Poll - Most Americans Believe in RKBA: The October issue of Outdoor Life arrived in the mail today, and inside are recent poll results that might be of interest to hunters and fishermen. The polls, conducted by Rasmussen Reports, asked whether the Constitution guarantees the right to own a gun and what was behind the recent increase in gun sales. Among Americans polled, 75% said the Constitution guaranteed the right to own a gun. The percentage of "yes" answers was higher among Republicans (92%) and lower among Democrats (64%). Among others, 71% answered yes. As for the second question, 57% of those polled cited fear of increased government restrictions as the reason for a spike in gun sales; 23% said it was because of a fear of crime, while 20% were unsure. What Outdoor Life left out was that Americans appear to be evenly divided regarding the much hotter issue of gun control: 44% of respondents said stricter laws are needed, while 44% said they're not. The other 12% were unsure. Republicans and Democrats were evenly divided as well: 63% of Republicans polled said they opposed stricter gun laws while 62% of Democrats said stricter laws are needed... (I neither hunt nor fish. I guess, according to the L.A. Times, these poll results should not interest me.) http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/outposts/2009/09/united-states-gun-survey.html Related Commentary: http://www.alphecca.com/?p=1752 --- The Beat Goes On but Not in Russia: For years, the AK-47 assault rifle has been the world's most popular weapon, the gun of choice for dictators, gang members and Third World revolutionaries. But the global recession and a proliferation of copycats has left the Russian maker of the Kalashnikov, OAO Izhmash, in financial turmoil. Monday, a court in Russia said it will consider a bankruptcy application filed against Izhmash by a supplier owed more than $13-million (U.S.). According to reports out of Russia, Izhmash has been losing money for years on its small-arms business and closed its largest gun factory in Izhevsk for much of 2009. The company, which makes other military weapons and hunting guns, has blamed its problems on falling orders from the cash-strapped Russian army and a flood of AK-47 look-alikes from factories in China, Bulgaria, Poland and elsewhere... Izhmash's troubles stand in contrast to some U.S. gun makers, such as Sturm Ruger & Co. Inc. and Smith & Wesson Holding Corp., whose sales and profits jumped sharply this year. That's largely due to specialty products and political issues in the United States where people have been buying guns out of concern President Barack Obama will tighten gun control during his tenure... http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/kalashnikov-faces-bankruptcy/article1296238/ --- NSSF to Educate Public on "EBR's": The National Shooting Sports Foundation has launched a national media campaign designed to correct widespread misperceptions among gun owners and non-gun owners about AR-15-style rifles, also known as modern sporting rifles. "The best-selling rifles in America today are those based on the AR-15 platform - they are today's modern sporting rifles - yet they remain America's most misunderstood firearm because of confusion caused by their cosmetic features," said Steve Sanetti, president of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, trade association for the firearms industry. Sanetti said the confusion is understandable because a modern sporting rifle looks like a military firearm, like an M-16, for example. "We want people to understand that these civilian sporting rifles function just like many other sporting rifles, as semi-automatics, firing only one round with each pull of the trigger, and are widely used by hunters and target shooters and for home protection. They are not 'evil' or 'bad' firearms, as some would have you think," Sanetti emphasized... ("EBR" = "Evil Black Rifle," a sarcastic term used by gunners to classify semi-automatic firearms with a military appearance.) http://www.ammoland.com/2009/09/21/nssf-to-educate-america-about-ar15-rifles/ --- Virginia Tech Students Seek Support: Our self-defense rights are under fire here at Virginia Tech, and we're asking for your help in protecting them. The "Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention" is holding its first event of the semester, and they are making it clear that their idea of preventing violence is achieved by disarming good people. The event involves a screening of ABC's horribly-biased 20/20 special "If I Only Had a Gun" (see critiques at the end of this letter) followed by a panel discussion with Q&A - and of course, the panel is loaded with anti-gun folks... So, since the show is biased and the panel is loaded, in response we need to load the audience with people who understand and respect the right to bear arms and the right of self-defense. I understand this is short notice, but since we just learned of the event, we too are having to make adjustments to attend. If you can make time on Thursday night for this, here's what we need people to do... http://www.ammoland.com/2009/09/21/anti-gun-event-at-virginia-tech/ --- Seattle Mayor Sets Himself up for a Fall: Ousted Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels must be a masochist, yearning not only to be remembered as the mayor whose reign was called because of snow, but the man who also turned political defeat into public humiliation by opening the door to a lawsuit he - and in his wake, the city he should have served instead of trying to run - will certainly lose. At least, that's the analysis of Alan Gottlieb, founder and executive vice president of the Second Amendment Foundation in Bellevue, just across Lake Washington from Seattle. He's the fellow poised to file that lawsuit, and he's got an impressive track record. Twice SAF has sued the City of San Francisco over gun bans - the second time in partnership with the National Rifle Association, Law Enforcement Alliance of America and other plaintiffs, the first time back in the 1980s all on its own - and won both times. SAF has forced Washington, D.C. to revise its handgun policies now that its gun ban has been stricken by the U.S. Supreme Court, and SAF is currently suing the City of Chicago over a handgun ban, a case that could end up before the high court... http://www.examiner.com/x-4525-Seattle-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m9d21-Seattle-Mayor-Nickels-setting-stage-for-legal-slap-down --- Missouri Castle Doctrine Clarified: The Castle Doctrine has been on the books in Missouri for a couple years but one lawmaker says it is still often misunderstood. That's why Sen. Jack Goodman, R-Mount Vernon, is trying to clear up any confusion about a person's right to act in self-defense. With the recent case of a man from Springfield who shot at a purse thief, many viewers asked about the rights of people with conceal-and-carry weapon (CCW) permits, along with the Castle Doctrine. Goodman authored the law. He says the most recent version of the Castle Doctrine states a law-abiding homeowner can assume that someone who breaks into his home is there to do him bodily harm and can fully defend himself against that intruder... This differs from the CCW law in the sense that, under that law, you can't defend yourself with a gun against someone trying to steal property when you're outside your home. The Castle Doctrine allows lethal force if someone is breaking in; CCW law says, when someone is causing an imminent threat to you or another person, you can shoot at him but not if he is only threatening property. http://www.ky3.com/news/local/60002072.html --- Industrial-Security Group Opposes Parking-Lot Storage: The Legislative Action Center (LAC) under the ASIS International Public Affairs Department continues to monitor legislation relating to guns on company property. ASIS has taken a position opposed to state laws that would prohibit employers and others from having and enforcing policies to keep firearms off their premises. Oklahoma, Kansas, Minnesota, Kentucky, Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, Utah, and Florida have enacted such legislation. Other states are considering bills, and the National Rifle Association actively opposes such legislation. ASIS believes that property owners should have the right to decide whether weapons may be brought onto their premises. ASIS affirms that any state attempting to limit this right infringes on the basic rights of private property owners. ASIS will continue to speak out against these laws and to urge state legislatures to oppose them. ASIS's volunteer leaders are urged to assist at the grassroots level. For more information, contact Jack Lichtenstein, ASIS vice president for public affairs, at jlichtenstein@asisonline.org. Updates will also be posted on the ASIS Web site: www.asisonline.org. (For better or for worse, they appear to have missed the similar bill which takes effect in Arizona on September 30.) http://www.securitymanagement.com/news/asis-international-opposes-blanket-firearm-bans-company-property-006205 --- Illegal Alien to be Sentenced for Firearm Possession: A Roland man pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. "Charges arose from an investigation by the Sequoyah County Sheriff's Department and the U.S. Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)," Sheldon J. Sperling, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, said. The indictment alleged that on or about June 6, during the execution of a state search warrant, Alejandro Perez-Padron also known as William A. Vellasquez, 27, was arrested after he was found in possession of a loaded Smith and Wesson 40-caliber pistol. The pistol was tucked in his waistband and Vellasquez also had 24 rounds of .40-caliber ammunition in his front pocket. "The defendant is an illegal alien and is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition," Sperling said. "Perez-Pardon was indicted in July." Magistrate Judge Steven P. Shreder in the U.S. District Court accepted Perez-Pardon's guilty plea and ordered completion of a pre-sentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following its completion. The defendant remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service pending imposition of sentence. Sperling said the punishment is not more than 10 years imprisonment and, up to $250,000.00 in fines. "A preliminary calculation of the sentencing guidelines projects an advisory sentencing range of 12-18 months imprisonment," Sperling said. http://www.sequoyahcountytimes.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Illegal+alien+sentenced+for+carrying+gun%20&id=3670422&instance=home_news_bullets --- Rule One, Rule Two Reminder: An Imperial man is dead after accidentally shooting himself in the head while teaching his girlfriend firearms safety. Sheriff Glenn Boyer said that on Friday, deputies responded to 4307 Rock Valley Court in Imperial for a shooting. Investigators found 40-year-old James Looney with a gunshot wound to the head. According to witnesses, Looney was demonstrating how to use the different safety mechanisms on several guns to his girlfriend. The witnesses said Looney would put the guns to his head, and before pulling the trigger, would ask her if she thought the gun would go off. With the first two guns, the safety mechanisms worked. The third gun fired. Looney was transported to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead the next morning. According to witnesses, Looney was going to take his girlfriend to the shooting range the next day, but insisted on the lesson on firearm safety the day before. Deputies believe alcohol was involved. (Rule One: All firearms are always loaded. Rule Two: Never let the muzzle cross anything you're not prepared to shoot.) http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=185501&catid=3 http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/st-louis-crime-beat/2009/09/21/gun-safety-demo-turns-fatal-in-jeffco/ An Orion Township man accidentally shot himself in the finger Sunday when he went after a burglar, but was scared by his cat. "It just goes to show you, if you're going to own a gun and use it for home self-defense, you'd better know how to use it," Major Bob Smith of the Oakland County Sheriff's Office said today. "It's like buying a car and not having a clue how to drive it." The 21-year-old man was home alone on Ridgeview Circle early Sunday when he heard a noise in the basement, according to the Sheriff's Office. He grabbed a .22 caliber handgun and headed to the basement. However, he accidentally fired the gun when his cat jumped out and startled him, hitting himself in the index finger. There was no burglar. Investigators, called when the man went to Crittendon Hospital for treatment, recovered the gun at the scene. (It sounds like it's a good thing he only had a .22.) http://www.freep.com/article/20090921/NEWS03/90921019/1005/Orion-man--startled-by-cat--shoots-self --- Rule Five Reminder: ... But instead of stopping a crime, that gun became a hapless victim of one during the summer of 1992. You see, the Spiedels' high schooler, Scott, had a 16-year-old buddy named Matt Wzientek. And, well, here's how Wzientek explained it to jurors last week. "I walked in and just took it because they never had the door locked," the gun thief, now 33, testified. "I stole the gun." Wzientek says he sold the stolen gun to another guy who gave him 15 bucks, and he even threw in the bullets for free. That guy was Jim Degorski, the man prosecutors say teamed up with Juan Luna and that same gun in 1993 to massacre seven people at a Brown's Chicken restaurant in Palatine. Prosecutors say the pair later threw the gun in the Fox River, and divers testified Monday that they looked for that gun but never found it. So the gun bought for protection was stolen, allegedly used to murder seven people and now is gone... (Rule Five: Maintain control of your firearm.) http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=323080 --- Tangentially Related: Another candidate for office has responded to the Gun Rights Political Questionnaire, Jim Deakin, who is challenging incumbent John McCain. Here are his answers... http://www.examiner.com/x-1417-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m9d22-AZ-Senate-Candidate-Jim-Deakin-Deserves-Gun-Owner-Support --- From AzCDL: We still need volunteers to assist at the upcoming Mesa gun show on September 26 & 27 at the Mesa Centennial Hall. To volunteer, please contact John: john.rosado@AzCDL.org . Volunteers who work at the AzCDL table for a few hours get into the gun show FREE! If your membership is coming up for renewal, stop by our gun show table and renew at the "gun show special" rate ($10 off!). Not a member? Not a problem! You can join AzCDL at the gun show! LAST CHANCE FOR ANNUAL MEETING RESERVATIONS! Make your reservation for AzCDL's annual meeting at this weekend's Mesa gun show and AzCDL will give you a new (or renewed) membership for FREE! Join or renew as a Sustaining annual member and we'll knock $10 off the membership cost (you only pay $40) and give you TWO annual meeting dinner tickets PLUS a free AzCDL t-shirt. You can find more details about AzCDL's annual meeting here: http://www.azcdl.org/html/annual_mtg.html . These alerts are a project of the Arizona Citizens Defense League (AzCDL), an all volunteer, non-profit, non-partisan grassroots organization. Renew today! http://www.azcdl.org/html/join_us_.html AzCDL - Protecting Your Freedom http://www.azcdl.org/html/accomplishments.html Copyright © 2009 Arizona Citizens Defense League, Inc., all rights reserved. -- Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .