Petition for Certiorari Filed in Antonyuk v. James

 

A Case for Second Amendment Rights in Public Spaces

Operation Blazing Sword - Pink Pistols is proud to announce the filing of an Amicus Curiae brief in Antonyuk v. James, a petition for certiorari which asks the Supreme Court to examine the Second Circuit’s ruling in the case, which mostly upheld New York’s new “sensitive places” laws that ban carry in public places. We are joined in the brief by the Second Amendment Law Center, the Delaware State Sportsmen’s Association, the Hawaii Rifle Association, Gun Owners of California, the Second Amendment Defense and Education Coalition, Federal Firearms Licensees of Illinois, and the California Rifle & Pistol Association.

Our AC brief recounts the massive resistance to Bruen that has arisen in a handful of anti-gun states and compares New York’s law to similar efforts in other states, including California. The brief also uses places that serve alcohol, one of the law's designated “sensitive places,” as a case study to show how the Second Circuit botched the Bruen analysis in at least four different ways. Finally, we argue that the Second Circuit’s reasoning is flawed because it ignores the reality that everyone who carries in modern-day New York is extensively vetted before getting a permit. Before 1900, open carry was generally allowed for anyone, even former criminals, and so any comparison to historical “sensitive places” laws that does not account for this difference presents a skewed analysis. Having already made those with carry permits undergo an extensive vetting process to ensure they are not dangerous, New York shouldn't claim that it needs to ban carrying in most places for safety reasons.

While this may be an uphill climb, we are hopeful that the Supreme Court will make an exception here given the Second Circuit’s repeated insistence on flouting Bruen. In addition, the Petitioners may be helped out by the circuit split that has now developed. In its ruling, the Second Circuit did at least strike down the private property default “vampire rule”, under which those carrying must have permission before entering a private business open to the public; even the Second Circuit felt that went too far! However, this was not the case for the Ninth Circuit, which upheld Hawaii’s similar law in Wolford v. Lopez. We are hopeful that the Supreme Court will grant cert to Antonyuk, Wolford, or both, and urge the Court to do so to vindicate the right to carry.

Unlike the forces of gun prohibition, Operation Blazing Sword – Pink Pistols isn't funded by a New York billionaire. Instead, we depend upon donations from people who believe in our mission to teach the gun curious how to shoot and then to tell the world that we have done so, because armed queers don't get bashed. Please visit our donation page to see how you can help. As we are a 501c3 charity, all donations given before January 1 2026 can be deducted from your 2025 tax returns.

   

Washington Gun Law interviews Chris Cheng

I'm a big fan of Washington Gun Law and have been watching his YouTube videos for years. I was very pleased when he posted a video talking about the amicus brief that Operation Blazing Sword filed, along with several other organizations that comprise the Historically Discriminated Coalition, in support of the plaintiff in Ocean State Tactical v. State of Rhode Island.

I was even more pleased, and quite surprised, when William Keith contacted me and asked if I would be at SHOT Show this year, because he wanted to interview me. 

Unfortunately I wasn't going to be there (I really should go one day), but I knew who would be: Chris Cheng, Top Shot season 4 champion and member of the OBS board of directors. I played matchmaker and the result was a fun, comfortable interview between two pro-gun people. 

If you don't subscribe to Washington Gun Law, you should. Unlike a lot of 2A YouTubers, he doesn't waste your time and gets straight to the point. Most of his videos run 12 minutes or less and he's a great speaker. I hope that in the future I can work with him to bring gun rights to Washington state. 

Erin on WORT 89.9 FM, Madison WI

I'm in this, and it's less than a 7 minute listen.

https://soundcloud.com/wort-fm/local-demand-for-gun-education-spikes

I Was Interviewed by the Washingtonian

I was interviewed for this article.

Like most things in the media, 99% of the interview was left on the proverbial cutting room floor. However, I am overall pleased with how the author depicted Operation Blazing Sword, the Pink Pistols, and me. 

Let the record state that I'm not a fan of the title -- I think it was meant to be sensationalist and clickbaity -- but I had no control over that. I'm also not certain if the title was chosen by the author or not.

Victory in Antonyuk v. Nigrelli

New York Gun Law’s Social Media Disclosure
Requirement Blocked For Violating First Amendment

New York City, New York, 8 December 2023: In a landmark ruling, the First Amendment was successfully used to defeat an infringement upon the Second Amendment. 

This past February Operation Blazing Sword – Pink Pistols filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals arguing that New York’s Concealed Carry Improvement Act (CCIA), which required applicants to register their social media names and accounts with the government before they could receive their concealed carry permit, violated the applicants' right to free speech and was therefore unconstitutional. This brief was written by the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, whose mission is "to defend the freedoms of speech and the press in the digital age through strategic litigation, research, and public education," and this victory would not have been possible without their help. Joining the brief were the Asian Pacific American Gun Owners Association, the DC Project Foundation, the Liberal Gun Club, and the National African American Gun Association. 

In our brief, the Knight Institute argued that the social media registration requirement burdened the right of applicants to speak anonymously and to associate privately, and that it would inevitably chill protected speech without any meaningful evidence that it would prevent gun violence. They also argued that the social media registration requirement would invite discrimination, suppress criticism, and open the door for similar requirements in other contexts. On December 8th, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the social media requirement was indeed unconstitutional, and blocked enforcement of this and other CCIA requirements while the case is, now known as Antonyuk v. Chiumento, is litigated. 

Today we claim a share of the victory in our long march to protect the Second Amendment, but the fight is far from over. While Operation Blazing Sword – Pink Pistols et al. has helped win some measure of relief for those affected in New York state, the communities that OBS-PP represents nationwide still face scrutiny for practicing their right to keep bear arms. The fight continues, and we will be there to champion the rights of all peoples. 

Unlike the forces of gun prohibition, Operation Blazing Sword – Pink Pistols is not funded by a New York billionaire. Instead, we depend upon donations from people who believe in our mission to teach the gun curious how to shoot and then to tell the world that we have done so, because armed queers don't get bashed. Please visit our donation page to see how you can help. As we are a 501c3 charity, all donations given before January 1 2024 can be deducted from your 2023 tax returns.

   

The Knight First Amendment Institute defends the freedoms of speech and the press in the digital age through strategic litigation, research, and public education. Their aim is to promote a system of free expression that is open and inclusive, that broadens and elevates public discourse, and that fosters creativity, accountability, and effective self-government.

APAGOA was founded in 2021 to create a community of gun owners with an Asian Pacific American Heritage. APAGOA advocates for strong firearms safety, education, and community building initiatives by providing educational materials and other supportive resources to its members and other interested parties.

The DC Project Foundation was founded in 2016 by retired police officer and professional shooting competitor, Dianna Muller. The nationwide, non-partisan organization of women believe that gun rights are women’s rights, and that education, not legislation, is the key to firearms safety and violence prevention. There are over 3000 members.

The Liberal Gun Club was founded to provide a forum and resources for left-of-center firearms owners who are pro-Second Amendment but do not subscribe to the right-wing ideology and rhetoric that is often associated with other Second Amendment groups.

NAAGA was founded in 2015 to defend the Second Amendment rights of members of the African American community. With more than 50,000 members who reside in every state and the District of Columbia, NAAGA’s mission is to establish a fellowship by educating about the rich legacy of gun ownership by African Americans, offering training that supports safe gun use for self-defense and sportsmanship, and advocating for the inalienable right to self-defense for African Americans.

Operation Blazing Sword, Inc. was established in 2016 the day after the Orlando Pulse nightclub massacre to advocate on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) firearm owners, with specific emphasis on self-defense. It has over 1,500 volunteer firearm instructors in nearly 1,000 locations across all 50 states. Pink Pistols, founded in 2000 and incorporated into Operation Blazing Sword in 2018, is a shooting society that honors gender and sexual diversity and advocates the responsible use of firearms for self-defense.

Is This Kristallnacht 2.0?

Today is the 85th anniversary of Kristallnacht, a violent night of vandalism, arson, looting, and assault upon Jewish people, their homes, their business, and their synagogues. The murders and arrests which followed The Night of Broken Glass were just the beginning of the persecution of European Jews in the 1930s and 40s, culminating in the concentration and extermination camps of the Nazis. 

The Jews were not alone in those camps. Jailed alongside them were minorities such as the Roma, Black people and their African-German mixed-race children, disabled people, and gay, lesbian, and transgender people. This was the origin of the pink triangle being used to denote queer people, a symbol which we have claimed as our own in a show of strength, but we have never forgotten its roots.

85 years later, it seems as though we are on the precipice of a second Kristallnacht. Antisemitic sentiment is at an all-time high, with demonstrations across the globe calling for the destruction of the Jews. Homes are being marked with blue stars to indicate the presence of Jews within them. Jews have even been chased by mobs and forced to hide in attics to escape violence, and those who have been unable to escape have be assaulted, injured, and even killed. At least one synagogue has been firebombed. 

Operation Blazing Sword was founded in 2016 to teach a marginalized minority how to protect themselves against violent bigots. Reaching out to threatened people, telling them that they aren't alone, and teaching them about armed self-defense is our only reason for existence. After the Pulse Massacre we focused our efforts on teaching the basics of firearm safety, operation, and ownership to queer people. At the same time we also welcomed without judgment, and taught without cost, anyone who wanted to learn about firearms, regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, biology, manner of dress, or even faith. 

Today, Operation Blazing Sword is once again reaching out to another marginalized, victimized minority by making it clear that we stand with the Jewish people against violent antisemitism in exactly the same way that we stand with queer people against violent homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia, and that our resources are available for their use. We want Jews everywhere to know that if they see this symbol, then they are safe with us. Our ancestors were together in the camps, and today their descendants stand together to say "No More!"

This symbol is not a political statement, and Operation Blazing Sword - Pink Pistols has no position on foreign affairs. Our focus is, has always been, and will continue to be educating the gun curious in the United States about responsible, armed self-defense. Compassion for human life and the protection of innocents guide us, and the only politics we care about is the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. 

We anticipate pushback on this matter. To that end, here are answers to some expected objections:

This is not Islamophobia. We have publicly stated in the past that we teach all faiths, and this continues to be true. While today is a significant anniversary in the history of persecution of Jews and the focus of this statement, Operation Blazing Sword - Pink Pistols recognizes that persecution of Muslims also occurs, and we will gladly teach them in exactly the same manner as we teach all of our other students. 

This is not taking political sides. Jews in America are not Israel, and violence against them is not valid political protest but rather violent bigotry against innocent people who have nothing to do with the situation in the Middle East. All innocent  lives deserve protection, regardless of their race, religion, or any other factor. 

This is not co-opting Holocaust symbology. These accusations are usually aimed at people who try to adapt the yellow Star of David to advance a separate agenda. Tonight, however, Jews are being persecuted simply for being Jews, which is exactly what the Holocaust was. If it is the same people in the same danger for the same reason, then it's not co-opting but instead an alert that this is happening again. 

This is not being done for profit. We are not selling anything. Furthermore, we are a registered non-profit and a 501c3 charity. We seek only to teach and to help. 

Operation Blazing Sword - Pink Pistols remembers the origin of the pink triangle and the yellow star. We stand with those who refuse to be victims, because without the ability to apply affective defensive force, "Never Again!" and "No More!" are only catchy slogans. We teach all races, all faiths, all sexes, all genders, and all sexualities how to shoot, and then we tell the world that we have done so. 

My Speech to the Liberal Gun Club 2023

I don't think I mentioned it here, but two weeks ago I was invited to speak at the Liberal Gun Club's annual meeting in Las Vegas. 

It was supposed to have been professionally recorded, except that there was a problem with the computer, so it was recorded on a cellphone at the last minute. This explains why the quality isn't great and the view is wobbly.

Also, other than my improving crowd work skills there's hardly anything new here. Whenever I'm asked to speak, it's nearly always to do my Greatest Hits. While I don't mind doing "The Best of Erin Palette" it always makes me die a little inside, because I'm all "I've been doing this for seven years, and you still haven't heard of who I am and what I do?"

So anyway, here's Wonderwall my set. 

What's unfortunate is that because of the aforementioned technical issued, they didn't record the amazing introduction that Lara Smith gave me. How amazing was it? She gave me a compliment so huge that my brain just kind of staticked out because I couldn't process it, in a "There's no way I deserve that kind of praise" sense. 

It's also unfortunate that my crowd work at the beginning and at the end didn't get recorded. It was only after I had been introduced that the AV person discovered the problem, so in order to give him some time as well as some input to work with I did some, well, not really jokes, but some witty remarks like "Hello, I'm the warmup act for Annette Evans" (she was the keynote speaker) and "Usually when I'm asked to speak, it's either to conservatives who aren't comfortable with queer people, or to liberals who aren't comfortable with guns. You folks are both pro-gun and pro-queer, so why am I even here again?"

Then when I finished, I was asked to stick around so that AV could try to get the sound working again. I stayed and said something like "I am a gigantic canned ham so I'm happy to talk as long as you like. So, who has questions?"

I don't think I could be a proper comedian, but I think I'm a pretty good storyteller and I could easily see myself doing a "spoken word" tour like Henry Rollins does. 

If you are an organization and would like for me to speak at an event, please cover my travel expenses and I will be happy to do so. Yes, even if it's to do my Greatest Hits again. 

State of the Sword 2023

Seven years ago yesterday, an atrocity occurred.

Seven years ago today, a diverse group of people banded together to claw hope from the wreckage of that atrocity, and through their efforts Operation Blazing Sword was born.

Seven years later, and we have accomplished so much:

• We have 1,560 volunteer firearm educators in every state of the USA, along with volunteers in Canada, Australia, and Europe.
• Our volunteers educated a reported number of 82 people, or just under an average of 1.6 people per week. However, understand that we do not require our students to out themselves and so this data is voluntary; the actual number is higher, although we cannot know by how much.
• We have filed numerous Amicus Curiae briefs opposing firearm prohibitionist legislation, most notably in NYSRPA v. Bruen. This landmark Supreme Court case shifted all states into "Shall Issue" concealed carry, and the origin of the Pink Pistols was quoted in the concurring brief of this decision.
• We are the largest pro-gun queer group in the nation, if not the entire world, and we continue to grow through the creation of new Pink Pistols chapters and new volunteers signing up to be  Operation Blazing Sword instructors.

We still have much work to do, though. Even though we live in a post-Bruen world, many legislators seek to make the lawful carry of defensive firearms as difficult, as expensive, and as restrictive as possible, and we will continue to file AC briefs to oppose those laws. One only needs look at the Club Q shooting last year to see a reflection of the 2016 Pulse massacre, albeit one with a mercifully smaller body count, and so we must continue our quest to teach everyone who wants to know how to defend themselves.

We are Operation Blazing Sword – Pink Pistols, and we teach everyone how to shoot. And then we tell the world that we have done so, because armed queers don't get bashed.

Proud of Pink Pistols Atlanta

Over the past six months, the Atlanta Chapter of the Pink Pistols has been doing amazing things for its members. 

While everyone was still reeling from the Club Q shooting in November of 22, Pink Pistols Atlanta held a Stop The Bleed class in early December, which was taught by local firefighters and paramedics from the organization Frontline Medical Defense. 

The current average response time of emergency services in the city of Atlanta is 9.5 minutes, yet traumatic blood loss can render a victim unconscious in less than a minute. Stop The Bleed, designed by the American College of Surgeons and promoted by the Department of Homeland Security, follows the principle of "You Are the Help Until Help Arrives" by teaching the medical skills associated with bleeding control and stabilizing victims of violent trauma prior to emergency services arriving. 

18 members of the Atlanta chapter were taught how to apply a tourniquet, when to pack a wound versus when to ventilate it, and what order of operations to follow when stabilizing patients to prevent blood loss. This class empowered those members with the skills and knowledge necessary to protect themselves and others in an increasingly dangerous word. 

 

In January, the Atlanta chapter relaunched its annual Introduction to Pistols class, which has been on hiatus due to the COVID-19 lockdown. Last offered in January 2020, this class provides a safe and low-cost environment for members and guests to learn firearm safety and the principles of pistol shooting by certified instructors. 

Conducted at the Quickshot Shooting Range in Buckhead, GA, this course consists of three hours of classroom time covering the safe handling of pistols, instruction of the mechanical components and common faults within handguns, pistol marksmanship techniques, and the consideration which must be made prior to arming oneself.

Following the classroom portion and practice with simulated firearms, participants were provided with one hour of structured range time to practice what they learned, and get comfortable with a few types of pistols and revolvers.

This past April, Pink Pistols Atlanta offered a private Everyday Carry class for its members, focusing on lawful concealed carry with an emphasis on techniques for those that intend to carry a handgun daily. The instructor, Edgar Mills of Osprey Shooting Solutions, has worked with Pink Pistols members in the past, but this was the chapter's first formal partnership with him for private instruction.

This course included two hours of classroom time, which covered safe handling, variations in carry holsters and positions, changes to traditional safety rules when handling a firearm outside a gun range, and legal considerations for concealed carry and drawing a firearm in self defense. Following the classroom portion, participants were provided with five hours of structured range time at a private facility to practice what they learned, with a focus on drawing from concealment and engaging threats with their own firearm.

Both Stop The Bleed and Introduction to Pistols were financially sponsored by Operation Blazing Sword, Pink Pistols' parent organization, making these classes free to attend by members of the Atlanta chapter. Osprey Shooting Solutions offered a discounted rate for its Everyday Carry class, with additional financial support from Operation Blazing Sword. 

If your Pink Pistols chapter is interested in hosting classes like these, please do the following:

1. Find an instructor and venue.
2. Contact Erin Palette, President of Operation Blazing Sword, with the  class invoice(s) for approval. 
3. If approved, Operation Blazing Sword will pay the invoices. 
4. Conduct the class. 
5. Submit a written report of the event, ideally with pictures. Please ensure that consent to be photographed is given. 

When considering a class, first talk to your members. It may be that one or more of them are already instructors, and someone may be able to provide space for the class.

OBS-PP Liability Disclaimer

The head of the Triangle, NC Pink Pistols chapter came up with the fantastic idea of having a disclaimer indicating that Pink Pistols is not any kind of militia or armed security, and that if any of our members makes the decision to use deadly force in defense of themselves or another, it is 100% their personal choice and that Operation Blazing Sword - Pink Pistols has not asked, and would never ask, any of our members to do such a thing.

This position has been made clear in the Pink Pistols Utility Manual, but not everyone reads that. Given the recent increase in anti-queer sentiment and that our members may very well be armed at Pride events, we felt it important to have such a disclaimer drawn up.

If a Pink Pistols chapter plans to have a presence at Pride, please make sure that everyone who is attending as a Pink Pistol — working a booth, handing out information, or just wearing our logo in an official capacity — reads and signs this.

Thank you for helping us stay safe.

Pride Month Flyers for OBS-PP

Pride month begins next week, and so Operation Blazing Sword - Pink Pistols is proud to announce that we have tri-fold information pamphlets for download. They are double sided, with one side for Operation Blazing Sword and the other for Pink Pistols. Print them out for your table, or grab a handful and pass them around to Pride attendees!

To anticipate a question, "Why Say Queer?" and "Full Circle Support" are deliberately on both sides. Someone may not think to look at the back, or the flyers may be printed out as a single-sided and unfolded sheet, and the repetition ensures that an important message is seen ("Queer") and the other org is listed ("Circle") so that the viewer knows to look for more information. 

Special thanks to David Bock and Tiffany Reynolds for their help in making this project a reality. 

Amicus Brief Filed in Ocean State Tactical v. State of Rhode Island

        

The Historically Discriminated Coalition Opposes Rhode Island's Magazine Ban

Daytona Beach, FL, 25 April 2023: The Historically Discriminated Coalition has filed an amicus brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit opposing Rhode Island General Laws § 11-47.1-3(b), which prohibits the possession, sale, and manufacture of firearm magazines with a capacity of over 10 rounds of ammunition within the state. The brief contends that R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47.1-3(b) is unconstitutional under NYSRPA v. Bruen and significantly hinders the ability of those people who have historically been discriminated against, and who suffer from higher rates of violence  and victimization, to defend themselves with firearms. Whether intended or not, this law has the effect of making women, people of color, and LGBTQ people in Rhode Island even more vulnerable to violence by disarming them in the name of public safety.

The Historically Discriminated Coalition is comprised of four groups: the National African American Gun Association (NAAGA), the Asian Pacific American Gun Owners Association (APAGOA), the DC Project Foundation (DCPF), and Operation Blazing Sword - Pink Pistols.  Alongside the coalition are the Liberal Gun Club, whose membership and leadership at a national and state level, is comprised of members of all the groups listed here, and Gabriela Franco, an individual who is in the planning stages of founding another member association focused on responsible firearms ownership and self-defense.

The brief was filed by Christopher Renzulli on April 17, 2023.

Media Contact: Erin Palette

NAAGA was founded in 2015 to defend the Second Amendment rights of members of the African American community. With more than 50,000 members who reside in every state and the District of Columbia, NAAGA’s mission is to establish a fellowship by educating about the rich legacy of gun ownership by African Americans, offering training that supports safe gun use for self-defense and sportsmanship, and advocating for the inalienable right to self-defense for African Americans.

APAGOA was founded in 2021 to create a community of gun owners with an Asian Pacific American Heritage.  APAGOA advocates for strong firearms safety, education, and community building initiatives by providing educational materials and other supportive resources to its members and other interested parties.

The DC Project Foundation was founded in 2016 by retired police officer and professional shooting competitor, Dianna Muller.  The nationwide, non-partisan organization of women believe that gun rights are women’s rights, and that education, not legislation, is the key to firearms safety and violence prevention. There are over 3000 members.

Operation Blazing Sword, Inc. was established in 2016 the day after the Orlando Pulse nightclub massacre to advocate on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) firearm owners, with specific emphasis on self-defense. It has over 1,500 volunteer firearm instructors in nearly 1,000 locations across all 50 states.  Pink Pistols, founded in 2000 and incorporated into Operation Blazing Sword in 2018, is a shooting society that honors gender and sexual diversity and advocates the responsible use of firearms for self-defense.

The Liberal Gun Club was founded to provide a forum and resources for left-of-center firearms owners who are pro-Second Amendment but do not subscribe to the right-wing ideology and rhetoric that is often associated with other Second Amendment groups.

This Crumb is Mine, part 2

As I mentioned in my previous This Crumb Is Mine post, I was honored to play a part, however small, in the repeal of May Issue laws through the SCOTUS case of NYSRPA v. Bruen. Alongside that honor is a feeling of irritation as many states have elected to dig in their heels, plug their ears, and pass yet more gun prohibitions which defy the spirit of that landmark SCOTUS decision. As a result, I've taken upon myself a personal crusade to help overthrow such prohibitions wherever they crop up. 

(For those wondering why I keep calling them gun prohibitions rather than gun control laws, it's because that history has proven time and again that Prohibition doesn't work, and using that terminology reminds people of its futility and failures.)

To that end I joined with the Historically Discriminated Coalition in opposing Oregon Ballot Measure 114, in which I compared the measure to North Carolina's Jim Crow-era Pistol Purchase Permit law. A few days after that I was contacted by a member of Grass Roots North Carolina who saw my post and said,

Erin,

The guys at GRNC would like it if you could write up something about the Jim Crow Pistol Purchase Permit that we could take to the NC General Assembly. 

We'd like something like a cover letter we could attach to a copy of the Amicus brief where you call the Oregon measure "like the Jim Crow era PPP." We intend to show them we as a State are being held up to ridicule for having a Jim Crow gun law still on our books. 

We will distribute it both to the NCGA and to our Governor (and to our Lt. Gov, Mark Robinson who you know from the "I am the majority" pro gun speech).

I was of course quite happy to oblige, and so I whipped up the following:

You can tell I'm serious when I break out the footnotes. 

A few weeks later I was told "The PPP repeal bill has been introduced. It goes to committee on Tuesday. I believe your letter is in the hands of our Legislative Action Team. They will be using it to bludgeon anyone who stands against it." This was the first time anything I've written has been used as a bludgeon and I was, frankly, thrilled to be weaponized in such a manner. 

It took over a month and an override of the North Carolina governor's veto, but the bill repealing the Pistol Purchase Permit finally passed on 29 March, 2023 and immediately went into effect. 

Just as in my previous post, 99.999999999% of the credit goes to other people in the repeal of his abhorrent law. I am simply pleased to have played a small role in all of this and I will treasure my crumb of gold. 

Press Release: the Covenant School Shooting in Nashville

       

STATEMENT ON THE COVENANT SCHOOL SHOOTING IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Daytona Beach, Florida, 31 March 2023: Our hearts are broken by the senseless, tragic murders of children and staff at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee. Operation Blazing Sword - Pink Pistols denounces and condemns the actions of the murderer. It does not matter what the gender identity or sexual orientation of the killer may be; what matters is that all Americans strive to build a better world so that future generations do not have to face these horrors.

While we do not yet have enough information to truly comprehend the motives of the killer, in our zeal to condemn these monstrous actions we must be careful not to condemn innocents with the same brush. There are millions of law-abiding gun owners who have committed no crimes with their firearms, and yet are being charged in the court of public opinion with being culpable for these murders. Similarly, millions of peaceful transgender men and women are being called mentally ill, deviants, and other derogatory terms simply for trying to live as their authentic selves.

At no other time in recent history has the fight for both transgender rights and firearm rights been more critical. We have seen legislation limiting, or outright banning, gender-affirming care which has the potential to impact many transgender individuals and restrict their ability to live happy lives. We have also seen states, in reaction to NYSRPA v. Bruen, pass legislation limiting, or outright banning, lawful carry of firearms which have the potential to save many lives from violence against their person.

The ethos of Operation Blazing Sword - Pink Pistols has always been, and will forever remain, that Armed Queers Don’t Get Bashed. We declare, in the strongest terms possible, that our organization is defensive and only defensive. We denounce, in the strongest terms possible, any offensive actions taken in our name.

We do not act out of vengeance. We act only in defense. Anyone who does otherwise is not one of us, and we will act to stop them by any legal means necessary.

Operation Blazing Sword, Inc. is a grass-roots 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping queer people become responsible firearm owners through volunteer education by maintaining a database of over 1500 queer-friendly firearm volunteer educators residing in every state of the USA. It also submits legal briefs (Amicus Curiae) to protect the rights of not just queer people, but all peaceable citizens, to have access to the most effective tools for self-defense. www.blazingsword.org

Pink Pistols, a division of Operation Blazing Sword, is dedicated to the legal, safe, and responsible use of firearms for self-defense of the gender and sexual minority community. www.pinkpistols.org

Media Contact: Erin Palette

...By Other Means

"Have you seen [the latest anti-trans awful thing] by [media pundit], Erin?" 

No I have not, and at this point I will actively resist doing so. This entire month has been brutal for transgender folk, and I have been the recipient of several stabs in the back. Therefore, in order to practice self-care, I'm not going to read/watch/listen to whatever dehumanizing garbage comes out of DC or the media. The only thing I plan to do is add the speakers to my growing list of people to keep an eye on, because I pay attention when people tell me that they mean to do me harm. 

If you have transgender loved ones, they're probably scared and hurting from the events of the past month. I encourage you to contact them and tell them what a dear friend of mine told me last week, which I have turned into an image for easy sharing across social media, to let them know that they can rely on you:

A friend of mine responded thus on Facebook:

Every time I hear some social conservative bring up the "pedophile" argument.... I'm reminded of institutions like the Catholic Church, and Boy Scouts of America, or the Duggar boy now in prison for possession of child pornography (after years of red flags his family glossed over) which espoused for years heavily socially conservative values, which had their own sex abuse of children scandals....

It's almost as if we need to remind people that trusting people based solely on group affiliation is a bad idea. The whole "in grouping" and "out grouping" is not rational thinking, but fear based emotions, mainly because Heinlein observed, people aren't rational animals, but animals that rationalize.

I see you, I support you, and I hope and pray that you remember that the people sending hate your way simply can't be reasoned with, because they didn't reason themselves into their stance.

That last sentence is an echo of a quote attributed to Jonathan Swift: “You cannot reason a person out of a position he did not reason himself into in the first place.” In other words, if someone arrived at a belief out of emotion, then you can't change their minds through persuasive argument. 

I believe Clausewitz had something to say on that topic. 

A Little Knowles is a Dangerous Thing

Michael J. Knowles, speaking at CPAC 2023, stated that "Transgenderism must be eradicated." It's on the video embedded below, and that statement has been quoted by both conservative and liberal websites. Knowles later weasel-worded his statement by saying that he's not calling for genocide, because "genocide refers to genes."

If you know me, you know that I have strong feelings about this position. I'm going to leave the "Being transgender is not an ism" rant for another day so that I can concentrate on the larger picture here. 

First, Knowles is calling for the eradication of everything that allows transgender people to become whole, which is a murder of soul if not of body. We will kindly be allowed to live... so long as we crawl back into the closet and stay there for his comfort, and to hell with what that does to the quality of our lives. 

Second, what he's calling for can be rounded up to genocide -- or democide, if you're feeling pedantic -- because once being transgender is made illegal, the two choices a trans person has are:

1. Comply and only dress and present as the sex assigned on your birth certificate, which effectively eliminates all trans people from society, or
2. Refuse to comply and face potentially lethal response, because all laws are ultimately enforced at the barrel of a law enforcement officer's firearm. 

Third, can you imagine the weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth if a liberal pundit had declared that "conservatism must be eradicated"? The Republicans would condemn it as hate speech and an existential threat to them. 

I never thought I would see the day when someone would call for an end to my way of life at a political convention, nor did I think they'd be cheered for it, yet here we are. This feels very much like a testing of the waters; by having a media pundit say it instead of a politician, CPAC could have disavowed Knowles' statements as "not representative of our positions" if the crowd reacted poorly. But the audience cheered and clapped, which many if not most conservatives will interpret as broad support for such actions. 

By the way, just in case you think this might have been a one-off situation, here's Michael Knowles saying similar things. 

"Be normal."  How privileged can you get? And I hate how the term privilege has been distorted and over-used, so when I use it that's saying something. 

It's simply shocking to me to see someone, but especially a media pundit, who is so expressly against the First Amendment that he wants to bring back laws forbidding self-expression that harms no one. 

He's not even talking about transgender children; he's talking about forbidding adults of legal age from dressing and acting as they want. What happened to GOP being the party of the Constitution? 

"We have a duty to express our sex in the correct way." This is not a political argument; this is a religious argument. Well, so much for separation of Church and State. And nothing bad has ever happened when the government legislates religious purity, has it?

Do you remember the origin of the pink triangle, Mr. Knowles? Because we do. And we won't ever let that happen again. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_concentration_camp_badge

Armed transgender people don't get bashed, Mr. Knowles. We will NOT go back into the closet for your benefit, nor will we allow you to take away our liberties without a fight. 

To anyone who plans to enforce this: stack up and send expendable goons, because they aren't coming back. Give me liberty, or I will give you death.

Assorted Calibers Podcast Ep 238: Erin Palette, Queen of the Desert

                                  

In This Episode

• Erin's regales us with her adventures in Utah for a documentary film!
• Erin and Weer'd then discuss:
• • the Federal court challenge of the Illinois Assault Weapons Ban;
  • a temper tantrum by the Louisville, KY Mayor about auctioning off confiscated guns;
  • the legal issues of the Michigan State University shooter.
• Next, Liberty from Geeks, Gadgets and Guns recounts her experience with giving  testimony before the Nebraska legislature about their Red Flag Laws;
• and finally, Weer'd interviews Marty Hayes of the Armed Citizen's Legal Defense Network to find out what ACLDN is and where it came from.

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:

• Jeff Hayes Films
• Federal judge in Illinois’ gun ban cases orders state to show 'each and every item banned'
• Firing pins and warning labels: How Louisville plans to skirt Kentucky's gun auction law
• Opioid-Induced Hyperalgesia
• Michigan State University shooting suspect previously charged with felony but still able to buy guns

Liberty:

• Proposed Nebraska 'red flag' law draws opposition at hearing
• Nebraska Legislature: Judiciary Committee Hearing (afternoon) 02-10-23

Armed Citizens' Legal Defense Network

• ACLDN

OBS: Amicus Brief Filed in Antonyuk v. Nigrelli

      

New York Gun Law’s Social Media Disclosure Requirement Violates First Amendment, Invites Discrimination

New York City, New York, 8 February 2023: Operation Blazing Sword - Pink Pistols, alongside the Asian Pacific American Gun Owners Association, the DC Project Foundation, the Liberal Gun Club, the National African American Gun Association, and the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals arguing that the part of New York’s Concealed Carry Improvement Act (CCIA) which requires applicants to register their social media names and accounts with the government is unconstitutional.

“While New York plainly has a legitimate interest in regulating concealed carry, its regulations must conform to the First Amendment, and this particular provision of New York’s new gun law does not,” said Anna Diakun, staff attorney at the Knight Institute. “Not only has the state failed to demonstrate that the social media registration requirement will actually further its goals, but it has also failed to acknowledge its costs: It will have a profound impact on the right to speak anonymously and associate privately online, and it will invite discrimination by licensing officials.”

Under current New York law, applicants for concealed carry permits must turn over to the state a list of social media accounts used in the past three years, including applicants’ pseudonymous accounts, thereby directing the state to a vast number of personal posts, pictures, and likes, across an unlimited number of social media platforms.

Operation Blazing Sword - Pink Pistols et al. argue that the social media provision chills concealed-carry applicants’ constitutionally protected speech and conditions their ability to get a permit on their willingness to give up their rights to speak anonymously and associate privately online. Moreover, the groups highlight that these harms will be exacerbated for members of marginalized communities whose members already have particular reasons to distrust law enforcement and fear the government’s scrutiny of their online lives.

“The state’s dragnet social media registration requirement goes far beyond what is necessary, and will set a dangerous precedent for broad intrusions on individuals’ First Amendment rights,” said Katie Fallow, senior counsel at the Knight Institute. “If the New York law is allowed to stand, one can easily imagine the government imposing these requirements in any number of other situations.”

gov.uscourts.ca2_.59354.301.0ownload

 

Operation Blazing Sword, Inc. is a grass-roots 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping queer people become responsible firearm owners through volunteer education by maintaining a database of over 1500 queer-friendly firearm volunteer educators residing in every state of the USA. It also submits legal briefs (Amicus Curiae) to protect the rights of not just queer people, but all peaceable citizens, to have access to the most effective tools for self-defense. www.blazingsword.org

Pink Pistols, a division of Operation Blazing Sword, is dedicated to the legal, safe, and responsible use of firearms for self-defense of the gender and sexual minority community. www.pinkpistols.org

Media Contact: Adriana Lamirande

Operation Blazing Sword - Pink Pistols Press Release: AC Brief Filed vs. Oregon Measure 114

     

January 17, 2023

Contact: Daniel Wattenburger
wattenburger@pacificnorthwestcommunications.com

Historically Discriminated Coalition Supports Lawsuit to Protect Marginalized Peoples’ Right to Own Firearms

The Historically Discriminated Coalition has filed an amicus brief in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon opposing the implementation of Measure 114. The coalition is comprised of four groups: National African American Gun Association, Inc. (NAAGA), Asian Pacific American Gun Owners Association (APAGOA), DC Project Foundation, Inc. (DCPF), and Operation Blazing Sword, Inc. (operating as Operation Blazing Sword - Pink Pistols) (OBSPP).

The brief was filed by attorneys and former state representatives Michael McLane and Matthew Wand on January 13, 2023.

The brief contends that Measure 114 delays and arbitrarily denies marginalized groups the Second Amendment right to own firearms as a means of self-defense. It seeks the protection of the federal court because of the historical precedence of discrimination in Oregon against African Americans, Asian Pacific Americans, women, and LGBTQ people.

“Much like North Carolina’s Pistol Purchase Permit, a Jim Crow-era law which uses subjective criteria to deny black people the ability to own a handgun for protection, Measure 114 fails to clearly define what does and does not disqualify applicants,” said Erin Palette, Founder of Operation Blazing Sword and National Coordinator of Pink Pistols. “Moreover, Measure 114 applies to all firearms, not just handguns, and so in this manner it drinks deeper from the tainted well of discrimination and gives local police the unprecedented ability to deny the right to keep and bear arms to anyone they choose for any reason.”

“Measure 114 does not make me or any other woman safer. It makes us less safe,” said Candy Yow, Oregon coordinator for DC Project Foundation. “When you make it more difficult for women to protect themselves, criminals are emboldened. Women have the constitutional right to protect themselves.”

“Measure 114 degrades the rights of gun owners and prevents people who are attempting to protect themselves from harm by placing financial obstacles to purchase a gun and exercise the most precious right they have, the Second Amendment,” said Philip Smith, President of NAAGA. “The requirement of having to buy a gun permit is in effect a tax on the Second Amendment. This is wrong and will be damaging to those folks, especially in poorer communities where budgets are already stretched. It now costs more to get the gun that you want and need because of Measure 114.”

“Measure 114 is detrimental for not only Asian Pacific Americans, but for all Americans who want to exercise their right to self-defense,” said Patrick Lopez, President of APAGOA. “The rise of racist attacks against Asian Pacific Americans over the past few years was eye-opening for the Asian Pacific American community.  We will defend ourselves and we will not be easy targets or victims.”

NAAGA was founded in 2015 to defend the Second Amendment rights of members of the African American community. With more than 50,000 members who reside in every state and the District of Columbia, NAAGA’s mission is to establish a fellowship by educating about the rich legacy of gun ownership by African Americans, offering training that supports safe gun use for self-defense and sportsmanship, and advocating for the inalienable right to self-defense for African Americans.

APAGOA was founded in 2021 to create a community of gun owners with an Asian Pacific American Heritage.  APAGOA advocates for strong firearms safety, education, and community building initiatives by providing educational materials and other supportive resources to its members and other interested parties.

The DC Project Foundation was founded in 2016 by retired police officer and professional shooting competitor, Dianna Muller.  The nationwide, non-partisan organization of women believe the gun rights are women’s rights, and that education, not legislation, is the key to firearms safety and violence prevention. There are over 3000 members.

Operation Blazing Sword, Inc. was established in 2016, the day after the Orlando Pulse Nightclub shootings, to advocate on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) firearm owners, with specific emphasis on self-defense. It has over 1,500 volunteer firearm instructors in nearly 1,000 locations across all 50 states.  Pink Pistols, founded in 2000 and incorporated into Operation Blazing Sword in 2018, is a shooting society that honors gender and sexual diversity and advocates the responsible use of firearms for self-defense.

Two Quick Updates

Well, it's been a week. 

"National Write More In My Blog Month", or whatever I called it, was a good step forward; I actually did write more blog posts in November than I have in quite a while. Unfortunately I fell out of the habit of writing this week, mostly because I'm exhausted from family drama and/or Christmas decorating and/or my aching body. (Yes, I'm as tired of complaining about it as you are of hearing about it.) Things are looking cautiously better, however, and I give myself a 75% chance of making it through this holiday season with my sanity, patience and health mostly intact. 

It's late and I'm tired so this will be quick, but I really wanted to write something this week so I could have a sense of accomplishment rather than kicking myself for another failure. (Yes, I'm aware I need to be kinder to myself.)

Two updates on topics mentioned in the Thanksgiving AAR:

1) Sal Hamilton is back for more drubbing. 

Apparently Sal wants a national org which represents everyone except white people? I don't think such a think exists. More telling is his dismissal of groups like AAPIGO, JPFO and NAAGA as invalid. As I said above, that seems pretty racist. 

I believe this one needs no further comment. 

2) The Molon Labe, Oedipus design has been finalized and is in the OBS-PP storefront! 

You can get it as a t-shirt, a sticker, a coffee mug, and an assortment of other merch. As always, the money goes to Operation Blazing Sword, a 501c3 tax-deductible charity. 

That's all for now. I'll try to update more often in the future.