Neutrality is over for Hammer

[Hammer]

Fair Warning:
1) This post will be long
2) It will be long because like most men I don't always have the opportunity (nor really desire it) to process my emotions, feelings etc.. with my wife, loyal friends, etc...
3) Nor do I journal nor keep a diary and writing has always been the safe place for me to process my thoughts and to use as a cathartic medium.

So....you have been advised.

As some of you have seen from my prior posts, I really try to avoid dogmatism in any form. I do have firm and uncompromising beliefs in areas important to me: spiritual life, family commitments, value in (loyal) friendship, etc... what me might call the basics.

Because in the past, I was a more argumentative sort, through years of practice (and desire) I have learned to hold to my certain uncompromising beliefs while not always having to be right, win every argument (which I love doing), nor be trigger happy (forgive the pun for a CHL audience) on every possible issue of importance to me.

I have become quite secure in my beliefs and now try to truly understand the beliefs of others, and enjoy understanding the differences. I am not bothered (as much) by the differences in thought and opinion as I get older.

If you have ever watched 'Huckabee' interview someone you notice he is quite a skilled listener. What I like about Huckabee is he gives YOU...the interviewee...the floor and a safe place to express your thoughts and make your points. Most of the time, it is with people he disagrees with on most issues. Yet, he truly wonders and desires to know why you think what you do...the way you do...

In the demographic and academic environments I grew up in TOLERANCE was a crowning virtue. For a devout and conservative christian, I had to learn to articulate beliefs in an uncompromising but tolerant (of others) way...for to have ever even had a chance for my point of view to be heard...I had to learn it. It was good. And along the way, it actually helped me kill a few 'sacred cows' because I was forced to get answers for myself instead of the DOGMA I had been bombarded with. A few examples; Christians should not drink, smoke, 'dance' or chew .... or go with girls who do.....well....as a devout christian who does believe in the one God of the Bible expressed in three persons, the salvation and atonement as provided by Jesus Christ and his redemptive work on the cross at the 'Christ Event', and a firm belief in the inerrant and literal interpretation of scripture...I must say: Imported Beer (especially Belgian, German, and English) is divine...and pleasing to the Lord, don't tell me you should not smoke until you have had a Romeo & Julietta or Partagus (ring gauge 50) learned to swing dance with your wife which has lead to finally being able to get a white man moving, or chew....well...I take a pipe instead....and/or have your wife enjoy a glass (or TWO0 of wine on an evening when the kids and her job have sent her into orbit or left her mindless on the couch in a haze...

Just a note, for those of you who might now be wondering where I developed such 'habits' as I obviously turned from faith....my response will be from a small little Non-Denominational (non-dogmatic except for the 'essential beliefs' as I hold to above) school called: Dallas Theological Seminary...the flagship of conservative theological doctrine, Biblical teaching, and scholastic excellence. Having come from a very liberal - liberal arts program in undergrad to the scholastic rigors (and non-dogmatic) rigors of DTS required of me to become more flexible in the non-essentials (doctrines developed by certain personalities rather than The (true) Church as a whole so as to be intellectually and spiritually honest with myself).

All of that to say: I have learned tolerance for others and I am secure in my beliefs ... even as they disagree with others. I ENJOY differing points of view because I LEARN.

THIS very CHL forum has helped me develop political beliefs and a desire for actions that I would not have had if I had only argued my points here instead of listen to others....

Thanks Guys who have interacted with me on posts !!!

If I had not been open to ideas and tolerances I would be a pastor right now...which was the WRONG thing for me as I realized in Seminary and after graduation moved to the business world...which is where I should be.

Listening to liberals (as Huckabee does) has allowed me to not proclaim myself a die-hard Republican and realize that ... believe it or not.... some (reasoned) liberals (oxymoron???) have some pretty interesting things to say...to consider...maybe even believe in.

I LOVE to debate because I learn....and sometimes persuade. I thank both my liberal and conservative educations for that. Tolerance, measured debate, slow to judge, even and TEMPERED responses to (political) issues.


Well as it comes to gun 'control" (what ever the that is supposed to mean) and the rights of CHL holders and the second amendment....

although I was the more intellectual and tolerant to my peers, and family, and friends as the renegade Texan who now 'carrys' but wanted to be reasoned, measured, and so intellectual in his attempts to show open mindedness....
my reply is....who cares what they think (on this one).

Time for persuasion and even mindedness (on this one) is OVER.

I am NOT neutral anymore.

Actually, I am PO'd.

Watching the news yesterday and today about Fort Hood is the straw that has broken the camel's back for me.

Latest update, at least the one I saw:
14 dead, 28 wounded - among the WOUNDED - not dead - is the shooter.........................................................

Several points and I will be done.

1) LIBERALS and Gun Control
How quickly would that have ended if there had been a CHL holder in the room. Ask that to the parents and family, and friends of the wounded and dead.
Seriously, Mr. Liberal, ask that question.........
I do not mean it rhetorically.......
ASK it..
I dare you.

2) SECOND AMENDMENT
For some time, as a history major and one who was also trained in 'authorial intent' (i.e. it doesn't really matter what YOU [or your pastor] think that Paul the apostle is saying here...nor what YOU [or your pastor] think Christ is saying here....or adapting what they said to be 'relevant'..............
Really what matters is:
What ARE THEY saying here...and what did THEY mean when they said it....) What is the AUTHOR INTENDING when he writes this...

So, as a history major and one who had authorial intent beaten into his head like a piece of metal is on an anvil with a hand sledge, I have to admit that I have had trouble with most attempts at 'interpreting' the Second Amendment, on BOTH sides.

The forefathers DID mean standing militia....NOT....to every citizen an assault rifle. The historical context of that really just seems undisputable.... in my humble opinion. It has troubled me for years.

UNTIL YESTERDAY !!!!

It is so simple....I realize just how arrogant I am....thinking that MY training allows me the exclusive interpretation of the amendment itself....
because authorial intent-within the right context and utilizing the correct tests for authenticity....can be 'living' as well.

Not living like most liberal scholoars mean...which is just revise it to say what you desire...
but rather the true INTENT within text to reveal the meaning of the writer. Proofs and strict methadology can now guide one to an accurate view of how the 'living' element can be expanded without corrupting the original intent of the author.

Like I said...it is so so simple...
the second amendment was about militias....why....for PROTECTION....against other Militias - foreign OR domestic.

Guns were needed to even the fight. They use guns to fight...so we will use guns to PROTECT.
If they use muskets...we use muskets.
If they use Smith and Wesson 9mm semi automatics (sorry S&W guys but as a devout Glock man...have to get a 'dig' in where I can) then we will use the PERFECTION of the Glock Model 21, .45 caliber, semi-automatic, pre-ban double stack clip OR, may the Lord forgive me for using THIS name in an unholy and possibly irreverant way if I do so: THE Colt 1911 .45, -all take a moment of silence please...for we have just mentioned the Colt 1911
...............silence.....................................................................silence......................................................................silence.......................................................................silence...................................................

See it really just boils down to: Tit for Tat in protection. We don't have garrisons of foreign troops here anymore (the British)......but we do have psychotic sociopaths with access to weapons....and (literally) by God the (accurate) living interpretation of the Second Amendment is that we need to them toooooooooooooo !!! And...we CAN have them too.

PROTECTION is the living doctrine there....not muskets.


With that in mind....here are some questions and events (some personal) regarding protection and weapons:

"We don't need guns in society anymore to protect us from violence - people who think that way are just a little too gung-ho or are paranoid...or whatever...they are just a little over the top....the instances where those of us who are normal everyday citizens find ourselves in those situations...well....THAT IS THE EXCEPTION...NOT THE RULE......"

Really.....really.....really.....?????????????????

So why don't you try having that discussion with:

1) The family and parishoners of the pastor that was shot in the chest, in the middle of his sermon, in Iowa.

Well that's Iowa....

2) Then try the families and the church staff of the church where the gunman opened fire about 10 years ago in the youth meeting... IN FORT WORTH

3) The Amish families from the school shooting in Pennsylvania about 4(?) years ago

4) The families, friends and peers of the Virginia Tech students and faculty

5) My old pastor in Memphis, TN who had a guy JUMP from the top balcony, rush him and had to be subdued by several choir members...one of which who gave him a nice left hook....it's even on video :-) and that sermon tape is always checked out...you have to get on the waiting list...ha ha...i love it

6) ME...who as a young boy watched his father get intentionally pushed in the back with a shopping cart because he was white and was trying to catch a sale at a store that was not 'in his part of town' as they put it... and watched as he was encircled and I watched him have to unclentch his right jab fist and walk away....discretion being the better part of valor.... and always wondering as a kid...what if they didn't let him just walk away...

7) the wife of the guy who was shot and killed in front of her by some dude who he was fighting over a parking space with ...in Memphis...not far from my brother's house

And to all the 'he shouldn't have been in that part of town' crowd or 'you shouldn't go to that part of town crowd'... i say... yeah i hear ya...but WHY NOT.....do we just ACCEPT that and move on...NO...we don't and I don't mean that as a cliche...Why should I?
How about YOU accept it if you feel that way...I am going to catch a sale if I can...

7) or what do you say to my Korean War Vet, POW decorated friend's father who always ran small convenience store businesses in the 'wrong part of town' and after taking 4 to the chest while in his 70's put down the two thugs who was robbing his store with a .44 magnum which he kept under the counter ...and he was back to work several months later (with no robberies.......hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm)

WELL what about your little North Dallas demographic Hammer...the tolerant ones...the non-fanatics....those things don't happen within certain demographic groups...

Really....really....really...????

Oh yeah... you mean the ones that:

a) (me): who had is college roommate robbed at knife point when we were in college when he was leaving work and was forced to drive the perp all over town to different atm machines to give him more and more of his money and came home and broke down crying as to why he wasn't a man that could protect himself

or

b) (me): whose wife works as an adolescent practitioner and who on occasion, by law, and BY CONSCIENCE, has to make CPS reports about abused children and when making one about 3 little girls - all of whom had cigarette burns on their bodies, bruising and one who had evidence of vaginal bruising, had the father figure out who it was who made the report....oh yeah...the father that had been arrested for indecent exposure, was off his bipolar medication and NOW aware that my wife made a cps report against him, .... who now as my wife's husband had no means of protecting her nor his children except for a baseball bat and who did not sleep for 3 nights....who then went and acquired a Glock model 21, .45 caliber, semi-automatic with a pre-ban double stack clip .... there are many like it but this one is mine ..... and learned (self taught...motivation was high) to put a 3 inch group on a silhouette at 10 yards....

or

c) or guy whose wife (thank God not me but CLOSE friends) was recently in <<<<<PLANO>>>>>> meeting some friends after work for a little margarita girl thing...who when she got out of her car saw a haggard dude waiting for her at the rear of her car and asked her for $20 OR to drive him to Frisco...and she (smartly) began to walk away....which turned into a RUN as he chased her into a store where she had to hide until he left the parking lot and then decided to not go to meet the friends

or

d) the friend of mine whose father and mother who were in the infamous Luby's incident in Texas many years back...whose father was a career military man then retired....who cowered behind a booth seat laying on top of his wife as the gunman had his choice of targets all lying still hoping for the best...taking out people as inched closer and closer to his father and mother...and for some reason did not shoot them...whose father then replied....i have been around guns all my life...it would not have been a problem to take him out...but h*ll, I didnt even have an ash tray to throw at him

or

e) the guy (me) whose family had never been to San Antonio before and unknowingly, in the apparently safe and few blocks from the Alamo Plaza, parked a little further out to save money...in the daytime...and who at 11:00 at night found himself trying to read a Blackberry map on how to get back to his car while then realizing that a few blocks from Alamo Plaza is the Ghetto - who had to keep his wife and 10 year old daughter walking closely behind him and his 7 year old son who walked next to him ...teaching him at 7 to learn street smarts....pronto...who THANK GOD literally had his 5 shot, Taurus, Model 850 .38 with Hydra shock, plus P, jacket hollow points loaded at 129 grain and 6 to spare in his rubber Bianchi speed strip in his pocket....and after literally navigating around a few street types that approached us...who...as i taught my son that night...YOU HAVE to see them BEFORE they see you ....DO NOT SMILE AT ANYONE... make BRIEF but FIRM eye to eye contact with EVERYONE you encounter.... DO NOT STARE but make the eye contact...
Shut down the loser/peddlers that approach you with a firm, loud, eye to eye NO THANKS at no less than 10 yards, and ohhh by the way...the guy we just saw pissing in a doorway...needs to be in front of us now and not behind us....


or.....or.....or.....


those of us who have watched in agony over the 14 lives lost at Fort Hood because no one was even ABLE to protect themselves except for .....the guys carrying the guns....

and a heroic aggressive (who went looking for him quickly...a part of her training called 'quick action response' for gunman scenarios exactly like this one... that encourages the officer NOT to wait for backup so as to find the perp quickly before he has a chance to shoot more victims) and well trained practitioner of her side arm who shot this....

the moderators will not let me put what i want here....

who shot this sociopath 4 times .....and ohhh by the way who was also shot with one bullet that went through both legs... so who knows if she will patrol again....

I am done with tolerance on this issue of gun 'control'
I am done with neutrality....
I am done trying to be reasonable with unreasonable people or with those who just don't have the stomach for it....
all of that is cool..... I get it

but...I am done with it

I am done with the...'oh you are not ever going to have something happen to you' ...oh yeah... why don't you analyze the scenarios from just MY life alone above

or

tell that to families of the victims at LA Fitness
or to me after some dude tried to road rage me the other day

or

to me and my wife...if God forbid...I 'let' someone take my car in car jacking before I can get my 10 year old and 7 year old unbuckled....

or better yet screw him...
even if I am alone...I am not going to 'give my truck' to anyone....even if it is the safer thing to do...'let them take my truck, your life isnt worth your car or truck'

well you know what ... b.s on that....your NOT taking my truck, my wallet, my shoes or anything else you decide you would like to have....

But, why be so 'foolish' over things....

no ... 'why not'...

i am the one who worked for them, bought them, paid for them (not on credit), utilize them, enjoy them...and give it away to a bully with a gun...
well....it better be loaded and he better be fast if he wants my stuff.....

If that makes me a fanatic?
so be it ...

i am tired of this crap we feed the young men of our age...we don't teach them anything about what it means to be a man and how to protect yourself...how to say...if you want my lunch money...your going to have to fight me for it...instead we have teacher's conference.

Well, i want my teachers conference to be about how my son fought and 'broke the rules'....he may not win...that is o.k., but don't walk away either. If you lose, that is cool...just don't walk away...and...learn something from it...like...how NOT to get sucker punched when your in 12th grade in a standoff and you look down to take your jacket off and as soon as you do you feel something opn your face....it is a fist....followed by about 3 more...and your getting butt kicked because you were looked down to take off your jacket.....yeah...you know...just learn something like that...

For those of you who have read my posts in the past...and have stuck with me this long through this one...you know that I usually end my posts with:

Thoughts...???

Well, no disrespect, but my mind is pretty made up on this one.

But, I do encourage FEEDBACK and I do like to read what others think....but....your not going to have much persuasion with me today....

Hard-headed and hurt (by Fort Hood),

~ Hammer

[Zee]

I admire those who know what they believe and why they believe it. I heard you.

[Kevinf2349]

I have to admire someone who understands what they stand for and why.

It seems like you have been openminded and given both sides a fair shake and I applaud you for that. Too many people have their minds made up for them or can't backup why they believe what they believe.

[blue]

BRAVO!!
Very Well Said!
Absolutely Right-enough IS enough!

Blue

[mbw]

I came to the same conclusions after the Vir Tech shooting.

I have had enough PC.

For me, no more.

[kgdotcom]

I didn't know if I was going to make it through it all but glad I did. I'm a newbie here I might have to go read some of your previous post's

[whumble]

Nothing to say but

[mctowalot]

Amen!

[Jstevens8715]

That was a really great post Hammer. Well said and sincere. I read the entire thing (and it WAS long!) but understood and empathized with everything you said. I have never (thank God) been in a situation like those listed or known anyone who has (that I know of), but I am somewhat paranoid that my time is coming. I go to class at night and have to walk to my car ALONE at 9 pm when I'm through. Those lots are huge and and dark and devoid of any significant security. But let me tell you, I will fight for my possessions and my life. No one has the right to take any of these things from me or anyone else and I will not stand by and let it happen. (This is my hope anyway, who knows what will happen if/when the situation actually arises.) I am angry that we have to look over our shoulders constantly and consider everyone we pass in the street as a possible threat. I am also angry that CHL holders are restricted in so many important places. Crazy gunmen do NOT open fire in places where people are known to be armed. They shoot at schools, churches and MILITARY BASES. If even one responsible citizen were armed, they might not KILL the gunman but they sure will even up the odds a bit. Maybe those gunmen will reconsider their rampages if they know that the possibility of a CHL holder (and maybe many) being nearby and armed. They are obviously not looking for a fair fight. They go in guns blazing killing unarmed, innocent people. It is infuriating and the government does nothing to protect us from this. On the contrary, they try to make it even more difficult to own and legally carry while criminals can buy anything off the street.

Ok, I guess I am done ranting. Just know that I am in complete agreement with you Hammer and am angry as hell.

[Kevinf2349]

JStevens, while I agree totally with most of what you have said the only thing I can say is....are you absolutely sure your church is unarmed?

Ours isn't....at least as long as mu wife and I are there.

The shooting that happened in the church (in Pa?) was prevented from being worse by a gun holder 'taking out the trash'

[Jstevens8715]

I don't go to church, but my fiance did tell me he thought the laws about carrying in church was changed, but wasn't 100% sure. I have heard conflicting things about this.

And good thing that guy was taking out the trash. What if he hadn't been there?????? AND he was the ONLY one (as far as I know) besides the gunman who was carrying. That is another problem. We need more CHL holders.

[android]

I so agree with you. I was discussing this with a friend today. We surmised that there are probably more people in Fry's capable of defending themselves at any given moment than the entire population of this FEDERAL installation.

As long as one person can get one gun, and that will always be possible, it is utterly insane to disarm the legal and law abiding citizens wherever they are.

[Kevinf2349]

I don't go to church, but my fiance did tell me he thought the laws about carrying in church was changed, but wasn't 100% sure. I have heard conflicting things about this.

And good thing that guy was taking out the trash. What if he hadn't been there?????? AND he was the ONLY one (as far as I know) besides the gunman who was carrying. That is another problem. We need more CHL holders.

It did change, at one time they were 'off limits' but now they have to post 30.06 just like anywhere else.

I agree about more CHLers. I personally would like to see more CHL's rather than an OC law. With OC there is no doubt who to take out first if you are a BG, with CC they have to guess right....and you just never know who it would be. The 78 yo reloading grandmother, the 23 yo biker, the 50 something balding guy. Even the 23yo pregnant lady.

I would like to see the law changed that penalises or causes hassle for the uninentional reveal. I know it isn't illegal but you have to prove it wasn't intentional and that could be a real hassle.....and expensive.

[Kythas]

Hammer, run for Congress. Please.

[Jstevens8715]

I don't go to church, but my fiance did tell me he thought the laws about carrying in church was changed, but wasn't 100% sure. I have heard conflicting things about this.

And good thing that guy was taking out the trash. What if he hadn't been there?????? AND he was the ONLY one (as far as I know) besides the gunman who was carrying. That is another problem. We need more CHL holders.

It did change, at one time they were 'off limits' but now they have to post 30.06 just like anywhere else.

I agree about more CHLers. I personally would like to see more CHL's rather than an OC law. With OC there is no doubt who to take out first if you are a BG, with CC they have to guess right....and you just never know who it would be. The 78 yo reloading grandmother, the 23 yo biker, the 50 something balding guy. Even the 23yo pregnant lady.

I would like to see the law changed that penalises or causes hassle for the uninentional reveal. I know it isn't illegal but you have to prove it wasn't intentional and that could be a real hassle.....and expensive.

I agree completely with your comment about more CHL rather than OC. I do NOT want to look like an obvious target because I carry. I want to be able to surprise a BG who thought I was an easy target because I am a woman.