Gun Buyback

Grier Heights, North Carolina, near Charlotte, staged a 'gun buyback' last Saturday; another in a long string of such events nationwide for more than a decade. This is another feel good event which will not achieve any significant result. You can read the story in the Charlotte Observer HERE, if you want to bother, but here's how they all go down:

Someone, a mayor, police chief, DA, or community group decides they want to get some guns 'off the streets.' They get a sponsor to spring for some cash, (often cash taken from unsuspecting stockholders). They advertise the event as cutting down on crime by getting guns off the streets.

On the day of the event, some people show up with guns of little cash value, and trade them for cash or a gift card, or gift certificate. The police take these firearms and often destroy them. Oddly enough, they often take them no questions asked, and agree to not run any forensics testing on them. If this is the case, that makes a dandy method of disposing of a weapon used in a crime.

The person who turned in the gun goes away with a little drinkin' money, and the promoters get the warm fuzzies, feeling good about not solving a problem. The unsuspecting community may have a false sense of security. The aforementioned stockholders are bilked out of just a little profit, and are usually none the wiser.

I'm sure law enforcement officers get frustrated with the catch and release criminal justice system, but the answer is getting the criminals, not guns, off the street. 

One last thing, let's parse the term buyback. After all, words have meaning. For one to buy something back means one had to previously own it.

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Disclaimer: The information and ideas presented in this column are provided for informational purposes only. Gun rights, like all other Constitutionally recognized rights, must be exercised responsibly. Firearms, like cars, kitchen knives and life itself all can be dangerous. You should get professional training as part of any plan to use firearms for any purpose. I have made a reasonable, good-faith effort to assure that the content of this column is accurate. I have no control over what you do, and specifically accept no responsibility for anything you do as a result of reading my columns. Any action or lack of action on your part is strictly your responsibility.

Second Amendment Foundation strikes again

Attorney Alan Gura and Second Amendment Foundation leader Alan Gottlieb file another lawsuit. This time in Maryland.

Read about it at: No Lawyers - Only Guns and Money

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Disclaimer: The information and ideas presented in this column are provided for informational purposes only. Gun rights, like all other Constitutionally recognized rights, must be exercised responsibly. Firearms, like cars, kitchen knives and life itself all can be dangerous. You should get professional training as part of any plan to use firearms for any purpose. I have made a reasonable, good-faith effort to assure that the content of this column is accurate. I have no control over what you do, and specifically accept no responsibility for anything you do as a result of reading my columns. Any action or lack of action on your part is strictly your responsibility.

Knox City-County Building posted

City-County Building Sign photo by Liston Matthews

Accessing your seat of government is not easy for citizens of Knoxville and Knox County, as I experienced this week.
Parking and walking is not too bad, for those of us in good health. The problem is, as with any city, finding a good place to park. Parking on the street is problematic most of the day.


That leaves parking garages, which don't have a reputation for being the safest place to park:

Going to the City-County Building means you can't take your defensive firearm, so what do you do for personal defense between the time you get out of your car in the garage, and your arrival at the C-C? As you can see from the picture, pocket knives (the sign says legal pocket knives) can be checked at the door.
So, while the criminal can choose whatever he wants if he decides to waylay you, you are limited to a medieval (very) short sword.
Keep in mind that the best way to win a fight is to avoid one. Always be vigilant. Be observant, and stay in condition yellow, as I mentioned in my Examiner Starbucks piece.
Be aware, also, that the Tennessee Theater on Gay Street and the East Tennessee History Center, 601 Gay Street are posted; as are Cafe 4 and Preservation Pub in Market Square. Then there is Krutch Park, which like all Knoxville City Parks, is posted.
Now, here is an interesting twist in Tennessee law. Seems that if you use a handgun in legal self-defense, you don't need a permit to carry. TCA 39-17-1322 states, "A person shall not be charged with or convicted of a violation under this part if the person possessed, displayed or employed a handgun in justifiable self-defense or in justifiable defense of another during the commission of a crime in which that person or the other person defended was a victim." [Acts 1994, ch. 943, § 1.] Now, you figure that one out.

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Disclaimer: The information and ideas presented in this column are provided for informational purposes only. Gun rights, like all other Constitutionally recognized rights, must be exercised responsibly. Firearms, like cars, kitchen knives and life itself all can be dangerous. You should get professional training as part of any plan to use firearms for any purpose. I have made a reasonable, good-faith effort to assure that the content of this column is accurate. I have no control over what you do, and specifically accept no responsibility for anything you do as a result of reading my columns. Any action or lack of action on your part is strictly your responsibility.

Arizona Constitutional Carry effective this week

Much of the recent news from Arizona has focused on SB1070, the immigration law. Almost unnoticed is the fact that Arizona's Constitutional Carry law goes into effect this Thursday.

Many Arizona police don't like it. They decry the fact that people will be able to carry concealed sans permit. Now, Arizonans have been carrying openly without permits for years. Why do they think that sixteen square inches of cotton will turn a good citizen into an evildoer? That hasn't happened in that bastion of conservatism, Vermont, where you couldn't get a permit if you tried.

Nor has it happened in Alaska, which has had permit-less carry for several years now.

Will blood run in the streets? NO! And one thing is for sure, states that ease restrictive gun laws usually see a drop in violent crime, as reported by Massad Ayoob. Read the research in John Lott's book, More Guns, Less Crime, available at Amazon.

That said, if you keep and/or bear a weapon, you have an obligation to get training in its proper use.

The Tennessee Legislature should be bold, and pass Constitutional Carry next year.

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Disclaimer: The information and ideas presented in this column are provided for informational purposes only. Gun rights, like all other Constitutionally recognized rights, must be exercised responsibly. Firearms, like cars, kitchen knives and life itself all can be dangerous. You should get professional training as part of any plan to use firearms for any purpose. I have made a reasonable, good-faith effort to assure that the content of this column is accurate. I have no control over what you do, and specifically accept no responsibility for anything you do as a result of reading my columns. Any action or lack of action on your part is strictly your responsibility.

Police encounters of the worst kind

Knoxville news outlets, including WATE TV have reported on a man who -

• Stabbed a police dog,
• Advanced toward the police with a knife
• Was shot by the police, and
• Later died.

The story as reported above and in the Knoxville News-Sentinel, remind us that due to the nature of things, police encounters can be quite dangerous. It appears to me, based on  the reports, that this was a justifiable shooting by the Oak Ridge Police.

Meanwhile, let's turn our attention to what happened in Vegas. Police there shot and killed a West Point graduate who allegedly drew down on them. Facts are not as clear in this case. A coroner's inquest will be held September 3.

What can you learn from these incidents that may save your life one day?

If possible, don't bring a knife to a gunfight.

If you have been involved in a shooting and prevailed, your next most dangerous situation is about to descend on you. When the police arrive, they won't know that you are the good guy. And they want to go home to their families tonight, too. Circumstances will dictate your exact actions, but, as for me, as the gendarmes arrive, I put the gun down, step away from it, and

Reach for the sky.

Then let them do whatever they want to do. Now, you think about what you are going to do. Make your decision today. Maybe you will never need to do this, but better to plan ahead.

And, keep your mouth shut. You have the right to remain silent. Exercise it.

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Disclaimer: The information and ideas presented in this column are provided for informational purposes only. Gun rights, like all other Constitutionally recognized rights, must be exercised responsibly. Firearms, like cars, kitchen knives and life itself all can be dangerous. You should get professional training as part of any plan to use firearms for any purpose. I have made a reasonable, good-faith effort to assure that the content of this column is accurate. I have no control over what you do, and specifically accept no responsibility for anything you do as a result of reading my columns. Any action or lack of action on your part is strictly your responsibility.

Blame game

The Orange County Register reports that a retired police officer lost a lawsuit against Glock, and just about everybody else. What went wrong here?

1. Officer Chavez was shot by his son, who was not in his car seat. I wonder if said officer ever ticketed anyone for having a child in a car, but not properly buckled in the car seat...
2. The child had access to the gun. Was the officer guilty of criminal negligence?

Some say that law enforcement officers should be the only ones with guns. Those folks should move to Great Britain, which is as devoid of guns as Ireland is of snakes. But wait, Great Britain, surrounded by water, has had a significant increase in 'gun crime' since their virtual ban on gun ownership.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kevin C. Brazile made a good decision in this case.While it is tragic that Chavez was left paralyzed from the waist down, it's not anyone else's fault. Even Chavez, being a member of the human race, should be allowed to make an error. But as a result of his error, he is wheelchair bound.

Glocks have a reputation for safety, and will not discharge under practically any circumstances, as long as the trigger is not depressed. Chavez should just man up and admit his mistake, and make the best of the life he has.

Stop the blame game!

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Disclaimer: The information and ideas presented in this column are provided for informational purposes only. Gun rights, like all other Constitutionally recognized rights, must be exercised responsibly. Firearms, like cars, kitchen knives and life itself all can be dangerous. You should get professional training as part of any plan to use firearms for any purpose. I have made a reasonable, good-faith effort to assure that the content of this column is accurate. I have no control over what you do, and specifically accept no responsibility for anything you do as a result of reading my columns. Any action or lack of action on your part is strictly your responsibility.