This article was submitted to the Liberty1st site by Paul A. Ibbetson. He maintains a website devoted to researching the Patriot Act here. I am still on the fence when it comes to the Patriot Act and that is why I find articles like this fascinating and thought provoking.

The Patriot Act: Searching for Monsters in the Closet

When you were young, did you have a monster in your closet? Many a child has lost sleep to the monster that must certainly reside just inside the bedroom closet. If you think back on your monster, it probably was the end product of watching late night horror movies or creative tales spun with school buddies on sleepovers. Everything is fun and games until the monster actually comes to visit the next night when all your friends are long gone. Now the thing about the closet monster is that it’s crafty and clever. It won’t show itself when friends are around and never in the daylight. No, it waits until your head is turned or, worse, when you’re sound asleep. The closet monster has power, a power that can make you freeze for endless minutes fearing that any slight motion might cause it to burst from the closet, ending in your certain death. Thank goodness a magical thing happens somewhere along life’s path. We grow up. It does not happen all at once but step-by-step we gain perspective about what’s real and what’s not and the monster loses some of its power. Then on some special night this gained knowledge bolsters bravery to the point of a confrontation with the closet door and the monster is exposed for what he really is--nothing.

It would be nice to say that there are no monsters in real life, but that would not be true. As a nation, America has seen monsters in many forms. Adolph Hitler’s Nazi Germany or Hideki Tojo’s Japan are examples. America, though always diverse in thought and ideas, came together in a united effort to defeat those monsters at a time when indecision could have cost the world freedom as we know it. Our country is again at that crossroads. While it is reasonable and logical to draw distinctions from World War II and The War on Terror, there are chilling similarities.

Hitler wanted to eliminate all groups of people not fitting the mold of the master Arian race. Al-Qaeda and other radical Islamic groups have an unholy mission to exterminate Israel and its ally, America, which both fall into the category of “the Zionist unbelievers.” Similarities are evident between the Japanese kamikazes of World War II and the terrorists of today are willing to fly passenger planes into buildings, or strap explosives to their own bodies. Yes, monsters existed in the past and they walk amongst us today.

Hitler walked across Europe, taking country after country, forging deadly alliances and double-crossing all those naïve to his deadly intentions. On December 7, 1941, America was struck with a devastating surprise attack at Pearl Harbor.Al-Qaeda, under the leadership of Osama bin Laden, along with terrorist groups that share this warped mentality, have repeatedly attacked American interests (e.g., 1993 World Trade Center Bombing,1998 U.S.S. Cole Bombing, Embassy Bombings in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania)  Osama Bin laden funneled money to terrorist cells around the world for the purpose of Jihad. In 2001, America was struck with a second devastating surprise attack, suffering a death toll that surpassed the number of deaths at Pearl Harbor. At both times in history this country faced a monster that wanted to destroy it. 

Unfortunately, America is not responding to today’s monsters the same way America responded in the past. Part of the problem is that many in the country have become terribly confused in what makes up a monster, and what does not. Some civil rights groups portray the Patriot Act as an uncontrollable monster that roams the streets gobbling up people’s rights. This fear maintains, even though after years of usage there have been no documented cases of abuse. In case that slipped by I’ll repeat it, NO CASES OF ABUSES! The Patriot Act has been audited for abuses by many organizations, including the ACLU. In fact, the Patriot Act has served to move national security forward by leaps and bounds by clarifying ambiguous laws, updating outdated laws, and, yes, strengthening some older laws to help in fighting a new type of war. Regardless of the obvious factual basis for the existence and usage of the Patriot Act, groups such as the ACLU maintain a constant search, with torches and pitchforks at the ready, for any reason to slay this law for protecting our national security. 

Others have identified the President George W. Bush as the monster for everything from the usage of National Security Letters (NSL’s) to when the wind blows the wrong way. Any attempt to challenge these naysayers with facts is met with the usual accusations that “fruitful debate” is being quashed. Meanwhile time passes and division, indecision, and, worst of all, inaction, is the order of the day. The failure of the Patriot Act to be renewed after the creation of a compromise package bill is a glaring example of the fact that many Democrats feel the war on terror should be prosecuted in a different manner.

Surpassing the issue of the Patriot Act renewal, Democrats have set a dangerous precedent in time of war by the actions of the “Coalition of Opposition.”  Our enemies are coordinated and motivated. Their agenda is clear--destroy America. The impression resulting from an inability of Congress to come together on legislation for fighting terrorism, and the willingness of some to kill the Patriot Act altogether, will be seen by our enemies as a sign of weakness. We know that Hitler advanced on those who appeared weak; we should expect no less from today’s fanatical terrorist groups. Democrats have failed to learn what all children come to terms with, that is, eventually you have to confront the monster.

Paul A. Ibbetson is a published author and lecturer on the Patriot Act. He is a former Chief of Police of Cherryvale, Kansas, and member of the Montgomery County Drug Task Force. Paul received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Criminal Justice at Wichita State University, and is currently completing his PhD. in sociology at Kansas State University. Author of the book “Living Under The Patriot Act: Educating A Society” coming out in early 2006, Paul welcomes questions or comments on this, or any other of his Patriot Act related articles at:  contact@patriotactresearch.com or visit the Patriot Act Research Website at: www.patriotactresearch.com


 
Categories: Law and Order

January 31, 2006
@ 09:55 AM

Titled:   Son says he used gun to break up family fight

This is a confusing story from Macomb county in Michigan. It seems that a teen intervened in a fight between his mother and his step-father with a .22 caliber rifle. After shooting his step-father in the leg, and a resulting tussle over control of the firearm, his mother was accidently shot in the toe. So far there doesn't seem to be anything too complicated there. It is not illegal for a 19 year old to own a rifle, and from the report it seems that the boy genuinely believed he was coming to the aid of his mother, saving her from serious injury.

He is, however, out on bail, facing charges of assault with intent to do great bodily harm, possession of a dangerous weapon and using a firearm during a felony.

Now, they did find a selection of firearms in his room - six rifles, two shotguns, a BB gun, 10 long knives, a cache of ammunition and a homemade pipe bomb. But that seems secondary to the event itself, and apart from the pipe-bomb would seem like a reasonable collection to a non-hoplophobe.

Without further information, I can't see why this isn't a case of a self-defense shooting, assuming that the step-father was able to cause serious bodily harm to the teen's mother or himself. I guess the upcoming court case might reveal further cause. The pipe-bomb alone is enough to get him into trouble, and he deserves what he gets for that.

At 19, it is hard to expect clear judgement as to how dangerous a new step-father can be, especially in the stress of the moment with a fight between adults in your own house. Police say three or four shots were fired, and this may even have involved a warning shot. By shooting his step-father in the leg with a .22 rifle, when he had easy access to a shotgun, I would think it would be hard to prove that he was doing anything other than trying to stop a felony in progress.

I'll try to follow up when the case comes around.


 
Categories: Firearms | Misc

January 31, 2006
@ 09:00 AM

Titled:   Why Radical Muslims and the US Don't Mix

The first protected right of the people of the US is the Freedom of Speech.

US Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes in United States v. Schwimmer (1929):

"The principle of free thought is not free thought for those who agree with us but freedom for the thought we hate."

When 12 cartoons - published last September by the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten and republished in a Norwegian paper this month - included an image of the muslim Prophet wearing a turban shaped as a bomb with a burning fuse, the reaction from the Religion of Peace was anything but peaceful.

The religion that thinks nothing of calling for the death of unbelievers, started a string of protests, flag burning and boycotts.

Things took a more sinister turn yesterday when 15 masked gunmen armed with hand grenades, automatic weapons and anti-tank launchers took over an EU office and demanded an apology. They behaved, ironically, much as the cartoon they were protesting against had depicted.

Pakistan's Daily Times reported that they left after half an hour, without an apology, but still angry:

 “We are calling on the citizens of the two countries to take this threat seriously because our cells are ready to implement this all over Gaza,” said one of the militants.

This morning, the UK's Gaudnian (yes, they are bad at spelling) reported a change of mind and a full apology, following further threats and attacks on Danish citizens as far away as Saudi Arabia. 

Denmark's largest selling broadsheet newspaper last night issued an apology to the "honourable citizens of the Muslim world" after publishing a series of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that provoked protests across the Middle East.

Just so you didn't miss it, those are the honorable citizens that threaten civilians with anti-tank missiles.

CNN.com reports that a Danish muslim group has accepted the apology:

A spokesman for Denmark's Islamic Faith Community, Kasem Ahmad, said on Danish radio Tuesday that "we will clearly and articulately thank the prime minister and Jyllands-Posten for what they have done."

But they await the reaction from muslims in other countires.

Can you imagine how this would play out in the US? An armed group of terrorists threatening an office of civilians not even connected with the publication of cartoons? Followed by apologies and retractions from the President and the press? Denmark is in the grip of dhimmitude.

We must ensure we protect the liberties we have before we end up like our European cousins.

Update:    France enters Muslim cartoon row

A French newspaper has reproduced a set of caricatures depicting the Prophet Muhammad that have caused outrage in the Muslim world.

France Soir said it had published the cartoons to show that "religious dogma" had no place in a secular society.

Under the headline "Yes, we have the right to caricature God", the paper ran a front page cartoon of Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim and Christian gods floating on a cloud.

It shows the Christian deity saying: "Don't complain, Muhammad, we've all been caricatured here."

The full set of Danish drawings, some of which depict the Prophet Muhammad as a terrorist, were printed on the inside pages.


 
Categories: Bill of Rights | Europe | Zero Tolerance

January 30, 2006
@ 02:21 PM

Titled:   GOP Libertarians: Rebels with a Cause

Hammer of Truth shows the latest in the trend of articles about GOP-leaning Libertarians or Libertarian-leaning GOP'ers. This one is from Salon, and seems to be an anti-Bush piece, but nonetheless has good things to say about Libertarianism.

Whether Republican Sen. John Sununu, Idaho’s Larry Craig and their small band will actually be able to make a difference in the fight for Liberty remains to be seen.


 
Categories: Bill of Rights | Politics

January 30, 2006
@ 01:31 PM

Titled:   PC CPU Price vs Performance

Random Fate brings us news of an eight-round contest between Intel and AMD's new dual core processors. Satisfy your inner geek and read the rest of the CNET review.

The result is unanimous.


 
Categories: Misc | Technology

Titled:     Questions from the Audience?

The Smallest Minority has facts, figures, graphs and thoughtful comment on gun violence in the USA.

Hat-Tip to SayUncle
 
Categories: Blogs and Stuff | Firearms | Law and Order

January 28, 2006
@ 09:39 PM

Titled:     Tiananmen

Ever wonder what it is like living under Chinese-style censorship?

As the world sees Tiananmen on Google

As the Chinese see it on Google
 
Categories: Bill of Rights | Politics | Technology

January 28, 2006
@ 09:53 AM

Titled:  Saddam's Missing WMD

AlphaPatroit points to an interesting and potentially game-changing story about Saddam's WMD involvement. Not only is there now a new solid source that his WMDs were moved to Syria, but also that Iraq was preparing a chemical strike against Israel on the eve of the First Gulf War.

The NY Sun reports:
The man who served as the no. 2 official in Saddam Hussein's air force says Iraq moved weapons of mass destruction into Syria before the war by loading the weapons into civilian aircraft in which the passenger seats were removed.

The flights - 56 in total, Mr. Sada said - attracted little notice because they were thought to be civilian flights providing relief from Iraq to Syria, which had suffered a flood after a dam collapse in June of 2002.

The book also says that on the eve of the first Gulf War, Saddam was planning to use his air force to launch a chemical weapons attack on Israel.

The most interesting thing here for me is what happens if this is proven true and the WMDs are recoverd - the left would have a lot of answering to do.

"Bush lied - people died" becomes "Bush told the Truth - people died because the lunatic left lied about it for political gain".

For the GOP, ideally this will all come to be in mid 2008, just prior to elections, when the dems will be repeating the "lied" mantra as loudly as they can.

The fact that suppport for military action in Iran is as high as 57% already, despite the left's hatred of the action in Iraq, points to further gains if the central plank of their anti-war ideology is removed.

Maybe the GOP already knows the facts but can't prove them yet. Letting the Dems continue to build their party around the WMD issue could by Rove's best move yet.
 
Categories: Misc | Politics

January 27, 2006
@ 01:48 PM

Titled:   Wisconsin Governor Vetoes Concealed Carry Bill

Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle says he will veto a bill that would legalize the carrying of concealed weapons in Wisconsin.

"Violence is not the answer," said Doyle. "If we keep guns illegal, the police will know that whoever has a gun is a criminal."

Asked how victims should protect themselves, Doyle responded that they shouldn't. "We have to stop the cycle of violence," said Doyle. "Allowing victims to return fire only perpetuates the cycle. Victims should 'turn the other cheek' to their attackers."

Doyle asserted that most criminals will not shoot unarmed victims unless it is necessary to eliminate them as witnesses. "If you avert your gaze from your attacker he may see that you will not able to identify him and let you live," observed Doyle. "Even if the criminal does shoot you, we will have just a single casualty. If victims return fire we could have multiple casualties."

Where does one start? Perhaps by trying to understand how Wisconsin allows someone this detached from reality to be Governor.

He is quite clearly saying that if you are being shot at, you should remain passive in case the perpetrator gets injured. If, as a CCW holder, I get shot, then surely I am one person who can no longer stop the criminal from harming others.

As for averting your gaze in the hope that a psychotic killer might decide you didn't see anything and let you live - I think Gov. Doyle is just crazy. You cannot project your mindset onto another human who is already working outside of your own frame of thought. In other words, you can't expect someone acting abnormaly to think the same way you do, and have the same morals, ethics and thoughts as you. If you are not the type that routinely attacks innocents with lethal force, then what makes you think you can understand those that do. That is the major mistake people make when dealing with criminals, terrorists, drug users and downright crazies. You cannot assume they will do as you would do.

I refuse to become that "single casualty" whose life is in the control of someone who is deciding whether or not I'm a potential witness. And that's why I also refuse to visit Wisconsin, live in Wisconsin and invest in Wisconsin while people like Gov. Doyle are in power and its citizens support people like him.


 
Categories: Bill of Rights | Firearms | Law and Order | Politics

January 27, 2006
@ 12:11 PM

Titled:   Legislator apologizes after accidentally firing gun in his office

An Henrico County legislator apologized to the House of Delegates on Thursday for firing his handgun in his legislative office.

Republican Jack Reid said the weapon went off accidentally about 9 a.m. while he was ejecting the clip from his .380-caliber Kel-Tec handgun.

The discharged round was stopped by a bullet-proof vest that was hanging on Reid’s office door. No damage was done to state property, according to a report filed with the Capitol Police.

From an earlier post:

As a public service to folks out there who have trouble with the obvious, here are a few laws to follow:

1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.

2. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.

3. ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.

Keep any ONE of these three and you are likely to be safe. Ideally, follow ALL three. And kids - just keep away and let an adult know.

So he was trying to complete Rule #3, probably broke Rule #2 but at least followed Rule #1, at least by accident. Pointing the gun at a bullet-proof (resistant) vest is likely to have been the safest place to aim it, if you have to shoot it in the office. At least it wasn't pointed at a member of staff or his head.

Proof again that following one of the three laws, even if by accident, will probably keep you safe.


 
Categories: Firearms | Politics

January 27, 2006
@ 11:57 AM

Titled:   Judge lets 6,000-square-foot garage stand

Paul Piscopo's garage covers 6,000 square feet and has room for 28 full-sized trucks.

It seems that his neighbors weren't too chuffed to see what he had built in his yard.

Several of Piscopo's neighbors contended the 150-foot-long, 60-foot-wide, 20-foot-tall corrugated sheet metal building - which they dubbed the "Monster Garage" - has hurt their property values and ruined the residential feel of their sedate neighborhood.

Maybe they would have prefered vehicles all over his lawn?

... Oakland County Circuit Judge Michael Warren reversed a decision by the Troy Board of Zoning Appeals demanding the garage be reduced in size or torn down.

The court ruled that a garage of this scale was allowed under the Troy zoning ordinance as it and the house didn't cover more than 30% of the lot and was far enough from the boundaries.

 Now all he has to be worried about now is eminent domain abuse.


 
Categories: Laissez faire | Misc

January 27, 2006
@ 09:27 AM

Following on from yesterday's voting theme, it appears that the newly-minted democracies have failed to learn one big lesson; that the people get the government they deserve. If they don't educate themselves about the options and just blindly vote, usually the result is far from optimal.

Take the recent polls in Palestine. Hamas wins 76 of the 132 seats and gets invited to form a new government.

The world's reaction: So far almost uniformly negative.

Israeli interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ruled out any talks with "an armed terror organisation that calls for Israel's destruction".

In Washington, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned that the US would not give any direct aid to a Palestinian government under Hamas, which it brands a terrorist organisation.

So already the decision is likely to lead to not only a huge step backward on the road to peace in the Middle East (assuming such a thing is even possible), but also a huge reduction in income for the country which wasn't exactly in the rich league to start with.

Already, news comes of clashes between Fatah and Hamas, showing that internally the country is anything but agreeable.

Sure, Hamas removed talk of eliminating Israel from its political campaign, and the process of democracy has the outside chance that it will civilize the group now they have some politcal power. But given the long term campaign of terror, the bus bombings, carnage and death, peace still seems a very long way off.

Of course the Palis aren't alone:

Islamist candidates were embraced in municipal elections in Saudi Arabia; Hezbollah, another US-declared terrorist organisation, was handsomely endorsed as the parliamentary voice of Shiites in Lebanon; the Muslim Brotherhood won 88 of the 150 seats it contested in Egypt; and Iran's newly elected president is a radical who seems to be thoroughly enjoying Western anxiety over Tehran's nuclear program.

Democracy is a double edged sword, increasingly a curved one.


 
Categories: Politics

January 26, 2006
@ 07:39 PM

Titled: Vote early, and often!

What a great country. They let you vote even when you're dead! It seems that in the fine State of Washington, 11,500 dead voters are still registered, and 36,000 are registered in two counties.

What the article didn't say was which party they usually vote for. I guess its a question of getting help to get to the polls.
 
Categories: Bill of Rights | Politics

Titled:   New Federal Police

UrbanSurvival.com brings us news of a new uniformed federal police force, as laid out in Section 605 of the USA PATRIOT IMPROVEMENT AND REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2005.

This new development doesn't seem to be initially for general nation-wide use, but mainly for anywhere the President, VP or other home and foreign dignitaries may be stationed or visiting. The US SS Uniformed Division will be armed, carry police powers and will be at the command of the Director, United States Secret Service.

It also provides protection for former Presidents and their spouses. Look for pictures of Hillary flanked by the new secret police uniformed police soon.


 
Categories: Law and Order | Politics

January 25, 2006
@ 01:53 PM

Titled:   Italy approves self-defence law

The Italian parliament has passed legislation allowing people to shoot robbers in self-defence.

The new law will allow people to use legally registered weapons to protect themselves or others, and their property and the property of others, from harm.

It applies if there is a danger of aggression and the attacker does not desist.

Wow. It sounds like the Italians finally get it.

Justice Minister Roberto Castelli backed the new law.

"Today criminals will have more to fear while there will be fewer problems for honest people," said Mr Castelli, who belongs to the Northern League.

However, the centre-left opposition expressed concern that it would encourage violence and lead to increased use of firearms.

Hopefully it will encourage violence and the increased use of firearms towards the perpetrators, not the victims as has been the case.

We should keep an eye on the crime figures over the coming months.

(Hat-tip to John Lott)


 
Categories: Europe | Firearms | Law and Order

January 25, 2006
@ 10:50 AM

Titled:   Police say man thought gun wasn't loaded

Police say a man who fatally shot himself in the head with a .45-caliber handgun did not think the gun was loaded.

This stunning piece of insight comes to you from the New Hampshire police. How they arrived at this conclusion is at this time unknown, although it may have something to do with the fact that this was clearly not a suicide but another stupid accident.

Rules of safe firearm handling might need a new rule:

Do NOT point a gun at your head (or anyone elses) and pull the trigger even if you KNOW the firearm is not loaded. Failure to follow this rule will probably result in a loud bang, a very brief headache and the even briefer, stunning realization that something is not quite right. Often, local police will make obvious statements about you in the press later.

As a public service to folks out there who have trouble with the obvious, here are a few laws to follow:

1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.

2. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.

3. ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.

Keep any ONE of these three and you are likely to be safe. Ideally, follow ALL three. And kids - just keep away and let an adult know.


 
Categories: Firearms | Humor | Misc

January 25, 2006
@ 10:25 AM

Titled:   Poll finds surprising optimists

Iraqis and Afghans are among the most optimistic people in the world when it comes to their economic future, a new survey for the BBC suggests.

In Afghanistan, 70% say their own circumstances are improving, and 57% believe that the country overall is on the way up.

In Iraq, 65% believe their personal life is getting better, and 56% are upbeat about the country's economy.

Oh, how it must have hurt to write that. Of course the report was not without a dig too:

The experts at polling firm Globescan, who conducted the survey, venture the guess that war may have created a "year zero" experience of collectively starting again.

Yes - Afghans and Iraqis can't remember anything from before the war - it erased their memories. So they must all be deluded, the poor simple idiots, probably brainwashed by Carl Rove and mind control waves.

Zimbabwe and France appear to be at the bottom of the table with over 80% pessimism about the future.

The detailed findings also report a drop in the ratings for the UN, an average of ten points.

The US MSM takes a hard hit too:

No country was more negative about the news media than the United States. Sixty-four percent of Americans felt the media was a negative influence; only 28 percent saw it as positive.

On the self delusion front, Iran had the strongest majority positive about world public opinion with 68%. Yes - Iranians think that the world loves them.

By a substantial margin Americans have the largest percentage giving a negative rating of world public opinion—39 percent. This may be a reaction to polls revealing negative attitudes toward the US over the last few years.

Thank you MSM! We think everyone hates us. And thanks to some of the stories publishes in the last few years, they probably do.


 
Categories: Misc | Politics

January 24, 2006
@ 03:58 PM

Titled:    Unarmed Cop Shot At By Gun Nut

It is hard to believe how quickly a country can go from a respect for firearm rights to their total demonization. This story comes from Airstrip One the UK and is full of the rich language of gun hate that is now creeping into US media reports. The longer this type of language appears and the more frequently it is used, the more it gets ingrained into the minds of the readers.

An unarmed policeman had a miracle escape when a gun nut fired a hail of bullets during a terrifying late night chase, it emerged today.

The gunman fled on foot after cops pulled over his Volkswagen Passat in south London in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The unarmed officer, who has not been named, cornered him in an alleyway off Croxted Road in Dulwich, but the ruthless thug pulled a gun and opened fire.

The brave cop dived for cover, escaping unharmed.

So lets look a little further into the miraculous escape: 

Police marksmen surrounded the scene but found no trace of the gunman who is believed to have fired at least three rounds.

Three rounds - a hail of bullets? Must have been one of those machine-gun thingys.

Chief Superintendent Ian Thomas, head of Southwark Police, vowed to hunt the gun nut down.

He said: "This was very serious. For someone to fire at officers with absolutely no provocation is extremely worrying.

"Absolutely no provocation" such as a car chase with sirens and flashy lights, a chase on foot with a cop carrying a long stick, handcuffs and probably pepper-spray, plus undoubtably some criminal guilt thrown in? I'm sure the gun nut, gunman, ruthless thug guy was in fear of his personal liberty for the next few years at least for firearm possession alone.

They sure do have fun writing this stuff.


 
Categories: Firearms | Law and Order

January 24, 2006
@ 01:15 PM

Titled:   Iris Scanning For New Jersey Grade School

Iris scans have become part of everyday life at a New Jersey school. Everyone that wants to enter the school has to provide a drivers license for initial registration and submit to a scan:

When a parent arrives to pick up their child at one of three grade schools in the Freehold Borough School District, they'll need to look into a camera that will take a digital image of their iris. That photo will establish positive identification to gain entrance into the school.

Funding for the project, more than $369,000, was made possibly by a school safety grant through the National Institute of Justice, a research branch of the U.S. Department of Justice. "The idea is to improve school safety for the children," said Phil Meara, superintendent, Freehold Borough School District, on Monday. "We had a swipe-card system that operated the doors, but the technology was obsolete."

It seems crazy to install such an expensive, high-tech system for such a low tech purpose. If you wanted to gain access to the school to do harm, you would expect a criminal just to walk in with someone who is registered on the system, probably at knife or gun-point. The security system wouldn't know any different. And it would probably stop external responders from coming to the rescue too.

Wouldn't it just be easier to issue RFID keytags? Or are they obsolete too? Or an armed guard?


 
Categories: Tax and Spend | Technology

January 24, 2006
@ 08:19 AM

Titled:   Bills give victims more right to use force

An encouraging piece that shows the move towards protecting users of firearms is gaining ground across the nation.

What makes this unusual is that the Atlanta Journal-Constitution starts with a very bi-partisan message:

Republicans, Democrats and the National Rifle Association are backing bills this session that would give people more leeway to use deadly force to defend themselves and others from serious crimes, such as robbery and rape.

A House version, sponsored by Democrats, even offers protections against civil lawsuits.

Democrat support for the rights of gun-owners? Almost enough to make me choke on my cornflakes! So I read a little further and all became clear. Despite the support of a few Democrats, their true nature still poked through:

Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver (D-Decatur), an attorney, said: "I am very concerned about any legislation that expands the perception that people should use guns against other people.

"There's too much gun irresponsibility, and there are too many trigger-happy people for me to feel comfortable giving people the perception they can shoot people in their yard anytime they want to."

Yup - that's a good weekend for us simple gun-owning types - sitting on the porch shooting at passers-by. I don't see anything that says that people should use guns against other people. This is about using guns to protect you and your family against criminals invading your home and car when you are in them. If you shoot without reason, the full weight of the law will still fall upon you. I guess that is just too difficult for this representative of the people to understand. Maybe she went to college recently? 


 
Categories: Bill of Rights | Firearms | Law and Order

January 23, 2006
@ 10:18 PM

Titled:     Just for fun


Something new for a change

 


 
Categories: Humor | Misc

January 23, 2006
@ 10:39 AM

Titled:   First Pistol

Thinking of buying your first pistol? Say Uncle points to an excellent short piece by Catfish on the Texican Tattler.

His advice comes down to a choice between a Springfield XD and a Glock, pushing aside Say Uncles favorite Sig. I know that our very own Buck is rather partial to the SIG too, though he too considered the XD.

I have both a P226 Sig in .40 S&W as well as a Springfield XD9 Sub-compact. When I bought the SIG as a first handgun, I wanted it for home defense and range shooting. When I made the transition to CCW a little later, it was a concealed carry weapon too. And very heavy it was, with that dig-in-the-kidney character. Still, it was supposed to be comforting, not comfortable.

The XD Subcompact was an attempt at compromise. It is certainly compact and comes with a great reputation. I wanted an XD40 too, but after 3 months, was unable to find one, so I settled on a 9mm from a Lansing gun show. It cost a lot less than the SIG too, almost by half, and is a neat Bi-tone color, with extra magazine and holster.

Carrying became easier, more comfortable and more frequent. And soon I took up IPSC competitive shooting to get real acquainted with it under pressure. It shoots very well, functioning a lot more reliably that most of the 1911 race-guns there. I can't say its a competition winner - it is after all handicapped by my ability, the low power rating of the 9mm round, short 3 inch barrel and the 10 round magazines that the Production Class calls for. But it doesn't let me down.

After a year or so, I remembered the SIG back in the gunsafe, and I took them both out for range time together. I had always assumed that the SIG would outperform the XD. But next to each other I was better at and preferred the XD. The SIG had the edge on long distance slow shooting, but for up-close speed and accuracy, the XD works best for me.

So if the bump in the night happens, and I reach for a handgun, which would I choose?

Probably the XD.

And that says it all.


 
Categories: Firearms

January 22, 2006
@ 12:41 PM

Titled:     Capital gun crime rises by 50 per cent


The War on Guns Blog highlights continued coverage of the UK's slow-but-steady slip into depravity.

Not content to criminalize victims and remove what little rights to self-protection there were in the UK, they are now casting about for new reasons to blame for the violence. As if drugs, gangs and racial hatred weren't enough.
Record levels of gun crime are being blamed on the fact that more people than ever are carrying firearms as fashion accessories.

Figures published this week by the Home Office are expected to show that offences involving guns have soared by as much as 50 per cent in some parts of the country.

The greatest rises have been in the number of people found in possession of firearms and in the number of attempted murders.
So the new culprit is fashion? Seems like another ban will be needed...
 
Categories: Firearms | Law and Order

January 21, 2006
@ 06:28 PM

Titled:    More Eminent Domain Thievery

SayUncle points to a worrying article of eminent domain abuse. It seems the Port of Houston is taking someone's land that has been in his family for a hundred years for less than a cent an acre.

The guy concerned is not a speculator or some wealthy investor. The land had been in his family over 100 years. But even if he'd just bought it the week before, he should be entitled to more than a fair price, to make up for the fact that the state is taking it at the point of a gun, whether he wants to sell or not, and his expenses of fighting the condemnation, which he did not ask for, and fairly evaluating the land should rightly fall on those initiating the suit. Last I checked, it wasn't a crime to own land. Even felons and illegal immigrants and foreign nationals who never set foot in our country are permitted to do so. Why are we punishing our own citizens?

Read the rest at Searchlight Crusade while you still have a house to live in.


 
Categories: Bill of Rights | Laissez faire

January 21, 2006
@ 05:44 PM

Titled:     A pretty vote for Yucca

With nuclear power looking like the only route to energy independance in the near future, the ever-present question of waste disposal comes up. With all the controversy about the Yucca Mountain deep burial facility, a new, refreshing view comes from miss Nevada herself.

When 23 year old Crystal Wosik was interviewed by judges about her views of the Yukka Mountain project she answered:
 "It has to go someplace and Yucca Mountain is the best built facility in the country."
A follow-up question asked what would happen if people died. Her straightforward answer was:
"We just have to take one for the team."

This view was met with outrage from many quarters. Peggy Maze Johnson of Citizen Alert (who is not going to win  Miss America any time soon) said,
"Before she gets up there and starts representing the state of Nevada, she needs to find out more about what the issues are. Instead, she's shooting from the hip with a ridiculous statement that feeds into many people's idea that Miss America contestants are bimbos".
It certainly beats comments on world peace and starving children to those of us that watch the show "purely for the articles."
 
Categories: Misc

January 20, 2006
@ 10:14 PM

Titled:    Big Nanny Is Watching You

A couple of weeks ago, I interviewed Roger Valdez, director of tobacco prevention for Public Health–Seattle & King County. He is in charge of Seattle-area enforcement of the statewide smoking ban approved by voters in November. I call him the tobacco czar.

We were talking about how enforcement was working out, including the 25-foot rule. In the midst of our chat, Valdez said something remarkable.

"Americans think they have a lot of rights they really don't have. Smoking is one of those things where people think they have the right to smoke, but you don't." He used "you" in the plural. "You have no right to smoke. It's an addiction. It's something you should see a doctor about."

He went on to tell me that people have no right to smoke even in their private residences.
"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."- Tenth Amendment to the US Constitution.

If Iraq needs a good constitution, written by clever men, guaranteed to provide liberty and justice for all, they could use ours. We don't seem to use it anymore.
 
Categories: Bill of Rights | Zero Tolerance

January 20, 2006
@ 02:32 PM

Titled:    Hitlery Hillary, The Germans and the Mad Mullahs

Quite clearly this is a week for forgetting where you are going. Hillary Clinton, Carpet-bagger-in-chief, has finally forgotten all the well-meaning advice that her party gave to the administration over Iraq. Namely, pre-emption and unilateral = BAD, multilateral = GOOD.

With a sudden about-face, Sen. Clinton, D-N.Y., called for U.N. sanctions against Iran and criticized the Bush administration's handling of the situation by allowing other states, particularly Germany, France and the UK to take the lead.
"I believe we lost critical time in dealing with Iran because the White House chose to downplay the threats and to outsource the negotiations,"Clinton said. "I don't believe you face threats like Iran or North Korea by outsourcing it to others and standing on the sidelines."
The reason for the sudden U-Turn? Maybe, in the past, it had something to do with a history of accepting political donations from pro-regime Iranians. Wealthy businessmen Hassan Nemazee and Faraj Aalaei who are associated with the American Iranian Council, a pro-regime, anti-sanctions group, are vocal Clinton supporters and contributors. They are apparently trying to get Congress and the Bush administration to lift the trade embargo on Iran.

Then suddenly, in an effort to pander to her Jewish constituents, Hillary becomes an honary Jew and accepts a degree from Yeshiva University. How quickly they forgot about her kissing Arafat's wife in 1999 in the West Bank.

And the Germans? Mark Steyn points to Donald Rumsfeld's metting with Speigel to discuss Iran and other matters. This amusing conversation shows that the Germans have clearly lost the plot with Iran too:

SPIEGEL: How concerned are you about Iran?

Rumsfeld
: All of us have to be concerned when a country that important, large and wealthy is disconnected from the normal interactions with the rest of the world. They obviously have certain ambitions, powers and military capabilities ...

SPIEGEL: ...and nuclear ambitions...

Rumsfeld: That's apparently what France, Germany, the UK and the International Atomic Energy Agency have concluded. Everyone wants to have the Iranians as part of the world community, but they aren't yet. Therefore there's less predictability and more danger.

SPIEGEL: The US is trying to make the case in the United Nations Security Council.

Rumsfeld: I would not say that. I thought France, Germany and the UK were working on that problem.

SPIEGEL: What kind of sanctions are we talking about?

Rumsfeld: I'm not talking about sanctions. I thought you, and the U.K. and France were.

SPIEGEL: You aren't?

Rumsfeld: I'm not talking about sanctions. You've got the lead. Well, lead!

SPIEGEL: You mean the Europeans.

Rumsfeld: Sure. My Goodness, Iran is your neighbour. We don't have to do everything!

SPIEGEL: We are in the middle of regime change in Germany...

Rumsfeld: ... that's hardly the phrase I would have selected.

Meanwhile the Mullahs continue their evil plots against us:

‘Iran will resume uranium enrichment if the European Union does not recognise its right to do so, two Iranian nuclear negotiators said in an interview published Tuesday.’

So they will if we don't let them. And if we let them, they will. Hmm.


 
Categories: Politics

January 20, 2006
@ 10:53 AM

Titled:    Study: College Grads Are Dumb

Rob at SayAnything brings us news of a recent study into the abilities of the nation's brightest:

Nearing a diploma, most college students cannot handle many complex but common tasks, from understanding credit card offers to comparing the cost per ounce of food.

Those are the sobering findings of a study of literacy on college campuses, the first to target the skills of students as they approach the start of their careers.

More than 50 percent of students at four-year schools and more than 75 percent at two-year colleges lacked the skills to perform complex literacy tasks.

That means they could not interpret a table about exercise and blood pressure, understand the arguments of newspaper editorials, compare credit card offers with different interest rates and annual fees or summarize results of a survey about parental involvement in school.

Almost 20 percent of students pursuing four-year degrees had only basic quantitative skills. For example, the students could not estimate if their car had enough gas to get to the service station.

They have a point here. If you see a stranded motorist, they always seem to have alumni stickers in their rear windows.


 
Categories: Misc

January 19, 2006
@ 03:16 PM

Titled:      Study finds fire retardant in Great Lakes

Yup - that would be that water stuff - absolutely full of it, they are...


 
Categories: Humor | Misc

January 19, 2006
@ 01:19 PM

Titled:     Gun Rights Group Criticizes Illinois Gov's 'Boondoggle'

Blagojevich urged the Illinois General Assembly to pass House Bill 2414, which would ban the manufacture, possession, and delivery of semi-automatic firearms, certain attachments, and the .50 caliber rifle. He is working closely with Chicago Mayor Richard Daley on the bill.

"These weapons fire bullets rapidly and can fire at multiple targets. In addition, the military-style features make these guns even more dangerous," according to Blagojevich.

It is becoming so obvious that gun-grabbers aren't even thinking about what they are saying - they're too busy concentrating on the regurgitation of lies and stale sound-bites.

Look at this: "These weapons fire bullets rapidly and can fire at multiple targets."

I've yet to find a reasonable weapon that fires bullets slowly. Or a weapon that fires bullets on its own, without someone firing it. It's hard to even conceive of a weapon that can only fire at one target. Maybe a one-use Stinger-type missile might just fit that description. Hardly common street weaponry.

As to the old "Military-style features" argument - I would love to hear them explain how a bayonet lug, on its own, can make any weapon more dangerous. Why not just ban the bayonet itself if they fear a rise in drive-by bayonetting? All the lug does is make the barrel a little heavier, making it incrementally more difficult to carry and maneuver.

Hopefully he won't get enough votes to pass these new restrictions, but it is Chicago.


 
Categories: Bill of Rights | Firearms | Politics

January 19, 2006
@ 12:38 PM

Titled:      This is the end...?

Ravenwood is considering throwing in the blogging towel:

That's why, after more than 44 months of official "weblogging", it is with great regret that I must walk away. I must take a vacation, at least for now. I know what you're thinking. He'll be back. It's too hard to stay away. Just like those that have quit before him, Ravenwood will eventually return. That may happen. But for now, I'm looking forward to the time off...
To all my loyal readers and friends, I say goodbye at least for now. I may be back eventually, but for now I really need a vacation.

Ravenwood is one of the blogs that became a daily staple for me and inspired me to give this blogging lark a go.

Have a good vacation Ravenwood, and come back refreshed. Please.


 
Categories: Blogs and Stuff

January 19, 2006
@ 07:34 AM

Titled:    Ted K's secret love child a secret no more


The National Enquirer splashes this week with a shocking story about Sen. Ted Kennedy’s secret love child with a Cape Cod woman whom the mag says he dated during his days as a swinging single.

According to the tabloid’s source, the boy, named Christopher, just celebrated his 21st birthday and is “mature enough to make his own choices about his background and biological father.”

A Kennedy family confidante told the Enquirer, “This is one of the biggest secrets in the Kennedy family and known to only a few people including Ted’s ex-wife, Joan.”
Allegedly, the split between Kennedy and Caroline Bilodeau, Christopher's mother, occured after an arguement over names for the unborn child. Caroline was outraged at Kennedy's suggestions, namely Bob, for a boy, or Bridgit, for a girl.

Miss Kopechne is still unavailable for comment.
 
Categories: Humor | Politics

January 18, 2006
@ 04:45 PM

Titled:      Michigan officials view anti-terror driver's license law as costly to taxpayers

 DETROIT - Newly obtained documents reveal that Michigan state officials are concerned that federal legislation called the Real ID Act will require extensive changes to existing practices at the Secretary of State Office, will be extremely difficult to implement by the Act's deadline and will carry heavy expenses that will have to be absorbed by Michigan taxpayers and license applicants. 

The Act, passed by Congress last spring, imposes federal regulations on the design, issuance and management of state driver's licenses - turning them, for all practical purposes, into federal identity papers. 

“Civil liberties groups, conservative groups, immigration groups - we've all been saying that Real ID will be a real disaster and needs to be revisited by Congress,” said Kary Moss, ACLU of Michigan executive director. 

“These documents indicate that Michigan officials - the people actually responsible for carrying out this ill-conceived law - also have serious problems with Real ID.”

The documents are part of a national survey of state motor vehicle officials' views and preparation for complying with Real ID that was conducted by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA).

What does Real ID mean for you?

Nothing at all unless you want to travel on an airplane, open a bank account, collect Social Security payments, or take advantage of nearly any government service.

Is this a national ID card? News.com answers:

It depends on whom you ask. Barry Steinhardt, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's technology and liberty program, says: "It's going to result in everyone, from the 7-Eleven store to the bank and airlines, demanding to see the ID card. They're going to scan it in. They're going to have all the data on it from the front of the card...It's going to be not just a national ID card but a national database."

At the moment, state driver's licenses aren't easy for bars, banks, airlines and so on to swipe through card readers because they're not uniform; some may have barcodes but no magnetic stripes, for instance, and some may lack both. Steinhardt predicts the federalized IDs will be a gold mine for government agencies and marketers. Also, he notes that the Supreme Court ruled last year that police can demand to see ID from law-abiding U.S. citizens.


 
Categories: Bill of Rights | Technology

January 18, 2006
@ 12:39 PM

Entertainmentwise.com carries a story on 50 Cent's new movie ‘Get Rich Or Die Tryin’.

50 Cent has defended his film ‘Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ saying that it condones gun crime and violence. The flick has received a lot of criticism for its apparent violent themes and the advertising poster which featured Fiddy holding two guns. But speaking to BBC six o’clock news, the rapper said: “No way was it in my head to capture a film that glorifies violence."

Meanwhile Ireland Online and most other media reports carry a different slant:

50 Cent says his film 'Get Rich Or Die Tryin' does not condone violence and gun crime. Speaking at the UK premiere of the film he said: "No way was it in my head to capture a film that glorifies violence."

Either Entertainmentwise.com senior editor Scott Colothan doesn't know what "condone" means or else 50 Cent accidently revealed his true feelings about gun crime and violence.


 
Categories: Firearms | Humor

January 18, 2006
@ 12:21 PM

Titled:      Winchester Rifle Plant Prepares to Close

U.S. Repeating Arms Co. Inc. said Tuesday it will close its Winchester firearm factory, threatening the future of a rifle that was once called "The Gun that Won the West."

"It's part of who we are as a nation just like it's part of who we are as a city," Mayor John DeStefano said.

The announcement touched off a lobbying effort by city officials and union leaders who hoped to find a buyer for the plant before it closes March 31. If no buyer comes forward, it could spell the end for nearly all commercially produced Winchesters, said Everett Corey, a representative of the International Association of Machinists District 26.

John Wayne would not be pleased.


 
Categories: Capitalism | Firearms

January 17, 2006
@ 02:38 PM

Titled:   Oh, what a dilemma...

Wizbang brings us an example of the nature of taxes and government. They're a little like hydrogen and water - when added togther you just get a lot of noise and steam. And once they're together, they're very hard to get apart:

Massachusetts finds itself on the horns of a rather tricky dilemma. Last September, the legislature voted to earmark $25 million to help house, feed, and take care of Hurricane Katrina refugees. It was a great gesture, showing that the Commonwealth can, occasionally, do the right thing.

But now they've found themselves in a slightly embarassing position. The refugees are pretty much all gone (I suspect that New Orleaners weren't capable of handling a New England winter on top of everything else), and the state finds itself having only spent about $6 million on their care. What should they do with the remaining $19 million?

Read the rest and lay your bets.


 
Categories: Politics | Tax and Spend

January 17, 2006
@ 09:52 AM

We are bloggers with boatloads of opinions, and none of us come close to agreeing with any other one of us all of the time. But we do agree on this: The new leadership in the House of Representatives needs to be thoroughly and transparently free of the taint of the Jack Abramoff scandals, and beyond that, of undue influence of K Street.

We are not naive about lobbying, and we know it can and has in fact advanced crucial issues and has often served to inform rather than simply influence Members.

But we are certain that the public is disgusted with excess and with privilege. We hope the Hastert-Dreier effort leads to sweeping reforms including the end of subsidized travel and other obvious influence operations. Just as importantly, we call for major changes to increase openness, transparency and accountability in Congressional operations and in the appropriations process.

As for the Republican leadership elections, we hope to see more candidates who will support these goals, and we therefore welcome the entry of Congressman John Shadegg to the race for Majority Leader. We hope every Congressman who is committed to ethical and transparent conduct supports a reform agenda and a reform candidate. And we hope all would-be members of the leadership make themselves available to new media to answer questions now and on a regular basis in the future.


Signed,

N.Z. Bear, The Truth Laid Bear
Hugh Hewitt, HughHewitt.com
Glenn Reynolds, Instapundit.com
Kevin Aylward, Wizbang!
La Shawn Barber, La Shawn Barber's Corner
Lorie Byrd / DJ Drummond , Polipundit
Beth Cleaver, MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy
Jeff Goldstein, Protein Wisdom
Stephen Green, Vodkapundit
John Hawkins, Right Wing News
John Hinderaker, Power Line
Jon Henke / McQ / Dale Franks, QandO
James Joyner, Outside The Beltway
Mike Krempasky, Redstate.org
Michelle Malkin, MichelleMalkin.com
Ed Morrissey, Captain's Quarters
Scott Ott, Scrappleface
The Anchoress, The Anchoress
John Donovan / Bill Tuttle, Castle Argghhh!!!

Yes, this looks like something that makes sense to me. Time for reform - Real Reform.

Count me in.


 
Categories: Blogs and Stuff | Politics

January 17, 2006
@ 08:40 AM

Sometimes an article comes along that is so blatant in its left-wing bias that they just have to be called on it:

Alito to Senate: Good judge has no agenda

Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito told senators Monday that good judges don't have an agenda, don't look for partisan outcomes and always "do what the law requires" as the Senate opened hearings on President Bush's choice for the high court. "A judge can't have any agenda. A judge can't have a preferred outcome in any particular case," Alito told the Judiciary Committee in a brief statement in which he made a distinction between judges and attorneys working for clients. His motive for shooting John Paul in the abdomen on May 13, 1981, remains unclear.


 
Categories: Humor | Misc

January 16, 2006
@ 05:38 PM

Titled:     Gold hits new highs



Has anyone else hitched themselves to the gold wagon? Vastly underpriced, underproduced, oversold and underappreciated, gold and silver are producing healthy returns. Disregarded as mere speculation, rather than investment, because it pays no interest, makes no profits and never IPOs, gold nevertheless has intrinsic value lacking in paper fiat money.

Usually gold and the dollar are inversely linked - when the dollar gets stronger, the price of gold drops. A little while back, that relationship was broken, and both the dollar and gold started to climb together. Why this is important is that when the dollar falls, gold will probably still rise.

China is pushing its citizens to buy gold. Russia has announced it will double its gold holdings. India's middle-class is sucking up gold like there was no more left. Even Germany, having spent many years trying to carefully sell its gold has announced it will start to buy again.

Unlike paper money you can't just make more when you need it. When Bernanke starts launching the helicopters of money, the value of the dollar will slide, leaving gold as the only sure hedge against inflation. The current plan for Iran to start a euro-denomiated oil bourse is yet another sign that the dollar's day as world currency is slipping.

It is well worth stashing away a few gold bullion coins, such as the gold eagle, and some silver, as a rainy day fund just in case the gubmint has a fit and the dollar goes pear-shaped.

Of course please do you own due diligence. One useful starting place is the Mogambo Guru, probably the most amusing financial columnist on the planet.
 
Categories: Capitalism | Misc

January 15, 2006
@ 02:48 PM

I always find these amusing - the terms people visiting the site used in search engines to find us. Over the last couple of weeks, the following search terms have appeared in the logs:

  • iranian girlfriend
  • 3d picture porn
  • funny blog red*
  • bait and switch ccw dodge city
  • the tactics of public relations
  • Rep. Tom Casperson shoot to kill
  • Fire Tune
  • Promote general welfare
  • "how can I get a gun silencer in England UK"

And my favorite so far:
  • define frivolous

 
Categories: Blogs and Stuff | Humor

January 15, 2006
@ 02:35 PM

Titled:    Relatives of land donor want gun club site used as public park

ELK RAPIDS TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — Grandchildren of a woman who died in 1948 and donated her land to the township for a public use want to evict a gun club that has been on the site for more than 50 years.

The grandchildren of Mina Wilcox want the land used by the Elk Rapids Sportsman's Club converted to a public park. But local officials are worried about who might pay for likely lead contamination at the Antrim County site.

Officials haven't yet done an environmental assessment, but it is practically inevitable that the property is laced with significant amounts of lead, township supervisor Bill White said.
Read the rest at mLive.com and support the club at www.ersc.org

Update: The Record-Eagle reports the township has paid over $71,000 in legal fees to protect the club.
 
Categories: Firearms

January 15, 2006
@ 02:12 PM
Titled:   Kidnapped British reporter freed by chance in Iraq


Phil Sands seems to lead a charmed life. The British freelance journo was found by accident on New Year's Eve having been captured by Iraqi gunmen for five days who threatened to behead him in their usual inimitable way.

The story is reported by Al Jazeera Reuters and as usual fails to really do any homework at all and just spews out the usual anti-US bile. Use of a little-known internet tool named Google turned up that Phil Sands has been in trouble before - as a human shield in Iraq trying to prevent the same US that rescued him from doing its job.

Still, Mr. Sands is troubled by the conflicting goals and propaganda. "In all our rooms, there is a picture of the great man [Saddam Hussein] - we sleep under him," says Sands, whose cot is in spartan staff residence house No. 37, at the Doura Oil refinery on the southern outskirts of Baghdad. Painted on the front patio in large letters are the words: "We are here."

Of course no good deed goes unpunished and within two weeks he appears in Peace News being expelled from Iraq as a security risk.

In his most recent adventure, he was apparently abducted the day after Christmas, and nobody noticed.

In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Sands recalled thinking during his ordeal: "I'm dead. From this moment on, I'm dead."

Until the US troops found him blindfolded and handcuffed in a chance raid, whereupon he momentarily forgot which side he was on and convinced them he was a "friendly".

I'm yet to be convinced that he was taken against his will, as seems to have been the case so often with captured anti-US journos who are released later unharmed. Maybe its just that I have yet to see Mr. Sands utter one word of thanks for the US troops that rescued him in any of the news reports so far.

There is probably more to come. The Observer reports:

Sands, from Poole, Dorset, has been to Iraq 10 times since February 2003, sometimes for three-month spells...

...Sands's parents, David and Jackie, were in a state of blissful ignorance throughout, as were the authorities. They spoke to their son on Christmas Day, then went on holiday [to Morocco]. David said last night: 'We were fortunate that we didn't go through the nail-biting anxiety of knowing he was missing. I feel fairly philosophical about it, and so does my wife. He loves that place and I'm sure he'll be going back.'

 
Categories: Misc

January 14, 2006
@ 04:51 PM

Titled:   Fla. Eighth-Grader Shot by Deputies Dies

No, not the Pink Pistols, the homosexual concealed carry group (Armed Gays Don't Get Bashed). This story is about the passing of the Florida teen that committed suicide by cop this week. Much is being made across the MSM that the police should be able to distinguish between a pellet-gun and a regular pistol. Of course this usually happens in a split second - pointing anything at a stressed cop with a gun is never a good idea, even if it turns out to be a wallet, as in the case of Amadou Diallo.

"Toy" pistols are supposed to have an orange tip to mark them apart from their more dangerous counterparts. Many retailers carry a warning such as:
Removal of any warning stickers or any protective markings, such as the 10 mm blaze orange tip will violate federal law and store warranty. Furthermore, federal law states that the use of any look-alike, toy gun in a crime carries the full ramifications of a real firearm.
In the case of the Florida teen:
At a news conference following the shooting Friday at suburban Orlando's Milwee Middle School, authorities put the pellet gun side-by-side with a Beretta. It appeared to have black paint covering the red or pink markings on the muzzle that may have indicated to officers that it was a nonlethal weapon.
Newsgroups still carry advice on removing the colored tip. In a recent article I pointed to a piece on guns of peculiar colors.
I wonder if it is illegal to color the tip of a real weapon orange? After all, the politicians would have us believe that only black guns are dangerous. I would imagine enterprising bank robbers will soon be sporting orange-tipped weapons to give them a few seconds edge on the police and concealed license holders. If they're willing to rob a bank armed, what makes you think they won't apply some orange paint?

Another couple of lines stood out:
"As you can see, it doesn't take a professional to see how close this looks to the real thing. I would not be able to tell the difference,'' said Joyce Dawley, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement special agent in charge of the investigation.
Thus maybe proving she is not a professional, and at least mildly incompetent, despite being a Florida Department of Law Enforcement special agent.

And another:
Patrick Lafferty, a 15-year-old neighbor who has known Penley about six years, said he wasn't surprised by what happened. He said Penley was a loner who "told me he wanted to kill himself dozens of times.''
I would have thought that killing yourself once would be enough, but maybe his Mom told him to aim high.
 
Categories: Firearms | Law and Order

January 14, 2006
@ 10:35 AM

Titled:    Stem cell experts seek rabbit-human embryo

British scientists are seeking permission to create hybrid embryos in the lab by fusing human cells with rabbit eggs. If granted consent, the team will use the embryos to produce stem cells that carry genetic defects, in the hope that studying them will help understand the complex mechanisms behind incurable human diseases.
They are having enough trouble with basic rights for humans and now they want to create rabbit-humans? What new rights will be demanded?  Equal opportunity at work?  The pursuit of life, liberty and carrots?

 


 
Categories: Bill of Rights | Humor | Technology

January 13, 2006
@ 04:20 PM

Titled:    Why gun bans don't work … and what to do

James A. Swann discusses why gun bans often have the opposite effect and what to do about it. A good read, but for me, the most interesting part comes at the end:

At the upcoming Safari Club convention in Reno, Nev., I'll be chairing a panel of folks from Hollywood who shoot and hunt and want to do something about the negative media spin on hunters and guns. They will have proposals for movies, TV series, contests, promotional ventures and more.

If you can't get to Reno, stay tuned, and in February I'll tell you what kind of media magic the pros want to conjure up to ban the bans.

Anything pro-gun from Hollywood would be welcome.


 
Categories: Firearms | Misc

Titled:    Councilor: Make handguns with GPS tracking chip

Via Wizbang comes a story of a crazy gun-grabbing councilor, so bent on gun control that he wants gun manufacturers to include GPS tracking devices in every new firearm. Mentioning Boston’s adoption of GPS-enabled school buses and snowplows as an example, his call ignores the reality of criminally-held firearms. Apart from almost doubling the weight, I can't imagine an entirely tamper-proof GPS system surviving for more than a few minutes. Even leaving it sitting around for a few days until the batteries are flat would work around that one.

The original story from the Boston Herald quotes:

The city councilor picked Smith & Wesson because it’s a Massachusetts-based company. “I’m calling on them to step up to the plate,” he said. The company has yet to respond.

Sure, if they want to lose a large portion of their customers. The police add to the rosy picture:

As for the GPS idea, police said they “support any type of gun control.”

Wouldn't it be cheaper just to force manufacturers to paint each firearm pink, and have it play "Kumbaya" over and over?


 
Categories: Bill of Rights | Firearms | Technology

January 12, 2006
@ 01:55 PM

Titled:   Have you a licence for that opinion, sir?

Samizdata brings us news of what happens in a society that places no value on free speech:

The clampdown on disrespect continues. Sir Iqbal Sacranie is under police investigation. The putative crime, a public order offence, disorderly conduct: behaviour likely to cause alarm, harrassment or distress contrary to the Public Order Act 1986.

So, has Sir Iqbal been staggering aggressively around a shopping centre waving his fist at passers-by? Has he been picketing a building yelling threats at workers? Has he been hanging around on a street corner with his legal director and PR man, holding open bottles of cheap cider and throwing traffic cones at one another?

No. Sir Iqbal is a genial, if quite intense, man. He's been doing the sort of thing he got knighted for.

The alleged offense took place in the course of a serious discussion of his religious beliefs on Radio 4. He reportedly said that homosexual behaviour is not acceptable on moral or health grounds, and that civil partnerships therefore were not acceptable either. Some people were offended by this "homophobia" and complained to the police.

Under these rules, you could probably arrest anyone you wanted. They seem to be speeding up the process too: another Muslim, Mr Abu Hamster Hamza, incited hate for nearly a decade before they decided to do anything about him.


 
Categories:

January 11, 2006
@ 09:49 PM

Titled: Mouse Thrown Into Fire Sets Home Ablaze



 

This story caught my eye as it ran its way around the blogosphere. In case you didn't catch it, a mouse got instant revenge against a homeowner who tried to dispose of it in a pile of burning leaves. The blazing creature ran back to the man's house and burnt it down.

In all the versions I found so far, no-one seems to question the actions of the homeowner for disposing of a live mouse on a burning leaf-pile. Before you think I'm a member of People Eating Tasty Animals PETA, I have nothing against the destruction of pests in a reasonably humane manner and am an active advocate of hunting. Why he didn't just whap it with a shovel rather than set it on fire, I'll probably never know.

Methods aside, the little critter did a great job reducing the guy's home to ashes.

 
Categories: Misc

January 11, 2006
@ 08:37 PM

Titled:    From North of the Border

mAssBackwards brings us good news from the state of New Hampshire:

House Bill 1639-FN, prohibits the confiscation of lawfully owned and lawfully carried firearms during a state of emergency, making a felon of any law enforcement officer who attempts to seize such a firearm during a disaster.

After the Katrina debacle, someone with common sense has realized that having firearms in the hands of law-abiding citizens during an emergency can be a useful thing.

If only we can now get that introduced in every state.
 
Categories: Bill of Rights | Firearms | Law and Order

January 10, 2006
@ 12:28 PM

Titled: Assembly Bills Target Gun Violence

New York gives notice that it intends to commit suicide deepen its problems in this article outlining new proposed gun ban control laws.

Cracking Down on Illegal Street Gun Trafficking
The bill, sponsored by Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D-Scarsdale), requires stringent recordkeeping and reporting to prevent gun sales to criminals. Additionally, under terms of the legislation, gun dealers must implement a security plan, require employee training and prohibit minor's access to guns.

Besides the fact that selling guns to criminals is already a crime, records are already kept and the FBI is consulted on every dealer sale, this is just futher harassment of dealers and owners. I can't imagine a gun dealer that doesn't already have a security plan, training and access policies. 

Banning Armor Piercing Ammunition
This measure, sponsored by Assemblyman David Koon seeks to rid New York streets of deadly armor piercing ammunition and ammunition that is designed to fragment or explode upon impact.

Most rifle ammunition pierces the type of armor issued to the police. Fragmenting ammunition is a safety feature designed to avoid pass-through injuries to bystanders and explosive ammunition is already strictly regulated.

Tracking Guns Involved In Crimes
Another bill included in the package would require law enforcement personnel to submit ballistic information to the new State Police Ballistic Identification Databank whenever spent bullets, shell casings or guns come into their possession.

And what a success all the other databases have been! Even country wide systems like Canada has have been huge, expensive failures, reducing funding for more traditional and effective policing.

Keeping Guns Out of the Hands of Violent Felons
Another bill would eliminate a loophole that allows a convicted violent felon to obtain a firearms license and possess a gun after being granted a legal waiver.

This should be a question for the issuer of the waivers, who should set fair policy, not a blanket law that allows no exceptions.

The Children's Weapon Accident Prevention Act
This legislation, sponsored by Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg (D-Long Beach), seeks to protect children from accidental shootings. Five new categories of crime would be created under the bill's provisions for negligent storage of a weapon.

Lock 'em up, unloaded, with the ammo stored elsewhere to avoid fines and jail time. Making self-defense weapons all but useless. Nothing like trying to unlock a gun, find the ammo, load and aim while someone is threatening you and your family.

Childproofing Firearms
This bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-East Setauket), would seek to reduce child-related shootings, particularly those tragedies of children shooting children. This bill would make it a Class A misdemeanor to sell guns without childproof features. Covered under provisions of the bill are pistols or revolvers manufactured 12 or more months after the effective date of the bill. Design features could include making the weapon more difficult to fire by adjusting the trigger resistance of the gun to at least a 10-pound pull, altering the firing mechanism so that an average five-year-old child's hand would be too small to operate the gun or to require a series of multiple motions in order to fire the gun.

10 pound trigger pulls make for lousy handguns, increasing the risk of badly-aimed shooting. This law is aiming to make guns more expensive, more difficult to use under stress and is a roundabout way of forcing manufacturers to make firearms just for New York or lose the right to sell there. With over 200 million firearms in circulation already in the US this is just another step onto the slippery slope of a total national ban.

Stopping Assault Weapons
This legislation, sponsored by Assemblyman John Lavelle (D-Staten Island), would ban assault weapons. Seeking to address the void when President Bush and Congress allowed the federal assault weapon ban to expire, the Assembly proposal would expand the definition of assault weapon to prohibit more of these deadly guns in New York - including guns that have been modified to work like assault weapons.

Under the gun-grabbers definition of "assault weapons", this would cover just about any semi-automatic firearm.

Banning 50-Caliber Weapons
Another proposal, sponsored by Assemblywoman Patricia Eddington (D-Patchogue), would ban 50-caliber sniper weapons, which can be used to disable commercial aircraft and helicopters and are powerful enough to penetrate steel plating.

Another law attempting to follow The Peoples Republic of California. Our right is to have military grade weapons, not sporting arms. The 2nd is NOT about hunting. 

Domestic Violence
Sponsored by Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell (D-Manhattan), this measure seeks to protect victims of domestic violence by requiring criminal or family court judges to inquire about the existence and location of firearms owned or possessed by a defendant when an order of protection is sought.

Pick a crazy partner who thinks a piece of paper is going to protect them and your rights are gone forever. Not only will the court take away these rights, it will now be forced in enquire about the locations of all weapons in your possession. 

 

Oh, how deluded these lawmakers prove themselves to be over and over again. I know I'm undoubtably preaching to the choir here, but laws do not affect criminals. That is why they are called criminals. Laws only affect victims, making more of them and making their right to a peaceful and safe life more difficult.

One argument is to allow the states to pass whatever they want and then see where the people move to as the cities decay into chaos. Unfortunately while we can use information to choose a place to live, once you are there, it is a significant burden to uproot and escape the madness. Once one state starts to impinge on our rights, the others often follow. 

Please do whatever you can to stop the madness now, before it is too late.


 
Categories: Bill of Rights | Firearms | Law and Order

January 9, 2006
@ 04:53 PM

Titled:   Sen. Kennedy to Publish Children's Book

The rolling train wreck of comedy that is Swimmer Senator Kennedy continues his journey into the annals of comedic irony this week with the launch of his new childrens book "My Senator and Me: A Dogs-Eye View of Washington, D.C."

And what do we learn from Ol' Flipper this time? That he has a dog named "Splash".

This is the same Senator quoted in the aftemath of hurricane Katrina:

"What the American people have seen is this incredible disparity in which those people who had cars and money got out and those people who were impoverished died."

Does he actually know what he is doing?


 
Categories: Misc | Politics

January 9, 2006
@ 11:43 AM

Titled:   The End of Blogs?

Say Uncle reports on what may be the end of blogs as we know it. Aparently on January 5th 2006 H.R. 3402, the “Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005″ outlawed any anonymous comment on a blog that "annoys" another party.

According to CNET News.com:

Buried deep in the new law is Sec. 113, an innocuously titled bit called "Preventing Cyberstalking." It rewrites existing telephone harassment law to prohibit anyone from using the Internet "without disclosing his identity and with intent to annoy."

Because the penalty is up to two years, that is enough to ensure you would lose your Second Ammendment rights too.

The word "annoys" is clearly a problem too, being so vague and not specifying even a reasonable level of actual harm and distress.

It looks as if the Right to not be Annoyed has trumped at least the First and Second Ammendments.


 
January 9, 2006
@ 11:14 AM

Titled:   No ID card? Hand over £2,500 then!

Samizdata highlights the slippery slope of liberty infringement in the UK. First there is floated the idea of a voluntary card for security purposes, with public consultation. Then despite an overwhelming outcry, the project gets moved ahead anyway, with assurances that no-one will be forced to have one. Then the cost comes in: about $150 per card. Which will now be required if you want Government "Services". Then local government is given sweeping new powers to heavily fine people if they don't have one when their homes are searched. Full story here.


 
Categories: Bill of Rights

January 9, 2006
@ 09:22 AM

Titled: N.Y. Times Editor-Reporter Dies After Attack in NW

It is often said a liberal is a conservative who hasn't been mugged yet. Often, this violent and unexpected shock is enough for people to open their minds a little and consider options previously considered out-of-bounds. In the above story, David E. Rosenbaum was killed and robbed near his home in Washington D.C., a city with a blanket gun ban in place, despite constitutional protections. And the local people's reaction?

"We have very small children. We'll have our guard up even more, use our alarms more religiously," Bass said.

Yup - that will do it. Just like those appalling ADT commercials on TV, where the guy in black breaks open the back door, the alarm sounds and the family huddles hopelessly together awaiting the call from the montoring center. "Are you OK? Help is on its way." I'd just like them to show what happens in the intervening 15 minutes. Or an alternative version, where the family replies "Yes we're fine, but we need someone to come take the body away."

So citizens of D.C., set your alarms. Especially the ones you use when walking around in that oh-so-safe city of yours?


 
Categories: Firearms | Law and Order

January 7, 2006
@ 06:27 PM

Titled: Gun Control: The Promotion of Denial

Have you ever asked yourself: Why, when evidence overwhelmingly shows gun banners are wrong, do they persist in making outrageous claims about law-abiding gun owners? There may finally be an answer, so read on.

“Protecting your proverbial castle would not only include your home, but also your car and any place you are legally allowed to be. "It would decriminalize the use of deadly force or lethal force in self-protection circumstances," said Wayne Groth – a supporter of [Michigan] state House Bill 5142 and House Bill 5143.”

“There is no reason to pass a law that sends a signal to the most aggressive people in society that they can act more aggressively than they can now,” said Peter Hamm, Communications Director for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence

Michigan House Bill 5142 would allow the use of “deadly force” without first trying to retreat if a law-abiding gun owner is attacked in their home or on their surrounding land. House Bill 5143 goes further by stating that the defender does not have a duty to retreat and is also free from prosecution and civil action if their actions are found to be lawful. Such defense would be allowable in a “dwelling, residence, or occupied vehicle.” This bill also mentions conditions under which the use of deadly force is not acceptable. For instance, in the case of simple trespass, the defender may not use deadly force. Thus, the law-abiding gun owner or Right-to-Carry licensee is responsible to understand and follow the law or suffer terrible consequences, which is simply a continuation of current law.

As to Mr. Hamm’s implication that gun owners are “the most aggressive people in society,” we should at least try to determine if Michigan RTC licensees make the state more violent. After all, Oxford English Dictionary defines aggressive as: “ready or likely to attack or confront.” Therefore, there should be some statistical record to show that violent attacks or confrontations increased after Michigan enacted its RTC law in 2001. Instead, what we find is that from 2001 through 2004, Michigan’s homicide, robbery, and assault rates dropped more than the national average.

Michigan Vs. U.S. Violent Crime, 2001-2004
  Violence Homicide Rape Robbery Assault
Michigan -10.0% -4.5% +2.8% -13.6% -13.1%
U.S. -7.7% -1.8% +1.3% -7.9% -8.6%

Read the rest at the Chron Watch Blog


 
Categories: Bill of Rights

January 7, 2006
@ 05:58 PM

Titled:    Americans Okay With Current Balance Between National Security and Individual Liberty

Americans are generally comfortable with the current balance between national security concerns and individual liberties. Nearly a third of the respondents in a Rasmussen Reports survey (32%) say that our legal system worries too much about individual rights at the expense of national security. A similar number (29%) say there is too much concern for national security at the expense of individual liberties. Twenty-seven percent (27%) say that the current balance is about right.

So about a third are happy, and two thirds are unhappy. And this makes the current situation OK? I don't think that is what the results say. To me, it shows a broadly divided opinion, in which the views spread from the far laft to the far right, resulting in the mean and median being near the center. "Americans Broadly Divided Over Current Balance Between National Security and Individual Liberty" is nearer the mark. Mind, I'm not a polling expert like Rasmussen, so believe who you like, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once.

Posted by Dave the hyphenated American


 
Categories: Bill of Rights | Laissez faire

January 6, 2006
@ 07:46 PM

Titled: Your phone records are for sale

The Chicago Police Department is warning officers their cell phone records are available to anyone -- for a price. Dozens of online services are selling lists of cell phone calls, raising security concerns among law enforcement and privacy experts.

Criminals can use such records to expose a government informant who regularly calls a law enforcement official.

Suspicious spouses can see if their husband or wife is calling a certain someone a bit too often.

And employers can check whether a worker is regularly calling a psychologist -- or a competing company.

Some online services might be skirting the law to obtain these phone lists, according to Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), who has called for legislation to criminalize phone record theft and use.

Yea but Bush did it first!!!


 
Categories: Misc

January 6, 2006
@ 10:35 AM

You know you've hit the big time when your blog gets recognized in the "The Truth Laid Bear Ecosystem".

The Liberty1st blog has reached a ranking of #17880 making us a Multicellular Microorganism.

Thanks to all readers, linkers and commenters for helping us reach a level at which we can at least probably move, even if intelligent thought is a few steps away.


 
Categories: Blogs and Stuff

January 6, 2006
@ 10:25 AM

Titled: New Disclosure Rules Expose NEA's Millions to 'Left-Wing' Causes

A union watchdog group says a new disclosure report confirms that the nation's largest teachers union, the National Education Association (NEA), is heavily involved in the wider liberal political movement and the Democratic Party.

Earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal reported that the NEA gave $65 million last year to liberal groups such as People for the American Way, the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), and the Human Rights Campaign, which is the largest pro-homosexual lobby in the U.S.

In the past, unions with at least one private sector member have had to report their costs and expenses, but they have been able to lump them into large categories such as contributions, gifts, and grants. But now, under new federal rules, the NEA must detail where all its grants have gone, down to $5,000.

Just in case you thought the public education system was well balanced.


 
Categories: Politics

January 6, 2006
@ 10:13 AM

Ravenwood links to a brief four minute video demostrating the difference between so-called "assault weapons" and sporting rifles. On view are an AR-15, M1 Garand and an SKS, as well as a brief discussion on ball and expanding bullets. Well worth a look, if only for the confused and suprised look on the face of the interviewer.


 
Categories: Misc

January 6, 2006
@ 09:53 AM

At the risk of ruining whatever reputation I might still have, Say Uncle has the best blond joke ever!


 
Categories: Blogs and Stuff | Misc

January 5, 2006
@ 10:44 AM
With cities and communities across the country considering new taxes revenue raising methods to solve congestion problems, they often quote the success of London which introduced a Congestion Charge of approximately $13 a day to drive in the city. London was not the first to charge, but is the largest city to do so, so far.

Two hundred and thirty cameras video roads in the zone. There are also a number of mobile camera units which may be deployed anywhere in the zone. It is estimated that around 98% of vehicles moving within the zone are caught on camera. The video streams are transmitted to a data centre where  Automatic license plate recognition software detects the registration plate of the vehicle. Fines follow quickly if fees are not paid on time.

One side effect has been the increased incidence of license-plate theft - so much that police forces have started to record it as a separate crime. The cloned vehicles are then also used to beat not only the Congestion Charge but also speed and traffic enforcement cameras and petrol station security.

Last year, in the 26 UK police forces that now record the crime, there were 14,176 confirmed thefts of license plates. Latest figures show that losses to petrol station owners from drive-offs, in which cars often had cloned license plates, has risen 4.3 per cent to almost $22 million.

Many people accused by the police of fee-dodging and such crimes are now using the "It must have been stolen" defense, claimimg that they too must have been a victim.

Tales of cloned license plate woe include:
· A 62-year-old woman who was accused of speeding, illegal parking, and for driving away from a petrol station without paying;
· A London businessman who picked up nearly $9,000 in traffic offence penalties, including illegal parking and driving in a bus lane;
· A man who travels into London by train who was hit with bills totalling $13,000 for congestion charge and speeding offences. The car cloned with his vehicle’s license plate entered the charge zone at least 28 times.
Coupled with recently announced systems to track every vehicle in the country, the UK is beginning to learn that such systems rely on the public following the rules.

I wonder how easy Mr. & Mrs. America would accept such systems and how long they would last. 

(Hat-tip to Samizdata for the story idea)

 
Categories: Law and Order | Tax and Spend | Technology

January 4, 2006
@ 04:12 PM

Titled: It's the Demography, Stupid

Another excellent column by Mark Steyn on the impact of falling Westen birth rates and the impact this will have on the western way of life. Some quotes:

Much of what we loosely call the Western world will not survive this century, and much of it will effectively disappear within our lifetimes, including many if not most Western European countries...

If anything, the West is awash in an epidemic of self-hate crimes. A commenter on Tim Blair's Web site in Australia summed it up in a note-perfect parody of a Guardian headline: "Muslim Community Leaders Warn of Backlash from Tomorrow Morning's Terrorist Attack." Those community leaders have the measure of us.

That's the wonderful thing about multiculturalism: You can choose which side of the war you want to fight on. When the draft card arrives, just tick "home team" or "enemy," according to taste.

In National Review recently, I took issue with that line Gerald Ford always uses to ingratiate himself with conservative audiences: "A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take away everything you have." Actually, you run into trouble long before that point: A government big enough to give you everything you want still isn't big enough to get you to give anything back. That's what the French and German political classes are discovering.

In the 2004 election, John Kerry won the 16 with the lowest birthrates; George W. Bush took 25 of the 26 states with the highest. By 2050, there will be 100 million fewer Europeans, 100 million more Americans--and mostly red-state Americans.

Well worth the time to read.


 
Categories: Capitalism | Misc

January 4, 2006
@ 12:48 PM

Titled: When Being Pro-America Makes You Anti-Democrat!

Every now and then you come across a well-reasoned and well-crafted piece that just seems to fit the way you think. You read through it, nodding as you go, excitedly waiting for the conclusion and for the words to sink in. Then, having digested the message, you sit back and a profound sense of sadness comes over you. Why didn't I write that? It says what I think. It captures how I feel right now. But then I realize that I don't need to write it. All I need to do is find it, and help it find its way to a larger audience, to ensure that it isn't lost among the flotsam of the blog world.

Here is an excerpt:

Free unfettered self-determination, through personal (including economic) liberty, a free market capitalist economy, freedom OF religion, freedom OF speech, freedom OF thought and expression, the right to fail or succeed at one’s own hand, the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, the right to one’s own earnings, the right to a safe secure nation, to raise our children as we see fit and the right to self-governance accordingly, these are the fundamental principles America was founded and built upon.

 

The simple fact is, most Americans are not anti-religion or religious speech, not anti-capitalism or free market society, not anti-military or national security, not federal dependents and not interested in relying upon any commune to raise their young or determine their place or worth in society. Today, this also means that they are not Democrats…

 

Though Democrats bristle at any suggestion that they are in any way anti-American, the fact is, their agenda is at odds with nearly every American principle today and average people able to see that, just can’t get over it, no matter how bad the alternatives might appear.

 

Read the rest here, then come back and leave a comment or two.


 
Categories: Bill of Rights | Politics

January 4, 2006
@ 11:37 AM

Titled: Twisting saga of one man's motorbike (minor registration required)

In this cautionary tale, the theft of a motorcycle and an offer to help the police apprehend the thief leads to disaster. This is a classic case of a citizen trying to help, only to get ensnared in the clutches of bureaucratic red tape. Again, we see how the unintended consequences of policy meant to help has led to disaster for Joe Public, involving ever-increasing fees, the police, the court system and city hall. So far, the only winner seems to be the towing company although the final verdict is still to come in.


 
Categories: Law and Order

Titled: AG Sprays Machine Gun Opinion (registration required)

Anyone who lawfully — key word being lawfully — owned a federally registered machine gun on or before May 19, 1986, can keep the gun and transfer it if the transfer is approved by the U.S. Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Attorney General Mike COX issued his opinion about the possession and transfer of federally registered machine guns in response to a request Rep. Leon DROLET (R-Clinton Twp.).

Mike SESSA Jr., who lives in Harrison Township and has worked with Drolet since the early 1990s to advocate for Second Amendment rights, sent the request to Drolet.

There was some confusion as to whether a license was needed to obtain the gun. The question was whether the document that has to be filled out in order to get a license is actually considered a "license." According to the Cox opinion, the document is enough to qualify as a license because it follows all federal guidelines.

Anyone who doesn't meet the requirements and fill out the documents but possesses a machine gun can go to jail under state and federal law.

So now you know


 
Categories: Law and Order

January 2, 2006
@ 08:56 PM

Titled: Lansing prepares for stand your ground' bill - Part 1

After the law (concealed carry) was passed, many people had concerns of out-of-control violent crime, and western style gunfights in the streets.

That didn't happen, and, according to the 2003 Michigan Uniform Crime Report, Michigan experienced a 10 percent drop in violent crime between 1999 - a year before the CCW law was passed - and 2003.

For now, an individual can still be held responsible for taking a life, no matter what pretenses surround the death. The people who received a CPL know this and have serious concerns about the price that they would pay if forced to defend themselves or their family.

"I could be perfectly justified in what I've done," said Rick Hansen, co-owner of Silver Bullet Firearms, located at 5121 S. Division Ave. "And Kent County could burn me on a criminal trial which could cost as much as $50,000 in lawyer fees, even if I'm not convicted."

"Then a year and half down the road, say a relative comes up to me Are you Rick Hansen?' And because some kid strung out on drugs came into my home, and I defended myself, I could be sued in a civil trial, which could cost another $50,000," Hansen said.

A bill introduced to the State House Judiciary Committee, HB 5143, would exonerate an individual from criminal and civil charges if a shooting meets the bill's definition of self-defense.

Titled: Lansing prepares for stand your ground' bill - Part 2

Because violent crime rates continue to decrease in Michigan, coinciding with the CCW law passed in 2000, it is hard for the pro-gun community to understand the concerns gun-control advocates still harbor.

Lt. Ralph Mason, public information officer for the Grand Rapids Police Department, hasn't seen any of his initial concerns about the CCW law come to fruition.

"We really haven't had the problems that some people thought we would. I'm still not in favor of it. But I personally thought we would have a significant problem," Mason said.

A decrease in violent crime doesn't mean people are ready to loosen gun laws, according to Shikha Hamilton, state president of the Michigan Million Mom March, a chapter of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

"Unless gun bills relate to hunting, generally the general public doesn't support it. We don't take an anti-gun stance. This is just an unreasonable bill," Hamilton said.

"That is the biggest challenge working in Michigan," Hamilton said. "When you have the legislature falling in line with the gun lobby and not representing their constituents."

A bill introduced to the State House Judiciary Committee, HB 5143, would exonerate an individual from criminal and civil charges if a shooting meets the bill's definition of self-defense.


 
Categories: Bill of Rights

January 2, 2006
@ 05:39 PM

Just in case you missed the latest occurence of government intrusion into the lives of everyday folk, Kipper at xrlq.com has a round up of California's new laws that came into effect this week.

Highlights include the perforation of minors and pre-movie safety demonstrations.

AP carries a more complete list, sans the witty remarks
 
Categories: Law and Order

January 2, 2006
@ 05:07 PM

Most of you are aware of the BBC, the British Broadcasting Corporation. Something you may not be aware of is its policy of "impartiality" in reporting. By this I mean that both sides of an argument are given equal weighting, despite any moral or ethical imbalance implicit in the first place. With asymetrical warfare, such as terrorists against the US forces, this results in news articles that refuse to acknowledge right and wrong, all in the name of good journalism.

Take, for example, today's report: Two killed as Israel strikes car.

At first glance, this sounds like Israel has just murdered two random, innocent people on their way to a community picnic. It is not until the ninth paragraph that we are informed that the occupants were a local commander of the Islamic Jihad organization, and his lieutenant, both dressed in military fatigues.

I am not trying to address the rights and wrongs of the israeli / arab conflict here, just illustrating the way the BBC has of  distorting the coverage through editorial policy.


 
Categories: Misc

Titled: Martin backs effort to keep gun-crime suspects in jail; race tightens

Martin agreed to support "reverse onus" bail conditions, which would require those accused of gun crimes to demonstrate why they should be released. The promise was part of a pledge during a Saturday phone call to Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and Toronto Mayor David Miller, who have vowed to end the gun violence that most recently claimed the life of a 15-year-old Toronto girl...

...Reid acknowledged that the reverse onus provision will require justification under the Charter of Rights, but the Liberals believe the courts will recognize that "the importance of protecting citizens against gun violence is paramount."

Canada seems bent on blaming the US for their current violence, rather than addressing their own drug and gang problems. Now, in addition to calling on a handgun ban, they plan to detain suspects until they can prove they are not a threat to society. This obviously runs afoul of the current habeas corpus provisions contained in the Canadian Charter. Yet the Liberals believe this is justified for the good of the people. While being tough on criminals is a standard plank of libertarian policy, this seems to be so far off base to be crazy. Does this really carry such an appeal to the Canadian electorate to help them win?

Dave the hyphenated American

 
Categories: Bill of Rights | Law and Order