personal responsibility

Meanwhile, in Yuma…

AZ: Teen Fatally Shot in Possible Home Invasion Identified

Authorities have identified 19-year-old Matthew Sykora of Yuma as the teen who came across an armed homeowner in the middle of the night during a possible home invasion.Yuma County Sheriff’s deputies arrived to the home in the area of S. Avenue D and County 14th at 1:22 a.m. to find the Yuma teen dead from a single gunshot wound.Sheriff deputies said the homeowner called 911 to report being woken up after hearing sounds in the home.

The homeowner has not been named.

Records show, this was not the teen’s first time in trouble with the law; in January of 2012, Sykora was charged with felony counts of theft and fraudulent schemes.

O…M…G…! A GUN Left Behind on a Disney Ride!

AKs & Cupcakes pointedly reminds us that gun safety is not just for the shooting range!  EVERYWHERE you carry, KNOW WHERE it is, WHAT DIRECTION it is pointed, AND Make Certain it is SECURE!

This is exactly the kind of situation that anti-gunners are going to love to get their hands on. The “what-if’s” are astounding. I  could see the rhetoric now: “if responsible gun owners can’t even keep track of their guns, why should they be allowed to have them?”

You don’t need a vivid imagination to realize what a stir this would have created if a child got a hold of the gun and not a responsible adult.  Yes, I said responsible because who knows what kinds of people are out there and what they would to to get their anti-freedom point across. What an opportunity this presented. A shooting at a theme park? a DISNEY Park? Where the Imaginators (or whatever they call themselves) are working their asses off to create the most happy place on earth? Are you kiddin’ me? That scenario would have been PERFECT and exactly what would have been the nail in the coffin, so to speak.

Check your Six, Watch your BACK, JACK… and know where your potentially-lethal machine is.  At All Times.

It’s for the children, and all of us.

What’s the number for 9-1-1 ?

911 Dispatcher Tells Woman About To Be Sexually Assaulted There Are No Cops To Help Her Due To Budget Cuts

JOSEPHINE COUNTY, Ore. (CBS Seattle) — An Oregon woman was told by a 911 dispatcher that authorities wouldn’t be able be able to help her as her ex-boyfriend broke into her place because of budget cuts.

Oregon Public Radio reports that an unidentified woman called 911 during a weekend in August 2012 while Michael Bellah was breaking into her place. Her call was forwarded to Oregon State Police because of lay-offs at the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office only allows the department to be open Monday through Friday.

“Uh, I don’t have anybody to send out there,” the 911 dispatcher told the woman. “You know, obviously, if he comes inside the residence and assaults you, can you ask him to go away? Do you know if he’s intoxicated or anything?”

The woman told the dispatcher that Bellah previously attacked her and left her hospitalized a few weeks prior to the latest incident. The dispatcher stayed on the phone with the woman for more than 10 minutes before the sexual assault took place.  …

I feel horrible for this woman.  And for any crime, fire or accident victim.  But, I’m reminded of the old Amex commercial with Karl Malden.  ”What will you do?  What will you do?”

Karl Malden

911 service (or it’s equivalent) is well-prevalent in the modern world.  And, it’s nice that our tax dollars have set up a system of brave and competent first responders to react as agents of government to help should that become necessary.

But, the system isn’t foolproof, nor is it a panacea.  Nor does it remove personal responsibility.

Keep a first aid kit and fire extinguisher in your home and car.  Know how to use them!  Obviously, I expect all responsible adults to own firearms, with the same caveat.

“When seconds count, the police are minutes away.”

h/t Maddened Fowl

Hell On Earth

Blacks, Guns & Crime

Juan Williams, a black commentator, wrote an interesting article recently entitled “ Race and the Gun Debate.” (Wall St. Journal, Mar 27, 2013) Among the statistics he cites are that 54% of all murders involve black victims, virtually all of whom were killed by black murderers, and yet blacks comprise only 13% of the population.

 

These are familiar numbers, but, as Williams points out, although more than half the “gun problem” can be laid at the feet of blacks, the gun debate never seems to mention this. If it were mentioned, the obvious thought that might occur is maybe it’s blacks that need to be regulated and not guns.

Three years ago I wrote the following in the prologue to my book They Came For Our Guns, They came For Our Freedom (William Lafferty):

“ The single most important factor that has caused the political left to demand an end to private firearms ownership is that the underclass has, over the last fifty years, expanded exponentially, bringing with it an exponential increase in crime. Many of these criminals come from the single-parent families encouraged by the welfare system, a dysfunctional government give-away favored by the far left. The absence of fathers has led large numbers of children to seek gangs as a substitute for parenting not available at home. Not content with having created an entire class of welfare-bred criminals, the political left now seeks to protect this underclass by rendering ordinary citizens defenseless against crime perpetrated by these criminals.”

In sum, both blacks and whites are part of this criminal underclass, but, as Juan Williams points out, blacks, a 13% minority, are doing 54% of the killing and dying. That needs to be said.

Why is this happening? According to Juan Williams, the out of wedlock birth rate for blacks is now 72%. This leads to more than 70% of black mothers being on welfare raising more than 70% of black children without fathers.

That’s part of the problem. Another part, Williams says, is:

“ a dysfunctional gangster-rap culture that glorifies promiscuity, drug dealers and the power of the gun.” 

So now we have black culture of violence financed by the welfare system producing what are – by any measure – distorted values. One might think this needs to be addressed.

“We only kill each other” – Bugsy Siegel

On losing a furry loved one…

Brigid reminds us often of the love, responsibility and loss we acknowledge in our lives.  Recently, her friend Vic @ Monkeywrangler had to put down her beloved dog Charlie.

I was never allowed pets as a child.  For many years, I believed it was because my parents didn’t trust me with that responsibility.  Later I found out my Dad had both a dog and a cat in his teen years.  And they died.  And it was he who couldn’t bear that pain, again.

Once I was out of college and had my own place, I more of less by default acquired a cat, a black longhair with yellow eyes.  Partly feral.  Beelzebub.  The moniker seemed appropriate.  She would sleep on my chest and upon my awakening bat at my eyes with her claws out!  Guess it was time to get up.  The landlord had told me no dogs.  He saw the cat and amended his statement to include cats.  Bastard!  To the so-called Humane Society she went.  I’d no other choice at the time.

It was years later when I met my future wife I learned she had a kind of chi-weenie.  Lady Eowyn.  She was very timid, and didn’t like me, and ran away.  Then we got a Spitz (Nessie) and a knee-height brown shorthair mix (Ilsa).  And a Calico shorthair cat (Gracie).  And some kind of special Siamese with a tabby skeletal structure (Bear).  They all left this World in various ways:  disease, fights, old age.

And this process about killed me.  Each time.  I now know something of what my Dad must have felt.  Our pets were not working animals; they were part of the family.

Now, living with my exgf, and her three Chihuahuas and black long-haired cat, I know this will happen again.  I was here before when another cat passed away.  And the old lady dog is 18 1/2 years old!!  Blind, deaf, no teeth.  But in no pain and a real sweetheart.  And the two other dogs are 14.

I’m constantly reminding you to love the people in your lives.  Love your animals, as well.  Do it now.

Because you never know.

Crosby – she’s 18 1/2 !

CHEAT TO WIN in the Real World!

Massad Ayoob

Old NFO shared with us a tale of aviators versus airmen, and reminded me a a story from Massad Ayoob,  from years past.

The truncated (and flawed-from-memory) version is Mas was involved in a ‘war game’ style pistol competition; multiple assailants advancing on his position.  Rather than advancing and engaging, he dug in, awaiting the ‘bad guys’ to make their advance, and come to their doom.  The R.O. kept changing the rules, in an effort to get Mas to play the game:  R.O. – “They have your daughter, Mas!  Mas – “I can get another!”  Eventually, his postgame analysis was he would have stealthily sneaked up on the assailants individually from the rear, and executed them, rather than engaging from the front and getting ‘killed’.  (a la Major George Nonte?)

Mr. Ayoob’s (and Old NFO’s) point is CHEAT TO WIN!

Were not speaking of scholastic or business competition here, where people are expected to have rules of conduct and to act ethically.  We’re speaking of survival!

If some street punk (or a bevvy of street punks) is attempting to relieve you your wallet by threatening you with your life, the Marquis of Queenbury Rules do not apply!  ALL IS NOT FAIR IN WAR!

CHEAT TO WIN!  Let the bad guys rail “That’s NOT fair!”, assuming they survive the encounter.

h/t Col. Jeff Cooper

THE LIST

Fill Yer Hands recently blogged regarding a minor phenomena I’ve seen more and more of.  And, frankly, have heard about for years.

You’re a gun owner – why don’t you join the NRA or the SAF or some other pro-rights organization and put your money-where-your-mouth is?

Because I don’t want to be on a list.

SERIOUSLY?

You think that mouthing off in your local watering hole about the President or his policies, or buying firearms and ammunition, or prepping, or posting comments on the Internet haven’t already gotten someone’s attention?

It’s been widely reported that the ‘temporary’ NICS background check files have been (illegally) saved by the FBI, and every time a licensed gun shop goes under, they are required to ship all their filed Federal Forms 4473 to the BATFE.  We suspect there’s a huge database, although we’ve no positive proof.

How about the DHS Watch Lists when flying, or taking a train, or traveling abroad?  Or the NSA monitoring all the email traffic electronically, looking for key words like ‘guns’ in messages?

Personally, I suspect there has always been a list, and I involuntarily was added to it upon my first ‘papered’ firearm purchase.  And my ranting in this blog (and as a commenter on other blogs) about libertarianism, the Constitution, Gun Rights, Civil Liberties and various government abuses probably has made my file thicker.

But, I don’t care.  Why?  If indeed there are concerted efforts to monitor the actions and locations of possible threats (e.g. gun owners and free-thinking people) I’m probably at the head of the line.  Not only am I a gun owner and speak out about it, I’ve spoken publicly about the JFK assassination.

If there indeed IS a list, and we as a nation cross the Rubicon, I’ll never make to the camps…

(quietly removes tin-foil hat and skulks away…)

Meanwhile, in Israel…

h/t Free North Carolina, Knuckledraggin’ My Life Away

Easy-Peasy! TAKE ACTION NOW!

Ruger Firearms has a web page dedicated to YOU taking action to contact our elected officials with regard to the issue of gun control.

They suggest you contact these people NOW, and provide the means do so.

If you are too lazy to visit their website, I’ve copied the text and links below.  You may call the folks, email ALL of them simultaneously! (based on your address and zip) and forward the links to your friends.

Easy-Peasy.

Step one: Please click on one of the buttons to the right for an easy way to tell your legislators you care about gun rights. The Take Action Now! button allows you to send a prepared email letter quickly and easily. The Find Your Representatives button has detailed contact information for each of your legislators so, if you prefer, you can call them or write them a more personal letter.

Step two: Get all your friends to help support our rights; ask them to click on the link and send letters too. Click here to email this web page to your friends.

More: Many elected officials have been looking for an opportunity to curtail our gun rights and think they can win now if they move quickly while emotions are high. In Washington D.C. and in state legislatures across the country, anti-gun forces are gathering and conspiring in an effort to pass bad legislation that goes beyond anything we have ever seen. At least one legislature is discussing making public the identity of all pistol permit holders, treatment typically reserved for convicted sex offenders.

Reality seems to be lost on these folks. Cities like Washington D.C. and Chicago, with some of the strictest gun laws on the books, are hotbeds of violent crime. Nationally, violent crime involving firearms has declined since the expiration of the Federal “assault weapons ban,” while lawful ownership of firearms has increased. More lawful gun ownership, less crime.

To help your voice be heard, we have set up this special service on our website. By clicking on the Take Action Now! link, you can contact your legislators.

Please act now, before it’s too late.

FTC – Ruger Firearms gives me nothing, save an easy way to get my voice heard in Washington and my State Capitol.  Now go away.

h/t Traction Control

Where do we go from here?

A quick perusal of about 105 blogs (and news and opinion sites – most mornings) doesn’t bode well the answer to this question.

People who support individual, Constitutional liberties over collectivist ‘it’s for the children people sea birds, snail darters et al’ rubbish are scrambling for this very answer.

It’s obvious the Grand Old Party has no backbone, and hasn’t had for some time.  Nor does their platform have anything to do with preserving American Freedoms.  It’s our government control versus their government control.

And the Democrats Progressives have been completely assimilated by the progressive movement, in the forever-forward effort to ‘fundamentally change’ the nature of this Nation.  Brick by bloody brick.   Away from its founding documents and principles.

The Libertarians! (you answer.)  While they did best this year of any election year, ever, they are still a drop in the bucket.  And, as libertarians, they philosophically don’t lust for power and control.  It’s against their nature. And the Demopublicans are reluctant to give up any of their monopoly.

The Tea Party(s)?  And there’s is a two-fold problem.  1)  There are many of them, some with differing views, and 2)  The Left has successfully painted them as racists, even though there is scant evidence of that – largely promoted by the (largely Left) media.

Want proof of anti-Constitutional furor?  It’s all over the media…

The Second Amendment has Outlived It’s Relevance to America – The Staten Island Advance

Let’s Give Up On The Constitution – The New York Times

Haven’t 95% of all elected federal officials already done that, beginning with denying their Oaths of Office to said Constitution?

And bloggers and commenters abound on the Internet, blustering about how they’ll stand behind every blade of grass with a rifle, and the Three-Percenters will, and the Oath Keepers will refuse to take disarmament action against United States citizens…

All while the TSA, and the FBI and the NSA and a myriad-of-alphabet-soup-other-agencies quietly and consistent erode all of our civil liberties, with the tacit approval of Congress and multiple Presidents!

SO…where DO we go?

It’s for the children, you know…

THESE are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.  -  Thomas Paine (1776)