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An Unholy Alliance

November 16, 2012 by 1 Comment

An unholy alliance of gun prohibitionists, politicians, and certain church groups is pushing a so-called documentary called “Trigger: The Ripple Effect of Gun Violence” that will air on certain NBC owned and affiliated stations. The documentary is part of the Horizons of the Spirit series which airs on that network. The documentary is presented by the National Council of Churches and was produced by the Presbyterian Church USA.

The documentary features such gun control luminaries as Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), Colin Goddard, and Dr. Garen Wintemute talking about how “gun violence” (sic) impacted their lives.


In the United States more than 30,000 people are killed every year by gun violence and the disaster caused by gun violence is seen in almost every community. We may hear briefly about the victims and survivors of these shootings, but what happens after the media attention moves on and the wider public becomes numb to “just another shooting”? Drawing upon conversations with lawmakers, emergency room chaplains and surgeons, survivors and victims” families, former ATF officials, police officers, community leaders and others, “Trigger: The Ripple Effect of Gun Violence” shares the story of how Gun Violence impacts individuals and communities and examines the “ripple effect” that one shooting has on a survivor, a family, a community, and a society.

 The trailer to “Trigger” is below:


Trailer for “Trigger: The Ripple Effect of Gun Violence” Coming to NBC from Trigger Documentary on Vimeo.

Gun prohibitionists such as the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence and Timothy Johnson of the Media Matters for America have been pushing the documentary today and are pointing people to a sample script/letter that they are asking be sent to program managers at local NBC affiliates. The script is being hosted on a Presbyterian Church USA website.


Dear Station or Programming Manager,

I am a viewer living in your market area, and I care about the issue of gun violence.

I am aware of an upcoming program titled Trigger: the Ripple Effect of Gun Violence, which is part of the NBC Horizons of the Spirit series. The documentary is free and can be aired from November 11th through May 2013.
I have been told that the technical information and blurb about the program is on the NBC Universal APT system (Affiliate Partnership Tool) that every NBC affiliate station has access to.

Trigger is timely, considering the many acts of gun violence that have happened across our nation. It is not a politically driven documentary, but rather it is a documentary that allows people affected by gun violence to share their stories of how one shooting has impacted a survivor, a family and a community — after the shooting incident is no longer on the front pages or on the news channels.

This documentary explores the issue of gun violence through a multifaceted lens of family members, law enforcement, hospital personnel and clergy, to help build an understanding of the ripple effect. It will hopefully encourage awareness and conversation about how our communities can help.

Will you please schedule the showing of Trigger at a time that is convenient for viewers? It would be good to air it more than once to allow as many people to view it as possible during the 6 months it is available.

Thank you for your time and your consideration.

To say this is not a politically driven documentary is absurd. When you have leading gun control advocates and politicians such as Carolyn McCarthy who has made her career on gun control as stars of a documentary, it is political.

I don’t belong to a church that is a member of the National Council of Churches nor am I a Presbyterian. If, however, you are a Presbyterian (PCUSA) or belong to one of the NCC member churches, you might want to make your views on this documentary known within your own denomination. You could ask just how much of your weekly offering went to produce this agenda driven political piece which seeks to hamper you in protecting your own family. I’m sure you can think of other questions to ask.

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Obama Nominates Seven For US District Court Judgeships

November 15, 2012 by 3 Comments

On Wednesday, President Obama sent the names of seven nominees to the Senate for US District Court judgeships. Unfortunately, I don’t know where any of them stand on Second Amendment issues. According to the White House statement, they “represent my continued commitment to ensure that the judiciary resembles the nation it serves.”

The last nominee on this list, Derrick Watson of Hawaii, graduated from Harvard Law with Obama in 1991.

Valerie E. Caproni: Nominee for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
Valerie E. Caproni is Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Northrop Grumman Corporation.  Previously, she served for eight years as General Counsel of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Caproni has had a distinguished legal career in both private practice and public service, including stints at the Securities and Exchange Commission, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, the New York State Urban Development Corporation, and the law firms of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Cravath, Swaine & Moore.  She began her legal career by clerking for the Honorable Phyllis Kravitch of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.  Caproni received her J.D. summa cum laude in 1979 from the University of Georgia School of Law and her B.A. magna cum laude in 1976 from Newcomb College of Tulane University. 

Kenneth John Gonzales:  Nominee for the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico
Kenneth John Gonzales currently serves as the United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, a position he has held since 2010.  Prior to his confirmation by the Senate, Gonzales spent eleven years working in the same office as an Assistant United States Attorney.  In 2001, he was commissioned an officer in the United States Army Reserve.  He presently holds the rank of Major in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps and is an Adjunct Professor of Criminal Law at the Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School.  From 1996 to 1999, Gonzales worked as a Legislative Assistant for United States Senator Jeff Bingaman.  He began his legal career clerking for the Honorable Joseph Baca, Chief Justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court, from 1994 to 1996.  Gonzales received his J.D. in 1994 from the University of New Mexico School of Law and his B.A. in 1988 from the University of New Mexico.

Raymond P. Moore: Nominee for the United States District Court for the District of Colorado
Raymond P. Moore currently serves as the Federal Public Defender for the Districts of Colorado and Wyoming, a position he has held since January 2004.  Previously, he was an Assistant Federal Public Defender in Colorado from 1993 through 2003.  From 1986 through 1992, Moore worked at the law firm of Davis, Graham & Stubbs in Denver, Colorado, becoming a partner in 1987.  Beginning in 1982, he spent four years as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Colorado.  He began his legal career as an associate at Davis, Graham & Stubbs from 1978 to 1982.  Moore received his J.D in 1978 from Yale Law School and his B.A. cum lade in 1975 from Yale College. 

Judge Beverly Reid O’Connell: Nominee for the United States District Court for the Central District of California
Judge Beverly Reid O’Connell currently serves as a Superior Court Judge for Los Angeles County in California, a position she has held since 2005.  For a five-month period in 2010 and 2011, she sat by designation on the California Court of Appeals for the Second District, Division 8, and has since served as Assistant Supervising Judge of the North Valley District of the Superior Court.  Prior to becoming a judge, Judge O’Connell served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Central District of California from 1995 to 2005.  From 1990 until 1995, she worked at the law firm Morrison & Foerster, where she handled a variety of civil litigation matters.  Judge O’Connell received her J.D. magna cum laude in 1990 from Pepperdine University School of Law and her B.A. in 1986 from the University of California at Los Angeles. 

Judge William L. Thomas:  Nominee for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
Judge William L. Thomas has served as a Circuit Judge in Florida’s Eleventh Judicial Circuit since 2005, where he has presided over both civil and criminal matters.  For seven years, from 1997 to 2005, he served as an Assistant Federal Public Defender in the Southern District of Florida, where he represented indigent clients in federal criminal cases.  Judge Thomas began his legal career as an Assistant Public Defender at the Miami-Dade County Public Defender’s Office in 1994.  He received his J.D. in 1994 from the Temple University School of Law and his B.A. in 1991 from Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania.

Judge Analisa Torres:  Nominee for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
Judge Analisa Torres currently serves as a Justice of the New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan, where she has handled criminal felony cases since 2010.  Judge Torres served as an Acting Justice of the same court in Bronx County from 2004 to 2009.  From 2003 to 2004, she was a judge on the New York Civil Court and from 2000 to 2002 she was a judge on the New York Criminal Court.  From 1992 to 1999, Judge Torres clerked for the Honorable Elliot Wilk of the New York State Supreme Court.  She also served as a Commissioner of the New York City Planning Commission from 1993 to 1995.  During the early portion of her legal career, Judge Torres worked for seven years as a real estate associate at three New York City law firms.  Judge Torres received her J.D. in 1984 from Columbia Law School and her A.B. magna cum laude in 1981 from Harvard College.

Derrick Kahala Watson:  Nominee for the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii
Derrick Kahala Watson has been an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Hawaii since 2007, and has served as Chief of the Civil Division since 2009.  Previously, he worked at the San Francisco law firm of Farella Braun + Martel LLP, where his practice focused on product liability, toxic tort, and environmental cost recovery litigation.  He joined the firm in 2000 and was named partner in 2003.  Watson was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of California from 1995 to 2000, serving as Deputy Chief of the Civil Division from 1999 to 2000.  He began his legal career at the law firm of Landels, Ripley & Diamond in San Francisco, where he was an associate from 1991 to 1995.  Watson received his J.D. in 1991 from Harvard Law School, his A.B. in 1988 from Harvard College, and is a 1984 graduate of The Kamehameha Schools.

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NSSF Alert – Sportsmen’s Act Of 2012

November 15, 2012 by 1 Comment

I checked the Senate Calendar for today and this is the first item on the agenda. So if you are going to call, do it now!

This act will not only remove lead shot, ammo, and fishing tackle from the purview of the EPA and the Toxic Substances Control Act but it will allow more shooting ranges to be built using the money we pay in excise taxes on ammunition. Both of these are a win for the entire shooting community whether they hunt or not.

We have some great news! By an overwhelming 92-5 vote, the U.S. Senate on Tuesday passed an important procedural motion that will allow senators to vote on the Sportsmen’s Act of 2012 (S.3525) currently scheduled for this Thursday, but that could slip to Friday.

NSSF thanks everyone who called and emailed your senators to help make this upcoming vote possible. Now we need all hunters, target shooters and firearms owners to keep the pressure on. Call your senators again and urge them to vote YES on the Sportsmen’s Act of 2012 (S.3525), the most important package of measures for the benefit of sportsmen in a generation.

While we believe phone calls are most effective at this late stage in the process, you may also send a quick e-mail using the link provided on this page. In either case, your involvement will take only minutes. If this is your first opportunity to weigh in, the timing could not be better. Act today.

This historic legislation includes the firearms industry’s top legislative priority, the Hunting, Fishing and Recreational Shooting Protection Act (S.838) that would clarify that ammunition is excluded from regulation by the Environmental Protection Agency under the Toxic Substances Control Act.

Anti-hunting groups led by the Center for Biological Diversity are suing the EPA to force a ban on traditional ammunition made with lead components that would devastate hunting and shooting sports participation, drive up ammunition prices by almost 200 percent on average and dry up conservation funding.

No less than 46 of the nation’s leading sportsmen and conservation groups including NRA, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, American Sportfishing Association, International Game Fish Association, Center for Coastal Conservation, and Boone and Crockett Club are championing S.3525. This bipartisan legislation is strongly supported by the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

The Sportsmen’s Act of 2012 is a package of 19 separate bills — the majority of sportsmen’s legislative priorities on Capitol Hill. (See below for an overview of the components of the bill.) A similar package of bills–the Sportsmen’s Heritage Act of 2012 (H.R.4089)–was passed by the House in the spring by a bipartisan vote of 276 to 146. Passage of this pro-sportsmen’s legislation will promote, protect and preserve our nation’s hunting, shooting and conservation heritage for generations to come.

Your voice must be heard! As you read this, anti-hunting forces are working to defeat S.3525. So act now, call your U.S. senators at 202-224-3121 and urge them to vote YES for the bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2012.

Sportsmen’s Priorities in the Sportsmen’s Act of 2012

The Hunting, Fishing and Recreational Shooting Protection Act: Specifically excludes ammunition and fishing tackle from the Toxic Substances Control Act, preventing unnecessary regulations that could devastate hunting, shooting, conservation funding and the firearm and ammunition industries.

Making Public Lands Public: Requires that the 1.5 percent of annual Land and Water Conservation Fund funding is made available to secure public access to federal public land for hunting, fishing, and other recreational purposes.

Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act: Makes Pittman-Robertson funds available to states for a longer period of time for the creation and maintenance of shooting ranges. The bill encourages federal land agencies to cooperate with state and local authorities to maintain shooting ranges and limits liability for these agencies.

Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 to urge your senators to SUPPORT the Sportsmen’s Act of 2012.</blockquote>

UPDATE: The Senate voted on cloture for this bill today. There were 84 yeas, 12 nays, and 4 not voting. The nays were a weird combination of anti-gun Democrats and conservative Republicans. I’m guessing the Republicans didn’t like the part about Federal land purchases. Invoking cloture means that debate is brought to an end and the bill is now ready for passage. Given the numbers who voted for cloture, I’d say passage should be a formality.

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Me And Paula

November 14, 2012 by 4 Comments

It turns out that Paula Broadwell and I have something in common.

You guys went to same school? Nope. She went to West Point and I, believe it or not, am a graduate of a Quaker college. Go figure.

You both served in military intelligence? Again, no. While my father did serve in the US Army for 28 years, I have never served in the armed forces. I do, however, have the utmost respect for those who have served our country in the armed forces.

You both have written a book? Alas, no. I haven’t written any books with or without a ghost writer though I’ve thought about it once or twice.

And no, I’m not having an affair on the Complementary Spouse!

Actually, what we both have in common are visits from the FBI. Her visits have been a little more “intense” and are related to harassing emails she supposedly sent to Jill Kelley. The visit I got was to my blog and it was from the FBI Criminal Justice Information Systems in Clarksburg, WV. Someone there was interested in the blog post I did on Paradigm SRP’s Gator Shotgun Spreader device. According to Wikipedia, their mission is:

The mission of CJIS is to reduce terrorist and criminal activities by
maximizing the ability to provide timely and relevant criminal justice
information to the FBI and to qualified law enforcement, criminal justice,
civilian, academic, employment, and licensing agencies concerning
individuals, stolen property, criminal organizations and activities, and
other law enforcement related data.

They are also the home of the NICS database. I’m guessing the CJIS wants to have info about the shotgun spreader device in their database. Either that or the title of my post, “If Society Disintegrates, I Want One Of These”, triggered some key word search function. I don’t believe supporting the Constitution and the Second Amendment rises to the level of “treason” or “insurrection” even if we are continually being called “traitors” and “insurrectionists” by the ne’er do wells at CSGV.

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Dead Possums Only For Possum Drop

November 14, 2012 by 3 Comments

As I wrote a couple of months ago, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals was suing the NC Wildlife Resources Commission over the granting of a permit to the organizer of Brasstown’s Possum Drop. That event is held annually on New Year’s Eve and involves the lowering – not dropping – of a caged opossum to the ground in a take-off of Times Square’s dropping the ball.

It seems that PETA must have found the most gullible judge in North Carolina. Senior Administrative Law Judge Fred Morrison, Jr. ruled yesterday that the NCWRC cannot issue a permit to Clay Logan for the live trapping of a opossum. A dead opossum is OK with the judge but not a live one.

Logan had a sportsman’s license and could have killed the animal,
which was in season at the time. But he didn’t meet standards for either
a license or a permit to keep animals in captivity, PETA argued, and no
statute permitted the WRC to allow ‘possum-caging on a special and
temporary basis.

Morrison agreed. Killing the animal was lawful; confining it was not.

“WRC
should therefore have instructed Logan to immediately release the
opossum into the wild where the opossum had been captured, or kill it,”
Morrison wrote in his order.

Judge Morrison went on to say:

“Hunters must afford wild animals the same right Patrick Henry yearned
for,” Senior Administrative Law Judge Fred Morrison Jr. wrote in his
order. “’Give me liberty, or give me death!’”

I’m sorry but Judge Morrison is an idiot. I suppose it would be considered harassment if I mailed Judge Morrison a road-kill possum or sent him a snide email. Given I don’t want either Postal Inspectors or FBI Special Agents knocking on my door, it is a nice idea but one on which I’ll pass.

The NCWRC has 30 days in which to decide to appeal this case to Wake County Superior Court. Frankly, I hope they do.

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If Society Disintegrates, I Want One Of These

November 14, 2012 by 7 Comments

Back during the Vietnam War, USAF Security Police, Marines and Navy SEALs often used shotguns with “duck bill” spreader choke devices. The device would cause the shot to spread out in a wide horizontal pattern. It was designed to be used with No. 4 shot. An example is shown below.

This duck bill spreader device had a couple of faults. First, the openings would catch in jungle vegetation. Second, they had a tendency to crack after extensive use.

Paradigm SRP has just released their own versions of the spreader choke that they call the Gator Shotgun Spreader. Unlike the Vietnam-era chokes, it can be used with both No. 4 and 00 buckshot. Moreover, they make one version that will screw into shotgun barrels that use screw-in chokes and another version that can used with the Saiga shotgun. Neither version needs to be welded on unlike the earlier Vietnam-era spreaders. Both versions are door-breaching capable and will spread shot six feet wide at 12 yards.

The screw-in version is priced at $179 while the Saiga version is $199. The screw-in version will work with a variety of shotguns and are threaded to fit specific choke systems from Remington, Winchester, Benelli, and Beretta. A portion of the Gator profits will go the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum.

If society ever breaks down to the point where we might defend ourselves against roving hoards of mutant zombie bikers, I could see the utility in having one of these. That said, until then, I wouldn’t want to have to defend its use in court of law, castle doctrine or no castle doctrine.

Videos are available of the device in action on Paradigm SRP’s Facebook page.

H/T Soldier Systems

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CCRKBA Defends Stand-Your-Ground Law At Florida Hearing

November 13, 2012 by

Joe Waldron, Legislative Director for the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, testified today at a commission hearing in Florida that was examining their stand-your-ground law. The commission was established by Gov. Rick Scott to make recommendations about the law in response to the Trayvon Martin-George Zimmerman shooting incident.

From CCRKBA:


BELLEVUE, WA – The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms today defended the legal concept of Stand-Your-Ground, which is the law in 24 states, during a public hearing in Florida, where a movement is underway to change that state’s statute.

CCRKBA Legislative Director Joe Waldron told the committee examining Florida’s law that the state should not change a law that has been working for seven years. Florida Gov. Rick Scott appointed a commission to examine the law earlier this year following public outcry over the shooting death of Trayvon Martin.

The incident provided a launch pad for attacks on similar self-defense statutes across the country.

“But after that single incident nine months ago,” Waldron observed, “we’re told Florida’s stand-you-ground law is terribly flawed, and should be repealed or at least restricted severely. The law has been in place for seven years. Laws should not be made – or repealed – based on a single, anecdotal incident.”

He noted that in some states, the stand-your-ground concept has been adopted via “black letter law,” that is, by judicial rulings.

“The stand-your-ground concept has been through the courts all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court,” Waldron said. “The legal concept governs federal case law regarding self-defense.

“In all 50 states,” he added, “if you are subjected to a potentially lethal attack or one that poses the risk of serious bodily injury, you have the right of self-defense, up to and including the use of lethal force.”

“Laws that protect millions of citizens should not be changed because of public reaction to a single case,” said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. “We are hopeful that Florida lawmakers use common sense and back away from any attempt to change or repeal this statute.”

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Knife Rights Leader In NH Legislature Defeated

November 13, 2012 by 4 Comments

Hidden in among all the recent election news was the defeat of NH State Representative Jenn Coffey (R-Merrimack) who had led the successful fight to reform New Hampshire’s knife laws.

Coffey, the winner of Blade Magazine’s 2011 Publisher’s Award, had sponsored the bill that removed penalties for both possession and selling switchblades, dirks, daggers, and stilettos. Her bill which passed and was signed by the governor of New Hampshire changed the emphasis from the tool to the crime. In addition, Coffey is the National Legislative Director for the Second Amendment Sisters. She has written a book, Knives, Lipstick, and Liberty about the experience of going from an apolitical EMT to being recognized as a leader for knife rights.

Coffey lost to Democrat Mario Ratzki by approximately 200 votes. Mr. Ratzki, according to his website, had relocated to that area of New Hampshire a mere three years ago to retire after selling antique rugs in Boston. The voter guide from NH Public TV says that Coffey is a graduate of Lycee Henri Poincare (Nancy, France) and U. Cal. – Berkeley.

As to his position on the Second Amendment, he said in a letter to the editor, “We need to  balance gun rights with public safety.” An equivocating statement like that tells you everything you need to know.

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An Outrage In The UK

November 13, 2012 by 6 Comments

Sgt. Danny Nightingale served 17 years in Her Majesty’s service in the Royal Army. Included in those 17 years were 11 years as a sniper in the Special Air Service Regiment. He is now serving 18-months in Her Majesty’s Prisons for possession of a Glock that was given to him as a “war trophy” in Iraq which he intended to donate to the Regiment.

What makes this even more of an outrage is that Sgt. Nightingale suffers severe memory loss due to a brain injury suffered after he collapsed at charity event and went into a coma for three days. Given his memory loss, expert testimony at his trial stated he probably didn’t even realize he had it.

The Glock itself was in possessions that he had left in Iraq that were packed up for him by fellow troopers when he had to leave Iraq in a hurry after two friends were killed. He was detailed to accompany their bodies back to the UK. The pistol was originally shipped in a container to SAS HQ and then his possessions were sent to his home. It remained packed away until 2010 until it was discovered in a search of his living quarters. Police searched the quarters due to allegations made against his housemate by an estranged wife. Nightingale was not the subject of the search.

Sgt. Nightingale pled guilty to the charges when his attorney informed him he could be facing five years imprisonment. He had planned to fight the charges.

His commander and others are standing behind him.

Lt Col Richard Williams, who won a Military Cross in Afghanistan in 2001 and was Sgt Nightingale’s commanding officer in Iraq, said the sentence “clearly needed to be overturned immediately”.

He said: “His military career has been ruined and his wife and children face being evicted from their home — this is a total betrayal of a man who dedicated his life to the service of his country.”

Patrick Mercer, the Conservative MP for Newark and a former infantry officer, said he planned to take up the case with the Defence Secretary. Simon McKay, Sgt Nightingale’s lawyer, said: “On Remembrance Sunday, when the nation remembers its war heroes, my client — one of their number — is in a prison cell.

“I consider the sentence to be excessive and the basis of the guilty plea unsafe. It is a gross miscarriage of justice and grounds of appeal are already being prepared.”

Judge Advocate Alistair McGrigor, who presided over the court martial and sentenced Nightingale, had allowed the testimony about the memory loss to be entered but thought Nightingale knew he had the Glock in his possession.

As the British might say, bullocks.

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It’s Time To Help Out One Of Our Own

November 11, 2012 by 2 Comments

I’m a little late getting this up but I hope you will respond generously. If you read gun blogs for more than a day, you know Tam of The View From The Porch blog. She is, as JayG called her recently, the Snark Mistress.

She is all that and more. She also, as she revealed on Friday, has cancer. Tam has a basal cell carcinoma on her nose that will need to be removed. Fortunately, it is very treatable. The downside is that Tam does not have health insurance. I don’t care what form of cancer you have but when the docs utter the “C word” the price just went up.

You can help Tam out by making a donation to the tip jar on her blog. I really hope you will be generous.

To help encourage you to make a donation, a number of bloggers have come together to organize raffles to benefit Tam.

 OldNFO has donated a Colt Diamondback in .38 Special that has just been worked over by Cylinder & Slide as a prize. Michael Hast of The Holster Site will be donating a custom holster of your choice to go with it. You can enter that raffle by following the instructions at the link.

Dennis from DragonWorks leather is having another raffle for Tam and the prize is one of his Viper Holsters.

JayG of MArooned is coordinating links to all the raffles and Jennifer is acting as the raffle coordinator. If you have something you might want to donate to the raffle, contact JayG at the link to his blog.

I would again urge you to be generous. Regardless of the form, cancer is a nasty thing.