10 Things you should know about licensed gun owners

1. We don't carry firearms so that we can ignore other basics of personal safety. Every permit holder that I know realizes that almost all dangerous situations can be avoided by vigilance, alertness and by simply making wise choices about where one goes and what one does. We don't walk down dark alleys. We lock our cars. We don't get intoxicated in public or hang out around people who do. We park our cars in well lighted spots and don't hang out in bad parts of town where we have no business. A gun is our last resort, not our first.

2. We don't think we are cops, spies, or superheroes. We aren't hoping that somebody tries to rob the convenience store while we are there so we can shoot a criminal. We don't take it upon ourselves to get involved in situations that are better handled by a 911 call or by simply standing by and being a good witness. We don't believe our guns give us any authority over our fellow citizens. We also aren't here to be your unpaid volunteer bodyguard. We'll be glad to tell you where we trained and point you to some good gun shops if you feel you want to take this kind of responsibility for your personal safety. Except for extraordinary circumstances your business is your business, don't expect us to help you out of situations you could have avoided.

3. We are LESS likely, not more likely, to be involved in fights or "rage" incidents than the general public. We recognize, better than many unarmed citizens, that we are responsible for our actions. We take the responsibility of carrying a firearm very seriously. We know that loss of temper, getting into fights or angrily confronting someone after a traffic incident could easily escalate into a dangerous situation. We are more likely to go out of our way to avoid these situations. We don't pull our guns to settle arguments or to attempt to threaten people into doing what we want.

4. We are responsible gun owners. We secure our firearms so that children and other unauthorized people cannot access them. Most of us have invested in safes, cases and lock boxes as well as other security measures to keep our firearms secure. Many of us belong to various organizations that promote firearms safety and ownership.

5. Guns are not unsafe or unpredictable. Modern firearms are well made precision instruments. Pieces do not simply break off causing them to fire. A hot day will not set them off. Most modern firearms will not discharge even if dropped. There is no reason to be afraid of a gun simply lying on a table or in a holster. It is not going to discharge on its own.

6. We do not believe in the concept of "accidental discharges". There are no accidental discharges only negligent discharges or intentional discharges. We take responsibility for our actions and have learned how to safely handle firearms. Any case you have ever heard of about a gun "going off" was the result of negligence on somebody's part. Our recognition of our responsibility and familiarity with firearms makes us among the safest firearms owners in America.

7. Permit holders do their best to keep our concealed weapons exactly that: concealed. However, there are times with an observant fellow citizen may spot our firearm or the print of our firearm under our clothes. We are very cognizant that concerns about terrorism and crime are in the forefront of the minds of most citizens. We also realize that our society does much to condition our fellow citizens to have sometimes irrational fears about firearms. We would encourage citizens who do happen to spot someone carrying a firearm to use good judgment and clear thinking if they feel to need to take action. Please recognize that it's very uncommon for a criminal to use a holster. However, if you feel the need to report having spotted a firearm we would ask that you please be specific and detailed in your call to the police or in your report to a store manager or private security. Please don't generalize or sensationalize what you observed. Comments like "there's a guy running around in the store with a gun" or even simply "I saw a man with a gun in the store" could possibly cause a misunderstanding as to the true nature of the incident.

8. The fact that we carry a firearm to any given place does not mean that we believe that place to be inherently unsafe. If we believe a place to be unsafe, most of us would avoid that place all together if possible. However, we recognize that trouble could occur at any place and at any time. Criminals do not observe "gun free zones". If trouble does come, we do not want the only armed persons to be perpetrators. Therefore, we don't usually make a determination about whether or not to carry at any given time based on "how safe" we think a location is.

9. Concealed weapon permit holders are an asset to the public in times of trouble. The fact that most permit holders have the good judgment to stay out of situations better handled by a 911 call or by simply being a careful and vigilant witness does not mean that we would fail to act in situations where the use of deadly force is appropriate to save lives. Review of high profile public shooting incidents shows that when killers are confronted by armed resistance they tend to either break off the attack and flee or choose to end their own life. Lives are saved when resistance engages a violent criminal. Lives are lost when the criminal can do as he pleases.

10. The fact that criminals know that some of the population may be armed at any given time helps to deter violence against all citizens. Permit holders don't believe that every person should necessarily be armed. We recognize that some people may not be temperamentally suited to carry a firearm or simply may wish not to for personal reasons. However we do encourage you to respect our right to arm ourselves. Even if you choose not to carry a firearm yourself please oppose measures to limit the ability of law abiding citizens to be armed. As mentioned before: criminals do not observe "gun free zones". Help by not supporting laws that require citizens to be unarmed victims.

FEDS n' stuff

It occurred to me that I've been chatting up the FBI, schmoozing with BATFE and shootin' with cops on my day off.
People are gonna get the wrong idea...

Bash served. Bash Returned.

What is up with media today?
We've got "journalists" arguing with the people whom they've chosen to question.

We've got actress/comedians giving "expert" advice on the inner workings of our brains because they must have gone through pre-comedy med school.

We're told that everyone is allowed pride in their heritage except the white guy.
And apparently, name calling is justified and acceptable from one political side but when the tables are are turned, it's called racism.

I'll clarify that for my part in all this "tax revolt" stuff, it's not about race. It's not about party affiliations. It's about bad policy and stupid decisions, and I'm an equal opportunity hater. I wouldn't care if the guy was green and purple...he's still a schmuck.

Dan Cooper FIRED

Final UPDATE in the Cooper Firearms Drama:
Cooper changed its page again...

In response to the recent article highlighting Dan Cooper’s personal political donations, the board of directors,shareholders and employees of Cooper Firearms of Montana, Inc would like to issue the following statement:
The employees,shareholders and board of directors of Cooper Firearms of Montana do not share the personal political views of Dan Cooper.
Although we all believe everyone has a right to vote and donate as they see fit, it has become apparent that the fallout may affect more than just Mr. Cooper. It may also affect the employees and the shareholders of Cooper Firearms.
The board of directors has asked Mr. Cooper to resign as President of Cooper Firearms of Montana, Inc.
Daily operations will continue with the competent staff currently in place in Stevensville, MT producing the finest, most accurate rifles money can buy.

Dan Cooper has spentall of his working life producing the highest quality rifles built here in the USA. He started with nothing but the American Dream and built that into firearms company anyone would be proud of. We firmly believe Dan stands by the2nd amendment.
We wish him all of the best in his future pursuits.

Of Sheep and Wolves

It's been around awhile, but still worth a refresher.
Snagged from the net:

Not so long ago and in a pasture too uncomfortably close to here, a flock of sheep lived and grazed. They were protected by a dog, who answered to the master, but despite his best efforts from time to time a nearby pack of wolves would prey upon the flock. One day a group of sheep, more bold than the rest, met to discuss their dilemma. "Our dog is good, and vigilant, but he is one dog and the wolves are many. The wolves he catches are not always killed, and the master judges and releases many to prey again upon us, for no reason we can understand. What can we do? We are sheep, but we do not wish to be food, too!" One sheep spoke up, saying "It is his teeth and claws that make the wolf so terrible to us. It is his nature to prey, and he would find any way to do it, but it is the tools he wields that make it possible. If we had such teeth, we could fight back, and stop this savagery." The other sheep clamored in agreement, and they went together to the old bones of the dead wolves heaped in the corner of the pasture, and gathered fang and claw and made them into weapons. That night, when the wolves came, the newly armed sheep sprang up with their weapons and struck at them and cried "Be gone! We are not food! "and drove off the wolves, who were astonished. When did sheep become so bold and so dangerous to wolves? When did sheep grow teeth? It was unthinkable! The next day, flush with victory and waving their weapons, they approached the flock to pronounce their discovery. But as they drew nigh, the flock huddled together and cried out "Baaaaaaaadddd! Baaaaaddd things! You have bad things! We are afraid! You are not sheep!" The brave sheep stopped, amazed. "But we are your brethren!" they cried, "We are still sheep, but we do not wish to be food. See, our new teeth and claws protect us and have saved us from slaughter. They do not make us into wolves, they make us equal to the wolves, and safe from their viciousness!" "Baaaaaaaddd!", cried the flock, "the things are bad and will pervert you, and we fear them. You cannot bring them into the flock. They scare us!". So the armed sheep resolved to conceal their weapons, for although they had no desire to panic the flock, they wished to remain in the fold. But they would not return to those nights of terror, waiting for the wolves to come. In time, the wolves attacked less often and sought easier prey, for they had no stomach for fighting sheep who possessed tooth and claw even as they did. Not knowing which sheep had fangs and which did not, they came to leave sheep out of their diet almost completely except for the occasional raid, from which more than one wolf did not return. Then came the day when, as the flock grazed beside the stream, one sheep's weapon slipped from the folds of her fleece, and the flock cried out in terror again, "Baaaaaaddddd! You still possess these evil things! We must ban you from our presence!". And so they did. The great chief sheep and his court and council, encouraged by the words of their moneylenders and advisors, placed signs and totems at the edges of the pasture forbidding the presence of hidden weapons there. The armed sheep protested before the council, saying "It is our pasture, too, and we have never harmed you! When can you say we have caused you hurt? It is the wolves, not we, who prey upon you. We are still sheep, but we are not food!". But the flock would not hear, and drowned them out with cries "Baaaaaaddd! We will not hear your clever words! You and your things are evil and will harm us!". Saddened by this rejection, the armed sheep moved off and spent their days on the edges of the flock, trying from time to time to speak with their brethren to convince them of the wisdom of having such teeth, but meeting with little success. They found it hard to talk to those who, upon hearing their words, would roll back their eyes and flee, crying "Baaaaddd! Bad things!". That night, the wolves happened upon the sheep's totems and signs, and said, "Truly, these sheep are fools! They have told us they have no teeth! Brothers, let us feed!". And they set upon the flock, and horrible was the carnage in the midst of the fold. The dog fought like a demon, and often seemed to be in two places at once, but even he could not halt the slaughter. It was only when the other sheep arrived with their weapons that the wolves fled, vowing to each other to remain on the edge of the pasture and wait for the next time they could prey, for if the sheep were so foolish once, they would be so again. This they did, and do still. In the morning, the armed sheep spoke to the flock, and said, "See? If the wolves know you have no teeth, they will fall upon you. Why be prey? To be a sheep does not mean to be food for wolves!". But the flock cried out, more feebly for their voices were fewer, though with no less terror, "Baaaaaaaadddd! These things are bad! If they were banished, the wolves would not harm us! Baaaaaaaddd!". The other sheep could only hang their heads and sigh. The flock had forgotten that even they possessed teeth; how else could they graze the grasses of the pasture? It was only those who preyed, like the wolves and jackals, who turned their teeth to evil ends. If you pulled their own fangs those beasts would take another's teeth and claws, perhaps even the broad flat teeth of sheep, and turn them to evil purposes. The bold sheep knew that the fangs and claws they possessed had not changed them. They still grazed like other sheep, and raised their lambs in the spring, and greeted their friend the dog as he walked among them. But they could not quell the terror of the flock, which rose in them like some ancient dark smoky spirit and could not be damped by reason, nor dispelled by the light of day. So they resolved to retain their weapons, but to conceal them from the flock; to endure their fear and loathing, and even to protect their brethren if the need arose, until the day the flock learned to understand that as
long as there were wolves in the night, sheep would need teeth to repel them. They would still be sheep, but they would not be food!

The awesome "home walk".

If you've been a reader here (or anywhere that I post on the forums linked over there on the left), you'll know that I'm a fan of football, basketball, and a couple other things off and on (depending on who's playing).
I'm not really a fan of baseball or softball, even though I used to play.
This video turned up courtesy of sdeig and I had to share it.
It is the most awesome display of sportsmanship and good will that I've witnessed in a very long time. Even if you don't dig the game, please watch the video. You'll see why when you click it.

*Boggle*

So over where those crazy vegans hang out, there’s an ongoing discussion about people labeling themselves as one thing and then being hypocritical about it.
The topic is basically the “ethics” of veganism and the slant is that to be “a true vegan” you have to be a purist dang near to the point of being militant.
I could not more strongly DISagree. It really yanks my chain when the militant faction of *any* subculture of people start pigeon holing everyone else and deciding who should be tagged with what label.
It gripes me that these very same people who claim such incomparable compassion to animals are the very same ones who will often show the least compassion for their fellow humans.
One of the posters made a comment that irritated me to no end:
“I wouldn't dream of eating or wearing anything that comes from an animal (even if my family wanted me to) any more than I would make racist comments or make fun of disabled people.”

Let’s break that down a minute.
“Even if my family wanted me to.”

Here’s where my mind flipped to humble little great-grandma Mabel baking a special birthday cake just for that poster. Maybe she just doesn’t have it in her to bake one more cake. Ever. Maybe she used her last bit of energy and spirit to make that poster something special because she loves that poster best. And what would the poster say to her when she offers it?
Let’s see, here’s the response:
“if someone went out of their way to bake something for me that just happened to be non-vegan, I would very politely decline.”
Wow. How very compassionate to grandma. Can’t you just see the crushed look on her face? Can’t you just feel the disheartened twinge in her soul? Sounds like it’s more compassionate toward the animal then it is to poor grams. Downright insensitive and callous, I’d say.
But then, the poster “wouldn’t dream of eating it, any more than making a racist comment or making fun of disabled people.”
How does that even fit together?

*Boggle*

So now knowingly eating or using something with animal product in it is on par with being a bigot?

WTF?
I tell you this; in all the time I’ve ever spent reading the writings of self proclaimed “true vegans”, not one – NOT ONE – can explain what they are doing sitting at a computer (animal byproduct components), taking rides in cars that run with fossil fuel (animal animal animal!) with rubber tires even on bikes (animal product!) on asphalt roads (animal product!), and surround themselves with plastics items (animal stuff!!) every day (including the keyboard from where they type their most compassionate thoughts!). I suppose they never go to the movies to watch a flick that runs from reel to reel film (animal product!).
Here’s the deal:
I have to in all honesty say that of all the people I’ve met in real life and on the net, the most compassionate ones to all animals (four legged and two) have not been vegans. Not even vegetarians for that matter. They are the recycling, conservation minded hunters who donate time, money, and expertise to the DNR for preserving wetlands and forested areas; ensuring that certain species won’t dwindle in number, nor overrun another. They are more thoughtful of the ecology and environment than many a vegan/vegetarian I’ve met.
Although I won’t change the way I choose to eat, because I do so for my own reasoning, I find myself with less and less in common with the people in whom I once found kinship and understanding.

Could I hunt an animal and kill it when my survival was a non-issue? Probably not.

Could I pull the trigger for my own preservation? Yes.
For the record, I think my philosophies, principles, and ethics are just fine.