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Tuesday, June 28, 2022

This Crumb Is Mine

The recent Supreme Court decision in NYSRPA vs. Bruen is a huge win for gun owners in (now formerly) "May Issue" states and for Second Amendment activists everywhere.  For those folks who don't know what that term means, here is a brief explanation:

  • Shall Issue means that so long as an applicant doesn't have any disqualifications (such as being a felon), then when they apply for a concealed carry permit the state shall issue it to them. In other words, "You get it unless there's a solid reason why you can't."
  • May Issue means that when you apply for a permit, even if you don't have any disqualifications, the state may just decide that for whatever reason that they don't want you to have it. In other words, "The state may issue a permit to you if it feels like it."
In the above case the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, representing petitioners Brandon Koch and Robert Nash, sued the Superintendent of the New York State Police Kevin Bruen (the head of the organization which issues such permits) under the assertion that New York state's requirement of needing a "proper cause" for receiving a concealed carry permit violated their Second and Fourteenth Amendment rights. 

(That's the short version. If you'd like to get into the details, I suggest you read the entire SCOTUS brief here.) 

Unless you've been living under a rock the past week, you know that the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the petitioners. Specifically, the ruling says:
Held: New York’s proper-cause requirement violates the Fourteenth Amendment by preventing law-abiding citizens with ordinary self-defense needs from exercising their Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms in public for self-defense.
It then goes on to declare all May Issue laws unconstitutional. This means that the eight May Issue states (CA, DE, HI, MA, MD, NJ, NY, RI) can no longer deny a qualifying individual a concealed carry permit "just because," meaning that all 50 States are now either Shall Issue or Unrestricted Carry. This is an incredible victory for the Second Amendment and its advocates, and it's a victory that I'm proud to have been a small part of. 

As you may recall, last year I reported that I worked closely with the amazing lawyers Charles Flores and Daniel Nightingale of the law firm Beck Redden to give them the information they would need to craft an effective Amicus Curiae brief for this. "It's not my intention to tell you how to do your jobs," I said, "because I'm not a lawyer and I've never written an AC brief before. It would be great, though, if you included [facts X, Y, Z] to show that queer people are disproportionately victims of violent crime, and then write the brief such that New York had to choose between giving us the ability to carry guns for self-defense or stating that they'd rather we die than carry in public."

I cannot say enough good things about Flores and Nightingale. They listened to my blathering and wrote a brief that combined our position (Members of the LGBT community are disproportionately victims of violent crime) with the position of the Jews for the Preservation of Firearm Ownership (Religious minorities are disproportionately victims of violent crime) and the DC Project (Women are disproportionately victims of violent crime), then tied it all together by stating that None of these groups can rely on law enforcement for protection and The right to bear arms in public is a necessary, effective tool that people in marginalized groups can use to defend themselves. I encourage you to read the entire brief here; it's a fast read and it's a thing of beauty to witness. 

But here's the thing which I most wanted to share with you. This is from ultra-conservative Justice Alito's concurrence: 


That highlighted portion is the origin story of the Pink Pistols, as told by Jonathan Rauch in his March 14, 2000 article in Salon Magazine. In some small way, Operation Blazing Sword - Pink Pistols helped  to destroy May Issue, and that's amazing. In some even smaller way, I helped make that happen, because of the information I gave to the lawyers at Beck Redden. 

I often disparage myself because I feel like I don't do enough. I feel like a failure, like I haven't accomplished anything worthwhile. But now, whenever I feel that way, I will look at the tiny crumb of credit I feel I've earned by helping eliminate May Issue, and I can say "This crumb is mine. Even if I accomplish nothing else in my life, I did this. If I have no other legacy, then this is sufficient."

99.999999999% of the credit goes to other people: petitioners Brandon Koch and Robert Nash, the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Beck Redden LLP, and a host of others. 

But this crumb of gold is mine, and I will treasure it always. 

Monday, June 27, 2022

Assorted Calibers Podcast Ep 206: Authors and Other Strangers

                         

In This Episode

It’s an ACP Round Table! Join Weer’d, Erin, Oddball, and David as they talk about:

  • LibertyCon and an exciting announcement;
  • Some startling discoveries about the Uvalde Police response;
  • The Senate Gun Bill and doubts about it even coming to a vote;
  • Another spree killer who passed every background check available;
  • And finally, another attack from the White House on ammunition supplies.




Did you know that we have a Patreon? Join now for the low, low cost of $4/month (that’s $1/podcast) and you’ll get to listen to our podcast on Friday instead of Mondays, as well as patron-only content like mag dump episodes and our hilarious blooper reels and film tracks.

Show Notes

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Assorted Calibers Podcast Ep 205: The Devil is in the Details

                         

In This Episode

  • Erin and Weer’d discuss the pending Senate gun bill,  and how the details will make all the difference.
  • There was nearly a Mass Killing at a March For Our Lives event! Where are the calls for common sense regulations?
  • Weer'd sits down with Mickey Schuch to discuss some medical emergencies that changed his life.
  • David talks about the best ways to clean your brass for reloading.




Did you know that we have a Patreon? Join now for the low, low cost of $4/month (that’s $1/podcast) and you’ll get to listen to our podcast on Friday instead of Mondays, as well as patron-only content like mag dump episodes and our hilarious blooper reels and film tracks.

Show Notes

Main Topic:

Mickey Schuch Interview:

Gun Lovers and Other Strangers:

Monday, June 13, 2022

Assorted Calibers Podcast Ep 204: Hold Anti-Gunners to a Higher Standard

                         

In This Episode

  • Erin and Weer’d discuss the new gun control laws proposed in both the USA and Canada;
  • Weer'd fisks Joe Biden's rambling talk about gun control and the devastating power of the dread 9mm bullet;
  • David discusses when (and when not) to engage in political discussions;
  • and Xander brings us his thoughts on why hurrying is not always the best solution to a problem.




Did you know that we have a Patreon? Join now for the low, low cost of $4/month (that’s $1/podcast) and you’ll get to listen to our podcast on Friday instead of Mondays, as well as patron-only content like mag dump episodes and our hilarious blooper reels and film tracks.

Show Notes

Main Topic:

Weer’d Audio Fisk:

Gun Lovers and Other Strangers:

Sunday, June 12, 2022

Odds and Sods

 I'm trying to get back into the habit of posting here, I promise. 

I have a Linktree! For those who don't know, a Linktree is a page of links to other pages so that it's easier to follow someone who is active across different platforms. Mine has links to Operation Blazing Sword, Pink Pistols, the Assorted Calibers Podcast, Blue Collar Prepping and of course this blog and my Facebook page. Please tell me what you think of it; I went for a design that could be described as "whimsical", mainly because all the allegedly "professional" designs were deadly dull and I wanted a bit of color. 



I've been interviewed again! From the interviewer's Facebook page:
I am looking to interview trans people who are liberty focused, conservative, religious, rural, egalitarian, apolitical, skeptical, individualist, independent, contrarian, objectivist, classic liberal, anarchist, capitalist, mutualist, voluntaryist, moderate, centrist or have a mix of right/left views. Interviews are for a video series that I'm currently posting to YouTube. 
[...] 
I love talking to people about politics and their identity. I'd really like to have some thoughtful conversations about political, religious, and cultural issues from a various perspectives. The purpose of my independent project is to highlight the diversity of thought, political affiliations and opinions among trans people. 
From my perspective the series seems to be "Let's talk to transgender people who have opinions that are very different from the views most transgender people have." As you'd expect, I spoke about the importance of armed self defense and the Second Amendment. 

If you're a fan of my interviews and appearances then there really isn't anything new here for you to see. However, as my biggest fan Weerd Beard says, "I love going to concerts where my favorite bands play songs I've heard hundreds of times before!", so here you go. 




There was going to be a third point here about Pride Month but honestly I'm just DONE with everything about it and we aren't even halfway through it yet. 

Finally, I hope to be at LibertyCon this weekend. If you see me there, come say hi!

Monday, June 6, 2022

Assorted Calibers Podcast Ep 203: Decimation

                         

In This Episode

  • Erin and Weer’d discuss:
    • the grim facts of Uvalde;
    • what a fool Beto O'Rourke made of himself;
    • and the breathless reporting of the Boston Police shutting down a "ghost gun ring".
  • Weer’d then interviews Mickey Schuch to talk about combat mindset;
  • and finally, Xander brings us his independent thoughts on gaslighting in the gun control debate.




Did you know that we have a Patreon? Join now for the low, low cost of $4/month (that’s $1/podcast) and you’ll get to listen to our podcast on Friday instead of Mondays, as well as patron-only content like mag dump episodes and our hilarious blooper reels and film tracks.

Show Notes