Hey….I need all the help I can get! 

Two would-be robbers forgot to ask their victim a key question:

Do you have a gun and know how to use it?

The 21-year-old Bartlett man’s answer might have prevented the two 16-year-olds from being shot.

Instead, an exchange of gunfire between the Bartlett man and the robbers Wednesday night left one teenager dead and the other wounded.

Alyssa Moore, a spokeswoman for Memphis police, said authorities have not released the names of the robber who was killed or the other teenager, who was in noncritical condition.

I just love a happy ending! 

H/T: “Doc”

H/T: Jack

In its second major ruling on gun rights in three years, the Supreme Court Monday extended the federally protected right to keep and bear arms to all 50 states. The decision will be hailed by gun rights advocates and comes over the opposition of gun control groups, the city of Chicago and four justices.

Justice Samuel Alito wrote for the five justice majority saying “the right to keep and bear arms must be regarded as a substantive guarantee, not a prohibition that could be ignored so long as the States legislated in an evenhanded manner.”

The ruling builds upon the Court’s 2008 decision in D.C. v. Heller that invalidated the handgun ban in the nation’s capital. More importantly, that decision held that the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms was a right the Founders specifically delegated to individuals. The justices affirmed that decision and extended its reach to the 50 states. Today’s ruling also invalidates Chicago’s handgun ban.

In other words, they upheld the U.S. Constitution….like they are SUPPOSE to do!  And I can hear the anti-Constitutional libtards heads exploding all over the country!

Is that purdy or WHUT!  Yeah, and it’s got a mite purdy price tag, too!  Yep….that sucker is going to live in my dreams, cuz it sure won’t be making an appearance in my collection!  Well, unless I win the lottery or some such other fantasy. 

Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen (D) has vetoed NRA-backed legislation that would have given gun owners in the state a chance to defend themselves in restaurants.

Chris W. Cox, NRA chief lobbyist said, “Governor Bredesen has chosen to side against the self-defense rights of law-abiding Tennesseans. While campaigning for governor, he committed in writing to sign restaurant carry into law. He either has an unbelievably short memory, lied or both.”

He’s a Democrat. Lying and short memories are part of the package.

On May 5, the Tennessee State House moved to adopt Senate Bill 3012 in place of House Bill 3125, by a vote of 66 to 31. Sponsored by State Senator Doug Jackson (D-25) and State Representative Curry Todd (R-95), this bill would have allowed a person who has a valid right-to-carry permit to carry a firearm for self-defense in restaurants where alcohol may be served, as long as the permit holder is not consuming alcohol or is not otherwise prohibited by posting provisions. Alcohol consumption would have been prohibited and a violation would have resulted in the loss of a permit for three years and possible jail time.

I think that pretty much sums it up. The law specifies what is, and is not, permitted. “Gun Free Zones” are pretty much an invitation for crime. Criminals don’t give a flip if there is a law banning guns, why not allow law abiding citizens the right to protect themselves, and fellow diners? It’s not that complicated, but evidently Bredesen decided to thwart the will of the people, kind of like D’Bama does. Hmmm…. Wonder if he’s gearing up for some appointment or other after he leaves office?

“Restaurants aren’t immune from criminal activity. We’ve seen horror stories time and again of honest people who might have avoided becoming crime victims, if only the law would have let them have the means to protect themselves,” concluded Cox. “This issue is not over. We will pass this law. We ask that every Tennessean who believes in self-defense contact their state legislators and tell them they support this reasonable expansion of self-defense rights.”

Some folks might have forgotten about Luby’s, but I sure haven’t!

Tennessee Constitution – Article I, Section 26

That the citizens of this State have a right to keep and to bear arms for their common defense; but the Legislature shall have power, by law, to regulate the wearing of arms with a view to prevent crime.

The CITIZENS have the right! The Legislature passed the law. The Democrat governor vetoed.  He must hate the people of Tennessee enough he’d rather see dead bodies from a massacre rather than allow the citizens the ability to stop it.

And now, for the porn!

When we bought our tickets, it offered a variety of ‘levels’, including the purchase of an entire TABLE!  Now, if they offer tables, doesn’t that mean there is food involved, as there were for EVERY previous NRA convention?  You’d think so, wouldn’t you.  Well, someone, in all their brilliance, found out that Charlotte didn’t have the facilities, nor a catering capabilities to handle such a large crowd.  So, we paid a ridiculous amount of money to sit in the bleachers?  To add insult to injury, not only were they not providing the expected rubber chicken dinner, but if you did want food, you had to PAY for it!  Excuse me?  I don’t freakin’ think so!

When the powers that be at the NRA realized the problem, why didn’t they cut off the sale of the banquet tickets?  Most would have enough sense to include the phrase, “Seating is limited.  Order your tickets early!” or something to that effect.  We DID order ours early!

After much discussion, we decided neither of us wanted to sit in this place, again, and starve.  So, we blew it off, came back to the motel, changed clothes, and found a terrific Greek restaurant.  On our way back to the train, we ran into a couple of “official” NRA types.  The Mr didn’t hold back.  He shared his opinion with those two gentlemen, quite graphically.

We want a refund!  At least half would do!  Trust me, they’ll be getting an earful, in the not too distant future.  We don’t mind giving the NRA money now and then, to support the cause, but this was inefficiency at its ‘finest’!

There is an upside.  At least I hope so, unless someone messed that up too?!  Ted Nugent is doing his seminar tomorrow!

After an extremely long, and foot, knee, back painful day, we are back at the motel.  Well, maybe it wasn’t that bad.  Hmmm…  Oh, yes it was.  Heh.

The Celebration of American Values Leadership Forum was suppose to start at 12:30. Well, the way things runs when you have that many people speaking, it didn’t start on time. Nice live music, playing Big Band, kept us entertained, for a while.  There was quite a crowd in that stadium!

I took lots of video, but if the first couple are any indication, they turned out like crap! The best speakers? Nope…wasn’t Sarah Palin.

Actually, I found her rather boring.  Honestly, I don’t think we are the only ones who thought she didn’t live up to the hype, although, there were a few folks who said something silly like, “She really revved the crowd up, didn’t she!”  Well, no, she didn’t.  I guess that’s what they think they are expected to say?  I’m always more fond of the truth.

The very best? John Bolton, Ken Blackwell and Mike Pence.

Unfortunately, the pictures of Blackwell and Bolton didn’t come out. Taped all of their speeches, but like I said…waste. Can’t hear diddly. If I ever come across videos of them, I’ll be sure to post ‘em. Oh, and the guy from Midway USA was pretty good too.

By the time they got to Chuck Norris, we were pretty cotton pickin’ tired of sitting there so long.  The seats are reasonably comfortable, but after a while…..

While, he’s not a great public speaker, his message, as were all the speakers, was clear!  America, as it was founded, was never meant to be what we see today, and we must fight, a bloodless battle, to turn it back into the original intent….a nation founded on the U.S. Constitution.  I just pray it will be bloodless.

First things first. Welcome to Charlotte, NRA conventioneers. We hope you have a fun visit to the Queen City, and we sincerely hope all 70,000 of you have only happy experiences and nothing upsets you. Especially if you are packing heat. We know not all of you are, but it does give a body pause.

Gosh, what a lukewarm welcome!

While we don’t want to sound churlish in our welcome, we must note that this editorial board and the NRA tend to differ on many gun-related issues. For instance, we don’t believe the Second Amendment grants unlimited freedom of gun-ownership any more than the First Amendment grants free speech rights so absolute they include the right to wrongly shout “fire” in a crowded theater.

Gee, I wonder if “this editorial board” leans a WEE bit to the left? Perhaps they should actually do some studying on the 2nd Amendment, and the NRA.

For instance, after the failed Times Square bombing, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg asked Congress to support a measure to stop anyone on terrorist watch lists from legally buying guns and explosives. The NRA opposed the ban.

I can well understand why the NRA opposes such a measure. So do I. You see, I might be on that “terrorist watch list”, even though I’m no threat to the people of the U.S.A. At the rate this administration is going, it’s not inconceivable such a thing could happen.

This week, in an incident that shocked many, an 8-year-old Charlotte third-grader took a loaded handgun to school Tuesday and fired it in a room full of students.

Blaming the NRA, any 2nd Amendment supporter groups, or individuals, is absolutely ludicrous. This is exactly the reason there is a need for such organizations. If the 8 year old had been taught gun safety, the proper use of weapons, perhaps this incident wouldn’t have happened. Blame the parents, and the kid. Even 8 year old kids should know the difference between right and wrong. Problem is, editorial boards, such as yours, have blurred those lines.

The National Rifle Association was founded in 1871 by Union Army veterans dismayed by the lack of marksmanship shown by their troops. Its goal was to “promote and encourage rifle shooting on a scientific basis.” But by 1975 things had changed. The political lobbying arm, founded that year, now has a staff of 80. Because of its robust lobbying and politicking, the NRA has become synonymous, in many eyes, with extreme right-wing Republicans.

Another ridiculous statement, propagated by such leftist ‘editorial boards’. I know Democrats, who could in no way be mistaken for “extreme right-wing Republicans”, who are strong advocates for the 2nd Amendment, which protects the right of self defense, granted by GOD! If that self defense includes a need to defend ourselves from a tyrannical government…..

The conference schedule does not belie that impression: Speakers include Sarah Palin, Fox entertainer Glenn Beck and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Anyone who could equate Sarah Palin, who supports RINOS in the upcoming elections, with “right wing” really has investigative issues. And I wouldn’t exactly call Newt on the right either. Beck? Try watching his show once in a while, you might get an education. Entertaining? Yes, actually he is. But I’ve always found those to be the best ‘teachers’.

We think there’s a need for a group devoted to gun-fanciers, but one which sees that Second Amendment freedoms come with responsibility and that reasonable limits, such as denying guns to insane criminals, are OK. And while the NRA does offer gun-safety programs for kids – and offered some in Gaston County this week – we’d prefer a group that puts far more of its muscle into that admirable effort and less into fighting reasonable laws to make it harder for 8-year-olds to shoot up their classrooms. The NRA’s leadership has cast itself, instead, as a highly partisan lobbying group. And that’s a shame.

What’s a ‘shame’ is a newspaper who would equate me with a terrorist.  Instead of denigrating the NRA, or any other similar group, why not do a little REAL journalism. The majority of LEGAL gun owners are extremely patriotic, believe in the U.S. Constitution, and are extremely law abiding. I’m sorry there are people who live in Charlotte, or anywhere else, for that matter, who are so uneducated, and fearful, that they can’t see the difference between REAL terrorist, and us.

I guess, other than the hotel, we won’t be spending as much money here in Charlotte as we could, since we are rather UNWELCOME!  Way to go Observer!  One of these days, you just might need us to protect your sorry, libtard asses!

The last time the National Rifle Association came to Charlotte, then-NRA president Charlton Heston thrust a musket in the air and shouted what would become a signature slogan: “From my cold, dead hands!”

Now the NRA is back.

The city’s largest-ever convention opens Thursday at the uptown Charlotte Convention Center. Organizers expect up to 70,000 visitors to pump at least $20 million into the local economy. So packed are hotels that even Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps had a hard time finding a room for this weekend’s UltraSwim.

“It’s bigger than anything we’ve had,” said Moira Quinn of Charlotte Center City Partners.

Some 400 firearms manufacturers, collectors and other vendors will occupy 300,000 square feet of exhibit space.

Speakers include former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, broadcaster Glenn Beck and actor Chuck Norris.

Needless to say, blogging will be fairly light the next few days! 

Despite a passionate speech by a Republican asking, “What line will we not cross for the NRA?” the House approved the guns-in-bars bill Wednesday night and sent it to the governor.

The House voted 66-31, a veto-proof majority, to approve the Senate bill that passed last week, after rejecting an amendment to maintain the gun ban in bars but allow guns in restaurants serving alcoholic beverages.

If it becomes law as expected, it allows more than 270,000 Tennesseans with handgun-carry permits, plus millions of others from states whose permits are recognized by Tennessee, to go armed into any business serving alcohol of any kind.

Bill summary.  The majority of gun owners are responsible, rational people.  Yes, there will be a few who are utter morons, as there always are.  Look at how many people get plastered and get behind the wheel of a car!  Drunk driving is against the law, yet so many still do it, thinking they are in total control, even after they kill someone.  No doubt, there will be a few idiots who think, with weapon safely concealed, just one won’t hurt.  Wrong!  Just one is against the law too!

Owners may post signs prohibiting guns. And a permit holder caught drinking while carrying is subject to a misdemeanor charge punishable by up to a year in jail and a three-year suspension of the permit.

Posting a sign would be an invitation to criminal elements, which is rather stupid, IMHO.  “An armed society is a polite society!”  What would be even MORE polite, is if all citizens could carry openly.  Then, there would be no question about who NOT to mess with.    One point…..if you are going to drink alcohol, leave your gun at home.  If you decide to have a cocktail with dinner, consider leaving your weapon in your vehicle, and then, let someone else drive home!

As an aside, I’m curious as to why the Tennessean did not name the ranting Republican mentioned in the very first sentence?

I don’t drink.