My Take on The Republican Race

Well, let's start off by saying that I'm not excited about anyone. I'll also say that when the primary rolls around here, I'll be voting for Santorum, if he's still in the race. (And please spare me the "elect-ability" crap. The only reason people believe that is because they are being fed it by the media. If people actually voted for who they wanted, instead of who is "elect-able", we would see a much different line-up.)  If not, well, I may not be voting Republican. No, I am not one of those people who is crazy about "their" candidate and refuses to vote for anyone else. I just don't know if I could vote for any of the other three due to principle. Allow me to explain.

Ron Paul: I agree with a lot of what he says, but some things just don't add up. I don't think I'll have to worry about him being the nominee, anyway. Something just doesn't sit right, but I can't quite place it. I'll have to look into it more.

Mitt Romney: Okay, the obvious - Romneycare. Too many inconsistencies in what he has said about it and the reality. Shoot, that goes for about everything he says. I think the comic going around with him having a dozen mouths all over his face is pretty accurate. I don't trust him. Then there is the fact that he is on the record publicly supporting abortion while governor of Massachusetts. Sure, he has since said that he changed his position, but see previous statement. Then there is the firearms issue. He believes that at least half of the guns I own, I shouldn't be able to own. To say that you support the Second Amendment, and then say that you don't believe the public needs to have X-type of weapon, shows that you don't truly understand or support the right to keep and bear arms. The abortion issue alone is enough to kill me voting for him. I will never vote for someone who supports abortion. End of story. Toss in guns, and he's a dead as a candidate in my eyes many times over. As Robin Williams said in Patch Adams, "IDGARA" what he believes I should be allowed to own and for what reason.

Newt Gingrich: Let's start this one off by saying that I don't trust him any more than I trust Romney. Also, hearing him talk on the Glenn Beck Show, I'm pretty sure Glenn is right that Gingrich is a collectivist in conservative clothing. Now I'm going to go into something that many will disagree with me on, but I believe what I believe, so it is an issue to me. Marriage. Adultery. The man made a vow to two different women, and if it is anything like the one I made to my wife, it includes fidelity and "till death do us part". Twice, he broke his vows. Vows made before God. If he doesn't take a vow seriously to remain faithful to a woman until death, how can I trust him to remain faithful in the oath he would take to be President?

Yes, I know, some people would ask me if I'm willing to "allow" Obama to win re-election by not promising to get behind the nominee. No, I'm not. I have a duty to remain true to myself and to God when I press the button in the voting booth. Romans 1:32 says that approving of something or someone that is sinful puts you in the same position as the one practicing it, in God's eyes. I will not bear their guilt.

To be completely honest, I'm not sure the country/world will survive in it's current form until November. Even if it does, the only thing that will change as a result of electing a Republican will likely be the rate of decay. The end will be the same, simply delayed. Call me a cynic or a pessimist, whatever. Truth doesn't lie. That's where the truth points. "Have a little faith. Trust God." I do. I don't trust politicians or governments which has proven themselves corrupt time and again. Sometimes God's plan is destruction to set the stage for rebuilding. So be it. Prepare yourselves, no matter the politics. It will be a bumpy ride.

Keep your powder dry.

Act Free.

Response to "A Declaration"

Recently, I posted "A Declaration". As I said I would, I sent copies of it to all of my "representatives" in Congress. Senator Bob Corker responded to me today. The text follows, and then I will have some more comments.

Thank you for contacting my office regarding provisions related to the disposition of detainees in the FY2012 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Your input is important to me, and I appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts.  Like you, I believe that protecting our constitutional rights is one of the most significant responsibilities of the U.S. Senate.  I understand the concerns presented in your letter, but I think it is important to note that there is a significant amount of misinformation being circulated with regard to the provisions of the  NDAA which recently passed in the Senate.   I want to assure you that there is nothing in this bill that changes current law or practice in any way as it relates to the rights or treatment of U.S. citizens or the military's ability to operate within the United States. In an effort to clear up any misconceptions about the impact of the bill on the rights of citizens, an amendment was adopted by the Senate and was included in the final version of the bill, which reads:  "Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect existing law or authorities, relating to the detention of US citizens, lawful resident aliens of the United States, or any other persons who are captured or arrested in the United States." This amendment passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 99 to 1. The final bill passed by a vote of 86 to 13, and includes authorization for a number of essential programs and benefits to support our troops, including a 1.6% pay raise for all members of the military. Our country's fight against al Qaeda and associated organizations is a struggle that continues to pose significant and diverse challenges for our country. I want you to know that protecting American citizens is a solemn responsibility, and I therefore believe we must have legal methods in place to remove combatants from the battlefield, obtain critical intelligence, and detain those that are a threat to the American people.  However, I understand the important balance that must be met between protecting our nation from future attacks and preserving our civil liberties.  As we work to strike that critical balance, I can assure you I will continue to uphold my oath of office to support and defend the Constitution. Thank you again for your letter. I hope you will continue to share your thoughts with me throughout the course of my term.  

Sincerely, 
Bob CorkerUnited States Senator

Now yes, the amendment that was passed does help - barely. Go take a look at Arctic Patriot's post that fits well as a response to this e-mail. He cites a bill that is in the house and would allow citizenship to be stripped from any deemed to be a "terrorist" or to be aiding them. Keep in mind that we are each just a few keystrokes away from being determined to be "terrorists" by the .gov. Politicians, including everyone in our current presidential administration, have already said they believe Tea Partiers, and of course that means also those of us who are further to the right than the Tea Party, are terrorists. Just for our beliefs. We have a president who is openly defying the Constitution and Congress by making recess appointments while Congress is still in session. Federal agencies are running rampant with treating normal citizens like criminals without just cause. They are even mobile now (VIPR). Go ahead and try to tell me again that this amendment makes you feel safe.

To me, it looks more like theater.

Act Free.

An Easier Way

I'm going to have to ask a Robbish question here:

Wouldn't it be easier to just type it into the address bar?

Someone did a search that linked them here. Here is the referring URL:
http://yandex.ru/yandsearch?text=freedomismandatory.blogspot.com&lr=84

A Declaration

Via this post by AP comes this declaration. I post it here in agreement, and will be sending copies to all of my congress-traitors.

Whereas, on the 14th of December, 2011, the House of Representatives of these United States voted in favor of indefinite military detention, without charges, of any American, anywhere, anytime, without due process of law, at the discretion of the government alone;
Whereas, on the 15th of December, 2011, the Senate of these United States voted in favor of the same bill;
Whereas, the proscription against the use of military force to police the populous has been an essential feature of American civic life and civic liberty since the arrival of our civilization upon this continent;
Whereas, the wanton violation of this proscription was one of the chief causes of the separation of the American peoples from their government in Great Britain;
Whereas, the Constitution so chartering the government of these United States does not grant this power;
Whereas, the Constitution forbids the addition of any power not enumerated to the general government;
Whereas, the use of such draconian measures has been an essential feature of the enforcement of tyranny by totalitarian governments of the 20th century, including, but not limited to, the Nationalist-Socialist government of Germany, the fascist government of Italy, the government of the United Soviet Socialist Republics, and the government of Vietnam;
Whereas, the use of such draconian measures is carefully calculated to quash all political dissent amongst a captive people;
Whereas, the codification of such draconian measures effectively nullifies all civil liberties the people may hope to hold;
Whereas, the codification of such draconian measures are the last act in the quest to hold a people captive to the rapacious will of their government without recourse;
And whereas, the codification of such draconian measures is an act of war against the populous at large;
Therefore, be it declared that a STATE OF WAR formally exists between the Government of these United States and the People of these United States.
We, the People of these United States, declare any and all attempts to enforce the provisions of HR 1540 to be unlawful, void, and of no force.
We, declare ALL WHO voted in favor of HR 1540, and ALL WHO attempt to enforce HR 1540 to be traitors to these United States, punishable under law.
We, SHALL DISOBEY, APPREHEND, OR RESIST WITH DEADLY FORCE, in our discretion, any person who attempts to enforce the provisions of HR 1540.
We, SHALL NOT aggress against any employee of any American government who shall not attempt to enforce or aid and abet the enforcement of HR 1540, they being as trapped as the rest of the populous.
Such STATE OF WAR shall continue until HR 1540 is stricken from the code of law, and all who had hand in HR 1540 are brought to justice under due process of law.
Signed and witnessed by we, the individual citizens of these United States, below:


M.G.




Act Free.

Some Range Time and Poor Man's Ballistics Testing

Yesterday I finally got out to do some much needed shooting. I had a little fun, but also made sure to get some meaningful practice in. Among the meaningful practice was some weak-hand shooting, point-shooting, GOTX, shooting on the move, multiple targets, and working on my draw. A great resource I've found for mindset and training ideas is warriortalknews. It was a good time, and I feel like I have a better readiness for what could happen in a real situation as a result. Now, if only I had the money to feed it and get more prepared. In all, I touched off 180 rounds of .22LR, 20 rounds of .40S&W, and one 12 gauge. The last one was just for fun, as I'll show you here.

What I did for fun was the ballistics testing. :) The testing target, an ~10" pumpkin:

From 25 yards, a .22LR entrance hole:

The exit hole:

10 yards, .40 FMJ 180gr entrance:

And the exit:

And 10 yards, 12ga 2 3/4" cut shell 7 1/2 shot entrance:

And exit:

 Notice the many bb marks on the entrance side. Talk about tearing up the inside of something real bad. Oh, and it did knock the pumpkin off the bucket, but I put it back to get better pics. Now, for those who don't know what a "cut" shell is, it is when you take a knife and cut through the shell, but not the wad, at the compression area of the wad, leaving just enough of the hull to hold it together to chamber it, but not so much as to keep it from breaking off when you fire it. You have pretty much just turned your shotshell into a specialty slug. I was fortunate enough to be able to recover everything after firing (except the bb's), so you can see the results.

 Left to right - the wad, what was left in the chamber after firing, and the part that left the barrel. What is flared out on the latter is what used to be the crimp on the shell. Yes, it did actually fold over on itself all the way around, like turning a sock inside-out. Pretty cool, huh?

Thus concluded my fun day in the back yard. It was followed by electrical wiring and cleaning, so it was the highlight of my day, even though I do like electrical work.

I hope the showing of this mayhem brightened someone's day.


Act Free.

Some Thoughts on Freedom

I recently received a comment on one of the more popular posts, which I decided deserved a response in its own post. If necessary, read the old post first, then come back to the comment and my reply.

I am told, deer almost never travel more than five miles from their birthplaces during their lives. If an enclosure were located outside the normal unimpeded limits of a deer's lifetime wanderings would the deer enclosed be imprisoned? Perhaps, but note that it makes a difference to our intuitions whether someone install that enclosure[..] A jail without a jailer is not a jail. D. Dennett Elbow Room. The Varieties of Free Will Worth Wanting. Now, it seems to me that the jail V is talking about is too many things at the same time. It's of course the prison created by the authoritative regime on the deviants as on the regular citizens and its employees, but it's also the happy unaware life, it's an existence without principles, it's the life of whom fears the death. But where is the jailer? In this passage V looks to me much more schizophrenic than in the rest of the graphic novel, in the sense that he's obsessed with an idea over any logical limit.

I will first say to the analogy of a deer that yes, the deer is imprisoned. Allow me to illustrate it this way - Does one's perception of a thing change the reality of it? Because you are not able to smell a rose, does it mean that a rose has no scent? The answer is an obvious "no". Therefore, does the deer's perception of being free to go wherever it chooses mean that it is not in a cage, simply because it has not seen the bars? No.Who put up the enclosure? That would be the jailer.

Now, we do find a point of agreement in that one of the jails he is talking about is that which was created by the regime. However, I believe that if you think about it, there is no contradiction or schizophrenia in the places he takes the bigger concept of freedom. Bear in mind, I live with a paranoid schizophrenic, so I have an idea of what I’m talking about.

You start with the idea of the “happy unaware life”. Go back to the analogy of the deer. It has an happy, unaware life in its enclosure, yet it is still enclosed. It goes with the saying that “ignorance is bliss”, however, if you think about some of the people you know who are ignorant by choice, it seldom ends well. I talk to my dad a lot about things that I think are coming down the pipe, whether it be civil unrest, food shortages, a currency collapse, or anything else, always with knowledge to back up my beliefs, and it brings out things he tries not to think about. Some things he tries not to consider or even know. He does not seek out information about the things I tell him. Each time we discuss things, he says that he knows I’m right, but prefers not to think about them because it can be overwhelming in an already hectic life (can I get an Amen?). But consider, if he goes on the path ignoring everything he sees and hears for too long, remaining ignorant and complacent, how overwhelmed will he be if the excrement hits the impeller? Ignorance is temporary bliss. The happy unaware life ends in pain at the confrontation of knowledge willfully ignored.

As a side note, know that I love my dad and we are fairly close. Simply using him as a “case study”, if you will.

“Existence without principles”. Can you think of a world that would be worse to live in than one in which there was no standard to live by? Nothing to live for? Now, I’m a God-fearing, Bible-believing man. In Scripture, examples of lives like that never have a happy ending. In the New Testament, Christ and his apostles spoke to this idea as being in bondage to sin. A slave. The master – Satan. Life without principles and purpose is a life of slavery to an invisible, but real master. Spiritual slavery is still slavery, or prison, if you prefer.

“The life of whom fears the death”. Now this can turn into an interesting philosophical discussion. It is said that babies are only born with two fears – falling and loud noises. All other fears are learned fears. Why does one become afraid of spiders? Either a parent taught them to be, or they had a bad experience. Water? Big dogs? Same thing. The fears are learned either through experience or teaching, rational or irrational. We all know that fear has the potential to be debilitating, to make us feel, shall we say, imprisoned. It limits the places that we allow ourselves to go and the things we allow ourselves to do. Who is responsible for our continued state of fear? Is it not ourselves? If we bear responsibility for our fear, who then keeps us imprisoned by it? Who then is the jailer? Is it not ourselves? “I have met the enemy, and it is me.”

Most people fear death. Why? Is it not the experiences and teachings we have had ingrained in us that death is painful and the end? How do we overcome our fears? By confronting them. In confrontation of fears, most of them irrational, we conquer them and release ourselves of them in the confrontation, proving to ourselves that there was nothing to fear. Death is often more difficult to overcome the fear of. We can’t threaten to kill ourselves and put the gun to our head and start to pull the trigger in order to rid ourselves of the fear of death. The fear of death is much more of a mental and spiritual fear. Spiritually, if you have made yourself right in your relationship with God, and you trust him, you will have no fear of death. Second, you have to rationalize (mental) that death is not the worst thing that can happen to you. If you are prepared, death is a release, another step in life, not the end of it.

I think that the point V was making was not some eclectic form of philosophy, but rather in the exposing of multiple jailers. Government, ignorance, Satan, and ourselves offer resistance to us in differing ways, but the end is the same – imprisonment. This list may not be, and probably isn’t exhaustive, but creates an answer to the questions posed, and perhaps provides a springboard for understanding if other issues of prison/prisoner arise.

Discussion, anyone?

Act Free.

OC Joy

Something I've noticed lately has made me very happy. I've been seeing a lot of people open carrying their sidearms. And not just young folks, either. That was the chord that was struck today - two "old" men were carrying. I mean, old enough to be retired.

Now, I see OC almost every day at work, and am happy whenever I see it. Seeing older folks doing it makes me that much happier. To me, that means it's starting to mainstream in our area.

Freedom may be coming back in style...


Act Free.