A Time For Responsible Action

In response to a reader's inquiry as to whether I am advocating total gun confiscation in the wake of the recent school shootings in Florida, allow me to give a brief outline of what I have in mind on the subject. Responsible legislation that will provide for improved criteria regarding background checks as well as a comprehensive ban on military grade assault weaponry among the civilian population are the issues here. Law enforcement has been calling for such measures for years precisely because eliminating this type of armament in the society at large substantially improves their ability to do their job.
In addition, states in which gun control legislation has been enacted have experienced significant and measurable reductions in gun violence. These legislative changes do not infringe upon law abiding citizen's  right to own fire arms for personal protection or for sporting use. This issue need not be reductive to a zero sum game of either/or alternatives but rather a reasoned look at the realities at hand in order to reach a meaningful consensus as to how to deal with this growing societal problem.

Nice Try

Just listened (I'm a bit behind on current cultural events) to Fergie's rendition of the National Anthem at the NBA all star game. While the performance had some degree of comic value, she also should be given a degree of credit for trying to render a very difficult and mediocre song a bit more palatable to the ear. If only it were possible to negotiate a copyright transfer with Canada, France, or England to obtain a tune worthy of our stature (don't say what you're thinking!). Oh well...keep trying, Fergie!

Going Nowhere Fast

It begins to dawn on one that he might be getting a bit older when, encountering sustained 35 mph headwinds, his regular six mile training run suddenly seems to be an exercise of running in place!

Ineffective, Incapable, and Utterly Incompetent

A commentator lamented recently that the president only has limited ability to effect change with regard to the epidemic of gun violence in this county. To this we can respond by saying that with (temporary) control of both chambers of congress, you'd think the leader of the ruling party might exercise some measure of influence on the matter at hand. This, of course, presuppose an inclination to do so which this president completely lacks.
His aim in running for president was to improve his brand and was as shocked as anyone that he actuality managed to pulled out a victory. Trump has been clearly over his head from the outset, suffering from a severe personality disorder, consistently indifferent to and incapable of implementing policy, and utterly devoid of a moral compass. Add to this list of attributes a propensity to hang out with underworld thugs, both homegrown and of the international variety. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to present the 45th president of the United States...better known as the ideal Manchurian Candidate. We all should be embarrassed to be represented by such a man.

Dereliction Of Duty

In light of the interim findings and subsequent indictments emanating from the Mueller Investigation, it is especially galling to realize that the current administration, instead of seriously considering the claims of Russian interference with the political/electoral processes of the United States, rather chose to bury its head in the sand while also placing it firmly in another part of its anatomy. Concerned more about preserving the fragile ego of a president so thoroughly absorbed by perceived threats to the legitimacy of his election and possibly the real knowledge of its involvement in the now exposed conspiracy to defraud the American people, this government has failed in its responsibility to protect its institutions and citizens from the encroachment of a foreign adversary hostile and opposed to the best interests of this nation. The further extent of the complicity of this administration in these criminal acts will be become more clear as the investigation continues to unfold. One must now rightly suspect that much more is yet to be revealed in the ongoing exploration involving governmental corruption of historic proportions. Stay tuned.

A Required Change

Amid the current tumult and clamor surrounding the current White House, if one listens carefully he might hear the increasing call to end the occupation!

The Prevailing Need For Civilized Gun Control

In the immediate aftermath of the recent Florida school shooting, I read a statement by a fellow who was upset that his AR-15 assault rifle might be in danger of confiscation claiming that it was 'his favorite weapon for self defense'. Hopefully, he will soon need to reconsider his options as the casual acquisition of these deadly instruments of destruction are now under serious scrutiny. As for commonplace self defense...a 22 caliber hand gun or rifle will suffice when an appeal to local police and more peaceful efforts to eliminate an immediate threat have utterly failed.

The numerous gun owners, hunters, and recreational shooters I have known throughout the years have all subscribed to responsible and intelligent fire arm usage and ardently supported thorough background checks and a serious limit or outright ban on the sale of military grade assault weapons so ubiquitous in today's American society.
The militias referred to in the 2nd amendment have long since been replaced by a robust legion of domestic law enforcement. Possession of a AR-15 rifle is not inherently guaranteed by our constitution; to claim otherwise is a serious misinterpretation of phrase: 'the right to bear arms'. There is no need for the presence of an arsenal of military assault weapons among the citizenry in a civil society. Let's follow the lead of other major industrialized countries (Germany and Japan spring to mind) and take decisive action to enact thoughtful legislation to curb the widespread and indiscriminate proliferation of domestic armament. Although the NRA is loath to admit it, gun control and the preservation of responsible gun ownership more in line with the individual rights originally envision by the founding fathers are not incompatible concepts.

The Shape Of Love

Had the pleasure of viewing 'The Shape of Water' last night...far and away the best movie I've seen this year. Guillermo Del Toro's multidimensional metaphoric and magically magnificent masterpiece resonates on a variety of levels simultaneously. It is an embrace of 'the other', a powerful demonstration of truth speaking to power, a renunciation of vile and racist classism, a tender romantic love story, a renunciation of hierarchy, a testament of courage prevailing over fear, an exposure of the surreality of mythical history, and a celebration of the enduring human spirit in confrontation with institutional cruelty. Perhaps the most deeply realized and artistically rendered theme, however, was that the principle of Universal Love is at once ubiquitous, ineffable, and constantly available; its essence, fluid and transparent...the shape of water.