2nd and last second amendment post

I knew I'd get a response like that from someone. I know that is a huge issue, which is why I'm addressing it and taking a FIRM stand on it. I've heard people agree that gun laws should tighten up, then follow up the statement with something to the effect of, "but well, for hunting it would be ok." and "if people where taught how to handle and use a gun properly it would be ok."

It's still not okay. Here's why.

I have never believed in hunting. It is my opinion that it is wrong to kill innocent animals for no good reason. However, I understand that many people enjoy hunting as a sport, and claim that hunting keeps certain animal populations in check. I'm not addressing the animal-rights angle of the argument here, but I have to say first and foremost that the whole "population check" argument is ridiculous. Why does there have to be this so-called check in the first place? Probably because hunters and poachers eliminated the predators in the area for that particular prey item in the first place. Probably because human beings are destroying huge swatches of natural habitat on a daily basis and these animals have nowhere to go. Probably because human beings introduce more animals than a particular ecosystem can hold for the express purpose of creating a hunting reservation. I promise that 200 years ago, the prey animal population got along just fine without us here to "keep it in check."

Hunting would STILL BE ABLE TO HAPPEN without guns. There are some high-tech, crazy assed bows out on the market that would do the same job. Granted, shotguns and rifles are far more neeto-burrito than bows and arrows, and those dang varmints sure do drop it like its hot when they're hit with a good ol' fashioned shotgun round, but it would still do the job.

I undestand completely that "Not all people who own guns are psychos." and I don't need to be constantly reminded. I don't believe that only nuts own guns. What I am saying is that psychos CAN get their hands on firearms, with almost ridiculous ease, and accidents DO happen to good, responsible people. Think of it this way. (Madonna, I love you, and I don't mean to pick on you, but you used exactly the arguments I expect, and I enjoy arguing, and this is in no way personal.) Parents who enjoy hunting want to confer the past time to their children. Hunting is fun, builds character, takes place in the great outdoors, and teaches respect for firearms. These people are obviously advocates of firearms being readily availible to the general public, being people who smart with their weapons and very safe. The child grows up to know how to use a weapon, to handle a weapon safely, and to be able to shoot a varmint from 200 yards.

It doesn't matter. This kid is JUST as likely to be the victim of a hunting accident. They happen. Google Dick Cheney. This kid is JUST as likely to be shot in a hold-up. This kid is JUST as likely to be shot while he or she is sitting in a classroom at a high school or university. And in that instance, all his gun safety knowledge comes to NAUGHT, unless he or she has a weapon, at that exact moment, with which to defend himself.

But we all agree arming the general population is ridiculous and out of the question.

Another argument is that the public has every right to own firearms to defend our family and property. What is the likelihood that your personal defense weapon will actually come into play during an armed robbery? When you hear a noise downstairs at night, how many people go downstairs automatically carrying a gun? If you have a lock on your door and an alarm system, you would probably have more time to turn on the lights and call the police than to bust your weapon out of its SECURE location that is hopefully not located in one of the bedrooms, load it, and go downstairs to do what, engage in a fierce firefight? I doubt that the scenario that many people have in their heads, of heroically brandishing a shotgun while two home-aloneesque robbers drop the tv and scurry in all directions, actually comes to pass.

I know I'm being extremely opinionated, and maybe a bit harsh, but guess what. This is what it comes down to. These school shootings happen constantly, and what am I supposed to do, lay down like a doormat when some asshole could come into my lecture hall at ANY TIME and shoot me and my classmates for NO REASON with a gun he purchased legally?!?! Give me a damn break!I understand firearms can be purchased illegally, however I refuse to accept that we're okay with living in a country that actually ENABLES these tragedies! I have friends at NIU that I haven't talked to for years that I was calling frantically to make sure they were still alive. God forbid my mother have to call my phone like that when she hears some fucked up asshole that went off his medication decided to mow down a classroom of students at UWF with some weapon he casually picked up at the local walmart.

DISCLAIMER: although I have been harsh, I still love and adore members of my family who disagree with me.

Another post from roach insomniac

At this rather inoppurtune time, I would like to express my profound disgust for the opinions, beliefs, and political standing of select members of this family. I won't name names, to protect the identity of the people who hold these opinions of stupidity. Instead, I would rather simply address "conservatives," as a whole, that is, aka, "dumbasses" as a whole.

First and foremost, in the wake of the shootings at NIU, let me just say that someone needs to take white-out to the goddamn second amendment. Let's wake up here people. It's not the early 1800s anymore. We aren't defending ourselves from the redcoats. We neither churn our own butter, nor kill our breakfast with a musket or other firearm who's loading consists of 5 minutes of frantic jamming of gunpowder with a stick. We no longer have a government that is housed in a shanty surrounded by a wood fence and guarded by 5 year olds with sabers. The second amendment, taken in its original contect, that being, "to defend ourselves from the british and native americans, and to possibly overthrow the government if a wild hair goes up our ass," is OBSOLETE. We no longer HAVE A MILITIA. We have a POLICE FORCE, NATIONAL GUARD, AND MILITARY who are more than tickled to do the job FOR US....this is why we pay taxes. We no longer have a government that we can overthrow with an angry mob of 50 people wielding pitchforks and small arms, as wonderful as that would be. These are the reasons this amendment was created in the first place. This is 200+ years later, people. Times change.

Now lunatics can run around willy nilly with deadly goddamn weapons that they purchased LEGALLY, walk into schools, and shoot up whomever they please. There is no way to prevent this. It isn't logical to put up metal detectors at EVERY door in a university. So school shootings have become something that we have consented to just "live with" like they're just a fact of life. WTF!?!?!

Is there a solution to gun violence in the USA? HELL NO. Crazy asses will always be able to get their hands on firearms, if they really want to, proven by my hick neighbors cleaning their AK-47s and accidentally shooting babies. There is no avoiding this fact. But let's face it, instances like the shooting at NIU would CERTAINLY decrease if firearms were outlawed completely. This would also decrease the instances of 5 year olds finding daddies berreta in a shoebox and shooting the babysitter.

Here's the best part of all of this. Ready? This is how people reacted to the shootings at NIU. This is a direct quote. "If all the kids in that stadium were armed, this would have never happened!"

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?

It's actually a popular argument, and one used by ONE OF US! If we arm the public, or the majority of it, people could protect themselves! Self defense would prevail!!!! Everyone would be safe in this magical world of bristling citizens! Foolproof! Give women weapons to carry in their purses! Sheer brilliance! Where would men carry their awesome weapon of manlihood, their hip pockets?! Better not scratch your balls, guys.

Anyone with half a brain can see what chaos that would cause. Can you imagine? You'd live in perpetual goddamn fear, that someone would take a gesture the wrong way, and shoot you. That someone would get road rage, and shoot you. You're rooting around in your purse, looking for your wallet. The cashier sees the butt of your weapon. Shoots you. Forget drunk driving! Drunk shooting would be far better!!!!! What fun! And you better believe as soon as someone saw ONE interaction go down on the street, that everyone around them would start shooting in self defense. How ridiculous is this argument? How many times a week do you think a police officer would shoot an armed citizen?The police will draw on you if they so much as see a water gun that isn't rainbow colored and emblazoned with the word NERF in neon letters. You morons cannot be serious.

Being up at 2:00 in the morning terrified of roaches makes me ornery.

CAN YOU IMAGINE IF I WERE ARMED?!?!

1 a.m. and no sleep tonight

I am straight up, hissy fit terrified right now folks. I have to say I've put up several posts mostly joking about roaches and bug problems, but I have to level here. I am in a state of hyperalert terror. Tonight was the 2nd RLR (ridiculously large roach) sighting in only 3 days. The worst part about these sightings, in my humble opinion, is the fact that I apparently have some sort of ESP about them now. Ask Chris, but earlier this evening, while I was crafting picture frames, I literally spontaneously said, "Tonight seems like a roach night to me." Keep in mind I said this same thing the other day, when we saw the other critter. That's frikin' frightening, in of itself.

Sure enough, 3 hours later, Angel is laying peacefully on the couch while Chris and I watch Beetlejuice, when she suddenly pounces off the couch and starts chasing something around the kitchen, and I'm standing on the bed, shrieking. The goddamn thing runs all over the apartment with Chris chasing it with a napkin, and Angel running after him meowing her fool head off. Thankfully, he CRINGINGLY killed it. It was so big my balls of steel, bug vanquishing boyfriend was even freaked out by it! Unthankfully, it was twice the size of the one a few nights ago, and lo and behold, AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT SPECIES. Goddamnit! I just want to know, what's next! How big will the next one be! What did I do to deserve this shitty bug karma!!! (moved to Florida. Oh yeah.)

My theory is that they are somehow getting into a crevice outside near the closet(we're in the corner apparent, nearest the goddamn prehistoric insect forest) , and the closet is the portal through which they come. All different types are living in that damn closet, I know it! I go in that closet once a day to get my scrubs...just my scrubs, mind you, I will NOT brave the fucking cockroach portal twice a day to change from school to work clothes! Oh no! And you can just forget working out! Let me also just add that if I so much as feel a tag brush my ass crack after I put my scrubs on, all screamy meemy hell breaks loose. At least our kitchen isn't infested, because I can hear the little buggers in there eatin' the wallpaper paste! Holy hell!

It is now...1:30 and no sleep for Trish. Chris is next to me passed out, despite increasingly slurring protestations of "Imma not gonna godo sleeeeep..until you do babe.....uchchchcee....snore..." This is an irrational phobia, family. What the hell do I do about this. I'm watching my cat like a damn hawk, making sure she doesn't spontaneously leap, because I've come to understand that to be a BAD SIGN...however the cat is stupid, and sometimes leaps to paw at a tag in the carpeting, or something. So, she's good in that she recons the roaches, but bad because shes made me develop a tick and drastically increased my paranoia, cuz that dumbass is always running around this apartment attacking things randomly.

Thank god I'm moving to a place that's a one bedroom ( I can run from them) where I can actually sleep in my queen bed from home (not a murphy bed 5 inches from the ground, roach crawling territory) and theres not a gigantic frikin huge ass forest behind me!!! Please, my friends. Google "florida wood cockroach" and "american cockroach" and enjoy the hairy beast that's been tormenting me. I have to pee. That's not happening. This is a long, rambling post, but what else am I to do. Lately, to keep my mind off this hellhole, I've been crafting...uh....everything. Maybe I'll glue some more shells to $1 picture frames or make a windchime or something. Who the hell knows. Mom told me to take a pottery class, but that's a joke. Pottery is for 500 year old native americans with 1 tooth.

Apartment hell!!! (I finally remembered my password!!)

Yes, this is me buried in a quagmire of crap, and it all came out of the attic. We are moving, folks.

Excellent reasons to break a lease:

1. Space to living organisms ration- .00000000005 : 10 (Not counting roaches. Yes, I will get to that.) Place may be considered too small under the circustances that: getting from the bathroom to the door is much like the obstacle course in the crucible portion of a marine's training, two people cannot be in the bathroom at the same time to brush teeth, one person and one cat in bathroom is considered claustrophobic, coffee table must be moved out of the way to accomodate bed, cleaning apartment each morning is a feat of epic proportions considering the amount of furniture that must be rearranged to allow for normal, everyday living.

2. Mattress reeks like methane-producing archaebacteria from the earth's core, for unknown reasons, and continues to get worse, garbage disposal breaks randomly and at most inoppurtune times, heater actually works only when it feels like it, refrigerator door will not close all the way, freezer door requires force in excess of 600 tons per square foot to open, fan will not turn on, will only make extremely loud buzzing noise.

3. Small, suspiciously cockroach-like bugs are being found in bathroom, 2 weeks later, suspicious noises for closet turn out to be mastodon-sized behemoth roach, orkin man comes and informs you that your neighbors seem "to enjoy having roaches" and two weeks after that your cat is chasing a cockroach around your apartment that is approximatly the same size as her and runs at a steady clip of 65 mph. Roach continues to live after being crushed repeatedly with a cookie tin with same force used to open freezer door.

We are moving the hell out, to a one bedroom, before I lose my damned sanity.