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)

This Is Scary

“A thought on the presence of Bill Clinton. He is showing up all over in Iowa and New Hampshire, speaking, shaking hands, drawing crowds. But when he speaks, he has a tendency to speak about himself. It’s all, always, me-me-me in his gigantic bullying neediness. Still, he’s there, and he’s a draw, and the plan was that his presence would boost his wife’s fortunes. The way it was supposed to work, the logic, was this: People miss Bill. They miss the ‘90s. They miss the pre-9/11 world. So they’ll love seeing him back in the White House. So they’ll vote for Hillary. Because she’ll bring him. ‘Two for the price of one.’ It appears not to be working. Might it be that they don’t miss Bill as much as everyone thought? That they don’t actually want Bill back in the White House? Maybe. But maybe it’s this. Maybe they’d love to have him back in the White House. Maybe they just don’t want him to bring her. Maybe they miss the Cuckoo’s Nest and they’d love having Jack Nicholson’s McMurphy running through the halls. Maybe they just don’t miss Nurse Ratched. Does she have to come?” —Peggy Noonan

Soap Box Ravings finds this to be unbelievably scary. Even the possibility that someone might get elected to the nation's highest office just so their spouse could be there. This is really freaking scary!

All My Liberal friends Should Take Note of This

Today's news reports Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has pardoned a female rape victim who had been sentenced to 200 lashes for being alone with a man at the time of the attack who was not related to her.

The case had sparked international outcry. In this case, the White House had expressed its "astonishment" over the woman's sentence while our more liberal relatives in Canada called it barbaric.

The Saudi Justice Minister Abdullah bin Mohammed al-Sheik told al-Jazirah newspaper that the pardon does not mean the King doubted the country's judges, but instead acted in the "interests of the people." He said the king looks into alleviating the suffering of the citizens when he is sure that these verdicts will leave psychological effects on the convicted people, even though the King is convinced and sure that the verdicts were fair.

The rape victim was initially sentenced in November 2006 to several months in prison and 90 lashes for being alone in a car with a man with whom she was neither related nor married, a violation of the kingdom's strict religious laws regarding segregation of the sexes.

Later the court more than doubled the sentence to 200 lashes and six months prison in response to her appeal.

Soap Box Ravings was initially amazed like everyone else to see the victim punished for being raped. But he is even more amazed to see that an appeal leads to a doubling of the sentence. Remember, this is what they have done to one of their own. A little research will show you they execute foreigners in their country about twice as often as a native. They average about one beheading every other day after appeals if any.


Al-Sheik told al-Jazirah newspaper Monday that only the king could issue a pardon, and he did so despite his view that the Saudi legal system was "honest" and "fair."

"The king's order consolidates and confirms what is known about the Islamic courts," said al-Sheik. "Efficient judges look into different cases and issue their just verdicts and those convicted have the right to appeal."

Soap Box Ravings reminds all that Islamic courst are religious courts that use Islam as their basis. Saudi Arabia is the home of Wahabiism (Arabic: Al-Wahhābīyya الوهابية, Wahabism is a branch of Sunni Islam practised by those who follow the teachings of Muhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhab.) This is the dominant form of Islam found in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar, as well as some pockets of Somalia, Algeria, Palestine and Mauritania. It is considered to be one of the most strictest sects of Islam.

The rapists were convicted of raping the girl and were initially sentenced to jail terms from 10 months to five years. Their sentences were also increased after their appeals.

Some Thoughts Of President Theodore Roosevelt

President Theodore Roosevelt on Immigrants and being an AMERICAN

"In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt 1919


President Roosevelt wrote the words above in a letter to the president of the American Defense Society on January 3,1919. Three days later, President Roosevelt died.

"Americanization" was a favorite theme of Roosevelt's during his later years, when he railed repeatedly against "hyphenated Americans" and the prospect of a nation "brought to ruins" by a "tangle of squabbling nationalities."

He advocated the compulsory learning of English by every naturalized citizen. "Every immigrant who comes here should be required within five years to learn English or to leave the country," he said in a statement to the Kansas City Star in 1918. "English should be the only language taught or used in the public schools."

He also insisted, on more than one occasion, that America has no room for what he called "fifty-fifty allegiance." In a speech made in 1917 he said, "It is our boast that we admit the immigrant to full fellowship and equality with the native-born. In return we demand that he shall share our undivided allegiance to the one flag which floats over all of us."


Soap Box Ravings would concur with President Roosevelt on his thoughts expressed above. In Soap Box ravings opinion this is the crux of the matter. If you want to become a citizen, obey the laws and learn the English language. If you do not want to comply either go home or stay home. I wish you luck in your future endeavors.

China and U.S. Spar Over Trade, Product Safety

The complete story can be found here:

http://www.propeller.com/viewstory/2007/12/11/china-and-us-spar-over-trade-product-safety/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.yahoo.com%2Fs%2Fnm%2F20071211%2Fpl_nm%2Fchina_usa_dc%3B_ylt%3DAsR.mVZoMISTja.e5adHkZWs0NUE&frame=true


Trade talks with China were strained because of US anxiety over the "Made in China' label.

Soap Box Ravings can't understand why the Chinese can not build what the purchaser ordered. If the product is not made correctly as ordered then don't accept it. On the other hand if the buyer is purchasing already made products then the buyer should be responsible to ensure our import standards are met.

Soap Box ravings believes the fastest way to get Chinese products to the standard desired would be to cancel a few contracts and have the products made on this side of the world in for example Brazil, Chile, Argentina or in the Central American countries.

The Twins Are Here

At about 3:00 pm on 12/5/07 the Twins arrived. Courtesy of R&L Carriers who very expeditiously set them right into my garage. They were ordered from Granite Security through SamsClub.com.



Weighing in at about 450 lbs each, the stand 60 inches tall, they are 30 inches wide and about 23 inches deep. They are Hunter Green with gold trim. With the help of my son Ryan and my next door neighbor we got them into the house with no problem.



If you ever need to transport your firearms while moving here is how I did it. This is a bundle of three long arms. They do not touch each other, they are separated by a U-Haul paper pad which resembles a twin bed size paper blanket. While wrapping the firearms, I alternated them butt to muzzle as they seemed to fit together better. Once wrapped, the extra wrapping paper on the ends was turned back towards the center and secured with cellophane tape. Then another tape line was taped around the center. Be sure to pull the tape tight enough to ensure that the firearms can not shift around inside the wrapping.



As you can see below, they were transported and stored in my old gun cabinets. This required unloading the cabinet, wrapping the firearms, carrying the cabinet to the truck, storing the wrapped firearms in the cabinet in the bed of the truck, and then transporting to the new residence where you get to do the whole sequence in reverse.



This is the wrapping paper I used from U-Haul. It was inexpensive but since I wrapped three per bundle it was reasonable. Also, three long guns seemed to just fit into one sheet. Additionally, three long guns per bundle is approaching more than I want to carry.

Another advantage of the paper was I didn't freak out anyone of the local sheep nor did I alert any wolves as I went about my sheepdog business. They were wrapped in late December of last year and unwrapped this week yet each one arrived in excellent shape with no hint of rust.



The miracle machine that we used to move the Twins about the house is shown below. Research on-line located this little puppy at Northern Tool and Equipment. They wanted $100 to ship it to me, so I picked it up from the store in Raleigh, NC while we were in the Ft Bragg area visiting our daughter and her family. Of course their new store in Fayetteville, NC didn't open until the week after we left town.



Work on the "Man Room" continues!

Could You Expect Any Less Of William Jefferson Clinton

“Of course Bill Clinton was against the war in Iraq from the beginning. It’s proven unpopular. It would be different if the war had gone better, as it has in Afghanistan. Bill Clinton’s still for that one.

There’s a phrase for someone who’ll stick with you through thick and then and in-between: A man to tie to. Bill Clinton’s the opposite. Not only does he disappear when the going gets tough, he was never with you from the first—at least to hear him tell it. With him, history is one of the plastic arts. There is no surer guide to William Jefferson Clinton’s view of the past than what is popular in the present. All of his statements supporting the war in Iraq now have become, in a Nixonian word, inoperative. Down the memory hole they go, as if they’d never been uttered...

Bill Clinton tends to bet for and against any political proposition that involves taking a risk, then recall only the position that proved popular. That way, he can’t lose. Principle has nothing to do with it... But never fear, should the long light of history reveal that in the end this long, long struggle in Iraq has bolstered freedom and stability in that always-volatile part of the world, rest assured, Bill Clinton will have been for it all along.” —Paul Greenberg

Soap Box Ravings says you can read Paul Greenburgs entire article at: http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/greenberg.html

Rodney King Shot (Ho Hum)

Rodney King was shot on a street corner by bird shot fired from a shotgun. Reportedly, King and others appeared drunk and were largely uncooperative in providing information about the shooting.


Soap Box Ravings is reminded that "When people state that they can't change who they are--their nature--they sometimes use the phrase "A leopard can't change his spots" (it's used in much the same way as "you can't teach an old dog new tricks").

The phrase about leopards is descended from the Bible, in the book of Jeremiah: "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots?" (Jer 13:23)

The only surprise here is why the news still reports on him. My guess is that no one in the military did anything worthwhile and the media needed to fill up a column

The Twins Are On Their Way

Soap Box Ravings was notified today by e-mail that the Twins had been shipped. No arrival date as of yet, but I anxiously await the truck drivers call.

Today, I started tearing down the Man Room. That is where the Twins will reside. Not any easy task since the cabinets that are being upgraded are full and not all that easy to move. Also, since we just recently moved into a new house and I was not progressing on the Man Room due to funding, the Momma managed to slip some of her stuff in the Man Room for storage. She is presently out of town so I can move things as I see fit. Some I may have to move again later. More to come.

British Teacher Guilty Of Insulting Islam In Sudan

Today in Khartoum, Sudan a British teacher in Sudan was convicted Thursday of insulting Islam by letting her students pupils name a teddy bear "Muhammad."

She was sentenced to 15 days in prison and deportation to Britain. The teacher, Gillian Gibbons, could have received 40 lashes and six months in prison in the case if she had been found guilty of the original more serious charge of inciting religious hatred.

The Education Ministry had received complaints that the teacher had insulted the Prophet Muhammad, the most revered figure in Islam, by applying his name to a teddy bear.

Her employer, Robert Boulos, of the Unity High School called the verdict "a very fair verdict."


Soap Box Ravings says this should act as a warning to those folks who think they can help other cultures by bringing them our western ways. The religious conservatives in Sudan have stated their outrage was over the naming of a teddy bear after the prophet Mohammad. Soap Box Ravings feels the religious conservatives outrage goes much deeper than what was stated. The Unity High School and all employees have been placed on notice that any infractions or even just complaints by any unsatisfied or aggravated person can lead to the confinement of the teacher and or school staff members. That's gotta be a good recruiting tool.

Soap Box Ravings says also, you have to wonder about any religion that would sentence the victim of a gang rape to 200 lashes and six months confinement for not being properly chaperoned as required by Islam just prior to the rape.

Soap Box Ravings E-Mail To The National Rifle Association

A message from Soap Box Ravings to the National Rifle Association, as sent:

As a retired military person, I want you to know that I do not agree with your NRA position on the Leahy/McCarthy/Schumer bill.

I agree with the Gun Owners of America position and I feel terribly let down by the NRA's action in support of Schumers gun bill.


The National Rifle Associations response:


Dear Mr. S. B. Ravings,

Thank you for your email to the NRA-ILA regarding H.R. 2640, the NICS Improvement Act. I apologize for the extremely delayed response. We appreciate everything our members have to say, and we thank you for taking the time to contact our office.

The NRA examines and supports legislation based upon its merits and benefits for law-abiding gun owners. Despite the fact that Reps. Carolyn McCarthy, Chuck Schumer, and other representatives associated with the Brady Campaign were involved with H.R. 2640, this legislation improves current law for gun owners and all Americans, and therefore holds the support of the NRA. Along with Rep. McCarthy, sponsors of this
bill include Reps. John Dingell, Lamar Smith (R-Texas), and Rick Boucher (D-Va)- all longtime supporters of gun owners' rights and sponsors of many pro-Second Amendment bills.

Recently, H.R. 2640 passed the House by a voice vote, which, although some have stated is a 'back door deal,' is in fact standard procedure. The reality is that there's nothing unusual about passing a widely supported bill by voice vote. Once a voice vote has occurred, any House member may request a recorded vote on any issue, and in practice, those requests are universally granted. Despite having that option on the floor, no representative asked for a roll call on this bill.

Despite what many letters and articles have stated, H.R. 2640 is not a gun control bill, and it doesn't ban anyone from owning guns. Instead, this bill provides federal funds to states to update their mental health records. This update will ensure that those who are currently prohibited under federal law from owning a gun because of mental health adjudications are included in the National Instant
Criminal Background Check System (NICS). For many years, NRA has supported ensuring that those who have been adjudicated mentally incompetent are screened by the NICS.

H.R. 2640 states that in order to be added to the NICS system one must be adjudicated mentally incompetent or committed (i.e. against one's will) to a mental institution. H.R. 2640 would prevent use of federal "adjudications" that consist only of medical diagnoses without findings that the people involved are dangerous or mentally incompetent.

The fact that medical diagnoses would not qualify as adjudication would change the current NICS standards, which accept Veterans` Administration decisions that a veteran or other beneficiary is an "adjudicated mental defective" where there was no "adjudication" at all--only a decision that the patient is unable to manage his own finances. Many patients may have accepted such a decision without expecting to lose their gun ownership rights. Instead of allowing this to continue, H.R. 2640 would eliminate purely medical records from NICS. Gun ownership rights would only be lost as a result of a finding that the person is a danger to himself or others (by a court or legal authority, not, as we have established, by a medical professional), or
lacks the capacity to manage his own affairs.

It is also important to note what H.R. 2640 will not do. This bill will not add any new classes of prohibited persons to NICS, and it will not prohibit gun possession by people who have voluntarily sought psychological counseling or checked themselves into a hospital for treatment.


So why the confusion?


First and foremost, the national media elite is irate that NRA has been able to roll back significant portions of the Clinton Administration's anti-gun agenda and pass pro-active legislation in Congress and in many states. They are desperate to put a "gun control" spin on anything they can. The only real question here is--given the media's long-standing and flagrant bias on the gun issue-- why are some gun owners suddenly swallowing the bait?

Second, some people simply do not like the NICS. In 1993, Congress passed the Brady Act, including a mandatory five-day waiting period, over strong NRA opposition. Due to NRA's insistence, that waiting period was allowed to sunset in 1998, once the NICS was up and running nationwide. Now that the NICS is in place, it makes sense to ensure that this system works as instantly, fairly, and accurately as possible.

This is an extremely important and complex issue, and as part of your ongoing research, I encourage you to further review the information regarding this bill and to read the bill itself (which I have attached to this email for your review). By doing so, you will be able to properly compare the media you have been receiving and reach your own conclusion about whether or not you support this legislation. If you
haven't already, I encourage you to become more familiar with the bill by visiting our website, www.nraila.org and reading the five articles on HR 2640. These articles give credence to the legitimate pro-gun nature of this bill. One of the articles is written by Larry Scott for www.military.com. Formed in 1999, this group was started, "to revolutionize the way the 30 million Americans with military affinity
stay connected and informed. Today, [they are] the largest military and veteran membership organization - 8 million members strong." I can assure you that they have a vested interest in caring for the well-being of veterans and military personnel.

The NRA continues to support this legislation, which streamlines the NICS system to ensure law-abiding citizens are afforded their rights. Simultaneously, this bill ensures that criminals and those adjudicated mentally incompetent by a court will be unable to own firearms. Rest assured that if the anti-gunners use this legislation as
a vehicle to advance gun control restrictions, NRA will pull our support for the bill and vigorously oppose its passage!

Once again, thank you for your comments. If you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me at the above address or at (800) 392-8683.


Sincerely,

Alicia Borgess
NRA-ILA Grassroots Division


Soap Box Ravings has posted the National Rifle Associations response to enable those who read it to make up their own minds on whether the NRA is acting in their benefit or not. Soap Box Ravings suggests that all who have an interest in the final outcome of the NICS Improvement Act complete their own analysis of the facts before making their decision on the NRA's efforts.

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.