First Amendment violations in fight over Second Amendment

Second_Protects_FirstThose of us who support the entire Bill of Rights like to say that the Second Amendment protects the rights recognized by the other amendments … even those that allow anti-gunners to attack us.

After all, if you don’t support the civil rights of all Americans then you have little moral authority when you claim the protection of the Constitution for the right to keep and bear arms.

Conversely, those who wish to strip the right to keep and bear arms from the Constitution are often willing to compromise on other rights as well.

We have seen both sides of this coin during the last week.

Read more at Monachus Lex.

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Manufacturers and dealers go all-in to protect gun rights

Magpul-300x300As the Democratic majority in Colorado moves forward with a bevy of draconian gun control proposals including a ban on normal capacity magazines, at least one Colorado company is taking a stand.

Magpul Industries is a Colorado success story. The company, based in Erie Colorado, employs over 600 people either directly or indirectly and contributed over $85 million to the states economy in 2012.  But that is about to change if the Democrats have their way.

Among other things, Magpul manufactures some of the most popular sporting magazines in the country and their manufacturing would have been banned by the initial version of the bill put forward by Democrats.  Upon learning that the state might lose that most precious of commodities … tax money, the bill was quickly modified to exempt manufacturers.

But that is not good enough for the law-abiding gun owners of Colorado and it is not good enough for Magpul’s chief operating officer Doug Smith.

Read more at Monachus Lex.

Posted in Abuse of Power, Anti-Gun Democrats, AR-15, Assault Weapons Ban, Boycotts, California, Colorado, Gun Control, Gun Sales, High Capacity Magazines, Magazine Restrictions, Manufacturers and Dealers, New York | Leave a comment

Remington considers leaving New York

RemingtonAs New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg pushes for legislation to require  ‘microstamping’, Remington is threatening to leave the state.

However, gun owners should really be asking why Remington hasn’t done so long before now.  New York already had some of the most restrictive gun laws in the country before the bevy of unconstitutional laws rammed through by Democrats in the wake of Newtown.

Now … there is simply no reason for ‘America’s Oldest Gunmaker’ to continue supporting the economy of New York.  You need to let Remington know that they need to show the same dedication to principles as Magpul Industries.

Posted in Anti-Gun Democrats, Manufacturers and Dealers, New York | Leave a comment

Virginian-Pilot discusses doctors asking about guns

Doctors_GunsDo you want your doctor asking you or your kids about the guns in your house?

I know that I don’t!

But President Obama and some doctors groups are attempting to paint gun ownership as a public health issue in their efforts to find new ways to restrict and discourage gun ownership. President Obama specifically wants to allow the question when there is a young child at home.

Dr. Christine Matson, the Chairwoman of Eastern Virginia Medical School’s Department of Family and Community Medicine, says that she asks about guns in a questionaire titled “Behaviors that may put your health at risk.”  In her mind, gun ownership is in the same category as smoking, drinking, and drug abuse.

Dr John Harrington is the Division Director for General Academic Pediatrics and he admits that the goal of asking patients is to make guns “less accessible.

Read more at The Virginian-Pilot.

Posted in Doctors and Guns, Media Bias, Virginia | Leave a comment

Roanoke Times editorial implies gun owners are to blame for stolen guns

RoanokeTimesA Sunday editorial in the Roanoke Times featured the admonition “Don’t let your gun turn up in a crime.”

The editorial starts out by correctly noting that most guns used in crimes do not come from the so-called ‘gunshow loophole’.  Rather, they note that the majority of “guns don’t start out illegal … they’re owned by good, law-abiding citizens who think of themselves as responsible gun owners and would shudder to think their possessions would turn into criminals’ tools.”

However, the editorial then goes on to say that an increase in gun violence in Roanoke occured at the same time as a rise in burglaries and then took a jab at gun owners.  “It is a point gun owners should note, especially those clinging to the notion they own weapons in order to defend themselves, their loved ones and their castle.

The editorial finishes off by clearly implying that those self-same gun owners who are ‘clinging’ to their rights do not do enough to prevent their guns being stolen by criminals.  “There are ways to prevent the theft of guns … Those who consider themselves responsible gun owners might want to double-check that they indeed are exercising an abundance of caution.

Read the entire insulting editorial at The Roanoke Times.

Posted in Gun Shows, Media Bias, Stolen Guns, Virginia | Leave a comment

Virginia carry permit data may become private

Gun_Owner_MapIn the wake of the outcry over New York’s Journal News publishing an interactive map of permits in their readership area and the subsequent criminal targetting of gun owners, many states where permit data is currently public are considering making the data private.

You should include Virginia on that list.

Last Friday, the Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee passed a bill out of committee that will make the data private except in the course of a criminal investigation.

VCDL President Philip VanCleave notes that it has happened in Virginia as well. In 2007, the Roanoke Times did something similar by publishing the entire list of permit holders.  He went on to say that “There are people there whose lives are at risk.

Read more at The Daily Press.

Posted in Media Bias, Permit Holder Privacy, VCDL, Virginia | Leave a comment

Universal background checks would strip 18-20 year olds of handgun rights

Background_CheckLost amidst the clamor for universal back ground checks are a lot of important details.

One of those details, besides the issues of who will pay for universal background checks, and how will such checks be precluded from turning into a registration scheme, is the fact that simply making firearm background checks “universal” would have to effect of denying the right of 18-20 year olds to own a handgun, even in their home.

Read more at Mike Stollenwerk’s DC Gun Rights Examiner.

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In DC anti-gunners appear immune to gun laws

Turning_a_Blind_EyeIt is becoming increasingly clear that anti-gun advocates, media personalities, and politicians are completely immune to the laws they insist the rest of us must abide by, at least in the District of Columbia.

While average citizens and veterans who have served our nation with distinction see their lives ruined, prosecutors repeatedly turn a blind eye when the person breaking the law is espousing an anti-gun agenda.

It all started with David Gregory …

Read more at Monachus Lex.

Posted in Abuse of Power, Media Bias, Monachus Lex | Leave a comment

Democratic mayors attempt to enact gun control via economic threats

NCDM-300x199The National Conference of Democratic Mayors wants more gun control and they are frustrated that, because of gun owners like you who vote, they cannot achieve it through legislation.

So … they have a backup plan. They are going to use taxpayer dollars, in the form of contracts to supply law enforcement agencies, to threaten manufacturers who do not voluntarily enact their draconian proposals.

And they are not trying to hide their agenda. Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, who leads the group, proudly announced the details of the plan after the NCDM meeting in January.

Read more at Monachus Lex.

Posted in Abuse of Power, Anti-Gun Democrats, Monachus Lex | Leave a comment

Universal background check tax could top $1.04 billion per year

Billion_Dollars

According to the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), “there have been 16,808,538 applications in 2012 so far to the end of November.” Based on these numbers, any implementation of “universal background checks” could cost Americans over a billion dollars per year.

Estimating the amount of the proposed universal background check cost, or what some see as a “tax” on their rights, requires a little math. Considering that only a small fraction of gun purchase applications are denied by the National Instant Check System (NICS), while a larger number of applications would pertain to purchases of multiple firearms, the ATF’s 16,808,538 gun purchase application number is a conservative estimate of the number of dealer brokered guns sold in the United States during the first 11 months of 2012.

Read more at Mike Stollenwerk’s DC Gun Rights Examiner.

Posted in Background Checks, DC Gun Rights Examiner | Leave a comment