Tag: gun control

Yet another demonstration of a possible link between hardcore gun control views…

…and damaged cognitive ability: “A recent gun buyback event in Oregon, aimed at curbing the number of weapons on the street, turned into a planned profit making opportunity for a group of firearms enthusiasts.” Basically, the gun buyback people were offering too-high prices for some firearms, so certain gun enthusiasts simply sold them clapped-out pieces of junk for a profit.  The buyback also offered to trade ‘high capacity magazines’ for $25 gift cards for a store that happens to sell ‘high capacity magazines’… for $8.  Yes, that worked out pretty much as you’d expect, too: they ran out of gift cards.  It’s a shame I don’t live in Oregon; there was clearly money in that.

But the best part? At least one person said Hey, wait, I know precisely where people who want to sell firearms are going to gather – and so he waited outside in order to make a better cash offer for the firearms that were worth more than the buyback value. How did it go?

“I picked up five weapons including a Model 11 Remington SemiAuto 12-gauge from 1926, a Mossberg bolt-action 20-gauge from 1947-1950… AND a pre-1900, 12-gauge breech action with Damascus barrel……AND……. a couple of 22 pistols,” wrote the member.

Because this is America, that’s why.  And it shouldn’t surprise anybody that the system was so easily gamed, here. I think that sometimes we forget that we largely don’t trust governmental competence for a reason.

Via PJ Tatler.

Gun-Grabbing Delegate Joseph Morrissey (D, Virginia) extends the scope of said grabbing.

(Via @JohnCardillo) This gets the coveted lolwhut: “Democratic Virginia state delegate Joseph Morrissey, who reached a plea agreement for charges relating to a sexual relationship he had with his 17-year-old office assistant, is yet to decide whether he will resign or commute to work from jail.” Delegate Morrissey – who is 57, and loudly denying the paternity of the child that said office assistant is currently carrying – got a year plus six months suspended for ‘contributing to the delinquency of a minor.’  So now he has to decide whether he’s going to keep working… Continue reading Gun-Grabbing Delegate Joseph Morrissey (D, Virginia) extends the scope of said grabbing.

Violent crime drops in Chicago :air quotes: ‘despite’ new, more permissive concealed-carry rules.

Yes, I know that I am a bad man for putting in that ‘despite.’ The reality is, it’s because of the new rules. Turns out that criminals will reexamine their work habits and daily productivity when there’s suddenly an increased chance that their potential victims might have a gun.

Since Illinois started granting concealed carry permits this year, the number of robberies that have led to arrests in Chicago has declined 20 percent from last year, according to police department statistics. Reports of burglary and motor vehicle theft are down 20 percent and 26 percent, respectively. In the first quarter, the city’s homicide rate was at a 56-year low.

But, getting back to the title… hey, it could have been worse: I almost wrote more ‘liberal’ concealed-carry rules.  The problem, of course, that these days ‘liberal’ no longer really has the connotation of ‘freedom:’ more like ‘scolding,’ ‘bureaucratic,’ and ‘sour.’

Via Hot Air.

Philly doctor Lee Silverman shoots murderer at ‘gun-free’ hospital.

So, here’s the situation: guy with mental issues gets a gun and starts a rampage at a Philadelphia hospital.  He shoots his caseworker (who later died of her wounds), then goes after a psychatrist named Dr. Lee Silverman… who promptly pulls out a gun from his desk and puts several bullets in the man, being wounded himself in the process.  Mind you, the entire site is, of course, a gun-free zone.

The Christian Science Monitor is trying, here.  It’s really, legitimately trying to concede the point that Dr. Silverman stopped a shooter before he could kill more people, and that everybody officially involved admits that. But I still have to point out this admittedly-small blind spot.

…the Pennsylvania hospital gunfight is already being recounted at least by some gun owners as a telling anecdote about life in a heavily armed nation where 60 million people suffer from some kind of mental-health problem.

For one thing, police are still trying to figure out why [Dr. Lee] Silverman was armed in the first place since bringing a gun to work is against the rules at the hospital.

Continue reading Philly doctor Lee Silverman shoots murderer at ‘gun-free’ hospital.

Lane’s Law of Gun Control Activism demonstrated by Michael Bloomberg.

The law itself is simple – Gun control fanaticism causes brain damage – and Michael Bloomberg is just determined to prove it: “The NRA went after two or three state Senators [i.e., last year’s Colorado recall elections over draconian new gun control laws]  in a part of Colorado where I don’t think there’s roads. It’s as far rural as you can get.”  This led to the inevitable headline: “Bloomberg dismisses Colo. Springs, Pueblo as roadless, rural backwaters.”

…And there’s nothing else to say, really.  Because gun control fanaticism causes brain damage.

Gov. John Hickenlooper drops the F-bomb during Colorado sheriffs’ meeting.

I’m just going to send people over to RedState for this one: but I will note that while I’m glad that John Hickenlooper seems to think that being raked over the coals for he and his staff’s incredibly clumsy imposition of new gun control laws is exasperatingly funny*, many of us find Colorado’s gun control laws to simply be exasperating. It would be nice if more elected Democrats actually read the Constitution.  The real one, not the one that the Left dreams of.

Moe Lane

*Expect the usual suspects to cling to the laughter of the sheriffs like a drowning man clings to a spar. If for no other reason than that it will distract them from the sight of one of their most powerful governors crawling on his belly before gun rights activists…

Embattled Gov. John Hickenlooper apologizes to sheriffs about gun control law implementation.

I wonder what John Hickenlooper’s internal polling is telling him?

Governor John Hickenlooper is offering an apology to some of his fiercest rivals on the issue of gun control: Colorado’s sheriffs.

[snip]

A Hickenlooper spokesman confirms that the Governor apologized to the sheriffs for not meeting with them prior to the passage of gun control bills they opposed. Hickenlooper also said his administration didn’t do a good job anticipating pushback on gun control. According to his spokesman, Hickenlooper pledged better communication in the future.

9News goes on to mention that the Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page made an additional claim that Hickenlooper’s spokesman declined to confirm; 9News neglected to actually mention it, though. Fair enough, since it’s single sourced and news organizations don’t like to risk get burned – but I’m happily partisan, so let me quote the Sheriff’s office:

 Governor Hickenlooper said he didn’t realize it was going to cause such controversy and had he known he would not have endorsed the new gun laws without more research.

…That internal polling must be downright awful.

Moe Lane (crosspost)

Democratic gun-grabber Leland Yee arrested for running guns.

Because I apparently did something nice for somebody recently, and this is God’s way of showing His appreciation.

 

Seriously, this is amazing: “Known for navigating the state Capitol’s backrooms and this city’s complicated political landscape, state Sen. Leland Yee now is accused of consorting with notorious felons, accepting money for his cash-strapped political campaigns in exchange for favors and promising undercover FBI agents he could deliver connections to international gun runners.” They actually noted his political affiliation (Democrat) – note, though, that as per this article by my RS colleague streiff  they apparently had to be prodded into doing it – and favorite hobby-horse (gun control*), and you will find very little in that article that is dull.  But there is one item that needs to be pushed back on: “Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, called the allegations against Yee “shocking” and “surreal.”” Continue reading Democratic gun-grabber Leland Yee arrested for running guns.

The Washington Times twists the knife on the Connecticut gun registration law.

They had to set it up, though. First, the Washington Times hammered the Connecticut legislature for passing a law that maybe three hundred thousand gun owners are deliberately flouting. Then they noted that Connecticut doesn’t have the resources for putting all those people in jail. After that, and gently hinting that the recent problem that we’re having with over-militarized cops is not exactly compatible with a peaceful enforcement of the law, the WT goes in for the kill (in a manner of speaking):

The General Assembly must do what Congress did in repealing the speed limit in 1995 and the states did in ending Prohibition in 1933. If it saves just one life, it’s worth it.

Continue reading The Washington Times twists the knife on the Connecticut gun registration law.