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IL: Johnson, Pope counties add concealed carry to ballot
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Two more Southern Illinois counties have included concealed carry advisory referendums on their ballots this Tuesday that proponents say will help convince state lawmakers that laws need to be passed to allow for it.
The effectiveness of those referendums being included on Illinois voting ballots has yet to be seen, says an anti-handgun lobbyist.
Tom Menard, executive director of the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence, said this particular election day that focuses mostly on municipal, township and school board races traditionally shows a low turnout, about 20 percent, and is not an accurate snapshot of populace attitudes and thinking. |
TX: A shot at campus safety?
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Holders of concealed handgun licenses could bring their weapons to college campuses if Rio Grande Valley lawmakers have their way.
A proposal working its way through the state Legislature would lift a ban on handguns on campuses of both private and public institutions.
Proponents of the bill view it as a way to preserve gun owners' rights while promoting safety on campus, arguing that if students or staff on campus had weapons, they would have a better chance defending themselves against a Virginia Tech-style shooting.
Rep. Kino Flores, D-Palmview, one of the bill's co-authors, said he views the measure as a "defensive mechanism" at universities. |
DC: DC attorney general decries gun amendment
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The nation's capital would be more vulnerable to a terrorist attack if the District of Columbia's gun laws were weakened, the city's attorney general said Friday.
Peter Nickles testified before a House subcommittee examining the potential effect of a gun amendment attached to legislation that would give D.C. its first full vote in Congress.
The measure sponsored by Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., would repeal the city's strict gun registration requirements and restrictions on semiautomatic weapons.
"The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, demonstrated something that we have known for some time: government facilities, dignitaries and public servants are prime targets for terrorists," Nickles said. |
TN: Police: Father Shoots Son In Self-Defense
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Metro detectives said on Saturday that a father shot his son in self-defense at a home on Fourteenth Avenue North, near Metro Center.
Police said the son was threatening his father and grandmother with a gun.
The son was in critical condition Saturday night.
Police said they did not believe the father would be charged but that would have to be determined by the district attorney's office. |
MT: Ray Ring on Montana’s House Bill 228, the “Nation’s Boldest Gun-Rights Bill”
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High Country News’ Ray Ring wrote an excellent piece this weekend dissecting the political theatrics around House Bill 228, a major gun-rights bill that is squeaking its way through the Montana Legislature.
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This, Ring writes, poses a very interesting question to the pro-gun rights governor, Brian Schweitzer. From Ring’s piece:
If a bill on the governor’s desk has the “Alaska carry” clause, he would be on the spot—either sign a law that lets people carry guns concealed by their clothing inside city limits WITHOUT A PERMIT, or veto it, thereby taking a stand AGAINST GUNS. |
Stopping 'common citizens' from having guns
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But in addition to that, in each of these two examples those in power in Washington proved willing and eager to abandon that fiduciary responsibility because of what they see as a more important goal.
It's tempting to identify that goal as "getting rid of all the guns." But that would not be accurate. Just ask one of our big-government friends whether they believe DEA agents, BATF agents, even your local cop on the beat should be disarmed.
"What?!" they'll shriek. "The bad guys have them outgunned already!"
Only because of unconstitutional, unenforceable prohibitions, of course. Those who distribute Budweiser and Miller Lite don't have to wield assault rifles, because their trade was re-legalized in 1933. |
PA: Media rushes to judgment in Pittsburgh shooting
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And lest we upset Elizabeth Hays and the rest of her "authorized journalist" colleagues at The Daily News, Obama has indeed indicated a desire to ban an entire classification of popular firearms. This desire has been repeated by Attorney General Eric Holder. And with the help of complicit media lapdogs like Ms. Hays, their allies have been lying through their teeth to come up with justification. So if there is a perception out there that gun bans are on the way, it seems fair to ask who created and perpetuates it.
At this point we know very little about the suspect. Whether his failed "Internet talk show" means he was an activist of sorts remains to be seen. |
WI: Gun owners must be vigilant
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The second amendment is under constant fire these days, now more than ever.
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And with Democrats in control of things, gun owners need to remain vigilant more than ever.
Some things might not be as important to some as others. And if we don't stick together and let legislators know where we stand and that we stand united, the second amendment could eventually be gone.
Take this for example:
Two legislators, state Senator Spencer Coggs, and state Rep. Leon Young, have introduced a proposal to ban all sales of semi-automatic handguns that don't microstamp the ammunition they fire.
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WI: State Supreme Court candidates clash over gun ownership
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Koschnick said he was glad that a Supreme Court majority ignored Abrahamson and overturned Hamdan's conviction. He said voters approved a constitutional amendment that "enshrines" the rights of Wisconsin residents to have guns to protect themselves, to hunt and to use for any other legal purpose.
For gun owners such as Hamdan, the constitutional guarantee "supersedes" Wisconsin's law against carrying concealed weapons, Koschnick said.
The case involved "a guy with a gun, in his own store, who is protecting himself and his own family," he said.
Ed.: Hopefully Wisconsinites will kick this anti-gun judge to the curb. |
AZ: Phoenix police harass photographer under Homeland Security pretense
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"When they're not raiding the homes of bloggers who are critical of them, Phoenix police are harassing photographers, telling them that it is illegal to take pictures of federal buildings, public transportation, stadiums, street lights and banks."
"William J. Nash-McAdam told the Downtown Phoenix Journal that he and a friend were detained by a Phoenix cop last weekend who took their identifications and informed them that they had violated some Homeland Security statute."
"When they asked him to cite the specific statute, the cop told them to 'Google it,' ..."
"Somebody should tell that cop that anybody can go on Google Street View and find a three-dimensional view of almost any building in Phoenix ..." ... |
Gunman Blocks NY center's door, kills 13, self
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"Police heard no gunfire after they arrived but waited for about an hour before entering the building to make sure it was safe for officers. They then spent two hours searching the building."
"They led a number of men out of the building in plastic handcuffs while they tried to sort out the victims from the killer or killers." |
NY: Subway rape victim comes forward after suit tossed against MTA workers who ignored her cry for help
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A young woman brutally raped in a Queens subway station says her heart was broken when a judge threw out her suit against two transit workers who ignored her cries for help.
Speaking for the first time since the ruling, Maria Besedin said she never expected the toll booth clerk and train conductor who witnessed the attack to be heroes and put their own lives in danger.
But, she said, they didn't even call 911, or yell, "Stop!"
Her suit, which also named the Transit Authority as a defendant, charged they did nothing to save her.
The judge ruled the men had no responsibility to intervene and were following work rules. Lawyers for the Transit Authority and the employees argued they had no idea if the rapist was armed. |
PA: Richard Poplawski: Two profiles emerge
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Friends described a Richard Poplawski far different from the 22-year-old man accused of gunning down three police officers today -- a partier sometimes, a guy in search of an understanding of politics, even a walking comedian.
He was also convinced that the government wanted to take away his guns and his freedom.
"I've known this kid my entire life and he was a good kid. He never had bad intentions. He never spoke about harming anybody."
Records indicate that Mr. Poplawski was dishonorably discharged from the corps during basic training. |
NY: ‘America sucks’ said gunman who killed 13
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THE gunman who shot 13 people dead at an immigration centre in upstate New York was a loner who loved guns but believed that “America sucks” and fantasised about assassinating the president.
He took out his rage on those who were still striving for the American dream, oblivious to his own disappointment, before killing himself.
As the wounded and dying fell to the ground, survivors in other classes hid in the boiler room and cowered in cupboards.
The police arrived almost immediately but three hours passed before they secured the building and found Voong’s body with a hunting knife stuffed in the waistband of his trousers.
The two Beretta pistols used for the killings were licensed by the New York state.
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Statement of Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Campaign, on the Pittsburgh Police Officer Murders
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'In Pittsburgh on Saturday, three police officers were murdered, reportedly by an assault-weapon wielding man shooting 'hundreds of shots' who apparently believed the gun lobby propaganda that an 'Obama gun ban' would lead to his 'rights being infringed upon.'
"After each horrific shooting, some leaders in Washington have said the solution is to do nothing, simply continue to enforce the existing laws, just as we have been doing. The gun lobby, meanwhile, calls for weakening our already paltry laws to get more guns to more people in more places. It is time for the gun lobby to stop stoking fear among gun owners with false claims about the government......... |
CT: Firearms Sales Continue to Climb in March
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Firearm sales continued to surge across the country for the fifth straight month, extending a trend that began after the November elections. The increase also follows recent comments by several high-profile members of the Obama administration about re-imposing permanently and expanding the ban on modern sporting rifles.
...background checks on the sale of firearms jumped 29.2 percent in March when compared to March 2008 and were up 27.1 percent for the first quarter of 2009 over the same quarter last year.
The increase follows a 23 percent rise in February, a 28 percent rise in January, a 24 percent rise in December and a 42 percent jump in November, when a record 1,529,635 background checks were performed.
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PA: 3 Police Officers Killed in Pittsburg Shooting
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A police official says a man opened fire on officers responding to a domestic disturbance call in Pittsburgh, killing three of them.
Police spokeswoman Diane Richard says the man who fired at the officers has been arrested. She says at least five officers were wounded, but it's not clear if that includes the slain officers.
One witness reported hearing hundreds of shots.
Tom Moffitt, 51, a city firefighter who lives two blocks away, said he heard about the shooting on his scanner and came to the scene, where he heard "hundreds, just hundreds of shots. And not just once — several times."
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Phoenix police raid home of blogger whose writing is highly critical of them
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"In what should send a frightening chill down the spine of every blogger, writer, journalist and First Amendment advocate in the United States, Phoenix police raided the home of a blogger who has been highly critical of the department."
"Jeff Pataky, who runs Bad Phoenix Cops, said the officers confiscated three computers, routers, modems, hard drives, memory cards and everything necessary to continue blogging."
"The 41-year-old software engineer said they also confiscated numerous personal files and documents relating to a pending lawsuit he has against the department alleging harassment - which he says makes it obvious the raid was an act of retaliation." ... |
How I Became a Domestic Terrorist
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A magisterial “Don’t Tread On Me” flag snakes across the front page of my website, where my seditious work is stored. The Gadsden flag appears on every other page, too. I can’t get enough of “that funky snake,” as my website developer calls the critter. Indeed, this early American symbol represents some of the values I cherish and champion. The Stars and Stripes stands in stark contrast to the “modest motto” the rattler embodies. Beloved of Republicans, especially, the American flag has ceased to symbolize the ideals of individual and national sovereignty, but stands, rather, for arrogance and imperialism, at home and abroad. |
WA: Man bit by Kennewick police dog gets $1.8M
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A man who was mistakenly bit by a Kennewick police dog has received $1.8 million in punitive damages to end a lawsuit.
Ken Rogers of Washougal suffered hearing loss and permanent nerve damage in his left hand after Deke the police dog attacked him in 2003.
At the time Kennewick police were searching for a suspect riding a Moped without a helmet or headlight. The dog followed the wrong scent to Rogers and latched onto him.
Rogers was bit him several times in the struggle, while three officers beat him. Rogers sued the officers, city and county. A jury in 2007 sided with him, and a federal appeals court upheld the decision last year.
One of his lawyers said Friday the family is thankful the case is over. |
PA: Pittsburgh Shooter Kills Three Officers, Reportedly Feared Gun Ban
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A man opened fire on officers during a domestic disturbance call Saturday morning, killing three of them, a police official said. Friends said he feared the Obama administration was poised to ban guns.
Police did not immediately release the gunman's identity, but his friends at the scene described him as a young man who thought the Obama administration would ban guns.
One friend, Edward Perkovic, said the gunman feared "the Obama gun ban that's on the way" and "didn't like our rights being infringed upon." Another longtime friend, Aaron Vire, said he feared that President Obama was going to take away his rights, though he said he "wasn't violently against Obama."
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MI: Social worker tackles gunman at Detroit school
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A social worker at a high school in Detroit is being lauded as a hero after he stopped a 17-year-old boy who allegedly was carrying a sawed-off shotgun and wrestled the boy to the ground.
Social worker Idris Herring, 41, saw the teen rush through a metal detector Thursday at Westside Academy and glimpsed what looked a gun, The Detroit Free Press reported Saturday.
The boy fled after Herring tackled him.
There was no indication whether the shotgun was loaded.
The newspaper said the teen got the gun from a vehicle after having an altercation with a student at the school.
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Australia: Bring out your big guns
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ALMOST 800 illegal firearms have been surrendered during the first month of a three-month amnesty.
NSW Police Minister Tony Kelly said 606 rifles, 49 handguns and 141 shotguns were handed in to police stations across the state since the amnesty began on March 1.
Mr Kelly said that owning a firearm was a privilege, not a right, and it was "about time" all gun owners got that message.
"These figures show that there are almost 5000 previously unregistered firearms which are now known to police, allowing them to better keep track of guns in our community," Mr Kelly said. |
WA: Police: 5 children, father die in murder-suicide
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A father apparently shot to death five of his children, ages 7 to 16, at their mobile home and then killed himself at a casino miles away, police said Saturday.
Ed Troyer, a spokesman for the Pierce County Sheriff, called it a domestic violence situation and a murder-suicide.
Auburn police found the father, dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his car near the Muckleshoot Casino, about 30 miles south of Seattle. Deputies checked the mobile home, which is about 20 miles southeast of the casino, and found four of the children dead in their beds and the fifth in the bathroom. |
MI: Gun sellers see boost with Obama in office
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President Barack Obama is the best thing to happen to American gun and ammunition manufacturers.
Convinced that Obama is going to seek drastic limitations on gun ownership and huge taxes on ammunition, people who view the world through Second Amendment glasses are cleaning out handgun ammunition from the shelves of outdoors stores across America and buying handguns and even some rifles like they're going out of style.
When I asked why he developed a sudden urge to buy a few thousand rounds, he looked at me like I came from Mars.
"I'm stocking up before Obama puts that $100-a-box tax on shells.
Submitter's note: It's very unlikely that any seriously restrictive guns laws would pass a Congress |
The Death of CCW
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In the wake of Barack Obama's election, the gun community has fallen prey to a variety of fears, some of which seem to me to be little less than preposterously paranoid. One fantastic fear is that Obama will try somehow to repeal the concealed-carry revolution by enacting some sort of national CCW ban.
This has inspired me to write a brief history of concealed-carry, within which I shall consider the likelihood of a national concealed-carry ban.
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TX: DPD Cop Involved In Stop Of NFL Player Resigns
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Dallas Police Officer Robert Powell, who delayed NFL player Ryan Moats and his wife from the hospital bedside of a dying relative, has resigned.
Powell handed in his resignation to Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle Wednesday morning. Click here to read it.
Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert calls the decision a good solution to the issue. "What we've seen in the last week or so is not what we want to come out of the city of Dallas," he said.
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