Simple Debate!

I LOVE THIS COUNTRY!!!! Why you may ask, well there are too many reasons to put here, but the most recent, is the ability, freedom and education to engage in a debate!

To preface this, I think this will be the shortest debate ever. Check out my friend Shel's blog: http://shels-blog.blogspot.com/

Now, I love Shel with all my heart, but she made two major errors in judgement in her blog. 1) she said I was smarter than her, hmm, me benefits analyst, her lawyer...yeah, not so much on the smarter scale, but she's a flatterer. and 2) she thinks I disagree with her. I may have been less than clear in my last post. I tend to go all emotional when I get fired up (See Lewis Black, or Glenn Beck whenever they get fired up and forget how to speak for a few seconds). I absolutely agree with stricter control! WHAT WHAT WHAT? That's right, I absolutely agree with stricter gun control. I DO NOT think we should be outlawing guns, and I absulutely agree with conceal and carry laws. Do those contradict each other? I don't think so. If someone received a thorough backgroud check, by the FBI, not local law enforcement (Not a slam against local law, just the FBI databases are national), has never been convicted of a crime, has never been hospitalized in a mental institution, is not under mandatory or voluntary help for mental illness, and is not, and has never been on regular medication for mental instability, they can own a gun. To take it one step further, if they voluntarily submit to a state police run gun safety course (which would need to be improved from todays standards) and submit to a mental examination, at their own cost, a conceal and carry license could be awarded.

Recently, an 80 year old man in Texas (Of course Texas) was confronted and acosted by two very large men. I'd explain the story, but the old gents statement beats anything I could say.

Reporter: So what do theink was going through their minds when they threatened you?
Old Person: Well, I 'spect they was thinkin' they was gonna whup my ass.
Reporter: What did you do then?
Old Person: Well, I drew my gun, and shot the first one, then chased the second one. He got away, but I heard they got him later.

DAMN! This man is my hero. Upon further review by the reporter, this old dude was a former police officer, and VOLUNTARILY submits every year to a texas state police abiliy/agility test with his firearm, and says that as soon as he fails the test, he'll lock up the guns or give them to his sons.

I have friends in law enforcement and the military, and I'd never take chances with gun safety, I wantto learn the proper and correct way to handle, care for and shoot a gun. Shoot you say? YES, if you own a gun, or ever want to own a gun, learn how to use the darn thing. Having a loaded gun in the hands of someone with absolutely no experience shooting one, is just as dangerous as not having one.

OK, so back to my short lived debate with Shelk, I think gun groups have gone overboard with the 2nd amendment. I believe (form all the deep personal conversations I've had with Ben F, and George W) that the founding fathers wanted to ability to maintain a militia to protect our lands and our citizens. This is not necesarily what it means to own a gun. However, I am against laws that prohibit gun ownership. Restrictions, within reason, are great, but not prohibition. There was a 'burb around here not too many years ago that passed a law prohibiting ALL gun ownership within city limits. Well, sure enough, within a year of the law being passed, a man's house was broken into, and he pulled a gun, and sudued the creep until the police could arrive. And HE GOT ARRESTED TOO! Because he owned a gun in town. BUT, he used the gun properly, effectively by protecting his family and property. Now, he didn't have it licenesed with the state, so that's wrong, and he should have been punished (He paid the fine for that, and updated his FOID card), but I believe that city ordinace is way out of line.

OK, Done rambling for now. Check out Shel's blog, she's funny, creative, and we love her, even if she is a law dog....