Reloading on Gun Control

I need to concede a couple of points here before I begin this post.

1)  Yes I have touched on gun control previously.  If you're a long time reader of this blog you know how much I hate to recycle topics but if the truth is truly to be told I held back a good deal last time and, to be honest, so much more nonsense has occurred of late that it's just time we revisit it a bit, shall we?

2)  Some of my comments may echo the previous post from Mr. Craft.  It's okay, we happen to agree on the topic.  Granted it's one of maybe fifty times since we were in elementary school but hey, take it and run with it when you can, right?

Okay, on to this issue.

Let's cut right to it.  I CALL BULLSHIT AND EVERY SINGLE FUCKING POLITICIAN THAT PUTS THEIR NAME BESIDE THESE DUMBASS PROPOSALS OUR EXCUSE FOR A PRESIDENT IS TRYING TO RAM DOWN OUR CITIZENS' THROATS SHOULD NOT ONLY BE MORBIDLY ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES BUT DISMISSED FOR INCOMPETENCE!

Kids, there is absolutely nothing a new background check system is going to do for illegal handgun sales.  Zero.  Zilch.  Nada.  All it's going to do is allow our government to know exactly who owns weapons and who doesn't.  Period.  If you are personally naive enough to believe that it's not a goal of our current administration to completely remove or at least critically impinge your second amendment rights then I truly feel for you.

Next, in order for any member of congress to competently make a decision on what kind of guns are a danger to the public and which ones are not, I think it should be mandatory that not only have they actually fired a weapon in their life but that they have military service in their background.  Either that or I want someone to tell me where I can buy a .223 round that will penetrate a M-1 Abrams tank.  No that's okay I'll wait... And yes, in case you missed it, that was an actual illustration used in testimony in congress.  Fucking ignoranamouses (or however you actually spell that redneck madeup superlative for a whole flock of dumbass!)

Do I mind background checks for firearms purchases?  As they stand now no.  Felons have lost that right in this society and the mentally infirm THAT POSE A THREAT DO NOT NEED THEM.  However, and mark my words on this, we are heading down a slope now that eventually the fact that you needed a script for Xanex to make it through your mother's death a decade ago will eventually be used to deny you your Constitutionally protected rights to own a weapon.  

Folks we have a sitting president (I still refuse to capitalize the title while this clown is in office) that actually made the comments in two press conferences that he is unable to enact the legislation he believes is right because he is not "EMPORER" of the United States and that he is "hampered by restraints set on him by our founding fathers!"  Thank the damn Lord in heaven for that one (or Paradise, Valhalla, etc.  Sorry I'm ill and don't have time to cover all the usual religious bases).  

Yes, we do need background checks conducted within reason for firearms sales.  Felons shouldn't get them.  Violently mentally ill people (aka I've been thinking about stabbing 14 people since I was 8...hmm...) don't need them either.  I'm great with that.  You know, quite honestly I'm not the biggest fan of civilians owning fully automatic weapons either even though I've been close enough to a few bear to make me reconsider my stance.  But come on folks.  Are we really stupid enough (or did enough of the stupid among us vote) to allow our heavily armed government to tell us they need to know who is armed and who isn't?  

I've said it before and I mean it.  We live in a crazy world.  I should carry with what I do for a living, but I don't.  I try to talk to people like their adults and that usually stops the b.s. before it jumps off.  I wish I could convince my wife to carry.  She's small and the bad guys usually aren't.  And as far schools go... I WILL GLADLY UP MY NRA DUES TO HELP PAY FOR AN SRO OR TWO IN EVERY SCHOOL IN THIS STATE.  I'd join the PTA just to help donate ammo if necessary.  I still challenge anyone to tell me why it's so wrong to protect our children with guns, even from each other in sad occasional cases, when it's perfectly acceptable for the kids of the rich or politically important to be guarded by brick walls with Marine Corps pedigrees and MP-fucking-5's.  Again, I'm waiting...

And lastly, although mainly it's just so I can vent and don't inadvertently pimp slap the next imbecilic goat rapist that says it in my vicinity, A GUN HAS YET TO KILL ANYONE ON ITS OWN, EVER.  GUNS ARE TOOLS, JUST LIKE A HAMMER.  IF YOU BAN GUNS BECAUSE THEY CAN KILL THEN YOU NEED TO TAKE A HARD LOOK IN YOUR GARAGE BUDDY.  THAT BIG OL' TOOLBOX YOU'VE GOT IN THE CORNER IS JUST LOADED WITH LETHALITY SHOULD YOU PUT YOUR MIND TO IT.

I heard someone the other day, or quite possibly read it on Facebook, proffer the idea that we should all begin to openly carry, in a law abiding manner of course, just to piss off the anti-gun nuts.  The idea has some admitted merit.  If anything it'd be an interesting social experiment to say the least.  Personally, if this nonsense continues, I say we all dress up for Halloween as law abiding, legally and openly carrying handgun owners and parade right down Main Street USA.

(By the way, according to some of this potential legislation, just being willing to participate in an event like that could be used to call my mental faculties into question... see how this works yet kids?)

A Cookie for Intelligent Thought

Before I get off on my own little series of rants, I'd like to post the thoughts of a friend of mine for your consumption.  First and foremost, the gentleman in question is named Ed Craft.  I grew up with this guy and can tell you without a doubt that the dude's got more than just a couple of old rusty bolts rattling around in that noggin of his.  I'm posting this directly from his Facebook feed, so if you backtrack through my FB you can probably locate him as well if you'd like to add to his thought, pat him on the back, etc.

Simply put kids I'm posting this through my blog so hopefully more people will have an opportunity to read a little truth.  It appears that it's becoming more and more in short supply as the days go by.

And now some genius from the land of the big FB...

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Forgive me for a moment... let's consider a few things... and let me clear up a few...

<rant>

1. The Senate has decided to move forward on gun control legislation they haven't even read. DOES IT PISS ANYONE ELSE OFF THAT THE PEOPLE YOU VOTED INTO OFFICE PASS LEGISLATION THEY DON'T EVEN READ?!?!?! They did the same effin' thing with Obamacare - look at the disaster that's turned out to be. Here's how to fix it. #1: Set term limits for those idiots. #2: Establish a provision that allows representatives to be removed from office at any point they break campaign promises or prove themselves incompetent. #3: Fire the bunch we have now immediately and get new ones. (Another somewhat related point - #4: eliminate lobbists and lobby groups.)

2. "Expanded background checks" would do VERY little to curb gun violence. These proposed checks would have done NOTHING to prevent Colorado or Newtown. (Don't get me started on Newtown and the "rash" of mass shootings recently.) Here's a secret, criminals don't necessarily buy their guns from dealers. They get them on the gray or black markets. Many even just steal them from people who purchase them lawfully. Who's really to determine the state of your mental health? Too many people think you're crazy if you don't agree with their viewpoints. ("Guns are bad." "I like them." "You're mentally unstable." Get my point?) What these checks *will" do is set up the foundation for a national registry which WILL eventually lead to confiscation. Ask Australia, Britain or Canada. Look at violent crime rates in Australia and Britain and tell me how well that worked out for them.

3. THERE IS NO "GUN SHOW" OR INTERNET LOOPHOLE. FFL dealers are required to run a NICS background check on every weapon they sell - even at gun shows or over the internet. The only sales that do not require a background check (in most states) are private sales between individuals. I work gun shows almost every weekend. I would know. Want to know about internet dealers? Go online and do some actual research for yourself.

4. Has anyone else noticed POTUS acting directly OPPOSITE of just about EVERY campaign promise he made? The most recent - he campaigned against closing military bases, but now that's on his agenda. All while he's wanting to dump almost $200M into Guantanamo Bay - which he promised to close. In 2006 he said, "America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership." Okay. Sure. He followed that immediately by saying, "America deserves better." Is that what he gave us? Partially. The first part - he's gotten us into more debt (and pushing for more) than any other president. So he hasn't solved that part. He's doing a good job of leading us... to ruin. So that part can be argued. But I will agree with him on this... AMERICA DESERVES BETTER.

5. Since you brought him up... While the POTUS is expanding his power to kill whomever he deems a threat, he and his administration are working as hard as possible to take away YOUR RIGHT to defend your family. There's a serious problem when the people with guns are telling you that you shouldn't have any.

6. There's no "progress" in the "Progressive" movement - unless it's the progression of hypocrisy. "Leave my body alone! But pay for my abortions and birth control." "People should be free to worship (or not) as they see fit - unless you're a Christian." I can go on and on.

7. America is a Christian nation founded on Christian principles. The 1st amendment makes provision that people can worship as they see fit. You want to be Muslim, Buddhist, or even Agnostic or Atheist? No problem. Rock on. You have that right. But don't you dare come at me or my faith. Don't like the 10 Commandments on the wall of the court house? Don't like legislators opening with a prayer? Get over it. Move somewhere else. You don't have to read them - nor do you have to participate in the prayer. It was a small group of Christians that fought the British tyranny to provide this great country for you to live in. Want "us" to leave "you" alone out of respect for your religion (or lack thereof)? Practice what you preach, hypocrite. I don't hear you raising hell about Jews and Christians being persecuted and murdered in the Middle East or Asia by those who hate them and have laws against religious freedom. Oh. Wait. That's right. It falls right in line with your persecution - just a more extreme line.

8. While we're on that subject... the notion of the gov't stripping the non-profit status of "Christian" organizations because of their stances and beliefs is idiotic. The concept of organizations or groups of people suing an organizations because of their stances and beliefs is even dumber. Once again... this is America. You don't like a particular organization or business, patronize another one. There isn't one? Start your own.

9. Segue into this point... we have become such a pansy-@$$, bleeding heart society it sickens me. Everyone is so afraid to say what they believe or think out of fear of offending someone else. They don't want to hurt anybody's feelings. Why? #1, it's because you don't have a freakin' backbone. #2, because people will sue each other over ANYTHING these days. Remember the 1st Amendment of which you're such an advocate? Just like you, I have the right to think and say what I want. Even if you don't like it or it doesn't line up with what you think. Man up. Get over the fact that not every one thinks like you do or agrees with you. It's a simple fact of life.

10. While I'm at it... I don't understand why *anyone* still lives in NY, NJ, MD, CT, or CA. Yes, the weather and food and scenery in CA (especially SOCAL) is great, BUT...

</rant>

My Very Own Green Light

I come back online to post for the first time in a few weeks tonight with a bit of a heavy heart and head.  Unlike some times in the past when work or the book I was working on or some other random nonsense has gotten in the way of publishing my thoughts to the blog with the frequency I would have liked, this two plus week period of silence from me has been self imposed.  Whether for good or bad this blog, since its inception, has been both a place for me to voice my opinions and has grown into a place where my fan base (such that it is) and I can interact and the like.  The problem with this comes in when I feel like what I have to say will be alienating to a good deal of people.  Hey, the simple fact of the matter here folks is that I do continue to write novels and want to be able to sell a few more here and there before I'm done.  

Hence the slavish adherence to the ol' audience principle.

Over the last few weeks, however, something's been building up inside of me.  Actually quite literally building up: I've discovered that out of nowhere I know get to deal with the same acid reflux issues my mother does and its not made me a happy person by any extent.  I started trying to figure out what has spawned this malady and it occurred to me that even though my life has been rolling forward with a massive positive momentum over the last five months, I'm not doing the one thing I've done for over year and a half now: I'm not speaking my mind and sharing my thoughts through the blog.  

Then I remind myself of the audience thing once again.

Then I chug some more pink stuff and go back to work.

Then I start thinking again.  There's a lot to say.

And we're back to the audience rule.

And then the pink stuff.

For those of you familiar with Fitzgerald's Gatsby, you'll understand the green light reference I made in the title.  Since quite literally the end of March I believe my blog has been sitting out there in the distance, blinking its little ass off at me in Morse Code.

Alright already, I get the message you goddamned malfunctioning party favor from Ryan Reynold's Green Latern premiere party!  I'll write already... just knock it off!

And so, with that being said, kids I need to unload a bit so you might as well get comfortable.

In the interest of your time, not mine, I'm going to break this up by topics over the next few days. I hope you enjoy what I have to say.  Hell, hopefully you agree with me, but if not that's just as cool as well.  

The fact is folks that apparently I just can't stay shut up any longer.

And here... we... (thanks for the ever so applicable quote Heath Ledger) go!