Wisdom And Idiocy In Wisconsin

An interesting component to the whole gun control/self defense/Second Amendment story these last few weeks has been the disparate voices coming from the law enforcement community.  Elected county sheriffs seem to be leading the charge when it comes to recognizing the right and even duty of private citizens to protect themselves.

Sheriff David Clarke of Milwaukee County, WI made news recently when he aired a radio ad asking his constituents to consider arming themselves for self-defense.  Here's the audio of the ad....

Predictably, this hefty dose of common sense was too much to swallow for the lefty moonbats that infest Wisconsin.  Roy Felber, president of the Milwaukee Deputy Sheriff's Association, said this about Clarke's ad....

"That doesn't sound too smart.  People have the right to defend themselves, but they don't have the right to take the law into their own hands."

Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett piled on....

"Apparently, Sheriff David Clarke is auditioning for the next Dirty Harry movie..."

Not to be out-done by her fellow moonbats, Jeri Bonavia of the anti-gun lobbying group Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort demanded an apology from Sheriff Clarke....

"I feel like this is such an irresponsible thing for our chief public safety officer of a county to do.  I think he owes this community an apology,  and if he really believes that he's not capable of providing for our public safety he should get a different job."

Quiz time.....
If you do as Sheriff Clarke suggests....that is obtain a firearm, train with it to become safe and proficient in its use, and then use it to defend yourself and your loved ones against a violent criminal invading your home, you are which of the following?

1. a vigilante
2. a Dirty Harry wannabe
3. irresponsible
4. all of the above

What we need most now is more wisdom from men like Sheriff Clarke, and less idiocy from dolts like Tom Barrett and Jeri Bonavia.  Want to learn a little more about Sheriff Clarke?  Read his bio here, and check out his blog here.

Atheists Want to Starve Children!

This would be the New York Times headline if you replaced "atheists" with "Christians" 

According to multiple news sources, the Wisconsin based Freedom from Religion Foundation, or FFRF (I find it ironic that their acronym sounds just like the noise I make when I've eaten too much spicy food), has sent a letter to the superintendent of Walker County Schools in Georgia demanding an investigation into the behavior of Ridgeland High School football coach Mark Mariakis.

Coach Mariakis has been holding forced baptisms in the team whirlpools and branding all his players with the image of the cross and the words "John 3:16".  Wait, I'm sorry.  I must have read that wrong.  Apparently, local churches of varying denominations have been providing dinners for the football team on game-days. Whoa!  This guy makes Jerry Sandusky look like a saint.  He's allowing churches to feed his players for free????  The monster!

The FFRF purpose is to "protect the constitutional principle of separation between state and church".  In a quote from a Fox News article, “Taking public school football teams to church, even for a meal, is unconstitutional,” wrote FFRF attorney Andrew Seidel. “This program is an egregious violation of the Establishment Clause and must cease immediately.”

For those of you who civics class was more than a year or two ago, here is the text of the first amendment of the US Constitution:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Now as many times as I have heard "separation of church and state", I have never been able to find that text in the first amendment or anywhere else in the constitution for that matter.  The only thing I see is that congress isn't supposed to make any laws creating or establishing a religion.  I struggle to understand how allowing a variety of different churches to feed your football team has anything to to with congress making a law.  Maybe some of our liberal constitutional scholar (wow, is that an oxymoron or what?) readers can enlighten me.

Otherwise, I am left with only one conclusion.  Atheists want to starve our children. 

Ryan Is Veep Choice, Crew Snubbed Again!

So I got the call late yesterday afternoon from the Romney campaign.  They thanked me for agreeing to be considered for the #2 slot on the GOP ticket, but said they were going with Paul Ryan instead.  Something about that Eddie Munster hair cut was just too good to pass up I guess.  I was mollified somewhat when they added "Crew, your work at SACSTW is just too important to the future of America to be distracted with being the Vice-President".

In all seriousness, the announcement this morning that Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan will be Romney's running mate is spectacularly encouraging news for this blogger.  Ryan is young (42), energetic, articulate, and oh by the way, brilliant!  Of course, as a white male conservative, I'm sure Dear Leader's campaign will paint Ryan as an evil woman-hating racist, but that is just standard operating procedure for the Democratic machine.

As chairman of the House Budget Committee, Ryan has been the conservative movement's point man in developing a plan to escape the morass of runaway deficits and grotesque federal spending.  He has offered a solid budget proposal ("The Path To Prosperity"), in stark opposition to the derelict U.S. Senate.  His enthusiasm, calm demeanor, and critical thinking skills make him a great choice to join the Romney campaign!

May I make a suggestion?  Mark October 11, 2012 on your calendar.  Keep that night free so you can watch the carnage that will be the Ryan-Biden Vice Presidential debate.  Somehow I don't think the smartest guy in Washington debating arguably the densest guy in Washington will be a fair fight, but it will be spectacular TV.   I am a little worried that Health and Human Services agents may try to arrest Ryan on charges of elder abuse in the midst of the debate, but it will still be a lot of fun.

Here's my prediction.  By the year 2028, as Paul Ryan's second term as President comes to an end, America will owe a great debt to the voters of Wisconsin who sent Ryan to Washington D.C. in the first place and allowed him to become a player on the national political scene.  Wisconsin......who da thunk it?

The Cross Stays! Don't Like It? Tough!

How About Some Civil Disobedience from the Right?

Apparently some atheist group has their wee-wee all warm over a cross in a fire department parking lot that has been there for 91 years.  It is a memorial to World War I veterans in Woonsocket, Rhode Island.  The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation-FFRF (pronounced firf) has written a letter to the mayor of Woonsocket, Leo Fontaine, demanding its removal. To mayor Fontaine's credit, he stated:  “I have no intention of removing the cross under any circumstances.”  


The problem is that the town of Woonsocket, like many other town's, is having financial difficulties and cannot afford to fight Firf in court.  I have a suggestion for Mayor Fontaine.  Civil disobedience.  I mean liberals are all about civil disobedience, right?  Obama, Pelosi, Holder, Ellen Barkin, et. al. are all for the OWS protesters camping, crapping, and disrupting people wherever the feel like it, so I'm sure that they would support a little town's fight to keep their 91 year old memorial.  Right?


Here is a letter of response I would write to Rebecca Market, senior staff attorney for Firf.  Mayor Fontaine is more than welcome to use the entire letter or any parts of it he wishes.  I would feel honored if he did.

Dear Ms. Market,

Thank you so much for your inquiry about our memorial honoring our fallen veterans of World War I.  We respectfully decline your request.  While we are glad the people of Wisconsin have taken interest in our town, we intend to decide on these matters for ourselves.  

Your dubious understanding of the establishment clause of the first amendment to the constitution aside, we discourage you from making this a legal matter. It would be a waste of time and money on your part.  We will not spend one dollar of town funds nor one minute of anyone's time addressing this matter in court.  It will make no difference.  We are neither moving or removing the memorial from where it currently resides.

Any attempt by outsiders to molest the memorial will be vehemently rebuffed.  I have authorized a permanent protest permit for the area immediately surrounding the memorial.  Local 2nd amendment protesters will be campaigning for a new concealed carry law.  They will be protesting 24 hours a day.  Current town law states that citizens are allowed to carry loaded firearms, but they must be prominently displayed.  Any attempt to disrupt this protest would be seriously ill-advised.

Thank you again for your inquiry.  I consider this matter concluded. I will make no further responses regarding this issue.

Sincerely,

Mayor Leo Fontaine, Woonsocket, Rhode Island

As that I am not conversant in Rhode Island concealed carry laws, that part of the letter could require some editing, but I think it would make a good first draft.  I think Mayor Fontaine should tell Firf to stuff it.  The memorial stays and if it requires civil disobedience to keep it there, so be it.