Snowflakes in Hell

Looks like there have been some changes in the New South Wales government, which have allowed them to pass some easements to the insanity they passed after the Port Arthur massacre.  As Dave Hardy said:

Looks as if, as is common in parliamentary systems, the largest party is still slightly less than a majority. And pro-gun Members formed their own party, the Shooters’ Party, which is just enough to give the dominant party a majority if it votes with them.

When I was in Louisville, I talked to a gentleman from Australia, who was forced to turn over a lifetime of collecting, worth approximately 100,000 dollars, including guns his father had given him, to the Australian authorities.  They banned every semi-automatic and pump action firearm in the country after Port Arthur.  If Australian shooters can start taking back what’s theirs, there’s hope for us all.  This is a very welcome development.

It’s good to see there are clubs in New Jersey who are running Steel Challenge matches.  It’s even better that the media are willing to cover it without any pant shitting hysterics.  Hopefully coverage like this might help people realize their state doesn’t need to make their gun laws worse than they already are.

GOA is getting behind national concealed carry:

The Vitter bill treats concealed carry permits much the same as drivers’ licenses, where one state’s license is recognized in all other states.

In addressing the matter of reciprocity, the first concern of GOA and Sen. Vitter is that it be done constitutionally and that it respects states’ rights.

Unlike another senate reciprocity measure, S. 388, Vitter’s bill does not establish “national standards” for concealed carry. It simply says that states that allow concealed carry must recognize the CCW permits of other states.

State driver’s licenses are recognized by other states through reciprocity, in a similar manner to concealed carry licenses, and through a series of compacts between the states meant to govern drivers licensing.  The federal government has nothing to do with it.

I’ve said before, the only constitutional way I believe the federal government can force national concealed carry is to use its powers under the 14th amendment.  Most bills I’ve seen so far rely on the herpes theory of the commerce clause, meaning since the gun once moved in interstate commerce, the federal government can forever regulate anything having to do with that product, even if the activity in question is wholly intrastate.  While I’d love to see national concealed carry reciprocity, I don’t want to see it at the expense of furthering this deranged view of the commerce power.

UPDATE: Is it wrong of me to point out the irony of a “no compromise” gun group getting behind a bill that’s absolutely a compromise?   I mean, if we have a second amendment right to carry a gun in any manner we please without asking for government permission, then supporting a bill that would allow the licensing system to stand, and allow Illinois and Wisconsin to continue to violate our rights would be a compromise, wouldn’t it?

I eagerly await an explanation from Larry Pratt about how this incrementalist approach is anything other than a sell out.

Pennsylvania’s gun laws are useless, because Philadelphia isn’t enforcing them, again.  So why are they not only barking loudly for more, but if they aren’t going to enforce the laws we have now, why are they even on the books?

Jacob looks at the New York Sun’s post which suggests that New York’s gun laws could come under fire as a result of Heller.  Any bets as to whether any case filed in New York ends up before Weinstein?  Think he’ll care about Heller?  Fortunately, the second circuit will, no doubt.

From ANJRPC:

On Monday, June 23, the New Jersey Assembly is scheduled to vote on A339 - New Jersey’s latest version of gun rationing legislation, which affects collectors, sportsmen, target shooters, and interferes with the inheritance of firearms.
The legislation, sponsored by Assemblywoman Joan Quigley (D-32), would criminalize the purchase of more than one handgun per month by honest citizens, even though they have already been pre-certified by the state as law abiding citizens after passing a comprehensive 13-point background investigation. Multiple handgun permits could not be used during the same 30-day period, and permits that could not be used before their expiration date would become useless.

The legislation restricts the rights of law abiding citizens, and fails to address the true source of “gun violence” - criminals. A New Jersey court recently invalidated similar legislation brought at the local level, holding that there is no rational relationship between restricting the number of firearms purchased by law abiding citizens and crime.

They are asking that people in New Jersey contact assembly members here.  I guess outlawing muskets wasn’t enough for Bryan Miller.  Seriously, New Jersey folks, you have to stand up and get organized, or it’s all going to over for you.  Don’t depend on Heller to save you.  It might not.  New Jersey already requires gun owners to get a license before purchasing a firearm.  It also requires a permit from the police for each pistol purchased.  My understanding is that process time on these can be up to a year, despite what the law says.  Adding one gun a month to New Jersey’s already insane requirements for purchasing a firearm is worse than useless.

From the premier issue of The Tactical Wire:

The term “tactical” is vastly overused. Along the lines of the joke oft-told at the HK International Training Division, known for training special response units, SWAT and the like; “Why do SWAT teams wear black?” When the victim made it obvious he didn’t know, the answer would come, “It’s the ‘CDI’ factor.”

Still in the dark, the rest of the story would be told. “Chicks dig it.”

I don’t know, I don’t see Mr. Elite Team Fighter as the kind of guy who has a lot of luck picking up chicks.

There’s a good chance it could be today.  Stay tuned for details.

UPDATE: The Court will begin announcing opinions at 10AM today.  This is the next to the last day in the session when opinions will be announced.  Monday the 23rd will be the last day.

UPDATE: The court has begun to release opinions.  One announced so far, and is not Heller.

UPDATE: Bitter hopes it’s released Monday, so she has time to work on something she’s doing related to Heller.  I’m hoping for today, because I have a meeting on Monday at the time the Supreme Court is releasing decisions.

UPDATE: Three opinions so far.  No Heller.

UPDATE: Not today.  Sorry folks.

UPDATE: There’s Monday, but also the possibility of Wednesday or Tuesday of next week.

Michael Bane has a visual example of guns Obama wants to ban.

Not how I want my national security advisor starting a sentence.