April 30, 2008
Robb Allen has a great picture of his daughter holding his new AR-15. He says
I had someone comment on why would I ever want to take a picture of my daughter with such a rifle.
Simple, I explained - I wanted a photograph that showed the juxtaposition between something that is generally associated with terror and mayhem and something that is innocent and innocuous, like the rifle.
It’s art, baby.
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Posted by Peter
April 30, 2008
Breda has a post on what it feels like to be a new CCW holder, and sums up nicely the benefits of being a gun owner and CCW permit holder.
As we pulled out of the driveway and headed down the street, Mike said, “There. It’s official. You are a now free person, no longer a subject.” I looked over at him and started laughing. I felt my world change. It’s a wild feeling - enormous freedom and enormous responsibility all at once.
Congrats, Breda and Mike! Now if Wisconsin would get it’s act together, I can get mine!
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Posted by Peter
April 29, 2008
Cam Edwards has an open letter to Barack Obama posted over at On Tap.
Dear Senator Obama,
I’m writing this letter because I know this has been a rough 48 hours for you. I can’t imagine the shock of finding out that your pastor for 20 years, the man who married you, who baptized your children, who brought you to Jesus… has been hoodwinking you for the past two decades.
Oh sure, you’d heard stories over the years of things he’d said, but it was all secondhand. Maybe he said something that made you squirm a little in your seat once or twice, but you never heard anything like what he said at the National Press Club! No, for that your Pastor waited until you weren’t in church, and then he’d let loose. What must it feel like to find out these things with everyone else!
Then, of course, there’s the egg on your face. For months now talk show hosts like Hannity, Hewitt, Rush (and dare I mention myself?) have been saying these comments were vile. Now you’ve seen the light, but how embarrassing must it be to know that these folks are going to crow about this on their shows? And drafting that letter of apology to them… whew, I don’t know how you’re going to do it. Just remember, you had the wool pulled over your eyes. You were bamboozled!
Read the rest over at On Tap
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The Obamination | 
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Posted by Peter
April 28, 2008
There has been a lot of talk about John McCain’s refusal to make a political issue out of Barack Obama’s connection with Jeremiah Wright, saying that McCain is going soft on a legitimate issue. While I think that the connection is a legitimate issue, especially in light of Obama’s connection to William Ayers and others, I think McCain is smart to play it back a little.
I do think he went a little further than he should in condemning the NC ad, but he should not make a big deal of anything at this time. Hillary and the Democrats in her camp are making enough out of this and a number of other issues that there is little need for McCain to comment, at least not until the primaries are over. McCain needs to put his work into proving why we should vote for him, instead of why not Obama or Clinton for the remainder of the primary process. We hear a lot about how sick Americans are of negative politics, and McCain is in the great position of having negative campaigns run against both of his political rivals while remaining clearly distant from the negativity. It is pretty hard to claim that McCain should shut Hillary up. There is a good chance that he will need to deal with this in the general election, but now is the time to stay back and let them beat each other up.
No matter who wins, both Democrats come out of this looking bad. McCain could go back to doing his job in the senate most of the time, and show up around the time most Americans just want Barack and Hillary to leave. Making a huge deal out of any of this before that time ruins the chance of entering the general election relatively “clean”.
And don’t forget the possibility of a brokered convention where someone else comes out as the candidate. While the possibility is fairly remote, both Democrats are sufficiently damaged goods at this point that it may be tempting to do. If that happens, all of the negative campaigning that McCain did on a personal (as opposed to policy) level can only count against him, making him look negative and petty.
All that said, McCain will also need to be willing to make an issue of these things in the general election, or he could be in a lot of trouble. It is interesting to note that McCain quietly cleared the way (at least some what) for the topic to come up in the general election. Jeremiah Wright speech this weekend sure didn’t help Obama either.
UPDATE: Sebastian touches on the same issue on Snowflakes in Hell. He adds the point that attacking Obama lends him credibility as the presumptive nominee, which would not help McCain.
1 Comment | John McCain, The Obamination, politics | Permalink
Posted by Peter
April 27, 2008
The liberal blog No Quarter is reporting that far from being the distant relation that Barack Obama claims that William Ayers was, Obama was essentially his employee at the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, along with his first fund raiser to launch his state senate campaign. It sounds like Barack Obama was a much closer to William Ayers then he is letting on.
Hat tip John Lott
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Posted by Peter
April 27, 2008
The Brady Campaign is citing a 2005 study that claims that workplaces that allow guns are more likely to have a workplace homicide than those that do not, saying that allowing guns in the workplace puts employees at greater risk.
The study has a number of serious flaws. To begin with, the study starts with 105 companies that had workplace homicides, and 210 “control” companies. Studying the policies of the employers that experienced a workplace homicide compared to companies that did not can only prove whether a workplace that experienced a homicide is more or less likely to allow guns. The study, however, purports to find that allowing weapons makes homicide more likely. Just like proving that grass is likely to be green does not prove that something green is likely to be grass, proving that workplaces that experience violence are more likely to allow guns does not prove that workplaces that allow guns are more likely to be experience violence.
A major factor that needs to be considered is geography. In many cities, violent crime is concentrated in certain areas, and almost nonexistent in others. Businesses that are in areas where violent crime is more prevalent are more likely to allow guns. In fact, some even keep guns behind the counter. In Milwaukee, there was a recent incident where a convicted felon was in a shootout with a robber, but felon in possession charges were not filed because the gun was kept in the store, by the store, not the employee. As to violent crime in the area, my map of 2007 Milwaukee homicides shows 13 homicides in about a one mile radius around the store.
In contrast, a similar store in a less violent part of the city is less likely to feel the need to have a gun on premises, and more likely to have a policy against them.
Which store is more likely to experience a homicide? The first store would be MUCH more likely, not because of the gun, but because of the environment. Furthermore, the policy allowing weapons is a result of the violent environment, not a cause of it.
Hat tip Snowflakes in Hell
2 Comments | Concealed Carry, Crime, Guns at Work, gun politics | Permalink
Posted by Peter
April 25, 2008
BBC news has an article about the relative peacefulness of America, “despite” all the guns we have. While the author doesn’t seem to completely get that part of that peacefulness is BECAUSE of the high rate of firearms ownership, it is very interesting to see this look at America from an outside news source (The author, Justin Webb, does say he has been living in the US for six years).
It is a paradox. Along with the guns there is a tranquillity and civility about American life of which most British people can only dream.
Hat tip Arms and the Law
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Posted by Peter
April 24, 2008
Pizza hut has fired James Spiers, the driver who shot and wounded a thug who’s girlfriend called for a pizza delivery so he could rob the driver.
Feedback can be left through a bizarre form that seems to think you will only contact them about pizza here. As far as I can tell, the most likely store is 4100 Se 14th St, Des Moines, IA 50320. If you know the correct store, leave a comment and I will correct it.
Hat tip Say Uncle
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Posted by Peter
April 23, 2008
Sebastian (Snowflakes in Hell) has a post regarding the election and his feelings that the lack of appropriate choices that many of us have felt in this election is our own fault. All too many of us sat back and waited until the party gave us a couple of candidates to choose from, and considered that good enough.
I consider myself a conservative, and identify most closely with the Republicans, but I am more devoted to the Conservative ideas of limited Government, lower taxes, etc. which I think the Republican Party is getting away from. My comments therefore are aimed more at the Republican Party, but apply to all of us, whatever your political affiliation.
We need to get more active, and at all levels of government. We look at the state and local races as closely as we look at the national races. We need to start reform at the ground level. The person that is running for dog catcher may become the Mayor. The Mayor’s office to the Governor’s office isn’t too far. And a lot of Governors have run for and become president. We need to take a long view, and work on our local officials, letting them know how we feel, and helping the good ones to make the leap to the next level. While not many of them will make this type of leap, we will benefit from elected officials that better represent us at all levels. Also consider how much easier it is to deal with someone at a lower level in the political process, and how much harder it gets as they rise through the ranks. Who would be in this race was largely determined years ago.
What can we do? Call politicians and let them know how you feel. Sign up for legislative alerts. NRA-ILA offers them. Some government offices have them. I get alerts from the WI Legislature based on keywords I can set. Find others for the issues that matter to you. Don’t only call to tell politicians how to vote or complain when they vote the wrong way; thank them when they do the right thing. Be reasonable. Be informative. Be well spoken. Volunteer for the campaigns you really agree with. Encourage the good people to run for higher offices, and support them in their run. Or, you can always run yourself. (Clayton Cramer, Sebastian, PGP)
I know I have a long way to go toward this ideal, I don’t keep up on all the local stuff, I don’t always call or write. But we all need to be more involved in the entire process if we want to improve our political situation. So make a commitment to be involved at a deeper level, and encourage those around you to do likewise.
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Posted by Peter
