Thursday, April 9, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
America, living (and dying) on the edge
Forgive my pontificating, but is the price for American liberty now that you simply accept the fact that you may be shot to death in a senseless mass killing?
The old equation that you could just stay out of ghettos (or 7-11 at 3 am) and you'd be fine seems over. Not that certain areas are not still statistically safer, but there's no real, inviolable sanctuary. From school killing to killing at a nursing home, you as a US citizen get to live your whole life under the gun
But for most people the threat still seems remote. It can't happen here, it can't happen to me etc. Having been on the wrong side of a gun three times in my life (New Orleans, the tourist section of San Juan PR, and Philadelphia - only the last was in a ghetto), I cannot subscribe to that any longer.
Did the founding fathers intend a society that seems to have a death wish when they supposedly established the supposedly individual constitutional right to bear arms?
On the other hand, you can go to Europe and seem like a tough guy. "That's right, we live on the edge and wouldn't have it any other way, you wimps." What can compete with being shot at to liven up an otherwise routine day or event? Cheap Thrills!(except for the undertakers bill).
The old equation that you could just stay out of ghettos (or 7-11 at 3 am) and you'd be fine seems over. Not that certain areas are not still statistically safer, but there's no real, inviolable sanctuary. From school killing to killing at a nursing home, you as a US citizen get to live your whole life under the gun
But for most people the threat still seems remote. It can't happen here, it can't happen to me etc. Having been on the wrong side of a gun three times in my life (New Orleans, the tourist section of San Juan PR, and Philadelphia - only the last was in a ghetto), I cannot subscribe to that any longer.
Did the founding fathers intend a society that seems to have a death wish when they supposedly established the supposedly individual constitutional right to bear arms?
On the other hand, you can go to Europe and seem like a tough guy. "That's right, we live on the edge and wouldn't have it any other way, you wimps." What can compete with being shot at to liven up an otherwise routine day or event? Cheap Thrills!(except for the undertakers bill).
Saturday, April 4, 2009
44, er, make that 47 dead, and I'm hauled away!
Thank you Supreme Court! In the past month, counting today, the US has had 47 people die in mass shootings, including seven police officers. That's probably more than the American casualties in Iraq in the same period.
Today a man who feared that Obama would somehow take his guns away shot three officers to death in Pittsburgh, all while wearing a bulletproof vest of his own (don't barricade yourself in your home without it).
This followed a mass killing in Binghamton, NY, in which 13 immigrants taking a course for citizenship were killed.
Unfortunately, mass killing is about all you need to know about being an American citizen today.
I wonder if a teacher shouted above the gunfire "look, isn't it wonderful, that man is exercising his second amendment rights!"
I've already written that someone should give the NRA a dose of its own medicine by "airing out" their offices (spraying it with gunfire - while nobody is in the building, though unfortunately that's hard to tell.) Guns should also be allowed in the halls of Congress and the Supreme Court, since they so reverently believe in our need for militias of one.
Maybe it might be better just to bring them into the Congressional and Senatorial offices of NRA supporters. All at once, though unloaded. It would make a statement (and get people arrested).
Sign up now with me, and you too can get charged with conspiracy to commit your second amendment rights. Wait, there's someone at the door. They've got dark jackets on ...FB?..FB something is written on their backs. Hey!...wait a minute!...I can explain! ... no!...no! .....
Today a man who feared that Obama would somehow take his guns away shot three officers to death in Pittsburgh, all while wearing a bulletproof vest of his own (don't barricade yourself in your home without it).
This followed a mass killing in Binghamton, NY, in which 13 immigrants taking a course for citizenship were killed.
Unfortunately, mass killing is about all you need to know about being an American citizen today.
I wonder if a teacher shouted above the gunfire "look, isn't it wonderful, that man is exercising his second amendment rights!"
I've already written that someone should give the NRA a dose of its own medicine by "airing out" their offices (spraying it with gunfire - while nobody is in the building, though unfortunately that's hard to tell.) Guns should also be allowed in the halls of Congress and the Supreme Court, since they so reverently believe in our need for militias of one.
Maybe it might be better just to bring them into the Congressional and Senatorial offices of NRA supporters. All at once, though unloaded. It would make a statement (and get people arrested).
Sign up now with me, and you too can get charged with conspiracy to commit your second amendment rights. Wait, there's someone at the door. They've got dark jackets on ...FB?..FB something is written on their backs. Hey!...wait a minute!...I can explain! ... no!...no! .....
Thursday, April 2, 2009
The Immigrant Sheild
An Arab store owner is killed in Crown Heights, just another example of what I call "The Immigrant Shield." This means that immigrants take jobs that can be dangerous while serving poor minority populations that Americans would never do, like driving cabs and running convenience stores in ghettos.
Their willingness to be on the front lines of our country's biggest social problem protects the rest of us. We can pontificate on crime and racism while never actually having to deal with it directly. We can condemn the white working class for their supposed bigotry. After all, "They" don't come to our stores and businesses, and we don't have to serve them in their neighborhoods as delivery men, gas men etc.
Yesterday, me and a friend ate at a place called Mexican Village in Princeton's Hispanic neighborhood, which used to be its small black ghetto. A black kid came in dressed in what looked like a parody of a gangster rapper, with an oversized knit cap covering his eyes, a hoodie, drooping pants, and a medallion of some sort hanging way down near his navel.
He just wanted something to eat, but the place was definitely freaked out for a minute or two. Yes, even tolerant, open minded liberals.
Their willingness to be on the front lines of our country's biggest social problem protects the rest of us. We can pontificate on crime and racism while never actually having to deal with it directly. We can condemn the white working class for their supposed bigotry. After all, "They" don't come to our stores and businesses, and we don't have to serve them in their neighborhoods as delivery men, gas men etc.
Yesterday, me and a friend ate at a place called Mexican Village in Princeton's Hispanic neighborhood, which used to be its small black ghetto. A black kid came in dressed in what looked like a parody of a gangster rapper, with an oversized knit cap covering his eyes, a hoodie, drooping pants, and a medallion of some sort hanging way down near his navel.
He just wanted something to eat, but the place was definitely freaked out for a minute or two. Yes, even tolerant, open minded liberals.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Gay Bashin' is the Fashion?
Tourguider must admit to a bit of skepticism on the issue of Gay Bashing. Who really does this now, after gayness and acceptance seems to suffuse the culture just about anywhere?
The thought was brought on by an article on how the pier that sticks out into the Hudson from the end of Christopher St., was a haven for LBGT-whatever youth.
Well, you'll always find bullying in kids, caused by something as simple as what kind of shoes they wear, so I believe that. But the idea of gangs of youth cruising Chelsea to attack adult gay men seems farfetched. It's like going to South Williamsburg to Jew-Bash. You would have to find someone very alone.
On the other hand, there was a sickening assault on two hetero Latino men in Queens walking with arms around each other, when a man with a bat not only assaulted the two, but came back when he saw one still moving and clubbed him to death.
Incredibly, the bat-wielder actually said "so I killed someone. Does that make me a bad guy?" Is this absolute amorality or immorality?
Once again, New York seems to be a great market for Louisville Sluggers, as so many bat attacks in the past attest. Do people who swing baseball bats at other people's heads really believe that they won't kill them at worst or cause permanent brain damage at best? I guess the National Bat Association (NBA) would be a hell of a lobbying force.
The thought was brought on by an article on how the pier that sticks out into the Hudson from the end of Christopher St., was a haven for LBGT-whatever youth.
Well, you'll always find bullying in kids, caused by something as simple as what kind of shoes they wear, so I believe that. But the idea of gangs of youth cruising Chelsea to attack adult gay men seems farfetched. It's like going to South Williamsburg to Jew-Bash. You would have to find someone very alone.
On the other hand, there was a sickening assault on two hetero Latino men in Queens walking with arms around each other, when a man with a bat not only assaulted the two, but came back when he saw one still moving and clubbed him to death.
Incredibly, the bat-wielder actually said "so I killed someone. Does that make me a bad guy?" Is this absolute amorality or immorality?
Once again, New York seems to be a great market for Louisville Sluggers, as so many bat attacks in the past attest. Do people who swing baseball bats at other people's heads really believe that they won't kill them at worst or cause permanent brain damage at best? I guess the National Bat Association (NBA) would be a hell of a lobbying force.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Homer homerun
Homer Simpson led a grunge band in the 1990s. This will come as a surprise for those who viewed Homer's youth as being the late 1970s. His band inspired Nirvana and other bands of the time, supposedly, in the Simpsons.
I recently came across a critique, finally, of grunge. The author felt that grunge "legitimized suffering."
Yes, that was the point. Emotions like hate, self-hate, suicide, and depression were given the gift and power of song.
The knowledge that someone out there knew what these emotions feel like probably saved hundreds of suicides. I screamed and screamed along with those songs. Perversely, it was my greatest pleasure.
I recently came across a critique, finally, of grunge. The author felt that grunge "legitimized suffering."
Yes, that was the point. Emotions like hate, self-hate, suicide, and depression were given the gift and power of song.
The knowledge that someone out there knew what these emotions feel like probably saved hundreds of suicides. I screamed and screamed along with those songs. Perversely, it was my greatest pleasure.
Hounded by Shadow Man
I notice in the Dashboard space that should be a photo or an avatar, I have a shadow man. Who is this guy? A spy? A generic threatening shape? Is he the one getting all the action here in my own space? All I know is that he follows me everywhere. Now he's even on my blog space!
I tried once to have a cop arrest him, but the officer laughed it off.
I decided to become vigilante. I punched the shadow repeatedly, but every time I thought I'd disposed of him, he came back. All right then, let's get physical! I took out all the knives in my house and stabbed that bastard over and over. The result: still there.
Well, I got sick of it, and went to the East River and tried to dispose of the corpse. But instead of sinking, Shadow Man just lay there on top of the water. I swear I saw him grinning.
If anybody wants to contact me, I'll be after that guy pretty much 24/7 from now on.
I tried once to have a cop arrest him, but the officer laughed it off.
I decided to become vigilante. I punched the shadow repeatedly, but every time I thought I'd disposed of him, he came back. All right then, let's get physical! I took out all the knives in my house and stabbed that bastard over and over. The result: still there.
Well, I got sick of it, and went to the East River and tried to dispose of the corpse. But instead of sinking, Shadow Man just lay there on top of the water. I swear I saw him grinning.
If anybody wants to contact me, I'll be after that guy pretty much 24/7 from now on.
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