Kansas TV Station Refuses Bloomberg Ad: KWCH, a CBS affiliate TV station in Kansas, has refused to air an ad calling for the repeal of the Tiahrt amendment that is being paid for by Mayor Bloomberg under the auspices of his Mayors Against Illegal Guns coalition. Kansas just so happens to be the home state of U.S. Rep. Todd Tiahrt, a Republican for whom the amendment is named. http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2007/04/kansas_tv_station_disses_bloom.html --- Lies, Damned Lies And Implied Statistics: In this video clip, not only does Carolyn McCarthy show that she does not understand what she seeks to outlaw in her own "assault weapon" bill, she also falsely claims that these cosmetically impaired firearms have been linked to the murders of most police officers. http://hotair.com/archives/2007/04/18/video-carolyn-mccarthy-doesnt-understand-her-own-gun-control-legislation/ --- John Lott Responds: People are beginning to notice what research has shown for years: Multiple-victim public shootings keep occurring in places where guns are already banned. Forty states have broad right-to-carry laws, but even within these states it is the "gun-free zones," not other public places, where the attacks happen. It is high time that legislatures remove these roadblocks to people protecting themselves, including at public universities. http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2007/04/post_68.html The Editorial To Which He Responded: http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2007/04/post_67.html --- Aftermath Of The 60's?: On a slightly different tack than most of the material I have shared on this topic, Thomas Sowell looks at a claim that said that mass shootings, such as those at Virginia Tech or Columbine High School, are largely a phenomenon of the 1960s and afterwards. http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2007/04/24/aftermath_of_the_1960s --- With Friends Like These...: Mike Adams, who has previously been a supporter of the RKBA (and a self-appointed advisor on firearm selection) presents a rather unusual response to a statement by one of his fellow professors. While Adams often writes with his tongue in his cheek, I don't think he's kidding this time. http://www.townhall.com/columnists/MikeSAdams/2007/04/24/the_veit_to_bear_arms --- Neal Boortz Weighs In: Neal Boortz begins his program notes for today with some comments about the Cho incident at Virginia Tech. If you do not click this link on Tuesday, go to the upper left corner, click "Archives" (under "Nealz Nuze") and click the link for April 24.) http://boortz.com/nuze/index.html --- And From Australia...: The powerful US gun lobby, far from being weakened by last week's tragic college campus shooting, actually has emerged stronger, gun advocates said, stepping up calls Sunday for a better-armed US citizenry to prevent future attacks... http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/progun-lobby-strengthened-following-us-campus-shooting/20074423-92n.html --- Meanwhile, In China...: Public Security Ministry spokesman Wu Heping on Friday said China would maintain strict controls on guns, while responding to the deadly rampage at a US university on Monday. http://www.cctv.com/english/20070423/105330.shtml --- While In Japan...: Two fatal street shootings by gangsters within a week - one in Nagasaki and the other in the Tokyo area - have shattered the illusion that Japan is a country largely free of gun-related crime. http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200704230057.html --- Self-Defense Retroactivity Bill Resurrected Once Again In Arizona: The House on Monday reversed itself and approved the latest attempt to make a 2006 self-defense law favorable to defendants apply retroactively in some cases...The bill would make the 2006 law apply to cases pending in trial court when the law took effect on April 24, 2006 (such as the case of Hal Fish). http://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=6415288 --- From AzCDL: SB 1301, which rewrites ARS 13-3102.F to clarify that if any portion of a weapon or holster is visible, the weapon is openly carried, passed the Senate "Final Read" on April 23, 2007 by a vote of 21-5-4, and was transmitted to the Governor. On April 9, 2007, the House passed SB 1301 by a vote of 40-16-4. The current law has several problems. Foremost, open carry is limited in statute to a belt holster, and the holster, NOT the weapon, must be "wholly or partially visible." SB 1301 specifies that either the weapon or the holster can be visible, and removes the "belt holster" restriction. Another problem is the interpretation of "concealed" by a 1994 Appellate court decision, which held that it has to be obvious to "ordinary observation" that you're carrying a weapon. SB 1301 replaces the "wholly or partially visible" language in ARS 13-3102.F, and refers to "any portion" of a weapon or holster being visible. An amendment was added to SB 1301 during the House Committee of the Whole (COW) debate clarifying that a concealed weapons permit is not required to carry in your home, business, or real property owned, leased or rented by you, including in "common areas". The amendment also makes it clear that this exemption applies to carrying concealed in vehicles on your own property as well. People have been arrested for carrying a firearm in the common areas of apartment complexes where they live. The amended language gives law enforcement clearer guidelines in such cases. It is important to contact the Governor and urge here to sign SB 1301 into law. You can use your own message or you can use the cut-and-paste message below. Her email address is azgov@az.gov. Please send a courtesy copy of your message to president@AzCDL.org. You can also fax a letter to her at 602-542-1381. Or you can mail it to her at the following address: The Honorable Janet Napolitano Governor of Arizona 1700 West Washington Phoenix, Arizona 85007 Subject: Please sign SB 1301 Governor Napolitano: The Arizona Citizens Defense League (AzCDL) has informed me that SB 1301 is awaiting your signature. I urge you to sign SB 1301 into law. The current law that defines how weapons may be legally carried without a concealed weapons permit has several problems. First, open (i.e., not concealed) carry is limited in statute to a belt holster, and the holster, NOT the weapon, must be "wholly or partially visible." Modern methods of carrying a firearm, like the popular "In the Waist Band" (IWB) holster, may be considered illegal because the holster cannot be seen, even though the firearm is in plain view. SB 1301 specifies that either the weapon or the holster can be visible, and removes the "belt holster" restriction. An additional problem is the interpretation of current statutory law by a 1994 Appellate Court decision, State v. Adams, which held that it has to be obvious to "ordinary observation" that you are carrying a weapon. Under Adams, citizens have been arrested because the law enforcement officer could not see their openly carried firearm that was in full view of everyone else. In "Legal Issues Relating to the Use of Deadly Force" by Michael P. Anthony, used by the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) as part of the course of instruction for CCW instructors, carrying a weapon without a permit is covered on pages 20-24. Mr. Anthony states on page 22 that, "A person can avoid the problems and pitfalls of carrying and transporting firearms in Arizona by possessing an Arizona CCW permit whenever carrying or transporting a firearm, concealed or otherwise, in Arizona." In short, because of the way the courts have interpreted statute, "open carry" is all but outlawed, and whether a person will be arrested is solely dependent on the mood of whatever law enforcement officer they might interact with. The proposed corrections to ARS 13-3102.F would assist law enforcement officers in properly identifying legal instances of open carry. These changes reduce the burden on both law enforcement and the law-abiding public. Again, I urge you to sign SB 1301 into law. Sincerely, Your Name Street Address City, AZ zip-code telephone number You can also go to the Governor's website http://azgovernor.gov/Contact.asp where you will find a fill-in-the-blanks form to register your opinion. For "subject", scroll down and select "Legislation." For "topic", fill in "SB 1301." You can add your own polite message urging her to sign SB 1301 in the "message/comment" area, or you can use the cut-and-paste message above. You can call her office toll free using this number: 1-800-253-0883 Information on this and other bills can be found at the AzCDL website: http://www.azcdl.org/html/legislation.html As legislation progresses, we will keep you up to date via these Alerts and at our website. These alerts are a project of the Arizona Citizens Defense League (AzCDL), an all volunteer, non-profit, non-partisan grassroots organization. Join today! AzCDL - Protecting Your Freedom http://www.azcdl.org/html/join_us_.html Copyright © 2007 Arizona Citizens Defense League, Inc., all rights reserved. -- Stephen P. Wenger Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .