Category Archives: Gun Rights

15 Things You Should Never Say to a Legal Gun Owner

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Quote of the Day

  1. ‘Why do you need a gun?’
    Imagine asking someone, “Why do you need freedom of speech?” Owning a gun in the United States is a constitutional right, not a “need.” People have various reasons for owning firearms, from self-defense to hunting and sport shooting. Questioning the “need” implies you know better than they do when it comes to their personal choices or safety concerns. A tad condescending, don’t you think?
  2. ‘You must be paranoid.’
    Paranoia? Really? Owning a gun doesn’t mean someone is donning a tinfoil hat and waiting for the sky to fall. For many, it’s about personal safety, the safety of loved ones, or even the enjoyment of shooting as a sport. Labeling someone as paranoid for exercising a constitutional right is a bit of a stretch.
  3. ‘Guns are the problem.’
    Ah, the reductionist argument that blames an inanimate object for the complexities of human behavior and societal issues. Gun violence is a serious matter but boiling it down to “guns are the problem” ignores the multifaceted factors like mental health, socio-economic conditions, and more. It’s not as black and white as some would like to believe.
  4. ‘Gun-free zones work.’
    Cute idea, except for the pesky detail that many public shootings occur in designated gun-free zones. The concept ignores the fact that those bent on doing harm are not likely to be deterred by a sign on the door.
  5. ‘The Second Amendment is outdated.’
    The notion that any part of the Constitution is “outdated” opens a can of worms. Are other rights outdated too? The Second Amendment exists for multiple reasons, and its modern applicability is still a topic of fervent debate. Dismissing it as “outdated” is dismissive of that ongoing conversation.
  6. ‘You’re compensating for something.’
    Oh, the classic Freudian jab. This cliché suggests that owning a gun is a form of overcompensation for personal inadequacies. It’s a cheap shot (pun intended) that does nothing to further a constructive conversation about gun ownership or gun control.
  7. ‘You must be a Republican.’
    Ah, yes, because only Republicans appreciate constitutional rights? Gun ownership exists across the political spectrum, and assuming otherwise only serves to perpetuate divisions and stereotypes.
  8. ‘Only the police should have guns.’
    Entrusting an entire society’s safety solely to the police assumes an infallibility that no institution possesses. It also ignores the importance some place on personal freedom and self-defense.
  9. ‘It’s too easy to get a gun.’
    Before making this sweeping statement, perhaps consider the background checks, waiting periods, and federal and state laws that exist. “Easy” is a relative term and assumes that current laws aren’t stringent or effective.
  10. ‘Assault weapon bans work.’
    Defining “assault weapon” is notoriously tricky, and evidence on the effectiveness of bans is mixed. Saying they “work” is a one-size-fits-all statement that ignores the complexities of the issue.
  11. ‘Only criminals have guns.’
    If this were true, we’d have a country full of criminals. Millions of law-abiding Americans own guns for a variety of legitimate purposes. Conflating legal gun ownership with criminal activity is not just inaccurate; it’s disrespectful to a large part of the population.
  12. ‘You shouldn’t have a gun if you have kids.’
    This one assumes that gun owners are inherently irresponsible when it comes to storage and safety. Many gun owners who are parents take extra precautions to ensure their firearms are stored safely, away from their children. Just like you’d childproof your home for other hazards, the same goes for firearms.
  13. ‘You must be a gun nut.’
    For some reason, an interest in firearms gets stigmatized as an obsession or a sign of paranoia. Let’s remember that owning a gun doesn’t necessarily make someone a “gun nut” any more than owning a car makes someone a “car nut.” People own guns for various reasons: sport, hunting, and self-defense, among others. Labeling someone as a “gun nut” simply for owning a gun is a dismissive way to avoid more nuanced conversations about individual rights and responsibilities.
  14. ‘Guns kill people.’
    This is the “IT argument” that gets rolled out in every gun debate. While it’s true that firearms can be used to harm others, placing the blame solely on the inanimate object oversimplifies a complex issue. Most legal gun owners would point out that a gun, like a car or a knife, is a tool; it requires a human to operate it. They argue that the focus should be on responsible ownership and usage, rather than demonizing the object itself. This phrase can shut down meaningful dialogue about issues like gun safety, mental health, and responsible ownership.
  15. ‘You’re part of the problem.’
    The ol’ blame game—a classic! By declaring a legal gun owner as “part of the problem,” you’re not just tossing a Molotov cocktail into a nuanced debate; you’re also casually ignoring the fact that many gun owners are fervent advocates for responsible gun use and safety measures. Way to lump everyone together! This kind of accusatory tone isn’t just an over-simplification; it’s a conversation ender. If the goal is to alienate someone rather than discuss the complexities of gun ownership and societal issues, then bravo, mission accomplished!

Casey Lee
November 7, 2023
15 things you should never say to a legal gun owner

This set of statements was suggested to me by Microsoft Start (the default startup page with the Edge browser). I am rather impressed with it. It frequently suggests interesting articles about selecting a gun or a change in guns laws. I used to have Google News as my startup landing page. I never saw articles which portrayed gun owners as reasonable people or gun ownership as a civil right.

I suspect Microsoft created an algorithm to show me things I have expressed an interest in and just let it do it’s thing.

I suspect Google puts their thumb on the scales of what they believe is appropriate for people to read and think.

I have long considered Google to be evil. Nothing has changed to suggest I should change my mind.

Most School Shooters Have Five Things in Common

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Interesting analysis:

  • Early-childhood trauma and exposure to violence
  • Anger over a recent event, resulting in feelings of suicidality
  • Being inspired by other school shooters
  • Having the means to carry out an attack

There is one thing they left out:

  • Gun free zones

There are reasonable means to mitigate all of these.

Strategy to Stop Future School Shootings

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This is not going to be 100% but I’m all for a layered approach to all types of security. This looks like a reasonable layer for school security.

Every Friday afternoon, she asks her students to take out a piece of paper and write down the names of four children with whom they’d like to sit the following week. The children know that these requests may or may not be honored. She also asks the students to nominate one student who they believe has been an exceptional classroom citizen that week. All ballots are privately submitted to her.

And every single Friday afternoon, after the students go home, she takes out those slips of paper, places them in front of her, and studies them. She looks for patterns.

Who is not getting requested by anyone else?

Who can’t think of anyone to request?

Who never gets noticed enough to be nominated?

Who had a million friends last week and none this week?

You see, Chase’s teacher is not looking for a new seating chart or “exceptional citizens.” Chase’s teacher is looking for lonely children. She’s looking for children who are struggling to connect with other children. She’s identifying the little ones who are falling through the cracks of the class’s social life. She is discovering whose gifts are going unnoticed by their peers. And she’s pinning down—right away—who’s being bullied and who is doing the bullying.

Welcome to Reality

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Quote of the Day

I do not know what it means to be a liberal Jew in America anymore. I don’t know what it means to be against gun violence or against people who have guns or just against having playdates at houses with people who own guns — not when those people are all around me, when those are my people.

Amy Klein
November 22, 2023
Opinion: Taking a trip to the firing range was something I’d never do before October 7

Dear Ms. Klein,

I understand it is tough having your worldview so dramatically ripped apart. It is going to take some time to process everything. But what you are now getting a glimpse of is what we gun owners call “reality”.

  • Reality is that you have to be your own first responder. When seconds count the police are only minutes away.
  • Reality is the police have no legal requirement to protect you.
  • Reality is, worldwide historically, government police have contributed to the murder of far more innocent people than common criminals.
  • Reality is the people of Ukraine wish they had personal access to and skills with effective self-defense tools when Russia rolled across the border.
  • Reality is the Israeli people wish they had personal access to and skills with effective self-defense tools when Hamas streamed across the border to kidnap, rape, and murder innocent people. Some people were able to save countless lives because they did have access and skills.
  • Reality is you have the opportunity to acquire the skills and equipment to defend yourself and your loved ones. You may never need it, but the cost of needing it and not having it is so high that it, by far, outweighs the cost of acquiring it and not needing it.
  • Reality is tough. But millions of other people can handle it. And from reading your article, I’m sure you can handle it too.

I realize you live on the opposite side of the continent from me, but should you ever decide to visit my part of the country (Seattle area and/or North Central Idaho) I would be glad to give you a day or even a weekend of free lessons, free use of my firearms and free ammo,

For your learning comfort I can provide you access to private indoor (Five Star Rated) and outdoor ranges using silenced firearms.

Welcome to reality.

In related news: Gun Ownership Hits Record High Among American Voters: Poll.

The Courts are Busy

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Things are really jumping in the firearms legal world. These are just a few of the things happening in the last few days:

When I think back to when I first got involved in the gun owner rights activism in the mid 1990s… there were seldom more than one or two gun cases per year which made the news. Now it probably averages about one per week.

We live in interesting times.

In related news from yesterday, my company gave all employees some money to donate to charitable causes. I gave all of mine to the FPC. I also donate a lot of money to SAF who also does good work in the courts.

GOA Taking up NRA Slack

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Quote of the Day

A zealous gun rights group, even more uncompromising than the once formidable National Rifle Association, is emerging as a force in US politics with a mission to oppose efforts at gun control and ease further America’s already lax regulations on firearms.

Last year the Gun Owners of America (GOA) spent $3.3m on lobbying, a record sum for the hardline foe of gun control that now claims over 2 million members and activists, and has previously operated in the shadows of the larger NRA.

Peter Stone
November 17, 2023
As the NRA fades, a more zealous US pro-gun group rises as a lobbying power

Good to know.

I don’t think lobbying is the best place to spend the money. The courts are where most of the productive action is at the moment. But developing the infrastructure and skills for lobbying probably is a good thing.

No Self Defense Zones

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Repeal or rule unconstitutional the Gun-Free Zone Act of 1990:

image

Via Grape-kun’s PISSED! @RickyBaker_2111.

Government Admits Background Checks Do Not Enhance Public Safety

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Quote of the Day

A District Court ruled in 2021 that the government was 60% responsible for the massacre after shooter Devin Kelley, who was discharged from the Air Force after a felony conviction, wasn’t entered into the national database that would have prevented him from buying a gun. A judge said the government also owed victims $230 million in damages.

But in court documents filed this week, the Department of Justice pushed back on paying damages and denied that they were primarily responsible for the shooting — a move that gun control advocates say not only harms victims and their families, but is also a backwards step for the Biden administration’s own stance on gun control policy.

NPR
January 14, 2023
DOJ appeal in Texas mass shooting case pleases NRA and puzzles gun control advocates

The issue is the DOJ is claiming the government failure to put the perp into the NICS database does not make them liable for the massacre. This can be interpreted to mean they know background checks do not make the public safer. Hence, background checks are either intended for something other than public safety (such as creating a backdoor registration of guns) and/or a waste of public resources.

The Effective End of the Gun Control Movement

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Quote of the Day

Was at my local gun shop again yesterday. I’m not exaggerating when I say that there was a minyan of religious Jews inside within 20 minutes after the store opened. And I’ll say it again: Jews arming up like this is the effective end of the gun control movement in America.

Jake Novak @jakejakeny
Tweeted on November 11, 2023

I’m not sure this is the definitive indicator of the end of the gun control movement in America. If I were to place a stake in the political landscape and say, “This is point of no return for the gun control movement.”, I would place it at October 26th, 2020. This is the day the U.S. Senate confirmed Amy Coney Barrett as an associate justice to the U.S. Supreme Court as a replacement for Justice Ginsberg.

Still, large numbers of people from any group that usually votes for anti-gun politicians buy guns is a push in the right direction down a slippery slope. Gun ownership is a “gateway drug” to a more individualistic mindset.

In a recent discussion with brother Doug he reported something he had read on a forum somewhere indicating that gun ownership doesn’t necessarily mean voting against the political left. As he reported it:

Jews will continue to vote for the political left as they are being loaded into the box cars.

I don’t know how much truth there is in that claim, but it is worth further observation of Jewish voting habits as the Hamas supporters in this country continue to show their bloody intentions.

These People are Evil

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Quote of the Day

There’s no noncriminal use for civilians, really, in the way they’re promoting them. If you ask somebody to make a list of ‘missions’ that could be carried out with an AR-15 – by a civilian – you could give them till the end of time, and then they wouldn’t be able to think of something that would be lawful.

Josh Koskoff
November 11, 2023
Mass Murder Is a Choice. The Gun Industry Made It

This is what they think of you. If you own an AR-15 you own have criminal uses for it.

I find it very telling that no one from the gun industry or gun consumer was quoted in this article.

These people have nothing but their delusions to draw upon to generate their propaganda in their war upon the specific enumerate right to keep and bear arms.

As for the private citizen AR-15 “missions”, here are a few:

  • Defense from foreign invasion as in the Russia Ukraine war.
  • Defense from religious/ethnic rebellion as in the Hamas action against Jewish residents in Israel.
  • Wild hog hunting.
  • Varmint (prairie dog, etc.) hunting.
  • Three Gun matches.
  • Boomershoot.

All are lawful and it took me considerable less than “the end of time” to enumerate those.

These people are liars with an evil goal. The violation of a constitutional protected right creating a disarmed society susceptible to genocide.

Prepare and respond appropriately.

Amusing ATF Slap Down

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Quote of the Day

The Final Rule is limitless. It purports to regulate any piece of metal or plastic that has been machined beyond its primordial state for fear that it might one day be turned into a gun, a gun frame, or a gun receiver. And it doesn’t stop regulating the metal or plastic until it’s melted back down to ooze. The GCA allows none of this. I concur in the majority’s opinion holding the Final Rule is unlawful. And I further concur that the matter should be remanded to the district court to fashion an appropriate remedy for the plaintiffs.

Andrew S. Oldham
U.S. Circuit Judge
VanDerStok v. Garland
November 9, 2023

You might want to read the whole thing. It is pretty amusing to see the ATF get slapped down so hard.

Sad and Ironic? Yes, Also Rogue and Evil.

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It is a sad and ironic twist that the ATF professes its desire to protect the privacy of gunowners, considering this case involves ATF’s covert surveillance program that for years has been spying on, invading the privacy of, and gathering private information about those very persons. It is more ironic still that ATF seeks to protect that information vis-à-vis Plaintiffs, nonprofit organizations whose mission is to protect and defend the rights (including the privacy) of gunowners against government infringement. This Court should deny Defendant’s request to force Plaintiffs to sequester, to not use, and to destroy records about a secret government program that fails to sequester, nefariously uses, and fails to destroy records about gun sales that Congress’s own statutory protective order declares must be destroyed and not used.

Gun Owners of America, Inc., el al.
October 13, 2023
Plaintiffs’ Opposition to Defendant’s Motion For Protective Order

If the ATF people had any moral decency this would burn pretty deep. As it is, I suspect this will be regarded as a source of pride.

I hope the judge sees the ATF for what it is. It is a government organization without constitutional authority run amuck. I hope they enjoy their trial.

Evil? Stupid? False Flag? Definitely Funny!

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Quote of the Day

I have never heard a reasonable argument for why a sportsman or a hunter needs to turn their rifle into a machine gun with the use of a bump stock to kill Bambi’s mom. The only purpose of a bump stock is to kill as many people as possible, as quickly as possible.

…

The way forward is to ban guns except as needed by a well-regulated militia. Everything else is just changing the retail name of the thing that will be purchased to murder children and ex-girlfriends.

Elie Mystal
November 7, 2023
The Supreme Court’s Next Big Gun Case Puts Us All in the Crosshairs

The absurdity is so great that I have to wonder if she is actually running a false flag operation for the benefit of gun owners.

On one hand she pretends to believe guns are only for sportsmen (and presumably sportswomen) and hunters who don’t need machine guns. This ignores the need for private citizens to defend themselves and their communities as recently demonstrated in the Ukraine and Israel.

Then she wants to ban all guns except those needed by a well-regulated militia. Of course, as pointed out by SCOTUS, the militia includes most private citizens. Hence, she is advocating for the banning of guns used for hunting and making available true assault rifles, .50 BMG machine guns, and artillery.

I’m laughing even though it is such a serious topic. Her display of evil lies, stupidity, and/or a poorly executed false flag operation is just so over the top I can’t help it.

Mark W. Smith/#2A Scholar @fourboxesdiner

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Quote of the Day

The early Americans tolerated all sorts of bad experiences from King George III, but when he decided to take the guns, it was Revolution Time. In April 1775, when the Redcoats left Boston to march to Lexington/Concord, they were not marching to rape and pillage the countryside….. No, they were intent on confiscating the Americans guns.

Mark W. Smith/#2A Scholar @fourboxesdiner
Tweeted on October 29, 2023

And we are tolerating all sorts of bad experiences now. The confiscation of guns would be a similar spark to the one in 1775.

Jews in The Attic Test Makes the Big Time

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On Instapundit, Sarah Hoyt indirectly links to my Jews in the Attic Test.

The original is here. Someone else’s reposting of it is what Sarah linked to.

Audacious Lies

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Quote of the Day

We must come to grips with the reality that the only reason people buy automatic AR15-style assault weapons in America is not for home protection, target practice, or hunting. An automatic weapon is not needed to do these activities. Assault weapons are only used for one thing—to kill the largest number of people in the shortest time possible.

Thy Black Man—Staff
November 5, 2023
Gun Control: What Will It Take To Ban Assault Weapons In America?

There are tens of millions of “assault weapons” used by people in this country. Since there aren’t 100s of millions of deaths each year via these killing machine then we must be using them wrong. Or… They are lying.

You have to wonder at the audacity and the motivation for such a lie.

With the lynching of black men and the use of firearms by the Black Panthers within living memory you would think the authors would realize the utility of firearms for self-defense against an oppressive or even the turning of a blind eye to crimes against people of their skin color.

Perhaps they do understand this and are working for the day when they have the power to oppress the descendants of their ancestors oppressors.

Whatever the reason for their lies, prepare and respond appropriately to retain our specific enumerated right to keep and bear arms.

Mental Issues

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Quote of the Day

Such a small penis club here.

Thats Enjoyable @onequeerjourney
Tweeted on June 16, 2023

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

This was in response to a black man saying:

Mississippi Burning murders

That is why I own an AR-15.

UR a Smart Ass, Carl @Ur_a_Smartass_C
Tweeted on June 16, 2023

You really have to wonder how messed up their thinking is to believe a penis insult is an appropriate response to that.

Some Lesson Details

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To support my assertion that there was a clear lesson which should have been learned I give you this, also from The Times of Israel on October 9th:

A failed attempt by terrorists on Saturday to enter Nir Am, a kibbutz situated some 500 yards (457 meters) away from the border with Gaza, ended with the death of two perpetrators, a local defender says.

“The terrorists appear to have tried to penetrate a large chicken farm next to Nir Am, possibly mistaking its fence for the kibbutz’s fence,” says Ami Rabin, 70, the previous security coordinator of Nir Am, who is also the uncle of his successor, Amit Rabin.

The kibbutz’s guard detail, whose members took up forward positions upon hearing gunshots, shot two of the terrorists as they entered the factory, Rabin tells The Times of Israel. Blood trails around the scene indicated a third sustained a serious injury, he adds.

And this from October 10th:

One tale of bravery involves a handful of men and women who, with only two rifles and a few handguns, prevented a detachment of heavily armed terrorists from setting foot in their community of Ein Habesor.

None of the defenders died in the 20-minute-long gunfight, in which they employed subterfuge to make the terrorists believe they were up against a more formidable fighting force.

…

Another is about Noam Tibon, a reserves general from Tel Aviv who, within an hour of the terrorist incursion, led a hastily assembled intervention team to the home of his son — Amir Tibon of the Haaretz newpaper — in Kibbutz Nahal Oz.

The team killed several terrorists outside several homes, including that of his son, Amir, who was holed up inside with his wife and daughters.

A third account revolves around Inbal Rabin-Lieberman, the 25-year-old security coordinator of Kibbutz Nir Am. She and her uncle Ami led a guard detail so alert that it killed two terrorists as they were trying to enter a nearby chicken farm. This response was so effective that it made the dead invaders’ entire detachment lose the appetite for entering Nir Am.

…

Back in Ein Habesor, local resident Noam Gotliv says, “We’re only hearing the tip of the iceberg of the bravery that Israelis showed over the past two days.” Gotliv used a handgun to fire from close range on terrorists armed with rifles. Another resident armed with nothing but an axe stayed with Gotliv’s wife, Julie, and three children inside their home shelter in case the terrorists breached the gate.

Lesson Not Learned

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You would think with such a vivid example less than a month previous they would understand why the right to keep and bear arms should not be infringed.

From The Times of Israel:

Coming to a public space near you: Guns. Lots of guns.

Weapons should only be distributed to citizens if common sense precautionary measures are applied, including extensive background checks before issuing a license and monitoring of license holders.

We may have to wait until the state of emergency ends before public debate can take place over these risky new regulations, meanwhile, we can only hope it won’t take a tragedy for the national security ministry to take measures that ensure deadly weapons don’t end up in the wrong hands.

Are these people just mind bogglingly slow learners? Or is there some sort of motivation I cannot fathom?

Don’t Ban Guns, Ban Gun Stores

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Quote of the Day

We can pass laws to close gun stores in the 17 states where Democrats have unified control. As a candidate for the state Assembly in New York — one of those 17 states — I am proposing a law telling every corporate entity in the state to make a choice: either stop selling guns or stop doing business in our state.

Scott A. Budow
November 4, 2023
How to curb gun violence: States should ban corporations from selling guns

This smooth brained tyrant wannabe thinks this would pass constitutional muster? Wow!

Does he also believe the states could ban stores that sell religious books? Or churches even? You are free to practice whatever religion you want in your own home. So, in his world view, that wouldn’t be an infringement, right?

Or how about banning media outlets which publish nonsense from Democrats? What will it take for this guy to understand? I propose that if he wins his public office and is successful in banning gun stores he get educated via a public trial and some serious prison time.