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John Longenecker: Stand Your Ground Movement, Part IV: Legislation
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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... "Mistaken again, Mrs. Brady announces that the people of Florida are somehow identical to the criminal shooters, the hot-heads, the aggressive who shouldnt even be in possession of any weapon, madam. The acts Brady cites are likely criminal in nature, and not at all likely to meet a standard of self-defense. Her angle is that the Stand Your Ground doctrine is applied as a legal defense in indictment for criminal acts. Mrs. Brady conveniently intentionally, I believe ignores the facts that the law does not shield individuals who are part of a crime, or an ongoing altercation or shouldnt even have a weapon any weapon, Mrs. Brady to begin with. The law is much more sensible than Mrs. Brady will admit." ...

Immigration Bill Update -- Montana Senator offering amendment that has benefit for gun owners (GOA)
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"If you've been listening to the news, you know that the immigration bill may soon be back on the U.S. Senate floor for consideration. ... The new bill, S. 1639, contains both of the concerns that GOA alerted you to last month:"

"* First, section 205 of the bill could, in the hands of an anti-gun administration, PUT EVERY MAJOR GUN SHOP OUT OF BUSINESS. ..."

"* Second, the immigration bill could deny many gun owners their right to find a job or buy a gun."

"In regard to the latter concern, Montana Senator Max Baucus (D) is sponsoring an amendment that will delete all references to 'driver's licenses' and 'identification cards' under the REAL ID Act." ...

Your doctor could put you on no-gun list
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"The House of Representatives has fast-tracked new legislation to 'improve' the National Instant Criminal Background Check System by allowing doctors to now decide who can own firearms." ...

"If the Act passes in the Senate, it would provide grants so states can add the names of criminals to the NICS system ... but it also flags those with medical or psychological issues as unfit to possess a gun."

"The plan allows names to be entered into the NICS system based solely on a physician's diagnosis or prescription of a medication: adults who have taken Ritalin and soldiers with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder would be classified as mentally ill and given the same opportunity to own firearms as convicted felons: None." ...

GA: Pit bull attacks Roswell woman
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"A Roswell woman on her daily walk Friday morning was attacked by a neighbor's pit bull, which tore into her head, police said." ...

"Neighbors tried to stop the attack by beating the dog with sticks and shovels, but 'they didn't phase [sic] him,' said Charles Tedford, president of the homeowners association in the Lake Forest subdivision, where the attack occurred."

"The dog finally stopped and turned on a neighbor who had been hitting it with a shovel, biting him in the arm, McGee said."

"The dog then turned to attack another neighbor who was approaching with a .45-caliber pistol. He killed the dog with one shot to the head, McGee said." ...

CA: The Grannie Detective Says Women and Guns a Good Mix
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Those of us in the know, law enforcement officers and private investigators such as myself are aware that one of the scariest things to a man is a gun in a woman's hand; particularly if it is pointed at him. ... "

"So how do we of the fairer sex, knowing that this is not a fair assessment of the situation, go about changing their minds?"

"In today's world self-defense is a necessary part of our everyday life. We accept this and acknowledge that our safety and that of our loved ones is of primary concern. So what can we do to facilitate this safety and how can it related to the use of guns?" ...

FL: Gun permits rise as some fight back against crime
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Marc Thom drew his 9 mm pistol on two shotgun-wielding men who confronted him and a woman outside his MetroWest apartment early Sunday."

"One of the robbers ducked when Thom pointed his weapon, which allowed him and his friend to run to a business and call police."

"Thom, who has a concealed-weapons permit, is among a growing number of people in the Orlando area who are confronting rising violent crime by carrying guns."

"Nearly 20,000 people in Orange County are legally carrying concealed guns, records show. The number of licenses for concealed weapons in the county has jumped 20 percent in the past year and has risen 57 percent in the past five years." ...
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Submitter's Note: Cool photo.

MN: 12-year-old saw mom shot to death, prosecutor tells jury
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"... Teri Lynn Lee's 12-year-old daughter, Taylor Lee, had gotten into bed with her mother, who feared her ex-boyfriend would come to their home ..."

"'Taylor woke up in the middle of the night and watched this man shoot her mother six times,' [prosecutor] Bovitz said as she pointed to Van Keuren ... The girl also saw her mother's new boyfriend ... lying dead on the floor." ...

"On the night of the shootings, Taylor Lee had climbed into bed with her mother, court documents say. The child was still shaken from spotting Van Keuren at her volleyball game two days earlier despite a court order forbidding him from any contact with the family." [emphasis added] ...

UT: Should campers kill bears?
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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... "The question of what a camper may do against a bear in various circumstances is a natural one in light of last weekend's tragic events. A bear slashed into the tent of 11-year-old Samuel Ives, dragged the boy out and killed him. ..."

"Firearms were retrieved -- though nothing you could use to kill a bear with confidence, just 9 mm pistols. ..."

"What if these campers had had a heavier weapon ... capable of killing a bear? ..." ...

"What if responsible people had simply taken the initiative to destroy this bear without waiting for some bureaucratic stamp of approval ..."

"What if people were not threatened with jail time for destroying an animal that a reasonable person fears will cause harm to persons or property?" ...

UT: Bear encounters: When to use deadly force
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"There's no question that bears can be scary, even dangerous, as recent events have shown."

"But merely being afraid and being in actual danger are two different things ... And it doesn't want anyone using fear to justify killing a protected animal."

"A person could even be subject to prison time for killing a bear ... Killing a protected animal without justification is a third-degree felony ..."

"'If you're afraid of the bear and you shoot the bear, then you probably committed a crime,' said Scott Root, DWR conservation outreach manager ..." ...

"'If it's coming at you and your life is in danger, then you're probably OK,' Root continued." ...
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Submitter's Note: "probably OK"? Helluva choice: a bear mauling or a felony conviction.

MD: Student arrested for having gun at school
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"The principal of Hammond High School is slated to meet with parents this week to discuss their concerns over last week's arrest of a student who brought a gun to school."

"Howard County police arrested a 15-year-old boy Friday, June 15 at the school after discovering a loaded gun in his waistband."

"The boy is charged with possession of a concealed deadly weapon and possession of a handgun on school property, police said. Police and school officials did not name the student because he is a minor." ...

IL: Two teenagers plead not guilty to gun charges
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Two teenagers accused in separate incidents of bringing guns to school in the waning days of classes each pleaded not guilty Thursday and had trials tentatively set for August."

"Anthony Reynolds ... allegedly fired a gun May 29 in the main gymnasium at Lanphier High School while about 30 people were inside during 'open gym.' Reynolds is a Lanphier student.

"Jacob R. Williams ... allegedly was found carrying a loaded gun in class on June 1."

"Reynolds is charged with two counts of unlawful use of a weapon ... reckless discharge of a firearm ... and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon."

"Williams is charged with two counts of unlawful use of a weapon on school grounds and with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon." ...

Canada: Newmarket school locked down after gun scare
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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FULL TEXT BELOW:

Newmarket's Notre Dame Catholic Elementary School was locked down Tuesday after someone spotted on school property with what was thought to be a gun.

The gun turned out to be a toy, said principal Tom Colangelo in a letter later sent to parents yesterday.

"Given the fact that it is sometimes impossible to tell the real thing from a toy weapon, I called a code red and contacted York Regional Police," Mr. Colangelo explained.

One person was arrested at the school but later released, police spokesperson Kathleen Griffin said.

"We were called in for the spotting of a handgun," she added. "But the investigation was unfounded."

CA: Two state bills to keep your eyes on
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"There are two pieces of legislation working their way through the California legislature that again target legal gun owners - not criminals - and legal and responsible owners of pets ..."

"AB 1471: This bill would mandate pistol manufacturers microstamp firearms in two separate locations with the gun's make, model, and serial number so this information is imprinted on any cartridge casing fired in the gun. The idea is that brass recovered at crime scenes could be traced back to the owner of the gun that did the shooting. It sounds wonderful in theory and demonstrations on how this works make for good television."

"There are five huge holes in practical application of the law that make it completely unworkable:" ...

OH: HB264 Seeks To Protect Victims In Self Defense Situations (BFA)
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"For years, governments have enacted laws that state ones home is a place where one should be free of prying and violent attack. Known as 'Castle Laws,' they are often based on English Common Law from the 1700s. However, over the years many of these laws, while acknowledging the safety and protections of the home, have placed a burden on a person to retreat before being permitted to use force to defend themselves."

"In Ohio, if one is attacked in one's own home, one is not forced to flee the home before using deadly force. However, Ohios current self-defense law places the civil and criminal burden on the victim to prove in court that they were truly acting to defend themselves from serious physical harm or death." ...

LA: Tougher school gun law backed
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"A Senate-passed bill that would double the penalty for students who bring firearms to public schools won approval Wednesday in a House committee."

"Senate Bill 265 passed the House Education Committee without dissent. It faces action in the full House."

"The Senate approved the bill on a 28-9 vote earlier this month."

"Existing law requires a one-year expulsion for students caught with firearms or knives at school."

"SB265 would increase that to four semesters, or two school years. The rule applies to weapons found on school property, a school bus or at a school-sponsored event."

"State Superintendent of Education Paul Pastorek told the committee that the proposal enjoys a wide range of support ..." ...

Few police officers ever charged in steroids cases
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"When federal agents raided a South Florida wellness clinic two years ago during an investigation targeting the illegal distribution of steroids, they carted away a client list that included dozens of police officers."

"In the interest of public safety, the federal agents notified at least five police agencies across South Florida that their officers had purchased testosterone and other controlled substances from a company under scrutiny as a purported steroids mill."

"Sheriff's officials in three counties launched internal investigations, as did West Palm Beach police, which identified 13 officers using steroids. ..."

"In the end, none of the Florida officers was charged with a crime. ..." ...

NJ: Healy guilty in Bradley Beach court case
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy was found guilty today in municipal court on charges of obstruction of justice and resisting arrest, related to his arrest last summer outside Barry's Tavern on Main Street."

"An additional charge of disorderly conduct was merged into the obstruction charge and dismissed."

"Healy, who says he will likely appeal, was fined $736 in penalties and fees."

"The verdict was issued by Monmouth Vicinage Municipal Court Presiding Judge John Colannino."

"Healy was arrested June 17, 2006, after an altercation with two borough police officers in the parking lot of Barry's Tavern on Main Street, which is owned by his sister." ...

FL: Police officer acquitted in beating trial
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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police officer accused of battery charges in the 2005 arrest of a transient was acquitted today by an Orange circuit jury."

"Patrolman Edward Michael, a six-year veteran was found not guilty of aggravated battery and felony battery charges after a six-member jury deliberated for 2 1/2 hours." ...

"Defense attorneys argued that Michael took incremental steps -- trying to twist Goff's right arm behind his back, using a Taser on him, and striking Goff's arm with a baton -- before the suspect swung his handcuffed left arm at the officer's face. Michael told investigators he then punched Goff in the face four or five times to subdue him."

"Assistant state attorney Wayne Wooten called the event a 'difficult situation.'" ...

CA: Airman-shooting case jury hears of stress police face in firing gun
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Police have only a split second to decide whether to shoot during high-risk encounters, according to research presented Thursday in the trial of an ex-lawman who wounded a drunken off-duty military policeman."

"The average person can draw and point a gun in about a quarter-second, but it takes even veteran officers more than twice that long to react and shoot, even when they have their finger on the trigger under the most simple laboratory conditions, said law enforcement professor Bill Lewinski."

"The Minnesota State University researcher was the final witness to testify on behalf of former San Bernardino County sheriff's Deputy Ivory J. Webb Jr., who shot and wounded Air Force military policeman Elio Carrion ..." ...

NJ: Prison officer charged with smuggling contraband
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"A federal corrections officer at the Fairton Federal Correctional Institution in Cumberland County was arrested Thursday on charges of accepting money to smuggle in prescription drugs, protein powder, work-out supplements and cigarettes ..."

"The complaint alleges that from June 7 to June 21, Steven Harper, 32, of Pleasantville, agreed with an inmate identified only as a confidential informant to smuggle contraband into the prison in exchange for $6,000."

"Special agents with the FBI and the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General arrested Harper on Thursday after he took possession of prescription drugs, which he agreed to transport into the prison, from an individual he believed to be the inmate's relative." ...

NJ: Off-Duty Officer's Gun Found By 16-Year-Old Girl
Submitted by: jac

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"Police were breathing a huge sigh of relief that a small gun lost Wednesday by an off-duty Philadelphia police officer at Gillian's Wonderland Pier in Ocean City was found, and no one got hurt." ...

"The owner of Wonderland Pier, Jay Gillian, said he was glad the gun was found, but he was not happy that is was lost in a park full of kids. He said they would look into pier policies to see if there was any way to avoid something like this from happening again." ...
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Submitters note: You and I can't carry a gun legally in NJ, but this idiot can.

Japan: GSDF officer fired for embezzling old boys' funds
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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FULL TEXT BELOW:

The Ground Self Defense Force (GSDF) on Friday fired an officer from its base in Kurihama here for embezzling funds belonging to a National Defense Academy old boy's club, officials said.

The 32-year-old officer, whose name has been withheld, was once a tutor for the National Defense Academy of Japan in Yokosuka.

Officials at the GSDF Kurihama base said that the unnamed officer misappropriated 1.3 million yen from the accounts of the Defense Academy old boy's club from August 2005 to December 2006. He was an advisor to the club.

He spent the funds on wining and dining. The officer has already returned the misused money to the club. (Mainichi)

NY: Process server association official sees no need to carry gun
Submitted by: New York State Rifle & Pistol Association
Website: http://www.nysrpa.org

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"A longtime process server and vice president of the New York State Professional Process Servers Association said yesterday that, in general, process servers don't need to be armed and should avoid confrontations."

"'If there is any type of confrontation, my advice is to always leave the scene,' said Larry Yellon, who operates Intercounty Judicial Services on Long Island and is chairman of the state association's educational committee." ...

"Process server Dennis Illuminate said he feared for his life Wednesday when he shot and wounded a man who he said had attacked him as he was serving divorce papers at the man's Putnam Valley home." ...

IN: Enforce, strengthen laws; dont ban guns
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"In response to Jerome A. Welch's letter, 'Make gun possession illegal in city limits' (June 8), I am reasonably certain that with few exceptions, state law does not allow local governments to restrict gun ownership."

"Welch also brings up the examples of Britain's and Japan's strict gun laws as being effective in controlling violent crime. Great Britain and Japan not only strictly regulate guns, but also personal lives and liberty. Japanese police routinely search citizens at will and twice a year pay 'home visits' to citizens' residences. After arrest, a suspect may be detained without bail for up to 28 days before a prosecutor must bring him before a judge. ..." ...

TN: Laws to control guns only lead to an increase in crime
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Recently, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that D.C.'s handgun ban is unconstitutional because the Second Amendment protects the individual's right to keep and bear arms."

"Gun-control supporters claim irrelevantly and incorrectly that gun control, which includes bans, prevents crime."

"Within 15 years after D.C. banned handguns, its murder rate tripled. Since 1988, its murder rate has been the highest among major U.S. cities every year but three. Across the Potomac in Virginia, where handguns can be legally carried for protection against criminals in most places, violent crime is a fraction of what it is in D.C." ...

TX: Wild West fun returns
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Seasoned YesterYear folks may think the calendar has been rolled back. ... the streets of Whitehouse will again smell of gunpowder as a new team will perform Saturday during activities in the city park."

"The TEXICANS are an Old-West reenactment group made up of individuals who have a love and interest in preserving the history and heritage of America's early years on the Western frontier. ..."

"All participation is on a volunteer basis, with families providing their own props, clothing and weaponry. The firearms are authentic replicas of 1870-1880-era black powder weaponry and include six-shooter pistols and double-barrel 12-gauge shotguns." ...

MD: Beretta gunning for growth in Accokeek
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Fueled in part by a war half a world away, a family business that started in Renaissance Italy has been quietly growing in southern Prince George's."

"'Since 1985, Beretta has been the official supplier of side arms to all five branches of the U.S. military,' said Elio Oliva, vice president of law enforcement and military sales and marketing for Beretta U.S.A. Corp. of Accokeek."

"The top priority of the Italian firearms' U.S. division is to 'handle all of the U.S. military business,' Oliva said."

"About two years ago Beretta U.S.A. competed for and won 13 military contracts for pistols and spare parts. As a result, the company increased its employment at the Accokeek factory, said Jeff Reh, vice general manager." ...

OR: Vancouver event Friday to promote gun safety
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"After her basketball coach was murdered in the Columbine High School massacre, Heidi Yewman felt compelled to do something about gun safety."

"Yewman, a Vancouver-area mother of two, has become an outspoken advocate for parents to know whether guns are present where their kids are playing."

"On Friday, she will preside over an event to urge parents to ask about the presence and safe storage of firearms before letting their children spend time at other homes."

"Yewman, 39, has delivered dozens of speeches on the topic in Clark County, Spokane, Seattle, Portland and Beaverton. Two years ago she arranged for the display of gun-safety billboards in Portland and Vancouver." ...

ME: Interpreting the Second Amendment
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"This is in response to Gregory L. Allard's request to provide specific rulings by either the U.S. Supreme Court or Maine Supreme Judicial Court where it was stated unequivocally that the Second Amendment is a collective right only (Voice of the People, May 21)."

"As a matter of law, the meaning of the Second Amendment has been settled since the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in United States v. Miller, 307 U.S. 174 (1939)."

"The Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment offers no constitutional protection for individual ownership or purchase of a firearm, unless related 'to the preservation or efficiency of a well-regulated (state) militia.'" ...

FL: Shooting for 'pure enjoyment'
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Kenny Dickerson's idea of fun would leave most liberals aghast."

"He thinks it's fun to pick up a gun and shoot at targets. He's good at it but he was raised around guns."

"'Daddy was a cop, like, 30 years,' he said."

"His father, Jimmy Dickerson, always had two things with him when he hit the streets as a Brunswick police officer: a sidearm and a smile ..."

"At 10, Kenny Dickerson's dad gave him a .410 shotgun, the little bird-hunting gun that is many a boy's first gun. But as a teenager, Dickerson forsook guns and all else for cars and didn't hunt again until his 20s. Then a friend convinced him to try target shooting."

"He took to it like Rosie O'Donnell to an argument." ...

IL: Preserve civil liberties of honest gun owners
Submitted by: New York State Rifle & Pistol Association
Website: http://www.nysrpa.org

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"I was upset to see the very biased cartoon that was in The Pantagraph's Sunday, May 20 Viewpoint section. It depicted the NRA as if it is connected to terrorists."

"The reason that the NRA opposes bills that block sales to terrorists is because they can see that on the surface these bills fight terrorism, but below the surface they destroy the civil liberties of honest gun owners. Many people are not gun friendly because they only view guns through the anti-gun media and what they see through the images of Hollywood. They relate guns to thugs and drugs not to the importance of freedom to protect our families and selves - as Thomas Jefferson wrote of American citizens, 'It is their right and duty to be at all times armed.'" ...

CA: Anti-Gun Advocate Enters Plea In Weapons Case
Submitted by: New York State Rifle & Pistol Association
Website: http://www.nysrpa.org

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"The founder of an anti-gun organization accused of selling firearms to federal undercover officers pleaded not guilty Thursday to weapons charges."

"Hector 'Big Weasel' Marroquin, 51, who founded No Guns in 1996, is charged with three counts of manufacture, distribution and transport for sale of an unlawful assault weapon, along with one count of machine gun conversion and possession of a silencer."

"Marroquin and co-defendant Sylvia Arellano, 24, who faces similar charges, are accused of committing the alleged offenses for the benefit of a criminal street gang. Both are free on $260,000 bail." ...

Canada: Who hunts with a pistol?
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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FULL TEXT BELOW:

Re "Hunting gets bad rap" (June 18) -

It's too bad staff writer Galen Eagle did not ask the basic and obvious question of gun instructor Don Davey - what the heck does shooting pistols have to do with hunting?

These guns are not designed for hunting: at best they are designed for target practice in enclosed areas under strict rules, at worst they are designed to shoot people. Glorifying hand guns in this piece does nothing to reduce the idiotic and meaningless feelings of power that some people deem important to attain.

Making hand guns seem "cool" to possess does nothing to inform impressionable people and youths to the dangers and horrors of hand guns in civil society.