A Little Wild is Good

I’m going to write a blog about gun ownership and how that helps keep the government a little more honest. I will try to remember that as this works its way around the corner. This is after reading Unrepentant Individual’s blog about Carnival of Cordite #4.

Baseball is one of my true loves and so it should be of no surprise to anyone that I trim my beard back this time of year; a neatly trimmed goatee instead of my full fur winter job. I still don’t think the Astros will invite me to any of their facilities; all the same it never hurts to be ready. My chiropractor said that I might be able to play in a church softball game, one or two if I behave myself.

I tried being a pitcher when I was in high school ball. It was a close call, that or an infield position. I was just wild enough to get the coaches attention. He said he wished I had a better fastball and a better curve; but since I was a bit wild it would keep the batters off balance wondering which pitch was going to bounce off a rib cage, an elbow or some other tender spot.

The same is true for citizens when it comes to gun ownership. I’m not talking about shooting at the target for a good grouping and then pulling one just to show you still have room to improve. No, I’m talking about having a good mix of personalities out there who own guns.

I have nothing against gun owners who intend to go hunting for sport or target practice only; don’t confuse them with gun owners who keep a loaded pistol handy to take out a bad guy. That bad guy could be some kid all junked out on drugs looking for something in my house to take to the pawn shop or it could be some jerk from a Federal agency that just started up after Hillary Clinton, Harry Reid or Nancy Pelosi took control of the government. When I bought some ammo at the local K-Mart once a long time back the clerk asked what I planned to use it for. “People”. I kept my answer short and smiled back at the young man as he made sure I signed the Federal form.

I wanted to puke when presidential candidate John Kerry put out his down home country boy accent to play up to the sportsmen hunter gun owners. I actually think that the hunter mentality gun owner is more dangerous to gun owner rights because there is some kind of mantra that proceeds out of their mouths, “We are not a threat to you civilized folks. We only shoot deer, ducks and targets”, rather than my own mantra, “Stay the hell out of my way and I may let you live”. The government could easily make a case for the removal of all guns from the sports guy; just make sure he has a fresh piece of meat in his freezer and he has no need for the gun. On the other hand, the government had better have a damn good reason to knock on my door, try to take away something that belongs to me, intimidate me or my family in any way because they have no idea how I might react. I am a retired cop with a long history of insubordination. It is wise to be a little wild, unable to figure out and hold the government at arms length. They have no idea what handguns I have on me, in my truck, what other weapons I may have; only the one I qualified with to obtain my permit to carry here in the great state of Texas. I don’t consider myself a threat to anyone who minds their own business; all others, watch your butt. One last comment; I have learned how to compensate for these no line trifocal glasses. Instead of shooting for the belly button like I was taught in the academy, I now shoot for the center of the chest and my grouping is not too bad for an old retired cop.