Heh. Instant classic.

Yesterday, I asked for help:

So, there’s a lot of pro-gun activists on the Internet. I mean, there’s a ton. We’re just not all in the same place what with message boards, live journal, face book, etc, etc. If everyone actually got together, we’d be pretty influential, I would venture.

Any ideas on how to do that?

Got quite a few responses there and at other websites. Seems the most important thing is to define goals. My goal is pretty simple: a way to alert activists to things that are important. Or, as Ace said, a Bat-signal. I don’t desire a unified coalition in the sense that everyone is on the exact same page. So, hopefully that clears it up. Right now, short of something from a gun board getting emailed to me, I don’t hear about. And short of someone posting on a gun board something happening in blogs, they don’t know about it.

Reactions:

In the original post, there were lots of good suggestions in comments.

Joe has a lot more: Join pro gun groups. The first group you should join is the NRA; even if you think they compromise too much.

Mostly genius has more. I suppose using tools like twitter and reddit could be useful.

Sebastian has more as do his commenters.

And lots of people have volunteered to help. So, with that goal in mind, how do we do that? And, FWIW, a lot of folks suggested a unified website. It’s been tried and drawing traffic to it is tough. Trust me.

And bitter says we need a business plan.

Update: A thought for me is that if I were, say, the 800lb Gorilla, I might get in on this discussion too.

Your sexism is showing

Jessica notes on her blog that a commentator named kip says:

‘Scuse me, you’re a woman, and you’re AGAINST gun control?

If I opined that women were, of course, more likely to support gun control because of their inherently nannyish nature, at least one feminist (i.e., the only one I read and take seriously because she happens to be not insane) would probably write some sort of holy litany to my soul. And I’d be a sexist.

Anyway, the fastest growing demographic in the shooting sports is women. And there’s a lot of them.

And squeaky reports new chicks and guns are forthcoming.

Looks like another federal law is in the works regarding the mythological gun show loophole and the media is still taking anti-gun group dictation. Repeat after me, sales at gun shows are subject to the exact same federal regulations as sales not at gun shows.

Via KDT and Bruce:

Two Palestinian terrorists were killed after infiltrating a school in the Gush Etzion settlement bloc.

The terrorists disabled an alert system built into the perimeter fence of Kibbutz Kfar Etzion on Thursday and then sneaked into the Mekor Hayim high school yeshiva building, according to media reports. They then entered a classroom where they stabbed two counselors. The wounds were not considered life-threatening.

Two armed counselors then overpowered and killed the terrorists, who were unable to fire their weapons. Mekor Hayim high school is run by famed Talmudist Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz.

It doesn’t fit the narrative about how you’re supposedly hysterical to think it’s reasonable to arm school officials. More at Ahab’s.

Over at Robb’s, he’s having a rational discussion about the gun show loophole with someone who believes in that mythology.

Photos from a tour of the CZ factory. Excellent.

Dewalt AR. Nifty, and I say that as a gun nut and a guy who compulsively buys tools.

What to get your gun nut sweetie for Valentines Day.

Over at Legally Armed, we have TN stats by gender & age; and by county.

Via Jeff, it seems another press outlet is running Bernd Debusmann’s story on the declining gun culture and, again, taking dictation from the Violence Policy Center. I like it when they run out of original things to say because these articles come pre-debunked. We already know that:

1 – Debusmann’s story was wrong and easily refuted.

2- That the alleged study Debusmann referenced was bought and paid for by the anti-gun Joyce Foundation.

3 – That Reuters (where the story orginally appeared) moved the story sans comment from the news section to the opinion section with a disclaimer.

Nope, no media bias here.

In an update to this post, I see commenters have set about correcting the mistakes. And the host there responds with:

Geeeez, you people remind me of those nerds that write letters to the editor of Superman Comics pointing out little unimportant errors–”On page 3 of edition #789 in panel number two, Clark Kent’s suit is orange, but on the very next page, in panel number 4, it’s green–What gives?

I dunno but maybe someone who is advocating laws should educate themselves about those laws. See, misrepresenting assault weapons, machine guns, armor piercing ammo, and kits that make machine guns are not unimportant errors. They’re pretty substantial errors.

Update: Boy, check out the hysteria from that guy in the comments. It gets better. We jerk off to gun mags and we’re idiots and extremists. Funny how correcting errors makes you an extremist. Also, he’s addressing comments that aren’t there so I assume he’s moderating comments. Seems to me that everyone there left reasonable and sensible retorts to Mark’s misconceptions about guns (and only one person violated my rule on scaring white people with the tyranny talk). And he’s telling people to leave. Fine, I won’t bother you again even though this is the most traffic your blog has ever seen. Quite amusing given the header quote.

Hillary Clinton Says She Can Control Her Husband.

If she wants to. She just doesn’t want to.

Having suffered through the trenches of this America, Edwards is taking his hair and going back to his America. He didn’t endorse which is a way of saying Can I be your Veep? This came as a shock to no one but Edwards, who was unavailable for comment because he was out of breath from chasing an ambulance.

9iu11iani is also leaving. Not running a campaign in most states isn’t effective? Who knew? In other news, he, as an authoritarian prick, will reportedly endorse the other authoritarian prick: John McCain.

Update: Bwahahaha:

I still like McCain more than Romney, although I like being kicked in the nuts more than I like either of them.

Dunno about that, but that’s because mine are still achy.

Update 2: The good news about 9iu11iani’s drop out is that I hope it indicates that most of America won’t elect NY Mayors.

Animated AR pic.

Or why I’m buying a bottle of Scotch tonight

Our next president will be either Obama, Hillary, Romney or McCain. Three democrats and one maverick, and by maverick I mean self-serving prick. God help us all. The least offensive is McCain and he’s an authoritarian megalomaniac. I cannot completely rule out Huckabee, I suppose, since a lot of red states vote on Super Tuesday. Huckabee’s another big government ninny who happens to be a member of the God Squad.

9iu11ani put his eggs in the one basket. As we speak, he’s probably beating his advisers like they owe him money. Was yesterday Goodbye Rudy Tuesday? Tonight, he and Edwards will be sitting at a bar together pounding shooters.

The /20~ p@\/1 supporters constantly call the local talk radio. Today, at least two called to tell the host that /20~ p@\/1 beat 9iu11ani in Florida. The host would tell them factually that no he did not. And they’d argue with him. They’d also call and question McCain’s military service. And, well, that’s stupid. I would say they were trying to Swiftboat him but the only retractions that came from the Swiftboat story came from John Kerry.

One caller alleged that there must be mass voter fraud going on. It’s a conspiracy! You see, according to every poll he’d seen on Al Gore’s internets, /20~ p@\/1 consistently was winning yet he couldn’t win primaries. Listen up, sparky, just because /20~ p@\/1 constantly comes in first on HotMILF’s Myspace poll edging out James T. Kirk and Gandolf with Kucinich placing a respectable fourth, it doesn’t mean your average Joe is voting for him. Deal with it.

All politics is local. So, locally, here’s some stuff I’ve observed. The only presidential signs I’d seen around here were for /20~ p@\/1. Until today. I saw a Mitt Romney sign. Mitt Romney: 2008’s John Kerry. Was he a conservative then or is he a conservative now? Was he for conservatism before he was against it? A liberal from Massachusetts who thinks your average voter really buys that he’s suddenly all conservative and stuff. Well, apparently, 30% of your average voters are stupid enough to buy that. Rumor is that the Good Ol’ Boy establishment here in East Tennessee is getting on the Romney train.

They say Huckabee is ahead in Tennessee. Oy.

Suppressed Ruger Charger.

Ryan notes:

Sullivan in April 2007 touted the ATF’s “outstanding relationship” with IACP-International Associations of Chiefs of Police. An organization that has been exposed by the NRA as being in the pockets of a large gun control group. Fitting enough Acting ATF Director Michael J. Sullivan was one of the Keynote Speakers at IACP’s Great Lakes States Summit on Gun Violence. Sullivan also served on a panel that included gun banners Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, Joyce Foundation President Ellen Alberding, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Professor David Hemenway.

He has a list of other organizations there as well. You’ll recall that the IACP is an anti-gun group funded by the Joyce Foundation.

Ouch: Apparently killing a woman isn’t enough to draw the ire of left wing feminist groups, but endorsing a black man is.

Reader Mike asks:

Susan Harris has hit upon a subject with which I have personal experience – actually changing someone’s mind about firearm use. I am a recreational shooter who punches holes in paper targets with both handguns and rifles. I have been a shooter for over a decade. My wife has no problems with my hobby and has encouraged me to teach our children both firearm safety and how to shoot well. However, I have found no way to get my wife to try sport shooting with me, due to her negative experiences with firearm victims when she worked in an Emergency Room as an intern in medical school. The emotional and negative experiences with gunshot wounds have, as she admits herself, overcome her rational understanding that sport shooting is an entertaining and safe hobby. Any suggestions on how to reconcile her rational understanding with her emotional reaction?

Anyone? I’d say it’s tough to get past emotional reactions which is why I don’t address those.

People say to me Hey, Uncle how do we win this gun battle? And by gun battle, they don’t mean a gun fight they mean winning the political war over gun control. There are two ways, generally, and they depend on who you’re dealing with. For those on the fence or who generally haven’t thought much about it (and who likely still think the media is credible on the issue), it’s easy: take them shooting. Really. They’ll see we’re not all knuckle-dragging rednecks and they’ll, barring something strange, have a great time.

The second type is the hysterical anti-gunner. They’re almost beyond reason. To deal with them, just calmly refute their false claims by stating facts and do so without scaring your average white person with your crazy talk of revolution and the awkward stage. Use self-defense statistics and other things that won’t freak a soccer mom out. You’re not targeting the hysterical anti-gunner, you’re targeting any passers-by who can be reasoned with.

On occasion, an anti-gunner can be converted. Hats off to guav and friends for that one. If you’re ever my way, I’ll buy you a beer. If I’m ever your way (which will mean Hell just froze over), I’ll buy you a beer.

For those who want the short version, the creator and moderator of a gun control community was convinced he was wrong.

One at a time, my friends, one at a time.

So, there’s a lot of pro-gun activists on the Internet. I mean, there’s a ton. We’re just not all in the same place what with message boards, live journal, face book, etc, etc. If everyone actually got together, we’d be pretty influential, I would venture.

Any ideas on how to do that?

Update: Some ideas here.

Seriously, I don’t think we realize how many of us there are with keepandbeararms.com, ar15.com, DU’s gun board, FR’s gunnies, blogs, etc. There are a lot.

Seems squeaky will put her economic stimulus package to good use.

I dig my G30. But Ahab and Robb like the G29.

Via google alerts, comes this:

I believe in the second amendment. I believe Americans have the right to bear arms.

Good. But:

I know I risk incurring the wrath of my fellow Conservatives on this one, but I don’t believe American citizens need assault weapons.

Then, no, you don’t believe in the second amendment and that Americans have the right to bear arms.

Actually, he comes full circle on the issue. But, and here’s the rub, I’d bet he doesn’t know what an assault weapon is. Why would he since it’s been misrepresented in the media so much? Anyway, here’s an assault weapons primer.

If thine eye offends thee, pester the shit out of someone else.

Again idiot Senator Doug Jackson wants to ban Girls Gone Wild videos from the TeeVee. They’ve tried this crap before and failed but after recent laws passing in the state, I wouldn’t be surprised.

I asked before which was more offensive.

Another case of senators gone stupid.

How they roll in Idaho.

One of the men in those photos is terminally ill and is still out in the cold shooting. That’s dedication.

A quadfecta? Anyway, now some Brits are upset that Captain America has a gun.

It’s all England all the time!

Update: from metulj in comments, it’s apparently called a superfecta.

Suzanne Harris thinks that both the NRA’s and The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Ownership’s webpages stink. Yeah, I find that both pages lack in the info department as well as the ease of navigation department. But she continues:

A frequent contributor to this blog, Gabe Goldberg, wrote a post which mentioned in passing that he and his wife had recently enjoyed recreationally firing an Uzi submachine gun and a Glock semiautomatic pistol while vacationing in Las Vegas.

This nearly floored me. Gabe is a civilized, well-educated social liberal. He is also a fearless and outspoken individualist. He fired an assault weapon and reported on it as just one of several Las Vegas activities

He did not fire an assault weapon. Assault weapon is a made-up term that refers to weapons that look like machine guns. Don’t worry, the anti-gunners have confused you on purpose:

The weapons’ menacing looks, coupled with the public’s confusion over fully automatic machine guns versus semi-automatic assault weapons—anything that looks like a machine gun is assumed to be a machine gun—can only increase the chance of public support for restrictions on these weapons

Your friend fired a machine gun and these have been heavily regulated since 1934 and transfer of new ones has been banned since 1986.

So, well-educated and civilized people do not fire guns? Your bigotry is showing. And if you’re well-educated, you’ll realize the anti-gunners have gotten to you with their misinformation.

. . . if you’re retarded.

Via bruce, comes this arfcom thread:

So, my phone rings Friday afternoon. It’s the vice principal from my son’s school saying that he needs to discuss a serious situation about my son. When I asked him what was going on, he tells me that a pen bearing a Glock logo is forbidden by school policy and that I need to come and pick up my son because there is a manditory 3 day suspension because of the violation. Apparently, one of my son’s teachers saw him writing with the pen during an assignment.

While I have the VP on the telephone, I retrieve my son’s student handbook. Flipping though it, I see that weapons, replica weapons, pictures of weapons, and weapon images on keychains or other items are forbidden. The pen I had given him was one I picked up at a law enforcement firearms competition last year – which bore only the Glock logo, but not an image or rendition of a firearm. Nowhere does it say that a firearm company logo is restricted by school policy. I explain this to the VP.

Seen at bitter’s:

BBC Radio Five presenter Shelagh Fogarty today described her terror at having a gun pointed at her face while filming in Liverpool on Saturday night.

The breakfast show host was taking part in a special programme for the ITV1 Tonight programme to find out how safe Britain’s streets are, to be aired tonight.

While filming in Norris Green, an area of her home town Liverpool, a car slowed down as it past her, wound down a window and a gun was pointed directly at her.

Good thing they have all that gun control!

The local paper has a bit on our spectacular views. We do have some. But they only show one picture. Dude, bandwidth is about as cheap as water. Of course, the bit isn’t totally about the views but about how the powers that be should govern with those views in mind.

Machine gun shoot in Texas. Poor Barney.

In other news, there’s a Congressional Second Amendment Caucus?

Well, if she had a gun, someone might have gotten killed.

Golf clubs to be banned soon.

Because bow hunting is popular in France.

On video. Like Bill Frist diagnosing via video, I like to gunsmith via video. My initial reaction was that pressure popped a loosely placed receiver cover off. Having watched it more, it looks like a case rupture. Ouch.

Can’t make it up. A kid was arrested for sniffing his teacher’s hand sanitizer:

Mr. Ortiz said the family’s ordeal began Oct. 19, when his son picked up a bottle of hand sanitizer from the desk of his fifth-period reading teacher at Killian Middle School in Lewisville. He rubbed the gel on his hands and smelled it.

Old S&W.

If this Heller brief passes for science or objective study then the field of linguistics is collectively retarded:

Perpetuation of a “Well Regulated” Militia Is the Purpose of the Amendment.

Yes, in fantasy land.

I’ve yammered before about how it’s almost a full-time job at mid-sized companies just dealing with .gov agencies. Today’s moment of smart comes (again) from the US Census Bureau which has sent some census forms to fill out. They have sent me no less than 300 pages of forms and instructions and threats that if I don’t do it, ninjas will come arrest me. Of course, the trouble is that all of these forms have to do with the trucking industry. We’re not in the trucking industry. Or even close. 300 pages of NA is fun.

Chris Matthews seems to buy into densely populated area exception to the second amendment:

I want people disarmed in our major, major cities. How’s that for a plan? I don’t think we should all be armed, and I don’t think more guns is the answer. I think it’s wacky to say that the solution to armed robbery and killing in our streets in big cities is to put more arms in the streets.

He’s also cool with a police state:

You know what I think? In big cities they ought to check people on sidewalks like they do getting on airplanes.

A judge has ruled that Bloomberg’s agents did not violate the law because the alleged transfers did not happen:

U.S. Magistrate Judge Cheryl Pollak said Friday the court had found “that the city’s actions do not constitute a crime or fraud” because an actual straw sale never happened. In the purchases made by the city’s investigators, the buyers did not hand over the guns later.

That also, of course, means that no gun dealer involved broke the law.

But, remember, one more gun law will keep you safe.

Over at the Harvard Political Review (which seriously cannot afford its own domain name?), comes PSH alleging that gunnies engage in PSH:

The NRA boasts over four million members and is ranked, year after year, as the most powerful lobbying organization by Fortune. “The NRA exploits fear,” Anthony Bragga, a senior research associate in public policy at the Kennedy School of Government told HPR, “and they have created a culture of fear.” The group has been successful in framing many issues surrounding gun control as potential threats to the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding, gun-owning citizens.

This week it’s fear, last week it was wheelbarrows full of cash. I get confused on what I’m supposed to be shilling for. Anyway, the myth seems to always be that we active in gun rights are afraid or scared or paranoid, etc. The claim is bogus, of course.

Anyway, you’d think something with Harvard in the title could be bothered to do some research. But you’d be wrong. Anyway, GABRIEL UNGER seems to be fawning over Bloomberg’s Taking on the illegal gun trade in America, which is odd because Bloomberg to date has only taken on the legal gun trade. And Bloomy likely broke the law while doing so. More stupidity:

About 30,000 Americans are killed every year because of gun violence, and research shows that only one out of six guns in such situations is legally obtained. The remaining guns are illegal and unregistered, and are often obtained through the careless or intentional negligence of legally-established gun dealers.

Actually, well over half of those killed are suicides. What research? None I’ve ever seen. And you’re implying that only 5,000 of these guns were lawfully obtained? No way. Particularly factoring in suicides.

And, of course, there is no requirement for a weapon to be registered so the word unregistered is meaningless.

And crime guns are rarely obtained through intentional negligence of legally-established gun dealers. They are mostly (93% per the BATF anyway) obtained unlawfully from street dealers.

According to some security guard with a master’s degree, it’s illegal to take pictures of public buildings you pay for:

When I got to to the building, I stood across the street with my wide angle (to fit the huge structure in the frame) and put the camera to my face. And after a few clicks of the shutter, I hear this man yelling at me, “Ma’am! Ma’am! You can’t photos here!!!” It was the security guard, and he was running down the stairs towards me. I immediately put my camera down by my side and ran across the street to the guard. I asked him what the problem was, and he suddenly went into a tirade about post 9/11 laws prohibiting the photography and videography of any federal properties. He went off about terrorism and national security and then threatened me with two years in the penitentiary for possessing images of federal property. I had to delete my photographs or else I would get two years in jail.

Via Silence.

Courts have long ruled that the police have no duty to protect you. This case may change that:

The lesson of that day haunts Cockerham-Ellerbee: The protective order designed to keep Ellerbee away from her family was merely a sheet of paper. The promises of police to arrest him came up empty.

Cockerham-Ellerbee wants the protective order to mean something to police. She has been given permission by the state Court of Appeals to try. In an unprecedented lawsuit being followed by domestic violence advocates across the state, Cockerham-Ellerbee is blaming her hometown police department — officers to whom she once sold coffee at a local market — for broken promises that cost her daughter’s life and shattered her own.

If she prevails, Cockerham-Ellerbee’s case will likely force officers in North Carolina to more vigilantly monitor abusers ordered to stay away from their partners.

Restraining orders are just pieces of paper.

I dunno but I would think that a city registering as a PAC to use your tax dollars to advocate a sales tax might be unethical. Using your money to tax you more? Have they no shame?

You remember NORC? That group that did the study funded by the anti-gun Joyce Foundation that concluded the gun culture is fading. Anyway, thirdpower looks at the data:

Double checking the data sets here and here, the report percentages are based off of straight response numbers. No controlling for population or variables.

Are generally ignorant:

I spoke with Dombkowski last week and he said the state requires permits for handguns but not necessarily for other weapons, such as rifles. Because the federal assault weapons ban expired in 2004, if you can pass a background check, you can legally own such automatic guns.

The did not prohibit ownership of automatic guns or even semi-automatic guns.

David has more and notes who will pay for it:

(a) The cost of establishing and maintaining the ACSD shall be funded by an end-user fee. Vendors shall charge an additional one half cent ($.005) per bullet or round of ammunition to the purchaser.

(b) There is established the coded ammunition fund for deposit of the end-user fees described in this section. Moneys in the fund, upon appropriation, shall be available to the TBI for infrastructure, implementation, operational, enforcement, and future development costs of this act.

Good thing this has no shot of passing.

GSG5, a 22LR that looks like an MP5. Via Sebastian.

I can apparently take 31 five year-olds in a fight.

cars kill.

Tom was just kidding.

Anyone know much about stainless AR mags? Seem like they’d last longer. Decent price too.

Justin is getting hitched.

Over at the Carpet Bagger report, Morbo laments that the NRA continues to hold dominion over Virginia. Morbo incorrectly notes:

In Virginia, lawmakers have rejected modest legislation closing a loophole that allows people to buy weapons at gun shows without undergoing a background check. This should be a no-brainer after what happened, but still the measure failed.

Sales at guns shows fall under precisely the same federal and state laws in VA as sales not at gun shows. The myth of the gun show loophole is one of the more widely perpetuated anti-gun myths. And, of course, less than 1% of crime guns come from gun shows. But let’s not let facts get in the way of making life more difficult on the law-abiding. After all, a pointless law that only inconveniences the law-abiding is modest. Continuing, we bring up the body count of VT and dance in blood:

Some of the survivors offered compelling personal testimony.

I’m sure they did. However, nothing in the proposed law would have prevented Cho from obtaining a weapon. What would have would be for the state of Virginia to establish and fund reporting of those adjudicated mentally defective. That is what the recent NICS improvement (pushed by NRA) bill seeks to do. Cho’s weapons purchases were illegal but no one decided to fund federal requirements back in the 1990s. Oops.

Morbos continues with frequent references to gun nuts (you say that like it’s a bad thing) and other hysterical ravings like:

To the gun nuts, “gun control” is synonymous with seizure of weapons. They do this on purpose to frighten people.

Ah, projection. I’m sure soon there will be allegations that we’re compensating for our inability to throw a rock at 3,000 feet per second err penis size. Gun control has lead to seizure of weapons many times. It did in England, Australia, New York and California. But that’s not what this law or debate is about. Even more:

Thus, the debate becomes whether people can have guns or not instead of what reasonable restrictions we can put in place to make sure the wrong people don’t have access to guns.

Err, no. The debate right now seems to be the effectiveness of this particular law. Nice little straw man, build it yourself? And I suppose that reasonable is a synonym for pointless, as this law would have an effect on crime approaching zero. But it makes people feel good. And that’s what it’s all about. Morbo seems upset that politicians in Virginia have realized consistently that gun control is what you do instead of something.

Cthulhu for president!

Strong on foreign policy.

An anti-gunner becomes a pro-gunner:

To make a long story short, you were all right, and I’m sorry. This man with a gun saved me, and I just keep thinking if I had gotten my wish and guns were banned, there is no telling where I’d be, and what would’ve happened to my daughter. The only regret I have is not getting the man’s phone number who saved my life. I thanked him over and over again, and told him that he saved me, but he calmly said to me something I’d never forget. He said “That’s what people like me are here for Ms., and I’m happy to have been able to help.”

Update: in comments, people have their doubts.

Update 2: Lesson in creative writing.

Looks like there’s a proposed bill for it here. There’s no way it will pass.

Update: Rusty has more, with contact info.

Heh. But at that price, you could buy it, take it apart, and have some cool goodies.

tgirsch’s proposed gun law.

And like that, he was gone. One of my poker buddies dead at age 25. Played Tuesday. Dead Wednesday. Tragic. Just a kid. Makes you think, though.

News at Ryan’s:

US District Court Judge Edward J. Lodge has denied the BATFE’s request for summary judgment in our case and has moved it on to trial.

Ryan is excited.

My thoughts are with Bill Hobbs who lost his mother last night to breast cancer.

In Mass, they’re looking to make it illegal to own more than 15 firearms without a license. Another gun law that targets the law-abiding.

Cook County Commissioner and anti-gunner Larry Suffredin is a paid lobbyist for an anti-gun group.

SailorCurt has more:

Ryan Frederick said Thursday he’s not the “drug lord” some people might make him out to be, but a scared, 100-pound man who thought someone was breaking into his home.

Frederick said he was sleeping in a back bedroom because his job as a soft drink merchandiser required him to get up early. His dogs, Dora and Bud, were in the house. He woke up because his dogs “were barking like crazy. They’re going like really crazy, so I grab my gun. As I’m walking through the hall, someone comes busting through my door.”

In tears at times, Frederick said he doesn’t grow or sell marijuana. He had a smoking bong and a small bag of marijuana, he said.

Frederick said if police found drugs, it was a small amount of marijuana he had for personal use.

“They made a mistake,’’ he said. “It’s a damn shame, too, because someone had to lose their life over it and I’m in jail about to lose my life over it.”

Another case of criminals busting in and claiming to be police in Memphis.

Vanderbilt University has a SWAT team? What could possibly go wrong? Via Aunt B.

Tennessee’s tax on people who can’t do math is a disaster?

An Afghan fell down the stairs and blew himself up with the bomb strapped to his chest.

No word on whether it was Aunt B.’s Afghan or not. See, we care about your Afghan when used for humorous intent.

Brittney Glibert’s new blog gig is live.

Stallone endorsement.

To Rich!

The raid that resulted in the death of a police officer was not a no knock raid.

Check out Knoxtube for Knoxville based video content.

Remember when Lyle said: You smash in my door, announce that you’re a cop. And I’m supposed to believe you?

Case in point:

A frightening home invasion in Brooklyn and the suspects are said to have dressed as police officers.

They allegedly knocked on the door saying they were police officers and were apparently wearing outfits that looked like those of the NYPD. They were allegedly wearing a windbreaker with the NYPD logo and dark sunglasses at the time of the attack.

Well, at least the robbers knocked.

ColtCCO notes that TRA (Tennessee Restaurant Association) is opposed to the guns in bars bill.

We’ve found that the Tennessee Restaurant Association is fighting us on the so-called “Carry in Bars bill”, HB702. Gene Kennedy, of Legally Armed spoke to them earlier this week, and they said they’d fight the bill “tooth and nail”. It’s on their legislative agenda, along with opposing lowering the BAC and other stuff

I guess that the TRA doesn’t realize that restaurants can still prohibit guns on their premises if they choose to. He has contact info so you can voice your concerns.

In Philly.

It is kinda ironic. I guess Rep. Briley thinks your average handgun carry permit holder has as little self control as Rep. Briley does when around alcohol.

So, the powers that be spending your money have decided that the economy needs to be stimulated. Remember when you got the $300 check? You might get one again. Is it an election year? They’re gonna refund you some of your own walking around money. Don’t get me wrong, I want my money back. IIRC, last time you didn’t actually get it back. You got it, claimed it on your returns, and were taxed on it. Dunno if this is the same thing or not. If it is, this is just stupid.

Additionally, there will be tax breaks for businessess. Hey, they’re onto something now.

And the .gov backed lenders will have their cap on lending raised.

And they’re gonna extend the amount of time people can draw unemployment.

Whoopie! We are saved.

So, here’s the question: If the government can stimulate the economy and that is allegedly good for the economy, why don’t they do it every day?

Need a hint?

The government can’t control the economy. They’re a player in it, of course, but it’s beyond their control. Period. If they could control it, we’d never have depressions, recessions, inflation, stagnation and all those other -essions and -ations. The .gov also cannot control unemployment, other than to the extent that they hire people. Period.

The only controls over the economy they truly have are tax rates. And the impacts of those are debatable.

Spate = three.

Seems people are calling the utility company in opposition.

So, there was that protest in Virginia I mentioned yesterday. The pro-gun side outnumbered the anti-gun side substantially. And at least one person on the anti-gun side became violent. How does the press report it? Like this:

Va. Tech families urge gun control

Instead of gun rights activists oppose gun bill.

People on both sides of the gun control debate clashed yesterday as families and friends of Virginia Tech shooting victims and survivors of the tragedy flooded the Capitol in support of legislation designed to prevent criminals and the mentally ill from buying firearms at gun shows.

Reports I read indicate that the flooding was done by the pro-gun side. And, of course, the bill in question is not designed to prevent criminals and the mentally ill from buying firearms at gun shows. It’s designed to mandate that private sales go through NICS. Mind you, the bill would not have prevented Cho from obtaining his weapons.

Tensions escalated as about 100 supporters of a bill that would close the so-called gun-show loophole lay on the Capitol lawn to honor victims of gun violence. About 200 opponents surrounded the group holding signs that read, “Here Lie Disarmed Victims,” both sides jostled for turf and one gun rights advocate posed questions to a survivor of the April 16 Virginia Tech shootings.

Hey, we finally mentioned numbers! Note those numbers don’t fit the narrative. And that’s the supposedly conservative Washington paper. What about the other biased Washington paper? Glad you asked:

A bill that would have restricted certain gun sales in Virginia and that had received passionate support from survivors of the Virginia Tech massacre was defeated by a Senate committee Wednesday, ending the major gun control effort of this year’s General Assembly session.

The legislation had failed repeatedly over the years but had taken on a greater urgency this year because of the April 16 shootings. Supporters had said this year was their best chance of winning approval because of the Virginia Tech tragedy, and Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) had made it a priority.

Urgency? For what?

But Republicans and rural Democrats on the Senate Courts of Justice Committee teamed up to reject the bill, which would have required background checks for buyers at gun shows.

Incorrect. Sales at gun shows are subject to the same federal laws as sales not at gun shows. It would require background checks for private party transfers at gun shows.

Between 22 percent and 35 percent of gun show vendors do not have licenses, Virginia State Police say.

Probably because they’re selling beef jerky, holsters, and /20~ p@\/1 T-shirts.

And an outright lie from Kaine’s office:

“He has said many times that either you believe a felon should be able to buy a gun or you don’t,” spokesman Gordon Hickey said. “This vote indicates that some believe a felon should be able to buy a gun at a gun show.”

And, finally, eight paragraphs in:

Gun rights groups had opposed the bill, saying that Seung Hui Cho, the Virginia Tech student who shot and killed 32 people and then himself, did not buy the two semiautomatic weapons he used in the shootings at a gun show. Gun control advocates, however, said it would close a loophole in state law that could allow convicted felons and other dangerous individuals to buy guns and commit similar crimes.

Finally, the truth about the bill! They said it could. Nice reporting there.

It may pass this time thanks to Rep. Briley getting drunk and acting the fool:

State Rep. Rob Briley is no longer a member of a key House subcommittee that under his guidance in the past has been a roadblock to passage of so-called “guns in bars” legislation and similar bills.

[...]

The bill died in the Criminal Practice Subcommittee after passing the Senate. The panel has also posed problems for similar measures, such as a bill by Rep. Frank Niceley, R-Strawberry Plains, that would have allowed people with carry permits to take guns into state parks and other recreational areas.

Yes and no. Last time, the bill actually died because Naifeh cheated to win. More details on that here.

Nice to see Tom Humphrey still isn’t talking about that.

Seems Paul Helmke of The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Ownership is happy with the DOJ brief in Heller. Sebastian notes:

Bush has offered Brady two things with his brief. The first is a way out of their nightmare. An individual rights ruling that means nothing is something Brady can work with.

In TN, there’s a proposed law to add a bittering agent to anti-freeze so it doesn’t taste good to dogs and kids:

With the help of State Sen. Raymond Finney, Sevier County resident Haley Ham’s dream of keeping animals and young children safe from antifreeze poisoning may soon get a boost.

Or, you know, you could put the anti-freeze out of reach of children.

After the vasectomy, Junior was confused. See, she knew I went to the doctor. Yet I came home sick. Which to her, makes no sense because you go to the doctor to get better.

Chris mourns the loss of darkness. In these parts, I have plenty. I recall moving from Knoxville to The City (my The City – which is not really so much a city) and thinking about how nice it was to see the stars.

You’ll recall there was a police officer killed in a no-knock raid. The homeowner is charged with first-degree murder (first degree because he, of course, planned on the raid I suppose). So far, there are reports that weed was found. And the original report mentioned nothing of drugs being found. Yet, the complex growing operation the guy was alleged to have had was not found. And the police are tight-lipped.

But this is troubling. On a police message board regarding the incident, a commenter responds:

OK, I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but I am getting SICK AND TIRED of hearing about Officers getting shot and our fellow Warriors not returning fire! Hello, F-ing cover fire Gents, get the job done! This is really something that pisses me off, we are breeding a bunch of victimsnot warriors! If your fellow Warrior is going to be on point and he/she takes a round or gun fire???? Lay down SUPPRESSIVE FIRE A.S.A.P. so you can get your fellow Officer out of the kill zone!

Warrior? You’re an officer of the peace. Protect and serve ring a bell? Suppressive fire? Good lord, the ninjafication is out of control.

Self, if you ever make the mistake of accidentally getting your carry weapon aboard a plane, do not do the right thing. It’s not worth it.

In Blount county, there are allegations that the sheriff has threatened people who had the audacity to ask questions about 28 vehicles the sheriff department has misplaced. I’ve heard nothing about this in the local paper. I wonder if that’s how they paid for their new crime lab and SWAT vehicle?

Laser Grips for a Kel-Tec P3AT. Via Jay.

It seems everyone is eulogizing the conservative side of the Republican party.

Relax, guys, the conservative wing has been dead since Pappy Bush. Oh sure, a little life was breathed into them in the house when Clinton was in power but that was just a marketing gimmick that was abandoned once they ran the show.

Though what is odd to me is that from 1988 to the present, two families have occupied the white house. If Hillary wins, that could mean, assuming reelection, 28 years of the executive branch controlled by two families. We have our own royal families!

Lyle in comments:

You smash in my door, announce that you’re a cop. And I’m supposed to believe you?

The fight begins March 18. Also, Gura on the DOJ’s position:

The Department’s fears about the implications of securing a meaningful Second Amendment right are overblown and not grounded in fact or law. Look for our response to their brief, and the others, on February 4.

Even the Wall Street Journal jumps in:

The amicus brief filed by Solicitor General Paul Clement agrees with this part of the D.C. Circuit ruling. But then it goes on a bender about violent felons wielding machine guns, urging the Supreme Court to reject the legal standard applied by Judge Silberman. Instead, the SG invites the Supremes to hand down an elaborate balancing test that would weigh “the strength of the government’s interest in enforcement of the relevant restriction” against an individual’s right to bear arms.

This is supposedly necessary because of this single phrase in Judge Silberman’s 58-page ruling: “Once it is determined — as we have done — that handguns are ‘Arms’ referred to in the Second Amendment, it is not open to the District to ban them” (our emphasis). This has alarmed the lawyers at Justice, eliciting their dire warnings that somehow Judge Silberman’s logic would bar the regulation of M-16s, felons with guns, or perhaps even Sherman tanks.

Heh.

In Virginia, there was some sort of protest. Said protesters were pushing for a law that would not have stopped the VT massacre in the name of the victims of the VT massacre. Seems the pro-gun side outnumbered the bad guys 3 to 1.

And why are anti-gunners so violent?

We had one member assalted by an anti who shoved him out of the way, saying, “This is OUR protest!”

Sailorcurt has a long report, including tons of pictures.

And the antis did an aptly named lie-in.

Your bias against guns is showing.

Boy, you confuse cholesterol with carbohydrates once when you’re 19 and it haunts you forever.