It's Mostly All About Guns

Mark Yost writes in the Opinion Journal today of a firearms museum in Kentucky:

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--When visitors walk into the new Frazier Historical Arms Museum, the first thing they see is an 1880s Gatling gun. But if they think this is merely another gun museum, they soon learn otherwise. For after touring the three floors of gallery space, visitors not only have a clear understanding of the evolution of armaments but of the historical events in which they were used. And that's what sets this museum--which opened May 22--apart.
The museum is the brainchild of Owsley Brown Frazier of the Brown-Foreman liquor empire. No mere hobbyist, Mr. Frazier and his guns are held in high regard by serious collectors. That's why Britain's Royal Armouries have made the Frazier Historical Arms Museum their U.S. home.

Read the whole thing. This museum sounds awsome (dude) with arms (not just guns) dating back to the Middle Ages.

Here's the museum web site. It's rather thin. Hopefully they'll put a lot more up online soon.

A Couple of Gun Things...

John R. Lott, Jr. and and Eli Lehrer have an op-ed in the June 15th edition of the National Journal. Subscription is required but you can also read it here. It concerns the latest scheme by some in Canada to make up for the failed "Gun Registry" there by attempting to get gun laws in the U.S. tightened. Check it out because there are some here in America who would use this as an excuse to extend the AWB, ban more guns, have national registration, etc.

And from Stonewall Shooting Sports of Utah comes a rather bizarre collection of quotes regarding arms by various GLBT "celebraties". Hit the "Quotes" link at the bottom of the page. Frankly, I don't know what to make of this project since some of the quotes come from killers or virulently anti-gun proponents...

Weekly Check On The Bias...

Well, it's that time of the week or so, time to examine how the media treats us gun-nuts. Yahoo has been rather quiet. They do slack off during the Summer months and granted, there has also been a lot happening -- non-gun-control related -- in the news the past week. Even Keep And Bear Arms has had to scramble. So, all that is by way of saying that this won't be the longest edition I've put up. So this week will focus more on other issues or tributes. For my top graphic, here's a shot of a true patriot, Alphecca reader, NRA member, a Texas State Rifle Team National Match Shooter, a Junior Rifle coach, and a holder of the Distinguished Rifleman's Badge, Robert Langham, from Texas. He's been sending me some terrific photos of his service to our country by helping to train Army troops to shoot their M-16's.

I'll be putting up a post shortly featuring many of the photos he's sent me.

We've just laid President Ronald Reagan to rest, with sorrow but also with the fond remembrances of his service to our country. Guns And Ammo Magazine has reprinted a fine column written by him in 1975 when he was governor of California that everyone should read. Read the whole thing but here's a quote:

[US Attorney General] Mr. Levi is confused. He thinks somehow that banning guns keeps them out of the hands of criminals. New Yorkers who suffer under the Sullivan Act know better, they know that the Sullivan Act makes law-abiding citizens sitting ducks for criminals who have no qualms about violating it in the process of killing and robbing and burglarizing. Despite this, Mr. Levi apparently thinks that criminals will be willing to give up their guns if he makes carrying them against the law. What naivete!

Mightn't it be better in those areas of high crime to arm the homeowner and the shopkeeper, teach him how to use his weapons and put the word out to the underworld that it is not longer totally safe to rob and murder?

Our nation was built and civilized by men and women who used guns in self-defense and in pursuit of peace. One wonders indeed, if the rising crime rate, isn't due as much as anything to the criminal's instinctive knowledge that the average victim no longer has means of self-protection.

No one knows how many crimes are committed because the criminal knows he has a soft touch. No one knows how many stores have been let alone because the criminals knew it was guarded by a man with a gun or manned by a proprietor who knew how to use a gun.

Criminals are not dissuaded by soft words, soft judges or easy laws. They are dissuaded by fear and they are prevented from repeating their crimes by death or by incarceration.

In my opinion, proposals to outlaw or confiscate guns are simply unrealistic panacea. We are never going to prevent murder; we are never going to eliminate crime; we are never going to end violent action by the criminals and the crazies--with or without guns.

Ronald Reagan was firmly in support of the Second Amendment no matter how hard Sarah Brady and Katie Couric might try to rewrite history; from the NRA-ILA:

Exploiting tragedy for political gain is nothing new for the media and the Brady Campaign, but this morning's appearance on NBC's Today Show reached a new low. Katie Couric and Sarah Brady used the tragic occasion of President Reagan's passing to shamelessly forward the gun-ban agenda with deliberate misinformation. Led by carefully crafted questions from Couric, Sarah Brady claimed that President Reagan wasn't actually an NRA member, and that he "worked hard" for passage of the so-called "assault weapons" ban.

In fact, President Reagan, the owner of an AR-15, was a strong and consistent supporter of the Second Amendment and the NRA. He was a long time member who actively courted the NRA's endorsement in both of his presidential campaigns, and was the first presidential candidate in history to receive that endorsement. He appeared on the cover of NRA magazines four times. In 1983 he was offered, and accepted, an NRA Honorary Life Membership, the highest honor bestowed by the NRA.

He was the first, and to date, only, sitting president to speak at our Annual Meetings, saying, in part, "The NRA believes America's laws were made to be obeyed and that our constitutional liberties are just as important today as 200 years ago. And by the way, the Constitution does not say Government shall decree the right to keep and bear arms. The Constitution says 'the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.'" In 1986, President Reagan signed the landmark Firearms Owners Protection Act (FOPA), and he never blamed law-abiding gun owners for the actions of criminals.

From KHNL TV:

Brady and his wife, Sarah, became strong opponents of handguns and were an impetus behind the 1993 Brady bill that requires background checks for buyers and a waiting period.

Brady's wife Sarah defended Reagan's views on gun control -- specifically his measure to ban assault weapons -- as "common sense."

Reagan's column is pretty clear, but was also written early in his political career. The NRA and the Bradys are both biased enough to claim more than what was there. The truth probably lies somewhere in between...

Never a friend of gun owners, The Detroit Free Press policy apparently doesn't extend to it's sports writers. From an article about the Pistons:

As personal safety becomes more of a concern for NBA players, a growing number of them, including some Pistons, consider carrying concealed weapons.

Players say they are highly visible and recognizable, and often feel they could become targets of robberies or other crimes.

"I think any NBA player or any professional athlete has a bull's-eye on their back to some extent, whether they're male or female," said Jerry Hendon, director of Pistons security. "And because of that, they just have to be very careful."

Or does it? the article goes on to quote two players who say that guns are not for them, and will cause more problems then would be solved. This is not the first time the media has brought up the fact of athletes owning firearms. And many "movie stars" do to. What's galling is that these same people vote and speak against guns and against the average Joe's right to also defend himself. Apparently only the "beautiful people" should be allowed to protect themselves.

By the way, one good reason for states allowing concealed-carry is that carrying "openly" can alarm the timid sheep of the left, not to mention those (fortunately) few cops who believe that anyone carrying a weapon must be up to no-good. From World Net Daily:

Michael Pelletier was browsing a Manchester, N.H., Barnes & Noble with his wife March 27 when a police officer, assisted by a colleague, suddenly grabbed him by the right shoulder and his holster and pushed him toward the corner of a bookcase, says Gunowners of America.

The Manchester Police Department officers, Chris Byron and David DuPont, ordered Pelletier to place his hands on his head, which he did at once, the group said.

Pelletier was carrying a pistol openly at the small of his back, which became apparent after he took off his jacket.

The officers then disarmed Pelletier and escorted him out of the store. Background checks revealed no record, but officers and detectives issued a barrage of questions about why he carries a gun and what kind of training he had, the gun group said.

Pelletier received back his firearm then reloaded it and put it on his belt, under his shirt. He then went back to the store to complete his purchases.

This is shamefull behavior by these two police officers. They should have approached the man, asked him politely to perhaps answer a couple of questions, and when it was apparent that he was simply a law-abiding citizen exercising his Second Amendment (and under N.H. law, perfectly legal) right, they should have bid him good day and left.

None the less, we live in a society filled with leftist liberals who have no idea of the foundations of our nation, nor our Constitution and Bill of Rights. Concealed-carry really is a wiser option just to avoid these hassles.

Meanwhile, I know you'll be shocked -- shocked! -- to find out that the (CT) Hartford Courant wants Congress to renew the "assault weapons" ban:

Time is running out on efforts to extend the federal assault weapons ban, which is scheduled to expire Sept. 13.

There's no good reason why civilians should be allowed to own these rapid firing, military-style weapons, which are favored by criminals. The weapons have no legitimate use for self-defense or hunting.

Unfortunately, Republican congressional leaders are ready to do the bidding of the National Rifle Association, which has fought the ban since it became law a decade ago. President Bush favors an extension of the ban, but unless he pressures Congress to act, it's likely that nothing will happen.

That would be tragic. Once again, the nation's cities would be flooded with an array of high-powered weapons on streets and in homes. Police officials across the nation have pleaded with Congress to extend the ban.

"high-powered weapons?" There is no difference between these guns and other ones not classified as "assault" style except for -- style. They aren't "rapid firing" anymore than any other gun. Each time you pull the trigger, one bullet comes out. That's all. If they're rapid firing, it's only because the user has a quick finger!

The claim that they have no "legitimate use" is simply bogus. They are used for hunting, defense, and target shooting. And the un-signed editorial makes clear just how phony this bill is when they say:

The proposed extension also would tighten current law to close a loophole that has allowed manufacturers to sell the weapons simply by making cosmetic changes in the banned models.

If gun makers can presently get around the ban "simply by making cosmetic changes" then it's obvious that the ban is based simply on cosmetic features. The firearm looks scary so let's ban it!

There's the usual implication, too, that the Republicans are just doing the bidding of the NRA. It's kind of sad that the Hartford Courant continues to take such an anti-gun stance in a state made famous and prosperous by numerous firearms makers.

As I've said, there isn't a whole lot to report on this week. I would like to take a moment to give thanks. A couple of weeks ago I found out (and mentioned) that Outdoor Life Magazine had mentioned me. I finally got hold of the Summer issue and while I was expecting just a tiny mention at the bottom of some list, it turned out to be a very nice write-up of this weekly feature of mine:

They even had a screen-shot! I had no idea this would happen. Of course, I'm flattered by all links and mentions but this is the first time a real magazine (any magazine for that matter) has noticed me. My sincere thanks go out to them, and I welcome you readers who have found your way here because of them.

There are many bloggers working in the trenches in support of the Second Amendment. Most of them are better than me. Here's what some of them are up to:

Last week I mentioned that "no guns" signs were coming down in Ohio. Tex The Pontificator gives his own thoughts about that in Texas.

Say Uncle reports that a former Libertarian candidate and pro-gun rights advocate was raided by Federal Agents. This looks like further abuse of the powers of "The Patriot Act."

What does the movie Aliens and gun control have to do with each other? Kevin at The Smallest Minority lets us know!

Publicola reports on an Ohio sheriff giving CCL names to a local paper. And the paper published them!

Smoke On The Water has more on Diane Feinstein and the AWB.

Bitter Bitch reports on the latest California attempt to tax bullets.

WeckUp To Thees wants to put together his dream carbine.

Les Jones has his Thursday Gun Links.

There's lots more so just scroll through my blogroll. Anyway, that concludes this edition. Thanks for stopping by!

The Charming Left...

PervasiveLight has a photo you should see of what some on the left think of Reagan. You should see it because these are the same people who take great offense when the "Rev. Phelps'" group holds up similar signs at funerals of gay people. Oh the hypocrisy!

End Of The Week...

So, I guess this wraps up another week here in AlpheccaLand...

I generally take weekends off. I'll be back Monday morning with my "Weekly Report" and my other nonsense as well.

Thanks for stopping by!

Bless Nancy Reagan

Watching all of the ceremonies, and now the firing of the 21-gun-salute and hearing taps played... I've already spoken my thoughts quite clearly about President Reagan a few posts down.

Let me just say something about the wonderful Nancy Reagan, his wife. She has protected and cared for the love of her life for over fifty years of marriage, but especially for the last ten years as Ronald succumbed to his terrible affliction. And then, on his death, she -- no doubt wanting only to be able to grieve alone for her (and our) loss -- had to somehow find the strength to stand tall, with dignity and poise, always under the glare of non-stop media, somehow to make it through what must surely have been the longest, saddest week of her life.

Almighty God, please give Nancy Reagan the peace-of-mind and comfort she needs at this moment. Please, now that Ronald Reagan has been buried, keep the relentless press, the endless lenses away from her so she can finally grieve by herself. Give her solace and let her know that we all love and admire her and only wish for her some sort of happiness, or at least release, in her remaining years.

Would everybody please just leave her alone now? God bless you Nancy Reagan. May He put his great and mighty arm around you and afford you some of the protection and comfort such as you had been providing for your husband for so long.

Australia -- "Engarde!"

Well, we in the blogosphere reported months ago on the Australian government's latest attempt to disarm citizens so that criminals can practice their craft without fear of resistance. Having taken away all the guns, they have now implemented Sword Control! The new law has just taken effect. From World Net Daily:

Gun control in Australia has given way to sword control as police prepare to enforce a new law meant to curb modern-day swashbuckling.

According to a report in the Melbourne Herald Sun, the new statute slaps owners of swords who don't have a permit with up to six months in jail and fines of up to $12,000...
...
...Under the law, set to go into effect next month, those owning swords now would have to surrender their weapons to authorities, sell them to a licensed dealer or apply for specific approval to possess them.

Sword collectors will have to keep the items under lock and key and have a burglar alarm.

If it weren't so laughable and in character with the current climate in Australia, I'd almost think this was a story taken from The Onion ("gun pays for itself first day.")

Aussies are advised to "get used" to electric shavers because razor blades are next. Steak knives, too. What can I say? I'm sure all the sword wielding criminals will beat their arms into plowshares...

Common Sense In Ohio

After Ohio's concealed-carry law went into effect, many businesses posted signs on their doors saying "No Guns Allowed." In a welcome trend, many of those signs are coming down. From CNS News:

So far, at least nine national chains and nearly 50 other businesses have removed their signs and opened their doors to Ohio concealed handgun license-holders, the group said.

In a letter announcing the removal of the signs, Marc Teaberry, the executive vice president of Perkins Family Restaurants, noted that the restaurant chain has "numerous locations in Pennsylvania, which has always had a concealed weapon law, and have never had any problems." Teaberry added that the company, in posting the signs, had received "bad advice" from its attorneys.

Ohioans For Concealed Carry said it also has received reports that Kroger stores in the Cincinnati Division (which includes greater Dayton) had begun removing their "no guns allowed" signs.

"It is not yet known if this action is in any way related to the assault and robbery of a 70-year old Kroger customer outside a posted store on May 23," Ohioans For Concealed Carry said in a press release.

Once you get past the hysteria generated by the Brady Bunch, you realize that law-abiding folks who have taken the effort to get the background checks and the training required by Ohio law are not the ones to fear; it's the criminals who don't bother with all that "legal stuff" who are the menace. Unfortunately, posting a sign that says "No Mutants Allowed" doesn't work...

Triumph For Free Trade

I never really know how I feel about free trade agreements since the US is usually the only country to honor those agreements. But here's a story I like that seems to validate the idea of it... From the Detroit Free Press:

BEIJING -- China got an official introduction to the icon of American capitalism Monday, as General Motors Corp. launched the Cadillac luxury brand in a ceremony worthy of Hollywood.

GM and joint-venture partner Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. plan to begin selling the CTS luxury sedan, SRX crossover and Corvette-based XLR luxury roadster within a year in the world's most populous nation and fastest-growing auto market.

This was not a moment to pass unnoticed or unheralded. The automakers marked the occasion at the imperial Tai Temple of the Forbidden City -- now the Labor People Palace of Culture -- in an elaborate presentation staged by filmmaker Ang Lee...
...
...Aside from China's incredible growth, Cadillac has two advantages in coming to China now, said Stuart Pierce, the Cadillac brand director for Shanghai GM. One is that a new generation of young entrepreneurs is "not afraid to flaunt their success" with a bold-looking car. The other is that while Chinese know of Cadillac's rich history as a car favored by U.S. presidents and the king of rock and roll, Elvis Presley, they never had to bear witness to underpowered or uninspired Caddies, such as the Catera...
...
...The aim is to position Cadillac favorably against BMW and Mercedes, so it can be strong in a few years, when GM believes China will surpass Japan and become the world's second-biggest auto market. Murtaugh and others expect more vehicles to be sold in China than in the United States by about 2025.

"By 2010, China could represent 15 to 20 percent of our total volume," LaNeve said Monday night.

One thing can certainly be said for free trade and such: Business and economic matters often have far more impact at turning a tyrant led nation into -- if not a democracy -- at least a freer, more prosperous and world savvy country, and jobs are created, too, both here in the US and there -- in this case, China.

There's another story yesterday predicting that 1 in 4 Chinese will have a cell-phone by the end of the year.

The Chinese government can try to restrict access to the internet (or some sites, anyway) but with cell-phone technology being what it is, the access will be there anyway.

Often it is the business world and industry that works fastest to start the movement towards freedom! To hell with the politicians and activist groups.

Really Gross...

Driving the highways of Northern New England, large splotches of dried blood are common where cars and trucks collided with deer and moose. But 9000 gallons of blood? From Reuters:

A German motorway was flooded with 34,000 liters (9,000 U.S. gallons) of pig's blood on Wednesday after an accident that caused a 20 km (12 mile) tailback, police said.

Imagine the line of cars at the car wash waiting to clean the blood off?

Now go back to your lunch...

Don't Holster That Gun!

Normally, for safe carry you want to put your pistol in your holster. If you have a Glock and a Fobus, read this USA Today story:

A Pennsylvania company is recalling about 3,200 gun holsters because the strap can catch the trigger and cause the weapon to fire accidentally. Eight incidents of accidental firing have been reported, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Wednesday.

The Fobus USA Holster Division of First Samco, of Southampton, Pa., is recalling its Fobus GLT holsters, designed for Series 17 and Series 19 Glock handguns fitted with a laser-sight light. There have been eight reports of guns discharging as they were inserted into the holster. One person injured a finger.

Brought to you as a public service message...

Things I Don't Like, Part 1

Bees.

Disarmed, Brits Wait Hour For Cops

Yup, disarming it's subjects, England certainly has made the country safer -- for criminals. And of course the idiot excuse the government makes is that people don't need guns, the police will protect them. From the Guardian:

Tory MP Boris Johnson has called for a review of procedures after police took more than an hour to reach a woman shot at a barbecue in his Oxfordshire constituency.

The 27-year-old mother was fatally attacked in front of her two children at a family party in the village of Highmoor Cross, near Henley-on-Thames, on Sunday afternoon. Two other women were shot during the incident. Police are understood to have stopped emergency crews tending to the victims despite assurances from neighbours that the gunman had fled the scene...
...
...It is understood that when the gunman burst into the garden, the victim locked her children and two other relatives inside their house, only for the man to break in and shoot the adults at point-blank range.

The mother died at the scene, while a second woman died in hospital, and a third was last night critically ill in hospital in Reading with wounds to her upper body.

I don't claim that all attacks will stop if citizens are allowed to own and carry firearms, nor do I claim that if someone at this party had a gun, she might be alive. But at least it sends a message to the mutants that we won't be "easy pickings" for them and possibly some of the deaths and injuries could have been curtailed.

The cops explain the delay in rescue and response as follows:

A Thames Valley police spokesman said firearms incidents had to be dealt with in a "controlled" manner to protect the public as well as the emergency services.

It just goes to show that they (Thames Valley Cops) are incompetent whimps who have no idea what their job is supposed to be. (As an aside, compare that to the response of the NYC cops and firefighters who on 9/11 didn't wait until the World Trade Centers incidents were "controlled.")

I feel for my brothers and sisters in England and Australia... Those two women are probably dead because of the Thames Valley Police Department and their policies.

Reagan To The Rescue

It's no secret that the late President Reagan and Nancy owned guns and believed in the Second Amendment. From KCCI TV in Iowa, here's an interesting anecdote about him:

Melba King was a 22-year-old nursing student in Des Moines in 1933. She was walking home one autumn night when a mugger came up behind her with a gun and demanded her money.

At that moment, Ronald Reagan -- who was a Des Moines radio sportscaster at the time -- came to her rescue. Reagan pointed a .45-caliber revolver at the robber from the window of his second-floor rented room.

"And he said, 'Leave her alone or I'll shoot you right between the shoulders,'" King told KCCI. Reagan scared the man off and calmed King's nerves. Then, the future president said he would walk King home.

King didn't see Reagan again until 1984, when Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad heard her story and invited her to an Iowa caucus campaign event (pictured, above left).

After King and Reagan hugged on stage, Reagan laughed, and said to the crowd, "This is the first time I've had a chance to tell you the gun was empty. I didn't have any cartridges. If he hadn't run when I told him to, I was going to have to throw it at him."

Great story!

Around the Neighborhood

While Jay Manifold was trying to look up, Michael McNeil at Impearls has been looking down. Nice (with photos) geology piece about California's Klamath Mountains.

Lana at Live From the Guillotine collects things we wish we'd said.

James R. Rummel of Hell In A Handbasket encounters some Kerry Aliens.

Speaking of which, has the Space Alien from Weekly World News endorsed anyone yet?

You Can't Make This Stuff Up...

I'm sometimes actually afraid to read Walter Olson's Overlawyered because of what I'll find out is happening in our insanely litigious society. I was right...

From Times Online (UK):

A Transsexual who spent £60,000 on surgery to become a woman is suing her doctor after claiming that he misdiagnosed her with gender dysphoria.

Samantha Kane, 44, had the operation to change her gender seven years ago but now claims that the sex change was a terrible mistake.

After living as a woman since the surgery, Ms Kane, who lives in Newcastle upon Tyne, says that she was misdiagnosed and wants to find a way to restore male genitals to her body.

She is suing Dr Russell Reid, a consultant psychiatrist, for £186,442 personal injury compensation. She alleges that he negligently allowed healthy male organs to be removed and failed to properly advise her once he found out her medical history.

Maybe doctors should cut off Kane's head since that seems to be the source of all her problems...

From what I understand, it's a rather indepth and long procedure including a lot of psychoanalysis before these "changes" are made. It's not like on the first visit the doctor said, "oh, you're a little depressed? Let's cut-off your dick..."

Over at Tarazet:

Over at my other blog:

PC software that translates what your dog is saying to you.

Also, a boycott against Iams?

Be there or be square...

Once Again The Left Wishes Death

Once again, it's those "kind, concerned feeling" folks on the left wishing death on someone. This time it's the performer Morrissey:

Thousands of fans at Dublin Castle, in Ireland, cheered when the ex-Smiths frontman made the announcement that the former American president, who had battled with Alzheimer's Disease, had passed away.

And an even bigger cheer followed when Morrissey - who is no stranger to controversy - then said he wished it had been the current President, George W Bush, who had died.

Well, they do say that what comes around goes around. Isn't it interesting that the lefty/liberals are always saying how conservatives are the ones lacking care and compassion yet it is always one of their own who are wishing death on someone...