Gun Nut Roundup Sept. 2010

Obama Blocks Sale of "Assault Garands"

Fearing that the weapons could fall into the hands of "terrorists, gangs or other people with bad intentions" the Obama Administration has blocked the planned importation of surplus M1 rifles and M1 carbines from South Korea.  "The transfer of such a large number of weapons -- 87,310 M1 Garands and 770,160 M1 Carbines -- could potentially be exploited by individuals seeking firearms for illicit purposes," a State Department spokesman told FoxNews.com.

Speaking on the side of reason was David Kopel of the conservative Independence Institute, who noted, "Any guns that retail in the United States, of course, including these, can only be sold to someone who passes the National Instant Check System.  There is no greater risk from these particular guns than there is from any other guns sold in the United States."

"We are working closely with our Korean allies and the U.S. Army in exploring alternative options to dispose of these firearms," concluded the State Department wussy.  Grrrrrrr!

Blarney Castle Doctrine

While the individual right to keep and bear arms seems to be holding its own here in America, it has all but been extinguished in most parts of the world.  So it's refreshing to hear a little good news from the Emerald Isle on the subject.  According to IrishCentral.com, "Irish homeowners can now legally use guns to defend themselves if their homes are attacked under new legislation." 

Apparently the potato hustlers have learned from the experiences of their stiff-assed Brit neighbors as well as their well-hung American cousins.  In jolly olde England there is no recognized right to self-defense and guns are banned.  Consequently, "hot burglaries" (where intruders enter the home while the homeowner is present, often assaulting them in the process) are commonplace in the U.K. and their violent crime rates are now higher than America's.  Meanwhile, in America, even in the most liberal jurisdictions there is some right to self-defense, especially in ones own home (the legal concept often referred to as "castle doctrine").  In America, hot burglaries are almost unheard of because burglars fear a buckshot lobotomy.

In another refreshing twist, Irish police officials are supportive of the new self-defense law.  I'd say this good news calls for a drink, but I'm sure the paddies are way ahead of me.

NRA Endorses Culver

In a move surprising to several, the National Rifle Association (NRA) endorsed Democrat incumbent Iowa governor Terry Culver over Republican challenger former governor Chet Branstad.  When asked why they endorsed Culver, NRA spokesman Peter Hornblower said, "Is that the fat one or the one with the big, cheesy, gym mop moustache?  Never mind.  Whichever one we endorsed has been a real stand up guy for whatever it is that we here at the NRA stand for."  Political observers speculate that the endorsement was because Culver signed an NRA-backed "shall-issue" bill for Iowa earlier in the year.  [See Gun Nut Roundup April 2010.]

Meanwhile, Iowa Gun Owners, the state's homegrown organization for gun nuts, endorsed the furry-lipped challenger Chet Branstad.  Branstad had a "100 percent pro-gun response" to the group's candidate survey while Culver did not even return the survey.  This may not have been a deliberate political snub by the Culver camp however.  Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Culver campaign staffer said that the governor mistook the survey for a wonton wrapper and devoured it.