Last weekend, Lola took an entrance exam for an Episcopal school in Austin Texas. The school doors were locked. Security was tight. I didn’t see any “no firearms” signs at the entrance (which could have been awkward). When I told the administrator in charge I ran the world’s largest firearms blog, she was non-plussed. As were several prospective parents. So I guess they have a “we’ll ask, you tell and that’s about it” policy. But that’s more than a bit misleading. Further up the food chain, the Episcopal Church’s Executive Council recently reaffirmed the General Convention’s support for the “restriction on the sale, use and ownership of guns.” Interestingly, anglicancommunity.org tries to insert a little wiggle room into the church’s forthcoming civilian disarmament-themed Walk for Peace, prayer rallies and general anti-gun agitation . . .
Bishop of Connecticut, the Rt Revd Ian T. Douglas, indicated that during the upcoming House of Bishops meeting, time will be given over to reflecting on this issue; one which, for a country where people have the constitutional right to bear arms, is not clear cut. Connecticut, for example, is not just the state where Sandy Hook Elementary School is located, it is also one of the oldest and biggest gun producing regions in the United States; so much so that the Connecticut River valley has been known as the ‘Gun Valley’ since the 19th century.
That said, this . . .
These, and other initiatives such as New York diocese’s petition for better gun control and Primate Bp Katharine Jefferts Schori’s Senate Testimony on gun violence, are clear evidence of The Episcopal Church’s commitment to challenge gun violence in the USA.
In her testimony, Bp Jefferts Schori wrote: “I urge lawmakers to press for comprehensive and universal background checks for firearm ownership, regardless of where and how a gun is purchased; for bans on the availability to civilians of assault rifles and high-capacity magazines; and for policies designed to better regulate the manufacture of guns. The Episcopal Church also supports the highest level of accountability for violation of all existing laws pertaining to violence in our midst.”
This focus on challenging gun violence comes only a few months after the Anglican Consultative Council—the consultative group comprising Anglicans and Episcopalians from around the world—added to the fourth mark of mission the call: “to challenge violence of every kind”.
Well, on that point, I think we all agree.
Whether the leaders of the Lone Star State private school where Lola’s applied are more in sync with the Consultative Council or local firearms culture remains to be seen. Hopefully.
Well, I thought we were all in agreement here is central Texas. I guess not. Even the City council passed a resolution on gun control. 🙁 Here is the link: http://www.myfoxaustin.com/story/21430469/city-council-passes-resolutions-for-gun-control-immigration-reform
Why am I surprised, they are the same City council that passed a ban on plastic bags…. Idiots! Single member districts can’t come soon enough.
Every gun owner that spends money in Colorado thru big game hunting or any other kind of vacationing has the ability to boycott states that want to force the dem’s new regulations.
Won’t it be nice to vacation in Colorado after Colorado becomes more like Chicago.
Remember when Anglicans had testicles and the sun never set on the British Empire? Pepperidge farm remembers.
Depends on what you want, if you must have lasers and flashlights then the upgrade is worth it. If you want a pure sniper rifle and or classic property defense rifle no the upgrade its not a stock M-14 is fine. While the Army upgraded all of there M-14s the Navy are not and the M-14s will solder on as regular perimeter rifle and sniper rifle in the Navy. The USCG is half way with a improved stock but no major changes to the rifle itself. So you see each services version of a M-14 solder on for many years.
I wrote the author before the Military had a successful conversion to make a M-14 fire 5.56mm in the late 60s but Robert McNamara and Co where sold on Colts M-16A1 so test went no wear after testing. Disclaimer this is NOT a Mini-14 it used a pure John Garand action for these tests!!!
“The Second Amendment: Protecting even cupcakes/pussies like me”
“The Second Amendment: Just because I’m scared of guns doesn’t mean I don’t want you to have one”
“The Second Amendment: I don’t think we need it, but I don’t want to live without it”
“The Second Amendment: Because it’s not unpatriotic to be armed against an overreaching government”
Protect the Bill of Rights!
They take the biblical sheep/flock metaphor a bit too seriously.
West Virginia is full of truly pro-gun Democrats. Joe Manchin is not one of them. He told me in a face-to-face that he couldn’t understand why anyone needed a 30 round “clip.” I responded, “As governor, you made sure your WV State Police had 30 round magazines for their M4s. They face the same criminals we do. Why do they need them but we don’t?”
Manchin responded that the self-defense angle isn’t one he considers.
I met with this man for over an hour talking the nitty gritty of these issues. He does NOT believe in the Second Amendment. He DOES think it only pertains to hunting. He blatantly disregarded James Madison’s words in federalist 46.
Joe Manchin is a traitor to West Virginia.
[Picture of AR15]
“The Modern Musket”
Feather pens & muskets are the smartphones & AR15s of today.
Guns – you won’t need one until you do.
The Second Amendment: Liberty’s System Reset Tool
For the safety of your family, stick to your guns.
Man up and be responsible for your own safety…
Guns, better than an I-Phone…
You are first on the scene, the police arrive second…
Be a pioneer in your own self defense…
A firearm is a dog that never has to bark or bite, but stands ready to save your life and that of your family…
The Second Amendment is a choice for the individual, not to be decided by anyone else.
Knowledge is power, like the knowledge that I may be armed.
The great thing about The Constitution is I have guaranteed rights I can choose to exercise or not.
The most powerful guarantee of liberty is written in ink and entitled the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.
I may exercise the First to defend the Second, and I may exercise the Second to defend the First. (OK that’s a bit more gun owner pro 2A but I had to write it down)
Keeping and bearing arms; don’t knock it until you try it.
Taking a page from abortion and gay marriage:
If you don’t like gun ownership, don’t own a gun.
1. Self defense should be a ‘pro-choice’ issue
2. Owning guns – it IS for the children (mine)
3. 125 – the number in millions that have been killed by their own governments in the 20th and 21st century because they were unable to defend themselves
Guns don’t cause gun violence, criminals do.
The 2nd Amendment – Second to None
Better to Have a Gun and Not Need It than Need One and Not Have It
Gun People – Looking Out For You
2A: I disagree with what you say, but it lets me defend to the death your right to say it.
too pricey to justify, but desperately needed for my .22mag range toy.
The 2A: Born in the land of the free because of the brave.
Guns: Working hard where tact and diplomacy won’t.
Contact some experts in the silencer industry like AAC and Silencerco. This is right up their alley. And probably already have the answers.
Pro choice. Pro gay rights, Pro freedom of expression, Pro 2A. Aren’t all of our rights worth protecting?
Our gun rights protect our children
Like it love the woodland camo!!
Wow, most of the comments here seriously make me want to vomit.
What could’ve been a worthwhile discussion of the difficulty of REALISTIC DEFENSE AGAINST RAPE became nothing more than a huge circle-jerk of misogynistic, victim-blaming scum.
Is Ms. Friedman wrong about guns? Absolutely. But the problem she brings up is valid, and no, having trouble using deadly force on someone close to you is not “choosing to be a victim.”
If you’re so confident that you’d be able to kill someone you trust: your best friend, spouse, sibling, parent, or squadmate if they put you in a position like that… if you think taking a life is so easy, by all means, judge away.
Just understand that you are in a tiny minority of human beings, and that for most people, self-defense with deadly force against strangers, let alone trusted friends and loved ones, is a very hard thing. An option that shouldn’t be denied to anyone, but pretending that it’s easy, that it’s all in “choosing not to be a victim” and that’s that… borders on delusion.
These things are best left in Sci Fi films. The only safety control device I want on my gun is the trigger!
Long live the sear and trigger engagement! (Especially w/o batteries.)
Wheelgun
COME AND F%$*ING TAKE ‘EM!
My entry won’t win, but I like it 🙂
Good guy presents gun.
Bad guy disarms good guy.
Good guy laughs at bad guy while bad guy stubbornly tries to shoot good guy.
Good guy forgets that bad guy gave him a sufficient reason to use deadly force in the first place. Maybe bad guy had a pipe. Maybe bad guy had a knife. Maybe bad guy just beats good guy’s @ss to death with his dumb smart gun. Good guy tries to wrestle gun away from bad guy, watch kicks in and bad guy now gets to shoot good guy just like he always wanted.
My Glock is “smart” because it has someone trained both in its operation and in the use of force using it.
This might make a liberal have an orgasm, otherwise it’s utterly useless.
The 2nd Amendment, there to protect the rest.
The right to control your own body starts with the right to defend it.
You don’t have to be a journalist to support the right to free speech,
You don’t have to be a minister to support freedom of religion,
You don’t have to be a Defense attorney to support the right to a fair trial…
and you don’t have to be a gun owner to support the Second Amendment…
Even if you don’t believe in guns, believe in a government that protect the rights of those that do….
Personal safety. There’s no app for that. Learn gun safety!
or
An armed society is a polite society.
2nd Amendment
The right to bare arms to protect you and your family.
Or……
Put your life in the hands of someone who wants to go home to theirs.
you choose your way I’ll choose mine!
Don’t screw it up!!!
That guy in the gray hoodie that immediately went to block the gunman gets MAD props.
So the gunman tries to shoot another guy in the head, and the rest of the crew escort him out like he threw a cocktail on someone. Wow.
While interesting in concept, this rifle has an advanced case of AR10 manufacturer lock in, that insidious condition where, once you have plunked down your hard earned cash, you are now stuck with a single source supplier for spare parts or upgrades.
While I like the concept, I’ll stick with my FAL, all I have to worry about is inch vs metric with that one.