RKBA Round-Up #7

The "finally got off my butt and back in the game" edition.

You know that the VT massacre is going to stir up all sorts of hype. The Bradys, within hours of the disaster, were hitting people up for money for their cause. And since campuses can be full of people with a lot of ideas to express, but not a whole lot of experience to help them discern what makes sense and what does not, I expect a lot of lamenting over gun issues from people who don't know a Glock from a doorknob.

Wisconsin-Madison, as ever, leads the way knee-jerk responses from the shortened left leg. Max Schusselberg spearheads this parade of idiotarianism as only a freshman in journalism can do:

The Second Amendment is Out of Date...here are the highlights. Tremble before the wisdom of the nascent barking moonbat!

There was a time in American history when the Second Amendment’s “right to bear arms” promoted safety and a sense of well-being among the citizenry of the United States. Today, however, the Second Amendment seems to do nothing more than act as a precipitant of violent and life-threatening behavior.

As to be expected, it's the same old stuff we hear from that corner all the time...praising the metropolitan over ruralites, paranoia over the NRA, trying hard not to paint all gun owners as unstable fanatics but failing miserably, advocating trust in the police (as if cops were somehow absent in Blacksburg this past Monday), and being very long on opinion, but short on any real research, much less original thought.

For example, despite the title of the article, there is very little discussion over 2A itself. I don't think the fellow has even read the amendment, especially the parts concerning the freedom and security of the state. I guess such notions are out of date, aren't they?

But I'll give Max a little slack. After all, he is a freshman. And, happily, you have the option to respond to such idiotarianism in the Badger-Herald. I did. The responses at the bottom of the page are probably worth more than the article itself.

Getting closer to the epicenter of our most recent social earthquake, WVU's Athenauem publishes a half-hearted attempt to address the violence. Mr. Doyle, who I guess is a regular columnist at the paper (makes me feel sorry for the rag) doesn't offer much in the way of arguments that have a lot of bite in the issue. Just the usual "2A didn't take into account these kind of weapons," "why do you need this for hunting?", "you should rely on the cops more." As if these youngsters were coming up with something really enlightening.

Again, let me say that opinions are fine. But please, give us something we can think about, not something that's been shot down time and time again. 2A isn't about what kind of hardware you may or may not have (and it mentions nothing about hunting), it's about defense--read the wording, and you will see security and freedom for the state written right into it.

As for reliance on cops, remember, Blacksburg has an armed PD. But it didn't keep Psycho Cho from ruining 50 lives this past Monday.

Jumping out west, Will Lewis of WWC's Collegian admonishes us not to let emotionalism drive the gun debate.

Out at Arizona, you have four letters to The Wildcat's editor regarding gun issues. Three express shock at just the notion of allowing guns on campus, and go so far as to say they would make no difference in averting another VT shooting. Only one advocates gun safety--and by that, I mean responsible gun ownership--as a measure to increase campus security.

One of the antis really put on a display of ivory-tower arrogance, basically painting gun owners and 2A advocates as something less than lofty as the chattering class. I personally take offense at that. I hold more degrees than this bozo, speak more languages, and have owned a total of five firearms in my life. How's that for being a "brute?"

More to come later...gotta run for now

For the worst week of the year...

A friend of mine reminded me that today marks the 14th anniversary of the Branch Davidian fire in Waco, Texas.

Definitely not the ATF's brightest moment. Certainly shoots holes (no pun intended) in the leftist notion that their side of the political fence acts most in accordance with the best interests of America.

No mention of it made much in the mainstream media...CNN had an article referring to it today, only because a former Branch Davidian, and one that disagreed with Koresh, split off, and formed his own splinter sect, wanted to establish a new church on that site. From the tone of the guy, it sounded like he would be little better than Koresh.

However, there was a very good column in WorldNetDaily by Jack Cashill talking about something not many people knew about the debacle: that it involved the deaths of 27 blacks. That fact, plus a ton others (like Cashill, I strongly recommend renting out Waco: Rules of Engagement for much that didn't appear in MSM coverage of the massacre), were nicely covered up by the Clinton Administration and overlooked by the MSM. Didn't want to alienate a voting bloc, now that the Dems finally had a president in (the last and one of the worst of the XXth century, we would later find out), and control of Congress.


Additionally, this week marks the twelfth anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing, which was supposedly a reaction against the FUBAR'd Waco op.

But wait! It gets better! This week marks the eighth anniversary of the Columbine school shooting.

And, finally, this recent horror, ending the lives of 32 or 33 students. What is there about this particular week in the month of April that makes everyone so whackball?

Gunman Identified

The fellow responsible for 50 deaths and injuries at Virginia Tech a few days ago was identified. Cho Seung-Hui was a 23-year-old senior, majoring in English.

From what I read of the article from the Badger-Herald, he was a sullen loner, obviously suffering from some intense inner turmoil. Warning signs were plenty evident in bits of creative writing he did for his classes, depicting gruesome, violent scenes.

Again, proving that it isn't the instrument that's to blame, it's the fellow behind the trigger.

He had even been referred to VT's counseling services.

One of weapons used was a Glock 9mm. Sheesh. Pretty bad advertising for Glock (of all the quality handguns used in crimes--as opposed to cheap disposable weapons generally used--that one seems to pop up the most).

The weapon had been purchased legally. Cho had no prior criminal background.

Now, naturally, the antis are getting their pontification engines warmed up. The Anti-Gun Guys have their two bits to say to try to find some explanation for what happened.

Two bits of what, I'll let you insert here...it ain't worth two copper coins, I'll tell you that much.

First, they turn to the Violence Policy Center...a very unbiased organization in such matters, to be sure, where a little history lesson is given on sidearm marketing trends since 1980, and the shift from revolvers to semi-autos as the choice of a handgun.

Naturally, the Guys chime in with their laments: "These weapons are definitely at or beyond the level of weaponry carried by even our law enforcement officers, and some of the weapons even rival what’s carried by our armies. These kinds of weapons simply don’t belong in civilian hands, and yet not only are they available to almost anyone– they are finding their way onto our streets by the millions."

Geez. Civilians outgunning LEOs and soldiers? They obviously haven't noticed too many police officers or security guards lately. All the ones I've encountered carry semis, not terribly different from the ones I keep locked in my closet. In fact, I bought my H&K from a Kentucky LEO.

But, for all their boo-hooing and hand-wringing over firearm-related tragedies, they leave out the most critical aspect of such shootings: they were carried out by a severely disturbed individual. If guns were such a critical factor to crime in this country, then why do crimes involving firearms represent about a tenth of a percent of all firearms owned in this country?

I mean, I currently own two handguns...according to the totemistic beliefs that undergird much of the antis' hysteria, I guess I stand as much of a chance to blow away my neighbors as this Cho (and since they are larger caliber than what Cho had with him, does that increase my susceptibility to some form of the "Dirty Harry" syndrome?). And since I have owned five in my lifetime, including an evil, military-style "Assault" rifle, I suppose I need a State Trooper following me around wherever I go, in the interests of public safety.

But the reality of the matter is, despite having been a gun owner since the 1990s, I have never committed a single crime with any of my weapons. So much for guns being the source of crime.

Sad that it takes this...

To pull me out of my rather "blah" attitude towards blogging that had plagued me for the last two months.

I guess you guys already know the story...33 dead at VT thanks to some disturbed adolescent who couldn't get over his girlfriend troubles. My inner volcano of rage stirs at the thought that 50 unrelated people (33 dead, 17 injured at the time of this writing) had to suffer because he didn't have the balls to face his own personal problems and go on with life like the rest of us.

What will even make this situation worse is how people will use this to fuel their own agendas. Take, for example, the philistine simpletons noted by 186k per second who get the knee-jerk in their shortened left legs that this matter was somehow "staged" by the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy.

Headline: At least 29 people are dead in what may be the biggest mass shooting in modern American history — and the death toll may rise.

I could go on and on… unfortunatately.

This is staged. We need to ask questions.

I'm telling you, radical liberalism is symptomatic of a serious mental condition.

The Bradys are going to have a heyday with this, for sure. But they, like their ilk, are going to miss the point entirely. It wasn't the gun that was the root cause of the tragedy. It wasn't the tool that possessed the guy to shoot up the place. It was a disturbed fritzoid possessing the gun.

Michelle Malkin has some excellent coverage on the matter, including some correspondence from VT students:

Finally one of the guys in the front of the classroom was brave enough to get up and move the desk in front of the door to prevent outside entry. About twenty seconds later, the shooter rattled the doorknob trying to get in. When he couldn't get in he fired two shots through the door (single solid piece of wood) and left. We heard him go in to 206 (the room across the hall) and shoot the people in that room. If we hadn't put the barricade up when we did, I and all my classmates would be dead.

If a barricade was sufficient to save lives, imagine what an armed student could have prevented.

Michelle also links to an IM exchange between another blogger and a VT student while the whole thing was going on.

And the pièce de resistance, flashing back to last year, when a bill allowing CCW on campus was being deliberated over. Michelle also quotes yet another blogger commenting on the same matter, saying "Just imagine if students were armed. We no longer need to imag[in]e what will happen when they are not armed."

No doubt this will be the focal point of much discussion of RKBA matters on campus, so therefore, I will be taking back the RKBA Campus Round-Up project from A Keyboard and a .45. Thanks for taking up the burden, bro, but it's time for me to handle it again.

And while you're at it, pray for the surviving victims and the victims' survivors. Losing a loved one under any circumstance is bad enough. They need the sort of peace that only God can give.

Most Men Give Flowers...

I'm back! At least, for now. Sorry to keep everyone in the dark for a couple of MONTHS now, but it hasn't been an uneventful time, nor time wasted. More to come later.

JR took over the Campus RKBA report, since he liked the idea so much. He did a great job of it, and when I fully get back to blogging...well, you'll have TWO sources for Campus gun opinions.

Anyway, since this is the month of February, and a young man's thoughts turn to flowers and edible underwear, I thought I would share with you a slight deviation from the box of chocolates approach to showing a woman your fondness for her.

Don't read too much into the word "deviation," you sickos.

I have a friend I have been keeping an eye on for a few years now. I'm a slow mover, been burnt royally one too many times, so I'm not all that keen on just rushing into something (but if I know something's good, and it's available, I am quite tenacious). At any rate, since she's studying away from home, her dad decided to get her a .40 Glock for self-defense.

If you knew her dad, you wouldn't be surprised. I went to visit his shop in town, and he was eager to show off the new Benelli he had bought. And let me shoot a few shells right in the backyard (only in backwoods AK can you do something like that)!

Come to think of it, the whole family is like that. I just finished helping her sister & brother-in-law move, including his rifles, pistols, and reloading supplies. Great! Now I won't have to go so far to reload .44s and .45s.

Anyway, she is living part time in a house our farm owns to give the guys working in Fairbanks a place to stay during the week. So, during my week out there, I had decided (probably intentionally) to take my pistols on up and clean them.

In the process, I offered to clean her Glock as well. She thanked me very much, but thought it probably didn't need it.

So, as a follow up, I went into town and bought her a box of...

Godivas?

No.

Cor-Bon!

Left it on her desk with a note attached. When she came back to the farm the next week, she thanked me very much for the ammo.

Don't know if it will lead anywhere, but hey, what a story to tell the kids if it does. "You know, the first gift I ever gave your mother was a box of ammo..."

Bad News, and Bad News

Firstly, something's screwy with blogger. Can't make my posts nice and neat. Unfortunately, at the moment, I haven't the time to fool with HTML tags, so this post, in all its raw beauty, will have to do for now.

Secondly, my own computer at home is having issues. I got some errors in the boot sector, and in trying to get it fixed, the USB and LAN connectivity decided it would bug out. This is the computer I usually do a lot of my research and blogging on (as opposed to this one I'm on at work).

I don't know when I'll get it fixed. So if the RKBA Campus roundup gets delayed, you'll know why.

Finally, on a more national level, San Fran shows where its values lie.

http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct=us/0-0&fp=455c3739dfa87ebb&ei=xP1cRYuyHsagaKOg5OQE&url=http%3A//www.beyondchron.org/articles/Ousting_JROTC_A_San_Francisco_Value_3918.html&cid=1111093185

An organization known for instilling values and discipline to youth loses out to a lifestyle beset by tendencies to take advantage of youth.

Now, tell me how on earth this is supposed to show support for our country? Isn't that part of what an education is about?

Obviously, not to a loud minority, who seem to place a high premium on the right to buggery.

Hooray for the Left Coast.

Campus RKBA Roundup #5

Back in full force, you regulars! Neither snow, cold, disappointing elections, nor crappy internet connections will prevent me from delivering to you:

The Mad Hatter's
Campus RKBA Roundup #5:

The "please don't beat me for being late" edition.

Now, you're probably wondering, "Where does the Mad Hatter get all his stuff?" All will be revealed in good time. But not in this edition.

But suffice it to say, I have my sources. And you can feel free to contribute your own findings by emailing them to me at vol_907@bitemycrank.com (replace "bitemycrank.com" with "yahoo.de"). I'll give you the hat tip...and if I haven't posted a reciprocal link to your blog yet, I'll do that, too.

But enough self-promotion. Let's get down to finding out what I learned about what America's supposedly best and brightest are saying about a certain Amendment to our Bill of Rights.


This comes hot off the wire--thanks to the vigilant folks over at KeepandBearArms.org. A debate was held over at Harvard between Professor Mark Tushnet and historian Saul Cornell "over the challenges and possibilities for progressive gun control policy."

Basically, you have these two lefties arguing among themselves over whether or not it's worth liberals' time to address gun control policies in a manner that would make everyone happy.

Interesting how, in the 90s, "progressives" were all about getting as many anti-gun initiatives passed as they could. Now, the focus seems to be towards taking more of the middle ground.

Big government isn't really that interested in the people's happiness. It's interested in staying in power. That's why your best friend is the Constitution. Correction: your best friend in any case is God (He's got the best answers), but not everyone wants to hear that.


Baylor University: another article responding to the Amish school shooting, calling again for less violence, once again thinks the root of the problem has been found:

These preventative measures are a good start and will probably deter some potential violence, but they ignore the bigger issue at hand: guns.

I am astounded at the Editorial Staff's wisdom. Well justifies the several thousand Mom & Dad (or the State, if they went the route of indentured servitude known as financial aid) spent on your tuition this year.

A little confusion here, which is not uncommon to those still in the hormone-dominated throes of post-adolescence. Guns are the issue, but not everyone who owns one will do evil things with them. So, they refine their argument a bit:

The only logical solution to this problem is to step up the criteria for owning a gun -- or knife or whatever -- and make it near impossible for anyone with a mental problem, diagnosed or not, to come near them.

The ramifications for those who had breakdowns over losing the 2004 presidential election are dire.


Boston College: This one comes from a year and a half ago, doing a little bit of journalistic investigation covering a 2005 GAO report entitled "Gun Control and Terrorism." The report details a whopping 44 instances in 2004 where the NICS identified people with positive matches to a terrorist watch list.

35 of them were passed because there was nothing valid to deny the transaction. Let's stop right there and ask ourselves a few questions:

- What were the details surrounding these cases? They're lacking. Some may have wanted protection because they turned their back on whatever organization they were part of.

- Would you rather civil rights be trampled upon because of suspicion without evidence? I wouldn't want a gun in the hand of another Timothy McVeigh, but if it means disarming the majority of citizens to strain out a few pesky gnats (and guns used in crime comprise about a tenth of a percent of all privately-owned guns)--I'd err on the side of civil rights here.

- Speaking of numbers, where's the comparison to the total number of NICS checks initiated?

Add all of these together, and you see why the issue really received so little attention nationally. It seems the 2nd Amendment is doing a pretty good job improving national security, despite one dweeb's pathetic attempt at hinting that it's undermining it.


When I first checked out Carnegie Mellon's Tartan Online for material, the gay wedding ring ad (Puh-lease) made me think "Oh God...I bet I can tell what kind of articles I can find here" (since pro-gay usually means pro-Left, and therefore, anti-RKBA). But you can't judge a book by the cover. There's a 2005 forum article about guns on campus--pro, by the way. So much for first impressions.

What caught my eye was the more recent (Oct. 10) article about a philosophy professor who has "an arsenal of guns bigger than the National Guard," "600 hours of deadly force firearms training," has co-authored and edited an official police weapons training document, is a sworn deputy, and is a self-proclaimed gunnie.

His stance on his students' reactions:

"They're intrigued by it, perhaps put off by it, but intrigued, and they want to know more. Which is what I would wish my effect on my students to be. Whatever kind of clown I come off as being, I would wish that the effect on my students as being they want to know more. Wonder begins inquiry and if they are wondering about me, well maybe they'll sit still long enough for the videos and the readings [that allow them to] dig into the issue."

I like this guy. An academician and a gun nut. Wish there were more like us around.


Did you guys like that? Here's some more encouragement from Drexel University. One student debunks the hype surrounding the .50BMG in a Sci-Tech article. For example:

Another claim is that the .50-caliber rifle would be the perfect weapon for criminals, since a mugger with that much firepower would be, shall we say, difficult to deal with. I think this claim is made by people that have never seen a .50-caliber rifle: the things are enormous. Five and a half feet long (that is to say, probably taller than you are,) they weigh upwards of 35 pounds. Most .50-caliber rifles are bolt-action and have to be manually reloaded after each shot. Let me be more blunt: I'm not afraid of anything that fires one bullet a minute, weighs 35 pounds, and is almost six feet long. If a mugger pulled one of these one me, I would laugh. I'd be more afraid of pretty much anything else: a different type of gun, a knife, heck, even a crowbar would scare me more.

It is well worth a read, very informative, and written in the sort of "wake up you dumb@$$" attitude I love to read every so often. While you're at it, send a copy over to the .50 caliber terror (mongering) guys.


A blast from the past from Florida A&M, lamenting last year's legislation intended to better protect those caught up in the inevitable legal process following the use of deadly force in self-defense.

People, it was not written as a measure to for citizens to "be their own police," nor does it give "entirely too much freedom to the trigger-happy, gun-toting NRA members who want an excuse to kill the people who tick them off." Check the membership of the NRA and count how many members have a criminal history. Then compare it to the Democratic Party.

I think libs confuse that organization with the IRA. With as much depth as most of them look into gun issues, it wouldn't surprise me if that were true.


More recently, a student at LSU noticed last week what the pro-RKBA crowd has been saying about "gun free zones" all along: they're open invitations to criminals.

The intent of such legislation is to provide an area where firearms are forbidden and thus make those areas "safer." In effect, two groups of people are allowed firearms: police and criminals. While a real life game of "cops and robbers" plays out in these areas, the law-abiding citizen is left out in the cold, not even able to fend for themselves.

It didn't really help prevent three armed robberies near LSU's campus shortly before the article was written.

And that's it for this week's round-up. Stay tuned next week for more of the same!