Lions and Eagles

Heard on the radio this morning that the latest scare is the possibility of people on terrorist watch lists being able to legally buy guns. I understand the worry, really I do. The people on those lists are supposed to be potentially really bad guys, and if there's any one we want to keep away from guns, it would be the really bad guys. But before we jump on board with this, please let me present a couple of reasons to think twice about using terrorist watch lists in this way. First, what are these watch lists exactly? My understanding is that they aren't lists of people who have already done something bad. They are lists of people who are suspected of being likely to try something really bad in the future. Like Tom Cruise in The Minority Report, our protectors in law enforcement want to catch the crime before it happens. But unlike Tom Cruise, we don't have a trio of bathing precious to give us indisputable evidence from the future. We don't know what will happen, or

A responsible nation takes care for the integrity of its borders.  Just as a responsible homeowner takes care that windows and doors can be closed securely.  Not that doors have to be locked all the time if the neighborhood is safe. But just letting complete strangers come and go without knowing who they are or what they're doing is asking for trouble. Even if a cop or city worker comes to your door,  you check to make sure that they are wearing the right uniform and carrying the right credentials,  and you don't let them wander around without knowing where they are.  That's not racism or paranoia,  that's basic responsibility. This metaphor extends to the Syrian refugee situation. Someone comes to your door claiming to be afraid for their life. Might be a neighbor you know,  might be a stranger. Might be an abused spouse,  or depending on the neighborhood, someone running from a gang fight. You want to help, but will helping put your family in danger? Do you keep the

We're deep in the Presidential primary season for next year. Some candidates have dropped out already, most are still standing. I believe there are currently sixty possible final face-offs between Democrat and Republican that we might see next year. I'd like to focus on just a few. I call them the "Not Again" race, two "This Should Be Good" races, and the "What The...?" race. Not Again I've been around nearly four decades now. I cannot remember a full four-year term when a person named Bush or Clinton was either President, or working directly for the President. From the first time I remember knowing anything about the country, George H. W. Bush was Vice President. Then, he was President. He was followed by Clinton. Who was followed by Bush. Who was followed by... some guy who hired another Clinton as Secretary of State. I am tired of Bush and Clinton. I don't particularly trust either one of them. I don't believe that either one

It's about that time of year when I look at the ballots in my area, and with the power of the internet, find out what's really going on with elections both local and national, and figure out for whom I want to vote. This time around, it happens that the only elections going on are -very- local, and the only seats I have to vote for are the Mayor of Tyrone and one seat on the Town Council. But local matters a lot. So, here goes.