Keep and Bear Arms - Gun Owners Home Page

Gun bans should be history
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"This is a great year for gun owners. No fewer than three major restrictions on gun ownership are being reconsidered: the ban on campuses, the ban on federal lands and the ban in D.C."

"The usual arguments against individual gun ownership are as follows: The Second Amendment refers only to state-run militias, the government reserves the right to reasonably restrict gun ownership, and, that times have changed."

"Gun opponents are often of the 'living document' school of Constitutional interpretation. That is unless we're talking about the Second Amendment. Then, suddenly, everyone is a textualist, scouring 18th century dictionaries to figure out exactly what 'militia,' 'bear arms' and 'the people' meant back then." ...

Right to Bear Arms Against Racists?
Submitted by: RPA-PAC
Website: HTTP://WWW.RPA-PAC.ORG

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"The right to keep and bear arms is a constitutionally provision granted by the Second Amendment. Yet, the case of John White on Long Island calls into question whether or not black people have this same right and if we, especially when confronted by an angry white mob."

"For those who don't know, John White is a hard-working father, who scrimped and saved to buy his family a home in an upscale Long Island neighborhood. The well-liked man who had never been in trouble with the law had his life turned upside down one night in 2006; that's when he shot and killed a drunk white teen with an illegal weapon in his driveway. The teen and his group of equally belligerent friends had come to the White home threatening to kill White's teenage son, Aaron." ...

Gun rights, within reason
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"The U.S. Supreme Court has decided to intervene in the long, noisy debate over whether the stilted and confusing language of the Constitution�s Second Amendment guarantees individuals a fundamental right to 'keep and bear arms.'"

"If the justices� questions in Tuesday�s hearing in District of Columbia v. Heller are any indication, the court will probably rule that it does. Such a holding would reverse all of the court�s previous decisions on the question (the most important one nearly 70 years ago), which had consistently held that the framers did not intend to guarantee an individual�s right to firearms but the right of the states to organize their militias free of federal interference." ...

Gun Rights Dean Commends Dick Heller for Supreme Court D.C. Gun Law Challenge
Submitted by: RPA-PAC
Website: HTTP://WWW.RPA-PAC.ORG

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"'Dick Heller of Washington, D.C. deserves the thanks and appreciation of America's 80 million law-abiding gun owners for bringing his challenge to the Washington, D.C. handgun ban from city government offices all the way up to the United States Supreme Court,' gun rights dean John Snyder stated here today."

"Snyder, named 'dean of gun lobbyists' by The Washington Post and The New York Times, noted that Heller has been working on this project for over 10 years and said that 'he deserves unqualified commendation for his patience, persistence and determination.'" ...

There Will Be Guns
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"One thing seemed clear from Tuesday's Supreme Court oral arguments in District of Columbia v. Heller: The justices are poised to recognize that the Second Amendment confers on individual Americans the right to own guns. ... After more than two centuries of judicial negligence and intellectual head-scratching, the Second Amendment seems preponderantly likely to mean something. All of which makes Heller a kind of watershed in the making."

"Or maybe not."

"For something else became clear at oral argument ... Any right to keep and bear arms that the court recognizes is not going to do all that much. Specifically, it won't preclude the sort of reasonable regulation of firearms ownership that makes up most existing gun control laws." ...

The Second Amendment and Personal Preference
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"What role, if any, should a judge's personal preference concerning the outcome of a case play in deciding a dispute? That controversial question resurfaced this week as the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a closely watched case that presents the question of whether the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution confers an individual right to own guns."

"The Supreme Court has not yet definitively resolved what the Second Amendment means. The last time the Court spoke at length about the provision's meaning was in 1939 in a case captioned United States v. Miller. ..." ...

Court Weighs Right to Own Guns
Submitted by: RPA-PAC
Website: HTTP://WWW.RPA-PAC.ORG

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"The Supreme Court this week heard the case that gun rights backers�until recently�didn't want it to hear: Does the U.S. Constitution grant every citizen the right to own a gun?"

"Legal arguments during a 90-minute hearing on the constitutionality of the D.C. gun ban touched on everything from the specific phrasing of the Second Amendment to the historical context of its adoption."

"The landmark session, marking the first Second Amendment case to reach the high court in 70 years, took place before a packed room, with lawyers, law students and curious onlookers in the gallery." ...

Whitewashing the Second Amendment
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Racial politics dominated the talk in Washington this week as Barack Obama called on Americans to stop ignoring the country's racist past and move forward. The message, apparently, didn't reach the U.S. Supreme Court, where the justices were busy ignoring race during a hearing on the biggest case of the year. On Tuesday, at the same time Obama gave his big speech, the court heard oral arguments in D.C. v. Heller ... Heller is mostly about gun ownership, but it is also about race�not that you would know that based on the oral arguments." ...

Supreme Court sets its sights on Second Amendment
Submitted by: RPA-PAC
Website: HTTP://WWW.RPA-PAC.ORG

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"Virtually anyone with an interest in the Second Amendment has their sights fixed on the nation's Capitol this week. The long-standing feud between the pro-gun and gun control forces is about to come to a head. Maybe."

"The gun issue is one I usually approach cautiously, much like the mouse that emerges from the shadows and nibbles quietly on the edge of the cracker. This time I may be accused of causing a commotion more expected of the rat that charges down the center of the hen house. The plaintiff in the case - an attorney who does not even own a firearm - will argue that the ban infringes on his Second Amendment rights." ...

D.C.'s gun ban in court�s hands Submitted by: RPA-PAC Website: HTTP://WWW.RPA-PAC.ORG	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
"Shooting sprees at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University drew the public�s attention once again, if only briefly, to the problem of gun violence. Tragic as such highly publicized incidents are, their victims comprise only a small percentage of the Americans killed and injured by firearms." ...

NY: Hope court recognizes cities with high crime have right to restrict possession
Submitted by: RPA-PAC
Website: HTTP://WWW.RPA-PAC.ORG

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"When he lived in Georgia, Fabio Coicou had a permit to legally pack a pistol, but there's no evidence he had anything more in his pockets than his hands when he stood chest-to-chest with Sean Bell outside the Kalua Cabaret."

"'It's illegal to have a gun in New York,' Coicou testified. 'No permit. No gun.'"

"Yet, New York is so infested with illegal weapons from lax states like Georgia that the very fact Coicou had his hand in his pocket made at least some of Bell's friends figure he had a gun." ...

"The cops apparently decided that Bell's friends were going to get a gun of their own."

"No weapon was ever found, but just the fear of one triggered events that ended with cops firing 50 rounds at three unarmed men ..." ...

AZ: Peoria homeowner confronts and shoots burglar in chest
Submitted by: RPA-PAC
Website: HTTP://WWW.RPA-PAC.ORG

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"A Peoria homeowner shot a burglary suspect inside his home early Thursday morning, according to police."

"The 62-year-old homeowner, John Kallas, said he saw a suspicious person outside one of his windows and heard him get in through the back door."

"When the burglar got inside the home ... he started to move toward Kallas who had gotten his gun."

"'He seemed to do everything right,' said Peoria Police Spokesperson Mike Tellef. 'He told the man to stop a couple times and when he didn't, he (Kallas) defended himself.'"

"The burglar was shot in the upper chest. Police say the injury is not life threatening."

"Its the second time this week that a would-be criminal has been shot during a robbery or burglary attempt." ...

NY: Two men fight off armed suspects in attempted robbery
Submitted by: RPA-PAC
Website: HTTP://WWW.RPA-PAC.ORG

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"Two men fought off armed suspects during an attempted robbery, and it was all caught on tape."

"Here's what happened Monday night around 11. Two bandits walked into a corner store. One of them was armed with a shotgun, and there are customers inside. What would you do?" ...

"The two bandits walked in with masks on, one pointing a shotgun. Bruce, without hesitation, stunned the bandits by grabbing the shotgun and wrestling them out the door." ...

WI: 71-year-Old Realtor Murdered In Home She Was Showing
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"A 71-year-old Wisconsin real estate agent was found dead inside a home she had been showing, and authorities said Thursday that the man she had met there was arrested. Ann B. Nelson, of Cambridge, was found dead Tuesday night next to a smoldering mattress at the smoke-filled rural home in the town of Oakland, authorities said. Investigators say an autopsy concluded Nelson died of smoke inhalation, but she also had head injuries."

"If only Realtor organizations across the U.S. would once and for all halt their irresponsible statements telling agents not to carry firearms for protection." ...

CA: Woman Shot Dead While Calling 911
Submitted by: jac

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"A woman was asking a 911 dispatcher for help when her pleas were interrupted by gunshots, then silence. She was shot to death."

"The woman told the dispatcher someone was trying to break into her home in upscale West Covina, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Dan Rosenberg said. 'Deputies heard gunshots followed by silence and an open phone line,' he said."

"Deputies arrived at the house, 20 miles east of Los Angeles, a few minutes after Wednesday's late morning call."

"The woman, whose name was not released by police, had been shot several times. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene." ...

MN: Freedom of Speech or Controversial Language?
Submitted by: ChareltonHest
Website: http://atfabuse.com

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"Disagreement arose among students when a group at Winona State University posted flyers promoting concealed carry on campus."

"The flyers read, 'Signs can�t stop acts of violence. Armed citizens can,' and 'This is a gun free zone. If you were planning on shooting a bunch of innocent people and then yourself, we're sorry, but that is not allowed here.'" ...

"Senate's Student Activities chair AJ Schuler said that, although he understands what the group was trying to say, the message was untimely due to the Northern Illinois University shootings."

"Reed added later that he wanted to find a 'safer way' to communicate the SCCC group's message." ...
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KABA Note: Second Amendment baaad. First Amendment also baaad.

Legislators fail the Second Amendment when gun owners fail first
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"There can be little doubt that gun control debate in the United States is far from over. Even with Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton refusing to admit their continued willingness to kneel at the altar of gun control, there can be little doubt they will work to disarm honest Americans if elected."

"Everyone who takes the time to objectively investigate the gun control issue is forced to admit that it has been a dismal failure, and Americans have only one group of people to blame for that failure. It isn't the gun control schemers, or even anti-gun mayors ... Oddly enough, it isn't even the criminals who can be held responsible only for their own brutal actions, but not for the thousands of Americans who were disarmed ..." ...

TN: Naifeh's votes help kill gun bills
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh made an unusual visit Wednesday to a subcommittee hearing to cast votes that killed several handgun bills, including one that would have allowed diners to carry guns into restaurants."

"Naifeh, who can cast votes in any House committee or subcommittee of his choosing, voted in three roll call votes that helped defeat bills in the Criminal Practice Subcommittee, as well as in a voice vote that defeated a fourth bill."

"The votes killed a bill that would have permitted faculty and staff at public schools to carry handguns, one that would have allowed handguns in state parks and one that would have allowed people voluntarily committed to mental hospitals to get handgun licenses." ...

NY: TV Anchor's Cop Husband Charged With Rape
Submitted by: jac

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"A suburban police sergeant who is married to a New York City anchorwoman was charged Wednesday with raping a 17-year-old girl hours after he helped arrest her boyfriend at her house."

"New Rochelle Sgt. David Rodriguez pleaded not guilty to forcible rape, agreed to an order of protection keeping him away from the teenager and posted $25,000 bail. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 25 years in prison."

"Rodriguez did not speak after the arraignment, but his attorney Stephen Worth said the charge was false and the investigation was slipshod. He said the girl 'has a number of motives to make up a false allegation,' but he did not elaborate." ...

CA: The Softer Side of SWAT
Submitted by: none

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"Disclaimer: The following is true; the names have not been changed, to embarrass the guilty."

"There are few adjective-noun combinations that you want to avoid at all costs, drunken pilots, sleepy surgeons, happy Democrats -- well, add one more to that list -- softer SWAT Teams." ...

"... The Los Angeles Daily News, reported on March 18 that Police Chief William Bratton ... had received a report from the Los Angeles Police Commission recommending that LAPD SWAT end the 'insular culture' (read male-dominated culture) on the SWAT team, and for the department to soften standards to admit females into the unit. ... That's right: the SWAT Team is too tough for Tinsel town." ...

MN: Hastings cop charged for fake tickets
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"A former Hastings police officer was charged with misconduct Wednesday, after she allegedly filed false reports and issued warning tickets to people who didn�t exist."

"Sgt. Valerie Scharfe allegedly filed 37 false tickets between January 2006 and December 2008, so she wouldn�t be in violation of the department�s policy, according to officials."

"The Hastings Police Department requires officers to make at least two traffic stops per 11-hour shift." ...
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Submitter's Note: MN Statute 169.985 prohibits setting a quota for citations, apparently you can still have a quota for stops.

NJ: Routine property investigation leads to discovery of weapons
Submitted by: Anonymous

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"A routine property inspection lead to the discovery of several weapons, vials of chemicals and two de-activated hand grenades ..."

"Building, fire and housing code officials were conducting a re-inspection of an 18-unit building ... when they noticed chemicals in vials and what appeared to be a hand grenade in a hall closet ..."

"... They removed more than 62 items from the apartment, including an assault rifle, seven large-capacity gun magazines, and 40 rounds of armor-piercing ammunition, as well as the chemicals ..." ...

"Police arrested Raymond DiMartini, 74 ..." ...

"DiMartini was described by police as a chemistry professor at the City University of New York. ..."
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Submitter's note: "Routine property inspection?"

India: India offers firearms permits for vasectomies
Submitted by: Paul Shoemaker

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"A scheme that trades one male status symbol for another has achieved a large rise in the number of men undergoing vasectomies in a bandit-ridden region of central India."

"Shivpuri district ... an overpopulated area renowned for its machismo culture, has started to offer fast-tracked gun licences for those who agree to be sterilised."

"'This is a state with a high number of dacoits [bandits], where people like to keep rifles,' Manish Shrivastav, the administrative chief of Shivpuri and originator of ... the plan, said." ...

"The results are impressive: 139 men have undergone vasectomies in the district since the incentive of a firearms permit was introduced a month ago, compared with only eight in 2007." ...
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KABA Note: Nice choice there: Defend your family or propagate.

NY: Gun Collector Arrested on Staten Island
Submitted by: RPA-PAC
Website: HTTP://WWW.RPA-PAC.ORG

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"A Staten Island man was arrested Wednesday ... by members of a federal gun task force for using a restricted federal firearms license (FFL) to illegally obtain handguns in New York City. Julius Bowens ... was arrested by members of the ATF Joint Firearms Task Force after the Task Force executed a controlled delivery of two (2) handguns at Bowens' residence." ...

"Bowens was issued his FFL as a 'Collector of Curios and Relics' (C&R license) in March 2007. This license entitled him to only collect specific firearms which are of special interest to collectors by reason of some quality other than is associated with firearms intended for sporting use or as offensive or defensive weapons." ...

VA: Concealed carry is unnecessary for safety
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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... "Today's world presents times of tragedy and turmoil, regardless of the right to own or carry a handgun. While the second amendment does in fact permit the right to keep and bear arms, it is wonderfully inappropriate to assume the founding fathers meant for us to buy and keep firearms to keep criminals off the street."

"It is true that only law-abiding citizens can buy firearms legally, but it has been proven that these so-called law-abiding citizens can quickly turn into psychopathic killers. It is crazy to think how gun supporters use mass shootings to promote the sale and use of guns when the killers bought the guns legally in the first place. This does not make me feel safe at all." ...

NC: Neighbors clash over gun range
Submitted by: RPA-PAC
Website: HTTP://WWW.RPA-PAC.ORG

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"A dispute over a private gun range in Wesley Chapel will likely continue to simmer, even if the town begins restricting firearms use."

"The village council is scheduled to hold a public hearing April 1 on a proposed ordinance regulating 'indiscriminate' shooting. It would restrict firing guns to self-defense and hunting."

"Council members say the ordinance, modeled on similar measures in other municipalities, isn't intended to affect the private gun range that has stirred the controversy."

"The range's owner, Michael Land, 56, says he bought the six acres in 1991 in what was then mostly pastures and cropland to have a place where his six sons, now grown, could ride dirt bikes and 'learn how to shoot and be boys.'"

"So they did." ...

IL: Concealed carry, at owner's expense
Submitted by: RPA-PAC
Website: HTTP://WWW.RPA-PAC.ORG

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"People have made a great deal of noise about the fact 48 states allow citizens to carry weapons on their person, with proper credentialing. Illinois and Wisconsin are not among them, but I believe they should be."

"... Why not trust stable fellow citizens who can pass testing to a higher criteria at their expense. ..."

"But why not charge $500 a year to get the permit. The person would have to take classes which could be at the same places current police train, go over the course of three months while a complete background check (at the applicant's expense) is completed."

"The application process could ... require a interview with a physiologist that once again is paid for by the applicant." ...

IL: When facing threat, do you prefer phone or gun?
Submitted by: RPA-PAC
Website: HTTP://WWW.RPA-PAC.ORG

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"Our female population - of all the citizens of this country - should want to make the playing field more even."

"Rape and sexual assaults occur twice per minute in the United States. There are 172 physical or sexual assaults per hour, 261,000 rapes and assaults per year and one murder every 34 minutes."

"According to a Department of Justice study, 2.8 percent of college females are raped."

"What would you rather have: a phone for the police or a firearm to stop what you know is about to happen?"

"There are 48 states that say we, the law-abiding citizens, do have the right to protect ourselves per concealed-carry laws. Only two do not think we are smart enough, those being Illinois and Wisconsin." ...

CA: Gun club in crosshairs
Submitted by: Paul Shoemaker

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"Every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, the shots start ringing out at 11 a.m. from the 80-year-old Pacific Rod and Gun Club on the shores of San Francisco's Lake Merced, sending loud booms across the western half of the city." ...

"Baxter, a Pacifica resident, is one of about 300 members worried about losing access to their favorite pastime as the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission develops a plan aimed at improving the health of the Lake Merced watershed and increasing recreational opportunities at the long-neglected lake. The gun club is the only recreational activity at risk of being closed as part of the possible changes." ...