Animal Rights People are Crazy

Out of Spokane, Washington:

A pet rabbit named Sugar Bunny was stolen from a preschool and fliers protesting circus animal acts were left in its empty cage.

The preschool’s children gathered in a circle Monday to remember Sugar Bunny.

“We talked about how some people have different ideas about animals,” said teacher Lori Peters. “Some people don’t think they should be in cages.”

[...]

The fliers expressed protests against the Ringling Brothers Circus, which was in town during the weekend, and had a picture of a bear trying to escape from a cage. The fliers bore the names of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the Northwest Animal Rights Network.

Isn't that lovely? Stealing the pet of a classroom of 4-year olds... another low for PETA.

West Virginia

Good news, Michigan CPL-holders. West Virginia just extended full reciprocity to us.

If you're heading down that way, you can find a copy of their gun laws here.

Quote of the Week, September 23 - 29

"One man with courage makes a majority."

- Andrew Jackson

Our Monthly Payment Economy

This was written by Rich Galen and one of his recent emails from mullings.com.

The sub-prime mortgage mess which a few months ago we were assured would cause no more than a ripple in the economy because so many of the potentially bad loans had been securitized and the risk was spread and … what's the official financial term for "blah, blah, blah?"

That ripple turned into a tsunami as mortgage brokers, banks, stock markets, hedge funds and financial powerhouses were flooded with bad news, bankruptcies, and margin calls. The sub-prime mortgage issue will probably be made worse once the Congress sticks its nose into it and decides to bail out people who took out those impossible loans - meaning you and I will be helping make all those bad mortgage payments.

Think about that the next time your landlord takes his sweet time fixing the garbage disposal unit in your one bedroom, one bath apartment which is conveniently located on the third floor of a building which has no elevator.

One of the reasons we are in this mess - and there will be more messes to follow - is because we have become a Monthly Payment Economy. Watch a car ad. Any car ad. You are not likely to every get the total price of the car. The only number you will see is the monthly payment (for highly qualified customers). Want that luxury car? Not to worry about the total cost, we'll just stretch out the payments to 84 months - seven years. Think I'm kidding? Head over to your car dealer and hear it for yourself.

Need anything from any store for any reason? No problem. Stick it on your credit card. Card maxed out? No problem again. You've be PRE-APPROVED for another $2,500 or $5,000 or however much at a low, low annual percentage rate of 15 - 20%.

Anyone can afford another $50 or $70 per month payment. It's when you add $70 almost every month for a couple of years when you suddenly discover your walletful of credit cards is now costing about $1,500 a month just to make the minimum payments.

For those of you sending Trent or Missy off to college in the next week or so, keep this in mind: According to an article in the Ventura County Star, "freshmen who start out with no debt are likely to owe about $1,500 to credit card companies by the end of their first year of college."

Someone tell me the difference - other than scale - of a 17-year-old college freshman being driven by peer pressure to fill out app after app for credit cards (and getting an official school logo-emblazoned plastic beer stein for the effort) and someone 25 years older being brow-beaten by a mortgage broker into a mortgage which the recipient can't even make the payments under the "teaser rate" much less after the rate is "adjusted."

I know this doesn't apply to you, but according to a Marketwatch article on the foxnews.com website, "On average, households that carry a balance on their credit cards owe more than $13,000."

In Washington, DC there is a move afoot to put the brakes on the payday loan business. These are shops - generally in minority neighborhoods - which lend relatively small amounts - in the hundreds of dollars to be repaid on the next payday.

Of course, they are often not repaid so the initial annual percentage rates (which, according to the Washington Post "range from 349 to 550 percent" is jacked up even higher by fees and additional loans to pay off the initial note. According to the Post "99 percent of payday loans turn into long-term debt because the average borrower renews a loan eight times per year."

From the Congress' spending bills to the payday loan recipient. Our entire economy is based on making our monthly payments. If very many begin missing those payments, it will make the sub-prime mortgage tsunami look like … a ripple.

Jimmy Carter vs. Jews

On this Yom Kippur, I thought it was appropriate to focus on Jimmy Carter's support of terrorism and dislike of the Jewish people.

Jimmy Carter's War Against The Jews

Warning - there are some graphic photos of carnage in the aftermath of terrorists attacks.

(h/t TFS Magnum)

Concealed Carry Holder Thwarts Robbery

Viewer discretion is advised! This video shows a man using a concealed pistol violently against an armed robber to defend innocent lives. The criminal was shot. Do not watch if this will disturb you.


Stats: All 3 shots fired hit the bad guy. The gun was a Glock 23, .40 cal using 165grain Gold dots.
(h/t USCCA)

News Story:

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Police said a desk clerk shot a man who was attempting to rob an east side motel on Saturday night. Officers said that shortly before 9:30 p.m., a man walked into the Super 8 Motel, located at 2055 Brice Rd., showed a gun and demanded money. Police said the desk clerk on duty then shot the alleged robber, Antoine Stephens.

Stephens, 20, was transported to Grant Medical Center and was in serious condition on Sunday morning, NBC 4 reported. Police said he would be charged with aggravated robbery. No charges filed against the shooter.

USCCA tip:
To me, this video makes it look like the Good Guy put two innocent by-standers very close to the line of fire. I am not judging his actions one way or another, as I have to assume that he used his best judgment, and probably determined that he would be putting their lives in greater risk by not acting. I'll leave it up to you!

My analysis:
GFWs will lament that a man defended people. They'd much prefer to see 4 people dead and the police arrest the murderer/armed robber months later.

Billions and Billions...

The Forbes List is out again. You know, that list of the impossibly wealthy people who could own New York City if they wanted to.

I tears me up to say this, but for the 42nd straight year, I haven't made the list. I can't stand when Forbes discriminates against me because I am a non-billionaire. Or is it billionaire-challenged?

But there is something very interesting about this years list:

For the first time, it takes more than $1 billion to earn a spot on Forbes magazine’s list of the 400 richest Americans. The minimum net worth for inclusion in this year’s rankings released Thursday was $1.3 billion, up $300 million from last year.

The new threshold meant 82 of America’s billionaires didn’t make the cut.

82 of American's billionaires? You mean there are more than 82? Wow. That's cool. Take that, European Union.

Michigan Legislators Still Debating How Much to Screw Citizens

The "Raise the Income Tax" meetings have stalled again.

Michigan is in red ink, and rather than cut meaningless services or cut waste (because obviously anything the government does is never meaningless or wasteful), they want to pass the cost on to the consumer - Michigan taxpayers.

Unfortunately for that analogy, consumers have a choice as to what they will spend their money on, and in what amounts. Tax payers don't.

By 7:00 a.m. a bill to raise the tax rate from 3.9% to 4.6% was still four votes shy of the needed 56 votes. The voting board showed only one one Republican joining 51 Democrats voting for the measure. One Democrat and two Republicans were uncommitted, as the board remained open after eight hours.

[...]

Without an agreement for a 2007-08 budget -- or an extension of this year's budget -- the state faces a partial government shutdown October 1.

The problem with this threatened shutdown is that most citizens see it as a blessing, not something to be frightened over.

Since 2002, Michigan has consistently been in the economic toilet bowl, and still has the weakest economy of any state. Businesses are fleeing at a record rate, and citizens are moving out of state to find work. So, what is government's solution? Raise the income tax. Like the Guinness beer ads would say: "BRILLIANT"!

Quote of the Week, September 16-22

"A good plan, executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week."

General George S. Patton, Jr.

Don't You Dare Call

Ah, the lovely DO NOT call me and screw up my dinner or wake up my baby because I'm going to tell you off and not buy your crappy product or service anyway list is set to expire soon.

Numbers placed on the registry, begun in June 2003, are valid for five years. For the millions of people who signed onto the list in its early days, their numbers will automatically drop off beginning next June if they do not enroll again.

While the Federal Trade Commission, the government entity overseeing this list, says it is no big deal to re-register, some legislators are actually doing something worthwhile and valuable and pondering making every number on this list expiration-free.

"When someone takes the time and effort to say 'I don't want these kinds of calls coming into my house,' they shouldn't have to keep a calendar to find out when they have to re-up to keep this nuisance from happening," [Rep. Mike] Doyle [D-PA] said in an interview.

The FTC built the five-year expiration date into the program to account for changes, such as people who move and switch their phone number, [FTC Spokesperson Lydia] Parnes said.

Doyle, however, points out that the list is purged each month of numbers that have been disconnected and reassigned to new customers.

Remember you can register (or re-register next year) your numbers at www.donotcall.gov or by calling 1-888-382-1222.

Federal Prosecutor Arrested in Sex Sting

Right here in Metro Detroit:

A federal prosecutor flew to metro Detroit with a Dora the Explorer doll, hoop earrings and petroleum jelly for a 5-year-old he planned to have sex with, police say.

John David Roy Atchison -- who prosecutes civil and criminal matters as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Northern Florida District -- appeared on the other side of the law Monday in Detroit federal court. Atchison, 53, of Gulf Breeze, Fla., was charged with enticement of a minor using the Internet and knowingly traveling interstate to engage in illicit sex.

According to court documents, during an Internet chat with an undercover officer, Atchison described himself as "very much a family man." He initiated the online chat Aug. 29 with the officer posing as a mother interested in letting men have sex with her children.

During continuous conversations, he expressed a desire to engage in oral, vaginal and anal sex with her fictitious daughter. Money was not part of the discussion.

In the chats, he also suggested he previously had sex with minors.

[...]

Atchison, who is married and has children, boarded a Continental flight that left Pensacola, Fla., at 9:10 a.m. Sunday with a layover in Houston. He then changed planes, leaving Texas for Detroit Metro Airport and arriving at 4:52 p.m., where he was taken into custody without incident about eight minutes later.

Atchison's arrest was part of an undercover sex sting on behalf of the FBI Macomb Office and the Macomb County Sheriff's Office collaborating in the Macomb Area Computer Enforcement Team, also known as M.A.C.E.

"Nothing surprises us anymore," Sheriff Mark Hackel said Monday.

Besides working for the government in the Pensacola office, Atchison also serves as the president of the Gulf Breeze Sports Association, which includes youth athletics such as soccer and T-ball. Messages left at Atchison's home were not returned Monday. A person who answered the phone at the association said the board probably would release a statement today.

Happy Constitution Day

Today is Constitution Day! It marks the 220th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution.

Terrorist Caught?

A 26-year-old man accused of carrying an assault rifle in a Michigan park remained in custody Friday on a $1 million cash bond.

Houssein Zorkot, of Dearborn, Mich., was arrested on Sept. 8 after witnesses called police to complain about a man with an AK-47, dark clothes and blackened face walking around a park.

"We don't know exactly what his intent was or what he was intending on doing," Dearborn Police Chief Michael Celeski told FOXNews.com.

Police responded to the scene and approached the vehicle Zorkot was driving. Zorkot attempted to flee and was not cooperative with police, Celeski said.

Shame on him. Doesn't he know terrorism is illegal in this country.

SWAT says No to Self-Defense in Schools

A former Marine and member of the Saginaw Police Department's SWAT team, Arthur O'Neal has undergone hundreds of hours of handgun training and fired thousands of rounds of ammunition.

Given the risk of having relatively untrained citizens bearing firearms, would the Saginaw School District's chief of security ever approve of teachers packing heat on campus

?

No, not by a long shot, O'Neal said.

"It won't help stop crime, it may lead to more," O'Neal said. "Too many people with guns doesn't help an issue."

A western Michigan lawmaker has proposed legislation to allow school staff to carry weapons. Arming teachers with handguns would make students and terrorists think twice before attacking a school, said David Agema, a Grandville Republican.

"Right now, the only people who enter school with guns are people who intend to do harm," Agema said.

"I believe it will save lives if a kid or somebody comes into a school and starts shooting again."

Ok, first things first. "Packing heat"??? What is this, some black & white noir-detective flick? Come on, if you are going to belittle this plan, at least use a good put-down.

Second, how will this plan lead to more crime? It can't. Guns don't make people break laws.

Third, SWAT and standard cops aren't much good after some whack-job shoots out a school and then kills himself. Did they help in Columbine? VA Tech?

Guns may make some people feel uncomfortable. So should terrorists and random nut-cases. It's time to stop burying the head in the sand and waiting for the police to take care of the problem. In a school shooting situation - it's just plain fact: the cops won't arrive until it is too late. This is not a slam - they can't arrive until someone reports a crime. Even after the phone call, police cars don't magically show up. It takes time - lots of time in some neighborhoods.

Quote of the Week, September 9-15

“If once the people become inattentive to the public affairs, you and I, and Congress and Assemblies, Judges and Governors, shall all become wolves. It seems to be the law of our general nature, in spite of individual exceptions.”

- Thomas Jefferson

Wow!

This is worth two minutes of your time. Just click the link:


Animator vs. Animation by *alanbecker on deviantART

Medical Miracle

If you are a pro football fan, you have heard about the devastating spinal cord injury sustained by Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett. On Monday, his doctors reported that "a best-case scenario is full recovery, but not likely" and went on to explain that he would not walk again. Plus he could easily die from blood clots, respiratory failure, or infection.

Then yesterday, promising news. Everett's sedation levels were lowered, and he was able to voluntarily move his arms and legs. Dr. Barth Green, chairman of the department of neurological surgery at the University of Miami School of Medicine, had this to say:

Based on our experience, the fact that he's moving so well, so early after such a catastrophic injury means he will walk again. It's totally spectacular, totally unexpected.

I believe prayers from around the nation will help Kevin Everett, so be sure to pray for this young man.

But I was also amazed at the medical science that gives this man hope to walk again.

ESPN reports that Dr. Andrew Cappuccino ran an ice-cold saline solution through Everett's system, putting the injured player in a hypothermic state. Dr. Green from U of Miami hadn't seen such positive results before.

We've been doing a protocol on humans and having similar experiences for many months now, but this is the first time I'm aware of that the doctor was with the patient when he was injured and the hypothermia was started within minutes of the injury. We know the earlier it's started, the better.

Basically, Dr. Cappuccino's quick action reduced spinal cord damage from swelling and movement. He also repaired a break between the third and fourth vertebrae and also alleviated the pressure on the spinal cord. He wasn't able to repair all the damage, though, and Everett has a long road ahead of him - just staying alive in the short-term, and learning to walk again in the long-term.

It is amazing - here is a highly-conditioned professional athlete, running faster than fast on his special teams play, who bonks helmets with an opposing player on a typical tackle (no cheap shots from either side) and suddenly can't even walk.

But he is alive, and we are witnessing a miracle now that this man may, indeed walk again someday.

Here's One For The Theologians

Some people have too much time on their hands.

A case on behalf of Jesus Christ has come knocking on Kenya's High Court door, lodged by a fervent Christian group that wants his conviction declared null and void and his crucifixion illegal.

Though cases to right historical wrongs are far from unusual around the world, Kenya's Friends of Jesus (FOJ) has reached back two millennia in what may redefine the quest for closure.

The petition was filed on Monday with the court registrar, raising a novel set of legal quandaries - not the least of which involves the statute of limitations and whether the high court has jurisdiction over the Son of God.

It was not certain when a ruling would be handed down.

[...]

And the group has carefully laid out its case.

Under the Torah, or Jewish law based notably on the Biblical Old Testament books of Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy, if a man blasphemes the Holy Spirit he must be stoned to death, Mr Odanga said.

Under Roman law that prevailed alongside the Jewish code at the time, crucifixion was the sentence for robbery, treason, rape and crimes against the emperor.

According to religious historians and the Bible, the Great Sanhedrin, the highest council of the ancient Jews, charged Jesus with blasphemy but Judea's Roman governor Pontius Pilate famously "washed his hands'' of the case.

He turned Jesus over to the high priests and the crowds, who responded: "Crucify him.''

For Mr Odanga, this punishment was a violation - not only did the Romans acquit him but the Jewish sentence for blasphemy was stoning, not crucifixion.

Arent't they missing the point? Didn't Isaiah 53 prophecy the crucifixion and identify the Messiah?

Eliminate Criminal Empowerment Zones at Schools

Are you as sick of hearing about nut cases walking into schools and unloading as I am?

Now there is something we can do about it.

Michigan House Bill 5162 may be our best bet yet.

Michigan schools are "pistol-free zones" according to state law. No law-abiding citizen with a CPL may carry a pistol into a school... although - surprise - mass murderers don't understand that both carrying in a school and premeditated murder are against the law. "Pistol-free zones" are simply criminal empowerment zones.

This bill essentially allows the principal of each school in Michigan to authorize CPL-holding school employees to carry concealed pistols on school property. The bill also allows Principals to require training above and beyond the necessary training to obtain a CPL under current law.

I know all the complaints against this kind of action, but once people realize we don't live in a Pollyanna world, I hope they will see this should protect their kids. Sure, it isn't a perfect bill, but it does at least plant some doubt in the minds of predators about whether school employees might be equipped to take action in case of an emergency. And it offers a chance for clear-thinking principals, faculty and staff to shoot back if required to in defense of students or themselves.

Our kids lives are worth protecting.

Students for Concealed Carry

An interesting article out of Kentucky. I'll skip the anti-gun portion.

Steven Davis owns a gun, and he has a permit to carry a concealed weapon. But when he steps onto Eastern's campus, he has to leave his gun behind. Davis and about 30 other people at Eastern want to change that.

Davis is a member of Students for Concealed Carry on Campus, an anti-gun-control group at Eastern that advocates allowing people with concealed carry permits to bring their guns on campus with them.

Students for Concealed Carry has representatives at college campuses in 34 states. It wants to "push our state governments to approve laws that will give students and teachers the right to carry handguns on our college campuses," according to its Web site.

"I think it's a good group to get involved with," Davis said.

Davis signed up to help Students for Concealed Carry last fall.

In order to accomplish its goal, Students for Concealed Carry would need more than a chapter at Eastern. They would need to convince the state government to pass a law making gun bans on college campuses illegal, Davis said.

The only state currently allowing concealed weapons on campus is Utah.

Davis is still in the process of putting together a local group, but he said there are more than 30 people interested in being a part of Students for Concealed Carry. He doesn't expect there will be any change in the law before he graduates, he said.

Davis said allowing guns would make Eastern's campus safer because the people who have concealed carry permits already know how to use their guns correctly.

"It allows the people who can fight back the tools to fight back with," Davis said.

Another reason to allow guns is police response time, Davis said. Police can take several minutes to get to the scene of an emergency, which could be too late, he said.

"When seconds count, that four or five minutes is an eternity," he said.

Besides owning a gun and having a permit to carry a concealed weapon, Davis is also a concealed-carry instructor. This means he can teach the one-day class applicants must take before receiving their concealed-carry permit.

Davis said he believes the class teaches people how to be responsible with their guns and when it is appropriate or inappropriate in the use of guns. A one-day class isn't going to work miracles though, he said.

"It's not going to turn them into a police officer overnight," he said.

Allowing concealed carry wouldn't flood the campus with guns because only 1.5 to 2 percent of people have a concealedcarry permit, and you must be over 21 to apply for one, Davis said.

"It really wouldn't be that many people that would have [a gun] on campus," he said.

And Davis said gun-free zones like Eastern's campus are good targets for criminals. "Allowing people to carry guns on campus would mean criminals wouldn't know who had a gun and who didn't," he said.

Anti-gun Pastor Busted For DVD Pirating and Illegal Guns

Out of Saginaw, Michigan:

A pastor who is part of a group trying to stop the violence in Saginaw is accused of being part of a video and audio pirating ring.

Cameras were there in May when the FBI and other law enforcement agencies raided several Saginaw-area businesses looking for pirated CDs and DVDs.

Five people have now been arrested, and one is a Saginaw pastor.

It was just two weeks ago when Cirven Merrill criticized Saginaw city leaders for favoring other neighborhood watch groups instead of his.

Not only is he facing racketeering charges, but he is also facing gun charges.

[...]

Court papers indicate that Merrill had more than $140,000 worth of pirated CDs and DVDs in his possession.

[...]

As a convicted felon, Merrill is not allowed to own a gun, but investigators found two weapons in his possession.

He now faces firearms charges as well. In the past, Merrill has been outspoken about the availability of guns.

"All of them are dying so young," he said. "I don't know where they are getting these guns from."

Quote of the Week, September 2-8

If you find a starving dog and help him to prosperity, he will never bite you.

Therein lays the difference between dogs and humans.

- Mark Twain

We Suck

I was over at Jimmy's blog, The Conservative UAW Guy, saw this, and blatantly ripped it off and posted it here:



Click the video - it is brief and really funny.

A high school student who tricked football fans from a crosstown rival into holding up signs that together spelled out, "We Suck," has been suspended for the prank, students said.

Kyle Garchar, a senior at Hilliard Davidson High School in suburban Columbus, said he spent about 20 hours over three days plotting the trick, which was captured on video and posted on the video-sharing website YouTube.

Too bad they reward such ingenuity with a suspension. And right at the beginning of the school year. The principal better watch out during the graduation ceremony in several months.

NRA Director Sells Out Gun Owners

This was written by Jeff Knox from The Firearms Coalition.

Yesterday I sent out an Alert about NRA Director Joaquin Jackson's TV interview in which he opined that "assault weapons" were alright if they only had a capacity of 5 rounds.

This story has actually been bouncing around the internet for a couple of weeks and Ranger Jackson and NRA have released a response to the concerns raised by the story.

It is very clear in the interview exactly what Jackson is saying and what he means. Along with some other comments he states:

"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."

The interview took place on June 5, 2005 - not long after the Clinton Assault Weapons Ban had been allowed to sunset - so the debate on that issue should have been fairly fresh in Jackson's mind.

The interview can be viewed here.
http://www.klru.org/texasmonthlytalks/archives/jackson/jackson.asp

The pertinent segment is the last one on the page.

For the record, H. Joaquin Jackson is indeed a sitting member of the NRA Board of Directors. A complete listing of NRA Officers and Directors, along with their mailing addresses, was published in the current (September) issue of the NRA magazines.

A response has been posted on the NRA web site that is supposed to have been written by Jackson, but which does not really sound or feel like Jackson. In that response letter, Jackson - or his ghost writer - claims that the mistake is the viewer's, not his. That his only mistake was in not making himself clear that he was talking about hunting and full-auto assault weapons.

If that is true, then Ranger Jackson was advocating that the police have full-auto weapons and that it is "alright" for civilians to have then as long as the magazine capacity is restricted to only 5 rounds.

Here is the Statement:

Recently, concerns have been raised in response to statements made by NRA Board Member Joaquin Jackson to Texas Monthly in 2005. We have received questions from NRA members who are seeking clarity as to NRA’s positions on the subject matter discussed in Mr. Jackson’s interview. To be clear, NRA supports the right of all law-abiding citizens to Keep and Bear Arms for all lawful purposes. We will continue, as we have in the past, to vigorously oppose any efforts to limit gun ownership by law-abiding citizens as an unconstitutional infringement on our Second Amendment freedoms. These efforts include opposition to any attempts to ban firearms, including firearms incorrectly referred to as "assault weapons", and any attempts to place arbitrary limits on magazine capacity.

For more information on NRA's legislative efforts to protect and defend the Second Amendment, please visit www.NRAILA.org and www.Clintongunban.com.

STATEMENT OF JOAQUIN JACKSON

Recently, some misunderstandings have arisen about a news interview in which I participated a few years ago. After recently watching a tape of that interview, I understand the sincere concerns of many people, including dear friends of mine. And I am pleased and eager to clear up any confusion about my long held belief in the sanctity of the Second Amendment.

In the interview, when asked about my views of “assault weapons,” I was talking about true assault weapons – fully automatic firearms. I was not speaking, in any way, about semiautomatic rifles. While the media may not understand this critical distinction, I take it very seriously. But, as a result, I understand how some people may mistakenly take my comments to mean that I support a ban on civilian ownership of semiautomatic firearms. Nothing could be further from the truth. And, unfortunately, the interview was cut short before I could fully explain my thoughts and beliefs.

In fact, I am a proud owner of such rifles, as are millions of law-abiding Americans. And many Americans also enjoy owning fully automatic firearms, after being cleared by a background check and meeting the rigorous regulations to own such firearms. And these millions of lawful gun owners have every right – and a Second Amendment right – to own them.

As a hunter, I take great pride in my marksmanship. Every hunter should practice to be skilled to take prey with a single shot, if possible. That represents ethical, humane, skilled hunting. In the interview several years ago, I spoke about this aspect of hunting and my belief that no hunter should take the field and rely upon high capacity magazines to take their prey.

But that comment should never be mistaken as support for the outright banning of any ammunition magazines. In fact, such bans have been pursued over the years by state legislatures and the United States Congress and these magazine bans have always proven to be abject failures.

Let me be very clear. As a retired Texas Ranger, during 36 years of law enforcement service, I was sworn to uphold the United States Constitution. As a longtime hunter and shooter, an NRA Board Member, and as an American – I believe the Second Amendment is a sacred right of all law-abiding Americans and, as I stated in the interview in question, I believe it is the Second Amendment that ensures all of our other rights handed down by our Founding Fathers.

I have actively opposed gun bans and ammunition and magazine bans in the past, and I will continue to actively oppose such anti-gun schemes in the future.

I appreciate my friends who have brought this misunderstanding to light, for it has provided me an opportunity to alleviate any doubts about my strong support for the NRA and our Second Amendment freedom.
####

Doesn't that sound more like it was written by a Washington PR suit than a Texas Ranger?

Regardless of who actually wrote the letter, Jackson's name is on it.

As I said in the Alert yesterday, I like and respect Joaquine Jackson. I am very disappointed that he would take such a misguided and bigoted position on "assault weapons" and even more disappointed that he would choose to try to blame the viewer rather than owning up to his own remarks. If he thought civilians shouldn't have "assault weapons" and has now seen the light and changed his position, I could accept and respect that. Trying to claim that what he very clearly said - and reiterated - is not what he actually meant, I find completely disingenuous.

I hate having to get into the middle of this at a time when The Firearms Coalition is actively working to bring the gun rights community together, but when you are guided by certain principles, you can not ignore those principles in favor of diplomacy.

Should Joaquin Jackson be vilified and made a pariah in the gun rights community? No, absolutely not. But he should not be a member of the NRA Board of Directors.

Jeff Knox
www.FirearmsCoalition.org

Update

A few weeks ago, I wrote about a gun shop facing obstacles with the Southfield, Michigan city council. Here is an update. I'll skip the mindless "guns suck" comments featured in the article.

In a move that angered some in the community, the Southfield City Council on Monday gave Action Impact Firearms and Training Center the go-ahead to open on Eight Mile.

The council voted 4-3 to grant the facility special use to operate as a nonindustrial business in an industrial area after more than two hours of discussion. The planning commission gave its approval in May.

William Kucyk wants to use the former 9,900-square-foot Studio of Creative Design building at 25992 Eight Mile for gun sales and a shooting range. The facility will include 14 shooting range stalls, a retail area, 35-person classroom and office space on the .57 acre property.

Quote of the Week, August 26 - September 1

Do not separate text from historical background. If you do, you will have perverted and subverted the Constitution, which can only end in a distorted, bastardized form of illegitimate government.

James Madison

C-FAM

While I am not Catholic, I've followed the work of C-FAM, the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute, for the last twelve months.

C-FAM is a non-profit, non-partisan research and educational institute focusing on international social policy - and their mission, officially, "is to monitor the evolving international debate on social policy, and to assist governments at the UN and elsewhere to more deeply understand these difficult issues."

What that means is they highlight all the radical UN agenda, including the tremendous push for abortions and the World Socialists desire to impose gay "rights" on the entire world.

Every Friday, C-FAM's President, Austin Ruse, sends out an update on the organization's battles and victories. If you are interested, you can visit them on the web at C-FAM.org

Here is this week's update.

August 30, 2007 | Volume 10, Number 37
Dear Colleague,

C-FAM belives that one of the major engines pushing abortion at the UN and around the world are some of the governments of the European Union. C-FAM has determined that we will be focusing more of our attention on the European Institutions. Today we report on a Planned Parenthood abortioninitiative at the European Union.

Our reporter today is C-FAM policy analyist Maciej Golubiewski who is our chief EU strategist. Maciej is a multi-lingual Polish national who is finsihing his doctoral dissertation in internatinal affairs at Johns Hopkins University.

Spread the word.

Yours sincerely,

Austin Ruse
President

International Planned Parenthood Federation Launches a New Abortion Campaign in Europe

By Maciej Golubiewski

(BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – C-FAM) Using strongly anti-religious language, the European branch of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) has recently issued a document entitled "Why We Need to Talk about Abortion" calling for the legalization of abortion in the European Union (EU). While acknowledging that the member states retain “ultimate responsibility” for abortion legislation, the IPPF-Europe urges the EU Commission and the European Parliamentarians to act “despite this mandate” to “drive the issues forward” and “keep them high on the political agenda.”

The IPPF document praises the European Parliamentarians and the Council of Europe for issuing two non-binding pro-abortion documents in recent years. The document quotes something called the "Van Lancker Report" of the European Parliament, which calls for unrestricted abortion rights in Europe. IPPF also mentions the EU Commission’s support for the conclusions of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). Although the Cairo document makes no call for abortion, pro-abortion advocates claim that Cairo's call for "reproductive health" is synonymous with abortion, something the UN General Assembly never intended or voted for.

Throughout the text, the IPPF text targets the predominantly Catholic countries of Slovakia, Malta, Ireland, Portugal and Poland as specific examples where women are faced with “no other option than forced pregnancy,” unless they want to risk their lives through illegal abortion or to travel abroad to have it. “Unplanned pregnancy” is portrayed as a “shock,” leading to “clear-cut panic.” An aborted life is equated to an exercise of a woman’s right “to choose what to do with their bodies.”

The IPPF document also illustrates that abortion advocates believe that linking the pro-life cause with religion will help promote abortion rights. Slovakia is criticized for allowing doctors “conscientious objection” against performing abortion for religious reasons, IPPF has clearly taken sides in the debate about religious freedom in Europe. The IPPF document also includes a section called “Every abortion has a story” contains stories of women faced with an “unplanned or unwanted pregnancy” in six European countries. One story is of a Slovakian woman who aborts her child and is supposedly castigated by a Catholic priest during Sunday Mass, though there is no substantiation for such a claim. The story ends with her Catholic husband leaving her.

It should be noted that most countries of the European Union have more limitations on abortion than the United States where there is abortion on demand. Most European countries have fairly conservative gestational limits on abortion, and some EU countries ban abortion outright. While the European Institutions have repeatedly said that abortion lies outside their competence and should be left to the individual, this recent IPPF campaign shows that pro-abortion organizations consider the institutions of the EU as useful lobbying targets to put the “right to abortion” on the EU agenda.

Buy A Box of Ammo Day Update

Well, I took David Codrea's idea and put it into action. In fact, I went beyond buying a box of ammo. A bunch of guys from work - including two guys shooting for the first time - went with me to the range, and we popped off a few thousand rounds between us.

All was well until I pulled out the .454 Casull. Man that kicks hard.

The stats:

500 rounds .357 mag
500 rounds .38 spc
50 rounds .357 Sig
400 rounds .22 Mag
400 rounds .22 LR
200 rounds .40 S&W
1000 rounds .45 ACP
25 rounds .454 Casull

Between 12 guys - not too bad after a day at work.

This Gives a New Meaning to "Crossing Over Jordan"

Out of Israel:

The lower portion of the Jordan River is so polluted that the World Monuments Fund (WMF) has designated it an Endangered Cultural Heritage Site. The WMF, the leading international body for the protection of monuments, placed the revered river on its watch list of 100 endangered sites in June.

About 90 percent of the river's natural water flow has been diverted by Israel, Jordan, and Syria for domestic and agricultural use, with sewage flowing in its place, according to Friends of the Earth Middle East, an environmental organization with offices in Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority.

The upper Jordan, which is formed from three tributaries originating in Lebanon, the Golan Heights, and Israel, is considered clean and flows into the Sea of Galilee. Israel's large baptism center is located in this region.

Shall Not Be Infringed

From John Longnecker:

As always, I write for the Non-gun owner sovereign in America.

2008 Candidates, listen up – some of whom own guns or bodyguards. Or both!

If I had interested people stopping me on the street in response to my button, I'd reduce my answers to an intelligent few sentences. I could answer quite a few people this way.

Understand, also, that, in asking, many would want to learn more. I'd gladly make the time for them.

Looking at two recent polls showing popular interest in people having automatic weapons – 41% according to the CBS hit show The Power of 10, and a Zogby International Poll showing a 66% desire for no more gun laws – I'd say one thing: Americans aren't afraid of automatic weapons or even guns for that matter – they're afraid of abuses. Violent crime is an abuse and gun control is an abuse of process. Name your poison.

Reasonable people don't dislike guns, they dislike crime, and that includes the hundreds of thousands of the non-gun incidents of knifings, beatings, carjackings, rape, abductions of adults and abductions of children. Use of citizen authority can stop many, many of these. Why is it obfuscated and punished when non-gun violent crimes vastly outnumber gun violence? Because armed citizens can impeach the very concept of such go-nowhere anti-crime policies.

You've read my writing this before, and I'll post it again: The Founders did not need to anticipate weapons of the future, it was abuse of due process they feared in the government of the future, so they said that the force which backs citizen authority shall not be infringed. The word shall carries legal weight under our system – shall not makes the concept absolute.

There can be no such thing as a sensible gun law, because gun laws interfere with the force which backs the authority of citizens as supreme here.

Your citizen authority is an obstacle, so the move is on to dissolve it. Resistance to such adversity to the nation resides in intact families, privacy, how we educate our children, how we meet and handle violent crime and in other venues. Crime is an excuse for many of these strongholds of resistance to be eroded and pushed aside. No-fault divorce and rotten education content are as much a threat to citizen authority as gun control is.

[The trick is to suspicion and to criminalize more routine, honest behavior, including parenting, what we teach children as much as weapons and self-defense. As the Founders experienced, the PEOPLE wind up being criminalized. This constant moving of the goal posts was what the Founders fought and defeated. The rest of the citizenry who witness this today go along with it, not quite realizing that, sooner or later, they'll be next to be criminalized. RFID Chips and a National ID Card have quite a head start as two examples of this imposing suspicioning-of-all-citizens / criminalization trend undertaken by officials and hi-tech industries under color of fighting violence.]

Quote me on this: When it comes to fighting crime, no one can take your place as the first line of defense. The combination of personal authority and superior force trump anything officials can dream up as an absentee substitute, including hi-tech surveillance, no-fault divorce, punishing parenting, too many gun laws and no guns on campus.

If you had such an Ask Me About Shall Not Be Infringed button, what would you talk about, Guns?

Talk about Authority. Citizen authority.

And if they say those three words every liberty enthusiast loves to hear – take me shooting – commit to a date and make it your treat.

Because unwinding gun laws would begin to unwind so many abuses of due process, even for non-gun owners, the repeal of all gun laws would be good for the country.