This isn't hard...

On 11/28/2007, Paul Helmke wrote a minor diatribe about the phrasing of the Second Amendment to the Constitution. His contention was that the Parker decision went the wrong way, and that the Second Amendment refers only to Militia prerogative for arms ownership; that self-defense was too narrow a view and misses the thrust of the amendment, as written. These remarks were pre-Heller.

The Second Amendment to the Constitution:

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary for the security of a free State; the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed"

Bon.

If we were to parse it, it would go as follows:

A

well regulated ("in proper and working order")

militia ("the whole body of able-bodied male citizens declared by law as being subject to call to military service")
or, alternately, under 10 USC 311
("-STATUTE-

(a) The militia of the United States consists of all able-bodied males at least 17 years of age and, except as provided in section 313 of title 32, under 45 years of age who are, or who have made a declaration of intention to become, citizens of the United States and of female citizens of the United States who are members of the National Guard.

(b) The classes of the militia are -

(1) the organized militia, which consists of the National Guard and the Naval Militia; and
(2) the unorganized militia, which consists of the members of the militia who are not members of the National Guard or the Naval Militia.")

being (conjunction, emphasizing the following word)

necessary ("logically unavoidable, absolutely needed")

for the

security (" the quality or state of being secure: as a: freedom from danger")

of a

free ("1 a: having the legal and political rights of a citizen b: enjoying civil and political liberty c: enjoying political independence or freedom from outside domination d: enjoying personal freedom : not subject to the control or domination of another")

State; (individually - "mode or condition of being", collectively " a politically organized body of people usually occupying a definite territory ; especially : one that is sovereign")

The

right ("something to which one has a just claim")

of the

people ("the body of enfranchised citizens of a state")

to

keep (" to retain in one's possession or power")

and

bear ("to carry or possess arms")

Arms ("a means (as a weapon) of offense or defense ; especially : firearm")

shall ("used to express a command or exhortation")

not ("used as a function word to make negative a group of words or a word")

be (" intransitive verb: to take place") Together "shall not be" means "an absolute prohibition"

infringed. ("to encroach upon in a way that violates law or the rights of another")

So, to play Paul Helmke's game, we should look at every word of the Amendment, not leaving anything aside, and also address the Militia clause. To wit:

A properly functioning and in regular working order Militia (those citizens NOT a member of the Armed Forces or of the National Guard), being necessary, logically unavoidable, and absolutely needed for the security of a free state - as defined "a politically organized, sovereign body of the people having the legal and political rights of citizens, enjoying civil and political liberty, independence, and freedom; and not subject to the control and domination of another"; the Right (just claim) of the People (the body of the enfranchised citizens of the above free state) to keep and bear arms (to possess and carry weapons of offense or defense, especially firearms) shall not be infringed (absolutely no encroachments on this right whatsoever).

Mr. Helmke, the people ARE the Militia. The Constitution recognizes this, and 10 USC 311 codifies it in case there is any confusion. The Militia clause argument is self-defeating if you understand the words. Your failure to speak openly and honestly about this indicates that you are either a fraud or a liar, and your intention is perfectly clear to anybody who can read and understand the words. You are attempting to re-write history for your own purpose, to empower a central government who holds you in contempt but will use you for their own purpose, at the expense of free citizens who only wish to be left alone.

According to the Militia clause, the National Firearms Act of 1934 is unconstitutional. According to the Militia clause, the Miller decision was wrongly adjudged. According to the Militia clause, the Brady Assault Weapons Ban was patently unconstitutional, as were the infringements upon civilian purchases of high-capacity magazines, semi-automatic shotguns, and yes even machine guns.

Mr. Helmke's current position on the Heller case is one that presumes Heller to be an invitation to regulation, restriction, and imposition of onerous "common-sense gun laws" for the protection of the people, as the "Slippery Slope" that previously restrained legislators is "now gone".

If the previous position required one to believe that the Second Amendment was solely for Militia purpose, then, logically, the people should not be prohibited in their pursuit of Arms for defense of home and hearth, town, city, county, state, or country. If the current position is that the people really do have the right to self-defense, but that this right is subject to "reasonable restriction"; said restrictions being as many as he can force through the system to achieve the goal of effectively total civilian disarmament, then his previous argument was a smokescreen and a lie. In either case, the two positions are incompatible with each other as rational pieces of the whole. Unless, as mouthpiece of the Brady Campaign, he has no positions of his own and is merely a puppet or a stooge.

In either case: Mr. Helmke, your stated positions are on the side of those people who would gut the Constitution for their own aims. The Supreme Court in the Heller decision got it only half-right. Unfortunately, they limited their scope and dared not tread upon stare decisis and ALSO reverse Miller and declare NFA34 unconstitutional as well. It would have been the greatest blow for freedom that the United States would ever have experienced. Instead, we get to argue banalities about whether your position is one of moral bankruptcy or mental deficiency.

Good day to you.

Pax,

Newbius

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(NOTE: Previous version of this posting was removed and replaced by this version to correct a technical inaccuracy and a reference to the wrong court decision in the opening paragraph.)

GIVE Act

Also known as the Serve America Act. HR.1388 and S.277 respectively are working their way through the sausage factory. HR1388 has passed the House, and S.277 is pending a vote shortly. The changes that these acts make to existing Federal "community volunteer" efforts are startling in scope. Think about a draft, without being part of the military. 2 years, whether you approve of the goals or not. Working directly for the Chief Executive Officer, The President, whether you share his ideas or not. Under penalty of....???

The language says it isn't mandatory, but there is a provision to (*paraphrasing here) "investigate whether making this mandatory is feasible".

PLEASE contact you Senator and request that they vote NO to S.277. ALSO contact Snowe, Collins, and Specter in hopes that they will stand on principle this time.

This fight isn't over yet.

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Newbius

Two victories in Illinois, one cry for help:

Don has news about the victory of Illinois bill HB48's failure to pass, and also about the victory of C.K. Morley. Check it out.

While you are there, PLEASE consider sending some money over to Mr. Morley's attorney to help defray the cost of the defense. I sent what I could.

Every victory of a citizen against a wrongful prosecution is a victory for all citizens. Unfortunately, while our system proclaims innocence until guilt is proven, the cost to defend is a very real punishment. Being arrested and charged with a crime, even when falsely accused by the state due to ignorance of their own laws, is a personal tragedy. The economic and personal hardship that these accusations cause are very real and very painful, even when vindicated.

We need to support these efforts wherever possible.

Pax,

Newbius

Miami Burger King Shooting

Breaking news from Miami today. A legally-armed customer at a Burger King prevents a robbery, kills the bad guy and sustains some wounds himself in the exchange of gunfire.

Lesson One: It pays to train. If you carry it, TRAIN WITH IT! The CWP Holder killed the thug, but sustained gunshot wounds himself. I suspect that (and cannot prove, hence I am speculating) the armed citizen was a bit more proficient with his weapon than the robber was.

Lesson Two: See lesson one, add additional training in close quarters combat to reduce the chance that you will wind up in the hospital too.

Lesson Three: ALWAYS be at least Condition Yellow when going about your daily business. You never know when or if you may be called upon to intervene for your own safety.

Lesson Four: Leave it to Google News and CBS to describe the would-be Robber as a victim. This link is to the CBS4 story page, but is shown on the Google News Search page as "Victim Dies In Miami Burger King Shooting". Media Bias is still alive and well...even in Florida.

The two newspaper links on the same search page showed just the facts. Just as it should be.

Pax,

Newbius

Obama's Youth Corps

While the left hand was shouting about AIG and bonus money, the right hand was slipping through the GIVE Act. This odious piece of steaming canine exhaust amounts to nothing more nor less than the nationalization of our youth.

Mandatory Volunteer Service? Forget the Newspeak implications for a moment... If my child chooses NOT to participate, the penalties are...? Not sure, but it is starting to sound ominous. Oh, and there are Prohibited Activities for anybody participating:

"‘SEC. 125. PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES AND INELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS.

‘(a) Prohibited Activities- A participant in an approved national service position under this subtitle may not engage in the following activities:

‘(1) Attempting to influence legislation.

‘(2) Organizing or engaging in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes.

‘(3) Assisting, promoting, or deterring union organizing.

‘(4) Impairing existing contracts for services or collective bargaining agreements.

‘(5) Engaging in partisan political activities, or other activities designed to influence the outcome of an election to any public office.

‘(6) Participating in, or endorsing, events or activities that are likely to include advocacy for or against political parties, political platforms, political candidates, proposed legislation, or elected officials.

‘(7) Engaging in religious instruction, conducting worship services, providing instruction as part of a program that includes mandatory religious instruction or worship, constructing or operating facilities devoted to religious instruction or worship, maintaining facilities primarily or inherently devoted to religious instruction or worship, or engaging in any form of religious proselytization.

‘(8) Providing a direct benefit to--

‘(A) a business organized for profit;

‘(B) a labor organization;

‘(C) a partisan political organization;

‘(D) a nonprofit organization that fails to comply with the restrictions contained in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 except that nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent participants from engaging in advocacy activities undertaken at their own initiative; and
‘(E) an organization engaged in the religious activities described in paragraph (7), unless Corporation assistance is not used to support those religious activities.
‘(9) Conducting a voter registration drive or using Corporation funds to conduct a voter registration drive.

‘(10) Such other activities as the Corporation may prohibit.

So, I guess you cannot be a member of any political party, attempt to organize or disband a union, or belong to any church or organization which recognizes God (Boy Scouts anyone?).

Freedom of Association? Gone.

Freedom of Religion? Gone.

Political Freedom? Gone.

The goals? 50% of the National Civilian Service Corps shall be "Disadvantaged Youth", "shall be from economically and ethnically diverse backgrounds, including youth who are in foster care", serving a period of "not more than 2 years". A "Permanent Cadre" is to be instituted with oversight no longer to be under the director of the Freedom Corps, and is instead to roll up under the Chief Executive Officer.

Obama's own private youth corps.


All of the changes to 42 USC 12501 are to be found here.

This whole pile or crap looks unconstitutional. I doubt it will stop any of the power grabbers though. Do you think that the spineless RINO Rats (Specter, Collins, Snowe) will even have the moxie necessary to stand upon their oath and stymie this shit-ball?

Oh, yeah...

I forgot.

They really wanted to be Democrats all along.

Maybe someone will wake them up before it is too late.

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Newbius

Contrasts...

This past week was one of interesting contrasts. The work week was hectic and stressful due to demands from the job. We got some unreasonable delivery expectations from my customer requiring some super-human effort on the part of our team. We will get it done, but I do not expect to get any recognition. Maybe that is a good thing.

Yesterday was "National Dungeons and Dragons Day" and saw the release of Players Handbook 2 along with some new player classes. Got to spend the day with some very good people playing games and basically enjoying a somewhat slower pace. I also got an introduction to a very cool board game called Power Grid. I might ask for it for my birthday.

Friday, I was finishing up some stuff for work and then adjusted the scope rings on Beauty. I looked over and saw one of the cats sunning herself on the floor. I had to take a picture. So here is a different kind of contrast for you. Both of these make me smile.

I call them Beauty and the Beast.

Meet Beauty:

and the Beast:

Both of these girls are useful in home defense...The Beast (Princess Sophie) handles everything under 5 pounds and charms everything over 50 pounds. Beauty just handles everything else. Both of them were rescued from unkind circumstances and they have a home now where they are loved and cared for.

Friday night was more pizza and games with the teens. I am in awe of these kids, they are just amazing. Another Friday night recharging the batteries and having fun with people I like. Friday and Saturday were great unwind days. Lots of laughs and good times. Sunday is shaping up to be a good one too. Looking forward to finishing out the weekend on a high note, with good people and good times.

I hope your day brings you smiles too.

Pax,

Newbius

An open letter to Gary Stein

Mr. Stein,

Rather than do a complete Fisking of your article on your fear of guns, I thought I would instead suggest to you a milder form of constructive argument. As follows:

Every place in your article which mentions the Second Amendment, substitute the First Amendment. Every place which mentions a gun, substitute Word Processor. How does that sit with you?

Every sentence of yours which decries the tool, and yet denies the user of motivation, is a failure of logic on your part. No gun by itself ever killed anything. No word processor by itself ever wrote anything. Both are tools. Both require some form of intelligence to operate. Both can be implements of good OR evil.

A fool with a gun is a fool with the power to harm others. So is a fool with a typewriter. Words and ideas are responsible for more deaths in the history of the world than guns alone. Look to despotic regimes throughout history (and long before the invention of the firearm), see what havoc has been wreaked upon those who differed with them in thoughts, words, or deeds. Yet, I do not see anybody clamoring for censorship or requesting the banning of thoughts or ideas. Should we remove the computer, word processor, typewriter, pen, pencil, or quill from every malcontent with the power to speak hatred or spew lies? Should we ban writers who fail to conform to the whims of government? Should we shut down freedom of expression because someone is attempting to foment a riot or other civil unrest?

An honest man would realize that in the world of men, the tool does not create the motive or the thought. It is the thought which directs the tool. Your word processor did not write that article by itself. The firearm in Alabama did not kill those people by itself. Both tools were used by men.

One person's motives we will never know, but we assume it to be evil based on his actions. How do you answer for yours?

Regards,

Newbius

Your voice matters, but only if you choose to

Your voice matters. You have the power to stop the politicians who are trying to run (ruin?) your life. Peacefully, through communication with those who depend on you for their jobs.

As has been proven recently with the Assault Weapons Ban and the DoD Shell Casing controversies, you can be heard. As is proving to be the case with the recent Tea Parties, even the media is beginning to take notice of We The People, again.

Take the time to write, phone, email, or fax your representatives in congress. Remind them who they work for. Heck, send them all some tea...

Get a copy of the Constitution and read it so that you know your rights. Read the Declaration of Independence so that you know why we exist and what we fought for the first time. (And, compare it to the abuses of government today...)

Read the Federalist Papers, the Anti-Federalist Papers, Democracy in America, and Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal. Get to know the history and the contemporary writings of the founding fathers, see what they meant and why we adopted the governing principals that established this Nation. Understand why Capitalism is the only moral economic system for truly free people. Then read the Communist Manifesto and compare the writings of Marx to the actions of today's elected officials and find the parallels.

Do your own research and quit depending upon the lying gasbags on TV to spoon feed your information to you.

Get your own knowledge and stop depending on Marxist indoctrinators to teach you at school.

Go to the 9/12 Project and add your voice to others who also yearn to live freely.

Finally, get prepared. Extra food, fuel, and water is never a bad idea. Neither is the ability to defend yourself. If the "S" doesn't "HTF", no worries. You'll just be a person with lots of cans in the pantry and a little comfort in the back of your mind... If it does, you can still take care of yourself and your loved ones. This is good advice for any situation. Hurricane, tornado, earthquake, flood, civil unrest, whatever.

Be prepared.

Pax,

Newbius

DoD reverses itself...

...and does a public "whoopsie!"

Today's Gun Rights Examiner column explores the background and the lack of thought behind the DoD policy actions. Check it out.

Your voice matters. We surround them. Never forget it.

Pax,

Newbius

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I find this funny...

While perusing the Bureau of Justice Statistics website researching a crime statistic, I came across this little gem:

"In about 79% of all motor vehicle thefts, the vehicle was stolen."

It kind of makes me wonder just what constitutes a theft...

:)

Pax,

Newbius

They want to disarm you. Why???

I was going to post a complete Fisking of the most current Brady press release along with a rebuttal of Eric Holder's comments on the coming Assault Weapons Ban. Even though I knew that the material has been covered extensively in the past, I wanted to weigh in again.

Sorry.

HERE is what I wanted to say, pretty much as I would have said it.

Summary: Government wants to disarm you even though they have ZERO duty to protect you! The really astute among you should be asking yourselves WHY?

Case law is pretty clear. Government has been repeatedly held immune to liability for failing to protect you from bad things. Yet, they still want to render you unable to protect yourself from bad people. Why? Maybe Government knows that they are screwing you, yet doing so achieves a different goal for them than the one that they are stating.

Think about that.

If Government (and their willing enablers in the media and in pressure groups like the Brady bunch and their ilk) KNOWS that they are putting you at risk and making you totally dependent upon them, do they achieve something else?

Do they make you a disarmed vassal serf?

Worse, do they make you impotent to respond to their abuses?

Maybe they want you unable to respond. Maybe they want you to surrender to their control. Maybe this is about what it has always been about: Power. Power over you, for their benefit.

I am not a tinfoil-hat-wearing Loonie. I do not believe that black helicopters are hovering over my life waiting for a chance to pounce. I am not that important in the grand plan... You are though. ALL of you, in the aggregate.

Think about this fact: No army has ever attempted to win a ground battle against the United States of America, on our own soil, ever. (Yes, I know about the Revolutionary War. We were not the USA back then.) The reason? Most of the citizenry is armed.

As it should be.

The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution is not about duck hunting, target shooting, plinking, or any other "sporting purpose". It is minimally about self-defense (recently affirmed by the Heller decision, thank you very much). It is, most definitely, about the body of the citizenry being armed with weapons suitable for, and designed for, militia (military) use.

While I do not agree with the conclusion in the Miller decision about Carriage guns, coach guns, trench guns, or Blunder-busses (sorry, I meant to say "sawed-off shotguns" about 4 times there), I do agree with their conclusions made in the decision regarding the Second Amendment. Essentially, that the citizenry has a duty and obligation to maintain a current military weapon (in general use at the time, in military service), and be proficient with it such that they may be able to (quoting the original language of the Constitution) "...execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions."

I would add also: "Faithfully defend the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic."

If the Laws are changed, such that firearms ownership becomes a crime... Or, if the government passes a law requiring registration or disarmament, I recommend disobedience. At that point the government will have passed into overt tyranny. Our arms are ultimately our sole remedy.

For justification on this position, I'll stand on Marbury vs. Madison:

"It is also not entirely unworthy of observation, that in declaring what shall be the supreme law of the land, the constitution itself is first mentioned; and not the laws of the United States generally, but those only which shall be made in pursuance of the constitution, have that rank.

Thus, the particular phraseology of the constitution of the United States confirms and strengthens the principle, supposed to be essential to all written constitutions, that a law repugnant to the constitution is void, and that courts, as well as other departments, are bound by that instrument."

So, honor the Constitution. Respect those agents and agencies of Government that are conforming to the Constitution and are operating within its limitations. Keep a close eye on those who would usurp your power and authority for their own gain, especially if they are professing to protect you from harm (remembering that they have no duty to do so).

In the meantime, keep 'em clean and oiled...we may be in for a bumpy ride.

Pax,

Newbius

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Cowards and Frauds on race

Eric Holder, you are a coward.

So is Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Michael Eric Dyson, and all of the other race hustlers out there. Since I am calling people out, let's ALSO call out every Ku Klux Klan member (Robert Byrd?), every Aryan Brotherhood white racist bigot, and anybody else who thinks of COLOR before CHARACTER. (Fortunately most of the white racist jerks don't get a lot of air time, so they are not household names. At least, I don't listen to them so I don't know who they are. If you know of them, feel free to call them out by name in the comments...I'll support you in the interest of fairness and equality.)

Anybody who is not willing to have an HONEST discussion (not just a "frank" discussion) on racial issues in America is a coward. This goes for the current Attorney General, and anybody else who thinks that the gains made in racial equality over the last 144 years don't count for something...

Whether you are on the right or the left, you need to drop your pet statistics and petty issues about race and deal with people on their merits. This goes double for those people and groups who are trying to disarm the honest, law-abiding citizens in the inner cities of America who are just trying to make life work day-to-day.

These elitist pigs in Government who think that they know what is best for their constituents and keep them on the government plantation, disarmed, dependent, and discouraged about their future should all be thrown out on their ears. Really. You Statist elitists should be ashamed of yourselves. Your constituents need to throw the yokes of wage and welfare slavery off and start holding you accountable for your actions instead of holding out their hand for another dole.

One of the tools that these elites use to bolster their position is the use of crime statistics as justification for their actions. I think it is especially telling when I hear people using crime statistics to bolster their particular position regarding race and criminal propensity. To hear the "radical white" tell it, every black person is a crime waiting to happen. To hear some like Jackson or Sharpton tell it, America is a racist country where whites prey disproportionally upon black victims and "the Man" makes a special effort to hold them down.

Both sides are full of uncomposted fertilizer...

Now, to the point about crime statistics. If you want to "prove" a point about racial hate crime, you just go to the Federal crime statistics (2006 Supplementary Homicide Report data used here), pick your category, and use it out of context to justify whatever fraud you are trying to perpetrate.

An example of statistics fraud:

"A black person in America is more than 4 times as likely to be murdered by another black person than a white person is" (B/W 1,026 vs. B/B 4,803)

While this may be true in the abstract, if the point is that black people are more violent towards each other, or more violent in general, then it is a fraudulent representation of reality.

Here is the counterpoint: "A white person in America is 13 times more likely to be murdered by another white person than a black person is" (W/B 356 vs. W/W 4,633).

Again, true in the abstract but meaningless. Using raw numbers, a white person is 4 times more likely to be murdered by another white person than by a black person. True, and still meaningless. The statistics mean NOTHING as raw data. Anybody trying to use them to shape social policy is LYING TO YOU.

The truth about homicide statistics is this: In 2006, murders committed where the victim knew-by relation or acquaintance-their attacker amounted to 7,243 deaths. Murders where the victim and attacker were complete strangers: 2,169. (For accuracy, there were an additional 7,622 where the relationship is unknown and I would hazard a guess that those probably broke along the same lines...roughly 7:2). The lesson here is a simple one. You are more likely to be killed by someone you know than by a stranger. Since most people hang out with people who are LIKE THEM, this should not surprise anybody when the racial statistics show a correlation

Consider this: More than 70% of people who died in vehicle accidents had eaten carrots within the previous 24 hours. Does this prove that if you eat carrots you are more likely to die in a traffic accident? NO. There is no causal relationship. It is a coincidence. It proves nothing. Just like the racial component proves nothing.

Here is something that IS causal, long-term:

The twin scourges of drugs and poverty are greater factors in murder than any other factor in the murder statistics. Fact. Poverty is a contributing factor in drug use. Fact. The number one contributing factor to poverty? Birth out of wedlock. According to the Census Bureau data, 50% of unmarried mothers who had a child within the previous year were at or below the poverty line.

This is a Man issue. Want to reduce poverty? Don't have children out of wedlock. Don't get a girl pregnant and leave her to fend for herself. And if you do father a child, MAN UP and support it. Otherwise you are just another coward and a fraud and your child deserves better than you.

Eric Holder, if you want to have a frank (and hopefully honest) discussion about race, let's start with what we can do as a nation to end the cycle of destructive poverty caused by unwed mothers and absentee fathers. It affects both whites and blacks, but disproportionally more blacks than whites. Follow Dr. Cosby's lead and start speaking the truth and we might listen to you. Clean your own house before you call out mine. This is not a race issue. It is a VALUES issue.

Finally: I don't know about you, gentle reader, but I have enough trouble trying to keep my bills paid and my kids fed to worry about skin color. Leave me alone, I'll do the same. I'll be polite, you do the same.

I have friends who range across the entire spectrum of skin color and political philosophy. I love them all because of WHO they are, not because of the box they get to check on their census form.

If color matters to you, you need to grow up.

Pax,

Newbius

Part Two...

It didn't take long for the ghouls to pounce on this, sadly..

As I stated in my Blog on Monday, the Gun Control Advocates use any tragedy as an excuse to attempt to advance their agenda. Unfortunately, another opportunity to do so made the headlines in Alabama.

The Brady Campaign issued a press release today, as did the Violence Policy Center about the Alabama shooting, calling for re-instatement of the "Assault Weapons" ban. The same VPC press release is duplicated at the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence and duplicated as well at the Freedom States Alliance, and the Legal Community Against Violence.

Had the shooter used a handgun instead, there would be similar calls from these same groups clamoring for the banning of handguns instead.

The only statement that I agree with in these organization's press releases is this one: "Our sympathies go to all those affected by this terrible tragedy."

Except that I actually mean it.

God bless the families in Alabama who are affected by this tragedy. My prayers go out to you. May you find comfort and peace in the knowledge that your loved ones will always be with you in your heart, even though they are no longer with us on Earth. I pray that your friends and family hold you close in this hour of your need, and that the community pulls together to support you and help you through this terrible time.

Pax,

Newbius

Martyrs Wanted...

Martyrs wanted*:

International organization desires young men with no family attachments who are willing to die for the advancement of the cause. Must be willing and able to kill innocent people, especially women and children, in a public environment.

Position assumes a very high likelihood of personal incarceration, injury, or death.

Applicants may submit qualifications by mail or in person at:

XXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXX

If this advertisement were to appear in a local paper or online message board, then people would assume that the organization in question was a Jihadist organization. The people reading this advertisement would be horrified, yet Jihadist organizations recruit people every day to do exactly what this ad suggests. The Jihadists are at least HONEST in their approach to murder and mayhem. They are HONEST in their goals, and state them openly-"Death to all infidels: Convert or die".

If your reaction to the above ad was revulsion, then good. You are still human.

Now, think about organizations which use the public killing of innocent men, women and children to advance their goals.

No, not Jihadists.

Gun control advocates.

If I told you that the above advertisement was instead placed by The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, or the Violence Policy Center, or The Children's Defense Fund, or the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, or the Joyce Foundation, would your reaction be any different?

Would the killing of innocent lives be pounced upon by any of these groups in order to buttress their arguments against the private ownership of firearms?

You bet it would.

The groups who capitalize on the murdering of innocents using firearms must be salivating at the prospect of the next group of deaths, in order that they may advance their cause a little bit more. In my opinion, these groups are worse than radical Jihadists. They are worse because they pounce upon any tragedy to advance their agenda, yet don't have the courage of their convictions to openly state their goal of total civilian disarmament.

Think about that the next time you denounce a Jihadist, yet fall into lock-step with someone advocating the abrogation of one of YOUR civil rights.

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Pax,

Newbius

*This advertisement is completely fictional and is placed here to prove a point. I have no evidence to support that any advocacy group is actively seeking people to kill innocent school children. I do have evidence that they use these killings, when they do occur, to advance their policy agendas. Deal with it.

1,000 Words...

Hope your Saturday is going as well.

Pax,

Newbius

Saturday Awesomeness..

I am two cups of coffee into the day and so far it is "Aces" all the way. I have sunshine, a happy cat in my lap, and a daughter who wants to go shooting for the first time in her life. (Meaning: She asked me if she could come when I mentioned I wanted to go to the range.)

I need the practice, and I am getting tired of being cooped up in the house. So, we are going to the range later today. (Yippee!)

While reading some of my favorite blogs, I ran across some more pearls from Brigid (who ALWAYS has pearls!). Brigid has some thoughts on targets that are worth reading. No recipe though. :(

The information is timely because Lefty (my daughter-princess) wants to go. I am going to require that my daughter (16) read Brigid's post before we go to the range.

Lefty is an amazing girl. She is intelligent, funny, strong-willed, and very responsible. Which means we clash a lot because she knows it already, and most of the time (though not all) she really does. So now I have to face that my role in her life has changed again. I get to be a teacher on demand, and safety net the rest of the time.

I might need some help here though. She is left-handed and I don't know which eye is dominant. I can teach the 4 rules and general safe handling, and I can teach her how each gun works that she will shoot, order of operation, sight alignment, breathing, squeeze, etc... What I need to overcome is the Dad/Daughter friction that sometimes exists with Teens.

What is the best way to approach the first time at the range so that she enjoys it?

Maybe I am worrying too much...

Pax,

Newbius

Just the facts...

MyFoxAtlanta.com reports on the Woodstock High School gun incident and lockdown.

Although it may not be clear in some of the reports posted on various news sites, the 15-year old was a runaway and stole the guns last week. The guns were reported missing last Wednesday night.

Hopefully more details will emerge that will clarify the remaining questions on this incident.

A tip of the hat goes out to the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office for a job well done. By all accounts that I have read about this, your people were professional and thorough.

Thank you Fox Atlanta for sticking to the facts and leaving the histrionics to others.

Pax,

Newbius

And the shortages continue...

Dropped into the local WallyWorld, (AKA Sam's House of Discount Ammo and Chinese Goodies) and saw that we are still in the middle of a shortage.

Good news, Bad news...

Almost all types of handgun and rifle ammo were sold out. That's the bad news. The good news is that they had 13 boxes of Winchester white box 45 Auto in 230gr JHP and also a bunch of boxes of .223 Remington. Oh, and they still have bulk packs of 12GA CQB Home Defense load (aka Trap and Skeet) for $23/100.

That big bare spot on the left of the top shelf is where the .22LR bulk packs used to be...

I picked up some .45 and some bulk 12GA and trekked back home. Another small victory in the fight to keep the economy going.

Pax,

Newbius

Woodstock High School lockdown

Reported a few minutes ago, from Woodstock, GA:

Woodstock High School Latest School to go on lockdown

2 teens, aged 15 and 17, were arrested after one of them turned himself in.

A search warrant was issued for the home, and 2 ugly black guns were found with ammunition. There is a lot of information still to be reported, but I find the reporting of Gary Davis somewhat biased: "After the gun was located a search warrant was ordered for the home of one of the students. It was quite scary when two assault rifles were found along with hundreds of rounds of ammunition."

Quite scary?

What is scary is that the people doing the reporting haven't been the least bit objective in their portrayal of the incident. Joe Friday would say "Just the facts, Ma'am".

I do not support or condone gun violence at schools. I do not support or condone minors carrying firearms unsupervised. I do not support or condone any illegal use of a weapon.

I also do not support or condone biased reporting and opinion masquerading as objective journalism. "Just the facts" is all I am after. The implication that ownership of "assault rifles" and hundreds of rounds of ammunition automatically makes a person evil just turns my stomach.

Grow up Gary! LOTS of people own ugly black guns, handguns, shotguns, and hunting rifles. MOST of these same people ALSO have "hundreds of rounds" of ammunition for them. So what?!! Un-bunch your panties, man up a little, and deal with it. If any laws were broken, then I am SURE that the enlightened law enforcement officers and the esteemed legal system in Georgia will deal with it appropriately. If they do not, then you have MUCH BIGGER problems in Georgia than it appears so far.

|||

Pax,

Newbius

A tale of two countries...

Hat tip to Atlas Shrugs for this item.

I have a couple of comments:

1. Good for the Isreali police for stopping the attack.
2. Good for the armed Isreali citizens who assisted.
3. Based upon the response of Hamas, it is obvious that the "religion of peace" is anything but.

[EDIT: Sarcasm Alert!]
If this had happened in the United States, then the assisting citizen would have been shot by the police (and the report falsified to cover up the cop's actions), who would have been lauded as heroes. Then, some Liberal Democrat would propose a bill before the State or National Legislature attempting to ban tractors and bulldozers as assault weapons. Lastly, the Obama administration would issue a letter of apology to Hamas for the misunderstanding and offer another $900 Billion for the Palestinians.
[EDIT: /Sarcasm]

Did I miss anything?

|||

Pax,

Newbius

Stimulate my economy...

I have a point, stick with me for a bit...

The recently-passed Stimulus bill amounts to about $3,000 in spending for every man, woman, and child in the US. If you look at households, it amounts to roughly $12,000 per family. No surprises there.

Civil unrest in Mexico threatens to spill across the border in a much bigger way than it is currently. So much so, that the people in the border states are arming themselves and pleading for the Feds to uphold their duty to defend the borders.

Crime in the inner-cities is unacceptable. In South-east DC, and just across the Maryland border in Prince George's County, the violent crime rate is astonishingly high, with minorities as the primary victims. Drugs and a culture of apathy towards traditional values are contributing factors, but there are a great many families doing the right thing and trying to make it there in those harsh environments.

As a firm proponent of the Second Amendment Right to Keep and Bear arms, and as someone who thinks that more government spending means loss of liberty, I had a flash thought that I want to share. I realize that this idea will shock some people and offend others. Good! At least they will be thinking about it! Perhaps a program like this would mean more liberty as a result of the spending...

Here goes: Offer every qualifying person of legal age in America a voucher, good for one long gun (ugly and black, please), one hand gun (high-capacity magazine included!), and training in the proper handling of the weapons AND the laws of self-defense in their state. Figure $2,000 for the guns, and $1,000 for training, per person. The vouchers for the guns are not redeemable until the training is completed. The recipient chooses the gun on the last day and MUST spend range time with an instructor to ensure reasonable proficiency. Cost of ammunition to be included in the cost of the training class. A certificate would be issued at the end for use when applying to receive a concealed-carry permit. Focus advertising of the program on the inner-cities to ensure that they are reached by the program.

Since it has been proven (Lott, Kleck) that more guns equals less crime, this idea would put more legally-owned firearms into the places they would do the most good, while serving notice to the criminal element that they are likely to face a tougher time ripping off their neighbor of her grocery money.

Hmmm....a program which might actually reduce crime, empower minorities, and promulgate liberty, while at the same time preparing our nation for response if when Mexico ever blows up. Also, think what this would do for manufacturing jobs in America!

Sounds good to me. How could any politician who is interested in minority rights and in reducing crime in the inner-city oppose such a plan?

Pax,

Newbius

The cake is a lie...

I spewed beer all over my monitor when I saw this. +1 to Whitebread for the post.

Epic win!!!!!11!1!1!!!eleven!!!!!

Newbius

Movement on the State's Rights front

5 more were added to the list recently, according to Human Events.

South Carolina's measure has advanced through both houses of their legislature. More...

Even though there was support in New Hampshire, it looks like it has gone down in defeat, as has the measure in Arkansas.

I am beginning to believe that some of these lawmakers need a calcium injection in the lower spine! I guess if they are faced with the choice of enslaving their constituents so they can receive ill-gotten (Federal) dollars, or standing on the principles of freedom that made our country great, they choose slavery.

We need to clean house at the next election, and fire all of the (lifer) staffers while we are at it.

Pax,

Newbius

Since you asked...

Jean Poole (wonderful blog, check it out here) asked this question in response to this post. The question was: "what kills more people? Guns or abortions?".

Jean, the answer is abortions.

Most thinking people won't be surprised by this but I thought I would back up the assertion with some actual statistics. You Liberal readers of my blog (both of you) can whine all you want but the numbers speak for themselves.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, there were a total of 30,694 firearms-related deaths in 2005 (the latest year for which statistics are available). Of these, 1,490 were under the age of 18 (the legal definition of a "child" in the US).

Let's look at motor vehicles by comparison: That same year, there were a total of 45,520 motor-vehicle-related deaths. Of these, 4,527 were under the age of 18. I did not drill down to see how many were passengers and how many were driving, but the curve DOES spike upward around age 15-16. So, 3 times as many children are killed by/in cars each year than by firearms.

Now let's look at worldwide numbers for firearms deaths. According to Amnesty International, whose numbers were the highest reported of all of the sites I dug through, there were between 350,000 and 500,000 firearms related deaths (including "conflict" or war-related deaths) in 2005.

By comparison, deaths in 2005 due to abortion, in the United States alone, were 820,151.

Put it another way: 173,753 people died in the United States in 2005 (all causes, natural and unnatural). 820,151 "people" died unborn due to a "choice".

If the desire is to prevent needless death by banning dangerous weapons, perhaps the most effective weapon of all to ban would be the abortion provider.

By most reasonable estimates, there are about 300,000,000 firearms in the United States today. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are about 633,000 physicians of all types in the US (as of 2005-2006), of which 5.5% are Ob/Gyns (or, 34,815). Abortion providers are an even smaller subset constituting 1,787 nationwide (Guttmacher Institute Data).

300,000,000 guns in the US caused 30,694 deaths, of which 1,490 were under age 18.
1,787 Abortion providers in the US caused 820,151 deaths, of which ALL were under 18.

It kind of makes you wonder what the priorities are of the people advocating abortion as "good public policy".

Pax,

Newbius

Crime and Guns

Yep, another one of those posts. There seems to be a great deal of confusion regarding the legal ownership of firearms, the legal carrying of firearms, and the attendant result on crime.

To hear people like Eric Holder speak, one would get the impression that places with high rates of gun ownership would have higher rates of crime. One would ALSO get the impression that violent crime (by definition, all gun crime is violent crime) will be higher with more people armed in public. So, by this logic then, a state that denies the right to own a functioning firearm would be safer than one which does not. The obvious corollary is that states with restrictive laws on the ability to possess or carry publicly (openly or concealed) would also have lower rates of violent crime.

Sadly (or happily), the statistics tell a different story. According to the 2007 FBI crime statistics for Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, the place with the highest crime rate also has the most restrictive gun laws. The place with restrictive gun laws but which permits ownership of firearms has a lower rate of violent crime. The state with the lowest crime rate of the three? The one that allows open carry and concealed carry with a permit.

Here are the numbers:

Washington, D.C.: 1,414.3 per 100,000 people
Maryland: 641.9 per 100,000
Virginia: 269.7 per 100,000

Considering the similarities in location and population, one would think that the crime rates would be similar. Even among cities and counties immediately adjacent to the District, the differences are stark. DC has the highest rate, the counties in Maryland which are adjacent to the District have the next highest rate, and lowest again are the counties in Virginia. In fact, the total violent crime in just DC, Montgomery County, Anne Arundel County, and Prince George's County, MD (the three MD counties adjacent to DC) nearly equals the TOTAL for the Commonwealth of Virginia (19,246 violent crimes for these 4 alone, vs. 20,798 for all of VA).

Since I am using FBI Statistics, I hope that the naysayers will understand that more guns DOES NOT equal more crime. If the truth is what the debate is all about, let's come to common ground on what the truth really IS. If the stated goal of AG Holder is to lower crime, then the most logical approach would be to remove restrictions on private firearm ownership.

If this debate is NOT really about crime, safety, or what constitutes good policy for the people, then SAY SO, openly and honestly, so that the people can decide for themselves what to do.

To the Madison J. Gray's of the world I say this: The gun does not make a person more violent any more than a typewriter makes a person more intelligent. They are both tools crafted for a specific purpose. An idiot is still an idiot and will make idiotic choices. Which is more dangerous? A single person who is armed, or a propagandist willing to advance a cause without regard to the long-term consequences of the policies he advocates?

ALL of the government-sponsored mass killings came to people who were disarmed first, and all of the civilian disarmings were advocated by mouthpieces of the state willing to propagandize on its behalf.

The irony is this: The first people killed by the thugs-in-charge were usually the "intellectuals".

Are you an intellectual? Or, are you just an idiot with a typewriter?

Pax,

Newbius

The AirBum Cowboy's Up

Pitts pilot and instructor, author, and photographer extraordinaire Budd Davisson has a wonderful post up about Cowboy Action Shooting. Head on over and check it out. It is a fun read and Budd always has interesting things to say.

I've never met him (although I hope to meet him at Oshkosh when I go), but I have been enjoying his articles for years. Head over and check out Airbum...

Cheers!

Newbius

Flirting with an idea...

Being disaffected with the Republican party, disgusted with the Democrat party, and disappointed with most of the remaining minor parties, I think it is time to resurrect an old one with historical roots.

The Liberty Party.

Originally formed by anti-slavery abolitionists in 1840, it survived for 8 years before being merged into the Free-Soil party. At a minimum, the name needs to be attached to a party with values consistently aligned to the Bill of Rights. Something we surely lack at present.

Too often, a minor party has great core values and then messes up the works with a wacky position on something radical left or radical right. Take the Constitution Party (please)...Great core issues, but then they have to throw in that bit about aligning our laws with the Bible. Nice in principle, but it guarantees that they will forever remain a minor party and a sideshow. (PLEASE do not take offense at this statement, I am a Christian and believe that the Bible says what it means and means what it says. Different discussion for another time, OK?)

If a political party thumps the socialist drum too loudly, then they lose the right and center-right. If a political party thumps the Bible too loudly, they lose the left and center-left. It is just a fact in America. We have an Establishment Clause for a reason. No "American Church of the Righteous Super-being", and no "American Church of the Agnostic Non-super-non-entity". That is just how the cloth is cut, and is how it should be.

So if a political party establishes itself as Constitutionally focused, Federalist in administrative bent, Laissez-Faire Capitalist in economic policy, and Reagan or Teddy Roosevelt-like in foreign policy, do you think it would have a chance?

I could think of a few wish list items to platform on...

Ending all welfare, Corporate and individual, on the Federal level.
Ending Federal control of the Education System
Ending personal income, capital gains, and corporate income taxes on the Federal level and replacing it with a level consumption tax for supporting constitutionally authorized Federal functions.
Ending Federal ownership of "Public Lands".
Ending Federal ownership of the right to broadcast
Ending Federal restrictions on freedom to travel
Abolish the BATFE, TSA, FAA, TVA, REA, FCC, EPA, and a few others...
Abolish the departments of Commerce, HUD, HEW, Homeland Security, Interior, and whatever else is beyond the scope of the Executive Branch...
Auction all mineral rights to the highest bidder for exploration, with lease fees to the treasury similar to how Alaska does it.
Auction all Public lands to the highest bidder. Private property rights generally ensure good stewardship.
Devolve the rest of the bureaucracy to the States to absorb, dissolve, or restructure in whatever way seems best for their residents.

I know it isn't going to fly...but a guy can dream!

While we are at it, we need to abolish political correctness and call it like we see it. Just because you don't like what I say doesn't make it wrong. You do not have any right to not be offended here. Deal with it. If any of the proposals listed gores your particular Ox, perhaps you need to check your motivation for making that cow sacred. I am just saying...

:)

Newbius

Who Wins?

Who wins if the currency of the land is purposely devalued to the point of nothingness?
Who wins if hyper-inflation causes food shortages?
Who wins if our national treasure is forced abroad for commodity goods?
Who wins if the populace is disarmed?
Who wins if the Constitution is subverted by treaty?
Who wins if we have to adopt a new monetary standard?
Who wins if we fail to secure our borders?
Who wins if dissent is stifled?
Who wins if there are no objective standards to measure against?
Who wins if the education system is State-run and attendance is State-mandated?
Who wins if the populace can demand anything from anybody, as long as they have enough "pull" to get it legislated?

Who wins if the People choose to do nothing while their so-called leaders sell us out for a global agenda, a global currency, and enforced reliance on others for our food, fuel, and manufactured goods?

Think about these questions the next time anybody raises a "policy" item that requires "urgent" action in order to avert a "crisis".

Some Basic Truths to ponder regarding the questions above:
-The money supply (Fed and Treasury Total Money) has more than doubled since the start of the year.

-Excess dollars in an economy cause inflation, Excessive growth in the money supply causes Hyper-inflation

-Use Google and search Forced Disarmament. The links that come up are a "who's who" of countries engaged in ethnic cleansing and Genocide. From Rwanda, Angola, the Ivory Coast, and Sudan, back to Cambodia, Nazi Germany and before.

-Treaties have the same force and effect on us as our Constitution does, until the treaty is proven differently in the SCOTUS. Think about how your life might be different if the Globalization activists succeed in forcing United Nations sovereignty over us.

-Bretton Woods was the death of true value in our Currency. There is talk right now about dropping the Dollar as the international currency of trade in favor of something Global.

-Did US politicians gain anything politically from the strife to the south of us? Do American employers want to have labor that is cheaper than they can get home-grown? Yes to both. Holder is using the Drug war in Mexico as an excuse to promulgate restrictions on your freedom and Right to Bear Arms.

-If there is no objectivity in reporting, and no possibility to speak against injustice, then tyrants will flourish. This pattern is easy to see if you have any understanding of history and is the reason why Freedom of Speech is Numero Uno in our Constitution.

-In any system which rewards winners and losers (and Capitalism is a prime example), destroying standards of objectivity enables losers to game the system in their favor. The corollary to this is that State-run institutions with a desire to destroy free-thinking and individuality will promulgate agendas that defy logic, but with success because objective standards have already been destroyed.

-For the answer to this, read Atlas Shrugged

-The answer is, the People LOSE.

Think about these answers the next time you have something better to do than get involved in the issues of the day. Whether you like it or not, whether you are political or not, your government will roll forward in response to pressure from Somebody. If you do not want that somebody to be someone antithetical to your beliefs and views, then YOU need to SAY something YOURSELF.

"I didn't know" is not an excuse.

"I didn't care to get involved" will not feed your kids in a time of real crisis.

"I trusted my (insert politician type here) to do the right thing" will be no comfort in a jail cell or Gulag (or worse).

It's only your life. What have you got to lose?

Pax,

Newbius