Category Archives: Gun Rights

Quote of the day—Dr. Rochelle Walensky

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Generally, the word gun, for those who are worried about research in this area, is followed by the word control, and that’s not what I want to do here. I’m not here about gun control. I’m here about preventing gun violence and gun death.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky
Director of the Centers for Disease Control
August 27, 2021
CDC Director wants the agency to take on firearm violence for the first time in decades: ‘I’m not here about gun control’
[Wow! That was impressive. On her first venture into the 2nd Amendment arena she tripped and fell flat on her face into a tar pit and is unlikely to ever get the stain off her reputation.

She completely, unambiguously, showed her evil hand with the phrase, “preventing gun violence and gun death.” If she had substituted “criminal” for “gun” in the phrase I would have given her a C+ and offered her some suggestions for remedial Constitutional law. But she didn’t. She completely failed.

Apparently she doesn’t understand (and/or is engaged in deliberately deception) there is such a thing as necessary violence and death. And frequently a gun is the most effective way to delivery that necessary violence. There are people that need to be shot, quickly and repeatedly, until they stop their violent attack on innocent people. In this article there is not even a hint that she is willing to acknowledge this.

Next there is the issue of prevention. You can only legally prevent gun violence and death by means similar that of the exercise of the 1st Amendment can be restricted. The government cannot legally prevent the falsely yelling of, “Fire!” in a crowded theater by gagging the theater patrons upon entry into the theater. They can only threaten people with prosecution for harming innocent people after the harmful act.

I suspect her further activity in this arena will put her at risk for future prosecution under 18 USC 242.—Joe]

Quote of the day—J.D. Tuccille

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A majority of Americans may currently favor more restrictive laws regarding firearms, but that majority looks likely to shrink in the years to come, making policy changes less likely as the years go by. That’s just as well, since passage of such laws would leave the powers-that-be looking thoroughly ineffective given that the people who would actually be touched by them have demonstrated their unwillingness to submit to such policies.

J.D. Tuccille
August 25, 2021
Don’t Be Surprised if Gun Owners Don’t Comply With Gun Control Laws
[I have nothing to add.—Joe]

Quote of the day—Laura J. Nelson and Kristina Davis

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Dramatic anecdotes and a tendency toward gun-related puns seem at times designed to troll gun-safety advocates, who view his rulings and his expansive view of the 2nd Amendment with a mixture of outrage and alarm.

Laura J. Nelson and Kristina Davis
August 8, 2021
The judge upending California’s gun laws: ‘Blessed’ jurist or ‘stone-cold ideologue’?
[This is regarding U.S. District Judge Roger T. Benitez who has been throwing out some of California’s oppressive gun laws.

I don’t think it does any good to troll the anti-gun people in judicial rulings. Rather I think they should be treated with a certain amount of respect as they are prosecuted.

I didn’t know that he is 70 years old and semi-retired. That explains why some of his rulings have taken so long.

Reading about his experience as a child in Cuba may explain why he gives the 2nd Amendment the respect it deserves:

In September 1960, Castro set up a network of “revolutionary collective vigilance” committees in neighborhoods across the country. Its members, covert adherents to the Communist Party, began going door to door, asking neighbors to surrender their weapons, said Lillian Guerra, a University of Florida history professor.

At school, Benitez and his classmates were pulled out of class and questioned about their parents’ view of the revolution. His father was a businessman, and his mother held advanced degrees. In the Daily Journal, Benitez recalled opening the front door one day to see two armed people in army uniforms who took his mother away.

“We didn’t see her for three days,” he told the Daily Journal. “We didn’t know where she was, what happened to her, whether she was dead or alive.”

That would make quite the impression.—Joe]

Quote of the day—Magus Melanie @MagusMelanie

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Looks like I’ve angered a lot of <100 accounts desperate to prove their guns are bigger than their cocks

Magus Melanie @MagusMelanie
Tweeted on August 13, 2021
[It’s another Markley’s Law Monday!

We have SCOTUS decisions. The best they can bring to the party are childish insults.—Joe]

Quote of the day—Gregg Palermo and Heidi Schmidt

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Lawyers for the city of St. Louis, St. Louis County and the state of Missouri will be in a Cole County courtroom Thursday afternoon for a motion hearing over a new state law that hasn’t gone into full effect yet, but one which the Department of Justice says is already having a chilling impact on law enforcement.

At issue is House Bill 85, dubbed as the Second Amendment Preservation Act.

Gregg Palermo and Heidi Schmidt
August 18, 2021
Feds say Missouri Second Amendment law already having chilling impact
[There is a chilling effect on law enforcement infringing upon the rights of the specific enumerated right of the people to keep and bear arms? Excellent! That was the point of the law. Good to know it is working as intended.

I am looking forward to the prosecutions and convictions.—Joe]

Quote of the day—Tom Knighton

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These gang members didn’t have too hard a time getting around New Jersey’s gun laws. More than that, though, your typical gang member isn’t known for being some kind of master criminal.

In other words, if they can get guns, anyone can get guns.

…

When it comes to gun control, the only ones really slowed down by the law are good, decent, law-abiding citizens who are trying to walk the straight and narrow path. The criminals, on the other hand, will find a way around it without much challenge. Most probably won’t even realize a new law was passed.

Tom Knighton
August 12, 2021
Gang Members Don’t Seem Bothered By New Jersey Gun Laws
[It’s easier to believe this is all according to plan rather than the politicians are that stupid and/or ignorant after so many decades of no evidence that gun control makes the general population safer.

I am nearly convinced it’s about creating a safe work environment for the politicians and their comrades, the criminals. This is well-known. Read The Gulag Archipelago. The USSR regarded thieves as allies in the building of communism because they were the enemy of property owners. Why should our modern day socialists behave any differently?—Joe]

Quote of the day—Taliban

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We understand people kept weapons for personal safety. They can now feel safe. We are not here to harm innocent civilians.

Taliban
August 16, 2021
Taliban in Afghan capital Kabul start collecting weapons from civilians
[That is so reassuring. They have me totally convinced to give them my ammo and guns. Have them stop by my house some time and I’ll let them have it.—Joe]

Quote of the day—Cam Edwards

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It is worth noting that even previously ardent supporters of restricting the right to keep and bear arms don’t want to talk those ideas on the campaign trail in Cleveland this year. Instead, they’re talking about building up the city’s police force, focusing on violent actors, and at least in one case, encouraging residents to obtain a concealed carry license so that they don’t have to fear for their lives when they step outside their door. This is a step in the right direction, and a sign that at least some Democrats feel comfortable putting some distance between themselves and the gun control lobby that’s still eager to court their support.

Cam Edwards
August 16, 2021
Change: Cleveland Democrats Downplay Gun Control As Solution To Violent Crime
[Yes, it’s worth noting. I might have some trust in their change of direction after they advocate for and repeal many of the restrictions on our specific enumerated right to keep and bear arms.

Until then I’ll continue to advocate for their prosecution.—Joe]

Good advice on suppressors

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80% Silencers, the Political Ramifications of Mass Ownership is a bit old but I found it very informative. Some of the more interesting takeaways (emphasis added) are:

Purchasing or legally making a firearms silencer is one of the most effective steps a Second Amendment supporter can take to undermine the National Firearms Act and incrementally restore Second Amendment rights. Second Amendment supporters are well on the way to removing the NFA through an unusual tool: Overwhelming compliance.

…

Once silencers become common enough so they do not draw immediate attention at the range or in the field, we have the ingredients for victory.

At that point, a law enforcement officer will not have reasonable suspicion to inspect a silencer and to demand information to prove the silencer is legal and registered. Such demands would violate the First and Fourth Amendments.

An important part of this structure is a practice I have seen on a number of Youtube videos. The manufacturer information and serial number of the silencer pictured is covered. The information is there; it is simply not available to casual inspection or to the public. Removal of the cover is a search, requiring probable cause or a warrant. Do not grant permission for law enforcement to remove the cover.

…

I have heard of numerous incidents where local law enforcement officers have contacted the ATF about mere possession of silencers, short-barreled rifles, or short-barreled shotguns, only to be told the ATF is not interested unless there is another crime involved.

This is anecdotal. It indicates enforcement of mere possession of silencers may not be a high priority for the ATF.

Quote of the day—Magus Melanie @MagusMelanie

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I have yet to hear any actual argumentation in favour of automatic fire guns vs semi- or single shot guns… just a lot of cock size defending

Magus Melanie @MagusMelanie
Tweeted on August 13, 2021
[It’s another Markley’s Law Monday!

I was already on the case but In Chains @InChainsInJail also gave me a heads up.—Joe]

Quote of the day—Anne Stalfort @astalfort

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I am 100% for getting rid of the Second Amendment

Anne Stalfort @astalfort
Tweeted on July 20, 2021
[That will happen sometime after she reanimates her cold dead fingers.

Just remember, no one wants to take your guns.—Joe]

Quote of the day—Sumera Siddiqi

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Humanity needs to become a bigger priority in this state. This means that stricter gun control is necessary. Our government should listen to its people and make them feel safe, rather than allowing a law as dangerous as permitless carry.

Sumera Siddiqi
Liberal studies freshman at University of Houston
August 9, 2021
Permitless carry infringes on the right to safety
[Is it truth or is it a caricature? Sometimes it is so hard to tell.—Joe]

Quote of the day—Larry Keane

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There are lies, damned lies and gun control lies. The problem with the gun control lies is that those who continue to spout them have no shame even when they’ve been proven wrong.

Larry Keane
August 9, 2021
NSSF: There’s one thing those who are pushing for gun control don’t want you to know. It’s called “the truth”.
[As Lyle sometimes points out, a case could be made that they take pride in their lies.—Joe]

Quote of the day—J. KB

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I have been listening to the book Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland on Audible on my commute.

It’s a difficult book to listen to.

In chapter 10, the author talks about the clearing of the ghetto at Międzyrzec to send the Jews to Treblinka.

What stuck out at me was that 11,000 Jews were deported and over 900 shot by a cadre of only 350 police.

…

And there wasn’t one report of Jews fighting back.

J. KB
July 23, 2021
Why I am the way I am
[The book sounds as if it has similar content to Hitler’s Willing Executioners which I have posted (this post is extremely relevant J. KB concerns) about before.

I just purchased the Audible version of Ordinary Men and will start it later this week when I finish the current book I’m listening too.

As difficult as the books may be to read/listen-to they present some very important lessons worth learning.—Joe]

Quote of the day—James

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Why is it that back in the 1950’s, one could walk into a hardware store, gun shop or mail order all kinds of firearms with no background checks or waiting period and crime was far less than today?

James
August 7, 2021
Comment to BREAKING: Mexico Blames American Guns For Their Problems, Sues U.S.
[My first hypothesis is criminals were more likely to be prosecuted then. My second hypothesis is that we didn’t have a culture of entitlement and people competing for profit in the victim Olympics. Both could be true as well as false.—Joe]

Quote of the day—amicus curiae brief

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New York’s licensing requirements criminalize the exercise of the fundamental Second Amendment right, with rare exception. As a result, each year, we represent hundreds of indigent people whom New York criminally charges for exercising their right to keep and bear arms. For our clients, New York’s licensing regime renders the Second Amendment a legal fiction. Worse, virtually all our clients whom New York prosecutes for exercising their Second Amendment right are Black or Hispanic. And that is no accident. New York enacted its firearm licensing requirements to criminalize gun ownership by racial and ethnic minorities. That remains the effect of its enforcement by police and prosecutors today.

BRIEF OF THE BLACK ATTORNEYS OF LEGAL AID, THE BRONX DEFENDERS, BROOKLYN DEFENDER SERVICES, ET AL. AS AMICI CURIAE IN SUPPORT OF PETITIONERS
July 2021
[Via Damon Root.

It is somewhat disturbing that pointing out that the demographics of the illegal prosecutions are believed to make a difference in whether the law is declared unconstitutional or not. It would seem to me the constitutionality of a law should not be decided on skin color or ethnicity.

That said, if it gets another SCOTUS justice vote (Root opines, “It’s possible that such arguments will resonate with Justice Sonia Sotomayor”) I give my thanks to the public defenders for their contribution.—Joe]

Quote of the day—David Chipman

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The frustration is in the United States the freedom of speech and to say things is largely cannot be regulated.

David Chipman
2019
Biden ATF Nominee ‘Frustrated’ By First Amendment Freedom Of Gun Owners To Say Things He Doesn’t Like
[Chipman isn’t fit for a government job as a toilet scrubber, let alone a position requiring a presidential nomination and Senate approval.

Via email from Rolf.—Joe]

Quote of the day—Dean Weingarten

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When you provide a means for all citizens who are willing, to become part of the state defense agencies, which includes the right to arms, you have short circuited many of the state sponsored restrictions.

This correspondent has often considered a similar provision could be used in the United States, to push back against federal power.

State legislatures could define any person with a carry permit to be a member of the state militia, on duty; they could make it an option available with a few hours training; they could proclaim that federal NFA laws do not apply to state militia members on duty. It is a powerful tool the states have not yet used.

Dean Weingarten
July 29, 2021
Czech Republic: a Right to Armed Self Defense
[Incrementalism.

See also what Mike B. had to say about this idea.—Joe]

Quote of the day—The Educational Fund To Stop Gun Violence

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Community gun violence is highly concentrated in a small number of under-resourced city neighborhoods composed of predominantly Black and Hispanic/Latino residents. These neighborhoods suffer from underfunded social services, few economic opportunities, and concentrated poverty.

The Educational Fund To Stop Gun Violence
February 2021
Community Gun Violence
[EFSGV is a sister organization to Coalition to Stop Gun Violence and has the familiar perpetrators such as Mike Beard and Josh Horwitz. Here they recognize it is not the general population that is at risk of “gun violence”. It is a very small subset of the population. I applaud them for making this concession. But this leads to more “interesting” conclusions.

If you read the link to the article for the source of the QOTD and observe carefully you will discover something interesting. Do a search for “evidence” on that page and take a look for the things they know are effective in reducing criminal violence.

Notice that none of these involve restrictions on firearms.

I believe they know, at some level, that the exercise of our rights protected by the Second Amendment do not make a net contribution to criminal violence. They still advocate for restrictions but they know they don’t have the evidence.

And, of course, they completely ignore the principle of inalienable rights, enumerated powers, and evidence of the defensive uses of firearms, but that is another story.

The bottom line is that this set of bad guys know the truth and openly advocate for the denial of our rights.

Respond appropriately and perhaps someday we can enjoy their trials.—Joe]

Quote of the day—Colion Noir

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I started off not being pro-gun. I was largely apathetic, kind of leaning toward anti-gun. It became a fascination for me, from a physics and enthusiasm standpoint. I started getting into more political aspects of it and realized that my ability to protect myself with a firearm is probably one of the most important aspects of things that I do in my life, because the most important thing I have is my life. The ability to depend on myself to protect myself, and the people that I love, to me, is one of the most important things you could possibly have in this world.

Colion Noir
July 27, 2021
A Gun-Owning Citizenry Is a Free Citizenry
[I have nothing to add.—Joe]