Free Republic

"Hey David," the Facebook message began, "Thought you might be interested in Brian Aitken, in jail in NJ for 7 years for owning legal guns." I get people approaching me all the time wanting me to write about their legal cases. Most of the time, I get very subjectively-recounted narratives with very little to substantiate, and even less on what the defendants may have actually done. Experience has made me naturally wary of jumping on such bandwagons without investigation.Here's what I've found.His supporters have established the "Free Brian Aitken" Facebook page. Mission: To help free Brian Aitken, an innocent gunowner...

"Prospective gun owners would have to pass a mental health test before being granted a firearms licence under recommendations submitted by a NSW coroner," the AAP story on World News Australia tells us. Why? After inquiring into the self-inflicted shooting death of a man during a confrontation with police in Sydney, Deputy State Coroner Paul MacMahon found the licensed gun owner had posed a "very great danger" to many unsuspecting people...An inquest, in November 2009 and March 2010, heard police evidence that the man intended to kill numerous people at random on the day he visited Eastwood Mall. That's pretty...

2nd Amendment – I have fond memories of my first job at the age of 12 loading skeet at the gun club my father and grandfather were members of. They taught me at an early age about the 2nd Amendment, which guarantees the right to keep and bear arms. I personally own firearms and hold a Georgia Firearms License. I will never vote to restrict your right to carry and I fully support HB 615.--Diana Williams There is a candidate for the state senate in Georgia who has answered on the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund's questionnaire (see slide...

"The city of Phoenix, in an apparently arbitrary move and without formal legal process, has forced CBS Outdoors to tear down 50 illuminated bus-shelter billboards under contract to promote gun safety training for children and their parents," gun law author Alan Korwin's email alert begins. The posters were placed by TrainMeAZ.com, a commercial joint-educational effort of the firearms industry in Arizona, and had been up all over the Phoenix metro area for a little over one week before the city acted. Who (besides rabid anti-gunners who preach denial and avoidance to "feel safe," of course) could be against gun safety...

I have a happy outcome to yesterday's column about a pro-gun candidate for the Georgia State Senate who was given a failing grade by the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund. They have changed her grade to "AQ" (based on her questionnaire response, as she has not held office to be rated on), and gone one step further and endorsed her! From Diana Williams: Hi David, First off, I want to thank you for your wonderful article. I have gotten great feedback from people. Unfortunately, my district is severely gerrymandered and in order to win, I need votes in the...

Those who follow gun blogs know there's a recurring debate between gun owners who prefer National Rifle Association political strategies and those who challenge them. I'd like to address a few of the more contentious points I see being raised on blogs and discussion boards:Gun Owners of America grades candidates on issues that have nothing to do with the Second Amendment, for instance, they counted a vote against Candidate X because he/she voted for what they call "anti-gun Obamacare." That has nothing to do with guns.Harry Reid didn't think so when he offered an amendment to the health care bill--one,...

One of the expressed concerns raised by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobaccco, Firearms and Explosives over the Korean surplus rifle dispute discussed in yesterday's column is to not add another source for "crime guns." Unsurprisingly, this is also one of the main arguments used to introduce restrictive new U.S. laws as a purported means of disarming Mexican narco-terrorists, as well as a centerpiece for New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's anti-your guns crusade. It's used because it's a powerful term. "Crime gun" evokes a hardboiled detective recovering one from a crime scene, no doubt picking it up with a...

In August, I asked "Why is Obama Administration blocking import of surplus rifles?," citing "problems" that were described as "ambiguous" being the reason a sale previously approved by the State Department had been halted. The ambiguity has now been cleared up. A Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives advisory titled "Effect of Granting Retransfer Authority" shows us the rationale behind the move. As the Examiner.com "upgrade" no longer allows content providers to embed objects, I must refer you offsite for the complete document. But in the interests of discussing the report, I have also broken it up into numbered...

Pennsylvania's "Castle Doctrine" bill, H.B. 40, has cleared an important hurdle. From The Bulletin: The state House of Representatives voted last Tuesday for a bill to expand the legal use of deadly force in self-defense of individuals and their property... What, someone presumes to tell them they're not allowed to do that now? And here's another outrage: Current law also requires an individual to retreat from the threat before using deadly force if the individual is in a public place. Really? These people realize such encounters can be over in mere seconds? Or is it they just don't care?The anti-defense...

Several developments have occurred in recent days that indicate something as innocuous as visiting pro-gun rights websites that are critical of government Constitutional compliance, and especially participating in comments and forums, can results in heightened law enforcement scrutiny and even as a supporting criteria for "legal" intervention.On Friday, I told WarOnGuns readers I was aware of a child welfare case in New Hampshire where one of the criterion for removing a child from its parents was an ostensible membership of the father in what protective services was characterizing as "a militia known as the Oath Keepers." Long-time readers know we've...

“Now we are not here to debate their second amendment rights,” Thin Ice lead singer Russ Lesser announced to his Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair audience. “However, we are here to exercise our first amendment rights of free speech to ridicule this group for incredible bad taste and stupidity.” Ridicule who?Members of South Bay Open Carry, a group that promotes the right to carry handguns openly, in compliance with California law. Some, not used to seeing people exercising even a bit of freedom in this regard, reacted as bigots typically do when confronted with ideas that intrude on their provincial biases:...

"State of emergency declared in North Carolina," the WECT News 6 headline informs us. "Governor Bev Perdue has declared a State of Emergency for North Carolina in anticipation of Hurricane Earl's arrival." From blogger John Jacob H: "Upon Governor Beverly Perdue’s declaration of a State Of Emergency on September 1, 2010 Dove Hunters, Concealed Carry Handgun Licensees, Target Shooters and all other gunowners cannot possess, transport or use firearms off their personal property as per N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-288.7" Here's what the statute says: "§ 14?288.7. Transporting dangerous weapon or substance during emergency; possessing off premises; exceptions. "(a) Except...

As we await the beginning of October and the promised revelation of candidate grades from NRA's Political Victory Fund, there is a way to determine who the association is supporting in a most important way--with that life's blood of politics, money. And while we've learned from the situation with Harry Reid that contributions don't necessarily equate with formal endorsements, a testimonial to the media and a hefty check don't exactly hurt, as this statement from Reid campaign manager Brandon Hall demonstrates: "The NRA’s relationship with Sen. Reid has been long-standing and productive and – unlike for Sharron Angle – they’ve...

"Gun reporting laws don't infringe on Constitution," Wilmington Department of Police Capt. Nancy S. Dietz assures us as her contribution to DelawareOnline's Constitution Day observance. She tells us of the graduation ceremony for department recruits, "with the official recitation of the oath of office, which requires each new officer to swear to enforce all state and local laws and support the Constitution of the United States of America." Oath Keepers all? And then she tips her hand: "Clearly, the principles enshrined in the Constitution have evolved, and the courts have provided changing interpretations of the law as society faces new...

"Congressman Ike Skelton announced his endorsement by National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund Thursday," PoliticMo.com tells us. We're told he has an "A" rating from the group. Indeed, they give the incumbent Democrat strong praise: “Ike Skelton is a steadfast supporter of freedom,” said Chris Cox, chairman of the NRA Political Victory Fund. “We ask all Missouri gun owners, hunters and NRA members in the 4th Congressional District to vote Ike Skelton for Congress on November 2nd.” The headline tells us he's attacking his Republican opponent, Vicky Hartzler as "anti-gun."Why? Is it true? He said Hartzler “voted against a freedom”...

"A federal judge...postponed ex-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s status conference on 19 fraud and tax evasion charges, Freep.com informs us. Why? [D]efense lawyers argued they needed more time to comb through a mountain of evidence that the government has compiled. A whole mountain? Kilpatrick, of course, has already been convicted and sentenced on other criminal charges, including obstruction of justice and probation violation. In addition to being a former mayor, he was also a member of anti-gun New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's deceptively-named "Mayors Against Illegal Guns."

"Woman Fired For Carrying Gun On The Job," the WSBTV.com headline tells us. "Jamie Lunsford said the company violated her rights by firing her after they discovered she had a gun in her car while on business." So she wasn't actually "carrying," was she? Still, how did her employer discover that she had a gun in her car? Apparently she disclosed it to security guards while visiting a federal Reserve Bank on company business, and they "had no problem with it." Should have kept the lips zipped, lady, but done is done. She jumped through all the hoops, obtained a...

"BEING A NEW Congressman," Rep. David S. King (UT) wrote, "I have not as yet had any opportunity to learn enough about the issues involved with the Second Amendment to speak with any conviction on the matter one way or the other." Really? Then how in the world did this guy ever get elected, and what made him--and more importantly, his constituents--think he was qualified and competent to be entrusted with power to legislate legitimately? King was writing in response to GUNS Magazine's "Know Your Lawmakers," a regular feature in the magazine where politicians responded to a request to give...

Why won't NRA endorse (formerly) A-rated Sharron Angle against (formerly) B-rated Harry Reid in Nevada's 2010 United States Senate race? If they have any expectation of maintaining credibility in other races, why would the association negate confidence in their own incentive system?The only argument, excuse really, parrots an NRA talking point, whether those uttering it realize the apologist-exploited meme's origins: I’ll give you four words: Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. That's Chris Cox, the NRA-ILA Executive Director and chair of the Political Victory Fund, explaining why they won't be trying for...uh...victory in Nevada's U.S. Senate race. The assumption is, Harry Reid,...

The National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund has released its grades and endorsements for the 2010 election in Nevada. Absent from their assessment: one of the most important campaigns in the country, the United States Senate race between incumbent Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) and challenger Sharron Angle (R). (Click here to review NRA-PVF grades and endorsements.) We know NRA announced it will not endorse Reid based on his support confirming anti-gun Supreme Court justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. We also know at the time one of their PR flacks said they would not be endorsing anyone in...