Hoot & Shoot, 2007

01 Aug 07

Hoot & Shoot, 2007

On 10-12 Aug 07 (Fri-Sun), my long-time friend and colleague, Evan Marshall, is once again hosting his "Hoot & Shoot" event in Midland, MI. I'll be attending for the first time and also presenting a class.

Like Skip Gochenour's "NTI," in PA and Tom Givins' "Polite Society" in TN, the H&S is designed as a clinic/get-together for instructors of the Art, and students, alike.

Friday evening, there is a mixer and informal meet-and-greet with the instructors and attendees. Each attendee will be assigned to one of three groups for a round-robin Course rotation through the weekend. The first Course starts Saturday morning, and there will be another in the afternoon, an another in the evening. Same on Sunday. Lunch and dinner are catered on site.

Instructors are: Evan Marshall, Jim Higginbotham, Ed Lovette, Vince O'Neil, Gary Gudmundsen, and me.

Cor-Bon and Vyse will be there with ideas, tips, and products to demonstrate. Smith & Wesson will also be on hand with guns to show and try.

Live-fire gelatin tests will be conducted, comparing various brands of ammunition.

To join us there, get hold of Evan at _sales@stoppingpower.net_ (mailto:sales@stoppingpower.net) or 989 832 8888. Web Page is _http://www.marshallsshootingcenter.com/hoot07.asp_ (http://www.marshallsshootingcenter.com/hoot07.asp)

/John

Give them all the lie!

01 Aug 07

In searching through presidential candidates' web pages, both Democrat and Republican, it is nearly impossible to find any clear statement of policiesand agendas with regard to the continued private ownership of guns by American citizens. Even RNC and DNC web pages are nearly devoid of substantive comment on this issue. What little exists is profoundly muddy and buried deep. Both parties, and all candidates, are obviously fearful of this issue and desperately dodge it any time it rears its ugly head.

Rudy Gulinani's Web Page features a short video of comments he madebefore a small, pro-gun group in NH, confirming the right of individual Americans to own and bear guns, as protected by the Second Amendment. At least, he came out and made a semi-clear statement on the subject, unlike other candidateswho can find no place for the topic in their speeches, nor in their web pages. However, the DNC's web page correctly points out that Gulinani, notlong ago, was an outspoken, passionate proponent for national legislation that would have virtually eliminated the private ownership of guns by all Americans, and when Gulinani was mayor of NYC, it was (and still is) nearly impossible for any resident of that city (still Americans, last time I checked!) to even legally acquire, much less bear, any kind of gun. I, along with the DNC, am confused!

Mit Romney, while governor of MA, signed legislation that banned the previously-legal possession of murkily-defined "assault-weapons." Yet, in a recent televised debate he characterized himself as a "supporter" of the Second Amendment. Curiously, on his web page, the subject is completely absent. Even in the "Ask-Mit-Anything" section, you only get to ask "pre-canned" questions, and, once again, neither gun-control in general, nor an explanation for his unprovoked attack upon the very weapons which are probably most protected by the Second Amendment, are on the list!

John McCain makes strong pro-Second Amendment statements under his "Issues" category. The "Issues" category of most other candidates is devoid of the topic. I love what he is currently saying, but, like Gulinani, this is an apparently recent "conversion." In the past, his support for this issue has not matched his current bravado.

All Democrat candidates, Barak, Hillary, John, Joe , even Bill Richardson, are grotesquely mute on the subject! DNC's web page had this to say about the subject in PA, although one really has to dig to find it: "With momentum for gun-control at a high level, this may be the best shot Democrats have at establishing gun-control in the state..." So, "establishing gun-control," whatever that means, is obviously still a DNC goal, albeit currently one of which they are apparently embarrassed!

I fully realize that, during the election season, it will be all but impossible to get a straight answer out of any candidate. On this, and other dicey issues, all will predictably perform a clumsy tap dance and then quickly change the subject, avoiding plain English like the plague! Accordingly, at every opportunity, we need to hold their feet to the fire.

I still believe the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. For one, I am extremely suspicions and skeptical of sudden " election-season-conversions," of which nearly all candidates have been guilty, some more than others. When one finds sticking with one side of an issue to be an impossible burden, it is the sign of an unstable mind!

Walter Raleigh said it best:

"Say to the Court it glows, and shines like rotten wood

Say to the Church it knows what's good, yet does no good

When Church and Court reply, give them both the lie

Tell zeal is wants devotion Tell love it is but lust Tell time it is but motion Tell flesh it is but dust

And beg them not reply just give them all the lie"

/John