I, Trojan Horse

If you got your April issue of GUNS Magazine, you'll find two letters taking strong exception to this.

It seems some object to my contention that the Constitution does not grant rights, and fear that pointing this secret out will give the antis an advantage--to the point that I'm suspected of being a "Trojan Horse."

As I wrote to my editor when he forwarded a copy of that particular email and I encouraged him to print it: "[H]ow can I possibly argue against 'clowns like this idiot'? Has he been talking to my kids?"

Anyway, you'll need to actually buy the magazine to see the letters in question--especially since that writer threatened to cancel his subscription if I ever write anything like that again, so they could probably use some help offsetting the loss. But all the regulars here are already doing that, right?

UPDATE: See the letters here.

Amtrak Stooges Derail Fourth Amendment

Amtrak will start randomly screening passengers’ carry-on bags this week in a new security push that includes officers with automatic weapons and bomb-sniffing dogs patrolling platforms and trains.

Because it works so well at airports that do it full time, y'see.

Besides, we want to give Colin Feguson every possible advantage.

Amtrak stooges on full auto. The demonstrated level of professional security guaranteeing my safety somehow does not induce me to "rest assured."

Excuse me if the image that comes to mind instead is The Three Stooges accidentally setting a lion loose in the sleeper car. (Incidentally, that's Curly with the clothespin on his nose and the full head of hair--it was after his stroke, he was visiting the set and they had him make a cameo appearance, I believe the only time all three Howard brothers appeared together in a short).

[Via DONE! SEO]

A Cryptic Subterranean "Only Ones" Festival

From Jay.Mac:

Just blogged a few stories on the Only Ones-

http://crypticsubterranean.blogspot.com/2008/02/dvd-police.html
A couple had some overdue DVDs and hadn't paid the bill. The store called the police to report it and the police called the couple who promptly returned them to the store. A few weeks later he was then arrested for the "crime".

http://crypticsubterranean.blogspot.com/2008/02/taser-abuse.html
A man handcuffed and in a police cell was tasered three times to keep him quiet when he complained about police arresting his sister; who was herself arrested when she complained that he had been punched when he was arrested.

http://crypticsubterranean.blogspot.com/2008/02/gruesome-find.html
Police receive a missing persons report and later discover that person's vehicle- and don't search it but merely called the family to pick it up. And left it to them to discover her body.

He also covered the "Dial 911 and Be Threatened By Us Then Die" story we posted on here.

It's nice to see I'm not "the only one" posting on these.

And Now, a Word from "The Lawgivers"

The South Dakota Senate has refused to consider legislation that would allow people to have guns on state university campuses.

Because, you know, they own you.

And here's my finalist nomination for the Newspeak Award:

"This bill was not to deny students the right to carry guns. It was to continue the policy we have, which is to let the Board of Regents set the policy..."

And the board's plan when the Red hour strikes?

Landru, guide us!

CeaseFire PA Director's Watch

In case you hadn't noticed, the graphic is now in the left margin, under the blogroll. I'm not going to do more than update it once a week without additional comment, unless and until our dear friend Professor Alexander Tristan Riley gets the official recognition we so sincerely want him to have.

Your Daley Dose of Treason

Mayor Richard Daley and other elected officials announced their annual push for new gun-control legislation Tuesday, this time using the fatal shootings at Northern Illinois University and the Lane Bryant store in Tinley Park as stark illustrations of the need for action.

I guess these evil punks just aren't getting enough people killed fast enough to suit their purposes.

Besides, why settle for a "push" when your goal is a putsch?

The Return of the Archons

With the first anniversary of Virginia Tech's mass shootings just two months away and the campus rattled by the recent rampage at another college, school administrators want answers from the federal government about funding to help their community cope with the aftermath...

"It's a sense of powerlessness and a sense of reliving what occurred," Plummer said Monday. "It's a dramatic reminder of this horrific, unbelievable mass homicide that occurred on our campus. It's unfathomable sometimes."

Ah the throw-federal-money-at-it Katrina solution--that always helps, plus, as we all know, the clause authorizing that is right here in the Constitution, section...uhhh...article...ahhh...

Look at this: "the assistant provost...the deputy director of the university's office of recovery and support," the leader, if you will, admits she doesn't have a clue and is overwhelmed and paralyzed, that is, useless. But just mention the real and only solution--the one that annhilates, rather than overturns predominant superstitous assumptions, and watch her all of a sudden act like she's a rational and informed authority who knows what she's talking about.

These aren't educators, this is the priesthood of the flat earth cult, determined to seal their eyes and ears, and burn out all heresy against the established order.

Blind fools. That it's self-imposed and rooted in arrogance makes it all the more inexcusable.

The official helplessness would be kind of funny if it wasn't so pathetic and so dangerous in terms of guaranteeing future horrors, future grieving, future loss.

They remind me of nothing so much as the hooded "lawgivers" of Beta III from the original Star Trek series.

"Landru, guide us!" they plead, absolutely incapable of making a rational decision based on observation, cause and effect.

Introduce something new, something alien to their worldview, and the fixation directs outward, pointing in horror and loathing to reject it:

You're NOT of the body!

And not to beat the analogy to death, but a couple other relevant comparisons come to mind:

Kirk's admonishment: ""You said you wanted freedom; it's time you learned that freedom is never a gift – it has to be earned."

And unless and until that's learned, the next time "the Red hour" strikes, all anyone will be able to do is react mindlessly until the madness runs its course.

[Via SameNoKami]

And Now, A Word from Karl

Hillary says Obama's wordjacking Deval Patrick.

Obama says Hillary's stealing slogans from him.

I don't know what the big deal is. They're both ripping me off, and you don't hear me complaining.

We're the Only Ones "Sorry, Wrong Number" Enough

A Central Florida woman whose 17-year-old daughter was killed in a murder-suicide apparently committed by her ex-boyfriend said the teen was told by police to stop calling for help or she'd be arrested.

Stop bothering us! It's not like we're getting pai...uh...well stop calling anyway, we're busy with important "Only Ones" stuff...

[Via MacEntyre]

We're the Only Ones Forgetful Enough

Hammond said he suffered a head injury in the accident that night and does not remember who was driving.

Yeah, that and the arguments and car crashes happen to me every time I mix alcohol and prescription medication, too.

That's why I leave that kind of stuff to the professionals: "The Only Ones."

I'll bet that kid in the picture is imprinting some interesting perceptions on how to make choices and behave.

[Via Mark G]

This Day in History: February 20

The loyalists' plan was to advance along the southwest side of the Cape Fear to the coast, provision the British troops arriving by sea, and then join them in conquering the colony. On February 20, 1776 MacDonald began his movement toward the coast.