…….

When I write about cases, legislation and events, I use the term “state” or “the state” to represent the Government. It doesn’t matter if it is the federal, state, or local government. It doesn’t matter if it is a rule promulgated by an agency or a city ordnance. In all cases, it is still “the state” that is doing it.

When we discuss cases, we speak about the case and the court’s opinion. We speak of Heller, Bruen, or Caetano we know the opinion. We might even know which Supreme Court Justice wrote the majority opinion.

Do you pay attention to the lawyers that are arguing the cases?

You should know Paul D. Clement. He argued McDonald and other 2A cases, and won.

Alan Gura argued Heller and won the biggest Supreme Court case for the 2A ever. Bruen was more about slapping down rogue courts and spoon-feeding the inferior courts how to handle 2A cases.

If you go look at west cost cases, you will find the firm of Michel and Associates with Carl D. Michel arguing for us.

It is highly unlikely that you have heard of J. Matthew Wright. He is the counsel of record for the Rahimi case.

He is ably assisted by Jared Guemmer, Jason Hawkins, Kevin Page, Rachel Taft, T.W. Brown.

They all work for a gigantic entity. Guemmer is part of the Federal Public Defender’s office of Oklahoma. The rest are part of the federal public defender’s office of Texas.

That’s correct, the federal government lawyers are arguing against federal government lawyers.

And the Public Defender’s are doing a great job.

After I posted my truck mess, one of the commenters pointed out that it might be the case that you only have what is on your person in that instant.

They are correct. That is one of the reasons I have so many first-aid/stop the bleed kits.

For example, the LBV for my office area is a Condor Recon Chest Rig, in black. It comes with the AR mag pouches built in. It adjusts to “fat” and it is fast and comfortable to get into.

To that, I add one of my blow out kits. I need to add pistol mag pouches to it, which would require me to decide on a SHTF pistol. I like my 1911s. Likewise, I’m uncertain if that’s what I would be carrying in a situation where I’m wearing my LBV.

My normal EDC is actually pretty good. I mentioned much of what I have on my person. I forgot to mention two things:

Two days of my prescription meds and ear plugs.

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There are many of these available from all the usual places. They are lightweight, waterproof and can be attached to things to keep them from being lost.

I believe this is the size that I have, which holds a pair of the squishes into ear, earplugs. The number of times I’ve used them when not shooting is surprising.

Much of my EDC is like that. I didn’t know I wanted that capability with me until I had it.

My silly example is going around my office and pulling all the staples out of beams, columns, door and window frames, and doors. Those little stable nubs always bother me and I would scratch myself from time to time. When I started carrying my Leatherman and later my Gerber, I would just pull them when I found them.

Regardless, it is worthwhile, in my opinion, picking some of these up. The different sizes can be used for different fun things.

My son is on the spectrum. His idea of fun is computer games. On the great side of it, he has decided that he is going into the trades. I couldn’t be prouder of him.

His sibling has given me tunes for Tuesdays, as has his mother. Today I asked for his.

He gave me four. Two are cartoon—like singing. I can’t handle it, and I won’t inflict it on you.

His third choice was:

I happen to prefer the choir version:

His last was labeled “American”. It is a song I happen to like. It depends on whether it was “The War of Northern Aggression” or “The Civil War” or “the war to free the slaves”.

My truck is a mess. I try to keep the front in “ok” but the space behind the driver’s seat is reserved for preparedness.

This is the “always” things:

• US Military Sleep System.
• US Military poncho liner.
• US Military entrenching shovel
• US MRE’s, not visible, in the door behind the lens
• Blowout First Aid Kit
• Boo-Book First Aid Kit (Red)
• Bottled water.

To this is added the travel bag, a 72-hour pack, when I leave my local AO. That includes my spare boonie hat, a watch cap, another IFAK/blowout+, MRE(1), water filter, 1L canteen, extra ammo, socks, underwear, shirt, US Military poncho, US Military Poncho Liner, misc other stuff.

Fire starting equipment is at every level and in every kit. 440 paracord is at every level, the only thing that changes is the amount. I actually made a belt from paracord. 150 ft of paracord around my waist and it looks like a regular belt.

There are pocket knives everywhere, Gerber multi-tools in most of the EDCs. A nice Cold Steel folding lock blade.

The briefcase is a bit more and besides carrying my laptop it carries a full EDC set. In that one, I have flavored tuna packets. They can be eaten as is or spread on crackers or bread if you have it.

I have Ka-Bar sporks in most gear. The number of times that has been helpful is surprising.

Regardless, start putting together some supplies “just in case”. There are $100s of dollars in my EDC kits, not counting the firearms. I certainly didn’t go out and buy it all at once. It just keeps growing as I find things that work for me/us.

I’m old enough to remember the events. I remember the Feds telling us that there were no federal snipers pointing guns at the defenders. It was just such a shock to see gun sight camera images of those snipers. I mean, they were clear, and I didn’t know that it was possible with the tech of that time.

There was the follow-on standoff. I did watch the state’s video of the ambush and the death of the one protester.

I was asked to write about that saga. To look into the court cases.

It is unlikely to happen. It falls into the same category of research as Ruby Ridge cases, and the Branch Dividians. Interesting, but a boat load of research that I do not have the resources at the current time.

If somebody wants to send me courts and case numbers, I’ll look into it. My research last night didn’t pop anything except anger at the Wikipedia page.

Since its inception, the California ammunition background check has been riding at about a 10.8% rejection rate.

Of that, more than 50% were in error. We don’t know if the remaining people were actually prohibited, or if they just didn’t bother to go to the trouble of doing the paperwork.

About 7,500 individuals are rejected each month.

The good news is that the CA DoJ reports that doing all that to law-abiding, responsible citizens resulted in 51 investigations. Those 51 investigations resulted in 15 individuals being arrested.

The state seized 152 firearms, 12 “ghost gun parts”, 237 magazines, and 78,742 rounds of ammunition.

That translates to 3 firearms on average per investigation and 1,500 rounds of ammo.

Quoting from a charging document:

If you bought a gun manufactured by SIG, in New Hampshire, from an FFL in New Hampshire, it is still likely to have been shipped out of state for distribution. That would mean it affected interstate commerce.

The state has gone further and said that even if the firearm was made in your state, that you bought it direct from the manufacturer, in person, that the firearm still affected interstate commerce. Their reasoning is that if that firearm were not purchased, you would have purchased a firearm that did cross state or country lines.