An open letter to my GOP senators about guns and terrorism

Back on 9/11 (2001), nearly 3,000 people were killed in the largest terrorist attack on American soil. We were justifiably outraged. And so our legislature set about finding ways to make sure "this couldn't happen again."

The TSA was established. And though no one batted an eye because of our safety, this bumped right against the 4th amendment and illegal search. Yes, one could argue that you are choosing to fly, but in to do so, we are openly willing to give up a right.

And of course with the domestic surveillance program that was opened, and the ability to monitor free speech, the first amendment was severely curtailed. (And for the record, there was some discussion among those in power that we needed to somehow eliminate the Islamic faith. Although, this didn't happen, it was a broad discussion that further undermined the first amendment; such a discussion should never happen)

The clear implication in all of this is that the foreign "evil doers" must be stopped and we can certainly openly discuss how to curtail our constitutional rights to accomplish it.

Meanwhile, according to the FBI statistics, nearly 2,500 people have died in mass shootings in the time since 9/11. And we can't be bothered to lift a finger.

Some in the GOP will outright tell you that they "don't want to weaken the 2nd amendment."

But many of them, in power then as now, were nonchalant about weakening the 1st and 4th to keep us safe.

Safe from…foreign terrorists. I mean, after all, the department of homeland security was established. It's name makes clear this is about foreign threats.

And meanwhile, crazy (typically white) people who are American citizens with weapons of war are committing acts of domestic terrorism and politicians sit idly by and do nothing.

At what point do you decide that American lives have more value than a simple interpretation of the second amendment? How about if we actually discuss it and what it means? And put some definitions around it? And take the weapons of war out of peoples hands.

Or am I asking too much of you as my elected representative?

North Carolina Bill Targeting Free Charging Could…

Remind me again about capitalism, free enterprise, and small government?

Look. "Free" EV charging is typically level 2, which would mean that in order to get a meaningful charge, you have to remain plugged in for several hours.

So typically, businesses offer this service as a courtesy to customers.

What if businesses, savvy enough to offer charging through one of the services and require you to signup via an app, charge you via the app …. but the charge costs, say, a penny, for however long you stay, but that penny is offered as a promotion? Then it wouldn't be free, right?

And what of private individuals who offer you to charge at their house?

Would that be illegal?

https://www.carscoops.com/2022/06/north-carolina-bill-targeting-free-charging-could-kneecap-evs/


Short. Sweet. To the point. That's the beauty Dave's iPhone.

Florida art dealer arrested after allegedly selli…

Wasn't I talking about art forgeries yesterday?

Good luck finding an NFT fake…

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/06/01/palm-beach-gallery-fakes/

Don’t worry. He’ll tell you how to think.

So the dipshits definition of "small government" is him telling everyone what to do. Like a dictator?

I guess that's a form of small government. 

https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/03/politics/ron-desantis-tampa-bay-rays-gun-violence/index.html

Anyone want to buy my NFT?

It's exclusive! And I'll let it go for a mere $1,000,000!

The notion of NFTs makes me chuckle

Someone creates "digital art" and then sells it as a non fungible token. So they have value, because someone says they have value.

It's maybe a little like painted art works in that the one-of-a-kind masterpiece has value because someone (or many someone's) like it and say it has value.

But it's not at all like painted art in that you can't hang it in a wall, you can't see the brush strokes, you can't interpret the artists mood, and so on. It's clip art. 2 dimensional media that exists only on a computer. And that is just pixels with no true creativity. These aren't "artists" making them in a traditional sense.

Both are subject to copies being made of course. But honestly with digital media it's nearly impossible to spot a forgery. With physical art there are ways for a forgery to be spotted.

So an NFT may be have copies that look the same. The only difference is in the digital footprint. But those can be faked too. Still…That original is worth a lot…because someone said it was.

And that brings me around to thinking about photography. Old school photography used film. That was exposed to light and then could be developed to get a negative image and then that was printed onto paper.

There was this thing that was popularized in movies: someone would get blackmailed and would insist on payment to get the negatives and all prints. The meaning was that the person with the film had "the originals" and that way no one else could ever see them.

It's laughable because it wasn't that hard to duplicate the negatives and the person may have printed 100 photos, but said they only printed 50 and gives you those.

That's exactly the same problem as the NFTs. You are getting "the original" and if you believe it then you're the sucker. Someone essentially blackmailed you for the negatives.

Ban assault weapons!

Uvalde. Sandy Hook. Las Vegas. Sutherland Springs. Pulse Nightclub. San Bernardino.

Every single one of those massacres was done with an AR-15: an assault rifle that the NRA called "America's Rifle."

Meanwhile, the NRA and gun manufacturers are partying at a lavish NRA conference in Houston. Yes, in Texas where this shooting just happened. It's always too soon to talk about gun deaths, but never too soon to bring people together to celebrate gun culture - and make money. 

For the good of our republic, and to save our lives, those that profit off mass murder need to be stopped.

Congress has a choice: cowardice or courage. They must hear from us NOW in this critical moment that assault weapons MUST BE BANNED.

It's time to call your congressman and senators to tell them what you think! Just Google their names (and if you're not sure who they are just Google who your representative is) and you'll find a contact page. 

According to a recent poll, an overwhelming majority of Americans – 63% – want assault weapons banned.

No civilian should ever own one. They are so lethal, even police are afraid to stop mass shooters wielding them.

A tiny minority of armed lunatics and an evil gun industry protecting their profits spend millions buying off politicians who throw their hands up and blame anything but the guns for mass shootings.

Congress needs to hear from thousands of of Americans like us.  We have had ENOUGH of massacres, death, and grief.