More On Why We Have a Second Amendment

when i posted on that issue, i thought that i was echoing a self-evident truth: that when civil order breaks down, you can't guarantee that the local authorities will be able to help you. you need to be able to protect yourself and your property, and your neighbors too if the need arises.

so, i read with dismay a few days ago a post from the always zesty michelle malkin about gun confiscations from law-abiding citizens in new orleans. (at least i think it was from her blog. if it isn't i'm always pleased to give her credit for anything.)

the NRA Institute for Legislative Action was soliciting confirmed reports of confiscation. i'm glad to see that today they've had some success.

and the pugnacious Gun Owners of America has alarming information here.

do we have to re-state the obvious? even in the best of times, you can't count on a lawman being close by when you need him. in fact, you can bet on one being nowhere in sight. and it's not their fault. the police-- God bless 'em-- can't be everywhere at once. we have the Second Amendment to ensure that we all have the capability to assist in the maintenance of law and order by deterring crime in our homes and immediate neighborhoods.

go to the GOA post above and see the two video clips, especially the one with the comments from the NOPD official. (sir, you are none of the solution and most of the problem.) let me leave you with this historical fact: when the Marine Expeditionary Unit i was part of operated in southern somalia in early 1993, we did countless sweeps through villages and towns, searching for weapons. HOWEVER, we were under standing orders to make sure that we left one rifle in every household, so that the poor folks could defend themselves against the organized clan militias. (don't believe me? feel free to email me, vmijpp@hotmail.com, and i will be happy to discuss it at length and supply you with proof.)

a brief flash of inspiration just hit me. (that's a rarity, let me roll with it.) confiscation in the wave of a natural or man-made disaster provides us with a great reason to have more guns than we think we need. no! no! how can you do this?? this is America!! you can't take my guns! you will protest as they walk off with the beat-up 30-30 and the .38 Special you had when they came through the neighborhood. then, still shaking your fist and swearing, you walk back in your house and quietly grab your Remington 870, your 1911 and your Steyr Scout. bye now! :-)

NoR is back up in a sanitized form

via Anarchangel, i see that KdT's site has risen from ashes...

http://www.thenationofriflemen.com/nor/index.php/forums/

very good. of course, i don't think it'll have the old zing that we all knew and loved, but there it is.

jpp

COVERT OPS UNDERWAY IN IRAQ

well, sort of. we received word today that ltcol craig covert, USMCR (and VMI '87), the next Marine field historian for OIF, has touched down in iraq and has been met by ltcol tim “the chronicler” crowley. ltcol covert maintains his own blog, http://vmicraig.blogspot.com. right now it has the tales of his previous deployment to iraq; look for updates on OIF pretty soon.

with him is the one-and-only combat artist in the Marine Corps, staff sergeant mike “i put the old in old corps” fay. a veteran Marine who has served previously in the dog-eat-dog world of recruiting and on the flight line with HMX-1, the Presidential squadron. In the civilian world (he too is a reservist), he has worked in historic preservation, being involved in jobs on some of Virginia’s treasured 17th century churches and 18th century houses. his art work for the Marine Corps is superb (i’ll try to post some soon) and has won him numerous accolades, including a show at the prestigious Farnsworth Museum in Maine. his blog is http://mdfay.blogspot.com.

btw, look for the next crowley chronicle soon.

sf

jpp

Nation Of Riflemen site is down (sanitized post)

for those like me, who were regular frequent visitors to the Nation of Riflemen, it's sad to report that he has taken it down, permanently it looks like. there is some detail at Anarchangel. i emailed back and forth with THIS GENT and he kindly linked to this blog and to my friend erik peterson's iraq blog.

i hope all goes well for THIS GENT and his family, and that we see him up and running again soon.

jpp

I'm Back

MANY APOLOGIES for being silent. my father died suddenly but not wholly unexpectedly two weeks ago. if you knew my dad you don't need to see anything written here, and if you didn't know him i'm not sure there's enough space for me to do him justice. the worst part of losing a parent is that we have to go through it, and worse still is that our children will too.

jpp