Gun Crime Down; Americans Ignorant

Well, apparently despite the expiration of the “assault” weapons ban in 2004 and a number of states passing concealed carry laws, the hoplophobes’ predictions of blood in the streets have fallen flat. Crimes committed with firearms have plunged, including murders, assaults and robberies.

In less than two decades, the gun murder rate has been nearly cut in half. Other gun crimes fell even more sharply, paralleling a broader drop in violent crimes committed with or without guns. Violent crime dropped steeply during the 1990s and has fallen less dramatically since the turn of the millennium.

This is great news, not that anyone would know it, because Americans still think that we’re in the midst of an epidemic of violence!

A newly-released survey by the Pew Research Center reveals that more than half of Americans believe that gun crimes are on the increase.

Now why would that be?

The LA Times article I cited above says it’s not clear whether the media shapes these perceptions, but I think their own article is telling.

The number of gun killings dropped 39% between 1993 and 2011, the Bureau of Justice Statistics reported in a separate report released Tuesday. Gun crimes that weren’t fatal fell by 69%. However, guns still remain the most common murder weapon in the United States, the report noted. Between 1993 and 2011, more than two out of three murders in the U.S. were carried out with guns, the Bureau of Justice Statistics found. [emphasis mine]

This type of focus on firearms and the media’s insistence on sensationalizing every shooting, while studiously ignoring instances of self defense is instructive.

When I Google “Sandy Hook shooting,” I get nearly 38 million results.

However, when I search for this story about a gas station manager recently defending himself against two armed suspects, I get…

Two relevant stories.

When I search for “Aurora Colorado Shooting,” I get 3.15 million Google hits.

When I try to search for news about Philly homeowner Lee Heng, who defended his children from two home invaders last month, I get…

2,400 stories.

As a journalist, you know the “If it bleeds, it leads” meme pretty well. Obviously, these two stories weren’t dramatic. They weren’t exciting. There was no drama. There was no blood. And no one knows how many lives were saved by putting an end to the armed thugs. Many instances of self defense go unreported, because ultimately, the gun isn’t brandished, and no crime is committed.

Self defense generally doesn’t bleed, so it won’t lead.

But the mainstream media will certainly take sensationalism to new lows with headlines such as this one in USA Today a few weeks ago – Epidemic: Guns kill twice as many kids as cancer does!

Nationally, guns still kill twice as many children and young people than cancer, five times as many than heart disease and 15 times more than infection, according to the New England Journal of Medicine.

“We see guns as much of a threat in their life as we used to see bacteria and viruses,” said Dr. Judith S. Palfrey, a past president of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the co-author of the New England journal report. “If you look at what’s actually killing children and disabling children, guns is one of the major things.”

Accidental firearms injuries have been on the decline nationwide. In 2001, 5,091 children ages 19 and under were injured by a firearm. Those numbers steadily decreased through 2009, when 3,587 children under 19 were reported injured by a firearm, according to the defense fund.

Interesting statistics from the American Academy of Pediatrics, which couldn’t in any way be described as political, could it?

All of a sudden young adults and legal adults ages 15-19 are considered “children” and counted as “killed” by guns. I guess the APA isn’t aware that this is the prime age for gang activity. Apparently 25 percent of gang members are aged 15-17. But I don’t suppose that would have anything to do with these statistics, would it?

According to the Centers for Disease Control, some of the leading causes of death for actual children between the ages of 0 and 14 are unintentional injury, congenital anomalies, malignant neoplasms, heart disease and homicides.

Unintentional injury statistics don’t support Palfrey’s analysis in the New England Journal of Medicine either.

Two percent of unintentional injuries that resulted in the deaths of children in 2010 were due to firearms. Motor vehicle accidents and drowning were responsible for more than 60 percent of these deaths.

And yet, the media screeches about a gun violence “epidemic,” and takes every opportunity to publish questionable research from obviously biased sources.

Is it any wonder that Americans are ignorant about significant declines in gun crime?

The politicians screech about stemming gun violence every time a lunatic or criminal goes on an armed rampage.

Gun grabbing advocacy groups exploit every tragedy to further their political agenda.

The media focuses on carnage, but not on positive stories involving firearms.

And groups such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, which is supposed to be apolitical, features biased political hacks such as Dr. Judith S. Palfrey, who push a political agenda while hiding behind their medical degrees to promote dangerous policies.

So crime committed with firearms decreases dramatically, despite the gun banners’ most dire predictions, despite the availability of high-capacity magazines and “assault” rifles, and despite the passage of concealed carry laws in numerous states.

And the majority of Americans don’t even know it.

What does that say about them?

If After Reading This Post, You Don’t Get This Uncontrollable Urge to Reach Through Your Screen and Eviscerate This Twat, I Disown You!

My pals at This Ain’t Hell report that this drooling fucktard has offered to give up her (nonexistent) burial plot at Arlington National Cemetery to the festering carcass of Tamerlan Tsarnaev.

Julie Frein, has offered the space she thinks that she’s earned at Arlington National Cemetery to the family of Boston bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev. And, you know, she says that if we’re upset about that, we should “get over it”.

You can’t make this shit up.

Only problem is, the cretinous cuntmuffin hasn’t earned it. Her husband is a Naval retiree, so he’s eligible, and if he supports this traitorous twat’s mission to provide a heinous pigfucking terrorist a final resting place next to this nation’s heroes, he should be eviscerated with a rusty fork as well.

Arlington National Cemetery posted the following on its Facebook page:

We have been receiving calls about the interview a veteran did regarding giving up her space at a veteran cemetery to the Boston Bombing suspect so he can be buried. We want to make it clear that this suspect is not eligible to be buried at Arlington — a veteran can’t transfer their eligibility to another person. Please pass this along to those who are concerned!

So for those of you who were worried that this terrorist pig humper would be interred anywhere near America’s military heroes, not to worry.

But I have to say, I’m more than repulsed by this military veteran, who thinks that she’s entitled to desecrate the holy ground at Arlington with this shitbag’s remains. A sub human turd who attacked innocent people as an act of terrorism in a nation that gave him not just freedom, but resources and opportunities, buried THERE?

BITCH, PLEASE!

This woman makes me want to reach right through my screen and pull her ovaries out through her fucking eyes!

Reports of Its Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated

For those of you who thought you were safe from the politicians trying to relieve you of your Second Amendment rights, I have one thing to say:  not so fast, Sparky!

First, according to Uncle Joe, they have to tongue bathe the collective anuses of the illegal aliens prior to the 2014 Congressional elections, so they will force “immigration reform” (read: amnesty and a road to citizenship for millions of illegals whose first act in a country they claim to love and respect was to violate said country’s immigration laws) down our collective throats first, then regroup, and then continue their assault on the Bill of Rights.

The vice president’s words mark the first time the White House has revealed a timeline that has been widely discussed among gun control advocates and senior aides to senators who are pushing background checks.

“He doesn’t think it will come back before they’ve made some pretty good steps on immigration,” said Sister Marjorie Clark, a lobbyist for Network, the Catholic social justice organization. “He said, ‘I don’t think it will happen before immigration but it will come back.’”

The timeline adds to Biden’s Thursday revelation that he plans to travel the country to push the White House gun control agenda. Then, in a meeting with representatives of law enforcement organizations, Biden said he planned extensive travel to states where senators voted against background checks and said he would take an active role in tweaking the legislation to win more votes.

Here’s the problem I have with this immigration reform. Several, actually.

1. Amnesty has been tried before and was a miserable fail.
2. I have a problem with rewarding lawbreakers.
3. It’s not fair to the folks who have been waiting patiently to enter this nation legally.
4. We need highly educated, skilled workers. That’s not who is going to be given amnesty, for the most part.
5. Security. Security. Security.
6. And also… imagine this scenario:  We allow anyone who wants to stay to remain here and legalize them.  These are generally people who work for low wages, but whose salaries are way higher than what they would have ever gotten back home, which is part of the reason why they all came here to begin with. All of a sudden, they’re legally here, and the politicians now have more ammo to raise the minimum wage, increase benefits, etc. “Why just look at these poor people! They’re working for practically nothing! Their salaries are soooooooo low! We must raise their standards of living! Vote for us, recently legalized immigrants, and we’ll make sure you get even higher salaries! There are way too many impoverished immigrants in this country. We need to do something to raise their pay.”   Sorry, but that’s a no-go for me.  Libertarians will get exactly what they ask for when they advocate just allowing these people to stay – a whole new voting base to vote themselves benefits out of the public coffers. No thanks!

But anyway – back to my original point…

Gun control isn’t dead. Not even close.

Expect the “90 percent of Americans support background checks” lie to get resurrected. Expect more pressure brought on by Bloomberg money on legislators who actually respect the Constitution. Expect more assaults on your rights. Are you ready?

Shots Fired!

The first 3D-printed gun has fired its first shots.

All 16 parts of the controversial gun, called the Liberator, are made from a tough, heat-resistant plastic used in products such as musical instruments, kitchen appliances and vehicle bumper bars.

Fifteen of those are made with a 3D printer while one is a non-functional metal part which can be picked up by metal detectors, making it legal under U.S. law. The firing pin is also not made of plastic, though it is easily crafted from a metal nail.

This thing is phenomenally goofy looking.  It reminds me of the nozzle of a garden hose. Nothing I’d ever actually buy except as a goofy novelty.

Plus, according to the Guardian, it’s inaccurate and jams, and appears to be a general pain in the ass.

And yes, it’s detectable by a metal detector, owing mostly to the fact that IT HAS METAL IN IT, so stop panicking!

Screeching, hysterical efforts to ban coming down from DC in 3…2…1…

Looks Like Negative Publicity Works

This is an update on yesterday’s story about Cole Withrow, who was expelled and charged with a felony for inadvertently leaving his shotgun in his truck when he went to school on Monday morning.

WRAL reports that Cole will graduate with his class, and will return to school to finish his education.

Kim Boykin, a family friend speaking on behalf of Withrow’s family, said he tried to get permission from school administrators to take home the weapon but instead, was arrested and expelled.

But Jimmy Lawrence, an attorney for the Johnston County Schools Board of Education, said in a statement Thursday afternoon that Withrow has not been expelled and that the school system superintendent “has made provisions” that will allow him to continue his education and to receive his high school diploma if he meets graduation requirements.

A spokeswoman for Johnston County Schools said she could not speak specifically about disciplinary measures against Withrow but said that, generally, students bringing weapons to school are suspended for 10 days with a recommendation to be suspended for a full calendar year – the mandate according to state law.

“The Legislature has mandated what actions law enforcement, school principals and school superintendents must do upon finding a violation of this law,” Lawrence said. “It was enacted for the purpose of ‘deterring students and others from bringing any type of guns onto school grounds because of the increased necessity for safety in our schools.’ This has never been more true, based on recent events that have occurred at schools in the United States in the last few years.”

Yeah, I’m sure it’s the Legislature’s fault that there’s no common sense involved in this situation. It’s the legislature’s fault that an administrator, whose error was far more egregious and potentially damaging, was not punished, while this honor student’s future was threatened.

And, of course… NEWTOWN!!! SANDY HOOK!!!  YOU MUST WANT TO KILL CHILDREN IF YOU DISAGREE WITH THE ADMINISTRATORS’ ACTIONS IN THIS CASE, SO SHUT UP!

Zero Tolerance Ruins the Life of a Good Kid… Again (UPDATED)

How many of these inane Zero Tolerance Sense stories have we heard about? Kids being suspended for bringing a butter knife to school to eat their lunch, punished for mocking a gun with their fingers, disciplined for wielding chicken tenders in a menacing manner, etc., etc., etc., ad nauseam.

Well, John Pierce tells us about yet another example of a good kid – an honors student – a boy scout – whose life is being ruined by his school system’s ignorant, hypocritical, imbecilic, zero tolerance sense policy.

I would like for you to meet Cole Withrow. In addition to being an Eagle Scout, Cole is an honors student and high school senior in Johnson County North Carolina … at least he was until recently.

Now, he is charged with a felony, expelled from school weeks before graduation, and sees his college plans crumbling since he will not be allowed to graduate.

What heinous act could possibly see a child being expelled and charged with a felony? Did he accidentally eat his corn muffin into the shape of a firearm?

No. This kid went skeet shooting over the weekend, unintentionally left his shotgun in his car, realized what he did while on school property, secured his firearm and called his mom to come pick it up. He threatened no one, and he told no one about it. Simply called his mom and discretely asked her to come remove the object.

Unfortunately, in this post-Newtown era, any act of possessing an evil firearm will be punished most rigorously – no threat or actual display of a firearm required. Apparently someone overheard Cole on the phone with his mom and reported him.

And now, this kid’s future is threatened by a bunch of overzealous, panty-soiling, ignorant publik skool administrators.

But wait… they’re not just pusillanimous and capricious. They’re also hypocritical. Much like the DC police who punished a veteran for inadvertently leaving some ammunition rounds in his bag, while tongue-bathing media maggot David Gregory’s anus after he knowingly displayed an outlawed high-capacity magazine on his show in DC, the duplicitous, traitorous school administrators are protecting one of their own from repercussions of an even more “egregious” act.

To illustrate the hypocrisy even further, it has been noted that two years ago, Cole’s assistant Principal Catherine Bennett brought a gun in her car onto school campus. To make matters worse, her car was being worked on by the auto mechanics class and the gun was found by students who handed it around before hiding it under the fender of the car.

So Cole will be joining Bennett in prison? Nope. Bennett did not face criminal charges because she said that she did not know the gun was in the car.

School officials claim that this is because the law is different for students and for teachers – kind of like the law is different for media maggots and for regular folks in DC, I guess. That’s a pretty specious argument. Since when are laws different when it comes to exercise of basic rights for different classes of citizens? Isn’t there, like, a constitutional thingy… some kind of equal protection under the law thingy?

Look, folks. I fully understand the need to keep schools safe. I fully understand the need to report suspicious activity within reason.

But this snitchery smacks of the USSR in all its former glory!

If you want to help Cole, I would suggest polite, strongly-worded letters to the contacts below, as well as petitions and shares of this post.

1. Contact the Johnson County School Board and let them know what you think of their actions.
2. Contact the Johnston County DA Susan Doyle via email Susan.I.Doyle@nccourts.org or telephone (919) 209-5521 and ask her to immediately drop the charges against Cole.
3. Sign this petition that is going to the School Board.
4. Sign this petition to the Governor.
5. Keep up with the #FreeCole campaign at their Facebook page.

And thank you to John Pierce for bringing this to my attention!

UPDATE: WDBJ reports that Liberty University has offered Cole a full scholarship. At least his life won’t be destroyed by the actions of the shitguzzling cowards that are his school administrators! Kudos to Liberty U!

Liberty University Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. heard about Withrow’s situation while watching the evening news. Withrow was wearing a Liberty University shirt during the story, so Falwell decided to look into the situation more, according to the news release. Falwell then learned that Withrow’s sister is a Liberty University graduate.

“When I reached out to encourage this responsible and impressive young man, I learned that he wanted to go to Liberty University, but couldn’t afford it. I told him that we would do whatever he needed so that he can attend Liberty,” Falwell wrote in the news release. “Anti-gun zealots tried to vilify him for doing the right thing, so Liberty has decided to award him the help he needs to attend a private Christian college. I was really impressed with Cole. He is a humble and meek Christian kid who only wants to do the right thing! We want students like Cole Withrow.” graduate.

Those Silly, Completely Inappropriate for Self Defense “Assault” Rifles

Apparently, Joe Biden and his shotgun were not available to scare the bandits away, so this veteran and store owner used his evil, killing machine assault rifle to defend his property.

Without ever firing a shot.

Without a round going through a wall and killing a child.

[Shawn] Schank walked inside the back room, grabbed his AR 15 rifle and pointed it at the suspects.

[...]

The man asked Schank not to shoot him. The two men ran out the door and Schank dialed 911.

Schank said he usually carries a pistol but that morning he only had his rifle which he mainly uses for shooting and hunting.

I know Uncle Joe would have preferred Schank simply grabbed a shotgun and fired willy-nilly into the air, but unfortunately all he had was the killer AR-15. I guess he’s lucky that murder machine didn’t jump out of his hands, shoot the suspects, run out the door, kill some children and rape some nuns.