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Protecting Virginia Gun Rights Since 1938.
Updated: 1 hour 27 min ago
Robert Hurt Continues to Show Commanding Lead in 5th District
Incumbent congressman Tom Perriello hill has gotten a little steeper in his re-election race according to the latest poll by SurveyUSA for WDBJ TV in Roanoke.
Magistrate recommends dismissing states' gun suit
The Associated Press reported yesterday that Montana and other states that passed laws seeking freedom from federal gun control laws were dealt a setback by a federal magistrate.
The magistrate sided with the U.S. Department of Justice, which says courts have already decided that Congress can set standards on such items as guns through its power to regulate interstate commerce. The recommendation now goes to the federal judge in Missoula hearing the case — and even gun rights advocates recognized it is likely he will side with the magistrate. Last year Montana, Utah, Alabama, Idaho, South Carolina, South Dakota, Wyoming and West Virginia passed laws commonly referred to as "firearm freedoms act" laws that said if guns manufactured in the state were only going to be sold and used in that state, the firearms would not be subject to federal laws.
The magistrate also questioned whether the Montana Shooting Sports Association had standing to file the suit in the first place. Gary Marbut of MSSA stated:
"We expected an adverse ruling in district court, which is fine, because it will give us control of the appeals process. We need to get in front of the Supreme Court," Marbut said. "Truly we need to overturn a half century of Commerce Clause precedent and only the Supreme Court can do that."
The magistrate sided with the U.S. Department of Justice, which says courts have already decided that Congress can set standards on such items as guns through its power to regulate interstate commerce. The recommendation now goes to the federal judge in Missoula hearing the case — and even gun rights advocates recognized it is likely he will side with the magistrate. Last year Montana, Utah, Alabama, Idaho, South Carolina, South Dakota, Wyoming and West Virginia passed laws commonly referred to as "firearm freedoms act" laws that said if guns manufactured in the state were only going to be sold and used in that state, the firearms would not be subject to federal laws.
The magistrate also questioned whether the Montana Shooting Sports Association had standing to file the suit in the first place. Gary Marbut of MSSA stated:
"We expected an adverse ruling in district court, which is fine, because it will give us control of the appeals process. We need to get in front of the Supreme Court," Marbut said. "Truly we need to overturn a half century of Commerce Clause precedent and only the Supreme Court can do that."
Ban On Supplemental Feeding of Deer Now In Effect
The annual ban on feeding of deer began September 1 and runs through January 1, 2011.
Some hunters feed deer between hunting seasons to provide an additional food source and provide much needed minerals that may not be available in the natural food sources in some areas.
Between September 1st and January 1st, the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries considers this feeding to be "baiting," and is illegal statewide. This prohibition does not include the planting of agronomic crops or wildlife food plots however which are still legal during the season.
Some hunters feed deer between hunting seasons to provide an additional food source and provide much needed minerals that may not be available in the natural food sources in some areas.
Between September 1st and January 1st, the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries considers this feeding to be "baiting," and is illegal statewide. This prohibition does not include the planting of agronomic crops or wildlife food plots however which are still legal during the season.
Griffith hits Boucher over Ad by Independent Group
Virginia's 9th Congressional District is one of those districts that feature two candidates with very good voting records on the Second Amendment. So the race is going to decided on other issues and guns . In the 9th, that issue would be Cap and Trade, a bill that Congressman Rick Boucher voted for and Republican House of Delegates Majority Leader Morgan Griffith says would kill jobs in the hard hit 9th District.
Enter the Natural Resources Defense Council's Action Fund and the Blue Green Alliance which ran a full page ad in the Roanoke Times August 30 charging that Griffith's opposition to Cap and Trade would result in jobs being sent to China. But the Roanoke Times is wondering if the independent expenditure might not back fire and hurt the candidate NRDC and BGA supports?
The issue of cap-and-trade has been one of Griffith's biggest talking points, and the ad may help bring it back to the forefront after it appeared to have all but died in Congress.
Griffith for his part, in a tactic that is standard fare for campaigns has called on Boucher to not only disclaim the ad, but the groups that purchased it. By law, candidates cannot coordinate with outside groups.
The groups have said they ran the same ad, which does not mention Boucher by name, in 19 districts where the issue is being used against supporters of Cap and Trade.
It does make one ask the question however, given that Boucher is sitting on a large campaign chest, what does NRDC and BGA know about this race that the rest of us don't that makes them feel they need to use some of their funds to attack Griffith?
Enter the Natural Resources Defense Council's Action Fund and the Blue Green Alliance which ran a full page ad in the Roanoke Times August 30 charging that Griffith's opposition to Cap and Trade would result in jobs being sent to China. But the Roanoke Times is wondering if the independent expenditure might not back fire and hurt the candidate NRDC and BGA supports?
The issue of cap-and-trade has been one of Griffith's biggest talking points, and the ad may help bring it back to the forefront after it appeared to have all but died in Congress.
Griffith for his part, in a tactic that is standard fare for campaigns has called on Boucher to not only disclaim the ad, but the groups that purchased it. By law, candidates cannot coordinate with outside groups.
The groups have said they ran the same ad, which does not mention Boucher by name, in 19 districts where the issue is being used against supporters of Cap and Trade.
It does make one ask the question however, given that Boucher is sitting on a large campaign chest, what does NRDC and BGA know about this race that the rest of us don't that makes them feel they need to use some of their funds to attack Griffith?
Did Harry Reid Throw D.C. Voting Rights Under the Bus for Naught
That's the question that the Washington City Paper asks in this article about the NRA's decision not to endorse Reid.
Those who were watching the battle over legislation that would have given the District full and equal voting rights in the U.S. House know Reid’s role in allowing a poison-pill amendment” on the voting rights legislation, a D.C. gun-rights provision that many D.C. officials, including Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, could not in the end stomach.
The NRA noted Reid's votes for U.S. Supreme Court nominees Sonja Sotomayor and Elana Kagan as the reason for not endorsing one of the most endangered incumbents in congress. Over the last six years, Reid has pretty much voted for pro-gun legislation and against anti-gun measures. NRA has shown however that it meant what it said when it opposed both Sotomayor and Kagan.
It should be noted that NRA did not endorse Reid's opponent, Sharon Angle, either. It will be interesting to see what Reid's final NRA-PVF rating is when they become public sometime in October. Virginians will then have some indication just what support for the two anti-gun nominees might also cost Virginia Senator's Jim Webb and Mark Warner, both of whom voted for Obama's nominees to the high court and who have carefully worked to cultivate a pro-gun voting record on things like national carry reciprocity and gun rights for D.C. Webb may be facing former Senator George Allen in a rematch of the 2006 race in 2012.
Those who were watching the battle over legislation that would have given the District full and equal voting rights in the U.S. House know Reid’s role in allowing a poison-pill amendment” on the voting rights legislation, a D.C. gun-rights provision that many D.C. officials, including Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, could not in the end stomach.
The NRA noted Reid's votes for U.S. Supreme Court nominees Sonja Sotomayor and Elana Kagan as the reason for not endorsing one of the most endangered incumbents in congress. Over the last six years, Reid has pretty much voted for pro-gun legislation and against anti-gun measures. NRA has shown however that it meant what it said when it opposed both Sotomayor and Kagan.
It should be noted that NRA did not endorse Reid's opponent, Sharon Angle, either. It will be interesting to see what Reid's final NRA-PVF rating is when they become public sometime in October. Virginians will then have some indication just what support for the two anti-gun nominees might also cost Virginia Senator's Jim Webb and Mark Warner, both of whom voted for Obama's nominees to the high court and who have carefully worked to cultivate a pro-gun voting record on things like national carry reciprocity and gun rights for D.C. Webb may be facing former Senator George Allen in a rematch of the 2006 race in 2012.
Blue Ridge Parkway Ends Requirement for Hunter Access Permit
The Blue Ridge Parkway has announced that accessing game lands adjacent to the Parkway will no longer require a permit.
“However, you must contact the park prior to transporting game,” says Steve Stinnett, Chief Ranger for the Blue Ridge Parkway.
With the change in federal law that became effective in national parks February 10, 2010, concealed carry of handguns with a valid permit and open carry of legal firearms are allowed in national parks in Virginia consistent with state law.
“Hunting on parkway lands, the use and discharge of firearms, carrying firearms in federal facilities, and the possession of other weapons and traps are still prohibited,” said Stinnett.
The end of the permit removes the need to find a ranger or travel to a parkway office to obtain a permit. However, this change also means that permission which was previously given for transporting game across park lands and roads is gone.
“Under the new procedure, anyone taking game is directed to transport it in a way that does not cross park lands or use the Parkway,” said Stinnett. “If the parkway is the only reasonable access for removal of game, hunters must request permission by contacting a park ranger or theCommunications Center (828-298-2491, 24 hrs/day) prior to the transport. It is the hunter’s responsibility to show that the game was not taken on park lands, and transport is limited to the closest state road access to the Parkway.”
For further information on the hunter access policy change, contact your local ranger station, visithttp://www.nps.gov/blri/parkmgmt/lawsandpolicies.htm, or contact Chief Ranger Steve Stinnett at (828) 271-4779, extension 239.
“However, you must contact the park prior to transporting game,” says Steve Stinnett, Chief Ranger for the Blue Ridge Parkway.
With the change in federal law that became effective in national parks February 10, 2010, concealed carry of handguns with a valid permit and open carry of legal firearms are allowed in national parks in Virginia consistent with state law.
“Hunting on parkway lands, the use and discharge of firearms, carrying firearms in federal facilities, and the possession of other weapons and traps are still prohibited,” said Stinnett.
The end of the permit removes the need to find a ranger or travel to a parkway office to obtain a permit. However, this change also means that permission which was previously given for transporting game across park lands and roads is gone.
“Under the new procedure, anyone taking game is directed to transport it in a way that does not cross park lands or use the Parkway,” said Stinnett. “If the parkway is the only reasonable access for removal of game, hunters must request permission by contacting a park ranger or theCommunications Center (828-298-2491, 24 hrs/day) prior to the transport. It is the hunter’s responsibility to show that the game was not taken on park lands, and transport is limited to the closest state road access to the Parkway.”
For further information on the hunter access policy change, contact your local ranger station, visithttp://www.nps.gov/blri/parkmgmt/lawsandpolicies.htm, or contact Chief Ranger Steve Stinnett at (828) 271-4779, extension 239.
Mainstream Media Picking Up EPA Ammo Story
The story about the petition requesting the EPA to ban traditional ammunition is no longer just a story circulating among the firearms community. Investors Business Daily and The Weekly Standard have both picked up the story.
The IBD editorial is right on target with its analysis.
If the EPA approves the petition, the result will be a ban on all ammunition containing lead-core components. Bullets made of material other than lead are considered armor-piercing by law and are banned. So this amounts to gun control by stealth. Where permitted, it increases the cost of gun ownership and use.Now is the time to act. Log on to the EPA web site and submit your comment opposing the petition today.
Hat-tip to NRA-ILA Federal Affairs who forwarded the article links to VSSA earlier today.
The IBD editorial is right on target with its analysis.
If the EPA approves the petition, the result will be a ban on all ammunition containing lead-core components. Bullets made of material other than lead are considered armor-piercing by law and are banned. So this amounts to gun control by stealth. Where permitted, it increases the cost of gun ownership and use.Now is the time to act. Log on to the EPA web site and submit your comment opposing the petition today.
Hat-tip to NRA-ILA Federal Affairs who forwarded the article links to VSSA earlier today.
The Hill: Despite promises, Obama, Dem Congress Have Been Gun-friendly
I'm not sure the Hill's title in this story is entirely correct. There are a large number of pro-gun Democrats in Congress so I don't know that they made any promises to enact more gun control in 2008. On the other hand, Barack Obama most certainly lead the anti-rights crowd to believe he would be a friend to their cause. The problem? Obama can read the tea leaves and he knows trying to spend political capital on gun control is a loser. The pro-gun forces have also been smart in attaching progun legislation to bills that a)passed by large margins and b)were attached to bills that Obama wanted to sign.
This statement by a representative of Gun Owners of America probably has more to do with the reality than Obama being "gun-friendly."
“The old school liberals in charge of Congress were put in power on the backs of newly elected conservative Democrats,” Velleco said. “Democratic leaders have a balancing act.”
While it is true that there have been no bills passed infringing on the rights of gun owners, Obama has a nasty habit of doing things by executive fiat or through agency regulations. That more than anything else at the time is what gun owners need to continue to be vigilant in preventing.
This statement by a representative of Gun Owners of America probably has more to do with the reality than Obama being "gun-friendly."
“The old school liberals in charge of Congress were put in power on the backs of newly elected conservative Democrats,” Velleco said. “Democratic leaders have a balancing act.”
While it is true that there have been no bills passed infringing on the rights of gun owners, Obama has a nasty habit of doing things by executive fiat or through agency regulations. That more than anything else at the time is what gun owners need to continue to be vigilant in preventing.
WSLS 10 Sportsmen's Banquet to Benefit Hunters for the Hungry
WSLS TV 10 in Roanoke is sponsoring the 4th Annual Sportsmen's Banquet to benefit Hunters for the Hungry September 25. The event will be held at the Roanoke Moose Lodge in Salem at 5:30 pm and includes dinner, dessert, and beverages, a variety of raffles as well as live and silent auctions of donated merchandise. There will be advance ticket sales only, no ticket sales at the door! This event has been a sellout the last several years. For tickets or additional information click here.
Farmville Outdoor Festival
This event was posted on the VSSA web site earlier but it bears repeating on this site. The 5th Annual Outdoor Festival to be held Saturday August 28 in Farmville, VA. It is sponsored by the Riverside Community Church.
The festival will take place at the Five County Fairgrounds off of Business 460 on the West side of Farmville. Festivities go from 10 am till 7 pm and include a kid's fishing pond, BB gun range, hunting simulator, five stand sporting clays shooting, turkey shoot, turkey calling contest and a 3-D archery contest. There will be many taxidermy displays, outdoor vendors, and a big buck contest. All events are free except for the vendors. This year the organizers are asking for a $5 donation for each person over 10. For more information click here. If you have questions, call (434) 607-7776, or (434) 547-6770.
The festival will take place at the Five County Fairgrounds off of Business 460 on the West side of Farmville. Festivities go from 10 am till 7 pm and include a kid's fishing pond, BB gun range, hunting simulator, five stand sporting clays shooting, turkey shoot, turkey calling contest and a 3-D archery contest. There will be many taxidermy displays, outdoor vendors, and a big buck contest. All events are free except for the vendors. This year the organizers are asking for a $5 donation for each person over 10. For more information click here. If you have questions, call (434) 607-7776, or (434) 547-6770.
Open House At Lynchburg Izaak Walton Park
The Izaak Walton League of Lynchburg is inviting area families for a FREE day of fun in the outdoors. Enjoy swimming, fishing, picnicking, canoeing, and kayaking from 9 am to 6 pm, Saturday, August 28. Visit the archery range and check out the campground, clubhouse and pavilion. Try your hand at trap and skeet shooting. The rifle range will be open and there will be a "Cowboy" demonstration and fun shooting opportunities on the pistol range. For more information visit: www.iwll.org.
Hat tip to DFIG Outdoor Report.
Hat tip to DFIG Outdoor Report.
Comment Period Open for Proposed Elk Hunting Moratorium Regulatory Amendment
The Board of Game and Inland Fisheries requested a moratorium be placed on hunting of elk in Virginia at the August 17, 2010 meeting in Richmond. The proposal is to (i) designate that the term elk refers specifically to Rocky Mountain elk and (ii) prohibit the hunting of Rocky Mountain elk in Virginia. The Department will be embarking on a pilot program to restore elk in southwest Virginia and until a viable herd is established the hunting of elk will be prohibited. Currently, hunters are allowed to kill elk that wonder across the Kentucky border during deer season.
This is a big step forward for those who have wanted to see an elk herd reestablished in the Commonwealth. It is a sensitive subject in the western part of Virginia as some land owners are concerned about the damage that could be caused by the large animals. For those who would love the opportunity to one day be able to hunt the majestic animals without incurring the cost of traveling to the west and paying large fees associated with outfitters and travel, this is an opportunity that could pay dividends.
DGIF, pursuant to §§ 29.1-103, 29.1-501, and 29.1-502 of the Code of Virginia, proposed the amendment 4VAC15-90-85 (PDF). A public comment period on the regulatory proposal opened August 20 and closes September 20, 2010. The Board will hold a public hearing on the proposal at its meeting 9:00 AM October 5, at 4000 West Broad Street, Richmond, and will consider the proposal for possible adoption as a final regulation amendment at that time. Written comments on the proposed regulation amendment should be submitted online, or may be emailed to regcomments@dgif.virginia.gov or postal mailed to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Attn. Policy Analyst and Regulatory Coordinator, 4016 West Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23230, and received no later than September 20, 2010. Below are links to background information that will be helpful to those wishing to comment on the proposal.
Elk Management and Restoration Plan »
Elk Plan Public Input Summary (PDF)
This is a big step forward for those who have wanted to see an elk herd reestablished in the Commonwealth. It is a sensitive subject in the western part of Virginia as some land owners are concerned about the damage that could be caused by the large animals. For those who would love the opportunity to one day be able to hunt the majestic animals without incurring the cost of traveling to the west and paying large fees associated with outfitters and travel, this is an opportunity that could pay dividends.
DGIF, pursuant to §§ 29.1-103, 29.1-501, and 29.1-502 of the Code of Virginia, proposed the amendment 4VAC15-90-85 (PDF). A public comment period on the regulatory proposal opened August 20 and closes September 20, 2010. The Board will hold a public hearing on the proposal at its meeting 9:00 AM October 5, at 4000 West Broad Street, Richmond, and will consider the proposal for possible adoption as a final regulation amendment at that time. Written comments on the proposed regulation amendment should be submitted online, or may be emailed to regcomments@dgif.virginia.gov or postal mailed to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Attn. Policy Analyst and Regulatory Coordinator, 4016 West Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23230, and received no later than September 20, 2010. Below are links to background information that will be helpful to those wishing to comment on the proposal.
Elk Management and Restoration Plan »
Elk Plan Public Input Summary (PDF)
EPA Considering Ban on Traditional Ammo
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) issued an alert today that the EPA has opened a public comment period on a petition by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) – a leading anti-hunting organization – to ban all traditional ammunition under the Toxic Substance Control Act of 1976, a law in which Congress expressly exempted ammunition. It should be noted that the individual appointed to head EPA by President Obama is none other than Lisa Jackson, the person responsible for ending the bear hunting season in New Jersey when she served in the Corzine administration. Your action is needed now to insure that the anti-hunting crowd does not control the public comment period.
The EPA has published the petition and relevant supplemental information as Docket ID: EPA-HQ-OPPT-2010-0681. If you would like to read the original petition and see the contents of this docket folder, please click here. In order to go directly to the ‘submit a comment’ page for this docket number, please click here.
VSSA urges you to contact EPA and voice your opposition to the petition. NSSF has provided some talking points that you can use in your contact with EPA:
* There is no scientific evidence that the use of traditional ammunition is having an adverse impact on wildlife populations.
* Wildlife management is the proper jurisdiction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the 50 state wildlife agencies.
* A 2008 study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on blood lead levels of North Dakota hunters confirmed that consuming game harvested with traditional ammunition does not pose a human health risk.
* A ban on traditional ammunition would have a negative impact on wildlife conservation. The federal excise tax that manufacturers pay on the sale of the ammunition (11 percent) is a primary source of wildlife conservation funding. The bald eagle’s recovery, considered to be a great conservation success story, was made possible and funded by hunters using traditional ammunition – the very ammunition organizations like the CBD are now demonizing.
* Recent statistics from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service show that from 1981 to 2006 the number of breeding pairs of bald eagles in the United States increased 724 percent. And much like the bald eagle, raptor populations throughout the United States are soaring.In addition to submitting comments to EPA, you should also contact Lisa Jackson directly as well as your congressman and U.S. Senator.
You can contact Lisa Jackson at:
Lisa P. Jackson
Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20460
(202) 564-4700
Fax: (202) 501-1450
Email: jackson.lisa@epa.gov
3. Contact your congressman and senators and urge them to stop the EPA from banning ammunition. To view a sample letter, click here.
Hat tip to NSSF Blog.
The EPA has published the petition and relevant supplemental information as Docket ID: EPA-HQ-OPPT-2010-0681. If you would like to read the original petition and see the contents of this docket folder, please click here. In order to go directly to the ‘submit a comment’ page for this docket number, please click here.
VSSA urges you to contact EPA and voice your opposition to the petition. NSSF has provided some talking points that you can use in your contact with EPA:
* There is no scientific evidence that the use of traditional ammunition is having an adverse impact on wildlife populations.
* Wildlife management is the proper jurisdiction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the 50 state wildlife agencies.
* A 2008 study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on blood lead levels of North Dakota hunters confirmed that consuming game harvested with traditional ammunition does not pose a human health risk.
* A ban on traditional ammunition would have a negative impact on wildlife conservation. The federal excise tax that manufacturers pay on the sale of the ammunition (11 percent) is a primary source of wildlife conservation funding. The bald eagle’s recovery, considered to be a great conservation success story, was made possible and funded by hunters using traditional ammunition – the very ammunition organizations like the CBD are now demonizing.
* Recent statistics from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service show that from 1981 to 2006 the number of breeding pairs of bald eagles in the United States increased 724 percent. And much like the bald eagle, raptor populations throughout the United States are soaring.In addition to submitting comments to EPA, you should also contact Lisa Jackson directly as well as your congressman and U.S. Senator.
You can contact Lisa Jackson at:
Lisa P. Jackson
Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20460
(202) 564-4700
Fax: (202) 501-1450
Email: jackson.lisa@epa.gov
3. Contact your congressman and senators and urge them to stop the EPA from banning ammunition. To view a sample letter, click here.
Hat tip to NSSF Blog.
Alexandria Woman Asks Post Food Critic to Add Gun Rating for Restaurants
You read that right. In Sunday's Washington Post, Tom Sietsema, the paper's food critic, shared some of his reader emails. Among them was this little gem:
"Now that the Commonwealth of Virginia permits unconcealed as well as concealed weapons in establishments serving alcohol, I find myself unwilling to patronize any establishment where guns may be present," writes Catherine Mitchell of Alexandria. "I am terrified by people carrying guns and would certainly not be able to enjoy a meal or cocktail in a restaurant where guns may be present." Her pitch: "I very much appreciate the 'noise level' ratings you now include in your reviews; I am requesting that you also include 'gun' warnings."
To Sietsema's credit, he saw no need for such an addition to his restaurant rating system since restaurant's already can post that firearms are not allowed. Although, if Ms. Mitchell is going to rely on this method, she may be eating a lot of meals at home. The Hospitality Association representative regularly told legislators that her members did not want to post signs as that would indicate a prospective patron was not welcome, in response to their telling her that all they simply had to do was post a no guns sign if they did not want them. I haven't frequented every restaurant in Virginia since the restaurant ban was repealed but the ones I have patroned did not have signs against carry posted. Since open carry was already legal, it is doubtful that many, if any will post.
"Now that the Commonwealth of Virginia permits unconcealed as well as concealed weapons in establishments serving alcohol, I find myself unwilling to patronize any establishment where guns may be present," writes Catherine Mitchell of Alexandria. "I am terrified by people carrying guns and would certainly not be able to enjoy a meal or cocktail in a restaurant where guns may be present." Her pitch: "I very much appreciate the 'noise level' ratings you now include in your reviews; I am requesting that you also include 'gun' warnings."
To Sietsema's credit, he saw no need for such an addition to his restaurant rating system since restaurant's already can post that firearms are not allowed. Although, if Ms. Mitchell is going to rely on this method, she may be eating a lot of meals at home. The Hospitality Association representative regularly told legislators that her members did not want to post signs as that would indicate a prospective patron was not welcome, in response to their telling her that all they simply had to do was post a no guns sign if they did not want them. I haven't frequented every restaurant in Virginia since the restaurant ban was repealed but the ones I have patroned did not have signs against carry posted. Since open carry was already legal, it is doubtful that many, if any will post.
Two Newspapers, Two Totally Different Headlines
What do you get when one reporter writes a story and it runs in the Washington Post then four days later in an abridged version in the Seattle Times? Two totally different editorialized titles. I have never worked for a newspaper so I presume the reporter has no final say in the title of his story.
In the case of the Washington Post story, you see the headline "Gun-toting soccer moms a scary thought in D.C. area, but not out west." In the Seattle Times, the headline of the story was "West's gun advocates fight to uphold region's traditional wildness." The reporter is Freddie Kunkle of the Washington Post and the theme of the story is two fold; part about how western senators John McCain (R-AZ) and John Tester (D-MT) have joined bi-partisan forces to bring D.C. into compliance with the U.S. Supreme Court's Heller decision by removing the regulatory burdens the city has placed on those wishing to own firearms; and partly about the "gun culture" of the west. The difference is how it is set up by the Post and the fact that the Post story is much longer. The Seattle Times basically published a very abridged version.
The Post story also has a link the the Pam Gorman ad featured in the NPR story posted about here earlier this morning.
In the case of the Washington Post story, you see the headline "Gun-toting soccer moms a scary thought in D.C. area, but not out west." In the Seattle Times, the headline of the story was "West's gun advocates fight to uphold region's traditional wildness." The reporter is Freddie Kunkle of the Washington Post and the theme of the story is two fold; part about how western senators John McCain (R-AZ) and John Tester (D-MT) have joined bi-partisan forces to bring D.C. into compliance with the U.S. Supreme Court's Heller decision by removing the regulatory burdens the city has placed on those wishing to own firearms; and partly about the "gun culture" of the west. The difference is how it is set up by the Post and the fact that the Post story is much longer. The Seattle Times basically published a very abridged version.
The Post story also has a link the the Pam Gorman ad featured in the NPR story posted about here earlier this morning.
Coalition to Stop Gun Violence Distorts 8-28 Event Purpose
I subscribe to the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence's (CSGV) email list so I can keep up with what the other side is doing. They have been quite prolific of late but this latest email is a complete distortion of Glenn Beck's 8/28 event "Restoring Honor Rally." As with everything they do, CSGV is trying to politicize a non-political event.
Social activists and civil rights leaders, concerned that the "Restoring Honor" Rally will co-opt the historical significance of the March on Washington to advance a political message that is directly at odds with the vision of King, have planned their own event on the same day.
How can an event that its organizers have said is non political "advance a political message?"
From Glenn Beck's Restoring Honor web site:
CSGV is upset that Beck has chosen the location and the date that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. chose for his "I Have a Dream" speech, and that the NRA is also promoting the event. It says a lot about CSGV that they feel the need to promote a counter rally to an event that has as its intent to honor those who are currently serving, as well as those who have given their lives so that we can continue to live free. As always, CSGV is more interested in promoting a political agenda.
Social activists and civil rights leaders, concerned that the "Restoring Honor" Rally will co-opt the historical significance of the March on Washington to advance a political message that is directly at odds with the vision of King, have planned their own event on the same day.
How can an event that its organizers have said is non political "advance a political message?"
From Glenn Beck's Restoring Honor web site:
Join the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin and many more for this non-political event that pays tribute to America’s service personnel and other upstanding citizens who embody our nation’s founding principles of integrity, truth and honor.
CSGV is upset that Beck has chosen the location and the date that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. chose for his "I Have a Dream" speech, and that the NRA is also promoting the event. It says a lot about CSGV that they feel the need to promote a counter rally to an event that has as its intent to honor those who are currently serving, as well as those who have given their lives so that we can continue to live free. As always, CSGV is more interested in promoting a political agenda.
You Have to Love This Ad
NPR ran this story earlier today about how more candidates are showing themselves actually using firearms in their ads, not just talking about supporting gun rights. Embedded in the story on their web site was this ad for an Arizona candidate for Congress.
It should not be surprising that NPR added their snarky commentary into the article:
Well, it is a scary world. And voters are looking for can-do leaders who can solve complex problems easily. But there is the question of whether a parade of politicians pictured with guns makes us feel safer, or even more frightened.I do think the article misses the mark in trying to compare what is happening in races this year on both the Republican and Democratic side as it relates to firearms by attempting to compare it to 1994. That year, a Democratically controlled Congress and White House had just enacted the Clinton Gun Ban. Voters were not treated so much to a bi-partisan display of support for the Second Amendment as you see this year. What is also different I believe is the actual use of firearms by candidates. We all also remember the photo-ops of John Kerry in 2004 where he tried to appear like the average gun owner on a clay target range and in the goose blind (though you never saw him actually doing the hunting - just entering and leaving the field).
It is up to gun owners to discern whether all of this is just for show or whether it shows a genuine understanding of the issue. There are a lot of candidates that support gun control but try to parse the issue by saying they don't want to take any hunter's shotgun. It is however a positive sign when you have candidates of both parities going after the votes of gun owners.
It should not be surprising that NPR added their snarky commentary into the article:
Well, it is a scary world. And voters are looking for can-do leaders who can solve complex problems easily. But there is the question of whether a parade of politicians pictured with guns makes us feel safer, or even more frightened.I do think the article misses the mark in trying to compare what is happening in races this year on both the Republican and Democratic side as it relates to firearms by attempting to compare it to 1994. That year, a Democratically controlled Congress and White House had just enacted the Clinton Gun Ban. Voters were not treated so much to a bi-partisan display of support for the Second Amendment as you see this year. What is also different I believe is the actual use of firearms by candidates. We all also remember the photo-ops of John Kerry in 2004 where he tried to appear like the average gun owner on a clay target range and in the goose blind (though you never saw him actually doing the hunting - just entering and leaving the field).
It is up to gun owners to discern whether all of this is just for show or whether it shows a genuine understanding of the issue. There are a lot of candidates that support gun control but try to parse the issue by saying they don't want to take any hunter's shotgun. It is however a positive sign when you have candidates of both parities going after the votes of gun owners.
Attend a Governor McDonnell Townhall on Government Reform
Last week, NRA-ILA sent an email alert encouraging gun owners to attend one of the town halls that Governor Bob McDonnell is holding around the Commonwealth on the subject of Government Reform. One suggesting for reforming Virginia government and saving taxpayers money would be to scrap the current Virginia Instant Check System for gun purchases and use the National Instant Check System (NICS). In April, I posted about the problem of background checks taking longer and the impact is has had on gun shows. The Richmond Times Dispatch reported at that time the reason according to the State Police:
Officials say it is tied to increased demand for firearms at the same time that budget and funding constraints have reduced the number of staffers available to handle the transactions.
Spokeswoman Corinne Geller said that since May 2009, the agency has lost 11 people from its 28-person staff at the Virginia Firearms Transaction Center, including two federally funded full-time workers who used to attend gun shows and conduct the computerized checks on-site.NRA believes that the best way to alleviate the problem is not allocate more money to the State Police, but to scrap the state system and have Virginia use the NICS. Such a suggestion is likely the type of government reforms ideas that Governor McDonnell may find appealing.
There are a number of town halls coming up in the next week and gun owners are encouraged to attend and suggest to Governor McDonnell that one efficient reform idea is for Virginia to stop doing its own checks and instead have them go through NICS. If you live near one of the town hall locations, please attend, then let VSSA know the Governor's response by posting a comment on this blog post.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 24
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
412 Lee Hall at University of Mary Washington
1301 College Avenue in FREDERICKSBURG
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
CIT Auditorium
2214 Rock Hill Road, Suite 300 in HERNDON
THURSDAY, AUGUST 26
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Montpelier Room of East Campus Dining Hall
James Madison University in HARRISONBURG
MONDAY, AUGUST 30
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Great Hall of Institute for Advanced Learning and Research
150 Slayton Avenue in DANVILLE
TUESDAY, AUGUST 31
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
J. Henry Kegley Meeting Room in Bristol Public Library
701 Goode Street in BRISTOL
VSSA had the opportunity to discuss this with NRANews.com last week.
Officials say it is tied to increased demand for firearms at the same time that budget and funding constraints have reduced the number of staffers available to handle the transactions.
Spokeswoman Corinne Geller said that since May 2009, the agency has lost 11 people from its 28-person staff at the Virginia Firearms Transaction Center, including two federally funded full-time workers who used to attend gun shows and conduct the computerized checks on-site.NRA believes that the best way to alleviate the problem is not allocate more money to the State Police, but to scrap the state system and have Virginia use the NICS. Such a suggestion is likely the type of government reforms ideas that Governor McDonnell may find appealing.
There are a number of town halls coming up in the next week and gun owners are encouraged to attend and suggest to Governor McDonnell that one efficient reform idea is for Virginia to stop doing its own checks and instead have them go through NICS. If you live near one of the town hall locations, please attend, then let VSSA know the Governor's response by posting a comment on this blog post.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 24
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
412 Lee Hall at University of Mary Washington
1301 College Avenue in FREDERICKSBURG
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
CIT Auditorium
2214 Rock Hill Road, Suite 300 in HERNDON
THURSDAY, AUGUST 26
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Montpelier Room of East Campus Dining Hall
James Madison University in HARRISONBURG
MONDAY, AUGUST 30
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Great Hall of Institute for Advanced Learning and Research
150 Slayton Avenue in DANVILLE
TUESDAY, AUGUST 31
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
J. Henry Kegley Meeting Room in Bristol Public Library
701 Goode Street in BRISTOL
VSSA had the opportunity to discuss this with NRANews.com last week.
Posting Will Be Light
As vacation week begins, posting will be light for the next seven days.
Menino Can't Enforce the Gun Laws He Has
This isn't Virginia related but it is worth noting because former WRVA (Richmond) radio talk show host Michael Graham has a good Op/Ed in the Boston Herald that demonstrates the hollowness of the "blame guns" crowd.
Here is the story. Three years ago, 8-year-old Liquarry Jefferson was shot and killed by his 7-year-old cousin in Dorchester, Massachusetts. After the incident, Boston Mayor Tom Menino said the incident was the fault of the NRA, because it opposed tougher gun control laws. Never mind that the two boys and Liquarry’s 2-year-old half-sister were upstairs playing with a pistol - unattended - at 11 p.m.
The city ended up charging Liquarry’s mom, Lakeisha Gadson, of recklessly causing the death of her 8-year-old son, by letting an older son stash a loaded gun in their apartment. A jury acquitted her this week of every charge except of misleading the police after the fact, by lying about the circumstances of the shooting.
Graham writes:
Yes, it’s true that Gadson suffered a tragic loss in the death of her son. It’s also true that his death would never have happened without her negligent - in my opinion, criminally negligent - behavior. Justice demands that she be held accountable.
Menino and his best bud Michael Bloomberg are always calling for more gun control laws but the truth is, Menino can't enforce the laws he has. The gun used in this tragic incident was illegally brought into the home by a teen who already had a charge for illegal possession of a firearm.
Here is the story. Three years ago, 8-year-old Liquarry Jefferson was shot and killed by his 7-year-old cousin in Dorchester, Massachusetts. After the incident, Boston Mayor Tom Menino said the incident was the fault of the NRA, because it opposed tougher gun control laws. Never mind that the two boys and Liquarry’s 2-year-old half-sister were upstairs playing with a pistol - unattended - at 11 p.m.
The city ended up charging Liquarry’s mom, Lakeisha Gadson, of recklessly causing the death of her 8-year-old son, by letting an older son stash a loaded gun in their apartment. A jury acquitted her this week of every charge except of misleading the police after the fact, by lying about the circumstances of the shooting.
Graham writes:
Yes, it’s true that Gadson suffered a tragic loss in the death of her son. It’s also true that his death would never have happened without her negligent - in my opinion, criminally negligent - behavior. Justice demands that she be held accountable.
Menino and his best bud Michael Bloomberg are always calling for more gun control laws but the truth is, Menino can't enforce the laws he has. The gun used in this tragic incident was illegally brought into the home by a teen who already had a charge for illegal possession of a firearm.