Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. (VCDL)

Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc.
PO. Box 513, Newington, VA 22122 • 804-639-0600 • 703-372-3285 • 757-271-3705 • 540-446-5783

09/24/09 - VCDL Update 9/24/09 - Part 1

Abbreviations used in VA-ALERT: http://www.vcdl.org/help/abbr.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- VCDL Update 9/24/09 - "Princes and governments are far more dangerous than other elements within society." - Niccolo Machiavelli 1. State forest regulations -- carrying handguns in state forests 2. Have you renewed your VCDL membership? 3. FBI study dispels gun show loophole myth 4. OK to carry guns on Virginia Rail Express (VRE) 5. Senate passes measure to allow gun transport on Amtrak 6. Speaking out against firearms on Amtrak? 7. Brady campaign responds to NRA endorsement of McDonnell 8. LTE-RT: The NRA endorsed the wrong candidate 9. LTE: Citizens with guns will reclaim national parks 10. Brook helps "trigger the vote!" 11. Who needs a gun at home at 10:45am? 12. Richmond Police Department proudly destroys so-called "illegal" guns 13. Clumsy home-invasion robber gets shot with own gun 14. Photos from the tea party in Lynchburg 15. Sen. Warner voted to confirm Obama regulatory czar Cass Sustein 16. Candidate under fire for being pro-Second Amendment 17. Mother and child bound during home invasion 18. Cops: Student uses sword to kill intruder 19. A risk and an opportunity involving the Richmond tea party 20. Open carry experiences this weekend 21. Details on Qik link - very useful when needing video as evidence 22. The original meaning of the Second Amendment 23. Federal judge rules police cannot detain people for openly carrying guns 24. Appleseed project 25. Ricochet debate, part 4? 26. Media hysteria (again) 27. Who needs a gun on campus? 28. At some point, gun owners must wonder if they're being played 29. Axe-wielding pupil wounds several in German school 30. Antis trying to use extremely rare crimes by CHP holders to their advantage ************************************************** 1. State forest regulations -- carrying handguns in state forests ************************************************** Pete Ewing emailed me this: -- During the Notice of Intended Regulatory Action (NOIRA) stage, the Department of Forestry (DOF) received 1926 comments supporting the amendment of State Forest regulations to allow the carrying of concealed handguns on State Forests by persons possessing a valid concealed weapon permit. The DOF will proceed to the Proposed Regulation Public Comment stage with the intent to amend the State Forest regulations to allow the carrying of concealed handguns on State Forests by persons possessing a valid concealed weapon permit. DOF will also provide a public hearing opportunity during the Notice of Proposed Regulation Public Comment stage. DOF appreciates receiving comments from all who commented on the proposed regulatory amendment during the NOIRA stage. For information regarding this matter, please feel free to contact Ron Jenkins, Assistant State Forester, at 434 - 220 - 9022, or by email at ron.jenkins*dof.virginia.gov. ************************************************** 2. Have you renewed your VCDL membership? ************************************************** Renewing now will save VCDL the cost of mailing you another renewal notice. VCDL Membership Director Jackie Blundell emailed me this: "We are starting to put together the second notice mailing for membership renewals. If you haven't gotten around to sending off your renewal, now would be a good time so that you could save us the money for printing and mailing the second notice. If you'd like to get your new card more quickly, on-line via the web site is the fastest way. Put 'Renewal' and your membership number if you have it in the 'Instructions to Merchant' field." http://www.vcdl.org/static/signup.html Thanks - Jackie ************************************************** 3. FBI study dispels gun show loophole myth ************************************************** http://tinyurl.com/no5272 www.alphecca.com It may not be definitive -- no study ever is -- but when it comes to Brady Bunch and VPC fundraising lies, this is damning: The study involved a pool of more than 800 incidents from which researchers selected 40, involving 43 offenders (13 of them admitted gangbangers/drug traffickers) and 50 police officers. What researchers found was that handguns were used in the assaults on officers and all but one were obtained illegally. None of the firearms in the study was obtained from gun shows. None of the offenders pick a particular type of gun to use because he/she felt it would do the most damage. [...] In conclusion, none of the criminals studied was hindered by any law, federal, state or local, established to prevent gun ownership. They just laughed at gun laws. Police officers faced with an armed criminal who hesitates while he/she decides to shoot or don't shoot will likely find himself/herself a potentially deadly split second or more behind the criminal who has no hesitation whatsoever about pulling the trigger. The study (interviews) also found that these mutants often practiced with their weapons more than police officers did. When you read the whole thing (I'd like to find a link to the original FBI report) you'll also realize why "Stand Your Ground" laws (the so- called Castle Doctrine) are so important. These creeps will kill you in a blink of an eye. You don't have time to decide whether they mean it or not or whether your shooting them is justified. If someone assaults you with a gun, you better have yours ready and you have to be able. Further, it makes it all to clear that you should get in a lot of practice at the range. ************************************************** OK to carry guns on Virginia Rail Express (VRE) ************************************************** Board of Directors of the Virginia Rail Express (VRE) votes to let train riders carry loaded guns http://tinyurl.com/ksqzlu www.examiner.com Virginia OKs gun carry on trains By Mike Stollenwerk September 19, 2009 SNIP With all the howling this week over at the New York Times Editorial Board about Senate passage of the Wicker Amendment, its refreshing to learn that the Board of Directors of the Virginia Rail Express (VRE) voted yesterday to let train riders carry loaded guns. While the Wicker Amendment passed by the Senate this week requires AMTRAK to let train riders check their unloaded guns in cases onto trains as is done by the airlines, the VRE Board passed a resolution just two days later (September 18, 2009) to let riders carry loaded guns. .. . . However, as is the case in vehicle or foot travel, nobody commits a crime under federal law (unless you count DC law) for merely traveling the country while carrying your loaded gun on AMTRAK. ************************************************** 5. Senate passes measure to allow gun transport on Amtrak ************************************************** Craig Faunce emailed me this: -- Money talks! http://tinyurl.com/o3h5ff www.cnn.com Senate passes measure to allow gun transport on Amtrak Wed September 16, 2009 By Evan Glass CNN WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Amtrak would lose its federal subsidies if it doesn't put a system in place by early next year to check and track firearms so that passengers can legally put the weapons in their checked baggage, the Senate voted Wednesday. The measure, an amendment to the transportation and housing appropriations bill, passed 68-30. The House version of the bill, passed in July, does not include the provision, so further steps would be needed for it to reach President Obama's desk. Amtrak's current policy prohibits passengers from carrying "any type of gun, firearm, ammunition, explosives or weapon" in carry-on or checked baggage. Amtrak spokesman Steve Kulm said firearms had been allowed in checked baggage before the September 11 attacks. However, despite the policy change, the company has no uniform system of screening for firearms, Amtrak Chairman Thomas Carper noted in a letter to Sens. Patty Murray and Christopher Bond decrying Wednesday's congressional mandate. They are the top Democrat and Republican, respectively, on the Appropriations Committee's transportation subcommittee. "Unlike the airline industry, Amtrak has no system in place for a uniform system of screening for weapons," Carper wrote. The railroad has no secure loading areas, and trains make multiple stops, he said. Employees also would need intensive training. Further, he said, the National Railroad Passenger Corp. (Amtrak) has neither the money nor the time to meet the Senate's timetable to put such a system in place. Carper warned that if Amtrak were to lose federal funds, it would result in the "cessation of all Amtrak service nationwide." According to its Web site, Amtrak has in place "a range of behind-the- scenes and front-line security measures" that include random passenger and carry-on baggage screening; checked baggage screening; K-9 units; onboard security checks; and identification checks. "As part of our security strategy, randomly selected passengers and their baggage, handbags, backpacks or other personal items may be screened or inspected," it says. "Passengers failing to consent to security procedures will be denied access to trains and refused carriage, and a refund will be offered." The gun measure was sponsored by Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Mississippi. He introduced the same legislation in August as part of the budget resolution, and it was approved with bipartisan support, but the provision was removed during final House-Senate negotiations. "Under current practices, all of the American domestic airlines permit firearms in their checked luggage. Other American passenger railroads also allow checked firearms," Wicker said on the Senate floor Wednesday. "Only the federally subsidized Amtrak prohibits law-abiding American citizens from exercising their Second Amendment rights in checked baggage," he said. Murray opposed the legislation. "In order to receive any federal funding under this amendment, Amtrak would have six months to build a process for checking and tracking firearms," she said. "It would have to find the manpower necessary to screen and guard firearms, and it would have to purchase the equipment necessary. Now there is nothing in the underlying appropriations to pay for any of that. So this amendment is going to put a severe burden on them and if they do not comply, Amtrak will shut down." The measure lays out the following guidelines: * Before checking the bag or boarding the train, the passenger must declare that the firearm or pistol is in his or her bag and is unloaded. * The firearm or pistol must be carried in a hard-sided container. * The hard-sided container must be locked, and only the passenger has the combination or key. ************************************************** 6. Speaking out against firearms on Amtrak? ************************************************** NY Mayor Michael Bloomberg puts his foot in his mouth on guns, again "'If anyone in Congress thinks the threat of terrorist attacks on trains have gone away, they are mistaken,' the mayor said." ROFL! - typical of New York Mayor Bloomberg's stupidity: while trying to keep us disarmed on trains, he is actually making a great case for us to be armed - terrorists! http://tinyurl.com/mgfr78 www.theepochtimes.com Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez, Representative Carolyn McCarthy, Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter, Trenton Mayor Douglas H. Palmer, Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy and Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly today stood together in Penn Station to urge the House of Representatives to reject legislation that would allow Amtrak train passengers to travel with guns in checked luggage. The Senate passed an amendment to the transportation and housing appropriations bill on Sept. 16, that would force Amtrak to install a system to screen and check firearms so passengers could legally keep weapons in their checked bags within half a year, or Amtrak will lose 1.6 billion dollars in federal funding. Amtrak currently does not have a system for screening weapons, nor does it allow firearms to be carried or checked in. The bill still needs to go through Congress and Mayor Bloomberg made an announcement to express his views. "If anyone in Congress thinks the threat of terrorist attacks on trains have gone away, they are mistaken," the mayor said. Bloomberg said that the Amtrak security was already pretty lax, and if the new bill passes, there wouldn't be anything keeping someone from carrying multiple assault weapons in their baggage. "And the American people will blame the Senate if a terrorist attack does occur," he said. "It has nothing to do with the second amendment and the right to bear arms, but everything to do with keeping passengers safe." Congresswoman Caroline McCarthy (D-NY) was present and expressed her concern for the bill as well. When she learned that the bill would allow guns on trains, she thought, "What else are they going to do? Why make their [police officers] jobs harder by letting guns on trains?" She recounted that in 1993 on a train in Long Island, her husband was killed and her son injured because a gun had been brought onto the train. "And now you're going to make it legal to bring guns onto Amtrak?" she asked. "It's not right and we can do a better job." Speaking to the notion that having guns on trains may prevent deaths and injuries if an attack occurred, because they would help the passengers defend themselves, Congresswoman McCarthy replied that having more guns on the train would only result in more, not less damage. "We just don't need any more guns. We don't need any more danger," Mayor Bloomberg said. Jerramiah Healy, mayor of Jersey City, was present as well, and called the bill gratuitous. He said that there was no outcry from any group that said they needed firearms to better protect themselves on the railroads, and that this was only gun lobbyists wanting to get their way. He also said it would be expensive, as well as foolhardy. Amtrak currently does not have equipment to screen for firearms, nor the money for a screening system. If Amtrak were to lose the federal funding for the railroad, however, it would be a severe burden. ************************************************** 7. Brady campaign responds to NRA endorsement of McDonnell ************************************************** Helmke: Creigh Deeds wants to close 'gun show loophole,' McDonnell doesn't even acknowledge that one exists http://tinyurl.com/nvb8cq Bruce Jackson emailed me this: -- http://voices.washingtonpost.com Brady Campaign Responds to NRA Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, has issued a statement responding to the National Rifle Association's endorsement of Bob McDonnell for governor. According to Helmke, the "one critical issue" that separates Virginia's candidates for governor on gun rights is the tightening of rules for buying weapons at gun shows--the so-called gun show loophole. "Creigh Deeds agrees with the families of the victims of Virginia Tech that the most dangerous people, prohibited by law from purchasing guns from federally licensed gun dealers, shouldn't be able to get around those laws by buying them from non-licensed gun sellers at weapons bazaars," Helmke said in his statement. "Bob McDonnell, who now refuses to acknowledge that this gaping loophole in Virginia gun laws even exists, appears eager to do whatever the gun lobby wants him to. That's playing politics with public safety, and the voters should judge the candidates accordingly." ************************************************** 8. LTE-RT: The NRA endorsed the wrong candidate ************************************************** Second LTE down. From The Roanoke Times: http://tinyurl.com/ndbdmd The NRA endorsed the wrong candidate Saturday, September 19, 2009 Re: NRA throws support to McDonnell," Sept. 15 news story: The NRA just endorsed Bob McDonnell, after endorsing Creigh Deeds in 2005. Back then, they said McDonnell had voted five times against pro-gun measures, one being the amendment guaranteeing the right to hunt and fish in Virginia for future years to come, which was sponsored by Deeds. McDonnell also voted for the 1993 gun control measure. The NRA rated him a B and Deeds has always gotten an A rating for 18 years. Deeds has always been a hunter and gun supporter, has voted against all anti-gun laws except the gun show loophole, only after meeting with the Tech families and his own area he represents. This shouldn't be a law anyway. Why does a dealer need a background check at a show when an individual seller doesn't to sell a gun? It's a crazy law. The only thing McDonnell has done pro-gun is go against the mayor of New York for sting operations in other states. Thirty-five other attorneys general did the same. The point is, for one time in 20 years, we have a person who is a true sportsman and has a pro-gun record for more than 18 years. He has gone against Democrats several times on gun votes and swayed many to change. I don't care what party he represents, he deserves better from the NRA. MIKE SMITH BOONES MILL ************************************************** 9. LTE: Citizens with guns will reclaim national parks ************************************************** http://tinyurl.com/m6fvjz www.standard.net Citizens with guns will reclaim national parks Sep 17, 2009 I was offended by the recent publishing of Mother Goose & Grim anti gun/national park segment. Law-abiding citizens are, well, law-abiding. Some erroneously contend that "allowing guns will bring violence and upset the tranquility" of the parks. The Park Service claims that according to their data "only" 9 people were murdered and 49 people were raped on Park Service lands in 2007. The NPS excludes from their reports crimes handled by other agencies such as the FBI, DEA and state law enforcement. The Park Service has no clue how many crimes actually occur in parks. Our National Parks are under assault, but not from law-abiding concealed permit holders, but rather from criminals. Drug cartels have turned some parks and other federal lands in California into cannabis fields guarded by thugs with AK-47 rifles. Criminals have targeted hikers along Park Service trails fully aware they were unarmed and far from help. Instead of acknowledging the crime problem we have in our National Parks, those who would again install a gun ban argue that allowing law-abiding citizens to carry guns will create a crime wave. Mike Peters assumed those packing heat will use it at "the first sign of unfriendliness, such as an argument over a camping space." Sorry, but such a view of Americans doesn't fit reality. Many of the safest parts of Forest Service and BLM lands are areas where guns are present because of hunting. Allowing law-abiding citizens to carry guns will help us take back our National Parks. Second, there is no evidence that allowing guns will increase poaching. It hasn't occurred on other similar federal lands. Third, some have claimed lifting the ban will only cause confusion. Allowing state and local firearm laws to be the controlling factor is not only practical but easily understood by all. Sen. Dianne Feinstein recently blasted this new respect of legal concealed weapons saying it will create a "dangerous environment." I happen to believe that law abiding Americans with concealed weapons permits aren't too different from Sen. Feinstein when she received her concealed weapons permit in the 1970s for her safety. Douglas Call Tremonton ************************************************** 10. Brook helps "trigger the vote!" ************************************************** Young VCDL member tells YouTube: "Vote for pro-gun candidates!" Proud dad Ed Levine emailed me this: -- http://tinyurl.com/mqaacf ************************************************** 11. Who needs a gun at home at 10:45am? ************************************************** Virginia Beach man fights back against four home invaders who broke down his front door in broad daylight. http://tinyurl.com/msqxx8 www.wvec.com 1 charged in home invasion/shooting in Va. Beach Monday, June 1, 2009 By 13News VIRGINIA BEACH -- Police say they've made an arrest in a Friday morning home invasion in which the homeowner fought back against four men who broke into his home. MPO Adam Bernstein says officers responded to a burglary call on O'Hare Drive around 10:45 a.m. Within minutes, there was a call about a shooting on Lindberg Place. Bernstein says four people broke through the front door of the home on O'Hare Drive and got into a fight with the homeowner. One suspect fired at him, but he wasn't hit. According to Bernstein, the homeowner got a gun from one of the suspects and fired back. The four ran from the home. As police arrived in the area, they found a man who'd been shot on the ground, about 120 yards from the home; he was taken to the hospital for treatment. As of Monday, he remained hospitalized and is considered a "person of interest" in the home invasion. A second man believed to be involved was taken in for questioning around 2:15 p.m. from the Chimney Hill area. Police on Monday confirmed he's been arrested. Deonte Unique Farrow, 18, of the 4000 Barkleaf Dr., is charged with armed burglary, use of a firearm and conspiracy. A 17-year-old has outstanding petitions on the same charges; police are still trying to identify the fourth suspect. Many residents in the neighborhood were home at the time and they're talking with police about what they saw and heard. One woman told 13News she heard several shots and then saw two young men running through her neighbor's yard. Va. Beach air units, K-9 and numerous officers are patrolled the area in the hours after the crime. The homeowner was treated for a cut on his arm and returned home mid-afternoon. The lockdown began at 11:00 a.m. at Parkway Elementary and was lifted at 1:20 p.m. and the lockdown at White Oaks went into effect around 12:15 p.m. and was lifted around 1:10 p.m., said Va. Beach Schools spokeswoman Nancy Soscia. O'Hare Drive was closed into the afternoon as the investigation continued. Anyone with information on the suspects in the home invasion should call Crime Solvers at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP. ************************************************** 12. Richmond Police Department proudly destroys so-called "illegal" guns ************************************************** In a stupid move that only the government would think smart, the Richmond police melt down 121 'illegal guns' into manhole covers. Do we melt down a criminal's cars and burn down their homes when we catch them? No, if confiscated, they are sold at auction. Why are guns treated differently? Hopefully Delegate Cole will put his bill in again next year to require confiscated guns to be sold back to gun dealers or the public. -- http://tinyurl.com/lu4tcv www.nbc12.com Police: Fewer fugitives in Richmond area now Posted: Sep 17, 2009 9:19 AM By Rachel DePompa RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - Richmond police say an effort to crackdown on violent crime in the city is working. Today police showed off a table full of weapons taken in by the city's "Fugitive and Firearms Initiative." It's a summer long program targeting wanted persons and illegal guns. Richmond police, state police and R.R.H.A police served 129 warrants and seized more than a hundred firearms. Most of the weapons were collected during traffic stops, but some were unique finds. "If you load it with four or 5 rounds, as long as you keep pulling the trigger, it will continue to fire. So this is a very dangerous, dangerous weapon and we found it in a baby stroller," said Richmond Police Lt. Emmett Williams. Once the court cases are complete, most of these guns will be melted down at a factory in Petersburg. The last batch was made into manhole covers. ----- http://tinyurl.com/l4xlhw www.wtvr.com RPD Fugitive Firearms Initiative Heats Up Summer Police get a large number of weapons and drugs off the streets. Richmond Police September 16, 2009 RICHMOND - RICHMOND POLICE PRESS RELEASE: The heat was on this summer for wanted persons and those in possession of illegal firearms in the city. Richmond Police Department's annual Fugitive and Firearms Initiative resulted in 129 outstanding warrants served on individuals and took 121 guns off the streets between May 15 and Sept. 4. The Department and its partners from the Virginia State Police and the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority Police focused their efforts in the city's East End and Northside. Chief Bryan T. Norwood and the partner agencies will display the results of this summer's FFI at a press conference Thursday. In addition to the fugitives and firearms, FFI also resulted in the seizure of . 152.5 grams of crack cocaine . 14 grams of heroin . 1,665.3 grams of marijuana and . $5,782 in cash. "When you take away two key factors - fugitives and firearms - crime reduction is inevitable. Having resources dedicated to this effort makes it the success it is and has been every year," Chief Norwood said. Mayor Dwight C. Jones commended Richmond Police and its FFI partners on this effort. "This focused approach to tackling and achieving crime reduction produces concrete results that we can see throughout the city and in each community. Knowing these negative elements are being eradicated gives us confidence that the streets of Richmond are safer for all of us," Mayor Jones said. ************************************************** 13. Clumsy home-invasion robber gets shot with own gun ************************************************** Hampton home-invader drops gun, homeowner picks it up and shoots bad guy. http://tinyurl.com/lc48vj www.examiner.com Clumsy home-invasion robber gets shot with own gun September 18, 2009 Norfolk Crime Examiner Dave Gibson HAMPTON, VA - Shortly after midnight Wednesday, two armed men burst into a home in the 1100 block of East Pembroke Ave., and attacked the resident. The two assailants demanded money, while another waited outside behind the wheel of the getaway car. In the chaos, one of the robbers dropped his gun. Hampton police spokeswoman Cpl. Paula Ensley said: "During the assault, one of the suspects dropped his handgun which the victim was able to retrieve. The victim fired the handgun striking one of the suspects in the arm." Both robbers then ran to the waiting car and fled the scene. Police then caught up with one of them at a local hospital emergency room. Keyen Lamar Hill, 27, who was shot, was arrested and charged with robbery, four counts of attempted robbery, maiming, abduction, breaking and entering while armed, and six counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Two suspects remain at large. One is described as a dark-skinned black male, between 20 to 25 years old, 5-foot-11, and 250 pounds. The other is described as a light-skinned black male with freckles, between 20 to 25 years old, 5-foot-10, and 250 pounds. ************************************************** 14. Photos from the tea party in Lynchburg ************************************************** Stuart Bain emailed me this: -- Philip et. al., Here is the link to the photos I took this evening. Some good... some not-so-good. The ones of Pat speaking are right around half way through. I uploaded them all at 1600 pixels wide. The originals are 3000 pixels wide, so please let me know if you want any of the originals for anything. Please feel free to share the link to the album or use the photos as needed for your purposes. Please include attribution to the source as appropriate. Best regards, -- Stuart Bain http://tinyurl.com/mvlmuy ************************************************** 15. Sen. Warner voted to confirm Obama regulatory czar Cass Sustein ************************************************** Lindsay Trittipoe emailed me this: -- Phil, As a suggestion, you might want to ask VCDL members to write to Senator Warner to ask why he voted to confirm Cass Sunstein as Obama's new regulatory czar. Sunstein is either a Marxist or an anarchist, I'm not sure, but in any event his views on gun ownership rights are frightening. We need to help Glenn Beck expose this guy for what he is. Webb Voted against Sunstein, and today I sent him letter thanking him I did a search of the RTD's website to see what mention they have made and got nothing. So yesterday I wrote to the managing editor asking if he thought it newsworthy that Mark Warner voted to confirm a an anarchist/communist to a White House position. Hopefully the RTD hasn't joined the NY Times on a news blackout on telling its readers about the communists working for Obama. ************************************************** 16. Candidate under fire for being pro-Second Amendment ************************************************** Crabill "liberty or death" comment drawing unfair fire. While the alert below goes after Pat Mullens for not supporting her, none of the candidates for Governor, Attorney General, or Lt. Governor from either party has supported her either. Larry Pratt at Gun Owners of America emailed me this: -- Candidate Under Fire for Being Pro-Second Amendment Gun Owners of America Political Victory Fund E-Mail Alert 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151 Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408 Continued ...