Bourbon Independence Day: A Toast to America’s Native Spirit

On May 4, 1964, Senate Concurrent Resolution 19 (S. Con. Res. 19) was passed, declaring that bourbon “is a distinctive product of the United States.” With that resolution, Bourbon Whiskey joined the ranks of other regionally protected spirits such as Scotch Whisky, Cognac, and Canadian Whisky — each of which must be produced in their respective countries of origin.

Although bourbon originated in present day Kentucky in the late 1700s — then still part of Virginia — and the vast majority of it is still produced there today, bourbon is now made in all 50 U.S. states.

So, raise a glass (or two) and celebrate Bourbon Independence Day with your favorite pour!

Cheers!

Image from https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-78/pdf/STATUTE-78-Pg1208-2.pdf

Bourbon Independence Day: A Toast to America’s Native Spirit

On May 4, 1964, Senate Concurrent Resolution 19 (S. Con. Res. 19) was passed, declaring that bourbon “is a distinctive product of the United States.” With that resolution, Bourbon Whiskey joined the ranks of other regionally protected spirits such as Scotch Whisky, Cognac, and Canadian Whisky — each of which must be produced in their respective countries of origin.

Although bourbon may have originated in Kentucky — then still part of Virginia — and the vast majority of it is still produced there today, bourbon is now made in all 50 U.S. states.

So, raise a glass (or two) and celebrate Bourbon Independence Day with your favorite pour!

Cheers!

Image from https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-78/pdf/STATUTE-78-Pg1208-2.pdf

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Traveling in Maryland

I end up driving into Maryland more often than I'd like. I still have family "behind the curtain." There are also, surprisingly, really well-run pistol matches at clubs in the state. I came across this warning posted online...

The possibility of getting unintentionally swept up by Maryland State Police for a gun violation is a LOT worse than your last alert portrayed.

Maryland does not honor concealed carry permits from other states. The Maryland State Police vehicles have their on-board computer connected to the automatic license plate readers in their patrol cars. These computers are set to flag the patrolman of out-of-state vehicles with owners that have concealed carry permits. With state sharing all this information in electronic data bases, the "hits" are found almost instantaneously.

The patrolman can elect to stop the vehicle and challenge the driver to produce his concealed weapon, for which he has a legal permit IN ANOTHER STATE. If the driver is found to have a concealed firearm (handgun), he has violated Maryland State firearms law. The person will be arrested and there is a three year minimum sentence.

Having a concealed carry permit in another state may be probable cause for the patrolman to do a search of the out-of-state vehicle. I've seen this done along the Route 50 stretch between Annapolis and Ocean City, some poor sap with the contents of his vehicle splayed on the ground while the officer searched for an "illegal" hand gun, for which the individual had a legal permit to carry in another state.

The bottom line: IF YOU ARE LEGALLY CARRYING CONCEALED FROM ANOTHER STATE, DO NOT EVEN DRIVE THROUGH MARYLAND. AND IF YOU HAVE A PERMIT FROM ANOTHER STATE, EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT CARRYING, EXPECT TO BE STOPPED. According to one Maryland attorney specializing in criminal law, roughly 19 out of 20 of his unlawful gun transportation clients are not from the State of Maryland (https://criminallawyermaryland.net/maryland-gun-lawyer/transporting/ )

I cannot speak to the veracity of the claim, however, former Virginia Governor McAullife vetoed a bill that would have stopped the sharing of VA CHP information with oppressive states like Maryland. I can say from personal experience, the above warning is fair and should be heeded. I have been subjected to a pat down on the shoulder of the highway by law enforcement when returning from a pistol match. The hassle in that case came not from a State Trooper, but from the MD Transit Authority, a group that is well-known for their proclivity for harassing travelers. Although the firearms were being legally transported, "for the safety of the public" my companion and I were detained and patted down (after the scared cop called for backup) during a traffic stop; a stop that we soon found out was made for no legitimate reason.

When I travel to and from matches in Maryland, my firearm and ammo are in separate, and locked, containers. The containers are placed in the trunk or cargo area. I drive with an acute awareness of the speed limit. A copy of U.S.C. Title 18, §926A is within reach. I make doubly sure I have no loose rounds left in my range bag or pockets for the drive home. The purposeful harassment has only happened once, but I prepare and accept that it's always a distinct possibility.

When I travel to visit family, I simply succumb to the loss of my rights and leave my firearm at home.  I then rely solely on wits, observation, and other legal defensive tools.

It's Not "Gun" Control They Want

This list about the Maryland school shooting has been making the rounds of social media, and it gets right to the heart of the matter.

• What didn’t stop the Maryland school shooting

• Maryland’s assault weapon ban

• Maryland’s 10-round magazine limit

• Maryland’s universal background check requirement

• Maryland’s law requiring an extensive application process to obtain a permit to purchase a handgun

• Maryland’s law prohibiting purchase of more than one firearm a month

• Maryland’s law requiring handgun registration

• Maryland’s law requiring licensing of handgun owners

• Maryland’s extremely limited approval of conceal carry permits

• Maryland’s refusal to honor any concealed carry permit from another state

• Federal law prohibiting handgun possession for people under 21

• Laws against carrying without a permit

• Gun free school zones

• Laws against discharging a firearm in public

• Laws against attempted murder

• What did stop the Maryland school shooting

• An armed person at the scene who engaged the shooter in less than a minute

The "do something" laws and restrictions around gun ownership that the left has been crying for are already in place. Honest and intelligent people know these laws do nothing to stop evil people from committing acts of violence. Regulations and processes that could actually serve to keep people safe are routinely ignored by those charged with enforcing them. Our leftist antagonists have but one goal with their calls for "gun control." They are not interested in the safety of children, children are mere pawns to them, a means to an end. Their motive is a compliant, defenseless and submissive citizenry.

The despicable people pushing for "gun control" are in my opinion, no different than the tyrants throughout history who cruelly clamped down on the freedom and lives of others. Whether willful participants or useful idiots, they should be met with utter disdain and contempt. They've already proven how they feel about us.

The violence in Maryland will soon fade from the headlines. Unlike the Parkland, Florida mass killing, the outcome in this case doesn't fit the agenda. The leftist narrative must be maintained, facts be damned.

The Need For ID

I started out for an evening walk and realized I had not put my wallet in my pocket. I did have my concealed handgun, which meant I was required to have both a picture ID and my concealed handgun permit. It occurred to me that all I had to do was tuck my shirt behind the gun, and I would be open carrying, thus no was CHP needed.

I chuckled at the absurdity, and further realized that according to Virginia law, it was actually legal for me to enter a pub and enjoy a beer while open carrying. However, with no ID I wouldn't be able to prove I was of legal age to buy alcohol.

It seems the only thing one can do these days with no ID is vote.

Beer Law Absurdity in Florida

A Florida law restricting beer bottle sizes is a battle between common sense and the greed of factory brewers and distributors.

Beer Battle from Hunter J. Truman on Vimeo.
It all started because petty legislators had a beef with Miller Brewing Company. Now it's just about stifling competition.

Those Rights Are Not Granted by the Constitution

I was engaged in a Facebok conversation recently regarding the carrying of firearms in a church. Specifically, the discussion centered around the Virginia statute that vaguely states that carrying a weapon "without good and sufficient reason" in a church is not lawful. I reminded the participants that former Virginia Attorney Cuccinelli opined that "carrying a weapon for personal protection constitutes a good and sufficient reason under the statute to carry a weapon into a place of worship while a meeting for religious purposes is being held there."

That evoked a reply from another who stated "Our CWP [concealed weapon permit] and the 2nd amendment should be a valid sufficient reason!"

While I applaud the sentiment, I felt obliged to remind the commenter that it's natural law, not the 2nd Amendment that provides our rights to self-defense. The Bill of Rights only affirms rights that we already posses. That document is meant to protect our God-given rights from those who would seek to restrict them. If anything, the need to obtain a permit to exercise that right directly infringes on the "shall not be infringed" clause.

This is a detail that many in the pro-2A movement often overlook. The anti-gun crowd seeks to disarm law-abiding Americans by focusing on invalid interpretations of the 2nd Amendment. We should take care not to fall into their trap of relying on a man-made document to defend that which exists naturally.