Looking for Answers (and ranting about it)

I wish that I could tell you that this is going to be a well thought out, well researched post; but it's not. It's just the ramblings (or rantings) of a confused, but concerned citizen in the US in the shadow of another tragic shooting event in our country.

I know that there are those that would argue that any regulation on gun ownership is a violation of our Second Amendment rights. I am definitely not in favor of a ban on gun ownership, but recognize that we live in a far different world than the framers of our Constitution.

I believe that we can reach a solution. If extremists on the side of a total gun ban and extremists on the side of no regulations at all are unwilling to move from their positions, then we in the middle must come up with an enforceable solution. Part of that solution has to be recognition that we (as a society) can only do so much and that guns are only a part of a larger problem.

It would surprise many of you to know that I would be in favor of allowing properly trained teachers and school staff to be allowed to have firearms in schools (and pilots on airplanes, too).  I am not a hunter or outdoorsman but have purchased firearms for sport and protection. I think that I have (and should have) the right to do so. I believe that unless there are limited access points that are manned by armed guards and equipped with metal detectors, gun free zones can quickly become dangerous places. "Gun free" does not have to include the trained staff of such places.

In today's post 9-11 world, we have grown to accept the inconveniences that we experience at airports. The long lines at security, unlocked luggage, shoe removal, full body scans--all of these were met with resistance and yet put in place without political action or citizen input, and they have become a normal and an accepted part of a freedom that we sacrifice for the greater freedom of safe air travel.

To drive, you must be of a restricted age and pass a test to be licensed (and periodically renew it). In Missouri you must show proof of insurance and proof that you've paid your personal property taxes to license your vehicle. We accept these restrictions because we know that it makes for safer roads and we've  become used to them. Having laws against drunk driving doesn't prevent a drunk from getting behind the wheel and killing somebody as a result, yet we still have laws prohibiting it. We have laws restricting speeds in residential areas, stop signs at intersections and all kinds of laws that restrict our being able to get in a car and drive like a maniac. We accept these restrictions to our freedom for the greater freedom of being able to travel safely (or at least, more safely) on the roads of our communities.

In my job, I am restricted from using sleep aids at night. Residual effects might make me drowsy during the day. (I guess not getting any sleep is better than the possibility of a "might make me drowsy.") I can't take any allergy meds or other things that could cause drowsiness. No alcohol for lunch or prior to coming to work; the tolerance is far below the legal limit for driving. These are restrictions to my freedoms that I accept and you (the flying public) approve of for the greater freedom and safe air travel.

All of the laws that we have are restrictions to our freedoms. Yes, people break laws. Just look at our prisons. The USA far exceeds every other country in prison population. Just because murder is "against the law," doesn't mean people aren't going to murder. The fact that people will murder isn't a reason for us not having laws against it.

We (USA) cherish all of our freedoms. We cherish our freedom of expression so much that we've allowed pornography (with some restrictions) to fill our lives through television, movies, video games and internet. We allow violence to be a part of our everyday lives in the make believe world of video games, television and movies and in the real world of sensationalized and glorified media coverage. Sexual morality has given way to promiscuity and we are faced with epidemic STDs and countless unwanted pregnancies and unwanted kids--but those are our rights.

We seem to have forgotten that our freedoms also carry great responsibilities.
And great consequences.

Apparently, the freedom to access decent, affordable healthcare is not one of our freedoms. I recently read an article that showed our prison population to have about 5 times the rate of mental illness than the general population. I guess that we have decided to let our prisons deal with mental illness (however they might choose to do so, given their limited budgets) post crime instead of finding ways to access care that would provide help and might prevent crimes.

The reality of this rant is that I don't have the answer. Maybe that's the frustration that everybody is experiencing.
...And frustrated people tend to be defensive about their positions and offensive towards others with opposing positions.

Somehow, we need to set aside our frustrations so that we can talk. While I don't have the answer for what we need to do, I do know that not doing anything isn't working so well. I really don't want for my country, my community to turn into the kind of unstable area that we see in so many parts of the world (and even in some of our own cities) where death by violence is something that we get used to hearing about and everybody (of any age) is armed. Maybe it's already too late for that.

John <><

International Friends...

I am looking for some input from my international friends.

Many of you live in countries that have fairly strict regulations on gun ownership. How have these restrictions affected you? Do you feel more safe or less safe as a result of them? Has gun crime increased or decreased? I know the propaganda that various groups put out, but I would like to hear from you, the citizens.

My analytics show that I have regular readers from the UK, Germany, Russia, Malaysia, France, China, Australia, the Philippines, Canada and others. The right to bear arms is a foundational freedom that we hold dear. I don't think that the writers of the Second Amendment had anything like this in mind. The need for local militias is far different today than it was 200+ years ago.

I don't think that anybody in the US is willing to push for an all out ban on gun ownership. However, it seems that there is some regulation that is necessary.

A single failed attempt to detonate a shoe bomb on an airplane and now every passenger in the US has to take off their shoes to be examined prior to boarding a plane. A dozen mass murders since the Columbine shooting and nothing has been done--nothing has even be seriously proposed. The dialogue doesn't have to be an all or nothing solution.

If you live outside of the United States, I would really like to hear from you.
If you live in the US, I realize that there are arguments that range from one extreme to the other. I am less interested in your input on this post. I've heard both sides, understand your positions. It's not that I don't care what you think; I'm just looking for input from those that already live with some gun ownership regulation.

We have to do something. Doing nothing isn't working so well.

John <><

A Christmas Story You Can Share (Christmas reading)

Last week I published a post about our annual Christmas reading meeting. It was getting an abnormal amount of traffic and then I figured that people may be doing a search for "Christmas Readings" which was the title of the post.

I'm sure that they were disappointed to find that there wasn't anything there for them to use in a Christmas program of any kind. I've done two things that may help people that will be doing similar searches in the coming days.

I've modified the title to the post from last week.
And I've included "Christmas readings" in the title of this post as well as in the body of the post.
And I'll share a link to the Christmas reading that I used at our annual meeting a couple of years ago. It is another one of my Christmas favorites.

The title was Price vs. Value and you can read it here.

John <><

A Day of Silence

I'm not really not feeling like posting today. Yesterday was filled with much sadness and too much talk about the political third rail of gun control.

As I viewed the various news broadcasts, listened on the radio and read on the internet, I was surprised at how often the tears just seemed to fall from my eyes. There was no sobbing or heart wrenching emotional feelings, just tears.

A talk with a young boy about eternity was more significant than such a conversation usually is. Viewing kids at our church's live nativity was more welcome on a night after a day like yesterday. Even switching from the various TV programs covering the horrific, violent events of the day to the more civilized violence of the UFC seemed to provide some relief from the day's news.

I know that there will be little that can offer a moment of solace for many families. There will be far too many reminders of the kids that are no longer with them; clothes that are unwashed, toys that are out, scout meetings and practices that normally fill their schedules, Christmas presents that will need to be returned.

For most of us today, life goes on. For those close to the murders of yesterday, life will stand still. And even though I feel sad for them, today I won't watch, listen to, nor read of the sadness of yesterday or the debate on guns, gun control and gun violence.

You can call me a coward, say I'm burying my head in the sand or that I just don't care. I don't think that any of those things are true. I just don't want focus on something so sad--at least not for today.

Count your blessings, love your kids, be an encouragement.

John <><

Mom

As far as I can remember, it was never Mommy. It wasn't Mama or Ma.
It's always been Mom.

To Dad, it's Bebe (that's two short e sounds, emphasis on the second syllable).
To relatives and very close family friends, it's been Bebe to my aunts and uncles and Aunt Bebe to all of the cousins (and there are a bunch of them).
To her seventeen grandkids, she is Grandma.
To everybody else, she is Leticia.

Today is her birthday!

Her Facebook profile says she is 75, so I guess it is okay to post that here, too. I know that mentioning a woman's age is a tricky thing at times, but I'll go with it since she wears her age so well.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

I hope that you have a grand day.

John <><

Bonus post: Another favorite

I've been enjoying looking for some of my favorite posts. This one is from posts with the label Christmas.
It may not actually be my favorite Christmas post, but it does have on of my favorite Christmas songs.

It's not a Christmas hymn or Christmas carol. Chances are pretty good that if you didn't read the original post three years ago, you may not have ever heard this  song...

...unless you happen to be a Jackson Browne fan.

Enjoy it here.

John <><

Feel Good Days

Ever have those days that just feel like good days? Days that simple things happen to make you smile?

Yeah, it's been one of those days...and it will carry over into tomorrow to make tomorrow one of those days, too.

It hasn't been a big deal or anything, just some simple things that happened today and some simple pleasures that I will enjoy tomorrow. First, I've been looking forward to the meteor shower tonight. The Geminid shower is generally pretty good and it's been a while since I've really been able to enjoy a meteor shower. I'll be working in the tower tonight through the peak hours so it should be pretty sweet.

Many people that enjoy watching the different showers throughout the year might be interested to know that, unlike most showers, the Geminids are not caused from the Earth's orbit intersecting the orbit of a comet. This one is caused from intersecting the orbit of an asteroid. You can read about it here.

Earlier today I made a lunch appointment for tomorrow. I am meeting a friend that I haven't seen for a little while and am just looking forward to it. I also want to share a book with him that I think he will enjoy.

Just after that, another friend called to ask if I would talk to her son about receiving Jesus as his Savior. I am really honored by this request and have set up a time to talk to him tomorrow afternoon. If you feel so inclined, I would appreciate your prayers for Jack (and for me, too).

Chris and I stopped by Hopedale's live nativity tonight. Chris had the opportunity to get to know one of our new people and one of the new supervisors from the tower stopped by with his family.

I just have to say, "It's been a pretty good day!"
And I am looking forward to tomorrow.
Saturday, Hannah will be home.

To borrow from a Christmas classic, "It's a wonderful life!"

John <><

My All-time Favorite

My last post was time stamped before midnight so I haven't actually had a post for this day, 12/12/12. I was thinking that I miss an old blogging buddy, It's a Numeric Life. She would have had something interesting to say, I'm sure of it.

In any case, I wanted to make a quick post to cover the day as I continue to write more often.

However, I'm not really writing anything new here. In yesterday's second post, I shared a few of my favorites from 2012. Today I thought that I would share my favorite of my 761 posts. It originally ran in August of 2008, so many of my current readers haven't had the opportunity to read it.

It is about one of my favorite people so the the title One of My Favorite People is appropriate.
...And four years later, it is also one of my favorite posts, perhaps my all time favorite.

I hope that you have (or have had) a person in your life like my friend Gene. I hope that you are (and I am) that kind of encourager/mentor/friend to somebody that needs such a person. I believe that these relationships are appointed by God. Don't miss out on such a friendship.

Please enjoy reading about One of My Favorite People.

John <><

Favorite Posts

In the past few weeks, several of my blogging friends have shared some of their favorite posts. I thought that I would do the same at some point, but it is pretty difficult to decide between my favorites and reader favorites. Some of the ones that I like have few hits or comments and others have many hits and comments even though they are perhaps more controversial than good posts.

In the end, I'm just going to look through 2012 (for now) and pick a favorite from each month.

For January
      February
      March
(click the month to read the post)

I'll post my favorites for April, May and June in a couple of days. If you have favorites from those months, feel free to leave a comment with your favorite post.

John <><

Music is for Everybody

I love this video. I shared it on Facebook but also wanted to post it here at Out of My Hat for those of you that are not my Facebook "friends" list.

It is a great story of bringing music to a group of poor kids. A story of building instruments out of garbage. A story of recycling materials into instruments that make beautiful music. Please watch it ...



John <><