Seems like every six months or so I can't resist the same response to the same silliness.
Remember this charmer about cows with guns?
How about this not-so-charming account today from Mother Jones about COWARDS WITH GUNS?
Who are these Texas Wronghorns?
the valiant men of Open Carry Texas
"A group calling itself “Open Carry Texas” showed up today fully armed with semi-automatic pistols, rifles, and other firearms. They wanted to present a strong and intimidating front against a group they believe, wants to limit their liberty. Theses brave men stood shoulder-to-shoulder, weapons poised for immediate response to any hostile move from their sworn enemies.
Who were these sworn enemies, gathered to deserve this flashy show of weaponry and might?
It was four mothers."
Right ...
Got me to thinking. It seems that the slogan driving these folks with the big iron(s) on their hips or strapped over their heroic shoulders is …
“If you block me from using my First Amendment Right I will exercise my Second Amendment Right and use my weapon on you!”
… or something like that.
As to who the traitorous un-American “YOU” bent on destroying our liberties is … and the reasoning behind the extreme step of using a weapon against another citizen, well that’s up for interpretation.
I believe it is called “carrying” ... and is part of making what is considered a patriotic statement having to do with defending our liberties whenever and wherever those freedoms appear to be under attack.
So then, what does “under attack” mean?
What is in the mind of someone who feels the need to publicly flaunt personal ownership of a weapon because something frightens him that is not frightening most people who are otherwise civically engaged and active.
Is there a difference?
Well, although we all have that right, some of us use common sense that dictates that one need not “carry” unless a defense of rights is under literal and immediate physical attack, war or invasion of our country.
Otherwise, “carrying” is just another word for “packing” (as in heat) which declares
‘I’m a macho guy who could accidentally shoot a kid, a little old lady or her pet if I was of a mind to. ‘
A veteran myself, I know lots of other veterans in my community who HAVE used a weapon in defense of our country. We are genuine – the real thing - and would not hesitate to leave our homes, leave the churches before the sermon ends, leave the tavern with the last beer unfinished, drop what we’re doing, jump in our trucks, get our weapons and make haste to the scene of threat or action.
We'd do it in a moment’s notice cause we know where our weapons are – kept safe under lock and key until needed.
And for most of those I know it would not be any different if those attacking were government agents or military troops sent to forcibly take our weapons away, put us in some kind of internment camp, force us to pay our taxes or execute us for fornication.
But that is not what is happening.
So who is packing … er, I mean “carrying ” down there in Texas where boys will be boys and men will be boys?
All I can venture is a perceptual speculation based on behavior, verbiage and posturing.
Most carriers appear to be dying to be seen publicly wearing.
Most carriers appear to be hoping someone will challenge them so they can then draw.
Most carriers act like they will be disappointed if they don’t get to publicly use the weapon so as to be seen as heroic.
It seems to me that would-be Second Amendment heroes won’t hesitate to manufacture (imagine) enemies to the homeland in order to sustain a macho sense that hearkens back to every Wayne or Eastwood movie where the good guy gets to shoot somebody.
Consequently, when you see a carrier "packing" in public with a cold hard stare hidden by movie-hero sunglasses you can read in that stone cold facial expression and posturing this message:
“Please!
Before it’s too late and I can no longer be and feel heroic!
Please …. somebody make my day!”
Flash your weapons guys, get out those comic books and to hell with anyone else in the crowd, their children or their grandchildren.
Just like that … someone’s child could be gunned down and it won’t matter which Wayne or Eastwood character did the shooting.
… there will not be anything heroic about the perpetrator.
… only a stick horse, plastic chaps and cheap sunglasses trying to cover cowardice, a junior high maturity and a lack of the greatest civic attribute a citizen can offer the country:
Common Sense ...
One of the Founding Fathers beloved of Kindergarten Konservatives and gun-toting Konstituionalists, Thomas Paine, said give me liberty or give me death.
Paine did not say everybody needs to "carry" all the time and place liberty-loving citizens at the mercy of iirresponsible gun-toters.
And woe unto those too afraid to speak up or disagree with the heat packers.
