John Kerry proves me right

Now I'm not a racist, but...

“As a lifelong hunter, I know that no one is going to mess with the constitutional right to bear arms, but rights come with responsibilities, and criminals and the mentally unstable do not have a right to avoid background checks or carry military style assault weapons,’’ Kerry said. “There is no legitimate reason not to close a loophole that allows criminals to get a gun with no background check or to allow dangerous individuals access to military style assault weapons.’’

Now I'm not a racist, but...

When someone prefaces a statement with "Now I'm not a racist, but," it means they're about to knowingly tell me something racist.  Similarly, when someone starts with "Now I'm a hunter and a second amendment supporter, but," I know they're going to make an anti-gun argument. 

And when someone follows that with "but I can't imagine any reason why a civilian should have a high capacity ammunition magazine [or clip/bullet clip/high volume bullet clip/extended cartridge magazine clip]," I just tell them their lack of imagination is not a reason to restrict my right to self defense. 

The controversy over high volume extended cartridge ammunition magazine bullet clips will go away soon enough.  I try not to get too fired up by it. 

Now Joan's just making shit up

She shows us a bunch of examples of what her "gun owning friends" have written her recently on the issue of magazines that hold more than ten rounds.  Go ahead and decide for yourself, but it sounds to me like every one of these statements was written by the same person.  I'm calling bullshit here, Joan, you made them all up. 

And as for the first fake letter, I am comfortable dismissing the opinion of any gun owner who uses the term "multiple bullet clips." 

Sorry, Baldr, the police aren't obligated to protect you

As if we need more proof that gun banners live in a magical fantasy land, filled with fairies and elves, Joyce Foundation fundee Baldr Odinson said this:

I'm certain that NJ law enforcement officers would disagree with your statement that "NJ is also not legally responsible to defend you so as far as they are concerned. You are on your own."

Perhaps Baldr should stop speaking for NJ law enforcement officers, because he is completely, indisputably wrong.  Established case law holds that the police are neither obligated nor liable for failing to protect you from an attack. That's right, Baldr, you can't sue the cops if they show up an hour after your 911 call.  Here's a citation.  Are you starting to get why ordinary people need the means to protect themselves? 

This is such a great example of their idealistic, childish worldview, that we're so civilized that we contract out the ugly business of self-defense to heroic supercops who speed to the scene of the crime just in time to save the innocent civilian.  But this isn't a TV show - the police can take a long time to get there. 

Calling 911 is no substitute for a gun. 

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On a side note, to the "BanTheNRA" guy who comments on Baldr's blog: if you've going to try to make a clever portmanteu of the words gun and retardedness, stop embarassing yourself by using "guntardiness."  This implies a gun owner who is frequently late.  Instead, use "guntardedness."  Thank you. 

Paul Helmke on plastic guns

Brady President Paul Helmke said:  

“Allowing access to high-capacity magazines is beyond the pale.  Banning them is a matter of public safety.  There is no Second Amendment or God-given right to be able to maim and kill your fellow Americans with military-style arms.  When the high-capacity magazine restriction was in place until 2004, it was effective.  If our nation can agree that machine guns, cop-killer bullets, and plastic guns ought to be restricted, surely we can agree that large-capacity magazines have no place in our society.”

Let's put aside the facts that machine guns are just about the most restricted object a private citizen can own, and that any bullet can be used to kill a cop. 

I'd like to hear from the Brady members on this one: why ought plastic guns be further restricted, compared to guns made of other materials, like steel or aluminum?  What did Helmke mean by this? 

The lie that won't die

Amy Goodman:

In May 2010, President Felipe Calderon spoke before a joint session of the U.S. Congress and called for a reinstatement of the assault weapons ban. According to law enforcement officials, 90 percent of the guns picked up in Mexico from criminal activity are purchased in the United States.

Like many before her, she is lying about the denominator.  It may very well be true that 90% of Mexican crime guns that are sent to the BATFE for tracing originate from the US.  But it is a flat-out lie to say that 90% of Mexican crime guns originate from the US. 

If the difference is too subtle for Amy Goodman to understand, let's do an example.  Say there were 1000 crime guns in Mexico.  Of the 1000, only 100 are traceable, so the Federales send these 100 to the BATFE for tracing.  The feds then determine that 90 out of the 100 did indeed come from the US.  Therefore it is correct to say that 90% of traced crime guns come from the US.  However, only 9% of crime guns come from the US. 

By replacing "crime guns sent for tracing" with "crime guns" in the denominator, Goodman is either being lazy or deceitful.  And she's not the first. 

A weekend of fun shooting activities

Today I taught a few hours worth of my club's NRA Basic Pistol Course.  It was a fairly large group of eight students.

It always kills me when one of the students fails the written test.  In this case it was a language barrier, with a guy who was really trying to learn.  We had to send him home with encouragement to study the book over and over again until he understood.  He might come back for a re-test, or he might not.  I hope he does.

It's a great feeling knowing I introduced all these people to responsible and safe gun ownership.  How many eager, paying students did Josh Sugarmann or Joan Peterson influence today?  Not as many as I did.  

Tomorrow morning is our second indoor USPSA match of the winter season.  I might as well get all the shooting I can in this weekend, since next weekend is the wife's birthday.  And there won't be any me-time then!


 ...
Also, I'm not commenting on the tragic Arizona assassination attempt, except to say I'm not willing to further sacrifice my constitutional and natural rights because of the actions of a schizophrenic criminal.