Start With A Lie...: ...The court's unanimous opinion was unequivocal: The Second Amendment was designed as a collective right to bear arms, for individuals involved in state militias - not as an individual right. Just to be clear, Justice James Clark McReynolds, explaining the decision from the bench the morning he delivered it, said: "We construe the amendment as having relation to military service and we are unable to say that a sawed-off shotgun has any relation to the militia." (No, the court only questioned whether a short-barrel shotgun was suitable for militia service.) http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Opinion/Editorials/opnOPN50120907.htm --- CCRKBA, GOA Oppose Confirmation Of Sulliivan As Head Of BATFE: Two Second Amendment organizations are calling on the Senate to reject the nomination of Michael Sullivan as permanent director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) because the agency "has gone berserk" while the "anti-gun cop from Massachusetts" has been its acting head. http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewNation.asp?Page=/Nation/archive/200712/NAT20071210b.html --- Panel Proposes Limited Access To Virginia CCW Data: A state advisory panel wants to limit access to a database of Virginians allowed to carry concealed handguns. The proposed legislation would prohibit the state police from releasing the names of Virginia residents with concealed-carry permits. Records of such permits would remain available on a locality-by-locality basis at circuit courts, which issue the permits. State police could continue to release statistical summaries and related data about concealed-carry permits. http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20071210/METRO/112100052/1004 --- Supporters Push For Ohio Castle Doctrine: ...Under existing law, residents defending their homes against intruders must prove the perpetrators were close enough to do them harm and intended to do harm. The proposed legislation reverses those roles, forcing criminals to prove they did not intend to harm occupants. The civil provision would cover acts of self-defense in homes or elsewhere and would prevent criminals from seeking civil recourse if injured while attacking others... http://www.vindy.com/content/local_regional/348886433847347.php --- Bloomberg Group Queries Candidates: A coalition of mayors against illegal guns, an organization co-founded by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, has sent a survey to all the presidential candidates. The coalition says it won't endorse a candidate but would publicize the responses on its Web site. It counts more than 250 mayors across the country as members. http://www.bostonherald.com/news/2008/view.bg?articleid=1049753 --- John Edwards, RKBA Supporter?: Former Senator John Edwards is running as a friend to gun owners. But his rhetoric seems to change depending on his location. He's put out a press release saying he "hunted when he was young and grew up in rural areas where owning a gun was part of a way of life. He respects that way of life and believes that we can do two things at once: protect gun rights and promote gun safety." ...A college education, health care, a livable wage... all of these things are constitutional rights in John Edwards' world. But owning a handgun? Well, the former senator says that's merely a privilege... http://www.nranews.com/blogarticle.aspx?blogPostId=344 --- Cook County Poised To Close Cabela's Store: Just weeks after its gala grand opening, the Cabela's superstore in Hoffman Estates, IL is facing closure by the Cook County (IL) Board. This impending action stems from a pair of proposed county ordinances prohibiting the retail sale of firearms at a location 15 miles or less from any other federally licensed firearm dealer. The proposals further prohibit retail sale of firearms within one mile of any school, church, place of worship, nursing home, homeless shelter, public housing, or military installation. With respect to these restrictions, Cabela's Hoffman Estates store loses on all counts - as does every other federally-licensed gun dealer in Cook County. http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/12-09-2007/0004719336&EDATE= --- .22's Added To California's Lead-Bullet Ban: California hunting regulators Friday broadened a prohibition on lead bullets scheduled to take effect July 1, adding .22-caliber ammunition to the ban. The new rules will apply only in those areas where the endangered California condor roams - generally, the coastal mountains from Monterey south to Ventura County and in the southern Sierra. http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2007/dec/08/new-ban-on-22-ammunition/ http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/552196.html --- Oops, Wrong House: Four armed intruders forced their way into the Tucson home of a U.S. Border Patrol agent Sunday morning, fired shots and left after the agent returned fire. Officer Dallas Wilson of Tucson Police said it's unclear whether the agent was targeted because of his position. The agent was unharmed, and the four intruders remained on the loose late Sunday. http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/1210B1-update1210.html http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/215530 --- Oops, Wrong Parking Lot: Police are continuing to search for a robbery suspect who fled after an off-duty reserve Harris County deputy constable shot and killed his alleged accomplice Saturday in a parking lot behind Toyota Center, authorities said. Richard Jue, 49, told investigators that the person he shot, David Lee King Jr., 19, and Byron Jay Thomas, also 19, tried to rob him about 2:15 p.m. while he was working at his family's parking lot in the 1400 block of Bell. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5363014.html --- Woman Arrested With Loaded Gun At Disney's Magic Kingdom: A 63-year-old woman was arrested Sunday after sheriff's deputies said she tried to enter Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom theme park with a loaded gun, some scissors and a knife. Security workers said they discovered a .32-caliber semi-automatic handgun on Mary Ann Richardson, of Pennsylvania, during a routine safety check at a theme park entrance gate. Walt Disney World security notified the Orange County Sheriff's Office and officers confiscated the gun and arrested the Richardson. (I assume that the arrest means she lacked a recognized concealed-carry permit.) http://www.local6.com/news/14808445/detail.html -- Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .