It's time for the Senate to get off their duffs and pass National Reciprocity. Sometimes the perfect is the enemy of the good. HR 38 would permit citizens, including President Trump's staffers, to legally carry a defensive handgun in the fifty states and the District of Columbia.
It would also allow congress-critters to carry. We are entering an era when they, particularly the Republicans, are now subject to violent attack as never before.
Just recently we have seen Secretary Nielsen's home surrounded by a mob, and Press Secretary Sarah Sanders kicked out of a restaurant in Virginia.
Not everyone has an armed security detail like Senator Mitch McConnell. It was fun to see his wife, Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, confront a mob, but is only a matter of time before one of these mobs turns violent, and some unarmed government employee or private citizen is attacked.
What is National Reciprocity?
Simply, a handgun carry permit issued in any state or the District of Columbia is, like a driver's license, valid in all states and the District. The permit holders would be subject to the laws of the state they are in, just like a driver's license. By way of comparison, if you have a Wyoming Driver's License, you may drive up to 80 mph on some of their highways. But with the same license, your maximum speed in North Carolina would be 70.
Let's do this, Mr. Mitch!
Monday, July 2, 2018
Saturday, June 9, 2018
Suicide is not painless
The recently reported suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain have caused me to pause and think about suicides that have happened close to me.
The theme song of M*A*S*H is a sad song that states, in part, that "suicide is painless". No, it is not. The one who leaves has apparently had much pain, and those left behind experience tremendous pain for a long time.
I have had two co-workers opt-out. Also, my wife lost a friend as a teenager, and we had a schoolmate who checked out in middle age.
Three of those were some of the biggest surprises ever, though one had spoken of it beforehand. I do remember being dumbfounded upon hearing about them.
Why do people do this? Others with much more education in this have not (to my mind) figured it completely out yet. I will not attempt it here.
I will tell you what I know, though:
Suicides cross all national and cultural lines. Look at this chart. One area with the highest rate is the former Soviet Union, which, for a lifetime asserted there is no God. (a clue?)
Gun-grabbers in the United States will use these suicides (Spade and Bourdain) as a springboard to demand more bans of firearms. Note that these two celebrities were reported to have hanged themselves. Sad, but no firearm involved.
A couple of years ago, I had a back-and-forth dialogue with a lady on the other side about guns, published at Ammoland. As I wrote there concerning suicide,
Well, suicide is not painless; nor is it the fault of the necktie, bridge, insecticide, or gun.
....and peaceable gun owners need not feel guilty....
The theme song of M*A*S*H is a sad song that states, in part, that "suicide is painless". No, it is not. The one who leaves has apparently had much pain, and those left behind experience tremendous pain for a long time.
I have had two co-workers opt-out. Also, my wife lost a friend as a teenager, and we had a schoolmate who checked out in middle age.
Three of those were some of the biggest surprises ever, though one had spoken of it beforehand. I do remember being dumbfounded upon hearing about them.
Why do people do this? Others with much more education in this have not (to my mind) figured it completely out yet. I will not attempt it here.
Source: World Health Organization |
Suicides cross all national and cultural lines. Look at this chart. One area with the highest rate is the former Soviet Union, which, for a lifetime asserted there is no God. (a clue?)
---
...and I will tell you what I think:Gun-grabbers in the United States will use these suicides (Spade and Bourdain) as a springboard to demand more bans of firearms. Note that these two celebrities were reported to have hanged themselves. Sad, but no firearm involved.
A couple of years ago, I had a back-and-forth dialogue with a lady on the other side about guns, published at Ammoland. As I wrote there concerning suicide,
The CDC reports for 2013 that there were a total of 41,149 suicides, of which 21,175 were listed as firearm suicides. So, about 58 of 113 suicides (51%) per day were committed with a firearm.
While suicides are certainly tragic, if you were able to totally eliminate firearms from the civilian populace, the other 49% would still be there, and I suppose some of those who would have used a firearm will resort to some other method as they do in other countries where firearms are not readily available...Societies with very low private gun ownership, such as India have a much higher suicide rate than the United States, so they can't blame guns there. Hanging, poisoning, and jumping are used more internationally. So, it seems that those who are serious about it will find a method/tool to accomplish it.
Well, suicide is not painless; nor is it the fault of the necktie, bridge, insecticide, or gun.
....and peaceable gun owners need not feel guilty....
Monday, May 14, 2018
Join a "community conversation on gun violence"
I know this is short notice, but if you are close enough, please sign up an attend tomorow evening, Tuesday, in Wake Forest.
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Saturday, May 12, 2018
Ruger Security 9
The Ruger Security-9 appears to be aimed (pardon the pun) squarely at the Glock 19. Although I have not fired one, I had a chance to handle several at the NRA Annual Meeting in Dallas.
The pistol is extremely close to the G 19 in dimensions. A little thinner. About the same weight. It is hammer fired, like the Ruger LCP II, rather than striker fired, like the Glocks, Ruger SR-9, etc. The price? About 60% of the G 19.
I dry-fired several Security-9's at NRA, and, being a fair shot, but not a top tier competitor, it felt fine to me. Some writers on the web have noted that it has a long trigger reset. I like to let the trigger go all the way forward between shots, so that's not a big deal to me.
When I was handling the Security-9, I discovered that I could not put it on Safe. One of the Ruger reps was nearby, and he took the pistol and put on safe, no problemo. Hmmm....
Hold on there, hombre, how did you do that?
It turns out that this pistol's safety pivots from the front, like Ruger's nearly seventy year old line of .22 pistols; not at the rear like a 1911. Push up on the REAR of the safety, and it goes on Safe very easily. It's all in knowing how. I hope Ruger adds this little tidbit to their owner's manual.
So, it looks like Ruger has introduced a pistol that competes with the (relatively) expensive Glocks, yet costs just a little more than the SCCYs. A look at Gun Genie shows the ones equipped with fifteen round magazines are "allocated" which indicates they are selling well. The units with ten round magazines are as low as $329.90, out the door, tax and all in my area.
I like it.
The pistol is extremely close to the G 19 in dimensions. A little thinner. About the same weight. It is hammer fired, like the Ruger LCP II, rather than striker fired, like the Glocks, Ruger SR-9, etc. The price? About 60% of the G 19.
I dry-fired several Security-9's at NRA, and, being a fair shot, but not a top tier competitor, it felt fine to me. Some writers on the web have noted that it has a long trigger reset. I like to let the trigger go all the way forward between shots, so that's not a big deal to me.
When I was handling the Security-9, I discovered that I could not put it on Safe. One of the Ruger reps was nearby, and he took the pistol and put on safe, no problemo. Hmmm....
Hold on there, hombre, how did you do that?
It turns out that this pistol's safety pivots from the front, like Ruger's nearly seventy year old line of .22 pistols; not at the rear like a 1911. Push up on the REAR of the safety, and it goes on Safe very easily. It's all in knowing how. I hope Ruger adds this little tidbit to their owner's manual.
So, it looks like Ruger has introduced a pistol that competes with the (relatively) expensive Glocks, yet costs just a little more than the SCCYs. A look at Gun Genie shows the ones equipped with fifteen round magazines are "allocated" which indicates they are selling well. The units with ten round magazines are as low as $329.90, out the door, tax and all in my area.
I like it.
Friday, May 11, 2018
Guess who I saw at NRA 2018 in Dallas
Here are a few pictures with some folks I saw at NRA. I have included hot links you can follow.
I was sitting in the audience at the NRA ILA Leadership Forum, waiting for the VPOTUS and POTUS to speak. I felt a tap on my shoulder, and there was Il Ling New, a Facebook friend and firearms instructor at Gunsite Academy.
I was sitting in the audience at the NRA ILA Leadership Forum, waiting for the VPOTUS and POTUS to speak. I felt a tap on my shoulder, and there was Il Ling New, a Facebook friend and firearms instructor at Gunsite Academy.
Here is Vice President Pence. You can hear his speech HERE.
Here is President Trump. You can hear his NRA speech HERE.
I had to leave the Leadership Forum for an interview with NPR, but I was able to catch Diamond and Silk's live feed later in the Press Room:
Here I am in the press room with Rick Ector of Detroit, my pal John Richardson, and competetive shooter Annette Evans.
Here I am with champion shooter Julie Golob.
Here I am with former Secret Service agent and Fox News contributor Dan Bongino.
John Richardson got tickets to Michael Bane's party. Appropriatly, it was named Cinco de Baneo.
Here I am with a new friend Jason Crotteau, owner of Wyoming Tactical LLC.
Here's John Richardson with Michael Bane.
Here I am with Michael at his party.
I saw some other friends also, too many to mention. It was great seeing over 87,000 of my best friends at NRA in Dallas.
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
No room at the inn
Some months ago, I made a reservation through Travelocity with-
Boy, was that a bad move.
Comfort Suites West Dallas - Cockrell Hill (CSWD)-for the NRA Annual Meetings in Dallas.
4275 Dfw Turnpike, Dallas TX 75211
Boy, was that a bad move.
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