News from The Sight M1911
Volume 174, 11/7/04
KNOCKIN’ ON HEAVEN’S DOOR
When John Kerry called to concede to the President on Wednesday morning, I didn’t feel any of the emotions I expected to feel. There was no elation for me that Bush had won. There was surprise that the election had gone so smoothly, and relief that we weren’t caught in a hung election. I had braced myself for a much messier election than it turned out to be. I had also braced myself for a Kerry victory. There was relief there too. I had supported Bush, but I can’t say my support was whole-hearted. I am disappointed with the fence-straddling that Bush did on the AWB, and disappointed in the lack of any positive affirmation of gun rights at the Republican convention. I don’t like the Patriot act, and I felt that, while justified, our entry into the war in Iraq and the follow-up was handled very poorly.
For a gun rights partisan, the choice in this election was pretty easy. Despite the cheesy photo-ops with over-priced shotguns, Kerry’s voting record on gun control left little doubt about his hostility to the Second Amendment. There was a positive for me in the shotgun photo-ops. It said to me that the Democrats were beginning to realize that their unthinking embrace of radical gun control has been a political disaster. Their response to this realization struck me as superficial and manipulative, and although totally inadequate, I would have to call it progress. Gone were the calls for national handgun registration and federal firearms owners ID cards. However slight, this is progress. They were at least willing to portray their candidate with a gun in his hands in a positive light.
The Republicans didn’t have to lift a finger to “earn” my vote. They bet correctly that, faced with the alternative, people like me would vote Republican, and they were right for the most part – another nifty piece of political calculus from Carl Rove. One of my gun-nut buddies who nevertheless voted for Kerry was fond of reminding me that, “The Republicans haven’t done s*** for us…” This is a hard one to counter. Instead of condemning the absurd “Assault Weapons Ban,” Bush said he would sign the renewal if it reached his desk, knowing that it wouldn’t. The TSA has thrown up every roadblock in its bureaucratic bag of tricks to stop the pilots from legally arming themselves in accordance with the Homeland Security Act of 2002. The House Republicans did attempt to pass the manufacturers’ immunity bill but withdrew it when the gun grabbers attached a renewal of the AWB as an amendment. I can’t really say that I “feel the love.”
I have read a lot of post-game analysis about why the election of 2004 went the way it did. The sour grapes crowd attribute it to the exploitation of fear and homophobia to drive “security moms” and Christian conservatives to the polls. Others credit the “superb ground game” of Team Bush for getting their base to the polls. I have my own thoughts about this, but that would be another essay. What I do notice is that gun rights and gun control is completely absent from the post mortems. How different it is this year from 2000 when even Bill Clinton credited gun control with the loss of five states for Gore-Lieberman.
One might argue that gun control wasn’t a major issue in this election because the matter has been largely settled and mostly won by the gun rights forces. While I would love to think this is true, I’m paranoid enough to doubt it. I remain deeply troubled that it appears as if more attention was given to my concerns by the party which has been the adversary of gun rights than by the party which is supposedly its champion.
SLED WEAPONS INSTRUCTOR BRINGS HOME FIVE GOLD MEDALS FOR SHARPSHOOTING
http://www.gaffneyledger.com/news/2004/1029/Front_Page/002.html
AMERICA'S LARGEST GUNFIGHTING SCHOOL MOVES TO OREGON
http://www.katu.com/stories/72401.html
PARISHIONERS PROTEST FIRING OF PISTOL PACKING PRIEST
Angry parishioners chained shut a church in central Mexico on Friday in protest at the sacking of their priest, whose habit of tucking a gun under his robes has earned him fame and the nickname "Padre Pistolas."
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/americas/11/05/mexico.priest.reut/index.html
PRESIDENT BUSH SUPPORTED “SENSIBLE GUN POLICY” ON CAMPAIGN TRAIL
REID, NEW LEADER OF SENATE DEMOCRATS, STEADY, NOT FLASHY
Republicans might find it hard to pigeonhole Reid as a liberal since his anti-abortion, anti-gun-control views are contrary to Democratic dogma. He was among the minority of Democrats who voted for a ban on certain late-term abortions and he opposed extending the ban on assault weapons, winning the endorsement of the National Rifle Association.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/11/04/reid.senate.ap/index.html
PLAYING WITH GUNS IS 'GOOD FOR BOYS'
VOTING ON TARGET
The skinny on which candidates respect the Second Amendment.
http://www.nationalreview.com/kopel/kopel200411021307.asp
GUN RANGES UNDER SIEGE: JUDGE SAYS CLOSE GUN RANGE
State plans to appeal ruling shutting Island Lake Shooting Range
In one of his last acts in office, retiring Livingston County Circuit Court Judge Daniel Burress ordered the Island Lake Shooting Range closed pending the outcome of a trial.
BE CAREFUL OF WHAT YOU WRITE IN A NOTEBOOK
Police arrested Breit April 18 after a gun accidentally discharged in his apartment and a neighbor called the police. The bullet went into a door frame, and no one was injured. Police discovered firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, bomb-making materials, a hit list of political leaders and celebrities, and other writings in Breit's apartment and car while investigating the neighbor's call.
AIRGUNS
Non-powder guns are extremely powerful and continue to cause serious injury and disability
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=6014
APPLYING THE SECOND AMENDMENT
The empire strikes out
http://www.etherzone.com/2004/beam102904.shtml
COLORADO: DENVER LIMITS ON WEAPONS REINSTATED
The city can continue to regulate assault weapons, "Saturday night specials" and the open carrying of guns despite two state laws to the contrary, a Denver judge ruled late Friday.
http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~53~2517790,00.html
ILLINOIS: JUDGE RULES AGAINST MAN WHO DEFENDED HIS HOME
(CNSNews.com) - A Cook County Judge on Friday ruled against a Wilmette man who was arrested after shooting and wounding a home invader in late 2003.
http://www.townhall.com/news/politics/200411/CUL20041101c.shtml
MINNESOTA: VOTERS REJECT GUN LOBBY SPECIAL INTERESTS
Gun Law Vote Factors Into Local Election Outcomes
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041104/cgth058_1.html
MISSOURI: MISSOURI SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS DISMISSAL OF ST. LOUIS’ CASE AGAINST GUN MAKERS
OKLAHOMA: CONTROVERSIAL STATE GUN LAW PUT ON HOLD
http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/1104/184393.html
PENNSYLVANIA: FORMER COALDALE POLICE CHIEF PLEADS GUILTY TO FEDERAL GUN CHARGE
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. -- Former Coaldale Police Chief Shawn Nihen has pleaded guilty to a felony charge of buying a machine gun without filling out federal paperwork.
http://www.wnep.com/Global/story.asp?S=2513678
UTAH: LAW BANNING FELONS FROM HAVING GUNS UPHELD
The Utah Supreme Court on Friday upheld the state law prohibiting felons from having guns.
http://tv.ksl.com/index.php?nid=5&sid=130968
NEW ZEALAND: FIREARM CHANGES WOULD SEE PEOPLE TAKE LAW INTO OWN HANDS SAYS GOFF
GUN-FREE UK: RAIDS NET HUNDREDS OF GUNS BOUGHT ON INTERNET
Police arrest 41 as extent of London trade revealed
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1344808,00.html
GUN-FREE UK: COUNCILOR’S FIREARM DEATHS CLAIM
A councilor has risked upsetting the families of gun crime victims by arguing most firearm related deaths are linked to crime.
GUN-FREE UK: GUN POLICE REFUSE TO CARRY WEAPONS
120 officers in protest after inquest leads to suspensions
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1341496,00.html
GUN-FREE UK: GUN LAWS ARE AIMED AT WRONG TARGET, SAYS EXPERT
THE WHAT NOT TO DO FILE: TEEN ARRESTED FOR GUN CARRIED TO SCHOOL BY YOUNGER BROTHER
Covington Police have arrested a teenage boy for allegedly hiding a gun in his 6-year-old brother's book bag which the child then unknowingly took to school with him.
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/3886417/detail.html
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