Thursday, December 20, 2012
A Questionable Christmas
Questionable At Best is our friend Jeff's band. (he's the drummer)
Check 'em out at http://questionablemusic.com/ and tell 'em how great they sound!
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
We need to start calling bullshit on these people.
Starting with bullshit like this:
That is a lie. There is a lot we could do. We could do what Australia did after the Port Arthur massacre. We could do what Britain does. There's lots we could do. There has just been very little that we have so far been willing to do.
And bullshit solutions, like the one that Ms McArdle suggests:
Holy shit! You want children rushing directly into the hail of gunfire? Because they're going to be able to somehow pile on top of him? Maybe this might work if he was firing some old-timey weapon that had to be cocked and loaded between shots, but a Bushmaster AR-15 spits dozens of bullets in a matter of seconds. The kids would be mowed down like the beginning of Saving Private Ryan!
And we especially need to call bullshit on the NRA. And those politicians who support them. Like Joe Manchin:
That is a lie. The NRA doesn't feel a goddamned thing about those dead children. If they did, they wouldn't have been fighting tirelessly to perpetuate the conditions that ensure that these sickening slaughters will happen again and again and again.
It's possible that the NRA may have at one time been a legitimate organization representing hunters and "sportsmen" who were concerned that guns might possibly be banned, but today they represent no one but weapons manufacturers and they care about nothing but those companies' profits. They do not care how many innocents are killed. Check out this little chart from Think Progress. (link) Every time there's a gun massacre, the NRA responds by trying to increase the proliferation of guns.
You say they are "hurting?" Whenever there's a massacre like this, gun sales go through the roof. That's no coincidence. The NRA and their enablers exploit these tragedies to gin up more paranoia amongst the gun-toting community. Either you better get you some more guns so you can defend yourself against the maniacs, or you better get you some more guns before the evil guv'mint comes to take them away! Hurting? They're laughing all the way to the bank!
We need to stop pretending that the NRA is a legitimate advocacy group. They don't even represent their own membership. About 3/4 of NRA members are in favor of closing the gun-show loophole, for instance. The NRA will fight tooth and nail to prevent this. Because all they care about is selling more guns. They Do Not Care how many people die as a result of their lunatic policies. They will turn this entire country into a Peckinpah film if it increases their profits.
We need to start treating NRA membership the same way we treat membership in the Klan. Any sane, decent person who is currently a member should be strongly encouraged to tear up their card, renounce their membership, and not give another red cent to these death mongers. We need to get to the point where NRA members are ashamed to admit it in decent company. We need to get to the point that an NRA bumper sticker is looked at with the same disgust and loathing as an Aryan Nations tattoo. We need to call bullshit on this entire gun culture. And it needs to start now.
There's Little We Can Do to Prevent Another Massacre
That is a lie. There is a lot we could do. We could do what Australia did after the Port Arthur massacre. We could do what Britain does. There's lots we could do. There has just been very little that we have so far been willing to do.
And bullshit solutions, like the one that Ms McArdle suggests:
I'd also like us to encourage people to gang rush shooters, rather than following their instincts to hide; if we drilled it into young people that the correct thing to do is for everyone to instantly run at the guy with the gun, these sorts of mass shootings would be less deadly, because even a guy with a very powerful weapon can be brought down by 8-12 unarmed bodies piling on him at once.
Holy shit! You want children rushing directly into the hail of gunfire? Because they're going to be able to somehow pile on top of him? Maybe this might work if he was firing some old-timey weapon that had to be cocked and loaded between shots, but a Bushmaster AR-15 spits dozens of bullets in a matter of seconds. The kids would be mowed down like the beginning of Saving Private Ryan!
And we especially need to call bullshit on the NRA. And those politicians who support them. Like Joe Manchin:
Wed Dec 19, 2012 at 01:30 PM PSTSen. Joe Manchin: 'I'm so proud of the NRA'
“These are my friends,” Manchin, who previously served as governor, said of the NRA. “They’re good people. They’re hurting. They’re in pain the same way as every American about what happened to these twenty little children.
That is a lie. The NRA doesn't feel a goddamned thing about those dead children. If they did, they wouldn't have been fighting tirelessly to perpetuate the conditions that ensure that these sickening slaughters will happen again and again and again.
It's possible that the NRA may have at one time been a legitimate organization representing hunters and "sportsmen" who were concerned that guns might possibly be banned, but today they represent no one but weapons manufacturers and they care about nothing but those companies' profits. They do not care how many innocents are killed. Check out this little chart from Think Progress. (link) Every time there's a gun massacre, the NRA responds by trying to increase the proliferation of guns.
You say they are "hurting?" Whenever there's a massacre like this, gun sales go through the roof. That's no coincidence. The NRA and their enablers exploit these tragedies to gin up more paranoia amongst the gun-toting community. Either you better get you some more guns so you can defend yourself against the maniacs, or you better get you some more guns before the evil guv'mint comes to take them away! Hurting? They're laughing all the way to the bank!
We need to stop pretending that the NRA is a legitimate advocacy group. They don't even represent their own membership. About 3/4 of NRA members are in favor of closing the gun-show loophole, for instance. The NRA will fight tooth and nail to prevent this. Because all they care about is selling more guns. They Do Not Care how many people die as a result of their lunatic policies. They will turn this entire country into a Peckinpah film if it increases their profits.
We need to start treating NRA membership the same way we treat membership in the Klan. Any sane, decent person who is currently a member should be strongly encouraged to tear up their card, renounce their membership, and not give another red cent to these death mongers. We need to get to the point where NRA members are ashamed to admit it in decent company. We need to get to the point that an NRA bumper sticker is looked at with the same disgust and loathing as an Aryan Nations tattoo. We need to call bullshit on this entire gun culture. And it needs to start now.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Insane Overreaction of the Day
Since the shootings in Connecticut last Friday, a lot of people have come up with ideas for making the country a safer place. Sadly, most of these ideas can be summed up in two words: MORE GUNS!
I know I feel safer!
But a police chief in Arkansas has come up with the most insane idea so far. (second-most-insane if you count Megan McArdle)
His idea? More cops on foot patrol.
That doesn't sound crazy, does it? Well, I kinda left part out.
"[Police are] going to be in SWAT gear and have AR-15s around their neck," [Police Chief Todd] Stovall said. "If you're out walking, we're going to stop you, ask why you're out walking, check for your ID."
Instead of "more cops on foot patrol," I should have said "going full Gestapo."
Stovall said while some people may be offended by the actions of his department, they should not be.
Oh. You're right, I shouldn't be offended. I should be horrified.
"To ask you for your ID, I have to have a reason," he said. "Well, I've got statistical reasons that say I've got a lot of crime right now, which gives me probable cause to ask what you're doing out. Then when I add that people are scared...then that gives us even more [reason] to ask why are you here and what are you doing in this area."
So, you get people all riled up about how much crime you have, then use the up-riling to justify turning your town into 1960's Leningrad?
Mayor Gaskill wholeheartedly endorsed the plan. . . "[Residents] may not be doing anything but walking their dog, but they're going to have to prove it," Gaskill said.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Meet Your Newest Senator
So South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley
(maybe?)
has named a successor to teabagging nutbag Jim DeMint.
And it is not Stephen Colbert.
It's Congressman Tim Scott of SC's first district.
No?
Take two.
It's Tim Scott!
really?
Okay then.
So I don't know anything about this Tim Scott, and I'm guessing many of you are in the same boat. So let's see what we can learn about him. Let's start with his website.
In a way it's sorta admirable that he hasn't scrubbed his website of this:
in the wake of recent tragedies. Well, not admirable, but at least he's consistently a gun-humping asshole.The Constitution grants all law-abiding Americans the right to bear arms, regardless of what some would lead you to believe. Our Second Amendment right is a fundamental freedom and a cornerstone of our democracy.
Although, it's odd that if you click on the "2nd Amendment Rights" link (which is first on the list of issues)the one article that comes up is this:
2nd Amendment Rights
This Week in Washington
Apr 17, 2012 BlogThis week the House will take up the Small Business Tax Cut Act (HR 9), introduced by Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA). This bill will extend a 20 percent tax cut to American small businesses, which breaks down to more than 77,000 South Carolina...
Even if you click on this:
All you get is the same article, also ending at the elipses, so we'll never know what's to become of 77,000 South Carolina something or others.
Congressman Tim Scott has "American Values." What are they? Let's let him explain:
American Values
Our nation was founded by those who believed in faith and freedom. Too often, Americans who are proud of their faith and the values it instills find themselves under attack. Government should be protecting our right to religious freedom, not assaulting it.
He bravely stands up to non-existent threats to religious freedom. That's impressive.
I cosponsored two pro-life bills which have now passed the House of Representatives, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act and the Protect Life Act.
Boldly proposing legislation that does the same thing as the Hyde Amendment! Which is still in place, so this bill accomplishes nothing.
I also supported legislation, the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act, to repeal part of the national health care reform law that violates the freedom of religion granted to us by the First Amendment.
Repealing the part that doesn't exist! Brilliant!
Government is already overreaching into our homes and businesses
I also support traditional marriage, and spoke out against the President’s decision to no longer allow the Department of Justice to defend the Defense of Marriage Act in court. I absolutely believe in keeping the institution of marriage as one solely between a man and woman.
Government is already overreaching into our homes! We must get them to overreach into those people's homes instead!
I regard all life as sacred, and am proud of our values and traditions. For this reason I will remain steadfast in my commitment to protect the unborn and continue to take a stand in defending traditional and religious values.
He regards all life as sacred. Hmm, I wonder if that might end up seeming ironic at all. . .
Oh.Tim Scott also supported the GOP-dominated state legislature's proposal to slash the state's entire HIV/AIDS budget, including funding to the critical AIDS Drug Assistance Program. South Carolina has the 8th highest HIV rate in the nation.
What else?
Voted NO on removing US armed forces from Afghanistan.
Of course he did. What better way to show your belief in the sanctity of all human life than to support the continuation of senseless death and carnage.
Maybe by co-sponsoring pro-gun accumulation legislation?
Official Summary
1/24/2012--Introduced.Prohibits the use of federal funds to require a person licensed to deal in firearms to report information to the Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding the sale of multiple rifles or shotguns to the same person.
Sponsor
Co-Sponsors
- Rep. Tim Scott [R, SC-1]
Added February 03, 2012
Oh, dear.
So, meet the new nut. Same as the old nut.
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