June 23, 2017 Newsletter by Jeff Pittman
Housekeeping
Please remind your friends that the 2A News sent by Juno email no longer works, but they can re-subscribe at 2anews.net. Thanks.
Dealing with the Media
Additional points:
- NRA has a seminar on this.
- Use the opportunity to talk about YOUR topic, not necessarily to answer their question.
- Don’t give short, generic answers, like “yes,” “that’s not a good idea,” “I’m OK with that,” etc. They can too easily edit those in where they see fit. Answer in complete thoughts including the original question, e.g., “I’m OK with someone having a different opinion than I do.”
Va. congressional attacker has a supporter in MS
If I find out who it is, I will name him here. The FBI says “we have no credible information of a threat to the local Republican Party headquarters.”
The FBI has also issued a report on the shooting in Virginia, and it pretty much debunks all the gun control arguments.
“The FBI’s briefing appears so contrary to the facts as to be insulting. When a man with a history of hating Republicans cases a location, takes pictures, verifies the targets are Republicans before opening fire, has a list of Republican politicians in his pocket, and shoots and nearly kills Republicans, it’s hard to swallow the FBI’s contention that the shooting was ‘spontaneous’ with ‘no target.'” — Mollie Ziegler Hemingway
Terrorism, this week alone
An “extremist suspect” previously “known to intelligence services” died Monday from a fire and explosion that ensued after he rammed his car loaded with an AK-47, handguns, bottles of gasoline, and explosives into a police van in Paris, France. Police pulled the man from the burning vehicle. No one else was injured. The attacker, a 31-year-old man from the Parisian suburb of Argenteuil, also had a French gun license.
About the terrorist attack in Mali.
In Britain, a Wales subject drove a van into a crowd of Muslim worshipers leaving a London mosque, killing one and injuring at least 10 others. He reportedly repeatedly said upon capture that he wanted to kill Muslims.
In Brussels, Belgium, soldiers shot and killed a Moroccan national suspected terrorist bomber after an explosion in a central Brussels train station Tuesday. Witnesses said the suspect shouted “Allahu akbar” before setting off the blast, which triggered a small but intense ball of flames in the station hall. The terrorist was the only casualty, and apparently the shooting prevented further explosions. Good guys with guns…
The man accused of stabbing a police officer in the neck with a 12″ knife and declaring “Allahu akbar,” at Bishop International Airport in Flint, Michigan, is a dual citizen of Canada and Tunisia, and is a Quebec resident. The FBI says he also said something similar to “you have killed people in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and we are all going to die.” He will receive the services of a defense attorney paid with your tax dollars. The FBI also said that the suspect entered the country legally last week through Lake Champlain in Upstate New York. He then made his way to Michigan, where he tried to buy a gun but was denied due to being a non-immigrant alien.
Politics
Former US attorney general Eric Holder, who was found (and remains) in contempt of Congress and who reportedly committed multiple felonies while in office, is hinting at a run for President in 2020.
Litigation
The US District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana has ruled that the City of Slidell’s ordinance requiring a panhandling license “offends the United States Constitution” because the First Amendment protects an individual’s right to ask for charity. This is the latest in a string of similar decisions around the country.
So where does that leave us on the government’s “authority” to require licenses to “keep” or “bear” arms, as specifically protected in the Second Amendment?
NRA “training”
NRA still doesn’t get it. After it stole USCCA’s insurance model and kicked them out of the NRA annual meeting exhibits, it rejected 1911s and revolvers (two extremely common defensive weapon types) as “primary handguns” from its associated “Level 1 Carry Guard” classes. No word on other single action pistols. Maybe that’s because the Director of Curriculum doesn’t know how to keep his finger off his trigger.
(source)
One commenter noted that judging from the backgrounds and resumes of the instructors, it is likely that a striker fired autoloader or Sig 226 is all they’ve ever been professionally trained with, practiced with, or used. Revolvers, 1911s and other single action/hammer fired pistols have a different manual of arms and operational details with which most Carry Guard instructors are probably not familiar. So maybe they’re teaching what they know — not necessarily what you need to know. Another report indicates that the boneheaded move was made by NRA’s longtime public relations firm, Ackerman McQueen.
These guns were still allowed in the classes as “secondary” or “back up” guns. Or just go take a real training class where they know how to teach Browning-style pistols and revolvers instead.
After the predictable backlash NRA crawfished, issuing the statement that “In response to the clear and overwhelming demand for these firearms to be used throughout the entire course, our instructors have decided to accommodate all safe, reliable handguns with a capacity of 6 rounds or more. Firearms with less than 6 rounds of capacity will still be allowed as secondary platforms. So a S&W .500 Magnum is relegated to secondary or backup status.
The NRA CG training also apparently issues the standard mantra to retreat. That’s not necessarily the way to stay alive.
- Is The NRA Right to Teach Defensive Shooters to Retreat Before Engaging? CapArms Question of the Day
Rotary International softens gun ban stance
I wouldn’t call this exactly a “180 degree” turnaround as NRA does in this article.
Further note that “Rotary’s board of directors had cited ‘financial and reputational risk’ as justification for the rules.” In other words, Rotary does things for financial reasons or to make themselves look good, and not necessarily because they’re the right things to do. I prefer organizations that do things because they’re the right thing to do, even if it hurts.
Enemies
The socialists (socialistworker.org) are blaming “right wingers” for the shootings at the GOP congressional ball field last week. Literally.
Salon.com’s Amanda Marcotte says it’s the gun industry’s fault for seducing the liberal nutjob who did the deed.
Former US Rep. Gabby Giffords, on the precipice of irrelevance, penned a piece last week reminding us that she was shot too. So were lots of veterans fighting FOR our rights.
The government wants to steal your cash, too.
Dept. of Idiocy
In Macon, GA, a fleeing burglar shot back into the home at the homeowner who scared him, and instead killed his accomplice, a multi-felon. Now if we could only get them to both shoot each other…
The Pentagon spent $94 million on proprietary licensed “forest” pattern camo uniforms for Afghan soldiers. Afghanistan is mostly desert (about 2% forested), making forest camo of any pattern relatively ineffective.
The Only Ones
Off-duty Hamilton, NJ, Police Officer Thomas White, 44, who authorities initially said died in a car accident actually committed suicide, or so they say. The prosecutor’s office now says White died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound while he was driving. Of course if they can’t tell the difference between a shooting and a car accident, one wonders how they can tell the difference between an accidental shooting and a suicidal one…
An unidentified Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy apparently fatally shot a 17-year-old boy with a ricocheting bullet while firing at an aggressive dog which had bitten a/the deputy. The teen apparently went outside to see what the problem with the dog (not his dog) was, when he was shot from about 40 feet away. The dog was shot multiple times and later euthanized at a veterinary hospital.
Report from the sandbox
Record long shot — 2.2 miles
A sniper with Canada’s special forces in Iraq has the new world record for the longest confirmed kill shot in military history at a confirmed distance of 3,540 meters (2.2 miles). McMillan TAC-50 sniper rifle.
Correction
Last week we reported “murderous escapees captured by armed Tennessee homeowner after ‘desperate’ manhunt.” A later report indicated that the homeowner, while armed, said he never pulled his gun and was trying to leave and avoid the suspects when they silently proned out in front of him on his driveway and waited for the cops.
Deer Chronic Wasting Disease concern in MS
Hi-tech “printed” machine gun barrels
- 3D Printing Method for Making Advanced Machine Gun Barrels Being Developed by US Army ARDEC [NDIA 2017]
Products
- The Hogue company, best known for its rubber molded gun grips, has a lot of other products including laser grips, tool grips, knives, stocks, holsters, belts and some nice gun bags. Check ’em out.
- Speer .45 Auto 230 gr Gold Dot gel test and review
- SAAMI has accepted cartridge and chamber drawings of another new Nosler cartridge, the .20 Nosler. The case is very similar to the .22 Nosler. Probably faster than the .204 Ruger.
- You can now print your own image on a blank Birchwood Casey Shoot-N-See target. $4 each, plus your ink.
- The Remington Model 1911 R1 Ultralight Commander features a type III hard coat anodized lightweight aluminum frame, adjustable trigger, PVD finished slide and aggressively checkered laminate grips. 8+1 capacity, 4.25″ barrel, 31 oz. $849 MSRP.
Quote of the Week
“The standing United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) resolution supporting the criminalization of handgun possession is a wretched mark of darkness on the American Catholic episcopacy.” — John M. Snyder
