Including ...Value of Competition: An Interview with Michael Bane • President’s Message • Attorney Question • Book Review • Editor's Notebook • About this Journal
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The Value of Competition
An Interview with Michael Bane
Interview by Gila Hayes
What are you going to do to improve your firearms skills this summer? Perishable skills require practice, challenges, and evaluation to maintain or improve. Marksmanship and safe gun handling are no exception, and to our great good fortune, there are a variety of ways to improve, including formal training, individual practice – both live fire and dryfire, and enjoying shooting sports. Competitive shooting in particular builds interest and motivation to fulfill our responsibility to remain skilled and safe.
I enjoyed an interesting conversation about competitive shooting with journalist, firearms expert, and television producer Michael Bane who has shot competitively since the late 1970s. A longer, chattier video version of our conversation is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jQNSIlPKVI if you prefer video.
eJournal: Welcome back to the Network studio, Michael, and thank you for another contribution to our monthly member education journal. A few weeks ago, your podcast (https://www.michaelbane.tv/category/podcast/) discussed competitive shooting. I realized that not only are your opinions informed by decades of participation in a wide variety of matches, but you are one of my generation that still regularly shows up at matches. What got you started shooting competitively and what keeps you going back?
Bane: When I was a kid, I read Colonel Jeff Cooper’s Guns and Ammo column, so by the mid ‘70s, when they founded IPSC (International Practical Shooting Confederation), I was familiar with the concept of practical shooting. I was living in New York in the late ‘70s, but as soon as I moved back to Florida, I bought my first 1911, a Commander length steel-framed 1911. I had about $300 worth of modifications done, which took all the money I had in the world. It had a big upswept beaver tail and a Smith and Wesson revolver sight just like the Colonel’s.
President’s Message
by Marty Hayes, J.D.
This month, advisory board member, long time friend and mentor John Farnam penned a message regarding the latest active killer episode, on the Florida State University campus. His words speak perfectly to the ongoing incidents of spree killings, and given the upcoming NRA meeting for which we are busily getting ready (I hope you came by to see us), I have asked John if he would allow me to re-print his message, to serve as a replacement to my President’s Message. He has graciously agreed. We will be releasing the journal the day after the meeting, so if you were there, too, I hope you enjoyed it!
Less Than Five Minutes!
by John Farnam
19 Apr 25
“Less than five minutes…”
At yesterday’s school-shooting in Tallahassee, FL, two innocent victims died, and at least six more were injured.
To their credit, local police were on the scene immediately. They aggressively moved-in, locating, confronting, and shooting (non-fatally) the single perpetrator, effectively ending the danger and the event. In fact, this police response was among the most competent we’ve ever seen!
Attorney Question of the Month
This month, we consider legal problems that arise after one shoots an attacking animal. This question is most commonly posed in the context of unrestrained and vicious dogs, although members also express concern about being punished for using a gun to defend against a wild animal. To get the discussion started, we posed the following questions to our affiliated attorneys:
How does your state law define attacking or aggressive animals?In your area, when an attacking animal is shot, is the shooter likely to be charged with violating a law or sued?
Network members are always interested in practical steps they can take to mitigate that risk, like documentation or reporting a dangerous animal in their neighborhood in advance, and also ask about the pros and cons of calling law enforcement after shooting an attacking animal. Your recommendations?
Do you have suggestions for members who hike and camp and may shoot a wild animal that attacks? Should they notify authorities and what timeliness concerns apply if one is in a very remote area.
The attorneys’ responses follow.
Book Review
Act of Bravery
Otis W. McDonald and the Second Amendment, The Face of Gun Rights in America
By Frederick Jones and Sue Bowron
Create Space, LLC. Sept. 2012
ISBN-13 978-1479325023
128 pages, paperback, $14.95, eBook $2.99
Reviewed by Gila Hayes
In February, attorney Menashe Sasson’s interview cited Otis McDonald’s 2010 landmark gun rights victory at the US Supreme Court. While researching the case, I stumbled across Act of Bravery: Otis W. McDonald and the Second Amendment, The Face of Gun Rights in America written by McDonald’s nephew, Frederick D. Jones, and co-author, Sue Bowron.
Editor’s Notebook
by Gila Hayes
A few days ago, my team and I attended what was once the preeminent yearly gathering of armed citizens -- the National Rifle Association Annual Meeting. With the election of our friend John Richardson (photo, below) and a goodly number of other men and women who are willing to jump out of the proverbial frying pan and into the fire to try to save the 154-year old organization, I pray for cohesiveness amongst armed citizens in the coming decades, because I don’t think anything else can save this fallen giant.
In my opinion, yes, it will take decades. Snippy comments and pointed barbs have focused on the ousted executive vice president for about five years now. The time to stop pointing fingers passed quite some time ago. Are the glory days of heavily attended Annual Meetings gone forever? What reduced this once grand event from attendance by crowds so big that returning to our exhibit after a visit to the food court for lunch was almost certain to end with the lunch plates either clutched to your chest or spilt on the aisle carpet? For the past few years, carrying lunches back to the booth crew has been unfortunately smooth sailing with no human traffic jams to negotiate. This year was also far smaller than the glory years.
About this Journal
The eJournal of the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, Inc. is published monthly on the Network’s website at http://armedcitizensnetwork.org/our-journal. Content is copyrighted by the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, Inc.
Do not mistake information presented in this online publication for legal advice; it is not. The Network strives to assure that information published in this journal is both accurate and useful. Reader, it is your responsibility to consult your own attorney to receive professional assurance that this information and your interpretation or understanding of it is accurate, complete and appropriate with respect to your particular situation.