Where is the Outrage?

(Number 1 in a series)

Maybe this should be titled "They're such hypocrites".

I am really fed up with the outrage shown by the Democrats and Liberals in this country for the numbers of dead soldiers coming out of Iraq. They are complaining because 720 [9] trained soldiers died during 2003 in Iraq and for the first quarter of 2004, another 125 [9] lost their lives. Please don't get me wrong here, I think dead soldiers are a bad thing, especially if they are wearing our Stars and Stripes.

What I AM upset about is the apparent _lack_ of outrage for those unarmed, untrained, unprotected, undefended civilians right here at home, in the good-old-U-S-of-A, that were killed. Killed, not as a result of war or any defensive action, but during their everyday lives.

Here are some statistics from just a few of the 50 largest cities in the United States [5] to put things in perspective.
City, State = Number Killed
Chicago, Illinois = 599 [1]
Dallas, Texas = 223 [8]
New York, New York = 596 [1]
Los Angeles, California = 499 [1]
Las Vegas, Nevada = 147 [2]
St. Louis, Missouri = 69 [1]
Baltimore, Maryland = 271 [1]
Denver, Colorado = 65 [6]
Memphis, Tennessee = 109 [7]
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [City of Brotherly Love] = 347 [4]
Washington, D.C = 247 [1], 262 [3]

3172 civilians killed IN JUST 11 CITIES! Again I ask: Where is the Outrage?

[1]http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-01-02-city-murders_x.htm (FOR 2003)
[2]http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2004/Apr-09-Fri-2004/news/23624928.html (FOR 2003)
[3]http://www.safestreetsdc.com/subpages/murdercap.html (FOR 2002)
[4]http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/7615468.htm?1c (FOR 2003)
[5]http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108477.html
[6]http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~53~2052099,00.html (FOR 2003)
[7]http://www.cityofmemphis.org/navigate.asp?sessionID=&sec=publicsafety&opt=mpd_crimestats (FOR 2000)
[8]http://cbs11tv.com/investigations/local_story_048095258.html (FOR 2003)
[9]http://www.globalsecurity.org

Article

Here is a article. I found it interesting.

Neat Site

Here is a neat site. You can find people who have given hard money to various canidates.

The Hidden War

The news from Iraq centers around Fallujah and al-Sadr, but it looks likes the media is missing the big picture. Belmont Club, the master of piecing together seemingly unrelated pieces of the news, reports that a major operation is ongoing on both the Syria and Iranian border.

The last two weeks in Iraq have been characterized by almost continuous 'secret' combat, where quiet and low level operations have been continuously underway in Ramadi, Fallujah, on the outskirts of Najaf, in Kut and on the Syrian border. Although reported by the press as mere incidents, disconnected ambushes or random minings, over 80 US soldiers have died in what amounts to a widespread campaign of operations across the entire middle of the Land Between the Rivers.

I for one have never accepted that the U.S. Army and Marine Corps decided to sit back and allowed its soldiers to be attacked, with no response. In fact, the lack of news of any offensive operations in Iraq other than Fallujah is suspicious in itself.

Indeed, it is virtually certain that Al-Qaim, Ramadi and Fallujah and the road network from Baghdad constitute a single "front" centered on Syria, whose principal axis is the Euphrates itself. Operations in Fallujah cannot be understood without putting it in the context of the wider area. A more balanced assessment suggests that CENTCOM was aware of an offensive in preparation on the anniversary of OIF as strongly hinted by the reluctance by US commanders to rush into recovering the bodies of the mutilated contractors at Fallujah. It is very probable that CENTCOM has had a counteroffensive plan on the books for some weeks now, that while those plans did not entirely survive the first shock of contact with the enemy, they exist all the same.

The intelligence apparatus which has been built in Iraq will not be known for many years after this conflict is won. We are slaying jihadis, Ba'ath loyalist and al Qaeda members by the thousands in Iraq, yet the media cannot see Iraq as a central front in the War on Terror. The Forth Estate and the Democrats are so eager for President Bush to be discredited in Iraq that it cannot recognize the extent of the battle in Iraq, or its importance.

Liberal talk radio must find new Los Angeles, Chicago stations

As seen on Drudge Report
"It was on, then it was off, then it was on again, and now it will be off again.

Al Franken and the gang at Air America Radio, the recently launched liberal talk-radio network that became embroiled last week in a financial dispute with the owner of its Chicago and Los Angeles stations, will broadcast over WNTD-950 AM in Chicago for the last time on April 30, the CHICAGO TRIBUNE is reporting in fresh runs.

MORE

TRIB reporter John Cook: 'The network also said it will remain off the air for the time being in Los Angeles, where it was yanked off its station there, KBLA-1580, last week by owner Multicultural News Radio. 'The announcement settles an acrimonious legal and public relations battle between Air America and Multicultural. It also means that Air America must seek new homes in the nation's second and third-largest markets less than three weeks into its short life.' "

Byby

News From the War Zone

Unfortunately news in our country about the war in Iraq can at times be a little biased. I know... I know you're saying "I can't believe that," or " Our news sources have a very unbiased opinion on everything." Well sorry to break the news to you, but our news is absolutely horrible at showing what is really happening in Iraq. Well at least I heard some good news today, Tom "I'm a socialist Canadian" Brokenjaw is retiring, and good riddance. The problem with that is the person who replaces him will likely be just as bad (the name of his replacement escapes me at the moment). Well I have found a few Iraqi and an Egyptian blogs that tell a more compelling story of what is really happening in Iraq. Please take a moment to check them out and let them know who much we support them and that we are not all like the media represents us to be.

Iraq at a Glance

Healing Iraq

Iraq the Model

The Messopotamian

The Land of Pharaoh

Got Guns?

Many times in my discussions regarding gun ownership it has been asked of me “Why do you need to own a gun”? If the person questioning me is what I would describe as “liberal”, I usually say, “Why do you need a car? Why do you need a 4 bed room house? Why does anyone need anything? It’s not about need. In this country we don’t say ‘Here is what you need, now go’ we say ‘What do you want? If there is a very good reason for you NOT to have it, you can’t have it. Otherwise, go nuts’”. Most of the time my liberal friend will look at me like a terrier does watching a TV, and the discussion is over. That is the easy answer. That liberal is never going to buy a gun. Not for gay love or pot will they buy one.

The hard answer is when a conservative says, “Why do I need a gun”? The question is completely different then, isn’t it? They already believe that they CAN or SHOULD own a gun, but they honestly want to know why they should get off their keister and get one. The liberal answer takes about 10 seconds to give. The conservative answer has been coming along now for a lot longer.
Where to start? A little history perhaps? I’m sure that we are all familiar with RKBA? 2A? No? All right.

Amendment II
A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

I’m not here to fight out “Collective Right” over “Individual Right”. If “people” means “collective” to you, we aren’t going to agree on much. Go to DU.com. They’ll love you there. Otherwise, in 18th century talk that means that we have the right to own and use guns. My opinion is, this is pretty much referring to small arms. Small Arms are defined as man portable. Now if you’re a big giant Dutch guy (not that there is anything wrong with that) and can carry a 60mm mortar and ammo, good for you. That doesn’t mean that most of us can. We are talking about rifles, pistols, shotguns, and maybe light automatic weapons. Now that we have established that, lets move on to reasons to have a gun.

The most common reason why people own guns in the USA is hunting, flat out. Most people have a 12 ga. shotgun they use for grouse, goose, woodcock, squirrels, rabbits, deer, skeet, trap, and sporting clays. Most gun owners bought that gun years ago, and they will put about 200 rounds through it before they die. But, you are probably not asking about hunting. Hunting is a family thing, which you would have been doing for years, so you’d already have gun. But, it’s a reason.

People also get guns for non-use. Huh? I’ve seen brand new guns that people have bought years ago. “Why don’t you come shooting with me next week?” say I. “Oh, I don’t want to wear out my gun,” says the dolt. Arrrg! Some people buy them for just having a gun, or cause it looks cool. Let me tell you, the guns that look “cool” aren’t always the ones you want. Some are, but most aren’t.

So what is a good reason? Well, as Tom Selleck said to Rosie O’Donnell “The second amendment isn’t about hunting”. The reason that the right to keep and bare arms exists is defense. Defense of nation, home, and self. As humans, our number one priority is self-preservation. Keeping the heart pumping and the lungs breathing is job one. Gun ownership is, to me anyway, an aspect of that. It’s not the end-all-be-all of it, but it is part. It’s saying “Try to take my life, or my families lives, and you’ll wish you hadn’t”. It’s accepting that the government, the police, or the army can’t always protect you. You are taking responsibility for your life, and that of your families. It’s a big step, but one that you would be well advised to consider.

The Basics

Hello all you readers out there in internet land. I am "The Outlaw Kyle". I'll be posting here from time to time. The first one up here is in regards to a e-mail discussion I have been having with my good friends here. We were discussing the "need" to own a gun, when BS, stated that he was concerned with his child gaining access to said weapon. My Reply:

Securing guns isn't hard.

Hand Guns:
1. If you want to keep it "ready", i.e. loaded, you can get a safe that fits one hand gun, and uses either a 4 button code or finger prints. If the safe is moved, it sounds an alarm. If you put in the wrong code more then ~3 times, alarm.
2. If you don't need it ready, many hand guns (Taurus, Springfield, S&W, Glock) all offer lockable guns. Store the ammo in a locked box, and you set.
3. Ultimate secure: Disassemble gun (only works with semi-auto pistols). Store slide in one box, ammo in another, frame in a third. It would take me a while to get it together, so I assume that a child could do it in half the time;)

Long guns:

1. No "need" to keep a long gun laying around loaded
2. All firearms sold through dealers in the great state of Michigan come with at least a trigger lock. Use it. If it doesn't come with one, get one. $7 bucks is worth your kids life.
3. Any gun with a bolt, remove the bolt, store separately from gun and ammo.

That said, the best defense against your children getting access to your steel is training them over and over to NOT TOUCH while your not there. If your kids are high strung, or can't follow your commands, don't let them near them till they can, and be extra vigilant. If they show an interest, take them shooting a lot. If they are shooting with you, they won't be curious about guns, they'll know. Teach them safety, and don't trust other kids around your guns.

Keep your powder dry.