Denying gun owners an education

A student in Oregon has been banned from the state’s system of higher education for having the audacity to exercise his rights.

Maxwell has a concealed handgun permit, and is permitted to carry a handgun according to Oregon Law, and the 2nd Amendment of the US Constitution.  Western Oregon University has since withdrawn their charge against Maxwell for carrying a handgun, but came up with a trumped charge about his carrying a knife and having an unloaded hunting rifle in his locked vehicle.  All charges were dropped by the Sheriff’s office as inappropriate, but WOU officials stand by their ruling and punishment of Maxwell.

Jess Barton, the Salem attorney retained by OWVA to represent Maxwell, who is a veteran Marine and member of the association, told OWVA’s executive director, Greg Warnock, that, “Oregon law affords Jeff Maxwell a full and fair opportunity to establish that WOU wrongfully suspended him based on his mere possession of items that ordinary and constitutional law deem lawful….”  Barton, a seasoned appellate attorney is confident in winning the case for Maxwell.

Barton will file a petition for judicial review at the Oregon Court of Appeals this month, to force the university to redress their wrong official action taken, as well as ask for penalties and attorney fees.  Restitution will also be sought now, since Maxwell has lost his GI Educational Benefits, including housing and other expenses when he was suspended.  He also lost the tuition and fees and book charges for last semester, which he prepaid.

The story is one of irony. Jeff Maxwell is a government trained killer. Jeff Maxwell is approved by the state to to carry a firearm in accordance with the law. Jeff Maxwell exhibits rational, logical and life affirming behavior by carrying weapons for DEFENSIVE purposes. Result – a system of “higher learning” punishes Jeff Maxwell.

This sort of memewar is based on irrational fearmongering versus rational life-affirming behavior. Those who wish to be productive and useful members of society are unreasonably restricted based on an agenda that prohibits the individual from defending him or herself appropriately from immediate threats. Anyone who stands up against this petty tyranny is immediately labeled, branded and censured. A glass ceiling is put in place to keep those who assert their individual right to self-defense from rising to positions of influence. If you believe in self-defense as a basic human right you will be marginalized, ostracized and demonized as a gun nut, trigger happy, psychotic, dangerous individual who should not be tolerated by “civilized” people.

This attitude is prevalent because it is taught. In regards to firearms, the U.S. education system is a wellspring of ignorance and misinformation.

Quick and dirty guide to buying an assault rifle

With a new “assault rifle” ban just around the corner, it is a good time to think about purchasing your first, next and/or possibly last defensive rifle designed for all around lethality. Let’s be clear what we are talking about. This is your “shit just hit the fan” rifle. This is your things have collapsed but somehow I’m still here and we need to pick up the pieces and rebuild rifle. This is the rifle you will use to keep the barbarian hordes from raping and pillaging your land, castle and family (should they ever appear over the horizon). This is the rifle you’ll use when you join the neighborhood militia (if you neighborhood ever needs to start one). This is the rifle you are buying because the founding fathers thought every American should be involved in guarding against tyranny and that self-defense was a God given right. You know that’s still true now.

Let’s get down to brass tacks. Which assault rifle is best? The short answer is: depends what you want to use it for. Personally I own a .223/5.56 and a .308 weapon. The .223 is what I bought first because that’s the round the U.S. military uses for day to day stuff. As I learned more, I realized that the .223 might not be the best round. So I bought a .308.  Now I have choices. You’ll find endless arguments over calibers, penetration and various other factors. Every rifle and caliber has pros and cons. Here are some basics I consider important.

Calibers

The two most available rounds are 5.56 and 7.62. These go with the M16 and the AK47 respectively. Both of these types of ammunition are widely available around the world and there are millions of rounds floating around the U.S. If you buy a weapon that fires 5.56/.223 you’ll probably be able to get ammo for it in the U.S. no matter what the political situation is. I would guess the same is true of 7.62 ammo. Here is a discussion of the relative merits of 5.56 versus 7.62 ammunition that merits reading. The end result is that statistically a larger round is more likely to kill you. Either one will kill an enemy in a pinch but 7.62 packs a bigger punch. Because of the Geneva conventions, these rounds are mostly full metal jacket. That means they do not break up inside the target. That makes them less effective at killing opponents than many non-military rounds, many of which are designed to shred whatever they hit by expanding on entry.

The topic has been talked to death a time or two. As I’ve noted before, all rounds are trade offs. The 7.62mm side of the debate tends to pretend that .308 is some kind of death ray and skip over the possibility you’ll have to double tap with .308 as well. And they tend to act like 5.56mm is guaranteed to fail without double tap. Both premises don’t hold up reliably — just statistical tendencies. For an AR/carbine role, I’ll take the 5.56mm round all day — especially if I’m a notional operator who has the range time and training to use my M4 or other weapon to the fullest. As for an M4 in 7.62×51mm . . . too much recoil. Autofire is obviously bad, but even in semi it’s going to kick like a beast, which means that I’d better not need to double tap (or better not miss) because it’s going to take me longer to put the weapon back on target while the other guy is trying to kill me. The proposed 6.8mm round seems like a good idea to me — it takes bullet weight towards .308 without fully sacrificing the idea of a handy and compact assault rifle to the full size bullet, but stays light enough to carry lots of ammo and recoil soft enough to make the a minimal issue in rapid fire.

If you want to be practical I suggest purchasing something that shoots one of the two mentioned types of ammo – 7.62 or 5.56. A gun without ammo is just a big club. If the sky really does fall and you find yourself living in a Fallout 3 type environment it’s likely you’ll be able to trade for bullets of these two types. Maybe some others as well but this is a quick and dirty guide to assault rifles not a novel length diatribe. You want a quick and dirty weapon that will help you defend civilization if and when it collapses.

Costs

Costs are variable. They are rising due to unfavorable political conditions and the fact that a lot of these things are going to be black market soon. You’ll still be able to buy am “assault rifle” if you really want one but it will cost three times as much and more important, will be illegal. Military style rifles are good for hunting humans. That’s what they were designed for. If you buy right now, you’ll pay anywhere between $500-2500 for a rifle. Depends which features you want, how many magazines you buy, etc. Remember again, a rifle without ammo is useless. Budget for at least 500 rounds of ammo and keep it stored in a cool dry place. If you’re not already a good shot budget for 2,900 rounds and get some range time under your belt. In case you are wondering where I’m pulling my numbers, Marines are trained to hit a target with iron sights at 500 yards in two weeks with 200 rounds a day, not including Sundays. That means that with a competent friend instructing you (or a paid instructor) you should be a rifle expert in about 2,400 rounds. You’ll probably pay about 50 cents a round for ammo in either variety if you buy today. Ammo availability and pricing is subject to political whims just like access to guns.

Rifles

There are literally dozens of types, configurations manufacturers and variants. If you want an AK47 from a U.S. manufacturer here is a handy list. If you are partial to the M16 variants (the civilian version is called an AR15 instead) then here is that list. DPMS and Bushmaster have my loyalty. Any of their AR15 products will hold up well if you give them a little basic maintenance. I have no practical experience with AK variants and would welcome feedback on them. You don’t really need a scope or any other assorted garbage that can be hung from one of these rifles. A good sling, ammo and a cleaning kit are plenty to haul around.

The Process

The actual mechanics of legally purchasing a firearm vary from state to state. Most states will treat you better if you hold a concealed carry permit issued by the state. For instance, I live in Georgia. Because I am a CCW holder I can walk into a gun store and pick a weapon, fill out the official federal form in about 10 minutes, and walk out with the weapon and as much ammo as I can afford. Some places make you wait a while while they check up on you. Some places let the local constable decide if you are worthy of your second amendment right to bear arms. Some states (Massachusetts comes to mind) won’t let you have a military style rifle at all. You can check out your state laws here. Bear in mind that real assault rifles fire on full automatic or burst mode. These modes are currently federally restriced and require a Class III license. A Class III license requires the holder to give up Constitutionally guarenteed rights. Read Unintended Consequences for more information about federal gun laws and the slow death of American’s gun culture.

Mindset

Why would a civilian ever need an assault rifle? The short answer is because government has them. Are you going to shoot down an AC130 gunship or an Apache attack helicopter with a 5.56 or 7.62 semi-automatic rifle? No. Are you going to send a political message about your mindset by buying and refusing to surrender one of these weapons? Absolutely. This country was founded by people who were tired of being ordered around. A citizen with an assault rifle is hard to order around and even the most dedicated authoritarian is not going to abuse his or her authority when confronted by a group of citizens with these weapons. It may be scary to think about such a scenario but it’s also important to think about such a scenario. There are petty tyrants everywhere and checks and balances must always be present to keep them from rising to power. Assault rifles represent freedom of choice. They indicate independence. They radiate assurance. They are guaranteed by our founding document and in my opinion every citizen should own one and take the time to learn how to use it responsibly. Rights not exercised are always taken away by busybodies, do-gooders and powermongers.

Go learn more.

Get your questions answered at armedpolitesociety.com. Watch video reviews and AR versus AK comparisons at nutnfancy’s YouTube channel.

Marine arrested for bringing concealed gun to his college

If any groups of people should be encouraged to carry weapons on American school campuses, one would think the U.S. Marines might be included in the fully vetted category. Not so. Jeffrey L. Maxwell recently found that out first hand.

When asked why he carried the weapons on campus, Maxwell said he was concerned about his and other students’ safety after the April 2007 massacre at Virginia Tech.

“When Marines hear gunfire, we don’t run from it. We run toward it,” Maxwell told KATU. “I kind of thought of myself as one of the good guys – the one who, if something happened at school, was going to step in and save everybody else.”

There are few groups of people trained more highly with firearms safety and handling than those who have served in the United States Marines.

To further add to the blind anti-gun stupidity that has been engendered in our civil society, Maxwell was told he would have to write a 10-page essay on the importance of following the law as well as be examined by a mental health professional to be re-admitted to the University. Frankly, one of the reasons I have pursued my bachelor’s and master’s degrees on-line is because I don’t have to sit in a gun free self-defense prohibited zone to learn. I’m not interested in being disarmed by bureaucrats. There was no law prohibiting Maxwell from having a gun for self-defense. There was only an administrative school rule.

The net effect of such rules is that mentally ill people or others who represent a threat to society are drawn to schools – they know that schools are one of the softest targets available for a killing spree. Societies spread memes like viruses, from one mind to another. Every kid who has ever thought of going on a killing spree has probably thought of doing it at school first. Malls are another place that make rules banning firearms – rules that only law abiding mentally sound people follow. This further exacerbates the situation when a lawbreaker or mentally unstable person decides to act out with firearms.

Police should have firearms. More importantly though,  we should encourage an environment where any responsible adult is taught a mentality of self-defense and community involvement. If we teach people that only specialists can intervene when violence breaks out we are basically saying that we don’t want our citizens to act like citizens anymore. If our citizens are not citizens then they are subjects. Subjects are easy to manipulate, control and rule.

Concerned individuals may e-mail university President John Minahan or call (503)838-8888 and/or contact Polk County District Attorney Stan Butterfield. The Oregon Firearms Federation is accepting tax-deductible donations to the Jeffrey Maxwell Legal Defense Fund. Contributors should select “Oregon Firearms Educational Fund” and indicate specifically that the funds are intended for Jeffrey Maxwell’s case.

If you are in the minority of Americans who still believe that the citizen is the basic building block of society – the mold that everything else is made from – then please consider making a donation to a Marine who served his nation and wants to continue to be the kind of strong individual we need in this country. Without some herd dogs, the flock is easy prey. Groupthink is dangerous stuff when the memes are not logically sound. Citizens with gun permits should be allowed to carry guns everywhere.

Anti-gunner is the new attorney general

Eric Holder is the new attorney general of the United States by a vote of 75-21 (which means four senators couldn’t even be bothered to vote). What does this mean for Americans?

I can only speculate but it is likely that efforts to keep guns out of the hands of “average” Americans will intensify. Eric Holder is the kind of elitist who thinks most people are too irresponsible to own guns and that government needs to make lots of rules about who, what, when, why and how firearms are distributed throughout a society. Let’s be honest; Eric Holder is a proponent of the nanny state.

As deputy attorney general in the Bill Clinton administration from 1997 to 2001, Holder “was a strong supporter of restrictive gun control,” according to The Volokh Conspiracy, a Web site that focuses on the legal system and the courts.

He advocated federal licensing of handgun owners, a three-day waiting period on handgun sales, rationing handgun sales to no more than one per month, banning possession of handguns and so-called “assault weapons” by anyone under age 21, a gun show restriction bill that would have given the federal government the power to shut down all gun shows, and national gun registration.

“He also promoted the factoid that ‘Every day that goes by, about 12, 13 more children in this country die from gun violence’ — a statistic that is true only if one counts 18-year-old gangsters who shoot each other as ‘children,’” noted the Web site, founded by law professor Alexander Volokh.

After the 9/11 attacks, Holder wrote an opinion piece for The Washington Post arguing that a new law should give “the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms a record of every firearm sale.” He also said prospective gun buyers should be checked against the secret “watch lists” compiled by various government entities.

I am completely pro-training when it comes to firearms. As a libertarian I hesitate to put the state in charge of the training, or of any other claptrappy rules system set up to protect us from us in regards to firearms. The whole mentality surrounding firearms needs to change from the ground up. A tool is something to be treasured and valued because it extends and reflects the beauty of being human in one fell swoop. Instead of fearing the tools we create it would be prudent to develop systems that train our citizens in their proper use. In the case of firearms we should be teaching memes that involve sober, defensive ownership. A shotgun should be no different from a hammer.

Why can’t we be reverently respectful of what the firearm represents? Why can’t we teach our kids to love and respect the equalizing power of weapons used for defensive purposes? Why do we have to put up with authoritarian elitists who try to restrict weapons. Restricting weapons changes the tone of national dialogue completely. Two men, both armed, always speak politely to one another. This is not the case when only one of the men is armed. When only the authorities have the power to defend themselves against agression the logical outcome is that the authorities will always set the tone of the conversation.

Holder also played a key role in the snatching of 6-year-old Cuban Elian Gonzalez from his Miami relatives’ home in April 2000, according to the Web site. Gonzalez was to be sent to Cuba where his father lived.

Although a photo clearly showed a federal agent pointing a gun at the man who was holding the terrified child, Holder claimed that the federal agents sent to capture Gonzalez had acted “very sensitively.”

I look forward to the new sensitivity we can expect to find rushing out of the Justice Department like manna from heaven.

Eric Holder will have to work very hard to earn my trust and respect. I’ll be watching him very carefully and complaining loudly if he tries to further demonize the way of the gun, my right to personal self-defense or to collectively nanny citizens in any way. I expect to be busy.

The perfect post-apocalyptic personal defense weapon

Benelli M2 Tactical

Whether you are being attacked by a horde of zombies or a horde of Obama’s Civil Defense Corps personnel, the Benelli M2 Tactical is one of the best urban defense weapons you can currently buy in the United States.

Remember, a 12-gauge shotgun is a crowd control weapon for close range operations. Urban clearing, mowing down undead shamblers and close quarters defense against advancing hordes of hostile fleshy creatures are the correct uses for a weapon like the Benelli M2.

The key factor that makes the Benelli a reliable and lifelong keepsake to hide from the gun grabbers – it’s not gas operated. Instead, it is recoil operated. That means you won’t have to do a critical functions check or clearing operation right as that zombie who used to be a postal worker is about to bite into your forearm. Simple engineering and reliable operation are what make the AK47 and its many variants the most popular assault rifle ever. The Benelli is designed on the same principles. Takes a licking and keeps on ticking is the most appropriate anachronism that springs to mind.

The tactical model is much better for stopping the advancing minions of the forces of entropy than the field model because you can fight your hopeless battle against overwhelming odds with style. A flashlight on your Benelli will allow you to see the cold whites of those dead eyes just before that rotting, stinking corpse explodes and is flung backwards across the room, knocking over at least a half dozen fellow brain eaters and allowing you to cycle the chamber and load another delicious helping of buckshot into the barrels full of second death. Yes, zombies have to die twice. I don’t think Tritium sights are really necessary, but you could mount those on this fabulous and stylish instrument of destruction as well.

At only $1,200 (soon to rise to about $12,000 on the black market), the Benelli M2 is an excellent value. After all, your intact body and beating heart are certainly worth more than $1,200 aren’t they? Buy a Benelli M2 while you still can. The zombie hordes are on the march. A plague of giant locusts is imminent. All hell is breaking loose. The end is nigh. Get a decent combat shotgun.

Source: Guns and Ammo magazine. For some reason, they didn’t publish the review on their web site.