A Shooting You Won't Hear About in the Media

From: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thursday, May 07, 2009

Calvin "C.J." Lavant Jr., 23, formerly of Cordele, died Sunday. Funeral, 3 p.m. Saturday, A.S. Clark School Auditorium; J.W. Williams Funeral Home.

This is just one name that could have been ten had this man's name not appeared in the obituary.
That is because he and Jamal Hill broke into the home of Charles Bailey who was celebrating his birthday with nine other friends. The account is chilling.

Hill and 23-year old Calvin Lavant of College Park allegedly burst into an apartment located in the Southern Lakes apartments on Lakemont Drive in College Park around 3 a.m. Sunday.
The resident of the apartment, Charles Bailey, told police that he thought it was the end of his life. He and ten other people were in his apartment celebrating at a birthday party when two masked gunmen burst through the patio door.
"They just came in and separated the men from the women and demanded wallets and cell phones," said George Williams of the College Park Police Department.
Bailey further informed authorities that the suspects counted their bullets.

What would have ended in a horrifying report of mass muder and rape, talked about in the press everywhere with all the lurid details and calls for more gun regulations, instead has remained a none story except for the local news. All because of one man.

Hill was guarding the men when one of the victims retrieved a gun from a backpack and turned the tables on the situation. Hill reportedly fled the scene.
The victim with the gun then proceeded to the next room where Lavant had watch over the females at the party.
"The guy was apparently was about to rape one of the females," said Bailey. "The guy with the gun called for the girls to get down and he started shooting. The suspect just jumped out of the window."....
...Bailey said if not for the quick thinking of that party goer, it is likely that all the victims would have been killed. "I am thankful that one student risked his life for others."

A good thing they were not in a gun free zone, eh?







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Guns, Constitution,

No Retreat Law in Montana and Florida

There has been a sudden interest in a post I have on the Arizona No Retreat Law. This is a law that allows an individual to defend himself without first having to expend all possibility of escape for those who would rob, injure or kill them.

For too long, jurisdictions have prosecuted citizens who defended their home by attacking an intruder because the law required the victim to reach a dead end in retreat from the criminal before lethal force could be justified. The result being some criminals wining lawsuits against their victims for causing the criminal injury while trying to protect their property from being carried off. So the people eventually found politicians who returned the law to a more common understanding of justice, i.e. that defense of one's self and property is a fundamental right.

This interest could be spurred by the state of Montana passing into law House Bill 228.

House Bill 228 is a broad piece of legislation that provides a number of specific protections for law-abiding citizens. This new law clarifies the ability of law-abiding citizens to carry a firearm in plain view and to present the firearm for defensive purposes when threatened. Additionally, the law puts clearly into statute existing Montana case law providing that, when threatened, a law-abiding citizen has no duty to retreat if the person is in any place he or she has a legal right to be. Other provisions include expanding existing law to allow the use of force in defense of an occupied structure and preventing landlords and hotel operators from restricting self-defense rights.

Or, it could be the report from Florida of a farmer killing one of two people who were engaged in stealing his land cruiser.

Tony Curtis Phillips, 29, didn't fire a single shot. He didn't even know his girlfriend, Nikki McCormick, was dead until police showed him an online news story.
Police said McCormick accompanied Phillips as he attempted to steal the SUV from a barn in an orange grove near Wahneta, Florida, before daylight Tuesday.
Grove owner Ladon "Jamie" Jones opened fire as the SUV approached him, according to an affidavit released by the Polk County Sheriff's Office. Phillips fled; McCormick was shot in the head and later died.
Authorities said Jones is protected by Florida's "no retreat" law, which gives him the right to use lethal force if he reasonably believes his life is in danger. Phillips, however, faces charges because police allege he was committing felony grand theft auto at the time of McCormick's death.
"Because his conduct caused her death, he gets charged with a felony," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.

This is as it should be. Unfortunate that someone had to lose her life for the main perpetrator to learn his lesson but it may serve as an example to others who would otherwise be inclined to do their neighbor ill. The real danger now however is against a thief from whom we have little defense.

Obama said Thursday that Chrysler was forced into bankruptcy because a small group of investors and hedge funds would not go along with a deal to save the iconic automaker.

He said the small group was "hoping that everybody else would make sacrifices and they would have to make none. Some demanded twice the returns that other investors were getting.

"I don't stand with them," he said.

The government in the person of Barack Obama seems to think that it is OK to demonize the bondholders in Chrysler because they refuse to be bullied into a plan to take the company away from the legitimate owners and transfer it to the unions and the government. There are clear laws regarding the order of distribution when a company seeks protection from it's debtors. Obama seems to believe that these laws need not be upheld simply because the government has "loaned" tax money to the company in a futile effort to save it. While the taxpayer's interest in the company has been lost, Obama has required the original investors to give up their rights so the government can justify it's poor decisions.

While states are passing self defense protection laws the citizens need some kind of protection from the looters of their future wealth. A common thief can only steal what one has. The government can steal not only what wealth we have but also that which we have yet to earn.








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Politics, Constitution, Taxes, TeaParty, Chrysler,

Not the Best PR Move

Muzzammil Hassan started Bridges TV in 2004 to help dispel the notion that Islam inspired violence.

"Every day on television we are barraged by stories of a 'Muslim extremist, militant, terrorist, or insurgent,'" Hassan said in the 2004 release. "But the stories that are missing are the countless stories of Muslim tolerance, progress, diversity, service and excellence that Bridges TV hopes to tell."

Last Thursday, February 12, 2009, Mr. Hassan called police to inform them that is wife was in his office and she was dead. When police arrived they found Mrs. Hassan had died from decapitation.

DiPirro said the couple had "physical confrontations off and on" for their entire eight-year marriage that had recently escalated to death threats. The grounds for divorce were "cruel and inhuman treatment," DiPirro said, referring to mulitple prior incidents of abuse. She declined to elaborate.

"We were worried about the situation becoming volatile," DiPirro said.

How Mr. Hassan will continue to help fight stereotypes of Muslims as violent killers will be interesting.

As is often the case with domestic violence issues, the victim takes out an order of protection or as it is sometimes referred to, a restraining order or peace bond. These pieces of paper are as helpful in preventing violence as a cease fire agreement is in preventing missile attacks against Israel. In both cases one is better off arming one's self and dealing directly with the problem when it presents itself.

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Islam, guns, justice,

Waiting for Help is for Victims

I just hate those ADT alarm commercials with the helpless people waiting for ADT to send help.




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guns,

UN to Stop the Somali Pirates

I first wrote about the Somali Pirates three years ago. It seemed like an odd situation that would be handled quickly, except that America was busy. The UN and other international organizations applied the same remedies to this problem that they have to all others, they let it fester while making it impossible for the victims to protect themselves.

Arming the merchant ships makes too much sense. Like the politicians here who try to disarm the law abiding citizens because they want to address the rising crime rate, the international nitwits will not allow merchants to enter ports armed. So they are left to deal with pirates with RPGs armed with only a shotgun and pistol. What harm would it do to allow merchants to mount a rotary cannon on the bridge? Cut a few pirate boats in two and let the sharks clean up the mess and the pirates will go back to robbing farmers like they were last year. Since nothing has been done to stop them every one with a boat and five friends with automatic weapons has become a pirate.

Don't despair. The UN Security Council is coming to the rescue.

The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously Thursday to impose new sanctions meant to reduce the flow of arms into Somalia and the lawlessness and piracy that have flourished there.

How incredibly clueless are these people? Somalia is a stinking whole and their only solution is sanctions? It is a wonder that the Troglodytes of this world have not yet taken over.

I'm thinking that to make it in this world I'll either get a ship loaded with 20 mm cannons and a sign that says "For Rent" and sit out in the Indian Ocean or buy a parrot and an eye patch.
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Obama and the Second Amendment

Barack Obama would have us believe he is in favor of the Supreme Court ruling on the Second Amendment guarantee of an individual's right to keep and bear arms. His past efforts betray his disingenuineness on this right. If elected there are ten ways he will attack that very right.

1. Ban the use of firearms for home defense.
2. Pass Federal laws eliminating your right to carry.
3. Ban the manufacture, sale and possession of handguns.
4. Close down 90% of the gun shops in America.
5. Ban rifle ammunition commonly used for hunting and sport shooting.
6. Increase federal taxes on guns and ammunition by 500%.
7. Restore voting rights for five million criminals convicted of using a gun to commit a violent crime.
8. Expand the Clinton semi-auto ban to include millions more firearms.
9. Mandate a government-issued license to purchase a firearm.
10. Appoint judges to the U.S. Supreme Court and Federal Judiciary who share his views on the Second Amendment.

This is substantiated by the books he wrote, organizations he directed and bills he sponsored in the past. He wrote in the Audacity of Hope, "I believe in keeping guns out of our inner cities." He sat as a member of the board for the Joyce Foundation for seven years which gave $30 million to anti-gun organizations and he demanded laws that would increase taxes on guns, ban gun stores within five miles of a school which would eliminate any stores except in the most remote parts of the country and smart gun technology that would greatly increase the cost of manufacture.

He takes the most extreme measures to protect the "rights" gained by Roe v. Wade yet is adamant about destroying the clear right spelled out in the bill of rights that protects the citizens from tyranny.

To help fight Obama and his leftist backers the NRA is offering free introductory membership. To take advantage of this offer call 1.877.672.4680.











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Obama and Gun Rights

After the Supreme Court ruling upholding the individual right to own weapons Obama came out with this statement:

"I have always believed that the Second Amendment protects the right of individuals to bear arms, but I also identify with the need for crime-ravaged communities to save their children from the violence that plagues our streets through common-sense, effective safety measures. The Supreme Court has now endorsed that view, and while it ruled that the D.C. gun ban went too far, Justice Scalia himself acknowledged that this right is not absolute and subject to reasonable regulations enacted by local communities to keep their streets safe. Today's ruling, the first clear statement on this issue in 127 years, will provide much-needed guidance to local jurisdictions across the country.

"As President, I will uphold the constitutional rights of law-abiding gun-owners, hunters, and sportsmen. I know that what works in Chicago may not work in Cheyenne. We can work together to enact common-sense laws, like closing the gun show loophole and improving our background check system, so that guns do not fall into the hands of terrorists or criminals. Today's decision reinforces that if we act responsibly, we can both protect the constitutional right to bear arms and keep our communities and our children safe."

Place this against his voting record then check the bologna meter.

FACT: Barack Obama voted to allow reckless lawsuits designed to bankrupt the firearms industry.1

FACT: Barack Obama wants to re-impose the failed and discredited Clinton Gun Ban.2

FACT: Barack Obama voted to ban almost all rifle ammunition commonly used for hunting and sport shooting.3

FACT: Barack Obama has endorsed a complete ban on handgun ownership.2

FACT: Barack Obama supports local gun bans in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and other cities.4

FACT: Barack Obama voted to uphold local gun bans and the criminal prosecution of people who use firearms in self-defense.5

FACT: Barack Obama supports gun owner licensing and gun registration.6

FACT: Barack Obama refused to sign a friend-of-the-court Brief in support of individual Second Amendment rights in the Heller case.

FACT: Barack Obama opposes Right to Carry laws.7

FACT: Barack Obama was a member of the Board of Directors of the Joyce Foundation, the leading source of funds for anti-gun organizations and "research."8

FACT: Barack Obama supported a proposal to ban gun stores within 5 miles of a school or park, which would eliminate almost every gun store in America.9

FACT: Barack Obama voted not to notify gun owners when the state of Illinois did records searches on them.10

FACT: Barack Obama voted against a measure to lower the Firearms Owners Identification card age minimum from 21 to 18, a measure designed to assist young people in the military.11

FACT: Barack Obama favors a ban on standard capacity magazines.12

FACT: Barack Obama supports mandatory micro-stamping.13

FACT: Barack Obama supports mandatory waiting periods.2

FACT: Barack Obama supports repeal of the Tiahrt Amendment, which prohibits information on gun traces collected by the BATFE from being used in reckless lawsuits against firearm dealers and manufacturers.14

FACT: Barack Obama supports one-gun-a-month sales restrictions.9

FACT: Barack Obama supports a ban on inexpensive handguns.9

FACT: Barack Obama supports a ban on the resale of police issued firearms, even if the money is going to police departments for replacement equipment.9

FACT: Barack Obama supports mandatory firearm training requirements for all gun owners and a ban on gun ownership for persons under the age of 21.9

Go to the link for the citations.

Obama is no different than any other liberal politician. He talks freedom while he intends serfdom.

For a liberal's take on Obama's position on gun rights check out TalkLeft.










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Second Amendment, justice, Politics, Obama

Supreme Court Rules on Second Amendment.

In a 5-4 decision the Supreme court has struck down the Wash D.C. Gun ban. In his opinion for the majority Justice Scalia ruled that the second amendment was an individual right. That right includs hunting and self defence.

Kennedy resisted the urge to go with nonsense.

Update 11:10 am: The dissenting opinion called the majority judicial activists. If that isn't the pot calling the kettle black I haven't seen it. What a joke. The ones most routinely legislating from the bench calling the constructionists activists.


Here is the link for the transcript of the decision






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Second Amendment, justice, Politics,

Montana, Statehood and the Second Amendment

The Supreme Court of the United States is hearing the case by a citizen of Washington DC which challenges the gun ban in the District. It is the first such challenge to the modern interpretation of that amendment that the right to bare arms is a collective not an individual right. An interesting wrinkle has been uncovered. The state of Montana's statehood charter clearly specifies the Federal Government acknowledge the second amendment as an individual right as a contingent to that territory becoming a state.

Legal commentators question whether a contrary ruling by the court would invalidate the charter but that is what 39 elected officials in Montana have claimed in a resolution they have signed.

"The U.S. would do well to keep its contractual promise to the states that the Second Amendment secures an individual right now as it did upon execution of the statehood contract," Montana Secretary of State Brad Johnson said in a Feb. 15 letter to The Washington Times.

In light of such an agreement the Supreme Court would be hard pressed to now contradict the assurance of the government in 1889 that the individual retains the right to arms.






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guns, Politics, justice

Voting in Virginia's Primary

Here in Virginia we have an open primary. That simply means every voter chooses which primary to vote in regardless of individual party affiliation. It is one of those stupid ideas that only the inventor of the spork could make sense of. It is this kind of selection process that cripples any effort to craft a party that stands for any set of principles. With liberalism being the lowest common denominator in politics it is the natural destination of any political party that looses the anchor of its principles.

Once more I will be voting in a Democrat primary. While I am best described as a libertarian conservative, I have voted in many more Democrat primaries than Republican. The reason I vote in Democrat rather than Republican primaries is simply to vote for the candidate that I believe will loose more easily or the candidate less likely to do harm to my liberty if the Republicans do not prevail. The later is the case tomorrow. Not that I believe either Republican is much to cheer about.

McCain has done so much damage already that I place him firmly in the liberal camp. His crafting of the campaign finance reform act has to hold first place in elitist demagoguery while making a situation worse for having done something about it. His illegal immigrant amnesty bill is only less so simply because it went down in flames. He claims to be a defender of the second amendment but sponsored the McCain/Lieberman gun show bill that would give the government the ability to close all gun shows and register all attendees. His only positives would be his semi pro life records and he seems to understand the war on terror but he is so untrustworthy when it comes to our rights that I suspect any stand to be one of convenience.

Huckabee makes all the right noise about being a Christian but has pursued some questionable policies while in Arkansas. They include giving instate tuition to illegal immigrants, pressing to end the embargo of Cuba to trade with Castro's government and giving pardons to hundreds of criminals many of whom then went back to a life of crime. He is pro life and supports the second amendment which is the only thing that separates him from the rest. He has made some concessions toward more conservative tax and immigration positions but only time will tell if he actually gets it.

The only thing that separates Clinton from Obama is the Clinton Stalinist machine that has been in place since Bill and Hillary were last in the White House. Both Obama and Clinton have supported unrestricted abortion, disarming citizens, socialized medicine and a fairy tail foreign policy. Obama's lack of an instituted and dedicated group of supporters in the government makes him much less of a danger to our freedom than his opponent Hillary Clinton. That being said he has my vote tomorrow.











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Democrats, Politics, McCain, Clinton, Obama, Huckabee, Virginia, pro-life

Armed Customer Thwarts Robbery

One less nit wit running loose today thanks to Charlie Merrell. Mr. Merrell was in the checkout line of the Bucks IGA Supermarket in south side Indianapolis after picking up some last minute items New Year's Eve when 19 year old Dwain Smith pulled a gun demanding money from the clerk. Wasting little time, Mr.. Merrell pulled his own weapon and pointed it at the hapless Mr.. Smith. Mr.. Smith laid down his .380 pistol, took off his mask and lied face down on the floor until Officer Friendly came and took him away.

There are those who think we should let the authorities handle these situations. The problem with that is the Dwain Smith's of this world count on the authorities being elsewhere when they pull their stunts. Armed citizens are and always have been the first line of defense against crime.








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guns

Anti-Gun Nit Wit Ad

I was watching Cavuto on Fox News this morning when an ad came on to let the viewer know that gun crimes often kill children so If the viewer is thinking of committing a gun crime he should really consider the impact on others before he acts.

These commercials are not cheap so I would like to know who's idea it was to put this on Cavuto, a business and investment show that airs on Fox. Does this person envision some perpetrator thinking, "Before I go out to pop a cap let me turn on Cavuto to see how my investments are doing."?

How about this.

"Gee, that ad makes me think. I just didn't know my slinging lead out on the street would hurt innocent people and make mothers sad. Perhaps I should be more careful when I do crime."

It becomes more apparent that liberals are in fact totally insane.








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guns, Democrats,

Ice cream store manager kills robber

Last night a shop manager in Richmond shot and killed a robber. The manager had been shot in 1991 in a previous robbery at his place of business. He has learned a valuable lesson. Police identified the dead man as Jerome Davis released from prison nine months ago after doing time for robbery. He learned his lesson also.

On detail that further demonstrates how big a moron the criminal was, he was using a BB gun that looked like a semi-auto pistol. Let's hope that city officials don't act like morons by charging the store manager.





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Virginia, guns, justice

Virginia Tech Prevents Self Defence

How could this happen when Virginia Tech was a Gun Free Zone?. The collage was quite proud of the defeat of a law that would have allowed students and faculty with valid concealed weapons permits to carry on campus.

More than one year before today's unprecedented shooting rampage at Virginia Tech, the state's General Assembly quashed a bill that would have given qualified college students and employees the right to carry handguns on campus.

At the time, Virginia Tech spokesman Larry Hincker said he was happy to hear of the bill's defeat, according to the Roanoke Times.

"I'm sure the university community is appreciative of the General Assembly's actions because this will help parents, students, faculty and visitors feel safe on our campus," the Virginia Tech spokesman said.

The proposal, House Bill 1572, was initiated by Del. Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah County, on behalf of the Virginia Citizens Defense League.

Their efforts sure kept everyone safe. Instead of confronting the gunman with equal force, people were left to hide the best they could until police could arrive and figure out what was going on and how best to deal with it. The world is a screwed up place and thinking good thoughts so Tinkerbell won't die is not going to stop evil. Pass all the regulations and laws you want, if you leave indiviguals unable to protect themselves evil is free to do it's work.

Bernice Hausman is an associate professor of English at Virginia Tech. She wrote back in February how safe she felt because guns were prohibited on campus.

In my own case, I feel quite acutely that prohibiting Virginia's colleges from banning guns on campus would contribute to a diminishment of my academic freedom and a lessened sense of safety at my job and in my relationship with students, colleagues and other university personnel.

Never considering the real possability that those same students may be able to save lives by being prepared to defend themselves and others.





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politics, guns, Virginia,

Giuliani is Just Another Liberal

Anyone who has any doubts about Giuliani's weakness on the US Constitution should listen to this video over at Blogonomicon. This antipathy toward the Second Amendment plus being pro abortion and pro Gay marriage and one has to ask "What liberal part of Giuliani can a conservative swallow?" Right now there is no credible conservative candidate for president. Thankfully there is still plenty of time. Yes he did a fine job after 9/11 but is that all we need for president? Certainly respect for the rights of the citizens protected by the Constitution should be right up there at the top of requirements.






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Barry aims for gun-ban hiatus

The nation's capitol has had a gun ban for thirty years. During that time the crime and murder rate have become an embarrassment. The former mayor and current member of the city council, Marion Barry is as clueless about what to do about the violence now as he was as mayor. He has introduced a bill to give the citizens ninety days to register the handguns they now own illegally and then the ban will go back into effect, or non effect if you will. The penalties for owning an unregistered gun will go up dramatically. To Councilman Barry's credit, he is not the only clueless member of the council. In fact he has many co-sponsors. The great tragedy however is the members who both support and oppose the bill do so for reasons as clueless as the bill itself.

The failures of this bill are many. Philosophically, why would those who register their guns now be given a right that future citizens could not enjoy? The crime statistics imply that the criminals are not in fear of being disarmed so how would this law change that? Most critical however, is the very real possibility that when it is discovered that the law would have no effect on crime, the city council could just take the list of those with registered guns and have the police confiscate them by passing a new law giving the city the power to do so. Then those who risked the current ban to protect themselves will have lost even that protection after having come back into compliance through this amnesty bill. Remarkably none of the council members who object to this bill raise any of these concerns.

"The intent is right, to deal with gun violence," Mr. Mendelson said. "The amnesty thing, I think, goes against the need to reduce the number of guns in our city." He said the bill would likely be considered during the course of a larger hearing on gun violence.

Gee, I thought the problem was criminals not guns, but that's just me.

One has to wonder how citizens who have no criminal record holding permits for registered guns are contributing to the problem. Never does the concept that these people are armed because the city cannot or will not protect them. The grim reality is the police of any jurisdiction can only apprehend a criminal after he has committed a crime. They have little if any ability to prevent crime. That leaves the individual to defend himself. Hard to do when the city takes the tools necessary for the job out of the citizen's hands.

When thirty years of something does not bring about the desired results, more of the same will most likely deliver more disappointment. A lesson that politicians at all levels of government seem never to learn..

Seen at the ninth edition of the Second Amendment Carnival




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