The "Gun Free Zones" Lie....

M.A.S.H. Comes To Life….

The president has declared that the Orlando shooting had nothing to do with islam, despite the shooter calling 9-11 to pledge his allegiance to ISIS.  The USAG has said they are still trying to determine the shooter's "true motivation" for his actions, but reiterates that it had nothing to do with islam despite the shooter's own words.

We are watching an episode of M.A.S.H. come to life before our eyes.  This is from the episode, The Novocaine Mutiny, in which Frank Burns tries to get Hawkeye courtmartialed:

Frank -  It has come to my attention that Sergeant Zale lost $300.

Hawkeye - Yeah.  So?

Frank - So that means that there's a thief around here.  Maybe more than one.

Hawkeye - Frank, Zale lost it gambling.

Frank - I beg your pardon?

BJ - Gambling, Frank.  He was playing poker with us.

Frank - Impossible. Gambling's prohibited.  There is no gambling in this unit.  Therefore the money was stolen.

BJ - Can't argue with that logic.

Hawkeye - I certainly wouldn't try.  My mother always said, "Never argue with crazy people and wear clean underwear in case you get run over by a tank and go to the hospital.

BJ - Wise woman.

Frank - Okay, you two clever Dicks.  I'm gonna conduct a search as only I can, and the culprit or culprits will be punished.

BJ - Frank, your sanity's sprung a leak.

Frank - We'll see.  When I find that money, you'll be laughing out the other side of your sleeve.

So here's how this plays out in today's news:

President - It has come to my attention that there was a shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando.

Public - Yeah, that's what the news said.

President - Well, that means there's a shooter around there.  Certainly not part of a larger conspiracy.

Public - Mr. President, the shooter was a self-proclaimed muslim and pledged allegiance to ISIS.

President - I beg your pardon?

Public - Muslim, Mr. President.  The shooter said he was Muslim.

President - Impossible.  I have declared that there are no such things as muslim terrorists.  Muslim terrorists do not exist,  therefore, the shooter must have had some other motivation.

Public - Can't argue with that logic, won't even try.  My mother always quoted Proverbs 29:9, "If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest."  She was a wise woman.

President - Okay, you racist, intolerant right wingers.  I and my administration are gonna conduct a search as only we can, and the scapegoats we "discover" will be punished.

Public - Mr. President, your agenda is showing.

President - We'll see.  When I find my scapegoat, you'll be laughing out the other side of your sleeve.

"If It Saves Just ONE Life…."

It's interesting to me how the "if it saves one life, it will be worth it" argument only seems to work when BANNING something (like the president always says when calling for more gun control).

Interpol Sec. General Ron Noble advocates for INCREASING civilian defensive firearms carry as a response to terrorist events (like the one in Orlando), http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/exclusive-westgate-interpol-chief-ponders-armed-citizenry/story?id=20637341. 

Ohio approved concealed carry for license holders in bars in 2011, and N. Carolina approved similar legislation in 2013; neither state has experienced an upswing in drunken shootings. 

Chief Craig of Detroit urged Detroiters to begin carrying in self defense because of the increase in crime and the decrease in law enforcement presence; the first year saw a 25% reduction in crime, particularly violent crime, and overall has seen about a 12% reduction in crime in the last three years or so since he urged them to begin carrying. 

INCREASE defensive carry, particularly in areas now designated as "gun free" (you know, like the night club was). If it saves just ONE LIFE, it will be worth it!

Enough Is Enough….

Tom Brokaw, professing "firearms owner," said in an interview after the Orlando night club shooting that "it's time for people to come together and say 'enough.'"

He is absolutely right - although not in the way he intended.

It is time for the American people to come together and say, enough gun control. Enough apologizing to those who hold an ideology that has declared war on us. Enough shifting blame from terrorists to the US for their attacks on us and our allies. Enough "gun free" zones. Enough surveillance and security procedures that criminalize innocent citizens while allowing potential enemies to slip through in order to say we don't profile. It is time to begin acting once again like we are the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. It is time to protect our citizens, secure our borders, and defend our Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

It's time. 

Enough is enough.

Repeal Michigan "Weapons Free" Zones….

Over the weekend in Grand Rapids, the body of a woman was found on the campus of Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC), murdered.

GRCC is one of the many so-called "weapons free" or "gun free" zones that dot the city.

The irony?

The stated reason for declaring the campus "weapons free" was for the SAFETY of employees, students, and the general public.

Here is their written policy: 

"III. Policy Statement
Possession or use of firearms, explosives or weapons or anything that is intended to be construed as a weapon is not permitted on College property.

IV. Reason for the Policy
To prohibit the possession or use of firearms, explosives or weapons on College property, as defined herein, FOR THE SAFETY OF ITS EMPLOYEES, STUDENTS, CUSTOMERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. [emphasis added]

V. Entities Affected by this Policy
Employees, students, vendors, visitors to the campus and the general public…

iX. Definitions
“College property” includes but is not limited to property owned, operated, managed, licensed to or leased by the College. At GRCC, all college property is used for classroom purposes.

“Weapons” shall mean any type of firearm, knife, dagger, dirk, stiletto, a double-edged non-folding stabbing instrument, taser, brass knuckles, any other type of instrument which could be used as a weapon and any type of explosive, chemicals or objects or instruments possessed for use of fighting or attacking.

“Firearms” shall mean any weapon or device from which is propelled any missile, projectile, bullet, shot, pellet or other mass by means of explosives, compressed air or gas or by means of springs, levers or other mechanical device which weapon or device shall be capable by the discharge of any such propelled missile, projectile, bullet, shot, pellet or other mass of inflicting personal injury or death upon any person.

...How to handle a situation where you see someone with a gun or other weapon?

They should immediately contact the Campus Police at extension 4010 and advise them of what they have seen. The dispatcher will ask the caller to provide him/her with a clothing description of the person they suspect. They will be asked for the last place they saw the individual and whether this person was walking, getting into a car, etc. If the person is walking, the dispatcher will want to know what direction they were moving in. If they were in a vehicle and on the street, the dispatcher will ask the same thing, what direction were they traveling?"

The stated purpose of this policy is safety.  It prohibits all weapons, INCLUDING NONLETHAL, DEFENSIVE ITEMS SUCH AS  PEPPER SPRAY, MACE, TASERS OR STUN GUNS.  The only recourse offered to anyone on campus per the policy is calling campus security - and HOPING that help arrives in time.

I have been saying this for years: ANY ORGANIZATION THAT TAKES IT UPON ITSELF TO DENY INDIVIDUALS THEIR GOD-GIVEN, CONSTITUTIONALLY-PROTECTED RIGHT TO SELF DEFENSE USING ANY AND ALL MEANS AT THEIR DISPOSAL SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ALL INJURY OR DEATH ARISING FROM THAT POLICY.

Between the college campuses and medical mile, much of the downtown Grand Rapids area is designated as "weapons free," yet in recent years there have been numerous attacks on disarmed individuals in parking structures or other property relating to these organizations.  Obviously, criminals 1) don't care about such designations, 2) see them as fertile grounds on which to carry out their attacks, and 3) know that it takes time for police to arrive on the scene - by which time the damage is done and they are long gone.

So-called "weapon free", "gun free", or "pistol free" zones protect no one.  It's time to stop pretending otherwise, and it is time for the state legislature to take the following steps:

1) Eliminate so-called "weapon free" or "gun free" zones
2) Give Michigan's pre-emption law TEETH, specifically stating that schools, colleges, and universities are subject to pre-emption, and designating penalties for violating the pre-emption law
3) Hold any business/organization that takes it upon itself to enforce a "weapon free" or "gun free" policy - whether on the public OR their employees - civilly liable for any death or injury arising from the enforcement of such policy. 

4) Indemnify businesses/organizations from civil prosecution arising from lawful, defensive weapons carry and use.

And a final note to Michigan Governor Rick Snyder:  you are against the public carry of firearms because of something that happened while you were still a student at the University of Michigan.  You were a residence director in a dormitory when a man illegally carrying a firearm entered the dormitory and killed a fellow residence director, or so the story goes.  That person violated a gun free zone in order to commit a crime.

Bt what if things had been different?  What if your fellow student's right to defend himself had not been taken from him?  Might he still be alive today?  While having a firearm or mace might not have prevented his death, it would also have given him the chance to fight for his life.

Stop punishing lawful firearms carriers for the actions of a criminal.