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Sandy Froman: Gun rights and homeschooling parallels
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Two things that those on the far left who support big government cannot abide by are private gun ownership and homeschooling and largely for the same reason."

"... perhaps some people might roll their eyes and say former NRA presidents must feel an uncontrollable urge to think everything should somehow equate to supporting gun rights."

"But it's a fair statement to say those on the liberal end of the spectrum oppose both gun ownership and homeschooling for the same reason:"

"There are core values in common between gun ownership and homeschooling. ... those who think big government is the solution to every problem cannot accept it."

"They both tend to lessen your dependence on government." ...

Dave Workman: Gun-free zones are fatal mistakes
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Reacting to questions from reporters about how to prevent future outrages like the murders ... at Virginia Tech ... Texas Gov. Rick Perry dispelled any notion that common sense has been eradicated by political correctness in the United States."

"Perry's sensible solution: Allow legally armed citizens to carry their defensive firearms anywhere -- schools, restaurants, churches. Perry correctly asserted that so long as such areas are legislated as 'gun-free zones,' killers who don't care about the law will enjoy risk-free opportunities in which good people cannot fight back."

"Perry's remarks were in stark contrast to comments made in Oklahoma recently by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. ..." ...

If Ohio Were Like Kentucky (BFA)
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Ohio concealed carry license holders are still celebrating the passage of HB347 and the improvements it made to Ohios concealed carry law. In the last few years, we have been slowly taking back our Second Amendment rights. A recent trip to Kentucky reminded us how far behind we are. Kentucky is a decade ahead of Ohio with firearms reform. We have joked about how some of our legal and safe actions were considered felonies in Ohio. Of course its no joke to those who have been charged with felonies for an innocent misunderstanding." ...

Mexico's gun laws are as draconian as they are ineffective
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"'The inhabitants of the United...States are entitled to have arms of any kind in their possession for their protection and legitimate defense, except such as are expressly forbidden by law, or which the nation may reserve for the exclusive use of the army, navy or national guard; but they may not carry arms within inhabited places without complying with police regulations.'"

"Does that proclamation sound plausible? ... Most people would take that to mean that they could legally own a gun, particularly for self-defense purposes. But they'd be wrong. Completed, the first line of the aforementioned clause actually reads 'The inhabitants of the United Mexican States' The statement is Article 10 of the Mexican Constitution." ...

Climate change, 'gun-free zones' are fair targets
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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... "Now let's turn to gun control laws. What do Virginia Tech's 32 murders, Columbine High School's 13 murders, Jonesboro Westside Middle School's five murders, Germany's Gutenberg High School's 16 murders, the murder of 14 legislators in Zug, Switzerland, and the murder of eight city council members in a Paris suburb all have in common? Answer: All the murders were committed in 'gun-free zones.' So a reasonable question is: Does legislation creating gun-free zones prevent murder and mayhem?"

"In 1970, Israel adopted a policy to arm teachers and parents serving as school aids with semiautomatic weapons. Attacks by gunmen at Israeli schools have ceased. ..." ...

Gun culture and an old rule
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Gunfire and blood at Virginia Tech have again raised a hot debate on arms control in the United States. Congress is believed to be considering passing a bill limiting arms ownership by people with a recognized mental illness[sic]. The bill discussed suggests states be given funds to improve their capacity to do background checks on gun buyers, and to establish a federal information bank in which details of people with a known mental illness are stored. Under the shadow of the biggest campus slaughter, some believe it will be possible to pull the bill through." ...

Ready, Aim, Raffle
Submitted by: RPA-PAC
Website: http://www.rpa-pac.org

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"The Virginia Citizens Defense League, a trigger-happy group that regards the National Rifle Association as slightly spineless on gun rights, will hold a raffle tonight in a Fairfax County government building. The door prizes include a hunting rifle, a semiautomatic handgun and ammunition -- more than $2,000 in merchandise in all. The league's goal is to assist Virginia firearms dealers alleged to have skirted the state's already lax laws on gun purchases. So, a month after a deranged gunman killed 32 people at Virginia Tech, a Virginia group is coddling scofflaw gun dealers in the same state." ...

Brady Center Lawyers Launch 'Rolling Critique' of Ruling on D.C. Gun Laws
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Today the Legal Action Project of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence is launching a multi-part online critique of the D.C. Circuit's recent Parker opinion, the only federal appeals court decision in American history to strike down a gun law as a violation of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution."

"The critique, 'Second Amendment Fantasy: The D.C. Circuit's Opinion In The Parker Case,' exposes the court's opinion as contrary to binding Supreme Court precedent, and rife with distortions and misconstructions of authority. 'Second Amendment Fantasy' will provide an authoritative, detailed analysis of the court's decision, and the meaning of the Second Amendment. ..." ...

Second Amendment Fantasy:The D.C. Circuits Opinion In The Parker Case [Introduction] (.pdf)
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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... "The majority opinion in Parker is a tangled web of inconsistency, flawed reasoning, distortion of binding precedent, and misunderstood historical materials, all in service to the courts single-minded determination to rewrite the Second Amendment. The Legal Action Project of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence ... has closely analyzed the multiple flaws in this history-making judicial opinion. They are presented here as ... a series of essays presented over the course of several months, each of which will address a separate aspect of Judge Silbermans opinion. We hope that Second Amendment Fantasy will stimulate, and enlighten, the public debate over the merits of the Parker opinion and the meaning of the Second Amendment." ...

Mangling Miller: How The Parker Opinion Distorted And Defied Supreme Court Precedent (.pdf)
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"The 2-1 panel decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in Parker v. District of Columbia1 made errors of history, errors of law, and errors of logic. But perhaps no error was more fundamental, and troubling, than the courts misinterpretation and disregard of the Supreme Courts decision in United States v. Miller, 307 U.S. 174 (1939)." ...

"... Despite the clear instruction of the Supreme Court that the entire Second Amendment must be 'interpreted and applied' according to its 'obvious purpose' to assure the effectiveness of militia forces, the Parker majority found that the Amendment protects activities that have nothing whatsoever to do with the militia. ..." ...

AL: Bessemer bank customer praised for helping halt gunman
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Law officers have praised a bank customer who pulled his gun and helped deputies capture a gunman who opened fire during a robbery of a Wachovia branch, killing two tellers and wounding two."

"Chris Chappell, who was in the bank Monday morning getting $40 in change on the way to his job in Adger, fled the bank when gunshots rang out, drew a gun for which he has a concealed weapon permit, took cover by his sport utility vehicle and alerted deputies who came up." ...

"'It's certainly commendable,' Jefferson County Sheriff's Sgt. Randy Christian said. 'It's obvious he played a key role in keeping the guy there until we could get there. It's a great testament of someone willing to take action.'" ...

Canada: Worker protection wanted
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"The beating of a Halifax gas station clerk early Sunday morning has prompted the clerks cousin to call for safety changes, including legislation to prevent store staff from working alone overnight." ...

"His cousin Wendy ... met Wednesday with her local MLA, Percy Paris."

"'I really feel that there should be two people on at all times after hours, but what I'm pushing for is I think they need to have a panic button for the neck like the Lifeline (medical alarm),' Wendy said. 'Even if youre knocked out or stabbed or shot, you still have usually a couple of minutes where you can press that button, the police come right away and they have a better chance of apprehending the suspect because everything works so quickly.'" ...
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Submitter's Note: Whatever happened to the concept of self-defense?

SC: Answer: More Guns in Schools
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"As State and Federal legislators, schools officials and parents struggle to respond to concerns with school safety ... South Carolina is offering their own unique brand of problem solving; put more guns in schools."

"Alarming as this must sound to most of us, on Wednesday in South Carolina a House Subcommittee approved a measure that would allow concealed weapons permit holders to carry guns on school campuses. The bill is not expected to pass, but on the off chance that it did [permit holders] could conceal a handgun while on the campus of your childs college or elementary school. Said South Carolinians would be subject to criminal and mental health background checks, and we all know how reliable they are." ...

Annie, Get Your Barrel Shroud
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"The crusade to ban 'assault weapons' is back - and bigger than before."

"... More than just picking up were the expired ban left off, McCarthys bill is much more ambitious. While the first version only singled out 16 specific firearms, HR1022 names 65. More indirectly, though, it covers perhaps hundreds more."

"For starters, HR1022 would ban: a semiautomatic rifle or shotgun originally designed for military or law enforcement use, or a firearm based on the design of such a firearm, that is not particularly suitable for sporting purposes, as determined by the Attorney General."

"With this language, McCarthy and her supporters know that all they need is a sympathetic administration and they are off to the races. ..." ...

MO: Blunt To Sign Controversial Gun Bill Into Law
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"It is Mo. Senate bill number 62 and it would also change state law when it comes to gun background checks."

"Just after noon on Wednesday Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt (R) issued the following statement on the General Assembly's passage of the bill:"

"'This important legislation ensures law-abiding Missourians will not be punished when they use force to defend themselves and their families in their own home or vehicle.'"

"'It protects Missourians when they defend themselves from attack. ...'"

"The measure, still yet to be signed by Blunt, would allow people who use deadly force against someone who illegally enters their home, car or other dwelling to not be prosecuted or sued for their actions." ...

VA: Defending Cuccinelli
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"I would like to say how disappointed I was in reading your article 'Targeting Change?' [Connection, May 10-16, 2007]. While the article started out well and presented a balanced look at the issue of gun control here in the Commonwealth, I was extremely upset by the fact that the end of the article turned into a political attack on Sen. Ken Cuccinelli (R-37). ..." ...

"The senator's ardent support of our Second Amendment rights, his dedication to cutting government waste and taxes, his dedication to fixing our transportation problems and his constant support and defense of personal property rights here in the Commonwealth make a strong case for re-electing Cuccinelli. ..."

DC: To Appeal or Not to Appeal...
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Mayor Adrian Fenty has had a pretty easy run so far. ... But the recent ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District Circuit deeming the city's restrictive gun laws unconstitutional has dumped a load of pressure and expectations on Fenty -- both locally and nationally."

"As the Post reported this morning, Fenty's options aren't as easy as one would think. On the one hand, he could appeal the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, setting up the first battle royale over the Second Amendment since 1939. On the other, he could let the Court of Appeals decision stand and start loosening up the city's gun laws. If he appeals, he stands to lose, and lose big. ..." ...

TN: Bill to allow handguns in state parks advances
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"The Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday advanced a proposal to allow people with handgun permits to carry their guns in state parks."

"The Senate committee did not adopt changes made in the House that would allow guns to be carried anywhere not prohibited by federal law."

"Sen. Tim Burchett, R-Knoxville, the bill's main sponsor, said the House amendments were brought to try to kill the bill."

"Senate Democratic Leader Jim Kyle of Memphis said that it remains for the sponsors to explain why they think it's reasonable for guns to be carried in state parks, but not city parks or elsewhere." ...

VA: Is Enough Being Done?
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"The Connection asked General Assembly candidates in contested races to respond to the following survey concerning gun control in the aftermath of the Virginia Tech shootings."

"What legislation, if any, do you think the General Assembly should review as a result of the Virginia Tech shootings?"

"Sen. Ken Cuccinelli (R-37), Incumbent: Since I arrived in the State Senate five years ago, I have been advocating for, and submitting bills to allow easier commitment of those that are mentally ill. ... I believe the General Assembly will now take a much more serious look at moving forward on these types of legislation." ...

CA: San Francisco Proposes New Gun Control Measures
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom hailed new proposed city gun legislation, and he did it Wednesday from the neighborhood most plagued by gun violence." ...

"One part of the measure outlaws the possession or sale of guns on any city-owned property, expanding the current ban from buildings like City Hall and schools to include outdoor locations like city parks." ...

"Another aspect would require all gun owners to store their guns disabled with a trigger lock or placed in a locked-box. ..." ...

"'Just because you legally possess a gun in the sanctity of your locked home doesn't mean that we're not going to walk into that home and check to see if you're being responsible ...' [District Attorney Kamala] Harris said." ...

ME: Hearing draws backers of gun-access limits
Submitted by: RPA-PAC
Website: http://www.rpa-pac.org

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"A month to the day after the shootings at Virginia Tech left 33 people dead, Maine lawmakers heard testimony on a bill Wednesday that supporters said could play a vital role in preventing similar scenes from playing out closer to home."

"Assistant House Majority Leader Sean Faircloth's bill seeks to close a loophole that enables someone who has been certified as mentally ill to buy guns. About half of the states have similar gaps in their laws."

"Faircloth said he agrees with the National Rifle Association on the need to address the matter, but at the same time, he does not want his proposal to stigmatize people who have mental illnesses."

"'The focus is extremely narrow,' Faircloth told the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee." ...

NJ: Gusciora/Stender/Diegan seek gun data access
Submitted by: RPA-PAC
Website: http://www.rpa-pac.org

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"Assembly members Reed Gusciora, Linda Stender, and Patrick Diegnan today announced the introduction of legislation seeking congressional authorization for state and local law enforcement agencies to access federal firearms tracing data."

"The measure (AR-261) urges the U.S. Congress to pass a federal law so state and local law enforcement personnel could utilize gun information that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) compiles and maintains as a firearm is manufactured and works its way through the commercial chain of distribution." ...
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KABA Note: According to the ATF, law enforcement agencies already have access to that information when they are conducting a criminal investigation.

MD: Street lockdowns proposed for Baltimore
Submitted by: Anonymous

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"A city council leader ... wants to give the mayor the power to put troubled neighborhoods under virtual lockdown."

"'Desperate measures are needed when we're in desperate situations,' City Council Vice President Robert W. Curran told The (Baltimore) Sun. ...

"Under Curran's plan, the mayor could declare 'public safety act zones,' which would allow police to close liquor stores and bars, limit the number of people on city sidewalks, and halt traffic during two-week intervals."

"Police would be encouraged to aggressively stop and frisk individuals in those zones to search for weapons and drugs." ...

"We have to make sure we're not declaring martial law," [Councilman Keiffer J. Mitchell Jr.] said." ...

MD: O'Malley Vetoes Bills on Handgun Sales, Parole Rules
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley vetoed two crime bills yesterday, one that would have made twice-convicted drug dealers eligible for parole and another that would have allowed police to sell used handguns back to manufacturers." ...

"The governor said he feared that the gun bill, which passed the Democrat-led Senate and House of Delegates unanimously, would put more weapons on the street. Under current law, police must destroy the guns, transfer them to other agencies or sell them to a current or retired officer."

"'Marylanders are all too familiar with the tragic effects of gun crimes,' O'Malley said in his veto message to legislative leaders." ...

DC: Gun Ban Ruling Puts Fenty on the Spot
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty must make a risky choice about the District's gun ban: defend it before the Supreme Court or write new, looser laws governing how city residents can keep guns in their homes."

"As he wades into a high-stakes debate over the Second Amendment, the new mayor of the nation's capital faces the possibility that the city could lose the case and undercut decades of hard-fought gun-control legislation across the country." ...

NY: Gun Advocates and Legislators Set Sights on New Battles in Albany
Submitted by: RPA-PAC
Website: http://www.rpa-pac.org

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"New York lawmakers were deep in the fight against illegal firearms and gun violence long before Cho Seung-Hui sparked a new national debate on gun laws by shooting 32 people at Virginia Tech in April."

Looking to build on Mayor Michael Bloombergs (R) nationwide push to rid the streets of illegal guns, State Sen. Eric Schneiderman (D-Manhattan/Bronx) is gathering a coalition in Albany committed to passing a series of gun restrictions."

"'People in New York City do not get the power of the National Rifle Association (NRA) in our state,' Schneiderman said. He and his allies know they will eventually find themselves up against New York's powerful gun rights lobby." ...

OH: Former officer gets probation for inappropriate touching
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"A former Greene County Sheriff's Office lieutenant was ordered Wednesday to serve 100 hours of community service and pay a $500 fine for kissing and touching a female inmate's breast in the county jail."

"During a hearing ... appointed Judge David A. Gowdown declined to sentence Francis A. 'Tip' Link Jr. ... to any jail time for sexual imposition and dereliction of duty ..." ...

Link, who also assisted the drug task force and provided training in special tactics and anti-terrorism ... was indicted on sexual battery, a third-degree felony, like former Montgomery and Warren County Sheriff's Office employees charged in two other cases involving jail officials engaging in sexual conduct with inmates last year." ...

VA: Shooting range on target
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Business is booming for Springfield's Gilbert Small Arms Range Inc."

"Why is that?"

"First, said range manager, Ernie Lyles, people in Northern Virginia own guns, especially a surplus of law enforcement officers from various departments and organizations who need practice."

"Second, Gilbert's competition ... burned down six weeks ago. Prince William County Fire and Rescue officials said the fire began at a rubber backstop, from a target shooter's round."

"Lyles could not produce hard figures to prove that his membership had increased since then. However, he said, it was natural to assume that those former customers of Shooters Paradise, while their trigger fingers twitched yearningly, would naturally choose his range." ...

LA: Three arrested in raid on Jefferson gun store
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Federal agents this morning raided Elliot's Gun Shop in Old Jefferson, one of the busiest gun dealers in Louisiana, confiscating all its firearms, ammunition and business records and seizing the property." ...

"The charges against the store workers involve a mix of firearms violations and identify theft related to police purchases of guns."

"Police officers receive a manufacturer's discount when buying guns. Yet the store was not only getting manufacturer discounts to sell to police but also using the police customer credentials to buy extra firearms at wholesale for its regular stock, then selling those guns at regular prices to the general public, federal authorities said." ...

GA: Lets help law enforcement, not hinder them
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"An open letter to those who support weak gun laws:"

"If there is one that is, a militia in the United States in existence, then I agree with you who support weak gun laws, and the militia is surely bigger than I ever thought. But, there is no militia! I am not confused between the non-existent militia, and the National Guard. And, Im more than willing to debate this issue with anyone."

"However, I fear that any pro-NRA argument will consist of rhetoric and hyperbole, rather than substantial facts, since no official arm of any part of the government of the United States of America does, or ever has, recognized a 'Well regulated militia,' comprised of its citizens." ...
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Submitter's Note: How about US Code, Title 10, Chapter 13, Section 311 Militia: composition and classes?

MI: Flint police to drive to Lapeer for shooting practice
Submitted by: Michigan Gun Owners
Website: http://www.migunowners.org

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"A long-simmering debate that shut the department's shooting range at Bishop Airport two years ago has forced the city to find a temporary home at the Thumb Correctional Facility in Lapeer." ...

"The Bishop Airport Authority shut down the city's police firing range a month after a Federal Aviation Administration employee claimed a bullet whizzed past his shoulder as he worked on a runway in October 2005."

"The range, on airport property off S. Linden Road, had been used by 12 police agencies but will remain off limits until the airport authority gets proof that it is safe." ...

CA: Stop the Smoking Gun
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"While no one can predict the future, I can't help but wonder if our country could have prevented the 'deadliest massacre in U.S history.'" ...

"I support the Democratic party's solution to America's gun control problem: Require a photo license I.D, a background check, and a gun safety test to buy a handgun. Also, a child safety lock should be mandatory on all handguns."

"This would negate the 'gun show loophole,' which allows prospective gun buyers to purchase guns from unlicensed sellers who are not required to perform background checks. Democrats strongly oppose these underhanded dealings and advise a stop to this legislative breach. ..." ...

UT: Gun buys, permits too easy?
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"At least two people who are blind have been granted concealed weapons permits in the state of Utah."

"The Utah Department of Public Safety's Bureau of Criminal Identification said it issued the permits because legally it can't discriminate."

"'Right now, there is no provision in the state statute that says a blind person cannot have a state firearms permit,' DPS spokesman Jeff Nigbur said Wednesday." ...

"The controversy flared up after a North Dakota man challenged a decision by a Minnesota sheriff and a judge to deny him a concealed permit in that state. Carey McWilliams already has concealed weapons permits in Utah and North Dakota." ...

GA: A shameful ranking
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"TUESDAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT that Georgia has the seventh largest female homicide rate in the nation when it comes to domestic violence is a loud wake-up call to police and sheriff's departments across the state." ...

"Most of the statewide group's recommendations make sense ..."

"But the call to take guns away from spouses who may be abusive is problematic."

"Disarming someone who hasn't been convicted of a crime or isn't mentally ill runs counter to the Second Amendment."

"That doesn't mean judges shouldn't order someone to give up any firearms. Instead, it means the threshold of evidence needed strip away someone's freedom shouldn't be low." ...

Canada: Extension to Firearms Amnesty Announced
Submitted by: RPA-PAC
Website: http://www.rpa-pac.org

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"The Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety, today announced that the Government of Canada will extend the current amnesty for non-restricted firearms."

"The amnesty will now be in effect until May 16, 2008, and provides an additional period for non-restricted firearm owners to come into compliance with the law as it stands."

"'Canada's New Government is committed to effective gun control,' said Minister Day. 'This amnesty extension will help encourage compliance among firearms owners and facilitate the ability of former license holders to come back into lawful compliance with existing requirements,' he added." ...