Val Finnell and his wife, Tracy Finnell, via Facebook

On Thursday in Pittsburgh, speakers lined up to take the microphone one after another during a heated four-hour hearing on the city’s proposed gun control. One of the speakers was Val Finnell, a member of Firearm Owners Against Crime, medical doctor, and former Air Force colonel. He came to the hearing bearing a petition, reportedly signed by 8,000 people, calling for the council to withdraw the proposed legislation or face charges. During his statement, he said:

“I didn’t serve 20 years to come home and have politicians trash the Bill of Rights.”

– Val Finnell via The Incline on Twitter

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

90 COMMENTS

    • Being an outlaw implies that they face a risk of jail time or even some sort of punishment. This is not true at all. Worst cause is that they will blow a ton of tax payer money in a lawsuit that they know they are going to lose, and then go home as a still elected representative of their district.

      There are essentially no negative consequences to passing laws which are later declared unconstitutional. Wish we had an amendment in the US constitution that says that if any politician at the local, state, or federal level votes for a law which is later found to be unconstitutional, they are to be immediately removed from office and barred from ever running for any office again.

    • The original meaning of “outlaw” comes from Ancient Rome, where it was considered a form of punishment. The process was once an individual committed said crime, they would be condemned as an outlaw, which meant from that moment going forward, they lost all protections from the state and law. Allowing any person to attack them freely and do to them as they please. Perhaps this form of punishment aught to be brought back.

  2. Nuff said.

    Kudos for having a full bird giving them the bird. We are losing people that understand the Constitution.

  3. “I didn’t serve 20 years to come home and have politicians trash the Bill of Rights.”
    sez you, Colonel…but THAT is EXACTLY what is happening…City by City, State by State. Sorry for the rude awakening, Sir, and Thanks for your Service. Now, please go wake up as many more Americans as you can.

      • Plenty difficult though, isn’t it?
        Many of the sleeping sheeple simply refuse to wake up. They have ignored reality for far too long, and so would rather go back to their comfortable dreamworld than face up to the mess that evil men have made in the absence of the good men, who choose to do nothing.

        • Present company excepted, OFC. You are quite obviously doing as much as you can to wake the people up, and I give you my word(as old-fashioned as that sounds in today’s world of little honor, at least that hasn’t been stolen…) that I am also.

    • So that implies that you think that the Bill of Rights ought to be rightly trashed. That you think that rights are outdated and stupid. I wonder if you will still think that after YOUR rights are gone… My guess is that you believe that no others should rights. Only you.
      Rights for me, but not for thee. IOW, you believe wholeheartedly in dictatorship, but only when YOU are the dictator.

  6. Good for you ex-military dude. My own son served in combat and is decidedly a fudd. ILLinois gun owner’s face the same BS.

  7. Aprapo of nothing: a full-bird colonel with less than three rows of decorations?

    Never seen that before.

    • Any man who truly serves his country doesn’t do it for $0.15 pins placed on his chest. And most fight tooth and nail against receiving one they felt they didn’t do anything to earn (facing extreme odds likely resulting in death is no more than doing their job). I feel that not enough is given to those that serve to protect this country. And at the same time too much given to those that claim merits unearned. Thank God that this country still has plenty of men and women that serve her with honor. Giving their all, while asking for naught. GOD BLESS AMERICA. AND ALL THOSE THAT PROTECT HER!

      • “Tim” is likely an overweight washed up liberal who’s never served anything except his own appetite.

    • He’s a full bird Medical Doctor.
      That doesn’t diminish his patriotism any, but it probably diminished his medal winning opportunities.

        • “Also an Acupuncture Specialists! How the two relate is beyond me…”

          Well, he has to make sure they are *really* dead…

          (Sarc)

          The combat is pretty much over by the time they get to pathology. That he doesn’t have a full ‘salad board’ as an MD at the morgue doesn’t bother me much…

        • I am also board certified in preventive medicine and public health. I ran an acupuncture clinic here in Pittsburgh for veterans who need pain relief without resorting to opioids at my last place of employment. It’s a wonderful thing.

        • Actually, most of the work pathologists do is on live patients such as looking at biopsies and running the clinical laboratory that all physicians rely upon in their work. We’re referred to as “the doctor’s doctor” for that reason.

          When we were mobilizing for OIF/OEF, the Army (I was in the Army back then) didn’t care that I was a pathologist. I processed troops just like everybody else. Not complaining at all. I just did what everyone else did.

        • “Actually, most of the work pathologists do is on live patients such as looking at biopsies and running the clinical laboratory that all physicians rely upon in their work.”

          Thank you for your service, and for clarifying your duties…

      • Come to think of it, his obvious patriotism might have hampered his promotions and decorations in today’s military.

        We’ve got plenty of general officers with enough stars and decorations to wallpaper their livings rooms who shit on the Bill of Rights at every opportunity. Some of them retired from the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

        • Flag rank( that is, above Col.) goes almost exclusively to those connected through the secret societies. Others need not apply.
          In fact, there is no applying. Only being selected. The same as the system to enter the; Skull & Bones, Jason Society, Scroll & Key, Freemasons, etc.

        • I was fortunate. It did not hamper my promotions at all. I was a “DP” to full Colonel after I graduated from War College.

        • But in 20 years, never achieved Gen/Admr.
          Its not that all the ranks do that. It’s only the promotion to Flag Rank wherein the selection process changes from chits/TIR(time in rank) into; “only those hand picked from above have a chance”.
          This is the way the system keeps control. Even a full Colonel simply follows orders. It’s the Flag Ranks where those order originate. That is why only the selected elite are allowed into those ranks. These few must be under firm control, in order for them to control the others below. Treated as mushrooms, ofc. Kept in the dark and fed on B.S.
          Yes, even Colonels. That’s the Flag Officers job, figuring out what lies to tell your subordinates to keep them co-operative. It’s why you never get any real answers to good questions, other than; “you don’t have a need to know that”. OFC, it usually turns out that the Officer in Command had a desperate NTK, but it doesn’t matter. The Flag Ranks are only judged by the other ADMR/GENs, who invariably back up the other Flags, no matter how ridiculous.

      • Sorry, you don’t “WIN” medals. They are awarded, they are earned, but they are never “WON”. Military service is not a game.

    • Why trash anyone who serves? I don’t appreciate your negativity Tim no matter what pins he has earned. 2 years or 20+ years is a sacrificial service to our great nation.

      • In what way did he “trash” someone who served? He simply remarked that this dude had less medals on his breast than he’s seen on others before. Neither good nor bad.

      • That’s OK. It shows their lack of respect for our country. If they find someone who wears a uniform who has credibility, they have to do something to destroy that credibility. The number of medals someone has nothing to do with the quality of their service as I have noted above. What matters is what is in their heart. Do they love our nation? Do they love the Constitution? Will they uphold their oath of office? Those are the important things. That said, I consider my time in uniform a real blessing. I truly miss it. I am glad to continue to serve veterans in the Pittsburgh area in my retirement.

    • Most full birds were once 2/Lts, Doctors, no. This guy probably entered service as a O-4 or O-5, combat was never a consideration, but this is not to say he is not an intelligent man who understands his responsibilities as an American just as well as I do. After 20 years I had 7 rows of ribbons, but I was still not an MD. Or an O-6, for that matter!

      • I served in both the Army and Air Force. 9 years in the Army and 11 in the Air Force. I came in after medical school as a Captain. I was honored to serve and I continue to do so by serving veterans in my retirement in different ways.

    • I served honorably for 20 years and it isn’t easy to make 0-6, even for docs. As pointed out by others, medical officers really do not get a lot of opportunities to earn other medals. I am honored by whatever awards my country chose to give me.

      • Val W. Finnell — Thank you for your service — and thank you for taking a stand and speaking up. We have far too few who are willing to lead and to take the time to attend meetings and to speak up at those meetings. Most only sound off in forums like this one but won’t walk the walk!
        I’m heavily involved in the fight against the animal rights agenda on a local, state and national level and most of the people who support me in this fight only support me in name only and aren’t willing to put themselves on the front lines even when I ask for them!
        The same legislators who want to trash the second amendment are also the same ones who support the animal rights groups like the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and PETA. We need people like you, who have the credibility, to stand and fight the fight! Thank you!

    • I think all States do. Here in Montana we have the MANG based at Malmstrom AFB in Great Falls. My old flight instructor is the Full Bird Colonel in charge of flight ops there now. He’s got over twenty years in. No Flag Rank for him either. The Base Commander though… he’s a General.

  9. Honestly, at least one enlistment or a commission should be a base requirement for every politician. It won’t guarantee a thourough understanding of our important documents but it will be a start.

  10. All any politician regardless of party understands is POWER.
    Whether they have any real or not. They ALL think they are better and smarter then us.
    They don’t give a crap about US. Or the Constitution.
    Just their perceived status and again perceived POWER over US.
    Anyone naïve enough to believe any politician is there to help us.
    Is a fool.

    • I’d say Jim Trafficant was an exception to that rule. OFC, the system jailed and then killed him… And there has yet to be another. I guess intimidation and murder works. At least in the beltway.

      • I’ve lived inside the Beltway since 1962! Don’t recall hearing about or seeing any Political Murders! Political Suicides happen virtually all the time.

      • They would, obviously, never fess up to the idea that they murdered Trafficant. Why would they, when the investigators will say whatever they tell them to say. Crime is easy when you are in charge of the investigation.
        How many other people have you ever heard of that died while rolling a tractor at 2 miles an hour? Let me help. The answer is none. Some might get hurt that way, but I’ve never heard of anyone dying in a one tractor ‘accident’ before. The fact that it happened right after he started talking about running for a federal office again is also mightily suspicious timing…

        • Nice of you to provide a link so I can check your data. But, even if they are a University, they fail to provide a source for where they got that figure, so the data is useless. Unverified. Could have been made up by the janitor or a plumber.
          One would think that Universities would know better, because they are the ones who made up the rules, and insist upon them when others fail to provide, but such is the state of things today. Most think that a DOTedu address means something. Means everything, really. But it doesn’t.

        • I managed to find only one ‘study’, at the CDC
          https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00000141.htm
          Not that a DOT gov tag is any better than a DOT edu, but at least they did follow proper procedure and listed a source. Its fifty years old and only the smallest of samples, so still not much good. Except that you do get to see( if you dig a little) that some of them were driven into water and the operator drowned. Not relevant to our discussion. Some were hit by other vehicles on the road. Also not relevant, in view of my statement noting ONE VEHICLE tractor accidents. And many other reasons why this study really only proves that nobody knows a number. Or can even give an educated guess. Only speculation.
          And I can speculate zero just as easily as 130.

        • Spent much time in a community where tractors are in common use? I personally know of two tractor rollover deaths and my maternal grandfather eventually died of complications several years after rolling his tractor. Speed isn’t really relevant, generally angle of slope is. I don’t know anything about the Trafficant case, but tractor rollover accidents aren’t exactly rare, and can certainly be fatal.

  11. Col. Finnell should contact us @[email protected].
    There are professional level task that can be achieved outside the
    military to mitigate and correct many issues we are facing. Up until
    now all that has been done is rhetoric and dialog. Understanding he
    insurgencies that have taken place in the US, we must up our game
    and make quick application. Please connect. Former USMC COIN OP.
    James

  12. “I didn’t serve 20 years to come home and have politicians trash the Bill of Rights.”

    I disagree. That’s exactly what you did. Even though you didn’t know it, you were part and parcel of the same corrupt conspiracy.

    • That’s BS Ralph. People who serve don’t deserve your negative slam. That’s no different than saying every cop is a bad cop. Nuff said, your negativity against those who serves isn’t appreciated.

      • I served and I don’t disagree with Ralph’s statement.

        I do disagree with your statement that he’s saying something equivalent to “every cop is a bad cop”.

      • Hey, Robroyb, learn how to read before you post inanities. You’re an embarrassment to the public education system. Which, btw, is also a part of the same conspiracy.

        • Ha ha what’s awesome is I served and I agree with your previous statement, and I’m now a teacher…and I agree with this statement as well. 🙂

  14. He may have to serve again to stop these idiots (Pittsburgh politicans are a domestic threat to the Constitution if they pass their unlawful ordnance).

    • Doing that right now. We are going to file a private criminal complaint against the Mayor and City Council for their illegal ordinances if they pass.

  15. “He came to the hearing bearing a petition, reportedly signed by 8,000 people, calling for the council to withdraw the proposed legislation or face charges.”

    What is the significance of this?

    • The Pittsburgh city council has decided to pass gun control laws that violate state 2A preemption laws, risking their arrest and prosecution.

      The good people of Pittsburgh are threatening to enforce those preemption laws on the city council that threatens to pass those laws…

    • The petition to the Mayor and City Council calls for their illegal ordinances (which violate the state preemption law) to be withdrawn or we’ll file a private criminal complaint with the District Attorney.

      • Is being under criminal indictment grounds for removal from the city council?

        • Good question. Someone is submitting an impeachment petition tomorrow morning at 9 AM at the courthouse.

  16. Most of what Pittsburgh is trying to do is contrary to PA law, the PA Constitution, and the U.S. Constitution. PA has a pre-emption law, and both Constitutions have No Ex Post Facto Clauses. Somebody needs to teach a few mayors and governors the meaning of sedition.

  17. If perduto and his gang go through with their plan they are looking at serious felonies. Early on they said they knew they would be breaking the law and didn’t care. That in and of itself is a crime. A PA law firm has been involved from the beginning and told the mayor and council there would be legal action if they moved on their plan.

  18. And I didn’t pay taxes for 45 years that helped support a military( your welcome) and have you come home to have our Bill of Rights trashed.

  19. Good grief I can’t believe how many turds on here are dogging this guy! Probably the same douche bags that talk sh!t about the NRA all the time. Lighten up you losers, eating your own isn’t helping a GD thing!!! Mr. Finnell, thank you for your service and what you’re doing now to defend our 2A rights, it’s much appreciated by folks like me.

    • You are welcome. We need to keep the focus on the real enemy before us. We are losing our country.

      • Indeed, there are battles playing out all around us, some less obvious than others. I don’t think many of us knew we were fighting for the longest time. Thank you for joining the fight. I love your approach! Not only does this technique put some pain on the traitors, but saves pro rights organizations spending money on civil suits. I’ll be following this now, I can’t wait to see how it works out.

    • Jamie in ND; You do realize that most of those trash talking liberty and freedom on this site are paid government stooges, yes? That they post that they are gun owners and etc. etc. … BUT, then they proceed to prove by their words that they not only hate liberty and freedom, but know absolutely nothing about firearms, in spite of their words to the contrary?
      Just in case you don’t, here are some resources to become educated on the issue:
      http://filmingcops.com/yes-there-are-paid-government-trolls-on-social-media-blogs-forums-and-websites/
      This one is the official trolling handbook:
      https://vigilantcitizen.com/latestnews/the-25-rules-of-disinformation/
      A good read. Once aware of the way it is done, the evidence that it is in widespread use is everywhere.

  21. Hmmm rare pro 2a medical officer. A lot of our medical officers are anti constitutionalist and socialism/communist sympathizers. Many routinely voice favor for more government overreach and less liberties.

    Thanks Colonel for showing there is hope for the 2A among the medical corp.

  22. I would hope a Colonel, who usually gets involved in some kinds of “military politics” one way or another, would understand he did not really serve his country and its people, but rather a very different kind of system and people, which some call the globalists, the bankers, the UN, Soros, the Koch brothers, etc.

Comments are closed.