The local news reported that Arizona had made national headline news because of some protesters. These protesters were protesting President Obama as he was speaking to Veterans. What is sad, is I am not quite sure exactly what these protesters were concerned about. Was it Health care? Was it Gun Control?
Whatever it was got lost because of the 12 people who decided to demonstrate their constitutional right to bear arms. 12 individuals took their guns to the protest as a display of their civil rights. Arizona is an open-carry state. These individuals exercised their rights in a safe and responsible manner and they are receiving backlash for it.
They were not anywhere near the president, nor were their any reported incidents. Who is to say that the presence of these people didn't actually aid in a peaceful protest.
These demonstrators are not my concern. They are showing their guns and I can make a cognizant choice to avoid them or be wary of engaging them. The people who actually scare me are the individuals with illegally concealed weapons. The ones who break in to houses, or rob people at gun point. The individuals who do not follow the law. The real criminals who bear arms not to protect their homes or themselves but to harm others.
The large portion of the public feels the need to protect themselves. http://www.newsvine.com/_question/2009/05/19/2838754-should-loaded-concealed-guns-be-allowed-in-national-parks
As we continue to reduce police, fire, and other protective services budgets the responsibility falls on individuals to protect themselves and their families. As I have gained friends in law enforcement, and even reported on the news, at least locally.
http://www.kpho.com/news/19791931/detail.html
It seems that in violent home invasions, chances of surviving are increased if people fight back as evidenced by this woman.
http://www.abc15.com/content/news/centralsouthernarizona/other/story/Survivor-of-S-Arizona-home-invasion-shot-back-at/yEGMMHP470Sxf_xAkqNyrA.cspx
Don't you at least want the option to be able to protect yourself if your life ever feels absolutely threatened? Whether at home or on public lands? How dangerous is it to go to a grocery store nowadays? I know that I do everything I can to avoid putting myself in bad situations. Avoid parking by over sized vehicles, always scan the area around me, am suspicious of everyone.
However, all of that is only preventative, if in a real dangerous situation in my home or my car what true "defense" do I have? I am going to fight to the end, I do know that but many times fighting does no good when the criminal has a gun, knife, weapon of any kind because they KNOW as a law abiding citizen you have nothing to protect you and can take advantage of the situation.
Even with my alarm, the alarm company will call first to make sure you are okay, then after they try the three numbers on the account they call and dispatch the police. It takes police 3-5 minutes to get to a location (minimum!) when they know it is an active emergency. When it is an alarm being "tripped" they can't go gun blazing because they have no proof there is a problem so it typically takes more time for someone to get there and help. Even then, Police can't just come in guns blazing to save you, they have to assess a threat and then proceed. A lot can happen in 3-5 minutes.
Try it, sit there and literally count every single second... pause after each number to magnify the effect... because when you are pumped full of adrenaline and scared to death... those seconds seem like hours. Everything slows down... and those 3-5 minutes feel like hours especially if you are being hit, raped, or violated in anyway. In 3-5 minutes you could be dead!
Are you sure you don't want the option to have something to protect you? What would you chose to protect you? A tazer? Good luck with your aim you get one shot! A stun gun, good luck getting close enough if they have a gun or knife! Mace? If it gets on you first you are as disabled as the criminal, so what happens when there is more than one person? A baseball bat, you can do some damage, but again... if you don't take them out in one hit... now all you have did was piss them off. What is the solution? You shouldn't protect yourself? Just wait for the police?
How frustrated do you get when you have had to wait for the police when you get in a car accident? How are you going to feel when it is your life in the balance?
Sorry everyone, this is the real world. Everyone has the potential for good, but not everyone is good!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Ugh Boys!
Have you ever noticed how an idea isn't a good idea until the guy thinks of it? No matter how many times you mention something or indicate you want to do something and try to put out feelers to see if others are interested, boys seem to go deaf. But when they come up with the same idea a short while later, it is a great idea and they are super excited and energetic and ready to plan the whole thing out. When you are ready to plan, they are ho-hum, yeah whatever. I am sick of it. That is why I have taken to doing things by myself. It just sucks that there is no one there to share the memories with to relive later. Grr... fine, you want me to plan. I am going to plan.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
My letter to my congressman
Hello and good day,
I am writing to urge you to think very long and hard about the new health care reform proposals being presented to congress. I have been a lifelong democrat/liberal but with the growing debt, lack of demand by our party for personal responsibility, and now the continued reward for irresponsibility this additional legislation will provide is too much.
This legislation is not addressing the needs of the people who actually pay for their health care, which is what we are truly concerned about. Being denied services such as surgery, physical therapy, and medication because of health insurance bureaucracy is my problem. I am tired of paying... paying for the housing, food, bills, clothes, cars, and schools of irresponsible individuals who have no desire to help themselves and instead choose to live of the system. Buying drugs, or Nike shoes, new cars, houses they can't afford, etc, while as a responsible citizen who make educated and informed decisions to live responsibly must pay for their being without any say in how my income taxes (which are nearly 40% by the way) are spent and who gets my help.
Because I chose not to have children until I can afford them, I am taxed. Because Jane Doe knows she can get more money for each kid she has more. It is not about religion, it is not about abortion, it is about responsibility. The reality is, families cost this country more so they should be contributing more to our government and how it functions.
It is time for true equality. Equality of taxation and responsibility. Our Constitution states the "pursuit" of happiness is a right. I cannot pursue happiness because I am paying for the happiness of others who are not "pursing" anything. It is time for a straight across federal income tax that treats everyone equal. Not based on income, family size, or anything. To be equal would mean we are all treated the same by the government. What we have now is preferential treatment for the lowest non-contributing portion of society who are "exempt" from taxes.
During the election, Obama spoke of service. Write into the health care bill and any other bill that provides money to individuals who are "hard pressed" to earn it through service. How many government buildings, national parks, federal roads, state roads, public parks, private volunteer opportunities exist in this country. If people want something from the government, they should give back in anyway they can. Pick up trash for all I care. People can log and submit community service as payment for the services they receive, if they can't earn an income to pay taxes.
I am tired of the "riders" on bills so that they "get pushed through." I am tired of lobbyists and congress deciding things without public input. I am tired of problems not being addressed because of the double-dealing.
Tell me how, I can work toward a constitutional amendment that "bans" riders on bills.
Tell me how I can work toward a constitutional amendment that guarantees my right to bear arms so the bad guys are the only ones with guns.
I want to know how "we the people" can actually get things done to address problems instead of use a tit-for-tat method which helps no one and never addresses the problem.
I am writing to urge you to think very long and hard about the new health care reform proposals being presented to congress. I have been a lifelong democrat/liberal but with the growing debt, lack of demand by our party for personal responsibility, and now the continued reward for irresponsibility this additional legislation will provide is too much.
This legislation is not addressing the needs of the people who actually pay for their health care, which is what we are truly concerned about. Being denied services such as surgery, physical therapy, and medication because of health insurance bureaucracy is my problem. I am tired of paying... paying for the housing, food, bills, clothes, cars, and schools of irresponsible individuals who have no desire to help themselves and instead choose to live of the system. Buying drugs, or Nike shoes, new cars, houses they can't afford, etc, while as a responsible citizen who make educated and informed decisions to live responsibly must pay for their being without any say in how my income taxes (which are nearly 40% by the way) are spent and who gets my help.
Because I chose not to have children until I can afford them, I am taxed. Because Jane Doe knows she can get more money for each kid she has more. It is not about religion, it is not about abortion, it is about responsibility. The reality is, families cost this country more so they should be contributing more to our government and how it functions.
It is time for true equality. Equality of taxation and responsibility. Our Constitution states the "pursuit" of happiness is a right. I cannot pursue happiness because I am paying for the happiness of others who are not "pursing" anything. It is time for a straight across federal income tax that treats everyone equal. Not based on income, family size, or anything. To be equal would mean we are all treated the same by the government. What we have now is preferential treatment for the lowest non-contributing portion of society who are "exempt" from taxes.
During the election, Obama spoke of service. Write into the health care bill and any other bill that provides money to individuals who are "hard pressed" to earn it through service. How many government buildings, national parks, federal roads, state roads, public parks, private volunteer opportunities exist in this country. If people want something from the government, they should give back in anyway they can. Pick up trash for all I care. People can log and submit community service as payment for the services they receive, if they can't earn an income to pay taxes.
I am tired of the "riders" on bills so that they "get pushed through." I am tired of lobbyists and congress deciding things without public input. I am tired of problems not being addressed because of the double-dealing.
Tell me how, I can work toward a constitutional amendment that "bans" riders on bills.
Tell me how I can work toward a constitutional amendment that guarantees my right to bear arms so the bad guys are the only ones with guns.
I want to know how "we the people" can actually get things done to address problems instead of use a tit-for-tat method which helps no one and never addresses the problem.
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