Qualifications? What Are Qualifications?

“[T]here is one job we can’t afford on-the-job training for—that’s the job of our next president. Every day spent learning the ropes is another day of rising costs, mounting deficits and growing anxiety for our families.” —Hillary Clinton jabbing Barack Obama

“My understanding was that she wasn’t Treasury secretary in the Clinton administration, so I don’t know exactly what experiences she’s claiming.” —Barack Obama jabbing back “There is no doubt that Bill Clinton had faith in her and consulted with her on issues, in the same way that I would consult with Michelle, if there were issues. On the other hand, I don’t think Michelle would claim that she is the best qualified person to be a U.S. senator by virtue of me talking to her on occasion about the work I’ve done. I think the fact of the matter is that Sen. Clinton is claiming basically the entire eight years of the Clinton presidency as her own, except for the stuff that didn’t work out, in which case she has nothing to do with it.” —Barack Obama back at her


Soap Box Ravings wonders if either of them have any "qualifications" other than the minimum legal qualifications required to run for the Presidency.

It is Soap Box Raving's opinion that neither of them have demonstrated any ability nor proficiency that would cause me to believe that either of them is capable of being the President of the United States of America.

American Heritage Dictionary:

1. The act of qualifying or the condition of being qualified.

2. A quality, ability, or accomplishment that makes a person suitable for a
particular position or task.

3. A condition or circumstance that must be met or complied with: fulfilled the
qualifications for registering to vote in the presidential election.

4. A restriction or modification: an offer with a number of qualifications.

Food For Thought

Soap Box Ravings says this information arrived via the internet. You will find similiar accounts posted on various sites. It is posted here because it matches my basic philosophy of life.

To all you old law dogs now just lyin' in the shade; current pistoleros and other fervent Second Amendment believers:

I would rather be your friend, but if you are not interested in that, I am prepared to be a capable and efficient enemy. ~ Jeff Cooper


This is the law:

(1)The purpose of fighting is to win.

(2)There is no possible victory in defense.

(3)The sword is more important than the shield and skill is more important than either.

(4) The final weapon is the brain.

All else is supplemental." ~ John Steinbeck


Some Natural Rules of Life:

1- Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old to fight, he'll just kill you.

2- If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics probably stink.

3- I carry a gun, 'cause a cop is too heavy.

4- America is not at war. The U.S. Military is at war. America is at the mall.

5- When seconds count, remember the cops are just minutes away, the bad guy is all ready there.

6- A reporter did a human interest piece on the Texas Rangers. The reporter recognized the Colt Model 1911 the Ranger was carrying and asked him "Why do you carry a 45?". The Ranger response was, "Because they don't make a 46."

7- An armed man will kill an unarmed man with monotonous regularity.

8- The old sheriff was attending an awards dinner when a lady commented on his wearing his sidearm. "Sheriff, I see you have your pistol, are you expecting trouble?"

The old sheriff responded; "No Ma'am. If I were expecting trouble, I would have brought my rifle."

9- Beware of the man who only has one gun. He probably knows how to use it!

Congress Flies First Class

With exquisite timing, Boeing chooses the Thanksgiving travel weekend to deliver a top-of-the-line Boeing Business Jet that will be assigned to Congress -- the very same folks who have charged billions in air travel taxes over the decades and left us with 1930s blind-landing technology.

The C-40C, jam-packed with 40 seats by luxury-jet specialists at Greenpoint Technologies, is the third and last of a batch ordered in 2005. They will be operated by the USAF reserve to carry Congressional delegations around the world.

Funny how none of our elected Representatives or Senators ever mention these $70 million jets and their maintenance and operating costs as an example of wasteful defense spending. Or as an example of an unjustified Air Force mission that doesn't support our soldiers on the ground.

Getting ready for the Twins

Check out these beauties, they are on the way courtesy of Sam's Club and some lucky trucker.



I spent a lot of time checking these out. The hard part was figuring out how to move them into the house as some delivery services want the receiver to unload the truck. They might be pretty, but they are also hefty. My son is a pretty good sized lad but he got a little pasty in the face when I asked him to help me move them into the house since he knows these sweeties approach the 600 pound mark.

However, I found an appliance or vending machine mover which can handle 1200 pounds at Northern Tool.com for $149.99. Now whenever they need to be moved we can do it with ease. The folks at Sam's Club said the delivery driver will place them at the nearest entrance of the house to the curb which is the garage...Perfect.

So until they arrive, I will be busy fixing their spot in the Man Room.

More to come on this adventure, at this point all seems to be complete except for the "Aw Sh*t" which kinda, usually, sneaks up on my carefully laid plan.

Darrell Scott's Testimony

Darrell Scott is the father of Rachel Scott, one of thirteen victims murdered at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, 20 April 1999 by two sociopaths. Twenty-four students were injured. Mr. Scott testified before the House Judiciary Committee subcommittee on crime delivered 27 May 1999, Rayburn House office building in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Scott's remarks:

Since the dawn of creation there has been both good & evil in the hearts of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers. The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out in the field.

The villain was not the club he used. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain's heart. In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA.

I am not a member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA - because I don't believe that they are responsible for my daughter's death. Therefore I do not believe that they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel's murder I would be their strongest opponent.

I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy-it was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies! Much of the blame lies here in this room.

Much of the blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves. I wrote a poem that expresses my feelings best. This was written way before I knew I would be speaking here today:

Your laws ignore our deepest needs,

Your words are empty air.

You've stripped away our heritage,

You've outlawed simple prayer.

Now gunshots fill our classrooms,

And precious children die.

You seek for answers everywhere,

And ask the question "Why?"

You regulate restrictive laws,

Through legislative creed.

And yet you fail to understand,

That God is what we need!

Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, soul, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and reek havoc. Spiritual influences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation's history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact.

What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties.

We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own hearts.

Political posturing and restrictive legislation are not the answers. The young people of our nation hold the key. There is a spiritual awakening taking place that will not be squelched! We do not need more religion. We do not need more gaudy television evangelists spewing out verbal religious garbage. We do not need more million dollar church buildings built while people with basic needs are being ignored.

We do need a change of heart and a humble acknowledgment that this nation was founded on the principle of simple trust in God! As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes, he did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right!

I challenge every young person in America, and around the world, to realize that on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School prayer was brought back to our schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain. Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your God-given right to communicate with Him. To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA- I give to you a sincere challenge.

Dare to examine your own heart before casting the first stone! My daughter's death will not be in vain! The young people of this country will not allow that to happen!

More Ravings

There are people I talk with whom I sometimes believe may think me rather single minded on my position relating to firearms and personal responsibility.

For those who may read this post, Google any or all of the suggestions listed below:

Woman Dies After Dispatcher Refuses to Send Help

Slow Police Response or

Slow Fire Department Response

Read some of the responses. I think the results are kinda shocking.

Soap Box Ravings says, "Help is moments (?) away and always dependent upon someone else. With the proper planning, you may have resolved the problem before help arrives. Without the proper planning, someone else may resolve your problem (and not necessarily to your benefit) before help arrives."

Todays Commentary

Stop by these sites for updated commentary on the world today.

http://patriotpost.us/current/

http://www.mises.org/

http://www.cato.org/

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/

Ten Things I Hate

1. People who point at their wrist while asking for the time.... I know where my watch is pal, where the heck is yours? Do I point at my crotch when I ask where the toilet is?

2 People who are willing to get off their butt to search the entire room for the T.V. remote because they refuse to walk to the T.V. and change the channel manually.

3 When people say "Oh you just want to have your cake and eat it too". Dang right! What good is cake if you can't eat it too?

4 When people say "it's always the last place you look". Of course it is. Why the heck would you keep looking after you've found it? Do people do this? Who and where are they? They need their butts kicked!

5 When people say while watching a film "did you see that?". No loser, I paid $12 to come to the cinema and stare at the darn floor.

6 People who ask "Can I ask you a question?".... Didn't really give me a choice there, did ya sunshine?

7. When something is 'new and improved!' Which is it? If it's new, then there has never been anything before it. If it's an improvement, then there must have been something before it, couldn't be new.

8 When people say "life is short". What the heck? Life is the longest darn thing anyone ever does!! What can you do that's longer?

9 When you are waiting for the bus and someone asks "Has the bus come yet?". If the bus came would I be standing here, dumbass?

10. If you carry a cell phone and I call, answer the damn thing. Like it or not, I called and I want to talk to you or I would not have called you in the first place.

Celebrate Diversity

The Irrelevance Of The Peaceful Majority

A man whose family was German aristocracy prior to World War II owned a number of large industries and estates. When asked how many German people were true Nazis, the answer he gave can guide our attitude toward fanaticism.

"Very few people were true Nazis "he said," but many enjoyed the return of German pride, and many more were too busy to care. I was one of those who just thought the Nazis were a bunch of fools. So, the majority just sat back and let it all happen. Then, before we knew it, they owned us, and we had lost control, and the end of the world had come. My family lost everything. I landed in a concentration camp and the Allies destroyed my factories."

We are told again and again by "experts" and "talking heads" that Islam is the religion of peace, and that the vast majority of Muslims just want to live in peace.

Although this unqualified assertion may be true, it is entirely irrelevant! It is meaningless fluff, meant to make us feel better, and meant to somehow diminish the specter of fanatics rampaging across the globe in the name of Islam.

The fact is that the fanatics rule Islam at this moment in history.

It is the fanatics who march. It is the fanatics who wage any one of 50 shooting wars worldwide. It is the fanatics who systematically slaughter Christian or tribal Groups throughout Africa and are gradually taking over the entire Continent in an Islamic wave. It is the fanatics who bomb, behead, murder, or honor kill. It is the fanatics who take over mosque after mosque. It is the fanatics who zealously spread the stoning and hanging of rape victims and homosexuals. The hard quantifiable fact is that the "peaceful majority" the "silent majority" is cowed and extraneous.

Communist Russia comprised Russians who just wanted to live in peace, yet the Russian Communists were responsible for the murder of about 20 million people. The peaceful majority were irrelevant. China's huge population, it was peaceful as well, but Chinese Communists managed to kill a staggering 70 million people.

The average Japanese individual prior to World War 2 was not a warmongering sadist. Yet, Japan murdered and slaughtered its way across South East Asia in an orgy of killing that included the systematic murder of 12 million Chinese civilians ; most killed by sword, shovel and bayonet.

And, who can forget Rwanda, which collapsed into butchery. Could it not be said that the majority of Rwandans were "peace loving"?

History lessons are often incredibly simple and blunt, yet for all our powers of reason we often miss the most basic and uncomplicated of points: Peace-loving Muslims have been made irrelevant by their silence.

Peace-loving Muslims will become our enemy if they don't speak up, because like my friend from Germany, they will awake one day and find that the fanatics own them, and the end of their world will have begun.

Peace-loving Germans, Japanese, Chinese, Russians, Rwandans, Serbs, Afghans, Iraqis, Palestinians, Somalis, Nigerians, Algerians, and many others have died because the peaceful majority did not speak up until it was too late.

As for us who watch it all unfold; we must pay attention to the only group that counts; the fanatics who threaten our way of life.

Soap Box Ravings did not write this, it showed up in his in-box. The author was not identified and my attempts to identify him or her were unsuccessful. However, Soap Box Ravings while not attempting to offend anyone believes this issue to be very serious and by posting this message he hopes to fight the passiveness that allows this situation to expand.

Helping Those Who Need It

Soap Box Ravings says: "Like a lot of folks in this country...I have a job. I work, they pay me.

I pay my taxes and the government distributes my taxes as it sees fit.

In order to get that paycheck, I am required to pass a random urine test, with which I have no problem.

What I do have a problem with is the distribution of my taxes to people who don't have to pass a urine test.

Shouldn't one have to pass a urine test to get a welfare check because I have to pass one to earn it for hem?

Please understand, I have no problem with helping people get back on their feet.

I do on the other hand have a problem with helping someone sitting on their butt and using drugs.

Could you imagine how much money the state would save if people had to pass a urine test to get a public assistance check?"

The Police Are only Moments Away (Hehehehehe)

The Ormond Beach Police Department will soon close their police station at night to save money.

Soap Box Ravings wonders if the upper level management of Ormond Beach managed to get any pay raises this year.

The County will take over taking over dispatch duties for Ormond Beach, which is a real money saver. There will be no more civilians working here 24-7, the Department will lock the lobby doors at 6 p.m. and they will remain closed until 6 a.m.

Some Ormond beach citizens are concerned that citizens' safety will be compromised when the police lock their doors overnight. The Chief says no.

Soap Box Ravings thinks since the Chief says No, he was probably in on the conception of the plan.

Ormond Beach police will turn over dispatching duties to the County and communications officers who previously were available throughout the night will not be there after hours.

Soap Box Ravings believes this is a good plan, on paper. However, the plan seems destined for disaster when the excrement hits the fan. When county dispatchers are overwhelmed on the night shift by an emergency in the county, the residents of Ormond Beach may well be ignored. Unless of course, the county adds more dispatchers to cover the increased communications load...........but then they would have to charge the cost of additional dispatchers to..........Ormond Beach.

Illegal Aliens

The majority of politicians are aware of the information presented here, they just don't care.

1. $11 Billion to $22 billion is spent on welfare to illegal aliens each year.

http://tinyurl.com/zob77

2. $2.2 Billion dollars a year is spent on food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens.

http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html

3. $2.5 Billion dollars a year is spent on Medicaid for illegal aliens.

http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html

4. $12 Billion dollars a year is spent on primary and secondary school education for children here illegally and they cannot speak a word of English!

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.0.html

5. $17 Billion dollars a year is spent for education for the American-born children of illegal aliens, known as anchor babies.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

6. $3 Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate illegal aliens.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

7. 30% percent of all Federal Prison inmates are illegal aliens.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

8. $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on illegal aliens for Welfare & social services by the American taxpayers.

http://premium.cnn.com/TRANSCIPTS/0610/29/ldt.01.html

9. $200 Billion Dollars a year in suppressed American wages are caused by the illegal aliens.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

10. The illegal aliens in the United States have a crime rate that's two and a half times that of white non-illegal aliens. In particular, their children, are going to make a huge additional crime problem in the United States

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/12/ldt.01.html

11. During the year of 2005 there were 4 to 10 MILLION illegal aliens that crossed our Southern Border also, as many as 19,500 illegal aliens from Terrorist Countries. Millions of pounds of drugs, cocaine, meth., heroine and marijuana, crossed into the U. S. from the Southern border. Homeland Security Report:

http://tinyurl.com/t9sht

12. The National Policy Institute, "estimated that the total cost of mass deportation would be between $206 and $230 billion or an average cost of between $41 and $46 billion annually over a five year period."

http://www.nationalpolicyinstitute.org/pdf/deportation.pdf

13. In 2006 illegal aliens sent home $45 BILLION in remittances back to their countries of origin.

http://www.rense.com/general75/niht.htm

14. "The Dark Side of Illegal Immigration: Nearly One Million Sex Crimes Committed by Illegal Immigrants in the United States."

http://www.drdsk.com/articleshtml

So using the LOWEST estimates, the annual cost OF ILLEGAL ALIENS is $338.3 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR! So if deporting them costs between $206 and $230 BILLION DOLLARS, Hell, get rid of 'em, We will all be ahead before the end of the 1st year!!!

Soap Box Ravings says "Americans need to first wake up and then pay attention."

What's With This

Soap Box Ravings wonders why when the subject of any Democrats criticism responds, such as al-Maliki's response to Senator Clinton and Senator Levin, it is reported as "Iraqi Leader Lashes Out at U.S." The media never describes the statements of the Democrats as lashing out.

One For The Dogs

Michael Vick was identified by a police canine who hit on drugs in a car in a night club parking lot. The subject who owned the car was Vick's cousin Davon Boddie.

After arresting Boddie, the police got a search warrant for the address Boddie provided as his. When police searched the address they identified 66 dogs and evidence of dog fighting.

Michael Vick's claim that he was never there was proven to be false.

Soap Box Ravings, a retired MCPO and now a retired police officer always loves it when the puzzle fits together. A cop and a dog, doing their job. I have always maintained that the we, the police, are not so smart but that the bad guys are soooo stupid. Just like the idiot who gets mad at his "Old Lady" and calls the police to throw her out while he "forgets" about the warrants issued in his name. A professional officer when involved, runs every ones name. The results are often very surprising. During my tenure, I never had to look for an arrest, they came to me like I was a ***t magnet.

I Wonder Why

Clinton Says Attack Would Help GOP

By Alexander Mooney,CNN for AOL, 2007-08-25

WASHINGTON (Aug. 25) - She says she is the Democrat best equipped to fight terrorists, but White House hopeful Sen. Hillary Clinton told New Hampshire voters Thursday that another attack on the United States would likely help Republican candidates at the polls.

Soap Box Ravings believes the "Democrat best equipped to fight terrorists" is really not equipped at all, specifically since she has no understanding of the fight being conducted by our government at the present time.


Soap Box Ravings also wonders if an attack by terrorists before the election would benefit Republicans does that not indicate some essential flaw in the Democrats strategy or their basic party platform as related to the defense of this country.

Sen. Hillary Clinton said the Republicans would benefit politically if a terrorist attack occurred before the '08 vote.

"It's a horrible prospect to ask yourself, 'What if? What if?' " Clinton, a New York Democrat, told a house party in Concord, according to the New York Post and The Associated Press and confirmed by her campaign.

"But, if certain things happen between now and the election, particularly with respect to terrorism, that will automatically give the Republicans an advantage again, no matter how badly they have mishandled it, no matter how much more dangerous they have made the world."

A major difference between Soap Box Ravings and Senator Clinton is that we disagree on who made the world dangerous. It can be argued that many previous governmental decisions, both Republican and Democrat, contributed to the many people in this world who hate us, Muslim or otherwise. However, we did not initiate the attacks on the United States up to and including the 9/11 attacks on the United States.

Clinton added that if such a scenario occurred, she is the best Democratic presidential candidate "to deal with that."


Soap Box Ravings wonders if you can't even identify the enemy, how can you be the "best Democratic Presidential candidate "to deal with that.""

Clinton was in the crucial early voting state Thursday to unveil her health care plan.

A Clinton spokesman, Isaac Baker, told CNN "Sen. Clinton was making clear that she has the strength and experience to keep the country safe."

Soap Box Ravings wonders exactly what experience of Senator Clinton is going to ensure the safety of the United states. Her spokesman always make unverifiable claims concerning her strengths and experience. They never specifically point to anything verifiable.

Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Connecticut, who is also competing for the Democratic nomination, issued a statement Friday afternoon calling Clinton's remark "tasteless."

"Frankly, I find it tasteless to discuss political implications when talking about a potential terrorist attack on the United States," he said.

New Mexico Bill Richardson, another Democratic presidential candidate, disparaged Clinton's remark.

"We shouldn't be thinking about terrorism in terms of its domestic political consequences, we should be protecting the country from terrorists," said Gov Richardson in a written statement.

Some Law Enforcement Words Of Wisdom

Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old to fight, he'll just kill you.

"If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck."

"I carry a gun, 'cause a cop is too heavy."

America is not at war. The U.S. Marine Corps is at war. America is at the mall.

When seconds count the cops are just minutes away.

When a reporter did a human interest piece on the Texas Rangers. The reporter recognized the 1911 the Ranger was carrying and asked him "Why do you carry a 45". The Ranger responded with, "They don't make a 46".

"An armed man will kill an unarmed man with monotonous regularity".


========================================================================

The old sheriff was attending an awards dinner when a lady
commented on his wearing his sidearm.

"Sheriff, I see you have your pistol. Are you expecting trouble?"

"No Ma'am. If I were expecting trouble, I would have brought my rifle."


========================================================================

"Beware the man who only has one gun. He probably knows how to use it"

One "Democrat" Worthy Of A Vote

Al Qaeda's Travel Agent

Senator Lieberman writes about the supply of terrorists entering Iraq through Syria.

Defeating al Qaeda in Iraq requires we target its links to "global" al Qaeda who enter Iraq through Syria. Foreign fighters (al Qaeda) in Iraq are supported through the Damascus airport. Syria as a country with much more control of their citizens than our country. In fact they have so much control it is impossible to believe al Qadea passes through without the Syrian governments knowledge.

You can see Senator Lieberman's complete article at:

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110010496

Mr. Lieberman is an Independent Democratic senator from Connecticut.


Soap Box Ravings believes this is a "Democrat" with principles. He does not appear to need a poll to identify the "right thing to do." The Democrats dumped him because of his failure to toe the party line thereby ensuring he stands apart from the likes of Hilary Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards, John Kerry and many other panderers of the Democrat party. I am sure Harry Truman and John Kennedy would be proud to call this man a friend.

Soap Box Ravings Presents This For Your Reading Pleasure

"I've Changed My Mind"
by USCCA Member 'yankeedime'


I try to be open-minded and study both sides of an argument. After studying the gun control issues I have to say that I now support gun control because...


1. Banning guns works, which is why New York, DC, Detroit & Chicago cops need guns.

2. Washington DC's low murder rate of 69 per 100,000 is due to strict gun control, and Indianapolis' high murder rate of 9 per 100,000 is due to the lack of gun control.

3. Statistics showing high murder rates justify gun control but statistics showing increasing murder rates after gun control are "just statistics."

4. The Brady Bill and the Assault Weapons Ban, both of which went into effect in 1994 are responsible for the decrease in violent crime rates, which have been declining since 1991.

5. We must get rid of guns because a deranged lunatic may go on a shooting spree at any time and anyone who would own a gun out of fear of such a lunatic is paranoid.

6. The more helpless you are the safer you are from criminals.

7. An intruder will be incapacitated by tear gas or oven spray, but if shot with a .357 Magnum will get angry and kill you.

8. A woman raped and strangled is morally superior to a woman with a smoking gun and a dead rapist at her feet.

9. When confronted by violent criminals, you should "put up no defense - give them what they want, or run" (Handgun Control Inc. Chairman Pete Shields, Guns Don't Die - People Do, 1981, p. 125).

10. The New England Journal of Medicine is filled with expert advice about guns; just like Guns & Ammo has some excellent treatises on heart surgery.

11. One should consult an automotive engineer for safer seat belts, a civil engineer for a better bridge, a surgeon for internal medicine, a computer programmer for hard drive problems, and Sarah Brady for firearms expertise.

12. The 2nd Amendment, ratified in 1787, refers to the National Guard, which was created 130 years later, in 1917.

13. The National Guard, federally funded, with bases on federal land, using federally-owned weapons, vehicles, buildings and uniforms, punishing trespassers under federal law, is a "state" militia.

14. These phrases: "right of the people peaceably to assemble," "right of the people to be secure in their homes," "enumerations herein of certain rights shall not be construed to disparage others retained by the people," and "The powers not delegated herein are reserved to the states respectively, and to the people" all refer to individuals, but "the right of the people to keep and bear arms" refers to the state.

15. "The Constitution is strong and will never change." But we should ban and seize all guns thereby violating the 2nd, 4th, and 5th Amendments to that Constitution.

16. Rifles and handguns aren't necessary to national defense! Of course, the army has hundreds of thousands of them.

17. Private citizens shouldn't have handguns, because they aren't "military weapons', but private citizens shouldn't have "assault rifles', because they are military weapons.

18. In spite of waiting periods, background checks, fingerprinting, government forms, etc., guns today are too readily available, which is responsible for recent school shootings. In the 1940's, 1950's and 1960's, anyone could buy guns at hardware stores, army surplus stores, gas stations, variety stores, Sears mail order, no waiting, no background check, no fingerprints, no government forms and there were no school shootings.

19. The NRA's attempt to run a "don't touch" campaign about kids handling guns is propaganda, but the anti-gun lobby's attempt to run a "don't touch" campaign is responsible social activity.

20. Guns are so complex that special training is necessary to use them properly, and so simple to use that they make murder easy.

21. A handgun, with up to 4 controls, is far too complex for the typical adult to learn to use, as opposed to an automobile that only has 20.

22. Women are just as intelligent and capable as men but a woman with a gun is "an accident waiting to happen" and gun makers' advertisements aimed at women are "preying on their fears."

23. Ordinary people in the presence of guns turn into slaughtering butchers but revert to normal when the weapon is removed.

24. Guns cause violence, which is why there are so many mass killings at gun shows.

25. A majority of the population supports gun control, just like a majority of the population supported owning slaves.

26. Any self-loading small arm can legitimately be considered to be a "weapon of mass destruction" or an "assault weapon."

27. Most people can't be trusted, so we should have laws against guns, which most people will abide by because they can be trusted.

28. The right of Internet pornographers to exist cannot be questioned because it is constitutionally protected by the Bill of Rights, but the use of handguns for self defense is not really protected by the Bill of Rights.

29. Free speech entitles one to own newspapers, transmitters, computers, and typewriters, but self- defense only justifies bare hands.

30. The ACLU is good because it uncompromisingly defends certain parts of the Constitution, and the NRA is bad, because it defends other parts of the Constitution.

31. Charlton Heston, a movie actor as president of the NRA is a cheap lunatic who should be ignored, but Michael Douglas, a movie actor as a representative of Handgun Control, Inc. is an ambassador for peace who is entitled to an audience at the UN arms control summit.

32. Police operate with backup within groups, which is why they need larger capacity pistol magazines than do "civilians" who must face criminals alone and therefore need less ammunition.

33. We should ban "Saturday Night Specials" and other inexpensive guns because it's not fair that poor people have access to guns too.

34. Police officers have some special Jedi-like mastery over handguns that private citizens can never hope to obtain.

35. Private citizens don't need a gun for self- protection because the police are there to protect them even though the Supreme Court says the police are not responsible for their protection.

36. Citizens don't need to carry a gun for personal protection but police chiefs, who are desk-bound administrators who work in a building filled with cops, need a gun.

37. "Assault weapons" have no purpose other than to kill large numbers of people. The police need assault weapons. You do not.

38. When Microsoft pressures its distributors to give Microsoft preferential promotion, that's bad; but when the Federal government pressures cities to buy guns only from Smith & Wesson, that's good.

39. Trigger locks do not interfere with the ability to use a gun for defensive purposes, which is why you see police officers with one on their duty weapon.

40. Handgun Control, Inc., says they want to "keep guns out of the wrong hands." Guess what? You have the wrong hands.
Soap Box Ravings says more information on this and other interesting subjects can be found at the following site: www.usconcealedcarry.com/

Gun Tracking In New Jersey Or Looking In The Wrong Direction

The Governor of New Jersey announced that New Jersey will become the first state in the country to step up its tracing of illegal firearms by sharing a federal gun database. Gov. Corzine said the state would now have real-time electronic access to a database maintained by the federal Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) that lists a gun's first buyer, date of sale, and the retailer from which it was purchased.

Soap Box Ravings would like to point out that a firearm may have had many legal owners since it's original purchaser in many states is not required to register the private party sale of a firearm.

Supposedly, this would give New Jersey a powerful mechanism to analyze illegal gun violence and trafficking patterns, officials said, and potentially allow authorities to quickly link crimes in several towns.

The announcement came a week and a half after three college students in Newark were executed in a school yard though officials said the agreement had been in the works for six months.

Soap Box Ravings wonders about the position of the liberal Governor and the liberal State of New Jersey with respect to illegal immigrants living in the State of New Jersey since at least one person arrested for the execution of three college students was an illegal alien indicted last month for raping a five-year-old girl repeatedly over a four-year period and threatening to kill her family. Yet, the police in Newark are told by government officials to disregard any subjects supposed alien status.

Corzine said the partnership "will allow us to pursue, arrest and prosecute the purchasers and sellers of illegal guns that have plagued our streets and communities for far too long."

"This is not the only answer, but it is a fundamental building block" in curbing gun violence in the state, Corzine said. He said he would encourage other governors to make similar agreements.

In Soap Box Ravings opinion, we again see the liberal change of targets to protect the illegals. Even though we have an illegal alien, wanted for sexual offenses for about 14 years who has participated in the execution of three college students, it is obvious to the politicians of New Jersey that this is a firearms problem. This just screams "liberal smokescreen."

"Comprehensive firearms tracing and analysis saves lives -- that's the bottom line here today," said Mark Potter, special agent in charge of the ATF's Philadelphia division. Potter said guns can only be accurately traced if their serial numbers can be retrieved.

Soap Box Ravings points out that the tracing of firearms is done after the criminal act has been committed if the firearm is recovered by law enforcement. Removing all illegal aliens from the United States would reduce the crimes committed by illegal aliens to zero.

Camden's top law enforcement official, Arturo Venegas Jr., said the database -- and having information from every local police department -- would be "fantastic because it enables us to move faster in determining whether we have illegal guns," regardless of where they come from.

Soap Box Ravings' "Emperor Principle" says that police brass love anything that increases their power base and gets their department more money to spend. If the Empire is not growing, the Empire is dying, there are no static Empires.

In a country that can track the great grandmother of a cow bred in Canada for mad cow disease, or botulism from lettuce in a single California farmer's field, I believe we should be able to register and keep track of aliens living in this country.