Lion hunter killed by a lion during an illegal hunt & Daily Kos Recommended 28OKT&1NOV15

POETIC justice, and more from +Daily Kos .....

Wed Oct 28, 2015 at 09:13 AM PDT

Lion hunter killed by a lion during an illegal hunt

by Jen Hayden

A group of lion hunters in South Africa were apparently stalking the wrong lion:

Authorities reported a group of five men hunting without licences was attacked by the big cat at a private game farm near the Kruger. Matome Mahlale, 24,was killed along with two dogs, who were accompanying the group.
Local police spokesman Colonel Ronel Otto said: "Three men managed to climb into a tree and another managed to escape, but the deceased and two dogs were mauled to death."
A local said: "There won't be many people feeling sorry for him. This is seen as poetic justice for the death of Cecil."

Indeed.
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Sign this: No guns in restaurants with alcohol Chipotle asks customers to not wave guns around their stores, causing gun nuts to threaten boycott 23&20MAI14

CHIPOTLE isn't afraid of the nra, to bad so many of our politicians at every level of government are. Please sign this petition thanking Chipotle for taking a stand against the nra and for sane, reasonable gun policies.....
Please  sign the petition from Daily Kos and Everytown for Gun Safety thanking Chipotle for being a leader and tell other restaurant chains: Don’t let gun extremists flaunt guns in your restaurants.

Gun extremists are waging a campaign of openly carrying guns everywhere at anytime for anybody—and major restaurant chain Chipotle is pushing back. Chipotle is asking gun owners not to bring guns into their restaurants because it's dangerous—not to mention uncomfortable for other customers just trying to enjoy their burritos.

This is an important win for common-sense gun measures. As we continue the long fight in Congress and state capitals for stronger, life-saving gun laws, grassroots pressure on private businesses has resulted in real wins.

But gun extremists aren't letting us win this one without a fight—Texas Gov. Rick Perry is already suggesting there could be a backlash against Chipotle. That's why we need to make sure Chipotle knows that the overwhelming majority of Americans stand with them in support of common-sense gun measures.

Sign the petition now.

Keep fighting,
Michael Langenmayr, Daily Kos

Tue May 20, 2014 at 11:29 AM PDT

Chipotle asks customers to not wave guns around their stores, causing gun nuts to threaten boycott

by Hunter

Oh yeah, they look stable.

You may have heard that Chipotle is in trouble with the right. First they dared put an advertisement in the New York Pride parade's official guide, bad enough, but now they've gone and asked customers to not parade around with assault rifles in their stores.

Following in Starbucks’ footsteps, Chipotle yesterday issued a statement not banning guns, but saying “we are respectfully asking that customers not bring guns into our restaurants, unless they are authorized law enforcement personnel.” “The vast majority of gun owners are responsible citizens and we appreciate them honoring this request,” Chipotle noted in the very generous statement, adding “the display of firearms in our restaurants has now created an environment that is potentially intimidating or uncomfortable for many of our customers.”

The problem, you see, is that people like Jackass Joe and Jackass Joe Junior up there decided to exercise their God Given Rights to show their fellow Americans that they really could start killin' people for fun, if they wanted.

Earlier this month, members of a Texas group calling itself Open Carry Tarrant County marched into their local Dallas-area Chipotle and scared customers half to death. As you can see from this image, these two young gun slingers (and others) were armed with assault weapons and semiautomatic handguns, posing for photos.

And maybe getting your picture taken in Chipotle with your favorite prosthetic genitalia would have gone better if you were at least enough of a Responsible Gun Owner to keep your finger far away from the trigger, Jackass Joe Junior, but probably not. It's a little bit amazing that a fellow Responsible Gun Owner has never seen a group of men march into a local restaurant with assault rifles and decided to be a hero by shooting them first, but I suppose all the groups doing this have so far been Pretty Damn White, which is probably the key. If five or six black guys were to go into a Texas restaurant carrying those same guns, as is their equivalent God Given Right, Fox News would run no other story for the next 20 years. This group of rejected Red Dawn wannabees, though, they're patriots. So Chipotle responded in the most gentle possible way you could respond to a group that wandered into one of their restaurants loaded for bear and scaring the piss out of everyone else in the building—they nicely asked that people maybe try to not do that. This has resulted in the predictable calls to boycott the restaurant by people who are terribly offended that Chipotle would endanger America like that.
This is probably a huge net plus for Chipotle. They asked politely that people not come into their restaurants waving their goddamn guns around; the people who most like going into restaurants and waving their guns around are so very outraged by this request that they're gonna not go into their restaurants waving guns around. Well, there ya go; everybody's happy.
Still think it's only a matter of time before these jackasses get shot, though. This isn't the first time they've done this, and one of these times they're going to walk into a Texas business where the owner has just as big a gun fetish as they do.

Originally posted to Hunter on Tue May 20, 2014 at 11:29 AM PDT.

Also republished by Shut Down the NRA and Daily Kos.

Maryland Gun Law Upheld, Reversing Gun Lobby Win 3APR13

SOMETIMES the politicians and the courts do the right thing for the people, sometimes they don't. Here is a court ruling that is a good thing for the people on Maryland and sends a strong message to the nra that they don't make the decisions concerning gun laws for everyone. If reasonable gun control is something you support and want legislated consider making a donation to the Brady Campaign (I did) and participating in their actions promoting reasonable gun control legislation and defending these laws from court challenges by the nra.

Maryland Gun Law Upheld, Reversing Gun Lobby Win In a critical victory for sensible gun laws, a federal appeals court has reinstated Maryland's restrictions on carrying guns in public. If you need confirmation of why the work of the Brady Center's Legal Action Project is crucial in fighting gun violence, this is it. In one of the gun lobby's few — and most dangerous — successful challenges to common sense gun laws, last March a federal district court judge struck down Maryland's law that reasonably restricts the carrying of handguns in public. That decision could have enabled dangerous people to carry loaded hidden handguns in public, and would have served as precedent for other courts across the country. But over the past year the Legal Action Project worked long and hard, along with top lawyers with the Maryland Attorney General's office, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit recently reversed that decision, and unanimously upheld Maryland's law that only allows handguns to be carried in public by persons found by law enforcement to have a "good and substantial reason" to do so. If you are a supporter of the Brady Center's Legal Action Project, I thank you for your part in making this victory possible. If you have yet to give, please consider a contribution to support our work. Since the U.S. Supreme Court's 2008 Heller decision, the gun lobby has brought forth hundreds of cases against strong, sensible gun laws. The Woollard v. Sheridan case is just the latest in many victories we've had over the gun lobby in the past five years. Our Legal Action Project team assisted Maryland's Office of the Attorney General throughout this case. And we made sure the court heard from law enforcement by filing an amicus brief joined by the Major Cities Chiefs, Maryland Chiefs of Police, and the International Brotherhood of Police Organizations. The gun lobby could still seek Supreme Court review of Woollard v. Sheridan. And other gun laws are currently under attack in more than 20 states.... Will you help the Legal Action Project defend strong, sensible gun laws by making a tax-deductible gift to the Brady Center today? Generous Americans like you make it possible for us to continue our important work in the courts. With appreciation, Jonathan E. Lowy, Director Legal Action Project Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence   Our victory in Woollard v. Sheridan is the latest recognition that the Second Amendment must allow law enforcement to protect and defend our communities. It also underscores the fact that gun rights can coexist with strong, sensible gun violence prevention laws that keep guns off our streets. Thanks in part to the Brady Center, every "may issue" concealed carry law that allows for law enforcement discretion has been upheld for states nationwide, including New York, California, Massachusetts, New Jersey — and now, Maryland. Please support the Legal Action Project. Help the Brady Center defend and protect strong, sensible gun laws. DONATE FORWARD FACEBOOK IT!

Two important court victories against the gun lobby 28FEB13

THE nra has paid for political whores on Capital Hill and in state legislatures and governors offices across the country, but they don't yet control all the courts. Here are two significant victories fought for in the courts by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. If you can make a donation to make it possible for the Brady Campaign to keep fighting in the courts as well as legislatures for all of us.....

Two Important Court Victories Against the Gun Lobby Dear Friend, For years, we've won important battles against the NRA and the gun lobby in courts, paving the way for significant life-saving reforms. Last Friday, the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence won two key court cases — in the heart of "gun country." Today — thanks in part to supporters of our Legal Action Project — I'm pleased to report two major victories against the gun lobby. In Peterson v. Garcia, I faced off against the gun lobby's top lawyer and the NRA in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. We drew a conservative panel of judges in Denver, which some thought was a sure sign we'd lose the case. Instead, the judges unanimously rejected the gun lobby's arguments and agreed with the Brady Center, ruling last week that the Second Amendment does not prevent law enforcement from keeping hidden handguns off the streets of Denver. This landmark ruling sets new law in the Mountain States. It also creates important precedent that will support gun laws nationwide. On the same day, Alaska's Supreme Court set a new precedent by siding with the Brady Center in Kim v. Coxe. The decision is a wake-up call for gun industry reform. Kim v. Coxe was a case we brought on behalf of a victim of gun violence. Simone Kim was killed by a drug-addicted criminal who bought his murder weapon from an irresponsible gun dealer. I argued that the dealer should be held accountable for negligently supplying Simone's killer. The Supreme Court justices listened, then reversed a prior dismissal of the case. As a result, Simone Kim's family will finally get the opportunity to prove their case in court. These court victories demonstrate that when the Brady Center takes on the gun lobby in court, we can beat them — even in the heart of gun country. Will you sustain this important work with a tax-deductible gift to support the Legal Action Project? From Alaska to Colorado, we are convincing courts that our Second Amendment allows for sensible gun laws — and irresponsible gun companies can be held liable to victims. But there is so much more that needs to be done. Please make your gift today. Help the Brady Center represent victims and their families, hold irresponsible dealers accountable in court, and defend strong gun laws nationwide. Thanks in advance for your most generous gift to sustain our work. Sincerely, Jonathan E. Lowy, Director Legal Action Project Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence Simone Kim (above), from Anchorage, AK, was shot and killed by a drug-addicted ex-con who bought his murder weapon from an irresponsible gun dealer. We won the first battle in this case. Now your gift to the Legal Action Project will help ensure we're ready to present a powerful case, fight for justice, and give the Kim family some measure of closure. DONATE FORWARD FACEBOOK IT!

Sign up for Alerts • Find Your Local Chapter •

DONATE    FORWARD   © Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence

You can also mail a check to:  Brady Center · 1225 Eye Street NW, Suite 1100 · Washington, DC 20005 The Brady Center, along with its legislative sister organization, the Brady Campaign, is the nation's largest, non-partisan grassroots organization leading the fight for sensible gun laws to protect you and your family.

Dianne Feinstein Places Hold On Controversial Concealed Weapon Bills 18APR12

I really hate the "hold" filibuster used in the Senate, but turn about is fair play and in this instance one brave Democrat, Sen Diane Feinstein D CA is using the tactic of the gop / tea-baggers to stop this bad legislation from coming to the floor for a vote. I actually think it would be better if she stayed on the floor of the Senate holding up this legislation, rallying the American public who is opposed to this legislation and showing the nation just how extreme the nra has become, but if this results in a defeat of these bills and a big defeat for the nra so be it! Way to go Sen Feinstein, thank you!!!!!

WASHINGTON -- Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) on Tuesday placed a hold on two controversial pieces of legislation that would force states that allow the concealed carrying of guns to recognize each other's permits.
Feinstein informed party leadership that she would oppose the quick passage of two concealed carry reciprocity bills that critics argue would cause a "race to the bottom" in terms of concealed weapon law in the United States. The senator cited the shooting of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed teenager killed in Florida, as one of the reasons she was applying the legislative brakes.
"Besides putting domestic violence victims in danger, the concealed carry reciprocity bills would also create potentially life threatening situations for law enforcement officers," Feinstein wrote in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.).
"In recent weeks, our nation has witnessed tragic gun violence in Sanford, Florida and in Oakland, California, which is only a short drive from my home. Notably, George Zimmerman, the man who shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida, had been issued a concealed carry permit under Florida law, even though he had previously been subject to a court order for domestic abuse of his ex-fiancée. Congress should heed the warnings of law enforcement and not force states to recognize the permits issued to individuals by other states."
In putting a hold on both bills, the "National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2012," and the "Respecting States' Rights and Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2012," Feinstein is denying them the easiest avenue of passage: unanimous consent.
The hold does not eliminate the possibility of passing the bills through regular order, with 60-vote requirements to start and end debate. But it's unclear whether enough support actually exists in the Senate. Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.), for instance, has said he would oppose the first bill, which cleared the House of Representatives in November with 43 Democrats supporting it and only seven Republicans voting against it.
If, in fact, both bills stall in the Senate, it would constitute a rare defeat for the gun rights lobby, which has had a series of legislative wins on both the state and federal level. And for that, Feinstein's hold gave fellow gun control advocates a rare reason to gloat.
"We hear regularly that senators of both parties are getting tired of being ordered around by the gun lobby, and forced reciprocity is exhibit a," emailed Mark Glaze, the director of the group Mayors Against Illegal Guns. "It has nothing to do with the second amendment and everything to do with replacing individual state decisions about public safety with the NRA leadership's wish list."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/18/dianne-feinstein-concealed-weapon-bill_n_1434798.html?utm_source=Alert-blogger&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Email%2BNotifications

The NRA Wants the Law Protecting Trayvon Martin's Killer in All 50 States 21MAR12

THE nra doesn't care about the safety of your children, your family or you. They don't care about drug dealers, felons and terrorist having access to guns. They don't care about cops being outgunned by criminals. They have devolved into a fanatical group with blind and misguided allegiance to guns with the goal of turning back the clock of society to the era when everyone faced the risk of being shot whenever by whoever. The question I can't find an answer to is if a member of the nra has to check their gun(s) at the door or if they are able to carry them with when visiting nra offices including the national headquarters in northern Virginia? And why do politicians pass gun rights laws allowing guns to be carried to work, in a house of worship and in bars but not in government buildings where THEY work? Here is an update on the latest campaign by the nra to bring the Trayvon Martin experience to your neighborhood, to your family.......

—By Nick Baumann and Dave Gilson

The National Rifle Association continues to press more states to adopt Florida-style "stand your ground" laws like the one that's made it difficult to prosecute George Zimmerman, the self-appointed neighborhood watch captain who shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida, in late February. Zimmerman has claimed self-defense despite the fact that Martin was unarmed. Since "stand your ground" laws allow people who feel threatened to use deadly force—even if they have an opportunity, as Zimmerman did, to safely avoid a confrontation—Zimmerman has not been arrested or charged. (If you haven't heard about the Martin case, get the full rundown in our explainer.)
The proliferation of these laws is part of a deliberate lobbying campaign by the NRA. In 2005, at the NRA's urging, Florida became the first state to pass a "stand your ground" law. Before that, most states required you to retreat from a confrontation unless you were inside your own home. Now 24 states have these "stand your ground" laws, which critics call "shoot first" laws (Gawker's pseudonymous blogger "Mobuto Sese Seko" calls the laws "a great, legally roving murder bubble") because they authorize citizens to use deadly force even if the person who makes them feel threatened is, like Martin, unarmed. Here's a map of the current situation:

Prosecutors hate "stand your ground" laws because they make it much harder to successfully prosecute people who claim self-defense. In Florida, a defendant doesn't have to actually prove he acted in self-defense—the prosecution has to prove "beyond a reasonable doubt" that he didn't do so, a very high bar to clear. The upshot? In 2010, the Tampa Bay Times reported that "justifiable homicides"—i.e., killings that were deemed legitimate—have skyrocketed in Florida over several years since the "stand your ground" law went into effect:

That's how you end up with stories with headlines like "How to Get Away With Murder." But the NRA continues to forge ahead, pushing to expand the legislation to even more states.
On March 1, just days after Martin was killed, the NRA's Institute for Legislative Action posted a blog post urging Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton (D) to sign a bill bringing a Florida-style law to his state. Dayton vetoed the bill, noting that law enforcement officials had complained it would make it harder for them to do their jobs. Over at Media Matters, Matt Gertz notes several other examples of the NRA pushing these laws in recent weeks:

• On March 16, the NRA's Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) criticized the Judiciary Committee chairman of Iowa's state Senate for failing to hold hearings on "NRA-initiated HF 2215, the Stand Your Ground/Castle Doctrine Enhancement." According to NRA-ILA, the bill would "remove a person's 'duty to retreat' from an attacker, allowing law-abiding citizens to stand their ground and protect themselves or their family anywhere they are lawfully present." The group urged supporters to contact state senators and tell them to support the bill. NRA-ILA previously told supporters to contact Democratic members of the Iowa House after they "left the Capitol building in an attempt to block consideration of these pro-gun bills" on February 29.
• On March 14, NRA-ILA urged Alaskan supporters to contact their state senators and tell them to support House Bill 80, which it termed "important self-defense legislation that would provide that a law-abiding person, who is justified in using deadly force in self-defense, has 'no duty-to-retreat' from an attack if the person is in any place that that person has a legal right to be." NRA-ILA also promoted the bill on March 5, March 8, and February 29. 

The Massachusetts legislature's joint committee on the judiciary held a hearing on yet another similar law in February.

346

Nick Baumann

News Editor

Nick Baumann covers national politics and civil liberties issues for Mother Jones' DC Bureau. For more of his stories, click here. You can also follow him on Twitter and Facebook. Email tips and insights to nbaumann [at] motherjones [dot] com. RSS | Twitter

Dave Gilson

Senior Editor

Dave Gilson is a senior editor at Mother Jones. Read more of his stories, follow him on Twitter, or contact him at dgilson (at) motherjones (dot) com. RSS | Twitter

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THE TRAYVON MARTIN EXPERIENCE COMING TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD? Stop the 'George Zimmerman Armed Vigilante Act' 22MAR12

THE nra wants to bring the Trayvon Martin experience to your neighborhood! Just imagine tens of thousands of george zimmermans in neighborhoods across the country, including yours! That is exactly what the US senate will allow if S 2188 and S 2213 are passed. Please click the link to e mail your Senators and tell them to vote no on these bills. 

Reject the George Zimmerman Armed Vigilante Act Stop Trayvon's killer, and more like him, from carrying loaded guns in your state.   Armed and dangerous people legally carrying loaded and hidden handguns in your neighborhood. "George Zimmermans" walking the streets of your community. That's the gun lobby's vision of America. But it's not ours. Just days after the Trayvon Martin tragedy, the gun lobby is working on Capitol Hill to nationalize Florida's dangerous and irresponsible laws. Help us stop this! E-mail your U.S. Senators today! "Reject the 'George Zimmerman Armed Vigilante Act'. Oppose S. 2188 and S. 2213." If your state has tougher, more sensible laws, that would prevent someone like Trayvon Martin's killer – who had an arrest record and a violent past – from getting a concealed carry permit, tough luck. These new bills would force your state to honor the concealed carry permits of other states, even states like Florida, with abhorrently low standards. Make no mistake, this is the vision of the gun lobby. Guns everywhere, in virtually anyone's hands. It is up to us, the American people, to flatly reject this vision and stop the George Zimmerman Armed Vigilante Act. Please take action today and after you've e-mailed, please also forward this message to your family and friends. Sincerely, Dan Gross, President Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence E-mail your U.S. Senators today! Take Action Facebook It

You can also mail a check to:  Brady Campaign · 1225 Eye Street NW, Suite 1100 · Washington, DC 20005 The Brady Campaign, along with its sister organization, the Brady Center, is the nation's largest, non-partisan grassroots organization leading the fight to protect you, your family and your community from gun violence.

Three Victories against the NRA in 24 hours! 19JAN12

VICTORIES in the courts against the nra and their extremist agenda. From the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence.....

Donate    Forward

Your support makes this possible! Dear Craig, Last week the gun lobby lost big, and supporters of common sense gun laws won big. With help from Brady's Legal Action Project (LAP), courts ruled against gun lobby challenges to gun laws in three important cases: In Washington, D.C. a federal judge dismissed a gun lobby challenge to an Obama Administration rule requiring that gun dealers in the Southwest border states notify law enforcement of bulk sales of semi-automatic rifles, a key indicator of gun trafficking. The court agreed with an amicus brief filed by LAP contending that ATF had authority to enforce the rule. A federal judge upheld Los Angeles County’s strong concealed carry restrictions, agreeing with an amicus brief filed by LAP. This victory follows victories at the district court level in similar cases in Yolo County and San Diego County, in which LAP also filed amicus briefs. A federal judge upheld New Jersey’s strong laws limiting the public carry of handguns, throwing out the Second Amendment Foundation’s challenge. Echoing LAP’s amicus brief, the judge stated that "the Second Amendment does not include a general right to carry handguns outside the home." But the gun lobby wants to strike down these laws and will do everything in its power to fight back. We need your help to stop them. The gun lobby has already stated that it will appeal these defeats and our LAP lawyers are preparing to fight again. You know that we cannot match the gun lobby’s vast financial resources — but with your help we can continue to beat them in the courts. With your help we won these three cases. Please help us continue to defeat the gun lobby with a special gift today. It will make a huge difference to our efforts. Sincerely, Jonathan Lowy Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence

VA SCREENING VETS TO TAKE AWAY CONCEALED CARRY PERMITS 1JAN12

ANOTHER piece of propaganda by the nra spreading fear of the Obama administration and the Vets Administration. Pathetic how these people are willing to lie and deceive people to further their gun agenda and even more pathetic how people will spread these e mails without checking them out. At least my friend who sent it to me asked me to check it out to see if it is true or not....From the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) click the header to go to the MOAA site...

Another viral email about President Obama taking away your guns, this time focused on veterans and VA screening. The story is probably a shadow of an anecdote that was altered for political purposes, but there is no truth to the statement attributed to the nurse in the email below. The volume in this email is rivaling another that we’re working on for a later article regarding a $50 tax penalty for gun owners (which is also clever bilge).

The Most Common Email

U.S. Military Vets being disarmed!
The U.S. Veterans Administration has been instructed by the Department of Homeland Security to ask military vets 3 questions when they come in for any kind of medical check-up or problem. Answering “Yes” to any single question will result in the vet being disarmed by the government.

The following e-mail was sent to the [blank] by a Vietnam Veteran. His identity is being concealed to prevent reprisals.

I had a doctors appointment at the local VA clinic yesterday and found something very interesting I would like to pass along.. While going through triage before seeing the doctor, I was asked at the end of the exam, three questions.

(1. Did I feel stressed?)
(2. Did I feel threatened?)
(3. Did I feel like doing harm to someone?)

The nurse then informed me, if I had answered yes to any of the questions, I would have lost my concealed carry permit as it would have gone into my medical records and the VA would have reported it to Homeland Security. I am a Viet Nam vet and 15 year cc permit holder. Looks like they are going after us vets.” Be forewarned and be aware. If you are a veteran, you’ve been warned.

Origins

Unclear. There are a few variations of the email going through the web and scattered across message boards. The earliest web indexed article regarding the email is from May 17, 2009 and it was the TruthorFiction article that clearly carried a ‘Fiction’ verdict.

Evaluation & Commentary

There are many logical problems with this email (tip of the hat to VA Watchdog for some crucial details, and if they are calling Bilge on a VA matter you can take it to the bank):

• The first line gives the wrong name for the VA, a dead giveaway from the start. The U.S. Veterans Administration is not the name of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
• The DVA is strict in upholding patient/doctor confidentiality, and does not report information to the Department of Homeland Security unless there’s been a commission of a crime. Being stressed, feeling threatened and having thoughts of harming others are not crimes by any stretch of legalities.
• DHS has no bearing on whether or not a concealed carry permit is issued. Depending on state laws it is the responsibility of the state, county or city of residence of the citizen.
• There is no record of DHS asking DVA to ask these questions, and even if they did, the DVA is an independent cabinet position and not under the jurisdiction of DHS.
• The lack of any good specifics, such as a location, person, etc…
• These are questions that veterans of combat are routinely asked during examinations to look for signs of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and they’ve been a part of screening for longer than Obama has been president.

For further details of the realities of gun control in the Obama era, please read our own analysis, found here. There have not been any significant changes to the situation since that article was written.


Further Reading/Tools
Truth or Fiction Page
VA Watchdog
Message Board Example

You Can Help
Remember that forwarding a message you read but are unsure of without checking the available resources helps contribute to the Bilge. Help us battle it, and if you haven’t seen us write one of them up, email it to us here.

Tennessee's "Guns-in-Bars" Sponsor Jailed for Drunk Driving with Gun & Interstate Concealed Carry Bill Heads For A Vote 13OKT11

THE government will legislate permission for drunks to carry concealed guns from state to state but still won't permit their constituents to bring their gun with them when visiting the government officials who pass these insane laws in their offices. What's good for the goose is good for the gander, and so these nra ass lickers in the U.S. House should face the same risk they are mandating for the rest of us. You can e mail your Representative and tell them to vote NO on H.R. 822, the National Right-to Carry Reciprocity Act here https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
From The Brady Campaign and Huffpost....

Forward

Guns-in-Bars Sponsor is Caught Drunk Driving with Loaded Gun   This just proves that guns and alcohol don’t mix. On Tuesday night, Tennessee State Representative Curry Todd was jailed and charged with drunken driving and possession of a handgun while under the influence. Rep. Todd was the sponsor of the guns-in-bars legislation passed in Tennessee in 2009. According to Rep. Todd, drinking with your gun is something that no responsible handgun owner would ever do. In fact, it is prohibited under the Tennessee guns-in-bars law. The law "was only to let law-abiding (sober) citizens carry their licensed weapons into family restaurants to protect all the patrons against any would-be robbers or other armed assailants." What a hypocrite! (Or are we being too kind?) Guns and alcohol don’t mix. Donate today to keep up our fight in the states where the NRA continues to push dangerous bills like this. I would like to say "thank you" to law enforcement for apprehending the NRA's beloved Rep. Todd before anyone was hurt. We must use his shining example to help us stop the efforts of NRA-owned politicians in the push for more guns everywhere. Your Brady Campaign continues to fight against laws like guns-in-bars and other bad legislation that puts you, your families, and your communities at risk, and we need your help to continue our life-saving work. If this is the type of poster boy that the NRA wants to use as a "law-abiding gun owner" to push dangerous ideas in state legislatures, we need to work twice as hard to stop it. Donate today. Sincerely, Brian Malte Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence P.S. We hear it so many times that people under the influence don’t make the best decisions. Representative Todd proves that. Help us continue our work in the states. Interstate Concealed Carry Bill Heads For A Vote WASHINGTON -- The arrest of a pro-gun-rights Tennessee lawmaker on charges of possession of a handgun while under the influence has provided a short-term boon for headline writers. The lawmaker, after all, had sponsored legislation to allow guns to be carried into bars and was, by all accounts, quite intoxicated upon arrest. But for all the irony, the news seems destined to have almost no repercussion or impact on policy. In fact, gun laws in Tennessee and other states seem likely to grow a touch more lax. On Thursday or Friday, the House Judiciary Committee will mark up the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011, legislation that would require the various states that allow the concealed carrying of guns to recognize each other's permits. Gun control advocates have called the idea a veritable 'race to the bottom' in terms of concealed carry legislation, more or less forcing states to respect laws made by other states no matter their standards. Backers have said it would make the law for carrying concealed weapons from state to state no different than what states do with driver's licenses. The bill dictates, precisely, that a person "carrying a concealed handgun" legally under his or her state law "shall be permitted to carry a handgun subject to the same conditions or limitations that apply to residents of the State who have permits issued by the State or are otherwise lawfully allowed to do so by the State." With 244 co-sponsors, the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act will not only make it through committee but seems poised to have a solid showing on the House floor as well. "It should have strong support," said a spokesman for Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.), who introduced the bill. But that might be because scant attention has been paid to it. Tennessee Rep. Steve Cohen was the lone Democrat on the Judiciary Committee to co-sponsor the bill. After The Huffington Post contacted him about it on Wednesday afternoon, however, he dropped his support. "He took his name off the bill and does not plan on supporting the initiative," emailed his spokesperson Michael Pagan. He did not return an email asking why. With the legislation set to move forward, gun control advocates are hoping that a wider spotlight might produce a few more Cohens. The coalition Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter emailed out a petition this week, authored by Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, that urges President Obama to speak out against the legislation. "We need the Obama administration to send a strong signal that it will side with America’s mayors and police chiefs in preserving our ability to protect our local communities," the petition reads. "This law (H.R. 822) would override the standards of individual states and set a new standard at the 'lowest common denominator.' Dangerous people, including sex offenders and domestic abusers, could get a permit in one state and then carry hidden, loaded guns nationwide." Ramsey, a source with the mayoral group tells The Huffington Post, is the first law enforcement official in the nation who has publicly come out against the legislation. Meet Rep. Curry Todd: he is a state legislator beloved by the NRA, who says trust "law-abiding citizens", yet he exemplifies irresponsible gun owners. Donate Facebook Forward

Six major victories in six weeks for Brady's Legal Action Project 7OKT11

Updates from the Brady Campaign on sane, reasonable gun control, lots of good news here!!!

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October 2011 - Legal Victories     Highlights DC: Victory! NRA attack on strong gun laws fails, in large part because of Brady Center testimony Read more here Florida: Victory! NRA Doctor Gag Law is Blocked Brady Center wins important victory for doctors and families Texas: Victory! NRA fight to sell handguns to teenagers is dismissed. Judge agrees with Brady Center     Kansas: Victory! KS Supreme Court agrees to hear Brady's arguments in support of gun victim, Elizabeth Shirley Read more here Maryland: Victory! U.S. Supreme Court does not disturb MD ruling that there is no constitutional right to carry guns outside the home Our reaction New York: Victory! Federal judge upholds strong laws on concealed weapons How this affects gun laws         Events     Ways to Give     Latest Brady Report New York City Gala Monday, Oct 24, 2011 Plaxico Burress joins with the Brady Center to honor Living for 32, which features Colin Goddard and was produced by Maria Cuomo Cole Tickets on sale now 2011 Los Angeles Dinner Monday, Nov 14, 2011 Save the date! Click here for more     Donate Today Remember Brady in the Fall 2011 Combined Federal Campaign Learn more here Support us with a monthly gift Become a Brady Champion Help us continue the fight with a legacy gift to Brady Campaign Learn more

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