GOP Setting Up Roadblocks for Holder: Senate Republicans have invited the son of man killed in a 1975 Puerto Rican nationalist bombing as well as a former FBI agent who investigated two violent groups supporting Puerto Rican independence to appear at Eric Holder's confirmation hearings. A third GOP witness is a pro-gun rights attorney from Virginia... In order to counter these GOP witnesses, Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) has added Frances Townsend, President Bush's former Homeland Security advisor, to the list of witnesses his side will call on Holder's behalf. Former GOP Sen. John Warner (Va.), Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), and former FBI Director Louis Freeh are also scheduled to appear before the panel in favor of Holder's nomination. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/17426.html Advocates of gun rights are drawing on the old and the new in their criticism of Attorney General-designate Eric Holder Jr. The criticism appears in letters sent in the last week to the Senate Judiciary Committee from two organizations that generally oppose restrictions on gun ownership. Their letters preview what may come up Thursday and Friday during Holder's confirmation hearing, when a lawyer who has written often about the Second Amendment is scheduled to testify at the request of Republican senators... http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2009/01/why-gunrights-advocates-are-opposing-holder.html When The Wall Street Journal noted recently that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada faces a tough campaign when he comes up for reelection, it brought to mind the potential impact on that campaign of the nomination of Eric Holder as Attorney General. Here's why. Reid generally has been considered a usually firearms owner friendly Senator by voters in gun popular Nevada. Yet, Reid's chief counsel, Ron Welch, reportedly is helping to secure Senate confirmation of Holder, who has a clearly anti-gun owner public record... http://www.expertclick.com/NewsReleaseWire/default.cfm?Action=ReleaseDetail&ID=24798 "During his illustrious career, Eric Holder has been an eloquent and forceful advocate for sensible gun laws," Helmke wrote. "As Deputy Attorney General, he worked on numerous proposals to help protect our families and communities from gun criminals and he stressed a coordinated approach that included both prevention and enforcement. He supported balanced efforts that would both prevent guns from falling into the wrong hands and strengthen the government's ability to enforce the law when they do... Because of his excellent qualifications, many years of distinguished public service, and unyielding commitment to sensible gun policies, the Brady Campaign strongly supports the nomination of Eric Holder to be Attorney General and urges the Senate to confirm him." http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/brady-campaign-submits-statement-to,680071.shtml --- An Unwanted Award for Big Brother: In recognition of the unprece­dented demand for firearms by nervous consumers, The Outdoor Wire has named President-elect Barack Obama its "Gun Salesman of the Year". For me, it was a simple fact of recognizing that without President-elect Obama's frightening consumers into action, the firearms industry might be suffering the same sort of business slumps that have befallen the automotive and housing industries. It's credit where credit is due. Mr. Obama has consistently voted against individual rights to firearms, appointed a re-tread Clinton administration full of gun banners, and made it plain to anti-gun groups that despite what he might say to the contrary, he's on their side That history, along with the unquestioned support of anti-gun organizations has spooked consumers into a buying frenzy for firearms that could be outlawed in another Assault Weapons Ban... http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_142480.asp --- Interesting Post-Heller Case: ...A year ago, I might well have taken for granted the authority of Congress to require that a person charged with a crime be prohibited from possessing a firearm as a condition of pretrial release.... [But, given D.C. v. Heller, t]o the extent ... that the Second Amendment creates an individual right to possess a firearm unrelated to any military purpose, it also establishes a protectible liberty interest [for Due Process Clause purposes]. And, although the Supreme Court has indicated that this privilege may be withdrawn from some groups of persons such as convicted felons, there is no basis for categorically depriving persons who are merely accused of certain crimes of the right to legal possession of a firearm... http://volokh.com/posts/1231712651.shtml --- Gun Charge Dropped against Texas Student: Big Spring District Attorney Hardy Wilkerson says the gun charges against Laray Woodard, 18, were dropped because of the way Texas Penal Code Section 46.035 defines premises. It reads:"Premises" as a building or a portion of a building. It says the term does not include, "any public or private driveway, street, sidewalk or walkway, parking lot, parking garage, or other parking area." ...School administrators can punish students who bring a gun to school, Woodard was expelled for a month, but Wilkerson tells NewsWest 9 criminal charges in this case just won't stand up in court. "The DA knows what he is doing, the gun was in the vehicle, obviously didn't have any intend of taking it inside or anything. If he would have had it in his back pack in school, I say throw the book at the kid," Big Spring Resident Tina Thomas, said. http://www.newswest9.com/Global/story.asp?S=9662394&nav=menu505_2 --- Yellowstone Spreads over Three States: Yellowstone National Park officials say disentangling disparate concealed-weapons laws of three states has left unanswered questions about implementing a Bush administration rule that began allowing guns in the park last week. The rule gives gun owners permission to carry concealed loaded weapons as long as their concealed-weapons permit is recognized by the state in which the park is located. The problem is that Yellowstone stretches across three states - Wyoming, Montana and Idaho - and those states' gun laws don't jibe. For starters, the three states don't recognize the same out-of-state permits... (So it's better to disarm visitors in the entire park?) http://www.jacksonholenews.com/article.php?art_id=4132 --- Oregon Gun Owners Seek Privacy: A deadline for concealed handgun license holders to keep their names off public records made for a mad rush Monday at the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office. A clerical delay meant thousands of people headed for the sheriff's office at the last minute. Multnomah County Sheriff Bob Skipper mailed out the forms to all concealed gun license holders in the county, giving gun owners the option of keeping their name and status private. Most sheriff's offices allowed for at least one month to mail in the forms. But the forms sat in administrative limbo for too long in Multnomah County and officials said they accidentally put people in a jam... http://www.kptv.com/news/18466174/detail.html#- --- Hoplophobia in New York: I'm here to start the next Culture War. The 1980s and 1990s versions of the culture wars, targeting single moms and gay folk, have ground to a halt, their advance across the cable spectrum blunted by the unforgiving beachhead of reality. America needs a war, and until Osama bin Laden shows up, the War on Terror just isn't gonna cut it. Drugs have won the war on drugs, and the Cold War is so old it's starting to defrost. The Culture War I'd like to start is a war on gun worship... ("Hoplophobia," a term coined or popularized by the late Jeff Cooper, means an irrational fear of weapons.) http://www.syracusenewtimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2832&Itemid=147 --- Another LAX Incident: A second unrelated incident occurred Saturday morning when a man entered the airport to pick up his wife, according to LAX officials Police searched his vehicle and found two unregistered and unloaded shotguns (12-gauge and 20-gauge) as well as about 220 rounds of ammunition. The man told officers he recently went to a shooting range to fire the guns and forgot they were in his vehicle. The man was not arrested, but the guns were confiscated and he risks possible prosecution down the line. His name could also become part of a federal "watch list" database of sorts... (I was not aware that California had started registering shotguns.) http://laist.com/2009/01/12/another_man_brings_guns_to_lax.php --- Don't Settle for the Training That Comes in the Box with the Gun: Individual ownership of a firearm no more qualifies the owner to protect themselves and their property and defend the rights granted by their creator than individual ownership of a cowboy hat qualifies the owner for the National Finals Rodeo. Responsible ownership of a firearm requires not only adequate training in its use, but also a mental mindset capable of formulating and implementing a plan should that tool ever be required. Irresponsible use of a firearm often provides opponents of the right to keep and bear arms a useful weapon, especially considering their willing accomplices in the congress and the media... (Some Good points, some poor ones. Many people who've been there aren't confident about being able to reload during a gunfight; alternatives include backup guns and those with large-capacity magazines. Virtually any bullet, including .22's will penetrate interior walls. .223's tend not to penetrate outer walls as readily as many pistol bullets.) http://www.lewrockwell.com/gaddy/gaddy42.html --- That's Why We Have Pocket Holsters: After reports of shots fired at the Four Winds Casino Resort in New Buffalo, an officer with the Pokagon Tribal Police has confirmed that authorities were in fact called to the casino Saturday night. Fortunately, what he described as the accidental discharge of a handgun resulted in no real injury or property damage. Sgt. Chris Van Compernolle told SBT24/7 News that a man from Illinois had a handgun concealed in his pocket. The gun accidentally discharged when he was retrieving something from his pocket and fired straight down into the carpet... A Four Winds statement later identified the man as an off-duty policeman from the University of Illinois-Chicago... http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090112/NEWS01/901120309 --- Ruger to Use Polymer in New Revolver: Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE: RGR) is pleased to announce the new Ruger Lightweight Compact Revolver (LCR), an evolution in revolver design. The 13.5 ounce, small frame, 5-shot LCR has three main components: a polymer fire control housing, an aircraft quality aluminum monolithic frame, and an extensively fluted stainless steel cylinder. The Ruger LCR represents one of the most significant new revolver designs in over a century, with three patent applications pending... (I believe that many people err in seeking light weight in a handgun - it enhances recoil and makes a less stable platform to resist a hurried trigger stroke.) http://www.downrange.tv/artman2/publish/industry/391.shtml -- Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .