In an effort to make our society safer, I have compiled a list of eleven things that should immediately be written into law. I feel that these things should not be mere suggestions….NO !!! These should be hard, fast laws that require the offender to spend a specific amount of time in prison.
They are as follows……..
1) The killing of another person
2) Robbing a convenience store, liquor store, or any other type of store with a gun, knife, baseball bat (or the kind of bat that flies and lives in a cave….as well as any other flying mammal in the order Chiroptera…including, but not limited to flying squirrels, gliding possums and colugos)…..or any type of sharp or blunt instrument that could cause bodily harm.
3) The use and/or selling of cocaine (powdered), methamphetamine, crack cocaine, LSD, Heroin, or any other drug that can lead to addiction and death
4) Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
5) Child pornography
6) Child abuse
7) Taking advantage of handicapped or elderly persons
8) Rape, sexual abuse
9) Identity theft
10) Harming a helpless animal
11) Wearing white after Labor Day
Some people right about now are saying to themselves…..”I think those are darn good ideas….let’s do that”. Others are saying…..”Uhhhh….all of those things are already against the law you moron”….and they would be correct. (well except for wearing white after Labor Day…and that one should be).
So what’s my point? Please read on………
In the light of 4 police officers being shot and killed in Florida within the last month…..some lawmakers are starting to talk about passing what they refer to as “stronger gun control laws”. My response to that is…..”Really?....do you think that will help?” I laugh every time I see a sign on the outside of a building that says “No Firearms Or Weapons Of Any Kind Allowed In This Building”. Here’s why……Let’s say a disgruntled former employee or angry husband is going there to exact revenge on former fellow workers or a cheating wife…..He goes and gets a gun….drives to the office with the idea of killing his wife or as many others as possible. He pulls into the parking lot….gets out….walks to the door and sees that sign and says to himself….”Oh crap….my plans are thwarted, because guns are not allowed in the building…I guess I’ll just go home and forget about my sinister plan of killing massive quantities of people”. That’s how it would end right? (After all….there’s a rule against taking a weapon into the building). NO….he would walk in and start shooting just as he planned….and the only people who wouldn’t have guns would be those who pay attention to the rules….so in this case they would be helpless to defend themselves against someone who doesn’t follow the rules.
I said all of that to say this…….Laws and rules only apply to those who are willing to follow them. If a person is strongly motivated to kill someone…..is there any chance that even though owning a gun might be illegal….that the law alone would stop them? Of course not…..Why, you ask? (lean in really close to your screen)…..BECAUSE THERE IS ALREADY A LAW AGAINST KILLING PEOPLE AND YOU’RE WILLING TO IGNORE THAT ONE….SO WHY WOULD A LAW AGAINST HAVING A GUN MATTER ????!!!!! All of the things listed in the beginning of this piece, are already against the law….(except the Labor Day thing and you know how I feel about that one)….and it hasn’t…doesn’t….and won’t stop people from doing them. Some people would argue….”Well then why have laws?” Well, because without laws, we would live in total anarchy. Someone once told me that locks on doors were for the honest people…..That same logic is why we have laws……so that “law-abiding” people can live in some type of order. There will always be those who ignore the law and do whatever they want to do….My argument is that you don’t take away my car (and everyone else’s car) in order to stop people from driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. You don’t castrate all men, in order to assure that there will not be any more rape, sexual abuse, or child pornography. You don’t outlaw playing baseball….so that there will be no need to make baseball bats….with the logic that it will stop someone from robbing a 7-11 with one of those evil bats.
Here’s what I think………….if a person walked into a business, or broke into a home with the idea of robbing or hurting someone….I believe they are more likely to have second thoughts about their actions, if they knew that there was someone in that business or home who had a gun….than they would simply because there was a law saying that you can’t do that…..or a sign that says “Please Don’t Kill Anyone Here”. As for me.....I think I'll just keep carrying my gun. Then Again….That’s Just Me
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?
Last night (through a series of unfortunate events) I endured a great deal of pain. In case you’re wondering if I know what pain really is…..here’s a picture of what happens when you “play” with fireworks that you are not familiar with…..This is a picture of my hand on the evening of July 4th, 2008…..
So what’s the show about…you ask? For those of you who have never watched the show, you might be shocked at the content…..and for those of you who love “Jersey Shore”, you might be shocked that I find it so offensive. The basic premise of the show is that you have a group of 9 “twenty-something” adults (using that term "adult" VERY loosely here) who live in the same house….and whose lives revolve around the 4 basic needs of every 12-25 year-old. Those 4 basic needs are of course drinking….dancing…..spray-on tans…..and having sex. Work is a very minor part of each of their lives. They work in a t-shirt store for a few hours a week…..but only when it doesn’t interfere with the important things in life (you know, the drinking, dancing, spray-on tans, and having sex). And there you have it……
The good thing is that at least the actors are intelligent.....and those 12-25 year-olds who watch the show can garner tidbits of wisdom that are spoken throughout any given episode. Such as this gem by “Snooki”……."Every time I get really excited, like if we go to a club, I have to poop my pants. If we go to a party, I have to poop my pants, if I go on a date, I have to poop my pants." Isn’t that just precious? Or here’s another one by that little cutie “Snooki”…. "This is the things I think I’m addicted to: Bronzer, boys and alcohol. I’m f**ked up." Now those are certainly words that a Dad could be proud to hear coming from his daughter’s mouth. How about this one (by Snooki as well)….. “I don't want to drink anymore, but I feel like if I was sober, I'd be bored” Wow…..isnt that the truth? Being sober for a while REALLY sucks.
If your saying to yourself….(or to a loved one sitting next to you)…”Oh he’s such a prude….he must be like 40-years-old or something”…..then you are probably bored by now….and you can stop reading. For the adults in the room….please continue…...It certainly seems that MTV has a real winner on their hands with “Jersey Shore”. Just look at the advertisements during the one episode that I watched…..There was of course one ad for an early pregnancy test. That is vital to those whose lives revolve around drinking massive amounts of alcohol and then having sex with whomever you “hook-up” with before you go home. And then there was the other commercial for the “Plan B One-Step” pill. The commercial offers a next-morning solution for someone whose birth control failed….or if they had unprotected sex. And the good part is that it is available without a prescription (as long as you’re at least 17-years-old). Of course the advertiser makes it clear that this is NOT the “abortion pill”. Well I feel better….because that would be just down right trashy.
It seems that in the post Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan era….that we needed some role models to step up and show our kids how to get ahead in life. These 3 were among a group of “role-models” who taught kids that the most important thing in life is being famous. It doesn’t matter what made you famous, just become famous....(i.e. being falling down drunk in public, repeated DUI’s, not wearing underwear….even though you know when you arrive at your destination there will be a thousand photographers there to take your picture as you exit the car, etc…..you know all the important things in life). If you still don't believe that shows like "Jersey Shore" heavily influence the minds of young people...and that they're just "entertainment"....how about this fun fact.... It has been reported recently, that many young girls are now getting pregnant just so they could have a chance to tryout for...and possibly be on another MTV hit series “16 And Pregnant”, and its successful spin-off “Teen Mom” (I'm not kidding). It seems that for some young girls, these shows are nothing more than the teen-age promiscuity version of "American Idol". My question is.....what ever happened to going to college and finding a career? In my opinion…..for far too many young people today….the answer to the question asked in the title of this piece, would be “A drunken, slut dancer with a nice tan”. Then Again….That’s Just Me
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
“Capitalism Is Nothing More Than Stealing”……………
As some of you may have noticed…I have not been writing much in recent days. (and for those of you who didn’t notice…I can only ask…”Why not?”) It’s not so much that I didn’t have anything to say, as it was that I had so much to say….that every time I sat down to write, all of my thoughts crashed onto the keyboard in a flood of anger and frustration…..causing me to think….”Why bother?”…along with “When I do write, people get all pissy….and it probably isn’t going to make a difference anyway…so why put up with the aggravation?”. So after much consideration….I have decided to write anyway. If what I say makes no difference….so be it. At least I tried. If what I say pisses you off….then so be it. While I wasn’t trying to do that (ok…maybe just a little)….if that happens to be the outcome….all I can say is “Oh well”.
With that said….let me tell you a little story……Please read this story all the way to the end….even if you get mad at me in the middle….
Recently I was having a political conversation with a man who is around the same age as me. (For those of you who don’t know me…that’s around 37 years old….for those of you who DO know me…that would be 51 years old). This man was very clear in his stance against capitalism. He said that capitalism (or making a profit) was nothing more than stealing from the consumer. Of course being the evil, profit-making capitalist that I am….I disagreed. I did however ask him to explain. Here is the jest of his explanation. He used me for an example. (I was flattered) He said that people should only be paid when they actually do physical work….He explained to me that what I do....isn't really work. This is because all I do is buy an item (in my case those items would be cars)….mark it up…and sell it to someone else for a profit. In his opinion….that isn’t work….it is stealing. He went on to say that I shouldn’t be allowed to make a profit on those cars……because it isn’t fair to those people who must work a manual labor job in order to pay for that car. He believes that “work” is only performed when you are producing an item….not when you are selling that item. (Hold on….I’ll get to my side of it in just a minute). He also believes that the government should provide shelter, food, education and transportation for everyone who works….and that no one should be allowed to become “rich” at the expense of others.
My rebuttal…….
First of all….let me tell you that I have worked very hard for almost 30 years in the “car business” in order to be able to do what I do today. (and that would be continuing to work hard) During that time, it required that I work a lot of 70-80 hour weeks…that I worked when I didn’t feel like it….and that I worked when I didn’t even like my job. But I did all of that so that I could succeed....and eventually that hard work paid off. I went from selling cars…to being in management within the first 5 years that I was in the business….and then finally to a place of owning my own company. I assure you that none of that came about by NOT working. (all of the people in the ‘car business’ say ‘Amen’ ”) I might also add that over the course of those 30 years of “stealing” (as my friend so aptly put it)…..I have paid a LOT of income taxes…..I have spent a LOT of money in my community….and most importantly….I have given a LOT of that money away to charitable organizations….and to people who have not been as blessed as I have been. All in all….I can say that much of the money that I made by “stealing”, has benefited those around me almost as much as it has benefited my family and me. So if that makes me evil……so be it. For all my liberal friends……let me throw this in as well; “When the percentage of your income that you give to others, meets or exceeds mine…..then I might listen to you whine about the evils of capitalism…until then….shut your pie hole”. What many liberals….and hardly any politicians realize….is that making a “profit” is necessary. Call it evil if you like….but unlike the federal government, businesses cannot operate on deficit spending. When a business ceases to make a profit…..they cease to exist. That means that the evil capitalist business owner…..who is (or was) making a profit (or “stealing”…by some people’s account)…..will no longer be able to hire people to do manual labor….skilled labor…or any other kind of labor. But I guess that would be best….right? At least no one is being taken advantage of….and we can all stand in line together at the unemployment office.
Here’s the best part of the story……..(Some of you will find this harsh, but it is important to the story….so please read on…..especially if you agree with my friend’s side of the argument)…….
The person with whom I had this conversation…..isn’t even a citizen of the United States. Oh, he’s lived here for over 20 years….but he’s not a citizen. He's from a small European country that is (of course) a socialist country. Did I also mention that until recently….he was homeless? I say “until recently”…. because now he lives in a tent on a piece of my property….He has electricity and cable TV (that I provide)….and if it gets too cold or wet...I provide him a place indoors…..All of this at NO charge to him. He also receives food stamps….(not directly from me….those actually come from the government...probably via some evil capitalist person's tax dollars)….which is very handy for him….because it frees up what little money he makes, so that he can buy large quantities of alcohol. I don’t say those things to degrade this man….I say these things to make a harsh, but valid point….If I wasn’t “stealing” from people by making a profit (i.e. capitalism)…..this guy wouldn’t have a place to live….If I wasn’t “stealing” from people...so that I could pay taxes….he wouldn’t have food stamps.
If you happen to be among those who agree with this man...(which means you disagree with me)....then you will probably get your knickers in a swivet over what I am going to say next. If you are living in the United States...in a situation that is similar to this man's....the next time you feel compelled to complain about the evils of capitalism, here are a few suggestions: First of all, maybe you should consider returning to your home country, where socialism is the preferred form of government (because it sounds like it was a pretty sweet place to live....although that wouldn't explain why you left there in the first place)...Secondly, before you complain about our system of commerce here in the United States...maybe you should wait until you have gotten out of earshot of that evil guy who believes in capitalism…(you know….that same one who is helping you survive)….and lastly...at the very least, as you are bashing capitalism and the evil capitalists....try not to talk with your mouth full of food that you bought with food stamps, that were provided to you by the tax dollars of those of us who work. Then Again….That’s Just Me
With that said….let me tell you a little story……Please read this story all the way to the end….even if you get mad at me in the middle….
Recently I was having a political conversation with a man who is around the same age as me. (For those of you who don’t know me…that’s around 37 years old….for those of you who DO know me…that would be 51 years old). This man was very clear in his stance against capitalism. He said that capitalism (or making a profit) was nothing more than stealing from the consumer. Of course being the evil, profit-making capitalist that I am….I disagreed. I did however ask him to explain. Here is the jest of his explanation. He used me for an example. (I was flattered) He said that people should only be paid when they actually do physical work….He explained to me that what I do....isn't really work. This is because all I do is buy an item (in my case those items would be cars)….mark it up…and sell it to someone else for a profit. In his opinion….that isn’t work….it is stealing. He went on to say that I shouldn’t be allowed to make a profit on those cars……because it isn’t fair to those people who must work a manual labor job in order to pay for that car. He believes that “work” is only performed when you are producing an item….not when you are selling that item. (Hold on….I’ll get to my side of it in just a minute). He also believes that the government should provide shelter, food, education and transportation for everyone who works….and that no one should be allowed to become “rich” at the expense of others.
My rebuttal…….
First of all….let me tell you that I have worked very hard for almost 30 years in the “car business” in order to be able to do what I do today. (and that would be continuing to work hard) During that time, it required that I work a lot of 70-80 hour weeks…that I worked when I didn’t feel like it….and that I worked when I didn’t even like my job. But I did all of that so that I could succeed....and eventually that hard work paid off. I went from selling cars…to being in management within the first 5 years that I was in the business….and then finally to a place of owning my own company. I assure you that none of that came about by NOT working. (all of the people in the ‘car business’ say ‘Amen’ ”) I might also add that over the course of those 30 years of “stealing” (as my friend so aptly put it)…..I have paid a LOT of income taxes…..I have spent a LOT of money in my community….and most importantly….I have given a LOT of that money away to charitable organizations….and to people who have not been as blessed as I have been. All in all….I can say that much of the money that I made by “stealing”, has benefited those around me almost as much as it has benefited my family and me. So if that makes me evil……so be it. For all my liberal friends……let me throw this in as well; “When the percentage of your income that you give to others, meets or exceeds mine…..then I might listen to you whine about the evils of capitalism…until then….shut your pie hole”. What many liberals….and hardly any politicians realize….is that making a “profit” is necessary. Call it evil if you like….but unlike the federal government, businesses cannot operate on deficit spending. When a business ceases to make a profit…..they cease to exist. That means that the evil capitalist business owner…..who is (or was) making a profit (or “stealing”…by some people’s account)…..will no longer be able to hire people to do manual labor….skilled labor…or any other kind of labor. But I guess that would be best….right? At least no one is being taken advantage of….and we can all stand in line together at the unemployment office.
Here’s the best part of the story……..(Some of you will find this harsh, but it is important to the story….so please read on…..especially if you agree with my friend’s side of the argument)…….
The person with whom I had this conversation…..isn’t even a citizen of the United States. Oh, he’s lived here for over 20 years….but he’s not a citizen. He's from a small European country that is (of course) a socialist country. Did I also mention that until recently….he was homeless? I say “until recently”…. because now he lives in a tent on a piece of my property….He has electricity and cable TV (that I provide)….and if it gets too cold or wet...I provide him a place indoors…..All of this at NO charge to him. He also receives food stamps….(not directly from me….those actually come from the government...probably via some evil capitalist person's tax dollars)….which is very handy for him….because it frees up what little money he makes, so that he can buy large quantities of alcohol. I don’t say those things to degrade this man….I say these things to make a harsh, but valid point….If I wasn’t “stealing” from people by making a profit (i.e. capitalism)…..this guy wouldn’t have a place to live….If I wasn’t “stealing” from people...so that I could pay taxes….he wouldn’t have food stamps.
If you happen to be among those who agree with this man...(which means you disagree with me)....then you will probably get your knickers in a swivet over what I am going to say next. If you are living in the United States...in a situation that is similar to this man's....the next time you feel compelled to complain about the evils of capitalism, here are a few suggestions: First of all, maybe you should consider returning to your home country, where socialism is the preferred form of government (because it sounds like it was a pretty sweet place to live....although that wouldn't explain why you left there in the first place)...Secondly, before you complain about our system of commerce here in the United States...maybe you should wait until you have gotten out of earshot of that evil guy who believes in capitalism…(you know….that same one who is helping you survive)….and lastly...at the very least, as you are bashing capitalism and the evil capitalists....try not to talk with your mouth full of food that you bought with food stamps, that were provided to you by the tax dollars of those of us who work. Then Again….That’s Just Me
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