Manly Man Ted Cruz Fires Machine Gun

From the same right-wing publicists that brought you Lindsey Graham destroying a phone and Ben Carson playing Operation.

US Army Warns Against Gun Nuts

Via the Stars & Stripes:

The Army has warned its recruiters to treat the gun-toting civilians gathering at centers across the country in the wake of the Chattanooga, Tenn., shooting as a security threat. Soldiers should avoid anyone standing outside the recruiting centers attempting to offer protection and report them to local law enforcement and the command if they feel threatened, according to a U.S. Army Recruiting Command policy letter issued Monday. Armed citizens — some associated with activist groups and militias — were standing vigil outside recruiting centers in Wisconsin, Georgia, Tennessee, Idaho and elsewhere this week, saying they want to provide protection to servicemembers barred from carrying firearms on duty. Four Marines and a sailor were killed by Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez, a 24-year-old Kuwait-born native of Tennessee, during an attack Thursday on a strip mall recruiting center and a Navy facility that is being investigated as an act of terrorism.

Recruiting officers have been warned not to "acknowledge or interact" with the militia members.

OKLAHOMA: Gun Group Promotes Event With Rainbow Flag Shooting Target

Via Oklahoma City's NBC affiliate:

Organizers of an Oklahoma race are coming under fire for a picture they posted on their Facebook page. It appears they’re using the LGBT rainbow flag as a shooting target. The post angered many people who took it as a direct threat to the LGBT community. Event organizers say they did not expect the response they got and that it was all meant as a joke. The Oklahoma Run ‘n Gun is a biathlon combining running and shooting. They’re promoting their upcoming race in Pawnee on July 18 on their Facebook page, but some are saying one post went too far. “People got really offended and really upset and people were really feeling threatened,” said Freedom Oklahoma Executive Director Troy Stevenson. The picture shows two men with rifles standing beside a rainbow flag and the caption reads “new high visibility targets on the 500 yard range.” “People took it as a threat, people felt very threatened,” said Stevenson.

Race organizers say the photo was meant to be "funny" and was posted because of complaints that less brightly-colored targets were difficult to see. Uh huh. The group has since taken down the image, saying that they are a "guns and fitness" organization, not a hate group. (Tipped by JMG reader William)

Headline Of The Day

Via Media Matters:

On June 26, the Supreme Court issued a decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, holding that the Fourteenth Amendment requires that states issue marriage licenses to same sex couples. Conservative media and the National Rifle Association (NRA) quickly seized on the decision to draw a parallel with concealed carry reciprocity, a top federal legislative priority of the NRA. Reciprocity legislation, also known as federally mandated concealed carry, would force states to recognize permits to carry concealed guns issued by other states, regardless of what the issuing state's standards are for issuing permits. Reciprocity legislation has been introduced in both chambers of the U.S. Congress, but conservative media and the NRA view Obergefell as an opportunity to argue that the Constitution extends at least some right to reciprocal permit recognition regardless of whether Congress acts. The problem with that argument, however, is that the 2008 landmark Supreme Court case District of Columbia v. Heller limited the scope of the Second Amendment right to gun possession to people's homes.

Breitbart Headline Of The Day

GEORGIA: Man Parades 100-Round AR-15 Rifle Through Atlanta Airport Because "Something Might Happen"

Via Atlanta's CBS affiliate:

A man carrying a rifle inside the Atlanta airport wasn’t breaking any laws, but he did raise a few eyebrows, including those of some Atlanta police officers. Jim Cooley says he carried his gun through the terminal when he and his wife went to drop his daughter off for her flight. He says he knew he wasn’t breaking any rules because he has a full understanding of Georgia’s gun laws. “You can carry in unsecured areas of the airport. Past TSA, never,” Cooley said.

That’s exactly what he did. Cooley carried his AR-15 fully loaded with a 100-round drum through parts of the terminal. Cooley says as he and his wife began to leave the airport the APD officer stopped him again and radioed to others that he was carrying an automatic weapon. Cooley says he was then followed to his car by a police lieutenant and two officers, who took pictures of their car. “It shouldn’t matter what I carry, just that I choose to carry,” Cooley said. “You never know where something might happen. If you don’t exercise your rights, the government doesn’t have any hesitation taking them away."

Last year Georgia legalized the open carrying of loaded guns in airports.

This Month's Guns & Ammo

Ted Cruz At The NRA Convention

Via USA Today:

Sen. Ted Cruz, one of two declared Republican candidates for president, told National Rifle Association members in Nashville that he's fought the conservative battles, unlike his opponents. "In a Republican primary, every candidate's going to stand up and say, 'I oppose Obamacare,'" Cruz said at the NRA's annual meeting Friday. "The question we ought to ask is, 'Great, when have you stood up and fought Obamacare?' "Every candidate is going to say they don't support amnesty. Alright, great. When have you stood up and fought to stop the president's illegal and unconstitutional executive action?" Cruz, a first-term senator and a Tea Party favorite, boasted about the Senate's defeat of several gun restrictions in recent years. He also recalled the recent letter that he and 46 other Republican senators signed and sent to leaders of Iran, which critics said jeopardized a nuclear deal between the nations.

Headline Of The Day

Via Addicting Info, here are the NRA's stated rules: "A multilevel security plan went into works not long after Nashville was chosen as the convention destination. All guns on the convention floor will be nonoperational, with the firing pins removed, and any guns purchased during the NRA convention will have to be picked up at a Federal Firearms License dealer, near where the purchaser lives, and will require a legal identification." (Tipped by JMG reader David)

Today's Pitch From Matt Barber

Every few days Christian leader Matt Barber sends out an email blast to promote right-wing products. Today's t-shirt pitch: "A humorous Second Amendment twist on 'Smile, wait for flash' phrase commonly used when taking photos. A great way to bring a smile to people's face, or to warn criminals what's waiting for them if they mess with you. Printed on the front of a gray shirt." In recent months Barber has twice published columns from advocates of the gay death penalty.

NRA Guns Giveaway At CPAC 2015

Matt Barber: Coolest USB Drive Ever

Barber's sales pitch for the above is accompanied by a pitch for a t-shirt that reads: "I'm a God fearin', gun packin', Bible believin', America lovin' conservative." Both are $16.99.

TEXAS: Open Carry Crackpots Confront State Rep, Refuse To Leave His Office

Via Mediaite:

Open carry advocates descended upon the Texas capitol for the start of the 2015 legislative session Tuesday and engaged in what even some of their supporters called overly aggressive tactics. One incident, in which members accosted Representative Poncho Nevarez (D-Eagle Pass), unnerved the Texas House enough for lawmakers to call for panic buttons. The meeting in Nevaraz’s office with twenty or so members of the Tarrant County chapter of Open Carry Texas started off polite enough, but quickly turned tense when several members began calling Nevaraz a “tyrant to the constitution” and warning him, “You won’t be here long, bro.” After being asked to leave the members became belligerent, telling staffers not to touch them and claiming it was “the people’s office.” (No arrests were made.) Kory Watkins, head of the chapter, uploaded video of the incident to Facebook.

Today the Texas House did approve the placement of "panic buttons" that will summon police to the offices of state reps. Watch the clip.

Free Republic Donation Image

The above money beg appears in the middle of Free Republic's sadz fest about Tim Cook.

New Zach Dasher Ads: Bibles And Guns Brought Us Here & They'll Keep Us Here

In three new campaign ads, the US House bid of Louisiana's Zach "My Platform Begins With God" Dasher is endorsed by Phil Robertson (Dasher's uncle), and Sen. Ted Cruz, who's apparently OK with vertical cellphone video ads. Via NOLA.com:

Fifth Congressional District candidate Zach Dasher's new ad says he believes in guns, and he's just unloaded the biggest gun he has. Dasher's uncle, "Duck Dynasty" star Phil Robertson, appears in two new television ads that will run district-wide Monday until Election Day on Nov. 4. The campaign described it as a "significant buy" but would not disclose exact figure for the buy.

Dasher, a Republican, is trying to unseat incumbent Rep. Vance McAllister, R-Swartz. McAllister is a former Robertson family ally, but he lost favor with the famous family from West Monroe after video surfaced earlier this year of the married congressman kissing a married female staffer.

The two 15-second ads show images of Robertson and Dasher while Robertson touts Dasher's conservative and religious values while praising his nephew for his strong moral character. One ad shows Robertson holding an assault-style rifle while he explains the importance of "Bibles and guns." "Bibles and guns brought us here, and Bibles and guns will keep us here," Robertson says in the ad. "Zach Dasher believes in both. That's why I'm voting for him."

Dasher has also been endorsed by Sarah Palin and by fellow Louisiana native Tony Perkins.

The NRA Has A Question For You

Headline Of The Day

Details.

NRA Women: 7 Ways That Children Can Have Fun At The Shooting Range

NRA Women yesterday tweeted then deleted a link to a post describing all the hilarious ways that kids can have fun at the shooting range.

The story linked in the tweet lists a number of new and colorful targets that it says will engage young shooters who have grown bored with the standard bull's-eye. In describing a pack of zombie targets, the author, Mia Anstine, writes that children "can imagine they're getting rid of the monsters from their nightmares." But a nightmare is precisely what unfolded on Monday, when 39-year-old Charles Vacca, a range instructor at Bullets and Burgers in northwest Arizona, stood over a 9-year-old girl holding an Uzi. The Israeli-made submachine gun can fire almost 30 rounds per second, according to the manufacturer. Police say the child lost control of the machine gun, and Vacca was shot in the head. He died later that day in a hospital. Anstine's column about children's shooting targets was posted on August 20, almost a week before the Arizona shooting. Why the NRA would decide to push out this column to the more than 7,000 followers of its "NRA Women" account is unclear. The NRA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The post is here.

Star of Guns-Themed Show Busted For Repeated Rape Of 11 Year-Old Daughter

Will Hayden (above center), star of the Discovery Channel's Sons Of Guns reality show, has been arrested for repeatedly raping his 11 year-old daughter.

The allegations have prompted the cancellation of his Discovery Channel series. “Given the serious and horrific nature of the charges against Will Hayden, we have decided to halt further production of 'Sons of Guns' and cancel the series," the network said in a statement. Hayden is accused of raping a minor “almost daily” since March 2013 and taking her virginity when she was 11 years old. TMZ reports the girl is Hayden’s daughter. During an interview with detectives, the alleged victim said she did not report the sexual abuse because she was afraid Hayden would hurt her. The most recent abuse of the now-12-year-old girl occurred during July 2014, according to the documents. According to police documents, the alleged victim claims that Hayden told her “don’t tell them nothing because I’m all you got.” Hayden was booked on Wednesday and his bail is set at $250,000. There was a warrant out for Hayden’s arrest, and The Times-Picayune reports he was apprehended in Livingston as a fugitive from East Baton Rouge.

Fox news has closed comments on their above-linked article.  Hayden was first arrested on similar charges two weeks ago. He has been a guest on the NRA's radio show. In the clip below, he pals around with Ted Nugent.

(Tipped by JMG reader Tom)

9 Year-Old Girl Kills Gun Instructor With The Uzi He Was Showing Her How To Use

Via the Associated Press:

A 9-year-old girl accidentally killed an Arizona shooting instructor as he was showing her how to use an automatic Uzi, authorities said Tuesday. Charles Vacca, 39, of Lake Havasu City, died Monday shortly after being airlifted to University Medical Center in Las Vegas, Mohave County sheriff's officials said. Vacca was standing next to the girl at the Last Stop outdoor shooting range in White Hills when she pulled the trigger and the recoil sent the gun over her head, investigators said. Authorities said the girl was at the shooting range with her parents. Her name was not released. A woman who answered the phone at the shooting range said it had no comment. She did not provide her name. It is not known if the range had an age limit on shooting or if the girl was going through a safety class.

The shooting range is actually named Burgers & Bullets. The Last Stop is their machine gun-themed restaurant.

Our guests have the opportunity to fire a wide range of fully automatic machine guns and specialty weapons. You will choose the guns which you want to shoot from our extensive collection and we provide the eye/ear protection, ammunition, and expert guidance. Our guests have an opportunity to choose from a wide variety of machine guns. Click here to view all of our available guns. Our 50 Cal. selections includes the Barrett Sniper Rifle, the Browning BMG .50 Cal ('the deuce'), and the Desert Eagle. We even have the actual firearms used in several Hollywood hits including The Terminator and Rambo II. To top it off, lunch is included inside the the World Famous Arizona Last Stop restaurant located onsite. You will be treated with the World Famous All American Hamburger, fresh cut french fries, and a drink. The All American Burger is guaranteed to be the best hamburger you have ever eaten.

They do birthday parties. Fun for kids of all ages. Among the available weapons is the "M203 Grenade Launcher."