Attribute to L. Neil Smith's The Libertarian Enterprise
We're going to start off, as usual, with a nice piece from Mama
Liberty. This is the first of five parts on the fundamentals of
shooting.
[Link].
The NRA Guide to The Basics of Pistol Shooting lists the
"fundamentals" as:
- Aiming
- breath control
- hold control
- trigger control
- follow through
Any experienced shooter will tell you that learning and practicing
these basics is very important. They form a foundation for everything
else you will learn, even though SOME things you may learn later will
contradict or negate them, at least at times.
A lot of that has to do with the reason you are shooting. Fine
control of all those fundamentals is essential for target shooting
and competition, even hunting, but perhaps not so much for a
desperate last stand self defense. I can guarantee that you will not
be thinking of these in that case. Actually, you won't have much on
your mind at all, your body will be too busy with something called
the "fight or flight" response.
Go ye to the above link, and see the rest of the story.
I have to admit that these stories REALLY piss me off. Over the
last few years we've had returning veterans listed as terrorist
threats, people who demand our government honor the US Constitution
(you know, the paper that grants them their powers in the first
place) are listed as terrorists, people who say the exact things the
founding fathers said are listed as terrorists, and now this.
[Link].
The bulletin mentions data from
a New America Foundation study that claims 37 deaths since 9/11 were
perpetrated by the "far right," repeating the meme that those within
the liberty movement are more dangerous than Al Qaeda. The bulletin
also references a study by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) that
argues that far right extremists have been killing law enforcement at
an "increasing rate in recent years."
While law enforcement should always remain vigilant, the bulletin
illustrates the federal government's never ending attempt to tie
anyone with basic conservative beliefs to incredibly rare events
carried out by deranged and psychotic killers.
The bulletin goes on to cite a study by the Countering Terrorism
Center at West Point, a think tank that labels supporters of
individual freedoms as extremist, as proof of the danger New York
State faces. Law enforcement are warned that New York is ranked
second in the number of far-right attacks nationwide.
"Since 2011, there have been ten submission/tips to the NYSIC
regarding anti-government related suspicious activity, two of which
were adopted by the JTTF," the bulletin states.
Incredibly, one of the alleged suspicious events investigated by
the state's Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) was a case surrounding
a citizen journalist with a degree in criminal justice. Matthew
Grunert, who spoke with Infowars last month, was visited at his home
by a police investigator and asked if he was a member of the
"Sovereign Citizens Nation" for simply gathering content for a story
outside a police building.
"My father spent twenty four years serving this country in the
U.S. Army. I was raised with a healthy respect for the law that
turned into fascination when I was in grade school," Grunert told
Infowars. "It is personally insulting and offensive to me that I
would be associated with the Sovereign Citizen movement merely for
exercising my constitutional rights. I am not a sovereign citizen; I
am a citizen of the United States of America and I love my country."
The bulletin even attempts to label those who believe the
government is interested in gun confiscation as "far right"
conspiracy theorists, ironically only one day after President Obama
publicly endorsed the "success" of Australia's gun confiscation
program.
The recent passage of the NYSafe Act, gun control legislation that
has been rejected by more than 84 percentof New York counties, is
also mentioned as a likely lightning rod for "militia and sovereign
citizens."
Several groups receive special mention including the New York
Mutual Assistance Group (NYMAG), Oath Keepers, and the III Percent
Patriots. The bulletin incorrectly claims that the latter of the
groups believes in the "need to use violence against the government"
despite no indication that the group supports offensive
violence.
This is the government of the state my beloved wife refuses to
leave. GRRRRRRRR.
Our Liar-In-Chief(tm) endorses confiscation of guns, Australia
style, despite the facts that our gun crime rates are steadily
lessening (along with ALL violent crimes) as gun ownership increases.
[Link].
"This country has to do a lot of
soul searching," Obama said. "This is becoming the norm. And we take
it for granted in ways that, as a parent, are terrifying to me."
The President even went as far as
praising
Australia's gun confiscation program, claiming that "very severe"
gun laws have helped the country.
"Couple of decades ago, Australia had a mass shooting, similar to
Columbine or Newtown," Obama said. "And Australia just said, well,
that's it, we're not doing, we're not seeing that again, and
basically imposed very severe, tough gun laws, and they haven't had a
mass shooting since."
Earlier that day, White House spokesman Josh Earnest
told
reporters that the President is "always" looking for ways to
"unilaterally" act on gun control.
"The president's goal is to look for opportunities to act
administratively, unilaterally using his executive authority to try
to make our communities safer," Earnest said.
Obama, and all his allies, from comedians to Moms Demand Action,
join in the lies to try to disparage gun ownership.
[Link]
Because they want to control us. Listen to MDA spokesperson lie her ass off.
The spokeswoman of Moms Demand
Action said that civilians don't stop mass shooters.
To
quote her directly at 7:23 in this video, she
said,
"This (armed defense) has never happened. Data shows it doesn't
happen."
She lies,
badly and often.
Civilians are much more effective at stopping mass shootings than are
the police for a very obvious reason. Civilians have the huge
advantage of time since civilians are usually the first ones on the
scene. Fatalities drop by 85 percent when a civilian intervenes
rather than waiting many minutes for the police to arrive.
And the lies keep coming, and the desire for control keeps them
trying to render us defenseless.
No one EVER saves themselves, their family, or their property with
a gun. (removes tongue from cheek) Or at least, that's the liars'
party line. The Victim Disarmament crew will hate this one.
[Link].
This is gonna be another long quote.....
Police say a 17-year-old girl
who lived at the home was outside retrieving something from her car
when she was approached by two masked and armed men who forced her
into her house, using her as a shield.
The teen's father, 34, saw the men walking up with his
daughter, got his firearm and fired several shots at them, striking
both of the men as they entered his home. The teen's mother, 34, also
retrieved a gun and fired once at the men but did not hit either,
police said.
One of the men, Terrell Johnson, 31, of the 4500 block of
Natural Bridge Road, collapsed on the living room floor and was
pronounced dead at the scene.
The second man, Cortez McClinton, 33, was standing behind
Johnson when Johnson was shot. McClinton pointed a gun inside the
doorway and also was shot. McClinton then ran away and got his
brother to transport him to a hospital, police said. He was treated
for gunshot wounds to the chest and both thighs.
Somehow, I suspect you will never see this on any non-local
mainstream media source.
Are you as sick and tired of the lies our beloved government keeps
spreading about us? I sure am. And their own statistics prove their
lies. [Link].
A PEW research
study was able
to show that the peak of U.S. gun homicide was more than 21 years
ago. Since that time, homicide rates have declined steadily, even as
the overall population continues to rise.
2010 saw overall gun-related homicide rate fall 49% from its high
point in 1993.
Another surprising statistic is that assaults, robberies, and sex
crimes also went down by about 75 percent.
It can be deduced that much of the decline is owing to the fact
that more and more Americans continue to arm both themselves and
their families in an effort to stop violent crimes before they
happen.
Yet if all you listened to was Barack, Nancy, DiFi, and the
mainstream media shills, you'd think America was overflowing with
crime. And never forget Obama's latest decision, to "act unilaterally
via executive orders" if Congress doesn't do what he wants because
"I've got a pen and a phone, and I'm not afraid use them!" Of course,
he totally forgets he doesn't have the right nor the power to legally
do what he wants to do—remove the 2nd Amendment.
Bulletproof backpacks? IPad cases made of Kevlar? Bullet-resistant
blankets? These items, and more, are selling in the wake of school
shootings.
[Link].
But the sad thing is, schools ignore the
best way to protect kids from active shooters—armed staff.
Kenneth Trump, a
school
safety expert with National
School Safety and Security Services, said he sees an uptick in
vendors selling protective items for kids every time there is a major
incident, going all the way back to the Columbine High School tragedy
15 years ago.
* * * * *
Trump advocates for strong staff training on how to identify
early warning signs, prevent violence and handle security, as well as
resources to get kids with problems connected to mental health
services.
"Our failures tend to be people issues rather than equipment
issues," he said.
No mention at all of arming and training teachers. I guess that if
the Sandy Hook teachers had simply covered the students in
bulletproof blankies, they'd all be alive today....
My friends, people are going apeshit over the shootings in Las
Vegas. I'm not even going to link to any of the articles. I've read everything to the shooters were at the
Bundy Ranch, and thus this was a TEA Party shooting, to they tried to
participate in the Bundy Ranch event, and were booted for
unacceptable behavior, to they were planted by anti-gunners to cause
a stink, to the shooting is proof that CCW holders are more dangerous
than mass shooters. There is only ONE thing I will bother to address.
The Concealed Carrier, and training. Training in firearms use,
including marksmanship, properly concealing, when to shoot, safety,
and most important, when NOT to shoot is a vital part of carrying—
open or concealed, for self defense. I do not support, in any way,
any form of mandatory training for the firearm carrier. HOWEVER, IF
you carry and do not have any training, you are a fucking idiot.
Training can come in the form of videos, reading books written by
professionals like Jeff Cooper and Massad Ayoob, getting the free
Hunter Safety Training (a mediocre start), or spending thousands of
dollars to attend GunSite or other immersion-type training schools.
Personally, I've dropped a few grand in training over the years, read
incessantly, watched a few video classes, and spent an hour a week at
the range more weeks than not. I totally stopped carrying or even
handling firearms for three years after my stroke, and delegated
family protection to my wife, because I felt unsafe with my own guns
until I had retrained myself back to my former level of proficiency.
A friend I hope to meet someday soon, Tony From The Right, as he is
known on NewsVine, is a firearms trainer and retired military. He
compared what Mr. Wilcox (the CCW holder who attempted to come to the
aid of the Vegas cops and was shot for his troubles, to playing
poker. Here's Tony's take on things.
A situation like what Mr. Wilcox
found himself in is like being seated at a table for high stakes
poker. Before you signal to be dealt in, you need to know who the
players are. Once you've been dealt in and put your money in the
pot, it's too late to back out—so you better know the game, the
players, and just how much you can afford to lose. Once the cards
are in your hands, you better know the strength of that hand vs. what
the potential strength of the hands being held by the other players.
The value of a hand can change at any second with the turn of a card—if
you don't understand this and know how to reevaluate your own
hand, you will lose. If you carelessly bet more than your hand can
support, the other players will take advantage and you will lose.
But if you assess the players, your hand, and are prepared for the
changes that can happen at the turn of a card, you can minimize your
losses or eliminate them altogether. And above all, remember that it
is the players that you are truly playing, and not the cards—the
cards help you and the money is just how we keep score.
Mr. Wilcox dealt himself in without knowing who the players were
and didn't recognize the value of his hand when he placed his bet.
Worst of all, he tried to play the cards and not the players
themselves. He didn't read the players correctly and found himself
all-in with a losing hand.
Tony, Mama Liberty, L. Neil Smith, and others I respect have aided
me in my never ending path of firearms education. If you are going to
own and carry firearms, you owe yourself AND the world the best
training you can afford. Do it!!
A note to the gang—Renata Russell, AKA Archergirl, has passed
away. She was a doll to talk to, and will be missed by me. She has
been a part of my e-mail recipients group for these rants since the
beginning. She rarely replied to the group as a whole, but we had
talked many times privately. Rest In Peace, Renata.
I want to take a few lines here to extend my thanks to a few
people reading this and other articles of mine in The Libertarian
Enterprises (one of the places this rant appears weekly). TLE is a
reader-supported e-zine, and both TLE AND any contributing author can
be paid via PayPal for any piece of work they published. I have
recently been the recipient of said largesse, one person to the tune
of $25, most for 5 or 10. I greatly appreciate these kind payments. I
would appreciate it, though, in the future, if any of you feel kind
enough to send a donation to me, instead, send it to TLE in my name.
TLE is something we need to keep going, and I can rarely afford to
send any money on. This would be a nice way to thank THEM for putting
me in there every week. You do not realize how greatly I appreciate
your gifts. Thank you, again.
My new good friend, Jeff C., and I have been e-mailing back and
forth about my two articles on Voter ID. And while we do not agree on
everything, he has made several good points. So, I asked him to
condense his side of our conversation into a few paragraphs ('cuz
we're BOTH pretty wordy) so I could put them here. He did, so I am.
I look at compromise as a
stepping stone and as something to convince those who are not already
aligned with the victim disarmament crowd. By offering a compromise
that appears reasonable (or even less than reasonable to the average
person), we appear to be willing to work with the other side. When
anti's put forward demands the general public sees them as a
compromise. Before, our side said "NO!" and lost ground time and
again. At best, our side agreed to part of what they wanted and
minimized damage.
That changed in the 80's when we pushed back against the abuses
from the BATF and offered a compromise. We didn't have the clout or
support to repeal the 1968 GCA. But we were able to force through the
1986 FOPA. It wasn't great (hell, it wasn't even that good), and we
had to swallow a poison pill to get it through, but it was the first
incremental success in 50 years. Since then, we have offered
compromises up and suddenly began winning. Did we "want" concealed
carry permits? No, we want constitutional carry. But we asked for
"shall issue" laws and, 27 years after Florida passed the first one,
average people can carry pistols for defense in 41 out of 50 states.
Then only Vermont had constitutional carry, now 3 (arguably 4) states
do. Constitutional carry proposals have support in a number of
states. Open carry, which would get you arrested in 1987, is now so
common in the news that most people are not surprised to see it.
I think back to 20 years ago. In Michigan then if you showed an
interest in guns you had to defend it (either you were a hunter,
skeet shooter or formal target shooter)—otherwise you were
considered a nutcase. Seeing anyone but a cop with a pistol
guaranteed the police would be called (forget about long guns).
Transporting your legal pistol outside your home (locked in the trunk
of a car) could result in a felony charge. Now there are very few
restrictions on open carry or transport. From complete bans on
ownership of MGs, SBRs, SBSs, suppressors & DDs to allowing at least
the first 4. From "may issue" that was in fact "no issue without
proof of need" to "shall issue" for concealed pistol licenses (CPL).
From pre-purchase pistol permits that could take months and a post
purchase "inspection" / registration could take months more (and let
them fire it) to pre purchase permits only required for private sales
without a CPL and just dropping off paperwork for registration. After
having "shall issue" for almost 13 years, people think it's normal to
have guns for defense, women are not uncommon in gun stores, and a
person OCing a pistol while having lunch doesn't draw attention. The
CPLs have changed the landscape so vastly that the current anti-gun
front group, "Moms Demand Action", won't even attempt to get stores
to prohibit concealed guns here, going out of their way to
differentiate between open carry people (who don't have to have
training—their words) and CPL holders. Even then they are gaining
very little traction. The results are hard to argue with.
I look at those changes and realize we are winning. Not as fast as
I want. Not as fast as I hoped. But I take solace in the thought that
my daughter will be able to openly carry a pistol at 18 with no
permit where I was told flat out they wouldn't "allow" me to possess
one at the same age. We didn't get in the pickle we were in 1968—
1994 (by my estimate marking the beginning and end of the gun control
crowd's zenith) overnight. It took 60—70 years from when there
were no federal laws and virtually no local laws until the GCA 1968
was passed. It may take till the 2060s to bring us back.
At some point we will reach the stage where the "compromise" we
offer is "wipe the rest of the gun laws off the books, and we'll let
you avoid prison for your part in passing them in the first place".
Long before then we will either force the NRA to our way of thinking—or
abandon it in favor of an organization that does believe in
unfettered RKBA.
He put some serious thought into this, and I think it deserves our
attention. Thanks, Jeff.
(Fire)Arms Quote of the Week:
"Both the oligarch and Tyrant mistrust the people, and
therefore deprive them of arms."—Aristotle
Another one in the can....
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