Tam's Claim to Fame

I always enjoy reading Tam. Her writing never fails to entertain and educate. Every once in a while though, she posts something that completely knocks the ball out of the park and quite possibly into the next city.

This seems like one of them to me.

Many people like the notion of "You are your brother's keeper". The trouble with this parable is that people so often forget that the brother did not wish to be his brother's keeper. It was a hard job, a frustrating job, an unrewarding job, and a job that often seemed impossible.

That doesn't mean it wasn't the right thing to do.

Our country has so thoroughly disincentivized that which is right that people are even hesitant to carry a gun because they know the legal ramifications should they ever need to defend themselves. Think about that. People are more frightened of our legal system than they are of major bodily harm or death.

It's odd to find myself in total agreement with the antis, liberals, and half-brains (though I repeat myself) but I agree fully that our justice system is broken. The Zimmerman case should never have gone to trial in the first place. The court of media and public opinion decided this months ago, and nevermind that the justice system gave it as much consideration as possible and arrived at the verdict they did. I'm sickened again to the point of wanting to move, and depressed to realize there's nowhere left to run to.

Maybe New Zealand is accepting immigrants. I've heard decent things about kiwis.

Trayvon Martin

It's rare these days that the government does something I don't understand. My cynicism is practiced enough and my eye is sharp enough to see how the assorted bull-honky fits the agenda.

That being said, I can't quite figure out this Trayvon Martin mess.

I have not been following this case terribly closely, but I have been aware of it enough so to see what little case there was against Zimmerman. In the days immediately after the shooting, Trayvon Martin's 8th grade picture was everywhere, and the case caught the public (and more importantly, the media's) attention. People were crying in the streets for Zimmerman's blood.

My initial assumption was that the government took a losing case to trial simply to say to the crazed mobs in the streets "Ok, look! we tried to issue justice, and the courts have ruled it was self defense! We did what we could."

THIS though, turns that on its head. For those who don't click through, reportedly the DOJ has been sending "Community Relations Service" members have been fomenting unrest and spending thousands of tax dollars on training protesters. Suddenly, the .gov seems to have a much bigger stake in this mess.

I don't get it. Are they TRYING to spark massive riots in this country? I can unfortunately see that as an option, as a justification for declaration of emergency powers. I am highly disturbed by what I see coming out these days. It's to the point that I have to wonder if I'm gonna need to button up for riot defense.

And Then There Were None

Illinois has concealed carry. Not the best carry in the world, but hardly the worst.

I laugh in the face of Governor Quinn.


One quick blog administrative note. Scribbler's Dad is now an official contributor to this blog. Now that his name is on it, perhaps I can get him to finally post some of that guest content he promised me....

Updated Roll Call

I apologize for the fact that this post is quite so egregiously late. I have finally gotten around to updating my blogroll after NRA. As long time readers may note, it has... grown some.

As a bit of a bleg, if I met you at NRA (or anywhere else I suppose) and you don't see your blog linked, please let me know! I met so many great people, and I hold it a point of shame that my memory isn't good enough to hold them all. I know I'm forgetting good folks, and if you are among them, please don't take it as a slight. My tiny brain can and will forget my own name, much less those of the myriad people I met.

237 years

237 years to the day since a group of brave men threw off their shackles and decided to be free. In a classic lesson, they quickly learned the blood, sweat and tears necessary to gain and maintain liberty.

Despite it being something of a cliched trope, remember that freedom isn't free. We are not in the position now of needing to take up arms. That does not mean that we have any less responsibility in the maintenance of the country I still love.

Take today as you see fit. Remember your liberty. I'm gonna go light off some fireworks, go fishing, and eat hunks of cow.

Here's to 237 years, and here's to many more.

Ebay frustration

I've been trying to get myself kitted out more completely for fly fishing this past week. One of the items typical to any sort of freshwater fishing where the intent is to eat said fish is a cudgel, commonly known as a priest.*

Despite Ebay's normally comprehensive assortment of most anything you could care to buy and a great deal you probably wouldn't, I was having a devil of a time finding them.

Apparently this is because most 'hand weapons' are banned under Ebay policy.

I have personally bought quite a number of knives off Ebay, including some that would be more effective as blunt trauma weapons than a priest. A quarter inch thick steel blade on top of a dense olive wood handle can ruin someone's day regardless of there being an edge anywhere.

Not only that, but I have purchased swords. I guarantee I could do more damage with any sword than with a club.



Lemme get this straight. By Ebay policy, I can purchase a 36" length of razor sharp steel, but I can't buy an 8"... stick. Someone explain how that makes any sense, 'cause I just plain don't get it.




*Fishermen make puns too.

Constitutionality

Listening to the radio on the way to work this morning, the talking head was comparing two pieces of legislation. I think the topic was state pensions, but I'm not sure. In his commentary, he said, "well, this one is a bit cheaper, and this one has the advantage of being constitutional."

Maybe I'm just old fashioned, but I hear that as a choice between a nice walk in the park and being mauled by an irate wolverine. If one is constitutional and the other isn't, the constitutional one is the only option. Period. Anything our government does that is unconstitutional is illegal. Why is this so hard to understand?