Buckeye Firearms Association

BFA leaders spend a day with handgun combatives expert Dave Spaulding

drieck — Thu, 24 May 2012 07:00:00 -0400

by Dean Rieck

The leadership of Buckeye Firearms Association spend so much time with politics and legislation, we don't get to enjoy shooting and socializing as much as we'd like. So we were thrilled when an opportunity came along.

It all started when we decided to host four separate handgun training classes with Dave Spaulding. Because of Dave's outstanding reputation as a self-defense instructor, each of these events sold out within an hour of announcing them.

We got caught up in the excitement and someone got the idea to ask Dave to come in the day before our first event to run a class for a few members of our leadership team.

So we showed up on the morning of Saturday, May 19, 2012 at the private range of BFA Leader and NRA Board Member Linda Walker. The weather was sunny and warm and we spent the entire day shooting and improving our skills.

Dave teaches what he calls "Handgun Combatives," which is also the title of his best-selling book. His approach is based on the idea of keeping things simple and drilling the fundamentals. Why? Dave says, "Simple is easier to teach, easier to learn, easier to anchor in your motor skill sets and most of all easier to maintain with limited practice time and available, costly ammo."

The day began with a one-hour presentation where Dave gave us an overview of his self-defense philosophy, including mindset, stance, grip, trigger control, and ready positions. Then we hiked to the range to put the ideas into action.

We enjoyed how Dave not only explained what he wanted us to do, but why. He proved himself to be a great teacher, and a great shot as well.

Dave got up close and personal with BFA Chairman Jim Irvine as he demonstrated close quarters combat.

BFA team members stepped up to the line to practice drawing from a holster and firing.

Dave likes to shoot. And he showed off a little by drilling the target with a grouping you could easily cover with half a credit card.

We got in a lot of target practice, shooting at practical defensive distances from about 3 feet to 21 feet.

We couldn't come close to matching Dave's pistolcraft, but as this target shows, we did okay.

We ended the day around 5:00 p.m., tidied up the range, and hiked back to Linda's home where we had pizza, talked guns, and enjoyed the company of our fellow Second Amendment supporters.

We want to thank Dave and his teaching partner Brian Buchanan for spending the day with us. We all learned a lot and came away from his class with better shooting skills.

For more information on Dave Spaulding, visit his Handgun Combatives website.

Dean Rieck is BFA's Marketing and Communications Director and a direct marketing consultant for clients in the U.S., Canada, and Australia.

Young shooters invited to the 2012 National Junior Pistol Camp

drieck — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:00:00 -0400

Some of America's top shooters will be in the news as they compete in the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Junior shooters with their own Olympic dreams should sign up early for NRA's annual Junior Pistol Camp, to be held July 10-14 2012, at Camp Perry, Ohio in conjunction with NRA’s National Rifle and Pistol Championships.

This camp is without doubt one of the single most effective training sessions in competitive pistol shooting a Junior can find.

Camp students will receive expert coaching in the fundamental principles and techniques of conventional and international pistol shooting. "This is a great opportunity for any youngster who wants to improve his or her pistol skills and advance to national or international levels," said Head Coach Richard Pearson. "All instruction and coaching will be conducted by outstanding NRA Certified Coaches."

The camp is primarily designed for intermediate and advanced shooters, but beginners will be accepted on a space-available basis. Shooters need to be at least 12 years old. Students who have not reached their 18th Birthday by July 1, 2012, must be accompanied to Camp Perry by an adult sponsor (age 21 or older). An adult may not sponsor more than three junior students. Enrollment will be limited to 50 students.

The pistol camp activities will not conflict with the .22 cal. stage of the Pistol Championships, and students enrolled at the pistol camp will be able to also participate in the .22 cal. matches. Entry fees for the National Championships are not included in the camp registration fees.

REGISTRATION AND FEES:

Registration forms and fees for the camp will be accepted at NRA Headquarters on a first-come, first-served basis. For all mailed entries, the earliest postmarks will be used to determine order of acceptance. Registration fees cover all administrative costs and training materials. (The registration fees do not cover other costs such as travel and room and board.)

Travel Expense Reimbursement: First-time campers are eligible for tuition and travel reimbursements up to $500.00 per individual, up to a total of $5000.00 for the entire camp. You must provide receipts and or vehicle mileage. The Ohio Gun Collectors Association generously provides this support.
Advance Registration: The fee for advance registration is $200.00 per student, and must be received by the NRA not later than June 15, 2012.
Standard Registration: The fee for standard registration is $225.00 per student. This fee will be charged for students whose registration materials are received after June 15, 2012 (postmarks will determine acceptance of all mailed materials), or for students who register directly at Camp Perry.
In the case of cancellation, refunds will be issued less a 20% administrative fee.

Click here to download registration forms and additional information. Address questions to National Rifle Association - Training Department, Education and Training Division, 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030 - (703) 267-1411.

MAIG Coordinators Paid as City Employees, Saves Gun-Hater’s Money

cbaus — Wed, 23 May 2012 07:00:00 -0400

Editor's Note - Last Friday, Buckeye Firearms Association broke the news that anti-gun Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman is mailing invitations to join Mayors Against Illegal Guns on official letterhead. The rabbit hole, it appears, goes far, far deeper. The following op-ed originally appeared on the author's blog, AllNineYards.com. Republished with permission.

by Sean Caranna

Here's a great way to reduce overhead and be effective at running a national organization dedicated to infringing on the gun rights of everyday people all at the same time... Have cities hire your people for you so that tax payers cover 1/4 of your people's salary and benefits, pay for most of their operational costs, and finance all of their other resources! It also embeds your people as leaders in city government so that you don't have to lobby there!

Sounds like another conspiracy theory from the tinfoil hat brigade... Right?

Back in March, while researching the repeal of some anti-gun ordinances, I stumbled across an Orlando City Council agenda item that grabbed my attention. It was, on its surface, just a mundane action item for the annual contract renewal of a city employee. But this city employee's job title was, well, unique...

"Approving Employment Contract for the Grant-Funded Position of Mayors Against Illegal Guns Regional Coordinator." City of Orlando Website

The agenda included a budgetary breakdown for how a $75,000 grant from the "United Against Illegal Guns Support Fund" was to be spent.

$60,000 in salary and benefits for the "MAIG Regional Coordinator"
$2,000 for Supplies
$3,000 for Contractual Services
$10,000 for Travel

Also attached was the Fiscal Impact statement. It showed that this employee's salary and benefits were expected to cost the city $84,000 for the year. It allocated $24,000 from the city's "General Fund" to cover the grant's shortfall.

The employee's resume was also attached.

Linda S. Vaughn

Southeast U. S. Regional Director (thirteen states) for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
Florida Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence
Lobbyist for Mayors Against Illegal Guns, Florida Retail Federation, Early Childhood Association
She "organized and activated the Floridians Against Workplace Violence Coalition for the sole purpose of defeating" the bill that protects parking lot storage of lawful guns in private vehicles.
Mayors Against Illegal Guns – Lobbying to close the "gun show loophole" (prohibiting private sales of firearms) and to close the "terror gap" (depriving people of their right to keep and bear arms without due-process by putting them on the no-fly list).

This is also the same Linda S. Vaughn who was busted trying to bait people into illegal gun transfers in 2004.

She is a long time anti-gun lobbyist in Florida who lives in Tallahassee.

So, Linda S. Vaughn is paid a salary of at least $60,000 per year by the City of Orlando using grant funds provided by the Chicago based Joyce Foundation in collusion with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's Mayors Against Illegal Guns. She also receives city medical, dental and leave accrual benefits at taxpayer expense. Her authorized pay range tops out at $228,113.60 for this job annually.

Once I put these facts all together, I went in to my closet and put on my wookie suit. Then I took the red pill, locked and loaded, and dove in to the rabbit hole trying to see how far it goes. On Friday I came screaming out of the other end flying at mach 3, pissed off, pissed on, and with my wookie suit in flames.

The tinfoil hat wearing "the government is in bed with the gun-haters and using my tax dollars to take away my guns," conspiracy theorists were right. These gun ban lobbyists are being paid with tax money and are operating in government positions all over the country to do the work of the anti-gun groups.

The Mayors Against Illegal Guns and the Brady Campaign's operatives' work to further gun control is financed on the public dime.

The number of regulatory, enforcement, policy, legislative, and other types of gun ban schemes that these people are involved with is utterly mind-blowing. They're attempting to use USDOJ operation "Weed and Feed" grant money to do gun buybacks; they're pushing everything from registration to micro-stamping, outright bans on lawful firearm possession to zero tolerance rules to arrest kids who have toy guns. You name it; they're doing it to attempt to make all guns illegal; and they're working for MAIG out of city offices with the authority of city officials on the public dime.

The City of Orlando's job description for their resident gun ban operative is a sobering look at the anti-gun agenda and lobbying strategy of MAIG.

Some cities have used abbreviated titles and even blatantly deceptive names for these positions which are filled by Bloomberg's anti-gun rights political operatives. Dept of Health, Injury and Prevention Program, Program Manager; MAIG Coordinator; MAIGC Regional Coordinator; these are just the ones I have found so far. It's going to take a lot more research to find them all but there is one system that always provides fast results, follow the money. When a city takes the grant money it gets directed to a department and often an individual employment contract.

Complicating matters more is that some of the appointments use nothing but tax dollars. William Morales is a Milwaukee, WI Police officer who was taken off the street and put on a one-year leave of absence so he could be Mayor Barrett's representative to the Mayors Against Illegal Guns as Regional Coordinator. Paulina DeHaan now holds the job.

These gun control lobbyists have been drawing government paychecks and operating city departments at tax payer expense to take away your right to bear arms for almost a decade. The Joyce Foundation and Bloomberg's groups have provided millions in funding to the cities that put Bloomberg's people in place, but they do not pay anything close to the entire bill.

Public statements and press releases about these "MAIG RCs" are noticeably scarce. The one that I did find from a Mayor employing activists on behalf of MAIG is highly deceptive. It completely ignores that fact that the grants only cover about 3/4 of the employee's direct expense to the city and none of the direct or indirect expenses of other city resources used by Bloomberg's private anti-gun lobbying group.

"Funded by the grant, the regional coordinator who will work out of Mayor Coleman's office with the full support of the mayor, his staff and the Columbus Department of Public Safety. The coordinator will be charged with advancing common-sense state and local policies to address gun violence in Ohio, facilitate the enforcement of existing gun laws and engage partners among additional mayors, law enforcement, the firearms industry and the faith community."
...
"I am thrilled that Mayor Coleman and the City of Columbus will host the new Ohio regional coordinator for Mayors Against Illegal Guns," said New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, coalition co-chair."

- Columbus Ohio Press Rel. Apr 2010

Even if the Illegal Mayors and the Brady Bunch provided 100% of the funds it would still be private/public collusion of the worst kind. Could you imagine the scathing editorials, cries of corruption, and the lawsuits that would be filed if the City of Orlando were to put Marion Hammer on staff as their NRA Regional Coordinator? How about if they made me the City Coordinator of Florida Carry, Inc. Interoperation?

Florida Carry will be looking closely at everything MAIG's Linda Vaughn is doing in her position with the City of Orlando. Her work products and materials are subject to Florida Sunshine Laws. We are demanding the disclosure of all documents, emails, records, and other materials related to her work with the City, State, and MAIG. Florida has some of the best firearms preemption laws in the country, any violations of that law by government employees will result in Florida Carry taking appropriate legal action. We also want to determine what work she is doing for private lobbying groups while collecting a city paycheck.

There will be an official release from Florida Carry about this situation next week.

Here's a list of the Brady Bunch/MAIG shills I’ve found working for cities across the US thus far.

Leslie Manning
Coordinator, Mayors Against Illegal Guns
Augusta, ME

Paulina DeHaan
Regional Coordinator Mayors Against Illegal Guns
Milwaukee, WI

Angelo Roefaro
Former MAIG Coordinator
Utica, NY
Left to work for Sen. Schumer

Title Unknown
Minneapolis, MN

Lee Roberts
MAIG Regional Coordinator
Columbus, OH

Title Unknown
Lewiston, ME

Office of Intergovernmental Relations
Seattle, WA

MAIG Regional Coordinator
Reading, PA

Daniel Cronrath
Former MAIG Coordinator
Jacksonville, FL
2003 to 2010 Served under Mayor Peyton (R). Fired when Mayor Brown (D) was elected 2010.

Linda S. Vaughn
MAIG Regional Coordinator
Orlando, FL

Sean Caranna is the founder and Executive Director of Florida Carry, Inc. He spent eight years in the U.S. Army as an Infantry NCO, including active duty service in Europe, Bosnia, and South America; he also served in the Florida Army National Guard. Since leaving the military he has worked in the computer imaging, simulation, and advanced information-technology fields.

Video: Girls and Guns - Behind the trend

cbaus — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:00:00 -0400

WDTN (NBC Dayton) recently ran an extensive and informative look at the increasing trend in woman purchasing firearms and obtaining their concealed handgun licenses.

H.R. 822 would allow any person with a valid state-issued concealed firearm permit to carry a concealed firearm in any state that issues concealed firearm permits, or that does not prohibit the carrying of concealed firearms for lawful purposes. A state's laws governing where concealed firearms may be carried would apply within its borders. The bill applies to D.C., Puerto Rico and U.S. territories. It would not create a federal licensing system; rather, it would require the states to recognize each others' carry permits, just as they recognize drivers' licenses and carry permits held by armored car guards. Rep. Stearns has introduced such legislation since 1995.

To download the letter, which includes the signature of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, please click here.

State Attorneys General

A Communication from the Chief Legal Officers
of the Following States and Territories:

Alabama * Alaska * Arizona * Arkansas * Georgia * Guam * Idaho * Kansas * Kentucky Louisiana * Maine * Michigan * Mississippi * Missouri * Montana * Nebraska * New Mexico * North Dakota * Ohio * South Dakota * Utah * West Virginia * Wyoming

April 25, 2012

Dear Congressmen Stearns and Shuler:

Thank you for sponsoring H.R. 822 (National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act) in the 112th Congress. As you know, this legislation – which has 245 cosponsors – enhances the right to self-defense by enabling millions of concealed carry license or permit holders to exercise their right to personal protection while traveling outside their home states.

While some have suggested this legislation would endanger public safety, our experience suggests the opposite. Individuals with concealed carry permits from our states have proven to be more law-abiding than non-licensees, and in many instances have been able to defend themselves and others effectively from criminal attack. Many of our states also have laws recognizing out-of-state permits, and people carrying concealed handguns under those laws have done so without any unusual problems. Finally, our law enforcement agencies have been able to authenticate out-of-state permits promptly, when needed.

We are pleased that the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 822 by a 272-154 vote on November 16, 2011 and therefore urge the U.S. Senate to pass it as well.

Dustin McDaniel
Arkansas Attorney General

William J. Schneider
Maine Attorney General

Bill Schuette
Michigan Attorney General

Chris Koster
Missouri Attorney General

Luther Strange
Alabama Attorney General

Michael Geraghty
Alaska Attorney General

Tom Horne
Arizona Attorney General

Sam Olens
Georgia Attorney General

Lenny Rapadas
Guam Attorney General

Lawrence Wasden
Idaho Attorney General

Derek Schmidt
Kansas Attorney General

Jack Conway
Kentucky Attorney General

James "Buddy" Caldwell
Louisiana Attorney General

Jim Hood
Mississippi Attorney General

Steve Bullock
Montana Attorney General

Jon Bruning
Nebraska Attorney General

Gary King
New Mexico Attorney General

Wayne Stenehjem
North Dakota Attorney General

Mike Dewine
Ohio Attorney General

Marty J. Jackley
South Dakota Attorney General

Mark Shurtleff
Utah Attorney General

Darrell V. McGraw, JR.
West Virginia Attorney General

Greg Phillips
Wyoming Attorney General

Video: OSU Student Group Asks For Dialogue On Allowing Concealed Handguns On Campus

cbaus — Mon, 21 May 2012 15:00:00 -0400

WCMH (NBC Columbus) reported recently on a forum held by an Ohio State University student group to encourage discussion on allowing concealed handguns on campus.

Ohio Gun Collector's Association 75th Anniversary: A celebration of freedom

cbaus — Mon, 21 May 2012 07:00:00 -0400

by Larry S. Moore

The Ohio Gun Collectors Association (OGCA) is celebrating their 75th anniversary this year. First a word about the OGCA meetings and show is appropriate. The OGCA shows are not open to the general public. You must be a member or a visitor sponsored by a member in order to attend the show. The meetings and shows have been held at the Roberts Center outside Wilmington, Ohio for many years. There is also a special event now at the IX Center in Cleveland.

The annual display show includes museum quality antique, military, sporting and educational displays. OGCA presents awards to the display competitors recognizing the outstanding displays in several categories. The member attendees get a unique opportunity to view the results of a lifetime of firearms and historical collections.

The highlight was the annual membership and award banquet held this year at the Manor House in Mason. Cecil Parker, OGCA President, served as the master of ceremony for the evening. Parker introduced the current State of Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, noting that Mandel is running against current Senator Sherrod Brown.

Mandel briefly noted, "I am very happy to be here tonight with people who value freedom and care so much about our rights and Constitution. I was inspired by my Grandfather to join the Marine Corps. I reflect about that bond and the oath to defend the Constitution. When I think about my oath to defend the Constitution, I think about the Second Amendment. I see something that is not gray but black and white. I believe very strongly that individual citizens should have the right to protect their families, homes and businesses. They should have the right to hunt and use firearms however they wish within the bounds of the law. I'm proud of what OGCA and everyone in this room does to protect freedom and the Second Amendment."

Parker next introduced the keynote speaker for the evening Wayne LaPierre, Executive Vice President of The National Rifle Association. Parker noted that we all know him as "the face, voice and heart of the NRA".

"It's an honor to be here for the 75th anniversary of the OGCA. Thanks to all the members of the OGCA and for everything you have done for so many years, day in and day out, for our freedom. Also with the folks from Buckeye Firearms. Everyone here hasw done such great work. Everything the NRA does is through each person across this great country who are determined not to lose the great freedoms we have. That's the success of the NRA day in and day out. When I look at the NRA it's about our membership and giving voice to our members. The NRA is about freedom, patriotism and core American values. We feel a bond to the fabric of America that keeps our country free. Our American culture is uniquely and deeply embedded in the Second Amendment individual right to own a gun. The Second Amendment is a metaphor for freedom. You are not free if you can't defend yourself", LaPierre began.

He continued, "The 75th Anniversary is the diamond anniversary. That's the hardest stone and the Second Amendment is the hardest stone for freedom in the USA. We get up every day freer than anyone else on the face of this planet. No one has duplicated the USA because of the freedoms we have in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. I can't tell you how many times I heard Charlton Heston say that the doorway to freedom is framed by the muskets that first defended it at that Concord Bridge. Throughout history the right of self-defense has been recognized by legal and religious scholars. The freedom of self-defense was written into our Constitution. The only people who don't get it are those liberals and elite who don't face what the average citizen faces every day. We have phenomenal success removing many restrictions of our Second Amendment freedoms. Today forty-one states have shall issue concealed carry laws; court cases have reaffirmed that the Second Amendment is an individual right; and the NRA Eddie Eagle program has reached over 23 million American young people making them safer.

Regarding the shooting sports LaPierre noted, "Before there was baseball or football in this country there were the shooting sports. The shooting sports teaches safety, discipline and responsibility. More people participate in the shooting sports than golf, tennis and skiing. It's the great American pastime. We are a $32 billion industry with over 100 million gun owners and 15 million hunters. We are the ones who are the backbone of conservation dollars in this country."

LaPierre boiled down the Second Amendment fight saying, "The battle over our Second Amendment rights is about the non-elite and non-celebrity citizen. It's about everyday Americans having freedoms and protection under the Constitution. Americans are buying guns in record numbers. Women are buying guns. Americans are embracing this freedom because they know if everything else goes wrong, it will be up to us to get our family and protect them with guns. We all need to support freedom. We need to get out and make a difference."

Regarding the upcoming elections, LaPierre urged everyone to get involved, "This is an all in election year. All our rights and freedoms, indeed our way of life, are on the line. It means each one of us must be involved. No one can sit this one out. We are patriots. We are Americans. We must be all in for freedom!"

It was a wonderful evening to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the OGCA. It was the vision of the thirty-three founding members who met at the home of Miller C. Bedford to create the OGCA. The OGCA has grown to be the largest firearms and memorabilia collectors organization in the world! The members of the OGCA embody the true spirit of patriotism combined with an unique appreciation of firearms and history. Congratulations on a great display show and banquet. For more information on the OGCA go to www.ogca.com/.

Outdoor writer and hunter education instructor Larry S. Moore is a long-time volunteer leader for Buckeye Firearms Foundation and winner of the 2005 USSA Patriot Award, the 2007 League of Ohio Sportsmen/Ohio Wildlife Federation Hunter Educator of the Year and the 2010 National Wild Turkey Federation/ Women in the Outdoors Hunter Education Instructor of the Year.

Stand Your Ground against reckless journalists and mayors

cbaus — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:00:00 -0400

Editor's Note: The following article was written in response to an op-ed by E.J. Dionne published in The Washington Post under the title "Why the NRA pushes stand your ground." It was also published around the country in other publications, including the Greene County (OH) Dailies under the title "Stand ground against guns - Reckless politicians fail to act after Trayvon killing."

by Larry S. Moore

The Opinion piece by E.J. Dionne charges that "Reckless politicians fail to act after Trayvon killing." His byline says he offers "reasoned political analysis from an energetic progressive viewpoint. That's a lot of words to say "mainstream liberal who hates guns." Perhaps he gets paid by the word. His reasoned political analysis absolutely parrots the Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG) to the point that Dionne barely had to type the words. Cut and paste would have saved him considerable effort.

The only people acting recklessly in the wake of this tragedy are those who seek to exploit it and the family for their gain. Largely this effort has been led by MAIG headed by New York City Mayor Bloomberg. The piece credits Boston's Mayor Tom Menino as the co-chair for these efforts. Columbus anti-gun Mayor Michael Coleman is certainly worthy of distinction for his efforts. He has been busy sending letters to mayors across the state and within Greene County imploring them to join MAIG. Mayor Coleman's letters proudly carry the seal of his office and the Mayor's address and urges anyone interested to contact personnel within his office. A private campaign against freedom and the right of self-defense is being conducted from offices funded by the taxpayers of Columbus. And he dares to speak about ethics. That's what I expect from a reasoned progressive; telling me how to conduct my life while they live off others' money.

MAIG and their friends in the mainstream liberal media would have us believe that the Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground laws are a menace to society. Perhaps they are something dreamed up by the NRA and foisted onto legislatures across the land. These legislatures must tremble at the mention of the NRA according to Dionne.

Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground Laws trace to Blackstone and old English Law. English Parliament passed a law for excusable homicide if you were attacked. The year was 1532. Many states in the United States had abandoned any duty to retreat with a majority of states having no duty to retreat within your home. This was years before the "Stand Your Ground" laws started moving through more current legislatures. The presumption of the law is that you have a right to defend yourself. Most of these laws use terms indicating a fear of life or great bodily harm is required to be justified in using deadly force. However, cases were often prosecuted inconsistently within a state.

So the Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground laws are an attempt to apply the law consistently. Castle Doctrine applies in the home and stand your ground when you are in public. They generally put the burden of proof on the prosecutor to prove one did not act correctly rather than solely on the defendant to prove innocence.

The MAIG and the press supporting them are reckless in their rush to judgment. I've read various accounts of what happened, didn't happen or might have happened leading up to the shooting. It is premature to offer conjecture whether Zimmerman was within the law and his rights to fire in self-defense or whether he is guilty of manslaughter. The wheels of justice grind slowly. Hopefully we will eventually get to the truth at a trial.

Until then the MAIG has made their points, scored their victory, raised their money and fooled a few more mayors into joining their misguided attempts at restricting the right of self-defense, all the while supported by those reasoned progressives in the press. The facts are that concealed carry and Castle Doctrine laws are, unfortunately, needed in our society today. There are those who will attack unsuspecting people. Most of us don't have around-the-clock police protection afforded to Mayors such as Bloomberg and Coleman. Our right of self-defense, Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground, may be all that affords us protection. And if used incorrectly, we can still go to jail.

Buckeye Firearms Assn's Linda Walker discusses Stand Your Ground laws on Cleveland PBS panel show as national debate continues

cbaus — Fri, 18 May 2012 07:00:00 -0400

On Wednesday, April 25, WCPN/WVIZ-PBS took up the debate concerning self-defense laws on a panel show called The Sound of Ideas.

Included in the discussion were Kevin C. McMunigle, law professor, Case Western Reserve University; Lori O'Neill, O'Neill Marketing Strategies, Inc., firearms law consultant; Linda Walker, Central Ohio chair, Buckeye Firearms Association; and Mary Ann Kovach, chief legal counsel, Summit Co. Prosecutor's office.

Click here to view the video, or download an MP3 podcast.

Rumor Control: Does S. 1813 bill allow the IRS to seize your passport and your guns?

cbaus — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:00:00 -0400

Reports have been circulating regarding S. 1813--a highway bill recently passed by the U.S. Senate. The story goes that this bill would allow the IRS to seize your passport and your guns if you owe more than $50,000 in back taxes. The claims are totally bogus.

Although the bill is certainly long and complex, those who suggest that the bill is anti-gun are totally misreading it.

The only firearms-related language in this bill is part of a lengthy provision on hazardous material transportation. The language (see bottom of page 1320) makes clear that the personal transportation of firearms and ammunition isn't regulated or prohibited by the federal hazardous material transportation laws, and commercial transportation isn't prohibited by those laws. This is a pro-gun, rather than anti-gun, provision.

Some reports claim the bill would allow the government to revoke gun permits. However, the "permits" referred to (on page 1323 of the bill) are "special permits" related to hazardous material transportation, and have nothing to do with firearms. This section of the bill begins on page 1314 of the bill, which provides citations to the relevant sections of Title 49, U.S. Code, none of which relates to firearms.

All of this is also completely unrelated to the bill's provisions on revocation of passports for people with unpaid taxes. Those provisions appear in a separate part of the bill. Contrary to some reports, the revocation of an individual's passport does not prohibit the person from possessing firearms.