Two recent court rulings have had opposite effects on the Second Amendment.
On Thursday, May 19, the Illinois Supreme Court dismissed yet another reckless lawsuit aimed at putting firearms manufacturers out of business.
That same day, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, a Clinton appointee, issued a preliminary injunction that blocked a rule enacted by President George W. Bush allowing visitors to national parks to carry concealed weapons.
In a recent Columbus Dispatch article entitled “Many loopholes in domestic-violence gun law,” Whitehall Councilwoman Jacquelyn Thompson asks why a man with a history of domestic violence who killed his wife and children in a murder-suicide had three guns, and whether communities could do more to prevent domestic violence.
It’s worth asking, because the fact that this ex-con was in possession of firearms proves once again that gun control laws are useless when it comes to disarming a violent person intent on harming others.
This editorial originally appeared in the Washington Times. Republished with permission.
After the September 11 attacks, commercial airline pilots were allowed to carry guns if they completed a federal-safety program. No longer would unarmed pilots be defenseless as remorseless hijackers seized control of aircraft and rammed them into buildings.
Now President Obama is quietly ending the federal firearms program, risking public safety on airlines in the name of an anti-gun ideology.
IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM NRA CHIEF LOBBYIST CHRIS W. COX ON ATTORNEY GENERAL HOLDER’S RECENT REMARKS SUPPORTING REINSTATEMENT OF THE FAILED 1994 GUN AND MAGAZINE BAN
In a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, 65 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives, led by Congressman Mike Ross (D-AR), expressed their opposition to the reinstatement of the failed 1994 ban on semi-automatic firearms and ammunition magazines. These congressmen cited numerous studies that proved the 1994 ban was ineffective, and they strongly urged Attorney General Holder to stop his effort and instead focus on the enforcement of existing gun laws.
NRA would like to thank Congressman Ross for his leadership on this effort. We will continue to work with Members of Congress from both parties on this important issue.
View the letter, which was signed by Ohio Democrats Tim Ryan, John Boccieri, Zack Space, and Charlie Wilson:
Dayton Daily News: Two men were shot at 515 N. Broadway St. in Dayton about 3:15 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17. Dayton Police responded and closed the street for an investigation.
By Jim Shepherd
When the National Park Service decided to ban lead in fishing tackle and ammunition from properties under their control, they probably thought this was another of their little surprises that would stay under the radar. Instead, they’ve found themselves justifiably pilloried by a wide array of organizations representing the hunting and fishing communities and several state legislatures who find their capricious rule-making more than a little offensive.
At this point, the idea of politicians getting angry over bad regulatory policy seems a bit disingenuous, but hey, allies are allies when it comes to the National Park Service.
By Jim Shepherd
At about five-thirty Tuesday evening, the lengthy feature that was to have gone in Wednesday’s editions of both the Outdoor and Shooting Wires was rendered unnecessary. Normally, that’s not a reason for celebration. But this was no ordinary occurrence.
After having spoken with Larry Haynie of Georgia Arms regarding the Department of Defense decision to require all once-fired military brass be shredded rather than sold for repurposing to consumers and domestic agencies, it seemed the set-piece battle over gun ownership was underway.
This morning, there is no discomfort whatsoever to report that the Department of Defense has been introduced to the idea that unilateral decisions of this magnitude don’t come without consequences.
By Chris Chumita
There are more stories pertaining to our gun rights in Ohio then we can possibly draw attention to with individual daily commentary. But they are all worthy of mention.
What follows is our review of headlines from around the state though a pro-gun rights lens.
From another spree killing in a “no-guns” victim zone to Mayor Jackson claming downtown Cleveland is “safe”, these articles should be a part of your required reading!
What follows is several days of headlines accompanied by short, concise pro-gun analysis.
Editor’s Note: This article has also been published at USConcealedCarry.com.
By Chad D. Baus
Recently, USCCA’s Kathy Jackson presented me with the idea of writing a regular column that could update members on the ongoing fight for gun rights at the state level.
I quickly realized that what started with just a few words (“I’m needing a regular online writer to tell me about the doings of other state gun rights organizations… and to track local political battles in across the states. Are you interested in doing some of that kind of work?”) was going to be a rather daunting project – but not for the reasons I originally anticipated.
In late January, I set about to identify and contact the leading gun rights organizations in all fifty states (or fifty-seven if you are President Obama), requesting their help in keeping me up to date on the current battles that they face, what specific activities they are engaging in on each battle, their sense of the morale of gun owners in their state, etc.
Identifying the right group was no easy task. Having been a gun rights activist for nearly a decade now, I was familiar with the leaders in some states. I also consulted with others whom I was aware of as having relationships with other state organizations. In many cases, however, it was necessary to do the research, review dozens of web sites, and try to decide with whom to make contact. As I was doing this research, I quickly began identifying areas where we, as a civil rights community, need improvement.
State Representative Matt Huffman (R-4) recently introduced House Bill 18, which will allow non-resident college students to get a hunting or fishing license at resident cost.