Is it time to shut down the ATF?

I have been overlooking the cases that the NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund has taken on or assisted in. Then take a look at the Gun Owners Foundation and the cases that they have assisted in. Not surprising is that a majority of the cases are dealing with the ATF and how the ATF has trampled on the rights of citizens. This is a very dysfunctional agency, that is far beyond repair with problems on the inside as well. Or the waste or tax dollars, it was on the day of our appeal that former ATF Director Carl Truscott resigned for alleged mismanagement and misconduct, the OIG Report is a must read. A look at it's disregard for the Second Amendment and the mentality towards firearms is tell-tale sign:

“If it wasn’t for criminals, there wouldn’t be a gun industry in this country.” Gerard Nunziato (former BATFE official)

“Also troubling is the NRA’s attempt to protect the gun industry from lawsuits that could help shut down gun dealers.” Ron Schuman (former BATFE official)

So is the ATF so far gone after reading the post on Of Arms and the Law, which an ATF official states: "Perhaps the problems are too significant to place on the shoulders of 3 men, or maybe the Bureau is beyond repair. Either way, the complaints continue as does the retaliation, abuse of authority and the climbing number of EEOC, OSC, OIG and internal grievance complaints."

When a Federal Agency resorts to destroying the Constitution to justify their own existence then it is time to shut it down.

Un-Picking Candidates

The Knox Report

From the Firearms Coalition

 

Time to “Un-Pick” Some Candidates

 

By Jeff Knox

(Manassas, VA, October 3, 2007) Much as the man who said, “I may not know much about art, but I know what I like,” when it comes to the 2008 Presidential Primaries there are a lot of folks who aren’t sure who they want to support, but you can bet they know who they don’t like. Well it’s high time GunVoters made it absolutely clear who they don’t like and why. If they don’t, they could allow an unacceptable candidate to rise to the top of the heap based on a mistaken perception of broad “acceptability.”

Continue reading Un-Picking Candidates

How To Use This Site: Communicating With Other Members

In my last entry I talked about registration and profiles.  This entry looks at what you can do with your profile.

First, in order for other members to get anything from your profile, they need to see it.  To that end, we've added a Public Profile field to to the Member Profile information.  In effect you're adding yourself to a local directory within the site.  If you edit your profile (first item in the User section of the menu to the left) you'll see that there's a new check box at the bottom of the editing window.  By checking this box you'll add yourself to the directory.  Only registered members of the site can see your profile, and NO ONE can see your email address.

Continue reading How To Use This Site: Communicating With Other Members

Member Blogs — Odd Behavior

The members' blogging tool has some strange characteristics.  I'm thinking it's not quite ready for prime time.  Everything is readable, but they don't come out formatted like you'd expect including text bolding and paragraph marks.  I'm looking for an answer.  

In the meanwhile, feel free to use the blogs.  If we end up having to install a different tool, we'll transfer all the existing data. 

Coalition to Support Government Tyranny

OK–that's not really what they call themselves. But recently, the Director of Communications for the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, Ladd Everitt (who is also the president of the Washington DC chapter of the Million Mom March–I know this is none of my business, but if he is one of the Marching Mommies, I wonder who the father is–on second thought, I don't want to know), as much as publicly admitted that supporting tyranny was the objective.

Mostly Livingston wanted the “Living Letters” to help advocate stricter gun control in the U.S. He was joined by Ladd Everitt of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, who bewailed: "We have a real pride in violence in our country." He likewise exclaimed, "We also profit from it,” fingering the U.S. films that “glorify violence and promote vigilante justice,” according to a WCC account.

More revealingly, Everitt insisted that “the government must have a monopoly on force,” according to an account by my assistant Rebekah Sharpe, who attended the meeting. He identified the obstacles to fuller gun control as “hardcore gun owners” who have a “profoundly, virulently anti-government attitude.” Many of these hardcore zealots adhere to the National Rifle Association’s ostensible belief that “if our government becomes tyrannical they have a right to take over that government, our democratically elected government!” [emphasis mine]

"The government must have a monopoly on force," eh? I have never doubted that this was the core objective of the civilian disarmament groups, but I never expected them to come out and publicly acknowledge it. Note also his dismay at the thought of people believing they have a right to overthrow tyrants (especially if they are elected tyrants).

The article I quoted above is about a delegation from the World Council of Churches, which recently came to the United States "to investigate America's violence" (their itinerary wisely included Washington DC, with its rampant violence, and its draconian civilian disarmament laws–but I doubt they made the connection). The delegates were, oddly enough, referred to as "Living Letters" (is it just me, being a child of the '70's, or is anyone else having trouble shaking these mental images?). It was while they were in DC that Ladd made his speech to them. This speech was apparently well received–as evidenced by the agreement of the "Letter" from South Africa:

“Yes… the right wing out there wants to de-legitimize government… [If we give in to them] we are playing into the hands of the forces of chaos.”

Evidently, Africa has no history of governmental abuses–I'm so glad that I was apparently wrong about that.

The group also bleated and wailed in anguish over the various war memorials–reverence for courage and sacrifice is apparently very upsetting to their tender sensibilities.

The “Living Letters” also toured Washington’s many presidential monuments and war memorials, where they found lots of glorification of “violence.” Naturally, they were very concerned and asked, “Victory and sacrifice are the only way to build a great nation?” They also wondered why the “cost of freedom is paid by so many human lives.” While visiting the recently built World War II Memorial, they realized to their horror that “these praises of violence and sacrifice are not only memories of humanity’s past but are very much present today, in times we as churches are called to be protagonists.”

I suppose that's to be expected–anyone who opposes the use of force to free oneself from tyranny is naturally going to be horrified by using force to help free others.

Just curious, Ladd, when the tyranny you are trying to help bring about is imposed, do you figure to be one of those holding the whips, or is it your plan to survive through abject boot licking (I understand that some folks are into that sort of thing)?

What ‘Chappaquiddick’ Kennedy says about BATFE Sullivan and their agenda for firearms confiscation

MJSThe fix is in! You better immediately contact your Senators people (and keep contacting them) and tell them NOT to vote to confirm Michael J. Sullivan for BATFE Director (Sullivan is currently Acting Director of the BATFE/ATF.) I have addressed Sullivan's agenda in prior redpills.org posts but if that won't wake you up then how about Senator 'Chappaquiddick' Kennedy's opening remarks at the 9/26 hearing regarding Sullivan's appointment:

It’s a pleasure to welcome to the Committee today two fellow Bay Staters, my good friend and colleague Senator John Kerry and Mr. Michael Sullivan, whom President Bush has nominated to serve as the Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. I’d also like to welcome Mr. Sullivan’s wife Theresa, daughter Alyson, and his father Thomas Sullivan. Your family is surely proud, Mr. Sullivan, that you’ve served the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for over a decade {as U.S Attorney} and I look forward to hearing your views on issues that are so important to our country today.

A fellow native Bostonian, Mr. Sullivan has been a lifelong resident of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. A graduate of Boston College and Suffolk University Law School, he’s had a distinguished career dedicated to public service. Beginning in 1990, Mr. Sullivan served as a Representative in the state legislature for three terms. Then in 1995, he went onto become the District Attorney for Plymouth County where he began to develop a strong relationship between himself, the Boston Police Department and the ATF.

In 2001, Mr. Sullivan was appointed to serve as the United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts – a position that he still holds today. Since August 2006, Mr. Sullivan has also held the position of Acting Director of ATF.

As you know, the ATF is a key law enforcement agency within the Justice Department — with the dual responsibility of enforcing Federal criminal laws and regulating the firearms and explosives industries. With a new law enacted last year, this is the first confirmation hearing for the position of Director and I hope that it will provide us with a good foundation for future collaboration between ATF and this Committee.

I’m particularly interested in the role that ATF can play to help stem the tide of gun violence in our country. Nearly 30,000 Americans lives are lost to gun violence each year — more than 80 people a day. In his book, Private Guns, Public Health, David Hemenway from the Harvard Injury Control Research Center observed that, “Each day guns were used in the commission of about three thousand crimes. The U.S. rates of death an injury due to firearms and the rate of crimes committed with firearms are far higher than those of any other industrialized country.”

Just last week, the International Association of Chiefs of Police – IACP – took a dramatic stand against the escalating gun violence in our communities – releasing a comprehensive report with 39 key recommendations to reduce gun violence. The Chiefs’ compelling report and specific recommendations are a clear call to action. Without further delay, Congress and the Administration need to do our part by enacting concrete reforms that will reduce crime and protect the safety of police officers and all Americans. We all know what needs to be done and it’s a scandal that we have done so little for so long.

* We need to strengthen Brady Law background checks for gun purchases, especially for persons with mental illness.

* We need to close the gun show loophole once and for all.

* We need to renew the assault weapons ban.

* We need to pass Senator Feinstein’s bill for stricter requirements on the sale of extremely dangerous fifty-caliber sniper rifles.

* We need to amend federal law to ensure that all cop killer bullets are banned.

* We need to do more to see that law enforcement has access to the newest and most effective crime-solving technologies – like microstamping.

The IACP’s impressive work in producing this ground-breaking report should not go ignored. I’m hopeful that we can work together, across party lines, to reduce gun violence, solve gun crimes, protect our police officers and do all that we can to make our communities safer. Perhaps our dialogue today will be one positive step forward in that direction.

OK. If I need to spell this out to you then you have not been paying attention to how we are on the verge of losing more of our rights as pertaining to the 2nd Amendment. Sullivan, Kerry, Kennedy, and the SOB (Son Of a Bush) are New England elitist, blue bloods and they are after your guns. That SOB appointed Sullivan knowing full well his background. Sullivan may be OK as a Massachusetts State Representative or even a U.S. Attorney, I don't know, but SULLIVAN MUST NOT BECOME DIRECTOR OF THE BATFE! That I do know.

Yes, the legislation that Kennedy wants may or may not be the same as that which Sullivan wants. I know that. But what I do know is that Sullivan is rescinding Federal Firearms Licenses at an alarming rate, he's buds with 'Chappaquiddick', and most egregiously, Sullivan is creating an unlawful database of gun owners. A FIREARMS OWNERSHIP DATABASE MEANS REGISTRATION. REGISTRATION MEANS CONFISCATION. IT ALWAYS COMES DOWN TO THAT…and given BATFE's history and militancy, do you think they will shirk their perceived 'duty' if they are called upon? First they will come for the 50 caliber 'sniper rifles', then the 'assault rifles', then take the guns from all those not meeting whatever requirements the government considers appropriate, e.g., those who are 'mentally ill' (which according to them are all gun owners), those with a history of ADD, then those ….

Enough. Contact your Senators TODAY and keep at them. SULLIVAN MUST NOT BECOME DIRECTOR OF THE BATFE!

I will address Kennedy's remarks in a future redpills post. As usual he flagrantly and arrogantly shows us his agenda, his blatent disregard for the truth and what the American people want. But enough of 'Chappaquiddick'…contact your Senators re: Sullivan. Or give up your guns.

To redpills.org home page.
This article is copyright © 2007, by Gary Shumway. Permission is hereby granted to reproduce and distribute it electronically and in print, other than as part of a book and provided that mention of the author’s web site www.redpills.org is included. (Email notification is requested.) All other rights reserved. Gary Shumway is the author of Winging Through America and SCUBA Scoop.

Second Amendment Documentary this week

On Wednesday and Thursday of this week we will be hosting the Premiere of David T. Hardy's Documentary In Search the Second Amendment. On Wednesday there will be a presentation following the film by Author and Historian Clayton Cramer. I have already had a couple local elected officials indicate that they will attend, I am also contacting the College and High Schools to have there students attend. The admission is FREE and there will be door prizes.

URGENT: Contact Senators to Deny Sullivans Confirmation

I am urging everyone to contact their Senators to NOT Confirm ATF Acting Director Michael J. Sullivan to ATF Director. Ted Kennedy praised Sullivan the other day and laid out the ATF's agenda. Armed and Safe points out his praise of IACP which recently joined forces with the Gun Control group the Joyce Foundation. Sullivan has demonstrated that he intends to continue to carry out the mission of the ATF. This mission began with Bill Clinton and is eroding away our rights. Of Arms and the Law just posted the following on the ATF: http://armsandthelaw.com/archives/2007/09/atf_from_the_in.php Sullivan is not the answer, he is part of the problem. Contact your Senators Today!!

Coalition to Support Government Tyranny

OK–that's not really what they call <a href="http://www.csgv.org/site/c.muLYJ7MMKrH/b.2607867/k.BF4D/Home.htm" ref="nofollow">themselves</a>.  But recently, the Director of Communications for the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, <a href="http://www.csgv.org/site/c.muLYJ7MMKrH/b.2831727/k.218A/About_Ladd_Everitt_Director_of_Communications.htm" ref="nofollow">Ladd Everitt</a> (who is also the president of the Washington DC chapter of the Million Mom March–I know this is none of my business, but if he is one of the Marching Mommies, I wonder who the <i>father</i> is–on second thought, I don't want to know), as much as publicly admitted that <a href="http://frontpagemagazine.com/Articles/Read.aspx?GUID=7CB2079F-DD40-436A-8551-D8FD8E3ED165">supporting tyranny was the objective</a>.  <blockquote><i>Mostly Livingston wanted the “Living Letters” to help advocate stricter gun control in the U.S. He was joined by Ladd Everitt of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, who bewailed: "We have a real pride in violence in our country." He likewise exclaimed, "We also profit from it,” fingering the U.S. films that “glorify violence and promote vigilante justice,” according to a WCC account.

More revealingly, Everitt insisted that <b>“the government must have a monopoly on force,”</b> according to an account by my assistant Rebekah Sharpe, who attended the meeting. He identified the obstacles to fuller gun control as <b>“hardcore gun owners”</b> who have a <b>“profoundly, virulently anti-government attitude.”</b> Many of these hardcore zealots adhere to the National Rifle Association’s ostensible belief that <b>“if our government becomes tyrannical they have a right to take over that government, our democratically elected government!”</b></i>  [emphasis mine]</blockquote>  "The government must have a monopoly on force," eh?  I have never doubted that this was the core objective of the civilian disarmament groups, but I never expected them to come out and publicly <i>acknowledge</i> it.  Note also his dismay at the thought of people believing they have a right to overthrow tyrants (especially if they are <i>elected</i> tyrants). 

The article I quoted above is about a <a href="http://overcomingviolence.org/en/news-and-events/feature-articles/dov-features-english/article/1323/gun-control-issues-peace.html">delegation from the World Council of Churches</a>, which recently came to the United States "to investigate America's violence" (their itinerary wisely included Washington DC, with its rampant violence, <i>and</i> its draconian civilian disarmament laws–but I doubt they made the connection).  The delegates were, oddly enough, referred to as "Living Letters" (is it just me, being a child of the '70's, or is anyone else having trouble shaking <a href="http://www.buten.com/bobopolis/letter/">these mental images</a>?).  It was while they were in DC that Ladd made his speech to them.  This speech was apparently well received–as evidenced by the agreement of the "Letter" from South Africa: <blockquote><i>“Yes… the right wing out there wants to de-legitimize government… [If we give in to them] we are playing into the hands of the forces of chaos.”</i></blockquote>  Evidently, Africa has no history of governmental abuses–I'm so glad that I was apparently wrong about that.

The group also bleated and wailed in anguish over the various war memorials–reverence for courage and sacrifice is apparently <i>very</i> upsetting to their tender sensibilities.  <blockquote><i>The “Living Letters” also toured Washington’s many presidential monuments and war memorials, where they found lots of glorification of “violence.” Naturally, they were very concerned and asked, “Victory and sacrifice are the only way to build a great nation?” They also wondered why the “cost of freedom is paid by so many human lives.” While visiting the recently built World War II Memorial, they realized to their horror that “these praises of violence and sacrifice are not only memories of humanity’s past but are very much present today, in times we as churches are called to be protagonists.”</i></blockquote>  I suppose that's to be expected–anyone who opposes the use of force to free <i>oneself</i> from tyranny is naturally going to be horrified by using force to help free others.

Just curious, Ladd, when the tyranny you are trying to help bring about is imposed, do you figure to be one of those holding the whips, or is it your plan to survive through abject boot licking (I understand that some folks are into that sort of thing)?

Turbulence in the DC Court Case

    (30 September, 07) There has been some significant action in the Parker/Heller DC gun ban case this month.  DC filed their appeal to the Supreme Court and the Parker attorneys filed a their own brief encouraging SCOTUS to review the case.  A few days later they filed a cross appeal asking the Supremes to reverse the Circuit Court's decision to exclude 5 of the original 6 plaintiffs.  A reversal on this would open up much broader areas of consideration encompassing the whole of DC's draconian gun laws.  That is particularly important since it was discovered that the original Circuit ruling striking down part of the DC laws was even narrower than anyone thought.  The Parker attorneys wanted the court to force DC to start living by the part of the ruling dealing with long guns even while the appeals process is ongoing.  The cout denied the request and declared that their ruling had no impact on long gun restrictions because the only plaintiff they accepted, Heller, only talked about handguns in his complaint.  This revelation causes me some concern that without the reinstatement of the other plaintiffs, the Parker/Heller decision might be too narrow in scope to justify Supreme Court review.

    A decision on whether to hear the case should come out of the Supreme Court any day.

    I'll have the opportunity to discuss the case with the lead attorneys in the case, Gura and Levy, next weekend at the Gun Rights Policy Conference in Cincinnati and will keep you posted. 

Ammunition for the grassroots gun rights movement