Rant Time: Protesters And Immigration

It has been about a month since I thought about writing this post but I wanted to give it a little time and think about what I wanted to say. In this instance, that was the wrong approach as the rant has, for lack of a better term, festered a bit. So, what got me riled up? It was all the protesters taking to the streets of Philadelphia in mid April… most of which should have been charged, at the very least, with disturbing the peace.  

I don’t have anything against protests in general as there are many messages and policies about which people are passionate about whether they are right or wrong to hold those views. However, the recent trend has been to, at best, disrupt the lives of those in the vicinity of the marching and chanting and, at worst, simply a collection of misguided hooligans that could care less about the negative impact that they have on those around them. A prime example of the latter occurred during the morning rush hour last month when a small group gathered in Old City with no clear message but with the purpose of simply terrorizing those who got in their way. This small gathering was only the preamble to mass chanting of vitriol slogans during the protests during the evening rush hour.

While many of the “peaceful” protesters that have recently come out of the woodwork there is nothing peaceful about the words that they are using or simply their actions during these gatherings. In many cases there is no question that they are using this ‘peaceful means of expression’ to incite violence and hatred (for which there are a few that should be charged accordingly). In the above mentioned incident, those involved in that small group in Old City should be facing charges as they were clearly guilty of false imprisonment (a woman was unable to move her car or get out of her car) and corruption of minors (they encouraged kids on their way to school to participate in their act of harassment). But, not surprisingly, no charges have been filed.

Unfortunately, I wouldn’t expect anything else from a city that insists on breaking the law. Following the Obama administration’s campaign to only deport those ‘undocumented workers’ who commit a crime, many delusional cities have declared sanctuary status including Philadelphia in January of this year. While the DHS directive birthed from that declaration has citied that enforcement will only occur if the person in question is a known criminal or breaks any additional laws after illegally entering the United States. Guess what, I am not buying that load of crap!

Let’s make things really simple. If I break the law, I should be held accountable. By entering the country illegally, by breaking the law, you have committed a crime and the penalty for that crime is to be deported. It is a rather cut and dry matter. The government is not to be held accountable should you have children in the United States (they would be citizens in this instance and cannot be deported) after illegally entering the county… it was your decision to not obey the laws of this country. You are the one tearing apart your family.

Am I saying that the immigration system is perfect? Heck no, it is broken to say the least. But there are many departments and agencies in this country that could be described as FUBAR but that doesn’t mean that we can simply ignore the laws and regulations enforced by those agencies… the IRS is a perfect example of this. Unfortunately, there are misguided politicians in this country that are declaring sanctuary status for their cities. And they should be held accountable for their actions as well as they are aiding and abetting a known criminal with the possibility of criminal conspiracy charges being leveled should it be proven that this was a coordinated and calculated effort to break the law. Arrest them or impeach them (or both) but hold them accountable for their actions like the rest of us are in our daily lives.

But, for now, enforce the law. Don’t just overlook the criminal acts of others and hand out free passes. We have to be held accountable for our own actions and we must protect ourselves and our rights before simply handing them over to others. Now, if you want to see the system changed, get involved. Don’t just start yelling in the streets and making hollow declarations. Take action and put forth the effort to effect change in this country. After all, 99% of the people in these protests are the ones who voted for change in the first place but what are they doing to influence the process and make progress on the policies about which they hold the greatest passion?

However, don’t preach about the rights of others with one breath and try to strip the rights from law abiding citizens in the next like I have heard many politicians and protesters do as they jump from an immigration rally to an anti-gun rally! My rights are not on the table, they are not for debate, and any politician in Pennsylvania should face impeachment should they question that right.

Firearms Friday: I Am The 90%

It is interesting to think about the changes in my life especially over the past year. This is especially true when considering the places where my wife and I have lived in the past compared to the community in which we live now. Well beyond the considerations of considerably reduced congestion and the open space which we now enjoy, there is a different reality which we are now a part of which I have welcomed opening into our life.

It comes down to simple percentages… for the most part, criminals know that in the suburbs of Philadelphia 90% of the houses will not have a firearm inside. This has been the reality that we lived with for many years. However, for the most part, the opposite is true where we live now. Criminals know that there is about a 90% chance that there will be a firearm in the house. When they reach this realization they tend to head toward the more populated areas around the city. This isn’t to say that we live in rural utopia but it does lend some peace of mind… I feel safer knowing that this is our reality.  

The other difference was concisely surmised a few months ago when I had the pleasure of speaking with many of our new neighbors at a party. When the conversation turned to one of those not in attendance shooting their rifle in the back yard the response was a little different than what I have heard on the main line in the past but one that I completely agree with… well, it is there property and as long as they a shooting in a safe direction I have no problem with it. This is exactly the reaction that we should hear everywhere but, for me, it took loving to a different county before I heard those words coming from someone else.

Bear in mind that these observations are from a county that (tri county area actually) that still has a majority of registered voters aligned with the Democrats while, at the same time, with an active voter base that heavily favors Republicans. Of course, the subject at hand is about individual rights which should be supported by all people regardless of party affiliation. It is rather unfortunate that there are so few pockets of the population where rights still have value and personal responsibility is expected such as where we live now.

In this interesting dichotomy I am both part of the minority and a part of a significant majority. It is this interplay between affiliation and beliefs that will make politics where I live particularly interesting this year and, while I am fairly certain as to what the results will be, I am curious to see how the percentages settle. Something else that I have to get used to… people actually voting based on the candidate rather than party affiliation. Hopefully the 90% come through!

Firearms Friday: A Rambling Summary

Those of you who have been following this blog for any significant length of time pretty much know where I fall on a variety of political issues especially with regard to the second amendment. However, I still get questions from time to time regarding where I stand on a variety of topics so I have decided to dedicate a couple of posts to summarizing those views. Of course, given the day that I am posting this, it is only right that I start with the topic that seems to garner the most support and criticism… Firearms ownership.

Simply put, I believe that law abiding citizens, in accordance with the second amendment, have the right to own firearms. In fact, I believe that many of the laws in force overstep the boundaries of government and should be revoked particularly as it pertains to those that fall under the purview of the ATF. Generally speaking, restrictions and registrations are infringements upon our rights and should deemed as such.  

‘Gun free zones’ are an insane propaganda piece to promote a false sense of safety when, in fact, they merely ensure limited if any resistance ensuring targets of opportunity for those who wish to commit evil acts. This is why you are seeing so many shootings in these shocking areas. Not because we have a ‘gun problem’ in this country but because we instill a false sense of security and ignore the evil that exists in this world.

However, there are many laws in place that I support as it relates to firearms ownership as I believe a basic background check has the potential to be an effective tool should the necessary implementation of existing laws and technology be applied. I have seen too many posts noting that NICS is down and we already know that the system has not been optimized. In the end, NO other legislation should be passed until the existing measures are fully operational.

As it pertains to those who break the law I firmly believe that those who commit a crime with a firearm should be given sentences longer than those who commit the same crime without the use of a firearm. Those who unlawfully purchase or sell a firearm should also be given harsh sentences. In the end, the individual should be punished for what they did not the entire community.

Basically, people should not rely on the authorities to keep them safe when we are capable of doing so ourselves. For the great work that they do, they can’t anticipate what is going to happen, they are limited to responding to situations. We need to protect ourselves. The government can’t solve our problems… we must be self-reliant and self-sufficient and acknowledge the limitations that should be placed on government.

Firearms Friday: Offended By The Offended

Over the past couple of months we have all heard certain people speaking out of both sides of their butt. A month ago ‘unbiased journalists’ across the country went on the offensive convicting all law enforcement because of the actions of a few. Basically, they viewed all cops as violent racists hell bent on shooting black men whenever they got the opportunity.

Before this recent flurry of reporting (actually it has been pretty consistent since the unwarranted presumptions of guilt in Ferguson) and since then with the most recent tragedy in Charleston, those same people are expanding their world view and now they are seeing all cops and southern white men as racist. This, of course, is in addition to anyone associated with the Republican Party (you know, because they are the old white man’s party). I wonder how long it will take before this thinking trickles down to everyone else. How long before those ‘reporters’ shame themselves for being racists? How long before people declare that because it is called the “White House” that it is a racist?   

Of course, that is not the end of the dichotomy… after all this is Firearms Friday. The other side of this is the fact that those same people who see law enforcement as ‘violent racists’ are the ones that cry “you don’t need guns, that’s why we have the police” whenever some psycho goes on a shooting spree. Can you really have it both ways? Oh wait, that’s right, you can. After all, these are the same people that want free health insurance but get upset when more tax money is taken out of their paycheck to pay for it. They are the same people that want to raise the minimum wage but expect the cost of goods to stay the same.

Since they are the ones crying that they are offended by, well, everything I have this to say... I am offended that you are offended.

I find it offensive that you think you have the right to take my money that I earned and use to support my family in order to fund a healthcare program that has increased both my premium and deductible.

I am offended that you believe someone flipping burgers at McDonald's should make more money per hour than I do working in a salaried job that I had to bust my butt to obtain (you know, the one that technically makes me "middle class").

I am offended that you declare someone a racist or bigot if they do not publicly support your views regardless of what they believe.

I am offended that you refuse to respect the opinions of others while expecting others to respect your opinion.

I am offended that you can’t stand the sight of the stars and bars but support those who burn the stars and stripes in the streets.

I am offended that you refuse to assign responsibility to an individual for their actions but rather place blame on inanimate objects (while twisting the facts).  

I am offended that you grant rights to others but insist on trying to strip away my Second Amendment rights.

I find it offensive that things have gone so far that I am having to write this. But this is where we are. This is what the ‘media’ reports and the line that we are all supposed to fall behind. Just don’t make it a straight line because that is offensive now too.

Firearms Friday: FUBAR Laws (Chicago Edition)

This past week, everywhere I turned while walking the streets of Chicago I saw signs in the windows and on the doors stating that there were no firearms allowed. It was a rather disturbing sight as I felt a little uncomfortable knowing that the only people that would be carrying in those buildings are law enforcement and those who consciously decided to break the law. While I certainly have no problem with the former, it is the latter group that bothered me. After all, law abiding gun owners are not the problem facing this country, illegal firearms ownership is the issue and I seriously doubt that a sign would prevent them from walking through the door especially when they know that no one inside is armed.

Further, those residents in the state of Illinois have to deal with a myriad of other restrictions. Wikipedia actually does a pretty good job summarizing the hoops that law abiding gun owners must jump through both to purchase and to carry a firearm in the state (keep in mind that the city of Chicago is a whole different beast altogether):

To legally possess firearms or ammunition, Illinois residents must have a Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card, which is issued by the Illinois State Police to any qualified applicant. Non-residents who may legally possess firearms in their home state are exempt from this requirement.

The state police issue permits for the concealed carry of handguns to qualified applicants age 21 or older who pass a 16-hour training course. However, any law enforcement agency can object to an individual being granted a permit "based upon a reasonable suspicion that the applicant is a danger to himself or herself or others, or a threat to public safety". Objections are considered by a Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board, which decides whether or not the permit will be issued, based on "a preponderance of the evidence". Permits issued by other states are not recognized. Open carry is prohibited in most areas. Without a concealed carry permit, a firearm must be unloaded and enclosed in a case when it is being transported.

There is a waiting period to take possession after purchasing a firearm — 72 hours for a handgun, or 24 hours for a rifle or shotgun. For private sales, the seller must verify the buyer's FOID card, and keep a record of the sale for at least 10 years. Lost or stolen guns must be reported to the police. Possession of automatic firearms, short-barreled shotguns, or suppressors is prohibited. Possession of short-barreled rifles is permitted only for those who have an ATF Curios and Relics license or are a member of a military reenactment group.

Illinois has state preemption only for certain areas of gun law, and some local governments have enacted ordinances that are more restrictive than those of the state.

It is no wonder why Chicago has such a low crime rate! Oh wait, that doesn’t quite add up now does it. Thankfully I am back in Pennsylvania where the laws remain reasonable (for the most part) and I don’t have to worry walking into many of the buildings that are around me. It is amazing what happens to the crime rate once you travel beyond the iron curtain of urban sprawl and the oppressive states that make up a shrinking portion of this country.

WTF Of The Week: Exposing Their Giblets

Throughout this week I have been noticing the countless stories about the cloud hack that resulted in the mass dissemination of naked celebrity photos. Yes, famous people had their giblets exposed to the world and without missing a beat the ‘victims’ and the mass media jumped on the bandwagon commenting on this ‘heinous’ crime. Basically, it was a huge pity party for all those with their naughty bits scattered across the web.

While it is a shame that this happened to these people in the end who cares? Frankly, no one should be surprised that celebrity winkies, tatas, and vajayjays are blowing in the virtual breeze. After all, this is not something new. The only things that was different in this situation is that they were pulled from the cloud (some having thought that the photos had been deleted). Although, even that situation is nothing that hasn’t been done before. I guess the truly unique nature of the offense was the fact that the hackers went after data kept by the significant others… even though it is incredibly shady you have to give them credit for thinking things through.

However, the act itself, while an invasion of privacy (the same privacy that most of these celebrities campaign against though other political means and endorsements) it is something that happens and quite regularly. And it is only getting worse. My question is… why the heck are you allowing your giblets to be digitized?

The best way to stop this from happening again is to keep your goodies off the computer, away from the cloud, and far from the internet. While ‘creepy’, you should know that as long as you are ‘famous’ and there are people in this world that want to see if the carpet matches the drapes, there are going to be constant attempt to get snap shots of your hoohoo and gazungas or twig and berries. Why in the world would you provide them with greater opportunities to have access to your naughty bits?

So, I guess the lesson to be learned in this media circus is rather simple… keep it in your pants. The only time that giblets should be exposed are during Thanksgiving. By putting such information in so many different places, especially in the cloud, you are exposing yourself in more ways than one. While we are not talking about drugs I think it is time to resurrect one of the more prominent slogans… when someone has a camera, just say no to showing your crack.

Early Morning Phone Calls

 

Still groggy from my unfulfilling sleep last night, I woke up this morning moving a little slower than usual and not completely processing everything efficiently. By eight o’clock I was getting ready to get out the door when the phone rang. I noticed that it was maintenance and, knowing exactly what it was about, I let it go to voicemail. I will pick up my apartment key when I get home after work.

Five minutes later my phone rang again (I really have to remember to turn the volume off at night). My initial thought was that maintenance was calling again so I slowly made my way to the annoying noise and looked at the screen. Well, it wasn’t maintenance and it wasn’t a number I recognized. I figured it was probably a really ballsy solicitor so I let it ring through, put my phone in my pocket, and walked out the door. Thirty seconds later my phone vibrated again. I guess they weren’t selling something. Whoever it was left a message so I pulled my phone out and hit play.

I was originally skeptical when I heard the recorded message and even more so when I was asked to call back the number. It just seems like a scam when you get an automated call telling you that there might be a fraudulent purchase on your credit card. So, I quickly looked up the number on the internet and it seemed like it was a legitimate call. Still wary of the number in the message, I pulled out my credit card and called the number on the back.

Well, turns out that someone decided to put an $85 purchase on my Cabela’s credit card on the Sports Authority website at around midnight last night. I know that it wasn’t me because I don’t shop at that store and my Cabela’s credit card has been paid off for months now. Needless to say, I immediately denied the charge and had the number deactivated. Thankfully, the transfer to a different account (closing of the old one and opening a new one) is taken care of in house and is not reported to the credit bureau keeping my credit score intact.

So, that was not a fun start to my day but at least Cabela’s gave me a call and let me know of the suspicious charge. While it is not a lot of money to some people it is still $85 out of my pocket and it was also only the very beginning. So, thank you Cabela’s for making sure that this is taken care of properly. While your prices may be high, your customer service/support is pretty darn good.

Say Goodbye To Baseball Bats

I know the title has some of you thinking about the meaning behind the statement but it really is very simple. I have decided to take the advice of the President and will start doing anything I can to save lives. After all, “if it saves one life, it’s worth it.” And so begins the campaign to ban baseball bats or, at the very least, require a background check in order to purchase one. It only makes sense to start looking at sources of unregulated weapons (especially if they’re black and scary looking) to ban or control first before going after other items (themselves innocuous) used in crimes.

Essentially, a criminal can walk into any sporting goods store, Wal-Mart, or thrift shop and buy a weapon without showing any form of idea, without filling out any forms, and without a background check having been completed. Even children can buy bats at numerous retailers, even the tactical black models. How long are we going to sit on the sidelines quietly and wait for these kids to recreate the meeting scene from “The Untouchables”. This unregulated market needs to stopped and only professional athletes paid to play this sport and certified trainers should have access to these items with such deadly potential.

Of course, this is only the first of many initiatives. Knives are also an unregulated weapon which children and the mentally unstable have easy access to and the same can be said for household cleaners, fast food, and power tools. All of these things have been the cause of death on countless occasions. Also, while tobacco, alcohol, cars, and prescriptions are regulated to a certain degree, they are still prevalent aspects of daily life which also cause a substantial amount of deaths every year. Ban them all and save thousands of lives. Maybe tens or hundreds of thousands of lives.

I know what you’re asking, but why would I chose to go after baseball bats and not guns? Well, they simply aren’t as big of a concern. Contrary to the rhetoric being bandied about recently, those statistics are trending in the right direction and, therefore, should not be our first priority. After all, at least you have to pass a background check to legally buy a firearm. But why take my word for it…

As was reported by the U.S. Department of Justice and Pew Research Center, gun crime statistics continue to steadily decline while gun ownership, especially in recent years, has experienced a sharp rise. According to DOJ’s Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. gun-related homicides dropped 39 percent over the course of 18 years, from 18,253 during 1993, to 11,101 in 2011. During the same period, non-fatal firearm crimes decreased even more, a whopping 69 percent. The majority of those declines in both categories occurred during the first 10 years of that time frame. Firearm homicides declined from 1993 to 1999, rose through 2006, and then declined again through 2011. Non-fatal firearm violence declined from 1993 through 2004, then fluctuated in the mid-to-late 2000s.

Additionally, Pew researchers observed that the huge amount of attention devoted to gun violence incidents in the media has caused most Americans to be unaware that gun crime is “strikingly down” from 20 years ago. In fact, gun-related homicides in the late 2000s were “equal to those not seen since the early 1960s.” Yet their survey found that 56 percent believed gun-related crime is higher, 26 percent believed it stayed about the same, and 6 percent didn’t know. Only 12 percent of those polled thought it was lower.

In the end, if you really want to save a life, turn in your baseball bat and buy a gun.

Disturbing Facebook Trash

Take your time and let that quote for this week sink in for a minute or two.

The above quote has been circulating for the last couple of weeks around the internet and has garnered a lot of well deserved negative attention because, while it is someone’s right to feel that way, it makes it no less an insult to the men and women who have fought to preserve that right. This little girl (I can’t disrespect all women by calling her a woman) is a shameful excuse for a human being and should consider herself lucky to have people who fight for her and the country that allows her to spew such hate.

However, the latest twist to this post is that the woman is claiming that someone posted it to her wall as a means of bullying her. I honestly hope that this is true and that she is a victim in this whole situation. Either way, I feel sorry for the woman from whose account this garbage originated. Either she is an uneducated piece of trash trying to back track and save face by being a lying, disrespectful, unappreciative, "attention whore" or she is someone who surrounds herself with people who would post such vial filth that goes beyond the bullying of one by dishonoring thousands.

Unfortunately, it is well known that the sentiments expressed in that Facebook post are not limited to one individual. Too many people hold such a sickening view of our soldiers while praising the politicians who send them to fight. Why are our soldiers viewed with such disdain and our politicians are seen as the ones “saving lives”? How does that make sense? Why can’t people think beyond the uniform?

Here’s a change in tactics. How about we find the person who posted this comment (whether it was the little girl or someone else) and charge them with a hate crime. There can be no doubt that there is pure hatred behind those words. How does that sound as a proper and balanced course of action? What are your thoughts?

Unification, Division, and Mourning

Today’s post is one that I have not been looking forward to but I think this is something that needed to be written. There will be many of you that agree with me and many of you that will not. Some will think this post inappropriate while some think it necessary. It is on a topic that has been heavily debated for some time now and that is, to say the least, very polarizing.

Six months ago this Friday this country was shaken by the devastation imparted by a deranged individual at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. To say that this was a senseless tragedy is an understatement and I firmly believe that we should unite to find a means to put an end to such horrendous acts of man.

Unfortunately, this has not been the case as the root cause of this murderous endeavor has been skewed by placing the blame on the means rather than the motive and the individual. This was an evil act carried out by a human being (that term is admittedly used loosely in this instance) without morals against the most pure and innocent in our society. We know what happened and how it happened but what should be focused on is why it happened.

We need to stop focusing on inanimate objects and look at the core of the problem which is mental health and the factors that contribute to moral disconnect. Violence is an issue that plagues every country, every community in this world, without any preference as to the means in which it is carried out and in every case the individual(s) must be held accountable. These crimes cannot be an excuse to condemn an entire group of people… we cannot judge people because of race, religion, politics, or any object they legally own or sport they legally participate in. 

We are a nation of laws. We are a nation of rights. We are a nation of freedoms. Those who break, repeal, or limit these should be held accountable for their actions. Let your voice be heard and don’t let changes be made without your vote being cast.

We grieve as a people united. We judge as a people divided. We accuse as individuals. The means to unite this nation lies within us all. Respect is as the heart of unification. We must show respect to those lives lost. We must seek to punish those who do not respect the lives of others. We must respect the opinions of others. We must respect the laws of this country.

In the end, no justice can be done to ease the suffering stemming from this event, no law or campaign can change the past, no right can be trampled that would prevent this in the future. What we can do, and what we should all agree upon, is that we need to take time to mourn and remember those who were taken from this world, their families, and the community that will forever be shaken.