Keep and Bear Arms - Gun Owners Home Page

Powerful US gun lobby searches for owners of guns seized by police after Hurricane Katrina
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"A powerful gun lobby organization has hired private investigators to track down hundreds of gun owners whose firearms were seized by New Orleans police after Hurricane Katrina, according to court papers filed this week."

"The National Rifle Association is trying to locate gun owners for a federal lawsuit that the lobbying group filed against Mayor Ray Nagin and Police Superintendent Warren Riley over the city's seizure of firearms after the Aug. 29, 2005, hurricane." ...

"In the lawsuit, which is set for trial in February, the NRA and the Second Amendment Foundation claim the city violated gun owners' right to bear arms as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. ..." ...

Americans Clearly Divided on Gun Control
Submitted by: New York State Rifle & Pistol Association
Website: http://www.nysrpa.org

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"People in the United States are almost evenly split between those who want tighter firearm legislation and those who believe this is unnecessary, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 42 per cent of respondents believe their country needs stricter gun control laws, while 44 per cent disagree."

"The U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment guarantees Americans the right 'to keep and bear arms.' Some American states have enacted their own gun control regulations, independent of existing federal legislation." ...

Remington to Acquire Marlin Firearms
Submitted by: New York State Rifle & Pistol Association
Website: http://www.nysrpa.org

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"Remington Arms Company, Inc. ('Remington' or 'the Company') the only manufacturer of both firearms and ammunition for Hunting, Law Enforcement/Security, Government & Military applications in the United States, today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Marlin Firearms Company, Inc. ('Marlin'). The transaction is expected to close by the end of January 2008."

"Marlin, headquartered in North Haven, Connecticut, also owns Harrington and Richardson (H&R), New England Firearms (NEF) and LC Smith brands of rifles and shotguns." ...

VA: Enlist Gun Owners In The Military
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"In his recent Open Forum, ('The Second Amendment,' Dec. 20), Luray resident Matt Alger makes his argument for the unfettered access to firearms."

"Unfortunately, as many gun owners do, Mr. Alger misquotes the Second Amendment."

"The Second Amendment actually reads, 'A well regulated militia ...' Apparently, even the Founding Fathers believed in gun control."

"I do, however, agree with his assertion that a militia could 'make standing armies unnecessary,' and thus propose that all gun owners between the ages of 18 and 50 be subject to regular military duty." ...
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Submitter's Note: Unfortunately when citizens attempt to form militia units and train, they are hounded and prosecuted by the Feds.

NC: Armed clerk turns tables on would-be robber
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"A Reidsville area store clerk turned the tables on a would-be robber by pointing a gun at him, the sheriff's office said."

"Saveng Kaaosanga, 46, who works at the Cornerstone Market outside Reidsville, told the Rockingham County Sheriff's office a man entered the store with his right hand inside his coat as if he had a gun."

"He was also keeping his face partially covered by pulling his shirt up and holding it with his left hand."

"He demanded the money, but Kaaosanga refused. Instead, Kaaosanga defended himself by pointing a pistol at the suspect, the sheriff's office said."

"The pistol misfired as he proceeded to flee the store." ...

PA: 7-Eleven clerk shoots purported robber
Submitted by: New York State Rifle & Pistol Association
Website: http://www.nysrpa.org

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"An Ingram convenience store clerk shot a would-be robber Christmas morning, then shot him again as he tried to flee, the store owners said."

"The masked bandit walked into the 7-Eleven on West Prospect Avenue about 4:30 a.m., said Vicky Bawa, whose family has owned the business for about 12 years. The intruder brandished a knife, jumped the counter and attacked the clerk, said Bawa, 25, of Robinson."

"The clerk, identified by Bawa as Kaelin Weber, 24, pulled out a handgun and fired." ...

Thank goodness she WASN'T a security guard
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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activists, I have been following the media accounts of the shooting that occurred at the New Life Church ... they report incorrect facts or leave out important information relevant to the story."

"... I keep reading or hearing reports referring to Jeanne Assam, the hero who stopped the church shooter in Colorado Springs, as a 'security guard'. She was not - she was a private citizen with a Colorado concealed carry license volunteering to protect her church. Based on the following information it probably was better that she was not officially employed as a security guard at the Church:"

"Colorado Springs current law restricts security guards employed by a Security Guard service to carrying only revolvers!" ...

WA: Psycho not stopped by Taser, police handgun puts him down.
Submitted by: none

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"A state trooper shot and killed a 27-year-old Olympia man who had gotten out of a car on an Interstate 5 onramp, taken off his clothes, run around in traffic, and tried to choke the trooper Tuesday afternoon, police said."

"The man, whose name was not released, died at the scene ... Police said they did not know how many shots were fired." ...

"It took about 15 minutes for the State Patrol to arrive ... The man tried to choke the trooper, and hit him repeatedly, possibly with his belt ..."

"The trooper used a Taser on the man ... but it was 'ineffective.' That could mean that the Taser made contact but didn't stop the man, Flores said, or that it didn't penetrate his clothing." ...

It's Guns, Not School Size
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"In the spring of 1999, when two male students went on a shooting rampage at Columbine High School ... it didnt take long for politicians, journalists, and advocates of small-school-centered reform to point to the large size of Columbine as a key factor in the tragedy. ..." ...

"In fact, what draws all the school shootings together, and what accounts for all of the gun violence in schools across the country, is that a troubled male youth had access to a gun. Certainly school leaders want to take whatever actions they can to prevent such horrors from occurring, but blaming the organizational structure or size of schools for acts of gun violence creates an expedient scapegoat and avoids targeting the real problem: guns themselves. ..." ...

Richardson backs 'legitimate' gun owners
Submitted by: motoboy

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"Democrat Bill Richardson said Wednesday in Council Bluffs that he supports the Second Amendment rights of gun owners in response to a question about the recent shooting deaths of eight people at nearby Westroads Mall in Omaha." ...

"But the New Mexico governor added that he supports instant background checks to prevent people from buying firearms if they have criminal records or are mentally ill."

"Richardson also remarked, 'I don't think you need an Uzi to go hunting,' referring to an Israeli-designed submachine gun."

"He said he would support the renewal of a federal ban on assault weapons, 'but only if it works.'" ...
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Submitter's Note: Are YOU 'legitimate'?

Richardson on final round of 'Presidential Job Interviews'
Submitted by: New York State Rifle & Pistol Association
Website: http://www.nysrpa.org

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"Democrat Bill Richardson said here Wednesday that he supports the Second Amendment rights of gun owners in responding to a question about the recent shooting deaths of eight people at Crossroads Mall in Omaha."

"The assailant, who killed himself after the Dec. 5 rampage, had stolen a semi-automatic rifle from his stepfather's house."

"'A lot of legitimate people own guns. I don't want to take guns away from them,' Richardson told about 50 people during a campaign appearance at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 737 here."

"But the New Mexico governor added that he supports instant background checks to prevent people from buying firearms if they have criminal pasts or are mentally ill." ...

Gun control control: New act is an improvement
Submitted by: New York State Rifle & Pistol Association
Website: http://www.nysrpa.org

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"A catalyst for change, Aprils Virginia Tech massacre has given rise to the NICS Improvement Act, approved by Congress last week and now on its way to the presidents desk for signing."

"The crux of the matter is that the Virginia Tech gunman, under the Gun Control Act of 1968, should not have been allowed to buy a gun. ..." ...

"The NICS Improvement Act puts money and action where the governments mouth has been for 40 years. It doesnt increase gun control, it just controls it a little better."

"In fact a great part of the act improves on gun control restrictions by providing what amounts to an appeals process for those who believe they have been wrongly denied the ability to purchase firearms. ..." ...

WI: Bill would limit seizing of guns
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"State lawmakers want to clip the power of the governor and local officials to seize people's guns during emergencies, saying that authority could trample the rights of citizens."

"Legislators said they decided to try to curb those powers after seeing New Orleans police officers take guns from people during the recovery from Hurricane Katrina in 2005."

"The Republican-run Assembly passed the bill this month on a bipartisan 84-13 vote, and the Democratic-led Senate is looking at doing the same soon." ...

IL: Gun control proposal foolish
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"I don't mean to startle you enough that you spill your mug of eggnog, but the forces that want you to stop fishing and hunting are at it again."

"As practitioners of hunting and fishing, we face threats to our sports on a constant basis. ... No threat should be taken more seriously than one that restricts our right to bear arms."

"The Cook County Board of Commissioners is the governing body for a region that contains the City of Chicago ..." ...

"The new legislation, if enacted, would eliminate gun shows, ban guns that did not have 'chamber load indicators,' limit the amount of guns that a person could purchase and restrict the areas where gun dealers can be located." ...

OH: Feel-Good Laws Need to be Changed
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Recently we saw two very public shootings."

"The first, in an Omaha mall, ended as these often do these days after taking a number of lives, the shooter took his own life. The police didn't arrive until six minutes after the first shot was fired."

"The mall should have been safe. After all, there were 'No Weapons' signs posted ..."

"The second shooting ended a bit differently. ... By all accounts, he was prepared to take many, many lives there. Once inside the church, things changed dramatically from the Omaha scenario. A legally armed citizen ... engaged the shooter and saved countless lives." ...
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H/t to Ohioans for Concealed Carry.

Sullivan's office criticized again by Judge
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"While Acting ATF Director Michael J. Sullivan aka Maximum Mike has his confirmation as ATF Director on hold right now. In his role as US Attorney of Massachusetts, that he is still holding while his confirmation is pending, Sullivan's office was sharply criticized by a US District Court Judge."

"This is one of the Judges that has criticized Sullivan in the past and at one point threatened to send a US Marshall to pull Sullivan out of a Dentist chair and bring him to court. Then earlier this year filed a complaint against Sullivan's office citing 'extraordinary misconduct by the Department of Justice'." ...

CA: CHP officer charged in drug case, arraignment postponed
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Prosecutors have filed charges against a California Highway Patrol officer accused of stealing more than $1 million worth of cocaine that was in his agency's custody."

"Authorities on Wednesday charged 32-year-old Joshua Blackburn with burglary, possession for sale of cocaine and transportation of cocaine. The drug charges carry an enhancement that alleges the amount of cocaine exceeded 40 kilograms."

"Blackburn, a six-year department veteran, is being held on $4 million bail at the Orange County Jail. Authorities allege he broke into an evidence room at the CHP office in Santa Ana in the pre-dawn hours Friday and took the drugs. He was arrested later that day." ...

FL: Officer charged with molesting teen he was investigating
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"A police officer who was fired from his job three years ago and eventually reinstated was arrested Wednesday for sexually assaulting a teenager he was investigating, authorities said."

"Dwight Toombs was responding to a report that a 15-year-old woman and a 20-year-old man were having intercourse in a vehicle at Kimberly Bergalis Memorial Park on Dec. 18. Toombs, 33, handcuffed the man and the teen and fondled the girl, a complaint affidavit said."

"Toombs has been charged with three felony counts of sexual battery on a person 12 years of age or older by a government agent and three felony counts of lewd and lascivious battery. He was being held at St. Lucie County jail on $900,000 bond." ...

WI: Police defend action after report of gun.
Submitted by: Doug Huffman
Website: http://www.scfirearms.org

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"Madison police scuffled with and then Tasered a 44-year-old man at lunchtime on Christmas Eve in the crowded food court at West Towne Mall. ..."

"Officers were sent to the mall just before 1:30 p.m. looking for a man with a gun ... Officers ... observed a man matching the suspect's description standing in the middle of the food court."

"Police attempted to make contact with the suspect ... According to police, Lemon had his hand in his pocket and began to physically resist. ..." ...

"An additional officer responded, observed the struggle, and deployed his Taser device ..." ...

"'Obviously, with the lack of cooperation and resistance, that causes the officers to escalate to gain control of the situation,' [Sgt] Samson said."