Reducing Guns

Quote of the Day

We need to focus on responsible behavior. We need to focus on safety. I’ll say again, we can’t have an officer in every situation to prevent gun violence. What we can do is work to reduce the guns that we have on the street.

Tammy Morales
Representative for District 2 in Seattle
August 21, 2023
Another mass shooting in Seattle sparks debate on police staffing, public safety

What she needs to realize is:

  1. “Work to reduce the guns we have on the street” is a criminal offense.
  2. If you do reduce the number of guns in the general population those guns will be from the hands of those who are generally law abiding. That makes guns in the hands of violent criminals all the more valuable because they can more easily use their illegally owned guns to intimidate and/or harm the law abiding who turned in their guns.
  3. Hence, reducing the number of “the guns we have on the street” will lead to an increase in violent crime.

But, as we all know, the real motive of gun control is not the reduction of crime. It is the increase of control.

Capture the Flag

Quote of the Day

SAF’s ‘Capture the Flag’ initiative looks to challenge these laws that deprive individuals of their right to keep and bear arms, where appropriate, based on evidentiary standards that are constitutionally impermissible.

Adam Kraut
Second Amendment Foundation Executive Director
SAF LAUNCHES ‘CAPTURE THE FLAG’ EFFORT TO CHALLENGE ‘RED FLAG’ LAWS

This is a worthy goal. I wish them well.

Defunding the Police

Quote of the Day

I lived in West Oakland for three years 15-18. My fondest memory is the CHP helicopter flying overhead weekly blaring this message on repeat: Police Dogs Have Been Released, Stay In Your Home or You Will Get Bitten.

The third week in our house there was a gang drive-by on an apartment one block over, three dudes with AK’s did full mag dumps as fast as they could pull the trigger. The third shooter was a little slower than the other two so when they hopped in the car they drove off with out him while he finished his mag. Looked around and jogged off so nonchalantly I was startled. I soon understood why when the police showed up SIX minutes later.

East Oakland was pure hell, I would not travel there to get my pregnant wife Pollo Loco (which not getting was not an option!) without wearing lvl III body armour under my hoodie and carrying my illegal, not on the list, non-registered pistol.

And the best part, according to this article, that was THE GOOD period…

Benelli @disqus_9VxERuctzE
August 23, 2023
Comment to Sick and Tired in Oakland

I have nothing to add to this that everyone else is not already thinking. That’s right, they need to defund the police. That will fix their problems.

It is Not About Safety

Quote of the Day

New York City, a bastion of gun control, has reportedly been experiencing a sharp rise in stabbings and slashings over the past four years. Despite having some of the strictest gun control laws, the city remains quite dangerous for many residents.

While the Supreme Court’s decision in New York Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen has made it harder for states with anti-gun governments, places like New York are still finding ways to restrict the right to keep and bear arms. Unfortunately, it does not appear these laws are truly keeping people safe.

Jeff Charles
August 19, 2023
Stabbings, Slashings on the Rise in Gun Control Haven, New York City

Referenced by the quote above, NYC stabbings and slashings surge in 2023 by 26%

Stabbings and slashings are surging this year across New York City – skyrocketing 26% since 2019, according to disturbing new NYPD data obtained by The Post.

Since Jan. 1 through Aug. 13, the city has seen 3,365 nonfatal stabbings, compared to 2,666 four years ago. The number is also up 5% from the same period last year, which saw 3,208 nonfatal incidents of knife violence.

So far this year, 53 people have died by blade — a shocking 29% increase from 41 in 2019.

The evidence is clear, gun control is obviously not about safety.

No, the ATF Cannot Legally Regulate “Ghost Guns”

Quote of the Day

Political observers expect the Washington Post and the New York Times to carry water for Joe Biden’s Department of Justice gun control agenda. It’s surprising when the conservative National Review seemingly bends over backwards to defend the weaponized agency in a poorly researched and written piece.

On August 9, National Review published an item with the confident title “Yes, the ATF Can Legally Regulate Ghost Guns.” The ill-informed piece was written by a summer intern. If it was an unpaid internship, the publication got every penny’s worth.

NRA-ILA
August 21, 2023
National Review Wrong on ATF Frame or Receiver Rule

Words matter. And when those words are legislative law they matter even more. The ATF, and this summer intern, are ignoring and/or deliberately misreading the word of law.

Ignoring the word of law and/or deliberately misreading by politicians and judges should be a punishable offense. And in some cases it is. But of course, that law is there just to make us think we have some protection against those who use the power of government to deny us our rights. That’s not reality. The reality is, that ultimately, you have to defend your own rights. That is why we have the 2nd Amendment.

Talk Like a Person With a Small Penis

Quote of the Day

You talk like a person with small penis

Jeff the Patriot @Jeffery71886446
Tweeted on July 19, 2022

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

From the conversation thread it appears this is, again, an anti-gun person who is innumerate. When the numbers and facts a shown to them they are completely overwhelmed and have no recourse except to fling childish insults at the person who understands math..

Facts are Being Manipulated

Quote of the Day

Tracking crime statistics – and more importantly, whether or not crime is rising or falling in the United States – is getting harder to do. That’s because nearly a third of America’s cities are no longer reporting crime statistics to the FBI.

This is more than just a problem for policymakers looking for data to address the cities most in need of assistance. It also means that some policymakers are demanding bad policy because they’re relying on incomplete data.

The Marshall Project reported that 31 percent of the 18,000 law enforcement agencies across the U.S. failed to report crime data to the FBI’s national database after transitioning to a new data collection system, according to the latest statistics from the FBI. That’s a slight improvement from 2021, when 40 percent of law enforcement agencies didn’t report crime data. Still, it’s a glaring blind spot, especially when that data is missing from some of the largest metro areas dealing with rampant, out-of-control crime.

Many of those cities also happen to be led by the loudest voices calling for gun control, defunding police and soft-on-crime policies. The trifecta means that gun control politicians are missing a third of the crime picture yet demanding 100 percent of the gun control. Typical behavior for zealots who favor government control over individual freedom.

Salam Fatohi
August 10, 2023
AMERICA HAS A CRIME REPORTING PROBLEM

This is concerning. Facts, such as these statistics, are important to us. They are probably not as important as the constitutional protections but they are important. They are unimportant to the antifreedom people unless the facts are in their favor. By failing to report the facts in the cities with the most gun control they can use them to their advantage.

Since the facts are being manipulated, we can hammer them with the fact they are manipulating the facts. Also, it may be we need to rely less on the facts and just hammer them with the legal protections of firearms owners.

Dark Days for Antis’

Quote of the Day

When I first was getting involved with the gun rights issue (early 1970s), as I recall gun sales were about 3 million a year. Today it’s over 12 million. The antis’ time has passed.

David Hardy
August 4, 2023
Hurrah! Gun sales over a million a month!

I’m not sure their time has passed. But they certainly know there are dark days in their future.

We have to win the culture war as well as the legal war. Then we can win the political war. Gun sales and gun ownership rates will win us the culture war.

Flawed Logic and Contempt

Quote of the Day

The flawed logic of this unconstitutional law is second only to the contempt for which the authors and Gov. Pritzker hold for the constitutionally protected right of the citizens of his state to keep and bear arms.

Lawrence G. Keane
NSSF Senior Vice President
August 16, 2023
Gun Organization Sues Illinois Over New Firearm Restrictions

I’m not sure. I could see the contempt ranking higher.

In other news, August is National Shooting Sports Month.

Infringement of First and Second Amendment

Quote of the Day

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed a law banning firearms advertising that officials determine produces a public safety threat or appeals to children, militants or others who might later use the weapons illegally — opening the door for lawsuits against firearms manufacturers or distributors.

Pritzker on Saturday signed the Firearm Industry Responsibility Act, making Illinois the eighth state to approve legislation that rolls back legal protections for firearms manufacturers or distributors.

Associated Press
August 14, 2023
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signs law banning firearm advertisements that appeal to children

This law goes much further than the news articles publish. It punishes any

…person, firm, corporation, company, partnership, society, joint stock company, or any other entity or association engaged in the design, manufacture, distribution, importation, marketing, wholesale, or retail sale of firearm-related products, including sales by mail, telephone, or Internet or in-person sales.

who

offers brand name merchandise for minors, including, but not limited to, clothing, toys, games, or stuffed animals, that promotes a firearm industry member or firearm-related product

So… a graphic artist working for Smith & Wesson could go to jail for offering a t-shirt with a Smith & Wesson logo to the 17-year old next door neighbor.

These criminals are trying to step around the PLCCA by infringing upon the First Amendment to infringe upon the Second Amendment.

I hope they enjoy their trials.

Shrinkage by Three Sizes

Quote of the Day

Awe, is your dick going to shrink three sizes if they ban your preciouses?

Steve O’Malley @IrishHangover
Tweeted on July 7, 2023

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

O’Malley must not be sharing the same reality with the rest of us. In my reality there are no standardized sizes for penises. That his reality is so obsessed with them explains why he thinks firearms are somehow related.

Mandated Freedom of Speech Training

Quote of the Day

A Texas District Judge ordered Southwest Airlines to send three of its lawyers for religious freedom training after they fired a flight attendant who expressed religious views on social media.

District Judge Brantley Starr ordered on Monday that Southwest has to organize religious freedom training and send a short notice to all its flight attendants regarding the protections on religious speech, after a lawsuit filed by flight attendant Charlene Carter.

Jana J. Pruet
August 12, 2023
Southwest Ordered to Attend Religious Freedom Training

The backlash against wokeness is getting legal backing.

I wonder if other companies are picking up on the message?

I look forward to companies getting court mandated training on respecting people who exercise their rights under the 2nd Amendment.

Advocates for Flagrantly Violating the Constitution

Quote of the Day

We suggest an unlikely source of continuing power, after Bruen, for states to disarm individuals they deem dangerous: qualified immunity. Qualified immunity shields state officers from monetary liability for many constitutional violations. In short, unless a previous case “clearly established,” with high factual particularity, that the officer’s conduct was unconstitutional, the officer does not pay. Thus, a state law enforcement officer may, after Bruen, confiscate an individual’s firearm if the officer deems that person too dangerous to possess it. The officer’s justifications may conflict with the federal courts’ understanding of Bruen or the Second Amendment—perhaps flagrantly. But unless a previous, authoritative legal decision examining near-identical facts says so, the officer risks no liability. And because each individual act of disarmament will be unique, such prior decisions will be vanishingly rare. The result is a surprisingly free hand for states to determine who should and should not be armed, even in contravention of the Supreme Court’s dictates.

Guha Krishnamurthi
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
Peter Salib
University of Houston Law Center
Qualified Immunity as Gun Control
July 5, 2023

This looks to me like a conspiracy to violate rights and perhaps other crimes by Krishnamurthi and Salib. Can’t they be satisfied with the current violations of the constitution?

If violating the constitution, and openly admitting they know it is unconstitutional, becomes pervasive I could see the response become correspondingly unlawful.

Another Shot Fired at Ferguson

Quote of the Day

The Magazine Ban is a complete prohibition on commerce in ammunition magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds. The Supreme Court has three times answered the specific question of what historical traditions of firearms regulation can possibly support modern day bans on certain types of “arms.” Those cases establish that states can only ban arms that are “dangerous and unusual.” Magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds are neither.

Joel B. Ard
Ard Law Group PLLC
Attorneys For Plaintiffs
PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

Via SAF MOVES FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN WASH. MAGAZINE BAN CASE:

The Second Amendment Foundation today filed a motion in U.S. District Court for summary judgment in its challenge of Washington State’s ban on so-called “large-capacity magazines” in a case known as Sullivan v. Ferguson.

Progress is slow, but we are firing some powerful “ammunition” in our legal war.

I just wish we were in a position to use 18 USC 242 in this fight. Until we are, we will always be doing battle with the forces of evil over this issue.

Small Arms are Toys so Ban Them

Quote of the Day

Are you honestly trying to argue you’re going to fight the ARMY (an actual well-regulated militia) with your little small-penis-overcompensation toys?

on POST as SOMETIMESFUNNY @ZTVComedyNews
Tweeted on April 3, 2023

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

This is an interesting assertion. Our small arms, such as AR-15s, are “toys”. So, this guy wants them highly restricted and/or banned. If they are mere toys, then what is the point of banning them?

Don’t try to debate people like this. You can’t have a battle of wits with an unarmed person.

From Adam Piersen @AdamPiersen in the replies to this tweet:

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From Michael Winter @Winterborn123 in the replies to this tweet:

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From Michael Winter @Winterborn123 in the replies to this tweet:

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From DissidentRexy @DissidentRexy in the replies to this tweet:

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Cherry Picked Data

Quote of the Day

The second amendment is not sacred. It is failed policy.

In the over 200 years since it was added to the constitution, it has become obsolete and dangerous.

Every year you cling to it, tens of thousands of Americans die horrible deaths.

PeteGreenburg @petegreenburg
Xeeted on August 2, 2023

Assuming this is earnest and rational belief and not a deliberate lie or emotions is if they based the assertion upon only the criminal activity associated with firearms while ignoring the benefits. This is known as cherry picking the data.

In any case, the thing to take away from this even with SCOTUS unanimously agreeing in the Heller decision that the Second Amendment protects an individual right there are still people who insist no such right exists. Never let anyone get away with telling you that no one wants to take away your guns.

NFA and GCA Will be Gutted

Quote of the Day

Because of the Bruen decision we are going to see every gun law challenged, The NFA and GCA will eventually be gutted. I don’t think there will be a complete removal of both but they won’t look anything like they do now after @gunpolicy and GOA get done.

Scott Wilburn (@ScottWilburn138)
Tweeted on August 2, 20237

A persuasive argument can be made for this. If you are in a rational universe. I am far from convinced of the rationality of our legal system, let alone the entirety our country, world, and beyond.

Still, I know that if we do not try it is certain to not happen. So, I’m donating money every month to FPC and SAF. My goal is to have machine gun shooting sports in high schools in less than ten years.

Manage Your Expectations to be Consistent With Reality

Quote of the Day

For years, the ATF allowed unrestricted use of the braces, invented for use by handicapped target shooters, but under Biden moved to ban or regulate them. The White House claimed they are “weapons of war” though only two “mass shootings” have involved the guns, which are typically used for target shooting and hunting.

An estimated 3 million to 20 million are in use, and making the changes could cost owners a total of some $2 billion over 10 years, said the court.

The ATF rule kicked in this year and the agency gave owners a few months to comply and skip the tax. But just about 250,000 decided to register their guns, a far worse compliance rate than expected.

Paul Bedard
August 2, 2023
Judges pistol-whip Biden ATF over gun grab overreach

So, between 1% and 8% registered their guns. Whoever expected more than that is severely out of touch with reality. That is typical in the U.S. and Canada, and probably elsewhere as well.

No Correlation

Quote of the Day

Illinois, with its restrictive gun laws and comparatively low gun ownership of 22 percent, had 414 mass shootings and a per capita rate of 3.6 mass shootings per million people.

Washington, D.C., despite not being a state, was included in the study and the researchers were shocked to find that the district had the highest rate of mass shootings per capita at 10.4 shootings for every one million people. This is despite the fact that the country’s capital has some of the strongest gun control laws in the nation.

For states, Louisiana had the highest rate of mass shootings per capita at 4.3 shootings per million people – less than half the per capita rate in Washington, D.C. despite the lax gun laws and 52 percent gun ownership.

Hawaii and North Dakota had zero mass shootings from 2014 to 2022. They are followed by New Hampshire, Vermont and Wyoming, which all had one each, Idaho with two and Maine with three.

Arsenio Toledo
July 28, 2023
Study proves there is NO CORRELATION between gun control laws and mass shootings

I’ve been saying, essentially, the same thing for almost 20 years. That the politicians don’t care about the facts should be used as evidence at their trials.

Violent Criminals are Their Allies

Quote of the Day

Zero tolerance doesn’t apply to stopping criminals. The Biden administration reserves that focus for the firearm industry.

Larry Keane
Senior vice president for government and public affairs for the National Shooting Sports Foundation
July 27, 2023
ATF has shut down nearly 2,000 gun stores since the implementation of its new “zero tolerance” policy

This is not news to most of us:

They are just being more blatant about it.