Monday, December 28, 2015

Monday Meme

Ok...this is not actually a meme, but it is a post from Facebook today that reads like (and makes about a much sense as) a typical fear-mongering false meme (from a liberal, imagine that). In case you didn't know, on January 1, 2016 the state of Texas will start allowing the open carry of a handgun.  Something that most of the gun fearing public doesn't know is that there is no federal law that prohibits open carry anywhere in this country although certain restrictions apply to federally owned property.  The right to bear arms is left to the states.  As of the beginning of 2016, only 5 states DO NOT allow open carry of a handgun (oh, the horror!)...New York, California, Illinois, Florida, and South Carolina...and of course, the government kingdom - the District of Columbia.
Here are a couple of my responses:

Hey Pat...Imagine that all those guns are still there but they are concealed. Look around today. You are more likely to be killed by a drunk driver in Terlingua than shot. By the way...if any of your porch buddies are swilling beer with a handgun strapped to their waist - they are breaking the law. CHL holders may not carry in any place or at any time while intoxicated (Penal Code 46.035.), defined as: (a) not having the normal use of mental or physical faculties by reason of the introduction of alcohol, a controlled substance, a drug, a dangerous drug, a combination of two or more of those substances, or any other substance into the body; or (B) having an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more (Penal Code 49.01.)  
I especially like his criteria for crazies...If you leave "hot-headed" and "fox-news believing" off his liberal list, the other two ("alcoholic and drug-f*cked") include a large portion of everyone else in his "tiny town". I also don't think he realizes that you cannot just start open carrying a handgun in Texas unless you have passed a mandated course with a certified instructor, passed an FBI background check, and submitted your fingerprints in order to obtain a handgun license from DPS. I would like to thank him though for reminding me that it was time to renew my license. As for that "daily commute with armed idiots"...it is still and has been for a very long time, legal to have a handgun in your possession concealed in a vehicle even without a license. Pat has been surrounded by guns for many years in Texas but now that he might actually see some from time to time, he suddenly fears for his life?  35,43,30,0,B

20 comments:

Unknown said...

IT’S NOT THAT OUR LIBERAL FRIENDS ARE IGNORANT…THEY JUST KNOW SO MUCH THAT ISN’T SO! Said Ronald Regan.

WhyR said...

Ronald Reagan was there at the liberation of the Nazi death camps, said Ronald Reagan.
He actually wasn't- it was a scene in a movie he once saw. Ronald and Nancy Reagan consulted astrologers.

Margery Billd said...

A gun, huh! I got home and I think it was my A-1 Wire Haired Pointer who was the one who broke my window. Shock! Now I will make an attempt to replace it - a new learning experience. I think it was an accident and he was trying to do something else.

Dale said...

We should perhaps pray that Texans not be as crazy as the outlanders think we are.

Margery Billd said...

Tomorrow I am buying a dog cage I hope for when I go out. Christmas Day it was tug-of-war with my cashmere sweaters. This dog is a champion blood line bird dog but I don't hunt. He is still young and trying.

Margery Billd said...

And if that was a rodent under my shed he might be in the big lawn chair pillows that my dogs chewed up last year because I put them in there and there was a piece of foam by the door when I opened it. Clue-hint.

Margery Billd said...

I do not have a gun and do not want one.

Unknown said...

WhyR; read this http://www.nybooks.com/articles/1998/03/05/the-lion-king-an-exchange/ Reagan was correct!

Gene Adcock said...

THE FIELD LAB
Life off the grid in SW Texas desert. An experiment in sustainable. NUMBERS AT THE END OF EACH BLOG POST: temp at 8PM,high temp. low temp. rainfall,wind conditions (CalmBreezyWindyGusty).

The original title of this blog printed above inferred subject matter of interest for a lot of years. John's plans, goals, challenging situations he faced and the solutions he manufactured to solve the challenges have been a subject of much interest to many of us. Maybe even to the point of living a dream through John. Yes even the numbers at the end of each post are interesting.

We can lower the subject content to politics in other parts of our lives. Please can we have some of the original content on which this blog was founded?

WhyR said...

@James Price: Yitzak Shamir and Simon Wiesenthal, meeting with Reagan two months apart, both came away with the impression that Reagan had told them that he had filmed the death camps firsthand, when he had actually never left the country during WWII. How did they get these impressions if not from Reagan's own mouth? That he cared about the atrocities committed against the Jews is certainly to his credit. That members of his administration like Charles Hill, executive assistant to Secretary Shultz, and Michael K. Deaver, Reagan's chief of staff, would attempt to "correct" the historical record is completely understandable- it's what they were paid to do in addition to what they probably wanted to do: defend the President, no matter what difficulties with cognition he might be having.
Do a search for "Reagan misstatements" and see what you find. This was not a one-time thing. His staff was constantly cleaning up after him. I am puzzled as to in what sense the article you cite indicates that "Reagan was correct".
And Reagan and his wife were big on astrology. Joan Quigley's book: "What Does Joan Say?: My Seven Years as White House Astrologer to Nancy and Ronald Reagan" details her influence on the Leader of the Free World. Former Chief of Staff Donald Regan wrote in his memoir that Quigley's services were used to schedule Air Force One trips, speeches and many other aspects of the presidency. "Virtually every major move and decision the Reagans made during my time as White House chief of staff," he wrote, "was cleared in advance with a woman in San Francisco who drew up horoscopes to make certain that the planets were in favorable alignment for the enterprise". Does this sound like an authoritative leader you want to quote?

Ronald Mahan said...

I would like to comment on the fact that guns are a necessary tool for life on the Terlngua Ranch. This is remains a part of the old WILD WEST - and guns for personal protection remain necessary. Having the means to protect yourself is a right AMERICANS do have - thanks to our BILL OF RIGHTS. ---------------------- About 20 years ago - I received numerous death threats from a Study Butte resident. So I purchased a COLT 38 S&W pistol - and got a concealed weapon permit - good for carry in Alabama & Texas - to be able to defend myself. Never had to use that weapon - and the man who threatened me died of natural causes - a few years ago ------------------------------------Certainly, anyone can chose not to protect their life - but depending on others to protect you in this remote area - is extremely risky!

evtinker said...

I like guns and yes, I do own one. I think they have their place, but I am afraid they are far more likely to be used when they should not than when they should. Too many times disagreements that might have been just a fist fight or a good cussing out has escalated into a shooting, not because it was necessary but because a gun was handy. Just this morning a local fender bender on icy roads turned into a shooting. Stupid. The sad truth is there are far too many folks who are not responsible enough to be gun owners, and the irresponsible ones seem to outnumber the responsible ones.

Too many Americans seem to have forgotten or never learned what responsibility means. With all rights and privileges comes responsibilities. Figure out how to teach that that and we will have it made.

pamit said...

Well said, evtinker. Sure, we all have a right to own a handgun. Does that mean we all should? Just look at the number of folks killed by handguns in our country, to find the answer. An American citizen is more likely to be killed by gunshot than by a car accident, as of 2015. Tragic.

John Wells said...

The trend was driven largely by the sharp drop in the rate of traffic fatalities, a result of a series of laws and safety measures aimed at making driving safer. Gun homicide rates also have fallen in recent years, but have been offset by the rising prevalence of suicides. Today, suicides account for roughly two out of every three gun deaths. Regardless, abortion is still the number on killer...1,000,000+ in the US, 40,000,000+ worldwide.

Margery Billd said...

Agreed Ronald.

Ronald Mahan said...

In my opinion, the answer to teaching responsibility (which Evtinker commented on) starts with each child being educated by two responsible parents. In too many neighborhoods, most children do not have two parents, and get their morals from friends educated in the same sorry manner. BTW, I learned about guns from my Justice of the Peace father - who hunted deer and small game - about 70 years ago - because my mother never touched those dangerous things! Cheers

rondeb said...

We taught our Children (girls) to handle, respect and fire both handguns and rifles. They went hunting with us and carried their own guns. We have made sure that our grandchildren have attended a firearm safety and familiarization of hand guns and rifles with shooting experience. They understand the force of a gun and respect that but also can handle a gun if needed. People fear what they don't understand. 99.99999% of those responsible citizens carrying a weapon will NEVER be put in the position to use it, but that fraction of a percent that you do need it, responsible citizens should be ready. If someone does not feel comfortable handling or using a weapon, they should not do so, but they should not try and restrict those rights from those that do. The person in front of me in line may not feel comfortable carrying a weapon, but they can feel safe as I am behind them and will protect them if that need arises. Those carrying should all take a professional class every few years on carrying a weapon and the responsibility that goes with it. It isn't for everyone nor should it be.

Stuart said...

Thoughts fueled by the past. 42 years ago, my uncle committed suicide with a 243. I do not think it was the gun. It was depression fueled by a mixture of prescription drugs and alcohol. It is wrong to lump suicide by gun with gun deaths. Those bent on suicide will find a way.

rondeb said it better than I could.

Wyowanderer said...

I'm amused by the liberal reaction to the "loosening" of firearms laws. Over the years, we've had ever tightening laws, infringing on people's rights, and now there is a lot of pushback. It must be scary, being afraid of an inanimate object (but not automobiles!) so much that you have trouble tolerating people's private possession of them, especially in public spaces. Many of these otherwise fine folks will tell you the police cannot be trusted, because they use violent force (often to the point of death) to "uphold" the law, and turn around and expect the citizenry to relinquish the best means of self protection they lawfully possess. I wish I could get more of them to the range, to teach them the pleasure of marksmanship and proper firearm use.

pw said...

Gene, I would love if the blog postings returned to the original topic (reason I started following) but that is left to the owner.

John, anyone can throw out stats like one million abortions so you are only bolstering opinion, not fact. Finding accurate and reliable data that can be verified by independent sources is another matter.

Happy New Year to ALL! My optimism has increased and I now DO believe it can get worse. However, I practice gratitude.