Red Flag Warning

The National Weather Service sometimes issues red flag warnings which mean conditions are ideal for wildfire ignition. Obviously, these warnings do not mean a fire will break out, but they do give firefighters and land managers advance notice that dangerous conditions exist. If we had a National Political Service, it would be time for them to issue a red flag warning.

A number of seemingly unrelated events are coming together to create conditions that could ignite a firestorm in this country. While it is possible that nothing will come of these conditions, it would take very little to set it off. What makes the situation very concerning is the fact that many of these conditions have been brought about by a concerted effort by a variety of forces that are not necessarily committed to upholding and defending our Constitution.

Anyone who pays attention to politics should be aware that the left in this country have been working hard to foment class envy for years. The advent of the Occupy movement is evidence that their efforts have been successful. As more Americans lose their jobs, their savings, and their homes, economic distress compounds the problem. According to the Congressional Budget Office, 45 million Americans were on Food Stamps in 2011, representing a 70% increase since 2007. The U.S. Census Bureau reported in 2011 that 15.1% of Americans lives in poverty, and there is little doubt that the number has continued to grow. As college graduation time approaches, an increasing number of students are going to discover that the expensive education they went deeply into debt to obtain won’t necessarily translate into a job.

Just in case economic conditions aren’t enough to create unrest, the left has also engaged in a concerted effort to stir up racial tensions. Since they didn’t have any genuine events to use to rile people up, they had to settle for the shooting of Treyvon Martin. Naturally the nations two most well known race pimps such as Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson were happy to help, bringing to mind the warning from Booker T. Washington that “There is a class of colored people who make a business of keeping the troubles,... the wrongs, and the hardships of the Negro race before the public. Some of these people do not want the Negro to lose his grievances, because they do not want to lose their jobs. There is a certain class of race-problem solvers who don’t want the patient to get well, because as long as the disease holds out they have not only an easy means of making a living, but also an easy medium through which to make themselves prominent before the public.”

Although the election of our first black President was supposed to be a sign that we were over the racism thing, the left has discovered they can’t do without their favorite political tool, and they are happy to use it even if they have to make things up to suit their purposes. This in itself is nothing new, except for the fact that Obama is facing an uphill battle in his quest for re-election. Given the words and actions of this administration thus far, is there any doubt that as his situation becomes more desperate they will resort to almost anything to stir up his base?

As summer approaches, the Occupy movement is gearing up for even more activity than we saw last year. Organizers of the movement have set May 1st as their kickoff date for this year’s festivities. According to published reports and their own webpage, they are planning to launch round 2 with widespread mayhem and are calling for a general strike. Naturally, they haven’t spent the entire winter planning and organizing for just the one day, so I’m sure we will have even more to look forward to.

This combination of factors has created a situation that could easily be ignited into a raging inferno. Although I won’t predict it will happen, I will say that there are groups working in this country who would like nothing more than to see our republic come to an end. When they feel the time is right, I have no doubt many of them will be more than happy to toss the match into the waiting tender.

Please be prepared for what may be coming.

Standing Our Ground

Much has been said about the shooting of Trayvon Martin; much more in fact, than is appropriate. Unlike many people in high places that should know better, I will refrain from offering opinions about the shooting without having all the facts about the case. This controversy has however, raised some issues that are worth discussing.

Almost immediately after the issue reached the front pages, people on the left jumped at the chance to use the shooting to further their own political agendas. There have been calls to repeal “Stand Your Ground” laws nationwide, calls to place restrictions on neighborhood watch groups, and of course the expected calls for more gun control legislation.

Although each of these proposals are closely related, let’s look at them individually, beginning with the idea that this shooting somehow warrants new gun control legislation. The entire argument against this move is to simply quote the Second Amendment to our Constitution, with emphasis placed on the words “shall not be infringed”. ‘Nuff said; anything more is a waste of time.

Then we have members of Congress such as Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (Idiot-Texas) who is reportedly working on a bill to require neighborhood watch groups to be registered at the local, state, and federal level. According to a report by Fox News, she is still working out whether or not the groups would have to meet certain standards, and what those standards might be. What is it with liberals and their overwhelming urges to register things? Given the fact that Rep. Lee is a Democrat, it is understandable that she is unfamiliar with the document that limits the authority that Congress has over American citizens, so I would refer her to the U.S. Constitution and specifically the First Amendment which charges the federal government with the duty of protecting “the right of the people to peacefully assemble”.

Perhaps it would be worth asking Rep. Lee to cite the specific article of the Constitution that gives Congress the authority to restrict my freedom to take a walk through my neighborhood, and perhaps she should explain to me under what circumstance she would have me not report any criminal activity that I might observe while taking that walk through my neighborhood. My guess is that it wouldn’t be worth asking though, as the chances of obtaining an intelligent answer would be pretty slim. The only intelligent response to Rep. Lee would be to take Nancy Reagan’s advice and “just say no”.

This now leaves us with the final topic. NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who apparently doesn’t understand the concept of city limits, has taken it upon himself to launch a campaign to repeal “Stand Your Ground” laws nationwide. Since the State of New York, which by the way, includes NYC, does not have either Castle Doctrine or Stand Your Ground laws, I frankly don’t see where it is any of his business what laws other states choose to pass. My advice to Mayor Bloomberg would be to keep his focus on the crime free Utopia he has created in the one city over which he has some authority, and to let the rest of us tend to our business.

Predictably another New Yorker (am I seeing a pattern here?), Sen. Charles Schumer has called for the Justice Department, under the leadership of the Obama administration’s top racist Eric Holder, to “look into” Florida’s law. According to Schumer, “Stand Your Ground Laws is a whole new concept”. Really? Apparently Sen. Schumer is unaware that throughout human history people have defended themselves against violent attacks by using deadly force. The only new concept here is the idea that we should have to pass laws to affirm our right to do so.

Since Sen. Schumer does not have the authority to take away my right to keep and bear arms (that pesky Constitution keeps getting in their way, doesn’t it?), perhaps he could explain to me how he would prevent me from using my gun to defend myself from an attacker? Should I, while under assault from someone intending me harm, decide to just take whatever my assailant dishes out because some legislator from New York thinks he knows what is best for me? Apparently the voters in New York are okay with that concept, but here in my little part of Appalachia that notion won’t wash.

None of this has anything to do with solving any problem that Americans face, but it has everything to do with expanding the government’s grip on our lives. Has there been a sudden rash of innocent people being killed by neighborhood watch groups? Have neighborhood watch groups perhaps put out bounties on people, or was that the New Black Panther party? I’m still waiting for Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee to propose a bill to register that group. In fact, I’m waiting for Rep. Schumer to ask Eric Holder to “look into” voter intimidation allegations against that same organization.

One thing that liberals such as Rep. Lee and Mayor Bloomberg should understand is that Americans have an unalienable right to stand our ground against those who would do us harm, and against legislators who would infringe upon our rights.