Friction and Harmony

Well, Dale Peterson failed in his bid for Ag Commissioner in Alabama, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need him elsewhere…

I say we put him in charge of this oil spill crisis.  He’d probably have the wellhead contained before 5:00 PM his first day on the job —  or someone’s getting shot in the ass! 

Mrs. Who and I celebrated Halloween in a special way today…

We went to the Gun Show. 

She’s a 12 GA. FN Herstal Tactical Police shotgun.  Perfect for dispatching REAL goblins.

But I do need to clarify some things…

Fact:  Mrs. Who knew about the gun show before I did – over a week ago.  She drives much further to and from work than I do and had noticed the roadside signs advertising the event.

Fact:  It was Mrs. Who’s idea to go.  She brought it up.  She suggested it would be a good way to spend the day.  She even invited some teacher friends to come from Florida – the same friends that spent the day shooting with her.

Fact:  She had reminded me about it again on Friday evening,  “Don’t forget, we have the gun show tomorrow!”

Fact:  She recalled that I had been tempted at a previous show by this particular gun, and mused aloud, “I wonder if they will have that police shotgun you liked last time…”

Fact:  It was Mrs. Who who paid our admission to the gun show.  When we were getting in the car, I noted that I had NO cash in my wallet and we’d have to run by my bank’s ATM (about six miles in the wrong direction).  She piped up, “No we don’t!  I already got cash to get us in.”

Fact:  Mrs. Who stood by my side as I was looking at this beauty and said, “SO!  Are we going to get her?”  She had a grin on her face.

Fact:  When I was checking out, they told me that there was a 3% transaction fee to use plastic.  Mrs. Who immediately volunteered to run to her own bank on the corner a few blocks away to draw cash while I filled out the BATFE paperwork.  Therefore, the bulk of the immediate cash for this purchase was “borrowed” from her account.  I guess I’ll have to make it up to her later. 

Fact:  As we were walking to the car with our new home defense purchase, Mrs. Who told me, “Her name is Charlotte.”  (we name ALL our guns.  And our vehicles.  And major appliances.  And other things…)  I quipped, “I guess that means she’s yours.”  She just smiled.

FACT:  As we were pulling out of the lot with our new purchases and I exclaimed, “Gawd, I soooo didn’t prepare to drop a grand at a gun show today!” (I also bought over $225 in reloading supplies and even found some reasonably priced .380 ammo.)  Mrs. Who looked at me with raised eyebrows and said, “Hey, don’t look at me – YOU’RE the one that wanted that shotgun!”

FACT: I almost locked the wheels up and drove us off the road, “WHAT???  You’re not putting this all on ME!  Who was standing at my side at that table with a big grin and puppy dog eyes?!”  She just giggled.  We drove on.

CONCLUSION:  I adore my gun lovin’, Southern sweetheart of a wife!!

(But I think I lost me a shotgun…)

While chasing tangents, I stumbled on this video:

I remember the Luby’s massacre – how come I don’t remember hearing about Suzanna Hupp? I love what she has to say to Congress:

“The Second Amendment is not about duck hunting. And I know I’m not going to make very many friends saying this, but it’s about our right, all of our rights, to be able to protect ourselves from all of you guys up there.”

She’s now married and a mom, and still speaking out. If you have time, there’s a great 3-part video on YouTube of her in ’08 addressing the Illinois State Rifle Association. I’m awed and inspired by her choice to turn tragedy into action. I’ve added her to my list of personal heroes.

Ms. Hupp is correct in stating that our government is legislating away our rights to defend ourselves, but I’m glad she used her story to direct her comment to Congress as she did. She clarified that her personal experience is just one facet of the Second Amendment, and that the commonly misunderstood inference of gun rights is that it is our right to defend ourselves from crime. However – and the legislators know full well what they are doing – the real danger is that they are dismantling our rights to defend ourselves from tyranny, which was and is the true intent of the Second Amendment protection of liberty.

Molôn Labé!