Gun Talk

Much of america is atremble that "they" are coming for their guns. Congresswoman turned shooting victim Gabby Giffords, herself shot by a senseless lunatic two years ago today, wanted to visit Newtown, Connecticut the other day. She was told to "stay out of my towns" by the local State Repub congresswoman DebraLee Hovey, who has since apologized. She claimed that she is supposed to be told when another "political" is in her district and seemed a bit unwilling to give Giffords the benefit of the doubt. Very discourteous.

Sheesh, what a country. A woman is shot in the course of her civic duty, a whole bunch of people are killed and wounded, and she can't take a position as a private citizen without being called out for public grandstanding. Despicable.

I got this letter from a friend this morning. A conservative friend. I am going to correct the spelling because that is not the issue here.

Letter to Senators,

The Feinstein law as well as any handgun law from the U N needs to be defeated. Do not vote yes for any of these bills!
This only punishes or restricts honest law abiding citizens . The bad guys will still have weapons.
Honest law abiding citizens need to have this type of weapon for a tyrannical  government  that gos over the edge or invading armies from another country when our troops are spread too far and thin.
This was a tragedy, the killing of the young children.
How about a law that would bring down the wrath of God on these perpetrators! Instead of languishing in jail for the rest of their lives, flog them immediately and then have them shot in the public square. Televised ! That woud be a deterrent to a big portion of the bad guys. It would not be a total fix for there is in the world a slew of bad guys that are just born bad!! Always have been and always will unfortunately!
Hitler, Mao, pol pot, Stalin are perfect examples what gun control does for honest citizens.
This legislation is a first step in taking all guns and does not solve the problem, which is bad, evil thugs, not guns. After the ar-15 magically disappears, which is impossible, the bad guy simply use an over and under shotgun, then do you ban the upland game hunting gun? Yes that that is what all the bad guys in Washington are after I fear. You would think they be busier making sure their insider trading schemes were still in full swing and adding to their personal coffers instead of punishing honest law abiding citizen! Or maybe this is their real reason for wanting gun control.
Washington has turned into a absolute corrupt cesspool! You're not during your job for all American people, just a select few.
For a bunch of university graduates, none of you in Washington seem to have any common sense, logical or rational thinking ability, or is it more sinister what is going on?
Mike

I respect Mike's opinion but I don't happen to agree with it. Mike wants to know if there is something sinister going on with the university graduates in Washington? Perhaps the United Nations is sticking their noses in? Fair questions.

Let's look at the text of the Second Amendment and get some bearings. There are two versions, one passed by congress and one ratified by the states.

As passed by the Congress:
    A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
As ratified by the States and authenticated by Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State:
    A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

This is the part of the speech where I usually come clean with the standard boilerplate. I am a responsible gun owner, owned guns for the last forty years or so. I have a Remington .870, a  Smith and Wesson .38 caliber wheel gun and a Colt government special. Sold my Ruger Mark 9 long barrel target pistol, still pissed about that. Have never felt outgunned, threatened or unsafe in any way. Always reach for the shotgun...

I have a fervent belief in my right to own these weapons. But assault rifles? No way. Where does it stop? Rocket launchers, cannons, my own Tomahawk missile? The idea that the second amendment does not allow our government to make a distinction and forbid some manner of weaponry is ludicrous to me. And any attempts to do so and regulate the guns that are not suitable for hunting or home protection are no threat to my arsenal or well being.

I think that the split and schism lies here; there is a fringe element on the right that believes that the constitutional right to bear arms was to provide for a time when we can take up arms and mount a full scale insurrection against the government. And so we need the AR 15's just in case...sorry Bubba, this is where we part ways. I have a serious premonition that the uber patriot cure will be far worse than the disease.



This is stupid. Crazy talk. For one thing, you tin badge Walter Mitty's, the government is going to win that battle every time. Their superior firepower and prowess should nip any thoughts you have of revolution toot sweet. What was that famous line of Orwell's in 1984? If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face, forever. Although he certainly has a prophetic point, I think if it comes down to declaring war on the United States of America, things will have pretty much gone to shit and I for one, am going to sit on the sidelines and let y'all just fight the thing out.

Frankly, I am more scared of the tea party and the right wing fringe groups then the government. The people who want to deport, impeach or pulverize anyone who doesn't agree with them. The government can be voted down and modified, stupid and hate filled unfortunately tends to last forever. I agree with Mike that punishment needs to be swift and that we need to punish criminals. No argument there. I just get a little seasick when he talks about the tyrannical government that goes over the edge. That's what we have elections for. That's how we roll here. Or used to. You don't get your way, you and your pals wait four years and see if you can get some more people to agree with you. Or you spend the whole time obstructing and grind everything to a halt, like ol' Sen Mitch McConnell is so durn good at.

The problem is that these perpetrators, the kind we had at Columbine and Newtown, who certainly commit criminal acts, are usually not criminals at all up to that point, they are whack jobs and mentally ill. Deranged but not necessarily criminally so, until they go off. And you are allowing them to have access to some serious killing machinery in which to perpetrate their personal armageddon fantasies. If they had to use revolvers, a lot less people would be killed when they go off.

New York has a very strict gun law. I happen to know that it works, homicides are down sharply. As it is in England. We should be able to enact a law restricting personal machine guns and assault rifles while maintaing the right to home defense without triggering these polemical and paranoid arguments regarding our possible duty to one day rise up and take down the government.

Revolution - Beatles

You say you want a revolution
Well you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution
Well you know
We all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know you can count me out

Don't you know it's gonna be alright
Alright, alright

You say you got a real solution
Well you know
We don't love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well you know
We're doing what we can
But if you want money for people with minds that hate
All I can tell you is brother you have to wait

Don't you know it's gonna be alright
Alright, alright, al...

You say you'll change the constitution
Well you know
We all want to change your head
You tell me it's the institution
Well you know
You better free your mind instead
But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao
You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow

Don't you know know it's gonna be alright
Alright, alright

Alright, alright
Alright, alright
Alright, alright
Alright, alright