Gun control issues

Categories: Obama-Nation

What does the Bible say about Gun Control? by Larry Pratt, Gun Owners Foundation

The underlying argument for gun control seems to be that the availability of guns causes crime. By extension, the availability of any weapon would have to be viewed as a cause of crime. What does the Bible say about such a view? The wisdom of the framers of the Constitution is consistent with the lessons of the Bible. Instruments of defense should be dispersed throughout the nation, not concentrated in the hands of the central government. In a godly country, righteousness governs each man through the Holy Spirit working within. The government has no cause to want a monopoly of force; the government that desires such a monopoly is a threat to the lives, liberty and property of its citizens. The assumption that only danger can result from people carrying guns is used to justify the government's having a monopoly of force. The notion that the people cannot be trusted to keep and bear their own arms informs us that ours, like the time of Solomon, may be one of great riches but is also a time of peril to free people. If Christ is not our King, we shall have a dictator to rule over us, just as Samuel warned. For those who think that God treated Israel differently from the way He will treat us today, please consider what God told the prophet Malachi: "For I am the Lord, I do not change..." (Malachi 3:6). gunowners.org/fs9902.htm

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GUN FREE ZONES: AN INVITATION FOR MASS MURDER

Gun free zones are an invitation to mass murderers, not a deterrent to them. Almost all mass public shootings happen in places where guns are banned, said criminologist John Lott. For liberals, the highest status one can achieve is victimhood. "Gun-free zones" guarantee there will be many, many victims. www.tothepointnews.com/content/view/3009/130/  071220-gun Free Zones-invite For Mass Murder

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Banning Handguns Would Save Lives? It Just Aint So! by Clayton E. Cramer

[P]olice shootings would not be affected by a handgun ban. But a ban on private handgun ownership probably will substantially reduce private justifiable handgun homicides. Most law-abiding people won't break the law to own a handgun. The rapists, murderers, and armed robbers, on the other hand, have already shown us their attitude toward obeying laws. If all 100 million handguns in America today disappeared (an extraordinarily efficient police state would be required), some unknown percentage of those justifiable homicides would be replaced by murders, rapes, and rape-murders. Even if there were still a net reduction in deaths, it would not be an argument for a ban; the life of a criminal is of no value compared to the life or suffering of his victim. www.fee.org/publications/the-freeman/article.asp?aid=5381  0306-banning Handguns Would Save Lives-no

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12/17/08: "If it's a firearm, we're taking it." When the Nanny State cross-dresses in jackboots by Mike Vanderboegh

Last year, David Harsanyi wrote a book called Nanny State where he made the observation that the Nanny State, as grandmotherly as the name sounds, is really about control -- absolute control of the government over all individuals within its borders. And I would add, that when the Nanny State crossdresses in jackboots, you get the kind of control exhibited at Ruby Ridge and Waco. sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/2008/12/if-its-firearm-were-taking-it.html  081217-when Nanny State Cross-dresses In Jackboots

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12/09/08: Ammunition Accountability group asks states to track citizens' ammo, claiming it is 'saving lives 1 bullet at a time' by Chelsea Schilling, WorldNetDaily

If states pass the legislation, manufacturers will be required to laser etch a serial number into the back of each bullet and the inside of cartridge casings, a patented process developed by Seattle, Wash., resident Russ Ford and his business partners, Steve Mace and John Knickerbocker. According to Seattle Weekly, the men couldn't find an ammunition manufacturer to agree to stamp bullets, so they hired a lobbyist to push for state legislation to require the laser coding. They launched the Ammunition Accountability website and successfully introduced bills in the following 18 states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee and Washington. The National Rifle Association warns encoding ammunition would result in forfeiture of currently owned ammunition, separate registration for every box of ammo, outrageously expensive costs for police and private citizens and wasted taxpayer money that could be spent on traditional police programs. The NRA also suggests private citizens could be required to keep records on anyone who uses or buys their ammunition – even family members and friends. Furthermore, it said lawbreakers could find ways to prevent their bullets from being traced. worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=83210

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12/02/08: The Life-and-Death Cost of Gun Control by John R. Lott, Jr.

When police can't promise to protect law-abiding citizens such Plaxico Burress or the victims in India, why don't we allow people the right to protect themselves? Unfortunately, bans do more to encourage crime than prevent it. foxforum.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/12/02/jlott_guncontrol/  081202-john Lott-life-and-death Cost Of Gun Control

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11/20/08: President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team is asking potential appointees detailed questions about gun ownership

Obama's transition team declined to go into detail on why they included the question, suggesting only that it was done to ensure potential appointees were in line with gun laws. "The intent of the gun question is to determine legal permitting," said one transition aide. Tucked in at the end of the questionnaire and listed under "Miscellaneous," it reads: "Do you or any members of your immediate family own a gun? If so, provide complete ownership and registration information. Has the registration ever lapsed? Please also describe how and by whom it is used and whether it has been the cause of any personal injuries or property damage." www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15835.html  081120-obama Would-be Appointees Quizzed On Guns

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08/14/09: Clearing Up the Rumors: The Truth About The "Gun Tax Bill", SB-2099

Over the past few months, NRA-ILA has received hundreds of e-mails warning us about "SB-2099," a bill that would supposedly require you to report all your guns on your income tax return every April 15. Like many rumors, there's just a grain of truth to this one.  Someone's recycling an old alert, which wasn't even very accurate when it was new. There actually was a U.S. Senate bill with that number that would have taxed handguns -- nine years ago.  It was introduced by anti-gun Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), and it would have included handguns under the National Firearms Act's tax and registration scheme.  This has nothing to do with anyone's Form 1040, of course. Fortunately, S. 2099 disappeared without any action by the Senate, back when Bill Clinton was still in the White House.  We reported about it back then, just as we report about new anti-gun bills every week.  Now, it's time for gun owners to drop this old distraction and focus on the real threats at hand. To read a story by NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox on this and other rumors, please click here: www.nraila.org/Issues/Articles/Read.aspx?id=367&issue=047 See also: http://www.snopes.com/politics/guns/taxreturns.asp www.nraila.org/Legislation/Read.aspx?ID=5098

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06/09/09: Obama move would eliminate 8 of 10 pocketknives. 'If this were to pass and you cross the state line with one, it's a felony' by Bob Unruh, World Net Daily

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency is proposing a new definition that could be used to eliminate 8 of 10 legal pocketknives in the United States right now, according to activists who are gearing up to fight the plan. The federal bureaucracy is accepting comments – written only – that must be received by June 21 before its planned changes could become final, but Doug Ritter of KnifeRights.org, said the implications of the decision would be far-reaching, since many state and federal agencies depend on the agency's definitions to determine what is legal in the United States. Ritter suggested that up to 80 percent of the pocketknives sold in America today either are one-handed opening knives or so-called assisted opening knives – and they all suddenly would be classified as illegal switchblades. He said the change came after the incoming administration of President Barack Obama reassigned some managers at the agency. What we do know is when the incoming administration reshuffled assignments at Customs, it moved the responsibility for knives and switchblades from one organization with Customs to a new organization," he said. "That group has, as far we can tell, virtually no experiences, background or anything with knives." www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=100679

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06/04/09: Sotomayor Guns For The 2nd Amendment by Investor's Business Daily

In a case headed for the Supreme Court, a three-judge panel rules Chicago's gun ban constitutional since the 2nd Amendment doesn't apply to states and cities. High court nominee Sonia Sotomayor concurs. Those Pennsylvania townsfolk bitterly clinging to their guns may have been premature in celebrating the decision in D.C. v. Heller that the 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution does indeed guarantee an individual right to keep and bear arms. Not so fast. On Tuesday, a three-judge panel of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected subsequent suits brought by the National Rifle Association against the city of Chicago and its suburb of Oak Park, both of which believe the Constitution prevents citizens from defending themselves. The Circuit Court decision was written by Judge Frank Easterbrook and joined by Judges Richard Posner and William Bauer. Easterbrook's reasoning is fascinating. According to him, the Revolution was fought and independence won so that the Founding Fathers could write a Constitution with a Bill of Rights that applied only to the District of Columbia. "Heller dealt with a law enacted under the authority of the national government," Easterbrook wrote, "while Chicago and Oak Park are subordinate bodies of a state." We're all for federalism, but the U.S. Constitution is the U.S. Constitution. Surely he can't be serious. But he is, and agreeing with him is Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor... www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=329007151728356

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04/15/09: Dept of Homeland Security declares 2nd Amendment supporters "rightwing extremists." Tell Congress to condemn report! by Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bea

According to news reports, the Department of Homeland Security is warning law enforcement officials about a rise in "rightwing extremist activity," labeling citizens opposed to new firearms restrictions, returning veterans and conservatives as "rightwing extremists" and associating them with white supremacists and violent antigovernment groups. [Read DHS Report here: commonsensemason.com/uploads/090407-homeland_Security-rightwing_Extremism.pdf] You read that right -- it appears that the Obama Administration, and especially the DHS under Janet Napolitano, is trying to demonize political dissent. And it's no big surprise who's directly in their crosshairs: supporters of the Second Amendment, including veterans and gun owners. www.ccrkba.org/  090415-ccrkba-rightwing Extremists Report

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04/08/09: Let's All Surrender Our Weapons -- You First! by Ann Coulter

The rash of recent shooting incidents has led people who wouldn't know an AK-47 from a paintball gun to issue demands for more restrictions on guns. To be sure, it's hard to find any factor in these shootings that could be responsible -- other than the gun. Liberals tolerate rallies on behalf of cop-killers, but they prohibit law-abiding citizens working at community centers in Binghamton, N.Y., from being armed to defend themselves from disturbed, crack-addicted America-haters like Jiverly Wong. If a single civilian in that Binghamton community center had been armed, instead of 14 dead, there might have only been one or two -- including the shooter. In the end, the cops didn't stop Wong. His killing spree ended only when he decided to stop, and he killed himself... www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=31406

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04/02/09: The Myth of 90 Percent: Only a Small Fraction of Guns in Mexico Come From U.S. by William La Jeunesse and Maxim Lott, FOX News

While 90 percent of the guns traced to the U.S. actually originated in the United States, the percent traced to the U.S. is only about 17 percent of the total number of guns reaching Mexico. Chris Cox, spokesman for the National Rifle Association, blames the media and anti-gun politicians in the U.S. for misrepresenting where Mexican weapons come from. "Reporter after politician after news anchor just disregards the truth on this," Cox said. "The numbers are intentionally used to weaken the Second Amendment." "The predominant source of guns in Mexico is Central and South America. You also have Russian, Chinese and Israeli guns. It's estimated that over 100,000 soldiers deserted the army to work for the drug cartels, and that ignores all the police. How many of them took their weapons with them?" www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/02/myth-percent-guns-mexico-fraction-number-claimed/

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04/02/09: Health Plan Could Feed Your Gun-related Data Into A National Database --- And charge you $10,000 a year for the privilege

We alerted you a few weeks ago to the gun control provisions in the stimulus bill that President Obama signed in February. Our government will now spend between $12 and $20 BILLION to require the medical community to retroactively put our most confidential medical records into a government database -- a database that could easily be used to deny veterans (and other law-abiding Americans) who have sought psychiatric treatment for things such as PTSD. Currently, gun owners can avoid getting caught in this database by refusing to purchase health insurance or by purchasing insurance with a carrier that has not signed an agreement with the government to place your records in a national database. But that's all about to change. A budget resolution -- to be voted on this Friday in the Senate -- will be the first domino in a process that could FORCE you to buy government-approved insurance, thus making it impossible to avoid the medical database. Why is this a Second Amendment issue? Under the Massachusetts plan, your MANDATED insurance carrier has to feed your medical data into a centralized database -- freely accessible by the government under federal privacy laws. So... remember when your pediatrician asked your kid if you have a firearm in the home? Or when your dad was given a prescription for Zoloft because of his Alzheimer's? Or when your wife mentioned to her gynecologist that she had regularly smoked marijuana ten years ago? All of this would be in a centralized database. And all of it could potentially be used to vastly expand the "prohibited persons" list maintained by the FBI in West Virginia. ACTION: Write your U.S. Senators. Urge them to vote against the budget resolution if it does not contain language prohibiting a mandate that Americans buy government-approved health insurance against their will. gunowners.org/a040209htm.htm

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03/23/09: Where has all our ammo gone? Putting the current ammunition shortage into perspective by Ignatius Piazza

What is currently happening ACROSS THE COUNTRY at every gun shop, sporting goods store, gun show, and with every Internet ammo supplier is nothing more than an ammunition buying frenzy that has surpassed the normal production capabilities of the current ammunition manufacturers and distributors. I do not believe, as I have seen no CREDIBLE evidence, that there is a CURRENTLY a conspiracy by the Federal Government or the United Nations or anyone else to slow or stop the production and distribution of ammunition in the United States. My prediction is that this shortage, due to the current buying frenzy, will soon pass and you will be able to find ammo on the shelves of your local gun shops and sporting goods stores, or order cases of ammo from your favorite Internet ammo supplier. Hang in there... www.ignatius-piazza-front-sight.com/2009/03/23/ignatius-piazza-where-has-our-ammo-gone/

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03/17/09: Feds undercut ammo supply...But Defense policy reversed after intervention by 2 Montana senators by Drew Zahn, World Net Daily

Responding to two Democrat senators representing outraged private gun owners, the Department of Defense announced last night it has scrapped a new policy that would deplete the supply of ammunition by requiring destruction of fired military cartridge brass. The policy already had taken a bite out of the nation's stressed ammunition supply, leaving arms dealers scrambling to find ammo for private gun owners. "It is an end-run around Congress. They don't need to try to ban guns – they don't need to fight a massive battle to attempt gun registration, or limit 'assault' weapon sales," writes firearm instructor and author Gordon Hutchinson on his The Shootist blog. "Nope. All they have to do is limit the amount of ammunition available to the civilian market, and when bullets dry up, guns will be useless." "This policy didn't come out of the blue," wrote Owen. "The Commander in Chief is clearly sending a message to gun owners that they should be paying more for ammunition. If he can't do it through regulatory action, he'll do it by forcing ammunition manufacturers to spend more on production." Hutchinson reports Georgia Arms was manufacturing over 1 million rounds of .223 ammunition every month, but without the ability to purchase expended military ammunition, the company might have been forced to lay off up to half its workforce. www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=92095

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03/03/09: Obama's Gun Ban List Is Out by Alan Korwin

Here it is, folks, and it is bad news. The framework for legislation is always laid, and the Democrats have the votes to pass anything they want to impose upon us. They really do not believe you need anything more than a brick to defend your home and family. Look at the list and see how many you own. Remember, it is registration, then confiscation. It has happened in the UK, in Australia, in Europe, in China, and what they have found is that for some reason the criminals do not turn in their weapons, but will know that you did. Watch This, If You Want More Proof:YouTube - CNN - Obama To BAN Guns (01/28/09): www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv3p2lLmjGk Youtube video England Gun Ban Update: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lz-P0blGbB0 Remember, the first step in establishing a dictatorship is to disarm the citizens. legionpost139.blog.com/4646094/

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02/26/09: Obama to Seek New Assault Weapons Ban

The Obama administration will seek to reinstate the assault weapons ban that expired in 2004 during the Bush administration, Attorney General Eric Holder said today. Holder said that putting the ban back in place would not only be a positive move by the United States, it would help cut down on the flow of guns going across the border into Mexico, which is struggling with heavy violence among drug cartels along the border. Holder declined to offer any time frame for the reimplementation of the assault weapons ban, however. www.freedomsphoenix.com/Find-Freedom.htm?At=046392&From=News  090226-obama To Seek New Assault Weapons Ban

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02/06/09: The state has no problem with criminals having guns, explosives, and training in the use of both, as long as they support the state by Michael Gaddy

As expected, the Republican Senate leadership sold supporters of the Second Amendment down the river in a, you cover my crimes against the Constitution, I'll cover yours, agreement to confirm Eric Holder as Attorney General. Holder has a long history of opposition to the Second Amendment... The state and the MSM [MainStream Media], (do I repeat myself) scream from the rooftops the necessity of disarming American citizens so no one will ever be subjected to violent crime. Yet, the state endorses arming convicted felons as long as they are members of their enforcement arm, the US Military. "The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves from tyranny in government." ~ Thomas Jefferson www.lewrockwell.com/gaddy/gaddy46.html  090206-who Would The State Arm

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A little Gun History Lesson

You won't see this data on the US evening news, or hear politicians disseminating this information. Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and property and, yes, gun-control laws adversely affect only the law-abiding citizens. With Guns...........We Are "Citizens" Without Them........We Are "Subjects" community.adn.com/adn/node/134829  081123-adn-a Little Gun History Lesson

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Obama-Nation

05/09/09: Next step? No guns allowed for right-wing 'extremists'. Bill empowers attorney general to forbid firearms for those 'suspected dangerous' by Drew Zahn, World Net Daily

Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., has sponsored H.R. 2159, the Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2009, which permits the attorney general to deny transfer of a firearm to any "known or suspected dangerous terrorist." The bill requires only that the potential firearm transferee is "appropriately suspected" of preparing for a terrorist act and that the attorney general "has a reasonable belief" that the gun might be used in connection with terrorism. Gun rights advocates, however, object to the bill's language, arguing that it enables the federal government to suspend a person's Second Amendment rights without any trial or legal proof and only upon suspicion of being "dangerous." wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=97491

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04/21/09: Obama Pushing Treaty To Ban Reloading -- Even BB guns could be on the chopping block

A week ago, Obama went to Mexico, whined about the United States, and bemoaned (before the whole world) the fact that he didn't have the political power to take away our semi-automatics. Nevertheless, that didn't keep him from pushing additional restrictions on American gun owners. It's called the Inter-American Convention Against Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials. To be sure, this imponderable title masks a really nasty piece of work. First of all, when the treaty purports to ban the "illicit" manufacture of firearms, what does that mean? "Firearm" has a similarly questionable definition. Banning reloading; banning gun clubs, extraditing US gun dealers, microstamping, gun registration. Read more here: gunowners.org/a042109.htm Read an analysis of the treaty here: gunowners.org/fs0901.htm

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