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David Codrea: Just Our Luck
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"With the U.S. Supreme Court set to decide whether the Second Amendment gives law-abiding citizens the right to keep a handgun at home, a convicted felon in New York decided to test his luck." ...

"My argument is that luck really has nothing to do with it--it was inevitable. Those who avoided a Second Amendment challenge all these years because they were waiting for the 'just right' Goldilocks case, or wanted to avoid it altogether because of the risk of losing, practically ensured that the wrong case, with a repulsive central character, would come to the fore. The question couldn't be more basic: would you rather engage with a case you engineered, at a time and place of your choosing--or wait to be blindsided by a train wreck of a case that you have no control or influence over?" ...

Convicted Felon Tests Second Amendment
Submitted by: New York State Rifle & Pistol Association
Website: http://www.nysrpa.org

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"With the U.S. Supreme Court set to decide whether the Second Amendment gives law-abiding citizens the right to keep a handgun at home, a convicted felon in New York decided to test his luck."

"The inmate, Damon Lucky, isn't law-abiding. Nor did the gun he was convicted of possessing stay in his home. Still, Lucky decided to 'see how far we can ride this pony,' his lawyer, Harry Batchelder Jr., said, referring to the federal judiciary's apparent willingness to examine gun control laws critically."

"So this month, Mr. Batchelder, asked a federal judge in Brooklyn to answer 'yes' to a question that makes many staunch gun owners uneasy: Does the Second Amendment give convicted felons the right to carry handguns?" ...

New War on Gun Owners Portends End of All U.S. Liberty
Submitted by: D. Finlayson

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... "By far the most egregious of these legislative measures is S1237, a bill I warned about last spring. Requested by President Bush, S1237 would allow the federal government -- by secret decree and without any pretense of due process -- to permanently deny firearms ownership to anyone it deems politically suspect. ..."

"HR327 ... is one of the hammers to the anvil of H2640/S2084 ... HR327 makes evaluation of one's mental state a prerequisite for obtaining any medical care through the Department of Veterans Affairs." ...

"... Big Lie: the fact 'at the request of' is meaningless. In the VA as in the military, one has no choice but to follow the inevitable orders -- 'you WILL see the shrink' -- even if the result is the loss of one's firearm rights forever." ...

Hunting for 2008 resolutions
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"First and foremost is to resolve to keep an eye on and participate in the political process by supporting candidates who support the outdoor lifestyle. This isn't a political commentary and I won't be naming any names, but you need to know that there are those running for the House, Senate and Presidency, as well as some local and state offices, that don't place as high a value on second amendment rights and multiple-use public land policies as many of us do. For that reason, 2008 is a critical year to resolve to stay informed about such matters and it certainly is not an election year that outdoor enthusiasts should ignore." ...

JPFO: Name the BATFE Mascot!
Submitted by: Red's Trading Post Inc.
Website: http://redstradingpost.blogspot.com/

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"JPFO is inviting you to help us ... Name the BATFE Mascot!"

"That's right, the folks here at Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership have just devised a brand new logo critter for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, a critter much more appropriate than anything that they might have thought up for themselves."

"It's a great big green, fanged monster, out to poison your Second Amendment rights -- and it's going to get you if you don't get it first!"

"At JPFO, our mission is its abolition. But before that can happen, we need to give the big, nasty monster a name. We started out tossing a few ideas around, but in the end, we decided to let you in on the fun." ...

Tighten gun control
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"In 1992, Alfonso Lopez, a student at a Texas school, was arrested for bringing a handgun to school. Alfonso violated the Gun Free Act. This act bans any type of gun that comes anywhere near the 1,000 foot limit around school grounds. Therefore, the Federal Government should push for harder law on gun control."

"Harder laws need to be pushed on gun control for various reasons.

"While most want to reduce the amount of gun control, others believe that this is not necessary. They say that they have the right to bare arms and protect themselves. In Japan, gun control is very strict. According to the Japan weapons laws, no one is to own a firearm or sword and very few excuses are accepted." ...
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H/t to Nicki F.

The Best and Worst of 2007: Law and Order
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Law and order had an interesting year in 2007. No, not the television drama; I mean those developments that made our nation safer and more justand those that didn't." ...

"The Bad"

"Tragically, 2007 was another year of youth shooting sprees, which reached its apex in April with the Virginia Tech massacre. Other school shootings took place in January, September, and October. ... Yet gun control remained all but absent from the political agenda in 2007. This radio silence is likely to change in 2008, as the U.S. Supreme Court announced in November that it will tackle its first gun control case, just in time for the presidential election. Expect controversy over the second amendment to heat back up soon." ...

Is gun control just an implausible dream?
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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... "I submit, though, that those claiming the right to bear arms, either for fun or protection, assume concomitant obligations of responsibility and competence - not unlike those imposed on those who drive automobiles or perform heart transplants."

"This question to those on both sides of the gun control controversy: Why not make training and licensure pre-qualifications for weapon ownership, with really heavy fines and jail sentences for those who don't comply?"

"No law-abiding and well-intentioned citizen should object to such a restriction, given its obvious benefit to society." ...
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Submitter's Note: While we're at it, why not require literacy tests for voters?

NY: Off-Target Submitted by: New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Website: http://www.nysrpa.org	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
"The idea of teenagers in possession of an assault rifle is disturbing enough." "The idea of teenagers running through the streets of Solvay, toting that rifle, is beyond disturbing." "But the idea that it is legal for those teenagers to own the gun, a copycat of an AK-47, but not the chuka sticks police say they found in one of the teen's bedrooms is almost beyond belief." ...

TX: Guard fatally shoots intruder in Dallas business
Submitted by: New York State Rifle & Pistol Association
Website: http://www.nysrpa.org

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"A man who reportedly sneaked into an east Dallas business late Wednesday was fatally shot by a man who was guarding the place ..."

"The shooting was reported at 9:08 p.m. ..."

"The man who was shot did not have an identification with him, but he appeared to be in his mid 40s, said Sgt. Bruce McDonald, a homicide detective."

"A 24-year-old man, who was hired to guard the business, told police that he heard a garage door opening, but the remote-control opener had been stolen in an earlier burglary, McDonald said."

"The guard then confronted the man, McDonald said. The guard said the man approached him in a threatening manner so he shot him with a handgun, McDonald said." ...

FL: Gun-packing man, 65, fights off 5 thugs
Submitted by: Anonymous

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"A Central Florida man who collects cash for parking at a church fought off five armed men who had ambushed him and demanded cash."

"The 65-year-old victim, who did not want to be identified, said he was collecting cash in the Parramore area before an Orlando Magic basketball game when someone put a gun to his head."

"He noticed that that he was surrounded by four other men as well."

"The man said he pretended to reach into his jacket for cash but instead pulled out his hidden gun and opened fire."

"The men fled during the shooting and it was not known if any of them were hit by bullets."

"The victim said he had a permit for the concealed weapon."

"He said he has been a victim of crime before." ...

Hot Huck takes dead aim
Submitted by: New York State Rifle & Pistol Association
Website: http://www.nysrpa.org

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"Republican White House candidate Mike Huckabee yesterday went hunting in Iowa and bagged a pheasant - but it was rival Mitt Romney who was really in his sights."

"Hunting 'is not something we had to go out and get a primer in,' the lifelong outdoorsman Huckabee told reporters in a jab at Romney, who has never been licensed to hunt or owned a gun."

"'It's very much ordinary to me ... I certainly understand the culture of being outdoors.'"

"Gun owners are a key Republican voting group in Iowa, which holds its first-in-the-nation caucuses next Thursday." ...

Bloomberg's Anti-Gun Group Advertises In Iowa, New Hampshire
Submitted by: New York State Rifle & Pistol Association
Website: http://www.nysrpa.org

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"The Bloomberg-funded group Mayors Against Illegal Guns announced today it has taken out newspaper ads in the Des Moines Register and New Hampshire Union Leader to remind the (declared) '08 hopefuls and primary/caucus voters about its crusade against illegal firearms."

"The ad features Bloomberg front-and-center, and highlights questions from the 16-question presidential survey released by the group on Dec. 9, which the candidates have been asked to fill out and return by Jan. 2." ...

Huckabee finds a pheasant way
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"HOW does the Republican frontrunner in Iowa further ingratiate himself with the locals with just a week to go before the first votes are cast in the 2008 presidential election?"

"He gets a dog called Dude and goes out shooting with his buddies, of course. It doesn't matter that it's freezing cold and there's nobody to greet with a big Arkansas howdy. It's about creating that experienced outdoors man look, and reminding all those Iowan evangelicals how much you enjoy their kind of fun."

"And getting yourself photographed with a gun can only help shore up those all-important Second Amendment credentials." ...

Mitt Romney is the right leader for these challenging times
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"In 2002, I was proud to have the endorsement of the Concord Monitor editorial board in my campaign for governor, despite its disagreement with much of my platform. This year, I was disappointed in the Monitor's very personal editorial about Gov. Mitt Romney and his candidacy for president."

"While the Monitor is entitled to its editorial opinion, the personal nature of its attack on Gov. Romney is a radical departure from the standard of civility that most New Hampshire people set for ourselves ..." ...

"Gov. Romney is also a man of deep convictions. He has always stood strong in the defense of traditional marriage, the Second Amendment, fiscal conservative policies and our most basic conservative values. ..." ...

Texas senators push to OK guns in national parks; issue affects Christmas Mountains
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Texas' two senators have signed on to a budding national effort to let visitors to national parks pack heat."

"Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo is leading the charge, calling on the secretary of the interior to overturn rules that prevent people on certain federal land - including most national parks and wildlife refuges - from carrying loaded guns."

"The rules need to change, some say, because restrictions often vary between federal and state land, and travelers might not know whether it is legal for them to carry their guns onto the property." ...

GA: Rep. Tim Bearden pre-files Georgia's "Second Amendment Protection Act of 2008"
Submitted by: Mark McCullough
Website: http://www.commonfolkusingcommonsense.com/

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... "Do you know:"

"Georgia has more places off limits to carrying a firearm than California. In fact, Georgia has more places off limits to carry than any state in the nation. Shocked, surprised, disgusted? Fed up? ..."

"If so, mark your calendar to show your support of the 2nd Amendment Protection Act of 2008 (HB 915). HB 915 ... is the most comprehensive overhaul of Georgia's firearms laws, ever. It removes conflicting, confusing, and overly restrictive laws ... It decriminalizes open carry ... It includes the Car Carry Bill from the 2007 session ... It stops capers like Mayor Bloombergs straw purchasers. ... and it includes the Katrina Bill, barring government confiscation of your firearms during an emergency." ...

WA: Daughter Killed Her Family of Six in Washington
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Six people, likely three generations of a family, were found dead Wednesday at a rural property east of Seattle, and a law enforcement official said police arrested the property owners' daughter and her boyfriend." ...

"... They were likely killed late afternoon or early evening on Christmas Eve, he said." ...

"A call to 911 was made from the house in the early evening on Christmas Eve, but the call broke off after about 10 seconds, [King County sheriff's Sgt. John] Urquhart said. When deputies arrived at the scene, they stopped at a locked gate." [emphasis added]

"'They didn't go past it,' Urquhart said. 'I don't know why yet. That's one of the things we're looking into.'" ...

Montana Senator Jon Tester on ATF Confirmation
Submitted by: Idaho Ordnance
Website: http://www.id-ord.com

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"Here is Montana Senator Jon Tester's letter to a constituent regarding the opposition to Acting ATF Director Michael J. Sullivan's confirmation to Director. ... On Tester's campaign web site he promised Montanans:"

"Jon will stand up to anyone Republican or Democrat who wants to take away Montanans' gun rights."

"Well Senator, from 1994-2005 the number of dealers in Montana have decreased by 67%. Furthermore the ATF raided one Montana businessman's shop, seized his property and have ruined him financially. ..."

"Jon, if you want to stand up to someone then that person is 'Maximum Mike' Sullivan, Sullivan has displayed no effort to curb these abuses and continues this back door attack on our Second Amendment." ...

Police deaths up sharply in 2007, two special interest groups say
Submitted by: motoboy

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"A record number of fatal traffic incidents and a double-digit spike in shooting deaths led to one of the deadliest years for law enforcement officers in more than a decade ..." ...

"The report counted the deaths of 186 officers as of Dec. 26, up from 145 last year. ..."

"Officer fatalities have generally declined since peaking at 277 in 1974 ... Historically, officers have been more likely to be killed in an attack than to die accidentally and shootings outnumbered car crashes. But those trends began to reverse in the late 1990s. This year, about six of every 10 deaths were accidental." ...

"The report includes the deaths of ... five Air Force Office of Special Investigations agents killed in two bombings in Iraq." ...

DE: Nanticoke Sports Club makes its mark
Submitted by: New York State Rifle & Pistol Association
Website: http://www.nysrpa.org

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"Many people may not be familiar with muzzle loading and rifle shooting as a sport. This is where the Seaford-based Nanticoke Sports Club would like to make its mark and attract positive attention."

"This fall, the Nanticoke Sports Club was named a charter club of the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association (NMLRA)."

"'The transition to becoming a charter club will hopefully get more people involved in our club,' said Ray Stevens, chairman of the club's muzzle loading committee. 'Muzzle loading is a dying breed, and we are trying to keep it going.'" ...

NJ: This teen's on target
Submitted by: New York State Rifle & Pistol Association
Website: http://www.nysrpa.org

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"Jonathan Warhol will tell you that he's not a fan of playing basketball, and baseball isn't his forte either."

"But when it comes to skeet shooting, he's right on target."

"The 16-year-old Middletown resident, who is vying for a spot on the Junior Olympic team, said his interest in the sport began at the age of 12 when he went to a shooting range in North Jersey with his father. After trying various types of guns, he hit five targets in a row with a shotgun, and he soon realized that he found his niche."

"'The rifle was fun, but the shotgun was the best,' Warhol recalled." ...

CA: Support the fight for gun-ownership rights
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Kudos to the writers who wrote in defense of the Second Amendment of our United States Constitution. I am so tired of government and others trying to rewrite our Constitution in an effort to take away our freedom to carry a gun and protect ourselves."

"The main reason our forefathers added that amendment was to give us the right to protect ourselves from an overbearing government. Mr. Duncan ('Right to bear arms protects all rights,' Dec. 14 letter) was correct in saying that the only restrictions should be to not let children play with real guns or allow convicted criminals or the insane to possess them." ...

OH: Ohio hunters, anglers spend $1.9 billion
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"When Brian Flechsig began operating Mad River Outfitters in 1994, doubters told him central Ohio wasn't the place to put a fly-fishing shop. The doubters were wrong."

"'I couldn't have picked any place better to be than where I am,' said Flechsig, whose well-stocked store ... today employs 10 and whose Web site gives him an international customer reach. ..." ...

"A national report circulated Wednesday supports Flechsig's judgment."

"Calling Ohio's 1.5 million hunters and anglers 'among the most prominent and influential of all demographic groups,' the report says these outdoor enthusiasts spend more than $1.9 billion a year on hunting and fishing. That dollar outlay puts Ohio ninth among the 50 states." ...
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H/t to Buckeye Firearms Association.

AR: Ex-Hopeful Supports Militiaman's Pardon
Submitted by: Anonymous

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"A former candidate for Arkansas 3rd District congressional seat said Wednesday he is calling on Gov. Mike Beebe and members of the states congressional delegation to support a pardon or commutation for a Washington County man convicted of possessing illegal machine guns."

"Dale Morfey of Fort Smith, who ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2004, said he has e-mailed a letter to Beebe, U.S. Sens. Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor, both D-Ark., and U.S. Rep. John Boozman, R-Ark., calling for Hollis Wayne Fincher to be released from prison." ...

AR: Friend Seeks Clemency For Fincher
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"A Fort Smith man is asking the governor and the states legislative delegation to consider pressing the president for clemency or a pardon for a Fayettville man convicted of possessing machine guns." ...

"'Mr. Fincher is not a subversive, not an enemy of the state, not a violent man, nor is he a threat to any peaceful law-abiding citizen of the State of Arkansas or the United States of America,' according to the letter."

"Morfey argues that Fincher was not allowed to challenge at trial the constitutionality of the statute under which he was charged. He also argues that the sentence given Fincher was excessive, given his age and health, and that he was a nonviolent first offender." ...
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H/t to David Codrea.

TX: Tossing amendments ... (second letter)
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Re: 'A new look at the Second Amendment Keith J. Midgen of Plano: Our malls should be safe from gun violence,' last Thursday Metro."

"Mr. Midgen's solution to curbing violence is to gut the Second Amendment, thus curtailing the right of the people to have guns while simultaneously instituting metal detectors, random security searches and 'part-time undercover police officers' to patrol parking lots at malls."

"First, if Mr. Midgen can pay those part-time officers' salaries, I applaud him for his generosity. Second, metal detectors are fairly easy to beat ..."

"Random security shakedowns? Whoops, guess we need to toss out the Fourth Amendment with the Second." ...

TX: ... out the window (third letter)
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"The primary reason for the Second Amendment is the individual's right to defend his or her life, limb and property."

"But you have forgotten the examples of governments that have confiscated the people's weapons before launching oppressive actions on their own countrymen. Two examples, among many others, are in Hitler's Germany and recent actions in Sudan."

"The malls you cite as examples were 'gun-free zones,' and that didn't work out too well, did it?"

"Existing law already restricts access to firearms for those with verified mental problems or who have already proven they are criminals. Would passing another law make you feel better?" ...

UK: We must get tough on knife crime
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"A SHOCKING number of teenagers this year have been arming themselves with knives and blades to attack other youngsters."

"Murder, manslaughter, robbery and wounding are among crimes committed by people under 19. Weapons used include kitchen knives, razor blades, scissors and broken bottles." ...

"[Deputy Chief Constable] David Warcup, Northumbria Police, said: 'Although there hasn't been a significant increase in knife crime in our area there are still too many incidents involving knives. ...'"

"'Self-defence is not an excuse. Carrying a knife in public means you are one step away from committing a violent crime ...'" [emphasis added] ...

UK: Rules say homes must be safe for robbers
Submitted by: Pastor Guest
Website: http://www.stepstowardthemark.com

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"A woman who suffered a break-in robbery in which she lost some valuable antiques worth 'thousands' has been told she could face a significant liability if she beefs up her home's security, and a returning robber would be injured." ...

"The invaders smashed through a security gate and broke windows in order to get inside ..."

"During their investigation, Rugby police provided her with a crime-fighting booklet that discusses home security."

"But ... when she asked about putting in a new security fence and upgrading its capabilities, she was told the laws on liability meant she risked a police investigation herself if any trespassers hurt themselves climbing it."

"She had wanted to add barbed wire to the fence ..." ...