Gun Shows, SHOT Show and No Shows...

I like shooting, I probably don't like spending any serious money on it, but since I smile and laugh and talk to strangers, friends and easy competitors at shooting ranges - it makes me more social than the old guy in the recliner watching the world zip by between commercial interruptions. When you compare the cost of internet, cablevision and the machines to display the wonder of digital visual stimulation -- shooting gets cheaper in comparison. Providing you have found the firearms that make you smile and aren't on a quest for the next best thing.

I don't do gun shows, the Washington Arms Collectors have an annual fee and ID card and it is all based on the idea that only wonderful people should be allowed to view the material and buy or sell at the local gun shows. The wonderful people are the ones that aren't from New York's mayor to buy firearms posing as not so wonderful people, or real felons, insane or underage that are prohibited by law from being one of the People with a right to keep and bear arms. But if you went to a public range, a private home or a parking lot - you could sell or buy a firearm and it isn't illegal or it is always illegal. There are people unmarked by barcode, dress or manner that shouldn't buy or even hold a firearm. I am just not smart enough, and no one else in government is either, to figure out which few are those that shouldn't be allowed to handle a firearm.

In the beginning of this country, there wasn't a morality assigned to the tools called firearms. The morality was always in the person with the tools. There was dueling when this country started, but that became illegal and continued ever after into the culture and gunsmoke and hollywood. Since politicians and entertainment (court jesters?) have conspired to teach you that those in control have a right to disarm you for your safety, which wasn't true for most of the History of America, the country. The idea that you couldn't have a weapon went right along with the legal definition of a slave - an almost human being in a legally defined state of permanent servitude. Although arming slaves for the benefit of their masters has been accepted for centuries. Some masters actually think they will fight for their freedom, or the promise of it.

I don't know much about why others fight in uniform, I do know that I never have because I was paid well to, or believed my country was always right, or that I was as worthless as the nail in the horseshoe of the Chinese thought. There are officers that thought I would do what they said because it was an order - well, mostly I would - but I would do it so much better if it was a great order that would be worth dying for - don't ask any officers how many of those orders they have ever given, it is an embarrassing truth that it is easier to hit a hole-in-one than give an order worth dying for... Famous people I would have followed easily in combat? George Washington, Benedict Arnold on the American side, Lee, Jackson, Lincoln, Crook, Crazy Horse, Tecumseh, Teddy Roosevelt. I say easily, but they were very demanding but wouldn't expect you to do more than they would require of themselves. I like Lee and Washington best, they were very gentle hard men.

I continue to wander about this, but why I thought about this is the idea that this country is better unarmed, total government control of the firearms - like having the safe people disarmed by the law will prevent the unlawful from arming to the maximum they want or need. It doesn't work that way but the Democratic Party believes in sensible gun control (but never define it). The Republicans as a party get no pass - they vote like zombies for the gun control measure of the moment. In 1920, in America, you could own your own personal machine gun and the neighbors were more likely to ask to watch or try to shoot something with you. But then there was a gold standard for money, and indoor plumbing wasn't in every home yet, and you could still teach rifle marksmanship in high school. Things change, not always for the better.

Recently; more money, the end of the world, a re-election of the President and a return of a Democratic dominated Congress, or just the fact that more people are terrified and think a gun will protect them --- for many reasons, there is an increase in the number of people buying guns, many taking training, and some taking the firearm to a locked box (which won't protect them) to make it safer. I would like a lot of Americans to take up shooting, to live safely with firearms, to stop living in fear of the terrorists, thieves and thugs, their own government, and the government regulatory enforcers in black body armor and black ski masks (just a real positive suggestion make the body armor for law enforcement in powder baby blue or pink with a yellow smiley facemask and white gloves like Mickey Mouse).

I want more people accepting shooting as a safe, skilled, sport of choice - not something only ugly terrible people do for pain or profit. Maybe, since the schools are designated as a target rich environment all guns prohibited, I should work on getting shooting as a Saturday church activity?

This is part of the dialog or lack of between the Gun Lovers and Haters. Hmm... the gun control group wouldn't like to be known as Haters, but words have power.