High court halts Calif. virus rules limiting home worship

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court is telling California that it can’t enforce coronavirus-related restrictions that have limited home-based religious worship including Bible studies and prayer meetings.

The order from the court late Friday is the latest in a recent string of cases in which the high court has barred officials from enforcing some coronavirus-related restrictions applying to religious gatherings.

Five conservative justices agreed that California restrictions that apply to in-home religious gatherings should be lifted for now, while the court’s three liberals and Chief Justice John Roberts would not have done so.

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Abusers and oppressors will rejoice the death of the Second Amendment

As a group of House Democrats pushed the presidential action on gun control, a group of House Democrats are pushing the Senate to vote on House-passed gun control bills. In either case, the result would be dangerous and make Americans more vulnerable. When the right to keep and bear arms is suppressed by a government, the doors to oppression and abuse are opened. I know, because I’ve seen it.

Hardwired, the global human rights organization I founded, fights against the oppression of religious communities of all faiths in countries around the world. Among these countries is Nigeria, where Fulani herdsmen have been waging a war against Christian farmers for the past decade, but in recent years it’s grown much worse. The Fulani herdsmen are attacking farmland throughout the region to force Christian farmers out of the area and take over their land. The attacks typically increase in the spring and are carried out with AK-47s and machetes.

In Nigeria, the law does not permit citizens to own firearms. As a result, the Christian farmers are sitting ducks. They have no recourse.

Not only will their government not protect them, their government is preventing them from protecting themselves. Herdsmen attack entire villages, burning churches, killing pastors and worshipperskidnapping and forcibly converting young children and destroying homes, business and crops.

And the Nigerian government is not only silent, it is complicit. The illegal sale of weapons in Nigeria is a global concern but it ignores the real issue. The government is not only to be condemned for their silence about attacks on Christians, but also for their apparent complicity in leaving the Christians defenseless.

As a result, the conflict in Nigeria’s Middle belt states continues to worsen.

As Benjamin Franklin famously said, “Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

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North Dakota: Stand Your Ground Legislation Joins Other Pro-Gun Legislation on Governor’s Desk

[Friday] the North Dakota House concurred on Stand Your Ground Legislation, House Bill 1498, sending the measure to the desk of Governor Doug Burgum for his signature. This measure now sits alongside House Bill 1450 which was approved yesterday. Please contact Governor Burgum and ask him to sign House Bill 1450 and House Bill 1498.

House Bill 1450 enhances North Dakota’s permit laws by reducing certain minor violations on its list of prohibiting factors for applicants. HB 1450 would allow more individuals to exercise their constitutional right to self-defense.

House Bill 1498 will strengthen North Dakotans’ fundamental right to self-defense anywhere they are legally allowed to be. Victims of violent crime who respond with defensive force while protecting themselves or their loved ones should not have to face the additional threat of criminal or civil prosecution. If enacted, law-abiding citizens would no longer be required to retreat before defending themselves.

 

Kansas: House Concurs on Senate Amendments to Pro-Gun Bills, Sending them to the Governor

Two bills sprinted through the legislative finish line yesterday as the Senate passed two pro-gun measures which were subsequently approved by the House.  Omnibus legislation, House Bill 2058, and Eddie Eagle Gun Safety legislation, House Bill 2089, now head to the desk of Governor Laura Kelly for her signature.

Proposed by Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, House Bill 2058 does the following:

  • Recognizes all out-of-state concealed carry permits, and allows those who have been licensed to carry a firearm for self-defense, to do so lawfully in Kansas.  This legislation recognizes that visitors to Kansas should not be left defenseless simply by crossing a state line.
  • Allows individuals who are 18 to 20 years of age to apply for a Kansas concealed carry permit.
  • Authorizes the Attorney General to issue an alternative license to carry a concealed handgun to qualified applicants during a declared state of disaster emergency.
  • Creates a Restoration of Rights process for individuals to reestablish the Second Amendment right to possess a firearm upon expungement of certain convictions.

*****

Substitute House Bill 2089 directs the state Board of Education to establish grade-appropriate curricula guidelines to teach firearm safety to K-12 students, based on NRA’s Eddie Eagle GunSafe® program, and/or the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism’s existing Hunter Education In Our Schools. Individual school district boards are to have the choice whether they wish to provide gun safety education under these standards. This gives the flexibility to school boards and parents to decide what gun safety education is appropriate for their communities and school children. Developing these standards by drawing from proven, existing programs, results in cost savings for the taxpayers.

South Carolina: House Passes Constitutional Carry

[Thursday], the House voted to pass House Bill 3096 on third reading. It has been sent to the Senate for further consideration.

House Bill 3096 allows a law-abiding adult to carry a handgun without first having to obtain government permission. This ensures that citizens have the right to self-defense without government red tape or delays. Additionally, this legislation maintains the existing Concealed Weapon Permit (CWP) system, so citizens who still wish to obtain a permit may do so. Currently, 20 other states have constitutional/permitless carry.

It’s basically the SGB -Small Game Bullet- in a lighter weight.

This is an alternate tactic the gun grabbers have been trying for decades. Getting their econutz shills to sue to ban lead bullets and shot.


Judge Affirms Hunters Can Use Traditional Ammo in NRA Case

On April 1st, a federal judge in Arizona sided with NRA-ILA and Safari Club International and held that hunters’ use of traditional ammo does not violate federal environmental law.

The case dates back to 2012, when a group sued the U.S. Forest Service. The group alleged that by allowing hunters to hunt with traditional lead ammo in the 1.6-million-acre Kaibab National Forest—which is authorized by Arizona state law—the Forest Service was violating the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. That Act was originally passed in 1976, to address the increasing amount of municipal and industrial waste that was being disposed of at the time. But over time, it has been used to attack gun owners and shooting ranges.

On April 1st, the judge held that the Forest Service is not disposing any waste by allowing hunters to hunt in accordance with state laws. But the case had even bigger implications. The Plaintiff was asking the court to order the Forest Service regulate hunting. But the states own the wildlife, even while it is on federal lands. “Each national forest,” the judge said, “is required to cooperate with state wildlife agencies to allow hunting in ‘accordance with the requirements of State laws.”’ A ruling to the contrary would have given the federal government the authority to enter a field of regulation that belongs to the states on lands where hunting takes place. Those implications would be huge because 640-million acres (about twenty-eight percent of the country) is owned and managed by the federal government. Thankfully, the judge sided with NRA-ILA and Safari Club.

NRA-ILA will continue to protect the rights of hunters everywhere to use commonly owned and affordable ammunition to hunt and enjoy public lands.

The case is called Center for Biological Diversity v. United States Forest Service. The National Shooting Sports Foundation also intervened as a defendant in the case.

Governor Gordon Stands Up for Second Amendment, Signs Firearms Industry Non-Discrimination Act

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (Release) – Reinforcing his overarching belief in protecting Second Amendment rights in the face of today’s Executive Actions by President Biden, Governor Mark Gordon signed House Bill 236/House Enrolled Act 87- Firearms transactions – financial discrimination into law. The bill prohibits financial institutions and payment processors in Wyoming from discriminating against firearms businesses that support or are “engaged in the lawful commerce of firearms, firearm accessories or ammunition products.”

“Wyoming is,  has always been, and will continue to be a state where Second Amendment rights are recognized and protected. I oppose any orders or actions imposed from  the federal level that infringe on this fundamental right,” Governor Gordon said. “I will relentlessly defend our  Second Amendment and the Wyoming businesses involved in the firearms industry.”

Earlier this week Governor Gordon signed two other pieces of firearms-related legislation. First, Governor Gordon signed Senate File 155/Senate Enrolled Act 40. That legislation ensures that during emergencies the government cannot impose improper restrictions on Wyoming citizens’ lawful access to firearms. This is the way the Governor handled the COVID-19 emergency earlier this year.  He appreciated the Legislature developing a bill that backed up his approach.

The Governor also signed House Bill 116/House Enrolled Act 70, which extended permit-less carry in Wyoming to all law-abiding Americans. Wyoming was one of the first states to recognize the right to carry without a permit for its citizens, and the bill extends the same privilege to all legal gun owners who otherwise legally qualify to carry a firearm in the state.

Now that we’ve gotten a good look at Garland as Attorney General, it’s apparent the country dodged a bullet from having him installed on the Supreme Court.

WH Cagey About Prospects for Gun Sales Background Checks

White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Thursday finessed a vexing question about the congressional logjam over a hot-button gun control issue: federal background checks for firearms purchases.

In the wake of President Joe Biden’s announcement of several executive actions aimed at curtailing gun violence, Psaki was asked if the White House believes Congress will actually pass two bills expanding checks.

“The president is going to lead the analysis of what is viable and doable to all of you,” she said, the Daily Caller reported.

“He is not vote counting himself,” she said. “He is also clear about challenges in moving forward with legislation that the Senate. He will continue to advocate for that just as he did today, this morning in the Rose Garden surrounded by some of the bravest and most courageous advocates for gun control, gun safety legislation in the country. He also is not going to wait.”

When pressed on how that communication between Biden and a divided Congress would go, Psaki replied: “I certainly would anticipate the president will arrange conversations with members of Congress.”

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Ducey signs ‘Second Amendment sanctuary’ bill

Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill Tuesday evening that makes Arizona a “Second Amendment sanctuary” and bars law enforcement agencies in the Grand Canyon State from enforcing federal gun control measures, ignoring a last-minute plea from gun control groups urging him to veto it. 

“We want him to know that his constituents don’t agree with this,” Sophia Carrillo, a volunteer with gun safety group Moms Demand Action said to Arizona Mirror Tuesday morning after the group delivered nearly 2,500 signatures urging him to veto the bill. 

Moms Demand Action collected 2,485 signatures which they delivered to Ducey’s office Tuesdaymorning in the hopes that it will persuade the governor to veto House Bill 2111

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Leo Biasiucci, R-Lake Havasu, makes it illegal for local governments, the state and employees to enforce or cooperate with any federal law, act, treaty, rule or regulation that is “inconsistent with any law of this state regarding the regulation of firearms.” 

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THE RISE, FALL — AND RISE — OF THE 10MM

In the early 1980s, the combined wisdom of Jeff Cooper and Whit Collins created the 10mm Auto cartridge. Dornaus & Dixon introduced their Bren Ten pistol as Norma, their initial commercial loading for it, a 200-grain FMJ bullet running at 1,200 feet per second at 37,500 lbs. per square inch pressure. The Bren didn’t survive, but three things happened to save the 10mm — 1) Colt chambered their Government Model for it as the Delta Elite, keeping it available to shooters; 2) The FBI, briefly, adopted the 10mm in the form of the Smith & Wesson Model 1076; and 3) Folks who were in the land of big, people-eating bears realized large-diameter bullets with enhanced velocities were good prevention against becoming Purina Bear Chow, with more bullets giving you more chances.

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This will leave North Dakota as the only state where only residents can carry concealed without a permit.


WYOMING TO ALLOW NONRESIDENTS TO CONCEAL CARRY WITHOUT A PERMIT STARTING JULY 1

CASPER, Wyo. — Starting July 1, both residents and nonresidents alike will be able to conceal carry in Wyoming without obtaining a special permit, provided they can legally possess a hand gun in the United States.

Governor Mark Gordon signed House Bill 116 into law on Tuesday which will give nonresidents the ability to conceal carry without a special permit once the new law goes into effect July 1, 2021.

Wyoming residents are already able to conceal carry without a permit if they are legally allowed to possess a firearm.

Oregon GOP Minority Leader Facing Recall After Failing to Block Gun Ban Legislation.

“Oregon’s Republican Senate minority leader declined to join his fellow party members in a walkout over gun control legislation last month. His presence in the Senate (along with five of his closest GOP friends) allowed the body to reach a quorum of at least 20 members and bring legislation banning firearms in the capitol up for a vote…which, in the Democrat dominated Senate, passed easily.”

D.C. Statehood? How About A Declaration Of Independence From Washington Instead

The Democrats are agitating for a 51st state that would be the District of Columbia, not for reasons of fairness but to build their party into an unchallengeable political power. America would be better off declaring its independence from the capital.

As it says in this nation’s founding document, the Declaration of Independence, we believe our Creator endowed us with certain unalienable rights: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But the ruling class in Washington does not believe as we do. It believes only in the expansion of its power. The facts, “submitted to a candid world,” speak for themselves.

  • America’s ruling class has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass and tax out their substance.
  • It co-opted the military to gaslight the nation with the ultimate goal being the crushing of dissent.
  • It has endeavored to foment civil war by enabling and encouraging racial division, riots, wokeness, and the relentless cancel culture.
  • It has plundered our future with unnecessary aid in the present.
  • It has constrained our fellow citizens through counterproductive, falsely premised lockdowns.
  • It has excited domestic insurrections among us in service of its objectives.
  • It has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving its assent to acts of pretended legislation.
  • It wishes to abolish our most valuable election laws, and alter fundamentally the forms of our governments.
  • It wishes to suspend our Constitution, and declare itself invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
  • It has repeatedly attempted to dissolve elections legitimately won by political rivals.

The Founders gave us a republic in which we were to be independent from the national capital. The 10th Amendment explicitly says “the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.” The federal government’s authority is by design limited.

We’re not advocating secession, partition, or nullification. We’re simply reiterating what many already know: Washington has grown too big, too powerful, and too intrusive into private affairs. It has usurped the authority of the states, homogenized their individualism, and extorted them. Washington puts it thumb on the scales that balance power in this nation, its boot on the throat of liberty. It is much too energetic in its exercise of government in a way that would have deeply concerned Thomas Jefferson.

We borrow – and slightly amend – another Jeffersonian principle to make our final point: The tree of liberty needs to be watered by a bloodless revolution of patriotic voters who will use their ballots to oust the tyrants that crave ruling over governing. That’s our road back to independence.

Everybody Here Hates the Media, and Everybody Owns a Gun

I’ve been writing a series for The Stream on the 2018 political hit job that tried to destroy me. No such retelling of that dark time would be complete without recalling the role played by my buddy “Rick.”

To recap: On September 16 2018, the Washington Post published a profile of Christine Blasey Ford. She claimed that Brett Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted her when the two were in high school in 1982. She said that I was in the room where the assault allegedly took place. The allegation roiled the nation.

The media mostly acted as if they were Ford’s hired publicists. She leaned, in turn, on an opposition researcher named Keith Koegler. According to The Education of Brett Kavanaugh, Koegler had

spent many hours that summer poring over news coverage of the nomination process, biographical information about Kavanaugh, and writings and videos produced by Mark Judge. In combing through YouTube, articles, and social networks, Koegler had learned more about the house parties … and the lexicon of 1980s Georgetown Prep than he had ever thought he would care to know.

I will recount this entire Salem witch-trial nightmare in a book I’m writing.

 

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