Evil, Not Elvis, Lives

With the horrible and tragic deaths that occurred last Friday in Connecticut, the hue and cry for more gun control laws has begun.  President Obama launched the first volley with his thinly veiled statement,

"These tragedies must end, and to end them we must change." 

I agree with President Obama, but I suspect our strategies to affect that change will be radically different.  Take a few moments to peruse the images below:

With one possible exception, does anyone believe gun control laws would have prevented the murders these men committed or for which they were directly responsible? And even in the case of James Holmes, as disturbed as he is, who is to say he wouldn't have gone the Timothy McVeigh route resulting in a greater loss of life.

As others have pointed out, including this post by the wonderful Dana Loesch, the majority of these mass shootings occur in "gun-free" locations.  She also emphasizes a point that many gun-control enthusiasts often neglect:  How many tragedies are stopped by law-abiding, gun-carrying citizens?  According to her post, American citizens use firearms in self-defense more than 2.1 million times annually.

Here is my suggestion for "change".  Put prayer back in schools.  Have school children say the pledge of allegiance every day through high school.  Create a national campaign touting the benefits of two-parent homes.  Teach children the constitution starting in elementary school.  Offer gun-safety classes in schools.  Re-introduce corporal punishment in schools.  Create a campaign that de-stigmatizes spanking the children at home.................   Unfortunately, unless you plan on home-schooling, these things will probably never happen, but here are some concrete solutions that we COULD institute:

• In states that allow concealed-carry, severely curtail "gun-free' zones.
• In all states, make schools concealed-carry zones for teachers and administration.  Allow teachers and administrators, if approved, to voluntarily carry concealed weapons and train them in the use of said weapons.  Keep a confidential listing of staff who is authorized to carry.  
• Start a nationwide program for employers in hugely public-facing businesses that assists the employers in training their staff in firearm safety and self-defense.  Allow approved staff to carry concealed weapons.

You may think I'm kidding, but when was the last time you heard about some nutjob shooting up a NRA or Ducks Unlimited banquet?  Even with the Fort Hood shootings, the terrorist whack-job picked a spot on the post where he knew the soldiers would be unarmed.  

Will any of these measures completely stop EVIL people from doing EVIL things?  No, but they will be 100% more effective than adding more gun laws.  Just ask the people of Chicago how well gun bans are working out for them...

Monday Musings With The Crew

• Judges, court staff, and attorneys involved in the U.S. Ninth District Court of Appeals are planning a hootenanny this summer on Maui, and you and I are expected to foot the bill.  Looks like taxpayers will be on the hook for about a cool million according to Big Government.  At first I was steamed, as I usually am when government elitists take another hit of OPM (Other People's Money).  Then I reconsidered.  Anything that we can do to keep the judges of the Ninth out of the courtroom is money well spent.  Party on Judge!

• Remember Abdel Baset al-Megrahi?  Convicted of the Pan Am Lockerbie bombing that killed 270 people, al-Megrahi received a life sentence in the Scottish court system.  Unbelievably, the Scots released him in 2009 after he served only 8 years on humanitarian issues.  You see, the killer had prostate cancer, and had only a few days to weeks left to live when he was released August 20, 2009.  He returned to a hero's welcome in Libya, and went on to live in a villa in Tripoli.  Well, the monster who had only weeks to live in the summer of 2009, died yesterday, May 20, 2012.  This terrorist enjoyed 33 months of life and freedom that he didn't deserve.  What a great world!

• The whole "Trayvon Martin as a beatific cherub" narrative is slowly crumbling down around the ears of the race-baiters.  George Zimmerman's broken nose, his lacerated scalp, his 14 cries for help recorded on a 911 call, witness statements that indicated "the guy in the hoodie was beating the other guy MMA style", illegal drugs in Martin's system, would suggest to all but the most dogged of race-baiters that George Zimmerman shot Trayvon Martin in self-defense.  There, I said it.  

• Ladies and Gentlemen......The BeeGee!   Sadly, the brothers Gibb are down to one with the death of Robin Gibb over the weekend at age 62.  Coupled with the death of disco queen Donna Summer last week, it has been a very bad few days for pop icons of the '70s.  The BeeGees and Summer were both monumental talents who produced the teen soundtrack for many of our lives.  They will be sorely missed.

Hey, Sahib and I have that same jacket!

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