Archive for February 23rd, 2007

Bureau of American Oppression

February 23, 2007

To Rein In The BATFE
— Please ask George Bush to take the agency to the woodshedGun Owners of America E-Mail Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://www.gunowners.orgThursday, February 22, 2007

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has
been on a tear under the administration of Attorney General Alberto
Gonzalez.

Manufacturers of various products have been told in writing that
their products are not a firearm and that they can be marketed
outside the federal paperwork system for selling firearms. Then,
months or years later, BATFE sends another letter reversing the first
determination.

The Congressional Research Service found in 2005 (ATF Firearms
Procedures) that BATFE has no written procedures for determining what
is a firearm. The “process” is arbitrary, and the string of
reversals in recent months shows how capricious a BATFE determination
is.

Historic Arms received a letter of determination in 1995 that its
BM-3000 was not a firearm. Indeed, Historic Arms had designed the
product as an accessory for a machine gun to fire different kinds of
ammunition than the gun had originally been designed to fire. For 11
years, the company manufactured their product without incident. But
in 1996, Historic Arms received a second letter determining that the
product was actually a machine gun!

As in other cases, BATFE wanted all the company’s products sent to
Washington along with all the names of the customers who had
purchased the item.

In 2004, the BATFE determined that the Akins Accelerator was a “non
firearm” accessory that allowed a shooter to bump fire a semi-auto
and considerably increase the rate of fire. This year, BATFE has
determined that the trigger finger which is bumping the trigger is
itself a machine gun! Again, send in all the product and customer
names.

For years, Centerfire Systems had a parts kit that it sold for
machine guns. Now, six years later, BATFE has reversed itself on
this company. And, the Bureau has put Centerfire Systems through the
same drill — send in their products and their customer lists.

In a related matter involving the definition of what makes a gun a
“gun,” KT Ordnance was raided by BATFE last year and its products
were confiscated. What were the dangerous items? A parts kit for
customers to legally make their own (unregistered) firearm. Again,
BATFE wanted the customer list.

The capricious activities by the BATFE wreck economic chaos on these
companies, in addition to violating both theirs and their customers’
rights protected by the Second Amendment.

It is time for the BATFE to put their procedures for determining what
is a firearm, and what is a machine gun, in writing.

This latest bait and switch is but another backdoor effort on the
part of the federal government to attack gun ownership. This time
the attack is on manufacturers.

ACTION: Please contact Pres. Bush. If we do not restrain BATFE now,
they will do immeasurable damage to the firearms industry in the
United States.

You can visit the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center at
http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send the President the
pre-written message below. You can also contact the President via
telephone:Comments:    202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX:         202-456-2461

—- Pre-written letter —-

Dear President Bush,

I am outraged that BATFE still has no written procedures for
determining what is a firearm, and what is a machine gun. It has now
been two years since the publication of ATF Firearms Procedures by
the Congressional Research Service when they revealed that Firearms
Technology Branch has no written procedures.

The Bureau has been in existence for over 30 years. How many
prosecutions have put gun owners and manufacturers in jail based on
shifting, arbitrary and capricious “expert” testimony in court which
is not based on written procedures?

When is the BATFE going to publish proposed written procedures for
the public to comment on them? When is the Justice Department going
to review the conviction of every gun owner and manufacturer where a
BATFE “expert” testified against him?

Please have the BATFE take action on these problems right away.

Sincerely,

****************************

… And Then There Was Rosie

What to do about loud, obnoxiously anti-gun “celebrities” like Rosie
O’Donnell? Why, make an example of them… on a t-shirt, of course.

Check out the best-selling “Rosie” t-shirt, featuring a GOA logo and
the message:

If guns kill people, then…
— pencils miss spel words.
— cars make people drive drunk.
— spoons made Rosie O’Donnell fat.

The obverse has a bold gun rights statement, also. Only $15.50 at
http://www.gunowners.org/merchandise.htm (plus shipping and
handling).****************************

Please do not reply directly to this message, as your reply will
bounce back as undeliverable.

To subscribe to free, low-volume GOA alerts, go to
http://www.gunowners.org/ean.htm on the web. Change of e-mail
address may also be made at that location. To unsubscribe send a message to
gunowners_list@capwiz.mailmanager.net with the word unsubscribe in
the subject line or use the url below.Problems, questions or comments? The main GOA e-mail address
goamail@gunowners.org is at your disposal. Please do not add that
address to distribution lists sending more than ten messages per
week or lists associated with issues other than gun rights.

Face it folks. Clinton’s attempt at making this a legitimate law enforcement agency failed. Adding Explosives to their name and duties did nothing to change the fundamental ways that this agency works, using your tax money. To deny Americans their rights. Be it Guns, Booze, or tobacco, and now explosives… Don’t even try to get a permit to make a few duck ponds…

They have always been a rogue agency, nothing has changed.

Posted in Gun Control | Comments Off on Bureau of American Oppression

Osama Bin Laden Message

February 23, 2007

After numerous rounds of “We don’t know if Osama is still alive,” Osama
himself decided to send Ted Kennedy a note in his own handwriting to let
him know he was still in the game.

Kennedy opened the note, which appeared
to contain a single line of coded message: 370HSSV-0773H.

Kennedy was baffled, so he E-mailed it to John Kerry. Kerry and his aides
had no clue either, so they sent it to the FBI.

 No one could solve it at
the FBI, so it went to the CIA, then to the NSA.

With no clue as to its meaning, the FBI finally asked Marine Corps Intelligence for help.

Within a few seconds, the Marines cabled back with this reply: “Tell
Kennedy he is holding the message upside down.”

Ya just have to love United States Marines!

Posted in Contemporary Quotes | Comments Off on Osama Bin Laden Message

USFWS Approves States’ Wildlife Action Plans

February 23, 2007

All that I can say is that it about time…

USFWS Approves States’ Wildlife Action Plans

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced last week that it has approved wildlife action plans for all states and U.S. territories. The announcement marks the first time that all state and territorial fish and wildlife agencies have established comprehensive conservation plans that, together, provide a nationwide blueprint of actions to conserve imperiled species and prevent them from becoming threatened or endangered.

The wildlife action plans are a thorough state-by-state look at wildlife and the actions needed to ensure their survival. They also allow state and territorial fish and wildlife agencies to continue to receive grants under the State Wildlife Grant program signed by President George W. Bush in 2001.

In order to be eligible for State Wildlife Grant funds, each state fish and wildlife agency was required to complete a wildlife action plan. The plans were developed as a collaborative effort that included biologists, conservationists, landowners and the general public. The plans were reviewed by a national team that included representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and several state fish and wildlife agencies.

Each plan must provide information on low and declining populations of wildlife and the habitats they require, identify problems impacting these populations, identify needed research and survey efforts to improve conservation, and determine priorities. Agencies will revise and update their plans at least once every 10 years.

For more information on this story, or to see each state’s individual wildlife action plan, visit www.wildlifeactionplans.org.

The above from the North American Hunting Club Newsletter

Posted in Hunting Fishing and the Great Outdoors | Comments Off on USFWS Approves States’ Wildlife Action Plans

Guarding the gates of heaven

February 23, 2007

There is something about our nation that overshadows the normal compliment of being  a human . From small towns and huge metropolis settings, as well as every place in between our children step up, and do the things that need to be done. Many spend a great deal of time complaining about this or that generation, saying that it is lost, or other derogatory things. I say that we Americans have had, and will always have our share of the finest people that have ever lived.

From the halls of Montezuma, to the shores of Tripoli,
We fight our country’s battles in the air, on land and sea.
First to fight for right and freedom, and to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to claim the title of United States Marine.

Our Flag’s unfurled to every breeze from dawn to setting sun.
We have fought in every clime and place, where we could take a gun.
In the snow of far off northern lands and in sunny tropic scenes,
You will find us always on the job, the United States Marines.

Here’s health to you and to our Corps, which we are proud to serve.
In many a strife we’ve fought for life and never lost our nerve.
If the Army and the Navy ever look on heaven’s scenes,
They will find the streets are guarded by United States Marines.

Marine left his imprint on Creede

Athlete, prom king died in Iraq combat Tuesday


Ahlquist enjoyed the cowboy life in adopted town.

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By Joe Garner, Rocky Mountain News
February 23, 2007

Clint Ahlquist grew up a cowboy who wanted to flee the palm trees and bright lights of Scottsdale, Ariz., for a place that fit him better.He found Creede at 16, moved in with a cousin and graduated in 2003 from high school in the southwest Colorado mountain town of barely 400. He wrote down Creede as his hometown when he joined the Marines.

On Tuesday, Ahlquist, 23, a sergeant who had re-enlisted in Iraq, was killed in combat.

“He called us Sunday,” said Barbara Ahlquist, his mother, from Scottsdale. “It was just a typical call. He told us he loved us and he missed us and he was fighting for our right to be free.”

“We just know he was a dedicated, dedicated Marine. He loved and believed in what he was doing,” she said. “He always wanted to be a soldier.”

Creede claims the strapping young man – 6-foot-2 and 225 lean pounds – as one of its own. He is remembered as a boy who blossomed in his class of 10, started on the basketball team, did his duty as a student and charmed his way to prom king.

“He had great manners, and he took time to talk to people,” said Frances Kolisch, the librarian at Creede High School who became the teenager’s surrogate mother while he dated her daughter, Karly.

Kolisch said Ahlquist left his beloved blue heeler dog, Grinchy, in their care when he left for the Marines.

An only child whose grandparents had introduced him to country life and Colorado, Ahlquist moved to Creede to start his sophomore year at Creede High.

“He was very gregarious, outgoing, quick with a smile,” said Buck Stroh, the district superintendent. “He was someone the kids and teachers all gravitated to, right from the start.

“Clinton just seemed to adapt to Creede, like he’d been waiting for a town like this,” Stroh said. “If you met him, you would have thought he came from Creede all his life, not Scottsdale.”

When Clint Ahlquist’s cousin planned to move, Barbara and Rex Ahlquist, the teenager’s parents, bought a home in Creede where their son could live until they retired.

“Every time we talked to him, he told us how happy he was in Creede, so we finally bought the house there,” Barbara Ahlquist said.

“He was a cowboy, and he fit in in the small town. Scottsdale is not a real cowboy town.”

Barbara Ahlquist said her son will have a military funeral and burial in Arizona, probably within the next two weeks.

Creede also plans to hold its own tribute to Clint Ahlquist, perhaps a memorial service of some kind, but not just yet.

The town is still grieving the death of girls basketball coach Walter Martinez, who died Feb. 4 in an avalanche while snowmobiling.

or 303-954-5421

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Posted in Valhalla | Comments Off on Guarding the gates of heaven