30 September 2008

Experiments with Open Carry: rd 1

Ok... so, a couple weeks ago, I decided to start experimenting with open carry. Now in Wisconsin, OC is perfectly legal, but heavily frowned on. Not to mention difficult, since having a loaded gun in a vehicle is considered "improper transport of a firearm"...

Anywho... Spoon & I normally go for a walk every night: good exercise, and good for discussion. Couple Sundays ago, I added my S&W model 19 to my belt, along with a couple speedloaders (I refuse to carry a gun without reloads). So y'all understand, I wore it at roughly 11 o'clock, so it was right there in front of Gawd and ever'body.

Now, for anyone who has paid attention to the "debate" about open carry, you should be expecting a story of my arrest and subsequent charges of "Endangering the Public", "Disturbing the Peace", or other similar misdeeds. Unfortunately, I would have to file such a story under "fiction".

Even though I made a point of talking to a couple officers, NOTHING HAPPENED. Honestly, I don't think anyone (at all) noticed the revolver on my hip. For four nights running.

When my shoulder improves (do NOT want to deal with any issues until my right clavicle is again "bone" instead of "pieces"), I think I'll switch over to the pearl grips (yeah, go ahead and laugh: they're comfortable) and try the experiment again. If that doesn't get a response after a week, I think I'll just have to start calling BS on the "dangers of OC"...

27 September 2008

current events

I had a great series of posts I was gonna run about the supposed evils of open carry, and my experiment therein: spent a good portion of the last week OCing my .357. Unfortunately, that has to be put on hold.

Was getting ready to regale y'all with the joys of moving into the new apartment. Although the move's gonna happen, I'm not gonna be all that involved in it.

Today, while playing in a charity capture the flag tournament, I went ass-over-teakettle. Resulting in one of the cleanest broken clavicles ever seen.

Hopefully, I'll be speaking to a surgeon this week about getting screwed. But it looks like the riding season is over for me this year.

Posting will continue to be light: this one-handed stuff sucks. But I'll try and keep y'all updated...

18 September 2008

Not a good day

Shortly after I started dating Spoon, a cat got left at her mother's house. He was a tuxedo, and fairly friendly. He'd already been "broken" and declawed. We had no idea why he was abandoned. But he latched on to Spoon like velcro, and we called him Squee.

That was 12 + years ago. Everywhere we've gone, Squee has been with us: mothering the other cats, pestering Spoon, and just generally being one of the better cats we've had.

Today, due to complications in removing fibrous cists a couple months back, we had to have this animal, Spoon's companion for almost as long as I've been around, put to sleep. While she was at work, I held her boy as he died.

Going to be a bit before there are any more happy thoughts. Will be postihng pictures sometime in the next day or two...

16 September 2008

The "sheepdogs" thing

Ok... I think most of y'all have heard this one. Goes like this:

"Most people are sheep: unable to defend themselves from the wolves. But some people are sheepdogs: armed just like the wolves, but there to protect the sheep. Unfortunately, the sheep can't tell the difference between the two: they see predator teeth, and equate the sheepdogs with the wolves, treating them with the same fear. But the only reason they're safe is the sheepdogs are willing to defend them".

There are a bunch of variations on this, most being passed on as "my father told me..." type stories. And they get brought up ANY time someone questions the intelligence of concealed carry for law-abiding citizens.

Now, so y'all understand: I'm a lobbyist for CCW here in Wisconsin. I support it enough that I have spent a fair amount of time busting my ass to try and bring us in line with the rest of the country. And I'M getting tired of the "sheepdog" thing.

Look... it may seem selfish, but my only reason for wanting to be able to legally carry a self-defense tool is to protect me and mine. Would I intervene if I saw someone being attacked? Most likely. But that is NOT why I would carry.

A CCW permit is not a "super hero license". All it is, really, is a way for the government to collect money on your decision to protect yourself to the best of your ability. The "sheepdog" folks (with the exception of those in law enforcement), come across as looking for trouble: something those of us fighting for the right to carry do NOT need.

Ok... I'm done ranting.

13 September 2008

Why do it?

Probably THE biggest question I get asked about BACA is "Why do you do it?". People hear about all the sacrifices that members make, how far we're willing to go to help our kids, and they can't help but ask "Why?".

Check out Sabra's post here. I read these stories, and think "There goes another one I could have helped". It's a powerful motivation to help.

And the REALLY scary part? The stories she tells in that post aren't the worst that happens, even here in the US. Google "domestic human trafficking", but be warned you might get nightmares.

That's why I do what I do.

05 September 2008

Expanding on my last post...

Ok...

So... one case we're working on kinda blew up: perp got out (they keep postponing the trial), and immediately made contact with the victim. Went to jail again, and got out again after a few days. We went Level II (means we mounted a guard rotation on the victim's house) for a couple days, until perp-boy went away again. Fun times!

The mag is goin' well... for the most part. I'm now the associate editor, and it looks like I'm going to be taking over full Editorship: the layout guy and I are going to buy out the owner. We've finally gotten tired of having out time wasted by the guy: spent a full week, waiting for the owner to bring us the material for the last issue. Good things ahead on THAT front!

There've been the usual run of small personal problems too. But they're more in the nature of minor irritations.

So... more to come soon!

03 September 2008

Life explodes

Well... things have gotten interesting again. Can't go into detail: let's just say it should be interesting. I'll post more as things develop.

Oh... didn't get the Harley... :(