Friday, March 28, 2014

California State Senator Proves Gun Control Doesn't Work

With the arrest of Democratic California State Senator Leland Yee, his campaign aid Keith Jackson and 26 other defendants, gun control activists are rushing to find someone to step into Yee's place as a leader on the gun control issues.  At the same time they are desperately attempting damage control, looking like the 'Little Dutch Boy' trying in vain to plug the ever growing holes in the gun control dike, with not only their fingers, but their toes.

They are fast running out of digits.

"Ironically, while he's [Yee] being charged with gun trafficking, next to (U.S. Sen.) Dianne Feinstein he was probably the second most outspoken gun control advocate. This really leaves us scrambling for someone to pick up that mantle," said Paul Song, executive chairman of Courage Campaign, a nonprofit advocacy group. "If it wasn't so sad it would be comical. But what we're really worried about is that this will further destroy the momentum for gun control here in California." 

We're not sure what 'momentum' Mr. Song is referring to, as recent decisions by the notoriously Liberal California courts have handed gun control advocacy groups defeat after humiliating defeat in their quest to stamp out the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
  
Senator Yee allegedly sought campaign contributions in return for introducing an undercover FBI agent to an arms trafficker while at the same time, according to an FBI affidavit, Yee spoke with the undercover agent about acquiring weapons, including shoulder-fired missiles worth $500,000 to $2.5 million, from a Muslim separatist group in the Philippines.

What I have found profoundly odd, is the comments from either side of the Second Amendment issue.  It would appear that neither Pro Second Amendment groups or Gun Control advocates are upset that a State Senator is alleged to have been trafficking in illegal guns, but are only concerned with how this will affect their fight.

If either side would take the time to - as my Sainted Mother would say - "Close their mouths and opened their ears," they would quickly realize that this single instance of grand hypocrisy proves once and for all that legislation against guns, against the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, against the Second Amendment, against freedom and liberty, doesn't work.

PERIOD.

Look at it this way...

Did the laws against illegal guns or gun control in general, stop Senator Yee and Jackson from allegedly attempting to acquire and traffic in illegal guns?

Would a background check have stopped Senator Yee and Jackson from allegedly attempting to acquire and traffic in illegal guns?

Would gun registration have stopped Senator Yee and Jackson from allegedly attempting to acquire and traffic in illegal guns?

Would the Bills that Senator Yee had proposed stopped him from allegedly attempting to acquire and traffic in illegal guns? (Bills SB47 and SB108 would prohibit the use of bullet buttons and other devices that allow for quick reloading of supposed 'assault weapons,' and require the state Department of Justice to study methods for safe firearm storage.) 

Would laws prohibiting concealed carry have kept Senator Yee and Jackson from allegedly attempting to acquire and traffic in illegal guns?

The answer to each of these questions is, unarguably, no.  As has been said over and over, none of these laws stop criminals from lawlessness.  None of the legislation that is already in place nor those pieces of legislation being pushed through State and Federal Houses is going to stop criminals from doing what they do.  Criminals don't care about laws!  Only the law abiding care about laws!

How much more obvious can it be?  Apparently, not very.

"I feel very dismayed and upset," said Amanda Wilcox, an advocate for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and whose daughter was a victim of gun violence.  But, "his actions don't make what is good policy any less good policy," she added.

Yes Ms Wilcox, yes it does.

This is what the NRA and Pro Second Amendment groups should be pounding home like John Henry and his steel driving hammers.

This is proof!

Proof provided for us on a silver platter by not only a leader of gun control, but a Senator for Pete's sake!  Solid, positive proof that anti gun laws only work against the lawful - not the criminals.  Don't let the anti gunners set their feet.  Don't give them a moments rest to spin this atrocity against the lawful citizens of this Country into something they can use to attack the Second Amendment.  Keep them on the defensive and don't give them room to breath.

As veteran firearms instructor Gerald Vernon said, "Legitimate self-defense has absolutely nothing to do with the criminal misuse of guns."  The arising situation with Senator Yee has proven this beyond a shadow of a doubt, after all, when he was writing the gun control laws and voting for the gun control laws, he knew they wouldn't stop him.

Now, what does that tell you?

UPDATED 2/27/2017
Former Senator Yee was sentenced to five years in prison for accepting bribes and arms trafficking.  Read the story HERE

UPDATED 9/5/2020
Former Senator Leland Yee was released from prison on June 26th, 2020, after serving just four years of his five-year sentence for bribing a federal official, and trafficking in illegal weapons, including fully automatic weapons and shoulder-launched missiles price from $500,000, to two and a half million.


My book -Concealed Carry and the War on the Second Amendment, a collection from the New Gunner Journal - is now available at Lulu.comAmazon and Barnes & Noble.  If you have any questions about Concealed Carry or are sitting on the fence, this would make a nice present to learn about the lifestyle and those who live it.

Stay Safe and Carry Responsibly,
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Friday, March 21, 2014

Jury Nullification - The Second Amendment's Last Stand

In the State of Illinois, along with the issuance of the first Concealed Carry License comes the thought that finally - finally - every person in the United States of America who chooses to carry may do so as long as they comply with their States requisites.  It may feel as though we have met a threshold of victory and that the gains made are gains never lost again.

But down deep, we know that isn't true.    


The war on the Second Amendment continues across the country - In Capitol buildings and town halls, in Courtrooms and in the media.  Debated by legislators, special interest groups, lobbyists and citizens alike, this touchstone of the Bill of Rights is the one fight we can not lose, for if the Second Amendment is lost, so is the fate of America.

The Second Amendment guarantees the rest of our rights are kept safe.  The Second Amendment holds tyranny at bay, both from abroad and more importantly, from within.  The Second Amendment protects us from the majority - those who believe they know better than us what we need - and that majority is willing and able to tear apart the Constitution to do it, all in the name of safety, unless we keep it free from harm.

Yet we still see Americans across the country fighting to dilute, even strangle, the Second Amendment under the guise of public safety, of keeping people "safe."  Study after study has shown that more guns does not mean more violence and many of those studies suggest just the opposite is true, yet those that fear this inanimate object with a nearly pathological pathos, shrilly voice their emotion filled concerns.

Now, the fight continues in places like New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Hawaii and Connecticut, among others.  Good men and woman who want nothing more than to have the freedom to be left alone, to pursue their God given rights, to live the American Dream are making their stand.

How can we help them?

In Connecticut, where law abiding citizens were turned into felons with the fell swoop of a pen, the battle is just beginning.  The State, in all its rabid emotion, passed legislation that forces citizens to register their supposed "assault rifles."  The fear of eventual confiscation is very real and there are those who are willing to face arrest to fight for their Constitutional and God given rights.

What should we do should those strong willed men and women be arrested and brought to courts across the country?  How do you fight unjust laws?  How can one person make a difference?

JURY NULLIFICATION

For those that might not know, Jury Nullification (JN) is the public's last chance to stand up against the beast that is government and say "NO!"  JN allows those sitting in the jury box to vote a suspect "innocent" when the letter of the law says he is guilty.  JN allows those making the decision in a case to make the statement that  "This law is unconstitutional, its a bad law and we won't be a party to it!"  JN tells legislators that they got it wrong.

Jury Nullification is a powerful tool that is described in the Constitution.  Although Judges won't tell you about JN during instructions, going so far as to tell you that you must put emotion aside and vote as the law allows, this just isn't true!

Let's contemplate what would happen if Connecticut went ahead and arrested 50,000 (some say as many as 350,000) citizens for non-compliance of gun registration.  Now, what would happen in that State should one person on each of those juries voted "not guilty?"

First, no one would be convicted.  Second, sooner or later District Attorneys would realize their only accomplishment is spending the State's money in a losing effort.  Third, Legislators would know the harsh truth of an unconstitutional law.

And all it takes is one person.  One person to stand strong in defense of a like minded individual who is doing his part on the other side of the jury box - for himself and for the good of this Country.

Be that person.

UPDATE: Kristen Tynan of the Fully Informed Jury Association (Where the gavel graphic came from) says this...  "Just to let you know, in addition to that incisive quote with the gavel graphic from our website, the Fully Informed Jury Association also offers a brochure on Jury Protection for the 2nd Amendment for free download from our online Library or for purchase in our Media Catalog on our website at http://www.FIJA.org . I am very interested in getting this material into the hands of people in areas where the information therein is particularly timely. If anyone in New York, Connecticut, or other key areas has opportunities to speak on this topic and distribute literature, please get in touch with us in the office at (406) 442-7800 and we may be able to help you out with some complementary literature."

UPDATE 3/17/2016
From the Foundation For Economic Education
Last week, the New Hampshire House of Representatives voted 184 to 145 to pass a bill that would require courts to instruct jurors about jury nullification — the jurors’ power to refuse to convict even when they think all the elements of the crime have been proved beyond a reasonable doubt (paragraph breaks and formatting added):
In all criminal proceedings the court shall inform the jury of its right to judge the facts and the application of the law in relation to the facts in controversy.
At the request of the defendant or the defendant’s attorney, the court shall instruct the jury as follows:
If you have a reasonable doubt as to whether the state has proved any one or more of the elements of the crime charged, you must find the defendant not guilty.
However if you find that the state has proved all the elements of the offense charged beyond a reasonable doubt, you should find the
defendant guilty.

Even if you find that the state has proved all of the elements of the offense charged beyond a reasonable doubt, you may still find that based upon the facts of this case a guilty verdict will yield an unjust result, and you may find the defendant not guilty.
Read the full story HERE
Thank you Kristen!

Stay Safe and Carry Responsibly,
Hipshot


My new book -Concealed Carry and the War on the Second Amendment, a collection from the New Gunner Journal - is now available at Lulu.comAmazon and Barnes and Noble.  If you have any questions about Concealed Carry or are sitting on the fence, this would make a nice Christmas present to learn about the lifestyle and those who live it.