From CCRKBA: A new Rasmussen poll reveals that 57 percent of American citizens believe gun sales are up over the past several months because of widespread fears that the government will tighten restrictions on gun ownership. "The poll results confirm what we've been saying," noted Alan Gottlieb, chairman of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. "American citizens are fearful that the Obama administration and a Democrat-controlled Congress will pass new laws to further erode the individual right to own firearms. This concern was further enhanced by yesterday's ruling in Minnesota that far left anti-gunner Al Franken should be seated as a U.S. Senator representing that state, giving Democrats a 60-member majority." The Rasmussen telephone survey found that only 23 percent of the respondents believe gun sales have risen due to concerns about rising crime. Twenty-one percent are not sure. The poll also revealed that 63 percent of male Americans and 51 percent of women believe gun sales are linked to concerns about new gun control schemes. Another finding is that 65 percent of Republicans and 66 percent of those not affiliated with either major political party think booming gun sales are connected to fears about increased government restrictions... http://www.ccrkba.org/pub/rkba/press-releases/rasmussenpole.htm --- The World According to Brady, Part 3: In a previous article, we examined how the Brady Campaign's agenda is aligned with civilian disarmament. Now let's finish this series with a few more examples of how little Brady cares about you, a regular American who simply wants what the Declaration of Independence promised us... Brady has a curious habit of exempting the District of Columbia from their report cards, even though they considered DC's gun ban important enough to file a friend-of-the-court brief, asking the U.S. Supreme Court to preserve the ban because Brady claimed the Second Amendment was about the militia... http://www.examiner.com/x-2879-Austin-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m7d2-The-world-according-to-Brady-Part-3 --- One Year after Heller: Last week was the first anniversary of the District of Columbia v. Heller, where the Supreme Court for the first time declared that the Second Amendment indeed protects an individual right to own guns in the home for self-defense. It was a great victory for individual rights, but by no means a final one. The lawyer who successfully argued that case, Alan Gura, has remained a dedicated opponent of all sorts of gun regulations that still stand post-Heller. Senior Editor Brian Doherty talked to Gura by phone earlier this week about the various legal challenges Gura is fighting against state and local gun laws. (The Second Amendment Foundation is backing all of the challenges where Gura is serving as counsel.) ... (This interview contains a lot of information about current RKBA litigation.) http://reason.com/news/show/134542.html --- A DC Encounter: I was walking home a few weeks ago when two young men, one with a knife in his hand, blocked the sidewalk and demanded my wallet and camera. I'm accustomed to having a means of defense other than my fist and an umbrella at hand. I've been in Washington, D.C. for three months and had almost gotten used to not having a weapon handy. At home in Arizona, I regularly, and legally, carry a concealed pistol and reluctantly left my guns at home and trusted on instincts and awareness to stay out of trouble. The hoodlum who tried to rob me was unprepared for resistance and expected compliance to his demands because thugs know that the District of Columbia's firearm laws and security measures punish law-abiding people who might otherwise carry a defensive weapon. My umbrella didn't survive the confrontation, but I left the scene with my wallet, camera and the punk's knife, a cheap piece of junk that is now in a storm sewer... (Mr. Engstrom and I disagree about the Taurus Judge revolver - I think one can do much better than a .410 shotshell, even with a slug and that there are much better choices in .45 Colt.) http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=32573 --- Feds Finally Drop Charges against Gun Owner: The government has thrown in the towel in its prosecution of Albert Kwok-Leung Kwan for possession of a short barreled rifle. A June 25 order dismisses the indictment against him "based on the government's motion." ...It's been a convoluted case. The feds have been trying to pin something on the guy for years, because he acted to preserve his own legal interests instead of assisting the government with theirs... So where does this leave us? After years of harassment, including holding him for 23 days, confiscating his property, ordering him not to possess firearms, forcing him to surrender his passport and to post a $250,000 bond, and spending--exactly how much in legal costs for both sides?--the government simply files a motion to dismiss the indictment? ... http://www.examiner.com/x-1417-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m7d2-Government-dismisses-charge-against-gun-owner --- Not All Conservatives Support RKBA: A Goldwater Institute attorney said recently that H.B. 2474, which has passed the Arizona House of Representatives and awaits action by the Senate, could expose the State of Arizona to more than $263 million in claims for compensation from property owners. The bill would forbid businesses from prohibiting employees or patrons from having guns in cars in private parking lots or garages. The guns must be locked and out of sight... Under the Private Property Rights Protection Act, adopted in 2006 by Arizona voters as Proposition 207, property owners may be entitled to monetary compensation if the government regulates the use of their land in a way that diminishes the property value... (HB 2474 was passed as SB 1168 after a "strike everything amendment. AzCDL members unsuccessfully attempted to persuade the Goldwater Institute to reverse its position on this matter. I find it hard to see how the value of a factory or a shopping center would be diminished because an employee or a patron could legally leave a firearm stored in a parked vehicle.) http://www.wmicentral.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20338178&BRD=2264&PAG=461&dept_id=505965&rfi=6 --- Lawful Gun Owners Don't Shoot up Bars: The anti-gun crowd has their propaganda machine in full gear in Arizona and Tennessee. Tennessee recently overrode their governor's veto of a bill allowing concealed carry license holders to carry their defensive firearms into restaurants that serve alcohol (provided they do not drink themselves) and Arizona is currently considering [has actually passed] similar legislation. "When you're in a bar, you're supposed to be out having fun, so leave the gun at home," said Eileen Conners of Larry's Cocktails, expressing her opposition to the Arizona bill. I'm going to guess her agenda is not only that she doesn't like guns, but also that since this bill prohibits drinking alcohol while armed that it would therefore cut into profits if they only had non-alcoholic beverages to drink. Of course, a customer killed by a robber will probably affect sales as well. In Tennessee, where the new law is being challenged in court, they've taken to outright lying to the public while levying hideous insults against gun owners. "We apparently are going to have 225,000 vigilantes shooting in bars," said David Smith, one of the attorneys for the opposition... http://www.examiner.com/x-2206-Cleveland-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m7d2-Lawful-gun-owners-dont-shoot-up-bars --- Open Carry and Litter Cleanup: To participate in a cleanup on the streets of the Labelle neighborhood, about a dozen residents brought not only rubber gloves and plastic garbage bags. They also brought handguns, which they kept in holsters worn around their waists - some in plain view and some not - in a move they said was aimed at promoting awareness of laws allowing Ohioans the right to carry firearms in public. Wayne Johnson, a resident of Belleview Boulevard - one of the streets where the group worked - said under state law, anyone may carry any gun they have the right to legally own. He said Ohioans may not carry a concealed weapon without a permit, which may be obtained after undergoing a 12-hour training program and criminal background check. Asked why someone would want a permit to carry a concealed weapon if they could carry an unconcealed weapon without a permit, Johnson said laws establish that carrying a weapon in one's vehicle constitutes concealing it... http://www.hsconnect.com/page/content.detail/id/522550.html?nav=5010 --- Oops, Wrong House: A man shot and killed his brother-in-law, apparently in self-defense, late Wednesday at a home just east of the Loxley area, officials with the Baldwin County [AL] Sheriff's Office said. David Daniel, the homeowner, shot Andrew "Andy" Buettner of Robertsdale in the chest after Buettner kicked in the front door, Sheriff Huey "Hoss" Mack said. Buettner thought his wife and child were staying at the home, but they were not, Mack said. Buettner's wife had left him earlier in the day over long-term domestic abuse, Mack said. The dead man has an extensive criminal history including assault, harassment and resisting arrest, according to court records. http://blog.al.com/live/2009/07/man_forces_open_front_door_get.html --- Oops, Wrong Apartment: A man shot and wounded an intruder at his apartment Wednesday in Sugar Land, police said. The shooting happened at the Fairmont Apartments in the 2300 block of Long Reach about 12:15 p.m. An apartment resident said he feared for his life when a strange man rushed him in is apartment, said Doug Adolph, Sugar Land Police Department spokesman. The resident fired his gun and shot the man, Adolph said... Adolph said the resident, who has not been identified, was asleep when he heard his dog barking. The resident woke up, grabbed a pistol near his bed and went to the front room. He opened the front door but saw nobody. When he closed the door and turned around, he spotted a man near him in the apartment. The man rushed toward him. Fearing for his life, the resident fired once, hitting the man in the chest, Adolph said... (Dogs make good warning systems.) http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6508384.html --- Oops, Wrong Poker Parlor: Like the ex-Flint police chief himself, the people who know Brad Barksdale are shooting straight about their former comrade. Barksdale is being praised by many for the single bullet in the chest that killed a robbery suspect who shot his way into the Palace Poker Room in Burton early Wednesday morning with a shotgun. "That guy picked the wrong place to rob," said Keith Speer, veteran cop and president of the Flint Police Officer's Assocation. "He's not going to miss a target he's intending to shoot. He's not going to take a threat lying down ... he's not going to let someone come in there and threaten a bunch of people. (Barksdale) did what I expected him to do." ... http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2009/07/high_praise_for_exflint_police.html --- Rule Two Reminder: The owner of a gun parts company accidentally shot himself Tuesday while attempting to clean a training weapon, according to state police at Ulster. George Numrich, 53, of Hurley, shot himself in the left leg while inside the Numrich Arms on Williams Lane about 11:30 a.m., police said. The victim was taken to Benedictine Hospital in Kingston and treated, police said. His wound did not appear to be life-threatening, police said. The weapon he was attempting to clean was an 7.62-caliber RPG training launcher, police said. (Rule Two: Don't let the muzzle cross anything you're not prepared to shoot. I didn't know that Rocket Propelled Grenades were made in 7.62mm caliber.) http://www.dailyfreeman.com/articles/2009/07/01/news/doc4a4ad75ed7571817088700.txt --- How Do You Spell "Hoplophobia" in Japanese?: Given this nation's strict gun control law, were police overreacting when they swooped on a TV broadcaster that had allowed a celebrity to handle a hunting rifle during a live broadcast? The Shiga prefectural police insist they were perfectly within their rights, but TV networks are outraged, citing the fact the weapon was not loaded. The incident stems from a show aired Jan. 17 by Biwako Broadcasting Co. Almost four months later, police mounted a search of the premises and confiscated a dozen items, including a script and a DVD of the show. Critics accuse the police of being overzealous and question their motives, but law enforcement officials remain unrepentant. Shiga prefectural police regard the incident, in which a hunter with a gun permit allowed TV personality Noburo Harada, 57, to momentarily handle the rifle during the show, as a serious breach of a law concerning the storage and management of firearms... http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200907020073.html -- Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .