Common Sense In Chicago: Commentary finally points out that the legal
right to stand your ground, while new to the statutes of Florida, is
nothing new in most of the US.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0510150312oct16,0,2172805.column?coll=chi-ed_opinion_columnists-utl
---
US Murder Rate Hits 40-Year Low: Note the different factors and
distributions of of murder rates in the US. This is good reason to
suspect anyone who claims to peg homicide rates to one single factor.
http://www.washtimes.com/national/20051017-101154-3532r.htm
---
Dolly Parton Reminisces: Dolly Parton recalls drawing an illegally
concealed handgun on her first visit to New York City.
http://www.southflorida.com/news/sfl-rgswnvconsc2oct17,0,4155342.story?coll=sfe-news-wire
---
UN Seeks New Restrictions On Private Ownership Of Firearms: Few details
about the actual treaty are furnished in this article about the joint
efforts of the UN and the International Action Network on Small Arms to
abolish private ownership of firearms.
http://www.freemarketnews.com/WorldNews.asp?nid=1363
---
Brady Bunch Sues Again: The Brady Bunch has filed a lawsuit against a
pawn shop in North Carolina for selling a shotgun that was eventually
used to kill a deputy sheriff.
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=55110
---
Rule Five Reminder: A British Army officer forgot her holstered pistol
and 13 blank cartridges in a public restroom during a military exercise.
My CWP students receive training on what to do with their handguns when
using restrooms. (Rule Five: Maintain control of your firearm.)
http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=2100002005
---
Maine College Respects RKBA: Article discusses the widespread use of
firearms at one small liberal arts college.
http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/2059070.shtml
---
Utah "Celebrity" To Sell Gun Store: Dell Schanze, a controversial Utah
businessman who was recently involved in questionable self-defense
incident, is selling his gun store to a more established competitor.
http://www.sltrib.com/business/ci_3126583
---
Attention Arizonans: From the Arizona State Rifle & Pistol Association
regarding the upcoming meeting of the Game & Fish Commission:
Note: Agenda edited to items of more interest of members.
Be sure to note items 10 and 11.
Friday, October 21, 2005, Arizona Game and Fish Commission at the
Embassy Suites 2333 E. Thomas Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85016.
A public meeting of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission will be held on
October 21, 2005,
and as authorized by A.R.S. § 17-201(D), the Commission will discuss and
may vote to take
action on the following matters:
Public Session begins immediately following the Executive Session, but
no later than 9:00 a.m.
3. Presenter: Bob Broscheid, Habitat Branch Chief. An Update on Current
Issues,
Planning Efforts, and Proposed Projects on State and Federal Lands in
Arizona and
Other Matters Related Thereto. The Commission will be briefed on the latest
developments relating to the implementation of land and resource
management plans and
projects on state and federal lands in Arizona and other matters related
hereto. The update
addresses decisions or activities since the September 2005 Commission
meeting. The
Commission may vote to take action on, or provide the Department
direction on, items
covered in the update.
8. Presenter: Mark Weise, Development Branch Chief. Maughan Petition to
Close a Road
on State Trust Land Approximately Ten Miles West of Springerville,
Arizona. The
Department will be asking the Commission to vote to approve a petition
submitted by Rex
Maughan to close a road on State Trust Land located approximately ten
miles west of
Springerville, Arizona
9. Presenter: Anthony Guiles, Legislative Liaison. State and Federal
Legislation. The
Commission will be briefed on the status of State and Federal
legislation. The Commission
may vote to take a position or provide direction to the Department for
coordination, action, or
proposed changes to legislation or other elective issues related to
Department responsibilities.
10. Presenter: Marty Macurak, Assistant Director. Statewide Shooting Range
Briefing. The Commission will be given an update of department
activities related to
shooting range support and development statewide. The update covers
activities that have
October 2005 Commission Agenda 3 occurred since the September 2005
commission meeting.
The Commission may vote to take action on, or provide the department
direction on, items covered in the update.
11. Presenter: Marty Macurak, Assistant Director. Briefing on operations
options for
the Ben Avery Clay Target Center and Ben Avery Shooting Range. The
Commission
will be provided with an assessment of operations options for the Ben
Avery Shooting
Facility main range and Clay Target Center. The options include a
request for proposals for
vendor operation; staff operation; or an Intergovernmental Agreement
with the city of
Phoenix to operate part or all of the range. The Commission may vote to
take action on, or
provide the department with direction on, options to operate all
shooting activities at Ben
Avery Shooting Range.
14. Call to the Public. Those persons wishing to speak should complete a
speaker's card and
present it to the host. Unless prior approval has been granted by the
Chairman, comments
will be limited to no more than three minutes. No discussion or action
will be taken by the
Commission. Any items requiring further discussion or action will be
included on a future
Commission meeting agenda.
Lunch Break (at Time Certain 12:30 p.m.)
The Afternoon Public Session begins immediately following the lunch
break, but no later
than 1:30 p.m.
17. Presenter: Richard Rico, Assistant Director, Special Services.
Petition for Rule
Change by Mr. Glen Phillips Requesting the Commission Amend R12-4-114
Issuance
of Nonpermit-tags and Hunt Permit-tags. Mr. Glen Phillips has submitted
a petition
requesting the Commission amend R12-4-114 to exempt individuals over 70
years of age
(with a Pioneer License) from the big game draw for all deer and elk
hunts with greater
than 250 permits with the result being they would automatically receive
a tag if they apply
for one of these hunts. The Commission may vote to approve or deny the
petition and may
provide the Department with further direction on this issue.
21. Director's and Chairman's Reports. The Director and the Chairman
will report on recent
Department and Commission activities. An update on the Director's
current goals and
objectives may be provided during the briefing. This item will be
informational only and
no action will be taken at this meeting. If further discussion is
necessary, those items
requiring discussion may be placed on a future Commission meeting agenda.
22. Commissioners' Reports. The Commissioners will report on their
recent activities related
to Game and Fish Commission duties and responsibilities. This item will
be informational
only and no action will be taken at this meeting. If further discussion
is necessary, those
items requiring discussion may be placed on a future Commission meeting
agenda.
October 2005 Commission Agenda 5
24. Future Agenda Items.
The agenda may be revised and additional items may be added prior to the
meeting as authorized
by A.R.S. §38-431.02. In that event, an addendum to the agenda will be
noticed and posted prior
to the meeting at Department offices. Commission agenda items not
noticed for a specific time
may be taken out of order.October 2005 Commission Agenda 6
---
From CCRKBA:
ACTION ALERT: Stop Frivolous Lawsuits Against Firearms Industry Now!
The U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to take up S.397, the
Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, on Wednesday, October 19th. This bill that
would prohibit lawsuits against manufacturers, distributors and dealers
in firearms for unlawful acts committed by purchasers of those firearms.
The purpose of these "nuisance" lawsuits is not to win a big award, but
to bleed manufacturers and dealers dry with continuing legal costs, a
"death of a thousand lawsuits." If this isn't stopped, within a few
years there will be no gun manufacturers or dealers left.
S.397 passed the U.S. Senate in July on a 61-35 vote. A similar bill in
the House has more than 250 co-sponsors. Due to minor differences in the
bill, it is important that the House act on the Senate version of the
bill, S.397. If a different version passed in the House, the bill would
have to go to a conference committee and would likely die this year.
Passage of S.397 (as passed by the Senate) will send the bill directly
to President Bush for his signature. Enactment of this bill is critical
if the American gun industry is to remain competitive.
Please call your U.S Representative at 202-225-3121 and ask him or her
to vote in favor of S. 397 on Wednesday.
---
From SAF:
NEWS RELEASE
SAF BLASTS LOUISIANA NEWSPAPER OVER OUTRAGEOUS POSITION ON CIVIL
RIGHTS
BELLEVUE, WA - The Baton Rouge Advocate newspaper's editorial board
needs to take a deep breath and reconsider its willingness to abandon a
civil right so easily, merely on the grounds that an "extraordinary
situation" might arise, the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) said today
in a sharply-worded letter to the newspaper.
On Monday, the newspaper editorialized against a move to stop the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from imposing a gun ban at an
evacuation site outside Baker, LA. The ban was part of the rules FEMA
set down for displaced Hurricane Katrina victims who are moving into the
temporary housing facility. However, FEMA attorneys began re-evaluating
the rules following inquiries by Gun Week, a newspaper owned by SAF.
When SAF learned of the ban, it threatened legal action.
"It seems rather easy for the newspaper to suggest that a civil right be
surrendered in the interest of a little security," wrote SAF founder
Alan Gottlieb. "I wonder under what so-called 'extraordinary situation'
might the Advocate editors just as quickly argue that citizens give up
their right to free speech, or a free press.
"The right to keep and bear arms is an individual civil right," Gottlieb
said, "protected by the U.S. Constitution and Louisiana's state
constitution, and recognized as an individual right by the U.S. Fifth
Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. Evidently, the Advocate editors
stubbornly disagree, but the Bill of Rights is an all-or-nothing
proposition not subject to the whims of a newspaper.
"Neither SAF, nor any other gun rights organization, advocates unsafe or
irresponsible use of firearms," Gottlieb stated. "But we will not stand
by while a Washington D.C. bureaucracy, or any local government entity,
presumes to have the authority to suspend a constitutional right. The
New Orleans case, in which we were joined by the National Rifle
Association, shows we're serious about protecting citizens against
illegal search and seizure, and violations of due process. This isn't
just about firearms, it's about civil rights, and if a newspaper doesn't
understand that, the editors need a refresher course in Journalism.
"Frankly," Gottlieb concluded, "I'm astonished that a newspaper, which
owes its very existence to the First Amendment, is so quick to consider
the Second Amendment expendable. It is disappointing that the press
constantly fails to see the correlation. If you so easily dismiss one
constitutional right, you might as well dismiss them all."
---
From GOA:
URGENT! URGENT! URGENT!
Change In Status Of Gun Bill
-- Immediate calls needed to your Representative
Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://www.gunowners.org
Monday, October 17, 2005
Last week, a bill containing a mandatory trigger lock requirement
looked to be dormant on Capitol Hill. The prevailing wisdom was that
the bill was dead for the year.
However, given the mercurial nature of legislation and legislative
bodies, one can never be certain of what is going to happen as long
as Congress is in session. One event that can always shake up the
legislative calendar is experiencing a leadership change -- such as
when pro-gun House Majority Leader Tom DeLay stepped down from his
position recently.
What we do know at this point is that the bill is before the Rules
Committee today, and will most likely reach the House floor sometime
this week.
The underlying bill would help protect the firearms industry from
frivolous lawsuits brought by cities, municipalities, and radical
anti-gun interest groups.
Unfortunately, the bill was amended on the Senate floor in July by
anti-gun Democrat Senator Herb Kohl (WI), who added language
requiring licensed gun dealers to supply a trigger lock device with
every handgun sold.
House leadership is now being pressured to quickly adopt the Senate
version of the bill instead of taking up its own bill, which contains
no gun control.
While it is imperative that the Congress pass legislation to protect
the firearms industry, this bill should not be used as a vehicle for
a misguided gun control proposal.
The Kohl amendment would effectively impose a "gun tax" on all
handgun purchases.
Worse, the amendment leads gun owners to the verge of mandatory
trigger lock usage, which would actually endanger lives by rendering
self-defense firearms useless. While the amendment does not require
that gun owners use trigger locks at this point, it is easy to see
how trigger locks, like automobile seatbelts or motorcycle helmets,
can quickly become compulsory.
Mandatory trigger locks has long been part of the agenda of anti-gun
zealots. Though masquerading as a modest step, the amendment will
inevitably serve as a stepping-stone to more onerous legislation.
The House bill, introduced by Florida Congressman Cliff Stearns,
could potentially help protect the gun industry, but it would do so
without saddling American gun owners with yet another gun control
law.
H.R. 800, the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, garnered
well over 250 cosponsors and would pass the House easily if the
leadership would bring up this bill rather than its Senate
counterpart. In that case, the bill would either go to a joint
House-Senate conference, where the different bills would be
reconciled, or back to the Senate, forcing that chamber to either
pass a clean bill or explain to voters their refusal to protect the
beleaguered gun industry.
ACTION: Please ask your Representative to urge the House leadership
to take up H.R. 800, which contains no gun control proposals, rather
than its Senate counterpart. As GOA is the only national gun lobby
insisting on a completely clean bill, it would be very helpful if
you would circulate this alert widely throughout the pro-gun
community.
You can visit the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center at
http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send your Representative a
pre-written e-mail message such as the one below.
Or, you can call your Representative toll-free at 877-762-8762.
--- Pre-written letter ---
Dear Representative:
I am saddened that the House is on the verge of passing gun control
in the name of protecting the gun industry. The House should ditch
S. 397 and use its own bill, H.R. 800, instead.
H.R. 800, the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, garnered
well over 250 cosponsors and would pass the House easily if the
leadership would bring up this bill rather than its Senate
counterpart.
But S. 397 is gun control pure and simple. The Kohl trigger lock
amendment would effectively impose a "gun tax" on all handgun
purchases. Worse, the amendment leads gun owners to the verge of
mandatory trigger lock usage, which would actually endanger lives by
rendering self-defense firearms useless.
While the amendment does not require that gun owners use trigger
locks at this point, it is easy to see how trigger locks, like
automobile seatbelts or motorcycle helmets, can quickly become
compulsory.
Mandatory trigger locks has long been part of the agenda of anti-gun
zealots. Though masquerading as a modest step, the amendment will
inevitably serve as a stepping-stone to more onerous legislation.
Please tell the Speaker and the Majority Leader of the House that S.
397 is unacceptable to gun owners. Instead, send H.R. 800 to the
Senate or tack it on as an amendment to some "must pass" legislation.
Sincerely,
****************************
---
From The NRA-ILA:
Congress to Vote Tomorrow on Bill (S. 397) to Protect Firearms Manufacturers
Dear Stephen Wenger:
This Wednesday, October 19, the U.S. House of Representatives will
consider S.397 the "Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act," critical
NRA-backed legislation to prevent the nation's firearms manufacturers
from being held responsible for the acts of criminals. As you know, this
legislation would protect makers and sellers of firearms and ammunition
from lawsuits that blame them for the criminal or unlawful acts of
others. The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed S. 397 in July, but that
action was only the first step.
It's critical that we put a stop to these meritless, reckless lawsuits
once and for all. The firearms industry has already spent a quarter of a
billion dollars defending itself from these lawsuits designed to
bankrupt them. With a major trial in one of these cases scheduled in
just a few weeks, it is imperative that the U.S. House of
Representatives pass S. 397 this week and send it to the President for
his signature. This is our last and best opportunity to pass this
critical, common sense legislation to protect the nation's firearms
industry from these reckless lawsuits! If the anti-gun lobby succeeds in
court, it could drive the firearms industry into bankruptcy or force
changes in the way firearms and ammunition are sold.
Please immediately call your U.S. Representative at (202) 225-3121 and
urge him/her to pass S. 397 (as passed by the Senate)! You can also find
contact information for your elected officials by using the "Write Your
Representatives"
(www.capwiz.com/nra/dbq/officials/
) tool at
http://www.NRAILA.org . Please make your call today!
Please help us finish the job once and for all by contacting your U.S.
Representative in Washington and urging him/her to pass S. 397.
Sincerely,
NRA-ILA
--
Stephen P. Wenger
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
http://www.spw-duf.info
.