W turned 62 today and is celebrating in China.
How much lead is in a Chinese birthday cake?
Posted by TIKI AL at July 6, 2008 04:47 AMIs this a truism? Republicans fight to protect their rights to fear.
I live in Atlanta and have been traveling through Atlanta airport for over 20 years on business. I have a license-to-carry permit, but I have never felt unsafe at the airport (well, until after 9/11) and would never dream of carrying a gun to the airport. But since the Supreme Court ruling, some Republican state legislator has filed a lawsuit so that he can carry a gun when he goes into the terminal (presumably to pick up/meet people). Now, I'm a proponent of responsible gun ownership, but I think this is one of the most vivid of examples of Republican extremism. He's going to fight for his rights because his fear for his personal safety when walking around the airport is so great that he thinks this is a suitable conservative cause to champion. Where has common sense gone?
Posted by Roy Batty at July 6, 2008 05:47 AMI don't think the law applies to an individual's fears. Should I be licensed to carry a gun while shopping because I am afraid of malls? What an idiot.
The Republicans have been spreading fear for so long they are beginning to buy their own propaganda.
Posted by Judith at July 6, 2008 06:10 AMOn the other hand, being a Republican, there may be something to fear.
Posted by Judith at July 6, 2008 06:18 AMScratch my comment. It was made before reading the article.
Why don't we just allow people to carry a gun anywhere, anytime, and for any reason. That should make us feel real safe. It's never enough for these gun toting people.
Posted by Judith at July 6, 2008 06:46 AMI'd give anything to see or hear this debate.
The Buffalo News reports that John Edwards will debate Karl Rove on Sept. 26 on the campus of the University of Buffalo as part of the school's Distinguished Speakers Series. In the midst of the U.S. attorney scandal, Edwards called on President Bush to "fire Karl Rove." When Rove announced he was resigning from the White House, Edwards released a statement that simply read "Goodbye, good riddance."
Posted by Judith at July 6, 2008 07:04 AM;) Easy there Judith...I'm one of those gun-toting people and I'm the one pointing out that common sense has got prevail in the application of laws.
To your point about carrying guns. Kennesaw Georgia is a northern suburb of Atlanta and made it the law that you must carry a gun when out in public in the late 80's. To my knowledge, they continue to maintain the law and have not had any major problems. I think this would be fine for many small towns, but (per the common sense meme), it would be ridiculous in a big city.
Here's my cliche gun owner comment. If you outlaw them, only the government and outlaws will have them. The creation of all the big police states of the past 3 centuries began with the disarming of the populace.
Posted by Roy Batty at July 6, 2008 07:50 AM"I think this would be fine for many small towns, but (per the common sense meme), it would be ridiculous in a big city."
The problem is you can't allow it in a small town, and not in big cities, no matter how "riciculous" it may be.
Roy, I must admit I have never understood the love relationship between Americans and their guns.
My Brother-in-law tells the story how, when he was young in a small town, he would carry his rifle to high school on fridays, on the bus, to go hunting with his buddies on saturday mornings. My, my, how things have changed.
Posted by Judith at July 6, 2008 08:11 AMHere's my cliche gun owner comment.
Being a gun owner, here is my cliche gun owner comment: In rural areas they are suicide machines, in urban areas they are homicide machines, and in your home they are accidental death machines.
The idea that you can carry a gun and defend yourself with steely-eyed resolve like Wyatt Earp is wonderful and also a lie. Generally, people get drunk, have an argument, and then out come the guns. In court, self-defense arguments work about as well as insanity defenses...not at all.
Posted by phidipides at July 6, 2008 09:14 AMJudith, I think you've hit on an important point. To say that I am a "gun lover" is a bit dramatic. There are certainly specific guns that I place certain sentimental attachments on or monetary value on, but at the end of the day, they are simply well-engineered pieces of machinery that serve specific purposes. Being raised on a ranch in Texas, I didn't place any more cachet on my guns than on the tractor or the pickup-truck (the truck was better at getting me out on dates). They were all machines, albeit deadly machines, that each had specific applications. Lumping me in the "gun nut" crowd is convenient, but fails to
acknowledge that there are a very large number of very responsible gun owners.
"They were all machines, albeit deadly machines..."
That is a poor analogy. The only one of those three types of "deadly machines" that is designed to kill and whose primary purpose is to kill is the gun. The tractor and the truck are not intended to kill, and most tractors and trucks are never used for killing.
Posted by Shirin at July 6, 2008 10:54 AMRoy, responsible people such as yourself are not the problem. My point is why in the world would a state legislator or anyone need to take a gun to an airport, stadium, bus, train, playground, church, etc.?
I thought guns were for hunting, but evidently there are a lot of scared people in this Country who need to 'pack heat' to feel secure, including one state legislator.
Posted by Judith at July 6, 2008 03:42 PMJudith: Imagine millions of bushies going door to door to install conservative chips in the brains of the progressives.
I have 2 guns, are you sure you don't want to borrow one?
Posted by TIKI AL at July 6, 2008 05:03 PMTIKI, your right. I forgot one may want to protect home and loved ones as well as hunt. It's just a subject I seldom have with anyone. I hate guns, but understand people wanting to protect themselves. I just don't think we need to take a gun everywhere we go.
I havn't shot them or taken them out of the house since 1982, but it gives me clingable comfort just knowing they are there.
Posted by TIKI AL at July 6, 2008 05:47 PMCongratulations to Rush Limbaugh on his $400+ million dollar contract.
How is Air America doing? Is it still on the air?
Posted by Bagley at July 6, 2008 06:05 PMSpeaking of finances, may I suggest a Windex and Brawny off-ramp franchise to supplement your shrinking GOP paycheck due to another pending banishment?
You could listen to Rush while you do some honest work for a change.
Posted by TIKI AL at July 6, 2008 06:24 PMHoward Stern got 500 million.
Is he 20% smarter than Rush?