More on D.C Gun Laws

FishyJay sent us this link to the Chicago Tribune's article on the D.C. gun laws since Heller.

But they are not likely to succeed. The court said some restrictions are permissible, such as a ban on carrying concealed guns and barring sales to felons. But new regulations will have to be defensible as means to protect vital governmental interests without unduly burdening gun rights. Registration and safety training are plausible requirements. But anything that seems designed more to deter people from getting guns than at assuring their safe use will be invalidated.

Not that this fact will stop the gun control zealots in Washington from doing their worst. They may not be able to get their way, but they can postpone the day when the Second Amendment actually means what it says in their jurisdiction.

What FishyJay had to say about it is this.

Invalidated? One can hope. But as we recently discussed, to deter people from getting guns is an important goal of "gun control." No wonder Heller is such a problem.

Of course, some gun rights activists will disagree with "registration and safety training are plausible requirements." But the underlying objection to registration is all the instances where registered guns have been confiscated and where registration and safety training are purposely made complex to deter compliance for the sake of deterring gun ownership. If further clarifications of Heller do indeed prohibit confiscation and "anything that seems designed more to deter people from getting guns than at assuring their safe use," then the main objection by many gunowners to registration and safety training will have been removed.

I agree with the idea that it's unlikely anything will be invalidated, but not with the motive behind these things.

What do you think? Please leave a comment.

D.C. Gun Laws

FishyJay sent us the link to this Wall Street Journal article about the evolving gun rights situation in Washington D.C. since Heller.

Mark Snyder, an amateur biathlete, wanted to buy a .22-caliber bolt-action rifle for target shooting and figured the process would take about a week. After nearly six weeks, six visits to police departments and $300 in fees, he secured his rifle.

"I was not expecting a free ride," said Mr. Snyder, 45, "but this is an obstacle course they put in place."

The U.S. Supreme Court overturned the District of Columbia's 32-year ban on handguns in 2008, a victory for the gun-rights lobby that seemed to promise a more permissive era in America's long tussle over gun ownership. Since then, the city has crafted rules that are proving a new, powerful deterrent to residents who want to buy firearms.

I wondered if the folks in power in the District, the ones who make these rules are being sore losers and saying in effect, "oh, yeah, you think you won, well we'll show you."

On the other hand, many of the restrictions make good sense.

After the Heller decision, the District's city council passed the Firearms Registration Amendment Act of 2008.

Under the law, would-be gun owners must go through a process requiring fingerprints, photographs and the detailing of some job history.

Applicants have to take a 20-question test on the District's gun laws and regulations. There is a five-hour class, including at least one hour at a gun range, although the city doesn't have a public one. Buyers are required to find trainers from a list approved by police. There is a vision exam, and once the process is complete, the gun must be taken back to the police to be fired for a ballistic identification.

The registration expires after three years and must be renewed. If it lapses, the police can seize the gun, and for a first offense, the owner could be jailed for up to one year and fined $1,000.

The law designates certain guns as assault weapons that can't be bought in the city. It limits the size of the ammunition-feeding devices to no more than 10 bullets. Many common semi-automatic pistols can hold more than that.

In 2011, the city will require semi-automatic pistols owned in the city to be produced with devices that imprint shell casings with a code or serial number as part of the firing process. That would make it easier to link shell casings to guns. The technology, known as micro-stamping or micro-engraving, is in its infancy, and most manufacturers haven't yet adopted it.

On second thought, they don't make all that much sense. What possible good is a 20-question test? And what kind of skills do you think people get from one hour at the range and four in the classroom? No, those are pretty much worthless.

I'd say the written examination should be more like testing for the bar, something which requires serious study and preparation. And for the training aspect, something along the lines of Parris Island Marine training would work. All right, I admit I'm exaggerating, but you get my point, right?

Another thing is I find it hard to believe a biathlete like the one mentioned in the story would be treated the same as someone applying for a handgun license. If that is the case, it's wrong. The right way for me would be to expedite certain applications, athletes, collectors and the like. The rest should have to jump through all the hoops.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

9th Grade Murder in Alabama

CNN reports on the latest school gun tragedy in Alabama.

A ninth-grade student was in custody Saturday and charged with murder after he allegedly shot a classmate in the back of the head at their northern Alabama middle school, authorities said.

The shooting happened during a class change around 1:45 p.m. Friday at Discovery Middle School in Madison, just west of Huntsville, police said.

Police Chief Larry Muncey was on the scene with the following observation.

Muncey said the threat to the school is now over.

"It's a horrific event and I hate it, and I wish we could have changed it, but our schools are safe," he told reporters.

Do you believe that? Do you believe "our schools are safe?" I don't. And they won't be safe until we start moving away from the gun-friendly attitudes that are so prevalent in places like Alabama. They won't be as long as guys like Dale Peterson are immensely popular with the regular folk. As long as the gun-totin', horse-ridin' images of real men who carry guns continue to brainwash the young people, our schools won't be safe.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

When You're Right You're Right

"You know what, you're right. I have been a little over the top lately. Point taken. Sorry."

Hartland Sportsman's Club

JSOnline reports on the stray bullet incident which took place a couple weeks ago, slightly wounding a woman in a nearby diner. It seems this is not the first time bullets have gone astray from the shooting range. Part of the problem is that over the years residential development has crowded the area surrounding the club. For the time being it's closed pending investigation. But the reactions are typical.

The club is conducting its own investigation into last month's incident, and the club's attorney, Steven H. Gibbs, declined to comment on the police report released Thursday because he had not received it yet.

But Gibbs has challenged gun club opponents' assertions that bullets have strayed from the club at W302-N963 county Highway E at least four other times prior to the Brewhaus case.

Naturally you'd expect denial from the lawyer. But how about this comment by Steve Paluch?

Journal Sentinel's war on guns continues.

What's your opinion? Would it be right to inconvenience all the shooters who use the range because the occasional round goes astray? Where would they go then? It might be worse.

Please leave a comment.

The Florida GOP

The Orlando Sentinel reports on the political climate in central Florida.

U.S. Senate hopeful Marco Rubio and four other Republican hopefuls stumped at Central Florida’s largest gun show Saturday, courting a powerful force in Florida politics: gun owners.

Rubio, a Miami native, made his rounds at the Central Florida Fairgrounds to meet gun enthusiasts and suppliers while displaying his support for the Second Amendment — the one protecting the right to keep and bear arms. Rubio received his concealed-weapons license last summer after announcing his Senate candidacy.

“It’s an important constitutional right,” Rubio said at the Great Southern Classic Gun and Knife Show. “It separates us from the rest of the world.”

Now, there's something worthy of a QOTD. "It separates us from the rest of the world."

Indeed.

Attorney General Bill McCollum, who is running for governor, spent most of the morning at the show shaking hands with conservatives.

McCollum doesn’t have a concealed weapons license but noted he’s a quail hunter and owned a shotgun before it was stolen “a while ago.” But he affirmed he was a defender of the Second Amendment.

Why would he even say that? Doesn't he realize that having a gun stolen is almost as bad as misusing the weapon himself? As a savvy politician, isn't he smart enough to keep his mouth shut about something that can be damaging to his career, something about which people might think he's a stupid and irresponsible man who failed to properly secure his shotgun?

Of course, the people he was addressing wouldn't think any such thing. To them, getting a gun stolen every once in a while is part of the deal. It's certainly nothing that can reflect back on the gun owner since only the thief is responsible for his actions. That's about it, right?

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Guns are Bad News for Women - Part 253

The Dallas Morning News reports. Many couples argue. But in order for something like this to happen, some critical factors need to be in place, one of which is gun availability. Way to go Texas. Way to go gun owners. Guns are still bad news for women.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office says a man has been arrested in the shooting death of his pregnant wife in front of their three young children.

Authorities say the man shot the woman multiple times Sunday morning. Neither the husband nor wife has been identified.

Mark Herman, assistant chief in the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's office, says the woman was getting her three children — ages 2, 8 and 10 — into a car in their driveway when she was shot.

The Houston Chronicle reports that neighbors told investigators they heard a loud argument before hearing gunshots.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.