If you are anti-guns, or afraid of guns, or just don't like them and don't want them in your house, then this blog is for you.
(It might just change your mind)

Monday, November 28, 2011

Denny's 6 AM Shootout

Just before 6 AM Saturday morning, two armed men  wearing bandannas entered and attempted to rob a Denny's restaurant in Houston.  There was only one customer in the restaurant, but he was a licensed concealed handgun carrier.

The Customer saw the suspects enter, took cover and fired at the robbers.  The suspects returned fire and fled the restaurant.

So far, police have no suspects in the case.

http://www.click2houston.com/news/Customer-armed-robbers-engage-in-shootout/-/1735978/4827524/-/xvh5f6/-/index.html

Monday, November 21, 2011

More women are using guns for fun and protection

By Cassandra Spratling


One a recent Saturday morning, Debra Robinson, 52, of Macomb Township drove two hours to spend the day learning about and practicing shooting guns.

The married mother of two adult children admits that it was a little intimidating to point and shoot a gun at first. "It's a deadly weapon," she says. "I didn't grow up playing with guns. I'm a quilter."

But Robinson wants to learn to shoot -- for personal protection and for fun.

"Our home was burglarized once while we were at work. The kids are grown up and out of the house. So now I have the luxury of time and I want to learn while I can."

Robinson signed up for the six-hour class almost as soon as she saw a newspaper notice about it. It's a good thing she signed up quickly, because the women-only class reached its maximum number of 25 students well before the deadline. There was a waiting list of women from all over, who wanted to learn more about guns.

The popularity of the class comes as no surprise to people working in the business who've seen growing interest in guns among women in recent years. Experts say women are taking more gun classes, buying and packing pistols and larger firearms, and they're having fun with guns at target ranges and gun sporting events.

Several factors are driving women to the gun range, experts say.

"The first and foremost reason is women no longer want to feel vulnerable," Parsons says. "They want to feel responsible for their own personal safety and the safety of their families. Just by their physical size, the perpetrator is going to be bigger and stronger. A firearm is the great equalizer."

Kathy Jackson, author of "The Cornered Cat" (White Feather Press, $20), a gun safety and information book for women, agrees.

"These days no one expects a knight in shining armor to swoop in and protect you. You have to protect yourself,"
"I was very anti-gun until about a year and a half ago," she says, trying out pistols at Target Sports in Royal Oak. "I'd never held one until then. Once I held it, I don't know, there was something about the power of the gun in your hand. And I did pretty well from the very first time. When I hit my first bulls-eye, it was incredible. It made me want to do it all over again. And it's a great stress-reliever."   - Amy Denyer-Grey, 40, of Lansing
Sies, the organizer of the gun class in Linwood, is such a believer in the value of women learning to use a gun.
"You might be sitting in a car and you're attacked. You have to go through how to save a loved one or yourself."
She carries a concealed weapon every day now. Why?
"For the sense of comfort and being able to care for yourself," she says. "I think it's important that every woman understand guns don't need to be something to be afraid of."

http://www.freep.com/article/20111120/FEATURES01/111200348/More-women-using-guns-fun-protection

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Obama Pushing Shooters Off Public Lands

by Paul Bedard

Gun owners who have historically been able to use public lands for target practice would be barred from potentially millions of acres under new rules drafted by the Interior Department, the first major move by the Obama administration to impose limits on firearms.

Officials say the administration is concerned about "the potential clash between gun owners and encroaching urban populations" who like to use same land for hiking and dog walking.

"It's not so much a safety issue. It's a social conflict issue," said Frank Jenks, a natural resource specialist with Interior's Bureau of Land Management, which oversees 245 million acres. He adds that urbanites "freak out" when they hear shooting on public lands.

If the draft policy is finally approved, some public access to Bureau lands to hunters would also be limited, potentially reducing areas deer, elk, and bear hunters can use in the West.

Conservationists and hunting groups, however, are mounting a fight. One elite group of conservationists that advises Interior and Agriculture is already pushing BLM to junk the regulations, claiming that shooters are being held to a much higher safety standard than other users of public lands, such as ATV riders.

"They are just trying to make it so difficult for recreational shooters," said Gary Kania, vice president of the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation. His group is one of several, including the National Wildlife Foundation, Cabela's and Ducks Unlimited, on the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council fighting the new rules. During a two-day meeting ending this afternoon, they are drafting their own changes to the BLM rules.

"What we probably are going to be looking forward to is a reversal," said Kania. Asked about how to handle people who freak out when they hear shots on public lands, Kania said, "I don't know how to quanitify 'freaking out,'" and noted that he's seen people panicing when fly fishing in float tubes but nobody wants to ban then from rivers.

BLM actually invited the fight, seeking the council's comments. But officials suggested to Whispers that no changes are being planned to the draft regulations.

Over five pages, the draft BLM regulations raise concerns about how shooting can cause a "public disturbance." They also raise worries about how shooting and shooters can hurt plants and litter public lands.
This is the key paragraph foes say could lead to shooters being kicked off public lands:

"When the authorized officer determines that a site or area on BLM-managed lands used on a regular basis for recreational shooting is creating public disturbance, or is creating risk to other persons on public lands; is contributing to the defacement, removal or destruction of natural features, native plants, cultural resources, historic structures or government and/or private property; is facilitating or creating a condition of littering, refuse accumulation and abandoned personal property is violating existing use restrictions, closure and restriction orders, or supplementary rules notices, and reasonable attempts to reduce or eliminate the violations by the BLM have been unsuccessful, the authorized officer will close the affected area to recreational shooting."

Squeezing out shooters, says the draft policy, is needed because, "As the West has become more populated, recreational shooters now often find themselves in conflict with other public lands users, and the BLM is frequently called on to mediate these conflicts."

At yesterday's meeting at Interior, the council balked at the BLM draft regulations, adding that the Obama administration was not being fair to shooters on the issue of safety.

In a draft report to BLM, the council said other users of public land aren't required to be as safe as shooters. They note that shooters have a much lower injury rate than others, like ATV users. "The policy fails to recognize that recreational shooting has one of the lowest incidences of death and injury compared to virtually any other outdoor recreational activity. The policy is prejudicial and discriminatory to target shooters as compared to other recreationists," said the council's draft response, expected to be finalized today.

What's more, the group charged that the BLM is acting in a contradictory fashion, encouraging the shooting sports while limiting shooting areas.

http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2011/11/16/obama-pushing-shooters-off-public-lands

NOTEABLE COMMENT FROM ARTICLE:
There is a 10% tax on all gun purchases and ammunition purchases that complies with the Pittman-Robertson Act.  The Pittman-Robertson Act has provided billions of dollars that pay for the very public lands that Obama now wants to close to shooting and hunting. It funds 100% of National Forests and National Wildlife Areas. If this is successful, then gun owners will demand an immediate end to the Pittman-Robertson Act, and all the hikers and mountain bikers will have to pay each time they access public lands. Do the math ... do you want to pay $150 each time you take a hike?
- Derren of IN

Monday, November 14, 2011

SHULER & STEARNS: Nation needs right-to-carry reciprocity

By Rep. Heath Shuler and Rep. Cliff Stearns
 
As elected officials in Congress, we take seriously our oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the liberties and rights afforded to American citizens. This includes the Second Amendment, and we believe the bureaucratic, piecemeal right-to-carry reciprocity system in our nation threatens the ability of law-abiding American citizens to exercise this vital constitutional right.

The National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act, H.R. 822, provides a bipartisan, common-sense solution to this problematic system. We are proud to be sponsors of this legislation, which has overwhelming support in the House, with 245 bipartisan co-sponsors and counting. The intent of our bill is simple: If you can legally carry a concealed weapon in one state, you can legally carry a concealed weapon in all states.

H.R. 822 would allow any person with a valid state-issued concealed-firearm carrying permit or license to carry a concealed weapon in any other state. It would not create a federal licensing system but merely would require states to honor one another’s carry permits, just as states recognize one another’s driver’s licenses. Concealed-carry permit holders would have to obey the concealed-weapon laws of the state they enter, just as drivers must obey speed limits and basic safety laws of whichever state they are driving in, regardless of where they are from.


READ MORE:
 http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/nov/11/nation-needs-right-to-carry-reciprocity/

Friday, November 11, 2011

Brits relaxing gun laws - for some



The threat of Somali pirates commandeering British ships on the high seas off the east coast of Africa has forced even the gun-shy Brits to re-think their abject aversion to firearms.  The ban on firearms on ships “will be relaxed so that firms can apply for a licence [sic] to have them on board in danger zones.” The licenses will be issued to private mercenaries or security firms, but likely not to the sailors themselves.

Imagine that — firearms in the hands of potential victims of crime actually reduce crime!

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Texas Oil Regulators Scrap Concealed Firearms Ban

by Kate Galbrait

Representatives from both the Attorney General's office and the Comptroller's office described their agencies' firearms policies. Workers for the AG's office can carry firearms — if they have a concealed handgun license.

At the Comptroller's office, they cannot. The policy there states: "Employees (other than CPA-commissioned peace officers) are prohibited from possessing a firearm, ammunition or other type of weapon or exlosive while in the performance of official duties. This includes even those employees licensed to carry a concealed handgun under Chapter 411 of the Texas Government Code."

Original story:

Texas Railroad Commission employees will now be able to carry concealed firearms as they go about their work, following a unanimous vote on Tuesday by the three commissioners.

"[Railroad Commission] employees often work alone in remote and desolate areas of the state where they may encounter criminals or dangerous wild animals," Barry Smitherman, the newest commissioner, said in a statement. "The least we can do is allow them to exercise their legal right to carry firearms in accordance with state law.”

The Railroad Commission regulates the oil and gas industry in Texas. The new policy will allow properly licensed employees to carry concealed weapons, which they previously had been prohibited from doing on state property and in state-owned vehicles.

Jerry Patterson, head of the General Land Office, said he made a similar change to his agency's policy shortly after arriving in 2003. Both the Railroad Commission and the GLO, Patterson said, "have a lot of employees who work out in the sticks, if you will," including along the border.

"It just makes sense" to be able to carry a concealed weapon, said Patterson, who also noted, "Frankly, if someone is going to go nuts at work, they're going to go nuts at work," regardless of the agency's gun policy.

Smitherman, who consulted with Patterson before pushing through the change, was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to the Railroad Commission this summer to replace Michael Williams. He must win a statewide election a year from now to keep his seat.

Smitherman said he hoped other agencies would follow the Railroad Commission's example. The Public Utility Commission, which Smitherman previously chaired, bans firearms in its offices (the agency does not have field offices; everyone works in Austin). Its employee handbook says, "It is strictly prohibited for an employee to possess a firearm, ammunition, or explosive while on the premises of the PUC."

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's policy states that "carrying firearms, concealed or unconcealed, or other weapons while performing TCEQ official business in the field or in the office" is prohibited, according to Terry Clawson, an agency spokesman.

Calls to offices of the Comptroller and Attorney General did not yield immediate answers as to their gun policies, and the Texas Department of Public Safety does not have a list of agencies' policies.

Smitherman said that all Railroad Commission workers must abide by the law. “To be clear, this is not the Wild West," he said in the statement. "Railroad Commission employees with a [concealed handgun license] will have to abide by all statutes applicable to CHL holders."

At the General Land Office, Patterson said that since the change of policy there, "we've had no problems," and if a security issue arises it gets addressed. For example, he said, if a "lady has it in her purse, and her purse is out in the common area, [we] may have a conversation about it."

http://www.texastribune.org/texas-politics/2012-elections/texas-oil-regulators-scrap-concealed-firearms-ban/

MSNBC analyst Alex Wagner wants to get rid of the Second Amendment


 
MSNBC analyst and soon-to-be host of a daytime television show on the network Alex Wagner is asked what she thinks needs to be removed in the Constitution. Wagner says the second Amendment since it doesn't seem to fit in with the others.

I really don't understand anti-gunners political stance.  If they don't want a gun their own property, fine; I understand that completely.  I can respect that opinion.  But what makes them think that they have the right to restrict other peaceful, law abiding citizens from owning, sporting, hunting, or defending themselves?  This is one of the most illogical, narrow minded, shortsighted, intolerant mindsets that I can think of.  Tolerance means respecting the opinions and lawful pursuits of others.  How does enforcing their hoplophobic idealism upon others make any sense at all?

Friday, November 4, 2011

New Wisconsin law protects homeowners who shoot intruders

By Jason Stein

Wisconsin  homeowners who shoot intruders would receive strong legal protection, under a bill approved by the state Senate on Thursday and the Assembly early Friday.


Under the bill, courts in most criminal and civil matters would presume that property owners using deadly force had acted reasonably against anyone unlawfully inside their residence, business or vehicle, whether the trespasser was armed or not. The proposal is sometimes known as the "castle doctrine," a reference to the saying that one's home is one's castle.

The legislation is one of a slew of bills moving through the Legislature this week as GOP lawmakers advance their agenda ahead of recall efforts expected to start against Walker and state senators later this month.
On Tuesday, Wisconsin became the 49th state in the country to allow people to carry concealed firearms. Republicans said the castle doctrine bill was another step in helping law-abiding residents protect themselves.

"A person has a right to defend themselves and their family in their dwelling," said Sen. Van Wanggaard (R-Racine), a lead sponsor of the legislation and a former police officer. "The fundamental issue is about protecting life, not property."


Some district attorneys like John Chisholm of Milwaukee County and Joe DeCecco of Sheboygan County have said Wisconsin, like most states, doesn't need a castle doctrine bill because existing law provides more than adequate protection for anyone legitimately acting in self-defense.

Republican Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen has said he has not reviewed the particulars of the bill but that he supports the general concept.

Under existing law, a person can't seek to kill or wound someone unless he or she reasonably believes it's needed to prevent the same type of injury to himself or herself. Supporters of the bill say that people in their homes or businesses don't necessarily have the time to check whether an intruder is trying to hurt them.
The proposed immunity under the castle doctrine legislation wouldn't apply to people who were using their home or other property for crimes such as drug dealing.

It also wouldn't shield a shooter who attacked someone who he or she knew or should have known was a police officer. The Senate approved on a voice vote Thursday a Democratic amendment to offer that same legal protection to firefighters and emergency medical technicians.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/lawmakers-pass-bill-protecting-homeowners-who-shoot-intruders-133227288.html

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Sherrif suggests getting CHLs to women. "Buy a weapon to protect yourself and get some good training."


A South Carolina sheriff is making the extraordinary suggestion that local women arm themselves following the attempted rape of a woman at a local park, saying "you need to protect yourself."

Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright, the county's top law enforcement officer since 2005, suggested local women apply for a permit to carry a concealed weapon during a news conference Monday about the attack on Sunday at Milliken Park in Spartanburg.

"It just struck me wrong that we keep telling everyone 'trust us, trust us, trust us,' but in reality, you need to protect yourself," Wright told FoxNews.com. 

"If you are not a convicted felon or someone who causes trouble or don't have any mental issues, buy a weapon to protect yourself and get some good training."

Wright suggested that had the unidentified victim been armed, perhaps with a .45-caliber handgun concealed in a fanny pack, she would have stood a better chance fighting off her attacker.

"If she didn't shoot the guy, she could have at least stopped him and made him leave her alone," Wright said. "You can defend yourself."

Wright said he was "tired of looking at victims" of crimes whose perpetrators are arrested multiple times and are later released without significant jail time. Lance, for example, had been arrested more than 20 times, he said, including for offenses like rape, battery and resisting arrest. Wright characterized him as an "animal" during Monday's news conference.

Since making the suggestion that women lawfully arm themselves, Wright said his office has received more than 200 phone calls supporting his stance. Only one didn't "praise" the call to action, he said.

"We're not trying to raise up a militia here, we're sending a message to the bad guys that we're tired of it," he said. "I'm through getting bit."

"There are tons of guns on the street now, I would just prefer to train the good people who have them so there'd be less accidents," Wright said. "I am plainspoken in a lot of aspects and we cannot be everywhere. I think the people in this county understand how I go after these drug dealers and people who break into our homes … We're just very relentless in our pursuit of justice."

Asked if he believes his message resonated with Spartanburg County residents, Wright replied: "I would say that if you're a concealed weapons permit instructor, you're about to make a lot of Christmas money.


http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/11/01/south-carolina-sheriff-need-to-protect-yourself/

Dont CC into an MRI

 
An incident occurred in may 2002 at an outpatient imaging center in western New York State, in which a firearm spontaneously discharged in a 1.5-T MR imaging environment with active shielding.

Examination of the weapon by a ballistics laboratory concluded that the force of the magnetic field was responsible for the firearm's discharge. To understand how the gun discharged requires a brief discussion of the firing mechanics of the Colt 1991 A-1.45 caliber pistol and the weapon's safety mechanisms.

At the time the weapon discharged, it was reportedly in a cocked and locked position; that is, the hammer was cocked and the thumb safety was engaged to prevent the hammer from striking the firing pin. A live round was in the chamber. (Many people who choose this weapon for personal protection will carry it in this manner because it allows tem to quickly fire the weapon if needed.)


Safety first!