TThe Second Amendment

The Second Amendment

With all the stuff going on about gun control, I decided to read the Second Amendment To The Constitution. 

”A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

Before I get started, I have friends and acquaintances who agree with the NRA that changing any gun control law is against the Constitution. After reading the Second Amendment over and over again I have the following thoughts.

The first four words of the Second Amendment says: "A well regulated Militia." I understand I'm using my interpretation for the benefit of my beliefs, however, I choose to interpret "regulated" to mean there is a small opening to make changes to the gun laws to protect the majority of us.

For example, a "regulated Militia" would never want crazy people shooting a gun much less an assault weapon. Therefore, I believe major background checks of people who are nuts is not changing the Constitution. 

At the time the Second Amendment was written, all people including Kids were needed to protect against a potential police state. Kids today are different than they were back in 1776. Kids have evolved over the last three hundred plus years. Kids today are more interested in making money and doing business deals.

I get the NRA argument that some Kids today like to hunt and should be able to buy a hunting rifle. I get the NRA argument that some kids today want to have protection and should be able to buy a gun.

However, the founding fathers never envisioned an eighteen-year-old running around with an assault weapon that with one press on the trigger tens of bullets will be flying who knows where. Even Trump stated that we should consider raising the age limit to buy an assault weapon to twenty-one. The NRA's response is that they will help Trump to change his mind.

Lastly, our founding fathers lived in a world where law and order was iffy. There were threats that bad guys could create a police state and therefore it was necessary for everyday people to have guns to protect "the security of a free State." 

In my opinion, the majority of gun loving people today have the same fear. The issue I have with that thinking is guns are useless if the government decides to create a police state.

Governments today have planes and bombs. Governments today have heat seeking missiles. Governments today have satellites to pinpoint who to kill. Governments today have armed drones that can kill hundreds just by someone, on the ground, pressing a button. The founding fathers never envisioned these kinds of weapons.

To my point, in the last week hundreds of people in Syria were killed by bombs and fire from drones. Many of the people who were killed had guns and assault weapons, but they were useless against those weapons. 

I don't know for sure, but, I believe the gun people would argue everybody should be able to buy bombs and people killing drones. Their fear of being overrun by the government is so strong, they would put weapons of mass destruction in the hands of everyone including Kids.

Again, after many reads of the Second Amendment, I just don't buy the NRA's argument.  

Save The Children

Save The Children

This may be the hardest blog I've ever written. The reason is, It's very, very complicated and I don't know what's the exact course of action. One thing I do know, going to school is not like it used to be.

When I was going to school my only fear was that a bully might punch me in the nose. Today, any one of my classmates might kill me and others - WOW! Sooo, what is the difference?

When I Was A Kid;

*  A really bad kid might bring a knife to school

*  Bullies hanged out in packs and picked on anyone different than them. They used words to intimidate other kids. If the kid shouted back, the pack would beat him up.

*  Teachers actually cared about helping their kids to get ahead. They even tried to straighten out a bad kid.

*  Teachers were allowed to smack (sometimes with a ruler) a kid if they misbehaved

*  Parents (especially the wife) were very involved in their kids' lives. Parents wanted to know who their child was hanging out with. Parents had rules. Parents could punish (sometimes with a WACK) their kids. Getting sent home by a teacher or worse getting suspended by the Principal would bring the wrath of the father who would straighten him or her out.

*  Having a bad kid was a blemish on the whole family

*  Only a very small minority of kids did drugs and alcohol

*  Being mentally ill meant you were stupid but not necessary violent.


The Situation Today;

*  Bad kids come to school with guns and/or assault weapons.

*  Bullies still roam in packs, however, their method of intimidation is threatening your life

*  Teachers cannot hit a kid for any reason and can lose their job if they even threaten to flunk the kid for being bad. Teachers know bad kids may have a gun or knife and won't try to straighten a kid out because they fear for their lives.

*  Parents are now working two jobs. They either don't have the time or the inclination to get involved in their kids' lives. If called in to school by the teacher or Principal, many parents today defend their kids because they don't want to consider their kid might be bad to the bone.

* The kids today run in gangs not packs. These gangs ARE terrorists. 

*  More than half of the kids today have either tried or often use drugs and alcohol.

*  Too many parents don't want to consider their kids are mentally ill even if all the tell-tale signs make it clear they are having major problems.


Here is where I have a problem with what I'm about to write. WHAT TO DO ABOUT SCHOOL KIDS GETTING KILLED?

Some suggest we should put armed security in the school. Some suggest that we should arm teachers. They believe more guns in school will do the trick. My concern with that is many fold. First the shooter will kill the guard and the teacher first if they know they are armed. Second, scared guards and teachers might wind up shooting innocent kids while trying to kill the shooter.

Some suggest that we change the gun law so that anyone under 20 can't buy a gun or especially an assault weapon. The NRA will have a big problem with that, but, I want to believe that someday they will cave under political pressure and agree to an assault weapon ban for anyone under 20. Shit, it's illegal to buy booze until you're 21 why let a 18 year old buy an assault weapon?

Some suggest we declare war on the gangs. Sounds great, but will that just create more violent gangs?

Some suggest that the mentally ill should not be able to buy a gun - DAH!!!!!! To do so someone has to define mentally ill when it comes to getting a gun. Do we want someone to say "this person is mentally ill and we should make him or her get physiological help to determine if they are OK to get a gun or even be put away before he or she kills somebody? Now there is the definition of the preverbal "slippery slope."

Someone who hates you tells the authorities you are mentally ill and might shoot up a school. They do so just to get you in trouble. The police or FBI come in and take you away and make you see a physiatrist who determines your fate. WOW, can you spell "THE BILL OF RIGHTS."

This is why I'm frustrated. I don't know the right answer to stopping our kids from getting killed. Something has to be done and people a lot smarter than I need to figure it out. My only (unpopular to some) suggestion is:

Let The Public Have The List Of Every Politician Who Takes Money From The NRA. The Old Saying: If You Want To Fix Something - Follow The Money

The Tax Man Cometh

The Tax Man Cometh

If you haven't already done so, it's time to get your taxes together. I know you have a month and a half to go, but unless you're totally organized, you probably have a bunch of papers, forms, documents, etc. to pull together so your tax provider can figure it all out.

If you do it yourself, I envy you because the new tax laws hurt my head. Some of you have a tax person who will do everything for you. All you have to do is put all your stuff in a big box and let him or her figure it out. 

That doesn't work for me. I'm very organized and too OCD to let someone else sift through all my shit. I need to know if I have everything. Sooo, I just put my stuff in organized piles and let my great tax man deal with the legal and policies of the tax law. I also trust him that if there is any chance I won't owe any taxes, he will find a way.

Even though I'm organized, tax time is always stressful. The longer you wait the more stressful. The less organized you are the even more stressful. Stress is a major cause of depression and negative energy. I know it's only once a year, but why put yourself through it?

The answer to that question is because:

A. many of us are procrastinators.

B. many of us are lazy.

C. Many of us hate Tax Day so much that we can't get ourselves to do what we eventually have to do.

D. all of us hate the IRS and convince ourselves that I'm not doing shit for them until I have to.

E. There are a small few that believe the Government is so f..ked up that I'm not paying any taxes

Sooo, what can the Government do to make this process more pleasant. How about just three tax brackets. Working poor pay 5% tax - middle class pay 20% - rich people pay 30%. That means NO DEDUCTIONS. Just pay your fair share. One-page form for all. 

No need to pay your accountant. Reduce the number of people working for the IRS by 60% and save billions that could be used to find a cure for Cancer. BTW, my percent is probably wrong, but smart people could figure what that percent should be. However, politicians have never had the guts to make that happen because of all the special interest groups that give them money.

BTW, we can fix that by the Government giving all people running for office a certain amount of money to run their campaign and they are not allowed to take other money from anybody else (lots of luck if that will ever happen).

Since, I believe, none of the above will ever happen in my lifetime, YOU need to get yourself organized. Instead of throwing all your tax papers in a drawer and let them pile up for Tax Day, make envelopes that are tax related and when you get something you think might be needed for Tax Day put that information in that envelope. It just takes a second of your time each day/week instead of taking three/four stressful days at the end of the year going through everything hoping that you didn't forget something. 

Remember;

The Tax Man Cometh Whether You Like It Or Not