Little Glasses
Image
Reply
A Sad Day for Country Music
I never followed George Jones closely, but was saddened to learn of his passing. He was one of the last links to an era of country music that is no more. I’m grateful to that I was privileged enough to hear his voice.
George Jones, country superstar, has died at 81.
On a lighter note, you’ve got to love the guy who, after his wife took the car keys from him, drove his riding mower to the liquor store. I have a sudden urge to purchase a riding mower.
Gunnin’ for Change
I am not a fan of Senator Cruz. However, the proposals he and Senator Chuck Grassley (R) co-authored to address gun violence were worthy of pan-partisan review. Examining mental health, and researching the causes of mass shooting are worthwhile efforts, as is increasing federal prosecution of gun violence. It’s a shame that this legislation was rejected, and not used as a starting point for compromise. I blame both parties for their unwillingness to work together on this issue, though I do acknowledge the work of Senators Manchin and Toomey.
I think it’s a reasonable statement that gun violence is a problem that needs to be addressed, and can be addressed within the framework of our Constitution. Let us be realistic: background checks are an “infringement” of one’s gun rights. No one can claim that any of the current proposals don’t infringe — at least to some degree — on the right to own a gun. In fact, I think most would agree that by definition, existing background check requirements, and permit/license requirements both infringe on the right to bear arms. For the most part, we’ve come to accept those measures, though I can relate anecdotes of citizens complaining about the requirement to obtain state-issue hunting permits.
Sometimes, I think about my five year-old in his classroom, in the midst of a Newtown-like situation. It’s during those times that I’m unable to think rationally about gun control, and am prone to oppose ownership of certain types of weapons without much thought as to the consequences/effectiveness of such a ban. However, when I allow myself to be rational, I realize that outlawing classes of guns is about as practical as outlawing classes of drugs. (Hello, Black Market!) I’m also forced to think critically about how we prevent future massacres from occurring, and I haven’t come up with an answer yet. I’m not sure that the Cruz-Grassley solution alone would have helped violence, but it was something that deserved consideration. The left’s claim that the right doesn’t care about this problem is both hypocritical, and inaccurate.
Kindness
In times of tragedy, stories of kindness and heroism restore our faith in the goodness of people: Mulep.com 10 Touching Acts of Kindness at the Boston Marathon.
Link
Donate to the West Texas Disaster Relief Fund
Fellow Texans, if you’d like to do something to help our friends in West, Texas and can’t get out to the blood banks, you can donate funds. This link will take you straight to the donation page, and donations are processed through PayPal.
Link
North Korea
I stumbled on an article today about North Korea that I found enlightening. It’s easy to dismiss North Korea as a rogue nation with an unhinged leader (especially when you read through the English version of their state-run newspaper), but there is probably more than meets the eye.
In related news, North Korea claims to have a rocket aimed at my city, of all places. Apparently, Kim Jong Un has it in for Rick Perry more than I do. Who would have guessed?
Here in Austin, we’d have a big old heap of brisket and sausage piled on top of those strategic war documents. He’s got it all wrong.
Please note that I’m not dismissing North Korea’s potential to be dangerous here. I’m using humor to alleviate my anxiety over the impending destruction and chaos.
