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1. Correction to previous alert March 24, 2013 Item 1
2. Guns being treated "differently" again
3. Today's top opinion: wrong on rights
4. LTE: No semblance of fairness at Moran gun forum
5. LTE: Open letter to Rep. James P. Moran
6. VA man accidentally kills self with gun at party
7. LCSO: .40 caliber handgun used in shooting of Sterling teen
8. Feinstein's war on reason, a study [VIDEO]
9. Stage set for Senate gun control debate; background checks are sticking point
10. 2A scholar says assault weapons ban 'won't pass Congress' [VIDEO]
11. Retired Army officer warns: DHS preparing for war against American citizens
12. Parents bond with their children at gun event
13. Woman shoots at intruders in Elm City home
14. Armed TX homeowners defend themselves from armed intruders
15. Guns and ammo sales spark jobs boom
16. Robber shot with own gun
17. ABC's 'Nightline' takes aim at glock handguns
18. Bloomberg, mayor group tout big gun control push
19. Responsible gun owner [VIDEO]
20. 'Disagree with Bloomberg's new gun control ad campaign and you are an anti-semite
21. NYC Mayor Bloomberg: Government has right to 'infringe on your freedom'
22. Hypocrite Bloomberg gets waiver from Bermuda gun ban!
23. Gun free zone app
24. To keep and bear arms: the american rifleman [VIDEO]
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1. Correction to previous alert March 24, 2013 Item 1
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The first item in the VCDL Update for 3/24/13 had failed to properly describe Senator Obenshain's bill to protect permit holder information. The story described the bill AS IT WAS INTRODUCED originally, and not how it was PASSED. The passed version protects the information on ALL CHP holders. Thank you, Rick Hamm, for bringing this to my attention.
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2. Guns being treated "differently" again
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Board Member Dennis O'Connor sent me this from a previous alert item about a self-defense shooting in Sterling last month:
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"The sheriff's office said the firearm used in the shooting-a .40 caliber pistol-was obtained legally."
I find it disturbing that gun owners regularly have to put up with the default inference that we are otherwise criminals. What other law abiding segment of society would tolerate this (or should have to tolerate this)?
Sadly, we've become so accustomed to being painted by this broad brush of ill repute that we scarcely consider it to be anything but normal.
"The prosecutor acknowledges that the woman whose purse was stolen from Macy's had obtained her purse legally."
"Police say the owner of the car that was struck by the bus obtained his car legally."
"The sheriff stated that the home struck by lightning was purchased legally by the homeowner."
From previous alert article leesburgtoday.com: http://tinyurl.com/cysthfh
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3. Today's top opinion: wrong on rights
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This op ed from the Richmond Times-Dispatch bemoans that CHP holder information is going to be protected starting on July 1. Let me remind them that it was newspapers abusing that very information that brought this on. Such abuses, while not affecting the right to bear arms, do seriously endanger the lives of innocent citizens and provide no social benefits whatsoever.
EM Hal Macklin sent me this:
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From timesdispatch.com: http://tinyurl.com/cfhx7zz
Today's top opinion: Wrong on rights
March 24, 2013
State Sen. Mark Obenshain and Gov. Bob McDonnell have it backward. Last week the governor signed a bill the lawmaker sponsored to exempt concealed-carry permit information from the Freedom of Information Act. Obenshain claims – and McDonnell implicitly agrees – that "exercising a constitutional right should not land your personal information on someone's list with a government assist."
Really? Then we'd like to see the senator immediately propose legislation forbidding political parties, consultants and candidates to access voter-registration records. Voting, of course, is a constitutional right. And political campaigns routinely use personal voter information collected by the State Board of Elections to compile lists for their outreach efforts. That is precisely how they get your address to mail you those glossy campaign brochures.
Obenshain is running for the GOP nod for attorney general. We assume he will not be using any voter information from the State Board of Elections in his own campaign.
Voter records are not the only private information collected by the state that is available for public view. So are property transfers and real-estate assessments. You can even look that information up on the Internet. As the Chesterfield County website notes, "Under Virginia State Law, these real estate assessment records are public information. Display of this property information on the Internet is specifically authorized by the Code of Virginia 58.1-3122.2 (as amended)."
The right to property is a fundamental right, just like the right to self-defense. But the right to property is not impaired because county governments record and disclose property values or transfers. Likewise, the right to vote is not infringed by the disclosure of voter information. And the right to keep and bear arms is not impaired by disclosure of concealed-carry permit information.
By sealing off certain government records from public scrutiny, Obenshain and McDonnell are not protecting an individual right – they are trampling on the public's right to know.
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4. LTE: No semblance of fairness at Moran gun forum
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From sungazette.net: http://tinyurl.com/cx76ae6
No Semblance of Fairness at Moran Gun Forum
by Martina Sabo
March 19, 2013
Editor: I made the time to attend U.S. Rep. Jim Moran's community forum on "gun violence."
It was incredible at how many times the phrases of "gun violence" and "horrific tragedies" were used. Yet at no point did he or any of the panel members mention that the incidents they cited were crimes committed by murderers and criminals. At no time was it ever mentioned that a punishment should be affixed to a crime commensurate to the gravity of the crime. At no time was there any mention of holding the criminals, mass murderers, accountable for their actions.
The death penalty for such acts would act as a deterrent to such criminals and murderers, yet there was never a mention of any punishment to be affixed to the criminals committing these crimes. The main intent of those leading the forum was to restrict the rights of law-abiding citizens and create victims trhough gun-free zones, rather than compel criminals to civilized behavior via law.
James Madison stated that the Constitution preserves "the advantage of being armed which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation [where] the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms."
Rep. Moran repeatedly stated that he doesn't think that people need certain kinds of self-defense weapons. Such arrogance is elitism at best, tyranny at worst.
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5. LTE: Open letter to Rep. James P. Moran
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Dean Jacobson sent me this:
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From fauquier.com: http://tinyurl.com/cu9bvl5
Open letter to Rep. James P. Moran
March 25, 2013
Recently, I attended your community forum on gun violence. Your opening remarks concerning this nation's need to bring about effective cures to this violence and the horrific loss of life by those 26 innocent individuals and other senseless violent events is something with which any civilized person would agree.
I have some expertise in the area. My B.A. was in law enforcement and administration with a minor in psychology.
I was sworn as a reserve peace officer in 1965 and the following year became a full-time peace officer at the local level.
As a police officer and detective, I worked both in uniform and plain clothes for 5-½ years. During this time, I was an active member of the department pistol team. During this time, I was a U.S. Army Reservist in an intelligence unit.
I was promoted to Non-Commissioned Officer In-Charge (NCOIC) with the rank of Staff Sergeant. I took a position as a Special Agent with the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) for 12 years; then for 11 years conducting white-collar crime investigations with Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS).
During the time with USSS, I was assigned to the Kissinger detail and traveled extensively to foreign countries, interfacing with foreign law enforcement counterparts.
While with USSS, I qualified with the range of firearms used by that agency on a monthly basis. As a senior agent, I was assigned to become a field firearms instructor, responsible for overseeing qualification of field agents.
With DCIS again, I carried out the same duties with oversight of quarterly qualification.
I have carried a gun daily for more than 45 years and never have shot anyone. Whether this was due to good fortune or good heads up, who knows.
Your firearms expert, the retired ATF agent, stated early on that he was not pro- or anti-gun, then went into educating the public in a short presentation on firearms.
He was correct on most of his discussion, but I felt that including a rocket/grenade launcher was over the top.
I wonder if he might have included some photos of a .50-caliber Browning automatic rifle (BAR) or maybe some mini-guns. That would not have been more fear-evoking to the general audience.
During the Q&A, his statement that no more than 25 percent of the horrific mass shootings had occurred in gun-free zones and citing the Fort Hood terrorist shooting as an example eroded his credibility.
As a DCIS special agent, I spent a good deal of time on military bases in the U.S. and know that all guns, except for military police, are stored in arms vaults, and no one on base is allowed to carry a gun.
Possession of ammunition is a arrestable offense. At the beginning of a shift, the MPs draw their weapons, and at the end, they return them to the weapons vault. Federal law enforcement agents (DCIS, FBI, ATF, etc) are allowed to carry their guns on base by showing their credentials.
The fact is that Fort Hood is a gun-free zone. And this was indeed a terrorist attack and not some workplace violence.
The attorney, a Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence "Constitutional lawyer" started his discussion of the Second Amendment in the 1960s.
It is interesting that gun-control folks never want to talk about the thinking of our founding fathers, but adopt the philosophy that the U.S. Constitution is a living document to be interpreted as they see fit.
I was at the scene when President Reagan and Mr. Brady – oh, yes, and an agent and a police officer -- were shot, and to some small degree suffer when I relive that day.
I moved the ambulance to the scene and oversaw loading the victims into ambulances. My heart hurts every time I think of Mr. Brady, and that is almost daily.
He was such a wonderful person, and the loss he suffered cannot be described.
I am jaded by the fact that our judicial action in connection with John Hinckley has allowed him to step behind the veil of mental illness to avoid just punishment.
With all my being, I wish that prior to Hinckley's attack someone in the mental health system had the wisdom and tools (laws), to place him in protective custody. But this case speaks clearly to the fact that mental illness is the factor that we must deal with if we are ever going to prevent mass shooting or even attempts to kill our presidents.
Next up was the lobbyist from the Bloomberg Mayors for Gun Control.
Her presentation of the measures being pursued by Congress was informative.
I was left with the feeling that what is being offered by way of legislation misses the real problem of gun violence.
There are currently laws that cover gun trafficking and all other measure that are being proposed. To impede the use and possession of guns by honest, non-violent citizens is not reasonable. The items being pursued currently by lawmakers miss the mark.
Josh Horwitz, executive director the the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, addressed the current situation with mental health. His presentation was informative and showed just how antiquated federal and state laws are in addressing people with mental illness and the absolute lack of effort on any federal or state lawmaker to cope with this area.
It would have been very productive to have him make some recommendations for meaningful solutions.
The last panelist was the Alexandria chief of police. Your introduction of him as the first African American chief was distracting and way off point. He is the chief, and his race is irrelevant.
He met with boos from the audience when he said that gun registration was necessary for the safety of the public. I was standing in line to ask the chief a question when you stopped taking questions.
My question was going to be just how gun registration, his knowing that a citizen has a gun, is going to make anyone safer. If it would, I would be for it, but in my heart I do not believe that it would.
My experience has taught me that anything that government does is never efficient, always more costly and to a large degree a waste.
I am not a conspiracy wonk, but do know that registration has lead to gun confiscation, and your statement that you could not guarantee that subsequent administrations would not abuse the registration process and confiscate is a problem.
Hitler did that in 1934, and we are looking to see if Canada does the same in the near future. Australia has confiscated all civilian-owned guns. I know the violent crime rate has gone up markedly in both, with citizens left defenseless.
Your request for all the people wearing red stickers to stand, then asking how many were from your district, was not in the spirit of a public forum.
I live in Fauquier County, and while I am not a constituent of yours, when you present a forum that impacts me, my children and my grandchildren, the content is important to me. Your dismissal of non-constituents was rude and condescending.
I am a U.S. citizen, and when a topic of this import is presented, I am interested in its content, fairness and the effect you are having in educating all the citizens who attend.
My forefather came to Hanover County, Va., in the 1660s, so your dismissal of my right to attend your forum was without merit.
Your statement that anyone interested in protecting their constitutional right to own guns is a one-issue voter is so wrong.
I, for one, am deeply committed to a variety of issues, including the state of our economy and how our lawmakers and president continue to drive our country into debt, the appalling effects of Obamacare and the incredible taxation and cost, terrorism from radical Muslims, the general decline of our county's morality, the politically correct movement, the overwhelming impact of illegal immigration, the movement away from religion and the overreaching hand in government regulation.
Indeed, I am not a one-issue voter. It sounded very foolish to cast that net.
While I am a conservative and registered Republican, the Republicans are just as responsible for the state of our country as are the Democrats. We can see that this gun-control issue has many Democrats playing out their agenda.
The reason I am so clear on anti-gun control is that with our guns, we are citizens, and without them we are subjects.
I choose to not become a victim because you think that registering or limiting my access to a gun is a liability. It is not.
My feeling at the end of the forum was that you intended to present a compelling program to justify your efforts to enhance gun control and to sway citizens with no gun background.
It seems that you were deeply offended that anyone should disagree with your position.
The panel was stacked with pro-gun control panelists. It was not a forum on whether gun control was appropriate.
You had made that decision for us.
With no vitriol, you sir, are wrong.
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6. VA man accidentally kills self with gun at party
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Never, ever, point a gun at something you aren't willing to destroy. Whether the gun is loaded or not makes no difference. Point a "unloaded" gun at your head and pull the trigger and the rules of Darwinism take over.
Baraka James shared this:
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From wtop.com: http://tinyurl.com/bodojq2
Va man accidentally kills self with gun at party
by The Associated Press
March 24, 2013
GOOCHLAND, Va. (AP) -- Police say a Goochland County man accidentally killed himself while playing a Russian roulette-type game at a party.
Goochland County Sheriff James Agnew identified the victim as 20-year-old Christopher Ryan Benson.
Agnew tells media outlets that the shooting occurred late Thursday.
Agnew says 20-year-old David Cash Raymond brought the .22-caliber revolver out and said it wasn't loaded. Raymond put the gun to his head and pulled the trigger twice. Nothing happened and Raymond put the gun down. Benson picked it up, put it to his head and pulled the trigger, fatally shooting himself.
Police charged Raymond with reckless handling of a firearm.
Benson was an Army reservist.
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7. LCSO: .40 caliber handgun used in shooting of Sterling teen
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Another story on the self-defense shooting in Sterling last month. And, like item #2, above, it says, "A LEGALLY owned .40 caliber handgun was the weapon…", as if that was surprising or unusual thing.
Mark Watterson shared this:
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From ashburn.patch.com: http://tinyurl.com/chv5yd8
LCSO: .40 Caliber Handgun Used in Shooting of Sterling Teen
by Dusty Smith
March 21, 2013
New information reveals that the teen was shot in the left rear shoulder; a separate investigation into how the teens obtained alcohol is underway.
A legally owned .40 caliber handgun was the weapon used in the fatal shooting of Park View High School student Caleb A. Gordley, who had entered a neighbors home around 2:30 a.m. Sunday and reportedly ignored repeated warning to stop, according to new information provided Thursday afternoon by the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office.
Investigators are reviewing the case with the Loudoun Commonwealth's Attorney's Office, and no determination is expected before all related information has been reviewed, including the report from the medical examiner's office.
The new LCSO information also reveals that Gordley, 16, was struck in the left rear shoulder.
According to the report, Gordley activated the alarm when he entered the home through a rear, unlocked window and continued climbing a staircase after an armed homeowner reportedly called out warnings and fired a warning shot. The homeowner did not recognize the teen, according to the report.
After the teenager reportedly passed the homeowner in a hallway and continued toward a bedroom where other residents were, the homeowner fired several times, striking the teen in the left rear shoulder, according the LCSO information. Gordley died at the scene.
The Sheriff's Office indicated in its report that Gordley had been drinking with friends, but investigators are awaiting a report from the medical examiner's office to determine the amount of alcohol in the teen's bloodstream.
Officers responded March 17 to reports of a burglary on the 45900 block of Pullman Court in Sterling in which the homeowner discharged a firearm.
The new press release repeats Loudoun Sheriff Mike Chapman's assertion that Gordley mistakenly entered the wrong home, just two doors down form his own. While such an entry is considered a crime, Chapman said the evidence indicates that Gordley had no further criminal intent.
"There does not seem to be any indication at this point that Caleb had gone in the house to commit any further crime," Chapman said during a press conference earlier this week.
The investigation into the incident continues. Several shell casings and rounds were recovered at the scene. In addition, a separate investigation was opened to learn how the teens obtained alcohol the night before the incident.
Detectives met with members of Gorley's family Wendesday to provide the latest information about what their investigation revealed. The homeowner and Gordley's family remain cooperative in the investigation.
Gordley's parent told WJLA-7 on Tuesday that they believe it was an mistake and do not blame the homeowner (see accompanying video).
The case remains open pending a final report from the medical examiner's office, including a toxicology report.
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8. Feinstein's war on reason, a study [VIDEO]
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Jack Edison shared this:
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This video does a great job of exposing Feinstein's use of logical fallacies against Ted Cruz's questions.
From youtube.com: http://tinyurl.com/cbt8gbw
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9. Stage set for Senate gun control debate; background checks are sticking point
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From washingtontimes.com: http://tinyurl.com/bjwm7qz
Stage set for Senate gun control debate; background checks are sticking point
by David Sherfinski
March 21, 2013
Senate Democrats said Thursday they will take up gun control immediately after a two-week Easter vacation, and said the bill they'll bring to the chamber floor will include universal background checks for all firearms sales and a crackdown on gun trafficking and straw purchases.
The background checks are the biggest sticking point — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he will include a strict measure written by Sen. Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, rather than wait for a bipartisan compromise to emerge.
Mr. Reid said he is open to substituting that compromise if it's reached in time, but said the Senate bill will expand background checks either way.
"I want to be clear: In order to be effective, any bill that passes the Senate must include background checks," he said.
He began the process of bringing the bill to the Senate floor Thursday, even as the chamber was debating its fiscal 2014 budget.
Mr. Reid, who has emerged as the key gatekeeper on guns, said he will make sure there are votes on other proposals such as an assault weapons ban, a limit to sales of high-capacity ammunition magazines, and changes to mental health laws.
But none of those will be a part of the base bill, making it tougher for them to be a part of the eventual bill that will emerge from the chamber.
Gun control advocates had wanted Mr. Reid to include the magazine and assault weapons bans in the base bill, but he said there weren't enough votes for the weapons ban to pass, and he didn't want to jeopardize the rest of the legislation by tying them all together.
The White House has vowed to rally support for the assault weapons ban, which would limit sales of military-style semiautomatic weapons, and for the magazine ban, which would limit capacity to 10 rounds.
Flanked by New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and families of the victims of the December shooting rampage in Connecticut, Vice President Joseph R. Biden said Thursday the children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School deserve a vote.
"For all those who say we shouldn't and can't ban assault weapons, for all of those who say the politics is too hard — how can they say that?" Mr. Biden said at a news conference in New York City. "When you take a look at those 20 beautiful babies and what happened to them, and those six teachers and administrators."
It's not likely to be approved, but Mr. Bloomberg said having a vote will be important.
"Everyone's going to have to stand up and say yea or nay, and then the rest of us have to decide just how we feel about people and their stance," said Mr. Bloomberg, a staunch gun control advocate. "We will do everything to win support for it, and I know the White House will be doing everything that they can too."
The base bill will include Mr. Schumer's universal background check legislation, which would require background checks on virtually all gun transactions, with limited exemptions, such as gifts exchanged between family members.
Currently, all sales by licensed firearms dealers must go through background checks, but transactions between private individuals do not. Lawmakers are looking for a way to extend checks to almost all transactions without also creating a record-keeping system that gun rights supporters fear could turn into a gun registry.
That proposal cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 10-8 party-line vote.
Two other measures will also be included: A proposal to expand school safety procedures, which received broad support in committee, and the proposal to crack down on gun trafficking, which passed 11-7 with only one Republican joining Democrats in favor.
David Chipman, a former agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said as long as Congress votes on every proposal, lawmakers have been fair.
"Everyone has been consistent — that each of these are worthy of requiring people, on the record, to vote on them," said Mr. Chipman, who works with Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a group co-led by Mr. Bloomberg. "That, to me, has been consistent."
While the assault weapons ban is getting the most attention, Mr. Chipman said universal background checks and banning gun trafficking at the federal level will cut down on gun violence.
"At least for us, I think things are progressing, and we want to make sure votes are taken and Congress adheres to the will of 90 percent of the American people," he said, referring to recent polling numbers on support for universal background checks.
But other lobby groups reacted angrily to Mr. Reid's decision not to put the assault weapons ban in the base bill. Advocacy group UltraViolet called it "shameful and disappointing."
Mr. Reid said he supported having votes on all proposals but said he couldn't get the bill to the floor with a ban included.
The parliamentary realities, though, didn't assuage Neil Heslin, whose son Jesse was killed in the Newtown shootings.
"No child deserves to be murdered or brutally slaughtered the way these children were," he said. "And quite honestly, I'm really ashamed to see that Congress doesn't have the guts to stand up and make a change and put a ban on these type of weapons, [add] universal background checks and address the mental health issues that we have in this country."
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10. 2A scholar says assault weapons ban 'won't pass Congress' [VIDEO]
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James Durso sent me this:
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From youtube.com: http://tinyurl.com/csfl6ra
Published on Mar 20, 2013
Kwame Holman talks with second amendment scholar Joyce Lee Malcolm about likelihood of Congress voting on bill that would ban assault weapons.
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11. Retired Army officer warns: DHS preparing for war against American citizens
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Is this true? Who knows, but being eternally alert is always a wise thing.
From examiner.com: http://tinyurl.com/d2kpjtb
Retired Army officer warns: DHS preparing for war against American citizens
by Joe Newby
March 23, 2013
[SNIP]
On Saturday, Terry M. Hestilow, a retired United States Army Captain from Fort Worth, Texas, posted a letter on Facebook that he wrote to Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, warning that the Department of Homeland Security is preparing to go to war with the citizens of the United States.
"It is with gravest concern that I write to you today concerning the recent appropriation of weapons by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that can only be understood as a bold threat of war by that agency, and the Obama administration, against the citizens of the United States of America," his letter began.
The retired officer expressed deep concerns over "recent purchases of almost 3,000 mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) armored personnel carriers, 1.6 billion rounds of ammunition (with associated weapons), and other weapons systems."
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12. Parents bond with their children at gun event
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Jay Minsky sent me this:
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From whsv.com: http://tinyurl.com/bmfvj7e
Parents Bond With Their Children at Gun Event
by David Coy
March 23, 2013
SWOOPE -- Some Valley parents spending the ultimate family time with their kids, helping to teach them how to shoot a gun. It's part of the Shenandale Gun Club's annual event so kids can learn gun safety.
Families from the Valley came together to do something different.
They wanted to introduce their children to how to properly hunt and use rifles. Some parents believe, It's more than just using a weapon.
Justin Marshall has been going to the gun club event since he was a teenager.
He has been taking his son for the past four years because he wants to share similar experiences he once had.
"It's better he's not at home watching TV or playing video games. We're outside, we're getting cold, we're getting dirty. We are having a good time," said Marshall.
Some people may think giving children experience behind a gun can be dangerous. Marshall believes the gun club and the instructors know what they're doing.
"They do a really good job making a family friendly atmosphere here and they emphasize safety...gun safety, archery safety," said Marshall.
Parents don't just bring their kids to shoot guns or clay pigeons at the event. They wanted their children to enjoy the environment.
Todd Yoder is a father of five. He said spending time with them is important.
"I am an avid hunter. All my boys have gone hunting with me so, I do value this. I think it teaches these kids some good values," said Yoder.
After speaking to many parents, they all can agree on one thing.
"Coming to organized events like this is a good oppurtunity to get them out and get them exposed to shooting sports and the outdoors in general. And that feels really good," said Marshall.
The J.A.K.E event has been held for many years. Eveyone paid a ten dollar registration fee to join the program for a year.
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13. Woman shoots at intruders in Elm City home
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Dave Green sent me this:
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From wral.com: http://tinyurl.com/d3spl5o
Woman shoots at intruders in Elm City home
by Julia Sims
March 22, 2013
ELM CITY, N.C. — An Elm City woman shot at two men who broke into her home on Tonya Road Friday morning, her husband told WRAL News.
Chris Griffin said his wife, who had stayed home sick from work, heard a noise around 11 a.m. and then saw two men outside her house. When she heard them start kicking in the back door, she hid in the bedroom closet with a cellphone and a pistol.
The men ransacked the house, and when they opened the closet door, she fired at them, Griffin said. One man was struck, authorities said.
The men fled, and neighbor Wayne Crumpler said he heard them yelling for help.
"I heard somebody out at the road. He was hollering, 'Help me,' waving his arms, jumping up and down trying to stop traffic," Crumpler said. "There was another guy in the background. I heard him hollering, 'Help me. I've been shot in the chest. I'm dying.'"
The wounded man then started toward Crumpler's house.
"He started in this direction. I stepped inside and got my revolver," he said. "I told him to hold it."
The man then ran into the woods, Crumpler said.
Two suspects were taken into custody after the Wilson County Sheriff's Office searched the area.
Michael Daquarius Bynum, 16, of 1618 Branch St. in Rocky Mount, was charged with breaking and entering and possession of marijuana and placed in the Wilson County jail under a $25,000 bond.
Christopher Devonte Joseph, of 522 Western Ave. in Rocky Mount, will face the same charges once he is released from a local hospital, where he was listed in stable condition Friday afternoon.
Authorities found electronics and other household items in the suspects' car. They are coordinating with local law enforcement agencies to see if the men might be involved in other break-ins in the area.
The homeowner will not face any charges. Griffin said his wife was very shaken by the ordeal.
Crumpler said he was glad she was able to defend herself.
"She was lucky she knew how to use a handgun and lucky she had it. Because If she hadn't, we might be going to a funeral," he said. "I'm proud of her."
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14. Armed TX homeowners defend themselves from armed intruders
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Member Deborah Jane Anderson sent me this:
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Thank heavens that these folks lived in a state where they could -- and did -- defend themselves, or this story most likely would not have had the same outcome.
A Sheriff's Department Lieutenant had this to say:
"Our sheriff is always letting homeowners know to arm themselves. This is one of the reasons why. Sometimes it takes a while for us to get out this far, and they have to take care of it themselves."
I'm glad that the Lieutenant took the opportunity to remind folks about the need to arm themselves, because as the old saying goes, "when seconds count..."
Blessings,
Deborah Jane Anderson
From godfatherpolitics.com: http://tinyurl.com/bos4qce
Armed Texas Homeowners Defend Themselves from Armed Intruders
by Dave Jolly
March 23, 2013
If you're a woman, imagine being home alone in a rural area when you hear someone rattling your front door. You don't recognize who they are. You call your husband just as the two teenaged boys break into your house and you see that they are armed. What do you do?
That's exactly what happened to a woman in the small rural community of Maypearl, Texas, about 45 miles south of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. It was Wednesday afternoon, she was home alone at their farmhouse when she heard her front door rattling. She looked out and saw two young men, one dressed in camouflage and had a gun strapped across his back.
She immediately called her husband and then ran to get her gun. Her husband was just pulling into the driveway when the intruders broke into the house. He entered the house through the back door, grabbed his gun and began shooting at the intruders. A gun fight ensued. The husband was wounded in the side but not seriously. The two teenaged intruders must have realized that they were over matched and rather than face going to jail, they took their own lives.
Lt. James Saulter from the Ellis County Sheriff's Department commented about the incident saying:
"The homeowner was hit. There's multiple rounds through his house. Actually, one of them went through the side, and is above the bed in the master bedroom."
"Our sheriff is always letting homeowners know to arm themselves. This is one of the reasons why. Sometimes it takes a while for us to get out this far, and they have to take care of it themselves."
"They were in fear for their lives, their house was being broken into, the suspects were armed. Early indications are everything was justified."
A woman alone in her large rural farmhouse south of Maypearl heard a rattle at her door Wednesday afternoon. She told deputies she saw two men trying to break in — one was dressed in camouflage with a gun strapped to his back. view full article
Can you imagine if this had happened in a state like New York or New Jersey where people are required by the law to keep their guns unloaded and locked up in a gun safe? Would this woman and her husband have had time to open the safe and load the guns before being confronted by the armed intruders? Having guns unloaded and locked up is the same as not having a gun in the house for self-protection.
I've always lived in a house with loaded and accessible guns. Even as a kid, my parents made sure that all of us kids knew where every gun was kept and that they were loaded and ready to use if needed. We were also taught to respect the guns and never ever play with them.
Had President Obama and the liberal Democrats had their way, the family would not have had their guns and quite probably would have ended up like Herbert Clutter and his family. In 1959, intruders broke into their farm house and killed four of six family members as chronicled in the famous book and movie In Cold Blood.
If she followed Vice President Joe Biden's words of wisdom, she would have grabbed her shotgun, excused herself as she exited the door and passed the intruders so she could fire her shotgun into the air to scare them off. Think about this really hard as this is the advice of the man that is next in line to be Commander in Chief if anything happens to Obama. Is this really what we want from our national leaders?
I don't know how else to say this politely, but Joe Biden is a stupid and arrogant moron. Besides telling women to empty their only form of protection and commit an illegal act in most areas, he also recently referred to former Rep. Gabby Giffords as being mortally wounded. Yet, she still lives and breathes and even though she took a bullet in her brain she still has more intelligence and common sense than Biden.
It may be a tragedy that the two teenagers killed themselves, but that was their choice, not the homeowners. If they were in that bad of a mental state where they so readily took their own lives, they most likely would have had no problem in taking the lives of the couple. But praise the Lord, this Texas couple is alive and doing well. They had their guns, knew how to use them and kept them available for quick access.
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15. Guns and ammo sales spark jobs boom
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Member Craig Faunce sent me this:
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From money.cnn.com: http://tinyurl.com/cwfqxr7
Guns and ammo sales spark jobs boom
by Aaron Smith
March 25, 2013
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) - Guns and ammo are selling briskly these days, and that means weapons makers are hiring. Some manufacturers are scrambling to find enough workers.
Mike Weddle, head of maintenance at Dynamic Research Technologies, an ammunition manufacturer in Albany, Mo., says he is adding 10 new hires to his staff of 35. DRT's machine operators make between $10 and $17 an hour -- a healthy paycheck in a region where it's tough to find a job and the cost of living is relatively low.
DRT currently cranks out 80,000 bullets per shift and operates two shifts per day. But that's not enough to meet demand. So Weddle is adding a third manufacturing shift and building an additional facility.
"Demand picked up a year ago -- it quadrupled," he said. "It just went crazy." He says .223 caliber ammo, which is for semiautomatic rifles, is particularly difficult to keep in stock.
DRT is a tiny part of an industry that employs about 240,000 nationwide, according to an estimate from Brian Rafn, who follows the gun industry for Morgan Dempsey Capital Management. And like DRT, many of the giants in the business of making guns and ammo are also expanding.
"Sturm, Ruger and Smith & Wesson have both added manufacturing capacity, which includes labor and shifts, in the past year," said Wedbush Securities analyst Rommel Dionisio.
Caleb Ogilvie, a concealed-carry instructor who works at Cabot Gun & Ammo in Cabot, Ark., said that employees at a nearby Remington plant in Lonoke are telling him that "they're running full swing up there, running 24-7."
The good news for Smith & Wesson (SWHC), Sturm, Ruger & Co. (RGR), Colt and Remington is that they're based in regions of New England and upstate New York where manufacturing has vanished, leaving a labor pool that's hungry for work, according to Dionisio. He said that many of the added jobs are "temporary, contract-type hires, as opposed to full-time, permanent hires" since the companies don't know how long the surge in demand will last.
But these companies also need highly-skilled workers. Rafn said that competition among gun makers is fierce for top-notch engineers. That's because it's the engineers that come up with the unique gun-design flourishes that inspire gun buyers to add to their collections.
"To get a guy to buy his 29th or 30th gun, you've got to come up with a whole new frame," said Rafn. "We're always looking at new products, and it's these guys who design them."
New features include ergonomic frames, triggers with innovative safeties or actions, or side-mounted laser sights, to give guns a competitive edge. Engineers with the computer-design skills to create them can easily earn $100,000 a year, he added.
Jacob Herman, chief operating officer for Red Jacket Firearms in Baton Rouge, La., agrees that finding qualified workers is the biggest hurdle for his business, which has an 18-month long blacklog of orders. Red Jacket, a family-owned company with 30 employees, makes AR15 semiautomatic rifles but has had to stop taking new orders for the time being.
"Finding skilled machinists and advanced skilled labor is one of the biggest problems that we face in getting products out the door," said Herman.
"The firearms industry is fighting for the same employees as the exploding oil business, both here in the Gulf [of Mexico] and in the Dakotas," said Herman, referring to the oil boom in North Dakota, where workers are flocking for jobs with Halliburton (HAL, Fortune 500), Continental Resources (CLR), Hess (HES, Fortune 500) and Whiting Petroleum (WLL).
Machinists can also go into business for themselves as gunsmiths, making about $60,000 a year repairing and maintaining firearms.
Mark Raines, who spends his days refinishing, rebarrelling and nickel-plating, said the orders are piling up at his shop, Masters of Gun and Rod, in Tallahassee, Fla.
"The demand is so high, that I've probably got 250 guns in here for repair at any given time," said Raines. "You make a good living, [but] you don't get rich. Because any time you work with your hands, you're limited to how much you can turn out in a 24-hour period."
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16. Robber shot with own gun
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It is rare for a citizen in the act of self-defense to get shot with his or her own gun. It is much more likely for a criminal to suffer that fate.
Why?
Criminals want something from the victim and are usually standing very close to their victim. The victim may feel that he or she is about to be killed, has nothing to lose, and may attempt, in desperation, to take control of the criminal's gun.
A gun owner in self-defense mode has no need to be near the criminal, taking full advantage of the ability to project force from a safe distance.
From chron.com: http://tinyurl.com/bd329nq
Deputies: Robber shot with own gun
by Robert Stanton
March 19, 2013
A weekend home invasion robbery in the Dickinson area went sour for an alleged robber who ended up getting shot with his own gun, according to the Galveston County Sheriff's Office.
The suspect, Richard Charles Holcombe, 32, of Alvin, has been charged with aggravated robbery. He was held Tuesday in the Galveston County Jail under a $250,000 bail, sheriff's investigators said.
Detectives said Holcombe entered the home Sunday in the 200 block of Shady Bend Court wearing a white mask, and was confronted by the homeowner who heard a signal that the door was opening. The home is in an unincorporated area near Dickinson.
Holcombe pointed a gun at the homeowner, ordered him to the ground and demanded his money, car keys and jewelry, according to a press release from the Galveston County Sheriff's Office. The victim told the suspect that his wallet and keys were in the bedroom.
"The suspect went with him to the bedroom where his son and wife were also located and retrieved the wallet," the release states. "The suspect demanded jewelry which they did not have. At this point, the suspect became angry and came towards him."
A struggle ensued over the gun and it discharged several times, striking Holcombe in the hand and leg, detectives said.
The suspect fled on FM 517 in a dark-colored Chevrolet, which Alvin police pulled over shortly after the robbery. Holcombe was handcuffed and investigators found the victim's wallet in his possession, according to the release.
The suspect was treated at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and released to the Galveston County Jail.
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17. ABC's 'Nightline' takes aim at glock handguns
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Walter Jackson sent me this:
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From breitbart.com: http://tinyurl.com/bub3ejf
ABC'S 'NIGHTLINE' TAKES AIM AT GLOCK HANDGUNS
by Awr Hawkins
March 23, 2013
On March 22 ABC's Nightline did a segment focused on how Glock handguns are the scourge of the anti-gun world.
Before the segment started, anchors teased it as being framed around America's love for the Glock. But once it began, they criticized the way Glock advertises it pistols and the way Glock refurbishes and sells used pistols. Throughout the segment, every time legal uses of a Glock were highlighted, the anchor made sure to point out facts like "Congressman Gabby Giffords was shot by a Glock in Tuscon," and "Adam Lanza carried a Glock into Sandy Hook Elementary."
The segment opened by showing a Glock commercial where a girl, living alone, pulls a Glock 9mm to defend her life as an attacker tries to get through her door. In the commercial, the attacker comes through the door only to freeze in fear when he sees the woman standing there with a Glock pointed at him.
Throughout the commercial, the Nightline anchor interrupted to interject statements like: "In the real world, one study found that women living with a gun are almost 3 times more likely to be shot to death."
Did Nightline stop to think about how sexist this claim was before they made it? The implication is that women either don't know how or aren't even capable of handling a gun.
After this, Nightline whined about how Glock had found a legal way around the first "high capacity" magazine ban associated with the 1994 "assault weapons" ban. That ban allowed anything that had already been manufactured before the ban to be sold and Glock had wisely stockpiled a large amount of product that they were able to continue moving to customers legally.
Nightline's criticism then turned to Glock's police firearm trade-in program: a program Nightline admitted is "perfectly legal."
This program allows a law enforcement officer to trade in his or her old Glock for a newer one. Although this is a tremendous, money-saving benefit for police officers and police departments throughout our country, Nightline's report on it focused on how the old guns are then sold "on the open market."
And instead of seeing how this also benefits American citizens who might not be able to afford a new Glock but can afford a used one with which to protect their families, Nightline made this point: "You have to think there's a possibility that a cop could have his old Glock pointed at him at some point."
How desperate can the gun-grabbing criticism get?
The truth that Nightline didn't bother reporting is that Glock makes some of the most dependable, long-lasting, and easy-to-use handguns in the history of firearms. And the fact that their executives are smart enough to outwit gun-grabbing Democrats is just icing on the cake as far as American gun owners are concerned.
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18. Bloomberg, mayor group tout big gun control push
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Tyrant-wanna-be, Michael Bloomberg, is at it again. Now he wants to steal your rights away using a series of television ads to misinform the public.
Board Member Dennis O'Connor sent me this:
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From earthlink.net: http://tinyurl.com/bwukjpe
Bloomberg, mayor group tout big gun control push
From Associated Press
March 23, 2013
NEW YORK (AP) — A new $12 million television ad campaign from Mayors Against Illegal Guns will push senators in key states to back gun control efforts, including comprehensive background checks.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced the ad buy Saturday — just days after Senate Democrats touted stronger background checks while acknowledging insufficient support to restore a ban on assault-style weapons to federal gun control legislation.
"These ads bring the voices of Americans — who overwhelmingly support comprehensive and enforceable background checks — into the discussion to move senators to immediately take action to prevent gun violence," Bloomberg said in a statement issued by the group he co-founded in 2006.
The two ads posted on the group's website, called "Responsible" and "Family," show a gun owner holding a rifle while sitting on the back of a pickup truck.
In one ad, the man says he'll defend the Second Amendment but adds "with rights come responsibilities." The ad then urges viewers to tell Congress to support background checks.
In the other ad, the man, a hunter, says "background checks have nothing to do with taking guns away from anyone." The man then says closing loopholes will stop criminals and the mentally ill from obtaining weapons.
The Senate is scheduled to debate federal gun control legislation next month. On March 28, the group plans for more than 100 events nationwide in support of passing gun control legislation that includes background checks.
Mayors Against Illegal Guns and other gun-control advocates frequently cite a mid-1990s study that suggests about 40 percent of U.S. gun transfers were conducted by private sellers not subject to federal background checks. Based on 2011 FBI data, the group estimates 6.6 million firearms transfers are made without a background check for the receiver.
A spokesman for Bloomberg could not immediately say if the $12 million was coming from Bloomberg or the mayor's political action committee, Independence USA. The New York Times, which first reported the ad campaign Saturday night, said Bloomberg was bankrolling the ad buy.
A spokesman for the National Rifle Association blasted Bloomberg and the new ads, saying NRA members and supporters would be calling senators directly and urging them to vote against proposed gun control legislation.
"What Michael Bloomberg is trying to do is ... intimidate senators into not listening to constituents and instead pledge their allegiance to him and his money," said spokesman Andrew Arulanandam.
Bloomberg has long supported efforts to curb gun violence, including sending New York City undercover investigators into other states to conduct straw purchases from dealers. Last month, Bloomberg's PAC poured more than $2 million into ads supporting Illinois state Rep. Robin Kelly, who won a special primary and ran partly on a platform of supporting tougher gun restrictions.
The new ads will air in 13 states the group believes are divided on gun control: Arkansas, Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, New Hampshire, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
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19. Responsible gun owner [VIDEO]
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EM Dave Hicks sent me this:
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Responsible? If Bloomberg wants to encourage responsibility, how about hiring an actor that can keep his finger OFF the trigger?
From youtube.com: http://tinyurl.com/d2dal3p
Published on Mar 23, 2013
Mayors Against Illegal Guns released this ad featuring a gun owner who understands that support for background checks goes hand in hand with support for the Second Amendment and defending their families.
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20. 'Disagree with Bloomberg's new gun control ad campaign and you are an anti-semite
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When someone screams racism or anti-semitism in response to criticism, they are admitting that they have already lost the argument.
EM Dave Hicks sent me this:
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From theblaze.com: http://tinyurl.com/cwscgh2
MSNBC PANEL: 'NO DOUBT ABOUT IT' THAT 'ANTISEMITISM' BEHIND OPPOSITION TO BLOOMBERG'S NEW GUN CONTROL AD CAMPAIGN
by Erica Ritz
March 25, 2013
The Rev. Al Sharpton appeared on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" Monday to discuss New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's new $12 million national ad campaign pushing stricter gun control legislation.
There was some discussion about whether Bloomberg, known as a micromanaging nanny in his own city, is the best spokesman for the campaign before Bloomberg's religion unexpectedly entered the conversation.
According to some members of the panel– Sharpton included– opposition to Bloomberg's gun control crusade is at least partially rooted in antisemitism.
Newsbusters has part of the dialogue:
MIKE BARNICLE: Let's get down to it: Mike Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City. I mean, there's a level of [antisemitism] in this thing, directed toward Bloomberg –
AL SHARPTON: No doubt about it.
BARNICLE: I mean, it's out there.
[...]
SHARPTON: But if he were not a big-city Jewish man…in some parts I think it would be different.
Former Romney adviser Dan Senor interjected: "I don't think it's antisemitism. I think it's the perception of big-city urban elites, wealthy elites, telling the rest of the little people how to live their lives…"
He appeared to only partially convince his co-panelists.
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21. NYC Mayor Bloomberg: Government has right to 'infringe on your freedom'
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Well, at least Bloomberg is being honest about his true intentions for Americans. In his maniacal and paranoid mind, Bloomberg thinks that government, under his rule, is smart and we are stupid.
Funny, he didn't think government was so smart when the courts struck down his large soda ban! ;-)
Baraka James shared this:
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From washingtontimes.com: http://tinyurl.com/cjrn85p
NYC Mayor Bloomberg: Government has right to 'infringe on your freedom'
by Cheryl K. Chumley
March 25, 2013
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Sunday: Sometimes government does know best. And in those cases, Americans should just cede their rights.
"I do think there are certain times we should infringe on your freedom," Mr. Bloomberg said, during an appearance on NBC. He made the statement during discussion of his soda ban — just shot down by the courts — and insistence that his fight to control sugary drink portion sizes in the city would go forth.
"We think the judge was just clearly wrong on this," he said, on NBC. "Our Department of Health has the legal ability to do this. … [They're] not banning anything."
Mr. Bloomberg's remaining months in office have included a firestorm of regulations and policy pushes on wide range of issues. Aside from the soda size ban and a well-publicized call for tighter gun control, another contentious policy he pushed: Nudging hospitals to lock up baby formula to force mothers to breast-feed newborns.
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22. Hypocrite Bloomberg gets waiver from Bermuda gun ban!
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The hypocrisy that Bloomberg exudes knows no end. He says guns are evil and is trying to destroy the Second Amendment. BUT when those same guns belong to HIS bodyguard, oh, that is very different! He has coerced Bermuda to make a special exception for his guards.
Jack Edison shared this:
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From dailypaul.com: http://tinyurl.com/cha7b7n
So "King Bloomberg" Gets Waiver From Bermuda Gun BAN!
by Barracuda_Trader
March 24, 2013
NYT
"The mayor also takes along a police detail when he travels, flying two officers on his private plane and paying as much as $400 a night to put them up at a hotel near his house; the city pays their wages while they are there, as it does whether Mr. Bloomberg is New York or not. Guns are largely forbidden in Bermuda — even most police officers do not use them — but the mayor's guards have special permission to carry weapons. A spokesman for the Police Department declined to comment."
"His aides know better than to schedule public events after Friday mornings, allowing the mayor to make his getaways to Bermuda on Friday afternoon and be back in New York by Sunday evening. (Of the 17 Fridays since Dec. 31, the mayor had no public events scheduled after 10 a.m. on 13 of them.)"
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23. Gun free zone app
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Member Jason Seiler sent me this:
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There is a new smartphone app that uses GPS to alert people to gun-free zones.
http://gunfreezoneapp.com/
Obviously we will want to know these places for ourselves and not rely on technology for what may get us afoul of the law; however, from this source (http://www.guns.com/2013/03/23/new-phone-app-warns-you-of-gun-free-zones/), here is a quote from the app programmer: "Creator of the app John Penden said in a statement, "I bet that if we can say, that gun free zone sign in your front window makes it 8 percent more likely your business will shut down, then the sign will be gone tomorrow morning.""
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24. To keep and bear arms: the american rifleman [VIDEO]
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Whitey Roark sent me this:
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I just found this video. It's from the '50's, but it's a great video. I'm still trying to figure out at what point We, of the NRA became the "bad guys" in the eyes of so many politicians. This is well worth watching.
From youtube.com: http://tinyurl.com/d436sv2
Published on Apr 14, 2012
A US Army film about the role of American citizen gun ownership.
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VCDL web page: http://www.vcdl.org [http://www.vcdl.org/]
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