Category: Safety

Mexican President Threatens Double-Down Lawfare to Cover for Cartels

By Larry Keane

Mexico has revealed there are no limits to the depths to which it will sink to threaten America’s law-abiding firearm industry and the Second Amendment. Mexico’s government continues to run interference for the narco-terrorist drug cartels that are fueling rampant murder and corruption in their own country. It is also a damning indictment on the nascent Mexican presidency’s entanglement with drug kingpins.

Mexico’s lawyers – supported by American gun control activist and lawyer Jonathan Lowy – will appear before the U.S. Supreme Court on March 4 to argue that their frivolous lawsuit should be allowed to proceed. That case – Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc., et al., v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos – was petitioned to SCOTUS by the industry members who are being sued by Mexico. Mexico contends that U.S. firearm manufacturers are legally responsible for $10 billion in damages to compensate Mexico for costs it incurs when Mexican narco-terrorists illegally smuggle firearms into Mexico and criminally misuse them on their side of the border. Mexico is also asking a U.S. court to issue an injunction dictating how and which firearms Americans may purchase when exercising their Second Amendment rights in America. NSSF’s amicus brief filed in the case argues that Mexico’s lawsuit is prohibited by the bipartisan Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) and lacks legal merit.

President Donald Trump, in announcing his executive order imposing a tariff on Mexican imports, said, “Mexican drug trafficking organizations have an intolerable alliance with the government of Mexico. The government of Mexico has afforded safe haven for the cartels to engage in the manufacturing and transportation of dangerous narcotics, which collectively have led to the overdose deaths of hundreds of thousands of American victims.”  President Trump issued an Executive Order the day he took office to kick start the process of designating the cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.

This week, President Trump followed up that process with Secretary of State Marco Rubio officially declaring Tren de Aragua, MS-13, the Sinaloa Cartel, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, the United Cartels, the Gulf Cartel, the Northeast Cartel and the Michoacán Family as foreign terrorist organizations.

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Self Defense & A Long Life Is Yours, But Only If You Want It

“The stupid neither forgive, nor forget. The naive forgive, and forget. The wise forgive, but never forget!” ~ Thomas Szasz.

This response to my Quip of yesterday titled “Being A Warrior Is A Foreign Concept For Most Modern Jews” from a long-time Jewish friend and student:

“For one, I am in agreement with your comments of yesterday.
Yet, the majority in the Jewish Community (at least the part of it with which I am familiar) will blatantly ignore your advice.
Why?

Despite recent history being reason-aplenty for unilateral armed self-protection, the majority of Jews I know immediately ‘push-back’ when the subject of guns, and lethal-force inherent to them, comes up.

Even when I bring up the subject discretely in casual conversation, the response is usually, ‘Oh no! I would never have a gun in my house,’ or the boringly classic ‘Guns are dangerous!’

I conclude there is no point in continuing the discussion!
‘Ignorance is Bliss,’ but it is fatal bliss, as we’ve seen so often!

Yes, I’m frustrated.”

My reply:

My dear friend,
The absolute refusal to face facts that you describe is frustrating indeed, but it is hardly confined to the Jewish Community!

Naive, soft-headed liberals are everywhere, many among Christians, even atheists.

Enlightenment and subsequent delivery from dangerous stupidity require sincere repentance, and the smug of all flavors is just incapable of it.

They would rather die than admit they’re wrong, even when it’s obvious

Unhappily, many will get the martyrdom they think they want!

Of course, they’ll sheepishly ‘change their minds’ at the last minute when they’re staring death in the face, but by then, it will be too late!

History does not deal kindly with arrogant, self-deceiving fools, no matter their religion, as we’ve witnessed over and over!

“Taking the law into your own hands?’

The law IS in our hands!

‘Law enforcement’ is not something sovereign citizens seize from police officers. It is a societal function that citizens delegate to civil police. In doing so, we do not abdicate our own sovereignty nor our duties as citizens. The ultimate responsibility is still ours. When people we hire as police are either unwilling or unable to perform that function at the critical moment, there is no law or standard that says we cannot perform it for ourselves.

Indeed, when personally threatened, we have no choice!

/John

Utah House Overwhelmingly Approves Bill to Teach Kids REAL Gun Safety

A bill mandating true gun safety in Utah schools has sailed through the state House, but anti-gunners are doing their best to derail the measur as it heads to the state Senate for approval.

HB 104 is a common sense measure that would require all public school students to learn about the safe storage and handling of firearms on three separate occasions between kindergarten and the end of sixth grade. Rep. Rex Shipp, the primary sponsor of the legislation, says the instruction would be age-appropriate, with younger kids essentially being taught the advice given by the NRA’s Eddie Eagle.

“A lot of times when they don’t have any firearms in their homes or don’t do any hunting and shooting, then these kids are not taught what to do when they come in contact with a firearm,” Shipp said.

Who could object to teaching young kids not to pick up a gun? Oddly enough, gun control advocates are the main opponents of the measure.

Gun violence prevention advocates have applauded Utah Republicans this year for growing gun safety education programs, but some argue those lessons should only be aimed at adults.

The proposal unfairly places the responsibility of gun safety on children rather than their parents, said Barbara Gentry of the Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah. “Guns and gun safety are the responsibility of the adult gun owner, not school children,” Gentry said. “We support schools sending home materials to parents outlining the importance of safe storage in keeping our families and schools safe from gun violence.”

Jaden Christensen, a volunteer with the Utah chapter of Moms Demand Action, said lawmakers should instead look to grow programs that teach parents the importance of keeping firearms away from children.

“The burden should always be on adults,” Christensen said.

Utah law already mandates that any parent or guardian of a minor who fails to make reasonable efforts to remove a firearm from the minor’s possession is criminally liable, so adults are already “burdened”, as Christensen put it.

Even with that law in place, however, there are going to be some adults who just don’t give a damn. So why shouldn’t we also teach kids what to do if they see a firearm?

For younger kids, Eddie Eagle’s advice to “stop, don’t touch, run away, and tell an adult” might suffice, but there’s nothing wrong with age-appropriate gun safety lessons that offer older children and adolescents more detailed advice on gun storage and safe handling of firearms.

The abstinence-based approach advocated by Christensen and other prohibtionists is downright dangerous. In making real firearm safety taboo, the gun control activists only increase the chances that a kid who runs across a gun will be fascinated and intrigued enough to pick it up. Taking the mystery out of a gun can go a long way towards keeping kids safe from harm, and it’s utterly ridiculous that these activists would prefer children be left in the dark instead of getting a real education.

The good news is that in Utah, anyway, the gun control advocates aren’t likely to get their wish. With overwhelming approval in the state House, HB 104 looks to be in pretty good shape now that its in the upper chamber. And for those anti-gunners intent on keeping their own kids clueless about what to do if they run across a gun, they can take comfort in the fact that there’s an opt-out provision in the legislation, so even if it becomes law they can still ensure that their children are ignorant when it comes to real gun safety.

Plan Ahead: A firearm is only one part of an integrated defensive plan.

Bob and Sarah (not their real names) owned a small grocery on the edge of town, not far from the interstate highway. On the evening in question, Bob was behind the counter manning the cash register, while Sarah was in their little office. Bob looked up to see a masked man enter the store and point a gun at him. Bob put his hands up and took a step backwards. Just then Sarah fired a shot from inside the office delivering a load of buckshot from her 20 gauge to the armed robber’s neck and head.

That sounds like a lucky save, but there was a lot of planning done ahead of time to insure a successful outcome. When Bob and Sarah first bought the store, they had a carpenter come in and frame up a small office against the wall opposite of the front door, situated so that someone in the office could see the front door and the checkout counter. Next, they had a small button installed on the floor beneath the cash register that would buzz in the office when it was stepped on. Finally, they installed security cameras inside and outside the store.

In this particular case, Sarah saw the crook while he was still outside, putting his mask on. By the time that Bob saw the crook and stepped on the buzzer at his feet, Sarah had already dialed 9-1-1 and was reaching for the office shotgun. Knowing what was about to happen, Bob put his hands up and stepped back to make sure that his wife had a clear line of fire.

My point in all of this is that the firearm in question was just one integral part of the security system. This couple had discussed the dangers of running a store on the edge of town and took steps to make themselves a harder target.

I happen to think that a firearm, and the ability to use it well and wisely, is just one part of what guarantees our personal safety. Merely locking the doors in our vehicle and our house doesn’t keep the crook out, but it buys us time to react, arm ourselves, and notify authorities. Being a lifelong shooter, my hearing is not what it once was, so I also rely on my little dog to tell me when someone is around. And, after hearing Bob and Sarah’s story, I am in the process of looking at inexpensive security cameras.

My situation may not be exactly like yours or Bob and Sarah’s. We each have to ask ourselves … How do I spend my days?  What criminal acts am I likely to be confronted with, and how can I prepare for them? Yes, a defensive firearm, and the ability to use it safely and effectively, is important. But it is only part of the whole situation. You’d be wise to study your particular situation and plan ahead.

Observation O’ The Day:
We still don’t know exactly what caused Wednesday night’s fatal collision. But making it a priority to hire people with severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities for life-and-death positions is going to result in tragedy sooner rather than later.

FLASHBACK:
FAA’s diversity push includes focus on hiring people with ‘severe intellectual’ and ‘psychiatric’ disabilities.

Published January 14, ⇒2024⇐

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is actively recruiting workers who suffer “severe intellectual” disabilities, psychiatric problems and other mental and physical conditions under a diversity and inclusion hiring initiative spelled out on the agency’s website.

“Targeted disabilities are those disabilities that the Federal government, as a matter of policy, has identified for special emphasis in recruitment and hiring,” the FAA’s website states. “They include hearing, vision, missing extremities, partial paralysis, complete paralysis, epilepsy, severe intellectual disability, psychiatric disability and dwarfism.”

The initiative is part of the FAA’s “Diversity and Inclusion” hiring plan, which says “diversity is integral to achieving FAA’s mission of ensuring safe and efficient travel across our nation and beyond.” The FAA’s website shows the agency’s guidelines on diversity hiring were last updated on March 23, 2022.

The FAA, which is overseen by Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s Department of Transportation, is a government agency charged with regulating civil aviation and employs roughly 45,000 people.

All eyes have been on the FAA and airline industry in recent days after a plug door on a Boeing 737 Max 9 blew out during an Alaska Airlines flight on Jan. 5. The FAA grounded all 737 MAX 9 planes after the incident and is carrying out “extensive inspection” and maintenance work.

The FAA added it would increase its oversight of Boeing in the wake of the incident, including auditing Boeing’s 737 Max 9 jetliner production line and companies that supply parts to the airline manufacturer.

Following the incident, social media commenters and public figures have said that airlines and airline manufacturers’ emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives has made flying less safe.

“Do you want to fly in an airplane where they prioritized DEI hiring over your safety?” tech billionaire Elon Musk wrote on X last week. “That is actually happening.”

Critics of such commentary have pushed back on the argument that prioritizing DEI has made traveling less safe, with civil rights groups slamming Musk, for example, for the “abhorrent and pathetic” tweet.

On the FAA’s website, the agency states that people with “severe” mental and physical disabilities are the most underrepresented segment of the federal workforce.

FAA hiring page

“Because diversity is so critical, FAA actively supports and engages in a variety of associations, programs, coalitions and initiatives to support and accommodate employees from diverse communities and backgrounds. Our people are our strength, and we take great care in investing in and valuing them as such,” the FAA reads.

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“There is no comparison whatever between an armed and disarmed man; it is not reasonable to suppose that one who is armed will obey willingly one who is unarmed; or that any unarmed man will remain safe.”
—Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince

 

Wildfires in California Reinforce the Importance of Gun Rights
You are your own first responder

Wildfires have once again devastated California, reducing vibrant neighborhoods and close-knit communities to piles of ash in a matter of days.

The death toll continues to climb as firefighters and search teams recover the missing, and estimated damages now exceed $250 billion. Many residents are grappling with the heartbreaking reality that their homes—and priceless family heirlooms—are gone forever.

It is apocalyptic and utterly heartbreaking. My prayers go out to those mourning the loss of life, property, and their way of living.

But amidst the flames and destruction, another crisis has emerged: opportunistic criminals are preying on those who are at their weakest, looting homes, and businesses. They are targeting neighborhoods with high property values, exploiting this chaos for personal gain.

In Mandeville Canyon, a gang of looters stole over $200,000 worth of electronics and jewelry. In Altadena, another group was caught with an actual Emmy Award. More than 40 individuals have been apprehended by Santa Monica police alone and countless others remain on the loose.

Reports have emerged of armed residents having to patrol their neighborhoods at night to protect what little they have left. It is a stark and troubling reminder that in times of crisis, you cannot rely on someone else for your safety.

This moment, where a state of emergency has overwhelmed law enforcement resources, is a sobering reminder of why our Second Amendment rights are so vital. The ability to possess and carry a firearm could be the difference between life and death for residents in Southern California.

As a former California State Patrol officer, I served my community, region, and state for 13 years. We sacrificed life and limb to uphold our mission to “Protect and Serve,” and even deployed in 2017 (Tubbs Fire) and 2018 (Camp Fire) to protect devastated communities from criminals.

But despite our best efforts, there were many times when we arrived too late. Theft had already occurred, a victim was already dead, or property had been irreparably destroyed. The harsh reality is this: you are your own first responder. It is a difficult truth, but it is not up for debate. There are simply not enough law enforcement officers – especially during a national emergency – to protect everyone, everywhere, at all times.

That is why, in the years since my retirement, I have dedicated myself to Second Amendment advocacy. People need to understand the importance of the right to “keep and bear arms.” In moments like these, lives truly hang in the balance.

Following this disaster, there must be a robust conversation about accountability – who is responsible for the destruction, and how can justice be served? But equally important, we must address the dangerous impact of restrictive gun control policies that hinder Californians from protecting their loved ones. Taking firearms out of the hands of law-abiding citizens undermines public safety and emboldens criminals who know they will face little resistance.

We may never fully recover from these wildfires, but we can learn from them. History repeats itself unless we are willing to make meaningful changes. Government leaders must prioritize the safety and security of their citizens over political agendas.

In times of crisis, self-reliance is not just a virtue – it is a necessity. The ability to protect yourself, your family, and your community is a right worth defending

Armed L.A. residents defy evacuation orders to defend homes from wildfire looters

Amid concerns over looters targeting wildfire victims’ homes, some residents are defying evacuation orders and choosing to protect their properties instead.

The homeowners said they have chosen to stay put, taking security measures into their own hands while potentially snuffing out any embers that could ignite.

EveAnna Manley moved to Altadena 20 years ago and said she worked to prepare her home for natural disasters such as the Eaton Fire.

As of Wednesday, around 50 people had been arrested for alleged looting in wildfire evacuation zones across L.A.

Manley said she is fully prepared to face any looters who show up on her property.

“I do have firearms and I’ve been calling my friends to make sure I know how to legally exist with them,” she said.
EveAnna Manley chose not to evacuate her Altadena home to protect the property against looters or potential flare-ups from the Eaton Fire. (KTLA)

EveAnna Manley chose not to evacuate her Altadena home to protect the property against looters or potential flare-ups from the Eaton Fire. (KTLA)

A sign posted on EveAnna Manley's front window alerting potential trespassers that she is armed. (KTLA)

A sign posted on EveAnna Manley’s front window alerting potential trespassers that she is armed.

 

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Gun sales: lies, damned lies and statistics

With Donald Trump about to regain the White House and Republicans in control—barely—of both houses of Congress, gun owners and Americans who think they might want to be gun owners someday can relax, right? Right? Beginning January 20, 2025, the federal government probably won’t be harassing gun dealers or trying to write extra-constitutional rules to turn millions of Americans into instant felons for possession of guns or accessories that were lawful the day before, right? Let’s review the status quo on the way to an answer.

For 65 consecutive months, Americans have bought more than a million guns. That’s measured by NCIC record checks mandatory whenever one buys a gun—or guns—from a federally licensed gun dealer after filling out the standard ATF Form 4473. Private sales surely count for many more, but aren’t recorded.

After 2024 monthly gun sales — as measured by adjusted NICS data — trailing 2023 for most of the year, they started to accelerate in July and jumped even more in August. This may be due, at least in part, to the impending election. Americans tend to hedge their bets every four years by stocking up on firearms and related gear. And then there’s the general state of society that seems to have an increasing number of people concerned about self-defense. 

Graphic: FBI data via NSSF. Public Domain.

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If the representatives of the people betray their constituents, there is then no recourse left but in the exertion of that original right of self-defense which is paramount to all positive forms of government, and which against the usurpations of the national rulers may be exerted with infinitely better prospect of success than against those of the rulers of an individual State.
–Alexander Hamilton

Multiple Arctic outbreaks to affect more than 250 million in central, eastern US into mid-January.

The central, southern and eastern United States are bracing for the coldest, most persistent frigid Arctic air in years that will come in waves and last through mid-January. Storms packing snow and ice will join in.

AccuWeather Sr. Director of Forecasting Operations Dan DePodwin discussed the Arctic chill that will impact the Midwest and the mid-Atlantic regions next week.

Round after round after round of Arctic air is poised to plunge into the central and eastern United States. AccuWeather meteorologists warn that each outbreak of Arctic air has the potential to bring colder air farther south than the previous round and will lead to a major surge in energy demands and the risk of freeze-related damage in the Southern states.

The magnitude and extent of the Arctic air will build into the first full week of January and linger through the middle of the month and will, at times, affect more than 250 million people living in more than 40 states in the Central and Eastern regions.

“At this time, it looks like there will be at least three major blasts of Arctic air that will affect the Southern states,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Alex DaSilva said. “The first outbreak will linger into Jan. 4, the second on Jan. 7-8 and then the third round on Jan. 11-12.” Additional rounds of Arctic air may follow but be directed more toward the Midwest and Northeast.

Each wave will bring a reinforcing shot of cool air, keeping air temperatures well below the norm for the first month of the year.

Even though each layer of cold coming in may stop short of the most extreme conditions in the past 10-15 years, the number of days spent below the historical average will add up in dozens of states from just east of the Rockies to the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.

“This is not record-setting cold, but the longevity of these cold waves, combined with snow on the ground in the Upper Midwest and northern Plains, will lead to a prolonged surge in heating demand,” AccuWeather Long-Range Expert Joe Lundberg said.

The prolonged nature of the cold, as a result, could end up making a splash on the record books, making it the coldest January in over a decade.

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Data Proves Conclusively That Those Who Carry Firearms Almost Never Commit Crimes.

When the landmark Bruen ruling was first published in June of 2022, politicians in the few remaining holdout states that didn’t issue concealed carry permits to regular citizens had a collective meltdown.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul called it “outrageous,” California Governor Gavin Newsom said it was a “radical decision,” and New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin described it as “bad constitutional law and even worse for public safety.”

Gun control groups were also apoplectic. Giffords claimed the ruling would would “escalate gun violence,” “spur unlawful militia activity,” “embolden those inclined to vigilante justice,” “increase violence at protests,” and cause “more domestic violence and hate crimes.”

Antigun groups like Giffords, which now argue in court that Bruen allows all their favored gun control laws, thoroughly condemned the ruling when it was published.

Antigun politicians, acting with an urgency they don’t seem to have for real problems like rampant retail theft and homelessness, passed laws in five states that made concealed carry permits pointless by banning carry at almost every relevant public place. Those laws immediately faced lawsuits (including the one CRPA is working on challenging California’s law), and all are partially enjoined to varying degrees as the litigation proceeds.

Yet something funny happened after 2022. Instead of the proverbial “blood in the streets” that was predicted, the national homicide rate dropped. This happened everywhere; in the antigun states forced to issue carry permits for the first time, in pro-gun states like Ohio and Florida which went further and adopted “constitutional carry” (meaning no permit is required to carry a gun if you can legally own one), and even in individual cities like Philadelphia that began issuing permits more liberally as a result of the litigation.

Philadelphia’s homicides are falling sharply as the lockdown-era crimewave recedes. Source: https://www.phillypolice.com/crimestats

Miami even had its lowest year for homicides since it began keeping track of them in the 1940s. So why were the antigun politicians and their allies in the gun control industry so hilariously wrong? Why didn’t every argument turn into a shootout? Why didn’t our homicide rate spike?

In short: because Americans with concealed carry permits almost never commit crimes.

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Best Self-Defense Tools? Um…I Don’t Know…How ‘Bout a Gun

Ok, so to start, I get that the article in question appeared in the New York Post, published in, of course New York City, where all things “guns” are strictly verboten, so a New Yorker is naturally going to get creative. But therein lies the problem: When trying to determine or write an article about the best self-defense tools available, there is clearly, one option that trumps all others. The others are nice, maybe even kinda cool. But none of them are a gun. A firearm in virtually any of its many designs and configurations is the best self-defense tool ever created by man and, some bumper sticker enthusiasts might argue, perfected by Samual Colt. In the game of rock, paper, scissors, if you added nuke, which would beat all the others combined, the gun plays that same role in a discussion of self-defense tools.

But, for shits and giggles, let’s play along for a minute.

So the Post article, “How to stay safe with some of the best self-defense tools on the market,” was a nice New York-safe (sort of, more on that in a minute) article by Emma Sutton-Williams. A quick look at Ms. Sutton-Williams’ bio reveals she is an ardent electric scooter rider, a proud dog mom to a designer breed of Mini Sheepadoodle (not sure what that really is though speculating it’s a super ineffective version of a tiny sheep dog mixed with some version of poodle and is likely infinitely cute and hypoallergenic) and is a Julliard-trained violinist (impressive). She is no doubt quite talented, rather smart, exceptionally cultured, fashionably attractive, a solid writer and likely has zero familiarity or knowledge of firearms.

So, she got creative and looked at the typical non-gun items that can be used to knock an attacker senseless or simply attack his (or her) senses. Here was the author’s premise:

“In a world where chaos has taken root, propelled by social media and broadcasted entertainment, we constantly feel its toll on our society. The atmosphere is charged with a fearful undertone, robbing us of tranquility, even joy, if we let it. The world has stopped listening to one another, causing a wake of public shaming, name-calling, and acts of violence.

“In an effort to make our readers feel as safe as possible, we researched the best self-defense tools and techniques to feel protected and empowered. Knowing how to shield yourself is crucial whether you’re walking alone at night or navigating crowded public spaces.”

The Post is doing a little what The Truth About Guns is doing. We want our readers to feel safer, too. We just take a more direct, reliable approach to promoting that safety.

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Parting shots?

BLUF
This is what happens when you have a government run by coastal elites with little or no knowledge of how most of the country lives and works. OSHA will hold public hearings beginning this week on the impact of the new regs on small-town and rural volunteer fire departments.

New OSHA Emergency Response Standards Could Shutter 80% of Volunteer Fire Departments.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is seeking final approval for a massive overhaul of the “Fire Brigade Standard” that’s been in place for 50 years. The 608 pages of new rules, quite simply, would mean that about 80% of volunteer fire departments in the United States would be forced to cease operations.

“Over 85 percent of America’s fire departments are either volunteer or mostly volunteer. Nearly 700,000 of America’s 1,056,000 firefighters are volunteers or paid per call firefighters,” a group of lawmakers, led by Sens. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Christopher Coons (D-Del.) said in a statement. “The proposed rule would apply to more workers than the existing standard and would require fire departments to furnish new reports, trainings, equipment, and health services.”

OSHA’s new standards would “increase training requirements, require more pre-planning for emergency situations, set stricter limits on the lifespan of some firefighting equipment, and impose more rigorous health screenings for [fire] fighters,” according to KCUR public radio.

For full-time firefighters, the new rules will save lives. Since the original Fire Brigade Standard was published, we’ve learned a great deal about carcinogens burned away in fires as well as toxic fumes that can lead to cardiovascular disease. Most firefighters who die while on the job do not die in fires but die of cancer and heart disease. A new standard is long overdue.

This is fine for big-city departments and other departments whose full-time firefighters are augmented by volunteers. But the new standards also cover other emergency employees who would be forced to go through training programs and other regulatory rigmarole that small towns and rural counties simply couldn’t afford.

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Comparing the Global Rate of Mass Public Shootings to the U.S.’s Rate and Comparing Their Changes Over Time

The U.S. is well below the world average in terms of the number of mass public shootings, and the global increase over time has been much bigger than for the United States.

Over the 20 years from 1998 to 2017, our list contains 2,772 attacks and at least 5,764 shooters outside the United States and 62 attacks and 66 shooters within our country. By our count, the US makes up less than 1.13% of the mass public shooters, 1.77% of their murders, and 2.19% of their attacks. All these are much less than the US’s 4.6% share of the world population. Attacks in the US are not only less frequent than other countries, they are also much less deadly on average. Out of the 101 countries where we have identified mass public shootings occurring, the United States ranks 66th in the per capita frequency of these attacks and 56th in the murder rate.

Not only have these attacks been much more common outside the US, the US’s share of these attacks has declined over time. There has been a much bigger increase over time in the number of mass shootings in the rest of the world compared to the US.

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Country Singer Jay Allen Robbed at Gunpoint in East Nashville

Country singer Jay Allen has reconsidered his stance on gun ownership after being the victim of an armed robbery at an East Nashville grocery store.

The singer and former The Voice contestant opened up about the scary experience on social media, assuring fans that he’s “ok (besides being out a few bucks.)”

But what really distressed him wasn’t the loss of the money — it was the feeling of vulnerability and terror that stuck with him, even after the danger had passed.

“Even with having a muscular stature and being covered in tattoos, it didn’t matter,” Allen reflects. “He had a gun, and I didn’t. I felt helpless, taken advantage of, and mad at myself more than anything.”

In the wake of the incident, Allen says he made a big decision: To purchase a firearm for protection.

“I’ve always been on the fence about guns, but today I’m a proud new gun owner,” he continues. “It’s strictly for self-defense, and I will NEVER feel that way again.”

Allen also shared a closeup shot of his new pistol, as well as video of himself at a gun learning to use it.

I have only been to Minnesota twice. The first on a summer family vacation decades ago, and second, on a layover when flying to Alaska. Other than necessity required by the latter, I have no plans to ever visit that tyrant run state again

Is Your Private Vehicle a ‘Public Space’ When There’s a Gun Involved?

It’s an odd question stemming from an equally strange case, but that’s the question the Minnesota Supreme Court will soon answer after hearing oral arguments on Monday.

Back in 2022, a guy named Kyaw Be Bee was arrested for the misdemeanor charge of carrying a BB gun, rifle, or shotgun in a public place after police discovered a BB gun underneath the driver’s seat of Bee’s car. The deputy had become suspicious of Bee and another man when he spotted them standing near a vehicle in a parking lot around 2 a.m. Bee and his companion strolled back to their own vehicle when they became aware of the deputy, and once they drove away the deputy pulled them over, which is when he discovered the BB gun.

Bee’s attorney argued in a pre-trial hearing that a private vehicle should not be considered a public place and a judge agreed; dismissing the misdemeanor charge after reasoning that a private vehicle is not a public place, even when it’s on a public road.

Prosecutors appealed that decision and the Minnesota Court of Appeals found in their favor, ruling that private cars on public roads should be considered public spaces. Bee’s attorneys then appealed to the state Supreme Court, which heard from both sides yesterday.

“To focus the law on the method of transportation upon a public roadway, instead of the geographic area of the roadway itself, ignores the clear statutory text, renders portions of the statute ineffective, leads to absurd results and is therefore not reasonable,” Saint Paul city attorney Lyndsey Olson, who argued for the state, told justices Monday.

However Drake Metzger, an attorney for Bee, said the statute is “unambiguous” about what makes a space public.

The law defines public space as “property owned, leased, or controlled by a governmental unit and private property that is regularly and frequently open to or made available for use by the public.”

Lawmakers included exceptions for hunters; target shooters; people’s homes or business; and gun shows and shops.

What the law doesn’t address is whether or not a private vehicle is considered a public place; it simply says that if a gun is being transported in compliance with the law, the statute does not apply.

“At the end of the day, the inside of a motor vehicle is not a public space under this definition,” Metzger said Monday.

Metzger also argued that his client could have been charged with carrying without a license based on how the BB gun was stored in the vehicle, but accusing Bee of having a gun in a public place when it was in his car just doesn’t make sense given the language of the statute.

Olson, arguing for the state, saw it differently.

“I don’t think that this is saying that being in a motor vehicle inherently means that you’re in a public place,” Olson said. “It depends on the geographical place that the vehicle is on.”

Bee could have been charged with another crime as well, Olson said, public safety is at the root of gun laws.

“The consequences of a particular interpretation excluding vehicles on public roadways from public space could risk public safety by allowing the gun possession within vehicles without restriction,” she said.

The problem with Olson’s argument, at least from my perspective, is that it requires “interpreting” the statute instead of simply reading and adhering to the text. As Metzer says, the law in question defines what constitutes a public space, and while it does include some private property, that property must be “regularly and frequently open or made available for use by the public”. Your car, my truck, and (presumably) Bee’s vehicle aren’t open for use by the public, even when they’re on a public road, so how could they reasonably be considered public spaces?

Even if the Minnesota Supreme Court finds in favor of Bee (which, given the makeup of the court, is probably unlikely), as his own attorney pointed out, the state could still have charged Bee with improper storage of the BB gun. Whether that statute is constitutional under the text, history, and tradition of the Second Amendment is another question for another day, but when it comes to the question of whether a private vehicle is a public space, I think the answer is and should obviously be “no.”