Obama's Smoking Gun: ...Like many of Obama's contradictions, his stated belief in the individual rights view of the Second Amendment is at odds with his support for DC's categorical ban on handguns. That law is currently being challenged in District of Columbia v. Heller, now pending before the Supreme Court. Fifty five senators and 250 house members (including many Democrats in both chambers) signed a brief in that case supporting the individual rights view. Obama was not one of them. And now we know why. As has been reported all week, in 1996 Obama filled out a candidate questionnaire where he revealed his true beliefs on all sorts of subjects, from abortion to school choice. One question that has not gotten much attention, however, asks if Obama supports legislation to, "ban the manufacture, sale and possession of handguns." His one-word answer -uncommonly direct and lacking the flowery eloquence we've come to expect from him - was "Yes." http://www.townhall.com/columnists/SandyFroman/2008/04/04/obama%e2%80%99s_smoking_gun --- Why Did Obama Tip His Hand on CCW?: Barack Obama is embracing anti-gun policies in the run-up to a Democratic presidential debate scheduled on the one-year anniversary of the Virginia Tech shootings. "I am not in favor of concealed weapons," Obama told the Pittsburgh Tribune. "I think that creates a potential atmosphere where more innocent people could (get shot during) altercations." These remarks break from Obama's previous moderate rhetoric on gun control...Obama's tough talk on gun control may be prompted by Philadelphia-based Democratic leaders who are pressuring Clinton and Obama to adopt harder stances on gun control. This issue is expected to come up in ABC News' Democratic debate on April 16 in Philadelphia. 32 people were shot to death on the campus of Virginia Tech by Seung-Hui Cho April 16, 2007... http://www.townhall.com/columnists/AmandaCarpenter/2008/04/03/obama_comes_out_against_concealed_carry --- DC Scales Back Gun-Search Plan: D.C. police have scaled back plans to go door-to-door asking residents in high-crime neighborhoods whether officers can search their homes for guns as part of a new amnesty program aimed at getting weapons off the streets. The Safe Homes program instead will be offered by appointment only at residents' request, said Chief Cathy L. Lanier. The program was supposed to begin last month but was delayed after a backlash from residents, D.C. Council members and the American Civil Liberties Union. The critics said some residents could feel pressured or intimidated by officers asking to enter their homes. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/03/AR2008040304541.html Related Article: http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20080403/METRO/585337660 --- Expanded-Carry Bill Revived in Georgia: Under a proposal that cleared the state Senate today, guns would be allowed on public transportation and at restaurants as long as the gun owner isn't drinking alcohol. The bill passed 37-17 after a furious round of legislative maneuvering by Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and other Republican leaders. It revives a stalled proposal to expand the public places where Georgians with concealed weapon permits may bring their firearms...The bill now moves to a conference committee with the House, where some GOP lawmakers have tried to broaden the legislation further. A proposal by Rep. Tim Bearden, a Republican and former police officer from Villa Rica, would have allowed Georgians to carry a gun into churches, political rallies or sporting events. http://www.accessnorthga.com/detail.php?n=208658&c=10 http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2008/04/02/guns_0403.html?cxntlid=inform_artr --- CCW-Confidentiality Bill Killed in Tennessee: A proposal to make secret the names and addresses of Tennesseans who have handgun carry permits died in a whirlwind of political intrigue Wednesday, aided by state House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh. First, freshman House member Henry Fincher engineered a vote on the bill while two of its opponents - two of his more senior colleagues - were out of the room. In turn, Naifeh reversed the vote with the help of the House's newest member, Karen Camper, who had been sworn in only about an hour earlier. The end result: The names and addresses of permit holders will remain public for now. http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080403/NEWS0201/804030416/1006 --- Testimony Supports Ohio Castle-Doctrine Bill: OFCC member Gary Witt was one of two witnesses testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee in support of Senate Bill 184 (Castle Doctrine) on April 2, 2008. The Committee also heard from Students For Concealed Carry member Steve Feltoon in support of the bill and from two opponents of the bill. Testifying against the bill were representatives of the Ohio Prosecuting Attorney Association and the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police. Witt reports that the committee seemed favorable to the bill, asking tough questions of the representatives of the Ohio Prosecuting Attorney Association and the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police... http://www.ohioccw.org/content/view/3953/83/ --- Arizona Senate Passes Limited Restaurant-Carry Bill: The Arizona Senate on Thursday approved a bill that would allow people to carry pistols in restaurants if the proprietor posts a sign giving permission. Lawmakers didn't vote on another proposal that would permit guns on college campuses. Under Senate Bill 1132, restaurants that serve alcohol could allow people to bring pistols on the premises. Those who choose to carry, however, are barred from drinking beer, wine or liquor. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Jack Harper, R-Surprise, passed on an 18-10 vote. It now heads to the House. http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0403restaurant0403-ON.html --- Rule Five Reminder: A Santa Ana elementary school teacher was arrested after students found a handgun and ammunition in the drawer of a supply cabinet of her classroom, officials said Thursday. Jayne DeArmond, 51, a third-grade teacher at Diamond Elementary School, was arrested on charges of felony possession of a firearm on a campus and misdemeanor child endangerment after students discovered the unloaded handgun and ammunition about 11:15 a.m. Wednesday, said Angela Burrell, a Santa Ana Unified School District spokeswoman. (Rule Five: Maintain control of your firearm.) http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-teacher4apr04,1,2108694.story --- F Troop Claims Arrest of Key Gunrunner: State and federal investigators say they've nabbed the leader of an international gunrunning ring that supplied armor-piercing rifles to a major Mexican drug cartel based in Juarez, Mexico. The Arizona Attorney General's Office Thursday charged Victor Varela, 23, of New Mexico, with one count of fraudulent schemes and artifices in Maricopa County Superior Court. The U.S. citizen faces a maximum 12 1/2-year sentence if convicted. Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives officials said they linked Varela to a huge cache of firearms, including two .50-caliber rifles, which the Mexican army seized two months ago after a shootout near embattled Juarez, across the Rio Grande from El Paso...The Varela case is noteworthy because it's the first test of international collaboration since a Phoenix summit of prosecutors last month. Newell said agents acted when Mexican officials told them of the seizure near Juarez. http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0403gun-smuggling0403-ON.html http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/232867 --- From The Firearms Coalition: Pennsylvania Rally at the Capitol this Monday April 7, 10:00AM! Join local activists and leaders along with some of the nation's top gun rights leaders including Jeff Knox, Larry Pratt, and Wayne LaPierre for this important rally. Activists are encouraged to arrive by 9:00AM to organize for a lobbying blitz on state lawmakers. The rally and press conference begins at 10:00AM and should last about an hour. If you can't make it for the whole day, at least try to be there between 10 and 11AM for the rally. For more information visit: http://www.acslpa.org/ ********** Empty Holster Protest Remember the Students for Concealed Carry on Campus "Empty Holster Protest" scheduled for April 21 through April 25. If you live near a college or university, have kids or grand kids in college, or are otherwise interested in getting involved in this effort, you are encouraged to go to: www.ConcealedCampus.org/ or visit the SCCC group on Facebook. ********** Rules Endanger Pilots and Public An unintentional discharge in the cockpit of a US Airways flight last month has brought new public scrutiny to the issue of armed pilots. Unfortunately the media is focusing on the wrong questions. They question the program itself - whether pilots should be allowed to carry guns at all; the quality and effectiveness of their training, and the frequency of their retraining. What they're ignoring are the flaws in the rules that force pilots to handle their guns multiple times during a flight. They're also ignoring the fact that until just a few years ago it was common for pilots to carry a concealed sidearm - with no restrictions, no training requirements, no mandatory locks, safety holsters, or handling requirements - and No Accidents. Airline pilots who choose to carry a gun are required to put their careers on the line with intense psychological testing, complete difficult, expensive, and ridiculously inconvenient training, and obey rules that are not only impractical and cumbersome, but downright dangerous. We have posted a video on the front page of our web site, www.FirearmsCoalition.org, explaining some of these dangerous rules and unsafe requirements, the equipment used, and the reason for the US Air pilots UD. Please visit the site and watch the short video. You'll be amazed! Please note that we had nothing to do with the making of this video and the demonstrator's gun handling techniques. ********** GunVoter.org Hundreds of activists have joined www.GunVoter.org in the past couple of weeks, but many more are needed. If you haven't registered at our new GunVoter site, please do so now. If you have joined GunVoter, please do what you can to encourage others to join; promote the site on other forum sites, encourage your clubs and groups to get involved, and most important, visit GunVoter.org often and post comments, questions, and information. Help us build GunVoter.org into a powerful tool for liberty. ************ The next Hard Corps Report is due to go to the printers soon. If you are still not receiving our semi-monthly newsletter, what are you waiting for. Just a name and address will get you a few complimentary issues and any Financial contribution of $20 or more subscribes you for a year. Don't miss another issue - join the Hard Corps today! -- Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .