Change happens... and we go right on...

I chickened out last evening, started on my way to Idaho and turned around after the traffic advisory about the Snow Storm Warming until seven in the morning. We had rain in the lower atltitude, big enough storms that they were having accidents and congestion during the commute, by the time I got to the mountains the warning lights were flashing and the radio said chains required after exit 34, so that was the exit I turned around at and went back home. I do like shooting, I like the range in Idaho, I had everything I needed, except the NEED to overcome my aversion to driving in unsafe and miserable weather. Skiing should be good this weekend. Not that I am going.

I did find I had three more cans of 30-06 ammunition than I had realized, and so with eight hundred more rounds on the way (when my turn comes up) I will have over two thousand rounds. My brother would be shaking his head wondering why anyone needs that many rounds. And I have all that lovely brass to reload during the dark of Winter (another thousand?). Finding the ammunition makes me wonder how many other part time shooters have more ammunition than they could possibly ever need, LOTS, and how many will be departing without having shot it with their buddies, friends, family and competition (that guy with the $4000 rifle and special ammunition).

I thought a lot about how I had once upon a time driven through snow and ice and spooky conditions in Colorado to pick up our son.  It was terrible driving conditions and the Colorado snow plows were flying over the ice to keep the roads clear. I was so much younger then, I am older than that now... truer words never sung... if it was needed I would have done my best, but I have the ability to shoot again another day. I probably will, too. Really looking forward to it. I have to shoot all that ammunition up before I return to dust. My wife wouldn't know what to do with it. I would leave it to my son, but he has tons of stuff and no room, without a whole range and storage facility it wouldn't be a good gift. 

A comment sent me back to my list of shooting with Appleseeds, and the immediate thought is how many have I helped and influenced over the years, which is the most pro-safe gun control effort than whatever Mayor Bloomberg has done. And I have been very happy, making more people smile and enjoy shooting than the Mayor has calmed any fears. And considering some of the very new to shooting people, many that have been frightened for a long time because of media untruths (reminding myself that this blog is media for one - me) that I and others in the Appleseed Project have helped overcome their fears - I would say we are winning. And if the  22lr isn't fully back on the shelves yet... winning by a big margin, which won't be investigated, nor reported - since the media doesn't understand the why.

King George and his governors thought that controlling the colonies with more restrictions, taxes and adjustments would bring those colonials back into line. Unfortunately, Americans don't really study English History during the same period in England, Scotland and Ireland. The quest for Liberty wasn't only in America, it was happening all over. Press gangs were something that fed the Royal Navy, but also fed the flames of change and fired the folks up.

So how is the Affordable Care Act doing? Getting off of the media noise - for sure the discussion is shifting to how to get the care to the people. Even people that wouldn't talk about it before seriously, know what needed to be done will have to be done - and maybe we should look for the solutions that work best and invest in them. The world is full of great ideas. My looking is making me think that the government can't allow a good idea to get away to grow.  It would have to be chained up and harvested for the politicians, never the little people. I think that the United States of America has lost its soul, if Lincoln could use those ideas of "a government of the people, by the people and for the people" you have to start looking at the politicians, the departments and agencies and asking them whom they serve. Lincoln knew it wasn't going to be a great idea to write 'a people of the government, by the government and for the government' still isn't a good idea. 

What was that from the Declaration? "..Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, ..." Institutions do seem to take on a life of their own, assuming powers not granted.  Ah, well, a rebirth of Liberty is the cure, not more chains.