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Dave Kopel's Second Amendment NewsletterAugust 28, 2006 Delivery of this newsletter comes courtesy of the Second Amendment Foundation, in Bellevue, Washington. Please visit Dave Kopel's website, containing articles on the Second Amendment and other freedom topics. To subscribe to this free e-mail newsletter, please send a request to: Table of Contents
New by Kopel, International:The U.N. Wants Your GunWall Street Journal "The U.N. gun control program, of which this week's small arms conference is a part, has already caused massive suffering and the loss of civil liberties in many nations around the world. Americans would be foolish to imagine that they will always be immune." Human Rights Atrocities: The Consequences of United Nations Gun Confiscation in East AfricaDavid B. Kopel, Paul Gallant, Joanne D. Eisen On June 26, the United Nations convened a major conference on gun control. Before demanding further control, the delegates ought to insist that the United Nations halt the use of torture, arson, and murder in the carrying-out of existing U.N. gun control programs. U.N.-supported efforts to disarm the country population of Kenya and Uganda are creating scores of thousands of starving refugees. Podcast by Kopel: United Nations Gun ConfiscationIvoices.org Kopel discusses the international gun prohibition movement, and his new paper about human rights abuses in the gun confiscation programs in Kenya and Uganda. United Nations an Accomplice in Hezbollah Kidnapping.The Volokh Conspiracy Dave describes how the United Nations helped in Hezbollah's October 2000 kidnapping of three Israeli soldiers, and the subsequent cover-up. Gun Bans & Genocide: The Disarming Facts. How gun control has been used in the Darfur, Sudan genocide. Genocide and United Nations disarmament in other African countries.America's First Freedom The international gun prohibition lobbies and their United Nations allies insist that there is no personal right of self-defense—that people should be forced to rely exclusively on the government protection. U.N. Conference Ending, Freedom Winning!!The Volokh Conspiracy "...the word from the United Nations small arms conference is that the conference is concluding with NO final document, and NO plans for any follow-up conference. It was the latter issue that prevented an agreement about a final document." How Israel and Thailand are preventing Jihadi shootingsThe Volokh Conspiracy "At schools and other youth centers, they allow or require the presence of armed adults, such as teachers, as I detailed in a 2004 article for National Review Online." New by Kopel, United StatesU.S. House votes to ban gun confiscation in disastersThe Volokh Conspiracy The House of Representatives voted 322 to 99 to prohibit federal employees, as well as state and local police which receive federal funding (that is, most of them) from confiscating lawfully-owned firearms. Beauprez's gun policy mangledThe Rocky Mountain News The Denver Post egregiously misrepresented Bob Beauprez's position on gun policy. New Translations of KopelFrench:Les Nations Unies veulent ton pistoletWall Street Journal Les actualités au droit de porter les armesLa conférence ONU There is a concurrent English translation Les actualités aux armesLa conférence ONU There is a concurrent English translation Spanish:Explicando Eisentrager. La Segunda Enmienda se aplica a los individuos dueños de armasDavid Kopel, Paul Gallant, y Joanne Eisen Un mundo sin armas de fuego. Aviso: No es un cuadro lindo.National Review Online Polski (Polish):ONZ Chce Twoja BronWall Street Journal Zakonczyla sie konferencja ONZ, wolnosc zwyciezyla!The Volokh Conspiracy Opór Zbrojny Przeciwko HolokaustSecond Amendment Project of the Independence Institute Piecdziesiat Dziewiec Oszustw w Filmie Farenheit 9/112004 Russian:These are Cyrillic transcriptions of Dave's appearances on the Russian language version of Radio Free Europe.
InternationalBelgium:Belgian gun owners in legal battle against tighter lawXinhua News Agency The Belgian Union of Gun Owners (UNACT) is taking legal action in the Arbitration Tribunal against the federal government's recently imposed tighter gun control law. Canada:After the Gun RegistryGary Mauser Professor Mauser suggests creating a registry of people forbidden firearms ownership in Canada, as opposed to registering firearms themselves. Handloading RegulationsThe Canadian Government: Natural Resources Canada "Currently, the government will not be proceeding with any new handloading regulations. Handloading, when properly practised, has been shown to be a safe activity and it has a good safety record. Any potential amendments that are made to the regulations will only be done after a need has been established and extensive consultations have been conducted." India:City women gunning for armsThe Times of India "Figures available with the UT administration indicate that in the last three years, gun licenses issued to women have doubled. Though the numbers are still small, the graph is unmistakable in its upward twirl." New Zealand:Ordinary Kiwis Defenceless Against Armed CriminalsPress Release "In a classic case of poorly thought-out, ideologically-driven legislation, New Zealand's gun control laws prevent ordinary people from defending themselves, but criminals are perfectly able to obtain and use illegal firearms..." Philippines:Plan to limit ownership of guns criticizedAris R. Ilagan "Officials of the Association of Firearms and Ammunition Dealers (AFAD) yesterday criticized the reported plan of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to limit the ownership by civilians of firearms to just 10." South Africa:Gun dealers 'driven out of business'Wyndham Hartley ""Ninety percent of SA's gun dealers have been driven out of business and lost their livelihoods after the implementation of the Firearms Control Act, Parliament's safety and security committee heard yesterday." United Kingdom:Countryside Alliance will appeal to the Lords to overturn Hunting ActSteve Dube "The Countryside Alliance is refusing to give up the fight to overturn the controversial ban on [fox] hunting." Britain's holiday camp with gunsFinlo Rohrer At the Imperial Meeting at Bisley, the ancient tradition of British shooting tournaments still manages to endure. Reader reactions to the story are also interesting. Animal activists threatened family with pro-hunt car stickerRosie Murray-West "A 75-year-old grandmother and her family were threatened by animal rights activists for displaying a Countryside Alliance sticker [see above] in their car, a court heard yesterday." Figures show 'widespread use of guns'Newsquest Media Group Newspapers "Barnet has seen a 68 per cent rise in muggings by gunpoint in the past year, according to new figures released by the Metropolitan Police." Shooting: Young guns take aim at the GovernmentAlan Hubbard "Time, it seems, for the Government to stop shooting themselves, and a massive if misunderstood sport, in the foot." Britain shall host the shooting sports in the upcoming Olympics. United Nations gun ban conference and follow-upUN guns meeting ends in disarray: Canada proposes new initiative: United States opposes further reviewOlivia Ward "As a major UN conference to tighten rules for combating the illicit gun trade ended yesterday in disarray, Canada tried to build momentum for a new gathering that would speed up international control of the weapons." Seven nations launch bid for UN curb on arms tradeAgence France Presse "Seven nations, spanning five continents, on Monday formally launched an initiative aimed at stifling the supply of weapons that fuel conflicts and terrorism." The publication that chose to quote this article, and its companion articles on this page, are illuminating. Control Arms: UN world conference on small arms collapses without agreementPress Release "The Control Arms Campaign is now taking its call for tougher global arms controls to the UN General Assembly in October. There, decisions are frequently put to a vote meaning that a small minority of governments cannot block progress. Several governments have already indicated that they want a resolution to be put to the UN General Assembly first committee calling for negotiations to begin on a legally-binding global Arms Trade Treaty." Barr Statement on Conclusion of UN Small Arms ConferencePress Release "This latest UN conference on firearms which, like its previous meetings, in failing to reach a consensus on moving forward to continue its efforts to limit firearms possession, reflects a victory for freedom and sovereignty." "A Mandate from Brazil"Jairo Paes This is a formal statement resented by Jairo Paes on behalf of his organization to the United Nations Conference to Review Progress Made in the Implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons. Brazillians recently voted down a national ban on civilian firearms. Statement to meetingHermann Suter Here is the statement by a representative of a Swiss firearms owners' organization presented to the U.N. Conference. Statement to meetingProfessor Gary Mauser Professor Mauser offers his own views to the U.N. conference on the necessity for civilian firearms ownership. Speech before the Wellington Branch of the UN Association on DisarmamentPhil Goff, Disarmament Minister "...Where to now? Further UN action on SALW will be possible at the UN General Assembly First Committee, where New Zealand usually cosponsors a Japanese resolution. An important issue needing GA approval is follow-up to the Review Conference. A new Group of Governmental Experts on brokering is due to start work at the UN in November. An open-ended working group has been proposed by Canada at the Review Conference, funded by voluntary contributions led by it and Switzerland. If approved by the GA, this is likely to meet next May and would pick up the discussion on transfer controls specifically. The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) is a separate and broader issue. The UK still plans to try for a First Committee resolution this year, providing for the establishment of a Governmental Group of Experts to work on a mandate for drafting an ATT. NZ has clearly registered its interest in an ATT and we will be continuing to promote support for it." Culture and HistoryWeb PageUnited States Knife & Tool Association "Protecting your right to own and carry knives and tools" Web PageInternational Coalition for Women in Shooting and Hunting (WISH) "Find out how you can help with our campaigns, or join our mailing list." Coker tells Miami players no guns allowed on HurricanesKelly Whiteside "In the wake of a shooting incident last week near the Miami (Fla.) campus, Hurricanes coach Larry Coker said he plans to discourage players from owning handguns." This story has been quoted in the August 14, 2006 issue of Sports Illustrated, p. 24. PoliticsAttorney General Hopefuls Spar On Gun LocksBetsy Turner "Republican attorney general candidate Gunner DeLay on Thursday accused Democratic rival Dustin McDaniel of not being truthful about his views on requiring the installation of trigger locks on guns" Ed Perlmutter's Victory in Colorado Democratic PrimaryBrady Campaign "Ed Perlmutter's victory in the Colorado Seventh Congressional district primary sends a message that other candidates should heed - the voters want straight talk about the gun violence threatening our communities, and sensible solutions to prevent criminals and children from getting guns." Perlmutter claimed that his opponent in the Democratic primary in Colorado favored guns in schools. Land issues help Dems hook rod and gun crowdChris Frates "Sportsmen, traditionally leery of Democrats because of their pro gun-control stance, are coming to the table to talk about how to protect the land. Gun advocates not lining up with GallagherJoe Follick Florida gun owners are opposing Attorney General Candidate Tom Gallagher in the Republican primary due to his past support of anti-gun legislation. Richardson talks about gun rightsSteve Terrell "Gov. Bill Richardson's latest television commercial is an apparent appeal to conservative voters, talking about gun rights, punishing crime and 'teaching right from wrong.'" Wisconsin Governor: Doyle 43%, Green 42%Angus Reid Consultants Republican challenger Mark Green is closing the gap on incumbent Acting Governor Jim Doyle. Doyle vetoed concealed carry legislation in the Wisconsin legislature. StatesIndianaHoosiers can get gun permits for lifeTim Evans "Indiana is the first state in the nation to offer residents lifetime [concealed carry] handgun permits under a new law that went into effect this month -- a move hailed by Second Amendment supporters and blasted by gun-control advocates." NebraskaCity Council overrides veto on concealed gunsAssociated Press (NE) "The Omaha City Council voted 5 to 2 Tuesday to override Mayor Mike Fahey's veto of a new ordinance. The new measure reverses the city's longtime ban on concealed weapons." Council rejects gun banMatt Olberding "The Lincoln City Council on Monday shot down Mayor Coleen SengÂ’s proposal to ban concealed weapons in the city once a new state law takes effect next year." Lincoln further restricts those who can carry concealed weaponsAssociated Press (NE) Lincoln's city council has added a number of additional restrictions on who can carry a concealed and where. New YorkPataki vetoes pair of gun-related billsDave Henderson "One was vetoed because it would have unintentionally interfered with private sales through classified advertising and the other bill contained reference to revoking a "firearms license" when it may have meant hunting license. Licenses, actually permits, are required only for handguns." TexasDallas may drop the hammer on toy gunsDave Levinthal "Toy guns that don't fit the city's paint/reflection criteria would be illegal even if kept inside a private home or vehicle, council members said." LawJudge refuses New Orleans' request to dismiss NRA lawsuitMary Foster "The NRA's suit against the city for confiscating citizens' firearms during the Katrina crisis advances." Appeals court reverses early gun rulingChris Metinko The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the federal conviction of Robert Stewart of Mesa, Ariz., for illegal possession of five homemade machine guns. Previously, the Court had voided his conviction because he had made the machine guns himself, rather than obtaining them via interstate commerce. For the case itself, see Massachusetts High Court Rules That Homeowners Must Lock Up Their GunsPress Release "The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled today in Jupin v. Kask that homeowners must ensure that firearms in their homes are secured from theft, or they may be held liable for shootings with stolen guns." For the opinion of this celebrated court, see http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=ma City recoups $438k from gun makerAP (Boston) "The city of Boston received $438,500 in a settlement between a pellet gun maker and the family of a college student killed after a Boston policeman fired pepper spray pellets into an unruly crowd celebrating a Red Sox win." Gun Suit Redux: Federal Court Allows Evidentiary Use of Firearms Database On Finding That What Congress Says Now Does Not Affect What Plaintiffs Obtained ThenLisa Caccavo and David L. Wallace This site requires free registration. Judge Weinstein has ruled in the ongoing City of New York v. Beretta U.S.A. Corp., 2006 WL 1109758 (E.D.N.Y., April 27, 2006) that since New York City had already obtained information for its suit against Beretta firearms corporation from the Federal Firearms Database before Congress specifically made such use illegal, the evidence would be allowed in the case. This is consistent with Judge Weinstein's earlier rulings preserving the case in the face of Congressional action to forbid such lawsuits. Supreme Court says muzzleloaders are legally firearmsAssociated Press (WY) "The ruling comes in an appeal by a convicted felon who says he thought he was allowed to own a black powder rifle. Such rifles are excluded from the federal definition of firearms." For the decision itself, see http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data2/wyomingstatecases/2006/2006wy76.pdf. FederalU.S. House votes to overturn mandatory gun locksReuters News "The U.S. House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to overturn a recently enacted law requiring safety trigger locks on all hand guns sold in the United States." ATF Director Resigns Amid Financial ProbeDan Eggen "The director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives announced his resignation yesterday, six months after the launch of an internal investigation into questionable spending on a new headquarters and other items during his tenure." Reference and ResearchGun Owners Become Less Vigilant As Kids Grow: StudyRick Weiss The new study, led by Renee Johnson of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, suggests that more attention ought to be paid to keeping those weapons away from teenagers. The Johnson report is in the August issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. Huntandshoot.orgWeb Page "Looking for a local place to shoot? A nearby hunter safety course? Info on how to get started in shooting sports? An outfitter for a hunting trip across the country? r all these topics, plus many more to come, there's now only one Web address to remember." MN Judge Throws Out Gunshot Residue EvidenceDave Orrick "Gunshot residue - long-purported by police and prosecutors to link suspects with shootings - lacks scientific backing and has no place in a courtroom, Hall wrote." Trac ReportsTransactional Records Access Clearinghouse The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) is a data gathering, data research and data distribution organization associated with Syracuse University. TRAC features timely criminal enforcement data from the Justice Department on subjects such as Immigration, White Collar Crime, Drugs, and Weapons Violations. NIJ Report Describes Program To Reduce Juvenile Gun ViolenceThe National Institute of Justice he Office of Justice Programs' National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has released "Reducing Gun Violence: Community Problem Solving in Atlanta." One in a series of NIJ research reports on reducing gun violence, the report features a program implemented in Atlanta, GA, during the late 1990s to reduce juvenile gun violence. It describes in detail the problem targeted, the program designed to address it, and the problems confronted in designing, implementing, and evaluating the program. Print copies may be ordered online at http://www.ncjrs.gov/app/shoppingcart/ShopCart.aspx? Spousal Homicides involving Registered Guns & Licenced Gun Owners, 1997-2004Library of Parliament Garry Breitkreuz is a member of the Canadian Parliament. Here is the Library of Parliament's response to his requiest for figures on firearms used in homicides since 1997. Spousal Homicides by Weapon, 1995-2004Library of Parliament Here is the Library of Parliament's response to Mr. Breitkreuz's request for statistics on spousal homicides by type of weapon since 1995. domestic Violence: Women's Shelters or the Gun Registry?Garry Breitkreuze Garry Breitkreuze using those figures and others points out the other uses to which the funds spent on Canada's gun registry program could have been put. This newsletter is compiled with help from Dr. Rob S. Rice. For more on this enigmatic, if well-motivated individual, see http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rrice/rrice_hd.html. Dr. Rice is also a poet, novelist, and factotum of matters electronic to Dave Kopel. Al Qaeda delenda est!
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