It's about freedom... Sikh Man Suing CA Over Gun Control, Arguing It Violates His 1st Amendment Right To Practice His Religion <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZonKALmiSXo?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0"></iframe> In order to override the First Amendment, the government would be required to prove a “compelling state interest”. That should be a fascinating argument when this gets to court. What is the compelling state interest to justify the violation? Hint: “we want to take your guns” doesn’t qualify. Via Washington Times: A Sikh man is suing the state of California over its gun laws, arguing they violate his First Amendment rights to practice his religion by barring him from carrying the kind of weapons he says he needs for self-defense. Gursant Singh Khalsa, a practicing Sikh for 35 years, charges in the lawsuit filed this month that California’s laws banning military-style, semiautomatic weapons and high-capacity magazines violate mainstream Sikh doctinre requiring Sikhs “be at all time fully prepared to defend themselves and others against injustice.” “We’re required to wear what’s called a kirpan” or dagger, he said Thursday. “I feel, as far as my religion goes, it dictates that we should have all weapons of all kinds to defend ourselves. By not being able to carry an assault rifle or weapon that has a high-capacity magazine, I don’t feel that I can defend myself or my family.” Mr. Khalsa, who lives in Yuba City about 40 miles north of Sacramento, said he believes such a right should be available to all Americans with the proper training but that it’s also specific to the Sikh religion, which has roots deeply tied to self-defense. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/mar/28/sikh-man-cites-religion-lawsuit-against-gun-contro/#ixzz2Oy8jYXbx
So-called "assault weapons" are NOT behind some massive slaughter of our children. They are the tool that a couple of insane criminals used. If they hadn't had access to them no doubt they would have used something else. Other than these couple of instances, all the numbers and statistics you cite have nothing to do with these rifles. If a ban would have prevented these evil people from going out and killing others, then I would be for the ban. It would not. We have been through this before. I was (believe it or not) smart enough to realize when I saw it that it was a cover from the Daily News. Posting it as a "statement" is something that all the Facebook lads and lassies do on their twitter and social media pages. That is what I was referring to. I am not immune from having done that kind of thing as well, but it does dumb down the discussion.
Little Johnny is born into the world a very smart, and very troubled little boy. For a combination of reasons, Johnny loves nothing more than to watch the world burn. One of these days, Johnny is going to try to kill as many people as he can. From an access standpoint, guns will most likely be his tool of choice. People believe that taking the gun, or by restricting access to guns, will stop Johnny from completing his task.. at the very least making it quite difficult to achieve. Now, join me on a side bar for just a second here. Let's assume that the gun control people are right. I don't believe for a second they are, but just ride with me on this one. Johnny is now forced to seek alternatives.. and honestly, when you stop to think of effective ways of killing, injuring and disfiguring people en masse.. guns really aren't a good way to go. In fact, think outside the box. I realize most all of you are good, moral people who never stop to waste a brain cell on such things.. but try it for a moment. I can think of at least a half-dozen ways to inflict at least as much mortal damage without the use of a firearm. With just a few items from a sporting goods store in concert with a few more items from your local ag store, you can kill most all of them in just a few seconds. If you think that image of wailing mothers, pacing fathers and screaming teachers are compelling news, just wait until you see the volume spoken by the footage of a smoldering school house where the only people you see running are on fire.. assuming the cameras get there that fast. Or how about a Jonestown scenario in which there's no commotion, just a bunch of still bodies laying around and no explanation anywhere in the horizon. You can do those things and never once make a regulated, or illegal purchase. With a disturbed mind and a decent understanding of chemistry, you can inflict all sorts of damage. You'd never see it coming, and worse, you quite possibly could never prove how it was done. For slightly less than $100 in cash, I assure you I could come up with something that could level the floor of an office building. And please do remember, I'm not one who wants to watch the world burn, but there are very disturbed people who do and they are at least as bright as I am. What do determined people do when you challenge them? They up their game. There's no amount of legislation you can pass that effectively impacts the law abiding, that will stop those who are determined to break the law from making their initial action. Which brings me back to my original point of all this posts. What is the real danger here? What is really the killer? Why aren't we more concerned about reaching out and addressing the real issue instead of chasing straw men? The real answer? In all honesty, people don't want to because there's no money and power in it.. at least from an administrative aspect. The concerns of the common man are irrelevant because we'll keep chasing straw men... but none of them are Johnny.
Corey, good points... it points to the problem not the tool of the problem... Goes along with my points all along. I am out of it... on vacation... not giving a rats ass about this discussion.
Let's take a little break for Easter! <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BJD_3eKcIRQ?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0"></iframe>
hahaha I don't even want to know how you found that damned thing. the 2nd shot was quite impressive though.
Wow... the shot that took out almost the whole row was outstanding! Did you check out that same guy's vid of his exploding arrows? WAY COOL! <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jinC7pG1eVg?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0"></iframe>
Obama: I Have “Stacks Of Letters” From Gun Owners Wanting More Gun Control… ********. Via Beltway Confidential: President Obama has released excerpts of his planned speech in Colorado today, insisting that even American gun owners want more gun control. “I’ve gotten stacks of letters from proud gun owners, whether they’re for sport, or protection, or collection, who tell me how deeply they cherish their rights, and don’t want them infringed upon – but they still want us to do something to stop the epidemic of gun violence,” Obama plans to say.
Florida: Father Brings Crime Spree To An End By Shooting Armed Robber Outside Burger King… Feel good story of the day. (NBC Miami) — A father who was robbed while eating with his family took out his own gun and shot the suspect, Miami Police said. It happened at about 1 p.m. Friday at the Burger King restaurant at Biscayne Boulevard and Northeast 17th Street, police said. The robber walked in, flashed his gun to the family, demanded their valuables, then headed for the door, according to police. The father, fearing for his life, took out his gun and shot the suspect in the leg as he stood outside the restaurant, police said. The suspect, 36-year-old Travis Harris, jumped into a getaway Ford F-150 and took off, police said. Police said they found him and the driver, 38-year-old Ramon Smalls, a few blocks away thanks to a Good Samaritan who followed them and alerted police. The two suspects were taken into custody at a gas station at Northeast 2nd Avenue and 26th Street after they apparently ran out of fuel, police added. The Burger King incident followed an earlier incident in which the duo teamed up to rob a young woman of her iPhone 4S at 2200 NE 4th Ave. at about 10:15 a.m., with Smalls driving the truck as they fled, police said. Her phone was later found inside the truck, police added. Harris was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma to be treated for his gunshot wound, and faces three counts of armed robbery with a firearm, police said. Smalls faces one count of strongarm robbery for the morning incident, and possible pending charges for the afternoon incident, police said. http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Suspect-Robs-Family-at-Miami-Burger-King-Then-Man-Shoots-Him-Police-201700291.html
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I hope this is not viewed as NRA propaganda but I know it will. I found two interesting points today. One that shows gun related death rates from 1885 to 2012 shown in deaths per 100,000 population with significant milestones pointed out. The second one is from a survey of police officers by a police organization. 11 key findings on officers' thoughts on gun control
I found something else... Not NRA Propaganda... Not a picture with a catchy slogan... but a honest speech by a broken hearted father which is now part of public record. Notice that he is neither a NRA member nor a gun owner. He is the father of Rachel Scott who died in the Columbine High School shootings. He doesn't want a feel good measure. He wants to find the core of the problem and fix it! Read below to see the words of logical wisdom. Guess our national leaders didn't expect this. On Thursday, Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colorado, was invited to address the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee. What he said to our national leaders during this special session of Congress was painfully truthful. They were not prepared for what he was to say, nor was it received well. It needs to be heard by every parent, every teacher, every politician, every sociologist, every psychologist, and every so-called expert! These courageous words spoken by Darrell Scott are powerful, penetrating, and deeply personal. There is no doubt that God sent this man as a voice crying in the wilderness. The following is a portion of the transcript: "Since the dawn of creation there has been both good &evil in the hearts of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers. "The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out in the field. The villain was not the club he used.. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain's heart. "In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA - because I don't believe that they are responsible for my daughter's death. Therefore I do not believe that they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel's murder I would be their strongest opponent. I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy -- it was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies! Much of the blame lies here in this room. Much of the blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves. I wrote a poem just four nights ago that expresses my feelings best. Your laws ignore our deepest needs, Your words are empty air. You've stripped away our heritage, You've outlawed simple prayer. Now gunshots fill our classrooms, And precious children die. You seek for answers everywhere, And ask the question "Why?" You regulate restrictive laws, Through legislative creed. And yet you fail to understand, That God is what we need! "Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc. Spiritual presences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation's history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact. What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs -- politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own hearts. "As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes, he did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! I challenge every young person in America , and around the world, to realize that on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School prayer was brought back to our schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain. Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your God-given right to communicate with Him. To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA -- I give to you a sincere challenge.. Dare to examine your own heart before casting the first stone! My daughter's death will not be in vain! The young people of this country will not allow that to happen!" - Darrell Scott
80 Year Old With Gun Manages To Fight Off 5 Armed Robbers Kickass. What would have happened to the man had he not had a gun? Via MLive: FLINT, MI — An 80-year-old Flint man fired two shots at five male teenagers attempting to rob him Thursday, April 11 in the driveway of his Helber Street home. The homeowner called police around 9:45 p.m. to the home and told officers he’d fired two shots at the suspects, who had guns, in self defense, according to a police report. All the suspects fled eastbound from the home towards Ballenger Highway. The homeowner thought he may have shot one of the suspects, but no shooting victim was found by police. The investigative bureau was called to the scene for evidence collection and photographs. No arrests have been made in the case.
42 US TRAITORS IN THE SENATE To verify this information below, see Vote did not go obama's way On March 23, we came four votes away from the United States Senate giving our Constitutional rights over to the United Nations. In a 53-46 vote, the senate narrowly passed a measure that will stop the United States from entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty. The Statement of Purpose from the bill read: To uphold Second Amendment rights and prevent the United States from entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty. The U.N. Small Arms Treaty, which has been championed by the Obama Administration, would have effectively placed a global ban on the import and export of small firearms. The ban would have affected all private gun owners in the U.S., and had language that would have implemented an international gun registry on all private guns and ammo. Astonishingly, 46 of our United States Senators were willing to give away our Constitutional rights to a foreign power. Here are the 46 senators that voted to give your rights to the U.N. Notice that ALL are either Democrat or "Independent." Baldwin (D-WI) Baucus (D-MT) Bennet (D-CO) Blumenthal (D-CT) Boxer (D-CA) Brown (D-OH) Cantwell (D-WA) Cardin (D-MD) Carper (D-DE) Casey (D-PA) Coons (D-DE) Cowan (D-MA) Durbin (D-IL) Feinstein (D-CA) Franken (D-MN) Gellibrand (D-NY) Harkin (D-IA) Hirono (D-HI) Johnson (D-SD) Kaine (D-VA) King (I-ME) Klobuchar (D-MN) Landrieu (D-LA) Leahy (D-VT) Levin (D-MI) McCaskill (D-MO) Menendez (D-NJ) Merkley (D-OR) Mikulski (D-MD) Murphy (D-CT) Murray (D-WA) Nelson (D-FL) Reed (D-RI) Reid (D-NV) Rockefeller (D-WV) Sanders (I-VT) Schatz (D-HI) Schumer (D-NY) Shaheen (D-NH) Stabenow (D-MI) Udall (D-CO) Udall (D-NM) Warner (D-VA) Warren (D-MA) Whitehouse (D-RI) Wyden (D-OR
Psst, Boston Terrorists Didn’t Have Gun Permits For Their Weapons Big surprise. You mean they weren’t adhering to the law? CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — A Massachusetts police official say the brothers suspected of bombing the Boston Marathon before having shootouts with authorities didn’t have gun permits. Cambridge Police Commissioner Robert Haas tells The Associated Press in an interview Sunday that neither Tamerlan Tsarnaev (tsahr-NEYE’-ehv) nor his brother Dzhokhar had permission to carry firearms. He says it’s unclear whether either ever applied and the applications aren’t considered public records. But he says the 19-year-old Dzhokhar (joh-KHAR’) would have been denied a permit because of his age. Only people 21 or older are allowed gun licenses in Massachusetts. The suspects were also accused of hijacking a Mercedes on Thursday night. Haas says the pair didn’t release the driver, but he escaped when he was left alone while the two men entered a convenience store.
I've not brought it up since it seems so callous, but earlier in this debate you'll probably (or not) remember I stated quite clearly that without making a single illegal purchase, and quite on the cheap, I could come up with something that could level the ground floor of a building. You saw something like that play out Monday. You can't stop bad people from doing bad things.
In 1976 there was a phone in bomb threat that the Percy Priest dam in Davidson county (Nashville Tennessee) area was going to be blown up. In retrospect, it appears tht the bomber was trying to get more people around the dam to cause more devastation. The bomb was found and defused. The Tennessee DPS Bomb Squad estimated that the dam would not have been destroyed, but could have been severely damaged causing flooding of a major part of the county. The local news showed the bomb which made it quite evident that anyone wanting to copy it could easily do so. I would estimate that it would cost less than $50 for the timer and the bomb materials. This is what I have been saying all along. Taking away the tools is not the answer. Taking away the sickos and crazies is the only way to combat this issue. Pressure cookers... next will be propane cylinders, then oxygen cylinders... then who knows. Are you ready to show your drivers license to purchase plumbing supplies?