Police State

Tyranny

More details have come out in the Mayor of Orlando’s plan to act like the little Leftist tyrant that he is.

Because of a threat of lawsuits, Orlando has announced that anyone with a concealed weapons permit will be permitted to enter the so-called security zone that the city is establishing on Friday and Saturday nights. I am sure, however, that you will be closely watched to see if you and your armed, permitted ass enter any bars, where you will promptly be arrested for violating the terms of your permit.

You will also note that just in case anyone sues under Florida’s law, which allows a citizen to sue any government official that violates the state’s preemption law, they are using private, armed security guards to enforce the zone.

I do wonder just what the legalities are here. I mean, it is illegal to lie to cops. What authority do security guards have to tell you that you aren’t allowed to walk down a public street? How can the compel you to submit to a search? I wonder what other legal issues there are here. Can they use force to prevent you from walking down the street? Can you sue them for violating your civil rights, or does that only apply to the cops? What legalities are there?

By Divemedic, ago

Mayor Wants Gun Free Zone

Buddy Dyer, the Mayor of Orlando, wants to declare all of downtown Orlando to be a “gun free zone” but is upset that he cannot do so, thanks to the state’s preemption law.

Dyer said there will be access checkpoints on Friday and Saturday evenings downtown to limit how people can enter the downtown area. The city said patrons will have to go through metal detectors and a weapons check at these checkpoints before walking into the access areas.

I believe that this zone is a clear violation of Florida’s preemption law. What’s more is that violating this law places Orlando and any of its officials at risk of a lawsuit. Even more, since the quote in this news article shows that the mayor knew it was illegal to do so, he becomes liable to any taxpayer whose rights are violated.

If any county, city, town, or other local government violates this section, the court shall declare the improper ordinance, regulation, or rule invalid and issue a permanent injunction against the local government prohibiting it from enforcing such ordinance, regulation, or rule. It is no defense that in enacting the ordinance, regulation, or rule the local government was acting in good faith or upon advice of counsel.
 If the court determines that a violation was knowing and willful, the court shall assess a civil fine of up to $5,000 against the elected or appointed local government official or officials or administrative agency head under whose jurisdiction the violation occurred.

So my question here is this: Are there any pro gun organizations who are willing to take this on?

By Divemedic, ago

This Is Why

People ask why a person needs an AR-15. The Uvalde shooting is a great illustration as to why. Dozens of police were in fear of a single loser with an AR-15, but have no problem harassing an unarmed mother who is telling the truth about their cowardice.

Perhaps if she had an AR-15, they would leave her alone, too.

On a side note, this is why I have security cameras. To catch wrongdoing. The videos of cops parking outside of my house and flashing the lights at me would look great in the courtroom when I sued them.

By Divemedic, ago

Effective Gun Ban

We all know that the Democrats want a 1,000% tax on assault weapons. This law is very broad and will tax most guns out of existence (pdf warning):

semiautomatic rifles that have the capacity to use a magazine that isn’t a fixed magazine, and any one of the following:

  • a pistol grip,
  • a forward grip,
  • folding, telescoping, or detachable stock.
  • a barrel shroud,
  • a threaded barrel,
  • a “functional grenade launcher.”

Or a semiautomatic rifle that has a fixed magazine with the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds, except for an attached tubular device designed to accept, and capable of operating only with, .22 caliber rimfire ammunition.

any semiautomatic pistol that has the capacity to use a magazine that isn’t a fixed magazine, and any one of the following:

  • a threaded barrel
  • a second pistol grip (these are already NFA weapons. I don’t know what effect this law will have)
  • a barrel shroud
  • the capacity for inserting the magazine anywhere outside of the pistol grip (such as the CZ Scorpion and other PDWs)
  • if it looks like a machine gun
  • weighs more than 50 ounces (this is obviously aimed at AR pistols)
  • a Stabilizing brace
  • a buffer tube (again, aimed at AR pistols)

The tax will also apply to any ammunition magazine, belt, drum, etc. that holds more than 10 rounds of ammo, but specifically excludes fixed tubular .22LR magazines.

Plus a bunch of other stuff. Then it goes on to charge the tax on any of the frames, parts of the firearms covered, and parts of magazines. This is, in effect, a ban most firearms and their parts by taxing them into oblivion. Essentially the same thing that happened with the NFA. The only firearms that seem exempt are bolt, lever action, and rimfire.

Imagine a basic AR-15 that costs $11,000 and using $110 magazines.

Since it is a tax, the Senate doesn’t even have to vote on it. It can be passed through budget reconciliation.

By Divemedic, ago

The Atlantic is Right

This is one of those rare times where I think The Atlantic makes a good point

It was always obvious to me that military tactics, training, and weaponry had little place in civilian policing. The goal of the military is to overwhelm enemies, regardless of whether any particular individual on the other side “deserves” to be overwhelmed. It seems clear that police should not approach fellow citizens, rights-bearers, with the same attitude.

The article goes on:

So much of this turns out to be LARPing: half-trained, half-formed kids playing soldier in America’s streets and schools. Many of the thousands of SWAT-team members in this country don’t have the training and expertise to respond like they’re SEAL Team 6. It’s time to stop pretending that they do.

Read the entire article. It makes some great points. The money quote?

we have accepted a more and more militarized and aggressive police culture, with serious damage to basic constitutional liberties. What we got in return is 19 cops standing outside a classroom while children were slaughtered.

I couldn’t agree more.

By Divemedic, ago

Tracking Devices

Cell phone companies are selling your location data to location services companies, who are themselves selling that data to anyone with the cash to spend on obtaining it. At least one of the Feds working in the Uvalde area was using it to stalk his ex-girlfriends. One of those location services had little to no security for the data, meaning it was available to anyone who knew where to look.

Buy some faraday bags. Keep them in your vehicles and home. You are being watched every minute of every day, and you are paying someone to do it.

By Divemedic, ago

Preordained Results

The DOJ has assembled a panel of “experts” to study the Uvalde incident.

  • Sheriff John Mina, Orange County, Florida Was a Republican, now a Democrat
  • Chief Rick Braziel (retired), Sacramento, Calif. He was one of the law enforcement officers who publicly lobbied for registering ammunition sales in California.
  • Deputy Chief Gene Deisinger (retired), Virginia Tech, Va. He has been covering for bad policing since at least 2013: While this may be true, Deisinger said he is frustrated by the widespread criticism of law enforcement without providing any real alternatives. “One of my criticisms of North American culture is that we are really good at criticizing what somebody else did or failed to do,” Deisinger said.
  • Director of Public Safety Frank Fernandez (retired), Coral Gables, Fla. He has been involved in the gun control movement for most of the last decade: “An 18-year-old with an AK-47 and an AR-15 is completely unreasonable,” said Frank Fernandez, director of public safety in Coral Gables, Florida, and the chairman of the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s firearms committee. “That is a weapon that is meant for destruction. It’s not a weapon that you can use to go hunting. That is a weapon … used in the theater of war.”
  • Albert Guarnieri, FBI Unit Chief. This is the only panelist I couldn’t find a thing on.
  • Major Mark Lomax (retired), Pennsylvania State Police, Pa. While campaigning for Sheriff of Bucks county as a Democrat, his position on guns was: While he supports the Second Amendment, he believes strongly in licensing and training and sees on need for assault weapons such as AR-15s.
  • Laura McElroy, CEO, McElroy Media Group. This woman has been a media “spin master” for police departments like Chicago, Tampa, and others. She specializes in putting a good face on incidents where cops screw up.
  • April Naturale, Assistant Vice President, Vibrant Emotional Health This woman is everywhere. She claims to specialize in traumatic stress. She has responded to the war in Ukraine, she was involved with the Feds, the UN, and COVID-19 (pdf warning), the shootings in San Bernardino, Sandy Hook, Hurricane Katrina, and numerous other mass shooting events. It’s like she goes everywhere there is a tragedy that was exploited by the left.
  • Chief Kristen Ziman (retired), Aurora, Ill. Has been a part of the effort for more gun control in Illinois for years. She was involved in a scandal where she got intoxicated and left her service weapon behind in a bar before getting a subordinate to take the blame so her chances at becoming a Police Superintendent would not be ruined.

Every one of them is an antigun, pro police Democrat. I can already tell you what the findings of this whitewash will be.

By Divemedic, ago