Free Republic

<p>The former head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection called Monday for the U.S. to reinstitute the ban on assault weapons and take other measures to rein in the war between Mexico and its drug cartels, saying the violence has the potential to bring down legitimate rule in that country.</p>

Attorney General Eric Holder is retreating on his commitment to pursue a controversial gun-control measure. Holder’s statements, recently delivered to senators in writing, clearly indicate the Obama administration is in no rush to reinstate the assault weapons ban, which expired in 2004. In response to written questions from Senate Judiciary Committee members, Holder adopted a much different tone on the ban than he did in February, when he said, “As President Obama indicated during the campaign, there are just a few gun-related changes that we would like to make, and among them would be to reinstitute the ban on the...

On Wednesday the Obama administration took its first major step in a plan to ban all firearms in the United States. The Obama administration intends to force gun control and a complete ban on all weapons for US citizens through the signing of international treaties with foreign nations. By signing international treaties on gun control, the Obama administration can use the US State Department to bypass the normal legislative process in Congress. Once the US Government signs these international treaties, all US citizens will be subject to those gun laws created by foreign governments. These are laws that have been...

    Timing is everything, and a new book from Joshua Horwitz and Casey Anderson ties in well with recent “reports� from the Department of Homeland Security on “rightwing extremists� and the one from the Missouri Information Analysis Center on the “modern militia movement.�    Horwitz, executive director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, and Anderson, a Washington, D.C. attorney, call their book Guns, Democracy and the Insurrectionist Idea. So, in addition to being demonized as “rightwing extremists� and militia whackos, now gun rights activists – people who stand in defense of their fundamental civil right to keep and...

Obama, joined by Mexican President Felipe Calderon at a press conference in Mexico City, said he and Calderon discussed the ban "extensively" during their meeting earlier in the day. Mexican officials have said in recent days that they would like to see the ban reinstated, noting that more than 90 percent of guns recovered in Mexico come from the U.S. The White House was quick to blunt comments Attorney General Eric Holder made earlier this year supportive of pursuing a reinstatement, but Obama said Thursday that he has not changed his position. "I have not backed off at all from...

Interview of Gov. Ed Rendel saying civilians only need revolvers and have no use for "assault weapons". He is also stating there is no slippery slope. He is also demanding the banning of high capacity clips.

U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., is hoping to pass a firearm-licensing bill that will significantly rewrite gun-ownership laws in America. Among the more controversial provisions of the bill are requirements that all handgun owners submit to the federal government a photo, thumb print and mental heath records. Further, the bill would order the attorney general to establish a database of every handgun sale, transfer and owner's address in America. The bill claims its purpose is "to protect the pubic against the unreasonable risk of injury and death associated with the unrecorded sale or transfer of firearms to criminals and youth."

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has a simple, blunt message for hunters in Wisconsin: When a DNR warden asks you to give up your legal firearm, do so, plain and simple, no matter what. What's more, that goes for all citizens, the agency has asserted. Citizens with firearms, the DNR argues, should always do exactly what law enforcement officers tell them to do, regardless of the circumstances of the situation. To which one former hunter education instructor for the department has an equally simple and blunt response: The agency's directive is unconstitutional, plain and simple, and citizens don't have...

Experts say U.S. economic conditions and the presidential election are partly responsible for an increase in the sale of guns and ammunition this year. Data supplied by federal and state government show sales of firearms up 8 to 10 percent in 2008, continuing a trend that began in 2006, The Washington Post reported Monday. The newspaper said interviews with dozens of gun dealers and buyers in Virginia and Maryland indicate the hike in sales appears to be driven predominantly by concerns about the election and the economy. "Generally, we know that hard economic times always result in firearm sales," James...

For the Brady Campaign, Violence Policy Center, Dianne Feinstein, Chuck Schumer, U.N. gun-ban extremist Rebecca Peters and her globalist billionaire sugar-daddy George Soros, for New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his horde of big-city politicians—in fact, for all those individuals and organizations who would harm or destroy our Second Amendment rights—Barack Obama’s mantra of “change” means their agenda will be harnessed to the total power of an aggressive, activist and radical federal government. “Change” means gun owners will be under siege like never before. Especially for NRA members who fought through the never-ending threats of the Clinton-Gore administration, the...

Written in an age in which minutemen rose to dress and fight at a moment’s notice, the Second Amendment was no doubt motivated by a young nation’s concern for its own safety and stability. But now, when the United States is protected by the most powerful security forces on the globe, the Second Amendment is neither relevant nor useful. Rather, it has become an impediment to vital public policy, and it should be repealed and replaced with nuanced federal legislation. Despite the controversy surrounding the Second Amendment, arguments about its relevancy have not surfaced in the Supreme Court since 1939,...

Scouts' firing range irks residents Neighbors say clay shooting events disruptive By Ivan Moreno, Rocky Mountain News July 7, 2007 ELBERT - Neighbors say the Peaceful Valley Scout Ranch is anything but that. The realization came after an explosion of shotgun blasts from the camp in May, when Boy Scouts held a two-day clay shooting fundraiser. "It sounded like Hamas had a training camp next door," said Elbert County Sheriff William Frangis, who fielded numerous calls from people who live near the ranch. The Scouts say no one complained to them. Although the camp has had a shooting range for...

No Guns founder pleads not guilty to gun charges From Times Staff and Wire Reports June 22, 2007 The founder of an antiviolence group called No Guns pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal weapons charges. Hector "Big Weasel" Marroquin is accused of selling an assault rifle, a machine gun, two pistols and two silencers to undercover federal agents last fall. He could face up to 50 years in prison if convicted. Marroquin, 51, of Downey, is a onetime member of the 18th Street gang who founded No Guns in 1996. No Guns received $1.5 million from the city as a...

(On This Day In History) June 22, 1876: General Santa Anna Dies In Mexico City Embittered and impoverished, the once mighty Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna dies in Mexico City. Born in 1792 at Jalapa, Vera Cruz, Mexico, Santa Anna was the son of middle-class parents. As a teen, he won a commission in the Spanish army and might have been expected to live out an unspectacular career as a middle-level army officer. However, the young Santa Anna quickly distinguished himself as a capable fighter and leader, and after 1821, he gained national prominence in the successful Mexican war for...

Until Lyndon Johnson came to the White House in 1962 following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, gun control was simply not a national issue. There were no significant federal gun control laws on the books, and the NRA was a shooter's organization that intentionally shied away from any political involvement. All of that changed with the 1968 assassinations of Sen. Robert Kennedy and civil rights leader Martin Luther King. In the civil unrest that followed, the media found a new whipping boy – America's gun owners. The media blitz against gun rights was unprecedented and became the driving...

Repeal Second Amendment, Analyst Advises By Nathan Burchfiel CNSNews.com Staff Writer June 12, 2007 (CNSNews.com) - The Second Amendment guarantees the right of an individual to own guns and for that reason should be repealed, according to a legal affairs analyst who opposes gun ownership. "The Second Amendment is one of the clearest statements of right in the Constitution," Benjamin Wittes, a guest scholar at the center-left Brookings Institution, acknowledged in a discussion Monday. "We've had decades of sort of intellectual gymnastics to try to make those words not mean what they say." Wittes, who said he has "no particular...

The Chicago Police Department and the Illinois State Police have teamed up to make good on Mayor Daley's pledge that, if it were up to him, nobody would have a gun. Daley and his elite "CAGE" unit are apparently taking advantage of gun privacy loopholes to pinpoint certain individuals for inclusion in the confiscation program. The ISRA is following up on leads in one case that has disturbing implications. An elderly first-generation Chicago resident was recently paid a visit by an Illinois State Police trooper. After asking to come inside the man's home, the trooper asked if the man owned...

Now, how would one disarm the American population? First of all, federal or state laws would need to make it a crime punishable by a $1,000 fine and one year in prison per weapon to possess a firearm...... The disarmament process would begin after the initial three-month amnesty...... Special squads of police would be formed and trained to carry out the work. Then, on a random basis to permit no advance warning, city blocks and stretches of suburban and rural areas would be cordoned off and searches carried out in every business, dwelling, and empty building. All firearms would be...

Pike County is renowned for some of the best whitetail and wild turkey hunting in Illinois. That deserved reputation has turned hunting into a significant revenue source for the county and its residents. A threat to that revenue may cause Pittsfield, the county seat, to someday be known as the spot where a quiet groundswell of protest against the growing proliferation of firearms restrictions finally erupted into grassroots action. On Tuesday evening the Pike County Board citing the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, passed a resolution saying no to any state legislation limiting the right to...

Okay, the antigunners win. I give. Let's ban all the guns, okay? So what is the result of this legislative action? Firearms are VERY widely available in America (one estimate in 2003 is 200,000,000). So now, in our thought experiment, let us simply declare guns illegal. We can estimate that a good 50% of them will be turned in. That leaves 100,000,000 guns still circulating -- with all the ammunition that they can eat. (Chipper voice) Alrighty then! So now, all civilians who are law abiding will no longer carry firearms or be very reluctant to use them to defend...

Everyone needs to see the video clip of Giuliani that Brit Hume aired today. Go to http://www.foxnews.com/specialreport/ and scroll down to Race for 08 and click on the picture of Rudy to pull up the video player. Then you'll have to click on the video called Rallying for Rudy. It starts with Vitter endorsing him but keep watching for Rudy. Asked if he would veto any bill impinging the 2nd amendment - he refused to say without first seeing the legislation. Then the money quote... "THERE'S A RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS. THAT IS A PERSONAL RIGHT. THERE CAN BE REASONABLE...

The clash of east and west is truly ancient. The lastest trailer for "300" is must see! http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/300.html

What kind of President will Hillary Clinton make? I realize this is a disturbing thought, but we must consider it as Senator Clinton remains the odds-on favorite to win the Democratic nomination for President in 2008. The way I figure it, with the Clintons, past is prologue.  That’s why Judicial Watch’s investigations team has been inspecting the newly released Clinton Presidential Library records. (We don’t endorse or oppose candidates, but it is part of educational and corruption-fighting mission to see the Clintons held accountable.)Recently, our investigations team uncovered documents that provide some interesting, and troubling, details about the Clintons’ plan...

U.S. mayors meeting in New York Tuesday called for tougher laws to combat gun violence, saying they will have to lead the way. The New York Times reports the meeting was organized by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino. "It is time for national leadership in the war on gun violence, and if the leadership won't come from Congress or come from the White House, then it has to come from us," Bloomberg said. "When Congress does not take the lead on a major problem that affects the whole nation -- whether it's global warming, welfare,...

MOLON LABE (mo-lone lah-veh) In 480 BC, Xerxes (son of Darius, King of Persia) was in full preparation to invade Athens, the leader of the Greek city-states. King Leonidas of Sparta (Left), another city-state, had agreed to help stop the invading Persians, and marched with 300 hand-picked troops to Thermopylae on the north coast of Greece. Thermopylae was the best of three possible defensive areas in which Xerxes' invading army had to advance. This mountain gap along the coast was about 60 feet wide, and was the best location for a blocking action. When Leonidas was preparing to make his...

Let's say you go on a two-week vacation and leave one of your family's two cars parked in your garage. Two days after your departure, someone breaks into the garage, steals the car and uses it to flee after robbing a gasoline station. Imagine how fair and just it would seem if, two days after that, you were arrested on felony charges of being an accessory to the robbery because a new state law requires owners of stolen cars to report their thefts within three days or take responsibility for anything done with their car. You didn't know the car...

The federal ban on assault weapons suffered a quiet and unfortunate death in September 2004 as concerns about national safety got swallowed whole by politics. That's too bad. Statistics suggest the ban on 19 kinds of semiautomatic assault weapons reduced the use of such guns in crimes. In the five years before the Federal Assault Weapons Act was enacted in 1994, such weapons figured in 4.8 percent of guns used in crimes, as traced by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. In the years the ban was in effect, assault weapons constituted only 1.6 percent of guns used...

Money for guns, latest effort to get guns off Minneapolis streets For two days only, a group calling itself Project Cease Fire will be buying back guns in Minneapolis. They'll take the guns for one day in north Minneapolis, and the following day in south Minneapolis. The program comes amid what project officials say is an epidemic of gun violence, not only in Minneapolis but around the country. Details of the program were unveiled Wednesday in north Minneapolis at the site of the first buy back. It will take place Friday from noon to midnight. "Weapons of mass destruction are...

Based on the epic graphic novel by Frank Miller, 300 is a ferocious retelling of the ancient Battle of Thermopylae in which King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army. Facing insurmountable odds, their valor and sacrifice inspire all of Greece to unite against their Persian enemy, drawing a line in the sand for democracy. The film brings Miller’s (Sin City) acclaimed graphic novel to life by combining live action with virtual backgrounds that capture his distinct vision of this ancient historic tale. Warner Bros. Pictures Presents in Association with...

You know what sucks? Getting shot in the leg (or anyplace else) by a seven year old who figured out how to pick the lock on your gun. I wouldn’t know firsthand, I’m just saying… seven-year-old lock-picking kids are rampant these days. And apparently the US federal government agrees with me. They’ve so far granted $2 million to the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) for the development of the first “Smart Gun” with Dynamic Grip Recognition technology: a gun with a biometric locking mechanism that will only work with one owner. The technology consists of a handle outfitted with...

The NRA versus the Rest of Us Posted by Lorelei Kelly Another example of how well conservatives have staked out the terrain at the intersection of politics and ideas: This month's Foreign Policy magazine has a terrific article about the worldwide influence of America's highly influential gun lobby, the National Rifle Association. Author David Morton, writing from South America, depicts how the NRA exploits the dark side of globalization--using shallow "feel good" messages about liberty and freedom to push its ideological agenda--one that allows no limits on individual ownership of guns. The disappointing part of the NRA is not found...

Waters were receding across this flood-beaten city today as police officers began confiscating weapons, including legally registered firearms, from civilians in preparation for a mass forced evacuation of the residents still living here. No civilians in New Orleans will be allowed to carry pistols, shotguns, or other firearms, said P. Edwin Compass, the superintendent of police. "Only law enforcement are allowed to have weapons," he said. But that order apparently does not apply to the hundreds of security guards whom businesses and some wealthy individuals have hired to protect their property. The guards, who are civilians working for private security...

Registration leads to confiscation. We all know that, and that is why GOA has vehemently opposed all attempts by government forces to compile or retain information pertaining to lawful firearms purchases. But the United States Senate does not appear to see it that way. People on Capitol Hill seem to think that any "edge" in the war on terror is worth trampling on the rights of law-abiding Americans, no matter what the Constitution (and current law) happens to say. At issue is a provision in the Patriot Act reauthorization bill (S. 1266) authored by Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS). Now, GOA...

A man shot an armed intruder at his east Charlotte home Saturday night, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said, sending the masked man to the hospital. A man wearing a bandana on his face entered a home in the 6300 block of Montego Drive near The Plaza through an unlocked door about 11:30 p.m., said Capt. Earl Mathis.Three adults and two children were home at the time, Mathis said. The suspect followed one of the residents into a bedroom to get money. The resident shot the intruder multiple times, Mathis said. The intruder, whose identity police did not release, was rushed to a...

Bill Summary - A03371 A03371 Summary: Rpld S265.00 sub 22 (e) sub (iv) & (v), amd SS265,00, 265.20 & 400.05, Pen L Adds semiautomatic rifles, shotguns or pistols or a replica or a duplicate thereof manufactured on October 1, 1993 and semiautomatic rifles, shotguns or semiautomatic pistols lawfully possessed prior to September 14, 1994 to the definition of assault weapon; provides for the superintendent of the division of state police to accept surrendered assault weapons; declares such assault weapons surrendered a nuisance. A03371 Actions: 02/02/2005 referred to codes A03371 Votes: A03371 Memo: TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the...

A03371 Summary: SAME AS No same as SPONSOR Bing COSPNSR Eddington, Englebright, Paulin, Dinowitz, Cook, Seddio, Lavelle, Ortiz, Stringer, Espaillat, Benedetto MLTSPNSR Brennan, Cymbrowitz, Diaz L, Diaz R, Gordon, Gottfried, Hooper, Lafayette, Peoples, Pheffer, Sanders, Towns, Wright Rpld S265.00 sub 22 (e) sub (iv) & (v), amd SS265,00, 265.20 & 400.05, Pen L Adds semiautomatic rifles, shotguns or pistols or a replica or a duplicate thereof manufactured on October 1, 1993 and semiautomatic rifles, shotguns or semiautomatic pistols lawfully possessed prior to September 14, 1994 to the definition of assault weapon; provides for the superintendent of the division of...

A Pennsylvania appeals court upholds an order to search an alleged abuser's home. In a decision that pits the rights of gun owners against domestic abuse victims, the state Superior Court has ruled a judge acted properly when he ordered law enforcement to search an alleged abuser's home and seize his weapons and those belonging to another family member. The controversial 2-1 ruling, issued Thursday, also extends the ability of authorities to seek weapons of an alleged abuser. Previously, a judge could order weapons to be turned over, but did not have the authority to direct a search to ensure...

Billionaire John Kerry supporter George Soros is working through the U.N. to negotiate a treaty that will ban private ownership of firearms on a worldwide basis, says National Rifle Association spokesman Wayne LaPierre. Addressing the annual SAFE: Right to Carry Conference last Sunday on New York, LaPierre warned, "The U.N. is, I believe, the major threat that we're going to be dealing with." "Under the umbrella of the United Nations, there are now more than 500 of these organizations working day and night trying to ban civilian ownership or firearms," he explained. Under the banner of IANSA - the International...

Molon Labe by Boston T. Party Molon Labe is a Greek phrase that dates back to the battle of Thermopylae. A small contingent of 300 Greek soldiers faced off a huge Iranian army of a half million men. The Iranians told the Greeks "we don't want to kill you, send out your arms and we will let you live" to which the Greeks responded "come and get them" (Molon Labe). The Greeks were slaughtered to a man but did hold the Iranians back long enough to allow reinforcements to arrive, and Greece herself was saved from invasion. Before reading the...

The Brady Bunch Visits Wonderland Once Again By Erich Pratt CNSNews.com Commentary January 20, 2004 The Brady Campaign has asked us to believe the impossible ... yet again. Every January, the gun control group issues a state report card, giving each state a grade on the basis of their gun laws. But one look at their report card reveals that the grades have nothing to do with how safe people are in the state. Their report card is somewhat reminiscent of Lewis Carroll's classic Alice in Wonderland. When Alice doesn't believe the White Queen is 101 years old, she is...

What do Britney Spears, the United Methodist Church, the St. Louis Rams and Hallmark Cards have in common? They're among the hundreds of celebrities, organizations and companies on the National Rifle Association's roster of entities that it considers hostile to gun-ownership rights. The Fairfax-based NRA has compiled a 15-page list of supporters of the Brady law — which requires federally licensed gun dealers to do background checks on gun buyers — and other gun-control measures. NRA spokesman Ted Novin said the list was solely for "informational purposes and that it's nothing new." "It's a good way for our members to...

<p>WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah (AP) -- A 4-year-old boy shot his 3-year-old brother to death after apparently unlocking a home safe where a handgun had been stored, police said.</p> <p>West Valley Police Captain Craig Black said the 4-year-old apparently found the keys to the safe, unlocked it and used the handgun inside to shoot his brother in the head. The 3-year-old died at the scene.</p>

Friends, On Monday, June 30, 2003, 1 p.m., the 5th grade class of Miss Erickson, at So. Jordan Elementary, So. Jordan, UT, held a mock trial. The issue at trial: Should guns be allowed in school? So. Jordan Elementary school is in Jordan School District where policy is currently being drafted regarding CCW permit holders taking guns to school. Each legal team consisted of five brilliant 5th graders. Each side presented charts and facts to the jury which consisted of twelve 5th graders, half boys, half girls. An "expert witness" on each side testified: "me" for the "guns in school"...

Silveira v. Lockyer lawsuit could settle decades of controversy FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 3, 2003 CONTACTS: Gary Gorski, Attorney for Plaintiffs Cell: (916) 276-8997 Office: (916) 965-6800 Fax: (916) 965-6801 Angel Shamaya, director, KeepAndBearArms.com Office: (928) 522-8833 A Second Amendment lawsuit was petitioned to the U.S. Supreme Court today -- just in time for Independence Day. The case Silveira v. Lockyer, which originated in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, was previously appealed to the U. S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, resulting in a deeply divided ruling. The lawsuit seeks to address at least two...

Ottawa — One gun-owning protester was arrested and several others tried unsuccessfully to draw police charges as they flouted Canada's firearms legislation at a New Year's Day protest on Parliament Hill. Jim Turnbull, head of the Canadian Unregistered Firearms Owners Association, was arrested for handling a receiver — an unloaded part of a handgun. To chants of "shame" from some 150 protesters huddled near the Centennial Flame, RCMP escorted Mr. Turnbull, 70, to a police car, searched him and drove him away. Six other members of the group who handled the receiver were not arrested. Mr. Turnbull, a retired auctioneer...

Thermopylae The Greeks realized that it was only a matter of time before the Persians came back. Darius died in 494 BCE, six years after Marathon. His son, Xerxes, would continue his work. The empire had already expanded as far south, north, and east as possible. The only way to go was west, and conquer Europe. The plan was formulated to invade Greece and Greek Sicily before raiding the rich Italian peninsula. Xerxes started a large buildup of his army and supplies. He sent slaves to cut a canal through the peninsula at Mount Athos so that his fleet would...