And Another Thing...

In just one short week, it will be CHRISTMAS morning.
And with the Heartland weather being as it is, this weekend will see VERY seasonal temps, with chances of some snow throughout the end of the week...helping to make the season bright, as it were.
Wisconsin is looking at perhaps up to a FOOT of snow...talk about your white Christmas, hmm?
In the meantime, let's meander down to the fishing hole and see what's surfaced since last we convened.
*** Without exception yesterday, all of the commentators on talk radio were talking to the "gun-control" fallout possibilities in the aftermath of the Newtown, CT murders of 20 school children and 6 adults.

However, these talk show hosts were talking MORE about mental health issues...gee, that sounds like what I posted about yesterday before THEY even got on the air...simply amazing, right?
(I should have went into broadcasting...lol)
No, actually it's common sense, and not some knee-jerk reaction to a heinous crime.
And since we're learning more about the shooter, we've come to see that it really is NOT about the GUNS involved, but the mental state and demeanor of the individual (as it always seems to be).
Yet, here is our government, wanting to enact SOME form (or laws) regarding control...again.
This is the SAME government that ALLOWED hundreds of "assault-type" weapons to freely cross our southern border into Mexican drug cartel hands, killing one of our border agents...how soon we forget THAT, hmm?
Is there some form of "double-standard" at work here again?
It would appear so.
But, let's back up a tad and speak to reason.
*** Yesterday morning in Ft. Wayne, armed men broke into an apartment on the city's...(...all together, gang...)...SOUTHEAST SIDE and wound up stabbing two people there.

One of the suspects did have a handgun.
Both residents were transported to hospital.
Here's the story link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20121218/LOCAL07/312189929/1002/LOCAL
This happened at the Villa Capri Apts, along the 1900 block of Fox Point Trail.
Now, I'm sure that the home-invaders had little if any regard for gun control, let alone obeying the law.
  And I believe that without exception, ALL of the 28 homicides (and counting) this year (Allen County) were due to gunshots...again, no regard for life, safety, or any laws on the books.
People such as this act without thought...period.
Within the past year, we had that after midnight pursuit in our part of the ghettohood that resulted in the police finding an AK-style rifle on board a vehicle (and the rifle ammo was seen to have damaged a couple properties on that block).

  More recently, we had the rolling shootout along Lafayette street where at least one house was struck by stray bullets.

Time and again, what we DO see is not responsible gun-ownership in practice, but rather a cavalier attitude with a deadly weapon, much like the drunk that chronically gets behind the wheel of his vehicle and attempts to get from A to B without killing anyone.

Funny, I don't see anything being said about VEHICLE-CONTROL...do you?
And we all know that ALCOHOL CONTROL never worked out all that well back in the 1920s.

But there is the ONE major sticking point in all of these things...
HOW do you teach people to become PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE?
Well, some folks just don't WANT to be, in spite of the fact that they NEED to be.
Our world does NOT revolve around any ONE person (or persons for that matter).
That's a given.
Yet, IF people in general were to become MORE responsible,and understand that CONSEQUENCES do happen in whatever choice they make, we'd have a lot less situations like the ones that cause rising homicide rates.
Would that stop the "madman-genius" with access to firearms from shooting up a movie-theater, mall, or school?
Probably not, given the level of INTENT such abnormal people tend to display.
It's often been said that a small group of DETERMINED soldiers were worth MORE on the battlefield that a mass several times greater of mediocre soldiers.
Lone civilian shooters with a deranged mentality have just such a determination, however misrepresented it becomes.

So, how best to handle such aberrations?
Well, proper diagnosis of telltale signs earlier on is a good start.
But, we also have to be careful not to falsely label others with NO mental problems at all.
We need not cover everyone with a blanket in that regard, when we need to find the specific people that can cause harm to others.
And some people can be damn good at hiding their true intentions and demeanor.
*** Do we really NEED assault-style weapons?
Depends on your POV.

Personally, I like them, and I really want one (fun to shoot and fairly cheap to "feed" ), but the weapon cost tends to become a bit prohibitive, as they range in price from around $700 up and well over the $2000 range for variants of the "AR-family" of firearms. Lots to choose from.

I've been tinkering with the idea of BUILDING one...and for around $500 complete.
And, as my neighborhood has turned into a ghettohood over the past 15 or so years, I've come to know that the people who now live around us present more of a threat than those who have left the area (or a mass murderer for that matter)...RISING crime stats bear that much out.
People such as those tend to be devoid of many aspects of normal humanity such as being responsible, accountable, acting in a civil manner, having ethical behavior, and being more respectful to others.

Many times, the only thing these people will comprehend is GREATER force, so that's the primary reason I have my weapons (and always nearby).
Wifey and I never know from one minute to the next whether some stray round will enter our house, because of some asshole shooting at another asshole.
These people have no sense whatsoever when it comes to others being in their "line of fire".
Helluva way to live, don'cha think?

But, if the CITY gave a rat's ass, we'd have a much better handle on all this sh*t around here...and maybe the minority of normal folks would feel safer in their HOUSE, or walking around the block (even after dark), or driving in their vehicle along the streets down here.
Ditto for business owners and employees.
Currently, such is not the case, and will culminate this New Year's Eve, as it always does with SO MUCH gunfire going off, you'll think you're living in Mosul...or Kabul...seriously.
We can expect the "frivolity" to commence around 2330 hrs and go well after 0100 hrs....and we hope to God we're spared any damage from all those rounds being capped off in whatever direction they're travelling, because bullets don't make no nevermind when it comes to people, plants, animals, or things. They go where they're pointed.
Does the FWPD do anything about it?

Not from what I've seen in years past...never even saw ONE DAMN PATROL passing our "Fortress", and even when you call dispatch for "gunshots", not much is done...maybe a roll-through the area.
Hell, the cops don't want to be targeted, I guess. I can understand that, but there also is that damn SAFETY issue with innocent people just wanting to bring in the new year, right?
WE don't wish to become targets, either.
We have our weapons for DEFENSE, and considering all the OFFENSE out there, it makes damn good sense.

Everyone is "fair game" down here...and you don't even have to be hooked up with the druggies scrappers, or other criminals to become part of the "fun".
And to me, that demonstrates some serious behavioral problems with a LOT of the citizenry down here.
In many ways, I see no difference between the mass shooters and THESE people, aside from the fact that these people (here) can hide things better, will pop off for no reason, and are government-sponsored to some degree...so WE are paying for their behavioral issues (and ill-gotten firearms).
*** Lastly today, I really wanted to speak to the Christmas season, but in lieu of recent events, it does become a bit problematic.
You WANT to embrace the holidays, and yet, because of the actions of one person, are finding it more difficult.
Still, we have to grieve for those who have been denied a proper Christmas (or Hanukkah).
Situations like this should not divert our attention, though.
We need to remain vigilant, prepared, and willing to carry on, not in spite of the evil that pervades our society, but BECAUSE of it.
We must reach down and bring the strength of character and determination we've always had within us and wear it proudly once again.
We must learn from our past, to protect our future.

And we do so in the here and now.

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

Stay safe out there, America.