The brutal assassination of two New York City police officers was an unspeakable tragedy.
For those of us with family members in law enforcement, it was a horrific reminder of the risks that police officers face each and every day.
For those of us who follow politics, it was an illustration of how fear mongering and propaganda have serious consequences.
And for those of us who believe deeply in gun rights, it was an illustration that even our most precious ideals sometimes have exceptions.
This tragedy made me realize that police need better tools to keep guns away from violent thugs. The unfortunate fact is that existing gun laws did nothing to stop cop killer Ismail Brinsley.
Brinsley was able to get his hands on a gun despite having been arrested fifteen times and having already spent four terms in prison. With no chance of passing a criminal background check, he bought the murder weapon – a Taurus P92 9mm – by turning to the black market and buying the gun illegally.
Stopping illegal gun purchases could mean passing laws that crack down on “straw purchasing” – where a legal gun owner purchases a weapon for a criminal. It could mean developing a better system for monitoring the gun ownership of convicted felons. It could mean developing a national database of the mentally ill, as the NRA has proposed.
Finding the right solution is not going to be easy. But the NYPD murders show that police need to be better equipped to protect themselves and the public from violent thugs with guns.
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Christmas Is A Time For Joy, And Increased Caution
Christmas is one of the most joyous times of the year. Families come together to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the start of a new year and, most importantly, each other.
However, not everyone has these same positive sentiments. Home invasions and robberies have become increasingly more common around the holidays.
Last week the Fulton Hill neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia increased police patrols after two violent break-ins occurred within a mile of each other.
A few days earlier, thieves broke into a Superior Township, Michigan home and stole a slew of valuable personal items, including Christmas presents.
Families must be vigilant in warding off these Christmas grinches. Keep all doors locked, stow gifts out of sight of windows, and be mindful of strangers in the neighborhood.
However, not everyone has these same positive sentiments. Home invasions and robberies have become increasingly more common around the holidays.
Last week the Fulton Hill neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia increased police patrols after two violent break-ins occurred within a mile of each other.
A few days earlier, thieves broke into a Superior Township, Michigan home and stole a slew of valuable personal items, including Christmas presents.
Families must be vigilant in warding off these Christmas grinches. Keep all doors locked, stow gifts out of sight of windows, and be mindful of strangers in the neighborhood.
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Open Carry Texas Activist Kills Husband and Stepdaughter
Open Carry Texas gained national attention last summer for its habit of bringing large guns into crowded restaurants and stores. This tactic prompted ridicule from both the left and the right, even causing the NRA to call them “weird”.
Now the group is back in the news, and again it is for all of the wrong reasons. One of its members was charged with murder last week after shooting and killing her estranged husband and his stepdaughter.
Open Carry Texas member Veronica Dunnachie and her husband were in the middle of a divorce when the incident occurred. Immediately after committing the murders, Dunnachie drove to a local health center and confessed.
The media is now using the story of this “militia mom” to paint gun rights supporters as murderous psychopaths. Left-wing blogs and websites are having a field day posting pictures of Dunnachie posing with her firearms.
The media’s exploitation of this tragedy is nothing more than shameless opportunism. But it is also entirely predictable. By now, conservatives should know that anything we do that fits into their stereotypes will blow up into national news.
That’s why gun rights supporters and conservatives need to do a better job of quieting reckless and inflammatory groups like Open Carry Texas. The more we let these groups define us, the worse off we will be.
By welcoming someone like Dunnachie into their ranks, Open Carry Texas has proven yet again that fringe activist groups do more harm than good.
Now the group is back in the news, and again it is for all of the wrong reasons. One of its members was charged with murder last week after shooting and killing her estranged husband and his stepdaughter.
Open Carry Texas member Veronica Dunnachie and her husband were in the middle of a divorce when the incident occurred. Immediately after committing the murders, Dunnachie drove to a local health center and confessed.
The media is now using the story of this “militia mom” to paint gun rights supporters as murderous psychopaths. Left-wing blogs and websites are having a field day posting pictures of Dunnachie posing with her firearms.
The media’s exploitation of this tragedy is nothing more than shameless opportunism. But it is also entirely predictable. By now, conservatives should know that anything we do that fits into their stereotypes will blow up into national news.
That’s why gun rights supporters and conservatives need to do a better job of quieting reckless and inflammatory groups like Open Carry Texas. The more we let these groups define us, the worse off we will be.
By welcoming someone like Dunnachie into their ranks, Open Carry Texas has proven yet again that fringe activist groups do more harm than good.
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Dem Congresswoman: Facts “Not A Concern” In Ferguson Case
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton spoke for most liberals last week when she told Sean Hannity of Fox News that evidence is “not a concern” when it comes to the Darren Wilson case.
Norton’s comments came after Hannity asked her point blank whether she had actually reviewed the evidence from the Ferguson grand jury.
Her answer? Of course not.
“The evidence, that’s for you, that’s for the pundits, that’s not where I am,” she said, before launching into a familiar leftist screed about racism and police-community relations.
Hannity continued to press Norton about the circumstances of the case, pointing out that that Michael Brown had robbed a store prior to being stopped and that several witnesses testified that he charged Officer Wilson before the fatal shots were fired.
But Norton would have none of it, insisting that she didn’t want to “talk about the case” and preferred to focus on “what we should do going forward.”
Like too many of her left-wing acolytes, Norton prefers to stoke outrage rather than engage in a serious discussion about what happened in Ferguson.
The fact is that this tragedy could have been avoided if Michael Brown had simply followed orders instead of attacking a police officer and grabbing his gun. That kind of reaction is simply asking for trouble.
But far be it from leftists to let little things like facts get in the way of a valuable political opportunity.
Norton’s comments came after Hannity asked her point blank whether she had actually reviewed the evidence from the Ferguson grand jury.
Her answer? Of course not.
“The evidence, that’s for you, that’s for the pundits, that’s not where I am,” she said, before launching into a familiar leftist screed about racism and police-community relations.
Hannity continued to press Norton about the circumstances of the case, pointing out that that Michael Brown had robbed a store prior to being stopped and that several witnesses testified that he charged Officer Wilson before the fatal shots were fired.
But Norton would have none of it, insisting that she didn’t want to “talk about the case” and preferred to focus on “what we should do going forward.”
Like too many of her left-wing acolytes, Norton prefers to stoke outrage rather than engage in a serious discussion about what happened in Ferguson.
The fact is that this tragedy could have been avoided if Michael Brown had simply followed orders instead of attacking a police officer and grabbing his gun. That kind of reaction is simply asking for trouble.
But far be it from leftists to let little things like facts get in the way of a valuable political opportunity.
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
The Media’s Hypocrisy On Criticizing Politicians’ Families
Republican Party staffer Elizabeth Lauten resigned from her post as communications director for Rep. Stephen Fincher of Tennessee after criticizing Malia and Sasha Obama on Facebook last week.
Lauten’s post took issue with the Obama girls’ behavior at the annual pardoning of the Thanksgiving turkey, saying that they were dressed like they wanted “a spot at the bar” and that they should have shown more “class”.
Lauten later issued a half-hearted apology, in which she admitted that she failed to consider how “hurtful” her words could be. The apology wasn’t enough, and yesterday she announced that she would be stepping down from her job.
Lauten’s comments about Sasha and Malia were uncalled for and inappropriate. But some liberal commentators are taking things a step further, declaring that personal attacks like this are a trademark of the Republican Party. According to Hot Air, a guest on CNN claimed that Republicans are uniquely apt to attack their opponents’ families because Republicans in general tend to be angrier and more irrational.
This is a completely ridiculous. If anything, it is Democrats who routinely smear their enemies’ families with personal attacks.
Remember the way the Bush twins were treated? Jenna faced constant ridicule for simple mistakes like sticking her tongue out at the White House press corps and for tripping and falling at a college party, leading to allegations that she had a drinking problem. Saturday Night Live even did an entire sketch mocking the twins in 2004.
And what about the Bristol Palin? During the 2008 presidential campaign, the press even went so far as to speculate that Palin’s fifth child was in fact Bristol’s.
It’s not just cable news and The Daily Show that attack Republicans families. When John Roberts became a Supreme Court justice in 2005, the Washington Post ran an entire editorial criticizing the clothing of his four and five year old children.
Elizabeth Lauten was out of line in publicly criticizing the appearance and behavior of Sasha and Malia Obama. But she was merely following in the tradition of the media and the Democratic Party.
Lauten’s post took issue with the Obama girls’ behavior at the annual pardoning of the Thanksgiving turkey, saying that they were dressed like they wanted “a spot at the bar” and that they should have shown more “class”.
Lauten later issued a half-hearted apology, in which she admitted that she failed to consider how “hurtful” her words could be. The apology wasn’t enough, and yesterday she announced that she would be stepping down from her job.
Lauten’s comments about Sasha and Malia were uncalled for and inappropriate. But some liberal commentators are taking things a step further, declaring that personal attacks like this are a trademark of the Republican Party. According to Hot Air, a guest on CNN claimed that Republicans are uniquely apt to attack their opponents’ families because Republicans in general tend to be angrier and more irrational.
This is a completely ridiculous. If anything, it is Democrats who routinely smear their enemies’ families with personal attacks.
Remember the way the Bush twins were treated? Jenna faced constant ridicule for simple mistakes like sticking her tongue out at the White House press corps and for tripping and falling at a college party, leading to allegations that she had a drinking problem. Saturday Night Live even did an entire sketch mocking the twins in 2004.
And what about the Bristol Palin? During the 2008 presidential campaign, the press even went so far as to speculate that Palin’s fifth child was in fact Bristol’s.
It’s not just cable news and The Daily Show that attack Republicans families. When John Roberts became a Supreme Court justice in 2005, the Washington Post ran an entire editorial criticizing the clothing of his four and five year old children.
Elizabeth Lauten was out of line in publicly criticizing the appearance and behavior of Sasha and Malia Obama. But she was merely following in the tradition of the media and the Democratic Party.
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Jay Leno Cancels Gun Show Appearance Under Pressure From Anti-Gun Groups
Comedian and former “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno pulled out of a scheduled appearance at the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s 2015 SHOT Show in Las Vegas under pressure from leftist gun control groups.
Leno dropped out just hours after the Newtown Action Alliance began circulating a petition calling on him to cancel. Several hundred people had already bought tickets to his performance, which the NSSF was calling the “highlight” of the event.
According to Town Hall, the most recent SHOT show attracted 67,000 people and pumped $73 million into the Las Vegas economy. More than 1600 companies were involved in the event, which included a performance by the magicians Penn & Teller.
Leno’s spokesman claims the comedian had accepted NSSF’s invitation without knowing that the NSSF was part of the “pro-gun lobby”. The spokesman also said Leno did not receive any payment for the gig, although the NSSF has since disputed that claim.
The NSSF responded to Leno’s cancellation with a statement criticizing the “bullying political tactics” of gun control groups.
Leno dropped out just hours after the Newtown Action Alliance began circulating a petition calling on him to cancel. Several hundred people had already bought tickets to his performance, which the NSSF was calling the “highlight” of the event.
According to Town Hall, the most recent SHOT show attracted 67,000 people and pumped $73 million into the Las Vegas economy. More than 1600 companies were involved in the event, which included a performance by the magicians Penn & Teller.
Leno’s spokesman claims the comedian had accepted NSSF’s invitation without knowing that the NSSF was part of the “pro-gun lobby”. The spokesman also said Leno did not receive any payment for the gig, although the NSSF has since disputed that claim.
The NSSF responded to Leno’s cancellation with a statement criticizing the “bullying political tactics” of gun control groups.
“We are clearly disappointed by Jay Leno's decision not to perform at the 2015 SHOT Show State of the Industry Dinner. He unilaterally cancelled his promised appearance due to pressure from the anti-gun lobby, which included false statements about our industry and its commitment to genuine firearms safety, which we attempted to personally correct with him, but to no avail. We are not deterred by their publicity seeking nor are we unfamiliar with the bullying political tactics of the gun control groups that seem to have as little respect for the First Amendment as they continually demonstrate with regard to the Second Amendment.”
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Is Pennsylvania’s New Gun Law Anti-Conservative?
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett signed a firearms pre-emption law last month, which will allow citizens to sue local governments whose gun regulations exceed state law. The NRA says it is “the strongest in the nation”.
While I certainly applaud putting limitations on gun control, preemption laws are not the right way to promote gun rights. Gun rights are important, but so is local democratic decision-making.
The idea of preemption is that federal laws are more important than state laws, and state laws are more important than local laws.
This puts serious limits on the power of local government. States often use it to force cities and towns to comply with state rules on things like zoning and special education funding.
The federal government uses preemption as well, usually in ways that hurt conservatives. In 2011, the Supreme Court cited preemption as a reason for striking down an immigration law that had been passed by voters in Arizona. Senate liberals have tried to use it to force states to ease access to abortion.
These types of decisions should be left up to local voters, not career politicians. Most conservatives would agree. Yet the NRA has been pushing preemption laws not only in Pennsylvania, but also throughout the country.
In its effort to protect the freedom to carry guns, the NRA has to be careful to preserve other freedoms as well.
While I certainly applaud putting limitations on gun control, preemption laws are not the right way to promote gun rights. Gun rights are important, but so is local democratic decision-making.
The idea of preemption is that federal laws are more important than state laws, and state laws are more important than local laws.
This puts serious limits on the power of local government. States often use it to force cities and towns to comply with state rules on things like zoning and special education funding.
The federal government uses preemption as well, usually in ways that hurt conservatives. In 2011, the Supreme Court cited preemption as a reason for striking down an immigration law that had been passed by voters in Arizona. Senate liberals have tried to use it to force states to ease access to abortion.
These types of decisions should be left up to local voters, not career politicians. Most conservatives would agree. Yet the NRA has been pushing preemption laws not only in Pennsylvania, but also throughout the country.
In its effort to protect the freedom to carry guns, the NRA has to be careful to preserve other freedoms as well.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
America’s Youngest State Legislator Ever Is An Eighteen Year Old Republican Woman
Last week, West Virginia elected America’s youngest state legislator, eighteen-year-old Republican Saira Blair.
Just a freshman in college, Blair beat her Democratic opponent Layne Dieh by a landslide, winning sixty three percent of the vote to his thirty percent.
And she did it by running on a proudly conservative platform, expressing strongly pro-life and pro-gun views.
“I fully support the Second Amendment, I believe in protecting the innocent and punishing the guilty. It’s time that we stopped treating our citizens like terrorists and terrorist like citizens,” she wrote on her campaign website. “Simply stated, firearms allow our law abiding citizens to protect themselves and their families. Our constitutional right shall not be infringed!”
She was endorsed by guns rights organizations like West Virginia Citizen’s Defense League and the NRA.
Blair is also staunchly pro-life. She believes that life begins at conception and that tax dollars should not fund abortions. Unlike her father, Republican West Virginia State Senator Craig Blair, she does not support the use of Plan B contraception.
And, she believes in responsible job creation. In an interview with Time Magazine, she explained why she wants to make West Virginia a right-to-work state. “I’ve watched too many people get a high school and college education and then leave the state because they cannot get a good paying job,” she said.
Blair recently told Fox News that many young Republicans are too afraid to speak up about their fiscally and socially conservative values because of the criticism they will receive on social media.
Blair’s historic win shows that there is nothing wrong with being a proud young conservative. She will be a fresh voice in West Virginia state government and will undoubtedly go on to do great things.
Just a freshman in college, Blair beat her Democratic opponent Layne Dieh by a landslide, winning sixty three percent of the vote to his thirty percent.
And she did it by running on a proudly conservative platform, expressing strongly pro-life and pro-gun views.
“I fully support the Second Amendment, I believe in protecting the innocent and punishing the guilty. It’s time that we stopped treating our citizens like terrorists and terrorist like citizens,” she wrote on her campaign website. “Simply stated, firearms allow our law abiding citizens to protect themselves and their families. Our constitutional right shall not be infringed!”
She was endorsed by guns rights organizations like West Virginia Citizen’s Defense League and the NRA.
Blair is also staunchly pro-life. She believes that life begins at conception and that tax dollars should not fund abortions. Unlike her father, Republican West Virginia State Senator Craig Blair, she does not support the use of Plan B contraception.
And, she believes in responsible job creation. In an interview with Time Magazine, she explained why she wants to make West Virginia a right-to-work state. “I’ve watched too many people get a high school and college education and then leave the state because they cannot get a good paying job,” she said.
Blair recently told Fox News that many young Republicans are too afraid to speak up about their fiscally and socially conservative values because of the criticism they will receive on social media.
Blair’s historic win shows that there is nothing wrong with being a proud young conservative. She will be a fresh voice in West Virginia state government and will undoubtedly go on to do great things.
Thursday, November 6, 2014
PETA: Pro-Hunting Yearbook Photos Could Lead To School Shootings
The animal rights organization PETA is publicly criticizing Broken Bow High School in Nebraska for allowing seniors to pose for yearbook photos with hunting rifles and other sport shooting equipment.
The organization says that the photos “glamorize killing” and that they “are particularly egregious coming on the heels of the recent deadly rampage at a Washington high school.”
In a leap of logic that is shocking and disrespectful even for a far-left activist group, PETA claims that hunting and school shootings are linked because “time after time, when young people are involved in school shootings, they have a history of abusing animals.”
This is a complete non sequitur. Responsible hunting is a far cry from torturing animals, and it certainly doesn’t lead to school shootings. Broken Bow’s policy for these photos, as put forth by Superintendent Mark Sievering, specifically states that the portraits must be taken off-campus and staged “in a non-threatening and tasteful manner.”
Speaking with Fox News, Sievering elaborated further on the policy. “Hunting is a very important activity in this area,” he said. “We are a rural community and a number of our families participate in hunting, fishing, skeet shooting, trapshooting — it’s part of life here.”
Only a small-minded bigot would think that a child that grows up in an environment that appreciates responsible hunting is automatically destined to participate in a mass shooting. PETA’s comments show that they know very little about hunting and even less about America.
The organization says that the photos “glamorize killing” and that they “are particularly egregious coming on the heels of the recent deadly rampage at a Washington high school.”
In a leap of logic that is shocking and disrespectful even for a far-left activist group, PETA claims that hunting and school shootings are linked because “time after time, when young people are involved in school shootings, they have a history of abusing animals.”
This is a complete non sequitur. Responsible hunting is a far cry from torturing animals, and it certainly doesn’t lead to school shootings. Broken Bow’s policy for these photos, as put forth by Superintendent Mark Sievering, specifically states that the portraits must be taken off-campus and staged “in a non-threatening and tasteful manner.”
Speaking with Fox News, Sievering elaborated further on the policy. “Hunting is a very important activity in this area,” he said. “We are a rural community and a number of our families participate in hunting, fishing, skeet shooting, trapshooting — it’s part of life here.”
Only a small-minded bigot would think that a child that grows up in an environment that appreciates responsible hunting is automatically destined to participate in a mass shooting. PETA’s comments show that they know very little about hunting and even less about America.
Thursday, October 30, 2014
The NRA’s Risky Ratings Stunt
The NRA dropped Connecticut Republican Mark Greenberg’s rating from an A down to an F earlier this month after he said that he would support universal background checks.
This type of thing helps the NRA get attention, but it could do more damage than good in the long term. The NRA shouldn’t go after candidates who otherwise support gun rights just because of their stance on background checks. Especially when they are Republicans.
Whether or not you support criminal background checks — personally I think it would depend on how they were enforced — the fact is that most Americans do. By being so strict on the issue, the NRA risks giving power to the gun control interests and opening the door to even tighter infringements on the Second Amendment.
The NRA is so afraid of getting criticism from the open carriers and the fringe groups that they forget about the mainstream voters who determine elections. Greenberg is in a tight race to take over a seat that is held by the Democrats. Couldn’t the NRA have been a little more lenient?
This type of thing helps the NRA get attention, but it could do more damage than good in the long term. The NRA shouldn’t go after candidates who otherwise support gun rights just because of their stance on background checks. Especially when they are Republicans.
Whether or not you support criminal background checks — personally I think it would depend on how they were enforced — the fact is that most Americans do. By being so strict on the issue, the NRA risks giving power to the gun control interests and opening the door to even tighter infringements on the Second Amendment.
The NRA is so afraid of getting criticism from the open carriers and the fringe groups that they forget about the mainstream voters who determine elections. Greenberg is in a tight race to take over a seat that is held by the Democrats. Couldn’t the NRA have been a little more lenient?
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Sunday School Teacher Arrested After Firing A Warning Shot To Save His Fiancé From Being Raped
A West Virginia Sunday school teacher is facing criminal charges after firing a warning shot to scare off thugs who were threatening to rape his fiancé.
Chris Harris and his fiancé CC Roxby were walking home from a bible study class in Wheeling, West Virginia three weeks ago when a group of men approached them and began making physical threats.
“They surrounded me saying some pretty vulgar things like they were going to rape my wife in front of me, cut me,” Harris said.
The men — one of whom was wielding a knife — continued to be aggressive even after the couple called 911. Fearing for her life, Roxby pulled out a concealed pistol that she carries legally and handed it to Harris.
But the sight of a gun wasn’t enough to deter the criminals.
“The kid kept advancing on me, saying it wasn’t a real gun,” Harris said. “I would much rather shoot a shot in the air to prevent them from attacking me rather than them attacking me and me shooting someone.”
Harris fired a warning shot just as police cruisers arrived on the scene. The thugs scattered. But instead of chasing the criminals, the police officers arrested Harris and charged him with “wanton endangerment”. He has since been released on bail.
Instead of punishing Harris, police should be thanking him for showing so much restraint. Considering the situation he and his fiancé were in, it would have been totally justifiable if he had pointed his gun a little lower.
Chris Harris and his fiancé CC Roxby were walking home from a bible study class in Wheeling, West Virginia three weeks ago when a group of men approached them and began making physical threats.
“They surrounded me saying some pretty vulgar things like they were going to rape my wife in front of me, cut me,” Harris said.
The men — one of whom was wielding a knife — continued to be aggressive even after the couple called 911. Fearing for her life, Roxby pulled out a concealed pistol that she carries legally and handed it to Harris.
But the sight of a gun wasn’t enough to deter the criminals.
“The kid kept advancing on me, saying it wasn’t a real gun,” Harris said. “I would much rather shoot a shot in the air to prevent them from attacking me rather than them attacking me and me shooting someone.”
Harris fired a warning shot just as police cruisers arrived on the scene. The thugs scattered. But instead of chasing the criminals, the police officers arrested Harris and charged him with “wanton endangerment”. He has since been released on bail.
Instead of punishing Harris, police should be thanking him for showing so much restraint. Considering the situation he and his fiancé were in, it would have been totally justifiable if he had pointed his gun a little lower.
Monday, October 20, 2014
Ebola Is Not A Joke, Mr. President
Instead of handling Ebola as a dangerous international threat, President Obama and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are treating the disease as nothing but a joke.
At a news conference last week, Obama made light of the situation, joking that he “hugged and kissed” Emory hospital nurses and that he felt “perfectly safe” while doing so. This type of glib comment goes to show that Obama isn’t taking the threat seriously.
In addition to his comments, Obama’s policies also show that he is routinely underestimating the threat of Ebola. Despite the fact that the vast majority of the public supports banning travel to countries that have the disease, for instance, Obama refuses to institute a travel ban.
It was also recently reported that the CDC allowed several nurses to travel shortly after being exposed to the disease, potentially spreading the virus to other parts of the country.
It is also clear that staff at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital treating recently deceased patient Thomas Eric Duncan did not wear protective hazardous-material suits for two days until tests conclusively confirmed that he had Ebola.
These kinds of mistakes are ridiculous and unforgivable, and they show just how unprepared the government is to handle this kind of threat.
Instead of cracking stupid jokes, Obama should be doing anything he can — including instituting a travel ban to Africa — that could potentially stop this crisis before it gets out of hand.
At a news conference last week, Obama made light of the situation, joking that he “hugged and kissed” Emory hospital nurses and that he felt “perfectly safe” while doing so. This type of glib comment goes to show that Obama isn’t taking the threat seriously.
In addition to his comments, Obama’s policies also show that he is routinely underestimating the threat of Ebola. Despite the fact that the vast majority of the public supports banning travel to countries that have the disease, for instance, Obama refuses to institute a travel ban.
It was also recently reported that the CDC allowed several nurses to travel shortly after being exposed to the disease, potentially spreading the virus to other parts of the country.
It is also clear that staff at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital treating recently deceased patient Thomas Eric Duncan did not wear protective hazardous-material suits for two days until tests conclusively confirmed that he had Ebola.
These kinds of mistakes are ridiculous and unforgivable, and they show just how unprepared the government is to handle this kind of threat.
Instead of cracking stupid jokes, Obama should be doing anything he can — including instituting a travel ban to Africa — that could potentially stop this crisis before it gets out of hand.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
California Passes Gun Seizure Bill
California legislators recently passed a bill allowing family members to ask a judge to confiscate firearms from relatives who they see as a danger to themselves or others. The seizure will be enforced only when the judge deems the family’s concerns to be “legitimate”.
Liberal lawmakers, who never leave a tragedy unexploited, drafted the bill in response to Elliot Rodger’s deadly rampage near the University of California, Santa Barbara campus earlier this year.
California Assembly Member Nancy Skinner, who introduced the bill, said: “Family members are often the first to spot the warning signs when someone is in crisis. AB 1014 provides an effective tool to get guns out of the hands of loved ones to avoid these tragedies.”
Keeping guns out of Elliot Rodger’s hands would not have averted a tragedy – after all, he stabbed three people to death before he even picked up a gun. (It sure is funny how lefties always leave out the inconvenient details.)
That said — this law could be worse.
Individuals seeking the restraining order have to sign an affidavit under oath and can be charged with a misdemeanor if caught lying. A court hearing also has to be held within two weeks after the restraining order is granted to allow the gun owner to defend himself.
So long as California administers the law properly and does not allow vindictive family members to abuse their newfound privilege, it seems like a reasonable way to prevent mass shootings by the mentally ill.
I know some people might not like it, but gun rights supporters might have to accept compromises like this if we want to avoid all out gun control in the future.
Liberal lawmakers, who never leave a tragedy unexploited, drafted the bill in response to Elliot Rodger’s deadly rampage near the University of California, Santa Barbara campus earlier this year.
California Assembly Member Nancy Skinner, who introduced the bill, said: “Family members are often the first to spot the warning signs when someone is in crisis. AB 1014 provides an effective tool to get guns out of the hands of loved ones to avoid these tragedies.”
Keeping guns out of Elliot Rodger’s hands would not have averted a tragedy – after all, he stabbed three people to death before he even picked up a gun. (It sure is funny how lefties always leave out the inconvenient details.)
That said — this law could be worse.
Individuals seeking the restraining order have to sign an affidavit under oath and can be charged with a misdemeanor if caught lying. A court hearing also has to be held within two weeks after the restraining order is granted to allow the gun owner to defend himself.
So long as California administers the law properly and does not allow vindictive family members to abuse their newfound privilege, it seems like a reasonable way to prevent mass shootings by the mentally ill.
I know some people might not like it, but gun rights supporters might have to accept compromises like this if we want to avoid all out gun control in the future.
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Gay Gun Activists A Growing Force
In 2012, former Google employee Chris Cheng won the History Channel’s reality shooting competition, “Top Shot.” Beating seasoned marksmen, highly trained police officers and competitive shooters, Cheng received a $100,000 cash prize and a professional marksman contract with the show’s sponsor, Bass Pro Shops.
Cheng also happens to be openly gay.
Speaking with Fox News, Cheng explained that History Channel executives only cared about how well he could shoot and represent his season, not about his sexual orientation.
“There is this stereotypical view of the gun community as anti-gay rednecks, but nothing could be further from the truth,” Cheng said.
After his win, Cheng quit his job at Google to become an NRA news commentator and author of the book Shoot to Win: Tips, Tactics, and Techniques to Help You Shoot like a Pro.
Cheng is not alone as a gay marksman and gun rights activist. The Atlantic recently wrote about a host of websites and groups specifically for gay gun enthusiasts, including Big Gay Al’s Big Gay (Gun) Blog, GaysWithGuns.net, and the most established organization, the Pink Pistols.
Gwen Patton, First Speaker of Pink Pistols International, told The Atlantic that the gay community has not been receptive of people like them: “They treat us like we’ve left the reservation because we’re looking at these evil guns, and they don’t like guns, so that calls into question our loyalty to the gay community.”
In a blog post after her interview, Patton also took issue with Ladd Everitt, Communications Director for the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, insinuating that threats against gay gun enthusiasts are likely to be from fellow members in the pro-gun community.
“Everitt appears to believe that the Pink Pistols should be afraid of their fellow shooters and believers in the Second Amendment,” she said. “It didn’t take much thought to determine what Everitt meant — that gun enthusiasts and pro-rights individuals are violent bigots specifically because they are pro-rights.”
Despite what the liberal media may preach, being pro-gun does not automatically mean that someone is also anti-gay. People like Chris Cheng and Gwen Patton emphatically prove otherwise.
Cheng also happens to be openly gay.
Speaking with Fox News, Cheng explained that History Channel executives only cared about how well he could shoot and represent his season, not about his sexual orientation.
“There is this stereotypical view of the gun community as anti-gay rednecks, but nothing could be further from the truth,” Cheng said.
After his win, Cheng quit his job at Google to become an NRA news commentator and author of the book Shoot to Win: Tips, Tactics, and Techniques to Help You Shoot like a Pro.
Cheng is not alone as a gay marksman and gun rights activist. The Atlantic recently wrote about a host of websites and groups specifically for gay gun enthusiasts, including Big Gay Al’s Big Gay (Gun) Blog, GaysWithGuns.net, and the most established organization, the Pink Pistols.
Gwen Patton, First Speaker of Pink Pistols International, told The Atlantic that the gay community has not been receptive of people like them: “They treat us like we’ve left the reservation because we’re looking at these evil guns, and they don’t like guns, so that calls into question our loyalty to the gay community.”
In a blog post after her interview, Patton also took issue with Ladd Everitt, Communications Director for the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, insinuating that threats against gay gun enthusiasts are likely to be from fellow members in the pro-gun community.
“Everitt appears to believe that the Pink Pistols should be afraid of their fellow shooters and believers in the Second Amendment,” she said. “It didn’t take much thought to determine what Everitt meant — that gun enthusiasts and pro-rights individuals are violent bigots specifically because they are pro-rights.”
Despite what the liberal media may preach, being pro-gun does not automatically mean that someone is also anti-gay. People like Chris Cheng and Gwen Patton emphatically prove otherwise.
Friday, October 3, 2014
Obama Blames Others For His Incompetence on ISIS
In a recent interview with “60 Minutes,” Obama refused to accept blame for the rise of ISIS, instead accusing Director of National Intelligence James Clapper of underestimating the power of the terrorist group and overestimating the ability of the Iraqi army to properly fight them.
Obama’s unwillingness to take responsibility for his own errors is embarrassing. As Rachel Marsden of Town Hall put it: “When you're the Commander in Chief of the United States, downloading blame onto anyone -- let alone someone you nominated yourself -- is just pathetic.”
After Obama claimed that “no one could have possibly foreseen” how dangerous ISIS could have become, leaks from the Pentagon suggested that Obama was directly briefed about ISIS over a year ago.
As of October 1, ISIS has publicly beheaded nine Kurdish fighters, British aid worker David Haines, and American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff. They have also killed thousands of Iraqis and Syrians trying to flee their control. This kind of disregard for the sanctity of human life is one of the many examples of their savagery.
Teenage girls from the Yazidi Christian minority in northern Iraq confirmed to The New York Post what was already widely assumed: that they were starved, beaten, tortured and raped while in ISIS captivity.
With CNN reporting that ISIS is probably holding at least two more American citizens hostage, as well as a host of others from additional Western countries, it is clear that all of the blame should be placed solely on Obama.
Monday, September 29, 2014
Justice for Shaneen Allen!
In an unexpected-but-welcome turn of events — or, as the The Daily Caller calls it, “a stunning outbreak of sanity” — Shaneen Allen will be spared felony prosecution and jail time for unknowingly violating New Jersey’s concealed carry laws.
Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain reversed his previous decision and allowed Allen to enter the state’s pre-trial intervention program (PTI), which lets first-time offenders partake in supervised rehabilitative programs and services in place of prosecution and a criminal record.
McClain’s shift comes after acting New Jersey Attorney General John Hoffman sent county prosecutors guidelines for enforcing New Jersey’s strict gun laws for law-abiding out-of-state visitors who break them by mistake, such as Allen. Allen was arrested after mistakenly bringing a lawfully permitted gun into the state and voluntarily informing a police officer of the weapon during a routine traffic stop.
Hoffman advised taking a lenient approach in these scenarios, writing: “In most of these cases, imprisonment is neither necessary nor appropriate to serve the interests of justice and protect public safety.”
This reversal was welcome news for gun rights supporters everywhere -- and for Shaneen Allen especially. The decision means that Allen won’t be separated from her children because of a silly misunderstanding. It means that she can begin rebuilding her life.
If there is a silver lining Ms. Allen’s situation, it is that her case brought national attention to New Jersey’s horrible gun restrictions and also to the need for nationwide concealed carry reciprocity legislation. Already, New Jersey legislators have proposed “Shaneen’s Law” to protect out-of-state gun owners from this kind of prosecution. The federal equivalent of the law – the Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2013 – is also up for consideration.
Hopefully, Shaneen Allen’s misfortune will help politicians realize the pain that can be caused by persecuting law abiding gun owners.
Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain reversed his previous decision and allowed Allen to enter the state’s pre-trial intervention program (PTI), which lets first-time offenders partake in supervised rehabilitative programs and services in place of prosecution and a criminal record.
McClain’s shift comes after acting New Jersey Attorney General John Hoffman sent county prosecutors guidelines for enforcing New Jersey’s strict gun laws for law-abiding out-of-state visitors who break them by mistake, such as Allen. Allen was arrested after mistakenly bringing a lawfully permitted gun into the state and voluntarily informing a police officer of the weapon during a routine traffic stop.
Hoffman advised taking a lenient approach in these scenarios, writing: “In most of these cases, imprisonment is neither necessary nor appropriate to serve the interests of justice and protect public safety.”
This reversal was welcome news for gun rights supporters everywhere -- and for Shaneen Allen especially. The decision means that Allen won’t be separated from her children because of a silly misunderstanding. It means that she can begin rebuilding her life.
If there is a silver lining Ms. Allen’s situation, it is that her case brought national attention to New Jersey’s horrible gun restrictions and also to the need for nationwide concealed carry reciprocity legislation. Already, New Jersey legislators have proposed “Shaneen’s Law” to protect out-of-state gun owners from this kind of prosecution. The federal equivalent of the law – the Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2013 – is also up for consideration.
Hopefully, Shaneen Allen’s misfortune will help politicians realize the pain that can be caused by persecuting law abiding gun owners.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
A Pro-Gun Law That Liberals Should Love
The Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937 is a little-known law that should make even the most left wing of gun control fanatics happy about the surge in gun sales under President Obama.
The law, which is also known as Pittman-Robertson for the two politicians who initially pushed for its passage, funnels a portion of revenue from an excise tax on all firearms and ammunition imported or sold in the country by manufacturers to a variety of environmental programs: preserving wildlife habitats, creating public hiking trails, protecting endangered species and other conservation efforts.
The money also goes to building public shooting ranges and refurbishing roads and signage into game lands used during hunting season.
Revenues have doubled since President Obama started pushing for more gun control legislation. As reported by The Blaze, in 2012 the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service received $371 million from Pittman-Robertson revenue. Only two years later they received $760 million.
This year North Carolina alone received $19.9 million—more than three times the amount from 2007. According to The Raleigh News Observer, this money has helped The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission successfully cope with budget cuts in state funding.
“We’ve been able to put this money back on the ground for the public to enjoy,” said Erik Christofferson, Head of the Engineering and Lands Management Division for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
Hunters are happy too, as fish and wildlife restoration programs funded by Pittman-Roberston have saved several species like white-tailed deer from extinction.
The Wall Street Journal has also cheered for Pittman-Robertson, reporting successful allocations to numerous environmentalist groups in Minnesota, Michigan, South Dakota, Nevada and Oregon.
Unfortunately, revenues from this law are dependent on gun sales, which have decreased in 2014.
Maybe liberal conservationists should help out their own cause and go buy a gun!
The law, which is also known as Pittman-Robertson for the two politicians who initially pushed for its passage, funnels a portion of revenue from an excise tax on all firearms and ammunition imported or sold in the country by manufacturers to a variety of environmental programs: preserving wildlife habitats, creating public hiking trails, protecting endangered species and other conservation efforts.
The money also goes to building public shooting ranges and refurbishing roads and signage into game lands used during hunting season.
Revenues have doubled since President Obama started pushing for more gun control legislation. As reported by The Blaze, in 2012 the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service received $371 million from Pittman-Robertson revenue. Only two years later they received $760 million.
This year North Carolina alone received $19.9 million—more than three times the amount from 2007. According to The Raleigh News Observer, this money has helped The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission successfully cope with budget cuts in state funding.
“We’ve been able to put this money back on the ground for the public to enjoy,” said Erik Christofferson, Head of the Engineering and Lands Management Division for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
Hunters are happy too, as fish and wildlife restoration programs funded by Pittman-Roberston have saved several species like white-tailed deer from extinction.
The Wall Street Journal has also cheered for Pittman-Robertson, reporting successful allocations to numerous environmentalist groups in Minnesota, Michigan, South Dakota, Nevada and Oregon.
Unfortunately, revenues from this law are dependent on gun sales, which have decreased in 2014.
Maybe liberal conservationists should help out their own cause and go buy a gun!
Monday, September 15, 2014
Children Of Shooting Instructor Write Letter To 9 Year Old Who Accidentally Killed Him
In the aftermath of their father’s tragic death, the children of shooting instructor Charlie Vacca have written a letter of forgiveness to the nine-year-old girl who accidentally shot him with an Uzi.
Vacca, a former Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran, was standing next to the girl at the Last Stop shooting range in White Hills, Arizona when the strength of the recoil yanked the Uzi upward. He was shot once in the head, and died at a local hospital several hours later. The girl and her family have not been named publically.
Although many have criticized the girl’s parents and the shooting range for letting a nine year old handle an automatic weapon, the four children — Christopher, Tylor, Elizabeth and Ashley, ages 11 through 19 — did not want the media discourse to “overshadow the impact this tragedy has had on everyone involved,” the family’s lawyer said.
In the letter released by their family attorney James Goodnow, Vacca’s children wrote: “You’re only 9 years old. We think about you. We are worried about you. We pray for you. And we wish you peace. Our dad would want the same thing. […] Our dad would want you to know that you should move forward with your life. You should not let this define you.”
Goodnow confirmed that it was the children’s idea to write the letter. “It’s rare to see something so human in a legal situation like this,” he added.
The maturity of the four Vacca children should be an example for all of the pundits who want to turn a clearly heartbreaking event into another news clip or sound bite.
Vacca, a former Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran, was standing next to the girl at the Last Stop shooting range in White Hills, Arizona when the strength of the recoil yanked the Uzi upward. He was shot once in the head, and died at a local hospital several hours later. The girl and her family have not been named publically.
Although many have criticized the girl’s parents and the shooting range for letting a nine year old handle an automatic weapon, the four children — Christopher, Tylor, Elizabeth and Ashley, ages 11 through 19 — did not want the media discourse to “overshadow the impact this tragedy has had on everyone involved,” the family’s lawyer said.
In the letter released by their family attorney James Goodnow, Vacca’s children wrote: “You’re only 9 years old. We think about you. We are worried about you. We pray for you. And we wish you peace. Our dad would want the same thing. […] Our dad would want you to know that you should move forward with your life. You should not let this define you.”
Goodnow confirmed that it was the children’s idea to write the letter. “It’s rare to see something so human in a legal situation like this,” he added.
The maturity of the four Vacca children should be an example for all of the pundits who want to turn a clearly heartbreaking event into another news clip or sound bite.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
For New Jersey County Prosecutor, A Woman Owning A Gun Is A Worse Crime Than Domestic Abuse
The New Jersey County Prosecutor who let NFL wife beater Ray Rice off the hook is doing everything within his power to send a young mother to prison for accidentally bringing a legally purchased firearm into the state.
Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain, who is being criticized for taking too lenient an approach with Rice, has come down hard on Shaneen Allen, the Philadelphia mom who mistakenly brought a handgun into New Jersey from Pennsylvania earlier this year.
Allen was pulled over for a routine traffic stop a few months after she had purchased a gun to protect herself. Not realizing that her Pennsylvania handgun permit did not apply in New Jersey, she informed the officer that a gun was packed away in the trunk. She was arrested and charged with a felony.
As first time offenders, both Rice and Allen are eligible a diversionary program that would allow them to avoid prison time. While Rice was allowed to take advantage of the program and stay out of jail, McClain has prohibited Allen from doing so.
Now Allen is facing a mandatory three-year prison term while Rice walks away scot-free. At a hearing last month, Allen wiped away tears after a judge denied her motion to dismiss the charges.
Women like Shaneen Allen should have the right to protect themselves. If Rice’s wife Janay had been carrying a weapon, maybe it would have deterred her husband from his vicious attack.
Instead, the New Jersey government believes that a woman owning a gun is a worse crime than domestic abuse.
Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain, who is being criticized for taking too lenient an approach with Rice, has come down hard on Shaneen Allen, the Philadelphia mom who mistakenly brought a handgun into New Jersey from Pennsylvania earlier this year.
Allen was pulled over for a routine traffic stop a few months after she had purchased a gun to protect herself. Not realizing that her Pennsylvania handgun permit did not apply in New Jersey, she informed the officer that a gun was packed away in the trunk. She was arrested and charged with a felony.
As first time offenders, both Rice and Allen are eligible a diversionary program that would allow them to avoid prison time. While Rice was allowed to take advantage of the program and stay out of jail, McClain has prohibited Allen from doing so.
Now Allen is facing a mandatory three-year prison term while Rice walks away scot-free. At a hearing last month, Allen wiped away tears after a judge denied her motion to dismiss the charges.
Women like Shaneen Allen should have the right to protect themselves. If Rice’s wife Janay had been carrying a weapon, maybe it would have deterred her husband from his vicious attack.
Instead, the New Jersey government believes that a woman owning a gun is a worse crime than domestic abuse.
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Rural Sheriffs Standing Up To Gun Control
An increasing number of rural law enforcement officers are refusing to enforce state and federal gun control laws that they believe violate the Second Amendment, according to News 21.
This trend is especially pronounced in states that have very strict gun laws, such as New York and Maryland.
Sheriff Tony Desmond of Scoharie County, New York, has publicly announced that he will not enforce the SAFE Act, the state’s hard line gun control law that passed in 2013.
“If you have an (assault) weapon, which under the SAFE Act is considered illegal, I don’t look at it as being illegal just because someone said it was,” he said.
Other New York Sheriffs, while stopping short of refusing to enforce the SAFE Act outright, are instructing their officers to use personal discretion in punishing violators.
“I feel as an elected official and a chief law enforcement officer of the county it would be irresponsible for me to say, ‘I’m not going to enforce a law I personally disagree with,’” said Sheriff Richard Devlin of Otsego County. “[But] I won’t do anything as far as confiscating weapons. We’re not checking out registrations. People that are lawfully using a firearm for target shooting, we’re not bothering those people.”
According to the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA), there are at least 484 sheriffs around the nation who oppose federal gun control in one form or another. In Colorado, 55 of the state’s 62 sheriffs banded together to sue the state government to overturn the strict gun laws that passed the state legislature in 2013. (The case was dismissed).
The founder of the CSPOA, a former Sheriff from Arizona, says that sheriffs are upholding their duties by opposing gun control.
“I studied what the Founding Fathers meant about the Second Amendment, the right to keep and bear arms, and the conclusion is inescapable,” said Richard Mack, the founder of CSPOA. “There’s no way around it. Gun control in America is against the law.”
This trend is especially pronounced in states that have very strict gun laws, such as New York and Maryland.
Sheriff Tony Desmond of Scoharie County, New York, has publicly announced that he will not enforce the SAFE Act, the state’s hard line gun control law that passed in 2013.
“If you have an (assault) weapon, which under the SAFE Act is considered illegal, I don’t look at it as being illegal just because someone said it was,” he said.
Other New York Sheriffs, while stopping short of refusing to enforce the SAFE Act outright, are instructing their officers to use personal discretion in punishing violators.
“I feel as an elected official and a chief law enforcement officer of the county it would be irresponsible for me to say, ‘I’m not going to enforce a law I personally disagree with,’” said Sheriff Richard Devlin of Otsego County. “[But] I won’t do anything as far as confiscating weapons. We’re not checking out registrations. People that are lawfully using a firearm for target shooting, we’re not bothering those people.”
According to the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA), there are at least 484 sheriffs around the nation who oppose federal gun control in one form or another. In Colorado, 55 of the state’s 62 sheriffs banded together to sue the state government to overturn the strict gun laws that passed the state legislature in 2013. (The case was dismissed).
The founder of the CSPOA, a former Sheriff from Arizona, says that sheriffs are upholding their duties by opposing gun control.
“I studied what the Founding Fathers meant about the Second Amendment, the right to keep and bear arms, and the conclusion is inescapable,” said Richard Mack, the founder of CSPOA. “There’s no way around it. Gun control in America is against the law.”
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Crime Plummets In Chicago As Concealed Carry Permits Rise
The crime rate in Chicago, one of the most dangerous cities in the United States, has plummeted since the state of Illinois began granting concealed carry permits last year.
Robberies, burglaries and car thefts have each dropped by more than twenty percent this year. Homicides have also decreased. In the first quarter of 2014, the city’s homicide rate hit a fifty-six year low.
These trends directly contradict the predictions of Chicago’s anti-gun Police superintendent Gerry McCarthy, who said that concealed carry would make the city more dangerous.
“When people say concealed carry, I say Trayvon Martin,” McCarthy told Chicago’s WVON-AM radio in 2013. “The answer to guns is not more guns, and just simply putting guns in people’s hands is going to lead to more tragedy.”
Now that the statistics have proven him wrong, McCarthy is trying to take credit by saying that the dropping crime rate is due to “intelligent policing strategies.”
Richard Pearson, the executive director of the Illinois State Rifle Association, says that McCarthy is simply trying to cover for his wrongheaded predictions.
“Police haven’t changed one tactic,” he told The Washington Times. “It isn’t any coincidence crime rates started to go down when concealed carry was permitted. Just the idea that the criminals don’t know who’s armed and who isn’t has a deterrence effect.”
Pearson expects that more than 100,000 Illinois residents will have permits by the end of the year. Cook County, which includes Chicago, currently has the largest number of concealed carry applications in the state.
Robberies, burglaries and car thefts have each dropped by more than twenty percent this year. Homicides have also decreased. In the first quarter of 2014, the city’s homicide rate hit a fifty-six year low.
These trends directly contradict the predictions of Chicago’s anti-gun Police superintendent Gerry McCarthy, who said that concealed carry would make the city more dangerous.
“When people say concealed carry, I say Trayvon Martin,” McCarthy told Chicago’s WVON-AM radio in 2013. “The answer to guns is not more guns, and just simply putting guns in people’s hands is going to lead to more tragedy.”
Now that the statistics have proven him wrong, McCarthy is trying to take credit by saying that the dropping crime rate is due to “intelligent policing strategies.”
Richard Pearson, the executive director of the Illinois State Rifle Association, says that McCarthy is simply trying to cover for his wrongheaded predictions.
“Police haven’t changed one tactic,” he told The Washington Times. “It isn’t any coincidence crime rates started to go down when concealed carry was permitted. Just the idea that the criminals don’t know who’s armed and who isn’t has a deterrence effect.”
Pearson expects that more than 100,000 Illinois residents will have permits by the end of the year. Cook County, which includes Chicago, currently has the largest number of concealed carry applications in the state.
Monday, August 25, 2014
For The Media, Not All Murders Are Created Equal
Every day, children around the country are murdered for no reason — caught in the crossfire during drive by shootings, killed by abusive parents, murdered in cold blood over silly juvenile disputes. Yet it seems like the only time that anyone pays attention is when the police are the ones that pull the trigger.
That is why it is so hard to take it seriously when the media goes into a feeding frenzy over something like the events in Ferguson, MO. Michael Brown didn’t deserve to die, but neither have the dozens of children, many of them who are younger than Brown, who have been killed in the two weeks since Brown’s death.
Here are just a few of the killings that have taken place over the past few days:
• In Georgia, a boy was shot to death just hours after celebrating his 13th birthday. A 17 year old has been arrested and charged with the crime, which police believe may be a case of mistaken identity.
• In Chicago, a three year old is in critical condition after accidentally being shot in the head. His father fled the seen and is being sought for questioning.
• In Pennsylvania, an eighteen year old was shot and killed by a fifteen year old while sitting in a parked car.
Where were the TV cameras? Where are the protests? Where is Attorney General Eric Holder?
If politicians and the media devoted half the attention to everyday murders as they do to “police violence”, maybe some of these children would still be alive today.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
NRA’s Nugent Has To Go
Last week, a pro-gun newspaper columnist in South Dakota attacked rocker Ted Nugent for his history of racist remarks, calling on the NRA to cut off its relationship with him. It is a huge relief to finally see a fellow conservative with the guts to call out Nugent. He is nothing more than a racist bigot who gives gun owners a bad name.
Nugent has been saying inflammatory and racist things for decades, using the n-word in interviews and defending South African apartheid. Most recently, he called the president a “subhuman mongrel” and a “chimpanzee” and referred to tribal officials in Idaho as “unclean vermin.”
Of course, Nugent is entitled to his views and free to share them with anyone who will listen. But this doesn’t mean that the NRA should continue to employ him as one of its best-known spokesmen.
The NRA is a major pillar of the conservative community and it has a responsibility to protect the image of its members and of gun owners as a whole. What kind of message is it sending to voters by employing a spokesman who believes that Africans are a “different breed”?
Maybe the NRA enjoys the attention Nugent generates. Maybe it is afraid of sparking a backlash on the fringe. Maybe it simply doesn’t want to hand a victory to the gun grabbers on the left.
None of these are sufficient reasons to continue supporting Nugent. As a proud gun owner and conservative, I am sick of being associated with him.
Nugent has been saying inflammatory and racist things for decades, using the n-word in interviews and defending South African apartheid. Most recently, he called the president a “subhuman mongrel” and a “chimpanzee” and referred to tribal officials in Idaho as “unclean vermin.”
Of course, Nugent is entitled to his views and free to share them with anyone who will listen. But this doesn’t mean that the NRA should continue to employ him as one of its best-known spokesmen.
The NRA is a major pillar of the conservative community and it has a responsibility to protect the image of its members and of gun owners as a whole. What kind of message is it sending to voters by employing a spokesman who believes that Africans are a “different breed”?
Maybe the NRA enjoys the attention Nugent generates. Maybe it is afraid of sparking a backlash on the fringe. Maybe it simply doesn’t want to hand a victory to the gun grabbers on the left.
None of these are sufficient reasons to continue supporting Nugent. As a proud gun owner and conservative, I am sick of being associated with him.
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Prosecution Of Shaneen Allen Takes Another Step Forward
Shaneen Allen, the single mother who was unfairly charged with a felony for unknowingly violating New Jersey’s gun control laws, took another step toward prison last week when a judge denied her motion to dismiss the charges. Allen will now go to a jury trial. If convicted, she will face a mandatory minimum of three years in prison.
Allen is a Philadelphia resident who was driving through New Jersey when she was pulled over for a routine traffic violation. Having recently completed a firearms training course, she followed correct procedure and informed the officer that she had a handgun stored in the trunk of her car. Because Allen’s gun permit was from Pennsylvania and not from New Jersey, she was arrested and charged with felony gun possession.
It is true that Allen broke the law by having an out-of-state gun in the trunk of her car. Yet she did so unknowingly and she told the police voluntarily. She has no prior criminal record and she poses zero threat to society. If there ever were a case for leniency, this is it.
Yet instead of being reasonable, the Judge and District Attorney are doing everything they can to ruin Allen’s life. In addition to refusing to dismiss her case, the judge last week upheld a decision by the District Attorney to exclude Allen from a diversionary program for first time offenders that would keep her out of prison. They have not provided an explanation as to why she is being excluded from the program.
Why would you go above and beyond to take an innocent woman away from her family? What does it accomplish?
Shaneen Allen’s case is what happens when the tyranny and bureaucracy of gun control are allowed to go unchecked.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Former President Carter Thinks Hamas is Legitimate
Hamas, an official terrorist group by the State Department, has been given the stamp of approval by former Democratic President Jimmy Carter.
In an op-ed for the supposedly “independent” magazine Foreign Policy, President Carter and former President of Ireland Mary Robinson write:
“Only by recognizing its legitimacy as a political actor -- one that represents a substantial portion of the Palestinian people -- can the West begin to provide the right incentives for Hamas to lay down its weapons. Ever since the internationally monitored 2006 elections that brought Hamas to power in Palestine, the West's approach has manifestly contributed to the opposite result.”
This kind of backwards logic is astounding. No politician—Democrat or Republican—in his or her right mind would support a terrorist organization and acquiesce to its tactics.
However, because Israel is involved, radical left-wing figures like Carter and Rep. Keith Ellison from Minnesota choose to ignore Hamas and place all the blame on the only democracy in the Middle East. This is not the way to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
As Hot Air accurately notes, “Recognizing and legitimizing a terrorist group will not cause them to give up but instead give them impunity for their terrorist acts.” By giving President Carter the platform to air such dangerous thoughts, Hamas apologists like him will only continue to grow in influence.
In an op-ed for the supposedly “independent” magazine Foreign Policy, President Carter and former President of Ireland Mary Robinson write:
“Only by recognizing its legitimacy as a political actor -- one that represents a substantial portion of the Palestinian people -- can the West begin to provide the right incentives for Hamas to lay down its weapons. Ever since the internationally monitored 2006 elections that brought Hamas to power in Palestine, the West's approach has manifestly contributed to the opposite result.”
This kind of backwards logic is astounding. No politician—Democrat or Republican—in his or her right mind would support a terrorist organization and acquiesce to its tactics.
However, because Israel is involved, radical left-wing figures like Carter and Rep. Keith Ellison from Minnesota choose to ignore Hamas and place all the blame on the only democracy in the Middle East. This is not the way to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
As Hot Air accurately notes, “Recognizing and legitimizing a terrorist group will not cause them to give up but instead give them impunity for their terrorist acts.” By giving President Carter the platform to air such dangerous thoughts, Hamas apologists like him will only continue to grow in influence.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Mainstream Media Overlooks PA Hospital’s Gun Ban After Doctor’s Heroics
Last week, an armed Pennsylvania doctor was able to wound and subdue a crazed shooter who had already killed one person at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital in Philadelphia. All of this took place in a “gun free zone”. The doctor’s decision to violate the hospital’s gun ban by bringing a weapon to work likely saved many lives.
Yet you won’t hear any of this in the mainstream media, who are bending over backwards to ignore the “gun free zone” aspect of the story. The New York Times coverage doesn’t mention the hospital’s gun ban at all. The NPR report glosses over the ban, barely bringing it up. Many mainstream news outlets didn’t even report this amazing story in the first place.
Here is how the shooting went down.
The gunman, Richard Plotts, was at a scheduled appointment with Dr. Lee Silverman and his caseworker, Theresa Hunt. Plotts, who has extensive mental health issues and a prior criminal background, pulled out his handgun and shot Hunt in the head, killing her instantly.
He then turned his gun on Dr. Silverman, not realizing that the doctor was carrying a semi-automatic of his own. After a fierce gun battle in which both Silverman and the gunman were wounded, another caseworker rushed in and was able to wrestle the gunman to the ground and subdue him.
Dr. Silverman was violating the hospital’s anti-gun policy by bringing a firearm to work. Yet thanks to his defiance of the policy, a catastrophe was averted.
The local police chief confirmed this, saying: “Without a doubt, I believe the doctor saved lives. Without that firearm, this guy (the patient) could have went out in the hallway and just walked down the offices until he ran out of ammunition.”
This story perfectly illustrates the silliness of “gun free zones”. Yet you won’t find any mention of the hospital’s gun ban in much of the mainstream media articles about the case.
Monday, July 28, 2014
Home Invasion Turns Anti-Gun Couple Into Gun Owners
After a violent home invasion and sexual assault violated their sense of security and dignity, formerly gun-adverse New Jersey couple James Dittrich and Meredith Duffy are now proud gun owners.
Before the assault, Dittrich and Duffy were strongly anti gun.
“I didn’t want a gun. I specifically didn’t want one,” Dittrich told ABC News. “I was very much opposed to hav[ing] one.”
That all changed after two assailants, who were most likely high on methamphetamine, forced Dittrich at gunpoint to let them into his apartment. Once inside, one assailant began to beat him to a pulp while the other sexually assaulted Duffy in the adjacent room. Fortunately Dittrich was able to grab the assailants’ weapon for long enough to allow Duffy to call 911. The attackers fled the apartment before the police arrived.
“I guess I got the realization that the police really can’t protect you,” Dittrich said. “They can respond, and they can protect you once the get there. But [until then], you are on your own."
When ABC News asked if owning a gun makes her feel safer, Duffy responded firmly: “Oh, one hundred percent.”
Duffy is one of many women who are making decision to buy a gun. With one in five women the victims of sexual assault and violent crime on the rise after a two-decade decline, more and more women are arming themselves.
Before the assault, Dittrich and Duffy were strongly anti gun.
“I didn’t want a gun. I specifically didn’t want one,” Dittrich told ABC News. “I was very much opposed to hav[ing] one.”
That all changed after two assailants, who were most likely high on methamphetamine, forced Dittrich at gunpoint to let them into his apartment. Once inside, one assailant began to beat him to a pulp while the other sexually assaulted Duffy in the adjacent room. Fortunately Dittrich was able to grab the assailants’ weapon for long enough to allow Duffy to call 911. The attackers fled the apartment before the police arrived.
“I guess I got the realization that the police really can’t protect you,” Dittrich said. “They can respond, and they can protect you once the get there. But [until then], you are on your own."
When ABC News asked if owning a gun makes her feel safer, Duffy responded firmly: “Oh, one hundred percent.”
Duffy is one of many women who are making decision to buy a gun. With one in five women the victims of sexual assault and violent crime on the rise after a two-decade decline, more and more women are arming themselves.
Monday, July 21, 2014
Larry Pratt: Gun Control’s Secret Weapon
Gun rights supporters are only hurting ourselves when we give money to people like Larry Pratt of Gun Owners of America. Pratt is a racist and a lunatic who plays right into the absurd liberal stereotype that gun owners are “extremists”.
A recent article in Rolling Stone reports how Pratt has spoken in front of the Aryan Nation and the KKK. He praised a Guatemalan militia leader who massacred 2,500 people as a “powerful Christian leader.” He has ties to anti-Semitic groups.
Pratt even justified Timothy McVeigh’s killing of 168 people as the act of a man who was dealing with a government that “behaves as a beast”.
Given Pratt’s track record, it is not surprising that the left wing media is using him to smear gun rights supporters as freaks and wing nuts.
Pratt and his ilk don’t care how much they damage the Second Amendment cause, as long as they are bringing in the dollars. They happily sell out conservatives by making all of us seem like we are hiding out under a tarp in Idaho with fifty machine guns.
Anyone who truly supports gun rights would never give money to this man or anyone like him.
A recent article in Rolling Stone reports how Pratt has spoken in front of the Aryan Nation and the KKK. He praised a Guatemalan militia leader who massacred 2,500 people as a “powerful Christian leader.” He has ties to anti-Semitic groups.
Pratt even justified Timothy McVeigh’s killing of 168 people as the act of a man who was dealing with a government that “behaves as a beast”.
Given Pratt’s track record, it is not surprising that the left wing media is using him to smear gun rights supporters as freaks and wing nuts.
Pratt and his ilk don’t care how much they damage the Second Amendment cause, as long as they are bringing in the dollars. They happily sell out conservatives by making all of us seem like we are hiding out under a tarp in Idaho with fifty machine guns.
Anyone who truly supports gun rights would never give money to this man or anyone like him.
Friday, July 18, 2014
Political Celebrities and Celebrity Politicians
Hollywood and Washington are an indistinguishable mess. Celebrities think they are political leaders and politicians think they are celebrities. All of them should stick to their day jobs.
Just look at Hillary Clinton. Earlier this week, she was on The Daily Show (again) playing coy about whether she will run for President in 2016. She has done this “maybe yes, maybe no” game so many times that it has become a press tactic to promote her new book.
It doesn’t even matter if she decides to run — she is already getting all of the money and attention that she could ever need!
The only thing worse than when politicians pretend to be celebrities is when celebrities pretend to be politicians.
This was on full display earlier this week after the unfortunate terrorist attacks against Israel. Both Rihanna and Dwight Howard tweeted and then quickly deleted “Free Palestine,” claiming that the tweets were accidental mistakes.
Although their tweets are not as bad as Eddie Vedder’s malicious rant against Israel at a recent concert, they are still recklessly harmful. It is our duty as Americans to support Israel, the only democracy in a region rife with fundamentalism, human rights abuses and terror.
This past week has shown that politicians and celebrities should stick to what they know.
Just look at Hillary Clinton. Earlier this week, she was on The Daily Show (again) playing coy about whether she will run for President in 2016. She has done this “maybe yes, maybe no” game so many times that it has become a press tactic to promote her new book.
It doesn’t even matter if she decides to run — she is already getting all of the money and attention that she could ever need!
The only thing worse than when politicians pretend to be celebrities is when celebrities pretend to be politicians.
This was on full display earlier this week after the unfortunate terrorist attacks against Israel. Both Rihanna and Dwight Howard tweeted and then quickly deleted “Free Palestine,” claiming that the tweets were accidental mistakes.
Although their tweets are not as bad as Eddie Vedder’s malicious rant against Israel at a recent concert, they are still recklessly harmful. It is our duty as Americans to support Israel, the only democracy in a region rife with fundamentalism, human rights abuses and terror.
This past week has shown that politicians and celebrities should stick to what they know.
Monday, July 14, 2014
New Jersey’s Gun Laws: Taking Innocent Single Mothers Away From Their Children
Once again, New Jersey has shown why it has some of the worst gun laws in the country.
A Philadelphia mother of two is facing a minimum three-year prison sentence simply for bringing a legally obtained gun within New Jersey state lines.
Last fall, Shaneen Allen was pulled over for a routine traffic stop in Atlantic County. Not realizing that her Pennsylvania gun license did not apply in the state of New Jersey, she voluntarily gave the police officer her firearms license and told him that she had a gun packed away in the back of her car.
Now she is facing a minimum of three years behind bars for what essentially amounts to a misunderstanding.
Despite having all of the proper licenses and training and despite being a single mother who owned a gun simply to “protect me and my kids,” the state of New Jersey considers Shaneen Allen to be a dangerous felon.
Allen has been charged under a draconian law called the Graves Act, which mandates that unlawful possession of a firearm is a second-degree crime punishable by a minimum of three years in New Jersey State Prison without parole.
This means that the judge has almost no discretion in this case. If Allen is convicted, the judge will have no choice but to send her to jail. Her children, who already do not have a father, would also be without a mother for the next three years.
This is both an individual tragedy and a gross violation of the Second Amendment. Gun laws exist to keep people safe, not to take innocent single mothers away from their children.
If anyone has to go to prison, it should be the statist bureaucrats who passed these laws in the first place.
(image source: http://www.ammoland.com/2014/07/njs-racist-sexist-gun-control-claims-yet-another-victim/#axzz37SDUmJWL)
Monday, July 7, 2014
More Friendly Fire From The Open Carry Movement
Open carriers have struck again, handing another victory to gun control activists and opponents of the Second Amendment. Thanks to the shenanigans of these idiots, Target has now joined Starbucks and Chipotle in asking customers not to bring guns to its stores.
Open carry activists have officially accomplished the exact opposite of what they set out to do. Instead of expanding gun rights, they’ve ensured that one of the biggest retail chains in the country is essentially a gun free zone.
As you might expect, the left wing media could not be happier. A quick Google search reveals that dozens of liberal publications have already jumped on this story, including Huffington Post, the New York Daily News and the Washington Post.
Tell me – how does being ridiculed in half of the country’s newspapers help the Second Amendment cause?
Peacocking around with an assault rifle is simply not going to help promote the Second Amendment. All it will do is scare away moderates and independents and drive them to side with our opponents.
These tactics are especially alienating to businesses, as the news from Target proves yet again. At the end of the day, companies like Target are going to protect their profits and side with the majority of their customers. You can’t really blame them for not wanting people with assault rifles roaming the aisles and driving shoppers over to Wal-Mart.
The ruling is in: the “open carry” movement is a self-defeating failure.
Friday, June 27, 2014
New Poll Shows That Republican “War on Women” Is A Lie
The Democrats’ nonstop talk about the Republican “War on Women” is nothing more than a contrived lie. The issues that women care about most are areas where Republicans are strongest—leadership and the economy.
This is confirmed in a recent Republican National Committee poll that found that the most important issues for women are not abortion and birth control, but jobs and household finances. It also found that women value “problem solving”, and are deeply unsatisfied with the status quo in Washington.
This poll shows that women care about far more than so-called “women’s issues”, like liberals would have you believe. Many women share conservative values of limited government and fiscal restraint. Many women support gun rights and keeping the federal government out of our educational system.
Thankfully, the Republican Party is finally starting to recruit female leaders who embody these values.
Take Mia Love, who will most likely win Utah’s 4th congressional district in November: The daughter of Haitian immigrants and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she is proof against the stereotype that all Republicans are old, stodgy white men.
Or Marilinda Garcia, current member of New Hampshire’s House of Representatives and candidate for its 2nd congressional district this fall: Not only is she a Harvard-educated Hispanic women first elected to Congress at only 23 years old, the Republican National Committee named her one of its “Rising Stars” last year.
With so many intelligent, well-spoken and sensible Republican women stepping into the political spotlight, conservative women are finally starting to shine.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Public School Censors Conservatives And Second Amendment Supporters
School administrators in Woodbury, CT, are blocking conservative websites on school computers and leaving liberal websites untouched.
This shocking act of censorship was discovered when a student named Andrew Lampart was preparing for a school debate on the Second Amendment. During his research, Andrew found that pro-gun websites were blocked on the school’s computers, while anti-gun websites were not.
After some more exploring, he found that all kinds of conservative websites were blocked—Red State, Town Hall and even the website for the Connecticut Republican Party. Yet he could access liberal websites just fine.
When Andrew asked school administrators what was happening, they said that the websites were blocked to prevent “hate speech”.
This type of thing makes my blood boil. It is bad enough that schools let liberal teachers spout their lefty views in the classroom. But having an official school policy of censorship toward conservatives? That should be flat out illegal.
This act of censorship illustrates — yet again — how far liberals will go to indoctrinate young people. Every chance they get, they tell young people that conservatism is bad and that it promotes “hatred”.
It’s no wonder that everyone under the age of thirty voted for Obama. They were just doing what their teachers’ told them!
Monday, June 23, 2014
The Truth About Fracking
Let’s say you could see the future. And in the future you saw a guaranteed way to increase state revenue and positively support your local community. Wouldn’t you take it?
Some of my fellow Pennsylvanians think otherwise. We are currently sitting on the gold mine that is the Marcellus Shale gas formation. Yet we can’t take advantage of its limitless potential due to the fear mongering of the environmental lobby and misinformation put out by the left.
Last year’s documentary FrackNation confronts the fear mongers head on, using actual data to show that hydraulic fracturing—or fracking, as it is more commonly known—is not as destructive as claimed to be.
Fracking is obviously not a foolproof process. I have apprehensions about potential environmental contamination, as any mother would. Governor Tom Corbett recently lifted the ban on leasing land near state parks and forests for fracking causes me some concern. However, I do not let these concerns because irrational fears.
The majority of Pennsylvanians—around 58% of voters—support fracking. We know that the oil and gas industry added more than 10,000 jobs in Pennsylvania alone from 2007 to 2011. We know that in the same time period, per-capita income rose by 19% in counties with more than 200 wells, and by 14% in counties with between 20 and 200 wells. We know that fracking is helping America inch closer to energy independence (something you never hear liberals talking about anymore – I wonder why?)
I care about my state. Anyone who does should logically support fracking too. But the left has caused cognitive dissonance in the minds of many impressionable Pennsylvanians. It is time for the truth about fracking’s benefits to finally come out, before we lose out on all it has to offer.
Some of my fellow Pennsylvanians think otherwise. We are currently sitting on the gold mine that is the Marcellus Shale gas formation. Yet we can’t take advantage of its limitless potential due to the fear mongering of the environmental lobby and misinformation put out by the left.
Last year’s documentary FrackNation confronts the fear mongers head on, using actual data to show that hydraulic fracturing—or fracking, as it is more commonly known—is not as destructive as claimed to be.
Fracking is obviously not a foolproof process. I have apprehensions about potential environmental contamination, as any mother would. Governor Tom Corbett recently lifted the ban on leasing land near state parks and forests for fracking causes me some concern. However, I do not let these concerns because irrational fears.
The majority of Pennsylvanians—around 58% of voters—support fracking. We know that the oil and gas industry added more than 10,000 jobs in Pennsylvania alone from 2007 to 2011. We know that in the same time period, per-capita income rose by 19% in counties with more than 200 wells, and by 14% in counties with between 20 and 200 wells. We know that fracking is helping America inch closer to energy independence (something you never hear liberals talking about anymore – I wonder why?)
I care about my state. Anyone who does should logically support fracking too. But the left has caused cognitive dissonance in the minds of many impressionable Pennsylvanians. It is time for the truth about fracking’s benefits to finally come out, before we lose out on all it has to offer.
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Why Women Carry
All around the United States, women are finding the advantages of having a concealed carry permit.
New statistics from Washington show that women are obtaining permits twice as fast as men. A concealed carry instructor in Kentucky, where permits have quadrupled in the past decade, reports that 60-70% of his students are women. Nationwide, the number of female gun owners has almost doubled since 2005.
These women come from all sorts of backgrounds — they are mothers, daughters, and small business owners. Some are young, some are old. Many of them come from liberal areas where gun ownership is not all that common (check out this Seattle Times photo essay about female gun owners in the Washington area.)
But nearly all of them carry a firearm for the same reason — to protect themselves and their families.
These women know that by the time the police arrive it is often too late to stop an assault or a home invasion. They’ve heard the horrifying statistics about how one in five women are victims of sexual assault.
That’s why they are taking inspiration women like Erin in Houston, who was tucking her son into bed when three masked men entered her house. She distracted the men, grabbed her gun, and shot one of the burglars.
This mother was able to protect herself, her son and her home, all by exercising her Second Amendment rights. We can only imagine the tragedy that could have occurred if she hadn’t been allowed to have a weapon.
New statistics from Washington show that women are obtaining permits twice as fast as men. A concealed carry instructor in Kentucky, where permits have quadrupled in the past decade, reports that 60-70% of his students are women. Nationwide, the number of female gun owners has almost doubled since 2005.
These women come from all sorts of backgrounds — they are mothers, daughters, and small business owners. Some are young, some are old. Many of them come from liberal areas where gun ownership is not all that common (check out this Seattle Times photo essay about female gun owners in the Washington area.)
But nearly all of them carry a firearm for the same reason — to protect themselves and their families.
These women know that by the time the police arrive it is often too late to stop an assault or a home invasion. They’ve heard the horrifying statistics about how one in five women are victims of sexual assault.
That’s why they are taking inspiration women like Erin in Houston, who was tucking her son into bed when three masked men entered her house. She distracted the men, grabbed her gun, and shot one of the burglars.
This mother was able to protect herself, her son and her home, all by exercising her Second Amendment rights. We can only imagine the tragedy that could have occurred if she hadn’t been allowed to have a weapon.
Monday, June 16, 2014
The Fall Out from Cantor’s Loss
Knowing that I started this blog, one of my liberal sorority sisters from college sent me this article about Eric Cantor’s primary loss last week:
The lamestream media has been having a field day with David Brat’s win, especially since they discovered the public Facebook page of his 23-year old campaign manager Zachary Werrell. Some snippets from the Facebook page:
- Comparing George Zimmerman’s shooting of Trayvon Martin to abortion
- Calling for the end of prescription drug regulation, and the FDA as a whole
- Advocating for a return to the silver monetary standard
I’m glad she sent me this article. It clearly shows how the Republican Party is slowly being taken over by the silly fringe element.
The fact that Brat, a college professor and political novice, beat the House Majority Leader is not even the worst part. It is the fact that people like Werrell are grabbing attention in all the wrong ways.
If this pattern continues, it will ruin our chances in the next presidential election. Our nominee for 2016 will have to appease these inflammatory voices in order to effectively engage voters. But they will never really be satisfied, and will distract our party even more from its core values.
I am disappointed to see Eric Cantor go.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Happy Birthday President George HW Bush!
Today is the 90th Birthday of war hero, patriot and President George Herbert Walker Bush. HW Bush is a true leader who worked tirelessly to make America great.
And he celebrated his birthday by skydiving! I can only hope that I’m as courageous and healthy when I’m 90.
A big Happy Birthday from my whole family to this American hero.
And he celebrated his birthday by skydiving! I can only hope that I’m as courageous and healthy when I’m 90.
A big Happy Birthday from my whole family to this American hero.
Friday, June 6, 2014
Why Did The NRA Back Down?
I am a strong Second Amendment supporter. I own a gun. I believe in the God-given right to bear arms.
But these “open carry” shenanigans in Texas are reckless, unsafe, and damaging to the cause of gun rights.
That’s why I found the NRA’s condemnation of these acts to be such a welcome change of tone. The criticisms were spot on — carrying an assault weapon around a fast food joint is “dangerous”, “dubious”, and “counterproductive”.
Even supporters of open carry are saying that the antics do more harm than good. Of course they do!
But then the NRA flip-flopped and issued an apology. Just like so many other conservative groups, the NRA allows itself to be held hostage by its loudest and most extreme members.
This kind of thing is exactly why conservatives are still struggling to take power back in this country. We are our own worst enemies.
We have better ideas, better candidates and more grassroots passion – and yet we let ourselves be defined by talk radio types and weirdos who carry assault rifles into grocery stores.
It’s too bad the NRA doesn’t have the spine to stand by its beliefs. What does it say about the NRA that it won’t stand up to a few hoodlums?
But these “open carry” shenanigans in Texas are reckless, unsafe, and damaging to the cause of gun rights.
That’s why I found the NRA’s condemnation of these acts to be such a welcome change of tone. The criticisms were spot on — carrying an assault weapon around a fast food joint is “dangerous”, “dubious”, and “counterproductive”.
Even supporters of open carry are saying that the antics do more harm than good. Of course they do!
But then the NRA flip-flopped and issued an apology. Just like so many other conservative groups, the NRA allows itself to be held hostage by its loudest and most extreme members.
This kind of thing is exactly why conservatives are still struggling to take power back in this country. We are our own worst enemies.
We have better ideas, better candidates and more grassroots passion – and yet we let ourselves be defined by talk radio types and weirdos who carry assault rifles into grocery stores.
It’s too bad the NRA doesn’t have the spine to stand by its beliefs. What does it say about the NRA that it won’t stand up to a few hoodlums?
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Parenting And The California Mass Murder
Lost in all the media frenzy about the California mass stabbing/ shooting is an important message about parenting. Kids today grow up believing that they are God’s gift to planet Earth and that they can do nothing wrong. All over America, parents are spoiling their children and telling them that the world is their oyster.
I don’t want to single out Elliott Rodger’s parents in particular — millions of parents are raising their children in the exact same way that the Rodgers raised Elliott — but there is no question that parenting style contributed to this massacre.
Elliott Rodger is a worst-case scenario of what modern parenting can lead to. His parents coddled him, giving him money and a BMW and sending him off to a beautiful college on the beach. Instead of helping him, these gifts just made him weaker and less equipped for the real world. He complained about how the world wasn’t “fair” and how he was “forced to suffer”. Eventually he decided to take out his anger through violence.
Yes, Elliott also suffered from serious mental illness. But the “treatment” that he received for his psychological problems just re-enforced his self-regard. He spent years talking to therapists about his problems, even seeing multiple therapists at a time. In the end, all of the “experts” were powerless to stop him.
The ultimate responsibility for the deaths of six innocent people lies with Elliott himself. But his parents also deserve a lot of the blame. Maybe what Elliot needed was more discipline and less pampering.
I don’t want to single out Elliott Rodger’s parents in particular — millions of parents are raising their children in the exact same way that the Rodgers raised Elliott — but there is no question that parenting style contributed to this massacre.
Elliott Rodger is a worst-case scenario of what modern parenting can lead to. His parents coddled him, giving him money and a BMW and sending him off to a beautiful college on the beach. Instead of helping him, these gifts just made him weaker and less equipped for the real world. He complained about how the world wasn’t “fair” and how he was “forced to suffer”. Eventually he decided to take out his anger through violence.
Yes, Elliott also suffered from serious mental illness. But the “treatment” that he received for his psychological problems just re-enforced his self-regard. He spent years talking to therapists about his problems, even seeing multiple therapists at a time. In the end, all of the “experts” were powerless to stop him.
The ultimate responsibility for the deaths of six innocent people lies with Elliott himself. But his parents also deserve a lot of the blame. Maybe what Elliot needed was more discipline and less pampering.
Thursday, May 22, 2014
The Fallout From Chipotle
Brandishing semi-automatic weapons in busy restaurants is not a good way to promote the Second Amendment. Apparently a few fringe activists in Texas don’t quite understand this, and now their story is all over the news making gun owners look ridiculous.
People need to realize that these kinds of crazy stunts damage the cause of gun rights. The liberal media inevitably use these stories to make gun supporters look silly.
The Second Amendment is about having the ability to protect yourself and your family. It isn’t about taking part in acts of political theater that alienate 98% of Americans. I’m pretty sure that I am not the only gun owner who believes that.
And yet the gun rights movement lets itself be defined by people who think it is a good idea to bring military grade weapons into family restaurants, and then post pictures of it online for everyone to see. Why?
Pro-gun politicians and the NRA need to speak out against these inflammatory tactics more often, before they do more damage to the cause. If they don’t, there’s no telling how much the Second Amendment will suffer.
People need to realize that these kinds of crazy stunts damage the cause of gun rights. The liberal media inevitably use these stories to make gun supporters look silly.
The Second Amendment is about having the ability to protect yourself and your family. It isn’t about taking part in acts of political theater that alienate 98% of Americans. I’m pretty sure that I am not the only gun owner who believes that.
And yet the gun rights movement lets itself be defined by people who think it is a good idea to bring military grade weapons into family restaurants, and then post pictures of it online for everyone to see. Why?
Pro-gun politicians and the NRA need to speak out against these inflammatory tactics more often, before they do more damage to the cause. If they don’t, there’s no telling how much the Second Amendment will suffer.
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Talk To Your Kids About Heroin
All around America, one of the biggest threats that law enforcement is facing is the spread of heroin. The number of deadly heroin overdoses has been rising every year. Last week, a first grader in here in PA accidentally brought his grandmother’s heroin to school.
Now the men and women of law enforcement in Bucks County are fighting back. It’s great to see them taking the initiative to stop this problem before it gets any worse.
But parents also have a responsibility to stop this epidemic. If you have teenagers like I do, you need to sit them down and talk to them about this problem. You need to make it clear that heroin is deadly, and that they need to tell you if their friends are doing it.
Even if you think that your kids are perfect and they always say no to drugs, you never know what might be happening at school. It is better to be safe than sorry.
Now the men and women of law enforcement in Bucks County are fighting back. It’s great to see them taking the initiative to stop this problem before it gets any worse.
But parents also have a responsibility to stop this epidemic. If you have teenagers like I do, you need to sit them down and talk to them about this problem. You need to make it clear that heroin is deadly, and that they need to tell you if their friends are doing it.
Even if you think that your kids are perfect and they always say no to drugs, you never know what might be happening at school. It is better to be safe than sorry.
Friday, May 9, 2014
Study Says Divorce is “Contagious”
So apparently researchers have figured out that divorce spreads from person to person like a disease!
If you are friends with someone who is divorced, you are 75% more likely to get divorced than someone who isn’t.
If you have a friend of a friend who gets divorced, you are 33% percent more likely to get divorced.
The researchers say this is because people follow their friends’ examples. If your friends get divorced, you are more likely to consider it yourself. You might think: “if they aren’t happy, then maybe I’m not really happy either.”
I say that just because your friends do something, that doesn’t mean that you have to. It’s like what I tell my kids: if your friends jumped off a bridge, would you?
If you are friends with someone who is divorced, you are 75% more likely to get divorced than someone who isn’t.
If you have a friend of a friend who gets divorced, you are 33% percent more likely to get divorced.
The researchers say this is because people follow their friends’ examples. If your friends get divorced, you are more likely to consider it yourself. You might think: “if they aren’t happy, then maybe I’m not really happy either.”
I say that just because your friends do something, that doesn’t mean that you have to. It’s like what I tell my kids: if your friends jumped off a bridge, would you?
Monday, May 5, 2014
Liberals Want You To “Deal With” Obamacare
An MSNBC host unleashed some Grade A insanity on Obamacare the other day, telling people: “You can’t keep your crappy coverage, deal with that.”
My oldest son is self-employed, and his premium almost doubled after Obamacare went into effect in January. I’m sure he would absolutely love to keep his “crappy plan.” Now he has to pay twice as much for a plan that puts doctors out of business.
Fantastic!
Thursday, May 1, 2014
My View on Politics
Conservatives need to start taking politics seriously again. We need to stop letting the silliest voices on our side dominate the conversation. We need to show Americans the truth — that our best candidates are the most qualified leaders that America has to offer.
In 2012, Mitt Romney was more qualified than Barack Obama in every single way. Yet the fringe element in our party turned the primary into a three-ring circus. By the time the election rolled around, America was so sick of the theatrics that Romney didn’t stand a chance.
In 2008, John McCain caved to talk radio types and picked a little known Mayor from rural Alaska as his running mate. Sarah Palin gave him a boost…for about three days. I agree with many of her positions, but even supporters realized that she was clearly not ready for the job. Conservative women were set back a decade by the time the liberal mainstream media finished cutting apart Palin.
This happens all the time, and it needs to stop. Attention – grabbing candidates and media personalities have been sabotaging the Republican Party for too long. America’s future is too important to let this continue.
In 2012, Mitt Romney was more qualified than Barack Obama in every single way. Yet the fringe element in our party turned the primary into a three-ring circus. By the time the election rolled around, America was so sick of the theatrics that Romney didn’t stand a chance.
In 2008, John McCain caved to talk radio types and picked a little known Mayor from rural Alaska as his running mate. Sarah Palin gave him a boost…for about three days. I agree with many of her positions, but even supporters realized that she was clearly not ready for the job. Conservative women were set back a decade by the time the liberal mainstream media finished cutting apart Palin.
This happens all the time, and it needs to stop. Attention – grabbing candidates and media personalities have been sabotaging the Republican Party for too long. America’s future is too important to let this continue.
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