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Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Help Send a Virginia Team to the S.C.T.P. Nationals In Sparta IL

Come out to Sussex Shooting Sports on June 12 and enjoy a fun day of shooting while helping to send the Fort Lee "Dusters" Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) team to represent Virginia at the SCTP Nationals in Sparta Il. The fun starts at 10:00AM.  For more information, contact Jeff Atkins at 434-607-7776 .

The SCTP National Team Championships will be held at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta, Illinois on July 13th through July 16th.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Justifiable Shootings in Virginia, Nation, Increase

This morning the Richmond Times Dispatch ran this front page article detailing how the number of justifiable shootings by both police and the general public have steadily increased over the last decade not only in Virginia, but nationally as well.  The article noted while there are no definitive answers to what is causing more law-enforcement officers and individuals to use deadly force in dealing with crime, criminologists interviewed as part of the story attributed the increase to the changes in laws allowing law abiding citizens to carry firearms for self-defense.
"It's never been easier to be armed, and the laws of self-defense have never favored private individuals as much as they do now," said Jay Albanese, a criminologist and a professor of criminal justice studies at Virginia Commonwealth University. "So if you combine those two, you're likely to get more people shooting in self-defense, or at least believing they're in self-defense.
Without saying so, Albanese seems to believes that just because someone is lawfully carrying for self-defense, they are more likely to use the firearm.  However the fact is that a large number of gun owners who use their firearm to stop a crime never have to fire a shot. 

The article also noted that the increase in shootings by police may also reflect changing attitudes on the streets, where officers have felt more threatened by well-armed offenders, analysts say. The number of officers killed in the line of duty rose 26 percent from 2002 to 2007, then fell two consecutive years before  increasing again in 2010. So far for 2011 the number of officers killed in the line of duty is up 4 percent through May 1.


By the end of the article it had descended into the usual drivel about the greater ease of owning firearms insures that people who should not have them do. Another VCU criminal justice professor, John D. Reitzel, said he believed the changes in laws in a number of states has changed the way the public and prosecutors look at what constitutes justifiable lethal force and has played a role in the rising numbers.
"You used to have to flee if you were in danger," Reitzel said. "Now you can fight back, and that's not even necessarily on your own property. We're talking about being out in public." ..."To a certain degree, if you're allowing people to carry (weapons) in these places, essentially you're almost expecting them to use it."
While I don't know that Reitzel is against allowing lawful firearm owners to carry openly or concealed, his comments are typical of those you hear from the anti-rights crowd.  It's that mentality that people who have a firearm are just looking for any excuse to use it. 

Alfred Blumstein, a Carnegie Mellon University criminologist, said that people who are mentally said a greater availability of guns in the hands of people who shouldn't have them may causing more of the law abiding to respond with "firepower."
"I suspect that it's a greater presence of people who represent a serious threat to people who have guns themselves, and respond with that," Blumstein said. "You're seeing more people with guns who are going to deal with a situation with firepower, than that they might have otherwise dealt with by talking the guy down."
Talking the guy down?  You would think that in such a long article (one that started above the fold on the front page and covered an entire page in the middle front section), that they would have interviewed at least one lawful gun owner who might even carry concealed.  Maybe then they would have given the other side of the story - the one that goes beyond the numbers and understands that we carry because ultimately, we are responsible for our own safety and the safety of our families.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Grassley Threatens Holds on Justice Nominees

It is actually more than a threat.  One nominee who had a confirmation hearing on March 30th, but has not had a committee vote, Denise O'Donnell, is waiting to take over the Bureau of Justice Assistance.  She is said to be one of several Justice nominees on hold by Senator Grassley.

Top Justice Nominees Could Be Held Up Over Grassley Concerns on 'Gunrunner' - FoxNews.com

We will see how long the administration wants to keep career bureaucrats in acting positions or come off the information Grassley has requested. But given some of the people in acting positions have been in those jobs for over half of Obama's first term, one has to wonder if another year will make a difference to the administration.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Fast and Furious Takes Another Twist

A Phoenix CBS affiliate reported last week that federal drug agents discovered a cache of "AK-47-type assault rifles" wrapped in cellophane and hidden inside two giant trash barrels during a drug raid conducted in April. According to the report, the agents believe the confiscated weapons were heading to drug cartels in Mexico.  The problem is, a serial number on at least one of the firearms traces back to the ATF.  NRANews provides more on the story.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Rappahannock Pistol and Rifle Club Hosts Wildly Successful NRA Youth Sportsfest

The Rappahannock Pistol and Rifle Club, a VSSA affiliated club, hosted a National Rifle Association (NRA) "Youth Sportsfest" on Saturday, April 16. The NRA Youth Sportsfest is a program designed to introduce youth to the shooting sports, in a safe, controlled environment. Forty-one youth attended the full day event, and participated in Air Rifle Shooting, 20 Gauge Shotgun Trap, .22 rifle shooting, and Service Rifle Marksmanship.
Recognizing that today's youth are the future of our shooting sports, volunteers from the Rappahannock Pistol and Rifle Club pulled out all the stops to ensure participants got a taste of all the shooting disciplines. NRA trained instructors supervised all shooting activities, emphasizing safe gun handling along with the fundamentals of rifle and shotgun shooting.


The club had a safety brief first, demonstrating the three NRA gun safety rules with a .22 rifle:

Instructor Dave Peterson coaches youth at the .22 rifle activity:
Trophies were awarded in four categories, results were:

20 Gauge Trap, First Place Eleanor Beane, Second Place Elijah Mckinley, Third Place Jacob Headley

Air Rifle, First Place Collin Vaughn, Second Place Tyler Dunaway, Third Place Chase Tambellini

.22 Rifle, First Place Elijah Mckinley, Second Place Scott Newsome, Third Place Collin Vaughn

Service Rifle, First Place Scott Newsome, Second Place Shawn Talley, Third Place Alex Von Vorrys.

Feedback from the youth participating (and their parents) was positive, all at the end of the day remembering the three NRA Gun Safety Rules:
"Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction!"
"Always keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot!"
"Always keep the gun unloaded until ready to use!"
To learn more about the Rappahannock Pistol and Rifle Clubs Youth Programs, visit the clubs website at http://www.rprclub.com/

Thanks to RPRC's Youth Programs Director, Tracy Grissett, for the photo's and report on the successful event.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Virginia Shows Nation How to Keep Communities Safe

It never fails that when a violent crime takes place, or a police officer is shot, more times than not, it is a repeat offender that committed the crime, someone that should have never been on the street.

The Washington Post reported last month that a study released by the Pew Center on the States indicates that other states could learn something from Virginia.
How Virginia has achieved lower-than-average recidivism rates is difficult to pin down, experts said. One likely factor, though, is lack of parole.

The state did away with parole in 1995 after get-tough-on-crime initiatives by then-Gov. George Allen (R). Prisoners are required to serve at least 85 percent of their sentences. By keeping prisoners behind bars longer, the effect is to “age them out of their crime-prone years,” said Brian Ostrom, a researcher for the National Center for State Courts who has extensively studied Virginia’s prison system.
It just shows that keeping violent criminals behind bars reduces crime, and makes communities safer.

Monday, May 9, 2011

State Forest Carry Takes Affect July 7, 2011

On May 6, Governor Robert F. McDonnell approved changes to the Virginia Department of Forestry’s Virginia State Forest Regulation 4VAC10-30-170. The changes will permit law-abiding Virginians to carry a firearm in State Forests.  These changes now allow for both the lawful carrying of concealed firearms by those who possess a concealed carry permit, as well as open carrying for anyone in lawful possession of a firearm.

Current State Forest regulations prohibit individuals from carrying any firearms onto State Forest properties unless exempted because of lawful hunting seasons. The final regulatory amendment would allow persons to carry lawful open and concealed firearms onto State Forest properties under the ownership and management of the Department of Forestry.

The regulation will become final following the conclusion of a thirty day publication period in the Virginia Register, providing that lawful actions don’t delay the process. It will be published in the Virginia Register of Regulations on June 6, and become effective on July 7, 2011.

Please contact Governor McDonnell by e-mail and thank him for improving Virginia’s regulatory environment for lawful firearm owners!

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Repeal of Restaurant Ban Earns Virginia "Craziest Gun Law" Rating From Gun Ban Group

The Virginian Pilot reports that Virginia received special note from the Brady Campaign yesterday. The reason? Because Virginia repealed the ban on carrying concealed in restaurants like Applebees and Olive Garden, establishments that serve alcohol in addition to food.

Report: Va. among states with 'craziest' gun laws | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com

Virginia received a Brady score of 16 out of 100, a score that Brady claims qualifies Virginia as a great place for "gun runners."

Using Brady's scoring system, I guess ATF's record with Operation Fast and Furious would earn a score of zero out of 100 and the distinction of the nation's top gun runner.

Senate/House DOJ Oversight Hearings Garner More Media Attention of Failed ATF Program

Recent Oversight Hearings of DOJ by the House and Senate have increased the media exposure of the failed ATF program known as Operation Fast and Furious. The best coverage of the story however continues to be bloggers and NRANews.

Gun Probe's Tactics Criticized - WSJ.com

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Holder Gets Second Day of Grilling

Later today I will post the transcript of yesterday's back and forth between Attorney General Eric Holder and Congressman Darrell Issa related to BATFE's Operation Fast and Furious.  Needless to say Holder obfuscated and did not directly answer questions.  He will appear before Senate Judiciary this morning at 10:00.  If you would like to watch that you can do so by clicking here.

Look for Senator Chuck Grassley to continue where Issa left off.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Three Judge Panel of 9th Circuit Rules against Nordykes in California Gun Show Case

Gun show promoters Russell and Sallie Nordyke brought a lawsuit after Alameda County officials passed an ordinance in 1999 prohibiting firearms and ammunition from public property, including the county fairgrounds where the couple had run their show for years.  But the LA Times is reporting that the three judge panel ruled yesterday that local governments have a legitimate purpose in keeping guns out of public places.  The case has been ongoing for the last twelve years.
The case isn't over," said the Nordykes' attorney, Donald Kilmer. "I'm still talking with my clients, but it's just a question of whether we go up to an en banc rehearing or to the Supreme Court or back to the district court."
According to one of the justices, the Alameda ordinance didn't prohibit gun shows "but merely declined to host them on government premises."

Bloomberg Brings "Fix Gun Checks" Show to Richmond

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG) brought their "Fix Gun Checks" dog and pony show to Richmond yesterday and featured a who's who among Richmond's political anti-rights crowd.  Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones was joined by State Senators Henry Marsh and Don McEachin. Also joining the politicos were family members of those killed by criminals in the city.

James Curtis Seay's death four years ago in Southside still haunts his mother and aunt. 
"He was robbed. Three punks robbed him and they shot him twice. They killed him for no reason. And to this day our families destroyed," said Laverne Seay-Brown.

What none of the assembled could explain is how forcing private sales to go through background checks would keep criminals from getting firearms.

The rally also drew some pro-rights folks to give the other side of the story.

"It's going to limit our ability to be able to purchase guns in the long run or to sell guns. If I want to pass it to my son they're going to say he has to pass a background check too," said Keith Swinney.
The annual so called "gun show loophole" bill has never made it out of committee in the House of Delegates and has made it out of committee in the State Senate once, only to be killed in the full Senate.  The Senate did not have a sponsor for the legislation in the 2011 Session of the General Assembly.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Gun Owners Need to Put Rights as First Priority in 2012

The anti-rights media is all a twitter about various references to what may await gun owners if President Obama is re-elected next year. Among them is the Washington Post who, like others, continually point to the fact that Obama signed legislation allowing firearms in national parks as proof that gun owners have nothing to fear. What they don't tell you is that item was a rider on a bill that the president wanted which is why the bill was chosen as the vehicle for the measure in the first place.

NRA tries to keep gun issues alive in 2012 presidential race - The Washington Post

The anti-rights media knows that a re-elected Obama has no further elections to win, may appoint one or more supreme court justices, and will most likely use the regulatory process to do what he cannot do legislatively, as he did with EPA rules related to carbon dioxide.

It is in the best interest of gun owners to put our rights at the top of our list of priorities when we vote in 2012.