The following post appeared at ammoland.com and is reprinted here with permission.
In many ways, the Boston Marathon bombing incident served as a wakeup call. Those in the law enforcement community and the public who may have harbored somewhat of an “It’s never going to happen here” sentiment were faced with the hard reality of the 21st century terrorism threat. While most agree that there is no feasible way of totally securing public safety in a free and open society, there is now more than ever a desire to provide law enforcement agencies with the latest and most effective safety procedures and equipment. At the top of the list of “must haves” is the tactical armored vehicle, like the BearCat, made by Pittsfield, MA-based Lenco Industries, Inc. . . .
More than a dozen BearCats were deployed by multiple state, local, and regional agencies at the Boston Marathon scene, including one that took part in the final dramatic scene in which the BearCat climbed a 24-inch retaining wall and then used a hydraulic battering ram on the vehicle to remove the tarp covering the boat in which the suspect had been hiding.
During the bombing incident the armored vehicles served multiple purposes, from overwatch and cover during the door to door search, to transporting large numbers of officers. The vehicles’ features and interoperability made them especially useful in the densely populated multi-agency scene manned by different groups and equipment. At numerous debriefings and discussions after the incident, the desirability of having tactical armored vehicles available was stressed time and again, and their features called absolutely essential to today’s law enforcement.
Tactical Armored Vehicles Provides Hard Cover And Fast And Efficient Officer Transportation
Used over the last decade for SWAT operations, including executing search warrants on high risk individuals, drug raids, barricaded gunmen callouts, and hostage rescue, the BearCat provides a much greater level of protection than tactical shields and offers a very large area of hard cover. These features are a big part of the reason they were used so successfully at the Boston Marathon incident.
For example, the Massachusetts State Police was called in after the initial shooting in Watertown, arriving at 3 a.m. Trooper John Suyemoto explains that the State Police used one of its three BearCats as its base of operations during the daylong area search around the vehicle abandoned by the fleeing suspect. The BearCat also served as the delivery platform to investigate a series of civilian call-ins about people matching the suspect’s description.
“We spent the day responding to more than ten different calls around Watertown and Cambridge,” said Trooper Suyemoto. “We cleared out large office buildings and even responded to a report of another suicide bomber. The truck was helpful for handling these types of situations, where we had incomplete or incorrect information that must be investigated before it can be discounted. The BearCat allowed us to observe situations in general safety inside the truck.”
The BearCat was also used as part of the 27-person Nashua, NH Police Department’s Special Reaction Team, which was called in to assist with a door-to-door search in the Watertown Mall area. Linking up with the 50-person North Eastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (NEMLEC) SWAT team, Sergeant Joseph Fay’s team provided backup, along with units from other nearby County agencies. The area was broken up into quadrants and zones and each team was assigned certain areas to clear.
Sergeant Fay explains that the BearCat was invaluable during the incident, providing better hard cover than shields in the event they had to engage with a suspect. It was also excellent for transporting large numbers of SWAT officers.
Some were inside and many others were loaded on the outside rails, which let us quickly transport large numbers to any location and deploy quickly.
The daylong search for suspects over an entire city block area was an unusual call out because it involved such a large geographical area, and Fay noted how the availability of the BearCat armored vehicles allowed a key change in tactics.
During the mission we pushed the BearCat down the center to provide overwatch and cover while officers went door to door.
He explains that in a mobile operation, you are constantly moving and must provide cover for the exposed team members. There is no other way to do that without a vehicle, because the operation constantly changes location. In a more traditional operation, snipers and marksmen provide that kind of cover, but in this situation the event was moving, so officers lost the ability to deploy a sniper in a single area.
“Looking back on the situation, I feel that the presence of the BearCat was the only way to address this rolling situation. It is the only piece of equipment that can provide such a large area of hard cover,” said Fay.
He notes that the vehicle did what it was supposed to, offering shooting ports, with turrets providing overwatch. In addition the hydraulic ramming arm shielded the team, allowing officers to work the mechanical ram from behind cover to avoid injury.
According to State Trooper Suyemoto, the BearCat’s battering ram played a crucial role in the successful end to the operation. He explains that in the late afternoon, shortly after authorities allowed people to move around the area, a homeowner discovered that his boat had been compromised. He called 911 and the police deployed to that residence.
Trooper Suyemoto picks up the story.
We were at the command post on Arsenal Street and drove over, getting down in the area of the truck’s maneuverable G3 platform. Then, upon confirmation by a helicopter with thermal imaging that the subject was inside the boat, we mounted the 15-foot hydraulic ram arm on the front of the truck; thankfully, mounting the arm is a relatively quick and easy operation. We drove the truck up to the boat, which was difficult because we had to mount a 24-inch high stone wall. Luckily, the BearCat was up to the task. It took a couple of attempts, but we reached the top of the wall and drove up the lawn. We got the truck positioned properly, and proceeded to remove the tarp covering the boat by moving the arm back and forth down the length of the boat to punch holes in the shrink wrap. We could then remove it and see inside. I can tell you that it felt very good to be in a safe position within that armored car. There is very little someone armed with a regular rifle or handgun could do to us with the cover provided by the BearCat.
Mission-Critical Interior And Exterior Features And Options Promote Interoperability, Crew Safety And Comfort
Tactical armored vehicles are typically built on heavy-duty commercial truck chassis, fitted with NIJ IV rifle-resistant armor and a four-wheel drive system. They carry up to twelve people. Armor may vary among vehicles, but the BearCat is always built with Mil-Spec steel armor plate certified to defeat multi-hit attacks from 7.62 AP/.50 Cal BMG rounds. Ceilings and floors provide enhanced blast and fragmentation protection and ballistic glass windows also offer multi-hit defeat.
The vehicles come in 2- and 4-door variants; IED blast seats are also available. They feature a 360° rotating zero gravity roof hatch and an optional armored cupola for added ballistic protection. Dual rear-mounted air conditioning and heat ensures crew comfort, and a custom center console and computer equipment designed to fleet and central command specifications guarantees interoperability. Kevlar ballistic skip round shields protect downed personnel during officer rescue missions. The ballistic blankets can also be used as stretchers.
Scores of other options can be used to tailor the vehicle to particular needs, including a front and rear strobe, siren/PA system, back up camera, on-board contained air, and long range acoustic device (LRAD) for crowd control. Says MA State Trooper Suyemoto, “The LRAD and the thermal camera with pan and zoom capability mounted over the driver’s head were absolutely invaluable features. We spent the day going on calls and the LRAD and camera system made an extremely safe platform in which to work, especially considering the evolving, fluid situation.”
Mission-specific equipment is available for SWAT, medical evacuation, bomb technicians, anti-riot, and dignitary and VIP transportation. The newest options, designed especially for barricaded gunmen callouts, include the hydraulic RAM bar that extends 17 feet and elevates 12 feet. As mentioned, the hydraulic ramming arm was definitely an instrumental piece of equipment at the Boston Marathon incident. Another newer option, the Lenco gas injector unit (GIU) can be mounted at the end of the arm; chemical munitions can be deployed through a perforated spike controlled by a switch on the vehicle’s center console at a safe distance from the suspect.
Civilian And Officer Protection A Key Benefit Of Armored Vehicles
Armored vehicles are an equipment extension for ballistic shields used for entries into homes and for officer protection.
“We want the least amount of damage possible to people,” said an officer from the Boston Police Department’s mobile operations patrol (MOP), who asked not to be identified. “Tactical armored vehicles like the BearCat are made to withstand small arms fire and small explosives to get wounded officers or civilians out of an area safely.”
The officer explained that the BPD deployed two armored vehicles during the incident. Armored vehicles like the BearCat protect access and egress of officers who go in as part of rescue parties, or allow officers to safely enter a scene – delivering the team safely to and from a location is one of their key missions. In Boston, the BearCat is typically used for securing an area, or where there are unknowns. The armored vehicle provides cover and concealment from armed felons and is most often used for warrant services.
Aside from the high visibility Boston Marathon bombing and its aftermath, armored vehicles have already won an important part in many law enforcement agency arsenals. Take the case of Pittsfield, MA, where the armored vehicle has quickly become a part of the tactics used in all city pre-planned or other high risk drug operations, barricaded subject calls, and in support of protective details.
According to Michael Wynn, Pittsfield Police Chief, the city frequently puts the armored vehicles in close proximity to the venue as a mobile bunker. This means, instead of using evacuate and flee tactics, they can evacuate and lock down, and then move out under cover. They may park the vehicle and put a tent over it to conceal it and then use it if necessary.
“The BearCat is as quiet as a truck, and we use it almost any time we go on a raid. We would rather have it and not need it than have to call back for it,” said Wynn. “We can drive into a hot zone and we can conduct an officer rescue and it adds a whole new dimension when the team can approach a target.” The team’s capabilities have been greatly increased by the ability to ram a door and introduce gas without gunfire. “Also, you can’t underestimate the “Wow” factor – recently we simply had to drive up to a suspect’s front lawn and announce that he was surrounded. He took one look at the vehicle and surrendered. Minimizing the risk to the team by not having to execute cannot be overstated.”
Team Training A Must For Use Of Tactical Armored Vehicles
Many of the officers present at the Boston Marathon scene focused on the importance of team training on the use and limitations of armored vehicles prior to putting the vehicles in service. In addition, they emphasized that training should incorporate EMS and EODs (explosive ordnance divisions) so that all parties can work together.
“Everyone has to be able to work as a team,” said the BPD officer. “Each component is a building block and each officer must know what these vehicles can and cannot do and how they can and cannot be used.”
For example, BPD incorporated training on tactical armored vehicles during Urban Shield Boston, a continuous 24-hour exercise, during which first responders were deployed to and rotated through various training scenarios. This is the largest exercise ever conducted in Boston, involving more than 600 emergency responders from 50 agencies.
In the opinion of the BPD officer, other than a full armored vehicle like a tank (which most law enforcement officials do not think would be accepted in most U.S. cities), a tactical armored vehicle like the BearCat will provide law enforcement with the greatest help to get in and solve a problem. “In my view, it is better safe than sorry. We need a vehicle like this for aiding and assisting officers. They are not tanks and are not going to block explosions or solve all the problems, but they are a huge help for aiding and assisting officers on the scene.”
Tactical Armored Vehicles Provide Peace Of Mind
Armored rescue vehicles provide a huge measure of peace of mind for officers who arrive on a scene and may not know exactly what they are getting into. They can aid and assist getting officers in and out, getting wounded parties in and out, or providing cover. They certainly proved their worth in one of the nation’s most serious terrorist incidents in recent memory, and are considered an essential piece of equipment to own by most law enforcement agencies around the U.S.
State Trooper Suyemoto sums up it up this way.
The BearCat did everything we asked it to do, including driving up and over a wall, and it performed very well. We pretty much used every piece of gear we got with it except for the gas injector. It provided a high level of safety to our guys and without it our next step would have been removing the shrink wrap on the boat by hand. Having an armored car made that potentially dangerous situation much safer. We don’t often get equipment that does what we want it to do, so when we do, we are happy to sing its praises.
What a fool.
Funny, I live in one of the states this guy probably considers “safe” and that’s the last word I’d use to describe the environment here. Can’t wait to move to the “Wild West” I guess…
Lenco Bearcat: Making it Easier AND Safer for Law Enforcement to Violate Your Third and Fourth Amendment Rights™
Excellent marketing, fella. I just ordered “A Government of Wolves” for the Kindle.
“A nation ruled by law” is not “a nation ruled by war.”
Sadly, we seem to have gone way of the Nation of Men instead of a Nation of Laws.
These are weapons of war suitable for the battle field; not on our city streets under the control of what are supposed to be “Peace Officers”.
These should be only utilized by our National Guard, specifically called out by the governor only during declared emergencies.
So go ahead and tell me I’m wrong for say we are truly living in a Militarized Police State.
“Weapons of war” not for cops.
Oh, really?
Tell me why law enforcement officers should not have protection against 7.62 x 39 rounds?
Now, unless you want to ban all AKs in this country and conviscate all 7.62 x 39, or assume this is some kind of utopia where bad things do not happen, this foolish feeding frenzy against cops having this kind of armored protection is just stupid grandstanding.
Or would you prefer to let LEOs exposed to hostile fire simply be killed just because you have this paranoid delusion about them and are claiming that they should not have “weapons of war.”
Would you prefer they throw out all their firearms and go back to carrying .38 special wheel guns?
I reload various pistol and rifle rounds, it’s obviously like most liberals you don’t know what you talking about. The 308 or 30 06 rounds and all of the big game hunting rifles have a lot more penetration power than the military rounds from the AK47 and AR15. Civilian semi automatic rifles such as the AK 47 or AR 15 are not “assault weapons” since they are not automatic fire weapons. What the rifle looks like is irrelevant.
The more you make a police force look like military combat troops, the more they separate themselves from their from the public. The are suppose to be civilians like the rest of us, they are not military personnel.
These guys are little boys trying to play army, a very dangerous game when they are suppose to be part to the community and not a military force.
I don’t trust any police officer dressed for combat or their attitude as proven by the Boston Police terror squad illegally forcing people out of their homes after the bombing incident. When you train police officers to be aggressive like military troops and put them in their want to be combat outfits they will think they are above the law.
Funny, the states I am uncomfortable in are CA, NY, NJ and CT, who’d of thought 🙂
EDIT: Cant forget the wretched hive of scum and villainy that is DC also.
You called it a “Shottie” Any opinion you have on the shotgun is automatically invalid.
This guy is an idiot. I live in GA and it is a safe place. I carry, am a law biding citizen and unless someone is trying to kill/harm me, my loved ones or is trying to take my freedoms or rights then they have nothing to worry about. Is it just me or has most liberal idiots noticed that all of the mass shootings occur in “gun free zone”. Take away gun free zones and the criminal has no free pass to kill without meeting resistance form people that will not tolerate their BS.
The real “wild west” was surprisingly crime free, vastly less so than people think nowadays.
This is just the start of the pile of crap, lies and distortions spewed in this op ed piece.
Look at the language: ” still”, “technically”, “remains” – this is not language of incredulous alarm or proud defiance. It is the language of defeat, resignation, marginalization and dismissal.
With all due respect, I don’t think you could be more wrong.
From the article:
” It’s no laughing matter, and yet the joke is on us. “We the people” have been so focused on debating whether the Second Amendment “allows” us to own guns that we’ve overlooked the most important and most consistent theme throughout the Constitution: the fact that it is not merely an enumeration of our rights but was intended to be a clear shackle on the government’s powers.
As such, the Second Amendment reads as a clear rebuke against any attempt to restrict the citizenry’s gun ownership. It is as necessary an ingredient for maintaining that tenuous balance between the citizenry and their republic as any of the other amendments in the Bill of Rights, especially the right to freedom of speech, assembly, press, petition, security, and due process.”
The article affirms that Second Amendment advocates are in the right.
Yes.
But “still”, “technically”, “remains” are not really strong words asserting what comes in the rest of the article.
They are to be voided just as “assault weapon” and “high capacity” are to be avoided by our side.
“Mission-Critical Interior And Exterior Features And Options Promote Interoperability”
I effing hate tacticool language like this. It’s just a bunch of hyped up buzzwords meant to sound quasi-military. I hear this crap and instantly tune it out and ask the remove the person using it cease. I can’t stand it. Sometimes I amuse myself by asking them what exactly does something like the statement above mean. I usually get a blank stare because 9 times out of 10, they never thought about that and it takes them some time to figure out a response.
The riot cops in Ukraine thought their armored vehicles kept them safe.
Nothing but rolling ovens unless you have heavy infantry support.
Video may be disturbing to government thugs or those with weak stomachs.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=bbd_1392754437
The first thought that came to me, when I first saw the title picture, was “the American Gestapo has arrived.”
As a taxpayer and supporter of the the 4th Amendment, I would like to see a whole lot less Lenco Bearcats across the nation. I’d also like to see a whole lot less SWAT call outs and less raids. Frankly, I want a smaller and less expensive government which respects the freedom of the individual. The proliferation of the Bearcat pushes our country in the opposite direction.
Brought to you by Omni Consumer Products. I can’t wait for ED-209 urban pacification.
Meanwhile, we get the 2000 SUX.
Writers like this just kill me. Using his logic, Chicago and other liberal bastions should be all peace and harmony, right? He is either completely disconnected from reality or a complete liar. I can’t really think of any other options.
Chicago rolled out their Bearcat last Sunday in response to the LSD standoff. In hindsight it was probably a bit much but at the time it was assumed the guy was heavily armed.
At least it was working unlike most other CPD vehicles.
Many people living in the statist bubble that stretches from DC to Boston, this guy included, have been turned into professionally dependent victims over a couple of generations. I know people who literally view the mid-west, and especially the south, with the same sense of frightened, cautious bewilderment Joseph Conrad displayed towards Africa in Heart of Darkness. I’ve felt safer walking around Oklahoma City and Dallas by myself at night than I have in NYC or Boston at any time because carry is legal and widely practiced by non-cop citizens.
“During the bombing incident the armored vehicles served multiple purposes, from overwatch and cover during the door to door search…”
Yeah, let’s not forget that iconic photo of the guy in the turret aiming his rifle at the person on the second floor of a home who was filming him and his companions as they ordered people out of the home across the street.
Good times…
EXACTLY the picture I think of when I see this..Don’t point a firearm at anything you don’t intend to destroy! I thought they were supposed to protect the citizens. Guess I was wrong 🙁
You know what’s funny….just a few months ago I learned that HuffPo is regarded as an actual news source. For several years I thought it was similar to The Onion, and I just laughed at their stories.
I still laugh at them, but now I shake my head, too.
Growing up in the cold war, I was raised believing only socialist despots, tin can tyrants, and the Belfast police used such vehicles for local law enforcement… And I still do.
Wow. This is a guy who gets it.
While its reasonable to be concerned about these machines being used to come for your guns, consider that real violent criminals are getting more and more brazen, and it only makes sense for the police to have the best tools for the job. If you or someone you love is wearing that uniform and tasked with capturing a violent criminal, would you want them in a Bearcat or a Prius?
Shhhhhh…you are interjecting reality into this discussion.
You are only supposed to decry the police using armored vehicles if you truly love the US Constitution, dontha’ know.
What reality? The paranoid delusion espoused by statist whackjobs? Statistics aren’t on your side so stop pretending cops all experience the crazy bullshit you see on CSI Miami or other cop dramas. Stop making up bullshit. The only machine guns used in crimes as of late were supplied by “law enforcement” and used against people who actually face down threats on the border, not some idiot sheriff from a Northern State using their new military hardware as a show of force against the 2A supporters refusing to turn in their guns after unconstitutional ex-post-facto laws are passed making them “criminals”. You silly statists fail to understand that the government has failed to protect us anyway, why should I or any one else give up our liberty and rights to self-defense for more hollow, empty promises? Because the cops are suddenly backed up by 50 caliber machine guns and APCs I helped pay for? Fuck that
Is that really so? Are more criminals using full-auto weapons, AP rounds, and suchlike and attacking policemen? Do you have any statistical, or even anecdotal, evidence of that, or is it just a general impression? (That was a real question) BTW, are you as comforted as I was by that biz about “tanks probably wouldn’t be accepted in US cities”? (Admittedly, that is a rhetorical question)
I think would have been the typical reaction if this hadn’t come after a long line of towns like Lake George, NY getting MRAPS. Vehicles like this (and SWAT teams themselves) keep getting deployed to cities and towns in which the crime isn’t brazen at all, and that raises everyone’s red flags. If this were simply, say, Compton or Camden, it wouldn’t raise an eyebrow.
I have an Icon Deluxe in a 30TC and it is amazing-Sets in with my Tikkas and Remington 700 and my Weatherby Mark V as well as my Rugars and the rest of my wooden stock guns-I love it!
Oh, you Americans….
So behind the curve :
http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2008/01/power-enforcers-anti-riot-police.html
What was Obama saying about a civilian force to rival the military? Looks like he has the foundation already. Can’t help but be reminded of the Waffen SS.
DING! DING! DING!
We have a winner.
I’m surprised it took nearly 45 comments until somebody tolled Godwin’s law in this discussion stream.
I’m surprised it took you as long as three minutes to evade countering someone’s point and instead make a cheap play to discredit his legitimate observation by invoking that old “Godwin” shibboleth.
The most common comment I hear from politicians when addressing their pro-gun opponents is that they are simply mindless drones for whatever the NRA wants them to say and do.
These kinds of comments are all about persuading the ignorant hoi polloi to vote for them.
Nothing surprising here.
On the other hand the “massive gun lobby” is what causes NO major gun print media periodical ever to deliver objective gun reviews.
When is the last time you have read a negative gun review in any major gun magazine? How about … never?
The massive gun lobby is not gun print media’s issue. The problem is having an advertising revenue stream that comes exclusively from the manufacturers that they are reviewing.
You need to check out Gun Tests magazine if you want “unvarnished truth”. Expensive, but well worth it. Also, Guns & Ammo “Handguns” has had some terrific articles that did not involve any quid-pro-quo. Happy reading.
Perhaps a video could be made showing pictures of children killed in auto accidents and juxtaposing them with quotes from car manufacturers, since many times as many children die in car accidents than from firearms. They are inherently dangerous and should be regulated out of existence, right?
I’m in the third camp. Judges understand, diminish 2A and the remaining are in jeopardy. What surprises me is not that it’s published in HP, but is a logical, well written article.
Why our elected representatives can not communicate as well is shows just how stupid they’ve become.
Gunhaters really have no concept of America. They hoped to exploit Newtown the way British socialists exploited Dunblane, and they fell flat. Why? Because we’re not British socialists, and the left just doesn’t get that and never will.
The thought of a madman loose in a school with a rifle is frightening to soccer moms everywhere. To men, the thought of a government with a monopoly on guns is even more frightening.
Spot on as usual, Ralph.
Some cops want BearCats. Others want hookers.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/03/21/hawaii-police-urge-lawmakers-to-let-undercover-cops-have-sex-with-prostitutes/
Take action really the only action he had taken is to undermine and destroy the USA.
You are somewhat correct. The bill of rights, second, third, and fourth inclusive, was drafted in response to England’s excesses which ultimately gave rise to the American Revolution. In general, the thought at the time was that the large Federal/national Government was an agent of evil while state government was an agent of the people. As Ralph has said several times, the second amendment was meant to prohibit the federal government from removing individual citizens’ capacity to take up arms in their defense, to wit a militia.
It wasn’t till the civil war that it was determined that the bill of rights needed to be specifically incorporated to the states via the 14th amendment—thereby freeing slaves among other things.
What is being argued now is both how strictly to review cases where the second amendment applies and what the intent of the framers of the constitution was then vs. now. The very fact that the decision in Heller was 5-4, like most recent decisions of note, says to me that there is a deep divide on this subject. We have gained ground it’s true. But we have gained that ground by the slimmest of margins.
I have no problem with citizen police having bearcats and AR’s. But I believe that citizen citizen’s should have access to the same toys. If not, Bad Cop, No Donut.
PuffHo — fair and balanced.
So since when do we force laws on American citizens because of crimes being committed by crimanals in foreign countries
What a load of lies.
Federal law mandates a background check when you buy from any gun dealer.
All the activities he described are completely legal and yet none of the bad things he describes happen in these states. He has got it wrong. Criminals don’t feel safe in these states.
You are not allowed to shoot first and not worry about jail time in any state. The author is supposedly some sort of professor, yet I don’t think he can understand simple and basic facts.
Zimmerman shot the punk Martin, while Martin was slamming Zimmerman’s head over and over into the pavement. That’s not stand your ground. That’s self defense and that is legal everywhere.
This is why liberal are loosing the gun control argument. They make up their facts to suit their causes. They don’t live in the real world. This author of completely false article needs to be involuntarily committed to some mental heath facility. He also should not be teaching anyone his brand of lies and slander.
Sounds like we have to work to repeal the Gun Control Act of 1968. This seems to be where the problem lies. I don’t hunt. I have guns to protect myself, not from buglers but from government tyranny. Forget allowing guns only for sporting purposes. That’s the last reason I’d personally own a gun.
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Perhaps you could start the ball rolling by stopping the demonization of the left. This conflict is ready for one side to start acting like the grownup and stop throwing stones. Every time you bring in political non-gun topics (race, gays, domestic violence, etc), you just present more targets for ridicule.
And yet, all the states he named have lower rates of violent crime per population than the states that have more restrictive gun/carry laws. Once again, the liberal media ignoring their own administrations agencies facts on firearms and violence. If you live in the land of unicorns, cotton candy houses, and my little ponies horses, anything is explainable……like guns, Obamacare, the increasing national debt, jobless Americans, etc, etc, etc, etc.
“The right of a black or Hispanic male to travel through New York City without being searched by the police is second to my right to be free from crime.”
I thought she spoke on behalf of just California? IS this crazyness really supposed to be followed by every other state. I sure as hell don’t think so !! Leave every other “SANE” state the hell alone !!! Friggin Freak !!!
The anti-rights types will never understand the power of a physical icon.
They talk about their cause (an abstract idea) and can’t understand why they can’t maintain interest and momentum (because the same low-information voters that buy their fear-mongering are the same short-attention-span-theater folks who can’t stay focused on something so abstract.
On the other hand, gun owners have real, tangible, goods (firearms) in their hands. Items they paid good money to own, and they see a very real and tangible connection between that physical item and the political attempts to steal it along with the related Rights.
When you try to keep groups focused on abstract ideas or tangible physical items, the physical items group is -always- going to have more staying power because the physical item acts as a reminder.
“The right of a woman to terminate her pregnancy is seocnd to the right of her unborn child to his life.”
It was a matter of time before they kicked down the wrong door. This should be good. As hanging excessive force and a search on illegitimate grounds on the agency may hamper the warrant process of jackbootery and put this in the spotlight.
nothing is going to change until the agents responsible for the incidents can be held, personally, legaly and fiscally responsible. It doesnt matter if Ares Arms wins a billion dollar lawsuit against the ATF, that settlement money is going to come out of the pockets of the american taxpayers, not ATF agents. the worst any of them will get is a negative comment buried in the margins of their yearly review that will be forgotten in the rush to give them their garenteed minimum 7.5% yearly raise.
I think the term we are looking for here is Brown Shirts.
Great rifles i got a Bro13 with the skulls 223/556 with case red dot scope 500 rounds of ammo 4 sale like great shape shot very little.asking the wright price deal.
Please add Texas to the list if states you want to stay away from. We want you and your ilk to stay as far away from Texas as possible.
That’s all fine and dandy, but it had to be done…..for the children. If it saves even one life…..
I like the way he tells everyone who couldn’t locate those states on a map and have never been there to sign the nonsensical petition to tell those states how unsafe they’ll feel IF they ever visit there. [Shaking head in disbelief.]
We don’t want those “people” in free states. Stay home in your weapons free utopia.
In South Carolina it is Called a CWP. Which stands for Concealed Weapons Permit. So I subscribe to the 2 is one plan. I usually try to have at least two small 9mm handguns with the best SD ammo possible. One has to be a double-stack and a extra mag for each. Additionally possibly a TCP .380 in a wallet holster that I made and has a pouch for an extra magazine for it. And sometimes a NAA .22mag mini. One or more knives as well. Depending on the time of year and clothing. If the worst happens, I want to have a fighting chance vs multiple threats.
I also made my own holsters and mag pouches integrated into some compression under shirts and it works great.
The title of this article alarmed me. But I’m pleasantly surprised! Good for you, Florida!
The story as reported in the media has an interesting mixture of facts in it about why and how she fired a shot at her estranged husband.
The change in the law is good, regardless of the circumstances that may have led to it.
This sound like actual common sense reform of gun laws
I am insulted that Virginia was left off the Wild West list. Constitutional open carry state? Must be shootouts every day. I can’t understand why I have missed out on all the the fun. My guess is that he doesn’t even know how “lax” Virginia gun laws are. He probably thinks it just like DC or Maryland.
All he knows about is NOVA.
Sweet, I love it when Bradenton is mentioned… especially on Drudge xD
MANPADS…
Who comes up with these names?
Interesting that Leonard does not even try to back up his concerns with what I am sure would easily obtainable metrics. If these states are more dangerous because of their gun laws, where are the statistics to back it up. What is the murder rate in NY, IL, NJ compared to these AL, GA, MS?
I glean two things from the article, open carry reduces murder rates. and, it’s fine by me if libtards choose not to come here. In fact, please consider taking back some of the ones that can’t seem to find their way back home!
A hog leg may be to big and to slow, first good placed hits are the best answer to end a fight. Better than that , Run if you can, be alive to fight another day. Peace be with all.
Great post and great points. None of which are unreasonable. And if every other officer out there followed these guidelines/points, there wouldn’t be half the issues there are with legally armed citizens. Often it is the officer’s attitude that escalates the situation, and that is a bad thing when the guy with the responsibility to enforce the law is an unabashed jerk.
This doesn’t mean, however, that legally carrying citizens are exempt from being reasonable as well. I can’t stand the “gotcha” crowd that have a point to prove by open carrying. If you are open carrying to initiate a confrontation you are carrying for the wrong reason and need to grow up. You’re actually undermining the pro-rights effort by acting like an immature kid with an axe to grind.
Can I get an 80% M14? M1? Moisin-Nagant? Kar-98K?
Robert, I suggest you read up on this subject before posting on it. I hope I am not violating sight policy by saying you don’t know what are you talking about. These folks with guns are not locals trying to establish civil society as you like to think of it. They are all some flavor of anti-western Jihadi and not some defender of the Bill of Rights.
People who focus on Benghazi miss the real story. Benghazi was the logical outcome a failed policy driven by Hillary Clinton, Susan Rice and Samantha Power that empowered known Salafists just to do away with Colonel Qaddafi. At the same time they were claiming Qaddafi was committing genocide they were calling Bashir Assad a “reformer.” Qaddafi was the least worst alternative.
tdiivna is correct, to be fully informed on Benghazi I recommend reading Benghazi: The Definitive Report by Jack Murphy and Brandon Webb, this book tells it like it is, not how the main stream media (both left and right) would have you believe.
Has anyone else noticed that an awful lot of post have been erased or modified to say only what the provider will allow? I have, and I feel that the right of free speech is being stomped on. I also feel its time to stop talking about this crap and stand up and do something about it. As another person posted had posted earlier the constitution states that is not only our right but our duty to stand up against a treasonous government.It’s time to exercise our rights.AMERICA LAND OF THE FREE!
The concern here is just how far big brothers arm can reach ,how hard it can grip, and what are the repercussions from American citizens when it reaches to far. We pay these people’s checks (government),they are our employees,and there needs to be more control In the future wether or not there winds up being consequences for the past.
“They made him a beautiful nude to emphasize his heroism, not to disguise his bloody deed.”
Nudity, which was common during Renaissance era artwork, was used to emphasize the beauty of God’s design in the form of man, believed to be created in his own imagine. This is why nudity was very common in the artwork of time, it’s celebrating God’s creation.
They missed the mark a little bit…
And, who said said Art Appreciation is a worthless elective.
There was going to be a vote today, but there was a bunch of emails from NRA-ILA and others stating they were not hearing this bill today in the NJ Senate.
So when did this happen???
Can’t any criminal turn a $100 used 12 ga. shotgun into a short barrel version with nothing more than a five dollar hacksaw from Home Depot?
SBR restrictions have to be one of the most, if not the most, laughably ludicrous firearms regulations out there, and there are many.
Well, well. This is cool.