Ducks in a Row and Ready to Fire

We are hearing a lot about Vice President Biden's gun control task force, and the President is sounding tough.  But the actual fact is that the crazies are still in charge.  That means the NRA and Congress, with hyped up gun and conspiracy fanatics cheering them on.

Because the wise voters of states like South Carolina have continued the tradition of voting against their own interests, we are stuck once more with a House of Representatives that represents fiscal policies that promise to stop the government.  But on the law and order side, our literal gun-toting House members are determined to continue the fight against women and gun control.  So our VP's plans are more to do with how to do battle with hands tied than about the dramatic changes that need to be legislated.

And don't worry about South Carolina; we continue to be in the forefront of the backwards.  S 85 is the Firearms Freedom Act, and you won't be at all surprised to know that it's purpose is to do for gun control what the South Carolina Freedom of Health Care Implementation Act hopes to do for Obamacare -- kill it.

Basically, what S 85 proposes is that whatever federal laws are enacted for gun control, we don't have to obey them.

As I paid more attention to the evil workings of the SC Legislature (and I am a newbie on this front), I had to wonder if the people who come up with these laws are really as smart as all that.  The answer is, are you kidding?  These creepy laws come from groups like ALEC -- the American Legislative Exchange Council -- the right wing big corporation big money group that assists our legislators in drafting bills, just the way their members like them.

ALEC has gotten a bit of airtime thanks to people like Bill Moyers, but the fingerprints on the Firearms Freedom movement are those of The Tenth Amendment Center.  If you like to be scared to death, visit their web site.  And take a look at the progress they are making.

Praying for Good Aim

As I sit on my porch, I hear the gunshots, every second or so, and I imagine that must be a semi-automatic.  If it's a hunter, he must be aiming for hens in a coop, because I can't imagine an animal standing still for a couple of hours waiting for one of those hundreds of shots to hit home.  I don't think there are that many hunters out here in this rural area anymore.  My guess is it's just folk who took advantage of the many gun sales over the holidays.  They like their target practice.

According to Bill Moyers, since twenty children were killed in Newtown, Connecticut, the arms business has been doing just fine thank you.  He also points out that the NRA has been recording its profits in contributions.  Because when children die, where better to put your hard-earned dollars than into the gun lobby.  I imagine those folks in the arms business have been partying like it's New Years Day every day, and spreading their cheer to the people in the NRA who have been opening up whole new markets for them.  After all, if you're going to arm every teacher, you're talking real money.

Now here on Wadmalaw, I am just glad I no longer have children living with me.  I'm not sure I would be comfortable having them playing out in the yard, or walking the path around the pond, with our neighborhood target shooters.

I also figure that, tempting as it is, I won't be putting a pro-gun control bumper sticker on my car.  That would by a bit like setting antlers on my head and going for a walk in the woods.  So I'm feeling a little less free to speak these days.  Maybe it's because I'm only armed with words, while my neighbors have the deadly weapons.