Judge Strikes Down Tennessee Guns-in-Bars Law

Here’s a nice evenhanded headline for you:
Tennessee law lets thugs pack heat
A violent past doesn’t necessarily prevent a Tennessean from getting a gun permit

This is just the latest example of media excitement over non-felons not prevented from getting permits that felons can’t get. Understand? This man, who is NOT A FELON, got a permit that FELONS CANNOT GET.

And this, says the media, is reason for concern.

Fletcher is one of them, despite his repeated run-ins with the law. Several felony charges over the years that would have disqualified him for a gun permit were either reduced to misdemeanors or dismissed.

In other words, he was NOT CONVICTED of a felony.

This type of scare story, about how not being a felon was a loophole that allowed some folks not be classed as felons, was all the rage in Florida for a while.

If people don’t like people with rough pasts plea bargaining themselves out of a felony conviction and then getting guns, get the people with rough pasts convicted of a felony when they’re charged with one. Don’t pretend it’s some sort of loophole.

More at SayUncle, Walls of the City, and Snowflakes in Hell.

Cash-strapped states raid 911 funds

More than $200 million collected from cell phone users for upgrades to the 911 system has been diverted in the last two years to plug state budget holes, keep campaign promises and, in at least one case, buy police uniforms, an Associated Press analysis has found.

Never, ever rely only on the authorities to keep you safe or help you when you need it. Especially if anyone in power has campaign promises to keep.

Oregon, Arizona, Delaware, Hawaii, Wisconsin and Tennessee are among the states that have dipped into their 911 money recently. New York and Rhode Island have been diverting their funds for at least five years. States started collecting the funds in the 1990s.

In the fiscal year that ended in June 2008, Rhode Island collected $19.4 million in 911 fees and used $5.8 million for 911. The rest went to the state’s general fund.

If only politicians would make campaign promises to upgrade the 911 system, they could raid the 911 upgrade funds to keep their promise to upgrade the 911 system.

Feds Declare Tennessee Gun Law Invalid

Last month, the state of Tennessee’s General Assembly passed House Bill 1796, the “Tennessee Firearms Freedom Act,” which states that any firearms or ammunition manufactured within the state and legally owned and kept within the state by citizens are “not subject to federal law or federal regulation, including registration” due to provisions in the Second, Ninth, and Tenth Amendments to the United States Constitution.

The ATF, unsurprisingly, takes a slightly different view of things.

Oakland, Tennessee:

The homeowner heard what sounded like a knock on his window around 12:30am. When the noise grew, the homeowner found a neighbor, 32-year old Anthony Webb, breaking through his window with a rake.

The homeowner tells FOX13 that he told the man repeatedly to stop, but Webb’s reply was “What are you going to do?”

Don’t ask tough questions. You may not like the answer.

The intruder was shot three times, and was declared dead upon arrival by local police.

Tennessee House Votes to Override Governor’s Veto of HB 962

From the NRA_ILA:

Efforts in the House of Representatives to override Governor Phil Bredesen’s veto of House Bill 962 were successful today. In a show of strong bipartisan support, the House voted 69-27 to override the governor’s May 28 veto of HB 962. This NRA-supported bill will enable law-abiding right-to-carry permit holders to carry a firearm for self defense in restaurants. Today’s victory is a crucial step in the passage of this important legislation that will expand the right of self-defense. The measure now goes to the Senate for consideration.

More at SayUncle. Of course.

Uncle keeps tabs on the Tennessee ‘Carry in Restaurants and Bars’ bill which was recently passed and then vetoed by the governor:

Veto Override
Other Gubernatorial Candidates on Guns In Restaurants

Also see What’s a Tennessee Gunnie to Do? over at Sebastian’s.

Say Uncle: Thought crimes: more serious than real crimes

At Pelham Library, a teen did some research on the laws related to the concealed carry of a handgun. Someone at the library reported the suspicious activity. The teen was then called to the principal’s office and interviewed by police. Seems that reporting someone’s reading habits may also be a violation of the law. The library seems mostly unconcerned about this.

Southern Beale:

Gun nuts love to say that if guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. I actually don’t see why that’s a problem. It would certainly make it a lot easier to determine who the criminals are. If someone is walking around with a gun, and they aren’t a policeman, then they’re a criminal. Lock ‘em up.

That’s crazytalk enough for a Tuesday, but she doesn’t stop there.

Here’s a comment and her response:

So you are saying that I should not have a right to defend myself.
gunnut | 05.05.09 – 11:08 am | #

…with a gun. Read the second part of the Second Amendment.

Guns make people stupid.
Southern Beale | Homepage | 05.05.09 – 11:09 am | #

I’m not exactly sure what she meant by the “second part of the Second Amendment.” I suspect that she meant the “first part” and hasn’t heard that the Supreme Court ruled on that talking point.

(And it would be bad form for Murdoc to point out that her supporting argument is stupid when she said it’s guns that make people stupid. So he won’t point it out.)

She should at least read other anti-gun outlets so she can get her misdirections and uninformed opinions in line with the rest of the crowd.

Murdoc’s own little comment left on the site:

Only let terrorists have nuclear weapons. It would certainly make it a lot easier to determine who the terrorists are. If you see someone launching a nuclear weapon, lock ‘em up.

It’s nice to see a bunch of the bunbloggers checking in.

No due process required

Say Unlce:

A bill in TN to require someone subject to an order of protection for domestic violence relinquish their firearms has advanced in the senate. That’s right. No conviction, no jury of peers, just an order of protection based on one person’s word over another.

Uncle wrote previously about the automatic revocation of concealed carry permits in Tennessee when a protection order is filed against someone. This takes it several steps further by requiring that you “turn over” your firearms to someone. But just someone, apparently. Anyone who is legally allowed to posses them. No system. Just a requirement to turn them over “to a family member, a friend or anybody who can legally possess a weapon.”

What a joke. And it’s sponsored by a Republican.

I discussed the CCW revocation here, asking

Are they saying that someone who is going to break a protection order to commit murder will change their mind because they cannot legally carry a concealed weapon?

I also mentioned that in Michigan, there are optional restrictions on firearms possession when a personal protection order is issued and noted that the sister of a good friend of mine had recently been killed by an ex-boyfriend with a PPO issued against him.

Pieces of paper only work against the ones you don’t need to worry about.