bearingarms--2020-10-26--Why Aren't Gun Control Groups Talking More About Their Issue?

Over the weekend , we talked about how Michael Bloomberg ’ s gun control groups aren ’ t spending anywhere close to what they boasted about spending in this year ’ s elections .
Instead , Bloomberg seems to be shoveling tens of millions of dollars into his Independence USA PAC , which is still stumping for the same anti-gun candidates as Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action , but is doing so without explicitly making a pro-gun control argument .
Even gun control groups are avoiding the issue , however .
As the Washington Free Beacon ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s political action committee is on the air in Virginia with a new campaign ad targeting 7th Congressional District candidate Nick Freitas , but the ad doesn ’ t mention gun control at all .
Brady ’ s turn away from gun-control messaging comes after Everytown , the largest gun-control group in the country , also abandoned the issue in election ads .
The change provides further evidence that Democrats and liberal interest groups do not view gun control as a winning issue in 2020—a year that has seen record gun sales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
George Mason University law professor Joyce Malcolm told the Washington Free Beacon that gun-control groups have lost faith in their core message and believe focusing on other issues is the best way to get their allies elected .
“ The gun-control issue is a loser at this point , ” she said .
“ So , the gun-control groups are pushing the health care issue in hopes of helping the election of Joe Biden.
” It ’ s especially odd for Brady to go after Freitas on healthcare , given that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who gave a speech back in 2018 on the floor of the Virginia House of Delegates in support of our right to keep and bear arms that ’ s been viewed millions of times .
Freitas is someone who ’ s known in Virginia as a 2A supporter , but Brady ’ s going after him over healthcare ?
I agree that this is another indication that gun control groups know that their policy proposals aren ’ t a winning issue in an election year that ’ s featured record-high gun sales and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I hope that voters understand that while anti-gun groups and politicians may be avoiding the issue on the campaign trail , they won ’ t be ignoring it after the elections are over .
If Democrats take back the White House and the Senate , or anti-gun legislative majorities are elected in states like Texas , the same folks who are ducking the gun control issue now will be loudly proclaiming that the election was a mandate for “ common sense gun safety laws ” like a ban on semi-automatic long guns and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ten rounds , red flag firearm seizure laws , and more .
If Democrats take the U.S. Senate , one of their first battles will be over ending the legislative filibuster in order to pass bills with just 51 votes .
If they take that step , expanding the Supreme Court and installing an anti-gun majority on the bench will be at the top of their to-do list , and once they ’ ve ensured that SCOTUS won ’ t pose a challenge to their gun control bills , they ’ ll quickly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ magazine ban , “ universal background checks ” , as well as “ red flag ” and gun licensing legislation that would funnel hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grants to states that adopt the anti-gun policies .
I think nuking the filibuster and packing the Supreme Court would be a disastrous move for Democrats , but it ’ s a mistake I believe they ’ re likely to make if they ’ re in a position to do it .
If that happens , gun control groups won ’ t be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll be a full court press to pass their gun control wish list and turn the Second Amendment from a right of the people to a privilege of a chosen few .

Over the weekend, we talked about how Michael Bloomberg’s gun control groups aren’t spending anywhere close to what they boasted about spending in this year’s elections. Instead, Bloomberg seems to be shoveling tens of millions of dollars into his Independence USA PAC, which is still stumping for the same anti-gun candidates as Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action, but is doing so without explicitly making a pro-gun control argument.
Even gun control groups are avoiding the issue, however. As the Washington Free Beacon‘s Stephen Gutowski points out, Brady’s political action committee is on the air in Virginia with a new campaign ad targeting 7th Congressional District candidate Nick Freitas, but the ad doesn’t mention gun control at all.
Brady’s turn away from gun-control messaging comes after Everytown, the largest gun-control group in the country, also abandoned the issue in election ads. The change provides further evidence that Democrats and liberal interest groups do not view gun control as a winning issue in 2020—a year that has seen record gun sales and an influx of new gun owners. George Mason University law professor Joyce Malcolm told the Washington Free Beacon that gun-control groups have lost faith in their core message and believe focusing on other issues is the best way to get their allies elected. “The gun-control issue is a loser at this point,” she said. “So, the gun-control groups are pushing the health care issue in hopes of helping the election of Joe Biden.”
It’s especially odd for Brady to go after Freitas on healthcare, given that he’s a staunch Second Amendment supporter who gave a speech back in 2018 on the floor of the Virginia House of Delegates in support of our right to keep and bear arms that’s been viewed millions of times. Freitas is someone who’s known in Virginia as a 2A supporter, but Brady’s going after him over healthcare?
I agree that this is another indication that gun control groups know that their policy proposals aren’t a winning issue in an election year that’s featured record-high gun sales and millions of new gun owners, but I hope that voters understand that while anti-gun groups and politicians may be avoiding the issue on the campaign trail, they won’t be ignoring it after the elections are over.
If Democrats take back the White House and the Senate, or anti-gun legislative majorities are elected in states like Texas, the same folks who are ducking the gun control issue now will be loudly proclaiming that the election was a mandate for “common sense gun safety laws” like a ban on semi-automatic long guns and ammunition magazines that can hold more than ten rounds, red flag firearm seizure laws, and more.
End the filibuster and expand the Supreme Court. https://t.co/iC3VPygfkQ — Ed Markey (@EdMarkey) October 25, 2020
If Democrats take the U.S. Senate, one of their first battles will be over ending the legislative filibuster in order to pass bills with just 51 votes. If they take that step, expanding the Supreme Court and installing an anti-gun majority on the bench will be at the top of their to-do list, and once they’ve ensured that SCOTUS won’t pose a challenge to their gun control bills, they’ll quickly move on Biden’s gun and magazine ban, “universal background checks”, as well as “red flag” and gun licensing legislation that would funnel hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grants to states that adopt the anti-gun policies.
I think nuking the filibuster and packing the Supreme Court would be a disastrous move for Democrats, but it’s a mistake I believe they’re likely to make if they’re in a position to do it. If that happens, gun control groups won’t be ducking their issue any longer. It’ll be a full court press to pass their gun control wish list and turn the Second Amendment from a right of the people to a privilege of a chosen few.


bearingarms--2020-10-26--Armed Man A Good Reason More Blacks Buy Guns

We ’ ve run a number of stories in recent weeks about the influx of firearm purchase , particularly among African-Americans .
For some , this represents a clear problem , but for us it ’ s a good thing .
Gun owners often become gun voters and more minorities owning guns means that Democrats are likely to start backing away from their anti-gun push if they don ’ t want to lose those minority votes .
Regardless of that , though , there are practical reasons why black Americans should have guns .
Here ’ s one really damn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t do anything if no one tells them the guy is making a threat .
However , threats aren ’ t protected speech , so if he was , he broke the law .
Meanwhile , though , while an NAACP official may decry this person having access to guns , the truth is that you ’ re not going to stop him from getting guns , particularly if he ’ s a threat to others .
Instead , black Americans buying guns and learning how to use them will do more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threats like these far better than anything else .
After all , if this guy was making threats about killing black folks and he ’ s carrying a gun , all it would take is one wrong move with that gun to justify lighting his butt up .
Saying your going to shoot someone while having a gun on your person , then making an aggressive-looking move with that gun sure as hell looks like a justifiable reason to fear for your life .
So what really happened , though ?
I don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inclined to believe there ’ s more to the story than what the man likely told police , though , because people don ’ t just walk around with long guns just for fun .
Doing that while making threats makes sense to some degree , as does doing it just to stir up trouble .
Either way , though , don ’ t do this kind of thing .
It ’ s stupid and if you get shot because you mouthed off then moved wrong , I ’ m not going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you .
Meanwhile , something like this should show that it behooves more black folks to buy guns .
If you ’ re concerned about racism–and racism still exists , even if its threat is potentially overblown these days–then it just makes sense to be able to fight back .

We’ve run a number of stories in recent weeks about the influx of firearm purchase, particularly among African-Americans. For some, this represents a clear problem, but for us it’s a good thing. Gun owners often become gun voters and more minorities owning guns means that Democrats are likely to start backing away from their anti-gun push if they don’t want to lose those minority votes.
Regardless of that, though, there are practical reasons why black Americans should have guns.
Here’s one really damn good example of why.
Cleveland Heights police are aware of a circulating social media post that alleges a man with a gun walked around town threatening to kill Black people. Cleveland Heights police acknowledged there was an incident and told 19 News that it occurred around 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Police said the man was exercising his second amendment right to openly carry a weapon. Police said no one called the department to report a threat, and no laws were broken. But the President of the Euclid NAACP of NE Ohio says, “If this allegation is proved to be true then we need to ensure that number one the person does not have access to any weapons, number two we need to look at the mental capacity of the person that has the weapon. Number three, Cleveland Heights Police need to enforce state laws as well as local laws that deal with ethnic intimidation, as well as intimidation and menacing.” In a press release to 19 News, the Cleveland Heights Police Chief Annette M. Mecklenburg said, officers responded to the 3500 block of Blanche Avenue on Saturday, and immediately spoke to the man. After speaking with the man, officers determined the man was not breaking any laws and it is within the law to carry a firearm in plain sight. Again, on Saturday police said no one notified them of any threats.
Police can’t do anything if no one tells them the guy is making a threat.
However, threats aren’t protected speech, so if he was, he broke the law.
Meanwhile, though, while an NAACP official may decry this person having access to guns, the truth is that you’re not going to stop him from getting guns, particularly if he’s a threat to others.
Instead, black Americans buying guns and learning how to use them will do more to shut down someone who acts on threats like these far better than anything else. After all, if this guy was making threats about killing black folks and he’s carrying a gun, all it would take is one wrong move with that gun to justify lighting his butt up.
Saying your going to shoot someone while having a gun on your person, then making an aggressive-looking move with that gun sure as hell looks like a justifiable reason to fear for your life.
So what really happened, though? I don’t know. I’m inclined to believe there’s more to the story than what the man likely told police, though, because people don’t just walk around with long guns just for fun. Doing that while making threats makes sense to some degree, as does doing it just to stir up trouble.
Either way, though, don’t do this kind of thing. It’s stupid and if you get shot because you mouthed off then moved wrong, I’m not going to feel the least bit of sympathy for you.
Meanwhile, something like this should show that it behooves more black folks to buy guns. If you’re concerned about racism–and racism still exists, even if its threat is potentially overblown these days–then it just makes sense to be able to fight back.


bearingarms--2020-10-26--Armed Poll Watchers, Voter Intimidation, And Voter Suppression

This coming election is set to be the most divisive in the last half century at the very least , possibly the most divisive since before the Civil War .
This is exacerbated by concerns of voter fraud , among other things .
No one trusts their fellow Americans not to do something shady to help their guy win , or so it seems .
As a result , a lot of people will be watching their polling places very closely .
Some of those people will be carrying firearms because , well , it ’ s 2020 and everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seems , though , the fact that they might be armed is considered a problem .
Voting rights advocates and state officials are on high alert over fears that U.S. polling stations could attract the same strain of partisan violence and civil unrest that erupted on American streets this year , fueled by a deadly pandemic , outrage over police brutality and one of the most contentious elections ever .
Anti-government extremists and other armed civilians have flocked to protests against racial injustice and COVID-19 lockdowns .
Paramilitary group members are accused of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the election .
President Donald Trump encouraged one far-right extremist group to “ stand back and stand by ” and called for an army of “ poll watchers ” to keep tabs on polling places .
While gun rights advocates say fears of violence at the polls are unfounded , the toxic political atmosphere and the prospect of armed poll monitors have some worried it will keep voters from the polls and affect the election .
“ Just as an American , the fact that we ’ re having this conversation is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American University professor Kurt Braddock , who researches extremist groups .
“ It ’ s a testament to how far the extreme right has come with getting into this conversation and impacting the way that politics get done here.
” However , are armed citizens watching the polls an actual threat to the voting process ?
Well , people who are wearing regular clothing and simply carrying a firearm on their hip are no such thing .
Further , the left has argued even more obviously threatening behavior doesn ’ t count as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the Obama administrations ’ dropping of charges against the New Black Panther Party ’ s efforts in 2008 .
These were people wearing paramilitary uniforms and standing outside of the precinct with clubs .
It was clear they were there to try and intimidate certain parties into not voting .
Guys with holstered firearms ?
Not so much .
Yet in all this concern , there ’ s no mention of Governor Gretchen Whitmer .
After all , Whitmer issued an order banning guns from polling places .
She , like many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t tend to go places they can ’ t carry their firearms .
As such , it can be argued that this is actually an attempt at voter suppression .
Where ’ s the mention of that by those who are so concerned with the electoral process ?
Honestly , if those with guns were supporting Biden , you ’ d likely not hear a single peep out of anyone .
Left-wing extremism continues to be ignored or glossed over while supposed right-wing extremists are treated like an existential threat to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For them , the fact that this is from the right is the real issue .
They want to bully gun owners into staying quiet and staying away so they can run the table , then take away our gun rights .
Sorry , but no .

This coming election is set to be the most divisive in the last half century at the very least, possibly the most divisive since before the Civil War. This is exacerbated by concerns of voter fraud, among other things.
No one trusts their fellow Americans not to do something shady to help their guy win, or so it seems.
As a result, a lot of people will be watching their polling places very closely. Some of those people will be carrying firearms because, well, it’s 2020 and everyone is losing their damn minds.
It seems, though, the fact that they might be armed is considered a problem.
Voting rights advocates and state officials are on high alert over fears that U.S. polling stations could attract the same strain of partisan violence and civil unrest that erupted on American streets this year, fueled by a deadly pandemic, outrage over police brutality and one of the most contentious elections ever. Anti-government extremists and other armed civilians have flocked to protests against racial injustice and COVID-19 lockdowns. Paramilitary group members are accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan’s governor before the election. President Donald Trump encouraged one far-right extremist group to “stand back and stand by” and called for an army of “poll watchers” to keep tabs on polling places. While gun rights advocates say fears of violence at the polls are unfounded, the toxic political atmosphere and the prospect of armed poll monitors have some worried it will keep voters from the polls and affect the election. “Just as an American, the fact that we’re having this conversation is absolutely terrifying to me,” said American University professor Kurt Braddock, who researches extremist groups. “It’s a testament to how far the extreme right has come with getting into this conversation and impacting the way that politics get done here.”
However, are armed citizens watching the polls an actual threat to the voting process? Well, people who are wearing regular clothing and simply carrying a firearm on their hip are no such thing. Further, the left has argued even more obviously threatening behavior doesn’t count as voter intimidation.
In particular, we have the Obama administrations’ dropping of charges against the New Black Panther Party’s efforts in 2008. These were people wearing paramilitary uniforms and standing outside of the precinct with clubs. It was clear they were there to try and intimidate certain parties into not voting.
Guys with holstered firearms? Not so much.
Yet in all this concern, there’s no mention of Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
After all, Whitmer issued an order banning guns from polling places. She, like many others, know that gun rights advocates don’t tend to go places they can’t carry their firearms. As such, it can be argued that this is actually an attempt at voter suppression. Where’s the mention of that by those who are so concerned with the electoral process?
Honestly, if those with guns were supporting Biden, you’d likely not hear a single peep out of anyone. Left-wing extremism continues to be ignored or glossed over while supposed right-wing extremists are treated like an existential threat to the United States and our elections. For them, the fact that this is from the right is the real issue.
They want to bully gun owners into staying quiet and staying away so they can run the table, then take away our gun rights.
Sorry, but no.


bearingarms--2020-10-26--Pearls Clutched Over SC Fire Department's Rifle Raffle

In a perfect example of the media bias that ’ s all too common when it comes to reporting on Second Amendment issues , local television stations and newspapers around York , South Carolina are breathlessly reporting on a rifle raffle put on by a local volunteer fire company .
In doing so , it sure seems like the media outlets are trying to create a controversy where none exists .
Take the reporting by The Herald newspaper , for instance .
The Bethany Santiago Volunteer Fire Department in York is holding a fundraising raffle .
The prize is an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 500 rounds of ammunition .
The raffle will continue until all 200 tickets are sold , a spokesperson from the Fire Department said .
He declined to comment on why this prize was chosen .
No one has voiced concern about a rifle as a prize .
The York County Sheriff and S.C. attorney general ’ s office referred The Herald to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division about the rifle raffle .
A spokesperson for SLED said they rely on state laws .
State law shows anyone over age 21 can own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they have been convicted of a felony or a violent crime .
You need a permit only if you carry a handgun or to carry a concealed weapon .
So , no one ’ s complained or voiced concern and the rifle raffle is perfectly legal under state law .
Honestly , what ’ s the story here , other than a volunteer fire department trying to raise some money ?
Maybe it was just a slow news day for The Herald , but the paper seems to be fixated on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raffled off .
The Outdoor Shop in York is providing the rifle to be auctioned .
Chris Hybarger , owner of The Outdoor Shop , is a volunteer fire-fighter at a nearby fire department .
He wanted to get involved because he wanted to support the neighboring fire department , he said .
“ It ’ s how they survive , off fundraising from the public , ” he said .
The Outdoor Shop will be responsible for making sure the winner is legally allowed to carry a gun , a spokesperson for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being auctioned is a Palmetto State Armory M4 Carbide 5.56 AR-15 Rifle .
It holds 5.56 mm rounds – “ a small intermediate cartridge , half-way between a handgun or a hunting rifle , ” said Steven Howards , an attorney with American Firearms & Munitions Consulting .
These rounds are advantageous for hunting , he said .
“ When you encounter feral pigs , AK47s and AR-15s are really the weapon of choice .
A lot of people use it for home defense , and for good reason , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re safer than a handgun.
” As it turns out , rifle raffles are a fairly common way for fire departments to raise money for their operations .
Besides the raffle taking place in York , South Carolina , there ’ s also a raffle underway in Indiana Township , Iowa ( where 16 guns are being raffled off ) and in Davie County , North Carolina , where the Sheffield-Calahaln volunteer fire department is raffling off four guns , including another Palmetto State Armory AR-15 .
Why are these raffles taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They make money for the organizations , which is the whole point of a fundraiser .
In a time where firearms can be hard to find at local gun stores , the thought of spending $ 10 on a raffle ticket and walking away with an AR-15 sounds like a pretty good deal to a lot of folks , even if it sounds awfully troubling to local reporters .

In a perfect example of the media bias that’s all too common when it comes to reporting on Second Amendment issues, local television stations and newspapers around York, South Carolina are breathlessly reporting on a rifle raffle put on by a local volunteer fire company. In doing so, it sure seems like the media outlets are trying to create a controversy where none exists.
Take the reporting by The Herald newspaper, for instance.
The Bethany Santiago Volunteer Fire Department in York is holding a fundraising raffle. The prize is an AR-15. The winner also will receive 500 rounds of ammunition. The raffle will continue until all 200 tickets are sold, a spokesperson from the Fire Department said. He declined to comment on why this prize was chosen. No one has voiced concern about a rifle as a prize. The York County Sheriff and S.C. attorney general’s office referred The Herald to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division about the rifle raffle. A spokesperson for SLED said they rely on state laws. State law shows anyone over age 21 can own a gun in South Carolina, except if they have been convicted of a felony or a violent crime. You need a permit only if you carry a handgun or to carry a concealed weapon.
So, no one’s complained or voiced concern and the rifle raffle is perfectly legal under state law. Honestly, what’s the story here, other than a volunteer fire department trying to raise some money? Maybe it was just a slow news day for The Herald, but the paper seems to be fixated on the choice of firearm that’s being raffled off.
The Outdoor Shop in York is providing the rifle to be auctioned. Chris Hybarger, owner of The Outdoor Shop, is a volunteer fire-fighter at a nearby fire department. He wanted to get involved because he wanted to support the neighboring fire department, he said. “It’s how they survive, off fundraising from the public,” he said. The Outdoor Shop will be responsible for making sure the winner is legally allowed to carry a gun, a spokesperson for the Fire Department said. The rifle being auctioned is a Palmetto State Armory M4 Carbide 5.56 AR-15 Rifle. It holds 5.56 mm rounds – “a small intermediate cartridge, half-way between a handgun or a hunting rifle,” said Steven Howards, an attorney with American Firearms & Munitions Consulting. These rounds are advantageous for hunting, he said. “When you encounter feral pigs, AK47s and AR-15s are really the weapon of choice. A lot of people use it for home defense, and for good reason,” he said. “In many ways, they’re safer than a handgun.”
As it turns out, rifle raffles are a fairly common way for fire departments to raise money for their operations. Besides the raffle taking place in York, South Carolina, there’s also a raffle underway in Indiana Township, Iowa (where 16 guns are being raffled off) and in Davie County, North Carolina, where the Sheffield-Calahaln volunteer fire department is raffling off four guns, including another Palmetto State Armory AR-15.
Why are these raffles taking place? Because they’re popular. They make money for the organizations, which is the whole point of a fundraiser. In a time where firearms can be hard to find at local gun stores, the thought of spending $10 on a raffle ticket and walking away with an AR-15 sounds like a pretty good deal to a lot of folks, even if it sounds awfully troubling to local reporters.


bearingarms--2020-10-26--Some MI Sheriffs Refuse To Enforce Ban On Guns At Polls

Over the last six months or so , things have gotten rather insane in Michigan .
In addition to kidnapping plots that seemed to be more inspired by Call of Duty than functioning brain cells , we ’ ve had insane lockdown orders and now a concerted anti-gun push .
One of the more inane efforts , though , has been the push to ban people from carrying guns at the polls .
Now , though , it seems that some sheriffs are refusing to enforce such a rule .
Benzie County Sheriff Ted Schendel has no intention of enforcing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ban on open carry of firearms within 100 feet of the polls on Election Day .
“ It ’ s illegal , ” Schendel said .
“ She doesn ’ t have the authority to make laws.
” Schendel said he received a phone call from someone who said they would open carry in defiance of the ban .
“ I wish she would have just left it alone because now it ’ s going to create problems for all of us , ” Schendel said .
“ People are going to press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s an illegal order.
” Schendel joins several law enforcement officers across the state who say they won ’ t enforce the ban issued by Benson last week that also covers clerks ’ offices and absent voter counting boards .
The ban is meant to prevent disruption , intimidation and fear in voters and election workers , who ’ ve been told to contact law enforcement if the ban is violated or any person is seen intimidating or impeding a voter outside of the 100-foot limit .
The Michigan Sheriff ’ s Association @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sheriffs in each county to consult their prosecutors on whether to uphold the ban .
Of course , whether the prosecutor agrees with the ban is going to depend more on his personal politics than the legality of the order in most cases .
Governor Gretchen Whitmer , though , likely doesn ’ t care .
She ’ s embraced power during the state of emergency in her state and doesn ’ t seem willing to let it go .
She ’ s been governing by fiat for months now and not even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convince her she lacks the authority to do this stuff .
However , her orders mean nothing if sheriffs refuse to act on them .
See , that ’ s the thing about any laws you care to name .
Without some kind of enforcement , they ’ re nothing but ink on a page .
Whitmer can proclaim anything she wishes , but if no one enforces them , she ’ s just screaming into the wind .
Unfortunately , though , someone ’ s going to enforce them .
Someone somewhere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told them to do without an ounce of critical thought and someone is going to get arrested .
Which is why gun rights groups are taking the order to court , which is probably a good idea .
After all , it ’ s clear that Whitmer needs more legal smackdowns in order to get the point that she ’ s not a dictator , no matter how much she might wish otherwise .
Of course , this leads us to question just what Whitmer is intended with these kind of nonsense .

Over the last six months or so, things have gotten rather insane in Michigan. In addition to kidnapping plots that seemed to be more inspired by Call of Duty than functioning brain cells, we’ve had insane lockdown orders and now a concerted anti-gun push.
One of the more inane efforts, though, has been the push to ban people from carrying guns at the polls.
Now, though, it seems that some sheriffs are refusing to enforce such a rule.
Benzie County Sheriff Ted Schendel has no intention of enforcing Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s ban on open carry of firearms within 100 feet of the polls on Election Day. “It’s illegal,” Schendel said. “She doesn’t have the authority to make laws.” Schendel said he received a phone call from someone who said they would open carry in defiance of the ban. “I wish she would have just left it alone because now it’s going to create problems for all of us,” Schendel said. “People are going to press the issue because they know it’s an illegal order.” Schendel joins several law enforcement officers across the state who say they won’t enforce the ban issued by Benson last week that also covers clerks’ offices and absent voter counting boards. The ban is meant to prevent disruption, intimidation and fear in voters and election workers, who’ve been told to contact law enforcement if the ban is violated or any person is seen intimidating or impeding a voter outside of the 100-foot limit. The Michigan Sheriff’s Association released a statement earlier this week asking sheriffs in each county to consult their prosecutors on whether to uphold the ban.
Of course, whether the prosecutor agrees with the ban is going to depend more on his personal politics than the legality of the order in most cases.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer, though, likely doesn’t care. She’s embraced power during the state of emergency in her state and doesn’t seem willing to let it go. She’s been governing by fiat for months now and not even the state supreme court has managed to convince her she lacks the authority to do this stuff.
However, her orders mean nothing if sheriffs refuse to act on them.
See, that’s the thing about any laws you care to name. Without some kind of enforcement, they’re nothing but ink on a page. Whitmer can proclaim anything she wishes, but if no one enforces them, she’s just screaming into the wind.
Unfortunately, though, someone’s going to enforce them. Someone somewhere is going to do what the governor told them to do without an ounce of critical thought and someone is going to get arrested.
Which is why gun rights groups are taking the order to court, which is probably a good idea. After all, it’s clear that Whitmer needs more legal smackdowns in order to get the point that she’s not a dictator, no matter how much she might wish otherwise.
Of course, this leads us to question just what Whitmer is intended with these kind of nonsense.


bearingarms--2020-10-26--Poll Shows Trump With Edge Among Rural Voters

A new nationwide poll of rural voters shows Donald Trump with a 53 % approval rating , which is good news for the president as he tries to shore up his base of support with just a week to go before Election Day .
The poll , conducted by Zogby Analytics for the website DTNPF , also reveals that the right to keep and bear arms is one of the top issues for rural respondents .
As rural adults vote , three issues most influence them in local , state and national elections in 2020 .
Sixty-two percent said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 48 % said health care and 39 % said gun rights/protection of the Second Amendment .
The economy is especially prioritized by Republicans ( 74 % considered it an important issue ) and Southern adults ( 67 % ) .
Health care ( 64 % ) is the top issue for rural Democrats , the only adult demographic group where health care has a significant edge over other issues .
Rural Democrats are also the only demographic group where climate change is one of their top issues ( 48 % considered it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
Rural Americans are divided when asked whether the country is heading in the right direction .
Forty-three percent strongly agreed or somewhat agreed the country is headed in the right direction .
But 51 % strongly or somewhat strongly disagreed .
Farmers and ranchers told DTN/Progressive Farmer and Zogby that Trump ’ s focus on agriculture has improved their farming and ranching financial outlook ( 57 % ) and that the 2018 Farm Bill has provided an adequate safety net for their operation ( 57 % ) .
Now , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an art , not a science , so treat every poll with as much suspicion as you ’ d like .
In this case , the poll is of “ adults , ” not registered voters or likely voters .
Typically , Republican candidates improve when likely voter screens are used in polling , so it ’ s likely that Trump will get more than 53 % of the rural vote on Election Day .
According to the Zogby/DTNPF poll , Trump is leading Biden 50-33 among rural adults , with about 11 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are strong , they ’ re also down a bit from 2016 .
I know in rural central Virginia it ’ s not uncommon to see a piece of farm equipment parked in a field with a banner emblazoned “ Farmers for Trump ” on the side , and the Trump signs easily outnumber the Biden signs 2-to-1 where I live .
I am definitely seeing more signs for Biden than I saw for Hillary Clinton four years ago , but I ’ m also seeing more Trump signs as well , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to signs of a higher turnout than we saw in 2016 .
I ’ m also not surprised to see that the Second Amendment/gun control ranks as one of the top issues for rural voters in the Zogby/DTNPF poll .
While the media has been mostly silent on Biden ’ s gun control plans , many gun owners understand that under a Biden/Harris administration we ’ re likely to see the most ant-gun agenda in American history put into place ; including banning commonly-owned firearms and ammunition magazines , making it illegal to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and trying to impose subjective and restrictive gun licensing laws at the state level , just to name a few of Biden ’ s top priorities when it comes to legal gun ownership .
I ’ d love to see a poll that focused more on likely voters in battleground states , as opposed to a nationwide survey of adults , but the Zogby/DTNPF poll does offer up at least a general idea of where rural voters stand , and it looks like a solid majority are standing with Donald Trump in this @ @ @ @ @

A new nationwide poll of rural voters shows Donald Trump with a 53% approval rating, which is good news for the president as he tries to shore up his base of support with just a week to go before Election Day.
The poll, conducted by Zogby Analytics for the website DTNPF, also reveals that the right to keep and bear arms is one of the top issues for rural respondents.
As rural adults vote, three issues most influence them in local, state and national elections in 2020. Sixty-two percent said the strength of the economy is most important, 48% said health care and 39% said gun rights/protection of the Second Amendment. The economy is especially prioritized by Republicans (74% considered it an important issue) and Southern adults (67%). Health care (64%) is the top issue for rural Democrats, the only adult demographic group where health care has a significant edge over other issues. Rural Democrats are also the only demographic group where climate change is one of their top issues (48% considered it important, compared to 27% overall). Rural Americans are divided when asked whether the country is heading in the right direction. Forty-three percent strongly agreed or somewhat agreed the country is headed in the right direction. But 51% strongly or somewhat strongly disagreed. Farmers and ranchers told DTN/Progressive Farmer and Zogby that Trump’s focus on agriculture has improved their farming and ranching financial outlook (57%) and that the 2018 Farm Bill has provided an adequate safety net for their operation (57%).
Now, a couple of caveats here. Polling is an art, not a science, so treat every poll with as much suspicion as you’d like. In this case, the poll is of “adults,” not registered voters or likely voters. Typically, Republican candidates improve when likely voter screens are used in polling, so it’s likely that Trump will get more than 53% of the rural vote on Election Day. According to the Zogby/DTNPF poll, Trump is leading Biden 50-33 among rural adults, with about 11% still undecided. While those numbers are strong, they’re also down a bit from 2016.
In a similar DTN/Progressive Farmer Pulse of Rural America poll in 2016, Trump was leading Democratic contender Hillary Clinton 46% to 24%. But the rural voting community is a mixed bag for the president in 2020. Fifty-three percent of rural adult Americans approve of Donald Trump’s performance as president, including his handling of the coronavirus outbreak. Forty-two percent of rural residents and farmers strongly or somewhat disapprove of the president’s job performance.
I know in rural central Virginia it’s not uncommon to see a piece of farm equipment parked in a field with a banner emblazoned “Farmers for Trump” on the side, and the Trump signs easily outnumber the Biden signs 2-to-1 where I live. I am definitely seeing more signs for Biden than I saw for Hillary Clinton four years ago, but I’m also seeing more Trump signs as well, which points (anecdotally, at least) to signs of a higher turnout than we saw in 2016.
I’m also not surprised to see that the Second Amendment/gun control ranks as one of the top issues for rural voters in the Zogby/DTNPF poll. While the media has been mostly silent on Biden’s gun control plans, many gun owners understand that under a Biden/Harris administration we’re likely to see the most ant-gun agenda in American history put into place; including banning commonly-owned firearms and ammunition magazines, making it illegal to purchase ammunition and gun parts online, and trying to impose subjective and restrictive gun licensing laws at the state level, just to name a few of Biden’s top priorities when it comes to legal gun ownership.
I’d love to see a poll that focused more on likely voters in battleground states, as opposed to a nationwide survey of adults, but the Zogby/DTNPF poll does offer up at least a general idea of where rural voters stand, and it looks like a solid majority are standing with Donald Trump in this year’s election.


bearingarms--2020-10-26--MD Uses Red Flag Laws More Than Most

MD Uses Red Flag Laws More Than Most

The state of Maryland isn ’ t exactly a gun-friendly state .
While they ’ re not as bad as some when it comes to guns , that ’ s not exactly a difficult bar to clear .
By any objective measure , they ’ re an anti-gun state .
Officials there aren ’ t fond of regular folks having firearms , and that matters .
It matters a great deal .
After all , when you state has a mechanism to remove guns from people , the natural biases of those empowered with that authority simply has to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it seems Maryland uses their red flag laws more than most other states .
Don ’ t you kind of wish mental health advocates would also recognize the stigma attached to stripping someone who has been convicted of no crime of their constitutionally-protected rights ?
So , when you normalize for everything so you can make an apples-to-apples comparison , Maryland is jumping all over this at a prodigious rate .
Now , again , these are people who haven ’ t been convicted of any crime and aren ’ t even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to having their gun rights stripped from them .
Instead , people who lack any mental health training can say these people represent some kind of a threat and a court consisting of a judge with no mental health training and who doesn ’ t even see the person in question strips them of their God-given rights to keep and bear arms .
To me , though , the worst part is crap like this : In other words , the fact that it ’ s being used is the only metric they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a success .
That ’ s it .
However , there are questions .
First , how many of those who had their gun rights stripped represented an actual threat to themselves or others and not just someone who weirded out their partner , roommate , or cop ?
Where ’ s that discussion ?
Or , how many had their rights stripped only for the court to learn they didn ’ t actually represent a threat ?
See , none of that seems to get brought up .
Instead , they create @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rights from another , then tout its use as evidence .
What they didn ’ t note was that at least one person has been killed because of the red flag law .
Frankly , Maryland using the law more than other states with similar laws isn ’ t something that should be bragged about .
It ’ s an abridgement of people ’ s rights and any state with such a law should be ashamed of it .

The state of Maryland isn’t exactly a gun-friendly state. While they’re not as bad as some when it comes to guns, that’s not exactly a difficult bar to clear. By any objective measure, they’re an anti-gun state.
Officials there aren’t fond of regular folks having firearms, and that matters. It matters a great deal.
After all, when you state has a mechanism to remove guns from people, the natural biases of those empowered with that authority simply has to be considered as coming into play.
Now, it seems Maryland uses their red flag laws more than most other states.
Two years after taking effect, Maryland’s extreme risk gun law has been used far more than similar laws in most states that have implemented them in recent years, according to experts and a Baltimore Sun data analysis. Nineteen states and Washington, D.C., have enacted such so-called “red flag laws,” a term discouraged by mental health advocates due to the stigma attached to the term. Specifics of the laws vary state by state, but they generally allow law enforcement to temporarily take firearms from or ban the sale of firearms to people deemed to be a risk to themselves or others.
Don’t you kind of wish mental health advocates would also recognize the stigma attached to stripping someone who has been convicted of no crime of their constitutionally-protected rights?
Anyway, moving on…
In Maryland, law enforcement, family members, cohabitants, intimate partners and medical professionals can petition the court for these orders. A judge first decides whether a temporary order is warranted before a later hearing on a final order, which can take away firearms for up to a year. Adjusted per capita and per day in effect, Maryland courts have issued the second most such orders out of the wave of states that have implemented similar laws since 2016, according to available data obtained by The Sun. In the two years since the law took effect Oct. 1, 2018, Maryland courts has granted 989 extreme risk protective orders, an average of about 8.2 orders per year per 100,000 residents. Only Florida has used it more, about 9.4 orders per 100,000 residents. Maryland has used it twice as much as the next-highest state, New Jersey. The data was adjusted on a per-capita, per-day basis to account for population, how long the laws had been in effect and small discrepancies in data provided by the states. The Sun was not able to obtain complete data for Washington state in time for publication, the only state with a new law that’s missing from the analysis.
So, when you normalize for everything so you can make an apples-to-apples comparison, Maryland is jumping all over this at a prodigious rate.
Now, again, these are people who haven’t been convicted of any crime and aren’t even seen by a mental health professional prior to having their gun rights stripped from them. Instead, people who lack any mental health training can say these people represent some kind of a threat and a court consisting of a judge with no mental health training and who doesn’t even see the person in question strips them of their God-given rights to keep and bear arms.
Sure. That makes perfect sense.
To me, though, the worst part is crap like this:
Researchers, law enforcement departments, gun safety advocates and elected officials think Maryland’s high rate of usage means the law is working to prevent potential suicides, violence and mass shootings. Gun rights groups argue it undermines due process rights.
In other words, the fact that it’s being used is the only metric they need to gauge whether or not its a success. That’s it.
However, there are questions. First, how many of those who had their gun rights stripped represented an actual threat to themselves or others and not just someone who weirded out their partner, roommate, or cop? Where’s that discussion?
Or, how many had their rights stripped only for the court to learn they didn’t actually represent a threat?
See, none of that seems to get brought up. Instead, they create a law that allows people to strip the rights from another, then tout its use as evidence. What they didn’t note was that at least one person has been killed because of the red flag law.
Frankly, Maryland using the law more than other states with similar laws isn’t something that should be bragged about. It’s an abridgement of people’s rights and any state with such a law should be ashamed of it.


bearingarms--2020-10-26--NYC Shootings Spike In City's Public Housing

When shots were fired not far from Taylor Swift ’ s home in the trendy Tribeca neighborhood of New York City recently , it made national news .
Shootings have increased across the city , and gunshots fired near the home of a celebrity was too juicy a story for the entertainment media to ignore .
Tribeca ’ s still a pretty safe neighborhood , though , and most of the press is staying far away from the real crime hot spots in New York City ; the housing projects run by the New York City Housing Authority .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the overall homicide rate in NYC at the moment is about 4 per 100,000 .
In the housing projects , however , the murder rate is almost four times higher , at 15.5 per 100,000 .
As of October 18th , 59 of the city ’ s 371 homicides have taken place on NYCHA property , an increase of 41 % over 2019 ’ s figures .
Of course it ’ s illegal to possess a firearm in your home in New York City unless you have a premises license , and those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ housing projects , so it ’ s not legal gun owners who are driving the violence .
In fact , the law-abiding residents in complexes like Howard Houses aren ’ t likely to be legal gun owners thanks in part to the exorbitant fees that the city charges simply for processing the application to keep a gun in the home .
Clearly the city can ’ t keep the peace in its housing projects , but thanks to its draconian gun licensing law , many residents in some of the most dangerous parts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a gun for self-defense either .
The result is a recipe for disaster and criminality , with good folks in bad neighborhoods left defenseless inside their homes while violent criminals brazenly rule the stairwells of their buildings and the nearby city streets as well .
Cam Edwards has covered the 2nd Amendment for more than 15 years as a broadcast and online journalist , as well as the co-author of `` Heavy Lifting : Grow Up , Get a Job , Start a Family , and Other Manly Advice '' with Jim Geraghty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Virginia with his family .

When shots were fired not far from Taylor Swift’s home in the trendy Tribeca neighborhood of New York City recently, it made national news. Shootings have increased across the city, and gunshots fired near the home of a celebrity was too juicy a story for the entertainment media to ignore.
Tribeca’s still a pretty safe neighborhood, though, and most of the press is staying far away from the real crime hot spots in New York City; the housing projects run by the New York City Housing Authority.
As the New York Daily News reports, the overall homicide rate in NYC at the moment is about 4 per 100,000. In the housing projects, however, the murder rate is almost four times higher, at 15.5 per 100,000.
“It’s public housing at its worst,” a veteran NYPD Housing Bureau officer said of the Howard Houses. “There are remnants of drug use in the hallways and stairwells — blood splatter, needles, broken glass,” said the officer, who asked that his name not be used. Howard Houses is thick with members of the Bloods gang, the veteran cop said. It’s not easy for the officers to keep up with the shootings. “Every day, it seems like the FIOs (Field Intelligence Officers) are handing out wanted posters for new shootings to cops who are demoralized and burnt out, and expecting them to run out and catch these guys,” said the officer. Howard Houses’ four homicides lead NYCHA projects in the city, NYPD data shows. The project had no homicides in same period of 2019.
As of October 18th, 59 of the city’s 371 homicides have taken place on NYCHA property, an increase of 41% over 2019’s figures.
Of course it’s illegal to possess a firearm in your home in New York City unless you have a premises license, and those are rare in the city’s housing projects, so it’s not legal gun owners who are driving the violence. In fact, the law-abiding residents in complexes like Howard Houses aren’t likely to be legal gun owners thanks in part to the exorbitant fees that the city charges simply for processing the application to keep a gun in the home.
Clearly the city can’t keep the peace in its housing projects, but thanks to its draconian gun licensing law, many residents in some of the most dangerous parts of the city can’t keep a gun for self-defense either. The result is a recipe for disaster and criminality, with good folks in bad neighborhoods left defenseless inside their homes while violent criminals brazenly rule the stairwells of their buildings and the nearby city streets as well.


bearingarms--2020-10-26--Biden's Past Ties With Law Enforcement Mean Jack

Former Vice President Joe Biden likely selected Sen. Kamala Harris for his running mate so he could try and present himself as tough on crime .
After all , Harris is a former prosecutor who relentlessly went after relatively minor offenders during her tenure .
Further , Biden had long enjoyed good relationships with the nation ’ s police unions .
After all , they backed him and Barack Obama during both their campaigns for president .
However , that was then and this is now .
Today , we live in a world where legions of leftist want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Acting too pro-law enforcement isn ’ t going to please the base very much , though that ’ s the same base that will likely vote against President Trump anyway .
Regardless , some still want to try and paint the Biden ticket as pro-police .
Bill Johnson knew , before he reached out to Joseph R. Biden Jr. ’ s campaign last spring , that things had changed between the former vice president and the nation ’ s police unions .
A once-close alliance had frayed amid clashes over police brutality and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mr. Johnson , the executive director of the National Association of Police Organizations , invited Mr. Biden to address the group as it weighed its 2020 endorsement .
For weeks , the campaign was politely noncommittal , Mr. Johnson said .
Finally , he recalled , on the day NAPO was deciding its endorsement , he heard from a campaign aide asking if there was still time to send a message .
“ Not to be a jerk , but we were literally starting the meeting , ” Mr. Johnson said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ little late.
” The police federation , which twice endorsed the Obama-Biden ticket and stayed neutral in 2016 , backed President Trump in July .
Soon after , its president told the Republican convention that Mr. Biden and Senator Kamala Harris were “ the most radical anti-police ticket in history.
” That attack marked a low point in a political relationship that had endured for most of Mr. Biden ’ s career .
If elected , Mr. Biden would bring to the White House a long career ’ s worth of relationships with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts that is unmatched by any other major figure in the Democratic Party , according to more than a dozen current and former law-enforcement officials who have worked with Mr. Biden in various capacities .
During a late-summer speech in Pittsburgh , Mr. Biden pledged to draw both racial-justice activists and police leaders “ to the table ” to forge durable solutions .
“ I have worked with police in this country for many years , ” Mr. Biden said .
“ I know most cops are good , decent people .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time they put that shield on.
” Yet the 2020 election has also underscored the difficulty Mr. Biden may have in achieving that goal .
He is presenting himself as both a criminal-justice reformer and a friend to diligent police officers , a critic of racism and rioting alike .
In short , Biden is trying to walk the line between appeasing the voter base and appeasing people like police unions , and it ’ s simply not working .
These are two diametrically opposed groups that are at odds in ways that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out before the election .
Biden is trying to walk a tightrope during an earthquake .
It ’ s just not going to happen .
Yet let ’ s also take a look at Biden ’ s police support in the past .
Note what ’ s missing from the list of “ police chiefs , union leaders and policy experts ” listed ?
That ’ s right , actual street police .
See , police chiefs are political animals , especially in larger cities .
They reflect the policies and politics of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not the police who are involved in the nitty gritty of day-to-day police work .
Oh , in smaller communities , it can be different , but presidential candidates don ’ t care about support from the chief of the Leary , GA police department , they care about the chiefs in Chicago and New York .
Those are the ones that let them paint themselves as pro-police .
Yet sometimes , these chiefs aren ’ t even pro-police .
Not really .
It doesn ’ t matter , though , because Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time around .
While they ’ re not backing Trump necessarily , they ’ re not backing Joe either , and that ’ s got to sting .
Then again , you can ’ t offer support for anti-police rioting until the polls show it ’ s unpopular and still think the police are going to like you .
As a result , all that past support that some Biden supporters like to tout ?
It means jack squat .

Former Vice President Joe Biden likely selected Sen. Kamala Harris for his running mate so he could try and present himself as tough on crime. After all, Harris is a former prosecutor who relentlessly went after relatively minor offenders during her tenure.
Further, Biden had long enjoyed good relationships with the nation’s police unions. After all, they backed him and Barack Obama during both their campaigns for president.
However, that was then and this is now.
Today, we live in a world where legions of leftist want to defund law enforcement to varying degrees. Acting too pro-law enforcement isn’t going to please the base very much, though that’s the same base that will likely vote against President Trump anyway. Regardless, some still want to try and paint the Biden ticket as pro-police.
It ain’t working.
Bill Johnson knew, before he reached out to Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s campaign last spring, that things had changed between the former vice president and the nation’s police unions. A once-close alliance had frayed amid clashes over police brutality and racism in the justice system. Still, Mr. Johnson, the executive director of the National Association of Police Organizations, invited Mr. Biden to address the group as it weighed its 2020 endorsement. For weeks, the campaign was politely noncommittal, Mr. Johnson said. Finally, he recalled, on the day NAPO was deciding its endorsement, he heard from a campaign aide asking if there was still time to send a message. “Not to be a jerk, but we were literally starting the meeting,” Mr. Johnson said. “It’s kind of a little late.” The police federation, which twice endorsed the Obama-Biden ticket and stayed neutral in 2016, backed President Trump in July. Soon after, its president told the Republican convention that Mr. Biden and Senator Kamala Harris were “the most radical anti-police ticket in history.” That attack marked a low point in a political relationship that had endured for most of Mr. Biden’s career. If elected, Mr. Biden would bring to the White House a long career’s worth of relationships with police chiefs, union leaders and policy experts that is unmatched by any other major figure in the Democratic Party, according to more than a dozen current and former law-enforcement officials who have worked with Mr. Biden in various capacities. During a late-summer speech in Pittsburgh, Mr. Biden pledged to draw both racial-justice activists and police leaders “to the table” to forge durable solutions. “I have worked with police in this country for many years,” Mr. Biden said. “I know most cops are good, decent people. I know how they risk their lives every time they put that shield on.” Yet the 2020 election has also underscored the difficulty Mr. Biden may have in achieving that goal. He is presenting himself as both a criminal-justice reformer and a friend to diligent police officers, a critic of racism and rioting alike.
In short, Biden is trying to walk the line between appeasing the voter base and appeasing people like police unions, and it’s simply not working. These are two diametrically opposed groups that are at odds in ways that aren’t going to be hammered out before the election. Biden is trying to walk a tightrope during an earthquake.
It’s just not going to happen.
Yet let’s also take a look at Biden’s police support in the past. Note what’s missing from the list of “police chiefs, union leaders and policy experts” listed? That’s right, actual street police.
See, police chiefs are political animals, especially in larger cities. They reflect the policies and politics of the elected officials they answer to, not the police who are involved in the nitty gritty of day-to-day police work. Oh, in smaller communities, it can be different, but presidential candidates don’t care about support from the chief of the Leary, GA police department, they care about the chiefs in Chicago and New York. Those are the ones that let them paint themselves as pro-police.
Yet sometimes, these chiefs aren’t even pro-police. Not really.
It doesn’t matter, though, because Biden’s not getting their support this time around. While they’re not backing Trump necessarily, they’re not backing Joe either, and that’s got to sting.
Then again, you can’t offer support for anti-police rioting until the polls show it’s unpopular and still think the police are going to like you. As a result, all that past support that some Biden supporters like to tout? It means jack squat.


bearingarms--2020-10-27--Kimber Moving Headquarters To Troy, AL

Kimber Moving Headquarters To Troy, AL

I ’ ve always been a little amazed at how many gun companies call themselves home in various anti-gun states .
These are states where the powers that be want to destroy their entire business , and yet many have stayed there for some insane reason .
However , that ’ s been changing in recent years .
Several companies have bailed on their anti-gun states and sought refuge in friendlier climates .
It seems we can now add Kimber to that group as well .
Kimber Manufacturing , a company that makes a variety of firearms and ammunition , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York to its facility in Troy , Alabama .
The decision to change the location of the company ’ s headquarters was first announced last week , and much of the work has already been completed .
A release from the company notes that “ leadership , R & D and manufacturing resources ” are now in place at the 225,000 square-foot facility in Troy .
Kimber is now “ adding staff across all departments ” to complete the transition .
The gunmaker ’ s massive presence in the Wiregrass is still relatively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it in her state of the state address in 2018 .
At the time , it was described as a manufacturing capacity expansion , not a new headquarters , but the executives at Kimber appear to have grown fond of the Yellowhammer State .
The gunmaker was founded in Yonkers , New York , in 1979 and remained headquartered there until its recent transition to Alabama .
Of course , New York isn ’ t friendly to Kimber customers .
While most , if not all , of Kimber ’ s offerings are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s still not a good place to be a gun owner .
Not by any stretch of the imagination .
As such , it makes sense to relocate to a state that won ’ t look at you like you ’ re 55 kinds of evil just for existing .
Now , as a Georgian , I make a lot of jokes at Alabama ’ s expense , but the state is most definitely a pro-gun state where Kimber will find a great many supporters .
It ’ s not likely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line , something I wouldn ’ t rule out in New York .
Honestly , as more and more gun companies are relocating to pro-gun states , particularly in the Deep South , you ’ d think that if the gun industry was big enough to terrify congressmen as some have suggested , then the economic repercussions of angering the industry would keep states from passing gun control .
It ’ s clearly not .
Especially when you have a company laying off hundreds of employees on Monday with no severance package .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kimber is finding a new home .
As time rolls on , you ’ ll see more and more companies based in pro-gun states as anti-gunners run them and the millions of dollars they bring into local communities away .
Frankly , many of the poorer states in the South could use the jobs , so we thank the anti-gunners for their hard work in boosting the economies of many of these communities .
Oh , the didn ’ t mean to do it , but results matter in the grander scheme of @ @

I’ve always been a little amazed at how many gun companies call themselves home in various anti-gun states. These are states where the powers that be want to destroy their entire business, and yet many have stayed there for some insane reason.
However, that’s been changing in recent years. Several companies have bailed on their anti-gun states and sought refuge in friendlier climates.
It seems we can now add Kimber to that group as well.
Kimber Manufacturing, a company that makes a variety of firearms and ammunition, is transitioning its corporate headquarters from New York to its facility in Troy, Alabama. The decision to change the location of the company’s headquarters was first announced last week, and much of the work has already been completed. A release from the company notes that “leadership, R&D and manufacturing resources” are now in place at the 225,000 square-foot facility in Troy. Kimber is now “adding staff across all departments” to complete the transition. The gunmaker’s massive presence in the Wiregrass is still relatively new. Governor Kay Ivey first announced it in her state of the state address in 2018. At the time, it was described as a manufacturing capacity expansion, not a new headquarters, but the executives at Kimber appear to have grown fond of the Yellowhammer State. The gunmaker was founded in Yonkers, New York, in 1979 and remained headquartered there until its recent transition to Alabama.
Of course, New York isn’t friendly to Kimber customers. While most, if not all, of Kimber’s offerings are still legal in the state, it’s still not a good place to be a gun owner. Not by any stretch of the imagination.
As such, it makes sense to relocate to a state that won’t look at you like you’re 55 kinds of evil just for existing.
Enter Alabama.
Now, as a Georgian, I make a lot of jokes at Alabama’s expense, but the state is most definitely a pro-gun state where Kimber will find a great many supporters. It’s not likely to find oppressive governmental overreach hitting their bottom line, something I wouldn’t rule out in New York.
Honestly, as more and more gun companies are relocating to pro-gun states, particularly in the Deep South, you’d think that if the gun industry was big enough to terrify congressmen as some have suggested, then the economic repercussions of angering the industry would keep states from passing gun control. It’s clearly not.
Especially when you have a company laying off hundreds of employees on Monday with no severance package.
At the end of the day, Kimber is finding a new home. As time rolls on, you’ll see more and more companies based in pro-gun states as anti-gunners run them and the millions of dollars they bring into local communities away. Frankly, many of the poorer states in the South could use the jobs, so we thank the anti-gunners for their hard work in boosting the economies of many of these communities.
Oh, the didn’t mean to do it, but results matter in the grander scheme of things.


bearingarms--2020-10-27--2A Groups Praise Barrett Confirmation, Prep SCOTUS Challenges

Second Amendment organizations are hailing the confirmation of Supreme Court Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett as a huge step towards the Court once again taking up a case dealing with the right to keep and bear arms .
We discussed a few of the Second Amendment-related cases percolating in the judicial system in a post this morning , but on today ’ s Bearing Arms ’ Cam & Co , we dig a little deeper into the issue with the Second Amendment Foundation ’ s executive vice president and founder , Alan Gottlieb .
Gottlieb says that Barrett being on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide the votes necessary to start hearing Second Amendment cases once again , and he says that everything from bans on so-called assault weapons and high capacity magazines to the right to carry to the restoration of rights is currently being litigated in lower courts .
Gottlieb ’ s not alone in his optimism that Barrett ’ s confirmation will breathe new life into Second Amendment cases at the Supreme Court .
The Firearms Policy Coalition ’ s president Brandon Combs is chomping at the bit to get before the Court .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largest and most impactful of its kind in the nation , is already hard at work on some of the most important Second Amendment lawsuits in the country , and is actively preparing dozens more , ” said Combs .
“ As Justice Thomas has explained , the Second Amendment is not a second-class right .
We are eager to see the Supreme Court grant certiorari in an appropriate case , reaffirm that the Constitution ’ s text means exactly what it says , and once more clarify that recalcitrant lower courts can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tiered scrutiny the Court expressly rejected in Heller.
” NRA-ILA ’ s Jason Ouimet also praised Barrett ’ s confirmation , saying that she “ promises to serve with distinction and honor , ” and the National Shooting Sports Foundation ’ s senior vice president and general counsel Lawrence Keane says the organization is “ extremely pleased ” by Barrett ’ s new status as an Associate Justice .
Gottlieb did sound a note of caution by noting that if Joe Biden and Democrats win both the White House and the Senate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demands by many Democrats to pack the Supreme Court with four new Democratic-appointed justices , Gottlieb believes that Biden would almost certainly try to change the structure of the Court and negate the Republican-appointed majority now in place , which would not only be disastrous in the legal fight for recognition of our Second Amendment rights , but would be a severe blow to the legitimacy of the judicial system itself .
Be sure to check out the entire interview with Gottlieb in the video window above , which also includes his impressions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a critical battleground state for Trump ’ s re-election bid and the site of a Trump rally on Wednesday that Gottlieb will be attending .

Second Amendment organizations are hailing the confirmation of Supreme Court Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett as a huge step towards the Court once again taking up a case dealing with the right to keep and bear arms. We discussed a few of the Second Amendment-related cases percolating in the judicial system in a post this morning, but on today’s Bearing Arms’ Cam & Co, we dig a little deeper into the issue with the Second Amendment Foundation’s executive vice president and founder, Alan Gottlieb.
Gottlieb says that Barrett being on the bench at the Supreme Court should provide the votes necessary to start hearing Second Amendment cases once again, and he says that everything from bans on so-called assault weapons and high capacity magazines to the right to carry to the restoration of rights is currently being litigated in lower courts.
Gottlieb’s not alone in his optimism that Barrett’s confirmation will breathe new life into Second Amendment cases at the Supreme Court. The Firearms Policy Coalition’s president Brandon Combs is chomping at the bit to get before the Court.
“FPC’s legal team, the largest and most impactful of its kind in the nation, is already hard at work on some of the most important Second Amendment lawsuits in the country, and is actively preparing dozens more,” said Combs. “As Justice Thomas has explained, the Second Amendment is not a second-class right. We are eager to see the Supreme Court grant certiorari in an appropriate case, reaffirm that the Constitution’s text means exactly what it says, and once more clarify that recalcitrant lower courts cannot continue to apply the interest balancing tiered scrutiny the Court expressly rejected in Heller.”
NRA-ILA’s Jason Ouimet also praised Barrett’s confirmation, saying that she “promises to serve with distinction and honor,” and the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s senior vice president and general counsel Lawrence Keane says the organization is “extremely pleased” by Barrett’s new status as an Associate Justice.
“Justice Barrett’s service will reaffirm the importance of originalist jurists when protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans. The firearm industry is grateful for the resolute foresight of President Donald Trump to nominate such a qualified jurist to serve on the bench.”
Gottlieb did sound a note of caution by noting that if Joe Biden and Democrats win both the White House and the Senate, then all bets are off. With demands by many Democrats to pack the Supreme Court with four new Democratic-appointed justices, Gottlieb believes that Biden would almost certainly try to change the structure of the Court and negate the Republican-appointed majority now in place, which would not only be disastrous in the legal fight for recognition of our Second Amendment rights, but would be a severe blow to the legitimacy of the judicial system itself.
Be sure to check out the entire interview with Gottlieb in the video window above, which also includes his impressions of gun owners’ enthusiasm in Arizona, a critical battleground state for Trump’s re-election bid and the site of a Trump rally on Wednesday that Gottlieb will be attending.


bearingarms--2020-10-27--Pennsylvania Gun Network Busted

Pennsylvania Gun Network Busted

Proponents of gun control generally believe that gun control actually works .
They look at states that happen to have gun control and fairly low violence and think “ it must be because we have gun control , ” never wondering if crime might be lower without all the gun control .
Critical thinking is often not their thing , really .
That ’ s especially true when you consider that there ’ s a lot of money to be made supplying guns to the very people who are legally barred from buying them in the first place .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just what was recently busted in Pennsylvania .
Authorities dismantled a gun trafficking network operating in Montgomery County , alleging five Norristown residents illegally obtained or transferred 15 firearms using a straw purchase scheme .
Henry Vonzell “ Legz ” Harris Jr. , 33 , of the 400 block of DeKalb Street , Lynwood Reginald “ Reggie ” Wilford Jr. , 29 , of the 500 block of Buttonwood Street , Jaime L. Winslow , 40 , of the 1500 block of Markley Street , Jahlesia Rosalie Clark , 21 , of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sara R. Travis , 49 , of the 300 block of Freedley Street , each face corrupt organizations and conspiracy- and firearms-related charges in connection with alleged incidents that occurred between August and October .
The defendants were arraigned before District Court Judge Marc A. Alfarano , who set bail at $ 99,000 cash for Harris and Wilford and $ 50,000 unsecured for Clark , Travis and Winslow .
Harris failed to make bail and was remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility .
A preliminary hearing for the defendants is scheduled for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alfarano .
“ This is another organization that is putting guns in the hands of criminals .
These illegal firearms are a significant threat to our communities and to our safety , ” District Attorney Kevin R. Steele said on Monday .
“ Law enforcement in Montgomery County are committed to tracking down these gun traffickers and stopping them .
It ’ s important for everyone to know that someone who buys a gun legally and gives it to or sells it to someone else is in violation of firearms laws and will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not worth the meager amount of money these traffickers will pay , ” Steele added .
With the charges , detectives alleged Harris , a convicted felon who was not allowed to legally purchase or possess a firearm , enlisted the four others to purchase guns on his behalf .
Authorities alleged Wilford purchased 11 guns , Winslow purchased two firearms and Clark and Travis each purchased one firearm .
In other words , a criminal got those who haven ’ t been convicted of anything to buy him guns .
A fair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so many unrecovered firearms even after a search of Harris ’ home , it appears likely that he sold those guns to others who legally couldn ’ t purchase a firearm .
In other words , the criminals found a way around all the gun control in place .
“ But that just means we need more gun control , ” someone will pop off .
To them , though , I ask what would really have stopped Harris from getting guns ?
We don ’ t know the timeframe , but we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involved , so there ’ s reason to believe he ’ d have been able to bypass rationing .
Further , none of the buyers were convicted felons or had been “ adjudicated as mentally defective.
” There was literally nothing in their record that would have kept them from buying a gun .
Nothing at all .
Look , it ’ s important to understand that criminals are going to get guns .
There ’ s no way around it .
They get them in the UK and Europe which has strict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Australia as well .
If they get them there , they ’ re going to get them here .
The least we can do is make it as easy as possible for the good guys to have them as well .

Proponents of gun control generally believe that gun control actually works. They look at states that happen to have gun control and fairly low violence and think “it must be because we have gun control,” never wondering if crime might be lower without all the gun control. Critical thinking is often not their thing, really.
That’s especially true when you consider that there’s a lot of money to be made supplying guns to the very people who are legally barred from buying them in the first place.
In fact, a network designed to do just what was recently busted in Pennsylvania.
Authorities dismantled a gun trafficking network operating in Montgomery County, alleging five Norristown residents illegally obtained or transferred 15 firearms using a straw purchase scheme. Henry Vonzell “Legz” Harris Jr., 33, of the 400 block of DeKalb Street, Lynwood Reginald “Reggie” Wilford Jr., 29, of the 500 block of Buttonwood Street, Jaime L. Winslow, 40, of the 1500 block of Markley Street, Jahlesia Rosalie Clark, 21, of the 1800 block of Powell Street, and Sara R. Travis, 49, of the 300 block of Freedley Street, each face corrupt organizations and conspiracy- and firearms-related charges in connection with alleged incidents that occurred between August and October. The defendants were arraigned before District Court Judge Marc A. Alfarano, who set bail at $99,000 cash for Harris and Wilford and $50,000 unsecured for Clark, Travis and Winslow. Harris failed to make bail and was remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. A preliminary hearing for the defendants is scheduled for 1 p.m., Nov. 2, before Alfarano. “This is another organization that is putting guns in the hands of criminals. These illegal firearms are a significant threat to our communities and to our safety,” District Attorney Kevin R. Steele said on Monday. “Law enforcement in Montgomery County are committed to tracking down these gun traffickers and stopping them. It’s important for everyone to know that someone who buys a gun legally and gives it to or sells it to someone else is in violation of firearms laws and will face jail time. It’s not worth the meager amount of money these traffickers will pay,” Steele added. With the charges, detectives alleged Harris, a convicted felon who was not allowed to legally purchase or possess a firearm, enlisted the four others to purchase guns on his behalf. Authorities alleged Wilford purchased 11 guns, Winslow purchased two firearms and Clark and Travis each purchased one firearm.
In other words, a criminal got those who haven’t been convicted of anything to buy him guns. A fair number of them, really.
With so many unrecovered firearms even after a search of Harris’ home, it appears likely that he sold those guns to others who legally couldn’t purchase a firearm. In other words, the criminals found a way around all the gun control in place.
“But that just means we need more gun control,” someone will pop off.
To them, though, I ask what would really have stopped Harris from getting guns? We don’t know the timeframe, but we know he got a number of people involved, so there’s reason to believe he’d have been able to bypass rationing.
Further, none of the buyers were convicted felons or had been “adjudicated as mentally defective.” There was literally nothing in their record that would have kept them from buying a gun. Nothing at all.
Look, it’s important to understand that criminals are going to get guns. There’s no way around it. They get them in the UK and Europe which has strict gun control laws. They get them in Australia as well.
If they get them there, they’re going to get them here. The least we can do is make it as easy as possible for the good guys to have them as well.


bearingarms--2020-10-27--Strange Times: Paper Shows Newfound Respect For Gun Shows

In the latest sign that we ’ re living in extraordinarily strange times , the New York Times sent a couple of reporters to a gun show in Virginia , and they returned with an honest and fair portrayal of America ’ s gun owners without the slightest hint of snark or disapproval in their story .
I ’ m honestly shocked , but I had a feeling that the usual “ oh no , look at the bumpkins buying guns ” narrative wasn ’ t going to be a focus of the Times story as soon as I saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matter T-shirts meet MAGA hats : the gun show.
” With more women , racial minorities , and even Democrats purchasing a firearm for the very first time this year , all of a sudden the Second Amendment doesn ’ t appear to be quite as awful as it did when most folks talking about the importance of the right to keep and bear arms were conservatives .
“ This is a giant room of ‘ you never know , ’ ” said Bert Davis , looking around earlier this month at people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to peruse weaponry at the Nation ’ s Gun Show , one of the biggest events of its kind .
A human resources worker for the city of Richmond , Va. , Mr. Davis had come to the show with his sister Toni Jackson , who had been having difficulty finding 9-millimeter ammunition at local gun shops ; they were all sold out .
“ Everybody is arming themselves against their neighbor , ” Ms. Jackson said , looking at the diverse lot of fellow shoppers , some pushing strollers and wheelchairs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” mask , one donning a “ Keep America Great ” mask and people standing in a line for background checks that snaked along the room .
“ This feeds the separatism of the country.
” “ What ’ s going on in the country right now , I ’ m afraid to be out by myself as a Black woman , ” Ms. Jackson said , describing unrest in her city of Richmond and beyond .
“ There are a lot of people not necessarily excited that Confederate monuments have been taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ms. Jackson , I think she couldn ’ t be more wrong about the attendees of the gun show .
Rather than feeding the separatism of the country , the Second Amendment is where many of us can find common ground , and as the Times described , it was a diverse crowd in attendance at the Nation ’ s Gun Show in northern Virginia .
The attendees likely disagree on all kinds of issues , but on their right to own a gun for self-defense , they ’ re in agreement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ found between those wearing Black Lives Matter t-shirts and those wearing MAGA masks ; we want to be safe , and 2020 has shown us that the police won ’ t always be there to protect you , politicians can ’ t protect you , and gun control won ’ t protect you .
You need to be able to protect yourself , and millions of Americans embraced their right to keep and bear arms as they ’ ve come to that conclusion , even if they never dreamed they ’ d become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I don ’ t know how much Toni Jackson and I would agree on politically , but I already feel a connection with her based on our shared frustration at the lack of 9mm ammunition to be found in the Richmond , Virginia area .
It may not seem like much , but finding those connections , no matter how small , are incredibly important for those of us who want to ensure that our Second Amendment rights remain as secure and strong as possible .
A decade ago , fully 25 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A ” -rated by the NRA .
Now , Minnesota ’ s Collin Petersen is the only Democratic House member with the NRA ’ s highest rating .
If we have more Democrats buying guns at the moment , then the Second Amendment movement needs to think about how we can translate that into more pro-Second Amendment Democrats .
On the face of it , the idea is absurd .
Democrats have become far more aligned with gun control groups like Brady and March for Our Lives than they were a decade ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Democrats up and down the ticket by spending lavishly in support of their campaigns , as long as they support his pet causes like gun control .
Joe Biden ’ s running as the most anti-gun presidential candidate in American history , and there ’ ll be plenty of Democrats who bought a Glock as their first gun earlier this year who ’ ll be voting for the guy who wants to make it a crime for them to keep the ammunition magazine that came with their pistol .
The Second Amendment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it may not even crack the Top 5 .
Still , as we ’ ve discussed here before , there ’ s a growing number of younger Democrats , typically further to the Left than Bloomberg on most issues , who aren ’ t on board with many old school gun control policies that are enforced by armed agents of the state and punished by incarceration .
Could they , along with the hundreds of thousands ( if not millions ) of new Left-leaning gun owners start to push the Democrats away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ magazine bans , universal background checks , “ may issue ” concealed carry licenses , and other policies that put thousands of people behind bars every year for non-violent , possessory firearms offenses that aren ’ t even crimes in many states ?
I ’ m not confident , but I ’ m hopeful that we could see that new pro-2A coalition start to come together over the next year .
I ’ m a conservative , but I also know that our Second Amendment rights will be more secure when both major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gun owners , and seeing the newfound respect shown to gun shows and those who attend them by the New York Times gives me a little optimism these new gun owners are already starting to have an impact on how some on the Left think about and cover these issues .

In the latest sign that we’re living in extraordinarily strange times, the New York Times sent a couple of reporters to a gun show in Virginia, and they returned with an honest and fair portrayal of America’s gun owners without the slightest hint of snark or disapproval in their story.
I’m honestly shocked, but I had a feeling that the usual “oh no, look at the bumpkins buying guns” narrative wasn’t going to be a focus of the Times story as soon as I saw the headline “Where ‘Black Lives Matter T-shirts meet MAGA hats: the gun show.”
With more women, racial minorities, and even Democrats purchasing a firearm for the very first time this year, all of a sudden the Second Amendment doesn’t appear to be quite as awful as it did when most folks talking about the importance of the right to keep and bear arms were conservatives.
“This is a giant room of ‘you never know,’” said Bert Davis, looking around earlier this month at people streaming inside a convention hall in Virginia to peruse weaponry at the Nation’s Gun Show, one of the biggest events of its kind. A human resources worker for the city of Richmond, Va., Mr. Davis had come to the show with his sister Toni Jackson, who had been having difficulty finding 9-millimeter ammunition at local gun shops; they were all sold out. “Everybody is arming themselves against their neighbor,” Ms. Jackson said, looking at the diverse lot of fellow shoppers, some pushing strollers and wheelchairs, one wearing a “Black Lives Matter” mask, one donning a “Keep America Great” mask and people standing in a line for background checks that snaked along the room. “This feeds the separatism of the country.” “What’s going on in the country right now, I’m afraid to be out by myself as a Black woman,” Ms. Jackson said, describing unrest in her city of Richmond and beyond. “There are a lot of people not necessarily excited that Confederate monuments have been taken down.”
With all due respect to Ms. Jackson, I think she couldn’t be more wrong about the attendees of the gun show. Rather than feeding the separatism of the country, the Second Amendment is where many of us can find common ground, and as the Times described, it was a diverse crowd in attendance at the Nation’s Gun Show in northern Virginia. The attendees likely disagree on all kinds of issues, but on their right to own a gun for self-defense, they’re in agreement.
Don Woodson was overseeing the Trojan Arms and Tactical table of dozens of black, pink and Tiffany turquoise semiautomatic handguns. He estimated 70 percent of his sales at the show were to new gun owners, many of whom told him that they are afraid of rioters. “People who never ever would have had guns before,” he said. “Now, they’re looking for security.”
That’s the commonality to be found between those wearing Black Lives Matter t-shirts and those wearing MAGA masks; we want to be safe, and 2020 has shown us that the police won’t always be there to protect you, politicians can’t protect you, and gun control won’t protect you. You need to be able to protect yourself, and millions of Americans embraced their right to keep and bear arms as they’ve come to that conclusion, even if they never dreamed they’d become a gun owner in the past.
I don’t know how much Toni Jackson and I would agree on politically, but I already feel a connection with her based on our shared frustration at the lack of 9mm ammunition to be found in the Richmond, Virginia area. It may not seem like much, but finding those connections, no matter how small, are incredibly important for those of us who want to ensure that our Second Amendment rights remain as secure and strong as possible.
A decade ago, fully 25% of the Democrats in Congress were “A”-rated by the NRA. Now, Minnesota’s Collin Petersen is the only Democratic House member with the NRA’s highest rating. If we have more Democrats buying guns at the moment, then the Second Amendment movement needs to think about how we can translate that into more pro-Second Amendment Democrats.
On the face of it, the idea is absurd. Democrats have become far more aligned with gun control groups like Brady and March for Our Lives than they were a decade ago, and Michael Bloomberg has ingratiated himself with Democrats up and down the ticket by spending lavishly in support of their campaigns, as long as they support his pet causes like gun control.
Joe Biden’s running as the most anti-gun presidential candidate in American history, and there’ll be plenty of Democrats who bought a Glock as their first gun earlier this year who’ll be voting for the guy who wants to make it a crime for them to keep the ammunition magazine that came with their pistol. The Second Amendment isn’t their first issue, and it may not even crack the Top 5.
Still, as we’ve discussed here before, there’s a growing number of younger Democrats, typically further to the Left than Bloomberg on most issues, who aren’t on board with many old school gun control policies that are enforced by armed agents of the state and punished by incarceration. Could they, along with the hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of new Left-leaning gun owners start to push the Democrats away from their embrace of gun bans, magazine bans, universal background checks, “may issue” concealed carry licenses, and other policies that put thousands of people behind bars every year for non-violent, possessory firearms offenses that aren’t even crimes in many states?
I’m not confident, but I’m hopeful that we could see that new pro-2A coalition start to come together over the next year. I’m a conservative, but I also know that our Second Amendment rights will be more secure when both major parties are fighting for the vote of gun owners, and seeing the newfound respect shown to gun shows and those who attend them by the New York Times gives me a little optimism these new gun owners are already starting to have an impact on how some on the Left think about and cover these issues.