Oops: One of you e-mailed me about David Codrea's blog item regarding the upcoming YouTube Republican Debate. I inadvertently deleted that e-mail before I had the chance to download it to my home computer for response. If you wish to discuss it, please e-mail me again. I do recall a question about Codrea's background; I know little more than what he has posted in his profile at http://www.blogger.com/profile/13836716551269849012. --- Claims Of "Huge" Anti-Gun Protests Were Lies: A Brady Campaign news release headline claiming that "huge" crowds turned out across America for anti-gun protests on Tuesday was both false and misleading, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said this morning. The news release went out over the national PR Newswire service Tuesday evening at 9:56 p.m., Eastern Time. http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,169172.shtml --- US Forest Service Corrects Shooting Policy: Two years after The New Gun Week - a publication owned by the Second Amendment Foundation - revealed that U.S. Forest Service personnel were incorrectly using an obscure regulation to prohibit recreational shooting near forest roads, the agency has issued a memorandum correcting the error, the SAF has learned. http://www.saf.org/viewpr-new.asp?id=239 --- More On Virginia Open-Carry Fight: More than 100 gun-rights advocates, most carrying handguns on their hips and wearing buttons saying "Guns Save Lives," came to the City Council on Tuesday night to protest what they called harassment of law-abiding gun owners by city officials. The protest was called by the Virginia Citizens Defense League, a gun-rights group, after Chet Szymecki of Yorktown was arrested in June at Harborfest for carrying a gun. (I believe that concealed carry is generally more sound tactically for the private citizen. However, it is important to defend open carry, particularly where it is the only legal option for those who have not obtained a concealed-carry permit. One list member has found that open carry is a wise tactical option while riding his motorcycle as he has seen it discourage both an attempted robbery of his bike and an attempt to run him off a road.) http://media.hamptonroads.com/media/content/pilotonline/2007/08/gunmeeting.html --- The Virginia Tech Two-Step: ...The report speculates - and I DO mean SPECULATES - that if "numerous people had been rushing around with handguns outside Norris Hall on the morning of April 16, the possibility of accidental or mistaken shootings would have increased significantly." Of course, there's no actual evidence that any accidental or mistaken shooting would have taken place. After all, there was only ONE obvious target - the one holding guns and shooting at students. And chances are, had anyone in those classrooms actually had a firearm as Cho was shooting random students, they would have had a fighting chance - certainly a better chance than without. http://libertyzone.blogspot.com/2007/08/va-tech-panel-report.html From Investor's Business Daily: ...Of the inaction between the first two deaths and the rest of the killings, the report said: "There does not seem to be a plausible scenario of a university response to the double homicide that could have prevented the tragedy of considerable magnitude on April 16." Actually there was a university action that made the tragedy possible, if not inevitable, the repeal of which could prevent another such tragedy from occurring. Left out of both reports was the university's decision to make itself a gun-free zone - at least for the prey, if not the predators. And VT officials wanted it that way. http://www.investors.com/editorial/editorialcontent.asp?secid=1501&status=article&id=273365811948314 Meanwhile, From The Brady Bunch...: National and Virginia-based gun violence prevention groups applaud Governor Tim Kaine and the Virginia Tech Review Panel for forthrightly addressing the role of federal and state gun laws in the April 16 mass shootings at the university. The groups pledge to work with policy makers in Richmond to help implement the panel's recommendations in an expeditious manner. http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-30-2007/0004654564&EDATE= --- Pennsylvania Town Rescinds Gun Ban: Peters Council on Monday rescinded a controversial and unpopular ordinance banning firearms from most township-owned buildings and parks, but not before getting an earful from angry residents and gun rights activists. Members of the public have been lobbying council for a month to withdraw the ordinance, which they said is unconstitutional and a violation of Second Amendment rights, but others expressed concern on Monday over how discussion about the issue unfolded. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07242/813209-55.stm --- Be Careful What You Predict: Police and federal agents who searched South Bend IN home on Wednesday were looking for ammunition, court documents reveal. A federal affidavit unsealed today indicates that yesterday's search and arrest came after a months-long investigation into a man whom authorities believe is delusional and has long been stockpiling ammunition...Investigators believe the man thought the global economy was on the verge of a collapse that would result in widespread violence, the affidavit says. (Let's see - buy gold + buy ammo = a trip to the looney bin?) http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070830/News01/70830042/0/Lives --- Officer In Diallo Shooting Loses Bid To Regain Gun: A cop involved in the infamous shooting death of Amadou Diallo isn't entitled to get his gun back, a federal judge has ruled. Kenneth Boss, acquitted of criminal charges and cleared of wrongdoing by the NYPD Firearms Discharge Review Board, said in his Manhattan federal court suit that being deprived of a gun has led to his being "regarded as a pariah" and "forced to endure regular taunts because of his duty status," including "the mocking moniker 'Kenny No-Gun.' " He charged that Police Commissioner Ray Kelly's decision not to let him carry a gun is a violation of his constitutional rights. (What about the constitutional right of NYC's private citizens?) http://www.nypost.com/seven/08302007/news/regionalnews/diallo_cop_shot_down_again_in_.htm --- S&W Issues Second Recall On CHP Pistols: Smith & Wesson is recalling and replacing thousands of ammunition magazines it delivered with the California Highway Patrol's new semi-automatic pistols after officers reported bullets were not properly loading into their weapon's firing chamber. It marks the second time the CHP's new Smith & Wesson 4006 TSW pistols have been recalled this year. The recall affects more than 660 weapons distributed in the CHP's Inland division and was confirmed by spokeswoman Fran Clader, who emphasized that the problem did not put officers at risk and added the CHP maintains its confidence in the new weapons. (CHP ostensibly opted to replace their older [and now discontinued] S&W 4006 pistols with the 4006 TSW so that they could continue using the holsters for the former model.) http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/350899.html --- Australian Troops Issued Defective Weapons: Australian troops are being sent to war in the Middle East with faulty weapons that malfunction under extreme conditions, army reports reveal. Dozens of Australian-made F88 Steyr assault rifles have also been fitted with incorrect parts that cause them to misfire, further placing Australian troops in jeopardy. Reports on defective or unsatisfactory materiel (RODUMS) between March 2005 and March this year show 44 serious failures of war stocks of ammunition during the two years from March 2005 to March this year. These included faulty smoke grenades, hand grenades, bullets and rockets. http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22317740-953,00.html --- From JPFO: ...First, we've received many responses to our Jesse Jackson handbill (www.jpfo.org/handbill-jackson.jpg). Those who have not seen our documentary _The Gang_ ( www.thegangmovie.com ) were bewildered at the offensive "hunting license" pictured in the handbill. We didn't create that license -- _the BATFE did_! Read about it at www.jpfo.org/batfegobrqa.txt . Secondly, for those who have been following the Red's Trading Post saga ( www.jpfo.org/redstradingpost.htm ), a grassroots campaign is springing up to nominate owner Ryan Horsley as a replacement for scandal-ridden U.S. Senator Larry Craig. Read about it in the Liberty Sphere blog at http://thelibertysphere.blogspot.com/2007/08/idahos-ryan-horsley-for-us-senate.html or http://tinyurl.com/2fmono . http://www.jpfo.org/alert20070831.htm --- The NRA Director SNAFU: NRA board member Joaquin Jackson, a former Texas Ranger and author of the autobiographical book One Ranger: A Memoir, put his foot in his mouth while being interviewed by PBS Radio. He has not been successful in extracting it. http://waronguns.blogspot.com/2007/08/what-about-true-assault-weapons.html From The Firearms Coalition: NRA Director Against "Assault Weapons" "I think these assault weapons basically need to be in the hands of the military and they need to be in the hands of the police, but as far as assault weapons to a civilian, if you... if you... it's alright if you got that magazine capacity down to five rounds." These are the words of famous, former Texas Ranger and current member of the NRA Board of Directors, Joaquin Jackson. Jackson was being interviewed on PBS TV station KLRU on a program called TexasMonthly Talks. The pertinent segment of the interview can be viewed on-line at: http://www.klru.org/texasmonthlytalks/archives/jackson/jackson.asp last clip on the page. Below is a transcript of this portion of the interview. Moderator: You are a past Board member...? Jackson: Current Board Member M: You are a current board member of the NRA since 2001 J: That's correct. [Short discussion where Jackson describes his strong commitment to the Second Amendment and its importance.] M: Of course a lot of law enforcement are concerned about things like assault weapons which they feel like don't really contribute to the keeping of the peace. J: Well, I'm a person that believes in a weapon should never...I personally believe a weapon should never have over a - far as civilian - 5 round capacity. If a hunter, if you're a hunter if you're gonna go hunting with a weapon, you shouldn't need over but one round... M: If you're any good J: If you're a good shot. Five rounds would be plenty. M: So have you brought to the attention of your fellow board members at the NRA that maybe assault weapons ought to be restricted? J: Well we've talked, we've discussed it you know, but uh this thing about assault weapons has been a kind of a touchy deal, but personally, I think these assault weapons basically need to be in the hands of the military and they need to be in the hands of the police, but uh, as far as assault weapons to a civilian, if you... if you... it's alright if you got that magazine capacity down to five... M: Five rounds. Limited to that. J: ...five, five... Good to go. Five rounds or some... Joaquin Jackson is a good man. He was an outstanding Texas Ranger and he has been an asset as a member of the Board of Directors of NRA, but such elitist bigotry is completely out of line for an NRA Director. Jim Zumbo made his unfortunate comments out of ignorance. There can be no doubt that Ranger Jackson is intimately familiar with the form and function of military style weapons. While his initial comment could have been an expression of his opinions on "fair chase" rules for hunting, his subsequent comments make it crystal clear that he is referring to all military-style firearms in civilian hands. I know, like, and respect Joaquin Jackson and appreciate his service to my native state of Texas and to the NRA, but this betrayal of the principles of the Second Amendment and the policies and positions of the NRA and the Board of Directors is inexcusable. Ranger Jackson needs to immediately resign his seat on the Board of Directors and recant his statements about "assault weapons." Ranger Jackson's contact information, along with contact information for the rest of the Officers and Directors of NRA can be found in the current (September) issue of NRA's magazines. The Board will be meeting in their regular quarterly meeting in mid September. Writing for The Firearms Coalition, Jeff Knox -- Stephen P. Wenger Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .