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Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Opinions are like brains—everyone has one


The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution reads: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

And you know I do not read this to mean every person is a de facto member of the militia. It is my opinion our armed forces are the Militia. 

I have lived through martial law. In the 1967 riots in Cleveland, Ohio, the Ohio National Guard camped in the field by our apartment building, under the bedroom window, by my new baby’s crib. They were under the living room windows and the kitchen windows too. I had every confidence guns were under control. Before I am reminded innocents fell to the National Guard in 1970, in my opinion that tragedy was perpetrated by our governor, James Rhodes.

It is my opinion any weapon in the possession of any civilian belongs under lock and key. It does not need to be holstered on a hip, on public display and is does not need to be hanging down a back or over a chest, counterbalanced by a bandoleer.  In my opinion, that is a public display of power, not a need for protection.

The legislators who make the laws of the land seem not to hold my opinion. The current laws allow guns to be carried concealed or openly in all but, I believe, six states. I object to Ohio’s concealed and open carry, and take my opinion to the ballot box.

Our local and national legislators’ ears are not turned toward much of the public on gun issues. That leaves me with another right as a citizen—to object, and to boycott. Protests and me go way, way back. They are not effective overnight, but if the cause is right, the ground swell can become a crescendo that catches the attention of lawmakers, who realize their seat is in jeopardy unless they have an epiphany.

I’m sure there is a large audience barely aware many equal rights of women today were secured by their mothers. I hope they are watching and participating in securing equal rights of the LGBT community today. It’s how change happens.

In my opinion, the only visible gun should be carried by a soldier in a parade, a policeman on duty. There should be no invisible guns in civilian pockets or glove boxes of their cars. In my opinion it would be foolhardy to walk up to a person with a gun and say “Excuse me, please take that weapon home, disarm and store it safely.” My power does not match that gun.

I will, however, exercise my power of the purse against any public business that does not take a sweeping stand against guns carried openly or concealed among the public. It’s been years since I've shopped in a store selling guns, but I have no problem putting them on my public list, too.

In my opinion it’s also not too difficult to shop my beliefs, and I’ll write more about that, soon.

In the meantime, I got a chipmunk yesterday. They are so fast and I am not. They see me and spring through the grass, tail straight up, like Tigger with springs. 


32 comments:

  1. I posted a long comment and my computer crashed...so frustrating. Let me just say, Keep up the fight Joanne, lots of people (even some cranky conservatives) agree with you!!

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  2. I sometimes run out of opinions, and have to borrow them from others.

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  3. Georgia has an open carry law that went into effect yesterday, July 1. It was written by a nice, local guy, who surely thought he was doing good. And it makes no sense at all to me. None. Now when I walk into the Health Center for my morning workout, I pass right by a No Guns sign; that's what businesses have to do to opt out.

    I have yet to ever read how an upright citizen carrying a gun was able to use it for any good purpose. I'm sure there must be one or two good stories like that out there, overbalanced by all the stories of horrible accidents in the lives of those upright citizens.

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  4. Everyone may have a brain but not overyone uses them. Hats off to you...you are using yours in a good cause. Even though I live in Canada and we have fairly sensible laws about gun ownership I will join you in boycotting the stores here in Canada affiliated with your gun totin' rum runnin' establishments in the States.

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  5. Applause from this side of the world. Thank you.
    Some brains could certainly be sold on eBay as brand new and unused.

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  6. I just ordered a canister of Bear Spray from Cabela's today..... not likely as effective as a 357 magnum if a bear should decide to attack... but then... my reflexes aren't very quick... however... when these guys come within 20' or less.... I guess I'll use whatever I got to deter an aggressive critter.

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. And, there aren't any bears in Target or Walmart.

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    3. Throw my two cents in here....no, a .357 is not more effective than spray, much the opposite. Alaska's research shows bear spray in encounters results in fewer human injuries/fatality than those with guns.....and a .357 is inadequate to deal with a grizzly/brown bear.

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  7. I wonder about brains all the time.
    Chipmunks are cute.

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  8. The right of 'a people' to bear arms is a far cry from the right of 'people' to bear arms....

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  9. Applause from Indiana! I couldn't agree more, and furthermore I believe guns should be insured just like, say, an automobile.

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  10. I am with you all the way, Joanne. Wallmart never got my business, and now Target won't either. I am going to check the laws in PA, and check on whether one can carry an openly displayed weapon. I do not think this is the case, but I do know it is legal to carry one that is concealed.

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  11. I just read that Target today issued a statement that "asks" customers not to bring guns into their stores. Target also does not sell any firearms or ammunition. People have spoken, but who knows if the gun lobby will listen.

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  12. Handguns are not permitted here if you want to carry a gun you take a rifle with you and not on public display and you would be arrested straight away so that most people walking around with guns are the bad guys.
    we still have robberies and shootings and murders but not so many.
    Merle..................

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  13. I say that expression in your post title in a cruder way. I don't own a gun but I have enjoyed shooting them. I hunted a little when I was teen. I have shot the guns the military provided me. My brother has let me shoot a few of his guns. Outside of the military and law enforcement I see guns as a hobby (targets, hunting). However the gun industry runs well on fear and I believe too many people see them as protection. My opinion - never have them in a house with children. I wish the gun control methods could find a way to keep them out of the hands of the mentally unbalanced.
    good post

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  14. Please do keep up the posts on this, Joanne. I am a bit younger than you and did not take part in any protests and think I missed a huge lesson. Never too late to learn.

    I read an excellent post a while back that explained the "right to bear arms" and why it doesn't mean what the gun enthusiasts think it does, but danged if I can remember where. You basically summed it up in your first paragraph, though.

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  15. The chipmunk is cute. I think it is great we live in a country where we can protest things through whichever way we chose to. I hope your protest gets the results you are looking for :)

    betty

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  16. Thank you. I agree with you regarding the second amendment. It is misinterpreted by people who want to carry guns, and our society tolerates it. I hope you know that Target backed down today. They now ask shoppers to leave their guns at home.

    Love,
    Janie

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  17. you know I disagree on this one, joanne. Dianefaith needs to research a little more on the issue. My second amendment does allow me to be trained, tested, background checked and licensed to carry concealed. it is my responsibility to act intelligently and be responsible for my own actions. I do not shop in stores that ban guns. The only people in there are the one who carry illegally. Please check out to find why Walmart does allow guns in their store. Incidentally, I do not shop Walmart for anything but for more important reasons.

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    1. Not my blog, perhaps I'm out of line here, but.....
      The 2nd amendment, as it's currently interpreted, does not 'allow' you any of those things, it does not require any of them, if you count gun shows. Judging from the news in the last few years, it appears people with access to guns don't always act intelligently or responsibily.
      What on god's green earth would make you feel safer in a store that had men striding around, displaying assault weapons? You think they'd act appropriately if a 'real situation' came up; a robbery? Seriously?? The three women next to the robbers would probably go down, before their wepons jammed.
      I'm not trying to convince you of my position, nobody changes opinions, they just spin the results to fit whatever agenda they have. Just know the majority of the people in america don't feel the same.

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  18. Cute chipmunk!
    I agree with what you are saying, only soldiers and policemen should be carrying guns.
    A lot of people may be agreeing with guns being locked away and not loaded, while more would say what's the point of having one if you keep it locked away? I don't know how to answer that apart from just don't have a gun in the first place.

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  19. I'm not american, but I totally agree with you Joanne x

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  20. Hari OM
    All the way behind you on this Joanne; having lived in places of both 'colours' I know which I prefer! From here it can only be moral support, but every bit helps. YAM xx

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  21. I agree with you also. People who think they are carrying a gun to protect themselves or others should check the statistics and stop believing the lies and myths the NRA puts out there. Someone carrying a gun for protection is 4 times more likely to die in an encounter than someone who is not carrying a gun. A gun in the home is much more likely (I forget the percentage) to be used to kill a loved one than used against an intruder. and then there's the kids that get their hands on the guns and kill themselves, their siblings, or their friends. When those teenagers were doing their little open carry demonstration threatening people in Ohio, I checked the laws and while there are age restrictions for buying guns, there is no age restriction for possessing them! Guns are definitely a problem in our society and culture but what is even more troublesome is the mindset that makes guns the go to solution for every problem. And you are so right about these open carry idiots. That is not about personal protection or protection of the public (and I would much rather have a trained police officer protect me than some idiot with a gun fetish), it is as you so aptly put it, a display of power meant to intimidate.

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  22. With you on the LGBT, cannot go there on the guns. We need a free militia and that is us, not the Armed Forces. Love the chipmonk.

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  23. Joanne
    Maybe we should limit gun ownership to the LGBT community. I'll go for that.

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  24. I, too, am uncomfortable with the open carry laws and the increasing number of people who hold concealed weapon permits. However my husband is an avid hunter and trap shooter. His guns are all kept in a locked safe, except when he s using them. The sportsman culture is a big part of the culture where we live. We are not casual with guns, and the spouse eats all those critters he hunts. Guns are just a tool; irresponsible people are the problem.

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  25. Hello, all
    I appreciate reading all opinions given.
    I aired my objection to open and concealed carry and my opinion that any gun should disarmed, under lock and key at home. This begs the question, why have a gun. The only purpose I can conceive is for hunting game. I grew up in a family of farmers; I know what it is to pick buckshot from the Thanksgiving pheasant. These many years later I wonder why anyone would shoot an animal for food for sport, but I cannot object.
    From personal experience, I do believe sport shooting for clay pigeons is so harmful even a sportsman would understand why not to do it. A local trap shooting site was acquired to become an elder center. The remediation of fifty years of lead shot in the ground has been going on for ten years. The sport is passing the harm on to another generation.
    Back to my original premise, the exercise of power. I cannot condone either open or concealed carry; the only practical solution I see is to exercise the power of my dollar and not shop where guns are tolerated. I am sorry I probably will not live long enough to see the problem of guns in America resolved one way or another.

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