Stricter Gun Laws? Really?

Another senseless shooting by another disturbed person. This time at a college in Oregon.  Same scenario, different day.  And Obama says we need stricter gun laws.

I feel that most people who reach the point of deciding to shoot random people don't care about gun laws.  They obviously care about nothing, and certainly not about anyone else's life.  So, what kind of stricter gun laws should we have?  Maybe if we limit to one gun per person, that would keep crazed people from shooting others.  Or maybe if we banned all guns the mentally unbalanced would never think to obtain one from the black market.  Why don't we just ban all knives, too?  They are used for killing people.  And we should probably ban automobiles. That way people who drink and drive wouldn't be able to kill people with their vehicles.  And airplanes.  You know, airplanes crash, sometimes with terrorists on board.  They should definitely be banned, too.  Oh, yea, rope as well.  I know for a fact people have been strangled to death with ropes.  Sorry, all you cowboys, no more lassos for you!

What a bunch of nonsense!  First, if every law-abiding citizen was armed with a weapon, I believe would-be robbers, rapists and murderers might think twice.  Second, let's enforce the laws we already have.  Let's up the ante.  If you commit a violent crime with a gun, it should be a federal offense, with a minimum 20 year prison sentence - no parole and no early release.  This would deter the repeat offenders who know they will get nothing but a slap on the wrist and maybe a few months in a local jail.

And as for the crazed maniacs, gun control and stricter enforcement of existing laws won't make a difference.  Most are willing to trade their life at the time of their actions.  I do, however, feel that the media publicizes it so much that is plants ideas into the minds of other disturbed persons.  Especially if they feel like they have a "cause".  And with all our great technology, people are at liberty to investigate and peruse things in the privacy of their home until they are ready to pounce.  And as I have said before, whatever is in these people's minds is learned.  Babies aren't born with a desire to randomly shoot people.  These feelings and ideas are the results of their lives and environment.  I suspect they were shy or geeky in school, maybe they were bullied or made fun of - I don't know.  But our job as parents is to teach our kids to cope with reality.  And the reality is, not everyone is nice to you.  And not every kid is the star athlete of the high school.  Regardless of our station in life, we must learn to co-exist with others.  And we must teach our children empathy from a young age.  And responsibility for our actions.

I have personally known a few people with the same mindset as these shooters.  ALL of these people think their whole life is someone else's fault.  They keep records of all the hurts people have done to them.  They play the role of the victim.  And their parents NEVER make them believe they are in charge of their own life, or that they have the power to change.  They usually coddle them and discuss how unfair others are.  News flash!:  sometimes in life, you just have to suck it up and move forward.  So what if people say hurtful things?  The only thing you can control is how you react, not how others behave.  I realize we can't always hold parents accountable for their children's actions, but I wish there were a way to make parents realize how they can help their children instead of promote life-long detriments to them.

And my final question - Why can't American citizens own guns, but radical terrorists are sent millions of dollars to amp up their nuclear weapons?  It is just me, or is there something wrong with this picture?

Americans Don't Want a Muslim Holiday

I have been following a facebook post by the Tea Party regarding the muslim women who wanted a Jersey City school board to declare a day off for a muslim holiday.  The only thing that comes to mind is "Redneck"!  Of course, I am a redneck, so I can use this label freely!

Nearly every comment is for the muslims to go home if they don't like it here in America.  And I agree!  These same women who are supposedly of the muslim faith, and shouting at a school board meeting.  Aren't muslim women not allowed to speak in public?  How can you follow that faith, but only pick and choose what you abide by?

This is the land of freedom and opportunity.  If you are muslim and came to America legally, and wish to observe this religion, that's your right.  But you aren't simply wanting to observe a faith and culture that is foreign to America and all that America stands for.  You are wanting all of America to celebrate it with you.  Not gonna happen!

We Americans are a funny people.  We are divided by race and religion, political affiliation and economic status.  But when you push us into a corner, all those things fall by the wayside and we are just plain Americans.  Patriotic Americans.  Americans who are willing to put our differences aside and unite for a cause. And the majority of us are redneck Americans.  Rednecks who aren't afraid to stand their ground for what they believe is right and good and fair.  Rednecks who are willing to pack their pistols and rifles and meet you wherever you want to defend this nation of ours. 

As I have followed this post and all the comments made, in the beginning, there were random interjections by muslim people, but the "go home" comments far outweigh those. 

Our fathers and grandfathers and brothers and sisters have fought and died to preserve what we have.  And if you think you're going to step in and take that away, you've got another thing coming.  We love our country, unlike you.  We don't want to live anywhere else in the world besides here.  And most of us are willing to fight to keep it that way.  So if you want to immigrate here legally and work and pay taxes like the rest of us, fine.  If you want to be muslim, fine.  But do it without trying to infringe on what has taken generations to create.  If you are so offended by America and it's customs, I am sure we can arrange some people who will gladly pay your airline ticket back home.

A Muslim Holiday...In America?

(Image credit WNBC)

So some think we would observe Muslim holidays?  I can hardly believe this!  First, America is NOT a muslim country.  Second, YOU came HERE.  If you don't like America's customs and holidays, GO HOME! 

America is largely a Christian nation.  There are many religions observed by our citizens, and as far as I know, Christmas is the only Christian holiday observed, and as commercialized as it has become, I am not even sure I would label it a Christian holiday at this point in time. 

If you want to live in OUR country, fine.  If you want to be muslim, fine.  But don't expect OUR country to recognize YOUR country's holidays.  If you want to be sure you are off work for religious holidays, move back to YOUR country!

And speaking of religion, except for Satanism, all other religions observed by United States citizens are religions that teach kindness, love and compassion for others.  YOUR religion teaches hate, violence and killing.  You think we want to observe those characteristics?  Guess again!

I would not expect to move to Iran or Afghanistan and throw a fit because this largely muslim country doesn't let me have the day off for a Christian holiday.  (And I would probably be imprisoned or beheaded for asking.)

Hush up and go home. 

Kill the Infidels!

I continue to be in a bit of a quandry about the muslim religion.

If I go by what I hear on the news, there are two types of muslims:  Peaceful ones and Radical ones.  So do those two groups have different quran's?  If I understand correctly, the quran teaches to be peaceful, like God, but it also teaches that if you are not muslim, you are an infidel, and must be killed. How can muslims claim they are a peaceful people if they abide by this command in the quran?

So, the great "allah" teaches two different things in the same book?  And I believe the "muslims" think all Christians are evil and must be removed.  So, doesn't it stand to reason if there are "peaceful" muslims and "radical" muslims, then there could also be "evil" Christians and "good" Christians?  And why are we expected to be tolerant and accepting of the muslim religion, but they are not expected to be tolerant and accepting of Christians?  If you moved here and are offended and don't like this culture, go home.  Why do they come here, knowing our laws and cultural beliefs, and then claim offense to what goes on here?  I feel for the lady who shared the political cartoon asking why they came here if they are offended by everything we do.  Why did they come here?  If I moved to China, I would not feel as though I had the right to immediately claim that their customs offended me.  I would assume I would have to fit in to their existing cultures - otherwise, I would stay where I was.

Our nation of largely-Christian people has been tolerant until we are now the  minority and the least defended in a court of law.  If you are muslim, and you buy land, you buy it as-is. The fact that you don't do pork should not give you the right to demand your neighbor's pig farm be shut down.  And if you are of the muslim faith and came to America legally and became a citizen, then you are an American.  NOT a muslim American.  I feel muslims should be allowed to worship however they choose, but not if it infringes on my rights.  And how many muslims have headed up organizations like "Feed The Children"  or "Red Cross"?  We as Americans, and we as Christians have tried to do our part to be productive not only to our country, but to come to the aid of other countries when we are able. If you want to be an accepted, participatory American, then do something to give back. 

So, I guess the question really is, "Why did you come here?"  If you disagree with our customs and culture, what would make you want to come here and be a member of our country?

Ahmed's Clock

Continually amazed at what goes on in this country! 

First, why has everyone cried "racism"?  If any other color of student brought that same contraption to school, I feel that the same thing would have happened. Is there no one in a position of authority in our schools that has common sense?  Why would you call the police without finding out the facts first?

Our government has taken away the right of schools and school officials to make any disciplinary decisions.  If this kid took it to show his teacher, didn't the teacher know him?  Don't teachers know which kids are normal and which ones are "out there"?  And why were his parents not called first?  Obviously they are middle-upper class people.  If this kid made a "bomb" or a "hoax bomb", why on earth would he show it to a teacher?  Kids who do that usually don't volunteer that they have a bomb, or at least not to a teacher.

This comes from the government meddling in private lives way too much.  When my son was 7, yes SEVEN, he was sent to the principal's office for shooting spit wads.  I had to go see the principal for spit wads.  In my day, the teacher would have promptly handled the situation without a call to the parents or notification of the principal - they would have told me to knock it off.  They might have made me stay in from recess.  They may have had me wash the wall.  But they wouldn't have contacted the principal.  I don't get why teachers immediately throw up their hands and bow out of every situation.  Are they not allowed to handle those things?

And if this kid showed this clock to his teacher, did the teacher not examine it?  I just don't get it.  Most likely he didn't show this to his P.E. teacher or his English teacher - I assume he showed it to a physics or chemistry teacher, one who would have been interested in his invention. 

Why is is that every thing that happens today is immediately directed at discrimination?  I don't feel that was the case here, but I don't know why the police were called.

Indecent Exposure vs. Free The Nipple

In a town not to far from me, there has been some recent controversy over a "free the nipple" rally.  It is my understanding this is promoted by women who want gender equality. 

I guess my first question is, "Why?"  Why do you want gender equality?  I don't.  I want men to open the door for me.  I want men to protect me.  If God wanted gender equality, we would all have been the same gender.  Men and women were made different for a reason.  We each come with our own unique qualities.

Men were made to be logical thinkers.  Their bodies are made to be more muscular in preparation for physical work.  They are wired to be the "hunter", the "protector",  the "master".  Women are emotional thinkers.  Women's bodies are made for childbearing. Women were not designed to work in the same capacity as men.  Women are the "caretakers", the "nurturers".

And as to the "nipples", as far as I know the sight of a man's nipple doesn't stimulate women.  But the sight of a woman's nipple DOES stimulate men. So, why do all you women want to expose yourself?  Some say to promote public breastfeeding.  Maybe I am from the old school, but there is such a thing as modesty.  I breastfed both my kids, but never in public.  Some things are meant to be private, and I believe that is one of them. 

It's kind of like sex.  It is meant to be shared between a husband and a wife - in the privacy of their home.  Not in front of children.  Not in front of an audience.  Not for display. 

Why on earth anyone would want to parade around naked is beyond me. There are things I don't want small children to see, and that's one of them.  And like or not, there are plenty of weirdos out there, and whatever your reason to display your nipples, they are taking note.

And if one of these women were my child, I would have given a long lecture at the very least!  Shame on you.  Grow up and put some clothes one!

911 May We Never Forget

I remember it clearly.  My husband and I were up getting ready for work as news broke of a plane crashing the Twin Towers.  We stood there watching, wondering just how something could have gone so wrong. Surely the plane lost power or something to cause the pilot to lose total control and crash right into a building.  How wrong we were.

As the second plane crashed into the buildings, it was now apparent, this was no accident. Silence.  Silence all over the country as citizens stood by watching breaking news reports. No explanations, nothing logical, only silence.

Looking back, we have certainly changed over these 14 years. Our country, on that day stood together as AMERICANS.  Not black or white; not baptist or catholic; not male or female.  Just Americans. Patriotic Americans.  Americans who were appalled at these horrific terrorists.  Americans who were angry and ready to hop on a plane and do some hand-to-hand combat with these terrorists. Americans who were astounded that anyone had the audacity to do this.  Americans who joined together to search for survivors and to help those they found.  Americans willing to leave the comfort of their homes and volunteer whatever assistance was needed.

Times have changed by leaps and bounds since then.  Now these same Americans are afraid to offend the muslims. Afraid to stand up for what they believe in.  Worried about being politically correct.  Standing by while our Americans are publicly beheaded. Our country has become divided by race, religion and culture. We have lost that sense of comradery with our fellow Americans.  I fear we have forgotten that feeling of unity, anger and tragedy that occurred on 9/11.  How sad that our country seems to be falling apart by this divisiveness.

May we continually be reminded of those true Americans who sacrificed their lives to come to the assistance of those injured in this tragedy. And may we never forget that patriotic spirit that coursed through America's veins that day.