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Monday, September 24, 2007

Fred Thompson's remarks to NRA

Here is the video of former Senator Fred Thompson's remarks to the Celebration of American Values. National Review's Jim Geraghty gave him an "A" based on the reception he received from those in attendance.

NRA's Celebration of American Values



NRA held it's Celebration of American Values in Washington, D.C. the past weekend. About 500 Endowment, Patron, Benefactor and President's Council members packed the Presidential Ballroom at the Capital Hilton to hear a number of presidential candidates as well as other U.S. Senators, Congressmen and Governors talk about our rights and the coming storm in 2008. I will post some video and photos from the event in the next couple of days but I wanted to share these words from Senator John McCain. I think his "three myths" theme expresses better than anything I have heard so far how some candidates and those pushing gun control view the Second Amendment.

Senator McCain put it this way: "In my years in Washington, I have seen what I will call three myths used by politicians to excuse their support for gun control. First, is the big city myth: that it is acceptable -- even necessary -- to fight crime in big cities. If you have a crime problem, they say it's really a gun problem. So instead of increasing police patrols, instituting tough sentences for lawbreakers and other measures that would actually address crime, we restrict ownership of guns and limit the rights of law abiding citizens.

"We are meeting today in a city that represents the worst of this myth. The citizens of the nation's capital do not enjoy the right to keep and bear arms. That is why I have co-sponsored legislation repealing the ban on firearms possession for law abiding citizens in the District of Colombia. The Second Amendment is not just for rural Arizona, it is for all of America.

"The second myth is that of the 'bad gun.' This was at the core of the debate over so-called 'assault weapons.' Proponents of this myth argue that some kinds of guns are acceptable -- for now -- but others are not if they have certain features -- like a pistol grip or an extended magazine. I will continue to oppose those who want to ration the Second Amendment based on their views of what guns it applies to.

"Finally, there is the hunting myth -- if you show your bona fides by hunting ducks or varmints or quail, it makes up for support for gun control. This myth overlooks a fundamental truth: the Second Amendment is not about hunting, it is about freedom."

Stay tuned for more comments about this exciting event.

Thursday, September 20, 2007

IACP Proposes More Gun Control

Just in time for their little party in New Orleans the second week in October, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) yesterday rolled out a number of proposals they say will prevent "violent crime." Funded by the gun hating Joyce Foundation, IACP's proposals could have been predicted even before they were rolled out. Specific gun control recommendations include:

  • Requiring judges and law enforcement to remove guns from situations of domestic violence, as well as from people whose adjudicated mental illness, drug use, or previous criminal record suggests the possibility of violence
  • Requiring that all gun sales take place through Federal Firearms License (FFL) holders with mandatory background checks (including all private sales - not just those private sales made at gun shows.
  • Enacting an effective ban on military-style assault weapons, armor-piercing handgun ammunition, .50 caliber sniper rifles and other weapons that enable criminals to outgun law enforcement
  • Repealing the Tiahrt Amendment, which hinders investigation of illegal gun trafficking
  • Destroying guns that come into police possession once their law enforcement use has ended
  • Mandating safe storage of firearms by private citizens and providing safe facilities where gun owners can store their weapons
  • Mandating reporting of lost and stolen firearms

It should be no surprise that IACP wants more gun control. I doubt you will read in the media reports that the Joyce Foundation is anti-gun when they report who paid for the study.

Here is the report for you reading pleasure.

More on NRA's "Celebration of American Values"

A couple of articles are in today's news - The Washington Post and Bloomberg News Service - both focusing heavily on Giuliani and how he will play with the attendees. As you would expect from the drive-by media, both articles make it look like it is an event to showcase the Republican candidates for president. Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM) will also speak to the group by video as I mentioned yesterday and Congressman John Dingell and former Congressman Harold Ford, Jr (neither of which are running for president) will also address the crowd. Governor Richardson is the only Democratic candidate for President who has talked about supporting the Second Amendment and he has an unblemished record as Governor as well as a pro-gun voting record when he was in Congress. If Richardson had a snowball's chance of winning the Democratic nomination and he faced Giuliani I find it hard to believe that Richardson would not receive the nod on an endorsement (however I don't speak for the NRA and don't get to make those decisions - just MHO).

You can read the articles here and here.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Giuliani to Speak to NRA Members

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, an ardent gun-control advocate as mayor, will address the National Rifle Association on Friday. Giuliani will join a number of presidential candidates, mostly Republican but Democratic candidate Bill Richardson (by videotaped message) will also address the group at its "Celebration of American Values" conference at the Capital Hilton in Washington, DC. Also on the list of speakers during the 1 1/2 day conference are:

Attorney General John Ashcroft
Senator John Barrasso
Governor Haley Barbour
Senator John McCain
Former Senator Fred Thompson
Radio Talk Show Personality Glenn Beck
Congressman John Dingell
Congressman Harold Ford, Jr.
Governor James Gilmore
Speaker Newt Gingrich
Governor Mike Huckabee
Congressman Duncan Hunter (videotaped message)
Senator Mitch McConnell
Governor Mitt Romney (videotaped message)
Senator John Thune

The shooting industry will also roll-out the initiative to boost NRA membership and support. That will happen on Friday at a noon press conference, again in the Capital Hilton Presidential Ballroom.

The Brady Bunch for their part are not happy that Giuliani is addressing the group and are urging him not to abandon his long history of support for gun control. Giuliani backed handgun licensing while admiting it would not stop crime, backed registration of firearms, backed the Clinton gun-ban in 1994 and in the past has called the NRA extremists. As Mayor, he also sued gun manufacturers, saying they manufactured too may guns. As a presidential candidate, he now says he supports the Second Amendment and believes gun laws should be addressed by the states.

I will be at the conference and it will be interesting to see what type of reception Giuliani receives from the crowd.

Hillary - Shooter

Yes, that is what we are supposed to believe, that Hillary Clinton in her younger days first shot a gun at her family vacation property at Lake Winola. According to the article, this is where she "first shot a gun...learned to ride horses, to fish and swim." These vacations at the lake located in the Pocono Mountains helped form her family and working-class values.

Remember the slogan complete with a French Poodle that NRA-PVF used against John Kerry in 2004 - "That dog don't hunt." The same can be said for the Senator from New York.

Hat tip to Gun Law News.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Bloomberg At It Again

Having been proven wrong by ATF on the availability of gun trace data, Mayor Bloomberg has come out in favor of another gun control scheme that should not see the light of day. On Monday, Bloomberg joined with New Jersey Senator Frank R. Lautenberg, Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy of Jersey City, New York City Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly, Mayor Douglas H. Palmer of Trenton, and a mother of a shooting victim, to announce that he plans to push congress to pass Lautenberg's bill to prohibit anyone on the terrorist watch list from purchasing a firearm.

Now we all know how accurate this watch list is. Remember that Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, was blocked from boarding flights because his name triggered a similar name on the government’s no-fly list. And, there are no due process protections when a name ends up on the watch list. But facts have never gotten in the way of Bloomberg in his thirst for publicity. Hopefully, with the departure of Alberto Gonzales, the Justice Department will withdraw its support for the bill. You can read more about Bloomberg's latest pet project here.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

It's Official - Mark Warner to Run for U.S. Senate

Former Governor Mark Warner ended all of the speculation and made it official today in a video sent by email to supporters and reporters. According to Tyler Whitney of the Richmond Times Dispatch, Warner enters the race as the favorite as a poll shows him currently trouncing the two Republican candidates who have shown an interest in the race - 11th District Congressman Tom Davis (NRA "D" rating in 2006) and Former Governor Jim Gilmore (NRA "A" rated in 1997 and current NRA Board Member).

What will all of this mean for gun owners in Virginia? Mark Warner entered the Governor's race in 2001 carrying the baggage of statements he made as Chairman of the Democratic Party of Virginia in 1993 where he supported a five-day waiting period for the purchase of a firearm (the only platform that then Attorney General Mary Sue Terry ran on in her campaign for Governor). In 1996, in his U.S. Senate campaign against John Warner, he said he supported the Clinton Gun Ban (a.k.a. the Assault Weapons Ban). As a candidate for Governor, he said he would sign a bill banning guns in recreation centers, veto repeal of hand-gun rationing (a.k.a. one handgun-a-month) but other than that would not support additional gun control laws. The NRA basically sat out that election because Mark Earley had voted for one gun-a-month in 1993 as a State Senator and Mark Warner quietly lobbied NRA to remain neutral. In the end, because Mark Warner stumbled over a response to a question in a debate (posed by yours truly) as to whether he thought the NRA had a positive impact in Virginia, NRA-ILA's James J. Baker sent out an eleventh hour letter saying Virginia gun owners should vote for Mark Earley. It proved to be too little too late and Mark Warner won by five points.

As Governor, Warner did not veto any of the pro-gun legislation that made it through the General Assembly. This includes full preemption as well as a partial roll-back of one gun-a-month - Delegate Bill Janis' bill providing that concealed handgun permit holders could by as many handguns in a month as they wanted, that were part of the 17 pro-gun bills that passed in 2004.

In truth, Warner had few hard decisions when it came to gun bills. No gun control bills passed in his four years in office and nothing like a full repeal of one gun-a-month ever passed so we don't know what he would have done. If he is elected to the Senate, it is likely it will be a wash for gun owners as far as his votes because John Warner has voted with us as much as he has voted against us. Mark Warner is no Harry Reid or Bill Richardson on guns. Both Reid and Richardson voted against the assault weapons ban. Warner at best will vote slightly better than John Warner but may vote for some gun control.

2008 is shaping up to be an interesting year.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Roanoke Times on Gun Toting Mascots

The Roanoke Times actually made some common sense points this morning in an editorial urging a local school to return the flintlock pistols to the school's pirate mascot. Buena Vista's Parry McCluer High School has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to guns on campus. That policy became ludicrous when school officials disarmed their mascot in a new logo.

The principal, Haywood Hand, thought the image of the flintlock wielding pirate was in conflict with the school's gun ban. So he ordered the logo redrawn without guns. The Times chastises the school administrators to focus on real things that could make a campus dangerous, not a cartoon pirate.

Virginia's Changing Demographics and Gun Rights

I have written in the past (here and in VSSA's publication - The Bullet) that more liberal minded urbanites and suburbanites moving into rural areas are driving the fight that we have been engaged related to gun ranges. Much of this is liberal anti-gunners escaping the Beltway after retirement but a friend who is a political consultant said this also explains why Henrico County, a western suburban county in the Richmond area, has voted for Democrats two out of the last three statewide elections (with George Allen squeaking out a win in the county over Jim Webb last year). In Henrico, the arrival of the Philip Morris national headquarters brought with it many New York liberals.

Jim Beacon over at Beacon's Rebellion analyzes this in more detail after House Speaker Bill Howell's comments about the states "newest residents" and how they may not embrace the "share values we have in Virginia." Most commentators and Democrat detractors have focused on immigrants (both legal and illegal) in discussing this comment - trying to drive a wedge in this important election year. But Beacon, understanding what Howell was getting at, writes about the massive influx of out-of-staters, mostly northerners, into Virginia and how it is altering the commonwealth's political complexion. This will not only impact who controls the State Capitol but has implications for gun rights as well. It is no secret that as you move north from Virginia, that with the exception of Pennsylvania and Vermont, guns are tightly regulated.

Beacon's comments are worth the read. While he does not talk about guns, gun owners should think about the changes he does mention and what they will do to our issue by extension. I agree that the changing demographics are "something that we have to adjust to." I rework the question Beacon poses by substituting "changing economy" and "economic opportunity" with guns and gun rights to get the following: Will northern-born voters bring the same values and re-create the same kind of political climate that constricted the rights of gun owners in their home states? Are the attitudes of the newcomers toward guns and role of government compatible with Virginia maintaining its gun rights friendly atmosphere? Bottom line: Is Virginia's government destined to look more like New York's and New Jersey's and less like North Carolina's and Georgia's? If so, what will that mean for our firearms freedom?

You can read Beacon's post here.

Virginia Tech Student Questions Panel's Gun Recommendations

A Tech student wrote a letter to the editor of the school newspaper questioning the Virginia Tech Review Panel's, and Governor Tim Kaine's support of, the report's gun recommendations. He called the rush to gun control the "easy way out" for politicians. The student continued that disarming college campuses, or anywhere for that matter, only turns people into targets for a murderer like Cho.

You can read his letter here.

Monday, September 10, 2007

Rappahannock Pistol & Rifle Club Celebrates 25 Years

I had the opportunity to spend Saturday afternoon with the fine folks who are members of the Rappahannock Pistol & Rifle Club (RPRC) in White Stone, Virginia. I took my 6 year-old daughter along and we were treated to some fine food and hospitality. RPRC was founded in June of 1982 and the club celebrated it's 25th Anniversary. They could not have asked for a better day as the sun was shinning and temperatures were in the mid 80s.


The club had developed cordial relationships with the neighbors and with town officials and all were invited to the celebration. Delegate Rob Wittman (R-99th District) was also in the crowd of over 150 and offered congratulations to the club on this special day.

The club boasts a membership of over 200 and is still growing. They have a trap field and wobble trap field for shot gun shooters (only one field can be in use at a time) and a 25, 50, and 100 yard range for handgun and rifle shooters. Special thanks to club president Bob Berry and all of the folks at RPRC for inviting me to be a part of this celebration. My daughter and I had a great time. For more information about RPRC visit the club's website.

Thursday, September 6, 2007

More on Volunteering for Cuccinelli

Senator Cuccinelli has some volunteer opportunities this week.

They are putting up signs in yards this week – hundreds of them. Know anyone in the district that would put up a Cuccinelli for Senate sign? Put a bumper sticker on their car? Please let the campaign know! Email Mike@Cuccinelli.com. He lives for signs. Loves it.

As always, they are door knocking and phone calling every day, along with other activities too, so please email Mike@Cuccinelli.com or call the campaign at 703-293-9001 to join in.

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Police Departments May Soon Be Hit With Ammo Shortage

National Public Radio (NPR) reported yesterday that local police departments are being hit by the same problems shooters have seen for sometime now - rising ammo prices and even shortages in some cases. There are several reasons for this - one being the strain that the military action in Iraq and Afghanistan have put on supplies. The other is the fact that the Chinese and India economies are growing and are putting a strain on raw materials like lead and copper which in turn are driving up prices for those materials.

On a personal note, my favorite shotgun shells have almost doubled in price over the last couple years.

According to NPR, over the past month, newspapers across the country have published stories suggesting that police departments could soon be hit by a nationwide ammunition shortage. Ammunition prices have increased along with copper and other commodities. And that, analysts say, has prompted some gun owners to stockpile ammunition.

You can here the NPR report here.

State Senator Ken Cuccinelli Needs Your Help

Pro-Gun Sen. Ken Cuccinelli Needs Your Help! With the November 6 general election rapidly approaching, now is the time when pro-gun candidates need your help with their volunteer activities. Pro-gun stalwart Senator Ken Cuccinelli (R-37th) has a number of volunteer opportunities with which he needs assistance. If you live in western Fairfax County (37th State Senate District) and are able to help out with one or more volunteer activities like delivering yard signs, walking neighborhoods, or volunteering in the campaign office, it would be of great benefit to our mutual cause! For more information about these activities or other opportunities to help, you can contact Sen. Cuccinelli's campaign manager, Mike Joyce, at(804) 536-6067, or via e-mail at mike@cuccinelli.com.



D.C. Appeals Gun Ban Decision to Supreme Court

As expected, Mayor Fenty announced yesterday that the District of Columbia is appealing the D.C. Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals decision throwing out the city's gun ban. In his announcement, made on the steps of the Police HQ, Fenty said "This city does not need more guns."

The gun ban crowd is not exactly happy with this decision as they have been quoted as saying the DC law is not the most defensible. The city outright bans handguns not registered prior to 1976 and only allows rifles and shotguns if they are unloaded and secured with a trigger locked, and stored in a different location than the ammunition - thus making them useless for self-defense.

Some in the gun rights community are equally apprehensive. There are only four sure votes that we believe can be counted on our side on the Court. The swing vote, Anthony Kennedy, could go either way. It also is not a done deal that the court will hear the case. If not, D.C. will have to scrap their law and come up with something else - likely one that bans carrying guns outside the home. In any case, most legal eagles believe the Court if it hears the case will likely make a narrow ruling with little national impact other than to settle the question of whether the 2nd Amendment protects an individual or collective right. We should know by November if the court will hear the case and if they do, expect a ruling likely the last day of the term in June - right smack in the middle of a presidential election.

You can read about the District's decision and any possible national impact by clicking here. I hope to upload a link in the next couple of days to audio of the Independence Institute's Dave Kopel discussing the issue with NRANews' Cam Edwards as heard on the Tuesday night show.

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

House Majority Leader Griffith Calls Recomendation Irrelevant

One day after the release of the Virginia Tech Review Panel findings, the Roanoke Times reported that House Majority Leader and member of the House Militia, Police, and Public Safety Committee, Morgan Griffith (R-Salem), called the panel's recommendation eliminating the non-existent "gun show loophole" irrelevant. Griffith said the recommendation is irrelevant to the Tech shootings because Cho purchased his handguns from licensed retailers. "I have a hard time connecting the two," Griffith said.

Governor Kaine responded that "Should somebody who's mentally ill and dangerous be able to get a gun or not? And if the answer is they shouldn't be, then let's have rules to protect the public and disable those people from having weapons."

You can read the article here.

Virginia Tech Review Panel and Guns

The Virginia Tech review panel issued it's findings on August 30th and included in it a recommendation to regulate gun sales at gun shows. This is a revealing addition to the report since Cho did not purchase either of his guns at a gun show and completed the sales at FFL dealers who conducted background checks as required by federal and Virginia law.

There are actually several recommendations related to firearms. They are:

http://www.vtreviewpanel.org/report/report/13_CHAPTER_VI.pdf

CHAPTER VI. GUN PURCHASE AND CAMPUS POLICIES RECOMMENDATIONS

VI-1 All states should report information necessary to conduct federal background checks on gun purchases.

There should be federal incentives to ensure compliance. This should apply to states whose requirements are different from federal law. States should become fully compliant with federal law that disqualifies persons from purchasing or possessing firearms who have been found by a court or other lawful authority to be a danger to themselves or others as a result of mental illness. Reporting of such information should include not just those who are disqualified because they have been found to be dangerous, but all other categories of disqualification as well. In a society divided on many gun control issues, laws that specify who is prohibited from owning a firearm stand as examples of broad agreement and should be enforced.

VI-2 Virginia should require background checks for all firearms sales, including those at gun shows.

In an age of widespread information technology, it should not be too difficult for anyone, including private sellers, to contact the Virginia Firearms Transaction Program for a background check that usually only takes minutes before transferring a firearm. The program already processes transactions made by registered dealers at gun shows. The practice should be expanded to all sales. Virginia should also provide an enhanced penalty for guns sold without a background check and later used in a crime.

VI-3 Anyone found to be a danger to themselves or others by a court-ordered review should be entered in the Central Criminal Records Exchange database regardless of whether they voluntarily agreed to treatment.

Some people examined for a mental illness and found to be a potential threat to themselves or others are given the choice of agreeing to mental treatment voluntarily to avoid being ordered by the courts to be treated involuntarily. That does not appear on their records, and they are free to purchase guns. Some highly respected people knowledgeable about the interaction of mentally ill people with the mental health system are strongly opposed to requiring voluntary treatment to be entered on the record and be sent to a state database. Their concern is that it might reduce the incentive to seek treatment voluntarily, which has many advantages to the individuals (e.g., less time in hospital, less stigma, less cost) and to the legal and medical personnel involved (e.g., less time, less paperwork, less cost). However, there still are powerful incentives to take the voluntary path, such as a shorter stay in a hospital and not having a record of mandatory treatment. It does not seem logical to the panel to allow someone found to be dangerous to be able to purchase a firearm.

VI-4 The existing attorney general’s opinion regarding the authority of universities and colleges to ban guns on campus should be clarified immediately.

The universities in Virginia have received or developed various interpretations of the law. The Commonwealth’s attorney general has provided some guidance to universities, but additional clarity is needed from the attorney general or from state legislation regarding guns at universities and colleges.

VI-5 The Virginia General Assembly should adopt legislation in the 2008 session clearly establishing the right of every institution of higher education in the Commonwealth to regulate the possession of firearms on campus if it so desires.

The panel recommends that guns be banned on campus grounds and in buildings unless mandated by law.

VI-6 Universities and colleges should make clear in their literature what their policy is regarding weapons on campus.

Prospective students and their parents, as well as university staff, should know the policy related to concealed weapons so they can decide whether they prefer an armed or arms-free learning environment.

VSSA will be opposing all attempts to force private sales to go through background checks. Gun shows played no part in the events that led up to the shootings and this is simply an attempt to use the Tech incident to advance an anti-gun agenda that has been defeated in every session of the General Assembly since it was introduced.

Monday, September 3, 2007

Light Posting Result of Vacation

Sorry for the light posting since mid August. I have been on vacation and am trying to catch up on all the stuff that got piled up while I was gone. A lot has happened since my return, especially the report of Governor Tim "million mom march" Kaine's Virginia Tech Review Panel. As expected by some, the panel came out in favor of more gun control - namely closing the non-existent "gun show loophole." Never mind the fact that Cho went through a background check and purchased his guns at a gun store. More on the Panel and VSSA's take tomorrow.

Happy Labor Day.