Double standards with touchy subjects. Did you ever have a crush on a teacher?

  Well another female teacher sleeping with a male student of hers.  29 year old Kathryn Ronk has been charged with multiple counts of first degree sexual misconduct, one count of child pornography (presumably a picture of the boy, and one count of providing a minor alcohol.  The boy is 15 years old.  So I'm going to go some of the things many people think but few will openly discuss.  It may make you feel uncomfortable but stepping outside your comfort zone can very often be a good thing.  Some times doing it is a necessity to really start to make change that is needed within our society.  If you don't care about making change then feel free to click "x" now.

   First off it is inappropriate for multiple reasons in my view.  The age being the first.  The position of authority being the second.  There are some interesting issues we, as society, need to look at these types of things.

  I've seen arguments, in the past, how something like this isn't that bad.  Honestly there is running jokes about hooking up with hot teachers while you are in high school.  It is a huge fantasy of a large number of students of both sexes.  Our culture both demonizes and glamorizes it.  The list of movies and songs that show how it is just normal "young love" is very long.  From movies like Blame it on Rio, American Beauty, Private Lessons, My Teacher's Wife, Circle of Two and many more.  Sting wrote the song "Don't stand so close to me" in the late 1970s and won a Grammy in 1981 for the song. Re-released in 1986 right when I was just 16.  Sting reportedly says the song is not autobiographical but he was a teacher and it really isn't a stretch now is it.

  These days we seem to have more views of predatory pedophiles lying and manipulating "grooming" young people on-line.  Before the internet such grooming was much more personal.  Actual pedophiles had to put themselves in roles where they would be around young people constantly but that is for another blog post.  I'm not sure I'd class Kathryn as a predator or a pedophile but is that because of culture I grew up in?  It reminds me of this episode 10 from season 10 of South Park.  I've got a clip here for you. Basically Kyle's little brother, Ike, who can barely talk, is having an affair with his kindergarten teacher.

  You might not find South Park funny but the sentiment isn't really far off the mark if Ike was 10-11 years older.

  When I was in high school  there were 2 young female teachers I had a crush on and would have been ecstatic if I hooked up with either of them.  Lets be honest, like most young men, I probably would have been over joyed if I hooked up with almost any of the young women in the whole student body back then.  The attitude is boys are boys and, well, as young men we are naturally horny little bastards.  So when I was 15 if I had a teacher like Kathryn that I had an affair with I can say that I'd have come out of the whole ordeal with very minimal metal scaring.  I'm sure it would not last and would be very sad when it ended.  At the time it would be very hard emotionally but hormones would have kicked in and some other girl would have caught my eye.  I'm sure I wouldn't have been scarred for life.  I'd wager that probably 95% of the guys I went to high school with wouldn't have ended up any worse for the wear if it happened to one of them either.

  We, as a society, don't like to think of young women in the same light.  We hold them in a better light for the most part.  In a way everyone just accepts the way young men will act.  But females...they aren't controlled by hormones like boys aren't they?.  They are looking for long term love!  Their crushes on a teacher are motivated differently in our eyes as society.  But I wonder how many of the women I know had such crushes and what was honestly going through their heads.  My experience is that young women are not all that different then young men.  Young men are controlled by hormones but most guys I know at 16 were not out to play the field.  We were, for the most part, happy to try to latch on to one girl for as long as we could.  Bird in the hand mentality.  Tho the 2 in the bush would get us in trouble even if we never got close to them.  Males and Females have our differences for sure but girls aren't the princesses we expect them to be.  That is fine too.  Because once we stop trying to hold them to unrealistic expectations they'll have less pressure and can  be who they want to be.  A young woman that does have sex shouldn't be looked down upon and called a 'slut' while young men get a pat on the back and a 'that's my boy!'

  So looking at this situation I know I should look at this in the same manor that I'd look at it if it was a 29 year old male teacher and a 15 year old female teacher but it is hard to keep that in frame.  Maybe because I've got a strong protection instinct.  I've gone through so many phases looking at age differences between couples from different perspectives.  When I was 18 and based in Georgia I had a girl friend that turned 17 just a month after we. I also dated a 28 year old woman when I was barely 18. Was the fact that I was a Marine a reason people didn't look at that as a bit odd?  When I was just 22 in and stationed in Hawaii I met a 20 year old woman I fell head over heels for but I remember thinking when I first met her "Hold on! She's only 20...she's pretty young!" when in reality it was me that wasn't as mature as I would have liked to think.  Years later after getting married, leaving the Marine Corps, having a child and broken up with my ex I found myself 28 and in the same year I dated two women that were very different.  One woman that was 9 years older then me and one that was 9 years younger then me.  The younger woman was much more mature then the woman that was over twice her age.  In my mid 30s I once again found that I couldn't bring myself to date women that realistically where only 7-8 years younger then me.  In 26+ years of dating my views on age have changed.  The rule of 1/2 your age plus 7 years seems pretty safe but I still wouldn't want a relationship with a 29 year old.  Not because she'd be to immature but realistically the problem would be years down the line when the 15 year gap doesn't get smaller but actually bigger. I relate to people younger then me just fine these days but when I'm 85 and needing some care I'd hate to think I'd be hindering a partner just 70 and still very much in the game of life

  So I've had a roller coaster ride with my personal views on ages and relationships but I've realized a few things.  Age is often a poor factor when it comes to the emotional maturity of a person.  At the same time we have to have some lines.  Many courts are now starting to factor in age differences in situations where current laws are fairly stupid.  For example a 17 year old boy and his 15 year old girlfriend's relationship shouldn't suddenly become illegal because he turns 18.  The age difference didn't really change and he shouldn't face a sex offender charge because of it.  Was dating a 19-20 year old when I was 28 wrong?  Some might say so and if she wasn't the woman she was I would have agreed but it still wouldn't be illegal just like when I just turned 18 and dated a 28 year old while stationed near D.C.  So is 29 and 15 all that different then 28 and 18.  Realistically the difference between 28 and 29 is nothing.  The difference between 15 (probably almost 16) and 18 is just over 2 years.  Even going through boot camp I'm not sure I  was all that much more mature at 18 then I was at 16.

  So where does this leave my opinion of the matter.  Surprisingly enough I'm pretty clear in my head despite what I've said up to this point.  She's gone to far.  Most places the age of consent is 16 and we have it there for a reason.  She faces up to 15 years in prison because she couldn't seem to wait just a few months.  Do I think she deserves 15 years?  No.  Partly, I'm sure, because of how society has framed my view about this topic.  Partly because I think the current laws in many places need to be further reformed and some judgement should remain in the power of the Judge.  If Kathryn is convicted and there was no evidence that something more devious was going on then yes I think she needs to be rehabilitated but I think it should be more mental health treatment then hard core jail.  I'd have to say the same thing, and this is difficult, if it was a 29 year old male teacher and a 15-16 year old female student.  Hell, the student could be of the same sex as the teacher and I don't think it should matter.  If the teacher was found to have been grooming more then one student then the picture starts to drastically change from a bad indiscretion to predatory behavior. The liberal in me starts going out the window and I'd want the judge to throw the book at the teacher.  Our teachers need to be stronger morally because of the position they are in.

  Finally some random thoughts that I know are just not informed.  OK call me shallow but she's very attractive.  If she wanted a young guy she'd have an easy time with young men just in uni or the military.  First thought I think of is why?  Just go pick up an 18 year old. I'd like to think that she did fall for him.  I don't know what they are feeding some of these young men but they seem to look much older then anyone I went to high school with.  This is what an under 18 player in Australia looks like these days.  Would you look twice if you saw the woman above kissing this young man?

With young women we might try to say it is all the make up and that is partly true.  In reality it is our media that is changing our views and changing the outlook of our young men and women.  I'll wait and see if I can get a transcript of the court case when it happens but in reality I'll never know the real true story.  I hope she gets the help she needs and hopefully someone talks to the young man and puts the whole thing in perspective for him at least.  Hopefully the whole process of her going to trial doesn't traumatize the young man.

Reversing your Pin will NOT bring the police

Many urban myths are harmless.  Occasionally there are ones that do present a possible danger.  For years this urban myth of putting your pin in backwards as way of notifying the police you are in danger.  This is the current version going around Facebook.

This is a lie.  Why might you ask am I upset with this?  Well if you went to actually use this you could put yourself in a worse situation thinking the police are coming but they really aren't.  If someone tries to rob you the advice from the police is not to resist.  Your life isn't worth a few dollars.

Here is the official statement from the Australian Bankers Association.

http://www.bankers.asn.au/ArticleDocuments/192/ABA-111075-v1-Fact_Sheet___False_information_on_e-mail_about_PINs.PDF.aspx

Go read it yourself.


Here is a tip when you get these types of posts that equate to chain letters from decades ago.  IE if you get an Facebook post that says it is important to share it with everyone you now then just Google the topic.

click the link below and see what comes up.
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=atm+pin+number+reversal+-+good+to+know

One of the best sites with these things is Snopes.com because it not only tells you if something is a myth it often tells you if it is true or partly true along with as much history about the topic that they could find.

So read the ASA's statement.  Think about the ATM safety tips they list and I've provided below.  If you do find yourself were someone is threatening you with harm and wants your money assess the situation.  If they have a weapon or look like they can hurt you then give them the money and then immediately contact the police.

ATM Tips

• Minimise your time at the ATM by having your card ready when you approach the machine; 
• Take a look around as you approach the ATM and if there's anything suspicious, don't use the machine at that time (report any suspicions to the police); 
• Once you've completed your ATM transaction, put your money away immediately and leave. It's best to count your money later; 
• If you don't feel comfortable using a particular ATM, consider continuing on to another branch or using off-street ATMs in banking lobbies; 
• Do remember that EFTPOS can be used to withdraw cash at many other places, like supermarkets and service stations. 
• If you simply want to check your account balance or transfer funds between accounts, telephone or Internet banking can be used instead of an ATM. 

Reality of Trayvon's murder. Do you look like a thug?

Warning: Some people may find one of the images in this blog disturbing.

Zimmerman's lawyer is as disgusting as Zimmerman is. When asked if he thought that the outcome would be different if the races were reversed he replies with 

"I think that things would have been different if George Zimmerman was black for this reason, he would have never been charged with a crime. It seems as tho what happened was an event that was being looked into by Sanford Police department, and quite honestly as we now know looked into quite well, what happened was this became the focus for a civil rights event, which again is a wonderful event to have, but they decide George Zimmerman would be the person who they were to blame and sort of use as the creation of a civil rights violation"

Now who the fuck believes that 

• a 29 year old black man 
• with previous charges of assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest and domestic violence 
• carrying a loaded gun 
• confronts a white 17 year old boy, walking home from the store, drinking ice tea and eating skittles 
• and fatally shoots the kid in the chest

would not have been charged with a crime? That "black man" would have been tried and convicted of first degree murder. We know he went after the teenager against the police dispatcher's orders. We know he didn't want the teenager to "get away with it" showing he had premeditation to stop this teenager. My guess is that he would have also had a very good chance of getting the death penalty.

The reason this was brought up as a civil rights issue is because the cluster fuck of an investigation and how the police handled it.

• The police don't do a criminal background check of the white shooter. 
• They do the check on the unarmed dead black kid walking home from the store with ice tea and skittles dressed in khaki pants. 
• They don't do any toxicology on the white shooter 
• They do check the dead black teenage victim. 
• They allow the white guy to travel around the police station unescorted immediately following the shooting. 
• They don't arrest the white guy for weeks after the fatal shooting.

Everything you read about this points to the police treating this as "the black kid must have done something wrong". The police chief even says "This is all very unsettling. I'm sure if George Zimmerman had the opportunity to relive Sunday, February 26, he'd probably do things differently. I'm sure Trayvon would, too.".

Again Trayvon did NOTHING wrong. He walked home from the store. The worst thing he can be accused of is when a crazy man confronts him at night he decided to defend himself. Sure if he ran he might not have been shot in the chest. He would have been shot in the back!

The attacks on Trayvon's character are disgusting and just stupid attempts to make people who support the tragic death of this youth feel better about being raciest bigots.

Trayvon smoked some marijuana! 

Oh shit! he must be a gangsta wannabe...for fuck sake that would have meant that most of the kids I knew in high school would have been a gangsta wannabe, including myself.  For shame on the US government for issuing me with my TS clearance when I clearly told them that I smoked marijuana in high school and even had drugs harder then marijuana.  How can you trust a gangsta wannabe like me with national secrets?!?!

Trayvon may have wanted to get a gun!

Forget that there is no evidence he wanted a gun.  Perhaps if he had a gun he'd still be alive today.  But if he was alive I bet you he'd be in prison convicted of felony murder because he must have had the gun because he was intending to commit a crime because that is what black kids do.

"If you dress like a thug, people will treat you like a thug" : Geraldo Rivera

Trayvon was dressed like a thug!

He had a sweater, that had a hood, on and khaki pants with the ankles cuffed up.  Yea, every punk, going out to rob some place at night, wears khaki pants and cuffs the ankles so they don't get stopped by the fashion police.
Now this is just Geraldo opening his mouth and letting shit come out without regards for reality.  Let us look at some pictures and you ask what you think of each.  As you look at them decide as quickly as possible if you think "thug" or "not thug".  Be honest with yourself.  I bet I know what people will say for most of them.

Trayvon was walking to slow and looking around all the time!

Hmm so he looks around when he walks.  I do that too.  He was looking at houses!  OMG I do that too!  He kept looking over his shoulder.  Well if I noticed someone following me in a car while I was walking I would too.

Trayvon started to run!  

OMG after seeing someone is following him he decided to run. Or after getting rained on enough he thought he'd try to get home faster.  Either way you have a problem where he was suspicious for walking to slow and if he was running he'd also would have been suspicious.  He couldn't win!

Trayvon should have avoided the situation!  

HOW?!?! Zimmerman confronted him!  Trayvon was just walking home.  If some stranger comes up to you at night and starts something with you what do you do?  What do you do if the have a fucking gun and you've got ice tea and skittles?


The issue is people back themselves into a corner.  They say things that are clearly raciest and wrong then instead of admitting they were wrong they try to bring up the most stupid reasoning why they are justified in their remarks.

If you make any excuse why Zimmerman is justified in what happened then have a deep look at yourself.  Ask yourself if the races were reversed and some 29 year old black man killed a innocent white kid would you feel the same and I suspect the answer is no.  But of course if you thought that way then you would justify it in your own head to either make yourself feel like you are not a raciest fuck tart or you'd be proud that you are a racist fuck tart.

I've heard of a few of examples where a black man has "killed a white kid" and "got away with it"
There has been a pattern I've noticed to all the stories.  First is that the white teens in question where in the act of burglary when initially confronted.  Second they went to attack the shooter and the shooter was out numbered.  Does this excuse the shooting?  No, but there is a big difference between 3 young men braking into your neighbour's car then charging at you when you tell them to freeze and a single young man walking home from the store after he bought an ice tea and pack of skittles.

Fact, Zimmerman racially profiled Trayvon Martin, an innocent black teenager, confronted him against direct orders from the police and fatally shot and killed Trayvon. The fact that if you try to justify Zimmerman's actions and miss the fact that an innocent kid lost his life because of Zimmerman's stupidity then you can go fuck yourself.

Don't even get me started on how Zimmerman now has his gun back and how Juror "B-37" thinks that "George" only over stepped his bounds "just a little" and that she thinks he's learnt his lesson and would want him in her neighbourhood watch.  I wonder if she would want "George" on her neighbourhood watch if it was her 17 year old son that "George" shot in cold blood as he was walking home with ice tea and skittles.  I wonder if she would think, after her son is laying dead in the wet grass, that "George" only over stepped his bounds "just a little".

George got a jury of his peers, 5 white women and 1 non black woman.  The prosecutors really didn't want this trial to succeed and in my opinion that is because they didn't want the cops to look bad.

It is ironic that Zimmerman's lawyer says that George needs his gun and bullet proof vest because he will never know if some person will over react and kill him.  It is completely lost on Zimmerman supporters that to most people stalking and then fatally shooting someone with ice tea and skittles is  a much bigger over reaction then anyone coming after Zimmerman for killing an innocent teenager in cold blood.  I don't want Zimmerman dead and I advise people to stay away from him because he's killed a completely innocent boy once. Next time it would be even easier for him to claim he was in fear for his life.

Justice is no longer blind

  It is bad enough that the prolonged rape of a 16 year old girl by 2 high school football players happened and almost went completely unpunished, read an blog post of mine on the subject Injustice in Steubenville OH.

  It is pathetic the sentences these two "all American football players" got.  Both found guilty, which you might think it is better then many rape cases get.  But remember the the rapiest not only photograph and video the 6 hour ordeal, they also tweeted, sms'd and even posted photos and video up onto Facebook and YouTube of the incident.  It was a open an shut case if there was ever one.  Their attempted defense that the girl some how gave consent when she was clearly unconscious in almost all the photos and videos is repugnant.

  One of the young men, Ma'lik Richmond, was convicted and sentenced to a whopping 1 year in juvenile detention for being found guilty of rape of a minor.  The other, Trent Mays, was sentenced to a whopping 2 years in juvenile detention for being found guilty of rape of a minor and disseminating child pornography.  Both sentences being the minimum allowed sentences for the crimes they committed.  The Judge, Thomas Lipps, claims the the incident was "profane and ugly." but this, along with Ma'lik's comments the "No pictures should have been sent around, let alone ever taken" and "My life is over" don't indicate regret and remorse for drugging and then raping a girl over a 6 hour period.  It shows disappointment that he got caught.

  Judge Thomas Lipps sentencing send the message of "My hands are tied but I'll make your punishment for the crime you committed as small as possible".  So You'll have the next set of football players thinking they have the right to drug kidnap and rape an under-aged girl but they better not photograph the gang rape.

  Now to put insult on to injury the activist Deric Lostutter that brought all the posts, tweets and other evidence, that there was an attempt to cover up, to light is facing 10 years sentence if convicted.  2 football players drug, kidnap and sexually violate a young girl and they get 1 and 2 year.  The man that exposes the attempted cover-up by the locals faces 10 years.

  We have clearly entered into a culture where whistle blowers are now more likely to be punished then those people and organisations they've exposed as breaking the law.  Why is it?  Because whistle blowers by their nature are exposing corruption of powerful people.  If these 2 boys where from a ghetto and someone dug up this info no one would care.  But Deric didn't do that.  He not only exposed what the 2 boys had done.  He exposed how their whole community tried to cover up the incident.
 
  We live in a culture where people are becoming afraid of doing the right thing.  Speaking up when they see a wrong.  Where reporters are being intimidated by the government for doing their job.  Where questioning what any branch of the government is becoming taboo.  Where peaceful protesting is looked down upon.

  Our founding fathers would be ashamed.  It is a tragedy that in many ways those that signed the Declaration of Independence were more progressive then many politicians today.  I for one think that we need to reclaim our government needs to be reclaimed from the clutches of a few.  Where the government works with and for the common person not just the wealthy and powerful.  Where equal rights for all isn't coupled with less rights for most.  Where people are people and corporations aren't.

Injustice in Steubenville OH

  Back in August a 16 year old girl was slipped a date rape drug by at least 2 members of the Steubenville High School football team.  Upon finding out what happened she and her family went to file charges.  From then on it seems that Steubenville take care of their own no matter what.  After a quick investigation and trail the boys in question have been little more then slapped on the wrist officially and unofficially are still praised within the town.

  Members of Anonymous have since released a large amount of information into the Steubenville rape case, the handling and prosecution of the case and the level of corruption in the town and law enforcement community.  Found here 

  I'm not into conspiracies but when you look at the evidence presented it is obvious that so many people are involved in trying to cover this up that it can't be considered anything else.  From the Sheriff in charge to the prosecution office.  The very office that is supposed to fight for justice for the victim   Apparently their idea of justice is that the jocks should get free rain and it doesn't matter who the hurt or how much they hurt them.

  Video evidence taken by the "boys" charge show not only that they didn't have remorse but think it is funny they raped not only this girl but others as well.  At one point one of the kids asked another kid “What if that was your daughter?”  he then laughed and said "But it isn't".  Right there is a good indication of the attitude of some of these boys.  The fact that the boy referred to the rape victim as "it" and not "she" speaks volumes.  It gets worse his full reply was "But it isn't! If that was my daughter I wouldn't care!".

  It is interesting in this day in age with the level of technology we have around us.  Sadly even if law enforcement was on the side of the victim in this case I'm not sure how much of the "evidence" could be used.  The rape was bragged about not only on local web sites but there were twitter posts being made referencing the crime DURING the crime.  The criminals seem to love to brag about their crimes.  Most of us would think that is crazy.  To admit what happened. To laugh about it while being video taped. But they don't.  They feel safe because they are the stars of the town and so far their community have covered up for them.

  Sadly so far justice is failing in this case and I personally wouldn't be sad or upset if these "boys" started to disappear.  Don't get me wrong I'd rather them be properly charged, investigated and prosecuted.  But that didn't happen.  That isn't happening.  Good on Anonymous for getting the evidence they have.  The police seemed to have "inadvertently" destroyed evidence in the process of collecting it.  Very convenient that pictures, videos and other electronic evidence was mistakenly delete.  Makes me sick.  Sadly even if the boys get off scot-free I wonder how much this information that has been leaked will actually affect them.  I know their are people that not only don't care what these young men have done, but those that think it is their right and privilege to do what they have done.  So they'll probably thrive in their community as the sociopaths they are.

  More information can be read via the following links.
New York Times
International Business Times
Huffingtion Post
New York Daily News
FFS...Google it! 

NRA Stupidity

  Last week NRA Executive Vice President, Wayne LaPierre, made a set of stupid and blatantly false statements in reaction to the Newtown shooting.

"How do we protect our children right now, starting today, in a way that we know works?

The only way to answer that question is to face up to the truth. Politicians pass laws for Gun-Free School Zones. They issue press releases bragging about them. They post signs advertising them.

And in so doing, they tell every insane killer in America that schools are their safest place to inflict maximum mayhem with minimum risk."

  

  This is false.  By in large the shooters target the places they do because they have some tie to that location.  In fact Columbine and Virginia Tech both had armed police officers at them.  Virginia Tech not only had armed police officers but a whole police station.  The other thing is schools all over the world don't allow guns in them but you don't see the number of shootings at schools that the USA has.

"The truth is that our society is populated by an unknown number of genuine monsters — people so deranged, so evil, so possessed by voices and driven by demons that no sane person can possibly ever comprehend them. They walk among us every day. And does anybody really believe that the next Adam Lanza isn't planning his attack on a school he's already identified at this very moment?

How many more copycats are waiting in the wings for their moment of fame — from a national media machine that rewards them with the wall-to-wall attention and sense of identity that they crave — while provoking others to try to make their mark?

A dozen more killers? A hundred? More? How can we possibly even guess how many, given our nation's refusal to create an active national database of the mentally ill?"

  Did you know that 1 in 4 people require or receive treatment for mental health issues. Look at you and a handful of your friends and if you think they are all "completely sane" then it is probably you that has some mental health issues.  I myself have seen a few different psychologists over the years and have even scene both psychologists and psychiatrist while in the U.S.M.C. with a large number of other Marines.  

  The fact is that if you try to instate some national register then you have to think about who decides who goes on it and who doesn't?  Most military that encounter combat would fit the criteria for requiring mental health treatment in some form.  I'm not saying we are all nut jobs just stating the truth.  Our training involves very specific techniques to make us able to function properly in combat conditions.  Conditions which are horrific and most people that have ever been in them wouldn't wish them on anyone else ever.  Basically the human brain is designed to stop higher order brain functions, including memory retention, in times of high stress.  Through training members of the military and certain other professions, without even knowing it, become accustom to high stress situations allowing them to think, and unfortunately remember, in these situations.  This is why military, police, fire fighters, ambulance drivers, doctors and other similar professions have such a high rate of P.T.S.D.   Are you ready to label most military members coming back from the middle east as mentally ill?  Are you ready to label many police officers as being mentally ill because of the very trait that allows them to function while under stress? 

  Don't get me wrong.  Mental health is important to me.  I don't hold a stigma with mental illness any more then I hold one against someone that has cancer because so many people have these health issues and just because someone has had an issue in the past doesn't mean that they are changed for the worse for the rest of their life.  I think we as a society need to embrace those around us that need help not make them feel more ostracised.  But that is a whole other rant for me to go into in the future. 

  Basically if you think someone is struggling with emotions reach out to them and or someone that can help them.  The facts are clear too.  People with "mental health issues" are not statistically more likely to be the perpetrator of violent crimes on others.  But they are more likely to be injured or killed by fire arms.  The fact is depression actually inhibits people from violent acts because they lack the motivation and drive to carry out acts of self harm.  Sadly it is when they start to get better that they are more likely to take their own life.  You might say "but how can a sane person kill so many people?"  Stereotyping everyone with mental health issues as violent and dangerous is like saying all young men should be viewed as potential rapists because they are so interested in sex.  It is like saying "Every gun owner is a reckless homicidal maniac because they like guns!"  The statements are blatantly false.

"Add another hurricane, terrorist attack or some other natural or man-made disaster, and you've got a recipe for a national nightmare of violence and victimization."

  This is a deliberate ploy to conjure up images in the mind of some mad max society where only those with guns have power.  Guess what, all these dooms day prepers aren't doing any good.  They aren't going to save us in some post apocalyptic  society.  They aren't going to save you from the next Adam Lanza.  In fact Adam Lanza's mother was one of them.  So in one breath Mr. LaPierre screams that those with mental health issues, like those that believe the world should have ended on  the 21st of December, should be put on a list but then wants us all to be that type of person who prepares for the end of civilized society.

On to Mr. LaPierre's idiot notion that movies and video games are to blame.

"And here's another dirty little truth that the media try their best to conceal: There exists in this country a callous, corrupt and corrupting shadow industry that sells, and sows, violence against its own people.

Through vicious, violent video games with names like Bulletstorm, Grand Theft Auto, Mortal Kombat and Splatterhouse. And here's one: it's called Kindergarten Killers. It's been online for 10 years. How come my research department could find it and all of yours either couldn't or didn't want anyone to know you had found it?

Then there's the blood-soaked slasher films like "American Psycho" and "Natural Born Killers" that are aired like propaganda loops on "Splatterdays" and every day, and a thousand music videos that portray life as a joke and murder as a way of life. And then they have the nerve to call it "entertainment.""

  I know many Americans have no real understanding of the rest of the world but guess what.  The rest of the world see's the same movies you do.  The rest of the world plays the same video games as you do.  Yet the rest of the world doesn't have the same level of problem.  So either people in America are more easily manipulated and twisted mentally by "entertainment" or that isn't a significant factor in these shootings.  Video games an movies don't make people into violent killers tho violent people may be drawn to those as a form of release.  

"A child growing up in America witnesses 16,000 murders and 200,000 acts of violence by the time he or she reaches the ripe old age of 18." 

  I question that stat.  That means from the day a person is born they would have to see 3 murders in entertainment a day, every day until they are 18.  I wonder if they count watching a video of Hiroshima being bombed as counting as multiple murders...in that case they are off by a factor of 10 or more.  

  In the NRA's mind playing a game with violence is worse then learning to use an item that sole purpose if for killing or maiming another person.  A .223 bush master is sole purpose is for killing multiple people quickly.  Not hunting.  Not home protection.  Killing people, at ranges where any normal person is absolutely no threat to you.

"The media call semi-automatic firearms "machine guns" — they claim these civilian semi-automatic firearms are used by the military, and they tell us that the .223 round is one of the most powerful rifle calibers ... when all of these claims are factually untrue. They don't know what they're talking about!"

  I think everyone knows that journalist aren't perfect but a .223 is very similar to the rounds I used while in the Marines with an M16A2 rifle.  The rounds are designed with the same purpose.  Not for taking down a rabbit like some will make you believe because the .223 isn't much bigger then a .22 which most people think of as small.  The issue isn't just the size of the projectile but the amount of power behind the round.  As you can see those 2 rounds can have the same amount of gun powder behind them.  Ask a normal person which they'd rather be shot by if they had to choose do you think that one of those would be picked a lot less then the other?  Ask a average person the difference between a M16A2 and a Bushmaster .223 do you think they would know?  Do you think there is enough of a difference to care when one is being pointed at you?

"As parents, we do everything we can to keep our children safe. It is now time for us to assume responsibility for their safety at school. The only way to stop a monster from killing our kids is to be personally involved and invested in a plan of absolute protection. The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. Would you rather have your 911 call bring a good guy with a gun from a mile away ... or a minute away?"

  Again Columbine High School had armed police officers in the school and it DIDN'T HELP!  Why because the cops are not equipped to go up against someone with assault rifles and have to deal with the fact that the people that go on these sprees with these weapons all to often don't care if they get killed.

  This next bit is rich.

"A gun in the hands of a Secret Service agent protecting the President isn't a bad word. A gun in the hands of a soldier protecting the United States isn't a bad word. And when you hear the glass breaking in your living room at 3 a.m. and call 911, you won't be able to pray hard enough for a gun in the hands of a good guy to get there fast enough to protect you."

  There is a HUGE difference between cops with guns and a neighbour like George Zimmerman that is a bit to trigger happy.  Part of what I want to see for better gun regulation is mandatory classes for gun owners.  Classes mostly in how to safely carry and more importantly store a fire arm.  Testing on the laws regarding their firearms wouldn't go astray either.  You'll also notice most police don't carry assault rifles and the ones that do have even more firearms training on the use of them.  They didn't just go down to the gun convention, when it rolled through town, and buy a AR-15 for their squad car.

"The budget of our local police departments are strained and resources are limited, but their dedication and courage are second to none and they can be deployed right now.

I call on Congress today to act immediately, to appropriate whatever is necessary to put armed police officers in every school — and to do it now, to make sure that blanket of safety is in place when our children return to school in January"

  Yea law enforcement budgets are strained because the GOP is happy to cut back on that "discretionary spending".  You know what else is also stretched to the limit...educational resources.  His plan would cost an estimated $5,000,000,000.00 a year.  Yes FIVE BILLION DOLLARS!  How about we raise that money on yearly licences fees on firearms.  The more dangerous the fire arm the more you pay per  year towards this safety fund. We do similar things with cars so why not firearms.  

  So  $5,000,000,000.00 to put an armed security guard in every school in the nation thinking that will solve the problem.  How did that work out for Columbine High School?  The whole statement is deflection from the real issue here and that is the U.S.A. needs to decide if it wants a safer society with sensible gun regulations or if it is happy letting almost any Tom, Dick and Harry buy assault rifle at the cost of these still of mass shootings.  The U.S.A. needs to decide if one child killed by guns every 3 hours of every day, of every week, of every month, of every year is worth more then making sure gun owners are qualified and responsible enough to own the firearms they wish to possess.  They have to decide if it is ok that a child under the age of 5 is killed every 4 days by firearms.  If a child killed every 2 days because of an "accident" by a fire arm is acceptable.  People keep telling me thinks like "cars cause more deaths then guns!".  Well guess what ... we've regulated the fuck out of motor vehicles and deaths from them have gone down.  That little thing called a seat belt...REGULATION.   That speed sign saying 55...REGULATION.  Making someone take a drivers test before driving...REGULATION.  Inspecting cars to make sure they are road worthy...REGULATION.

  Why should assault rifles, which unlike cars don't have a valid every day purpose, be exempt from better regulation?  Simple answer is they shouldn't be exempt.

This is #&^@ed up

Two women that attacked Terry Martin as he left Hobart's Supreme Court are being charged with assault.  For those of you that don't know Terry Martin is a former Tasmanian MP that has been convicted of possession of child pornography, producing child pornography and have sexual intercourse with a 12 year old girl.
	Terry Martian's sentence? 10 months...suspended for having sex with the 12 year old girl.  Supposedly taking medication for Parkinson's disease caused him to be "Sex crazed" and from what I must gather temporarily insane that or the judge is permanently insane.  I gather he was taking some type of cabergoline but even with the studies that show that it does make it easier to be aroused does this warrant a suspended sentence for having sex with a 12 year old?  This man would have been taking the drug for a while.  Surely if you found yourself loosing control of your sexual inhibitions you'd talk to your doctor about it wouldn't you?
I'd like to think that it isn't just because I'm a parent that I'm feeling the disgust that I am.  Honestly there are a few things that I would put in to the bucket of always inexcusable and pedophilia is one of those things.  What is worse is that there are 2 other men that had sex with that same little girl and the court knows who they are but they are not even being charged.  Honestly...what the fuck is going on in Tasmania.  It's a sad day with this type of shit happens.  The whole tragic situation is even more sad when you realise the 2 women that "assaulted" Terry Martin will probably get a more severe sentence then he does.  Seems having a video tape of having sex with a 12 year old is less damning then video of an old lady with a walking stick hitting a pedophile with it as he leaves the courts as a free man. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-17/martins-attackers-to-face-charges/3837388