Archive for March 26th, 2008

March 26, 2008

CNN kicks out the anti-gun bias with the help of ATF

ATF Agent Tom Mangan is at it again. You may be asking yourself: Where do I know that guy? Here’s a hint.

Obama on guns

Barack Oswald Obama’s campaign on why the Senator did not sign onto the Congressional brief with 55 other colleagues asking the Supreme Court to find the DC gun ban violates the second amendment:

Barack Obama believes the Second Amendment creates an individual right, and he greatly respects the constitutional right of Americans to bear arms. He also believes that the Constitution permits state and local governments to adopt reasonable and common-sense gun-safety measures.

So, he thinks that a complete ban on handguns, a ban on any use of a firearm for self-defense, and the requirement that long-guns be rendered inoperable are all reasonable and common-sense gun-safety measures.

Consequences

A while back, The Tennessean decided it would publish a database of people who held handgun carry permits. Oopsy ensued and they pulled it. Seems people didn’t like their private particulars published. Now, our state legislature is pushing a bill to seal those records:

The records of everyone licensed to carry a handgun in Tennessee would be sealed from public view by a proposal working its way through the legislature.

The bill, sponsored by state Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, R-Collierville, and state Rep. Eddie Bass, D-Prospect, would make Tennessee the 28th state in the nation to make secret its list of residents who have applied for or received a handgun-carry or concealed-carry permit. Several other states have similar bills in the works.

Such legislation keeps popping up in states where some idiot (like Christian Trejbal) decides to publish this stuff. Thanks to the Tennessean, that’s looking to be the case in our state soon. Tennessee’s law goes a bit further:

Tennessee takes its privacy plans a step further – threatening journalists with jail time if they publish information from the permit records…

Wow.

An Editorial in Bristol notes:

Last month, an investigative television reporter in Nashville reported that the state of Tennessee had issued gun-carry permits to convicted felons, including a child rapist.

First I’ve heard of it. Anyone have a link? Continuing:

That’s because the Tennessee Department of Safety admitted that it accepted at face value an applicant’s word that he or she had not been convicted of a felony.

Really? Because they are required by law to do background checks. So, I find that odd. Anyway, on to the meat of the article:

Under proposed legislation slated to go before the Tennessee Senate today, reporter Phil Williams of WTVF-NewsChannel 5 would be subject to a Class E felony for airing that report. His punishment upon conviction? Up to several years in prison and a large fine.

You read that right: A handful of Tennessee legislators essentially are trying to use the Second Amendment to blast away at the First Amendment.

Forgive me for not being too sympathetic since the press has been using the first amendment to blast away the second for a while. I mean, there’s whole blogs dedicated to that subject. Continuing:

The gun-permit law appears to be a ploy to punish the media for the prior sins of two newspapers – The Tennessean in Nashville and The Roanoke Times in Virginia. Both published online searchable databases of gun-permit holders before quickly removing the data. In Roanoke’s case, it published the names and home addresses of law enforcement officers and judges.

It was a boneheaded decision made in the name of open government, but the First Amendment doesn’t just protect intelligent judgments made in newsrooms.

I concur and it is boneheaded. But I still have a great deal of trouble mustering up any bit of sympathy at all since daily newspapers are filled with editorials and screeds about how various things involving guns should be illegal and people should go to jail for them. You know, little technical things. When it comes to gun laws, the enthusiast acts at his peril.

Now, don’t get my wrong, the jail time thing is dumb. But when you have idiotic decisions made by editorial boards that threaten someone’s privacy and safety, people get a little snippy and react.

Oink

Hillary: I am proud of my earmarks… Part of the reason that I won New York by 67 percent are my earmarks.

And I recall reading that she was the biggest porker in the Senate (not a fat joke, those would be directed at Kennedy).

Ebay: Trafficking illegal arms

Ebay is rabidly anti-gun. No guns. Or stuff that looks guns. Or ammo. Or stuff that looks like ammo. And they own Paypal, who won’t even let you say gun. In fact, I canceled my account with them after they told me to jump through hoops after a money transfer that involved the lawful sale and purchase of a firearm. But switchblade knives are OK, which is odd because the interstate shipment of those is illegal.

Translating PSH into English

I thought I was the only certified PSH to English translator.

Open Records in Tennessee

They have a site now. Here’s a an article on it. Via Ben.

Guns and Blogs

Countertop says blogging about guns increases traffic. BTW, ever gonna get a range report for a certain firearm? But so does blogging about scantily clad women. Internet memes. And lots of other stuff

I mean, yesterday I linked to some good gun porn and a Salon with scantily clad stylists. Who do you think I sent more traffic to?

Democrats and Guns

In Pennsylvania, it will be a sticky issue for them:

Guns are an especially potent issue in Pennsylvania, which is home to 300,000 members of the National Rifle Association — the highest per capita NRA membership in the country, according to Chris Cox, executive director of the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action. A 2002 Quinnipiac University poll found that 42 percent of Pennsylvania households have guns, including 54 percent of union households, a key Democratic constituency.

Gun issues also stir up passions in Pennsylvania for another very different reason. Philadelphia has experienced an epidemic of gun killings: 331 people were shot to death last year, 321 with handguns.

We’ll see how they dance around this one. We all know that Barack Bon Jovi Obama has never seen a gun control he didn’t like. He and Hillary have both supported all the various pipe dreams of gun control.

Gun Porn

Firing a 20mm rifle.

New Rock River AR-15 forearm. I dig it.

Colt Single Action Army.

Reasoned Discoursetm updated

Sebastian reports the real variety is happening here and here. Good. They have stones

Meanwhile, stone-less Bryan Miller can’t let those pesky comments that don’t fit the narrative in.

Senating Pays

A less than sympathetic look at Barack Rodham Obama’s tax returns. Elected to office and your income increases eight-fold? Senators don’t make that much.

This just in

People don’t like to voluntarily consent to searches and seizures? Who knew?

Gun Laws

How to unintentionally commit a gun crime!

Ya know, I was wondering, as someone who owns a Ruger 10/22, if I purchased a new Ruger Charger, if the ATF could charge me with constructive possession of an unregistered short barreled rifle?

Oh, the things we gunnies have to worry about.

Gambling in TN

Tennessee’s AG has released an gambling opinion. It is here. Some store in Memphis said that if Memphis wins the title, then the store will give you your furniture free. So, some legislator asked the AG if this was gambling as defined. The AG says of course it is.

Vote Pro Gun

Scholar & blogger Clayton Cramer is running for office in Idaho.

This just in

Guns are not good for punching holes in exterior walls. Know your target and what’s behind it.

However, they can be used to open beer.

An old troll returns

Poor Alex. So sad.

Remember, I do this to entertain me, not you.

Uncle Pays the Bills


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