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Another lawsuit challenges D.C. gun limits
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Bruce Krafft
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"The District of Columbia, where government restrictions prompted the landmark Heller decision in which the U.S. Supreme Court found individuals have a right to be armed, still doesn't understand the Second Amendment, according to a new lawsuit."
"The Second Amendment Foundation told WND its new lawsuit on behalf of three D.C. residents and a man from New Hampshire seeks to compel the city to issue carry permits to law-abiding citizens."
"The U.S. District Court lawsuit was filed on behalf of Tom Palmer, George Lyon and Amy McVey of the district as well as Edward Raymond of New Hampshire."
"They are being represented by attorney Alan Gura, who successfully argued the landmark District of Columbia vs. Heller case ..." ... |
Second Amendment Mercenaries
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Bruce Krafft
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"I am the Founder of the Second Amendment March, a nonprofit organization dedicated to planning and organizing Second Amendment Marches in every state capitol as well as smaller cities all across the country between now and April 19th, 2010. On that day, Second Amendment supporters from all across the country will meet on the National Mall in Washington DC to celebrate the mainstream freedom we have in the right to keep and bear arms. ..."
"Part of my job as Founder is to extend invitations for people to speak at these events. Recently, I invited a famous Second Amendment activist. I asked him to spend five minutes on stage. He said he would be very happy and honored to attend ... but only if we paid him $40,000." ..." ... |
Political parties and your right to bear arms
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Bruce Krafft
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"Let's play a little game called Name That Party"
"Choose the political party to which the following people belong:"
"1) The original sponsor/author of the bill that repealed Alaska�s license to carry requirements : Dem or Rep?"
"2) In response to the repeal of Alaska's licensing requirement, what is the political party of the person who said the following: 'I am a strong gun advocate and very concerned that every time someone misuses a gun, particularly a handgun, we lose in the court of public opinion': Dem or Rep?"
"3) What is the political affiliation of the group wrote the following in their DC v. Heller Amicus Brief: 'the individual right guaranteed by the Second Amendment is subject to reasonable restrictions and important exceptions': Dem or Rep?" ... |
Gun rights vs. Obamacare
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Bruce Krafft
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"TheGun Owners of America has come out against Obamacare because it will federalize medical records."
"The suspicion is medical records will then be used to deny people their Second Amendment rights, the Hill reported." ...
"Gun control people already are seizing on medical costs to push for gun control."
"'One of the burdens on our health-care system are the 70,000 to 80,000 people that suffer gunshot wounds every year and survive ...' said Paul Helmke ..."
"... Assuming it costs $10,000 per gun-related hospitalization, that would ... amount to 8 cents of every $200 we spend on health." ... |
Idaho wolf hunt not just about saving elk, deer and domestic animals
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Bruce Krafft
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"Officials in Idaho, all the way up to Gov. Butch Otter, will be likened to the anti-Christ for supporting a wolf hunt, scheduled to begin Sept. 1 in some areas ..."
"The Idaho Fish & Game Commission set hunting seasons and dates, and a maximum limit of 220 wolves this year. Animal rights groups are seething. ..."
"My colleague, Shane Roe, discusses the wolf hunt controversy here."
"Defenders of Wildlife and other anti-hunting groups are threatening a lawsuit to stop the hunt and at least temporarily put the wolf back on the Endangered Species List. It must be noted for the record that Idaho reportedly tried to offer some wolves for transplant to other states. Nobody wanted them." ... |
They're gonna need another "crisis."
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Bruce Krafft
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"Folks, two stories popped up on my radar this morning, that taken together spell trouble. And yes, I had my tonsils taken out when I was a child, but I still have my paranoids." ...
"Alright, what does this mean? That right now it looks like they're going to maybe lose power in the House, where the money comes from? Can't happen, not to them. And they're going to move forward NOW on illegals which will only worsen their electoral danger? ..."
"Folks, they're gonna need another 'crisis.' Something big, bad and scary that convinces people that they NEED Big Daddy Gubmint." ... |
Sorry, Mandatory Gun Registration Is Constitutional
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Bruce Krafft
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"Mandatory gun regulation has long been the b�te noire of Second Amendment advocates, who worry that it's the final step before firearm confiscation."
"The surprise is that, even after last year's landmark Supreme Court ruling on gun rights, mandatory registration could be constitutional. It may not be the wisest public policy. It may not be practical. But after the D.C. v. Heller decision, it also may not violate the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution."
"That question is at the heart of a second lawsuit underway against the city of Washington, D.C. It also arose last week when the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago said that the Second Amendment poses no barrier to mandatory regulation ..." ... |
Answering the L.A. Times that some are 'Gunning For Trouble'
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Bruce Krafft
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"The opinion of the Los Angeles Times is that Americans are volatile and dangerous. As an American, my opinion is that anti-liberty-nuts are defamatory and ignorant, abusing their first amendment rights."
"The Friday, August 21, 2009 edition of the Los Angeles Times has the editorial Gunning for trouble. The mistaken idea (ignorance) is that the subject of the armed citizen is even open to debate. Newspapers depend entirely on an amendment to the constitution which is far from absolute, and apply (abuse) their right to attack another�s right which is absolute. The First Amendment has reasonable restrictions ... I can remember media screaming bloody murder when their 1A rights were judged, and it�s not even absolute!" ... |
Firearms Fundamentals: buying a gun
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Daniel White
Website: http://www.OhioCCW.org
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"For many people who have never bought one before, buying a gun can be a daunting prospect. What laws do I need to know about? What do I need to bring? How do I go about picking one out? Can I buy one for my wife? How do I get it registered? All are common questions. In this article, I'll try to cover the basics."
"In Ohio, buying a gun is a pretty straight forward process, but there are two different sets of procedures. You do not need any kind of permit to buy a gun (but you do need one if you want to carry it concealed or in a motor vehicle)." ... |
Freedom from Fear
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Bruce Krafft
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"The First Amendment ethos guarantees citizens the right to participate in their democracy without fear of physical retribution. If there is any one foundational right in America, this is it - it is the right that so many of us, fleeing from oppressive societies/regimes, originally came to this country specifically seeking. But as my new syndicated newspaper column shows, that First Amendment right is now being threatened by, of all things, the Second Amendment."
"The rise of gun-toting protesters and congressional and presidential town hall meetings has put citizens' right to bear arms in direct conflict with citizens right to attend public political meetings without fear of physical retribution ..." ...
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Submitter's Note: Like your hoplophobia, I have an irrational fear of people wearing Birkenstocks, so if you get to ban guns, I get to ban hippies, okay? |
Gunning for trouble
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Bruce Krafft
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"Outside the convention center in Phoenix where President Obama was discussing healthcare reform earlier this week, about a dozen protesters were openly displaying their guns -- including one man with an AR-15 rifle slung over his shoulder. Police monitoring the situation reported that no threats, physical or verbal, were made by or toward the armed demonstrators."
"Big surprise. Who's going to argue about the merits of the public insurance option with a wing-nut carrying the semiautomatic, civilian version of the M-16 military assault weapon?" ...
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Submitter's Note: Someone who does not harbor an irrational fear of inanimate objects? |
LA: Lock 'N Load: firearm tax holiday coming in September
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Bruce Krafft
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"If you�ve only got a baseball bat under your bed to protect yourself from midnight break-ins, here�s your opportunity to upgrade the home armory. A new law, passed by the legislature this year, allows for a three-day tax holiday on the purchase of firearms, ammunition and hunting supplies. ..."
"While the law is couched in terms that encourage the state's hunters to rack up on supplies like deer stands and duck decoys, don't be naive. Here's the definition of 'firearm' in the bill: 'a shotgun, rifle, pistol, revolver or other handgun, which may be legally sold or purchased in Louisiana.'"
"Earlier this year, Congressional Quarterly ranked Louisiana as the second most dangerous state in the nation ..." ... |
MSNBC Edits Story to Fit Agenda
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Bruce Krafft
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"So on Tuesday, we talked about the black dude who showed up in Arizona where Barack Obama was speaking, armed to the teeth. We all agreed that despite his actions being legal, it was still nuts." ...
"If you look at the tape from Tuesday, clearly you can see the man who goes by the name 'Chris' is African-American."
"So why did MSNBC go way out of its way to obliterate the race of 'Chris'?"
"Because it didn't fit the story MSNBC wanted to tell: That if you disagree with Obama, you must be a white crazy person with guns ..." ...
"Even more, I also resent that my opinion, enraged or not, can be dismissed as racism. Fact is, I've been against Obama's policies back when they were Hillary's policies ..." ... |
Is there a connection between healthcare reform and gun rights?
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Bruce Krafft
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"Many people were startled to see a man bring an AR-15 assault rifle to the vicinity of a presidential town hall on healthcare in Phoenix on Monday. His intent, he told reporters, was to show his willingness to 'forcefully resist' an overreaching government."
"He broke no laws, police say, and he was not a threat to the president. But it turns out there's an actual connection between gun rights and healthcare reform, at least according to one gun lobby."
"Gun Owners of America director Larry Pratt says that a Democrat-sponsored government-run healthcare system with a centralized patient record database could keep guns out of the hands of 'gazillions' of lawful Americans." ... |
Guns and Obama Debate: He Had a Gun and Nothing Happened
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Bruce Krafft
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"From New Hampshire to Arizona, Americans openly carrying firearms have been seen outside presidential appearances. The most remarkable thing about this is that some find this behavior to be remarkable."
"American citizens are the sovereigns in our system of government. Indeed, We the People created the government which, at least in theory, only does what we tell it to do in the Constitution. Sovereigns are expected to be armed." ...
"The armed attendees made it clear that they were exercising their right to keep and bear arms. Zero tolerance of firearms has become so extreme that even a picture of a gun can get a student kicked out of school. The presence of armed citizens helps correct the notion that guns are inherently dangerous." ... |
Political hysteria a two-way street
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Bruce Krafft
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... "IF YOU HAVE an 'us vs. them' view of the world, don't be surprised when your political opponents have one, too. Remember the unguarded moment when candidate Obama ... talked about the 'bitter' people clinging to their guns and religion?"
"Speaking of guns, a man appeared at a recent town hall in Phoenix with an assault rifle on his shoulder."
"It probably wasn't the savviest move, given the political climate. It's also intimidating, in bad taste and completely irrelevant to the health care debate. But it was completely legal, since Arizona has an open carry law."
"Of course, those who think the Second Amendment is just a suggestion and not a constitutional right were appalled at this development." ... |
Guns and the limits of civil society in the US
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Bruce Krafft
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"Last week the US president, Barack Obama, spoke at several town hall meetings to generate awareness and promote public discourse on the issue of healthcare reform. At events in both New Hampshire and Arizona, anti-Obama protesters gathered outside the venues openly carrying loaded weapons, including assault rifles. For some, this was disturbing. For others, it was justified as a very normal instance of citizens exercising their constitutional right to bear arms ..."
"But this is not the first time that weapons have been carried by citizens to presidential events. ... In the cases of presidents James Garfield, William McKinley, Abraham Lincoln and John F Kennedy, the day ended with the head of state dead. ..." ... |
Health Care, Guns, Grandma and Our Kids
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Bruce Krafft
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... "But perhaps the worst of what passes for debate over the issue of health care is the license it seems to have provided for disgruntled elements of the population. NRA devotees arrive at presidential visits sporting rifles and hand guns just because they can. Not present to participate in discussion their goal is apparently to make some kind of statement about their 'right-to-carry' ... Freedom for the un-armed majority and our leaders shouldn't be compromised by fear of those who sport weapons in public places." ...
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Submitter's Note: She is absolutely right. So any of that 'un-armed majority' with hoplophobia should seek treatment so they don't live in fear of inanimate objects any more. |
Guns, Guns, Everywhere
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Bruce Krafft
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"Every so often, we get a picture - with crystal clarity -- of the kind of country the radical 'gun rights' crowd wants America to be. It allows us to understand just how much is at stake in the gun control debate."
"It apparently is not enough for opponents of the President's health care proposals to bring their signs and their voices to town hall meetings and Presidential speeches. Now they are bringing their guns."
"... an Arizona constituent of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords dropping a handgun while attending a 'meet and greet' ... a New Hampshire man standing outside the venue for a Presidential appearance on health care reform with a pistol openly strapped to his thigh." ...
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Submitter's Note: Yes, and such a horrible picture it is. People peacefully protesting, exercising their rights, no one getting shot, just law-abiding citizens who are obeying the law. How ever could we let this happen?!? Surely dogs and cats, living together will be next! |
Ban guns from public political events
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Bruce Krafft
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"Those of us living in the Rocky Mountains are steeped in America's famous gun culture - and we therefore know well the binary debates surrounding the Second Amendment. Firearm enthusiasts - the vast majority of whom use weapons responsibly - believe the Constitution protects their right to bear arms. Gun control advocates counter that the Constitution doesn't give anyone the inalienable right to wield automatic weapons that can kill scores of people in seconds."
"This is the stultified freedom-versus-safety quarrel that seemed to forever define gun politics - that is, until anti-government activists started bringing firearms to public political meetings. ..." ... |
Guns and Obama Debate: Keep Guns Away from Presidential Events
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Bruce Krafft
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"Too often in our country we've seen the tragic and near-tragic consequences of people bringing loaded firearms to political events and presidential appearances." ...
"America appropriately encourages lively debate over the issues that affect us. True debate, however, requires that we respect each other's opinions and that we not intimidate or threaten our opponents into silence. Doing so debases our traditions and weakens our ability to overcome the challenges that we should all face together."
"This month, we have seen many people take their loaded firearms - including military-style assault rifles - to 'town hall' forums, sidewalk protests and even presidential events from New Hampshire to Arizona. ..." ... |
Men toting guns and Arthur Frommer at odds: Travel to Arizona may be the victim
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Bruce Krafft
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"Unfortunately, supporters of gun rights are often their own worst enemy. Their 'I can carry a gun' attitude can slide over from taking that right and responsibility seriously to something that the rest of the country views with alarm."
"I've written about guns in national parks and the legislation that allows it. Most of the comments to my articles were provided by passionate supporters with a responsible attitude, and an understanding that not everyone thinks a man with a gun is just trying to protect himself."
"But others sounded downright angry. And an angry man with a gun is plain frightening." ... |
Ohio mayor's resignation from Bloomberg gun control front group gains national attention
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Bruce Krafft
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"On Tuesday, Buckeye Firearms Association broke the news that Village of Walton Hills, OH Mayor Marlene Anielski had submitted to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg her resignation from the gun control front group known as Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG)."
"Since then, the news has been spread far and wide, and Anielski is doing some high-profile interviews to further explain her motivations for the resignation."
"That same day, NRANews' Ginny Simone delivered a live report on the positive news as her lead story during 'The Daily News' show. A podcast of that broadcast is available here."
"Simone also conducted a telephone interview with Mayor Anielski on Wednesday ..." ... |
TN: Gibbons Stakes Out Lonely Gun Position in GOP Primary
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Bruce Krafft
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"As he travels around the state in his campaign for governor, Bill Gibbons ... [is] telling the GOP's Second Amendment freaks they've gone too far with their guns-in-bars law."
"'He's been outspoken about it, that it just didn't make any sense,' says campaign aide Joe Hall."
"Gibbons isn't afraid to bring up the new law and cites cases from his own experience as Shelby County DA to prove his point, 'including a sheriff's deputy in Shelby County who got in trouble for it and just got 20 years in stage prison for it,' campaign manager Josh Thomas says. 'He went in [to a bar] without the intention of drinking and it got the better of him, and he shot and killed actually the wrong guy. He killed the DJ.'" ... |
MI: Brown Supports Gun Legislation
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Bruce Krafft
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"Sen. Randy Richardville on Thursday (August 20th) introduced bipartisan legislation that would help make college campuses safer by allowing CCW permit holders to carry a weapon on college campuses."
"'Crimes occur on college campuses just like any other place,' said Richardville ... 'Students, faculty and visitors, who have permits and have undergone the proper training and background checks, should have the right to carry a concealed weapon for their protection while on campus.'"
"Senate Bill 747, sponsored by Richardville, would remove college campuses from the no-carry zones for concealed weapons. This would allow individuals with CCW permits to carry a weapon at a Michigan college or university campus." ... |
TN: Blount County Commission defers vote on banning guns in parks
Submitted by:
Bruce Krafft
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"People with handgun permits will be allowed to take their weapons into county parks starting Sept. 1 after conflicting legal advice led the Blount County Commission to postpone a decision on opting out of the new law."
"'That's what the law says,' County Mayor Jerry Cunningham said Thursday."
"The law will allow people with handgun carry permits to take them into public parks, natural areas, historic parks, nature trails, campgrounds, forest greenways, waterways or other similar public lands."
"While the legislature made such activity legal, local governments can prohibit possession in these areas by 'opting out' before the law takes effect Sept. 1." ... |
Why Are Cops Tasering Grandmothers, Pregnant Women and Kids?
Submitted by:
Larry
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"Technology is a double-edged sword, the cliche goes. ... In the several years since the Arizona-based Taser International has deployed its ... tasers, what started out as a midrange law enforcement weapon has turned into a surreal nightmare that has gone viral from streets to screens. It's now to the point that only a hyperreal comedian like Stephen Colbert can make sense of it."
"'Nation, our gun rights are always under attack from the bleeding hearts,' he cracked in late July, 'and not just the hearts bleeding from a gunshot wound. Thankfully, there's the taser. It's the perfect weapon for when you really want to shoot someone, but killing them just seems like overkill.'" ...
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Hat tip to www.strike-the-root.com. |
'Right Wing' Blogger was allegedly trained by the FBI
Submitted by:
Larry
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"The strange case of blogger Hal Turner may offer the American people an opportunity to better understand the concept of a government controlling its own opposition. Turner is facing federal charges for allegedly making threats against federal judges and state lawmakers, but his case ... raises fundamental questions about the state of the nation."
"According to the Associated Press report, 'Hal Turner worked for the FBI from 2002 to 2007 as an 'agent provocateur' and was taught by the agency 'what he could say that wouldn't be crossing the line,' defense attorney Michael Orozco said. 'His job was basically to publish information which would cause other parties to act in a manner which would lead to their arrest,' Orozco said.'" ... |
MN: Strike Force was rife with misconduct, panel charges in new report
Submitted by:
Bruce Krafft
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"Metro Gang Strike Force members committed crimes by taking home property that had been seized during their police operations, the co-chair of a state panel that investigated the unit said Thursday."
"Some 10 or 12 Strike Force members in the 34-member unit were implicated in the misconduct, and the information has been given to the FBI, which is conducting its own investigation, said Andy Luger, a former assistant U.S. attorney, who headed the panel with retired FBI agent John Egelhof."
"The state inquiry into the disbanded Strike Force uncovered 'substantial evidence of misconduct' that went well beyond revelations previously reported by news media or uncovered in earlier government investigations." ... |
CA: Taser Cam Captures California Police Beating
Submitted by:
Bruce Krafft
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"A suspended Shafter police officer is facing felony assault charges after videotaping himself clubbing a prone suspect who didn't resist ..."
"Matthew Kirk Shelton ... who was recently cleared in a fatal shooting of a woman -- will be arraigned Friday on charges of assault with a deadly weapon, assault by a peace officer and falsifying a report."
"The incident happened in January, but the victim never complained. It was an internal audit by the Shafter Police Department which brought it to light ..."
"Shelton was carrying a taser that's mounted with a camera. When the safety switch is flipped off, the camera starts videotaping, [Chief] Fivecoat said. That camera caught an unwarranted beating on tape, he said." ... |
FL: West Palm Beach police officer who beat handcuffed suspect gets job back
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Bruce Krafft
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"A city police officer who was fired last year after he punched a robbery suspect in front of a patrol car dashboard camera should get his job back, an arbitrator wrote in a decision sent to the police department today."
"Officer Jason Zangara, 36, was fired in August 2008 along with Officer Louis J. Schwartz, 30, after a department probe concluded the duo used excessive force in arresting Pablo Gilberto Valenzuela ... A third officer, Kurt Graham, still was on probation when the internal investigation started. He resigned in July 2008."
"In June, Schwartz and Graham were arrested on misconduct charges after an investigation by state and federal authorities found they falsified police reports after the May 2008 beating." ... |
NV: Officer in fatal shooting on leave for separate incident
Submitted by:
Larry
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"City of Henderson officials said Thursday that Officer Luke Morrison, the officer involved in the 2008 shooting death of a woman during an incident after a traffic stop, is on paid administrative leave for a separate matter."
"The revelation came a day before a U.S. District Court judge is expected to approve a $700,000 settlement between the city and the woman�s family. ... Morrison has been on paid administrative leave for three weeks, pending the outcome of an internal affairs investigation. He said a decision regarding Morrison�s status with the city is expected next week, but said he could not discuss any specifics of the investigation."
"He said there is no tie between the current investigation and the 2008 incident." ... |
FL: Rush is on for concealed-guns permits
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Bruce Krafft
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"Jennifer Turkali, 37, likes the ease of shooting a 9 mm handgun."
"'It's not too heavy,' said the mother of two and Kennedy Space Center worker."
"With her sister and mother, Turkali recently completed a class on concealed weapons at the American Police Hall of Fame and Museum Shooting Range."
"'It gives me peace of mind of knowing I could protect my family if I needed to,' she said."
"Turkali is one of many Florida residents lining up in record numbers to be able to carry a weapon."
"While Turkali said she and her female family members wanted to familiarize themselves with the guns their husbands have at home, other people statewide have their own reasons." ... |
MD: Republicans to gather for trap shoot, bull roast
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Bruce Krafft
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"Frederick County Republicans plan to celebrate their Second Amendment rights by hosting a bull roast and trap shoot at the end of this month."
"The Frederick County Republican Central Committee is sponsoring the event at the Thurmont Conservation and Sportsman's Club, 11617 Hunt Club Road, Thurmont."
"It will take place from 1 to 5 p.m. Aug. 30."
"'Shoot Trap with teams that include our own Republican Elected Officials or just come out for some good food and to support our Second Amendment,' organizers said in their flier about the event." ... |
Kurdistan: Gun-loving Kurds all fired up
Submitted by:
Larry
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"Weapons loudly welcomed the outcome of Iraqi Kurdistan's latest political contest, and may even discreetly have helped determine it."
"In the run-up to last month's election, politicians gifted guns to prominent supporters. When the results were announced, celebratory gunfire streaked the night skies."
"Opposition leaders said the weapons had been dished out to buy votes. Their rivals denied this, arguing that they were honoring Kurdish loyalists with a traditional gift."
"Kurdistan's fondness for firearms is a legacy of battles against Saddam Hussein's troops and among rival internal Kurdish parties." ... |
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| QUOTES
TO REMEMBER |
| The supposed quietude of a good mans allures the ruffian; while on the other hand, arms like laws discourage and keep the invader and the plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property. The same balance would be preserved were all the world destitute of arms, for all would be alike; but since some will not, others dare not lay them aside...Horrid mischief would ensue were one half the world deprived of the use of them... � Thomas Paine, I Writings of Thomas Paine at 56 (1894). |
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