I just learned that Aaron Zelman, founder, guiding spirit, and chief cook and bottle washer of Jews for the Preservation of Firmarms Ownership died, more than a week ago.

I woke up this morning to a reader’s letter, passed along by BHM’s webmaster, Oliver. I could hardly believe it. Then I found the above-linked mini-obituary that sadly says so little of the man. There should be so much more! I hope there will soon be tributes all over the ‘Net.

Aaron and I worked together for seven years. I admired him and even though he could be crazy-making at times, he had one of the most creative minds I’ve ever encountered and he was unfailingly a gentleman and a gentle-spoken man. He created a unique niche in the gun-rights movement and I hope JPFO can continue without him.

Aaron was born with Marfan Syndrome, which can cause a host of related problems, some potentially fatal. I don’t know what he died from, but between that and his Type-A, hard-driving nature, it’s not surprising, though it’s shocking and tragic, that he died so young. Rather, I tell myself it shouldn’t be surprising. Yet Aaron was such a powerful personality, it’s hard to think of him being extinguished.

Published December 29, 2010, at Backwood Home

NOTE: It was my pleasure to have worked with Aaron in the late 1990′s while a continuing activist for 2nd Amendment rights. I was privileged to have had him not only as a guest on my radio program, but served for a short time as producer of his program as well. Aaron’s dedication to Truth will be missed. (JB)

$65 million (forced redistribution from taxpayers) needed to remediate 54.6% of Arkansas 2009 college students up 3.3% from 2008. (All Stats from Democrat-Gazette12/21/10) The percentages vary from 90% (!) in the U of A, Pine Bluff to 12% (!) in U of A, Fayetteville. How much did they each cost the taxpayers already?

When a system of government oversteps it’s legitimate authority, and then, either by coercion, or force, imposes its will upon the people, tyranny exists . History records numerous occasions when people, who have risen up and shook off the shackles which bound them, and declared that they are free men. Most of the time these uprisings have come at great cost in terms of both lives and fortunes lost.