Free Republic

Dear Mr. Security Agent, Federal, state, or local. You, the man or woman with the badge, the sworn LEO or FLEA and those who inhabit the many law enforcement niches in between and on all sides. This essay is directed to you, because in the end, how this turmoil about gun control turns out will depend largely upon your decisions and actions over the coming months and years. I sincerely wish that members of Congress—who may soon be voting on new gun control measures—would read this essay, but I realize that’s a pipe dream, considering the impenetrable bubbles around those...

Arnold Schwarzenegger says 'Terminator' and other violent movies shouldn't be blamed for mass shootings Arnold Schwarzenegger may be one of the world's biggest action stars but the former governor of California says violence in films is entertainment and should not be linked to tragic events like the Connecticut school shooting in which 20 children died. The star of films such as 'The Terminator,' 'Predator' and 'True Lies' told a press conference ahead of the opening of his new movie, 'The Last Stand,' that 'one has to keep (the two) separate.' '(This is) entertainment and the other thing is a tragedy...

CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy says the city has logged its 500th homicide of the year. McCarthy issued a statement Friday calling the milestone a "tragic number that is reflective of the gang violence and proliferation of illegal guns that have plagued some of our neighborhoods."

By now you've seen the stories about NBC anchor David Gregory breaking Washington D.C. gun laws by brandishing a 30-round magazine during his abrasive interview with NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre last Sunday. From the anchor chair, Gregory pretty much said high capacity magazines should be banned. Now, because the possession of 30-round magazines are illegal in the District of Columbia, Gregory is under investigation by police; as he should be. Not only did he violate D.C. gun laws, but according to D.C. police [who have confirmed multiple times], he knowingly violated the law after being denied the use...

TRENTON — In the wake of the massacre of 20 Connecticut schoolchildren, New Jersey lawmakers are proposing legislation to toughen gun control as well as to ban the state from holding stock in companies that manufacture or sell assault weapons. Assemblyman Joseph Cryan (D-Union) said today he plans to introduce a bill tighten New Jersey’s gun laws, already among the strictest in the country, with a "gun safety campaign." Outlining the first part of the plan, Cryan said the measure would limit the capacity of ammunition magazines from the current maximum of 15 to five. "The Newtown (Conn.) shooter fired...

Banning any or all types of guns means that only criminals will have all the guns. Monumentally stupid idea!! Women with children who go off the deep end over gun control should have their big SUV's confiscated because big SUV's cause more accident injuries because of their size and weight. Tons of laws against rape, child molestation, etc. and we even have public lists of registered sex offenders. All of that and it has done nothing to stop sex offenders from repeating the crimes.

AK-47 found in paroled felon's car after high speed chase Authorities found a loaded AK-47 rifle in the trunk of a car driven by a paroled felon after a high speed pursuit that concluded with a crash and short foot chase. West Covina police attempted to stop a gray Toyota Camry for traffic violations at the Sunset Avenue exit off the 10 Freeway shortly after 10 p.m. Sunday. The driver led police on a chase that reached speeds in excess of 90 mph on city streets, West Covina police spokesman Rudy Lopez said. The suspect vehicle entered the westbound 10...

The liberals are screaming for more gun control. But explain to me why in a state with one of the most stringent gun control laws in the nation the Sandy Hook massacre still happened? Connecticut has strong gun laws that help combat the illegal gun market, prevent the sale of most guns without background checks and reduce risks to children, according to the Brady Campaign. In the organization’s 2009 state scorecards released for all 50 states, Connecticut earned 53 points out of a total of 100 and has the nation’s fourth strongest gun laws. “Connecticut has done more than most...

But, in the meantime, there's one chart from Gallup that tells the story of the American public's attitude toward gun legislation over time.

Since NBC sportscaster Bob Costas gave us an anti-gun lecture two weeks ago during Sunday Night Football, we've heard a lot from progressives like Juan Williams, Bob Beckel and anti-gun advocacy groups about how countries in Europe with strict gun control laws don't have problems with gun crime. We've also heard the reason the United States has a "gun crime problem" is because we allow citizens to own handguns however, the numbers on violent crime committed using a gun tell a different story. New data out from the UK, where guns are banned, shows gun crime has soared by 35...

Should the next administration introduce tougher gun laws to the United States? Yes No

Question for fellow gun nuts: I have a lot of guns at my dad's place in Ohio. Rifles (.22, 30/30), shotguns(410, 12ga, 20ga), and pistols (.38, .44). No assault weapons. Here's the thing. I want to drive them back to Idaho at some point, but I just heard a news story about a guy that is being charged with "Transportation of Firearms Across State Lines". If I get pulled over, am I going to prison? I know, this sounds like a stupid question, but I would hate to go to prison for driving legal firearms across the country.

By Mr. Curmudgeon:Republicans have cornered the market on compassion - the real and not politically contrived variety. Monday, House Republicans petitioned a federal court to uphold their subpoena requiring that the Justice Department turn over documents pertaining to the sale of weapons to Mexico's deadly drug cartels by the Bureau of Tobacco, Alcohol, Firearms and Explosives.In doing so, the House GOP speaks for those who cannot speak for themselves: The hundreds of innocent souls killed because of a cynical program designed to gin up gun violence south of the border as a pretext for enacting more stringent gun legislation here...

The horrific mass murder at a movie theater in Colorado on July 20 and another at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin on August 5 are the latest in an epidemic of such gun violence over the last three decades. Since 1982, there have been at least 58 mass murders* carried out with firearms across the country, with the killings unfolding in 30 states from Massachusetts to Hawaii. We've mapped them below, including details on the shooters' identities, the types of weapons they used, and the number of victims they injured and killed. Of the 134 guns possessed by the killers,...

Look, the bottom line is the left wants to limit or take away your constitutional right to “keep and bear arms”. If you don’t get involved we may be the last generation to have enjoyed this right deemed critical to a free society by our founders. This is a plea to all to get involved and start supporting your sate gun rights organization.

Just like the majority of police officers who never have to fire their gun during the course of a career, most civilians will never be shot at while watching a movie, browsing in a shopping mall or attending school. But for those few that do have the misfortune to be an unwilling participant in an ambush here are a few rules of thumb you may find useful.The police can't protect you. The Aurora, CO police force is a fine, highly motivated department - I know because the police association was formerly my client. There were officers already at the...

By Mr. Curmudgeon: The Windy City has always felt a little like a second-class citizen when compared to the Big Apple. That's why Chicago's other nickname is the Second City. But the greatest force in the universe - stupidity - is helping to level the playing field.After the Aurora, Colorado, shooting, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg appeared on CNN to speak with host Piers Morgan."I don't understand why the police officers across this country don't stand up collectively and say, 'We're going to go on strike. We're not going to protect you unless you, the public, through your legislature, do...

Rush: 'Blaming Guns For Murder Is Like Blaming Forks For Obesity' ["God and guns are the government's number one and two enemies making the individual irrelevant source of picture: freerepublic.com"]Imagine if the Aurora gunman knew that people were carrying weapons in the theater like at a gun club. That would have put a lot of ice water on his passion to commit homicides en masse This author can't recall a single story where there was a massacre like in Colorado at a gun club. He can't even recall any kind of killing by a deranged gunman at any gun club.We...

<p>JAMES HOLMES, who opened fire before the midnight premiere of “The Dark Knight Rises,” could not have seen the movie. Like many whose misery is reflected in violence, he may simply have been drawn to a highly publicized event with a big crowd...</p>

We've already seen the sadly inevitable rush to capitalize on the tragedy in Colorado as an excuse to start passing strict gun laws, ranging from Bloomberg to Rendell and more. But as we sort through the aftermath of the disaster and the victims begin to pick up the pieces, is this opportunism going to result in any new legislation along those lines? One study linked by the AP seems to indicate that the gun grabbing crowd may wind up being disappointed. Once, every highly publicized outbreak of gun violence produced strong calls from Democrats and a few Republicans for tougher...