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After the two shooting incidents this week and last, of course, there’s much discussion about gun control. To be more precise, there’s much discussion about whether or not to have some discussion about gun control. It seems to be pretty far down on most politicians’ agenda. Because it’s an election year, the big, bad NRA might target a candidate or an incumbent for “removal” or for “non-support.” So the pols are mostly mum on the subject.
Most of the leaders who say anything, generally say they’re OK with current gun laws but they’re opposed to 100-round magazines. Op eds ask, “Why does anyone need a 100-round rifle clip?” or “Why does a civilian need an assault weapon with a 100-round magazine?” or words to that effect. And I say, if the Second Amendment is the basis for individual gun ownership, then it also ought to be the basis for a gun owner to possess as much ammunition as he/she wishes to possess to use in his/her gun. How can it be constitutional to own a gun but not the bullet-holding device to fire it?
(Of course, the Constitution says not one word about ammunition, 100-round clips, AK-47s or flame throwers for that matter. I know because I’ve read it numerous times.)
I get the politics, but the logic is pretty leaky. I think it would be fun to have a battery of Stinger missiles, but that’s against the same law that currently allows assault weapons and 100-shot clips. Go figure. I’m just sayin’.
******
An “up close and personal” feature during the Women’s Marathon the other day highlighted one of the Kenyan women runners — an early favorite for an Olympic medal — Edna Kiplagat. The film showed Kiplagat at home on a 10-acre farm she and her husband-coach could only afford because of their earnings from running. Running, they said is a profession in Kenya.
What struck me was the contrast between that woman’s home environment and that of many of the other women from the industrialized world who are Olympic competitors. The Kenyan was shown basically slopping the chickens and interacting with the calves in her corral. She has two children of her own and adopted two more after her sister died. She and her husband have four kids to support. In this country, their farm would look more like something from Tobacco Row. That’s not a slam on Kenya, which is after all a Third World Country.
It is an observation on the difference between those athletes and our own. How many of our Olympians actually have to work for a living and support any number of other family members? Not many, I would submit. Our 14-year-old champions move from Miami to Boston to be near a special coach. Older ones are supported by sponsors, families with means, special foundations. Their job is to train for the Olympics, year in and year out. Few would interrupt their regimen if a swarm of locusts hit their village or if the power or water went out for a week at a time. Those things happen in Kenya pretty often, maybe not the locusts but the power and water outages. I have that on very good authority from friends who live there — in a good neighborhood.
Maybe there ought to be a sliding scale for the Olympics whereby the athletes who don’t have it so easy at home get a few extra points. I’m just sayin’.
******
Terrorism expert Peter Bergen says we’re more likely to be attacked by home-grown right or left-wing crazies than we are by al Qaeda or their ilk. There’s something to think about as we gird for battle in the War on Terror. The old Pogo line comes to mind about meeting the enemy and realizing it is “us.” If we spent a trillion dollars on eradicating home-grown terrorism instead of focusing on the jihadi threat, we might all be safer. Just sayin’.
******
Before the big Chick-fil-A brouhaha, that is a little over a week ago, I went to a Chick-fil-A restaurant somewhere in Virginia. We were on the road between Roanoke and Damascus in the far western part of the state. I remember hearing about a survey or poll a year or more ago that ranked Chick-fil-A as a particularly good fast-food place, and I’d been wanting to try it out.
It was frightfully hot and humid that day, and we needed a break, and we saw a sign for a Chick-fil-a up ahead. After a couple of wrong turns, we found the local eatery, went in and ordered. They had all kinds of chicken sandwiches available, but I went with the basic one. It tasted just like bland grilled chicken on a white bread bun. Frankly, I thought it was about as boring and unmemorable as any fast food I’ve ever had, although the fries were pretty good, and the iced tea was cold and icy.
While we ate, we had noticed signs that said Chick-fil-A restaurants are closed on Sundays, always have been. We thought that was kind of strange but didn’t give it much more thought. At the time, I determined I’d never go to another Chick-fil-A, but not because of their politics or religious inclinations — none of which I knew anything about until a couple of days later. Now, of course, I know there’s another good reason not to go to Chick-fil-A. I’m just sayin’.
Chris Daley is a staff writer and columnist for the Mountain Democrat. His column appears each Friday.
The Mountain Democrat does not necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full policy
James E.August 09, 2012 - 10:14 am
The Second Amendment -- the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. Seems straight forward. But, wait, the premise is the beginning often not quoted: "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state," the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. Written at the time of the Revolution, with armed minutemen to be ready to report to service in that well regulated militia at a minute's notice. OK, seems clear to me, our right to keep and bear arms to tied to serve in that well regulated militia. Today, the National Guard. Of course, the National Guard now provides the pistols, rifles, machine guns, etc., etc. Ponder, ponder, ponder.
James E.August 09, 2012 - 10:16 am
*** is tied
question everythingAugust 09, 2012 - 10:31 am
"A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state" - What was the meaning of 1776? Was the Revolutionary War fought to establish a state free to do as it wished? And what about a free people?
James E.August 09, 2012 - 10:56 am
A state free from England?
R.J. CarterAugust 09, 2012 - 11:42 am
James....I understand that being a good Liberal your just taking an opportunity to bash gun ownership, but I'd bet dollars to donuts you own at least one gun and that your also not in the National Guard.....On the other hand, I love guns, so I'll tell ya what, I'll drop by and pick up all those nasty old guns from ya, then drop them off by the National Guard for ya, wink, wink...
question everythingAugust 09, 2012 - 11:43 am
Paul Robeson:Ballad for Americans http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnXyGr668wg&feature=player_embedded
question everythingAugust 09, 2012 - 11:45 am
Whatever happened to "of the people, by the people, and for the people"?
robertdnollAugust 09, 2012 - 12:05 pm
it's amusing that some people want us to believe that our founding fathers weren't really up to job when they wrote the bill of rights and it's up to them to educate us
wonderingAugust 09, 2012 - 1:06 pm
Who educates robert?
Pillsbury Dough BoyAugust 09, 2012 - 1:54 pm
I was just getting ready to comment on Carters silly responds when a friend called. He said, I see one of your planning commission members just bicycled across America and I wanted to ask your wife a medical question. “How a person can ride a bicycle 2800 miles in 77 days and end up looking like the Pillsbury Dough Boy with a beard?”
Obituary of the Pillsbury DoughboyAugust 09, 2012 - 2:17 pm
The Pillsbury Doughboy, died yesterday of a severe yeast infection and complications from repeated pokes to the belly. He was 71. Doughboy was buried in a slightly greased coffin. Doughboy is survived by his second wife, Play Dough. They have two children and one in the oven. The funeral was held at 3:50 for about 20 minutes.
James E.August 09, 2012 - 4:17 pm
R.J., I do have a pistol -- .40 S&W. In my case, no need to be in the National Guard because I'm a retired Regular Office of the United States Army, subject to the UCMJ and recall to active duty in national emergency until the day I die. Therefore, I have my pistol, so if recalled I can get on the truck immediately to move out to repel the invasion at the beach at Carmel. Note to self: Pack Vienna sausages just in case the mess truck doesn't catch up in time. Oh, also, dry socks and bullets.
James E.August 09, 2012 - 4:21 pm
*** I'm not an office I'm an officer.
James E.August 09, 2012 - 4:26 pm
To the writer of the Obituary. Excellent, just excellent! Instead of cremated, he was baked!!!
Jim RiordanAugust 09, 2012 - 4:47 pm
James E. . . Darn thats a big step down from 40MM or mini gun to .40 cal . . . Course, it'd be pretty heavy lugging a darn mini gun around . (;>). . .glad ya got the .40 . . hope ya never have to use it , but use it if you do!
R.J. CarterAugust 09, 2012 - 6:36 pm
Good grief Col....A mental picture just flashed in my mind of you on a recon mission in a quaint little sea-side oyster-bar in Carmel...You got that big a** 40 cal. horse pistol tucked in your Bermuda shorts, binoculars in your hand, scanning the waves for Russian subs...In your other hand your tapping out Morse code on the side of your Mojito glass with a swizzle stick...The bartender walks up and say's "sir may I ask what you doing", and you say..."Son, I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you".....
James E.August 09, 2012 - 11:20 pm
R.J., a .40 cal is not a horse pistol -- that .50 cal pistol is a horse pistol. And, as for the bartender, I'd just say "You have no need to know, and I'll have another and make it a double."
Tom GibneyAugust 10, 2012 - 8:23 am
Liberal Pols would like nothing better than to remove everybody's guns and rewrite the constitution( an old outdated document according to some of my Lib friends) However,It is sad that some loose screws get out and wreak havoc (That could have been prevented) Another Tragedy made political...none the less though, my Ruger stock is still going up...just saying. And no I don;t think it will be possible to remove guns from law abiding citizens very easily..however they sure are good at driving up the price of ammo!!
Jack MartinAugust 10, 2012 - 2:54 pm
Like clockwork, every time there's a tragic mass shooting, we see the gun control pundits pop their heads out of their holes to see if the political winds are blowing strongly enough in their favor to impugn the 2nd Amendment yet again. Right on cue, Mr Daley. As for James and his misguided militia theorem, the 2nd Amendment specifically uses the words "of the people." Likewise the 1st amendment uses that exact phrase (with respect to assembly) as does the 4th (with respect to searches and seizures), the 9th (enumerated rights) and the 10th (reserved powers). Are we to believe that "the people" our founders recognized in the 2nd amendment are really the state militias and NOT "the people" referenced in the 1st, 4th, 9th and 10th amendments?
Sensibly MindedAugust 10, 2012 - 3:51 pm
Jack Martin, you conveniently left out part of the 2nd amendment, which is “A Well Regulated Militia.” Yes, the founding fathers refer to “The People” as in the citizenry of the country, each person, but just looking at the language, the 2nd amendment does not stipulate an unregulated militia. You’re trying to pick and choose the text of the amendment, taking it out of context. The citizens of the United States should be able to protect themselves. I don’t have a problem with that. NO ONE needs a 100-round clip for self-defense. Just as you can’t yell “Fire” in a crowded theater, the founding fathers believed in being reasonable. The second amendment DOES NOT protect your right to have any weapon under the Sun. I have no problem with gun rights. But you’ve got to be sensible.
Sam Wilson, Cameron ParkAugust 10, 2012 - 4:03 pm
"sensible" and "Jack Martin" do not belong on the same page. He thinks the 2nd amendment gives you the right to possess a nuclear weapon.
James E.August 10, 2012 - 4:19 pm
Mr. Martin: "Of the people?" Who else would need guns to be in the militia? "Of the dogs?" "Of the cows?" "Of the birds?" I think the founders used plain language -- We need a militia necessary for our security, and therefore the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed, because a militia is a group of people with arms. Of the people indeed, as the Bill of Rights refers to people and not other life forms.
robertdnollAugust 10, 2012 - 6:22 pm
again we read our founding fathers did not understand the English Language,they had no understanding of science or that time could alter the technology of their way of life.Ships would always use wind.Slaves would always be part of agriculture.Flintlock armaments was as far as weapons could evolve.Please continue to educate us about how inadequate the framers of our constitution were
noll's roleAugust 10, 2012 - 6:58 pm
Noll is on a roll to enroll wee souls in his constitutional patrol.
James E.August 10, 2012 - 8:01 pm
Mr. Dnoll, I think we can say with absolute certainty that the founding fathers, in 1776, had no conception of 2012. Television (both black and white, color, and 3D), light-emitting diodes, iPads, 20mm mini-gun cannons on state of the art fighter planes, iPhones with world-wide calling capability, nuclear weapons, space travel, Hubble space telescope, paint with primer included, Lexus automobiles, tooth implants, etc., etc. The founding fathers did understand the English language, and they said it plainly: Must have militia for security, and therefore the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed so that they can rush, with their arms, to the village green when called. Your position is that they had a crystal ball that could see into the future. Well, maybe in a Twilight Zone episode, but not in 1776.