Wherein We Ask the Question: Katie Where Are Your Guns?

Schadenfreude is a German word that roughly translates as deriving pleasure from someone else's misery.  Usually to derive pleasure rather than empathize, you must believe the other person richly deserves to be made miserable.  Schadenfreude is not a very Christian feeling, and so I must confess to feeling it in the case of Katie Couric and her production team for the film Under the Gun. In addition to being caught lying to the public by selectively editing material to make members of the Virginia Citizens Defense League look bad, it now appears that Federal gun crimes, some of which are felonies, were committed. Those claims have since been pulled by a compliant media, but the Director, Stephanie Soechtig has dug herself a deeper hole. Bob Owens has the goods over at Bearing Arms entitled Where Are Katie Couric's Illegal Guns? Not Where She Thinks. Bob Owens writes:

Soechtig inadvertently confessed to the crimes in a February interview which has since been pulled offline.

She then released a revised claim yesterday to several media outlets.

While it may seem hard to believe that one could buy these types of guns this easily, all purchases in the film were made completely legally. Arizona law allows out-of-state residents to buy long guns (i.e. rifles, shotguns, military style assault rifles) from a private seller without a background check. It also allows Arizona residents to buy handguns from a private seller without a background check.

We demonstrated both versions of this dangerous loophole in the film on a hidden camera, in full compliance with both state and federal laws. The rifles – including an AR-15, the gun used to massacre 20 first graders – were purchased by an out of state resident. The handgun was purchased by an Arizona resident.

These guns were then turned over to law enforcement and destroyed. They never left the state of Arizona.

What Soechtig clearly doesn’t grasp is that Arizona law is not the only law with which she needs to comply, and by having a Colorado resident producer purchase firearms in Arizona, she conspired (perhaps criminally) to have him buy firearms in interstate sales in violation of federal laws, specifically 18 U.S.C. § 922 : US Code – Section 922.

Bizarrely, Soechtig seems to think she’s off the hook, and that the evidence of their crimes—the guns themselves—were destroyed.

Owens goes on to point out that the guns are unlikely to have been destroyed, because the bureaucracy simply doesn't work that way. But, as I said yesterday, she is unlikely to ever be prosecuted for these crimes. let alone suffer any official censure because of breaking the law. Unfortunately, many people I know would give Miss Couric and company a pass, on the basis that even if she did break the law, she was trying to do good, don't you know.  As if that was the legal standard.  One could literally get away with murder, if one credibly claimed to be doing God's work.

But, breaking the law to keep it is not a legal standard of which I am aware.  Or at least, it didn't used to be.  The law used to apply to everyone.  Now, if you have a politically pure heart, you are golden.225154444441

Katie Couric's Anti-gun Producers Violated Federal Law-But they'll Get Away With It

You have probably already read a number of stories about Katie Couric and her team of producers and directors who filmed the 'mockumentary" Under the Gun.  But couresty of the Sipsey Street Irregulars comes probably the best explication of what went down in a piece on the Federalist website by Sean Davis entitled Katie Couric's anti-gun producers repeatedly violated federal gun laws. And the truth is, because the Administration's views line up perfectly with the views of the people violating gun laws, there will likely be no prosecutions.  No consequences.  No jail time, or even ruined careers.

Davis writes:

In the video, Soechtig openly admits that she directed one of her employees to purchase guns across state lines, and that he absolutely followed her orders...

To which Soechtig then claims that all this is perfectly legal,

Except it’s not legal. Like, it’s illegal. Super duper illegal. Quadruple illegal in the case of the Soechtig employee who purchased four firearms across state lines without processing the sale through a federal firearms licensee (FFL) in his home state of Colorado.

Federal law is abundantly clear on what types of transactions require federal background checks. Gun owners tend to understand these laws incredibly well. Gun controllers like Soechtig do not. Under federal law, all gun purchases from an FFL must be accompanied by a federal background check. It doesn’t matter if the FFL sells a gun at a retail location, at a gun show, or out of the back of a car in a Wendy’s parking lot. All FFL transactions require a federal background check. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from: if you buy a gun from an FFL, the FFL must confirm that you have passed a federal background check.

So, no one, including the lawyers, thought to check out the laws governing the purchasing, possessing, and transfer of firearms? Or is it that they thought no one who did know would be watching the film? Or is it that they just didn't care? You see, there are enough laws on the books covering everything about guns that a person has to walk carefully to avoid tripping over one of these laws. At that, they don't always succeed. The problem, and its one that will always exist, is that if you WANT to commit a crime, you absolutely CAN commit that crime.  So, yes it CAN be done, but not LEGALLY.  Just as, for example you CAN (so I am told) buy a gun on the internet and have it delivered to your door.  But you can't do it LEGALLY.

If the Administration was truly interested in doing something about guns and crime, rather that just posture over it they would put a higher priority on actually prosecuting these crimes.  And since we have their confessions on video, let's start with Katie Couric and company.30222222222200232

Someone Finally Said It

So, Dave Spaulding has an excellent video over at Bearing Arms entitled What The Hell? Mr. Spaulding's point is that too much training for civilian gun owners and concealed carriers is of the "tacticool" variety that has no real relevance to the uses of lethal force in defense of yourself and your family. He is right. Battlefield tactics, and James Bond gadgetry really don't meet the needs of concealed carrier going about his routine tasks.

Starting at 1:40, Spaulding states, quite correctly, that the experts in pistol fighting are in fact in law enforcement, where the primary weapon of the policeman on the beat is a pistol of some sort.  But he also points out that ideally you don't shoot someone to the ground, if shooting is even called for.  Ideally, you shoot for a visual effect, then evaluate.  Remember the so called double tap, followed by evaluate whether the attacker is giving up his attack?

Spaulding also talks about the trend toward wearing 5.11 pants and other "tacticool" items.  I was taught to dress as I normally dressed, finding ways to conceal a handgun in my clothing.  In the winter months, for example, I wear a service sized handgun at the 3:30 position in an outside the waistband holster most of the time. I either wear jeans or slacks with an untucked shirt.  When I go to church, I wear a smaller pocket pistol in a pocket holster.  All the clothes I wear are off the rack stuff you can buy at WalMart, or one of the department stores.  In the summer months, Hawaiian shirts are perfect over a pair of shorts,

At 2:25 he speaks briefly about the physical, psychological, and fiscal costs of taking a life.  While I have never taken a life, and pray to God that I never have to, I have read and heard enough to believe that he is correct on this as well.  The costs of taking a life are incredibly grave, as they should be, for a life should only be taken in the gravest extreme.  God gave that life, and only God truly has the right to take it.  Even soldiers in battle must first dehumanize the enemy, or most will not kill him.  So, looking at the battlefield for your self defense solutions is looking in the wrong place.

While I share Spaulding's generally low opinion of youtube and other internet sources of training, I do think you can do worse than the training you get from the U S Concealed Carry Association. Note, I have no financial interest in the association, but I have seen their work, and they are generally pretty solid.

The ATF's Dog Ate the Documents

Katie Pavlich is reporting today at Townhall.com that Mexican Cartels Used Fast and Furious Guns for Mass Killings. Meanwhile, justice turns s l o w l y as a federal judge just last month ruled an "executive privilege" claim made in 2012 was apparently not legitimate after all. So, now the DO(i)J (Department of in-Justice) must release fast and furious documents.  Except, some other tactic will be used.  Perhaps their email system failed at the same time the IRS system failed and everything was lost?  Or, maybe they could try the old standby, my dog ate it.

I keep reporting things as I find them about fast and furious because I believe getting to the bottom of it is important, and putting those responsible in prison is important. You see, some people will obey the law because it is the law. But...dare I say it...a majority of people obey the law only when it serves their purposes, or when the consequences of disobeying are sure and swift.  But when justice drags on so long, justice is truly denied.  That laws were broken by people whose job was to ensure they were followed, and people died as a result, is not mere politics.  Keep in mind that the very laws designed to prevent criminals from obtaining guns by straw purchases were violated, at the request of the ATF, and then the guns were allowed to walk,  The fact that the whole scheme was designed to create the impression that U.S sourced guns were being used as crime guns in the War on Drugs and that therefore more gun control was needed, makes this even more tragic.  People have been killed to serve an agenda.  No one has been charged or tried.  Am I crazy to think that someone should pay a price for this horrendous negligence?

The Ultimate Shoe Shining Technique

You all know I like to keep my shoes  well polished.  I do like to spit shine them, but sometimes I don't have time even for just brush shining my shoes.  What to do then?  Actually, there is another technique that puts a beautiful shine on your shoes, and that shine is more durable than spit shine.  Its called fire shine, though you don't actually use fire.  Shoe polish is flammable, and you don't want to burn up your expensive shoes.

The only piece of equipment you will need in addition to your shoe shine kit is a heat gun, or a hair dyer blower.  You don't want to do more that soften the polish on your shoes. The hair blower will be a bit slower, but polish melts at a fairly low temperature.  So, here goes:

The first step is to polish your shoes as usual, swirling the polish on with a dauber brush.  You do not need to use a cloth since you will spread the polish out with the heat.  Don't forget to get the outsides of the sole, and put some polish between the sole and the uppers.

Next, turn on the heat gun and point it at your shoe until the polish begins melting.  At this point, move the heat gun over the shoe fairly rapidly.  You want to melt the polish all over the shoe, but then rapidly move on to another part of the shoe to avoid overdoing it.  This should take less than a minute per shoe.  The polish will immediately re solidify, but will be smoother.

Nest step is to buff the shoe with your buffing brush.   You will be amazed.  As an added benefit, the fire shine is longer lasting.  Another benefit is that you can polish other leather goods such as holsters, belts, even leather jackets and the polish won't rub off on your clothing.  Summer temperatures in North Carolina can get up over 100 degrees with humidity.  Leather goods are exposed to a lot of sweat with its attendant moisture and salt.  Polishing you leather goods will extend their life, and leave you with more money for ammunition, and fire shining puts a hard shell polish on your leather goods.

California's Kim Jong Uns

California used to be a beautiful State.  I lived in Southern California for a few years in the mid 1980s in Ventura County and worked at the Pacific Missile Test Center, now renamed and its mission downgraded.  California then was a lovely place.  I remember the year round 70 degree temperatures, flowers blooming in January, the low humidity.  But leftist politics has made California a hell hole.  The latest is the recent spate of gun grabbing as reported by Matt Vespa at Townhall.com here.

Leftists seem to always think that controlling the tools a criminal uses to do what criminals do will somehow keep criminals from...well...doing what criminals do. It is an insanity that defies logic.  For example, what is to keep someone from going to Nevada, purchasing ammunition, and then returning to sell such ammunition on the black market?  What about reloading ammunition?

Well, I don't want to give away any more ideas either to the criminals, who can figure "work arounds" on their own, or to gun grabbers, who clearly have not noticed the words in the Constitution that reads "shall not be infringed."  No, instead, let me say to anyone living in California, your State government does not trust you.  They view each and every one of you as a potential terrorist just waiting for your chance to take out your fellow citizens or...gasp...the rulers themselves.  Their behavior and attitude seems to resemble that of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.  That should worry you.  It certainly worries me.

Why the Full Court Press for Bathroom Access

So, why has the Left (read Progressives, Socialists, Communists, Fascists, and so on, because they change names at the drop of a hat) decided to push bathroom access on a very reluctant public now?  The answer may surprise you.  But Richard F. Miniter has the answer in a piece at the American Thinker entitled What the Restroom War is Really About. Miniter:

The answer is that liberals are not only drawn to the issue like salmon to their home stream, but that they’re afraid to leave it be. But not for the reason you think. Indeed, they couldn't care less about the hurt feelings of the sexually confused.

What they’re targeting is the mindset of those men who aren’t at all confused. After all, you have to remember that their goal has always been a state of being which doesn’t admit any identity for oneself other than that provided by the government...

It always comes back to this, that the Left wants to substitute the State, with themselves in control of the State, for God. The State is not all powerful, but He is. Just as Obamacare has been a disaster, in that we still have 30 million people without insurance, and insurance rates are rising faster than the did before Obamacare for those that do have it, so Bernie will not be able to deliver on his promises of free stuff. Someone has to pay, and there aren't enough billionaires and millionaires to soak to pay for this his free stuff. As Margaret Thatcher said, "The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other peoples money." No, the Left is not God, and they can not give you what God can, and they know this. That is why they work so hard to keep Christianity out of the public square, and why they are so enamored of Islam.

Read the whole thing at the link.  It isn't long, and it will tell you everything you need to know about the issue, and every other issue too.