Rand Paul at the Louisville Gun Show

I'm always a bit skeptical when politicians, especially campaigning politicians say something. When he spoke about being ever vigilant about our 2nd Amendment rights, did he seem sincere to you? Does his past record support that?

When firing that weapon, more footage of which is on this video, did you think his stance was correct? Did he appear to be leaning back too much, placing too much weight on his back leg?

Please leave a comment.

A Delightful Interview

The Big Blue Coverup

The Baltimore Sun reports on this latest example of how the system works.

A jury has found a Baltimore police officer not guilty of manslaughter in the 2008 shooting death of an unarmed man who ran from him to evade arrest.

Fifteen witnesses took the stand over the course of the four-day trial of Officer Tommy Sanders, who faced voluntary and involuntary manslaughter charges in the death of Edward Lamont Hunt, 27.

Sanders testified that Hunt assaulted him during a drug arrest at Hamilton Park Shopping Center two years ago, and that if Hunt hadn't reached for his pocket while running away, the five-year veteran wouldn't have shot him twice in the back.

Maybe the next time Officer Sanders murders an unarmed citizen he'll receive some kind of conviction, even a minor one.

What do you think? Please leave a comment.

Easton PA's Sensible Gun Law

WFMZ TV reports on the attempts to institute a new gun law in Easton PA.

EASTON, Pa -- Easton's mayor is taking another shot at getting a controversial gun law on the books.This time he has the state Supreme Court in his corner.The measure in question would force gun owners to report lost or stolen firearms within a certain time period.Yesterday, the court ruled in favor of a similar ordinance in Philadelphia.Now, Mayor Panto says he believes he has a better chance this time around.He'll reintroduce the measure next month.

I find it fascinating that such a law would be controversial and that gun owners would be so opposed to it. I've heard it described as "making criminals out of otherwise law abiding citizens." Of course, the same folks who say that, refuse to accept shared responsibility for any misuse of firearms. Yet, they're happy to blame the laws or the government instead of the gun owner who fails to report a stolen gun.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Drunk Indiana Doctor with Gun in Illinois

The Chicago Breaking News center reports

An Indiana woman was charged with having a loaded revolver and for driving under the influence following a minor crash on the Dan Ryan Expressway Friday, according to state police.

Cynthia Ellis, 52, of Zionsville, was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and driving under the influence, according to Illinois State Police District Chicago Master Sgt. Anthony Hoop.

Ellis was driving a 2000 Ford Explorer south on the Dan Ryan Expressway (Interstate Highway 94) near West Roosevelt Road about 6 p.m. when she got into a "minor fender-bender" with another motorist, Hoop said.

A responding officer observed that Ellis was impaired by alcohol and arrested and charged her for driving under the influence. The officer also searched the SUV and found a .38 caliber Smith & Wesson loaded with five live rounds, "uncased and easily accessible" in the center console, Hoop said.

Ellis has a concealed weapons permit for Indiana but was charged because the traffic incident occurred in Illinois, Hoop said. In addition, Ellis was cited for failure to reduce speed and having an open container of alcohol, he said.

Ellis is a licensed doctor in Indiana and was issued a physician and surgeon or osteopath license since 1985, according to public records.

Is this a good example of the 10% people, or what? Those would be the lawful gun owners who are too dangerous to have guns. In the good doctor's case though, she used to be one of them, now she's just a criminal. Of course with a good lawyer she might get the charges lowered enough where she can continue to be a good representative (of the 10%).

Does this also remind you of the VPC lists? Of course you have to do a lot more than have a minor accident and be drunk behind the wheel across the state line. Maybe Dr. Ellis can get those charges adjusted and continue on her merry way until she does kill someone.

What's your opinion? Is a person like this dangerous or are they making a big deal out of nothing?

Please leave a comment.

Aiding and Abetting a Suicide

The North Shore News reports on the story.

A 21-year-old North Vancouver man who gave a shotgun to a friend who used it to kill himself shortly after was sentenced to 27 months in jail by a B.C. Supreme Court judge Tuesday.

Justice Harry Slade handed the prison term to Paul Fraser, who was previously found guilty by a B.C. Supreme Court jury of the rare charge of aiding and abetting a suicide. He had traded the loaded shotgun for the keys to a BMW.

At the time Fraser handed over the gun, he knew his friend Robbie Milot, 19, intended to kill himself with it, said Slade.

Fraser instructed Milot to kneel down, put the shotgun under his chin and reach down to pull the trigger, an indication of the "callousness" with which the offence was carried out, said Slade.

What's your opinion? I often make a case for blaming the gun owner who passively assists in a suicide by leaving the weapon available. This is much more direct involvement. Do those who reject the passive involvement cases also reject this one as an example of shared responsibility?

Please leave a comment.

Armed and Dangerous Liberals

NorthJersey.com published an interesting story sent to us by FishyJay.

FOR MOST of my life, I've been pretty much a "make love, not war" type of North Jersey woman. The very thought of owning, much less firing, a gun was as far from my mind-set as voting for a Republican or rooting for the Boston Red Sox.

So why did I enroll in a National Rifle Association basic pistol class?

I was pretty disgusted with all of the vitriol spewed last summer by the more extreme right-wing politicians, some of whom urged their supporters to become "armed and dangerous." With all of the shouts from the Tea Party crowd about "taking our country back," I thought, "It's my country, too, and I like it just fine the way it is."

Democrats, especially liberal ones, have always had a reputation for being weak. To add to this insult, I found myself (well, my car, anyway) becoming a target of Tea Party sympathizers because of my Obama/Biden bumper sticker. After emerging from the Stop & Shop in Dumont several months ago, I found a flyer tucked beneath the windshield wiper of my car declaring: "The owner of this car owes everyone an apology for supporting the Marxist Obama."

Enough of this already, I thought. It was time for this liberal to become "armed and dangerous," too.

Lesson in tolerance

In addition to my newfound sense of empowerment by keeping cool and steady as shell casings flew around my head and the acrid stench of gun powder invaded my nostrils, I learned (or more accurately, relearned) another valuable lesson about stereotyping people, whether they are liberal Democrats or NRA members. The group of NRA instructors who taught our class were the nicest, most patient and professional people one could hope to meet under any circumstances. They taught me to respect the power of a gun and the importance of using it wisely.

But just in case I run into any more flier-wielding right-wingers at the Stop & Shop, I am prepared. I now have an NRA bumper sticker right next to Obama/Biden.

I guess that's a cute story with some interesting ideas, but the comments were what I enjoyed the most. Here's the first one.

Saturday June 12, 2010, 9:04 AM - JGrace says:
what a pin head , what a constitutional dunce.What a Liberal hypocrite !!!! How can you support the infringers of the right to keep and carry arms Hussain and Bozo the Clown Biden?

Doesn't it often seem that liberals are nice and conservatives are mean? The cuteness of the story and its almost fairy-tale sense leads me to ask that kind of overly-simplified question.

What do you think? Please leave a comment.