Category: Current Events & Politics

Connecticut Gun Owners Betrayed by Their State Legislature

Connecticut is known as a progenitor of American Liberty. There were some small War of Independence battles fought at Stonington (1775), Danbury (1777), New Haven (1779), and New London (1781.) But sadly, legislators in Connecticut just dutifully lined up for their Kool-Aid cups and voted for a ban so-called “assault” weapons, a ban on private party sales of used guns, creates a new “ammunition eligibility certificate,” and mandates a ban on the manufacture or sale and a registry for high capacity magazines. Do these buffoons have any concept of how many millions of magazines larger that 10 round capacity exist, …


Two Letters Re: Things to Understand When Interacting With the Police

Dear Editor: In response to R.B. and his comments on “Things to Understand When Interacting With the Police,” I’d like to share “Some Things He Needs to Understand When Interacting With Civilians.” We’ve long abandoned the idea that the police are interested in helping us when they interact with us. We expect, for good reason, that any encounter with a police officer is going to be a reminder that right or wrong, he or she is a cop, they must be respected no matter how inhumane their behavior, and that any error on the part of the officer is inconsequential. …


Letter Re: Things to Understand When Interacting With Police

James, In my opinion 99.9% of preppers are law-abiding citizens who fear God and want nothing more than to be left alone to live their lives in peace and prosperity. Having said that I take extreme exception to the recent article entitled, “Things to Understand When Interacting With Police”, by G.S. from Florida. G.S. is a defense attorney who used to be a prosecuting attorney. Let me introduce myself as much as I can. I am a prepper and a police detective in a Western state and have arrested many criminals over the years. I have been in many jury …


Letter Re: Why Colorado is Running Out of Water

Hi Folks, I’m a transplant to my now-home state of Colorado.  When I came here where I’m living now was about the edge of suburban development.  Denver has a law that restricted it from growing called the Poundstone Amendment (wherein cities couldn’t annex without a vote of approval of land owners.)   My wife is a fifth generation native, her ancestors settled and farmed northeast of Denver for a few decades.  Winter wheat was a big crop, Rocky Ford produced perhaps the best melons I’ve eaten and in the summer it was nearly impossible to drive around without tripping over a …


Letter Re: The Right to Open Carry Guns: Use It or Lose It

James, I hope your readers don’t lump all police officers into the ignorant category. I’m retired now, but I clearly remember an instance about 15 years ago… I was on grave shift and received a call of a man with a gun in a Shari’s restaurant at about 2 a.m.. When I asked the dispatcher what the man was doing, she told me he was eating.   I walked in and spotted him fairly quickly. He had a Ruger Blackhawk in a leather western style holster. I sat down in the booth with him and asked him why he was …


Things to Understand When Interacting With Police, by G.S.

As a former prosecutor and now criminal defense attorney practicing in Florida, I offer some insights gained by experience for the patriotic reader. According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2,266,800 adults were incarcerated in U.S. federal and state prisons, and county jails at year-end 2010 – about 0.7% of adults in the U.S. resident population. Additionally, 4,933,667 adults at year-end 2009 were on probation or on parole. In total, 7,225,800 adults were under correctional supervision (probation, parole, jail or prison) in 2009 – about 3.1% of adults in the U.S. resident population. With the statist establishment criminalizing everything, …


Colorado’s Million Magazine March

On March 20th, Colorado’s Democrat Governor John Hickenlooper did a very foolish thing. He signed into law a ban on any magazine over 15 round capacity with a ban on shotguns with tubular magazines that can hold more than 28 lineal inches of shotshells, and another law that will ban private party sales of guns. (All transfers except a few within families will have to be handled through Federally licensed dealers. ) Because the magazine ban won’t take effect until July 1, 2013, I can predict an unintended consequence: Close to one million magazines of 16+ round capacity will be …


Letter Re: The Right to Open Carry Guns: Use It or Lose It

Mr. Rawles, I read your essay “The Right to Open Carry Guns: Use It or Lose It,” with interest.  I watched the videos you linked to with horror.  I was awestruck. It is a shock to my system to see law enforcement officers so poorly trained and so willing to violate rights of citizens.  Perhaps I should know better by now.  To think that just one telephone call from a “concerned citizen” is enough to cause the police to violate a law abiding persons civil rights is terrifying. I live in an extremely 2nd amendment friendly state, Arizona.  It is …


The Right to Open Carry Guns: Use It or Lose It

The American concealed carry movement can now be chalked up as a bona fide victory. CCW permits are now available in 48+ states. (To be safe I’d say around 46 or 47 states, depending on several factors. For example, permit issuance policies are not always uniformly non-discretionary in every county within a state.) The logical successors to the concealed carry movement are the Constitutional Carry Movement (aka permitless concealed carry) and the Open Carry Movement. In my opinion, both of these are worthy endeavors. I’ve said the following before, but it bears repeating: Whenever someone must buy a license or …


Americans Against Illegal Mayors: Demand A Plan

Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s Mayors Against Illegal Guns political pressure group is hard at work. Working with several paid lobbyist, advertising, and public relations firms, they are about to launch a $12 million television ad campaign, pressing for “comprehensive background checks”. Banning private party sales of used guns (forcing all gun sales to go through licensed dealers) will lay the groundwork for a nationwide system of gun registration. But Bloomberg’s Buddies have some public relations problems… The latest news is that another member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns has been arrested. This time it was Mayor Craig Lowe of Gainesville, Florida, …


Letter Re: Market Prices and the Availability of Goods

Jim, Unfortunately, it has become common for preppers to express outrage at the exorbitant post-Newtown pricing of ammo and certain magazines and firearms. Frequently, the complaints are accompanied by vows and pleas for others not to patronize certain offending retailers after things return to “normal.” Apart from the implicit assumption that things will return to “normal,” I think that this sentiment is way off base. Although I like paying “reasonable” prices as much (and probably more) than the next guy, I find the notion that retailers should not raise prices to meet increased demand both fundamentally flawed, and ultimately dangerous for preppers.    First, we have …


Letter Re: Taxes for Millionaires: Food For Thought

Jim, How many times has the President said that we need to raise taxes on those making more than $1 million per annum? Some believe that the government will also confiscate gold and silver. As many know, our government already confiscated gold in America, circa 1933. Even so, collectable coins were exempt, which is reason enough to own gold/silver coins that have value beyond the base metal – a discussion topic for another day.   Many of us at retirement age receive some form of retirement income from the federal government. Some receive disability pay as well, but the feds …


Letter Re: Colorado’s Magazine Ban

Hi, I saw that the Colorado law banning magazines of greater than 15 round capacity passed – outrageous but not unbelievable for this state. Colorado  used to be a great and conservative one, but no longer. [Regarding the law’s limited grandfather clause,] I have written out documents for all of my magazines, which I have had notarized, transferring ownership of the magazines I own to my children. This way, when I die, it can easily be ascertained that the magazines were actually their property before the law went into effect. I am not a lawyer, but this sort of thing …


Good News and Bad News for Colorado Citizens

SurvivalBlog reader Diana V. wrote to mention some good news: Colorado ban on campus concealed weapons defeated. But the same day, reader Bill C. sent some bad news: The Colorado legislature passed H.B. 1224—a ban on any magazine over 15 round capacity. It is now headed to the Governor’s desk. It appears that he will sign it. The only glimmer of hope is that the law has a grandfather clause. Updates: Reader K.A.W. wrote to mention: “The grandfather clause in HB13-1224 only applies to current owners.  There are NO transfers to anyone else, including descendants, upon death.  The only way …


Living in The Age of Sequestration

I’ve observed that we are now living in The Age of Sequestration, in many senses of the word. First, and most noticeably, is all mass media talk about the Federal Budget Sequestration. Despite all of the hoopla and handwringing, it is actually just a token decrease to an already enormously bloated budget. Second, is the forced sequestration of some Bad People. You’ve probably heard the latest news: following a lengthy jury sequestration former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilppatrick was found guilty. But his upcoming sequestration is hardly a news flash. Everyone knew he was a crook and this is of course …