Store owner shoots armed robber
SAN DIEGO — Police say a store owner shot an armed robber who officers are now questioning in connection with three other robberies reported Sunday.
San Diego police said a man walked into La Michoacana, a market and taco shop at 1702 Vesta Street, with a gun around 10:40 a.m. and demanded money from two cash registers. The store owner, a 40-year-old man, handed over the money then grabbed his own gun as the suspect walked away.
The store owner “challenged the suspect” then shot him twice when the suspect turned back toward him, according to police. The armed robbery suspect was shot in the stomach and wrist. He was taken to the hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening, police said.
The first robbery reported Sunday happened shortly before 7:30 a.m. Police said the victim had just gotten money out of an ATM when a gunman walked up near East 9th Street and C Avenue and stole the cash. Just over an hour later, the Texas Liquor store on Harbison Avenue was robbed. Police say a man held the clerk at gunpoint.
National City police said they got a third report of a robbery at the Swap Meet. Officers got a license plate number for the suspect’s vehicle. The call about the shooting at the taco shop came in as they were relaying the information to surrounding agencies.
Officers are now working to learn if the man who was shot is behind the other robberies. Police have not provided information about any other possible suspects.
Melbourne resident opens fire during attempted home invasion
MELBOURNE, Fla. – Melbourne police said a resident in fear for his safety scared off two men, at least one of whom had a gun, early Wednesday because he believed they were going to break into his home.
Police responded to a home on White Cap Way at 5:51 a.m. for reports of an attempted home invasion robbery with shots fired. Officers were told by the residents they had observed a suspicious vehicle parked outside of their home and two men with a firearm got out and began to approach the house.
Out of fear, one of the residents armed himself and opened the front door, shooting several rounds into the ground and in the direction of the vehicle, he told police. The unknown men then drove away, officials said.
Police do not believe either of the men were shot during the incident and no homes were stuck.
Modern science: Celebrating a “high priestess” instead of data
The corruption of modern science and our intellectual class was well illustrated today by the following headline and article in the peer review journal Science:
Act now, wait for perfect evidence later, says ‘high priestess’ of U.K. COVID-19 masking campaign
From the article’s lead:
In May, when several prominent U.K. scientists pushed back against a Royal Society report recommending face masks to help control the spread of COVID-19, Trisha Greenhalgh was furious. The scientists argued there was insufficient support in the scientific literature for the efficacy of masks, and the U.K. government, following their lead, declined to mandate masks for the general public.
“The search for perfect evidence may be the enemy of good policy,” Greenhalgh, a physician and expert in health care delivery at the University of Oxford, fumed in the Boston Review. “As with parachutes for jumping out of airplanes, it is time to act without waiting for randomized controlled trial evidence.” [emphasis mine]
The highlighted words have been the typical argument of the global warming crowd for decades. “We can’t wait for evidence! We need to act now before it’s too late!”
Moreover, she — along with the writer of this Science article — also copies another global warming dishonest tactic, posing a false argument by claiming that the opposing scientists requried a “randomized controlled trial” to demonstrate the usefulness of masks. This is an absurd misstatement, as it ignores decades of research that already exists and was referenced by those opposing scientists, that showed that mandating widespread mask use was generally a bad idea, and would accomplish nothing good.
For the full images, go here and here.
Greenhalgh, who belongs to a WHO committee that she forced to change from “claiming masks are harmful” to now endorsing mask use, very clearly falls into this mindset. She is outraged that scientists would dare defy her opinion on masks. Despite the clear uncertainty of the science and the solid evidence that improper use of masks can be harmful (as illustrated by the WHO graphic to the right), she forged ahead with her political campaign and got WHO to comply.
Apparently the editors and writers at Science also agree with her approach of ignoring data for the sake of an political agenda, as this article lovingly endorses her campaign and tactics.
The greatest irony here is that Greenhalgh was dubbed “a high priestess” by a critic. Now, Science is elevating that term to a compliment, and a guidepost for what future scientists should strive for. “Forget data and research, the focus must be on what we believe and desire, even if no evidence backs up those opinions! And above all, we must worship our leaders as priests and priestesses with privileged and special knowledge who must never be questioned!” Continue reading “”
French officials plan to expel 231 radicalized foreign nationals in a sweeping crackdown after the brutal slaying of a teacher Friday.
Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin said he intends to move swiftly in response to the killing of Samuel Paty, a history teacher who was beheaded after showing cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad in class.
President Emmanuel Macron has called the killing an “Islamist terrorist attack.”
The primary response to the attack includes the deportation of 231 foreigners in the File of Alerts for the Prevention of Terrorist Attacks (FSPRT), which tracks radicalized activities, according to Europe 1.
Darmanin had planned to expel the people already, having traveled to Morocco the previous week to ask the government to accept nine of its radicalized nationals. He plans to meet with officials in Algeria and Tunisia to discuss similar deals.
On the list are 180 people currently in prison and another 51 individuals who will be arrested shortly, officials said. More than 850 illegal immigrants are registered to the FSPRT, 24 News reported.
A man lays a flower outside the school where a slain history teacher was working, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020, in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, northwest of Paris. French President Emmanuel Macron denounced what he called an “Islamist terrorist attack” against a history teacher decapitated in a Paris suburb Friday, urging the nation to stand united against extremism. The teacher had discussed caricatures of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad with his class, authorities said. The suspected attacker was shot to death by police after Friday’s beheading. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
French authorities have already arrested 11 individuals in connection with the killing, the BBC reported, though it is not clear if they are also part of the planned expulsions.
Four close relatives of the suspect were detained shortly after the attack. Six more people were held on Saturday, including the father of a pupil at the school and a preacher described by French media as a radical Islamist.
Darmanin also plans to bring into focus the question of the right to asylum, since an 18-year-old Chechen refugee, identified only as Abdoulakh A., is suspected of killing Paty. The minister asked his services to more carefully examine people who wish to obtain refugee status in France.
The suspect was found a short distance from the victim, carrying a knife. After the suspect refused to drop his weapon, police shot and killed him.
French anti-terrorism prosecutor Jean-Francois Ricard has said a text claiming responsibility for the attack and a photograph of the victim were found on the suspect’s phone. A photo of Paty’s decapitated head was posted on a Twitter account that belonged to the suspect.
“I have executed one of the dogs from hell who dared to put Mohammad down,” the message with the photo said, according to authorities.
The beheading has upset moderate French Muslims. On Sunday, political leaders, associations and unions are set to demonstrate in Paris and other major cities to call for support of freedom of speech and pay tribute to Paty.
A national tribute will be paid to Paty on Wednesday.
“Public Health” is a deceitful hypocrisy.
Boston University exempts Black Lives Matter events from COVID size limits.
Other events must get ‘advance’ permission to exceed 25 people
Want to go marching for racial justice? Don’t worry about Boston University’s 25-person gathering limit in the name of COVID-19 prevention.
Want to go marching for any other cause? Hold it, bub.
The private university seriously told Campus Reform that it’s evaluating Black Lives Matter gatherings under Massachusetts guidance on gatherings for political expression, while subjecting any other request to exceed its own 25-person limit to bureaucratic whim. Continue reading “”
Up in the air Junior Birdmen!
Up in the air Up Side Down!
Up in the air Junior Birdmen,
With your noses to the ground.
If this is your problem………….
Space Force plans big reveals on its first anniversary
One of the most anticipated announcements is the official name of Space Force members
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force plans to make “a lot of announcements” during the month of December as the service approaches its one-year anniversary, Deputy Chief of Space Operations Lt. Gen. B. Chance Saltzman said Oct. 16.
“We’re going to roll out some things that will be kind of new to everyone,” Saltzman said on a live webcast event hosted by the Air Force Association’s Mitchell Institute.
One of the most anticipated announcements is the official name of Space Force members, who are currently still “airmen” because the new service has not yet selected a moniker for space personnel.
Thousands of Air Force space operators who have begun the process of transferring to the Space Force informally call themselves “space professionals.” Having an official name is seen as an important step in building a service culture and attracting recruits, but the process has taken longer than expected.
“We are definitely taking too long on many things that maybe could be done faster,” Saltzman said. “I don’t have an easy answer … we know that almost every decision we’re making is a first of its kind.”
He said leaders worry about rushing to pick a name and then regretting the choice,
Robbery victim shoots, kills suspected thief on way to meet online date
HOUSTON – A man claims he shot and killed another man who tried to rob him during what he believed was a meetup with a woman he met online.
According to deputies in Harris County, the victim said he planned to meet the woman at an apartment complex along Uvalde Road in Northeast Houston when two men walked up and tried to rob him at gunpoint.
The victim said he pulled out his own gun and shot one of the men before taking off. He drove to a nearby gas station where he called for help.
By the time officers arrived at the apartment complex, the suspected robber was dead. Investigators said they found a toy gun at the scene.
The alleged victim was questioned. Deputies also said they weren’t sure of the ages of people involved, but said at least one may be a juvenile.
Home intruder shot in Kinsey Sunday morning dies
DOTHAN, Ala. (WTVY) – The Houston County Sheriff’s Office providing additional details today in a shooting over the weekend that led to one man’s death.
No charges will be filed in the case, because Sheriff Donald Valenza said 34-year-old Dantrail Mills was trying to break into a Kinsey home when he was shot by the homeowner. On Sunday, Oct. 11 around 2:00 a.m. the Houston County Sheriff’s Office received a call for a possible burglary in progress on Nomad Circle.
Mills was armed and had parked about 90 to 100 feet from the home. When Mills entered the home he was met by a male resident who fired multiple times.
Mills is no stranger to law enforcement. He’s been arrested more than 20 times. He was currently on federal probation.
Sheriff Valenza said the motive is unclear but Mills and the residents knew each other.
“When the subject breached the house, he and the other male engaged and Mr. Mills was shot and rescue arrived and transported him to the medical center where he was treated,” Sheriff Valenza said.
Sheriff Valenza says Mills died on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
No one else in the home was injured.
Learn to Practice Situational Awareness.
Those of us who teach don’t have too much difficulty helping a student learn to shoot well enough to defend themselves. It is also relatively easy to teach a student to do speed loads and clear malfunctions. The real challenge is trying to teach that student to spot a criminal attack early enough that there is time to prepare and respond.
Too many people just don’t pay enough attention to what is going on around them. And then, in many cases, they may see it but not understand what is happening. This is the reason that so many criminal attacks seem to occur at such close range. In most cases, if the citizen were more observant and understood what was being seen, the criminal would never get that close.
Citizens will often look at a police video and wonder why the officers were using the level of force that they were when it seems to unnecessary. The citizen is seeing it, but not from the same level of experience and training that the officers are. People who have survived a robbery, rape or assault, are seldom difficult to convince that they need to take a greater interest in their personal safety. But, that is a high price to pay for education and it assumes that the citizen will survive — which, as we know, is sadly not always the case.
The first step is to force yourself to be more observant of things that are going on around you. When walking out of the restaurant, into the dark parking lot, you are scanning the area instead of listening to your friend’s funny joke. You are looking for things and people that appear to be out of place: that group of what appears to be street punks standing next to the cars in this high-end eatery; the person who is looking at you but turns away when he sees that you’ve noticed; the guy coming out of the darkness, asking for directions.
The person who has some street experience has a leg up on understanding the criminal mind because he has already seen crooks in action. But, the average citizen can also increase his knowledge on the subject without having to learn by being a victim. I highly recommend getting some books, videos or training classes on body language because the crook will nearly always give himself away if you know what you are looking at.
In addition, take the time to study reports of actual criminal attacks. What was the first clue that a victim should have seen? What mistakes did the victim make that set him up for the attack? It will often become clear that the victim simply wasn’t paying attention.
I live in an area that has a lot of rattlesnakes, yet I’ve never been bitten. Early on, I learned what rattlesnakes looked like and what they are capable of. Then, having a healthy respect for those rascals, I determined to be extremely observant and careful. I can teach you to shoot and run your gun, but I can’t make you pay attention to what is going on around you. Hopefully, you will teach yourself to watch and understand those snakes that walk among us.
BLUF:
To find out more about the Ghost Gunner and reserve their machine for a $500 deposit, readers can visit www.ghostgunner.net .
Ghost Gunner 3 CNC Machine – Defeating Gun Control One Cut at a Time
A couple of years ago, I tested out the Ghost Gunner 2 by Defense Distributed. The Ghost Gunner 2 was great for taking an 80% lower and turning it into a fully working firearm. In November of 2019 AmmoLand News reported the next GG3 would be a ground-up redesign. So when Cody Wilson of Defense Distributed gave me the chance to review their new Ghost Gunner 3 CNC machine, I couldn’t say no. Before we get into my review of the latest Ghost Gunner, we have to talk about what it does and why it is groundbreaking.
Ghost Gunner 3 CNC Machine
To put it simply, The Ghost Gunner is a purpose-built CNC machine that lets anyone turn an 80% lower receiver into a fully working firearm. Defense Distributed designed the Ghost Gunner not only to finish 80% AR15, AR10, AR9, and AR45 lowers, but it also complete 1911 and Polymer 80 frames. In 2021 they will be releasing a cutting code for an AKM. The operator doesn’t need to have any machine skills to use the Ghost Gunner. Continue reading “”
Gun owners rally outside Newport News Police headquarters in support of Second Amendment rights
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Armed protesters gathered outside the Newport News Police Department headquarters exercising their Second Amendment rights, which they say are being taken away from them.
A city ordinance passed over the summer now bans open carry of firearms at city buildings, facilities and parks.
“We ain’t running! We ain’t here to run!”
Dozens of gun owners with their weapons in hand gathered outside the police headquarters, protesting against the ordinance they say is unconstitutional.
“We are all here, and we are all heavily armed. We are unified, and if you mess with one of us, you are going to mess with all of us this time,” said organizer Mike Dunn.
Dunn was arrested last week for trying to go into Huntington Park with his gun. In response, he organized a protest in front of the police headquarters with Police Chief Steve Drew’s “OK.”
“I thought it was good dialogue. They didn’t have to talk to me – I appreciate they did, but I think it shows good faith,” said Chief Drew.
According to Chief Drew, the group did not defy the city ordinance since they were outside headquarters. Continue reading “”
Teen shot to death while trying to rob man with toy gun
HARRIS COUNTY TX(KTRK) — A man is claiming self-defense after he shot and killed one of two teen robbery suspects who approached him with a toy gun overnight in northeast Harris County, the sheriff’s office said.
The deadly shooting happened around 1:40 a.m. at the Forest Creek Apartments on Uvalde near Wallisville Road.
The man told deputies he went to the apartment complex to meet a woman he connected with on a dating website. He alleges that while he was there, two people approached him with what he thought was a real gun.
That’s when the man pulled out his own gun, shooting one of the teens. According to deputies, the second suspect tried to give his friend CPR, but the other teen died.
After the shooting, the man’s gun jammed. He then drove to a gas station nearby and called 911.
Deputies say though the weapon looked realistic, it was actually a toy AR-15 rifle.
“We did find what turned out to be a toy gun, but we’ve also got some other evidence over there,” said HCSO Sgt. Ben Beall. “We’re in the early stages of the investigation and it’s going to take a little bit to figure this out.”
The second teen in the attempted robbery was being questioned, but it wasn’t known if any arrests were made.
Ultimately, the case may go to a grand jury for charges. (actually it will go to a GJ, because that is Texas state law for all homicides)
Shooting at Spartanburg convenience store that left man dead ruled justifiable
SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. — A man who shot and killed another man at a Spartanburg convenience store earlier this week will not face homicide charges, the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday night.
Russell David Berry Sr., 58, of Duncan, was shot Tuesday at the QuikTrip on Reidville Road and died in the operating room about three hours later, Coroner Rusty Clevenger said.
Lt. Kevin Bobo released new information and a description of what was captured on security video that led to the decision by the 7th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
Bobo said deputies responded to the shooting call about 11 p.m.
He said before deputies arrived, 911 dispatchers advised deputies that witnesses said there was a victim in the parking lot with a gunshot wound to his abdomen.
Bobo identified the victim as Berry.
Witnesses also said the shooter had laid his gun on the ground, had laced his fingers behind his head, and was laying on his stomach in the parking lot, Bobo said.
Dispatchers also informed deputies the man asked the witnesses to call 911, and that the shooting was in self-defense, according to Bobo.
When deputies arrived, they found both Berry and the shooter, whose name was not released, as EMS began treating the Berry.
The man was taken to the sheriff’s office for questioning by one investigator while another investigator remained at the scene, interviewing witnesses and gathering video.
Investigators now say the man had first been to CVS behind the QT, attempting to get a money order to send to his family out of country, but the machine there wasn’t working correctly.
The man asked the CVS clerk where the closest ATM was, and she told him there was one inside the QT.
Berry was inside the CVS at the same time as the man, but from the store’s security video, it doesn’t appear they interacted, Bobo said.
Once the man left CVS and went to QT, Berry came outside from CVS but stayed in his car in the parking lot closest to the QT, Bobo said.
About 10 minutes later, the man left the QT and was headed toward his vehicle when Berry got out of his car and headed toward the suspect in a hurried manner, Bobo said.
At some point, Berry can be seen taking a swing at the man, but misses as the suspect runs away.
The man has a valid concealed weapons permit and had both his permit and his weapon on him, Bobo said.
“Fearing for his life, as Berry kept coming towards him, he pulled his pistol from his waistband and fired one time at Berry, hitting him in the stomach,” Bobo said in a release.
The lead violent crime investigator met with the solicitor’s office on Thursday afternoon, who reviewed the case file, according to Bobo.
Based on the statement from the man, which was corroborated by both the statements from the witnesses as well as the video from CVS and QT, the solicitor’s office ruled this incident as a justifiable homicide, and no criminal charges against the man will be filed, Bobo said.
Despite that ruling, the investigation remains active, and the lead investigator still has several pieces of the investigation to wrap up, Bobo said.
Does being able to speak make a Judge’s First Amendment rulings also suspect? And another Senator confirms that being a tone deaf, clueless idjit, isn’t a disqualifier from office.
“Does Owning a Gun Make a Judge’s Second Amendment Rulings Suspect?”
“Barrett says she owns a gun, but could fairly judge a case on gun rights” — why the “but”?
Jacob Sullum (Reason) writes about this question, beginning with:
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R–S.C.) was trying to help out Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett when he asked her whether she owns a gun during her confirmation hearing yesterday. But the premise of his question—that gun ownership might be viewed as disqualifying a judge from dealing fairly with cases involving the Second Amendment—could not be more absurd. Here is the relevant exchange:
Graham: When it comes to your personal views about this topic, do you own a gun?
Barrett: We do own a gun.
Graham: OK. All right. Do you think you could fairly decide a [Second Amendment] case even though you own a gun?
Barrett: Yes.
CNN highlighted that exchange in a headline and tweet, noting that “Barrett says she owns a gun, but could fairly judge a case on gun rights.” The Independent also considered the point noteworthy: “Nominee owns a gun, but says she would rule ‘fairly’ on gun control cases.” So did Fox News: “Barrett admits to owning a gun, says she can set aside beliefs to rule on 2nd Amendment fairly.”
Sullum’s analysis strikes me as quite right; a bit obvious, to be sure, but the sort of obvious that people (or at least headline writers) apparently need to be reminded about.
80% Silencers, the Political Ramifications of Mass Ownership
In the first two parts of this on home made silencers series, I wrote of how we arrived at the current situation, historically, and what exists today, in terms of the technology and legal system, for individuals to make their own silencers utilizing the ATF Form 1.
Because of the tremendous bureaucratic and monetary infringements imposed by the National Firearms Act (NFA), very few form 1’s (required to legally make your own silencer, short-barreled rifle, or shotgun) were processed as late as 1990.
In the year 1990, only thirty years ago, a total of 399 Form 1’s were processed by the ATF. In 2000, the annual number had more than tripled, to 1,334. In 2010, the annual number had continued exponential growth to 5,169. By 2013, it was almost doubled again, at 9,347. In 2014, it had more than doubled again, to 22,380.
It took two more years, to 2016, to more than double again, to 49,985 Form 1s per year. That was the peak, so far. Record firearms sales in 2020 lead to the prediction over 50,000 Form 1’s will be processed this year. The figures for 2019 Form 1’s have not been released at this time, but should be out soon.
About 120 times as many Form 1s are being processed each year, as were being processed 30 years ago. Entire forums on the Internet trade information on what works and what doesn’t.
Forums such as silencertalk.com are potent places for political organizing.
Analysis of the ATF figures shows about 75% of the current Form 1s are for silencers. Most of the rest are for short-barrelled rifles (SBR). SBR Form 1s have probably dropped off as pistol arm braces gained popularity.
The vast increase in the number of legal silencers is altering the political and judicial landscapes.
Such visible numbers are a sign of political and judicial strength. Second Amendment supporters have every logical argument to repeal the National Firearms Act. They do not have the political support in Congress to do so…yet.
The inclusion of silencers in the NFA may be the worst public health blunder made by the Federal Government. Tens of millions of gun owners’ hearing has been adversely affected.
Two million legal silencers are merely the start. There are about 100 million firearms owners who could benefit from owning inexpensive and effective silencers in the United States. Market saturation of silencers in the United States might top out in the area of 200 million. Continue reading “”
Clerk fatally shoots would-be robber at northeast Columbus store
COLUMBUS OHIO (WCMH) — Police say an exchange of gunfire led to a clerk fatally injuring a robber at a northeast Columbus store.
According to the Columbus Division of Police, at about 1:09 a.m., two armed suspects wearing masks entered the Beechcroft Newstand along E. Dublin-Granville Road and demanded money.
Police say the clerk fatally shot one of the suspects during an exchange of gunfire.
The other suspect fired shots, striking the clerk and a customer before running from the scene.
The robbery suspect fatally shot has been identified as Juanye Hawkins-Payne, 19.
The clerk and the customer were taken to an area hospital where they were treated and released.
The other robbery suspect, Daythan Jones, 20, has been arrested according to police, and charged with murder.
Police continue to investigate the shooting.
Jewelry store owner shoots robbery suspect 4 times after being stabbed in the head
HAMTRAMCK, Mich. (FOX 2) – A jewelry store owner got attacked in an attempted robbery, being stabbed in the head – but shot the suspect four times.
Both men are still alive after the incident which happened at Naya’s Jewelry on Joseph Campau Friday afternoon.
Hamtramck jewelry store owner guns down robbery suspect after being stabbed
“We had a stabbing and a shooting,” said Max Garbarino, Hamtramck community safety director.
Police say the suspect stabbed the store owner in the head but the owner defended himself and shot the suspect four times. Both men were taken to a nearby hospital
The whole incident happened so fast, the suspect never was able to try to steal anything, investigators say.
“I don’t know of any of our jewelry stores where they’re not armed, so it’s very foolish for someone to do that here,” Garbarino said.
Investigators aren’t disclosing the extent of their injuries but they did say the store owner is expected to recover.
“The store owner was talking to our officers and giving us details so I’m fairly certain he’ll probably be ok,” Garbarino said.
Man shoots knife-wielding home invader during break-in in Person County
PERSON COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) — A knife-wielding home invader was shot while attempting to break into a Person County home late Friday night.
Person County deputies said around 10:30 p.m. on Friday, a male neighbor was shot while attempting to break into a home along Rhododendron Lane.
Authorities said a man inside the home shot the neighbor two times in what appears to be self-defense.
The Chief Deputy of Person County Kevin Crabtree said the home-invading suspect should fully recover and be released from the hospital later Saturday.
The shooting remains under investigation at this time.
How To Learn From Tech Reformers And Make Gun Rights A Populist Issue
The state of the Second Amendment is a barometer for the strength that individual Americans have in relation to their government. Civilian disarmament will weaken millions of Americans — culturally, economically and politically — so why do so many wish to gut the Second Amendment against their best interests?
The principles of the Constitution are too easily eroded by a constantly expanding list of restrictions we are assured only apply to criminals, and gun control is often presented as a way to improve our quality of life through simple, unobtrusive laws.
Magazine capacity is limited because only criminals need standard capacity. Silencers must be heavily regulated because those are tools for assassins. AR-variants must be banned because only murderers use them. Many Americans will yield: “I’m not a bad guy, so if this limits the harm that bad guys can do, it isn’t a restriction on me.”
Americans are both principled and practical — hallmarks of our culture often at odds. At this crossroads, the Second Amendment gets pinned and trimmed. Arguing that the Second Amendment “shall not be infringed” doesn’t stand a chance against appeals for gun control that seem practical.
Every piece of gun control shifts the cultural and political power to the politically connected. An unarmed population is, by definition, defenseless against the state. Reclaiming these powers requires us to seize the opportunity presented by our current populist moment.
The Populist Opportunity To Strengthen The Second Amendment
Populism is the self-conscious resistance to the ruling class by the politically, financially and culturally disenfranchised. Americans may not be ready to pinpoint specifics, but they recognize that power has been concentrated in a few institutions and social classes that are immune from economic, cultural, and political consequences.
A good example of using the populist appeal is the effort to reform Big Tech, which includes many of the online platforms we all use every day, like Google and Facebook.
The debate on Big Tech isn’t on the merits of their platforms, but the control they exercise against individuals and throughout society. These massive companies abuse outdated communications laws to mute voices that don’t fit the starchy views of Silicon Valley. Continue reading “”
The question isn’t whether Durbin is that stupid, rather, it’s why he believes everyone else is ignorant.
The Court, in Heller, and later in Caetano, addressed that idiotic point and buried it.
The Founders Wanted You to Own an AR-15
In his questioning of Amy Coney Barrett regarding an Indiana case about a non-violent felon and his constitutional right to bear arms, Illinois senator Dick Durbin dropped numerous false claims about Chicago gun crimes. But he topped it all off with one of the most egregiously inane arguments used against the private ownership of guns:
When that Second Amendment was written . . . we were talking about the likelihood that a person could purchase a muzzle-loading musket.
Durbin went on to say that the logical conclusion of the “originalist” position on firearms should be that the Founders were referring to flintlock muskets rather than modern “military weapons.” (A purposefully misleading labelling of semi-automatic rifles that Democrats are trying to ban.)
Originalism, of course, isn’t the same as literalism. Even it were, Durbin would be wrong. Because the right to self-defense isn’t predicated on any one specific weapon but a principle. Which is why the Second Amendment doesn’t guarantee the right of individuals to “keep and bear Kentucky rifles” any more than the First Amendment guarantees the right of individuals to “write on parchment paper” or to worship “in Anglican and Presbyterian churches.”
Contemporary legislators have the hubris to believe that the Founders hadn’t envisioned any kind of technological advances in firearm technology. It’s an argument tantamount to claiming that free-speech protections are not operable because James Madison couldn’t foresee the incredible speed with which information can be disseminated on the Internet.
Not only did legislators in the late 18th-century witness the advent and adoption of long-range Pennsylvania rifles — ones that could fire at 300 yards with decent precision rather than 50 yards with none — but they were likely acquainted with the existence of weapons such as air-powered repeating rifles that could fire .46-caliber lead balls about 40 times before losing muzzle velocity. No Founder ever said, “hey maybe we made a mistake.” In fact, in the subsequent 150 years — through the rise of the revolver, the repeating rifle, and the gas-powered automatic weapons — no one ever challenged the idea that the Second Amendment protected anything but an individual right. Heller, the decision that so infuriated leftists, simply reaffirmed what had been obvious to everyone since 1789.
The Second Amendment is predicated on the principle that people have the right defend themselves and their liberties. The right to bear arms, in fact, is older than the right to free speech or freedom of religion. The English Bill of Rights, a document cataloging the crimes of James II and codifying the “ancient and indubitable” rights of English citizens in 1689, includes the right “arms for their defence suitable to their conditions and as allowed by law.” Well, for Protestants. By 1765, William Blackstone, whose writings helped define the English common-law legal system, wrote that “the natural right of resistance and self-preservation, when the sanctions of society and laws are found insufficient to restrain the violence of oppression.”
Not one Founder mentioned anything about “hunting” or “skeet shooting” during the debates over the drafting of the Constitution.
The founding generation believed that firearms should be used to guarantee the universal and inalienable liberties of the people laid out in the Constitution — whether they were in the government or not. Thankfully, there is no need of insurrection now. But the presence of armed citizenry is always a good bulwark against tyranny. Just in case.
And a musket simply won’t do.
How does that line go about just because you can, doesn’t mean you should?
Researchers At Large Hadron Collider Are Confident To Make Contact With Parallel Universe In Days.
If successful a very new universe is going to be exposed – modifying completely not only the physics books but the philosophy books too.
It is even probable that gravity from our own universe may “transfer” into this parallel universe, researchers at the LHC say. The experiment is assured to accentuate alarmist critics of the LHC, many of whom initially warned the high energy particle collider would start the top of our universe with the making a part of its own. But up to now Geneva stays intact and securely outside the event horizon.
No doubt the LHC has been outstandingly successful. First researchers proved the existence of the mysterious Higgs boson “God particle” – a key building block of the cosmos – and it’s seemingly well on the thanks to revealing ‘dark matter’ – a previously untraceable theoretical prospect that’s now believed to form up the foremost of matter within the universe. But next week’s experimentation is reflected to be a game-changer. Mir Faizal, one in every of the three-strong group of physicists behind this experiment, said: “Just as many parallel sheets of paper, which are two-dimensional objects [breadth and length] can exist during a dimension [height], parallel universes can even exist in higher dimensions.” Continue reading “”