Yom HaZikaron laShoah ve-laG’vurah ("Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day"), is being celebrated by Jews all over the world as Yom HaShoah. In the U.S. we call it Holocaust Remembrance Day, or Holocaust Day.

Israel is commemorating the millions of Jewish people who perished in the Holocaust carried out by statist ideologues who worshipped the German state and Adolph Hitler in place of God. Inaugurated by David Ben-Gurion and Israel’s President in 1953, Yom HaShoah was to be celebrated on the 14th of Nisan, the anniversary of the Warsaw ghetto uprising (April 19, 1943).

An armed Jewish rebellion started in the Warsaw ghetto in 1943. It was the largest single revolt by the Jews during World War II. Hundreds of thousands of Jews died of starvation and sickness and many Warsaw ghetto residents went to the Treblinka death camp.

The insurgents had little ammunition; more weapons were supplied throughout the uprising, and some were captured from the Germans. Some weapons were handmade by the resistance; sometimes such weapons worked, other times they jammed repeatedly.

The Polish Resistance and the communist People’s Guard attacked the German’s and smuggled weapons, ammunition, supplies, and instructions into the Ghetto. The Polish resistance could not provide many weapons. Nevertheless, the Jewish Military Union (Żydowski Związek Wojskowy, ŻZW) received arms, including several automatic weapons, from the mainstream Home Army (Armia Krajowa, AK).

The Polish Resistance encouraged and assisted the Jews in the ghetto but the armed Jewish resistance was an awakening that fulfilled God’s mandate in the Book of Judges that the generations of Israel coming after Joshua should know warfare!

These are the nations the LORD left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience): the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath. They were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the LORD’s commands, which he had given their ancestors through Moses.

Judges 3

Today, in the United States, the technology and the ideological underpinnings of Hitler’s statism are on the move again. The racist doctrines of the National Socialist Worker’s Party- foolish religious claims of Aryan-Teutonic racial supremacy- are what we think of first in connection with Germany’s government during the time of the Holocaust. Although we do not see those racial teachings in today’s U.S. government, the seed is present here, in Europe and across the globe. For example, many in our government declare that unborn children do not have rights; i.e., that they are not human beings!

The belief that only certain people should be permitted the means of armed self-defense is another doctrine that is being propagated at the highest levels of government. The underlying premise of such a belief was historically based on a belief on the part of Southern Democrats that Blacks were inherently inferior and violent; such an ideology persists even up through modern times. More importantly, perhaps, there is a more supposedly modern perception that only professionals with specialized training can safeguard life and liberty.

Our nation’s Founders, on the other hand, saw that all the people, as a militia at large, are the best safeguard against statist tyranny in all of its many disguises. Christian thinkers like John Calvin and Francis Schaeffer wrote about the subject of civil disobedience practiced by Christians. In A Christian Manifesto, Francis Schaeffer reviewed the orthodox Christian view regarding civil disobedience. He stated that Christians must obey God rather than human governments when forced to choose between fundamental Christian principles and the dictates of the state:

Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

See Acts 4:19.

God’s laws are ultimately supreme over manmade constitutional or statutory laws. Allegiance to God’s law requires that we refuse to bow down when human governmental authorities demand that we commit acts that are against God’s Word; i.e., “there is not only the right, but the duty, to disobey the state.” Note well that the U.S. Constitution recognizes that certain unalienable rights (like self-defense) are not conferred by society but are divinely endowed by virtue of the fact that all human beings are made in the image of our Creator. Y-W-H God is a supreme being who loves justice and also loves each of us at a personal level!

He also breathed some of his sovereignty into you and I when He made us in His image. Thus, tyrants hate the Bible and need to reinterpret the Constitution. Every one of us that adheres to the truth is an enemy of the secular Utopian state envisioned by progressives that seek to improve society by eliminating unwanted members of society. The unborn child is an easy target with which to begin the process of elimination. This is because unborn children are the most helpless human beings; very few interest groups will speak out on behalf of the unborn.

Government must never be substituted for the living God. Most Christians in Germany failed to perform acts of civil disobedience. But Schaeffer also pointed out that none of us has the right to decide on our own when a government is so unjust that armed resistance is justified. We should not philosophize about which conditions would need to exist in order to justify armed rebellion against government. This is because discussing such matters creates a certain political environment that exacerbates and leads to violence. Christians are commanded to obey government and live at peace with every man!

The Bible teaches us to pray for leaders in government and does not suggest that Christians should resist tyranny by revolting against authority. Thus Shaeffer did bnot advocate for abolishing government to form some ideal government envisioned by the nation’s Founders. Knowledge of Scripture and history teaches a thinking person that we cannot seek some abstract ideal while we live in a fallen world. Schaeffer recognized that if each man and woman does what is right in our eyes, chaos will ensue.

However, the severity our forefathers endured in order to enact the Declaration of Independence requires that force might be necessary to protect our families and neighbors against the intensity of violence that occured in societies like Germany under Hitler. The story of Esther is instructive because she stood for her people when an evil conspiracy took hold in Persia to destroy the people of Israel.

The emperor decreed a temporary edict that was like the Second Amendment permitting Israelites and their neighbors to deploy armed force in order to defend against Israel’s enemies. Those who hated the Jews were prepared to attack under color of law; i.e., the decree that Ahaseurus had enacted when an advisor deceived him. The decree could not be revoked because of the ancient traditions of the Medes.

Any Scriptural analysis must focus first on the love of God which encompasses defense of others and Christians should contemplate armed force against government only under the most extreme circumstances!

Schaeffer, along with other traditional theologians going back to the earliest history of the Church, stated that Christians need to always seek a duly constituted magistrate and align ourselves with legitimate authority. This points us to those officials who are under proper authority; i.e., elected and appointed officials that are faithful to their oaths to uphold the United States Constitution and the constitutions of their respective states.

The first thing that genocidal tyrants of the right and left propose is restricting gun rights. Sheriffs in 15 states have recently vowed to defy new state and federal gun control laws. There are approximately 380 sheriffs that have publicly committed to nullify un-Constitutional gun laws. Several state legislatures have also taken legislative steps that make it a crime to assist federal agents to enforce illegal laws; i.e.,un-Constitutional statutes and executive orders.

The fact that the laws of our land remove local law enforcement and other local government agencies from centralized control is one of the strongest safeguards against the kind of tyranny that Germany and other modern nations experienced during the Twentieth Century, a century of collectivism and intense genocide over large areas of the planet.

There is now legislation proposed to remove any sheriff that does not further enforcement of proposed new federal gun laws. The first effort emerged in Texas. Dallas Democratic Rep. Yvonne Davis proposed a law that would remove any sheriff or law enforcement officer who refuses to enforce state or federal laws. The law would remove any elected or appointed law enforcement officer for simply signing any document stating that they will not obey federal orders.

We need to support the growing number of sheriffs across the United States who have vowed to protect the right of citizens to keep and bear weapons for lawful defense of self and others.

Such civil disobedience is Scriptural and legal because the 10th Amendment states unequivocally that powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. Objections were advanced by some of the Founders that listing certain rights might result in a perception that rights not included in the Bill of Rights might be denied to the people. Thus, the Ninth Amendment retains all rights to the people as individuals:

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Resolutions have been introduced in the legislatures of 27 states that would nullify federal authority over manufacture, commerce and possession of firearms within the state, provided that there is not interstate commerce involved. The legislation passed in Montana and Tennessee in 2009 and in Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming the following year. in 2010, the South Carolina legislature was considering a new law that would ignore all gun registration laws within the state. Texas and West Virginia filed similar legislation for the 2011 legislative session.

Idaho, Wyoming and several other states are now also considering laws that constrain their officials to uphold their oath to the Constitution regarding the Second Amendment. The Biblical reference to magistrates is a legal term that refers to public officials, including elected and appointed officials. Many of the appointed officials in our land owe their appointments to the elite political-media complex.

The fact is that even the biggest urban counties, where the power of the elite is the most concentrated, encompass large numbers of voters that live in rural areas. These voters, like the elected Sheriffs, understand that everyone’s freedom is at stake if lawmakers enact proposed restrictions on our ability to defend our families.

Elected Sheriffs therefore have emerged as the strongest advocates for the Constitutional because they do not owe fealty to the financial and political interests that are selling our great nation to the highest bidders.

We should pray for all our officials and remember that there are certain interests attempting to divide the people from our law enforcement officials. The Book of Romans states that the magistrate bears the sword in order to suppress evildoers.

There will be difficult conflicts and controversies ahead for law enforcement and other public officials; every American needs to stand with these men and women. A shadow war- conducted under color of law- against decent public order is underway. No American should be deceived into taking matters into our own hands.

There were others, not just Jews, that died in the Holocaust. The Founders kept our government local and recognized that a well armed population is safer than the alternatives. Each of us is called to stand like Esther for our people in such a time as this.

Jerry Galland was running against James Fossos for South King Fire and Rescue Commissioner in 2011. Mr. Galland filed a complaint with the Public Disclosure Commission against Fossos for not making his campaign accounts available for public inspection.

Galland asked Mr. Fossos to inspect his account books during the week before the election and Fossos was required to make the books available. Rather than meet Galland at the Fossos residence which was the address listed with the PDC per the Fossos campaign’s C-1 report, Mr. Fossos began calling and emailing the PDC to express concerns about the safety of himself and his wife.

On Nov. 1, 2011, Fossos emailed the PDC staff, stating, “…due to security concerns I have changed my meeting place for candidate financial view of my books… to the Des Moines Library.”Fossos apparently claimed that his opponent was making an issue about bringing his gun to the records inspection meeting, according to a PDC memo to the Commissioners dated March 21, 2013.

Actually, it was Fossos that made an issue out of guns at the meeting place. He stated that he had asked the Complainant not to bring his gun to the library for the inspection of his campaign records and Galland would not agree to his request.

According to my discussions with Jerry, the only reason for Mr. Fossos to perceive that Mr. Galland might carry a weapon was because of a widely reported episode in 2011 when SKFR Commissioners, which included Fossos, were forced to withdraw an illegal ban on firearms at SKFR Commissioner’s Meetings.

Jerry states:

“I neither agreed nor disagreed (to the emailed demand that Galland not be armed at the library). Fossos is practiced at jumping to conclusions, and is usually wrong when he does. In addition to saying Fossos had no right to make the demand, I simply asked if it was against the law to carry in the library.”

Jerry had previously prevailed after SKFR Commissioners tried to ban videotaping of their public meetings and then he also prevailed after a group of open carry folks came to a meeting with their side arms in plain view. The picture below appeared in the Federal Way Mirror after the SKFR Commisioners tried to have the FWPD eject Jim Beal and other open carry advocates from a meeting. James Fossos is wearing the black hat and other black apparel in the picture.

It looks almost like Paladin meeting Yancy Derringer or Wyatt Earp!

Jerry had previously pointed out to the Commission that its ban on firearms was just as illegal as the previous ban on videotaping their meetings. Jerry did not even own a sidearm in 2011. He did, however, bring a video camera to film SKFR meetings in order to back up what he wrote about on his blog. This apprently indicated to Fossos that Galland must also be intent on bringing a gun to meeting places.

Jerry no doubt was concerned that, without a video to record the meeting at the library, Mr. Fossos might allege that Galland became belligerent or worse- exactly what Mr. Fossos actually alleged against Galland as his defense against the PDC Complaint. Many of the PDC charges have been proven to be true and acknowledged by Fossos.

It seems unlikely that the Commission ever saw the videotape and observed for themselves whether Fossos was justified in walking away from the meeting at the library!

Fossos explained:

“…and when I got there he and his assistant began videotaping our meeting. I asked him to turn off the camera before I would meet with him and show him my books and he refused… I informed him as long as he would not turn the camera off I would not meet with them. After which he became confrontational and belligerent… “

Fossos already had made up a nonexistent threat related to Jerry carrying a weapon. Of course, carrying a gun is something that would have been entirely lawful for Jerry to do. The fact that Fossos even assumed that Jerry would be carrying was based on a false assumption.

Fossos must have reasoned to himself, “Why would anyone fight to uphold the state firearms preemption law unless he wants to bring a gun into a meeting and intimidate others with it?”

Fossos, however, seemed to suspect even more nefarious reasons for Galland to wear a gun upon his person. He felt that he was in danger! And the most surprising aspect of this whole sordid affair is that the PDC investigator stated that Mr. Fossos made a good faith effort to accommodate the complainant’s request to inspect his campaign books of account during the 2011 general election!

“Under the circumstances, Mr. Fossos substantially complied with the inspection opportunity requirements, and the allegations that he violated RCW 42.17.080 should be dismissed.”

In conclusion, it now seems increasingly likely that people reaching for excuses for bad conduct will raise false allegations concerning intimidation when dealing with someone that is preceived to carry a gun. Mr. Fossos succeeded in getting one of the charges against him dismissed by pretending that he was in fear of violence when he really just did not have his records in order.

There are still other serious allegations on which the Commission will no doubt rule against Fossos because he agreed that they were true. JIm should use racism as his justification the next time he gets caught not reporting campaign contributions. That is the tried and true formula for big spending politicos.

Ironically, Galland has contended all along that some SKFR officials are too free and easy in their spending on things like travel and entertainment. Incidentally, the word is that Fossos gets the bulk of his contributions from public employee unions.

Read more here.

Fossos has been a Commissioner off and on since 1993. The free and easy way that the Fossos campaign failed to timely report expenditures and in-kind contributions for advertising and related campaign expenses raises issues about whether the rest of the old boy network in South King County is too free and easy with taxpayer funds. The PDC found that Fossos also failed to timely disclose monetary contributions.

Despite Mr. Galland’s objections, the false, inflammatory and highly prejudicial allegation that Jerry “raised issues” about a gun at his meeting with Mr. Fossos at the library was included in the report on which the PDC relied. That report is now presumably included with the official record.

Jerry Galland submitted a request to the PDC under the Public Disclosure Act because he wanted to discover why a uniformed Trooper was present at the hearing. The response to his request is unfolding some interesting information and more documents from the Washington State Patrol are expected within the next two weeks.

We now know why the WSP had a trooper at the PDC meeting and paid two hours overtime, plus travel, for a uniformed officer to be present. They requested a “plain clothed officer” on the grounds that a state trooper should be at the March 28 Commission meeting “due to a potentially disruptive participant who has been known to carry an unconcealed gun”

I know Jerry well and he only started carrying concealed recently and does not open carry. Thus, Jerry has never carried anywhere that any person at the PDC meeting or anyone else would have known he was carrying. The fact that he raised the issue of an illegal policy promulgated for SKFR regarding fire commissioner meetings somehow cast him as a dangerous individual in the eyes of Suemary Trobaugh, an Administrative Officer for the PDC.

The emails we have reviewed indicate that the PDC executive director was very concerned about the individual and requested arrangements be made for WSP to cover the PDC meeting.

WHAT IS AN NFA GUN TRUST?

NFA Firearms are guns and other items regulated by the National Firearms Act (the “NFA”). Many people mistakenly refer to them as “Class 3” firearms or weapons.

In Washington, suppressors (or silencers) are now legal to own and shoot. The NFA still regulates these items and individuals, business entities, and trusts are permitted to purchase suppressors and some other items by obtaining permission from the ATF. Transferring or making these items requires completion of a Form1 or Form 4 along with payment of $200 for a tax stamp.

While a traditional trust can be used to purchase NFA firearms, there are many problems with using a traditional trust and therefore only an NFA Gun Trust should be used.

We help individuals and their families educate and protect themselves from unintentional violations of the NFA. The process of creating an NFA Gun Trust involves talking with the Law Office of Mark Knapp PLLC and The Apple Law Firm PLLC to determine what and how the client’s family makeup will influence the structure of the trust.

We will also assist you to limit future legislative and transfer tax risks associated with NFA firearms ownership. Once the NFA Gun Trust is designed an attorney who is licensed in the proper state reviews the trust and forwards the trust to the client. The client reviews the instructions and FAQs and has a phone consultation to discuss any questions or comments on federal and state laws.

If necessary, modifications are made, then all grantors and trustees sign the trust. Once the trust is properly executed, NFA items can be purchased. The entire process takes less than a week and often only 1 – 2 days.

WHY AN NFA GUN TRUST?

The ATF requires that all individuals obtain approval from their Chief Law Enforcement Officer (the “CLEO”) as part of the application process to obtain a Title II firearm from another individual or Class 3 dealer. Many CLEOs around the country are refusing to sign or even acknowledge the ATF Forms.

No CLEO Signature Required

There is no legal remedy in most states to force the review of these forms. In Washington a NFA Gun Trusts do not require the CLEO’s signature to obtain approval on a Form 4.
No Fingerprints or Photographs are Required
When using an NFA Gun Trust to acquire Title ii firearms, no fingerprints or photographs are required. This is a cost savings and can also significantly decrease the time required to take possession of the items. Often fingerprints have to be retaken because they are not acceptable for the FBi’s criminal database.

Privacy

Individuals who submit their ATF forms to their CLEO are often concerned about who will have knowledge of their firearms. They also express concerns that they will come under additional scrutiny because the police will have knowledge that they are in possession of these more restricted firearms. In most states when using an NFA Gun Trust, neither the CLEO nor the police are given notice that you will be in possession of or own the NFA firearms.

Incapacity

If you become incapacitated, your family or friends are often the ones to help you. in doing so, they may come in contact with the restricted items and put themselves at risk of violating the NFA without knowledge. An NFA Gun Trust helps protect these individuals from violating the NFA by providing them clear instructions on what they are and are not permitted to do. Many normal trusts actually instruct people to break the law.

When you die your individually owned firearms will be part of your “probate estate.” With an NFA Gun Trust, your firearms are not subject to probate or made part of a public record. Your beneficiaries will be protected because they will receive guidance on how and under what circumstances the items can be legally transferred. if you have children, a NFA Gun Trust has specific provisions to protect them and make sure they do not receive the firearms if they live in a location where it is illegal to possess NFA firearms, and most importantly an NFA Gun Trust can help ensure that your children are mature and responsible enough that you would want them to have the firearms.

Call the Firearms Lawyer or (904) 685-1200.
See www.GunTrustLawyer.com

Co-owners and Authorized Users

When an individual purchases Title ii firearms, he or she is the only one permitted to use or have access to them. Many people incorrectly believe that it is permissible to let others use their NFA firearms when in their presence. However, the NFA would consider this a transfer and be a violation of the law. When your spouse or someone else knows the combination to your firearms safe, you may be violating the law through constructive possession.

Improper possession through constructive possession is a form of an unapproved transfer and a violation of the NFA. If you use an NFA Gun Trust to purchase Title ii firearms, you can designate additional owners and authorized users. if you want to add or change users or owners a NFA Trust can be adapted to reflect your current desires. The risk of constructive possession can be dealt with by adding that person to the NFA Gun Trust so that they can be in legal possession of the Firearms. This can help protect you and your family from the penalties of violating the NFA.

Reducing Risk of Legal Changes

Many groups are attempting to limit the ability to transfer firearms to family members or friends. With an NFA Gun Trust an adult child, family member, or friend can be made a co-owner of the trust. While the ownership of the NFA Gun Trust can be changed, the NFA Gun Trust is still the registered owner of the firearms and no transfer has taken place under the NFA. Penalties for violating the National Firearms Act can be severe.

Each violation of the National Firearms Act subjects the owner to forfeiture of all weapons, 10 years in prison, and fines of up to $250,000. Thus, our NFA Trust provides guidance to family members that rely on the trust after you are gone.

Benefits of a NFA Gun Trust Over a Corporation or LLC

Corporations and LLCs have annual fees associated with them. Business entities are not private and much information about the individuals associated with them is contained in public records. Corporations and LLCs have annual state fees and other costs associated with the maintenance of the entity.

To make a change to an NFA Gun Trust, one simply amends the trust to change who can use, purchase, or possess the firearms without risk of criminal liability for violating the NFA.

The Copyrighted NFA Gun Trust

Our NFA Gun Trust is protected by US Copyright Laws and designed from the ground up to protect the firearms and those who are using or may be in possession of them from the penalties proscribed by state laws and the NFA. The NFA Gun Trust has been rewritten with these principals in mind. This trust instructs the grantors, trustees, successor trustees, and beneficiaries on their rights, duties, and qualifications and guides them through the proper way to purchase, use, and transfer the items under state and federal regulations.

Each NFA Gun Trust comes with a comprehensive instructional memorandum that covers how to purchase, transfer, use, share, transport, store the firearms as well as how to use the trust based on questions and feedback from thousands of clients.

How to Begin the Process of Creating Your NFA Gun Trust

The first step in creating your NFA Gun Trust is to call Mark Knapp at (253) 202-2081.

www.FIREARMSLAWYER.NET

We sometimes get questions as to whether a machine gun qualifies for Curio/Relic status under federal regulations. Any such items must comply with the National Firearms Act of 1934 and also local state law.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives will not allow transfer of ANY automatic weapon into Washington state since July 1, 1994 (except departmental purchases). Thus, there are no exceptions for antiques under Washington state law per RCW 9.41.190 and the definitions under RCW 9.41.010. Nevertheless, it is theoretically possible per Washington law to own an automatic weapon if you are in the armed forces, provided that BATFE will provide the $200.00 tax stamp.

RCW 9.41.190 states the following:

It is unlawful for any person to manufacture, own, buy, sell, loan, furnish, transport, or have in possession or under control, any machine gun or any part thereof capable of use or assembling or repairing any machine gun: Provided, however, That such limitation shall not apply to any peace officer in the discharge of official duty, or to any officer or member of the armed forces of the United States or the state of Washington: Provided,further, That this section does not apply to a person, including an employee of such person, who or which is exempt form or licensed under the National Firearms Act (26 U.S.C. section 5801 et seq.), and engaged in the production, manufacture or testing of weapons or equipment to be used or purchased by the armed forces of the United States, and having a United States government industrial security clearance.

See Washington State Attorney General Opinion.

If you are retired from the military, you may have to go to court and obtain a WRIT OF MANDAMUS (or a declaratory judgment- alegal determination of a court as to the legal position of litigants in cases where there is doubt as to their position in law)in order to get the stamp. A Writ of Mandamus orders officials to perform as required by law and is an extraordinary writ; i.e., a long shot where the BATFE’s decision on your application is to deny the application. We wilI will be glad to draft an opinion letter as to the legal issues, litigation strategy and possible legal outcomes of any proposed litigation; e.g., a WRIT OF MANDAMUS.

Opinion letters normally are limited to a well defined purview (which will be stated in the letter) subject to certain disclaimers. The BATFE is notorious for changing its policies without notice especially when it comes to defining what makes certain weapons and parts for firearms legal. The definitions are published but subject to interpretation.

We have previously researched short-barreled shot guns and there are some like the Serbu Shorty, for example, that may be legal in Washington subject to getting a $5.00 stamp from the BATFE. Thus, there are many grey areas which are subject to interpretation but obtaining a legal opinion shows that you at least conducted your due diligence if you end up in court.

According to the Federal Way Mirror, Federal Way Public Schools Superintendent Rob Neu has announced, “There will be no discussion on arming FWPS teachers or administrators.” He lamented, “ To hear the ensuing debate about arming teachers and principals and security guards, I just want to go on the record with the board in saying I think that is one of the most irresponsible positions to take in this gun discussion.”

The Mirror reported that Neu stated during the Jan. 8 school board meeting:

“I hate this conversation, I hate that it’s a necessary evil. What happened in Newtown…is just horrible. And having young children at home, and sitting and watching the TV, and seeing those photos with the names being called…with your children in the room, looking at the TV, and looking at you, and you’re fighting back the tears. You’re so thankful they’re sitting in that living room with you, and you’re not one of those parents. I can’t imagine what those parents feel like.”

Neu said the proposal to arm teachers and/or administrators is irresponsible. But who is actually being irresponsible? Neu’s emotional reaction is not a decision. His refusal to discuss all the options, however, is a decision. The Superintendant has admitted to being paralyzed because he is unwilling to face up to the necessary responsibility of leading our community:

” But the reality is, if a gunman wants to do what these gunmen want to do…there’s little that anyone can do to stop them. Putting guns in the hands of teachers and principals, who got in this business of educating kids, and not being armed forces…It’s just not a solution, in my mind, and will not be one that comes forward as a recommendation while I’m your superintendent.”

Neu’s statement that “if a gunman wants to do what these gunmen want to do…there’s little that anyone can do to stop them” was not a true statement and invited carnage right here in Federal Way. This was an abdication of his responsibility to protect our schools. Rather than use his authority under the law, he claimed that we are helpless!

I have previously taken the position that the first thing we should do to stop active shooters is to terminate Rob Neu’s employment. On January 22, several members of the public went to the meeting of the Board and addressed the issue of why it is critical to at least have the discussion. The President of the Board, Tony Moore, indicated that he is willing to discuss the issues.

We are calling on concerned citizens to join with us for the purpose of exploring all the concerns related to various proposals regarding armed volunteers which should include school personnel that are interested in a program to protect our schools with deadly force. There have been close to sixty volunteers working with the FWPD and some of them are almost full time. About sixteen of them attended a class we provided at Federal Way City Hall and many of them were retired military with CPLs and emergency preparedness training. Use the email or phone number at www.firearmslawyer.net to contact us.

The Gun-Free School Zones Act (GFSZA, codified at 18 U.S.C. § 922(q) ) is a federal United States law that prohibits any individual from knowingly possessing a firearm at a place that the individual knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, is a “school zone” as defined by 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(25). The Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 states in part:

(A) It shall be unlawful for any individual knowingly to possess a firearm that has moved in or that otherwise affects interstate or foreign commerce at a place that the individual knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, is a school zone.

( Subparagraph (A) does not apply to the possession of a firearm—

(iv) by an individual for use in a program approved by a school in the school zone;

(v) by an individual in accordance with a contract entered into between a school in the school zone and the individual or an employer of the individual;
(vi) by a law enforcement officer acting in his or her official capacity; or…

See http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/922

Washington State has a similar statute which states the following in part:

RCW 9.41.280

Possessing dangerous weapons on school facilities — Penalty — Exceptions.

(1) It is unlawful for a person to carry onto, or to possess on, public or private elementary or secondary school premises, school-provided transportation, or areas of facilities while being used exclusively by public or private schools:

(a) Any firearm;….

(3) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply to:

(b) Any person engaged in military, law enforcement, or school district security activities. However, a person who is not a commissioned law enforcement officer and who provides school security services under the direction of a school administrator may not possess a device listed in subsection (1)(f) of this section unless he or she has successfully completed training in the use of such devices that is equivalent to the training received by commissioned law enforcement officers;

See Washington State Gun Free School statute.

Subsection (1)(f) includes:

(f)(i) Any portable device manufactured to function as a weapon and which is commonly known as a stun gun, including a projectile stun gun which projects wired probes that are attached to the device that emit an electrical charge designed to administer to a person or an animal an electric shock, charge, or impulse; or

(ii) Any device, object, or instrument which is used or intended to be used as a weapon with the intent to injure a person by an electric shock, charge, or impulse.

Thus, carrying electronic devices requires special training for non-LEOs. The legislature has already provided that non-law enforcement personnel armed with firearms need only be involved in school district security activities; i.e., authorized to carry a weapon for security purposes.

Even though the statute does not require specialized firearms training, certain criteria should be determined by the district in conjunction with law enforcement experts and possibly others. Such unpaid personnel could be called “Special Security Officers” since they would submit to very intense training and not merely be amateurs that walk in off the street.

Ed Barney asked the Chief at one of the recent meetings what Chief Wilson’s opinion was about arming teachers. The Chief stated that he thinks arming teachers will distract them from educating students. Thus, Federal Way is beginning to have the discussion. Kudos to Ed and the Chief.

But we need to drill down and get past politically correct talk into the realities of a very fluid and disturbing situation which is beyond simply being a matter of tactics but rather an overall attack against our lives and our way of life that requires an overarching operational strategy in which firepower is embedded randomly to combat random violence. The embedded firepower needs to be prepared for deployment in such a way that an active shooter has no idea how many adults may be ready to confront him or where and how the volunteers may be placed.

Police officers are present as school resource officers at our high schools and there are also some security personnel at the middle schools. The fact that there are uniformed officers means that uniformed individuals could be the first personnel targeted by active shooters. Chief Wilson delivered a report that included many of the important things done to make sure the schools are safe.

The Chief emphasized that many of the circumstances regarding school shootings are very random and that events can begin on the other side of a campus, where the school resource officers may find it difficult to protect lives. Even if there are no teachers interested in obtaining the specialized training that could qualify personnel to carry in the schools, there are others that will do whatever it takes to become qualified. If there are ten volunteers going around to all the schools, there will certainly be the kind of deterrent effect that we have seen from having armed pilots and air marshals in the friendly skies.

There may also be maintenance staff or administrators that are willing to take some time off and pay for their own training- like commercial airline pilots can decide to do.

Deliver those who are being taken away to death,
And those who are staggering to slaughter, Oh hold them back.

IF YOU SAY, “SEE, WE DID NOT KNOW THIS,”
DOES HE NOT CONSIDER IT WHO WEIGHS THE HEARTS?
AND DOES HE NOT KNOW IT WHO KEEPS YOUR SOUL?
AND WILL HE NOT RENDER TO MAN ACCORDING TO HIS WORK?

Prov. 24:11,12

I have gone on record at school board meetings, offering to meet with the District and share ideas about protecting our schools. I have also contacted many of the school leaders via email regarding security issues. Tony Moore told me on January 22 that he is willing to look at the legal basis for putting policies in place that are already being considered in a number of states and localities.

My first Firearms Lawyer column appearing in the Mirror in July, 2008, called for armed volunteers in our schools.

Armed volunteers, including some motivated school staff trained and supervised under the oversight of law enforcement professionals, are far less expensive to place in our schools than armed security guards. And they can be more effective in deterring violence because there is no way for an active shooter to anticipate who will emerge to deploy unexpected deadly force.

Volunteers will also have roots in the community and can be an example and an encouragement to our youth. These could be retired military folks, those with law enforcement experience or just grandparents that can meet the qualifications including proficiency testing on the range that will be at least as rigorous as the testing under which LEOs qualify.

In other words, do not assume that a “volunteer” is just a person that walks in off the street with a CPL. The criteria will be determined by the Board working with top law enforcement officials and security experts. The main expense may be the consultants and the insurance cost which will eventually go down in time if a number of school districts decide to work with armed volunteers.

Federal Way deserves better proposals from its leaders than just having armed, uniformed law school resource officers at our high schools and security officers armed with pepper spray at middle schools with some security roaming between the remaining elementary schools. Let’s find ways to make sure that if anything happens here our students and school personnel do not have to wait for the police while witnessing carnage in a school. We owe it to everyone in our schools to make sure that they can do more than just hide from violence.

Rob Neu seems to be getting over his grieving process and looks like he is ready to get back to work to articulate real solutions to protect our children. Public policy should not be determined by emotionalism even where the aftermath is shocking and gruesome. The cost of denial after what has already occurred is unthinkable. Schools will not be safe until we guard them with more than talk. Our schools need armed force that can materialize randomly- just like the violence that continues to plague our society. Maybe some Bible reading in the schools might also help?

A PRUDENT PERSON FORESEES DANGER AND TAKES PRECAUTIONS. THE SIMPLETON GOES BLINDLY ON AND SUFFERS THE CONSEQUENCES. Prov. 22:3

There are many voices urging that the U.S. follow other countries that have restricted the use of firearms. After Australians surrendered 640,381 personal firearms for destruction by the Australian government, homicides increased by 6.2 percent. Assaults are up 9.6 percent and armed robberies are up 44 percent. Implementation of the law enacted to reduce gun violence cost Australian taxpayers more than $500 million dollars!

Chicago prohibited possession of firearms in the home by most citizens. The Second Amendment Foundation recently sued Chicago and the State of Illinois in two separate lawsuits and won recognition that the Second Amendment applies in and out of the home. A federal judge gave the state six months to come up with a law that enables people to carry publicly in Illinois!

Chicago has seen children shot in its schools on a regular basis and regularly has 10-40 shootings over a single weekend. The rate of violent crime was going down in Australia before it’s government confiscated guns from its citizens. Will violent crime go down in Chicago now that honest people will be able confront armed predators with deadly force?

While many politicians and media people are renewing their cry for more restrictions on certain kinds of firearms, many Americans are responding to the slaughter in Sandy Hook Elementary by going to gun stores and purchasing weapons. Meanwhile, a man in China injured 22 children and one adult outside a primary school in central China. Apparently, mentally ill people in China attack schools on a regular basis. One string of knife attacks against school children in 2010 killed nearly 20 and wounded more than 50.

But despite the media focus on renewing the previous ban on so-called assault rifles and high capacity magazines, some analysts are looking at the role that psychotropic prescription drugs like Prosac have played in many U.S. school shootings. Others are focusing on violent video games. But whatever the cause, the failure of Chicago’s gun laws and the inability of the Clinton assault weapon ban to stop the carnage in our schools demands that we look for ways to fight fire with fire.

Armed security guards in schools may not save every child’s life but will significantly deter attacks on schools and reduce the number of fatalities. Armed pilots and Air Marshals have deterred terrorism. Security guards still guard many banks and armored truck drivers are armed. Our children are far more precious than the money in the banks; armed volunteers, including some motivated school staff, trained and supervised under the oversight of law enforcement professionals, are far less expensive to place in our schools than armed security guards.

The idea of training volunteers to protect our children will never make sense to people that are in denial regarding the potential for sudden eruptions of violence in a chaotic world.

Even countries like Germany that are virtual “gun-free zones” by virtue of strict gun laws have experienced massive school shootings.

One country whose children have been targeted by mass murderers for many years is Israel. After Israel armed many of its teachers and trained them to fight back, terrorists have avoided Israeli schools. Contrast Israel with Mexico, another “gun-free zone”.

While Mexico continues to blame private gun sales in the U.S. for its carnage, the evidence is that most guns manufactured in the U.S. that have turned up in recent slayings South of the border were trafficked into Mexico by the Obama Administration.

There is a concerted effort to justify renewing the Clinton-era ban on high capacity magazines and to prohibit military-style semi-automatic rifles and get a U.N. treaty in place that will mandate government control of firearms. Soledad O’Brien should ask Tutsis in Rwanda what they think about the U.N. mandated surrender of the means to defend themselves and how the U.N. solutions resulted in the Hutus slaughtering helpless Tutsi families. U.N. troops and the world community, including President Clinton, just looked on.

Hitler disarmed the Jewish people in Germany before the Holocaust. Not long before that, Stalin introduced Soviet Russia to gun control and proceeded to murder Ukrainians and other ethnic minorities. Chicago has gun control and children are murdering each other at rates that are almost genocidal. We don’t know whether gun ownership will reduce the gun violence in Chicago but Chicagoland is about to find out as a result of recent court decisions that include the right to carry.

But “liberals” could never see how the deaths of 800,000 Tutsi victims by hacking (or genocide against Jews and other minority groups) has anything to do with the creation of “gun free” zones. All the mainstream media like CNN really care about is conveying the message about guns that the America’s talking class understands; i.e., getting new gun laws enacted.

Federal Way deserves better from its leaders. Let’s find ways to make sure what happened at Sandy Hook Elementary never happens here and not wait for the federal government to make the whole United States a “gun-free zone” in order to protect Federal Way’s children at school

Federal Way is positioning itself to enjoy some of the money generated by the firearms industry.

The United States is experiencing a historic wave of new shooters. Bellevue, Wash., and Las Vegas, Nev., are two cities that have attracted successful gun-related businesses.

Potlatch, Idaho, a former timber town alongside the Clearwater National Forest, is among several cities that are recruiting gun manufacturers and other gun-related businesses. In fact, states like Idaho and Montana have recognized the economic opportunity in America’s legacy of firearms freedom and the spirit of enterprise.

Las Vegas received funds from a sell-off of federal lands pursuant to a law that only applies to Nevada. Most of the revenue had to be used on parks, and $64 million has been spent on the Clark County Shooting Complex, located on 2,880 acres north of Tule Springs in the northernmost part of the valley. The complex will see another $3 million spent to build a facility for shooting clay pigeons.

Meanwhile, Las Vegas has acres of indoor gun ranges all competing for the wave of enthusiasm for shooting activities in and around the strip.

In Washington state, the number of concealed pistol licenses is up by nearly 64,000. Other states are reporting similar increases in concealed weapons permits. Gun rights advocate Dave Workman says the number of gun owners in Washington who have concealed pistol licenses is 358,335. The number has never been so high.

The best estimates of gun sales are based on the number of NICS background checks, which have been soaring right along with the numbers of CPLs.

This trend can partly be explained by fears that President Obama will bypass Congress and ban certain kinds of gun ownership by entering into a U.N. treaty or by administrative fiat.

It is also recognized that every time a mass shooting occurs, many people purchase weapons, often for the first time. But the trend has continued unabated for many years and started long before most of us ever heard the name Obama.

The good news is that many new gun owners are motivated to take classes that often go beyond basic safety courses. It is widely acknowledged that gun safety increases when gun owners invest time practicing their shooting skills. Working with professionals increases the safety factor by teaching even experienced shooters how much we have to learn.

Of course, the needs don’t stop with instruction. Gunsmiths, holster manufacturers and sales of optics are all examples of markets that Federal Way can tap into.

There are also many vendors that market to law enforcement. Some federal agencies in Federal Way will be utilizing the new ranges, bringing their colleagues to Federal Way for training sessions and spending money in our stores.

Some of those vendors must be thinking about relocating to a city that is on the verge of becoming a mecca for law enforcement officers.

The best part about it is that with all the cops from around the country coming to Federal Way, the predators will be going elsewhere.

Can Federal Way learn something from Las Vegas and Bellevue? We now have our first indoor range in Federal Way, and another one is in the works. Bellevue area hosts at least three indoor ranges, and a number of outdoor ranges, all within a short drive from one another. Where there are ranges, there are also firearms schools and other businesses that cater to gun owners.

Federal Way can only gain by hitching our economy to America’s love affair with firearms — a love affair that shows no signs of receding.

The whole United States is experiencing a historic wave of new shooters. Federal Way is now positioning itself to enjoy some of the money generaated by the firearms industry. Bellevue, Washington and Las Vegas, Nevada are two examples of cities that have attracted successful gun related businesses. Potlatch, Idaho, a former timber town alongside the Clearwater National Forest, is one of a number of cities that areaggressively recruiting gun manufacturers and other gun related businesses. In fact, the whole state of idaho- and other states like Montana- have recognized the economic opportunity represented by America’s legacy of firearms freedom linked to the spirit of enterprise!

Las Vegas received funds from a sell-off of federal lands pursuant to a law that only applies to Nevada. Most of the revenue had to be used on parks and $64 million has been spent on the Clark County Shooting Complex, which is on 2,880 acres north of Tule Springs in the northernmost part of the valley. The complex will see another $3 million spent to build a facility for shooting clay pigeons. Meanwhile the City of Las Vegas has acres of indoor gun ranges all competing for the wave of enthusiasm for shooting activities in and around the strip.

Can Federal Way learn something from Las Vegas and Bellevue? We now have our first indoor range in Federal Way and another one is in the works! Bellevue area hosts at least three indoor ranges, and a number of outdoor ranges, all within a short drive from each other. All seem to be thriving so Federal Way can only gain by supporting efforts to harness our economy to a tsunami of enthusiasm for firearms that shows no signs of receding.

The only thing better than reading a good book may often be new friendships. I still have a book that opened my eyes to the fact that even in the age of helicopters and other mechanized warfare there are warriors in our midst that are akin to famous scouts like Kit Carson and Daniel Boone. LOW LEVEL HELL is the true story of a LOACH helicopter pilot, Hugh Mills, Jr., who would fly along enemy trails below the tree line and report back signs of the enemy during the Vietnam War.

The LOACH scouting helicopter gained its nickname from the acronym LOH which stands for OH-6 Light Observation Helicopter. I recently had the pleasure of meeting a former LOACH pilot that lives in Federal Way. I met Ken Snyder at a dinner party and we started talking about how he and his wife like to get out and do some shooting. My ears really perked up as soon as he mentioned his experience as a Loach pilot.

Mills started conducting his missions much more aggressively than the established policy of just observing and reporting signs of the enemy and I asked Ken about what he knew regarding the change in tactics.. To my surprise, Ken had taken over command of the Scout Platoon from Hugh Mills upon completion of Mills’ second tour in 1972.

Ken told me:

“My tour with C/16 Cav was after the Mi Li massacre and the rules of engagement were somewhat restrictive. I know this is going to sound crazy, but the things you do when you’re young! We would aggressively pursue the enemy and expose ourselves deliberately in order to draw their fire. Once they made that mistake, then their a…. was ours! We carried super bombs (2 one pound sticks of C-4 taped to a concussion grenade), the door gunners had an M-60 hanging from a bungee cord in the back as well as a large assortment of grenades (fragmentation, white phosphorus, various colored smoke, cs tear gas) at their disposal and several thousand rounds of ammo. Our 7.62 mm electrically fired mini-guns carried several thousand rounds also; additionally, the pilot carried a CAR-15 and 38 caliber pistol. I’ve observed several LOH pilots fire their pistols at the bad guys while flying with their left hand.”

Ken is now a supervisor in the Seattle Flight Standards District Office. Ken and Judith invited my wife and I to their home for dinner. Like many of the combat vets I have met, he is friendly but not apt to talk too much about his war experiences so the big surprise was when I started looking at the books on the coffee tables in his home- books like SOG: THE SECRET WARS OF AMERICA’S COMMANDOS IN VIETNAM. I asked Ken why he had so many books about the legendary SPECIAL OPERATIONS GROUP (code named STUDIES AND OPERATIONS GROUP to make it seem like a liaison to academia). It turns out that, before he flew helicopters, Ken already had served his country in Vietnam as a “One Zero”, team lead for a SOG Recon Unit. He and two other Americans worked with a group of about five Montagnards, the mountain people of Vietnam that hated the South Vietnamese as much as they hated the North Vietnamese.

Ken, who grew up in Rockport, Washington near Sedro-Woolley, joined the Green Berets and arrived in Vietnam just as Military Assistance Command Vietnam began to take over certain covert programs from the CIA. The mission involved inserting teams like Ken’s into Laos and later Cambodia in such a way as to maintain deniability. Even their cigarettes had to be Asian in order to maintain the legal fiction that they were not operating within the U.S. chain of command.

The NVA were running hundreds of trucks down the Ho Chi Minh trail every month. Much of “trail” which lay just within the border of Laos, was actually a network of well maintained roadways through the jungle. At first, the SOG units inflicted devastating damage on the enemy’s transportation system with few losses. Eventually, however, the NVA caught up and began hunting the SOG units with hundreds of well trained troops and tracking dogs.

SOG units carried any weapons they chose so I asked Ken about the weapons he favored:

“FOB2/CCC worked primarily in Laos around the Tri-border area during my tour (1969) with a few missions into Cambodia. We would equip one Yard with a M-79 grenade launcher. The 1911 in .45 ACP was really the pistol of choice. I carried an old .45 submachine gun a lot of the time (it could really reach out through the bamboo) and the 9mm Swedish K, although it didn’t have the knockdown power the .45 had. The CAR-15 (a shorter version of the M-16) was great simply because it was light weight. The Yards (Montagnards) had the same availability but their equipment was pretty much determined by the One Zero. We all carried at least one Claymore, half a dozen or more frags, several hundred rounds of ammo, one or more bandoleers of M-79 rounds, one or more bricks of C-4 and lengths of Det Cord with time pencils, etc. and rations for 7-10 days. The One Zero was issued a .22 caliber w/silencer used to wound an enemy and then take him back for questioning.”

We have a new generation of warriors now that are returning from combat with similarly legendary reputations. They keep us safer today because of Ken’s experience and the learning curve experienced within groups like SOG- learning now incorporated into the standard doctrine of fighting asymmetrical warfare all over the world.

It took a lot of bloodshed to make it possible for me to sit at home and read about the jungles of Vietnam, write about the Second Amendment and hold forth on sundry other topics. Many are convinced that Vietnam wasn’t worth the cost. The Vietnamese people that experienced the oppression of Communism know otherwise. The next time you are at a barbeque expressing your opinion or just talking about your last vacation, think about all the men and women that fought and even died for our freedom.

“The fact is that the average man’s love of liberty is nine-tenths imaginary, exactly like his love of sense, justice and truth. He is not actually happy when free; he is uncomfortable, a bit alarmed, and intolerably lonely. Liberty is not a thing for the great masses of men. It is the exclusive possession of a small and disreputable minority, like knowledge, courage and honor. It takes a special sort of man to understand and enjoy liberty– and he is usually an outlaw in democratic societies.” – H.L. Mencken, Baltimore Evening Sun, Feb. 12, A. D. 1923

DENNIS R JARACZESKI started the Federal Way Service Club Network about four years ago with Bob Darrigan of Lions Club, Wayne Triplett of Morning Kiwanis and Dick Meyer. Dennis is a member of the Noon Rotary. His club and Sunrise Rotary- which meets in the morning- recently merged. Byron Hiller of Sunrise Rotary was actually the first person to broach the idea of creating an entity with the objective of getting an indoor range for Federal Way.

The fact that Byron helped to found the ARMED DEFENSE TRAINING ASSOCIATION- and has also played a huge role in ADTA activities, demonstrates a historical truth that has been demonstrated over and over again. The leaders in the community, like Noon Kiwanis President Gordie Olson and SKFR Deputy Chief Gordie Olson- already so busy with official duties- are also volunteering through churches, schools, clubs, unions and other associations. They commit massive time to make Federal Way a better place to play, work, live and worship.

Dennis told me that the Noon Rotary club has been providing significant funding to the Federal Way School District and the two local community colleges for over 25 years! His club also gives scholarships to Highline and Green River for graduating seniors. The Rotary’s budget has been a minimum $23,000 each year.

The Noon Rotary started supporting Valhalla Elementary when Dennis was President of the club in 2007-2008. The club looked at the poor graduation rate in Federal Way. Research predicted that if enough adult intervention occurs by the time students are in 5th grade, it is possible to predict successful graduation from high school.

The Noon Rotary supported Valhalla Elementary for three years with up to $15,000 each year. The funds went for needs that included purchasing dictionaries for each of the third graders but the funds were for the entire school. This year, they are supporting Enterprise Elementary with the same level of funding. Over 40% of Noon Rotary Club’s annual budget supports education for Federal Way schools.

Getting all of the service clubs in Federal Way together on an informal monthly basis is a powerful concept. The Federal Way Service Club Network, FWSCN, now has created a growing matrix of organizational skill sets in which clubs like Kiwanis, Lions and Rotary are uniting to get to know about each other’s clubs and work together. These and clubs like the Soroptomists, Caregiving Network and Masonic Orders have always attracted and helped to develop community leaders.

Ultimately the Network is involving all of the service clubs in joint projects. There are a number of ideas for one big project like a memorial honoring veterans or a sign that announces the names of these clubs that have made Federal Way and communities all over the United States great. My suggestion is that every club raise awareness of how important educational reform is for the safety and prosperity of our communities.

Supporting programs and projects involving partnership between employers and schools gets my vote for interclub cooperation.

Noon Kiwanis, for example, to which I have belonged off and on for years, is represented at Federal High School games by Kiwanis members selling refreshments. You will also see many of the leaders in our community serving salmon at the Annual Kiwanis Salmon Bake in Steel Lake Park. The funds go for scholarships and other worthy programs.

In fact, many of the local service clubs compete to a certain extent. Thus, there is a huge potential when you get them all working together.

Americans take it somewhat for granted that so many volunteers do so many different things. Nevertheless, folks from other countries are astounded when they see what unpaid volunteers produce! Many foreign observers have commented on how volunteerism, almost unique to the United States, contributes to our strength and greatness.