News from The Sight M1911
Volume 129, 10/18/03
While the rest of the world has been obsessing on Conan the Governor, Kobe and Rush’s problems, and WMD’s in Iwreck, the front in the crusade for gun rights has moved to Missouri. A fierce battle is going on around the new Concealed Carry legislation passed earlier this year. To recap a bit, the legislature passed a concealed carry law that overturned a prohibition on concealed guns that dates back to the 1870’s. Governor One Term Holden vetoed the law, and the legislature over-rode the veto. Then, just as the law was about to go into effect, the big city mayors and a coalition of nanny-state clubs won a court injunction which blocks the new law. The injunction has bounced up to the Missouri Supreme Court which is populated by Democrat appointee judges. The injunction is based on an unfortunate appendix in the Missouri constitution which says “the right to bear arms does not justify the right to carry concealed weapons.” In my opinion, this is ludicrous. It’s like saying you have the right to bear arms as long as you only wear them on the top of your head, unloaded with the firing pins removed. In the mean time, Gov. One Term has issued an executive order barring concealed guns from all state buildings and properties. Gov. Patton in Kentucky attempted a similar ban by executive fiat back in 1997 when the Kentucky CCW law went into effect, but the Kentucky Coalition to Carry Concealed was successful in getting the executive order rescinded. These are familiar tactics: using “executive orders” and activist judges to thwart the will of the people, a will that has been clearly expressed. If the Missouri Supremes have even one iota of personal integrity, the constitutional challenge should not hold up, but given the circumstances anything can happen.
You would think that the gun control crowd would love concealed carry legislation because it gives them so much of what they claim to want: a de facto registration of owners, training in safety and law for gun owners, and extensive background checks for licensees. An additional bonus for the firearm-phobic is that they don’t have to see our ugly guns. (Some hard-core Second Amendment people object to most CCW legislation for these reasons.) Of course, this presupposes that the gun control crowd wants what they say they want, a supposition about which I have serious doubts.
I just see no reason that a responsible, law-abiding citizen should be prohibited from carrying a gun if that citizen judges that it is prudent to do so. It is our right to carry weapons for our own self defense. The police cannot be everywhere, and I don't think I would want to live in a country where the police were everywhere, nor could we afford so large a police force. In this age when we face a terror war that can suddenly appear anywhere, it makes even less sense to disarm the law abiding citizens of this country. The police cannot be everywhere, but we can be. The 9-11 attack would have been impossible had legally armed citizens been on those airplanes.
Two great experiments have taken place since 1987. In England, the government has attempted to disarm its citizens and their violent crime rate has doubled since 1997. In the United States, 33 states have affirmed the rights of citizens by passing shall-issue concealed carry laws, and our violent crime rate has declined. To my eye, that should tell the story to anyone who wanted to see.
Rights are like muscles: they get stronger when they are exercised and atrophy when they are neglected. It is important that we exert those rights for their own sake, and it's also the most responsible decision for personal and national security.
For links to news stories on the Missouri CCW fight, click the search button and and enter "Missouri"
TRIGGER HAPPY
Family fun at the machine-gun range.
http://www.opinionjournal.com/la/?id=110004165
GENTLEMAN OF GUN WORLD BUILDS REPUTATION ON PASSION, SKILL
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/7018860.htm
HIS GUNS ARE MORE THAN JUST WEAPONS - THEY'RE WORKS OF ART
http://www.roanoke.com/roatimes/news/story156802.html
NHC'S FIREARM COLLECTION SPANS 200 YEARS
From the flintlock to the most modern automatic weapons, the Naval Historical Center documents and maintains a collection representing over 200 years of Navy firearms.
http://www.dcmilitary.com/navy/tester/8_41/national_news/25765-1.html
ANALYSTS: GUN CONTROL A NON-ISSUE IN 2004
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,99939,00.html
GOD, GUNS, AND GUTS: SEIZING THE CULTURAL CENTER
DLC & Americans for Gun Safety to Co-Host Conference in Atlanta to Address Democrats' Opportunities and Challenges in "Red States" for 2004
http://www.ndol.org/ndol_ci.cfm?kaid=85&subid=108&contentid=252100
PRYOR URGES DEMOCRATS TO COURT GUN VOTE
Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., on Thursday urged Democrats running for public office to put forth a clear message on gun ownership in order to court voters who perceive the party as “anti-gun.”
http://www.swtimes.com/archive/2003/October/17/news/GunVote.html
GUN CONTROL OR GUN SAFETY: WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
http://www.libertybelles.org/articles/gunsafety.htm
GUN CONTROL'S ‘GUIDING LIGHT’ FACES CHALLENGE
‘ENGAGING’ TRAPS MORE COLLECTORS BY NEAL KNOX
http://www.shotgunnews.com/knox/knox.dog?file=2003113.htm&tissue=2003113
MASSACHUSETTS ATTORNEY GENERAL SUES ONLINE AMMO DEALERS
BOSTON (AP) Attorney General Thomas Reilly's office has sued two online retailers and reached settlements with three others over allegations of illegal ammunition sales to Massachusetts residents.
http://wcbs880.com/nynews/NY--OnlineAmmunition--on/resources_news_html
GUN RIGHTS ADVOCATES TAKE AIM AT CONCEALED CARRY BANS
NBC’S TODAY PROMOTES GUN RIGHTS-BASHING MOVIE AND NOVEL
http://www.mediaresearch.org/cyberalerts/2003/cyb20031017.asp#5
FIREARMS COURSE ATTRACTS REPEAT STUDENTS
http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/living/article/0,1651,TCP_1043_2337512,00.html
WESLEY CLARK AND PATRIOT GAMES
Clark will announce his plan to establish a "Civilian Reserve," comprising everyday Americans using their "unique skills" to tackle an assortment of community-based problems -- from specific tasks like repairing a crumbling school or a neighbor's tornado-ravaged home to broad, less tangible goals such as "securing the homeland." The Civilian Reserve would work with -- but not replace -- the nation's armed forces in dealing with any number of local emergencies. [Sounds like a militia to me…]
http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/10/14/mgrind.day.patriotism/index.html
DEKALB COUNTY COMMISSIONER PAYS FINE FOR HAVING GUN AT AIRPORT
DeKalb County Commissioner Lou Walker paid a $300 fine and began 12 months on probation Tuesday after admitting he carried a handgun into Hartsfield International Airport.
CONGRESS ADDRESSES GUN BAN IN D.C.
Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) have introduced similar legislation in Congress that would reestablish the Second Amendment right to bear arms for the citizens of the District of Columbia.
NO WMD IN IRAQ? READ DAVID KAY’S TESTIMONY BEFORE CONGRESS
http://www.cia.gov/cia/public_affairs/speeches/2003/david_kay_10022003.html
SMITH & WESSON SETS SIGHTS ON CLOTHES, HOME DECOR
Looking for just the right duvet cover to match your .38 Super?
NRA ATTORNEY: “YOUR HONOR, WE ARE HERE WANTING TO REGISTER HANDGUNS.”
http://www.keepandbeararms.com/information/Item.asp?ID=3619
HALBROOK RESPONDS TO KABA CRITICISM
http://www.calgunlaws.com/article-374.html
HUMOR: AN IN-FLIGHT
ANNOUNCEMENT WE'D LIKE TO HEAR....
http://w3geek.com/movies/pilots.htm
MISSOURI: STATE SUPREME COURT KEEPS CCW LAW ON HOLD
Justices decline to review a temporary injunction order by St. Louis judge.
http://www.news-leader.com/today/1014-StateSupre-190660.html
MISSOURI: BAN APPROVED ON CONCEALED GUNS IN STATE BUILDINGS
http://newstribune.com/stories/101803/sta_1018030002.asp
NEW JERSEY: TWO MEN CHARGED IN CLAYTON SHOOTING
A Gloucester County resident who tried to rob a gas station wound up getting shot by the station's owner, leading authorities to file charges against both men, police said.
http://www.southjerseynews.com/issues/october/m101303f.htm
WISCONSIN: SENATE COMMITTEE GIVES THE FIRE AWAY ON CONCEALED CARRY LEGISLATION
UTAH: SHURTLEFF APPEALS COURT RULING UPHOLDING UNIVERSITY GUN BAN
http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Oct/10182003/utah/103117.asp
GUN FREE AUSTRALIA: CALL FOR POLICE GUN-CONTROL POWERS
Mr Debnam said the Government's gun amnesty and buyback were ineffective strategies in combating gun violence.
http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,7557874%5E2,00.html
CANANDA: GUN REGISTRY CUTS MILLIONS IN SPENDING
Scathing audit prompts major trim to travel, ad, contract costs Firearms centre must be 'hiding something,' opposition MP says
CANADA LEADS CHARGE FOR SMALL-ARMS CONTROL PROGRAM
Gun control critic points to national registry's problems
http://www.iansa.org/news/2003/un/canada_leads.htm
PAKISTAN: DOCTORS APPLYING FOR GUN LICENCES
KARACHI: Doctors in Karachi are applying for gun licenses to protect themselves from resurgent violence between fanatics of the rival Sunni and Shia sects of Islam.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_15-10-2003_pg7_36
GUN FREE UK: IRISH GUNS 'FUEL BRITISH CRIME'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3189184.stm
GUN FREE UK: GUN CRIME 'HAS DOUBLED SINCE LABOUR TOOK OFFICE IN 1997'
Gun crime has more than doubled since Labour came to power in 1997 and last year reached its highest ever level, passing 10,000 offences for the first time, according to new Home Office statistics. Violent crime also rose significantly.
THE WHAT NOT TO DO FILE: CHIEF ACCIDENTALLY FIRES GUN DURING GUN SAFETY CLASS
http://www.gazettenet.com/10172003/news/9899.htm
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