7+1 Questions About Mandatory Gun Insurance

Article over at Yahoo discussing mandatory gun insurance. Details 7 points, and pretty much concludes  that it’s not likely to happen.

http://news.yahoo.com/next-big-thing-gun-control-7-questions-mandatory-190513780.html

Let me go for 7+1,…

I used to live in New Haven, CT.  Due to my zip code alone, my auto insurance quotes were $2,200-$3,500 a year. Now, that might seem reasonable, if I had had an accident in the last 10 years, or even if I had a single moving traffic violation – but I had neither. (And that was mostly for the basic mandatory collision insurance.)

What was the reason? Well, usually it was touted higher “theft” in that area. But I commented, I wasn’t asking for theft insurance, just liability.  Then they’d balk a little.  Let me tell you what I believe the real reason was. My zip code was attached to a neighborhood that was considered one of the three worst in the city. It was largely a minority neighborhood.   Yes, I truly believe that the sole reason my rates were exceedingly high was because of living in a zip code associated with a certain racial profile. Sure, the insurance companies say it was only based on zip code.  But I believe racial demographics were playing a huge part. ( I’d late move out of that zip code and pay less than a thousand dollars.)

So why do I mention this? Because the “+1” fact is that I believe the same scenario will play out with firearm insurance. If you live in rural Pennsylvania, you might have to pay a $150/year for your gunsurance.  If you happen to live in a neighborhood, or even close to one, in which there is a high level of crime and lots of minorities, rest assured those insurance companies will deny race is at play. But the expect your gunsurance to be $500/year…or more. Thus putting gun ownership outside of the means of many poor and minorities.

Don’t believe me? It’s not the first time this has been done? Read up on the racist roots of gun control…

http://reason.com/archives/2011/12/21/controlling-guns-controlling-people

http://constitution.org/cmt/cramer/racist_roots.htm

“You know, if I had a President, he would look like….”

 

The Martin-Zimmerman case has been racially charged.  The media did it’s best to charge it further (why not, race riots would be the biggest news event since 9-11 and Katrina, lots of $$$ to be had). President Obama even made a comment “You know, if I had a son, he would look like Trayvon.”

When the media began the reports, it was a white adult shoots young black kid (pictured at age 12). Then it was revealed Zimmerman was hispanic, and Martin not so innocent looking. Then we began to get a different picture of our so-called racist. He mentored a couple of young black youths, even after the grant funding ran out.  Grew up in a racially diverse family structure.  Now we learn that Zimmerman is about an 1/8th black himself. 

To be honest, the case has mostly been beaten to death (ground horse meat anyone)?  But then I saw this new photo of Zimmerman (right) and thought “Wow…he kind of looks like Obama.”  Then I thought about the President’s statement on this case – and well…

 

 

Shots fired into police car in Zimmerman’s neighborhood

So it begins…

This entire case has been a tinderbox ready to ignite a powder keg. And man have fear that reason will not out match passion. There are concerns that Rodney King king riots may occur.

Sadly, the mainstream media seems to be actively pursuing this with repeated inflammatory articles. One would almost think the likes of MSNBC and CNN are hoping riots will occur.  Yes, CNN it would be newsworthy…but do you really want this?  What if the riots hit in Atlanta (which isn’t very far from Florida). 

http://gma.yahoo.com/police-car-shot-trayvon-martins-neighborhood-184110824–abc-news-topstories.html

The sad thing is that the article above essentially documents a LOT of “S-T-U-P-I-D” on both sides.

Zimmerman/Martin Case: Things seem to be going in a new direction

Today, Yahoo had a news article.  It’s one of a half a dozen that I’ve seen in the past day or so that has a different ‘attitude’.  Namely,  a far less biased tone, and one that is questioning of Martin’s nature. It also happens to include a new photo of a much older Martin lacking the child-likeness of the photo that has been used prior.   A criticism that many have made over this issue, and rightly so.

The article also details some interesting accounts from Martin’s Facebook page, including that Martin had swung at a bus driver.  The article also restates that Martin’s suspension was due to marijuana pariphenalia (empty dime bag).

What’s being painted is a troubled, aggressive young man.  And I think the media is now becoming a little shy of being too strongly in Martin’s camp because of a fear that Martin may show himself to be a not-so-great street urchin.

How does this affect my view of the case?

Not very much, first off, as much as I dislike street urchins it is not within my jurisdiction to remove them from the streets. Although when they are removed, I believe all of society benefits.

My view is the same as it was before, but I’ll expound on the matters in relation to the present state of things:

1.  There were too many questions regarding this case and who initiated the conflict, that I felt it had to go to trial. It wasn’t clear cut.  Zimmerman appears to have pursued, and a dual self-defense scenario could be possible. In such a case, I believe a judicial determination needs to be made. 
    
2. Zimmerman, may have acted negligently, and there is a good chance he could find himself facing manslaughter convictions. However, more evidence is mounting that Zimmerman may in fact have been acting in self-defense and been pursued by Martin.

   In Zimmerman’s defense, it’s become fairly clear he was not a lone-patrolmen and was involved in an active community neighborhood watch.  The 46 calls have been revealed to be over 11 years (very reasonable as a block watch captain). And many friends, of varying ethnicities, have vocally supported him as not being a racist.

3. This ALL comes down to about one minute of time, in which the question is “Who confronted who first?” and who first created a scenario in which the individual felt threatened for their well being. Was Zimmerman’s shot in defense of his well being? Or was Martin’s punch in defense of his well being? That’s up to a court to decide.
    
4. What I’ll wager will happen, Zimmerman will either face manslaughter charges or the charges will be repudiated and Zimmerman will be set free. He then will be sued in civil court.  Even if they cannot pursue Zimmerman in civil court for self-defense, I’d wager a good lawyer can sue him for negligence and improper actions in his role as a Block Watch captain. And that those failings were a contributing factor to Martin’s death. (So they won’t be able to try him on the shooting itself but on his role in the neigborhood watch.

I’ve never suspected that Martin is squeaky clean.  But unless he was in the act of crime or harm, I do not think he should have been approached in such manner.  There is a lot of questionable testimony on both sides. And I believe the only way for this to be answered is to go to court and let the courts sift through all the evidence and rhetoric and make a determination.

That seems much more likely to happen now.  Initially it looked as it might not, and that was where my objection lay, now a more thorough investigation is transpiring.  Now my hope is that there is a “fair” trial. That Zimmerman is tried fairly, and the result be accepted.

The sad thing is that this will likely go down far more in legacy for it’s perceptions.   Now what we all have to hope and pray for is that cooler heads prevail. That calls for lynching, riots, and bigotry are not tolerated from any side.

President Elect Barack Hussein Obama

By now, everyone is probably aware that Senator Obama has been elected to become our next commander in chief.

In many ways, this is a testimony of how far America has come. Particularly in regards to two areas. Firstly, race…four decades ago America was a segregated society. People of color were still struggling to gain their freedom and liberty a 100 yrs after the abolishment of slavery. Few imagined that forty years later America would elect its first black President.

Frankly, I believe it could have happened years ago with the right candidate.   Some see this as a testimony of America becoming more color-blind. Sadly, I am not sure I can accept that statement. I think race is much more a non-issue to the white, hispanic and asian communities. However, I know of very few people of color who did not vote for Obama. (Clarification Edit: I believe there is valid reasons to this. And I hope that Obama’s success will show everyone what they can accomplish regardless of skin color , religion or heritage. Remember, it took almost 200 yrs before the first Catholic president was elected.) I look forward to the day that we elect a person of color to office and half the black community will have voted for and the other half against, likewise all the other communities.  Then, I will be over-joyed because America will then be truly colorblind. I believe that day will come, and this election marked a notch in the progress toward that day.

There is a second area in which this election reflects upon. How far America has traveled down the road socialism.  Many people have been accused of not voting for Obama because of race. I think far more were opposed to Obama’s mix of socialism and elitism. The attitude that a) I know better than you do and b) I am going to take your hard work away and give it to someone else, who’s not working.

It’s this latter which is of most significant concern to us gun owners and to the beloved 2nd Amendment protection.  Obama’s viewpoint leads him to believe that the rights of individuals mean less than the whole, that it is acceptable to infringe on the individual in the name of such causes.  Rather, than realize that they way you protect the rights of the “whole” is by ensuring the rights of each and every individual.

To that regard, I hope and pray that President Obama will not pursue some of the more totalitarian agenda he has supported in his political career’s past.