Amen. My God bless and keep all of you who serve. May He guide and comfort all of your families in times of separation and loss. Thanks to all of you.
by Erin Whitehead, Marine Corps spouse
Yesterday, many Americans paused to honor those who have served and continue serving in our nation’s military. Flags were flown and prayers were said in civilian homes and backyards around the country.
But because of the nature of our lives, the military spouse community has a special understanding of the meaning behind Memorial Day. For us, it is not simply another day off work, a chance to BBQ, or the opportunity to save big bucks on a mattress or new car. It is about honoring those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country… a sacrifice that can keep us awake at night with worry.
Sometimes, it feels as though the “civilian” community just does not get what the holiday is really about, which can feel frustrating and make us feel like we are in this alone. But the reality is that many Americans do understand the true meaning of Memorial Day. They do want to support our troops and understand, on some level, the hardships that they and their families have endured over the past 10 years of war.
But unless they’ve actually served or been a member of a military family, it’s really hard to truly “get it.” They want to do something to make sure our troops and families know how much they are appreciated… but how do they help when they don’t know what is needed?
It’s a two-way street. We have to be willing to share in what areas we can use support. We asked our social media community to share what things they think Americans could do to help out or simply show their appreciation for the sacrifices of service members and their families. We hope you will share this list with those civilians who want to show their support…because there really are a lot of them out there.
10 Ways Americans Can Support the Military Family
10) Take the time to learn what our life is really like.
There are many misconceptions about our lifestyle. The list is a mile long. Some of the most frustrating are that our spouses can return home for important events (holidays, births, all family emergencies), that once they return from deployment everything goes back to normal, and that we make a lot of money. But unless you know a family and can ask for their perspective, how do you learn more? There is no shortage of blogs written by military spouses, and they’re easy to find with a simple Google search. There are also many organizations that service military families—again, very easy to find online. And of course, you can visit www.baseguide.com to read our articles, follow us on social media, or subscribe to the magazine.
9) Leave politics out of it.
Our troops serve and put their lives on the line, despite their own personal political beliefs. Support for them should be the same. And please, when you learn that someone is military, or married to a service man or woman… don’t ask us what we think of the war. Don’t ask us who we’re voting for in the upcoming election. And please don’t give us your personal opinion on either topic. Please remember that the President, like him or not, is our spouses’ boss. Hearing an opinion that the wars have been a huge waste of money and lives can really anger a spouse. I’m not saying you shouldn’t have your own personal beliefs on these topics, but unless we are already very close friends or family, we would just rather not talk about it with you.
8) Hire Us
According to The Department of Labor, military spouse unemployment rates are 26%, way above the national average. Many times spouses follow their service member to a duty station where they are either over or under qualified for most available employment. They often do not have the same network of contacts that may help a native of the area find a job, and often times when an employer finds out someone is a military spouse, they are reluctant to hire them. We get it. Who wants to hire someone who will only be here for 2 or 3 years? The thing is, you may only have a military spouse working at your business for a few years… but the skills and life experience we bring to the table are often times outstanding. We have learned to be flexible and make the best of complicated situations, we can handle tasks on our own, and we are used to working with people from all walks of life… just to name a few. Employing the spouse of a service member isn’t just for the benefit of the spouse. Easing the financial burden for a military family reduces the stress for the person serving… making it easier for them to focus on their job. And when our service member retires, or transitions out of the military, hire them too. Military service instills a sense of loyalty, a hard work ethic, and strength of character. Veterans have proven time and time again to be very valuable employees.
7) Offer a military discount.
Sure, a small discount helps out a military family. But it is about more than that. When a business offers that discount, they are saying “thank you” on a daily basis to their military customers, and it makes us feel appreciated. Many times, the entire reason some businesses are able to thrive in a town is because a neighboring military installation brings in thousands of patrons. Besides, it has been my experience that military families are very loyal. I will drive to the other side of town to use a business that offers even a 5% discount to military… because I appreciate them for showing their support, not because I think I am entitled in any way.
6) Don't Forget our Gold Star Families.
A Gold Star Family is a family who has lost a service member. Many times when someone is killed, there is an outpouring of support for the family… at first. But it seems to wane after a while as life moves on for the rest of us. For that Gold Star family, they live with the sacrifice their loved one made every single day. Their kids grow up without either mom or dad. Young widows/widowers try to put the pieces of their lives together again. Mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters are changed forever. They need, and deserve, ongoing support from the very people their husband, daughter, father, or sister made that sacrifice for. There are many great charities that would welcome your help in making sure these families always have the support they need. I will share with you my favorite. Military Spouse Magazines 2010 Army Spouse, Nicki Bunting, started an amazing charity called “Bubba’s Belly Run”. It is in honor of her husband, Capt. Brian “Bubba” Bunting who was killed in Afghanistan shortly after returning from his two-week R&R at home. Not long after receiving his death notification, Nicki learned she was pregnant with their second son. The couple had always wanted a large family. While pregnant with her deceased husband’s child, she started this annual run to raise money for Gold Star families. In the past three years, they have raised over $100,000. To find out more information about how to donate, or to bring Bubba’s Belly Run to a town near you, please visit www.bubbasbellyrun.com. On this site, you can also inquire about sending a note of support to a family who may have lost a loved one several years ago. A note from a grateful American who just wants to offer continued condolences, thoughts or prayers can be of great comfort. Nicki saves every letter she has ever received so that her boys can one day read them and know how much people appreciate the sacrifice their dad made.
5) Admitting you don't know what to say is better than saying the wrong thing.
There are a ton of “Top 10 Things NOT to Say to A Military Spouse” lists floating out there on the Internet. I won’t rehash them all here. I truly believe most civilians mean no ill will when they say things that we may perceive as insensitive. Again, it goes back to simply not understanding because you haven’t had the same experiences that we have. As spouses, we need to learn to be less sensitive and help people understand how we feel. Instead of just getting mad, we can say “I know you didn’t mean that to offend me, but saying that you understand how I feel during deployment because your husband went to a conference in DC last week, minimizes what I am going through,” is perfectly acceptable. And for civilians, it is perfectly fine to say, “I wish I knew the words to say, but I don’t. I am willing to listen though, and try to understand.”
4) Don't offer to help, just help.
Most military members and their families are very proud. We may face some unique challenges, but we like to believe we can tackle any and every thing that comes our way. The reality is that sometimes we could use a helping hand… but you won’t find us asking often. So if you say, “Please let me know what I can do to help” to a spouse who is holding down the home front alone for a year, they will graciously respond with, “Okay. Thank you!” But they will probably never ask for help. If you know a military family living in your neighborhood, there are simple things you can do. If you are mowing your lawn on a Saturday, just pop over next door and mow theirs, too. If you notice the trashcan is still at the curb two days after pick-up, pulling it to the side of the house is a nice gesture. Have enough pizza points for a free pie? Order a pizza to be delivered one night and stick a note on the door saying “Please don’t cook tonight, pizza will be delivered at 6pm.” Know a new mom who is about to come home after delivering her baby while dad is deployed? Leave a bag of essential grocery items at her front door, so she doesn’t have to navigate the store with a brand new baby. If you are friends with the next-door neighbor whose wife is at six weeks of training in the summer, ask “Can Susie please come have a sleepover with our daughter”? If you don’t know a family, Blue Star Families is a national organization that can help you find a way to help military and their families in your area. www.bluestarfam.org
3) Let Congress know that you support our troops.
There is always legislation affecting our military being discussed in our nation’s capitol. It doesn’t matter what your politics are: Making sure that our service members and veterans are fairly compensated and have services and programs available to them should be a bi-partisan issue. Let your elected officials know that while we all know tough decisions sometimes have to be made in government, Americans are committed to making sure that those who volunteer to defend our freedoms are taken care of if those sacrifices leave them with a lifetime of physical and emotional scars. Our troops are not asking for more than what they have earned, but one of the biggest ways you can support them is to make sure our country keeps good faith with the military. Call your congressional representatives and say, “I support our troops, and it will be reflected in the way I cast my ballot”.
2) Teach your children what a real hero looks like.
The number one way to make sure our troops are appreciated and supported in the future is to teach our kids what it means to serve in the U.S. Military. There are many different kinds of people that kids seem to look up to these days. Some of them are great role models, and some of them are less than perfect examples of what it means to be a responsible, productive citizen. If you are looking for a true hero for your kids to look up to, there is no shortage of them in our Armed Forces. For example, take Sergeant Dakota Meyer, veteran of The U.S. Marine Corps and a Medal of Honor recipient. The story of his bravery in combat is impressive, but so is the way he currently lives his life as a hardworking, upstanding citizen and role model. His twitter feed features a #morningmotivation every day that I enjoy reading. A recent post read “The keys to success: Sincerity, personal integrity, humility, courtesy, wisdom and charity.” You (and your teenagers) can follow him @Dakota_Meyer at www.twitter.com. Another hero to learn more about is Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills, who during his third tour to Afghanistan was critically injured by an IED. During that explosion he lost portions of both arms and legs and is currently only one of four living quadruple amputees from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. His strength and courage as he recovers from his injuries is inspiring, and his attitude will make you believe that you too can tackle any challenge you face. To learn more about his story and to get links to his You Tube clips, visit his website at www.travismills.org. Your children may not end up one day serving in the military. But by teaching them about the sacrifices made and about some of our nation’s finest, hopefully they will grow up to be appreciative of those who do serve, and will find some way to be in service to their country as well.
1) Say "Thank You", and say it often.
Some of the most touching moments we experience happen when complete strangers stop my husband to say a heartfelt “thank you.” This is perhaps the simplest thing on the list, and one that cannot be overdone. When you see someone in uniform, extend a handshake and a “thank you for your service.” When you see an older gentlemen wearing a VFW hat, ask him when he served and tell him how much you appreciate him. This may seem like a small thing, but many of our service members and vets don’t expect much. To know they are appreciated is validation enough.
When polled, members of our military will tell you over and over again: The reason they signed up was not simply for the GI Bill, health benefits or to see the world. I believe the majority of them say that it was a desire to serve their country. Their families support them unconditionally because they love them, and believe their job is important. Many military families will tell you that they do not need help, and that the only thing they want is to make sure their service member is taken care of. It is true… military families are often times strong, resilient and capable of handling things on their own. To be honest, they really don’t need the help of their fellow Americans.
But that isn’t the point. The fact is that a small percentage of our population has volunteered to serve our nation. When called upon to do so, they will lay down their lives in defense of every single one of us, and sadly too many of them have done just that. Isn’t it the responsibility of all Americans to recognize these brave men and women for their service and to do whatever we can to show our appreciation? Lending a helping hand to a military family isn’t about charity—it is a way to let our service members know that while they are serving, America will take care of their loved ones in their absence. Helping our Gold Star families is a way to say, “We can never understand your loss, but are humbly grateful for the sacrifice your loved one made.”
As a military spouse, I can tell you that I am just as proud and independent as the next person. I choose to continue to support my husband’s career, despite the hardship because I believe in what he does and I love him dearly. I do not feel entitled to any special perks because of my husband’s service, and I don’t expect a handout.
But I will tell you that when civilians take the time to show their appreciation, it makes those lonely nights, the frequent moves, the stress of yet another looming deployment… a little easier to handle. And when my husband, a Marine who has served for 16 years, gets a tear in his eye because of the kindness of a stranger who genuinely appreciates what he does… it gives me a bit of understanding into why he wanted to serve this amazing country in the first place.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Saturday, February 23, 2013
New Jersey - Land of Liberal Fucktards
Are you fucking kidding me?
New Jersey: Assembly Passes Over 20 Anti-Gun Bills
Posted on February 22, 2013
Yesterday, the New Jersey State Assembly passed over 20 pieces of anti-gun legislation that we previously reported on here. These bills now go to the state Senate and can be heard at any time, so please begin contacting your state Senator. We have been told that action on these bills is likely to happen in March or April, however, continue to follow NRA-ILA alerts. When these bills do start to move in the Senate, New Jersey Second Amendment supporters will need to protest in record numbers against them.
Below are brief descriptions of the anti-gun bills passed in the Assembly yesterday:
Assembly Bill 588 (Spencer / Coutinho / Deignan) – Could prohibit possession of commonly owned ammunition.
Assembly Bill 1116 (Fuentes / Spencer) – Establishes 180-day prohibition on purchase of handgun for certain individuals who fail to report loss or theft of firearm.
Assembly Bill 1329 (Greenwald / Quijano / Coutinho) – Reduces maximum capacity of ammunition magazines to ten rounds.
Assembly Bill 1387 (Wilson / Johnson) – Permits municipalities to establish “weapons free zones” around schools and public facilities.
Assembly Bill 1613 (Bramnick / Johnson) – Establishes Educational Security Task Force.
Assembly Bill 3510 (Johnson / Vainieri Huttle) – Requires proof of firearms safety training as a condition for issuance of firearms purchaser identification cards and permits to purchase handguns.
Assembly Bill 3583 (Wilson) – Creates task force to explore areas to improve school safety.
Assembly Bill 3645 (Greenwald / Eustace / Mosquera) - Requires ammunition sales and transfers be conducted as face-to-face transactions.
Assembly Bill 3646 (Greenwald) - Establishes a regulatory system to govern the sale and transfer of ammunition.
Assembly Bill 3659 (Barnes, III / Johnson) - Revises definition of destructive device to include certain firearms of 50 caliber or greater.
Assembly Bill 3666 (Cryan / O’Donnell / Jasey) - Prohibits mail order, internet, telephone and any other anonymous method of ammunition sale or transfer in New Jersey.
Assembly Bill 3668 (Jasey / McKeon / Cryan) - Prohibits investment by state pension and annuity funds in companies manufacturing, importing and selling “assault firearms” for civilian use.
Assembly Bill 3687 (Stender / Fuentes) - Disqualifies persons named on federal Terrorist Watchlist from obtaining a state firearms identification card or permit to purchase handgun.
Assembly Bill 3717 (Lampitt / Singleton) - Requires submission of certain mental health records to National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
Assembly Bill 3748 (O’Donnell / Mainor / McKeon) – Criminalizes the private sale or transfer of firearms.
Assembly Bill 3750 (Cryan / O’Donnell / Quijano) - Establishes regulatory and reporting program for all ammunition sales.
Assembly Bill 3754 (Cryan / O’Donnell / Quijano) - Requires firearms seizure when mental health professional determines patient poses threat of harm to self or others.
Assembly Bill 3772 (Eustace / Wagner / Vanieri Huttle) - Requires that firearms purchaser identification cards display picture and mandates that firearms purchaser identification cards be renewed every five years.
Assembly Bill 3796 (Mainor) – Provides ninety-day window for persons to dispose of certain unlawfully possessed firearms.
Assembly Bill 3797 (Mainor) – Requires law enforcement to report certain firearms information to inter-jurisdictional electronic databases including the national Integrated Ballistics Identification Network.
Assembly Committee Resolution 180 (Greenwald) – Urges President and Congress of United States to enact legislation enforcing stricter firearms control measures.
Assembly Bill R143 (Quijano / Cryan / O’Donnell) - Expresses support for Attorney General's gun “buyback” program.
Assembly Bill R144 (Oliver) – Urges Governor Christie’s Administration not to apply for annual exemption from requirements of federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.
New Jersey: Assembly Passes Over 20 Anti-Gun Bills
Posted on February 22, 2013
Yesterday, the New Jersey State Assembly passed over 20 pieces of anti-gun legislation that we previously reported on here. These bills now go to the state Senate and can be heard at any time, so please begin contacting your state Senator. We have been told that action on these bills is likely to happen in March or April, however, continue to follow NRA-ILA alerts. When these bills do start to move in the Senate, New Jersey Second Amendment supporters will need to protest in record numbers against them.
Below are brief descriptions of the anti-gun bills passed in the Assembly yesterday:
Assembly Bill 588 (Spencer / Coutinho / Deignan) – Could prohibit possession of commonly owned ammunition.
Assembly Bill 1116 (Fuentes / Spencer) – Establishes 180-day prohibition on purchase of handgun for certain individuals who fail to report loss or theft of firearm.
Assembly Bill 1329 (Greenwald / Quijano / Coutinho) – Reduces maximum capacity of ammunition magazines to ten rounds.
Assembly Bill 1387 (Wilson / Johnson) – Permits municipalities to establish “weapons free zones” around schools and public facilities.
Assembly Bill 1613 (Bramnick / Johnson) – Establishes Educational Security Task Force.
Assembly Bill 3510 (Johnson / Vainieri Huttle) – Requires proof of firearms safety training as a condition for issuance of firearms purchaser identification cards and permits to purchase handguns.
Assembly Bill 3583 (Wilson) – Creates task force to explore areas to improve school safety.
Assembly Bill 3645 (Greenwald / Eustace / Mosquera) - Requires ammunition sales and transfers be conducted as face-to-face transactions.
Assembly Bill 3646 (Greenwald) - Establishes a regulatory system to govern the sale and transfer of ammunition.
Assembly Bill 3659 (Barnes, III / Johnson) - Revises definition of destructive device to include certain firearms of 50 caliber or greater.
Assembly Bill 3666 (Cryan / O’Donnell / Jasey) - Prohibits mail order, internet, telephone and any other anonymous method of ammunition sale or transfer in New Jersey.
Assembly Bill 3668 (Jasey / McKeon / Cryan) - Prohibits investment by state pension and annuity funds in companies manufacturing, importing and selling “assault firearms” for civilian use.
Assembly Bill 3687 (Stender / Fuentes) - Disqualifies persons named on federal Terrorist Watchlist from obtaining a state firearms identification card or permit to purchase handgun.
Assembly Bill 3717 (Lampitt / Singleton) - Requires submission of certain mental health records to National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
Assembly Bill 3748 (O’Donnell / Mainor / McKeon) – Criminalizes the private sale or transfer of firearms.
Assembly Bill 3750 (Cryan / O’Donnell / Quijano) - Establishes regulatory and reporting program for all ammunition sales.
Assembly Bill 3754 (Cryan / O’Donnell / Quijano) - Requires firearms seizure when mental health professional determines patient poses threat of harm to self or others.
Assembly Bill 3772 (Eustace / Wagner / Vanieri Huttle) - Requires that firearms purchaser identification cards display picture and mandates that firearms purchaser identification cards be renewed every five years.
Assembly Bill 3796 (Mainor) – Provides ninety-day window for persons to dispose of certain unlawfully possessed firearms.
Assembly Bill 3797 (Mainor) – Requires law enforcement to report certain firearms information to inter-jurisdictional electronic databases including the national Integrated Ballistics Identification Network.
Assembly Committee Resolution 180 (Greenwald) – Urges President and Congress of United States to enact legislation enforcing stricter firearms control measures.
Assembly Bill R143 (Quijano / Cryan / O’Donnell) - Expresses support for Attorney General's gun “buyback” program.
Assembly Bill R144 (Oliver) – Urges Governor Christie’s Administration not to apply for annual exemption from requirements of federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Why Does the Anti-Gun Camp Need to Lie?
Lying sacks of dog crap. Nothing but a duplicitous den of theives. Friggin left.
By William A. Levinson
Human beings are almost universally receptive to impartial facts, and people will therefore support any course of action that is inherently right and effective. If the truth were on the side of the enemies of the Second Amendment, they would not need to lie to the public along with fellow members of Congress.
The Brady Campaign Speaks with Forked Tongue
The Brady Campaign has a long track record of using distorted statistics to deceive the American people, including well-meaning donors of 501(c)(3) tax-exempt money. Consider, for example, the Brady Campaign's statement that a firearm in the home is 43 times as likely to kill a family member as a violent criminal. The Brady Campaign, therefore, wants us to believe that gun owners shoot family members in fits of rage, when the truth is very different.
Of the gun deaths in the home, the vast majority are suicides. In the 43-to-1 figure, suicides account for nearly all the 43 unjustifiable deaths.
... Putting aside the suicides, the Kellermann/Reay figures show 2.39 accidental or criminal deaths by firearm (in the home) for every justifiable fatal shooting.
Some of the "accidents" may, in fact, be suicides, because police and newspapers sometimes preserve the decedent's reputation by saying that he shot himself while cleaning his gun. This is a physical impossibility, because you have to disassemble a gun to clean it. Even if we accept the 2.39-to-1 ratio, however, note the phrase "every justifiable fatal shooting." From police instructor Massad Ayoob's The Truth About Self Protection:
For every one shooting thirteen to fifteen criminals are deterred or driven off just by the sight of the gun, and this fully accomplishes what the homeowner bought the gun for in the first place. When you also consider the fact that only about one out of four people who are shot actually dies, you realize that for every home intruder shot dead by the resident, there are ninety-nine others who don't get killed, but who give up their assaults.
The Brady Campaign must therefore admit that, for every 43 misuses of a firearm in the home (including suicide), 100 violent felonies are prevented. For every genuinely accidental or criminal firearm-related death in the home, more than 40 violent felonies are prevented. Property theft, by the way, is not a violent felony; we are talking about rapes, aggravated assaults, and murders.
The Brady Campaign adds:
What's more, a more sobering study conducted by the Violence Prevention Research Program at the University of California-Davis found that suicide is the leading cause of death among gun buyers, especially women, in the first year after the weapon was purchased. In fact, the study -- which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine -- found that a person who purchases a handgun is 57 times more likely to commit suicide within a week of buying the weapon than the general population as a whole.
This statement confuses cause and effect and is an insult to the intelligence of anybody who has studied basic statistics. If somebody kills himself with a handgun within a week of buying it, he almost certainly bought it for the express purpose of suicide. Similar "facts" could doubtless be quoted for first-time purchases of sleeping pills (especially with alcoholic beverages) and ropes.
The Brady Campaign has also played fast and loose with campaign finance laws, as shown by the fine that the Federal Election Commission levied against it for misconduct.
In 2003, the Brady Campaign's PAC was fined $26,000 by the Federal Election Commission for failing to properly disclose $200,000 it spent on mailings in 2000 opposing two Republican House candidates, Reps. Ernest Fletcher (R-Ky.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.)
This brings us to the Million Mom March, a true poster child for the ethics, character, and integrity of the entire anti-Second Amendment movement.
The Million Mom March
The Million Mom March, with which Senators Feinstein (CA), Levin (MI), and Mikulski (MD); Hillary Clinton; Tipper Gore; and numerous members of Congress were closely associated, underscored the anti-gun movement's total lack of character and integrity as follows.
(1) Misuse of 501(c)(3) tax-exempt money to influence an election
(2) Solicitation of money, volunteer time, and corporate contributions under the fraudulent premise that firearm misuse kills 12 or 13 children a day. Dianne Feinstein, Jerrold Nadler, and many of their associates signed their names to this falsehood.
(3) A Form 990 tax return that told the IRS that the group had not tried to influence legislation even though its express purpose was to demand so-called commonsense gun laws.
A group that tells its own donors and volunteers that its mission is to promote public safety, turns around and uses the donations for lobbying and electioneering, and then tells the IRS that it spent no money on the latter activities is simply not credible. The Violence Policy Center also is on record as planning openly to lie to the public.
Assault weapons, just like armor-piercing bullets, machine guns, and plastic firearms, are a new topic. The weapons' menacing looks, coupled with the public's confusion over fully automatic machine guns versus semi-automatic assault weapons -- anything that looks like a machine gun is assumed to be a machine gun -- can only increase the chance of public support for restrictions on these weapons.
The VPC therefore seems to admit that that it is using money that is 501(c)(3) tax-exempt for educational purposes to confuse the public over the relationship between a semiautomatic rifle and a machine gun. "Plastic firearms" is yet another deliberately deceptive phrase. Many firearms have polymer frames, but their steel barrels cannot possibly get past an airport metal detector.
Dishonest Lawsuits Against the Gun Industry
The dishonesty of NY Governor Andrew Cuomo and his predecessor, Eliot Spitzer, is well-known. As argued by Spitzer before he was caught with expensive prostitutes:
It is now clear that most manufacturers and wholesalers are unwilling to give up the profits they reap from selling guns into the criminal market.
...[HUD] Secretary Cuomo said, "The gun industry should follow the lead of Smith & Wesson and accept common sense-safety [sic] standards to keep guns out of the hands of children and criminals.
Gun manufacturers already followed these standards meticulously by selling firearms to the public only through federally licensed gun dealers, who, of course, do not sell to criminals or minors. The ethics of Cuomo and Spitzer, therefore, differ little from those of common criminals -- a line that their fellow travelers Governor Rod Blagojevich (IL), Rep. Mario Biaggi (NY), and Rep. Bobby Rush (IL) crossed to become convicted felons. Rush was a member of the Black Panthers, who, at the time, called for the murder of police officers: "The Revolution has come, it's time to pick up the gun. Off the pigs!" Cop-killers and their supporters have nothing to say about gun control in which anybody should take the slightest interest.
This leaves the anti-Second Amendment camp with serious questions that are simply not going to go away. If they are right, why do they need to lie?
William A. Levinson, P.E. is the author of several books on business management including content on organizational psychology as well as manufacturing productivity and quality.
By William A. Levinson
Human beings are almost universally receptive to impartial facts, and people will therefore support any course of action that is inherently right and effective. If the truth were on the side of the enemies of the Second Amendment, they would not need to lie to the public along with fellow members of Congress.
The Brady Campaign Speaks with Forked Tongue
The Brady Campaign has a long track record of using distorted statistics to deceive the American people, including well-meaning donors of 501(c)(3) tax-exempt money. Consider, for example, the Brady Campaign's statement that a firearm in the home is 43 times as likely to kill a family member as a violent criminal. The Brady Campaign, therefore, wants us to believe that gun owners shoot family members in fits of rage, when the truth is very different.
Of the gun deaths in the home, the vast majority are suicides. In the 43-to-1 figure, suicides account for nearly all the 43 unjustifiable deaths.
... Putting aside the suicides, the Kellermann/Reay figures show 2.39 accidental or criminal deaths by firearm (in the home) for every justifiable fatal shooting.
Some of the "accidents" may, in fact, be suicides, because police and newspapers sometimes preserve the decedent's reputation by saying that he shot himself while cleaning his gun. This is a physical impossibility, because you have to disassemble a gun to clean it. Even if we accept the 2.39-to-1 ratio, however, note the phrase "every justifiable fatal shooting." From police instructor Massad Ayoob's The Truth About Self Protection:
For every one shooting thirteen to fifteen criminals are deterred or driven off just by the sight of the gun, and this fully accomplishes what the homeowner bought the gun for in the first place. When you also consider the fact that only about one out of four people who are shot actually dies, you realize that for every home intruder shot dead by the resident, there are ninety-nine others who don't get killed, but who give up their assaults.
The Brady Campaign must therefore admit that, for every 43 misuses of a firearm in the home (including suicide), 100 violent felonies are prevented. For every genuinely accidental or criminal firearm-related death in the home, more than 40 violent felonies are prevented. Property theft, by the way, is not a violent felony; we are talking about rapes, aggravated assaults, and murders.
The Brady Campaign adds:
What's more, a more sobering study conducted by the Violence Prevention Research Program at the University of California-Davis found that suicide is the leading cause of death among gun buyers, especially women, in the first year after the weapon was purchased. In fact, the study -- which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine -- found that a person who purchases a handgun is 57 times more likely to commit suicide within a week of buying the weapon than the general population as a whole.
This statement confuses cause and effect and is an insult to the intelligence of anybody who has studied basic statistics. If somebody kills himself with a handgun within a week of buying it, he almost certainly bought it for the express purpose of suicide. Similar "facts" could doubtless be quoted for first-time purchases of sleeping pills (especially with alcoholic beverages) and ropes.
The Brady Campaign has also played fast and loose with campaign finance laws, as shown by the fine that the Federal Election Commission levied against it for misconduct.
In 2003, the Brady Campaign's PAC was fined $26,000 by the Federal Election Commission for failing to properly disclose $200,000 it spent on mailings in 2000 opposing two Republican House candidates, Reps. Ernest Fletcher (R-Ky.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.)
This brings us to the Million Mom March, a true poster child for the ethics, character, and integrity of the entire anti-Second Amendment movement.
The Million Mom March
The Million Mom March, with which Senators Feinstein (CA), Levin (MI), and Mikulski (MD); Hillary Clinton; Tipper Gore; and numerous members of Congress were closely associated, underscored the anti-gun movement's total lack of character and integrity as follows.
(1) Misuse of 501(c)(3) tax-exempt money to influence an election
(2) Solicitation of money, volunteer time, and corporate contributions under the fraudulent premise that firearm misuse kills 12 or 13 children a day. Dianne Feinstein, Jerrold Nadler, and many of their associates signed their names to this falsehood.
(3) A Form 990 tax return that told the IRS that the group had not tried to influence legislation even though its express purpose was to demand so-called commonsense gun laws.
A group that tells its own donors and volunteers that its mission is to promote public safety, turns around and uses the donations for lobbying and electioneering, and then tells the IRS that it spent no money on the latter activities is simply not credible. The Violence Policy Center also is on record as planning openly to lie to the public.
Assault weapons, just like armor-piercing bullets, machine guns, and plastic firearms, are a new topic. The weapons' menacing looks, coupled with the public's confusion over fully automatic machine guns versus semi-automatic assault weapons -- anything that looks like a machine gun is assumed to be a machine gun -- can only increase the chance of public support for restrictions on these weapons.
The VPC therefore seems to admit that that it is using money that is 501(c)(3) tax-exempt for educational purposes to confuse the public over the relationship between a semiautomatic rifle and a machine gun. "Plastic firearms" is yet another deliberately deceptive phrase. Many firearms have polymer frames, but their steel barrels cannot possibly get past an airport metal detector.
Dishonest Lawsuits Against the Gun Industry
The dishonesty of NY Governor Andrew Cuomo and his predecessor, Eliot Spitzer, is well-known. As argued by Spitzer before he was caught with expensive prostitutes:
It is now clear that most manufacturers and wholesalers are unwilling to give up the profits they reap from selling guns into the criminal market.
...[HUD] Secretary Cuomo said, "The gun industry should follow the lead of Smith & Wesson and accept common sense-safety [sic] standards to keep guns out of the hands of children and criminals.
Gun manufacturers already followed these standards meticulously by selling firearms to the public only through federally licensed gun dealers, who, of course, do not sell to criminals or minors. The ethics of Cuomo and Spitzer, therefore, differ little from those of common criminals -- a line that their fellow travelers Governor Rod Blagojevich (IL), Rep. Mario Biaggi (NY), and Rep. Bobby Rush (IL) crossed to become convicted felons. Rush was a member of the Black Panthers, who, at the time, called for the murder of police officers: "The Revolution has come, it's time to pick up the gun. Off the pigs!" Cop-killers and their supporters have nothing to say about gun control in which anybody should take the slightest interest.
This leaves the anti-Second Amendment camp with serious questions that are simply not going to go away. If they are right, why do they need to lie?
William A. Levinson, P.E. is the author of several books on business management including content on organizational psychology as well as manufacturing productivity and quality.
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