Blind People Open Carrying in Iowa

This is not from The Onion. USA Today reports that Iowa will allow people who are legally blind to acquire gun public carrying permits. Jane Hudson, executive director of Disability Rights Iowa, made this rather laughable comment.

"The fact that you can't drive a car doesn't mean you can't go to a shooting range and see a target," Hudson said.

Iowa is going to give permits to people that are legally blind. The fact that these people can't see a target is a good reason not to let them carry a firearm in public. It is sad and unfortunate that these people are blind. Their unfortunate disability doesn't make allowing blind people open carrying a good idea.

You can thank the NRA for blind people carrying a gun in public. Dom Raso posted video advocating open carry for blind people. The NRA took down the video after it was mocked on the internet. The Young Turks has part of the video.

Deleted Tweet of the Day

The NRA deleted this tweet because of the accidental shooting death at the Last Stop range in White Hills, Arizona.

Instructor Charles Vacca was instructing a 9 year-old girl. Yacca was killed when the gun recoiled and fired. ABC News reports.

Sam Scarmardo, who operates the outdoor range in the desert, said Wednesday that the parents had signed waivers saying they understood the rules and were standing nearby, video-recording their daughter, when the accident happened.

Investigators released 27 seconds of the footage showing the girl from behind as she fires at a black-silhouette target. The footage, which does not show the instructor actually being shot, helped feed the furor on social media and beyond.

"I have regret we let this child shoot, and I have regret that Charlie was killed in the incident," Scarmardo said. He said he doesn't know what went wrong, pointing out that Vacca was an Army veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan.

The gun was obviously too powerful for a 9 year-old girl to fire. The NRA wants more children on the shooting range. The NRA does not seem to understand or care about the deadly power of firearms.

Write A Caption: Rick Perry

Nothing says responsible gun owner like pointing a gun at an angle that could shoot someone.

Wingnut of the Day: Kathy Perkins

Moms With Guns Demand Action founder Kathy Perkins thought it was a good idea to joke about assassinating President Barack Obama on Facebook. Why? Because Perkins believes in liberty and she is a patriot. I wonder if Perkins considers Lee Harvey Oswald and John Wilkes Booth patriots. Oswald defected to Russia and declared himself a communist. Booth wrote that President Lincoln was "making himself a king" by attempting to end slavery. Because Booth thought slavery was so awesome. What is interesting is so-called patriots like Perkins accuse Obama of acting like a king.

Tea Party Nation kicked out the big caps keys with a post titled "“IMPEACH AND ARREST THE TYRANT KING OBAMA!!" Apparently, one exclamation point wasn't enough.

The tea party seems to appreciate Russian President Vladimir Putin's leadership more than Obama's. TeaParty.Org ran a story on failed presidential candidate Rudolph Giuliani saying Putim is a stronger leader than Obama.

Russian President Vladimir “Putin decides what he wants to do, and he does it in half a day,” the former GOP presidential candidate said Monday on Fox News Channel’s ”Your World with Neil Cavuto.”

Putin, Giuliani said, makes a decision and executes it quickly.

“Then everybody reacts. That’s what you call a leader. President Obama, he’s got to think about it. He’s got to go over it again. He’s got to talk to more people about it,” Giuliani said.

Putin's style of leadership is jailing the punk band Pussy Riot for protesting Russian government policies. Putin has also bashed the LGBT community for political gain. Putin's policies towards gays are the tea party's wet dream. Judson Phillips, of the Tea Party Nation, was upset that Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer vetoed a bill that would allow businesses to not serve gays. The legislation was a Jim Crow styled law against the LGBT community. Phillips was outraged that gays would not be legally discriminated against in Arizona.

The left and the homosexual lobby in America went into overdrive to kill this bill. Conservatives rallied for this bill and Governor Brewer opted for cowardice instead of courage.

Why is this bill so important and what did it mean for not only Arizona but America? The issue can be boiled down to one word: Freedom.

A free man or woman controls their labor. A slave has no control over their labor. A free man or woman decides who they will work for and under what conditions. The slave cannot.

The left and the homosexual lobby are both pushing slavery using the Orwellian concepts of “tolerance” and “inclusiveness.”

Immediately the left and the homosexual lobby went into high dudgeon. Arizona’s SB1062 must be defeated because Americans really are no longer free and must be forced to serve the great liberal state, regardless of their beliefs.

The storm rose against Arizona and Jan Brewer proved she was no Ronald Reagan. She has an honored place in the ranks of the French Republicans.

Kathy Perkins jokes about killing a black president. Judson Phillips has repeatedly hinted that President Obama is not an American citizen. People who have such open disdain for a black president shouldn't talk about how Obama is behaving like a King and enslaving people.

Political assassins like Booth and Oswald were not patriots. They had such disdain for government that they murdered presidents. Cliven Bundy has gotten into an armed standoff with the federal government. The tea party views him as a patriot. The tea party loves America so much that they want to see Bundy's followers spill the blood of people that are employed by the American government. That makes no logical sense.

Perkins, Bundy and Phillips aren't patriots. They are just very pissed off people.

Another Day, Another Senseless Gun Shooting

Panama City - Justin Ayers and his wife was bringing his newborn son home from the hospital. Unfortunately, the young newborn child will never know his father. Ayers was shot by a stray bullet fired from his Charles Edward Shisler's house.

The bullet came from the house next door, where 62-year-old Charles Edward Shisler picked up a .9 mm pistol by the trigger, causing it to discharge. When sheriff’s deputies arrived, they found Shisler standing on his porch, although he initially was “belligerent” and uncooperative.

“The damn gun doesn’t usually shoot,” said Shisler, according to his arrest report. “You have to squeeze the hell out of the trigger to shoot it.”

This the mug shot of the liberty loving Shisler.

Police found that Shisler's blood alcohol level was .079. Shisler's behavior with law enforcement officers gives good reason to believe he was intoxicated.

Another side note: Shisler quote reveals an extremely stupid man. Shisler had no business ever owning a gun. You do not pick up a gun by the trigger. Obviously, if Shisler knew anything about guns he would have heard of the term hair trigger.

A trigger that allows the firing mechanism of a firearm to be operated by very slight pressure.

A child will never have a conversation or hug his father because of Charles Shisler.

Quote of the Day

"It says something about America in 214 that my last status update, in which I supported a child's right not to be shot at school, attracted a significant number of opposing comments."

Andy Borowitz, on Facebook.

Quote of the Day

"Hate to say this, and it's kinda obvious, but I predict this isn't going to be the last right wing anti-government terrorist attack."

Charles Johnson, on Twitter.

Jerad and Amanda Miller were white supremacists and conspiracy theorists.

Jerad was a fan of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and anti-government rancher Cliven Bundy.

The Millers killed two Las Vegas police officers and a civilian.

Quote of the Day

“Stupidity cannot be cured. Stupidity is the only universal capital crime; the sentence is death. There is no appeal, and execution is carried out automatically and without pity.”

Robert A. Heinlein

In related news: In Honea Path, South Carolina, Blake Randall Wardel decided to test out a bullet proof vest by letting a friend shoot him. Wardel is now dead. This is another case of people not understanding the danger of guns.

Quote of the Day

"This should be a lesson learned: Never have a three-way with a gun."

Anomaly One Hundred

Talking Points Memo reports a couple in Alabama were shot in their bed.

Jeff David Massey was preparing to clean the gun when it went off, shooting himself in his left hand and his girlfriend, Tammy Lynn Harris, in her right leg, Detective Joshua Fisher told the Decatur Daily.

I'm speechless.

Mat Bors on Stand Your Ground

Comic strip artist Matt Bors did his version of Florida's logo to include "Stand Your Ground."

Quote of the Day: Stand Your Ground Edition

"What message are we sending someone? Don't miss? Is that what the 'Stand Your Ground' law means? Don't miss? If you miss, you get off. If you kill a young black man, you go home. That's just troubling."

Benjamin Crump, attorney for the late Trayvon Martin's family.

Crump made note that Michael Dunn fired at the friends of Jordan Davis and missed. Dunn was Dunn guilty on three counts of attempted murder. Dunn shot and killed Davis. The jury was deadlocked on whether to convict Dunn of first degree murder. Dunn's fiancee told authorities that Davis was unarmed.

Quote of the Day

"This jail is full of blacks and they all act like thugs.… This may sound a bit radical, but if more people would arm themselves and kill these fucking idiots when they’re threatening you, eventually they may take the hint and change their behavior."

Michael Dunn, accused killer of Jordan Davis.

Dunn fired ten shots at the car Davis and his friends were driving in. Dunn went back to his hotel room, ordered pizza, drank rum and walked his dog. Dunn never notified the police of the shooting. The quote is notible because Davis is black and Dunn is white.

No gun was ever found on Davis or his friends. Dunn's own fiance testified that she did not see a gun. Yet Dunn's attorney's argued self-defense. The shooting happened over a dispute over rap music playing in the car Davis was in.

The jury came to a mistrial. The Stand Your Ground law has made it legal for white people to kill blacks.

Adam Putnam's Horrible Conceal Carry permit Legacy

Ana Marie Cox points out the stupidity of the way the Florida Department of Agriculture hands out concealed carry permits. There is no federal background check on the people applying for permits.

Curtis Reeves was a retired police officer, the very definition of a good guy. He may also prove to be unbalanced in a legally-applicable way, but that wouldn't have prevented him from getting a concealed carry permit in Florida. Since Florida grants concealed carry permits via its Department of Agriculture, rather than, say a criminal justice agency, the state cannot use the National Instant Criminal Background Check System to screen applicants. To put that another way, Florida simply doesn't have the federal background check required in every other state that grants concealed carry permits.

Indeed, even if Florida had a more stringent conceal carry screening process – or if it didn't have a concealed carry law at all – Reeves could have had his weapon on him. Retired law enforcement personnel are allowed by federal law to carry a concealed weapon in any jurisdiction except where it's explicitly banned by law or the property owner. This is a loophole that may seem natural (again: good guys!), but it's actually a reflection of just how deeply we've bought into the myth that guns aren't the problem and we only need worry about who has them. That's not true: we need to worry about guns, no matter who has them.

Adam Putnam publicly bragged about the Department of Agriculture handing out 1 million coneal carry permits. Putnam campaigned as a pro-gun Republican. Putnam isn't about to have gun lovers submit to more thorough background checks. Putnam wants to keep getting NRA endorsements.

Guns Will Be Allowed in Florida University Dorm Rooms

The pro-gun group Florida Carry is suing to have guns allowed in campus dorms. The University of North Florida will not appeal the ruling Florida Carry won in the 1st District Court of Appeal. Student will be allowed to carry guns in dorms and other student housing.

After the ruling, UNF President John Delaney told students and faculty the university would not appeal the ruling; and stated that, effective immediately, students could store guns in their cars.

Florida State will also not appeal the ruling. Thanks to our wonderful legislature local governments can't write their own laws about where guns are allowed. This is why the 1st District Court of Appeal ruled the way it did.

I have such a bad feeling about this.

Shooting At Tampa Movie Theater

Two people have been shot at the Cobb Theaters Grove 16 in the Wesley Chapel section of Tampa. A male suapect is in police custody. The shoot victims were sent by helicopter to a hospital. I will update this post as more information comes in.

This is so sad. What a stupid reason to kill someone.

A man was shot dead and his wife wounded after an argument over texting in a movie theater Monday afternoon in Wesley Chapel, Florida, Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said.

The suspect, Curtis Reeves, is a retired Tampa police officer, Nocco said. He will be charged with second-degree homicide, according to Nocco.

It is horrifying to think that Curtis Reeves once had a badge.

Apparently, Reeves and Chad Oulson argued over the use of Oulson's cell phone. Oulson told Reeves that he was texting his daughter.

"Their voices started going up. There seemed to almost be a confrontation," Cummings said. "Somebody throws popcorn; I'm not sure who threw it. And then bang, he was shot."

The victim staggered over and fell on Cummings and his son. A nurse who was in the theater performed CPR on the victim until the paramedics arrived, said Cummings, who like his son, had spatters of blood on his clothes.

Reeves shot and killed Oulson right in front of a young boy. What is wrong with this man?

Mitch Perry Interviews Nan Rich

Creative Loafing political reporter Mitch Perry interviewed gubernatorial candidate Nan Rich at the Hillsborough County GLBTA Democratic Caucus. Rich reminded Perry and LGBT activists of her differences with Charlie Crist.

Gun Control

Rich brags about her F rating on gun control with the the NRA. Rich notes that Crist had an A rating by the NRA.

Gay Rights

Rich points out that she has been a long-time supporter of gay rights. Crist supported the gaya adoption ban in 2009.

I'm sure he's changed his opinion now, but you have to stand on some foundation. You can't just change 180 degrees."

Rich pointed to this gem from 2008. Crist told CNN that Sarah Palin is more qualified than Barack Obama.

“I think she’d do a great job,” Crist said. “Realize that she really is the only executive that’s running, the only one that has been the head of a government in Alaska, she’s held an exeutive position as a mayor, an executive position as a governor, made those kinds of decisions.”

“Hey I think she’s ready,” Crist concluded.

Ouch.

Florida House Keeps Stand Your Ground Law

The Florida House Criminal Justice Subcommittee hearing on the "Stand Your Ground" law was all for show. Committee head Rep. Matt Gaetz made this statement before the hearing.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, the Fort Walton Beach Republican tapped to lead the hearing, said he would not support changing “one damn comma” of the statute.

Rep. Alan Williams filed a bill to repeal "Stand Your Ground." The subcommittee voted the bill down 2 to 11. The only reason there was a hearing is because of the Dream Defenders and the national media attention from Trayvon Martin's death. "Stand Your Ground" is the law for as long as NRA lobbyist Marion Hammer owns the Florida Republican establishment.

This statement by Rep. Marti Coley caught my attention.

“Today, our state is a safer place and has the lowest crime rate in 42 years,” said Rep. Marti Coley, a Marianna Republican. “Florida’s Stand Your Ground law is solid. It’s good and should not be changed.”

Does Coley have any scientific data to back that claim? A Tampa Bay Times investigative report found drug dealers and gang members were allowed to go free using the "Stand Your Ground" defense. "Stand Your Ground" has given Floridians permission to commit brutal murders.

• People often go free under "stand your ground" in cases that seem to make a mockery of what lawmakers intended. One man killed two unarmed people and walked out of jail. Another shot a man as he lay on the ground. Others went free after shooting their victims in the back. In nearly a third of the cases the Times analyzed, defendants initiated the fight, shot an unarmed person or pursued their victim —and still went free.

I don't know about you, but I don't feel safer. This is less about liberal politics and more about I don't want some maniac having the legal right to shoot me for no good reason.

Another Gun Tragedy in St. Petersburg

Another handgun tragedy involving children. This time in St. Petersburg.

St. Petersburg Police say the girl's mother was in the kitchen of their home on Elkcam Boulevard SE when she heard the shot in another area of the home.

The mother told police a 14-year-old cousin had gotten a handgun and accidentally fired it inside the house. The mother gathered the children and drove to All Children's Hospital. That's where the cousin disappeared.

The 14 year-old cousin has disappeared. Police believe the cousin left the hospital on his own.

Wingnut of the Day: Frank Balles

It is scary to think that New Jersey Republican Frank Balles is the Sheriff of Atlantic County. At this forum, it certainly sounds like Balles is urging voters to shoot his Democratic opponent State Sen. Jim Whelan.

"When someone's been elected for 30 years and he comes knocking on your door and tells you, 'Listen, this is what I want to do to help you,' quickly close your door, go inside," Balles said.

A member of the audience quickly interjected, "And get your gun!"

Balles quickly responded, "And get your gun, exactly!"

Balles' "gun" remarks start at the 4 minute mark of the video.

Hat tip to Freak Out Nation.

David Frum Mocks Conservative Talking Points on Gun Violence

David Frum has fired off brilliant tweets mocking how conservatives try to control the debate anytime there is mass gun violence.