ARMED-M

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The Armed M is a publication of the 2nd Amendment SIG, a special interest group of American Mensa Ltd.  Opinions expressed herein are the opinions of the writers, and not of American Mensa, Ltd., which has no opinions.  This newsletter is linked to the Mensa web page WWW.Mensa.org as WWW.webcatt.com/2ndAmend_SIG

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May 2001

"When great changes occur in history, when great principles are involved, as a rule the majority are wrong. The minority are right." -- Eugene V. Debs (1855-1926)  A little background “While in prison in 1920 he ran again for president on the Socialist ticket and received almost 1 million votes.”

 Government to unveil new details of fatal ATF raid CATHY FRYE, ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

The federal government has agreed to release a more detailed account of the events leading to an Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Bureau raid that left a man dead in his bedroom. Carl Wilson, 60, was killed in a shootout with federal authorities when they arrived before dawn on Jan. 12 at his rural Faulkner County home. They were searching for an old Winchester rifle. The documents explaining why the ATF wanted the gun have remained sealed in federal court.  The Democrat-Gazette filed a motion Feb. 15, asking that the case file be made public. The government initially objected to the newspaper's request. But at a hearing before U.S. Magistrate J. Thomas Ray on Friday, prosecutors agreed to unseal the documents. However, they want to redact, or "black out," portions of the file beforehand, saying witnesses and informants need to be protected.  The judge's ruling, expected next week, will likely challenge the constitutionality of the way in which search-and-seizure warrants are handled in the Eastern District of Arkansas. It could eliminate the automatic sealing of all warrants and accompanying documents, and instead require a specific request from prosecutors to keep the paperwork from public view. At Friday's hearing, attorneys haggled not only over the Wilson case but also the First Amendment versus search warrants -- namely, how much information should remain secret and why.  "We are an open society," said lawyer Jess Askew, who is representing the Democrat-Gazette. "As Justice [Warren] Burger has said, 'People in an open society do not demand infallibility from their institutions, but it is difficult for them to accept what they are prohibited from observing.'"

They were looking for a .30-.30 Winchester rifle, model 94, serial number NRA 8315.  Wilson's widow, Tammy, wants to know why her husband was being investigated.  And how, she asks, did the raid turn deadly? Much to her anger, the answers have remained secret. Still sealed, however, is the probable-cause affidavit, which would explain what kind of investigation the ATF was conducting and why a no-knock raid was necessary.

Wednesday January 3 2:12 PM ET Report: E. Germany Used Nuclear Tags on Dissidents

LONDON (Reuters) - In a ploy worthy of a James Bond villain, East German dissidents were ``tagged'' with radioactive chemicals that allowed secret agents to track them with hidden Geiger counters, New Scientist magazine said on Wednesday.

So that targets would not hear the distinctive clicking of the counter at close range, Stasi secret police agents wore the detector strapped under one arm, while a vibrating alarm was slung under the other arm.  The magazine's article was based on a paper by Klaus Becker, a leading radiation protection expert.

Evidence of the radioactive tracking exercise, dating from the 1970s and 1980s, was found in the vast Stasi archives by officials of the Berlin-based Gauck Commission, a German government agency investigating the former secret police.

``It is a remarkable story,'' Becker was quoted as saying. ''It's the first well-documented case of such a thing.''``It really is the stuff of James Bond movies,'' said Barrie Lambert, a radiobiologist at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London.  ``It's an unpleasant thing to do. The risk is not limited to the person being tagged. You'd be exposing other people, such as a spouse.''

The Stasi files revealed that dissidents were labeled with radioactive substances in a number of ways. If people could not be sprayed with a radioactive solution the spies would label their cars, documents or paper money, according to Becker.  If the floors of rooms used for meetings by dissidents could be treated, the Stasi could follow anyone who attended.  The Stasi also developed an air gun that could fire tags made of small pieces of silver wire into car tires.  Becker said that while doses of radiation were usually below what would seriously harm or kill, there were mishaps.

``The Stasi marked West German deutschmarks with large amounts of scandium to see how they circulated and for what purpose. While they expected to retrieve them, they didn't and the notes disappeared without trace,'' said Becker.  The Stasi later calculated that if more than one note was in a man's pocket, the effect on his fertility ``came close to castration,'' said Becker.

It has long been suspected that the Stasi used radiation as a weapon, but Becker said it would never be officially proved whether it was true that large X-ray machines were used to covertly irradiate dissidents in political prisons.  Becker left East Germany in 1951, aged 18. He later became a senior official of the Juelich Nuclear Research Establishment in West Germany.

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Odometer tax proposal likely to stall Transportation chief says fees on miles driven would turn all roads into 'toll booths.  By Joel Kurth / The Detroit News

LANSING -- Michigan lawmakers may move to yank state funding for a controversial study into using satellites to tax drivers for every mile they travel. State Sen. Bill Bullard Jr., chairman of the Transportation Committee, wants to revoke the state's $20,000 commitment to a $700,000 study of an odometer tax, which would have the effect of turning all roads into toll roads by tracking travel through global positioning systems.

Would an "odometer tax," in which drivers would be taxed for every mile they travel, be a better way to fund state transportation needs than the current gasoline taxes? Share your thoughts. 

Michigan is one of nine states helping fund the project, which seeks alternatives to a looming crisis in road funding. Even transportation officials are skeptical of an odometer tax, but the notion is attracting scorn from residents still smarting from a 4-cent a gallon gas tax increase in 1997.

"What about all the people who drive for a living and are on the road all the time?" asked Jim Whiteford of Southfield. "At best it would be a regressive tax and it's not a cure for the problem. It doesn't make sense. There'd be a revolt." Bullard said he's outraged Michigan has committed "even a dime." The study is motivated by a widening gulf between road funding and needs: The state's 19-cent gas tax raises just $943 million of the state's $1.5-billion road budget.

"This idea is so ridiculous that we shouldn't even study it," said Bullard,R-Milford.

The universities of Minnesota and Iowa are spear-heading the study, which will take at least two years. Backers said the odometer tax would eliminate the gas tax and toll booths, increase funding for well-traveled cities and be the most fair way to fund transportation. Fears about spying are unfounded, said David Forkenbrock, director of the University of Iowa's Public Policy Center. The system would only track miles traveled, not destinations, through computer panels that would be placed in cars, Forkenbrock said. "Gas taxes are in serious peril," he said. "Fuel sales may decline and with the increase in hybrid vehicles, it's not a reliable source of revenue. We have to do something different." But even tepid backers at the Department of Transportation said there's no guarantee the state's involvement will remain after the first phase of the project finishes in 2002. "We want to get the dialogue started and make people realize we can't rely on the gasoline tax forever," said Ari Adler, department spokesman. "We're not advocating this yet, though. This is just an idea."

The study highlights growing concern among officials that dollars are dwindling for roads, while demand is increasing for repairs and construction. Adler said declining oil supplies may increase the popularity of mixed-fuel and electric cars, decreasing tax revenues. Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson said the state could recoup $300 million annually for roads if the sales tax on gas is steered toward highways. Now, it goes to the general fund. "This is a mean-spirited plan that's just outrageous," Patterson said. "Big Brother is watching and George Orwell is working for MDOT."  of the issues.

  Another *school shooting*? Almost every headline I have read This morning, in Seattle, news is of a student at a suburban school having a gun and the school was shut down. A police officer was shot and killed by four black youths in another suburb of Seattle and a large area has been cordoned off for the search of these thugs/killers. Also hearing of students and guns at other schools across the country. Seattle is also trying to find the rioters shown in video of the Mardis Gras event in Pioneer Square. ... Posted on: 3/7/01 11:14:00 AM - Read Article 

Sen. Bob Smith, R-N.H., has said that the only effective form of gun control is a steady hand. He has been a staunch opponent of abortion, who abandoned the Republican Party in July 1999 because it was too soft on core conservative issues, and he ran his own fringe campaign for the White House last year that was fueled by the same ideological flame. He is also the current chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, with primary jurisdiction over the laws that protect the air we breathe and the water we drink. ...

Coach fired for wielding meat cleaver on school grounds? But was it in a Meat Cleaver Free Zone??? A coach has been fired because she tried to take a meat cleaver into school after an argument at a junior high volleyball game. Toni Gay, a teacher's aide at the Rockford Environmental Science Academy, was arrested Sat & charged with unlawful use of a weapon on school property & disorderly conduct. Now the feel good politicians can make a 1000 foot Meat Cleaver Free Zone around all schools. Will Base Ball Bats & Tennis Rackets be next? What about the knives in the school kitchen?

Democratic Party pays 75% of Left-wing extremist & leading hate monger, Jesse Jackson's travel? The Tribune quoted Mr. Jackson as saying: "I've seen this attack by the right-wing before. It's about trying to dismember our organization." "We file our [tax] returns every year," he said. "We have an audit. It's the government's job to protect its rights, not to allow right-wing extremists to seek to discredit or destroy us." Jesse Jackson leads the Black equivalent of the KKK, but leads them in outright hypocrisy. The right wing did not discredit him, he did that himself ...

Paranoia & false Safety in school? All will fail until we practice & teach personal responsibility In the nearly 2 years since Columbine High School, officials at Santana High School developed elaborate security plans for the campus. There were phones in every classroom. Security guards patrolled the hallways with two-way radios. And a sheriff's deputy was assigned to visit the campus each day. With all the crap we swallowed about "its for the children", we never taught by example self control & no longer accept responsibility for our actions, someone else is always to blame ...

Police tell why they held back in melee. They were more concerned for their own ass when bottles WERE thrown at officers, Bryant decided to pull the foot, horse & bicycle cops out. , "it looked to me that we would be targets of aggression. The officers would be surrounded. We would have been of limited effectiveness other than to be recipients of (thrown) bottles." Kristopher Kime was hit in the back of the head with a bottle & beaten as he lay on the sidewalk. He was carried out by friends & off-duty firefighters. The Firefighters still have the guts to help

House readies vote on workplace safety rules House Republican leaders moved quickly today to follow the Senate's lead and repeal Clinton administration regulations aimed at reducing repetitive-motion injuries in the workplace. GOP aides said a vote was likely by early evening on the measure. Passage would send the bill to President Bush, who has signaled he would sign it.

U.S. Troops In Kosovo Firefight U.S. soldiers in Kosovo wounded two men in a gunbattle Wednesday near the Macedonian border, where peacekeepers have been trying to help contain an ethnic Albanian insurgency, the U.S. military said. The incident occurred near the village of Tanusevci, 20 miles north of the Macedonian capital, Skopje. It was the scene of clashes between Macedonian troops and ethnic Albanian gunmen earlier this week. No U.S. soldiers were injured in the incident, the U.S. military said ...

Free Range As the Supreme Court explained in 1960, the Takings Clause is "designed to bar Government from forcing some people alone to bear public burdens which, in all fairness and justice, should be borne by the public as a whole." This means that if Rhode Island wants to use Palazzolo's property for a wildlife refuge, it ought to pay him, passing the cost on to the public in whose name it is acting. Taxpayers would have to buy property in order to protect it from development. Novel Idea ...

Lewis County Libertarians gets moving in the county with Property Rights Initiative and more Lewis County has strong Libertarian grass roots & now we have a local group intent on bringing out the issues the other parties only give lip service to. Personal Property Rights is only one of them, along with strict government obedience to the Bill of Rights & our Constitution. The meeting is open to anyone who still believes in our country. The Meeting will be at 7 pm March 8th, in the Green Room in the Olympic Club, 112 north Tower Street in Centralia, Washington....

  THE ancient right of a person not to be tried again for the same offence should be abolished in murder cases, according to a recommendation from the Government's law reform advisers. The "double jeopardy" rule has been part of English common law since the 12th century. If the Law Commission's proposals are accepted by Parliament, it could be possible for the three youths acquitted of murdering the black teenager Stephen Lawrence to face a second trial, but only if "compelling" new evidence became available.

The Appeal Court would also have to consider whether the youths could ever have a fair trial, given the huge amount of publicity the case has received. Neil Acourt, Gary Dobson and Luke Knight were formally acquitted when a private prosecution for murder failed.

Today's report follows a recommendation in 1999 from Sir William Macpherson, the retired judge who conducted the Stephen Lawrence inquiry. He pointed out that the three youths could not be tried again even if fresh evidence emerged. His inquiry report said: "We simply indicate that perhaps in modern conditions such absolute protection may sometimes lead to injustice."

The Law Commission will not comment on whether the Lawrence case, or any other, could be reheard on the basis of its proposals. In an unusual move, the commission recommends that the law should be amended retrospectively. The change would apply to acquittals which had taken place before the new law came into effect.

A provision in the European Convention on Human Rights, not yet in force in Britain, allows a case to be reopened "if there is evidence of new or newly discovered facts . . . which could affect the outcome of the case." The Home Office's National Crime Faculty has calculated that there are 35 murder cases where defendants who were acquitted could be reinvestigated and new charges brought.

The commission's provisional recommendation, in October 1999, was that the change should apply to any offence punishable by at least three years in jail. Last June the Commons home affairs committee recommended that the new law should apply only to cases punishable by life imprisonment. Today's recommendation is narrower still, applying only to cases of murder.

Even then, a retrial would only be possible if the Appeal Court considered it to be in the interests of justice. In addition, there would have to be evidence which, in the Appeal Court's view, made it highly probable that the defendant was guilty. The court would consider the new evidence in the context of the defence put forward at the original trial.

The commission also recommends that the Crown should have the right to appeal against acquittals made on a judge's direction, for example where the case was halted on a point of law. Judge Wilkie, QC, the Law Commissioner responsible for today's report, said the commission believed that its recommendations recognised the need to enhance public confidence "by enabling manifestly questionable acquittals in serious cases to be called into question".

At the same time, the proposals paid "proper regard to the principle that it is not legitimate for the state to continue to pursue a person who has been found not guilty after due process." The Government says that it would consider introducing an amendment to the double jeopardy rule in the light of today's report.

However, ministers have promised to wait for Lord Justice Auld's report on the criminal courts, expected "soon", before reaching any conclusions. John Wadham, of the civil rights organisation Liberty, said: "The protection from double jeopardy is a fundamental part of our criminal justice system and we increase the chances of innocent people being convicted if we remove it."

Geoffrey Robertson, QC, was worried that, if these proposals became law, the police would never look for anyone else after a defendant was acquitted of murder. "If compelling DNA evidence or the like subsequently becomes available against a defendant acquitted of any serious crime he should be prosecuted for perjury or for perverting the course of justice at his original trial, and not twice for the same offence."

Among those who have been acquitted only later to flaunt their guilt is Ronnie Knight, former husband of the actress Barbara Windsor. He was acquitted at the Old Bailey in 1980 of the gangland murder of Alfredo Zomparelli but later wrote a book in which he admitted paying a hitman to kill him.

Last year, Freddie Foreman, a former associate of the Kray twins, told a television documentary team that he helped in two murders for which he was cleared - that of Frank Mitchell, known as the Mad Axeman, and Tommy "Ginger" Marks. After the documentary, Foreman - who served 16 years for disposing of the body of another Kray victim, Jack "The Hat" McVitie - was told he could not be retried because of the double jeopardy rule.

He was arrested on suspicion of perjury but the police decided not to pursue the charges.

5 November 2000: Straw moves to scrap Magna Carta double jeopardy law 9 June 2000: Relax rule on double jeopardy, say MPs 25 May 2000: Ex-Kray man is held after TV 'confession' 15 May 2000: Tories seek end to 'no second trial' rule 15 December 1999: Judge to review criminal justice 12 October 1999: Law Commission seeks exception to 'one trial' rule 28 February 1999: Not guilty - until you're back in court again 25 February 1999: 'We must change as a nation'    

HANDGUN STOPPING POWER by Bob Campbell (c) 2001

 One Shot Stops, 9mm vs. .45, Magic Bullets - The Controversy rages in the debate over terminal ballistics.

There has been more debate concerning handgun stopping power in the past 10 years than in the previous 100. A lot of gunplay took place in the old west, but period literature covers the tactics and personalities far more closely than the guns and calibers used. The .44 and .45 caliber revolvers in wide use on the frontier seemed to work with authority, and no one much questioned the efficacy of their ballistics.

Since the days when word-of-mouth was the only barometer of handgun effectiveness, we have made many advances in measuring handgun power. In my youth, most writers still used pine boards to test handgun cartridges, penetration being the only criteria. Later, ductseal and clay, both unrealistic media, were widely used. Today we have carefully formulated ballistic gelatin, developed by trauma surgeons to replicate human tissue, as well as some highly significant scientific studies of gunshot effects.

The study of tactics and human behavior is more important than the weapon, caliber and loading used in combat. Marksmanship can be proven to be the most important component of handgun effectiveness. Wound ballistics is a science, with conclusions drawn from studying bullet tracks in both ballistic gelatin and corpses in the Medical examiner's morgue.

Detractors of laboratory tests feel these tests cannot duplicate differences in point of impact, clothing, attitude, muscle structure and intoxication. But a ballistic scientist does not ask us to believe anything. He simply presents the results of certain tests. The results are not only verifiable, they are repeatable, the real test of science.

Stopping power "studies," on the other hand, ask us to believe in someone's conclusion. Assuming such compilations are valid requires a considerable leap of faith. Reports are often sensationalized, even glamorized. Are such studies grounded in reality? Are they even useful? Can they be supported by scientific methods?

I don't have all the answers, but I do know this- cartridges and loads are not as important as basic shooting skills. I don't believe trick loads significantly alter the ability of a smallbore cartridge to inflict damage. I simply don't accept many published reports because they are anecdotal and based on hearsay.

I respect some compilers for personal reasons, but believe their methodology is flawed. In other cases, there are conclusions made that are so irrelevant to the reality of interpersonal combat that they are not even worth publishing.

A Skeptical Eye

When it comes to the various handgun "studies," we must consider their validity. These "researchers" sell books that are not the King James version of stopping power. Yet the figures expressed are often quoted in the popular press as gospel.

The best known of the handgun stopping power studies are those of Evan Marshall and the Police Marksman's Association (PMA). A criticism of Marshall's work is that he has not allowed others to inspect and review his source material. To some, this reduces the validity of the study to zero. Certainly, such unsubstantiated work does not meet an investigative standard. As a longtime officer, I understand both sides of this debate. Confidentiality and respect for families must be considered.

Cops who collect shooting histories may not have engaged in much gunplay, but have arrived just after quite a few gunfights ended. Cops from Area Six in Chicago, Fort Apache (the Bronx) in New York, or The Wall in California have a good idea of the type of damage different handgun calibers inflict. They are good investigators as well. They realize that three eyewitnesses testifying in good faith may perceive events three different ways.

Human perceptions differ. The road to a detective's badge in many agencies is through the traffic division. Working wreck scenes is small-scale investigation, and separates the sleuths from the duffers in some cases.

Applying normal investigative standards to stopping power studies often reveals bankrupt methodology or standards. These "studies" do not even meet the criteria demanded by some agencies in ascertaining who is at fault in a fender bender.

Most police trainers have long abandoned the attempt to study stopping power and instead have concentrated on tactical movement and the actions of felons in combat. Tactics carry the day. By criticizing issue arms and equipment, we undermine an officer's confidence in his gear, something he is usually unable to change. Sure, a DAO 9mm loaded with subsonic ammunition is my gun from hell too, but a good man or woman behind the sights can make a difference. Tactics and marksmanship are a better answer than hotter loads in minor calibers.

One writer did the boys and girls in blue no favor When he stated in pat terms that load selection is more important than shot placement. His reasoning was that we can control load selection, but not marksmanship. Evidently he does not realize that shots that do not find critical areas are relatively ineffective. Any hunter knows better, and hunting lessons do indeed translate to self-defense. A gut-shot man behaves just like a gut-shot deer- both are up and running for quite some time.

Thousands Of Stories

Take Marshall's work at face value and accept that it contains thousands of histories. I am sure it does. Is the methodology used by Marshall flawed? Many of us believe the decision to eliminate multiple bullet strikes from the data base makes small caliber loads look much better than real world experience would indicate.

Most handgun fights will be multiple strike incidents. One shot failures would be rare. After all, if the first shot fails, won't you fire another? Besides, trained shooters often fire double or triple taps before a subject can fall.

A problem with handgun histories is qualifying hits. I have on hand a report from police sources in which a coroner and a medical examiner, both reputable men, disagreed concerning the number of hits on a felon's body.

 In a class I once attended, a medical examiner spoke in glowing terms of a certain new generation hollowpoint. He showed an impressive slide in which a bad guy- "Satan Lives" was tattooed on his chest- took a single hit which produced a long and wide wound track. Years later, the officer involved in the incident spoke at a seminar. He noted the man took the shot, stopped his attack, and remained mobile for some time, asking the officer to call an ambulance. The felon expired. The officer was certain the man could have continued the fight had he so wished. Two conflicting opinions on the same shooting.

Some adversaries are "machinegunned" in shootings- five .38s, seven .45s, or 41 9mms. Excited, frightened men empty their guns under deadly stress. If the felon goes down in such a volley, it may have been a one-shot stop. The volley that leaves a felon standing is always a failure to stop.

Dismissing multiple hits eliminates the majority of smallbore shootings. This renders Marshall's study relying upon such data flawed.

Marshall's work is far from worthless, but his best advice is found between the lines. He stresses the three components of stopping power- marksmanship, marksmanship and marksmanship. Marshall notes we are not very bright if we have time to arm ourselves with a long gun and fail to do so. In comparison to a 12 gauge or a .223 rifle, the "weak .38" and "strong .45" are more alike than they differ. A sobering thought.

Tactical Info

Shooting histories should be used for tactical information first and bullet performance information second. As for lab work, gelatin is homogenous and flesh and blood are heterogeneous. It is not the same, but gelatin is a good media for comparing bullet performance. What counts is point of impact and perhaps the adversary's tox sheet. (Certain drugs are not called painkillers for nothing.)

Whether or not we regard the studies as valid - and many disregard the PMA study as well as Marshall's - there is much to be learned between the lines. Bullet selection is more important in the weaker calibers. One authority, Dr. Vincent J. Di Miao, has stated that perhaps half of all handgun bullets fail to expand in the body. The works of this respected medical examiner do not inspire confidence in smallbore hollowpoints. We are led to the conclusion that all handguns are weak instruments.

The PMA's hit probability ratings are more a product of training than anything, but are very interesting. The .45 auto and .357 Magnum revolvers showed the highest hit probability of any service handguns.

Hit probability is a side issue, but one which remains comparatively valid if not an exact tally of hits and misses.

Fun With Math

One "study" shows a 9mm cartridge that has proven to be a 50 percent stopper, Hit probability in this agency has proven to be 50 percent- far higher than average. What are the chances two felons will be stopped with two shots? Given that only one out of two rounds will hit Felon X and Felon Y, at least four shots will have to be fired to connect, and then only one opponent is likely to be stopped.

Here's the math on that probability: .50 x .50 = .25. What you have is a one-in-four chance of stopping Felon X with one shot.

What about the .357 Magnum revolver, per PMA stats? It works out like this: .75 x .60 = .45. The conclusion, if we were peddling this "study" as a major new book, would be this: The .357 Magnum is nearly twice as likely to produce a one-shot stop as a 9mm Luger. So there you have it. How much faith can we put in these studies?

The Answer

What stops human adversaries during a deadly attack? A brain shot or a spine shot are the only two instant incapacitators. Damage to blood bearing organs that causes rapid blood loss and a drop of pressure causes the body to shut down.

Sometimes common sense, is the best guide. Bigger bullets cause more damage. Bigger knives cut better. Bigger engines pull better. However, handgun bullets aren't very big. Accuracy can make up for power - the reverse is seldom true. --------------------------