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

03/27/10 - VCDL Update 3/27/10 - Part 2

to bring firearms into bars was a great idea, but did you know that other proposed laws would have repealed Virginia's sensible one-gun-a-month law, allowed concealed carriers to bring loaded guns into courthouses and churches, and exempted homemade guns from federal law? Unfortunately, the only thing keeping these wild west provisions bottled up is a special, bill-killing subcommittee set up by senate majority leader Dick Saslaw, which--mirroring a longstanding anti-democratic practice in the house of delegates--strangles bills in the crib before they can even think about becoming laws. So this is where we stand: institutionalized prejudice in the executive branch, and dysfunctional desperation in the Assembly. One way or the other, it looks like we're all in for a hell of a bumpy ride. ************************************************** 15. Letter: to all neo-liberals and neo-conservatives ************************************************** Bruce Jackson emailed me this: -- http://tinyurl.com/yj8njkp www.kingmandailyminer.com Letter: To all neo-liberals and neo-conservatives I am tired; tired of patting your hand when you're scared of the boogyman; tired of covering my firearm with my coat to help you pretend you are not surrounded by guns in Arizona. Perhaps you should try this simple technique that will actually be much more effective than my coat is. Cover your eyes with your hands. This way you cannot see our firearms, and we cannot see you, right? You can pretend to your heart's content that there aren't any guns here. You can feel safe that way. It worked for you as a child, perhaps it still will. If covering your eyes does not make you feel safer, maybe you could run down and hide at the Mohave County Administrative campus. It is a gun-free zone. Oh wait, Lord Walker and his minions, the BOS, said you cannot come there unless you are on official business. Darn. Perhaps you could move to Washington, D.C.! Nope, the Supreme Court overthrew their handgun ban. Or how about your nearest national park? Sorry, Obama signed a law permitting carrying of firearms there too. Maybe you could all move back to California? Oh, that's right, there is a rapidly growing movement of lawful open-carry there too. It just seems lately that your government has really been slacking off in their requirement to protect you from cradle to grave. But here is the really scary news, according to the Arizona DPS Web site, they have issued more than 152,000 concealed weapon permits, and more than 8,500 in Mohave County alone. That is one heck of a lot of scary guns lurking out there! And it is just going to get harder for you because it keeps being proven over and over that law-abiding citizens carrying firearms reduce crime every time. (Another inconvenient truth, Al Gore.) Randy 'Two-gun' Cone Golden Valley ************************************************** 16. News release: 2nd Amendment March ************************************************** For Immediate Release: March 15, 2010 For Further Information Contact: Chris Richardson, Coordinator State of Virginia 703.945.2588 Liz Foley, National Media Director 832-877-5263 The Virginia State Second Amendment March announced today the details for the state event to be held in support of the National Second Amendment March. The Virginia State March will be held April 12th from 2PM - 3PM at the Bell Tower, located on the State Capitol square in Richmond, VA. State Coordinator Chris Richardson announced the following speakers: Ken Cuccinelli, Virginia Attorney General; Phillip Van Cleave, President of Virginia Citizens Defense League; Scott Lee of the Lee Brothers, WRVA 1140; Leyla Myers, Board of Directors for the Second Amendment March and former citizen of the Soviet Union; Pat Webb, Virginia Coordinator of the Second Amendment Sisters and Ken Stanton, Founder and Vice President of the Virginia Tech chapter of the Students for Concealed Carry on Campus. The Second Amendment March is a national event supported by satellite marches to State Capitols and smaller cities across America. The March will take place Monday, April 19, 2010 from 10am - 4pm on the grounds of the Washington Monument. Our nation's founders were specific and mindful of creating an Amendment that provided 'we the people' with the protections they needed to defend their country, their freedom, their new government and way of life. They understood far too well the grips of tyranny. Thomas Jefferson said it best, 'The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort to protect themselves against tyranny in government.' To take part in this landmark rally in support of your right to keep and bear arms and to protect and defend the Second Amendment visit www.secondamendment.com to R.S.V.P., volunteer or make a contribution. Questions or to set up an interview: Contact Liz Foley, National Media Director at media*secondamendmentmarch.com. About Second Amendment March: The mission of the Second Amendment March is to galvanize the courage and resolve of Americans; to petition our elected officials against establishing anti-gun legislation; and to remind America that the Second Amendment is necessary to maintain our right to self defense. Information about Second Amendment March is available at: www.secondamendmentmarch.com ************************************************** 17. Limit one per customer ************************************************** Bruce Jackson emailed me this: -- http://tinyurl.com/y8nj3o5 www.postchronicle.com Limit One Per Customer by Michael R. Shannon Formerly Virginia was for lovers, but now it's the 'limit one-per-month, per customer' Commonwealth for guns and teeth. The limitation on gun purchases was designed to stop the flow of guns from Virginia to New York. This concept was shaky in practice because studies show most guns sold on the street sell for less than list price. So what would be the advantage of paying retail for your Ruger? To make any money the price in New York would have to be more than list price in Virginia, which wipes out any competitive advantage based on price. Was there a market niche of NYC gangsters who wanted a valid receipt with their roscoe, so they could get their money back if it misfired? Purchase enforcement of the ban depends on electronic records. A prospective buyer's name is checked using a database and if he's been 31-days without a purchase and he's conviction-free it's approved. Isn't it strange how liberals have complete trust in electronic background checks when it comes to buying deadly firearms, but computer databases are too unreliable and dangerous when it comes to checking a prospective employee's background to see if he is in the country illegally? I'm not in the gun market, but I've had dental problems lately, so the one-tooth-per-month, per customer limit on teeth pulling came as news. It seems VOICE (Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement) bussed a group to Richmond demanding 'Dental Care Now.' Government is becoming ever more intrusive into our daily lives, but is some fiendish bureaucrat preventing these good people from brushing their teeth? But no, government is the solution to this problem caused by an unfortunate combination of some Virginian's lack of interest in performing even rudimentary dental hygiene and taxpayer resistance to paying more so the aforementioned group won't suffer the consequences of their failure to floss. For those of you unfamiliar with VOICE, this is a standard-issue liberal 'social justice' 'faith-based' group that does not have time for anti-abortion work - but takes no prisoners when it comes to the war on tooth decay. According to VOICE, our local free clinic limits patients to pulling one tooth per month and that is an outrage. ************************************************** 18. 1 in 5 = 8,000 home invasions every day in North America ************************************************** http://tinyurl.com/ygt63jy www.enidnews.com March 13, 2010 For whom the bell tolls ... in the middle of the night By Jeff Mullin, Commentary Enid News and Eagle - Home invasions are serious business. According to the Justice Department, one in every five homes will experience a break-in or home invasion. There are more than 8,000 home invasions every day in North America. What is more scary, 38 percent of assaults and 60 percent of rapes occur during home invasions. Earlier this week in Palm Beach, Fla., a 23-year-old man was shot to death during a home invasion. Two people were hospitalized in Jenks Thursday after being injured in a home invasion. Even Susan Boyle, the shy Scottish lady whose appearance on 'Britain's Got Talent' rocketed her to worldwide singing fame, is not safe. Boyle was returning from London Jan. 26, where she recorded a charity single to help fund relief efforts in earthquake-torn Haiti, when she surprised a 16-year-old boy who had broken into her home. He ran, but was later arrested. A home invasion had a happy ending in California recently when a 7- year-old boy, identified only as Carlos, called 911 while hiding in a bathroom with his little sister as armed men held his parents at gunpoint. The 911 call caught the sound of screaming as the intruders broke down the bathroom door. When the armed men found out Carlos was on the phone with 911, they fled. Which leads us to the wee hours of last Sunday morning, the dead of night ... OK, it was 1:21 a.m. But for someone my age, who normally struggles to stay awake during the 10 p.m. news, it was pretty darn late. There I was, minding my own business, locked in the nightly life or death struggle for the covers, dead to the world, deep in REM sleep dreaming of who knows what, when the doorbell rang. At first I wasn't sure whether or not the sound was part of my dream. But the second time it rang there could be no doubt. I lay there, thinking that whoever it was would get tired of ringing the bell and go away. Wrong. The bell rang again. I ignored it. And again, same response from me. Finally our night visitor became impatient and began ringing the doorbell incessantly, ding dong, ding dong, ding dong ... well, you get the picture. By that time my bride, who could sleep through a small explosion, awoke, and I jumped out of bed. 'This better be good,' I growled as I pulled on my robe. Let us pause for a moment to consider just what our night visitor was about to face. I am devastatingly plain on my best day, but in the middle of the night I resemble one of the creatures from Maurice Sendak's 'Where the Wild Things Are,' except not nearly so cute. My hair looked like I had just stuck my finger in a light socket and there was a trickle of drool drying on my chin. As I stumbled to the front door I considered the possibilities. Perhaps it was a neighbor in trouble, or a passerby needing help, or maybe someone playing a joke. Never once did I consider the possibility it might be someone planning a home invasion. Let us pause for another moment to consider that, when awake, I am a relatively rational human being, not prone to bouts of recklessness, who wouldn't dream of opening my door to a stranger in the middle of the night. So when I reached the door, naturally, I opened not only the wooden door, but the glass storm door as well. On my front walk stood a man probably in his 30s, wearing a ball cap. To his credit he did not take a step back at my disheveled appearance, but said 'Oh, I'm sorry, I guess I've got the wrong house.' Let us pause for yet another moment to consider that, when awake, I have been known to be able to put together cogent and occasionally erudite sentences. 'You must, because I have no idea who you are,' I managed to mumble. Wow. I really told him. 'I'm sorry,' he said again, and walked away. I closed the door and stood for a moment. I thought I heard a car pull away. When I returned to our room I found my bride half out of bed. She scolded me for opening the door. 'You could have been mass murdered, we could have been mass murdered,' she said. True enough. It was stupid. Next time something similar happens, if there is a next time, I will be prepared. I will not open the door. I will make sure I am armed when I answer the bell. Or I'll just stay in bed and make my bride deal with it. ************************************************** 19. New law permits guns on the Blue Ridge Parkway ************************************************** Former park employee thinks stupid gun owners will overreact and shoot animals Doug Morris, an executive council member for the Coalition of National Park Retirees, is a typical anti-self-defense type, who seems to think that regular citizens are morons: ''There is the concern that those who bring firearms into the park might perceive a danger with animals and fire the gun,'' he said. 'Very rarely would that be a legitimate reaction, and it results from a lack of knowledge of wildlife animals.'' Here is what he pictures gun owners doing: 'Stop! What is that creature with those BIG front teeth?' 'I think it might be a, a, a, squirrel!!!!! I live in the city so I can't be sure!' 'Uh oh! I've never seen one up close like this! Does it bite?!? Could it eat us alive?!? Quick, draw your GUN! SHOOT BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!!' Who is the real moron? -- http://tinyurl.com/y9wt86m www.thebluebanner.net New law permits guns on the Blue Ridge Parkway North Carolina allows loaded firearms with concealed carry permits By Ashleigh Joyner / Assistant News Editor Published: Wednesday, March 17, 2010 Updated: Wednesday, March 17, 2010 As of Feb. 22 loaded guns are allowed on the Blue Ridge Parkway and in other national parks, according to a new law. 'During the Reagan administration, firearms had to be packed away and unloaded,' said Steve Stinnett, chief ranger of the Blue Ridge Parkway. In North Carolina, loaded firearms are allowed on the parkway as long as the person has a concealed carry permit, but the law depends on what state visitors are in, Stinnett said. 'We recommend people go to the state and look up firearm laws,' Stinnett said. 'If they're in Virginia, they need to know the laws because they are different for each state.' The new law was not passed by the park service but by Congress, said Doug Morris, an executive council member for the Coalition of National Park Retirees. 'This is the law,' Stinnett said. 'When the regulation from the Reagan administration was put into practice, we administered the law, like we will do with this law.' For those who support gun laws, the new law is next on the agenda for furthering Second Amendment rights, Morris said. 'Those that support weapons think it's great,' Morris said. 'I think the great majority of visitors are concerned because most people are wary of people carrying guns.' Those who support the new law said it is merely for people to defend themselves. 'Crime doesn't stop at park gates,' said Vickie Cleplak, National Rifle Association spokeswoman. The probability of hunting could also increase, according to Morris. 'The law doesn't allow the use of firearms,' Stinnett said. 'Visitors can't go out on the Blue Ridge Parkway and target shoot. They can only carry firearms. Hunting is prohibited on the parkway.' Inexperienced firearm users could injure people or animals unintentionally, Morris said. 'There is the concern that those who bring firearms into the park might perceive a danger with animals and fire the gun,' he said. 'Very rarely would that be a legitimate reaction, and it results from a lack of knowledge of wildlife animals.' The parkway does offer a hunter access program, Stinnett said. 'No hunting is allowed on parkway lands, but with a special permit, access to hunting on U.S. Forest Service lands is allowed from designated places along the parkway,' he said. Morris said the new law causes concern for families visiting the parkway. 'The great majority of park visitors would prefer to bring their families to parks and not worry about firearms,' he said. 'I think particularly foreign visitors are concerned because they are not used to seeing guns on display in their country.' With guns present in the park, instances of violence will increase, Morris said. 'The amount of gun violence inside a park is one in 100,000,' he said. 'When you go outside a park, it is four or five times that. That's a big part of our fear. Parks have always been one of the safest places in America, and when people are allowed to have guns, violence will increase.' However, Cleplak said national parks can be a haven for crime and people should have the right to protect themselves. 'This is just simply a law where people can feel more comfortable and can protect themselves from animals and criminals,' she said. The law doesn't allow other weapons in the park, only firearms, Stinnett said. 'Visitors still can't carry a bow and arrow, slingshot, knife or other deadly weapons,' he said. Firearms in national parks is not a new concept. The first regulations were established nearly 100 years ago for Yellowstone National Park, Morris said. 'In 1984, the park service passed a law that continued until the Reagan administration,' he said. The new law includes an amendment placing restrictions on credit card companies, Morris said. 'These two things are on the same bill even though they have nothing to do with each other,' he said. 'Gun supporters have been trying to get this law passed for some time.' Morris said he also urges those who bring firearms to the parkway to conceal their weapons to make the experience more comfortable for families. 'We want families to feel safe and welcome when they're in the parks,' he said. ************************************************** 20. Maryland needs our help passing a CHP recognition bill ************************************************** Maryland Shall Issue sent out this alert on Friday: 'Delegates Smigiel and Jennings are leading an effort to petition HB52 to the floor of the House of Delegates. This process is a little used one that allows legislation to go around the committee and avoid being trapped by either the possibility of an unfavorable vote or, in the case of HB52, being 'desk drawered' by a committee chair.' As you might recall from an alert a few weeks ago, HB 52 is a bill that would make Virginia CHPs good in Maryland! To send a message to the entire Maryland House of Delegates: 1. Click here: http://www.ksconline.net/mga/mdhouse.html 2. Click on the first Delegate's name (Beitzel) and shift-click on the last Delegate's name (Ramirez) to select all of the Delegates 3. For the subject line, put something like, 'Please sign the petition to bring HB 52 to the Floor for a vote' 4. For the message, use something like this: 'Please sign the petition to bring HB 52 to the Floor for a vote! This important bill will encourage concealed handgun permit holders from surrounding states to spend more time and money in Maryland. It will also expand the states where Maryland permits are recognized.' ------------------------------------------- ***************************************************************************