Cap'n Bob & the Damsel

Second Amendment

Man Sues Police Chief for Right-to-Carry

Glock 30David W. Spears, who lives in the city where we live has filed suit to be issued a permit to carry a concealed firearm. We’re going to watch this story as it develops since it could change our police chief’s policy for issuing CCW permits.

California has a ‘shall issue’ law on the books that assigns the issue responsibility to local law enforcement. The chief’s policy seems to conflict with California Department of Justice rules for issue.

Excerpted from the Daily Breeze:

Spears contends that when he applied for a permit in Torrance, he was issued an application form, but at the same time received a letter from the Police Department stating that “we do not have records on the issuance of any such permits, since it has been the long-standing practice of our chiefs of police not to issue such permits to citizens.”

“Defendants’ formal policy is logically and clearly intended to put a ‘false face’ on defendants’ public persona, making it appear that defendants comply with the requirements and rules of the Department of Justice and with (the) Penal Code – when they actually do not,” Spears’ lawsuit alleges.

“Instead, defendants willfully disregarded and ignored their own written policies and procedures, willfully disregarded and ignored the law, and willfully violated plaintiffs’ constitutional rights in order to deprive him of a means of self defense.”

One of several supporting documents to the lawsuit includes a letter from the state Department of Justice that states the Police Department is required to notify the agency of any license denials and retain records of those denials.

Terry A. Nelson, Spears’ attorney, said in an interview that the Police Department doesn’t follow those requirements either.

“It would be funny if it weren’t so serious, but Torrance totally acts in the concealed carry weapon permit arena in violation of federal law,” Nelson said. “I speculate that the reason they don’t is if they kept the records they’d show numerous applicants being told, ‘don’t bother'” to apply.

Spears works in an occupation where he regularly is confronted with hostility. All he wants to do is to pack his Glock subcompact .45 pistol in case one of his hostile ‘clients’ gets too rambunctious.

I don’t blame him. As I said earlier, we’re going to be watching this case.

UPDATE: Spears Drops Case Against City

Continue reading…

13 Jun 2008 by Law and Order Second Amendment

Planning Our Future Vacations

When getting ready for the annual vacation this summer, the first thing on our list of priorities is to get our Utah CCW permits. It will be for a good reason – we like to travel via other than Interstates to scenic places – and we’re getting a little older and could be seen as easy targets by those with criminal intent.

I read an article today where the problems facing older unarmed Americans is described:

Criminals like easy targets. A nice new Motor home with out-of-State plates, some friendly retired folks traveling on vacation, out of their normal environment, sounds like an easy target? Have you ever considered what you would do if you were traveling in a remote, unpopulated, unfamiliar area and your vehicle broke down or you had a tire blow out?

For some reason that expensive cellular phone plan with three bars and excellent coverage around town suddenly has a dead zone exactly where you are now stranded? What if the wrong person stopped to help you? He or she may look innocent enough, but could actually be a serious criminal predator, searching for stranded motorists in need of assistance.

The author of the article also quotes John Lott on the effect of CCW on violent crime:

John R. Lott, Jr.: Author of More Guns, Less Crime: Understanding Crime and Gun Control Laws, reveals that States with the largest increases in gun ownership also have the largest decreases in violent crimes. Thirty-eight states now have such laws – called “Shall-Issue” or “Right to Carry” laws. These laws allow adults the right to carry concealed handguns if they do not have a criminal record or a history of significant mental illness. Lott also points out that States with the most restrictive Gun Laws, such as California, New York, and Washington D.C., also have some of the highest violent crime rates in the Nation.

The Utah CCW permit is accepted by many states. When planning our vacation route, states that are candidates for where we’ll be spending our vacation dollars are shown in pink below.

ccwmap.gif

11 Jun 2008 by Firearms Second Amendment Travel

Our Day at the Gun Show

lootThis morning we took off for the gun show. We haven’t been for almost six months, and had a list of things we needed to get. Well, we scored everything on the list and then some. At the left is a montage of three items that we brought home with us today.

The first panel is a close-up of some .38 special factory reloads that we got – 500 rounds at a reasonable price. They didn’t have any 158 grain .357 reloads, so we settled for the .38 rounds – they’re only going to be used for target practice anyway.

In the next panel, something not on the list – a nice T-shirt with a warm and fuzzy message. Damsel really needed that, so we got it. They had a lot of funny and interesting T-shirts, including one that had a picture of a Harley Davidson Motorcycle and a caption that said “You never see a motorcycle parked outside of a psychiatrist’s office.” If I were still riding, I might have picked that one up.

On the bottom is sort of an experiment. Damsel’s Para Warthog is a bit finicky sometimes about the ammo we use – it likes new ammo better than reloads. So, we bought 500 rounds of Wolf, which is Russian-made .45 ACP ammo. I guess we’ll see how well a Canadian Pistol works with Russian cartridges. My Glock 30 doesn’t seem to care, so we bought 500 rounds of reloaded .45 ACP ammo for it.

One gentleman standing next to us at the ammo concession bought 500 rounds of .38 special wadcutters – he was complaining about how his home town had an ordinance that restricts purchases of ammo to a mere 50 rounds per month. He is from – none other than – San Francisco. Poor guy has to come 400 miles to purchase wadcutters – mostly ineffective as anything other than target rounds. The asswipes that run ‘Frisco have no clues, I guess.

It was lots of fun going to the show today. We’re looking forward to the next one in August.

07 Jun 2008 by Culture Firearms Second Amendment

Stripping the Remington 870

After today’s target practice, we did the usual strip and clean routine for all the guns. I took this photo of the Remington 870 broken down into pieces. After looking at it later, it occurred to me that this is the way they would have you store your long guns in Washington, D.C. According to the regulations there, you may own a shotgun but it must be stored disassembled while in your home.

“‘Scuse me, Mr. intruder, while I go and put my shotgun together so I can defend my home.”

parts is parts

Hopefully, the Supreme Court will rectify the D.C. gun insanity in the near future. I also am hopeful that some of that goodness will rub off on some similar gun insanity in other places, especially California.

20 Apr 2008 by Firearms Second Amendment

How Sweet This Would Be

gunns.jpgFor a moment it was fun to think that our Sacramento Gun and Ammo Grabbers might be overruled by Federal mandate . . . but it’s probably going to be DOA in the House.

Image – A California-educated gun protester.

U.S. Representative John Boozman (R-AR) today introduced bipartisan legislation that protects the rights of gun owners. The Secure Access to Firearms Enhancement (SAFE) Act allows law-abiding citizens who can legally carry guns in their home state to carry all across the country.

“The right to bear arms shouldn’t end at a state’s border,” Boozman said. “This legislation is key to giving gun owners the rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.”

The SAFE Act will replace laws that only establish reciprocity between gun control states forcing gun owners to get carry permits before they bring their firearms into neighboring states.

“Growing up in Arkansas where it’s not uncommon to see gun rights held in high regard, I never felt like there was any potential for questioning this right,” Boozman said. “I feel very strongly that this law is needed to address national gun right concerns.”

Gun Owners of America, a non-profit lobbying organization formed in 1975 to preserve and defend the Second Amendment rights of gun owners is a proponent of the SAFE Act.

“Americans can travel from state to state with their driver’s licenses. Now, it’s time to do the same thing with our concealed carry permits. Kudos to Rep. Boozman for introducing this reciprocity bill,” said Executive Director of Gun Owners of America, Larry Pratt.

The SAFE Act has 33 bipartisan original cosponsors.

15 Apr 2008 by Congress Second Amendment Whacko Politics

Call 911 and Hope Help Arrives

Wayne LaPierre, Executive Vice President of the National Rifle Association had this observation about a recent 911 call and the murder that happened while the caller was on the phone with the dispatcher.

The Sound of Silence

I read a heartbreaking story the other day. A woman is on the phone with 911 to report a burglar in her home. Dispatchers hear gunshots, then silence. When deputies arrive, the homeowner is dead.

Her husband arrives a few minutes later, only to be told that his wife is dead. News reports say “he collapsed and started to cry, saying ‘No! She just called me. You lie.'”

The real lie is that gun control and gun bans make us safer. All they do is put innocent people at risk of violent criminals. In 2005, the FBI says there were more than 2,000,000 burglaries in this country. There were also more than 400,000 robberies. If you were one of the millions of victims of crime, would you not want the option to defend yourself with a firearm?

Gun bans like Washington, D.C.’s only affect the law abiding. They don’t disarm criminals, but they ensure that residents are left with one option: call 911 and hope help arrives before it’s too late. And sadly, we know all too well how that often works out.

dial911.jpgMinstrel posted a recent article on this topic – 9.1.1 – Dial-A-Prayer for the Unarmed. In the post, there was a quote by Richard Stevens, a Washington, D.C. lawyer and author of Dial 911 and Die, wherein he gives the two reasons that 911 and police response are inadequate:

First, the police cannot and do not protect everyone from crime.

Second, the government and the police in most localities owe no legal duty to protect individuals from criminal attack.

When it comes to deterring crime and defending against criminals, individuals are ultimately responsible for themselves and their loved ones. Depending solely on police emergency response means relying on the telephone as the only defensive tool. Too often, citizens in trouble dial 911 . . . and die.

The murder in question occurred in California – whose gun control laws make it one of the most difficult places to obtain firearms for protection. The laws are intimidating – people who would like to buy a gun for self-protection find themselves faced with absurdly-high fees and a myriad of red tape not seen in most states.

The ultra-liberal majority in California state politics is as culpable for murders like this as are the perpetrators who pull the trigger of a stolen or illegally obtained gun.

04 Apr 2008 by Law and Order Second Amendment

Striking Down Gun & Ammo Laws – Wishful Thinking

scales-of-justiceIt would be nice if we could add the draconian California micro-stamping and lead ban laws along with the pending insane ammunition bill to Connecticut’s list as suggested by the following opinion from the Republican American (Waterbury, CT). The article contends that “guidance” offered by the Court will prove to be contentious for years to come.

Unfortunately, the SCOTUS case will only decide on the individual ownership issue without regard to whacko laws that over regulate our legally-owned weapons and tax us to death with fees. Any guidance given will likely be ignored by states and local governments.

State Gun Bills Should Be Spiked

When U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy says the Bill of Rights guarantees Americans’ “general right to bear arms,” chances are very good the tone and direction of the long national debate over gun laws is about to change radically.

. . .

It’s good that justices finally will rule the Second Amendment guarantees the individual right to bear arms, but their desire to offer guidance on what constitutes “reasonable” and “common-sense” gun restrictions may prove problematic for legislatures, lower courts and law-abiding citizens for years to come. What a sportsman would consider common sense, for example, no doubt would seem unreasonable to a gun-controller.

With the gun debate changing so dramatically, it makes sense for Connecticut lawmakers to shelve the two unreasonable gun-control bills under consideration. The first would mandate serial numbers on bullets, the second, firing pins that stamp a code on the shell cartridge.

In theory, these measures would enable police to trace the bullets to their owner. But in the real world, the serial number would be obliterated the instant the bullet strikes an object less malleable than lead. Meanwhile, the stamping technology is in its infancy, is easily defeated, would not be required on the types of guns favored by criminals, and would require gun companies to retool their manufacturing and assembly processes; most have said it would be more economical to move their operations and high-paying jobs to other states. Finally, both bills would impose expensive unfunded costs on state and local police without guaranteeing any improvement in public safety.

Lawmakers should be in no hurry to enact gun-control laws that justices likely will vaporize when they strike down the D.C. gun ban in June.

I added the emphasis.

27 Mar 2008 by Firearms Law and Order Second Amendment Whacko Politics

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