Going Bob Costas One Better

Josh Byrnes, General Manager of the San Diego Padres, is trying to outshine Bob Costas when it comes to making stupid comments about firearms. He is now blaming firearms for the cut that one of pitcher Andrew Cashner suffered to his pitching hand while dressing out a deer with a friend. The cut will keep Cashner out of the lineup for up to six months.

"As a GM, I am concerned,'' Byrnes said. "You're dealing with young guys, and obviously, we can control things on the job, but away from it, we hope they make the right decisions.

"I don't know if athletes are predisposed to guns or not, but it's certainly something that concerns you."

Cashner suffered a lacerated tendon in his right thumb in a hunting accident last week, and underwent surgery Tuesday. He won't be able to pitch until May or June, Byrnes said.

Cashner, an avid hunter, was accidentally stabbed in the hand by a friend while the pair were dressing meat, trimming the carcass.

The injury may have been the direct result of a knife wound, but realistically, Byrnes said, it was caused because of a hunting trip with guns.

Oh, please!

Has Byrnes never heard of bow hunting?

Or even cutting your hand with a kitchen knife? I doubt that there is anyone of us who hasn't done that one time or another.

Accident happen. To blame firearms for the cut on Cashner's hand is just plain hoplophobic stupidity.

An Interesting Infographic For Bond Fans

I came across this infographic this evening on Pinterest. It is interesting to see the evolution of the cars that James Bond drove.

Source: blameitonthevoices.com via Mike on Pinterest

Weapons Cache! Arsenal! Assault Rifles! Suspected White Supremacist!

David Laux, 49, of Citrus Heights, California was arrested on Wednesday by detectives with the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department after they served a search warrant. The warrant was because they suspected him of dealing drugs. According to crime reports, he was charged with possession of a controlled substance for sale and transporting/selling a controlled substance.

SCSD Photo

Looking at the picture you see a somewhat overweight,  middle-aged white guy who needs a shave and who probably got the scrape on his cheek from when he was arrested. You are probably thinking a meth dealer and shades of the TV show Breaking Bad. Ah, but that is before the media and Sgt. Jason Ramos of the Sacramento County SD got a hold of Laux.

From the SCSD's media release:

Cache of Weapons Seized from Home

A local man was arrested earlier today when an assortment of firearms and ammunition was discovered inside his residence. David Laux, 49, was taken into custody and booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail for multiple weapons-related charges. He is being held on $110,000 bail.

At approximately 9:00 a.m. today, detectives from the Sheriff's IMPACT Division went to a home in the 8300 block of Fair Way in Citrus Heights to serve a search warrant. The suspect, Laux, was observed driving away from the residence, and was detained without incident, pursuant to service of the warrant. Inside the home, detectives recovered a total of thirteen firearms, including several assault rifles, and over 20,000 rounds of ammunition.

Information and intelligence suggests that Laux is affiliated with an extremist organization that subscribes to an ideology consistent with white supremacist beliefs. Detectives believe there is a likelihood that the weapons may have been supplied to other members of this group, or possibly being sold for profit.

The IMPACT Division, whose primary mission is to combat youth and gang-related violence throughout the Sacramento region and its outlying areas, is composed of personnel from multiple local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. They include the Sheriff's Department, Rancho Cordova Police Department, Citrus Heights Police Department, Elk Grove Police Department, Galt Police Department, California Highway Patrol, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (Special Services Unit), Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, and Immigrations & Customs Enforcement.

Sergeant Jason Ramos,
Sheriff's Spokesman

I guess we will have to wait for the release from Mark Potok and the Southern Poverty Law Center before we find out just what "extremist organization that subscribes to an ideology consistent with white supremacist beliefs" Laux was affiliated with. Is it the KKK, the Aryan Nation, the Democrat Party? No one is saying just who or what.

As to the "weapons cache", you can see the 13 firearms and ammo as displayed by Sheriff's Department in this photo by Fox40.

I see two shotguns, an AR-15, an HK-91 (or PTR-91), a lever-action rifle, a 37mm flare gun, 2 pistols, 3 revolvers, and 2 derringers in the picture plus an assortment of magazines and ammo cans. Media reports are calling this "a weapons cache" and "an arsenal". There is no way of telling from the picture whether or not the AR and the HK-91 have bullet buttons to bring them into compliance with California law. Two semi-auto rifles do not constitute "several assault rifles" in my opinion. God knows what they would be saying if they came by many of our homes.

From CBS Sacramento:

A suspected white supremacist was allegedly stockpiling guns, military style weapons and thousands of rounds of ammo.

Investigators who uncovered the collection believed they were dealing with a drug dealer at first.

That arsenal of weapons included assault rifles, a grenade launcher and 20,000 rounds of ammo. All were allegedly stashed inside the home with his elderly mother living inside.

“I was completely shocked, and especially with what they found there,” said a neighbor, who wished to remain anonymous.

Through a search warrant for his Citrus Heights home, Sacramento County Sheriff’s Regional Gang Task Force first got a tip that David Laux worked as a drug dealer.

“He was just a pretty quiet guy,” the neighbor said.

His neighbors had no idea. Many who found out who they were living next to were too afraid to show their face on camera.

“I feel pretty shocked and a little bit scared considering I have four kids that live in this house, and they were in front of that house all day long on their bikes,” said the neighbor.

Of course the neighbors are shocked. But I'd be more upset that the guy was dealing drugs than that he had a few firearms.

KXTL Fox 40 has this report including a comment from Sgt. Jason Ramos on the arrest.




Much too much for personal use? Is Sgt. Ramos speaking of the amount of ammunition or the number of firearms? Either way I would disagree.

This case seems to me the making the arrest of a small time drug dealer into a big thing merely for publicity purposes. The Sacramento County Sheriff's Department gets to throw around buzzwords like "assault rifle", "extremist", "white supremacist", and never has to name what, if any, organization that Laux is in cahoots with. The media just laps it up because it fits their own preconceived notions. The Sheriff's Department will be lauded for taking down this dangerous racist extremist before he could rain death and destruction on those kids riding their bikes in the street with his "grenade launcher" and "assault rifles" and the media gets their story. It's a win-win for them and a loss for the truth of the matter.

Oh, Noes!

In an anti-gun editorial today in the Herald News of Woodland Park, New Jersey, the editors urge Gov. Chris Christie to unite with governors of other states to make it tougher to purchase firearms. They say it won't be an easy task as they express their dismay about pro-rights moves by other states.

We realize it's no easy task. Ohio Gov. John Kasich signed a law last year to allow people to carry concealed weapons into bars and other places that serve alcohol, joining Arizona and Tennessee. Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana signed a law in 2010 allowing guns into houses of worship. North Dakota, Texas, Maine and a raft of other states allow employees to bring a gun to work as long as it stays locked in the car. The Wisconsin Senate now allows members to carry guns on the floor, while the state Assembly allows guns in the public viewing galleries.

The thought that some states actually recognize that law enforcement can't be everywhere and realize that responsible citizens should be allowed to provide for their own self-protection is beyond comprehension to them. It shouldn't be given that they just had a cop in that town indicted yesterday on attempted sexual assault on underage girls but it is.

A Date That Will Live In Infamy

Today marks the 71st anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. I like to honor this day by remembering those veterans - Army, Navy, and Marine - who were there on that fateful day as well as those stationed on Wake Island and in the Philipines. These vets are dying out daily and the time will shortly come when no one who faced the waves of Japanese bombers will still be alive. So if you know one of these vets, take the time today to thank them for their service.

You Can Learn Something From Cowboy Action Shooting

I've never participated in cowboy action shooting but that doesn't mean I can't learn something from it. In one of the most recent shooting tips videos put out by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Jim "Long Hunter" Finch shows some single and double loading techniques for a pump shotgun. While Jim is using a Winchester Model 97, his techniques would work just as well with a Mossberg 500 or a Remington 870.

Even if your pump shotgun has an extra long extension tube and you have 7 or 9 shells in the tube, these techniques could be invaluable if you need to switch from buckshot to slugs or vice-versa. I'm no expert but it just makes sense to me to practice some of these techniques regardless of whether you are using the shotgun for hunting or self-defense.




UPDATE: It occurred to me early this morning that if you are trying to load the shotgun while you have a full tube, there are other techniques you have to add in to prevent the round(s) in the tube from loading.

A Different Take On Sen. Donne Trotter And His Mistake

Todd Vandermyde is a lobbyist for the NRA in the state of Illinois and a person I respect. He has been fighting in the trenches for gun rights in Illinois for a long time. He has a different take on Illinois State Senator Donne Trotter and his troubles after being found with a small pistol while attempting to board a plane at O'Hare Airport this week.

Todd asked me to check out his Facebook comments and I did. I am doing him the courtesy of reposting his comments here so that they may reach a wider audience. While I may not agree with Todd 100% on this, he does bring up some good points.

Yesterday, Senator Donnie Trotter was arrested for possessing a handgun in his carryon bag when trying to board an airplane at O’Hare airport.

Some have tried to jump on a bandwagon of trying to dance in the misfortune of Senator Trotter’s inadvertent mistake. And that is what this appears to be, a simple mistake. The inattention to detail to realize that his bag contained a firearm and he was about to go through security at an airport.

It is a “crime” of possession, having it in his control at the wrong time at the wrong place. And like I said a mistake. I don’t think that Senator Trotter, nor the flight attendant should have their lives and carriers ruined for a mistake. Neither of these cases was the individual aware of the presence of the firearm. Nor did they have any ill intentions. They were not associated with Al Qaeda nor a street gang. And neither has some sort of lengthy criminal record.

Some want to point to the hypocritical nature of Trotter being “caught” with a firearm despite is past voting record. The Sun-Times even went back to 1995 to dredge up his opposition to a concealed carry bill. People change positions on issues over time. Is votes in the past don’t reflect the conversations we have had over the last two years. Just this past week, Senator Trotter joined with 48 of his colleagues to override the Governor’s veto of a bill to allow the mail order sale of ammunition by Illinois retailers to Illinois residents.

His new district runs from the South side of Chicago, to Kankakee, with changing boundaries, come changing constituents with different perspectives. Senator Trotter has maintained an open mind and we have always been able to talk. And we continue to do so.

Out of state groups who never spend any time working the halls of the Capitol would do well to learn the whole record rather than issue knee jerk press releases reveling in the misfortune of an otherwise law abiding gun owner. Minorities and women are the fastest growing demographic in new gun owners. Gun owners would do well to continue to reach out to this growing group, not drive them away by snotty press releases.

The real lesson of this is the lack of any semblance of compassion in the criminal justice system. We have laws for reasons, but justice for the sake of being punitive is not justice. What is absolutely appalling is the lack of any reasonableness in evaluating the situation and the circumstances around it. Instead we have a notorious anti-gun states attorney, who due to her own ineptness, can’t look past the totality of the situation in these cases, the flight attendant or Senator Trotter, and see that justice is not being done. Instead she clings to her disdain for firearms and people who would own them or even want to carry one for self protection. At a time when other states’ attorneys are publicly announcing that they will not prosecute people with FOID cards and no evil motives from carrying a firearm for self defense, we have Anita Alverez who wants to make an example out of people who make a mistake.

What is really glaring is the lack of proportion. Ms. Alverez was the COS under Dick Devine who in prosecuting Tyrus McCants for gun running, the illegal transfer of 3 or more firearms racked up the whopping sentence of 18 months probation on what is a class 1 felony – for supplying firearms on the streets of Chicago.

Yet Senator Trotter and a flight attendant should be made out as felons for a simple mistake, facing 1 to 3 years and a host of fines and legal costs. Which should offend our sensibilities more; the lack of common sense in the prosecution of these cases, or the inattention to detail that led to these charges?

Donnie Trotter will have spent almost 36 hours in detainment for his mistake. He now gets to go through the meat grinder many law abiding gun owners face. TSA shows they have about 1500 of these a year. He also gets to see the Cook County criminal justice system up close and personal as a person who had a legal firearm, a FOID and even a PERC card. He faces a smear of his reputation and achievements for this event. I would rather have someone who has tasted that for a mistake as an ally.

Donnie Trotter is a friend. But I know that but for the grace of God, in my haste on a trip someday, I could be sitting where he is today. And I would want the same opportunity not to have my life ruined because I made a mistake.

That’s why I will give Donnie Trotter and the flight attendant the benefit of the doubt and won’t pile on.

December Gun Contests

Aaron at the Weapon-Blog has released his updated list of contests giving away guns and gun related products for December,

Want to win a nice 1911? There are five contests with 1911s ranging from the Ruger SR1911 to custom guns by Harrison Design and Volkmann Customs. Prefer the Glock? There is a Glock 19 plus the Timberwolf Glock clone.

Can decide between the AR and AK? They have contests with both as well as a number of nice bolt action rifles.

If you do enter any of the contests, please thank Aaron in the comments for providing this service.