From a friend in Seattle, WA

31 May 12

From a friend in Seattle, WA:

“The City of Seattle is in the midst of a significant upswing in gun-related homicides and serious injuries. We had only three by this time last year. Twenty so far this year!

Five yesterday. Single suspect. Three locations. Ended with suspect committing suicide.

In the midst of this latest incident, our mayor, city council, and assistant police chief hastily convened a press-conference:

1) Standard, weary, self-serving, anti-gun rhetoric was predictably rolled out: ‘When you carry a gun, you are more likely to shoot someone,’ we were assured. Then, equally true: ‘Because I carry a gun, I am less likely to be murdered!’ But, of course, that side of the argument never sees the light of day among these paranoid politicians. They really only know one ‘…ism!’

2) The Seattle Police Department, heretofore routinely denigrated by our mayor and city council, was magically transformed from being the disreputable subject of a federal investigation to suddenly ‘the best police department in the country!’ Then, for comic relief, the allegation was made that, because of the ongoing federal investigation, cops have ‘had their hands tied,’ and this has caused the surge in criminality. Excuse-making elevated to an art-form!

3) A member of our city council wants ‘new laws’ to prevent teens from carrying guns. The fact that this is already illegal was lost in the rant.

4) This same city-council member also wants even more unspecified (they never get specific) ‘new laws’ restricting guns in Seattle. The fact that Seattle is precluded from adopting local gun laws by the WA State Constitution was, once again, somehow absent from the claptrap.

We know that, at the end of the day, this will all die down, and our politicians, like politicians everywhere, will go on to other press-conferences on other issues.

Criminals will continue to carry guns. Good cops will continue to do their best. The few bad ones will continue to skate by. Politicians will continue to care only about themselves. And, as always, we peons we will be on our own.

Those of us who go armed, are well-trained, and have the appropriate mind-set will competently protect ourselves, or go down fighting.

Who don’t, will continue to carry a rabbit’s foot.

Oh, and its raining in Seattle.

Some things never change!”

Comment:

“My needs are such, I pretend too much”

From “The Great Pretender,” recorded by The Platters, 1955. Lead singer was Tony Williams.

/John