"Hora Bucuriei Praecox"

A Rumination Upon Heller,
Special to David Codrea's War on Guns Blog.
by Mike Vanderboegh
8 July 2008

Dancing the hora on Dealul Spirii (Spirii Hill), Bucharest (1857 lithograph)

Hora: a type of circle dance originating in the Balkans but now found in a number of countries, most of which use slightly different spellings. . . Hora (pl. hore) is a traditional Romanian folk dance that gathers everyone into a big closed circle. The dancers hold each other's hands and the circle spins, usually clockwise, as each participant follows a sequence of three steps forward and one step back. The dance is usually accompanied by musical instruments such as the cymbalum, accordion, violin, viola, double bass, saxophone, trumpet or even the panflute. Hora is popular during wedding celebrations and festivals, and is an essential part of the social entertainment in rural areas. One of the most famous hore is the Hora Unirii (Hora of the Union), which became a Romanian patriotic song as a result of being the hymn when Wallachia and Moldavia united to form the Principality of Romania in 1859. During the 2006/2007 New Year's Eve celebration, when Romania and Bulgaria joined the European Union, people were dancing Hora Bucuriei (Hora of Joy) over the boulevards of Bucharest as a tribute to the EU anthem, Ode to Joy. . . A different dance, also called the Horah, is the most popular of Jewish folk dances and played a foundational role in modern Israeli folk dancing. It is usually performed to Jewish or Israeli folk songs, typically to the music of Hava Nagila. -- Wikipedia.

Hora Bucuriei: Dance of Joy

You can perhaps see now why I chose David Codrea's War on Guns blog for the venue of this essay. David is, after all, my favorite Rumanian-American. Or is it American-Rumanian? He is certainly first and foremost a great American. Perhaps American of Rumanian descent? In any case, he's one heck of a guy and an indomitable fighter for our Second Amendment rights. I don't know. My ancestry is Dutch-German with some Scotch-Irish thrown in, but I've never been one to claim "Dutch-American" as a title. Now, if the Spanish government ever gets around to paying reparations for the evil oppression that King Phillip carried out upon the country of my great-great grandparents, I could perhaps embrace the term. If there was money in it.

But I thought of the Rumanian dance of joy when I watched the celebrations in Internet Gunnie Land around the Heller decision. Many of us seem to believe the battle, if not the war, is over. But another term sprang to my mind the same instant: praecox. It is an ugly little Latin word meaning premature, as in:

Dementia praecox: Latin for premature dementia.
1. Any of several psychotic disorders charaterized by distortions of reality and disturbances of thought and language and withdrawal from social contact.
2. Schizophrenia. No longer in technical use.
or,

Ejaculatio praecox: Latin for premature ejaculation; a lack of ejaculatory control, which interferes with sexual or emotional well being in one or both partners.

Hora bucuriei praecox. Thus, in the first Rumanian-Latin phrase that I've ever created, I combine the terms Hora (dance), bucuriei (joy) and praecox (premature) in the title of this essay, for many of us certainly seem to be engaging in a premature dance of joy. Here's why.

Nine Black Robes and One Vote

Yup. One vote. 5 to 4. Give us another liberal president, which we are sure to have no matter who's elected, and the balance could shift with the suddenness of a heart attack, or maybe a stroke. Read the dissents and you will see what awaits us -- collectivism that the Founders would laugh at with derisive scorn. Except the Founders aren't around any more. One vote. Do you think the enemies of liberty in this country are going away? They're in it for the long haul. This decision is a temporary setback to them, if it is a setback at all.

The Decision Secures What, Exactly?

[Vizzini has just cut the rope The Dread Pirate Roberts is climbing up]
Vizzini: HE DIDN'T FALL? INCONCEIVABLE.
Inigo Montoya: You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. -- The Princess Bride, 1987

Heller secures "an individual right to bear arms." So they say. But how is that when the language of Scalia's majority opinion leaves a regulatory barn door large enough to parade an elephant (with "Predatory ATF" painted on its ass) through it? "Individual right to bear arms," may we introduce you to "reasonable regulation?" What a crock. Why are you dancing?

Olofson Trumps Heller

Also, we have "Maximum Mike" Sullivan of the ATF telling us that Heller is a decision "we can live with." Heck yes, he can live with it. It and every other law his unconstitutional agency ignores. Witness, if you please, the Olofson case. Until the ATF abides by the law, laws -- or Supreme Court decisions -- secure NOTHING.

It is claimed that even with all of Heller's faults, we should celebrate for "we have a dodged a bullet." Uh, huh. Dodging a bullet on a battlefield where many more bullets are flying and the enemy continues to advance is trivial and incidental.

"Legality": the Opiate of the American Masses

Finally, there is this. Marx called religion the "opiate of the masses." In modern day American, the opiate is "legality." The only thing Heller accomplishes is to lull that minority of the American people who really care about their Second Amendment rights into a false sense of security. Oh, your "individual right" to own a firearm is "secured," except (after the next administration closes "the gun show loophole") you will have to have the government's permission to buy or sell one; AND they'll be able to choke off your ammunition supply with confiscatory taxes or "labeling" schemes; AND they'll be able to ban "assault weapons" or "sniper rifles" or whatever. Oh, yes, you have an individual right secured by Heller. An individual right to be further victimized by collectivists. But it's "legal," so it's OK. Right?

Try to remember that liberty as the Founders envisioned it and "legality" as our current politicians use the term, are two entirely different things. When the Founders encountered the King's legality, they struck hard, knocking it down to secure their own liberty through the Constitution. Government misconduct as in Olofson may trump Supreme Court opinions like Heller, but liberty trumps legality. This is a point that from time to time in American history has been unfortunately necessary to make at the business end of a rifle.

The Hora is a great dance, an expression of human community and joy. It is, however, in the case of the Heller decision, entirely premature.

Mike Vanderboegh
PO Box 926
Pinson, AL 35126
GeorgeMason1776@aol.com

We're the Only Ones With Our Priorities Straight Enough

Knife crime has overtaken terrorism as the No 1 priority for the Metropolitan Police, one of Britain’s most senior officers said yesterday.

I don't suppose I'm "The Only One" who thinks priorities in Sarah Brady Paradise are, in a word, insane?

[Via Jeffersonian, Zachary G and Tony G]

What Else Wasn't a Factor

Latino gang members were hunting for black people in the Harbor Gateway community of Los Angeles.

Age was not a factor. Neither was gender.

I guess carry permits weren't a factor, either, since you can't get one if you're not politically connected in LA County.

[Via Avg Joe]

The Sappiest Place on Earth

A new state law went on the books Tuesday saying people could bring guns to work if they kept them locked in their car. Disney, though, said it was exempt from the new law and its 62,000 employees needed to keep their guns at home.

Friday, a worker who protested the park’s decision told Channel 9 he was suspended.

This isn't the first time the Magic Kingdom Scofflaws have acted like the law doesn't apply to them.

[Via Jeffersonian]

We're the Only Ones Who Can't Stay Out of Trouble Enough

A suspended Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department narcotics investigator was back in jail Friday after he allegedly violated his bond agreement.

Maybe he's "The Only One" who accepted "Y" and "N" instead of "Yes" and "No" on the Form 4473?

What?

He didn't use the form?

[Via Shermlock Shomes]

We're the Only Ones Investigating Bloggers Enough

They don't pretend to be Woodward and Bernstein. The bloggers call themselves amateur journalists and describe their website, Badgewars.com, as "the electronic bathroom wall."

But they have piqued the interest of Boston police, who have launched an internal affairs investigation to find out who is behind the website.

While you're at it, you guys may want to see what we say about you in "The Only Ones" Files...

[Via Brian F]

Killdozer Revisited

From Matt L:

Finally released are the videos of the takedown.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGXRwdgPM4g&feature=email

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=email&v=Q9nnn4fmGAE

WorldNetDaily broke the story about the off duty soldier who stopped the rampage. http://worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=68676

Some of my favorite highlights.

"Klessner can be seen shooting the terrorist several times in the head, halting an attack that had already killed three – including two female teachers – and injured 57 others. Klessner had grabbed the gun of a nearby police officer."

"Apparently heroism runs close to Klessner. His brother-in-law, David Shapira, a civilian and former soldier, was the man who finally killed a terrorist gunman in March during a yeshiva massacre in Jerusalem in which eight students were murdered in cold blood. Shapira had run into the school while other police officers refused to engage the terrorist during the gunman's rampage.

"June 29th in Maryland, a off-duty secret service agent was involved in an attempted car-jacking. He had 5 assailants assault him. Fired his gun at least once. Did hit one of the attempted car-jackers. Remember that Maryland prohibits its citizens from carrying. http://www.nbc4.com/news/16740256/detail.html?dl=headlineclick

Lessons learned.
1. Don't wait for the cops. They at best are 5-10 minutes away. If and when they respond, most of them lack the cajones to do anything. Look at Columbine and Virginia Tech for proof.
2. Carry a gun. No matter the law, carry one. Maryland prohibits carrying guns. Only because the SS Agent was an "ONLY ONE" could he carry.
3. Familiarize yourself with various handguns.
4. No 5 shot .38 will cut it. This incident in Israel had the guy shoot 4 times in the video. Then a IDF soldier shoots the Tango once with his rifle. Criminals aren't just once tango anymore. Multiple assailants are becoming much more common. A spare mag is a necessity.
5. Having a rifle in your car with at least one magazine of "AP" type rounds. In the AR platform - a mag of SS109 that is color differentiated for easy grabbing.

Israeli Libertarian first alerted me to this story and I was so wrapped up in wrapping up for a big family weekend I did not have time to post on this.

Fourth of July Fireworks--Chicago Style

One person was fatally shot and two others suffered gunshot wounds...

Thank goodness Bodyguarded Boss Daley imposes such strict gun controls...

[Via HZ]

Point/Counterpoint

SF Chronicle

McHenry County Sportsmen's Association

"Leftwich," indeed.

[Via Less]

Meanwhile, Across the Pond in Sarah Brady Paradise...

Det Ch Insp Cliff Lyons said: "This is another senseless incident in which a young life has been taken away by a knife.

"Given that this happened outside a block of flats in broad daylight, I am certain there are people who will have witnessed this murder."

Ah yes, life in the "gun-free" UK.

And Chief Inspector Clous...uh...Lyons placing the blame on an object demonstrates why things will not improve.

[Via Andre D]

Heller of a Note

The boys and girls in black robes can minimalize the true reason for the 2A. They could even 'say' they are taking them away. So be it. We must remind them they have no business doing so.

Mike H. shares his thoughts on Heller.

Dear Abby's Advice to Herbivores

She doesn't look quite as skeletal in this photo--maybe she took my advice about the steak and fries.

I'm sure a carnivore that looked at her as meat would be impressed with her knowledge of Mahler and Puccini, though, aren't you?

[Via Zachary G]

Give Me Liberty

From HZ:

I recently saw the movie 'Give me Liberty' on Turner Classic Movies (TCM). It's only a 22 minute film but what an excellent 22 minutes. It's basically a vehicle for portraying Patrick Henry's famous speech. I had never heard of this movie short but I knew I had to have it as soon as I saw it. Unfortunately it is not available on DVD.

This is where I hope you can help. If you would consider mentioning it on your blog, maybe a few of your other readers would go to this page and vote for it's release on DVD. If you have ever read his entire speech and can imagine a well done rendition complete in fiery oratory form ... well, you would have this movie.

Our Own Private Idaho

"Idaho is Idaho," said Peter Hamm, the communications director of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and an Interior Department official in the Clinton administration. But he called the Kempthorne-backed proposal to allow firearms in parks a "backward" and unsafe" idea, and said that it's not up to just the Idaho senators or Idaho residents to determine gun regulations for federal lands that belong to all Americans.

"Idaho is Idaho."

What kind of condescending "clinging to their guns" urban elitist crap is that? But then again, Hamm-handed Peter has never exactly been one to carefully choose his words.

They quote Ryan, and I know many of you are impatient for word on what's happening. Please remain patient--our first concern as far as that goes needs to be doing what's right for him, so again I ask all to please hold on speculation.

[Via Avg Joe]

We're the Only Ones Cracking Up Enough

The patrol car of a Kern County sheriff’s deputy struck a telephone pole after the deputy lost control while trying to avoid a truck about 8 p.m. Thursday.

Am I the "Only One" who noticed no mention of a breathalyzer test...? Or the deputy's name...?

(Central) America's Mayor

Former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani has toured some of the most dangerous parts of Mexico City on a visit aimed at eradicating corruption and violence in the Mexican capital.

I suppose after that he will part the sea.

I can't help but wonder if Giuliani Safety & Security knows anything about this...?

[Via Plug Nickel Times]

We're the Only Ones Rocky Raccoon Enough

A relative of the woman says she was nicked either by a bullet or shrapnel as East Los Angeles deputies fired on an allegedly armed man, who was later arrested. Officials call the wound a 'scratch.'

Mr. McCartney? Your cue:

He said Rocky you met your match
and Rocky said Doc it's only a scratch
And I'll be better, I'll be better doc as soon as I am able...

The "Only Ones" providing prenatal care enough, no doubt. And so sympathetically, too...

This Day in History: July 8

Knowing to what violent resentments and incurable animosities, civil discords are apt to exasperate and inflame the contending parties, we think ourselves required by indispensable obligations to Almighty God, to your Majesty, to our fellow subjects, and to ourselves, immediately to use all the means in our power, not incompatible with our safety, for stopping the further effusion of blood, and for averting the impending calamities that threaten the British Empire.

"Not incompatible with our safety..."

We don't want trouble.

We're doing everything within reason to avoid trouble.

But damn it, there's a line that must not be crossed.