GRE Round Up, Dec. 31

Here's the latest from my fellow GREs:

David Codrea/National

• Ohio gun ruling must be followed up with police training

Dave Workman/Seattle:

• Closing out the year on a happy note

Also check out these other Liberty-oriented Examiners:

• Albuquerque Libertarian
• Cochise County Libertarian
• Conservative
• LA Anti-Establishment
• Michigan Firearms

Happy New Year, everyone.

New Year's resolution: Become a 'Militia of One'

Still, these difficulties do not have to mean that the only option is to throw up one's hands and abdicate responsibility for one's own and one's family's security and liberty, counting on the government's protection. An aspiring "Militia of One" who wishes to "well-regulate" himself can, in numerous ways, improve his ability survive a crisis. Just a few ideas . . . [More]

That's today's St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner. Please give it a look, and tell a friend.

GRE Round Up, Dec. 30

Here's the latest from my fellow GREs:


David Codrea/National

• Media disinformation on guns continues in Texas open carry hit piece

Dave Workman/Seattle:

• Does Ohio Supreme Court ruling send signal about Seattle parks gun ban case?

Also check out these other Liberty-oriented Examiners:

• Albuquerque Libertarian
• Cochise County Libertarian
• Conservative
• LA Anti-Establishment
• Michigan Firearms

Enemies of gun rights can't hide their hostility to Constitution

Or perhaps it's not so remarkable. After all, when the Bill of Rights states that the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed, those who want to do the infringing have little choice but to ignore or disparage the Constitution (or just edit it to one's advantage). [More]

That's today's St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner. Please give it a look, and tell a friend.

GRE Round Up, Dec. 29

Here's the latest from my fellow GREs:

Richard Nascak/Ft. Myers:

• Anti-gun Florida Chamber of Commerce at it again!

David Codrea/National

• Propaganda ‘journalism’ blames U.S. gun laws for Mexican violence


• Aaron Zelman, rest in peace

Dave Workman/Seattle:

• Biggest gun rights story of 2010 based in Bellevue, ignored by local press

Also check out these other Liberty-oriented Examiners:

• Albuquerque Libertarian
• Cochise County Libertarian
• Conservative
• LA Anti-Establishment
• Michigan Firearms

CSGV renews push for 'microstamping'

Now one would think that if microstamping were as effective a crime fighting tool as some would lead us to believe, proponents would be thrilled to have their assertions borne out by the National Academy of Sciences. As it turns out, though, the bill was introduced by Congressman Dan Boren (NRA Board of Directors member), and all eight of the co-sponsors are at worst neutral on gun rights, with most being supportive, and some quite highly regarded by the not easily impressed Gun Owners of America. Why aren't Brady Campaign endorsees in droves supporting it? [More]

That's today's St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner. Please give it a look, and tell a friend.

GRE Round Up, Dec. 28

Here's the latest from my fellow GREs:

David Codrea/National:

• Just what does someone have to do for ABC to consider him ‘anti-gun’?

Dave Workman/Seattle:

• Do the math: Washington, with liberal gun laws, relatively safe

Also check out these other Liberty-oriented Examiners:

• Albuquerque Libertarian
• Cochise County Libertarian
• Conservative
• LA Anti-Establishment
• Michigan Firearms

Mayors bill taxpayers for security; would forbid them to defend themselves

I won't begrudge the mayors their protective details, or even the public being billed for that security. What is intolerable and unconscionable is that the mayors work to deny their benefactors the right to the means to provide their own security. [More]

That's today's St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner. Please give it a look, and tell a friend.

GRE Round Up, Dec. 27

Here's the latest from my fellow GREs:

David Codrea/National:

• Have a Merry Christmas!


• Will Baucus-Tester opposition to ATF rule be used to forgive bad votes?


• WikiLeaks cables: Mexican military have ‘little faith’ in police

Dave Workman/Seattle:

• Renton road rage shooting: How stupid is that?

Also check out these other Liberty-oriented Examiners:

• Albuquerque Libertarian
• Cochise County Libertarian
• Conservative
• LA Anti-Establishment
• Michigan Firearms

Attorney General Holder fans flames of 'homegrown terrorism' suspicion

Then again, the Holder Justice Department claims the authority to kill American citizens, preemptively, without a trial, so I suppose it makes a certain kind of sense that Holder would want the power to disarm them first. Stirring fears of "homegrown terrorists" helps to lay the groundwork for Americans' acquiescence to these usurpations, so Holder's public alarmism makes a certain (twisted) kind of sense, as well. [More]

That's today's St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner. Please give it a look, and tell a friend.

GRE Round Up, Dec. 24

Here's the latest from my fellow GREs:

Mike Stollenwerk/DC:

• When Santa brings guns for kids

Liston Matthews/Knoxville:

• Murder at Knoxville credit union

David Codrea/National:

• El Paso Times on ‘automatic weapons’ purchases: Ignorance or deception?


• Senate ducks Traver ATF vote

Dave Workman/Seattle:

• Local criminal cases not exactly typical of the ‘Christmas Spirit’


• ‘Twas the night before Christmas…

Also check out these other Liberty-oriented Examiners:

• Albuquerque Libertarian
• Cochise County Libertarian
• Conservative
• LA Anti-Establishment
• Michigan Firearms

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Ask your congressman to join Rep. Rehberg effort to block BATFE power grab

Congressman Rehberg's press release does not indicate who the 33 co-signers are, so the only safe assumption each of us can make is that our congressman did not sign it, and it's up to us to urge them to send another letter, along the lines of, "What they said--us too!" [More]

That's today's St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner. Please give it a look, and tell a friend.

GRE Round Up, Dec. 22

Here's the latest from my fellow GREs:

David Codrea/National:

• Second Amendment attorney: ATF’s proposed long gun ‘emergency’ regs illegal

Dave Workman/Seattle:

• Fish & Wildlife merger with Parks and this morning’s ‘public’ meeting

Also check out these other Liberty-oriented Examiners:

• Albuquerque Libertarian
• Cochise County Libertarian
• Conservative
• LA Anti-Establishment
• Michigan Firearms

BATFE shows its contempt for will of the people

They already "expect" to go through with this--in two or three weeks time--regardless, apparently, of what the public says. Not "propose" to dramatically expand the already unconstitutional regulation of firearms commerce; not "hope" to do so; and certainly not "humbly request the public's permission" for this new regulatory power--they "expect" it. [More]

That's today's St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner. Please give it a look, and tell a friend.

GRE Round Up, Dec. 21

Here's the latest from my fellow GREs:

Ed Stone/Atlanta:

• Georgia Tech Armed Robbery in Disarmed Victim Zone

David Codrea/National:

• Gov. Christie commutes Brian Aitken's sentence


• Attorney says Aitken to appeal for vindication on gun charges

Dave Workman/Seattle:

• Violent crime stays down as more Washingtonians are packing

Also check out these other Liberty-oriented Examiners:

• Albuquerque Libertarian
• Cochise County Libertarian
• Conservative
• LA Anti-Establishment
• Michigan Firearms

Defenselessness in the name of 'child safety'

Presumably, she has some awareness of the fact that it's difficult to teach kids about "the difference between toy guns and real firearms," without ever exposing them to real firearms. After all, even the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has trouble figuring out the difference between real guns and toys. It's also interesting that the "four gun safety teaching points" promoted by the California Bureau of Firearms ("Stop! Don't Touch. Leave the area. Tell an adult.") are exactly the four taught in the NRA's "Eddie Eagle" program. Who'd have guessed that Brady Campaign highest-scoring California would use the same child gun safety education that has some anti-gun groups in such high dudgeon? [More]

That's today's St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner. Please give it a look, and tell a friend.

GRE Round Up, Dec. 20

Here's the latest from my fellow GREs:

Mike Stollenwerk/DC:

• DC Metro concedes gun carry often legal on trains, buses

David Codrea/National:

• Anti-defense lobby seeks to nullify Second Amendment when it’s needed most


• ATF ‘emergency’ long gun reporting an agenda-driven power grab


• Reports on Traver nomination increase expectation tensions

Dave Workman/Seattle:

• Hysteria erupts as Brady Campaign battles SAF lawsuit, plays Scrooge

Also check out these other Liberty-oriented Examiners:

• Albuquerque Libertarian
• Cochise County Libertarian
• Conservative
• LA Anti-Establishment
• Michigan Firearms

Attorney General's office: 'decades of scholarly literature' support RKBA

Kaplan, in fact, claims that winning the Supreme Court's acknowledgment, in Heller, that the Second Amendment disallows handgun bans, was not "complex." That kinda sounds as if he's saying that it's a simple matter to understand that the Second Amendment guarantees individual citizens' right to keep and bear arms. [More]

That's today's St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner. Please give it a look, and tell a friend.

A comment to the BATFE

Friday was the day that the BATFE finally went public with the proposal (pdf file), starting the 60-day comment period (for a proposal they hope to implement in 19 days). Some gun rights advocates in St. Louis and elsewhere may wish to comment, but are perhaps at a loss for words. The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) makes some good suggestions about points to make, but I personally decided to focus on the BATFE's authority (or, more accurately, their lack of it). This is what I sent to BarbaraTerrell@atf.gov . . . [More]

That's today's St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner. Please give it a look, and tell a friend.

GRE Round Up, Dec. 17

Here's the latest from my fellow GREs:

Rob Reed/Detroit:

• Detroit Police harass legal gun owners at 'Gun buyback'

David Codrea/National:

• Police treat pro-gun bumper sticker as probable cause for pat down

Dave Workman/Seattle:

• No surprises here: Seattle suspect’s gun reported stolen


• EXTRA! ‘It takes a while for people to respond’

Also check out these other Liberty-oriented Examiners:

• Albuquerque Libertarian
• Cochise County Libertarian
• Conservative
• LA Anti-Establishment
• Michigan Firearms

Gun owners must speak up to stop long gun sales reporting requirement

According to the Washington Post, the idea is to take a smaller (and therefore apparently considered more politically viable) bite of the apple, by somewhat limiting the scope of the new regulations. Thus, the multiple long gun sales requirement would only apply to certain rifles (detachable magazine-fed, semiautomatic rifles above .22 caliber--so called "assault weapons," very broadly defined, in other words), and only gun dealers near the Mexican border would be affected. [More]

That's today's St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner. Please give it a look, and tell a friend.

GRE Round Up, Dec. 16

Here's the latest from my fellow GREs:

Rob Reed/Detroit:

• Sell your stolen gun to the Detroit Police Department

John Longenecker/Los Angeles:

• Safer Streets 2011: Time for gun owners and non-gun owners to unite.

David Codrea/National:

• Atlanta lifts airport unsecured area gun ban

Dave Workman/Seattle:

• Do strict gun laws endanger police?

Also check out these other Liberty-oriented Examiners:

• Albuquerque Libertarian
• Cochise County Libertarian
• Conservative
• LA Anti-Establishment
• Michigan Firearms

Defending indefensible gun bans with 'electronic errors'

This is where Cook County brazenly distorts quotes from the McDonald decision, in order to try to bolster their case. The details of how, exactly, Cook County tried to pull (the brief can be seen here--pdf file) a fast one are a bit long to post here, but are summed up very well in this post at Illinois Carry. [More]

That's today's St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner. Please give it a look, and tell a friend.

GRE Round Up, Dec. 15

Here's the latest from my fellow GREs:

Liston Matthews/Knoxville:

• New Shoot House for Knoxville Police

David Codrea/National:

• Florida school board shooting shows failure of ‘gun control’ on multiple counts

Dave Workman/Seattle:

• Will Gov. Gregoire’s plan finally destroy game management for hunters?

Also check out these other Liberty-oriented Examiners:

• Albuquerque Libertarian
• Cochise County Libertarian
• Conservative
• LA Anti-Establishment
• Michigan Firearms

BATFE hoping to bypass legislative process to impose draconian new requirements?

If the Obama administration fears the public's reaction to oppressive new firearms regulation (imposed by administrative fiat, to boot), to the extent that it is trying to implement the new regulations in secret, perhaps it ought to give up, in deference to the will of the people. [More]

That's today's St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner. Please give it a look, and tell a friend.

By the way, remember to make that call today.

GRE Round Up, Dec. 14

Here's the latest from my fellow GREs:

David Codrea/National:

• Don King airport ammunition find points to first class justice—for some


• Supporters promote "Call to action day" to free Brian Aitken

Dave Workman/Seattle:

• Outcome in Montana should be lesson for educators everywhere

Also check out these other Liberty-oriented Examiners:

• Albuquerque Libertarian
• Cochise County Libertarian
• Conservative
• LA Anti-Establishment
• Michigan Firearms

Force RNC to become TRULY 'pro-gun'

What gun owners can do right now is to click here and submit penetrating questions (not "How many guns do you own?") about the candidates' positions on the Constitutionally guaranteed, fundamental human right of the individual to keep and bear arms. [More]

That's today's St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner. Please give it a look, and tell a friend.

Update: Please vote up my question, and this one.

Update 2: And get David's, as well.

GRE Round Up, Dec. 13

Here's the latest from my fellow GREs:

Richard Nascak/Ft. Myers:

• SB 234 promises to bring big changes to FL gun laws

David Codrea/National:

• ‘Controversy’ over ‘gun-packing Santa’ manufactured by TV news


• ‘Legal’ open carry could get you arrested—or worse


• Justice Breyer says Framers would support ‘gun control’

Sean Caranna/Orlando:

• Florida legislature takes up firearms carry reform

Dave Workman/Seattle:

• SPD advice to women joggers good anywhere, but lacking one detail

Also check out these other Liberty-oriented Examiners:

• Albuquerque Libertarian
• Cochise County Libertarian
• Conservative
• LA Anti-Establishment
• Michigan Firearms

Also:
National Gun Rights Examiner David Codrea will be on Doc Bean’s show tonight to discuss this story as well as whatever else comes up.

Click here for The Watchmen Radio Network.

Click here to listen live, starting at 9:00 pm EST/6:00 pm PST and all points in between and around.

Are efforts to reduce Mexican 'crime guns' leaving citizens defenseless?

Obviously, though, "vulnerable and outgunned" is exactly what compliance with Mexican gun laws would leave them, and the BATFE is steadily ramping up its efforts to assist in the enforcement of those laws.

At the same time, Americans are being told that we must have similar laws here in the U.S. [More]

That's today's St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner. Please give it a look, and tell a friend.

GRE Round Up, Dec. 10

Here's the latest from my fellow GREs:

Steve D. Jones/Fort Smith:

• Gun shop owners put Second Amendment rights up for sale

David Codrea/National:

• Virginia Tech official in denial before shootings and after report

Dave Workman/Seattle:

• Story about wounded illegal proves stupidity of Seattle’s ‘sanctuary policy'

Also check out these other Liberty-oriented Examiners:

• Albuquerque Libertarian
• Cochise County Libertarian
• Conservative
• LA Anti-Establishment
• Michigan Firearms

Thank veterans by protecting their right to self-defense

And lest any readers believe this was just fear mongering and/or "NRA bashing" on the part of Mr. Valone and Gun Owners of America, such horror stories have come to pass. Fort Smith Gun Rights Examiner Steve D. Jones informed us back in September of the disarmament of Wayne Irelan, who became a "prohibited person" by virtue of the fact that he needed help keeping track of his finances--sounds like a ticking time bomb, doesn't he?" National Gun Rights Examiner David Codrea pointed out that Mr. Irelan's wife became a de facto "prohibited person," too, by virtue of living with Mr. Irelan . . . [More]

That's today's St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner. Please give it a look, and tell a friend.

GRE Round Up, Dec. 9

Here's the latest from my fellow GREs:

David Codrea/National:

• Chicago database a tool to discourage gun ownership, not to fight crime

Dave Workman/Seattle:

• ‘Zero tolerance’ may not always mean zero intelligence


• EXTRA! Seattle park attacks underscore why gun groups opposed ban

Also check out these other Liberty-oriented Examiners:

• Albuquerque Libertarian
• Cochise County Libertarian
• Conservative
• LA Anti-Establishment
• Michigan Firearms

Is the lack of a gun registry dangerous, or just 'annoying'?

The most fundamentally offensive aspect of Daley's demand for a gun registry, accessible by officers' in-car computers, is that it treats gun ownership itself as a suspect activity, indicative of a tendency toward criminal violence. That, of course, is exactly how Daley views private gun ownership, and why he finds the lack of the computerized registry "annoying." [More]

That's today's St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner. Please give it a look, and tell a friend.

GRE Round Up, Dec. 8

Here's the latest from my fellow GREs:

Steve D. Jones/Fort Smith:

• Arkansas legislator files open carry bill

Richard Nascak/Ft. Myers:

• HB 45 filed in Florida, will give teeth to 23-year old preemption statute.

David Codrea/National:

• Are ‘guns in bars’ automatically ‘a dangerous combination’?

Sean Carrana/Orlando:

• Florida House Bill 45 aims to protect Florida gun owners

Also check out these other Liberty-oriented Examiners:

• Albuquerque Libertarian
• Cochise County Libertarian
• Conservative
• LA Anti-Establishment
• Michigan Firearms

At what age does a person's life become worth defending?

Josh Horwitz, of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, would have to be considered the "winner" of the race to the ethical bottom, though, in comparing Mr. D'Cruz to the Columbine killers.

[ . . . ]

I suppose, though, that next to lobbying for the continued mandate of Mr. D'Cruz's defenselessness, vilely libeling him is a small matter. [More]

That's today's St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner. Please give it a look, and tell a friend.

GRE Round Up, Dec. 7

Here's the latest from my fellow GREs:

Steve D. Jones/Fort Smith:

• Repeal the Arkansas Gun Tax

John Longenecker/Los Angeles:

• Safer Streets 2011: Anti-liberty debates examined.

David Codrea/National:

• Do Surry County deputies have conflict of interest in gun brandishing case?


• Keeping and bearing arms applies to knives as well as guns

Dave Workman/Seattle:

• Gregoire’s special session may signal upcoming challenges

Also check out these other Liberty-oriented Examiners:

• Albuquerque Libertarian
• Cochise County Libertarian
• Conservative
• LA Anti-Establishment
• Michigan Firearms

Urban violence spreading to parks--national park carry vindicated

Of course, that "spilled" violence poses a threat not only to rangers, but to park visitors, as well. The good news is that, since February of this year, national parks no longer ban effective self-defense. This change was not met with universal approval, of course. As we've discussed before, the very need for the ability to defend oneself was scorned by some, including a National Park Sevice retiree quoted by the Violence Policy Center's Josh Sugarmann, in the Huffington Post . . . [More]

That's today's St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner. Please give it a look, and tell a friend.

GRE Round Up, Dec. 6

Here's the latest from my fellow GREs:

Steve D. Jones/Fort Smith:

• No time for cops to be politicians

David Codrea/National:

• Ohio governor proposed licensing firearms possession


• Why did NFATCA president forward claimant email about legal case to ATF?


• Authorities charge gun owner with brandishing…his finger

Dave Workman/Seattle:

• WA gun activists should take lesson from Pennsylvania publisher

Also check out these other Liberty-oriented Examiners:

• Albuquerque Libertarian
• Cochise County Libertarian
• Conservative
• LA Anti-Establishment
• Michigan Firearms

Has Obama promised BATFE accountability?

That statement probably sounds a bit odd, coming as it does in a column that tends to focus on Obama's hostility to private gun ownership. And no--I have no knowledge of President Obama specifically mentioning the BATFE as an agency that must be held to account, but let's look at one of the Obama-Biden administration's promises, listed at "Change.gov" . . . [More]

That's today's St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner. Please give it a look, and tell a friend.

Is Sen. Claire McCaskill calling for 'Second Amendment remedies'?

Given her longstanding hostility to private firearm ownership, I imagine Josh Horwitz is going to be willing to give her a pass about her "insurrectionist rhetoric," as I expect the Brady Campaign will do, as well. And that strikes me as a bit odd, given the furor raised by those organizations, over Sharron Angle's reference to "Second Amendment remedies," during her attempt this year to take Harry Reid's U.S. Senate seat away from him in Nevada. [More]

That's today's St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner. Please give it a look, and tell a friend.

GRE Round Up, Dec. 3

Here's the latest from my fellow GREs:

Steve D. Jones/Fort Smith:

• Head of corrupt Tulsa Police Department opposes open carry

David Codrea/National:

• Dialog on campus guns helps clear up perceptions

Dave Workman/Seattle:

• Gun prohibitionist hysteria derailed

Also check out these other Liberty-oriented Examiners:

• Albuquerque Libertarian
• Cochise County Libertarian
• Conservative
• LA Anti-Establishment
• Michigan Firearms

Guns on a train

Apparently, though, the concern now is that passengers with evil intent will sneak into the baggage car, find their stowed weapons and ammo, and then run amok. Sounds as if some folks have imaginations worthy of "Snakes on a Plane," doesn't it? [More]

That's today's St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner. Please give it a look, and tell a friend.

GRE Round Up, Dec. 2

Here's the latest from my fellow GREs:

John Longenecker/Los Angeles:

• Safer Streets 2011: How the first amendment protects the second amendment.


• Book Review: Poor Lenin's Almanac.

David Codrea/National:

• Can corrupt government legitimately decide who it allows to keep and bear arms?

Dave Workman/Seattle:

• ‘Three Strikes’ in CA, no balls in Portland, no brains in Jersey

Also check out these other Liberty-oriented Examiners:

• Albuquerque Libertarian
• Cochise County Libertarian
• Conservative
• LA Anti-Establishment
• Michigan Firearms

Citizen disarmament wears a white coat

And with health care reform moving in the direction of putting the federal government in charge of the purse strings involved in paying for medical care, what's to stop an anti-gun administration (the kind of administration, for example, that would pick Eric Holder for Attorney General, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan for the Supreme Court, and Andrew Traver as head of the BATFE) from putting some rather effective back-channel pressure on the mental health care folks, to come up with a diagnosis that calls for a prescription for disarmament? [More]

That's today's St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner. Please give it a look, and tell a friend.

GRE Round Up, Dec. 1

Here's the latest from my fellow GREs:

David Codrea/National:

• Should actor Mark Ruffalo be prohibited from buying guns?

Dave Workman/Seattle:

• New Jersey case sparks national outrage

Also check out these other Liberty-oriented Examiners:

• Albuquerque Libertarian
• Cochise County Libertarian
• Conservative
• LA Anti-Establishment
• Michigan Firearms

VPC attempting to link concealed carry to suicide

Note also that the sucide rate among concealed carry licensees is lower (by a fair margin) than that among law enforcement officers, and yet law enforcement officers are the "Only Ones" the VPC would have us trust with guns (to the extent that Sugarmann advocates an outright national ban on handguns for non-"Only Ones"). [More]

That's today's St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner (better late than never--internet trouble). Please give it a look, and tell a friend.