The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Greetings ta ever one in western Illinois and all readers of "The Quill."
We got another good rain last Sunday, over here in the La Harpe area. That makes two good rains in short order. We needed that badly.
Crop Dust'n
The planes are in the air do'n battle against the Japanese beetles in the grow'n crops and fungicides in the tasseled corn. It's kinda fun watch'n their skills in do'n their work. Can anyone remember back when men stood in the field ends ta mark where the planes should go? Later, they draped sheets of paper ta mark the proper spot. Now-a-days they use GPS fer almost perfect position'n.
Hatred vs. Guns
With violence once again in the headlines, our President is quick ta grab a microphone and tell the press that guns are the blame fer violence in the U.S. and that it doesn't happen anywhere else.
The Boston Marathon bombers used pressure cookers ta make a bomb, but no one is propose'n we ban pressure cookers.
Central planning and control (CDC) folk in the government, report that guns are involved in 32,000 ta 33,000 deaths annually. Mainstream media, which simply has become a PR arm fer CDC folk, touts those figures regularly. What is rarely reported, however, is that over 20,000 of those are self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Not ta mention the life of the 11,000 individuals killed with the use of a gun, it certainly sheds a new light on the scenario.
CDC reports in 1993 there was less than one gun per person in the United States. The homicide rate then was seven per 100,000. Today there is nearly 1.5 guns per person in the United States and the homicide with guns involved has been cut ta half at 3.5 per 100,000.
People Problems
Guns are not the problem. People are the problem. First of all, the war on drugs seems ta have been lost with big crime and their violent ways as the apparent winner. Crime folk ignore laws, hence more laws are having limited effectiveness fer them fellers.
Secondly, the government often fails at it's job. The Florida gun shop owner refused ta sell body armor and bulk ammunition ta the Orlando criminal terrorist and reported it ta the authorities. The Federal government failed ta follow up with disastrous results.
Try type'n "gun store owner refuses ta sell" inta your search engine. Ya will find tons of examples that surface where the owner of a gun shop has refused ta sell something ta someone. Mainstream media refuses ta report it correctly.
Whose fault is that? Well, ta be perfectly honest it is as much our fault as it is mainstream media and the CDC. It would take a bit of work but you can actually learn the facts about most all situations. The problem is most folk are plenty busy liven their lives, raise'n a family, provide'n fer their family, guard'n their health and address'n government regulations. They don't need ta add "work ta get the news" ta their chore list.
Thirdly and perhaps most importantly, we need ta have serious discussions on the cause of hate, which is the source and common denominator of gun violence. Blame'n guns without address'n hatred is not gonna stop killings. You are living in wonderland if'n ya honestly believe that eliminate'n guns would eliminate killings.
The evidence is clear, when look'n at the subject from a Global standpoint, if'n hateful individuals want ta inflict pain they will find a way ta do it. We need ta begin talk'n about the source of hate, not the gun.
Guns are not the problem. People are the problem. Ta get ta the root of the problem we need ta address what is really goin' on in this country cause'n the turmoil.
In Dallas, Texas the shooter that shot those 9 police officers, kill'n 5 of em, didn't just get ballistic vests, make a journal of combat tactics, and have stockpiles of weapons as a mad dash from the news of a shoot'n by an oriental police officer. He apparently had been harbour'n his hatred long enough ta devise a plan and collect the tools enable'n exercise of his built up hatred fer white folk, especially white police officers, or he would have targeted oriental police officers alone.
A fourth attribute of what fuels these horrific levels of armed crime is the total lack of enforcement of existing federal laws cover'n every conceivable aspect of criminal acquisition, possession, and use of firearms. Everything involved in armed violence is already illegal and includes quick and hard punishment under federal statutes.
Possession of any firearm by a violent felon calls fer a mandatory five-year federal sentence. But those laws are rarely enforced by the Department of Justice. This has led ta a 10-year decline in convictions fer "weapon related" offenses. The basic truth is enforcement of existing federal laws coverin' armed criminals dramatically reduces violence and saves lives.
Gun Culture
When the "Mainstream Media" and Central planning and control folk use the term "gun culture" it includes everything free people who own firearms in the U.S. have done in the history of our nation. This includes recreational shooting, hunting, self-defense, defense of homes, collect'n, study'n, design'n and trade'n in firearms. It is a constitutional right protected in the second amendment of the Bill of rights reserved for the people, confirmed by the Supreme Court, fought for in many wars, and a power of protection for our freedom love'n people.
One needs ta remember, the Bill of rights is just that. It is not the Bill of needs and should never be considered as such.
Have a good rest of the week. Enjoy family and friends.
Take time fer church this week.
Remember, wherever ya are, whatever ya be a do'n "BE A GOOD ONE!"
Keep on Smile'n
Catch ya later
BARNYARD BRUKE