GUNS, GUNS, AND MORE GUNS!

In order to have some understanding of our second amendment rights, I scrolled back over its inception, to at least give us a starting point.

It’s clear that the birth of this “right to bear arms”, comes from the Bill of Rights of 1689 under English common law. The main reason these laws were implemented in England was over the constant confrontation between Roman Catholic and Protestant followers. When James ll died in 1689, a Roman Catholic, the new King William lll of Orange who was a Protestant, had laws passed on guns, some of which have been adopted in the second amendment.

1.     The ten amendments adopted on December fifteenth 1791, included the second amendment. It was described as an, “auxiliary right”, with the paramount reason to defend an individual’s ‘SELF DEFENSE’, amongst other conditions.

2.     In 1876, “The Supreme Court”, ruled that “the right to bear arms” is not granted by the constitution, neither is it in any manner dependent upon that instrument for its existence. It then ruled that the federal government along with States could limit any weapon types not having “reasonable relationship” to the preservation of a well-regulated militia.

3.     James Madison, Father of the constitution, along with George Mason, also became, Fathers of this second amendment. They stated that “the right to bear arms” would not be restricted by British Law.

Since this time the amount of debate that has existed based on the correct wording of this amendment, is enough to fill the Smithsonian Institute.

So where to now? You may well ask. Obviously this so called inalienable right of self defense is not going to be regulated without an uproar.

Photo Credit: Freethoughtproject.com 

So let us go back to the time of the enactment, by Madison and Mason. This was done at a time when this country and its landscape were entirely different. A small island like England, is a not like a vast continent. America has become the largest organized landmass on the face of the Earth. In 1791, this country was not as advanced as the thirteen original colonies. So in the middle of nowhere without a firearm, would have been difficult in view of, Indians, cattle rustlers and horse thieves to say the least. It was necessary for farmers and the like to be able to defend themselves.

Today? It’s a completely different situation.  We can lay hands on an automatic rifle at a time when it’s not as needed as the revolver was then. What I don’t understand is we now have the militia in the form of the National Guard and the police force, so yes I believe in the right of ‘self defense’, but is all this choice of weapons really necessary?

There needs to be a restriction on certain weapons that are better used by the military, unless it’s for ‘hunting purposes’, in which case automatic weapons would be unnecessary.

Photo Credit: CNN

So what’s the conclusion? Congress must limit the type of gun required for self defense, greater training must be given, licenses are issued base upon the skill level and intelligent purpose for the gun’s use. In other words our elected officials must realize that times have changed, what was necessary in 1791 is not the same as today. The amendment criteria needs to be updated, to respect the times we live in, with regard to the right type of gun needed for self protection.

Obviously background checks for a persons’ mental health and/or restricted for persons with a criminal record. Fines made upon suppliers of weapons that have not accomplished a proper audit, on the consumer. Parents, relatives, are subject to fines, confiscation in the event their firearms are too easily acquired by unsafe protection in proper gun racks, by family and anyone without a designated license.

The above is easily enforced, as it is in most civilized nations. Will it happen? I doubt it. I guess the fact that our country has a 10.64 deaths per 100k people is senseless. The UK is .23 per 100K. If we can keep out the terrorists, we can surely tighten down on so many of these loop holes, yes?

So why? You may well ask. The manufacturing of fire arms is big business, not only here but through arms dealers, who have ways of putting them into the hands of rogue nations and undesirable people such as terrorists and the like. Some exports are legitimate, but not all. In addition this means jobs. So big money is being made and the firearm manufacturers can spend inaudible amounts on campaign financing. These so-called super pacts are well known, in particular one, which fanatically lobbies against change.

So are we all going to stand back and be a fly on the wall? Or stand-up for what is truly right. I’m not advocating for the abolition of the second amendment, I’m asking for a review of its wording in today’s world, for common sense values to take place. How many more people must die before stricter, better, more sensible rules, regulations and accountability are put in place?  

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2016

Before I begin on the New Year I must reflect on the past twelve months. What a year of change? The rise of ISIS, a new form of terrorism. The ridiculous number of candidates for the Republican Party, and the Hillary Clinton email fiasco. Nothing like American politics to keep up a great ‘soap opera’! The price of oil crashing to thirty dollars a barrel from all time highs, enough to send many nations into a tailspin financially. All these factors will now set the stage for 2016.

So who’s going to win the nomination? Not Donald Trump that’s a certainty. Yes he has a good platform and some refreshing ideas, but talk and implementation are two very different scenarios. I’m all for stricter background checks for immigrants, but where do we draw the line? Has anyone read and understood ‘sharia law’, how this religious viewpoint can be acceptable to a predominantly Christian nation belies all logic. We worship the same God, but the very principals of our nation and constitution are in direct conflict with the Muslim way of life. How can we all have these so called inalienable rights when a husband has the right to rape his wife or wives? Of all the world religions how can these laws be permitted in a western society? To my way of seeing matters, I am a Brit and proud of my birthright, but I live in America and I have sworn allegiance to the flag and this country and I am duty bound to uphold those rights as a citizen. Anyone who doesn’t put forward and abide by our laws, should return to the their land of origin, where such values are acceptable. In short this is the USA, and although there is a right to worship freely, I draw a line when it undermines the very value system we uphold!

Well, enough of that. So who’s going to be our next president? It’s obvious, Hillary Clinton. Is it my choice? No, but she has the best credentials for world politics, as a former First Lady, Senator and Secretary of State and a husband that balances her well with experienced delivery and ‘detente’ at home and abroad. The Republican Party is too fractured and unfocused, hence the number of candidates. Religious evangelicals, fanatical far right opinions, on gun laws, election campaign contributions, and a myriad of views that conflict, rather than a united plan toward a common purpose. If they don’t do more to appeal to the minorities, they are certainly going to lose the election.

The rise in technology will undoubtedly conflict with job growth, through automation. Our future is definitely in R & D and maintaining leadership in the world of technology, so education of our up and coming generation and reeducation is essential for the nation as a whole in order to keep pace with jobs and healthy futures for the middle class. Incentives must also keep pace with innovation. Potential knew entrepreneurs who, and what they do, are the lifeblood of our country in job creation.

Finally, and most importantly we must take a completely new look at the enforcement of law at every level. The amount of discord between minorities and law enforcement is overwhelming, and proof that innovation must exist to find meaningful ways for those among our society that are least considered. ‘The first is only as good as the last,’ and the ‘wealth of a nation is its people’!

In the words of JFK, ‘Ask not what your country can do for you, but more importantly what can you do for your country?’

My best wishes to all of you, for a  ‘Happy and Prosperous New year’!

MUSLIM CONUNDRUM

 

How does one navigate this vast number of people who have their originated belief in the Prophet Mohammed? Mainly divided into two sects with various smaller groups, who align themselves with either of the two main entities, of which 85% are Sunni and 15% Shia. These are people who have become the center of wrath within the world community, and appear to have no central control of unity among the majority. They don’t even show or voice an opinion about these contemptible actions and behavior, taken by their own people. Does this mean the Arab nations here and abroad agree with their own people’s atrocious and vile example to the rest of the world? Or is this fragmented enormous following of 1.45 billion, believe that by standing back, and doing nothing, it will all  go away just like a bad dream, while the rest of the world has to clean up this unforgivable and tragic mess, not only to non Muslims, but to their own Muslims?  A  significant amount of these religious followers, are not all militant. What remains a mystery to the rest of the world is why this non violent majority do not stand up, stand out, and let the rest of world know that they find what their people are doing, by causing pain, death, and conflict amongst the rest of humanity, is unforgivable?

In order to understand this peculiar set of circumstances, we must take a deeper look, at this faith and belief system, which has commanded such conflict between the East and West. Who and what are these people, who seem to have no consideration for the way the world perceives them to be? To be a Muslim today in the West, must be one of the worst feelings possible. To belong and be among the most untrusted race of people on the face of this Earth. So why? Is it because they have brought this reputation upon them, or do we have a responsibility in the outcome of such outrageous behavior?

To understand the present we must take an overview of the past. When Rome split at the demise of its corrupt and failed administration from within, around 400AD, it must be remembered that the Eastern part of the empire continued to flourish, with Constantinople as its new capital, later to become known as the Byzantine Empire. Rome did not come to an end in fact it integrated into the East, which evolved eventually into the Ottoman Empire in 1453, which then lasted until the first world war. This region of the world had its ups and downs, but the lasting effect of Roman culture upon this region and beyond, is probably one of the greatest historical contributions to the modern civilized world of any nation ever! In reality this part of the world was advancing with great wealth and 

prosperity, while Europe experienced what is known as the ‘Dark Ages’.

So what went wrong? Saddam Hussein promoted to his place of elevation by virtue of his Ba’athist party over Iraq, had great dreams of a united National Islamic power. With oil in abundance and the potential of a Sunni dominated Islamic Republic, his delusions of grandeur became overwhelming, and to have superiority over the West, for him, would be a dream come true. His only problem, being a Sunni himself, and ruling over a primarily majority Shiite population in Iraq, didn’t help him defeat another Shia majority during his eight year war with Iran. This persistent minority sect of the Muslim religion stood defiant against the Sunni majority of the rest of Islam.

Ayotallah Khomeini vs. Shah of Iran

Before the West had influence and a relationship with the Shah of Iran, and Iran was fast becoming westernized, it appeared that spelled the beginning of a magnificent western relationship with this region of the world. Then the hardliners of the Shia Muslim community stirred anger among the poorer communities, and incited rebellion, which brought about the end of any hope, once the Shah was exiled. Under the strict die hard Muslim cultured Ayatollah Khomeini, Iran disrupted its relationship with the West, and there began the erosion of western influence. This distinct defiance by this Islamic region of the world, against the rest of the world, started a new era.

After the demise of the Ottoman Empire, Islam felt a need to protect its origins and culture, and saw western culture and its influence as a direct threat to the very core of its existence. At the end of WW II, the creation of the new Israel state in 1948, after the atrocities Hitler had taken against the Jews in his concentration camps, resulted in an even bigger threat to the Muslim community. The outcome, a growing hatred for the West was now being manifested from within the Muslim community.  Even Russia displayed its distaste for the West by the cold war, after WW II. Seeing the growing prosperity of the Unites States.

 With two regions of the world quietly conspiring, in their own way wanted to stop the rise of ‘Western Imperialism’, seen to be the very source of world domination. The result, indoctrination of the East began, and propaganda was spread to diminish the very essence of what the West was all about. These nations began to slip away from a prosperity that could have been shared by all. After all, the East had the oil, and the West was willing to buy?

Now look at the mess. After the ‘Viet Nam war’ the USSR bankrupted itself in helping China and the Viet Cong overcome South Viet Nam, and what for? George Bush Jr. not taking the advice of his father, had to prove weapons of mass destruction, in order to have cause to displace Saddam Hussein. The continual strife that has been a constant irritant, is the presence of Israel. Seen as the West’s watchdog on Islam, and making sure its plans for actions against the West could be kept under control.  in all reality one can only blame the West, for its inability to explain its foreign policies towards the East. However the way events unfolded certainly did not help the West’s chances for peace, glimmers of hope have existed.

Eventually the American troops left Iraq as planned, with a total lack of understanding of what the Al-Maliki regime was creating. In addition the ousting of all Ba’athists’ initially, by the American ambassador with the authority of  President Bush and the validation of the pentagon, proved to be the first biggest mistake of all. They were all Sunni and a necessary component of the Iraqi government. All were let go with their weapons to make way for a new and better to be trained Shia army. By who? Yes the American forces…. Oh but they left?

Now President Al-Maliki was ready to work toward further collusion with Iran, to bring about a more powerful Shia representation against his own Sunni nationals, and increase its power base toward the West. Understand, Iran, Iraq and Syria are, geographically splitting Turkey from Saudi Arabia! Two Sunni Muslim countries now separated by this Shia power block. Maliki completely defied the United States having been advised by General David Petraeus, to rehire the more superior Sunni forces, who were better fighters than the Shia, back into his administration. Maliki being the staunched Shia that he was, and who had helped the U.S. conspire to topple Saddam Hussein, was in no way going to allow that, also knowing this would be unacceptable Iran, would allow this. Now the U.S. not only had enemies from the Shiites of this region, but even worse, enemies from Sunni Muslims who were disenfranchised by their own people? When the U.S. troops left, this brought about an enormous power vacuum. Maliki was free to do his backdoor deals with Iran and Syria, again being Shia, and now we have the newly formed Russia as well. This was probably one of the worst political blunders in modern day history! We then ask ourselves, why do we have Al Qaeda, ISIS and a host of other factions that are so absolutely furious at the way our country has ripped asunder, a part of the world that was already sensitive to the West?

So now what you may well ask? Is the picture becoming clearer? Obviously allowing a movement of angry Sunni Muslims under the banner of trying to create a newly formed Islamic State is preposterous. Recruiting western followers, who have hatred, and indoctrination against their own kind, is the result of having their own frustrations realized, and gives them a very dangerous reason to become an ignominious hero.

It means war, and one that must be carried out with the complete cooperation of the West. It must be decisive and swift, and executed immediately. What’s done is done, we can only look forward and show the rest of the world however you may feel about the past that we will defend our way of life and in spite of the absolute stupidity of previous administrations, this matter must be ‘put to bed, once and for all’. However no half measures, all out.

I believe the western world must develop a team of soldiers that are of the highest quality, trained to an elite level. Each nation would contribute in a manner according to its size, and influence within the world. Our way of life must be defended and protected in a manner that the whole world will see that wherever situations of this magnitude may arise, there is a team on alert, ready to go anywhere in the world. I personally believe the United Nations has tried to bring countries together, but now requires complete reorganization, what’s needed is the power of diplomacy with an iron fist, backed by the ability to impose its will where needed, to protect the values and way of life that we in the west all stand for. Of course we will always attempt peace before action, but sometimes there is a time for talk to cease and action to take place!

I hope my words don’t drop on deaf ears. Let’s take action now to make our world a better and safer place. As for the Arab nations, who disagree with Islam’s example, stand up and be counted, and join those people who have honored so many of you in the West!