the first 24 hours.  The downloads continued for days thereafter, and the software became (and remains) widely available on numerous free access websites.  It was game, set and match for Wilson and DD.  Nevertheless, within days of the initial online posting, the Obama Department of State ordered DD to cease making the software available online.

In Lawsuit, NRA Says Gov. Cuomo's 'Coercion' Has Cost Them Millions.  The NRA is accusing New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) of trying to "deprive" them and their constituents of "their First Amendment rights to speak freely about gun-related issues and defend the Second Amendment" in a new lawsuit.  In April, Cuomo directed state regulators to "urge insurance companies, New York State-chartered banks, and other financial services companies licensed in New York to review any relationships they may have with the National Rifle Association."  The governor's part in encouraging these entities to end their partnerships with the gun rights organization did much to hurt their finances, the group alleges.

Let's Debunk The Misleading Panic Over 3-D Guns.  First of all, "3-D Plastic Guns" aren't being sold to the public.  Nor are "downloadable firearms" or "ghost guns."  These things don't exist.  Data, code, and information is being sold to the public.  There is no magical contraption that creates a new gun on demand.  Sorry.  Even if such a machine existed, however, the Trump administration hasn't suddenly begun "allowing" Americans to fabricate guns in the comfort of their homes, as so many stories have intimated.  It's never been illegal to make your own (non-NFA) weapons in the first place.  The pretext for this freakout is news that the State Department reached a settlement with Cody Wilson and his company, Defense Distributed, which offered digital designs for 3-D printed guns, not guns.

If 3D Printed Guns Are A Brand New Threat, Then Explain This.  Ever since the Trump administration agreed to drop charges against Defense Distributed for sharing files related to 3-D printed guns, the anti-gun activists have lost their everloving minds.  Since then, it's been nothing but doom and gloom, like plastic guns are about to herald the apocalypse or something.  Welcome to Gunmaggedon!  However, the technology isn't new.  While Defense Distributed was barred from sharing the files above, other parties shared them far and wide. 3-D printers cranked out parts and weapons in homes and offices all over the nation and the world.  But watch the news and this is supposedly a new threat that will result in guns that are undetectable and untraceable.  Now, I'll admit that printed guns are untraceable.  They're no different than any other homebuilt firearm in that way but undetectable?

Federal Judge Undermines Two Rights By Blocking 3D Printer Files.  Honestly, it seemed like I was the only one excited by the prospect of 3D printing your own firearms and parts.  While there was plenty of press about the Justice Department's decision to stop trying to prevent Defense Distributed from spreading the files, it just didn't seem like there was a lot of interest in folks printing their own parts.  Fair enough.  In fact, if the anti-gunners had realized that, they might have taken a step back and recognized that maybe this wasn't the threat they thought it was.  Too bad that's something they just can't do.  They don't know how to ignore something that doesn't seem to have much interest from the firearm community in the first place.  So, they found a friendly judge and got him to infringe on two rights, not just the right to keep and bear arms.

3D gun blueprint restraining order is ultimate test for rejecting judicial supremacism.  A semi-retired judge in a congressionally-created court might want to ban Computer Aided Design (CAD) files of 3D gun prints he doesn't like, but it doesn't mean we no longer have a 3-dimensional system of government.  We still have two other branches of the federal government with more robust powers.  The question is:  will the case of a district judge granting random states standing to bar nationwide the publishing of blueprints for 3D prints of guns be the final straw that will galvanize conservatives and libertarians to finally put the courts in their place?

Judge issues temporary restraining order stopping release of 3D-printed gun.  A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order Tuesday blocking a Texas organization from posting new online blueprints for 3D-printed guns, delivering a last-minute win to gun control backers who were worried about the implications of untraceable firearms being manufactured at home.  Defense Distributed had planned to make 3D blueprints widely available over the internet on Wednesday, but U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik ordered a halt and reimposed Obama-era restrictions that blocked the plans' distribution.  The Trump administration reversed the rules this year.

The Editor says...
Free people, or careful people at least, have made their own guns at home for centuries.  This is nothing new, except that the printed guns are made of plastic.  The talking heads on TV, whose strings are pulled by the Left, say plastic guns could pass through the airport screening process undetected and lead to hijackings.  That may (or may not) be true, but the widespread ability to make unregistered, untraceable, disposable weapons at home is much more worrisome to big government bureaucrats and tyrants.

More than 450 people in Florida ordered to give up guns under new law, report says.  Hundreds of gun owners in Florida have been ordered to give up their guns under a new law that took effect after the deadly Parkland shooting in February, according to a report published Monday [7/30/2018].  The Risk Protection Order, signed by Florida Gov. Rick Scott just three weeks after a gunman killed 17 people at Stoneman Douglas, aims to temporarily remove weapons from gun owners who have been deemed by a judge to possibly be a threat to themselves or others.

The 3D-Gun Debate:  Separating Truth from Fiction.  One of the most bizarre aspects of the modern gun debate is the extent to which it is still dominated by ignorance and misinformation.  One of the most important controversies in American public life rages on, yet media gatekeepers and all too many politicians simply don't know the most basic facts.  They don't understand the most basic constitutional issues.  Even worse, many of them don't seem to care.

Gun Rights Coalition Posts 3D Print Code Despite Judge's Order, Says 'Code Is Free Speech'.  Gun and speech rights advocates posted 3D print codes Wednesday [8/1/2018] despite a judge's order restraining Cody Wilson from posting his files for public access.  Wilson's files were viewable and downloadable on July 27, 2018, but ARS Technica reports they "went dark" after US District Judge Robert Lansik halted their dissemination.  Wilson was scheduled to share his files broadly on August 1, 2018, as the result of a settlement with the State Department.  However, Judge Lansik said, "The proliferation of these firearms will have many of the negative impacts on a state level that the federal government once feared on the international stage."

Pelosi: Yes, I Hope There's a 'Slippery Slope' Towards More Gun Control.  [Scroll down]  In reality, she's just previewing how much of the Left will respond if this restriction gets implemented.  They'll welcome incremental progress while complaining bitterly that the measure is nowhere near strong or far-reaching enough, vowing that the battle is just beginning, etc.  Allahpundit thinks Pelosi is deliberately trying to blow up an emerging deal by "spooking" Republicans and keeping Democratic attack points intact.

Texas company cleared to put 3D-printed gun designs online.  After spending years fighting the federal government for the right to do so, a Texas company was given the green light to post blueprints online showing people how to make 3D-printed guns from the comfort of their home.

Hollywood Hypocrisy On Guns.  TV shows are still pushing gun violence to goose the ratings.  A recent study by the Parents Television Council reported that the degree of gun violence on prime-time broadcast TV has actually increased in the last five years since the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting.  In a review of the November 2017 sweeps period after the mass shooting in Las Vegas, it found that 175 of 287 episodes contained violence (almost 61 percent) and 112 of them (39 percent) had scenes of gun violence.  It's dramatically worse at the movies.  Matt Philbin of the Media Research Center reported last fall that an astounding 589 incidents of violence were featured in "Kingsman:  The Golden Circle," "American Assassin," Stephen King's "It" and "mother!" And that's just four top-grossing movies from the week before the Las Vegas attack.  The films had no less than 212 incidents of gun violence, and the body count was at least 192.

Vermont Governor's Approval Tanks Following Gun Control Bills.  Gun control supporters tend to think of their victories as happening as soon as the law is signed.  At that point, they figure, they have what they want.  They also figure the laws get signed because they're calling the shots.  They hold press conferences and talk about their great victories and make the typical bogus claims that people will be safer.  However, it's not over for the politicians who support those laws.  Oh, for some, it's no big deal.  Those who represent anti-gun enclaves can rest easy and never have to worry about their vote really coming back to bite them [...].  But for governors of states that sign such bills?  Well, that can get ugly.

U.S. appeals court upholds right to carry [a] gun in public.  A federal appeals court ruled on Tuesday that the U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment guarantees a right to openly carry a gun in public for self-defense, finding that Hawaii overstepped its authority to regulate firearms possession outside the home.

Americans have constitutional right to openly carry firearms, court rules.  Americans have a constitutional right to openly carry firearms, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday [7/24/2018], delivering a major victory to gun rights supporters.  While courts previously have recognized the right to own firearms to protect the home, the decision by the three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit extends that into the public sphere, calling it a "core Second Amendment right."  In a 2-1 ruling, the panel said Hawaii's law severely restricting guns outside homes or businesses tramples on that right.

ACLU Solidifies Its Anti-Gun Image.  Years ago, while watching a debate about the ACLU, someone asked why a group that supposedly defends the Bill of Rights ignores the Second Amendment so completely.  The other side simply remarked that the ACLU doesn't fool with it because there are other groups that defend the Second Amendment, but few that focus on the others.  For a while, I accepted that well enough.  I mean, I don't always buy the ACLU's position, but I could accept that they simply left the Second Amendment to other organizations more focused on that sacred right.  However, it now seems that the other guy was wrong.

One Quarter Of Illinois Counties Are Now "Gun Sanctuaries".  Back in May, we talked about a bit of an uprising in Effingham County, Illinois.  County executives had decided that they weren't willing to simply fall in line with new gun control measures passed by state legislative majorities based almost entirely in Chicago.  In response, they passed a largely symbolic measure declaring their county a sanctuary for gun owners, saying that they would not enforce the new mandates.

This marks the end of gun control.  The federal government has finally recognized the obvious — that sharing instructions on how to make guns with 3D printers counts as constitutionally protected speech.  Despite little fanfare, this is an important victory for First Amendment rights.  It also represents a real blow to the increasingly futile cause of gun control.  The U.S. Justice Department announced a legal settlement and its surrender to the First Amendment arguments July 10 made in a case brought by Cody Wilson, founder of Defense Distributed.  Wilson, 25, created a ruckus in May 2013 when he announced his successful design of a plastic gun.  In just two days, 100,000 copies of the handgun blueprint were downloaded from Wilson's website.  The most downloads came from Spain, followed by the U.S., Brazil and Germany.

California law prompts spike in assault weapon registrations: report.  A recently-enacted California gun law that broadened what firearms must be registered with the state prompted a 43 percent spike in assault weapons registration and a lawsuit by gun rights advocates, The Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday [7/18/2018].  The 2016 law banned the sale of semi-automatic assault rifles with so-called "bullet buttons" — a feature on some rifles that enables faster replacement of ammunition.  "Bullet button" rifles purchased before the law were required to be registered with the state by June 2018.

Gunning for Judge Kavanaugh.  It's not just the wrongly decided Roe V. Wade decision that liberals fear is in jeopardy with the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh.  They also fear their crusade against "semi-automatic" weapons may be exposed as the semantic, visual, and judicial fraud that it is.

NRA, Second Amendment Foundation File Suit Against Seattle Gun-Storage Ordinance.  A pair of gun-rights groups announced they filed a lawsuit against Seattle's restrictive gun-storage ordinance on Friday [7/20/2018] because they say it violates Washington state law.  The National Rifle Association and Washington-based Second Amendment Foundation are working together with two Seattle residents in the suit against the city.  They say the city's requirement that any guns in a person's residence must be stored in a locked container unless being carried by the owner or other authorized users violates state law.

The Ninth Circuit Protects Gun Rights and Stops Confiscation.  Under California law, any person who possesses a legally purchased magazine capable of holding more than ten rounds of ammunition must either remove the magazine from the state, sell it to a licensed firearm dealer, or hand it over to law enforcement.  Those citizens who retained their magazines after the law went into effect risked a fine or up to one year's imprisonment in county jail.  The district court's 66-page opinion was a legal tour-de-force that not only dismantled California's justifications for the ban, but also reiterated and reinforced the constitutional and historical basis for the right to keep and bear arms.

How Entertainment Shows Have Become Vehicles for Gun Control Propaganda.  All of the major television networks use their primetime entertainment shows to push a pro-gun control agenda.  Liberal television executives apparently think that they have the power to change Americans' attitudes.  Not liking guns has been portrayed as cool for a long time.  It is an old theme that dates back to the original 1980s MacGyver series, in which the titular character avoids using guns and expresses his aversion to them.  This theme has continued with the current remake.  But the push to sway public opinion really seems to have picked up.

Idaho GOP Rep. Receives Threatening Voicemails, Emails Because of This Facebook Post.  Last weekend, the Idaho Republican Party held their annual convention.  One of the main speakers during the event was newly-elected NRA President Oliver North.  Naturally, Oliver's presence brought gun control proponents out to protest.  During one of the convention's breaks, Idaho State Rep. Priscilla Giddings (R) walked outside and noticed a group of protestors calling for gun control.  Giddings read their signs and decided to pose for a picture with them. [...] Little did the girls in the picture know that Giddings, a former combat pilot and current major in the Air Force Reserves, utilized firearms during multiple deployments in the Middle East.  The most ironic sign of them all was the one girl's call to ban... artillery.  "When I saw the gun control signs my interest was peaked," Giddings told Townhall.  "I'm a very strong supporter of guns and the Second Amendment."

Tough Gun Laws Do Nothing To Prevent Chicago PD Finding 35 Illegal Guns.  Chicago doesn't have a gun problem.  They have a criminal problem.  Whatever the mechanism is that creates criminals in urban centers, Chicago has it in spades.  They're chock full of whatever it is, and instead of looking at what that might be, they keep focusing on the tool being used, not the tools using them.  The truth is, the city has so many illegal guns not because of gun laws in other states, but because they have a culture that serves as a breeding ground for people who will acquire illegal guns.  Plain and simple.  Remove that, and suddenly the crime rate will plummet.

$5 homemade shotguns handed in at $100 gun 'give back'.  It seems someone was inspired to make a quick $400 for charity at a local police gun 'give back' in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Homemade shotgun turned in at gun buyback event in San Francisco.  Police in San Francisco took in 187 weapons during a gun buy-back Saturday morning [6/30/2018].  The four-hour event, hosted by United Playaz, yielded 57 pistols, 44 revolvers, 11 assault weapons and three shotguns.  One of those shotguns was homemade. [...] The event offered $100 for every handgun and $200 for every assault weapon, no questions asked.

The Editor says...
Mrs. Editor mentioned today that she saw some news report about a gun "buy back" program at which the cops "bought back" a board with a pipe attached to it — for $100!  It makes me wonder if they'd "buy back" a Pop Tart with one corner bitten off.

Parkland Congressman: 'You Shouldn't Be Able to Fire a Gun' Without Fingerprint Recognition.  Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) said the development of smart guns should be part of the gun-control conversation, arguing that a gun owner should not be able to fire a gun without some sort of verification like a thumbprint that's needed to unlock a smartphone.  Deutch also said that there are efforts underway to require gun manufacturers to incorporate smart technology in firearms but that the NRA is standing in the way.

Islamists Work To Disarm Free Men And Arm Themselves.  I don't like the expression that "The right exists in nature."  Nature promises absolutely nothing to you, any more than it promises that the Wildebeest won't perish by being eaten by Crocodiles as it crosses the rivers.  Nature doesn't recognize rights.  Only God grants rights and responsibilities, and only God can take them away.  The state doesn't exist to protect you or your family except from foreign invasion (a duty at which it has failed, and miserably so).  God has given that solemn duty to you.

M4OR: Students have a right to defend themselves.  "We basically work to support the Second Amendment and school safety through social media, education, and peaceful demonstration, which will be in the form of marches that are going to happen on July 7th," says Xena Amirani, chairman and executive director of March for Our Rights, a non-profit organization that is student led and student run.  Amirani tells OneNewsNow the Second Amendment is one of the most essential amendments in the Constitution, as it acts as a way for people to protect themselves from tyranny and folks who wish to do harm.

Americans [Have] Never [Been] Divided So Sharply Over The NRA.  In its latest poll, Gallup found that 88 percent of Republicans view the NRA very or mostly favorably.  Democrats, on the left hand, view the outfit the same by only 24 percent.  That's a whopping 64 percent division in positive feelings, the largest margin Gallup has ever encountered on the NRA.

NBC's Pete Williams Struggles To Describe How Shotguns Work.  NBC correspondent Pete Williams employed an interesting analogy on Friday when trying to describe how shotguns work.  According to Williams, describing the gun used by the shooter in the Capital Gazette newsroom on Thursday, insisted that shotguns operate like a "backwards funnel."  "A shotgun, uh, uh, you know, if you're not familiar with a shotgun, it sets out a spray of pellets and because a bullet simply goes in a straight line and shotgun is sort of like a backwards funnel, it spreads it out so that you don't have to aim very precisely," Williams claimed on MSNBC on Friday [6/29/2018].

The Editor says...
It sounds like the only shotgun he's ever seen was in the hands of Elmer Fudd.

Mob Violence and Gun Ownership.  We are watching Democrats, perpetrators of the incremental coup, encouraging the rise in political mob violence to overthrow the existing political order.  Eventually, sooner than later, the Democratic mob will feel empowered by its immunity from consequences to expand its tactics and target nongovernment citizens for bullying, intimidation, and inevitable violence.  This is exactly the tactic the political left understands will be enabled most by strict gun control, meaning confiscation.  After all, mob violence as a tool of political enforcement, will be far easier and more effective if those against whom it is deployed are not capable of defending themselves.  Disarmament of the law-abiding has always preceded violent revolution.  This is the entire purpose of "gun control."  Only one side will be equipped for the impending violence.

NJ's Governor Phil Murphy Thinks Poor People Shouldn't Have Guns.  We already knew that Governor Phil Murphy hated guns.  His signing of a slew of recent gun control bills made that obvious in case anyone didn't know.  Of course, those laws didn't stop a recent shooting in Trenton, NJ, but whatever, right?  What we didn't necessarily know was just how much he hated poor people.  I mean, he may pretend he's a champion of the little guy, but if that's the case, why does he want so badly to make it too expensive for poor people to be armed in his state?

UN Continues Their Push To Disarm Americans.  The United Nations can't say Agenda 2030 — their plan for global peace — is successful if Americans are still armed and if the Second Amendment still exists.  They have to completely get rid of armed citizens in America and the way to go about that is using our peers against us.  Our threat is no longer just at home.  It's international.  It's time for gun owners to wake up to the international threat that sits right before us.

New Jersey AG Attacks Right to buy Gun Parts & Learn How to Make Guns.  Guns have been made by individuals as long as there have been guns.  In the United States, it has always been legal to own the means of production to make your own guns.  It has always been legal to make your own.  Hobbyists have been making firearms as long as the United States has existed.  The national war on the Second Amendment started in the 1930's.  Passed in 1934, the National Firearms Act required a license to make some guns for commercial sale.  A federal tax stamp was required to own short barreled rifles and shotguns, and guns that can fire more than one shot with each pull of the trigger.  New Jersey is one of only six states that does not have a state constitutional amendment protecting the right to keep and bear arms.

Report: Cities Across Country Use Zoning Codes to Create 'Gun-Store-Free Zones'.  Cities and townships are using zoning restrictions to create "gun-store-free zones" around the country.  This includes over 20 such zones in California alone.  According to the Trace, a gun control journalism outlet, such use of zoning codes allows cities to "effectively ban firearm stores" in lieu of Congressional refusal to pass more gun laws.  Piscataway, New Jersey, is one of the latest townships to adopt this approach.  They have no federally licensed firearms dealers in their township, and the town Council hopes to use a zoning resolution to keep any licensed dealers from setting up shop in the future.

The critical fraction.  According to the General Social Survey in 2013, about 1 in 4 Americans owned guns.  That's 79 million gun owners, and probably an undercount because gun owners are chronically suspicious of the intention behind such questions.  But we'll go with it as an assumption that's best-case for the doorknockers.  That means that in order to stop attempted gun confiscations dead on a purely force-on-force level, only one in 317 American gun owners needs to remember that our first American Revolution began as spontaneous popular resistance to a gun-confiscation order.  Only one in 317 American gun owners need to remember their duty under the U.S. Constitution as members of the unorganized militia — "the body of the people in arms".  Only one in 317 American gun owners need to shoot back.  Is that a plausible fraction?  Yes.

Unable to Ban Guns, Lawmakers Want to Weaponize the ATF Against Gun Dealers.  What's a politician to do when it's clear that people will vigorously resist attempts to restrict their lives?  Well, you could empower government officials to arbitrarily punish anybody who might help them exercise their freedom.  That's the approach favored by three Democratic members of Congress, who appear to see the path to limiting private firearms ownership in harassing gun dealers and subjecting them to the whims of government officials.  Not that they're the only legislators to wield regulations as bludgeons, but it's always a lousy idea.

Hillary Clinton:  Gun Control [is] a 'Political Necessity'.  While speaking to a group of activists in San Francisco, Hillary Clinton stressed that gun control is a "political necessity" and part of "taking back" the country.  Clinton ran gun control as a candidate in the 2016 election and lost.  President Trump ran as pro-gun and LMT Online reports that Clinton is now criticizing him for standing with gun rights organizations.

L.A. sheriff's detectives seize more than 500 firearms from felon's home.  A search of a felon's home in Agua Dulce led Los Angeles County sheriff's investigators to a stash of more than 500 firearms, marking one of the largest seizures from a person forbidden by law from possessing guns.  Investigators raided the home of Manuel Fernandez after getting a tip that he had an arsenal of firearms.  After entering the property early Thursday, they found a staggering number of weapons, including rifles, shotguns and handguns, some decades old.

Can Police Arrest Person Carrying Gun Without First Checking If He's Licensed?  [Scroll down]  The police here operated on an outdated assumption — possession of a firearm in and of itself is a crime.  Until recently, that was true in the City of Chicago.  But the law has shifted dramatically during this decade.  Since the legislature has legalized gun possession and concealed carry, many citizens may now possess firearms provided they have followed the regulations.

American Medical Association Calls for More Gun Control Including Gun Bans, Confiscation.  The American Medical Association announced on Wednesday [6/13/2018] it would back strict new gun-control measures including banning and confiscating certain firearms.  The measures, which the group called "common-sense," include outlawing not only the sale of what the group referred to as "assault-type" weapons but also their possession, outlawing the possession of any firearms by adults under 21 years old, a national gun registry, requiring a license to own any firearms, and gun buyback programs among a number of other proposals.  The group also called for a ban on the possession of bump-fire stocks, stated its opposition to teachers being allowed to carry firearms in schools, and stated its opposition to national concealed-carry reciprocity.  The group also called for the passage of a law which would bar those convicted of domestic violence offenses from owning guns even though federal law already includes such a provision.

Judge Blocks Chicago Suburb's Gun Ban Hours Before Going Into Effect.  Zero hour was approaching for the law-abiding gun owners of Deerfield, Illinois.  The village had banned the ownership of so-called assault weapons, which in reality meant AR-15 rifles and any other firearm that carried a detachable magazine capable of holding ten or more rounds.  That's how Deerfield defined a so-called assault weapon.  On June 13, the anti-gun ordinance passed by the Chicago suburb would have gone into effect.  It was essentially a gun ban, and there were no exceptions.  It's either you turn them over, move, or risk facing a $250-$1,000/ day noncompliance fee.  Yeah, the AR-15 and other rifles the anti-gun Left finds scary were banned, but it also included scores of handguns.  Magazines holding 15 rounds are not uncommon.  Luckily, a circuit court judge blocked this law 24 hours from going into effect.

Gun Businesses Scramble After Credit Card Service Stops Processing Payments on all Gun Purchases Without Warning.  Intuit, without warning, ceased processing credit card payments at firearm-related businesses across the country, resulting in small businesses scrambling to track down customers to get them to pay their bills.  Intuit maintains its actions are justified because the company has a "face-to-face" policy prohibiting firearms from being directly sold to customers, the New York Post reports.  However, many of the guns businesses sold were sent to federally-licensed firearms dealers near the customers, where a background check can be completed prior to possession.

Illinois teachers [are] flocking to firearms training courses.  Though their state law prohibits guns on campus, Illinois teachers are privately training with firearms, the New York Times reported Tuesday [6/12/2018].  "Across the state, businesses have begun offering free concealed-carry training sessions to teachers and school staff members," the Times reported.  One class reached capacity within two hours of posting it, and there is now a waiting list of approximately 40 more educators.  "None of us ever want to have to use our guns," said teacher and firearms student Julie Smith.  "All of us want to protect our kids."

Florida Candidate Promises To Ban 'Assault Rifles' By Decree.  While I really try not to focus on political parties here at Bearing Arms, sometimes, it's difficult.  The thing is, there are Democrats who support the Second Amendment, and as a writer covering the Second Amendment, I don't want to alienate those readers.  We all agree that candidates who oppose our right to keep and bear arms are a problem, and their party really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.  Their lack of respect for our civil rights, however, does.  However, I can't help but think of how many Democrats are screaming about "fascism" ever since the election of President Donald Trump, but remain completely silent when a political candidate for governor announces that they've figured out a way to ban a certain type of gun by decree, completely circumventing anything resembling democratic process.

California Man Has Home Raided, Guns Confiscated After Trying to Register Firearm.  A California man had his home raided, guns seized, and will appear in court this week to face a dozen state felony charges after attempting to register a rifle in accordance with state law.  Jeffrey Scott Kirschenmann attempted to register an AR-15 with the California Department of Justice last month but instead found himself in significant legal trouble.  The California DOJ accused Kirschenmann of illegally modifying the rifle he attempted to register.  Law enforcement officials raided his home in Bakersfield before ultimately confiscating a dozen firearms and a few hundred rounds of ammunition, then charging him with a dozen felonies, KGET reports.  Kirschenmann was accused of possession of assault weapons, two silencers, and something referred to as a "multi-burst trigger activator."  He does not appear to have been charged with any violent crimes.

Brady Campaign Uses Handgun Deaths To Justify Assault Weapon Ban.  Many of us have often remarked that gun grabbers don't know the first thing about guns.  We have ample evidence of this, after all.  Shannon Watts touted perhaps the least dangerous firearm possible as a deadly assault weapon, for example.  To be sure, it kind of makes sense.  People who understand guns won't take some of the positions this crowd tends to take.  They'd understand a great deal more, and while they might still be anti-gun, their positions would include nearly as much stupidity as it does.  Yet, the fact remains that they don't.  Maybe that's why the Brady Campaign seems intent on defending the Deerfield, IL assault weapon ban by referencing handgun-related crimes and fatalities.

Credit service shuts down payments on all gun purchases.  Several gun-related businesses were suddenly — and without warning — disrupted in recent weeks when Intuit stopped processing credit card payments because sales were gun-related, The [New York] Post has learned.  Some of the payments stopped didn't even involve firearms, but simply T-shirts and coffee mugs and gun safety classes, according to small business owners.  As a result, the businesses had to scramble to track down customers to get them pay their bills after Intuit credited back to customers' accounts the purchases — even if the T-shirt was already shipped or the class already taken, one businessman told The Post.

Past Versus Present American.  Try this question to any one of [the] 50 million Americans who are 65 or older:  Do you recall any discussions about the need to hire armed guards to protect students and teachers against school shootings?  Do you remember school policemen patrolling the hallways?  How many students were shot to death during the time you were in school?  For me and those other Americans 65 or older, when we were in school, a conversation about hiring armed guards and having police patrol hallways would have been seen as lunacy.  There was no reason.  What's the difference between yesteryear and today?  The logic of the argument for those calling for stricter gun control laws, in the wake of recent school shootings, is that something has happened to guns.  Guns have behaved more poorly and become evil.

As if her opinion is relevant:
Jodie Foster Is 'Much More Comfortable Having Robots' Own Guns.  Foster is promoting her latest movie, Hotel Artemis, in which she plays a nurse who treats a gun shot victim who was shot in a gun-free zone — the kinds of places that have 100 percent gun control and are magnets for mass public attackers.  The IMBD parental guide for the star-studded crime thriller says the film show "guns, most of which were apparently 'printed' at Hotel Artemis, [that] are brandished and fired," brutal axe attacks, people "slaughtered" with a scalpel, and others killed by being injected with medicine intended for elephants.

Reason #6831 Why Gun Registration Is Evil.  There's absolutely nothing to gain by gun registration.  At least, not for gun owners.  While gun grabbers may love and adore it, convinced that they have found the solution to crime — if they're particularly deluded, that is — gun owners tend to understand that registering their guns doesn't really do anything to make them safer.  But you know what it can do?  Apparently, it can get you arrested when you try and comply with the law.

NY Governor Blows Off Due Process With Latest Anti-Gun Proposal.  So-called "red flag" laws are rife with the potential for destroying people's due process rights, which is why groups like the Gun Owners of America refuse to back the measures.  The thing is, they make a valid point.  Unless the laws are written just right, private citizens can be disarmed on the untrustworthy word of people with grudges to settle, for example.  In New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo has figured why even bother pretending due process is even a thing.

New Jersey and Gun Control.  The gun control conundrum will continue ad infinitum.  But what is happening in New Jersey should frighten anyone — gun owner or not.  NJS102 will most likely be affirmed by the Democrat senate majority in the NJ legislature.

CA Lawmakers Seek to Expand Gun Confiscation, Limit Number of Firearms Residents Can Buy.  California lawmakers are pushing numerous gun control measures including an expansion of confiscatory orders and limits on the number of firearms residents can buy each month.  Many of the lawmakers are claiming school shootings in Florida and Texas as the impetus for more gun control on law-abiding Californians.  The Mercury News reports that Assemblyman Rob Bonita (D-18) is pushing controls to bar 18-20-year olds from buying firearms.

Empire State Building Shines Orange for Gun Control.  The Empire State Building was ceremoniously lit orange on Friday night in solidarity with thousands of anti-gun protesters across the country.  The ultra-liberal city of New York illuminated the iconic building to commemorate the third annual National Gun Violence Awareness Day and usher in National Gun Violence Awareness Month.  The color orange was inspired by the #WearOrange campaign, a coalition of gun control advocacy groups and elected officials who ask participants to observe National Gun Violence Awareness Day on June 1 by posting orange on social media, wearing orange clothes and attending pro-gun control events throughout the U.S.

Illinois Suburb's Gun Confiscation Law Set To Go Into Effect.  It's June.  It might not be a big deal for most, but for the law-abiding gun owners of Deerfield, Illinois — it's the time when a new gun confiscation law goes into effect.  The Chicago suburb recently passed a law, where AR-15s and other firearms that look scary, along with a host of handguns, have to be transferred out of the village limits, turned over to the police, or destroyed.  Owning these firearms is not permitted within Deerfield and non-compliance could carry a $250-$1,000/ day fee.  Yes, the National Rifle Association has joined a lawsuitagainst the provision.  It's absurd.  Gun ownership has been banned in a slice of America.  That's grossly unconstitutional.

Obama Encourages Gun Controllers to Stay Committed 'No Matter How Long It Takes'.  Former President Barack Obama encouraged gun control proponents on Friday to stay committed to securing new gun laws "no matter how long it takes." Friday was National Gun Violence Awareness Day.  Obama tweeted that gun control proponents must not only push for a change in laws, but also in "leadership" to secure the new laws.

Anti-Gun Arne Duncan Sends His Children to School with Armed Security.  Obama Sec. of Education and staunch gun control advocate Arne Duncan sends his kids to a school with armed security.  On May 20 Breitbart News reported that Duncan suggested Americans ought to pull their kids from school until Congress passes more gun control.  He said he and his family would even be willing to take part in the school boycott if it were done "at scale," i.e., if there were broad-based participation in such a boycott.  Duncan made this suggestion in the immediate aftermath of the attack on Santa Fe High School.  He did not call for armed teachers or other armed personnel in schools.  Rather, he simply focused on gun control.  All the while, Duncan sends his children to a school that affords them armed protection.

Tennessee lawmaker says porn, violent movies among 'root causes' of school shootings:  It's a 'big part'.  Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn., seemed to at least partially blame pornography for school shootings during a meeting with local pastors last week. [...] Black, who is running for governor, blamed gun violence in schools on a myriad of issues: the "deterioration of family," violent movies, mental illness and pornography.  Without a strong support system, Black said, young people can "go in the wrong direction" after seeking "something" on the internet or with certain friends.

NYPD officially phases out revolvers as 25-year vets transition to 9-mm.  The last crop of cops transitioning from the old-school revolver to the modern semi-automatic handguns reported to the NYPD shooting range in the Bronx for training Wednesday [5/30/2018].  The remaining 150 police officers — who all joined the force before 1993, when the the .9-mm [sic] semi-automatic became the department's service weapon — had until Aug. 31 to be be trained on new guns.

The Editor says...
I'd like to see that 0.9-millimeter model mentioned by the New York Daily News.  I'll bet it's hard to load.

Company Creates Video Game That Lets People Be School Mass Shooters.  A popular online video game platform is set to release an extremely controversial video game on June 6 called "Active Shooter," which gives users the opportunity to be a mass shooter and go on shooting sprees inside schools.

The Editor says...
One can easily imagine the effect such a game would have on a poorly-educated, godless, fatherless simpleton.  The kind of person America has too many of.  And yet, when such a loser goes on a shooting spree, his guns will get the blame.

'Active Shooter' video game pulled after huge backlash.  A game developer and digital distribution company has announced, after facing harsh criticism, that it will pull a video game that allows players to simulate a school shooter.  Valve Inc. announced Tuesday it would pull "Active Shooter" from its online gaming platform, Steam, after learning that the game's publisher and developer has a "history of customer abuse" that was uncovered as a result of the controversy surrounding the game, Variety and other news outlets reported.

The Editor says...
I predict the game will be back.

How To Get Inside the Mind of Someone Who Wants a Disarmed Population.  [Scroll down]  When registration of modern rifles is required by law, the national guard is not mobilized and sent on door to door searches.  Instead, the 80-95 percent of people who choose civil disobedience and do not register their guns, are ignored.  At least for the next few years.  This puts the battle into the election booth and the courts instead of on the streets.  It is worth while to remind people that there are over 400 million private firearms in the United States.  Those who want the population disarmed often attempt to minimize the number of firearms in the United States and the number of armed citizens in the country.

'Surrender Your Firearms Within 24 Hours or Be Shot'.  I am reading a fascinating book by Stephen P. Halbrook from the Independent Institute called Gun Control in Nazi Occupied-France:  Tyranny and Resistance. [...] One of the most startling facts in the book is in the last chapter entitled "Liberation": [...] ["]...only 835,000 of three million hunting guns — less than one-third — were turned in by French citizens threatened with the death penalty for not doing so.  That is an incredible testament to the inefficacy of gun control in the most extreme circumstances.["]

David Hogg puts Publix in crosshairs, demands $1 million donation and anti-NRA pledge.  David Hogg is trying to shake down Publix.  The public face of the gun control movement demanded $1 million Thursday [5/24/2018] from the Florida-based grocery chain in a tweet, just one day after calling for a "die-in" protest at its stores.  Publix is being targeted by Mr. Hogg for its support of Adam Putnam, a Republican gubernatorial candidate who is now the state's agricultural