18 U.S. Code § 241 - Conspiracy Against Rights

Let's see Donald Trump start vigorously enforcing "18 U.S. Code § 241 - Conspiracy against rights: If two or more persons conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or because of his having so exercised the same...

They shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section...they shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death." https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/241

Start with the DC City Council and Mayor for their gun control laws. Move on from there.

Why Americans Have Weapons Instead of Guns

I just read a review of a new variant of the AR-15 rifle, which was designed to be legal in all fifty states. It sounds like an interesting response to a bewildering thicket of state level regulations, all of which I believe are prohibited by the Constitution. Big deal: my opinion won't change things.

One of the commentors objected to another's use of the term 'weapon' rather than calling it a gun.

My response:

"should NEVER ever be referred to as weapons(.) they are guns or firearms(,) weapons are what police and military use....we cause problems on ourselves by referring to our gun as weapons"

You have a legitimate point, but I do disagree with it.

My guns are weapons. Every last one of them, from a Belgian Browning 20 gauge A-5, through a Remington pump .22 Model 12A to Mini14s and S&W J-frames, and 1911s.

The Constitution protects arms. Not goose guns, not air rifles, not deer guns, not target pistols, except at they contribute to use and familiarity with military grade weapons or can substitute for them. The Constitution protects militia grade arms precisely for the purpose of killing people. That is demonstrated without any doubt by the 2nd Amendment's explicit tying of the right to keep and bear arms to a well trained militia. The writings of the Founders, published concurrently with the ratification debates and available today, make explicit the role of arms which are protected: they are explicitly for killing tyrants, foreign or domestic.

Anti-gunners freak at the idea, especially at the 'domestic' aspects as they inaccurately associate 'tyrants' with 'politicians', but weapons ownership, use, and the bearing of them should not be controversial in an age where domestic terrorists and ordinary criminals alike can strike anywhere, any time, and the police are incapable of being everywhere, all the time, to protect us.

That it is controversial is in part our fault: For decades we let the anti-gunners frame the debate. It is time to frame that debate ourselves, and force them to respond to us instead of us to them. We can do so only by using terms like 'weapons' and 'shooting people who need shooting right now', and defending those concepts as good and proper. If more people than the LEO at the Charlie Hebdo office in Paris had been armed, more might well have survived: Killing murderous assailants is exactly what weapons are for, and that is a good thing. If the observer who videod the killing of the Paris LEO on the sidewalk had had a Mini-14 or AKM at hand instead of a video camera, the LEO might well have been killed anyway, but the murderers might have been stopped right there. They are exactly the kind of domestic tyrants the unorganized militia has a chance of stopping. By shooting them with weapons.

The 2nd Amendment protects 'arms', not just guns, but arms, for the purpose of arming the militia, including the 'unorganized militia', which means us: civilians such as those brave passengers aboard United Flight 93, who gave their lives defending us against the Islamists on 9-11. That means that not only are guns protected, but so are all other militia usable weapons: knives, including bowies, bayonets, and switchblades, cudgels, including billy clubs, and metal or plastic knuckles. Laws prohibiting them are explicitly prohibited by the Constitution. That such laws exist and are widespread today is only evidence of our refusal to submit to the Constitution. Rather than submit, even by amending it, we have preferred to pretend that it does not mean what it clearly says. That is our shame.

The Constitution protects weapons which carry a single round, like the Liberator .45 of the Second World War, and it protects AKMs, AR-15s, and M-16s and their 20 & 30 round magazines. It protects sniper rifles and target rifles which may be used by the unorganized militia as sniper rifles. It protects submachine guns and full auto rifles ie actual assault rifles. The Constitution protects all of them for the explicit purpose of shooting those who would do us and our country harm.

Given that a number of the Founders owned ships with cannons, and given that the Constitution explicitly provides for issuing letters of marque and reprisal to privately owned ships, I expect that a plausible argument could be made that the Constitution also protects crew served weapons such as belt fed machine guns and at least light artillery.

We are on firm ground when we say that the Constitution protects military grade arms, and great big scary ones at that. If we refuse to make that point, the other side is on the way to victory.

Instead of allowing the anti-weapons crowd to cow us into refusing to defend weapons ownership, I prefer to make them confront our issue head on: The purpose of the 2nd Amendment is to protect our ability to arm ourselves against tyrants, foreign and domestic. Those tyrants may be common criminals or politically/religiously inspired criminals such as disciples of al Qaeda, ISIS/ISIL, AQAP, and others. In any case, when they strike, the police are almost sure not to be there. The victims are always there, and only armed victims, willing to shoot them with weapons they bear, are capable of shooting people who desperately need to be shot.

The original article, "50 STATE LEGAL AR-15 – ARES DEFENSE SCR" by Sam Trisler in'Guns America', is here.

Kitchen Knives

One Christopher Snow has a short essay in Reviews.com on the knives which are needed for a kitchen (in his opinion, not many). One comment sparked another:

Filet knifes are also quite useful: both for fish (you can sort of use the bread knife for it, but it will be awkward and time consuming and probably will wear down the knife if you do it too often) and killing intruders (you can sort of use the bread knife for it, but it will be awkward and time consuming and probably will wear down the knife if you do it too often).

Reply:

CalvinPi

Hi jeremyjanson, All the best authorities agree that intruders really do require two knives.

First, one needs a sharp 12 inch chef's knife, ideally in well-darkened carbon steel, for the actual killing part. A 12 inch is frequently capable of the easiest kill of all: one look at it and they keel over dead of fright. In the case of a particularly death resistant specimen, simply insert the blade, tip first. Nearly anywhere will do, especially if repeated several times.

There is, of course, another school of intruder chefs which prefers the cleaver, or in a few rare cases, known as Neo-Bordenists*, aficionados of the double bitted woodsman ax. Such traditional edged tools, however, are, technically speaking, not in fact actual knives, and should be discussed in a separate forum.

After one has satisfactorily used the 12 inch chef's knife, then and only then does the fillet knife come into its own.

For grilling instructions, consult "Fried Green Tomatoes".

And don't forget a good mop.

*After the eponymous Lizzie Borden. If unfamiliar with Mz. Borden's accomplishments, please refer to Wikipedia.

For the complete article, see here.

Train Station Knife Attack Kills 27, Injures 109 In China

I don't suppose that China allows just anyone to carry a pistol for self-protection:

BEIJING — China’s official Xinhua News Agency says at least 27 people are dead and 109 injured after a group of knife-wielding men attacked a train station in southwestern China...

...The motive behind the attack was not immediately clear, but China has seen a number of mass stabbings and other attacks carried out by people bearing grudges against society.

It isn't in southwestern China at all: Kunming, Yunnan, is solidly south central China, just north of Laos. So maybe it wasn't members of the Religion of Peace Or I'll Kill You. There are such currently rather the worse for wear in Burma, which isn't all that far away though, so who knows? This might have been the collectively oriented engaging in ethno-religious retaliation against innocent people. Or not.

Q: When is China going to crack down on unlicensed knife dealers?

A little more here.

UPDATE: It does seem to have been members of the Religion of Peace:

The Chinese authorities have blamed the attack on militants from the remote far western region of Xinjiang, which is home to tensions between the government and Muslim separatists.

The state news agency Xinhua, quoting local government sources, said: 'Evidence at the crime scene showed that the Kunming Railway Station terrorist attack was carried out by Xinjiang separatist forces.'

The Xinjiang region borders Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and the Chinese government has blamed several attacks on militants there.

The region is home to a large Muslim Uighur minority who are angry at the treatment of their beliefs by the authorities.

More here.It's one thing for people with legitimate complaints against the state to attack the state, another to randomly slaughter people who cannot affect state behavior. More of the collectivist mentality at work.

No Scary Knives In The Land Of The Free

I just came across this pathetic line in the 'Product Description' on Amazon for the Schrade SCHF9 Extreme Survival Knife:

Bowie / Fighting Knives cannot be shipped to Marin, Napa, Ventura and Yolo counties, CA; CO; CT; AL; Peoria, IL; D.C.; MA; Miami-Dade and Sarasota counties, FL; Canada or Puerto Rico. Please check your State, County and City laws for restrictions before ordering Bowie / Fighting Knives.

Folks, if it is a weapon, it is protected by the 2nd Amendment. Ask any of the Founders who left writings on the subject.

But legislators both Republican and Democrat piss on the Constitution for a living. So what's new about that?

I would say that Republicans and Democrats alike appear utterly convinced that their belief that a law is good policy makes it Constitutionally authorized, except most of them appear to think the Constitution is a worthless sheet of scrap paper.

As an irrelevant aside, since the blade shown does not have a clip point, nor does the knife sport a guard, knife people would be unlikely to call this knife either a Bowie or a fighting knife*. It is just a big utility knife. Our noble Solons though can define anything they want as a Bowie or fighting knife for regulatory purposes. Reality is no impediment to the authoritarian mindset.

As another irrelevant aside, knives were the hand weapon of choice when the Constitution was ratified because they were cheaper than handguns and because they weren't useless after one shot. They are arms, therefore they are protected. Don't like that? Fine. Amend the Constitution.

*UPDATE: Note that while the copy of the Rezin Bowie knife depicted at the linked Wikipedia article does not have a clipped point, it does have a guard. The very first Bowies were apparently little more than big kitchen knives, but rapidly evolved into clip pointed fighters with guards.

It would be interesting to see if any of the laws above actually define the term.

All Hail The Collective

The educational lesson which should be learned from these incidents is: People in responsible positions are violent fools, and we are fools to submit to them.

She Probably Works for the Bradley Foundation

According to an article in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:

A Milwaukee woman apparently interested in werewolf spirits having sex was in jail Wednesday after an 18-year-old man endured 300 puncture wounds when their sexual encounter "got out of hand," a police affidavit says.

Rebecca Chandler, 22, was being held in the incident, which may also have involved satanic or occult practices.

I used to live fairly close to where this occurred, so I double-checked on Google Maps. I was right: she lives only two blocks from the Bradley Foundation headquarters.

Bleeding from the neck, arms and back, the man...told police he had traveled by bus from Phoenix to Milwaukee for a sexual encounter with Chandler.

Jeepers: That is a long bus ride. Aren't there any werebabes closer than Milwaukee? Or is Milwaukee known for having a better class of werebabes?

Officers followed a blood trail to an apartment in the 900 block of E. Knapp St, where the door to one of the units was open. Inside, there was blood on the floor and on bedding in a bedroom as well as duct tape that, again, appeared to be a restraint, according to the affidavit.

The 22-year-old woman introduced herself to officers, saying, "I think you are here looking for me."

She's not just a werewolf, she's a mind reader. Multi-talented, and she's polite: I can see why the guy figured she was worth a long bus ride.

She said she'd been having sex with the man and that the cutting was consensual but quickly got out of hand.

Good thing she didn't go nuts.

After she was arrested, Chandler told police her roommate (Scarlett) had done the majority of the cutting.

Roomies can be hard to control. Especially wereroomies.

Important Lesson: Look out for werechicks with duct tape.

UPDATE: Here is the police affadavit seeking a search warrant. Thanks to JMS for the lead. Her boyfriend lives in the building, but is allegedly not involved with werebabes. Sure. He probably doesn't work for the Bradley Foundation, either. This is Wisconsin we're talking about here, folks. Think about it: Ed Gein, Jeff Dahmer, the Bradley Foundation, werebabes named Rebecca and Scarlett, and, of course three lady "kackers" who, well....they had an unpleasant end in mind for one unfortunate young fellow, involving an ax, his liver, and Jack the Ripper.

Badass of the Week

"Badass of the Week" is apparently a compliment. I think Joseph Lozito qualifies. Good going!

All Star Cast!

Machete.

Totally oveflowing with testosterone. And violence, if there is a dif.

Danny Trejo as Machete Cortez. Robert DeNiro. Jessica Alba. Steven Seagal. Michelle Rodrigues. Cheech Marin...who gets crucified, dude, but then he's a priest. It goes with the job. Don Johnson. And last but maybe not least, Lindsay Lohan.

And it's about as PC as one could ask. Totally anti-anti-illegal immigrant.

Coyotes Kill Hiker

It does happen from time to time, tho I think more often with mountain lions.

TORONTO (Oct. 28) -- Two coyotes attacked a promising young musician as she was hiking alone in a national park in eastern Canada, and authorities said she died Wednesday of her injuries.

The victim was identified as Taylor Mitchell, 19, a singer-songwriter from Toronto who was touring her new album on the East Coast.

She was hiking solo on a trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park in Nova Scotia on Tuesday when the attack occurred. She was airlifted to a Halifax hospital in critical condition and died Wednesday morning....

Royal Canadian Mounted Police...said other hikers heard Mitchell's screams for help on Tuesday and called emergency police dispatchers.

What a shame they didn't have a gun along. What a shame Mitchell didn't have a gun along. Even a big sheath knife. But then, the Canadians, being civilized folk, take a dim legal view of handguns for mere subjects.

Police who were in the area reached the scene quickly and shot one of the animals....

As the saying goes, when seconds count, the police are just minutes away.

Paul Maynard of Emergency Health Services said Mitchell already was in critical condition when paramedics arrived on the scene and had multiple bite wounds over her entire body.

Sheesh. In some areas the police may be our friends, but Smith & Wesson are our buddies. Unless you are a respectable person, of course, then not.

Don’t bring a knife to a coffee fight

Etiquette: What separates us from the savages.

I politely demurred by hurling a cup of hot Starbucks at him...

As the cops are alleged to say: Attitude is everything.

Suspended for the Wrong Offense

Matthew Whalen shouldn't have been suspended from high school for keeping a knife with a two inch blade locked in his car emergency kit. He should have been suspended for criminal naivete for answering authorities' questions and for allowing them to search his car without a warrant.

Getting to be an Eagle Scout should require a merit badge in civil rights.

Zombies Have Taken Over the Schools

The upside to zombies in control: at least a few students will learn to accord arbitrary authority the disrespect it deserves. Zachary, 6, seems to have learned the lesson: “I think the rules are what is wrong, not me.”

His classmates, tho, remain at risk of internalizing all too well the zombie message.

The New York Times has the story.

Evolution in Action

CAIRO (AP) -- A 25-year-old Egyptian man cut off his own penis to spite his family after he was refused permission to marry a girl from a lower class family, police reported Sunday.

Well, I guess that'll teach 'em. And it does beat strapping on a bomb vest...

Hawaii State Laws on weapons are...

...voluminous.

I was working on the garden/compost heap today, using either an extremely small cane-knife (machete) chopper, or a very big...um...knife to chop bougainvillea whips into tomato stakes.

That got me wondering: What are the laws here? Can't assume that just because something is openly sold and readily available that it is actually legal to have or use. So I looked it up. As usual, parts seem unclear and/or self contradicting.

§134-51 Deadly weapons; prohibitions; penalty. (a) Any person, not authorized by law, who carries concealed upon the person's self or within any vehicle used or occupied by the person or who is found armed with any dirk, dagger, blackjack, slug shot, billy, metal knuckles, pistol, or other deadly or dangerous weapon shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and may be immediately arrested without warrant by any sheriff, police officer, or other officer or person. (There is more, but check the link).....

OK: If one is carrying concealed without a permit (and they don't issue permits), then it's a misdemeanor. Ditto in a vehicle, concealed or not, because: "Statute does not require that weapons be "concealed" within the vehicle. 58 H. 514, 572 P.2d 1222."

Case Notes
.....
"Other deadly or dangerous weapon" is limited to instruments whose sole design and purpose is to inflict bodily injury or death. 55 H. 531, 523 P.2d 299.

A "diver's knife" is neither a "dangerous weapon" nor a "dagger". "Deadly and dangerous weapon" is one designed primarily as a weapon or diverted from normal use and prepared for combat. 56 H. 374, 537 P.2d 14.

So what if a diver's knife is diverted from normal use "and" not prepared for combat? What does preparing a big hairy diver's knife for combat consist of?

Cane, butterfly and kitchen knives are not deadly or dangerous weapons. 56 H. 642, 547 P.2d 587.

But butterfly knives are prohibited.

Sheathed sword-cane and wooden knuckles with shark's teeth were "deadly or dangerous weapons". 58 H. 514, 572 P.2d 1222.

They "were"? How about NOW?

"Billy" as used in this section refers to "policeman’s club" or "truncheon"; a club-like implement designed for purpose of striking or killing fish is not a "billy"; section extends only to weapons deadly or dangerous to people. 10 H. App. 404, 876 P.2d 1348. Cited: 10 H. App. 584, 880 P.2d 213.

Years ago, on the Mainland, I was given a used police billy. They make great fish billies...er...clubs. Is a police billy illegal in your fishing boat? How about in your car along with your other fishing gear? So far as I can tell, there is no functional difference whatsoever, and need not be any formal difference, between a police billy and a fish club. They are interchangeable.

A .22 caliber rifle is a "deadly or dangerous weapon." 63 H. 147, 621 P.2d 384.

Apparently this was found to be true in some case despite ""Deadly and dangerous weapon" is one designed primarily as a weapon or diverted from normal use and prepared for combat. 56 H. 374, 537 P.2d 14." So, does this mean any .22 rifle? A target rifle? Or only a .22 assault rifle?

§134-52 Switchblade knives; prohibitions; penalty. (a) Whoever knowingly manufactures, sells, transfers, possesses, or transports in the State any switchblade knife, being any knife having a blade which opens automatically (1) by hand pressure applied to a button or other device in the handle of the knife, or (2) by operation of inertia, gravity, or both, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

So, a switchblade, which in normal person's parlance, has a spring in it to open the blade, in lawmakers' lingo is extended to mean any folding knife with a blade hinge loose enough to be opened by flicking the wrist. Suppose the owner never heard of flicking the wrist to do so, but the hinge was loose enough for a practiced fisherman/hiker/picnicker/lineman/sadistic Satan worshiper to do so?

In any case, using my little chopper in the back yard seems to be legal, as is keeping it the garden tool cabinet. Maybe I don't want to walk around the hills and dales with it, but could I if not concealed? It's a heck of a nice little chopper, much more convenient than any other machete I've used. It would make a great general purpose camp knife.

OK. So much for knife and deadly or dangerous weapon laws. More on gun laws later. Maybe.

Just as a teaser for such tho, there is this:

CHAPTER 134

FIREARMS, AMMUNITION AND DANGEROUS WEAPONS Defendant could not claim that state firearms regulations infringed upon rights protected by Second Amendment. 82 H. 143, 920 P.2d 357.

Defendant wasn't even allowed to make the claim?