Armed Pacisfism

Brittney G. over at Nashville is Talking linked to a blog post by Tim at Mother Tongue Annoyances regarding a person's reaction to violence. In essence, he feels that if someone wishes to protect one's self and family with firearms then they are more concerned with fear than the love of the ones they care about.

My take on the matter is simply this: It seems reasonable to me that if I am futzin' around with a firearm or some other kind of lethal weapon, whether that weapon is on my person, in my vehicle, under my bed, or wherever, then I am probably concerned more with fear than I am with loving and caring about my family and other ones who are dear to me.

You should probably read the entire thing. Then, you should come back to read my thoughts on self-defence (which is a different subject than the main reason for the 2nd Amendment...but I digress).
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Ok...welcome back...so. Here's a concept for you...pacifism. Pacifism is a great thing, and I really do try to act in a pacifist manner in my life.

You get honked at or yelled at whilst traveling on the highway. No bodily harm is received...you respond with kindness. Someone threatens you verbally. Again, there's just a threat, but no real harm is done. You respond with kindness or just ignore it. Don't retaliate. This is a great way to live your life. Responding with anger or retaliation in these circumstances/examples will only escalate the violence, and it makes no sense. You will face these types of scenarios every day.

However, there's something else out there you may face. It's a larger evil. It's an evil that is willing to do harm to you and/or your family. No amount of kindness or turning the other cheek will stop it or subdue it. This kind of evil will break into your home...this kind of evil will destroy your life and the lives of your loved ones...this kind of evil will kill you and your family. It exists. Ignoring it will not make it go away.

You must always recognize that evil exists in the world and you should be prepared to face it at some point. You may be able avoid it in your daily activities, but some day, despite your cautiousness, it may come looking for you. It could be in your home...in your private space...etc. The only way to stop it is with force...self-defence...protection of one's self.

This does not mean that you should live in fear. In fact, the simple, common sense recognition of evil's existence does not equate to fear.

To say that someone is "concerned more with fear than I am with loving and caring about my family and other ones who are dear to me" is far from the truth and an entirely wrong premise to begin with. Those who are prepared to defend life with force are just facing the reality of the world we live in. They choose not to ignore the evil that they may one day be forced to face.

I may talk about how cool firearms are (which they are), but in reality, I try to be a pacifist with my personal life. I don't want to bring about harm anyone and/or cause an escalation in violence. However, if I am faced with evil and my life or my family's life is threatened, I am forced into a corner at which point I must respond to stop the evil. Self-defence isn't an escalation of violence...it's putting a stop to it.

The conclusion is this: Being prepared for the reality of evil in the world has nothing to do with fear, but it does has everything to do with common sense.

More: In a passage linked to by Tim, it references the pacifism of Jesus Christ. I agree that Jesus was a pacifist, but Jesus also recognized the existence of evil. Perhaps it was a need for self-defence when Jesus addressed the disciples in Luke 22:35-37.

35Then Jesus asked them, "When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?" "Nothing," they answered.

36He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.

Jesus knew that there were turbulent times ahead and that they must be able to defend themselves from evil. But Jesus taught pacifism. Do these two ideals clash? Not at all...it falls in line with the idea of "armed paficism."

But, you may ask...what about when Jesus commanded Peter to put away his sword in the Garden of Gethsemane? Because Jesus had to go to his death. It was something that had to be done. There were much larger things going on, and Peter could not stand in the way of it...things that go well beyond this discussion.

In the end...my idea of "armed pacifism" still stands.

More II: SayUncle has more.

Newton Sentenced

Well, former Representative Chris Newton is going to jail over bribery charges stemming from Operation Tennessee Waltz. Good for the Feds.

Of course, he was sentenced for one year and a day, so he really won't be serving a year. The extra day at the end insures that he will have the opportunity to get out early for good behavior and all that. I'd say he'll actually spend about 7-9 months in prison total...and that will be in a Federal minimum security camp (I'm guessing Manchester, KY).

On the other hand, I think he should have gotten more...but that's just because of him being a Naifeh lackey and following orders to sink HR 0887 last year.

More: Oh yeah. I failed to mention that the esteemed Memphis former Senator John Ford's corruption trial has been postponed for at least eight months...just in time for his nephew's election campaign for the U.S. Senate. I'm sure that delights Junior's campaign team.

Photoblogging - Batman's Roost

This would be one of the views that Batman would have of Nashville...

I was playing around with night photography and depth of field. I wanted the foreground as well as the background to have a similar "glow" along with having good sharpness and clarity on the foreground. I think I came close. I was less concerned with framing on this one. I'll have to play around with the technique some more.

Full size image here.

For some excellent night photography, I'll have to point you toward this person's flickr site. Click and scroll. Good stuff.

Nero's Grille

Well, it looks like Green Hills Grille is moving and taking its place will be a restaurant named Nero's Grille.

Apparently there used to be a Nero's Grille in some form or fashion between 1958 and 1976 in the area. As far as the name goes...Nero...that really doesn't conjure up thoughts of good dining...at least to me (as a student of history). I guess Hitler's Steak Haus and Pinochet's Pizza Parlor would probably have been good choices...or even Pol Pots Frying Pan.

Hey, I'm just sayin'. Maybe matricide, a burning city, and crispy Christians do make for excellent dining.

ChuckNorrisFacts.com

Over the past couple of months, I've gotten more hits from the post on Chuck Norris facts than any other post...ever. Then there was the Washington Post article in early January.

A few weeks ago, I noticed that a new web site was being readied that would realize this legend to its fullest. That web site has now been unveiled. ChuckNorrisFacts.com

Now, via this modern marvel of web technology, you can buy a t-shirt with your favorite Chuck Norris fact or saying emblazoned across it so that you can show everyone that you are an official part of the Chuck Norris Nation (remember...we don't live in a democracy, it's a Chucktatorship).

By the way...Chuck Norris has responded to this new-found mania via his official web site. Check it out. Oh, and for those that think Reagan brought down the Soviet Union...think again. They actually decided to quit after watching a DeltaForce marathon on Satellite TV.

Boy-Cry-Wolf Politics in Action

I was going to stay out of the fray over the Cheney hunting accident, but the vitriolic hate from the left in this country never ceases to amaze me.*

Political hate is getting in the way of reasonable thinking here. Everyone is either making this into a laughing matter (which it's not) or using it for political gain in one way or another.

Don't get me started on the press either. They're just mad because they didn't get the first scoop on the story. Word of advice to the White House press corps...get over yourselves.

All of this is just a prime example of why the left (and separately the press) can't get anything done in this country. They use every little opportunity to attack what they see as the great evil (the Bush administration), but they only end up making a big deal out of nothing over and over again...the ultimate political, boy-crying-wolf scenario. Yes, there are many things to be critical of with this administration, but the way the left goes about things, they end up losing all credibility.

Look, there was a hunting accident (yes...it was an accident) in Texas. Let's just thank God that Whittington is doing well now and move on.

Not only should we be concerned about the well-being of Cheney's friend but of the Vice President himself. I don't think some people know the emotional/psychological roller coaster that such an accident can take you on. It can really mess with you. I have a good friend that was driving down the street one day, obeying all the traffic laws, and as he crested a hill, he ran over a drunk guy that was just lying in the middle of the street. It was a complete accident, and it wasn't my friend's fault (after all, the guy had laid down in the street and was drunk), but my friend was really emotionally scarred. The drunk guy did survive, but it still bothers my friend to this day (that was about 15 years ago).

Now, as Forrest Gump would say...that's all I have to say about that.

*Note: Why did I feel like Glen Dean when I said that? Odd.

Record-Breaking Photo

A photograph of a moonlit pond taken in 1904 sold at auction yesterday for $2.9 million setting a record for the highest amount ever paid for a single photograph.

A photograph of a pond taken by Edward Steichen sold for more than $2.9 million yesterday, easily setting a world record for the highest amount a photograph has sold for at auction, Sotheby's said.

The photograph, titled "The Pond-Moonlight" and taken on Long Island in 1904, sold for $2,928,000, including the buyer's premium, said Matthew Weigman, a Sotheby's spokesman. It was bought by Peter MacGill, of Pace/MacGill Gallery, on behalf of a private collector.

The picture can be seen here (via J-Walk Blog).

PSB Institute

The PSB Institute. It's a new, interesting non-profit/energy-saving/problem-solving/whatever-venture by Ze Frank. See the video here (Quicktime required).

Speaking of Ze Frank (and because tomorrow is Valentine's Day), I point you back to his thoughts on Valentine's Day again.

Pure hilarity.

Published Picture

I had one of my pictures published in All the Rage last week. It's a picture of the band Ide and appears in the paper's print edition (I'm not credited).

It's still in rotation on the front page of All the Rage's web site (Why I Rock: Ide), but it doesn't appear in the online article.

Here's the version I preferred out of the group though (slightly different from the one in print):

Update: A few hours after posting this, the picture was added to the online article.

Let it snow

The new snow totals prediction is in. 3"-6" predicted for the area.

I pulled out the Land Rover this morning and affixed the radiator muff to the grille so that I could get some heat out of the engine. Since this thing was made for desert travel in mind, the thing doesn't really warm up in the winter.

So...if traffic gets to be a hassle, I'll just head off road...maybe.

Update: Well, so much for a good snow storm.

Pork-Barrel Reduction Act

At 10:30am Eastern time today, Senators Coburn, McCain, Feingold, Bayh, Kyl, Ensign, Graham, Sununu, DeMint, and Cornyn will be introducting the Pork-Barrel Reduction Act. This act is designed to shine a light on the abused appropriations process and will be a necessary first step toward helping eliminate pork-barrel politics.

Here are the details of the Act:

-Creates a new point of order against unauthorized earmarks and policy riders. This point of order allows for the elimination of extraneous individual earmarks and policy riders. Under this provision, only the offending provision would be removed from the appropriations bill or conference report if a point of order was sustained, thus maintaining the integrity of the underlying bill.

-Prohibits federal agencies from spending money on items and earmarks that were only included in unamendable committee or conference reports. This provision requires that all earmarks and spending items be in bill text, allowing for amendment and debate.

-Requires conference reports to be filed and publicly available for at least 48 hours prior to floor consideration. This requirement increases transparency and debate and gives lawmakers and the American public time to review legislation before it receives a vote.

-Strengthens current Senate rules against the conference report inclusion of matter not considered by the House or Senate. This provision prohibits consideration of conference reports containing matter not committed by either the House or Senate. Current rules allow for a point of order against reports with new matter, but many new provisions sneak by when they are attached to must-pass bills that can overcome the point of order.

-Requires full disclosure of any and all earmarks included in bills or conference reports. This provision shines some much needed light on the process by requiring a detailed description of all earmarks, including the identity of the lawmaker seeking the earmark and the earmark’s essential governmental purpose.

-Requires recipients of federal dollars to disclose the amount of money that they spend on registered lobbyists. By increasing transparency and disclosure, this provision reduces the likelihood that taxpayers will unknowingly fund lobbyists who are promoting wasteful earmarks and working against the interests of hard-working taxpayers.

I don't know about you, but this is definitely a bill I can get behind, and I'm glad to see that such an act has bi-partisan backing. However, this bill is sure to be attacked from the likes of Senator "Bridge to Nowhere" Stevens and all the other Congressional porkers.

More: To give you an idea of just how much of a problem Congressional earmarks have become, check out the following charts (click on them for a larger version).

As you can see, from 1996 to 2005, the number of earmarks has skyrocketed from 3,023 to 15,877! The number actually dropped between 1994 (Republican Revolution) to 1996, but since then Congress has lost control.

With the higher number of earmarks has come, of course, a higher cost...

Some have put focus on entitlement savings and shifted the focus away from earmarks as one of the problems in our Federal Government's spending spree, but the following shows the comparison between the cost of earmarks in fiscal year 2005 compared to entitlement savings proposed for not only fiscal year 2006 but also fiscal years 2006-2010!

Just a little food for thought.

More II: The Truth Laid Bear has a tracking page that will keep up with which Senators are supporting the Pork-Barrel Reduction Act. Keep an eye on that page over the next few days to see where your Senators stand after this bill has been introduced. (via Instapundit)

Party Switch in Senate?

State Senator Don McLeary may end up switching parties today...

"I will make a statement about my political future tomorrow afternoon at 5," McLeary told the newspaper from the living room of his home Thursday night.

"If you miss this, you'll miss something big," Madison County Republican Chairman Gary Deaton said.

Republicans currently hold the majority in the Senate, 18-16.

Speculation of his plans to defect from the Democratic party began when he was the only Democrat in the Senate to vote Jan. 17 for a proposal to void the results of a disputed special election narrowly won by Sen. Ophelia Ford, D-Memphis.

Of course, it may not make much of a difference in Senate leadership as Wilder still has two Republican water-boys to keep his position intact.

Every little bit helps though.

Interesting Reads

Interesting items for the day...

- In Bob Krumm's words, Kim McMillan's loophole may have just become a "highway." More from capitol hill reporter Trent Seibert of the Tennessean...

A change of a few words in the proposed ethics bill could mean that another dozen lawmakers might again be allowed to consult for firms that do business with the state — broadening an exemption written into last year's ethics bill.

No surprises...and I'm sure there's plenty more. Even a special ethics session becomes business as usual for the general assembly in Tennessee.

- The Van Wagon seems to have hit a bit of a bumpy road, and Bill Hobbs seems to be the one putting up the orange cones. Read all the comments here.

- I didn't give many thoughts on Bush's visit to Nashville yesterday. It was great to see the President of the United States, but as far as his policies seem to be leading, as a Conservative, I can't follow.

Bob Novak has a great post-State of the Union column up today detailing similar sentiments as mine.

Of course, I did almost fall out in the floor when Bush said that it was the job of the federal government to take care of the elderly and poor. Needless to say, I wasn't clapping. And he then starts talking about lowering the deficit?

Maybe the defeat of DeLay's man, Roy Blunt, as House Majority Leader today is a sign of better times for real Conservatism.

From Reuters...

Rep. Roy Blunt had appeared to be the front-runner, based on a long list of public commitments, but Boehner, who campaigned on a vow to seek to renew the party's "spirit and vision," defeated Blunt and Rep. John Shadegg of Arizona in a secret election by fellow Republicans.

Spirit and vision. I hope that means something like...I don't know...less spending...smaller government maybe? They should also go back and read the Contract of America from '94 and pick up anything they missed there.

- The Ophelia Ford saga continued today. The Federal Judge in Memphis essentially said that the state Senate did have the final say, but went on about how there should be a uniform standard to "protecting the voters' rights" around the state. Hey! Dead people have rights too!