Sunday, August 31, 2014

A Win In California: Ammo Permit Bill Dies

Yesterday, in a rare bout of legislative common sense, the very bad SB 53: Ammunition Purchase Permits bill was narrowly defeated on a 35-35 vote.  Firearms Policy Coalition

Our CA Legislators Playing Games (LA Times)
"We are ecstatic that lots of hard work and a fantastic coalition opposition to SB 53 resulted in a great win for gun rights. But it wasn't all good news last night, as SB 808, AB 1014, AB 1609, and SB 199 were passed. These gun control bills will become law unless Governor Brown vetoes the bills!"
   The Firearms Policy Coalition

Please click on the vetoes the bills hotlink: there's a good summary of those four bills. You can also make your voice heard in a few seconds, for free, by using the link to send an e-mail, fax, and letter to Governor Brown. The communication urges a veto of these four unworkable and un-Constitutional bills. If you can, throw a little sumthin'-sumthin' at the Firearms Policy Coalition for all the great work they are doing. 

Enjoy your Labor Day! We've got burgers to burn and beers to drink!

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Happy College Football Saturday!

And FightON!!!

(Image Via MyTeamHelmets)

52-13. And it wasn't that close. A very good start to the Sarkisian era. Next week, a early season test at the mouthy Leland P. Stanford Junior College Cardinal.

Friday, August 29, 2014

Poetry, Surrealism, and the Anti-Gun Mindset

Our good buddy "Baldr Odinson" (a.k.a. Jason Kilgore) recently posted up a poem and collage, and a preamble to both, by CeaseFire Oregon member Cynthia Jacobi. The works, collectively entitled, "Let's Explain How This Happened In Your School", were created in response to the tragic events at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut. They are not dated -- at least, not on the blog -- so it's unknown to me when they were created.


Salvador Dalí, The Persistence of Memory (1931)
A depiction of the relativity, malleability, and
impermanence of memory. (source: Wikipedia)
Now, understand, I'm no expert on poetry and/or literature, so someone with a eye/ear for art might appreciate it more. That said, in my mind it evokes comparisons to surrealist* expressions of anger, frustration, and helplessness.

I won't recreate the full work here, but there are a few bits here and there that stand out (in truth, as it's a short piece, I may end up re-posting more than I originally intended, to keep the context intact).

Starting with the Preamble:
After Newtown, people asked what could you say to those parents who lost children?   
I ask what could we say to the children who we failed to
Protect?  What could we possibly give as explanation?
I'd start with the truth. The tragedy at Sandy Hook was exactly that: a tragedy. It's been covered to death (macabre pun not intended), speculated on, and explained endlessly over the past 20 months. The nation came together as one people and mourned together. E pluribus Unum. From many, one.

To the parents, I'd say: Our thoughts and prayers are with you -- we are with you.

To the children: We love and miss you. Say "hi" to God and Jesus, have fun playing with the angels, and we'll see you when we get there (adjust for religious preference). [Note: I really, truly don't mean to sound callous, but they were 6- and 7-year olds -- far too young to understand all the political-social issues surrounding the events leading up to the tragedy -- so let's try not to overthink what we'd say if we could communicate beyond the veil.]

And now, the poem:
[It happened] because the mother didn’t lock the safe or hide the key 
Which is pure speculation. We don't know -- and won't ever know -- if the mom locked the safe or whether the boy had ready access to it, overtly (i.e. with knowledge and permission) or covertly (knowledge and permission, not so much).
because America sells mega-magazines everywhere
     and Hollywood sells violence
Assuming that "mega-magazines" refers to the firearm accessory of standard capacity, this is the first instance of "blame the 'gun industry'", plus a "blame movies/video-games/music/media" -- neither of which were responsible for the boy's actions.
It happened because of Gun Luv
because we are the land of the brave and the free
     and cowboys and
Bonnie and Clyde
This is the first major miss; up until now, it's variations of normal anti-gun talking points (including this invocation of a variation of Markley's Law). But when you start bring up American history and conflating the "land of the brave and the free" and rural farmers and ranchers ("cowboys") with spree criminals.

I might add that I believe Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow would have been a minor footnote in history if their actions weren't both heinous and widely reported by the press, making them outlaws with a celebrity status that still persists today, long after their deaths. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

Max Ernst, The Elephant Celebes (1921)
The surrealist elephant in the room?
(source: Wikipedia)
Because the boy didn’t need to reload much
It happened because the NRA
     loudspeakers spread dollars and fear
because there was no good guy with a gun
    to shoot the bad guy with a gun
Again with blaming the magazines and the NRA. Recall that investigators found partially-filled magazines all over; he didn't need to reload much, but he did anyway. How would a limit on magazine capacity affect that?

HOWEVER, here she makes a critical mistake: she acknowledges the NRA's point of view as valid. Remember how up-in-arms the anti-gun folks got when Wayne LaPierre acknowledged the proverbial elephant in the room by saying, "The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun"? She's repeating that sentiment, right there!
because hunters of quail and rabbit are silent
I'm not clear on this one.  Did you think that quail and rabbit hunters -- who traditionally use shotguns for that purpose, BTW, not ARs -- would stand up and say, "Totally our fault. Sorry 'bout that!"? Or is just this a dig at "Fudds" for not supporting additional "gun control" -- for not being "Fudds"?
Because reasonable people find no reason to be so
And THAT's a line I can agree with. I may even steal that! Otherwise reasonable people went into full histrionic blame-everything-but-the-person mode, dancing in the blood of innocent victims. Why? Because it served their purpose; they had no reason to be reasonable, and plenty of reasons not to.

And there we'll end our journey into the surreal.  There is some fact and wisdom in there, but it's buried deep within -- and juxtaposed against -- an opposing philosophy. As always, discussion is welcome in the comments, unlike on Baldr's site, where the "No Comments" policy surrealistically juxtaposes with that "national conversation on guns" we're supposed to be having.

------------
* - Surrealist as in, Salvador Dalí and Max Ernst -- a grain of truth or profound thought, illogically and unnervingly set against and amidst its opposite.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Happy Dance - Range Chicken Version

https://www.facebook.com/charlie.gautier.1/posts/10152364362456482

'Cause man does not live by rants alone.  

(knuckledraggin.com)


:)

A Price of Freedom - The 2nd Amendment's Defining Moment


Several days ago we celebrated a ruling that struck down the majority of California’s 10 Day Waiting Period law as un-Constitutional.  SAF Wins on Waiting Periods In California!

At the same time, the petulant boys and girls of the California Loonieslature were churning out a host of very bad anti-gun bills.  2014 California Gun Bills

One step forward -- Four steps back.

Cali Pols Hard at Work (iaconoresearch)
It's relatively easy to pass legislation, especially in California’s overwhelmingly one-party, looney left legislature. It's what those busy little biebers do to avoid honest work. Paid for by the much-abused taxpayer, the avalanche of new laws each year makes living and working in the Grate State of California a head-swimming experience. Especially, if you are one of the elite’s despised minorities: a businessman, smoker, or gun owner. 

SCOTUS (Bokertov)
Fighting bad laws in Court is an expensive, one-at-a-time, years-long process. Often the California fight must go all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) with the progressive leanings of the local courts and the lovingly defamed Ninth Circus Court of Appeals. That torturous path can take decades. At times, it seems that the tide of anti-gun legislation is an all but an unstoppable flood. 

However, there’s hope, according to a Forbes article: The Second Amendment's Defining Moment. In a very gun rights favorable piece, Frank Miniter points out the Heller and McDonald decisions are starting to be incorporated in the host of lawsuit brought after the SCOTUS decisions. The aforementioned 10 Day Waiting Period case being a prime example of the changes Heller is making. Even where the RKBA loses, as in the Maryland Assault Weapons case, the decision was made by deliberately refuting the Supreme Court decisions. It should be pointed out to the district court judge that You. Can’t. Do. That. As such, the decision will likely be overturned by a higher court. 

These court victories have not come by happenstance. They are the product of far-seeing visionaries, decades long commitments and significant amounts of long-term funding. Heller/ McDonald were a long time coming, starting with legal research and legal journal publications supporting the Second Amendment. Then came the metric sh!tload of lawyers filing carefully chosen and coordinated lawsuits. It took money - a lot of money - much of it coming from the people, through organizations such as the Second Amendment Foundation and the NRA. As the post Heller/ McDonald suits are pressed through the legal system, with each win, an  all-important precedence is established. Perhaps, just perhaps, choking off the flood of anti-gun laws at the source.

Takeaways:
  • Elections matter. The President appoints the Federal judges and the Senate confirms them. Hold your nose if you must, but vote Republican for Senate if you want to limit the number of progressive, anti-Constitutional judges confirmed. But, by all means VOTE!

  • Donate to the organizations that are suing and winning for us. Alan Gottlieb of the Second Amendment Foundation has proven to be a Past Master at the three-dimensional chess that is gradually pulling down the anti-gun edifice. Other, ill-considered suits, with the wrong plaintiff at the wrong time, have hurt our cause.

I’m donating to the proven winners: SAF, CalGuns, the Firearms Policy Coalition, and the NRA-ILA
 
            FightON!!!

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Polite Society Podcast

Paul Lathrup's Polite Society Podcast is one of the finest, focused and professional Second Amendment podcasts on the Wild, Wild Web. With Rob Morse, John Richardson and Rachel Malone, all accomplished leaders in the RKBA community, Paul puts together an information dense and enjoyable twice-weekly podcast. You'll hear about general firearm news, politics, personalities, pending legislation, court cases, pro and anti-gun efforts, as well as defensive gun uses. You also get treated to what the hosts were doing personally with firearms. Hint, it's a very involved, tremendously busy, <ahem> well armed group.  

I was very fortunate to be invited to the recording of Episode 263. I got to hang through the entire production and was struck by just how hard they work to make the podcast look so easy. We talked about the riots, Cowboy Action Shooting, and this blog. I benefited from some very cogent advice from Rob, writer of the Slow Facts blog, which led directly to this post: Michael Brown and Deputy Brandon Love. Thanks, Rob!

If you're not listening to the Polite Society Podcast, you're doing yourself a disservice.

Highly Recommended.  

"Aaaand, that's an... Edit Point!"

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Michael Brown and Deputy Brandon Love

Much of the frustration -- and anger – that comes from the reportage of Michael Brown's death stems from the media's constant use of the "unarmed" meme. As if a powerfully built, 300 pound, 6'-4" man could be powerless. The media's motivations are suspect since they've repeated the same meme for weeks despite the emergence of contradictory information. Over and over they slyly imply that the officer wrongly shot a helpless man. For those who've honestly thought it through, the implications cannot make any sense. But then, I've had a personal lesson to help counteract the media's cynical obsession.

Deputy Bernard Love
and his wife Nicole
On the night of August 15, a week after Michael Brown's encounter with Officer Wilson, Lakewood Sheriff’s Deputy Bernard Love was critically injured by a suspected domestic abuser. The suspect knocked the Deputy to the ground and repeatedly stomped his head. Only the actions of a courageous bystander saved Bernard Love from death.

The suspect was unarmed…

…and probably not anywhere near the size of Michael Brown. Deputy Love is a big man; he looks significantly bigger than Officer Wilson. Yet, Bernard Love was only a single footfall from death... by an unarmed man.   

And… it’s personal: I live in the town Deputy Love serves. We tend to highly value our LEOs and their service. Deputy Bernard Love was initially told that he would probably never walk again; he's doing his damnedest to prove his doctors wrong. Love faces a host of other problems, none greater than the loss of a vibrant future. He has a lovely wife and growing family; all respected members of this community. And... it’s very personal; as a member of the Neighborhood Watch, I’ve dealt with Deputy Love before. Today, this outstanding gentleman lies in a hospital, struggling to recover a semblance of the life that was stolen by an unarmed thug. Yes... it’s personal.    

So, to any opportunistic member of the media that reflexively sneers at Officer Wilson and his use of a firearm, come to Lakewood, California. There you may see the horrific damage that the unarmed can do to an armed man. 

You lying bastards.   



HT: Long Beach Press Telegram, Lakewood Sheriff's Facebook page, and Rob Morse, of the Polite Society Podcast and Slow Facts Blog.  

Monday, August 25, 2014

SAF Wins on Waiting Periods In California!

SAF WINS SILVESTER CASE ON WAITING PERIODS IN CALIFORNIA 

Alan Gottlieb
Ohhhh Yaaaassss!!!

"The Second Amendment Foundation today won a significant court victory in California in which the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California ruled that the Golden State’s 10-day waiting period violates the Second Amendment “as applied to those individuals who successfully pass” the state’s background check prior to the ten days, and who are in lawful possession of an additional firearm.

The ruling, by Senior Judge Anthony W. Ishii, a Bill Clinton appointee, also notes that the 10-day waiting period violates the Second Amendment for those individuals who pass the background check and who possess a valid CCW license. Joining SAF in the case was the CalGuns Foundation and individual plaintiffs Brandon Combs and Jeff Silvester, for whom the case is named."  SAF

Alan Gottlieb, the SAF and the CalGuns Foundation are slowly-but-surely pulling down California's irrational, ineffective, un-Constitutional, anti-gun law house-of-cards.

Silvester v Harris Opinion
CalGuns' Press Release

It seems to be a fairly narrowly constructed opinion, but it is definitely a huge win!


Armed Squirrel Project Podcast

Squirrel: Currently In
the Witless Protection Program
Sticks Survival of the Armed Squirrel Project (ASP) podcast invited us to co-host last week. 

The ASP discusses preparation, survival gardening, firearms, current topics, and the occasional ;) SQUIRRELS! of the two hosts. Imagine that once a week, two good friends with a lot to share get on the phone and we're privileged to play NSA. Sticks and Toby provide a natural, folksy, informative, and very entertaining listen. Highly recommended for the important content. 

Toby couldn't attend the week of August 24th, 2014, so yours-truly got volunteered. You can listen to the entertaining train-wreck here: Episode 28: Uno Mas Riot or on the usual suspects: iTunes, Sticher, etc. We talk about riots, cowboy shooting, and the blog.       

Do your ears and mind a favor, subscribe and listen regularly to the Armed Squirrels Project: Highly Recommended.

...And Protect Your Nuts...

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Guns Blaimed For Ferguson

I realize it's the Huffington Post (I see orange rubber bullets) and UCLA (Westwood High, Social Justice Warrior campus); but even so, the level of inanity of this article is truly breathtaking. In his piece, Ferguson: With So Many Guns in America, Police Are Trained to Live in Fear, UCLA Law Professor Adam Winkler (any relation to the Fonz?) makes a few basic, unrelated observations, injects a racist assumption, comes to a unsupported conclusion, and voila!: It's The GUNS fault! Ayyyyyyyy!

To summarize Winkler's argument:
  • There are a lot of guns in the United States
  • Police have to train to extremes because there are a lot of guns
  • Police are racist because of guns
  • Police contacts with the populace are tainted by racism and guns
  • The police are militarizing because of the amount of guns
  • Ferguson...
  • Because GUNS!!!
  • Propose the same ineffective, un-Constitutional, "common sense" anti-gun laws

If you think Winkler's level of analysis is best suited to tony, up-town, elitist, cocktail party chit-chat after a couple/ three/ more Cosmopolitans, we're in complete agreement.

It is too fisk. Readers are invited to post their own comments. I'll enhance this post when/ if I get some time this busy weekend.

HT: Guns Save Lives  





Friday, August 22, 2014

Rest In Peace, James Wright Foley, and God Speed

I'll admit I've been struggling with this one.  What should I say about the man, what should I say about the manner of his death, what should I say about those who killed him?

What could I possibly say that meaningfully adds to what others have already said?

I didn't know him, but there are those in the gun-blogging community who did, and they've written much more eloquent words than I believe I'm capable of.  However, I feel compelled, called -- by fate, by patriotism, by God -- to write something.

James Wright Foley (source)
An American journalist, James Wright Foley, whose freelance career has taken him into some of the most violent and war-torn areas of the world, has been brutally killed by the enemies of America, Christianity, and Western Civilization itself.

The barbaric execution, preceded by the victim denouncing his country and reciting an Islamic prayer (both almost certainly under duress), was recorded on video and released.  I will not do his killers the service of posting or linking that video here; they do not deserve the publicity, the honor, or the respect.

James Foley does.

He has ridden into harm's way with U.S. soldiers in Kunar, Afghanistan, where only the exceptionally brave dare tread, and did so armed only with a camera.

He visited Libya's worst prison -- where political prisoners have been massacred -- and shared the trials, worries, and hopes of one family during the rebellion leading to the fall of dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

He then travelled to Syria, and reported on Al Qaeda's role during the uprising there.

Such courage is rare, indeed.

It is especially striking when contrasted with his captors, who talk big and act tough when their victims are disarmed, bound, and helpless.

But I digress; this isn't about them.  This is for James.

My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, and all who knew him, and also with Steven Sotloff, reportedly being held by the same barbaric cowards who murdered James.  May they find shelter and comfort in each other, and in the blessing of his memory.

In nómine Patris et Fílii et Spíritus Sancti. Amen.

Farewell, sir, and God speed.  The world is a darker and scarier place without you.

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

D.C. Still Hoping to Limit Lawful Carry

From Peter Hermann at The Washington Post (via Bitter):
The Second Amendment does not include an “unalloyed right” to carry guns in public, District officials argued in a court pleading filed Monday that seeks more time before a judge’s ruling takes effect and overturns the city’s ban on carrying handguns in public.
Putting aside how ridiculous the brief sounds by using the word "unalloyed" to describe a right the Constitution guarantees shall not be infringed when discussing doing just that ("alloying" the right?*), why would they need more time?

I mean, the stay expires October 22, so we're now ... what ... 27 days into the 90 days already granted.  Nearly 1/3 of their time is gone.  What have they been doing?
The purpose of Monday’s pleading was to ask for an extension of that stay for two possible scenarios. In the event the District decides to appeal instead of enact a new law, officials want a new stay to extend until the appeal process is exhausted. In the event they seek a legislative remedy, they are asking for the current stay to extend an additional 90 days.


Oh, I think I see now.  They've lost, they've spent nearly four weeks trying to decide whether they want to take it or risk losing a second time, and still haven't figured that out.

However, exhausting the appeals process - even if they ultimately lose - is certain to last longer than 90 days, so maybe they can call that a "win"?

Here's my opinion (worth every penny you're paying for it!): D.C. officials are hoping to stall as long as they can before trying to do anything, a la the Illinois legislature after Moore v. Madigan overturned their ban on carry.  IL waited until the very last minute, passing their carry law (IIRC) on day 179 of their 180 day stay - with barely hours to go until unregulated, "Vermont-style carry" would be the law.  I can see something similar happening in D.C.

Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr.
(image source)
I did find this bit especially interesting:
The filing also counters U.S. District Judge Frederick J. Scullin Jr.’s ruling by arguing that the “core” of the Second Amendment is “the right of law abiding, responsible citizens to use arms in defense of hearth and home . . . not the right to carry handguns in public.”
This motion from D.C. is going to the same judge, right?  If this is accurate, they're asking for an extension on account that the judge ruled incorrectly, and they're making this argument to his face!  The judge says the ban on carry outside the home is unconstitutional, and D.C. says, "You're wrong, banning carry IS Constitutional, and oh-by-the-way can we please have more time to decide whether to comply with your ruling?  Pretty please?"**

If I were Judge Scullin, I'd be sorely tempted to read this and say, "No stay for appeal, no extension.  People are being denied their rights as we speak, and the clock is ticking.  You have until October 22, which should be more than enough time.  And for the love of Pete, if you're going to make a law, make something good and fair; I don't want to have to see you again on October 23rd."

But that's just me.
------------
* - Personally, I think "alloying" the Second Amendment with the First Amendment is not that bad an idea.  "Congress shall make no law ... limiting the right of the people to keep and bear arms" has a nice ring to it, and the general recognition of free speech wherever you have the right to be is a definite plus.
** - Yes, I understand this is basically how the appeals process works; you try until you (hopefully) get the answer you want.  Still, asking this of the very same court who not only ruled against you, but also gave you time to comply, is pretty brazen.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

BREAKING: Kroger Rejects Bloomberg Moms' Gun Policy

(source)
Via Packing Heat, Shedding Light -- JPFO's official blog -- comes news that grocery store giant Kroger, facing pressure from Shannon Watts' Michael-Bloomberg-funded "Moms Demand Action" group (which sometimes operates under its own brand, and sometimes under the "Everytown for Gun Safety" brand, despite the merge), has opted to NOT change its policy concerning the peaceable carry of firearms in its stores.

As Nicki put it:
Kroger didn’t feel like seeing an increase in robberies, like some other businesses that saw it fit to ban armed self defense. So they told the Mommies where to stick it. The company will continue allowing both concealed and open carry, as permitted by law, which prompted another ridiculous hashtag campaign on Twitter – #GroceriesNotGuns – which is bound to work about as well as the one demanding Boko Haram brings back the girls they kidnapped in Nigeria.


Feel free to click through to read a few of the reactions from the Twitter-verse.

The source article is here at the Wall Street Journal, but it's behind a paywall.  You can only see the first paragraph or so, but the very first sentence names "[o]ne of former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's gun-control groups" as the instigator, providing yet more proof that "gun control" is a movement of wealthy elites has no real "grassroots."

Let's hear it for Kroger, and thank them -- preferably by "voting with our wallets," where and when possible -- for respecting their customers' rights!

Register to Vote - Because Chuck Norris



Because the Constitution.
Because extralegal Executive Orders
Because the future.
Because the World needs American leadership.
Because Democracy. 
Because the shining city on the hill. 
Because... yours?


Monday, August 18, 2014

Gun *& Hunting* Culture 2.0


Michael Bane
Author and Outdoor Channel producer Michael Bane is credited with identifying the new Gun Culture 2.0. In his view, the old Gun Culture was mostly rural, largely male and pretty dang much inseparable from meat hunting. It was also largely fragmented; deer hunters didn’t associate with duck hunters, nor varminters, and certainly not handgunners, but they all agreed that those sport shooters were completely nuts. With the demographic shift to the cities, the Gun Culture found itself shrinking, divided, weak and easy prey for politicians looking for scapegoats. Too often, segments of guns (handgunners, large capacity mags, etc.) were thrown to the wolves with the age-old plea of “eat me last”. 

Gun Culture 2.0 Develops: Fortunately, for all of our rights, a new firearms culture has emerged. Gun Culture 2.0 grew from the basic attraction of shooting; ranging from fun to deadly serious; from Trap to Self Defense.  The new gunners are more open to all types of firearm experiences. They’re shooting Skeet, then deciding to try IPSC, cowboying up, training for concealed carry, run and gunning and just plain having fun plinking. 

Jessie Duff (R)
Diverse: The National Shooting Sport Federation (NSSF) reports that gunners are now much younger, more urban, as well as much more diverse with a broad range of race, education, occupations, and earnings.  And they are increasingly female. Women (including my wife) are now 22% of the CCW holders in several states surveyed by USA TODAY. Gun owners now largely resemble – hell, are – America. 

Why? Because Race Gun!
Economic Impact: GC 2.0 shoots more; buys more guns, and lordy, at least tries to buy much more ammunition. (On a cowboy weekend, I’ll shoot more ammo than a real cowboy would have shot in three lifetimes.)  We also purchase all sorts of gun chotskies (shotskies?) Gunnies now swing a heavy checkbook. In 2013, the NSSF reported that the firearm and ammunition industry’s economic impact was nearly $38 Billion in the United States alone. Most every locale would like a share of that pie. Gun friendly states are welcoming firearm firms when politics (and out-of-state money) make their current locations untenable. Those politicians are now facing the ire of their citizens as good paying manufacturing jobs flee over their border. 

Unified: Forged under the hammer of our sworn enemies, today’s gun culture is an effective, aggressive, unified defender of our firearm rights. Where the old fragmented gun culture gave in and compromised (read: threw a right under the bus) when attacked, Gun Culture 2.0 recognized that an attack on one – was, in fact, an attack on all -- and just one more step toward the goal of universal civilian disarmament. Unity prevailed in the firestorm following the Sandy Hook tragedy. In the face of an overwhelming political and media assault, GC 2.0 stood firm and denied national anti-gunners their legislation. I for one, reveled in the sweet, sweet, crocodile tears of Harry Reid as his anti-rights coalition collapse around his ears.  It may have been Sebastian, of the blog Shall Not Be Questioned, who correctly predicted “This is not our Waterloo, it’s Their’s.”

Kendall Jones
Hunting Under Assault: Lately, our brother and sister hunters have fallen increasingly under the gun of the elites; with trophy hunters receiving special ire. Animal “rights” activists disrupt hunts, even using drones. Social media is infected with urban hipsters whose only exposure to hunting is a picture of a deer with a Bud cap, lights in the antlers and a cigarette in its mouth. Young women have been vilified for their hunting passion. The attacks have gone as far as death threats and a politician who asked for nude pics of the woman hunter in order to destroy her. Emboldened by the elite’s disdain for hunting, the Fish and Game, EPA, and BLM bureaucrats use the vice of regulations, politicians have eagerly raided the taxes and fee meant for wildlife preservation.  And the politicians are all to eager to restrict hunters anywhere they can. 

Opening the Umbrella: In his Down Range Radio Podcast #376, Michael Bane calls for expanding Gun Culture 2.0 to include Hunting. Unity is the key, as examined by our co-blooger Archer in a post: On "Othering" Allies.     

“An attack on any hunter is an attack on all hunters is an attack on all gun owners. Simple truth. Respond accordingly.” 
        Michael Bane

But it does mean, as gunnies, we have to put away our petty sneers. There can be no more Fudds, Cletti, Neckbeards or Rednecks. We are all Brothers and Sisters of the Gun.  We are all gun owners, shooters, and hunters.

Our Freedom depends on it.