Keep and Bear Arms - Gun Owners Home Page

Robert A. Levy: Should Congress or the courts decide D.C. gun ban�s fate?
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Could the National Rifle Association and its allies in Congress be undermining the best pro-gun case ever likely to be reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court?"

"More than four years ago, three attorneys and I filed Parker v. District of Columbia, a Second Amendment case on behalf of six local residents who want to defend themselves in their own homes."

"For reasons that remain unclear, we faced repeated attempts by the NRA to derail the litigation. Happily, the case survived. On March 9, in a blockbuster opinion, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit overturned the city�s gun ban � holding that 'the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms.'" ...

The NRA vs. The Second Amendment
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"In today's Washington Examiner Robert Levy, one of the lead attorneys in the Parker v. District of Columbia case which recently resulted in a clear victory for an individual rights interpretation of the Second Amendment, wonders why the National Rifle Association is pursuing a strategy that would prevent the Supreme Court from ruling on the case."

"The problem, Levy contends, is the D.C. Personal Protection Act which would make Parker a moot case and result in the end of the appeals process:" ...

Are You a Rifleman or a Cook?
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"In the closing days of 2006, I penned a short article listing a few of my New Year Resolutions. ..."

"In reviewing that list, I realize that some efforts are progressing further than others. One in particular that I had been neglecting until recently was number four on that list:"

"Become a Rifleman ..."

"To begin my journey, I read as much as I could, both online and in print, to try and learn the basics of rifle marksmanship. My spoiled, lazy rear convinced me that would be sufficient during the first cold months of an Ohio winter and I was on my way."

"I could not have been more wrong." ...

Gun Lobby Infighting on the Second Amendment Case (Gun Guys)
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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... "First, it's important to realize that the NRA isn't work for the American people by any means. ... No, the NRA is the gun lobby, and so they work for the gun industry. They tell their members otherwise ... but the truth is that they work for gun manufacturers."

"And gun manufacturers, apparently, don�t want to see Levy�s case get to the Supreme Court."

"Why? Because though Levy is certain that he'll get the Supreme Court to render a decision for the individual right of the Second Amendment, the gun industry isn't taking that chance. If the Supreme Court overturns the individual right ruling, it will take away the gun lobby's last defense against reasonable gun legislation. ..." ...
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Submitter's Note: And they call us paranoid conspiracy theorists! And speaking of conspiracies, follow the money to see who the "Gun Guys" are actually working for.

Gun ownership is a right and responsibility
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Law-abiding gun owners won an historic legal victory recently when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that the Second Amendment clearly applies to the rights of individuals - not just government-approved militias."

"In so doing, the court struck down a host of D.C. gun laws meant to prevent even law-abiding citizens from possessing firearms." ...

"We are sympathetic with local authorities who see gun crime exploding in certain neighborhoods and seek to do something about it. But denying gun ownership to law-abiding citizens is not only unconstitutional, it is completely wrong-headed." ...

Repeal the damn thing?
Submitted by: Nicki Fellenzer
Website: http://www.libertyzone.blogspot.com

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"Well, here you have it, folks. The true aim of the gun grabbers in the U.S. No, they do not respect the Second Amendment. Yes, they do lie when they claim they just want some "reasonable" gun control. No, they don't give a rat's ass about your rights as a hunter, sportsman or patriot. What they DO want is control over you. And here's proof."

"Faced with the embarrassing truth that the Second Amendment actually means what it says, and not what the enemies of freedom attempted to claim its meaning was for years and years, they now unmask their true intentions - to disarm you, to keep you defenseless and to ensure that you have no recourse if your government becomes a tyranny." ...

FBI Confirms It: Criminals Ignore Gun Laws
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"The FBI recently completed a major study of shootings of police officers. ... Since its publication, the existence of the damning report on the five-year study by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) about how cop-killing criminals ignore gun laws, and where they get their guns, has not been publicized. Calgunlaws.com has one of the first copies of the report obtained publicly." ...

"The existence of the report was first discovered by self defense civil rights activists in January 2007 ... the FBI research focused on 40 incidents involving assaults or deadly attacks on police officers, in which all but one of the guns involved had been obtained illegally, and none were obtained from gun shows." ...

Gun ban doesn't reduce crime
Submitted by: RPA-PAC
Website: http://www.rpa-pac.org

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"Men and women dedicated to taking away our Second Amendment rights to keep and bear arms are on the march."

"Chief among these gun-banners is Michael Bloomberg, the mayor of New York City, but he has some lousy cohorts from Ohio, including: Akron Mayor Donald Plusquellic, Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, Columbus Mayor Mike Coleman, Dayton Mayor Rhine McLin, Mansfield Mayor Lydia Reid and Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams."

"Each of these men and women have signed onto Bloomberg's group Mayors Against Illegal Guns. But, don't let this group's name fool you, it isn't just targeting illegal guns � it's out to ban all guns, which becomes obvious when you take a look at the conduct of its members." ...

Pink Pistols Raise More Than Just Guns
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"The Pink Pistols pose a political problem for many gays - and, in fact, conservatives. Though they have no technical mission statement, the gun-toting gays have liberal gun control [as] their personal mission. Now, we're not talking Liberal with the politically-minded capital 'L', we're talking liberal, as in the group wants to see more generous gun laws. As patriots, they aim for a nation where everyone can carry a gun for self-defense."

"Their perhaps unfashionable stance make the Pink Pistols, like their politics, one of the most contentious gay groups in America." ...

William Otis Joins ACRU as Director of Legal Affairs
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"The American Civil Rights Union (ACRU) today announced that William G. Otis will join the organization as director of legal affairs. The ACRU is a non-partisan legal policy organization dedicated to defending all the rights enumerated in the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment, not just those that might be politically correct or fit a particular ideology." ...

"Mr. Otis will be the ACRU's chief spokesman on its core activities. The ACRU monitors organizations that actively seek to undermine our inherent Constitutional liberties and actively pursues its mission in the courts. The ACRU is currently engaged in several cases at the appellate level on issues involving First and Second Amendment rights." ...

WA: No murder charge in death
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"A Mexican national with alleged ties to drug trafficking won't face murder charges for his part in a gunbattle that ended with an Everett man's death."

"Snohomish County prosecutors believe Hector Francisco Diaz, 28, was protecting himself when he opened fire and repeatedly shot Raymond O'Gorman in a south Everett apartment in November."

"During an apparent robbery attempt, O'Gorman came to the apartment, pointed a pistol at people inside and ordered them to lie on the floor."

"A short time later, Diaz, armed with a .357 handgun, shot O'Gorman five times, according to court records. O'Gorman also fired a round, from a .45-caliber pistol, prosecutors wrote." ...

VA: No criminal charges in shooting death of Henry County man
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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FULL TEXT BELOW:

William Perdue was shot eight times on the morning of August 13th. At the time, Henry County deputies declined to file criminal charges, saying it was a case of self-defense. But Perdue's mother demanded further review.

Commonwealth's Attorney Bob Bushnell says a State Police investigation now also backs up the self-defense claim.

Investigators say Perdue had been drinking alcohol and using cocaine the night before and the morning of the shooting. He also threatened several people with a gun before the shooting.

ID: Shooting Victims Arrested For Assault
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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FULL TEXT BELOW:

Two people have been arrested and charged in connection with a double shooting that happened a week ago in Idaho Falls.

There is an interesting twist, the actual shooter was not charged. The two men who were shot are in jail.

Brian Swacina and Joseph Sollender were arrested. Each is charged with one count of burglary and one count of aggravated assault.

The shooter says he shot Swacina and Sollender in self defense.

According to the police report, Swacina and Sollender followed the shooter home after a confrontation at a downtown Idaho Falls bar.

If convicted, the two face a possible sentence of 15 years behind bars.

WV: Man killed near Princeton in self-defense, police say
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"A Virginia man was shot and killed in Mercer County after he apparently approached his ex-girlfriend's friend with a knife, police said." ...

"Milton Justice, 57, of Princeton had left a home where Byrd's ex-girlfriend stayed since they parted and she moved out, he said."

"When Byrd approached him in the driveway, Justice fired a .38 special at least once from inside the vehicle, striking Byrd in the head and killing him, Murphy said." ...

"Justice has not been charged with a crime since it appears he killed Byrd in self-defense, he said."

"But the shooting remains under investigation. Murphy will turn over his findings to the county prosecutor, who will determine whether to file any charges." ...

WA: Colleagues say UW shooting victim was being stalked (follow-up)
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"In the last weeks of her life, Rebecca Griego was taking drastic steps to avoid an ex-boyfriend whose violence and threats had left her visibly shaken."

"She changed her cell phone number. She moved. And early last month, Griego sought a restraining order, posting Jonathan Rowan's picture around her office so co-workers could serve him with the papers if he showed up."

"... 'He ... called me to tell me I cannot find him but he can find me (knows my place of work) and to look over my shoulder because I would see him again.'"

"On Monday, colleagues identified Griego as the victim of an apparent murder-suicide in her University of Washington office."
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Submitter's Note: UW prohibits weapons on campus.

Rudy Bumpo
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Rudolph Giuliani has a problem with guns. Seems that when he was cleaning up New York, Sheriff Giuliani took a hard line on hoglegs. His constituents didn't have a problem with this, or just about anything else Giuliani did to fight crime, since New York, in those days, resembled Deadwood on a slow night. As part of his campaign to make the streets safe, Giuliani's administration sued 30 American arms manufacturers, and his police commissioner proposed a nationwide system of registration under which citizens would be required to demonstrate good moral character and a reason for owning a gun. ... Will his antigun record be a deal-breaker, especially with the kind of people who tend to vote in primaries." ...

TX: A self-defense for murder
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"After five years attending graduate school here in Texas, I'll soon be leaving for a job in the Northeast. It turns out I'll be leaving just in time to not have to worry about getting my head blown off."

"Last Tuesday, Gov. Rick Perry signed into law a bill ... that amends the state's 'castle doctrine.' ..." ...

"Supporters say it will make Texans safer by making it easier for them to defend themselves. Perry explains: 'The right to defend oneself from an imminent act of harm should not only be clearly defined in Texas law, but it is intuitive to human nature.'"

"Hold on: If it's intuitive to human nature, then why does it need to be clearly defined by law? I'd ask Perry to clarify that, but I'm worried that he'd shoot me in the face." ...

AZ: New firearms resolution could lead to problems
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"It's possible to do the right thing the wrong way."

"The Dewey-Humboldt Town Council did so when it voted 5-2 to approve a resolution to let people bring guns to the town's public meetings and municipal buildings."

"Recent state legislation made it clear that unless a municipality posts a sign reading 'No weapons beyond this point' and provides a place for people to store their guns until they leave the building, people then have a legal right to carry firearms while they are in the building."

"By not posting the sign and not providing a lockable storage place, the council would have allowed people to exercise their Second Amendment rights by not interfering." ...

NJ: Ex-Hunterdon undersherriff gets probation in gun case
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"A Superior Court Judge Today sentenced former Hunterdon County Undersheriff Peter Harcar to a year's probabtion for lying to investiagtors about his accidental discharge of a gun in a Raritan Township health club." ...

"The sentence followed a January plea agreement in which Harcar resigned his $83,549-a-year post and agreed to cooperate in an investigation of Doyle for loaning him the two-shot Derringer." ...

"Although Harcar avoided a prison sentence by pleading guilty to two lesser counts of third-degree official misconduct, Hanlon called the sentence 'disproportionate.' Harcar cannot hold other public office in New Jersey and is unemployed, the attorney said." ...

NC: 3 Robeson Ex-Deputies Plead Guilty in 'Tarnished Badge'
Submitted by: jac

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"Three former Robeson County deputies, including the former head of detectives, pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to conspiracy charges brought as part of the state-federal Tarnished Badge investigation of corruption in the sheriff's force."

"Lawrence Patterson, 51, who had been chief of detectives, and former patrol deputies Lester Floyd,48, and Herman Madden, 50, entered their please to conspiracy to pirate satellite television signals. The three were arrested March 23."

"Their arrests brought the arrest total in Tarnished Badge to 14." ...

VA: New trial date set in deadly shooting
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"A Roanoke judge scheduled a new trial Monday for a former federal drug agent whose voluntary manslaughter conviction was overturned last year by the Virginia Supreme Court." ...

"Workman does not dispute that he shot Bailey to death during a fight in the parking lot ... He has maintained that he shot in self-defense." ...

"Though Workman was sentenced ... to six years and nine months in prison, he remained out of jail on an appeal bond and worked private security jobs in Afghanistan and Iraq."

"In September, the state Supreme Court ruled that Roanoke police had failed to provide attorneys with information they possessed that could have aided Workman's self-defense claim, and ordered a new trial."

NC: Witnesses Describe Fight Involving Ex-Wake Deputies
Submitted by: jac

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"An assault trial for one of three former Wake County deputies accused of beating a Garner man outside a restaurant last summer began Monday."

"Robert Wise said three undercover Wake County deputies -- Katie Broda, Kevin Hinton and Christopher Roth -- beat him up in front of his wife and 11-year-old daughter last August. He said the deputies were angry because he took up two parking spaces outside an Applebee's on U.S. Highway 70."

"'What they did was unacceptable, inexcusable and it will not be tolerated in our community. It's wrong,' Wise said." ...

"In September, the three deputies resigned from the Wake County Sheriff's Office. Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison has since apologized for his deputies' actions." ...

"A charge of assaulting an officer was dismissed against Wise in December."

MS: May I Be Frank?
Submitted by: Anonymous

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... "And then there�s this little matter of the Second Amendment. It�s not like Frank is asserting his right to keep and bear arms as a matter of Constitutional principle. He just wants his guns, and the hell with everybody else. You see, Frank is not only a member of Michael Bloomberg�s cabal of anti-gun mayors stumping for more citizen disarmament laws, but he also wrote an executive order to ban gun shows in Jackson, Miss., along with closing down gunshops."

"Which brings me back to my original question. May I be Frank? Or at least enjoy all the privileges and immunities that have been afforded him? If the answer is 'no,' then there�s only one word for such inequity, and it�s something no American should ever tolerate: Tyranny."

NY: N.Y. court says man wrongly denied his illegal handgun
Submitted by: RPA-PAC
Website: http://www.rpa-pac.org

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"The gun was illegal, but an upstate man shouldn't have been charged after turning in the weapon during a domestic violence case."

"That's the ruling today from New York state's highest court."

"The Court of Appeals decided William Havrish, formerly of rural Schoharie County, was placed in an 'impossible dilemma' when he was ordered to surrender all of his guns in the domestic violence case."

"He did as ordered and turned his guns, including an unlicensed .44-caliber Magnum handgun." ...

"The court ruled that the situation violated Havrish's Fifth Amendment right under the U-S Constitution against incriminating himself in a crime." ...

LA: Jindal, Vitter to hold Second Amendment rally
Submitted by: RPA-PAC
Website: http://www.rpa-pac.org

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FULL TEXT BELOW:

U.S. Rep. and gubernatorial candidate Bobby Jindal will join U.S. Sen. David Vitter in Shreveport Wednesday for a Second Amendment rally with the National Rifle Association.

The rally will begin at 1:15 p.m. and take place at Lorant�s Sporting Goods, 1220 Shreveport Barksdale Highway.

Jindal and Vitter will discuss the Disaster Recovery Personal Protection Act. It was passed into law in 2006. Jindal sponsored the bill. It prevents government agencies from confiscating legally held firearms during a national emergency.

Vitter is the southern chair for the presidential campaign of former New York City Mayor Rudy Guiliani, who has frequently advocated for tighter gun control laws.

FL: Constituents' rights
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"There will be some members of the Florida House of Representatives who, despite the fact they have sworn to uphold the constitutional rights of their constituents, will choose to vote against House Bill 1417. This bill is intended to protect our rights to lawfully possess and lawfully store a handgun in a parked car while at our workplace. ..."

"It is absolutely improper to ask, 'Why would someone want to store a gun in his or her car at work?' I am not asked why I store a pair of pliers, a personal digital assistant or a baby seat in my car. ... A gun is a tool I choose to own as well. Gun ownership is my right, not a privilege to be taken away from me by an arrogant or litigation-phobic business owner." ...

FL: Insulting premise
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Your editorial with respect to the pending legislation that would prohibit employers from regulating what legally owned personal property an employee can keep in his or her vehicle misses the mark. You rhetorically ask, if this legislation passes, what will stop someone from bringing a gun into the office? Well, what stops someone now? If a deranged individual makes up his or her mind to commit murder and mayhem, do you really think a line in the employee handbook will stop that individual?" ...

OH: Are today's criminals smarter than journalists? (BFA)
Submitted by: Bruce W. Krafft

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"Before the media access loophole was inserted into Ohio's Concealed Handgun License law by Governor Taft as an 11th hour poison pill, legislators in Ohio were warned that newspapers would abuse the law and publish entire lists of concealed handgun license-holders. They were also warned that such lists could then be exploited by criminals wishing to steal firearms, and that instances of criminals targeting particular locations they know to contain specific valuables (such as firearms), and staking out or casing residences to make sure no one is home, are common and well documented. But few listened..." ...