Violence is a tool. It is no more evil than a hammer or a carving knife. It can be used for good or evil. Punish and ban people who use violence for evil ends.
Category: Guns
Some Other Items In The News
While everyone is searching their 2020 bingo cards for President Catches COVID, there were some other things that came up.
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The ILOH highlighted a Reason article with the title “The Conservative Trans Woman Who Went Undercover With Antifa in Portland”. You really need to RTWT. A few of the key takeaways. First, as the author describes, violence is fun! Or at least violence in groups can be exhilarating. I think that’s something we know intellectually anytime we watch riots following a sports victory/loss, but I don’t think we’ve internalized that when it comes to political violence. Second, Antifa/Black Bloc is very much a decentralized, distributed insurgency organization. There may be some influencers, but there’s no central commintern handing out orders. Even with that, Point Three is that the black bloc is very united in their MO to keep the violence at the simmer level to make the police and private citizens “overreact” to their provocations. Just in time for sympathetic journalists to capture images for Antifa agitprop. Very “heads we win, tails you lose.”
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Speaking of the 2020 bingo card, who had Azerbaijan and Armenia go to war? I heard about the tensions in the region about a year ago from the Popular Front podcast, but I was still caught a bit off-guard to see it explode like this. I’m a little concerned that this conflict could widen. From the Reuters article: “Ignoring a French attempt to mediate, the opposing sides pounded each other with rockets and missiles for a seventh day in the newest flare-up of a decades-old conflict that threatens to draw in Russia and Turkey.” (Emphasis mine).
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Speaking of France and Turkey, a little over a month ago, France sent some of its navy down to exercise with the Greeks, Italians, Cypriots. Why is this significant? From the article, “Tensions between Turkey and Greece escalated after Ankara sent its Oruc Reis survey vessel to disputed eastern Mediterranean waters this month, a move Athens has called illegal.” I’m checking my bingo card for either Greco-Turkish War or Turkey Leaves NATO.
Borepatch Blogshoot?
The infamous Borepatch proposed a Central Florida blogshoot. That piqued my interest. Partly because I thought Borepatch was living up near the Georgia border. Then, he suggests using Manatee Gun & Archery.. That is very close to the Ward Estate. Very close. Very interesting.
Then Miguel muses about making the trek up from the south end of the state. Well, that might be worth trying to find some ammo. Not that I haven’t had much luck in that department.
When the Cabela’s flagship store is showing no ammo, you know it’s bad.
Friday Quote – Larry Correia
A friend of mine who is a political activist said something interesting the other day, and that was for most people on the left political violence is a knob, and they can turn the heat up and down, with things like protests, and riots, all the way up to destruction of property, and sometimes murder. But for the vast majority of folks on the right, it’s an off and on switch. And the settings are Vote or Shoot Fucking Everybody. And believe me, you really don’t want that switch to get flipped, because Civil War 2.0 would make Bosnia look like a trip to Disneyworld.
Finally Some Range Time
On Saturday, I finally got to take my new pistols that I bought way back in March out to the range. With some of the money from the sale of my Tampa house I picked up a Ruger Lightweight Commander 1911 and a Steyr L9A1. I also managed to get my Beretta Tomcat fixed, so that came along.
I wanted to add a 1911 to my collection for a while, and the Ruger was so damn pretty. It didn’t hurt that it was on sale at the time. Even The Wife, who deeply dislikes guns, was impressed by the Ruger’s aesthetics. It shot like a 1911, smooth and crisp.
The Steyr was one of those guns that intrigued me since it was introduced to the market. The looks and the weird sights were very cool. Then I picked it up in the gun shop. The Steyr is one of the most ergonomically pleasing guns I’ve picked up. I’m glad it wasn’t at my gun shop when I went shopping for a replacement for my Sig so many years ago. Finding accessories for the Steyr is difficult now. Seven years ago? Ah well, it’s now the office gun.
The Beretta? Well, it shoots. It will hit. I can make nice little .32 caliber holes. I don’t particularly care to shoot more than a few magazines. It will not become a primary carry gun for me. It might make a decent BUG. Maybe. If I needed a last resort kind of thing.
Kenosha Shooting Views
It’s been a week, so it’s about time for me to prognosticate. First, here’s a good analysis from Colion Noir.
So, here are my thoughts:
1. Unless you are protecting your property or the property of your close circle, I wouldn’t recommend going near a riot. The best gun fight is the one you’re not in. Yet, this young man was drawn to the situation, as were many others. Based on the statements in the above video, as well as other items I’ve picked up, the young man had honorable intentions for involving himself.
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As to the actual shooting, I’m in agreement with Colion (and many others), that the young man acted properly. He shot to stop immediate threats. He stopped shooting when the threats stopped being threats. He did not shoot others who were not threats. He immediately went to the police. I’ve listened/read hundreds of defensive gun uses where adults didn’t conduct themselves as well.
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As to the fact that the two dead men and the wounded men had violent criminal histories, I don’t think that’s relevant to the immediate shooting. The young man had no way of knowing their backgrounds. Only that they were at the riot, like many other people. Some who probably had violent criminal histories, but some who had no criminal histories at all. The only information this young man had was that he was being attacked by multiple individuals who expressed their intention to “Get that motherfucker.”
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That being said, their criminal histories are relevant in the case of a felon being in possession of a firearm. I haven’t seen where the injured individual has been arrested for that felony. Meanwhile, the prosecutor is trying to assuage the mob with Murder One charges against the young man. There’s a lesson there.
Standard Capacity Ban Overturned
Last Friday, the news came down that a three-judge panel appellate hearing overturned California’s standard capacity magazine ban on strict scrutiny. I’ve read that the ban is still technically in place due to an earlier injunction, but I also saw Brownell’s loudly proclaim they’re going to flood California with as many standard capacity magazines as they can. Much as they did during that glorious few days the last time the ban was overturned. More power to the Brownell’s, Midway, and anyone else trying to flood California with real magazines.
The case is expected to go to an en banc hearing, but that’s not the assured win for California as it was a few years ago. Trump and McConnell have been ramming a bunch of new judges into the Ninth to the point that it’s been pulled back closer to the center. Which, if the en banc sustains the panel’s findings, would mean the Ninth is conflicted with several other circuits. If what happened this summer is any indication, there’s no desire from SCOTUS to pick up any Second Amendment cases and clear up any of these circuit conflicts. Which, while infuriating, may actually be in our long-term interest.
It Can Be Both – NY NRA Lawsuit Edition
The Attorney General of New York is using all of the powers of her office to take down the National Rifle Association. Particularly those surrounding non-profits (which the NRA is) chartered in New York (where the NRA was chartered). And it looks like the DC Attorney General has launched a second front on the NRA Foundation. No, this wasn’t coordinated at all.
Larry Corriea (the International Lord Of Hate) posted a gorgeous rant on the subject, which I’m going to excerpt here. Hat tip to Arizona Rifleman, who I was very happy to see show back up in my RSS feed.
Quoteth the ILOH:
1. Wayne LaPierre is super corrupt, so every negative thing he is accused of is probably accurate. He was past his expiration date a decade ago.
2. There was a fight in recent years to keep the NRA to its mission and not just be the WLP slush fund, but Wayne won.
3. However, the narrative of “New York politicians try to destroy the NRA right before election” is probably going to be the biggest political fund raiser in history.
4. Because gun owners mostly don’t know who WLP is, don’t really know what the NRA does good or bad, but they are loyal to the IDEA of what the NRA does.
5. Which means that even if they dissolve the NRA, all those gun owners, their money, and gun rights activists aren’t going to suddenly vanish (sorry, libs). They’ll go to other orgs, some of which are more focused and dedicated to the mission than the NRA is. (however, some of these can/will be just as inept/corrupt).
6. Even with the WLP and Ack/Mack clown show, the NRA is still the 800 pound gorilla with the clout, reach, and contacts, so ideally WLP gets burned at the stake, the NRA cleans house, and refocuses on its actually mission.
7. If #6 doesn’t shake out, expect to see one of the current smaller orgs turn into the new NRA.
8. After a year of record gun sales to newbs thinking we are on the verge of societal collapse, with blue flu and mayors letting chaos reign, the whole “only the police should have guns” argument falls flat. Even the usual gun control parrots are remarkably silent about “assault weapons” while Black Lives Matter is carrying them. Nobody wants gun control right now, so this might actually be a good time to shake up the NRA.
9. That said, we had better get our shit together FAST, because the left’s moral compass is a wind sock, and though they hate the police and love them some AR-15s today, they’ll be happy to go back to banning guns tomorrow and bragging about how they’ll send the police to kill you if you refuse to turn them in.
10. NRA leadership can suck AND New York can be a bunch of hypocritical douches for only going after the non-profits they don’t like. These two things aren’t mutually exclusive. Just because New York consistently sucks doesn’t mean WLP is an innocent victim here
That last point is key. If the eighteen months have shown us anything, it’s that the NRA has become corrupt, forsaking its core mission for pandering to what it assumes is its core audience and milking them for every penny they can.
I’m still a dues paying member, because that gives me voting rights. They are not getting another cent from me until the executive leadership is removed and a new team is brought in to re-focus the NRA on its core roles as a firearms safety and advocacy organization.
Fun Show Time!
Last weekend, my brother-in-law and I went to the local gun show. This was his first gun show since diving into the gun world about nine months ago. This was my first gun show in a long while, and the first in my new town. It was much more sparsely attended than the last one I was at.
The crowd density was more pre-COVID Walmart instead of pre-COVID mosh pit. Masks were required, but proper usage wasn’t really enforced. Guns were more plentiful than I expected, but prices were running higher. Ammo prices were through the roof. A box of Speer Gold Dots were $60. I did end up picking up a couple of short magazines for my grandpa’s M1 carbine. Now, I need some more .30 carbine ammo.
I’m convinced I want three more guns before I would consider my safe to have the essentials.
- I want a better AR than my M&P-15 sport. Maybe a non-AR AR. I’d like an AUG, but I want something that runs AR mags. Maybe an MCX. A friend of my suggested getting a SCAR, but I don’t have the money his employer has to throw around.
- A carbine running M&P magazines. Maybe an AR pistol with brace. I’ve gots me lots of M&P mags. This one I’m really tempted to get a can for it.
- A double action .22 revolver. For training and plinking purposes.
Once the niece and nephew turn 21 (thanks Rick Scott!), I’ll need to add a .22 rifle.
Which reminds me. I need to take a couple of days off and take them to the range.
I’m Disinclined to Acquiesce To You r Request
Since the riots started, I’ve been seeing articles asking where the gun owners are to defend the people against the police.
You want me to put my life, liberty, and family fortunes on the line for you? Hmm. Let’s see. How many times did you call for me to be disarmed when it suited your worldview. How many times did you wish death on me because I disagreed with you?
I’m sorry Scorpion, but I know your nature. I’m not going to carry you across the river for you to sting me in the back.
If you want guns to defend yourselves, go put down the money. Unless of course you can’t. You know, because of all those “common sense” gun control laws you demanded right before the cops came for you.