Earlier today, Glenn Reynolds linked an Andrew Breitbart video that, well, I just can’t get out of my mind.  I’m not sure I share the new media pioneer’s hypothesis, but others have offered opinions similar to his, namely that the administration crafted the Fast and Furious program in order to create “a narrative that they could use in America to try and thwart our Second Amendment constitutional rights.”

Until Attorney General Eric Holder releases the documents requested by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, we won’t know why the Justice Department went forward with this plan.  We still don’t know why the project’s planners failed to include two components of a similar program, Operation Wide Receiver, namely that that Bush era program (1) “did involve an attempt to track the firearms, while Fast and Furious did not” and (2) that  “Operation Wide Receiver was run in conjunction with the Mexican government, while Fast and Furious was kept secret from not only Mexico, but [also] from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) attaché to Mexico, Darren Gil.” (more…)

On Tuesday, the House Judiciary Committee approved a measure which would give gay Americans a tool to help us defend ourselves against gay bashers:

The legislation, which would allow for conceal-and-carry weapon reciprocity across states lines, cleared the panel on a 19-11 vote.

All but one committee Republican, Rep. Dan Lungren (Calif.), supported the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act, which is sponsored by Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.); Democrats united in opposition to the bill. Lungren and other Republicans have raised concerns about the legislation’s effect on the rights of states.

It’s unfortunate that Democrats, to paraphrase Joe Biden, have no notion what it’s like for a gay man or lesbian to be on the other side of a thug intent on beating him up — with no means to defend himself.  Let’s hope that organizations concerned with the welfare of gay Americans, like the Human Rights Campaign, will denounce House Democrats for their insensitivity to gay bashing.

To be sure, this measure would allow all Americans to better defend themselves.

(Via David Hardy via Glenn Reynolds.)

Back in 2006, a teenager thug “armed with a hatchet and handgun opened fire inside a New Bedford, Mass., gay bar“. Perhaps, the carnage would have been less had patrons been able to arm themselves.

Now, patrons at gay bars in another commonwealth, that of Virginia, can have greater peace of mind when they wind down.  Gun crimes have dropped at Virginia bars and restaurants after the enactment of a “new state law that allows patrons with permits to carry concealed guns into alcohol-serving businesses”:

The number of major crimes involving firearms at bars and restaurants statewide declined 5.2 percent from July 1, 2010, to June 30, 2011, compared with the fiscal year before the law went into effect, according to crime data compiled by Virginia State Police at the newspaper’s request.

And overall, the crimes that occurred during the law’s first year were relatively minor, and few of the incidents appeared to involve gun owners with concealed-carry permits, the analysis found.

Via Instapundit.  Laws which improve the lot of all citizens also help gay citizens.  If all citizens have another tool at their disposal to protect themselves from crime, so too do gay citizens.

Here’s hoping more gay bloggers and gay organizations will take note of the success of Virginia’s law.

in a piece comparing responses to the riots in London and Los Angeles, Joy McCain gets at the essence of liberal support of gun control:

The left is right to fear firearms, since exercise of that particular freedom and experience of that self-sufficiency (however limited it is in scope) can be a “gateway drug” to other forms of independent thought and action.

It’s all about wresting control from individuals and delivering power to the state, an entity which, they believe, will run by those better and brighter than the common man (or woman) and so better able to tell such commonfolk how to run their lives.

Perhaps that is also why gay leaders refuse to embrace policies (e.g., concealed carry) which would give gay individuals another tool to protect ourselves.

Guess it’s part of that equality notion for the gay community rather than that freedom ideal for gay individuals.  To have equality, they contend, you must needs have a stronger state.

Just about a year ago, I blogged that I would “reconsider my opposition” to hate crimes legislation should I see ”convincing evidence that such laws actually reduce violent crime”.  In that post, I pointed out that “we have a whole raft of evidence showing that crime rates go down when states adopt concealed-carry laws.”

Hence my belief that such legislation advances “gay rights” because it offers us an effective tool to protect ourselves from gay-bashers.  If such creeps fear we have a gun, they’ll be less likely to attack.

Just this week, we learn how effective that fear can be — and how it served to protect one of our friends attacked by a teenager in a jurisdiction with “a hate crimes law explicitly address[ing] sexual orientation.”

Riding home from work on his bike a few days ago, GOProud Executive Director Jimmy LaSalvia “was attacked on a secluded street behind Union Station“:

. . . the unidentified youth punched him in the chest about 8:30 p.m. as he rode past the youth and six or seven other male teenagers who were with the person that struck him on 2nd Street, N.E. just north of L Street.

After calling Jimmy a “faggot”,

the attacker and a few of the others with him “puffed up their chests and were clearly ready to continue the attack,” [Jimmy] said. But seconds later, the group fled the scene after he kept his hand inside his backpack, “allowing them to wonder if I was reaching for a gun.”

The District’s hate crimes law didn’t deter Jimmy’s attackers; the fear he had a gun did.

Glad to hear Jimmy’s doing okay.

Thanks to Governor Scott Walker, gay men and lesbians will be able to sleep a little more securely come November in the Badger State thanks to legislation he signed giving our fellows there the resources to better protect themselves against bashers.  That good man, Ed Morissey reports

. . .  signed a bill that made Wisconsin the 49th state to allow law-abiding citizens to carry firearms. Walker had tried to get the bill passed for years while a state legislator, but his Democratic predecessor, Jim Doyle, and Democrats in the legislature had stymied those efforts. This time the bill passed with bipartisan support and allows Wisconsin residents to get permits on a must-issue basis — meaning that the state cannot deny a permit application without justifiable cause, such as a felony record

The law takes effect November 1.  Most states, Morrissey notes have seen “a decrease in crimeafter the enactment of such legislation”.  If anti-gay thugs knows that gay people could be packing, they’ll be less likely to attack.

Legislation which allows all people to defend themselves allows gay people to protect themselves.  The more free we are, the more rights we have.

(Via Instapundit.)

FROM THE COMMENTS:  MikeSilver writes:

No need to limit the bill’s positive benefit to Gays. It benefits minorities, Jews, poor, disabled, seniors, just about everyone except criminals.

Check out this report from GeorgiaCarry.Org which uses FBI Uniform Crime Report data to prove that more people carrying guns reduces crime:

http://www.georgiacarry.com/research/GCO_-_Guns_Good_Bans_Bad.pdf

Good point.  A bill need not be gay-specific to advance gay rights.

Great news from the Badger State.  Gay people now have a new (and most effective) tool to protect themselves from bashers.  The state Assembly approved a concealed carry bill:

The legislation would require those who want to carry concealed firearms to obtain permits. It would allow people to carry concealed weapons in the state Capitol and other public buildings but not places like police stations and courthouses. Weapons also would be prohibited in buildings where posted notices bar them, and in places like Summerfest music festival at Milwaukee’s lakefront.

Bashers will now be on notice that gay people in Wisconsin could be packing and have the means to defend themselves if attacked.  While not entirely satisfied with the legislation, MadisonConservative, who alerted me to the actions of the state Assembly, observes, “the people of Wisconsin have the ability to defend their lives, their families, and their property.”

People here means all people, gays included.  What’s good for all folks in the Badger State is good for gay folks in the Badger State.

Thanks to the Republican Senate in the Badger State, gay people may soon have a tool to protect themselves against assault.  Would-be gay bashers will now tread more carefully knowing that gay people could be packing:

The Wisconsin Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would allow concealed weapons in the state Capitol and other public places, but not in police stations, courthouse and other specifically exempted locations.

The final vote was 25-8, with all 19 Republicans and six Democrats supporting it, and the other eight Democrats opposed.

Wisconsin would become the 49th state to legalize carrying hidden guns. Those who want to carry the weapons would have to obtain a permit.

Before the bill goes to Republican Gov. Scott Walker, who backs the measure, it must also pass the Assembly. That could happen later in the week.

Thank you, Governor Walker, for supporting a means to give law-abiding gay people a means to protect themselves.  Via Instapundit.

Via e-mail, reader Peter Hughes alerted me to a looming victory for gay rights in the most unlikely of places, the Lone Star State.  According to the Houston Chronicle,

Texas is preparing to give college students and professors the right to carry guns on campus, adding momentum to a national campaign to open this part of society to firearms.

More than half the members of the Texas House have signed on as co-authors of a measure directing universities to allow concealed handguns. The Senate passed a similar bill in 2009 and is expected to do so again. Republican Gov. Rick Perry, who sometimes packs a pistol when he jogs, has said he’s in favor of the idea.

This is great news for gay people whom many believe are more vulnerable than straights for harassment based on our sexuality.  If a potential bashers know that gay students might be packing, they’ll be less likely to attack.  And if they do attack, gay people will better be able to defend themselves.

Kudos to Texas legislators for considering providing gay men and lesbians with an important tool to protect against ourselves against those who would do us harm.  Let’s hope gay organizations in Texas and nationwide push the legislature to act speedily on this important gay rights measure.

Last night, for the first time perhaps since I moved to LA, I watched two one-hour dramas back to back.  Indeed, this may well have been the first time I watched an one-hour drama alone since Northern Exposure was cancelled, save when I tuned in to see an acting friend who snagged a part on a show.

I watched The Cape tonight for a similar reason, a friend of mine helped produced the show and Harry’s Law for another reason altogether, one of my favorite actresses, the accomplished Kathy Bates, headlined the program.  It’s great to see someone so talented on screen (big or small), but sad that she hasn’t had much screen time as she deserves.  If this show succeeds, then, on that score at least, justice will be served.

And it was nice to see a TV show set in my home town, Cincinnati, Ohio.

I liked both shows, but admit being a little confused by The Cape. It seemed there were too many threads, but there was a lot of great dialogue and the pleasure of seeing Keith David on screen as the mentor to the young hero possessing the title garment.  Like Kathy Bates, he hasn’t had as much screen time as he deserves.  And whoah, what a voice.  What a voice.  Great casting choice.  He so works as the aging wise man.

And both shows were very well-written with snappy dialogue and well-conceived plots.  

The latter show, however, seemed to be trying a bit too hard to push Democratic talking points with Kathy Bates’s Harry, while engaging the prosecutor in a debate on drug legalization, added an aside on how while conservatives were the first to propose ending the “drug war,” the party has since been hijacked by Rush Limbaugh and his ilk.  As if series creator David Kelley just had to promote the narrative that the GOP has lost its libertarian moorings.  And even though Bates’s Harry later acknowledged her ambivalence on said war, when she took on her courtroom rival, she articulated arguments which warm the heart of many a libertarian.

Had they cut that one line about Limbaugh, I would have no objection to the show.  That debate on the drug war coupled with the trial of another character, Johnny Ray Gill‘s Damien Winslow, who runs a protection racket in a “bad neighborhood” (didn’t the writers do any research on Cincinnati so they would know to call it “Over-the-Rhine”?), helped create a show with a very libertarian theme. (more…)

Today President Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 which includes language making it illegal for a person basically to think the wrong things while committing a crime.

Yes, the Defense Authorization includes the pearl of Leftists, Hate Crimes (sic) language.

Before I get too far into what will necessarily be a mischaracterization of what I want to say here, let me be perfectly clear: I think those who support this legislation more or less have the best intentions in mind. I, too, am disgusted by the crimes against Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. I am glad that those who perpetrated these vilinous acts against Shepard are currently each serving two consecutive life sentences. They will never again see the light of day. Meanwhile, two of the three murderers of Byrd are awaiting their executions while the third is currently serving life in prison.

What must be realized, however, is that the fates of these five men are symbols of how the justice system in America worked without the need for a hate crimes act.

Plain and simple, this is a law that criminalizes what someone is thinking.

All instances of its execution necessarily have contingent upon them the breaking of a law that already exists, and the justice that certainly follows thereafter. All that will happen is that an accused person will be held criminally liable for thinking things.

This law is brought forth with all the best of intentions and I don’t think those who support it realize how insidious and counter to our system of liberty it really is. It’s truly the stuff of Orwell

It is an abomination of liberty, and hopefully the Supreme Court will knock down its clearly unconstitutional basis.

That said, it is incredibly poetic that in July, anti-gun activists celebrated the defeat of a rider to the same bill that would have made it easier for law-abiding citizens to travel among the states with concealed weapons.

Tell you what: If you want to stop hate crimes, here’s a first step: Allow people to defend themselves!

It seems to me that these two riders tell the story of the Left in America today: Trust us. We’ll take care of things for you. Leave your liberties aside and put your faith in the government to take care of you.

It troubles me.

- Nick (ColoradoPatriot, from HQ)

ACTION ALERT FROM GOProud:

Senators John Thune (R-SD) and David Vitter (R-LA) were successful in negotiating an agreement that will allow the Respecting States Rights Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (Amendment # 1618) to be brought up as an amendment to the Defense Authorization bill.  This vote is expected late today or sometime on Tuesday. Last week, the Senate amended the Defense Authorization bill with the Matthew Shepherd Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

Today, the Senate has the opportunity to do something to actually prevent hate crimes before they happen. Amendment # 1618 will empower individuals to lawfully defend themselves from becoming victims of violent crime. Call your Senators today.  Tell them to support this important legislation. Call (202) 224-3121.

GOProud has been a leader in advocating for this amendment.  Other organizations supporting this legislation include the National Rifle Association, Gun Owners of America, Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, Pink Pistols, Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association, and Passenger-Cargo Security Group.

We can’t do this alone – we need your help.  First, call your Senators!  Then, click here to make a secure donation to aid this effort.