By 308Mike
Thu, Jul 3, 2008 3:06 pm

From NRA-ILA:

Heller Decision Ramps Up Media’s Anti-Gun Hysteria

Thursday, July 03, 2008

For years, anti-gunners have claimed that there’s a gun-related epidemic in our country, and for once, they’re right.  It’s not gun-related crime though.  An epidemic is something that is common and spreading rapidly; gun-related crime has been diminishing for 15 years.

What is common and spreading now is a condition one could call “anti-gun anxiety,” or AGA. Apparently, it has been brought on by the U. S. Supreme Court ruling in Heller that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear handguns and other arms, and that the right existed before the Constitution was written and is not conditioned on a person’s relationship to a militia.

Fortunately, this epidemic appears to be almost entirely confined to politicians, newspaper editorial writers, and activists predisposed to the condition by years of bias against guns, gun owners and freedom. Normal people are immune from AGA, thus no vaccine is required, and the only known antidote is an open mind, a willingness to accept the facts, and a respect for the rights of one’s fellow citizens.

Unfortunately, manifestations of AGA have been severe in some cases.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson called the Court’s Heller majority a “right wing . . . gang of five” and accused it of “distort[ing] the clear meaning of the words of the Second Amendment and reinvent[ing] the intent of the Founders.”

D.C.’s mayor, Adrian Fenty, predicted that “introducing more handguns into the District will mean more handgun violence,” even though the city’s murder rate tripled within 15 years of its unconstitutional handgun ban. Marion Barry, D.C. mayor when the ban was imposed, said, “This sends the wrong message and will create more opportunity for thefts of legal handguns that can ultimately be used in the commission of crimes.”

Richard M. Daley, mayor of Chicago, the only other major U.S. city with a D.C.-like handgun ban, called Heller “a very frightening decision” and asked, “Does this lead to everyone having a gun in our society?” Sen. Dianne Feinstein claimed the Court’s decision will “open the doors to litigation against every gun safety law that states have passed-assault weapons bans, trigger locks and all the rest of it.”

Wavering between lunacy and perfect sanity, the New York Times claimed on the one hand that the decision “will cost innocent lives, cause immeasurable pain and suffering and turn America into a more dangerous country [and] diminish our standing in the world,” and on the other hand noted that the outcome of future Supreme Court decisions related to guns will depend on who is elected president in November (since as many as three justices may retire and be replaced in the next presidential term).

Apparently because no Supreme Court justice believed that “The amendment was intended to protect the authority of the states to organize militias,” the Chicago Tribune said that the Second Amendment should simply be repealed.

It’s just as well that The New York Daily News didn’t spend more than the five seconds necessary to scribble out its pronouncement, “now Americans have a brand-new right they did not explicitly have before. We think it’s a dubious new right. We think the five justices are off the wall.” One can only imagine what nonsense might have resulted, if the paper had given the subject any serious thought.

In some instances, AGA is apparently complicated by other conditions, such as utter confusion. Getting the core elements of the Second Amendment backwards, the Salt Lake Tribune claimed, “No fair reading of the plain language of the amendment or its history could have reached the conclusion the court announced.” But in other cases, symptoms are less severe. USA Today simply expressed the hope that the Heller decision will allow for gun show restrictions, regulations to drive gun dealers out of business, and an “assault weapon” ban.

Given the way that anti-gun groups behave normally, it’s difficult to say whether their Heller-related comments are attributable to acute AGA or a more chronic variety. In any case, the Brady Campaign said Heller will “embolden criminal defendants, and ideological extremists,” while the Violence Policy Center said that it “turns legal logic and common sense on its head.

There is some evidence that the epidemic may become a pandemic, too. A German Green Party member said, “All European cows are registered Europe-wide, so why not guns if it can save lives? Civil liberties can be sacrificed if we can prevent people from being killed.” And on the French newspaper Le Figaro’s web site, a writer declared that America “is the only society which will go directly from barbarism to decadence without ever passing through civilization.”
While Heller-induced AGA is not contagious, the sad truth is that it will motivate the Second Amendment’s enemies to redouble their efforts to destroy the right to arms. Given the timing--just over four months before the November elections--we all have more than ample reason to redouble our efforts to ensure that November’s winners will be the kinds of elected officials who will help us build upon the victory achieved in the Supreme Court.

By 308Mike
Thu, Jul 3, 2008 2:59 pm

From NRA-ILA:

Two Anti-Gun Bills Awaiting Action in California

Thursday, July 03, 2008

Two anti-gun bills are awaiting consideration by the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Assembly Bill 2235 would prohibit the sale of handguns other than “owner-authorized (or “smart”) handguns"-- that is, handguns with a permanent, programmable biometric feature that renders the firearm useless unless activated by the authorized user. No proven, viable handgun of this type has ever been developed. Introduced by Assemblyman Mark DeSaulnier (D-11), AB2235 would require the Attorney General to report to the Governor and Legislature on the availability of owner-authorized handguns.  Once the Attorney General finds that these guns are available, only “owner-authorized” handguns could be approved for sale in California. 

Assembly Bill 2948 could be headed for action on the Senate floor any day.  Introduced by State Assembly Member Mark Leno (D-13), this bill would ban the sale of firearms and ammunition on the property or inside the buildings that comprise the Cow Palace.

Please contact your State Senator and the members of the Senate Appropriations Committee TODAY and respectfully urge them to oppose these threats to our Second Amendment freedoms. Contact information for your State Senator can be found here.  Contact information for the Senate Appropriations Committee is below.

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE:

State Senator Tom Torlakson (Chair)
Phone: (916) 651-4007
Fax: (916) 445-2527

State Senator Dave Cox (Vice Chair)
Phone: (916) 651-4001
Fax: (916) 324-2680

State Senator Samuel Aanestad
Phone: (916) 651-4004
Fax: (916) 445-7750

State Senator Roy Ashburn
Phone: (916) 651-4018
Fax: (916) 322-3304

State Senator Gilbert Cedillo
Phone:  (916) 651-4022
Fax:  (916) 327-8817

State Senator Ellen Corbett
Phone:  (916) 651-4010
Fax:  (916) 327-2433

State Senator Robert Dutton
Phone: (916) 651-4031
Fax: (916) 327-2272

State Senator Dean Florez
Phone:  (916) 651-4016
Fax:  (916) 327-5989

State Senator Sheila Kuehl
Phone:  (916) 651-4023
Fax:  (916) 324-4823
senator.kuehl@sen.ca.gov

State Senator Jenny Oropeza
Phone: (916) 651-4028
Fax: (916) 323-6056

State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas
Phone: (916) 651-4026
Fax: (916) 445-8899

State Senator George Runner
Phone: (916) 651-4017
Fax: (916) 445-4662

State Senator Joe Simitian
Phone: (916) 651-4011
Fax: (916) 323-4529

State Senator Mark Wyland
Phone: (916) 651-4038
Fax: (916) 446-7382

State Senator Leland Yee
Phone: (916) 651-4008
Fax: (916) 327-2186

By 308Mike
Thu, Jul 3, 2008 2:53 pm

From NRA-ILA:

Important Disney Firearm Poll: Make Your Voice Heard in the Orlando Sentinel.com Poll on the New “Guns In Cars” Law

Thursday, July 03, 2008

Please read the article below and VOTE in the Orlando Sentinel’s skewed/biased poll:

Remember, the law allows customers and employees to have guns locked in their private vehicles in a parking lot—NOT bring them into work.

The poll question reads as follows:

“Should Disney be allowed to carry guns to work?”

Yes. All other employees are able to.
No. It’s too dangerous for visitors.
Not sure.

To go straight to the poll to vote, please click here.

To view the news article, please click here.

By 308Mike
Tue, Jul 1, 2008 4:15 pm

From NRA-ILA:

Important Information for Nevada’s Right-to-Carry Permit Holders

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

As many of you have been made aware, as of today, Tuesday, July 1, all Nevada CCW permits will no longer qualify as an alternative to a National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) through the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This action is a result of Nevada’s loss of exemption due to an audit conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) in 2004 which uncovered a number of Brady Law violations. 

In 2006, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was reached between BATFE and all seventeen of Nevada sheriffs.  The MOU specifically addressed the absence of a Nevada law requiring NICS checks to be conducted by all county sheriffs before issuing renewal CCW permits to include a check of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) databases for applicants who are not citizens of the United States.  During the 2007 legislative session, a measure was introduced to fulfill the MOU agreement but fell victim to political wrangling over permit fee increases and the bill died when the Governor pledged to veto a fee increase of any kind, despite agreements worked out between the interested parties.

As a result, no legislative fix was passed to correct the audit deficiency and in May of 2008, BATFE issued another edict fulfilling their promise that all Nevada FFL’s eliminate Nevada CCW permittees’ NICS exemption effective July 1, 2008.

NRA has recently learned that the Nevada Sheriffs and Chiefs Association (NVSCA) will be discussing the possibility of asking BATFE for another audit of the Nevada CCW permit process prior to their scheduled July 17 quarterly meeting.  According to NVSCA Executive Director Frank Adams, he believes that Nevada could pass a new audit, however, the request to BATFE must be given the green light from all seventeen sheriffs.  Please take the time to contact your Sheriff immediately and ask that they join with their fellow sheriffs when this matter comes before them! The contact information for your Sheriff, as well as all seventeen, can be found on the Nevada Sheriffs and Chiefs Association website at www.nvsca.com/agency_links.html.

On another very important note, the NVSCA sub-committee on Nevada CCW will be meeting on Tuesday, August 5 at 1:30 p.m. at the Sawyer Building in Las Vegas.  Last year was the first meeting of this kind to be held and was attended by over a hundred NRA members and activists with an interest in the CCW process.

We are hoping to get even more to attend this meeting where Frank Adams and several NVSCA officers will be on hand to discuss firearms issues. A television link to Carson City will be made available for all who want to attend from northern Nevada (details will follow with more information on the link).

By 308Mike
Tue, Jul 1, 2008 4:08 pm

From NRA-ILA:

Disney Thumbing Nose at the New Florida Gun Law

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

We have received the following memo from numerous sources.  It was sent out by Disney to Disney employees.  Disney is a prime offender when it comes to firing employees for exercising Second Amendment rights.  There has never been any intention to exempt any part of Disney from the new law. We thought you’d like to see such arrogance.

----- Original Message -----

From: WDW NewsRoom

To: #WDW X Corporate Executive Cast - Florida; #WDW X Walt Disney Parks
and Resorts Vice Presidents; #WDW X Walt Disney Parks and Resorts

Directors; #WDW X Walt Disney Parks and Resorts General Managers

Sent: Fri Jun 27 XXXXXXX 2008

Subject: Florida’s Guns-At-Work Legislation

Below is a memo regarding the Florida Guns-at-Work law,
effective July 1, 2008.  Please share verbally with your teams, as
appropriate.
***********************************************

To:  Florida-site Executives Date:  June 27, 2008

From:  Shannon McAleavey,
Senior Vice President Public Affairs

Subject:  Florida’s Guns-at-Work Legislation
________________________________________________________

On July 1, a new Florida law will go into effect that will allow
employees with a conceal-and-carry permit to have a weapon in their
vehicle at their place of employment. This law does not apply to Walt
Disney World Co. owned and leased properties due to an exemption. This
includes all theme parks, resorts, theme park and resort parking lots,
Cast Member parking lots, administrative offices across the Walt Disney
World(r) Resort, Downtown Disney(r), Disney’s Wide World of Sports
Complex, hotels on Hotel Plaza Boulevard, Celebration and the Disney
Reservation Centers (Orlando and Tampa).

However, the law will apply to property owned by Reedy Creek
Improvement District, Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, the Disney Cruise Line
Crew Member parking lot, the La Quinta warehouse on Orange Blossom Trail
and Disney-owned liquidation stores off property. Because this is a
Florida law, it also does not apply to Disney’s Hilton Head Island
Resort. Cast Members will continue to be prohibited from removing a
weapon from their vehicle while at work. All Cast Members must comply
with the gun policies in effect at the location they are visiting,
regardless of where they work. For example, Disney’s Vero Beach Cast
Members must comply with the gun policies at a Walt Disney World Co.
theme park when visiting that location.

Walt Disney World Co. continues to maintain a zero tolerance
policy for guns and workplace violence. Possession of dangerous or
unauthorized materials such as explosives, firearms, ammunition, weapons
or other similar items on Walt Disney World Co. owned or leased property
is grounds for termination (as outlined in the Employee Policy Manual).

A lawsuit filed by the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Florida
Retail Federation to repeal the law is under review, and we are hopeful
it will be overturned by mid-July. We support the ongoing efforts of the
Florida Chamber of Commerce and the Florida Retail Federation to
challenge the legislation. The safety of our Cast and Guests is our top
priority.

Please encourage your teams to practice safe behaviors at any
location. In an emergency, Cast Members should dial 911. If a gun is
seen or suspected to be at any location, Cast Members should immediately
contact their local Human Resources representative or Walt Disney World
Security at x1990 or 407-560-1990.

Thanks for your support in verbally sharing this information
with your teams. I will update you when a final ruling is made in the
lawsuit.