Category: Painful Truths

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Gird your loins, keep your powder dry, and all that…

Battlespace preparation. Demonization of the other. Choosing sides.

It is all happening. It’s scary and depressing, but I think this fellow has a better read on where we are than most. My first instinct is to think, “Pray that he’s wrong”, but I honestly don’t think he is. Feelings are running too high.

We, as the citizens of the United States, of all political persuasions, are on a near inevitable course for a civil war.

Shocking words to some. But, to those who’ve been watching, listening, and reading the escalating legislative overreaches, vitriolic rhetoric, and acidic punditry, know, deep in their guts, that this is our final port of call. We as a people are mentally and emotionally preparing ourselves for the many black acts that, all too terribly soon, will become common-place. The battle-lines are being drawn, (by all sides), the logistical preparations are being made, and the cauldron’s lid rumbles, threatening to boil over at the first excuse.

Before you snort and dismiss this out of hand, read the article. Then tell me there aren’t some strong parallels to other times of revolt and turmoil in history.

Everywhere we set our gaze, we patriots see battle-space preparation – both mental and physical. The government passes laws and edicts useless to a free people, but indispensable to tyrants. The great agents of provocation and rhetoric have stepped forth, both amongst the people, and against them. Both sides are in the process of arming themselves on an unprecedented scale. And we the people have coarsened and began dehumanizing one another – for only then, after we have reduced “the other side” to maggots, can we Americans properly commence slaying our countrymen with a zeal no other people can match.

We told you constant reader, not to expect peach-cobbler with a scoop of butterscotch ice-cream. No, today we explore the dark recesses of the American psyche, and examine the interstate to purgatory we willingly hurtle ourselves inexorably down.

It’s all too obvious where this path leads. This same ramp up of arms, deeds, laws, and words has taken place so many times in our past, and just as it was in 1775 and 1860, it is now. We make no apologies for being the harbingers of foul times. We simply call things as they appear. Presently, you are witnessing a pre-revolutionary society, and the escalations shall continue until one faction is crushed, abandoned in failure, or our system of governance collapses in ruin.

Read the whole thing. And prepare. You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you.

And after preparing, pray he’s wrong.

via Bob Owens (@Bob_Owens), who’s ‘unsettled’ as well

 

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Wherein the author continues to beat the dead horse

Benghazi. September 11, 2012. Four dead. Any of you remember- or care?

Benghazi1

 

And who is this guy? He was an ambassador, wasn’t he? Don’t decent countries normally react rather strongly to the murder of one of their own?

Benghazi2

 

Can any of you honestly say that, if a Bush were in the White House, the hue and cry and demand for answers wouldn’t be loud and long? Now, not so much. It would be funny if it wasn’t so. damn. sad.

Benghazi3

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Sheepdogs, Sheep, and Wolves

Sometimes you run across something that states positions you have, but in a clearer way than your own poor skills will allow. I ran across this on Twitter, of all places- a cogent explanation of Warriors and the warrior ethos vis-à-vis the rest of us:

Most of the people in our society are sheep. They are kind, gentle, productive creatures who can only hurt one another by accident.” This is true. Remember, the murder rate is six per 100,000 per year, and the aggravated assault rate is four per 1,000 per year. What this means is that the vast majority of Americans are not inclined to hurt one another. Some estimates say that two million Americans are victims of violent crimes every year, a tragic, staggering number, perhaps an all-time record rate of violent crime. But there are almost 300 million Americans, which means that the odds of being a victim of violent crime is considerably less than one in a hundred on any given year. Furthermore, since many violent crimes are committed by repeat offenders, the actual number of violent citizens is considerably less than two million.

—

If you have no capacity for violence then you are a healthy productive citizen, a sheep. If you have a capacity for violence and no empathy for your fellow citizens, then you have defined an aggressive sociopath, a wolf. But what if you have a capacity for violence, and a deep love for your fellow citizens? What do you have then? A sheepdog, a warrior, someone who is walking the hero’s path. Someone who can walk into the heart of darkness, into the universal human phobia, and walk out unscathed.

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Still, the sheepdog disturbs the sheep. He is a constant reminder that there are wolves in the land. They would prefer that he didn’t tell them where to go, or give them traffic tickets, or stand at the ready in our airports in camouflage fatigues holding an M-16. The sheep would much rather have the sheepdog cash in his fangs, spray paint himself white, and go, “Baa.”

Until the wolf shows up. Then the entire flock tries desperately to hide behind one lonely sheepdog.

RTWT here. I file this under the category of things I’ve always instinctively known, but could never properly express.

Soldier in the Stan

In 1981, a film review by one Richard Grenier of the anti-war film “Breaker Morant” contained the following quote–

It burns with a white rage against societies as a whole, from military leaders and chiefs of state to (more common in our time) comfortable civilians in easy chairs, who send rough men out to serve their interests brutally, murderously (what is war?), and then—when circumstances change and in the exquisite safety and fastidiousness of their living rooms they suddenly find these rough men’s actions repugnant—disown them.

Later he expanded on these thoughts

When the country is in danger, the military’s mission is to wreak destruction upon the enemy. It’s a harsh and bloody business, but that’s what the military’s for. As George Orwell pointed out, people sleep peacefully in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.

And policemen. And firemen. And, when the circumstances call for it, the members of the citizen militia described in the Second Amendment who can fill those shoes. If the crunch comes, each of us will have to choose; sheep, sheepdog, or wolf. Which of these will you be?

“God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion. The people cannot be all, and always, well informed. The part which is wrong will be discontented, in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions, it is lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty. … And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to the facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.” – Thomas Jefferson

 

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What he said

Bob Owens lays out a very possible scenario in chilling detail:

Tens of millions of Americans will refuse to comply with an order that is clearly a violation of the explicit intent of the Second Amendment. Among the most ardent opposing these measures will be military veterans, active duty servicemen, and local law enforcement officers. Many of these individuals will refuse to carry out what they view as Constitutionally illegal orders. Perhaps 40-50 million citizens will view such a law as treason. Perhaps ten percent of those, 4-5 million, would support a rebellion in some way, and maybe 40,000-100,000 Americans will form small independently-functioning active resistance cells, or become lone-wolves.

—

After a number of carefully-planned, highly-publicized, and successful raids by the government, one or more will invariably end “badly.” Whether innocents are gunned down, a city block is burned to ash, or especially fierce resistance leads to a disastrously failed raid doesn’t particularly matter. What matters is that when illusion of the government’s invincibility and infallibility is broken, the hunters will become the hunted.

Do you think he is being paranoid? I don’t. I don’t want to see this come to pass but it looks more and more likely every day…

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Moral Duty

Since everyone else seems to be having at Piers Morgan, shoot, I’ll have a go as well. Here’s Piers at his old pre-CNN job in Merrie Englande doing pretty much what he seems to be doing here:

Back in 2004, Piers Morgan was axed as editor-in-chief of the Daily Mirror, a British tabloid, for publishing photos of British soldiers who appeared to be abusing an Iraqi prisoner. They turned out to be fake.

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Morgan also says he feels “vindicated” and that he has no regrets: “I feel like it was a moral duty … Sometimes you have to make a stand as an editor.”

Nice guy. Hope you never need for those fellows to have your back, Piers.

In all fairness, though, I disagree with those who want to deport him. For one thing, a vocal group from across the pond have started their own petition to please not send him back, they don’t want him. Also, there is that pesky First Amendment- I mean, what’s good for us should be good for him as well.

It also seems to be a good thing, to me at least, to have him around to remind us of why those shots were fired at Concord not all that long ago.

via the Blogfather

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Jaw broken by sudden drop

The following headline appeared on Human Rights Watch’s website today: Gaza: Palestinian Rockets Unlawfully Targeted Israeli Civilians

I. Am. Gobsmacked.

Flying_Pig

The rocket attacks, including the first from Gaza to strike the Tel Aviv and Jerusalem areas, killed three Israeli civilians, wounded at least 38, several seriously, and destroyed civilian property. Rockets that fell short of their intended targets in Israel apparently killed at least two Palestinians in Gaza and wounded others, Human Rights Watch said.

All I can think is that it’s fund-raising time, else the Israelis would have been blamed once again. There’s even video-

Awesome job, guys! Keep it up! [snicker]

I’m sure they will return to the normal jew-hatred as soon as they’ve raised some cash.

Pic and link gleefully stolen from Rantburg. Thanks Fred!

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So we’re clear, Mr. Cuomo:

Regarding certain statements suggesting gun confiscation-

ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

I don’t know what more I can say without sounding, well, excitable. Maybe the citizens of New York are cowed enough, but I can guarantee you my part of the country isn’t.

Sirs, I advise you not to bite off more than you can chew.

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Games that make you kill

Now that so much gaming has moved from our PC’s to our phones, I find my ravenous urge to kill and maim is no longer slaked by trivial entertainments such as Call of Duty, BioShock  and World of Tanks; nay, I’ve found something better!

Angry Birds!

The Killers
The Killers

Yes, nothing satisfies my urge to chuck chickens at grinning evil green pigs like Angry Birds. If I wasn’t able to sublimate my burning desire for collapsing structures and porcine rolling heads, there is just. no. telling. what I might be capable of…

So heed not my guns and first person shooters- fear my flaming bluebirds!

(side note- did someone put something in the water of my country?)
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The Blogfather speaks

…and it would be easy to call it snark, but instead it’s truth (quoted in full):

SO IF WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A “NATIONAL CONVERSATION ON GUNS,” HERE ARE SOME OPENERS:

Why do people who favor gun-control call people who disagree with them murderers or accomplices to murder? Is that constructive?

Would any of the various proposals have actually prevented the tragedy that is the supposed reason for them?

When you say you hope that this event will finally change the debate, do you really mean that you hope you can use emotionalism and blood-libel-bullying to get your way on political issues that were losers in the past?

If you’re a media member or politician, do you have armed security? Do you have a permit for a gun yourself? (I’m asking you Dianne Feinstein!) If so, what makes your life more valuable than other people’s?

Do you know the difference between an automatic weapon and a semi-automatic weapon? Do your public statements reflect that difference?

If guns cause murder, why have murder rates fallen as gun sales have skyrocketed?

Have you talked about “Fast and Furious?” Do you even know what it is? Do you care less when brown people die?

When you say that “we” need to change, how are you planning to change? Does your change involve any actual sacrifice on your part?

Let me know when you’re ready to talk about these things. We’ll have a conversation.

UPDATE: John Lucas emails:

Joe Scarborough, who claims to be a “proud NRA member” just said there is no reason to allow someone to have an “assault weapon” that shoots “30 rounds a second.”

The ignorance is appalling.

Well, yes. It’s MSNBC. But it is interesting that Scarborough — like Mark Shields and Rupert Murdoch — seems entirely ignorant of actual gun law. But to be fair, the National Firearms Act has only been around since 1934.

These are the opinion-makers and the lawmakers. Ignore their ignorance and disregard for the constitution at your own peril. But then again, a lot of you helped elect these clowns, so, I guess I know where you stand.

Just so we’re clear.

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Awful, awful times

I do not like this world we have made for ourselves. I do not like the media and its taste for blood after a terrible tragedy. I do not like politicians who cannot wait a decent time before trying to capitalize on a terrible tragedy. Hence, I do not like this world we- all of us– have made for ourselves.

Bob Owens thinks he sees what a facet of the problem is. I don’t know- I just know the news Friday had me crying like a baby as I tried to drive down Schillinger Road.

I am glad I’m going to ground.