Monthly Archives: February 2020

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The Lies That Never Die

CNN held a town hall Wednesday, and I gather the violence-enabling victim disarmament lies were flying. I didn’t watch it but per reports, the usual long debunked arguments were still trotted out.

Gropin’ Joe Biden came up with the bogus First Amendment comparison.

“[N]o amendment is absolute. None of you can stand up on the First Amendment, free speech, and yell ‘fire’ in here [or] you’ll be arrested.”

I found that particularly annoying since I just wasted virtual ink schooling a lying professor on that very subject.

“You pretend that lying and threatening are the First Amendment equivalents of the Second Amendment right to POSSESS a tool.”

Hey, Biden; did you get a First Amendment license before you spoke at that town hall? Did you undergo a prior restraint on your right to speech by preemptively proving your innocence before stepping up to that microphone? Did you show the moderator your government issued photo ID and fill out a form for the government’s use, remembering to tell them your very race?

Not to be mendaciously outdone, Mini Mike Bloomberg pulled this out of… somewhere.

“You don’t want to have guns. If you have a gun in your house you’re something like 22 times as likely to get killed with a gun.”

He didn’t cite a source for that, but “22” tells us he’s thinking of the insanely bad Kellerman 1998 paper.

Kellerman came up with that ratio by ignoring all non-lethal defensive gun uses (DGU), and lumping in all lethal non-defensive deaths — firearm or not — together (there were issues with the counties he chose to represent the US, as well). That should have rated nonacceptance right there, and certainly retraction once it was pointed out.

But really, this should have been another clue:

“Homicide claims the lives of approximately 24,000 Americans each year, making it the 11th leading cause of death among all age groups, the 2nd leading cause of death among all people 15 to 24 years old, and the leading cause of death among male African Americans 15 to 34 years old.”

1980 was the peak year for homicides in the US, with a rate of 10.2/100K, or about 23,107 homicides. We’ve never hit 24,000, much average it. The 2018 rate was 5.9/100K. (WISQARS only goes back to 1999, the year after the Kellerman paper, but there were 16,889 homicides that year. The rate given for 1998 is 6.3/100K; which would work out to 17336 homicides. Kellerman inflated his claim by over 38%.)

Sorry, Mike; busted.

For those curious as to the actual ratio of DGUs to homicides, that’s a tough call. Based on personal experience, I don’t think the majority of DGUs are ever reported. But the anti-gun rights group Violence Policy Center looked at reported numbers and estimated 338,700 DGUs in 2007-2011, an average of 67,740/year.

They found 58,450 firearm homicides in that same period, an average of 11,690.

So rather than being guns being 22 times more likely to be used in murder as Bloomberg claimed, they’re 5.8 times more likely to be used defensively. And that is using VPC’s laughably low estimate of DGUs. As in the three incidents in personal experience, most are never reported to police. Using VPC numbers, let’s put DGUs at 270,960 per year.

In another blatant lie, Biden also claimed there 150 million firearm deaths since 2007 (47.5% of the population!). That would average 11,538,462. Typically, no more than 40% would be homicides, so… 4,615,384 “homicides” by Creepy Uncle Joe’s weird estimate. I wonder. That would yield a DGU: homicide ratio of 1:17. Maybe that’s the red-sky universe where Bloomberg and Kellerman found their fantastically out-of-this world WAG. I do not think Joe Biden is a reliable primary source, guys.

[Permission to republish this article is granted so long as it is not edited, and the author and The Zelman Partisans are credited.]

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Culture, Elsewhere, Inspiration, Israel, Jewish history, mindset, Political philosophy, self defense

Shukran Druze 2020

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So this is late, by more than a week late. But LIFE is intruding on my life right now, so while this column is late, it is no less sincere or grateful. The reason it’s more than a week late is that #ShukranDruze2020 is a week that is meant to coincide with Parshat Yitro, Exodus 18:1-20:23. Yitro (Jethro) was the father in law of Moshe. The man responsible for the organization of courts and administering justice to the new nation of Israel. Jethro of Midian is considered an ancestor of Druze, who revere him as their spiritual founder and chief prophet.

According to Wikipedia,

The Druzites form a religious minority in Israel of more than 100,000, mostly residing in the north of the country. In 2004, there were 102,000 Druze living in the country. In 2010, the population of Israeli Druze citizens grew to over 125,000. At the end of 2018, there were 143,000. Most Israeli Druze identify ethnically as Arabs. Today, thousands of Israeli Druze belong to “Druze Zionist” movements.

The Druze are Arabic speaking, their culture is their own, but they are not considered muslims and have been persecuted (like everyone else) by the muslims. They broke ranks with the mainstream muslim decisions in 1948 and followed their belief that G-d gave the land of Israel to the Jews. Since then they have served along side the Jews in the state of Israel. You can read much more about the Druze here.

In yet another stunning display of failure to carry out apartheid successfully Israeli Druze are members of Israeli society, they vote, they serve in the IDF and much more. According to the web site The Druze Veterans Association

The Druze of Israel are a tiny yet fiercely loyal minority who serve with pride and dignity and have sacrificed 505 of their brethren in the defense of Israel – with over 1,500 wounded. Out of a community of just 120,000 those are huge, unfortunate, and very telling numbers.

In 2014, when Jews were being massacred during their prayers at a synagogue in Jerusalem’s Har Nof neighborhood, it was an off-duty Druze police officer who ran in to stop the terrorist.

When Israel launched Operation Protective Edge in 2014 to curb terrorism from Gaza, a Druze commander led the ground battle.

In 2017, two Israeli police officers were killed while defending tourists on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. Both officers were Druze.

Israel’s Presidential Military Liaison is Druze.

The commander responsible for cross-border goodwill with Gaza is Druze.

The Surgeon General of the Israel Defense Forces is Druze.

Many other senior leaders in Israel’s security and judiciary infrastructure, past and present, are Druze.

The first responder at the Har Nof Synagogue massacre was a Druze police officer, and he was attacked. More recently the two police officers murdered on the Temple Mount by pieceful falestinians were Druze. While the leadership of Israel paid condolence calls to their families and mourned their loss, crickets came from the arabs. As Michael Cohen of Druze Vets points out the Druze have a religious belief that they are not allowed to kill, or lie and have a similar ethical code. But if they have to fight, they will go first and they will go hard.

The Zelman Partisans has written about this

http://zelmanpartisans.com/?p=4371

http://zelmanpartisans.com/?p=371

http://zelmanpartisans.com/?p=5508

Shukran in Arabic means Todah, or Thank you. So what is this Shukran Druze 2020 about? It was, again sorry this is late, a week of thanking the Druze for all the do for the state and citizens of Israel. They are Arabs living peacefully in Israel, as members of the Israeli society helping keep the citizens of Israel safe. They are proof that Israel has a poor grasp of the concept of apartheid. #ShukranDruze2020 and #ApartheidFailIsrael

Shukran Druze 2020
Thank You
Todah Rabah
תודה רבה
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Action, Law, Politics

The Zelman Partisans Endorse Mo Brooks’ “Lawful Interstate Transportation of Firearms Act”

Today, Representative Mo Brooks [R-AL] will introduce the Lawful Interstate Transportation of Firearms Act. Like Senator Steve Daines of Montana’s Days later SB 3139, this bill is intended to fix serious weaknesses in the “safe passage” provision of the Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986; weaknesses which have allowed anti-rights states like New York and New Jersey to harass and arrest honest gun owners trying to do the right thing.

We obtained an advance copy of Lawful Interstate Transportation of Firearms Act. It closes those loopholes. Key provisions make it unlawful to arrest an honest gun owner complying with storage requirements* unless he has committed some other crime.

8 ‘‘(c)(1) A person who is transporting a firearm, am-
9 munition, magazine, or feeding device may not be arrested
10 or otherwise detained for violation of any law or any rule
11 or regulation of a State or any political subdivision thereof
12 related to the possession, transportation, or carrying of
13 firearms, ammunition, magazine, or feeding device un-
14 less—
15 ‘‘(A) there is probable cause to believe that the
16 person is doing so in a manner not provided for in
17 subsection (a); and
18 ‘‘(B) there is probable cause to believe that the
19 person has committed a crime other than the viola-
20 tion.

This bill extends those same same protections for firearms to ammunition, and magazines considered “high capacity” by some backward jurisdictions, which FOPA never did.

This bill gives up nothing, and reclaims much that was lost decades ago.

The Zelman Partisans fully support this bill, and hope you will also.

Likewise, Gun Owners of America has endorsed this bill. Yet, the Vichy NRA has not. Sources say an unnamed gun group objected to Rep. Brooks’ bill because it thought the “probable cause to believe that the person has committed a crime” clause went too far. Draw your own conclusions.

* We realize this bill requires firearms to be stored, and that we should be allowed to constitutionally carry arms ready for use. We believe national reciprocal carry is best addressed in its own specific legislation.

[Permission to republish this article is granted so long as it is not edited, and The Zelman Partisans are credited.]

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gun control, gun grabbers, Law, So Much Stupid!

Resolution 13 is all too aptly numbered

Last month, I found an “assault weapon” ban I could support, as it was so poorly written it banned major malfunctions.

Over in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, Commissioner Lyndon B. Johnson (yes, that’s his name; I wonder about that middle initial stands for) has proposed RESOLUTION NO. 13 OF 2020. The intent of the resolution is to beg the state to infringe on the human rights of innocent people.

Yep, Johnson is a violence-enabling victim disarmer. It’s a gun control proposal.

The meat of the one page document is

Support legislation which strengthens the Louisiana Gun Laws by incorporating mandatory requirements for owning and carrying a firearm as well as legislation making it illegal to possess and use assault weapons (full automatic and semiautomatic with magazines/clips over 20 rounds,) except for the active military or law enforcement while on duty.

That language is a hoot. Regardless of the intent, the first part parses out as mandating owning and carrying a firearm. Johnson should have to learned to diagram sentences in English class.

The second, “assault weapon” ban, part is just plain idiotic: “full automatic and semiautomatic with magazines/clips over 20 rounds”.

As phrased, your firearm — full- or semi-auto — would only be an “assault weapon” while you have a 20+ round magazine in it.

That’s funny. I could get behind that resolution, if only to embarrass the parish idiot.

[Permission to republish this article is granted so long as it is not edited, and the author and The Zelman Partisans are credited.]

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"News Media", gun control, gun grabbers, Violence-Enabling Victim Disarmers

Taking Back Gun Policy

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Yet another Pew survey. In some respects, you could see this one as a little optimistic on the individual rights front.

At first glance. It purports to show that “gun policy” is a low priority for Americans. But not so fast.

As usual, I have a problem with Pew’s methodology.

When interviewers reach someone on a landline phone, they randomly ask half the sample if they could speak with “the youngest male, 18 years of age or older, who is now at home” and the other half of the sample to speak with “the youngest female, 18 years of age or older, who is now at home.” If there is no eligible person of the requested gender currently at home, interviewers ask to speak with the youngest adult of the opposite gender, who is now at home.

I’ve addressed this plenty of times; it is biased by design to unrepresentively sample younger — more likely left-leaning — potential voters. The only time that sampling method is acceptable is when the purpose of the poll is to gain the views of that specific demographic. Pew weasels their way around that bias by claiming

This method of selecting respondents within each household improves participation among young people who are often more difficult to interview than older people because of their lifestyles.

BS. Their selection of 25% landline and 75% cell phone already biases the poll away from older folks, who are more likely to use landlines. By piling the youth selection on top of low landline sampling, they guarantee that there will be a pronounced youth bias.

But another bias shows up in the questions, which should surprise no one who does more than accept a media report about a poll.

Now, I’d like to ask you about priorities for President Trump and Congress this year. As I read from a list, tell me if you think each should be a top priority, important but lower priority, not too important or should it not be done. (First,) should be a top priority, important but lower priority, not too important, or should it not be done? What about.[INSERT ITEM]?: should this be a top priority, important but lower priority, not too important, or should it not be done?]

Note the how the issues are framed in the questions.

  • Strengthening the nation’s economy
  • Taking steps to make the Social Security system financially sound
  • Dealing with the problems of poor and needy people
  • Strengthening the U.S. military

Not merely “the economy,” but “strengthening” it. “Strengthening” the military. But when we get to firearms…

  • Dealing with gun policy

Just “dealing;” not “make it more restrictive,” or “make it less restrictive. From the party breakdown, I think we can see that “gun policy” now only means “restrictive.”

  • Republicans: 25%, a minority, consider it important.
  • Democrats: 66%, a majority, consider it important.

Thanks to the leftstream media and whoring pollsters, the only “gun policy” that can be considered by right-thinking people is more victim disarmament. Respecting constitutionally “protected” rights is wrong-think now; and everyone knows it.

Now is the time to reclaim “gun policy” from the violence-enabling victim disarmers. “Gun policy” is how best to protect human rights… to defend ourselves, our families, our communities. “Gun policy” must be about deterring criminals misusing firearms to commit crimes, and punishing them appropriately when they do. The only acceptable “compromise” in “gun policy” is picking the most appropriate methods of doing that. Compromise certainly is not give and take between victim disarmers on how extensively they violate the human rights of innocents in this round of abusive proposals.

When victim disarmers start throwing around “gun policy,” “commonsense gun laws,” and “gun safety,” demand they tell the truth for freaking once in their shabby, pitiful lives. Demand they explain why they take firearms from the innocent, while at the same time make it harder to prosecute real crimes, and block tougher penalties for criminal use of a gun. And the felons who somehow get punished? Democrats want the criminals’ rights restored before they even complete their sentences.

I repeat: Gun policy is protecting the rights of the innocent, and it is important.

Protecting known criminals while attacking the innocent is violence-enabling victim disarmament, and it must end.

Added: I meant to mention the Firearms Policy Coalition, because:

“‘Gun policy’ is how best to protect human rights… to defend ourselves, our families, our communities.” We agree. That’s why we chose @gunpolicy for our username.
— FPC
“FPC is YOUR team fighting for YOUR individual liberty. #1A #2A #14A “

FPC is an excellent example of taking it back. And note their emphasis on more rights than only the Second Amendment.

[Permission to republish this article is granted so long as it is not edited, and the author and The Zelman Partisans are credited.]

Carl is an unpaid TZP volunteer. If you found this post useful, please consider dropping something in his tip jar. He could really use the money, what with ISP bills. And the rabbits need feed. Click here to donate via PayPal.
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gun control, guns, mindset, Politics, Rights, self defense

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

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I fell in love when I was 18. Back then, about 95 years ago, I was dating a guy who from time to time would get together with his brother. They’d gather up a couple shotguns, rifles and handguns and head out to a place in the country to target practice. Being the dutiful girlfriend, I tagged along at first. Till they let me shoot. Then I went because I wanted my turn as well. I was fortunate, they were all for it. Didn’t matter who the gun belonged to, if I wanted to try it, they handed it over. That’s how I came to shoot a Taurus for the first time. I loved how it felt in my hand, I loved how I could shoot it, and the results I got. Taurus, my first love……

That love has stayed true lo these many years. The first handgun I ever bought of my own was a Taurus .357 stainless. A teammate of mine spent a lot of time at a gunshop and when I was trying to make that big step forward of buying my first handgun he acted as a sounding board for me, a matchmaker of sorts. He must have been very good at it, I still have “Maggie”.

As time went by, others came to join her. My favorites were from what was jokingly called “The Vogel Line”. A line of blue (almost black, so dark was the bluing) with pearl grips and gold triggers. The pistols came with the loaded chamber indicator. Sweet guns, they shoot very nicely. Like many women, I’m not immune to pretty in handguns, horses and dogs.

Taurus .38

I began to hear rumors of Taurus standards going downhill a few years ago. But I didn’t believe it, not TAURUS!

Then I got a Taurus TCP, in pink no less. I guess I just felt I really should have a least one pink gun. Especially since the one I found was a sort of pink flamingo pink. Pink flamingo pink and hot pink are the best. I know some women think pink guns for girls are silly. I look at it like this, if a pink gun will encourage a woman to take up shooting and consider carrying for self-defense. Awesome. I already did. I am secure enough in myself that if I want a pink gun, I’ll get it. If I don’t I won’t. I have nothing to prove. But the Taurus TCP was my first bad experience. It came with the lifetime warranty, luckily for me. It’s been to the factory for repair three times for the magazine release. Which is again wonky, but I won’t send it back again. I understand the Taurus warranty now is only for a year.

That lead to me looking for a new carry gun. I got a Taurus Spectrum. It’s a .380 that fits my hand wonderfully. It’s easy to hide, shoots very nice and this one came with a laser already mounted on it. It was brand new in the box. Love……ah.

Until a couple weeks ago. I was at the barn doing chores and a possum came up out of the floor. I didn’t have my shotgun with me, but I did have the Spectrum. I shot the possum and finished chores. My horse is such a hoot. I shot once and he stopped eating, I ran around to the other side to get another shot because it’s a possum, like liberal snowflakes they act like they are dying when they aren’t. I shot again and my horse must have thought, “eh, it’s Mom she’s got this taken care of”, and he went back to eating.

Later that night I cleaned the Spectrum. It has a recoil spring that has been possessed by the spirits of the Demoncratic party. It is dang near impossible to get back in. The end of the spring isn’t tightly coiled like every other recoil spring I’ve ever seen, it’s loose like the rest of the spring. Which means when you try to put the recoil rod back in, the end of the spring crawls out the hole for the recoil rod. To my everlasting embarrassment, I will admit after 30 minutes of trying to put this gun back together my thumb slipped and the recoil spring recoiled itself and launched itself into the hinterlands of my parlour and has not been seen again. And I mean after some serious looking. As in cushions out of the couch, in the potted plants and flashlight looking. Ok, I’ll call Taurus and buy another one.

So the next day coffee at hand, I call Taurus. I finally get a live human on the phone and explain the dilemma. She comments that there is definitely a trick to getting that recoil spring in she’s heard. Yes, they’ll send me another one. When they are back in stock. WHAT?? When will that be? They don’t know, but they do get shipments every month. Will it be in the next month’s shipment? They don’t know. Basically they have no clue when recoil springs will be available.

I took the slide, barrel and recoil rod to the hardware store and bought three possible springs to try, since launching a spring in the store didn’t appeal to me. The best choice spring managed to fire two rounds before it wouldn’t fully load cartridge number 3 in the chamber. So, no success on replacement from the hardware store yet. I may try again though next time I can get up that way to shop.

But here’s my thoughts. I’m blessed, I have other guns I can carry. But what about the poor single woman, maybe a single Mom with kids that only has one carry gun and it’s a Taurus Spectrum. Now she is left defenseless because a gun marketed for concealed carry is an expensive paperweight. Great contours, but still, a paperweight for an indefinite amount of time. This is something I actually think is irresponsible. You know the gun is a P.I.T.A. to put back together. You say there’s a “trick” to reassembling it? How’s about you do what you used to do? Make great guns that don’t require a “trick” to reassemble? Second, parts? You are selling a concealed carry gun for which required parts are not available? It’s not like I wanted green grips, it won’t shoot without the dang spring.

When the nice lady told me “no clue” on the spring, the second thing that went through my mind was “Oh, so this is what it’s like when the government starts to control the gun parts that can come into the country. You may have the gun, but it can be rendered useless in about a two second spring launch”.

And that was when I came to the decision it was time to break up. Yes, it’s hard after so many years, but perhaps in time I will find another brand I love as much as I used to love Taurus. But it will take a heck of a gun to win my heart this time around. Just don’t say Glock, while I loved Gunny, I shoot like crap with those. Nor would I be inclined to lock it up under my bed. But that’s just me.

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