Mr. Paulk,
You and your aquaintances are very fortunate to have been spared the experience of using deadly force in self defense.
A 15-year-old boy in Houston was not so lucky.
He used an AR-15 (or as you would all it, an "assault rifle") to protect himself and his 12-year-old sister from two home intruders.
Turns out the people creating the latest 'Frankenfood' refuse to eat their own handiwork. Makes one wonder what they know about that corn with built in Roundup pesticide.
Strange happenings, indeed.
Read more at:
Tom,
If we follow your premise regarding the 2nd Amendment, that it is only a "a means of final control over the government should it become neccesary" to it's conclusion, then the people should be armed with the exact same military grade weapons as the government. That would include jets, tanks, missles, RPGs, and machine guns.
As far as self defense being inextrictably tied to the right to bear arms, I'll refer you to one of my favorite 'Founding Fathers'...
“Laws that forbid the carrying of arms…disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed one.”
--Thomas Jefferson
Apparently Monsanto's GMO crops leave behind weapon-like stalks during harvest. The normal life of a regular tractor tire has dwindled from 5 years to just one. Farmers have turned to tires lined with the same material used for bullet- proof vests...Kevlar.
Strange happenings, indeed.
Read more at:
Would you believe they got a free pass to the United States?
Operation Paperclip was initiated by the O.S.S. (precursor of the C.I.A.) to bring Nazi scientists and doctors to the shores of America.
Strange happenings indeed...read more at:
Under state law the 'man' discharging his firearm in McDonald's should be charged with disorderly conduct because he "recklessly discharged a deadly weapon". The City of Flagstaff may also have other statutes he violated.
How does the right to defend one's life apply only on one's private property or in the woods, but not in a public place?
Negative.
The "man" is fully to blame and should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
No law can stop stupid, but stupid can be punished without mercy.
Indeed, Tom. It sometimes makes me cringe when I hear the 'Founding Fathers' used as if they were some monolithic entity that all shared the same view on how the laws should be written. Quite the contrary, in fact. Most don't know that Washington was actually the 15th 'President' following our independence. There were huge disagreements amongst our founding fathers regarding the form of government we should have. Hamilton wanted Washington to be king, for instance.
As far as democracy goes, it's two wolves and a sheep deciding what's for dinner. A fancy name for mob rules. In a constutional republic, the sheep has a gun.
Addressing your despair regarding the state of our Great Experiment...sun goes up, sun goes down, empires rise and fall, all things have a cycle. Unfortunately, I believe we are witness to the decline of an empire. Can't say we weren't warned by people like Jefferson, Franklin and more recently Eisenhower with his mention of an industrial-military complex. Is that Nero I hear fiddling off in the distance?
Dan,
Two points you posit are right on the money, if I understand you correctly.
First, redistribution of wealth to the needy has no place in our Republic.
Whether the needy be the poor or corporations, the wealth is extracted by force from one party and given to another deemed fit by those wielding government's gun. Robbery plain and simple.
Secondly, the Democrats and Republicans are opposite wings on the same bird of prey. The prey is us. Divide and conquer is the most effective strategy to rule over a populace. Ever wonder why we are constantly told a vote for a third party candidate is a wasted vote?
It would ruin the two-party monopoly on power.
Tom,
I agree. Property tax, gas tax, sin tax, and all the other myriad taxes do not belong in a free society. Perhaps your proposed single tax idea would come in the form of a bill with a base fee to cover common defense and the court system and then check boxes for other things you wish to support such as food stamps or other programs for the less fortunate. My feeling, though, is that these programs would run much more efficiently and effectively on private, local level.
Dan and Tom,
Before ratification of the 16th Amendment, income tax was unconstitutional and, therefore, illegal because it is a direct tax. Direct taxation was one of the reasons the Founding Fathers fought the Revolutionary War in the first place.
By the way, a heavy and progressive income tax is the 2nd plank of the Communist Manifesto.
Voluntary participation in helping others is the only way.
If you are unable to make a monetary donation at this time, the shelter also accepts empty aluminum cans which are then sold to a recycling company to raise much needed funds.
Ed Smith 1 month, 1 week ago on Who has ever shot anyone in self-defense?
Who has ever shot anyone in self-defense?
Mr. Paulk, You and your aquaintances are very fortunate to have been spared the experience of using deadly force in self defense. A 15-year-old boy in Houston was not so lucky. He used an AR-15 (or as you would all it, an "assault rifle") to protect himself and his 12-year-old sister from two home intruders.
http://www.khou.com/news/crime/Burglary-suspect-shot-by-15-year-old-son-of-deputy-97430719.html
Ed Smith 9 months, 1 week ago on GMOs banned in Monsanto cafeteria
GMOs banned in Monsanto cafeteria
Turns out the people creating the latest 'Frankenfood' refuse to eat their own handiwork. Makes one wonder what they know about that corn with built in Roundup pesticide. Strange happenings, indeed. Read more at:
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/gm-food-banned-in-monsanto-canteen-737948.html
Ed Smith 9 months, 2 weeks ago on Maybe we need some limits on packing a gun?
Maybe we need some limits on packing a gun?
Tom, If we follow your premise regarding the 2nd Amendment, that it is only a "a means of final control over the government should it become neccesary" to it's conclusion, then the people should be armed with the exact same military grade weapons as the government. That would include jets, tanks, missles, RPGs, and machine guns. As far as self defense being inextrictably tied to the right to bear arms, I'll refer you to one of my favorite 'Founding Fathers'... “Laws that forbid the carrying of arms…disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed one.” --Thomas Jefferson
Ed Smith 9 months, 2 weeks ago on Farmers need Kevlar tires for GMO crops
Farmers need Kevlar tires for GMO crops
Apparently Monsanto's GMO crops leave behind weapon-like stalks during harvest. The normal life of a regular tractor tire has dwindled from 5 years to just one. Farmers have turned to tires lined with the same material used for bullet- proof vests...Kevlar. Strange happenings, indeed. Read more at:
http://naturalsociety.com/kevlar-tires-now-required-to-traverse-spear-like-gmo-crops/
Ed Smith 9 months, 2 weeks ago on What happened to Nazi doctors post WWII?
What happened to Nazi doctors post WWII?
Would you believe they got a free pass to the United States? Operation Paperclip was initiated by the O.S.S. (precursor of the C.I.A.) to bring Nazi scientists and doctors to the shores of America. Strange happenings indeed...read more at:
http://www.operationpaperclip.info/
Ed Smith 9 months, 3 weeks ago on Maybe we need some limits on packing a gun?
Maybe we need some limits on packing a gun?
Under state law the 'man' discharging his firearm in McDonald's should be charged with disorderly conduct because he "recklessly discharged a deadly weapon". The City of Flagstaff may also have other statutes he violated. How does the right to defend one's life apply only on one's private property or in the woods, but not in a public place?
Ed Smith 9 months, 3 weeks ago on Maybe we need some limits on packing a gun?
Maybe we need some limits on packing a gun?
Negative. The "man" is fully to blame and should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. No law can stop stupid, but stupid can be punished without mercy.
Ed Smith 9 months, 3 weeks ago on Better call or write your Representative.
Better call or write your Representative.
Indeed, Tom. It sometimes makes me cringe when I hear the 'Founding Fathers' used as if they were some monolithic entity that all shared the same view on how the laws should be written. Quite the contrary, in fact. Most don't know that Washington was actually the 15th 'President' following our independence. There were huge disagreements amongst our founding fathers regarding the form of government we should have. Hamilton wanted Washington to be king, for instance. As far as democracy goes, it's two wolves and a sheep deciding what's for dinner. A fancy name for mob rules. In a constutional republic, the sheep has a gun. Addressing your despair regarding the state of our Great Experiment...sun goes up, sun goes down, empires rise and fall, all things have a cycle. Unfortunately, I believe we are witness to the decline of an empire. Can't say we weren't warned by people like Jefferson, Franklin and more recently Eisenhower with his mention of an industrial-military complex. Is that Nero I hear fiddling off in the distance?
Ed Smith 9 months, 3 weeks ago on Better call or write your Representative.
Better call or write your Representative.
Dan, Two points you posit are right on the money, if I understand you correctly. First, redistribution of wealth to the needy has no place in our Republic. Whether the needy be the poor or corporations, the wealth is extracted by force from one party and given to another deemed fit by those wielding government's gun. Robbery plain and simple. Secondly, the Democrats and Republicans are opposite wings on the same bird of prey. The prey is us. Divide and conquer is the most effective strategy to rule over a populace. Ever wonder why we are constantly told a vote for a third party candidate is a wasted vote? It would ruin the two-party monopoly on power.
Tom, I agree. Property tax, gas tax, sin tax, and all the other myriad taxes do not belong in a free society. Perhaps your proposed single tax idea would come in the form of a bill with a base fee to cover common defense and the court system and then check boxes for other things you wish to support such as food stamps or other programs for the less fortunate. My feeling, though, is that these programs would run much more efficiently and effectively on private, local level.
Dan and Tom, Before ratification of the 16th Amendment, income tax was unconstitutional and, therefore, illegal because it is a direct tax. Direct taxation was one of the reasons the Founding Fathers fought the Revolutionary War in the first place. By the way, a heavy and progressive income tax is the 2nd plank of the Communist Manifesto.
Voluntary participation in helping others is the only way.
Morality cannot be legislated.
Ed Smith 9 months, 3 weeks ago on Humane Society needs donations
Humane Society needs donations
If you are unable to make a monetary donation at this time, the shelter also accepts empty aluminum cans which are then sold to a recycling company to raise much needed funds.