Notes From HPS
BY Herschel Smith
9 years, 9 months ago
Attempting to further bolster a de facto monopoly of violence in New York City, Police Commissioner Bill Bratton proposed additional edicts to tip the power scales even more in favor of enforcers over citizens, the New York Observer reported Wednesday. In addition to stiffening penalties for things like wearing protective body armor, tinting windows and holding police to similar information disclosures that “civilians” (a telling attitude in itself ) are subjected to, Bratton said it would be “very helpful” if charges of resisting arrest were upped from misdemeanors to felonies.
Oh good grief. Is there any depth to which they won’t stoop? I can see it now. An otherwise innocent bystander in some crime is confused with the perpetrator of the crime by idiot police, he argues with the officer when apprehended, and is then banged upside the head with a stick and hauled before a court that is sympathetic to the officer in the first place. He is now a felon, having been guilty of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. And I do mean “the wrong place.” Who in their right mind would live in NYC?
Rifle-toting deputy takes his post at court building. You know, for “safety” reasons. Hey, he’s openly carrying a rifle. It’s not okay if you or I do something like that. Just because.
Biasing of temperature data biggest scientific scandal of all time. Because anthropogenic global warming is a lie.
In December 2012, a gunman burst into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, and shot 26 people dead. Two years later, sales of guns and ammunition are off the charts.
That’s surprising, to say the least. After all, a lot of people thought that Sandy Hook might be a turning point for the gun control movement in America. Investors sold off shares of publicly traded gunsmiths Smith & Wesson (SWHC) and Sturm, Ruger (RGR) in the wake of the tragedy. Retailers of guns and ammunition — Cabela’s (CAB) and Dick’s Sporting Goods (DKS), and even the much more diversified retailer Walmart (WMT) all experienced slumps in share price post-Newtown. Dick’s went so far as to suspend gun sales to consumers for a time. Private equity house Cerberus Capital Management made plans to exit the guns business entirely, by selling its interest in privately held arms manufacturer Freedom Group.
And yet, according to a new poll out of Pew Research, the percentage of Americans who say they support “the right of Americans to own guns” hit a new high last year, with 52 percent in favor. That’s up 7 percentage points since the shootings at Newtown. Up 20 percentage points since the Virginia Tech shootings in 2007. It’s nearly twice the level of support for gun rights at the time of the Columbine shooting in 1999. And support for gun rights is only growing stronger.
It’s only surprising to people who don’t understand America. For all of you who sold your gun manufacturer stock after Columbine, Sandy Hook, and the Colorado theater shooting, you are idiots. Each and every one of you.
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On February 8, 2015 at 11:03 pm, Miles said:
Hey, for those idiots who dumped their stocks (and probably at a loss *heh-heh-heh*) somebody was able to pick up them up at a good price. And since the market for EBRZ went through the roof, probably made an excellent profit.
On February 9, 2015 at 1:17 pm, Archer said:
“Dick’s went so far as to suspend gun sales to consumers for a time.”
Incorrect. Dick’s cancelled – not “suspended” – ALL of their “Evil Black Rifle” sales, up to and including cancelling orders customers had placed through them, leaving those customers in limbo: Sure, Dick’s offered a full refund plus a $300 gift card for the inconvenience, but that’s not much help when the rifles the customers ordered and paid for are not available anywhere at any (reasonable) price.
To my knowledge, Dick’s has not updated their new “No EBRs” policy – if I’m wrong on that, then I’m wrong on that, but I still won’t willingly shop there; cancelling existing, pre-paid customer orders over political rhetoric was a bridge too far.
On February 9, 2015 at 7:09 pm, Michael Schlechter said:
Not only did they shaft the customers, but Troy Industries had had an exclusive distribution deal with Dick’s for that particular rifle. They ended up not being able to move the rifles (during a busy buying season) that were produced specifically for Dick’s. They probably were able to move them eventually, given that the market prices for such rifles went through the roof around that time.
I was in a local Dick’s last week returning a gift, and I found no modern rifles on the display rack.
On February 10, 2015 at 4:12 pm, Archer said:
I remember that deal, too. IIRC, Troy Industries, free-floated barrel, mid-length gas system, rifle-length railed fore-end, and integrated folding iron sights, for under $900. I’d have bought one if I’d had the cash on hand.
If I were a manufacturer of AR-pattern rifles, I wouldn’t sign any deals with Dick’s, even if they decided to sell modern rifles again. Their history shows a ready willingness to throw their suppliers under the bus for political correctness.