The Wandering Minstrel

The California Senate Appropriations Committee passed the bill to outlaw open carry, Assembly Bill 1934, on to the Senate where it could be voted on this week. This bill would take away the only lawful means of citizens in those jurisdictions who deny permits to carry concealed.

It makes me sad to see my home state turning so far to the dark side of the Second Amendment. It appears the antis will never be satisfied until they take guns completely away from law abiding citizens in California. This attitude is one major driver on our exodus from the worst state in the west, California, to one of the best, Arizona.

I liked one paragraph in the NRA-ILA email to Californians:

AB1934 is a knee-jerk reaction by anti-gun legislators to punish citizens for engaging in the legal act of openly carrying an unloaded handgun. In reality, the open carrying of firearms by law-abiding citizens is forced by California’s unfair concealed carry law, which allows some citizens from some counties to receive a permit to carry, while their neighbors in the next county are denied that basic right for political, not public safety, reasons.

The morons in elected positions had the opportunity last year to change the language in the CCW law from “may issue” to “shall issue.” Naturally, it didn’t even clear committee. If you live in the Pyrite State, you can contact your State Senator.

The COO of Kimber Manufacturing, Inc. writes the editor of the Yonkers Tribune, Nice letter. COO Karanian blows the hell out of “common sense” while pinning the tail on the jackasses who promote this shit.

Via the NSSF Blog:

To the Editor:

Currently proposed microstamping legislation is not the “common-sense legislation” NYAGV’s Jackie Hilly and other proponents would have you believe.

The truth is that three independent studies have reached the same conclusion – that this sole-sourced technology is unreliable and easily defeated by criminals (Ref: Professor George Krivosta, Suffolk County Crime Laboratory in New York – AFTE Journal; Graduate Student Michael Beddow, Forensic Science Graduate Group – UC Davis; and National Research Council – National Academies Press).

These studies found that repeated firing pin strikes resulted in illegible marks, that the markings wore over time, and that they were easily removed in seconds with common household tools. Moreover, a National Academy of Sciences’ report recommends further study, as does the Fraternal Order of Police, the nation’s largest law enforcement group. All agreed that further testing, analysis, and evaluation are required.

Rather than being “gun lobby puppets” as NYAGV’s Jackie Hilly suggests in her letter to the Yonkers Tribune dated 6/17/10, Senators Skelos, Golden, Lanza, Hannon, Fuschillo, Valesky, Aubertine, and Stachowski appear to have simply done their homework. Perhaps they understand like many others do, that government mandates of unproven technology will waste tax dollars and put all-important manufacturing jobs at significant risk.

I applaud these Senators well reasoned votes and encourage their colleagues to follow suit. If passed, microstamping legislation will yield little more than a false sense of achievement for our elected officials and likely distract us all from pursuing truly effective solutions.

Ralph E. Karanian, COO
Kimber Mfg., Inc
Yonkers, NY

I dug this out of the archives on the other blog to re-post because the problem is still there in spite of any new anti-gun laws in California.

Gun control laws only seem to target the legitimate gun owner. These laws place the burden upon those of us who follow the law while failing to address the real problem.

An individual by the name of Yehuda Akerman, brought a truckload of firearms in an RV to sell at a Southern California flea market; he sold 47 of them to ATF undercover agents. When they arrested him last week, they found 44 more firearms in his RV. The arrest came after a year long investigation by the agency.

The agents believed Akerman had been living in his RV while venturing across state lines to purchase guns at swap meets and other places in those other states. He used the local flea market as a base for dealing the illegitimate arms.

ATF opened an investigation in July of 2005. During the undercover operation, agents purchased the 47 firearms, including sawed-off shotguns, assault weapons, stolen firearms and a machine gun. They also purchased a large quantity of methamphetamine, cocaine base and Ecstasy. The agents think Akerman has been dealing for about two years. They do not know how many weapons he sold nor to whom.

Akerman was not alone in the operation. Also arrested were these five accomplices:

• George Dominguez, 23, of Los Angeles on suspicion of distributing controlled substances
• Genaro Castillo Fuentes, 42, of Downey on suspicion of distributing controlled substances
• Jeronimo Guzman Nunez, 41, of Torrance on suspicion of being an alien illegally in the United States in possession of a firearm
• Salvador Uribe, 54, of Gardena on suspicion of dealing firearms without a license
• Guillermo Robles, 22, of Los Angeles on suspicion of distribution of controlled substances

It’s interesting that among those arrested there were a couple of illegal aliens. It makes one wonder how many illegal firearms are in the possession of illegals, drug dealers and other unsavory thugs.

State gun controls, with all their strict provisions, did nothing to prevent this man from illegally importing and selling guns to other criminals. The state’s gun laws that paralyze the legitimate gun owner have no effect on those willing to bring illegal weapons to the black market.

Reference Daily Breeze article Gun seller arrested (link no longer available).

From the Armed Citizen Blog:

June 1960: Sixteen-year-old John Rubel was with his grandmother in the living quarters over her Chicago tavern when they heard glass break in a window below. John raced downstairs, grabbed the cal .32 revolver behind the bar, and pointed it at a man climbing into the window. “You’re too young to use that gun,” said the burglar, and John fired, the burglar tumbling out the window and fleeing the scene. Police soon arrested a suspect with a bullet wound in his shoulder. (Chicago Daily Tribune, Chicago IL)

The Obamination and the rest of the Chicago Crime Syndicate are bracing themselves for the SCOTUS decision to come soon. After that, assuming the berserk Mayor Daley doesn’t stick a gun up someones ass, citizens like young Rubel will again be able to protect themselves.

UPDATE: A current Chicago armed citizen self defense story.

In the race to evict Babs Boxer from her “Don’t Call Me Ma’am” pulpit, two out of the three Republican Primary candidates seem to be pro-gun. Unfortunately, there are still republicans who vote like the third candidate.

From the NRA-ILA:

There has been much interest in the Second Amendment positions of the candidates seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate to challenge anti-gun incumbent Senator Barbara Boxer. Two candidates – Carly Fiorina and Chuck DeVore – strongly support our Right to Keep and Bear Arms. Unlike Barbara Boxer, Carly Fiorina is a gun owner, proud NRA Member, and strong Second Amendment supporter. She would give California’s millions of gun owners a strong voice in the U.S. Senate. Chuck DeVore is also a proud supporter of gun rights and had a solid pro-gun voting record in the California State Assembly.

Image above: Chuck and Carly

Image below: Campbell with another gun-grabber

In contrast, the other candidate – Tom Campbell – has cast many anti-gun votes during his political career. In 1993, when then-President Bill Clinton launched an all-out assault on the Second Amendment, then-Congressman Tom Campbell supported a ban on the purchase, sale and transfer of commonly-owned semi-automatic rifles (mislabeled “assault weapons”). He also voted to impose a national waiting period for handgun purchases and against establishing an instant check system as an alternative. Even worse, Campbell voted to regulate gun shows out of existence. And if that’s not bad enough, he voted against allowing off-duty and retired police officers to carry concealed firearms!

California gun owners need to have a clear choice in the general election against anti-gun incumbent Barbara Boxer. If Tom Campbell is the Republican nominee, you will unfortunately be stuck with the status quo.

I’m not sure which pro-gun candidate I support, but I have the notion that Carly has a better chance to oust the gun-grabbing Boxer. Of course, Campbell was a no-go from the start.

Republicans running for Governor in the California primary, pits one definite anti-gunner against another potentially wishy-washy candidate. Meg Whitman, former CEO of eBay, is primarily responsible for kicking firearms stuff off eBay and making PayPal anti 2A as well. Steve Poizner, despite recent sudden right turns is not likely to make RKBA in California a priority. Poizner, to his credit, denounced the draconian California ammo regulation monstrosity, AB962, in an appearance on a talk-radio show.

Rummaging through pro-gun forums, I found the consensus to be roughly as I stated above. Some forums actually talk about Democratic front-runner, former California Governor and current State Attorney General, Jerry Brown as being better for guns than either of the Republican candidates. Brown, you may recall, filed an amicus brief in favor of the pro-gun position in the Chicago Gun Case, currently before the SCOTUS. Brown’s motivations for doing so are not clear, but basically he should be under suspicion since most, if not all of his politics are far-left.

While Whitman’s anti second amendment status is well-known, Poizner may just be a chameleon, only displaying pro-gun colors to get votes. And, we just can’t trust Brown on ANYTHING.

California Gunners — you’re SCREWED AGAIN! (I say ‘you’ instead of ‘we’ because I hope to be a resident of Arizona by the next California gubernatorial inauguration.)

I agree with fellow California gun blogger (and friend) DirtCrashr. We just have to sigh heavily and head to another state to get our gun fixes.

Every week we discover more and more reasons to move to Arizona . . .

Arizona: Gov. Brewer signs gun rights bills

Gov. Jan Brewer has signed into law two bills supported by gun rights activists. One of the bills signed Monday would broaden the state’s current restrictions on local governments’ ability to regulate or tax guns and ammunition. One specific provision bars local governments from prohibiting a person with a concealed weapons permit from possessing a gun in a park.

Pro-Gun Legislation on the Move in Arizona Legislature!

As session continues in Phoenix, numerous pro-gun bills are continuing to advance in the legislature. We expect action in the near future on several of these bills, including constitutional carry legislation (SB1108/HB2347), the Right to Hunt and Fish Constitutional Amendment (HCR2008) and a bill to prohibit the registration of firearms (HB2629).

Meanwhile, back in the People’s Republic of Kalifornistan . . .

California: NRA/CRPA Submit New Letter Opposing Firearm Dealer Ordinance in Emeryville

On April 6, 2010, the Emeryville City Council will be hearing on second reading an ordinance that will require firearm vendors to obtain a permit from the Chief of Police that includes unlawful provisions, such as prohibiting those between the ages of 18 and 21 from entering a gun store where handguns are sold, and requiring a biannual inventory of all firearms possessed by the vendor.

California Democrat proposes mandatory gun registration

A California Democrat is proposing a new law requiring residents to register their shotguns and rifles or go to jail, CBSNews.com has learned. Assemblyman Mike Feuer, whose district includes Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, this week introduced legislation ordering law enforcement to “permanently keep” records of anyone who buys a gun from a dealer or an individual. California already stores information about handgun purchases.

A couple of weeks ago we were at Field Time, a gun shop in Westminster, CA; we went to see the Elite Sports Express “rolling” showroom, a display of firearms and accessories. I blogged about the visit here.

Inside the gun store, I was admiring the Taurus revolvers in the showcase. One of the salesmen asked if I would like to handle one of them. “I’d like to see the Judge,” I said.

“Not legal in California,” was the reply. He continued, “technically, it’s a shotgun with a barrel length shorter than the California eighteen inch minimum.”

What a crock of shit. Just one more kick in the ass that amounts to a step forward in our plan to get the hell out of Kalifornistan.