Say What?

A friend of mine posted something last night about how you can't raise up the poor by taking money away from the rich in taxes.  Well, that's just not true.  It's how we do it in this country.  The Public Works Administration, and all the other projects during the depression that made our roads and trails in our National Parks, and countless other projects were a big reason we got OUT of the depression.

My mother always said PWA didn't stand for Public Works Administration, it meant, "Papa Works Again".

So I posted back to him:  "With your taxes, you buy society."

And I truly believe that.

His response?  "Then I want a refund, cause society is broken."

OH, HELL NO!  You cannot get away with that bullshit!

You right wing nuts are all about, "America First!"  American Exceptionalism.  "Love it or leave it!"  "MY country, right or wrong!"  "Our Constitution is Divinely Inspired!"  And all that jazz.

And while the idiot child of the Royal Family Bush was in charge, if any of us people with an education and a conscience said, "We should not go to war against any countries that didn't attack us".
You screamed, "You are part of the, "Hate America First" crowd!"

If we said, "There is no link between Iraq and 9-11" we were not patriotic!

If we said, "Bush is lying" we didn't respect the President!

If we said, "We would be better off with a national health care plan like the rest of the industrialized world, and it would keep jobs home instead of sending them overseas."  We're, "Socialists!"

If you really believe that, The Constitution is, "Divinely Inspired" meaning the word of, God.  Why do you keep trying to amend it to keep it from letting you impose your religiously based government and laws on the rest of us?  I mean if, God said it, who the fuck are you to try to change it?

Nope, I'm not letting you get away with it.

Either this is the greatest country and society in the history of the world, even when we elect a Black guy you hate, and things aren't going your way.  Or you need to shut the fuck up and live with the fact you lost the last election, and realize that sometimes?  YOU LOSE!  Even if you think God is on your side.

By the way.  God doesn't exist.

But society does.  Live with it.

And while you're at it?  Quit bringing your assault rifle to the mall, just to prove a point.  You do that when I'm in the mall?  I'm going to assume you mean harm and take out my concealed weapon and fill you full of holes before I have to ask you any questions about your motive.  After all, it's not required that I do.  And now that I'm a RETIRED Cop?  I don't even have to say, "POLICE, PUT DOWN THE GUN!"  I can just light you up.

Think about it.

Packing Heat! YOUR Utah Right! Wing Nut

In Utah, you don't need a REASON to have a Concealed Weapon Permit.  But you do need to pass a background check, and a class that tells you when and where you can use it.

Interestingly enough?  You don't have to show that you know how to shoot the damn thing!  So a lot of States, based on that, won't honor the Utah CCW Permit.

But, under our current law, if you choose to wear your sidearm in plain view of everyone, that's OK.  So, Joe Sixpack who has a pistol, can strap that sucker on, and as long as everyone can see it, he's good to go.

Sounds like a Townes Van Zant song:  "Pancho wore his gun outside his vest, for all the honest world to fear..."

And, "fear" really is the operative word here.  More on that later.

And now, some State Senator has introduced a bill that says that if you can carry openly?  Well, you don't have to pass a background check, or take a class.  You can just put on a coat cause it's cold and presto!  You are carrying a concealed weapon.

WTF?

Do we not want to regulate who, why, or where ANYONE can carry a gun in this state?  Do we really want to make carrying instant death as easy to do as putting your smart phone in a belt holder?

I wish our Legislature were smarter than our phones.  But, never going to happen.

I don't want to live in Dodge City, circa 1870!  That is NOT the society that I think ANY of us want to live in, any more.  This is total, lunacy.

There was a guy on the news tonight, who showed up to lobby for this law, who brought his 18 year old kid, wearing a gun OUTSIDE his clothing, while he wore a concealed weapon under his jacket.  To prove a point.

Well, I've been retired almost 7 years now from law enforcement.  Maybe the laws have changed.  I admit, I haven't bothered to keep up.  But when I was a Cop, anyone who gave an 18 year old kid a HANDGUN, was committing a crime by putting minor in control of a gun!

You could give your 12 year old a rifle, or a shotgun.  Your 16 year old could pass a hunter safety course, and deer hunt.  With a rifle.

But you could NOT, under any circumstances, give your under the age of 21 kid a HANDGUN and ammunition, and let him carry it around!

And instead of being put in jail, this prick is interviewed on the news!

OK, people, it's time to talk some sense about,,,  Oh what the fuck.  No one in Utah listens to sense anyway.  Why do I bother?  They all believe that some 19th century con man found golden plates and interpreted them with a rock in a hat.  And there are millions of them that have been giving them 10% of their money ever since.  Greatest con ever.

So now, without any training, shooting test, background check, you want anyone in this state to be able to carry a concealed weapon?  Cause you fear, what?  That the President is coming for your guns, and you want, "states rights"?

I had to provide my son's birth certificate, and his Social Security Card, just to get his drivers license in this state.  He's on his SECOND Passport.  At age 16.  The ULTIMATE ID in he whole world.  But Utah won't accept that.

But if you want to carry a gun?  Just WEAR one.  Then put on a coat.

They hate the Federal Government so much, that my son's Passport is not good enough to prove he's a Citizen.  But if you BOUGHT a gun?  Well you MUST BE!  Strap that fucker on!

I'm kind of hoping, in my reptilian brain, that this stupid law passes.  So when some illegal alien, who, of course got is gun illegally (because of FEDERAL LAW) shoots someone, can say, "Hey, under Utah law, you CAN'T prevent me from carrying a gun, concealed or otherwise!"

And Margret Dayton's head will explode.

The Boy Scouts Don't Have To Accept Gays. And None Of Us Have to Accept Boy Scouts

There has been a heck of a lot of news about the Boys Scouts of America (BSA) struggling with whether or not they should accept Gay members.  I don't think this is really news.  The BSA is a private organization, mostly supported by faith based institutions, many of whom see homosexuality as a sin, and a choice.  It's not, but that isn't the issue.

The issue is that in this country, you have the right to be a racist, a misogynist, or a homophobe, or any kind of a jerk you want to be.  And as long as you're not accepting public money and you don't punch anyone in the face because of your beliefs (or burn a cross on their lawn, or any number of other things) as wrong as you may be?  You have the right to your beliefs.

Asking a group who's supporters are mostly Evangelical Christian Churches to accept homosexuals is a lot like telling The Knights of Columbus that we expect them to accept Jews.  It really makes no sense.

Are they wrong to not accept homosexuals?  Yes.  It's despicable to discriminate against anyone.  But the Boy Scouts don't take girls either and no one is up in arms about that.  Maybe that's the answer.  You don't like the BSA's policy?  Start a group that does the same thing, but is a lot more tolerant.

The Boy Scouts are not the only organization that will teach young people about the outdoors, and let them participate in character building activities and service projects.  There are plenty of private groups and camps open to everyone.

I wouldn't let my son be a Boy Scout.  I don't like their policy's and I gave up on Christianity years ago.  But I think it's up to the Boy Scouts to decide who they are going to associate with, and it's up to everyone who's offended by it, to not support them.

Don't give money to, The United Way.  They give money to the BSA.  Don't give them money to put a flag on your yard at every holiday.  Don't buy tickets to, "Scoutarama" even though you will never use them, just because you thought you were supporting a group that did good things for young people.  Don't patronize their fundraiser car washes and stuff like that.  Vote with your wallet.

And if I had a dollar for every BSA leader I saw on Probation/Parole for sexually abusing young boys while in that position of trust?  I would have retired to Belize years ago.  If the BSA thinks they DON'T have homosexuals in their organization?  They better think again.  They seem to attract closeted, homosexual, pedophiles in DROVES!  Good, God fearing, church going, pedophiles.

And before I get hate email, I am NOT insinuating that all homosexual men are pedophiles.  That is nonsense.  But the truth is, there are pedophiles that are Gay, straight, and somewhere in between.  And I've supervised them all.

So let the BSA do what it needs to do to survive.  Which is actively keep Gays from joining.  They are NOT the Military, or The Peace Corps, or any Government Agency.  They are a private organization that makes a TON of money for the guys in charge.  And they know who to pander to.  Kind of like the Catholic Church.  Maybe the only organization that has a WORSE record of dealing with homosexual pedophiles than the BSA!

The Government is NOT Coming For Your Rights. And If You Think They Are? You Don't Pay Attention

I like my guns, and have plenty of them.  I also worked in law enforcement for 23 years.  So I have some friends who are a little more touchy about their guns than I am.  Some of them are outright nuts about their guns.  If they are too nuts, we don't usually stay friends.

And I keep getting these posts on Facebook about how the Government is coming for your guns.  And it's just bullshit.  There is not one piece of Federal Legislation being proposed, or one Executive order that directs anyone to TAKE guns already lawfully owned by people who are not Felons, or the mentally ill.  Not ONE!

There was one particularly galling post tonight of a guy wearing a Glock on his belt and it said, "THIS IS YOUR RIGHT".  OK.  As far as that goes.  But under that, in much smaller letters it said, The Government is taking away your rights one at a time.

Bullshit.  NAME ONE right that has been taken away from you since Barack Obama was elected President!  ONE!  You can't do it, cause it hasn't happened.  You still have the right to buy and own a gun.  You still have the right to show up at a shopping mall wearing an assault rifle, even though that's about the dumbest thing I've ever seen.  You can still vote, even if you're stupid.  You still have the right to buy a bunch of ammunition, though even if you fill your basement with it, you could still NOT hold off the Government if they DID come for you guns.  I don't know the mathematical formula, but I'm pretty sure the correct answer is: Tank > Than Your Assault Rifle and all your ammo.

There is one right you might have lost.  The right to be a dead beat asshole when it comes to taking responsibility for your own health care!  Starting next year, you have to have health insurance, which greedy, insurance companies are going to have to make available to you, even if you're all ready sick.  And quit going to America's Emergency Rooms, and taking up space that should be for people who are REALLY sick with your ear ache.  If you don't?  You will have to pay a fine.  GOOD!  You want government to be more accountable with YOUR money?  This is a GREAT start.

So, right wing guns nuts of all stripes, QUIT SAYING THE GOVERNMENT IS COMING FOR YOUR GUNS, OR YOUR RIGHTS WITH ABSOLUTELY NO EVIDENCE TO BACK IT UP!  You are just lying assholes.