There seems to us no doubt, on the basis of both text and history, that the Second Amendment conferred an individual right to keep and bear arms.
Seemed appropriate since this week marks a decade since the decision.
Month: June 2018
Shooting and Fishing With the Kiddos
We’re having a small diaspora around these parts. I’m moving from northern Hillsborough county down to Parrish with The Girlfriend. My brother, Rocket Engineer, got a job at Cape Canaveral last fall, and now that school is out, my sister-in-law, niece, and nephew are moving over to the east side of the state. Shooting Buddy is moving out of The Brother’s (the one that gives me Metal Tuesday fodder), and moving to my mom’s place (which is being vacated by sister-in-law and co) to act as caretaker for mom’s place and mine (until mine gets sold). Got all that? Yeah, it’s confusing on this side as well.
Anyways, with all of the moving and distances, I took a few personal days to spend with the kids. They specifically asked if I would take them shooting and fishing. I decided that I would take them individually to the range, and there would be a joint fishing trip with Shooting Buddy (who also happens to be Fishing Buddy).
Last week, I took the nephew to the range. At thirteen, the boy’s nudging six feet. So, in addition to his 10/22 that I bought him a few years ago, he played with my M&P 22 and my M&P9c (first gen). He really liked the .22 pistol. We went through a couple of boxes of .22 before it was time for lunch.
Tuesday was the fishing trip. I’m not a big fishing person. I went to Florida Carry’s Open Carry fishing events, but that was more RKBA and less fishing. Shooting Buddy is a fisherman from a long line of fisherman. So, I let him organize – and me finance – the day’s adventures. We took the kids to one of the smaller parks on the Hillsborough river. Real pretty place with a nice boardwalk with shaded benches. This was the niece’s first fishing trip. She was a little squeamish at first at putting a worm on the hook, but as the day progressed, she got into it. Each of the kids caught a bluegill. I had the biggest catch of the day of a two hundred pound log. Stupid stick fish. Lunch entertainment was provided by the niece who caught a little too much wasabi in her sushi roll.
Yesterday was the niece’s range day. She’s an interesting one to take to the range, because she’s a southpaw. She mainly shot my M&P-15/22, which is now her rifle. Mainly because she likes that rifle and it gives me an excuse to get another .22 rifle at some point. She had a lot of fun plinking away with her new rifle.
I am going to have to set aside a few days a year to do these kinds of things with them after the moves. Keeps the family bonds strong.
Re-Upped My Membership to ACLDN
I just renewed my membership to the Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network. Why? Because I carry a gun for self defense. Doing so means that there is a non-zero chance that I might have to use that gun to defend myself or others. If that non-zero chance happens, I don’t have the resources – financially and knowledge – to navigate the legal system.
For less than $100 a year the network provides:
Attorney and legal expenses paid after a self-defense incident, including:
- Fee deposit paid to your attorney immediately after self defense for representation during questioning and other vital defense services.
- Bail assistance: The Network provides up to $25,000 to post bail on behalf of a member who has used force in self defense. Click here for details.
- Further funding for legal defense expenses after justifiable self defense if criminally charged or sued in civil court.
- Education: 8 full-length lectures on DVD and a 235-page book so you know what’s justifiable, what to expect and how to best interact with the criminal justice system.
- Guidance from our Advisory Board comprised of the recognized leaders in self-defense training: Massad Ayoob, John Farnam, James Fleming, Tom Givens, Emanuel Kapelsohn and Dennis Tueller, led by Network President Marty Hayes.
- Access to a growing nationwide network of attorneys and legal experts. Read more here.
- Monthly education and updates through our online journal.
From ACLDN
If you
Metal Tuesday – Beyond the Black – Nevermore
Oh look! A female-fronted metal band! Of course I’m putting them on Metal Tuesday.
Well, That Was A Hell of Week
A flurry of important Supreme Court decisions that will probably take a few years for the full import to become clear.
The big one was the ruling that states could force companies who have no physical presence to collect sales tax for the states. This will definitely have a chilling effect on internet sales, which has thrived on relying on the customer to pay the appropriate sales tax to the state instead of being the revenue agent. One thing that was brought up but not adequately discussed is that the law the Supreme Court upheld had an exemption for businesses under a specified threshold ($100,000 in sales or 200 separate deliveries). Would a law without that threshold still be valid under this ruling?
The next big one was the ruling that cops need a warrant before obtaining cell phone records. According to this analysis, Gorusch’s dissent is more of a concurrence with the result but dissent on the logic made to reach the decision.
Another important decision that will probably fly under the radar, the court decided that Administrative Law Judges needed to be appointed by the president or delegate and not simply by the bureaucracy. Considering the width and breadth of department regulations taking the place of actual laws, this at least makes those who decide in adversarial proceedings more accountable to the political will instead of the bureaucracy.
This has been a most interesting session.
Friday Quote- Piper Smith
If you’re fighting homophobia but not hoplophobia you’re doing it wrong.
If you’re fighting hoplophobia but not homophobia you’re also doing it wrong.
The NRA Works Hard Not To Represent Me
Reason posted an article asking of the NRA is too Republican. Here’s where I have to do some prep work to properly discuss this topic. First, yes, I am a member of the NRA and donate to the NRA-ILA (the political wing of the organization). It’s also important to remember that the NRA is not some monolith out of 2001. There are six million dues-paying members. They represent a wide variety of views, including on the Second Amendment. For this post, if I’m saying NRA, I’m going to be talking about the current executive leadership. The one that makes the day-to-day decisions.
Because, the NRA may not be too Republican, but it’s definitely too conservative. I don’t mind that when fighting for my Second Amendment rights, but the NRA has been stepping out into the wider debate on societal issues. (I despise using the term culture war.) To be fair, some of it was foisted on the NRA by the media and political players, but some of it appears to be playing to the large part of the base.
Except, I’m not in that base. I’m too liberal on social issues, too atheist, and too indoorsy. Or at least it seems that way when I look at who the NRA chooses to put in front of the cameras.
Here’s why I’m bitching. We exhort the vast majority of gun owners to join the NRA. Why should they when the NRA refuses to represent them? We castigate anti-gunners for lumping all gun owners with criminals, but then the NRA goes and does the same thing to anyone on the left of the political spectrum.
And can the NRA please just shut the fuck up about violent video games? There’s no good evidence that such a popular medium drives people to murder. What it does is alienate many of the people who would join us.
I am an NRA member, but there are days when I wonder if my limited money would be better spent.
Quote of the Day – Walmart Edition
We – being my shooting/fishing buddy, the niece and nephew, and myself – went up to the Super Walmart to procure line and tackle for next week’s fishing excursion. Stepping out of the truck, I warned the kids to stay with us and not wonder about thusly:
“As we have learned in many games, never split up the party.”
Shooting buddy needed to stop and laugh for a moment before we could continue.
Metal Tuesday- Iron Fire – March of the Immortals
I don’t think we’ve had this band on Metal Tuesday before. As you can probably guess from their name, and my know music preferences, this falls squarely into the power metal genre.
Fifteen Years
Yesterday was the fifteenth Father’s Day without my father. Some days, it seems like we lost him yesterday and the idea that he’s been gone for a decade and a half is startling.
I know a lot of my personality comes from my dad. The work ethic, the accountant mind, the methodical nature. Funny thing, I also got my job from my dad. Well, sort of. Dad worked for the same .gov agency that I do. Ran across a memo where he was on the task force that ultimately created my position. These are the times I wish I could believe in fate.
I wish my dad was here. I wish he could see my niece and nephew. They would love his stories. They would love watching old John Wayne films with him. I wish he could meet The Girlfriend. I think he would be glad that I finally found her.
Miss you Dad.