New message about making calls on bills today and tomorrow

We got a phone call from a friend in state government who said that the House needs to hear from us, too, to tell them to vote on the bills that we want to see moved - HB419 and HB358.

Even if the Senate brings them to the floor, if the House leadership doesn't decide to act on them then they're dead.
The House is saying that they're not going to hear any new bills and we need to change their minds!
The number is 1-800-372-7181 to reach the message center and to leave a message for EVERYONE in the House and Senate!

Pass it on and get out the word!

Don't forget to call your Senator during these last days of the session

The 25th and 26th of March are the days that the General Assembly takes up vetoed bills and finishes its business for the session. But they can also take up new bills and pass additional legislation if they choose.

HB419 and HB358 still need to be passed. They languishing in the Senate in committee, and need the support of the Senate leadership to move to the floor.
HB419 contains language that would make it legal to have a firearm in a vehicle on university property, just like you're allowed to have on everywhere else in the state. HB358 has the language that recognizes our right to be armed for self-defense even while hunting or in the field.
Both of these could still be brought to the floor and passed, but it'll take the work of all concerned citizens to get this done.
Be sure to call your Senator and tell them that you want to see these bills given a vote, and sent on to the governor for his signature, and contact the Senate leadership to urge them to make an effort to effect this.
The toll free number to leave a message with any and all of the Senators is (800) 372-7181. Take advantage of it and please pass on this information to your friends.

KC3 to be on TV in Louisville March 25th

Recently KC3 board member Charles Riggs was interviewed by Steve Burgin of WLKY Channel 32 TV in Louisville as part of an upcoming program about guns and the economy and related topics.

We haven't yet been told the title for the program, but we've been informed that it's set to air on Wednesday, March 25th at 5 PM and again at 11 PM. You can contact WLKY for more information via their web site here.

Unlawful registration of GIs guns reversed

Recently a knucklehead commander down at Fort Campbell, Kentucky took it upon himself to mandate that the troops had to register their personal firearms, even those stored off post - AND, they had to declare if they had a concealed carry permit!

Fortunately, the commander above HIM took over and rescinded this foolishness. Read the story about it, along with a copy of his letter, here.

Seems like people who agree with Obama's desire to restrict your rights are crawling out of the woodwork, even in the Army. Good thing that citizens choose to resist tyranny.

One stupid failed policy leads to another - the British government at work

There's a piece on the Vdare web site about the evolution of more crimes by foreigners in the UK, combined with more crimes using knives and the predictable nanny-state response to it by the government.

You can find it here - worth reading if only for the many links in the text to other stories and background material.
Here's an excerpt -

"In a culture where the normal instinct of self-defense has been largely depressed by decades of liberal peacenik propaganda, mere gun grabbing (as Washington is now gearing up) will not suffice. British peace extremists may have imagined that depriving the people of firearms would ensure the end of violence in society, but something else happened on the rainbow road to kumbaya—the confiscation of guns from the British people over several decades did not result in perfect peacefulness."

Gun rights advocates get ready for a fight, House rejects bringing back the gun ban

Folks on our side are busy refuting the arguments that Holder and Diaz and other rabid anti-gunners are trying to use to introduce another gun ban. Read it on Fox News online here.

Meanwhile, 65 members of the House of Representatives tell Holder, et al, to forget about another ban - it ain't gonna fly! See that report on the NRA/ILA site here.

IT IS TIME TO ACT!

Kentucky Tea Party
Lexington, Ky - March 21

The federal stimulus, spending hundreds of billions of dollars we don't have; sending billions to states that are raising taxes anyway; bailouts going to companies that should be restructured instead of sustained; 9,000 earmarks being called 'last year's news'; proposals to tax energy until it's no longer affordable, dispense with the secret ballot for union elections, make the government the director of all health care, double welfare spending...

It is an assault on the liberty that is very foundation of our national success, and it's time to say so in a public demonstration.

The Kentucky Club for Growth, Leland Conway of WLAP in Lexington, the Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions and others are organizing a Kentucky Tea Party in downtown Lexington. KC3 supports this important public demonstration against the waste and bad policy being created in Washington.

Come down to the Robert F. Stevens Courthouse Plaza (corner of Limestone and Main) at noon on Saturday, March 21st, and let City Hall, Frankfort, and Washington know what's on our minds.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR AND DON'T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY!
Don't be content with having this discussion only amongst ourselves. We need to show all of Kentucky that conservatives are still here and willing to engage.

Date: Saturday, March 21, 2009
Time: 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Location: Robert F. Stevens Courthouse Plaza

WE ARE ORGANIZING SO YOU CAN MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD.
We must remind everyone that national success follows from individual success, not government direction.

JOIN US!
Bring signs, teabags, whatever your inspiration.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Andy Hightower
Executive Director

There's still time to contact the legislature about two important bills

The Fate of Two Pro-Gun Bills Rests in the Hands of the Kentucky State Senate Leadership!
Contact Senate Leadership Today!

Unfortunately, the Kentucky legislature played party politics in Frankfort the last two days of the working session and two pro-gun bills may of failed as a result. Thursday, March 26 and Friday, March 27 are the only two legislative days left after the veto session to consider these pro-gun bills, so it is critical that Senate Leadership hear from you today.

Please contact Senate Leadership and respectfully urge them to take up House Bill 419 on Thursday, March 26. Ask them to attach the NRA-backed amendment and send it to the full Senate for consideration. The NRA-backed amendment would strip HB 419 of its original language and would require Universities to comply with current Kentucky Code allowing gun owners to keep their firearms in a locked vehicle on public and private property.

Also, please respectfully urge Senate Leadership to bring HB 358 with no additional amendments to the floor for consideration by the full Senate. HB358 has been amended to contain the original language from HB 419. This bill would now permit citizens to carry firearms for self-defense while engaged in hunting, fishing, trapping, and other activities, and would clarify that citizens may do what is necessary for self-defense in the case of a wild animal attack, without fear of unjustified prosecution.

At this time all legislators are back and forth between the capitol and their districts, so please take the time to use all the contact information listed below.

Senate Leadership
State Senator David Williams (R-16), Senate President
Office (502) 564-3120
District (270) 433-7777
David.Williams@lrc.ky.gov

State Senator Katie Stine (R-24), President Pro Tempore
Office (502) 564-3120
District (859) 781-5311
Katie.Stine@lrc.ky.gov

State Senator Dan Kelly (R-14), Majority Floor Leader
Office (502) 564-2450
District (859) 336-9048
Dan.Kelly@lrc.ky.gov

State Senator Dan Seum (R-38), Majority Caucus Chair
Office (502) 564-2450
District (502) 749-2859
Dan.Seum@lrc.ky.gov

State Senator Carroll Gibson (R-5), Majority Whip
Office (502) 564-2450
District (270) 230-5866
Carroll.Gibson@lrc.ky.gov

State Senator Ed Worley (D-34), Minority Floor Leader
Office (502) 564-2470
District (859) 625-5536
Ed.Worley@lrc.ky.gov

State Senator Johnny Turner (D-29), Minority Caucus Chair
Office (502) 564-6136
District (606) 377-6962
Johnny.Turner@lrc.ky.gov

State Senator Jerry Rhoads (D-6), Minority Whip
Office (502) 564-2470
District (270) 825-2949
Jerry.Rhoads@lrc.ky.gov

SAF press release about the attempt to gut the armed pilots program

OBAMA EFFORT TO END ARMED PILOTS PROGRAM AN OUTRAGE, SAYS CCRKBA

BELLEVUE, WA – A revelation by the Washington Times that President Barack Obama is trying to quietly end the armed pilot program, making air travel more vulnerable to terrorist attack, should outrage travelers, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today.

“The Washington Times nailed it,” said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb, who proposed arming pilots just hours after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and championed the armed pilot program. “What Obama is doing is risking public safety, as the newspaper put it, ‘in the name of an anti-gun ideology’.”

The newspaper reported in its Tuesday edition that President Obama is “quietly ending the federal firearms program” by diverting some $2 million from the training program to hire “supervisory” staff, whose job, it appears, will be to harass armed pilots through unnecessary field inspections.

“How dare the president, or anybody in his administration, take measures to erode the safety of air travelers,” Gottlieb questioned. “The armed pilot program provides a guaranteed level of security to the public. There may or may not be an air marshal aboard every airplane, but there is definitely a pilot in the cockpit.

“We trust commercial airline pilots with $500 million aircraft,” he continued. “We can certainly trust them with $500 pistols to defend those planes, and t! he lives of their passengers.

“Certain individuals have never liked the armed pilot program,” Gottlieb acknowledged. “These anti-gun, anti-self-defense bureaucrats seem more interested in their own power, and protecting their little empires, than they are in protecting the public. And now, Obama is catering to their anti-gun bigotry.”

Call the White House at (202) 456-1111, or send a comment by visiting www.whitehouse.gov/contact.

White House trying to kill Armed Pilots program

In yet another under-the-radar sneak attack, the Obama administration is pulling two million dollars from the Armed Flight Deck Officers program in order to move the money to people in the program who will kill it with regulations and restrictions.

This is simply crazy. The armed pilots program has been a positive force in the prevention of hijackings and violence on commercial aircraft, with an outstanding safety record. How does it make any sense to jeopardize the safety of the traveling public by this action?
You can read about it here in the Washington Times, and follow it up as it progresses on Michael Bane's blog here. Michael is the host of the Shooting Gallery show on the Outdoor Channel, and a long-time champion of our rights. He's also the host of Downrange TV on the internet. If you haven't ever seen Michael's work, time to take a look. Gun owners and concealed carry advocates have no better friend than Mr. Bane.
Pro-rights groups such as the Second Amendment Foundation have begun to take notice of this attempt to gut the safety of the skies and are sending out email alerts to gun owners and activists.
Once again, it's going to take the active efforts of those of us who care about freedoms and personal safety and our right to bear arms, making those phone calls and sending those emails, to undo this treachery. Better get used to it, it's going to be a long haul.
To send a message to your Congress-critters, you can go here to the government's web page and contact portal, or use the tools at the Gun Owners of America page.

Ban on re-use of brass lifted - and fast!

In the last few days, the internet was on fire with emails and blogging about a newly announced Dept. of Defense policy that would require the destruction of all once-fired brass from military ammunition.

In the past, brass from military ammo was sold as surplus to ammunition reloaders all over the USA.  They would use that to turn out economical ammo for LE training and the civilian market. Then suddenly there was an announcement in the last week that henceforth the brass must be destroyed, ground up and sold only as scrap.  Doing that would require that the buyers would have to melt the stuff down and have it made back into brass cartridge casings, which would have made the cost prohibitive!

Fortunately, gun owners started a firestorm of protests, emails and phone calls, to their Congressmen and every else they could get in touch with to protest this outrageous ruling.

Now, suddenly, the ruling is reversed and the sale of the intact brass will continue as it has for many years.

Had this not been corrected, companies such as Georgia Arms would have seen their incomes savaged, forcing them to lay off employees and conceivably going out of business.

Read more about the whole mess and the sudden turnaround here at The Firearm Blog.

For some thoughts on what this means about what's going on in Washington in the Obama administration, take a look here at Bloggo's.

Utah expands rights of gun owners

It's now legal to conceal a handgun in a car or at home, even if it's loaded, without having to have a concealed carry permit.
Read about it here.
You still can't carry a loaded rifle or shotgun in your car, but every bit of progress is a good thing.

Important new site for your use and information

If you'll look to the left of this page, we now have a listing of blogs and sites that you can visit and use.

The first one we put on here today is maintained by Clayton Cramer and David Burnett. It's the Civilian Gun Self-Defense Blog, found here.
You can even use the labels at the bottom of each posting to search for listings unique to various topics, including those solely related to Kentucky.
This is good stuff. It's important that we be able to point to incidents the bear out our contention that guns in the hands of the law-abiding citizenry save lives and preserve order.
Thanks and a hat tip to David Burnett, the Midwest regional director of the group Students for Concealed Carry on Campus, found here.

Chilling threats to free speech on campuses

Fox News and other sources have reported a story about a college professor who called campus police after one of her students made a presentation in class that supported the right of students to be armed on campus.

See the original story about this HERE .

Even college newspapers are expressing their outrage over this attack on his free speech rights, and on intellectual censorship - HERE.

This is exactly why KC3 is working to change the law here in Kentucky so that CCDW permit holders can carry legally on school grounds. We have to change the climate on campuses at all levels of education so that students and other adults aren't treated like criminals for refusing to be victims, and for espousing their point of view. Children have to learn that guns aren't bad, and that responsible gun ownership saves lives.

You can do a lot to help change this. Support KC3's petition drive by emailing us to get copies of our petition, then having other citizens sign it and mailing it back to us. We'll be presenting these to the Governor and the General Assembly to show your support for the bill that we intend to file in the 2010 session that makes the necessary changes in our laws.

You can also support the grass-roots student organization Students for Concealed Carry on Campus by going to their web site HERE and seeing what you can do to assist them in their efforts to make it legal to refuse to be a victim while at school.

Protecting our kids is just part of the equation. We have to make sure that gun-phobic teachers and administrators aren't poisoning their minds against gun ownership as well. It's going to take a lot of work and we need your help to make it happen.

HB419 has passed the House - time to call your senators!

HB419, which affirms the right of citizens to be armed for their own defense while hunting or in the field, has passed the House and has moved to the Senate for a vote.

You can find the text and history of the bill HERE.

This is important legislation which eliminates any doubt about our right to self-defense while we're in the woods, without leaving it to the judgement of individual game wardens or courts.  It also continues the current protections for wild game against poaching.

Contact your senator via the toll-free number at (800) 372-7181 or by email from the Kentucky Legislature web page HERE - and let them know that you expect them to vote in favor of this bill, and that you appreciate their support for our rights!

Right to Carry while hunting goes to floor for a vote!

Kentucky: Self-Defense While Hunting Legislation Heads To The House Floor!
Please Call Your State Representative Today!

Today, Wednesday, February 25, House Bill 419 passed the State House Judiciary Committee by a vote of 12 to 2. HB 419, sponsored by State Representative Robert Damron (D-39), would permit citizens to carry firearms for self-defense while engaged in hunting, fishing, trapping, and other activities. The bill also clarifies that citizens may do what is necessary for self-defense in the case of a wild animal attack, without fear of unjustified prosecution. The NRA worked with Representative Damron to amend the bill in order to address legitimate concerns raised by the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. HB 419 now heads to the House floor for a vote.
Please contact the your State Representative TODAY and respectfully voice your support for HB 419. For contact information or help identifying your State Representative, please click here.

Federal appeals court affirms right to possess firearms in cars

This is a significant decision for many reasons, and will undoubtedly have national implications. It also affirms Kentucky's law that allows citizens to keep firearms in their cars. Great stuff!

From the NRA -

Major Victory for American Workers Right to Self-Defense

Fairfax, Va. – Today, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously in support of allowing employees to store legally owned firearms in locked, private motor vehicles while parked in employer parking lots. This decision upholds NRA-backed legislation passed in 2004.

“This is a victory for the millions of American workers who have been denied the right to protect themselves while commuting between their homes and their workplace,” said NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre. “This effort was aimed at skirting the will of the American people, and the intent of legislatures across this country while eviscerating Right-to-Carry laws. This ruling is a slap at the corporate elitists who have no regard for the constitutional rights of law abiding American workers.”

In March 2004, the Oklahoma legislature passed an amendment holding employers criminally liable for prohibiting employees from storing firearms in locked vehicles on company property. A number of corporations subsequently filed suit in opposition to the new laws, alleging they were: unconstitutionally vague; an unconstitutional taking of private property; and preempted by various federal statutes. The lower court ruled in favor of the injunction.

“This issue was contrived by the gun control lobby who goaded corporations into doing their dirty work for them,” said Chris W. Cox, NRA chief lobbyist. “However, this ruling is a vindication for every hardworking and lawful man and woman whose basic right to self-defense was taken away on a whim by corporate lawyers. NRA is prepared to defend this right and to ensure the safety of every American worker.”

In October 2008, Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry and Attorney General Drew Edmondson appealed to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals the lower court decision to strike down the NRA-backed worker protection laws. Today’s proceedings handed down by Circuit Judges Paul J. Kelly, Bobby R. Baldock, and Michael W. McConnell reversed the lower court’s grant of a permanent injunction.

The right to be armed affirmed in Wisconsin

Amazing. A man in his own yard, breaking no laws, and the police feel compelled to arrest him at gunpoint.

West Allis Judge Says Man Could Carry Gun...
Associated Press - February 17, 2009
WEST ALLIS, Wis. - A West Allis municipal judge said a resident was within his rights to carry a gun while planting a tree on his property.
Judge Paul Murphy found Brad Krause not guilty Tuesday of disorderly conduct in a case that has drawn the interest of gun rights advocates.
"The reason people are upset about this is it's not about guns. It's about civil liberties. And we obviously have a property issue," Krause said after the hearing. "There was no warrant issued, no exigent circumstances, no permission to enter the property, yet the police stormed in with guns drawn and put my life at risk."
(read the whole story here)

The raffle is over, and a new one begun

This weekend at the RK shows gun show in Lexington we sold the last of the raffle tickets and immediately conducted the prize drawing.

(KC3 president Kraig Keller presents the AR to Faron Coulter while board member Robby Robinson looks on)

Our congratulations to Faron Coulter for winning the S&W AR-15 and M&P .40 pistol combination.
As soon as this drawing was done we started our new raffle. The prize this time is an AR15 in the M4 style made by Del-Ton industries - you can see one like it here. (We should also tell you that the price on the web page is much less than they're selling for now!)

Tickets are $4 each or 3 for $10, with a limit of 1500 to be sold. They're already going fast so if you want to be in on this drawing don't wait. Either order by mail or see us at the next gun shows in Lexington and Louisville.
This is a great prize - a very nice AR made by a company with long experience in supplying parts and material to the AR industry - with great odds of winning. And, it's a good way to support KC3 in our efforts to protect YOUR rights.

Urgent alert from NRA - your help needed to reform right to carry legislation!

Kentucky Right-to-Carry Reform Measure to be Heard on Wednesday, February 25! Please Stand-Up and Make Your Voices Heard
The House Judiciary Committee will hear House Bill 419 as early as Wednesday, February 25.

HB 419, sponsored by State Representative Robert Damron (D-39), would permit hunters to carry firearms and/or deadly weapons for self-defense of themselves as well as others during hunting, fishing, trapping, and other activities.

This pro-gun bill will also prohibit Fish and Wildlife Resources from publishing any administrative regulations restricting the rights provided within this bill.

Please contact the your State Representative and the members of the House Judiciary Committee TODAY and respectfully voice your support for HB 419. Your State Representative can be reached by phone at (502) 564-8100. Contact information for the committee can be found below.

House Judiciary Committee

State Representative John Tilley (D-8)
(502) 564-8100 Ext. 658

State Representative Joseph Fischer (R-68)
(502) 564-8100 Ext. 742

State Representative Darryl Owens (D-43)
(502) 564-8100 Ext. 685

State Representative Brent Yonts (D-15)
(502) 564-8100 Ext. 686

State Representative Jesse Crenshaw (D-77)
(502) 564-8100 Ext. 620

State Representative Kelly Flood (D-75)
(502) 564-8100 Ext. 675

State Representative Jeff Hoover (R-83)
(502) 564-0521

State Representative Thomas Kerr (R-64)
(502) 564-8100 Ext. 694

State Representative Stan Lee (R-45)
(502) 564-8100 Ext. 698

State Representative Mary Lou Marzian (D-34)
(502) 564-8100 Ext. 643

State Representative Harry Moberly (D-81)
(502) 564-8100 Ext. 607

State Representative Tom Riner (D-41)
(502) 564-8100 Ext. 606

State Representative Steven Rudy (R-1)
(502) 564-8100 Ext. 637

State Representative David Watkins (D-11)
(502) 564-8100 Ext. 700

State Representative Robin Webb (D-96)
(502) 564-8100 Ext. 684

Copyright 2009, National Rifle Association of America, Institute for Legislative Action.
This may be reproduced. It may not be reproduced for commercial purposes.

There's a new law(yer) in town

The board of directors has contracted with a major Kentucky law firm to represent us in our efforts to protect your right to self-defense.
We met Monday with the young man who'll be representing KC3 and discussed the problems of which we're currently aware, as well as those issues that we'd like to address in future.
The first problem we're going to tackle is a situation where a company is reportedly violating state law by prohibiting employees from possessing firearms in their private vehicles in company parking lots. We'll be working with our attorney and possibly the Kentucky Attorney General to correct this alleged violation.
The acquisition of legal representation is a significant step forward for KC3 as it allows us to take on some of the corporate and governmental entities which have previously been willing to ignore our attempts to correct their misconduct.
If you know of any illegal activities, signage or policies anywhere in the state that discriminate against CCDW permit holders or otherwise infringe on our right to self-defense please contact us, and let us go to work on your behalf.

There's hope for the future, it seems

We had the pleasure of attending a meeting of the Louisville Young Republicans (web site here)last night at their headquarters.
We were invited to participate in a panel discussion about the 2nd Amendment by JD Sparks, the local NRA election action representative. The panel included Gene Smith, a former chief of police in Louisville, Barry Laws from the Open Range and Charles Riggs from KC3.
The exchange was lively and informative. Perhaps the best and most encouraging thing to come out of it was to see so many young people taking an active interest in their country, their government and their rights. In an age when there are so many forces working to change the very fabric of our nation, it's crucial to the future of our republic that young men and women become activists in their own behalf, working to ensure that our kids are properly educated about our traditions and our foundation.
We appreciate the invitation to participate in the discussion and look forward to working with the Young Republicans in future.

Our web page is changing

In the next few weeks you're going to see major changes in our web page at www.kc3.com
We've conferred with our new ISP and web designer, and are going to be stripping down our traditional web page to just some bare basic functions. There will be one page from which you can select a few basic functions. The rest of the pages will be archived while we catalog them and make decisions about content and design.
But we're going to be making some significant additions to that single page that will be your portal to KC3 while we're in transition to the new site. You'll be able to sign up for e-mail alerts, to join KC3 or to renew your membership and to get news feeds. We'll also continue to maintain information about reciprocity on the site.
We'll use this blog for day-to-day business and timely information, and to give us a way to solicit your comments and input.
So keep your eye on the web site, and please contact us via the comments on this blog to give us your ideas on what you'd like to see us keep in the site, as well as what you could do without. We want our site to be a lean, efficient source of information for all the CCDW holders in Kentucky and the nation. Thanks!

More about the annual meeting

Don't forget to mark your calendars for the KC3 annual meeting on May 9th at the Open Range in Crestwood, Kentucky.
The doors will open at 1100 (11 AM) and we'll start checking people in at that time. Lunch will start at 1200 (noon), which is when we will open the meeting. There will be discussions and door prized drawings during the meal. The business meeting will start at 1300 (1 PM).
We are doing our best to ensure that this meeting is well-organized and that everything goes on schedule. It is essential that you make sure that your membership is up to date. If it's not, you'll be required to renew it at that time in order to participate in the meeting.
A new requirement this year is that you MUST send in an RSVP to let us know that you'll be attending in order to reserve a place for yourself at lunch. Those persons who do NOT make prior arrangements will NOT be able to eat at this meeting. They can attend but we won't have extra food to feed them. Members can bring their family members with them as well, but not without making arrangements for them with us.
You can email us via the "contact us" page on our web site at www.kc3.com, or send a snail-mail to us at our PO box in Frankfort, which you'll also find our on contact page.
We're making this change so that we can plan appropriately for the number of people who'll be in attendance. This is the sort of planning that any major organization employs for their meetings and we're doing our best to be efficient in our utilization of resources.
There will be more information on this blog in the weeks ahead, and we'll have a complete article about it in the March newsletter.
We look forward to seeing you there!

A series worth reading

This is a three-part series of articles about the right to carry nation-wide and the right to self-defense - worth reading and thinking about - you can find it here.

Here's an excerpt -

"The genius of concealed carry is that thugs in any given neighborhood are entirely uncertain as to who is armed, and who will likely respond with lethal force when the thug creates the grave danger aggression. Here is another one of those things the anti-gun movement does not tell the average layman in the so-called gun debates, cases of grave danger which number in the millions thanks to one dynamic. Most thugs know very well how a rape, a robbery or a mayhem can rapidly deteriorate into a case of no witnesses. Refusing to be a victim of this sort of violent crime - and being able to make your refusal stick - can make all the difference in the world, your world."

A nice dose of reality in the post-modern world

Concealed Carry Permits Are Life Savers
By Rep. Cliff Stearns - 01/26/2009

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=30405

The right to bear arms is more than a Constitutional right: every human being has the natural unalienable right to self-defense. Cicero said 2,000 years ago, “If our lives are endangered by plots or violence or armed robbers or enemies, any and every method of protecting ourselves is morally right.”

The U.S. Constitution, the constitutions of 44 states, common law, and the laws of all 50 states recognize the right to use arms in self-defense. Right to carry laws respect the right to self-defense by allowing individuals to carry concealed firearms for their own protection.

So many liberal politicians and self-appointed experts want to keep honest Americans from having access to firearms, even though, since 2003, in states which allow concealed carry, violent crime rates have been lower than anytime since the mid-1970s. The reverse logic of this "knee jerk" reaction is astounding and has lead to an outright assault on our basic Constitutional and natural rights. These misguided policies to keep firearms out of the hands of law-abiding citizens literally mean a death sentence for thousands of Americans.

Look at the facts. According to a study by criminologist Gary Kleck of Florida State University, “[R]obbery and assault victims who used a gun to resist were less likely to be attacked or to suffer an injury than those who used any other methods of self-protection or those who did not resist at all.” In approximately 2.5 million instances each year, someone uses a firearm, predominantly a handgun, for self defense in this nation.

In research sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice, in which almost 2,000 felons were interviewed, 34% of felons said they had been “scared off, shot at, wounded or captured by an armed victim" and 40% of these criminals admitted that they had been deterred from committing a crime out of fear that the potential victim was armed.

Allowing law-abiding people to arm themselves offers more than piece of mind for those individuals -- it pays off for everybody through lower crime rates. Statistics from the FBI’s Uniformed Crime Report of 2007 show that states with right-to-carry laws have a 30% lower homicide rate, 46% lower robbery, and 12% lower aggravated assault rate and a 22% lower overall violent crime rate than do states without such laws. That is why more and more states have passed right-to-carry laws over the past decade.

In 1987, my home state of Florida enacted a “shall issue” law that has become the model for other states. Anti-gun groups, politicians and the news media predicted the new law would lead to vigilante justice and “Wild West” shootouts on every corner.

But since adopting a concealed carry law Florida’s total violent crime rate has dropped 32% and its homicide rate has dropped 58%. Floridians, except for criminals, are safer due to this law. And Florida is not alone. Texas’ violent crime rate has dropped 20% and homicide rate has dropped 31%, since enactment of its 1996 carry law.

Another study makes the moral case for expanding and enhancing right-to-carry laws. A report by John Lott, Jr. and David Mustard of the University of Chicago released in 1996 found "that allowing citizens to carry concealed weapons deters violent crimes and it appears to produce no increase in accidental deaths." Further, the Lott-Mustard study noted, "If those states which did not have right-to-carry concealed gun provisions had adopted them in 1992, approximately 1,570 murders; 4,177 rapes; and over 60,000 aggravate assaults would have been avoided yearly."

Think about it. Nearly 8,000 of our fellow citizens have died between 1992 and 1996 because of the irrational fear that law-abiding Americans would abuse their right to self defense. In fact concealed carry permit holders are more law-abiding than the rest of the public. For example, Florida, which has issued more carry permits than any state has issued 1.36 million permits, but revoked only 165 (0.01%) due to gun crimes by permit-holders.

Laws allowing the concealed carrying of a firearm are on the books in 48 states, in some form. Two-thirds of Americans live in states with right-to-carry laws, their respective state houses and governors recognizing their fundamental right to self-defense. But let me pose a question. Should your natural right to self defense and your Constitutional right to bear arms end when you cross a state line? I think not.

That is why I, along with Representative Rich Boucher (D-Va.) introduced H.R. 197, the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act. Our legislation proposes a federal law that would entitle any person with a valid state-issued concealed carry permit to carry in any other state, as follows: In a state that issues carry permits, its laws would apply. In states that don’t issue carry permits, the Federal law providing a "bright-line" standard would permit carrying in places other than police stations; courthouses; public polling places; meetings of state, county, or municipal governing bodies; schools; passenger areas of airports; etc. The bright-light standard in itself is not a license -- the individual would still have to possess a valid state permit issued by their state of residence. It doesn't make sense to me for Americans to forfeit their safety because they happen to be on vacation or on a business trip. This legislation would greatly enhance the safety of this nation's ever-increasing mobile society.

As Thomas Jefferson wrote, "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." Our society is a violent society. However, the innocent deserve access to the tools they need to defend themselves. By passing H.R. 197, we can help reduce the carnage wrought by armed criminals. Let's give those who decide to take the responsibility of possessing a concealed carry permit a fighting chance anywhere in America.

(Mr. Stearns, a Republican, represents the 6th District of Florida in the U.S. House of Representatives.)

This won't happen in Kentucky

When we were working on passing HB40 one of the things that we fought to prevent was public access to the names of CCDW permit holders.
We knew that in other states the newspapers had published the names AND addresses of those with permits. We were successful, which is why the ONLY way that anyone outside of law enforcement can get the names of permit holders is to BUY them - ALL of them, without any addresses or other identifying information. Since the press are cheap and want the state to give them this free, they've not yet been willing to fork over the $60,000+ dollars for all the names of persons to whom permits were ever issued.
But in Tennessee they don't have that protection and one of their newspapers, the Commercial Appeal, now has a search engine on their web site that allows you to put in the name of a citizen, and it will then tell you if they have a permit, and where they live! You can find it here.
This is an outrage, and we hope that the good people of Tennessee will do something about it immediately!
KC3 will continue to work to ensure that this doesn't happen here. Bet on it.

Reciprocity Map - February 2009

(click for larger image)

This is the newest version of the map showing where you may carry concealed using a Kentucky CDWL. The red states are those that DON'T recognize or permit CCDW.
Note the text for an explanation of the yellow states, and click on the map for a larger version.

The Ammunition Accountability Act

There's been a lot of buzz on the internet since the election of Obama about something that was first making waves in early 2008, the Ammunition Accountability Act.
You can see the website for the group that introduced this here.
The background on this can be found by doing some web searching for more info. Basically, it all started with a group of men in California who supposedly are gun owners who were searching for a way to be able to trace ammunition back to the person who owned or purchased it, thus increasing the likelihood of solving some crimes. We suspect that their motives are not so pure. As many people have noted in analyzing this act, it was completely self-serving on their part since they were the ones who had developed and patented this technology. If the bills had passed they would have had a MONOPOLY on the utilization of the techniques and collected royalties wherever it was employed. Oooops.
Their attempts to get various state legislatures to pass this act into law have gone nowhere. All of the 18 states where this was introduced or discussed also dropped it in early 2008.
Rep. Kathy Stein introduced this bill in the Kentucky General Assembly March 2008. It was promptly KILLED and has had no support and gone nowhere since. Now that Mrs. Stein has been elected to the Kentucky Senate we can anticipate that she'll be accomplishing little to infringe our rights, since she's a Democrat in a chamber controlled by the Republicans. Had she stayed in the House as the chair of the Judiciary committee she could have continued to cause trouble for gun owners in Kentucky, which she was did during her tenure there. By moving to the Senate she has essentially neutered herself.
In the wake of Obama's election there have been rampant rumors on the internet about this act. Unfortunately, those who've been freaking out about it and sending out alarmist emails have failed to note that all the activity involving it was in early 2008 and that is has gone NOWHERE in any of the states in which it was introduced.
There's no doubt that the Obama administration is filled with people who are hostile to gun owners, firearms ownership and concealed carry but to date, there's no evidence that they're actively involved in resurrecting this effort.
At this time, the Ammunition Accountability Act is dead in the water. That's not to say that the anti-gun zealots won't try to re-introduce it, but for now, it's not an active threat to us.

Concealed carry from the point of view of the police

An interesting and reasonable article about police and interactions with concealed carry permit holders - worth reading and worth passing on to your friends and to police officers -

http://www.officer.com/web/online/On-the-Street/Citizen-Concealed-Carry-Concerns/21$44942

Here's the gun show dates for 2009 for Kentucky.

We plan to have people at as many of them as possible, and hope that we can start to go to the shows in Ashland and Somerset more often.
We know that there are also gun shows in Clay City and Hazard, but right now we don't have sufficient people able to work the shows to attend those as well. If you'd like to work with us and help us staff tables at these shows or others, please get in touch with us via the comments section of the blog. We look forward to seeing you at the shows!

2009

• Jan 3-4 Lexington, Heritage Hall of Lexington Center Map RK Shows (Kenny Woods Gun Show, LLC) 563-927-8176 email:kehrli8@n-vonnect.net
• Jan 17-18 Somerset, (Kenny Woods Gun Show LLC) The Center Map (2292 S. Hwy 27) RK Shows 563-927-8176 email:kehrli8@n-vonnect.net
• Feb 14-15 Lexington, Heritage Hall of Lexington Center Map RK Shows (Kenny Woods Gun Show, LLC) 563-927-8176 email:kehrli8@n-vonnect.net
• Mar 7-8 Ashland, El Hasa Temple Map RK Shows (Kenny Woods Gun Show, LLC) 563-927-8176 email:kehrli8@n-vonnect.net
• Mar 7-8 Louisville, Kentucky Fair & Expo Center 2100 tbls National Gun Day 513-523-3574
• Mar 21-22 Somerset, (Kenny Woods Gun Show LLC) The Center Map (2292 S. Hwy 27) RK Shows 563-927-8176 email:kehrli8@n-vonnect.net
• Jun 6-7 Louisville, Kentucky Fair & Expo Center 2100 tbls National Gun Day 513-523-3574
• Jun 20-21 Lexington, Heritage Hall of Lexington Center Map RK Shows (Kenny Woods Gun Show, LLC) 563-927-8176 email:kehrli8@n-vonnect.net
• Jul 18-19 Louisville, Map Kentucky Fair & Expo Center West Hall A&B RK Shows 563-927-8176 email:kehrli8@n-vonnect.net
• Sep 26-27 Louisville, Kentucky Fair & Expo Center 2100 tbls National Gun Day 513-523-3574
• Dec 12-13 Louisville, Kentucky Fair & Expo Center 2100 tbls National Gun Day 513-523-3574

Which guns for the raffle?

We've had tremendous success with our raffle this year, so much so that we're already looking ahead to the next one.
We're also considering a change in the way that we conduct them, and to having more than one raffle each year.
We'd like to have your input on which guns you'd like to have us put in the raffle, so please use the comments section on this posting to give us your opinions. Should we raffle another AR, or should we concentrate on pistols for personal defense? Should we raffle another AR and pistol package like this one?
Let us know what you think, and thanks.

Watch your mailbox for the newsletter

The December edition of the KC3 Chronicle has been printed and is in the process of being mailed by the company that now handles this business for us.

This is another of the policies that the new board of directors has adopted in order to increase our efficiency and improve our service to our members and advertisers.
Our new quarterly publishing schedule is - spring quarter 2009 on March 21st, then June 21st for the summer edition, September 21st for the fall edition and December 21st for the winter edition.
We settled on these dates as being easy to remember and appropriate to the seasons of the year. We make our pledge to you that the newsletter will be published on those dates.
The advertising year will start with the March edition of each year, so if you have a business to advertise or know of a business that you think should advertise with us then get in touch with us as soon as possible via the contact page on our web site at http://www.kc3.com/email_page.htm
If you don't get the newsletter delivered to you now and are a present or past member of KC3, get in touch with us. Your membership may have expired or your mailing address may have changed and you didn't give us a forwarding address. Use our contact email address to get in touch with questions or problems relating to the newsletter, and please allow a few days for a reply.

Next gun show this weekend

Last weekend's Kenny Woods gun show in Louisville was a big success for KC3.
A lot of people stopped by our table and signed our petition, asked a bunch of questions and spent time visiting with us. We even added some new members, always a good thing, and we sold a ton of raffle tickets.
The next show is the Kenny Woods/RK shows event this weekend, January 3rd and 4th, at Heritage Hall next to Rupp arena in Lexington.
We'll be there and look forward to seeing a lot of you there.
BTW, if you want raffle tickets, don't delay. We're almost out of them and won't be printing any more before the drawing May 9th at the annual meeting!

Happy New Year!

The officers and members of the board of directors of KC3 wish you all a Happy and Safe New Year in 2009!

We resolve to do our best to defend your rights in the coming months, and hope that you'll join us in that effort. Here's a message from our president and co-founder of KC3, Kraig Keller -

Once again, we see another terrorist attack against unarmed victims on a mass scale, this time in India.

Terrorists once again prove they will attack only unarmed civilians. Terrorists attack unarmed or otherwise unprepared civilians; very seldom do they attack military posts or police stations. In the USA, they shoot up schools, office buildings, malls, and other places which boast 'No Concealed Carry' or 'No Weapons Allowed' signs, or places in states or cities which do not allow for concealed carry. The best defense against terrorists and other killers is a well armed citizen population. Nothing else will meet the threat. Being unarmed is a very poor place to find yourself when attacked.
Here in Kentucky we have one of the BEST concealed carry laws in the nation. We are here working to preserve and improve our laws. I strongly recommend that if you come to a business which chooses to post a No Concealed Carry or No Weapons Allowed sign, please take your business to one of their competitors. You can even let them know that you will obey their sign and NOT spend your money in their store, since it is quite obvious they do not want you inside the store. Unarmed when a shooting happens is not where you want to be! We want to be able to protect our children and teachers while at school and college, either public or private. We are intending to ask the Legislature of Kentucky to remove the restrictions of possessing weapons and concealed carry on school property. We are perusing a petition drive to that end: a copy is in this issue. Terrorists have said they will attack our children while at school. Why? Terrorists do not attack armed and able citizens or police! They desire to attack our children at school because on school property NO ONE CAN BE ARMED. Let us change that for our children and teachers at schools. Allowing people who are licensed to carry concealed weapons to carry at schools will allow someone to be ready, willing and able to bring down a killer right on the spot. Police always arrive too late.
We need a BIG voice. If your membership is due, please renew. The expiration date is on the address label. If you are not a member, please join. If you know others who shoot, own guns, or carry concealed, have them join. If you are a member who wants to do more and you are willing to contribute time and talents, you could join the Board of Directors. We need people who can work and help us with gun shows, the petition drive and everyday chores to keep KC3 the best gun rights advocate in Kentucky.
Our next Annual Membership meeting is set for May 9, 2009 in Crestwood,
KY at 12 Noon. Mark your calendar and plan to attend.
Kraig Keller

Want to create your own gun-free zone?

Do you know people who just don't understand that banning guns doesn't guarantee personal safety? Would you like to give them something to think about?
Then direct them to this video, where they can learn how to set up a gun free zone of their own!

Watch this page!

The next gun show is in Louisville Thursday-Saturday December 26th-28th, a three day show by RK and Kenny Woods. We'll be there and hope to see lots of you in attendance.
The next show after that is in Lexington, Jan. 3d and 4th with Kenny Woods.
We'll have the new newsletter there with us, and will be able to give you many details about significant new business that KC3 is making strides on.
What, you may ask? What about an attorney who's going to be working with us, a new web page, the upgrades on the use of this blog and several new initiatives and proposals that we want to tell you about and for which we need your assistance.
We're moving out and moving ahead - stay tuned and let us know what you think. See you at the gun shows!

We're getting geared up, and ready to run

After being quiet the last several weeks, the KC3 blog is going to be in full swing again soon.

The board of directors has approved the use of the blog to keep members informed in real time about news from KC3 as well as current events, changes in the political situation, updates on our web page and just about anything related to KC3's mission to defend and extend your right to self-defense here in Kentucky.

Some brief news updates -

We have a new web site provider.  We're going to use a professional ISP who will be responsible for web site maintenance, upgrades and design.  This takes a significant burden off of our board, and ensures a polished look for our site.  The redesign starts after the first of the year, and we'll be posting info about it as we go along.

We're contracting with an attorney.  For too long we've been unable to deal with infringements of the right to carry or other attempts by private companies and public entities to skirt or ignore our laws because we didn't have legal counsel to represent us.  That's about to change, as KC3 is on the verge of signing an agreement with an excellent law firm which will be there to write the letters and take the actions to deal with those who choose to flaunt the law.

We're going to publish the newsletter on a fixed schedule.  As of now, the newsletter will be published on the dates of the changes in the seasons.  Expect to see newsletters in March, June, September and December from now on.  Making this change is necessary to ensuring that our members and our advertisers get what they paid for, and that we stay timely with our news.  In the past the failure to publish in a timely fashion was a blow to our credibility, which we will be addressing every day from this point on.

KC3 is here to stay and here to make a difference, with YOUR help!  If you're not a member, contact us via the web site today and join up, and if you were a member in the past, please join up with us again.  At this crucial time, with all the political changes that are in the air, we need all of YOU on board, and you need US to represent you!

An update on events and news

Fall is here and with it come many changes in the seasons and our habits. KC3 is making changes as well.
The gun shows in September were a success in several ways. We got to meet a lot of new people and to see old friends. We sold several hundred dollars worth of tickets for the new raffle of the combination of the S&W M&P pistol and the S&W M15A carbine, a really nice package of firearms for personal defense and sport shooting. They have applications in competition shooting as well, so their appeal to just about every shooter is strong.
Perhaps most importantly, we collected several hundred signatures on our petitions that we'll be presenting to the Governor and the General Assembly to begin the process of changing our laws so that lawful, legally armed citizens will be able to carry firearms onto school property for the defense of our children in the event of an attempted assault against at school.
We're going to be working to get the petitions out to as many stores and businesses and interested organizations as we can, and we'll be asking for help from our members to do that.
We'll be looking for qualified and dedicated people to help us staff our tables at the gun shows, so that we can spread the word and answer the many questions that we receive about CCDW, Kentucky's gun laws and our personal rights.
A major revision of our web page is going to take place in the next several weeks as we move to update the material on the site, and revise the navigation of our page. As good as it looks, the content needs to be edited, and the site could be made much more easy to navigate. We also want to upgrade our ability to take member applications and renewals electronically, and to add people to a revived e-mail alert list automatically. Any suggestions from our members on these subjects would be welcome.
Lots more to tell you in the weeks ahead, as we move into fall toward the winter, and toward the legislative season in January. Stick with us!

It's gun show time!!!

Okay, so that headline sounds like a circus advertisement. So sue us if we get excited about gun shows - lots of guns and accessories and ammunition and all the hardware that we love, along with thousands of people who love them just as much as we do. What's not to like?
With the presidential election now swinging into full power mode there's lots to talk about, both at the national level and about our state politics.
KC3 has some plans for the future, for the laws that we'd like to see passed, and we'd love to talk to you about them and to get your views and suggestions. So if you're at the Kentucky Fairgrounds in Louisville at the gun show Saturday and Sunday Sept. 13 and 14, stop by our table and talk to us. A new board of directors is in charge now, come see the new faces and tell us what's on your mind.
There's work to do, we need your help to do it. Come see us!