-=Continued from previous post=- 
     That breakout would leave gunowners stalemated, or perhaps
losing ground, so we better get ready for a lot of letter-stuffing
and precinct-walking.
- ------------------
     New FBI figures show another four percent drop in serious
crime during the first half of the year.  President Bill Clinton,
local politicians and police chiefs all have their chests out
proclaiming it's due to their programs.
     I've seen not one report that mentions that the several years
of crime rate declines coincide exactly with the increased number
of repeat-offender criminals being kept in prison for longer terms.
     An article by Marvel and Moody in the August issue of Homicide
Studies says their research shows that keeping more criminals in
prison "is probably a major reason why homicide declined after
1990."
     They found that for every 10 percent increase in the prison
population homicide drops 13.3 percent, and there is "a very large"
impact on other serious crimes.  
     They also jabbed criminologists who studiously ignore the
obvious effects of keeping bad guys in the slammer where they can't
prey on the public.
- ------------------
     I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving.
     Dec. 1 Knox Report -- All  Washington is convinced that
Attorney General Janet Reno will not appoint a special prosecutor
to look at Bill Clinton and Al Gore's campaign fundraising --
although FBI Director Louis Freeh thinks she should.
     Ms. Ren had earlier narrowed the question to whether Clinton
and Gore had raised so-called Hard money that could be used in
their own campaign; because they didn't, she said, no law was
violated.
     When it turned out they did raise "hard money," her Justice
lawyers reportedly started telling her the 114-year old law is too
old to matter.  So that's how she's expected to rule.  Wonder how
many of the rest of us would get away with that defense.
     ------------------
     Business Week ran a letter from Ruger lawyer Steve Sanetti in
today's issue pointing out that Ruger started supplying padlocked
cases with some of its guns ten years ago.  The part of the letter
they didn't run also says that Ruger made no deal with the
President or anyone else, but the White House claimed they did.
     I don't think any of the handgun industry cut a deal with the
President; but that White House ceremony last month made it look
like they had.
- ------------
     I just got a look at an editorial from last week's
Indianapolis Star.  They're complaining about the Indiana concealed
carry law being too loose, because since 1925 anyone who doesn't
have a criminal record can get a $25 permit to carry.  They'd like
to have at least the restrictions required by the Florida law.
     Their authority is a gun dealer, Don Davis, who owns the Don's
gun chain.  He's the same authority the newspaper cited the
previous week when they were advocating reinstatement of the
state's expiring handgun waiting period law. 
     While complaining about the Indiana law's laxness, the Star
presents not one crime or firearms offense committed by a licensed
carrier.  They say a tighter law will improve public safety, but
how has the Indiana law hurt public safety?
They don't say.
- ----------------
     Dec. 3 Knox Report -- Handgun Control Inc.'s latest spokesman
was on CNBC last night trying to make hay out of the tragedy at a
West Paducah high school Monday, but she failed to explain what
kind of gun law might have prevented it.
     The 14-year-old boy who killed three girls and wounded five
other students at a pre-school prayer session was prohibited from
possessing the gun by Federal law because of his age, and by
another Federal law prohibiting guns within 1,000 feet of a school.
     And he had a seven year waiting period before he could buy the
handgun, or a four year waiting period before he could buy the long
guns that he had with him.  But that made no difference because he
had stolen the guns -- which is a violation of state and Federal
law.
     And it was a violation of Kentucky law for him to have carried
the guns anywhere.
     And it was a violation of man's law and God's law for him to
have killed those kids.
     So what additional law could have prevented it?
- -----------
     In Missouri, the Attorney General is using what happened in
Paducah to try to enact a 1,000-foot state gun-free school zone
law.
     It should be pointed out that the Pearl, Mississippi High
School student who killed two girls and shot several other students
in October was stopped by an assistant principal who had armed
himself with a .45 pistol taken from his car -- where it was
possessed in violation of the Federal gun-free schools law.
     Three cheers for that law-breaking principal.
- ---------------
     On Dec. 13 Pittsburgh residents can get gift certificates at
local stores in exchange for unwanted guns.  Last year the
privately funded program bought 800 guns -- and has driven up the
price of junk handguns, the sponsors say.
- -------
     I'll be the keynoter Saturday afternoon at Gun Owners of New
Hampshire soiree at the Courtyard Banquet Facility in Manchester. 
This will be rough for I'm following one of the greatest orators in
the country, radio talk show host and sometimes Presidential
candidate Alan Keyes.  
     Alan's presence explains why C-Span is supposed to be there.
     Dec. 5 Knox Report -- At last, after a year's work by a lot of
people, a true right to carry bill was introduced today in Ohio.  
H.B. 642 is sponsored by Rep. Ron Young, and it is supported by all
of the grass roots groups in the state.
     All those groups are dubious about, or in total opposition, to
the NRA-backed bill, sponsored by Rep. Joy Pageant.  It would
require the state to issue a concealed carry license after doing a
background check which includes fingerprinting.
     The Pageant bill would replace the existing law, which
prohibits all concealed carrying of a firearm unless the carrier
can convince a jury or court that they were being "prudent" to be
armed.
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