If Truth Be Told...

Finally made it to POST #1700...(wow...or is that WHEW?).
Has it been THAT many?
And here we are again, staring at another Thursday in the Heartland of America.
Temps will again top out today in the mid-40s and no chance of precipitation...for now, anyway.
If you want sunshine, well today it'll be harder to come by.
Some showers tonight and into tomorrow.
*** Now then, let's have the answer to yesterday's WHO SAID THAT? quote:
" For the first time in my life, I have seen 'History' at close quarters, and I know that it's actual process is very different from what is presented for posterity."
This is attributed to General Max Hoffman, War Diaries and Other papers, 1929.
And here is Max's WIKI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Hoffmann
You folks remember "good old Max", right?
Great strategist, and known for criticizing commanders such as Hindenberg and Ludendorff for taking credit for HIS tactics (which won battles).
Ultimately Germany lost The Great War, but, interestingly enough, was NEVER invaded...(that would come later in WW2).
Meanwhile, back in the trenches...
*** Bill O'Reilly had a really "spirited" debate with Bob Costas over the halftime "opinion" given by Costas regarding KC Chief footballer Jovan (good name for a cologne) Belcher's murder-suicide by gun.

Costas stated he was not anti-2nd amendment, but HIS preference is to not wanting to carry a gun, and I can fully grasp his POV.
He's part of those in the media that happens to be VERY successful, and as a result, happens to have something called an ENTOURAGE accompanying him damn near everywhere...and THOSE guys are ARMED (that's what bodyguards do...carry guns).
Costas spoke to our "gun culture", and it's there that he and I differ, provisionally-speaking.
I don't view our ENTIRE culture as being a "gun" culture.
What I DO see are a few SUB-CULTURES that have their basis in firearms, and understandably so.

-- First, we have the MILITARY or LAW-ENFORCEMENT culture (by design and by choice) which is there to serve the public, and protect our nation.
Today, this is a lot more dangerous job than in times past both at home or overseas.

People willingly sign on to serve the public as a LEO, or serve in our all-volunteer military (every branch), unlike the days of conscription (like in the 'Nam), where men were DRAFTED into that sub-culture, based on a lottery system. You either embraced firearms...or you died..simple choice.

-- Next, we have the HUNTING culture; those who take down game for either food, recreation, or just to assist the DNR with culling herds that overpopulate. Doesn't matter if it's garden varmints, duck, deer, bear...whatever you get a license for is fair game when in season.

-- Then, we have the PROFESSIONAL culture - the people who buy a gun, train thousands of hours and use up hundreds of thousands of rounds in the pursuit of EXCELLENCE...something THIS nation has always prided itself in. People like Jerry Miceluk would fill the bill here.

-- Lastly, we have the "GANG" culture. These are the ones who get guns by ANY means (usually illegal in nature), and then rob people, their houses, and businesses in order to feed their drug habit, or as an indoctrination into a formal gang, or just to prove their masculinity and testosterone levels to others (and get some free sh*t, too).
And it's this LAST sub-culture that presents the MAJORITY of issues, because it's HERE that law-abiding citizens take up arms to DEFEND THEMSELVES and not become the next victim or statistic.
THESE people are the ones who take courses on proper handling and use of a firearm...not the common street thug.
Those using firearms in criminal activity are further driven by hip-hop and rap music blared at deafening levels (never knew anyone driven to rob a bank after hearing NAT KING COLE...have you?), a plethora of films to actually elevate gun violence without purpose to iconic status, and the use, abuse, sale and distribution of controlled substances (that would be street pharms, folks).

So, let's set this record STRAIGHT...we are "diverse" in our societal pursuits, and thereby our SUB-cultures, some being most violent in nature, contributing to the ever-growing number of homicides across this nation.
Detroit is TEN OVER the TOTAL number of homicides from last year (was 344 - they're now holding at 354).

This entire issue is NOT that difficult to skull the hell out, and to me, actually presents a NON-ISSUE.
I will grant you that there will always be some that just don't find guns attractive and won't possess one, and I can relate.
But try telling that particular stance to a potential RAPIST...BURGLAR, or HOME INVADER, when they come calling.
While they're laughing, you "might" be able to get away...BIG maybe.
And perhaps you WILL survive, but as many find in combat...you are NEVER the same again.
Best to defend YOURSELF and YOUR FAMILY first...and it's always better to be judged by TWELVE...than be carried by SIX.
Moving on...
*** When you want to be "not found", it's ALWAYS good to come down here to our part of the ghettohood.
Case in point...last evening, around "ten-ish", I see a red explorer (Eddie Bauer edition) pull up to the curb next door (vacant house), and saw a man with a brimmed hat get out and walk BEHIND the vacant house (jawwing on a cell phone, of course).

Now, he doesn't live in the area, and he didn't go two doors down to the occupied house, but rather towards the alley, and I've seen this vehicle before, so I was wondering "What the hell is this guy doing, and why is he doing it here?"
I call the FWPD, and was NOT put on hold (amazing), described the situation, man and vehicle (had the tag number from a previous day), and wouldn't you know it...FOUR FWPD CRUISERS show up (astounding response! - musta been either a slow night, or they were making up for when they put me on hold?), and began canvassing the area.
Apparently they did not FIND the driver, but gave the SUV the once-over, checking inside and out.
After they left (20 minutes later), the driver must have returned to his vehicle, because it was not there when I woke up around 0530 today.

Another case of "missing people" staying under the radar from the po-po.
For all I know, this guy could be a drug dealer making his money pickup (or stash drop-off) the next street over, or down the alley...or he could be that Daniel Martin guy  that's wanted for a murder in Celina,Ohio (and whose "red" SUV was found on Smith Street a few weeks ago), because we KNOW he's still AT-LARGE...and could be down here, for what that's worth.
Sure makes 'ya wonder why the FWPD spent SO much time going over the SUV...I figured they "got a hit" on something that caused them to hang around. Who knows?
I'll try to get a photo of the driver next time and see where he goes, so we can see IF in fact he IS dropping off those HYMNALS for the holidays to those "less-fortunate"...yeah, right.
*** Lastly today, I'm from the generation directly following that "greatest generation" so I've always believed we had to prove something...maybe it was only to TRY and be as good as the last generation.
Well, we baby-boomers didn't make that grade, although many of us DID try our damnedest along the way...and are still doing so.

In fact, it was the generation directly FOLLOWING ours that is running much of "the show" in this country...and with the predictable results.
Somewhere along the way, someone dropped the ball.
Now, I grew up with all kinds of toy guns, and after reaching adulthood, got to fire a number of REAL guns...never had ONE fatality in all that.
There was always a measure of SAFETY to be practiced, even with cap guns...my Dad made sure of that.
(and of course, we know of men with 3 stripes that ALSO make us aware of safety protocols...or ELSE)

Guns have ALWAYS been a part of this nation, from the day the first true settler placed his foot upon the shores of our country and had to hunt for supper.
Our founding fathers made provisions for US ALL to "Keep and Bear Arms" to allow us the chance to fight TYRANNY.
And it was firearms that allowed us to create our OWN nation, repel the British (again) in 1812, settle a CIVIL war, win TWO World Wars, along with every single subsequent conflict around the globe (yes, militarily, we DID win in Vietnam - never lost ONE battle there).

We are a nation that PRIDES itself on gun-ownership.
In SWITZERLAND, it is MANDATORY for EVERY household to HAVE A GUN (and know how to use it), and how bad is THEIR crime rate again?
In JAPAN, they have very STRICT gun laws, and yet, they STILL have a huge murder and suicide rate (thanks to EDGED weapons).
So, let's call things as they are...we (still) DO NOT have a GUN problem in this nation - we have a PEOPLE problem.
And when we STOP with the firearms bashing, and concentrate more on proper care, diagnosis, and judicial punishment for people with insufficient mental capacity who commit gun-related CRIMES, the better off (read SAFER) we will ALL become.
Something as plain and as simple to understand as this should really be a no-contest in the realm of CRITICAL THINKING.

But then again, saying that means that some people MIGHT have TO THINK...and we know what that can entail, right?

Be well, make a difference to someone, and...

Stay SAFE out there, America.