Heller, One Year Later, Part 3: In parts one and two, we looked in detail at the ruling of the Supreme Court of the United States. In this third part, we will examine the dissenting opinions. Dissenting opinions hold no rule of law, but are oftentimes cited as persuasive authority by those who wish to change laws or file additional lawsuits. They can even be used by a future court to overturn a previous decision. While we won in this case and SCOTUS affirmed that the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is indeed an individual right and that the DC gun ban is unconstitutional, we came within one justice of losing on both counts. The Dissenting Opinions will help us understand why... http://www.examiner.com/x-2206-Cleveland-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m6d27-Revisiting-the-DC-v-Heller-ruling--Part-III --- More on the 90% Lie: "There is an iron river of guns that flows South into Mexico [from the United States] to supply criminal organizations on the border," says Tom Mangan, senior special agent with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) in Phoenix. "They are in the market for machine guns, hand grenades, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles," he continues. That's right. The drug gangs can't buy that and other military stuff like the 40MM grenades (the silver things in the upper left) and the rifles with launchers shown in the photo below in Mexico, so they drive to the United States and purchase them from American gun dealers at retail. Isn't that the story you've been told? Well, congratulations. America's First Amendment protected propaganda ministry has punked you on another important issue - this time on behalf of dissembling officials and gun confiscation advocates... http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/dgifford/2009/03/31/the-america-is-arming-mexicos-drug-gangs-lie/ ...However, observers believe that the "90 percent" figure is based on information provided by a foreign government that relies on the US for millions and millions of dollars in aid each year in fighting the so-called war on drugs. "There's just one problem with the 90 percent 'statistic' and it's a big one: It's just not true. In fact, it's not even close. The fact is, only 17 percent of guns found at Mexican crime scenes have been traced to the US, " said Snyder, who also serves as an advisor to the National Association of Chiefs of Police and the American Federation of Police. "A large part of the guns recovered in Mexico do not get sent back to the U.S. for tracing, because it is obvious from their markings that they do not come from the US," he added... http://www.examiner.com/x-2684-Law-Enforcement-Examiner~y2009m6d28-New-report-Feds-blame-US-Gunowners-for-Mexicos-Violence --- Next Step - Executive Order?: Democrats and Republicans in the House of Representatives asked President Barack Obama on Friday for an improved strategy against the arms traffic to Mexico, beginning with the reinstatement of a ban on U.S. imports of assault weapons. In a letter sent Friday, the chairman of the House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), and other lawmakers asked that efforts be made to step up the fight against the arms trade that fuels drug-cartel violence blamed for more than 10,000 deaths in Mexico over the past 2 1/2 years. A ban on U.S. imports of assault weapons that was instituted under President George H.W. Bush and continued under the Clinton administration was quietly abandoned by George W. Bush, the letter pointed out... http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=338021&CategoryId=14091 --- Is the Beat Winding Down?: Gun fanciers have loaded up on 15-round pistols and military-style rifles since the November election of a Democratic Congress and a president partial to gun control. The fear of a renewed federal ban on assault weapons has boosted the revenues and shares of gun makers Smith & Wesson Holding and Sturm, Ruger... But now the gun industry's leading indicator - the Federal Bureau of Investigation's monthly count of the instant background checks it runs for gun dealers - is settling back toward pre-election levels. While November background checks were 42% above the year-earlier level, May's were up just 15%. Dealers confirm the slowdown. "It was really big around the first of the year," says a Georgia dealer (who, like all we found, wanted to remain unnamed). "Now, it's starting to taper back off. It's not near like it was. Everyone is starting to relax." ... (Big Brother's election produced a distortion in the marketplace that cannot continue, particularly in light of the economic downturn. While firearm manufacturers may end up scaling back production below pre-election levels, for a while, I can only hope that both older and newer gun owners have learned to maintain a long-term supply of ammunition and reloading components.) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124614253650365023.html --- Handloading, Part 1: While the recent ammunition shortage has also resulted in a shortage of reloading components, it may also have prompted some list members who do not yet reload to think about developing the capacity to "roll their own" ammunition. This article is not the full story on reloading (or handloading, as some call it), but it's not a bad starting point for those who are contemplating a higher level of preparedness and a lower level of cost for sporting and training ammunition. I still recommend using factory ammunition, when feasible, for defensive use. http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=11771/guntechdetail/Handloading_-_The_Wandering_Narrative_Part_I?mc_ID=2026 --- Why I Own Guns: ...Messiah Obama, Eric Holder, Bobby Rush, Charles Schumer, Barbara Boxer, Dianne Feinstein and Sarah Brady can choose not to own a firearm; that is their right, though at least one of them felt the need to own one. I choose to own a gun for many reasons that I will touch on in this article. Those listed above do not have the right to deny me ownership of a firearm; I don't care how many fools voted for them or who they know at Diebold who can illegally manipulate a voting machine. We are living in an age and time where those who claim to be against violence are more of a threat to individual liberty and freedom than any gun owner. These autocrats seek to disarm his/her victim before they move to enslave those of us they view as subjects... http://www.lewrockwell.com/gaddy/gaddy63.1.html --- I Told You So: There was a time in the Wild West that cowboys had to check their guns before they could pull up a bar stool for a drink - rules that protected against the saloon gunfights that came to define the frontier era in places like Arizona. But a bill moving through the Arizona Legislature has some bar owners fearful that the state is turning back the clock to the Old West. Lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow anyone with a concealed-weapons permit to bring a handgun into bars and restaurants serving alcohol. The bill gives bars discretion to keep gun-toting patrons out, and anyone with a weapon would not be allowed to drink. But the bill has angered bar owners who believe booze and guns are a recipe for disaster... (Recall that this year's bill sought to distinguish restaurants from bars, a distinction that does not appear in the Arizona Liquor Code, by the presence of a kitchen. This provision was removed at the request of the Arizona Licensed Beverage Association. I commented, at the time, that this change was a poison pill, to facilitate the press refrying to the restaurant-carry bill as the guns-in-bars bill.) http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jun/29/ariz-may-allow-concealed-guns-bars/ --- More Infringements Pending in California: ...AB 962 would compel those who sell ammunition to be licensed the same as gun dealers, and mandate a face-to-face transaction when someone buys ammunition... Under the bill, people who buy ammunition through the Internet will have to pick it up at a gun store, and provide both identification and a thumbprint. Store owners would also have to take steps to prevent ammunition from being easily shoplifted... DeSaulnier's bill, SB 697, would mandate safety measures be included in every gun sold in California. That technology would be used to tell how many unfired cartridges remain in a gun, to avoid accidental shootings when thought to be empty. Guns would also have to have biometric technology to prevent them from being fired if someone other than the registered owner tried to do so. Gun store owner and former Sutter County Sheriff Roy Whiteaker said such technology would add so much to the cost of a gun, it could kill gun manufacturers' willingness to put product into California... (Some of this nonsense might be limited if other manufacturers would follow the lead of Robbie Barrett and refuse to sell their firearms to California agencies, in response to these infringements.) http://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/stores-79105-making-arms.html --- Florida CCW Course Profiled: After a recent home break-in, 48-year-old Venice nurse Debbie Myers sought solace in a gun safety course. She found Todd Von Bender, a local instructor who teaches novices how to shoot and how to view wielding weaponry as a privilege, not a playful pastime. With her daughter, Jessica Hurford, 30, Myers enrolled in one of Von Bender's free "Concealed Carry Training" classes through the Armed Citizen League. The women learned how to choose a handgun, how to safely store and clean a firearm and how to buy ammunition... Even the most seasoned gun aficionados could use brushing up, as Bruce Tymeson, a former police officer, proved. After taking one of Von Bender's classes on Anna Maria Island, Tymeson's eyes opened to a world of weapon usage that he never explored during his 20 years on the force. "I think, even if you're fairly familiar with the weapons, it's still a good idea to take a class like this. It should be mandatory for police officers," Tymeson said. "And any female that wants a permit to carry a weapon should take this class. It gives people a real sense of power and control." http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20090628/ARTICLE/906281025/-1/NEWSSITEMAP --- Church's Open-Carry Day Draws Crowd: A southwest Jefferson County church opened its doors to guns as the pastor makes a point about the Second Amendment to the Constitution. At the New Bethel Church, Reverend Ken Pagano said the church is celebrating the independence and freedom provided by the constitution by raising awareness about being a safe and responsible gun owner. Pagano said he felt he had a duty to teach that to his community and congregation. He decided to do so by allowing everyone to carry guns into the church... The church had several sheriff's deputies positioned outside the doors to check each gun carrying participant coming in. Their weapons had to be holstered and unloaded, but bringing guns into any sanctuary, in any condition is considered distasteful by many since churches are seen as sacred places of worship and protection... (Historically, some American colonies required worshippers to be armed to and from church, for fear of attacks by Indians. Churches are increasingly becoming targets for violence. Having sad that, I have to question the validity of this demonstration if the openly carried handguns were required to be unloaded - earlier reports stated that no inspection would be made of concealed handguns.) http://www.wlky.com/news/19884976/detail.html --- North Carolina GOP Women Support RKBA: The Iredell County Republican Women's Club took on everything from gun rights to anti-bullying legislation during its regular meeting Thursday night at the Holiday Inn in Statesville. The early part of the gathering focused on the members' hopes to keep both the state and federal governments from chipping away at the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The speaker for that portion of the meeting was Suzanne Anglewicz, with the National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action. "North Carolina has kept us busy these last few months," Anglewicz said. She was referring to a number of pieces of legislation that are now, or have recently been, under consideration by the North Carolina General Assembly... http://www2.statesville.com/content/2009/jun/27/republican-womens-club-talks-gun-rights/ --- VCDL Defends First Amendment: The Virginia Citizens Defense League is used to fighting for the right to carry guns. But now it's having to defend the right to wear stickers about carrying guns. The group says officials at the Richmond Coliseum recently attempted to stop members from handing out blaze-orange "Guns Save Lives" stickers before an appearance by radio and television talk-show host Glenn Beck. "It's bad enough they're trying to trample the Second Amendment. Then you come and attack the First," President Philip Van Cleave said, referring to the U.S. Constitution's guarantees of the right to bear arms and to free speech. Dolly Vogt, who manages the Coliseum as a regional general manager for SMG, did not respond to three messages Friday. Van Cleave described the incident and his group's concerns to the City Council on Monday. A city spokesman had no comment but said officials are looking into the matter. Van Cleave said the confrontation occurred June 6 as guests were arriving to see Beck, a defender of guns-rights and other personal liberties. Group members were handing out stickers when Coliseum officials told them to stop and advised that stickers were banned from the city-owned venue, he said... http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/GUNS27_20090626-221605/276663/ --- Better Sorry than Safe?: Note to the folks who keep loaded guns in their houses: that stranger rustling around in your bushes or lurking by your garage may be a teenager playing a game. Don't shoot... That said, the question becomes whether he really was a threat to the man who shot him. The experiences of the two women who already had expelled the teenager from their apartments suggest he wasn't, since neither of them found his trespassing to be ominous enough to bother calling police. After getting the kid to leave, the first woman even walked outside past him to get to her car, and when she saw him enter another apartment building, thought he probably had found his way home. And yet, the man with the unlocked door and the loaded gun thought differently. He described the situation as "him or me." Whether his perception of danger meets the legal definition won't be clear for some time. (That determination is in the hands of authorities where it belongs.) ... (This one-sided commentary makes one good point - the greater contribution to this tragedy stemmed from leaving the doors unlocked, not from having the means to repel a violent intruder.) http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/245067/ --- CBP Misleads on Knife Rule: A new proposal by U.S. Customs and Border Protection will not make carrying most types of small pocketknives illegal, an agency spokesman says. According to Brian Levin, the CBP wants to expand the federal definition of what types of knives are considered switchblades under the Federal Switchblade Act. The proposal, he said, pertains only to knives that have springs and release-assisted mechanisms and are imported. "It does not affect any of the knives manufactured in this country. It only pertains to imports." Levin said the agency posted the proposal on the Federal Registry on May 21 because it intends to revoke an earlier ruling it had made that assisted-opening knives are not considered switchblades... (The problem is that if CBP can implement this amendment to an already foolish statute, it can serve as a basis to amend or interpret state laws. If CBP has no intention of interfering with the lawful carry of knives that can be opened with one hand by US citizens, why does it feel compelled to block their importation?) http://www.yumasun.com/news/assisted-51096-knife-knives.html --- More Canadians Fail to Re-Register Guns: The number of firearm owners who fail to renew their gun licences has steadily increased since the Harper government tabled legislation to scrap the federal long-gun registry. Opposition critics and the Coalition for Gun Control in Canada say the problem has increased risk for frontline police officers and undermines public safety. Despite an amnesty the Conservatives introduced to coax gun owners into licence renewals, the latest RCMP figures show the opposite occurred. The rate of non-renewals climbed to 25.3 per cent of expired licences in the first three months of this year, compared with 14.1 per cent in 2005. Cabinet began the amnesty in 2006 and extended it for another year last month, waiving licence fees and providing protection from liability under the Firearms Act and the Criminal Code for those who take steps to comply with the law. But the government's mixed message over the last three years - bringing in the amnesty along with legislation to dismantle the registry - has confused gun owners and is eroding the integrity of the program, critics say... ((I believe that Canada has a very low rate of assaults on police officers.) http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5iickEHGBOOTe4y7FkwGPDCfK0qxA --- NRA-ILA Alerts: List members are encouraged to check the alerts for the week, posted on the NRA-ILA website. http://www.nraila.org/GrassrootsAlerts/read.aspx -- Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .