Huff and Puff: Slippery Slope of Gun Laws
When a piece, written by Josh Horwitz, Executive Director for the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, appears on the Huffington Post with the title “The Real Slippery Slope of Gun Laws,” we don’t expect a fair story. And Horwitz didn’t let us down.
Not at all, as he decides to take on concealed handgun permit holders, noting that several individuals held the permits and committed “mass murder (three or more innocents killed) with guns.” Of course what he doesn’t list are the tens of thousands of names of concealed handgun permit holders who never broke the law.
He doesn’t note that criminals don’t even bother with the permits at all! But Horwitz uses Marqus Hill as an example instead:
We’ve already had a preview of how H.R. 822 will work in practice. In September of last year, Marqus Hill, a resident of Philadelphia, executed an 18-year-old who allegedly broke into his car, shooting him 13 times on the street. The city of Philadelphia had previously revoked a concealed handgun permit that Hill held in the state of Pennsylvania based on his criminal history. Because of a reciprocity agreement that Pennsylvania signed with Florida, Hill was able to get a permit in the mail from The Sunshine State with no problem.
It isn’t noted that Marqus Hill was actually acquitted. So the point of criminal history is actually misleading. But does the truth really matter to anti-gun zealots?
NRA News: Pennsylvania: Urge Your State Representative to Co-sponsor Sunday Hunting
Cam Edwards talks to Pennsylvania State Rep. John Evans
Virginia Citizens Defense League: Mayors Against Illegal Guns – A Reality Check
From our friends at the Virginia Citizens Defense League:
I have been doing a bit of research on Bloomberg’s group, Mayors Against Illegal Guns.
They claim a membership of 593 mayors. Of these, 399 (over 67%!) are in only four states – New Jersey (40), New York (108), Ohio (71) and Pennsylvania(180). If you throw in California (21) and Florida (36), they account for 456 (over 76%) of their alleged membership.
There are approximately 8,291 mayors, nationally, of localities with over 30,000 citizens. Even disregarding the fact that a fair number of Bloomberg’s group are not even included in that count, due to small constituencies, this means that fewer than 7.2% of the nation’s mayors agree with his goals and methods enough to allow themselves to be counted among his supporters.
The vast majority of states, 37, or 74% (see table below) could produce only 5 or fewer members, from the many hundreds of mayors in each state. In fact, they could not persuade a SINGLE mayor in 12 states to join in their conspiracy to subvert the Constitution (see table below).
I am saddened to see that they were able to dupe 9 of our own Virginia mayors. [PVC: Virginia does have some less-than-stellar Mayors. The members of Bloomberg's coalition should be on every gun owner's list to get unelected.]
Alabama – 3, Alaska – 1, Arizona – 0, Arkansas – 2, Colorado – 1, Georgia- 5, Hawaii – 1, Idaho – 0, Indiana – 5, Iowa – 2, Kansas – 3, Kentucky – 0, Louisiana – 4, Maine – 4, Maryland – 4, Michigan – 3, Minnesota – 3, Mississippi – 3, Missouri – 3, Montana – 0, Nebraska – 3, New Hampshire – 0, New Mexico – 2, Nevada – 0, North Dakota – 1, Oklahoma – 0, Oregon – 2, Rhode Island – 0, South Carolina – 2, South Dakota – 0, Tennessee – 3, Texas – 2, Utah – 0, Vermont – 2, West Virginia – 0, Wisconsin – 5, Wyoming – 0
About:
Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. (VCDL). VCDL is an all-volunteer, non-partisan grassroots organization dedicated to defending the human rights of all Virginians. The Right to Keep and Bear Arms is a fundamental human right. Visit: www.vcdl.org
Election 2010: The Morning Call Looks at Callahan and Dent
In the race for the 15th congressional district in Pennsylvania, The Morning Call notes the differences on gun related issues between Mayor John Callahan (D) and Rep. Charlie Dent (R). The news sites notes that Callahan has joined Mayors Against Illegal Guns, whilst offering this thought about Dent: “A vote for Charlie Dent is a vote for a candidate who supports the Second Amendment and realizes additional restrictions on gun ownership only affect law abiding individuals, not criminals.”
Election 2010: Penn Race Sees Candidates Get Very Different Endorsements
Guns could determine the governor’s race in Pennsylvania – and by any sort of shootout. But rather gun rights could very much play a role. While Democrat Dan Onorato says he is a strong believer in gun rights, The Pittsburgh Post Gazette notes that he has secured the endorsement of CeaseFire PA.
On the other hand Republican Tom Corbett has been called a “friend of ours,” by the National Rifle Association the paper also reports. That pretty much sums up the issue for us.
Brady Center and Pittsburgh Challenge NRA Lawsuit
The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence has announced that will represent Pittsburgh pro bono in a case that could go to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The City of Pittsburgh has “urged” the court to thow out the National Rifle Association’s lawsuit that challenged the city’s anti-trafficking laws.
We’ll be sure to follow this case very closely.
[Via Press Release: Pittsburgh Urges Pennsylvania Supreme Court to Throw Out NRA Lawsuit]
PennLive.com Story Notes Problem With Mayors’ Report
Few in the mainstream media have noted an interesting fact about the recent report from Mayors Against Illegal Guns, but this was picked up by PennLive.com, which offered this thought on where Pennsylvania ranks:
“The findings are a bit misleading, in a sense, when you consider the above list (of 10 states) — made up of some of the county’s most populous states — is based on raw figures. A closer look reveals that Pennsylvania ranked 30th in the number of exported guns per 100,000 people.”
So could it be that the Mayors’ report has flaws that the MSM is ignoring?
New York’s Bloomberg Shows True Colors (Again)
Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-Independent Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City has shown his true colors again, as this week he endorsed Rep. Joe Sestak (D) over former Rep. Pat Toomey (R) for the Pennsylvania Senate seat.
Sestak is a staunch supporter of gun control, while Bloomberg of course is founder of the group “Mayors against illegal guns.” Mayor Bloomberg also supports plans to build a mosque near Ground Zero in New York City.
Who Wouldn’t Report a Stolen Gun?
The Daily Times of Delaware County, Penn. pretty much sums up the story with the question from State Rep. Thaddeus Kirkland, D-159, who asks, “why wouldn’t one report a missing handgun?” The question is asked as the City of Chester is voting to join 45 other municipalities that have passed an ordinance or resolution that would require citizens to report lost or stolen firearms.
This seems like a way to put guns in the spotlight, and we question why any law-abiding gun owner wouldn’t report a stolen or lost gun? Clearly there is a motive here, and it is just one to slowly take away gun rights. The paper also offers an interesting quote from Chester Police Chief Floyd Lewis:
“You have on person who maybe has bought five or six guns. We can’t do it, but ATF can go to that person’s house and say, ‘Let us see your guns.’ Now, if they didn’t report it stolen, they may have some criminal charges brought against them.” Read more
Penn Live Story Offers Anti-Gun Bias in Reporting
The key word missing today from a lot of the media: attribution. It seems that thanks to blogs, website posts and quasi-news organizations that attributing a statement or belief to someone isn’t so important. This is certainly true of a recent PennLive.com news story. The site, which is associated with the Central Pennsylvania The Patriot News offered a story this week titled “Gun ‘culture’ stirs frustration and grief.” Already that has a zinger of a headline that shows a lean that is anti-guns in general.
The story does discuss the growing problem of urban gangs and a fascination of youths to use a gun as a fashion statement, and to show how tough one can be. We don’t agree that this is how guns should be used, nor would most law-abiding gun owners. That’s the key, law-abiding. These men are not law-abiding, so the story could be as much about “gang culture” as it is about “gun culture.” But the feature also offers a snappy kicker:
“Some believe the gun laws in Pennsylvania don’t go far enough.”
We’re sure “some” people don’t believe this gun laws go far enough, but some probably think they go too far. This is a weak argument, and weaker still because it lacks any attribution. Who is this some? Was it so hard to find an anti-gun group out there? But the point by the author, who is likely among the “some,” is still made.
