I Keep Trying To Tell You

Shooting Back Works
By Jeff Knox, From The Firearms Coalition

(March 11, 2008) The media and gun control advocates insist that the easy availability of firearms is a problem; that increased firepower equals increased death toll; that the key to stopping armed violence is restricting gun sales and prohibiting lawful firearm possession in certain public places. They’re wrong. They have always been wrong and their misguided tampering comes with a very high price – people’s lives.

In the past year there have been a number of very high profile cases of a lone lunatic walking into a public place and indiscriminately shooting people. Such incidents are aberrations, unpredictable, unstoppable, and relatively unusual. The best indicator that someone might attempt such an atrocity is not how available guns are or how efficiently background checks are conducted, but the level of news coverage generated by the last such tragedy because so many of these cowards are motivated by a desire for their own 15 minutes of fame. Since the media refuses to stop rewarding these murderers, the best that can be hoped for is to mitigate the damage when they strike. In the final analysis, the difference between a crazed bad guy killing several people and a crazed bad guy killing dozens of people is almost always the length of time it takes for good guys with guns to arrive on the scene. Three attacks in the past year offer graphic proof of this fact.

A lunatic armed with two pistols, a .22 and a 9mm, walks into a college class building and begins randomly shooting people as he goes from classroom to classroom. Months later and thousands of miles away, a lunatic armed with a semi-auto AK and a 9mm pistol begins randomly shooting people as he walks into a crowded church building. A few months later and halfway around the world, a lunatic armed with a full-auto AK-47 machine gun and plenty of extra ammunition walks into a college library and begins randomly shooting people.

Three similar scenarios with three strikingly, and unexpectedly different outcomes. None of the attacks could have been reasonably predicted or prevented. All three attacks were planned out well in advance. All three attackers were on suicide missions with the objective of killing as many people as possible before being killed themselves. All three murderers sought a twisted form of fame and glory and were willing to die to achieve it. All three also knew that the more people they killed, the more famous they would be. All three demonstrated basic proficiency with their weapons, but none of the three was known to have had any formal firearms training.

Most would expect that the biggest differences in the shootings would be related to the weapons used and the time it took for police to respond. In fact, police response in all of the attacks was relatively quick, but when the difference between life and death is mere seconds, even just one minute for police to arrive is too long to be of use. Weapon choice also appears to have made little difference since the attacker with the most firepower did not kill the most people. The murderer carrying the full-auto AK killed 8 and wounded another 10 or 11, while the attacker using the semi-auto AK and 9mm pistol managed to kill two and wound several more. The murderer using the 9mm and .22 pistols however killed 30 and wounded 29. (Both of the last two attackers killed two people at other locations prior to the major assaults being discussed here.)

In the most recent incident, a man armed with a full-auto AK attacked students in the crowded library of a religious school in Jerusalem. An adult student at the school, Yitzhak Dadon, who was carrying a pistol, returned fire, striking the attacker, stopping the attack, and ultimately killing the murderer with the assistance of an off-duty military officer who lived nearby.

Late last year, when a disturbed young man launched an assault on a Colorado church, he began shooting people in the parking lot as he approached the main entrance. A member of the church’s security committee, Jeanne Assam, heard the shooting and rushed toward the sound, drawing her own concealed handgun. Upon encountering the murderer, Ms. Assam ordered him to stop then shot him several times, ending the attack.

Unfortunately, at Virginia Tech last April, there was no Jeanne Assam or Yitzhak Dadon – Virginia Tech forbids students and faculty from possessing firearms on campus – leaving the murderer to casually wander from room to room executing people at will until he got tired of it and took his own life.

The weapon chosen can have a major impact on how many people a mass murderer is likely to kill; as proven by the fact that the worst mass murderers in U.S. history chose jet airplanes, fertilizer, gasoline, and dynamite, in that order. Against such attacks a personal firearm is probably not much help, but if the murderer’s weapon of choice is a firearm, one capable person with a gun can make a substantial difference in the final outcome.

Boldness and Italics were added to this article by Soap Box Ravings.

Permission to reprint or post this article in its entirety is hereby granted provided this credit is included. Text is available at www.FirearmsCoalition.org. To receive The Firearms Coalition’s bi-monthly newsletter, The Hard Corps Report, write to PO Box 3313, Manassas, VA 20108.

©Copyright 2008 Neal Knox Associates

Still Good Words From Ronald Reagan

“Are you willing to spend time studying the issues, making yourself aware, and then conveying that information to family and friends? Will you resist the temptation to get a government handout for your community? Realize that the doctor’s fight against socialized medicine is your fight. We can’t socialize the doctors without socializing the patients. Recognize that government invasion of public power is eventually an assault upon your own business. If some among you fear taking a stand because you are afraid of reprisals from customers, clients, or even government, recognize that you are just feeding the crocodile hoping he’ll eat you last.” —Ronald Reagan

Another Retiree Heads Into The Sunset

MH-53 Pave Low helicopter tail number 68-10357 flew its final mission and last flight supporting special operations forces March 28 in Iraq after 38 years of service.

The helicopter was the lead command and control helicopter for a mission to rescue approximately 50 American prisoners of war from the Son Tay prison camp in North Vietnam in 1970, which became a significant event for Air Force special operations.

From Iraq, the MH-53 known as 357 will be transported to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, where it will sit on display in the Cold War Gallery.

Soap Box Ravings finds it very interesting that this aircraft was in service for such a length of time. Now, hundreds of people can look at it and enjoy it at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.

I Love This Quote

"There is nothing in life so pathetic as a former president." —John Quincy Adams


Soap Box Ravings is constantly reminded of this by Presidents James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. and William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton as they orbit the world disgracing both themselves and their country as they each continue in their efforts to build their legacy.

Suddenly, Now Senator Obama Gets It

On Tuesday, Senator Barack Obama said he is saddened, angered and even outraged by the antics of his former pastor at the National Press Club yesterday. "I find these comments appalling," he said. "It contradicts everything that I'm about and who I am."

It was a far different tone from the finely tuned speech on race that he had given in Philadelphia in March, shortly after some of Jeremiah Wright's most inflammatory comments had first come to light.

Obama's speech reflects the new political reality that he has confronted in what have been the rockiest weeks yet for his presidential campaign.

Soap Box Ravings says that by his own admission, Obama joined Pastor Wright's church to get an "in" to the community. And during this time, he never heard any of the inflammatory language used by Pastor Wright. While at the same time Obama had Pastor Wright uninvited from his candidacy announcement last year.

Soap Box Ravings believes that Senator Obama is a political chameleon who is like many politicians trying to make himself into something he is not. We do not need any more politicians like that. We need politicians with character enough to say what they mean and mean what they say. The world does not run on a survey.

Washington, DC Shootings

In Washington, DC moments after city leaders addressed a violent city crime spike a 16 year old male was shot in the stomach at the Fort Chaplin Park apartments in Northeast Washington, DC. That was the ninth shooting in D.C. since late Friday in a wave of crime that has left four people dead and seven injured.

Mayor Adrian Fenty called the crime spree "beyond intolerable" and he said, "We are frustrated, but we're redoubling our efforts to make sure we not only catch people who do this, and prevent further shootings, but bring tranquility to these neighborhoods.

The mayor said the police strategy is to flood the affected neighborhoods, particularly in the 5th District with 1,200 police officers, three times the normal number of officers on patrol in the city.

The rash of shootings has police struggling to keep up. A task force of community leaders has met to discuss ways to curb the violence. David Bowers founder of a group called No More Murders D.C., said "It's going to take more than hard working police and social service, it will take all facets of our community."

Police Lt. Judith Anderson said the police are doing the best they can, but they need the public's help, they need information from partners in the community to help solve these shootings.

Washington, D.C. police have offered rewards up to $25,000 for information that leads to arrest and conviction in any homicide case.


Soap Box Ravings points out that Mayor Fenty, when a federal appeals court ruled the District's longtime ban on keeping handguns in homes is unconstitutional, said city officials will "do everything in our power to work to get the decision overturned, and we will vigorously enforce our handgun laws during that time." Mayor Fenty believes that if law abiding citizens are allowed firearms in their homes that shootings in the District will increase.

Soap Box Ravings also points out that when 1,200 police out of a 3800 sworn officer force are used to flood affected neighborhoods service somewhere must fall off. If these officers are in the neighborhood on 8 hour shifts that will use 3600 officers in a 40 hour, 3 shift work week and that does not include weekends. This plan leaves no one doing any other Department tasks.

If officers are on duty for 12 hour shifts for five days (60 hour week) it still doesn't include weekends, and there is only 1400 officers left to handle all other department tasks and cover weekends. Who pays the overtime?

The liberal line that the masses are to illiterate or stupid to live without the government taking care of them from cradle to grave is taking a lot of strain here.

Then we get to the part where the police need people to help them. Someone must report nefarious activities to the police before they can react,

Soap Box ravings can't help but think this sounds like we could be talking about Baghdad, Iraq. They have imported and local trouble makers setting ambushes and IEDs all over the city. They have also offered large rewards for the "Bad Guys" just like the District.

Politicians need to educate themselves on the purpose of the Second Amendment. It is NOT for deer hunting.

Although it may be some of those anti-gun politicians DO actually understand the purpose of the Second Amendment and that is really scary.

Will We Ever Learn

"We trained very hard, but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams, we would be reorganised. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganising and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress, while producing confusion, inefficiency and demoralisation."

Caius Petronius (AD 66)

Quote

The world is a dangerous place to live in not because of the people who do evil, but because of the people who sit by and let it happen.

Albert Einstein

Thought To Ponder, C'mon Say It Ain't So

"There is [a] class of colored people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs and the hardships of the Negro race before the public. Having learned that they are able to make a living out of their troubles, they have grown into the settled habit of advertising their wrongs -- partly because they want sympathy, and partly because it pays. Some of these people do not want the Negro to lose his grievances, because they do not want to lose their jobs. ... There is a certain class of race-problem solvers who don't want the patient to get well, because as long as the disease holds out they have not only an easy means of making a living, but also an easy medium through which to make themselves prominent before the public." -- Booker T. Washington in his 1911 book, My Larger Education
Found on PatriotPost.com

Soap Box Ravings can only imagine the size of the group who makes a business of keeping the troubles, wrongs and hardships of the Negro race (Colored, Black, and/or Minority) before the public today. While it still includes many folks of color, it also now includes many who do not qualify by virtue of race or color and/or minority status but who have found a lucrative way to manipulate situations for their benefit.

Wow, It Looks Like The Anti-War Liberals Have A Point, According To Al-Zawahari

From Al-Zawahri, the chief deputy to Osama bin Laden: "No Innocents Have Died."

Ayman al-Zawahri, rejecting criticism of attacks by the terror network's followers that have killed thousands, maintains Al-Qaida does not kill innocent people. "We haven't killed the innocents, not in Baghdad, nor in Morocco, nor in Algeria, nor anywhere else," al-Zawahri said.

His answer was in response to the question: "Excuse me, Mr. Zawahri, but who is it who is killing with Your Excellency's blessing the innocents in Baghdad, Morocco and Algeria?"

Al-Qaida has also claimed responsibility for the Sept. 11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in New York and Washington in 2001, while its affiliates in Iraq, Afghanistan and Algeria regularly set off bombs in crowded urban areas that have taken thousands of lives.

Al-Zawahari accused al-Qaida's opponents of being the ones who kill innocent people. He said "the enemy intentionally takes up positions in the midst of the Muslims for them to be human shields for him."

Soap Box Ravings says this must be true since this information is on the Internet at: http://www.military.com/news/article/zawahri-no-innocents-have-died.html?wh=news.

Basically Al-Zawahari says Al-Qaida is the victim and whomever they kill it either was "an unintentional error or out of necessity." Soap Box Ravings says "Whatever Al-Qaida does someone else is responsible, it is everyone else's fault, not theirs. A typically liberal feeling."

Here, Here, Lets Follow Traditions

As Soap Box Ravings recalls, the political process for selecting a presidential candidate consists of folks campaigning, citizens voting on who they like and then there traditionally was a national convention in which the state delegates determined who would represent their political party.

Now I hear calls for Hillary to give up her fight and let Obama win.

I totally disagree and I hope Hillary Clinton continues to hang in there until the Democrat National Convention delegates determine who shall represent the Democrat Party. It may well be Obama, but at least it follows tradition.

The Democratic Party has brought this situation on themselves when Hillary was essentially initially preordained. First they allowed the states they wanted to change the time they voted for candidates earlier in the year. These changes were to set up to ensure Hillary would be their candidate. At the same time, the Democrat Party tried to control the States of Florida and Michigan by refusing to accept the voting results from these states because the states changed their voting dates without the permission of the Democrat National Party. I do not believe any state should be told what to do by a national political party.

Now they want the Convention delegates to vote by 1 July to declare Obama the winner, months before the Democrat National Convention.

Hang in there Hillary!

Senator Obama Says Today, IF His Pastor Had Not Retired, He Would Have Left His Church

In an interview scheduled to air on TV today (03/29/08) Senator Obama said," Had the reverend not retired and had he not acknowledged that what he had said had deeply offended people and were inappropriate and mischaracterized what I believe is the greatness of this country, for all its flaws, then I wouldn't have felt comfortable staying there at the church."


Soap Box Ravings believes that Senator Obama's ability to instantly realize his error and modify his behavior makes him the perfect Presidential candidate to answer the phone at 0300.

On 03/25/08 Senator Obama made his famous race speak and now only three days later (not then but three days later) he says had his Pastor NOT retired and had his Pastor NOT acknowledged he offended people, than he, Senator Obama WOULD have left his church. I think this country really deserves Senator Obama.

Talk about double speak and hind sight. At least Senator Clinton (yuk) has the guts to admit she did and still would vote to enter Iraq knowing the information she had at the time.

100 To 1, The Freakin Gun Did Not Discharge In The Holster

Soap Box Ravings understands that a US Airways pilot who "accidentally" discharged his handgun in the cockpit at 8,000 feet as the flight approached Charlotte, NC has been suspended from flight duty.

As an retired military firearms instructor and retired police firearms instructor my first thought is the pistol in question was not stored in the holster at the time of firing. I think the pilot in question, since no emergency was declared prior to the discharge, was playing with the weapon.

I can see it now: Yo pretty flight attendant, does my large pistola impress you?

KAPOW, now everybody is impressed.

And this from the #1 or #2 man flying the plane. If the suspended pilot is in fact the #2 pilot, then the #1 pilot should also be suspended for allowing a member of his/her crew to unholster a weapon in the cockpit.

If these folks are playing in the cockpit, who is actually in charge of the aluminum missile hurtling through the air at 8,000 feet. As I recall, more than one incident has happened during the time the flight crew was not paying attention.

Lest ye think I am to hard on the crew, I learned my attention skills in the US Navy Submarine Force. Submarines also require constant and immediate attention, otherwise they have been known to turn into mud seeking missiles; from which there are no survivors.

Also, most modern weapons, such as the H&K pistol in question only fire when the trigger is pulled. By definition, if you pull the trigger, it is not an accidental discharge. It would either be stupidity or lack of knowledge related to the pistol in question.

I keep reading there was no danger to the passengers, speaking of the weapon only that is probably true. However when the flight crew is distracted at 8000 feet and approaching a landing there is a problem which may eventually be hazardous to passengers.

The bullet hole in the top picture appears to be about in the middle of the picture. The bullet hole in the bottom picture is the white mark in the middle where the red and blue colors come together.

Soap Box Ravings does understand, he worked as an officer and firearms instructor for a Chief of Police who was always drawing his pistol to show somebody his firearm. By the Grace of God, he luckily never fired it but he sure set a very poor example to the rest of the Department.

Pilot Suspended After Gun Fires on Flight: Soap Box Ravings loves this CNN headline, it makes it sound like the gun fired itself. I would have wrote "Pilot Fires Gun On Plane, Suspended" but CNN is normally way more liberal than I am.

My Kind Of Daughter

Little Melissa comes home from first grade and tells her father that they learned about the history of Valentine's Day.

"Since Valentine's Day is for a Christian saint and we're Jewish," she asks, "Will God get mad at me for giving someone a valentine?"

Her father thinks a bit, and says, "No, I don't think God would get mad. Who do you want to give a Valentine to?"

"Osama Bin Laden," Melissa says.

"Why Osama Bin Laden," her father asks in shock.

"Well," she says, "I thought that if a little American Jewish girl could have enough love to give Osama a Valentine, he might start to think that maybe we're not all bad, and maybe start loving people a little bit. And if other kids saw what I did and sent Valentines to Osama, he'd love everyone a lot. And then he'd start going all over the place to tell everyone how much he loved them and how he didn't
hate any one anymore.

"Her father's heart swells and he looks at his daughter with new found pride and he says "Melissa, that's the most wonderful thing I've ever heard."

"I know," Melissa says, "and once he is out in the open, the Marines could blow the son-of-a-bitch away."

Admiral Fired For Lying About An 18 Year Old Affair

A photo of Vice Admiral Stufflebeem.

The Navy fired a Vice Admiral John Stufflebeem after a Pentagon investigation concluded he'd lied during questioning about whether he had an inappropriate relationship while working at the White House in 1990.

The Pentagon Inspector General's investigation was based on an anonymous letter accusing Vice Admiral Stufflebeem of an inappropriate relationship while serving as a military aide to President George H.W. Bush in 1990.

A Navy spokesman, stated that the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) has lost confidence in Admiral Stufflebeem’s judgment and his continuing ability to lead in the office of the CNO.

Besides his total amazement at an investigation over an 18 year old affair, Soap Box Ravings wonders if new standards are being set for those in Washington, D.C. or is it still only the United States military who are upholding standards.

A photo of Hillary Clinton under sniper fire.

Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton during a speech last Monday on Iraq, said of her Bosnia trip: "I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base."

A photo of Senator Obama and Pastor Wright, the Senator's long term Pastor.

Presidential candidate Barack Obama claimed to have never heard any of his Pastor's rants in church, even though he has been a member of that church for over 20years. Senator Obama knew his Pastor and he knew his Pastor's teaching; which is why the night before he announced his candidacy he called his Pastor and uninvited the Pastor from giving an invocation. Senator Obama knew then of Pastor Wright’s teachings, which his own handlers, among others, believed were overly Afrocentric to the point of excluding whites.

According to the Pastor Wright, Mr. Obama told him, “You can get kind of rough in the sermons, so what we’ve decided is that it’s best for you not to be out there in public.”


Neither candidate was under oath but if you lie when you are selling yourself what does that mean. Once a person has lied to me, I know they are a liar. How about President Clinton and his statement about relations with that woman, Monica Lewinsky, another lie and another liar.

As a retired Master Chief Petty Officer, USN, Soap Box Ravings believes as does the CNO, if they lie, their judgment and continuing ability to lead are questionable and they need to be fired. Think about this for a moment, a candidate for President is basically doing a series of employment interviews. Employment interviews are normally terminated immediately if the future employee determines you are lying.

If that sounds harsh, in the military it is mandatory that you believe in and trust those you work with. Your life and many others are in their hands.

Oh golly, I guess you could say that about the President of the United States of America.

It's The Old Camels Nose Under The Tent, Again

IN December 2007, less than two (2) months after the California Legislature banned the use of center fire rifle and pistol ammunition containing lead when hunting big game or coyotes in the habitat of the California Condor, the California Fish and Game Commission expanded the ban by regulation.

Soap Box Ravings says "Once a legislative body passes any law, the controlling organization whether it be IRS, BATF or the California Fish and Game Commission then uses their authority to expand on the power legislators have granted them. Power granted to a government agency is power taken from the public."

Unlike the State law, the REGULATORY ban will now include 22 rim fire ammunition, muzzle loader projectiles, and shotgun shells that contain one (1) percent or more lead.

Additionally, the increased regulatory ban also prohibits the mere possession ammunition containing lead while not just hunting big game or coyotes but also ground squirrels and other non-game species as well; an addition added by the regulators not the legislators.

The Department of Fish and Game says enforcement is effective and could include seizure (by the government) of projectiles (private property) in the field for testing.

The complete article is available for reading, pg 72, American Rifleman magazine, April 2008 edition under the ILA report.

Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguements In DC v. Heller

Soap Box Ravings believes America's Founding Fathers provided in the First Amendment the freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition.

They also provided the Second Amendment to secure "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms" to guarantee to themselves and their posterity the blessings of "a free State."

By entrusting the nation's sovereignty to the people, the Second Amendment breaks the government's military monopoly by guaranteeing to the people such firearms as would be necessary to defend against the sort of government abuse of their inalienable rights the British had committed prior to the revolution of 1776.

The amendment's "well regulated Militia" encompasses all citizens who have the right to form their own government, not just those who would enlist in the National Guard.

No government deprives its citizens of rights without asserting that its actions are "reasonable" and "necessary." However, A right that can be regulated is not a right at all, it is only a temporary privilege which is dependent upon the good will of the very government officials that such right is designed to constrain.


Herbert W. Titus and William J. Olson, are Gun Owners of America attorneys, who filed a brief representing GOA in the Second Amendment case the Supreme Court presently sitting on.

Their full article "2nd Amendment bars regulation of people’s ability to bear arms" can be found at: http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2008/03/opposing-view-3.html#more

DILLIGAF

Soap Box Ravings learned two totally useless facts today from his local radio station.

1. 12 black robed protesters (you got it, that's twelve protesters) protested the Iraq War today in Washington, DC. ( I saw more protesters than that here in my hometown and ZipSkinny.com says our total population is 4669) and

2. On the day that President William Jefferson Clinton stained Monica Lewinsky's dress in the White House, his wife, Hillary Clinton was present in the White House all day long.

With all of the problems related to the economy, energy, the war in Iraq and a Congress that couldn't pour pi** out of a boot the media wastes their time and mine with the above facts. God help this country.

Obama "Says Now" He Condemns His Pastor's Remarks

Soap Box Ravings has attended a number of churches in the sixty plus years of his life. However, in order to attend a church for any length of time Soap Box Ravings must believe in the basic tenets being put forth by his Pastor.

A fire and brimstone speech by a Pastor trying to spread the gospel is expected and much different than a preacher saying "God Damn the United States" from his or her pulpit while preaching.

Soap Box Ravings notes the Senator Obama has attended the church with the same Pastor for a number of years. Based upon my thought patterns, since the Senator has donated large sums of money to the church, this indicates to me that the Senator believes in what his Pastor is saying and what that Pastor's church is doing.

Another interesting point is that this church is described as a "Mega-Church" so it would appear there are many others who feel the same way the Pastor feels. Even if the Pastor is just beating the drums to expand his flock and make money, the fact is people are joining and paying. One of those is Senator Barack Obama.

Additionally there is the statement by Senator Obama's wife that she was never proud of her country until her husband ran for the Presidential nomination. By the way, she also attends the same church.

Soap Box Ravings really doesn't care what that Pastor preaches or who believes him unless of course they are a politician running for President of the United States.

Soap Box Ravings almost forgot a couple of his MOST TELLING observations of Senator Obama's speech.



Look at the presentation, the Senator seems to have gone overboard on the number of flags used in his speech. But I guess if you can't really act like a patriot, surrounded by enough flags maybe some folks will at least think you look the part.



However, the second picture, the close-up is most telling. The Senator damn sure is not bothered with any of those US Flag lapel pins. And that folks is what happens when you pander to the crowd or try to play a role that really isn't you. It's not his fault, his aides let him come on stage again without a US Flag lapel pin so he could remind us of how poorly we have done, how his foul-mouthed Pastor is family, and how he, Senator Obama is going to save us.

God help this country!

The full article (Obama Condems Pastor's Remarks) is available at: http://news.aol.com/elections/story/_a/obama-condemns-pastors-remarks/20080318065409990001

Another Zealot Self-Destructs

NY Gov. Eliot Spitzer blew it but says his failure is a "personal" matter

Soap Box Ravings thinks perhaps Governor Spitzer's paid friend may have done that for him. I would almost bet that one of his "idols" is named "Slick Willy.

One Of Obama's Stories

This information below is taken from Obama's Curious Tale
By Jack Kelly published on February 23, 2008. The complete article may be found at Real Clear Politics: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/02/obamas_curious_tale.html.
The author, Jack Kelly is a former Marine who later went into the Army and became a Green Beret. After his military service, he was a Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force in the Reagan Administration. Mr. Kelly has the military background and experience to make this call.

Basically, this is the story:

During a debate with Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama referred to "an Army captain who was head of a rifle platoon which is supposed to have 39 men in a rifle platoon, Who "ended up being sent to Afghanistan with 24 soldiers because 15 of his soldiers had been sent to Iraq. And as a consequence, they didn't have enough ammunition, they didn't have enough humvees. They were actually capturing Taliban weapons, because it was easier for them to get Taliban weapons than it was for them to get properly equipped by our current commander in chief."

Soap Box Ravings says Obama appears to have the total story confused. Even if the unit was missing 15 soldiers how would that cause a lack of ammo, Humvees or weapons.

The author points out that Rifle Platoons are not commanded by a captain. They are normally commanded by a lieutenant, usually a second lieutenant.

The heart of Sen. Obama's charge is that the captain's platoon was cannibalized in order to send soldiers to Iraq. The Army does have a program called "cross leveling" where soldiers from units which are not deploying are sent to units which are to bring them up to full strength. But the Army emphatically denies taking soldiers from units which are scheduled to deploy to a combat zone to give them to other units. This would be insane.

Senator Obama also said, "As a consequence, they didn't have enough ammunition, they didn't have enough humvees..."

Soldiers on a mission carry a basic load of ammunition, typically seven magazines (210 rounds). It's possible to for undisciplined soldiers to burn through this quite rapidly in a firefight. Soldiers can run low on ammo until they are resupplied, but this has nothing to do with the adequacy of ammunition stocks in theater. There has never been a shortage of ammunition in either Iraq or Afghanistan.

The Senator further said, "They were actually capturing Taliban weapons, because it was easier to get Taliban weapons than it was for them to get properly equipped by our current commander in chief."

Soap Box Ravings feels the above statement by Senator Obama makes absolutely no sense from any angle. A soldier in an emergency will defend themselves with any weapon they can get their hands on. However, their supply system is not set up to provide ammunition or repair parts for enemy weapons. It would be crazy to try to use the enemies weapons for any extended period of time.

Units don't deploy to Afghanistan with their stateside vehicles. Afghanistan is 8,000miles from the U.S., in a mountainous region far from seaports. It's hard to ship stuff there. So unnecessary stuff isn't shipped. Units arriving in theater receive the equipment that was being used by the units they are replacing.

Even though he's a member of Congress, Sen. Obama seems to be unaware that it is him and his peers who fund the military. If Sen. Obama thinks the military is inadequately supplied, he should take it up with his Democratic colleagues, who routinely cut the president's defense budget requests.

Soap Box Ravings also feels that Senator Obama has really not thought out his position. He sounds like a lot of our population who want to point out problems that relate to others, while denying any personal responsibility or ownership of the problem that he has just identified. The truly scay part of this is the fact that Senator Obama is seeking the Democratic nomination for the Office of The President.

When ABC's Jake Tapper tracked down Sen. Obama's captain, he found out the Captain 's ammunition complaint was in regards to a shortage of ammo for his heavy machine guns and grenade launchers while training at Fort Drum before deployment, not in Afghanistan. This is a rather different story from the one Sen. Obama

Armed Citizens vs Armed Guards

OPINION IN BRIEF

“Which of these three options is more likely to prevent further murderous rampages:

a) making universities closed campuses and increasing the police presence on campus (as the president of [Northern Illinois University] has promised to do);

b) making guns much harder to obtain; or

c) enabling specially trained students and faculty to carry concealed weapons on campus?

Because political correctness has replaced wisdom at nearly all universities, colleges are considering options a and b.

But the only thing the first option will accomplish is to reduce the quality of university life and render the campus a larger version of the contemporary airport.

And the second option will have no effect whatsoever since whoever wishes to commit murder will be able to obtain guns illegally.

But if would-be murderers know that anywhere they go to kill students, there is a real likelihood that one or two students will shoot them first, and if in fact some would-be murderer is killed before he can murder any, or at least many, students, we will see far fewer such attempts made. Even though many of these murderers end up killing themselves, they don’t want to die until they have first murdered as many students and teachers as possible.

Of course, there is virtually no chance that the uniformly left-thinking individuals who run our universities will ever consider this option. To do so would mean abandoning what is essentially a religious-like conviction that guns are immoral rather than the people who use them immorally.” —Dennis Prager

Copied from the PatriotPost.US, 25 February, 2008

Soap Box Ravings agrees with Dennis Prager regarding college campuses. However, Soap Box Ravings believes the problem is broader and affects much more than just college campuses. The problem also includes shopping malls, worksites, and any other place where large groups of people congegrate. Historically, the majority of shooters in this country seem to have been seeking "suicide by cop." The reason they shoot others is to force the police into action. However, the arriving police do not know whether there is a "suicide by cop" action in progress or a terrorist action in progress and many people can be killed or injured while the police evaluate the situation.

A lawfully armed citizen only has to realize that his or her life, or the life of another is in mortal danger to react. They are on scene, have knowledge of what is going on and the means to stop or at least defect the concentration of the evildoer. An arriving police officer does not have that information and it takes time to gain information.

Many people believe that the gun rather than the shooter is immoral. Many people also believe that any problems they have are caused by other people and it is up to the government to solve all of their problems.

If the government were to provide armed protection at all times and locations for all people, how would it be decided who carried the gun and who was protected. If your protected, does that make you elite. What happens when you guard doesn't come to work one day?



On duty, Soap Box Ravings Bodyguard poised for instant action

Why Does A Cycle Seem To Repeat Itself?

LIBERTY

"The massively cruel and ruinous communistic experiment of the Soviet Empire would not have been necessary if philosophers and intellectuals had not ignored a basic truth about human nature:

Human beings, as a derivative of the instinct to survive, are innately driven to act in their own self interest. Notwithstanding propaganda, conditioning or brute force, any government or institution which runs head on against the grain of this basic human drive is doomed to fail.

We seem not to have learned a basic lesson of history:

Capitalism harnesses human self interest; socialism exhausts itself trying to kill it. The bureaucrats, who seize and dole out other people’s assets, initially see themselves as humanitarians. Eventually, they conclude they are indeed superior to others, and treat themselves accordingly. They make laws to which they are not subject; they vote themselves and their wards privileges and benefits. Then, they no longer serve—they rule a nation of the government, by the government and for the government." —Linda Bowles

Copied from the PatriotPost.US, 25 February 2008 Patriot Vol. 08 No. 09

Todays Quote

"Capitalism and communism stand at opposite poles. Their essential difference is this: The communist, seeing the rich man and his fine home, says: 'No man should have so much.' The capitalist, seeing the same thing, says: 'All men should have as much.' " -Phelps Adams

Found in the U.S. Concealed Carry Armed American Report on 02-22-08

Problem Solved

Soap Box Ravings says Blogger appears to have solved their Spell Check problem. They have eliminated the Spell Check function. I, for one would prefer to have spell check than the ability to translate my blog into a foreign language. Perhaps words in foreign languages do not require proper spelling like English does.

WAY TO GO NAVY, FANTASTIC SHOT BY THE USS LAKE ERIE (CG-70)

The USS Lake Erie (CG-70), launched a SM-3 missile designed to knock down incoming missiles (not orbiting satellites) at 10:26 p.m. EST. The Lake Erie hit the school bus sized target about three minutes later as the spacecraft traveled in polar orbit at more than 22 times the speed of sound or about 17,000 mph.

Talk about wingshooting!

The three-stage SM-3 Navy missile has been very successful in a series of tests since 2002. The previous tests targeted short- or medium-range ballistic missile but never a satellite. The Navy had to adapt the SM-3 programming for this shot. Navy officials have said the changes would be reversed once this satellite was down.

Soap Box Ravings is proud of his shipmates. Taking out a target moving 22 times the speed of sound is some truly awesome shooting. The bad part of the shot is that it reveals a little more of our potiential to countries, who for whatever reason, worry about us. For example, I am sure we will soon hear comments from Russia and Communist China among others. They will use this feat to ratchet up their weapons requirements regardless of the fact that this was done to prevent possible injury to people on the ground.

Barak OBama Needs You To Believe

A Houston campaign office for Barack Obama displayed the Cuban flag with the murderous Che Guevara superimposed.

Soap Box Ravings hopes those who support Obama's idea of change actually spend some effort to figure out what his stated changes are going to be.

While researching, perhaps they could enlighten me on the actual accomplishments of Senator Obama or Senator Clinton for that matter. Senators Obama and Clinton seem to be fairly matched on their accomplishments which in each case seem to be minimal. Although Clinton may have actually slept with a President.

Read The Patriot Post

Some People Should Not Be Allowed Firearms

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin points an AR-15 pattern rifle at Chief of Police Warren Riley during a press conference on Tuesday, 12 February.

The rifle was part of $6 million in new equipment purchases for the New Orleans Police Department and fires a .223 bullet at 3300 feet per second.

Mayor Nagin is infamous for ordering the New Orleans Police Department to seize the guns of law-abiding citizens in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, supposedly to make the city safer.

Soap Box Ravings (who qualifed as a firearms instructor in the US Navy and again while a police officer) says this is another picture of an elite anti-gun person who feels that elementary safety precautions do not apply to them. Luckily he does not have his finger on the trigger. And, of course, the Chief of Police (who by definition is also a politician) is laughing at his bosses joke while there is a rifle muzzle pointed at his midsection.

Another infamous antigun line:
Only the police and military should be allowed to have guns!

There are more pictures at: http://patriotpost.us/news/nagins_got_a_gun.asp

"Brief, Rapid-fire Assault"

Soap Box Ravings says this is the description of todays (02-14-08) shooting at Northern Illinois State University today.

This is also the description of any shooting with malice incident anywhere, military or civilian. You are very lucky if you see the shooter and/or the gun before they start shooting. The name of their game is not to fight fair but to kill, terrorize and finally memorialize themselves in the evening news. Following that, they quite often kill themselves so they can avoid punishment.

The antigun folks want all firearms restricted to police and military. In last weeks shooting Kirkwood, Missouri was initiated when the gunman shot and killed a police officer in the parking lot. He then armed himself with the police officer's firearm which increased his firepower immensely. The shooter went from having a revolver to now having a revolver and a semiautomatic pistol.

As a police officer firearms instructor I trained my peers to realize every call, every interaction involved a firearm; at the very least theirs. I repeatedly told them if a bad guy wants a gun all he needs to do is call a police officer. The officer will be wearing one when he or she arrives. And often, they are not expecting someone to take it away from them.

By the time the police, university or anyone else could get the word out this shooter was done with his mission. Cell phone notifications, pa announcements and calling the police mostly take place in the time it takes to fire XX number of bullets and believe me you can not count that fast much less call or answer your cell phone.

I don't even have to ask, but my guess this is another "GUN FREE ZONE".

How is it working for you!

For Some The Learning Curve is Much Longer Than Others

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot lift the wage-earner by pulling down the wage-payer.
You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.
You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away men’s initiative and independence.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.
by William J. H. Boetcker, 1916

Soap Box Ravings says these quotes are 92 year old secret information. Many folks in this country do not believe any of the lines quoted above. Actually non-believers prefer to operate either under the newer theory that if a big enough lie is shouted long enough and loud enough it will become true. Well not of course, if your talking about the Law Of Gravity. Or the other popular theory where you restate your past actions in the best possible light regardless of what they actually were.
Twist the facts loudly.

The Law Of Unintended Consequences, Again

From The Patriot Post, 02-08-08, more at: http://patriotpost.us/


In recent weeks, environmentalist groups are realizing Federal biofuel and ethanol mandates have the potential to do far more harm than good.

Initially the idea made a fair amount of sense; use a portion of our abundant corn crops to produce ethanol as an alternative to oil. Thereby reducing greenhouse emissions, in addition to reducing our reliance on foreign oil.

Pressured by the environmentalist folks and their allies, the federal government enacted a series of ethanol subsidies. Thereby causing market confusion with unpredictable and changing government mandates and subsidies.

Farm subsidies are sacred to politicians, but the consequences of this “solution” are now obvious, and even environmentalist groups have begun to complain.

Rising demand for ethanol means a rising demand for corn and a corresponding rise in corn prices, in and out of this country. Those who eat tortillas made from corn have been particularly affected.

The resulting increase in food prices have have caused farmers to increase their land useage and causing increased environmental damage.

If America’s entire grain harvest were devoted to ethanol production, it would replace only 18 percent of our automotive demand for oil.

Most importantly, the ethanol fiasco reveals the ineptitude of centralized government when it comes to running the market. Remember, the USSR used a centralized government to control their markets among other things.

The laws of supply and demand are enough to handle our energy troubles, so long as the market is free from government interference. Otherwise, we will continue to suffer from the Law Of Unintended Consequences.

Quote

“Today, the political platforms of at least one party in the United States and pretty much every party in the rest of the Western world are nearly exclusively about... government health care, government day care, government this, government that. And if you have government health care, you not only annex a huge chunk of the economy, you also destroy a huge chunk of individual liberty.” —Mark Steyn

Soap Box Ravings is all about individual liberty. I obey the rules and try to play nice in group settings but I want to decide how to live my life and spend my money that I earned by putting my "sheepdog" life on the line around the world to protect the"sheep."

Another Day

Which is worse: ignorance or apathy?

I don’t know and I don’t care.

Another Point To Ponder

“Washington, D.C. is a place where delusions go to thrive. That explains why Congress and the president are now agreed on remedies that will not work, expending money they do not have, to fix a problem that may not exist.” —Steve Chapman

It Is Always About William Jefferson Clinton, Whether You Like It Or Not

Clawing for a Legacy

In Charles Krauthammer's article "Clawing for a Legacy" from Friday, February 1, 2008he writes: “There was general amazement when (the now-muzzled) Bill Clinton did his red-faced, attack-dog, race-baiting performance in South Carolina. Friends, Democrats and longtime media sycophants were variously perplexed, repulsed, enraged, mystified and shocked that this beloved ex-president would so jeopardize his legacy by stooping so low. What they don’t understand is that for Clinton, there is no legacy. What he was doing on the low road from Iowa to South Carolina was fighting for a legacy—a legacy that he knows history has denied him and that he has but one chance to redeem. Clinton is a narcissist but also smart and analytic enough to distinguish adulation from achievement. Among Democrats, he is popular for twice giving them the White House, something no Democrat has done since FDR. And the bouquets he receives abroad are simply signs of the respect routinely given ex-presidents, though Clinton earns an extra dollop of fawning, with the accompanying fringe benefits, because he is (a) charming and (b) not George W. Bush. But Clinton knows this is all written on sand... Clinton knows that popularity is cheap, easily lost, easily regained. (See Lewinsky scandal.) But historical legacies are forever. He wants one, desperately. But to get it he must return to the White House. And for that he must elect his wife. At any cost."

Soap Box Ravings total digust of all things Clinton holds to this day. Today, Neal Boortz reported that Hillary "cried" again. Is it any wonder, a Clinton with tears in their eyes particularly when a camera is focused on them is to be expected. When Hillary Clinton claims to have more experience than Barack Obama this is what she is talking about. While the majority of her experience seems to be sleeping with the President she has had amny years to learn her husbands tricks of the trade (no pun intended).

The full text of Charles Krauthammer's article can be found at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/31/AR2008013102627.html?sub=AR

Another Thought To Consider

“The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed, and hence clamorous to be led to safety, by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.” —H.L. Mencken

Soap Box Ravings is truly amazed by how government and/or politicians at any level continue to react as described by H. L. Mencken above. So much of the in-fighting takes place over "phony" issues that the real issues are never decided. For one example, read our Constitution and see how far the government has gotten into your life using "interstate commerce."

Thought For Today

“Every candidate who repeats the misleading nonsense that ‘47 million in America have no health care,’ ought to be challenged with hard truth. The number is grossly inflated by including millions who are here illegally and millions of others who have the means to pay for health care insurance but refuse to adjust their budget and lifestyle. And don’t expect any media type to question where in the Constitution Congress derives any authority to dispense health care.” —Janet LaRue

Soap Box Ravings wonders with government health care for all will it be mandated that those who are self-insured must use the government health insurance whether they want to or not. I doubt it. I really don't see Teddy Kennedy waiting in line in a doctor's office with all of the unemployed and social security recipients. Don't really see any high member of the government doing that.

The reason I say waiting in line is because the good doctors and surgeons will move to another country where they can charge and get reasonable fees. Think not? Have you ever wondered why such a large percentage of our doctors and surgeons are from other countries?

Although if you run enough illegal aliens through daily and the government is foots the tab I guess you could make a profit. The thought reminds me of a military sick call about 45 years ago.

Quote For Today

“A liberal is a man who will give away everything he doesn’t own.” —Frank Dane

How Much Does It Cost The Federal Government For a Presidential Election

How much does it cost the federal government for a presidential election? Much of the costs for the election are born by the candidates. Some more of the cost is paid for by the political parties themselves. And the individual states bear a large portion of the costs since they have to purchase and pay for all of the voting machines and the support systems for them.

After due thought, all other things being relatively equal from election to election, Soap Box ravings has come to the conclusion that this election is going to be the most expensive one ever for the federal government. In fact it appears that it will be about 150 Billion dollars more in new costs than any previous election which is the estimated cost of the "cookie" that mother government wants to feed selected citizens of this country.

Soap Box Ravings can't help but wonder what costs Nancy Pelosi, the most ethical speaker of the hose ever, and her fellow party members are going to cut since they campaigned on making sure they balanced the books.

They are not the only ones feeding at the trough. It appears to be a stampede led by President Bush. It seems like every politician in Washington, DC wants to be remembered for passing out "free cookies" to the citizens of this country.

Nuff Said Bout This

The Associated Press reported on 26 January, 2008 that Saddam Hussein allowed the world to believe he had weapons of mass destruction to deter rival Iran and did not think the United States would stage a major invasion.

Saddam did not expect a U.S. invasion and deliberately kept the world guessing about his weapons program, although he already had gotten rid of it.

The full article is available at: http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,160823,00.html?wh=news

Soap Box Ravings would file this information under the heading of "Don't do the crime if you can't do the time" with subheadings under "You reap what you sow." In law enforcement this is sometimes known as "suicide by LEO."

Soap Box Ravings can not help but wonder if U. S. President's had a history of reacting quickly and firmly to world situations would Saddam have played this game. For example in the "walk softly and carry a big stick" era of Teddy Roosevelt it is hard to imagine that Saddam would have played that game. And now we have the leader if Iran, Mahmūd Ahmadinejād, pulling our chain to see how we measure up.

When Republicans Act Like Democrats

From The Patriot Post:
“We’re all Keynesians now." So famously declared Richard Nixon back in 1971, in what we thought was a different economic era. But after [recent events], we’re not sure what decade we’re in. With Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and President Bush both endorsing temporary tax cuts and more federal spending as ‘fiscal stimulus,’ an inflation-adjusted version of Jimmy Carter’s $50 rebate can’t be far behind. Appearing before Congress, Mr. Bernanke told Democrats what he thought they wanted to hear. The former academic economist blessed a ‘fiscal stimulus package,’ as long as it is ‘explicitly temporary.’ How new federal spending can be ‘temporary,’ he didn't say, as if a dollar collected in taxes or borrowed and then spent can be recalled. The ‘temporary’ line was thus a dagger aimed directly at the heart of Mr. Bush’s desire to make his tax cuts permanent. The Fed chief did aver that, ‘Again, I’m not taking a view one way or the other on the desirability of those long-term tax cuts being made permanent.’ But of course refusing to endorse something is itself a point of view—a point Democrats were already joyfully repeating... Instead, Mr. Bernanke embraced the explicit Keynesian notion that the government should write checks to ‘low and moderate income people,’ who will spend it quickly and thus lift consumer demand... We’re all for putting more money in the hands of the poor and moderate earners, especially via stronger economic growth that will give them better paying jobs. But the $250 or $500 one-time rebate check they may now receive has to come from somewhere. The feds will pay for it either by taxing or borrowing from someone else, and those people will have that much less to spend or invest themselves. We are thus supposed to believe it is ‘stimulating’ to take money from one pocket and hand it to another.” —The Wall Street Journal

Soap Box Ravings remains in awe and feels that even more amazing bullshit awaits us. There is an old saying that a fool and his money are soon parted. So we spend millions of dollars and the only benefit is many of the low wage earners now have a high definition television.

Soap Box Ravings can't help but wonder if the federal government for example started to repair or maybe even increase the interstate highway system that we would reduce unemployment, get money rolling through the economy and the low income wage earners may decrease in this country. Or the federal government could hire folks to repair and or improve the National Parks System.

Spending money to create jobs would eventually result in more folks paying taxes. Just handing out money will not help anyone.

Pick Up Your Head And You Can See The Future Coming At You

The whole story is at US Concealed Carry: www.uscca.us/news/newsletter/burglars-have-rights-terminal-stupidity/

In an article titled "Burglars have rights too, says [British] Attorney General," Melissa Kite and Andrew Alderson discuss the rights of British householders and their governments defense of the rights of burglars.

The British Prime Minister had pledged to look again at British law with a view to giving homeowners more rights to protect themselves.


Lord Goldsmith, the attorney-general, said that criminals must also have the right to protection from violence.

Sir John Stevens, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, denied that a change in the law, which currently gives homeowners the right to use “reasonable force” when tackling intruders, would encourage burglars to become more aggressive.

Sir John - in favour of the Right to Fight Back campaign said: “I am convinced that enabling householders to use whatever force is necessary will discourage burglars.

Lord Goldsmith, said “We must protect victims and law abiding citizens; but we have to recognize that others have some rights as well. They don’t lose all rights because they’re engaged in criminal conduct.”

Sir John spoke of his regret about the repercussions over the verdict on Tony Martin, the farmer who shot dead one burglar and seriously injured another during a break-in at his farm in August 1999.

There was a public outcry when Martin was found guilty at Norwich Crown Court and sentenced to life in prison. The charge and sentence were later reduced to five years for manslaughter.

Sir John did not suggest that the jury had reached the wrong verdict, but added: “The Tony Martin case is unfortunate because it has skewed the debate [on the public’s right to protect their home]. But it is a fact that burglars have acted with greater confidence since the Tony Martin verdict and that has to be a matter of regret.”

Lord Goldsmith, however, warned of the dangers of using the Martin case to make bad law: “There are very few cases that have given rise to this problem. Besides Tony Martin, there’s only one I know about."

Soap Box Ravings says Tony Martin plus one equals two. It really sucks to be them. This is the condition a lot of folks in this country would like us to be in and I am disregarding the burglars and others who commit the crimes. I am only talking of our "Gun Free Zone" neighbors.

Freedom Of Speech Carries Certain Responsibilities

From The Patriot Post, 01-18-08, http://patriotpost.us/

’Non Compos Mentis’: Deep-fried radio

A public radio station in Utah is under fire this week after the “Fair Game with Faith Salie” program ran a skit called “Huck and the Eucharist,” which mocked Mike Huckabee’s “family recipe.” The particularly offensive part of the transcript talked about deep-frying the Eucharist, which Catholics consider to be the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ. Part of the transcript read, “Try this Huckabee family favorite. Deep-Fried Body of Christ—boring holy wafers no more. Take one Eucharist. Preferably post transubstantiation. Deep-fry in fat, not vegetable oil, ladies, until crispy. Serve piping hot.” Of course, the uproar was immediate and Faith Salie issued an apology several days later, but it should have been obvious that the skit was over the top before being aired. Note also that this was public radio. In other words, this skit was brought to you by the $393 million in taxpayer money that went to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for fiscal 2008. As Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, pointed out, “It would have been regarded as positively intolerant if it had been written about blacks, Jews or Muslims.” In that case, no doubt Ms. Salie would be unemployed.

Wind Off Nantucket

From The Patriot Post, 01-18,08, http://patriotpost.us/

To a liberal, no sacrifice is too great for someone else to bear, unless you are one of the elite such as Senator Edward (Ted) Kennedy:

One of Ted Kennedy’s most hated projects is about to come to fruition: The wind farm in Nantucket Sound off the Massachusetts coast. The U.S. Minerals Management Service declared that the 130 turbines could be built by Cape Wind at a cost of more than $1 billion, to be operational by 2011. The president of Cape Wind, Jim Gordon, said, “Any rational observer will understand that this project is not going to produce a negative environmental impact... This report validates that this is the right project in the right place at the right time.” Well, no one ever accused Ted Kennedy of being a rational observer. On the contrary, Kennedy suffers from NIMBYS—Not In My Back Yard Syndrome—and was vehemently opposed to this environmentally friendly solution for energy because the turbines would be (barely) visible from Kennedy’s Hyannis compound. Pity, that. On the whole, we find the whole fight between Kennedy and one of the Democrats’ most important constituent groups, environmentalists, quite amusing.

Should Profs Pack Pistols?

My comments are referring to an article entitled, "Should Profs Pack Pistols?Virginia Tech Massacre Brings Campus Safety Duel To The Fore" By Pete Delea, 01-18-08. The complete article may be found at: www.dnronline.com/news_details.php?AID=14449&CHID=

After the Virgina Tech shootings many colleges have beefed up their security and communications procedures. Legislators, including some in Virginia, are proposing legislation to allow faculty members to carry weapons on state college campuses as long as they meet state requierements for concealed carry.

Across the country, many police officers have concerns on colleges abilities to protect students.

In Virginia, James Madison University is another college whose policies prevent anyone, staff or student from carrying guns on campus and officials want to keep it that way. JMU feels that their 36 member police department, which reviewed their polices after Virginia Tech, is adequate.

Soap Box Ravings points out that when you take a 36 person force, subtract management and then divide the bodies to cover the campus 24/7 there really is not many officers available at any given moment. SBR feels that Virginia Tech also felt their police department and procedures were adequate before the shootings.

JMU did install a new speaker system, upgrade their mass e-mailing capabilities to allow officials to send out 20,000 e-mails in a few minutes, and implement a new cell phone alert system to reach students, faculty and staff.

Soap Box Ravings says lets look at a scenario:

A pistol is pulled in a lecture hall and shooting starts. People in the area have to realize what is actually happening and call for assistance. Many 911 calls are made, the locations of the caller vary and each caller is trying to explain what they are hearing, the shooting and screaming they hear and where it is coming from. Almost immediastely the 911 operator is overwhelmed by the volume of information. All this information has to be forwarded to someone to input into e-mail and to initiate the cell phone calling procedures. If their info is not accurate people may be directed into the shooter or help may be directed away from the shooter.

By the way, Fire-Rescue does not enter a shooting scene until police have ensured the scene is safe for them.

Since the police have no idea how many shooters are involved, they have to stage themselves and prepare to enter the scene with backup to ensure officer safety. A 36 member police department is marginal in this situation if it happened when they are all at work. I can almost guarantee a 36 man department does not have 36 officers trained to work together in concert in the midst of a shooting spree. It is more likely that when the next largets department, for example the Sheriff's Office arrives, wil take over the sxcene and use their own officers to enter. Available JMU officers would most likely be used for scene confinement.

How many minutes do you guess have passed since the pistol was drawn and the first shot was fired; before police are staged and ready to enter the scene.

You pick the number of minutes. During those minutes, how many shots can be fired from a semiautomatic pistol? How much blood can a wounded person lose during this period of time. How much of the "Golden Hour" (a limited time period that a physician has to restore life functions quickly to a trauma patient. If that window of opportunity is missed, fatal brain damage or irreversible shock will occur.)

Many bureaucrats and administrators show more concern that arriving officers may accidently shoot the "Responding Citizen" when they arrive. Therefore they believe that those under fire should just wait for help to come and save them. To see how ridiculous that is ask yourself what you should do if the campus building is on fire. Is a "Responding Citizen" allowed to help put out the fire or do they all sit in the classroom and wait for direction from the Fire Department.

State concealed weapons permits are not handed out willy-nilly in any states except New Hampshire and Alaska. They don't hand them out willy-nilly, they allow everyone with no permit required to carry a concealed firearm except those prohibited by law.

Police: Tiger Attack Victim "Taunted" Tiger

Soap Box Ravings has to wonder if the word "Taunting" is even in a tigers vocabulary. When food of any type exhibits itself to a tiger, is the food "taunting" the tiger. This is a tiger, DUHHH!

Did the attendant that was mauled earlier while feeding that same tiger "Taunt" the tiger?

Regardless of what those kids did to "Taunt" the tiger' except for actually entering the tigers lair, the zoo should have ensured the cage was secure. And the more viciousness the tiger had exhibited previously, the more secure the cage should have been.

Soap Box Ravings can't help but believe that any wild animal, and particularly tigers, can't help evaluate each "meal" that passes their cage on two or more legs. Regardless of the behavior exhibited by the injured members of the public, the zoo was responsible for the security of the tiger.

BOHICA

Soap Box Ravings received this via e-mail today: Ralph Peters is a retired United States Army Lieutenant Colonel, novelist and essayist.

NAVAL ERROR IN THE GULF

by Ralph Peters

January 8, 2008 -- EARLY Sunday morning, the US Navy lost its nerve and guaranteed that American sailors will die at Iranian hands in the future.

As three of our warships passed through the Straits of Hormuz, five small Iranian patrol craft rushed them. As the Revolutionary Guard boats neared our vessels, an Iranian officer broadcast a threat to our ships, claiming they'd soon explode.

The Iranians tossed boxes into the water. Mines? Just in case, our ships took evasive action.

The Iranians kept on coming, closing to a distance of 200 meters - about two football fields. Supposedly, our Navy was ready to open fire but didn't shoot because the Iranians turned away at the moment the order was given.

We should've sunk every one of them.

Not because we're warmongers. But because the Iranians had made threats, verbal and physical, that amounted to acts of war. When will we learn that resolute action taken early saves vast amounts of blood and treasure later?

Oh, from Washington's perspective we did the right thing by "exercising restraint." But Washington's perspective doesn't amount to a gum wrapper in a gutter. What matters is what the Iranians think.

They now believe that the Bush administration, our military and the entire United States are afraid of them.

It goes back to the politicized and irresponsible recent National Intelligence Estimate that insisted the Iranians had abandoned their nuclear-weapons program years ago.

They didn't. They're pursuing enriched uranium as fast as they can. That's what you need for bombs. At most, Tehran ordered its weaponeering efforts to parade rest - until it has the ingredients it needs, after which building bombs won't take long at all.

Forget Washington's trust-fund-twit view of all this:

Here's how the train of thought rolled down the tracks in Tehran:

"The Americans have told the world we don't want nuclear weapons, even though they know we do want them. That can only mean that America is afraid to confront us, that their weak, defeated president needs an excuse to back down.

"We can push these cowardly Americans now. They've had enough in Iraq. Their spirits are broken. Their next president will run away like a gazelle pursued by a lion.

"Even their military is frightened of us. On Sunday, America's might bowed down to us. They are frightened and godless, and the time has come to push them."

Sunday's incident wasn't a one-off event improvised by the local yokels after a long Saturday night at the hookah bar. It was blessed and carefully planned in Tehran and had practical as well as political goals.

At the tactical level, the Revolutionary Guards' naval arm was testing our responses:

How soon do the American weapons radars activate?

At what range do the lasers begin to track targets?

How close can a small vessel get to a major American warship?

How do the Americans respond to possible mines?

Can we use phony mines to steer them into real ones?

How long does it take an American commander to make a decision?

Above all: Does an American commander have the courage to make a decision on his own? When he doesn't have time to deflect responsibility onto his superiors?

And it wasn't just some madrassa dropout with salt spray on his glasses scribbling notes on the lead Iranian boat. On shore, the Iranians would've had all their intelligence facilities tuned in to map our electronic profile as our ships prepared to defend themselves. Rent-a-Russian military experts would've been onhand to assist with the newest gear purchased from Moscow.

The Iranians may even have had an escalation plan, in case we opened fire. President Ahmedinejad and his posse may seem contemptible to Washington, but the Iranians think several moves ahead of us: We play checkers, they play chess.

On Sunday, the Iranians tested us. We failed. They'll probe us again. And every time we fail to react decisively, we raise the number of future US casualties.

Remember the USS Cole?

You bet the Iranians do. They plan to better that attack by an order of magnitude.

For almost 70 years, we've deployed the finest navy in the history of the world. But it looks increasingly as if we've gone from "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!" to "Will this interfere with my next promotion?"

Ralph Peters' latest book is "Wars of Blood and Faith."


Soap Box Ravings is in complete agreement with LTC Peter's assessment of this situation. This is the way our country now appears to do business. a parallel to this happens on a daily basis in law enforcement across this country. Politicians, Chief's of Police and senior management to often worry more about their future than they do about the "Rule Of Law." It's not only in the US Navy or the military.

On the other hand, Soap Box Ravings is a firm believer in the saying "There is no such thing as a free lunch." Someone will have to pay the tab sooner or later.

The Master Speaks

On Monday, January 10, 2008 Bill Clinton accused Barack Obama of fudging his early position on the Iraq war, and then said, "This whole thing is the biggest fairy tale I've ever seen."

Soap Box Ravings believes that if anyone in this country could recognize a fairy tale it would be Bill Clinton. However, Soap Box Ravings is amazed that Bill Clinton would give credit to anyone with a bigger fairy tale than some of those the world witnessed when under Bill Clinton's leadership.

Here Is Some Excellent Training

Reported on Officer.com

North Carolina Campus Shooting Drill 'Real as it Gets'

January 8th, 2008 (See http://www.officer.com/online/article.jsp?siteSection=1&id=39649 for the complete article)


The training exercise was conducted at UNC-Greensboro. It was set up to be as real as possible.

Shots rang out, a hooded gunman was seen and another gunman took hostages.

More than 120 law enforcement officers and 85 role-players took part in a full-scale active shooter exercise.

The exercise, which had been planned before the mass shooting at Virginia Tech, was finally put into effect. The exercise was conducted while the students were on a holiday break.


Soap Box Ravings congratulates the University of North Carolina for their use of this type of training exercise. This is exactly the type of training that should be conducted in various schools, shopping malls, airports, churches and anywhere else large groups of people are found. OUTSTANDING

Two Opposing Columns From The Roanoke Times, You Decide

August 31, 2006

Unarmed and vulnerable

Bradford B. Wiles

Wiles, of New Castle, is a graduate student at Virginia Tech.

On Aug. 21 at about 9:20 a.m., my graduate-level class was evacuated from the Squires Student Center. We were interrupted in class and not informed of anything other than the following words: "You need to get out of the building."

Upon exiting the classroom, we were met at the doors leading outside by two armor-clad policemen with fully automatic weapons, plus their side arms. Once outside, there were several more officers with either fully automatic rifles and pump shotguns, and policemen running down the street, pistols drawn.

It was at this time that I realized that I had no viable means of protecting myself.

Please realize that I am licensed to carry a concealed handgun in the commonwealth of Virginia, and do so on a regular basis. However, because I am a Virginia Tech student, I am prohibited from carrying at school because of Virginia Tech's student policy, which makes possession of a handgun an expellable offense, but not a prosecutable crime.

I had entrusted my safety, and the safety of others to the police. In light of this, there are a few things I wish to point out.

First, I never want to have my safety fully in the hands of anyone else, including the police.

Second, I considered bringing my gun with me to campus, but did not due to the obvious risk of losing my graduate career, which is ridiculous because had I been shot and killed, there would have been no graduate career for me anyway.

Third, and most important, I am trained and able to carry a concealed handgun almost anywhere in Virginia and other states that have reciprocity with Virginia, but cannot carry where I spend more time than anywhere else because, somehow, I become a threat to others when I cross from the town of Blacksburg onto Virginia Tech's campus.

Of all of the emotions and thoughts that were running through my head that morning, the most overwhelming one was of helplessness.

That feeling of helplessness has been difficult to reconcile because I knew I would have been safer with a proper means to defend myself.

I would also like to point out that when I mentioned to a professor that I would feel safer with my gun, this is what she said to me, "I would feel safer if you had your gun."

The policy that forbids students who are legally licensed to carry in Virginia needs to be changed.

I am qualified and capable of carrying a concealed handgun and urge you to work with me to allow my most basic right of self-defense, and eliminate my entrusting my safety and the safety of my classmates to the government.

This incident makes it clear that it is time that Virginia Tech and the Commonwealth of Virginia let me take responsibility for my safety.


Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Imagine if students were armed
Larry Hincker

Hincker is the associate vice president for university relations at Virginia Tech.

After the fear, and dare I say, panic from the events of Aug. 21, it is absolutely mind-boggling to see the opinions of Bradford Wiles ("Unarmed and vulnerable," Aug. 31).

I once worked for an out-of-touch manager who gave rather absurd directions. My colleagues and I would do as directed and dubbed it "malicious compliance," knowing the task to be inane and the manager's foibles would soon be apparent.

The editors of this page must have printed this commentary if for no other reason than malicious compliance. Surely, they scratched their heads saying, "I can't believe he really wants to say that."

Wiles tells us that he didn't feel safe with the hundreds of highly trained officers armed with high powered rifles encircling the building and protecting him. He even implies that he needed his sidearm to protect himself against the officers.

On that fateful Monday, campus was understandably on edge. Elvis-type sightings of the escaped prisoner around campus were rampant. People were legitimately concerned about where he might be. And although the police were relatively confident they had the suspect cornered (they were ultimately proved right), the anxiety level elsewhere on campus was very high.

Panic calls from within the Squires Student Center quickly morphed from facts into rumors, including a frantic call alleging a hostage situation. The police had no choice but to move a massive force from the manhunt site to that side of campus to deal with the hostage rumor.

The writer would have us believe that a university campus, with tens of thousands of young people, is safer with everyone packing heat. Imagine the continual fear of students in that scenario. We've seen that fear here, and we don't want to see it again.

Who among us thinks the writer of the commentary would not have been directly in harm's way if he showed himself to those tactical squads while displaying a deadly weapon? Would he even be here today to tell us the story? Contrary to his position, the writer's commentary actually gives credence to the university policy preventing weapons in classrooms.

Guns don't belong in classrooms. They never will. Virginia Tech has a very sound policy preventing same.

April 16, 2007

On April 16, 2007 a single Virginia Tech student went on a shooting rampage which lead to the deaths of 32 students and staff members.

Some Ideas To Ponder On

Here is some newspaper articles from The Durango Herald, 1275 Main Ave, Durango, Colorado 81301; A Revolving Legacy, Southwest Colorado residents reveal why guns are important in their lives. Each response circles around freedom and the traditions of the West

http://durangoherald.com/asp-bin/article_generation.asp?article_type=news&article_path=/news/05/news050814_5.htm

Soap Box Ravings feels that all of those traditions are not necessarily limited to the West.

NRA Files Suit Over Katrina Gun Seizures

In an Associated Press WorldStream article titled "NRA Files Suit Over Katrina Gun Seizures" dated 12/27/07 the following items were presented:

Comments italicized and in bold were added by Soap Box Ravings in an attempt to bring this item back towards the right from the stance of the AP's presentation.

The National Rifle Association (NRA) identified as a "powerful gun lobby organization" has hired private investigators to track down hundreds of gun owners whose firearms were seized (illegally) by New Orleans police after Hurricane Katrina.

The NRA is trying to locate gun owners (those who owned the seized firearms) for a federal lawsuit that the "lobbying group" (NRA) filed against Mayor Ray Nagin and Police Superintendent Warren Riley over the city's (illegal) seizure of firearms after the Aug. 29, 2005, hurricane.

As the flooded city descended into chaos and looting, authorities said they took guns from abandoned (evacuated) homes and from people trying to take the (legally owned and possessed) guns into shelters or onto evacuation buses in an effort to keep them out of criminals' hands. As the local police were overwhelmed, the National Guard was called in to assist in patrols.

The NRA's lawsuit marks a continuation of the group's efforts to protect Americans' constitutional right to bear arms. The group's influence in the U.S. Congress has been cited by critics as being behind most efforts to block gun law reforms (restrictions).

In the lawsuit, which is set for trial in February, the NRA and the Second Amendment Foundation claim the city violated gun owners' right to bear arms as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The lawsuit says the gun owners were left at the mercy of roving gangs, home invaders, and other criminals" after Katrina. (Many New Orleans Police Officers were busy looting the city themselves as shown on national television or they disappeared and did not report for work.)

The NRA says the city seized more than 1,000 guns that were not part of any criminal investigation after the hurricane. Police have said they took only guns that had been stolen or found in abandoned homes. (When Soap Box Ravings was a police officer and was trained in the Fourth Amendment (Search & Seizure) he was trained that you only were allowed to look in areas where the object of the search could be found. In other words when looking for a stolen refrigerator, you would not be looking in someones dresser drawers. Nor would you look there for a missing person).

In April 2006, police made about 700 firearms available for owners to claim if they could present a bill of sale or an affidavit with the weapon's serial number. (In Soap Box Ravings' opinion, this is the type of "after the fact" bureaucratic behavior designed to minimize the return of the illegally seized property and one of the reasons for the lawsuit. Think about it, after a major hurrican and flooding disaster how many of you could come up with a bill of sale or an (unknown type of) affidavit for Gramp's old .38 or his deer rifle?)

In court papers filed Monday, NRA attorneys say investigators have found few of the guns' owners because the storm has scattered so many residents. NRA lawyer Daniel Holliday said investigators have identified about 300 of the gun owners and located about 75 of them. Some could be called to testify during a trial, he added. "Finding these folks has been a nightmare," Holliday said. "That is really the guts of our case - to establish that there was indeed a pattern of the police going out and taking people's guns without any legal reason to do so."

The NRA will not be satisfied until the police department has returned all the guns or reimbursed their owners. (In Soap Box Ravings opinion there should be some type of personal judgment found against the public officials responsible for the orders to confiscate private property illegally. )

Alan Gottlieb, founder of the Second Amendment Foundation, said the police have returned only about 100 of the 1,000 seized guns. "Obviously, we don't expect the city to find everybody. We only wanted to see a good-faith effort, and that's what the city didn't do," Gottlieb said. "It's a bad example to let them get away with it."

Soap Box Ravings can not help but wonder how many items besides firearms were confiscated by New Orleans Police Officers from "abandoned" homes that were never seen by the rightful owners again. Any property seized in a lawful police action should have been tagged and identified with the location, date and time from which it was seized. The address should have been included with the location along with any known information on who lived in that location. Homes evacuated for a storm were not abandoned. Homes that were actually abandoned would not have been abandoned until much later after the storm and flooding had done their damage. The police statement they only took firearms from "abandoned" homes has all the earmarks of damage control bulls**t.

War Is An Ugly Thing

War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.


John Stuart Mill
English economist & philosopher (1806 - 1873)