Monday, November 10, 2008

You're Not Going to Shoot Your Eye Out

Which prompts me to ask another question with Christmas quickly approaching: Why not get your kid a BB gun? I had one, my kids each got theirs when they were younger, and I'll bet most Gun Rights Examiner readers remember theirs. Contrary to worries expressed by some of the fearful adults in the film, none of us shot our eye out.

"You're Not Going to Shoot Your Eye Out" is today's Gun Rights Examiner column.

I Still Want to Know...

...what would happen if you played some of these through a loudspeaker...

And hey:

Nothing like scrambling after the fact to get to the crime scene after the damage has been done, is there?

I guess the prospect of citizens being able to prevent it from becoming a crime scene in the first place doesn't figure into those public safety/social cost considerations...which is probably why "may issue" also means "may not."

We're the Only Ones Misconducting Ourselves Enough

Sexual advances to superiors' wives, drunk driving and consorting with criminals are among 106 proven cases of misconduct of municipal police officers in B.C. over the past two years, CBC News has learned.
But they still must be better than ordinary Canadians. Why else would they be trusted as "Only Ones," eh?

Still, overt disrespect for the brass, exhibited in the form of a challenge to their manhood, jibes with some of the noises I've heard about how politically ambitious management has to trade in their...uh...round things in order to advance. I wouldn't necessarily view divisions between troops and their command structure a bad thing. True, unchecked rogues with attitudes can be more dangerous in terms of random individual encounters, but on the macro level, an undisciplined and dispirited force is generally less effective at achieving coordinated objectives.

If the objective is citizen disarmament, and it is, you want that.

[Via Bruce Mills]

We're the Only Ones Leading the Nation Enough

The District of Columbia's Metropolitan Police Department has shot and killed more people per resident in the 1990s than any other large American city police force.
Huh. And with "a pattern of reckless and indiscriminate gunplay by officers sent into the streets with inadequate training and little oversight"...

This must be what the Brady's mean by "home rule."

And Heller notwithstanding, when it comes to the mean streets of DC, the "Only Ones" remain just that.

[Via W-3]

Immediate Impact

President-elect Obama plans to use his executive powers to make an immediate impact when he takes office...
And we all remember what the wretched Bush the Elder did with one of those...

I'm coming across a new theme from some on the "pro-gun" side that Obama isn't going to move on guns--at least for his first four years--because of concerns by some legislators that it may cause them grief with their constituents (not because they actually believe what they say to get elected). It seems to me this overlooks not only what a wildly popular cult leader with a fanatical following in the millions can do with executive orders, and also the opportunity a convenient mass shooting would present to whip the possessed congregation into an eye-rolling frenzy.

But say I'm wrong, and the voices of "We're safe for the first term" are right: wouldn't that mean we'd been played by those warning us in shrill and certain terms about the perils of electing "the most anti-gun president in American history"?

[Via Peter G]

Guest Column: Unintentional Revolutionary

by Ed Dunnigan

Sometimes, an individual gets an idea that is so radical, that his actions change the culture forever. Eli Whitney, Henry Ford, Orville and Wilbur Wright; It is such men that create the societal changes that span decades, or even centuries. Consider Bill Gates; wanting only to make computers as available to the public as televisions, he managed to create an irreversible change in society, especially regarding the exchange of information. Much to the chagrin of the major news agencies, people are no longer reliant upon them to find out what is happening in the world.

But the revolutionary idea doesn't necessarily have to be a new or radical concept; sometimes the idea that is put forth just seems radical because it is old wisdom that has been largely forgotten. Once it is put before a modern audience, the truth contained within the concept resonates with the modern listener, and the person that brought the concept forth is considered to be a visionary, if not a genius.

Dave Ramsey is such a man. Now, before you roll your eyes and move on to the next article, consider this; Dave Ramsey was espousing individual fiscal conservatism at the same time that our president was telling us to charge our purchases and take out loans for the good of the economy. Now that those chickens have come home to roost, Ramsey seems like a prophet.

So what, you ask, does this have to do with guns? Plenty.

President-elect Obama is a product of Chicago politics; the most corrupt, anti-gun, political machine in the nation. His presidency looks to be the first in our nation's history that views gun control, not as some politically expedient platform that he uses to gain congressional support, but as a method of controlling and eliminating his political opponents. We will almost certainly experience a new and more invasive Assault Weapons Ban, and his overt hostility to the idea of concealed carry indicates that he will work to counter all of the progress made by the pro-freedom movement.

With this in mind, it is certainly tempting to go out and charge the purchase price of a semi-automatic rifle, magazines, ammunition, and all of the kit to support such a thing. However, as counter-intuitive as this may sound, I am telling you that that would play directly into the hands of those that would subvert this country, and replace it with their version of a socialist utopia. To go into debt to buy an AR15 is to sell yourself a little deeper into financial slavery.

Modern day Americans are the most indebted generation in our nation's history. An individual that has a mortgage, car payment, and massive credit card debt cannot afford to financially support the people on our side that would fight our legislative battles for us. Think of it; if you are fighting to pay the minimums on your credit cards while maintaining all of your other bills, how can you concentrate your attention, let alone your finances, to donate to the cause? (And by that, I'm not talking about national lobbying organizations that talk a good fight and then compromise with the enemy, I'm speaking of the grass roots organizations that do the hard, hairy, work locally while their national counterparts with the seven-figure salaries travel the cocktail and hors d'oeuvres circuit.)

It is no secret that those that seek to eliminate the Second Amendment fear us. We only have to remember Henry Waxman's mewling about fifty caliber rifles penetrating his limousine to remind us of that fact. They also know that an overt confiscation of our weapons would result in a bloodbath, with their blood as the main ingredient. Therefore, they will hit us where we are the most vulnerable: in the legislature. Make no mistake, The Senate, and The House both run on money, and he with the biggest bag of cash gets all of the attention. A beautiful chronicle of this process can be found in the book "Hill Rat-Blowing the Lid Off of Congress" by John L. Jackey. And while you're at it, read "Ricochet" by Richard Feldman and learn how, sometimes, your worst enemies are your friends. Most of all, read "Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey. It's more than a financial guide; it's a roadmap of the path to freedom.

Freeing yourself from this slavery is the single most important step you can take in redeeming our republic. An individual without debt is better insulated from the idiosyncrasies of the economy than is his leveraged-to-the-gills brethren. One who doesn't have to skip a utility payment to donate to his or her favorite charity can be more effective in the legislative battles. As well, someone for whom taking a day off work to testify before the state legislature isn't a financially-crippling
indulgence can become a powerful force at the grass roots level. Remember, we have no George Soros providing us with endless funds with which to war against our foes. Our strength lies in our numbers, but those numbers are worthless if we can't afford to fight the war.

In short, if you do not currently own a semi-automatic rifle with a high-capacity magazine, learn to be more effective with what you have. In the meantime, listen to Dave's show, read his book, and follow the steps chronicled therein. Whether he intended it or not, Dave Ramsey has given us the tools to fight the coming battle, all we have to do is use them.

A Draining Experience

A city councilman from Jersey City, N.J., was so intoxicated at a Washington nightclub that he urinated on several concertgoers, club sources allege.
And they've dealt with him before? And "he gets really belligerent and drunk"?

And look at this--he's been in office since 2001. So what?

Well, in 2006:
The Jersey City City Council...approved an ordinance prohibiting the sale or purchase of more than one handgun within a 30-day period...

The gun ban was approved 7-2, with councilpeople Michael Sottolano and Viola Richardson voting against it.
Which means "P*** Boy" here was among those who don't think you have the proper self control and morality to be trusted with the choice to cut yourself off at one if you think you've had too much. It's good to be the king!

In case he removes the edress from his site and you'd like to convey your profound respects, it's LipskiS@jcnj.org.

We're the Only Ones Allegedly Giving You the Boot Enough

Once there, troopers sat them on a bench and shackled them to the floor with handcuffs and chains, according to the suits. The troopers then systematically beat Bradley and Ball using their hands, fists, knees, feet and elbows, the lawsuits contend.

The beatings left bootprint bruises on both men's backs, the suits allege.

Bootprint bruises are pretty tough to "allege." If any sadistic "Only Ones" ever treated me or mine that way, I'd be tempted to come up with some...uh...allegations of my own.

This Day in History: November 10

During the American Revolution, the Continental Congress passes a resolution stating that "two Battalions of Marines be raised" for service as landing forces for the recently formed Continental Navy. The resolution, drafted by future U.S. president John Adams and adopted in Philadelphia, created the Continental Marines and is now observed as the birth date of the United States Marine Corps.