Georgia on my mind

There's not much to worry about, given the gun-handling shenanigans  of these folks.

One of my favorite parts of the day is just after waking up and staying in bed for a while letting my mind wander wherever it wishes. Sometimes it finds wonderful and creative places, at others it finds the world news quite depressing.  And then there are times when everything melds together.

This morning was an example of the last of those. It being Friday morning, thoughts went to what entertainment might be fun today or this evening. Since most of my recreational activities are alone or with Walter, once in a while there's a desire for some company. Some days I just don't want to be alone. Coupled with the news of the past few days I came up with the wild idea to strap on a sidearm and head for Georgia, see if I can't meet one of those gun-loving peaches who must be all over the place these days.

The news this week has been that the Georgia legislature passed and the governor signed what has been called the most nonrestrictive gun law in the country. Basically you can take a gun everywhere you want in Georgia. It makes Florida's "stand and deliver" law, oops  "stand your ground" law look like a bathroom rule for kindergartners.

Now, before a whole state full of people is painted with the same brush, I only know of and am only slightly acquainted with three people in Georgia.  One is a member of a group I joined on Facebook, another was an online instant messaging friend and the third is a love from a past life.  None of these three would be any kind of a gun advocate. You have to believe there are more like them. But in an age where elected representatives don't represent anything except their own beliefs, I suspect my friends don't have much voice on the issue. We only have one representative for Alaska and he has said he only represents those who voted for him, and he is a hunter and NRA backer.

A meme from facebook 4/26/14

It's been sad to watch the trend in legislation since the horrible shootings at the school in Newton, Connecticut pushed gun issues in front of the American public. More states have actually liberalized restrictions on guns than have tightened them. And the slaughter continues. Now the National Rifle Association wants a universal (read federal) law governing gun ownership. According to news reports, all 50 states now allow people to carry concealed weapons. What the NRA now wants is a federal law guaranteeing those permits will remain in effect as people move from state to state.

This is one place no one has to worry about Alaskans. If we drive we have to go through Canada and those folks want no part of gun-slinging Americans.

In light of what's happened as we look back, what is evident is the outrage over wild firearm murders in schools has only served to solidify the gun folks in their efforts to prevent regulation and they are the folks who are winning the argument. The do it with the help of timid national representatives along with their state counterparts who are afraid to stand up to the NRA which apparently wields more influence with them than the majority of the American electorate. Polls be damned, we got to keep 'muricans armed.

That became so obviously true when federal officers tried to enforce an order to that Nevada rancher who has refused to pay grazing fees on public lands for the past 20 years, despite three court orders and numerous warnings to the contrary. And who comes out to support him? Guys with swastika neck tattoos and all manner of firearms. I love the wife of the guy who said she has a shotgun and knows how to use it. Wonder how she would do when the drone targets their little encampment. Not that I would advocate that, either. But it is ludicrous for a handful of shotgun toting wackos to think they could win an armed conflict with the federal government. And speaking of the government, this rancher says he does not recognize the United States of America as his government. But he flies an American flag over his ranch and cites the U.S. Constitution as justification for his armed stand against a government that has put up with his bullshit for the past two decades while other ranchers whose stock roam public lands pay the fees.

What that guy doesn't recognize is that land he says is free for his cattle to roam, belongs to all of us, the American people, and he is trying to drop cow pies on others' freedom while he demands his own.

Give those BLM officers and their superiors credit for their patience and restraint. In the past, read the Whiskey Rebellion, the government sent in troops and quashed the rebellion with gunfire.

All of these less restrictive gun laws are designed according to their sponsors to make us feel safer, like we can defend ourselves against other people similarly armed. And then they give us protection laws like stand your ground where you can pretty much shoot anyone if you feel the slightest bit threatened. I feel safer, don't you?

Meanwhile I hear the whistle and the roar of that Midnight Train to Georgia, but I think I'll leave the gun locked up at home and take my chances there are more sane people in that state as there are here who settle their differences in an adult manner and leave the cowboy crap to others where it belongs a couple of centuries ago.


Ray Charles "Georgia on my mind."

NRA seeks universal gun law

Into the belly of the beast