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.

Via the NRA-ILA:

On June 11, the top law enforcement officials of nearly half the states signed a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, expressing their opposition to reinstatement of the federal ban on semi-automatic firearms.

“We share the Obama Administration’s commitment to reducing illegal drugs and violent crime within the United States. We also share your deep concern about drug cartel violence in Mexico. However, we do not believe that restricting law-abiding Americans’ access to certain semi-automatic firearms will resolve any of these problems,” the letter said.

The letter notes congressional opposition to bringing back the ban, and calls for increasing enforcement of existing laws.

We encourage NRA members to let these state officials know we appreciate them standing up to the incessant clamor for gun control that is currently coming from anti-gun groups and their media allies.

The 23 state Attorneys General, in alphabetical order, by state, are:
(more…)

As a commenter on a message board said: How many times can you say ‘assault weapon’ or ‘military grade weapon’ in one broadcast?

The Police Chief goes on about the military weapons taken from criminals. I’m not sure that I saw any modern military weapons on the table of examples he had.

West Allis, Wisconsin:

A West Allis municipal judge said a resident was within his rights to carry a gun while planting a tree on his property.

The police “stormed in with guns drawn” on Brad Krause last summer.

Police responded to Krause’s home in August after a neighbor called to ask about the legality of him openly carrying a hand gun in a holster on his property. Police arrested Krause, ticketing him for disorderly conduct. Police also seized his gun.

And then there’s this:

Krause declined to explain why he was carrying a gun to plant a tree. “There’s no requirement to justify why you’re able to exercise constitutional rights,” Krause said.

I happen to agree 100%, but that sort of thing is also likely to draw the ire of the antis and not impress many of the fence sitters. I don’t know if this quote in the new item is the full thing, but it seems like the message could have been presented a little better.

Then again, if it was me, I’d probably say “none of your damn business why I do what I do.”

Shocked.

Teacher placed on leave for questionable Facebook posting

You’d think it was with illegal drugs or porn or something. No. Just a gun.

Beaver Dam school officials placed a middle school teacher on administrative leave after discovering a photograph of the teacher with a gun on the teacher’s Facebook page.

In the photo, teacher Betsy Ramsdale is training a rifle at the camera.

Ramsdale emailed 27 News in response to our inquiries saying she “removed the photo immediately” and that she is not “interested in any controversy.” Ramsdale did not comment on her motivation for posting the photo.

Schools superintendent Donald Childs told 27 News he is unaware of any sinister intent on the teacher’s part and said the use of the photo “appears to be poor judgment.”

I guess I’m not sure what the big deal is. Only about a bazzilion people in Wisconsin hunt. Not sure if the teacher is a hunter or not, but I sure don’t think it’s grounds for suspension.

Even worse than the news report or the video at the link is the Assistant News Director’s blog on the topic:

This story led to a long debate in our newsroom; basically, is this a story? Why is it a story? Are we doing an injustice to this poor woman?

Yes, it’s a story. It’s a story for several reasons I detail below. We are not doing anything to this woman…she did it to herself by putting that picture up in the first place.

The Internet is a public place. If you put yourself in a compromising position on the Internet for all to see, you’ve done that to yourself.

That sums it all up. The default opinion of those reporting the news is that this is “compromising.”

When I was a kid, I thought reporters reported the news, not decided what was good and what was bad and then told us. Oh, the blissful ignorance of childhood!

The editor in question simply sees the picture as “disgusting” (his word) and calls it “gun play” (his words). He goes on to say that he could be fired for posting something “inappropriate” and that he tells college interns “to be careful about pictures of themselves drinking or acting stupid online.” I guess he means for us to interpret that he equates a photo of someone with a gun as inappropriate and stupid.

He also says that he has “no problem” with “whatever she wants on her free time as long as it’s not illegal.” Except that it’s very clear that he DOES have a HUGE problem with it. A big enough problem to not only make it news but to defend that decision when others in the newsroom apparently questioned it enough to speak up.

Here’s a good bit:

If it had been a picture of her out hunting, shooting a deer…fine! I have no problem with that. But, to be pointing a rifle like that right at the camera, looking through the scope!!! Why?

He doesn’t explain the difference. Maybe he needs to list the acceptable ways to hold a gun when getting your photo taken. At least if he thought ANY picture with a gun was inappropriate, it would make sense to me. But the teacher apparently crossed some horrible line when she went from shooting deer to holding a gun pointed at a camera. I’m mystified.

That’s how he sees things. That’s why it’s the story that it is.

What do readers think? Obviously, most readers are going to be pro-gun and beyond fed up with all the anti-gun crap out there. But is the school stepping out of bounds? Is the assistant editor too biased? Is Murdoc getting all upset over nothing?

Via Never Yet Melted and Alphecca.

James points out a great post by Dan from Madison: If I Had Hair On The Back Of My Neck It Would Have Been Standing Up

Rather than me excerpting bits and pieces, you should just go read the whole thing to see what situation he found himself in and how it ended up.

I’ve got a couple of comments:

• Madison is in Wisconsin, and Wisconsin is one of two states with no form of concealed carry available to the general public.
• So Dan “armed” himself with a knife and a flashlight to confront a potential threat who had both hands in his pockets.
• Talk about walking into indian territory.

It all ended okay and might even have been nothing but a lost driver who was a few cards short of a full deck. But I would never have bet money, let alone my life, on it.

And I’ve got to quote one little snippet about how the store’s cashier called the cops:

I saw them with rollers on coming toward the convenience store a mile down the road as I was driving away. This was a good three minutes after the incident happened. I could have been dead if that guy had attacked me and I wasn’t able to defend myself. Self defense is up to you. Do not count on the professionals to save you.

Dan mentions that, upon reflection, he “probably should not have exited the vehicle at all until that guy was in a range I was more comfortable with.” That’s probably a good point, but now that this incident is past he can incorporate lessons learned into future encounters. He’s got a real-world example of how he reacted, and he remembers how he felt while it was unfolding. That’s a hell of a lot more valuable than any advice in any book.

Finally, though the only weapons he had available were the knife and flashlight, Dan went into indian territory with both eyes open, aware of the potential danger and ready to fight. That mindset is absolutely crucial to winning. If this same thing had gone down in the heart of Texas and Dan possessed a concealed gun but no will to fight, he would have been much worse off.

James calls the unexplainable feeling of imminent danger “The Monkey”. I call it (despite Murdoc being a DC guy and not a Marvel guy) my “Spider Sense”. Listen to it.

Those watching things closely may have noticed a trend:

• Gun sales jump (Utah)
• Area gun sales spike (Alabama)
• Gun sales rise in Ohio, stay flat in Ross County (Ohio)
• Gun sales shoot up after Election Day (Colorado)
• Gun sales up, supplies down (Texas)
• S.D. gun shops see rise in sales (South Dakota)
• Gun, ammo sales increase in Churchill, Lyon counties (Nevada)
• Local gun sales increase since election (Arkansas)
• Gun sales shoot way up (Maine)
• Hawaii gun sales shooting up
• Fear Fuels Gun Sales Locally (West Virginia)
• Gun Sales Are Up Since Obama Election (Kentucky)
• Fear of ban increases gun sales (Mississippi)
• Finger on safety as gun sales shoot upward (Idaho)
• Gun sales rise as owners fear stricter controls (North Carolina)
• Gun Sales Boom Ahead of Obama Presidency (Tennessee)
• Gun Sales Booming Since Presidential Election (Nebraska)
• Gun sales, permits climb following election (North Dakota)
• Gun Sales Rise As Buyers Anticipate Political Change (Washington)
• Gun Sales Shoot Upward in Springfield (Missouri)
• Madison gun sales soar (Virginia)
• Some stores see surge in gun sales (Pennsylvania)
• Firearm sales surge following election (Wisconsin)

These are all from the past two or three days and aren’t simply re-runs of AP items in different papers. All of these have considerable, if not exclusively, local content. I could easily have included many, many more.

No doubt, the media coverage is feeding the flames a bit. As is the fact that hunting seasons are kicking off or underway in most states right now. But the trend is unmistakable.

It doesn’t seem to be localized to the bitter, clingy parts of the nation. Or to the red states.

Letter to the editor of the Hudson Star-Observer:

An organization rooted in pro-gun and open carry advocacy is already preparing documents to be presented to every Wisconsin county board to affirm the right of Wisconsin’s residents to carry openly and to prevent law enforcement agencies from interfering with that right by way of dubious and harassing charges of “disturbing the peace” or similar.

The Right to Keep and Bear Arms petition affirms that the people have the constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms for security, defense, hunting, recreation or any other lawful purpose.

Whereas, it is unlawful for citizens to carry a concealed firearm publicly for security, self defense, hunting, recreation or any other purpose the state must then declare that open carry is not an unlawful means to exercise these rights, and that no one may restrict or infringe the citizens’ lawful exercise of their constitutionally protected rights.

Wisconsin is one of two states with no concealed carry laws.

ATF agent leaves gun in bathroom at Milwaukee airport

A special agent returning to Mitchell International Airport left her firearm in a bathroom there Tuesday night, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said.

The special agent immediately alerted authorities when she realized she left her weapon, assistant special agent in charge Guy Thomas said Wednesday. He said it was either recovered by local authorities or a civilian.

Thomas said he didn’t know how long the weapon was left in the bathroom but said the situation ended quickly.

Also covered at War On Guns and World Net Daily.

What makes this even more interesting is this little fact from Red’s Trading Post:

There are only (2) female special agents at the Milwaukee ATF Field Office, [according to my sources, not yet confirmed]. I am told both female agents were involved in US v. Olofson. So that amounts to a 100% chance of this agent being involved in Olofson’s prosecution, and a 50% chance of being the same agent from ATF who prosecuted Mr. Olofson, [as the lead agent in Olofson's case was Jody Keeku].

Mr. Olofson is the drill instructor in the Wisconsin National Guard who has been convicted in federal court for illegally transferring a machine gun after the rifle he loaned to a student malfunctioned, setting off three shots before jamming.