Reason and force

A fellow New Hampshire-ite wrote this several years ago and, while it has already been reposted and cross-posted around the blogosphere over the past few days, it is more than worthy of another read:

Human beings only have two ways to deal with one another: reason and force. If you want me to do something for you, you have a choice of either convincing me via argument, or force me to do your bidding under threat of force. Every human interaction falls into one of those two categories, without exception. Reason or force, that’s it.

In a truly moral and civilized society, people exclusively interact through persuasion. Force has no place as a valid method of social interaction, and the only thing that removes force from the menu is the personal firearm, as paradoxical as it may sound to some.

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An Assault Weapon or Not An Assault Weapon…That is the Question

I’m no expert on firearms but do a fair job of knowing how government works and this “we need to do something” thing plays right into my wheelhouse.

That “something” is the desire of legislators to appear to be capable of managing our lives in every meaningful way, so when a nut plotted, planned and then literally executed his massacre, the people who always feel the need to act like what they do matters got to work.

Long story short, the professional left sees the Newtown killings as a way to re-enact the Clinton Assault weapons ban.

We here at the Grok have already thrown down a mountain of text on the event and the reaction, but we’ve not yet (to my knowledge) actually remarked on the ban itself, and more specifically, on how it would not have changed anything.

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Senator Joe “I don’t know anyone that needs 30 rounds in a clip to go hunting.” Manchin seemed to enjoy himself

That would be Senator Joe Manchin, Democrat.  Who famously used a rifle during a campaign commercial vowing to kill the EPA Cap N Trade bill.  He certainly has touted his NRA credentials.  However, just like most Liberal politicians, he’s stuck the wet pinkie in the air and pivoted so quick his feet are 6″ in the ground now that the Progressives have turned a sad tragedy into a political cause celebre.  Sure, he said “I don’t know anyone that needs 30 rounds in a clip to go hunting“, but he certainly seem to enjoy himself while shooting this tricked out semi-automatic AR-15 WITH AN EXTENDED MAGAZINE.  Throw in a red dot sight, and he’s ready to go hunting too.

Senator Joe Manchin shooting an AR-15

Senator Joe Manchin shooting an AR-15Once again, we see someone taking advantage when it benefits him and throwing it under the political bus when he realizes it would kill him politically.

Consistency?  Hardly ever when it comes to Democrats.  He knows that he’s become a poster child for gun control simply because he’s made a big deal of his NRA credentials – so if HE says so-called assault rifles with big mags should be banned, well, that should be the end of the discussion.

Tell me, if you are looking down the north end of a rifle, wouldn’t you be thinking that ALL rifles would be “assaulting” in that scenario regardless of what it looks like?

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This will drive the Greenies at TreeHugger nuts!

Over at Breitbart is a post with this headline:     “Coal Use Set To Surpass Oil In  A Decade: IEA“.  I used to go over and post comments over at TreeHugger, as regular readers of the ‘Grok know, and bring the Lefty Enviro-wacko stream of consciousness back here just so that you see what the mindset is (which is, pretty much, you all HAVE to get with our program to save GAIA from our destructive ways).  Smaller is better, and that less is best.  Pretty much, everyone needs to be shoved into tiny apartments into urban areas because, after all, we have to be conscious firstly and always with the energy we are using and the carbon footprint we are using to stomp on future generations lives.  And of course, “white European Developed Nation Guilt” plays a large role in their sackcloth living mantra.  Betcha there’s much wailing and rending of said sackcloth at this:

Coal is set to surpass oil as the world’s top fuel within a decade, driven by growth in emerging market giants China and India, with even Europe finding it hard to cut use despite pollution concerns, according to a report published Tuesday.

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Blogline of the Day – on socialism

Asking a socialist to embrace austerity is like asking a prostitute to embrace chastity: it’s simply not part of the business model. I still like Steve‘s, involving “eunuchs at a fertility festival.”   (H/T: Instapundit)

And so the “caving in” begins over Sandy Hook and Political Correctness and lack of a backbone

Cheaper Than Dirt LogoFirst it was private equity house,Cerebus, unloading its Bushmaster gun company – I merely noticed it knowing that the California Teachers Retirement fund was vested in Cerebus and therefore, a part owner in Bushmaster.  Such a PR faux pas was not going to last long – and it didn’t as it is now set for “divestiture”.  Then Dick’s, a major sporting goods retailer, decided to pull all of its “black rifle” inventory off the shelves nationwide after the news came out that kiddie murderer Adam Lanza had tried to purchase a rifle there (which failed as Dick’s personnel followed the law, started to do the background check, and Lanza didn’t complete the transaction when the seller behind the counter told him there was a 3 day wait via CT law).  What they should have done is spotlight the employee AND themselves for doing the right things according to the Law.

Well, I needed a few things, so before work this morning, I went to Cheaper Than Dirt, an internet retailer of firearms and lots of other stuff, to buy them.  I’ve used them in the recent past, bought quite a bit of stuff, and their shipping and accuracy was spot on.  Well, imagine my surprise to what I found and the email I dashed off to them:

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Quick Thought – Role of the State; what about Liberties?

From Tim’s post:

the New Deal settlement has been reshaping Americans’ expectations about the nation-state’s reach and role. Consequently, the U.S. federal government will continue to provide a social safety net, regulate the economy, and shoulder a substantial share of responsibility for safeguarding the social and economic bases of political equality.

The State is responsible for two things:

  • Respecting and protecting our Rights and Freedom
  • Protecting individuals

Even with some of the most restrictive gun laws in the nation,

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NHJournal – Where Spelling Is More Important Than Integrity

I have to admit that Shawn Millerick got me good when he said I couldn’t spell.  Actually, the problem is that I am not terribly adept at typing and I try to squeeze out posts before work and after the kids go to bed.  I’m not always thorough.  But on a positive note, I don’t make up meetings out of thin air to smear my political opponents.

Millerick would also like you to believe that I am insulting a female candidate (Jennifer Horn) when I use the word pimping.   I apologize if I was unclear.  I’m actually insulting him, NHJournal, and whoever it is in the GOP establishment that is yanking his pull string.

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Notable Quote – Charles Krauthammer on “Progressive Choice”

“… it is more than slightly ironic that Democrats, the fiercely pro-choice party, reserve free choice for aborting a fetus while denying it for such matters as choosing your child’s school or joining a union.” – Charles Krauthammer, syndicated columnist, commentator   “while denying it for such matters” – Those that wish to make the … Read more

Michigan Right To Work…Voters Set The Stage

Lee Stranahan has a nice Graphic that gives us a view of how voters in Michigan sent a signal to their state representatives.

In a state Obama won easily by 9 points, a ballot measure to make collective barging a constitutional right in that state failed by 15 points.  Stranhan suggests that the confluence of these to sets of votes–as contradictory as they might seem–was  a message to legislators that there was room for Right to Work in Michigan.

MI-Mandatejpg Voters reject union amendment taken as sign to pass RTW

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OK, let’s relax a tad….I found this highly amusing!

Yeah, this should go over well on a political site: “To break some of the office blues, I decided to tell the worst geek joke I know: ‘Why did the Comp. Engineer get X-mas and Halloween mixed up? A: Because Oct(31) == Dec(25)!’ I can count on at least 4 of the geeky Groksters getting … Read more

Notable Quote – – Daniel Webster

“There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters.”  – Daniel Webster   “but they mean to be masters” – They be called “Progressives”

A new arrow has been added to the Citizen’s quiver: make’em pay!

NH Right To KnowWe here at the ‘Grok have used RTK requests( NH’s RSA 91-A, the Right To Know law which is better known elsewhere as FOIA – Freedom Of Information Act) a few times in the past (Richard De Seve, the DES employee blogging on NH taxpayer dime, getting emails from the NH Water Commission that is looking to revoke private water rights) and we have a new project coming up soon.  I have also used this in my own town, and have given advice to others trying to get information from recalcitrant public officials and department at town, county, and State level.

One thing we have ALL found out is that when these recalcitrants decide to truly be recalcitrant (as in “Who do these subject believe themselves to be?  You’ll get it IF I feel like it and when I get around to it”), there was little recourse that the normal citizen had except to take their valuable time and spend their hard earned cash to sue in court to get data that they have already paid for via their taxes.  Elected officials and bureaucrats could just wait them out or stymie the requestors by withholding data – without worrying about any consequences .

BUT! not any MORE!  Thanks to Bob Guida, who had a hand in HB 1223, Citizens now have a way to make Big Government come to heel come January:

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Notable Quote – George Will: observation and advice to Progressives

Many liberals who, with solemn self-congratulation, call themselves “pro-choice” become testy when the right to choose is not confined to choosing to kill unborn babies. They say the right to choose is not progressive when it enables parents to choose their children’s schools or permits workers to choose not to fund unions’ political advocacy. Democrats … Read more

The Ten-Piece McNugent

I often have passing thoughts for which there is no suitable blog in which to fit them.  This is one of those. Introducing the Ten Piece McNugent. Made from the freshest venison, elk, caribou, mountain lion, wild turkey, or any number of other beasts.  There’s really no way to know.  The only guarantee we can … Read more

A Conservative Solution to The Public School Lunch Circular Firing Squad

Federal mandates made school lunches cost more and forced foods into them most kids don’t care for so the Derry School District Lunch program School lunches dont have to be expensive trach no one wantsis pondering why overall receipts are down.

“The food service numbers are significantly less on student sales,” Simard said. She said the food services department is still working to determine the cause and whether it is the result of new meal plans and food choices required under state and federal reimbursement guidelines.

She knows why she is just being diplomatic.  The Feds have made lunch cost more.  They have made the cost of providing lunch cost more.  They have simultaneously required foods that a majority of the target hot lunch customer base does not enjoy while making foods they do less accessible or unavailable.  The result is more cost for less benefit.

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Notable quote:

“Nothing appeals to intellectuals more than the feeling that they represent ‘the people.’ Nothing, as a rule, is further from the truth.”  —Author and historian Paul Johnson. Just a thought.

Univ RI Professor Erik Loonis- Oops, Sorry, He Spells it Loomis

Erik Loomis Univ RI goes on a twitter rantThere is so much hate and vulgarity spewing from the Twitter account of University or Rhode Island professor Erik Loomis that I am reluctant to post any of it here.  But I have no objection to you going here to see for yourself.

Let me just prepare you.  University professor.  Anti second amendment.  Newtown.  Hate.  Anger.  Vulgarity. Beaten to death. NRA. Wayne La Pierre.  Head on a stick.  etc, etc.

Commenter Jason provided the phone number to the College “Please contact the president of the college here: 401-874-2444.”

It sounds like a lot of people have been calling.  No reason to stop now.

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