When law enforcement became a growth industry, liberty minded free men became endangered.
Maj Toure @MAJTOURE
Tweeted on July 17, 2021
[Technically, this is probably true. But law enforcement as a growth industry is a symptom. Politicians, in defiance of their constitutional limits, creating all the laws which made law enforcement a growth industry are the source of the problem.—Joe]
President Joe Biden recently announced a plan to reduce gun violence and other crimes nationwide, but leaders in the Black community think it could do more harm than good.
Dana Whyte
June 29, 2021
NAACP concerned about Biden’s gun control plan
[Winning.—Joe]
The Left projects in 70mm IMAX. Whatever they accuse you of, either they’re already doing it or wish they were.
Kevin Baker
Facebook comment on July 11, 2021
[Agreed.—Joe]
This sounds like a blatant attempt to harass legitimate businesses. The Biden Administration is working overtime to make things difficult and inconvenient so that fewer people will want to engage in the business of manufacturing and selling firearms to law-abiding people.
Alan Rice
New Hampshire State Director for Gun Owners of America
Leak Shows ATF Preparing Operation Targeting Smith & Wesson and Others
[Via a tweet from John Richardson.
Their goal is more than “difficult and inconvenient”. The goal is elimination of the specific enumerated right to keep and bear arms…one step at a time.
Rice, almost for certain, knows this but a snapshot of the evidence in the current news doesn’t reveal the entire picture. So he makes the more easily supported claim for the soundbite.—Joe]
Appeals court rules firearms dealers can sell handguns to 18-year-olds:
A 53-year-old law preventing federally licensed firearms dealers from selling handguns or handgun ammunition to adults under the age of 21 is unconstitutional, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.
A divided panel on the Richmond, Va.-based Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a Virginia federal judge’s ruling upholding the federal Gun Control Act of 1968.
“When do constitutional rights vest? At 18 or 21? 16 or 25? Why not 13 or 33?” asked US Circuit Judge Julius Richardson in his ruling. “In the law, a line must sometimes be drawn. But there must be a reason why constitutional rights cannot be enjoyed until a certain age. Our nation’s most cherished constitutional rights vest no later than 18. And the Second Amendment’s right to keep and bear arms is no different.”
Richardson was appointed by Trump. The optimist in me believes Trump appointed judges will be the straw that breaks the back of nearly all meaningful gun control.
While there’s no one-size-fit-all approach, we know there are some things that work. And the first of those that work is stemming the flow of firearms.
President Joe Biden
July 12, 2021
Biden to Promote Plan to Reduce Gun Violence
[Citation needed.
Not only that, where and how do firearms “flow”? Do books and religion flow? Does he want to stem the flow of books and religion too?
How about saying something that makes sense? Then we can talk about information flow.
That he wants to stop or dam up the exercise of a specific enumerated right tells you all you need to know about his fitness for employment as a public servant.—Joe]
When we Black Americans see this flag we know the person flying it is not safe to be around,” the post reads. “When we see this flag we know the person flying it is a racist. When we see this flag we know that the person flying it lives in a different America than we do. When we see this flag, we question your intelligence. We know to avoid you. It is a symbol of hatred.
Black Lives Matter Utah Chapter
July 4, 2021
Black Lives Matter Utah chapter calls American flag ‘symbol of hatred’
[This is what they think of you.
Respond appropriately.—Joe]
As we’ve noted many times before, anti-gunners believe that firearms are actually just men’s way of “overcompensating” for our genitalia. When Governor Cuomo shut the gun stores down at the beginning of the COVID pandemic, the guns struck back with a bullying campaign, teasing poor Andy that all the women around him could tell that he had a small penis. He had two choices: Either re-open the gun stores and allow the guns to go back to gunning around killing innocent people all by gunselves, or correct everyone’s false belief about his mighty member.
Trace Munson
July 8, 2021
More Things Cuomo Can Blame on Guns
[I have nothing to add.—Joe]
When I hear young Blacks—or anyone, for that matter—talk about systemic racism, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. I want to laugh because it’s such nonsense. I want to cry because I know it’s pushing untold numbers of young Blacks into a dead end of self-pity and despair. Instead of seizing the amazing opportunities America offers them, they seize an excuse to explain why they’re not succeeding.
Carol Swain
What I Can Teach You About Racism
[I have nothing to add.—Joe]
Wikipedia, like many other deeply biased institutions of our brave new digital world, has made itself into a kind of thought police that has de facto shackled conservative viewpoints with which they disagree. Democracy cannot thrive under such conditions: I maintain that Wikipedia has become an opponent of vigorous democracy. Democracy requires that voters be given the full range of views on controversial issues, so that they can make up their minds for themselves. If society’s main information sources march in ideological lockstep, they make a mockery of democracy. Then the wealthy and powerful need only gain control of the few approved organs of acceptable thought; then they will be able to manipulate and ultimately control all important political dialogue.
Larry Sanger
Founder of Wikipedia
June 30, 2021
Wikipedia Is More One-Sided Than Ever
[I have nothing to add.—Joe]
We, as Americans, demand the right to live free from gun violence. Historic disinvestment in communities and unregulated access to guns equals more gun deaths. It’s really that simple.
Lauren Footman
Director of Outreach and Equity at the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence,
Via email on July 6, 2021
[Apparently Footman is unaware of a well known truth:
Every complex problem has a solution which is simple, direct, plausible—and wrong.
Henry Louis Mencken
Modified from the original in his 1920 collection of essays called “Prejudices: Second Series”.
She is also flat out wrong about there being the possibility of a right “to live free of gun violence.”
It comes as no surprise to find an anti-gun advocate expressing ignorance and falsehoods. It’s part of their culture.
Respond and prepare appropriately.—Joe]
I’d argue that one of the most in-your-face tyrannical phrases ever constructed is:
“RESTRICTED FOR GOVERNMENT OR LAW ENFORCEMENT USE ONLY”
David Codrea
June 29, 2021
Second Amendment will be Nullified if ‘Common Use’ is Restricted to ‘Popularity’
[A far more appropriate, and almost never used phrase, is found here:
Law Enforcement Restrictions
…
Governments that are unfriendly to basic human rights are not allowed the use…
It appears most people are of the opinion that our public servants are actually masters of the public. This attitude needs to change.—Joe]
Political elites see California as their own little kingdom with their own special laws, and they plan to eventually spread those laws across America using California as the model. But, if such laws are overturned as unconstitutional, then the precedent actually works in reverse. Now, the leftists are concerned that an overturned gun ban in CA means more blue states will follow and their entire gun grabbing scheme will go out the window.
Brandon Smith
June 11, 2021
The Real Reasons Why California Leftists Are Terrified Of The AR-15
[The optimist in me sees the extremist gun restrictions in California gun as an opportunity. They have pushed things far past what normal people could possibly view as reasonable it makes it easier to get precedent set in our favor.
Once we have a firm defensive line we can then attack at whatever weak spot we chose and establish another firm defensive line. That is how we achieved shall issue concealed carry and how we are getting constitutional carry. That was mostly in the legislative domain but the same battle plan should work in the domain of the courts.
I would love to see, as Lyle demands, prosecutions of the perpetrators. But, the same reason California presents itself as an opportunity for us makes the prosecution angle difficult or perhaps impossible. The political jurisdictions with the best opportunities for prosecutions are the jurisdictions least likely to be friendly for prosecutions. We can escalate failures in the courts to friendly territory, but we cannot initiate prosecutions in friendly territory —Joe]
With the increase in firearms across the state, Bonta partnered with the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence to call on Californians to utilize the state’s red flag laws – Gun Violence Restraining Orders (GVROs) and Domestic Violence Restraining Orders (DVROs). GVROs and DVROs can help local law enforcement temporarily recover firearms or prevent the purchase of firearms by individuals who have shown a probability to commit violence. Red flag laws can be a proactive tool to help prevent gun violence.
Mark Truppner
July 2, 2021
Attorney General Bonta Releases 2020 Gun Sales Data
[“Prevent crime” by confiscation of a constitutionally protected property.
What is the proper action to be taken to prevent Bonta and his ilk from committing the crime of deprivation of rights under color of law?—Joe]
If you’re a gun-rights group challenging the law in California then you want to be before Judge Benitez. He has become the most vigorous defender of gun rights in the federal courts today.
Adam Winkler
Law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles
June 21, 2021
California Gun-Control Battles Sparked by One Judge’s Decisions
[I hope Benitez is well protected. He is a major player in getting the long standing infringements on our rights overturned.—Joe]
The government is made up of people in power who wanted to be in power and I think it’s important to remember that.
Kat Timpf @KatTimpf
Tweeted on June 25, 2021
[Never forget there are people who openly claim, “I was born to regulate.” There are also people who believe they are “born to rule”. They may be less public about it but they exist.
Power is addicting for these people. They get a thrill out of wielding power. And as time goes on to achieve the same thrill requires more and more power.
I suspect this was one of the reasons for the U.S. Constitution to have enumerated powers. Of course, as a practical matter, that didn’t last long.
A case could be made for nominations for political office to be made via lottery system. Perhaps then people would see the advantages of minimizing the power of government to the bare minimum of what cannot be done well via the private sector. But I suspect some other “lesson” and “solution” would be discovered to enable power hungry monsters to take over government.
I’m certain as long as there is a need for governments there will be a need for the citizen option of rooftop vetoing government overreach.—Joe]
Here’s how you take on #BigTech:
-Speed up the legal process to break them up.
-Take away their liability protections by killing Section 230 as we know it.
-Create a private right of action to sue the companies when they censor you.
We’re drafting a bill to do just that.
Rep. Jim Jordan @Jim_Jordan
Tweeted on June 23, 2021
[I would like to see 1,000 old laws wiped from the books for each new law they pass. Even then, I would like to see serious discussion on how we can achieve the desired goals without any new laws.
That said, something along these lines does have some appeal.—Joe]
More than 61% of the country has drawn a line in the sand — telling the federal government not to infringe upon their God-given and constitutional rights. The movement ceased being “symbolic” a long time ago.
Despite the good professor saying it’s not a “good look” for the NRA, neither the NRA nor any other civil rights organizations have anything to do with it. This is a pure grassroots movement. It’s organic. It’s hyper-local. It’s about citizens standing up to their government — period. No one person or organization is pulling any strings.
That NPR and other outdated members of the legacy media are now belittling and downplaying Second Amendment sanctuaries shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone. They’re scared, after all, but not nearly as scared as the politicians. The movement positively terrifies them. It strikes at their very core. It tells them very plainly that we will not comply with their tyrannical edicts.
Lee Williams
Chief Editor Second Amendment Foundation Investigative Reporting Project
June 23, 2021
No, NPR, there aren’t 400 Second Amendment Sanctuary counties in the US — there are 1,930
[See also here.
This one of the vectors which will help us retain our 2nd Amendment rights.—Joe]
Utopians believe that the world could be a perfect place except for this one group that is stopping the world from becoming a perfect place.
Gad Saad
May 31, 2021
Woke Ideology Mimics Precursors to Totalitarian Slaughter, Experts Say
[See also this YouTube video.
We are facing “Woke” and Marxist utopians infiltrated into government, schools, and many large businesses. They are accumulating power and each concession of power increases their lust for more.
History shows us this is a well worn path to genocide.
Prepare accordingly.—Joe]
The ATF has been an object of ire for many gun owners because of the agency’s grossly unconstitutional actions, ranging from its gruesome crackdown against innocent civilians during the Waco Massacre of 1993 to the infamous “Fast and Furious” gun-running scandal that resulted in the death of Border Patrol agent Brian Terry in 2010.
If there is one institution that should be defunded, if not outright abolished, it’s the ATF.
José Niño
June 20, 2021
A Bipartisan Team of House Representatives is Trying to Hold the ATF Accountable
[Probably 99% or more of the current Federal government is unconstitutional. But starting with the worst of the worst is better than nothing at all.
That said, as Publius said recently:
I think we should get rid of the unconstitutional laws first, then get rid of (no longer necessary) enforcement.
Otherwise I think it’s an exercise in rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. There are MANY alphabet soup agencies who would be willing to take up the slack in your scenario, and I would bet that they would be hiring a lot of ex-ATF agents to do the work.
I could also it also being done simultaneously with a single bill. Or, I could see it being done incrementally with things funding decreasing as they eliminate regulation of suppressors, then short barreled rifles, sawed off shotguns, eliminate FFLs, etc..
But in some ways this doesn’t address the basis of many of the complaints. There really should be a bunch of ATF people prosecuted and sent to prison. But firing them and elimination of the laws they are enforcing would probably be enough to satisfy most people.—Joe]