Name That Firearm Safety Violation: Stallone

In the following photo, which fundamental firearm safety rules, if any, are being violated?




If you can't see the image, visit our Detroit Michigan CCW Class blog site.

Self-Defense Statistics That DPD Doesn't Want You To Know

On Tuesday, Detroit Police Department (DPD) Detective Brian Fountain presented carjacking statistics to city residents during the DPD 2nd Qtr Crime Report Townhall at the Fellowship Chapel on the west side of town.

Accordingly, the data presented by Fountain is listed as the following:

- 50% of all carjackings are failed
- 75% of all carjacking assailants are armed (gun or knife)
- 65% of all carjackings happen within 5 miles of victim's residence
- 20% of all victims who resist carjackers are injured

The origin and source of the data is in question. For example, is this city of Detroit data or national data? I had difficulty corroborating it. As such, I've made several attempts at contacting Detective Fountain to ask a few clarifying questions. My calls went unanswered. I'm not accusing him of dodging me - just reporting the facts.

In any case, this data was used to justify DPD's opinion that victims should not risk an injury by resisting their assailants. I've done research in this area and knew right away that the entire statistical story about victim injury rates was not being told.

To start, one credible statistical reference that refutes DPD's position of non-resistance by victims during an attack and calls into question their ethical reporting on victim injury rates is "Targeting Guns: Firearms and Their Control," authored by renowned criminologist Dr. Gary Kleck.

Kleck's data presents the following info:

- Victims resisting a robbery with a gun were injured 17.4% of the time.
- Victims who did not resist during the robbery were injured 24.7% of the time.
- Victims using non-violent resistance were injured 35.9% of the time.
- Victims who resisted with a knife were injured 40.3% of the time.

Please note that "doing what the bad guys say" and not resisting during a robbery can get you harmed. In fact, resisting with a firearm is the best response for a robbery victim - eight percentage points better statistically than not resisting at all.

Thus, based on the above data, you should only obey robbers and not resist if you don't have a handgun - advice one would never hear from DPD.

Why won't DPD tell you to buy a handgun?

If Michigan Automobiles Were Treated As Handguns...

If Michigan automobiles were treated as though they were firearms:

Police departments would "buy-back" cars from thieves and have them destroyed instead of returning them to their owners.

Owning more than one car would label you as odd because you had the nerve to own a fleet of them.

GM, Ford, and Chrysler would be sued by Jesse Jackson to remedy all of the carjackings taking place in urban America.

Buying an out-of-state car would require the services of two automobile dealerships to complete the transfer of ownership.

Attending a car show would require you to siphon out all of your gas in the parking lot.

Muscle cars would be declared by anti-auto activists as being too powerful to be driven on the road.

Not reporting the theft of a car within five days would be a criminal offense.

When being pulled over by a traffic cop, you'd be required by law to inform him that you are driving an automobile.

Politicians in big cities would urge you to walk while they're chaufered all over town.

A Driver's License would require passing a criminal background check.

Cars with gas tanks larger than ten gallons would be viewed with suspicion; no one needs that much gas.

There would be different traffic signs in every state.

Local newspapers would ban ads from lawful owners trying to sell them to qualified owners.

You'd have to visit the Secretary of State to have it registered in your name before borrowing it from a friend or a family member.

You'd have to either walk to work or have a family member drop you off at your job while customers could bring their auto onto company property.

Alcohol related incidents would lead folk to undertake efforts to ban them instead of holding the drivers accountable.

Anti-car advocates would call for a ban on gasoline.

Anti-car advocates would call for laws to assign a specific gasoline formula to be assigned to each driver.

Only models that did not look too intimidating (e.g. black and large) would be allowed on the road.

Mufflers would require a special license from NHSTA.

Politicians would blame speeding on cheap and/or foreign models.

Did I miss any?

Name That Firearm Safety Violation: Jason Statham

In the following photo, which fundamental safe firearm handling rules, if any, are being violated?




If you can't see the image, visit our Detroit Michigan CCW Class blog site.

Successful Norway Terrorist Attacks Proves That Gun Control Does Not Work

Talking heads and political figures from all across the globe are rushing up to the nearest live microphone to express their individual condemnation of the two attacks in Norway. Missing among all of the discourse is a conversation on the subject of gun control and how it aids and abets criminals who prey upon the weak, the young, and the unarmed citizenry.

This past Friday, two heinous acts of violence were committed in Norway: a bombing of federal government property was carried out in the capital city of Oslo and an armed assault on young people at a youth retreat on Utoya - a nearby island. In total, as of this writing, published reports in the media estimate that at least 80 people were killed.

One person has been identified and taken into custody for both attacks - Anders Behring Breivik. Breivik, a Norwegian, is rumored to have expressed right-wing and anti-Muslim views on the Internet.

It is possible that an interrogation may reveal his motives for the attacks since he allowed himself to be captured alive. Most mass-killing suspects kill themselves just before being apprehended. Apparently, Breivik wants to make a political point to a world-wide audience. Racking up a huge body-count of unarmed young people will guarantee global interest in his statements to the authorities.

Breivik's vegetable growing firm allegedly enabled him to carry out part of his nefarious plot by allowing him to buy large quantities of fertilizer - a key bomb making material - without raising any eyebrows. In addition, the other part of his evil plot - the shooting deaths of about 70 young people - was aided and abetted by Norway's stringent gun control laws.

Although civilian firearm ownership is not banned in Norway, there are many stringent gun control laws on the books there. Among the provisions of the Firearms Weapon Act include the following:

• Gun ownership requires an approved reason - hunting or sports shooting.
  
• Self-defense is not a permissible purpose for owning a firearm.
  
• Local law enforcement can conduct inspections of a gun owner's home.
  
• Hunters must receive permission from local law enforcement to annually apply for a hunting license.
  
• Sport shooters need approval from local law enforcement and a local shooting club before gaining a shooting license.
  
• Prospective firearm owners must have clean background records before being issued an ownership license.
  

Gun control, despite its numerous provisions and limitations on the ability of law-abiding citizens to gain access to arms, is fundamentally flawed. It erroneously assumes that all people - including terrorists, criminals, and the mentally ill - will obey the law. Nothing is further from the truth.

In truth, gun control enables people with malevolent intent to commit atrocities against society and humanity with impunity. Breivik cowardly took his arms to a youth retreat to shoot and kill almost 70 people. His objective was to kill as many people as possible before he was caught by local police.

Due to the fact that gun ownership laws are stringent in Norway, Breivik was assured that his evil plan would succeed, as he would be the only person present with firearms. Gun control advocates further delude their gullible citizens into thinking that their local police agencies can protect citizens from violence.

In this case, it took law enforcement forty (40) minutes to arrive at the scene after being notified. Furthermore, it took another fifty (50) minutes to apprehend Breivik who offered no resistance to local law enforcement authorities. Certainly, it must be conceded that if other armed persons were present, the loss of life could've been lessened if not eliminated; Breivik gave up without a fight.

In the coming days, you will certainly hear gun control advocates around the world use this horrific event as a call for more restrictions on arms. Their appeals will be based on blaming the tool - guns - and not the antagonist. Further, they will have the unmitigated gall to suggest that only police officers should have firearms, regardless of how woefully inadequate their event response times measure on a timer.

It is not possible to discern the hatred present in a man's heart. Thus, any calls for strategies to monitor, censor, and control the actions of a nation to keep society safe will come with a price - freedom. How can a person be truly free when he lives in the equivalent of a police state? It is not possible.

The best option is to empower all citizens with the power and the authority to keep themselves safe. This freedom comes with a responsibility - the moral obligation to be lawful and just. A free society trusts its people.

I am saddened by the tragic event that occurred in Norway this weekend. Moreover, I now have an greater appreciation for my citizenship in America. I live in a society where our Constitution recognizes our God-given and inalienable rights, including the right to keep and bear arms.

I have the option, the authority, and the ability to defend myself should bad men solicit me for unprovoked violence. I only wish that Norway's gun control laws had not enabled Breivik to join the world's list of prolific mass killers.

What do you think?

[Video] Detroit Michigan Concealed Weapons Classes - Student Testimonial #202

The following video is a student testimonial from one of our most recent state of Michigan compliant Concealed Pistol License Training Class:



If you can't see the video in this post, view it on our Youtube Channel.

Rick Ector is a National Rifle Association credentialed Firearms Trainer, who provides Michigan CCW Class training in Detroit for students at his firearms school - Rick's Firearm Academy of Detroit.

Ector is a recognized expert in firearm safety and has been featured extensively in the national and local media: Associated Press, NRAnews, Gun Digest, The Politics Daily, Fox News Detroit, The Detroit News, WJLB, WGPR and the UrbanShooterPodcast.

For more info about Detroit Michigan CPL Classes, please contact:

Rick's Firearm Academy of Detroit
Contact: Rick Ector
Web: http://www.detroitccw.com
Email: info@detroitccw.com
Phone: 313.733.7404

[Video] Detroit Michigan Concealed Weapons Classes - Student Testimonial #201

The following video is a student testimonial from one of our most recent state of Michigan compliant Concealed Pistol License Training Class:



If you can't see the video in this post, view it on our Youtube Channel.

Rick Ector is a National Rifle Association credentialed Firearms Trainer, who provides Michigan CCW Class training in Detroit for students at his firearms school - Rick's Firearm Academy of Detroit.

Ector is a recognized expert in firearm safety and has been featured extensively in the national and local media: Associated Press, NRAnews, Gun Digest, The Politics Daily, Fox News Detroit, The Detroit News, WJLB, WGPR and the UrbanShooterPodcast.

For more info about Detroit Michigan CPL Classes, please contact:

Rick's Firearm Academy of Detroit
Contact: Rick Ector
Web: http://www.detroitccw.com
Email: info@detroitccw.com
Phone: 313.733.7404

[Video] Detroit Michigan Concealed Weapons Classes - Student Testimonial #200

The following video is a student testimonial from one of our most recent state of Michigan compliant Concealed Pistol License Training Class:



If you can't see the video in this post, view it on our Youtube Channel.

Rick Ector is a National Rifle Association credentialed Firearms Trainer, who provides Michigan CCW Class training in Detroit for students at his firearms school - Rick's Firearm Academy of Detroit.

Ector is a recognized expert in firearm safety and has been featured extensively in the national and local media: Associated Press, NRAnews, Gun Digest, The Politics Daily, Fox News Detroit, The Detroit News, WJLB, WGPR and the UrbanShooterPodcast.

For more info about Detroit Michigan CPL Classes, please contact:

Rick's Firearm Academy of Detroit
Contact: Rick Ector
Web: http://www.detroitccw.com
Email: info@detroitccw.com
Phone: 313.733.7404

[Video] Detroit Michigan CCW Classes - Student Testimonial #199

The following video is a student testimonial from one of our most recent state of Michigan compliant Concealed Pistol License Training Class:



If you can't see the video in this post, view it on our Youtube Channel.

Rick Ector is a National Rifle Association credentialed Firearms Trainer, who provides Michigan CCW Class training in Detroit for students at his firearms school - Rick's Firearm Academy of Detroit.

Ector is a recognized expert in firearm safety and has been featured extensively in the national and local media: Associated Press, NRAnews, Gun Digest, The Politics Daily, Fox News Detroit, The Detroit News, WJLB, WGPR and the UrbanShooterPodcast.

For more info about Detroit Michigan CPL Classes, please contact:

Rick's Firearm Academy of Detroit
Contact: Rick Ector
Web: http://www.detroitccw.com
Email: info@detroitccw.com
Phone: 313.733.7404

Botched East-side Detroit Barber Shop Robbery Attempt Proves That Guns Save Lives

Gun control advocates are predictably silent in the aftermath of a botched robbery attempt of an east-side Detroit barber shop last week. Apparently, the "gun grabbers" feel that if they can't say anything nice about lawfully armed citizens thwarting a crime of violence and saving the lives of fellow customers then perhaps they won't say anything at all.

Usually the gun grabbers are noticeably vocal in their disdain of firearms when they are used unlawfully by criminals to rob, to rape, and to murder victims. They loudly and incorrectly opine that if guns were illegal then criminals would not have access to them and that violent crime would also not exist.

Imagine how uncomfortable anti-gun folks in the metro-Detroit area and around the country must feel when they overhear the details of the attempted robbery at the Gent's Barber Shop in Detroit. It has to be an awful feeling for them to be shown that their anti-gun rhetoric is patently false.

Everybody - here locally and all over the Internet - is talking about this heroic story and the gun-grabbers are acting like the incident never happened - not a mumbling word. Somebody please check in on Detroit Councilwoman Saunteel Jenkins, Detroit Free Press columnists Mitch Albom and Rochelle Riley, and Detroit Metro-Times columnist Jack Lessenberry. They aren't talking about this story and they hope that you don't notice.

Despite the lies told about guns, the truth has been plainly laid bare for all to see. To start, guns are neither good or bad. They are merely things. It is far more important to both focus on who is wielding the guns and for what purpose are the guns being used. In this story, two bad guys walked into a barber shop, announced a robbery, and starting firing shots to intimidate the selected victims. This usage of firearms is wrong, illegal, and amoral.

Additionally, another truth about firearms is that they can be used to save lives. In this specific case, there were two lawfully armed good guys also in the barber shop at the time of the robbery. After the bad guys endangered the lives of all present by shooting into the floor, the good guys returned fire. Furthermore, the good guys also moved three small children to safety during the gun-fight. This usage of firearms is legal, righteous, and just even though one of the robbers died.

It was disappointing to not hear that the barbers on duty were armed. After all, a busy barbershop is usually an "all cash" business and presents an attractive target for robbers. In my opinion, it is foolish and dangerous to be operating an "open to the public" business in Detroit with inadequate and token security measures: buzzers, security cameras, and peep-holes.

Finally, the over-all "good" result of this incident was made possible because there were armed law-abiding citizens present in the barber shop. If the bad guys in this story had chosen to rob a statutorily defined pistol-free zone, the result could have been predictably different: victimized citizens and a throng a gun-grabbers bemoaning the utility of the Second Amendment in both the daily and weekly newspapers.

Let us remember this incident and its outcome. There are still far too many people in our town who still lack the desire to be responsible for their safety. As such, crime will continue unabated in the forseeable future, as there is virtually no down-side to being a bad guy. Our local police force is understaffed and overworked, violent criminals are still being sent home early, and liberal judges lack the bed space and the political will to dole out serious jail-time to the small number of predators who manage to be apprehended.

Ultimately, every citizen has a decision to make: Be a victim or not. Not making a decision, is choosing victimization by default.

Which option do you select?

Name That Firearm Safety Violation: Dr. Dre

In the following photo, which fundamental safe firearm handling rules, if any, are being violated?




If you can't see the image, visit our Detroit Michigan CCW Class blog site.

Failures of Law Enforcement Agencies and County Gun Boards Don't Tarnish Michigan's CPL Law

In Michigan, "Shall Issue" with respect to the lawful carry of concealed handguns recently marked its ten year anniversary of passage. To no surprise of pro-gun advocates in our state, a slew of anti-gun articles found their way into print in several newspapers.

One such "negative" story about concealed pistol licensing (CPL) was at first glance particularly disturbing until some of the "facts" were clarified. In the story - widely printed across the state - much ink concerned itself with the alleged failures of state law enforcement agencies and County Gun Boards.

Under Michigan law, County Prosecutors are required to notify County Gun Boards of both criminal charges and criminal convictions levied against CPL-holders. When notified of these events, County Gun Boards have the necessary info to suspend or to revoke CPLs as required under the law. Apparently, there are circumstances under which the County Gun Boards don't get the info they need to do their jobs.

According to the article, "Kent County Prosecutor William Forsyth said prosecutors themselves don't get notice of people pleading guilty to crimes like drunken driving and so they can't go after those convicts' weapons permits."

Upon my reading of the aforementioned statement, I was confused as to how a County Prosecutor would not be aware of drunk driving charges and drunk driving convictions in his county. So, I called Forsyth and asked for a clarification.

According to a phone call conversation today I had with Forsyth, if a person is caught drunk driving by a law enforcement agency - such as the Michigan State Police - and is given only a citation there is a chance that the Prosecutor's Office will not know of it. The accused person could plead guilty to the offense without a warrant being issued and without a pre-trial conference being held.

In cases such as this, either the respective court or the law enforcement agency (e.g. the Michigan State Police) should notify the respective County Gun Board so that applicable discipline could be administered to the CPL-holder's license to conceal carry. Apparently, this is not always done. As such, an ineligible person could incorrectly still be in legal possession of a CPL.

In addition, Forsyth stated that some communities in Michigan have their own local drunk driving ordinances that are sometimes used to prosecute first time offenders. Sometimes, the respective court or the City Attorney does not provide notification of either the charge, the conviction, or both to the respective County Gun Board.

In my opinion, it would "seem" that the two aforementioned scenarios - whereby Prosecutors would be unaware of drunk driving convictions - would be relatively rare events. When asked if my hunch was correct, Forsyth told me that he couldn't confirm whether my assumption was correct. I'll accept that non-answer although I suspect that he does indeed know if those events are either rare or common occurrences.

Another failure identified and stressed in the story was that roughly half of Michigan's 83 County Gun Boards, at one time or another, failed to publish its annual statistics on crimes committed by CPL-holders.

I acknowledge and concede that statutorily defined duties - such as compiling crime data - by County Gun Boards should be carried out. However, the fact that the data compilation is not being done by some Gun Boards at some time or another does not cast a bad light on the overall oversight of the issuance of CPLs in the state.

Moreover, the lack of CPL-holder crime data does not suggest that CPL-holders are not worthy of the privelege granted to them. The only conclusion that can be made is that some County Gun Boards are not doing one of their statutorily defined duties. In fact, the article even included a relevant quote, "The records do show that only a tiny fraction of permit-holders break the law."

Furthermore, the whole point of mandating the compilation of CPL-holder crime stats anyway was to prove to anti-gun advocates that, at a minimum, the state's uniform CPL licensing requirements would not lead to higher Michigan crime rates. In fact, state of Michigan crime rates have dropped and none of the dire predictions and lies "about blood running in our streets" that anti-gun folks predicted were never realized.

In conclusion, the high level of interest generated by the anti-gun story was truly much ado about nothing. In fact, I would even argue that although it was technically accurate the results that could be inferred by it are potentionally misleading.

The story, as published, would have its readers believe that there are significantly large numbers of people with CPLs who should not have them due to certain public agencies and courts failing to do their jobs - communicating with the County Gun Boards.

I assert that the numbers of CPL-holders who have "slipped through the cracks" is a relatively small number of cases. In any case, this story should provide those agencies and courts with sufficient motivation to ensure that in the future that they will properly equip the respective County Gun Boards with the info they need.

Furthermore, the fact that some County Gun Boards have failed at some time or another to publish end of the year CPL-holder crime stats is not a fact that will impact public safety. It is a mere accounting issue that can rectified at any point in time, as long as the case files still exist.

Michigan's Concealed Pistol Law was unduly impugned by the referenced article.

What do you think?