Category: Guns

Final Parkland Commission Report

January 9, 2019 / / 0 Comments

The final report is issued. Miguel has it here for your perusal.

Arming teachers is the hot button recommendation. If the bullshit passed by the legislature is any indication, that one is dead on arrival. Especially if it doesn’t include preemption requiring the school boards to allow for it.

Also, the state should spend a bunch of money on the usual suspects. Maybe we do, but considering how colossally Broward screwed the pooch in order to keep its numbers looking good, I’m skeptical that all that additional money will prevent another tragedy.

Being Armed Isn’t Easy

January 7, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Via FB friend Evie, comes an article from a retired SWAT officer. The first part is dealing with a new doctor who isn’t thrilled to find out said retired cop is carrying a gun. I’m not comfortable with you being armed was the money quote from said doctor.

My first reaction was on the lines of “Welcome to the party, pal” Particularly when the author goes into all of the issues of carrying concealed. These are all things I understand quite well. Particularly the odd looks in “mixed” company when I say I can’t go in a place. Or the look the Wife-To-Be gives me when I carry around the house.

Then I remember, I’m not the target audience of the article. He’s writing to other cops. Letting them know the issues that they will face when they carry after they leave they job.

Then, the author goes into whether or not an armed citizen can prevent/stop an active shooter. This is important for former cops to think about, because they have been trained to intervene. As for me, that’s not necessarily part of my wheelhouse. I’m not a sheepdog. I don’t carry to protect anyone but me and mine. I’m more of a porcupine with range. If I can do more, I will do more, but not at the expense of my first duty.

Friday Quote – John ‘Shrek’ McPhee

January 4, 2019 / / 0 Comments

If you ever have to use a firearm for your own safety, this will be one of the worst situations you will ever face. This is humanity at its worst. Before, during, and after this situation, the skills need to save you will not just come to you. These skills have to be learned before that moment. Training has to begin before, and you need to know this cold and on demand. Training is for life and can only be achieved through perfect practice and repetition. There are no short cuts here. Refuse to be a victim.

Policing Our Own

January 3, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Greg Ellifritz has gotten sick and tired of bloggers stealing his words. He doesn’t have the resources to sue, so he’s going to use the tried and true method of shaming. I’m good with that.

I re-blog a lot of content. Either because the author is more knowledgeable, succinct, and/or funnier than me. I make damn sure that if I’m quoting, I let my readers know I’m doing so. I have felt the pain of crafting a paragraph (or even a sentence) when on a deadline and the brain won’t cough up something coherent.

I’m going to let Greg have the final words on this post.

We in the gun community need to hold each other accountable. That’s why I’m sharing this with all of you. Do you think this guy [the thief] is a trustworthy source of information? Why would you rely on advice from a thief to keep you safe?

Failure After Failure After Failure

December 31, 2018 / / 1 Comment

I was alerted to this by a post by J. KB over at Miguel’s. I have to agree with him that for as much shit as we give the media for their obvious bias, they are capable of doing some amazing work. If the Sun Sentinel doesn’t receive a Pulitzer for their tireless work on documenting all of Broward County’s failures during the Parkland shooting, the committee fucking robbed them. This is the epitome of what good journalism is supposed to do – hold those in power to account for mistakes, mismanagement, and outright fraud that led to both the deaths of citizens and the deprivation of other citizens’ rights.

The Sun Sentinel posted an interactive minute-by-minute account of the Parkland shooting, including the numerous failures of the system and of those entrusted with the protection of the students – morally, if not legally. It also busts some of the myths surrounding that horrible tragedy. You need to RTWT. And then RTWT of J. Kb’s analysis of the analysis. Go ahead. I’ll wait.

Multiple, multiple, multiple failures. The fact that the top tiers of both the Broward Sheriffs Office and the School System have not been publicly fired and publicly shamed is a damning indictment of that county’s government. And those same reprehensible people were perfectly willing to cast blame on people like me to hide their own failures.

It makes one long for the days public officials feared things like tar and feathers.

RKBA Round Up

December 20, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Probably the biggest story is the ATF banning bumpstocks. A lot of anger thrown at the NRA (which I don’t think is deserved) and a lot at the president (which is). Miguel disagrees with me on that last point. Yes, the Hearing Protection and National Reciprocity are in Congress, but for a president who took our shilling, he’s been remarkably unwilling to expend political capital for our causes.

Next up, unlike the state courts, the federal court reminds us that the cops have no duty to protect and dismissed the suit against Broward over the Parkland shooting. One hopes parents and teachers take away the proper lessons, but I’m highly doubtful.

Speaking of Parkland, the report cans be found here. I doubt our current legislature will actually do anything with its recommendations, much less the local governments.

Here’s a listicle on why you should own an AR-15.

A New York judge struck down the state’s ban on nunchucks. RKBA includes things other than guns and knives.

Duty to Protect?

December 13, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Scot Peterson, the coward SRO who hid instead of confronting a murderer, tried to have a civil suit against him dismissed because he had no duty to protect the students and faculty. Much to my surprise, the judge was disinclined to acquiesce to his request. The civil suit continues.

I’m surprised because the courts have long held that the police do not have a specific duty to protect the citizenry. Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to be a case of the judge going against precedent. From my read, the judge is saying as the SRO, it was part of Peterson’s job to provide security.

So, we’re still on our own.

Police and Armed Citizens

December 10, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Via Miguel comes an article about how police need to learn how to deal with the prevalence of armed citizens. Including armed citizens who may not look like the stereotypical concealed carrier.

This has been a tough year for police and armed citizens alike. In 2018, we’ve seen a number of tragic mistakes made by police officers who shot and killed lawfully armed citizens in error, including a homeowner in Aurora, Colorado, a security guard in Chicago, Illinois, and a Thanksgiving eve shopping mall patron in Hoover, Alabama, among others.

RTWT, because there’s a lot of good information to be gleaned from the armed citizen side. Particularly on current police mindset and what we can do to help minimize fatal mistakes. Plus how we can help identify each other in a bad situation.

Gun Cams For Cops

December 6, 2018 / / 0 Comments

From the Gun Writer comes a story about an Arizona department adding cameras to their guns. They will start recording when drawn and stop recording when holstered.

Personally, I like the idea. I think body and gun cameras when used appropriately can help protect LEOs from false accusations, bring bad LEOs to account, provide neutral evidence, and be used for training.

The trick is to make sure that the cameras are used, and used appropriately, and the chain of custody is followed.

Coward Wants Protection

December 3, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Remember Scot Peterson, the former Broward deputy who cowered in place when that bastard shot up Parkland? Now he wants protection during his deposition.

Peterson, one of several defendants named in a civil lawsuit filed by the parents of shooting victim Meadow Pollack, said he fears for his safety if he shows up at a Dec. 17 deposition and the girl’s father, Andrew, is there.

I think he’s trying to do everything he can to delay explaining his actions that day under oath. Or explaining how he managed to swing that huge fucking pension instead of just being fired.