Wednesday, February 11, 2009

An Endangered Right

The withdrawal of a basic right of Englishmen is having dire consequences in Great Britain, and should serve as an object lesson for Americans. [More]
Correspondent Steven L calls our attention to a Cato Institute report by Joyce Lee Malcolm from a few years back that we all would benefit from reading.

Utah Gun Rights Activists Join Forces With the Antis???

SEE UPDATE FOR A STATEMENT OF CORRECTION
Utah's gun rights activists are breaking ranks with the National Rifle Association for the first time in recent memory and instead are joining forces with gun-control advocates such as Sen. Scott McCoy. [More]
Well, that doesn't sound good. Some are asking whether the locals are throwing gun owners under the bus.

As always, the devil is in the details, and if we don't consider those details, we're likely to draw skewed conclusions:
SB 96 would completely eliminate the issuance of Utah concealed-weapon permits to non-Utah residents...SB 96 would also change "concealed weapon" (the term that’s used in the current law) to "concealed firearm", which means that a permit-holder would no longer be able to carry other types of concealed weapons...SB 96 could also be interpreted to restrict you to carrying only one firearm. Which means that you couldn’t carry a backup gun...
I don't care about the retired "Only One" provision. I think they should eat off the same plate as the rest of us.

Look, I really don't care about permits, either. I post this because I see a lining up in two camps, and I see the highest volume coming from the most influential one--that championing the Fairfax agenda. I just think it's important that gun owners have access to all sides of the argument before making up their minds.

This isn't the first time a bill with dangerous repercussions was being pushed through over the objections of local activists. Is it?

UPDATE:

While the principle of looking at all details still applies, I will note I did not.

The newspaper article refers to HB 204.

Hurrying through, which is no excuse, the GoUtah! alert I thought was relevant referred to SB 96.

They're two different bills--the House bill dealing with instructors, the Senate bill dealing with permitees.

I see nothing on the GoUtah! site to flesh out further details for their position. That doesn't change my bottom line--we need to know what it is and why before deciding whether or not we agree with them.

Anyway, I apologize for the confusion this may have caused. Corrections are never fun.

2A Doesn't Apply to the States

And no Fourteenth Amendment incorporation for you, either. [More]

So say the robed ones occupying the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

We keep trying to do this nicely.

Bullet Point

They're in short supply. [More]

[Via Skip]

A Big Win

A big win in court today for Danladi Moore. The Norfolk P.D./city sham has failed. The Judge has thrown the case and the charges will be dismissed. They paid him $10,000 for the first tyrannical arrest, let’s see what they pay for this one. You would think the citizens of Norfolk, Virginia would get tired of seeing this kind of thug behavior from their cops. Moreover, you would think they would get tired of paying out taxpayer dollars for absolutely tyrant behavior by the police…repeatedly. [More]
You would think. Until individuals start paying a personal price, think again.

This is a very comprehensive summary, complete with video.

[Via FiredBrass]

Draft Nappers

The kind and thoughtful people who seek to relieve us of the burden of planning and managing our own lives are preparing to seize our children, and any of us who happen to be within the targeted age range (most likely between 18 and 26). [More]
If something is worth fighting for, free people will fight for it.

The best way to assure that is to assure freedom.

[Via Ron W]

Children of Men

"The WOU student who was falsely arrested and charged with possession of a firearm in a public building, had all his criminal charges dropped by the Polk County DA tonight."

End of story, right?

Well, uh, no. The gunhaters must have their pound of flesh. [More]
Extra-legal tribunals, extracted confessions, forced recanting--even though no crime was committed. This is the state of "higher education" when it comes to gun owners exercising their unalienable right to keep and bear arms.

Here is today's Gun Rights Examiner column.

Tell a friend. Or at least click on the link and read it.

This Day in History: February 11

Certain, that the British Court would leave nothing unessayed in the Course of this Campaign, to establish her unwarrantable claims over the United States and to deprive them of their rights, the Congress were induced upon reconsidering their first vote of Levies to compose the Army, to determine that 16. Battallions more should be raised, in addition to those they had resolved on before... [More]