...and as I suspected, the top spots were in no danger of seeing my name, but neither were the bottom spots. Overall, I ended up 21 of 29 shooters in the Production division. Production=stock, no major modifications. That isn't pretty, but with major screw ups on 2 stages in my first match, I guess I can't complain, but I definitely need to practice. I shouldn't have gone into this w/ 2 new mags and a new mag holster.
------------------------
And here's one from one of the best guitar pickers ever.
Showing posts with label guns. Show all posts
Showing posts with label guns. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
New Event for Me
I "competed" in my first Practical Pistol event this weekend. I say "competed" because I seriously doubt the top 40-50 shooters have anything to fear from me beating their scores. There were 70+ shooters from what I understand.
The match took place at a club about 30-35 minutes from my house, so the drive wasn't too back for an early weekend morning. The match was modeled on IPSC rules, which as I understand them, are a bit more lax than IDPA rules and regs. I arrived early and had plenty of time to listen and learn. After sign-up, group assignment, a new-shooter orientation and full gear and ammo load-up, we were off to our first stage.
I immediately noticed that I was nearly the most "green" competitor in terms gear - gun, holster, bag, clothing, etc. I had no logos, no tricked out gun w/ over sized scope, cleats, hi-tech glasses, head-mounted camera, etc. I do wish I'd had the bag, more appropriate clothing and possibly the cleats. I was by no means the youngest shooter. Two kids in the group ahead of us appeared to be 12 and 14/15. They seemed to do pretty well for their age, but I have no idea how long they've been shooting. One needed to step down from the caliber and sized gun he was shooting. Just my opinion.
On the advice of my safety trainer, I asked the group's scorer to move my sheets farther down in the group so I'd have some time to watch and learn. (I'd be regretting this on the last stage of the day, when I just wanted to shower and eat a meal.)
I noticed quickly that the strategy you choose to take to engage the targets can make all the difference and taking the route others take isn't wise if you don't' have the skills.
The first scenario / stage we had to conquer, required the shooter to start w/ palms on a wall, 4'W X 8' H, then upon buzzer engage 3 targets on either side of wall w/ double-taps and 2 steel poppers w/ one mandatory reload. I showed my inexperience and nervousness by yanking my magazine holder off my waist (new equipment that held the mags pretty tight and was on my jeans, not belt) then nearly broke the 180 degree rule during my reload as I had to use two hands. Left hand on the new mag, right hand, with pistol, grabbed the mag pouch, and muzzle points left, nearly 180 degrees. Not a good move to make if you want to stick around, but I made it through - probably because I was a newbie and the RO (Range Offiers) cut me a break.
So 4+ hours later, 5 stages, 120 rounds, 3-4 mag jams (all my fault for not seating them fully), 2 granola bars, a sense of accomplishment and the realization that my active shooting skills are somewhat lacking, I was glad to be heading home.
There were some pretty good folks involved and with all levels of skill, competitiveness, reasons for being there, etc. I was invited to go to another competition in the area this next weekend, but think I'll take some time to practice. I had previously scheduled another match in Oct. that follows the IDPA rules, so I think I have some rules studying to do to get ready for that one.
All in all, it was a good time. The competition aspect was refreshing and reminded me of shooting archery back in college. I'll be back at in the near future.
The match took place at a club about 30-35 minutes from my house, so the drive wasn't too back for an early weekend morning. The match was modeled on IPSC rules, which as I understand them, are a bit more lax than IDPA rules and regs. I arrived early and had plenty of time to listen and learn. After sign-up, group assignment, a new-shooter orientation and full gear and ammo load-up, we were off to our first stage.
I immediately noticed that I was nearly the most "green" competitor in terms gear - gun, holster, bag, clothing, etc. I had no logos, no tricked out gun w/ over sized scope, cleats, hi-tech glasses, head-mounted camera, etc. I do wish I'd had the bag, more appropriate clothing and possibly the cleats. I was by no means the youngest shooter. Two kids in the group ahead of us appeared to be 12 and 14/15. They seemed to do pretty well for their age, but I have no idea how long they've been shooting. One needed to step down from the caliber and sized gun he was shooting. Just my opinion.
On the advice of my safety trainer, I asked the group's scorer to move my sheets farther down in the group so I'd have some time to watch and learn. (I'd be regretting this on the last stage of the day, when I just wanted to shower and eat a meal.)
I noticed quickly that the strategy you choose to take to engage the targets can make all the difference and taking the route others take isn't wise if you don't' have the skills.
The first scenario / stage we had to conquer, required the shooter to start w/ palms on a wall, 4'W X 8' H, then upon buzzer engage 3 targets on either side of wall w/ double-taps and 2 steel poppers w/ one mandatory reload. I showed my inexperience and nervousness by yanking my magazine holder off my waist (new equipment that held the mags pretty tight and was on my jeans, not belt) then nearly broke the 180 degree rule during my reload as I had to use two hands. Left hand on the new mag, right hand, with pistol, grabbed the mag pouch, and muzzle points left, nearly 180 degrees. Not a good move to make if you want to stick around, but I made it through - probably because I was a newbie and the RO (Range Offiers) cut me a break.
So 4+ hours later, 5 stages, 120 rounds, 3-4 mag jams (all my fault for not seating them fully), 2 granola bars, a sense of accomplishment and the realization that my active shooting skills are somewhat lacking, I was glad to be heading home.
There were some pretty good folks involved and with all levels of skill, competitiveness, reasons for being there, etc. I was invited to go to another competition in the area this next weekend, but think I'll take some time to practice. I had previously scheduled another match in Oct. that follows the IDPA rules, so I think I have some rules studying to do to get ready for that one.
All in all, it was a good time. The competition aspect was refreshing and reminded me of shooting archery back in college. I'll be back at in the near future.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Local Idiocy = Federal Idiocy
In case you couldn’t tell, I am growing more and more fed up w/ government “leaders” at all levels. If you watch the news or listen to any talk radio outside of NPR (or its network and cable equivalents) then you know pretty much what the Fed is doing, and trying to do, these days. It is pretty sickening. Sadly, though, the BS doesn’t stop in DC.
Our local city council in their infinite wisdom, prudence and logical forethought relied on a $3M grant from the Fed to fund city police and fire services in an effort to close the $20M budget deficit. (There is also a $40M deficit projected for next year. How much do you want to bet it turns out to be bigger?) Guess what? Shocker of all shockers, the grant didn’t come through. This is the same city council that tried to close last year’s deficit in part by installing red light cameras to catch local taxpayers running red lights, then mail tickets to the car’s registered owner (maybe not the driver), to raise funds (hidden tax) instead of cutting costs. Great idea folks.
This little ploy to threaten to lay off cops and firefighters is very similar to the California legislators “worrying” that great state may have to lay off teachers and cops and open up the prison doors in order to cut costs. They still haven’t done it months later.
But back to The ‘Nati… I understand that in bad times all departments need to make sacrifices, but that is only after all unnecessary programs have been slashed and/or killed. This is definitely not the case. They found it necessary to put in $3M for a new environmental department for a 4th layer of EPA-type oversight (isn’t $3M what the supposed grant was for?), they want to give section 8 housing in a new riverfront commercial / condo development downtown, etc. and they are pursuing a trollycar / streetcar on a fixed track route. This would cost at least $100M, all for a downtown area near a part of town recently ranked #1 on deadliest neighborhoods list in the nation?! WTF?? Talk about an Epic Fail if that goes through. How many tourist and suburbanites are gonna be mugged or killed on the streetcar if they build it? We’re already claiming we can’t afford the cops and extra jail space. (The voters did turn down a wopping tax increase to build a new jail, but if they could have come up with a plan for a jail at a reasonable price, it would have gotten the votes.)
There is still a little problem of a $7M deficit that they haven’t addressed – and have gone into a summer recess. I had this very short exchange on Twitter with a member of city council. The first 3 were posted before I logged in to check the updates.
Council Member: Sigh. Another suburbanite telling Enq street car is wasteful and analysis needed. Well, we did anlysis, which is why we want to build it.
Council Member: Maybe city residents should start complaining more about the billions we spend on sprawl highways to subsidize your suburban lifestyle?
Council Member: Well, we want an urban lifestyle here--based in transit, not 3-car garages.
Me (ajh1836): @Council Member: urban life=hi pop density. you have 2 clamp dwn on crime b4 any1 agrees 2 live dwntwn & use streetcar sys. can't RiF cops.
Council Member:(By Direct message) Well, 64 percent of our budget goes to public safety--$103 mill to CPD. Obviously this Council prioritizes safety.
Me (ajh1836): (By Direct Message) Yet Council threatens 2 layoff cops & firefighters because foolishly relied on gov grant? Politcal tactic? other cuts (enviro dept) better.
And then the conversation was ended. Why didn’t he (or likely his aide) respond? Notice how “they” responded by direct message, out of the public timeline? Easier to be snarky and make misleading assertions where the public won’t see. Pathetic,but not unexpected.
Our local city council in their infinite wisdom, prudence and logical forethought relied on a $3M grant from the Fed to fund city police and fire services in an effort to close the $20M budget deficit. (There is also a $40M deficit projected for next year. How much do you want to bet it turns out to be bigger?) Guess what? Shocker of all shockers, the grant didn’t come through. This is the same city council that tried to close last year’s deficit in part by installing red light cameras to catch local taxpayers running red lights, then mail tickets to the car’s registered owner (maybe not the driver), to raise funds (hidden tax) instead of cutting costs. Great idea folks.
This little ploy to threaten to lay off cops and firefighters is very similar to the California legislators “worrying” that great state may have to lay off teachers and cops and open up the prison doors in order to cut costs. They still haven’t done it months later.
But back to The ‘Nati… I understand that in bad times all departments need to make sacrifices, but that is only after all unnecessary programs have been slashed and/or killed. This is definitely not the case. They found it necessary to put in $3M for a new environmental department for a 4th layer of EPA-type oversight (isn’t $3M what the supposed grant was for?), they want to give section 8 housing in a new riverfront commercial / condo development downtown, etc. and they are pursuing a trollycar / streetcar on a fixed track route. This would cost at least $100M, all for a downtown area near a part of town recently ranked #1 on deadliest neighborhoods list in the nation?! WTF?? Talk about an Epic Fail if that goes through. How many tourist and suburbanites are gonna be mugged or killed on the streetcar if they build it? We’re already claiming we can’t afford the cops and extra jail space. (The voters did turn down a wopping tax increase to build a new jail, but if they could have come up with a plan for a jail at a reasonable price, it would have gotten the votes.)
There is still a little problem of a $7M deficit that they haven’t addressed – and have gone into a summer recess. I had this very short exchange on Twitter with a member of city council. The first 3 were posted before I logged in to check the updates.
Council Member: Sigh. Another suburbanite telling Enq street car is wasteful and analysis needed. Well, we did anlysis, which is why we want to build it.
Council Member: Maybe city residents should start complaining more about the billions we spend on sprawl highways to subsidize your suburban lifestyle?
Council Member: Well, we want an urban lifestyle here--based in transit, not 3-car garages.
Me (ajh1836): @Council Member: urban life=hi pop density. you have 2 clamp dwn on crime b4 any1 agrees 2 live dwntwn & use streetcar sys. can't RiF cops.
Council Member:(By Direct message) Well, 64 percent of our budget goes to public safety--$103 mill to CPD. Obviously this Council prioritizes safety.
Me (ajh1836): (By Direct Message) Yet Council threatens 2 layoff cops & firefighters because foolishly relied on gov grant? Politcal tactic? other cuts (enviro dept) better.
And then the conversation was ended. Why didn’t he (or likely his aide) respond? Notice how “they” responded by direct message, out of the public timeline? Easier to be snarky and make misleading assertions where the public won’t see. Pathetic,but not unexpected.
So, is it any wonder people across the country are fed up with their government at all levels? When you hear threats of layoffs for cops and opening of prison doors, is it any wonder gun sales are up across the country?
Here is an article from a senior law enforcement professional in Columbus, OH. Sobering stuff. It isn’t just crazy, end of the world, folks buying up guns and ammo. Cops, grannies, working stiffs... all worried about a breakdown of government services, mainly cops and jails, riots due to loss of jobs/income, etc., general disenfranchisement and distrust of government - buying firearms and getting their concealed carry permits, if Nanny allows it. Do you see what is going on in France? Could it be coming here? Throughout history, the best way to control a people is to disarm them. A majority of the population are already mindless sheeple waiting for their feed at the Public trough. Maybe it won't be too hard for the gov to take that next step. They tried it in New Orleans after Katrina...
--- ---- - - - -- ----
Every move the Congress and President have made over the last year (obviously longer, but we’ll stick to recent events) has been about control. Not the welfare of the people or the future of the country. As the Fed amasses more power and takes oversight of, stock in, and partnerships with, private business we’re further down the fascist road. How many “leaders” move in and out of government and private sector jobs in big corporations? Goldman Sachs, Fannie/ Freddie, SEIU, AFL-CIO, ACORN, etc, etc. And the state / local level politicians, and Congressional Reps grovel for scraps of bailout and stimulus money, “sweeteners” (aka bribes), selling their states and constituents out in hopes of getting enough dollars for the next campaign and enough uninformed voters to keep them in power.
--- ---- - - - -- ----
Every move the Congress and President have made over the last year (obviously longer, but we’ll stick to recent events) has been about control. Not the welfare of the people or the future of the country. As the Fed amasses more power and takes oversight of, stock in, and partnerships with, private business we’re further down the fascist road. How many “leaders” move in and out of government and private sector jobs in big corporations? Goldman Sachs, Fannie/ Freddie, SEIU, AFL-CIO, ACORN, etc, etc. And the state / local level politicians, and Congressional Reps grovel for scraps of bailout and stimulus money, “sweeteners” (aka bribes), selling their states and constituents out in hopes of getting enough dollars for the next campaign and enough uninformed voters to keep them in power.
“I know of no safe repository of the ultimate power of society but people. And if we think them not enlightened enough, the remedy is not to take the power from them, but to inform them by education.” – Thomas Jefferson
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Uh-oh....not the change he was talking about.
I normally don't have much use for polls. I think you can make them say whatever you want them to say by changing up a few words in the questions / making them a bit confusing / less straight-forward. But we'll assume Rasmussen is reliable and respectable. Barry went negative for the first time a week or two ago, then hit -2, -3.... Now this week he's hit -5 and -8 in two straight days of reporting.
Is it the growing deficit for this year, the mounting national debt, the 2009 Euorpean/ Mid-East apology tours he's been on, the lack of transparency he's pushing with Crazy-Eyes Pelosi and Whorehouse Harry, the capNtax / Gorebal Warming nonsense, the Sotomayor nomination, the nomination (and confirmation) of transnationalist Harold Koh, paying back the unions big time with the GM and Chrysler bailout/nationalization/restructure/screwing of the primary creditors, pushing EFCA, agreeing to a nuclear disarmament deal w/ Russia, staying silent on the Iran protestors, but siding w/the Leftist would-be dictator in Honduras in record time (with Castro, Chavez, et al), etc. etc. Quite a list off the top of my head.
So, maybe, just maybe the American Sheeple and starting to wake up and say to themselves, "This doesn't seem right. Maybe this isn't what I bargained for when I flushed my vote down the toilet and let the patients run the asylum." I hope I'm right and the tide is turning. Only time will tell, but it may already be too late save the ship.
And some random notes from the news......
Holy crap. Big Nance did something I actually agree with. Don't know why she did it, and for now, I don't care. This Rep. Jackson-Lee is a whack-job. She's been pimping this resolution so much it is sickening. Check out this nice recap at RedState.com. As a bonus you'll get to see Rep. Peter King (R-NY) turn a nice little partiotic piece into a great tirade against MJ and the media. I don't agree with the guy on everything he says and does, but on this one, I think he's pretty much got it down.
Of course the money is going to those who put him in office. I don't necessarily think there is anything conspiratorial going on here. Like the article says, they are just signing checks and sending them out to whoever asks and maybe qualifies. If you look at a breakdown of the '08 Presidential voting like this one, with the county bubbles and county leaders filters, you see that Barry won in the NE, Midwest and West coast where there are large cities and mostly urban population centers. So if you ship the money off to big cities blindly, you end up giving the money to those who voted for you.
Dear lord! First he gets punked by Chavez in the whole sucker "book gift" photo-op at the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad, then he bows to the king of Saudi Arabia, bows the Putin, now he's glad-handing it with Qaddafi? WTF? I'm not buying this whole "repairing the US image around the world BS." You can "repair" our image without making us look like the class punk whose next in line to get his head flushed down the toilet after gym class. This guy doesn't know the first thing about earning respect. Kissing ass just gets you laughed at and used. If America has been so horrible that he needs to "transform" it, why have we been the lone superpower in the world for the last two decades?
And a good story to end the day. Video of a guy who fought off a car jacking punk in Florida. It's great to see the good guy win!
Friday, May 8, 2009
Feel Good Story of the Day
College Student Shoots, Kills Home Invader
I love the way the one POS dirtbag started yelling for someone to call the police to come and help him. One less bad guy in the world. Too bad one girl was injured, but I'm sure she's glad to be alive.
The student who acted and ended the situation is a friggin' hero. Buy that man a drink.
I love the way the one POS dirtbag started yelling for someone to call the police to come and help him. One less bad guy in the world. Too bad one girl was injured, but I'm sure she's glad to be alive.
The student who acted and ended the situation is a friggin' hero. Buy that man a drink.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
A Few Quotes
"Only government can take perfectly good paper, cover it with perfectly good ink and make the combination worthless." - Milton Friedman
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." - John Adams
"Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another, but let him work diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built." - Abraham Lincoln
"If you've got them by the balls their hearts and minds will follow." - John Wayne
"Life is hard; it's harder if you're stupid." - John Wayne
"We deal in lead, friend." - Steve McQueen, The Magnificent Seven
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what's for dinner. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote." - Benjamin Franklin
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." - John Adams
"Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another, but let him work diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built." - Abraham Lincoln
"If you've got them by the balls their hearts and minds will follow." - John Wayne
"Life is hard; it's harder if you're stupid." - John Wayne
"We deal in lead, friend." - Steve McQueen, The Magnificent Seven
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what's for dinner. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote." - Benjamin Franklin
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Assault on Firearms, America, Veterans
Anyone who is at all interested in firearms, hunting, self defense, government, politics, political activism, the evening news, newspapers, etc. etc. knows that there has been a sharp increase in firearms purchases of all kinds (and ammunition) in the last few years, with the largest spike coming since early 2008.
Some claim this is all in response to the election of Barack Obama, the appointment of Eric Holder as AG and the real possibility of a reinstatement of the Clinton "assault weapons ban" (AWB) or something much stricter.
From the graph to the right(credit to B.Weeks @ "You Get What You Pay For"), showing the avg monthly NCIS backgrond checks, you see that the trend really started to increase in 2003-2004 and hit the gas around 2005. The rise of Obama in 2008 was the icing on the cake, every firearm dealers dream (sort of). Heck, The Outdoor Wire made President Obama its “Gun Salesman of the Year.”
I would have argued a few weeks/ months ago that the cause(s) for the rise in firearms and ammunition sales was more complex than "he's gonna take them all away" or "the world is gonna end" or even "WWIII is coming!" But lately, my opinion has been evolving. I believe there is a general uneasiness across the country that "something just isn't right" and "I don't like the direction things are heading." From Islamic terrorism to the worsening local economies across the country and the resulting increase of unemployment, dispair and in some circumstances the release of criminals from jail / prison. I wouldn't give much credit to terrorism as a cause in the recent sales spike, but personal / household defense against local criminals seems very rational. If criminals are being released and there are no jobs for them when they get out, they revert to what they no best, even if some manner of rehabilitation held any influence over them for a time. And of course you have the weak who, out of fear, dispair, or some form hatred of any group or society as a whole, seeks to wreak some kind of havoc (Binghamton, Oakland, Pittsburgh).
But let's look at three recent statements by Officials in the current Administration. One: Secretary of State Clinton pressing the myth, easily debunked, that 90% of the weapons confiscated in the Mexican drug wars have been linked to the U.S. Wrong. The actual number is closer to 17%. The weapons are mostly coming from China, Russia, S. America etc. It's easier and cheaper. But facts don't matter to Clinton and the other anti's at DHS and ATF, Sen. Feinstein, et al. Even the Mexican Ambassador to the US and Mexican President Calderon have drank the Kool-Aid. But doesn't it benefit them to cast blame on the US? We need to control our guns. We need to control our drug market. We're to blame. Nevermind the corruption at all levels in the Mexican government. They have lost control and are sprialing into a 3rd world state. The US military ranked them as the #2 security threat to our country, with Pakistan being #1. Mexican gangs are the "biggest organized crime threat to the United States” according to the US Justice Dept. But I digress.....
Two: Speaker Pelosi on Good Morning America saying that she and her ilk "don’t want to take their guns away. We want them registered.” Rep. Rush of Illinois has introduced HR45 as a big proposed step in 2nd Amendment infringement. Guess what comes next folks....confiscation. Maybe not this year or next, it's a process, but look at what has happened in Canada, Australia and The UK. First you register the guns, as a backlash to some event, so you know where they are - at least the one's owned by law abiding citizens. Do they really think criminals are going to register their weapons? Then another event and you make them all illegal. Do you really think the criminals are you going to turn theirs in? Now you've effectively nuetered the populace. Guns supposedly come off the street and, surprise! the crime rate actually increases. Logic and facts have never stood in the way of ideologs. Look back thru history. What did Mao, Castro, Hitler, Pol Pot etc. do? The outlawed private ownership of firearms so they could run roughshod across the country and the people. The old axiom is true (that's why it's an axiom) - when you outlaw guns, only the outlaws will have guns.
Now to #3, and perhaps the most disturbing of all. The Dept. of Homeland Security issued a report warning of a rise in "rightwing extremist activity." It cites the economic recession, the election of our first black president and the repatriation of disgruntled war veterans that could join "white-power militias." The report also identifies and warns against those groups that reject federal authority in favor of state or local authority. So, if you believe in the Constitution, you are an extremist who must be watched over by the government. I guess Jefferson, Franklin and Washington were extremists. Are they serious with this sh**?? Yes, I am afraid they are. Secretary Napolitano gave it her blessing. The politicization of this issue, making it into a Left v Right thing is unfortunate enough, but not surprising. But the accusasion and disrespect of Veterans is dispicable. Does anyone wonder why Napolitano is the DHS Secretary? She was Gov. of Arizona which has a huge issue with crime - Phoenix is #2 in kidnappings in the world - and a huge issue with illegal immigration. And yes, the two are directly related. She couldn't protect her own state, who the hell thinks she can, or wants to, protect the country. Illegal immigration will be another post in the coming weeks. Remind me.
It is interesting to me that this Administration has abandoned the phrase "global war on terror" in favor of "Overseas Contingency Operation" and terrorist attacks are now "human-caused" disasters. It seems as though the government is getting soft on the real dangers, but coming down pretty hard on it's own citizens. We're going to talk to Iran (while they enrich uranium) and we're gonna write strongly worded letters to N. Korea (while they launch admittedly crappy rockets) only to have them start up their nuke reactors after Bush-43's Administration paid them off to stop. That doesn't look like it worked, does it?
So, where is this going? I don't know for sure, but something stinks. And there are alot of people out there who feel the same way. Stock prices are down, bonds are down, housing is down. Gold is up and down. Ammo is definitely up.
Some claim this is all in response to the election of Barack Obama, the appointment of Eric Holder as AG and the real possibility of a reinstatement of the Clinton "assault weapons ban" (AWB) or something much stricter.
From the graph to the right(credit to B.Weeks @ "You Get What You Pay For"), showing the avg monthly NCIS backgrond checks, you see that the trend really started to increase in 2003-2004 and hit the gas around 2005. The rise of Obama in 2008 was the icing on the cake, every firearm dealers dream (sort of). Heck, The Outdoor Wire made President Obama its “Gun Salesman of the Year.”
I would have argued a few weeks/ months ago that the cause(s) for the rise in firearms and ammunition sales was more complex than "he's gonna take them all away" or "the world is gonna end" or even "WWIII is coming!" But lately, my opinion has been evolving. I believe there is a general uneasiness across the country that "something just isn't right" and "I don't like the direction things are heading." From Islamic terrorism to the worsening local economies across the country and the resulting increase of unemployment, dispair and in some circumstances the release of criminals from jail / prison. I wouldn't give much credit to terrorism as a cause in the recent sales spike, but personal / household defense against local criminals seems very rational. If criminals are being released and there are no jobs for them when they get out, they revert to what they no best, even if some manner of rehabilitation held any influence over them for a time. And of course you have the weak who, out of fear, dispair, or some form hatred of any group or society as a whole, seeks to wreak some kind of havoc (Binghamton, Oakland, Pittsburgh).
But let's look at three recent statements by Officials in the current Administration. One: Secretary of State Clinton pressing the myth, easily debunked, that 90% of the weapons confiscated in the Mexican drug wars have been linked to the U.S. Wrong. The actual number is closer to 17%. The weapons are mostly coming from China, Russia, S. America etc. It's easier and cheaper. But facts don't matter to Clinton and the other anti's at DHS and ATF, Sen. Feinstein, et al. Even the Mexican Ambassador to the US and Mexican President Calderon have drank the Kool-Aid. But doesn't it benefit them to cast blame on the US? We need to control our guns. We need to control our drug market. We're to blame. Nevermind the corruption at all levels in the Mexican government. They have lost control and are sprialing into a 3rd world state. The US military ranked them as the #2 security threat to our country, with Pakistan being #1. Mexican gangs are the "biggest organized crime threat to the United States” according to the US Justice Dept. But I digress.....
Two: Speaker Pelosi on Good Morning America saying that she and her ilk "don’t want to take their guns away. We want them registered.” Rep. Rush of Illinois has introduced HR45 as a big proposed step in 2nd Amendment infringement. Guess what comes next folks....confiscation. Maybe not this year or next, it's a process, but look at what has happened in Canada, Australia and The UK. First you register the guns, as a backlash to some event, so you know where they are - at least the one's owned by law abiding citizens. Do they really think criminals are going to register their weapons? Then another event and you make them all illegal. Do you really think the criminals are you going to turn theirs in? Now you've effectively nuetered the populace. Guns supposedly come off the street and, surprise! the crime rate actually increases. Logic and facts have never stood in the way of ideologs. Look back thru history. What did Mao, Castro, Hitler, Pol Pot etc. do? The outlawed private ownership of firearms so they could run roughshod across the country and the people. The old axiom is true (that's why it's an axiom) - when you outlaw guns, only the outlaws will have guns.
Now to #3, and perhaps the most disturbing of all. The Dept. of Homeland Security issued a report warning of a rise in "rightwing extremist activity." It cites the economic recession, the election of our first black president and the repatriation of disgruntled war veterans that could join "white-power militias." The report also identifies and warns against those groups that reject federal authority in favor of state or local authority. So, if you believe in the Constitution, you are an extremist who must be watched over by the government. I guess Jefferson, Franklin and Washington were extremists. Are they serious with this sh**?? Yes, I am afraid they are. Secretary Napolitano gave it her blessing. The politicization of this issue, making it into a Left v Right thing is unfortunate enough, but not surprising. But the accusasion and disrespect of Veterans is dispicable. Does anyone wonder why Napolitano is the DHS Secretary? She was Gov. of Arizona which has a huge issue with crime - Phoenix is #2 in kidnappings in the world - and a huge issue with illegal immigration. And yes, the two are directly related. She couldn't protect her own state, who the hell thinks she can, or wants to, protect the country. Illegal immigration will be another post in the coming weeks. Remind me.
It is interesting to me that this Administration has abandoned the phrase "global war on terror" in favor of "Overseas Contingency Operation" and terrorist attacks are now "human-caused" disasters. It seems as though the government is getting soft on the real dangers, but coming down pretty hard on it's own citizens. We're going to talk to Iran (while they enrich uranium) and we're gonna write strongly worded letters to N. Korea (while they launch admittedly crappy rockets) only to have them start up their nuke reactors after Bush-43's Administration paid them off to stop. That doesn't look like it worked, does it?
So, where is this going? I don't know for sure, but something stinks. And there are alot of people out there who feel the same way. Stock prices are down, bonds are down, housing is down. Gold is up and down. Ammo is definitely up.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Recent Violence
I am sure most everyone has heard about the ambush killings in Bingamton, NY, the police officers in Pittsburgh and Oakland, family killed in Washington and Alabama, etc. Every one of these cases had different circumstances from a violent anti-social guy recently paroled, to an angry coward recently out of work, to some guys going through marital separations. Many of these cases are still too new for anyone to have all the facts and we'll never know the whole truth since (I believe) all but one of the loons are dead.
There are alot of people out in the media, blogosphere and elsewhere who will make each of these into an anti-gun example for their purposes, and there will be some who will make this a Left vs. Right issue. Anyone who does either of these is a blind zealot and anyone listening to their nonsense is an idiot. Yes, I will from time to time take to name calling when the case is so clearly obvious. Disagree if you will; you are wrong.
Each of these instances, so far as I can tell (and I am not a "trained" psychotherapist), is a case of someone feeling like they have lost or are losing control of their lives; feeling desperation and anger, and projecting the blame on others - cops, ex-spouse, boss, etc. These people were weak and lashed out. The gun is not the cause, it is a tool, as useless as a hammer or a plow if left untouched. It could as easily have been a knife, a bomb, a car, poison...... The media is not the blame - they only report the news, give opinion, spark discussion. The boss who lays someone off is not the cause, he's only doing his job and trying to survive and feed his own family. The cops aren't to be targeted as they risk their lives daily to keep the public from the very loons who attack them.
Let's focus our attention on and name the real cause of the violence - the person who can't control their emotions and becomes blinded by them.
There are alot of people out in the media, blogosphere and elsewhere who will make each of these into an anti-gun example for their purposes, and there will be some who will make this a Left vs. Right issue. Anyone who does either of these is a blind zealot and anyone listening to their nonsense is an idiot. Yes, I will from time to time take to name calling when the case is so clearly obvious. Disagree if you will; you are wrong.
Each of these instances, so far as I can tell (and I am not a "trained" psychotherapist), is a case of someone feeling like they have lost or are losing control of their lives; feeling desperation and anger, and projecting the blame on others - cops, ex-spouse, boss, etc. These people were weak and lashed out. The gun is not the cause, it is a tool, as useless as a hammer or a plow if left untouched. It could as easily have been a knife, a bomb, a car, poison...... The media is not the blame - they only report the news, give opinion, spark discussion. The boss who lays someone off is not the cause, he's only doing his job and trying to survive and feed his own family. The cops aren't to be targeted as they risk their lives daily to keep the public from the very loons who attack them.
Let's focus our attention on and name the real cause of the violence - the person who can't control their emotions and becomes blinded by them.
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