About once a month, Dave Kopel produces a free e-mail Newsletter containing short summaries and links to important new research and writing involving the Second Amendment and firearms policy. The newsletter also reports on Kopel's latest writing.
The content of this newsletter is produced by the Second Amendment Project at the Independence Institute, a think tank in Golden, Colorado. The newsletter is electronically distributed by the Second Amendment Foundation in Bellevue, Washington. Thus, the Second Amendment Foundation will be given your e-mail address.
Archive of past issues.
Dave
Kopel's
Second Amendment Project is based at the Independence Institute, a
free-market think tank in Golden, Colorado.
http://www.independenceinstitute.org
1. New Kopel short articles: Fifty Caliber guns. Ashcroft and background check records. Imagining a world without guns. Gun rights in Italy. Review of new Kleck/Kates book.
2. New Kopel long articles: Smart Guns/Foolish Legislators.
Gun Shows Issue Paper.
3. Killer at Appalachian Law School was stopped by a student retrieving a handgun from his car.
4. Links galore: Columnists. Race/Civil Rights. Education. History. Politics. International. Law. War on Terrorism.
a. Book review of "Armed: New Perspectives on Gun Control,"
by Gary Kleck and Don Kates. National Review Online.
b. "Guns and (Character) Assassination."
Phony charges about fifty caliber guns.
National Review Online. With Timothy Wheeler.
http://www.nationalreview.com/kopel/kopel122101.shtml
c. "Terrorism and Guns." Ashcroft's "coddling" of gun owners. Privacy of records of law-abiding gunowners. National Review Online. With Glenn Harlan Reynolds.
http://www.nationalreview.com/kopel/kopel121701.shtml
d. "A World Without Guns." Be forewarned: It's not a pretty picture.
National Review Online. Dec. 5, 2001. With Paul Gallant and Joanne
Eisen.
http://www.nationalreview.com/kopel/kopel120501.shtml
e. "Gianni, Get Your Gun." The surprising emergence of gun rights in
Italy. Chronicles. Dec. 2001. With Carlo Stagnaro.
http://www.davekopel.com/2A/Mags/Italy.htm
f. Back in the news: Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe
takes dictatorial powers. For some details on how
Mugabe disarmed his victims before becoming a dictator, see: "Ripe
for
Genocide." Zimbabwe. National Review Online. Feb. 13, 2001. With
Paul
Gallant & Joanne Eisen.
http://www.nationalreview.com/kopel/kopel021301.shtml
a. Coming soon: Major new Issue Paper on gun shows, co-authored with Alan Korwin. Check www.davekopel.org for a release.
b. "Smart Guns/Foolish Legislators: Finding the Right Public Safety Laws, and Avoiding the Wrong Ones." 34 Connecticut Law Review 157 (2001). With Cynthia Leonardatos and Paul H. Blackman. Major law review article on the dangers of smart gun mandates. Also discusses the dangers of gun storage mandates. Not yet available on the web (any volunteers to help me format it?), but available in your nearest academic law library. Dues-paying members of the Independence Institute can get a free hard copy; just e-mail the request, along with your postal address, to ron@i2i.org
"Students ended the rampage by confronting and then tackling the gunman, officials said. "'We saw the shooter, stopped at my vehicle and got out my handgun and started to approach Peter,' Tracy Bridges, who helped subdue the shooter with other students, said Thursday on NBC's 'Today' show. 'At that time, Peter threw up his hands and threw his weapon down. Ted was the first person to have contact with Peter, and Peter hit him one time in the face, so there was a little bit of a struggle there.'"
Source: "Va. gunman tells judge he is sick",
MSNBC.com, Jan. 17, 2002
http://www.msnbc.com/news/688939.asp?0si=
a. Columnists and Commentary
Gun-control advocates should change their tune
By Matt Rosenberg
Seattle Times
Jan. 16, 2002
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/PrintStory.pl?document_id=134391527&zsection_id=268448410&slug
=matt16&date=20020116
Gun Shy
The American Prospect
Wendy Kaminer
http://www.prospect.org/print/V13/2/kaminer-w.html
Pistol-packing sisters
By Gary Aldrich
WorldNet Daily
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=25764
Arm the Chicks
Regulation (Cato Inst.)
Fall 2001
http://www.cato.org/pubs/regulation/regv24n3/finalword.pdf
The Op-Ed's Hidden Agenda
By Glenn Harlan Reynolds
Fox News, January 03, 2002
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,42050,00.html
Less Guns, More Gun Crime
John Derbyshire
National Review Online
Jan. 17, 2001
http://www.nationalreview.com/
derbyshire/derbyshire011702.shtml
Pseudo-Republicans: Leave Gun Rights Alone
By Tanya Metaksa
FrontPageMag.com
Dec. 5, 2001
http://frontpagemag.com/columnists
/metaksa/2001/metaksa12-06-01.htm
The Orwellian Evil of "Reasonable" Gun Laws
By Richard Poe
FrontPageMagazine.com
December 14, 2001
http://www.frontpagemag.com/
poesnotepad/2001/pn12-14-01.htm
Gun Ownership - Are We Fit to Be Free?
Phil Brennan
Newsmax.com
Dec. 19, 2001
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/
articles/2001/12/19/15257.shtml
Second Amendment Rights Not a Matter of Race
by Jimmie Lee Hollis
The National Leadership Network of Conservative African-Americans
http://www.nationalcenter.org/P21NVHollisGuns102.html
'Negroes With Guns'
Dr. Michael S. Brown
NewsMax.com
Dec. 28, 2001
http://www.newsmax.com/commentarchive.shtml?a=2001/12/28/143934
Gun Laws Breed Corruption
Dr. Michael S. Brown
Newsmax.com
Jan. 10, 2002
http://www.newsmax.com/commentarchive.shtml?a=2002/1/10/132629
"Zero-tolerance" policies aim to reduce school violence
But critics doubt rules' efficacy
Mackinac Center
Dec. 13, 2001
http://www.mackinac.org/article.asp?ID=3893
The White Room: A Gun Education Program for America's Schools By
Ted
Nugent Texas Education Review Winter 2001-2002
http://www.educationreview.homestead.com/GunEducation.html
Where to find a shooting range in your community, and other info about ranges: www.wheretoshoot.org www.rangeinfo.org
=================
4.d. History
Gun Owners of America has been producing a series
of investigative op-eds about all facets of the Bellesiles hoax. The
series now has 26 articles. Lots of details on a wide variety of
issues.
http://www.gunowners.org/optb.htm
Stranger in a Strange Land: The Scandal of Arming America.
A prizewinning work of history doesn't stand up to examination. by
John
Wilson Christianity Today Online
http://www.christianitytoday.com/bc/2002/001/17.4.html
Book's validity questioned
By Karen Samples
The Cincinnati Enquirer
January 12, 2002
http://enquirer.com/editions/2002/
Tanya Metaksa
Arming America: Fiction, not History
FrontPageMag.com
Jan. 8, 2002
http://www.frontpagemag.com/columnists
/metaksa/2002/metaksa01-08-02.htm
Fox News
Video report on the Bellesiles scandal
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,42611,00.html
"Armed America": Clayton Cramer's book-length expose of "Arming America." http://www.claytoncramer.com/ArmingAmericaLong.pdf
Nostalgia: The very first printed magazine to expose "Arming
America."
"Disarming Errors." Book review of Michael Bellesiles' "Arming
America."
National Review, print edition. By Dave Kopel & Clayton Cramer Oct.
9,2001
http://www.davekopel.org/2A/Mags/DisarmingErrors.htm
=================
4.e. Politics
The American Medical Association:
Leftist Politics and Bureaucratic Incompetence Fuel
Dramatic Membership Decline
Capital Research Center
November 2001
http://www.capitalresearch.org/trends/ot-1101.html
Liddy Dole Wins Support in Carolina
Newsmax.com
Jan. 15, 2002
http://www.newsmax.com/showinside.shtml?a=2002/1/15/200258
Rosie O'Donnell stumps for Janet Reno at Florida fund-raiser The
Associated Press Dec. 30, 2001
http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20011230_1169.html
Gun permit holders want fewer restrictions
By Durenk Cheek
The Tennessean
http://www.tennessean.com/local/
Who is the NRA?
By: Tanya Metaksa
FrontPageMagazine.com
January 14, 2002
http://www.frontpagemag.com/columnists
/metaksa/2002/metaksa01-08-02.htm
=================
4.f. International
Mobile Phone Shootings Shock Britain
By Ed Johnson
Associated Press Writer
January 9, 2002
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17413-2002Jan9.html
Tory split over defence of home
By Sarah Womack
The Telegraph
Jan. 7, 2002
http://www.portal.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/01/07
/ntory07.xml&sSheet=/news/2002/01/07/ixhome.html
=================
4. g. Law
Federal Courts:
Third Circuit Court of Appeals affirms trial court's
dismissal of abusive anti-gun lawsuit. Court notes that
all gun sales take place according to strict regulation
created by the government, and that retail gun sales
all receive government authorization before the sale.
http://laws.findlaw.com/3rd/011118.html
State Courts:
Florida
The Lakeland Ledger
Thursday, December 6, 2001
Dad Charged With Unsafe Storage of Gun
By WILL VASH
http://www.theledger.com/local/local/06shoo.htm
The man's 10-year-old son found a gun in the family home and
accidentally shot a friend.
Illinois
Too many guns?
by Jacob Sullum
Jan. 4, 2002
Commentary on Illinois intermediate Court of Appeals
Case, which allowed part of a lawsuit against gun manufacturers to
go
forward, based on "public nuisance" theory that manufacturers
deliberately oversupply legal markets, so that criminals can buy
guns
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/
New Jersey
State trial court allows part of abusive anti-gun lawsuit
to move forward.
Gun Makers Must Face Municipality's Claims for Cost of Violence
State
court judge allows suit to proceed Mary P. Gallagher
New Jersey Law
Journal December 18, 2001
http://www.law.com/cgi-bin/gx.cgi/AppLogic+FTContentServer?pagename=law/View&c=Article&cid=ZZZ7B98WCVC&live=
true&cst=1&pc=0&pa=0&s=News&
ExpIgnore=true&showsummary=0
Ohio.
Ohio trial court rules ban on concealed carry to violate Ohio
constitution. Lawsuit was brought by the Second Amendment
Foundation.
Ruling is on hold, pending appeal by the government. Would apply
Only in
Hamilton County (Cincinnati).
http://www.saf.org/pub/rkba/press-releases/OhioLawUnconstitutional.htm
http://www.saf.org/pub/rkba/Legal/OhioCourtDocuments.htm
Washington.
Washington state statute provides reimbursement for legal expenses
for
defendants who are acquitted on grounds of self-defense. This law
apparently dates back to
1977:
RCW 9A.16.110
Defending against violent crime -- Reimbursement.
(1) No person in the state shall be placed in legal jeopardy of any
kind
whatsoever f or protecting by any reasonable means necessary,
himself or herself, his or her family, or his or her real or
personal property, or
for coming to the aid of another who is in imminent danger of or the
victim of assault, robbery, kidnapping, arson, burglary, rape,
murder,
or any other violent crime as defined in RCW 9.94A.030.
(2) When a person charged with a crime listed in subsection (1) of
this
section is found not guilty by reason of self-defense, the state of
Washington shall reimburse the defendant for all reasonable costs,
including loss of time, legal fees incurred, and other expenses
involved
in his or her defense. This reimbursement is not an independent
cause of
action. To award these reasonable costs the trier of fact must find
that
the defendant's claim of self-defense was sustained by a
preponderance
of the evidence. If the trier of fact makes a determination of
self-defense, the judge shall determine the amount of the award.
(3) Notwithstanding a finding that a defendant's actions were
justified
by self-defense, if the trier of fact also determines that the
defendant
was engaged in criminal conduct substantially related to the events
giving rise to the charges filed against the defendant the judge may
deny or reduce the amount of the award. In determining the amount of
the
award, the judge shall also consider the seriousness of the initial
criminal conduct.
Nothing in this section precludes the legislature from using
the
sundry claims process to grant an award where none was granted under
this section or to grant a higher award than one granted under this
section.
(4) Whenever the issue of self-defense under this section is
decided by
a judge, the judge shall consider the same questions as must be
answered
in the special verdict under subsection (4) [(5)] of this section.
(5) Whenever the issue of self-defense under this section has been
submitted to a jury, and the jury has found the defendant not
guilty,
the court shall instruct the jury to return a special verdict in
substantially the following form:
Top of Form
answer yes or no
1. Was the finding of not guilty based upon self-defense?
2. If your answer to question 1 is no, do not answer the remaining
question.
3. If your answer to question 1 is yes, was the defendant: a. Protecting himself or herself? b. Protecting his or her family?. c. Protecting his or her property? d. Coming to the aid of another who was in imminent danger of a heinous crime? e. Coming to the aid of another who was the victim of a heinous crime? f. Engaged in criminal conduct substantially related to the events giving rise to the crime with which the defendant is charged? Bottom of Form
=================
4. h. War on terrorism
The Federal Aviation Administration is soliciting public Comment on armed pilots. Comments must arrive before February 14, 2002: Docket No. FAA-2001-111229 Public Docket Office Department of Transportation 400 Seventh Street SW., Room PL-401 Washington, D.C. 20590-0001
Security blanket
Tracy W. Price
Washington Times
Jan. 17, 2002
http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20020117-332799.htm
Airline pilot argues for armed pilots.
Quest for airplane-friendly bullets
Creating loads safe for use on jets is tricky, but demand exists
By
Paulo Prada The Wall Street Journal Dec. 27, 2001
http://stacks.msnbc.com/news/678288.asp
Privacy in sheep's clothing
By Brock N. Meeks
MSNBC
Dec. 19, 2002
http://www.msnbc.com/news/675392.asp
Media Equates Gun Owners with Terrorists
By Tanya Metaksa
FrontPageMagazine.com
December 18, 2001
http://www.frontpagemag.com/columnists
/metaksa/2001/metaksa12-18-01.htm
Investment Arms, Inc.,
of Fort Collins, Colorado, is selling a special edition rifle to
benefit
the families of police officers and firefighters killed on September
11.
http://www.iainc2000.com/editions/911_special/
=================
Al Qaeda delenda est!
