Archive for the ‘Second Amendment’ Category

‘This is what the Second Amendment is for’: Philadelphia City Commissioner discusses disturbing threats – Yahoo News

Philadelphia City Commissioner Al Schmidt, who is in charge of election oversight in the city, appeared on 60 Minutes Sunday night where he addressed President Trumps attacks on the integrity of the voting in Pennsylvania. Trump made repeated attempts to limit the amount of votes that could be counted in the state, and when those attempts failed and the mail-in ballots handed President-elect Joe Biden victory in the state, Trump began making accusations of widespread fraud. Though Trump and his lawyers have failed to present any actual evidence of widespread fraud, conspiracies have gained traction among his supporters, who joined the president in his calls to stop counting the votes.

From the inside looking out, it feels all very deranged. At the end of the day, we are counting eligible votes cast by voters. The controversy surrounding it is something I dont understand, Schmidt said. Its people making accusations that we wouldnt count those votes, or people are adding fraudulent votes, or coming up with all sorts of crazy stuff.

Schmidt said that the accusations of wrongdoing targeting him and others taking part in counting the votes in Pennsylvania has turned into real-life danger. Two armed Virginia men were arrested outside a vote-counting facility in Philadelphia last week, and Schmidt says there have been threats.

Calls to our offices reminding us that this is what the Second Amendment is for, people like us, Schmidt said. Youre getting calls like that? Bill Whitaker asked, adding, Thats a not-so-vailed death threat. Yes, Schmidt replied, for counting votes in a democracy.

Although the president and his allies cried foul, Schmidt says that the election was handled with integrity. And though Schmidt is a Republican, and mail-in ballots skewed heavily along partisan lines in favor of Biden, Schmidt doesnt believe the counting of votes should be a partisan issue.

Counting votes cast on or before Election Day by eligible voters is not corruption, it is not cheating, it is democracy, Schmidt said. There really should not be a disagreement, regardless of party affiliation, when were talking about counting votes cast on or before Election Day by eligible voters, its not a very controversial thing, or at least it shouldnt be.

60 Minutes airs Sundays at 7:30 p.m. on CBS.

Watch Stephen Colbert fight back tears and make an emotional plea to Republicans following Trumps press conference:

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'This is what the Second Amendment is for': Philadelphia City Commissioner discusses disturbing threats - Yahoo News

BASHEAR: Protect Our Gun-Using Traditions – AllOTSEGO

LETTER from CHRISTIAN BASHEAR

To the Editor:

To express my support of the Second Amendment, I joined the 2AS group here in Otsego County when it was first organized. For far too long, the New York State government has passed more and more insane gun controls without seeming to care at all that they may be unconstitutional infringements to myright to keep and bear arms.

I also am sick of the insulting name-calling pro-gun control people use to label us.

There is nothing unreasonable to champion the Second Amendment as written and nor is it unreasonable to call into question certain gun control laws.

I have grown up in a household that enjoyed hunting and target shooting. The same with many ofmy friends and neighbors. We are not gun nuts and I dont know of anyone who is.

In fact, I cant see any of my friends or family even wanting to be around people who dont respect their firearms. But that doesnt mean its OK for the government to place one obscure restriction after another.

I want to see a future where my kids can enjoy hunting and target shooting as I did growing up. It has been a tradition that I fear might be stripped away.

There is talk every week on passing more infringing gun control laws throughout New York. We cannot stand for this anymore. Im tired of it and its time for freedom to fight back.

Having the freedom of self-defense is not only our right, it is our duty.

CHRISTIAN BRASHERRichfield Spring

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BASHEAR: Protect Our Gun-Using Traditions - AllOTSEGO

Guest Column: Republican Party wins on Election Day, and future is bright – The Augusta Chronicle

It was the fall of 2016 and Hillary Clinton was clearly going to win the presidency and the Democrats were going to take over the U.S. Senate and House. The polls said Hillary was even or ahead in very red South Carolina. The blue wave was huge!

We all know the end of that story. Clinton lost and Republicans won the House and Senate.

Fast forward to 2020.

Trump is losing Wisconsin by a 17-point spread in polls according to MSNBC, Lindsey Graham is behind in his Senate race and the debate is about how big the Democrat takeover will be in the Senate and how much will they increase their control in the House. The blue wave was huge!

Not only did the blue wave fizzle in 2016, but it pretty much did not show up at all in 2020 either.

Instead of a blue wave, we saw Republicans not only make gains in the House, but they will likely hold the Senate. Nationally, Republicans also increased or maintained control in state houses and governorships across the nation. This is particularly important for the vital redistricting battles to occur after next years census. Republicans also garnered record amounts of Hispanic and African American votes.

Why did all this happen?

Likely because the Democratic Party sounded in part much like the snake oil salesman of old on so many levels: socialism is good; Joe Bidens son knows tons about energy production in the Ukraine; and if we could only defund the police we would finally have peace.

After weeks of the Democrats who run Pennsylvania ignoring state requirements on balloting, President Trump is having to go to court to ask them to follow their own law. Any president whose tenure was struck by the greatest pandemic in over 100 years should have lost this election in a landslide.

Instead, Democrats are relying on the always-suspect absentee balloting process to inch ahead in Georgia and other close states. If elections were like coastal cities, absentee balloting would be the shady part of town down near the docks you do not want to wander into because the chance of being shanghaied is significant. Expect the Georgia Legislature to address that in our next session in January.

Like a sports team that is solid in the fundamentals, the Republican Party is on the right side of issues about which our nation cares.

We believe there is a God whom you have the right to worship without the government telling you when and how you can do so; Republicans believe the Second Amendment right is vital to protection of our citizens; and we believe that if government stays out of the way, small businesses can flourish and jobs for our citizens will be plentiful. These are basic tenets of the Republican Party that distinguish them from the ever-left-leaning portions of the Democrat party who espouse socialism, defunding the police and a soft-on-crime approach to the huge and growing problem with gangs.

As the nation starts to see the far left aspire to have Bernie Sanders serve as a Cabinet member and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez be the speaker of the House, Georgia has an opportunity to make sure one party has no chance at the national level to control the presidency, the House and the Senate. We can elect Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue in the Jan. 5 runoff. They represent Georgia, unlike their opponents who call our police "thugs" and promote taxes and regulations that will cause thousands of Georgians to lose their jobs.

The future is bright for the Republican Party. Vote Loeffler and Perdue on Jan. 5 to keep America from the Socialist/Marxist philosophy of their opponents.

The writer represents District 121, Columbia and McDuffie counties, in the Georgia House of Representatives, where he is chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

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Guest Column: Republican Party wins on Election Day, and future is bright - The Augusta Chronicle

Record Amount of Gun Control Legislation Introduced on First Day of Bill Pre-Filing for 2021 Texas Legislative Session – NRA ILA

Although the 2021 session of the Texas Legislature convenes on January 12, gun control advocates financed byNew York billionaire MichaelBloomberg and Beto "Hell Yeah, I'll Take Your Guns" O'Rourke wasted no time in announcing their declaration of war on your Second Amendment rights in the Lone Star State. Monday was the first day for the pre-filing of bills, and more than three dozen measures attacking your rights have already been introduced!

Here are some of the highlights of what's to come:

That's after ONE day of pre-filing. Gun owners need to send a resounding message to their state lawmakers in opposition to these gun control bills RIGHT AWAY.Please contact your State Representative and urge them to OPPOSE any and all gun control measures and feel free to list these specifically.

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Record Amount of Gun Control Legislation Introduced on First Day of Bill Pre-Filing for 2021 Texas Legislative Session - NRA ILA

Virtual shooting range opens in Five Points and aims to increase gun safety – The Denver Channel

DENVER A shooting range in the historic Five Points neighborhood aims to help educate communities of color about gun safety at an affordable price and in a virtual environment to help pierce through intimidation.

In a red brick building off Washington Street and 24th Avenue, the cars zipping by make more noise than the Second Amendment rights being practiced inside.

The 1770 Armory and Gun Club owners take pride both in their military background and as Black business owners in a market where minorities make up a small margin.

Wanda James and Shawn McWilliams own the shooting range. James served four years in the Navy and McWilliams served eight years in the Marines.

"Given where we are in America and where we are today, it is vitally important that we are able to protect your family and the people that you love," James said.

She says a lot of people in the Black community, "don't feel safe."

Unlike your traditional shooting ranges, this one feels a bit like a video game with real guns.

We wanted to create a virtual range that allowed them (clients) the opportunity to bring their weapon in, fire their weapon efficiently, get comfortable with that weapon, co-owner Shawn McWilliams said.

Customers can bring their personal gun or one will be provided. The gun is loaded with a shell casing equipped with a laser which looks like a bullet. When the trigger is pulled, a pin hits the casing and a laser shoots out. A target on the wall marks the X and a computer program records how close the laser shot landed to the target and awards points.

McWilliams says most people dont know the basics of holding a gun properly.

There is a lot of people that go out and buy firearms who never get an education, so Im against that, McWilliams said.

The virtual shooting range opened its doors in October. The owners hope the virtual environment will appeal to women, particularly those in minority communities who may fear guns or have a negative perspective about them.

The two owners served their country and now theyre working to serve their community to increase education and help prevent a potential tragedy.

The price of ammunition skyrocketed at the beginning of the pandemic and McWilliams says their range is an affordable alternative to get practice.

Just having a gun in your house can actually be a detriment to you and your family if you are not trained on it and you are not comfortable, James said.

If you dont know how to use that firearm, you can take someones life and you can change your life forever, McWilliams said.

Once a month, the owners will hosts Second Amendment Tuesday and invite guest speakers to discuss gun laws.

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Virtual shooting range opens in Five Points and aims to increase gun safety - The Denver Channel