I don't think so. New York City always has the toughest gun laws in America. Remember Colin Ferguson the rider on the Long Island Railroad? He had a couple of automatics and pockets full of clips for his two pistols. The LIIR train carried him to his Long Island home late on night and he casually wandered the train shooting people, RELOADING AT WILL, and the crowded train, just sat there, no one could fight back.
No one had a gun. No one in the entire train was armed, they were following New York's tough anti-gun law. Because of that, Ferguson roamed the train at will, killing untold passengers until someone unarmed, tackled him and others piled on. That was brave.
Recently a mother hid in the rafters of her home with her children and a six-gun. An intruder broke in, found her and attacked. She emptied the gun into him, he backed off and fled. He was still able to leave and drive his car with six slugs in him. Imagine. But she defended her children, herself and her home.
Obama's gun laws MAY eviscerate the 2nd Amendment tomorrow by Executive Order. May.
If successful, if he neuters the Constitution by fiat, what can be next?
Possibly the first..
###
Monday, January 14, 2013
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Nazi Occupation of Holland - Random Executions
When I was a docent at a B-17 Museum in Tucson, I frequently engaged European visitors and chatted them up on their country, their history and, hopefully their remembrances of World War II.
An older man was a child during the Nazi occupation of Holland and remembered hiding in his cellar in Amsterdam. He lived in town with his mother and father who was a pharmacist. The Nazis didn't hassle his parents because their jobs were "vital" to the occupiers. They were, he told me, taking children hostage for obvious reasons, among them, child labor in factories.
Often, the old man said, the German Storm Troopers stationed on each street corners, would grab Dutch folks walking along the street and line them up against a wall and execute them by firing squad. No reason, just arbitrarily pick at random, some man or woman coming home from work, at the point of a bayonet against a wall, with a dozen other fellow citizens, and shoot them.
One afternoon, after lunch, there was a commotion right outside his cellar window, the man turned off his light, slowly opened his curtains and peered out. German soldiers were grabbing up his next door neighbors, their kids that were his best friends, children up the street, the minister from the church at the corner, about 35 in all.
Within two minutes. a half dozen storm troopers machine-gunned all 35 people, most of his friends, their parents, his minister, and one of his cousins, he told me. The Germans, when they first arrived in Amsterdam disarmed the populace, shot the governor and neutered the government..
In my time at that museum, I heard a hundred stories like that. The most horrific was of the French Villiage of Ora Dor sur Glane.
###
An older man was a child during the Nazi occupation of Holland and remembered hiding in his cellar in Amsterdam. He lived in town with his mother and father who was a pharmacist. The Nazis didn't hassle his parents because their jobs were "vital" to the occupiers. They were, he told me, taking children hostage for obvious reasons, among them, child labor in factories.
Often, the old man said, the German Storm Troopers stationed on each street corners, would grab Dutch folks walking along the street and line them up against a wall and execute them by firing squad. No reason, just arbitrarily pick at random, some man or woman coming home from work, at the point of a bayonet against a wall, with a dozen other fellow citizens, and shoot them.
One afternoon, after lunch, there was a commotion right outside his cellar window, the man turned off his light, slowly opened his curtains and peered out. German soldiers were grabbing up his next door neighbors, their kids that were his best friends, children up the street, the minister from the church at the corner, about 35 in all.
Within two minutes. a half dozen storm troopers machine-gunned all 35 people, most of his friends, their parents, his minister, and one of his cousins, he told me. The Germans, when they first arrived in Amsterdam disarmed the populace, shot the governor and neutered the government..
In my time at that museum, I heard a hundred stories like that. The most horrific was of the French Villiage of Ora Dor sur Glane.
###
Saturday, November 10, 2012
The First Casualties of the B-17 Air War - Europe
They were all from the mid-west, all five of them half the crew of the B-17 crew. It was early in the World War II scuffle. everyone was still anxious, excited to get in, do their part.
These guys were young, all under twenty, from the mid west, cherry faced complexion and wild hair blossoming all over the faces. typical of the teen age kids those days. In the early 1940's, the air crews of the early war were horsemen, farm hands, truck drivers, farm hands, delivery men, and plow boys, and they tell us, " simple folk. Easily trainable."
Our five guys found their way over to England after fumbling their way through flight training in the mid-west. In England, they joined up with the other half of their crew and their airplane. Now, complete, practice, the great game of molding ten men, 12 machine guns, and another dozen 500 pound bombs into one solid team poured into a mission all focused into one mission.
Our five from Mud ville, USA are all non commissioned officers, they are gunners: ball turret, left and right waist, radio operator and tail gunner. They ate, slept, practiced and drilled together.
And soon, they would know terror together.
Their first mission was over France, as a part of a huge fleet attack, bombing railroad marshaling yards, attempting to strangle German supply lines. Flight reports say it went well, the crew functioned well as a time, got home, calmed their nerves, hit the mess hall, and that was that.
The alert flat for the bomb group said mission next day - over the south of France, it was still early in the War. After breakfast and briefing, they were off the end of the runway briefly after sunrise. In massive air attacks involving large numbers of B-17s, there were occasional mid air collisions. Several B-17 pilots reported two bombers collided, and our guys were in one.
The five guys from middle America our five gunners were in the back end of the one
B-17 accidentally cut in half by the other similar airplane. The back end of their airplane folded over at 24,500 feet up over Calais, France, and slowly began to sink towards the earth. The gunners from Mud ville, were stranded on in the inside left clawing madly at the inside of their half airplane trying to reach the opening so they could roll out into the open air, their parachutes wrapped around their shoulders, hands or fastened hastily anyway they could.
The tail began to spin clockwise as a falling leaf does, picking up speed as it goes further and further down the four and one half miles down, the men still desperately clawing at the insides of the plane.
The other pilots report no chutes.
These five boys were the very first air casualties of the Air War over Europe against the Germans. The first to give their lives in the long long list of many that would lead to the end of the tyranny, blood-lust and murder that had gripped the world.
###
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Afghanistan - a report fom the front
In the museum yesterday, 8/11/12, I encountered an Army Company Commander just back from Afgh on leave. Asking questions of him about conditions, he was first reticent, but opened up.
This is the kind of guy we want over there representing our country. He said, he just lost two soldiers because "we were not allowed to shoot at guys with cell phones that set off IEDs."
"Don't believeh what you see in Hurt Locker he said, it's all BS. If we shoot a civilian with a cell phone, we have to do it AFTER the explosion, NOT before."
I asked him what happens when you do shoot the guy with the cell phone, assuming he's the guy who blew up one of your vehicle?
The company commander said, " all hell STILL breaks loose, it's politics. the locals raise hell, they turn against us, throw rocks. One minute they love us, the next...you never know."
I have heard this and saw this before, the Captain is too young to know, it does sound like Viet Nam all over again, and I was a HAWK on VN.
This is the kind of guy we want over there representing our country. He said, he just lost two soldiers because "we were not allowed to shoot at guys with cell phones that set off IEDs."
"Don't believeh what you see in Hurt Locker he said, it's all BS. If we shoot a civilian with a cell phone, we have to do it AFTER the explosion, NOT before."
I asked him what happens when you do shoot the guy with the cell phone, assuming he's the guy who blew up one of your vehicle?
The company commander said, " all hell STILL breaks loose, it's politics. the locals raise hell, they turn against us, throw rocks. One minute they love us, the next...you never know."
I have heard this and saw this before, the Captain is too young to know, it does sound like Viet Nam all over again, and I was a HAWK on VN.
French Canadians - The Separatists
I went to Canada several times when I was a young man. A few times to Fort McHenry, a time or two I located the spot where my grandfather and his brothers and sisters immigrated from - Hamilton, Canada. But, I never paid much attention to Canada - they talked funny, it was cold up there, and Niagara Falls was wet and misty.
Big Falls, running river - got it. Every time I met people from Canada down in the US, they were always falling south into America looking for jobs and talked funny. Nice people but I never caught on to why they came here.
During Vietnam, I why the hell did they do that? I thought Canadians ALL spoke English? What's going on up there? Then I read, hear, watch OUR news and I hear about possible cessation of areas around and including Quebec into a separate French state.
They tangle with the central Canadian government, it's all settled, no soap, and that's that. But, everyone up there is still hot under the collar about this French thing.
Two weeks ago, three middle aged French Canadians walk into my B-17 Museum in Tucson, I show them around, and in the process, we talk. I know nothing and they enlighten me.
It's all about language. They tell me the French are afraid of losing their French identity -legally- and being forced to speak, read, write English and any and all signs of their French heritage wiped away by Fiat. They are not only scared to death of it, they are angry as hell about they say they see as creeping governmental interference in everyday life.
For instance: Street signs, say, "Jones Street" has to be posted that way on the top of the sign, and the French translation MUST appear below it. They see it as a secondary or lowering of their French status. All sorts of examples are creeping around them and they are annoyed as hell about it.
As they explained more incursions into their private French lifestyles, I found myself getting more heated over their discomfort. At one point, I hollered out, " THEY CAN'T DO THAT - I'D FIGHT THEM!!" One of the older men laughed at me, breaking the tension.
" How typical American, " said, " you've got the right to do it down here. Under Canadian law, we don't." I was shocked. The concussion of freedom hit me full force. My own Constitution gave me the right to raise hell whereas these three middle aged men couldn't do what I take for granted because, as they said, they ran the risk of jail for demonstrating against what was now a law.
As they left, I found myself raising my fist and speaking out to them, " go back and raise hell you guys." Every day in that Museum, I learn another story about someone else in the world living out under hardships I would never learn in a textbook, or watching our news-media.
###
Big Falls, running river - got it. Every time I met people from Canada down in the US, they were always falling south into America looking for jobs and talked funny. Nice people but I never caught on to why they came here.
During Vietnam, I why the hell did they do that? I thought Canadians ALL spoke English? What's going on up there? Then I read, hear, watch OUR news and I hear about possible cessation of areas around and including Quebec into a separate French state.
They tangle with the central Canadian government, it's all settled, no soap, and that's that. But, everyone up there is still hot under the collar about this French thing.
Two weeks ago, three middle aged French Canadians walk into my B-17 Museum in Tucson, I show them around, and in the process, we talk. I know nothing and they enlighten me.
It's all about language. They tell me the French are afraid of losing their French identity -legally- and being forced to speak, read, write English and any and all signs of their French heritage wiped away by Fiat. They are not only scared to death of it, they are angry as hell about they say they see as creeping governmental interference in everyday life.
For instance: Street signs, say, "Jones Street" has to be posted that way on the top of the sign, and the French translation MUST appear below it. They see it as a secondary or lowering of their French status. All sorts of examples are creeping around them and they are annoyed as hell about it.
As they explained more incursions into their private French lifestyles, I found myself getting more heated over their discomfort. At one point, I hollered out, " THEY CAN'T DO THAT - I'D FIGHT THEM!!" One of the older men laughed at me, breaking the tension.
" How typical American, " said, " you've got the right to do it down here. Under Canadian law, we don't." I was shocked. The concussion of freedom hit me full force. My own Constitution gave me the right to raise hell whereas these three middle aged men couldn't do what I take for granted because, as they said, they ran the risk of jail for demonstrating against what was now a law.
As they left, I found myself raising my fist and speaking out to them, " go back and raise hell you guys." Every day in that Museum, I learn another story about someone else in the world living out under hardships I would never learn in a textbook, or watching our news-media.
###
Saturday, September 15, 2012
A Chicago Cop Talks to Me
It was mid morning two days ago when a Chicago cop walked into my Museum with wife and kids, down vacationing in Tucson. Three days in, he's relaxed now, unwinding, letting a lot of stress out. I work with two ex-cops who immediately glued themselves to him comparing notes.
" Chicago is too damned dangerous " he says. He's been on the force 17 years loves his job, middle management street cop. " I carry a pistol every time I leave the house, on duty, off, even going to the store. Something ALWAYS happens, " he says.
He tells us Chicago has 12 to 14 MURDERS every weekend, ' without fail.'
" Don't believe anything your read in the papers or on TV. Its far worse. We've got coded radio signals we use when we talk to each other, " he tells us. Some of the bad guys are so vicious, so deadly, that when they receive warnings from radio dispatch sometimes they will say, " S.O.S."
" What that really means is SHOOT ON SIGHT."
He and some of his family have been on the Obama family security details when the first family arrived back at Chicago for a stay. Obama security team insists that Chicago PD block off the entire city block, and patrol does so on foot, outside, in the rain. He's said the family has never invited the patrolmen inside the house to get out of the elements.
"I don't know one city cop who likes them. Not one. Now, understand, I'm sure there are some out there, but I haven't met them yet, " the Chicago cop told us. He carries his pistol, CPD ID and other tangent ID while travelling around the country.
We asked him how the immigrant situation is in Illinois, his response was that Illegal immigrants, when identified by CPD, contacted Immigration Customs Enforcement (the Feds), are instructed that the DOJ said to " kick them loose," they don't want them. Our cop friend told us he personally knows where he can pick up a dozen illegals in the Chicago area, but because ICE said forget it, he does too.
And so do the local cops.
And guns? He tells us there are so many guns in Chicago, they couldn't even begin to count them, let alone control them. They leak across the border from Canada, and up from the south.
IF Chicago Cops stop someone suspected of being in the country ILLEGALLY while in the of a crime, must fill out so much paper work justifying the stop based on "profiling" that sometimes, they arrest the suspects on larceny, or robbery.
The new legislation on "profiling?" Signed into law by Senator Barack Obama and enforced by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, he said to us.He, his wife and son went on for a pleasant hour visit in our Museum here in Tucson.
###
" Chicago is too damned dangerous " he says. He's been on the force 17 years loves his job, middle management street cop. " I carry a pistol every time I leave the house, on duty, off, even going to the store. Something ALWAYS happens, " he says.
He tells us Chicago has 12 to 14 MURDERS every weekend, ' without fail.'
" Don't believe anything your read in the papers or on TV. Its far worse. We've got coded radio signals we use when we talk to each other, " he tells us. Some of the bad guys are so vicious, so deadly, that when they receive warnings from radio dispatch sometimes they will say, " S.O.S."
" What that really means is SHOOT ON SIGHT."
He and some of his family have been on the Obama family security details when the first family arrived back at Chicago for a stay. Obama security team insists that Chicago PD block off the entire city block, and patrol does so on foot, outside, in the rain. He's said the family has never invited the patrolmen inside the house to get out of the elements.
"I don't know one city cop who likes them. Not one. Now, understand, I'm sure there are some out there, but I haven't met them yet, " the Chicago cop told us. He carries his pistol, CPD ID and other tangent ID while travelling around the country.
We asked him how the immigrant situation is in Illinois, his response was that Illegal immigrants, when identified by CPD, contacted Immigration Customs Enforcement (the Feds), are instructed that the DOJ said to " kick them loose," they don't want them. Our cop friend told us he personally knows where he can pick up a dozen illegals in the Chicago area, but because ICE said forget it, he does too.
And so do the local cops.
And guns? He tells us there are so many guns in Chicago, they couldn't even begin to count them, let alone control them. They leak across the border from Canada, and up from the south.
IF Chicago Cops stop someone suspected of being in the country ILLEGALLY while in the of a crime, must fill out so much paper work justifying the stop based on "profiling" that sometimes, they arrest the suspects on larceny, or robbery.
The new legislation on "profiling?" Signed into law by Senator Barack Obama and enforced by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, he said to us.He, his wife and son went on for a pleasant hour visit in our Museum here in Tucson.
###
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Russian Handguns ......Move to liberalise their laws
I am told their is a law moving within one of the Russian dumas to liberalise their laws to allow the carrying of handguns within their legal "state." Russian guests at our B-17 Museum here in Tucson have told me that lawlessness has reached such a level that gun-crimes are beyond the capabilities of the local Russian police to handle them.
The "bill" before the Duma (I don't know if I have that spelling right) says that all citizens must have firearms training before acquiring a pistol, a small fee,and free bullets are being discussed.
The Russians I have encountered are a little hesitant about it, but do see the necessity of it as most are frightened of being unarmed in the face of the viciousness of the "outlaws" they say break into their homes and terrorize their women.
###
The "bill" before the Duma (I don't know if I have that spelling right) says that all citizens must have firearms training before acquiring a pistol, a small fee,and free bullets are being discussed.
The Russians I have encountered are a little hesitant about it, but do see the necessity of it as most are frightened of being unarmed in the face of the viciousness of the "outlaws" they say break into their homes and terrorize their women.
###
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