Virginia Shooting Sports Association

Glad Virginia Is Not Part of 1st Circuit

2010-01-08T11:27:00.004-05:00

Found this over on Dave Hardy's Arms and the Law.

The First Circuit has ruled that an LEO can respond to a carrier of a concealed arm by throwing down on him, detaining him even after he produced a permit to so carry, and then seize the firearm despite the permit.

There are a couple of localities in Virginia that have a habit of harassing gun owners (Norfolk in particular and more recently Roanoke), particularly those who carry openly, and have been sued. Norfolk was required to pay $10,000 damages to one gun owner in July of 2009 to settle such a suit. If the we were in the 1st Circuit, Norfolk and other localities that are no particularly gun friendly may get away with their harassing.

Hat tip to Dave Hardy.

Delegate Scott Lingamfelter on NRA News.

2010-01-08T10:33:00.004-05:00

Delegate Scott Lingamfelter was on Cam & Company last night talking about his bill to repeal handgun rationing (one gun-a-mongh). During the conversation he gave his web site where you can go and sign up for updates on how this and other bills he is sponsoring are progressing. While VSSA will keep all gun owners informed on every bill of interest during the General Assembly, feel free to go to http://www.va31st.com/ and sign up for his legislatie updates for additional insights that Delegate Lingamfelter may have on this important legislation.

More Firearms Bills Prefiled

2010-01-08T09:29:00.002-05:00

Two additional bills have been prefiled at the General Assembly:

HB 171 Firearms in locked vehicles; immunity from liability. This bill provides that no person, property owner, tenant, employer, or business owner may prohibit a person who lawfully possesses a firearm from storing that firearm in a locked motor vehicle. The bill provides civil immunity for such persons, property owners, tenants, employers, or business owners. The provisions of the bill would not apply to possession of firearms on school property, nor would the provisions apply to vehicles owned or leased by an employer or business and used by an employee in the course of his employment

SB 79 Concealed handgun permit applications; removes option for requiring fingerprints. The title of this bill is self explanatory.

Pro-rights Bills in General Assembly

2010-01-06T10:55:00.003-05:00

The pre-filing time for the 2010 Session of the General Assembly continues. So far the bills being introduced related to firearms are pro-rights. I expect to see another attempt to end gun shows.

HB 8 Concealed handgun permits; renewal thereof by mail.
HB 26 Concealed handgun permit; documentation and information provided by applicant.
HB 32 Concealed handguns; possession by faculty members at state institutions of higher education.
HB 49 Handguns; repeals one-gun-a-month limitation.
HB 52 Concealed handgun permit; failure to produce upon demand of law-enforcement officer, penalty.
HB 54 Handgun; person with lawful possession may carry into courthouse used for non-judicial activities.
HB 69 Firearms, ammunition, etc.; those manufactured and retained in State not subject to federal law.
HB 72 Firearms; possession with intent to use on school property Class 1 misdemeanor.
HB 79 Concealed handgun permits; prohibits clerk of court from providing public access to applications.
HB 106 Carrying concealed handguns.
HB 108 Disposition of Firearms
HB 109 Certain firearms taxes; destruction of records.
HB 152 Electronic security employees; carrying concealed handguns.
SB 3 Concealed handgun permits; renewal thereof by mail.

Of note is HB 108 which again targets compensated confiscation schemes (so called "buy backs"). Governor Tim Kaine vetoed this last year. If we can get it through the Senate (this was no easy task last year) we should see the bill signed into law this year.

The General Assembly convenes on January 13th. This is the long session (60 Days).

McDonnell Names Domenech as Secretary of Natural Resources

2010-01-06T10:44:00.005-05:00

Governor Elect Bob McDonnell today announced that Former Loudoun County Republican Committee Chairman Doug Domenech will serve as his Secretary of Natural Resources.

According to the McDonnell Press Release:

Mr. Domenech most recently served as the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Insular Affairs where he managed U.S. relations with seven insular areas including US Territories of the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and US Freely Associated States of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands. Policy issues addressed in this role included energy, security, economic development and health.

Prior to serving at the U.S. Department of the Interior, Mr. Domenech had a long career in forestry. Upon graduating from college he became the Acting Director of the Timber Harvesting Management Program at Alabama A&M University where he managed research funded by the USDA Forest Service and Tennessee Valley Authority. In 1981 he went to work for the Forest Resources Association, a national technical trade association which represents produces and consumers of raw wood material. He began as the Southwestern Division Forester in Jackson, MS, and then moved to become the Southeastern Division Forester in Charleston, SC. He later became the Director of Forestry Programs at the FRA’s headquarters in Washington, DC from 1990-1993.

Among the agencies under Domenech's domain is the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries - an agency near and dear to the hearts of sportsmen.

VSSA Endorses Jeff McWaters for State Senate

2010-01-04T13:06:00.006-05:00

VSSA announces that it has endorsed Jeff McWaters in the special election to fill the vacate 8th District State Senate seat. The special election will be held January 12, 2010. Jeff is the best candidate to protect our Second Amendment rights. This tidbit from his web site accurately states his views on our basic right:

Jeff believes that additional regulations placed on gun dealers or gun shows will only make it more difficult for law abiding citizens to own guns—the criminals will still be able to obtain them on the street. Strict enforcement of existing laws, respect for human life, and allowing law-abiding citizens to protect their persons and their homes will do more to deter crimes involving firearms than adding more gun control laws to the books.

Jeff is running to replace former State Senator Ken Stolle, who was elected Virginia Beach Sheriff on November 3rd.

All gun owners living in the 8th Senate District are encouraged to contact Jeff's campaign and volunteer to help him in this final week leading up to next Tuesday's special election. You can find contact information by clicking here.

Cleaning Your AR Rifle

2010-01-04T12:46:00.006-05:00

It is a safe bet that there are a lot of new owners of AR sporting rifles with the huge increase in sales the last 12 - 15 months. I found this video over at My Outdoor TV that may be helpful to folks when it is time to clean your rifle.

VSSA Endorses Steve Hunt for State Senate

2010-01-02T18:44:00.005-05:00

The Virginia Shooting Sports Association is proud to endorse Steve Hunt in the special election to fill the vacate seat in the 37th State Senate District. The 37th District was previously represented by Attorney General Elect Ken Cuccinelli, who won his race for Attorney General in November.

Steve believes that every citizen has basic human rights that are guarenteed by the Constitution and among them is the right to defend his and his family's life through the right to keep and bear arms.

VSSA urges every gun owner living in the 37th Senate District to contact Steve Hunt's campaign to find out how you can volunteer. Most importantly, be sure to vote in the special election on January 12th.

You can contact the Hunt campaign at 703-502-0633.

The 2010 Campaign Has Begun

2009-12-16T14:54:00.002-05:00

It appears that Speaker Nancy Pelosi has officially kicked off the 2010 campaign season.

Pelosi Will Not Push Controversial Votes In 2010 Unless Senate Acts First

2009-12-16T08:44:00.005-05:00

The Hill Newspaper is reporting this morning that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has told her freshmen Democratic members that she will not be forcing them to "walk the plank" on controversial issues in an election year unless the Senate has already acted on an issue first.

“The Speaker has told members in meetings that we’ve done our jobs,” a Democratic leadership aide said. “And that next year the Senate’s going to have to prove what it can accomplish before we go sticking our necks out any further.”

Pelosi’s promise will likely throw more cold water on the anti-rights crowd as they have recently renewed their push for "No Fly No Buy" legislation to prohibit Americans whose name has ended up on what is known as the "Terrorist Watchlist" from being able to purchase firearms.

Betting that Americans will be swayed by the word "terrorist" antis like New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Senator Frank Lautenberg want to take away the due process and Second Amendment rights of over a million Americans simply because their name, or a similar name, ended up on the FBI's "terrorist watchlist." The problem is one can’t find out if their name or a name similar to that of someone on the FBI’s “terrorist watchlist", is indeed on the list, because the FBI won’t say exactly why people get watchlisted, won’t say who has been watchlisted, and therefore doesn’t offer watchlisted people the chance to clear their names immediately.

People from small children, federal air marshals, military personnel who have fought terrorists overseas, the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, members of Congress, and many other Americans have even been stopped from boarding commercial aircraft for this reason. The government has reported that there were 700,000 names in the watchlist as of April 2007, and the NRA has said the ACLU estimates that the number has since risen to 1.3 million.

It goes without say that these people are not all terrorists. However, the anti-rights crowd knows that some of the honest law-abiding Americans who are erroneously on the list, or who get incorrectly flagged by the list, are gun owners. And, because the FBI won’t reveal its watchlist criteria, the anti-gun activists and politicians think that more gun owners can be placed on the list over time, by like-minded bureaucrats making arbitrary determinations about who ought to have guns.

But Pelosi apparently seems to be more concerned with keeping her majority in congress so unless the Senate takes up Lautenberg's version of the bill first, don't look for Pelosi to let it surface in the House.

That won't stop Bloomberg and his minions in Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG). As Sebastian has written over on Snowflakes in Hell, Bloomberg, or at least the people working for him, have figured out what the other anti-rights groups have not to this point:

By reframing the current gun control agenda into a righteous struggle to battle illegal guns, Bloomberg can steal more legitimacy, and get people to listen, who might not otherwise care about “gun control” and its closely related and equally discredited cousin “gun safety.”

Bloomberg will continue to try and score media points in the coming months. He will likely be financially supporting efforts to close the non existant "gun show loophole" during the next session of the General Assembly as he did last year through ads targeting Bob McDonnell. VSSA will continue to fight these efforts as we have successfully during the last several years.

State Firearms Association Amicus Brief in McDonald v Chicago

2009-12-14T12:55:00.007-05:00

Late last month the amicus brief that VSSA joined in support of McDonald in the Chicago gun ban case was filed. You can read the brief here. You can see all of the briefs filed in support of McDonald by clicking here.

Other briefs of note include the Members of Congress brief, which was signed by both Sens. Warner and Webb, and all of Virginia's Representatives except Bobby Scott (D-VA3) and Gerald "Gerry" Connolly (D-VA11), the State Legislators brief, signed on to by the following Virginia Delegates and State Senators:

Bill Carrico, State Delegate
Mark Cole, State Delegate
Morgan Griffith, State Delegate
Emmett Hanger, Jr., State Senate
Edd Houck, State Senate
Bill Howell, State Delegate
Robert Hurt, State Senate
Bill Janis, State Delegate
Johnny Joannou, State Delegate
Bob Marshall, State Delegate
Steve Martin, State Senate
Stephen Newman, State Senate
Dave Nutter, State Delegate
Chap Petersen, State Senate
Phillip Preston Prickett, State Senate
Preston Puckett, State Senate
Edward Scott, State Delegate
Beverly Sherwood, State Delegate
Ralph Smith, State Senate
Frank Wagner, State Senate

and Academics for the Second Amendment brief. Also check out the brief filed by Dave Kopel on behalf of the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers, and the NRA brief filed by VSSA's own Stephen Halbrook.

Handgun Owners Win Right to Pack in Luggage on Amtrak

2009-12-09T14:46:00.003-05:00

CQ Politics reported today that Amtrak riders will be able to pack handguns in their checked luggage within a year thanks to a provision included in the final version of the fiscal 2010 omnibus spending bill.

The Senate-passed Transportation-HUD spending bill included language sponsored by Sen. Roger Wicker , R-Miss., that would have required Amtrak to allow passengers to carry handguns in checked bags by March.

The language included in the final version, which was agreed to last night by House-Senate negotiators, retains the directive, but gives Amtrak a year to implement it.

“This is an important victory for sportsmen and gun owners across the country,
and it affirms congressional support of the Second Amendment,” Wicker said in a
statement Wednesday. “Airline passengers in our country are allowed to transport
firearms in secure, checked baggage when declared during the check-in process.
Law-abiding gun owners who choose to travel on America’s taxpayer-subsidized
rail line should be given the same right.”

Thanks to Senator Wicker for standing up for law abiding gun owners.

2010 Wild Game Dinner

2009-12-03T17:37:00.003-05:00

In February the Riverside Community Church's Outdoor Ministry Team will hold their third annual Wild Game Dinner. You are invited to come and enjoy a night of family fellowship with a dinner menu of delicious wild game. There will be door prizes and an outdoors guest speaker.

There will be ONLY 250 tickets available for this event. For menu, tickets, and more information, click here.

What: Riverside Community Church Outdoor Ministry Wild Game Dinner
Where: Fireman's Sports Arena Hwy 628 Farmville , Virginia
When: Saturday, February 27, 2010, 7:00 - 10:00 PM

2010 General Assembly

2009-12-03T17:25:00.003-05:00

The first firearms related bill has been dropped in the hopper at the General Assembly. Introduced by Roanoke area State Senator Ralph Smith, SB 3 would allow people to apply for the renewal of their concealed carry permit by mail. This bill should sail through both houses as out of state applicants already apply by mail to the State Police so people who already have a permit applying by mail to their clerk of the circuit court.

More firearms legislation is expected to be dropped during the pre-filing period and VSSA will keep Virginia gun owners informed as the bills become available.

Possible New King William Shooting Ordinance

2009-12-02T20:07:00.003-05:00

The King William County Board of Supervisors considered an ordinance at it's November 23rd meeting that would ban discharge of a firearm within 100 yards of homes or businesses. In a rural county like King William, such a change could impact a gun owners's right to defend his property/life, as well as hunting activities. The County Courier reported that the Board agreed that the proposal required more study and will possibly revisit the issue in January of 2010.

Gun owners in King William need to contact their member of the Board of Supervisors and let them know the proposed change is unnecessary and will negatively impact the rights of law abiding gun owners and sportsmen. You can contact the Board members as follows:

First District
C. T. "Tom" Redd III
Phone: (804) 843-4188
Mailing Address:690 River Road
West Point, Virginia 23181
Email:tredd@kingwilliamcounty.us

Second District
Daniel L. Wright
Phone: (804) 769-3838
Mailing Address:P.O. Box 153
King William, VA 23086
Email:dwright@kingwilliamcounty.us

Third District
Cecil L. Schools
Phone: (804) 769-0681
Mailing Address:P.O. Box 79
Aylett, VA 23009
Email:cschools@kingwilliamcounty.us

Fourth District
T. G. "Tom" Smiley
Phone: (804) 769-3480
Mailing Address:P.O. Box 83
Manquin, VA 23106
Email:tsmiley@kingwilliamcounty.us

Fifth District
Otto O. Williams
Phone: (804) 994-2163
Mailing Address:4385 King William Road
Aylett, VA 23009
Email:owilliams@kingwilliamcounty.us

Obama Care and Gun Rights

2009-11-30T09:15:00.006-05:00

Last week, Second Amendment scholar David Kopel wrote on the Volokh Conspiracy how the pending health care bill may have a negative impact on the rights (or at least the wallets/purses) of law abiding gun owners. Many commentators have discussed how a bill as overarching as the Pelosi and Reid bills will by its very nature have to touch many aspects of the individual lives of Americans. With the supposed purpose of covering everyone while reducing costs, it is not a stretch to presume that at some point the government will begin telling us what we can eat, what we can drink, and even if we can own guns if it means reducing the cost of health care.

Sounds paranoid? Take a look at Kopel's analysis and decide for yourself.

Let’s look at the bill. The rules for a “Wellness Program” begin on page 87. In brief, if you participate in a Wellness Program, you can get a health insurance premium
discount of up to 30%. Stated another way, if you don’t participate in a Wellness Program, you will pay a substantial insurance rate penalty for not doing so. The definition of a “Wellness Program” begins in paragraph (B) on page 88:

“(B) The wellness program shall be reasonably designed to promote health or prevent disease. A program complies with the preceding sentence if the program has a reasonable chance of improving the health of, or preventing disease in, participating individuals and it is not overly burdensome, is not a subterfuge for discriminating based on a health status factor, and is not highly suspect in the method chosen to promote health or prevent disease.”

Pages 29–30 mention some of items that “Wellness and Prevention Programs” “may include.” The phrasing does not appear to exclude other items. In any case, the item for “Healthy lifestyle support” is broad enough to include almost anything.

Kopel writes that the definition of "Wellness and Prevention Programs" is very broad and that the assertion that it is not broad enough to include gun ownership is most likely incorrect. We have all heard of antis siting "public health scholarship" claims linking gun ownership to the health risks of families with guns in the home. While we know this is junk science, the antis will site the dozens of articles in journals to get an anti-gun Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to create an anti-rights definition of said "Wellness Program."

A regulation which said that a Wellness Program may (or “shall”) include a discount for not owning a gun (or not owning a handgun, or not owning a so-called “assault weapon”, or for not owning more than a certain number of guns) might be argued to be “overly burdensome.” But there’s no guarantee that a reviewing court would consider a mere discount for people who don’t own guns to be “overly” burdensome on gun owners.

Kopel reminds us in his post that Senator Reid is a strong supporter of the right to keep and bear arms and Kopel does not believe Senator Reid intends any harm to gun owners. But we all know that the intent of a senator or the Senate does not necessarily bind the hands of some political appointee and President Obama has appointed enough anti-gun appointees to make us all a little wary.

Kopel offered a fix to make sure the bill is clear in it's intent.

An amendment might say something like: “No wellness program, nor anything else in this bill or any regulation, policy, or practice thereunder, may create any discount or any other incentive that discourages the ownership, possession, use, or carrying of firearms, air guns, or ammunition, or of any type or quantity of firearms, air guns, or ammunition. This aforesaid prohibition shall be broadly construed, and in case any conflict with any other provision of this bill, the prohibition shall control. Further, the prohibition on incentives against the exercise of constitutional rights shall also protect the exercise of each and every right in Amendments I through VIII of the United States Constitution.”

Just one more example how a 2000 page bill that on its face would appear to have nothing to do with gun ownership can do a great deal of harm to gun owners.

Hat tip to Mark Levin.

Sussex Range Restrictions Fails - For Now

2009-11-20T09:35:00.007-05:00

Last night the Sussex County Board of Supervisors heard from about two dozen gun owners who were opposed to requiring special use permits for the establishment of shooting ranges in the county. In the end the Board was not happy with the definition that the planning commission came up with to describe "pistol range" and sent the proposal back to the commission. The fight will not be over until the proposal is dead for good. For now, it is on life support. There does not seem to be any appetite for it on the Board, especially from the one member with which I spoke on Wednesday.

Please contact the Board of Supervisors and thank them for their action last night and urge them to defeat this proposal for good when it comes before them again.

Blackwater District
Wayne M. Harrell
406 Jasper Lane
Post Office Box 1
Waverly, Virginia 23890
Home: (804) 834-2603

Courthouse District
T. Wayne Birdsong
116 Nicholson Drive
Wakefield, Virginia 23888
Home: (757) 899-3806

Henry District
Rufus E. Tyler Sr., Vice-Chairman
25359 Blue Star Highway Jarratt,
Virginia 23867
Home: (434) 246-4246
Office: (434) 634-2490 or (804) 834-3522

Stony Creek District
Charlie E. Caple, Jr.
12038 Palestine Road
Stony Creek, Virginia 23882
Home: (434) 246-2602

Wakefield District
C. Eric Fly, Chairman
38411 Rocky Hock Road
Wakefield, Virginia 23888
Cell: (757) 647-8190
Email: cefly@seamcorp.net

Waverly District
Harris L. Parker
300 Barkley Place
P.O. Box 616
Waverly, Virginia 23890
Home: (804) 834-3136

Hat tip to VA-Alert.

Sussex County Range Ordinance Update Part II

2009-11-19T14:35:00.005-05:00

VSSA has received the definition of "Pistol Range" as it relates to Sussex County's proposed ordinance to require special use permits for new shooting ranges.

Pistol Range means any facility or grounds, where a monetary fee is charged and/or membership dues are collected, utilized for the purpose of shooting at regulation targets with firearms capable of being held, aimed and fired with one hand. Shotguns and rifles (long guns) are not included in this definition.

Sussex also plans to "grandfather" in existing ranges, meaning they will not have to apply to continue operation but there is no mention of how expansion or changes to the range would affect the grandfather status. VSSA is still opposed to the proposed change eventhough existing ranges are grandfathered and urges all gun owners that live or shoot in Sussex County to attend the public hearing tonight at 7:00 PM. The hearing will be held in the Sussex County General District Courtroom located at 15080 Courthouse Road in Sussex.

You can read the complete proposal and explaination as it will be presented to the Board by clicking here.

Chesterfield Defers Vote on Bowhunting Ordinance

2009-11-19T08:54:00.004-05:00

Dozens of citizens turned out last night at the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors meeting to express their concerns with a proposal that would limit shooting a bow and arrow to not closer than 600 feet from a building or residence. Most of those speaking were opposed to the ordinance.

One of those speaking in opposition was Kevin Carroll who was representing the Virginia Deer Hunters Association. Carroll told the Board:

This ordinance, as it's penned right now, would hamstring the ability for us to control and manage the deer growth in Chesterfield County, and it's already exploding in the Midlothian District.

Of course there were some that supported the ordinance. Resident Jennifer Lemler went a little overboard in her description of what the situation is:

In my neighborhood, kids run and play in the yards and the woods that border the yards, as it should be. I don't want to put blaze orange on them in order to go out in the backyard.

Commonsense was on display in most of the comments however with many residents talking about the hazard of deer/car collisions and how the proposed ordinance may cause these to increase. It was such commonsense that caused the Board to put off a vote on the ordinance for 90 days to further study the proposal.

Current policy in the county is to allow property owners to shoot bows and arrows on their property as long as they do not cross onto their neighbors property without permission. This allows people to cull deer that come on their residential property which has become an increasing issue in many parts of the county. It also allows things like Boy Scouts to practice archery in their back yard. If the proposal to limit shooting of bows and arrows is limited to areas that are at least 600 feet from another building or home, it will have consequences beyond what is intended. There is likely a compromise that can address the safety issue and still allow residents to address increasing deer populations in suburban areas.

VSSA will continue to monitor this issue.

You can read the Richmond Times Dispatch article here.

Update: The Times Dispatch reported that the vice president of the Home Owners Association (HOA) hired a bow hunter. That was also posted here. That is incorrect and has been removed from the post. It was a resident that hired a hunter and Mr. Molloy, the vice president of the HOA, stated that the HOA was adamently opposed to residents hiring hunters to control the deer in the neighborhood.

Reminder - Chesterfield To Look At Bow-hunting Rules Tonight

2009-11-18T13:20:00.004-05:00

Earlier this month I posted that the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing tonight about a proposal to prohibit the use of bows and arrows within 600 feet of a home in the county.

The ordinance change is proposed in reaction to concerns expressed by residents in Midlothian's Salisbury community that people are hunting too close to homes.

Currently, Chesterfield property owners and permitted guests are allowed to use bows anywhere on their property, as long as the arrow does not cross the property line. Because of growth in the county's deer population, the state Department of Game and Inland Fisheries allows additional bow hunting with site-specific "kill permits" on property adjacent to or within residential neighborhoods.

County staff suggested the 600-foot limit because it is the same distance from which use of a firearm is prohibited. In addition to homes, use of a bow would be prohibited at the same distance from businesses, public buildings and gatherings.

The 600 foot limit sounds like overkill given the difference between a bow and firearm and some hunters agree. The Richmond Times Dispatch quoted one in this morning's paper:

"If you got a problem in the subdivision, deal with it in the subdivision. Don't mess with the other part of the county that's rural," said Larry Bicking, a Chesterfield bow hunter.

"You take a piece of property that's 15 acres and you may not be able to get 600 feet from an existing dwelling," he said. "In those big subdivisions, the houses are so close together you can't hardly get a car between them, so I don't know how you hunt them anyway."

Bicking made what seems like a reasonable suggestion that the county could limit the distance from homes in Salisbury only and maybe require the user to be at an elevation 10 feet above ground level so the arrows would not soar into unintended areas.

Midlothian Supervisor Daniel A. Gecker has suggested decreasing the distance from 600 feet to 150 feet as a compromise.

Bow hunters are urged to let their voice be heard at the public hearing which will take place during the 6:30 PM portion of today's board meeting.

What: Public Hearing on Bow Hunting in Chesterfield County
When: November 18, 2009 - Meeting begins at 6:30 PM
Where: Lane B. Ramsey Administration Building
9901 Lori Road, Chesterfield, VA 23832-0040

Gun Ban Crowd Following "Concealed Handgun Incidents"

2009-11-18T11:34:00.008-05:00

Chicago radio station WBBM reports that the Violence Policy Center has a new web site that tracks the illegal use of firearms by concealed carry permit holders.

According to a new Violence Policy Center Web site:

Concealed handgun permit holders killed eight law enforcement officers and 77 private citizens (including 10 who killed themselves) from May 2007 through October 2009.

Not to down play the the deaths, but we are supposed to believe that the fact that a relative handful of the millions of CHP holders committed crimes is reason enough to not allow the vast majority of law abiding gun owners to protect themselves and their families?

Kristin Rand said in a press release announcing the new site:

This new Web site makes clear that contrary to the false promises of the gun lobby, the simple and deadly fact is that state concealed handgun systems are arming cop-killers, mass shooters and other murderers.

I long ago stopped being amazed at the spin these people put on their press releases. The hyperbole in Rand's comment cannot even be quantified. The vast majority of CHP holders are law abiding. Austin Gun Rights Examiner Howard Nemerov researched the likelihood of Texas Concealed Handgun License (CHL) holders committing a crime and he found:

Overall, CHLs are over 9 times more law-abiding than the non-licensee population, and non-licensees are over 10 times as likely to commit a major FBI violent crime (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault).

I'm willing to bet that research will translate to other shall issue states.

Update on Sussex County

2009-11-18T08:56:00.008-05:00

Yesterday VSSA received notice of an ordinance restricting the creation of "pistol and sporting clay" ranges in Sussex County. Since posting an alert to gun owners about the ordinance being considered at this Thursday's Board of Supervisors meeting I have learned that this ordinance was originally considered at the Board's August 20 meeting and the Board unanimously returned the proposal back to the Planning Commission (the entity that came up with the scheme in the first place) with the following charge:

clearly define the terms 'sporting clays fields and pistol ranges in Sussex County

There will be a special public hearing at 7:00 PM before the regularly scheduled Board meeting. VSSA is working to get a copy of the current proposal and will post it as soon as it is in hand. The hearing will be held in the Sussex County General District Courtroom located at 15080 Courthouse Road in Sussex.

If you are unable to attend, please contact the Board of Supervisors and respectfully urge them to oppose this ordinance.

Blackwater District
Wayne M. Harrell
406 Jasper Lane
Post Office Box 1Waverly, Virginia 23890
Home: (804) 834-2603

Courthouse District
T. Wayne Birdsong
116 Nicholson Drive
Wakefield, Virginia 23888
Home: (757) 899-3806

Henry District
Rufus E. Tyler Sr., Vice-Chairman
25359 Blue Star Highway
Jarratt, Virginia 23867
Home: (434) 246-4246Office: (434) 634-2490 or (804) 834-3522

Stony Creek District
Charlie E. Caple, Jr.
12038 Palestine Road
Stony Creek, Virginia 23882
Home: (434) 246-2602

Wakefield District
C. Eric Fly, Chairman
38411 Rocky Hock Road
Wakefield, Virginia 23888
Cell: (757) 647-8190
Email: cefly@seamcorp.net

Waverly District
Harris L. Parker
300 Barkley Place
P.O. Box 616
Waverly, Virginia 23890
Home: (804) 834-3136

Urgent Alert - Sussex County Board of Supervisors To Consider Shooting Range Ordinance Thursday

2009-11-17T20:53:00.010-05:00

The Sussex County Board of Supervisors will consider an ordinance that would require pistol and shotgun ranges in A-1 zoning areas to apply for a conditional use permit to operate. The Public Hearing on the issue is Thursday, November 19 at 7:00 PM. This is becoming an all to familiar story. Gun owners in Sussex County need to turnout in big numbers at this meeting to show their opposition to this proposal. It should be noted that this is an idea of the Planning Commission and was not instigated by the Board of Supervisors.

While existing ranges like VSSA affiliated club Airfield Shooting Club and Sussex Shooting Sports may be grandfathered in by the proposal, approval of the recommendation may mean that future additions to the club and existing ranges may require them to apply for a permit. Further, this will impact numerous groups that need shooting facilities in the county like Boy Scouts, 4H, NRA Events (i.e. Women on Target Clinics etc). Below are the minutes from the August 20th Board meeting where the issue was originally discussed.

ORDINANCE AMENDMENT #2009-02Ms. Shannon C. Drew, Assistant to the Director of Planning, presented the staff report to the Board. The Zoning Ordinance
currently allows a sporting clays field and a pistol range by right in the A-1, General Agricultural District. Staff is requesting that Section 16-22, § 21 be amended to require a conditional use permit for the location of any sporting clays fields and/or pistol ranges in Sussex County. The requirement of a conditional use permit will allow proposed sites to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to ensure that they are safe for the environment, the surrounding community and range patrons. Surrounding localities such as Prince George County, Surry County and Dinwiddie County require a Special Exception to be granted by the governing body, which is equivalent to Sussex County’s Conditional Use Permit, for the location and operation of a sporting clays field and/or a pistol range.

PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: The Planning Commission at their July 6, 2009 meeting voted unanimously (8-0) to send this item to the Board of Supervisors with a recommendation for approval to be read as follows:

"NOW, THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED by the Board of Supervisors of Sussex County:That the Sussex County Code, Chapter 16 (Zoning), Article II (General Agricultural District), Section 16-22 (Use Regulations), § 21 is hereby amended as follows: Add the requirement of a conditional use permit to Sec. 16-22 §21.21. Sporting clays field and/or pistol range, with a conditional use permit."

Ordinance Amendment #2009-02 ON MOTION OF SUPERVISOR BIRDSONG, seconded by SUPERVISOR CAPLE and carried: RESOLVED that the Sussex County Board of Supervisors hereby sends Ordinance Amendment #2009-02 of the Sussex County Code, Chapter 16, (Zoning) Article II (General Agricultural District), back to the Planning Commission to clearly define the terms “sporting clays fields and pistol ranges in Sussex County,” prior to the Board of Supervisors considering again said ordinance amendment. Voting aye: Supervisors Birdsong, Caple, Fly, Harrell, Parker Voting nay: none Absent: Supervisor Tyler.

Supervisor Wayne Birdsong said the way to beat this is a large turnout. I know this is short notice but if you live in Sussex and can attend please do so.

Hat tip to VA-Alert.

Meanwhile Holder Sends Mixed Message on AWB

2009-11-17T11:35:00.005-05:00

While a binational task force is urging a reinstatement of the Clinton Gun Ban, The Hill newspaper reported on Sunday that Holder is "dialing back" his commitment to a new ban. According to The Hill, Holder’s recent statements were delivered to senators in writing, and clearly indicate the Obama administration is in no rush to reinstate the assault weapons ban, which expired in 2004.

Noting his February statements, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) asked Holder, “Is it still your intent to seek a reinstitution of the ‘assault weapons’ ban?” Holder stressed that he wasn’t breaking new ground earlier this year.

...Regarding the administration’s next step, Holder stated, "The department is currently reviewing existing gun laws to determine how best to combat gun violence and keep guns out of the hands of criminals and others prohibited from possessing them."

Obama and Holder have read the tea leaves and know they don't have the votes. You can bet if they did they would be pushing the ban. That doesn't mean they won't try some other means of getting what they want - such as a gun control treaty with the United Nations to regulate "international gun trafficking." That makes it even more important that we protect our pro-rights majorities in both houses of congress in next year's election to make sure such a treaty never sees the light of day in the U.S. Senate which must ratify it.

Hat tip to NSSF.

Former Border Patrol Commissioner Calls for Renewed AWB

2009-11-17T07:50:00.003-05:00

The Washington Times reports this morning that the former head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection during the Bush Administration has urged the U.S. to reinstitute the ban on so called "assault weapons" and more aggressively investigate U.S. gun sellers and tighten security along its side of the border, to rein in the war between Mexico and its drug cartels.

Robert C. Bonner, who served as chairman of the CBP during the administration of George W. Bush, also served in the administration of George H.W. Bush. Bonner heads a binational task force on U.S.-Mexico border that called on the Obama administration and Congress last week to reinstate an expired ban on assault weapons and for Mexico to overhaul its frontier police and customs agencies to mirror the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

"In turn, large quantities of weapons and cash generated from illegal drug sales flow south into Mexico, which makes these criminal organizations more powerful and able to corrupt government institutions," he said.

Someone needs to tell Bonner that the Cartels prefer automatic weapons, something that reninstating the Clinton Gun Ban will have no effect and thus will not make either country safer.

Currently there is no appetite in Congress to reinstate the gun ban. Don't expect that to stop the gun ban crowd that is struggling to find a reason for existance after an election day trouncing, to continue this drumbeat.