Oliver North On Heller: ... The case has generated a flurry of unprecedented action in both the executive and legislative branches of government. On Jan. 11, the Department of Justice filed an egregiously weak amicus - friend of the court - brief in the case. The argument, submitted by U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement, essentially urges the Supremes to waffle on the issue and send the case back to the lower courts. The DOJ softball didn't sit well with Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas. On Feb. 8, she filed an amicus brief on behalf of Heller and the exercise of his individual rights under the Second Amendment: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." http://www.townhall.com/columnists/OliverNorth/2008/02/15/the_2nd_amendments_day_in_court In Senator Hutchinson's Own Words...: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/viewpoints/stories/DN-hutchison_14edi.ART.State.Edition1.4549744.html --- The New York Times Supports Microstamping: In October, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a smart new law that will help police apprehend violent criminals and deter the gun traffickers who supply them. The measure requires that all new semiautomatic pistols sold in the state starting in 2010 be equipped with technology known as microstamping, which will allow police to quickly match empty bullet casings to the weapon that fired them. Legislation that would extend that requirement nationwide has just been introduced in both houses of Congress. It deserves full support from lawmakers of both parties, and both sides of the gun control debate... http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/15/opinion/15fri3.html?_r=1&ref=opinion&oref=slogin --- The New York Times vs. Richard Cheney: The political power of the gun lobby was formidably displayed this month when a majority of the nation's lawmakers - 55 Senators and 250 House members - signed on to a legal brief urging the Supreme Court to strike down the District of Columbia's ban on handguns. The gun lobby scored an even bigger coup when Vice President Dick Cheney signed the same brief - a remarkable move that put him at odds with the administration's own position before the Supreme Court... http://theboard.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/14/mr-cheney-the-noted-gunslinger-goes-to-court/ --- Sullivan's BATFE Nomination Still Blocked: The confirmation of US Attorney Michael J. Sullivan as head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives was thrown into further doubt yesterday, when a Republican senator who is blocking the nomination renewed complaints that Sullivan has refused to loosen licensing rules for guns. The development means that the future leadership of the US attorney's office in Boston will remain cloudy for the foreseeable future, because the Bush administration has been unable to nominate a replacement... http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/02/14/sullivan_atf_confirmation_blocked/ --- Iowa Sheriffs Oppose Shall-Issue Bill: There was an outcry at the statehouse Wednesday from county sheriffs objecting to a bill they say would make it harder for them to deny permits to carry concealed weapons. The bill changes Iowa law to say the sheriff shall issue a permit except for a limited list of reasons, including felony convictions and drug addiction. If a permit's denied a written explanation would be required. Representative Clel Baudler, a Republican from Greenfield, says there needs to be more consistency statewide in issuing the permits. Dubuque county Sheriff Kenneth Runde said that won't work. He said if he knows someone in his community has assaulted his wife but never been convicted, he wants to be able to deny a permit. (I guess Sheriff Runde is either not capable of writing a coherent letter citing his reason or simply feels that he is better empowered to judge his constituents than a jury of their peers.) http://www.radioiowa.com/gestalt/go.cfm?objectid=18A2DB76-9E46-6F58-896E7F0ED16A5DFB --- Colorado Debates Firearm-Storage Bill: In the wake of Columbine, state lawmakers rejected a proposal requiring gun owners to safely store their weapons to keep them out of the hands of children. Eight years later, they're considering a scaled-down version that doesn't say how people have to store their firearms but would still hold them accountable if a child ends up bringing the gun to school or hurting or killing someone... The bill is supported by the American Hunters and Shooters Association but opposed by other gun groups, including the National Rifle Association, the Firearms Coalition of Colorado and the Colorado State Shooting Association... http://www.aurorasentinel.com/main.asp?SectionID=8&SubSectionID=8&ArticleID=18383 --- Some Exemptions For New York Licensing Requirement: A New York lawmaker is dropping a plan that would have required museums, historical societies and living history re-enactors to obtain licenses to own antique guns and muzzleloading weapons...Gianaris' new plan still requires purchasers of antique firearms to undergo a background check the same as they would for handguns. But his new proposal includes an exemption for museums, historical societies, historic sites, and groups conducting re-enactment, living history, educational or interpretive events. http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--antiqueguns-regul0214feb14,0,716455.story --- Arizona Sticks With Voluntary Lead-Bullet Restriction: Citing increasing participation, state officials have extended a voluntary program that combats lead poisoning among California condors by encouraging hunters to use nonlead ammunition. Wildlife advocates pressing for a statewide ban on lead ammunition acknowledge the program's successes but say it still isn't enough to protect the endangered condors, which can ingest lead fragments in piles of deer and elk entrails hunters leave in the wilderness. http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/76927.php --- Florida Teacher Fired For Gun In Vehicle: A Central Florida teacher has been fired because he kept a handgun in his truck in the school parking lot. The Polk County School Board voted unanimously Tuesday to fire 51-year-old Phillip Bradley. He taught truck mechanics at the Ridge Career Center in Winter Haven when the 9mm handgun was found in his truck in the school lot last spring. A hearing officer had recommended just a 90-day suspension, but School Board members said that would have set a bad example for students. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking_news/story/417603.html --- Oops, Wrong House: Police said one man is in the hospital after an elderly North Texas man took action into his own hands when confronted by two armed brothers inside his home Saturday night. Police said they believe the brothers went to 80-year-old James Pickett's home with the intent to rob him, and even possibly kill him. However, Pickett - a World War II veteran, former fighter and lifelong John Wayne devotee - wasn't about to let that happen... http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa080213_mo_fightingback.bd009f6a.html --- A Tale Of Two Interventions: Pittsfield Township police arrested three people accused of attacking a man in traffic after he earlier tried to intervene in a dispute. The victim was outside Falsetta's Market at 2200 Pittsfield Blvd. at about 4 p.m. Wednesday when he saw a man loudly arguing with a woman and trying to push her into a van, said Detective Lt. Steve Heller. The victim said he asked if everything was OK and told the woman she didn't have to get into the vehicle. He said the man told him to mind his own business, and they left in the van... Two women, including the woman he tried to help, got out of the van and began hitting and stomping the victim while he was on the ground, Heller said. A passing motorist stopped his car, pulled a gun and demanded the trio stop beating the man, Heller said. Police responded to several calls reporting a man holding people at gunpoint. Officers determined the man with a gun had a legitimate concealed weapons permit and was trying to help, Heller said. (Generally, if you would be allowed to use deadly force if you were the victim, you can use deadly force to defend a third party. However, you'd better be absolutely sure you know the whole story before intervening.) http://blog.mlive.com/annarbornews/2008/02/daily_police_beat_32.html#more --- Rule One Reminder: An auxiliary police officer accidentally shot and killed his son as the two were examining a sniper rifle at their central Ohio home, police said. Michael Hopkins shot 22-year-old Kyle Hopkins in the chest with the .308-caliber rifle Tuesday in Marysville, about 25 miles northwest of Columbus, Marysville police said. Michael Hopkins is an auxiliary officer with the police department in Kenton, about 30 miles to the northwest, assistant police chief Glenn Nicol said. Kyle Hopkins was pronounced dead at Memorial Hospital of Union County. An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday. No charges have been filed. Police, prosecutors and the coroner were investigating. http://www.policeone.com/off-duty/articles/1660877/ --- Rule Two Reminder: A firestorm of controversy ensued after Mayor Ray Nagin, sporting a broad smile, seemed to aim an assault rifle at Police Superintendent Warren Riley in a Times-Picayune newspaper photo...The Times-Picayune would not comment when contacted on its publication of the photo. But, Thursday morning, following its review of the video, the newspaper published the following statement: "A photo in some Metro sections and on NOLA.com on Wednesday showed a laughing Mayor Ray Nagin pointing an M-4 rifle at Chief of Police Warren Riley at a news conference to announce new crime fighting equipment purchased by the New Orleans Police Department. A review of a video taken at the event shows that the mayor momentarily pointed the gun at the chief as he was lowering it but he did not deliberately point it at Riley." http://www.wdsu.com/news/15301432/detail.html --- Which Rules Were Violated?: A Deschutes (OR) County sheriff's patrol deputy of eight years has been placed on "modified duty" after his service rifle discharged as he was driving on U.S. Highway 97 and the bullet hit a building... "(The rifle) was in its holder, but he heard it rattling up there and was trying to put it back," Blanton said... The rifle was mounted behind Brown's head, Blanton said, with the barrel pointing at the driver's side window. The rifle was mounted in a patrol car assigned to Brown, but other deputies are allowed to use it, Capt. Marc Mills said. http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080207/NEWS0107/802070394/1001&nav_category= The Rules: http://www.spw-duf.info/safety.html --- NIU Shooting Another Gun-Free-Zone Failure: The tragic shooting at Northern Illinois University late Thursday is another failure of the "gun free zone" mentality that has created a false sense of security on college campuses and other public venues across the country, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today. "Gun-free zones have given us nothing but body counts," said CCRKBA Chairman Alan M. Gottlieb. "This giant loophole in public safety is becoming a national disgrace and it is time to dramatically change our perspective on self-defense in this country. This incident is particularly distressing because it happened in Illinois, one of two remaining states in which anti-gun state lawmakers and equally-anti-gun governors have repeatedly thwarted common sense efforts to put law-abiding citizens on a level playing field with criminals and crazies by adopting right-to-carry laws," Gottlieb stated. "Illinois and Wisconsin lawmakers have chosen to leave their citizens at the mercy of killers who have no mercy. http://www.ccrkba.org/pub/rkba/press-releases/NorthernIllinoisShooting.htm --- Related Articles: http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080215/NATION/210707420/1001 http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article3372540.ece --- From The Firearms Coalition: There was another tragedy at a school yesterday. It might have been preventable. It might have been stoppable. An armed citizen might have ended the killing. But not in Illinois. The Illinois government doesn't trust its citizens with guns. After the tragedy at Virginia Tech I wrote the attached piece. It makes some good points, but there was a major flaw in it. As mentioned in the article, one of the primary motivators for this kind of senseless crime is the public recognition that the murderers receive. They post pictures and videos on FaceBook and MySpace that they know will be plastered on the evening news and they write nonsensical diatribes about the unfairness and depravity in the world as if they are some sort of messiah or avenging angel. The truth is that they are just demented cowards seeking attention. The flaw in the attached article was that I mentioned the names of some of the murderers. The media figured out long ago that it's a bad idea to show streakers and unruly fans at football and baseball games. When some idiot runs out onto the field in his birthday suit the cameras cut away and the announcers just comment that there's an idiot screwing up the game. They never publicize the moron's name or discuss his actions because they know that the publicity will just encourage some other moron to play copy-cat. For some reason they can't maintain that kind of standard when mass murder is involved. They seek out the murderer's family and friends, they publish their rants and photo's and they give the bastards exactly what they want - fame. I'm just a little-bitty corner of the media; a small voice crying out in the wilderness, but I will never again name a murderer or play a role in keeping his memory alive. I hope that others in the media will grow a conscience and do likewise. I don't expect it, but I will continue to hope. You can help by supporting our work, reposting this and our other writings widely on the internet and at gun clubs and shops, and by supporting Students for Concealed Carry on Campus (SCCC) at www.ConcealedCampus.org. They are organizing another of their "Empty Holster" protests for the week of April 21 through 25. Students around the country will strap on empty holsters that week as a visible protest against being denied the right to defend themselves. SCCC is looking for students and student groups on campuses nationwide to participate in the protest and for gunowners to help out by spreading the word, donating or loaning holsters, and of course helping to pay for the whole thing. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and families of this selfish, cowardly monster. My actions and writings will continue to focus on restoring the basic human right of self-defense in an effort to give future victims a fighting chance. These tragedies can be prevented and stopped. It's time to end imaginary "Gun Free Zones" and stop disarming victims. Yours for the Second Amendment, Jeff Knox The Firearms Coalition Ending Massacres for Good By Jeff Knox (Manassas, VA, April 17, 2007) Thirty two students and faculty members of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University were brutally murdered on April 16. The story attracted massive media attention all over the world. Not the worst school massacre in U.S. history, but the most deadly school shooting (the worst used bombs not guns). In the aftermath, a serious concern is that history says such highly publicized criminal acts generate copycat crimes; the greater the media coverage, the more copycats - and they may take years to act. Every parent of college students in the United States, and every student, needs to be thinking about that fact and devising action plans. No gun control law, no campus alert system, no increased police presence, buddy-system walking plan, or emergency call-box can stop a killer committed to the idea of immortalizing himself through murder. The only gun law which might have mitigated the carnage at Virginia Tech was a law rejected at the urging of school administrators in the past two sessions of the Virginia Legislature: a law forbidding state colleges and universities to prohibit lawful firearms possession on their campuses. If concealed weapons permit holders were not prohibited from bringing their guns onto the campus, would one or more of them likely have been in a position to abbreviate this latest tragedy? That's hard to say, but there can be no argument that the school's policy of disarmament guaranteed that there would be virtually no chance of any of the victims mounting an armed response. The previous "worst shooting in U.S. history" was almost stopped by a young woman who happened to be in Luby's Cafeteria in Killeen, Texas having lunch with her parents when XXXXXXX drove his truck through the front window and began methodically executing people. Suzanna Gratia (now Suzanna Hupp), had been convinced to carry a gun by a prosecutor friend and she had done so without incident for quite some time, but had recently begun to worry about the legal ramifications of being caught with the weapon. Texas did not have any provision for legal concealed carry of firearms at that time and Suzanna was worried about losing her chiropractic license. She had left the gun in her glove box rather than carrying it in her purse. When the shooting started, Suzie instinctively reached for her purse before realizing that it would do her no good. In the next few minutes, 23 people were murdered, including both of Suzie's parents, and many more were wounded. Throughout the ordeal, no matter how desperately she wanted it, Suzanna Gratia was unable to psychically transport the .38 S&W Chief's Special from her locked glove box back into her purse where it could do her and the others in the restaurant some good. Another friend, Jacquie Miller, had her gun with her in spite of Kentucky law forbidding it. Unfortunately, retrieving her gun took just a second too long. XXXXXXX shot her just as her hand wrapped around the butt of her Charter Arms revolver. Both of these women suffered greatly and both went on to champion the cause of legal concealed carry laws. Both of their attackers took their own lives after snuffing out the lives of many others. Both of these women knew that they could have dramatically abbreviated these deadly sprees. As Suzanna likes to say, having a gun might not prevent an attack, but it certainly will make one end quicker. Unfortunately, from a PR standpoint, shooting sprees that are cut short by armed citizens don't break any death-toll records and therefore don't receive much media attention. In 1997, after XXXXXXX had stabbed his mother to death and shot and killed his ex-girlfriend as well as wounding several other students in Pearl, Mississippi, Assistant Principal Joel Myrick used a .45 Auto to apprehend XXXXXXX and hold him for police. XXXXXXX still had a lot of ammo and police suspect he was on his way to another school to continue his rampage. Joel Myrick, and the illegal gun he had retrieved from his car, cut those plans short. As students and parents take a closer look at college security and think about the inevitable copycat attacks that will occur over the next year or two, personal security must be carefully considered. A firearm and training should be a part of that consideration. Carrying a gun is like wearing a seatbelt. You don't wear a seatbelt because you expect or hope to get into a car wreck. You wear it because you never know what might happen and wearing it could save your life. Permission to reprint or post this article in its entirety is hereby granted provided this credit is included. To Receive the Firearms Coalition's bi-monthly newsletter, The Hard Corps Report, send a contribution to The Firearms Coalition, PO Box 3313, Manassas, VA 20108 or visit FirearmsCoalition.org and ShotgunNews.com ©Copyright 2007-2008 Neal Knox Associates --- From AzCDL: SB 1214, an AzCDL requested bill, will be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, February 18, 2008: http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/agendas/0218011086%2Edoc%2Ehtm . SB 1214 proposes changes to ARS 13-3102 to allow adults with Concealed Weapons (CCW) permits to carry concealed firearms on school campuses, including colleges and universities. Federal law (18 USC § 922(q)(2)(B)(ii)) already allows CCW permit holders to possess firearms on school property. The committee members need to hear from you BIG TIME on this bill. If you can make it to the hearing at 1:30 pm, drop a note to President@AzCDL.org, or leave a message for AzCDL at 623-594-8521. If you are a teacher, professor, school administrator or student and are willing to testify in favor of the bill - that's even better! We also encourage you to share this Alert with every pro-rights person you know. It's important that the committee members know there is tremendous support for SB 1214. We want them to get thousands of supporting emails! Please take the time to send a polite note to the committee members, and let them know that you want them to vote SB 1214 out of committee with a recommendation for passage by the full Senate. Below is a cut-and-paste letter you can use as a template (but remember, writing your own letter is always better). Following the letter are the email address lists of the committee members in both semi-colon and comma separated formats. Use the one that is compatible with your email software. If you are a subscriber to the RTS (Request To Speak) system at the Capitol, log on and express your support to the committee. If you want more information about how to set up an account on RTS, drop an email to President@AzCDL.org. Please be sure to include your own name, address, and phone number in all correspondence. Subject: Support SB 1214 Senator: The Arizona Citizens Defense League (AzCDL) has informed me that SB 1214 is being considered in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, February 18, 2008. I urge you to vote SB 1214 out of committee with a recommendation for passage by the full Senate. Federal law (18 USC § 922(q)(2)(B)(ii)) already provides an exception, for concealed weapons (CCW) permit holders, on the restriction regarding the possession firearms on school property. SB 1214 complies with Federal law by removing the current restrictions in ARS 13-3102. The presence of armed, law-abiding citizens is a crime deterrent. Decades ago, after terrorists repeatedly attacked their schools, Israel adopted a policy of allowing adults to carry firearms in schools. Terrorist attacks diminished greatly. Recently, Thailand adopted a similar approach. Closer to home, Utah has allowed CCW permit holders to carry concealed handguns on college campuses since 2006. Since this was implemented there has not been a single act of gun related violence. Where law-abiding adults have access to firearms, violence ends quickly. In 2002, at Virginia's Appalachian Law School, a shooting spree ended when two armed adult students confronted the attacker, and persuaded him to surrender. In 1997, the vice-principal of a high school in Pearl, Mississippi, armed himself and ended a shooting rampage without firing a shot. Restrictive laws, not access to firearms, have led to a rise in school shootings. Prior to 1968, any child could buy a gun through the mail. Most schools had shooting clubs and it was common for students to bring their rifles into classrooms. Yet, school shootings were almost unheard of. Now, with irrational gun bans in place everywhere, anyone determined to do a lot of harm knows that they can literally get away with murder on school grounds, because no one will stop them until it's too late. On April 16, 2007, twenty-seven students and five faculty members at Virginia Tech lost their lives to a madman who possessed one distinct advantage over his victims - he wasn't concerned with following the "gun free zone" rules. Nineteen of his thirty-two victims were over twenty-one, the legal age for obtaining a concealed handgun permit in Virginia (and Arizona). In addition to satisfying State mandated firearms training requirements, which include a written and skills test, CCW permit holders must be 21 years old and undergo routine background checks by the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to verify that they are the most law-abiding of the citizenry. Statistically, studies have shown that CCW permit holders are the most law-abiding individuals. Again, I urge you to vote SB 1214 out of committee with a recommendation for passage by the full Senate. Sincerely, Your Name Street Address City, AZ zip-code telephone number List of members' email addresses: cgray@azleg.gov rgould@azleg.gov kcheuvront@azleg.gov ahale@azleg.gov kjohnson@azleg.gov rmiranda@azleg.gov jwaring@azleg.gov Stay tuned! As relevant legislation is introduced and progresses, we will keep you up to date via these Alerts: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AZCDL_Alerts/ 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 © 2008 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 .