Found at the library...

  The White Donkey, Terminal Lance, graphic novel by Maximilian Uriarte (good work, sad story).  God's War; A New History of the Crusades by Christopher Tyerman to be followed by Holy War; How Vasco Da Gama's Epic Voyages turned the tide in a Centuries-Old Clash of Civilizations by Nigel Cliff.   That should quiet my quest for more about how we got to this point.

   I have decided to join Barack Obama in leaving off the name of the religion associated with the terrorists, ISIS and ISIL. Since there seem to be many blaming the NRA for guns and Christians for attacks on homosexuals or other groups of different than thou, I am starting to understand the pain of group mentioned for heightening fears of unknown but now blamed. The truly godless are constantly attempting to rip the soul away from the solace. If they can't have belief then no one else should either. And if media or madness can use God, NRA, Christian, Moslem or Satan to make you bend to their influence and fears - then they aren't alone in the void. Now there are at least two of you without an anchor in the storm.

   So, June is almost over, time to go out with a strong finish. Lovely internet, sent a hundred dollars recently found to the Salvation Army for West Virginia Floods 2016. Better than the Clinton fund, the Republican Party or the Democrat Party... at least my money will do good.

So you go to Men's Bible Study for prayer and fellowship...

   And as we wait for our leader, who went back to get the hymn books, an old Special Forces guy talks about gun politics that he doesn't think belong in America. Another man says he is going to get a gun, and he wanted to know what I thought about a pistol for less than a hundred and fifty dollars, giving him my no where near expert opinion, I told him he should be willing to pay more for quality especially if he thought it would be to defend himself and his loves.  Another fellow asked how many times had he needed a firearm in the past - which drags up the whole I have a right conversation.

   I do mention that no one should do anything from fear, and tomorrow we will look at his schedule for an opportunity for us both to go shopping for his gun. The leader shows up and we go into the Bible Study and where Jesus says that having hate or unforgiveness in your heart is just like murder. Which was a great place to go with this feisty group of old men that still think they are 'guys'.

   I was able to steer the conversations towards truths, not ever mentioned on media nor by the pushy powerful pretenders on their thrones of self importance.  It was agreed that most of America doesn't need a firearm, but when they might there isn't anytime to get a gun, training or a lawyer if the shooter was wrong. It was also very true that most of these Christian men don't trust the government any farther than they can throw them... which isn't very far. Found another .32 caliber rimfire revolver, a closet keeper far from the box of ammunition which is likely as old as the piece. What we get from long ago and far away from where we are now.  My grandfather's knife, pistol and Holy Bible are not as important to me as my memory of my grandfather coming to our house with our dog and two pheasants and a shotgun under his arm, and they let me pick bird shot out of the bird in the basement. He was an American and not on anyone's list.

Making a killing, Business and politics of selling guns...

  An article in the New Yorker magazine, by Evan Osnos.  I listened to him on Fresh Aire (error?), the PBS show that is supposed to inform us that can't read... or some such thing.  I can read.

  I did like some of his points, saying that fear drives a lot of concealed carry and gun purchases -- I always tell my audience never do anything from fear, but no one listens to me much. I agree that fear does promote gun purchasing, every time Bloomberg or President Obama says something about the gun violence the public does seem to run out and get more guns and ammunition. I like to believe it is because the buyer knows that the government doesn't love them, won't be there to protect them. And then to add to the fear, the writer explains that most guns will increase the potential death by gun risk of everyone around the buyer... who is spreading fear?

  Here in the very drier West, there are forest fires and there are building fires and we fight fires, but I haven't seen the effort to get fire making devices under strict control of the government. Still arson is a crime, which will be prosecuted after the fact.

   Since my conclusions about the gun question are different than the writer's, should my words or his be censored, only one of us is correct?  But that would prohibit the freedom of the Press, and the link to the 2nd Amendment is so clear as to be funny, and ideas like ISIL and ISIS publish are killing more people in the name of a religion that seldom promotes violence any more than the Old Testament - and it is official policy to not censor the noise.

  The alarming amount of time spent by news media, entertainment media and game media spilling a lot of untruths about firearms, sex and what is cool - promote a lot of fear, and envy, and copycats.  You all need the truth and it will set you free.  Then go get your Concealed Carry Permit, get some solid training, and practice and then maybe a firearm because it can be a safe addition to your life and loves' protections.  

   

  

Who is telling the tale?

   There is a government in the United States of America, why there are still so many levels of government I am no longer sure. If cities in the nation can decide they don't have to obey laws from the Federal government aren't they in rebellion? No, the Democratic Party still needs the votes from them for political power...

  But there are forces, powerful ones, that want to attack me in my little part of the country. I am not alone, there are people in high places, at all levels of government and media that promote the idea that the government is the only way for us all to get along.  Have you looked around and found that government agent making your day lawful and wonderful? Oh, look there is a police vehicle over there, there is a Highway Patrol officier over there.  Not that they have a thing to say to me, I know they are looking for the local drug distributor, the local rapist and the local mad terrorist of all the various causes... aren't they?  Or at least the local home invader?

  No, the truth is that the forces of the government don't spend time looking over your shoulder to find you doing something that they fear. Doesn't stop them from trying to frighten you into compliance with their superior thought processes.  When I was sixteen a uniformed State Trooper stood in front of five hundred plus high school students and said they would be cracking down on underage purchasing of tobacco products.  Being a teenage boy, I went out and purchased my first two packs of cigarettes, Marlboro, of course. I am sure I have done other things based on the idea that they couldn't tell me what to do, especially if they were fools and had no idea of how much smarter I was than they.  I quit smoking eight years later, on my own and for my own reasons.  I do like to say I didn't smoke nor drink for years and years because I didn't like the taxes they levied on the products.

  So we come to the gun control debate - on my side there is no debate - the laws against murder, assault and mayhem are all the government needs. I may need a gun to defend myself against the forces of evil, wherever they come from, but for sure I will not fight for my guns when stupidity is running loose, or amok (I love that word). Anyone that thinks a law that restricts guns is a wonderful idea is stupid, and those that suffer the government to control the guns will end up like the Native Americans, killed without mercy and nor apology. And when you are defeated, stuck on a reservation with very little prospect since it is the government that will be caring for you, since you aren't really to be trusted with your own life pursuits... how successful is that program working Washington, DC?

Tamara Keel and real gun control

   Over and over recently I have heard the largest mass shooting in American History when talking about the Orlando night club attack. But it isn't, the Wounded Knee event was bigger.  No one studies History anymore, but the pro gun goofs will constantly point out that governments kill more citizens than any terrorist organization, always.  And for the same reason, to frighten you into compliance, the British Empire tried to kill enough Indians to stop independence and they couldn't.

   I am delightfully old, but so much wiser than those poor stupid people sitting there in the House, pouting because there is no gun control. I looked at Tam's target for today, all her rounds were on target she has that gun under the only meaningful control she and Indiana need.  Which is what Liberty is all about, individual responsibility and self control. Remember it isn't the law abiding citizens that are the problem with guns, never have been. If we tied the ability to keep and bear arms in the well regulated militia to the right to vote (which is not in the Constitution) the anti-gun Democrats would fold.  They need as many stupid people voting as possible, even the dead ones, and the pro-gun goofs also don't want stupid people doing stupid things around them, muzzle sweeps as well as failure to properly clear the firearm on the range and vote for stupid representatives in office.

  Me, I don't think the government will ever love me, so I will remain an observer. Good night out there, make everyone of your shots count, if they aren't where you called them, they don't count.

  

Father's Day, I do hope you are carrying...

   I am off to church, and I am carrying.... my Bible, love in my heart and my love in my vehicle, love for those long gone before I could love them as much as they loved me, love for those just becoming wonderful in their innocence and discovery. Love for the great good folks everywhere doing likewise, carrying their best and blest forward into the world to make it better.

  oh, I might be carrying a pistol with ammunition, but I do trust in the LORD more than my self, I have fallen short before and would not like to disappoint again. But working on my humble and kind, I am not ashamed to ask for forgiveness if I do, nor to boast if it all works better than I expected, go gently into our day and use only the kindest of touches.

Mission impossible... two or three examples of things that will never be...

  My wife told me to clean the gutters today, since the heavy rain last night wasn't going out like it should have but running over the edges of the gutter - may as well have just a roof. That was easy. just allow myself enough energy and ambition to make my wife happy and I can do that mission.  I received a few emails asking me to do some things for people in far off places - today and in the future, done for today and looking into the future - I am reasonably competent and agreeable to help.

  But people much smarter, paid better and seemingly more responsible want to change my position in their world - for my protection. They are gun goofs and anti gun goofs, both extremists and it seems it is all or nothing. So their impossible mission is to limit guns or get everyone to carry responsibly. Depending on their point of view is how much Liberty the individual is to have. To me it is very simple, do not infringe on the right of the people to keep and bear arms, and expect them all to be part of the militia that will provide the security of the free State.

  Must have been better citizens back in the day of Presidents Washington, Adams, and Jefferson -- but there weren't really. It was expected that the people were good, honorable and very responsible for their own conduct. Yes, it was expected and understood - and no one thought it would be perfect and it wasn't, but they were willing to stand up and be counted when needed. Loyal to the Crown or to the cause of Liberty - they were willing to stand.

  My belief is that there are still many good people, of the kind that founded America and its principles.  Although, I do think there are people trying to change the norm and make us all very afraid.  Just like they want to gloss over the ugly truths about History, or make it into entertainment that has to have sex... on screen, like the founders would have done it on stage or in the streets? I don't think so, they did have children.

   People that have little or no idea keep talking about the AR 15 used in the Orlando atrocity, although it wasn't an AR 15, the same people act like whatever that weapon was - it was a military grade firearm.  It wasn't, although if George Armstrong Custer could have had one with five magazines per his troopers, he would have loved it. Today's military wouldn't want it, although they could have used it better than the killer did. So there are a lot of emotions being wrung out over the fears of something they do not understand. So Congress is going to debate and pass some kind of law, because it will somehow magically stop any such thing in the future... same government that disarmed all the passengers in the safety of the aircraft so that thugs could cut throats and frighten everyone into cooperating, with the hijack rules to the crew to cooperate and get the plane on the ground. Government failure to expect modern terrorists, always sure they have all the answers.  The government isn't really that smart - or it wouldn't have a 19 Trillion Debt it will never repay.

   So Americans everywhere, there is no Safe Zone, even Disney World can't provide one. They allow illusion of safety without providing it.  I expect every alligator to act and attack just like they all do as a survival method - they and Crocodiles have been around longer than current human food sources. There is no way that Disney nor Florida will be rid of the threat of attack by very simple minded big reptiles, that place is a very natual home and they walk about at night, too.

   There could be a Gun Free Zone from sea to shining sea - although America is bound by oceans not seas, seas is poetic.  Ideally, all our enemies would love it, a totally disarmed peasant population, even the ruling elite thinks no one is as sane nor as safe as they are, but they do hire protection since many have no intention of standing up to be shot nor to shoot.

  That whole gun free thing in England works well, a member of Parliament attacked by knife and killed by gun.  How does that happen?  There is surely more to that story to come.

   In the end on the Orlando atrocity, the killer (I object to calling him a shooter, cause I am one) wanted exactly what he got, his picture and name all over the internet, media and like all his selfies, he will be thinking he looks so good to all those that aspire to his brand of being the only character that counts in the movie of his life. He imagines he makes a very sexy hero, and looking at that rifle he bought - it was bought for its sex appeal (in his mind anyway). A mall ninja with exotic overtones of green and black. Just from the amount of time he spent calling 911, his wife and texting - it was all about him... kind of like the real ISIS, it is all about them and the religion is just a cover.

  There needs to be more love and respect in the world, all of us need to work on it daily. For sure don't look to Government nor PC to provide it - those don't have souls nor hearts.  Learn to shoot, learn first aid and prepare to do both -- which will always happen when least expected, just like the Boy Scouts  Be Prepared - and then help in everyway you can.

  For those that don't know most of the fear of the firearms and the harm they can, and do cause is all based on the entertainment and news media. If this country doesn't live in Cambodia under the communits - The Killing Fields is an attempt to describe how the world ignored atrocities instead of stamping the evil out.  Not the same reason, but the same ugly evil is sitting in Syria and Iraq trying to survive and spread. Why don't you understand you are the solution to evil?

Morning has spoken...

  So I am up with the East Coast folks, for no good reason, but I endeavor to persevere.  So I check Facebook feed, am fed up. Then look to cable for news, and am really fed up, so much so I turn it to Korean soap operas, mute and disregard. I weigh and best measure soon, then I put my YMCA bag together, and clean up the weapons and their cleaning tools, doesn't everyone start the day by cleaning up the little procrastination piles?

  I make the coffee, doughnuts are fattening so I just make my gruel, in lesser amounts, just enough. Take it out to the back porch to sit in the field recliner (don't give them to the Army that hardly marches enough as it is). I enjoy the morning nature noises and the cool arrival of light not provided by capitalism, government goodness nor appreciated by those that think it isn't a real miracle.  Alright, I have miles to go before I sleep, but I do have another clothing challenge thought upon while I was fueling the body. how to add another knife to the mix of concealed tools. XXXL hoodies hide so much.

  I read the Bible, play with photos and print outs and will have to start buying my printer ink cartridges from Amazon.com, since my normal supplier is moving on to the newer improved stuff... sigh. Brick and mortar will fall to the internet.com if they don't watch out. 

XXXL Hoodie hides so much