Keep and Bear Arms - Gun Owners Home Page

My new normal
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"The state of Ohio says that I am now allowed to carry a concealed handgun. The license itself is a little plastic thing, similar to my drivers license. I keep looking at it, somewhat bemused. It bears a photo of me looking grim, some personal information, and a number that I can only assume represents my place in the line of people who have applied and been accepted before me, and those that will come after."

"Such a simple thing, and yet..." ...

"As we pulled out of the driveway and headed down the street, Mike said, 'There. It's official. You are a now free person, no longer a subject.' I looked over at him and started laughing. I felt my world change. It's a wild feeling - enormous freedom and enormous responsibility all at once."

PA: Officials call for weapons-ban renewal
Submitted by: New York State Rifle & Pistol Association
Website: http://www.nysrpa.org

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"Spurred by the murder of Police Sgt. Stephen Liczbinski, Gov. Rendell, Mayor Nutter, Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey, and other area leaders today called for a renewal of the federal assault-weapons ban."

The three ... railed against the [NRA] for supporting the availability of such guns. ..."

"Liczbinski 'didn't stand a chance' against the Chinese-made SKS carbine that was used to kill him, Nutter said. ..."

"... the weapon was powerful enough to penetrate a car and kill someone inside. The body armor worn by police cannot withstand shots from the carbine ..."

"The carbine ... was not included in the federal ban. When questioned abut that, Ramsey responded angrily: 'Then add it to the frickin' list.'" ...

WI: Wis. college closes due to gun threat; students told it's for maintenance troubles
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"A southwestern Wisconsin technical college closed Wednesday because of a gun threat, but students were told the closure was due to maintenance."

"Classes resume today at Southwest Technical College in the Grant County community of Fennimore."

"A student received a threatening voice mail early Wednesday, warning her not to come to class because there would be a gun on campus ..."

"College administrators sent an e-mail to students before 7 a.m. informing them classes were canceled because of maintenance problems."

"President Karen Knox sent a second e-mail later Wednesday morning, saying the closure was actually due to a gun threat. Knox said the initial e-mail was sent because she didn't want to alarm students." ...

Gun Owners For Hillary?
Submitted by: New York State Rifle & Pistol Association
Website: http://www.nysrpa.org

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"If you doubt the transformational power of Barack Obama, consider the change that hes effected on Hillary Clinton. The New York Senator came into the 2008 race with a nearly perfect anti-gun rights voting record, following her White House tenure on behalf of the most aggressively anti-Second Amendment administration in American history. Yet today, her candidacy survives because of the pro-gun vote." ...

IL: Gun control advocates target state legislators
Submitted by: New York State Rifle & Pistol Association
Website: http://www.nysrpa.org

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"Postcards with a picture of a handgun and children as targets started appearing in mailboxes and on windshields in a few central Lake County towns this week."

"The postcards, distributed by representatives of the Brady Campaign, a national gun control advocacy group, criticize Republican state Rep. Sandy Cole of Grayslake for voting against legislation that would require background checks on all handgun sales."

"'She is against universal background checks,' said Jennifer Bishop, Illinois Million Mom March national program director for victims and survivors while handing out leaflets Thursday outside Cole's Grayslake office. 'This bill is an extra layer of protection.'" ...

Law would strip away your rights
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"This letter is for the public's information because not everybody pays attention to what is going on in Congress. People who want to remove the Second Amendment are hard at work trying to strip away your Second Amendment rights. There are 44 representatives in the House who have signed H.R. 1022, which is a reauthorization of the 1994 Clinton-Gore ban on a handful of so-called assault weapons and large capacity magazines. H.R. 1022 creates a new, permanent gun ban and it includes a huge increase in the number and types of firearms banned. It bans 65 specific, named guns. The Clinton law banned 19." [link added] ...

IL: Proposed Concealed Carry Changes
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Right now Illinois and Wisconsin are the only two states in the U.S. that entirely outlaw citizens carrying concealed firearms. But two board members are pushing a proposal to change that, starting with Winnebago County."

"Looking back at recent tragedies like the N.I.U. shooting prompts many of us to ask what could have been done differently."

"Aurand and a Republican counterpart on the Winnebago County Board will bring forward a resolution at Thursday night's board meeting asking for Winnebago County residents to be allowed to carry concealed firearms, after meeting certain requirements." ...

IL: Gun-rights group seeking support from area counties
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"A measure supporting residents' right to own guns is under consideration in some area counties."

"A group of gun-rights advocates is bringing the non-binding resolution before county boards across the state. The measure would affirm citizens' Second Amendment protections in order to send a message to state lawmakers."

"'It merely asks the legislators that if they're going to propose a new law, they uphold their sworn oath by not passing any laws that would infringe on the rights guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution,' Oswego Township Trustee Tom Yackley said Tuesday." ...

"The force behind the measure is Illinois Pro 2A Resolution ..." ...

GA: Most support concealed-gun bill
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Each week Northwest Opinions asks readers to comment on a topic in the news. Today, we feature responses to the question: What do you think about the decision to allow licensed gun owners to carry concealed firearms in parks, on public transportation and in restaurants that serve alcohol? Should Gov. Sonny Perdue veto the bill? Or should the bill become law? The governor has until May 14 to make a decision." ...

"Editor's note: More than a thousand e-mails were received on today's topic. More than 95 percent support HB 89. Letters on today's page are representative of letters received. We'll likely print more on next Thursday's Northwest Opinions page." ...

OH: Senate votes to strengthen self defense rights
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Ohioans should have the ability to use force and, if necessary, deadly force to defend themselves and their family against a violent intruder in their home. That belief is the genesis behind an important bill passed by the Senate in recent weeks. Senate Bill 184, legislation I am proud to cosponsor, would establish Ohio's 'Castle Doctrine.'"

"For centuries, people have respected the idea that a man's home is his castle, and he should have the right to defend it and those inside from harm. This age-old adage has initiated a push for stronger self defense laws in several states over the years, including Ohio." ...

Lies from the BATFE? Say it ain't so
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"I haven't covered the murder of Philadelphia Police Sergeant Stephen Liczbinski, committed by a career violent criminal ... because there has been plenty of good coverage available elsewhere. Something in this article, however, caught my eye, and I can't let it go." ...

What's more, Robbins noted that the ATF was able to trace the SKS rifle used to gun down Liczbinski to a gun show in Fayettville, N.C. He said that because it had been bought at a gun show, the owner did not have to undergo a background check ..." ...

"Now wait a second here--if there had been no background check at the point of purchase (the gun show), how did the BATFE trace the sale to said gun show? ..." ...

MO: Police Officer Charged With Assault
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"A police officer was charged after a fight at a Northland bar."

"Prosecutors ... charged Kansas City police Officer Cole Mills with assault."

"Witnesses said they saw the off-duty officer from East Patrol repeatedly kick a 30-year-old man while he was on the ground ..."

"Gladstone police responded to the fight ... The victim was taken to North Kansas City Hospital and Mills was given a ticket at the scene." ...

"Two weeks later, Clay County filed charges against Mills."

"On the same day, faced with charges in both city and county court, Mills pleaded guilty to the lesser city citation. The county was then forced to drop its charges. It would have been double jeopardy." ...

PA: Police officer, woman charged with harassment
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"A Forks Township police officer and a woman with whom he had a relationship were each charged Wednesday with harassment, a summary offense."

"The citations against Shawn Hummer ... and Jennifer Ann Sam ... were filed by state police ..."

"... Hummer and Sam got into an altercation at his house on Sunday after Sam allegedly found Hummer in bed with another woman. On Monday, state police ... described the case as 'harassment.'"

"Sam went to the county courthouse Monday and obtained a protection from abuse order against Hummer, banning him from her residence."

"Police Chief Glen Dorney has said his department is conducting its own investigation into the matter. Dorney has said Hummer's work status has not changed."

PA: No Charges Filed In Officer's Accidental Shooting Of Toddler
Submitted by: jac

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FULL TEXT BELOW:

No criminal charges will be filed against two police officers who accidental shot a South Jersey toddler after a gun went off in his home.

The shooting happened when his father, a Deptford Township police officer, and another officer were cleaning their firearms.

No criminal charges will be filed against either man, officials said.

An investigation determined the other officer was negligent in handling his weapon. He was suspended without pay.

The boy's father, however, is back on duty.

The 2-year-old was shot in the jaw but he will be OK, officials said.
-------

Submitter's note: I'm sure that you or I would have received the same consideration.

DC: D.C. to arm police with assault rifles
Submitted by: none

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"The Metropolitan Police Department has joined other major U.S. cities in arming patrol officers with assault rifles to protect them against criminals with high-powered weapons, weeks after being released from a federal program that monitors the use of excessive force."

"'We want to be as accurate as possible and have more stopping power,' Assistant Chief Patrick Burke said yesterday."

"The department already has 500 semiautomatic AR-15 rifles ..."

"Chief Burke said the weapons will go in service after the department decides how to rack them in patrol cars ..."

"'We need to be equally equipped with the firearms that are being used against the police ... If officers cannot protect themselves, they cannot protect residents.'" ...

PA: Philly Cops Caught Beating Motorists on Video
Submitted by: jac

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"Yet another instance of cops acting like predatory pack animals. It should be obvious by now the police are out of control, a parasitical force unleashed on society at large. Cops no longer help granny across the street or respond to burglary. Cops are like the Crips, Bloods, or Mara Salvatrucha another violent street gang, but one armed and supported by the state."

"'A half-dozen police officers kicked and beat three men pulled from a car during a traffic stop as a TV helicopter taped the confrontation,' reports the Associated Press. 'The video, shot by WTXF-TV, shows three police cars stopping a car Monday, two days after a city officer was shot to death responding to a bank robbery.'" ...

TX: Texas caught off guard as more seek handgun permits
Submitted by: New York State Rifle & Pistol Association
Website: http://www.nysrpa.org

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"Demand for concealed handgun licenses has risen nearly 40 percent in Texas in a year, an increase being attributed to many factors, even presidential politics."

"Though the exact cause may be unclear, what's certain is that the spike in applications has caught the Department of Public Safety unprepared."

"The state is taking a month longer than the 60 days allowed by law to process original applications and 80 days longer on renewals, which are supposed to be handled within 45 days."

"'We're trying really hard, but there have been delays because of the tremendous increase in applications,' said Tela Mange, a DPS spokeswoman." ...

AR: Tracy Ingle: Another Drug War Outrage
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"About a month ago I got a call from a reporter for the Arkansas Times inquiring about my research into paramilitary drug raids. He'd been reporting on a raid in North Little Rock involving a 40-year-old man named Tracy Ingle. When he told me the story over the phone, I was floored, even given all the abuses and mistakes I've reported and read about over the last few years. What makes the case especially egregious is not that the police may have gotten the wrong home, that they shot a man, or that they were covering it up or going silent. We've seen all that before. What's mind-blowing about this one is that they've continued abusing the poor guy, even after it should have been clear for some time now that they made a mistake." ...

UK: Top officer's retirement 'wrong'
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"The decision to allow a chief constable to retire before an inquiry into his misconduct has been strongly attacked."

"The Independent Police Complaints Commission has upheld claims that Terry Grange misused e-mails and a credit card when head of Dyfed-Powys Police."

"Welsh Assembly Members Alun Davies and Helen Mary Jones said it was 'wholly wrong' for him to go 'scot-free' and Kirsty Williams called it a 'disgrace'."

"But MP Lembit Opik said Mr Grange had 'suffered enough'."

"The married police chief retired suddenly last November"

"The Crown Prosecution Service said there was insufficient evidence to prosecute Mr Grange for misconduct in public office." ...

PA: More Response To Sgt. Liczbinski's Death (second letter)
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Re Signe's 'Enough!' cartoon:"

"Enough of what? Of guns on the street? Of the killing of police and civilians? Of revolving-door justice? Seventeen priors and still out of jail?"

"Enough of mayors and police chiefs bashing the National Rifle Association? Enough of the NRA not supporting urban police departments in times like these? Enough of judges handing out soft sentences? Of overcrowded prisons?" ...

"And enough already of idiot gun laws. Enforce the laws that exist."

"Law-abiding citizens have the right to carry firearms. The Second Amendment gives[sic] us the right to bear arms, and protect ourself in self-defense." ...

TX: Gun fight isn't OK
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson takes his job seriously. Fine. But he sometimes takes too seriously duties that don't fall within his job description, like being interpreter of the U.S. Constitution and official czar for Second Amendment rights."

"Patterson ... is in charge of overseeing some state-owned property. ..."

"For months now, the commissioner has been at the center of a public fight involving a 14.5-square-mile tract in West Texas known as the Christmas Mountains, which was donated to the state in 1991. ..." ...

"Patterson went on the defensive, vowing never to transfer the property to the Park Service as long as that agency had restrictions on guns in parks. ..." ...

Canada: Man who says he shot grizzly bear in self-defence faces charges
Submitted by: Trapper

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"It's a good thing Davy Crockett didn't grow up in Alberta."

"A hunter who claims he shot a grizzly bear in self-defence has been charged by the Alberta government."

"Joe Lucas ... has been charged with five counts under the Parks Act and the Wildlife Act."

"'The reasoning behind the charges is it has been shown the bear may not have been shot in self-defence,' Alberta Parks spokeswoman Erin Mikaluk said." ...

"[Lucas] is charged with unlawfully hunting wildlife, unlawfully possessing wildlife, unlawful discharge of a firearm, failing to ensure a firearm in a wildland provincial park is unloaded and fully encased and unlawfully destroying a bear. Each charge carries a fine of up to $100,000." ...