International Perspective: Gun Control

A Little Gun History Lesson

• In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

• In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

• Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated. ---

• China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

• Guatemala established gun control in 1964.. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

• Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

• Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975 to 1977, one million 'educated' people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

• Defenseless people rounded up and exterminated in the 20th Century because of gun control: 56 million.

Current Events in Australia

In 1996, gun owners in Australia were forced by new law to surrender 640,381 personal firearms to be destroyed by their own government, a program costing Australia taxpayers more than $500 million dollars.

Here are the first year results:

• Australia-wide, homicides are up 3.2 percent
• Australia-wide, assaults are up 8.6 percent
• Australia-wide, armed robberies are up 44 percent (yes, 44 percent)!
• In the state of Victoria alone, homicides with firearms are now up 300 percent.

Note that while the law-abiding citizens turned them in, the criminals did not and still have, and can get guns! It will never happen here? I bet the Aussies said that too!

• While figures over the previous 25 years showed a steady decrease in armed robbery with firearms, this has changed drastically upward in the past 12 months, since criminals now are guaranteed that their prey will be unarmed. There has also been a dramatic increase in break-ins and assaults of the ELDERLY.

Australian politicians are at a loss to explain how public safety has decreased, after such monumental effort and expense was expended in successfully ridding Australian society of guns.

You won't see this data on the US evening news, or hear politicians disseminating this information. When the National Rifle Association started diseminating this information, the Australian government urged the U.S. government to 'shut them up'. Australian citizens, they feared, might hear of it and cause "civil unrest."

During W.W. II the Japanese decided not to invade America because they knew most Americans were ARMED!

Note: Admiral Yamamoto who crafted the attack on Pearl Harbor had attended Harvard from 1919 to 1921 & was Naval Attache` to the U.S. from 1925 to 1928. (Most of our Navy was destroyed at Pearl Harbor & our Army had been deprived of funding & was ill prepared to defend the country.) It was reported that when asked why Japan did not follow up the Pearl Harbor attack with an invasion of the U. S. Mainland, his reply was that he had lived in the U. S. & knew that almost all households had guns.

The new (Obama) administration has already begun plans to expand gun control, re-instituting restrictions the Clinton administration passed, such as banning rifles that looked like assault weapons, and magazines that hold more than 10 rounds. Those measures, like every other measure, only affected law-abiding citizens, and failed to decrease any types of crime promised to be decreased.

"The way to love anything is to realize that it might be lost."

--G. K. Chesterton, Tremendous Trifles

Goodreads.com

I've signed up to Goodreads.com. It's a sight where you can see what your peers are reading, write reviews and track the books you've read. Clink on the link posted under Fellow Bloggers and come join me.

Alice Cooper visits the Macy's Jewelry Counter

Alice Cooper, the infamous 70's heavy metal rock star came to Macy's before his Idaho Falls concert a few weeks ago. Who would have thought? I didn't even know there was a concert. I wasn't working at the time but my co-worker helped him and his two teen daughters pick out some Lucky jewelry. They visited for while. She said he was wearing a ball cap, with a rugged look and still had long hair. He was laid back, conversational and even signed autographs.

Celebrities Rumored to be Mormon (famousmormons.net)

One of Provo's most cherished urban legends is the "Alice Cooper on a (LDS) mission" story. When I first checked out Cooper's Web sites, I found out his father's name was Ether Moroni Furnier. Not exactly a good Catholic name if you're catching my drift. I was convinced all the stories were true, but for a while couldn't get any solid leads. Then I found out Jay Evenson, who is the Deseret News' editorial page editor and teaches an opinion writing class at BYU, interviewed Cooper once a few years ago. Come to find out, Cooper's family were members of an offshoot of the LDS Church. I guess all those "kicked off the mission" stories weren't true. Close, but not quite.

The Grand Old Party

I know I missed a class or two in Goverment studies. Maybe I was there but not really there, if you know what I mean.

So, now I'm asking; what does GOP mean? Feeling a little silly I finally looked it up. It's quite possible I'm the last to know... but in case I'm not, it stands for the Grand Old Party, otherwise known as the Republican Party. Wikipedia explains a bit more below.

"The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties of the United States, along with the Democratic Party. It is often referred to as the Grand Old Party or the GOP.
Founded in 1854 by anti-slavery expansion activists and modernizers, the Republican Party quickly surpassed the Whig Party as the principal opposition to the Democratic Party. In 1860, it came to power with the election of Abraham Lincoln to the presidency. The party presided over the American Civil War and Reconstruction and was harried by internal factions and scandals toward the end of the 19th century. Today, the party supports a conservative platform (from an American political perspective), with further foundations in supply-side fiscal policies, and social conservatism."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_(United_States)

They are truly divine

I've been inspired recently by all the women in my life who are out and about serving others, leading remarkable lives. Women who posses a "touch" a "sparkle" a "twinkle." Those around them are blessed and inspired.

I'd like to pay tribute specifically to my Harmon Aunts (Mom's sisters / sister-in-laws); Aunt Penny, Ellen, Linda, Julia, Peggy, Margie, Shelly, Dodie, each of them with their individual attributes when combined together as an influence in my life are a medley of strength. I'd say magical because it seems so, but really they are each accomplishing remarkable things with ordinary means.

Penny - Faith

Linda - Courage

Ellen - Wisdom

Julia - Service

Peggy - Serenity

Margie - Sincere

Shelly - Constant

Dodie - Cheerful

On the Road Again ...

"... Just can't wait to get on the road again," sings Willie Nelson.

Daniel, my brother is out seeing just about every highway and/or freeway this summer before his up and coming Masters program starts at John Hopkins. We are all very proud and excited for their family.

He took a job with May's Trucking in the interum. He works very hard, driving every minute of his 11hr day that he can but insists it's the easiest job there is. He says the job title is really "Stearing Wheel Holder."

I assure you, there's more to it than that after my eye-witness account watching him back a 53 foot trailer into a narrow parking spot leaving minimal space on each side.

Let's see you try that.

So, I without packing a bag, jumped on the truck as it was passing through Evanston, WY. (Thanks to a lift from Dalynn after leaving Laura's baby shower in Provo, UT). Daniel and I had talked about a trip but it wasn't until the last minute that we thought it was possible. So being the adventurist that I am, or travel junking - one of the two, off we went.

Daniel graciously let me have the top bunk and of course I called "shotgun."

In Rosa Parks time she did to.
That's what makes us women so great. We know how to get a good seat.

Long days can sure make a person sleepy.

I read off and on; in between primping my nails.

I finished the Book of Mormon http://www.bookofmormononline.org/ , a few chapters in Daniel's beautifully bound copy of the Odyssey and a good portion of the Doctrine and Covenants.

So, where in the world did we go?

As I best remember

(which isn't saying much these days.)

Day 1: WY --> NE (Stayed in Grand Island, Boseman Truck Stop)
Day 2: NE --> IA --> IL --> (Chicago, I think...)
Day 3: IL --> IN --> OH --> (Cleveland)
Day 4: OH --> PA --> WV --> VA --> (Pulled off freeway)

Day 5: VA --> NC --> SC --> GA (Macon)
Day 6: GA --> TN --> KY --> MO --> (Rest Stop)
Day 7: MO --> NB --> (Grand Island, once again.)
Day 8: NB --> WY --> (Truck Stop outside Cheyenne)

Basically, we drove a lot.

I really loved Chattanooga, TN and Atlanta. Ohio was nice and I enjoyed the Virgina's. The St. Louis arch was a highlight although I barely raised my head from the pillow to see it.

Chattanooga

West Virginia
St. Louis Arch

The best part was having Daniel time. We listened to talk radio, talked politics, chatted about family, finance, his girls and life philosophies. I almost signed up to be trucker since I'm single, footlose and fancy free, as they say. What a thought that was, until I woke up.

Health Update

I found a new doctor that has titled my symptoms Chronic Fatigue & Fybromyalgia, which is what we've thought all along. It's frustrating to me because they are both so vague. It's like a last resort - we can't find anything else - so we'll call it this.

There's not an understood cause or a treatment other than pain medications. I try to get quality sleep, as much exercise as my body can tolerate and good nutrition which is what all the books recommend.

My last lab results showed that my iron was low, so I started on some supplements which have helped. I had two really good days right after I started taking them and was convinced that I was on my way to recovery but since then the improvements have been marginal. It's hard not being able to do anything to fix it but I know I'm doing the best I can.