This country is in very deep trouble, and I don't believe we will survive for much longer until we figure out how to get our collective heads out of our collective backsides. I look around and I see our leaders acting irresponsibly, and that irresponsibility flows down to the sheep our people have become. Irresponsibility has become our "preferred" way of being. Taking responsibility for one's self is seen as somehow bad, or evil, or unreasonable; yet I believe that "Freedom" itself is defined as having the right to take responsibility for yourself! We see people all over the place who abdicate their responsibilities to themselves, their families, and their communities, foisting more and more things off on other entities because it's just too hard to deal with; or because they don't have the will or the moral character to do what is necessary themselves. Nowhere do we see this more than in regards to our rights to be armed and our refusal as a nation to do so. I am a man who believes - and believes fervently - in the idea that the only way for a people to truly be free is for them to be armed, trained, and disciplined in the use of arms. Instead, there are those who advocate for the banning of guns, or for restrictions upon them, who shy away from the idea than an armed citizenry can be a good thing. Worse, many of the Americans who DO choose to own guns do so lackadaisically, failing to train or to take their practice seriously - if they practice at all! I've cited this quote before but I believe it bears repeating: "Having a gun no more means you are armed than having a piano in the living room makes you a musician!" Don't talk to me about "studies" showing the benefits of gun control either. Freedom is not about being "safer"; freedom is intrinsically risky in the first place. Gun control might make some societies safer - though I do not believe such is the case here in the United States - but I believe that it is nothing but a politically correct way of crushing individual liberties and making people dependant upon the State for their security. We see how well "Gun Free Zones" work again and again; most recently in Aurora, Colorado. Yes, I am saying that I believe that our "Joker" wannabe who killed all those people should have been met with focused and merciless gunfire and killed where he stood. If these punks looking to "make a name for themselves" by killing and brutalizing others got killed themselves I don't think you'd see too many more of these "mass shootings"! It is disgraceful that so many Americans have the right to carry the means to defend themselves and continue to refuse to do so! It is even MORE disgraceful that some of those who choose to own guns should be so incompetent with them! I recently went to a firearms class so that I could complete my two-year recertification for my concealed weapons permit; a CCW instructor I had worked with before was getting ready to retire, and he offered to let me shoot my recert for free. I just had to show up on the second day of his regular CCW course to shoot the qualifier and I'd be good to go. Unfortunately, when I showed up I found the instructor mostly incapacitated with food poisoning, but he was gamely trying to finish the course for his students... and he kept having to run inside to deal with his thundering bowels. In his absense I watched, open-mouthed, as the class members - who had supposedly been trained in firearms safety - engaged in the most egregiously unsafe and incompetent gun-handling while they were grab-assing waiting for the instructor to return. I found myself barking at them (and I'm no range-Nazi by nature) and ordering them to watch what they were doing. I got a lot of "Who the Hell are you?" looks, at least until the instructor got back and I was allowed to shoot the first part of my qualification. Suddenly, the rest of the class all wanted to know who I was and to ask my advice on shooting when they saw me doing stuff which would have been seen as merely competent gun handling to experienced, responsible shooters but which was, to them, almost supernatural skill with firearms. I pointed out that the firearms safety rules exist for a reason, they'd been taught those rules, and it was horrific that they'd chosen to ignore them. They were at a class to get certified to carry guns in public for their own security, and they were acting like they were a bunch of teenagers on spring break! Chastened, they were all much more focused for the rest of the day, but I know that such idiocy is becoming more the rule than the exception it should be. Being armed is a right, and it is a necessary right that more Americans should be taking seriously. It is also a right that requires the utmost of responsibility in its exercise; so be the example that others aspire to be and not the goober who makes our enemies' case against us!
Sen. Lautenburg of NJ leadin' the way on ammo control... N.J. senator pushes gun-control bill after Colo. shootings 23 July`12 WASHINGTON As the nation searches for answers after last week's horrific shootings in Colorado, Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey is pushing a proposed solution: legislation banning the sale of high-capacity ammunition clips.
The right one fails to exercise is soon lost to history. If a problem with free speech is noted the suggested solution is more free speech. If a problem is noted with a gun the suggested solution is...? Guns, knives, baseball bats etc. are tools and are neither good or evil...but the human mind, now that is the most dangerous weapon imaginable. Maybe we should outlaw using the brain and follow the lead of the anti-gunners and simply fall prey to and be ruled by our emotions. Heard one talk show host state that over 100 (gun) laws were broken by the Aurora mass murderer. Maybe if we had 107 gun laws on the books that would have been potentially violated the mass-murderer would have decided against it? Criminals by definition will not leave their firearms outside of victim zones that do not allow the law abiding citizen to enter armed. All those laws that people think might keep them safe are often used at trials to add to the criminal's sentence...but these laws do nothing for the murderer's dead victims. A firearm in the hands of a citizen would have immediately served the living (and unfortunately the soon to be dead) much better.
Granny says fergit gun control - what we really need is ammo control... Obama and Romney Do Not Change Course Over Outcry on Gun Violence July 23, 2012 - President Obama and his challenger, Mitt Romney, echoed each other in embracing the role of national grief counselor in the wake of the deadly rampage in Colorado last week, offering stirring words of condolence and comfort.
Granny says dey need to ban assault weapon ammo... Since Assault Weapons Ban Expired ‘It’s Been Open Season’ July 24, 2012 -- On the House Floor Tuesday, Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) said “It’s been open season” since the expiration of The Assault Weapons Ban in 2004.
Granny says "Tax `em $10/bullet - dat'll put a stop to a lotta dis crap... Romney: New gun laws aren't necessary after Aurora Jul 23, 2012 - Mitt Romney said today he believes new gun legislation is unnecessary and defended an assault-weapons ban he signed into law as Massachusetts governor.
Mr. Mayor keeps pressing for gun control... Bloomberg: If not now, when for new gun laws? Jul 25, 2012 - New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is pushing back on the notion that now is not the time to talk about new gun control measures.
