A community of gun owners being willing to defend their unalienable rights is how we got our carry permit law passed. It took decades, and had to be passed twice by the legislature, but it did pass. Earlier this year, that same community stepped up and almost got "Stand Your Ground" legislation passed, more commonly known as "Castle Doctrine". We lost that by one vote(a convenient absentation) with a state legislature supposedly stacked against us. Carry permit holders in Minnesota account for about 1% of the total population. We are a significant voting bloc, and our representatives in government know enough to pay us attention. Get active! Let your Congress-people know how you want them to vote on the issues.
Find your representatives here: http://geo.commissions.leg.state.mn.us/districts/start.html
Remember, "Of the People, by the People, for the People". The government works for us, not the reverse.
The Gun Owners' Civil Rights Alliance works hard to defend our rights, too. I strongly recommend you sign up for their E-Blasts, to keep yourselves up-to-date on the gun issues in the coming legislative session. (http://www.mnccrn.org/)
For those interested in a wonderful sense of community, involving local gun enthusiasts, check out the local messaging boards. MNGunTalk and TwinCitiesCarry are both forums worth your time. (http://www.mnguntalk.com/index.php and http://twincitiescarry.com/forum/index.php)
Remember, your rights are worth defending.
A free people [claim] their rights as derived from the laws of nature, and not as the gift of their chief magistrate.
-Thomas Jefferson
Recent Questions:
Q: What are the carry laws in Connecticut?
A: Applicants must be at least 21 years old and be a legal resident of the United States. Persons convicted of a felony or any one of 11 misdemeanor offenses detailed in the statute are ineligible to receive a permit. The cost for obtaining a pistol permit is $35.00. The permit is good for a period of five years. You are required to complete a handgun safety course. Live fire is also required. A permit is also required to own and/or transport a firearm.
In order to receive a state permit to Carry Pistol and Revolvers, a local permit must be obtained first. Out-of state residents may apply for a non-resident Connecticut
State Pistol Permit, and apply directly to the Connecticut State Police.
Information found here: http://www.ct.gov/dps/cwp/view.asp?a=2158&Q=294502&dpsNav=| and http://www.nraila.org/statelawpdfs/CTSL.pdf
Q: Would your courses be acceptable for beginners, or would you recommend experience with handguns prior to taking the course?
A: Experience is never bad, but we will take as much time as necessary for beginners. We regularly have beginners take our class, and they leave satisfied and able to handle a gun safely.
Q: Where can I find previous issues of your newsletter?
A: The newsletter archive is available here. (http://www.metrodefense.com/list/archive.php?listID=2&layoutID=1&pagerows=20&pagenum=1)
The Constitution shall never be construed...to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms.
—Samuel Adams
NEW! We're offering a referral bonus! After you take our carry class, for every new paid student you send our way, we'll send you $20. Refer seven friends, and you've made a profit on taking our class!
As always, if you've taken our class, you are welcome to come back for a refresher. This means you can refer a friend, join them in the class, and have $20 for lunch after the class. What a deal! Please let us know ahead of time, so we can make sure there is room.
No man can be free when he allows a price tag to be attached to his rights.
As I mentioned in our last two newsletters, Howard Orenstein ran for judge in Ramsey County.
As quoted previously:
Howard Orenstein and his wife are very strong gun-control advocates. Howard is the founder of Citizen's for a Safer Minnesota, the group that wants to take your guns away, and regularly lobbies against Carry Permits and Castle Doctrine/Stand Your Ground legislation. His organization is funded by the Joyce Foundation, which is the biggest anti-gun organization in the world.
A report from his wife to the U.N. concluded that self defense is immoral.
He was on the ballot for Ramsey County Judge. His election would have been a tragedy for all gun-owners in Ramsey County. He was defeated, with your help.
“There is no doubt that the very thought a potential victim might possess a firearm deters that element of our society that cares nothing about laws or human life but rather understands only one thing—brute force.” - Judge Robert Ruehlman
Upcoming Class: December 6th, 2008 at 9:30AM. If you're interested, please register here(http://www.metrodefense.com/index.php?page=classes). Price is $130 for an individual, which includes a copy of the book, Everything You Need to Know about (Legally) Carrying a Handgun in Minnesota and all range fees.
Bring a toy for Toys for Tots and get $20 off!
Couples, renewals, and pre-paid registrations all receive various discounts, detailed on our website, or by calling either (612) 385-9100 or (612)618-7430
There are no hidden fees in our class. Bring some ammunition and the $130 fee is your total cost.
Practice is the only way to master something, but practice does not make perfect, only consistent. -Spider Robinson
To continue our series on home security: Lighting
Our next layer is lighting. Lighting is our best “deterrent from a distance”. If a house looks well-lit, with an inconvenient lack of shadows and motion sensor lights by each of the entrances, it is more likely to be considered a poor target for intruders. Lighting comes in three essential stages, two of which do not come into play until the burglar is actually in your house, but we will address all the stages here.
Install motion activated floodlights by every entrance. If possible install the light above easy reach, to prevent an intruder from simply unscrewing the light bulb. If that’s not possible, try to find a light with a locking grate over the bulb opening. This will force an intruder to be visible while he tries to enter your home. It also makes it easier for you to get your keys into the lock when you come home at night. Be sure your exterior lights illuminate the "hidden" entry and/or ambush points, like rear doors and windows, walkways, shrubs and garage entries. Keep your bushes trimmed away from your house, to avoid giving an intruder a place to hide while he works. Don't make his job easy for him!
In addition, put a nightlight in the living room area, away from the safe room. This will effectively disable a burglar’s night vision. It will also silhouette the intruder if you come into the room. It has the added benefit of allowing you to see where you are going if you need to get up in the middle of the night. Emergency nightlights with light sensor and "no power" detection are the best choice. Consider putting some of your lights on timers, or installing a FakeTV, to simulate activity when you are not home. If it looks like you are home, burglars are less likely to attempt entry.
Finally, have a flashlight with batteries available at the bedside of everyone in the house to see in the dark. This will allow everyone the ability to see if there is a problem at night, whether it is an emergency or a simple power outage. A stout flashlight can also double as a self defense tool, if necessary. Check the batteries when you check your smoke alarms. LED or crank-powered flashlights last a long time, with very little maintenance.
Until next time,
Jason and Mike
Metro Defense Training, LLC
http://www.MetroDefense.com
An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not defeated by fleeing from it - Col. Jeff Cooper
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