Defend Yourself

Call or write your state legislators, and urge them to support LB889.  The "castle doctrine" as many call it, is meant to protect people who use deadly force in defending themselves against murderers, robbers, burglars, rapists, kidnappers, muggers, carjackers, and the like, from criminal prosecution or civil suits.  You'd think it was common sense that the act of defending oneself, one's family, or friends, or even innocent strangers, from such attacks would be something society whould support rather than penalize.   However, this is not currently the case when it comes to the law.

I don't know if the proposed bill goes as far as I'd like it to, but I'm sure it is better than no protection at all.  In my opinion, people should be able to protect themselves regardless of where they are, and in any way that they are able to, without being subject to criminal charges or civil suits from those they defended themselves against.  (This protection would only be offered to people who were in a place they had a legal right to be at the time and who were not themselves in jeopardy because of their own previous illegal actions.)  No one should have the legal obligation to run away from an attack .  No one should have to hand over their property rather than fight to keep it.

To those who insist killing someone to protect material things isn't justified, where do you draw the line?  Is there a certain "dollar value" where shooting someone would be alright?  Is it okay to shoot them if they are stealing my food, but not if they are taking my iPod?  If they are stealing my gun, do I wait until they have it and decide to shoot me with it before I can defend myself? If they steal my property, can I have yours?  Can I shoot them if they are males over 18 years old, but not if they are females or juviniles?  Do I have to see their ID first so I'll know?

Get real!  Property is just as important to humans as life itself.  Without property (shelter, food, weapons, tools, etc.) there would be no life.

Hopefully, I will never have to use deadly force to defend myself.  If I do, I'm not going to be thinking of the legal consequences of doing so until much later.  With your simple act of calling or writing your legislators to support this bill, those who choose fight over flight won't be penalized for doing so.

Poopsicles

The blog title is especially appropriate this week.  We have another gun and three more dogs in the house thanks to my son-in-law, Larry, arriving last night from Virginia.  My daughter flew in last Thursday, but Larry's ship didn't get back to Norfolk until the next day, so he drove through the Blizzard of 2009 (as they dubbed it on the news) to get here. Why didn't she just wait and go with him the next day you ask?  Katie came for my son's wedding which took place on Saturday.  Now they are staying for Christmas, and we'll have six dogs and twelve people here for Christmas dinner.

I went out and dug nearly four gallons of dog poo out of the snow this morning, but I'm sure that was just the tip of the ice-turd, as I haven't been out to pick it up since we got a fairly large snow a couple of weeks ago.  By the time the extra dogs go back home, I'm sure I'll have quite a load in the garbage barrel.

Better Luck Next Year

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...I got a decent shot at a deer, but I didn't get it.  Deer season is minutes from being over for 2009.  I had a half-way decent opportunity on opening day, but didn't execute satisfactorily.  Four more trips seeking redemption produced nothing.  The excitement provided by a chance to shoot at something other than paper with my Smith & Wesson 500 was worth the $28 for a deer permit, though.  I'm sad that I missed my opportunity, but it saved me the hassle of field dressing and disposing of the meat.  The wife wouldn't eat it, or cook it, so I probably would have donated it anyway.

I saw 6 other deer while armed and ready during the season, but none of them offered me a legal, or reasonable shot.  Two does crossed from public hunting grounds to a private corn field only a few dozen yards away as I was driving yesterday.  Three does attempted to cross in front of me from private land to public land this morning, but turned around and went back when they saw me coming down the highway.  A nice buck showed me his bright white tail for a fleeting moment in the woods along a creek this morning, and that's the last I saw of him.

I'm not complaining, mind you, just relating the facts.  I fully expect to get one (or two) next year, given the experience I gained this year.

Slow Saturday

The NRA membership links are in place now on this blog as well as the EVC blog and the EVC home page, so all you faithful readers out there (Trevor) who aren't already members need to take advantage of the $10 savings now.  Seriously, anyone who holds dear our second amendment rights should join, if for no other reason than to get a cool hat and window decal.

The Chief's blog was pretty interesting yesterday and got a lot of comments.  Though most were positive, I figured there would be some people not too impressed by Tom's elation over catching someone who shoplifted a magazine.

Well, it's sort of crappy looking outside today.  I suppose I'll get started on the SOP for the Ikes shooting range, at least for a while this morning.

Trying to Help

It seems I'm becoming more active with every passing day in the gun enthusiasts arena.  On Saturday, I took the NRA course and test to be a certified Range Safety Officer.  With that certification, and approval of the Ike's board, I will be able to use the 300 yard range on my own, or act as the Range Officer so that others may use the range under my supervision.  I have also volunteered to write a set of standard operating procedures for the Izaak Walton League rifle/pistol/shotgun/archery/air gun ranges and their various events and competitions.  That will be a rather time-consuming effort, I'm sure, and will require the help and approval of various members, officers, and board members at the club.  Still, I am anxious to get started on it.

I also just became an official recruiter for the NRA.  I can offer people $10 of the regular membership price, which is no big deal because you can usually find a coupon or some other special offer if you look.  However, I get a commission on each new member I sign up, so I could offer another $5 rebate (so to speak) in addition.  I also found out there is a $10 membership (called an associate membership) which still gets you the free hat and insurance on your guns and life, but you don't get the magazine or voting privileges.  Not only that, but I can get people a lifetime membership for $750 rather than the regular $1K.  If I were not quite so old already, I'd defiinitely consider that myself.

I'm not doing much so far as the EVC for the first district, but there just isn't much going on politically right now as far as 2A issues or elections.  I'm sure things will heat up as we near election time and the legislature begins a new session.