I get the Pro Gun Argument, I probably perpetuated nearly all of them save the "Arming the Teacher" nonsense, I have and always will be against that pile of idiocy.
There is one argument I never thought I would agree with, that semi automatic weapons are too much for civilians, that they do allow mass body counts.
I repeated things I had heard as well as my own training, that magazine size does not matter as someone skilled can change in a heartbeat, this is true, and I still believe it, but I want you to consider this.
Paddock, the complete nutbag coward in Las Vegas who killed nearly 60 people and wounded almost a thousand. Now the NRA crowd keeps saying Bump Stocks are useless and if he had a scoped rifle he would have caused even more carnage. The Accuracy thing I get being a practitioner of precision shooting myself, but it is not realistic, here is the person to compare him to.
Before Kris Kyle was the Marine Legend of Carlos Hathcock. Carlos was not only one of the nations most celebrated snipers, he was also a winner of the Prestigious Wimbledon cup. No not the same as the Tennis match, but rather one of the greatest pillars of precision shooting.
Carlos managed to amass some 93 Confirmed kills in Vietnam nearly all using Bolt Action Rifles, a Pre 64 Winchester and a Model 700 Remington 300 Win Mag, for the laymen both are .30 cal of different power. He would literally rewrite the book on sniping and was the first to integrate the 50 cal BMG round as a sniping round. Make no mistake he was a master of his craft and a legend for a reason, but here is the problem.
Paddock, an overweight ass clown in his 60s managed to amass over half of Hathcocks legendary kills in 15 minutes, with an Ar15 often called a "Poodle Shooter" by Military Experts who consider the Caliber of 5.56 (.223) to be woefully under powered. Those same people are quick to point out how useless the Bump Stock truly is.
Well that all sounds good on paper, but when a untrained fat ass accomplishes so much carnage in just a few minutes, I would have to say without a doubt they are wrong. I was wrong.
SO here we are with a Weapon and hundreds of others capable of the same carnage sitting in the safes of Millions of Americans. To be fair 99.9 will never use this weapon as anything other than a paper puncher, which is good, but it is that one person litterally in a million that uses these weapons wrong that we are worried about.
Paddock was a legal firearms purchaser as were many other of these shooters, they were at one time that every day person none of us thought were capable of doing what they did, but they did.
As a safety issue I get what Medical Professionals for some time have been saying, these do not belong in the common mans hands in their households, I agree.
To what purpose do we have them? To revolt? Lets not be silly, the bulk of the people with these weapons also vote against the rest of their freedoms time and time again. These are the same people who are cheering as people are finally rounded up and shipped from our soil.
So if they are not used to protect us, what good are they?
Do they need to be removed completely from society? I dono, I am in a strange place mentally right now but I think being locked at a secure range is a good start.
you do not lose your constitutional Right to be armed, but we do stop what being armed so far has not been able to, keeping guns out of the hands of the wrong people at the wrong time.
Friday, February 23, 2018
Wednesday, February 21, 2018
Addressing the Gun Control debate from a long time Second Amendment advocate, enough is enough.
I have always argued hard for the Second Amendment, and up until this point in my life I was all for the ability to own pretty much any kind of a weapon you want. I always believed in the general good of people, that overall people wanted a better life and would do whatever it took to secured that right.
I like most Second Amendment advocates incorrectly ignored the first part of the Second "A well Regulated Militia" instead focusing on the Militia aspect and the Semitics around what it likely meant.
Now I sit and see a country being torn apart by mass shooting after mass shooting enabled by our ridiculous ease in owning firearms, weapons that all owners in one way or another espoused as a way to provide food, safety or security. What security are they bringing us though? While I acknowledge that you most certainly have a right to defend yourself and I am a huge advocate for personal protection, there comes the limit and why I am posting this.
I have the Evil AR-15 among piles of other weapons, but I realize now that maybe it is not something I need in the home, or you for that matter>
I am not saying we need to take htem away completely, but I am saying we need to look abroad and look to see what others have done in regards to their own tragedies as well as our responses.
We can start with our own laws, which often resulted in the famous towns banning firarms completely do to wild Miners and Cowboys coming unhinged. While Hollywood had grossly exaggerated the shoot em up quick draw contests (only one recorded case actually exists) they were indeed a problem. .
Believe it or not today we have more rights to own firearms and more access than ever before in our Nations History, but I digress and lets get on with my blog.
In 1934 to put a stop to rampant gangsters the National Firearms act was passed, which essentially put a tax on certain weapons.
The next big event in this regard would not be until 1986 when Republicans went after "Assault Weapons" with the Firearms Protection act.
THis placed further restrictions on Fully Automatic weapons as well as banned certain types of bullets labeled "cop killer"
Further advancement happened in 1993 and 1994 with the Brady act and the The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act which banned 19 types of weapons and furniture (I am still against that nonsense) It would expire in 2004 which brings us to our current craze.
30 years ago "Assault Weapons" were nearly impossible to find beyond a "Specialized store" and the local Sporting goods store carried weapons which were well considered sporting at the time, that was not so much the "Assault Weapons".
Way back then I was hard pressed to find anyone who owned an Ak or AR or even an SKS for that matter. Weapons we perceived as those used for Hunting were the norm.
In the mid 90s with the panic associated with not being able to own firearms nobody used to care about it began to slowly explode.
Now I would venture to guess nearly every household has some kind of "Assault Weapon" in it and to be fair, most will just gather dust or go make a can dance from time to time.
The problem is not the 99.9 percent of good gun owners, the problem is that one person who fucking snaps and has the ability to kill a dozen people with relative ease. To further this argument the most Recent Shootings in Floria and Vegas were perpetuated by people who purchased said firearms legally. Likely no legislation would have prevented the Vegas shooting and possibly even the Florida shooter, which is why we need to address the weapons them selves.
Nobody alone is going to do that with a knife and you sure as hell are not going to get a car into a school
SO lets sit at the big boy table and talk.
These are my proposals
We do need to strengthen our check system, I see absolutely no reason why each person should not be regulated in his purchase, have to take dozens of hours of firearms shooting and safety classes just to own a firearm. Those classes should also include ethics.
Next we require certain types of Semi Automatic firearms to be stored at a Range, Those weapons cannot leave the range under any circumstances. I am sorry buttercup you do not need that Ar in your closet, you are not going to fight off the US Military and odds are you vote against all your other rights time and time again so shove that notion where the sun does not shine.
All sales of firearms, including private must go through a licensed dealer.
Minimum age of 21 to purchase anything. While I get the "Well I had a weapon at a young age" well so did I. Mind you I used them to shoot feral dogs while protection livestock, I also realize most never will have that need. I also realize that country kids shoot up damned near anything they can. That is a fact, one that most of us end up regretting.
The only weapons allowed in the home should be revolvers of six shots or less with the same requirement for any Semi Auto Weapon that is allowed.
We also have a national Buy Back program to encourage people like myself that no longer give a shit about those goddamn inert objects a safe way to dispose of the weapon, as well as gain back some of our financial losses.
So what about schools?
Well here is the thing, I like to Use Columbine because it applies. They had video Surveillance with an Armed guard on site and a pair of Cops who engaged the students right off, it did nothing. Likely you the tough guy gun owner teacher would not have the mentality to defend yourself, I am not saying you should not have that option, I am saying it takes a different mind set.
If you think you can respond to a firearm pointed at you, I want you to think of what happens when someone points a rubber band at your face, you flinch and do all kinds of crazy things> I am here to say as someone who has stared down the muzzle of more than one weapon it gets worse from there. It also belies the fact that a teacher could snap making it easier to put a hole in a student they dislike, most other students or even themselves. That weapon carrying teacher now gives a student the chance to take that weapon away from the teacher and use it on someone else.
Police undergo training in this regard and carry retention holsters to help prevent this. Both of those along with extended training need to be required, PERIOD!
How do we know any of this will work? well easy, we are not the only other country in the world that allows firearms ownership, but we are the only one that allows nearly unfettered access.
No other country in the entire world save Yemen (where you can purchase firearms with ease as well) has more mass shootings, nobody.
That is a problem my friends.
Children are not target practice, and for that matter neither is any other innocent person.
SO we stop talking and take action now.
Let's make this happen.
I like most Second Amendment advocates incorrectly ignored the first part of the Second "A well Regulated Militia" instead focusing on the Militia aspect and the Semitics around what it likely meant.
Now I sit and see a country being torn apart by mass shooting after mass shooting enabled by our ridiculous ease in owning firearms, weapons that all owners in one way or another espoused as a way to provide food, safety or security. What security are they bringing us though? While I acknowledge that you most certainly have a right to defend yourself and I am a huge advocate for personal protection, there comes the limit and why I am posting this.
I have the Evil AR-15 among piles of other weapons, but I realize now that maybe it is not something I need in the home, or you for that matter>
I am not saying we need to take htem away completely, but I am saying we need to look abroad and look to see what others have done in regards to their own tragedies as well as our responses.
We can start with our own laws, which often resulted in the famous towns banning firarms completely do to wild Miners and Cowboys coming unhinged. While Hollywood had grossly exaggerated the shoot em up quick draw contests (only one recorded case actually exists) they were indeed a problem. .
Believe it or not today we have more rights to own firearms and more access than ever before in our Nations History, but I digress and lets get on with my blog.
In 1934 to put a stop to rampant gangsters the National Firearms act was passed, which essentially put a tax on certain weapons.
The next big event in this regard would not be until 1986 when Republicans went after "Assault Weapons" with the Firearms Protection act.
THis placed further restrictions on Fully Automatic weapons as well as banned certain types of bullets labeled "cop killer"
Further advancement happened in 1993 and 1994 with the Brady act and the The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act which banned 19 types of weapons and furniture (I am still against that nonsense) It would expire in 2004 which brings us to our current craze.
30 years ago "Assault Weapons" were nearly impossible to find beyond a "Specialized store" and the local Sporting goods store carried weapons which were well considered sporting at the time, that was not so much the "Assault Weapons".
Way back then I was hard pressed to find anyone who owned an Ak or AR or even an SKS for that matter. Weapons we perceived as those used for Hunting were the norm.
In the mid 90s with the panic associated with not being able to own firearms nobody used to care about it began to slowly explode.
Now I would venture to guess nearly every household has some kind of "Assault Weapon" in it and to be fair, most will just gather dust or go make a can dance from time to time.
The problem is not the 99.9 percent of good gun owners, the problem is that one person who fucking snaps and has the ability to kill a dozen people with relative ease. To further this argument the most Recent Shootings in Floria and Vegas were perpetuated by people who purchased said firearms legally. Likely no legislation would have prevented the Vegas shooting and possibly even the Florida shooter, which is why we need to address the weapons them selves.
Nobody alone is going to do that with a knife and you sure as hell are not going to get a car into a school
SO lets sit at the big boy table and talk.
These are my proposals
We do need to strengthen our check system, I see absolutely no reason why each person should not be regulated in his purchase, have to take dozens of hours of firearms shooting and safety classes just to own a firearm. Those classes should also include ethics.
Next we require certain types of Semi Automatic firearms to be stored at a Range, Those weapons cannot leave the range under any circumstances. I am sorry buttercup you do not need that Ar in your closet, you are not going to fight off the US Military and odds are you vote against all your other rights time and time again so shove that notion where the sun does not shine.
All sales of firearms, including private must go through a licensed dealer.
Minimum age of 21 to purchase anything. While I get the "Well I had a weapon at a young age" well so did I. Mind you I used them to shoot feral dogs while protection livestock, I also realize most never will have that need. I also realize that country kids shoot up damned near anything they can. That is a fact, one that most of us end up regretting.
The only weapons allowed in the home should be revolvers of six shots or less with the same requirement for any Semi Auto Weapon that is allowed.
We also have a national Buy Back program to encourage people like myself that no longer give a shit about those goddamn inert objects a safe way to dispose of the weapon, as well as gain back some of our financial losses.
So what about schools?
Well here is the thing, I like to Use Columbine because it applies. They had video Surveillance with an Armed guard on site and a pair of Cops who engaged the students right off, it did nothing. Likely you the tough guy gun owner teacher would not have the mentality to defend yourself, I am not saying you should not have that option, I am saying it takes a different mind set.
If you think you can respond to a firearm pointed at you, I want you to think of what happens when someone points a rubber band at your face, you flinch and do all kinds of crazy things> I am here to say as someone who has stared down the muzzle of more than one weapon it gets worse from there. It also belies the fact that a teacher could snap making it easier to put a hole in a student they dislike, most other students or even themselves. That weapon carrying teacher now gives a student the chance to take that weapon away from the teacher and use it on someone else.
Police undergo training in this regard and carry retention holsters to help prevent this. Both of those along with extended training need to be required, PERIOD!
How do we know any of this will work? well easy, we are not the only other country in the world that allows firearms ownership, but we are the only one that allows nearly unfettered access.
No other country in the entire world save Yemen (where you can purchase firearms with ease as well) has more mass shootings, nobody.
That is a problem my friends.
Children are not target practice, and for that matter neither is any other innocent person.
SO we stop talking and take action now.
Let's make this happen.
Tuesday, February 6, 2018
The Recent Market Crash will rebound for now, but it is an ominous sign of the future to come.
Since the Great Recession of 2007 the economy has slowly rebounded after dodging what could have been our nations greatest financial catastrophe.
Bailouts ensued with clamor from some on the right and the left that it was not the way, nevertheless this was the only sure we known to pull out of the market and those bailouts came.
Rich fat cats who gambled people's investments with reckless abandonment were rewarded with financial security, while common people just hoping to get ahead were nursed along.
Eventually the thousands of people applying for a single job would give way to a few hundred, to a few dozen as the economy chewed its way back to normality. Soon in prosperity as always the Modern AMernca, arguably the most short sighted creature on the planet with the worst memory chugged forward with reckless abandon.
Despite warnings Conservatives regained a political strong hold in Congress and began tearing at a Progressive President with lopsided deal after deal, meant only to help just a few with the promise of some scraps falling off the table.
In order to keep the country running the President would usually agree gaining a little for the common man on the side and keeping the economy moving right along, which it did.
But everything good must come to an end, especially when greed and gluttony are not only acceptable, but the encouraged norm.
Soon a man representing every negative attribute one can think of would claw his way into the Presidency with promises to wreck havoc on the common man for his own financial well being, and those wealthy about him.
Cruel he was but ignored by the promises of fake wealth he steam rolled ahead. NEver mind he was incredibly short sighted with an aptitude for turning gold to lead, he would lead on.
His policies long since debunked but the steadfast dream of Rand's devoted naive followers gave way from rhetoric to reality.
Soon the oldest man ever to gain the Presidency would push away international relations and threaten trade deals at every time.
His instability readily apparent to the rational thinker, it was ignored as riches fell upon the proper people who never seem to look very far beyond tomorrow.
The it happened, after a solid year of holding onto a skillfully crafted, yet lucky economy everything grinded to a halt for a short time, as it always does.
His policies finally have come to roost, the realization that nationalist Rhetoric will pound ones pocket book comes to play. The realization that you cannot go to another country and berate strong trade partners also comes with the slap in the face that nothing happens tomorrow, but a possible end. Nationalism as always ends up hitting the brick wall of reality.
Now comes the tricky part. With a Congress determined to undermine the common man and a clueless President who cares about his own well being, what will come of you and I?
Probably not much as always. For the next year until there is a likely Blue Wave we will chug along, watching things change quicker than they probably should. We will sit and wonder if this is the end, if the Nationalist anti everyone Rhetoric will cut off our food supply. What is that you say? Well as it turns out we do not produce enough food to feed our own, yet another glaring example of why it is better to get along with your neighbor than not.
We will see where this all goes, however logic and math suggests the end of hte markets is near.
Buckle up, things are going to get nasty, be maybe not today or tomorrow, but in a very very close future.
Bailouts ensued with clamor from some on the right and the left that it was not the way, nevertheless this was the only sure we known to pull out of the market and those bailouts came.
Rich fat cats who gambled people's investments with reckless abandonment were rewarded with financial security, while common people just hoping to get ahead were nursed along.
Eventually the thousands of people applying for a single job would give way to a few hundred, to a few dozen as the economy chewed its way back to normality. Soon in prosperity as always the Modern AMernca, arguably the most short sighted creature on the planet with the worst memory chugged forward with reckless abandon.
Despite warnings Conservatives regained a political strong hold in Congress and began tearing at a Progressive President with lopsided deal after deal, meant only to help just a few with the promise of some scraps falling off the table.
In order to keep the country running the President would usually agree gaining a little for the common man on the side and keeping the economy moving right along, which it did.
But everything good must come to an end, especially when greed and gluttony are not only acceptable, but the encouraged norm.
Soon a man representing every negative attribute one can think of would claw his way into the Presidency with promises to wreck havoc on the common man for his own financial well being, and those wealthy about him.
Cruel he was but ignored by the promises of fake wealth he steam rolled ahead. NEver mind he was incredibly short sighted with an aptitude for turning gold to lead, he would lead on.
His policies long since debunked but the steadfast dream of Rand's devoted naive followers gave way from rhetoric to reality.
Soon the oldest man ever to gain the Presidency would push away international relations and threaten trade deals at every time.
His instability readily apparent to the rational thinker, it was ignored as riches fell upon the proper people who never seem to look very far beyond tomorrow.
The it happened, after a solid year of holding onto a skillfully crafted, yet lucky economy everything grinded to a halt for a short time, as it always does.
His policies finally have come to roost, the realization that nationalist Rhetoric will pound ones pocket book comes to play. The realization that you cannot go to another country and berate strong trade partners also comes with the slap in the face that nothing happens tomorrow, but a possible end. Nationalism as always ends up hitting the brick wall of reality.
Now comes the tricky part. With a Congress determined to undermine the common man and a clueless President who cares about his own well being, what will come of you and I?
Probably not much as always. For the next year until there is a likely Blue Wave we will chug along, watching things change quicker than they probably should. We will sit and wonder if this is the end, if the Nationalist anti everyone Rhetoric will cut off our food supply. What is that you say? Well as it turns out we do not produce enough food to feed our own, yet another glaring example of why it is better to get along with your neighbor than not.
We will see where this all goes, however logic and math suggests the end of hte markets is near.
Buckle up, things are going to get nasty, be maybe not today or tomorrow, but in a very very close future.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)