Free Republic

Restrictions on semi-automatic rifles, pistols, and shotguns have been ruled unconstitutional under the Second Amendment in the Federal District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. The order is a permanent injunction against enforcement of the state legislation in the case of Harrel v Raoul on 8 November 2024. It is commonly known as an “assault weapon” and magazine ban.Judge Stephen P. McGlynn addressed two basic arguments in his order. The first is whether semi-automatic rifles and magazines for them are “arms” as covered by the Second Amendment. Part of this argument is...

President Trump and his band of hyper-talented hero/associates have won a decisive victory over the Progressive/Deep State/Media/Intelligence Agency Machine. Trump and allies need to convert the tactical victory into a long term strategic victory. They need to restore the Republic, eviscerate the administrative state, and start the road back to public trust in our institutions. To do this, they have to restore a healthy economy and a fear of America’s might by our enemies abroad. Three terms of President Barack Obama’s vision for a fractured, divisive, wounded and emasculated America has done a great deal of damage to the nation’s...

In Canada, PM Justin Trudeau’s gun ban is in trouble. Delay has followed delay as the government finds resistance to the leftist gun ban plans. In 2020, Canada’s Liberal government, headed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, signed an emergency order to “freeze” handgun sales, imports, and transfers.Under increasingly strict restrictions on handgun ownership and use, most handguns in Canada are required to be kept locked up and unloaded, except when being transferred while locked up and unloaded to an official range, where they may be loaded and shot before being unloaded, locked up and transported back to where they are...

I have been to the local polls in the Foothills today, three times. The line has increased from 30 at 0700, to 100 at 0730 to 154 and increasing at 1030. This is the heaviest turnout I have seen at this location. A random sample of 77 people in line revealed: 1 Democrat 1 Libertarian 13 Independents 19 unknown 42 Republicans This is a conservative area.

Joe Rogan’s interview with Donald Trump has been viewed at least 42 million times on YouTube since November 1st, 2024. That number does not include people watching/listening on Spotify or X, where the interview is also available.The most dangerous opponent of the Second Amendment, the Bill of Rights, and limited government in the United States has not been advocacy groups such as “The National Council to Control Handguns,” which, after several name changes, ended up as “The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence”; or the heavily funded “Everytown for Gun Safety.”The most dangerous opponent has been the old, dominant, Progressive...

The FBI has quietly changed 20 years of homicide data from 2004 to 2023. Professor John Lott has published an article showing the FBI’s revised homicide data for 2022 and 2023. The previous numbers fed Biden/Harris administration talking points. A close look at the data shows the FBI “adjusted” the homicide data from the last two decades, not just the last two years. The largest adjustment outside of 2021 and 2022 happened to the data from 2005. As of 2006, the total number of homicides reported by the FBI for 2005 was 16,740 for 2005 and 17,034 for 2006. In...

A linchpin of the argument of those who favor a disarmed population is the assumption that “More Guns = More Crime.” It was succinctly stated as an assumption in a recent paper. Psychopathy, Gun Carrying, and Firearm Violence: Carrying guns increases the risk of injury and death…This is a hotly disputed assumption. Several papers dispute the premise. If carrying guns does not increase the risk of injury and death, the pragmatic argument for strict restrictions on gun ownership and use collapses. There is some evidence that if guns are restricted in a draconian manner, homicides with guns may be reduced....

The United States Virgin Islands exists as a United States territory. As an entity that is not a state, it has higher rates of homicide than any state. The homicide rates for the US Virgin Islands are about 7.8 times as high as the average homicide rate for the United States. It has one of the highest illegal homicide rates in the world.Extreme restrictions on the ownership and use of firearms in the US Virgin Islands are more restrictive than in any state since the implementation of the Bruen decision by the Supreme Court. The Bruen decision was published on...

Mark Smith has written a thoughtful examination of how disarmament by the State of Israel enabled the most horrific massacre of Jews since World War II. At the 2024 Gun Rights Policy Conference in San Diego, Mark Smith was giving away copies of his latest book, Israel Disarmed: What the October 7 attack teaches Americans about the right to bear arms.The book exceeded my expectations. Mark is a Constitutional Scholar and a member of the United States Supreme Court bar. I expected a scholarly work and was not disappointed. I was pleasantly surprised to find a page-turning and exciting prologue...

Justin Trudeau is creating a new arm of the state with sweeping powers aimed at criminalising opinions deemed ‘unacceptable’ by progressives. (skip) Anyone in Canada can seemingly snitch to this Commission, about any online content whatsoever – indeed, it encourages them to – and many will be more than happy to oblige.The Commission also has the power of a superior court of record, and can act in that manner. However, the members of the Commission are not defined with regard to the necessity of any professional competence (such as legal training). Worse: it says explicitly in the bill that their...

When you engage on the Internet, there are always people who do not want to do things, are unwilling to engage, and think they can hide from the government. They say they do not want to (pick your action), get a carry permit, sign a petition, purchase ammunition from a store, join a state or local action group, buy a gun from a dealer, or others because: They Do Not Want to Be on a List.The problem with this is: 99.9% of us are on multiple lists, whether we want to be or not.There are a few people who do...

You can influence the Supreme Court of the United States, and it is easier to do than you might think. The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) has become the linchpin for preserving the Constitution of the United States of America.Over the last 70 years, SCOTUS has been used to radically change the United States’ legal structure. Progressive justices, both Democratic and Republican, have used the power of the court to accomplish things that could never have been passed through Congress. This was one of the methods Progressives considered as ways to “get around” the limits on government power...

Elon Musk is offering $47 to registered voters in swing states for each signature referred to other registered voters who pledge support for the First and Second Amendments. Presidential Candidate Donald Trump held a return rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, to show his resolve in the face of two nearly successful assassination attempts. Elon Musk, a staunch supporter of the First Amendment and a genius entrepreneur, spoke in support of the First and Second Amendments. Elon made this generous offer:In appreciation for your support, you will receive $47 for each registered voter you refer that signs this petition.Our goal is to...

On October 16, 2024, 9news.com.au in Australia published an article about police confiscation of 150 guns. Most of the guns were confiscated at what appears to be a gun shop in Liverpool, a suburb of Sidney. A man and a woman were arrested. Both were released. Later, the man was arrested again and charged. A man and a woman were arrested in Port Macquarie when a search of a property at Bobs Creek turned up two replica guns and several boxes of ammunition. From 9news.com: Over 150 guns have been seized and three people have been charged after an investigation...

The futures of Elon Musk, SpaceX, Starlink, Tesla, and the Second Amendment are inexorably linked to the future of the United States of America.The world watched in amazement and awe as the SpaceX Starship performed its fifth test flight. The Starship is made mostly of stainless steel. Starship is the largest spaceship and rocket system ever built. It is designed to take 100-200 tons into orbit at a time. The booster (first stage) is about 233 feet tall. The cost to take a kilogram to orbit before SpaceX was about $11,000 to $13,000 per kilogram, or about $5000 to $6000...

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- The Harris County Sheriff's Office is investigating an apparent double murder-suicide in northeast Harris County where three people, including two brothers, were shot and killed during what officials are calling a domestic dispute among neighbors Thursday evening. Officials said it started in the 11700 block of S. Spicewood Lane around 11 p.m. when a woman and her boyfriend were fighting. HCSO said during the argument that the woman took her two children to the home next door where three brothers lived for safety reasons. Police said they were unclear about how well the men knew...

A Russian man’s use of bear spray with a polar bear makes an amusing story with serious lessons. The incident was recorded by Anatoly Kochnev in 1993. It was uncovered as part of the Polar Bear-Human Information Management System database (PBHIMS) with a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by AmmoLand. Further investigation revealed the live-journal blog where the original account was recorded. Attempting to use bear spray to discourage a persistent young male polar bear had unpleasant results for the people involved. No one was seriously injured.The incident happened on Wrangel Island on September 4, 1993. A computer translator from...

LONOKE COUNTY, Ark. (KARK) – Officials in Arkansas said a man is facing a murder charge after a confrontation turned deadly early Tuesday morning. According to authorities, deputies with the Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home shortly after 1 a.m. after a juvenile was reported missing. The deputies were told on the way to the home that Aaron Spencer, the father of the juvenile, had found the juvenile in a car with Michael Fosler, according to officials. Authorities said there was an altercation between the two men which led to Fosler being shot. Officials said Fosler was pronounced...

At the Gun Rights Policy Conference in San Diego in 2024, this correspondent spoke to lawyers about challenges to the Gun Free School Zone (GFSZ) Act. Michel & Associates have maintained an exceptional presence in Second Amendment lawsuits aimed at restoring the Second Amendment.Michel & Associates has filed an amicus brief (friend of the court) in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals GFSZ case. When asked about the GFSZ case in Montana, C.D. Michel asked for the particulars. The next morning, Konstadinos T. Moros, who is an attorney at Michel & Associates, informed me he will be filing an amicus...

The Sri Lankan government has issued a gun confiscation directive requiring all people with firearms and a permit to possess them for self-defense to turn the firearms, ammunition, and permits they possess to the military authorities. The firearms must be surrendered by November 7, 2024. From dailynews.lk: The Ministry of Defense has decided to temporarily take back all firearms and ammunition issued to civilians for self defense.According to the powers vested on the Defense Secretary by Section 6 (1) and 6 (2) of the 1916 Firearms Act No. 33, these firearms and ammunition issued to civilians for self defense are...