The truth about guns.

Warning: This post contains rational, realistic thoughts.  I know a lot of people frown upon such things, so if you are offended later, don't say I didn't warn you. 

First off, yes I own a few guns, and have a concealed carry license. No I am not a member of the NRA, I don't personally own an AR-15, or any other guns that the media calls an "Assault Weapon" nor am I some crazy right wing "gun nut."  I do believe 100% in the 2nd Amendment, as well as the rest of the Constitution, and the Bill Of Rights.  The first thing a lot of people don't seem to understand about the 2nd Amendment is that it has little or nothing to do with hunting, and everything to do with giving citizens the right to defend themselves.  One of the things that our founding fathers wanted us to be able to protect ourselves from was a tyrannical government.  After everything they had been through with Great Britton, they didn't trust future generations of politicians to not become power hungry, and trample over the rights of ordinary citizens.  Based on just the last 20 years or so in American politics, I would say that their fears were pretty well founded.  For those who would say that the 2nd Amendment was written in the time of single shot muzzle loaders, and they had no idea what kind of guns would be available in 200+ years.....Well, the 1st Amendment was written in the time quail pens, and they had no idea radio, TV, or the internet would exists, but they are still covered by it.  The guys who wrote the Constitution were pretty smart, and I'm sure they realized that technology would advance over time, even if they couldn't foresee what those advancements would look like.  So the answer to the question "Why would anybody need a gun like that?" is because the government has them, and that's the way the guys who founded the nation wanted it. 

Now that I have gotten my brief history lesson out of the way, lets look at some of the realities of what any new gun laws would look like.  I don't really think it matters what laws anybody wants to pass because the truth of the matter is that laws only apply to the law abiding, but just for arguments sake, lets say they ban the AR-15 nationwide.  Any attempt to round up every AR-15 would cost MILLIONS OF DOLLARS that could be put to much better use to help fix any number of other issues facing the country right now.  In addition to the huge amount of man hours it would require, the government would also have to fairly compensate everyone who agreed to turn theirs over.  There are an estimated 5 million AR-15's in the country, at and average price of $1000 each, so the US would have to pay out $5,000,000,000 in tax payers money to get them out of circulation.  That is assuming that they could find them all, because I guarantee a lot of them would still end up in the hands of criminals instead of with the Feds.  Not to mention the number of people who up to this point had owned them legally, who would resist giving them up, who are now suddenly criminals in the governments eyes.  Banning them doesn't sound very realistic does it?  Also, if laws actually stopped people from doing things, no body would do drugs, or drive over the speed limit, or commit murder, or do anything else that is currently against the law.  Face it, criminals don't care about laws, that's why they are called criminals!  People seem to want to pick on the AR-15 for a number of reasons.  These people need to understand a few things, 1st the A in AR stands for Armalite, the company that first designed it.  2nd, yes it looks like a military weapon, but it is functionally no different than any other rifle.  Other rifles can take a 30 round magazine, and they all shoot bullets.  Yes it is designed to look like a fully automatic M-16 that the Military would use.  They designed it that way for the same reason that Ford put 4 cylinder engines in some Mustangs.  It made a car with a small motor look cooler than it really was.  So far I've only talked about banning one kind of gun.  Fact is that if you take away one, anybody who wants to commit a gun related crime will just use a different kind of gun.  Basically all guns are the same, some have bigger magazine capacity, some fire bigger bullets, but at the end of the day they all fire bullets, and those bullets all have the ability to kill somebody if the person using the gun wants to shoot somebody. As for any other expanded regulations people want to enact, I just don't see how much good it will really do.  All I really see happening is that they make people think they did something, and give them a false sense of security until the next time tragedy strikes.

Another thing that drives me fucking nuts is when people who have no clue what they are talking about say things like we need to ban fully automatic weapons, and/or we need to band all semi automatic weapons.  I'm not the smartest guy in the world, and I don't know everything, but before I start debating a topic I usually try to understand what the fuck I'm talking about and not look like a moron.  Fully automatic weapons are those that you can hold the trigger down and spray ammo continuously with out pulling the trigger again, they have been banned for civilian ownership for years!  The definition of semi automatic is that you have to pull the trigger for each separate bullet to fire. The gun will reload a bullet in the chamber after each round is fired.  The majority of firearms in civilian ownership are semi automatic, if you say ban semi automatic weapons, you are talking about almost every gun anybody owns.  Yes there are ways to modify some semi automatic weapons to mimic automatic weapons, some of the mods are legal, some are not, but no law abiding American citizen can buy a fully automatic firearm in any gun store in the country.

I also think people need to be extremely careful when advocating the removal of somebody else's freedom of choice.  The next freedom of choice that gets removed could easily be yours.

For those people who want to act like mass shootings are some new phenomenon, NEWS FLASH: The world has been a sick twisted fucked up place since time began, And for fucks sake stop blaming music, video games, the internet, or whatever other scapegoats people want to find!  In 1949 Howard Unruh killed 13 people while walking around his neighborhood in Camden NJ.  In 1966 14 people were killed and another 31 were injured in the University of Texas Tower shooting.  Both happened long before video games!  Obviously it is a tragedy every time something like this happens, but it didn't start at Columbine.

Before I get into potential solutions I have a few other things I need to get off my chest.  I think Donald Trump is a blowhard jackass who was always more interested in the attention he would receive than in actually being the President, and now that he has the job, he is in over his head and has no clue what the fuck he is doing.  That being said, he has only been in office for a year, and you cant blame him for everything.  There have been school shootings during every presidency in my lifetime, this isn't his fault.  And while your at it, quit blaming the NRA too! It's not like NRA members out shooting up schools and churches and shit.  The NRA is just one of the many lobbyist groups that have the ear of the ass clowns in DC, and whether you or I agree with what they stand for, they are one of the few that are actually lobbying at least in part for the rights of American citizens.  Most of them are just lobbying for their own big business self interest.  I have also seen various people on both the right and left end of the spectrum attempt to compare gun control to abortion.  Please just fucking stop!  No matter which side you are on, you are just showing the world you are a giant hypocrite, as both are simply matters of choice.  If you are pro gun, but believe that abortion is a sin, that's fine, its your right to feel that way.  However, while I am no expert on the Bible, I do remember something in there about Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged.  Basically this means God will judge people who have abortions when it is there time, it's not your fucking job!  As for those who are pro choice on abortion, but anti choice on guns, nobody is forcing you to own, fire, hold, or even look at a fucking gun. Don't equate taking away somebody else's rights with the preservation of yours.

This next part might get me in trouble considering I am friends with one of the girls interviewed by the local news, and her entire family, but I have some problems with kids walking out of class to protest school shootings.  While there is a part of me that is proud of them for using their 1st Amendment rights to stand up for what they believe in, I think they way they did it was both misguided and dangerous.  Misguided because I can't remember any school shooting that was perpetrated by a teacher, so you are protesting against the wrong people.  Dangerous because almost all school shooters have been disgruntled students.  By walking out of class and going outside you are making an easy target of yourselves if any of your classmates were so inclined.  It seems like the irony of shooting up a protest against school shootings would be hard to pass up if you had a student who was already thinking about it.  Also, the politicians who decide our laws have proven time and again that they don't give a shit about those of us who are old enough to vote, so I'm sure they don't give a flying fuck what you think.  I hate to be the one to shit all over your protest, but this is pretty much how I see it.   (Side note, you are all lucky you didn't go to school with me, you probably would have all been expelled considering I once had a principal tell me that constitutional rights don't apply in school.)

Ok, finally here is an idea on how to combat gun violence.  I know some people will call me crazy, but I really think the best way to stop gun violence is with more guns!  If you don't believe me, look up the theory of Mutually Assured Destruction.  M.A.D. has kept the world out of a nuclear war for decades.  The most basic part of the theory is that nobody will use nukes, because if they do they will get nuked in return.  Now apply that to people with guns.  If a bad guy is going to commit a crime, he will likely think twice if there is a good chance somebody will shoot back.  Do away with Gun Free Zones. Signs that read "Gun Free Zone" might as well say "Please come here and commit a crime with your gun!"  Let legally licensed concealed carry holders carry where ever we go.  Don't make us leave our gun in the car when we drop our kids off at school, or go to the bank, or the DMV, or a movie theatre, or church, or wherever else they want to post a gun free sign.  If teachers in a school, or pastors in a church, or tellers at a bank, or the guy taking tickets at a movie, or any other employee at any other business wants to get licensed and carry let them!  If patrons of your business, or parishioners in your church, or visitors to your school wants to get licensed and carry let them!  Legally licensed gun owners are not the people you need to worry about, but we could help save you from the ones you do need to worry about. I'm not saying everybody should have a gun. I get that not everybody is comfortable with a gun, having the power to take a life at your finger tips is a huge responsibility but let those of us who are comfortable provide the chance to shoot back.  I would like to believe that in one of those situations everybody with a carry license will be able to use a gun to defend themselves and those around them.  I will admit that I don't know for sure until it happens, I could freeze up and piss my pants, I don't think that would be the case, and I hope I never have to find out, but god damn at least give us all a fucking chance wherever the fuck we are without restriction!  If you also want to employ armed guards, and add metal detectors in hot spots like schools, that's fine, but be careful to not make it too much like a prison.  A lot of kids don't like school as it is, no need to make them feel worse about being there.

Just in case I haven't made myself clear, please read this next sentence very carefully.  I am not saying we need to specifically arm teachers or anybody else, I am saying we need to stop disarming people who choose to legally carry a firearm.

I know its been a long time since I wrote anything in this blog, and I always say I will do it more of it, but I really do think I will start posting again more often.  It feels good to get all this shit out of my brain at once rather than in small doses via Facebook statuses. 

Till Next Time.....

Final thoughts on the election

It is no secret that I supported, and voted for Gary Johnson.  Early on I was optimistic that the Johnson/Weld campaign would gain momentum, make it onto the debate stage, and become a truly viable 3rd option in the election.  Over the last few weeks I had resigned myself to the fact that the 2 party machine was too big to be overcome this year, but I hold out hope that eventually there will be more choices in American politics.  You can say what you want about 3rd party voters, but we tried to make a sane rational choice in an insane irrational election.  

While many people want to say 3rd party is a "protest" vote, the reality is that yesterday the protest votes won the election.  While racism, bigotry, sexism, and misogyny or what ever others want to claim may have played a small part in Donald Trump winning, I believe most of the people who voted for him are basically good people who are fed up with politics as usual in Washington.  They are fed up with the sense of entitlement and moral superiority that both the Republicans and Democrats have displayed over the years, and they bought into the perception that Trump is a political outsider.  I think the Democrats made it easier for people to over look the worst parts of the Trump campaign by insinuating sometimes subtly and sometimes not that by not supporting the agenda of Barack Obama & Hillary Clinton you were somehow a racist or a sexist, and that made many people feel like since they were being accused of it anyway, they might as well just roll with it when Trump did or said things that would not normally be acceptable.

There have been 6 Presidents in my lifetime, (Trump will be #7) 3 have been Democrats, and 3 have been Republicans.  Every time there has been a change in leadership, the losing side has predicted doom & gloom and the end of life as we know it.  The reality is that we all got up this morning and went to work, or school, or stayed home with the kids, or whatever our normal routine is.  Life goes on, we will survive a Trump presidency just like we have survived the 44 presidency's before.  For most of us, our daily life won't change much. 

My biggest hope is that over the course of the next 4 years both Democrats & Republicans take a hard look in the mirror and think about how bad they fucked up to make people think Donald Trump, the Reality TV host, and WWE Hall of Famer was a viable option to lead the Nation.  That both parties stop trying to divide us by skewing further & further to the left and right leaving a huge segment of the population that lives in the middle feeling unrepresented by either side.  That both parties try to find common ground, and compromise to make things better for all.  That both parties try to find a better class of candidate than what they have produced in the last 20 years or more.  I also hope that the American public looks at the system we have and gives more credit to 3rd party candidates.  Even if you don't totally agree with everything they represent, it is another point of view, and what we currently have doesn't work for a lot of people.  By believing the myth that there are only 2 ways to govern, you are doing yourself and others a disservice.  3rd party candidates offer a fresh perspective on a lot of the issues, even if you decide not to vote for them, you may find something you hadn't thought of before. 

And lastly, to all of the people who are upset, and think that a Trump victory has ruined their lives, I would suggest to you that if you are counting on a politician, or the government for your happiness you will usually wind up disappointed.  If you are a good decent person you will have friends & family to help you along they way, but in the end it is up to you to reach your goals in life.  You will determine your own success or failure.  The government can't make your dreams come true, that is up to you.

Why I hated school.

Skipping my 20 year reunion last week, and all of the back to school posts that I have seen recently has gotten me to thinking about why school was such a miserable experience.  For the most part I blame the teachers & principals. Either I was cursed with the worst run of horrible human beings to ever go into education, or there are way to many people in the field for all of the wrong reasons.  Out of all of the teachers and principals I encountered in 12 years of school, only 4 or 5 actually had a positive impact on me.  Of the rest there were 10 or 12 that I absolutely hated, either because they were total bullies on an ego trip getting off on pushing kids around, or they were too busy trying to force their own personal beliefs down our throats to actually teach a class. To be honest I can only remember about 20 of my teachers names, most of the rest were fairly disengaged, going thru the motions until retirement and enjoying their summers off, and not even leaving enough of an impression for me to remember them as an adult.  While I will fully admit I was no saint I would say that 85% of the trouble I got into in school was a reaction to their Bull Shit, or due to the reputation I had earned for standing up to it.  15% I probably totally deserved.  These experiences are a huge part of why I like hanging out with all of the kids at the track, because they need to know there are adults out there who do care about them, and not all grown ups are assholes.  It is also a large part of why I never want to have kids of my own.  Some of the emotional scars inflicted on me by the people who were supposed to be molding & nurturing my development will never heal, and I know that if somebody ever did or said some of those things to my kid I would end up in jail. Now as an adult, I actually have a number of friends who work in Education.  It is my sincere hope that all of you are like the 4 or 5 good teachers I had, and that I have not somehow made friends with the enemy.  Please remember that you are supposed to be a positive influence on the kids in your classrooms, and it is about them, not you.  I know you all to be good people outside of work, and for the sake of future generations I like to think all of you are just as awesome in the classroom.

A tribute to Dan Wheldon

It has been one week since Dan Wheldon died in a crash at Las Vegas Speedway, and I decided to dust off the old blog and say goodbye in my own way.  I met Dan a few weeks before he won his first Indy 500 in 2005.  I had just come home from work and my little brother Matt come bursting through my bedroom door and yells that a "Fucking Indycar just drove down the street" After I accused him of being on crack, I went outside to check it out, and sure enough here comes the two seater that they use to take people for rides coming down the street for another lap.  In the back seat is some blond chick, and driving is none other than Dan Wheldon, wearing sunglasses and hitting the rev limiter in first gear doing about 50 MPH right in front of my house.  Matt, who pays little to no attention to racing had no clue who he was, but i was instantly pumped up as I ran across the front yard and jumped into my truck to chase after him.  Matt and I chased around the block to the gas station, and when he got out of the car, I walked up and started a conversation.  Dan and I talked about racing for about 20 or 30 minutes like we were old friends, while the crew loaded the car back into the trailer.  At the end of the conversation he wished me luck in my Kart racing, and i wished him luck at the upcoming Indy 500, and then he thanked me for coming out today.  That part always kinda stuck with me since he was the one who had just made my day, but he was thanking me.  A few weeks later at the first 1100 mile party in my new apartment I was jumping off the couch an freaking out as Dan won his first 500.  After his victory was overshadowed by the rise of "Danaica Mania" he showed up at the next race with a shirt that read "I actually won the Indy 500"  and I knew that this was gonna be my guy for a long time.  His sense of humor in interviews, and his hard driving style were both always a lot of fun to watch.  While I never had the chance to meet him again, a lot of my friends had encountered him over the years, and we have been sharing stories of how cool he was in person all week on Facebook.

Dan Wheldon's driving career was enjoying a huge rebirth this season after his second Indianapolis victory with the little team that could, Bryan Herta Autosport.  A Victory that I actually predicted on race day, and was helped by my good friend Ellen Jinxing J.R. Hildibrand when she said "He has it won unless he wrecks" about 10 seconds before he hit the wall.  After that incredible triumph he spent a few races in the TV booth giving the world a glimpse of what his second career could be.  In only 3 races he became one of my favorite TV announcers ever.  Unlike most of the retired driver that the networks put in front of the camera, he actually sounded like he was having fun, and unlike Scott Goodyear, you actually believed he knew what he was talking about.  Dan then spent the rest of the year as the test driver for the next generation of Indycars, which ironically have been designed to keep the cars from getting air born, and  help prevent accidents like the one that claimed his life last week.

Dan Wheldon accepted the five million dollar challenge from Indycar, not for the potential of a big pay day, but because he loved to race.  He didn't drive that last race any differently than he would have if he had been driving for free.  He had already picked up 10 spots at the time of the wreck, and as a fan I am proud to say that he drove those last eleven laps of his life like they were the last eleven laps of his life, Dan the Man was coming to the front!  Having just signed a new contract to return to Andretti Autosport next season, Wheldon didn’t need to be in that race, but he wanted to be in that race, because that is what True race drivers do, they race anything anytime they get the chance to do it.

As I sat glued to my TV for over two hours after the wreck knowing that we had lost Dan Wheldon, but somehow hoping I was wrong, I started to feel especially bad for Dario Franchitti and Tony Kanan, went through an eerily similar experience in the 1999 season final when they lost another good friend in Greg Moore.  As I watched TK come out of the drivers meeting with his sun glasses on and his lip quivering, I started to tear up myself, and as I watched Dario Cry as he strapped into the car for those 5 tribute laps I was crying just as much.  While I obviously didn’t know Dan Wheldon nearly as well as they did, I felt a huge loss, as the racing community had just lost a great one, a Champion on and off the track, who made everybody he met feel like an old friend.

Away from the track Dan Wheldon had become a devoted family man, and from what I have read he loved his wife Susie, and his two young sons, Sebastian, and Oliver more than anything else.  I feel bad for them as the boys now have to grow up without a Dad, but I hope that as they get older they understand how much their dad meant to all of his fans around the world, and that they take some solace in knowing that he died doing what he loved to do.

Anybody who has ever driven in a race understands the risk involved in doing what they love, and in the back of our head we know that every green flag we take could be our last.  We accept this risk, not because we are thrill seekers with a death wish, but because we are wired a little bit differently than most people, and we love to race.  While my racing accomplishments will never equal those of Dan Wheldon, We are all a part of a unique community, The Racing Community, and we will stick together, and help each other get through this loss.  While it is a sad time for us, It is not a tragedy to die doing something you love, when it is our time, Most of us will not be so lucky.

Rest in Peace Dan Wheldon.