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| We're here for your bang sticks... (Source) |
All kidding aside, I have been busy, busy, busy doing stuff, mostly work and health related (the latter to include eating, sleeping, and putting in the effort to exercise at least 3 to 4 times a week, which is ∞ times more than I have exercised in several years, if not demi-decades).
I did, briefly, consider quitting the blogging thing for a time, a sabbatical of sorts, but that thought is anathema to me. I mean, I love you guys, in a manly, non-confrontational, brotherly way. Stop looking at me like that...
Anyhoo, Occasional Reader* John in Philly sent me an interesting email t'other day which I decided, con permiso, to share with you. It's what I do, I share. Stuff in italics is from moi, Your Humble Scribe. Without further ado, John in Philly...
Cedar Sanderson.
A few years ago my wife and I had dinner with Cedar and her husband Sanford when we were visiting the Museum of The Air Force. A year or so before our trip, she had blogged about aircraft nose art and she mentioned how much she enjoyed her trip to the MoTAF. I asked her for advice on how much time to allow, and she graciously answered. Then she astonished me by saying that when we were in the area, we should meet them somewhere for dinner. It was a wonderful and memorable dinner, they are great people. I checked on her blog today to find she'd written some thoughts on the upcoming bad times. (Here.)
I decided some years ago that humans fall into two broad types. First, those who practice Live and Let Live. I've found that those people don't really care what you do, as long as you don't hurt others. The second group insists on controlling every part of another person's life.
Painting with broad strokes? Admittedly yes. And I've found out that the touchstone for figuring out which group people are in is to mention guns.
I believe that Beto told the simple truth of what the anti-gun movement has wanted all along.
I know that The Hunt for Red October is a novel, but Fred Dalton Thompson's statement when he was looking over the flight deck is applicable to today in many ways. Admiral Josh Painter : "This business will get out of control. It will get out of control and we'll be lucky to live through it."
From Selco at The Organic Prepper.
"In my case, it did not start with war. It started months before. It started when authorities took legally owned guns from normal folks, all in the name of law and order and keeping the peace. And everybody agreed with it because it was the law. And people who did not agree with it were portrayed as troublemakers, warmongers, terrorists… And every single weapon was tracked down and registered in local police stations. It was the law."
And if you are positive that the Constitution protects your rights, place yourself in the position of an American citizen with Japanese ancestry in 1944 as you stand inside a detention camp and stare out through the barbed wire. The Supreme Court said that doing that was Constitutional. (Here.)
Reason TV has a short video that answers the how to ban guns question and it's a couple of minutes that is well worth your time. It is called, How to Create a Gun-Free America in 5 Easy Steps.
I think that Red Flag Laws are the beginning of a very slippery slope, and once started downward they will be no turning back.
I am worried and deeply concerned.
You and me both brother, you and me both.
I don't know if things will get worse before they get better or if they will simply go straight to shit (PMF**) and stay there for a very long time. I'm sure the Russians thought they were getting a great deal when they dumped the Tsar. Seventy-four years later they dumped the Commies and they're still trying to sort things out over there.
Will I stay bitchy and whiny for a while longer? Hell, I hope not.
Stay tuned.
Oh yeah, thanks John, good email, made me think. Now my head hurts...
Will I stay bitchy and whiny for a while longer? Hell, I hope not.
Stay tuned.
Oh yeah, thanks John, good email, made me think. Now my head hurts...
* A Lexism, more here.
** PMF = Pardon my French
Agreed, red flag laws are the slippery slope. And the outcome will be worse then we think. We will have to change our name after they start. It all comes from some uncontrollable fear, too much lead in our waters? Or the lead number two we sucked on in school?
ReplyDeleteRed flag laws are completely unconstitutional, I wonder which brave souls will challenge them first?
DeleteRed Flag laws have been being used for years now. What? They are? Yeah, just in relation to 'Domestic Violence' and 'Protective Orders' and 'Sex Assault/Rape' that are unfounded, but acted against anyways.
DeleteSeriously. Woman is mad at man, scratches herself, or maybe she's attacking him and he injures her defending himself, calls cops, cops arrest man who has done nothing wrong except piss off woman, he goes to jail, gets his guns confiscated, has to fight a false claim. Even if he wins, he has an arrest permanently on his record for Domestic Violence, which makes it hard to get a job (because, most likely, he just lost his while in jail or while fighting the false charge.) And he has lost his gun rights, permanently, in some states. Permanently. Well, until he files to try to get his rights restored, which the answer is a big fat "NO" in most places, because 'domestic violence.'
Or a couple is in the middle of a divorce, she claims 'Fear for my life' and if he hasn't moved his guns to some buddy's house, she files a protective order against him, range of 500 yards in the keep-away zone, she gets cops to collect guns, she tosses his stuff away, he has to start afresh with new everything, and a Protective Order on his buttocks. So he's screwed fore and aft, so to speak. And years later, the fact that there was a PO against him, unfounded or not, is still in his record, following him everywhere he goes. He may be the nicest guy, but he's still got that PO following him (yes, I know someone who was fired as a cop because his crazy ex kept getting POs on him because he would show up armed at the pick-up of his kids, city cop rules requiring cops being armed at all times except in bars and church, and he would pick them up on way home from work. Even if his guns were locked away in trunk, she was 'still afraid for my life.' Yeah, no...
And then, there are the 'sex assaults' that never happened. A guy catches one of these from some momentary partner, or partner-wanna-be (Kavanaugh accusations are a perfect example) and the guy is facing arrest for Sex Assault, loss of job, loss of marriage, loss of access to kids and family because everyone believes crazy accuser. So, while he's under arrest and investigation for Sex Assault, most places have him losing his gun privileges until he proves he's innocent (not they prove he's guilty and then take the guns because felon, no, he loses his rights to be armed with anything until he is proven innocent, and then, again, in some jurisdictions, he then has to file to have his rights restored, even when proven innocent.
DeleteWait! It gets worse. So... what happens to crazy person/evil person/mean person who called in the false complaint that destroyed a guy (one of the main causes of suicide amongst men is loss of job/money/family due to real or fake claims) and take his guns away? In many places, absolutely nothing. The cops may want to file charges, but many agencies won't let them. Even if the agency allows filing for false whatever, most prosecutors won't prosecute. Why? Because they don't want to 'discourage' 'victims' from filing charges.
18.5 years at cop shop watching Frat Bros get their lives destroyed over fake charges (one lady, who was never in the city at all (proven later) filed charges of gang-rape against a frat, got the frat suspended, one guy shot himself as all the frat boys listed were suspended, some arrested, their lives were destroyed, and when truth came out, nothing was done against the 'victim' at all. NOTHING. But the men all spent years filing to get their privileges back, to get the charges wiped off their records, to get some normalicy back in their lives. Permanently branded, for a fake charge.
These Red Flag laws have been going on for at least 20 years or more.
Then there's calling in someone as mentally unstable because they're just having a bad day. Seen it, had it happen to me, almost lost my job, my gun privileges, all because Home Depot sold me the punkiest 2x4 pressure treated wood I've ever seen. Hammering would just compress the wood by half. So, yeah, I got peeved, started screaming at my luck and at the world and Home Depot, tossed the wood into the yard in a fit of rage, turned around and there's a Deputy. Oops. Once I explained what was wrong, and he saw how crappy the wood was, I just got a warning. But... What if He had arrested me for public disturbance, and then sent me to a 3 day evaluation for yelling at wood? Think about that the next time you're cursing your lawnmower and the stupid Ethanol added gasoline...
A variation of Live and Let Live is " Leave Me Alone." But one side doesn't want to do that, and the other side, represented by that massive pachyderm seems to be increasingly unwilling to stand up to the jackass side. My state legislature is in session every year, every YEAR! One side keeps pushing, they won't like the results when they cross the GO line.
ReplyDeleteYes, it seems the GOP has been gelded.
DeleteI fear the Left is determined to sow the wind.
GOP has been gelded for a long time. Witness the GOP's reaction to the Tea Party movement.
DeleteOr the wholesale destruction of Sarah Palin during an active presidential campaign, by the GOP!
or continuing, bending over backwards to be accommodating like what McStain used to do before he slipped the surly bonds of Earth. Sorry, maybe a warhero, but like that idiot AF pilot guy, his actions after the war permanently soiled his reputation, and both men deserve all the anger and hatred they earned afterwards.
Stuff like that.
I pretty much don't care what happens behind closed doors as long as it is consentual and doesn't hurt kids, and the people doing the stuff fulfill their obligation to society without being screwups. Like drugs, okay, I hate them, but can you do drugs without destroying the lives of everyone around you? If so, then, well, who cares. But like a drinker who overindulges too much too often, once your actions start negatively affecting those around you, Big Boot up between Buttocks. Harsh and severe measures to re-acquaint the idiot with the realities of life should ensue, repeatedly, until situation is corrected or we all feel better.
Great guest post Sarge. I'm left to wonder how much of our commentary is being tracked by the powers that be. You know, the ones who control Farcebook, twatter, et al. Well, screw 'em. Let them come and try, although I wonder how many LEOs would be willing to participate? The few I know personally (ATF, Chief of police, etc) are bigger gun nuts than myself.
ReplyDeleteFlugelman. I suspect that the LEO ranks are slowly being purged of the "undesirables" that believe in due process and the rule of law.
DeleteFlugelman, I often wonder that myself.
DeleteJohn - That's a concern. Especially in the Leftist cesspools some of our cities are determined to be.
DeleteYes, they are. Starts at the Police Academies and goes up. Also starts with the whole Accreditation and National Standards movement. The rot rises to the top. My personal experience? Too many cops rise in ranks who should have been either never promoted or let go. Like one LT who, while a Sgt, spent 'dog training time' working on his house. On the payroll, and everyone knew about it. Yeah, stuff like that.
DeleteThen there are the chiefs, who are hired by the City Commissions or Mayors, who, in order to keep their jobs, allow the city leaders to set what rules will be followed or not. Sanctuary cities and drug enforcement laws come to mind.
There are a lot of really good cops out there. There are an increasing number of 'jack-booted thugs' also.
As to being tracked as to what you're saying, well, duh. The previous administration did it, so did the Clintons, and the whole Patriot Act is about allowing government to snoop where it really shouldn't but supposedly used to catch Terrorists but has been more used by a certain political party to smash their opponents and run people's lives for fun and profit, while letting terrorists go free (like the Mohammed Art shooting in Texas, the FBI knew the two suspects were going to show up, they followed the two suspects, they saw the two suspects get out of the car armed, and then finally got off their butts when the locals (Texas, baby) blew the two 'Admiral Ackbar' fanatics away.)
Yeah, we're all being tracked. We can't escape it.
Hey AFSarge;
ReplyDeleteThat quote from Fred Thompson is the "Money quote", I have used that several times in facebook and blogging. It is the slippery slope, and how many people will roll over and accept it and how many will fight. I remember reading several years ago shortly after sandy hook when Obungler was president that a liberal think tank published a study that stated "We as a group would have to kill 10% of our fellow Americans to get the Utopia that is promised by the Presidents and the party policies. That was sobering that they know that they will have to wack a lot of us to get it. Problem is that many of us will not go into that long goodnight without a fight, sure they will get a few at first but the heavy hand of the people doing the raids will provoke a heavy response and as they say "It will be on like Donkey Kong". Do I want to see this in my lifetime? No....but if it has to happen, rather it be now rather later when my son and eventually potential grandkids( not for a while I hope. LOL) have to deal with it.
My guess is that the Left thinks flyover country will roll over and take it.
DeleteMy guess is that they might be surprised if they push too far.
The problem is that we are a bunch of individualists, so we'll get picked off like single targets at a range. And, of course, if we try to organize, even peacefully, then we're terrorists and will be treated as such (see treatment of Tea Party by everyone.)
DeleteThe upswelling will be 'interesting' and deadly.
Well, all you warmongers, I'm turning you all in. This triggered me, and I am completely SANE!!!!!!! I AM NOT CRAZY!!!!! YOU ARE!!!!!! (Were there enough exclamation marks there to establish I'm a totally sane liberal Progressive Socialist?)
ReplyDeleteYou're correct, BTW on the "red flag" laws. Due process? We don' need no steenkin "due process!" After all, "it's for the children" (tm).
Jim. I see the satire, and I don't think that the words, "totally sane liberal Progressive Socialist" belong in the same sentence. Imagine the problems when the left realizes that "triggered" is derivative from gun triggers.
DeleteYes, due process, that's for republics, not Leftist paradises.
DeleteJohn - Concur.
DeleteRecently, a good friend and I had a discussion on guns - he's very liberal and very smart, but like a lot of liberals doesn't think things through when it comes to real world problems and the unintended consequences of following some of the liberals' pet projects. Anyway, my friend has a young daughter who is the apple of his eye. When my friend said, "We should get rid of all the guns and dump them in the ocean; no one should have them" (he really said that!), I asked him why he wanted his beautiful young daughter to be at the mercy of big strong men and predators that he admits exist. He studied his shoes for a moment, so I said, "You realize that a gun is a great equalizer against criminals, who will always have the means to physically get what they want against weaker opponents like her? I know you love her like no one else - don't you want to give her every advantage in this life you can?" He grumbled a bit and said he'd think about it. Maybe I'm making progress??
ReplyDeleteAll the "common sense gun safety legislation" that is being proposed will do is make criminals out of a lot of otherwise law abiding citizens. At least mostly law abiding - I read the other day that there are so many federal laws on the books now, pretty much everyone who has reached the ripe old age of 25 is technically a federal criminal already. And PMF here, but taking guns away from law abiding folks is like cutting off everyone's d**k to stop rapes, or banning cars to stop drunk driving.
(Sorry, I got a bit carried away...)
And speaking of Unintended Consequences, John Ross' book by that name from the 90's is still a good read, especially in these times. Wish I hadn't loaned it to someone who never gave it back - they are expensive now!
Tom. When someone screams at me, I tune them out. It does sound like you made some progress, perhaps a future step with them is some positive exposure to guns.
DeleteI found a listing for "Unintended Consequences" at a price far less than Amazon's and since actions speak louder than words, I ordered a copy.
https://stlccw.com/product/autographed-unintended-consequences-in-softcover/
Tom - Some people are truly liberal, old-fashioned, class liberals. They may not realize that their "leaders" are trying to stampede them. Classic liberals are okay in my book, it's the progressive version that makes me want to vomit.
DeleteJohn - Good link, I may have to get me a copy.
DeleteThanks for the link, John - I may have to buy me a replacement copy. The one I had disappeared, wish I could remember who has it - it wass autographed for me personally by John Ross at a gun show here in NC back in the 90's.
DeleteSarge - I agree with liberal vs. progressive. Liberals I want to engage in a debate; progressives, especially screaming ones, I just want to slap!!
DeleteGood and scary book. Read it while at the PD, and much of what he wrote about is true.
DeleteAlways remember, the Government used tanks, machine guns, grenades and mounted cavalry against the Bonus Marchers. And against coal miners. In the 20th Century.
Scary stuff. Very scary stuff.
Slippery slope indeed. For some years now in Kalifornia, a misdemeanor conviction denies you your constitutional right. Scroll to page 2--
ReplyDeletehttps://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/firearms/pdf/cfl2016.pdf
Now we have this--
https://www.newsweek.com/gun-control-hate-crimes-house-bill-1458826
Stay frosty. If anybody here needs technical advise on the AR platform, I'm available.
Are we being monitored? Ya think? I like the story G. Gordon Liddy told about back in the days of dial telephone. When they heard the "click" of the wiretap, they would yell into the phone "EFF J. EDGAR!". Works for me.
I will state it again: all gun laws are, by their very nature, unconstitutional. I say again, ALL GUN LAWS.
DeleteAll laws restricting arms. All ARMS LAWS.
DeleteThere. I fixed it for you.
It's a waste of time to obsess about the problem. We know what the problem is, and while it's a bit complex, it's really pretty simple. Far better to think in terms of solution, and before we try to "unfiretruck those people," I'd argue that few of us indeed are so pure in principle that we can dare to assign fellow countrymen we've never met or talked to "enemy" status. In attempting to frame the situation within the bounds of scale, context and perspective, I believe that it's vitally important to keep clearly in mind that almost every single source of information we (mostly lazy) Americans "rely" on is pure propaganda. The very real danger is that propaganda is powerful and can touch off a powder keg if responsible and principled humans don't do the hard thing and fully apply those principles and exercise those responsibilities which attend freedom. In general, the anti side is lying. In general, a great many on the pro side are all in on fighting fire with fire. We simply cannot rely on the words of others -- 99+ percent of whom we've never seen in the flesh let alone talked to -- to frame our understanding. The worst nightmare scenario possible is that people of good will let scumbag charlatans --from whatever side -- goad them into killing their fellows a-la Hutu-Tutsi. How many human beings are we willing to slaughter because we let other people do our thinking and make our decisions? This is a hard, hard problem, and the ONLY part of the solution we have ANY control over is the decisions we make and the actions we take. It's probably good to keep in mind that if it indeed comes to deadly force time, it won't be romantic or movie-esque at all. It'll be unexpected and horribly awful and unimaginably terrifying. You'll be all alone and facing impossible odds and no one will get a do-over. If you kill you will never be able to un-kill. If you die (which you will) you won't get a chance to un-die. Only a solid grounding in the principles of liberty will tell you what is probably the best thing to do in the moment, but it'll be impossible to know with certainty. Now, all of that said, it's probably important to remember that the propaganda is completely overblown. It's more likely that more Americans are sane and responsible and more principled than they even realize. It could all go to shit pretty quick, but it probably won't. If we want to save the republic, the path isn't through Washington. It has to be through the individual. And the individuals better be closely examining their principles and convictions, because if they simply insist they are correct there very well might be blood running in the streets.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the sanest thing I've read in a long time.
DeleteShaun - My advice is to look around at where you live. Here in Little Rhody, outside of Providence, people get along, people tend to humor the politicos and pretty much believe in "live and let live." You occasionally meet the true Leftist believer, but they are few and far between. Don't buy into the propaganda from the media, observe for yourself, talk to people around the country, pay attention. It's not as bad as some people think, but it's worse than some people hope.
DeleteIn the Revolution the Colonies were split into three parts: those who supported the King, those who wanted independence, and those who just wanted to be left alone. That middle group was pretty small, until blood was spilled.
Stay alert, keep your powder dry.
WSF - Shaun likes to think things out and make his points very clearly. He makes some good ones.
DeleteWe have to keep our own yard clean before we fuss about the neighbor's.
Well said, Shaun. We all have to remember that all media is propaganda to some extent, some much more than others. The flap surrounding this latest Kavanaugh "revelation" is a great example. But I do think that the liberal/progressive part of the media (most of the media, IOW) is much more biased and agenda driven than the right leaning outlets. And I know for a fact that if the pro-gun control folks couldn't lie, they wouldn't have much to say. It's infuriating!
DeleteRed flag laws are red herrings, albeit poisonous on their own.
ReplyDeleteA much more imminent threat is the "Universal Background Check" (UBC) nonsense being proposed. Not so much for the hassles of everyone being required to report to a FFL dealer to fill out paperwork to transfer their gun to someone else. No, the real danger is in the Trojan horse provision in HR8 (the UBC bill passed by the House which they are desperate to get the Senate to pass) which specifically prohibits this to be used as a national gun registry. Congress prohibits it now, but a one line amendment in a "must pass" bill like the chronically late appropriations bills, could turn the UBC files into a National Gun Registry.
They cannot take them if they don't know who has them. Not even an epidemic of unfortunate boating accidents can remove people from the official ATF excrement list once it is established.
With Beto's crystal clear expression of his party's goals, we know exactly what is coming, even if we don't know exactly how they intend to get there.
I have taken a solemn oath numerous times to "Support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic." Millions of others have as well, and many of them have risked their lives keeping that oath. Don't force them to risk their lives again. These are not low information millennial snowflakes easily triggered by hurt feelings, but veterans who take this stuff deadly seriously.
In 2017 only 12 out or over 112,000 felons, fugitives, addicts or abusers who failed existing background checks were actually prosecuted. TWELVE out of over 112.000!!! Outrageous!!! We don't need new laws, we need to enforce the ones we have. Those all had an eyewitness (the FFL dealer) the felonious false statements with the perp's signature on the ATF 4473 form, and their address from two forms of government issued ID. If they will not, or cannot prosecute the other 112,000 felons, then this is not about "background checks to stop prohibited persons", but about exactly what we fear- establishing a system to register all guns and gun owners in a government database so Beto's buddies can confiscate private property from peaceful citizens.
Amen.
Delete