Musing on concealed carry permits

North Carolina qualification target

I recently applied for my North Carolina (NC) carry permit. The permitting process in NC involves taking an all-day class (Old School Protection in Johnston County) which includes a shooting qualification test at close range. I should get my permit within 90-ish days of applying.

As I was taking the class, in the back of my mind I was musing about the different requirements of various states. With a variety of requirements among the states, the results are always about the same - -

In the mid 1970's I got a "Pistol Toter's Permit" in Georgia. It had no training requirements. To this day, permits in Georgia do not have specific training requirements. I had a Tennessee permit for over twenty years. The requirements there are similar to NC requirements, a day of training with a shooting test. Both Tennessee and North Carolina require a background check; and North Carolina requires a check to see if you are reported to be a loony tune. Florida requires that you show some evidence of training and have a background check.

There are differences between between these states, and between them and other states. Tennessee just a few years ago enacted "Constitutional Vehicle Carry", meaning that with just a few prohibited areas, one may legally carry any firearm they lawfully own or possess in their vehicle. North Carolina, on the other hand has had "Constitutional Open Carry"* since 1921. In Florida, Open Carry (with a few exceptions) is strictly forbidden.

Some states require no permit, including Vermont, which has no permitting process, and Arizona, which makes permitting optional, for those who might want a permit for interstate travel to states that recognize the permit. Also, there's that pesky Federal gun-free school zone act that apparently makes an exception for permitted individuals.

Now what is the result, as mentioned at the beginning?

• Peaceable citizens, with rare exceptions, act responsibly when armed, whether permitted or not.
• The permitting process is a de-facto infringement on the right to bear arms.
• Bad actors with felony convictions or misdemeanor domestic violence offenses often continue to ignore laws and be ongoing bad actors.
• Bad actors, all to frequently, ignore gun-free-zone signs, and continue to kill and maim.
• Most legislators are accessories-before-the-fact, because they continue to mandate gun-free-zones for peaceable citizens, thus creating killing fields for mass-murderers as we have now seen in Florida.

For further information on state laws on guns, check out handgunlaw.us

* H/T John Richardson of Only Guns and Money blog

President Trump addresses Right to Life Rally 2018

Video HERE

I was proud to hear President Trump refer to the Declaration of Independence. As I note below, without life, one can never experience liberty or pursue happiness.

I wrote the following a few years ago. It is still appropriate today.

Fifty million Americans are missing!

January 22, 1973. American service personnel were dying in Vietnam, as America acted to prop up the South Vietnamese government under the Domino Theory. Back home, war protests were going on, illegal drugs were all around us.  

Things are pretty much the same now as then, except . . . 

Fifty million Americans are missing!

You see, on that day, the United States Supreme Court ruled, in Roe v. Wade, that abortion is legal.

We have since then heard strong arguments about the concept of 'choice'. The 'pro-choice' movement trumpets a woman's right to choose. 

Politicians will make such inane statements, as, "I am personally pro-life, but I support a woman's right to choose." 

Let's parse the terminology. On the one side, pro-life means opposition to abortion. On the other, pro-choice means in favor of abortion. 

So, what is abortion? Simply, the termination of a pregnancy. But, there is some tissue, in addition to the woman's tissue that must be accounted for. You see, her cells were formed by splitting of another cell, mitosis, with each 'daughter cell' having the same exact chromosomes as all her other cells.

Meiosis (the formation of reproductive cells), in contrast with mitosis, produces cells with half the chromosomes of the parents’ cells, 23 in the case of humans. At fertilization, the 23 chromosomes from each parent combine to yield the 46 chromosomes of a new, unique organism. No matter how inconvenient it may be, this unique organism is decidedly human; this organism is an individual person.

Examine the second paragraph of our Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

How will the children of America who have been denied Life ever celebrate July 4^th? How can they celebrate the hope of Liberty, if Life itself is ended almost before it has begun? How can they ever pursue Happiness if they are cut out and discarded liked an ingrown toenail?

Those accused of the most heinous crimes are afforded better protection than unborn humans in America. Amendment V of the Bill of Rights states, in part: “No person shall be ... deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” The lowliest murderer-rapist,cop-killer or assassin receives the due process of arrest, indictment, guaranteed legal assistance, jury trial, and perhaps multiple appeals. Only after all these does he realistically face a death sentence.

But the unborn child, without benefit of due process, faces certain death at the hand of a stranger. All it takes is a parental decree. No judge, no jury, no Guardian ad Litem. Privacy trumps Life. Convenience trumps responsibility.

Into the fire like the the children of Molech's worshipers  sacrificed on the alter of SELF. 

How long, oh Lord, will you withhold your hand of judgment? 

Merry Christmas 2107

Merry Christmas from beautiful North Carolina. A day for exchanging gifts, and celebration.

----- but what are we celebrating?

The greatest gift of all. The Bible says we are all sinners, and don't deserve to spend eternity with the God of the universe.

But while we were yet sinners, God sent his son to be born in a stable in the most humble surroundings, live a sinless life, then die for your sins and mine. Now, that's a great gift!

So, if you haven't done so yet, I urge you to examine your heart, consider Jesus's claims, repent of your sins, and be saved.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him would not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

How will your earth story end?

O'Charley's commercial

Why do businesses choose to do commercials that demean? The latest is O'Charley's ad in which the woman says in a fake? Southern accent "I'll pray for you."

Here's what I wrote to O'Charley's:

Your "I'll pray for you" attempt at humor did not amuse me, in fact it had just the opposite effect on me. There are plenty of other places that want my business that haven't demeaned southerner's accent and faith in one fell swoop.

If you would like to express your thoughts to O''Charley's, here's the link:

https://www.ocharleys.com/contact-us.

RIP Norma McCorvey

Norma McCorvey was the Jane Roe in the Roe v Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. She later was saved, and came to be a strong pro-life person.

Norma died today, February 17, 2017. May she rest in peace.

 - - - - -

In her memory, and in memory of all those who have suffered from this modern day genocide, here is a reprint of my post from January 15, 2011:

Fifty million Americans are missing!

January 22, 1973. American service personnel were dying in Vietnam, as America acted to prop up the South Vietnamese government under the Domino Theory. Back home, war protests were going on, illegal drugs were all around us.  

Things are pretty much the same now as then, except . . . 

Fifty million Americans are missing!

You see, on that day, the United States Supreme Court ruled, in Roe v. Wade, that abortion is legal.

We have since then heard strong arguments about the concept of 'choice'. The 'pro-choice' movement trumpets a woman's right to choose. 

Politicians will make such inane statements, as, "I am personally pro-life, but I support a woman's right to choose." 

Let's parse the terminology. On the one side, pro-life means opposition to abortion. On the other, pro-choice means in favor of abortion. 

So, what is abortion? Simply, the termination of a pregnancy. But, there is some tissue, in addition to the woman's tissue that must be accounted for. You see, her cells were formed by splitting of another cell, mitosis, with each 'daughter cell' having the same exact chromosomes as all her other cells.

Meiosis (the formation of reproductive cells), in contrast with mitosis, produces cells with half the chromosomes of the parents’ cells, 23 in the case of humans. At fertilization, the 23 chromosomes from each parent combine to yield the 46 chromosomes of a new, unique organism. No matter how inconvenient it may be, this unique organism is decidedly human; this organism is an individual person.

Examine the second paragraph of our Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

How will the children of America who have been denied Life ever celebrate July 4^th? How can they celebrate the hope of Liberty, if Life itself is ended almost before it has begun? How can they ever pursue Happiness if they are cut out and discarded liked an ingrown toenail?

Those accused of the most heinous crimes are afforded better protection than unborn humans in America. Amendment V of the Bill of Rights states, in part: “No person shall be ... deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” The lowliest murderer-rapist,cop-killer or assassin receives the due process of arrest, indictment, guaranteed legal assistance, jury trial, and perhaps multiple appeals. Only after all these does he realistically face a death sentence.

But the unborn child, without benefit of due process, faces certain death at the hand of a stranger. All it takes is a parental decree. No judge, no jury, no Guardian ad Litem. Privacy trumps Life. Convenience trumps responsibility.

 

Into the fire like the the children of Molech's worshippers, sacrificed on the alter of SELF. 

How long, oh Lord, will you withhold your hand of judgment? 

Reflections on Inauguration Day 2017

As the sun rises on a new era in the United States of America, 

Here's a consolidation of my countdown on Facebook from the last twelve days-

• Twelve
• Eleven - Leven libs lamenting
• Ten tin horns throwing tantrums
• Nine network newsies neighing, “Nein!”
• Eight - Eighty-six thousand Garands with eight round clips eagerly await repatriation from South Korea
• Seven sniveling socialists seen sobbing
• Six - Three hundred six GOLFTUS games and counting
• Five - Golden haired Trump rebrands GOP!
• Four - Trump’s Tweeting redefines media
• Three French Horns and the University of Tennessee Pride of the Southland Marching band perform at President Trump’s inauguration
• Two Trump terms
• And a cartridge for an AR-15

This inauguration countdown on Facebook has been a fun. Today at noon, we will see the keys of government handed over, hopefully without any violence from the losers. It is the beginning of the end of the Obama attempt at dismantling the United States of America.

But seriously, America’s problems can’t all be solved in Washington and the state capitols. 

America has a spiritual problem, wherein the God of the Bible has been pushed out of the public square. Pray for salvation for President Trump and the many members of Congress who have too long worshipped at the altar of Self. Pray for repentance in the hearts of believers.

Pray for America to repent of her four plus decades of the Molech worshipping infanticide disguised as women’s rights.

As you watch the news, remember that “every lie that goes unchallenged becomes the truth*”.

Keep your powder dry and watch your six. Sore losers may precipitate some dangerous situations.

God Bless America!
------------------------
*Tom Gresham