Author: Leaman Ralph

Thank you to the 21k+ who signed my petition to reunite Corporal Leavey w/Sergeant Rex – it made all the difference pic.twitter.com/CgUyCGzV

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 20, 2012

Here’s the report from LoHud:

There were no tearful embraces Monday evening, but as former Marine Cpl. Megan Leavey stood beside the man who advocated on her behalf, she was relieved to know her partner Rex would live out his days in peace.

“I’m just so happy that I can be the one to take care of him because really, he has taken care of me in so many different situations that it’s my pleasure,” Leavey said. “I just can’t wait for him to retire now and relax and be a pet and live the good life.”

Leavey and Rex, the military service dog who was standing with her when an improvised explosive device was detonated near them outside of Ramadi, Iraq, in September 2006, are expected to officially be reunited in a matter of days.

On Monday, Rex remained at Camp Pendleton, Calif., where officials with the Marines are completing the paperwork necessary for the adoption.

Officials with the Air Force, the military branch responsible for training military work dogs, have already signed off on the adoption, officials said.

The imminent reunion was announced in the office of Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., on Monday evening. Leavey is in the process of booking a flight to California to pick Rex up.

Yay for Sgt. Rex and Corporal Leavey. SHE GETS TO ADOPT THIS PRECIOUS SENIOR CANINE SOLDER!! Dear Ms. Sherman:… http://t.co/GB7PHT7B

— BBAWC (@BBAWC) March 20, 2012

Read more: http://twitchy.com/2012/03/20/war-veteran-reunited-with-dog-after-media-schumer-spotlight/

According to Michael Connelly at Red Flag News, the Department of Veterans Affairs is arbitrarily depriving veterans of their right to own guns:

How would you feel if you received a letter from the U.S. Government informing you that because of a physical or mental condition that the government says you have it is proposing to rule that you are incompetent to handle your own financial affairs? Suppose that letter also stated that the government is going to appoint a stranger to handle your affairs for you at your expense? That would certainly be scary enough but it gets worse.

What if that letter also stated: “A determination of incompetency will prohibit you from purchasing, possessing, receiving, or transporting a firearm or ammunition. If you knowingly violate any of these prohibitions, you may be fined, imprisoned, or both pursuant to the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, Pub.L.No. 103-159, as implemented at 18, United States Code 924(a)(2).”?

That makes is sound like something right from a documentary on a tyrannical dictatorship somewhere in the world. Yet, as I write this I have a copy of such a letter right in front of me. It is being sent by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to hundreds, perhaps thousands, of America’s heroes. In my capacity as Executive Director of the United States Justice Foundation (USJF) I have been contacted by some of these veterans and the stories I am getting are appalling.

Many Second Amendment supporters are understandably alarmed:

VETERANS OF AMERICA: The Communists in DC Are Taking Your Gun Ownership Rights Away. thegatewaypundit.com/2013/02/shock-…Thank you for your service.

— FloridaJayhawk (@FloridaJayhawk) February 22, 2013

Obama to veterans: thanks for your service, but if you try to buy a gun, I’ll fine you and throw you in jail. thegatewaypundit.com/2013/02/shock-…

— Razor (@hale_razor) February 22, 2013

Exposed: Obama’s Ployto Disarm Veterans! #Obamas DeputizedDoctors to Label Veterans Mentally Unfit to Own a Gun!

— Southern With Sass (@LilSouthernSass) February 21, 2013

#VeteransAffairs to hundreds of #veterans: You are prohibited from purchasing / owning #firearms: tavernkeepers.com/va-sends-lette… #NRA #gunrights #VA

— Tavern Barkeep (@TavernBarkeep) February 22, 2013

FEDS SEND LETTER TO VETS REVOKING GUN RIGHTS:thegatewaypundit.com/2013/02/shock-…#tcot

— Dennis (@Dennis_Hostetlr) February 22, 2013

Is #Obama trying to deny 2nd Amendment rights – starting with veterans… tinyurl.com/avuxdta …or not? tinyurl.com/abv39sv

— Mike Murray (@emmeffemm) February 22, 2013

VETERANS receive letters from VA PROHIBITING OWNERSHIP or PURCHASE of FIREARMS!!! #GUN #TeaParty @nra @tedcruz thegatewaypundit.com/2013/02/shock-…

— Jim Chookagian (@nf3l) February 22, 2013

But the alarm over the VA letter seems to be unwarranted. In a post entitled, “Don’t beleive the hype on the VA letter summarily denying vets gun rights,” conservative blogger Bob Owens (who supports Second Amendment rights) debunks the rumors:

I have no idea who Michael Connelly is, but I can tell you this: his story is misleading at best, and purposeful fear-mongering at worst.

Connelly lays this out in such a way that the average person reading this gets the impression that the VA is arbitrarily sending letters to unsuspecting veterans that they’ve lost their 2nd Amendment rights because someone in far away Washington summarily checked a box on a whim. It is portrayed as a bolt from the blue, affecting a large percentage of veterans.

…

This [provision doesn’t apply] to someone just because they went into combat, or if they have some level of PTSD, or if they have a head injury. This generally applies to folks that are seriously mentally compromised.

Milblogger John Lilyea has a similar take:

The letter, despite the breathless reporting by this lawyer dude at the [Red Flag News] blog, explains to the veteran to whom the letter is addressed how to avoid being ruled incompetent.

By the way, I looked up the cite from 18 USC 942(a)(2) which merely refers to 18 USC 922(a)(6) which, in turn says you can’t lie when you buy a gun – so all of that legal crap doesn’t say anything we don’t know and it has nothing to do with being a mentally incapacitated veteran.

But, basically, what the letter doesn’t say is that the VA is disarming veterans arbitrarily. Don’t let this letter be the reason you don’t go to the VA to get the treatment you need and earned.

Read more: http://twitchy.com/2013/02/22/no-the-va-isnt-arbitrarily-disarming-veterans/

The pro-marijuana crowd is having a lot of fun tonight at the expense of former Congressman Tom Tancredo. Apparently, the arch-conservative made a pre-election bet with comedian Adam Hartle, stipulating that he would smoke weed if Colorado voted to legalize cannabis. The bet was made public in a recent promotional video for Hartle’s documentary about the passage of Colorado’s Amendment 64, and Tancredo says he will keep his word. While he personally supported legalization, we’re guessing that Tancredo wasn’t anticipating to be among those lighting up.

We at Twitchy might disagree with our pro-pot friends on this issue, but thanks for giving us a chuckle. Just don’t let Tom eat too many Cheetos, OK?

The GOP – We’re Jammin America’s newest pothead: Tom Tancredo « The Greenroom hotair.com/greenroom/arch… via @hotairblog

— Mary Sue (@RubySlipperblog) January 24, 2013

Someone should temp him w/Mexican food RT @bencjacobs Tom Tancredo will now smoke pot. Wow. reason.com/blog/2013/01/2… …

— Joshua Green (@JoshuaGreen) January 24, 2013

Oh man, I hope we all get to see Baked Tom Tancredo on live television reason.com/blog/2013/01/2…

— Josh Barro (@jbarro) January 24, 2013

@jbarro any word on whether or not Tancredo’s going to do a duet with Afroman? youtube.com/watch?v=WeYsTm…#BecauseTancredoGotHigh

— Holden D. Cat (@HoldenDCat) January 24, 2013

@jbarro This is the best news ever. I want some improvised Tommy the Tanc beat poetry.

— Owen Poindexter (@Owen_Poindexter) January 24, 2013

But will he inhale? MT ‏@lopezlinette GOP Congressman WILL smoke pot after he lost a bet ow.ly/h6JP4

— Luke Kawa (@LJKawa) January 24, 2013

I would pay good money to watch Tom Tancredo smoke marijuana. livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/tom-tanc…

— Erik Loomis (@ErikLoomis) January 25, 2013

Tom Tancredo loses bet, must become pothead now dailykos.com/story/2013/01/…

— Kaili Joy Gray (@KailiJoy) January 24, 2013

@memeorandum @eldon Wait a minute…this is not news. Tancredo has been high his entire career. I’m sure of it.

— Aaron Klein (@AaronKlein) January 25, 2013

Will Tom Tancredo finally start thinking clearly?Who knows? fb.me/2aLSZlny0

— Robert D. Butler II (@RobertDButler2) January 25, 2013

BREAKING: Tom Tancredo to pretend he’s never smoked pot before.

— picsl8 (@picsl81) January 25, 2013

This is a tweet I never imagined I’d type: Anti-#immigration firebrand Tom Tancredo says he’ll smoke weed. tinyurl.com/b94cwu9

— David Montero (@DaveMontero) January 25, 2013

Read more: http://twitchy.com/2013/01/24/reefer-madness-tom-tancredo-will-smoke-weed-after-losing-bet/

We can just imagine the design on Debbie Allen’s face as she saw Miley Cyrus’ VMA twerk-out. It’s most likely safe to assume she wasn’t smiling:

Ouch! Allen carried on:

We are able to agree totally that Cyrus’ overall performance was less than ladylike, it is Beyoncé really the one women should check out for determination?

Read even more: http://twitchy.com/2013/08/27/put-the-clothes-back-on-choreographer-debbie-allen-upset-with-miley-cyrus/