Why the objection to being 21 to buy a Modern Sporting Rifle? Because its creeping gun control! Here's why....

Many so called 2nd Amendment supporters are going soft.

They're supporting bans on being 18-20 to buy a Modern Sporting Rifle.  Why? Because they contend that it could help end gun violence. That it could protect children.  That it will not be the full answer but that it will help!

These so called 2nd Amendment supporters disgust me.  They're giving in to the thrill of the mob.

I oppose this.

Why?

Because it is creeping gun control and the gun grabbers know, the so called 2nd Amendment supporters know it and it will DO NOTHING to help solve this problem.

I am a conservative African American male.

We have had (and it continues) a problem with certain gangs that happen to have black members.  The Crips, Blood, Black Gorilla Family and others.

By this logic then what we should do is to prevent any black male under the age of 50 from buying a handgun or rifle.  By this logic it would prevent violence in the inner city (where the vast majority of these gangs operate).

The VERY SAME THING could be said for Hispanics.  The MS-13, Latin Kings and others do the very same thing.

So if we're gonna label me for the sins of a few in the name of safety why aren't we?

I for one would rage.  Many other people would rage too.  The rationale would be exactly what I listed above, you can't blame an entire group of people for the problems/issues of a few.

That's obvious because of the color of my (our) skin.

But America DOES HAVE A PROBLEM of using blanket solutions to solve issues that a small group of people have.

The latest example is the Opioid crisis.  Not too long ago the medical community was laser focused on solving pain issues in society.  How do I know?  Because it was stated in several news accounts how black men were given less pain medication than others and how that hurt their care.

Fast forward a couple of years and we have the Opioid crisis hitting full bore and the solution is to LIMIT the treatment of pain for all, not actually getting at the core of the issue.

We've seen this before with the meth crisis when sudafed was used to make that vile drug.  You can get it today but you have to buy it from behind the counter.  It's a pain in the ass.  You have to show ID and the fucking pharmacists act like you're a drug user even if you're like me and suffer chronic sinusitis.

My point.

18 years old are NOT the problem.  Labeling all 18 year olds as potential school shooters is vile and despicable.

IT IS CREEPING GUN CONTROL and the reality that it won't do a thing to solve the problem is NOT lost on anyone.  People just want action no matter what it is...even if EVERYONE knows it won't work.

The constitution is suppose to protect us from that kind of nonsense.  Just like it protects me from being labeled a gang member just because we share a common skin tone, it should protect those young people.

But many don't care.  They just want a "feel good" moment.  Even at the cost of what's right.

Tyron Woodley (UFC Fighter) gives his view on gun rights...

Start at the 6:48 mark to miss the insanity about some idiot named Tekashi69 (weird looking rapper dude).

My point?  People have held up their hands and believe that they're right because they believe most people agree with them.  Did you see the pushback on this that Woodley gave and the expression of the dude he was talking too? It was almost like they were discussing religion!

What was the news just last week (before the shooting)?  Black women are buying guns!

via US News and World Report.

Sitting in a classroom above a gun range, a woman hesitantly says she isn't sure she could ever shoot and kill someone, even to protect herself. Couldn't she just aim for their leg and try to maim them?

Her instructor says self-defense is not about killing someone, but is instead about eliminating a threat.

If the gun gets taken away by a bad guy, the instructor says, "I promise you they're not going to be having any sympathy or going through the thought process you are."

Gently she adds that if the student isn't comfortable with the lethal potential of the gun, buying one might not be for her.

Marchelle Tigner is on a mission: to train at least 1 million women how to shoot a firearm. She had spent no time around guns before joining the National Guard. Now, as a survivor of domestic violence and sexual assault, she wants to give other women of color the training she hadn't had.

"It's important, especially for black women, to learn how to shoot," Tigner said, noting that black women are more likely to be victims of domestic violence. "We need to learn how to defend ourselves."

Story here.

You want to talk about the arch of history?  Facts are strange things.  According to FBI statistics major crime has been going down for years.

So why do people feel so unsafe?

Terrorism?

Not likely, not if we're to believe all the "we're so and so city strong"...and "we are not afraid" and finally  "we're not gonna let them tell us how to live our lives" mantra that is spouted.

Crime?

It's going down like I said.

Domestic violence?

It's practically a professional death sentence for a man.  If you're reported to police in many places THEY MUST take you to jail.

So why?

Because statistics are meaningless and people, even black women..the MOST FAITHFUL part of the democratic base are becoming gun owners because they are REALIZING that at the end of the day its up to them to protect themselves (especially in a community that has allowed the institution of marriage to be destroyed by forces within and outside of it).

Never thought I'd be saying this but here ya go.

Don't trust polls.

The Trump victory proved something and our society is pushing us closer to it everyday.

I believe that people will say in public things that they don't believe in order to "not rock the boat" and to be accepted.  What they actually think is possibly something different.

You're probably seeing that with the gun debate.

Oh.  One last thing.  SPARE ME THE NOTES ABOUT WHAT OTHER COUNTRIES DO. I DON'T CARE.  This is America.  We go our own way.  Fuck this collectivism crap that has infected the world.

Open Comment Post. Feb 24, 2018

U.S. Marines join Spanish in amphibious exercise...pics by Sgt. Takoune H. Norasingh

Hmm Wonder what the swim rating of the Piranha III is?  The Spanish Marines have been using that vehicle in the same way the USMC will use the ACV...only much longer.  Additionally they operate the AAV.  I wonder what lessons learned they have that we should know about.

AJAX trials 2017

A unique perspective on why the Russians sent the SU-57 to Syria.

Check out this comment by Emile.

If I was to guess the move to bring it into Syria has several aims, some short term some long term, some modest and some potentially bold af. Obviously showing it operating in Syria, especially if it drops some bombs will do wonders for its sales potential, especially with the Indians who are getting cold feet. It also will allow them to hone the design and to get some experience flying it against NATO planes (especially the F22, although I ready somewhere that the US has grounded the F22 as a response).

Personally, I think a major motivator was however to put a leas h on both Turkey and Israel and put them back into their respective boxes. The war to the North and South is looking like escalating a lot and both of those countries have demonstrated total disregard for Syria's boundaries as a State, so Putin may well have reasoned that if it comes to it, he may need a big stick to discipline them with (even if it doesn't yet work, they can't be sure). Building on that and linked to sales potential...know what will send everyone and their nan rushing to by the SU-57? if it "accidentally" takes down an Israeli F35. Doing it to an American plane would be WWIII but picking off an Israeli one will achieve a triple threat of humiliating the US military industrial complex by demonstrating practically that the F35 is garbage, shock Israel to its core (and force them to back off long term), as well as earn Moscow countless new friends and customers. That would be a helluva reckless move, but hell, it's Putin so nothing's off the table.

Wow.

I've heard all kinds of speculation about why the SU-57 is in Syria but this covers some of the same boxes that have been checked AND the issue with Israeli F-35's and what would happen if one were to be "downed".

If the Russians do plan on taking a shot at an F-35 (assuming the Israelis even chance to send it into combat) then it really won't matter what weapon system does the deed.

Pantsir?  It's win.

S-400?  It's a big win.

SU-57?  It's a huge win, everything changes and the American military/public are in shock, our allies are mortified and Lockheed Martin stock is destroyed.

Is this plausible?

I really don't think so but what if it is?  What if this unique theory is correct? With Syria I've seen stranger things!

USAF speeds up development of 6th gen fighter...

via Investors.com

Lockheed Martin's (LMT) F-35, a so-called fifth-generation fighter, hasn't hit full rate production yet, but the Air Force is already accelerating the development of a sixth generation fighter as China ramps up its military.

 The service is investing nearly $10 billion in the platform over the next five years, $2.7 billion more than previously planned, for the Next Generation Air Dominance system, which will likely include a fighter to replace current fifth generation platforms like the F-35 and Lockheed's F-22.

Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson told reporters at a conference in Orlando Thursday that the system will have a "renewed emphasis" on electronic warfare, according to Aviation Week.

Lockheed's secretive Skunk Works division told IBD over the summer that a sixth-gen fighter would likely feature improved stealth as radar capabilities expand across the electromagnetic spectrum, as well as more autonomy, hypersonic technology and defensive laser systems.

Story here. 

Always follow the money.  Never listen to what they're saying but follow the money.

The Marine Corps is prioritizing amphibious combat vehicles this year?  Not according to the budget.

In that same vein the USAF has full confidence in the F-35?  Not according to the budget!

Not only are they not buying the full complement to push down the cost curve, not only are they not going to upgrade all the aircraft that they have in service now (which are suppose to be combat capable) but they're also investing MORE money in a next gen system.

That goes against everything we've been told about the F-35.

As far as what the 6th gen will be that's a different kettle of fish.  Some F-35 fanboys have floated the trial balloon (cause this ain't the first time we've heard that they're speeding up the 6th gen development) that the next fighter will be an  upgraded F-35.

Well with the features that the SecAF laid out we can say with almost certainty that won't be the case.

The F-35 already has cooling issues, lacks range and has little in the way of being improvable for increased stealth and additional systems.

You laugh at the SU-57 going to Syria?

That was a shot across the bow.

The Russians are telling us the same thing that the Chinese have.

They've closed the gap.  The advantage is gone.  If they meet us on the field of battle there will be no advantage for US forces.

SU-57 used for the first time in combat. Conducted heavy raid...

Thanks to Drinas for the link!

#Syria Unconfirmed Report Minutes Ago by the Militant Idlib governorate radio :
“New russian fighters "Su-57" used for the first time in the skies of S. Idlib CS, with heavy airstrike on the villages of N. Hama CS “

— Ivan Sidorenko (@IvanSidorenko1) February 23, 2018

Beyond interesting.

This is more than a publicity stunt.  We've seen aircraft downed so this qualifies as a real world scenario.

The Russian jet which started production after the F-35 has been bloodied first.

Congrats Russia.  

Bomb damage assessments, weapons used etc...would be appreciated!

Su-57 fighter jets in Syria poses no threat to the US-led coalition’s military operations

via Sputnik.

 The deployment of Russian Su-57 fighter jets in Syria poses no threat to the US-led coalition’s military operations and the United States will continue to deconflict operations with Russia as usual, US Department of Defense spokesman Eric Pahon told reporters.

"We do not consider these [Su-57] jets to be a threat to our operations in Syria, and will continue to deconflict operations as necessary," Pahon said on Thursday.

Story here. 

Well that basically confirms it.

The SU-57 is in Syria and the F-35 ain't. 

Make of that what you will.

Open Comment Post....Feb 23, 2018