Self-Defense Archives - The Minnesota Sun

Commentary: Rittenhouse Case Highlights a House Divided on Self-Defense

November 26, 2021November 25, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

The conclusion of the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, in which the 18-year-old was found not guilty of murder or assault in the shootings of three rioters in the city of Kenosha, Wisconsin, reflects a widening gap in how Americans conceive of justice and self-defense.

For those cheering Rittenhouse’s exoneration, the case was a prototypical demonstration of rights and obligations of republican citizenship. A lawfully armed Rittenhouse joined with neighbors, in the absence of effective governance, to protect lives and property by putting out fires, cleaning up damage, and offering medical assistance to the injured. When he was directly assaulted for engaging in this activity, Rittenhouse defended himself, harming no one who had not directly placed him under reasonable fear for his life.

Two Black Men Made Self-Defense Claims Against Police This Year and Won

November 24, 2021November 23, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted in the deaths of Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber (both white men) because of white supremacy, according to left-wing politicians and journalists.

Rittenhouse shot three people (all white), killing two, in a claimed self-defense incident after he was charged by left-wing rioters during unrest in Kenosha last year. A jury cleared him of all charges on Friday.

According to people like Rep. Cori Bush, Rittenhouse’s acquittal was “white supremacy in action.”

“This system isn’t built to hold white supremacists accountable. It’s why Black and brown folks are brutalized and put in cages while white supremacist murderers walk free,” she said on Twitter.

Analysis: These 11 Examples of Defensive Gun Use Undermine Push for More Gun Control

March 14, 2021March 13, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

March is Women’s History Month, yet Congress appears ready to celebrate in the worst way possible by creating more barriers for women who seek to exercise their Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.

While COVID-19-related bills have taken up much of the national spotlight, several gun control bills are primed for passage this week in the House. This is hardly surprising, given that just last month, President Joe Biden called on Congress to enact a plethora of new federal gun legislation.

Eleven Cases of Defensive Gun Use That Show How Biden’s Key Picks Miss the Mark

December 27, 2020December 25, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

Joe Biden has begun naming his picks for top political positions in a Biden administration, and it is already evident that many of them are not fans of Americans’ Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.

For example, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra—Biden’s choice to head the Department of Health and Human Services—has spent the past three years defending that state’s absurdly restrictive gun control laws in federal court.

McCloskeys Indicted on Gun Charges From Standoff at St. Louis Mansion

October 8, 2020October 7, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the St. Louis couple charged in July with brandishing weapons at rioters who broke into their gated community, have been indicted by a grand jury.

The McCloskey’s were indicted Tuesday on felony charges of unlawful use of a weapon and evidence tampering, according to their attorney Al Watkins, Fox News reports.

11 Incidents in Which Lawful Gun Owners Made a Difference

July 19, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

As the Supreme Court continued its decadelong silence in protecting the Second Amendment, Americans last month nevertheless proved that they understand the importance of the right to keep and bear arms.

The FBI conducted a record-high 3.9 million background checks for firearms sales and transfers in June. The previous record of 3.7 million was set just this past March.

Analysis: In These 11 Incidents, Gun Owners Defended Life and Property

June 14, 2020June 13, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

The last week of May proved just how quickly the seemingly stable peace of our world can devolve into chaos and near-anarchy. Many of us, already concerned that police departments were stretched thin by COVID-19, watched in horror as law enforcement seemed to lose control of protests in major cities.

For several nights, police officers scarcely could keep their own precincts from being overrun, much less respond to calls for help from terrified civilians.

These Gun Owners Were Able to Confront Criminals in September

October 13, 2019October 12, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

When the Virginia State Crime Commission and the House Judiciary Committee held hearings earlier this fall regarding firearm policies, it was striking how little many gun control advocates and policymakers know about basic facts related to guns and gun violence.

Analysis: Lawful Gun Owners Defended Their Lives and Livelihoods in August

September 29, 2019September 28, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

It seems as though every day another celebrity or politician demands that we place more severe restrictions on the ability of law-abiding citizens to exercise their constitutional right to keep and bear arms.

Latest News of Self-Defense With Firearms Contradicts Gun Control Rhetoric

April 11, 2019April 10, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Amy Swearer Gun control advocates long have controlled the narrative about defensive uses of firearms, calling the “good guy with a gun” scenario a “myth meant to scare people into buying guns for self-defense.” This is a false narrative that does not reflect reality. Despite a backdrop of…