Free Republic

It's a place known for the long, symbiotic relationship it shares with nearby Tinker Air Force Base. For the third time in just more than a year and half, the Oklahoma County district attorney has ruled a resident was within his rights to shoot and kill an intruder under the state's “Make My Day” law.

When defending their monopoly to defend us, the authorities often shoot themselves in the foot. In Saturday’s National Post, Rex Murphy recalled the case of a shopkeeper in Toronto’s Chinatown who was charged with kidnapping for nabbing a shoplifter and holding him for the police. The story had a happy ending: The lawmen looked as foolish in court as they deserved to look, and the shopkeeper was acquitted. Undaunted, though, the authorities press on. Currently, prosecutors are making fools of themselves over a citizen named Ian Thomson, whose warning shots scared away three men trying to firebomb his farm house...

INDIANAPOLIS -- A Kroger manager who fatally shot a man who police said was trying to rob the store voluntarily resigned Wednesday. Elijah "Levi" Elliott, 24, shot Jeremy Atkinson, 26, at the Kroger store at 5025 W. 71st St. on Dec. 26, after Atkinson put an employee in a chokehold and charged at Elliott, police said. Reading from a statement and standing beside his attorney, Elliott said he knew of Kroger's policy banning guns in the workplace, but said he had chosen to carry a weapon for the last three years. Elliott said he feared for his life and that...

A Liberal, anti gun rights article this week claimed that New York’s strong gun laws make that state safer than weaker gun law states of Arizona and Texas do. The article quoted as an example: 408.1 violent crimes and 6.4 murders/manslaughters in Arizona per 100,000 population compared to 392.1 and 4.5 in New York. It’s a favorite tactic of almost every anti firearms rights groups to cherry pick statistical numbers and use them to try to give themselves a position of strength in calling for restrictive gun laws. Well, let’s take a few statistics from the same 2010 FBI Violent...

It all happened last Wednesday. Prosecutors say Johnson, who was already on probation for aggravated assault, robbed two men in West Reading and was attempting to rob a third along a bike path in Cumru Township in Berks County. But the would-be victim was carrying a licensed firearm, and shot two of his attackers. Johnson was killed. A friend is now in the hospital. Johnson's mother, Idella Hopkins George, said, "Do I believe he was justified in shooting my son? I would say no." The family acknowledges Johnson's actions were wrong, but they question why a warning shot couldn't have...

PLEASE NOTE that the article title states, “sub .380�; therefore, it is focused upon .22, .25, and .32 caliber handguns. As well, note that this article IS NOT an endorsement of small caliber handguns for the purpose of self-protection. Personally, I feel that .380 ACP is the minimum caliber for serious consideration, as many others do as well. Why did I then write this piece? For the reason that the manufacture and sale of this class of weapons is hitherto with us and, in fact, many people do carry them on a daily basis. I consider that one who would...

Starbucks was targeted by a well known anti gun rights group recently because they took “No position” on firearms in their stores. They couldn’t coerce Starbucks into banning guns in Starbucks for everyone except criminals who don't care about "No guns" policies. Again, Starbucks is the target of a boycott beginning on Valentine’s Day by The National Gun Victims Action Council. Starbucks has the right to run their business as they see fit. They call themselves “A force for sane gun laws.” They cite England’s gun laws as a model to follow. But, English criminals are stealing guns, converting starter...

Man arrested, charged with hate crime HIALEAH, Fla. (WSVN) -- A man once thought to be a victim has been arrested and charged with a hate crime. On Jan. 2, Luis Alberto Gonzalez told Hialeah Police he left a local pizza restaurant and was robbed by two African American males and was then shot in the head. After being shot, Gonzalez then said he got in his car and crashed into a nearby funeral home near Palm Avenue and 49th Street. Hialeah Police arrived on the scene and started looking for the two African American males in this alleged robbery....

An anti-gun rights organization released their spin on a study regarding murder rates of 10 to 24 year olds in California. But, there is a disproportionate number of gang members included. What their spin omitted was the fact that the ten top counties for youth homicides in California are the hottest areas of the state's gang activity. And, even more relevant, how does any anti-gun rights group propose to disarm gang-bangers? There is no answer to that. But, there's plenty of propaganda. They listed the ten top California counties by homicide rate in the 10 to 24 year old group....

Here’s the final outcome of the Anthony McKay case: If you defend your family and property from a knife-wielding druggie in Massachusetts, you’d better be prepared to also defend yourself from the justice system, too. McKay is the young father who, seeing a local druggie breaking into his truck and stealing the tools he uses to pay the bills, confronted him, subdued him and held him for the police. When the police arrived, they found the bad guy had a knife, a billy club and — thanks to the unarmed McKay — a broken jaw. Instead of thanking McKay for...

Anti- gun rights Sheriffs in Washington and Jackson County, Oregon, in their infinite wisdom, denied Concealed Handgun Permits to their county residents who possessed state medical marijuana cards. And the ensuing losing Court battle by these County bureaucrats over this decision cost Oregon taxpayers a ton of money. These residents had complied with all of the legal requirements for a permit, but admitted to being regular users of medical marijuana. When the people who were denied permits sued the Sheriffs, the determined Sheriffs answered that the state’s concealed permit laws were preempted by federal law against possession of firearms by...

A Broward County, Florida man should have gone for a day at Hollywood Beach instead of trying to break into a car. Instead of getting stolen property, alleged burglar, 21 year old Antonio Santana (pictured below), got the attention of its owner. Santana was rifling through the car when the owner, armed with a handgun, went outside of the house to where the car was parked to see what was happening. The owner told police that he feared for his life because it appeared to him that Santana was going for a weapon. He then shot Santana twice in the...

  A Woman of Valor, Sarah McKinley David C. Stolinsky Jan. 8, 2012 A woman of valor who can find? For her worth is far above rubies. – Proverbs 31:10 I knew that I was going to have to choose him or my son, and it wasn’t going to be my son, so I did what I had to do. There’s nothing more dangerous than a mother with a child. − Sarah McKinley When seconds count, the cops are just minutes away.− Clint Smith Eighteen-year-old Sarah McKinley was home with her three-month-old son on New Year’s Eve. She lived...

SANTA ANA, Calif. – Homeless people in southern California were put on alert by police and advocates concerned that they're the target of a serial killer who has already slain three men. The Orange County Rescue Mission handed out flashlights and whistles in an effort to help homeless people protect themselves after three men were stabbed to death in north Orange County.

A terrified householder grabbed a carving knife and fought a ‘fencing match’ with machete-wielding burglars, a court heard yesterday. During the struggle, an intruder was stabbed and died from his injuries later. Grandfather Peter Flanagan, 59, was arrested on suspicion of murder but prosecutors ruled he should face no charges because he had acted reasonably to defend himself. The decision followed a pledge by David Cameron that homeowners who defend themselves against intruders should not be prosecuted provided they use ‘reasonable force’. Mr Flanagan said yesterday that he felt ‘lucky to be alive’ and was still haunted by the memory...

NAPLES — A 15-year-old who fatally stabbed his school mate will no longer face criminal prosecution. A judge’s ruling, made public Tuesday, granted a motion to dismiss the second-degree murder charge against Jorge Saavedra in the death of 16-year-old Dylan Nuno on the grounds that he acted in self-defense under Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law. The State Attorney’s Office has indicated that it will not appeal the ruling. Nuno’s family and friends criticized Collier County Circuit Judge Lauren Brodie’s decision, calling it “unbelievable” and “heartbreaking.” “We know this wasn’t the right decision,” said Dylan’s aunt, Adriana Nuno.“(The judge) is showing...

Some might call it a case of swift Oklahoma justice for at least one of two intruders -- both reportedly high on prescription drugs -- who tried to break into a young widow's home on New Year's Eve. Sarah McKinley, 18, calmly used a shotgun to shoot and kill one of the men when he forced his way through the front door of her mobile home and past a sofa she had used to barricade it. Now, the second man is facing first-degree murder charges, and McKinley is being hailed as a hero for doing what she believed she had...

Blanchard police responded to a home invasion Saturday. Chief Walt Thompson said Justin Shane Martin, 24, of Blanchard, was shot and killed after breaking into a home.

There’s several well known anti-firearms rights groups that highlight the number of children shot by guns in its anti-gun rights messages. But, there’s the fact that many of that number of those "children" use guns to commit crimes and got themselves shot or killed. Its undeniable that lumped into that group of “children” in a misleading way are those criminal teenagers who are counted as “children," age 13 to 19, in their statistics when they are shot. Many of those “children” are gangbangers or other assorted teenage criminals who do their criminal business with guns just as their adult criminal...

VIRGINIA BEACH A College Park resident shot and injured a teen he found inside his home unannounced Thursday and will not face criminal charges, police said. The incident occurred about 12:30 p.m. in the 6300 block of Bucknell Circle, a street that neighbors said has been plagued by break-ins this year. The homeowner heard glass breaking and found the intruder, a male in his late teens, walking up the stairs to the second floor, said Officer Tonya Borman, a police spokeswoman. The resident confronted the youth and shot him, she said. The teen ran and, a few blocks away, asked...

Åžefkat-Der says arming women is an effective way to combat violence. DAILY NEWS photo, Hasan ALTINIÅžIK A Turkish non-governmental organization (NGO) is set to give free shooting courses at a gun range for women who were subjected to domestic violence. Åžefkat-Der has suggested arming women as an effective way to combat domestic violence. "The state should grant licensed, tax-free arms to women under vital threat to defend themselves in emergency situations and train them in close combat and weapons use," said Hayrettin Bulan, the head of Åžefkat-Der. Purchasing guns in Turkey is easy, and it would serve to deter...

IN CLEVELAND Christmas wasn’t merry for two teenage thugs in the early afternoon, December 25th, in Cleveland. The two burglars were trying to steal property from a house when the owner heard his burglar alarm going off. He investigated while armed and shot the two teens in the legs. Two other teenagers were acting as lookouts, but they escaped. IN KENTUCKY Jeff Hooker was watching his brother’s place in Laurel, Kentucky, when he saw a man open the screen door of the house. It looked like the man was going to kick the entry door open. Mr. Hooker confronted the...

In Texas: A burglar in Weatherford, Texas picked the wrong house to burglarize this week. It was the home of a retired Texas state trooper. The intended victim woke up Tuesday as Kristoffer Lynn Knight was inside the home. The homeowner tried to hold the home invader at gunpoint, and there was a struggle after he told the crook to get on the ground. Knight was shot in the left side. He’s now in County jail and is facing felony burglary charges. In Jacksonville, Florida: 67 year old Betty Magnusson heard a loud noise in her living room Sunday evening....

As a heated issue among the American public, gun control has undoubtedly become one of the most salient topics in relation to law and public policy. Additionally, as a response to the wave of campus crime and gun violence through the recent decades, many universities have adapted the policy of a gun-free zone for their campuses. Setting aside the Constitutional intent on the issue, empirical results on college campuses have consistently illustrated the harm that gun-free zones pose.

Thick clouds of diesel smoke fill the air outside a rundown guest farm, three hours’ drive east of Johannesburg. As the stench dissipates, a group of boys, aged between 13 and 19, spill from the bed of a rusty truck, lugging huge bags full of military clothing. 'There are old bloodstains on my uniform,’ one of them says, as he trades his trainers for army boots. Shouted orders ring out. Groaning, the boys raise 15ft tent poles among the cowpats dotting the grassland. The large army tent that they put up will be their home for the next nine days....

Last week in Boston, a seven-year-old boy named Mark got into a fight with a bully. The bully put his hands around the boy's throat and began to squeeze. That's when Mark fought back; he kicked his aggressor right in the family jewels. In a normal society, we'd celebrate Mark. Throw him a ticker tape parade or something. Bullies need a sharp kick to the testicles. That's how you convince them that bullying is wrong. But in Boston, Mark was charged with sexual assault.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Gov. Scott Walker has signed a bill that allows homeowners to legally kill intruders. The bill, nicknamed the "Castle Doctrine," creates a presumption of legal immunity for someone who kills or injures a person breaking into his or her home, vehicle or workplace. The measure requires a judge to presume that the use of deadly force was necessary. The immunity presumption would not apply to a shooter who attacked someone he or she should have known was a public safety officer. The Republican-controlled Legislature passed the bill early last month. Walker signed it into law Wednesday...

Read the column the UK's Daily Mail pulled for being too dangerous Dan Mitchell of the Cato Institute in the United States has raised a very interesting issue for those who believe that a complete collapse of European society is inevitable. Mitchell wrote a piece titled 'European Economic Crisis Highlights an Increasingly Important Reason to Oppose Gun Control' where he argued that many of the not so rich in Europe may need to arm themselves for personal protection in anticipation of a possible economic collapse. I agree. Here is how the Mitchell argument plays out. He writes about his first...

President Barack Obama on Sunday expressed condolences to Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari for the deaths last month of 24 Pakistani troops, saying the NATO airstrikes that killed them were not a "deliberate attack." A White House statement said Obama placed a call early Sunday to Zardari expressing his regrets over the "tragic loss" and promising a "full investigation" into the incident, which has plunged the two uneasy allies into a diplomatic crisis. Obama "made clear that this regrettable incident was not a deliberate attack on Pakistan and reiterated the United States' strong commitment to a full investigation," the statement...

The graphic images caught on tape of a male McDonald’s cashier beating two aggressive female customers with a metal rod after they hopped over the counter to attack him, brought varying and heated reactions from the thousands who watched the video. Some felt that the McDonald’s employee had every right to defend himself, others commented that he crossed the line after giving one of his attackers a beat-down so severe that her skull was partially-crushed. After 11 days of grand jury testimony, the justice system has ruled in favor of former McDonald’s employee Rayon McIntosh, as he was cleared of...

In response to the question asked by a recent editorial cartoon — Why is training required for hunting and not concealed carry? — let me try to explain it. Hunting, at least on public land, has been determined to be a privilege, not a right, and is therefore subject to regulation — seasons, bag limits, training requirements. Self defense, on the other hand, is a right. You have a right and a duty to protect yourself, your family and your possessions from attack, vandalism or theft. Inherent in the right to defend yourself is the right to possess the means...

A man who stabbed another in the head with an ice pick in a road rage confrontation Monday may be protected under Florida's "stand your ground" law. Authorities haven't determined that for sure, but said Tuesday they are investigating all angles. And one of the factors they have to consider is the 6-year-old law, said Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office spokesman Larry McKinnon. Prosecutors will make the final decision. It all started, deputies say, when Alcisviades Polanco, 62, cut off Wathson Adelson, 20, while driving on Manhattan Avenue. Adelson then sped around Polanco and stopped his car. Adelson got out and...

Things are getting dicey. While some States allow gun open carry and others allow concealed or both, many good folks just don't want to have to carry all the time. While I wish all good citizens would carry, here is an alternative for those who still would defend themselves and those innocents around them.

HUMPTULIPS, Wash. - When heading north on Highway 101, the first house you come to in Humptulips is the Aldrich's place. The manicured yard is a trademark of the family that's been here for decades. "Just nice, older people," said Karen Willis. Neighbors are just sick about what happened to Ralph and June Aldrich. Prosecutors say 31-year-old John Chase was walking down the highway when he saw Ralph Aldrich, 88, in his back yard. Detectives say Chase shot and killed Aldrich with a crossbow and then went inside the home and repeatedly hit 83-year-old June Aldrich with a hatchet.

EAST NAPLES — A clerk at a landmark East Naples corner store shot and killed a man Tuesday as he attempted to rob the family-run shop and flee with her 1-year-old daughter. The man, whose name was not released, demanded money from Elizabeth Easterly, a clerk at Del’s 24 Hour Food Store, and then grabbed a stroller that held Easterly’s baby, said Del Ackerman, the store’s owner and Easterly’s grandfather. Easterly, 22, was alone during a shift change, running the shop with her 1- and 2-year-old daughters there, Ackerman said. “I almost lost my two babies,” Ackerman said of his...

Okay, FReepers know everything, so here's a question: what should I look for in a self-defense cane? Four knee surgeries and the prospect of a knee replacement, combined with having to make my run times for the next 4 years till I retire, have made me seriously consider using a cane for both occasional support and for self-defense. Anybody got an idea on the best cane for both support and self-defense? Colonel, USAFR

Next Tuesday in Olympia, the House Judiciary Committee is holding a work session to discuss something called “unjust conviction compensation,” but it also appears they will be looking at a way to repeal this state’s unique self-defense compensation statute. Judiciary - 10/04/11 9:00 am Full Committee Senate Hearing Rm 3 J.A. Cherberg Building Olympia, WA Work Session: Wrongful conviction compensation. Self-defense reimbursement statute. Government liability and risk management practices. Immigration services and assistance. *Meeting will adjourn at 3 p.m. Committee Meeting Documents Note: Documents are not available online until the meeting has begun. State RCW 9A.16.110 – the only law...

JLH NEWS By: Jeff Head Emmett, ID September 28, 2011 This just in regarding the wolves here in Idaho. As many may know, the wolves were forced upon Idaho by the Federal government several years ago. They were not native, Rocky Mountian wolves. They brought in large timber wolves from Canada, starting in Yellowstone and then spreading into Idaho and surrounding states. Well, over the years their numbers, and their negative impact have grown so much that the state sued to take them off the endangered species list and allow them to be hunted. It took a while, but...

Three times in the past week, would-be victims of crime have fought back in St. Louis. Last Friday, a housesitter shot and killed a burglar in the Fox Park Neighborhood. On Monday, a homeowner shot and killed an intruder in the city's West End neighborhood. And early today -- in a story that is still developing -- police said a man trying to rob a group of people was killed when one of his intended victims pulled a gun and shot him. That happened in the Jeff Vanderlou neighborhood.

LOGAN, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- From victim to murder suspect to now a free man, it's a shooting investigation that's caused a lot of controversy. Jesus "Jesse" Canul was recently charged with murder after killing a person who robbed him in the Walmart parking lot in Logan. Click here to find out more! Logan County Prosecutor John Bennett tells WSAZ.com that he dismissed a murder charge without prejudice against Jesus Canul. That means the charges could be refiled at another time. Bennett says he dismissed the charges so he could spend more time investigating the case. Canul was scheduled to be...

March 03, 2011 HRW Founder Bernstein Starts Advancing Human Rights (AHR) Robert Bernstein, the founder and former chairman of Human Rights Watch who publicly renounced his ties with the organization due to distorted and disproportionate focus on free and open Israel at the expense of the rest of the Middle East -- mostly unfree -- has just launched a new human rights organization, Advancing Human Rights. Why the need for a new organization? Bernstein, 88, explains: Some human rights organizations, like Human Rights Watch, do not condemn incitement to genocide, Arab hate speech being spewed daily in Gaza, particularly, and...

A close friend of mine faced an incident on Friday, in Macon, GA. At a gas station, a young black man accosted my friend (former Marine sniper and recon) with a knife and demanded his wallet. He'd been robbed before and didn't shoot the robber, this time he didn't have his weapon, but still declined to turn over his wallet. The man said he'd cut him if he didn't turn it over, and Greg told him to go for it. The man swung the knife and it got caught up in Greg's shirt tail. Greg punched the guy in the...

Shrugging off pressure from Gov. John Lynch and the state's top law enforcement officials, the Republican-controlled Senate yesterday voted to overturn the Democratic governor's veto of a bill that expands residents' ability to use deadly force in self-defense. Elsewhere, the 24-member chamber failed to muster the two-thirds majority necessary to override Lynch's vetoes of a withdrawal from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and a requirement that voters show a photo ID at the polls. Backed by police chiefs and sheriffs throughout New Hampshire, as well as the state safety commissioner and the attorney general, Lynch had toured the state in...

Wyatt Earp disbursed many a lynch mob with his resolute demeanor standing behind his Colt .45 six shooters or a shotgun. Was his threat overkill? I don’t think so! It worked and usually, not a shot was fired. Check that thought. What about a “flash mob?" Kevin Costner as Wyatt Earp Are they less or more deadly than what Earp encountered? And do you have the reputation of a Marshall Wyatt Earp? Does the pictured 12 gauge 15-round Kel-Tec Scatter Gun send out the wrong idea? I don’t think so. One might want a scatter gun if confronted by a...

UPPER DARBY, Pa. - As police in Upper Darby, Pa., search for more young people involved in last week's flash mob, more adults are thinking about arming themselves with guns. People are talking about how afraid they are of being caught in the path one of these flash mobs while they're out minding their own business, and they want to be ready. Law enforcement officials say it's a nightmare in the making because ordinary, private citizens are getting gun permits. "We have people now that are fearful and carrying guns because of children. How sad is that?" Upper Darby police...

Self-defense situations trigger your natural fight, flight or freeze response. As your bloodstream fills with adrenalin you start thinking and moving a lot faster than normal. But your perception of time may remain the same. In other words, you have more time than you think you have. I’ve pointed this out before, and counseled self-defense shooters to force themselves to react slowly. Because you won’t be reacting slowly. You’ll be reacting just as quickly as you would in a less stressful environment, but doing so with more control . . . When you’re trying to avoid or counter a violent...

The Palm Beach Post vividly illustrated its anti-Second Amendment, anti-gun bias in its latest article documenting the attempts by the Palm Beach County Commission to illegally regulate gun rights by refusing all comments on the Aug. 16 article, "County Commission: new state gun law could create 'Wild West' Palm Beach." Putting aside the inflammatory headline (I've written a few of those myself), the story isn't bad, and both sides of the issue are represented. So why did The Post use the "User comments are not being accepted on this article" dodge usually reserved for reports on criminals of certain favored...

SALINAS, Calif. - A teenager was shot dead Wednesday and neighbors say it was a case of self defense. The victim was identified as 19 year old Miguel Medina, Jr. The Monterey County Sheriff's Office believes Medina broke into a home at 286 Pingree Way just after 12:30 p.m. When deputies arrived on scene, they found Medina on the floor of the open garage with an automatic weapon slung around his shoulders. He had been shot and killed. Medina was identified through fingerprints. During the initial break in, Monterey County Sheriff Investigators believe Medina got into an argument with someone...

Thank you for taking the time to read my Vanity post. A lot of people here, and in my face-to-face world, have mentioned that the mobs, riots and looting that is occuring around the world would take a different path here in the US, in areas where people are allowed to carry firearms, and use them in accordance with both laws and sensibility. And it's the Sensibility portion of that I would like to discuss. Everytime I measure and imagine (Simulations!) my response to violent flash mobs or rioters, I come up snake eyes. Here are two of such scenarios...

Brandon Kruse said nothing when three attackers set upon him on his way out for sushi and a beer. Words weren’t necessary.Kruse pulled out a handgun instead. The attackers fled; soon after, he helped the cops arrest them.