Keep and Bear Arms - Gun Owners Home Page

TN: Will Tennessee GOP Governors Red Flag Proposal Change the Debate?
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

There are no comments on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments

The Volunteer State is the place to watch for the countrys most interesting gun law debate right now.

As gun policy moves forward along preestablished partisan lines in red and blue states, Tennessee is the one place where a policy outside those lines has some chance of passing. Republican Governor Bill Lee, motivated by last months Nashville school shooting, is pushing the Republican-controlled legislature to pass a modified red flag law, which he has relabeled an order of protection law. But, unlike many previous proposals, Lee appears to be working to address common critiques levied against the temporary gun confiscation orders.

SC: SC should join majority of states in passing constitutional carry
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

There are no comments on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments

S.109 and H.3594 would make South Carolina the 27th state to pass a constitutional or permitless carry law. As weve seen in other states that have gone through a similar debate, there has been some alarm-ringing out there about what this legislation does and doesnt do, so lets set the record straight.

First, constitutional carry will not make it easier to acquire a gun. Every firearm purchase from a licensed dealer in South Carolina still will be subject to a federal background check through the FBIs National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

Ed.: If we got NC & SC, that'd put us over 50% of American adults living under CC (at 43% now with FL & NE).

FACT: The AR-15 Isnt a Weapon of War
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

There is 1 comment on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments

As Vice President, Joe Biden once said," you want to keep someone away from your house, just fire the shotgun through the door."

Not the best advice, of course, but Biden has long suggested that a shotgun would be his preferred choice for self-defense.

Biden, who has admitted to owning two shotguns, has also called for a ban on AR-style semi-automatic rifles while describing those firearms as "weapons of war."

In addition to offering what should only be described as responsible advice on the handling of a firearm, President Biden has also made it perfectly clear when discussing gun control that he doesn't know much about history.

We Need to Call Out the Gun Control Liars When They Lie About the Efficacy of Gun Control
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

There are no comments on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments

Lies come in many shapes and sizes. Some are simple exaggerations. Some are absurd falsehoods. Unfortunately, we tend to believe a plain, bold-faced lie if its expressed with enough emotion. Thats the same kind thing keeps viewers watching and clicking so the press is often more interested in outrage than in the truth.

A lie doesnt become the truth no matter how many times its repeated, but the lie may help politicians get re-elected if its repeated often enough and believed by enough likely voters. We need to call out every lie we see even if that means calling some of our respected elected officials liars.

FL: Florida Woman Shoots, Kills Husband Ruled Self-Defense Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
A Washington County woman who fatally shot her husband in January will not face charges, as the incident has been deemed a justifiable use of force. The Washington County Sheriffs Office announced the decision on Facebook, noting that the shooting occurred at a residence near Crystal Lake on Tiger Trail around 3 a.m. on January 3, according to WMBB.

TX: Armed Citizen Stops Four Armed Robbers at Houston Gas Station
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

There are no comments on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments

We read about convenience stores and gas stations being robbed on a regular basis. We also read about young armed men wearing masks and committing robberies. Most business robberies occur between 8 pm and 3 am. Since we didnt know when this particular store in Houston, Texas was going to be robbed, can we still call it news? It is definitely news when an armed customer stops a gang of armed robbers.

IN: Federal Judge Rules Felons Arent Protected by Second Amendment
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

There are no comments on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments

Convicted felons do not have gun rights, according to a new federal ruling.

Judge Holly A. Brady, who President Donald Trump appointed to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana in 2019, denied a request last week to have a felons gun possession charge tossed on constitutional grounds. She found the Second Amendment does not protect Detric L. Cummings, a convicted felon, ability to own a firearm. She further ruled that barring felons from owning guns is consistent with historical gun restrictions.

TX: Woman tells Harris Co. Pct. 4 deputies she shot man in self-defense in Spring area
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

There are no comments on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments

A woman told deputies she shot a man in self-defense in the Spring area overnight.

Harris County Precinct 4 deputy constables responded to Hirschfield Road near Aldine Westfield Road around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.

At the scene, deputies found a man shot in the leg. He was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive.

A woman, who told deputies she shot the man, was questioned overnight. She reportedly claimed the shooting was in self-defense.

IL: Federal judge refuses to block assault weapons ban enforcement
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

There are no comments on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments

A federal judge in Chicago this week denied a request to block enforcement of both state and local bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, saying it is unlikely that the law will be found unconstitutional.

In a 31-page opinion, Judge Lindsay Jenkins in the Northern District of Illinois said the laws are intended to protect public safety by removing particularly dangerous weapons from circulation. She also said that the governments interest in protecting public safety outweighs any harm the laws might have on a persons right to keep and bear arms.

WA: Washington State Passes Assault Weapons Ban And Is Immediately Sued
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

There are no comments on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments

On April 25th, Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed three gun control bills a ban on so-called assault weapons, a requirement for waiting periods and training courses for firearms purchases, and a bill to allow lawsuits against the firearms industry.

Almost immediately, Washington was hit with three lawsuits challenging the ban, initiated by the Firearms Policy Coalition, Second Amendment Foundation, National Rifle Association, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Aero Precision, and others.

ME: RSU 9 discusses clothing supporting the Second Amendment
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

There are no comments on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments

So, a piece of the Constitution is not allowed to be worn on a shirt by a student because somebody has offense to that part of the Constitution? Am I hearing that correctly? Creznic asked.

After a back and forth, it was clarified by Elkington that it is only the depictions of firearms that are not allowed, but the words of the Second Amendment are allowed if they do not share a depiction of a firearm.

MN: House Passed Senates Extreme Anti-Gun Bill
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

There are no comments on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments

Yesterday, the House voted 69-60 to pass Senate file 2909, or the kitchen-sink gun control bill. This bill includes universal background checks and "red flag" gun confiscations, which we strongly oppose. Despite the thousands of messages sent by NRA members and Second Amendment advocates opposing this omnibus bill, the Minnesota Legislature continues to attack the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.

'Times are changing,' more women buying guns for self-defense
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

There are no comments on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments

National data shows that more women are becoming gun owners.

According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, gun sales reached record highs in 2020, and women accounted for 40% of all sales.

Carmen Santana is a first-time gun buyer. She has been practicing at the Mission Ridge Shooting Range and Academy on the Northwest Side of San Antonio.

"It was more toward protection than anything," said Santana.

IL: A Judge Who Understands Firearms
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

There are no comments on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments

The recently-passed Illinois ban on "assault weapons" and magazines has been subjected to several federal and state court challenges. I previously posted about an adverse decision from the Northern District of Illinois, in which the court appeared to have been seriously misled by the state's "experts" about the nature of the banned firearms. Today I'd like to focus on the oral argument on motions for a preliminary injunction that recently took place before a judge whose electrifying questions and comments exhibited superior knowledge about firearms.

Sen. Menendez, Rep. Watson Coleman Renew Bicameral Effort To Outlaw Gun Silencers Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), a founding member of the Senate Gun Violence Prevention Caucus, and Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.-12) today reintroduced the Help Empower Americans to Respond (HEAR) Act bicameral federal gun safety legislation to ban the importation, sale, manufacturing, transfer and possession of gun silencers or suppressors.

CA: People, not guns, are responsible for shootings. Heres why gun rights must be protected.
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

There are no comments on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments

The issue of violent crime lies solely on the individual criminals and not the gun. Gun control advocates, elected Democrats and even some Republican elected officials choose to blame the instrument the killer used: the gun. But its not the gun committing the crime, it is the person holding the gun who is committing the crime.

Our ability to defend against violent crime is under attack more than ever, and those who support the Second Amendment have become the target of peoples misplaced ire instead of being seen as a solution.

Majority of U.S. States Have Stand Your Ground Laws
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

There are no comments on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments

After a series of highly publizised shootings in the U.S., Stand Your Ground laws - also called Shoot First laws - are back in the news. Data by the Giffords Law Center shows that these type of laws are common across U.S. states. They specify that people are allowed to use deadly force if they feel like their life or health is threatened in a public place without needing to try to retreat. According to Giffords, U.S. law largely agrees that this is also the case for private property, for example if a homeowner feels threatened by an intruder.

Homeowner Survives Home Invasion Attempt-Whats Your Home Security Plan?
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

There are no comments on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments

A thoughtful, tactically sound approach to how, when and to whom you open the door to your home is important to a proper home defense strategy. We've seen a variety of incidents that document this principle in different ways.

Below are links to a couple of these types of incidents where homeowners responded to an unexpected late-night knock at the door. The homeowners responded to the knock at the door with a firearm in their hand. In both incidents, the unknown knock came from law enforcement officers. In both incidents, police perceived the armed homeowner as a threat, and shot him.

OH: Gavarones bill protecting Second Amendment rights passed by Ohio Senate
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

There are no comments on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments

State Senator Theresa Gavarone, R-Bowling Green, today announced that the Ohio Senate passed Senate Bill 58, which would prohibit the state or local government from requiring liability insurance or charging fees for the possession of firearms or knives.

Gun-grabbing organizations are going across the country to make it tougher for Americans to exercise their Second Amendment rights, Gavarone said. That wont happen in Ohio while Im here. The bottom line is that our God-given rights, like those in the Bill of Rights, do not and should not come with strings attached to exercise them particularly financial ones.

RI: Second Amendment simply doesnt apply today
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

There are no comments on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments

Few of us would have any problem with citizens owning any number of muskets, flint locks, and front loaders that they want. Clearly the framers had no idea, at all, of what todays firearms would be like.

Thus it is apparent that the amendment, and the Constitution, does not apply to todays firearms situation in this country. The amendment does not preclude those who wish to own, carry, or use certain types of firearms from doing so. The mechanism in our society to do this is through state and federal legislation to define the applicable parameters for doing so. The Second Amendment does not apply to the United States today.

Lawmakers face a great divide when it comes to passing gun legislation
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

There are no comments on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments

Gun legislation is an issue that has been discussed by our local lawmakers both on the state and federal levels. It's often an issue that divides Democrats and Republicans.

"The primary effort on the federal level has been, over the two years I've been in Congress, has been us fighting against the Democrat efforts to restrict Second Amendment rights," said Congressman Bob Good (R-5th District).

Democrats like Senator Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) refute that they're not seeking to ignore the Second Amendment.

MD: Gov. Wes Moore says he plans to sign gun-control bills
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

There are no comments on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments

A person also would not be able to bring a firearm onto someone else's property, unless the owner has either posted a clear and conspicuous sign indicating that it is permissible or has given the person express permission. The provision would not apply to law enforcement officers, correctional officers or members of the military.

Opponents have said the legislation violates the Second Amendment, and they have pledged to challenge the legislation in court.

Mark Pennak, president of Maryland Shall Issue, said he planned a swift challenge to the measure that spells out particular areas where handguns would be banned.

The gun storage debate
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

There are no comments on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments

Pardon my skepticism, but Id like to see a demonstration of that if Ms. Thomas doesnt mind. I sincerely doubt you could open a safe with either a key or a combination in three seconds even if you were standing next to it. And then you would still need to go to where the ammunition is, unlock that, and load the firearm. If you can manage all of that in even one minute you should consider entering the Olympics. And in a home invasion scenario, one minute may be fifty seconds too late.

NV: Anti-Gun Bills Meet Legislative Deadline
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: www.marktaff.com

There are no comments on this story
Post Comments | Read Comments

Tuesday was the deadline for bills to pass from their chamber of origin. Three anti-gun bills have met this deadline and will continue on. Because the Judiciary Committees of both chambers have already held a joint hearing for these bills, they will likely not receive additional policy hearings and instead are eligible for votes when scheduled for a work session.

Assembly Bill 354 bans possessing firearms within 100 feet of polling places and redefines firearm frames and receivers. Under this legislation, a CCW holder could potentially face criminal penalties for simply traversing within an arbitrary distance of a ballot drop box.