It occurs to me that, since April 19th is fraught with so much history with respect to the right to bear arms, and the consequences of losing that right, perhaps the NRA (or better yet, Congress) should declare it National Self Defense Day.

A great idea. But it will require a tremendous amount of EDUCATION to explain why it is imprtant. Last week my son, a State Trooper attended a training session. Also there were some accountants employed by the state. He had some discussions with them. Several of them had never heard of Wild Bill Hickok. When asked what happened in this country between 1861 and 1864 the reply he got was " maybe a world war?" These are recent college graduates!!

A great idea. But it will require a tremendous amount of EDUCATION to explain why it is imprtant. Last week my son, a State Trooper attended a training session. Also there were some accountants employed by the state. He had some discussions with them. Several of them had never heard of Wild Bill Hickok. When asked what happened in this country between 1861 and 1864 the reply he got was " maybe a world war?" These are recent college graduates!!

Remember, if you have pro-gun bumper stickers on your car, you may be profiled as a terrorist:

Members of extremist groups may reveal their affiliations in a number of ways. First, the vehicles they drive often provide clues that can help officers prepare for potential danger before making a stop. Specifically, extremists’ vehicles may sport bumper stickers with antigovernment or pro-gun sentiments;

"Vehicle Stops Involving Extremist Group Members"
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin. December 1999 (2 1/2 megabyte PDF file).
p. 18 (emphasis added)

Am I the only one who thinks that David Koresh as a gun-rights martyr is as idiotic a concept as Mumia Abu-Jamal as a Saint of Liberalism?

Let's not forget that Koresh is a murderer, just like Mumia: a cold-blooded, self-justifying megalomaniacal murderer.

The real heroes of gun rights are the ordinary people, 2.5 million per year, who defend themselves from criminal violence with guns, as well as more prominent citizens like Condoleeza's dad, whose courage and Second Amendment Right to Keep and Bear Arms meant the Klan couldn't bully him and his community.

With honest folks like that on our side, and in particular our deep connection to the Civil Rights era, do we really need Koresh as our celebrity spokesmodel?

Would Condi's dad, in a fit of pique, have soaked his church in gasoline and set it ablaze? Would it have been George Wallace's fault if he had? To answer both questions, "Of course not!"

So why does blame for Koresh fall on ATF and Janet Reno? They were just trying to do their jobs, and in point of fact didn't kill anybody.

David Koresh was a nutcase, but that doesn't excuse the grandstanding behavior of the Reno Justice Department and the ATF.

Concur with Rand. Koresh was a nutjob, but I don't think he was a murderer- or a gun-rights martyr.

It doesn't matter whether Koresh lit the match or not. That he ordered his followers to spread accelerant and ignite it -- if he indeed did not participate personally -- makes him guilty of conspiracy to commit murder, much as a Mafia Don who orders a hit.

Perhaps we shouldn't say he is "guilty" because he didn't survive to receive a trial, but it seems implausible that the place could be rigged to blow without his knowledge and approval.

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