PA Bill Number: HB1472
Title: In primary and election expenses, further providing for reporting by candidate and political committees and other persons and for late contributions ...
Description: In primary and election expenses, further providing for reporting by candidate and political committees and other persons and for late contrib ...
Last Action: Referred to STATE GOVERNMENT
Last Action Date: Apr 22, 2024
FOAC's July 12th Meeting Notice w-Linked Agenda :: 07/11/2020
The July FOAC Membership Meeting (July 12th) will be held once again online for all members and interested Second Amendment advocates. As we noted last month, because of the stay-at-home order and mandatory mask order of Gov. Wolf (which has been reengaged, and in consideration of everyone’s health), we have found it necessary to cancel the in-person meeting and will be holding July’s meeting totally online. The details for connection to this meeting are available here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84337417548 at the link for the meeting and at the end of this newsletter. You can view or download a copy of the Meeting Agenda at this Link: Meeting Agenda!
When I use the term Firearm Preemption Law (Title 18, Section 6120), what does that mean to you? It really doesn’t sound that sexy or eye-catching does it? Would it be surprising to you to know that FOAC has been particularly focused on this issue going back into the early 90s? So, what would happen if Pennsylvania preemption law was overturned by the courts?
Pennsylvania’s firearm preemption law has been the focus of anti-gun groups to violate it and overturn it for literally decades! This is the biblical equivalent of opening Pandora’s box. Yet most gunowners don’t seem to really grasp the importance of the fight is going on behind-the-scenes but they are certainly about to!
FOAC’s fight against the City of Harrisburg's violation of Pennsylvania firearm preemption law goes all the way back to 2015. This preemption fight was complicated by the opportunistic interference of Pennsylvania Law Shield wherein they folded their case prematurely and we refused to do so. The City of Harrisburg has fought us every step of the way and we finally achieved a victory in Commonwealth Court on the narrow issue of what’s called “standing”. The City of Harrisburg has appealed that decision all the way to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, a position which has garnered them amicus brief support from anti-gunners in Pennsylvania as well as across America. The list of opponents who have filed amicus briefs (click on the link for the brief) is below:
- City of Pittsburgh
- City of Philadelphia
- Anti-Gun Group-Ceasefire Pennsylvania Education Fund
- Anti-Gun Group-Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence
- Anti-Gun Group-Brady Center
- County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania Municipal League
- Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors
- Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs
The list above is like a rogue’s gallery list of government and billionaire backed anti-gun groups who all have one thing in common they hate the Second Amendment and they hate you and they hate everything you stand for!
The situation in the City of Pittsburgh has been the subject of local, state, and national media attention but the Harrisburg situation has received scant attention because it has been mostly a low-pressure issue.
IF we lose this fight on standing then we lose everything with this case and 'everything' that is in the pipeline with not only Harrisburg but also the City of Pittsburgh.
We are not the type of organization that runs around crying the sky is falling so they can push you into donating money but in this particular case we are asking for your support and help. IF we can stop Harrisburg then the issue with the City of Pittsburgh becomes a moot point!
IF we LOSE, then what the City of Pittsburgh has done will pale in comparison to what we see moving forward from Philadelphia and other urban centers in Pennsylvania.
Make no mistake this is a gritty, knockdown, no holds barred fight and it is between gun owners and our Constitution and those who would transform our state and nation!
So, if you are in a position where you can help support – DONATE HERE - this effort then we are asking for your help! We cannot promise of victory but we can promise that we will fight as hard as humanly possible to uphold the rule of law and our Constitution that we all hold dear!
**Special Limited Time Offer for FOAC Members**
DOM AGRON is proud to announce that Firearms Owners Against Crime (“FOAC”), Pennsylvania’s Premier Firearm Rights Organizations, has been added to its programs of discount alliance. Members of FOAC will receive 15% off our regular prices during the term of their membership. Just enter your membership number at the time of checkout to get your discount. FOAC members also receive a complimentary copy of the United States Constitution for a limited time. You can claim your copy at www.domagron.com/foac . If you would like more information on FOAC or to join, visit https://foac-pac.org/Premium-Membership. (PS Dom is a member of FOAC too!)
The Transformation of America
Guest Article by David Codrea:
Jefferson Descendant Disavows More than Ancestor’s Memory
“I’m a direct descendant of Thomas Jefferson,” Salon columnist and novelist Lucian K. Truscott IV wrote in a Monday opinion piece for The New York Times. “Take down his memorial.”
The reason, of course, is because Jefferson owned slaves. It’s another springboarding from the agitprop of the “1619 Project” and the deliberate stirring up of racial divisions for political purposes by “the newsraper of record.”
How “woke” of Truscott. But slavery is not the only thing about the Founders he objects to. He’s also an unabashed “progressive,” meaning he stands as much against the tremendous advances in freedom his ancestor accomplished in life as he does against his failings.
Nowhere is that more apparent than in how Truscott disparages the right of the people to keep and bear arms.
“How about you join the Army if you want to shoot guns?” Truscott asks in a 2018 Salon hit piece on the right to keep and bear arms that packs in all the clichés. You don’t need an M-16 to hunt! You don’t need 30 rounds! You don’t need silhouette targets! Such guns were designed for war!
Not quite but no kidding – seems someone once mentioned a “tree of liberty” that anticipated exactly that. The Second Amendment isn’t about duck hunting and a Bill of Needs is straight out of Marx.
The militia, at the time the Second Amendment was ratified, kept the same types of weapons at home as they were likely to encounter when called forth – otherwise, they would be marching off to their slaughter. That’s hardly an outcome that would be “necessary to the security of a free State.”
As for Truscott’s Army suggestion, that’s reminiscent of nothing so much as a “join the SS or SA” quote widely attributed (but not documented that I can find) to Reichsführer of the Schutzstaffel, Heinrich Himmler. Here’s one I can document (thanks to the Internet Archive) from Truscott’s ideological soul sister, “Long Island Lolita” Amy Fisher:
“Assault weapons were designed for military use. If a law-abiding citizen has such a yearning to possess one of these weapons, then let that person join the Marines.”
At least in his case, Truscott claims “I grew up in an Army family, and … I never saw a goddamned human silhouette target until I was on a United States Army firing range with an Army-issue M-16 in my hands.” His Salon bio further reveals he is “a graduate of West Point.” Neither qualification claim brings up an earlier admission that he “got a general discharge under other than honorable conditions, generally known as a ‘bad discharge’” (not quite enough to “legally disqualify” him for gun ownership, but enough to get a foreigner “denaturalized”).
“Youuuuu might be a gun nut if . . .” Truscott began another Salon hit piece on guns (that’s all they ever have). In this one, he goes heavy on Alinsky Rule 5 ridicule to make fun of concerns that anyone wants to take away guns (of course they do). He falsely claims NRA is having hysterics over “bump stocks” (they actually gave a green light to treat them like machineguns), that introducing car comparisons is a “straw man” argument (he should tell that to his hosts at The New York Times), and that correcting the politically-motivated conflation of machineguns with semiautos is “military-macho-gun-speak.”
Anyone getting the feeling that “other than honorable” might be a way of life with this ankle-biter of a descendant?
Absolutely there can be no excuse for the sin of slavery, and noting that it has been practiced by cultures throughout human history, that whites have also been enslaved, and that it’s still being practiced today does not mitigate that.
It’s true that Thomas Jefferson and some of the other Founding Fathers, including George Washington, failed in extending the benefits of Liberty to all – that cannot and should not be denied. That does not mean the entire system and framework of government they devised, from the Declaration of Independence to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights are invalidated. That’s what those tearing down monuments, the totalitarian-minded purveyors of universal slavery, are really trying to destroy.
The criminal defense blog, Simple Justice, has an interesting post up, analyzing a challenge to all the “woker than thou” white SJWs. Simply put, it makes a credible case that most would have gone along with the prevailing values of the times. It is the rare person who is willing to stand up against the majority and take positions on individual rights that have been condemned and demonized by the establishment, resulting in ridicule, name-calling, silencing, ostracizing, denial of economic opportunities…
Think of who that really applies to. Chance are they won’t be writing for The New York Times or Salon.
Yes, the giants of our past had flaws. “He that is without sin among you…” and all that.
Who will end up making the greater ultimate contribution to Liberty? The Founding Fathers or ideological dwarfs demolishing the legacy bequeathed to them in the shallow quest to gain approval from their similarly stunted peers?
About David Codrea: David Codrea is the winner of multiple journalist awards for investigating/defending the RKBA and a long-time gun owner rights advocate who defiantly challenges the folly of citizen disarmament. He blogs at “The War on Guns: Notes from the Resistance,” is a regularly featured contributor to Firearms News, and posts on Twitter: @dcodrea and Facebook.
This article appeared in Ammoland at this link: https://www.ammoland.com/2020/07/jefferson-descendant-disavows-more-than-ancestors-memory/#axzz6RpS6AHjZ
When Do Background Checks Become the Enemy of The People and Constitutional Rights?
Two weeks ago, in a scenario much like what Pennsylvania’s Instant Check System (PICs) experiences, the Maryland State Police experienced what they termed a “catastrophic hardware failure” that interrupted that state’s ability to process regulated firearm purchase applications. The failure complicated Marylanders’ ability to lawfully exercise their rights to access handguns at a time when many residents are seeking to protect themselves.
Here’s a question; at what point to these background check systems become destructive to the exercise of constitutional freedoms?
Let’s pause for a moment and take a look at what Maryland citizens have to do to exercise their Second Amendment rights. In order to purchase a handgun in Maryland, a prospective gun owner must first obtain a Handgun Qualification License. Applicants must complete a firearms safety training course and undergo a fingerprint-based background check. The application process costs $50, not including fingerprinting fees.
On top of this rigorous requirement, a Maryland resident must fill out a 77R Application and Affidavit to Purchase a Regulated Firearm. The applicant is then subjected to a redundant background check, a $10 fee, and a 7-day waiting period. The private transfer of handguns is prohibited in Maryland, so all handgun transactions must be conducted pursuant to this procedure.
Now anti-gun groups are supporting changing Maryland law to allow for firearms transfers to be delayed indefinitely. Why would they be doing this you ask? Because much like Pennsylvania Maryland firearms laws still allow for a transfer of a firearm after a seven-day waiting period so when the system broke down some dealers transferred a number of firearms after the required seven day waiting period, exactly as allowed by law. So now anti-gun groups are hyperventilating about the dangers of not going through a background check after seven days, as if all of the other laws against prohibited individuals getting a firearm somehow evaporated.
Back in 2013, at a time when both President Barack Obama and Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley were pursuing gun control, Maryland’s background check system experienced a months-long backlog. NRA filed suit against then-Secretary of the Department of State Police Col. Marcus L. Brown.
As part of avoiding the suit, the state made clear that gun dealers are allowed to transfer regulated firearms to customers following the seven-day waiting period, but prior to receiving a determination on the purchaser’s application from the state police.
This is the problem with state run instant check systems in Pennsylvania continues to be plagued by the same, if not worse, problems. For the last several months the PICs system has developed a new wrinkle wherein background checks are taking hours and hours to approve. Why does this matter? Because customers don’t wait that long for approvals and that when an approval does come in it’s only good for that day. Then when customers show up the next day they have to go through the same process. Is this calculated? Think to yourself where we are at right now as a society. Gun dealers can only have a certain amount of customers in their store at any one time because of social distancing and the draconian rules Gov. Wolf. So, if you have customers waiting for hours for approvals then new customers waiting outside are left hanging. So, is this intentional? We already know that the Pennsylvania State Police are working hand in glove with the anti-gun groups like Cease-Fire PA.
In 1998 Pennsylvania citizens (as have 12 other states) bonded their state government to honestly and competently administered the exercise of these rights and when government becomes destructive of its own ends that outcome must be dealt with, one way or the other. Here in Pennsylvania our answer is HB 1244, the complete elimination of the state-run background check system.
So, if you still support the concept of background checks please let us know what you would do with the situation; info@foacpac.org
Critically Important NEW Book by Dr. John Lott: Gun Control Myths
IF you want to be effective at fighting gun control then YOU need a copy of this book. Dr. John Lott has a new book, "Gun Control Myths," and it just may be one of his best. The book explains the problems with all the common false claims continually made about guns in the media and by gun control advocates. It covers myths about mass public shootings, how suicides and crime vary with gun ownership, how politics corrupts the FBI's gathering of crime data, and gun-free zones. Andrew Pollack, whose daughter was murdered in the Parkland school shooting, was kind enough to write the book's forward. For a donation of $30 or more, Dr. Lott will send you a signed copy of the book.
So, our advice? Get a copy of this book and then go nail CeaseFire PA and Everytown’s hide to the wall everywhere they try to corrupt the discussion on our Freedoms!
Lost and Stolen Firearms; Federal Government Style
In March of 2020, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the United States Department of Justice released an audit of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) controls over weapons, munitions, and explosives.
The FBI has 57,812 firearms in their inventory. Extrapolating from the numbers in the survey recorded in the report, the FBI has about 2.8 million rounds of ammunition on hand, relatively small numbers of less than lethal munitions, and small amounts of explosives.
The FBI is not a national police force. They are closer to a national detective, or some say a “secret police” force. Their primary job, as indicated in their name, is investigation, not patrolling, not responding to emergency calls or enforcement.
Given the size of the organization and the number of agents and offices (over 13,000 special agents, 400 domestic offices, 91 foreign offices), the audit shows the agency is keeping very tight control over the firearms it has. The time and resources devoted to this task have been ramped up over the years.
In 2002, the agency was losing 7.6 firearms per month. In 2007, they were losing 3.2 firearms per month. In the latest audit, ending in July 2019, they were losing a bit less than 1 firearm per month.
The summation in the audit lumps all the lost and stolen firearms over nearly four years in one paragraph. It makes the absolute numbers look bigger. A common way to lie with statistics is to report absolute numbers instead of rates. From the OIG audit:
Lost and Stolen Firearms – We noted that between September 2016 and July 2019, 38 FBI Special Agents were disciplined for the loss or theft of 45 FBI-issued firearms. The FBI suspended 37 and dismissed 1 of the Special Agents held responsible for the loss or theft. Of the 45 lost or stolen firearms, 24 have been recovered, 1 of which was used in a crime. We also found that the FBI did not maintain complete documentation for 8 of the 45 lost or stolen firearms, including its make, model, or serial number; and a stolen firearm that was subsequently recovered more than 1 year ago was still
marked as lost or stolen in AMS.
What is the purpose of the extremely tight controls on firearms at the FBI?
It is all about image. The FBI has always placed its public image [the present Obama/Biden/FBI leadership attempted takedown of a sitting president not withstanding] to be of the highest concern. The Main Stream Media in the United States has a fixation on viewing firearms as a great evil, in themselves. The scandal of an FBI firearm being lost and used in a crime is something the FBI culture dreads. See the audit: https://documents2.theblackvault.com/documents/fbifiles/a20041.pdf
Hunters Alert: Upcoming PA Game Commission Meeting (July 25th) Full of Significant Changes
The Pennsylvania Game Commission is an agency with a storied history of controversy and criticisms, some warranted and some not. To say that they seem out of touch would be an understatement which is underscored by the recent change from the opener on deer rifle season from Monday to Saturday when they even ignored the advice of their own staff (the commissioners that is).
Several years ago, the legislature directed the Pennsylvania game commission to integrate the usage of semiautomatic firearms for hunting in Pennsylvania yet to this day they have failed to comply with the spirit of the required legislative changes. The usage of semiautomatic firearms for hunting big game is still as elusive as ever.
Now word has come out that on July 25, 2020 the Pennsylvania Game Commission will meet to discuss substantial changes that will affect many areas of hunters options for the upcoming hunting season and in the future. Perhaps another controversial area will be the changes for big game in the usage of certain calibers. The statement below comes from a draft agenda on the caliber usage issue:
“As the wildlife management agency for the Commonwealth, the Commission has determined that we should do more to encourage humane harvests with sporting arms that are appropriate for the game being hunted. This will reduce the occurance of lost / injured game animals. The Commission is proposing to amend §§ 141.43 and 141.44 to require that firearms used to hunt deer and bear be .24 caliber or greater.”
There is a great deal of information in this agenda about other states and their hunting regulations but there seems to be no consensus on the approach the PGC is making as numerous other states have not made the changes the PGC is proposing in July. One of the things that is also missing from the agenda for the upcoming meeting is how this is going to impact disabled hunting, youth and senior citizens choices when going afield. Please take a moment to see the comments and concerns below:
***From a Concerned Hunter (and FOAC Member): CALIBER RESTRICTIONS
Despite .22 caliber centerfire rifles (such as the .223 Remington and the even more powerful .22-250 and .220 Swift cartridges) being used successfully by many hunters in the state of Pennsylvania to kill whitetail deer for quite a long time without any problem, it seems there are those who desire to eliminate such practices.
Having used such cartridges to humanely kill deer as well as having witnessed many such humane killings, I cannot see any need to ban such a thing, especially in an age when so many .22 diameter hunting bullets are available. The choice of cartridge used in the most of the state has been largely up to the discretion of the individual, as it should be, and since no hunter desires to not bring home the deer they shot they choose something that works. Any potential shortcomings of the cartridges in question are more than made up for by their most positive aspect: low recoil. Low recoil aids good shot placement by preventing the development of a flinch, especially for certain types of hunters. Low recoil cartridges also have the benefit of allowing recoil sensitive hunters to practice shooting their rifle more than they would otherwise be able to. All cartridges big and small have their own limitations that need to be known and respected by the user, not just those with smaller diameter bullets.
Hunters that particularly benefit from low recoil rifles include young hunters (who often start hunting with .223 rifles), the elderly, and the disabled. These weaker hunters can encounter problems with more powerful cartridges, such as the development of a flinch, being struck in the face by the scope, and even potential damage to the shoulder. Weaker and disabled hunters (and weak/disabled individuals that wish to get into hunting) face enough problems getting out and hunting; they do not need new impediments placed in their way.
Note:(I suspect the attempt at caliber restrictions is related to the semiautomatics for large game hunting ban, they may be anticipating that the semiautomatics will eventually be allowed for deer and are trying to make things difficult for people in advance due to the number of semiautos chambered in .223. In other words I believe it's most likely to be more political than "hunting ethics".)
SEMIAUTOMATIC RESTRICTIONS
Semiautomatic rifles, while legal for hunting small game and varmints, is perplexingly not legal for the hunting of "big game" in the state. The semiautomatic rifle action is of particular interest to the disabled hunter. The instant reloading of a second round should an additional shot be needed, is particularly helpful for those who have difficulty working other action types, and would be a necessity for many disabled hunters who are completely unable to manually reload the rifle for any needed follow-up shots.
The current law however, only provides an exemption for a person that fits into a very narrow category of disabilities:
"...any semiautomatic firearm modified to permit one shell in the chamber
and no more than four shells in a magazine* may be used by a person who suffered an amputation or lost the total use of one or both hands."
This narrow definition excludes a wide variety of disabled persons who would either benefit from the use of a semiautomatic rifle for the hunting of deer, or would be completely unable to reload other types of rifle actions.
I will use myself as an example. I have muscular dystrophy and require an electric wheelchair for mobility, I am unable to walk and can barely lift my arms, my hands are weak (and get even worse when cold), however any "loss of use" in either of my hands is not "total", and even if my hands were very strong, the problem lies in the strength of my arms. I am completely unable to work the bolt of a centerfire rifle as it sits in the gun rest affixed to my wheelchair. Any reading of the law will not permit me to use the firearm I need.
As long as the Game Commission will continue to deny the use of autoloading rifles to the average citizen, I can think of no reason to punish disabled hunters who need these rifles. It is clear that lawmakers have considered this as evidenced by the above law, but the exclusionary language would need to be changed to accommodate the wide variety of unique disabilities. The current laws are a barrier to handicapped hunters who wish to participate in our hunting heritage, both to long time hunters with existing, worsening, or new disabilities, and to other disabled persons wishing to participate.
*Another welcome change to the law would be in the magazine capacity. For most current autoloaders the lowest magazine capacity available is 5 rounds, while the law only permits 4. With some magazines the user may be able to modify them, but it seems unnecessary, especially for disabled people who may have extra trouble doing it themselves, or who require help from others. Furthermore, due to worry on the manufacturers side (the only reason most 5 round magazines exist is to satisfy laws) 5 round magazines or round limiting inserts are very tight when squeezing in the final round. Many semi-autos will have difficulty inserting such magazines against a closed bolt. Should a disabled person have the ability or assistance for modification, it would be a fairly simple procedure to allow many magazines to hold 6 rounds. This will allow the downloading of the magazine by one round (there would now be one less round in the magazine than its full capacity) for ease of insertion into the rifle. After inserting this magazine, the top round would be fed into the chamber and the "six round magazine" would now contain 4 rounds. In summation, the law really should be changed to allow for the use of a 5-round magazine, but 6 would be better. Even better would be to leave the choice of magazine capacity up to the discretion of the user, as is the case for able-bodied hunters using other types of rifles.
Oh, and About That Media Bias Issue: Mount Rushmore And the Media
- In 1996, when Bill Clinton visited during his re-election campaign, ABC news called it a place where American ingenuity and American creativity came together and formed an amazing American accomplishment.
- In 2008, when Barrack Obama campaigned there, CNN called Mt Rushmore a majestic site and every president should visit.
- In 2016, Bernie Sanders campaigned there and said he was humbled to be in to be in the presence of 4 of the greatest American presidents. CNN described the scene as awe-inspiring.
- 2020...Trump visits...CNN called it a celebration of white supremacy and Trump will stand before two former slave owners on land wrestled away from Native Americans.
ANYONE who thinks the media isn't agenda-driven, has their head in the sand.
Is Allegheny County Council Trying to Prevent Police from Protecting Citizens by Stopping Law Enforcements’ Use of Less-Lethal Weapons?
On July 8th, the Less-lethal Weapons Ban advanced to the full Council for a final vote scheduled for July 14th. Please contact members of Allegheny Council, and ask them to vote "No" on Ordinance 11516-20. This legislation weakens the ability of the Allegheny County Police to intercede in crowd control when a demonstration becomes violent or destructive.
Smaller communities depend on the expertise of the trained Allegheny County SWAT Team members to assist in crisis situations. The Allegheny County SWAT Team uses flashbang grenades to successfully disorient captors in hostage situations, and safely rescue hostages. In May of 2018, the County SWAT team used a flashbang grenade to rescue a 4-year old boy, whose father had been holding him at knifepoint for hours. In October of 2018, SWAT officers used flashbang grenades to rescue a seriously injured officer at the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting. Without the use of tear gas and other tools, officers would be forced to walk away or resort to the use of deadly force.
To contact members of Allegheny Council visit: https://www.alleghenycounty.us/county-council/council-members.aspx
Call Allegheny County Council: 412-350-6490
To make a Public Comment at a Council Meeting sign up 24 hours ahead of time: https://www.alleghenycounty.us/county-council/request-to-comment.aspx
What IS the ‘1619 Project’ and How Does it Affect our Constitutional Debate?
Controversy makes news and newspapers sell news—or sometimes just controversy. With racial tensions already running high, a recent essay in The New York Times Magazine further stoked the fires of division by proclaiming racial protests to be a “defining tradition of this country” and insisting that reparations are necessary to achieve equality.
This is the latest installment of a set of commentaries that distort the story of America’s founding. It began last year with the 1619 Project, a series of articles arguing that U.S. history began, not in 1776, but in 1619, when slaves were brought to North America.
……….
Rewriting history does nothing to improve the quality of life for disadvantaged individuals. If those behind the 1619 Project want to change the future, then their aim should be to promote policies proven to create opportunities, not policies doomed to fail and further divide us.
Read More Here: https://www.dailysignal.com/2020/07/10/1619-project-stokes-racial-division-but-offers-no-real-solutions/
Self Defense Legal Considerations W/Example: July 4th Columbus (Ohio) Kroger incident
- https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/grocery-store-parking-lot-altercation-mob-attacks-defender-uses-his-car-as-a-weapon-video/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EChQotGt6Q&feature=emb_logo
Self Defense Criteria – While state law may vary to some degree a generally accepted standard for self-defense includes: Deadly force may only be used when there is an immediate, unavoidable and reasonable danger of death great/grave bodily harm to an innocent person, where no other option exists other than the use of deadly force.
Use of Force Definition and Terms: In order for deadly force to be justified in most states, three factors must generally exist. First, Ability: Does the attacker have the power or capability to immediately kill or grievously injure an innocent person? Second, Opportunity: Is the attacker close enough to use that ability to kill or inflict injury right away? Third, Jeopardy: Does the perpetrator intend to carry out a potentially deadly attack? In other words, would a reasonable and prudent person believe you, as the victim, are in immediate jeopardy of death or great bodily harm?
1. You MUST be REASONABLY in fear of immediate death great bodily harm (and in PA kidnaping or rape) to yourself or another
2. You must be an innocent party
3. No lesser force is sufficient or available to stop the threat
4. There is no reasonable means of retreat or escape (May not be a requirement in some states…. like here in PA) PA is a Stand Your Ground State and while retreat is not a legal requirement at times a safe retreat may be the wisest option.
The Importance of Situational Awareness. – While always critical for self-protection and survival situational awareness is even more so now considering the escalating climate of violence, mob behavior, random attacks and ambushes. Time is life.
Exposing Black Lives Matter's ties to convicted domestic terrorist
On the Tucker Carlson show on Fox, Tucker reviewed the background of BLM as well as the fundraising operations that are tied to shady foundations along with interviewing former NYPD Commissioner Bernie Kerik.
https://video.foxnews.com/v/6170273617001#sp=show-clips
Overall Status of 2nd Amendment Legislation Filed to Date:
2019-2020 Session PA State Bills (updated)
- Pro-Gun Bills: 56
- Anti-Gun Bills: 84
2019-2020 Session Federal Bills (updated)
- Pro-Gun Bills: 62
- Anti-Gun Bills: 141
NEVER Forget: the story of Samuel Whittemore who at the age of 80, in 1775, picked up every one of his weapons and confronted 1400 British redcoats: https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/this-80-year-old-minuteman-took-on-a-column-of-british-troops-by-himself.
The patriot shot down three Redcoats with his firearms at point blank range, but not having time to reload he drew his sword and started slashing at the oncoming bayonets instead. One soldier shot Whittemore in the face, finally bringing the old man down... and yet he still tried to get back up.
So, the next time someone complains to you about not having the wherewithal to get involved mention old Sam who not only survived being bayoneted and shot in the head but lived for another 18 years.
1st Point to Ponder: "In 2018, the latest year for which such data have been published, African-Americans made up 53% of known homicide offenders in the U.S. and commit about 60% of robberies, though they are 13% of the population," Heather Mac Donald wrote in The Wall Street Journal.
"In 2018 there were 7,407 Black homicide victims," she went on. "Assuming a comparable number of victims last year, those nine unarmed Black victims of police shootings represent 0.1% of all African-Americans killed in 2019. By contrast, a police officer is 18½ times more likely to be killed by a Black male than an unarmed Black male is to be killed by a police officer."
2nd Point to Ponder: “Five percent of the people think; ten percent of the people think they think; and the other eighty-five percent would rather die than think.” - Thomas A. Edison
Where to Practice Your Shooting Skills: Spotlight – Reade Range
Law Enforcement on Guns:
So far things have been quiet and protests have been peaceful in Clay County, Florida, and Sheriff Darryl Daniels wants to keep it that way. In a video posted to Facebook from the account of the Clay County Sheriff’s Department, Daniels warns would be rioters and looters what to expect if they try to do damage in the local community.
“Somebody has to step up in front of the camera and say ‘enough is enough,’” promises the sheriff in the video, adding “if we can’t handle you …. I’ll make special deputies of every lawful gun owner in this county.”
https://bearingarms.com/cam-e/2020/07/01/fl-sheriff-deputize-gun-owners/
Gun Control Group’s Lies to Remember:
Everytown for Gun Safety is now claiming the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms is a loophole that needs to be fixed. They’re so convinced, they’ve listed this loophole as a “fact” of the Second Amendment.
It’s beyond a misunderstanding of the text of the Second Amendment. It’s an attempt at a wholesale revision of it.
Politician’s Quote to Remember:
“The party is either going to embrace the increasingly vibrant, progressive vote or they’re going to ridicule them. That remains to be seen. I certainly would like to see the party embrace its progressive wing, because that’s the future of the party.” – Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner (D). From the Inquirer.
Founding Father’s Statement on Freedom:
"There is no safety for honest men except by believing all possible evil of evil men."
- Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France
A Celebration of the Heart of America:
On Sheep, Wolves and Sheepdogs
(From the book, On Combat, by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman)
"Honor never grows old, and honor rejoices the heart of age. It does so because honor is, finally, about defending those noble and worthy things that deserve defending, even if it comes at a high cost. In our time, that may mean social disapproval, public scorn, hardship, persecution, or as always, even death itself.
The question remains: What is worth defending? What is worth dying for? What is worth living for?"
- William J. Bennett
In a lecture to the United States Naval Academy - November 24, 1997
One Forgotten American Hero Among Many
"I was always afraid of dying. Always. It was my fear that made me learn everything I could about my airplane and my emergency equipment, and kept me flying respectful of my machine and always alert in the cockpit." - Brigadier General Chuck Yeager
Yeager, An Autobiography
Closing Thoughts:
If you are a warrior who is legally authorized to carry a weapon and you step outside without that weapon, then you become a sheep, pretending that the bad man will not come today. No one can be “on” 24/7 for a lifetime. Everyone needs down time. But if you are authorized to carry a weapon, and you walk outside without it, just take a deep breath, and say this to yourself... “Baa.”
This business of being a sheep or a sheepdog is not a yes-no dichotomy. It is not an all-or-nothing, either-or choice. It is a matter of degrees, a continuum. On one end is an abject, head-in-the-grass sheep and on the other end is the ultimate warrior. Few people exist completely on one end or the other. Most of us live somewhere in between. Since 9-11 almost everyone in America took a step up that continuum, away from denial. The sheep took a few steps toward accepting and appreciating their warriors, and the warriors started taking their job more seriously. The degree to which you move up that continuum, away from sheephood and denial, is the degree to which you and your loved ones will survive, physically and psychologically at your moment of truth.
Yours in Freedom!
Kim Stolfer, President
**As a reminder, all FOAC members and, indeed, every gun owner can participate in the July 12, 2020 FOAC Monthly meeting from any PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android phone by clicking on the link below:
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84337417548
**OUR MEETING PARTICIPATION RULES HAVE CHANGED:
To join this membership meeting you must RSVP by sending an e-mail info@foacpac.org and confirm your attendance and the Meeting Password will then be e-mailed to you by one of the officers. (these changes were necessitated because of our June FOAC meeting was hacked!)
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General News
- Pittsburgh joins Philadelphia, anti-gun groups in support of Harrisburg firearm regulations
Pittsburgh is joining Philadelphia and anti-gun groups in a legal brief supporting Harrisburg’s gun control ordinances. more
- Study Creates Term "Excess Firearms. " WTF Are Those?
Compared to many people I know, my collection of firearms is pretty modest. It’s enough for the media to freak out over if the police were to raid my house, of course, but not nearly as many as some folks I know. more
- The Hypocrisy Of Gun Control In Current Political Climate
Gun control groups, not unlike the NRA, are single-issue groups. In theory, they support a single issue and typically don’t defer to a given political party except and unless that party tends to line up with that single issue. That means gun control groups tend to back Democrats, of course, but they’re not explicitly part of the Democratic machine. more
- Judge Andrew Napolitano: America, our personal liberties are being squeezed in a vise
Last week, this column addressed the expectation of revolution and the exhilaration of freedom that pervaded the 13 colonies during the summer of 1776. This summer in America, we are approaching the end of a civilized and free society as we have known it. more
- Pittsburgh, Philly Mayors Pushing For Power To Impose Local Gun Laws - Bill Peduto
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Mayor Bill Peduto has already tried and failed once in his quest to get courts to strike down the state’s firearm preemption law that blocks localities from imposing their own local gun control ordinances, but he’s back at it again, this time teaming up with Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney and anti-gun groups to support another attempt to undo the state law. more
- What Should We Do When Government Bureaucrats Kill?
We saw armed police officers raid the wrong house and kill innocent people in their beds. That happened most recently in a home in Louisville, Kentucky. There, three undercover cops shot 26 year old Breonna Taylor to death during a midnight raid as she lay asleep. more
Legal Issues
- Colorado Supreme Court rules failure to retreat doesn't undermine claim of self-defense at trial
The Colorado Supreme Court on Monday overturned a woman’s conviction and 96-year prison sentence for stabbing a man on a Denver RTD bus, finding that the prosecution wrongly argued the woman couldn’t have reasonably acted in self-defense because she didn’t retreat from the confrontation. more
- Justices order new attempted murder trial after jury instruction dilutes self-defense standard
The Indiana Supreme Court has ordered a new trial for a man convicted of attempted murder and handgun charges, finding an erroneous jury instruction diluted the standard for claiming self-defense.
- Magazine Ban Upheld By CO Supreme Court
For some reason, anti-gunners seem to find it troubling if a firearm can carry “too many” rounds. I put that in quotes because, well, that number is completely arbitrary and varies from person to person to some degree. After all, it wasn’t all that long ago that Oregon sought to limit round capacity to just five shots. more
- Oklahoma Supreme Court Stops Initiative Designed to Kill Constitutional Carry
U. S. A. –-(AmmoLand. com)- On 23 June, 2020, the Oklahoma Supreme Court dealt another blow to the efforts by Democrat Jason Lowe and others to kill Constitutional Carry in Oklahoma. more
- Woman Turns to Supreme Court to Get Her Guns Back
In 2013, Lori Rodriguez called San Jose police to her home because her husband was having a mental health crisis and making violent threats. Seven years later, she is petitioning the Supreme Court to force the city to return her guns. more
- Supreme Court Judge Questions Trump's Bump-Fire Stock Ban
President Donald Trump hasn’t been the disaster for the Second Amendment that his 2016 Democrat challenger Hillary Clinton undoubtedly would have been. However, one anti-gun law that Trump did institute through an executive action is coming under fire by at least a few judges. more
Self-Defense Issues
- Florida Self-Defense: Three armed men broke into a gun enthusiast's home. The sheriff says he shot them one-by-one.
WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. — An armed homeowner shot three men with guns who broke into his home, killing two of them and wounding the third. more
- Illinois Self-Defense: Prosecutors: Man who shot, killed another acted in self-defense
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - A man who shot and killed another in Springfield was acting in self-defense, prosecutors said. more
- Tennessee Self-Defense: Police: Man shoots, kills burglar at South Nashville home
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Police say they are classifying a deadly Nashville shooting as justifiable homicide after a man shot and killed a burglar in his home. more
- North Carolina Self-Defense: I aimed at the legs because I didn't wanna kill him: Chili's shooter claims self-defense
FOREST CITY, N. C. (WLOS) — A man involved in a Forest City shooting is telling News 13 his side of the story. more
- Texas Self-Defense: Clerk fatally shoots gunman who tried to pass fake $20 bill and then shot at him: HPD
"We’re thinking that the bullet that the robber or suspect fired was only a few inches away from him," police said. more
- California Self-Defense: Man fatally shot in apparent case of self-defense in Moreno Valley
In an apparent case of self-defense, a man was fatally shot during a family disturbance in Moreno Valley on Sunday morning, officials said. more
- Missouri Self-Defense: Police identify man described as armed intruder killed at Springfield home
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Police identified a man, described as an armed intruder, shot and killed at a home in north Springfield late Friday night. more
- Tennessee Self-Defense: Armed citizen shoots would-be robber in Opry Mills parking lot
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — An armed citizen shot a man who attempted to rob him in the Opry Mills parking lot Wednesday night. more
