Connecticut’s gun owners against the governor’s poll tax gun fee hike – Gun owners start push back against Malloy pistol fee hike – “Over 250,000 Connecticut residents hold a Connecticut ‘Permit to Carry Pistols and Revolvers.’ To get one, you must take a training course and currently pay a $70 fee for a five-year permit. As we first reported last week, the governor’s budget plan calls for increasing that fee to $300. The state fee for background checks would also rise from $50 to $75. Tuesday, members of the state’s largest gun rights organization, the Connecticut Citizens Defense League, began the first in a series of major push backs against the hike by attending a hearing on the Public Safety division’s budget.”
The Surprising History Behind America’s Stand Your Ground Laws – “The idea of the right to defend oneself may seem universal, but in her new book Stand Your Ground: A History of America’s Love Affair With Lethal Self-Defense, Harvard’s Caroline E. Light posits that the opposite is true. In examining the history of self-defense in the United States — from remembering the Alamo to the controversial ‘Stand Your Ground’ laws now on the books in some states — she traced the American ideal back to its origins in English law in the 1600s. Though she writes fondly of her experiences visiting shooting ranges with her parents while growing up in Virginia, her research led her to unsettling conclusions about the meaning of self-defense and guns in American culture.” This goes about as well as you’d expect from a Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies professor from Harvard.
Are you tired of winning yet? . . . Donald Trump’s Congressional Lackeys are Threatening Washington D.C.’s Gun Laws – “Now proven largely correct, I’m willing to bet there’s one consequence to Donald Trump’s presidency that didn’t occur to you: For the first time in 40 years, due to the Republican Congress emboldened by a new president, guns might return to the streets of our nation’s capital en masse, no longer subject to the controls that have kept gun violence in check for decades.”
Because why not? . . . Realtree Releases New Twin Size Camo Panel Bed – “The Realtree Twin Size Panel Bed is ideal for a home, cabin or hunt camp. Made from solid pine, this rustic bed is stained in an array of camouflage colors for a stylish outdoor appeal. Each bed and case piece is unique with mixed colors, saw marks and open knots for a true rugged look and feel.”
“Are You Prepared to Kill Somebody?” A Day With One of America’s Most Popular Police Trainers – “Marching around the stage in a theater in Lakeport, California, Lt. Colonel Dave Grossman tells his audience that they shouldn’t go out looking for people to kill, because those who need killing—the ‘gangbangers,’ terrorists, and mass murderers—will come to them. All they need to do is be ready. ‘Are you prepared to kill somebody?’ he asks me and the small group of ‘armed citizens’ who’ve paid $90 or more to see him. ‘If you cannot answer that question, you should not be carrying a gun.'” Nice scare quotes around “armed citizens” by Mother Jones. They’re citizens and they’re armed. No equivocation necessary.
Good . . . Lehigh Acres man cleared in I-75 fatal shooting case – “A Lehigh Acres man has been cleared in the citizen-involved shooting that killed the attacker of a Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputy along Interstate 75. Ashad Russell, 35, acted lawfully in shooting and killing Edward Strother on the exit ramp of I-75 and Corkscrew Road in Estero on Nov. 14, according to the state attorney’s office. Russell was coming to the defense of Deputy First Class Dean Bardes.”
What goes up must come down…somewhere . . . The Physics Behind Why Firing A Gun Into The Air Can Kill Someone – “Would you fire a gun into the air in celebration if you knew that, when the bullet comes down, it could kill somebody? It’s no surprise that bullets fired towards a target can easily destroy whatever they run into: a bullet from an AK-47 leaves the rifle traveling at over 1,500 miles per hour (670 meters per second): about double the speed of sound. Despite only having a mass of about five grams — under a fifth of an ounce — it’s got the energy of a brick dropped from a 30 story building. Concentrated into a tiny surface area at the bullet tip, it can easily break through your skin. And once it does, that energy and momentum tears through your body, ripping a hole through blood vessels, muscle, and potentially vital organs. No wonder it can kill you.”
Proposed bill would left firefighters, EMS carry guns at work – “The bill, however, does not mention any additional training. It only states that a first responder would be able to carry while on duty. ‘It’s not designed to put them in a peace officer role. It’s just to allow them to protect himself or herself in the same manner that any other LTC holder would,’ Wray said. David Robinson with the Bellmead Fire Department said he sees how there could be benefits, but there are also concerns.”
D.C. Gun violence in check! That’s frickin hilarious.
My first thought as well. My second thought: gangsters get to carry automatic weapons in the street? Where do I sign up? Third thought: Bloomberg playbook, all in. Final thought: go back to London where everyone else thinks as you do.
That definitely sounds as if it is fake news to me.
Back in the 70’s the military used to send military Dr’s to the District of Columbia for practice with gunshot wounds.
They probably send them to Detroit now
Nobody left in Detroit except open carriers and the cops who criminally harass them.
I hereby nominate Chicago for GSW training.
“No longer subject to the controls that have kept gun violence in check for decades”
I’m sorry, were we talking about DC? That DC?
Sounds more like Big Rock Candy Mountain.
Democratic Chicago, maybe?
“…guns might return to the streets of our nation’s capital en masse, no longer subject to the controls that have kept gun violence in check for decades.”
Did…did I actually read that? Did someone actually write those words with a straight face?
If ‘gun violence’ is ‘in check’ as she stated, why are they demanding that gun laws *must* be strengthened?
Well, let’s be fair, because they always claim that. I bet there’s some idiot in their midst who wishes to outlaw firearms on the moon, to prevent a dramatic increase in gun violence.
Straight face? Unlikely. It would seem that most anti-2A folks go through life with a frown and undoubtedly a sneer of disgust when even thinking about us. Could be the only time they ever smile is when they are using parliamentary tricks to ram some fascist legislation through against the will of the people.
Both male and female Antis suffer from a debilitating form of a psychological disorder known as P-PMS.
AKA, ‘Perpetual PMS’…
It makes perfect sense if you actually believe that EVERYONE, good, bad, ugly and evil follows the law. And that belief would be well founded if you never had to live, work and struggle in the real world. This author is an academic AND a useful idiot to her ideology. I would be willing to bet the cost of her last book that if you had moved her to any typical Baltimore neighborhood and had her commute to John Hopkins University campus every day to teach her belief system that 2 things would happen. 1) She would never have written the book and 2) She would travel to work and home again wishing she could legally carry a firearm.
Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies…can’t we just call that what it is, philosophy? But even that is kind of an insult to white-bearded guys throughout the ages. As someone who took a “Women in America” course in college, I found that you can connect sh!t from all over to make it support your theory. Departments like that are literally just people sitting around brain storming and then cherry-picking history.
How about a study on the History of Self-Flagellation ?????
It’s the lowest form of human behavior and she has a bad case of it.
“It makes perfect sense if you actually believe that EVERYONE, good, bad, ugly and evil follows the law.”
IMO, it makes far more sense if you think everyone is inherently evil, and that evil is kept in check only by the lack of guns.
Therefore, gun control is necessary, FOR THE CHILDREN.
…and she lives in a bubble with other Leftist people (like editors) that signed off on the writing.
“that have kept gun violence in check for decades.”
Hahaha! Holy shit that’s funny…. oh, wait, you’re serious? You know that Washington DC encompasses more than three blocks right? No, I’m not lying, look around you you dumbass! Oh, you dont see all the other people and buildings? Right, of course, they’re not real humans, just things to steal from, imprison, and generally look down upon. Since they’re not people, what they do or don’t do to each other doesn’t count. Ok, in that case, you’re right. How naive of me to have questioned you.
Firefighters carrying, not so much. If they get shot at, they pull back and let it burn, call SWAT. And they are already wearing a shit load of equipment and protective gear that would make a DGU nearly impossible. EMS (or figher fighter medical calls) is a different story. Many carry against company rules.
I am familiar with some of the folks behind this push.
There is no thought or expectation of a DGU inside a fire. Rather, the primary concern are the medical and other non-fire calls you reference, especially where dispatch isn’t given or does not relay an accurate picture of the situation. Secondary is the ability to carry at work. Especially since government buildings can no longer prohibit carrying under 30.06, but employers can regulate, you have an environment where those living/working in the firehouse are the only (legally) disarmed group.
Re-reading the bill, I’m curious to know when this would be triggered. What if I’m on my way to or from the firehouse? Volunteers are (sort of) always on duty. Does that create a blanket exemption? Does this only apply when responding to a call? What if we are at the megamart – we might have to respond from there?
I don’t think a blanket for the volunteers would be good PR, but I do think that the to/from/megamart situations should be covered as allowed. Essentially, if you are wearing your duty shirt and have your radio, that’s your exemption.
I’ve got some questions, such as how this should work when responding to a non-30.06 restricted place (school, polling place, etc. – I think those should be exempt as well) but I suspect the details will be in the implementation.
How about “anyplace the FD is expected to respond if there is a fire”?
Two of my sons are firefighters/EMS with one of the larger departments in Georgia. They both carry a concealed piece on duty. In fact, to the best of their knowledge, everyone at their station carries, including their ranking officers.
Although they’ve had little need at the scene of a fire, they frequently encounter hostility, threats, and otherwise dangerous behavior other times, especially in some areas of their jurisdiction. And they were glad to have an immediate means of self-defense at hand.
Official policy prohibits them from carrying firearms. But it’s better to be tried by 12 than carried by 6!
Don’t know how DC is today, but it used to be a slum within sight of the White House and Capital Bldg. Drug dealers were abundant as were assaults, shootings, robberies, etc. Tourists dare not stray off the main travel routes. The people who lived there were those who could not afford to be janitors and other low income people and live in Virginia, etc. They hid behind barricaded doors, afraid to venture out, especially after sundown.
The government buildings and monuments may be beautiful, but there is a very dark side to our nations capital which the powers that be try to ignore.
I had a brother that lived in D.C., one of his roomates got held up at gun point, the gunman robbed him, made him lay down, and was going to execute him but a group of people passed by and the robber ran off. My brother then moved to Los Angeles for work, and within a few months was also robbed at gunpoint. The robber made off with his wallet. Thankfully he wasn’t hurt. Both situations are great examples of how gun control puts at risk the lives of innocent people.
If ya’ll have not read or been to a Dave Grossman class, make a point to read or go.
He has a really great insight and mindset into shooting/killing someone.
What folks go through after… He rocks.
Just finished “On Killing” and I’ve read “On Combat” in the past.
Both good books with good info.
Until he starts prattling on about evil video games, movies and other such nonsense.
Dave Grossman is a con artist with a lot to answer for. He cites another con artist, “Slam” Marshall, the historian, as source of his work.
Or his claims after the Columbine massacre that video games cause murderous aggression in video game players.
Or that human beings have a phobia-level aversion to committing violence.
At first I though the Connecticut story was just them whining. $70 for five years is pretty cheap. It’s $105 in WV. Then I saw the new proposed amount. Sounds like their LEOs are getting greedy. All but $25 of ours goes to the county. If the same is true there, then I’d wager the counties are looking to cash in on the boom of new CCW applicants.
In Colorado, it’s set by the County Sheriff and capped at $100.00. My Sheriff charges $57.50 to process a 5 year CHP.
In a county that’s changed from reliably red to mostly blue over the past 40 years, the Sheriff is still Republican.
I am from CT. The LEOs here are well paid. No its not them. Its the POS, progressive, statist, idiot Governor and the POS progressive, statist, democrap house and senate that have driven the State of CT to a $2 Billion deficit. The tax burden here, along with the cost of living is making CT the 3rd highest state in the Nation for population emigrating OUT only behind NY and NJ. This State govt. is the most cowardly bunch of sniveling liberals since…since…the US Congress. The tack on fees and taxes where they a less likely to be noticed so they can be re-elected. The only positive thing that is happening is that there are so many folks moving away that housing and highways will be easier to navigate.
“I think a lot of them unconsciously believe in this very seductive narrative that so-called Second Amendment rights are universal. Actually, that’s quite a lie.”
Prediction: This so-called professor has never spoken to any POTG. We are quite aware that or very real right to self defense as codified in the US Constitution is not held to be true in most nations, and it’s in trouble here.
Button Gwinnett : ” “I think a lot of them unconsciously believe in this very seductive narrative that so-called Second Amendment rights are universal. Actually, that’s quite a lie.” ”
I don’t think I’ve ever heard a POTG say 2A rights are universal; instead, I have heard (almost universally 🙂 ) that self-defense is a God-given right, recognized by the 2A.
It’s a strawman argument Ms Clark is offering: make a patently false claim, then easily debunk it. Makes the speaker look smart to the uneducated, who happen to be her intended audience.
The state I fled from is jacking the price to exercise a basic human right to $300.
The state I fled to is going Constitutional carry any day now.
Seems I chose wisely.
It would be nice if academics stuck to explaining history through the lens of the time in which the history occurred rather than put their own current political spin on everything. Fascinating that the castle doctrine in England began with an overly-aggressive no-knock warrant at the time when the power of the monarchy was being questioned. Also fascinating her comment that as flintlocks and such gave way to cartridge-fed semi-automatic weapons i.e. revolvers and lever actions, the duty to retreat began to disappear from the legal theories. If only she had left it at that point….
If I remember it correctly, the first case to overturn the duty to retreat was a New York case in which a man on the street didn’t retreat and caned a man to death. I think the case was from the late 1700’s. I read the case in the first year of law school, so that was a while ago. This was back when “stand your ground” wasn’t a thing. You had the “majority rule” where there was no duty to retreat and then the “minority rule” duty to retreat states, some (maybe all) of which had an exception to the duty retreat called the Castle Doctrine.
In Connecticut the time to push back long passed and that train left the station. They will raise the fee from 300 to 1000 dollars or more and there is nothing to be done about it. Unfortunately the 2A doesn’t protect you from fees, your only option is to replace them with people who will eliminate the tax. Good luck with that.
The problem here is that many LEOs might support CCW(for the good guys), but the brass, the Chief or the Sheriff are political, so they have to go with the gun grabbers.
Many LEOs I have met don’t think that carry is the answer. They carry and they cannot really offer any answers.
I have been saying that for years.
Most top brass in LEAs are appointed, and will faithfully say what their bosses want to hear.
I listen to them about as much as I do to lawyers who claim, standing in front of a battery of mics, that their clients are innocent (not just ‘not guilty,’ but actually innocent) and welcome their day in court to prove it, never to be heard from again.
Sorry to be “politically incorrect” and downright “pro-Trump”;
but i gotta tell the truth:
I’ve never seen a white guy fire a gun in the air in celebration of anything.
Sorry for being racist, but it is the truth.
Nothing like paying to exercise your Constitutional Rights, and I thought “poll taxes” were a thing of the past.
Around 250,000 Connecticut residents hold CC permits. They are all old enough to vote. If they all voted against Governor Danel “Boone” Malloy, and the rest of the Democrats who run Connecticut, then maybe we wouldn’t have to worry about a 400% hike in the CC fee. It is onerous first and foremost, and also a cute trick to reduce gun ownership in Connecticut. Stop voting for Democrats, that’s the answer, and for Republicans too who want to restrict your individual rights. The 2nd Amendment is almost non-existent anymore, states like Connecticut, New York and New Jersey have been allowed to ignore and destroy it for honest, law-abiding citizens. When I was a kid back in the 1950s, many people considered Democrats two steps away from Communists. I used to laugh. I’m not laughing anymore. Democrats have traded the ideals of the right of the individual to some kind of collective, all-inclusive, let’s protect everyone from every little hurt and sling and arrow of life. Maybe it’s time in Connecticut for a Constitutional Carry movement! I want my 2nd Amendment back.
A camo bed? So what I’ve got to sleep on the floor every night because I’ll never be able to find the bed? What a horrible idea…