Keep and Bear Arms - Gun Owners Home Page

Pentagon seeks to bar contractors from carrying guns in Iraq
Submitted by: Anonymous

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"As the insurgency and violence in Iraq intensify, the Department of Defense has proposed a new rule for most of the estimated 70,000 civilian contractors working in the war-torn region: They can't carry guns."

"At the same time, a top Defense Department official this week acknowledged publicly for the first time that the war effort was suffering a 'brain drain' of civilian workers who were fleeing Iraq because they didn't feel safe."

Holocaust survivors share with students
Submitted by: Sean Glazier

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"The morning they came to take her father, they came in a black van and a man put a gun to his head. 'My father didn't say goodbye or anything,' she said. 'They took him away, and we never saw him.' "

"The lessons she said she wanted the students to take away were, 'Don't put too much emphasis on material possessions. Put your mind on other things that will make you happy.' "

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How about "Never give up your dignity, your sense of self-preservation and your means of self-defense."

Demand an apology from GLAAD for anti-gun comments
Submitted by: LFA Editor
Website: http://www.libertyforall.net

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"Gun-grabbing groups like The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs should not be dignified with the label 'anti-violence organizations.' The fact is that gun control *promotes* violence. It deprives peaceful people of the ability to deter and defend themselves against violence. Innumerable statistics bear out the correlation between anti-gun laws and increases in violent crime, as well as the correlation of low crime rates with jurisdictions that uphold the rights of ordinary people to own, keep, and carry firearms. You're asking LGBTQ people who live in dangerous or intolerant areas to rely on the police to protect them? Please!"

Kids and guns
Submitted by: paranoid

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"Most people have a right to own a gun, but it's a privilege that comes with a huge responsibility, and clearly there are too many people who aren't living up to that obligation. In Maryland, it's against the law to keep a loaded gun in a place that is accessible to a youngster. But the law is virtually unenforceable - rarely can police ever witness a violation."

"It's one of the reasons that Maryland's 4-year-old law requiring internal trigger locks in handguns is such a good idea. They are like having child-proof caps on medicine bottles, a last line of defense against misuse."

"At a child's checkup, pediatricians now regularly ask: Is there a gun in the home?"

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Let's review: a basic human right is endemic to the very nature of being human. It is not created by man or granted by him, but exists independently of governments and would be tyrants. The right to life also includes the right to protect that life using the most effective means necessary. It is not a privilege, which is granted by a government or a ruler.

So get your definitions straight before trying to write.

Democrats for guns Submitted by: Sean Glazier	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
"The polls are clear: The outcome of this year's presidential election hinges on the economy and the war in Iraq, not guns. And while most Americans believe that they enjoy the right to carry firearms, they also favor government regulation. Nevertheless, Kerry would be wise to break ranks with his party's liberal base by declaring his enthusiastic support for the Second Amendment."

DESIREE COOPER: Work toward peace this Mother's Day
Submitted by: Sean Glazier

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"We've long since forgotten that Mother's Day was a social movement. But this year, Endolyn Chapman and her daughter Tonisha will hark back to the roots of the holiday and celebrate it on May 9 at the Million Mom March in Washington, D.C."

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Mother's Day should be also about empowering women - giving them the ability to take personal responsibility for their own safety and the safety of their children. Mother's day is not about whining away women's rights and rendering them defenseless and helpless.

Not a shooting, a civics lesson
Submitted by: Sean Glazier

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"The National Rifle Association has started an online news broadcast and is exploring other options to make itself a full-fledged media organization. The tactic is just a way for the pro-gun pressure group to avoid campaign-finance laws. But you've got to admit that it's a stroke of genius."

"And I, for one, welcome the NRA News. Regular news from regular media outlets is so depressing lately."

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Well, the Campaign Finance Reform laws are just a way to give incumbents an edge. So maybe a way is needed to circumvent the Incumbent Protection Program.

Katie Pierson: What feminists want vs. what they hear
Submitted by: Sean Glazier

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NOTE:
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"We recognize that children with guns kill children. Strict gun control measures have lowered the incidences of needless tragedy, and tell our young, black men in particular that they, too, have a bright future."

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That's odd, since the CDC has recently reported that gun control has had no demonstrable effect on incidents of "needless tragedy." Perhaps facts don't matter to these pseudo pheminists.

A real feminist is self-reliant and able to defend herself without depending on others to do it for her. A real feminist is armed.

Brady Campaign Hails Court Decision Upholding D.C. Assault Weapon Liability Law
Submitted by: Sean Glazier

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"By a vote of 3-0, a panel of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals has upheld the District's historic statute allowing D.C. residents victimized by assault weapons to recover damages against the manufacturers of the guns. The Court rejected claims by the gun industry that the statute is unconstitutional under the Commerce and Due Process Clauses of the U.S. Constitution." ...

"The D.C. liability statute imposes strict liability on manufacturers of assault weapons that inflict injury or death in the District of Columbia. In addition, the statute holds manufacturers strictly liable for injuries caused by any firearm that can use a high-capacity ammunition magazine allowing the gun to shoot more than 12 rounds without the need to reload."

VPC: Legally Imported AK-47s Prove Need to Strengthen Assault Weapon Ban
Submitted by: Sean Glazier

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"Yesterday's admission by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) that the agency had issued import permits for a shipment of approximately 7,500 AK-47s and other assault rifles from Romania clearly demonstrates the need to significantly strengthen the federal assault weapons ban as well as the separate set of rules that apply to imported firearms, the Violence Policy Center (VPC) stated today."

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Clearly demonstrates the need? For what? These weapons haven't been used in any crimes. What, exactly, is the problem here?

Scientists Working on Liquid Body Armor
Submitted by: Anonymous

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"Army scientists are working on a liquid body armor for clothing that stays flexible during normal use but can harden to stop a projectile when hit suddenly."

"Researchers hope the liquid could be used in sleeves and pants, areas not protected by ballistic vests because they must stay flexible."

"The liquid, hard particles suspended in a fluid, is soaked into layers of Kevlar, which holds it in place."

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Will it be legal for us civilians to own? Or will it, much like body armor today, be considered "as bad as guns" by some tyrannical police?

ACLU Reveals Secret Suit Over FBI Powers
Submitted by: Anonymous

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"The American Civil Liberties Union disclosed on Wednesday it had secretly sued the government over a provision of the Patriot Act that allows the FBI to demand customer records from businesses without court approval." ...

"At issue is the power the FBI has to execute what is known as a 'National Security Letter,' a form of administrative subpoena used to demand confidential financial records from companies as part of terrorism investigations." ...

" 'The National Security Letter provision allows the FBI to demand the sensitive records of innocent people in complete secrecy, without ever appearing before a federal judge,' said Jameel Jaffer, an ACLU staff attorney."

" 'Before the Patriot Act, the FBI could use this invasive authority only against suspected terrorists and spies,' Jaffer said. 'Now it can issue National Security Letters to obtain information about anyone at all. This should be disturbing to all of us.' "

"The suit argues that the National Security Letter provision violates the constitution because it authorizes the FBI to force disclosure of sensitive information without adequate safeguards."

Biometrics technologies go head-to-hand
Submitted by: Sean Glazier

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"Hand geometry already is being used in border control. It is the biometric feature used in the Immigration and Naturalization Service's INSPASS program, established in 1995." ...

" 'It was the government's first shot at a frequent-travelers program,' Spence said. International travelers undergo a background check, then are enrolled in a hand geometry system. Users can bypass some customs and INS stops by having identity verified with a hand reader."

FBI Increases Internet Monitoring of Hate Groups
Submitted by: Robert Lewis

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The FBI has increased its monitoring of hate groups' Web sites since the conviction of a white supremacist on charges he sought to have a judge murdered, agency officials said."

"Agents also are providing protection to a man mistakenly identified on one Web site as being a witness in the case."

"Federal officials won't tolerate anyone crossing the line from protected free speech to advocating violence in the wake of Matthew Hale's conviction, said Richard K. Ruminski, the FBI's assistant special agent in charge of counterterrorism investigations in Chicago."

"Ruminski said Tuesday that a couple of unnamed Web sites have been of particular concern, with views 'almost threatening in nature.' "

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Let's review YOU Might Be a Terrorist by Brad Edmonds, link:

Heavy Surveillance to Curb Terrorism: Science Fiction or Science Fact?
Submitted by: Sean Glazier

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"For example, 700 cameras now record the license plate of every car that enters central London during peak hours. Germany has adopted a new law authorizing the Government to create a central database with personal information about foreigners, including fingerprints and religious background. In Britain, antiterrorism laws allow a constable to arrest anyone they suspect of being a terrorist without a warrant. Yet the underlying question remains the same: are we any safer because of it?"

Bio-chip featured at government health showcase
Submitted by: Sean Glazier

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Syringe-injectable device 1 of 20 top innovative health technologies chosen by HHS

"A syringe-injectable microchip implant designed to carry medical records and personal identification information underneath the skin of humans is just one of 20 new technologies chosen by the government to be showcased today and Friday at the Healthier U.S. Summit in Baltimore, Md." ...

"Medical and government experts will be making presentations focusing on chronic disease prevention and health promotion. ..."

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What they won't be focusing on is the potential privacy implications of their product.

MO: Missouri tracks scofflaws via pizza-delivery databases
Submitted by: Sean Glazier

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"It's dinnertime, and you're hungry and tired, so you pick up the phone and order your favorite pizza. But you might have just landed yourself a lot more than pepperoni and cheese."

"If you owe fines or fees to the courts, that phone call may have provided the link the state needed to track you down and make you pay."

"That's one of the strategies of firms such as a company being hired by the Missouri Office of State Courts Administrator to handle its fine and debt collections."

AZ: Homeowner shoots, kills intruder
Submitted by: G. Hughes

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"A 63-year-old homeowner fatally shot one of two brothers who were trying to break into his south Phoenix home, police said."

"The man, whose name was not released, heard a living- room window shatter and saw an arm come through the glass Tuesday afternoon at his home in the 1600 block of West Donner Drive, said Sgt. Randy Force, a spokesman for the Phoenix Police Department."

" 'He's fearful, he knows there have been a lot of burglaries in the area,' Force said."

"The man grabbed a handgun and fired at the two men, hitting Ronald Freese, 38."

IA: "I Closed My Eyes and Shot"
Submitted by: Sean Glazier

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"It was mid morning, August 30, 2002."

"Dixie Shanahan sat in the blue chair in her living room, near the front door of her 206 3rd Ave. home in Defiance, pondering her next move."

"She had just taken another beating. She was pregnant. Her husband, was enraged...again they fought about this baby, and whether or not Dixie would get an abortion."

" 'This day is not over yet. I will kill you,' Dixie said her husband, Scott, had told her moments after pointing a gun at her that morning. He said he 'would make sure that I would not have this baby. I'm going to kill this baby. I'm going to kill it..." ...

"...she saw the 16-gauge shotgun Scott had earlier loaded and pointed at her head, lying up against the wall near the phone. She said Scott made a move."

" 'He made a movement,' she said. 'I thought he was coming for the gun. I wasn't going to let him do it.' So Dixie fired, killing her husband of seven years with a shotgun blast to the back of the head as he lay in bed. ..."

"That's what Dixie testified to Tuesday morning in her first-degree murder trial."

IL: DeMar continues fight over village gun ban
Submitted by: Sean Glazier

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"Attorneys for Wilmette resident Hale DeMar are fighting efforts to dismiss a court challenge against the village's ordinance banning handguns, continuing a legal battle which began after DeMar wounded a burglar in his east side home in late December."

"In an April 22 hearing, Cook County Circuit Judge Timothy J. Chambers reviewed a series of pre-trial motions filed by the village and DeMar and continued the matter until May 25."

MI: Intruder's killer: 'I had no choice'
Submitted by: Anonymous

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"She lay on the floor in her house after an intruder had knocked her down while pushing through her side door. While on her back, she drew a 9mm handgun from a holster on her waist."

"Her assailant's glare suddenly changed."

" 'He looked surprised,' Holland said."

"Then she pulled the trigger."

"Holland, a 38-year-old Detroit business owner and mother, remembers firing three shots. Detroit police told her she fired six."

MN: Man says he thwarted attempted hijacking
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft
Website: http://home.comcast.net/~bruce.krafft/

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"David Haagensen drives to work with his gun on the seat next to him, and he says it came in handy one night a few weeks ago."

"Haagensen, attending one of two competing events Wednesday that commemorated the passage of the state's new gun law, said he foiled an attempted carjacking as he was on his way to work the late shift at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis."

" 'I pointed it at his head, because he was trying to open my locked door, and he was pointing a gun at me,' he said. 'He ran away. I drove to work and called the cops.' "

"Minneapolis police confirmed that Haagensen reported the April 9 incident and that they are investigating."

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Funny... this is the first I've read about it...

MN: Conceal-carry law: The sky didn't fall
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft
Website: http://home.comcast.net/~bruce.krafft/

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"When the Legislature passed and the governor signed into law the Minnesota Citizen's Personal Protection Act last year, we sent a strong message that the rights of responsible, law-abiding citizens should be respected."

"We also sent another strong message, one that is consistently overlooked in news reports and by opponents of the Personal Protection Act. That message is that if a person abuses his or her rights, there will be swift and severe consequences." ...

"Time and time again, we have seen that responsible, law abiding citizens are not the problem the problem is violent felons, those who would never even think of applying for a permit to carry, who commit heinous crimes with guns."

MN: Minnesota gun law sparks rallies
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft
Website: http://home.comcast.net/~bruce.krafft/

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"One year after the passage of Minnesota's new handgun law, the deep divisions that remain over it were on display in dueling rallies on the State Capitol steps. As about 200 mostly male gun-rights enthusiasts enjoyed birthday cake on the upper steps and 75 of their largely female opponents gathered a short distance below, the only potshots were verbal."

" 'Personal Protection' is really about selling more guns!' [said] a sign as gun-control advocates wearing T-shirts and buttons of 'Minnesotans Against Being Shot' rallied around a pile of garbage bags marked '17,000 more handguns is nothing to celebrate.' "

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Where are the stories of tragedies and mayhem that they promised would come?

NY: Local NRA banquet draws record crowd 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 message was loud and clear: The National Rifle Association is not going away anytime soon." "More than 760 NRA members and their supporters turned out for the local Friends of NRA annual fund-raiser at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie on Saturday evening."

CO: DIA Security Screener Arrested On Theft Charges
Submitted by: Anonymous

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Do you feel safer yet?

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"A security screener at Denver International Airport has been disciplined for allegedly taking money from a passenger who was going through security Saturday."

"A Denver police spokesman said the passenger was pulled aside in a secondary search in the screening area. A short time later, he noticed that he only had $600 in his wallet, instead of the $1,000 he said he started with."

"The passenger notified a Transportation Security Administration supervisor and police later confronted the employee. Police said the man admitted that he stole $400 from the passenger."

CA: Bill Passed To Educate Teens About Gun Violence
Submitted by: Sean Glazier

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FULL TEXT BELOW:

The Senate approved a Southland legislator's bill Thursday aimed at teaching teenagers about gun violence and ways to prevent it.

SB 1177, by Sen. Jack Scott, D-Pasadena, would require California public high school health education teachers to instruct students about the dangers of guns.

"Gunshot wounds are the second leading cause of death in American teenagers," Scott told his colleagues. "Teenagers rate gun violence as one of their greatest concerns, yet the topic is rarely covered in school curricula."

Only motor vehicle accidents kill more U.S. teenagers. The issue was brought to Scott's attention by the Association of Emergency Physicians.

"We tell our children about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, but we often fail to teach them about how dangerous guns can be," Scott said.

The measure, which passed the Senate on a 21-8 vote, now goes to the Assembly.

KS: Concealed guns bill vetoed
Submitted by: Sean Glazier

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"The Kansas House today failed to override Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' veto of a bill that would have allowed Kansans to carry concealed handguns."

"A sponsor of the bill, Rep. Gary Hayzlett, R-Lakin, urged his colleagues to overturn the veto, which would have required a two-thirds vote, or 84 members in the 150-member House." ..

"But the measure received 77 votes to override and 47 against."

"Sebelius vetoed the bill earlier this month saying it would have been a danger to law enforcement officers who would have had to assume that every person they stopped was armed."

AZ: House OKs guns in bars, eateries Submitted by: G. Hughes	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
"The House approved a bill Wednesday to make it legal to take guns in bars and restaurants if the bearers aren't drinking alcohol and if the establishments don't opt out. Arizona now bans possession of firearms in bars and restaurants that sell alcohol."

UK: Airgun deadline extension urged Submitted by: Sean Glazier	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
"Some 90% of 75,000 airguns targeted by tough new laws remain unaccounted for, a shooting sports group has claimed." "From Friday owners of airguns which can be converted to fire live bullets need to have surrendered the weapons to police or acquired firearms licences."

TX: Ex-officer gets 30 days for stealing from suspect
Submitted by: Anonymous

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FULL TEXT BELOW:

A former Houston police officer was sentenced to 30 days in jail Wednesday after pleading guilty to stealing money from a person he arrested.

Joseph Hubert, 54, was charged in December after internal affairs investigators set up a sting operation in response to complaints about the 18-year veteran.

A person he arrested had $400 cash, but $110 was missing when they got back to the police station, prosecutors said. He pleaded guilty to theft and tampering with a government document, which could have landed him in jail for up to two years.

Hubert worked the overnight shift at the northwest patrol station. He was placed on paid leave after his arrest in December. This week, he resigned from the department.

Congress of Goons
Submitted by: LFA Editor
Website: http://www.libertyforall.net

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"The Liberty Committee includes The Liberty Caucus which is headed by TX Rep Ron Paul, the only sitting (or standing or leaning or just hanging about) member of Congress who ever ran for president on the Libertarian Party ticket. Therefore, wisely or otherwisely, he's the only politician I believe. And he wants me to believe that a coalition of connivers intends to convert our Constitution so that reps get appointed rather than elected in case of a national emergency. The coalition is called COG, which stands for Continuity of Government. COG is a solution to a conjured up catastrophe that will likely never happen..." ...

"This Congress of Goons Committee is backed by heavy-hitting Institutes Brookings and American Enterprise, and funded by Carnegie and the likes of the Hewlett and Packard Foundations. Waitaminnit...."

NC: Proposed bills target meth, guns
Submitted by: G. Hughes

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"A joint legislative committee recommended Wednesday that the General Assembly pass bills to strengthen penalties for firing guns on school property and enact tougher laws for makers of methamphetamines."

"The committee approved a bill Wednesday that would create a higher class of felony for discharging a gun on school property or at a school-sponsored event. The penalty applies when the shooting does not result in serious injury or death."

VA: Parker Gun Initiative
Submitted by: Sean Glazier

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FULL TEXT BELOW:

Gun violence on the streets of Richmond have city officials pleading for people to turn in illegal guns. The police department is accepting illegal guns, no questions asked.

31 people have died on the streets of Richmond this year. In 27 of the cases, the victim was killed with a gun. Police have seized more than 400 illegal guns this year, but they fear many more are out there, just waiting to be used to take an innocent life.

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Yes, allow those criminals to turn in their guns, no questions asked. That way they can never be traced back to the crimes they committed, and they can simply go to another street corner and buy another throwaway gun. Great plan! NOT!

CA: Marjie Lundstrom: As moms march to renew weapons ban, will governor be on board?
Submitted by: Sean Glazier

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"Jane Roth of Napa knows just where she will be on Mother's Day - far away in Washington, D.C., carrying a homemade sign of her murdered son."

"But where will Arnold be?"

"It's an intriguing question as the second Million Mom March approaches, the much-anticipated reprisal May 9 of the 2000 rally in Washington against gun violence."

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Considering that Arnold, the hypocrite, made millions using gun violence in his movies, including scary "assault" weapons, but then confirmed his support for the AW ban, he'd be better off laying low.

LA: Gun control bills face unwelcoming committee (Another report)
Submitted by: Sean Glazier

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"Rep. Cedric Richmond marched into the House Criminal Justice Committee on Monday with an armful of gun-control bills and limped out with all but one dead for the rest of this session."

"Richmond, D-New Orleans, hoped to ban assault weapons, run a background check on anyone buying a gun at a gun show, start a database of bullet 'fingerprints,' register all handguns in the state and increase the penalty for illegally carrying a gun near a parade route."

"Gun-control opponents -- including a National Rifle Association representative and gunshop owners -- turned out in droves to testify against Richmond's bills, and committee members offered little support for him."

NH: Gay Marriage, Gun Control Top Issues Before House
Submitted by: Sean Glazier

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FULL TEXT BELOW:

Spectators could see some fireworks in the New Hampshire House of Representatives Thursday.

The House will consider legislation involving gun control and gay marriage -- two emotionally charged and politically crucial issues this year.

One bill would allow New Hampshire residents to carry a concealed firearm without a permit.

The second bill would make it illegal for the state to recognize same-sex marriages performed out of state.

WI: Police OK with ESPN's shooting in park plan Submitted by: Sean Glazier	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
"Madison police have determined that ESPN's plan for a shooting tournament at a popular South Side dog park is safe." "But residents surrounding Quann Park are getting dog costumes and stereo equipment ready to 'take back the park' if the cable sports network is given permission to fire rifles and shotguns there as part of its televised Great Outdoor Games."

VA: Warrantless searches in the works. Some drug offenders waive right
Submitted by: Anonymous

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"Colonial Heights police will soon begin periodic searches and seizures of some felony drug offenders without a warrant or probable cause."

"Police will perform the searches on offenders who enter into plea agreements that include a waiver of their Fourth Amendment rights for a specific period of time."

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Of course, anyone may waive their 4th Amendment right simply by consenting to a search. Why institutionalize it, unless you're greasing the slippery slope?

VA: Police chief: City's biggest problem is "illegal" guns
Submitted by: Anonymous

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" 'The most significant problem that plagues the city.' He urged grandparents and parents of gun-toting youths to turn in *illegal weapons*."

"I have no delusions that the thugs and savages in this community will turn in their weapons. These are not the people I'm appealing to."

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The biggest problem is violent crime between criminal "associates" and drug gang against gang.

And what makes guns "illegal"? Because "unauthorized people" (i.e., without a badge) have them?

VA: Child shot by felony suspect out on bail; bad gun or bad man?
Submitted by: Anonymous

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A 6-year-old was shot by a suspected felon awaiting trial, in a confrontation between rival drug gangs. But the police chief says "illegal guns" are the worst problem.

At the time of his arrest, Byrd already faced charges of felony hit-and-run driving in an incident in which he was shot and wounded during a confrontation with undercover police officers.

Blame the bad gun? Fine. Blame the car too, then. Anything but the bad man.

Real question: Why was he walking around loose?

FL: Jeb waves the white flag Governor, Legislature surrender on gun-range immunity
Submitted by: Sean Glazier

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"Gov. Jeb Bush talked tough but ended up firing blanks in his threatened showdown with the Legislature over a proposal to shield gun-range owners from environmental lawsuits."

"Early in the legislative session, Bush denounced a muddle-headed bill that would have made it a felony for state or local officials to take gun ranges to court to force cleanups of lead and arsenic."

"The governor vowed to veto any measure that granted immunity to polluters. ..." ...

"After a few weeks of tinkering, the Legislature and the NRA produced a revised version of the bill. Although it's still way off the mark, Bush has said he'll sign it into law."

LA: Panel derails parade-route gun ban (yet another report)
Submitted by: Sean Glazier

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"A House committee approved a bill Wednesday that would make it a crime to give or sell a convicted felon a firearm but balked at measures to ban firearms on and near parade routes and to require background checks of buyers at gun shows."

"The Committee on the Administration of Criminal Justice unanimously approved House Bill 690 by rookie Rep. Austin Badon, D-New Orleans, creating the crime of giving, selling or lending a gun to a convicted felon. The measure now moves to the House floor."

"But facing a packed committee room of gun rights advocates, the panel derailed, by a vote of 8-2, House Bill 147 by Rep. Jeff Arnold, D-Algiers, to set up a 1,000-foot gun-free zone on each side of parade routes. The committee then rejected, by a vote of 5-1, House Bill 245 by Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-New Orleans, to require all gun show customers to undergo background checks. The bill would have closed a loophole in federal law that requires checks before a gun is sold by a licensed dealer but not when sold to unlicensed purchasers."

UK: Gun crime: Has anything changed?
Submitted by: Sean Glazier

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"The gun amnesty didn't bring in the weapons which needed to come off the streets - and there were still killings in 2003. But it started people talking. The Home Office put money into a new black-community led charity, the Disarm Trust."

"And among the community workers, politicians and families of victims who gathered at the House of Commons to mark the body's first anniversary, there is hope the tide can be turned."

MA: Lawmakers Mull State Assault Weapons Ban
Submitted by: Sean Glazier

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FULL TEXT BELOW:

The Massachusetts Senate is weighing whether to extend the state's assault weapons ban in case a federal ban ends later this year.

It appears unlikely that the federal ban will be renewed. That means the gun industry would be able to resume making, importing and selling military-style semiautomatic weapons that were outlawed a decade ago.

Anti-gun advocates say they want to clarify the state law to make sure Massachusetts' assault weapon ban stays in effect.

Critics say the law is written too broadly and denies firearms licenses to people convicted of relatively minor crimes early in their lives.

NY: Remarks by Speaker Sheldon Silver at New Yorkers Against Gun Violence Press Conference
Submitted by: New York State Rifle & Pistol Association
Website: http://www.nysrpa.org

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"How many more?"

"How many more, Governor?"

"How many more, Senate Majority Leader?"

"How many more silhouettes do you need?"

"How many more empty shoes must you see?"

"How many more children, how many more New Yorkers must be gunned down before this government takes all of the sensible steps to reduce and prevent gun violence?"

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Yes, New York. How many more defenseless prey are you going to subject to armed thugs? How many more people are you going to prosecute for merely defending their own lives - something that your armed police are apparently incapable of doing? How many more will be disarmed and victimized?

OH: Park flasher problem highlights needs for armed self-protection in parks Submitted by: Sean Glazier	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
"To hear the gun ban extremists tell it, there is no need for self-defense in parks, and those who make preparations to defend themselves in case they do, are 'buying into a culture of fear.' Notice how this news outlet suggests that having a cell phone can make you safer, but says nothing of Ohio's new concealed handgun license law."

MO: No gun permits in Clay County Submitted by: Sean Glazier	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
"Clay County Sheriff Paul Vescovo, in conjunction with a recent statement from the Attorney General's office, will, along with the majority of Sheriffs in Missouri, continue not accepting concealed carry permits until the legislature fixes the problems with the statute as identified by the Missouri Supreme Court."

NH: Another View: Change to concealed carry law will make NH safer
Submitted by: Sean Glazier

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"The only important change will be how quickly law-abiding citizens can obtain a gun for self defense. Right now it takes up to 14 days to get a permit. People who are threatened and who wouldnt otherwise have carried because they didnt want to break the law by carrying without a permit will be able to carry a gun without having to wait."

"New Hampshires citizens do not have to look very far to see what happens if you liberalize the requirements. Since 1903 Vermont has had the same rules being proposed for New Hampshire."

"While some have painted Vermont as a dangerous place, violent crime is as low or lower than in New Hampshire. ..."

MN: Sculpture Made of Melted Guns Gets Tarnished Return
Submitted by: Keith Russell

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FULL TEXT BELOW:

The return of a sculpture made from melted handguns to Hennepin County has been tarnished.

The day before the sculpture called "Phoenix Rising" was to return to public display, county officials say part of it has been stolen.

The artwork includes steel from handguns that were melted down after being bought during Hennepin County's "Drop Your Guns" program in 1992.

After three years in storage, the sculpture was supposed to be erected outside the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis last week.

But the day before, workers at a St. Paul metal-fabricating shop discovered that the sculpture's 480-pound aluminum base was stolen from the shop's yard.

The theft has postponed the county's attempt to put the sculpture back on public display. It was removed from the Government Center during remodeling in 2000.

IL: More than 100 Guns Seized
Submitted by: Keith Russell

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"Police finally have some answers to a case they've been working on for more than three years now; stolen guns and dozens of them. The Pemiscot County Sheriff says investigators found more than 100 guns and other stolen items." ...

"They're all believed to have been taken during burglaries across Southeast Missouri, Northwest Tennessee, and Northeast Arkansas. 'They have not been identified as to what burglary they came from,' Greenwell says, adding that investigators are trying to track down four other people, they suspect make up the rest of the ring."

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It took police that long to solve the crime! And in Illinois they expect you to depend on them to protect your life when it's on the line, instead of taking responsibility for your own safety and blowing your assailant away.

And if you ever wonder why NICS background checks do nothing to prevent crime, here is a prime example of why.

RI: Guns, money stolen from city councilor
Submitted by: Keith Russell

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NOTE:
Use the following information to access this article:
Site username: Newslinks@KeepAndBearArms.com
Site password: Newslinks
Must have cookies turned on for it to work.

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"The police are investigating the break-in of a city councilman's home Monday night, where guns, money, and personal papers were stolen."

"In an odd twist, the break-in occurred while the homeowner, Ward 8 Councilman Ronald W. Allen, was attending a City Council meeting dealing with the police chief's contract." ...

"Three firearms, including a .22-caliber that belonged to his late uncle and a .380 and 9mm that Allen said he'd bought years ago for personal protection, were stolen. The thief also took jewelry, a Providence Bruins championship ring, a passport, and a safe containing $6,000 cash that Allen said he'd set aside for a real-estate transaction this week."

WA: Pay Back Taxpayer Funds and Apologize Says Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms
Submitted by: Keith Russell

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" 'On behalf of the hundreds of members of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms residing in Seattle, we demand the city be reimbursed for this misuse of taxpayer funds to promote misinformation in an effort to mislead the public about this important issue,' said Alan Gottlieb, chairman of the Committee."

"On Tuesday, April 27th, the Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, City Attorney Tom Carr, along Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske, along with state legislators and representatives of two special interest gun control advocacy organizations conducted a press conference calling for renewal of the 1994 federal 'ban' on certain semi-automatic firearms. The so-called 'ban,' actually a freeze on future production, is set to expire on Sept. 13, 2004."

" 'In these times of significant budget shortfalls and shrinking revenues, does the City of Seattle have the time and resources to promote the agenda of extremist special interests,' asked Gottlieb? 'Site preparation, staff time, publication of their press release, and loss of productive time on the part of Nickels, Carr and Kerlikowske cost the taxpayers of Seattle real money. No matter what position you take on gun control, all citizens should be incensed at this abuse of the taxpayers' trust. It's no wonder the people's faith in our political institutions is eroding.' "

MA: Senate weighs extension of state's assault weapons ban
Submitted by: Anonymous

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"A bill up for debate on Beacon Hill would bar gun dealers in Massachusetts from selling or importing military style semi-automatic weapons even if a similar federal ban is lifted later this year."

"Backers say the state's existing assault weapons ban needs to be strengthened to make it clear that the state prohibition will remain intact even if Congress fails to renew a federal ban before a September deadline."

'" 'These are killing machines and there is absolutely no need for killing machines in a civil society,' said John Rosenthal, chairman of Stop Handgun Violence."

"Critics say the law is too broad and denies firearms licenses to people convicted of relatively minor crimes early in their lives."

New Zealand: Duck Shooters Told Lay Down Your Arms
Submitted by: Sean Glazier

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"Duck shooters will be told to lay down their arms by anti-duck shooting campaigners on the opening of New Zealandšs 2004 duck-killing season on the first of May."

" 'Lake Ellesmere will resonate to the sounds of war combined with messages of peace and non violence blasted at duck shooters through a massive amplified 1500 watt sound system,' says Hans Kriek, Campaign Director for SAFE, New Zealandšs largest and oldest animal rights organisation."