Honest Answer Time

 

Honest answer time:  What's the first thing you think of when you see the Confederate Battle Flag?

The vast majority of the people will invariably think that the person displaying it is a racist.  We can thank the KKK for that piece of bullshit.

Some folks will think that the person displaying the Battle Flag supports slavery, something else that we can also thank the KKK for.

But ALL of these people will think that the person displaying the Battle Flag is nothing but an ignorant redneck.

And all of these people will be WRONG.

What they don't know (and don't care to know because it conflicts with their unfounded opinions) is that most of the people who fly this flag do so to honor the sacrifice and courage of their ancestors.  They also fly it simply because it's an internationally-known symbol of the South and the Southern way of life, and we're proud of that.  (These are the reasons I fly it, as I've stated before.)

Sure, we know the history of the Confederacy and that seven of the eleven seceding states specifically stated that one of the reasons (if not the main reason) for their secession was the preservation of slavery.  (And the reasons for that is purely economical, not racial, by the way - something else that people don't know.)  But we also know that's not the reason that most of the Southern soldiers fought.  (Note that I said 'most' and not 'all.')

There are two main reasons that the average non-slave holding Southern man fought.  The first was stated very simply by a Confederate soldier who was captured by Union forces after a battle down South when he was asked that question by one of his captors.  He said, "Because y'all are down here."

What that means is that he was fighting to protect his home, that home being the South, from what he considered to be an invader.  It's also the reason why Robert E. Lee turned down command of the entire Union Army just before the war - he knew that Lincoln would use that army to invade the South, and he wanted no part of it.

The second main reason was portrayed in the movie "Gettysburg" when Lt. Tom Chamberlain asked a Confederate prisoner why he was fighting.  The Confederate's reply was, "We're fighting for our rights."  Now while this scene may or may not have really happened, it's an accurate portrayal of why a lot of Southerners were fighting.  And the rights that were being referenced was the right for each state to choose its own destiny just as the 10th Amendment says it could.

Yes, we know that the right of which I'm referring was the right to own slaves.  I don't know of a single Southerner who would support that particular cause, but all of them would fight to protect their homes.  (And if you want to talk about how a country treated a section of their society like shit, then let's first talk about how the nice folks up North treated the Irish immigrants, and then we'll talk about how the Federal government treated the Native Americans.)

And oh, yeah, before I forget - while I will admit that "Gettysburg" is one of my favorite movies about this war, I will be the first to tell you that while it was pretty and inspiring and insightful, that speech made by Colonel Joshua Chamberlain about the war being "a war to set other men free" never happened.  It was a total figment of Michael Shaara's imagination.  (He's the guy who wrote the book "The Killer Angels" from which the movie was made.) 

If you want to read a very good book that will tell you the actual reasons that soldiers on both sides fought, then I suggest you read "For Cause and Comrades" by James M. McPherson.  It's available on Amazon, and is a collection of letters, diary entries, and official reports written by men on both sides of the conflict.

I love my country and I'm proud of America despite its flaws.  No country is perfect, and the USA is certainly not an exception.  I'm also proud of the South and my three Confederate ancestors who fought for their homes and country.  Am I proud of the Confederate government?

NO.  Just as I'm not proud of the US government, either.  But a part of being proud of something or someone is recognizing the flaws and that no person or government is perfect.

And then being proud anyway.

So let me ask you now that you've read this:  What's the first thing you think of when you see the Confederate Battle Flag?

Deo Vindice

IHC

 

  

National Reciprocity Permit - Yes or No?

First and foremost, no, that's not my pistol.  I sure wish it was, but unfortunately it isn't.  

Moving on...

In case you haven't been paying attention - and unless you're a gun owner, you haven't been - the Trump Administration is solidly behind the 2nd Amendment, going so far recently as to take the unprecidented  steps of actually suing two states (California and Virginia) over their most recent gun control laws, citing them as being unconstitutional.  And trust me, when this one hits the Supreme Court - and it will, I assure you - and the SCOTUS returns an opinion that yes, those laws are unconstitutional, that's gonna pretty much end the liberal left's attempts at any form of gun control.  It's also gonna make liberal heads explode all over the nation, and THAT is gonna be funny as hell to watch!

Another item that Trump supports is National Reciprocity for concealed carry permits.  This means that your concealed carry permit will be valid in every state in the Union, just like driver's licenses.  He also supports national open carry as well, which is not a bad idea.

When it comes to national reciprocity for concealed carry permits, I'm on the fence about it.  I absolutely see the sense in it - after all, if a driver's license from South Carolina is good in all 50 states, then why shouldn't my Concealed Weapons Permit be good in all 50 states as well?

The first thing that liberals will say is that it's not the same thing because guns kill more people than cars annually, which is true, but what they won't admit is that the majority of those deaths were SUICIDES in which a firearm was used.  Anywhere from 55-62% of gun related deaths in 2024 (the last year for which full stats are available) were the results of suicide.

What the liberals also won't acknowledge or take into consideration is the statistically proven fact that concealed carry permits holders are the most law-abiding citizens in the United States.  So why should you be worried about a law-abiding citizen being able to carry nationwide?  Noooo, let's not talk about that!

While I think that National Reciprocity for concealed carry permits is a good idea, the ONLY reason I can't get 100% behind it is because of the 10th Amendment.  For those not familiar with it, here's what it says:

"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

So now the first question will be, "Why are driver's licenses good all over the nation?" And the answer is because all 50 states signed the Driver License Compact, which is an agreement stating that the signees will recognize the driver's license from all other states and will assist those states in tracking offenses committed in their state by someone with an out of state license.

And THAT, friends and neighbors, falls squarely within the 10th Amendment.  The individual states got together and agreed on something, exercising their authority as invididual states to do so.

If the individual states ever got together and signed a Concealed Carry Permit Compact, then concealed weapons permits would be good in every state just like a driver's license.  But considering that two states are now being sued by the Feds for their anti-gun laws, I don't think you'll ever be able to get all 50 states to sign such a compact.  The topic of gun control and gun control laws is THE most heated debate in the nation, and I don't ever see a concensus on this being reached.

Trump thinks so too, which is why he's floating the idea of a federal law requiring National Reciprocity for concealed carry permits.  But like I said, the bad thing is that such a law would fly right in the face of the 10th Amendment, and the ink wouldn't even be dry on the document before California, New York, Virginia, Maryland, Illinois, Washington, and a few other anti-gun states would file suit against the federal government.  

And I can tell you right now that such a lawsuit would win, because IMHO any national reciprocity law violates the 10th Amendment and is therefore unconstitutional.  I'm also 99.9% sure that the SCOTUS would share that opinion.

So to answer the big question of am I in favor of a National Reciprocity law for concealed carry?  Yes, but only if all 50 states sign a compact (which we know ain't ever gonna happen).  Am I in favor of a federal National Reciprocity law?  

No, because such a law is patently unconstitutional.  Hate to say it, but there it is.

In closing, let me say this:  I am a supporter of the 2nd Amendment in its literal form.  "SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED" to me means that ALL gun control laws are unconstitutional, including laws which require you to have a permit before you can carry a firearm either openly or concealed.  You will NEVER hear me include the word "BUT" when I speak of being a supporter of the 2nd Amendment.

I just can't support a pro-gun law that I believe to be unconstitutional. 

Deo Vindice

IHC

 

  

"Perceived" Rights v. "Actual" Rights

 

So in yesterday's post I said that I would expound on "perceived" rights and "actual" rights today; well, I'm a man of my word, so here it is.

Let me say two things right up front:  first, what I'm posting here in this blog are my personal opinions based on my own life experiences unless I clearly state otherwise.  Second, I don't expect everyone to agree with me, and that's okay.  Just don't try and tell my I'm wrong, because when it comes to opinions there is no 'right' or 'wrong' - they're just different.  So do us both a favor and don't go down that road.

Okay, so let's get to it, shall we?  (This should be fairly brief, by the way.)

I can sum up the difference between "perceived" rights and "actual" rights with one simple statement:  if it isn't written down on paper in the form of a law or as a part of the Bill of Rights, then it isn't an "actual" right.  Anything else is a "perceived" right.

 Simple enough, right?  Yeah, you would think so, but it's not.

We hear all the time from the libtard left that "healthcare is a right," and "housing is a right," and "a living wage is a right," and all of that other crap.  The bottom lines on that are simple, and there are two of them.

First, you do NOT have a 'right' to anything that requires the labor of another person.  If you want those services, then you must pay for them.  That's the way it works, and no amount of hurt feelings or social outrage by the left is going to change that.  

Second, if it's not on paper or in the Bill of Rights, well, you know...

So what that means is that the "right" to healthcare and the "right" to a so-called 'living wage' are "perceived" rights; that is, someone thinks they should be an actual right, so in their minds they are.  The fact of the matter is that they're not; they're "perceived" rights, which means nothing.

Any time anyone tells me that they have a "right" this or a "right" to that, my reply is always the same:  "Show me that in the Bill of Rights."  So far no one has been able to, so the conversation always ends at that point.

And while I'm at it, let me stir the pot just a little more on the topic of "rights."

There is no such thing as "trans rights," "homosexual rights," "black rights," or anything like that.  All of those are bullshit leftist terms that were conceived to try and give someone's OPINIONS OR FEELINGS a sense of legitimacy. The truth is that they are nothing but opinions, plain and simple.

So that's it.  I told you this was going to be brief. 

Let the leftist outrage begin.

Deo Vindice

IHC

 

  

And Here's More

 

In keeping with my word, here's more on this asshole and soon-to-be-former USAF major.

This is soon-to-be-former US Air Force Major Jason Watson.  For reasons known only to himself, he chose to put on his uniform and take part in an anti-Trump political demonstration in which he stated how much he disagreed with President Trump and that  he should be impeached and then imprisoned.

And of course the masses of drooling, mindless libtards are flocking to support him, singing his praises and crowing about how brave he was to do this.

Those of us who have served in the military understand why what he did was wrong, and those who never served won't.  So for those of you who never served (and for those of you who did but still support this asshole) let me explain it to you. 

When soon-to-be-former Major Watson assumed his rank in the Air Force, he swore to the following oath:

"I, (state your name), having been appointed a (rank) in the United States Air Force, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, Foreign and domestic, that I bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter. So help me God. (optional)"

Part of the duties of the office upon which he was about to enter included obeying all lawful orders and regulations, just as all members of the military are obligated to do.  He knowingly and willfully violated one of those orders, that order being Air Force Instruction (AFI) 51-508/Political Activities, Free Speech, and Freedom of Assembly which states in Chapter 2 that Air Force members may not:

"Participate, while in uniform, in any activity such as unofficial public speeches, interviews, picket lines, marches, rallies or any public demonstration which may imply DAF (Department of the Air Force) endorsement of the cause for which the demonstration or activity is conducted. (T-0) Authorization to wear the uniform under certain circumstances may be granted in accordance with DoDI 1334.01, Wearing of the Uniform, as implemented by AFPD 36-29, 8 DAFI51-508 24 MARCH 2023 Military Standards, and DAFI 36-2903, Dress and Personal Appearance of United StatesAir Force and United States Space Force Personnel."

Soon-to-be-former Major Watson obtained no such permission to wear his uniform to that rally; therefore, by representing himself as a member of the United States Air Force he is in clear violation of the lawful regulation governing his conduct and wear of the uniform.  He is therefore subject to punishment under Article 92 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which is "Failure to Obey a Lawful Order or Regulation." 

At this point one of two things will happen:  the Air Force will give this asshole the opportunity to resign his commission and avoid a courts-martial, or they won't.  They'll exercise their option to bring him up on charges and convene a courts-martial, the end result of which absolutely could be a reduction in rank to Airman Basic, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement at hard labor for a couple of years. 

Considering the attitude and convictions of the current War Secretary, I don't see this asshole being allowed to resign and avoid punishment.  I think Pete Hegseth is gonna tell the Air Force to make an example of him.  And I think that's exactly what should happen.

Let me be clear on this:  I fully support this asshole's right to voice his political opinions, and I applaud his courage and conviction to do so.  BUT - and you knew there had to be a 'but' - doing so while in military uniform is unforgivable no matter what.  When you join the military - and this is the part that civilians don't know and can't understand - you give up certain perceived rights.  (There's a difference in 'perceived' rights and 'actual' rights; more on that tomorrow.)  One of those rights is where, when, and how to voice your political opinions.  Actually, the same regulation I quoted as to the wear of the uniform also says that military members are prohibited from display political signs/bumper stickers on their cars, and should refrain from voicing their political opinions at all.  And this is done in the name of maintaining good order and discipline, a practice I agree with.

EVERYONE who joins the US military whether it be enlisted or as an officer does so voluntarily, and in doing so they agree to give up these perceived rights.  If you can't handle that, then you shouldn't have joined.

By wearing his uniform to a political rally and voicing his opinion while doing so, soon-to-be-former Major Watson did two things:  first, he brought disgrace on himself, the uniform, the Air Force, and the United States.  Second - and most importantly (to me anyway) he violated the oath he took when he assumed his position as a commissioned officer in the US Air Force.

Any man who breaks his oath or goes back on his word cannot be trusted and is NOT worthy of admiration.

It's as simple as that.

Now I'm gonna sit back and see what the Air Force does with this asshole.  

Deo Vindice

IHC  

 

 

Happy 4th of July!

 

One of the things I never stopped to consider during the Bicentennial Celebrations in 1976 was that I'd also be around to see the Sesquicentennial Celebration FIFTY YEARS LATER.  You know, when you're that young - as in 19 years of age - you really never think about things like that.  Hell, you don't even think about things that are going to happen next week, much less fifty years in the future.

But here we are, celebrating the Sesquicentennial, or 250th Anniversary, of the founding of our nation.  Man, where did the time go??

Every time I think about the Bicentennial I always think of two things:  one of them was the prank I pulled on Amn Suzanne Council at the Main Gate while working a midnight shift on the 4th, and the other is the raising of the American and Bicentennial flags every morning for the entire year.  

I'm pretty sure it's the same way now as it was way back then, but in 1976 at Seymour Johnson AFB in Goldsboro, NC the Security Police were responsible for raising the flags in front of Base Headquarters every morning - specifically, the Law Enforcement flights.  While this was no big deal with the US flag, as you can see from the picture at the top of this page it wasn't quite that simple with the Bicentennial flag.  With the flag being all white, at 0600 hours (that's six AM for you civilians) you really couldn't see which end of the flag was which, and the flashlights we carried at that time weren't anywhere near as bright as the LED monsters we all use today.  So at least once a week at 0700 hours the Law Enforcement Desk Sergeant would get a phone call from the Base Commander's office informing the Desk Sergeant that the Bicentennial flag was upside down AGAIN.  So right in the middle of all of the activities that usually took place between 0600 and 0700 hours, someone would have to go take the flag down, flip it over, and then put it back up.  This was a challenge for us for two reasons:  first, shift change took place at 0630 hours, and there was a LOT of stuff that the offgoing flight had to do to prepare.  Second, we only had 3 base patrols, and they were all busy doing the end of shift stuff I just mentioned.  But one way or another somebody would have to go out and "fix the damned flag again!"

Then one day somebody got a simply brilliant idea, one that was so simple someone should have thought of it long before and one that immediately solved the problem of the Bicentennial flag being raised upside-down.  

Somebody spray-painted the top grommet of the flag red.  Brilliant, simply brilliant!  And it worked like a charm, too!  Once that grommet was spray-painted red, that damned flag was never raised upside-down again.  The base commander was happy, which meant that our squadron commander was happy, which meant that we were happy.  Life was good!

Until some wiseass decided to spray-paint the other grommet red, too. 

Do I need to tell you what happened next?

At that point the squadron commander had had enough.  He issued an order to the Flight Chiefs that he didn't care what it took or what they had to do, they were to personally ensure that the Bicentennial flag NEVER went up upside-down again.  So guess who was on the flag raising detail for the rest of the year?  Yep, the Flight Chief!  Usually it was the junior patrol that did it, but after Major Quantock issued his order about the flag, the Flight Chiefs thought it would be a very wise idea if they saw to it themselves because they were the ones who were going to be skinned alive if it happened again.

Still makes me chuckle every time I think of this!

So what prank did I pull on Airman Council at the Main Gate?  Well, it's like this:  the bathroom at the main gate was so narrow that you could touch both side walls without extending your arms all the way, and it was so small that once you sat down on the toilet your knees were only about six or seven inches away from the door.  And you had to be careful not to bump into the sink while sitting down and getting up, which made moving around even more difficult.

Well, my flight worked a midnight shift (ten PM to six AM) on July 4/5 of 1976, and I happened to be on base patrol that night.  The base patrols spent the quiet hours of the night throwing firecrackers at each other as we passed on the streets, and since back in those days NONE of the Air Force vehicles came with air conditioning we were all driving around with our windows down.  Around 2AM or so Suzanne called for a bathroom break, and as the junior patrol I was dispatched to take care of it.  At that time females in the Law Enforcement career field were given the option of wearing male uniforms for duty since they were better suited for wearing a gunbelt with, and that's what Suzanne wore.  So as soon as the door to the bathroom closed I snuck over and put my ear against the door, listening for the distinctive and unmistakable clinking of the buckle of her uniform belt hitting the floor.  When I heard that I pulled a firecracker out of my pocket, put it on the floor in front of the bathroom door, lit the fuse, and then flicked it under the door and into the bathroom.

"OH SHIT!  CRAIG, GODDAMN IT!"  BANG!

I didn't wait for her to come out.  I ran out of the gate house laughing my ass off, getting in my truck and leaving just as she came running out, holding her pants up with one hand and her gunbelt in the other.

Yeah, those were the days!

Happy 4th of July! 

Deo Vindice

IHC