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UN Ignores Its Own Data to Promote Gun Ban
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Recently, the United Nations took the next step in negotiating an international arms trade treaty that has the full support of the Obama administration. The goal of this treaty is to impose common international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional arms and ammunition, ostensibly because too many arms still end up in the wrong hands.

This high-sounding rhetoric demands further examination, especially since the UN group behind this meeting is called the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs.

FL: U.S. Starts Inquiry in Miami Police Shootings
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The Justice Department has opened an inquiry into seven fatal shootings of suspects by Miami police officers since last July, according to a letter sent to a Miami congresswoman.
Assistant Attorney General Ronald Weich responded to a request made in February by Representative Frederica S. Wilson, a Democrat, who wrote to Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. asking for a federal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting deaths of the seven suspects. Two of the men were unarmed. ...
The killings of the six men and a 16-year-old boy occurred between July and February. One officer shot two suspects to death within nine days.

GUNS Magazine April 1961 issue now online Submitted by: David Codrea Website: http://www.davidcodrea.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
"Regular readers of this column know that every month, GUNS, the magazine I write the 'Rights Watch' column for, posts the corresponding monthly issue from 50 years ago as a free download on its website, giving us a fascinating window into a past some of us are old enough to remember."

Cummings' objection to Issa ATF subpoena ignores own 'Gunwalker' culpability Submitted by: David Codrea Website: http://www.davidcodrea.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
"Put bluntly, had Rep. Cummings and his Democrat colleagues done their jobs back when they wielded the power, 'Project Gunwalker' may very well never have happened and its victims would still be alive today."

Firearms Industry Member Companies Head to D.C. for Congressional Fly-In
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) the trade association for the firearms and ammunition industry will host its annual congressional "fly-in" for executives from industry companies next week. These executives will meet with key congressional leaders on legislative and regulatory issues important to the industry, such as safeguarding the rights of sportsmen to continue to use traditional ammunition which anti-hunting groups are trying to ban, improving the ability of U.S. manufacturers and distributors to compete in an increasingly global economy while maintaining national security by modernizing the U.S. export control system that currently impedes business, ...

NJ: A Hoboken man and his guns
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: http://www.marktaff.com

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Brian Aitken of Hoboken was once inmate number 000737585C at Mid-State Correctional Annex State Prison in Fort Dix after he was arrested for unlawful possession of a handgun and ammunition.

In January of 2009, after his mother was concerned for Aitkens safety, she called police, but then quickly hung up. The police still came to their southern New Jersey home. They searched Aitkens car and discovered three handguns, unloaded, in the trunk that were legally purchased in Colorado.

IN: Staying safe while preserving rights
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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There are many local ordinances relating to firearms in Indiana, which if violated are merely finable infractions and have no effect on real criminal activity. Senate Bill 292 was introduced to bring clarity and uniformity to the protection of this right, regardless of the county or city in which Hoosiers live.

This bill provides that existing state criminal law and regulation of firearms pre-empt local ordinances. Only the General Assembly can enact criminal law, and there already are sufficient state laws and federal regulations to significantly punish someone who illegally possesses a firearm or uses one in a reckless or dangerous manner.

Anti-gun zealot may soon be in charge of scandal-plagued ATF
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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And now one of them may soon be in charge of the scandal-plagued Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Meet Andrew Traver. ...

Traver has spent two decades in the Chicago ATF office bureaucracy. The White House touts his record as a Navy vet and crime-fighter. But it's his anti-gun advocacy that won him Chicago crony backing in the Beltway. Liberal U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., and rabid leftist U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., both support their home state bureaucrat. Grass-roots Second Amendment groups across the country (not to mention rank-and-file ATF agents) have raised their voices in opposition.

AZ: On fatherhood, politics, guns
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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Zimmerman contacted me shortly after participating in an event organized by Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a national bipartisan group that wants to improve the background checks used for those purchasing weapons.

Jared Loughner, defendant in the Tucson shooting case, passed a background check in spite of an arrest record and having been turned down by the Army for admitted drug use.

"Maybe if it had been a little harder for this young man to get a weapon, given that he was inexperienced and had some mental difficulties, this tragedy would not have occurred," Zimmerman said.

NC: Could firearms be coming to a restaurant near you?
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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Self-defense will be on the menu at restaurants statewide if a Gaston County lawmaker has his way.

State Rep. Kelly Hastings is sponsoring a bill to allow North Carolina residents with concealed handgun permits to carry guns in restaurants and public parks. He said House Bill 111 gives people a way to protect themselves from the threat of violent crime in two areas where hidden handguns have long been off-limits.

Criminals dont care what the law is theyll carry their weapons wherever they want to carry them, Hastings said. This is just a small way to level the playing field so that we can defend ourselves against the criminal element.

WA: Sons of pastor slain by deputy push for new laws
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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The sons of slain pastor Wayne Scott Creach have taken their quest for justice to the Legislature.

Alan and Ernie Creach and the Freedom Restoration Project, a gun-rights activist group, proposed two bills last week that they hope will curb unjustified police shootings and the illegal use of unmarked vehicles, in response to the Aug. 25 shooting death of 74-year-old Creach in Spokane Valley.

...

"It is impossible to prove what an officer thought or felt at the time of an incident, and thus impossible to convict a police officer, no matter how egregious the shooting," said Kevin Schmadeka, director of the Freedom Restoration Project, who called the current law "a license to kill."

NC: One fewer patron
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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I sincerely hope that restaurant owners will speak up and oppose this ill-conceived bill as well. If I know that people can take guns with them while they drink, I will certainly think more than twice before I take my family into restaurants where alcohol service is a featured part of the dining experience. I frequent sports bars and pubs for sporting events and casual eating but won't if this ludicrous bill is passed. I doubt I'll be alone.

CT: Forum focuses on stemming gun violence
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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Himes is cosponsoring federal legislation to outlaw high capacity magazine guns. He said he finds it difficult to fathom how Second Amendment purists oppose gun reform efforts to require more stringent background checks and legislation to ban high capacity magazine weapons such as the one used in the January attack of U.S. Rep. Gabriele Giffords, a Democratic congresswoman in Arizona and a crowd of her constituents.

CT: Exhibit #1: Why We Need To Limit Gun Magazines
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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This Ansonia man allegedly called his state representative and threatened her over a proposal to limit "high capacity" magazines, which which allow handguns to rapid fire dozens of bullets. John Matika has a house full of guns and allegedly cited the attacks on U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords when he called state Rep.Linda Gentile's office.

"The same thing will happen here," Matika allegedly told Gentile's office.

Matika says he was misunderstood.

Ed.: This is why it just isn't safe to talk to any anti-gun politicians. It is OK for them to talk about Giffords when they want to ban guns, but they'll throw your ass in jail when you mention Giffords as an example of the failure of gun control.

Gary LeVox Team Wins NRA Celebrity Shoot
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: http://www.marktaff.com

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Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts helped drive his team to victory Saturday (April 2) at the NRA/ACM Celebrity Shoot, held at Nellis Air Force Base near Las Vegas, Nevada. The event was just one of several activities leading up to Sunday's 46th annual Academy of Country Music Awards.

"I love the outdoors. I like to hunt, plus this is a great way to get out and show support for our soldiers," said Gary, who is a lifetime member of the NRA. "It's a thrill and honor to be here with these guys, and I feel blessed to be able to be a part of this shoot."

CCRKBA Supports Issa's Subpoena For ATF 'Gunrunner' Documents
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms today said it supports the latest move by Congressman Darrell Issa to "get to the bottom of the 'Project Gunrunner' scandal."

This morning, Congressman Issa, chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, issued a subpoena to the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for documents relating to the Gunrunner probe. Earlier, Rep. Issa had requested the documents in a letter to ATF Acting Director Kenneth Melson, but Melson ignored Wednesday's deadline to provide the information.

TX: Did the Obama White House Authorize Gun Smuggling into Mexico?
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: http://www.marktaff.com

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CBS News broke the story back in February. Agents of the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms appeared to have aided and encouraged the illegal purchase of high-powered firearms in United States gun shops, pushed the gun shop owners to sell the guns, and then aided the smuggling of the guns into Mexico.

The Obama White House apparently channeled more than $10 million of Obama Stimulus money to support this smuggling operation. A lot of money was made on this smuggling operation, and it is still unclear who authorized this apparent criminal activity and who were the recipients of this money.

Ed.: FTR, it was David Codrea & Mike Vanderbough that broke they story, not CBS. So much for credit where it is due.

IN: In the gun debate, we often speak different languages
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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Jim Bolin was as shocked as anyone else in Morgan County to hear about the shooting of a teen at Martinsville's West Middle School.

But he's not shocked enough to get rid of his guns -- even though he and his wife are raising five children younger than 5 in their Mooresville home.

"I think if people are responsible and they're not criminals, they're allowed to have guns, they should have all they want," Bolin said.

"Back when I first had guns, I had two daughters that I raised," he added. "I taught them how to shoot when they were 5 or 6 years old. I let them shoot my real guns before I bought them a BB gun."

FL: 30 years after Reagan was shot, outlook dim for gun control
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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This past Wednesday was the 30th anniversary of the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan. Gun-control advocates, including Reagans wounded press secretary, Jim Brady, marked the occasion by launching a renewed push for curbs on guns.

Cchances are they wont get very far.

The public remains sharply divided, largely along geographic lines, over gun rights vs. gun control. Gun-rights groups, led by the National Rifle Association, dramatically outspend gun-control organizations on campaign donations and lobbying.

NC: Gun In Parks Proposal Stirs Mixed Emotions
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: http://www.marktaff.com

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A House bill making its way through the state legislature would allow gun owners with their concealed carry permit to take their guns into parks and restaurants. But some local leaders in Mecklenburg County are opposed to the possible change.

Reaction at Freedom Park Sunday afternoon was mixed.

Proponents of the bill like Meggin Condra said, "It would give them the opportunity to simply protect themselves and their family in more places than simply their home."

But Carla Thomas doesn't see it that way. "I don't think there's any reason to have a gun out here," she said.

MO: Missouri Deputy Resigns After Shooting Dog Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: http://www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
A southeast Missouri sheriffs deputy is out of a job after using deadly force against a suspects dog. And the sheriff says he was just sick to learn the victim wasnt some large hulking breed but a Chihuahua.

MD: Firearms make us safer
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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In Mr. DeBrabander's world, gun control laws, currently woefully unsuccessful in preventing criminals from obtaining and using guns in the commission of a crime but denying law-abiding citizens their constitutional right to do so, simply need to be multiplied rather than enforced. He describes as "the law of averages" his assertion than "the more widely guns are available, the more likely ... bad decisions [by good people] are to occur." He is incapable of seeing that those who commit crimes with illegal guns are not "good people," and those who violate current gun laws will not be deterred by additional controls.

MI: Second Amendment deserves same support as First
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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Freedom of speech was important to our founding fathers, or it would not have been the First Amendment to the Constitution.

Now, if we could get the same support from the New York Times and our other news sources about the Second Amendment, another group of millions of innocent people (legal owners and carriers of firearms) could, also have their God given rights protected. This is not an error, the Constitution does not give us the right to bear arms, it says that we have the right and the right shall not be infringed.

Future of 2nd Amendment & Gun Ownership
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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With its incorporation against the states post-McDonald, the Second Amendment now leaves the netherworld it inhabited previously, and enters the realm of what might be considered normal constitutional law. We now have a constitutional right recognized in no uncertain terms by the Supreme Court, and incorporated against the states. Litigants may now invoke that right without having to overcome questions of whether the right exists, whether it can be invoked by individuals, or whether it applies only against the states. For this reason, the Second Amendment, long treated like an embarrassing stepchild, joins other provisions of the Bill of Rights, not as some odd exception, but as normal constitutional law.

IN: Taking aim at gun laws
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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T he right to bear arms is guaranteed by the Second Amendment, but interpreting that right has long sparked heated discussion. The latest debate stems from Senate Bill 292, which would limit local government adoption of ordinances that restrict firearms or ammunition.

In the wake of the shootings in Tucson, Ariz., a bill in Congress would reinstate a prohibition on high-capacity magazines. Another debate involves whether to require background checks for gun sales between private individuals, including at gun shows.

AZ: Gun-check effort going nowhere unless GOP steps up
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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The political lineup says as much about how neutered the Democratic Party is in this state as it does about the absence of Republican leadership on gun reforms. That's the party with juice here, but at Monday's event not one Republican leader could be found. Is it really surprising? They've been missing in action ever since our shooting.

Our Legislature and Gov. Jan Brewer have responded to the Tucson Tragedy like the lawmaking equivalent of all those folks who rushed out to buy Glocks in the days immediately after Jan. 8 - more concerned about possible gun control than irresponsible gun owners. Guns on campus. A state gun. Guns in public establishments and public buildings. Guns everywhere.

PA: Rep. Altmire introduces bill to reform firearms bureau, help gun sellers Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: http://www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire, D-4th, has joined with U.S. Rep. Steve King to introduce legislation that will clarify regulations and remove restrictions on federally licensed firearms dealers and importers in the United States. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Reform Act would modernize and improve the BATFE by amending and clarifying its policies.