bearingarms--2020-12-10--The Gun Control Crowd And Rural Voters

The Gun Control Crowd And Rural Voters

If November ’ s elections did nothing else , they ’ ve beautifully illustrated just how stark the rural-urban divide truly is in this nation .
That ’ s not overly surprising , either .
The cities and the country have pretty much always been different worlds , even though they reside within the same national borders .
For many , though , that divide is a significant problem .
After all , if you want to push through gun control , you ’ re eventually going to need at least some of those rural voters to side with you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Political Science at Brigham Young University Ryan W. Davis has opted to tell the anti-gun left how they ’ re missing the boat with rural voters .
Guns may be the most polarizing issue in America .
While some progressives dismiss calls for “ understanding ” gun owners as a Trojan horse , there is a purely pragmatic reason for them to care : gun lovers are voting against them .
They don ’ t have to be .
And the changes it would take to reach them are nearly costless .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ America is divided largely along geographical lines .
Democrats tend to dominate the coasts and upper Midwest , and Republicans control the South , plains and Mountain West region .
But more specifically , and as anyone who watched the election night newscasts could observe , the partisan divide is between urban and rural America .
Rural areas vote red , and cities vote blue .
Rural voters turned out overwhelmingly for Trump .
What ’ s going on ?
How has the GOP consolidated rural voters within its coalition ?
The issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the puzzle , and a window into the larger issue of partisanship .
The NRA is weaker than ever , but rural Americans don ’ t care any less about guns .
Nothing else can play the role of guns .
Hunting together demands a very specific mix of trust , endurance , skill and coordination .
It confers status and prestige in groups where those honors might otherwise be hard to come by .
Carrying a gun shows to others—and to yourself—that you ’ re fully a part .
In psychologists ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ self-symbolizing .
Earlier I said we care about what guns mean to us , but that isn ’ t quite right .
We care about what guns mean about us .
Some folks look down their noses at symbolic values .
I ’ ve tried to argue that ’ s a mistake .
No one lives a symbol-free life .
Wanting to choose your career , or life partner , or to have your vote counted or religious traditions respected—all of these matter as ways of showing ( to ourselves , as much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full members of our social world .
Here , I agree with Davis .
While I don ’ t think of guns as symbols , I do think that the argument against them as such is kind of lame .
Especially from a party that rallies behind a rainbow flag on a regular basis .
How is that not a symbol ?
As such , how are so many related values not also symbolic values ?
Sure , they ’ re heartfelt , but so is our passion for the Second Amendment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that he believes that rural voters do , ultimately , agree with many gun control positions while opposing gun-control candidates for sending the wrong signals .
See , first , most rural voters who take positions on guns tend to be very gun-rights oriented .
They ’ re not actually interested in restricting magazine capacity .
After all , their Glock 19 has a 15-round magazine that would run afoul of a magazine ban , for example .
They vote against gun control because they oppose gun control .
Period .
Sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different , but when the rubber meets the road , they want their gun rights left alone .
Davis goes on to argue that the secret is to change how gun control is spoken about .
Again , I disagree .
The truth is that we argue anti-gunners want all of our guns not because of how they phrase their comments , but because history has shown us that it ’ s never enough for them .
They ’ ll continue to take and take and take until there ’ s nothing left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drew a line in the sand and vowed not to give another inch of ground .
A kinder , gentler anti-gun movement won ’ t change that .
They can ’ t erase their history , so if they want to address the rural-urban divide , they need to start acknowledging that the needs of the rural areas require firearms .
It ’ s not that the country folks just like their guns , they need them .
They need them for hunting , sure , but they also need them to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ miles away from the nearest law enforcement officer .
Until they can grok that , there ’ s really no need for them to even bother trying to reach out .
No one is interested in listening .

If November’s elections did nothing else, they’ve beautifully illustrated just how stark the rural-urban divide truly is in this nation. That’s not overly surprising, either. The cities and the country have pretty much always been different worlds, even though they reside within the same national borders.
For many, though, that divide is a significant problem. After all, if you want to push through gun control, you’re eventually going to need at least some of those rural voters to side with you.
Over at Newsweek, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Brigham Young University Ryan W. Davis has opted to tell the anti-gun left how they’re missing the boat with rural voters.
Guns may be the most polarizing issue in America. While some progressives dismiss calls for “understanding” gun owners as a Trojan horse, there is a purely pragmatic reason for them to care: gun lovers are voting against them. They don’t have to be. And the changes it would take to reach them are nearly costless. When it comes to political partisanship, America is divided largely along geographical lines. Democrats tend to dominate the coasts and upper Midwest, and Republicans control the South, plains and Mountain West region. But more specifically, and as anyone who watched the election night newscasts could observe, the partisan divide is between urban and rural America. Rural areas vote red, and cities vote blue. Rural voters turned out overwhelmingly for Trump. What’s going on? How has the GOP consolidated rural voters within its coalition? The issue of gun rights provides one piece of the puzzle, and a window into the larger issue of partisanship. The NRA is weaker than ever, but rural Americans don’t care any less about guns. … Nothing else can play the role of guns. Hunting together demands a very specific mix of trust, endurance, skill and coordination. It confers status and prestige in groups where those honors might otherwise be hard to come by. Carrying a gun shows to others—and to yourself—that you’re fully a part. In psychologists’ terms, guns provide a way of self-symbolizing. Earlier I said we care about what guns mean to us, but that isn’t quite right. We care about what guns mean about us. Some folks look down their noses at symbolic values. I’ve tried to argue that’s a mistake. No one lives a symbol-free life. Wanting to choose your career, or life partner, or to have your vote counted or religious traditions respected—all of these matter as ways of showing (to ourselves, as much as anyone) that we’re full members of our social world.
Here, I agree with Davis. While I don’t think of guns as symbols, I do think that the argument against them as such is kind of lame. Especially from a party that rallies behind a rainbow flag on a regular basis. How is that not a symbol? As such, how are so many related values not also symbolic values? Sure, they’re heartfelt, but so is our passion for the Second Amendment.
Where Davis loses me, though, is that he believes that rural voters do, ultimately, agree with many gun control positions while opposing gun-control candidates for sending the wrong signals.
That’s a mistake.
See, first, most rural voters who take positions on guns tend to be very gun-rights oriented. They’re not actually interested in restricting magazine capacity. After all, their Glock 19 has a 15-round magazine that would run afoul of a magazine ban, for example. They vote against gun control because they oppose gun control. Period.
Sure, they may tell a pollster something different, but when the rubber meets the road, they want their gun rights left alone.
Davis goes on to argue that the secret is to change how gun control is spoken about. Again, I disagree. The truth is that we argue anti-gunners want all of our guns not because of how they phrase their comments, but because history has shown us that it’s never enough for them. They’ll continue to take and take and take until there’s nothing left. Once we saw that, we drew a line in the sand and vowed not to give another inch of ground.
A kinder, gentler anti-gun movement won’t change that. They can’t erase their history, so if they want to address the rural-urban divide, they need to start acknowledging that the needs of the rural areas require firearms. It’s not that the country folks just like their guns, they need them. They need them for hunting, sure, but they also need them to protect a homestead that may be miles upon miles away from the nearest law enforcement officer.
Until they can grok that, there’s really no need for them to even bother trying to reach out. No one is interested in listening.


bearingarms--2020-12-10--Biden Pressured To Create Cabinet Position On Gun Control

Joe Biden famously told Robert Francis “ Beto ” O ’ Rourke that the Texas Democrat would be his point man on gun control if he was elected president .
Could that mean a cabinet-level appointment ?
If the gun control group March For Our Lives gets its way , the answer is “ yes , sort of.
” The website Fast Company reports that the group is demanding that Biden ’ s transition team create the office of “ national director of gun violence prevention , ” which they describe as a “ cabinet-adjacent ” role ; all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a cabinet-level position without actually going to Congress to get approval for the new position .
“ March for Our Lives did not exist the last time that we had an administration in power that was even willing to sit down at the table with us , ” says Eve Levenson , March for Our Lives ’ policy and government affairs manager .
But , as 40,000 people each year consistently die from gun-related deaths—and as gun sales and certain types of gun violence have escalated during the coronavirus pandemic , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bolder solution .
It would also serve as a way to hold accountable an administration whose campaign repeatedly made firm promises about gun reform action .
Other national advocacy groups have echoed the call .
Brady : United Against Gun Violence is recommending the same position .
“ This degree of coordination and resource management can not be accomplished without the guidance of a designated director , ” it says in its action report .
Similarly , Everytown for Gun Safety has called for a national gun czar , and Giffords for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups know that their chances of implementing restrictions on American gun owners are going to be far better in the executive branch than the legislative branch for at least the next two years , and they expect Biden to deliver on his pledge to use executive actions to limit the Second Amendment as much as possible .
In fact , March For Our Lives doesn ’ t just want one gun control czar in the White House .
They also want another position to be created that will focus exclusively on mobilizing young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
March for Our Lives is also calling for the recruitment of a second position , a director of youth engagement , which would sit on the Domestic Policy Council , a group made up of the secretaries and some additional participants who offer counsel to the president on executing effective domestic policy .
Levenson is adamant that that person should be from Generation Z , so that White House policymaking has a representative from a generation that ’ s “ grown up traumatized by school shooter drills , ” she says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ swiftly organize a youth summit and a listening tour to ensure the administration listens to young people who “ might not have the ability or the lexicon to speak in terms of policy , but whose perspectives need to be taken into account.
” So far the March For Our Lives organizers say they ’ ve reached out to Biden ’ s transition team with their demands , but haven ’ t received a commitment to embed anti-gun activists in the White House .
I wouldn ’ t be surprised at all if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks , however .
He ’ s already indicated in his conversation with O ’ Rourke that he wants to have someone running point and coordinating his anti-gun agenda , so it sounds like he ’ s already on the same page as the gun control groups who are lobbying for a formal role in a Biden administration .

Joe Biden famously told Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke that the Texas Democrat would be his point man on gun control if he was elected president. Could that mean a cabinet-level appointment? If the gun control group March For Our Lives gets its way, the answer is “yes, sort of.”
The website Fast Company reports that the group is demanding that Biden’s transition team create the office of “national director of gun violence prevention,” which they describe as a “cabinet-adjacent” role; all of the sweeping power and authority that comes from a cabinet-level position without actually going to Congress to get approval for the new position.
“March for Our Lives did not exist the last time that we had an administration in power that was even willing to sit down at the table with us,” says Eve Levenson, March for Our Lives’ policy and government affairs manager. But, as 40,000 people each year consistently die from gun-related deaths—and as gun sales and certain types of gun violence have escalated during the coronavirus pandemic, the group argues it’s time for a bolder solution. It would also serve as a way to hold accountable an administration whose campaign repeatedly made firm promises about gun reform action. Other national advocacy groups have echoed the call. Brady: United Against Gun Violence is recommending the same position. “This degree of coordination and resource management cannot be accomplished without the guidance of a designated director,” it says in its action report. Similarly, Everytown for Gun Safety has called for a national gun czar, and Giffords for an interagency task force.
Gun control groups know that their chances of implementing restrictions on American gun owners are going to be far better in the executive branch than the legislative branch for at least the next two years, and they expect Biden to deliver on his pledge to use executive actions to limit the Second Amendment as much as possible. In fact, March For Our Lives doesn’t just want one gun control czar in the White House. They also want another position to be created that will focus exclusively on mobilizing young Americans to reject their Second Amendment rights.
March for Our Lives is also calling for the recruitment of a second position, a director of youth engagement, which would sit on the Domestic Policy Council, a group made up of the secretaries and some additional participants who offer counsel to the president on executing effective domestic policy. Levenson is adamant that that person should be from Generation Z, so that White House policymaking has a representative from a generation that’s “grown up traumatized by school shooter drills,” she says. The group would want that person to swiftly organize a youth summit and a listening tour to ensure the administration listens to young people who “might not have the ability or the lexicon to speak in terms of policy, but whose perspectives need to be taken into account.”
So far the March For Our Lives organizers say they’ve reached out to Biden’s transition team with their demands, but haven’t received a commitment to embed anti-gun activists in the White House. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Biden embraces the idea in the coming weeks, however. He’s already indicated in his conversation with O’Rourke that he wants to have someone running point and coordinating his anti-gun agenda, so it sounds like he’s already on the same page as the gun control groups who are lobbying for a formal role in a Biden administration.


bearingarms--2020-12-10--GOA Claims Victory Over Philly Concealed Carry Case

It may not make a lot of news , but it seems the Gun Owners of America have scored a critical win for gun rights in the City of Brotherly Love .
Philadelphia has made it extremely difficult for citizens to get their concealed carry permits , having done everything they could to make the process as slow and agonizing as they possibly could .
Then , they just shut down their office amid fears of COVID-19 .
That cut off thousands who needed their permits .
Now , the best solution is for the state to just adopt constitutional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about that anymore .
However , this is Pennsylvania .
Governor Tom Wolf would rather gnaw his own arm off than make things easier for the good men and women to exercise their Second Amendment rights .
Instead , the GOA announced in a press release that they may have managed the next best thing under the circumstances .
Due to the legal action supported by Gun Owners of America ( GOA ) , the Philadelphia Police Department Gun Permit Unit ( GPU ) began accepting applications for a license to carry firearms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Monday , December 7 , 2020 .
GOA was the first gun rights organization to file suit against the City of Philadelphia for excessive delays in issuing LTCFs in the wake of the COVID crisis .
Gun Owners of America , Inc. , et .
al .
vs. City of Philadelphia and Commissioner Danielle M. Outlaw was filed on October 5 , 2020 .
The lawsuit sought to force the City to accept and process LTCF applications within the specified time required by law .
Additionally , our motion for peremptory judgment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ applications via alternative means , like other counties are doing across Pennsylvania .
Almost immediately , the GPU responded by putting on a second shift of detectives who began taking applications five days per week in order to speed up processing .
However , on November 18 , 2020 the City of Philadelphia closed the GPU .
Upon request from GOA attorney Andrew Austin , the City Solicitor informed the Court of Common Pleas of the reason for the closure and that they would be reopening the GPU on December 7 , 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen , they shifted to taking applications via email which is consistent with the relief sought by GOA in the motion for peremptory judgment .
“ While it was unfortunate for the officers , the COVID exposure was proof-positive that the City ’ s system did not work , ” said Andrew Austin , attorney for GOA and the ten plaintiffs suing the City .
“ The City represented to the Court that the unit would reopen on December 7th , and when they couldn ’ t do so , they had no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accepting applications by alternate means.
” “ I ’ m also pleased that the GPU is beginning to accept LTCF applications again , ” said Dr. Val Finnell , Pennsylvania Director for GOA .
“ We are reminding applicants that the GPU has 45 days to issue their LTCF .
If not , I ’ ve asked them to contact us if they experience delays.
” Other gun rights organizations also sued the City of Philadelphia .
On November 20 , 2020 , the Firearms Policy Coalition ( FPC ) sued the City @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The joint threat of GOA ’ s mandamus and FPC ’ s preliminary injunction guaranteed that the City was going to lose sooner or later .
So , it ’ s clear that the GOA wasn ’ t the only one to file suit , and I suspect the combined weight of these suits may have played a factor .
Regardless , applications by email are certainly better than no applications at all .
That ’ s an important point , and that makes this a huge win for GOA and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

It may not make a lot of news, but it seems the Gun Owners of America have scored a critical win for gun rights in the City of Brotherly Love.
Philadelphia has made it extremely difficult for citizens to get their concealed carry permits, having done everything they could to make the process as slow and agonizing as they possibly could. Then, they just shut down their office amid fears of COVID-19. That cut off thousands who needed their permits.
Now, the best solution is for the state to just adopt constitutional carry so no one has to worry about that anymore. However, this is Pennsylvania. Governor Tom Wolf would rather gnaw his own arm off than make things easier for the good men and women to exercise their Second Amendment rights.
Instead, the GOA announced in a press release that they may have managed the next best thing under the circumstances.
Due to the legal action supported by Gun Owners of America (GOA), the Philadelphia Police Department Gun Permit Unit (GPU) began accepting applications for a license to carry firearms (LTCF) via electronic mail as of Monday, December 7, 2020. GOA was the first gun rights organization to file suit against the City of Philadelphia for excessive delays in issuing LTCFs in the wake of the COVID crisis. Gun Owners of America, Inc., et. al. vs. City of Philadelphia and Commissioner Danielle M. Outlaw was filed on October 5, 2020. The lawsuit sought to force the City to accept and process LTCF applications within the specified time required by law. Additionally, our motion for peremptory judgment gave the City the option to accept applications via alternative means, like other counties are doing across Pennsylvania. Almost immediately, the GPU responded by putting on a second shift of detectives who began taking applications five days per week in order to speed up processing. However, on November 18, 2020 the City of Philadelphia closed the GPU. Upon request from GOA attorney Andrew Austin, the City Solicitor informed the Court of Common Pleas of the reason for the closure and that they would be reopening the GPU on December 7, 2020. When the GPU could not physically reopen, they shifted to taking applications via email which is consistent with the relief sought by GOA in the motion for peremptory judgment. “While it was unfortunate for the officers, the COVID exposure was proof-positive that the City’s system did not work,” said Andrew Austin, attorney for GOA and the ten plaintiffs suing the City. “The City represented to the Court that the unit would reopen on December 7th, and when they couldn’t do so, they had no other choice but to concede and begin accepting applications by alternate means.” “I’m also pleased that the GPU is beginning to accept LTCF applications again,” said Dr. Val Finnell, Pennsylvania Director for GOA. “We are reminding applicants that the GPU has 45 days to issue their LTCF. If not, I’ve asked them to contact us if they experience delays.” Other gun rights organizations also sued the City of Philadelphia. On November 20, 2020, the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) sued the City in Federal Court taking a constitutional approach. The joint threat of GOA’s mandamus and FPC’s preliminary injunction guaranteed that the City was going to lose sooner or later.
So, it’s clear that the GOA wasn’t the only one to file suit, and I suspect the combined weight of these suits may have played a factor. Regardless, applications by email are certainly better than no applications at all. That’s an important point, and that makes this a huge win for GOA and the other gun rights groups who stepped up.


bearingarms--2020-12-10--Has Media Distorted Impact Of U.S. Guns In Mexico?

We here in the United States hear a lot about the cartel violence in Mexico .
To be fair , having a country that close to being a failed state on our southern border is far from an ideal circumstance .
It ’ s the kind of thing any security-minded person should be thinking about .
We should be paying attention to it .
However , it ’ s difficult to understand just what ’ s happening when you ’ re only given part of the information .
You see , we ’ ve written multiple stories addressing the claim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence .
The American media has been blaming the firearm industry and American gun owners , but it seems there ’ s far more to the story than our media has bothered to tell us .
Since 2000 , almost three-quarters of the 119 journalists murdered in Mexico were killed by firearms , an investigation by the Cartel Project has found – and most of those weapons are imported .
“ Almost all of the journalists in Mexico are killed with foreign weapons , ” said Laura Angelina Borbolla , a former federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalists .
More than 90 % of the killings remain unsolved .
In other words , while guns are crossing the border , it ’ s not the only way the cartels are getting guns .
In fact , it looks like a much larger portion than we realized are being sold directly to the cartels from unscrupulous sellers .
But yeah , we Americans should totally just roll over and accept further infringements on our rights just because Mexico ’ s house is a mess .
Further , if it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , just how can they possibly conclude that most guns use in Mexico are American ?
The answer to that is , “ They can ’ t. ” You see , what happens is that the U.S. actually tries to work with Mexico and provides tracing information .
No one else does .
As a result , the only guns they can find an origin point for are those that came from the United States .
It doesn ’ t necessarily mean most guns are from the U.S. , only that the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is here .
Meanwhile , there are tons of firearms flowing in from Europe .
Even if we somehow locked down gun-running between the U.S. and Mexico , the cartels would still get guns .
We can even get a glimpse of where they would come from , so let ’ s stop pretending our rights have to be curtailed or that we ’ re responsible for what happens south of our own border .

We here in the United States hear a lot about the cartel violence in Mexico. To be fair, having a country that close to being a failed state on our southern border is far from an ideal circumstance. It’s the kind of thing any security-minded person should be thinking about. We should be paying attention to it.
However, it’s difficult to understand just what’s happening when you’re only given part of the information.
You see, we’ve written multiple stories addressing the claim that American guns are responsible for Mexican violence. The American media has been blaming the firearm industry and American gun owners, but it seems there’s far more to the story than our media has bothered to tell us.
Since 2000, almost three-quarters of the 119 journalists murdered in Mexico were killed by firearms, an investigation by the Cartel Project has found – and most of those weapons are imported. “Almost all of the journalists in Mexico are killed with foreign weapons,” said Laura Angelina Borbolla, a former federal prosecutor in charge of investigating crimes against journalists. More than 90% of the killings remain unsolved.
Wait for it…
An international coalition of journalists, coordinated by the non-profit Forbidden Stories, examined the flow of weapons into Mexico in an effort to understand where the guns are coming from. The main findings include: Weapons manufactured in Europe and Israel sold legally to the Mexican army – as well as guns trafficked illegally across the US border – are probably being used to commit human rights violations and gangland executions, according to declassified military documents obtained by the non-governmental organization (NGO) Stop US Arms to Mexico.
Trade is booming, but European arms companies are shipping hundreds of millions of dollars worth of guns, parts and ammunition to Mexican states with dire human rights records.
Multinational arms companies could be violating European export laws as only a fraction of end-users are being reported, according to analysis of the documents published in a new report bya group of international NGOs.
A combination of weak international regulations and a culture of impunity in Mexico makes tracing firearms used to commit crimes back to their origins virtually impossible.
In other words, while guns are crossing the border, it’s not the only way the cartels are getting guns. In fact, it looks like a much larger portion than we realized are being sold directly to the cartels from unscrupulous sellers.
But yeah, we Americans should totally just roll over and accept further infringements on our rights just because Mexico’s house is a mess.
Further, if it’s so difficult to trace firearms in Mexico, just how can they possibly conclude that most guns use in Mexico are American? The answer to that is, “They can’t.”
You see, what happens is that the U.S. actually tries to work with Mexico and provides tracing information. No one else does. As a result, the only guns they can find an origin point for are those that came from the United States. It doesn’t necessarily mean most guns are from the U.S., only that the only place they know guns are coming from is here.
Meanwhile, there are tons of firearms flowing in from Europe.
Even if we somehow locked down gun-running between the U.S. and Mexico, the cartels would still get guns. We can even get a glimpse of where they would come from, so let’s stop pretending our rights have to be curtailed or that we’re responsible for what happens south of our own border.


bearingarms--2020-12-10--Report: Schumer "Embedded" Everytown Staffer In Senate Judiciary Committee

A new story from the New Yorker ‘ s Jane Mayer is getting a lot of attention today for bringing to light the suspected decline in Senator Dianne Feinstein ’ s mental faculties , with lots of unnamed “ senior Congressional sources ” and former aides to the California senator detailing problems with Feinstein ’ s short-term memory and her increasing inability to fulfill her job duties .
Mayer provides quite a few examples of Feinstein ’ s decline in her lengthy report , but gun owners and Second Amendment supporters will find this passage particularly interesting .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic Minority Leader , was so worried that Feinstein would mismanage Barrett ’ s confirmation hearings that he installed a trusted former aide , Max Young , to “ embed ” in the Judiciary Committee to make sure the hearings didn ’ t go off the rails .
He had done the same during Kavanaugh ’ s confirmation as well .
Schumer brought Young in from the gun-control group Everytown to handle strategy and communications and serve as Schumer ’ s “ eyes and ears ” on Feinstein , as one Senate source @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declined to comment .
Just imagine for a second the amount of outrage that would come from the Left if the New Yorker reported that Mitch McConnell had brought in the chief of public affairs for the NRA to “ embed ” in the Senate Judiciary Committee in order to handle strategy and communications as well as keep eyes and ears on Sen. Chuck Grassley during the confirmation hearings for Kavanaugh or Barrett .
“ The gun lobby is running Congress !
” they ’ d scream .
It would be a huge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media wouldn ’ t drop until they ’ d exhausted their outrage over the behind-the-scenes machinations of the NRA and the GOP leadership .
Mayer , on the other hand , reports Schumer ’ s embedding of a gun control activist in the Senate Judiciary Committee as just another interesting factoid related to Dianne Feinstein ’ s mental faculties , and you know as well as I do that the media is going completely ignore this particular anecdote in Mayer ’ s lengthy story .
Max Young isn ’ t just some Everytown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Public Affairs Officer for both Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action as well as a former staffer for Schumer .
This is as swampy as it gets , in other words .
It ’ s a legitimate news story in and of itself , but the media hasn ’ t and won ’ t cover it that way .
In fact , the only press outlet to report on Schumer bringing in Young at the time was Politico , and they failed to mention Max Young ’ s day job in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staffer ” to Schumer , not “ the head of public affairs for Michael Bloomberg ’ s Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action.
” Did Politico reporter Melanie Zanona and her editors not realize that Young is a higher up at the biggest gun control group in the country , did they find that fact unimportant , or did they think it would be inconvenient to Democrats if it was revealed that Chuck Schumer was bringing in a gun control activist on a temporary basis in an attempt to derail Barrett @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not like Max Young ’ s day job was a big secret , so I ’ m sure the folks at Politico were well aware of Young ’ s role at Everytown .
My guess is that they simply ignored Young ’ s full-time employer because it would have been a distraction at a time when Democrats wanted all eyes on Barrett and her views .
This is a good , if painful , reminder of how gun owners can expect gun control issues to be covered over the next four years .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ our friends , and the bias they bring to their job can reveal itself in a variety of ways ; including failing to provide their audience with important information .
The only reason that this isn ’ t a huge story is the fact that the parties involved are Democrats and gun control activists .
Flip the script and replace Schumer and Everytown with McConnell and the NRA and the howls of outrage would still be echoing through the halls of the Capitol .

A new story from the New Yorker‘s Jane Mayer is getting a lot of attention today for bringing to light the suspected decline in Senator Dianne Feinstein’s mental faculties, with lots of unnamed “senior Congressional sources” and former aides to the California senator detailing problems with Feinstein’s short-term memory and her increasing inability to fulfill her job duties.
Mayer provides quite a few examples of Feinstein’s decline in her lengthy report, but gun owners and Second Amendment supporters will find this passage particularly interesting.
According to several sources, Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Minority Leader, was so worried that Feinstein would mismanage Barrett’s confirmation hearings that he installed a trusted former aide, Max Young, to “embed” in the Judiciary Committee to make sure the hearings didn’t go off the rails. He had done the same during Kavanaugh’s confirmation as well. Schumer brought Young in from the gun-control group Everytown to handle strategy and communications and serve as Schumer’s “eyes and ears” on Feinstein, as one Senate source put it. Schumer’s office declined to comment.
Just imagine for a second the amount of outrage that would come from the Left if the New Yorker reported that Mitch McConnell had brought in the chief of public affairs for the NRA to “embed” in the Senate Judiciary Committee in order to handle strategy and communications as well as keep eyes and ears on Sen. Chuck Grassley during the confirmation hearings for Kavanaugh or Barrett.
“The gun lobby is running Congress!” they’d scream. It would be a huge news story, and one that the media wouldn’t drop until they’d exhausted their outrage over the behind-the-scenes machinations of the NRA and the GOP leadership.
Mayer, on the other hand, reports Schumer’s embedding of a gun control activist in the Senate Judiciary Committee as just another interesting factoid related to Dianne Feinstein’s mental faculties, and you know as well as I do that the media is going completely ignore this particular anecdote in Mayer’s lengthy story.
Max Young isn’t just some Everytown intern. He’s the Chief Public Affairs Officer for both Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action as well as a former staffer for Schumer. This is as swampy as it gets, in other words. It’s a legitimate news story in and of itself, but the media hasn’t and won’t cover it that way.
In fact, the only press outlet to report on Schumer bringing in Young at the time was Politico, and they failed to mention Max Young’s day job in their brief report.
Meanwhile, the Senate Judiciary Committee is starting to staff up for the confirmation hearing, with both sides of the aisle adding more than 20 staffers. Democrats on the Judiciary Committee have added eight additional counsels. Ashley Schapitl, a former Judiciary staffer, and Max Young, a former aide to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) will help with communications for Judiciary Democrats.
A “former staffer” to Schumer, not “the head of public affairs for Michael Bloomberg’s Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action.” Did Politico reporter Melanie Zanona and her editors not realize that Young is a higher up at the biggest gun control group in the country, did they find that fact unimportant, or did they think it would be inconvenient to Democrats if it was revealed that Chuck Schumer was bringing in a gun control activist on a temporary basis in an attempt to derail Barrett’s nomination?
It’s not like Max Young’s day job was a big secret, so I’m sure the folks at Politico were well aware of Young’s role at Everytown. My guess is that they simply ignored Young’s full-time employer because it would have been a distraction at a time when Democrats wanted all eyes on Barrett and her views.
This is a good, if painful, reminder of how gun owners can expect gun control issues to be covered over the next four years. The supposedly objective media aren’t our friends, and the bias they bring to their job can reveal itself in a variety of ways; including failing to provide their audience with important information.
The only reason that this isn’t a huge story is the fact that the parties involved are Democrats and gun control activists. Flip the script and replace Schumer and Everytown with McConnell and the NRA and the howls of outrage would still be echoing through the halls of the Capitol.


bearingarms--2020-12-10--GOP Demands Change As FOID License Delays Grow

The wait to obtain a Firearms Owner ID card in the state of Illinois , which is required to legally own a gun in the state , has grown longer even as the state has repeatedly promised for more than a year to speed up processing applications .
It ’ s now taking 121 days on average for the state police to process an application , even though state law requires that new FOID applications be approved or denied within 30 days .
While the delays aren ’ t new , they ’ ve become exponentially worse this year as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for permission to exercise their Second Amendment rights for the very first time .
There are already a dozen lawsuits that have been filed in both state and federal court challenging the inability or unwillingness of the Illinois State Police to complete the application process on time , but now Republican lawmakers in the state are speaking out and demanding change .
State Rep. Avery Bourne said it ’ s ridiculous Illinois citizens need to challenge the law to secure their rights and lawmakers need to act .
“ Let us do our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Or Governor Pritzker , you fix it , ” said Bourne , R-Morrisonville .
“ But let us do it so that citizens don ’ t have to sue their own government to practice their constitutional right.
” State Rep. C.D .
Davidsmeyer said Gov .
J.B. Pritzker can ’ t blame COVID-19 or the federal government for the delays .
“ There are rules set within the FOID system of how long they have to process these and they ’ re certainly not following , ” said Davidsmeyer , R-Jacksonville .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t blaming COVID-19 or the federal government for the delays .
He ’ s blaming the last Republican governor of the state instead .
Gov .
J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday blamed fund sweeps from years ago , including under former Gov .
Bruce Rauner , and said state officials are working on it .
“ Making sure we have outcomes , goals and accountability in that system , ” Pritzker said .
“ We certainly want to bring down that backlog.
” But the backlog hasn ’ t decreased .
Since October , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to nearly 145,000 .
It was around 62,000 in January , before the pandemic .
Just a reminder : J.B. Pritzker took office in 2018 .
He ’ s had two full years to address any “ fund sweeps ” that happened years ago .
He simply hasn ’ t made it a priority to ensure that the state police are complying with their duty to complete the application process within the 30 day window , and as a result the problem has become much worse under his watch .
As bad as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a concealed carry license are having to wait even longer , with the ISP taking an average of 145 days before approving or denying an applicant .
While GOP lawmakers are correct in calling for relief , it ’ s not likely that their Democrat counterparts in Springfield are going to agree to suspend or end the FOID program over the failures to process applications in a timely fashion .
I think the best chance for relief for those who want to exercise their right to keep and bear arms in Illinois @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but that too will take some time .
In the short term , hundreds of thousands of residents across the state are being denied their Second Amendment rights ; not because they ’ re criminals or scofflaws but because the state of Illinois can ’ t or won ’ t abide by its own laws .

The wait to obtain a Firearms Owner ID card in the state of Illinois, which is required to legally own a gun in the state, has grown longer even as the state has repeatedly promised for more than a year to speed up processing applications. It’s now taking 121 days on average for the state police to process an application, even though state law requires that new FOID applications be approved or denied within 30 days. While the delays aren’t new, they’ve become exponentially worse this year as hundreds of thousands of residents have applied for permission to exercise their Second Amendment rights for the very first time.
There are already a dozen lawsuits that have been filed in both state and federal court challenging the inability or unwillingness of the Illinois State Police to complete the application process on time, but now Republican lawmakers in the state are speaking out and demanding change.
State Rep. Avery Bourne said it’s ridiculous Illinois citizens need to challenge the law to secure their rights and lawmakers need to act. “Let us do our jobs. Let us fix it. Or Governor Pritzker, you fix it,” said Bourne, R-Morrisonville. “But let us do it so that citizens don’t have to sue their own government to practice their constitutional right.” State Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer said Gov. J.B. Pritzker can’t blame COVID-19 or the federal government for the delays. “There are rules set within the FOID system of how long they have to process these and they’re certainly not following,” said Davidsmeyer, R-Jacksonville.
As it turns out, Pritker isn’t blaming COVID-19 or the federal government for the delays. He’s blaming the last Republican governor of the state instead.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday blamed fund sweeps from years ago, including under former Gov. Bruce Rauner, and said state officials are working on it. “Making sure we have outcomes, goals and accountability in that system,” Pritzker said. “We certainly want to bring down that backlog.” But the backlog hasn’t decreased. Since October, the backlog has increased by about 3,000 to nearly 145,000. It was around 62,000 in January, before the pandemic.
Just a reminder: J.B. Pritzker took office in 2018. He’s had two full years to address any “fund sweeps” that happened years ago. He simply hasn’t made it a priority to ensure that the state police are complying with their duty to complete the application process within the 30 day window, and as a result the problem has become much worse under his watch.
As bad as the FOID delays are, those applying for a concealed carry license are having to wait even longer, with the ISP taking an average of 145 days before approving or denying an applicant.
While GOP lawmakers are correct in calling for relief, it’s not likely that their Democrat counterparts in Springfield are going to agree to suspend or end the FOID program over the failures to process applications in a timely fashion. I think the best chance for relief for those who want to exercise their right to keep and bear arms in Illinois is going to come through the courts, but that too will take some time. In the short term, hundreds of thousands of residents across the state are being denied their Second Amendment rights; not because they’re criminals or scofflaws but because the state of Illinois can’t or won’t abide by its own laws.


bearingarms--2020-12-10--Ossoff, Warnock Are An Attack On Second Amendment

Candidates Jon Ossoff and Rev .
Raphael Warnock have both spent their time trying to present themselves as moderates .
After all , while Georgia might be turning blue , it ’ s not exactly a hard progressive state by any stretch of the imagination .
Their far-left tendencies aren ’ t going to win them many votes going forward .
That includes subjects like the Second Amendment , right ?
Well , it seems neither Warnock nor Ossoff are worried about gun rights voters .
Georgia Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff took part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over their gun control agenda and the fact they would be the votes that would usher in President-elect Joe Biden ’ s radical gun grab agenda .
Despite the theatrics , it didn ’ t work .
Georgia ’ s runoff elections on Jan. 5 promise to have monumental impacts on gun owners and Second Amendment rights , including the firearm industry .
It is literally up to Georgia voters to send the firewall of Republican Sens .
David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler to stop Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-N.Y. ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a literal gun grab that ’ s been pushed by the incoming Biden-Harris administration .
That ’ s clearly not what Georgia or the rest of the nation wants .
Americans voted with their wallets when it came to guns in 2020 .
So far , 19.1 million background checks were conducted for the sale of a firearm , including nearly 7.7 million first-time buyers .
That ’ s the backdrop against which the candidates tried to convince voters their gun rights don ’ t matter .
The truth of the matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interested in the views of gun-owning Georgians .
That may well be a strategic mistake , though .
Georgia has an awful lot of gun owners and gun owners tend to be gun voters .
For many , the Second Amendment is a bellwether , a way to determine where someone stands overall .
Neither Democrat is covering themselves in glory here .
This is why the runoff election is so absolutely vital .
If these two get elected–and after November ’ s results , I can ’ t say definitively they won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s anti-gun agenda crammed down our throats .
While Republicans may be able to filibuster and hold off some of this , all it will take is a few weak-willed , vulnerable senators to roll over and it ’ s done .
I know there are some who believe that we should skip the runoff to send some kind of a message to Georgia Republicans , but that ’ s beyond idiotic .
That won ’ t just hurt the governor or secretary of state here , it ’ ll hurt the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s the equivalent of amputating a leg above the knee because you ’ ve got an ingrown toenail .
While I ’ m often a fan of overkill , there ’ s still such a thing as taking things way too far .
Warnock and Ossoff both want to see your guns taken away .
They want to make it so you can ’ t give a gun to a family member in need or pass your guns down to your children through universal background check laws .
They want to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strip you of your right to bear arms because they feel “ unsafe.
” This is a huge problem , and both these men need to go down in ( metaphorical ) flames .

Candidates Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock have both spent their time trying to present themselves as moderates. After all, while Georgia might be turning blue, it’s not exactly a hard progressive state by any stretch of the imagination. Their far-left tendencies aren’t going to win them many votes going forward.
That includes subjects like the Second Amendment, right?
Well, it seems neither Warnock nor Ossoff are worried about gun rights voters.
Georgia Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff took part in debates in an attempt to gloss over their gun control agenda and the fact they would be the votes that would usher in President-elect Joe Biden’s radical gun grab agenda. Despite the theatrics, it didn’t work. Georgia’s runoff elections on Jan. 5 promise to have monumental impacts on gun owners and Second Amendment rights, including the firearm industry. It is literally up to Georgia voters to send the firewall of Republican Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler to stop Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) from trampling on the Constitution and ushering in a literal gun grab that’s been pushed by the incoming Biden-Harris administration. That’s clearly not what Georgia or the rest of the nation wants. Americans voted with their wallets when it came to guns in 2020. So far, 19.1 million background checks were conducted for the sale of a firearm, including nearly 7.7 million first-time buyers. That’s the backdrop against which the candidates tried to convince voters their gun rights don’t matter.
The truth of the matter is that neither Democratic candidate are remotely interested in the views of gun-owning Georgians. That may well be a strategic mistake, though. Georgia has an awful lot of gun owners and gun owners tend to be gun voters. For many, the Second Amendment is a bellwether, a way to determine where someone stands overall.
Neither Democrat is covering themselves in glory here.
This is why the runoff election is so absolutely vital. If these two get elected–and after November’s results, I can’t say definitively they won’t–then get ready to see Biden’s anti-gun agenda crammed down our throats. While Republicans may be able to filibuster and hold off some of this, all it will take is a few weak-willed, vulnerable senators to roll over and it’s done.
I know there are some who believe that we should skip the runoff to send some kind of a message to Georgia Republicans, but that’s beyond idiotic. That won’t just hurt the governor or secretary of state here, it’ll hurt the entire nation as a whole. It’s the equivalent of amputating a leg above the knee because you’ve got an ingrown toenail.
While I’m often a fan of overkill, there’s still such a thing as taking things way too far.
Warnock and Ossoff both want to see your guns taken away. They want to make it so you can’t give a gun to a family member in need or pass your guns down to your children through universal background check laws. They want to make it easier for some third party to strip you of your right to bear arms because they feel “unsafe.”
This is a huge problem, and both these men need to go down in (metaphorical) flames.


bearingarms--2020-12-11--Train Without Ammo With These Great Tools

It ’ s likely to be quite some time before the ammunition shortage across the country gets any better .
Ammo in common calibers is nearly impossible to find right now , and when it is available it often comes with a price tag that ’ s giving long-time gun owners sticker shock .
You don ’ t have to have thousands of rounds on hand in order to effectively train with your gun , however .
There are plenty of tools that will help you with your marksmanship without even having to go to the range .
Here are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you stay prepared and on-target even with ammo in short supply .
LaserLyte laser trainer 9mm cartridge – Drop the LaserLyte cartridge in the chamber of your 9mm handgun and you ’ re ready to go .
No special tools are needed to use the training cartridge , and dual O-rings keep the laser centered and in place even after multiple pulls of the trigger .
With every trigger pull , the firing pin flashes the laser , allowing you to see if you ’ re on target or missing your shots , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the battery needs replacing .
LaserLyte Quick Tyme trainer target – You don ’ t need the Quick Tyme target for the LaserLyte training cartridge mentioned above to work , but this add on is a great way to provide even more feedback for your dry fire exercises .
The target registers all “ hits ” from the laser trainer , and in the target ’ s practice mode you can not only aim for center mass , but try to hit one of 62 LEDs on the target that will randomly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both your precision and your speed .
TRT Tap Rack Dry Fire Safety Training Aid .223/5.56 – These nifty little polymer training aids were designed by firearms instructor Bill Rogers to fit inside the magazine of your AR-style rifle ( there are also several models available for handguns from .45 ACP to 9mm ) where it positions the follower so that it will not engage the slide stop .
Simply drop the slide and complete the dry fire snap on target .
As Rogers explains , the TRT allows for tap , rack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use of dummy rounds , and they ’ re a quick and easy way to safely practice several training drills at home .
Mantis X3 Shooting Performance System – The MantisX smart sensor fits onto any standard rail and continuously tracks the movement of the firearm before , during , and after every shot , relaying the data to the system ’ s smartphone app via a Bluetooth connection .
The app provides feedback on everything from muzzle tracing to trigger control analysis , while also letting you know how accurate your shots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mantis X3 is that it works with both dry fire and live ammunition , so you can use it both at home and at the range to help ensure that you stay on target .
DRYFIREMAG Training Magazine for Glock 9 , 40 , 357 , 45 G.A.P – This training magazine simulates firing pin release and trigger reset on any 9mm , .40 caliber , .357 caliber or .45 G.A.P .
Glock pistols that use a double stack magazine ( the company also has a version for use with Smith & Wesson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .40 cal ) .
The magazine ’ s design allows it to reset the trigger after every dry-fired shot , without the user having to manually reset the firing pin by cycling the slide .
This provides for a much more realistic dry fire simulation and helps to build muscle memory during your training .
One day the ammo supply will be back to normal , but until then these products will help with the shortage .
I know I ’ ve put myself on tight rations over the past few months and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the foreseeable future , but I don ’ t have to stop training while I ’ m clinging to the ammo in my possession , and neither do you .

It’s likely to be quite some time before the ammunition shortage across the country gets any better. Ammo in common calibers is nearly impossible to find right now, and when it is available it often comes with a price tag that’s giving long-time gun owners sticker shock.
You don’t have to have thousands of rounds on hand in order to effectively train with your gun, however. There are plenty of tools that will help you with your marksmanship without even having to go to the range. Here are a few of our picks to help you stay prepared and on-target even with ammo in short supply.
LaserLyte laser trainer 9mm cartridge – Drop the LaserLyte cartridge in the chamber of your 9mm handgun and you’re ready to go. No special tools are needed to use the training cartridge, and dual O-rings keep the laser centered and in place even after multiple pulls of the trigger. With every trigger pull, the firing pin flashes the laser, allowing you to see if you’re on target or missing your shots, and can fire several thousand simulated rounds before the battery needs replacing.
LaserLyte Quick Tyme trainer target – You don’t need the Quick Tyme target for the LaserLyte training cartridge mentioned above to work, but this add on is a great way to provide even more feedback for your dry fire exercises. The target registers all “hits” from the laser trainer, and in the target’s practice mode you can not only aim for center mass, but try to hit one of 62 LEDs on the target that will randomly light up, helping you to better both your precision and your speed.
TRT Tap Rack Dry Fire Safety Training Aid .223/5.56 – These nifty little polymer training aids were designed by firearms instructor Bill Rogers to fit inside the magazine of your AR-style rifle (there are also several models available for handguns from .45 ACP to 9mm) where it positions the follower so that it will not engage the slide stop. Simply drop the slide and complete the dry fire snap on target. As Rogers explains, the TRT allows for tap, rack, and dry fire exercises without the use of dummy rounds, and they’re a quick and easy way to safely practice several training drills at home.
Mantis X3 Shooting Performance System – The MantisX smart sensor fits onto any standard rail and continuously tracks the movement of the firearm before, during, and after every shot, relaying the data to the system’s smartphone app via a Bluetooth connection. The app provides feedback on everything from muzzle tracing to trigger control analysis, while also letting you know how accurate your shots are. The cool thing about the Mantis X3 is that it works with both dry fire and live ammunition, so you can use it both at home and at the range to help ensure that you stay on target.
DRYFIREMAG Training Magazine for Glock 9, 40, 357, 45 G.A.P – This training magazine simulates firing pin release and trigger reset on any 9mm, .40 caliber, .357 caliber or .45 G.A.P. Glock pistols that use a double stack magazine (the company also has a version for use with Smith & Wesson M&P handguns in 9mm and .40 cal). The magazine’s design allows it to reset the trigger after every dry-fired shot, without the user having to manually reset the firing pin by cycling the slide. This provides for a much more realistic dry fire simulation and helps to build muscle memory during your training.
One day the ammo supply will be back to normal, but until then these products will help with the shortage. I know I’ve put myself on tight rations over the past few months and have no plans to change that for the foreseeable future, but I don’t have to stop training while I’m clinging to the ammo in my possession, and neither do you.
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bearingarms--2020-12-11--Court Rules Delaware Hunters Can Use Semi-Auto Rifles

There are a lot of misconceptions about firearms floating around out there .
Some believe the 5.56 round is akin to a nuclear warhead .
Others think the 1911 is still the very best handgun option in the world ( OK , kidding…sort of ) .
People believe all sorts of things about guns that aren ’ t exactly true .
I can ’ t help but wonder if that ’ s part of why some places don ’ t allow you to hunt with a semi-automatic .
Regardless , at least one state court has decided to rectify that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a local gun rights group this fall , ruling that deer hunters in the state can hunt with semi-automatic rifles despite the state environmental authority ’ s ban .
The court ruled that the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control , which was sued by the gun-rights group , overstepped its authority by preventing hunters from using those weapons by straying from state law and failing to follow the required procedure that would allow the agency to independently create its own rules in this case .
DNREC has updated this season ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ruling after the court in November ordered the agency “ to remove the offending language from the 2019/2020 edition , and any subsequent editions.
” When the lawsuit was filed last year , hunters and gun rights advocates said the new rule was a reaction to the stigma attached to semi-automatic rifles and a veiled attempt to discourage the sale of those kinds of guns .
Some argued that some hunters prefer semi-automatic rifles because they ’ re easier for younger , smaller or frailer people to shoot with .
See , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ semi-automatic .
For some , they think that means we ’ re talking about hunting with machine guns .
We ’ re not .
Semi-auto is only different from other firearms in that the shooter isn ’ t required to work some kind of action to chamber another round .
They ’ ll still have to pull the trigger a second time .
Semi-autos are ideal for hunting in many a mind because if you miss , you can fire a follow-up shot much quicker .
Deer , for example , don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whatever reason .
Because of that , semi-auto makes a lot of sense .
While many other hunters prefer other firearms , including a few who like a good single-action , some like semi-auto and that ’ s perfectly fine…even it seems a little weird .
What Delaware ’ s law did was allow stigma and bias against a particular action type to muddy the waters .
While firearms like the AR-15 are certainly semi-automatic , so too are numerous other firearms that are nothing like those much-vilified weapons .
Hell , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 150 years .
I ’ m glad the court made the right determination .
The fact that it was needed , however , illustrates just how much outreach the firearms community really needs to do .
Too many people are fearful about weapons and certain types of weapons and are willing to take a scorched-earth policy .
We really need to address some of those fears and misconceptions so things like this don ’ t keep happening over and over again .

There are a lot of misconceptions about firearms floating around out there. Some believe the 5.56 round is akin to a nuclear warhead. Others think the 1911 is still the very best handgun option in the world (OK, kidding…sort of). People believe all sorts of things about guns that aren’t exactly true.
I can’t help but wonder if that’s part of why some places don’t allow you to hunt with a semi-automatic.
Regardless, at least one state court has decided to rectify that.
The Delaware Superior Court sided with a local gun rights group this fall, ruling that deer hunters in the state can hunt with semi-automatic rifles despite the state environmental authority’s ban. The court ruled that the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, which was sued by the gun-rights group, overstepped its authority by preventing hunters from using those weapons by straying from state law and failing to follow the required procedure that would allow the agency to independently create its own rules in this case. DNREC has updated this season’s hunting guide online to comply with the ruling after the court in November ordered the agency “to remove the offending language from the 2019/2020 edition, and any subsequent editions.” … When the lawsuit was filed last year, hunters and gun rights advocates said the new rule was a reaction to the stigma attached to semi-automatic rifles and a veiled attempt to discourage the sale of those kinds of guns. Some argued that some hunters prefer semi-automatic rifles because they’re easier for younger, smaller or frailer people to shoot with.
See, the problem here is that people misunderstand semi-automatic.
For some, they think that means we’re talking about hunting with machine guns. We’re not. Semi-auto is only different from other firearms in that the shooter isn’t required to work some kind of action to chamber another round. They’ll still have to pull the trigger a second time.
Semi-autos are ideal for hunting in many a mind because if you miss, you can fire a follow-up shot much quicker. Deer, for example, don’t always bolt at the gunshot for whatever reason. Because of that, semi-auto makes a lot of sense.
While many other hunters prefer other firearms, including a few who like a good single-action, some like semi-auto and that’s perfectly fine…even it seems a little weird.
What Delaware’s law did was allow stigma and bias against a particular action type to muddy the waters. While firearms like the AR-15 are certainly semi-automatic, so too are numerous other firearms that are nothing like those much-vilified weapons. Hell, the semi-auto rifle has been around for almost 150 years.
I’m glad the court made the right determination. The fact that it was needed, however, illustrates just how much outreach the firearms community really needs to do. Too many people are fearful about weapons and certain types of weapons and are willing to take a scorched-earth policy. We really need to address some of those fears and misconceptions so things like this don’t keep happening over and over again.


bearingarms--2020-12-11--Meet The Gun Store Owner Heading To Congress

While Colorado representative-elect Lauren Boebert is getting a lot of attention for her vow to carry her concealed handgun in the U.S. Capitol building , she ’ s not the only Second Amendment stalwart in the GOP ’ s freshman class of lawmakers .
Andrew Clyde will represent Georgia ’ s 9th Congressional District in the next session of Congress , becoming the only gun store owner on Capitol Hill one of the few gun store owners in Congress , joining North Carolina ’ s Ted Budd , who was elected in 2016 .
Representative-elect Clyde joins me for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arms ’ Cam & Co to talk about what made him decide to run for Congress as well as what he hopes to accomplish once he ’ s officially sworn in .
Clyde says it wasn ’ t an easy decision to throw his hat into the ring ; in fact he was the last Republican to enter the GOP primary after Rep. Doug Collins announced that he would be giving up his seat to run for U.S. Senate .
Still , Clyde ’ s outspoken embrace of the right to keep and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victory in both the Republican primary and the general election , where he absolutely obliterated Democrat Devin Pandy .
Clyde brought in nearly 79 % of the vote in the 9th District , garnering more than 290,000 votes while holding Pandy to fewer than 80,000 .
One of the big reasons why Clyde decided to run in the first place was his own history of dealing with the heavy hand of government .
The gun store owner battled the IRS for several years after the agency seized 900,000 from Clyde ’ s business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clyde was ultimately not only successful in getting his money returned to him ; he testified in Congress about the abuses and helped spur on the passage of the Clyde-Hirsch-Sowers RESPECT Act .
That bill , co-sponsored on a bipartisan basis by Doug Collins and the late John Lewis , sailed through Congress and was signed into law by President Donald Trump in July of 2019 .
The law is designed to prevent the IRS from using civil asset forfeiture laws to go after money earned by legal businesses like Clyde ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of testifying in support of the bill and watching the legislative process unfold was a driving factor in his decision to run when Collins ’ seat became available .
Be sure to check out the entire conversation with Rep.-elect Andrew Clyde in the video window above , which includes discussion about Clyde ’ s plans to carry his own firearm in the U.S. Capitol , as well as his thoughts on the biggest threats that are likely to come from a Biden/Harris administration ( Clyde , it should be noted , says that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will prevail in his legal challenges seeking to overturn election results in four states ) .

While Colorado representative-elect Lauren Boebert is getting a lot of attention for her vow to carry her concealed handgun in the U.S. Capitol building, she’s not the only Second Amendment stalwart in the GOP’s freshman class of lawmakers. Andrew Clyde will represent Georgia’s 9th Congressional District in the next session of Congress, becoming the only gun store owner on Capitol Hill one of the few gun store owners in Congress, joining North Carolina’s Ted Budd, who was elected in 2016.
Representative-elect Clyde joins me for a one-on-one conversation on today’s Bearing Arms’ Cam & Co to talk about what made him decide to run for Congress as well as what he hopes to accomplish once he’s officially sworn in.
Clyde says it wasn’t an easy decision to throw his hat into the ring; in fact he was the last Republican to enter the GOP primary after Rep. Doug Collins announced that he would be giving up his seat to run for U.S. Senate. Still, Clyde’s outspoken embrace of the right to keep and bear arms helped to propel him to victory in both the Republican primary and the general election, where he absolutely obliterated Democrat Devin Pandy. Clyde brought in nearly 79% of the vote in the 9th District, garnering more than 290,000 votes while holding Pandy to fewer than 80,000.
One of the big reasons why Clyde decided to run in the first place was his own history of dealing with the heavy hand of government. The gun store owner battled the IRS for several years after the agency seized 900,000 from Clyde’s business under civil asset forfeiture laws, and Clyde was ultimately not only successful in getting his money returned to him; he testified in Congress about the abuses and helped spur on the passage of the Clyde-Hirsch-Sowers RESPECT Act.
That bill, co-sponsored on a bipartisan basis by Doug Collins and the late John Lewis, sailed through Congress and was signed into law by President Donald Trump in July of 2019. The law is designed to prevent the IRS from using civil asset forfeiture laws to go after money earned by legal businesses like Clyde’s, and the representative-elect says the experience of testifying in support of the bill and watching the legislative process unfold was a driving factor in his decision to run when Collins’ seat became available.
Be sure to check out the entire conversation with Rep.-elect Andrew Clyde in the video window above, which includes discussion about Clyde’s plans to carry his own firearm in the U.S. Capitol, as well as his thoughts on the biggest threats that are likely to come from a Biden/Harris administration (Clyde, it should be noted, says that he’s still hopeful Donald Trump will prevail in his legal challenges seeking to overturn election results in four states).


bearingarms--2020-12-11--Study Suggests Being Armed May Cause Problems

There are a lot of problems with studies that take a look at anything to do with firearms .
For one thing , the researchers are often looking at ways to vilify gun owners , so that ’ s kind of an issue .
Other times , the studies are poorly designed and thus become absolutely meaningless .
However , sometimes studies do suggest reasons for what are perceived to be major problems .
That ’ s what one study out of Colorado State University may have just done .
The “ gun embodiment effect , ” or the likelihood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another person also has one , may explain police shootings of unarmed individuals , a study from Colorado State University researchers suggests .
The findings of CSU psychology faculty Jessica K. Witt and Jamie E. Parne , along with Nathan L. Tenhundfeld of the University of Alabama , appear in Cognitive Research : Principles and Implications .
In their experiment , 212 students at CSU stood five feet away from a television screen , holding a pretend gun or a spatula .
On the screen were movies of a masked individual holding a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ false alarm ” rates indicating when the participant believed there was a gun when it was actually the shoe .
Those participants holding a spatula were slightly more likely to correctly see the shoe than those pointing the fake gun .
Witt argues that this effect , when extrapolated out to society as a whole , may account for thousands of incidents where unarmed people are believed to have firearms .
This is interesting , to say the least .
Especially since this undermines the “ systemic racism ” claim that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these incidents .
However much I might like for something like this to explain the issue , there are problems with the study .
For one , while 212 students isn ’ t an awful sample size , it ’ s still too small to really convince me that there ’ s no chance of statistical noise .
Further , these are students , not trained police officers , soldiers , or others who have undergone some kind of training that requires them to differentiate between a gun and a shoe .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ were so vastly different as to make the study meaningless .
Yes , students misidentified the object in the subject ’ s hand , but would a police officer ?
Probably not .
While it would be a neat little theory to explain the issue without resorting to calling police officers evil racist bastards , the truth is that this study doesn ’ t quite do it .
Instead , it provides an interesting framework for future studies , preferably with law enforcement officers instead of untrained students .
If nothing else , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and perhaps spur departments to spend more on training officers to differentiate between different objects in an individual ’ s hands .
As it stands , this study has some holes , but it ’ s still one worth considering .
This is especially true for armed citizens .
While private citizens often spend more time and money on training that police officers , many others are quite content with just going to the range from time to time and spending no time making sure it ’ s a gun in the bad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ else .
While a lot of firearm-related studies are crap , this one has some useful potential .

There are a lot of problems with studies that take a look at anything to do with firearms. For one thing, the researchers are often looking at ways to vilify gun owners, so that’s kind of an issue. Other times, the studies are poorly designed and thus become absolutely meaningless.
However, sometimes studies do suggest reasons for what are perceived to be major problems. That’s what one study out of Colorado State University may have just done.
The “gun embodiment effect,” or the likelihood that someone holding a gun perceives that another person also has one, may explain police shootings of unarmed individuals, a study from Colorado State University researchers suggests. The findings of CSU psychology faculty Jessica K. Witt and Jamie E. Parne, along with Nathan L. Tenhundfeld of the University of Alabama, appear in Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications. In their experiment, 212 students at CSU stood five feet away from a television screen, holding a pretend gun or a spatula. On the screen were movies of a masked individual holding a gun or a shoe. Researchers calculated “false alarm” rates indicating when the participant believed there was a gun when it was actually the shoe. Those participants holding a spatula were slightly more likely to correctly see the shoe than those pointing the fake gun.
Witt argues that this effect, when extrapolated out to society as a whole, may account for thousands of incidents where unarmed people are believed to have firearms.
This is interesting, to say the least. Especially since this undermines the “systemic racism” claim that’s usually cited as reasons for many of these incidents.
However much I might like for something like this to explain the issue, there are problems with the study.
For one, while 212 students isn’t an awful sample size, it’s still too small to really convince me that there’s no chance of statistical noise. Further, these are students, not trained police officers, soldiers, or others who have undergone some kind of training that requires them to differentiate between a gun and a shoe.
In other words, the populations used were so vastly different as to make the study meaningless. Yes, students misidentified the object in the subject’s hand, but would a police officer? Probably not.
While it would be a neat little theory to explain the issue without resorting to calling police officers evil racist bastards, the truth is that this study doesn’t quite do it.
Instead, it provides an interesting framework for future studies, preferably with law enforcement officers instead of untrained students. If nothing else, it may illustrate the importance of training and perhaps spur departments to spend more on training officers to differentiate between different objects in an individual’s hands.
As it stands, this study has some holes, but it’s still one worth considering. This is especially true for armed citizens. While private citizens often spend more time and money on training that police officers, many others are quite content with just going to the range from time to time and spending no time making sure it’s a gun in the bad guy’s hand and not something else.
While a lot of firearm-related studies are crap, this one has some useful potential.


bearingarms--2020-12-11--ATF Raids Nevada Company Over "Ghost Guns"

If you needed any more evidence that the ATF is getting ready for a crackdown on 80 % frames and receivers , here it is .
On Thursday , agents raided the offices of Polymer80 , a Nevada company that manufactures both completed firearms as well as kits featuring unfinished frames and receivers that customers can turn into a firearm through their own efforts .
According to the Wall St. Journal , which was the first to report on the raid , the investigation into the company focuses on its “ Buy Build Shoot Kit.
” The ATF has long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receivers do not meet the federal definition of a firearm , but they ’ ve been pressured by gun control activists and Democrats like California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to revise their definition and start treating the unfinished gun parts as actual firearms .
At the moment , no charges have been filed against any Polymer80 employee , according to the WSJ , which reports that ATF agents seized records “ other evidence ” during Thursday ’ s raid .
The raid comes as gun control groups like Everytown for Gun Safety are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ ghost guns ” if he ’ s inaugurated next month by ensuring “ the background check system covers all firearms , including the core parts and kits used to build untraceable ghost guns.
” As the New York Times reported on Friday : Everytown proposes Mr. Biden ’ s Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives reclassify ghost guns as firearms , requiring them to carry serial numbers and be traced like other guns — essentially eliminating their appeal as untraceable weapons .
The group is also requesting that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a firearms dealer who is required to comply with federal background checks .
President Trump and previous administrations have left it to sellers to determine for themselves if they are full-time dealers , leaving untold thousands of guns to be sold at gun shows and online without federal checks .
The Everytown proposal would have the agency set the limit at five guns sold per year to be required to conduct background checks before sales .
With the raid on Polymer80 the ATF looks like it ’ s eager to embrace the anti-gun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Safety .
According to the warrant application , the federal agency had previously given approval for the company to sell its 80 % receivers and frames , but the ATF now claims that the company should have submitted its entire kit containing the previously approved items for even more approval .
Why would Polymer80 submit the kit for approval by the ATF when it doesn ’ t contain an actual firearm and the frame or receivers have already been approved ?
This makes no sense from a legal perspective , but logic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ATF appears to be aiming at here .
As for Polymer80 ’ s response , the company released a brief statement a brief statement to the website The Truth About Guns : Over the past few years , and at the present time , Polymer80 has had numerous contacts from federal , state , and local law enforcement officials across the country .
In each such instance , when properly and lawfully so approached , Polymer80 has expended best efforts to fully cooperate with law enforcement .
When and as appropriate , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This practice is consistent with Polymer80 ’ s hard-earned reputation as an industry leader and responsible corporate citizen .
Indeed , the company takes its legal obligations seriously , just as it does its treasured and fruitful relationships with its customers and independent dealers .
In short , Polymer80 is committed to discharging all of its responsibilities and duties as to them , as well as vigorously protecting its rights under the law .
We will continue to monitor all developments as they arise .
Stay tuned , because the crackdown on companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and there are likely to be plenty of developments in the days ahead .
If the ATF is already engaging in raids like this with Donald Trump still in office , you can imagine what ’ s coming if Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are sworn in next month .

If you needed any more evidence that the ATF is getting ready for a crackdown on 80% frames and receivers, here it is. On Thursday, agents raided the offices of Polymer80, a Nevada company that manufactures both completed firearms as well as kits featuring unfinished frames and receivers that customers can turn into a firearm through their own efforts.
According to the Wall St. Journal, which was the first to report on the raid, the investigation into the company focuses on its “Buy Build Shoot Kit.”
The kit, which Polymer80 sells online, meets the definition of a firearm, ATF investigators determined according to the warrant application. That means it would have to be stamped with a serial number and couldn’t be sold to consumers who haven’t first passed a background check.
The ATF has long determined that 80% unfinished frames and receivers do not meet the federal definition of a firearm, but they’ve been pressured by gun control activists and Democrats like California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to revise their definition and start treating the unfinished gun parts as actual firearms.
At the moment, no charges have been filed against any Polymer80 employee, according to the WSJ, which reports that ATF agents seized records “other evidence” during Thursday’s raid.
The raid comes as gun control groups like Everytown for Gun Safety are demanding that Joe Biden crack down on “ghost guns” if he’s inaugurated next month by ensuring “the background check system covers all firearms, including the core parts and kits used to build untraceable ghost guns.” As the New York Times reported on Friday:
Everytown proposes Mr. Biden’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives reclassify ghost guns as firearms, requiring them to carry serial numbers and be traced like other guns — essentially eliminating their appeal as untraceable weapons. The group is also requesting that the agency tighten its definition of what constitutes a firearms dealer who is required to comply with federal background checks. President Trump and previous administrations have left it to sellers to determine for themselves if they are full-time dealers, leaving untold thousands of guns to be sold at gun shows and online without federal checks. The Everytown proposal would have the agency set the limit at five guns sold per year to be required to conduct background checks before sales.
With the raid on Polymer80 the ATF looks like it’s eager to embrace the anti-gun agenda laid out by Everytown for Gun Safety. According to the warrant application, the federal agency had previously given approval for the company to sell its 80% receivers and frames, but the ATF now claims that the company should have submitted its entire kit containing the previously approved items for even more approval.
The ATF previously gave Polymer80 permission to sell unfinished receivers. But the Buy Build Shoot Kits, which are advertised as having “all the necessary components to build a complete…pistol” weren’t submitted to the agency for approval, according to the application for the search warrant. These kits can be “assembled into fully functional firearms in a matter of minutes,” the warrant application says.
Why would Polymer80 submit the kit for approval by the ATF when it doesn’t contain an actual firearm and the frame or receivers have already been approved? This makes no sense from a legal perspective, but logic and consistency isn’t really what the ATF appears to be aiming at here.
As for Polymer80’s response, the company released a brief statement a brief statement to the website The Truth About Guns:
Over the past few years, and at the present time, Polymer80 has had numerous contacts from federal, state, and local law enforcement officials across the country. In each such instance, when properly and lawfully so approached, Polymer80 has expended best efforts to fully cooperate with law enforcement. When and as appropriate, the company will continue to do so. This practice is consistent with Polymer80’s hard-earned reputation as an industry leader and responsible corporate citizen. Indeed, the company takes its legal obligations seriously, just as it does its treasured and fruitful relationships with its customers and independent dealers. In short, Polymer80 is committed to discharging all of its responsibilities and duties as to them, as well as vigorously protecting its rights under the law. We will continue to monitor all developments as they arise.
Stay tuned, because the crackdown on companies like Polymer80 appears to be underway, and there are likely to be plenty of developments in the days ahead. If the ATF is already engaging in raids like this with Donald Trump still in office, you can imagine what’s coming if Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are sworn in next month.


bearingarms--2020-12-11--Biden's Anti-Gun Ambitions Face Tough Fight

While the 2020 elections didn ’ t necessarily go the way Democrats had hoped–no much-anticipated “ blue wave ” to speak of–they do stand to hold significant power in the government come January .
After all , unless the courts intervene , Joe Biden will become president , giving Democrats the White House .
The party also has a slim majority in the House and may potentially see a split Senate with Kamala Harris representing the tie-breaking vote .
For the Biden administration , which has made its anti-gun ambitions quite clear , it would seem to be almost tailor-made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts aren ’ t necessarily the slam dunks they might outwardly appear to be .
The gun debate in America will soon enter a new chapter with a Democrat in the White House after four years under President Donald Trump in which gun control advocates developed a long wish list for reform amid a spate of large-scale mass killings in places like Las Vegas , El Paso and Parkland , Florida .
But any hope that Joe Biden will usher in a new era of restrictions on firearms is highly unlikely because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tripped up similar efforts under past administrations .
The items on the agenda — largely relegated to the political shelf in recent years — include renewing a ban on AR-style rifles , universal background checks , restrictions on high-capacity magazines and a federal red flag law designed to prevent people at risk of harming themselves or others from purchasing a firearm .
But virtually all of those will require Congress to act .
And regardless the outcome in two Senate races in Georgia that will determine which party holds the majority in that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order to get a majority of lawmakers on board .
One key reason is because the issues have become so polarized .
Years ago , gun politics crossed party lines , and it was easier for Republicans and Democrats to find common ground .
“ It used to be a cross-cutting issue , there used to be Democrats that were very pro-gun and Democratic legislators who won districts in part on their pro-gun views , ” said Matt Grossmann , an associate professor at Michigan State University and director of its Institute for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gun politics .
“ And you just don ’ t have that anymore.
” That ’ s certainly true , but you do have Democrats who have to downplay their anti-gun views .
If they ’ re the deciding vote on something like a new assault weapon ban , they ’ ll have to answer to their constituencies .
It ’ ll make them extremely vulnerable and plenty of them know it .
Sure , the New York City crowd won ’ t care one bit , nor will the Chicago contingent , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might just be concerned about the reckoning .
There ’ s a reason Biden is looking to start off with executive action on guns first and foremost .
It ’ s likely because he knows what an uphill slog any legislation will be .
Don ’ t get me wrong , though .
There will be legislative attempts made .
We can ’ t just assume it won ’ t pass or that Biden won ’ t really even bother .
Oh no , there will be an effort made .
We just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than Biden and company can handle .

While the 2020 elections didn’t necessarily go the way Democrats had hoped–no much-anticipated “blue wave” to speak of–they do stand to hold significant power in the government come January. After all, unless the courts intervene, Joe Biden will become president, giving Democrats the White House. The party also has a slim majority in the House and may potentially see a split Senate with Kamala Harris representing the tie-breaking vote.
For the Biden administration, which has made its anti-gun ambitions quite clear, it would seem to be almost tailor-made for him.
However, any such efforts aren’t necessarily the slam dunks they might outwardly appear to be.
The gun debate in America will soon enter a new chapter with a Democrat in the White House after four years under President Donald Trump in which gun control advocates developed a long wish list for reform amid a spate of large-scale mass killings in places like Las Vegas, El Paso and Parkland, Florida. But any hope that Joe Biden will usher in a new era of restrictions on firearms is highly unlikely because of the same polarization in Washington that has tripped up similar efforts under past administrations. The items on the agenda — largely relegated to the political shelf in recent years — include renewing a ban on AR-style rifles, universal background checks, restrictions on high-capacity magazines and a federal red flag law designed to prevent people at risk of harming themselves or others from purchasing a firearm. But virtually all of those will require Congress to act. And regardless the outcome in two Senate races in Georgia that will determine which party holds the majority in that chamber, it will be a tall order to get a majority of lawmakers on board. One key reason is because the issues have become so polarized. Years ago, gun politics crossed party lines, and it was easier for Republicans and Democrats to find common ground. “It used to be a cross-cutting issue, there used to be Democrats that were very pro-gun and Democratic legislators who won districts in part on their pro-gun views,” said Matt Grossmann, an associate professor at Michigan State University and director of its Institute for Public Policy and Social Research who follows gun politics. “And you just don’t have that anymore.”
That’s certainly true, but you do have Democrats who have to downplay their anti-gun views. If they’re the deciding vote on something like a new assault weapon ban, they’ll have to answer to their constituencies. It’ll make them extremely vulnerable and plenty of them know it.
Sure, the New York City crowd won’t care one bit, nor will the Chicago contingent, but those representing suburban or semi-rural areas might just be concerned about the reckoning.
There’s a reason Biden is looking to start off with executive action on guns first and foremost. It’s likely because he knows what an uphill slog any legislation will be.
Don’t get me wrong, though. There will be legislative attempts made. We can’t just assume it won’t pass or that Biden won’t really even bother. Oh no, there will be an effort made.
We just need to make sure the fight is more than Biden and company can handle.