Phoenix Steps on the 1st Amendment to Attack the 2nd

The city of Phoenix, in an effort to attack local businesses who were advertising their gun safety training classes through an advertising campaign led by TrainMeAZ.com, stepped on the 1st Amendment right to free speech by censoring paid advertising which did nothing other than promote gun safety training. What exactly does Mayor Phil Gordon and the Phoenix City Council have against gun safety programs? Does the Mayor really want everyone to be as incompetent and unsafe around guns as he appears to want to be? It is clearly his right to choose not to learn about gun safety, but it is not his right to prohibit free speech that does nothing other than promote gun safety programs for everyone else.

Update 1: Latest news from Jeff Knox.

Fiocchi Ammo

Lucky Gunner has posted an interview with Carlo Fiocchi of Fiocchi Ammo. Whey you buy Fiocchi Ammunition, you're supporting US Jobs, because much of the ammunition they sell here is manufactured in the US (100% of shotgun shells, 95% of rifle ammunition, and 75% of pistol ammunition).

School ordered to pay $240,000.00 for prohibiting Free Speech

TCC (Terrant County College) was ordered to pay $240,000.00 for prohibiting an empty holster protest by members of SCCC (Students for Concealed Carry on Campus). Hopefully this will be a lesson learned not only by TCC, but by any College or University who has the desire to ban 1st Amendment protected Free Speech by proponents of 2nd Amendment freedoms. Be sure to check out the FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights in Education) related video "Empty Holsters:"

Empty Holsters from FIRE on Vimeo.

Yes on Prop 109 to Protect Hunting & Fishing in Arizona

Animal Rights and Anti-hunting groups are attacking our right to hunt and fish in Arizona. Proposition 106 is our chance to stop them at the pass. The NRA-ILA has the details.

Update 1: The Arizona Game & Fish Commissioners have created a website with facts vs myths about Prop 109.

Another Shooting in a Gun Free Zone

How in the world could we have another shooting in a gun free school zone? Didn't that psychopath read the gun free zone sign? Perhaps it didn't have large enough letters.

Only a MORON would think a sign could deter crime. Morons & Progressives. Yet again, the only people disarmed by the gun free zone were the helpless victims. How many shootings need to take place in gun free zones before the Progressives will figure out that they don't work? Why are we using our children as lab rats in this experiment called gun free school zones? Why don't the Progressives post signs on their own front doors letting potential criminals know that they will find helpless victims inside? Why only do it to our children while they are in our institutions of learning?

Register to Vote!

Are you registered to vote? Registration is easy, and can be done on-line in most States. Register to Vote Today, or risk loosing our Nation! There is no excuse for apathy.

Teachenor Clark: Never Gonna Stand For This

Must have song for all Patriotic Americans: Never Gonna Stand For This - Teachenor Clark (available on iTunes):

Restoring Honor

In case you missed it, you can watch the 8/28 Restoring Honor Rally via the C-Span Archive:

Restoring Honor 8/28

I'll be in Washington DC tomorrow on Saturday 8/28 to attend the Restoring Honor Rally. I'm really looking forward to being surrounded by fellow Patriots. If you're going to be there with us, send me an e-mail & let me know. If you can't be there in person, you can watch the event live over the Internet from 10 AM to 1 PM EST (7 AM to 10 AM PST). Zero cost for attendees - all funding came from donations and charitable auctions. All proceeds left over go to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, a foundation that benefits the children of Soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice while fighting for the freedoms we all enjoy.

Restore Honor!

Update 1: It is estimated that over 500,000 Patriotic Americans showed up to the rally. See photos of the crowd, and watch the entire event archived on C-Span.

AZ: More People Armed for Self Defense

When I went in to my Doctor's office for my yearly blood work and EKG this week the nurse asked me to take off my shirt so she could attach the electric probes, which exposed the gun holstered in my IWB Holster. Last year the very same nurse seemed rather nervous while she told me she did not like guns, but this year she simply asked me if I had a CCW permit or if I was taking advantage of the new Constitutional Carry law here in Arizona that went into effect last month.

I told her that I do have a CCW permit, and that I plan to maintain it so that I can continue to receive reciprocity when I travel out of State, at least until we get Constitutional Carry instituted across the Country. She then revealed to me that she has seen a marked increase in the number of people bearing arms for self defense since the new law went into effect, many of whom have told her that they had avoided going through the process to get a CCW permit for various reasons, but were glad to finally be able to exercise their right to bear arms without asking the government for a special permission slip.

The observations of a single nurse are not a sound basis for a scientific study, but it is still very encouraging to hear that the Constitutional Carry law appears to be making a positive difference in the lives of many Americans finally free to enjoy more of their constitutionally guaranteed liberties while here in Arizona. As an added bonus, any thugs wanting to find easy targets in Arizona will now have to deal with many more potential targets being prepared to defend themselves and their loved ones. Many crooks will likely soon choose to move to a State where the local government ensures more of their potential victims are unarmed and defenseless.

The icing on the cake: she revealed to me that although she didn't even like guns a year ago, she has pulled a complete 180: She & her husband went through the process to obtain CCW permits earlier this year. I always love to see more Americans preparing themselves for self defense against treacherous thugs!

Police Budget Cuts: We Won't Come

Residents of Oakland California have been told that if they come home & find that their home security has been compromised - in other words their door has been kicked in - don't bother to call the Police. Why? Because the Police won't come unless there is proof that the thugs are still inside. How they expect you to know that before the thugs hiding inside bash your brains in with baseball bats I don't know, but I do have some friendly advice for such residents.

I highly recommend that you don't walk into a compromised home without your gun, and you should definitely have a buddy with you to back you up. Training on how to enter safely as a team and clear rooms is important too, so make sure you and your backup get plenty of training.

Definitely don't just wander in calling "is anybody still here?" - that is a good way to get your brains bashed in. Of course this advice won't be very helpful to my friends in Oakland California, since few California Subjects are even permitted to bear loaded weapons on their person. In Oakland I imagine only the politically well connected or wealthy are able to get a California "May Issue" CCW permit.

Update 1: It occurred to me this morning that although in California it is often difficult to obtain a CCW permit for self defense while away from home, it is perfectly legal to store an unloaded firearm in a locked case in your vehicle. Once you arrive at home you can load it up & carry it on your person in a holster for self defense. That way if you have any unpleasant surprises on the way into your home you won't be defenseless.

NC: Open Carry Restore the Constitution Rally

My kind of rally!

The Warrior Song

The Warrior Song - Hard Corps - available on iTunes - proceeds go to support the Armed Forces Relief Trust:

TrainMeAZ.com

TrainMeAZ.com is a new one stop resource to find places to shoot, competitive events, and places to train in Arizona. In the future it will include additional information as well, such as firearms dealers and upcoming gun shows. Definitely worth a visit.

Alan Korwin: Gun Limits Lifted

As you are no doubt aware, Americans in Arizona are now enjoing expanded freedoms due to the fact that additional unconstitutional infringements of our right to bear arms were removed a week ago on July 29th when a number of new laws went into effect. Alan Korwin wrote an excellent article in celebration of our expanded freedoms, definitely worth reading.

AZCDL PAC Candidate Endorsements

The AZCDL PAC has info on Arizona 2010 Political Candidates, which is also available in pdf format. We must only support and vote for candidates who have an A or better if we want to continue along our current path of restoring freedoms! Also be sure to check out gunvoter.org and the NRA PVF for candidate info nationwide.

Attempted Rapists Given Lead Instead

Two Thugs followed a woman into her Oklahoma apartment late one evening when she was returning from some errands, and demanded that she remove her clothing. Not only did she fail to comply with their demand that she disrobe, she gave them lead instead.

She's a hero in my book. Not only did she save her own life, she also took two thugs off the streets that will no longer be free to search for new victims. One is resting 6 feet under, and the other is in critical condition while facing a murder charge for participating in a Felony where someone died. Her reasoning for having decided to carry: "I choose to carry a concealed firearm, because even though I am immensely grateful for the protection from our police departments, I realize they're not God, so they can't be everywhere at once." A wise decision indeed- a choice she's no doubt doubly grateful for now.

As we can clearly see, a gun in the hand is infinitely more valuable than a 911 dispatcher on the phone. The Police do the best they can with the resources they have, but when seconds count, the Police are still going to be minutes away.

John R Lott Jr: Gun Control Advocates Make Stuff up?

John R Lott Jr wrote an excellent article titled "Gun Control Advocates Make up Facts about Concealed Handgun Laws"

Ammunition

I'm still having difficulties finding many types of ammo at my favorite local retailers. For example, I'm not finding any self defense .380 ammunition at any of them. I'm only finding it online at this point, and some brands are often on backorder. What are your favorite online retailers for ammunition? Let me know in the comments section.

I feel sorry for my friends in California who are facing the upcoming online ammunition sales ban of AB 962 in Feb 2011 unless the NRA/CRPA lawsuit is successful.

Update 1: Good news: Lucky Gunner has Lots of JHP Self Defense .380 ammunition.