Nice pep rally last night

[rykat]

a little lean in the memorial department - tough to stay with it after opening speaker. JMHO!

[ragman]

No comment on  OTO's speech but the event in Arizona really brought out the real haters from the left.  Blame, blame, blame, it is always Bush or Palin or Beck or Rush or just conservatives in general.     It is never the person who committed the act. It was a horrible act committed by a nut who was giving everyone around him cause for alarm leading up to this.  I hope he rots in hell and leads a miserable existence on his trip there. Scum.

The Sherriff was really a class act.  Right from the get go he wanted to shift blame.  First lawman I ever heard of who refuses to enforce certain laws and announces it to the world.  What the hell is that about?  Or rather how does he get away with picking which laws to enforce?   

[deadserious]

The left will be the left.  Regardless the blame game, the simple truth is as follows:

Rhetoric breeds violence of the unbalanced.  Tyranny breeds violence of and upon all.

[clover]

"Last night, the president said what he should have said on Saturday," Beck said. "A leader says that on Day 1. But it is truly better late than never. This is probably the best speech he has ever given, and with all sincerity, thank you Mr. President, for becoming the president of the United States of America last night."  

I'm so glad Glenn is so pleased....well almost

[BettyJ]

Just pleased that you are pleased - very novel indeed

[ragman]

Again without commenting on the words OTO spoke, the problem is the the Left has shown that they can not be trusted.  They would gladly use this incident to further their agenda.  Take gun control, even though it has been a negative for them for the last few elections, they would love to use this tragedy to move forword with an attempt to remove every gun from America and the hell with the second amendment.

Here is a comment to a local paper opinion piece that I wrote this morning.  It is a constant battle. (FID = Firearms ID card which is required for any firearm, ammunition, or ever pepper spray in or out of your home.  LTC = License to Carry)

"In the past the Left tried to deceive gun owners by telling them that their measures where a reasonable approach.  Away from the audiences and sometimes not, they would state that their goal was really the complete disarming of America.  This has been written about many times and I recall many of the conversations starting about the time of JFK's assassination.  I was in college at the time and my final in a government course was what will come about as a result of JFK assassination.  I did very well in that class by doing a paper on what I expected in the area of gun control.  It came about as I expected and it has only been the last few years that we have managed to stem the tide.  The Left cannot be trusted in preserving the 2nd amendment and have proven this time and time again.  This State has been especially lacking in keeping their promises to gun owners.   FID where suppose to be issued without an expiration date and with few restrictions, that lasted only a few years.  Police Chief’s can turn down a LTC with little or no reason and it is almost impossible to overturn.  They have attempted further and further restrictions on a city by city level which has caused a situation that is difficult to maneuver. Only by vigorously fighting back have gun owners preserved their rights with a government that bargains in bad faith.  Hence when any legislation is proposed it is viewed with suspicion."

[clover]

Massachusetts has the most stringent gun laws in America.  Recommendation:  CHANGE STATES!!!!!

Again, the righties bundle every human in American, that isn't a right winger into one category.....the left.  That in itself is proof of the brainwashing that has occurred to the hapless by the right wing lamestream media.

Gun laws are more palitable in California.  I own 2 assault rifles........ legally.  What you have ragman is a "local" problem.

 

[deadserious]

Again, the righties bundle every human in American, that isn't a right winger into one category.....the left.  That in itself is proof of the brainwashing that has occurred to the hapless by the right wing lamestream media.

It's not about brain washing, it's about perspective.  If you are right, and someone else has certain progressive views, then they are left of you, regardless, if as a whole they would be considered left, at least from your perspective.  Likewise it applies to the left considering that everyone with an ounce of conservatism is right, even though as a whole, they are not conservative.

Take Bush for example.  I consider him a flaming lib.  Lib's consider him an antichrist of the right.  It's just a matter of perspective.

[peterbj7]

When the railway first appeared in Britain (and the world) it was thought to be too dangerous to exceed 12 mph.  This became a legal maximum "to protect innocent people" who were affected.  Then much later, when the motor car appeared, it was required that it be preceded by a walking man waving a red flag.  Both laws made perfect sense at the time they were enacted, but time soon showed they were inappropriate and they were repealed.  The US Second Amendment to the Constitution was written at a time of great personal and corporate danger, when it was not only advisable but preferable for every family to be able to defend itself.  Those times have passed, and it is surely time to re-examine that law (which is what it is).  The fact that it was an "amendment" shows that even at that time it was not regarded as core to the ideal of a constitution, but something that was tacked on later.

I don't see how it is appropriate or relevant in a modern developed country for an individual to keep assault rifles, whose only purpose is to kill.

I know many Americans who feel this way.  It isn't only foreigners.

[ernieB]

All guns are made to kill, what else are they for? I carry ans almost everyone I know carries. Never a harsh word spoken.

[bywarren]

FYI Peter, the firearm used in the Arizona shooting was the same make and model of that kept at bedside by a certain hostle owner here in San Pedro. So I take it that your argument is that ownership of a firearm should not be determined by the firearm, but rather by the qualification of the person owning the firearm.

[peterbj7]

Didn't know that, Byron!  But yes, it's not the gun that kills, but the person pulling the trigger.

[ragman]

Peter, most Americans believe that it is a God given right to be able to defend themselves. I concur.  Depending on government to protect you in your everyday movements is not practical.  Gun crime by legitimate gun owners is very, very low.  As a matter of fact when I am carring, which is quite frequently I am more than likely to avoid any situation that might escalate into something that might end badly.  Most people feel the same way and feel that they have more not less responsible when carrying. 

[ragman]

Mike, I don't think Massachusetts is the most stringent in the USA but it is in the top 10.  I learned early how to maneuver around the system but the problem always is that if you make one technical mistake, such has forgetting to renew your license or better yet the State not issuing your renewal in time and you forget, you are now a criminal.  I went to a required class on safety and rules so I could hunt on a State Reservoir for deer.  A State trooper gave the lecture.  We had to bring plastic bags to pick up after yourself if you took a crap in the woods, it was ridiculous.  Anyway when he was talking about firearms he told us when you come back to your car (parked in the woods) unload your weapon do not lean it against the car or a nearby tree because if I or another Statie come by you will be arrested.  Now you can see where a guy might have forgot something in his car comes back for a minute and all of a sudden he has committed a gun crime which now makes him ineligible to apply for an FID/LTC or to renew.  There are all kinds of obscure laws that I think are designed to trap you as a gun owner and the State is suppose to provide information on up to date gun laws but does not. (it is written in the law that they have to) A few lawyers have taken over the State’s responsibility so that we now buy from them in an attempt to avoid trouble.  

The other thing and this is true worldwide I guess if you know someone you will get a license.  If not forget it.  Luckily for me my girl friend had a best friend who was dating a city councilor so when I was turned down he made a phone call and I’ve had a license ever since. The license is good Statewide. That was about 40 years ago.  I just moved back to that city, which is very strict and I’m a little concerned about my renewal this summer.  (every 5 years)  This even though, as you know, I just retired as an Engineer with law enforcement duties for the State.  We’ll see how it works out and I probably will not have a problem but that I even have to consider that is remarkable.  

[bywarren]

OK Peter, but your comment "don't see how it is appropriate or relevant in a modern developed country for an individual to keep assault rifles", seems contradictory to the position that it should be the individual as opposed to the weapon that determines the issue.