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As the world around us draws the curtain on 2009 and makes ready for 2010, it’s often fun to look back over the previous year’s events with fondness and sometimes a little sadness. So much can happen in 365 days that if we fail to remember the mile markers, for certain, we’re doomed to repeat them. There have been headlines to review, gun ranges to try, and new shooters to instruct. Let’s take a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of 2009.
The Good
From the state level to the local effort, Texans have reached needs far and wide. With the downturn in the economy, more people struggle to make ends meet. If you have been around marksman you’ll notice that with very few exceptions, they are some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. They go out of their way to lend a helping hand whenever they can. Usually very headstrong with nationalistic pride, marksman hold to the conservative values of making a difference in the country and wanting their descendants to do much better than they did.
Because of these good natured people, tons of food has made it to the tables of needy people. On a national level, hunters have fed the hungry as they donate their harvested game to various charities. In Ohio, hunters donated more than 95,500 pounds of venison, and other game, to Ohio-area food banks. This has turned into approximately 382,000 meals for the hungry. The latest annual report (2005) published by Hunter’s For the Hungry in Texas has shown donations to have increased by 75% since the 1997-1998 hunting season. Donations by Texan hunters have gone from just over 42,000 pounds to over 179,000 pounds of wild game. Hunter’s for the Hungry aren’t the only group in Texas doing this either. Hunter’s Harvest of the Houston area, has received over 40,000 pounds this year. Their total has been 93,000 pounds since 2005! That’s a lot of food for needy people. Kitchens across the state will still need our help filling them. If you have tags, use them and donate the meat to one of these charities. While processing prices may vary by meat processor, it usually only costs you about $30 and your time out in the field.
And what about the good coming out of the State Capital? While our representatives failed miserably at passing meaningful Concealed Handgun License laws this year, they did come through on behalf of the Second Amendment on a national stage. If you remember back to this “little” case heard before the Supreme Court, Heller vs. Washington, DC, the court ruled by a 5-4 vote that the Second Amendment extended to individuals and not strictly members of the militia. This ruling struck down the District of Columbia’s effective ban on handguns within the confines of the city limits. Within weeks of that ruling, the National Rifle Association filed lawsuits in several major U.S. cities; Chicago, IL was one of them. Chicago has draconian firearms laws—some would argue more restrictive than DC’s—and they clearly violated their citizen’s Second Amendment rights.
According to the NRA:
A large bipartisan group of state legislators and other elected officials from all 50 states have signed an amicus curiae, or “friend of the court,” brief supporting the NRA’s position that the Second Amendment is incorporated against the states through the Fourteenth Amendment. The amicus brief, bearing the signatures of 891 state legislators and other elected officials — including two governors and three lieutenant governors — was filed with the U.S. Supreme Court today in the case of McDonald v. City of Chicago.
Last week, the NRA filed its brief with the Supreme Court as Respondent in Support of Petitioner in the McDonald case. The NRA brief asks the Court to hold that the Second Amendment applies to state and local governments through the Fourteenth Amendment.
Our own Governor Rick Perry, Lt. Governor David Dewhurst, and sixty-four other state representatives included their signatures on this brief. These 66 legislators realize that most of Texas are supporters of individual rights (especially those protected by the Constitution!), and are lawful gun-owners. According to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), Texas has seen nearly 8.2 million background checks in the 11-year time period of November 30, 1998 to October 31, 2009. While a percentage of those checks were denials, that is still a substantial number of firearms safely and legally owned and operated by the Texas citizenry.
The Bad
Unfortunately, we’ve had some bad times as well. Any time there is a loss of life in a firearms accident, or the potential for one, we have to throw that into the “bad” bucket. Back on July 23 of this year, a man walked into Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA) to board his plane. As a CHL holder, he went into the restroom on the insecure side of the gate to unload his firearm and check it with his bags. In the course of making his weapon safe for travel, he discharged a round into his suitcase. The good news is no one was injured. The bad news is this gentleman forgot the four rules of firearm safety.
A similar incident occurred in Florida at about the same time as the ABIA incident. A 53-year old woman was shot in the leg while sitting in a bathroom stall on July 10, 2009. She was injured when a gun carried by a woman in the stall beside her slipped out of its holster and discharged when it hit the ground. At this time it is unclear if any charges will be filed against the “shooter”, but again, this is a case of poor gun-handling causing injury with the potential of criminal and civil charges being filed. Why is this poor gun handling? The woman didn’t intend to shoot anyone, in fact, she wasn’t even holding the gun when the accident happened. All of this is true, but this accident was set in motion before she put the gun on her hip. A good holster will go a long way to keep your weapon right where you put it. A bad choice in equipment, led to a bad accident in a bathroom stall.
This final story took place in Managua, Nicaragua but it happened to a name some of us may be familiar with–Vicente Padilla, former pitcher for the Texas Rangers. Sports Illustrated reported on November 4, 2009
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Vicente Padilla is recovering from a bullet wound in his leg after a target shooting instructor in Nicaragua accidentally shot him…. Padilla handed the pistol to a shooting instructor [to clear a jam], a former police captain, who didn’t realize there was a bullet in the chamber and shot himself in his hand, Padilla’s legal adviser Roberto Calderon told The Associated Press. The bullet also grazed Padilla’s leg said Calderon.
This has to be the baddest of the bad stories of 2009. What starts off good, Padilla learning to shoot a gun, turns into a nightmare perpetrated by a firearms professional. The instructor should have checked the weapon before putting his hand in front of the muzzle and pulling the trigger. The point of this last story is to show that even a moment that can be good, can end poorly whenever there is a lapse in safety awareness around firearms.
The Ugly
Let’s face it, when it comes to ugly and gun rights, the United States Congress takes center-stage. It’s certain that many of you subscribers keep an eye on your representatives, but have you heard of U.S. Senate Bill 1317 sponsored by Senator Lautenberg (D-NJ)? The title of the bill sounds appealing, “Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2009″. Who wouldn’t want to do that? With such an appealing name, it sounds like the Federal Government is keeping with it’s requirement to provide for the common defense and promote the general welfare of the citizens of this great nation. Upon further inspection, the language is sufficiently vague that our 2nd Amendment rights may be in jeopardy…again. On June 22, 2009, the bill was introduced and is summarized as follows:
Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2009 – Amends the federal criminal code to authorize the Attorney General to deny the transfer of a firearm or the issuance of a firearms or explosives license or permit (or revoke such license or permit) if the Attorney General: (1) determines that the transferee is known (or appropriately suspected) to be engaged in terrorism or has provided material support or resources for terrorism; and (2) has a reasonable belief that the transferee may use a firearm in connection with terrorism. Allows any individual whose firearms or explosives license application has been denied to bring legal action to challenge the denial. Extends the prohibition against the sale or distribution of firearms or explosives to include individuals whom the Attorney General has determined to be engaged in terrorist activities. Imposes criminal penalties on individuals engaged in terrorist activities who smuggle or knowingly bring firearms into the United States. Authorizes the Attorney General to withhold information in firearms and explosives license denial revocation lawsuits and from employers if the Attorney General determines that the disclosure of such information would likely compromise national security. [emphasis added]
In other words, under the Attorney General’s discretion—and with no guidelines—if (s)he believes you to be involved with terrorist organizations, you can be denied the right to acquire firearms. So what? You don’t run with terrorists groups? Let’s not forget the Dept. of Homeland Security report, “Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment,” signed by Janet Napolitano, linking pro-life groups, “right-wing” conservatives, and returning Iraq/Afghanistan veterans as potential “extremists” and terrorists. While there was a loud national outcry against this report, there is potential for SB1317, or other legislation like it, in conjunction with Napolitano-types, to deny our Constitutional rights.
What’s To Come In 2010?
Most of us like to make New Year’s resolutions. Many even have office pools to see how long it takes for us to break those resolutions. If we may make three suggestions taken from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly headings, let us offer these:
- The Good: Introduce some new shooters to the sport and educate fence-sitters. The range is a great time to hang out with friends and show others the safety and fun to be had with marksmanship.
- The Bad: Don’t get lax on gun handling and safety. Accidents happen, but we can’t let them happen with firearms.
- The Ugly: Keep a vigilant eye on Washington and our representatives. We have a right and duty as citizens to actively participate in our government. Call, write, and email your local legislators about your rights. In the words of Benjamin Franklin, “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
The staff at Austin Tactical Firearms would like to wish each of you a wonderful, safe, and productive New Year!