New Jersey

I Remember My America © d.f. howard

Liberty and Justice for AllI love America! I love MY country! I love what our Constitution stands for and I love it for the dream that our founding fathers imagined for us. I would give my life for my country!

Indeed, I’d give my life for the country that I grew up in and the country that I served while on active duty in the United States Navy from 1979 to 1990. THAT is the country I love! That America~ is the country I pledged to support & defend against ALL enemies, foreign and domestic! My pledges (two pledges taken during my 11 years in the U.S. Navy ) not only bound me with my fellow sailors, soldiers and American citizens but it also bound me to specifically support the Commander(s) in Chief of the United States Armed Forces, no matter what my political preferences were at the time. I Took An Oath! Under God! Twice!

I can attest that during my first year on active duty serving under then President Jimmy Carter, the military was pitiful & morale was at an all-time low. Iran had held 52 American hostages captive after sacking the American Embassy in Tehran 14 months earlier at the time & President Carter’s failure to secure their release through diplomatic means eventually led to the fatal “Operation Eagle Claw” mission that resulted in the deaths of 8 members of the Army’s 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (popularly known as the Delta Force) & Naval Special Warfare Development Group (more popularly known as Seal Team Six) when their helicopter crashed on the night of April 24, 1980. I can tell you first hand that the entire U.S. Navy & our sister services mourned this horrendous tragedy!

Under President Ronald Reagan, we were proud, united and eager to serve! During THE GULF OF SIDRA INCIDENT on Aug. 19, 1981 two U.S. Navy F-14 jets shot down two Soviet-built Libyan SU-22’s about 60 miles from the Libyan coast after being fired on by one of the Libyan aircraft. While stationed overseas, I can tell you that we all went wild when we heard that! Tee-shirts, ball caps, pins etc., were printed up so fast and every Sailor or Marine I ran into on base (including me) had one on that read “USA=1 Libya=0”. What a kick!

Bush 41 carried Reagan’s legacy into the 1990’s but by then, I was a military wife & I observed much of this through my husband’s career which finally ended with his retirement (after serving 21 years) at the end of the Clinton Administration in 1999.

My father, uncles & father-in law all served in World War II. My grandfather(s) served in World War I. I have direct grandfathers, great grandfathers & direct ancestors that served in the American Civil War, the War of 1812  & the American Revolutionary War.  I have served and my husband has served in the U. S. Navy. Hey, I’m a Jersey Girl and I was born in the middle of the “baby boom”!

Over the years, I have watched our country’s military decline. I barely recognize this country anymore and am terribly afraid of where this country is going. Many people I talk to about this are afraid as well. I spit on the leadership (if you can call it that) and the politicians who are currently running this country! And I don’t care what color they are or what race they are or what nationality they are or what religion they are. They are ALL to blame!

Sadly, we have a president and his staff continually peddling bullshit to the American people. Our unemployment numbers are NOT approximately 5% because the underemployment rate is approximately 15% as of February 2016. I’m no financial genius but I’d say if we added those two figures together we’re at about 20% unemployment rate in the U.S. And since when do we include part-time employment in the weekly jobs report? Oh, I forgot~ it’s the hope & change Obama’s Administration & OUR White House has been peddling since 2008! And tell me, please~ what is this so-called “recovery” the White House is still babbling about? What recovery? I don’t see it. Do you? Indeed, once the Affordable Care Act (aka) Obamacare went into effect it’s costing hard-working American families thousands of dollars more every year all the while government employees, Congress, the Senate and ALL their staff(s) get the “Cadillac” plans that many of us once had & paid to have. (Take it from someone who actually pays for health care through employment & has seen her premiums go up over $3000 a year as well as co-pays & out of pocket costs since Obamacare took effect in 2009!)

Regrettably, most insurance companies no longer carry those plans because of Obamacare & due to the high federal taxes being imposed on it! Why can’t insurance companies compete across state lines anyway? Answer: Because Americans were suckered into voting for politicians promising to serve them in Washington but are now being ignored in favor of  big-money donors & lobbyists giving them perks & promising  to get them reelected! Therefore~ the American voter who elected them in the first place is then brushed aside because we’re not needed anymore! Did you know that insurance companies have pulled coverage out of so many states that many states are left with just one? How’s that for a monopoly? I thought monopolies were illegal in this country? Nonetheless, Obama- the Hope & Change Monarch of America- has decreed it is not! (What a creep!) And, Ditto~ for those slimy politicians WE voted for! 

We Americans have been shrouded in darkness by our government. We have been lied to and violated. We have been surreptitiously and methodically stripped of our rights as Americans by the politicians with whom we have voted for and placed our trust in for years! Our politicians are “in” the top 1% of the American “elite” who get rich while the rest of us get poorer. We, the working class (working poor in most cases) are left to eke out an honest living by working hard, paying our bills AND paying federal, state & local taxes in order to provide for our families every single day. It never stops! Have you ever heard the saying; “Death & Taxes”? I have~ and I know that in our country, even our heirs must pay taxes even after our deaths! But there again, it’s double jeopardy because the deceased has already paid taxes on the very money or property that their heir(s) have inherited. It’s mindboggling!

How about voting? Do you believe that as an American, voting should be sacrosanct? Isn’t it supposed to be one vote for each LEGAL and LIVING American citizen? I always believed that. Additionally many people have voted several times in several states! Did you know that thousands of dead people, convicted felons as well as dogs & cats actually voted for Obama in the last two election cycles? Amazing!!! How did they do this? It is “Houdiniesque” (my word). Meanwhile, there are several states that want to protect our right to vote under the Constitution by requiring that each voter (ONE vote per person) provide a photo ID and have passed bills into law in their respective state legislatures that require this. Indeed, don’t we have to show an ID to someone almost every single day? Ever try to rent a hotel room or a car without one? How about buying a beer a pack of cigarettes; using a credit card and being asked for a photo ID or cashing a check ANYWHERE without an accompanying photo ID? Ah, what to say about those airlines, huh? Try getting on a plane going anywhere without showing several IDs along with the added (dis)pleasure of a possible cavity search! Yikes!

Regardless, the federal government is currently in the process of spending taxpayer dollars in an effort to sue those states. Now I ask you; what is wrong with that picture? And why are WE AMERICANS allowing the FEDS to spend taxpayer dollars to do so? I believe it’s because they (the feds) figure that very few Americans (accept the state being sued) are actually paying attention. So what happens when we, Americans and the states try to correct this or any imbalance or uphold the constitutional rights promised to us in our constitution? We are sued and called racists. This, my fellow Americans is BULLSHIT!!!

A final thought. Now~ we are in an election year but I’ll reserve my opinions on the candidates of both parties until after the primary is held in my state of New Jersey on Tuesday June 7, 2016. Heaven help us all after it’s all over. Until then, I remain hopeful that America~ the country & land I love, will once again become the country I had always been proud of & that I once unswervingly served. 

For now, I can only remember~ My America!

 

 

 

UPDATE Canine Influenza 2016: Pet Owners Guide

 

Bear's last photo

Bear’s last photo

CANINE INFLUENZA: Pet Owners’ Guide (Courtesy of the American Veterinary Medical Association)

Canine influenza (CI, or dog flu) in the U.S. is caused by the canine influenza virus (CIV), an influenza A virus. It  is highly contagious and easily spread from infected dogs to other dogs through direct contact, nasal secretions (through barking, coughing or sneezing), contaminated objects (kennel surfaces, food and water bowls, collars and leashes), and by people moving between infected and uninfected dogs. Dogs of any breed, age, sex or health status are at risk of infection when exposed to the virus.

Unlike seasonal flu in people, canine influenza can occur year round. So far, there is no evidence that canine influenza infects people. However, it does appear that at least some strains of the disease can infect cats. 

Read my original post from 2012 on the death of our beloved, Bear. ~JGT

SYMPTONS & DIAGNOSIS

CIV infection resembles canine infectious tracheobronchitis (“kennel cough”). The illness may be mild or severe, and infected dogs develop a persistent cough and may develop a thick nasal discharge and fever (often 104-105oF). Other signs can include lethargy, eye discharge, and reduced appetite. Some dogs may not show signs of illness, but can shed the virus and infect other dogs. 

Most dogs recover within 2-3 weeks. However, secondary bacterial infections can develop, and may cause more severe illness and pneumonia. Anyone with concerns about their pet’s health, or whose pet is showing signs of canine influenza, should contact their veterinarian.

CIV can be diagnosed early in the illness (less than 3 days) by testing a nasal or throat swab. The most accurate test for CIV infection is a blood test that requires a sample taken during the first week of illness, followed by a second sample 10-14 days later.

TRANSMISSION & PREVENTION OF CANINE INFLUENZA

Dogs are most contagious during the two- to four-day incubation period for the virus, when they are infected and shedding the virus in their nasal secretions but are not showing signs of illness. Almost all dogs exposed to CIV will become infected, and the majority (80%) of infected dogs develop flu-like illness. The mortality (death) rate is low (less than 10%).

The spread of CIV can be reduced by isolating ill dogs as well as those who are known to have been exposed to an infected dog and those showing signs of respiratory illness. Good hygiene and sanitation, including hand washing and thorough cleaning of shared items and kennels, also reduce the spread of CIV. Influenza viruses do not usually survive in the environment beyond 48 hours and are inactivated or killed by commonly used disinfectants.

There are vaccines against the H3N8 strain of canine influenza, which was first discovered in 2004 and until 2015 was the only strain of canine influenza found in the United States. However, a 2015 outbreak of canine influenza in Chicago was traced to the H3N2 strain – the  first reporting of this strain outside of Asia – and it is not known whether the H3N8 vaccine provides any protection against this strain. Used against H3N8, the vaccines may not completely prevent infection, but appear to reduce the severity and duration of the illness, as well as the length of time when an infected dog may shed the virus in its respiratory secretions and the amount of virus shed – making them less contagious to other dogs.

In November 2015, the U.S. Department of Agriculture granted a conditional license to Zoetis to market the first commercially available H3N2 canine influenza vaccine​. Later that month, Merck Animal Health announced the availability​ of an H3N2 canine influenza vaccine, also conditionally licensed by USDA. 

The CIV vaccination is a “lifestyle” vaccination, recommended for dogs at risk of exposure due to their increased exposure to other dogs – such as boarding, attending social events with dogs present, and visiting dog parks. 

PLEASE keep your pet’s vaccinations up-to-date & discuss your pet’s needs and your concerns with your veterinarian.  We lost our little, Bear in 2012 and less than 2 weeks after his last trip to the groomer.  All of his vaccinations had been up-to-date. Read my original article here. ~JGT

Additional Resources:

Frequently Asked Questions (for pet owners)

Canine Influenza reference page (for veterinarians)

H3N2 Frequently Asked Questions (Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine)

Doginfluenza.com​ (Merck Animal Health)

 

 

Canine Flu 2015

Time is Only A Matter of Minutes
Jersey Girl circa 1958

Jersey Girl circa 1958

For over thirty years I’ve helped my husband, Luke (usually in a boisterous panic and always at the last minute) to find his car keys, wallet or cell phone just before leaving for work. Unfortunately, many of these ‘fits’ happen at 4 AM when he’s leaving for a 12 hour shift! And then~ the entire household is awake as well! But fortunately for the rest of the household~ we can go back to bed and try to sleep for a few more hours!

Let me ask you if you have ever misplaced or forgotten where you left something very important? I have. In the early 1990’s I searched an entire parking lot for my 1985 Cadillac Eldorado which I thought I had merely forgotten where I had parked it. At the time~ I believed I was going crazy but as it turned out, it had been stolen and turned up stripped in a terrible neighborhood Newark, New Jersey a week later!

That aside; as I’ve grown older~ I realize that more & more of my own time seems to be spent looking for my reading glasses or house & car keys. Indeed, hunting for my reading glasses is usually my primary concern and alas~ a daily event! It’s bad enough that I have become dependent on them over the years but adding insult to injury by misplacing them has become a regular occurrence!

I’ll admit that I have found them on the floor on more than a few occasions with the ear pieces showing extreme evidence of dog gnawing & chewing. In those cases I usually blame one of our two dogs. One of them (I know very well it’s, Bella) must have jumped up on the chair & stolen them from either the table, ottoman or bed. Bad Girl!

But more often than not, after looking for at least 5 minutes, I’ll usually find them in the first place I looked or searched in the first place! I know I looked there. More than once. Sometimes twice. Am I becoming forgetful? Growing senile? I’m not really ‘old’~ am I? Maybe I can’t find my glasses because I can’t see what I’m looking for? Does that make sense to you?

 And that~ puts me in mind of an episode of the TV show, “The Twilight Zone” that I clearly do remember watching back in the day.

Here’s a Synopsis (courtesy Wikipedia) of  the Twilight Zone ‘s episode, “A Matter of Minutes” which was the third segment of the fifteenth episode from the first season (1985–86) of the television series The Twilight Zone.  Please let me know what you think? Who knows? It could be true? ~JGT©

A Matter of Minutes

Here’s the PLOT:  A young married couple, the Wrights, wake up one day to the sounds of construction. When they get a good look at the world around them, they find everything has stopped. A crew of blue-clad construction workers are busy removing their furniture and replacing it with new. The Wrights run outside to find things being rebuilt that have already existed. The workers set up a crash, and distribute litter in the streets. The Wrights start to go in the direction of the voice barking out orders to the workers until the voice tells them to chase the Wrights.

Confused and frightened, the couple run into a back alley and enter a void of white space. They discover a man in yellow, who helps them out of the void and explains to them he is the supervisor of the maintenance of time. They have somehow slipped into a loophole of time. While they should be in an earlier time, 9:33, for some reason they have hopped over into 11:37. Showing them exactly how time is maintained, he reveals to them a new understanding of how the universe works: every minute in history is essentially a separate world, which must be built, maintained, and torn down once the world finishes with it. The supervisor informs them that they cannot return for two reasons: one, they cannot reveal to anyone the true nature of time and two, the supervisor isn’t even certain they could return if they wanted to. The Wrights flee from the foreman and his crew, and try to find a way to slip back to their own time. They hide inside a theatre ticket booth waiting until their time, 11:37, rolls around and catches up with them. The foreman finds them but too late. A sudden loud noise and whoosh of wind and the Wrights suddenly come into their world again. Back in their own time, they find a “blue” wrench sitting on a public telephone, a souvenir as proof of their experience. (Synopsis courtesy of Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Matter_of_Minutes)

So~ Do you think I’m going crazy or do you think that it really is ALL~ just a matter of time that affects us all? ~JGT

Me & Luke Christmastime 198720110824163248723Hey look, Honey; I just found that pesky snow shovel out in the garage where you left it last year! Just in time for the weekend! Aren’t you glad you married me? Really? Well~ I love you too!

 

OBAMA ADMIN BENDS OVER (AGAIN) TO IRAN & GIVES $1.7 BILLION TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO TERRORISTS!!

I don’t understand this crap! Today, the United States and Iran settled a long outstanding claim at the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal in the Hague where Secretary of State John Kerry muttered, “This specific claim was in the amount of a $400 million Trust Fund used by Iran to purchase military equipment from the United States prior to a break in diplomatic ties” Blah-Blah-Blah, Mr. Kerry. You are more full of political bull crap than Mr. Obama!

BRIEF HISTORY LESSON

iranian-hostage-crisis_3In 1979, the United States allowed the then exiled, Shah of Iran entry into our country for medical treatment. Meanwhile; a group of radical Islamists in Tehran violently seized our American Embassy there, burned our flag, looted and destroyed our Embassy (American Territory) & took over 54  American Citizen hostages These Americans were held captive in that disgusting country for 444 days! Eventually; President Carter acted by Executive Order in November of that year by freezing about $12 Billion Iranian assets which included bank deposits, gold & property. But the harm was already done to his weak administration because Americans remained captive in Iran until a new President was sworn into office in January 1981. 

During the Reagan Administration, the United States increased sanctions against Iran after Iraq invaded them and in 1984 more sanctions were approved to prohibit all weapons sales and all U.S. assistance to Iran. (The Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) that is the basis of the current sanctions against Iran is a revised version of the Iran and Libya Sanctions Act (ILSA) that was signed on 5 August 1996, ie: H.R. 3107, P.L. 104-172. The act was renamed in 2006 when the sanctions against Libya were terminated.)

In March 1995, President Clinton issued EO# 12957 which prohibited U.S. trade in Iran’s oil industry & EO #12959 which iran-hostage-crisisprohibited all trade with Iran. Later that year, Congress passed the Iran-Libya Sanctions Act (ILSA) which included foreign company penalties if they engaged in over $20 Million of petroleum development in Iran.

After ILSA expired in early 2001, it was summarily renewed under President George W. Bush later in 2001. And no wonder it has remained in effect until now. However, today~ in this writer & U.S. Navy Veteran’s opinion~ is another day that just may~ live in infamy! Indeed; I truly believe that this horrible precedent set forth by America, (And yes~ the POTUS & SOS do represent ALL Americans!) may just be the beginning of the end of our once proud & strong nation!)

The original claim was filed in 1981 during which Iran had an outstanding order for military equipment under the regime, which the U.S. refused to fill after the 1979 Iranian revolution. This $400 Million payment is in addition to the $100 to $150 Billion of Iranian assets that the Obama Administration has agreed to unfreeze as part of the Iranian nuclear agreement. SOS Kerry blabbed on: “In 1981, with the reaching of the Algiers Accords and the creation of the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal, Iran filed a claim for these funds, tying them up in litigation at the Tribunal.” (Has anyone ever wondered if SOS stands for Secretary of State or Sack of Shit? (Americans have had several ‘sacks’ loaded full of ‘it’ during the Obama Administration!)

The $1.7 billion payment stems from the original $400 million plus $1.3 billion in interest the State Department agreed to pay on that money. Earlier today, the US Department of State (SOS) released the following statement:

Hague Claims Tribunal Settlement~ Press Statement by John Kerry,Secretary of State, Washington, DC on January 17, 2016

Iran is an Asshole Country“The United States and Iran today have settled a long outstanding claim at the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal in the Hague.

This specific claim was in the amount of a $400 million Trust Fund used by Iran to purchase military equipment from the United States prior to the break in diplomatic ties. In 1981, with the reaching of the Algiers Accords and the creation of the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal, Iran filed a claim for these funds, tying them up in litigation at the Tribunal.

This is the latest of a series of important settlements reached over the past 35 years at the Hague Tribunal. In constructive bilateral discussions, we arrived at a fair settlement to this claim, which due to litigation risk, remains in the best interests of the United States.

Iran will receive the balance of $400 million in the Trust Fund, as well as a roughly $1.3 billion compromise on the interest. Iran’s recovery was fixed at a reasonable rate of interest and therefore Iran is unable to pursue a bigger Tribunal award against us, preventing U.S. taxpayers from being obligated to a larger amount of money.

All of the approximately 4,700 private U.S. claims filed against the Government of Iran at the Tribunal were resolved during the first 20 years of the Tribunal, resulting in payments of more than $2.5 billion in awards to U.S. nationals and companies through that process.

There are still outstanding Tribunal claims, mostly by Iran against the U.S. We will continue efforts to address these claims appropriately.”

In this writer’s opinion the old saying is right. “Those that do not Learn from History are Doomed to Repeat it!”

Written By: Dorian F. Howard© January 17, 2016

 

DAVID BOWIE – The Concert for New York City (a musical celebration of gratitude for the 9-11 First Responders)

David-Bowie-696x698David Bowie’s opening tandem of Paul Simon’s “America and his own “Heroes”, dedicated to his local ladder company. ————————–
On October 20, 2001, this now-historic concert took place at Madison Square Garden, a mere six weeks after the horrific terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Thousands of firefighters, police officers, survivors, families, and fans witnessed a once-in-a-lifetime event as, in the space of nearly six hours, many legendary musical performers donated their time and their talent to one of the greatest causes ever, in the process giving their audience an unforgettable burst of pure emotion. ————————–
The concert was broadcast live on VH1 October 20, 2001, and over $35 million was raised. An additional $275,000 was also raised with a connecting auction.

Read more at http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=984_1315755315#g37FS3ETgVLV2A8W.99

HOMELESS VETERANS ARE SNUBBED IN FAVOR OF ILLEGALS!

“No Room for Vets in the Inn”  by Katie Kieffer,  Dec 22, 2014

homeless-veteranHomeless American veterans shiver in the bitter cold while illegal immigrants receive subsidized four-year degrees. At midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold, Christ was born in a stable after his parents were turned away by every innkeeper. Joseph and Mary did not respond with entitlement: “If you don’t shelter us, then you’re racist.” Rather, they used their ingenuity to find an alternative birthplace for their son among friends—farm animals, shepherds, kings, and angels—beneath the light of an extraordinary star.

“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:7

Earlier this month, I spoke at American Legion Post 3 in Lincoln, NE. I was impressed by how veterans—many of them disabled or elderly—are actively working to serve homeless veterans in their community. The post commander distributed a long list of items including bath towels, silverware and blankets that he wanted help gathering for local homeless vets. Post 3 American Legion Riders and the Legionnaires were also planning monthly pancake breakfasts where homeless veterans could receive warm meals served by friendly faces.

Veterans who are active within the American Legion are working very hard to help their brothers and sisters who have served their country—only to find themselves on the streets. However, it is troubling to see that our federal government seems to be prioritizing aid for illegal immigrants over care for our homeless veterans.

American Legion National Commander Michael D. Helm has taken a firm stand against the current administration’s recent executive order, which will essentially grant amnesty to as many as 5 million illegal immigrants. On November 20, Helm wrote: 

“The American Legion urges the President in the strongest possible terms to put our security, and our citizens’ interests and wishes, ahead of providing amnesty for millions of immigrants here illegally. …we have reached out to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to offer our help in bringing immigrants to full citizenship. Rewarding illegal immigration is a slap in the face to those who have obeyed the law and patiently went through the process.”

Indeed, legal experts such as American Center for Law and Justice Chief Counsel Jay Sekulow call the President’s executive order “an unconstitutional power grab of historic proportions.” ArthurSchwab, federal judge in United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, authored a 38-page ruling last week showing that the President’s order violates the Constitution’s “Take Care” clause, which states: [The President] shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed….”

Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution mandates that the President enforce the laws. Only Congress, per the Constitution, may make laws. Since the executive order changes U.S. immigration law by decree of the President rather than through an act of Congress, it is unconstitutional.

Amnesty proponents often cite the economic contributions of illegal immigrants. Certainly, many illegal immigrants do backbreaking work. They have also broken our laws. Veterans, in contrast, served while risking their lives to defend our laws. Until every homeless veteran is in permanent housing, we should not be granting work permits and college financial aid packages to illegal immigrants.

Plus, here’s the dirty little secret: the current executive order is not about helping destitute people achieve the American Dream. It’s about buying votes. A careful read of a Dec. 14 New York Times article reveals that organizations fronting as advocacy groups are brainwashing illegal immigrants to abhor Republicans so as to secure millions of future votes for Democrats.

Immigration is a non-partisan issue, and Latinos should not be used as pawns for lobby groups, non-profits and crony capitalists. The current administration has used young people (Millennials), gays, blacks and women to win votes while abandoning and betraying our veterans like Lt. Clint Lorance and Sgt. Rob Richards. Now, the administration is using Latinos for votes.

Here’s the real humanitarian crisis: our political leadership has no respect for veterans. Veterans were denied access to the WWII, Vietnam and Korean War memorials in Washington, D.C.—while amnesty advocates were allowed on the National Mall and the state of California confiscated millions of taxpayer dollars to bankroll the education of illegal immigrants.

50,000 veterans will cope with homelessness every night this winter—while the President promises protection from deportation and work permits for up to 5 million illegal immigrants.

Away on a bleacher, no cot for a bed, a veteran lay down his sweet head. The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay—in solidarity with the little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay.

In 2015, demand that your government make room for vets in America—“the inn” they fought so hard to defend.

Read the entire article at TownHall.com

 

WOO HOO! America’s first ‘MUSLIM FREE’ shooting range

After the Oklahoma beheading by a Muslim and ongoing threats from the Islamic State (ISIS), Arkansas Firing Range becomes the first to ban Muslims.

Bearing Arms  In an act that will no doubt result in lawsuits, The Gun Cave Indoor Shooting Range in Hot Springs, Arkansas, has declared itself a “Muslim free zone” due to concerns over domestic Islamic terrorism. The ban was announced yesterday by range owner Jan Morgan in an article posted to her web site where she cites ten points justifying her position.

Among the points cited are prior attacks in the United States that the federal government refuses to classify as terrorism, including the Fort Hood attack, the Boston Marathon bombing, and the last week’s Oklahoma City beheading. Morgan has also received death threats in the past for her writing about Islam.

Another incident that weighed heavily in Morgan’s decision was an incident at her firing range several weeks ago, which she relayed to Bearing Arms this morning.

Morgan claims that two Muslim men who spoke only broken English came to her range and requested to rent semi-automatic firearms and ammunition. One of them could not produce any identification showing that he was in the country legally, and the other had a California driver’s license. Neither had any apparent firearms training. She allowed them to rent one firearm, and stood behind them the entire time they were on the range, her hand on or near her holstered Glock 19. All other patrons voluntarily vacated the firing line while they were shooting.

She brings up a very valid point that gun stores and ranges have both a legal and moral obligation to ensure the safety of their patrons. Because of this, they may refuse service to anyone they deem to be under the influence, mentally unstable, or otherwise a potential threat to themselves, or others. FFLs are afforded a great deal of latitude in this regard, as the federal government would rather err on the side of caution.

While FFls and range operators have a great deal of latitude in their business dealings, it is doubtful that a blanket ban based upon religion is remotely viable on First Amendment grounds. This is no more legally viable than a ban on Baptists or Catholics.

Morgan expects that she will be sued over the decision for civil rights violations, and is gearing up for a court battle.

 

WOO HOO! America’s first ‘MUSLIM FREE’ shooting range.

NEW JERSEY SET TO BAN COMMON HUNTING RIFLES

2nd-amendmentA bill has been sent to Governor Chris Christie’s desk in New Jersey that would have the effect of prohibiting many fixed-magazine weapons commonly used in hunting, and almost never in murders. The Truth About Guns has the scoop.

The gun ban that has gone to New Jersey Governor Christie for signature has been described as a “gun magazine restriction“, but it bans numerous common sport and hunting rifles. The ban has no exemption for rifles with fixed magazines, including most common .22 rimfire rifles that are used for sport and small game hunting…and almost never used in crimes. Assembly Bill 2006 bans rifles that meet this definition: (4) A semi-automatic rifle with a fixed magazine capacity exceeding [15] 10 rounds . . .

As Dean Weingarten notes, some common rifles have been modified from an original 17 shot clip capacity down to 15. The new New Jersey legislation would outlaw the modified ones as well.

John Hinderaker at Powerline Blog adds, “This ban on America’s most common and most inoffensive long gun has gone to Governor Chris Christie for signature. It seems almost inconceivable that any state could ban the .22 rifle in most of its iterations, but that is the age we live in. So this is an easy test for Christie: he should veto the .22 rifle ban. If he does so, it won’t tell us much except that he isn’t a complete fool. If he fails to veto the .22 ban, he will be exposed as a phony conservative who can’t be trusted with even the easiest of decisions.”  Governor Chris Christie has been inconsistent at best on 2nd Amendment issues, but last year he vetoed three gun control measures. So there may be hope yet in the Garden State.

Here is a list of common sporting rifles that would be banned by the law:

Browning  Semi-Auto .22
Colt Colteer and variants
Franchi Centennial .22
Marlin model 60 and variants
Norinco ATD .22 (Browning Clone)
Remington 6A and variants
Remington Nylon 66, clones, and variants
Remington 552
Remington 550
Remington 241
Savage model 87A and variants
Winchester model 74
Winchester 190, 290 and variants

(Article excerpted from TownHall.com & TheNation.com)

Last year, Governor Christie refused to sign three closely watched gun control bills, including a ban on .50 caliber sniper rifles.  Christie fully rejected the ban on .50 caliber rifles, five-foot-long snipers that can be loaded with palm-length cartridges designed to penetrate heavy armor a mile away; and that are, according to Christie, necessary for “recreational pastimes.” Christie carved up the two other bills and sent them back to the legislature with conditional vetoes. From a bill that supporters called a “national model” for overhauling how states conduct background checks and issue firearm permits, Christie cut provisions to digitally embed firearm permits in a gun owner’s driver’s license, to include private sales in the instant background check system and to require prospective gun owners to take a short safety course. “None of the technology necessary for this system exists,” Christie said that would link firearm permits with state ID. Christie also gutted a law requiring state officials to report data about lost and stolen firearms, along with those seized in association with a crime, to federal databases. ~ JGT

SEND THEM ALL TO DETROIT!

374395_512170602179929_896698128_nWouldn’t you like to make it all go away? I’m not talking about family, friends or your pets; I’m talking about things like the bills, mortgage payments, economic worries, political-correctness, lying politicians and all the insane Islamic, Muslim terrorists! I am so tired of all the elitists and progressives that are ruining our country! There are times that I’d just like to dig a big hole and bury them all in it! For the record, I would never actually do anything so dastardly to these people or anything harsher than perhaps yell at them or call them a few ‘choice’ names. Although… I do have zero tolerance for the radical Islamists, therefore; I really would like to see them all buried six feet under! As for the rest of the people who I don’t know; maybe we can put them all on a bus to let’s say… Camden New Jersey. Camden New Jersey is one of the most dangerous cities in the United States as far as crime goes but because I’m a Jersey girl, I really don’t think I’d want any of those extremists here either so… let’s say we just change the location of that imaginary bus and send them to Detroit instead. 

It’s very sad that Detroit has been ruined by liberal politicians, poor management, corrupt unions, high unemployment, drugs & gang violence. They’re a pretty tough lot up there and I doubt the locals would put up with any shenanigans from the non-desirables we’ll send up there! (Indeed, many may feel right at home.) And while we’re at it, let’s make sure that this imaginary bus only has one bathroom… and it’s unisex! Politicians seem to have a “one size fits all” mentality when it comes to the American people… so let them all share a bathroom on that bus! 

Come on folks, let’s have some fun here. This is a make-believe scenario to get rid of all the dead weight in this country and those causing a huge financial burden starting with the politicians! I mean after all, doesn’t all the monkey business in Washington cost you and your family time and money every single day? And because of all the political spending sprees, fraud, waste and pork barrel disbursements, you take home less money in your paycheck! That means that you have less money to spend on gas, groceries & bills… and your employer can’t pay what you’re actually worth, because he or she is in the same money crunch as you are… paying extremely high taxes and energy bills all the while allowing the DC elitist politicians to continue leading their cushy life-styles! Without consequence!

Okay, so let’s start with getting rid of most politicians in Washington and let’s put them on that make-believe bus to Detroit. And that consists of any politician including our narcissistic president who stands on his podium and says with a straight face to you & I, the taxpayers, that there’s no way to cut our country’s budget or deficit, all the while he’s raising taxes and spending money on lavish vacations, campaigning for his liberal followers & pissing our tax dollars away on advertisements for failed programs that he’s passed & foisted on hard-working Americans when he should be looking after the bottom line… the American People! Indeed, let’s load him up along with all those Democrats that voted for the Obamacare bill without even reading it and thus – causing all the current insurance turmoil in our country. Let’s get them on that bus too!!!

What about the entitlement freeloaders? Don’t you really wish you could make all those bottom feeders go away? I am not talking about hard-working folks who are just getting some temporary help from the government just to survive, or disabled veterans, fireman & policeman or the truly disabled in our country. I’m talking about the parasites in our society, the deadbeats, the ones that won’t work & think they are ‘entitled’ to live off the taxpayer’s dime.   If we shipped out the people causing this country to be in a downward tailspin… its declining instead of growing, you’d be making a better living, you would be prospering and wouldn’t need any government handouts. So let’s aggressively weed out those deadbeats & freeloaders who do nothing but work the system. I’m talking about the slackers in this country. They don’t work at anything except hustling the system all the while pretending to have an illness or injury so they can’t work or the pretend that they can’t find a job just they can go through life doing nothing but live on the backs of Americans who bust their butts every day working hard. And then on top of all that, they somehow believe they are entitled this free ride.  

But it’s not a free ride because we are all paying for it with taxes! Do you think the government is paying for it? This is all us! ALL us!!! And every one of us knows someone who is getting a free ride. These are the people who, when you’re checking out at the grocery store, are using food stamp credit cards to buy food that you cannot afford. And you know they could work or get a job, but what we hear from them is, “Oh, my back hurts”; “I feel depressed”; “I have six kids, each one from a different father”; and “I have no husband”.  

What we should say to these people is,  “Well maybe if you get off your lazy ass…  you lost a little weight… (who am I  my kidding)… you lose a lot of weight… you quit smoking cigarettes and you keep your damn legs crossed, maybe you could be a productive member of society instead of a friggin leech! The hard-working people of this country owe you squat! ”  No, I’m not sorry; let’s put them on that bus too and send them up to Detroit! 

And, while we’re on the subject, think about it. Honestly, do you know how much better our lives would be and our country would be; if we didn’t have people out there having more children just so they could get more money from the state and the federal government? Which means that you wouldn’t have to pay as much in taxes. This is one of the reasons our taxes are a size they are. I am 100% for giving a helping hand for a short minimal period of time to those in need, but none of us, except for those who are receiving our tax dollars, are in favor of creating baby factory mommies. And believe me that includes all races, all colors, all nationalities… legal ones and illegal ones. 

Heaven forbid you say anything against all the societal parasites and progressive liberals because you’ll be labeled a “racist”. Labeled by media pundits and liberal politicians as inciting hate speech! So let’s put all those politicians & pundits on the bus as well.  You know if we keep going like this, there’ll be no politicians left in this country. Wait for it… Do you feel like things are getting better already? There is, however; one particular a group of people who are so vile, so evil… that I could never send them on that bus.  We should put these sickening people on a boat with a hole in it with no water and no food and set it adrift at sea These are those perverted corporate leaders, those people who profit, lowlifes, child predators, perverted sex slave traffickers… and anyone else who makes a buck on the sexual corruption and molestation of our children. Round them up and put them on a boat with a hole in the bottom and send it out to sea! Let’s take a second and be honest. Can you feel America becoming a better place, now? 

Now, let’s deal with  all the guys who go around creating multiple fatherless children? I wouldn’t send them to Detroit, (many of them are there already) but there has to be some balance to make them take care of the children they created. Again, we are not talking about the “whoops” children, and the responsible couple that works together to make a great living life for a child or children together. Look, we all know that accidents happen. But the tragedy is when there’s no… NO responsibility taken for the creation of life by the man and the now pregnant woman accepts no responsibility for her actions either and so, guess what… they turn to you, the taxpayer, and say, “Pay for our bad choices.”

I don’t know what we should do with them, but I don’t think it should be the responsibility of the government to take money from us, the hard-working taxpayers, to pay for them. I think that should be done by the areas and towns in which they live because then it would be more motivational prodding from their own community and maybe those people would get a job and  actually work for a living  out of embarrassment and maybe behave more responsibly because of it… rather than the people in their community flipping the bill. We know in our hearts, that all these fatherless children and single parent households are only hurting us as a nation and it’s hurting our children and yet people condone this method of creating baby factory mommies. The parents of those taxpayer raised children are no better than those who exploit the innocence of our children because in both cases, you end up hurting and stealing from the children… the innocence of their childhood. 

Okay, where were we? Oh yeah, loading that bus to Detroit. So we pretty much agree that any government employee who believes that they have the right to dictate to us how we should be raising and teaching our children and at what age they must be exposed to different parts of life even if it’s against your strongly held religious beliefs and convictions, should also be placed on that bus. How about pompous extremist college professors? I like that one. You know, those college professors who are so overpaid that people have to mortgage their homes & retirement accounts and their child’s future just the send your child to the same college where they’re taught by these pompous overpaid extremist college professors, that conservatism and patriotism and love of country is foolishness and the people who have worked hard all their lives to make some extra money have somehow stolen from the poor. Yeah, they should be on that bus to Detroit as well! And their children too. You know… Not their actual children… just the 99% or so that they created in their classrooms & study halls. Yeah, that’s where they came from… our colleges. They were spawned by these pompous extremist professors! Load ’em up on the bus!!!

Let’s also put on the bus, every politician and every member of any organization who claims that it’s somehow racist and un-American to ask Americans to show proper identification when voting in this country considering you have to show proper identification to perform so many simple tasks already? Including, enrolling in Obamacare! Wouldn’t that be nice? To know that in your hearts one legal man or woman, one vote per legal American citizen because if you don’t think there’s voter fraud going on this country you’re very, very naïve!!!!!! 

And one other thing, if we could drill in this country we would pay less for gas… anywhere from a dollar to a dollar-fifty a gallon. If we cleaned up all this government waste and the stupid spending of our hard-earned tax dollars, you could live a better life. The government just spends and spends, it never stops. Indeed, the more they spend the more they take from you & me.  Just look around and think about it. We can keep going on like this and it will be just like the Internet bubble back in the 90s and the housing bubble back in the 2000’s. The tax system in America is nothing more than a Ponzi scheme. It can only work for so long before it just collapses and implodes upon itself. (Watch out for the Obamacare bubble to burst. It’s coming!) Of course, there will be politicians who will lie to you and say “Now it’s okay it’s all okay. Let’s just spend a little more money. That should fix the problem”. But, don’t you dare believe it! Put them on that bus and send them up to Detroit too! ~dfh

 May God Bless Us All… & help us fill that bus to Detroit!kn122612dAPR20121224054514

*MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL*