Equal Rights for CCW Home Page

Equal Rights

For CCW
Home Page
Fighting for reform in California since 1999
Jim March, webmaster

NEW 11/8/04: SO HOW DO WE FIX CCW?

We caught a break. California just beefed up the
Public Records Act mandating open access to government
documents. This includes CCW data. We're going to
prove there's a problem, and then do something about it.
CLICK HERE for details

Everybody needs a hobby, right? On my own time, I've been trying
to save Democracy :). If you're looking for my Diebold/electronic
voting material (and wondering what all this gun stuff is!)
tap here if your touchscreen will let you...

In California, a "CCW" ("Carry Concealed Weapons") permit allows

you to legally defend your life with a gun outside of your home or

business.

To get one, you need to pass a background check and get trained.

No problem there.

The problem, and the reason there's only about 39,000 permits in the

whole state, is that you also have to get the personal permission of

your police chief or sheriff, who decides on your "good cause for

issuance".

For some reason, wealthy major campaign contributors tend to have

more "good cause" than others. And minorities consistently have none.

Oh no. HELL no.

I don't think so.

A FAQ AND SITE GUIDE!
The site's gotten so big, it needed a real index.
Quick-jump to subjects like "how to apply",
"what to do when denied",
"how to do local reform activism" and much more.
Special surprise, bottom of the FAQ page!

Exposing the racism, corruption,
bias, elitism and illegality rampant in the CCW
(Carry Concealed Weapons) permit issuance process.

The core of this site - contains exposes on CCW misconduct
from across the state, the state AG/DOJ's involvement, plus
reports of similar garbage at the Federal level and in other
"discretionary issuance" states.

Sunshine Laws: Exposing anti-freedom
illegality and stupidity for fun and profit.
This is a how-to article with examples on
freedom uses of the "Sunshine Laws" such as
the FOIA, California PRAand other "public
access to gov't records" laws. Case histories
include how Nadja and I totalled the MMM,
how the Massachussets NRA affiliate org (GOAL)
exposed gun control fraud by their Attorney
General, and my CCW expose efforts.
Published in the September issue of the
Libertarian magazine "Doing Freedom".

This is the best online guide to California's
knife laws online. Also includes a "buyer's
guide" to a selection of self defense folding
knives, with pictures and comments.
NEW By Jim March 5/16/02 - COVERS
NEW LAWS EFFECTIVE 1/1/2002

Opinion on CCW Practices – formal legal opinion establishing the legality (or lack thereof) of the most common forms of abuse: "zero issuance" and "town discrimination". POTENT stuff. Relies strongly on the Guillory and Salute cases. Author: attorney Bob Beauchamp in Orange County. Adobe Acrobat PDF	Guillory vs. Gates – critical Federal case establishing that equal protection is a valid principle in CCW issuance. Allows comparisons between people who are denied and the approved "cronies". To fully understand the applicability of this case, see also the Contra Costa County expose and the rest of the Expose Project files.
Statewide gun rights mailing list – anyone serious must subscribe to the CA-Firearms list. Time-sensitive updates happen here first and when the lawsuits start popping up like prairie dogs on meth, you'll need this list! - Updated yet again, 5/11/02 - it works now.	Salute vs. Pitchess – state appellate court decision establishing the responsibilities of the issuing authorities. Established the "individual determination and investigation into every applicant" standard, and eliminated "zero issuance".
Dennis Kennedy's Guide to Good Cause! - Dennis runs SOG (see link in the...well, the links section, where else?) and has a lot of experience crafting "good cause for issuance" statements for applicants, and offers a free service helping you customize yours. Highly recommended if there's any chance of scoring a permit "without a major fight". NOTE: THIS DOCUMENT DOESN'T APPLY IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, see also the "trial #2 update" above.	CBS vs. Block - this 1986 California Supreme Court decision ruled that CCW data is public record. I didn't know the court went further, and talked about WHY - they supported the idea that equal protection violations were possible and ordered CCW records made public to allow exposure of problems! A must-read
HUNTER VS. UNDERWOOD: 1985 US Supreme Court case that can serve as a blueprint for destroying a state law on the grounds that it's racist! While not a "gun case", the standard set is that the law must have a verifiable racist origin and a current racial "effect" even if the "effect" is accidental. We can do this one better because the effect is racist effects are deliberate. Again: we're using this to attack the discretionary elements of the law itelf, statewide.	People vs. Rappard - This 1972 California Appelate Court case is critical because it gutted racist elements of Penal Code 12050-54. It effectively proves racist intent in the creation of California's CCW system in 1923. For a much deeper discusion of this, Hunter vs. Underwood and similar issues, see also A Practical Guide To Race And Gun Control.
Penal Codes 12050-12054 – full text, no search needed, plus some bonus law signed by Pete Wilson but left out of the books! Improved readability, also MORE COMPLETE than the state's own version which is missing a part that Pete Wilson signed into law in '98.	The Effects Of Non-Discriminatory CCW Issuance - NEW 5/11/02 - A compilation of three reports on the real effects of CCW reform from the latest state to convert away from "discretion", plus a contrast with general grabber fears. A MUST SEE!
The infamous COLAFRANCESCO PAPERS! James Colafrancesco was drunk at a party in Sacramento County when he threatened somebody with a gun during a verbal argument. Sacramento County deputies arrested him and learned he had a CCW permit and more - when they asked him about it, his drunken babblings were fully documented. From 1998 - a real shocker :). Acrobat Format.	NEW 8/22/02 - I'm starting a new business soon: CUSTOM HOLSTERS and sheaths :). "Custom" means just that: I'm going to set up events on weekends where I go out to various Nor-Cal places and make holsters for people on-site, while you wait, molded around YOUR gun/knife/etc. Click here for pics and details! (Project ON HOLD for now.)

Opinion on CCW Practices – formal legal opinion establishing the legality (or lack thereof) of the most common forms of abuse: "zero issuance" and "town discrimination". POTENT stuff. Relies strongly on the Guillory and Salute cases. Author: attorney Bob Beauchamp in Orange County. Adobe Acrobat PDF

Guillory vs. Gates – critical Federal case establishing that equal protection is a valid principle in CCW issuance. Allows comparisons between people who are denied and the approved "cronies". To fully understand the applicability of this case, see also the Contra Costa County expose and the rest of the Expose Project files.

Statewide gun rights mailing list – anyone serious must subscribe to the CA-Firearms list. Time-sensitive updates happen here first and when the lawsuits start popping up like prairie dogs on meth, you'll need this list! - Updated yet again, 5/11/02 - it works now.

Salute vs. Pitchess – state appellate court decision establishing the responsibilities of the issuing authorities. Established the "individual determination and investigation into every applicant" standard, and eliminated "zero issuance".

Dennis Kennedy's Guide to Good Cause! - Dennis runs SOG (see link in the...well, the links section, where else?) and has a lot of experience crafting "good cause for issuance" statements for applicants, and offers a free service helping you customize yours. Highly recommended if there's any chance of scoring a permit "without a major fight". NOTE: THIS DOCUMENT DOESN'T APPLY IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, see also the "trial #2 update" above.

CBS vs. Block - this 1986 California Supreme Court decision ruled that CCW data is public record. I didn't know the court went further, and talked about WHY - they supported the idea that equal protection violations were possible and ordered CCW records made public to allow exposure of problems! A must-read

HUNTER VS. UNDERWOOD: 1985 US Supreme Court case that can serve as a blueprint for destroying a state law on the grounds that it's racist! While not a "gun case", the standard set is that the law must have a verifiable racist origin and a current racial "effect" even if the "effect" is accidental. We can do this one better because the effect is racist effects are deliberate. Again: we're using this to attack the discretionary elements of the law itelf, statewide.

People vs. Rappard - This 1972 California Appelate Court case is critical because it gutted racist elements of Penal Code 12050-54. It effectively proves racist intent in the creation of California's CCW system in 1923. For a much deeper discusion of this, Hunter vs. Underwood and similar issues, see also A Practical Guide To Race And Gun Control.

Penal Codes 12050-12054 – full text, no search needed, plus some bonus law signed by Pete Wilson but left out of the books! Improved readability, also MORE COMPLETE than the state's own version which is missing a part that Pete Wilson signed into law in '98.

The Effects Of Non-Discriminatory CCW Issuance - NEW 5/11/02 - A compilation of three reports on the real effects of CCW reform from the latest state to convert away from "discretion", plus a contrast with general grabber fears. A MUST SEE!

The infamous COLAFRANCESCO PAPERS!
James Colafrancesco was drunk at a party in Sacramento County when he threatened somebody with a gun during a verbal argument. Sacramento County deputies arrested him and learned he had a CCW permit and more - when they asked him about it, his drunken babblings were fully documented. From 1998 - a real shocker :). Acrobat Format.

NEW 8/22/02 - I'm starting a new business soon:
CUSTOM HOLSTERS and sheaths :).
"Custom" means just that: I'm going to set up events on weekends where I go out to various Nor-Cal places and make holsters for people on-site, while you wait, molded around YOUR gun/knife/etc. Click here for pics and details! (Project ON HOLD for now.)

The guns I will eventually put on a permit :)	EMail message by me sent shortly after 11/14/97 to a public mailing list proving I was verbally denied CCW by Richmond PD and the Sheriff prior to 1/1/98.
Original humor/fiction, parody of Star Trek and the Hell's Angels. :)	My speech to the Contra Costa County Board of Supes, 3/9/99.
If anyone is curious about how I got mixed up in this whole insane mess, the answer is here. Pretty wild stuff...a friend was defrauded, I investigated, and after recieving death threats first tried for a CCW permit in 1997. This is one WILD and documented police abuse case.	California Knife Laws: A Comprehensive Guide This is the best online guide to California's knife laws online. Also includes a "buyer's guide" to a selection of self defense folding knives, with pictures and comments. NEW By Jim March 5/16/02 - COVERS NEW LAWS EFFECTIVE 1/1/2002
How to do a complete pre-purchase inspection on a new or used revolver - one of the most popular threads on the Revolver Forum at http://www.thefiringline.com/	A compilation of reviews and commentary on upgrade parts for Ruger SA revolvers (SingleSix/Blackhawk/Vaquero/etc.) Really good stuff if you dig "cowboy guns" :)
The Million Mom March affair - in which Nadja Adolph and I caught a national gun control organization stealing free office space from the city of San Francisco, and busted 'em. The "Brady Bunch" east coast gun-grabbers bought and salvaged the brand name but the org as a functional entity is dead.	A de-construction of the three-judge decision in Silveria penned by Judge Reinhardt. This was a terrible decision by the Federal 9th Circuit on basic civil rights and the history of the right to self defense.

The guns I will eventually put on a permit :)

EMail message by me sent shortly after 11/14/97 to a public mailing list proving I was verbally denied CCW by Richmond PD and the Sheriff prior to 1/1/98.

Original humor/fiction, parody of Star Trek and the Hell's Angels. :)

My speech to the Contra Costa County Board of Supes, 3/9/99.

If anyone is curious about how I got mixed up in this whole insane mess, the answer is here. Pretty wild stuff...a friend was defrauded, I investigated, and after recieving death threats first tried for a CCW permit in 1997. This is one WILD and documented police abuse case.

California Knife Laws:
A Comprehensive Guide
This is the best online guide to California's knife laws online. Also includes a "buyer's guide" to a selection of self defense folding knives, with pictures and comments.
NEW By Jim March 5/16/02 - COVERS NEW LAWS EFFECTIVE 1/1/2002

How to do a complete pre-purchase inspection on a new or used revolver - one of the most popular threads on the Revolver Forum at http://www.thefiringline.com/

A compilation of reviews and commentary on upgrade parts for Ruger SA revolvers (SingleSix/Blackhawk/Vaquero/etc.) Really good stuff if you dig "cowboy guns" :)

The Million Mom March affair - in which Nadja Adolph and I caught a national gun control organization stealing free office space from the city of San Francisco, and busted 'em. The "Brady Bunch" east coast gun-grabbers bought and salvaged the brand name but the org as a functional entity is dead.

A de-construction of the three-judge decision in Silveria penned by Judge Reinhardt. This was a terrible decision by the Federal 9th Circuit on basic civil rights and the history of the right to self defense.

OK, this needs some explainin'. "Lawdog" is a rural county deputy who posts on TheFiringLine. I don't know his real name, but people I trust have confirmed he's the genuine article. He's a good cop, but he's a GREAT comedy writer. I'm decent, but I'm not in his class. This, folks, is some of the funniest stuff on the Internet, bar none.	10/13/03: A NEW LAWDOG FILE! After a long absense, HE'S BACK! And better than ever! (rated a mild "R")
A Ghost Story	Love on stakeout duty
Chickens and bacon	A cop's touch
Close Quarters Combat	A tearful farewell
Night duty uniform	Two-part - the SQUEAKS SAGA! Part1 and part2 - if you've ever rooted for the underdog, you'll love this.
You Might Be A Rural Texas Peace Officer: Along with the extreme comedy, this is a look at what it means to be a GOOD cop.	Lines us gunnies would REALLY like to see in a horror movie! GREAT stuff.
NEW 6/26/02: To top it off, the poor guy's MOM signs on and tells a tale of police work that's completely above and beyond the call of duty! This is what a cop is supposed to be.
NEW 7/9/02: Fun with with high explosives! (starts with another GREAT story, but Lawdog chimes in :).	More coming, probably. I think he should write a book.

OK, this needs some explainin'. "Lawdog" is a rural county deputy who posts on TheFiringLine. I don't know his real name, but people I trust have confirmed he's the genuine article.

He's a good cop, but he's a GREAT comedy writer. I'm decent, but I'm not in his class. This, folks, is some of the funniest stuff on the Internet, bar none.

10/13/03: A NEW LAWDOG FILE! After a long absense, HE'S BACK! And better than ever! (rated a mild "R")

A Ghost Story

Love on stakeout duty

Chickens and bacon

A cop's touch

Close Quarters Combat

A tearful farewell

Night duty uniform

Two-part - the SQUEAKS SAGA! Part1 and part2 - if you've ever rooted for the underdog, you'll love this.

You Might Be A Rural Texas Peace Officer:
Along with the extreme comedy, this is a look at what it means to be a GOOD cop.

Lines us gunnies would REALLY like to see in a horror movie! GREAT stuff.

NEW 6/26/02: To top it off, the poor guy's MOM signs on and tells a tale of police work that's completely above and beyond the call of duty! This is what a cop is supposed to be.

NEW 7/9/02: Fun with with high explosives! (starts with another GREAT story, but Lawdog chimes in :).

More coming, probably.
I think he should write a book.

The 'Lectric Law Library - beyond cool! - Excellent legal resource, legal glossary, sample forms and documents, more. If any of the terms in the various decisions and opinions has you stumped, look here (in the Lexicon, under the Rotunda).	Security Ops Group - SOG is a security/bodyguard/training firm in Orange County. Dennis Kennedy is good people, and knows a LOT about the SoCal CCW scene...more than me in most cases. If you need advice on what sort of "good cause" might fly with the departments that are issuing a fair number of permits, you need to hook up with him. He can also help with out-of-state CCW permits such as Utah, others. See also Dennis's "guide to good cause".
* Sebastopol Attorney Peter Mancus has lost all patience with the CCW fiasco and has written an open letter to his city officials (linked here). His emphasis is more "deeply constitutional" than my own tendencies, but I've come to believe he's not only right, but that such an argument can work. Hence my own revised lawsuit in Trial #2 includes an "RKBA cause of action", a fairly radical step.	The NRA California Member's Council system main page - in California, the NRA sponsors a network of local political clubs. These guys do true grassroots politics and are unbelievably effective. If you want to REALLY get involved in California self-defense rights, you need to be at one of these meetings once a month.
PACKING!http://www.packing.org is the #1 nationwide CCW resource. It's the "successor" to Mike's CCW reciprocity page - if you need info on ANY state's CCW system, reform progress, links to local activists, this is the spot. I've got more info on the California scene but that's because I'm a "specialist" in one state and one sub-issue.	The Firing Line TFL is one of the biggest and best general gun and RKBA discussion groups. Highly recommended.

The 'Lectric Law Library - beyond cool! - Excellent legal resource, legal glossary, sample forms and documents, more. If any of the terms in the various decisions and opinions has you stumped, look here (in the Lexicon, under the Rotunda).

Security Ops Group - SOG is a security/bodyguard/training firm in Orange County. Dennis Kennedy is good people, and knows a LOT about the SoCal CCW scene...more than me in most cases. If you need advice on what sort of "good cause" might fly with the departments that are issuing a fair number of permits, you need to hook up with him. He can also help with out-of-state CCW permits such as Utah, others. See also Dennis's "guide to good cause".

* Sebastopol Attorney Peter Mancus has lost all patience with the CCW fiasco and has written an open letter to his city officials (linked here). His emphasis is more "deeply constitutional" than my own tendencies, but I've come to believe he's not only right, but that such an argument can work. Hence my own revised lawsuit in Trial #2 includes an "RKBA cause of action", a fairly radical step.

The NRA California Member's Council system main page - in California, the NRA sponsors a network of local political clubs. These guys do true grassroots politics and are unbelievably effective. If you want to REALLY get involved in California self-defense rights, you need to be at one of these meetings once a month.

PACKING!http://www.packing.org is the #1 nationwide CCW resource. It's the "successor" to Mike's CCW reciprocity page - if you need info on ANY state's CCW system, reform progress, links to local activists, this is the spot. I've got more info on the California scene but that's because I'm a "specialist" in one state and one sub-issue.

The Firing Line

TFL is one of the biggest and best general gun and RKBA discussion groups. Highly recommended.