Midnight at the Oasis

It's 2am in my quiet little college town.

I'm tired and I want to go to bed, but I'm heading out to "the Smoking Porch" for a last cigarette before I go to bed.

I've got a Marlboro, a Lighter, and a pistol.  The cigarette and lighter are for a "Last Smoke of the Night", and the Pistol is so  .. if I am interrupted by an interloper, I need not be uncomfortable about smoking alone on my patio in the dark of the night.

No, I'm serious.

I would feel vulnerable standing in the dark behind my patio fence; if someone were to barge in on me, in my pajamas, I would be defenseless.

I live alone.  I have nobody to call to for help.  Knowing that I can defend myself isn't a lot better than having a "back-up", but it's better than nothing.

Yes I feel silly standing alone on my patio with a gun in my pocket;
but it's at least better than standing alone on my patio feeling entirely defenseless.

I sleep better at night, knowing I'm safe.

Assault Weapons Ban Imminent

Congressional hearings are warming toward DE-legitimating any firearm which might be defined as an "Assault Weapon" ... which means (apparently) any firearms which might be used to "hunt a human being".

I think that's fairly all-encompassing .. don't you agree?

Congress holds "Protecting America from Assault Weapons" hearing | Buckeye Firearms Association: by Jim Irvine 7:00AM THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2019

On September 25, 2019 the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing titled, "Protecting America from Assault Weapons." This was a giant display of hatred of guns, and those who own one, or might benefit from defensive use of a firearm. Chief RaShall Brackney insisted that, "Any weapon that can be used to hunt a human being  *emphasis added* should be banned." That was applauded (inappropriately) from the audience and defended when given a chance to modify that statement. She meant what she said.  David Chipman testified that every gun should be subject to the NFA restrictions currently placed on fully-automatic firearms and suppressors. He wants to ban any gun capable of defeating law-enforcement armor (every rifle) as a first step.]

 Nota Bene: not all of the previous paragraph is included in the original article.

(I have no doubt they would like to ban every gun that any of you own.)

He testified that a barrel shroud (a safety device to protect one's hands from burns) allows killers to kill more people ...which is a bizarre extension of his outrageous precept!

It is true that any firearm  might be proven to be a fatal weapon when used against a fellow human being ... which is why guns are a popular possession; many people consider them to be an effective first-level means of self defense against would-be felons (who also are armed with guns!)

'Firearms owners' can usually be grouped among one or more of the following  categories:

• competition shooters
• self defense firearms owners
• hunters
• plinkers

ALL of these groups may own firearms which would prove lethal when  used against aggressors!  (Often, if their guns were to be used against people .... even the lowly .22 long rifle cartridge, which is generally considered among the "least lethal" cartridges,  may prove lethal when used to defend against a person!)

However, the concept ignores the need for less physically able (women, elderly, etc.) may need to arm themselves in defense against their stronger, more physically powerful attackers.  

It is a consistent trend among anti-gun folks to ignore the need for weaker people to defend themselves against stronger attackers.  Articles (such as the one cited above) tend to ignore this subset of human frailties, and in doing so they perform a disservice to those who most need an "edge" to defend themselves against aggressive people who may otherwise become their predators.

In many communities, it is typical that aggressors are reluctant to attack "frail people" because the local firearms laws allow potential victims to be armed for self defense.   Often, it's not even necessary that potential victims be armed ... the very fact that they are "allowed" by their government to be armed is sufficient to provide a cautionary warning against would-be predators.

This is why we must be liberal in allowing people to arm themselves against potential predators.  

There are a plethora of tales where innocents are protected against malicious attacks because local laws allow innocents to be armed,

The very fact that they MAY be "Packing Heat" is often sufficient to dissuade attackers from predating their weaker prey; not because their prey is armed, but because local laws allow that their potential victims MAY be armed.

Criminals are cowards, in the end.  

We must allow our innocents to arm themselves .. even if they choose NOT to do so!

Often, the very threat is sufficient.   But let's let them pack heat, anyway ...  using a gun to threaten a mugger is marginally less traumatic than being beaten and robbed of all you possess.

HUMANITY

What do I believe in?

I believe in Humanity.

I believe in the willingness of one person to sacrifice himself for the benefit of another.

If I don't believe in that, I can't believe in ANYTHING!

I believe that any of us can find a way, a time, a moment, when we "give up" a part of our self to help make a life better for one, or all, of our fellow man.

I believe in People.  I believe that making life for the next person is not only a way that we can make the world better, but a way to make The World a better place.  I think it's our duty.

I don't have to "Give Up" a part of myself to achieve this goal, but instead we make ourself a better person ... a better neighbor ... by sacrificing our personal goals.

I think we gain more by sacrifice than by achievement.

I think we expand our lives by giving, better than demanding, achievements.

What do YOU think?

Okay ... you think I'm being a Dork.

What's wrong with being a Dork?

Gun Violence in Chicago .. et al

“[I] have never understood why, if all the guns in Chicago come from Indiana, then why doesn’t Indiana have a similar murder rate?”

We all know why Chicago guns come from "out of state". Because Indianans are Democrats, so they make every legality  as confusing as possible.  (It's cumbersome, but it supports a lot of professional politicians who would otherwise be unable to hold down a job.)

If Chicago laws are too strict to let potential gun owners buy guns locally, they just go to another state (Indiana is very conveniently located) to buy guns.

And Indiana's laws are much more lenient (say ... more adherent to the Second Amendment) than are those in Illinois). 

We might ask why Illinoisans even bothers to circumvent the 2nd Amendment ... but then we would have to question why people who wish to exercise their Constitutional rights have to leave their state to be Americans ..... and again, we wonder why they vote Democratic.

Again, we wonder why people choose to undermine their own personal self-interest; but that's what makes us a two-party nation, so go figure!

But I digress.