A Bad Ending

A student who turned in an "alarming" creative writing assignment referencing suicide and the Virginia Tech shooter was involuntarily committed, then expelled from the University of Virginia's College at Wise after campus police found loaded guns in his car.

I imagine if you're reading this post from a campus internet connection, you're now reading about Virginia Tech, guns, killing and suicide, so maybe that'll qualify you for a search and commitment, too! No, no, don't thank me, thank them.

It's called "Creative Writing" for a reason. I wonder what the liberal arts gatekeepers of acceptability would do with a young John Ross or Matt Bracken in their classroom?

Me, I'd have insisted on a search warrant, and challenged it later on probable cause.

The victim gives his side of things here (scroll down to comments by capablanca911).

[Via Mack]

The Unequivocal "No Guns" Sign

I'm figuring maybe one of the reasons so many criminals are bringing guns onto premises posted as "gun-free" zones might be because the signs aren't clear enough. In the interest of making sure every possible effort to communicate and clarify things so no mistake about intent can possibly be made, well, I just hope this helps:


I hope this clears things up. If not, I'll admit I'm stumped. Maybe we should be thinking of a totally different approach...?

Personally, I'd Rather Have My Kid

More than a year after a law enforcement officer’s mistake left a teen dead and a family in grief, Peyton Strickland’s parents finally have found closure.

That closure came on Tuesday evening with a settlement of $2.45 million and a public apology from New Hanover County [North Carolina] Sheriff Sid Causey. Additionally, Causey agreed to an independent review of the heavily armed team responsible for Strickland’s death.

That wouldn't bring any "closure" to me. I'd still miss my boy.

A friend of mine went to visit his relatives in Sicily. My Uncle is interred there, at the Nettuno American Cemetary. He was killed in action, little more than a boy, but by default more of a man than most, who had spent all his life prior to that in Warren, OH.

My friend took a Polaroid of Uncle Nick's grave and I gave it to my Mom. She looked at it and cried. Excuse me, dammit, I am tearing up now, it was just so sad to see her pain and to recall it now.

It was over half-a-century later and she still missed her kid brother. It still could break her heart, as losing their only son broke the hearts of her parents until the day they died.

I don't know what the hell this "closure" is the reporter being quoted is referring to. How do you stop grieving for a lost child?

[Via William Y]

The Pfleger/Pfarrakhan Love-Pfest

[Scroll down to 5th letter]

Personally, I stand with Farrakhan and his pursuit for justice and unity. I am proud to call him a friend and a prophetic voice of our times.

Yeah, I'm sure everybody is just taking him "out of context," Snuffy, or misinterpreting his words, just like they did to you when you roused the rabble to "Snuff out John R-i-g-g-i-o."

I mean, I can find all kinds of context for:

White people are potential humans--they haven’t evolved yet.

You play off bigotry, resentment, ignorance and cult-like devotion to maintain your place in "the community," don't you, Snuffy? And the Archdiocese let's you get away with it because you've made it clear to them that you'll take the parishioners--who are loyal to you instead of the church-- and walk.

That you haven't been defrocked and excommunicated speaks more to the gutlessness of the Archdiocese than anything else. And why the IRS hasn't shut you down is beyond me.

[Via HZ]

We're the Only Ones Exempt Enough

Among the thousands of drivers who have been issued $40 fines after being nabbed by Montgomery County's new speed cameras are scores of county police officers. The difference is, many of the officers are refusing to pay.

The officers are following the advice of their union, which says the citations are issued not to the driver but to the vehicle's owner -- in this case, the county.

Hey, how about the same defense when they shoot someone with a county-owned gun?

Don't you just love how "The Only Ones" who presume to exempt themselves from the law are the ones who are paid to enforce it against us?

Who would ever imagine servants taking such liberties with their masters?* Damned ingrates ought to be ashamed of themselves--right after they all get their corrupt hind ends fired.

[Via Raven's Beak]

--------------------------------------

* Federal Gazette, July 2, 1789, at 2, col. 1.

"What should we think of a gentleman, who upon hiring a waiting-man, should say to him "my friend, please take notice, before we come together, that I shall always claim the liberty of eating when and what I please, of fishing and hunting upon my own ground, of keeping as many horses and hounds as I can maintain, and of speaking and writing any sentiments upon all subjects." As a mere servant, the government had no power to interfere with individual liberties in any manner without a specific delegation. "[A] master reserves to himself ... everything else which he has not committed to the care of those servants."

Illinois Gets Another Anti-Gun Democrat

A longtime Republican district fell to the Democrats Saturday when scientist Bill Foster snatched former House Speaker Dennis Hastert's congressional seat in a closely watched special election.

Well, it' not like Hastert inspired any special loyalty.

So, how does the new guy compare on guns, especially against his opponent?

The 14th district includes Northern Illinois University, which was the scene of a deadly shooting on campus last month. On the issue of gun control, both Foster and Oberweis offered their views on "conceal carry," which is where citizens are allowed to carry handguns.

"I support it, because I think that would make it more dangerous for criminals to know that someone might fight back," Oberweis said.

Foster said he would ask the sheriffs of the district their opinion on the subject.

"There's a lot of wisdom in the sheriff's in our district," Foster said.

Assuming his NRA "A" rating was deserved, I have to wonder how many gun owners in Oberweis' district volunteered to help his campaign--you know, donated money, donated time working phones, walking precincts, placing signs, how many organized fellow gun owners, talked to friends, families and neighbors, got their clubs involved, wrote letters to the editor, got gun shops and ranges to help spread the word, did voter registration drives, registered themselves, voted themselves...you know, in other words, the bare minimum you'd expect from anyone who's going to now gripe on forums about the outcome, assuming they're even aware of it and what it means...

Nancy Gets Her Gun

And Nancy seems to get it.

But this Felicia Feaster person, who can't seem to keep her ignorance out of the introduction, is a whole 'nother matter.

If a man wrote anything as condescendingly chauvinistic as "Women are supposed to be nurturing and peaceable," or cited "the reflex to bake up a plate of snickerdoodles," you'd expect howls of outrage, that is, if there were anything consistent and non-subversive about "feminist" leadership.

And then dragging out Freud... I hate to disillusion you, Sweetie, but really, a gun is just a gun. The only people who seem to have problems distinguishing them from... something else... appear to be "liberal" women--and those who see themselves as such.

I guess I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth--on the whole, this appears to give armed women a forum in front of new eyes, and the accompanying slide show does a better job than the introductory commentary, although I could do without clever remarks along the lines of "I don't know if she's going to serve me Cheeze Whiz and Triscuits of bust a cap in my ass."

[Via HZ]

This Day in History: March 9

Morning Equation

Slept in + 2 ft. of snow + 100 ft. driveway = Late start.

Dissatisfied customers should form a refund line at the service window.