Judge goes Through the Looking Glass

Quote of the Day

Instead of addressing whether the banned items are “dangerous and unusual,” Bevis changes the criterion to say that “Assault-weapons and high-capacity magazines regulations are not ‘unusual,’” because eight states ban them. Since 42 states don’t, that sounds kind of unusual.

Stephen P. Halbrook
March 14, 2023
Second Amendment Roundup: An Opening Judicial Salvo in Defense of Illinois’ New Rifle Ban

Words mean something. And when judges decide to change the meanings of words we have entered new territory:

“When I use a word,’ Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, ‘it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.’

’The question is,’ said Alice, ‘whether you can make words mean so many different things.’

’The question is,’ said Humpty Dumpty, ‘which is to be master — that’s all.”

― Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass

Prepare and respond appropriately.

Leaving Seattle

Barb and I avoid Seattle as much as possible. Over 10% of Seattle residents are contemplating leaving Seattle in the next year:

Newly released survey data from the federal government shows that of the nearly 1.6 million households in the Seattle area in 2021, about 171,600 — almost 11% — were either thinking about or planning to move to a different place in the next 12 months.

Among the 15 largest metro areas, Seattle had the second-highest percentage of people considering or planning to move away, just a fraction behind Dallas — the two metros were effectively tied at 11%. The Riverside, California, area had the third-highest percentage, with about 10% of households planning or contemplating moving away within the year.

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I wonder why that is. Could it be related to things like Mug Me Street and Washington State’s oppressive gun laws?

Bing Chat’s Answer to Just One Question

I asked Bing’s Chat Just One Question:

Can you demonstrate one time or place, throughout all history, where the average person was made safer by restricting access to handheld weapons?

The response was:

The question of whether restricting access to handheld weapons has ever made the average person safer is a complex one. There are many factors that can influence the answer to this question, including the specific type of weapon being restricted, the context in which the restriction is being implemented, and the effectiveness of the enforcement of the restriction.

According to a Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health article, science suggests that guns do not make us safer1. The article states that conflicting statistics about guns, such as how many people in the U.S. use guns for self-defense each year, and whether or not the crime rate is tied to how many people own guns, was the subject of a recent podcast featuring David Hemenway, professor of health policy at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health1.

It is important to note that laws regulating the sale of assault weapons are unlikely to have a large impact on homicide rates, because these weapons are used in only a very small proportion of homicides. The vast majority of firearm homicides in the United States are committed with handguns2.

I hope this helps answer your question. Let me know if you have any other questions or if there is anything else I can help you with.

I find it interesting I did not mention firearms at all and it made it about firearms.

More importantly, by saying “science suggests that guns do not make us safer” is a demonstrating its bias. It is answering a different from which was asked. I asked if banning weapons made society safer. It responded with, essentially, “having weapons doesn’t make people safer”. Which leads to, “there is no harm from banning weapons”.

ATF Abuse Hearing in Congress

Quote of the Day

ATF has been known for its institutional abuse of power throughout history. Now, more than ever, the agency is being weaponized as a means to punish peaceable gun owners and drive small businesses out of the marketplace by inventing creative statutory interpretations surpassing the agency’s authority and scrutinizing federal firearms licensees every actions in a ‘gotcha’ manner.

With the directives from the Biden Administration a simple mistake such as transposing a digit or placing required information in the wrong field results in license revocation, rather than a warning, under the guise of a ‘willful violation’ of the Gun Control Act. This overbearing approach does nothing to support the government’s interest in compliance and destroys livelihoods over innocent mistakes.

Adam Kraut
SAF Executive Director
March 22, 2023
SAF SCHOLAR TO TESTIFY BEFORE CONGRESS THURSDAY ABOUT ATF ABUSES

A government regulatory agency for firearms is directly constitutionally prohibited. Alcohol and tobacco regulations is prohibited indirectly because there is no enumerated power which allow it. It will take a lot more litigation but that is a possible, and the correct, outcome of the Buren decision. With the current demonstrations of institutional abuse of power they should be moved to the top of the list of people who should be prosecuted.

If I had my way, ATF would be the name of a convenience store or a church.

Upside Down “Legal Scholar”

Quote of the Day

It’s a completely crazy standard. They have turned the interpretation of the Second Amendment completely upside down.

Albert Alschuler
University of Chicago “legal scholar”
March 20, 2023
How The Courts Are Strangling Gun Reform

No. This dimwit has things “completely upside down”.The courts are implementing gun law reform. What part of “shall not be infringed” doesn’t he understand? Granted, he still thinks the 2nd Amendment protects the right of states to have a militia. But in the Heller decision all nine SCOTUS justices agreed (only five agreed with the entire decision) that it protects an individual right.

If he were an actual “legal scholar” he would have read and understood the Heller decision.

Volunteering for Door to Door Gun Grabbing

Quote of the Day

Ban all guns, if we have to go door to door and forcefully take away everyone’s firearms then we will.

Johnathan @theprism89
Tweeted on March 16, 2023

I would like to suggest he wear a head mounted GoPro when he “forcefully takes away everyone’s firearms”. Then we could enjoy some popcorn while watching the video. It would be a very small bowl of popcorn, but the video would be entertaining.

Domestic Terrorists

From Washington Attorney General, Bob Ferguson’s 2022 Domestic Terrorism Study:

A note on terminology: “domestic terrorism” (DT) is an undefined term in the Revised Code of Washington, but is defined in the U.S. Code as “activities that (A) involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State; (B) appear to be intended (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and (C) occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States.”

It appears that the emphasized portions of the text above are satisfied by politicians and/or law enforcement who create and/or enforce gun control laws in violation of the 2nd Amendment.

Domestic terrorists. Yeah. That sounds right to me.

I look forward to their trials.

Schadenfreude is sweet

Quote of the Day

Last year’s Supreme Court case that expanded Second Amendment rights has wreaked havoc on the nation’s gun control laws, witnesses told members of the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday.

Michael Macagnone
March 15, 2023
Senate hears about legal fallout from Supreme Court gun decision

We have been telling them for decades those 10s of thousands of laws were unconstitutional. And they ignored and mocked us. They should not expect any sympathy from us as we will not give them any. The schadenfreude is sweet.

Just wait until we have machine gun sporting events in the high schools and the prosecutions start.

You’ve got this because you’re awesome

Quote of the Day

There are all sorts of different ways to fight for the Second Amendment. It’s not all butting heads with jerks and heated arguments on the internet. It’s not all donating money or calling politicians and telling them that if they vote for this latest nonsense, you’re going to make it your mission in life to kick them out of office. Though all that stuff helps, it’s the little things. It’s being that good example. That helping hand. It’s teaching and passing on knowledge.

The greatest warrior for the Second Amendment is the grandpa who takes the grandkids out and shows them how to knock cans off a fence with a pellet gun,

It’s the patient spouse who tries to gently persuade his or her significant other that Moms Demand Action is lying to them, and that allowing a gun in their home isn’t the end of the world.

It’s the manager who tells the HR department to shut up, and then tears down all those gun-free zone signs.

It’s you every time you take some new people to the range, show them how to use your guns safely, and then help them have fun.

Gun culture, this is on us. The future of our country depends on us holding the line.

But you’ve got this because you’re awesome. I’ve got faith in you.

Larry Correia
2023


In Defense of the Second Amendment page 189

This is a good book. It wasn’t quite what I expected. I expected a creative and humorous rant, based on clear and convincing evidence, of how stupid and evil the anti-gun people are. This was considerable muted on the humor and rant with moderate muting of the stupid and evil claims. This makes it a better handout to your grandmother and the gentle person next door as well as a work colleague.

The Bruen Decision is Gun Law Reform

Quote of the Day

That Bruen ruling is going to hurt us for decades to come. It’s going to be the excuse of every conservative Democrat who doesn’t want to pass common-sense gun laws.

Miranda Viscoli
Co-president of New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence
March 11, 2023
How This Supreme Court Ruling Is Already Affecting Gun Reform In A Blue State

Interesting title for the article. The Bruen decision is gun law reform.

Her pain is our gain. Of course, she could sell her tears for gun lube and have some gain of her own if she really wanted.

Anti-gunner demonstrates personality disorder

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The incel vibes are strong with these screenshots.

Which makes sense because a “semiautomatic rifle” is a physical replacement for their limp, sad little “packages”.

MRDucks_CMEDBD_Wings? @MrDucks216
Tweeted on December 15, 2022

It’s not only another Markley’s Law Monday, it is another science denier!

Via In Chains @InChainsInJail who commented:

“Gun control” cultists have misogynistic dick jokes. We have Supreme Court rulings.

I would also like to point out that “gun control” cultists frequently, as in this case, believe they can read minds and/or know the character of people with little or no information about them. This is an indicator of a personality disorder.

Are you Tired of Winning Yet?

Quote of the Day

Visa and Mastercard came to the correct conclusion. However, they shouldn’t just ‘pause’ their implementation of this plan—they should end it definitively.

Austin Knudsen
Montana Attorney General
March 9, 2023
Visa, Mastercard pause decision to track gun shop purchases

We are on a roll, but I hope you aren’t tired of winning yet because there is a LOT more to do.

It is not just a U.S. Problem

Six people are reported dead:

Multiple people shot, some fatally, in Germany: Police

Multiple people were shot, some fatally, at a building used by Jehovah’s Witnesses in Hamburg, Germany, on Thursday evening, police said.

Several people were seriously injured in the shooting, said police, who initially described the location as a church.

As Barb sometimes says, “Why can’t people just be nice?” I think the answer is that there are evil people everywhere. It isn’t just a problem in the U.S. At least here we frequently have a chance of shooting back.

The Way to Think About It

Quote of the Day

This is a security system set up in such a way as not to inconvenience gun buyers and sellers. There is no other security system that I’m aware of that is set up in this way.  Think of it: the TSA was set up to prevent another 9/11. But the nature of that job requires putting people at some inconvenience.

David Chipman
March 5, 2023
FBI gun seizure orders from people who fail background checks hit historic rates

How about we think of it this way, if someone is too dangerous to be allowed possession of a gun or to board a plane, why are they allowed to be unescorted while in public spaces?

Or another way, why hasn’t Chipman been prosecuted yet?

On my Top Ten Most Wanted List

If we were making a list of criminals infringing upon the rights of gun owners this police department would be in the top 10 on my list:

Indy Police Have Secretly Funneled Firearm Data To ATF

SAF Investigative Journalism Project

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department has quietly tested every single recovered firearm – even those not used in the commission of crimes – without probable cause or a search warrant for as long as anyone at the department can recall, according to a story published recently by WISHTV.com.

Once the firearms were tested at the police department’s crime lab, the data was then sent to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which used it to create an illegal gun registry.

Police admit they never obtained search warrants to test the firearms. The testing was done as a matter of policy, whether the guns were used in crimes, held for safekeeping or recovered through other means.

IMPD Assistant Police Chief Chris Bailey told reporters the practice started decades ago, and he confirmed that officers did not have probable cause or search warrants to conduct the tests.

“Not that we know of. We went back and checked how long this has been going on. A former employee who came on in 1973, and it was happening then in the 1970s, and she worked another 30 years here and retired a couple years ago,” Bailey told WISHTV.com. He added there are currently more than 21,000 firearms in IMPD’s property room.

“Let’s say you’re in a crash and knocked out. There’s a gun in your console. The officer can’t send the gun on the gurney with you to the hospital, so they take your gun, your wallet and your cellphone and put it in a bag marked ‘safe’ for safekeeping. Once you’re released from the hospital, you can get your cell and your wallet, but not your gun. You’ll be told IMPD has to ‘process’ it. Keep in mind they would need a search warrant to search your cellphone. Once the gun is tested, ATF now has a ‘fingerprint’ of your gun. Then, ATF will conduct a trace of your firearm and they’ll get the 4473. Six months later, IMPD will tell you that you need to provide proof of ownership, so you’ll need to go to the gun store where you bought it. It can take us several days to dig out the paper receipt. Now, IMPD has three things that identify you as the owner of the firearm, but you still can’t get your gun. You need to make an appointment with the department, get

fingerprinted and they’ll run a background check. If you’re lucky, in a year or two they will hand your firearm back,” Burge said.

Burge said he asked department officials numerous times to justify the process.

“If a laptop comes in, we can’t just turn it on without a search warrant. What gives them the right to ‘turn on’ a firearm?” he asked. “The average handgun people carry costs around $500. When they get the runaround from the city and go talk to an attorney for help – and attorneys don’t work for free – they’ll find out it could cost them around $10,000 to get back a $500 handgun. Most don’t. We’re talking about thousands of people who have been victimized.”

Someday I hope to enjoy their trial.

See also Indianapolis Police have secretly funneled firearm data to ATF for more than 50 years.

Innovation Beats Intimidation

Nice!

Modified gun magazine within the law

With the city of Columbus banning 30-round gun magazines, LEPD Firearms & Range owner Eric Delbert holds a modified magazine that holds 29 rounds and the plastic single shot limiter that keeps it within the law in Columbus.

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This should hold the forces of evil away for a little while. While it probably isn’t going to be long enough for the courts to slap the city of Columbus down. Cities can respond pretty fast on creating new laws and the courts move very slow. But ultimately the courts will put them in their place. I hope that includes forcing the city pay for the plaintiff’s legal bills.

Violence is in their nature

Quote of the Day

Fuck the 2A, we are not in favor of “guns for everyone”, we are in favor of arming those groups who stand most to gain from the end of capitalism, and disarming those who stand in our way

Minnesota SRA @SRA_Minnesota
The Minnesota chapter of the Socialist Rifle Association
Tweeted on February 22, 2023

Also from them:

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For Minnesota SRA @SRA_Minnesota, I’ve known violence is inherent in your kind for a long time. But not everyone believed it. Thanks for the confirmation.

For everyone else, Prepare appropriately.

They are a Bunch of Outlaws

They are an outlaw organization:

FBI worked secretly with hospitals to strip US citizens’ gun rights, documents show

The FBI coordinated secretly with hospitals and medical centers to strip U.S. citizens of their rights to own, buy, or even use firearms, according to a trove of internal documents obtained by the Washington Examiner.

Behind closed doors and without congressional approval, the FBI has worked hand in hand with the Secret Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to strip over two dozen people of their gun rights with internal forms, records show. On the heels of this revelation by the Washington Examiner in December 2022, newly obtained documents and emails shed light on how the bureau apparently received a helping hand from medical facilities to waive gun rights from at least five people.

It is long past time for people to be prosecuted for this crap.